Overwatch Will Have Animated Shorts, Comics, to Fill Story Gaps

[Steven Bogos]

Overwatch Will Have Animated Shorts, Comics, to Fill Story Gaps

Overwatch will have a series of companion animated shorts and comics to help build up the story of the characters and the world.

How do you build "story" and "plot" for characters and the world in a multiplayer-only online shooter? As Overwatch [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.826704-Team-Fortress-Comics-One-of-The-Only-Things-Ever-Worth-Reading]'s endeavor to be even more like TF2, Blizzard has announced a series of companion comics and shorts that will accompany the game's launch this year.

Blizzard has built up a name for itself for creating amazing cinematics for its games: something it really showed off when announcing Overwatch through a cinematic trailer. The good news is that we are in store for more cinematics in the lead up to Overwatch's launch, with the first one due out by the end of March.

Additionally, six free digital "comic shorts" will "focus on different heroes, such as the deranged criminal duo of Roadhog and Junkrat, as well as Overwatch's knight from a bygone era, Reinhardt." The first of these is due out in April, and will tell us a bit more about gunslinger McCree's history.

[gallery=6003]

Finally, a fully fledged graphic novel: Overwatch: First Strike will be released sometime later in the year. First Strike takes place before the game, and aims to help explain what Overwatch and how it first got started.

This is a great way to build hype about the game. Overwatch has a really intersecting world with lots of unique characters, and I was wondering how Blizzard was going to take advantage of it.

Source: Blizzard [http://us.battle.net/overwatch/en/blog/20063489/]

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[Hawki]

Good news. While its kind of shameless in how they're copying what TF2 did, the cast and the greater world is too good to let go to waste. If Call of Duty gets a campaign that only a tenth of the players actually play and throws good money after bad trying to make a decent story with the strict limitations it has imposed on its writing inevitibly failing to cobble together a good cast of characters together[footnote]Though apparently they can still do a good story: https://youtu.be/AvN51r1o1Nc?t=6470[/footnote] then why can't Overwatch do something with a vibrant cast of characters that has already been introduced and spans the globe? Thats also just another tiny thing I really like about Overwatch - it means it when it says "international". Its not a Canada-USA-Europe club. Granted, they tend to focus more on global superpowers than individual countries (we don't exactly have anybody from Kenya or the Ukraine) its still a good show.

Aren't we a bit pass the "copying TF2?" thing now? The idea of an expanded universe for a game existed well before TF2 (certainly Blizzard was doing it long before Valve), and even if the argument is "narrative exists outside the game hence the similarity," then the same applies for a plenthora of games, ranging from MOBAs (League, Dawngate, Strife) to CCGs (Magic, Hex). Not denying Overwatch has some TF2 influence, but at this point it feels like we've entered "Doom clone" territory in regards to the narrative style.

On the plus side, glad I'm not the only person who likes Noah's videos (haven't watched them in awhile, so thanks for that). And I'll admit, while I haven't played a CoD game since the WWII era, I did watch all of Advanced Warfare's story. Might get some flak for this, but honestly, I genuinely enjoyed it. A bit cheesy, a bit gung-ho, but still enjoyable.

Edit: Also, what the heck is Reinhardt actually fighting in that artwork? Monsters and demons? Yes, I know Hanzo has his whole dragon ability thing, but if this is meant to be taken literally, well... 0_0

 

[Zhukov]

Well, I'm always up for some Blizzard animated goodness.

 

[weirdee]

If you're gonna copy something, copy from something good, that's what they say.

 

[RJ 17]

Too bad the story will have fuck-all to do with the game outside of what characters are in it. The only way I'll care about the story is if it's self-aware.

"So what'd you do yesterday?"
"Same-old, same-old. Pushed a cart through a few gates."
"Oh yeah? Who was on the mission with you?"
"Two clones of myself and three of my most hated, sworn enemies."
"And the opposition?"
"6 Tracers."

 

[Lightknight]

*sigh* I was pissed when they announced there wouldn't be a story mode and I'm still pissed now.

I like blizzard games for the writing. This is a huge let down. These movies make it less of a let down but it all means I don't buy the game until well after launch (used copy). Such is my way of showing disapproval of decisions like this.

