The New Improved Official Stupid Question Thread Marvel Edition

[TheCorpulent1]

Replace "fewer" with "more focused" and you'll begin to understand.

Nah, you're right. The game overall is a lot of fun and the story is definitely tighter than MUA1's (whether it's better is debatable), but there are a ton of little nitpicks that could drive you up the wall if you let them. The alternates are mostly horrible, there's only one per character, the default costumes are often horrible, the third act is pretty stupid, Reed somehow comes off even worse in the game than in the Civil War comics, the roster seems like it's overflowing with X-universe characters for a game that's supposed to cover the entire Marvel universe, etc.

As for the graphical quality, I'm just the messenger. The official word on why there's only one alternate per character is that it costs a lot to make them, given the more complex models this time around and having to re-animate all the fusions and such. A lot of people suspect that's bulls*** (myself included), but that's what the devs say.

 

[Manic]

Heh. From my experience, "Increased graphical quality" pretty much means "Make the screen darker! Make it even harder to tell who you're trying to hit!"

Games this generation have pretty much defined "next gen graphics" as: Added detail, glowing characters, heavy darkness, and a brownish tint over everything.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

There's a spoof of the "next gen graphics" norm on Uncharted. One of the many reasons I fell in love with that game.

 

[Drakon]

The default costumes count as their comic costumes. There was an article in GameInformer about 6 months before MUA2 actually released where Vicarious Visions talked about their costume designs using Thor as an example. Basically, they politely said that the comic costumes were too simplistic, so they redesigned most of them. Hence, Thor in Roman-looking armor and Iron Fist with the SWAT vest.

Although, in VV's defense, some people actually like the redesigns.

People are speculating that they'll release more fan-favorite alternates as DLC later on because a) they take longer to make with MUA2's increased graphical quality, and b) a lot of video game fans believe Activision will try to nickel-and-dime us to death with DLC.

Some of the redesigns aren't bad, though I do believe also that we're gonna get more costumes with new players in our DLC. I'm easily seeing Beast, Cyke, Colossus, and probably a bunch of other X-Men. Not that that's bad, but like it was said before--the game's already ridiculously X-Heavy.

I was also hella annoyed with some small things, like Storm or Hulk being playable characters. Hulk wasn't even on the planet at the time.

Heh. From my experience, "Increased graphical quality" pretty much means "Make the screen darker! Make it even harder to tell who you're trying to hit!"

I like the game, it was worth the price. But I'm really having a hard time understanding how "Fewer characters, fewer powers, fewer costumes, fewer stages" works as a sequel.

I kinda liked the idea of having focused powers, myself. Especially since in the last three games [XML 1+2, and MUA1], I only used like, two powers anyway.

 

[Manic]

I think the heavy inclusion of X-Men characters is a clear indicator that they need to make a new X-Men Legends game. Now.

 

[Drakon]

Part of the reason for the heavy inclusion of X-Men characters is BECAUSE of the XML games. They already had the code and the characters ready to go. It's not that hard to process over, since the gameplay is similar. Hell, with MUA1, there were a lot of XML2 character files that didn't even need any editing or writing to port over, if you wanted to play it modded on your PC.

 

[Manic]

That was a good enough excuse in MUA1, but MUA2 is developed by a new team. I doubt they went all the way back and used the coding from XML2 when they added Gambit to MUA2.

 

[moraldeficiency]

That was a good enough excuse in MUA1, but MUA2 is developed by a new team. I doubt they went all the way back and used the coding from XML2 when they added Gambit to MUA2.

Meethinks you underappreciate just how lazy a programmer can be.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

They could have recycled animations and underlying code. Clearly, it's a new player model, but Cap has a new player model as well, yet he controls pretty much identically to the MUA1 Cap, meaning the animations, at least, were recycled.

 

[Drakon]

Yeah, touching up a mannequin or a skin is relatively simple, compared to writing up code from scratch. It's like siphoning gas from your broken down motorcycle to your van.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

Replace "fewer" with "more focused" and you'll begin to understand.

Nah, you're right. The game overall is a lot of fun and the story is definitely tighter than MUA1's (whether it's better is debatable), but there are a ton of little nitpicks that could drive you up the wall if you let them. The alternates are mostly horrible, there's only one per character, the default costumes are often horrible, the third act is pretty stupid, Reed somehow comes off even worse in the game than in the Civil War comics, the roster seems like it's overflowing with X-universe characters for a game that's supposed to cover the entire Marvel universe, etc.

As for the graphical quality, I'm just the messenger. The official word on why there's only one alternate per character is that it costs a lot to make them, given the more complex models this time around and having to re-animate all the fusions and such. A lot of people suspect that's bulls*** (myself included), but that's what the devs say.

I have declared it as BS, making it true.

And yeah, BOTH sides of the game came off as bigger jerks, and in some facts, contradictory. Like when Cap was worried they were gonna make them register, and Tony said he's worried they'll do worse, and Cap said no they wont, like they're trustworthy to him. Hill came off just perfect though.

However, they can't tease me by giving me Doctor Strange on one game, and taking him away in the other.

 

[Havok83]

Part of the reason for the heavy inclusion of X-Men characters is BECAUSE of the XML games. They already had the code and the characters ready to go. It's not that hard to process over, since the gameplay is similar. Hell, with MUA1, there were a lot of XML2 character files that didn't even need any editing or writing to port over, if you wanted to play it modded on your PC.

um thats notr true. XML2 and MUA2 have 2 COMPLETELY different engines. Heck its different from MUA and MUA2. Modders for MUA tried implementing the MUA2 characters but cant bc the source code isnt compatible. The X-men were included bc they are popular

 

[Drakon]

Read again, Havok. "Hell, with MUA1, there were a lot of XML2 character files that didn't even need any editing or writing to port over, if you wanted to play it modded on your PC." I can't find the post I wanted to verify, but it's on the Marvel Mods website.

