Frozpot
Frozpot
Since 6775 Days
I guess I always get stuck on when people say the animation sucks. It doesn't in the animations it does have. Marcus moves like a tank because he is one- he won't be nimble with all that armor on. The animations he does display are pretty solid( except for the ladder animations, anyway). It is the lack of variety in animations, I believe, that people are referring to. I definitely agree. There is a difference in characters though that makes me forgive the lack of a million stumble and "flinch" animations, though- Nate is an "every man", he's spontaneous and goofy, where-as Marcus is a seasoned soldier and moves deliberately( every solder worth his salt that I know is that way). I don't know if they were thinking along those lines or it's coincidence, but that's how I saw it. I do know that if you move to cover from a sprint, he has a grimace on his face when he hits cover. That's a small touch, but it shows they were thinking about at least a little.

On that note, I definitley would love to see more variety to liven him up. Conversely, as nicely as Drake animates, there are still some jerky transitions and less-than perfect animations. Thats fine, and you can't catch everything, but play it again( after this conversation I fully plan to myself), and you'll notice them.

I'm not saying I think Gears has better animation than Uncharted, but saying it lacks any good animation is an overstatement. I personally think all games should incorperate the Euphoria engine in some way to cover variations in environmental and enemy interactions. Man, that's a lot of typing from me, but I do love me some animation...
In reply to

Oooh, Profound, isn't it?

dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
Got to agree, Gears 3 will rock in everyday and is still he best tps I have played ever.
In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

Ronsauce
Ronsauce
Since 7002 Days
Posted by Frozpot
I personally think all games should incorperate the Euphoria engine in some way to cover variations in environmental and enemy interactions.
Agreed. It's ridiculous the amount of joy I get from watching how characters react when driven by Euphoria.
In reply to

Zapp Brannigan: If we can hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards...Checkmate.

SimonM7 - The other mod's bitch
SimonM7
Since 7040 Days
Considering how ambitious the animation systems of Uncharted 2 are, it's completely understandable that there is a hint of weirdness to them. You're dealing with an adaptive, transistioning animation system that follows your every control whim. Turning on a dime while in the middle of a climbing animation to higher ground is gonna carry with it a sudden sense of weightlessness.

That doesn't really take away from the fact that what the game does is lightyears beyond what other games are doing, and that its ambitions in that regard are phenomenal.

As for Marcus animation I can't agree with you that it's "good". Sure, it's not catastrophic and it doesn't actively detract from the experience, but the way Marcus jogs along is not at all evocative of a real, physical, human being. That animation wouldn't look out of place in a Transformers game or something. It's true that the real issue is the sameyness of movement, but even the movement that is there is rigid and robotic.

Of course another important issue is that there's absolutely no analogue movement in Gears either - remnants of being from a PC/shift key developer no doubt - so Marcus effectively has a walking animation and a snap-to jogging animation, then, a snap to BOLTING IT ANIMATION, each of which keeps a PERFECT pace no matter what you do, and all of which looks like he's a piece of perfect machinery, not a hulking soldier.

As you say, and it's something I pointed out earlier, in Gears 2 you can see Marcus ducking as bullets hit around him. That seemed to be in direct response to the same effect in Uncharted 1, but even then, filtered through the UE3 - or Epic's animators maybe, I dunno - even that animation looks completely mechanical.

The ladder animation only further accents how awkward their "human" animation is. There's no consistent sense of weight there at all, and it's got a disjointed feel to it where some animations feel theatrical to the point of being cartoony, whereas in cutscenes, motion capture suddenly makes them behave somewhat convincingly aside from the facial animation. Epic are probably gunning for a measure of cartoonyness with Gears, but they could do with being more mindful of exactly to what degree, and using that consistently.

What's in Gears already works fine, don't get me wrong. It works fine in a video gamey way, and it's good because it's a good video game. I just don't believe in the way they make games prettier though. They seem content steering a probe around an increasingly elaborate gallery, while other games have made strides in areas that directly impact the experience itself. There was a bit in the UC2 presentation where he looked out over a city and the audience went OOOH, but that's *not the point*. You can look out over plenty of vistas, that's a nice *picture*, but the real visual oomph of Uncharted is in the thick of it, as you play the actual game and you focus on the game elements on screen.

