Topic: Shadowrun goes gold

[idolminds]

I know no one really cares, but I had to post.

Cross-Platform Innovator “Shadowrun” Goes Gold, Twice, For Windows Vista and Xbox 360

Gaming communities on Xbox 360™ and Windows Vista™ will come together for the first time over Xbox LIVE and Games For Windows – LIVE, when “Shadowrun™” teleports to retailers May 29

Microsoft Game Studios today announced that the eagerly awaited and innovative first-person shooter (FPS) “Shadowrun” has gone gold and will begin hitting retailers throughout North America on May 29.

From renowned developer FASA Studio, the team that brought you the Xbox LIVE launch title “MechAssault®,” and the lead designer behind the original “Halo®,” “Shadowrun” incorporates ancient magic and advanced technology into strategic and clever teambased gameplay for an unparalled combat experience.

Utilizing both the Xbox LIVE and Games For Windows – LIVE network, “Shadowrun” tears down the walls between friends and gamer communities on the Xbox 360 and Windows Vista-based PC by letting as many as 16 gamers play together, regardless of platform*. Not only does “Shadowrun” bring these communities together, it also extends the features gamers love on Xbox LIVE, such as gamertags, achievements, friends lists and integrated voice communication, onto the PC through Games for Windows — LIVE. “Shadowrun” is optimized for a multiplayer online experience – which requires an Xbox LIVE Gold account on Xbox 360 or Silver account on Games for Windows – LIVE.

“Shadowrun” will ship with nine unique maps and an additional three map variations, showcasing dynamic environments set in a futuristic Santos, Brazil, and its neighboring, ancient Ziggurat. “Shadowrun” includes six training chapters, allowing gamers the opportunity to fine-tune their strategy and lethal combinations against the intuitively smart and talented A.I. bots. Gamers can also play with bots at four levels of difficulty on every map and with every game type.

After a 5,000-year absence, magic has returned to the world of “Shadowrun.” It is 2031 and global corporations battle a relentless ancient order to harness this reawakened power. Be a part of the RNA, a global mega-corporation, and bring order (and profit) to a world of chaos. Or join the Lineage to keep magic wild and free at all costs. Choose a side and wage war for the future of magic in the new world of “Shadowrun.” Players vie for supremacy in an intense FPS experience, in the “Shadowrun” universe, that rewards cleverness, cunning and split-second improvisation through a unique combination of modern weapons, ancient magic and advanced technology.

Humans, elves, dwarves and trolls, can pick up ”Shadowrun” for the estimated retail price of $59.99 for Xbox 360 and $49.99 for Windows Vista. “Shadowrun” is rated “M” for Mature, for gamers 17 years old and above.

Ok...ok....get this:

Windows Vista ONLY
To get all the fancy features on PC, you need to drop another $50 on GFW Live.
$50 on PC, $60 on 360
It only has 9 maps!

Christ, could they try harder to make it fail? Oh yeah, they gimped PC controls to make the game "fair". Its mind boggling.

[angrykeebler]

I might get this for my 360

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, fuck that shit.  There's no way in hell I'm even considering this game.  As far as I'm concerned it should just die.

[Pugnate]

Yea wtf... I guess this is what everyone predicted. This is how M$ wants to run things. This is the future.

[Quemaqua]

They can cram the future right back up into their nethers where they pulled it from.

[MysterD]

Shadowrun (Vista) for the PC just won't work for IGN....

Shadowrun (Vista) No Worky

May 30, 2007 - Xbox Live has Major Nelson. Windows Vista Live has Colonel Klink ("Hoooogan!"). Shadowrun may be in stores, but lo-and-behold: It doesn't work. Here's more on the story from PC.IGN:

    Shadowrun, FASA Studios' arena shooter, is finally in stores, and we can't play the PC version. It's not for lack of effort - we spent hours trying to get the thing to connect to Live on a Vista rig with no luck. Once the game is installed it requires you to create an Xbox Live ID or sign in with an existing one. We have one, but after signing in with the correct information it just wouldn't let us connect. After fiddling with firewall and network port settings, we still couldn't get in. Whether this is a widespread issue or a problem with our own rig and network setup isn't clear, as we're not omniscient. It is the reason we can't bring you cross-platform impressions, however.

