Gotham as a sandbox. Why hasn't this happened???

[Sprizmo]

How is it that we are so far along with these next gen consoles and none of the major developers have gotten to work on a GTA style Batman game? Don't get me wrong, I loved Arkham Asylum, but now that I've beaten it twice I am aching for something more... How ultimate would it be to have all of Gotham to explore, and an entire rogues gallery of villains to thwart. Think of it; you're Bruce Wayne taking care of some business at the office, maybe having a conversation with Lucius Fox about new Bat technology being developed, then you look out the window to see the Bat signal beaming in the distance. You consult your all purpose communication device and call for the Batmobile which is waiting for you at a predetermined location, put on the outfit and off you go to meet Gordon atop city hall to get details on the Jokers latest plot.

It may take a lot of doing to make this kind of game work, but it CAN be done. The fun factor and replay value would be through the roof. This is my call to all you bad ass developers out there... get the rights, and make what I will consider to be the GREATEST GAME EVER!!!

Now who's with me?

 

[Marter]

No stealing of cars would make it slightly harder/less fun to get around.

I could see it being fun, but it would be pretty hard to pull off properly.

 

[Woodsey]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

 

[Chicaine]

No stealing of cars would make it slightly harder/less fun to get around.

I could see it being fun, but it would be pretty hard to pull off properly.

You could have some remote control to bring the batmobile to you, or have it autopilot to you

 

[Captain Pancake]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

Wasn't that terrible superman game a free roamer?

Tells you something about sandbox superhero games then.

 

[Nincompoop]

It's a great idea, and I don't understand it either.

If the engine that ran Arkham Asylum could run such a massive open-world game, it would be f**king ideal to do it. The awesome gameplay of Arkham Asylum actually wasn't enough for me. It totally would be with a large open environment.

 

[Woodsey]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

Wasn't that terrible superman game a free roamer?

Tells you something about sandbox superhero games then.

Probably, but then it tells you about most superhero games in general - free roaming or not.

 

[ExileNZ]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

Wasn't that terrible superman game a free roamer?

Tells you something about sandbox superhero games then.

Probably, but then it tells you about most superhero games in general - free roaming or not.

Aww but that first Spiderman game was awesome...
Never mind...

 

[Captain Pancake]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

Wasn't that terrible superman game a free roamer?

Tells you something about sandbox superhero games then.

Probably, but then it tells you about most superhero games in general - free roaming or not.

Arkham ASylum was a bit of a one-off, but I always loved the spiderman 2 official videogame of the movie. Even though it was made because of the Movie, the studio actually put thought and effort in to it and made an enjoyable experience. I guess I'm contradicting myself now, seeing as that was a freeroamer!

 

[jthm]

Spiderman 2, go play it only imagine it's batman, it's always night, the webbing is actually grappling hook guns, and you don't care about that little girl's lost balloon.

 

[Woodsey]

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

Wasn't that terrible superman game a free roamer?

Tells you something about sandbox superhero games then.

Probably, but then it tells you about most superhero games in general - free roaming or not.

Arkham ASylum was a bit of a one-off, but I always loved the spiderman 2 official videogame of the movie. Even though it was made because of the Movie, the studio actually put thought and effort in to it and made an enjoyable experience. I guess I'm contradicting myself now, seeing as that was a freeroamer!

Meh, there are always exceptions to the rule. Spiderman is far more suited to an open-world then Batman. In fact, Spiderman couldn't really be done any other way. [small]Eww...[/small]

In Batman, you'd mostly have to use the Batmobile if you actually wanted to get anywhere, and it's all you'd be able to drive since Batman is hardly going to car jack anyone.

 

[AceAngel]

Spiderman games pretty much showed the perils of Sandbox in most of his games.

A game where no value on the city is given, your character not given the 'gravitas' and impact they usually have in shows or comics are why Sandbox games for Super-Heroes are scarce and utterly useless.