At that point you don't just see the way the characters behave, you get a tangible connection to them. Marcus is sitting behind a slab of concrete, popping out mechanically to shoot likewise mechanical drones, that's where your focus is. It doesn't matter at that point that the vistas around him are stunning(er!), because this here is the game, this is what you're doing, that's where efforts could be made in order to strengthen the experience.
Gears 3 will rock in everyday and is still he best tps I have played ever.
*takes bottle from dcdelgado*
In reply to

http://www.twitter.com/simonlundmark - Follow me on twitter

BLackHawkodst
BLackHawkodst
Since 5903 Days
Posted by dcdelgado
Got to agree, Gears 3 will rock in everyday and is still he best tps I have played ever.
I'm sure you mean in "Everyway" lol!!

But yeah your right it will, and i'm with Frozpot Gears 3 looks so much better than Gears 2 and as you say that got max scores in the graphics department everywhere, i just cant wait to play it!! :)
In reply to

Prepare To Drop!!

scoobs0688
scoobs0688
Since 5651 Days
Posted by dcdelgado
Got to agree, Gears 3 will rock in everyday and is still he best tps I have played ever.
You've played it? Where??? :)
In reply to

Currently playing: Bad Company 2(PC), Uncharted 2(PS3), Dead Space (PS3)

IRAIPT0IR
IRAIPT0IR
Since 5724 Days
Posted by scoobs0688
You've played it? Where??? :)
Clearly he comes from the future!!!

He is know by the nickname Marty Mcfly!!

In reply to

FROM THE DARKNESS I DRAW MY STRENGTH!!

dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
Holy frack!! and theres me thinking that speed typing on the new iphone rocked! ;)
Got to agree, Gears 3 will rock in everyway, and will be the best tps I have played ever.
In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

gunners98
Since 5538 Days
Posted by BLackHawkodst
I'm sure you mean in "Everyway" lol!!

But yeah your right it will, and i'm with Frozpot Gears 3 looks so much better than Gears 2 and as you say that got max scores in the graphics department everywhere, i just cant wait to play it!! :)
Gears 3 will just ROCK!! in all depts, i cant wait to get my hands on this new Beast Mode and enhanced Horde mode, and four player coop through SP sweet!!!! :)
In reply to
lumzi23
lumzi23
Since 7002 Days
What I am really waiting for with this is the multiplayer!
In reply to

"It is such a quiet thing, to fall. But far more terrible is to admit it." ~ Kreia in Kotor2

dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
What the Frack is that!! :)

In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

lumzi23
lumzi23
Since 7002 Days
Posted by dcdelgado
What the Frack is that!! :)

looks like a cross between a brute and an elite. Oh and that shot looks rather nice.
In reply to

"It is such a quiet thing, to fall. But far more terrible is to admit it." ~ Kreia in Kotor2

Frozpot
Frozpot
Since 6775 Days
I think it's a kind of Kantus...
In reply to

Oooh, Profound, isn't it?

BLackHawkodst
BLackHawkodst
Since 5903 Days
Amazing screens cant wait to see more of it in action, and i thinks its a Skorge like character with bad ass armor! :)
In reply to

Prepare To Drop!!

gunners98
Since 5538 Days
damn it i want to play beast mode!
Gears of War 3” Beast Mode

For the first time ever, the public will be able to personally experience “Gears of War 3.” Comic-Con attendees will have the chance to play “Gears of War 3” Beast Mode all week at the Xbox 360 booth (#5153).
Xbox 360 Showcase Reception

Members of the media will get hands on time with “Gears of War 3” Beast Mode during the Xbox 360 Showcase Reception at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on Thursday, July 22, from 8:30 p.m. – midnight.

Epic Games Design Director Cliff Bleszinski, Executive Producer Rod Fergusson and “Gears of War 3” scriptwriter Karen Traviss, who also pens the “Gears of War” novels, will be in attendance.
Gears of War 3 Panel

Looking ahead to the biggest game of 2011, join the team from Epic Games for an up close look at the “Gears of War 3” four person co-op campaign, as the team also talks about the broader “Gears of War” universe and fields questions from the audience.

