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Battleborn - What We Know So Far

M

Menome

Member
  • What is Battleborn? Why it's: "FPS; hobby-grade coop campaign; genre-blended, multi-mode competitive e-sports; meta-growth, choice + epic Battleborn Heroes!"

    Recommended specs for PC:

    OS: Windows 7 x64-Bit or Later
    Processor: Intel Core2 Extreme CPU Q6850/ AMD A8-3870k (Quad Core CPU’s)
    Memory: 6 GB
    Hard Disk Space: 10 GB free
    Video Memory: 2 GB
    Video Card: AMD HD 7700/ NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or better, PhysX support
    Sound: DirectX 11 Compliant
  • Release date of May 3rd, 2016
  • Battleborn has gone gold
  • Post-release content plans available: HERE
  • Pre-Order Bonus - Golden Skins for five characters: https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/get-exclusive-gold-hero-skins-when-you-pre-order-battleborn/
    Open Beta starts 8th April for PS4, 13th April for PC and Xbox One. Preloads available a couple of days before it starts: DETAILS HERE
  • Hero/Skill/Team Combinations Infographic: https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/thats-a-lot-of-battleborn-in-numbers/
  • Single-Player video of Phoebe from GhostRobo: http://youtu.be/ryZZhg9cMAA
  • Video of Miko from GhostRobo: http://youtu.be/-YWIzUmKBus
  • Gameplay video of Oscar Mike: http://t.co/hjaQemiw6g
  • Full Meltdown mode match video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbwdH6BlefI
  • IGN Stream 7th August: http://uk.ign.com/videos/2015/08/07/battleborn-new-character-footage-ign-live-gamescom-2015

    -Art Director of Borderlands 2 working on environments
    -All the stars in the universe have 'gone out'. Characters/factions battling over the last star
    -Some characters more integral to the story than others, but all 25 can be played during the course of the campaign
    -Primary antagonist in Story Mode is selling out what remains of the universe, causes factions to team up
    -Michel Gagné (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille) on animation
    -Pitchford would like lore of the game to expand out beyond the main game, similar to Borderlands with comics/side-games
    -Campaign is full co-op, up to 5 players
    -Jump into online scenarios without need to grind/be a certain level
    -PvP scenarios range from tight to expansive maps
    -PvE focuses on large maps
    -Weapon/gear rarity is in, but not as looty as Borderlands
    -Basic power upgrades etc. reset each scenario, like a MOBA
    -Gear gets linked to your account for permanent upgrades
    -Gear can be swapped between characters
    Click to expand...
  • Verge Article from 11th August: http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/7/9115101/overwatch-battleborn-multiplayer-fps-gamescom-2015
  • A tweet from the official Battleborn Twitter feed seems to be hinting at the game being set in the Borderlands universe, or at least having some sort of link to it: https://twitter.com/battleborn/status/633277153547718657
  • 27th August Verge Interview with Randy Pitchford: http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/27/9...ds-gearbox-software-randy-pitchford-interview
  • 30th August Shacknews Q&A: http://www.shacknews.com/chatty?id=33899360

    A few highlights of the session:

    Q:Is the PC version going to be upgraded to Unreal Engine 4 or is it Unreal Engine 3 as well with the Borderlands engine?

    A:I think very technically, we still call it Unreal 3. But it has whole chunks we have completely modified. There are some parts we brought in from Borderlands, but huge chunks that are newly crafted specifically for Battleborn.
    Click to expand...

    Q:How have you tinkered with the Helix System over the course of development to get it to where it is now?

    A:In a word: simplified.

    In-match growth and choice (that kind of "rapid talent tree") was one of the first pillars of the game we wanted to make.

    We learned, though, through a LOT of playtesting and iteration that when you're experiencing the game as a match-based FPS, your brain just doesn't have as many cycles for RPG decision making. So, we simplified.

    We moved to something very similar to what you see now about a year and a half ago, and in that time we've even dropped the number of in-match levels a few times, originally at 20 down to the 10 we have now. They're better choices now (less simple numerical enhancements, and far more non-comparable tangible choices).
    Click to expand...

    Q:Being a Shooter MOBA, what sort of target game length are you going for? Is the story going to be Quake 3?

    A:The story is pretty ambitious. We're trying to tell how this group of badass heroes who spent years fighting each other came together with only one star left to try and save it from a joint venture of two seemingly unlimited foes. But really, we each ofthe 25 characters have their own background and stories to hear. Some, you'll learn a lot about. Some, you'll be able to dig around and uncover what they're about. I think it's going to feel different than what you've seen before.