 

[Havok83]

Read again, Havok. "Hell, with MUA1, there were a lot of XML2 character files that didn't even need any editing or writing to port over, if you wanted to play it modded on your PC." I can't find the post I wanted to verify, but it's on the Marvel Mods website.

um I think you may need to read agian. I was talking about using XML2 files in MUA2, not MUA1. While that was possible for MUA1, it is not possible for MUA2. The increased number of starting X-men in MUA2 doesnt have to do with recycling from other games as the engine has been redone. The developers had to start from scratch with each character and it wasnt a simple "port" job so to speak

 

[Drakon]

No, but already having the work done from the last games already helped some, since you didn't have to think "Oh gee, what powers should this character have in the game, and how can we balance that?" Take Gambit, for example. All four of his powers are the same powers he had in the XML games, am I right? And even with a redone engine, the work they did on the past games already gave them an idea as to what they wanted to do with this one, so it was, for a lot of it, just a matter of recoding what you already know you want, as opposed to trying to figure out what to code and how.

 

[Havok83]

No, but already having the work done from the last games already helped some, since you didn't have to think "Oh gee, what powers should this character have in the game, and how can we balance that?" Take Gambit, for example. All four of his powers are the same powers he had in the XML games, am I right? And even with a redone engine, the work they did on the past games already gave them an idea as to what they wanted to do with this one, so it was, for a lot of it, just a matter of recoding what you already know you want, as opposed to trying to figure out what to code and how.

The only power that Gambit has in MuA2 that was in XML2 is card throw and thats in every game that features him. The other 3 are completely different moves. In fact most of the characters in this game have completely different moves from MUA1. All one needs to do is compare the characters from the 360/PS3 version to the PS2/WII/PSP one. The characters in that one have their exact same move set from MUA1 (with the addition of Fusions of course) whereas they got new moves and animations in the 360/PS3 version.

You are oversimplifying the process of developing. If the 2 games ran on the same engine, then it would be an easier thing to recode and transplant from previous games, but when the engine and such is different, then you cant. They may have an idea of where they want to go with things based on what they've seen before, but they still have to work from the ground up as far as developing that and starting from scratch bc they cant simply take the work that was done before use it as is in their new game

 

[Drakon]

Are you sure? It's been ages since I've played either XML game, so I could be mistaken. But I seem to remember him having the 52 pickup and the Card Fan, specifically. Radial Staff could just be a "reskin" of another move, so the animation would already be there.

I'm not trying to oversimplify anything. I'm just taking what I know [granted, in my case, it's web design], and applying it to something I know less about [game modding], and applying the knowledge I have, and using it to fill the holes that I don't. And I know that at least with direction, it's easier to work with something than be told "I want this, do it." If you already know like, for example,. what to call on and where, and then you find out what you need done, it makes the process easier in the long run.

 

[Artistsean]

Are there any mutants in the Marvel universe who have the power to:
grow
shrink
are expert fighters (no other power attatched)
???

 

[Silicon Surfer]

Are there any mutants in the Marvel universe who have the power to:
grow
shrink
are expert fighters (no other power attatched)
???

Tower of the Alliance of Evil could both grow and shrink. There are many expert fighters whose powers do not affect their hth skill. Most of the X-Men are in this category.

 

[Manic]

Cyclops, Psylocke, Wolverine (he learned to fight long before he started using the claws), and Shadowcat are all excellent fighters without having to use their powers. Most X-Men and their students have at least basic hand-to-hand training.

 

[Havok83]

Are you sure? It's been ages since I've played either XML game, so I could be mistaken. But I seem to remember him having the 52 pickup and the Card Fan, specifically. Radial Staff could just be a "reskin" of another move, so the animation would already be there.

I'm not trying to oversimplify anything. I'm just taking what I know [granted, in my case, it's web design], and applying it to something I know less about [game modding], and applying the knowledge I have, and using it to fill the holes that I don't. And I know that at least with direction, it's easier to work with something than be told "I want this, do it." If you already know like, for example,. what to call on and where, and then you find out what you need done, it makes the process easier in the long run.

Yes Im sure. I have XML2 still installed on my PC and Gambit does not have all the same moves.

You really cant equate web design to video gaming design (which is alot more complicated and difficult to work with) I dont think I can explain it to you anymore except to say once again its not as simple as you think it is.

Are there any mutants in the Marvel universe who have the power to:
grow
shrink
are expert fighters (no other power attatched)
???

Polaris used to have the power to grow

 

[Artistsean]

What I meant was, are there any mutants who have the mutant ability of being an expert fighter? Like their mutant power is combat?
No other powers, just combat?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Taskmaster may or may not be a mutant. If he is, his mutant power (at least the way he uses it) is to mimic the combat moves of others, which is basically expert fighting.

 

[Drakon]

I was just gonna post that, Corp.

 

[Artistsean]

Thanks for the help with finding the mutants.
I actually found this at Marvel's website:

The Taskmaster of Earth-8909 is not to be confused with the Taskmaster of Earth-616. The Taskmaster of Earth-616 is not a mutant, while this version of Taskmaster is a mutant. The two characters are pretty much the same with this one exception.

So I could count Earth 8909. So it works.