They CAN work, if the developer implements fail-safes for the characters. For example, become Batman, take your BM for a downtown chase, crash a few too many cars and bam, you get totaled and can either lock down your car to retrieve it later or not and pull-back.
What then about gameplay? How will it affect the road-way system? What about the Villains you just were chasing? What about the civilian lifes?

The variables are too many, that's why an Evil or Zombie sandbox games works better, since the variables are smaller and easier to make.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Apparently Arkham Asylum 2 won't be far off it.

 

[OmegaXzors]

Apparently Arkham Asylum 2 won't be far off it.

Said right before me. Yeah, supposedly Arkham Asylum 2 will take place in Gotham. You can already play a combat arena in an alleyway of Gotham as a teaser.

 

[captainwolfos]

First of all, why the hell would you want to play as Batman on a game like this? There are plenty of Batman games where you beat seven kinds of shit out of people and whatnot.
Playing as a Batman villian would be far more entertaining, and also more fitting for this potential game.

Also I may be slightly biased because being evil is far more fun than being good.

In games, that is.
[small]Phew.[/small]

 

[Sprizmo]

Apparently Arkham Asylum 2 won't be far off it.

Said right before me. Yeah, supposedly Arkham Asylum 2 will take place in Gotham. You can already play a combat arena in an alleyway of Gotham as a teaser.

Yeah but... if its not taking place exclusively at Arkham than why would it be called Arkham 2? Arkham without Arkham?

 

[Sprizmo]

Spiderman games pretty much showed the perils of Sandbox in most of his games.

A game where no value on the city is given, your character not given the 'gravitas' and impact they usually have in shows or comics are why Sandbox games for Super-Heroes are scarce and utterly useless.

They CAN work, if the developer implements fail-safes for the characters. For example, become Batman, take your BM for a downtown chase, crash a few too many cars and bam, you get totaled and can either lock down your car to retrieve it later or not and pull-back.
What then about gameplay? How will it affect the road-way system? What about the Villains you just were chasing? What about the civilian lifes?

The variables are too many, that's why an Evil or Zombie sandbox games works better, since the variables are smaller and easier to make.

The variables are what can make the gameplay more interesting. Batman doesn't kill anyone right? So if you run over somebody or accidentally kill someone while trying to save them, MISSION FAILED! If you execute a rescue or navigate a crowded street with precision than EXTRA POINTS!!! The whole system can be based on how damned stealthy, and careful you are. I do not see a problem with this.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Apparently Arkham Asylum 2 won't be far off it.

Said right before me. Yeah, supposedly Arkham Asylum 2 will take place in Gotham. You can already play a combat arena in an alleyway of Gotham as a teaser.

Yeah but... if its not taking place exclusively at Arkham than why would it be called Arkham 2? Arkham without Arkham?

Because they expand Arkham into a (presumably derelict) section of the city and then wall it off. Presumably because you trashed the place in the first game, or because there are just too many insane criminals to keep in a single asylum.

It sounds good in theory, in practice I doubt it would work.

Hell, that's why AA was so damn good - they knew what they could do and what people wanted, but they also knew that some of that wouldn't work or fit the Batman experience and they had to remain focused on how best to achieve the experience.. That's why we don't get a hands-on with the Batmobile, for example.

And thank fuck for that, I say.

I do have to agree a bit, and I hope they don't over extend themselves in the sequel. Plus it would be pretty hard to make the Batmobile feel 'right', since in most adaptations it seems to do 100 mph while turning at perfect right angles.

 

[Sprizmo]

No stealing of cars would make it slightly harder/less fun to get around.

I could see it being fun, but it would be pretty hard to pull off properly.

Who needs to steal cars when you can grapple swoop and glide? The Batwing could drop you into a section of the city and the rest is woooooooooooosh!

 

[Doctor VonSexMachine]

Too few cannon villains that all require pretty scripted events to keep up the image.
Plus, even though batman kind of became an ass lately, he still wouldn't steal cars and ***** slap old ladies.