-- Robert 'Apache' Howarth

[Quemaqua]

Is this just for multiplayer?  Because if they expect me to sign into some bullshit just to play... then I'm 18 times as fucking pissed as I was about this debacle yesterday.

[Jedi]

Is this just for multiplayer?  Because if they expect me to sign into some bullshit just to play... then I'm 18 times as fucking pissed as I was about this debacle yesterday.

Yeah I don't know, I'm going to assume so though as it only has 9 maps... which seems like an odd thing to say about a game if it weren't MP. Also the lack of maps and the need to sign up for the Live services makes more sense if it were MP only.
Anyway this game looks to be hitting stores in NZ at half the normal price, so perhaps the publisher has conceded a little there and they don't expect you to pay the full price and a subscription?? I don't know I haven't really been following this game at all.

[Quemaqua]

And I actually meant to say if they expect me to sign in for a Single Player game.  But I haven't been following this at all either, so... yeah.

[idolminds]

Dunno about that. Its kind of sad about this game, though. If they didn't dick around with it like they did it sounds kind of cool. I'm seeing threads where people are discussing their "builds"...race and special abilites. Seems like there could be a lot of strategies.

[MysterD]

I'm pretty sure it's MP-Only, guys.
I have never heard one word uttered about it being SP-based.

[idolminds]

No, no SP storyline or anything but I think there are bots for solo play.

[MysterD]

No, no SP storyline or anything but I think there are bots for solo play.

Kind of like BF games and Quake 3: Arena??

[poomcgoo]

Wow.  I didn't realize how retarded that is.  9 maps for an MP-only game?

[Cobra951]

I saw it on the shelf at EB yesterday, remembered this thread, and walked right on by.  (I did see Forza 2 as well, though.  Decided to wait until I read some press on it.)  Damn shame.  I loved Shadowrun on the SNES.

[PyroMenace]

Gamespot give it a 6.9. Ouch, can't see I didn't see it coming.

[MysterD]

Gertsmann been vicious on these Microsoft games that have been not-so-great on Win Vista -- first Halo 2 PC, now Shadowrun PC/X360. I'm lovin' it!!

Shadowrun sounds a lot like Dark Messiah's MP -- you can do weapons and stuff, but you can also do spells and stuff. That sounds cool. Though, it sounds cool that you can be elves, trolls, and other races.

But 12 maps -- namely where NINE MP Maps are unique?!?!?! Oh, that's dumb. They better patch the game w/ maps galore, if they want to keep gamers interested. Knowing M$, they might charge for more maps, the way they're going w/ things....

Sounds like a SDK for the PC version would probably really help this game out, if gamers want to try and get their $$$$'s worth....

Okay, so -- what's up w/ Microsoft trying to do a lil' auto-aim feature on the KB/mouse controls? And, what's up again w/ the gamepad sounding like its got an advantage like on Halo 2 PC??? WTF??

And ummm -- how come when you go up a ladder, there's no animation to that?!?!? That's.....goofy, in these day and age.

And it really sounds like a shame that they didn't give this a more Shadowrun feel toward the universe and all. Me, I think Shadowrun probably would've been more interesting as an SP RPG, MP RPG, or an MMORPG than say FPS.


EDIT:
Looks like Eurogamer feels a lot like Mr. Gertsmann did.
6.0 for Shadowrun on PC/X360 (out of 10)

[Jedi]

Okay, so -- what's up w/ Microsoft trying to do a lil' auto-aim feature on the KB/mouse controls? And, what's up again w/ the gamepad sounding like its got an advantage like on Halo 2 PC??? WTF??

I've read little about this game but perhaps the developers (who aren't just MS by the way D) are trying to even the playing field. I remeber a few months back we had a massive thread about what was better in MP PC controls or console and one of the things that kept coming up was auto aim. So maybe, if auto aim is present in the game on both platforms then it may help even out the advantages that one might have over the other.
That's just my thoughts though I really couldn't give a shit.

[MysterD]

I've read little about this game but perhaps the developers (who aren't just MS by the way D) are trying to even the playing field. I remeber a few months back we had a massive thread about what was better in MP PC controls or console and one of the things that kept coming up was auto aim. So maybe, if auto aim is present in the game on both platforms then it may help even out the advantages that one might have over the other.

That's just my thoughts though I really couldn't give a shit.

