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Tanabe talked about his plans for Metroid Prime 4 in 2015. Let's revisit them.

BY2K

Membero Americo
Metroid timeline is pretty weird. Originally, the Prime series was meant to fit between Metroid 2 and Super Metroid. However, as the Prime series developed and Sakamoto started fleshing out his vision of the Metroid storyline with Fusion and Other M, it's unclear if that's still the case or if we've fractured int separate Prime and Sakamoto timelines.

Weren't they between 1 and 2?

Which still works, btw.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
Samus isn't a power ranger and I'd hate to see her treated as such. It's a respectable IP if you ask me, so I'm not sure what we should all expect.

As long as they don't give us cell shaded Metroid I'm good
 
Weren't they between 1 and 2?

Which still works, btw.
Yeah they could keep it up forever if they wanted to, couldn't they?. There isn't anything that connects Metroid and Return of Samus. Ton of stuff could have happened in between. If Nintendo wanted to, they could say Samus was 18 in Metroid, and 30 in Return of Samus. I don't think there is anything that would really cause trouble for them...
 

RagnarokX

Member
Weren't they between 1 and 2?

Which still works, btw.

Not really. They have opposing interpretations of things like the Space Pirates, Ridley, the Metroids, the Federation, and the Chozo. Prime 3 being before Metroid 2 is just ridiculous.
 

Neiteio

Member
I get the impression they only recently started development, like within the past six months or so, based on the complete lack of gameplay footage, concept art, or even revealing the dev they've chosen. Tanabe may have been thinking about this stuff for years, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's been in development for long.
 

Doctre81

Member
I get the impression they only recently started development, like within the past six months or so, based on the complete lack of gameplay footage, concept art, or even revealing the dev they've chosen. Tanabe may have been thinking about this stuff for years, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's been in development for long.

No way. And nintendo has waited to show footage and oncept of art of some games in developement for a couple years or more
 

Servbot24

Banned
I get the impression they only recently started development, like within the past six months or so, based on the complete lack of gameplay footage, concept art, or even revealing the dev they've chosen. Tanabe may have been thinking about this stuff for years, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's been in development for long.

Tbf concept art is generally not revealed beforehand (for very good reason), and Nintendo is pretty reserved about identifying developers (also for good reason)
 
What I want from Metroid Prime 4 is:
  • The "Action, Isolation, and Exploration" they talked about in the fact sheet.
  • The passive storytelling + Cutscenes of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. (Federation Logs + Pirate Logs + etc.)
  • An art direction similar to Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
  • Good use of HD Rumble. (Where shots are coming from, whether they're small arms fire or large blasts, etc.)
  • Minimal 'active' storytelling. (Small cutscenes are fine, but no major/unneeded voice acting, etc.)
  • Intuitive control scheme. (Either pointer based, or some motion/free-lock variation of Dual Analog Stick control.)
  • This to kick off another Trilogy. (If it's good.)
 
The developer is rumored to be Next Level Games, right? Do they have much experience with HD development? If not, it wouldn't be shocking to find they've struggled--as so many others developers have--with the initial leap, resulting in a slower-than-expected development process.

Anyway, I'll be happy if Tanabe has stuck to his plan to leave the phazon and Dark Samus plots in their graves and focus MP4 on a single planet.
 

MoonFrog

Member
The single planet thing is quite heartening in those quotes, to me. I just hope it is not as level 1-level 2-level 3, as Echoes. I didn't like planet hopping, but they already had broken the more twisting structure of the original Prime with Echoes.
 
The developer is rumored to be Next Level Games, right? Do they have much experience with HD development? If not, it wouldn't be shocking to find they've struggled--as so many others developers have--with the initial leap, resulting in a slower-than-expected development process.

Anyway, I'll be happy if Tanabe has stuck to his plan to leave the phazon and Dark Samus plots in their graves and focus MP4 on a single planet.

There is no singular 'rumored dev' outside of some people believing it will be NLG because of Federation Force. If anyone else has actual sources for their claims, I haven't seen them.

