Community Interview - Questions for System Shock Developer

Hello and welcome to the first Community Interview, a series where we take the community's questions for a developer and ask them on your behalf.

Today we are seeking your questions for developer Nightdive Studios. Nightdive Studios is known for their history of remastered games, from Forsaken to Star Wars: Dark Forces. Their latest game is a remake of the original System Shock.

For the next 24 hours, we will be taking you questions for Nightdive Studios below. Simply comment with your question for the developers below and the N4G Unlocked team will ask them. The full interview will be published to N4G Unlocked.

[Petebloodyonion]

Love the work Nightdive Studios is doing at modernizing old games like Blood Fresh Supplies
What's the biggest challenge a company like Nightdive Studio faces when they want to remaster cult classics like System Shock 2?

[RaidenBlack]

Absolutely love their work! Both their original releases and their remaster works.
Out of all the classic game engines, they've worked on, which engine caused the most head scratches?
We know they'll remaster both NOLFs ... the simple question here is: when?
Also, are they considering remastering Monolith's other hit FP games like Blood II, Condemned and/or especially F.E.A.R 1? As in, are they considering remastering any early LithTech based games?

[TheProfessional]

+1 for Condemened and Fear. Also AVP 1 and 2 or the original Unreal remasters would be incredible! Happy there are some other fans of these classics here.

[RaidenBlack]

oh yea!
Unreal 1 & 2 + if possible, maybe atleast UT1 would be awesome!
Dunno if Epic will let them .... but who knows?
There are so many other classics I want them to remaster & preserve ...

[RaidenBlack]

But actually, I left my top one out, only because I want a proper Remake from either id or Machinegames and that's Return to Castle Wolfenstein, (one of the best FPS ever made, & in GmanLives's words : "RTCW is so manly that your body is literally creating more testosterone when you're playing it.")
There are so many other low-key classics as well I want them to remaster & preserve down the line ... like Novalogic's Black Hawk Down has one of the lowest chances ... but if they can + with slightly improved gunplay that'd too sweet!
(and other titles which I am definitely forgetting)
Oops, forgot Soldier of Fortune I & II

[Ninver]

Ooh thumbs up for bringing up F.E.A.R 1 we need a remake

[RaidenBlack]

Definitely!
And thank the indies, that Trepang2 exists!

[Petebloodyonion]

Another one
Can we hope for Blood2 the Chosen remake?

[TheProfessional]

Dear Nightdive,
Is there any update on Sin Reloaded? Also are Soldier of Fortune 1&2, Blood 2 The Chosen, Shadows of the Empire or Messiah remasters a possibility? Thank you!

[Petebloodyonion]

Played the hell out of the original Sin MP.
Still remember the layout of the Sin city map and CTF bank map.
Use to make the game lag by planting tons of remote mines behind the flag and making them explode as ppl used to jump in the mines while taking the flag.
Good time!

[RaidenBlack]

ahh yes ... SOF 1 & 2 ... big fan!

[Yui_Suzumiya]

I was shocked that there was no advertising for PO'ed: Definitive Edition. I owned it back in the 90's on Playstation and was looking up info on it just last month. Then out of nowhere it shadow dropped on Steam last week. Definitely a welcome surprise so thanks for your tireless work. Are there any other surprise drops we should expect? I'm personally hoping for Quake 4 and Redneck Rampage to be remastered. Soon my Steam collection will be primarily Nightdive games and visual novels.

[Barlos]

Never played System Shock but I've bought the physical version of the remake for PS5. Looking forward to getting stuck in once I'm done with Rebirth and Reload.

[Elda]

Yesterday I picked up SS as well, paid nothing for it with a trade in at Gamestop. I'm playing Reload & Rebirth as well but I put them on hold because I can't stop playing Stellar Blade...lol! I'm eventually going to boot up SS soon & see what it's giving.

[Alos88]

You did an amazing job with this game! Are there plans to create further remakes now that System Shock is complete?

[shinoff2183]

Was gonna ask about a physical edition. Finally watched the trailer. It looked fking awesome. Anyway I looked it up, to anyone interested a physical version is available when it releases. Also looks like it's 40 bucks.

