Upcoming RPG Newcomer boasts 280 hrs of gameplay

Nevyrmoore · 11-18-2010 @ 09:16 PM / 3 replies / 688 views

Video game developers Protovision are preparing to release their latest game Newcomer, an RPG with 70 - 280 hours of gameplay and a whole bunch of features. Though there is a reason why you probably haven't already heard of this...or Protovision...

See, Newcomer is a Commodore 64 game. Yes, this Commodore 64.

So, why is this game only just coming out now? Well, the game started development in 1990, but the C64 wasn't commercially viable come 1994, so development had to stop. However, when a horde of C64 revivalists popped up, development restarted. The game has already been released, back in 2001 in fact. But there were numerous bugs, text readability issues and the game wasn't really balanced. So, they got back to developing it and now, 20 years since development first started, they're making the final touches in preparation for the release of the Gold Master.

I'm getting this just on sheer principle...and on the features, too.

# 180+ characters you can interact with, each with his/her own portrait graphic
# 10+ people who may join you, to make a team of up to 6 members
# ...or try it on your own, in the extra challenging Solo game mode...
# 50+ different areas to explore, created with 30+ different graphic sets
# 100+ cutscenes/situational graphics in-game, that make you feel like you are there
# 180,000+ words of ingame text, mostly interactive conversations
# No random encounters
# Thousands of puzzles and situations to encounter and solve
# Complex, non-linear gameplay with multiple levels of endings
# Months or weeks of immersive gaming until you "complete" the game...
# ...but there will still be a thousand situations, resolutions and encounters you have not seen yet, and 2 more game modes to complete!
# Animated intro and outro sequences

generalblue · 04:05 PM

Never heard of this. Found the link for it...

http://www.protovision-online.de/games/newcomer.htm

Where can I buy this game at?

Hybrix · Reply Posted: 11-20-2010 @ 04:10 PM

This doesn't make sense to me. It makes as much sense as releasing a black and white CRT tv in 2010. Few, if that, will buy it.

Maybe I'm wrong though. I can see some die hard oldschool gamers enjoying this, but that's hardly the market share of the gamers out there. Protovision doesn't stand to make much money on this considering the platform required to play it isn't even being manufactured anymore. Will there be a PC port? (Not that I would care)

It's times like this that I'm inclined to say "Get with the program." That or "Welcome to 2010, where gamers are no longer looking for 'animated intro and outro sequences' as a selling point."

Nevyrmoore · 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Hybrix

This doesn't make sense to me. It makes as much sense as releasing a black and white CRT tv in 2010. Few, if that, will buy it.

Maybe I'm wrong though. I can see some die hard oldschool gamers enjoying this, but that's hardly the market share of the gamers out there. Protovision doesn't stand to make much money on this considering the platform required to play it isn't even being manufactured anymore. Will there be a PC port? (Not that I would care)

It's times like this that I'm inclined to say "Get with the program." That or "Welcome to 2010, where gamers are no longer looking for 'animated intro and outro sequences' as a selling point."

It's being released as donationware. I don't think they give a **** about making much money.

I think the fact they were still developing a game for a 30 year old personal computer system is evidence for that.