Overgrowth should have a Powerup Item

[Rorschach]

*Note Half-Life 2 spoiler below; if you haven't completed Half-Life 2 stop what you are doing and play it right now*

Every great action game has it. It's the Power Pellet in Pac-Man that turns the player from the hunted to the hunter. It's the Starman in Mario that lets the previously cautious Plumber run through his platforming maze like there's no tomorrow. It's the Spread Shot in Contra that turns your little Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalike into a massive killing machine.

Simply put the Powerup is one of the most important items in action games. It gives your character extra power and gives the player a new perspective and enjoyment from the game.

But what I wonder is what type of Powerup would best serve Overgrowth. Sure there are all the ones that I mentioned above but that is the old school version and probably wouldn't work well in Overgrowth. There's the type of Powerup where after you kill enough enemies your character will go into a frenzy mode ala "Rage of the Gods" in God of War. That could work in Overgrowth but might require a HUD which I'm not sure would be wanted.

Or we can go with the most popular route in modern gaming in the form of RPG-esque upgrades. Like in Deus Ex or in Resident Evil 4 & 5. Wherein you can take given skill points or money and have them be redeemed for improvements in individual items. I frankly think this is an overrated system, by slowing down the process the thrill of improving your character is weakened considerably.

What I think is the best option is in Half-Life 2. The major powerup is given at the very last act of the game and is one of the most memorable moments in gaming. In Half-Life 2 you're given a gravity gun which allows you to pick up heavy objects and hurl them at enemies. You eventually realize that this is the most powerful weapon in Half-Life 2, with one being able to kill the most deadly enemies with nothing more than the gun and a brick. You eventually forget your other items like the pistols, submachine guns, and shotguns. At the end of the game through the storyline you are given a powered up version of this weapon. And it's one of the most delightful experiences. You're able to actually pickup your enemies who you've fought during the entire game and effortlessly shoot them out as if they weighed nothing more than a paint bucket. You can even throw them through force fields which will allow you to watch as their ragdoll body slowly moves across and is dissolved.

I mention Half-Life because the only other game I had so much fun in playing with ragdoll corpses was in Lugaru as I sent fallen foes flying down mountains. And using the powered up energy gun gave similar feeling. I hope Overgrowth has some powerup that will allow Turner to destroy all enemies around him. Just whatever happens please no tacky RPG element where I have to decide whether I should upgrade Turner's Feet or Health.

[Glabbit]

Um.
My first thought was 'NO!'
Then I read your post, and now I'm like 'um... umumumumum'
If the devs think of something that really fits, I'd prob'ly let it pass with no more than a whine.

Mibbie we could get a grav-gun in debug mode... woot.

[TheBigCheese]

I think the reason why the gravity gun is so great is because it's a completely new, innovative device. Trying to create a similar device in OG would be difficult, because of the time period that it is set in. You're pretty much limited to medieval weaponry. There isn't much room for innovative weapons that interact with the environment in a unique way like a gravity gun.

Also, the main purpose of the game isn't the main point of the game isn't the weapons is it? In Half-Life, the lain focus of the game is the guns and the shooting. OG's main gameplay hook is the fluid fighting and combat. Unless the weapon adds to the fighting gameplay, I don't think it would really be important in the same way. But then, if it makes the gameplay so much better, why not just add it at the start?

[BlackHole]

Trying to create a similar device in OG would be difficult, because of the time period that it is set in. You're pretty much limited to medieval weaponry. There isn't much room for innovative weapons that interact with the environment in a unique way like a gravity gun.

Medieval period... the most obvious thing to do would be a magic. People in that time were very religious and if some talking rabbit comes up to them and tells them that that tree over there can make horses fly... they'll probably believe him, or run away in their fear.

Mibbie we could get a grav-gun in debug mode... woot.

Awesomeness + 1

- Black
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.

[Eagle0600]

Part of the reason the Half-Life 2 power-up worked so well was that it wasn't a normal part of game-play. It was a temporary, scripted event. And it worked.