I'm sure M$ put it on the list of things that should be done -- Bungie did it w/ Halo 2, now FASA did it w/ Shadowrun for injecting an "auto-aim" feature into the game.

Yes, you're right -- "auto-aim" might balance things for both sides, on the PC and console....

...But, isn't half the fun of the PC FPS is to get the auto directly on a certain specific body part on the enemy and blow them away into next week???

Maybe -- just maybe -- it should be up to who is running the particular game server if auto-aim should be allowed or not.

[idolminds]

Heres what Shawn of GFW Magazine/podcast said on the 1UP forums:

I now have Vista, have DX 10, have Shadowrun. Nobody is fucking online with this on the PC end. Nobody. People figured out I was on a PC (which they continually called a computer and always with an exclamation) and couldn't believe it. So who here has it and wants to play?

Also, this is a console game. Period. They can brag all they want about their QA team kicking ass with controllers, but no shit. You move so slow that the mouse loses its advantage at anything other than long range and then the weapons have such slow rates of fire, do so little damage, and are so inaccurate that you lose the fun along with the niceties of your interface.

Oh, and you can't choose whether you want PC-pure games. In fact you can't even browse servers/games. It's entirely based on Live-style matchmaking and it takes about 5 full minutes or more before it plugs you into a game.

[Jedi]

But, isn't half the fun of the PC FPS is to get the auto directly on a certain specific body part on the enemy and blow them away into next week???

Well a good auto aim would still allow for body parts much like Crackdown (which had its problems).

Interesting Idol, it would seem the PC players have to step it down a little so that the playing field is equal. Screw this game though I'm not touching this mess.

[idolminds]

More from Shawn:

As far as Shadowrun is concerned I think the game is fairly balanced.  PC gamers have a much more precise weapon (the keyboard and mouse) and to level the playing field they've given console gamers a slight stickiness to the reticle.  It's nothing to throw a fit over, and if it's that bad then play something else.

That's not the full picture, actually. Go to the official site and read the balance section. Mouse gets further handicaps in the form of greater recoil and the imposition of dimished accuracy following rapid mouse look. I'm trying to like this game, PC or 360, and just can't get into it regardless of interface. It's boring as hell to me, the katana melee is atrocious and I'm amazed that its sloppiness (as well as the needless switch to third-person even when using a mouse) hasn't been commented on elsewhere. Because player models hardly react when shot and because it takes loads of rounds to kill I can never tell whether I'm about to win a firefight or what. So many complaints, ugh. My gut tells me that this is a PDZ scenario all over again. The trash eaters will hype it up and it'll fade from memory and existence soon after.

I just clocked (yes, as in timed this shit with no exaggeration) nine minutes waiting to be put into a game. A few other gripes: no text chat. I think this game pisses me off so much because it positions itself as some great console-vs-pc showcase and yet its doesn't even try to meet PC players in the middle. Why even let us use mice and keyboards when you're going to handicap the fucking shit out of them. I repeat, this is an Xbox game that just so happens to run on Vista.

[PyroMenace]

No text chat? Wow... this game is a train wreck.

[idolminds]

I love fanboys. I know, I am am one. PC 4 life, yo. Still, at least I can admit it and try not to fall into stupidity traps.

For example, this game is $60 on 360, $50 on PC. That doesn't make any sense other than MS wants to make more money. First fanboy explanation is "Well thats what new games cost on each system." While true, don't you think it would be better to more consistent with pricing of cross-platform playing games? Just a thought.

My favorite, though, is the "There are royalties involved in publishing on a console, and not on PC." That is also true. Except...this game is made by FASA, which is owned by MS. It is being published by MS. It is appearing on a console MS created. So you're telling me MS is charging itself royalties to publish its own game on their own system? AND YOU ACCEPT THAT ANSWER?

I know I'm ragging on the game, but like pyro said its like a train wreck. I cant look away. A shame because I really think some of the ideas and such would make for some fun multi. Hopefully some modders make a UT3 mod based on this.

[Pugnate]

You think they will balance it by lowering the price on the 360? No, they would rather increase the price on the PC.

Also it makes perfect sense that the PC version would be $50. PC gamers don't care what the 360 gamers are paying! They are comparing the price to what they regularly pay for games on the PC.

