• Das großartige Treffen dieses Jahr wird nächstes Jahr wiederholt. Wir treffen uns wieder im Sauerlandpark. Diesmal ist der Termin noch nicht fixiert. Also schau im Thread vorbei und gib Bescheid, ob und wann du teilnehmen willst und kannst. Ich will auch!

Chromehounds

Chromehounds online bestellen
Anspiel-Eindrücke von IGN und 1UP. Klingen durch die Bank sehr positiv, auch bezüglich der Technik - oh Wunder. *g*

BTW, nettes Randzitat von IGN:

"Our playtest of the game today, by the way, confirmed that the Xbox 360 controller is the best thing ever -- your hands will melt when you get a hold of it."

From Software is known for its mech games, and it's known for its mastery of Microsoft game hardware, so we weren't surprised to learn a few months back that the Tokyo-based developer had chosen Xbox 360 as the final platform for Chromehounds. First shown in concept form at the 2003 Tokyo Game Show, From had originally considered Xbox for the game's platform before setting its eyes on Microsoft's new multi-core beast. The game's worldwide publisher was also finalized when the decision to go with Xbox 360 was made, with From turning to Sega (also the international publisher of the group's Otogi series on Xbox).

Now two years after From first shared the intriguing concept behind Chromehounds, development is at last wrapping up. Together with Sega, the company will be demoing a version of the game at the Tokyo Game Show later this week, giving two teams consisting of three players each a chance to board the giant Chromhound mechs for a fight to the death on one of three stages of play. Prior to the show, IGN was given a chance to sample the game at From's Shinjuku development studio.
First, the basics on what's been one of the more mysterious Xbox 360 titles. Chromehounds is a mech game being developed under the eye of producer Toshifumi Nabeshima, who also serves as the producer on the Armored Core series. The game has all the customization you'd expect of a From game, with over 300 parts ready to equip to your mech, but unlike Armored Core, the focus is less about what happens before the battle and more about what happens during the battle.

Chromehounds is a squad-based title, meaning rather than facing off against an opponent mech on your own, you fight along side five allies. Each member of your team has one of six roles. There's a commander, who has better radar capabilities than the other mechs and can thus get a better view of the battle field, something that's essential for sending out commands (using Xbox Live voice chat). Some roles focus on attack or defensive, with others placing emphasis on quick speed. Coolest of all is a sniper mech, who isn't the strongest or the fastest, but can take aim from afar.

Depending on the type of Chromehound that you select, and the parts that you equip it with, you'll see differences in six areas, including attack, speed and strength. Your ratings in these areas determine what type of duty your meach is qualified for. The Chromehounds themselves are detailed beasts that, in From Software fashion, resemble their function. The sniper looks somewhat frail and weak, and sure enough, it fails miserably in close combat.

Regardless of type, all mechs have the same basic control scheme. The two analogue sticks are used for movement, aiming and looking around. We were only able to equip a single, default weapon to each of the Chromehounds that we played -- this is launched using the right shoulder button, as you'd expect -- but there will be other weapons to collect and equip, Nabeshima told us. Pressing down on the right analogue pad toggles between a first and third person view, with the sniper's first person view automatically zooming in slightly so that you can better target your enemies. (Our playtest of the game today, by the way, confirmed that the Xbox 360 controller is the best thing ever -- your hands will melt when you get a hold of it).

As big a role as mech construction plays in Chromehounds, we think you'll be even more intrguied by the amount of destruction the game offers. Both your mech and the environments can be progressively destroyed. For the environments, you can blast away and destroy buildings and towers -- ammo is unlimited, so there's no need to be shy -- or you can simply run into things like fences and trees and have them topple over under the mass of your battle machine. Your mech itself incurs damage, breaking on a part-by-part basis with every hit. Take too much damage and you may end up with a broken leg, resulting in slow movement and a quick death.

We were able to try the game in one versus one mode, which placed the IGN mech against a single opponent (from a competitive publication -- who ended up winning, but most likely cheated). The first thing you need to do when entering the battle field is find your opponent. The fields of play are huge, making this a tricky task. In fact, it took us many minutes to determine the position of the enemy. You have an easily accessible map of the full battle field along with a permanent radar showing your nearby surroundings, but enemy indicators only appear in the radar, and only if they're reasonably close.
Once you've found your target, the game heats up. Using a mix of blur effects and some eye catching weapon streams and explosions, two mechs facing off in close combat results in a total war zone in Chromehounds. We were left to wonder what kind of carnage will ensue with twelve players exchanging fire.

That's the way you're supposed to play the game -- in large teams. We were concerned with the amount of time it took to find an opponent, but with team-based play, finding the enemy is a part of the game. Nabeshima described a scenario involving a team of six facing off against another team of six. Each commander tells his units where to position themselves. Then, assuming the enemy hasn't shown face yet, the commander sends out scouts -- probably the faster units -- to search for the enemy and report back. Soon, both parties have found the enemy, and everyone is engaging on one point, filling the screen with so much fire that you're longing for the calm before the storm.

Gameplay won't be limited to just six versus six and just Online, of course. Single players will be able to take on other single players, although From currently isn't planning on including computer-controlled partner characters. In single player, you'll be able to play through six stories each focusing on one of the six major roles in battle. This mode, which has a progressive storyline and characters, is designed to increase your strength when playing as one of the roles. It will feature missions where you're by yourself on the battle field as well as missions where you fight along side computer-controlled allies.

But Online play looks like it will be the most intriguing part of Chromehounds. From Software is actually adding some persistent elements to the Chromhounds Online world. Players first choose to join one of three countries that are battling it out for world domination. The world actually has far more than just three countries waging war, but the game focuses on just three. The world map changes based on the success of all the players who are fighting for a given country, so if one country has really strong players, that country will prosper and will gain territory.

