Shadowrun Online Steps Into the Light

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
Shadowrun Online Steps Into the Light


A new browser-based Shadowrun game is in the works with none other than original designer Jordan Weisman helping out with production.

It's been a few years since the last time we saw a Shadowrun [http://www.amazon.com/Shadowrun-Xbox-360/dp/B000OLSJLC/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1318526699&sr=1-1] videogame, that being the thoroughly mediocre Xbox 360/PC shooter that came out in 2007. Hopefully things will go a little better for Shadowrun Online, a browser-based online game currently in pre-production at Cliffhanger Productions. Full-on development is scheduled to start next month and Cliffhanger is doing its best to keep expectations reasonable.

"It will be a decent quality, but it won't be what some call AAA. The reason for that is simple: we are doing a browser based game," the studio explained in the first Shadowrun Online newsletter [http://www.cliffhanger-productions.com/content/list/details/id/65]. "This means anyone can access it at any time from their PC, no downloading, no hassle. But that also means we need to limit visuals. I hope you agree that gameplay is king, so we think the visuals are decent enough."

Because it's so early in the process, the nature of the game is still very fluid, but it will be broken down into two major components: the action map, where missions will be carried out, and mission preparation, which will take place on an overview map of the city and involve using contacts, skills and resources to gain information about the upcoming job, bribe guards, prepare spells and so forth.

It's not much to go on but the presence of Jordan Weisman, who licensed [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-13-shadowrun-online-unveiled] the rights to Shadowrun, along with the Mechwarrior and Crimson Skies properties, to Weisman's Smith & Tinker startup in 2007.

More information about the new Shadowrun game, including the unequivocal statement that "it is nothing like the Xbox game," can be found at "The Big Shadowrun Online Question/Answer Thread [http://www.cliffhanger-productions.com/scripts/forum/index.php?topic=242.0]" on the Cliffhanger forums.


Permalink
 

Roganzar

Winter is coming
Jun 13, 2009
513
0
0
Like me some Shadowrun. I've been hoping for a Shadowrun MMO style game for years. Great world for it too. Hope this turns out as fun as I'm now imagining it will be.
 

SachielOne

Former Escapecraft Op
Aug 10, 2009
183
0
0
Oh HELL YES.

Hmm, if Adam Jensen were a Shadowrun character, how much Essence would he have left?
 

JaredXE

New member
Apr 1, 2009
1,378
0
0
Now, the big question is: Can my mage cast Mass Orgasm on a group of security guards as a means to get away?

Also, they allowing character gen by Karma points or just plain xp?
 

StriderShinryu

New member
Dec 8, 2009
4,987
0
0
Gah.. sad that it will be a limited browser based game as opposed to a full featured client based MMO. Shadowrun really is perfect for that sort of thing just like The Matrix was before poor MxO was so poorly handled post launch (and launched before it was ready). Still, after reading through the Q&A, it does sound like this will at least be an interesting diversion. Heck, it's already sounding 10x better than the 360/PC game from a few years back.
 

Mischa87

New member
Jun 28, 2011
197
0
0
When I seen the thread title, I thought I would need a grinectomy, but as soon as I seen it was going to be a browser game, I got a little iffy on it... Not due to the lack of visuals (I loves me some Roguelikes) It's just that browser games tend to suck, with the whole AP/Energy bull... But... I don't think it could be any worse then that intellectual abortion of a PC/360 game... So I remain cautiously optimistic.
 

Roganzar

Winter is coming
Jun 13, 2009
513
0
0
SachielOne said:
Oh HELL YES.

Hmm, if Adam Jensen were a Shadowrun character, how much Essence would he have left?
Lets see he was mainly a head and torso with some leg parts so I'd guess 0.35 remaining essense. Plus it was top of the line gear so more stuff for less Essense cost.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
17,032
0
0
I kinda liked the shooter. I think fantasy and FPS should cross more often. Perhaps in a more polished game...
 

Smooth Operator

New member
Oct 5, 2010
8,162
0
0
"it is nothing like the Xbox game"
A very important if not down right critical statement, because that game was dog shite on a broken plate force fed to you by a burly inmate.

I love that they are taking WebGL to the next level with some proper games, but I also fear this will make the game slip by the gaming community unnoticed.
 

cerebus23

New member
May 16, 2010
1,275
0
0
I used to have a shodowrun online site bookmarked back in the day but seemed the project in general was in limbo, think they went through 3 or 4 engine switches during the time i was peeking in.

Good to see it got somewhere, browser based or not hope its good.
 

StriderShinryu

New member
Dec 8, 2009
4,987
0
0
Kalezian said:
I dont know why people knock the 360 game.

Yea, it wasn't Shadowrun
I'd say that's probably why they knock it. :)

It's the same as (though not quite as bad, IMO) as the new X-Com and Syndicate games. No one is saying that they are out and out bad games. Heck, they're not even out yet so absolutely no one is in a position to judge them in that regard at all. What fans of the license have issue with is how these games are a slap in the face to those who have followed the series for any length of time.
 

The Random One

New member
May 29, 2008
3,310
0
0
Yes, I love Shadowrun! Well, the world of Shadowrun. I never played the game and I understand it uses more dice then a Yahtzee Poker Dice Backgammon triathlon.

So I'll be on the lookout for this.