New Vampire: the Masquerade video game

[Nail Eater]

Yeeeeeyyyyy, there will be another V:tM (5th edition) video game, this time an isometric RPG: Vampire: the Masquerade Heartless Lullaby by Enalto Studios.

[omenseer]

Interesting. The visuals might take some getting used to on my part.

[Nail Eater]

Yup. And I've got a strange feeling that it will be better than Swansong and Bloodlines 2 😉.

[CTPhipps]

Yup. And I've got a strange feeling that it will be better than Swansong and Bloodlines 2 😉.

Well we can't figure out how Bloodlines 2 will be these days.

I have high hopes for Swansong, though.

Mostly because I'm a big intrigue fan for V:TM.

[Thoth]

At this point I feel they might have better luck with creating a turn-based strategy game like the Total War series using the VtM IP.

This way you could model Camarilla vs. Sabbat vs. Independents on a global or regional level. The mechanics would be standard management and perhaps squad level skirmishes, with the Masquerade being the artificial cap that keeps everything from going completely out of control.

Bonus points if they add a function so an ST could use the program to model complex territory or group interactions for their tabletop games.

[CTPhipps]

At this point I feel they might have better luck with creating a turn-based strategy game like the Total War series using the VtM IP.

I mean they're happy to license to anyone.

We have the battle royale game as the most successful one so far, I think.

The visual novel Coteries of New York being the second most.

[Heavy Arms]

... did my first post get deleted?

Also... can Paradox's PR team stop making things worse? Their job is to not make things worse. Seeing a V5 video game where you play a guy named Zak is bad PR. It's obviously bad PR. Why would they do this to themselves? It's not that hard to make it Zack, or Zach, or Sam if you need to make it 3 letters, or something. nWW make Zak a name V5 needs to avoid for a long time.

[Nail Eater]

At this point I feel they might have better luck with creating a turn-based strategy game like the Total War series using the VtM IP.

This way you could model Camarilla vs. Sabbat vs. Independents on a global or regional level. The mechanics would be standard management and perhaps squad level skirmishes, with the Masquerade being the artificial cap that keeps everything from going completely out of control.

Bonus points if they add a function so an ST could use the program to model complex territory or group interactions for their tabletop games.

On a global level? What are you, a glutton for being Antideluvian 😜? But seriously, I think that Princes of Darkness mods for CK II and III are enough. Sadly, saves using this mod for CK II cannot be exported to EU IV.A

[Nail Eater]

Also... can Paradox's PR team stop making things worse? Their job is to not make things worse. Seeing a V5 video game where you play a guy named Zak is bad PR. It's obviously bad PR. Why would they do this to themselves? It's not that hard to make it Zack, or Zach, or Sam if you need to make it 3 letters, or something. nWW make Zak a name V5 needs to avoid for a long time.

First of all I do believe that they only agreed to give the IP to Enalto and can hardly do anything but revoking it. And second there used to be Heinrich Himmler as a member of Tremere clan so please don't tell me about bad PR.

[Thoth]

On a global level? What are you, a glutton for being Antideluvian 😜?

That's part of the issue that I often have with certain parts of the lore and fluff, VtM regardless of edition bounces between "The Lost Boys" street level vampires and mega corporation owning princes or just influential non-titled vampires. As a result a lot of fluff will throw around statements like the 5th richest individual in the world, rather than just the mortal world, indicating an entirely different power level. But none of the mechanics take into account that the idea of outright just buying a controlling interest in Twitter or suddenly deciding to buy Activision/Blizzard which are mortal grade plays now.

Then again in several VtM games I have STed or played in, could be considered something closer to Abyssal Exalted lite than "Let the Right One In".

At the same time I think it could be fun to simulate how the various factions all push against each other. If nothing else having such a tool around might help the writers stay consistent with mechanics and fluff.

[elmerg]

... did my first post get deleted?

Also... can Paradox's PR team stop making things worse? Their job is to not make things worse. Seeing a V5 video game where you play a guy named Zak is bad PR. It's obviously bad PR. Why would they do this to themselves? It's not that hard to make it Zack, or Zach, or Sam if you need to make it 3 letters, or something. nWW make Zak a name V5 needs to avoid for a long time.

You'd have to complain to the person who *doesn't work for Paradox* who wrote the game, seeing as this is the winner of the Vampire Jam game contest. It's only being published officially by Paradox, but they had no hand in its design, etc.

[Heavy Arms]

First of all I do believe that they only agreed to give the IP to Enalto and can hardly do anything but revoking it. And second there used to be Heinrich Himmler as a member of Tremere clan so please don't tell me about bad PR.

1) It's their IP. If Paradox wants to avoid reminding everyone of the time they hired a transphobic, online harassment leading, domestic abuser to make their first V5 IF game, they need need to manage their brand.

2) Paradox can't do anything about bad things the oWW did. Not being the worst PR thing ever doesn't excuse bad PR.

You'd have to complain to the person who *doesn't work for Paradox* who wrote the game, seeing as this is the winner of the Vampire Jam game contest. It's only being published officially by Paradox, but they had no hand in its design, etc.

The winner picked by Outstar? A paradox PR employee? I'm pretty sure I can be annoyed at Paradox's PR team over that.

Paradox owns V5. They can tell the indie to change a name if the indie wants to get those V5 fans. Paradox didn't do this.

[Nail Eater]

That's part of the issue that I often have with certain parts of the lore and fluff, VtM regardless of edition bounces between "The Lost Boys" street level vampires and mega corporation owning princes or just influential non-titled vampires. As a result a lot of fluff will throw around statements like the 5th richest individual in the world, rather than just the mortal world, indicating an entirely different power level. But none of the mechanics take into account that the idea of outright just buying a controlling interest in Twitter or suddenly deciding to buy Activision/Blizzard which are mortal grade plays now.

Then again in several VtM games I have STed or played in, could be considered something closer to Abyssal Exalted lite than "Let the Right One In".

At the same time I think it could be fun to simulate how the various factions all push against each other. If nothing else having such a tool around might help the writers stay consistent with mechanics and fluff.

I see your point. But still, Camarilla vs Sabbat war is mostly covert. So IMHO Total War would be better for War of Princes setting.

[Nail Eater]

1) It's their IP. If Paradox wants to avoid reminding everyone of the time they hired a transphobic, online harassment leading, domestic abuser to make their first V5 IF game, they need need to manage their brand.

If I remember well they clearly stated that hiring him was a mistake and cut their ties to him. But avoiding names just because once there was a bad guy having it is IMHO stupid and leave you with just a few names. Try to imagine a game where you can't use names like Adolph (obvious), Joseph (the same), Ernesto (even if not every Ernesto doesn't become Che) or Thomas (because of Torquemeada). And that's just an example. For me it's like children's logic: "I close my eyes. I don't see anybody so I'm invisible". Also there's a magical formula: "any resemblance to persons and events is unintentional and accidental".

[CTPhipps]

The winner picked by Outstar? A paradox PR employee? I'm pretty sure I can be annoyed at Paradox's PR team over that.

Paradox owns V5. They can tell the indie to change a name if the indie wants to get those V5 fans. Paradox didn't do this.

If the guy's name is Zak then that means it's just a coincidence and it would be asinine to not pick him because he shares a name with a piece of crap.

And Paradox handled said piece of crap pretty well. They immediately took down his game and disavowed all association despite the financial loss.