Also, regarding the singular planet - I think that's for the best, too.
 
The developer is rumored to be Next Level Games, right? Do they have much experience with HD development? If not, it wouldn't be shocking to find they've struggled--as so many others developers have--with the initial leap, resulting in a slower-than-expected development process.

Anyway, I'll be happy if Tanabe has stuck to his plan to leave the phazon and Dark Samus plots in their graves and focus MP4 on a single planet.

The "rumor" you're talking about is someone saying it's NLG just because they want them to/because they developed Federation Force. This is not even the slightly hint or inkling that their the developer from anyone who would be in a position to know
 

Cerium

Member
The "rumor" you're talking about is someone saying it's NLG just because they want them to/because they developed Federation Force. This is not even the slightly hint or inkling that their the developer from anyone who would be in a position to know

That comes from Shikamaru Ninja who knows Nintendo's developers and internal structure better than anyone. He's making an educated guess but he would know things that we don't.

Also job postings on the NLG site ask for experience with Physically Based Rendering which is used almost exclusively for realistic art styles, and for complex character rigs which implies nonhuman enemies with lots of limbs.

The latter could be anything but there are really not that many Nintendo franchises that would call for PBR.
 

MoonFrog

Member
One thing I really hope the team (whoever it is) can mimic are the morph ball puzzles of Prime 2 and 3. Prime 2 in particular is such a good game as a light environmental puzzler/platformer. I really hope that the team pushes this aspect of the franchise with cool new gadgets and ways to use them to change and traverse the environment.

If you gave me Prime 1/SM like macro-structure coupled with Prime 2 micro-gameplay, and pushed it forward, I'd be in heaven.
 

Servbot24

Banned
One thing I really hope the team (whoever it is) can mimic are the morph ball puzzles of Prime 2 and 3. Prime 2 in particular is such a good game as a light environmental puzzler/platformer. I really hope that the team pushes this aspect of the franchise with cool new gadgets and ways to use them to change and traverse the environment.

Oooh yes. Spider ball is one of my favorite upgrades in pretty much any game. Would be great if they could come up with another spin as awesome as that.
 
Unless they aren't together anymore, I'd like the original Prime team to continue the series. I have little faith that a Japanese dev, (even Nintendo in house) would do it justice.

To clarify, the feel of the art direction from the original series would be too different.
 

Cerium

Member
Unless they aren't together anymore, I'd like the original Prime team to continue the series. I have little faith that a Japanese dev, (even Nintendo in house) would do it justice.

To clarify, the feel of the art direction from the original series would be too different.
Well, NLG is Canadian.
 

Servbot24

Banned
Unless they aren't together anymore, I'd like the original Prime team to continue the series. I have little faith that a Japanese dev, (even Nintendo in house) would do it justice.

To clarify, the feel of the art direction from the original series would be too different.

They are surely long gone. Game developers tend to constantly have people coming and going.
 
Honestly the dual world thing in Prime 2 was very botched, not even close to how games like Zelda implemented it. It was functional in terms of gameplay I guess in terms of having to switch worlds to progress but there was no contrast, all the dark worlds looked the same. You never felt like the dark world was a brand new area/perspective, it was just like "oh I guess I need to get keys in the purple world now". Time shifting sounds way more interesting and fits Metroid's game design very well. You would have challenges with the complexity of the overworld interactions in Oracle of Ages or the Lanaryu area in Skyward Sword.
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
He said all those things before Federation Force upended his misguided aspirations.

Dude, if Sakamoto can come back from Other M and essentially give fans the game they actually wanted out of Other M, I'm sure Tanabe can come back from making a fun lighthearted co-op shooter. Like it wasn't even a bad game, people were just shitting themselves over the artstyle.
 

Cerium

Member
Here you go.

There is something here that could be used to great effect in the Metroid Universe, I think.
Obvious spoilers for those who may want to play Dishonored 2.

