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 Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:16 pm
Damnation Steampunk Trailer and IntroWhat do you guys think? Personally, I'm a big video games fan, and I really love it when developers try to go for a unique and lesser-used look in their games, in this case, Steampunk. From the looks of it, it lacks a lot of the traditionally extravagant and decorative aspects of the Steampunk style, but I very much like how visible the inner workings of the machinery is. I might give it a try, depending on what direction the story takes beside the obvious shooty-maimy-explody funtimes. wink
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:38 pm
I've been following Damnation for a few months. I'm really excited about it, but I'm keeping my hopes and expectations VERY low. As long as the game works, and isn't one of those "how did this ever pass the beta-testing phase?!" types of broken games, I'll be happy. And it should be noted that they have outright stated that they had to give up the warmer steampunk tones and detail in favor of the industry's and genre's usual bland "gun metal grey." I read this in a long interview article (with pictures), but I can't find it now. Basically, there were a lot of concept art pics side by side with their final versions, and it was always (AWESOME) -> (bland but passable). Of course, being a very new development studio, they can't take very many risks or the publishers will drop funding and cancel the product, so you can't really blame the developers for the lack of more familiar-looking steampunk elements. And that isn't to say that you can't have steampunk without brass and bronze, but their original concept designs were so PERFECT, and so many generic shooters have the bland gun-metal grey color scheme that it's a shame. If they'd kept the more stereotypical steampunk look, they probably would have gotten a bit more notice from the masses and media by now. I've been looking forward to some good Western Steampunk for years! EDIT: FOUND THE LINK! It was IGN, not GameSpot. Behold and weep the awesomeness lost in the sake of not taking a few risks: http://blogs.ign.com/BlueOmegaEnt/2008/10/06/103223/(granted, a lot of the changes are small, they could still have added up)
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:43 pm
I agree, something like the difference between something bland but easily marketable and something extravagant but risky can really make the difference between a forgettable game and a groundbreaking one. On the other hand, like you said, it's a risk that they might not be quite prepared to take yet. Personally I think it's definitely a start, for them to start thinking about the style and how it can be used, they might return at a later date when they're a little more experienced and ready to take a chance.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:00 pm
Heh, I wondered when this'd make it here. I am rather fond of their flavour of airship, quite different from what most opt for. The rest of it... seems a little off.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:14 pm
I don't know, seems mostly like Cyberpunk to me. It feels like The Matrix's raw retro-future.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:18 pm
Mylian I don't know, seems like Cyberpunk to me. Mayhaps an blend of the two? Certainly, the technology is steam based (or so the creators say). Apparently they tried to make it somewhat different to most Victorian-influenced steampunk creations (more dystopian, it seems).
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:21 pm
Captain Amaranth Mylian I don't know, seems like Cyberpunk to me. Mayhaps an blend of the two? Certainly, the technology is steam based (or so the creators say). Apparently they tried to make it somewhat different to most Victorian-influenced steampunk creations (more dystopian, it seems). Looks like it, though I find a lot of games seem to go for the 'dystopian' feel these days, hence the swathe of almost identical first-person shooters with gun-grey and mud-brown colour schemes... boring as hell really when the only vivid colour you see is the blood splatter as you're carving the identical enemies in half. Very few besides Madworld can pull that off well.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:23 pm
It looks steam-based, but it doesn't feel steam based. For example, When the woman lifts her prosthetic arm it doesn't give the impression of steam-era tech. It feels like an electronic device. I would have studied the motions of actual clockwork puppets and given it just a touch of that.
It's like they decided "Hey, Steampunk is popular, let's skin our techno-shooter with a Steampunk flavor." It's about as Steampunk as FF7 was.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:36 pm
I'm impressed, at first it looked a little too ...ya matrixy i guess. but after watching more of the trailer and you could see more of the world , weapons and airships I think its going to be at least great to try the game out.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:43 pm
Mylian It looks steam-based, but it doesn't feel steam based. For example, When the woman lifts her prosthetic arm it doesn't give the impression of steam-era tech. It feels like an electronic device. I would have studied the motions of actual clockwork puppets and given it just a touch of that. It's like they decided "Hey, Steampunk is popular, let's skin our techno-shooter with a Steampunk flavor." It's about as Steampunk as FF7 was. Aye, I think you're right there. Another steampunk band-wagon-jumper. Which would be alright, if they new beans about steampunk and didn't just swap electricity for steam with little thought (as you noted, lack of clockwork movement).
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:04 pm
Mylian It looks steam-based, but it doesn't feel steam based. For example, When the woman lifts her prosthetic arm it doesn't give the impression of steam-era tech. It feels like an electronic device. I would have studied the motions of actual clockwork puppets and given it just a touch of that. that's actually exactly what made me not really like it at first! thanks for putting the feeling into words!
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:13 pm
OMNIDRINK I appreciate the fantasy implements as well as the steam implements, but it seams so out of place, and not in a good way.
If they want to make a western shooter, make a western shooter, don't call it steampunk.
 The overloards of tomorrow, today! Brought to you by OMNIDRINK
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:53 am
I liked the airship but that was about it. The grey colour scheme and the lack of cogs looked... odd.
There's only a few first person shooters I like anyway, this one looks too generic as you've said. Meh, it's not really the type of game I play so perhaps I shouldn't judge it. Anyway, this is one game I'm not going to bother buying. I would have considered it if the general feel was more like steampunk.
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:36 am
it looks more like Steelpunk to me, witch I gess is kind of like steampunk. but ya I'm iffy on it too.
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:52 pm
I take it NOBODY checked the link I posted? It shows, plain as day, they know what steampunk is (or at least, what steampunk looks like). They switched color schemes and had to dumb-down everything in order to please their publisher (Codemasters). No publisher, no game.
And since it's Western Steampunk, you all shouldn't be expecting it to just be Victorian Steampunk's cogs and clockwork but with ten gallon hats and shotguns. confused Do you ever wonder, what happens after the Victorian days in a Steampunk world? Do you not think that these brilliant steampunk scientists would eventually discover steel? And what happens when all that technology gets into the wrong hands? Utopias are not much fun in video games, especially if you want to shoot stuff.
I think the game is best described as "Post-Steampunk." Just because it isn't traditional steampunk, doesn't mean it's not steampunk at all, though.
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