 

[CaitSeith]

*sigh* I was pissed when they announced there wouldn't be a story mode and I'm still pissed now.

I like blizzard games for the writing. This is a huge let down. These movies make it less of a let down but it all means I don't buy the game until well after launch (used copy). Such is my way of showing disapproval of decisions like this.

That's a good reason to be disappointed. I would argue that at least they saved us from another token story mode in a new shooter game; but, as you said, Blizzard is pretty competent in their stories.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Good news. While its kind of shameless in how they're copying what TF2 did, the cast and the greater world is too good to let go to waste. If Call of Duty gets a campaign that only a tenth of the players actually play and throws good money after bad trying to make a decent story with the strict limitations it has imposed on its writing inevitibly failing to cobble together a good cast of characters together[footnote]Though apparently they can still do a good story: https://youtu.be/AvN51r1o1Nc?t=6470[/footnote] then why can't Overwatch do something with a vibrant cast of characters that has already been introduced and spans the globe? Thats also just another tiny thing I really like about Overwatch - it means it when it says "international". Its not a Canada-USA-Europe club. Granted, they tend to focus more on global superpowers than individual countries (we don't exactly have anybody from Kenya or the Ukraine) its still a good show.

Aren't we a bit pass the "copying TF2?" thing now? The idea of an expanded universe for a game existed well before TF2 (certainly Blizzard was doing it long before Valve), and even if the argument is "narrative exists outside the game hence the similarity," then the same applies for a plenthora of games, ranging from MOBAs (League, Dawngate, Strife) to CCGs (Magic, Hex). Not denying Overwatch has some TF2 influence, but at this point it feels like we've entered "Doom clone" territory in regards to the narrative style.

On the plus side, glad I'm not the only person who likes Noah's videos (haven't watched them in awhile, so thanks for that). And I'll admit, while I haven't played a CoD game since the WWII era, I did watch all of Advanced Warfare's story. Might get some flak for this, but honestly, I genuinely enjoyed it. A bit cheesy, a bit gung-ho, but still enjoyable.

Edit: Also, what the heck is Reinhardt actually fighting in that artwork? Monsters and demons? Yes, I know Hanzo has his whole dragon ability thing, but if this is meant to be taken literally, well... 0_0

I just want to say something about Advanced Warfare: I was actually kinda pissed that Kevin Spacey ended up being a villain.
No. Really, I mean that. Up until he goes off the rails and they imprison you in his Death Camp, I was kinda on his side after he basically told the UN that "Yeah, I have a superweapon. And? You're paying me to do your job for you anyway!"
I'm still kinda waiting to see a work of fiction in which the CEO guy with a private army is actually a force for good, if for no other reason then to shake it up a bit.

I know he did some evil shit but for a moment there, I really though that they were going to defy expectations and actually have Kevin be considered an Anti-Hero.
But no, Corporate Death Camps...

 

[MCerberus]

Good news. While its kind of shameless in how they're copying what TF2 did, the cast and the greater world is too good to let go to waste. If Call of Duty gets a campaign that only a tenth of the players actually play and throws good money after bad trying to make a decent story with the strict limitations it has imposed on its writing inevitibly failing to cobble together a good cast of characters together[footnote]Though apparently they can still do a good story: https://youtu.be/AvN51r1o1Nc?t=6470[/footnote] then why can't Overwatch do something with a vibrant cast of characters that has already been introduced and spans the globe? Thats also just another tiny thing I really like about Overwatch - it means it when it says "international". Its not a Canada-USA-Europe club. Granted, they tend to focus more on global superpowers than individual countries (we don't exactly have anybody from Kenya or the Ukraine) its still a good show.

Aren't we a bit pass the "copying TF2?" thing now? The idea of an expanded universe for a game existed well before TF2 (certainly Blizzard was doing it long before Valve), and even if the argument is "narrative exists outside the game hence the similarity," then the same applies for a plenthora of games, ranging from MOBAs (League, Dawngate, Strife) to CCGs (Magic, Hex). Not denying Overwatch has some TF2 influence, but at this point it feels like we've entered "Doom clone" territory in regards to the narrative style.

