The Shandification of Fallout (What I wish to god would happen to Saints Row)
- Thread starter Paratext
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I totally agree. Cool vid by the way.
I've often imagined what it would be like if the Saints Row series had a more interactive, immersive world. Say, if Steelport had 20 or 30 locations where you could actually enter (clubs, convenience stores, pawn shops, etc) and really interact with NPCs and/or the environment; pick up side-quests, do investigations, find cool stuff or unique people/places/things through exploration.
Things to make the open world of Steelport seem more open and alive.
If that sounds like I'm describing an RPG, then maybe I am - though I don't want SR to transform into Skyrim or anything (though I DO wish the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series would emulate some of SRs elements; if nothing else, the animation. SR3 & 4 have some of the best character animations around).
But yeah, a more organic-feeling world and a less linear storyline would be the Bee's Knees.
I've often imagined what it would be like if the Saints Row series had a more interactive, immersive world. Say, if Steelport had 20 or 30 locations where you could actually enter (clubs, convenience stores, pawn shops, etc) and really interact with NPCs and/or the environment; pick up side-quests, do investigations, find cool stuff or unique people/places/things through exploration.
Things to make the open world of Steelport seem more open and alive.
If that sounds like I'm describing an RPG, then maybe I am - though I don't want SR to transform into Skyrim or anything (though I DO wish the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series would emulate some of SRs elements; if nothing else, the animation. SR3 & 4 have some of the best character animations around).
But yeah, a more organic-feeling world and a less linear storyline would be the Bee's Knees.
This is great, thank you for discovering this video. What he said about Mass Effect struck home, that is exactly what happened to me, and made me realise how important those two npc were to my experience.
Saints Row is being a bit inconsistent in its characterisation.
There is no way making a set personality for a completely customisable, multi gender and ethnicity character can make sense for what that player is striving to do. You create your character imagining a personality and ideals, and the story their appearance tells, and strict linear storyline messes with it a bit. The way Saints Row dealt with this seemed to be leaving things up to player interpretation.
Your backstory is never said, nor is your name, your preference, hobbies, beliefs, relationships (your relationship with your gang members is never explicitly stated). Just a shell of that for the gameplay, leaving each individual player to create their own head cannon on what their character is like, and what their doing between the gaps in the game.
Two problems, one, not filling in the gaps can lead to rather uninteresting storytelling and reasoning if everyone except you has characterisation and your just...there. Two, volition has progressively set the bosses personality and relationships (not entirely, but it's suggested, and messes with peoples head cannons a fair bit), and that doesn't reward your creativity in customisation.
Both male and female characters have the same animation in cutscenes, which screws up the anatomy for the character that the cutscene wasn't designed around (not to mention some stupid clipping). Facial deformities and other oddities in movement encourage you to edit your character to fix it, progressively making it closer to the default generic man on the cover. I would love to see volition not just advertise with a generic man, rendering all other creations an afterthought.
Each voice actor has almost identical dialogue, and occasionally have bizarre changes that you have trouble picking up on because their so rare (Southern female likes gardening? What if my character doesn't?).
So yeah, Shandification for the win.
Saints Row is being a bit inconsistent in its characterisation.
There is no way making a set personality for a completely customisable, multi gender and ethnicity character can make sense for what that player is striving to do. You create your character imagining a personality and ideals, and the story their appearance tells, and strict linear storyline messes with it a bit. The way Saints Row dealt with this seemed to be leaving things up to player interpretation.
Your backstory is never said, nor is your name, your preference, hobbies, beliefs, relationships (your relationship with your gang members is never explicitly stated). Just a shell of that for the gameplay, leaving each individual player to create their own head cannon on what their character is like, and what their doing between the gaps in the game.
Two problems, one, not filling in the gaps can lead to rather uninteresting storytelling and reasoning if everyone except you has characterisation and your just...there. Two, volition has progressively set the bosses personality and relationships (not entirely, but it's suggested, and messes with peoples head cannons a fair bit), and that doesn't reward your creativity in customisation.
Both male and female characters have the same animation in cutscenes, which screws up the anatomy for the character that the cutscene wasn't designed around (not to mention some stupid clipping). Facial deformities and other oddities in movement encourage you to edit your character to fix it, progressively making it closer to the default generic man on the cover. I would love to see volition not just advertise with a generic man, rendering all other creations an afterthought.
Each voice actor has almost identical dialogue, and occasionally have bizarre changes that you have trouble picking up on because their so rare (Southern female likes gardening? What if my character doesn't?).
So yeah, Shandification for the win.
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