Borderlands

KungFuSquirrel

Well hello.

Normally we let this sort of thing filter out by itself but I'm pretty stoked so I'll go ahead and kick it off. We've finally announced the title I'm currently working on at Gearbox, and it's a little something by the name of Borderlands.

We're featured as the cover story on the latest issue of <a href="http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200708/N07.0814.1539.08013.htm" target="_blank">Game Informer</a>, and you can check out the full press release from Gearbox and 2K (our publisher for this one) on <a href="http://www.gearboxity.com/content/view/246/33/" target="_blank">Gearboxity</a>.

You should all go read the ###### out of the article when it's out (tomorrow in stores, I think?)

That is all!

TychoCelchuuu

I never get too excited this early in the process. Games can change so much between when we first hear about them and when they come out. The first art for Bioshock, for instance, was a crumbling German hospital with a giant centipede. It turns out it was set on a tropical island with Nazis. It sounds pretty cool though.

DiscoZombie

no advertising on teh forumz! BANT.

j/k. Sounds pretty awesome - nice work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />

Warrior

I saw the announcement the other day on shacknews. Was pretty excited when I saw it had co-op. Another game added to my list of games to get.

Epidemic

We really do need a good co-op! I'm gonna add this to my radar.

Liku

The concept sounds pretty damn sweet, I'll be watching it as well.

Drfuzzy

THANK GOD A GOOD COOP GAME

That is all.

TychoCelchuuu

<!--quoteo(post=1644263:date=Aug 17 2007, 12:27 AM:name=Drfuzzy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drfuzzy @ Aug 17 2007, 12:27 AM) [snapback]1644263[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
THANK GOD A GOOD COOP GAME

That is all.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

There's really no way to know if it's good at this point. All you have to go on are what the developers are saying, and developers <i>never</i> say anything bad about their own game before it even comes out.

lolfighter

Shush. He's a forum member, etiquette dictates not to doubt him publically.

Zor2

Looks interesting. I'm dying for a good coop game too.

Drfuzzy

<!--quoteo(post=1644311:date=Aug 17 2007, 11:08 AM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Aug 17 2007, 11:08 AM) [snapback]1644311[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
There's really no way to know if it's good at this point. All you have to go on are what the developers are saying, and developers <i>never</i> say anything bad about their own game before it even comes out.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Hey its gearbox, its at least gonna be decent. Wish they did halo 2 for pc, I didnt think they did good on halo 1 till microsoft did halo 2, and reminded me how bad console-to-pc ports usually suck, then halo 1 sounded good again cause i remember playing it on my high school pc's which sucked.

Liku

The Halo PC port was actually quite nice, the worst part is that there isn't any co-op...

TychoCelchuuu

<!--quoteo(post=1644500:date=Aug 19 2007, 01:51 AM:name=Liku)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Liku @ Aug 19 2007, 01:51 AM) [snapback]1644500[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
The Halo PC port was actually quite nice, the worst part is that there isn't any co-op...
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No, the worst part was that it was Halo. The lack of coop was also bad, I guess.

radforChrist

Side Topic: Tycho, seriously, I haven't seen a useful comment that didn't border on flaimbait from you in a long time. Chill, man.


On Topic: KFs, I've been following this a bit since I saw the GI exclusive. Looks intriguing, link up some in game footage once it's out! Oh, and don't forget about that leaked alpha build you promised us!

TychoCelchuuu

Side topic: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?s=6655750570990102528&showtopic=102299&st=0&p=1644371&#entry1644371" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....p;#entry1644371</a>

On Topic: When I heard of this my first thought was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunman_Chronicles" target="_blank">Gunman Chronicles</a>, not because of any similarity but because I thought it was developed by Gearbox (since Gearbox has had a hand in a whole bunch of Half-Life stuff and I didn't know much about Gunman anyways). Apparently the Half-Life engine and the vaguely science fictions etting of Bordlerlands are the only connection, though. Real life - 1, my subconscious that decides to pull up an unrelated game - 0.

KungFuSquirrel

Had a pretty good, albeit private, showing at Leipzig for press and such, here's some goodies... those of you in the US can probably check out our GI article early next week (finally).