[nickclone]

C'mon guys, this game wasn't supposed to be good at all. It's just a plug to push that new Live thing for the PC. Why else would they make the game cheaper for the PC? Why else would they make this a MP only game (yes there is SP, but lets not kid ourselves)? Why would they choose Shadowrun, a game that hasn't made a peep in 14 years? They chose this game because no one would really care if it failed or not, it's not even the same game as the SNES.

[scottws]

I agree with nickclone.  This game has been a debacle from the get-go.  I don't know why this is considered a "big game" or why anyone is giving it even a moment's notice.

[Pugnate]

I never thought of it that way Nick.

[idolminds]

We're giving notice because this is one of the games thats supposed to be launching the new "Games for Windows" thing thats supposed to bring PC gaming up into the spotlight next to the consoles.

Well...so much for that plan, huh?

[MysterD]

We're giving notice because this is one of the games thats supposed to be launching the new "Games for Windows" thing thats supposed to bring PC gaming up into the spotlight next to the consoles.

Exactly.

Well...so much for that plan, huh?

Yup.

This is what Microsoft gets for pushing games like Halo 2 and Shadowrun for Vista ONLY, which probably also would've been better off suited to have been "Win XP" for a minimum OS requirement.

It's not like those games really take advantage of DX 10 like say Crysis of Alan Wake WILL.

[Jedi]

Yup.

This is what Microsoft gets for pushing games like Halo 2 and Shadowrun for Vista ONLY, which probably also would've been better off suited to have been "Win XP" for a minimum OS requirement.

It's not like those games really take advantage of DX 10 like say Crysis of Alan Wake WILL.

Why would those games have been better off not being "Vista only" titles? How would it help having those games on XP? I'm not sure it Windows Live is Vista only (but I do know games with the Games for Windos banner aren't) but I'm sure if these games weren't Vista only we'd still be shafted with Live ~ they'd get their money from us some how!
I just don't see Vista being the problem (MS' choice to make these games exclusive to that OS is another issue) I see the problem being the bolting on of a Live servcie to the PC platform then forcing a few games to use it rather letting the servcie grow.
But their actions here are a little desperate though; MS has this new service they want to push but only 3 games (Halo 2, Shadowfuck and 1 other game mentioned earlier) are being released this year which will take advantage of this.... wow can't imagine there'd be much demand even if people liked the servcie to start with.

[MysterD]

Why would those games have been better off not being "Vista only" titles? How would it help having those games on XP? I'm not sure it Windows Live is Vista only (but I do know games with the Games for Windos banner aren't) but I'm sure if these games weren't Vista only we'd still be shafted with Live ~ they'd get their money from us some how!

With it available to more OS's, it could be available to more gamers. Especially since it doesn't even require a DX10 card to run -- basically, requires a GF 6800 or above.

The tech requirements are quite high, though, actually.

Not everybody wants to upgrade to Vista for very few games -- especially for one that's also on the X360.

I just don't see Vista being the problem (MS' choice to make these games exclusive to that OS is another issue) I see the problem being the bolting on of a Live servcie to the PC platform then forcing a few games to use it rather letting the servcie grow.

But their actions here are a little desperate though; MS has this new service they want to push but only 3 games (Halo 2, Shadowfuck and 1 other game mentioned earlier) are being released this year which will take advantage of this.... wow can't imagine there'd be much demand even if people liked the service to start with.

I prefer the PC's usual "free-reign" attitude, myself -- playing whatever game on whatever server I feel.

For example, if I want to play Diablo 2 online over LAN, so be it.
Or if I want to play it online over Blizzard's Battle.net, so be it.

C'mon guys, this game wasn't supposed to be good at all. It's just a plug to push that new Live thing for the PC. Why else would they make the game cheaper for the PC?

PC Games are normally $49.99 retail brand new, while X360 games are $59.99 retail brand new.

Games are $10 more on the X360 over the PC b/c Microsoft is still trying to make up for way under-selling the cost of their actual console system.

Why else would they make this a MP only game (yes there is SP, but lets not kid ourselves)?

The game sounds more like a tech demo than an actual game, if you ask me....

Why would they choose Shadowrun, a game that hasn't made a peep in 14 years? They chose this game because no one would really care if it failed or not, it's not even the same game as the SNES.

I'm sure fans of the Shadowrun RPG, cared.

On another note, they probably didn't like their RPG being turned into a MP FPS, though...
Talk about a mis-use of an IP, if I ever seen one...