    Game length - 30 is our typical magic number. Especially in competitive, we find for a FPS if we go beyond that we start to wear down. Of the three Versus modes we have, though, they vary in range from about 10 minutes to a good 25-30 minute average. For Story Missions, they typically run 30-45 minutes, but that time depends a lot on your skill with the game.
    Click to expand...

    Q:Are you guys concerned about a toxic community developing, as is common with competitive arena games? If so, what are your plans for managing the community?

    A:I am, certainly. I played LOL heavily about 3-4 years ago, right at the time Riot was really digging into the problem and trying to find ways to address it.

    I think that having single-player Story Missions is a big outlet here. You have a execellent way to play the game and experience the characters without having to get curb-stomped by squeakers. (I'm the father of a an ex-squeaker...I'm sorry!)

    We have some of the typical bits .... you can mute chat and voice chat for teammates, and you can't chat with the enemy team during the match (at very least by default). There's a lot more to it than that, of course, and we're planning on supporting the community and the game post-launch to help caretake the community.

    I'm as active as time allows on our Gearbox Battleborn forums right now, and I'm working pretty hard to be sure that core community is solid, inviting, and positive. SHOUT OUT GBX FORUM FOLKS!
    Click to expand...

    Q:Can we expect any witty banter between characters?

    A:Assloads. Every character recognizes a lot of other characters for spot/kill lines; we have conversations that invoke player characters in Story Mode, that kind of thing. Our master excel grid of VO is huge, and occasionally crashes Excel because it is /so jam-packed with obscene levels of oscar-worthy writing/.
    Click to expand...
  • 31st August Rooster Teeth Interview at PAX:

    https://youtu.be/rSM4f2XXn4U?t=3h48m19s

    -'Stealth assassin' character due to unveiled later on
    -Wanted to bring back co-op atmosphere of Borderlands
    -Oscar Mike is a comfortable beginner character as a typical gun-wielding marine
    -Is 'space fantasy' in setting, mix of cultures like Star Wars/Guardians of The Galaxy
    -Tried to design each character as though they could be the main character in their own game
    -Typical archetypes present (Attack/support) but attempting to make each character feel unique from each other
    -Post-game support for the competitive side of the game
    Remember: rsvp.battleborn.com for the beta test
    -Want to focus Beta on making sure the networking and multiplayer is polished
    -Using colour palette and animations to make characters easy to differentiate from each other
    -Art direction: "Somewhere between anime and Pixar"
    -Characters still to be revealed, only 11-12 released so far
    -Not all characters will be in the Beta
    -Beta within the next couple of months
    -No cross-platform play at launch, may look at it after balancing sorted
    --Said the forbidden word "MOBA"
    -Persistent growth confirmed - Character ranks unlock Skins/Taunts/Animations
    -Alternate power selections also unlocked with rank
    -49 Billion unique lootable-gear combinations
    -All characters have to have some form of focused combat-capability due to the single-player campaign
    Click to expand...
  • 1st September Gearbox Panel at PAX:

    http://www.twitch.tv/gearboxsoftware/v/13302696

    -For the story: Wanted a high-stakes story, so went for the natural end of the universe with all but one star having gone out
    -Still a focus on comedy al la Borderlands
    -Find writing with a comedic bent plays to their strengths more
    -Tried pitching a sombre ending at first as a story-swerve, but it failed
    -Battleborn came from the idea of "How could we have Master Chief in a fight with Gandalf and still have it make sense?"
    -Started off with players having identical physics, before branching out
    -Melke based on Bioshock's mix of guns and plasmoids
    -Approx. 17 hours of voice-overs recorded for characters


    -Ambra based on Evil-Lynn from the He-Man universe
    -Her ultimate power is a meteor that drops on a large area (most of?) of the battlefield, compares view as similar to the moon crashing in Majora's Mask
    -Benedict started out model-wise as Axton from Borderlands 2 with a chicken-head
    -Plays with a lot of rocket-jumps, accentuated with wings. Multiple rocket-types for attacks

    -Each character in Battleborn has about 4x the skeletal constructs as a character from the Borderlands games

    -'Mutations' unlocked as your character grows in ranks including 'Modifications'
    -'Modifications' unlock new Helix-choices for the levelling up during a match

    -6,375,600 possible team combinations
    -7,776 ways to play a character
    -Times them together and get 49,576,665,600 character and team combinations

    -Helix binary choices focus on one of two different playstyles. Mix and match or focus on one for the match/level
    -Allows you to play depending on what's required to sync with the rest of your team
    -Level 10 on the Helix is the character's Ultimate ability

