Code Name: S.T.E.A.M

Hopefully this live blog will remain and you can read how this is, then wait for it to be shown at Treehouse 3 today.

http://live.polygon.com/nintendo-3ds-miyamoto-event-e3-2014/

Ah.

It's a better announcement than MM3D, and another new IP, and cel-shaded Abe Lincoln in steampunk London does sound like a fun premise, but... turn-based strategy.  Ick.

Still, it lacks the permadeath that made Fire Emblem offputting, as well as sounding like it'll have better writing than FEA.  Here's hoping that it'll also lack the Advance Wars-style scoring system.  Then we might be in business.

EDIT: Just taken a look at some of the screens, and they remind me of Solatorobo, which is never a good sign.

Here's a "design-y" piece about STEAM and, erm, how they're aiming to make strategy more accessible and attractive.

Balladeer wrote:

Ah.

It's a better announcement than MM3D, and another new IP, and cel-shaded Abe Lincoln in steampunk London does sound like a fun premise, but... turn-based strategy.  Ick.

You like turn based RPGs (like Child of light) though.   

I'm still catching up on what this game is about so I can't say much on it yet but it sounds to have a strong team behind it.

I know, but they require less thought than strategy games. I'm not much of a one for extreme cerebral exertion when gaming. I have enjoyed some strategy-RPG combinations, though, like Luminous Arc.

A lot of places seem to be comparing it to Valkyrie Chronicles which is always a good sign and looking at the team behind it should be good. You'd like this then Balla from Twitter.

Also Jas there's a difference between turn based strategy eg FF: Tactics and turn based rpgs eg FFIX play completely different.

...I have something in common with Ibbsters.

I like the logic with this (that it's a new IP) - I don't think Advance Wars made anyone much more than a penny. It's refreshing to see a developer try a different approach...although I remember that the last time Intelligent Systems took a different approach with a critically-acclaimed game series, we ended up with Game & Wario. I'll be open-minded about it. Let's see.

But some said they took a different approach with FE:A and look how that done.

mas wrote:

Also Jas there's a difference between turn based strategy eg FF: Tactics and turn based rpgs eg FFIX play completely different.

Yep, I totally read balla's post as saying "turn based rpg" and not "turn based strategy"   

Looks intriguing, I have to say. Can't wait to get a proper look tonight.

Despite knowing that it's all Japanese developed and therefore probably more like Earthbound, having seen a bit of this in the Treehouse, it feels a bit too American for me. Despite being set in London.  

That will be the American comic book influence taking over everything else, I can see this being set in multiple world locations given that they didn't really detail the story all that much & I hope that's up to par.

The strategy mechanics look right up my street so I'll be keeping an eye on it.

Turn-based strategy and I are not friends. My backlog is littered with the blighters and even the one I enjoy the most - Ghost Recon - remains unfinished. Sorry, S.T.E.A.M.

I was delighted when this was announced, always nice to see Nintendo talent working on something new, and not just from a gameplay perspective. Kudos for Nintendo for getting the game's key staff from Intelligent Systems up on stage (roundtable's now live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHWOeGFKIEc) to chat about it, I really got a feel for its mechanics and their aim with it.

Similarities with Valkyria Chronicles look obvious, but this goes far further than that game did in trying to remove off-putting traditions associated with the genre: there's no form of top down or overview map *at all* in the game, so it really will entirely be played in third person.

Probably a good reason to give it a look-in, even if you're not into more traditional strategy games like Advance Wars, Fire Emblem and Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars.

In Intelligent Systems we trust: I can't wait for this. And I'm sure it won't have a broken battle system unlike Valkyria Chronicles, where you could power up a single unit to take down an entire wave of defence by an enemy's base. Soured an otherwise great game, that did.

I never could get into Advance Wars, having tried both AW2 and Dark Conflict and failing to get along with either, but I surprised myself by really enjoying Fire Emblem: Awakening (a title I only ever bought because of the buy-three-get-a-fourth-free deal Nintendo did on 3DS games last year). As such I'll be keeping a close eye on this because it sounds like the slightly more action-focused slant on this game might be right up my alley.

Same here with respect to Advance Wars, I think it's because it's an impeccably balanced, pure strategy game with nothing else in the way and therefore I'm a lot more likely to be rubbish at it and not get it.

I really enjoyed the earlier, easier levels but it soon became too overwhelmingly difficult for me.

Dual Strike was my first and only foray into AW. I got up to the level with the Pipeliner, and although I probably would have won, it would have been in such a long time that the game would have mocked me for it via its rating system.

Anyone else got this feeling this could be a New 3DS game.

Nope, it'll only be games that need the extra power and this won't. Maybe some exclusive features though.

It might need the extra power though, how do you know it's not been since E3. But would hope it would use the c-nub at least.

Agreed with Andy. Definitely won't want to restrict their interesting new franchise to just those eager enough to shell out for 3DS2, and from what they've shown, it doesn't look anywhere near as power-hungry as XC.

Got to be more than xenoblade coming exclusive to the new 3ds and this seemed like the only game we know in development that could be.

It might use power for AI for instance though.

masofdas wrote:

Got to be more than xenoblade coming exclusive to the new 3ds and this seemed like the only game we know in development that could be.

It might use power for AI for instance though.

I really don't get why you are expecting/wanting more N3ds exclusives as the more it gets the more the 3ds fan base will be split in half, as I've said before I see it more like the DSi upgrade where you have a exclusive game to sell the concept then future releases can take advantage of the new hardware features.

Tough to tell if STEAM would need any of that though.

I'm not really wanting more well maybe a reason to get a new 3ds but I do expect more as like I said in my opinion I see it more gameboy colour a bit of stop gap for a few years to the next proper handheld comes.