GDC 2011: First Look at Jurassic Park Gameplay

[Superior Mind]

I'd like to see it but the graphics and animation look pretty poor, (at this stage,) and the gameplay looks like a series of quicktime events. I'm still curious enough, and a big enough fan of Jurassic Park, to give it a try though. Would like to see more. I did see the trailer and it does seem to have the feeling of the movie which is the key thing I think.

Curious about the story. From what I hear it's focussed on vetenarian Dr Gerry Harding and his daughter Sarah, (Jeff Goldblum's partner in The Lost World.) There are a few continuity problems with that. Dr. Harding was in the first Jurassic Park film, all he did was tend to a sick Triceratops, (and doesn't look at all like the game character.) Also there was no hint of Sarah in the film, and no hint in the second film that she had ever been to Isla Nublar, (that's not to say it wasn't possible though.)

Like I said I'm a fan and a stickler for this stuff but if the game is good enough I can overlook this.

 

[silver wolf009]

I lost hope with this game at 3:38. Wow, just wow, if you want to show off that kind of facial animation, don't show off anything from the game.

 

[jjboat]

if this game is as bad as it looks, It does great disservice to the franchise. Graphics really do matter when it comes to Jurassic Park, because being scared and in awe of these creatures is probably the single most important part of the series. the animation is downright terrible, and the characters seem to be one dimensional stereotypes, although the creator would have us believe that they are deep and realistic. The voice acting and sound effects are horrid. All of the impact and suspense of the Triceratops scene dissipates when the characters start talking. Looks like tell tale is in over their heads. Jurassic park deserves so much better.

 

[thevegetarianzombie]

I hate to jump on the bad graphics band wagon (in fact, most of the people who are on that bandwagon seem a little shy about being on it) but the imagery of this game fell deep into the uncanny valley.

The game's pull is supposed to be that it's an interactive movie in the style of Heavy Rain, and that is a style of game that specifically calls for strong visuals.

If they were making an Ecco the Dolphin sequel, I would demand a good mechanic for swimming. If they were making a tactical RPG, I would demand a good interface and combat system. And if they are making a cinema-centric "interactive" movie, I would demand strong and engaging visual presentation.

 

[NathLines]

I'm one second into the video, and I'm pretty sure I won't be paying as much attention during the rest of the video 'cause "OMG, Lisa Foiles with her natural hair color!" No, seriously. That was a shocker.

EDIT: Wtf, Telltale Games? You are NOT suited for this. Wow.

 

[silasbufu]

Can't say that shit graphics would be the first thing that turns me off when looking at a game, seeing as I still play alot of old games, but what bugged me the worst in the game videos was the sound, not just the horrific voice acting, but the editing or something, not much of an expert but something was way off.

 

[Grayashton]

I do hope this comes out on April 1st, to be a fool on us all, coz if its real, then Telltale has put gaming back 10 years

 

[Aptspire]

Looks okay, but not much beyond that :S

 

[Rotting Corpse]

wow all these negative comments about graphics from people who play games like minecraft, NEWS FLASH graphics aren't everything! Tell Tale knows this and they made Back to the Future pretty Awesome. HOWEVER i agree with one thing, they really need better animators, or you know, Animators at all, Very stiff but it still works as long as you suspend your disbelief

There's a big difference between bad graphics and simplistic design. Minecraft is supposed to look like that in order to be simple. This is a game that should look good, but doesn't. The fact is that this is a visual medium. There isn't an excuse for things looking this bad.

On top of that, the writing was horrible(I guess she just thought the horn was fun to press) and the voice acting sounds like they found people off the street. You could have gone to any college and found a couple of sophomore drama students who could have done a better job.

 

[SilverUchiha]

wow all these negative comments about graphics from people who play games like minecraft, NEWS FLASH graphics aren't everything! Tell Tale knows this and they made Back to the Future pretty Awesome. HOWEVER i agree with one thing, they really need better animators, or you know, Animators at all, Very stiff but it still works as long as you suspend your disbelief Hey as long as its a struggle for survival game unlike the first Jurassic Park games on say the genesis, where its just arcade shooter, im all for it!

Agreed. Graphics aren't everything. It's all about story and gameplay. It's a Heavy Rain-inspired game in the Jurassic Park setting. I never played Heavy Rain, but heard enough good things about it to know it can't be terrible. Plus... It's fuckin' Jurassic Park... best movie ever. No matter what anyone else says. I'm willing to let this rather weak demonstration go in hopes that the final product will be worth it. On that note:

This makes the worst of the cgi from the first movie look absolutely amazing. >:\

Bad CGI in the first movie? I thought the first movie had the best CGI of the whole franchise. Least the dinos didn't looked as fucked up as they were in JP3.