[Jedi]

With it available to more OS's, it could be available to more gamers. Especially since it doesn't even require a DX10 card to run -- basically, requires a GF 6800 or above.

The tech requirements are quite high, though, actually.

Not everybody wants to upgrade to Vista for very few games -- especially for one that's also on the X360.

I know they don't need DX10 I never said they did. My point still stands, "Vista only" is one issue, you'd still have to deal with Windows live, paying for the service to play online and the sweet F.A amount of maps in ShadowRun - being Vista-ized did not lump these games with those issues.

[MysterD]

I know they don't need DX10 I never said they did.

If they really want the game to really support Windows Vista to its fullest -- graphically and performance-wise -- shouldn't the game just be flat-out DX10 support only??? Same goes for Halo 2 PC, as well.

By also supporting DX9.0, Shadowrun PC and Halo 2 PC might as well also support Win XP right along w/ Vista -- that's my point. Just look at these two games -- they're not cutting edge, graphically. Are they really utilizing what DX10 and Vista can really do?? I think not. Whereas, Crysis and Alan Wake will be utilizing DX10 and Vista to its advantage. And the funny part is -- Crysis will support not just only Win Vista and DX10, but also Win XP and DX 9.0. Yeah, go figure...

And my other point is -- many gamers refuse to abandon Win XP right now. It would make for more sales straight upon the game's release, if they had Halo 2 and Shadowrun supporting both Win XP and Win Vista. It also seems kinda' foolish to trot out a not-so-good game as a Windows Vista exclusive. That doesn't showcase what Win Vista should be all about for gaming.

My point still stands, "Vista only" is one issue, you'd still have to deal with Windows live, paying for the service to play online and the sweet F.A amount of maps in ShadowRun - being Vista-ized did not lump these games with those issues.

FASA and Microsoft could always patch the game and add more maps to the game, if they really want to.
Knowing them, if they were to do so, they could and probably would sell these extra maps, instead...

About dealing w/ Windows Live -- blah! We all know it's crap, since Window Vista is the system Microsoft keeps drumming up support for Windows Live. I ain't seen them mention any Win XP games utilizing their Live service. They are trying to push this right onto Vista only.

Y'know, if I wanted to play Shadowrun PC or Halo 2 PC over a LAN w/out dealing w/ Win Live, I should be given the option to be able to do so. It's just as crappy as that I can pretty much only play Half-Life 2: Death Match and Dark Messiah Multi-player over that poorly-implemented STEAM service.

[Jedi]

All good points D and I agree, but making a game Vista only has nothing to do with showing off what the OS can do for a game. It's all about pulling people across to the new OS, simple as that. Yes releasing games as Vista only would make more sense if those games actualy used DX10 (actually used it not just a game with DX10 bolted on)... but those games are still months and months away. MS clearly doesn't want to wait that long before they start pushing Vista.

Actualy now that I think about it... is there any reason why DX10 is Vista only?

[Quemaqua]

Because they want to sell more copies of Vista.

The only thing I have to add to this is I will never buy Vista.  Ever.  The shit MS is pulling with the new o/s has drained whatever tiny ounce of respect I had for them that remained after years of other bullshit.  I can't stand this anymore.  The consumer means nothing to any of these corporations... and probably because the consumer no longer cares about himself.

[idolminds]

Because that will be the big pull to gamers to upgrade to Vista. You want DX10? You need Vista. Thats pretty much the only reason for it. Forget these poor releases from MS (which, BTW, don't use DX10 at all. Both Halo 2 and Shadowrun are pure DX9 games), whats going to make gamers want Vista is when other games are released with extra DX10 effects. Like UT3, which supposedly runs better with more effects in DX10 than DX9. Right there is a reason a lot of people will get Vista. And then in another year or two when every game is DX10, everyone will have Vista.

Except, apparently, Que who has announced his retirement from PC gaming.

[Quemaqua]

All I said was "I will never buy Vista".  Read carefully.

[Jedi]

Except, apparently, Que who has announced his retirement from PC gaming.

Hahaha 

[Cobra951]

I was going to say that you could never convince me that there is a real reason for DX10 to need Vista, even if official sources claim that it does.  Extensions within DirectX relate to capabilities in the video hardware, and DX itself *is* the OS extension.  You can extend XP just as well as Vista, or any other OS.