Teylen's RPG Corner

Within the last few weeks quite a few announcements in regards of fresh video game as well as mobile game titles, for various World of Darkness settings, where released.

To summarize the news:

Focus Home Interactive announced an AAA title for Werewolf: The Apocalypse
Asmodee Digital released news of two mobile games, one in regarding Vampire: The Masquerade and one regarding Mage: The Ascension.
White Wolf did licence a third mobile game with a focus on Wraith: The Oblivion.
Earplay is developing voice based game books for Wraith: The Oblivion – Orpheus.

Bonus info tidbit: The status of the World of Darkness MMO by CCP (Dead)

News-Flash 08.02.:
The first article regarding Cyanides W:tA RPG has been done by VG 24/7 :
VG 24/7 – Is it OK to punch a Nazi werewolf?
It is based of one of the 36 interviews Martin Ericsson gave in Paris.

The blog article will focus on where I got the news from, which tidbits I could find, why I mention Earplay – who didn’t make any fresh announcements in the last few weeks – and offer some small speculations.
In addition I’d like to briefly address the state of the WoD MMO.

Werewolf: the Apocalypse – Video Game

News-Flash 08.02.:
The first article regarding Cyanides W:tA RPG has been done by VG 24/7 :
VG 24/7 – Is it OK to punch a Nazi werewolf?
It is based of one of the 36 interviews Martin Ericsson gave in Paris.

At January 19th White Wolf announced its partnership with the French video game publisher Focus Home Interactive regarding the development of a fully fledged game for Werewolf: The Apocalypse. The actual development will be done by Cyanide Studios.

Further information were scheduled to be released on 01.February to 02.February in Paris, during the ‚What’s Next -> De Focus‘ event, Focus Home Interactives own convention.

So far little information has been released. Even though Martin Ericsson took part in 36 interviews. While I do assume articles will be published within the next few weeks, it got pointed out that the game hasn’t started production yet, like not even (Pre-)pre-production.

Yet I’ve been curious about Focus Home Interactive as well as Cyanide and took a closer look at their online presence.

Where I did found some, small info tidbit, regarding Werewolf: The Apocalypse when checking their overview of games.
According to the snippet the game is likely to be released for consoles as well as PC and appear to be planned as an RP. Opposed to other games which are listed as tactical RPG or action RPGs. Which honestly did surprise me as I rather expected an action game.
Though, to be honest, I wouldn’t bet on the category.

In general the selection of games by Focus Home & Cyanide appears to be surprisingly good. Next to less than ideal fits like Farming Simulator and ProCycling Manager they did got titles like Mordheim, Blood Bowl, Styx: Master of Shadows, Technomancer and more up their sleeves.

In regards of tabletop RPG properties they are working on an investigative RPG for Call of Cthulhu. They do got their own take on the Vampire Genre in the works with Vampyr, which actually does looks quite promising. Other than that Necromunda appears to got quite a fan base, which eagerly awaits the game.

I am positively surprised. The publisher and developer appear to be competent. Plus it will the first Werewolf: The Apocalypse game.
There’s been an attempt before with Heart of Gaia in 1999, yet the game never seen the light of day, plus the leaked cut scenes … got a charm of their own. It will be the first video game World of Darkness title since Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines in 2004.

Homepage:
http://werewolf-videogame.com/

Articles:
IGN – WORLD OF DARKNESS GAME, WEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE ANNOUNCED FROM FOCUS/CYANIDE
Polygon – A new game in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe is in the works
PCGamer – Werewolf: The Apocalypse announced, in development at Styx studio Cyanide
RockPaperShotgun – White Wolf bringing Werewolf: The Apocalypse to PC

BeastofWar – Werewolf: The Apocalypse Video Game On The Cards From Cyanide – See more at: http://www.beastsofwar.com/werewolf-the-forsaken/apocalypse-video-game-cards-cyanide/#sthash.wh3FeGRJ.dpuf
PCGames N – Cyanide are creating a videogame adaptation of White Wolf’s Werewolf: The Apocalypse
VG 24/7 – Focus-published Werewolf: The Apocalypse will be the first World of Darkness game since Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
WCCFTech – World of Darkness Based ‘Werewolf: The Apocalypse’ Game In Development at Cyanide
WWG – Werewolf: The Apocalypse Video Game On the Way

Articles (German)
Gamestar.de – Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Paradox kündigt erstes White-Wolf-Spiel an
4Players.de – Werewolf: The Apocalypse – The Official Video Game – Werwolf-Rollenspiel auf Basis von „World of Darkness“ in Entwicklung

Mage: The Ascension & Vampire: The Masquerade Mobile Games

Out of the blue I’ve got asked whether I knew anything about the latest announcement on BoardGameGeek.com. Where David Neuman noticed that Asmodee Digital announced, somewhat casually, mobile games for Mage as well as Vampire. Including a small spelling error as the french word for „masquerade“ slipped through.

It does fit perfectly with White Wolfs announcement during the Grand Masquerade 2016, that fans may look forward to the release of three mobile games.

Asmodee is a French board game publisher who possess quite a presence in other countries like Germany. Where they just recently merged with Heidelberger Spiele.
Their mobile games appear to be mostly ports from existing board and card games.
Which I personally think is something good. As they aren’t apparently as much focussed on money grabbers, but actually games with neat mechanics. Am looking forward to the titles.

The third mobile game about Wraith the Oblivion

As stated in the tweet above Tobias Sjögren announced three different mobile games, based on Vampire, Mage and Wraith an. Vampire and Mage are apparently covered by Asmodees announcement. Thus Wraith is still open.

One could assume that it is a reference towards the Orpheus game by Earplay, which got officially announced October 26th. Specially as it won’t just be available for Amazons Alexa System but as well for iOS.

Yet I would argue that on the one hand the announcements dates back to October of last year. It wouldn’t make sense, at least to me, to announce the three games as ‚coming soon and things are cooking‘ if one of the games is already announced and demos available.
On the other hand the Earplay demos at the Grand Masquerade 2016 ran parallel to the announcement of ‚three mobile games‘
Last but not least, personally, I don’t consider games made originally for a console like Alexa, mobile games.

Earplays „The Orpheus Device – A Wraith: The Oblivion Story“

Since its announcement at October 26th Earplay is busy with the development of „The Orpheus Device“. Which had its first trial run during the Grand Masquerade, got an extensive description by Earplay and has a playable demo – at least for owners of an Alexa or an iOS device.

From what I understood the game is basically a game book, akin to a choose your own adventure game, which is interfaced by ones voice.
Like the device describes what happens, in this case what a Wraith says, and the player answers using natural speech.
Though that is is my imagination, I own neither an Alexa nor an iOS device and missed the demo sessions during the Grand Masquerade. I asked for an Android version, though that’s something still in development.

I am pretty sure that it got mentioned that various other World of Darkness titles will follow.

What ever happened to the World of Darkness MMO by CCP?

Paradox Interactive did obtain the whole While Wolf IP  from CCP. Which included an impressive package of cool illustrations – artworks, concept designs and more – as well as some of the code for the game. Yet from my understanding, they didn’t obtain the game engine, as it didn’t belong to the White Wolf IP. Without the game engine any code is, pretty much, useless.

Thus any development of a World of Darkness MMO would have to start from ground up, at Zero. Totally fresh without any help from past developments.

So the MMO as done by CCP is dead. The Parrot in the Monty Python sketch kind of dead.

A new MMO by Paradox Interactive or another licensee hasn’t been announced.
If one were to be announced it would likely take more than half a century until there’d be something to look at, probably at least a full century till something that can be played.