Operation Hellstorm FPS - A Crowd Funded Indie Project

As some of you already know, we have been working on bringing you a concept and showcase teaser trailer for our dream FPS title, Operation Hellstorm.

This trailer has been released, and although only a glimpse into the direction we are going and the greatness we hope to achieve, I believe it is a good start to get you all into the feel of one of the aspects we are aiming towards.

For those of you that have not seen it yet, enjoy :)

Coming the following weeks we are going to launch a Crowd Funded campaign on Indiegogo in hopes to raise a budget towards the materialisation and completion of this game.

Kickstarter unfortunately only cooperates with a limited amount of countries. We are situated in Greece, Athens, and our only viable option for a crowd funded campaign is through Indiegogo.

The simple and quick answer is that we do not currently have the budget to pull us through without any help.

We are a small team and aspiring to grow. At the moment game development in Greece is rather new, and we are starting from the ground up.

There is a collective and average experience of over 15years in our team from various fronts of the graphical industry and smaller gaming development projects. Team Leader and Game Designer for now is none other than the one writing to you right now. Me. Jim Soufrilas.

I have been involved with 3D graphics for over a decade, and 2D graphics (including traditional) for 2 decades now. Born in 84' and have been a dedicated gamer and content designer on small personal projects for the entirety of my life, with scope of reaching the point of both expertise and comfort with undertaking the direction of a complete game project of my own.

At the moment the budget is very limited (if at all present to be honest) and all content that has been made thus far has been done around the clock whenever possible and without the entire team being able to put in the work hours needed. Both a result of the limited budget.

You may also find us on Facebook, for a more detailed look at a released portion of this said content.

Operation Hellstorm FPS Official Facebook Page

The teaser trailer is just that, a teaser trailer. Within it the content is a showcase of the direction we are aiming towards. In this instance, all content within the trailer is 1 of 3 things.

1) Completely made for the purpose of the trailer alone and only a simple reference to the game (the level design and some effects).

2) Concept designs that will evolve and posibly make their way into the final versions (the HUD and again some of the effects).

3) Content created directly for the game (the character model and the weapon).

Even as a small studio, we are boasting quality over quantity for now. And with the help of crowd funding, we will be able to boast of quantity as well.

What you can expect from us, at the very least, is a constant dedication to improving this title and making it the best it can be. Furthermore, the trailer, although a showcase, was designed by one person alone (aside from the music, composed by Steve Cupani and further proof of our ambition to make each aspect of this title of both quality and its own). The team was working on tech testing and solving some engine workflows that are not on a visual level as of yet.

This can be used as a direct comparison for the quality and quantity of future content, as the trailer was achieved with no budget, with only one member (me) assigned to it, and with little time available.

The results of what can be achieved with a budget, and a larger team all working full time around the clock towards the title, will be a significant improvement on all levels.

Aside from this, our dedication despite all the current budget difficulties is a show of our determination and passion for making this title. Giving up on the project you all supported is not an option!

As lead Game Designer and Lead Artist, I will be overseeing all design elements to the game. Having experience in both Visual Graphics and FPS games for over 20 years (and as far back as the very first Doom), you can rest assured the ship is in good hands. Add to this the feedback from the community, you, that we are able to easily gather in our time and age, and the project is capable of being shaped into something that can truly stand out in the F2P FPS front.

You are the most important cog in this sci-fi fps machine we are building. We need your help to get the word out there for Operation Hellstorm so that like minded FPS gamers that could be interested will know where to find us and that we even exist.  Your support in Founders Purchases from there on is the backbone to our new company and our endeavour to making Operation Hellstorm. This will further become the foundation to our Game Dev studio that we seek to enrich with more titles in the future.

Founders' Purchases range from as small as $3 all the way up to $150, to give you the flexibility with supporting the title with whatever seems right to you!

We are starting an "aggressive" push of information here and on our facebook page to release details on the direction of our title and what we hope to include and achieve in it.

This content will come in the form of Blog Posts and if possible also YouTube videos (the later will probably simply be a video version of the Blog Posts as an easier and more direct way to explain/spread more information on our upcoming title) and will be posted here and on the Facebook page.

For direct access to the videos as they come, you can also subscribe to our YouTube channel right here:

Official Scionia Games (DCF - Digital Creative Front) YouTube Channel

We are looking forward to meeting you all and together bring to life the title that can change the Free To Play First Person Shooter genre towards the better.

Stay Tuned, share, and as always, thank you all for you support.

Jim Soufrilas

Scionia Games

Metal Gear Rising - PC - So much Addictive Self Violation Never Existed Till Now.