[Barlos]

Yeah I was hoping for physical as well. It being digital only would have been a deal breaker for me. I found the physical version on amazon for £33 so bought it there.

[Friendlygamer]

Hey guys thanks for remastering shadowman, I could tell a lot of love went into it. Playing it on the new difficulty was... an experience. Any chance for a the darkness remaster ?

[I_am_Batman]

Stephen Kick mentioned that The Darkness was on their list of potential projects last year. Would love to hear an update on the chances of it being actively pursued in the near future though. I love what Nightdive is doing and them bringing back The Darkness would be great, especially since the original isn't that accessible to a lot of people so it's hard to recommend it, even though it's one of my favorite games.

[Friendlygamer]

I wish I had asked about the riddick games too

[TheProfessional]

+1 for The Darkness also. And any chance for a Red Faction 1 remaster? That would be incredible.

[Tal169]

Thanks to everyone here who has asked these awesome questions. These will be sent off today and I'll update you all when we get answers. We'll be doing these far more often so really appreciate you guys all getting involved. Will report back asap.

[TheProfessional]

Thank you for doing a Q&A and thanks to Nightdive also! Looking forward to their responses.

[Tal169]

Of course! We'll be doing loads of these - I'll share all questions submitted.

[coolbeans]

-What led you to found Nightdive Studios? Were you proficient in the emulation scene before and figured that'd be a great full-time job?

-What's the story behind your logo?

-What's you favorite game of all time?

[DefenderOfDoom2]

Would love to see NIGHTDIVE work on a QUAKE 4 remaster for current platforms. Quake 4 was never released on a Playstation console.

[Yi-Long]

2 Questions;
1 - Which game did you love when you were young which would be your dream 'remake'/upgrade job right now, but would probably never happen ... ?

2 - Which remaster/remake BY ANOTHER STUDIO did you personally find very underwhelming/disappointing as a fan/gamer yourself?

[BlaqMagiq1]

Any chance for a System Shock 2 Remake?

[Tal169]

Hi guys, thanks so much for all the questions. For visibility, here are the ones that will be answered by them. Ive quickly squeezed in a few more newer ones also.

Fantastic list - really looking forward to see what they come back with.

1. What's the biggest challenge a company like Nightdive Studio faces when they want to remaster cult classics like System Shock 2?2. Out of all the classic game engines, they've worked on, which engine caused the most head scratches?We know they'll remaster both NOLFs ... the simple question here is: when?
3. Also, are they considering remastering Monolith's other hit FP games like Blood II, Condemned and/or especially F.E.A.R 1? As in, are they considering remastering any early LithTech based games?
4. Can we hope for Blood2 the Chosen remake?
5. Is there any update on Sin Reloaded? Also are Soldier of Fortune 1&2, Blood 2 The Chosen, Shadows of the Empire or Messiah remasters a possibility? Thank you!
6. I was shocked that there was no advertising for PO'ed: Definitive Edition. I owned it back in the 90's on Playstation and was looking up info on it just last month. Then out of nowhere it shadow dropped on Steam last week. Definitely a welcome surprise so thanks for your tireless work. Are there any other surprise drops we should expect? I'm personally hoping for Quake 4 and Redneck Rampage to be remastered. Soon my Steam collection will be primarily Nightdive games and visual novels.
7. You did an amazing job with this game! Are there plans to create further remakes now that System Shock is complete?
8. Keep up the great work Nightdive Studio. Any new update on a possible eta for System Shock 2 Enhanced Edition? Also at one point a System Shock 3 was in the works by someone else but looks like that fell through, with Nightdive's experience on System Shock 1 and 2 would Nightdive ever get the rights to make System Shock 3? Lastly any chance of a Deus Ex, Outlaws and Handfull of Missions, or Arx Fatalis remake as well? Thanks
9. Hey guys thanks for remastering shadowman, I could tell a lot of love went into it. Playing it on the new difficulty was... an experience. Any chance for a the darkness remaster ?
10. Which game did you love when you were young which would be your dream 'remake'/upgrade job right now, but would probably never happen ... ?
11. Which remaster/remake BY ANOTHER STUDIO did you personally find very underwhelming/disappointing as a fan/gamer yourself?