    -Rath a 'laser sword wielding samurai vampire'
    -Tried to emulate a melee-based approach similar to DMC/Bayonetta series but in first person
    -Approx. one third of character roster is melee-based
    -Counters long-range with a movement/agility-based side of their Helix
    -Works best as an in-your-face aggro character
    Click to expand...
  • Sep. 23rd Gamespot interview with Creative Director Randy Varnell about Battleborn's main villain, featuring a fair bit of background lore: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-the-villain-of-ps4-xbox-one-pc-shooter-battle/1100-6430814/
  • Sep. 24th New trailer for the game starring Rendain, the main villain: https://youtu.be/h0KMARbTWps
  • Sep. 28th EPN.tv interview with Randy Varnell; basic summary of the game so far: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=8Fij5dmkCkc
  • Oct. 27th Paris Games Week Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udTWFJb0xts
  • Oct. 27th Super2bit Interview with Randy Varnell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vk6vGozioI
  • Oct. 28th Impressions article from Polygon: http://www.polygon.com/2015/10/27/9617758/battleborn-impressions-moba-borderlands-gearbox-software
  • Dec. 5th New character revealed at Playstation Experience: Toby: Toby The Destroyer - Announcement Video
  • Dec. 29th Two new characters revealed at IGN: Ghalt and Deande: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/12/29/battleborn-2-new-playable-heroes-revealed-ign-first
  • Jan. 19th - Lore on Eldrid culture revealed: https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-the-ancient-eldrid/
  • Feb. 3rd - Galilea and Attikus revealed: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/02/03/battleborn-two-more-badasses-join-the-fight/
  • Feb. 25th - Shayne/Aurox, Whiskey Foxtrot and Kelvin revealed: https://battleborn.com/en/news/view/en-battleborn-whiskey-foxtrot-kelvin-shayne-and-aurox-reveal/
 
MiguelItUp

MiguelItUp

Member
I thought that was a well done trailer, however I'm still not on board for it at all. Man, next year is really going to be overflowing with the whole FPS / Arena / MOBA genre. I didn't think about that until after watching this.
 
M

Menome

Member
Notes from the stream:

-Art Director of Borderlands 2 working on environments
-All the stars in the universe have 'gone out'. Characters/factions battling over the last star
-Some characters more integral to the story than others, but all 25 can be played during the course of the campaign
-Primary antagonist in Story Mode is selling out what remains of the universe, causes factions to team up
-Michel Gagné (The Iron Giant, Ratatouille) on animation
-Pitchford would like lore of the game to expand out beyond the main game, similar to Borderlands with comics/side-games
-Campaign is full co-op, up to 5 players
-Jump into online scenarios without need to grind/be a certain level
-PvP scenarios range from tight to expansive maps
-PvE focuses on large maps
-Weapon/gear rarity is in, but not as looty as Borderlands
-Basic power upgrades etc. reset each scenario, like a MOBA
-Gear gets linked to your account for permanent upgrades
-Gear can be swapped between characters
 
C

Cheat Code

Member
Split-screen is really great. Game doesn't look like something worth hopping in at launch but I'll keep it on my radar.
 
drotahorror

drotahorror

Member
The splitscreen part which they said 'ps4 and xb1 have split screen' showed both screens @ 60fps. Bet the game ends up being 30 on consoles. Shady ass developer.
 
W

Walpurgis

Banned
nealwinter said:
This game looks great! I hope they have a beta coming out, I know it was talked about a little while ago.
Click to expand...
A beta could only help at this point (assuming the game doesn't suck). Regardless, Pitchford deserves the anti-hype for this game. I would like to see it flop.
 
M

Menome

Member
drotahorror said:
The splitscreen part which they said 'ps4 and xb1 have split screen' showed both screens @ 60fps. Bet the game ends up being 30 on consoles. Shady ass developer.
Click to expand...

All that's been said screen-wise is that it's targeting 1080p for both PS4 and Xbox One. I'm going to be realistic and predict 30fps on consoles until proven otherwise.

pants said:
This is one of the ugliest games I've ever seen, my eyes want to commit soduko everytime I see it.
Click to expand...

I'm going to presume you mean seppuku, unless your eyes want to complete a number-puzzle. ;)

I don't mind the art-style at all. As they were saying on the stream, Borderlands has a graphic-novel look to it and I feel Battleborn instead has the modern Saturday-morning cartoon look going on.
 
drotahorror

drotahorror

Member
Menome said:
All that's been said screen-wise is that it's targeting 1080p for both PS4 and Xbox One. I'm going to be realistic and predict 30fps on consoles until proven otherwise.
Click to expand...