Metal Gear Rising: ReVengeance. So many mind numbing decisions on this game that make it a pain to even think about or properly try to place into categories... My gripes with it are instant, constant, and they are frustrating indeed. So I will jump right into the bashing as I have rarely ever played a title that I waited for patiently for so many years that was as crap as this pile of junk! (Talking about the PC version here as always)

Buttons on the mouse that cannot be mapped, a variety of control options that cannot be controlled or changed, clumsy user interface, console port controls that make blade mode from being the strongest aspect of the game into the most annoying part of it, a grind fest that simply has you doing the same thing again and again... cinematic, voicecom interruption, get to point, kill enemies, rince and repeat with plenty more voicecomes along the way and changing the "get to point" objectives to "press the button" objectives.

Constant checkpoint interruptions, not just the score alone which gives a cool arcade feel to it, but stage limitations as well containing you into certain areas every few steps. The amount of these things is ridiculous, the score screen is so unrewarding as it is annoying, getting in your way to even moving properly disabling half of your controls, and instead of being an arcade like element reminiscent of the 90's, that feels like it pops up each time you achieve something, it becomes practically an overused annoying UI layout as if all the ridiculous voicecoms all over the place weren't enough.

The concept behind the game is so damn awesome, it still has hope for a
sequel to fix all things done wrong... So much gone wrong with such an
awesome concept in hand. They managed the impossible.

Combat itself? Combos work ok and pretty cool, auto aim ruins half of them, as does the still console like movement to it all the likes of "direction input attacking" instead of "mouse look" (even though this is among the most minor of things) yet my biggest gripe is that it all ends up being specific predefined repeatable combat mechanics as opposed to a fluent combat system.

A camera that has gone completely bonkers, the design of it so damn clumsy I felt frustrated the more I played the game. Poor execution of the best parts about the game (Blade Mode), making it ridiculously fun when it works right, ridiculously annoying since it barely ever works and barely ever controlled fluently as it ends up being an entire pile of messy mechanics and controls (fun factor being proof that the game could have been so much more).

Video Games: A Form of Art and Entertainment for the Future

Video Games are a form of Art

Well as the title itself says, Video Games are a form of Art.

"Games" is a title given and used far too lightly nowadays with some still clinging on to the impression that it means "child's' play" and other outdated notions that should have been left in the past by now.

We Gamers are not children with no responsibilities, neither people that have nothing else to do in their lives, neither individuals with no interests other than having fun and playing. Some cling to these notions and try to force gamers to believe that video games are for children and not for grown ups. Naturally they are prompting gamers to grow "out" of them eventually. Such beliefs couldn't be more wrong and couldn't be based on falser assumptions if they tried.

Believe it or not, there are indeed many people that still think like this. An arrogant and pretentious mindset knows no limits after all. Such people try to force their belief systems on others, judging harshly with some pretty ridiculous notions that can even lead to discrimination and cause more harm than good. Instead of understanding that they are of a different mindset and that each person has a right to chose which ideals and qualities they will warm up to in this world, these people that do not agree to gaming in the form it truly is find it fitting to try and make others that do not agree with them change by force and discrimination. Such childish behaviour.

Gamers and what are the defenders of this entire form of entertainment will have you know it is no less a child's game than half if not all the activities in our lives that we all partake in for entertainment. Like going to the cinemas, or playing cards, playing pool, bowling, and so much more. Pretty hypocritical to rule out what one does not understand or like as being childish when all these activities are of the same form.

It is 2014 and the time for such misinformed notions to come to an end is overdue.

To put it simply, Video Gaming is 1st and above all a form of Art and 2nd a form of Entertainment. The two intertwine and become ultimately one.

It's time everyone started to respect it as such, and further respect gaming as much as any and all other forms of entertainment and art out there. The same way films, books, paintings, music and other forms are here to express the inner worlds of creators so that they can be shared with hundreds of others, thousands or even millions, games are here with the same purpose and were established with this idea and need in mind. They simply just take things up a notch by comparison, making the experiences interactive and thus being the only difference with the other forms. At this point it is pointless to argue over the differences and further define each form to a specific target market alone (like that of children) as each form is and should be unique in its own way and is more than capable of being directed to any target market out there and of any age.

Art and entertainment takes any form it needs or requires itself to take, it is free of any boundaries and templates, and that is why it is both an artistic expression as well as entertaining.

Graphics in Video Games, Will Always Be Important!

-"Someone that believes graphics are important should go and watch an anime or something, they are not real gamers"

-"I don't care about the graphics if the gameplay sucks"

-"Graphics are not important, it's the gameplay that counts"

-"Wish they would cut back on paying so much attention to graphics and make better gameplay"

-"Who cares about the lack in graphics? It has great gameplay."

Those few quotes, among many others, are some of the common phrases the "real" gamers of our time use to the extent that now people even write articles to defend such a notion... Being, that graphics are not important.