On the plus side, glad I'm not the only person who likes Noah's videos (haven't watched them in awhile, so thanks for that). And I'll admit, while I haven't played a CoD game since the WWII era, I did watch all of Advanced Warfare's story. Might get some flak for this, but honestly, I genuinely enjoyed it. A bit cheesy, a bit gung-ho, but still enjoyable.

Edit: Also, what the heck is Reinhardt actually fighting in that artwork? Monsters and demons? Yes, I know Hanzno has his whole dragon ability thing, but if this is meant to be taken literally, well... 0_0

The bigger trap isn't "but TF2 already did it" but in that they try to copy TF2's voice in their comics and animations. It would be tempting because of TF2's success a wackiness, but we already have a nonsensical irreverent load of barely-coherent crazy built upon a foundation of the dankest memes in comics. Well 2, because Deadpool. Diminishing returns and all that.

Of course then Blizzard would have to come up with a storyline other than "the age of mortals" which I don't think they're capable of at this point.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Aren't we a bit pass the "copying TF2?" thing now?

We would be, if it clearly didn't have Gray Freakin' Mann [https://wiki.teamfortress.com/w/index.php?title=Non-player_characters&redirect=no#Gray_Mann] in one of the comics! At least we now know what he was doing before he was making robots to take over Mann Co.

OT: Yeah, this is shamelessly ripping off Team Fortress 2. Obviously TF2 doesn't own the rights to Team Based 1st Person Shooter game Comics and Short videos based on their characters, but this is clearly them ripping off TF2. They could be good, though. I still have no interest in Overwatch.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Well people did say that first cinematic trailer was Pixar like.

OT- I'm ok with this given how the game itself won't have a story mode, well as far as I know.

 

[Lightknight]

*sigh* I was pissed when they announced there wouldn't be a story mode and I'm still pissed now.

I like blizzard games for the writing. This is a huge let down. These movies make it less of a let down but it all means I don't buy the game until well after launch (used copy). Such is my way of showing disapproval of decisions like this.

That's a good reason to be disappointed. I would argue that at least they saved us from another token story mode in a new shooter game; but, as you said, Blizzard is pretty competent in their stories.

Yeah, though COD has made a serious effort in their story modes too. It's just that military shooters were over-done to the point of ridicule during that WWII era.

 

[Makabriel]

*sigh* I was pissed when they announced there wouldn't be a story mode and I'm still pissed now.

I like blizzard games for the writing. This is a huge let down. These movies make it less of a let down but it all means I don't buy the game until well after launch (used copy). Such is my way of showing disapproval of decisions like this.

So... why are you pissed at Blizzard? Did they imply they were going to make it a Single Person Story mode type game at any point in the development?

I could understand if they said they were going to do it, but it was never going to be that way.

May as well be pissed off they're not making it an MMO. Or a RTS game.

 

[flying_whimsy]

I'm having a really hard time seeing the appeal of this over tf2 for people that aren't blizzard fans and by their games by default. I guess it would be nice to have something with some different mechanics and stuff, but tf2 even managed to ring that bell with all the weapons, crafting, and the workshop. Maybe I'm just bitter that we never did get the starcraft ghost game.

Also, the more they make this like tf2, the more I'm reminded of bender from futurama: "Oh yeah, well I'll make my own team-based multiplayer shooter, but with blackjack...and hookers!"

 

[monkeymangler]

I'm having a really hard time seeing the appeal of this over tf2 for people that aren't blizzard fans and by their games by default. I guess it would be nice to have something with some different mechanics and stuff, but tf2 even managed to ring that bell with all the weapons, crafting, and the workshop. Maybe I'm just bitter that we never did get the starcraft ghost game.

Also, the more they make this like tf2, the more I'm reminded of bender from futurama: "Oh yeah, well I'll make my own team-based multiplayer shooter, but with blackjack...and hookers!"

7 classes versus... 30 characters I believe? Each with their own set of abilities?

I like TF2, but the character roster for Overwatch looks awesome.

 

[Cheesy Goodness]

This sure won't quell the comparisons to TF2. I've seen gameplay videos of Overwatch, and it looks pretty fun. However, I really hate the design of some of these characters. There seems to be little consistency, and a handful could almost be plucked from totally different games.