Offtopic: Lisa, why can't you always go with your natural hair color? You look SO much better this way. I actually might watch your show more if you went that route. Just sayin'.

 

[SilverStuddedSquirre]

Heavy Dinosaur Rain

Boo-ya! Spot on. I am now ready to organize the Quick-time Revolution: NO MORE QTE! NO MORE QTE! NO MORE QTE! NO MORE QTE!

Lisa was the only reason I even got through the whole thing.

 

[The Random One]

Argh, you guys are all spoiled with graphics. I thought it was okay. Now get off my lawn, I need to play some Zork.

 

[Ridrith]

So let me get this straight.

Jurassic Park: Check.
Horrible Voice Acting: Check.
Terrible Graphics: Check.
Boring game play that looks to revolve around quick time events: Check.

When was this game announced and it's already got an April release date? I think I'm starting to see the problem here. Everything about this game looks terrible and boring. Maybe they should just stick to their Sam & Max games and stop destroying decent movie licenses.

P.S. Red-headed Lisa? Yes plz. I'd be the... T... To... Your... Rex...
YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dragongit]

Wow... So much I can say about the preview.
I'm shamed this is by TellTale games, I liked the games they had produced. I am a fan of Tales from Monkey Island, and the Sam & Max games. Hell even Back to the Future looks like it could be a fun game. Once it goes on sale on steam...

This however... First off, we know doing a licence that is based around the same time as the established story, but taken place at a different spot, usually never ends well. Secondly, the use of Quick time events that require rotations, and holding buttons at the same time... Boy is it RAINING HEAVILY here in the rip off department. I suppose though Heavy Rain has introduced a new genre of gaming to the audience; A cinimatic gaming exprience where you really are doing more or less watching a film in which you controll actions occasionally to progress the plot in one line or another... well I should say Ferinhite did since they did it years before first.

Gameplay aside. The graphics are sub par compared to other games in this generation. You could excuse it for their other games like Tales from Monkey Island, Sam and Max, ect... but they were meant to be simplistic and cartoony. This really has no excuse, the humans look like plastic, and the dinosaurs look like shit.

Sound design sounds like they read their scripts that morning while hungover, and spoken through an old tin can. I've seen JRPGs with better dubbing.

I know some companies don't like to be typecasted, and like to step outside the box every now and again. TellTale has shown us that they have been able to revive the old point and click adventures with moderate success. I'd guess they design on a budget, and with a staff of just 70 people. I'd say if they wish to tackle this game properly, they need to hire more people (compentent people), fix the graphics engine that it resmbles something that isn't remotely like arse, improve the voice acting, and hopefully do something creative instead of copy pasting from Heavy Rain. This very well could be a fun game, but it won't win any awards for graphics or sound design.

 

[Viking Incognito]

That looks like heavy rain if the graphics came from 2005

 

[dashiz94]

Would it REALLY be that hard to make this game like Arkham Asylum. You know, where you can roam around the island, collecting dinosaur related stuff, solving any problems with the island. Hell, a chase sequence with velociraptors would be both fun and horrifying. And as to the people referencing Heavy Rain as a game that did well with QTEs, remember that Heavy Rain had much better graphics, voice acting, and judging by this trailer, a better story.

 

[Zom-B]

Looks terrible. Maybe the video doesn't do it justice, but this looks like garbage. And boring garbage, at that.

 

[harvz]

uhhhh... god, another game wanting to be a movie.

-now a game wanting to be at the same standard/based of a great movie, fair enough, spider-man 2 for ps2 was epic (pc version was crap).
-bad quality graphics, ok, i can get on board with that, not every game has to have the newest graphics engines and you can get away with so much more on a lesser engine.
-bad voice acting, not so good but tolerable.
-QTE's...ok, are you shitting me? no, i will not play this.
-Console based (which means if it ever comes to pc...) just let it die, hang it, burn it, drop it into a volcano, break off a piece of the moon and leave it in the center of the soon to be crater, anything.
-Price tag...nope, not speculating for fear of killing myself in a horrendous way

seriously, this game looks like it read the 'what not to do' book of game development and took it to heart

 

[dietpeachsnapple]

So... a quick time events filled cgi movie?

Wow... you dropped a very poignant statement as the first poster. I am pleased at several levels, and agree.

OP: Nice to see Lisa Foiles doing something intelligible.

Shame it had to be an interview concerning what appears to be a sub par game.