Someone just brought this to my attention, forgive me if it has been posted before: http://areal.west-games.com/
I like that they want to do something other than the gray and brown post-apoc, kinda like the C&C Tiberium universe. But all they have at this point is a few concept arts.
Damn. I was going to ask Komodo to find out if Metro Devs were working on it but if it's fake there is no need.
Don't bother. They say they are using a brand new engine while showing footage of Stalker and pre-made stuff from http://unity3d.com/unity. The only genuine stuff there are a few commissioned pieces of concept art. "This will probably be the longest update that we'll post..." Because it is the ONLY update they will post. It's a fraud.
Yeah, what Komodo said. http://www.vg247.com/2014/06/25/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-areal-vostock-sparks-legal-and-fraud-threats/
Apparently this is real. http://i.imgur.com/5vZYgGP.jpg https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1577656602/areal/posts of course considering they have like no actual footage, I still don't recommend pledging.
They say they are using a brand new engine while showing bits of old trailers and cutscenes from Stalker mixed with footage of someone playing Stalker in their kickstarter trailer. Most of the icons they are using come from Stalker. Even the AKS-74U picture they show is a render from Stalker. They've released a video with team members, good, but it doesn't actually prove anything other than that there are living people behind this. They haven't shown anything related to the game. Their website even claims they have worked on Metro: Last Light (But not Metro 2033 for some reason). How is this not fake? It's a scam until some actual content of the game is shown. The only real thing there appears to be the concept art and depending on the artist I can just go and commission a dozen pictures like that with a couple hundred USD. I really want them to be real because I like the concept of post-apoc that isn't gray and brown, but they claim to have everything the original Stalker failed to deliver and I expect them to run away with all the fucking money.
Komodo's post kinda summarizes my feelings on the project atm. It's real at least, but feels like a scam.
They don't really have anything to show, and no good reasons to hide what they might have. It's all blatantly, incredibly disingenuous. Even if this is legitimate somehow, then they're obviously an incompetent bunch of idiots who don't know what they're doing or understand how awful all of this makes them look. I feel sorry for anybody who gives them a single cent. Edit: Holy shit, $33,440/$50k. 910 backers. This is gonna make headlines either way.
Even though this is probably a fake, I really wish game developers would stop revealing their projects so early. It creates too much hype and it usually turns out for the worst. It was great when devs use to reveal very little information concerning their games and then release them out to the public. Also less interaction with the community. It was better that way.
Less interaction with the community? LESS?!?!? I don't know about you, but I LIKE when devs actually respond to questions and treat me like a human being, and not just a customer.
I know that Devs interacting with the community prior to their games release can help improve content –like how the Devs here on the forum read the suggestions and said that some of them will be implemented in Metro Redux- but I think Devs are being more pressured today into doing certain things to their game(s) just because their customers said to, especially when they go as far as receiving donations from them; and I know that it is still completely up to the Devs whether or not to listen to their game’s community and the majority of their game is still based on their set goals, but it seems like, more then ever, the Devs are being influenced (or guided) too much by the community –it’s like those “choose your own adventure” books, and the community is the one that decides which route to go.
That's up to management of a project, and it is unfortunate that game devs often go to far to dumb down for their gaming crowd. Still, that is more affected by wanted to appeal to a larger audience than interacting with the community, though it blurs the line between the two.
Game is now fully funded and video trailers have been released. *Gameplay is in, but is just a man holding a gun walking. Still, gameplay *
Game Funding suspended due to Devs self funding the game. $20k in a day just a few hours after the posted a "letter" from "Putin" President of the Russian Federation To Eugene Kim President of the West Games Company Kiev, Ukraine Dear Eugene, My daughter told me about your game called Areal, which is the spiritual successor to STALKER, and told me that she payed money to support your project on Kickstarter. I also love video games as well as shooters, and I like this idea. It's important that our people do not shoot at each other, but instead, play games like this. The first part of STALKER took place in Ukraine, and in the second game Areal, you put all events in the center of Russia – and if this is a war with mutants in a video game, then that is very interesting. I attentively familiarized myself with your idea and I really like it. If you give me the chance to play the alpha version of the game, when it is ready, then I invite you in advance to the Kremlin, to meet personally, be ready to play a little bit and talk about the interests of young people, the gamers of our country. Best regards, [Signed] V. Putin" "Putin" giving $20k huh