If overgrowth were to implement a similar thing (which I don't believe is necessary), they would have to remember not to make it wide-spread.

[Endoperez]

Medieval period... the most obvious thing to do would be a magic. People in that time were very religious and if some talking rabbit comes up to them and tells them that that tree over there can make horses fly... they'll probably believe him, or run away in their fear.

On the contrary, people who lived in the medieval period would know very well how heavy a horse is, and would be quite used to lifting and moving heavy things and would have quite a good understanding of motion dynamics, levers, pulleys etc. Since they'd know how hard it would be to lift a horse, they'd be rather skeptical about a tree doing it, especially since they'd also know the type of tree the madman is pointing at. Modern people might be able to accept the idea of "anti-gravity belt" or something, but medieval people would probably protest with something like "how could it fly without wings?".

That doesn't mean they didn't have stories about magic. As an example, they might have a very good story about how they caught this magical cow when it came from under the water, and tied three rowan sticks to its tail and walked three circles around it to transform into a real cow, and how the appearance of this cow is in no way linked to the disappearance of that cow, that other cow, from that nearby village.

[BlackHole]

On the contrary, people who lived in the medieval period would know very well how heavy a horse is, and would be quite used to lifting and moving heavy things and would have quite a good understanding of motion dynamics, levers, pulleys etc. Since they'd know how hard it would be to lift a horse, they'd be rather skeptical about a tree doing it, especially since they'd also know the type of tree the madman is pointing at. Modern people might be able to accept the idea of "anti-gravity belt" or something, but medieval people would probably protest with something like "how could it fly without wings?".

That doesn't mean they didn't have stories about magic. As an example, they might have a very good story about how they caught this magical cow when it came from under the water, and tied three rowan sticks to its tail and walked three circles around it to transform into a real cow, and how the appearance of this cow is in no way linked to the disappearance of that cow, that other cow, from that nearby village.

Actually I think they would be more worried about that talking rabbit, but yeah, for the rest you're absolutely correct.

- Black
There are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who do not.

[Untadaike]

No.

[Glabbit]

At least read what it says, would you!

[Count Roland]

I agree with the no even after reading everything.

[Untadaike]

At least read what it says, would you!

I did. No.

[Uberbeard]

I think power ups as a phrase is one you should stop throwing around. It's a little odd, it draws to mind more arcade based games that required fast pacing to really pull in people, because they were paying for each time they played the game.

It's not as needed in todays branch of game, and I wouldn't so much call the gravity gun in Half Life a power-up so much as a 'new toy'. I didn't call my new iPhone a power up. Actually, I probably should have, because it's awesome.

I have an iPhone.

[Eagle0600]

I never understood why people insisted on adding so much stuff to their telephones. Telephones, by definition, send and receive voice over distance. That's all. I can understand adding a telephone to a personal organiser, and other stuff to that, but building a personal organiser around a phone? I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying that it doesn't make much sense when you think about it.

[Uberbeard]

The irony is that I can't actually phone anyone on it.

I mean, sure, I can use Skype, but in the UK the contracts are ridiculous. So no, it's being used purely as a platform for development.

[Endoperez]

Lugaru had several powerups (at least three major ones), so I don't see why Overgrowth wouldn't have any. The powerups I'm speaking about are, of course, the knife, the armor, and the sword. The knife, especially when thrown, gives you the ability to finish fights much faster. The armor looks cool, and helps you receive more damage before dying (well, I haven't tested it or anything, but at least Overgrowth armor will). The sword is a great melee improvement, and unlike staff, it's unbreakable and stays with you for the rest of the game.


Rorsach meant a more powerful, singular powerup, but receiving all three (armor, dagger, sword) at once would have been a huge increase in the player's power. It's easier to notice in the challenge levels where you start with a sword and go against rabbits. It's a whole different level if you try to do it unarmed.