Obsidian Responds to Alleged Sony Tester's Criticism of Alpha Protocol

This morning, a leaked internal document from Sega included a Sony product evaluator's criticism of developer Obsidian's upcoming RPG Alpha Protocol, which specified that the game "felt barely RPG" and was initially "too challenging."

Obsidian has now responded, with company representatives telling forum goers that "people who play one level don't see the RPG experience."

[morganfell]

Here is the best part. A Sony product evaluator was playing Mass Effect. I don't believe he was playing the 360 or PC version either. That is just one of two hidden bombs dropped in the leak people seem to have ignored.

The other is the fact the leaked document confirms Batman Arkham Asylum on the PSP.

Regarding the evaluator, Obsidian says they do not know how much of the game he played. Sony would by now have a beta of the entire game. He may have played it for over a week for all they know. So they can't have it both ways with their comments. They do not know if he played one level or five.

Having seen AP at E3 I crossed it off my preorder list.

[whothedog]

haha I totally did over look that morgan. Wonder when they will announce it, TGS seems a little weird, but not crazy.

[morganfell]

Ha ha, I hope they announce it there.

[AnonUser5555]

You're reading that Mass Effect thing the way YOU want to see it.

I'm a PS3 fan, and I would love to see that game on the PS3, but that statement could have just as easily meant:

"AP is supposed to be a lot like Mass Effect, but at this point it doesn't quite have the RPG feel of Mass Effect."

I'm not saying you're "wrong," I'm just saying there's alternative ways of reading that.

Good catch on that Batman.

[Nihilism]

"Here's an easy way to put it. If you considered Mass Effect to be an RPG, then this is an RPG. "

I really don't see how you extracted a ps3 version of mass effect from that statement, if i'm wrong i'll eat my own face...yes it is possible

but i think he was just saying that the character progression in that game was very rpg lite

[Tony P]

He was talking about the original leak which quoted the tester saying that "Mass Effect felt more RPG" in comparison to AP.

Which I have to agree, is still a pretty big leap in logic to ME confirmed on PS3.

[morganfell]

No I am reading it the way it is written. I am not the one that invented a sentence in order to bend it the way I want to believe it should read.

Why would a SONY PRODUCT EVALUATOR be playing a non-Sony title when there are so many Sony games coming down the pipe. There were other Sony RPGs to which they could have compared Alpha Protocol and in fact there are plenty of other non Sony RPGs. But from a possible field he chose Mass Effect for the comparison. Sorry, but I don't believe it was a coincidence. And that belief is based on my reading it just the way it is written.

[AnonUser5555]

LOL.

Whatever man, you're ridiculous. I never said that you were absolutely wrong. I just said there are different ways of looking at that note. You just look like a complete idiot by refusing to acknowledge that it might not mean what you think it does.

You're not just "reading it as it's written." You've added an "on PS3" where it doesn't exist. If Obsidian came in and said, "Hey, we're modeling this after a Mass Effect type game," do you honestly think the tester would have no idea what he's talking about? His job is a game Play Tester. You don't think they'd play games from a competitor to see what they're doing? Really? Especially one as popular as Mass Effect? You're really narrow-minded man.

"I am not the one that invented a sentence in order to bend it the way I want to believe it should read. "

Why the hell would I WANT it to mean that ME isn't coming to PS3? I just said above that I'm a PS3 gamer. Of course I "want" Mass Effect to come to the PS3. That doesn't make it true. So that's a logic fail right there. It's quite the opposite in fact: YOU are the one reading it the way you want, which is why you've lost credibility.

I'm not going to argue about this with you anymore, since logic and reason clearly aren't your thing.If you can't even admit that it could be read EITHER way, then I'm not wasting any more time on you.

I'll just let the "Agrees" on my comments above speak for themselves.

[Jamegohanssj5]

So this Alpha Protocol, will it be good? I also saw 360 screenshot, so I hit the back button.

TGSI

[morganfell]

Because people agreeing makes you right? That same mentality says sales equals quality. I could have been fairly rude about your ridiculous twisting and creating sentences. I wasn't. In retrospect that was an error on my part as you certainly deserve it.

A lot of people on this board say they are PS3 fans. And considering the way you invent things that are not there I am disinclined to believe you.

You do not want to read exactly what is there that is your business. And stacking up your accounts won't help prove you right either.

[Nihilism]

I better put the quote here again as you seem to have trouble maintaining your concentration, adhd much??

"Here's an easy way to put it. If you considered Mass Effect to be an RPG, then this is an RPG. "

No where in that sentence does he infer that he played mass effect on PS3, surely play testers have that job because they are avid gamers, it seems to me that he was drawing a comparison between 2 'RPG' games which have a strong action game component, implying that although AP does have rpg elements, it is not what rpg fans might expect.