Shots:
<img src="http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2935/118787497213iu7.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7092/11878749722gp2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />


Previews:
<a href="http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162234&sec=PREVIEWS" target="_blank">http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3162...mp;sec=PREVIEWS</a>
<a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/borderlands/815817p1.html" target="_blank">http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/borderlands/815817p1.html</a>
<a href="http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1738/Borderlands/p1/" target="_blank">http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1738/Borderlands/p1/</a>
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/borderlands/news.html?sid=6177382" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/bor...tml?sid=6177382</a>
<a href="http://www.actiontrip.com/features/gc2007borderlands.phtml" target="_blank">http://www.actiontrip.com/features/gc2007borderlands.phtml</a>

lolfighter

Is that a machine for open pit mining? And will it be misappropriated for violent purposes? Please say it will be misappropriated for violent purposes.

TychoCelchuuu

<!--quoteo(post=1645564:date=Aug 26 2007, 09:59 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Aug 26 2007, 09:59 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645564"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Is that a machine for open pit mining? And will it be misappropriated for violent purposes? Please say it will be misappropriated for violent purposes.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No, they announced it's going to be a post-apocalyptic open pit mining simulation. Rebuilt the economy after a gigantic holocaust sort of thing. Fun fun fun!

lolfighter

Awwwww. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />

KungFuSquirrel

Something I've been trying to wrap my head around - is a game really post-apocalyptic when it's not on Earth and there hasn't really been an apocalypse per-se? Do people consider the fringe worlds of the Firefly universe post-apocalyptic?

Thansal

<!--quoteo(post=1645579:date=Aug 26 2007, 12:04 PM:name=KungFuSquirrel)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KungFuSquirrel @ Aug 26 2007, 12:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645579"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Something I've been trying to wrap my head around - is a game really post-apocalyptic when it's not on Earth and there hasn't really been an apocalypse per-se? Do people consider the fringe worlds of the Firefly universe post-apocalyptic?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You could refer to it as a SciFi Wild West with PostApoc overtones <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />

Looks shiny, nuff said.

lolfighter

Well, there's nothing with any real post-apocalyptic flair in Firefly
(spoiler) <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>except for the reavers I suppose</span>
so I don't think the comparison is relevant, frankly. I'm not in any particular hurry to get it categorised, for that matter. For all I care, it can stand alone just fine.

Thansal

<!--quoteo(post=1645760:date=Aug 27 2007, 10:10 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Aug 27 2007, 10:10 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645760"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, there's nothing with any real post-apocalyptic flair in Firefly
(spoiler) <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>except for the reavers I suppose</span>
so I don't think the comparison is relevant, frankly. I'm not in any particular hurry to get it categorised, for that matter. For all I care, it can stand alone just fine.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I dono, the giant friken war that went on is kinda apocalyptic.

but I agree, I call FireFly more a Space Western then Post Apoc, however it does have flavors of post apoc <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>i.e. reavers</span>

TychoCelchuuu

The difference between surviving on a remote planet from whatever equipment you can cobble together and surviving on a desolate future Earth from whatever you can cobble together is academic at best. It's not post-apocalyptic, but the art design and general style bring to mind what Earth would be like after an apocalypse.

lolfighter

The war between the independents and the alliance was hardly apocalyptic. The independents fought and lost, the alliance conquered and in order to uphold their image of not being homicidal maniacs did NOT decide to slaughter the populations of the conquered planets in sacrifice to their evil god, probably because this isn't that kind of series.

lolfighter

<!--quoteo(post=1645771:date=Aug 27 2007, 05:42 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Aug 27 2007, 05:42 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645771"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The difference between surviving on a remote planet from whatever equipment you can cobble together and surviving on a desolate future Earth from whatever you can cobble together is academic at best.[...]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Except that the mindset is completely different. Post-apocalyptic gives people the mindset "oh wow, we sure got the shaft. ###### this, let's roam the earth and rape, murder and pillage just for the fun of it." Surviving on a remote planet instills pioneer spirit. I frankly don't see a shred of post-apocalypse in Firefly.