Okay I just started watching this and yeah this would be fucking fantastic. Thanks for the link.

I could definitely see a visor mode that would work like this. Now I'm excited.
 
No sidekicks, no federation people, no long cutscenes, and no long dialogue please. The less anyone and everyone speaks in the game, the better. Give me exactly what the press release says "isolation and exploration" and I'm good.
This please. No more Metroid: Halo edition please.
 
The game had already been announced and the backlash was already intense.

None of what he describes seems relevant to Federation Force anyway, except the Sylux stuff.

What are you talking about? Tanabe in the Direct said that FF was an essential part of the Prime series. He had made his intentions known from MP3 onward and through interviews that he wanted to expand the Prime universe. All that nonsense dried up after Nintendo saw FF sales. Now they're emphasizing isolation again. He got the message, now the only question is if he's got the chops to carry it out.
 

J@hranimo

Banned
Fall 2018 would be 3 1/2 years after that interview, Metroid Prime 4 could def come out next Fall depending when they started.

Yup, it could be their big Fall game for the Switch.

I remember this interview mainly for the Sylux info. Now we're coming full circle to what Tanabe said back then. If it IS kinda like a MP2 type game with really cool weapon upgrades then I'd be super excited.
 
None of what he describes seems relevant to Federation Force anyway, except the Sylux stuff.

He did say that he wanted to get the Galactic Federation involved.

But the question is how involved will they be? Will it be like Prime 2 or Prime 3? After how FF was received, I'd hope it would scare them into making it more like the former.
 

JohnTinker

Limbaugh Parrot
Man I absolutely h-a-t-e-d Echoes but love Prime 1 and Corruption. Really hope they don't go for another light/dark world mechanic like Echoes.
 
Man I absolutely h-a-t-e-d Echoes but love Prime 1 and Corruption. Really hope they don't go for another light/dark world mechanic like Echoes.

Why do people - you included - apparently dislike Echoes? Legitimately curious, since it sold less and is mentioned less frequently it seems.

It's my personal favorite, despite - or maybe even because of - the difficulty. (And world-building of Aether & The Federation/Pirates)
 

Cerium

Member
Man I absolutely h-a-t-e-d Echoes but love Prime 1 and Corruption. Really hope they don't go for another light/dark world mechanic like Echoes.

If you have the time, watch the Dishonored 2 and Titanfall 2 videos that have been linked in this thread.

A Metroid game built around those kinds of ideas sounds incredible.
 

Gleethor

Member
Finally his plans will come to fruition.

250px-Sylux_mph_Artwork.png


I love teases like that paying off.

Homeboy is gonna definitely need a redesign for 4
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
Why do people - you included - apparently dislike Echoes? Legitimately curious, since it sold less and is mentioned less frequently it seems.

It's my personal favorite, despite - or maybe even because of - the difficulty. (And world-building of Aether & The Federation)

A lot of people hate the dark world. I legitimately think it's too well designed for its own good. It's both visually unpleasant and the environmental damage messes with the player's head. Once you get the dark suit the damage is negligible enough to not really matter, but it's still there so the player has that same discomfort they had while using the Varia suit.

I do think it's fair to say the dark world does become repetitive visually, and you spend too much of the game in the ugly Dark suit (but the payoff at the end with the Light suit is among the best in the series, certainly the best in the Prime trilogy).


I also completely disagree with the post you quoted, and I really hope the time component manages to function similarly to the light/dark world but without the negativity. That added a lot to Aether's complexity, which is one of the reasons why Prime 2 is my favorite of the trilogy.
 

jdstorm

Banned
This please. No more Metroid: Halo edition please.

See you say that... but if Metroid Prime 4 was Halo: Warrior Within with a story* and art style** that weren't offensive. GAF would lose its collective mind.

*Other M had an offensive story
** Prince of Persia Warrior Within is a devicive game, because it might be one of the best games ever made if it werent for its stylistic choices.
 
