Just saw the Max Payne II preview!

[Dunedain]

I just read the Max Payne II preview in Computer Gaming World and it's amazing! images/icons/smile.gif

The graphics are fantastic. From what I could see in the screenshots, the entire
game looks like the lobby shootout in 3DMark 2001, if not better. Awesome!

I am thrilled to report that the game will retain all the elements we love.
The stylish watercolor graphic novel cut-scenes, the distinctive Max Payne
over-the-top dialog, the incredible shootouts, the deep story, etc. And the
game will be about twice as long. Great news all around! images/icons/smile.gif

The only thing that disappointed me, and this one hurt, was Max's appearance.
He doesn't look the same. What is going on here? Why in the world would you
needlessly change Max's face? We've come to know Max so well over the last two
years, his face and hair style has become so familiar to us, why change it??

I certainly hope his voice is done by the the same fellow who did it in Max Payne!

Other than that one big letdown, the game is looking awesome. images/icons/smile.gif

[Jokke_r]

you got to be kidding with it looks like the lobby shootout cos that part was done almost exactly with the same graphics as max payne 1.

[Dunedain]

Well the lobby shootout looked better than Max Payne, overall. With Max Payne II,
every aspect of the graphics looks equal to or better (mostly better, at first glance)
than the lobby shootout.

It's hard to say exactly how much better without actually seeing a movie of
Max Payne II in action, but it looks simply awesome. I would rate the
graphics up somewhere in the Half Life II - DOOM III area. DOOM III has the
ultimate in shadows that I've seen so far and Half Life II looks great, as well;
but Max Payne II is very competitive with them. It's that good looking.
Some of the very best graphics ever in a game. Thus carrying on the tradition
of Max Payne always having first-class graphics. images/icons/smile.gif

Maybe that will give you a better feel for how cool the graphics are. images/icons/smile.gif

[Claws]

Yay same boring gameplay!! Seriously, is there anything innovative about this sequel?

[Mountain Man]

Twice as long is cool, meaning it'll have roughly 20 hours of gameplay instead of a measly 10. Still doesn't compete with Half-Life 2's 36 hours minimum, but at least it's better than the first one.

And I, too, will miss the classic squinchy-face Max of the original. I'm not too fond of his new look.

[Guest]

http://www.maxpayneheadquarters.com/view.php?article_id=105

[Dunedain]

Well, in case you didn't know it, the hard-core fans of Max Payne *like* the gameplay
just the way it is. We don't want it to change in any major way. The gameplay of
Max Payne is superb, I'm glad it's going to continue on in that same distinctive style. images/icons/smile.gif

You can now continue shooting after a shoot-dodge dive in Max Payne II. So there
have been refinements to the game.

[FullMetalJacket]

How the hell do you already have the September issue of CGW??? I have the August issue right here, and on the UPC on the cover, it says "Display until August 5" -- and the date written on the UPC label is always the day that the new issues come in.

[Dunedain]

What can I say, some people are blessed. images/icons/smile.gif

Wait till you see the article, it's so cool!

Oh, and they have added many animations to both Max's moves when he's fighting,
plus many types of death animations for enemies when they get blasted. Max Payne II
has specific hit locations with blood coming from the precise points where the bullets
strike.

It also has specific hit locations for vehicles that get shot, sparks will
fly off the correct place if a bullet ricochets off the metal.

Max Payne II also features the Havoc physics engine incorporated into
the game. So, for example, if a vehicle blows up it will get hurled through the air
based on the force of the blast, no need for scripted animations. images/icons/smile.gif

[KillJoy]

Yep, I am still waiting at the front door, drooling, waiting for PCGamer.

[Nessus]

Can anyone say if these are new screens or all of the previously released European media.

[biXen]

If you are too dumb to not value 15 quality hours of gameplay instead of the find the key drivel they throw into games to make them 25 hours then I pity you.

Half-Life 2 36 hours? LOL, yeah right. That must be for a REALLY average player.

There's many improvements to Max Payne 2, read some fansites, and the face has been discussed hundreds of times, check fansites for info on this too.

[hemlock_0]

Originally posted by biXen:
If you are too dumb to not value 15 quality hours of gameplay instead of the find the key drivel they throw into games to make them 25 hours then I pity you.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Well, more of a good thing is better, right? I valued the original game's quality gameplay so much that I want the 25 hours of it. Wanting more is not stupid, unless it is more just for the sake of having it. Max Payne was not a long game, but it was very engrossing (although I cannot stand the last third of it anymore, as the story trailed off until the end). I'm sure that Sam has written just as good a story spanning over 25 hours as he did over 10.

