Gaming TimeSplitters: Future Perfect

[Brasil]

[url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/timesplitters3/preview_6098018.html]TimeSplitters: Future Perfect[/url]

Now, the TimeSplitters series has taken flack for lack of a storyline, and has been criticized for "simple" Campaign mode, but this...

[QUOTE]Remember all those science fiction time travel movies that said that you should try to never come in contact with yourself during your travels through time, lest the world be ripped apart by paradox? Well, throw all that nonsense out the window. TimeSplitters: Future Perfect is coming with online play, a cohesive story mode, the arcade mode that fans of the series know and love, and a little gameplay hook called "meet yourself gameplay" that will allow you to help yourself to victory.[/QUOTE]
...sounds unbelievably cool.

[QUOTE]With all of this timeskipping going on, you're bound to run into yourself sooner or later, and that's the gist of what Free Radical is calling "meet yourself gameplay." In one sequence, you'll be pinned down and hiding from a vicious helicopter attack only to watch a daring rescue attempt perpetrated by? yourself? Yes, your future self busts out with some firepower and knocks the chopper out of the sky. Then, of course, not long after you're set free, you'll get the opportunity to be on the other side of that equation and knock out that chopper yourself. The other example we were told about involved going back in time to unlock doors for yourself and other clock-skipping shenanigans.[/QUOTE]
Free Radical gets major props for even just thinking about this idea. I'm really hoping they're able to pull this off, because it would turn the entire time-travel game on its head. The possibilities for this "meet yourself gameplay" are unbelievable. I can only compare it to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, in the scene with the Circle K and the Keys/Police Station. Already I'm psyched about Future Perfect, and that's hard to do.

Plus, it sounds like Free Radical is taking TimeSplitting online, and giving the MapMaker a major boost, in both power/ease of use and the ability to upload/download maps from the Net.

Thoughts?

[Semjaza]

Times like this I wish GCN would go online... which is unfortunate because I really do feel the game played best with that controller. I guess I'll just stick with the Xbox version in that case.

I'm looking forward to this game. I actually did enjoy the single player of Timesplitters 2, although I do feel it felt more like a bunch of random stuff crammed together rather than a real, coherant game.

I'm looking forward to Free Radical's other game, Second Sight, as well.

[Charles]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']Times like this I wish GCN would go online... which is unfortunate because I really do feel the game played best with that controller. I guess I'll just stick with the Xbox version in that case.[/quote]

According to Game Informer, only the Playstation 2 version is planned to have online play. :(

[Semjaza]

[quote name='Charles']According to Game Informer, only the Playstation 2 version is planned to have online play. :([/quote]

Sigh. I hope that changes. I can't stand the PS2 controller for FPS games.

[BlueYoshi]

[COLOR=Teal]Actually, I'll only be interested in TS:FP if it does go online. Story mode never really made its appeal to me despite there being a co-op mode.

I'd preferably go for this game on the GCN, just like Semjaza said, the controls work wonders with the pad's design, but honestly, if versus mode is as far as it goes then I guess I'm out.

As TS is a game that mainly emphasises on multi player rather than story mode, it would be interesting to see how the premise of Future Perfect works in accordance to it. I never did get the feel that I had travelled through time in the previous games, mainly because the story lacked and the main characters were always changing. This could be something that Free Radical improves on.

On a side note, the monkey was cheap as hell. Ownage.[/COLOR] :P

[Brasil]

I checked the GameSpot Hands-On. They mention Xbox Live, so I can assume that Cube is the only non-online version. Of course, they could utilize the broadband modem for LAN mode, but I don't think they're going to.

While details on the singleplayer mode are slim, it sounds promising.

