Big and GOOD news

[Mustafuck]

I have talked to several guys who are supposed to understand about these things when It comes to program the aliens for a video game, and I have been told lots of different things about their always SMALL size, but primarily, these two seem to be the more important out of all:

1-) Problems with the hitboxes (they guy didn't explain this any deeper anyway).

2-) Balance wise..., programmers sacrifice the scary factor of dealing with MASSIVE human-like creatures like the aliens actually are just in the name of the balance, because they think they are easy targets. Even If this were true (because we all know It actually isn't), balance is not enough of a reason in order to somehow "screw" the most important thing in an aliens game..., the alien itself.

Whatever the reason, It sadness me a lot to see the aliens beign so small once more, basically because It's not right, and that's all.

We need some god damned ACM videos or at least in-game screenshots so that I can figure It out better, but for now they again look too small to me .

[Bigapps17]

Well looking at the movie aliens they still were not that big. Yeah they were bigger than a human, but it's not like they took up the whole screen. Plus things look smaller when they are farther away! If you gonna be right up against an alien in the game (and I don't know why you would want to get that close), then I'm sure the alien will be a lot bigger! Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good. What you you rather have? Bigger aliens that take away from the gameplay experience (such as things you can do like explosions and scenery that takes out memory) or smaller aliens with a better gameplay experience? Yes I'm sort of angry that the aliens are not as big as they should be but if it takes away from the gameplay experience then keep them smaller!

[Mustafuck]

Well looking at the movie aliens they still were not that big.

-Giger's: 2'50 meters tall
-Cameron's: 2'30-40 meters tall (thing is that he had to use a lot of guys for those scenes, and of course almost no one reached even the 2'00 mt)
-Fincher's hyper-violent alien runner: (2'30 when on Its two)

Imo a 2'50 meters tall creature is a massive creature, not even tall, just massive.

[Bigapps17]

yeah okay they are massive, but judging by the looks they don't seem like they would be as tall as something like a predator. This could also be because they are usually on all fours or crawling up a wall, but still! I'd rather sacrifice height than gameplay! And who knows, maybe gearbox will surprise us with something!

[Mother]

If you gonna be right up against an alien in the game (and I don't know why you would want to get that close), then I'm sure the alien will be a lot bigger!

I just hope that, if you are that close and pulse rifling the shit out of a bug, you're insta-killed from acid damage. The aim should be to keep them away as much as possible.

Very interested to see the effects if acid on the world too. I want it melting holes in floors.

[Mustafuck]

but judging by the looks they don't seem like they would be as tall as something like a predator.

-Predator: 2'10 meters tall
-Ggiger's/Cameron's: 2'50-2'30.

As you can see, the predator is still s dwarf compared to the perfect organism, and of course the obsession of showing us the aliens on their fours anytime does little favour to the scary factor because of the reduced size, making them to look like bugs instead of the things they actually were.

This has always been one of the classic concerns of the oldest alien fans since "aliens" was released, and as I always liked to say on that subject, we already have the alien runner to suit the alien bug role that always goes on Its four.

I just hope that, if you are that close and pulse rifling the shit out of a bug, you're insta-killed from acid damage. The aim should be to keep them away as much as possible.

Very interested to see the effects if acid on the world too. I want it melting holes in floors.

You may be interested on checking a downloadable file that Shodan (or someone at those fora, can't remember now cause It was 2 or even 3 years ago) uploaded to the GB forum; If I recall right, the file contained a lot of acid effects (both on the floor and on bodies), smoke, hive smoke effects, and some other things.

Ask him about that file, he may have It in his very computer or at least know the location of that file in the forum.

[Bigapps17]

Okay I guess I will have to give you the win on this one mustafuck. I do admit that I would rather see and have the alien be the same size as the movie and go for the scary factor with some parts of the game. The scary factor should be a major element, like when you are looking for an objective or when you entering a hive and you hear the sound of the motion tracker, but I do want a lot of action like in the second movie. Basically I want a mash of the 1st and second movie and have it done well. I want to go in guns a blazing, but then I want some parts where I basically shit my self cause an alien is stalking me!
The thing I keep bringing up is that if gearbox needs to take away from the overall gameplay experience to make the aliens to actual size in the game, then I would rather have them scale back the aliens and focus on the gameplay! Don't you agree?
P.S yeah I wanna see the acid effects and I can imagine that they will not disappoint. Mother if you find those picks, put them up in the gallery or something, so we all can bask in their glory!

[Mustafuck]

Hahaha, this is not a battle between us mate, I have won nothing because I'm not pretending anything like that in here; it's all just a healthy (and necessary too why not to say It) battle against this idea:

The thing I keep bringing up is that if gearbox needs to take away from the overall gameplay experience to make the aliens to actual size in the game, then I would rather have them scale back the aliens and focus on the gameplay! Don't you agree?

No I can't, why?, the question is (not for you actually, a question for the developers), why do they think like that?, why giving the aliens their natural size and scary factor would go against balance and against the gameplay Itself?, that is a completely unreasonable argument imho, even uncalled-for If you let me say It, because making the aliens as they actually are wouldn't do anything but good, not only to the gameplay but also to the experience of the players.

Put It this way for a moment..., do you think that making the aliens the beasts they are (in a game) would prevent us players from enjoying the typical and fun skirmishes (just what we all love about "Aliens", isn't It) against the alien warriors?, do you think that an incoming group of 7 (maybe more) alien warriors that already size almost my whole screen when they aren't even close to me is going to be against the gameplay, or your experience?..., don't you think this could be just the opposite, I mean, a pro not a con?

Rebellion have epicly failed with their poor and why not to say that, childy and miserable concept of the alien..., now is the turn for GB, and I would like to think they have done something on this subject but..., argh, you know that is not very probable just because of the quote I took from your last reply, a thought with which I just can not agree anymore, and a though that is actually doing a lot of damage to the creature Itself and Its endless possibilities as the scary monster It was once.

I'm not your enemy dude, and If one day we see the alien reflected in a video game in the way I'm trying to explain, then you'll find out that I was just the opposite to what you were thinking about me, and that all was just for good, for our own good as aliens fans and hardcore gamers.

[Chris!(($$))!]

Don't worry the size of the Xenos will be good. Look at the arm of the Marine in one pic, his arm is probably 2-3 feet long. The Xeno's arm looks like it's 3-4 feet long meaning it will have a 6-8 foot long arm span. They will be proper size.

[Mustafuck]

Hope you're right bro, but remember that the marine is also lying on the floor.

Also, It's strange there aren't some HD pics on the web yet