Kingpin;172704
Having now read the majority of that waffling and meandering post… I think I can conclude that at best, you're a little bit nuts.

Wow… uh… yea… gotta agree.

That post pretty much sums up (and I'm afraid to say I didn't read all the way through) the likely reasons why they went with the system they implemented: your ideas and requests would just make it too damn complicated.

You might find it too simplistic, but the game was geared for a universal market, and it had to be playable for people ranging for hardcore gamers to amateurs… this explanation and variations of them were posted countering your remarks back when the game first came out, I'm not sure what provoked you to compile this essay now that we're two years after the game was released.


As a sidebar, if you have to include a photo that pushes the text count of a post over the limit, please consider splitting the text so that some of it accompanies the image, rather than reducing one post to only containing a graphic.

Edit

Having now read the majority of that waffling and meandering post… I think I can conclude that at best, you're a little bit nuts.

When I see this image made last year, I think of posting it here. The idea at first wasn't to write anything. Like you said, it's been a while since this game was made. I simply wanted to change my mind. Then I told myself why not, started to write about the game and more than I thought. To add the text with the image, sure, but I didn't believe it was necessary in the crew room, which allows to go random. Also, new versions of the game could still happen (I hope) and suggestions are good to read.

I remember the time when I described my view of a stay puft level and you answered the same: “too complicated”. Realy, I think they did a good job at the end. Perhaps I explain things in a way that makes it look difficult or perhaps your analyses create a spectacular result too good to be true. The videogame industry doesn't show its full potential, I believe that, and this type of gameplay, in part, is already made. Only the duel between the player and ghost needs a little touch. But I take your view as a way to ask for more details… or an open door to write more (yes im smiling):

-Standing in the slime, you lose healt. Already done. Then, if the endurance meter is made, decrease it when the player is standing near, as an effect of negative vibration. More when standing in it. The endurance meter always regenerate. When it's empty, the character becomes tired, unable to run, unable to fire. You know, I see now that I'm replacing the “overheat” system of the game by a endurance option.

-Slime zone could do the same effect as when walking on ice in other games, or mud to slow down movements to give a sticky feeling. It's the animation that will make it mostly look interesting.

-As for the duel vs the ghost, it's simply an endurance battle. The ghost fights against the character's strenght, when holded in the stream; its movements making the character to turn following the same directions (the same way the character moves in the first game), decreasing the endurance each time, while the player needs to move the particle thrower in the opposite way and / or walk, to decrease the ghost's endurance.

-If the character's endurance is empty, it's time to cover or wait a few seconds before you can fire again. If the ghost's endurance is empty, its movements are now reduced to a point you can control and move it without difficulties. The ghost then seems always “alive”; it never becomes dizzy like in the game. The ghost will fight back as the endurance regenerates; the more the endurance, the more it's alive.

-The particle beam stays animated but not flexible; the ghost will never pass through you while holding it. Keeping a ghost in the beam allows it to move in all directions that it wants then (without stretching the beam) but blocks it from going into your direction. Another character would simply prevents the ghost from going into his own way. It's very easy to make. And the bigger the ghost, the harder the movements; the smaller the ghost, the faster it is. The AI could even adapt to your movements.

-In this gameplay, you don't smash the ghost, you simply give a boost to the particle beam, decreasing the ghost's endurance a little while moving it more easily for a second. Add some visual effects for the fun. The ghost, on the other side, use a boost to help its own movements to decrease faster your endurance. This extra for the player will be activated the same way as in the first game. The ghost will perform this extra depending of what the programers have decided.

-“Slimer” type of ghost would offer an arcade gameplay, what we already know in the first game. “Specter” simply offer a cat and mouse game, where you use your pke and goggles to help you, preventing it from appearing next to you or to hit you in the back.

-The ghosts, like in the first game, would use special abilities against the players.

-As for moving to the next main objective, how many games make a spot or red circle to show you where to go in order to continu the mission. The player is then free to wander in town, searching for paranormal activities or to continu to next mission, to enter buildings and to walk in the streets. They did this with GTA, Transformers, etc.

