New Syndicate to be an FPS

Dark Sun

Dark Sun

Dark Sun

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The new Syndicate game thought to be in development at Starbreeze will reinvent Bullfrog's top-down classic as a first person shooter, so say insider sources.

According to current and former employees talking with 1Up, the game, which the Swedish studio behind The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay has codenamed RedLime, will also have a strong multiplayer focus.

"RedLime was meant to be the step up from Darkness, where we sort of took all the mistakes we did with Darkness and do them right," explained one source.

CEO Johann Kristiansson (who has stepped down since the interview was conducted) also chimed in on the new project, though didn't specifically acknowledge that RedLime is the Syndicate game.

He explained that the title will be tightly focussed on a key gameplay feature.

"I think [our] technology focus used to be strong, and we had a strong storytelling focus in The Darkness, but now I think we mostly focus on the core gameplay mechanic. We're trying to be innovative there - and we have something really exciting in our new EA title in this area.

"A lot of it has to do with going from more of a technology-oriented company and story-oriented company, and becoming more of a gameplay-focused company.

"I think now when we start pitching and creating a concept, we always start with the question, 'What's the core mechanic? What are you doing in this game that's different from other shooters, or other similar games?'

"A few years ago, we weren't too focused on that," he continued. "We managed to pull off a great genre mix in Riddick, with shooting, sneaking, fighting, and dialogue, but there was no real core mechanic that differentiated it from other games. Now we are trying to differentiate ourselves more."

The game has apparently had a rocky development, with the project being restarted several times thanks to tech issues, creative differences within the team and a number of staff leaving the studio.

A separate source explained that external input from publisher EA has also caused tensions.

"If [EA producers] step in, which they have done now on Syndicate, where they send producers over there to embed them with the dev team, that's a really bad sign... Starbreeze did something very, very wrong for a very long time with Syndicate."

No indication is given as to when the game will finally be ready for release.
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/facepalm

Why did they have to take a winning concept and **** it up?! Why couldnt they just give us a juiced up graphically superior version of the original!?
 
Craig1981 said:
/facepalm

Why did they have to take a winning concept and **** it up?! Why couldnt they just give us a juiced up graphically superior version of the original!?
Click to expand...

How do you know they've ****** it up before we've seen anything?? No vids, no pics unless I'm mistaken.
 
Could be good, could be bad, the original games were great though so it's one I'll keep an eye on.

It's a shame we won't see gameplay like the originals though, not every single IP has to be turned into an FPS!
 
For a long time i've wanted a multiplayer fps based on Syndicate. Between rounds you upgrade your guy - better legs to run faster, jump higher. Stronger arms for less recoil, hold heavier weapons, stronger melee. Improved eyes allow for zooming, night vision, infrared. Better brain for hacking, using high tech gadgets. Improved chest for health, regen. Using drugs to boost performance in various ways etc etc. This crossed with RTCW would be the best mp fps ever ...

... however, I very much doubt any developer would do the idea justice (they're not managing with any other online fps at the moment!) and the world needs a proper Syndicate sequel right now. Just imagine how great it could look - the same isometric view point, little cars zooming around, pedestrians crossing the road, 4 guys walking down the street in brown trenchcoats holding shotguns ..
 
New Syndicate makes me excited whatever it is, I only played Syndicate Wars and loved it.
 
Its odd that they feel the need to change the style of gameplay from a much loved classic. it really coudl go either way. Either its just another crappy shooter that needs an recognised name in order to sell or they genuinly want to do something different within the franchise and make a good game (in the same vain as what bloodlines did in the masquerade franchise).
 
Don't really care what genre they create it as, so long as it stays within the spirit of the old and most importantly is a good game.
 
I think if it retains the core elements but has merely been switched to a first person view rather than 3rd person I don't see the big deal. Should be good if they do that.
 
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