The Official Rebel Strike Thread

[WhiteFleck]

Look at the wookie... now look around the wookie. There's reflections and realtime shadowing... with a semi-decent hair effect?

[Darunia]

JESUS TAP DANCING CHRIST, that looks so fucking awesome! Rebels charging on tauntauns into battle? If the on-foot levels are as awesome as those shots depict them to be, this game will officially kick fucking ass.

[OB1]

I hope you guys like these. I haven't even taken a look yet. And please don't mind the oversaturated screen shots. It's the best I could get. And please don't let this get out. I don't want those EGM guys coming over here and telling me to take it down. So keep it within TC!

[OB1]

And here's the rest!





















And don't worry, if the images don't show up just hit the refresh button. I'm uploading them to the TC server right now.

[OB1]

Holy shit! This is so awesome!!!


BTW the images are repeating because of the way Zinio works. I had to take shots of the top, middle, and bottom parts of each page, and parts overlap.

[OB1]

Hey guys, if you were wondering why some of the graphics looked a bit unfinished, a member at the ign boards offered a good explanation, which sounds true:

Originally posted by: Likwid_Cid
If you have seen the previous Rogue Leader, which was also worked by Factor 5, you will know that these models are "flat". They have yet to get the bump-mapping textures. By this, I can also vouch that these are missing a bit that will add a lot. The bump-mapping effect will improve the visuals vastly, especially on the last pic Molt had posted. The textures would actually look like it has several layers and cracks and recessions on the surface of the Deathstar, I assume thats what that is. The snow will have divots and such. It WILL look a lot better.

The Game is shaping up well visually, so far. The effects are sweet. Check out that tree flaiming. The particle effects in the others. Being able to ride everything is a good plus. It seems to me you can actually leave your vehicle and hi-jack others. It seems like it will be more fun than the previous one.

BTW Sup Molt and Cyber-Panda

[A Black Falcon]

The graphics already look phenominal... and aren't maxed out yet... wow! I wonder how it'll look when it comes out...

Oh and that article is GREAT! The game sounds extremely good... obviously.

Without Rare around to challenge it, Factor 5 has clearly won the 'Nintendo Graphics' crown... several times over.

[big guy]

i bought rogue leader because it was a launch game...but i never botherd to beat it...flight sims (even if they are arcade styled) aren't really my thing...and i'm not a huge star wars fan...so i wasn't sure about this game, but this artcile has made it sound rather awesome. and i feel the need to buy it, if just to ensure future factor 5 games on nintendo systems.

[OB1]

Originally posted by A Black Falcon
The graphics already look phenominal... and aren't maxed out yet... wow! I wonder how it'll look when it comes out...

Oh and that article is GREAT! The game sounds extremely good... obviously.

Without Rare around to challenge it, Factor 5 has clearly won the 'Nintendo Graphics' crown... several times over.

Yeah they still have a lot of work to do with the graphics. They haven't even implemented bump-mapping in most of those screens. I'm positive that it'll blow us away when E3 comes around.

[A Black Falcon]

Sim? This isn't a sim by any stretch of the imagination. Its a arcade flying game a lot closer to those open levels in Starfox than a spaceship sim...

[OB1]

He just said "flight sims (even if they are arcade styled)".

[A Black Falcon]

I'd call Crimson Skies or Wing Commander or maybe Freelancer flight sims that are arcade styled... not Rogue Squadron. Its an action/shooter game.

[Sacred Jellybean]

I gotta admit, I don't care for action-flight sims all that much, either (hence why I never bought Rogue Squadron 2). This game sounds awesome, though! With the co-op and ground missions, I think I have enough incentive to buy it.

[Darunia]

My only fear is that because the series has been a predominantly flight simulation game that the on-foot levels will suck; or be like those of SotE. If they manage to pull off a game that combines something to the effect of the flight game of RL and the third-person of Jedi Outcast, I'd eat my hat.

[Dark Jaguar]

Is it just me or are they just recycling old levels? Is that what they did with the second game, recycle the levels from the first? How dull...

[big guy]

i think that rogue squadron can be considered an arcade flight sim because it simulates flight with arcadey physics and flair. just as one could say that the rush series is an arcade driving sim...it virtually simulates a (outta control) driving experience.

oh well, it's no big deal, i imagine everyone knew what i meant, and ABF is just splitting hairs.

and starfox isn't really my type of game either.

*waits for the kicking that will surely follow his previous statement.*

[OB1]

DJ, Darunia: Did either of you read that article I posted?? They answered both of your concerns. They're keeping the same basic control scheme in all modes, and they are not recycling any old levels. There won't be another death star run or any of the other movie events from RL. They are doing everything from the movies that couldn't be done before, which is why there is still a Hoth level (which will let you do exactly what Luke did in ESB). You get to run through the first Death Star, rescue Princess Leia, and try to make your way out of the trash compacter! And that's only a bonus mission! How cool is that??!! Expects tons of more stuff like that.

[A Black Falcon]

OB1, why do you ask if they read it? Just by reading their comments it is very, very clear that they didn't...