If you have read all this, you understand that it is very easy to do. It will offer a good simulation while targeting all type of players and the universal market. The challenge would be to create an atmosphere like in all game. Besides that, you start with a cutscene, you continu in the streets, you receive communications from Janine to inform you of any activity reported or you simply play with your pke and new tools or just… follow the lights, slime, screams, noises! It's not an obligation to have all buildings accessibles and it's just a part of town, not the entire city.

It has been two years…

Having now read the majority of that waffling and meandering post… I think I can conclude that at best, you're a little bit nuts.

“(…) waffling and meandering… I think I can conclude…” ahah good one……… please tell me you weren't asking for a sample of brain tissue…

Mr. NewRecruit, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

go ahead, i like info

edit: kinda sad realy; the guy comes to post a pic… and makes the mistake of giving suggestions for a next game (if any would be done).
Now I know my english isn't realy good; always been like this. I don't care realy. Kingpin said I sound a little nuts and I cannot blame him after those years; could only joke about it. But realy what did you eat for breakfast…

NewRecruit;172710
go ahead, i like info

edit: kinda sad realy; the guy comes to post a pic… and makes the mistake of giving suggestions for a next game (if any would be done).
Now I know my english isn't realy good; always been like this. I don't care realy. Kingpin said I sound a little nuts and I cannot blame him after those years; could only joke about it. But realy what did you eat for breakfast…

Dude, it's a joke. I take it you've never seen “Billy Madison” before? I was just quoting the movie due to your long, rambling, and yes, sometimes incoherent response.

Your suggestions are fine, but they're your suggestions. They don't seem to make much sense so far to those that have responded to you, so I was just messing around.

Relax.

You know he's gonna ask for copyrights, yes?

I shouldn't have erased the phrase then where I asked if you copied this from a movie; could have done perhaps a surprising funny turn on my side. But I thought it would add oil to a fire. I haven't seen this movie with Adam Sandler (had to google it) but errr I saw the “wedding singer”… french… version.. of theeee… no? … ok… What about “click”?!….. errr… right, I'll go click somewhere else!

edit: thanks for explaining

NewRecruit;172708
new versions of the game

New versions? You mean a re-release with a more elaborate game mechanic? If so, that's never going to happen.

could still happen (I hope) and suggestions are good to read.

Suggestions that are also realistic.

The endurance meter always regenerate. When it's empty, the character becomes tired, unable to run, unable to fire.

And that makes it less fun, we already have the “health” to keep check of, people don't need another level to worry about that could inadventantly end the game for them.

Slime zone could do the same effect as when walking on ice in other games, or mud to slow down movements to give a sticky feeling.

Except it's never suggested in the movies that slime slows people down, only that it can effect their emotional state.

-In this gameplay, you don't smash the ghost, you simply give a boost to the particle beam

Smashing the ghost was far more satisfying.

If you have read all this, you understand that it is very easy to do.

I don't think you appreciate the level of coding and work needed just to implement half your ideas. Do you know how much work would be needed to make the game free roam? That's more work than the budget Terminal Reality had could've covered, SkankerZero said it was nothing like the sort of money a Grand Theft Auto gets to work with.

New versions? You mean a re-release with a more elaborate game mechanic? If so, that's never going to happen.

No I'm not seeing the company resending the same game on the market with a different style of gameplay. The project is done. But the “rookie” version deserves to be made. Of course the ideal would be the same quality. But there's so many ways to make a game; with an artistic touch (to not say realistic graphic), if the gameplay is fun, it can only win. And here the suggestions are more like “patching this” and “correcting that”, for the original engine.

Suggestions that are also realistic.

Yes I loved the success of the first game too!

And that makes it less fun, we already have the “health” to keep check of, people don't need another level to worry about that could inadventantly end the game for them.