Funny story, I was going over this whole concept again not more than one day ago, and today I wake up to read a related article including opinions and comments enforcing the idea that graphics are indeed not important and further more, stating that they actually are not important "any more" in the industry in general and not just for their liking. I wonder at such perspectives from such gamers and turn to question what wonderful book or insight of facts gave away this notion for articles and comments of the like to exist?

X REBIRTH - 1st Impressions Game Review

X-Universe fans have been patiently waiting a long time now for the release to the next chapter of Egosofts' sandbox space simulator. X-Rebirth has been in development for 7 years, and it is now finally here.

The most obvious questions are: Does it deliver? Is it worthy of the X-Universe franchise? And does the new addition cater to the fans as well?

At most, it does. Although a little early on its release, with having an array of bugs experienced in the game from many users, X Rebirth should not disappoint neither the fans of the franchise nor the newcomers. It caters to both depth and functionality, keeps true to the franchise in almost every way, and adds changes that make it easier to pick up as well as easier to enjoy in the long run without ditching that depth of the past. Egosoft have gone into delivering these elements for their new X title in one of the most well-balanced and complete approaches that a single player sandbox space simulator has ever seen till now. (minus the bugs)

From Crysis to Crysis 3

Trilogy/Quadroligy Review and Comparisson

Just finished Crysis 3 a small while back and have been meaning to get to a review for it...
So we're doing that now. Talking about, reviewing and comparing all the titles in the Crysis trilogy. Four titles actually for those that include Warhead as a separate title rather than an expansion-ish stand alone addition. Crysis has been after all as a franchise giving us top end experiences and pushing technology along with first person shooter standards for almost 6 years now (end of 2007 - 2013) and deserves it's own thorough look. And as we do it here, we get as thorough as it gets before it becomes a quantum theory molecular level kind of thorough.

Crysis has not gone unnoticed one bit in the gaming industry. Either by haters, or fans, and from both ends of the gaming spectrum including PC's and Consoles, at least one of the Crysis titles has been subject for a lot of back and forth debating for most gamers if not all gamers of our time.

I being no different and having now completed the trilogy, am ready to dig deep inside the Crysis titles and meet the heart that beats beneath it all face to face.

An MMO Evaluation - Part 2

An MMO (mostly mmorpg) Evaluation, that is- "My 2 Bits on MMO's thus far." - part 2

I know that the article itself might seem very long, but the truth of the matter is that I am after all not talking about one game alone, but an entire game genre, it's history, my likes and dislikes on it, comparisons to other gaming genres during this time, as well as a small review on titles as well. Taking head on such a large topic cannot be done in just few words, unless the idea is to point out to only some things and keep posting new articles to cover different areas each time. To make one complete reference to it all in one go is indeed a lengthy journey.

Seems there might be hope after all.  Art from ESO (Elder Scrolls Online)

For Part 1 to the article click here.

Now, where to begin, or shall I say continue...

SWG: Star Wars Galaxies

My first introduction to mmo's was Star Wars Galaxies (SWG).
What followed after that first experience was a close reflection of the same thing. Low end graphics, cooldown crowded gameplay, target lock type combat and interface that although was not exactly turn-based, it was certainly closer to a turn-based form rather than real-time. My personal taste on all the above? Is disgust.

My stay in SWG was small, but long enough for me to see the basics. After 15 years of gaming I am a veteran and do not need more than few hours (much less) to understand where a game is going. Now my gaming years have ranked up to 25. The comment "later on the game gets better" is so overrated and overused. No, the game will never get better later, and it is about time people started to realise this. The content will get better, but not the game. It will have the same graphics, the same mechanics, the same animations, and the same gameplay.

The skill trees and the things you unlock are not the reward for playing an rpg for hours, they are reasons you like to play the rpg (meaning that having them from early on in the game is a good start to help you enjoy the game, waiting for 30 dings of leveling up to get to some skill or ability that will make the game fun does not suffice). You should enjoy building up a character, not building towards a character, hence constant rewards are the way to go and also the means to make you move up into the world which you are experiencing, making it more fun as well as more versatile. These extras are there to keep you going instead of boring you out, they are there to be enjoyed and not to be waited on. Content advancement apart from maps, story, enemies and loot, includes skills, traits, abilities etc, and if indeed the gameplay of a game is stale to begin with, making up for it after 20 hours of play with a cool skill or adventurous map is not an excuse and doesn't save the game. I can see screenshots if the most an MMO can give is better maps later on.

If a game is not fun for you within the first 15 mins, most chances are it will never be fun. "It gets better later" is not a phrase that convinces me, and I have put it to the test. Of course I always give the benefit of the doubt, and never try a new title for less than 30-60 mins. That is more than enough to know everything you need to know about a game, where it is headed, and what you can expect. Above all it is more than enough to know if you like it. I have forced myself to keep to those 30-60 mins for titles that I disliked within 15 mins. The result was the same after spending the extra time. Some titles I hit hours of play to try and get into them when I had more time and it still simply didn't work.