Arcade flight sim means it actually simulates flight in some way. Action shooter means you might be flying, but its not simulating flight. Rogue Squadron is the latter... you really don't have any of the aspects of a flight sim in the game. As I said, its a action/shooter. Like Star Fox.

Darunia and DJ.... READ THE ARTICLE! NOW!

THEN come back with so-called criticisms... you would understand that they aren't problems if you read it.

[OB1]

All that work and nobody bothers to read it.

[A Black Falcon]

Fools.

[Great Rumbler]

I read most of it.

[OB1]

:S

[Great Rumbler]

I would have read more, but it was taking forever to load!

[Darunia]

Umm...fuck you...when you buy me a better modem that can load gigantic jpegs in less than 10 minutes I'll read ur fucking article.

[A Black Falcon]

Save them to your harddrive and read them all there.

Its an really, really great article.

[OB1]

Kiss my shiny metal ass, Darunia.

[Darunia]

Pucker up and kiss my brown Goron ass first there buddy.

[OB1]

:shake:

[Sacred Jellybean]

That ass doesn't look shiny OR metallic! FAKER!

[OB1]

Better?

[EdenMaster]

Works for me. What's that label say?

[Darunia]

So...you really ARE a horse's ass; I wasn't lying when I called you that! :D

[OB1]

Beats me, EM.

[Sacred Jellybean]

It's <i>pretty</i> good. I <i>guess</i>.

[OB1]

Best I could find.

[big guy]

and i love you for it...

and i'm drunk

and...you can move up and down in mid air in rogue leader and can move all over the place in the space levels, just as if you were really in outter space. FLYING in outter space no less. i dunno...i seem to feel like i'm flying when i fly around in rogue leader, but to each their own i suppose.

anyway, whatever the case may be the flying aspects of rogue leader aren't really my cup of tea...which i why i never bought the first one...the second one i bought because it was beautiful and seemed like more fun that luigi's mansion...and it was fun. this game tho, seems right up my alley. i like playing as a person running around shooting things than as a space ship shooting things.

if that rant makes no sense, the reason lies in my second line. goodnight.

[Sacred Jellybean]

You don't seem drunk, hooligan.

[big guy]

i'm a very well spoken drunk.

[OB1]

Quick, go to gamers.com!! They have a two-minute trailer for the game!!

[A Black Falcon]

I saw a link to the download, but couldn't actually find it...

[OB1]

The quality is horrendous anyways, so just forget about it.

[A Black Falcon]

Watched it. For some reason the link only worked in IE, not Netscape. And yeah, the quality is terrible... but still, it looks really cool!

[OB1]

Indeed it does!

:jedi:

[OB1]

Here's a better video: http://www.thrillinghill.com/~monkeyland...trike.mpeg

[OB1]

Hands-on impressions from IGN:

May 14, 2003 - We've just driven up to publisher LucasArts' San Rafael-based hideaway to see the Factor 5-developed Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike. Three editors intently huddle around producer Brett Tosti's in-office television screen in anticipation of what's to come. We're genuinely thrilled because first we're all die-hard Star Wars fans, and second -- perhaps just as important, we know that if any software house can dazzle the cynics in us, it's the technically boundless Germans at Factor 5. Maybe we know what to expect, but it's still hard not to be impressed when Tosti flips through a debug menu and cues a wholly transformed Hoth level complete with more TIEs than could have ever been drawn on one screen in last year's GameCube shooter of the same franchise.
This is Rebel Strike, the latest in LucasArts' videogame voyages back to the holy trilogy of Star Wars films. No Jar Jar Binks here. You won't see any pod races either. And the only Darth Vader to be found is the one decked in black and gunning for your Rebel ass. For fans, it doesn't get much better.

Factor 5 seems to know what the masses want. The company has this time saturated its Rogue Squadron game with characters, scenarios and locales familiar to trilogy worshippers. Not only that, but in contrast to last year's effort, Rebel Strike features missions that take place in the cockpit and -- yes, like Shadows of the Empire, in third-person as one of the classic characters from the SW universe. You can, in fact, fly the X-Wing one minute, hop on a speeder bike the next, take control of an AT-ST afterward and then go it on foot. It's an ambitious leap forward and one that could propel the franchise to new heights.

The wizards at F5 weren't content with having one of the best 3D engines on GameCube -- by far, in Rogue Squadron II. With Rebel Strike, the developer wanted bigger environments, more enemies on screen, more effects, more particles, and all with an improved framerate. Sounds almost laughable, but somehow the developer seems to have pulled it off. One look at the forestry in Endor, complete with Ewoks, AT-STs, and a barrage of effects from bump-mapped everything from flowing foliage and shadows that move across the land, and your jaw will drop like it did when you saw the Death Star sequence in Rogue II for the first time. The GameCube is definitely working overtime with this one, no doubt.