Featuring design director Cliff Bleszinski, executive producer Rod Fergusson, and New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss, this panel is open to all show attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. The panel will be in room 25ABC on Friday, July 23, from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
http://epicgames.com/news/comiccon
In reply to
BLackHawkodst
BLackHawkodst
Since 5903 Days
NEW Beast Mode Footage (off-screen bad quality) with gamer playing as a Serapede then check out the Beserker player at the end! :), man i cant wait to play this mode and it looks fracking great.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=634JUWO52dE
In reply to

Prepare To Drop!!

icemanufc
Since 5683 Days
Looks awesome!
In reply to
dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
The Berserker section looked amazing!
In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

icemanufc
Since 5683 Days
Whole Comicon panel video 1hr long - http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/gearsofwar3...
In reply to
dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
So Bernie is in the game!! Excellent news :)
In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

BLackHawkodst
BLackHawkodst
Since 5903 Days
Posted by dcdelgado
So Bernie is in the game!! Excellent news :)
Brilliant i loved her in the books.
In reply to

Prepare To Drop!!

BLackHawkodst
BLackHawkodst
Since 5903 Days
Man i forgot about PAX, hope we get some new info?
Play Gears 3 at PAX, September 3-5
E3 and Comic-Con are in the can, but we’re not done—oh no, not by a long shot. Having thoroughly rocked two of the biggest shows of the year, we’re going for the hat trick and bringing Gears of War 3 to PAX Prime in Seattle! Drop by the Microsoft booth (#412) in the PAX exhibition hall, commune with your fellow Gearheads, and get some hands-on time with Gears 3. Read on for more details!

Microsoft booth (#314)
Washington State Convention Center
800 Convention Place
Seattle, WA 98101-2350

EXHIBIT HALL HOURS
Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, 8:30 a.m.—7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010, 9:30 a.m.—6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010, 9:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
In reply to

Prepare To Drop!!

dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Since 6876 Days
Horde 2.0???????
In reply to

** Yes We CAN!! **

icemanufc
Since 5683 Days
Posted by dcdelgado
Horde 2.0???????
Heres to hoping.
In reply to
marcusfenix
Since 5198 Days
MP BLOWOUT!! (Some amazing additions, plus BETA!!)

Video Preview: http://uk.ign.com/videos/2010/10/07/gears-of-war-3...
therealcliffyb

SHABAM Dedicated servers ARE coming to Gears 3! Beta also? Sure, you got it! Love, Cliff and Epic.

Host Migration? Yeah, we added that too.



Original Info

In This Month's OXM: Dedicated Servers Coming to Gears 3

posted 10/6/2010

Subscribers to Official Xbox Magazine are due for a nice surprise in their mailboxes very soon. In one hell of a cover story, the mag details its findings from a recent trip to Epic HQ in Cary, NC, for an in-depth preview of Gears 3 multiplayer. Among the litany of revelations: In addition to a swath of online code improvements, we’re bringing dedicated servers to Gears of War 3 to drive a balanced, optimized, and thrilling online experience for Gearheads everywhere. For the full scoop on Gears 3’s dedicated servers, new match types, and more, check out the latest issue of OXM, arriving in mailboxes now and due on newsstands soon!

Gears 3 Multiplayer Beta Inbound!

You read that right—a multiplayer beta is in the works for Gears 3, giving you and scores of other Gearheads an opportunity to test-drive 2011’s biggest game before release. “What modes will the beta include?” you bellow, shaking your fist at the sky. “What new weapons will I employ in my tyrannical march toward competitive online domination?” Easy, friends! All will be revealed in due time. Sit back, speculate with your fellow fans on the official Gears forums, and keep your eyes on gearsofwar.com for more details.

Info

Gears 3 will include true host migration, meaning that if the person who started the game decides to quit (probably because you're beating them too badly), the game is designed to seamlessly choose another player to control the game without skipping a beat.

Peer-to-peer voice chat will also be handled by the servers,

Heading off what Epic anticipates could be some bandwidth limitations in the newest version of Xbox Live. Social matches like the ones introduced in Title Update 6 will be back in Gears 3 and will use the same method of filling in blank spots in the roster with AI bots

Persistent parties will now be a part of the Gears online experience, allowing you and your friends to move between games and modes without having to disband and re-gather after your matches end

And Epic will even be storing your Gears of War 3 profile information on its own servers to prevent some of the file corruption that has occurred in Gears of War 2


Although there's no precise date set for the beta just yet, Fergusson says it's scheduled for early 2011.