A lot of people hate the dark world. I legitimately think it's too well designed for its own good. It's both visually unpleasant and the environmental damage messes with the player's head. Once you get the dark suit the damage is negligible enough to not really matter, but it's still there so the player has that same discomfort they had while using the Varia suit.

I do think it's fair to say the dark world does become repetitive visually, and you spend too much of the game in the ugly Dark suit (but the payoff at the end with the Light suit is among the best in the series, certainly the best in the Prime trilogy).

I think you nailed this dead on.

The way it's too dangerous to even be in for long periods of time until later in the game make it both disorienting and tense to traverse, and also creates such a rewarding feeling when the Light Suit (Best suit of the trilogy, IMO) is gained towards the end of the game.
 

Servbot24

Banned
He did say that he wanted to get the Galactic Federation involved.

But the question is how involved will they be? Will it be like Prime 2 or Prime 3? After how FF was received, I'd hope it would scare them into making it more like the former.
Hopefully they are as close to absent as possible. They add nothing good to the games and drag a special series down into boring sci fi territory.
 

Instro

Member
Why do people - you included - apparently dislike Echoes? Legitimately curious, since it sold less and is mentioned less frequently it seems.

It's my personal favorite, despite - or maybe even because of - the difficulty. (And world-building of Aether & The Federation)

Some people can't get past having to deal with survival mechanics as part of exploration in the dark world. It's kind of sad, because it is the best game of the Prime series. Boss battles are fantastic, even better environment & level design than Prime 1, interesting new weapons and suits never seen before in the series, and a very satisfying difficulty.
 
Hopefully they are as close to absent as possible. They add nothing good to the games and drag a special series down into boring sci fi territory.

I'd argue that the entire beginning portion of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and all of the GF Trooper Logs do quite a bit to show not only how deadly the planet can be but also their thought process both before and during their demise.
 

sfried

Member
I know Prime games really haven't focused on multiplayer, but I hope it's something they're seriously investing in for Prime 4. It's really a golden opportunity to bring an exclusive, AAA multiplayer FPS to the Switch. Something on the scale of what a Halo multiplayer game offers in terms of maps, features, content, etc, would be amazing.
I honestly don't thnk mulltiplayer is a fit for the Metroid franchise. Newer gamers who were only recently exposed to it through the Prime series seem to erroneously compare Metroid with Halo in terms of scope, gameplay priorities, and atmosphere. Metroid is more like the first Alien movie, whereas Halo is, at its closest, Aliens when it introduced the Flood. Metroid focuses on isolation and exploration, as well as traversing hazardous terrain, while Halo focuses on combat/gunplay, and weapon and enemy varieties.

So no, Metroid should stay singleplayer, and should primarily focus on singleplayer. Don't waste time making a multiplayer mode like in Echoes. It's like asking for Aliens: Colonial Marines when what you really want is Alien Isolation.
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
Hopefully they are as close to absent as possible. They add nothing good to the games and drag a special series down into boring sci fi territory.

That, and the more involved the Federation is the less isolation the game is going to have. That's a common element of Metroid that Prime 3 almost entirely lacked since you spent the entire game being tracked and communicated to by a Federation computer. Technically it wasn't very different than Samus's ship and suit sensors communicating information in Prime 1 and 2, but the implementation made it feel worse.
 

Servbot24

Banned
I'd argue that the entire beginning portion of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and all of the GF Trooper Logs do quite a bit to show not only how deadly the planet can be but also their thought process both before and during their demise.
I think there are more creative ways to show how dangerous a planet is than just piling up some dopey looking space marines.
 
Did you find that in a McDonalds happy meal? Is it a generic footsoldier in Skylanders or something?

Best suck up your whining and get used to it, you're going to be seeing a whole lot more of him

Outside of some deep seated hatred for Samus and the Federation, Sylux is a blank slate. They can do whatever the fuck they want with that character, so the moaning is a bit premature.

Shh don't come with logic, it's much easier to just hate on something that has yet to prove itself.
 
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