Engine in tact, F5 gathered its assets. It pondered what scenarios it hadn't already tackled and considered the possibilities. Endor: check. What about if Luke could run around on Hoth and maybe attack the AT-ATs with his light saber -- cut it open and throw a thermal detonator in its hull? Check. How about being able to ride Tauntauns around the level? No problem. Could he go to Yavin and defend the moon? Yep. Could he go to Geonosis 40 years after the events in Episode II? Uh-huh. Well, if all that's in the game, what about being able to rescue Princess Leia? Yup. Play as Wedge? You bet. Hang out with Han and Chewie? Better believe it. Battle 110 TIEs at the same time? Of course. It's all in there.

The flight missions control and play almost exactly as they did in the last game, except with added intensity. This, because the engine now spits out quite a bit more enemies on screen. Download a couple of our Hoth videos and be prepared to be amazed. There are so many of those suckers flying around that it's hard to stay focused on the matter at hand. Several of the levels demoed to us center on flight scenarios, from soaring through an asteroid field -- now with more deadly rocks than ever before -- to dog fighting over the ground and in the skies of Hoth. The snow level is particularly interesting because F5 has created two height maps for the area so that a cloud layer hangs in the sky and if you fly through it, a second-tier map is quickly generated and all of a sudden there are seemingly hundreds of TIEs zooming around above the clouds. If you fly back down into it, the ground level is generated again and all of the land objects are seamlessly loaded -- it's a nearly unnoticeable transition and it's very well done.

Then there are the ground missions. One of our favorites so far pits you in the cockpit of an AT-ST as Han and Chewie and gives you nearly full reign over the forests of Endor. You can battle other AT-STs, shoot down storm troopers, and even give Ewoks simple instructions to back you up or retreat. The level of course looks astonishing and control feels very similar to the scheme for flights. Factor 5 has made a conscious decision the keep the controls simplistic and unvaried between different play scenarios, be they in the air or on the ground. This is a direction that may not be without drawbacks. The control in our experience thus far seems almost too shallow for some of the character-based third-person missions. As Luke runs through some Imperial structures and blasts enemies, for instance, it's almost like a game of Robotron -- lots of quick-trigger shooting and not much else. Just hit the A button to blast over and over again. A lock-on target system is being worked on, but it wasn't nearly useable in the rev we played. By comparison, the flight areas and land missions feel far more refined. And yet, flight missions don't put you in Luke's shoes as he runs across the illuminated, reflective floors of an Imperial ship with AI counterparts like Chewie backing him up. It's too cool.
We'd be remiss if we didn't detail more of the speeder bike sequence. Here Luke takes control of the craft and zooms at top speeds through the forest, all the while battling troopers and avoiding obstacles. You can switch between third- and first-person view, the latter of which comes complete with hand models that feature Luke's one-glove look from Return of the Jedi. (Factor 5 has modeled some 10 different versions of Skywalker that illustrate his many changes from whiny boy to full-blown Jedi.) Press a button and the speeder gains a momentary thrust of speed, an effect made all the more realistic by a well-placed motion blur filter. The scene is pretty intense and though it sometimes feels a bit more "on-rails" than we might like, there are also times when we find ourselves totally caught in its grip, too. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction gained after successfully bumping a trooper into a tree to watch his bike explode, right? Come on. You love it.

To top everything off, F5 has included Rogue Squadron II in the game as a multiplayer bonus. Yes, the entire Rogue II. You can play the game in two-player cooperative mode. It's pretty ridiculous. You can actually team up with a friend and fight your way through the entire game, from the Death Star to Bespin and beyond. Factor 5's new engine spits out the split-screen two-player mode, brand new advanced lighting engine and all, with a respectable framerate -- it still slows down, it still chugs here and there, but considering that it still runs nearly as well as the single-player modes in the first game, we're still amazed. Plus, producer Brett Tosti claims that the fluidity will be bumped up considerably before the title's ship date this holiday season. The title will also boast a variety of four-player death-match missions -- all new, which will surely be a major draw for SW fanatics hoping to beat up on their friends.

The graphics engine is amazing all over again. From the intricately detailed 3D models to the wonderfully animated machines, enhanced lighting and particle effects systems, and more, it's one stunning package. Lasers light up the cockpit and the surrounding area and volumetric smoke wisps over the forest while snow storms haze over the low ground in Hoth. There are reflections, transparencies, and some very crisp textures to boot. If there is to be a visual complaint, it's that so far some of the characters seem to lack the same realistic level of animation that saturates the machines and animals in the game. Skywalker, for instance, has a robotic walk about him that definitely needs fixing up. Rebel Strike is definitely one of the hot titles -- period -- of the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2003. We'll have much more on the title in the coming weeks, but in the meantime we suggest that you head into our media section and download the media. If a picture is worth a thousand words, these movies are worth a million.

Incredible!

[A Black Falcon]

I'm confused... after saying 'Factor 5 Star Wars', isn't 'Incredible' an oxymoron?

[Darunia]

Awesome!! Two play co-op...and more awesome screens...man this game is going to carry GC at this rate. I'm wanting this game more and more...

[OB1]

You should see the new developer commentary video.

[Darunia]

Sorry, no new screens...but a good insight into the frame rate, and the multiplayer, and some of the levels...discusses the co-op and all.

Cliquez-moi

[OB1]

There's a reason why I made an Official Rebel Strike Thread.