[QUOTE]TimeSplitters: Future Perfect will be the first game to feature a real, story-driven single-player game. The 11 single-player missions take you, as a dude named Cortez, through a lot of different eras as you chase the TimeSplitters aliens in an attempt to thwart their evil plot. With all of this timeskipping going on, you're bound to run into yourself sooner or later...The other example we were told about involved going back in time to unlock doors for yourself and other clock-skipping shenanigans.[/QUOTE]
I can't get over it, lol. It's just so original. Obviously, there will be a set, linear path through the game, I'm sure, but if there are multiple ways to go through the game, multiple paths--branching paths--the replay value will skyrocket. No romp through Campaign mode would be the same.

[Guest Spike88]

Well, though I suck at first person shooters i will have to give this new one it's props it looks pretty kool and the online play will probably be awesome too. Yea i'll agree that the one player mode in the second one was pretty good yet it lacked focus. Anyways I'm sure it will rank up there with the second one and Red Faction

[Brasil]

Gamespot just (I believe they just did. I just saw it.) an interview with David Doak. The topic of the interview was the enhanced Mapmaker for Future Perfect, and...they're adding features and tools that I've been longing for since the franchise's conception.

You can find it [url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/timesplitters3/preview_6118189.html][u]here[/u][/url].

[quote]
[b]GS:[/b] What did it lack that you addressed in Future Perfect?

[b]DD:[/b] Aside from all of the online functionality and improvements to logic editing, which I've mentioned elsewhere here, we also took a long hard look at how the basic building blocks, the map tiles, fit together. Although both the TS1 and TS2 mapmakers had been very well received, we knew we could make the building part more flexible and make it easier for the user to create the kind of environment they wanted.

Universal connecting plugs on all tiles. Any tile can be connected to any other tile with no need for adaptor tiles.

More variety of tiles and mirroring of asymmetric tiles. Easier to find a tile to fit that space or refine the map layout.

Stackable tiles. Create holes in the floor and massive drops or camping spots for snipers.

Open maps with skies and weather. Maps don't have to be underground.

A bigger range of features and interactive items to populate the maps with.

Flexibility, variety, usability.

We've also incorporated technology features from the single-player and co-op story game in Future Perfect, most notably vehicles and a remote-controlled cat![/quote]The change I'm most excited about is the Mapmaker becoming a truly 3D editor. The previous incarnations really weren't true 3D, because we were still limited to building on one floor at a time. Yes, we could have multiple floors, but we were still operating on what functioned as 2D. I'm giddy over stackable tiles, creating holes in the floor, etc. It's one thing I've always wanted to be able to do.

Open maps and weather effects could be very interested, as well. The strictly corridor Mapmaker levels could really rock and all, but having an outdoors deathmatch would be super keen. ^_^

Thoughts? Reactions?

[Solo Tremaine]

[COLOR=#503F86]I'm not actually too enthralled by the prospect of an enhanced MapMaker- I never really used it in TS2 and when I did the game always decided to crash. There was a magazine that tried to re-create Goldeneye's Facility level in TS2 form but I could never get it to work properly.

But if it's improved, then all the better ^_^

I guess I'm most excited about this simply because it's a TS game update- I loved the second one and still really enjoy the multiplayer- seeing better graphics, more weapons and characters can only be a good thing, heh. And the chance to ride in vehicles with other people seems really fun as well. I guess Halo has a lot to answer for in that respect.[/COLOR]

[Rei_Man]

Well, I'm definitely looking forward to an improve MapMaker. The one in TS2 was alright, but it just didn't work particularly well in setting up custom missions. I made one attempt at a serious custom level, with all the mission items, keys and stuff, but I pretty much gave up after that.
In the end I just maded an insane arena full of turrets, headache-inducing lighting, and monkeys with flamethrowers and grenade launchers. Totally insane, especially when you've got ten of them trying to burn you to death, each respawning 20 odd times. Plus the purple 'n' green flickering lights made it pretty much impossible to see them.

But yes, I'd say that this one looks far more promising. To be able to create open-air maps aswell would be interesting, and vehicles too? Wow. Though I'd like to know what the purpose of the remote-controlled cat would be .... heh.

One question though, can the underground and open air elements both be used in the same map?