Edit: The forum no longer combines posts, huh?

Thansal

<!--quoteo(post=1645775:date=Aug 27 2007, 11:53 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Aug 27 2007, 11:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645775"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Except that the mindset is completely different. Post-apocalyptic gives people the mindset "oh wow, we sure got the shaft. ###### this, let's roam the earth and rape, murder and pillage just for the fun of it." Surviving on a remote planet instills pioneer spirit. I frankly don't see a shred of post-apocalypse in Firefly.

Edit: The forum no longer combines posts, huh?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or it instills the the desire to rape, pillage, and murder because of the lack of law.

Frontier and PostApoc share a good number of strong themes, the big differences are that in PostApoc you generally have the looming threat of something poisoning the environment (Fall out, chemicals, diseases, what ever), however even that theme is often portrayed in Frontier fiction.

Instead of Mutants/Zombies/hazardous areas you end up with Local fauna/Cannibals/naturally dangerous areas.

Key elements to both of them (as I see them) are:
Low resources.
Few humans.
Ever Present Danger.
Inability to contact the outside easily.
General lawlessness/Rule of power.


Take a look at Fallout (the games). They are 100% post-apocalyptic, however, if you were to say in the back story that this world is one far from the core planets, and instead of coming out of one of the vaults you come out of a crashed space ship, you end up with something that could be considered a Frontier situation instead (Yes, I know, this is not perfect, as you would also have to remove the vaults and much of what you learn latter on in the game)

TychoCelchuuu

Thansal's right; it's the lawlessness, lack of resources, etc. that define post apoc and stuff like Firefly and Borderlands more than the presence or abscence of a disaster long ago. You could be forgiven if you saw the Reavers attacking the trading town in the beginning of Serenity and thought it was post-apocalyptic: the Reavers look like your basic band of roving crazy people that you get everywhere that's post-apocalyptic, the town has some elements of high technology and lots of dirty, cobbled together stuff, and it's all in a desert-ish setting that you get with stuff like Fallout. Sure, it's sci-fi/western because there never WAS an apocalypse, but they're very similar. Surviving on a remote planet is no different than surviving after an apocalypse. The pioneer spirit can be just as present in people who have newly emerged from their fallout shelter as it is in people on a new planet, and the free-wheeling lawlessness was and can be just as present with pioneers, in the Old West or on other planets, as it can be in a post-apocalyptic setting.

lolfighter

Firefly still isn't post-apocalyptic though.

Surge

<!--quoteo(post=1645564:date=Aug 26 2007, 01:59 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Aug 26 2007, 01:59 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645564"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Is that a machine for open pit mining? And will it be misappropriated for violent purposes? Please say it will be misappropriated for violent purposes.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Those are actually real machines used these days. I forgot what they're called, but there are a few images floating around. From a long way away, they look like giant sawblades. Pretty scary.

<!--quoteo(post=1645579:date=Aug 26 2007, 03:04 PM:name=KungFuSquirrel)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KungFuSquirrel @ Aug 26 2007, 03:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645579"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Something I've been trying to wrap my head around - is a game really post-apocalyptic when it's not on Earth and there hasn't really been an apocalypse per-se? Do people consider the fringe worlds of the Firefly universe post-apocalyptic?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Eh. I dunno. Primitive, maybe? You could say it's similar to post-apocalyptic, but to be quite honest, I get a little tired of people throwing around "post-apocalypse" and "post-nuclear" like it'll make people jump all over it as if you said "nonlinear." I mean, if you put your money where your mouth is, great, but damn. I hate big $5 words.

Anyway, thanks for taking my idea, jerk. The other day I was just brainstorming about a game I'd like to make, and I thought "I'd love to make it 4 player cooperative combat with cool levelling up stuff!"

Thansal

<!--quoteo(post=1645789:date=Aug 27 2007, 12:51 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Aug 27 2007, 12:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1645789"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Firefly still isn't post-apocalyptic though.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think any of us said it was.

I said that the war was kinda, but not really, and that was the closest to anyone calling it postapoc <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

btw, PostApoc is not a big $5 word. it is a genre of scifi, that is all.