 

[Hawki]

I just want to say something about Advanced Warfare: I was actually kinda pissed that Kevin Spacey ended up being a villain.
No. Really, I mean that. Up until he goes off the rails and they imprison you in his Death Camp, I was kinda on his side after he basically told the UN that "Yeah, I have a superweapon. And? You're paying me to do your job for you anyway!"
I'm still kinda waiting to see a work of fiction in which the CEO guy with a private army is actually a force for good, if for no other reason then to shake it up a bit.

I know he did some evil shit but for a moment there, I really though that they were going to defy expectations and actually have Kevin be considered an Anti-Hero.
But no, Corporate Death Camps...

I kind of know what you mean. However, while it does go off the rails a bit, it does fit in with the overall theme of the game. The idea that while absolute authority does allow for greater efficiency, governments and militaries are still needed because they allow for accountability. It's not so much that power corrupts, but rather that Spacey's character is allowed to follow his darker impulses because of the position he finds himself in.

Probably generated a "nah, really?" response, but giving credit where credit is due.

Aren't we a bit pass the "copying TF2?" thing now?

We would be, if it clearly didn't have Gray Freakin' Mann [https://wiki.teamfortress.com/w/index.php?title=Non-player_characters&redirect=no#Gray_Mann] in one of the comics! At least we now know what he was doing before he was making robots to take over Mann Co.

OT: Yeah, this is shamelessly ripping off Team Fortress 2. Obviously TF2 doesn't own the rights to Team Based 1st Person Shooter game Comics and Short videos based on their characters, but this is clearly them ripping off TF2. They could be good, though. I still have no interest in Overwatch.

Obviously Mann is a joke, but I'll joke right back that Mann would have to time travel since Overwatch (and by extension, the Omnic Crisis) take place well into the 21st century, while as I understand, TF2 takes place in the 1960s.

But again, I have to question the idea of "ripping off." Animated material and comics based on games pre-date TF2 by over a decade. Even the use of these mediums as distinct expanded universes pre-dates TF2 significantly, including Blizzard itself, who began using consolidated EU in 2000, using comics as early as 2001. Use of an EU around a story-less core game also pre-dates TF2 (Magic, Warhammer, etc.) Moving on, use of in-game technology to flesh out the setting was used by Blizzard as early as The Burning Crusade (2007), a.ka. the same year that TF2 launched, but BC got in at January while TF2 was released at the end of the year. Far as I'm aware, Valve was doing the "meet the..." series by 2009, while in 2013 Blizzard first released animated projects done outside the game engine (akin to Overwatch) in 2013 for Warcraft and Diablo, StarCraft first getting the treatment in 2015. As far as I'm aware, TF2 doesn't possess shorts that don't use its own game engine.

So, yeah. Really not seeing the ripoff. A lot of the things TF2 did were being done well before the game was released. If we're in the realm of "first person shooter with no core story that uses suplementary material to flesh out the story including the use of comics" then yes, it's the first. But it wasn't the first FPS, it wasn't the first game to have an EU, it wasn't the first game to use that EU in lieu of the lack of a core story, it wasn't the first game to use its engine to tell animated shorts as done by the host developers (which goes at least as far back as Halo 2), and so on. Using ideas in a certain way doesn't give one ownership over the ideas themselves.

 

[Lightknight]

*sigh* I was pissed when they announced there wouldn't be a story mode and I'm still pissed now.

I like blizzard games for the writing. This is a huge let down. These movies make it less of a let down but it all means I don't buy the game until well after launch (used copy). Such is my way of showing disapproval of decisions like this.

So... why are you pissed at Blizzard? Did they imply they were going to make it a Single Person Story mode type game at any point in the development?

They created a vibrant world with an interesting story and cool characters. Then proceeded not to cash in on it by letting us enjoy and pay for it.

I don't pay full price for multi-player only games. I'm pissed at them because they are the story kings and they're releasing a title without the story mode.

 

[Combustion Kevin]

Hey Blizzard, remember that feature film we've been clamoring for?
No, warcraft doesn't count, YOU make a movie, we know you can do it!