From even has some ideas in place for making sure that a single country doesn't get too strong. Each country is actually reliant on the support of the other countries that exist in the game world, and by adjusting the amount of support, a given country can be weakened if need be. From is even thinking about adding natural disasters to the game in order to weaken a country that is growing too strong. Even without these manual interruptions, the three countries will offer balances from the start that will make sure each will find an audience.

Given From Software's unmatched ability to make the Xbox sing (see Otogi 2 and Metal Wolf Chaos for examples), it shouldn't surprise you to learn that Chromehounds is a gorgeous game. The explosions and effects during the combat scenes make watching the game as fun as playing, and clear textures combined with a lengthy viewing distance make the moments where you're all alone on the battle field just as splendid. The mechs are, of course, far more detailed than we saw of mech titles in the last generation, although you can see that for yourself from the new screenshots we've included in our media section. We had to play the game on standard televisions, so some of the visual effect was muted, but the TGS showing will feature high-def TVs.

We're anxious to experience the team component (as well as the component component) of Chromehounds, as that's clearly the way to play the game. Look forward to more on the title as TGS approaches, including a full interview with Nabeshima.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/650/650575p1.html
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While the name Chromehounds might not yet ring a bell with most gamers, its more famous brethren, Armored Core, most certainly will. And it's no small coincidence that this giant-mech-themed squad-based war game shares that pedigree, as Armored Core producer, Toshifumi Nabeshima, is the mastermind behind Chromehounds.
In our first hands-on sit-down with the game, yours truly was pit against IGN editor Anoop Gantayat in a battle to the death. I was determined not to lose. After choosing between an Assault 'hound and a Sniper 'hound (two mech designations out of what will be six types in the finished game), it was a simple matter of getting to grips with the intuitive, sensible control scheme. While the A-button brings up a field map on the right-hand side of the screen (in which you can keep track of fellow team members, as well as enemies once they wander within range), the X and Y buttons toggle between weapon sets. One set on our Assault mode 'hound was rapid-fire machine guns, while the other set was a group of heavier, slower-firing-but-more-powerful armor-piercing slugs.

Once in the game, the battle took awhile to get going, due to the massive size of the combat field. The final product will support two teams comprised of six members each, for a grand total of twelve maximum, but for our game it was purely one-on-one. Voice-communication will be key for coordinating your strikers and heavy-hitters, while the Snipers staying up on the hill providing covering fire will require on-the-fly coordination. Nabeshima stresses that playing with people you are familiar with will be more beneficial in the long run, over partying with random people on Xbox Live. To that end, guilds may be created, as well as guild emblems, while additional customization may be done in the game's parts shops. It's not yet been decided if Chromehounds will place any of its wares in Xbox Live 360's microtransaction shops.

Anyway, in the match with Anoop both of us were in Assault mechs. While he started off near some buildings (and civilization), I trundled through a shallow riverbed, looking for signs of my opponent. Once I got to the top of a hill, it was first-person mode time, courtesy of pressing the right analog stick in. Once I saw Anoop's random gunfire spraying up over a hill, I started strafing through the trees, not yet giving away my position with a careless display of my munitions. As I closed quarters, I unloaded with my machine guns, getting a feel for the circling powers of my Assault 'hound. The special effects were awesome, as the shots that missed, which hit the river, resulted in the dorsal-like spray of water you see in the movies. Mostly, though, my shots found their mark, especially when I switched to the slower, heavier rounds, which really put Anoop in the dark. It wasn't long after I aimed straight for his face that he went down in a cloud of smoke. I looked over at his monitor as I slowly, but surely ruined his 'hound, and his screen was a blur of explosions and hot lead. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. But losing is for suckers. I freaking destroyed him.

While it's still a bit early to get too excited (Chromehounds doesn't ship until Spring 2006), what we've played thus far has been inspiring, beautiful and intense. Once we get a larger group playing together and utilizing team communication in the various modes (team battles, deathmatch, capture the flag, etc.) there's no telling how high our excitement level will go. Head over to the media page to check out new screens of the game.

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3143651&did=1
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Im Grunde ist es schade das mir das Genre völlig egal ist, denn der TGS Trailer schaut wirklich sehr nett aus. Dürfte für Genrefans gerade online sehr geil werden
 
Und wieder wurde ich von SEGA eines besseren belehrt, sieht wirklich überaschend gut aus. Nur die Umgebungen könnten echt mehr Details vertragen.
 
Optisch absolut nicht beeindruckend. Ziemlich stupide Ballerei ohne Tiefgang das machts schon fast wieder sympathisch *g*

Die Geschosse sieht man gar nicht fliegen, nur den Einschlag oder habe ich das irgendwie übersehen
 
Das Schneelevel-Video finde ich auch ziemlich langweilig. Es ist einfach ein recht flaches Riesen-Kriegsareal. Ansonsten definitiv ziemlich hübsch, auch wenn der Trailer wohl aus weiter fortgeschrittenen Version stammt (deutlich bessere Effekte).
 
die mechs sehen wie immer sehr annehmbar aus, und scheinbar haben sie auch dezent was an den bodentexturen gemacht, zumindest die in der stadt sehen aus nem winkel der dem einer 3rd person spielperspektive ähnlich sind recht passabel aus, die umgebung... naja sagen wir so: wenn du nichts nettes zu sagen hast sage lieber garnichts ;)
 
sitzen in dem team eigentlich auch designer oder sonstige leute die was mit steel battalion zutun hatten?! die haben die umgebungen auch durch viele effekte wie blurs und künstliche unschärfen "realistischer" gemacht...
 
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