[ 07-29-2003, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: hemlock_0 ]

[theHunted]

Originally posted by Mountain Man:
... Still doesn't compete with Half-Life 2's 36 hours minimum...<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> Originally posted by biXen:
Half-Life 2 36 hours? LOL, yeah right. That must be for a REALLY average player....<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">huh? I must've had a long sleep. didn't know that it's been released already...

[FullMetalJacket]

Well, I wouldn't want TOO long of a game. I feel the same about movies -- I'd rather have a short, intense, enjoyable one than a long, dull one that sucks. Gangs of New York, anyone? images/icons/grin.gif

This is guaranteed: no matter how great something is, too much of it is bad. So no matter how brilliantly made a game is, if it's too long it will get boring, no matter what!

[j]

Originally posted by Dunedain:
Max Payne II
has specific hit locations with blood coming from the precise points where the bullets
strike.<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Nice.

Originally posted by Dunedain:
Max Payne II also features the Havoc physics engine incorporated into
the game. So, for example, if a vehicle blows up it will get hurled through the air
based on the force of the blast, no need for scripted animations. images/icons/smile.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Ni-i-ice.

Originally posted by FullMetalJacket:
I feel the same about movies -- I'd rather have a short, intense, enjoyable one than a long, dull one that sucks. Gangs of New York, anyone? images/icons/grin.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Oh, come on, the big fight in the beginning of Gangs was absolutely beautiful.. admittedly the rest of it was total shit, though.

[biXen]

Saw some idiots in a movieforum that thought Gangs of NY was better than Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. At times like that I no longer wonder what's wrong with people's brains, cause I remember they just lack it. I still don't think GoNY was shite.

Back to the topic at hand. I agree, I'd like a wee bit more than 12 hours. But on the other hand it felt finished at the end of that, and most games have just drawn out. I was bored senseless by Half-Life halfway for example. And it was some other game which had such a stupid puzzle I couldn't find out of that I just literally threw it out, can't remember what that was, but it was considered a good game, by the "average" gamer. Nowadays I don't play many games, only those I know are good.

There is two companies I trust my life with when it comes to good games. Remedy and Illusion Softworks (H&D, Mafia). (I don't count that Vietcong drivel since they only assisted) That's why I also trust Remedy to balance the gameplay and features to as much as they can please us. Let's not forget that they also have Rockstar and 3D Realms behind them, who have pushed forward some of the best PC games ever IMO (Duke3d, GTA series)

[FullMetalJacket]

Originally posted by j:
Oh, come on, the big fight in the beginning of Gangs was absolutely beautiful.. admittedly the rest of it was total shit, though. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Agreed. images/icons/smile.gif

[X-Vector]

If the gameplay of MP2 is similar to the first one, then twice as long a playing time is overkill.

Ten hours or so should be more than enough.

[Thriller]

I seldom reach the end of long games. I think Mafia has about the right length (Im at ´38 so there shoudnt be too much left).

I dont have that much time to "waste". Wich is what you do, doing the same thing over and over again for days. Sure, games could be long and still be worthwhile, but I have yet to see such a game.

Max Payne was fine IMO. I never got bored, and it never failed to suprise me. Had it been twice the length, then I dont know. Same goes for Halflife, also a really short game.

EDIT:
X-V,
Usefull information. Really. You didnt even like the game.

[ 07-30-2003, 08:24 AM: Message edited by: Thriller ]

[Thriller]

Damn.
/Me runs amok on Stoopid Quote-Button.

[ 07-30-2003, 08:25 AM: Message edited by: Thriller ]

[KillJoy]

I agree Thriller,

Good games should not make you think about how much longer it's gonna be. Mafia, IMHO had perfect timing, apart from being a really great game. It did not make you feel like looking at the clock. Which I will have to admit I did, during the beggining of Part 3 in Max Payne. If the fifteen hours of MP2 are solid and not strung out then I think MP2 will be a great game.

[biXen]

I also looked at the clock when I was playing Max Payne, but that was because it was like 5 in the morning and I couldn't stop playing.

[X-Vector]

Well, MP wasn't the best thing since sliced bread, but it wasn't a total waste of time and money either.
I played it to the end the first time around (despite the some excruciatingly unfair instant death set-ups in the Aesir building) and I still occasionally give it a spin for an hour or so.

I just can't understand why someone would want to spend 20+ hours on non-stop shooting, diving and dodging.
I know that by the time I got to kill the evil Aesir lady, I was content that I had finished the campaign not only because of the accomplishment, but also because I didn't want it to drag on any longer.

I certainly wasn't one of those that complained about the gameplay length of MP, it was fine by me.