Wow you don't like the “overheat” system too? Let's rename it “Endurence”! It will be like in politic; people will believe it's a new concept but there won't be any differences! It will feel soooo “ghostbusters”! I mean, the pack will stop smoking, making the environment minister Walter Peck happy, while reducing the risks to get a colon cancer by not having to cool down the cyclotron open above our ass! But, yeah, I do like the animation though and now it makes me wonder if it is because there is a “pack” that there is a… “Peck”; this guy just want to save ourselves!

Except it's never suggested in the movies that slime slows people down, only that it can effect their emotional state.

It was never mentioned before also that it could sing and take more than two colors from the crayola box.. still it didn't stoped them to make the “tether”. They call it creativity… they were able to do a calandar and something interesting for october 31 even with that!

Smashing the ghost was far more satisfying.

Realy there wouldn't be much differences, just that sending the ghost on something won't lower its energy or make it dizzy, since it has no brain. It's the sudden power in the stream that will create the same effect and the throwing action won't send the entity ten thousand miles away; the ghost fights back to keep a balance. The more endurance that you have, the better the result. Funny thing is, the multyplayer mode included this boosted stream, but keeped it longer and apart from the smashing ability. I sure hate to see someone running while keeping a ghost on the ground like if it was a broom.

Do you know how much work would be needed to make the game free roam?

I don't see an obstacle if “Fable3”, “Fallout3” were made on a 360. I mean here only the concept where you can travel, fight, and choose to go for the objective. Fable contains too much loading screens I must admit, but some places are large enough to make it interesting. Ghostbusters wouldn't need all the cutscenes, communication with npc, puzzles to solve, people around, stuff to buy, big story etc. and it's not an obligation to have the same destructible environment type of system. Geez, I don't know how to make it look more simple; it's travelling in a 3d map, with the program generating random “dual zone” and one objective, which will lead to another. It's the different type of enemies (design) with their own fighting style, plus the visual effects and gameplay that will make it look interesting. But you are right; I make suggestions based from what I see in the videogame industry, not from coding knowledge. But the potential is there; if it cannot be the same as the original game, it can still be similar with quality. And again this is made for every type of players and the general public.

If I was able to create the shape of my own place, using blender, when I have no knowledge of 3d, then I believe amateur programmers can make my vision of the fighting system. Add someone who likes to make textures and you have a world. Now I imagine a team of pro at work, not only they will save themselves alot of time compared to the beginngers, but they will create, what at first looked an ordinary project, something that will be fascinating to play.

NewRecruit;172733
Wow you don't like the “overheat” system too?

You misunderstand what I was referring to, in addition to the Pack overheating, you also had to watch how much damage you took on, otherwise you were rendered knocked-out.

It was never mentioned before also that it could sing and take more than two colors from the crayola box..

It wasn't, but those are more easy to reconcile… when Peter was slimed by Slimer in the movie, he was moving perfectly fine, not as if he'd been covered in industrial-strength glue.

I don't see an obstacle if “Fable3”, “Fallout3” were made on a 360.

That's because they were budgeted for it and specifically wanted a grand expanding world to explore (and gain xp from) It's clear that Terminal Reality decided that they'd prefer to concentrate the action to certain areas of the city, amongst other things it allows for a clearer narrative, moving from plot section A to plot section B, rather than A to B via X,Y and Z.

Remember how many missions you undertook in Fallout 3 between reaching Galaxy Radio in the ruins of Washington D.C. and eventually tracking down the character's father's whereabouts to the air craft carrier? A lot of the time the side missions put the main story on hold, which I don't think would've worked as well for Ghostbusters.

I love Ghostbusters: The Video Game, as did a lot of people, I have my critiques of it, but the gameplay and narrative aren't amongst them.

The only gameplay remarks I have, is I wish the stone Cherubs in the cemetary weren't so hard to beat.

Kingpin;172735
The only gameplay remarks I have, is I wish the stone Cherubs in the cemetary weren't so hard to beat.

I hear that. That had to have been THE most infuriating aspect of the entire game….even more so on professional.