Interprotean Xenomorph

This interview with MisterIngo totally disappeared from the blog at some point.
I have no idea how that happened. My apologies to MisterIngo, who took the time to send him his answers with promptly.

How did you come to produce Alien-based fan art?

After I saw the first film (I guess I was twelve) and after playing Alien 3 on the Sega Master System, I became hooked. My first fan art wasn’t anything special. I drew people dying in various situations, inspired by the game. Since then I’ve come to love the creature, find it beautiful, and I long to draw it, so I do.

What do you find interesting and/or fascinating in the Alien universe?

I love everything about the Alien-universe, but most of all I love the mystique regarding the aliens, not to mention the Pilot. Where did they come from? What purpose do they have? How intelligent are they?

Which movie in the Alien series is your favorite?

I can’t seem to decide on either Alien or Aliens. I love Alien for the single, one alien. The hunt, the thrill, the slender body of it, how it almost drives the entire crew crazy. I wish I could go back and watch this film for the first time, again. Aliens - well, it’s a wonderful film, lots of action, not to mention the Queen. It’s a perfect follow-up, but I think it’s still got its flaw. The aliens die like flies! The sophistication, the thrill, the feeling of cold, calculated evil which drives you to the edge of your seat has disappeared to be replaced by a craving for action. But still…It’s got the Queen. She’s *gasps in awe*…

Then again, the special edition of Alien 3 is also wonderful…Hm…Can I pass this question?

Did you play any of the “Aliens versus Predator” games?
If you did, what did you think of them?

I remember playing a demo of the first game, when I was 14. I never completed it. Playing as a marine, hearing the familiar “bleeps” from Aliens, hearing the xenomorphs but not being able to see them…It scared the shit out of me…

I played the follow-up when it came out. Only ever completed it as an alien, and I love. I was the sexiest, most stealthy alien ever. I remember my brother and I playing the multiplayer demo for it too. We’d both be aliens, flying over rooftops, shrieking and taunting the other players…We rocked.

What would you want in a new Aliens-based role-playing game?

More mystery, more intelligence to the aliens themselves. They’ve sort of taken on the “stormtroopers-effect” - point a gun at them and they die. I want a RPG that scares me, perhaps give me a glimpse into their culture, how they think, what their motives are…

What would you want in a new Aliens-based first-person shooter?

Lots of scares. Freaky scenes, freaky aliens that creep up on you, hiss, taunt you, play with you before they battle. Not brainless drones. I’d love a game I’d barely want to play because I was afraid it would make me shit my pants.

WOW!

1 year has passed already!

Work has been insane for the past year. Things are now almost back to normal and it’s high time to revive this poor blog.

Gearbox just announced the title of their Aliens-based FPS:

Aliens: Colonial Marines

This is sure to be a sign and a nod to me and every fan out there.

Stay tuned for more content soon.

If you read this blog for more than a few minutes, you will notice something strange: Gamers expect the Predator creature to have a role in their future Alien-based games.

Clearly, previous “Aliens versus Predator” games have made their mark and have shaped many expectations. This is no surprise.

While I did not enjoy Rebellion’s game, I still remember fondly Monolith’s “Aliens versus Predator 2″. (I must admit I played Rebellion’s game after Monolith’s game. Clearly, it was not the best way to approach the first “Aliens versus Predator”.)

Now, we know the Predator creature won’t be part of Gearbox or Obsidian’s games. I guess both developers will take the time to prepare gamers for this different direction.

It’s a bit ironical…when you ask people what they want, without conditions or limitations, they often ask for more of something they enjoyed in the past. I guess the same tendency pushes Hollywood to produce a sequel at the first sign of popular demand.

Obviously, being a shameless elitist, I ask for something new, original, pure and true. I want Gearbox and Obsidian to take the Alien universe back to its origin. I want their games to wash away the derivative creations that followed Alien and Aliens.

I must be a fan.

I previous explained the importance of Cooperative Online Gameplay.

The opportunity to share a dramatic or epic fiction with one or several human players is mesmerizing. Indeed, a big part of role playing is interacting with other players. Building relationships. Trust. Respect. Friendship. Fear. Disdain. Hostility. The ingredients of verisimilitude.

Yet, why stop there?

Most games require the player to assume the role of a protagonist. Generally, an instrument of Good. From there, it’s all forward. The protagonist is always in control.

When was the last time a game forced you to withdraw under overwhelming force, with no hope at all?

When confronted with a swarm of xenomorphs, there is no way a single Marine could survive.

Yet, most modern games linearly force the protagonist through such a series of impossible situations. Yes, you may experience setbacks, you may have to retrace your steps, but you are expected to progress forward and eventually you will progress forward. That’s the intent of the game designer.

In other words, the entire game world revolves around you and no AI-controlled entity will ever truly surprise you.

So, I would like to introduce a concept that extends, goes beyond Cooperative Online Gameplay:

Coopetitive Online Gameplay

In essence, this mode is very similar to Cooperative Online Gameplay, with one major difference: Players are not forced to play “good guys” or “bad guys” and players do not necessarily know who is playing antagonists and protagonists.

OK, this sounds very abstract. I will use an example to clarify what it all means…

Imagine:

You and 3 of your friends agree on a time and date when you will play Gearbox’ Alien-based FPS.

You are going to play the game in Coopetitive Online Mode. You and your 3 friends will play from 4 different locations.

As you set up the game, you are asked what type of character you would like to play, in general terms.

Then, the game assigns you a role.

Let’s say you have been assigned the role of a Colonial Marine. In Seattle, your friend was assigned the role of a Weyland-Yutani Bioweapon Specialist. In San Francisco, one of your friends will play a Science Officer. In Los Angeles, a Pilot.
Thereon, gameplay and storytelling unfold from 4 different angles. As a Colonial Marine, you may or may not know the Pilot is a human player. As a Bioweapon Specialist, your friend may or may not know the Science Officer’s mission conflicts with theirs. When time comes to confront xenomorphs, the Colonial Marine may have to ally with the Pilot.

Brief, the game becomes a lot more dynamic and linearity is greatly reduced.

I admit this explanation needs a lot of work and I will come back to it later on.

Anyway, Coopetitive Online Gameplay, a flavor of Cooperative Online Gameplay where all human players don’t necessarily play on the same team, some kind of Cooperative Online Gameplay where human players may have to advance different plots towards conflicting objectives.

Any idea presented through this blog can be used by Gearbox and/or Obsidian without prior notice.

I have no intention to sue anyone for glory or money. My sole intention is to compile a few good ideas to help in making those games as good as they can be.

That is all.