My introduction to the mmo genre, SWG, a game I actually enjoyed but only due to my Star Wars fandom.
Seeing Tatooine and the Binary Sunset, as well as laser pistols and lightsabers, was enough to give me smiles.

An MMO Evaluation - Part 1

An MMO (mostly mmorpg) Evalutation, that is- "My 2 Bits on MMO's thus far." - part 1

It's no surprise that someone that loves rpg's would turn in time to also like mmo's. Notice I used the word "like" instead of love, since to be honest with ourselves we all know that mmo's are not really doing a good job to encapsulate the true essence of rpg's, and they never have thus far.

After taking the time to experience them, begining the journey with first tastes from SWG (Star Wars Galaxies) a small while before WoW came out, I find myself putting together a collection of ideas and thoughts, likes and dislikes, on the mmo industry. Mostly dislikes so far but thankfully the last year has seen a small change in this bringing finally a taste of bliss in liking as well. Not nearly enough to justify such a long wait (of almost 10 years) of looking into mmo's to find the recipe that works, or perhaps simply the recipe I liked.

I am in many ways now wasted on the thought of mmo's for they have not delivered to the genre in the way that they should have all this time. Of course this is just my opinion, but isn't everything on gaming based on personal taste and opinion? Having that said, I am now at the point that even if I see something I like, it is dwindled down into a small flicker rather than a flare or flame the way it would have been had I not been involved with the mmo genre for so long.

I had much greater expectations back in the day and indeed I find no reason to hide the fact that I also had many ideas for how the genre should and could have been developed, as well as the directions it should have worked towards achieving. Almost 10 years later and FINALLY these ideas are coming to life! Some I admit came to being during these years, but they where the smaller and at times less important changes I felt should always be a part of mmo's. Even so, some of those ideas have still to be developed or made even today. Not to mention that today, personally, my expectations and ideas on the direction of mmorpg's... correction, my expectations and ideas on the state they should already be IN, are much larger and even more in number.

Subscription based games are a scam!

My "article reply" to an article on F2P games and Subscriptions...

I wrote what seemed or started out as a reply to PCGAMERS article with the title:

Star Wars: The Old Republic’s free-to-play restrictions tweaked, Bioware stress “an ongoing dialogue"

and it quickly escalated to an actual article length piece that I thought I hold on to.

It was mostly in response to those supporting the idea that "if people want the full game they should subscribe" and that they shouldn't complain about the f2p model in SWTOR.

I myself having looked at it (the f2p model) see how flawed it is and, well, it reminds nothing of a proper free 2 play model. I support the idea of subscription games simply not existing at all (take a look at my older article posted here called "Free For All - Challenging Life Itself" to get an idea of my thoughts on this matter generally and how I believe it should work) and so I had my two cents to add to it all.

The amount of tolerance we have as gamers, or even human beings, allows for such things as these (e.g subscription based games) to keep gong on when clearly they should be stopped.

I thought it would be a shame to leave the reply there alone (I would end up forgetting about it myself) and so here it is:

(readers beware, the content is less formal than my usual posts, but I think still worth posting as a cry to gamers to simply STOP with their ignorance on companies taking advantage on them)

....

FREE FOR ALL - Challenging Life Itself!

 “How does free gaming and free filming help reach a change in the world?” The answer is simple.

We have been confined in a world created to suit a system that perhaps we have not all agreed on all the time, struggled with, sometimes perhaps came to question, and even come to confront.

We have been conditioned to see things in certain ways and come to deal with them or believe in them in either the form that “they are like that because they are” or “they are like that because that is how things work.” This conditioning has made us trust and have faith in a model not because we ourselves have dealt to question with it and design it, but because it is the standard, the mean, the prototype and the example that we are just used to and seldom challenge because so far it works. Or at least, it seems to work or has us believing it works.

The majority of the sources that support this model are also those that contribute the greatest in our conception that it works, and they are also at the same time the ones to profit most from it, and coincidentally enough for us, are also the biggest forms of influence in our life. Media!

Whether they be the cinema, television, radio or advertisements (outside those three major medias, from billboards to flyers to posters) that are used by companies, shops, products, and all forms of consumerism. Whatever has a gain in profit has a say in media, whatever isn’t free, needs to be advertised, whatever isn’t free needs to be bought, whatever need to be bought needs a job and jobs need again advertisement or any form of reaching the masses to sell a product. From a service to any other material convenience, it all helps to structure this model and soon enough before we know it we all live to either believe or encourage the notion that “nothing is free”.

Is this entirely true however? In some cases it might be, in some others it might not.