[The Baskinator]

Originally posted by biXen:
I also looked at the clock when I was playing Max Payne, but that was because it was like 5 in the morning and I couldn't stop playing. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Ditto. images/icons/grin.gif

[Sloth]

I have the Max Payne 2 preview as well. Got CGW today. I have to say the screenshots are very AVERAGE. The graphics look good of course, but A) they are really small basically just of the character models and B) the models are doing nothing interesting.

Max Payne is firing his gun in a couple, but big deal. I think Remedy did a poor job of finding screenshots tha would be a good first impression. Just to add I did like Max Payne I and if the gameplay is close to the same Ill defintely dig Max Payne II

Obviously the game is about Half A year away according to Take Two, but so far I'm far more impressed and jazzed about HL2 and Doom3

[j]

Originally posted by Sloth:
Obviously the game is about Half A year away according to Take Two, but so far I'm far more impressed and jazzed about HL2 and Doom3 <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">More like 3-4 months away.

[biXen]

Gonna love to say I told you so when Doom 3 is boring and Max Payne 2 owns. But I hope Doom 3 will at least have great mod tools and that someone else actually makes a game with the engine, and not a playable tech demo.

[FullMetalJacket]

Yeah, but hopefully MP2 will be out NLT October, and with Doom3 not due till March 2004 -- over two damned major videocard generations and three years after it was first announced -- so Doom3 will be out half a year after MP2.

HL2 is the only serious competition MP2 will have. I would name DX2 as well, but since that game was supposed to be coming out in June and now it's not, well, you know... images/icons/smile.gif

[Marty]

is it normal for me to hope they all do well?

[MikaRMD]

Originally posted by Marty:
is it normal for me to hope they all do well? <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Very.

[KillJoy]

Very unnormal graemlins/nelson.gif

[biXen]

Like there's any chance some of them don't do well? That's like saying a Blizzard game won't have pre-orders for a million before they even start making it images/icons/wink.gif

[KillJoy]

Personally, I hope that at least HL2, DX2, and MP2 do very well. I am not as concerned with Doom 3, because John Carmack is making it.

[hemlock_0]

I'm sure that Doom3 will do just fine (given the hype and reputation), but I'm actually looking forward to it since I think it's going to be creepy enough to be entertaining on that level. I did not enjoy the original Doom at all (I finally forced myself through the shareware), but I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to this one. The shots I've seen remind me of Silent Hill (2), and that's not a bad thing (provided the story is much better than that).

Whatever the case, Max seems to have the least media exposure to this point, but that's ok since we know that Remedy is going to make a game that will fly on its own without any need for year-long previews and regular press releases. I had not even heard of the first Max until it was on the shelf, but once I played it I was hooked for the duration of the series. Other than Diablo II, it's the only game that I still play.

[KillJoy]

They released MP 1 stuff way before release. 4 years i think?

But for MP2 there is only about a few months before release and we just got screenshots.

[Sloth]

Originally posted by biXen:
Gonna love to say I told you so when Doom 3 is boring and Max Payne 2 owns. But I hope Doom 3 will at least have great mod tools and that someone else actually makes a game with the engine, and not a playable tech demo. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I think you misunderstand what I said. I'm not talking about the game itself, i'm talking about the CGW preview. Preview was very bland and unimpressive. Screenshots basically showed the bar for graphics and the bulk of the preview basically said that the story was going to be like Max Payne.

The Half LIfe 2 and Doom3 first previews were outstanding and I was blown away and couldn't wait to play. The CGW first preview was ok at best.

[biXen]

Well, I know Max Payne 2 is gonna be good. Doom 3 I have no indication on, it's hyped because people still are impressed by shadows and bump-maps. There's like 1 monster every 5 minutes, and I don't like cheap scares ala. Resident Evil, so I don't see much hopes for it. Don't compare this game to Silent Hill, cause nothing comes near SH in scares... compare it to SH2 all you want though, it's not that good. Carmack may be a damn good coder, but that doesn't make the game good, how everyone fails to see that I don't know. I have more hopes for HL2, althought that's not really my type of game either, it's more the general gaming publics type of game though, than e.g. Doom 3. I'm looking forward to MP2, H&D2, Stalker and games like that. That seem a bit unique. Doom 3 looks like a 3d Doom, and Doom wasn't very good, apart from being revolutionizing in the innovative technology.

[cyclone3000]

Get your Payne face on!

[FullMetalJacket]

Originally posted by biXen:
I hope Doom 3 ....will not be a playable tech demo. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Why not? That's all Unreal 1 and 2 were, and they've done well enough. images/icons/grin.gif

[KillJoy]

Ya, Oblivion Lost looks pretty good, but the story doesn't look solid to me.

[Kevin's girl]

I hate Doom! (no offense to the peeps who like it)
I own Doom 64 and the graphics sucked (I know it was for N64 so of course the graphics are better now a days) But still. The game had no story plot what so ever. And the enemeys were just plain weird not scarey!
The weapons were lame. They were so unrealalistic! I know maybe they were supposed to be that way but I thought they were gay!!!