Despite the obvious advantages of dedicated servers and public betas, neither will necessarily make it easier for inexperienced players or series newcomers to get sucked into Gears online. So Epic has gone back to the drawing board and streamlined the multiplayer modes

Game types


Guardian and Submission have been merged into a single mode called Capture the Leader. At the beginning of each round in this mode, each team is assigned a leader, and your mission is to grab the enemy's leader and hold him or her for 30 seconds. There are no capture points, just you and your captive as the clock ticks down. As an added twist, the captive has the opportunity to struggle every few seconds by tapping the B button. Time it right and you could throw off your captor's aim at a critical moment, or, if he's already wounded, do just enough damage to break free. In Capture the Leader, leaders also have enhanced tactical/communications capabilities that allow them to see enemy positions by holding down the left bumper

The new King of the Hill is a hybrid of Gears' current King of the Hill mode mixed with Annex. This one's based on capturing and holding ringed areas that rotate around the map at timed intervals. Enter the ring, and hold it as long as you can in order to milk points out of it. The spawn locations move as well, to prevent players from camping


The modes that have always typified that hold-the-front philosophy in Gears of War's competitive multiplayer are Warzone and Execution, each a slight variant on the typical deathmatch scenario. Both are back in Gears of War 3, but they're not in the spotlight. The marquee mode is now simply called Team Deathmatch, described as typical team-vs-team multiplayer combat with a Gears twist.

Each team begins with 20 lives, and they gradually dwindle to zero as team members are killed and re-spawn. The last team standing gets a point, and the first team to score two points wins. There are no locked spawn points, so it's impossible to camp in an open area with your back to one, unless you want a bayonet in your back.

Weapons

No new Gears game would be complete without an arsenal of ridiculous weapons. The Pendulum-era Lancer is a particularly brutal beast. Essentially a machine gun with a nasty looking bayonet clamped to the barrel, it's not as accurate as the modern Lancer, but it has a bit more stopping power. Hold down the B button for long enough while moving with the retro Lancer equipped, and your character will break into a deadly roadie run. Whoever gets in the way will find himself dangling from the end of your weapon, impaled on a foot of steel.

Rather than simply choosing between the Hammerburst and Lancer rifles as your preferred starting weapons, Gears of War 3 throws the Pendulum Lancer in the mix, too. And now you can also choose between two default shotguns, the returning Gnasher and the punishing new Sawed-off.

Destined to be both one of the most loved and hated weapons in Gears 3, the Sawed-off is slow, clunky, impractical and altogether awesome. Once you learn how to use it correctly (get in 50% closer than you think you need to), you'll be absolutely hooked on its amazing splattery goodness.


The only other new weapon that comes close to its ridiculousness is the Oneshot, the angry, menopausal mother of all sniper rifles. It weighs a ton, only has one zoom level and makes a godawful whining noise when engaged. It leaves you totally exposed, it's hard to aim, and it broadcasts your intention to fire with a yellow-to-red laser sight similar to the Torque Bow. But, like the Sawed-off, it's a joy to kill with.

In addition to introducing these the new weapons, Epic has gone back into the sandbox to play with some of the existing favorites. The Hammerburst now has an iron-sights zoom that makes it even deadlier at range. The Gorgon burst pistol has been re-named the Gorgon SMG and fires as an automatic now, suddenly making it the go-to gun for meatshield wielders. Grenades can still be tagged to surfaces, but the Ink grenade and the new Incendiary grenade no longer give off warning beeps when thrown. By the time you see one, it's probably already too late.

Those grenade descriptions may have made your mind start spinning with all the applications for Horde battles, but so far Epic is still staying fairly silent on what's in store for Horde. It'll be back in Gears of War 3, with some "fundamental changes," says Fergusson. But beyond that, nothing new has been announced.


XP & Ribbons

New leveling system, which is leaps and bounds above what was patched into the second game last year. Everything you do, from reviving teammates to holding capture points, will gain you XP, which raises your level. But now, instead of being a meaningless number, your level will lead you to in-game rewards.

In addition to the overarching XP system, there are also new hooks built into Gears of War 3's leveling. Ribbons can be earned for doing things in matches like getting 5-kill streaks, drawing first blood, killing your nemesis and reviving a set number of teammates. Medals are mini-achievements that carry over from match to match and include things like getting a certain number of headshots or becoming an expert with a particular weapon. That, in turn, ties into Titles, which you earn for becoming specialized in certain areas. So if you're a slick enough sniper to earn a title for being an expert with the Longshot, you can actually append a special title related to that onto your in-game character.

Even better, your progress with all these little incentives is constantly being compared to that of your friends. So as you rank up with the shotty, you'll see little pop-ups telling you how you compare to your buddy. And that's not the only reward for getting good with guns.
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