Simple enough, no?

[YoungKingDoran]

settle down morganfell...
bigkurz is right, you didnt listen to his reasoning and you blasted him for a constructive comment only for giving another point of view. you used to be okay but youve been such a douche for a while now

[morganfell]

Simple? No. More made up sentences do not work and fail to support your view. I'll read what was there thank you. Next.

[AnonUser5555]

LOL. It must be sad living in a world as angry as Morgan's.

I sure hope you're a little more reasonable and understanding in your offline life, but I'm guessing not.

All we were trying to tell you is that when they mention Mass Effect, it doesn't mention which version he's playing. And we agreed that it COULD mean it's on the PS3, but that it might ALSO mean he's just playing the 360 version. It's not that hard to comprehend--at least for people whose ability to utilize logic exceeds a 5th grade level.

But go ahead and keep assuming that a game that is already in PLAYABLE FORM has been kept under wraps all this time without any sort of formal announcement. Because if I know one thing, it's that companies don't like to tell people about major releases...especially exclusives that they've stolen from the other system.

Yup, makes perfect sense.

[Simon_Brezhnev]

i highly doubt this game is harder then demons souls

[hakeem0996]

"Too Challenging ", maybe its me but isn't too challenging a good thing?

[morganfell]

It depends on the target audience, not a handful of people at the extreme. In the end, a game still has to be satisfying and achievable for most people.

That comment may mean nothing more than the fact that on normal it was too difficult for the average gamer.

[pixelsword]

...I fear no challenge. ;)

[morganfell]

Difficulty? Ha! I have 3 words for such people:

Big Boss Extreme.

And I mean played in such a way you receive the Big Boss Emblem.

[GameGambits]

Congrats on the emblem, but it was so not hard to get it. There's a bajillion guides on how to go about it and it's just a matter of sinking time not actual gameplay skill.(Unless of course you got it ALL by yourself with no help, but even then it's just trial and error)

I'm proud of my platinum on Killzone 2, because that did take a bit of skill if you ask me.(The multiplayer one for being in the top 1% of that week) I mean I could sink hours and hours into Killzone 2 if I wanted, but if you suck then you won't see those hours play out into the best that week.

As for Alpha Protocol I'm still on the rental list with this one. However the reviews pan out can change it from a review to a pass.(Not going to buy. Doesn't feel like it'll have much replay value even with the different classes in my opinion)

[morganfell]

I would guess there are less Big Boss Emblems than just about any trophy. Not butting heads with you just saying that you have to play under Big Boss Extreme mode and beat the game in less than 5 hours. You must complete the game with a perfect playthrough, and you can't use the stealth camouflage, bandanna camo, or special items, no alert phases or kills and you can't continue the game.

And I don't know anyone that didn't get it by themselves - no co-op.

It's the pressure of that time that gets you and inevitably leads to an alert. That's where the frustration of 4 hours of work blown comes in ha ha.

I agree, the KZ2 platinum trophy is rough. Radec can be a real bastard on Veteran and on Elite he's a damn god.

[RadientFlux]

Maybe it's me but from what I understand about Alpha Protocol. You can go the action route and play it like a third person shooter. Or you can work on your sneak/dialog abilities and avoid combat all together.

In any case I'm looking forward to try the game out and it's definitly on my list as a possible GOTY (giving Obsidian's ability to tell an amazing story).

[Taco_Waffle]

I got the chance to play 2 missions at the Alpha Protocol community event during PAX and it's now a day 1 purchase for me.

[Tony P]

Gotta give Obsidian the benefit of the doubt here. I know they know how to make RPGs because they've done so since they were known as Black Isle.

[AnonUser5555]

I guess this kinda helps confirm that leak as legit even more.

[Parapraxis]

Well, if this entire article does anything, it gives more evidence that the minutes from the SEGA/SCEA meeting were most likely legit.

If the document, which were on an official SEGA site mind you, was fake, Obsidian most likely would have dismissed the criticism as merely rumour. ;)

EDIT: BigKurz8, I just scrolled down & commented, didn't see your comment haha, gotta agree with you of course :)

[jmare]

Maybe the tester doesn't understand what RPGs are. Who knows? AP looks interesting, but it could be total crap, that's why they invented Gamefly.

[CryWolf]

Alpha Protocol a little challenging good that means a better AI for this game, I just hope its not like oblivion.

[Jamescagney]

Obsidian have their own testers, oh sorry I mean product evaluator's, I'm sure they've tested their own game enough without Sony having to test it.

[kraze07]

I'm still going to buy this game day one. Not only am I a big espionage fan, but I still have faith in Obsidian.