The G-4 channel is showing nothing but stuff about Doom. If they keep up the game will get old before it even hits the shelf! Doom is only big right now for 2 reasons:
1. The media is showing alot (too much of it)
2. Everybody is freaking out over how cool the graphics look.

Why they even decided to do another Doom game after so long is beyond me.

In my opinion Doom 3 is of no competition to Max Payne 2 only because there release dates are so far apart. Graphics wise: yes there could be a little competition. Story wise: Aw hell no! Max is gonna blow Doom out of the water!
Sorry if I offended someone, I'm just expressing my feelings. If you like Doom, then I hope when it comes out its everything you wanted and more. But I will not be buying the new Doom game because I couldn't STAND Doom 64!!

Go Max Payne. I have faith in you guys at Remedy (and everybody else) that you are gonna make one hell of a game! images/icons/smile.gif images/icons/smile.gif images/icons/smile.gif

[Commodore]

Well even though Max Payne's looks will have changed, I still think that the sequel will still be awsome. Besides Max Payne's looks can't be that bad. images/icons/grin.gif

[FullMetalJacket]

Holy crap! I got the CGW issue today. It seems MP2 will be better than the first game in every conceivable way. I didn't know it was possible to improve a perfection, Remedy. images/icons/grin.gif

The most amazing new facet of info in the mag is that MP2's faces will actually be more detailed than HL2's, though the eye movements and expressions will be a little simpler. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since you can't really look at their faces from third-person, and you'd spend more time blowing them away than staring at them anyway. images/icons/grin.gif

[KillJoy]

The most amazing new facet of info in the mag is that MP2's faces will actually be more detailed than HL2's, though the eye movements and expressions will be a little simpler. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">What? Like poly count? Are the Face textures super hi res? Just clarify, CGW has not graced my doorstep as of yet.

[shadow fox]

Originally posted by Mountain Man:
Twice as long is cool, meaning it'll have roughly 20 hours of gameplay instead of a measly 10. Still doesn't compete with Half-Life 2's 36 hours minimum, but at least it's better than the first one.

And I, too, will miss the classic squinchy-face Max of the original. I'm not too fond of his new look. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">what you talking bout foo. i beat HL in 12 hou's. but it took a whole 13 hou's ta beat MP

[SRTDeagle]

GENTLEMEN
---------------

Why are we worrying about the time it takes to complete the game? Sam Lake did an exceptional job with the story and Remedy really knocked the socks off me with the quality of the engine they produced and the way they portrayed the story. Who gives a damn about the time it takes to complete the game? Yes, sometimes it is nice to have a game that feeds our temptations and lasts a little longer, however, it is more important to me that the quality of the game is excellent that someone trying to cram a bunch of stuff into 36 hours and making some mistakes in the process. I just care about a great game. I'm not worried about how long the game is. MAX PAYNE is one of my most favorite games of all time. You have to be really good at making a game to WOW me like the folks at Remedy did. As far as Max Payne 2 is concerned.... I will say that I do miss Sam Lake's face as the main model for Max Payne... but this brings me back to the simple fact of making a great game. Don't let a little model blind you from the truth: Max Payne 2 will be on my list for the greatest games of all time. I love the story... the way the game can make me wanna play it again and again. I just can't put the game away. I recommend it to anyone I come in contact with. I work at Best Buy, so I talk to customers all the time... Max Payne is a favorite, and to me it is a legend. May all game companies learn from this game. This style of game is wonderful. The graphic novel gets addrenaline pumping. Don't be fooled by anybody who attempts to copy this stlye. Remedy and 3DRealms are kicking ass and taking names.

- (SRT)-DEAGLE
"Ignorance is bliss."

[FullMetalJacket]

Originally posted by KillJoy:
What? Like poly count? Are the Face textures super hi res? Just clarify, CGW has not graced my doorstep as of yet. <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It says that MP2's faces are more realistic in their skins than those in HL2, although the eyes and facial expressions are just a little less believable -- no real shame in that, either, since HL2 will be friggin' revolutionary in that department. images/icons/smile.gif

Also, we know that Max has at least two male gun-toting allies that fight with him. (We already knew about at least one female, Mona Sax.) There's the short balding guy that we've seen in several screens (and also in the bottom left shot on page 80 of CGW), plus another guy in two shots on that page, wearing a blue blazer with a red T-shirt underneath and carrying an AK-47. His face is a rather startling combination of Fonzie and Rober de Niro. images/icons/grin.gif

[biXen]

I heard that bald guy is gonna be a bit of a DRAG... hehe