The Ultimate SOMA Discussion Thread

~~Googolplex~~ · 03-06-2014, 08:13 PM

(03-06-2014, 03:23 PM)pagan Wrote: It's slightly worrying that looking around in the news sites, the main platform seems to be ps4, and pc seems to be an afterthought. I love the physical manipulation mechanic in Amnesia, it just feels so natural with the mouse. I can't imagine it works quite as well with gamepad, so if Soma is primarily designed for the ps4 (and its controller), i fear this mechanic will be dumbed down quite a bit.

Yeah, I also have the fear about this.

(03-06-2014, 05:10 PM)pagan Wrote: Well, i'm not sure amfp is a good example, it didn't really used this mechanic to the full extent, the environmental interactivity was fairly minimal (possibly partly because it was designed for working with gamepad).

I'm rather talking about things like the water chase part (quickly opening and closing the doors), or the box stacking part in Justine, where you had to be quick and/or accurate with the object manipulations. I don't think the required precision is possible with a gamepad, so similarly complex or 'difficult' gameplay elements wont happen in a game designed with a gamepad in mind.

Exactly. I hope FG will read this.

**Kein** · 03-06-2014, 11:46 PM

(03-06-2014, 02:38 PM)Sampyli Wrote:
(03-06-2014, 12:30 PM)Kein Wrote: There is more than a year of waiting ahead, you probably should put your train to some slow, steady pace yet, haha.

Might not be over a year, all we've got so far is "2015". (Probably is, tho )

Well, It is Frictional, they have their own "valve time" :3

**Yuhaney** · 03-06-2014, 11:48 PM

I'd rather wait for them to polish the game even if it takes longer time than get a game full of bugs at launch like many big companies do...

**Sampyli** · 03-06-2014, 11:50 PM

(03-06-2014, 11:48 PM)Iipee Wrote: I'd rather wait for them to polish the game even if it takes longer time than get a game full of bugs at launch like many big companies do...

This. Everything pretty much needs to be perfect in an experience like SOMA.

**Ethelros** · 03-07-2014, 12:27 AM

If I remember rightly, AAMFP cut down on the interactivity because of the enhanced visuals over TDD. Or at least, that was their explanation. Simplicity was never given as a reason, whether that was actually the case or not.

As for controllers, far as I know nobody's tried to play Frictional's games with one, so do we really know for certain that they can't handle it?

**PutraenusAlivius** · 03-07-2014, 08:09 AM

(03-07-2014, 12:27 AM)Ethelros Wrote: If I remember rightly, AAMFP cut down on the interactivity because of the enhanced visuals over TDD. Or at least, that was their explanation. Simplicity was never given as a reason, whether that was actually the case or not.

As for controllers, far as I know nobody's tried to play Frictional's games with one, so do we really know for certain that they can't handle it?

TCR made AAMFP, not FG. Besides, AAMFP is compatible with controllers and AAMFP is HPL2.5. SOMA is HPL3.

~~Googolplex~~ · 03-07-2014, 10:29 AM

(03-07-2014, 08:09 AM)JustAnotherPlayer Wrote: TCR made AAMFP, not FG. Besides, AAMFP is compatible with controllers and AAMFP is HPL2.5. SOMA is HPL3.

That doesn't matter to the engine version. A controller is simply restricted in its controls and you will never have the precision as you would play with mouse. And this could have a big influence of the gameplay, so that it will be limited to easier interaction. That means there are no complex physics/object movement or even events like the water part.

I don't think AAMFP was cutted because of the visuals. CPUs today are fast enough to handle interactive objects! I think they cutted it to prevent bugs. Because most bugs have todo with interaction/physics.

But I would rather have buggy physics than none. And Amnesia TDD wasn't as much buggy that it makes sense to cutt the interaction off.

**Sampyli** · 03-07-2014, 11:55 AM

(03-07-2014, 10:29 AM)Googolplex Wrote: That doesn't matter to the engine version. A controller is simply restricted in its controls and you will never have the precision as you would play with mouse. And this could have a big influence of the gameplay, so that it will be limited to easier interaction. That means there are no complex physics/object movement or even events like the water part.

I don't really think something like the water part would be that bad with a controller. For example: left analog stick for moving (obviously), grip a door with L1 or so while pulling it back right analog stick, repeat on other side when closing the door. The gates with the rotating handle would actually be easier to use with a gamepad.

**PutraenusAlivius** · 03-07-2014, 12:59 PM

(03-07-2014, 11:55 AM)Sampyli Wrote:
(03-07-2014, 10:29 AM)Googolplex Wrote: That doesn't matter to the engine version. A controller is simply restricted in its controls and you will never have the precision as you would play with mouse. And this could have a big influence of the gameplay, so that it will be limited to easier interaction. That means there are no complex physics/object movement or even events like the water part.

I don't really think something like the water part would be that bad with a controller. For example: left analog stick for moving (obviously), grip a door with L1 or so while pulling it back right analog stick, repeat on other side when closing the door. The gates with the rotating handle would actually be easier to use with a gamepad.

I second that, but that's the only usefulness IMO. Controllers can't demonstrate real life physics like mouses do.

~~Googolplex~~ · 03-07-2014, 02:17 PM

(03-07-2014, 12:59 PM)JustAnotherPlayer Wrote: Controllers can't demonstrate real life physics like mouses do.

Yes. The controls in Penumbra and Amnesia always demonstrated real life physics which always was a main part of the immersion for me. To open a door should feel like open a door in real life and the controls with the mouse are perfectly easy and precise.

Controller support should just be an alternative option, but not the main controls of the game.