Most likely. The split screen is a console only feature from the sounds of it, and the footage is 60fps in that co-op part. If the game ends up 30fps, then obviously it was just footage of the PC game edited together.
 
M

Menome

Member
drotahorror said:
Most likely. The split screen is a console only feature from the sounds of it, and the footage is 60fps in that co-op part. If the game ends up 30fps, then obviously it was just footage of the PC game edited together.
Click to expand...

Aye. As much as I'm really looking forward to this game and have enjoyed a lot of Gearbox's work...this is still the studio that released Aliens: Colonial Marines.

I think having a Beta will be a good step towards gaining some public trust for the product, especially after the old wounds resurfaced last month. Just to show that it works as intended and isn't a massive bait-and-switch.
 
P

prudislav

Member
from what i read from some impressions and heard from podcasts about gamescom , its surprisingly enjoyable and fun to play even though it doesnt look that great i videos
 
Kssio_Aug

Kssio_Aug

Member
The art sytle is pretty great imo! I liked it a lot!
I'm still not sure if I'll get this one, but it has my attention. Great trailer btw!
 
V

Victrix

*beard*
O... overwatch?

More seriously, Gearbox has somehow wound up in the same mental bucket as the Dungeon Defender devs for me, so this game is very much wait and see.
 
M

Menome

Member
Victrix said:
O... overwatch?
Click to expand...

Battleborn was actually announced July last year, whilst Overwatch was revealed in November. Close enough time-frame that it's obvious no-one's been copying the other thankfully.

I imagine there were a few mutterings of "Oh crap.." at Gearbox when the Blizzard reveal happened though.

I've been swayed much more by Battleborn's roster so far however, even if Overwatch does feature an armoured gorilla. Phoebe, Orendi and Ambra look like they'll be my go-to characters once the game hits.
 
P

Pyros_Eien

Member
Menome said:
Battleborn was actually announced July last year, whilst Overwatch was revealed in November. Close enough time-frame that it's obvious no-one's been copying the other thankfully.

I imagine there were a few mutterings of "Oh crap.." at Gearbox when the Blizzard reveal happened though.

I've been swayed much more by Battleborn's roster so far however, even if Overwatch does feature an armoured gorilla. Phoebe, Orendi and Ambra look like they'll be my go-to characters once the game hits.
Click to expand...

Well it seems they'll be releasing well before Blizzard though, so shouldn't be too much of an issue. That said, knowing Blizzard, they'll probably run closed beta soonish, and open beta right as this releases, because Blizzard loves to fuck with the competition like that ^^.

They look like fairly different game types though. I mean sure, cartoon FPS with a large cast of heroes and stuff, but this seems to have a large focus on pve(either in a moba style kill the creeps kind of way, or survival wave type of gameplay), while Overwatch seems so far entirely based on PvP objective based gameplay(think TF2, even though it has a lot of stuff different from TF2 in the classes and such, so more like PvP part of Global Agenda imo).

I think the game that looks the closest to this is Gigantic, same cartoon style also, but also similar gameplay and type of game. Gigantic main difference is it's 3rd person, which is a slim difference.
 
M

Menome

Member
Spyder_Monkey said:
How bad is this game going to bomb and how long will it be afterwards until Borderlands 3 is in full production.
Click to expand...

If Borderlands 3 isn't already in full production, I'll eat my hat and those of three other people in the room. It's been four years since the last one, three if you count the end of the four main story-based DLCs.

It's not going to be a mega-hit, I can predict that much. Hopefully there'll be enough of a community though to keep competitive online going for a fair while.

The upside of a more limited outreach however, is that it'll be easier to become the world's best Phoebe player. ;)
 
ToyMachine228

ToyMachine228

Member
As someone who thinks the Borderlands games are highly overrated I'm looking forward to Battleborn. I think it's a natural blending of genres on consoles and of done well it could be really great. Or it could miss all the marks by trying to be too much. I'm hoping Gearbox gets it right. Looking forward to it.
 
K

king grimlock

Member
Walpurgis said:
A beta could only help at this point (assuming the game doesn't suck). Regardless, Pitchford deserves the anti-hype for this game. I would like to see it flop.
Click to expand...
What a horrible thing to say about a project that many people spent many hours creating because of one man's idiocy.
 
G

Goldenroad

Member
Is this really a "launch trailer"? Isn't a launch trailer typically a trailer released at or around launch?

NVM...obviously mis-read OP. Game looks pretty meh.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
I know it's not really fair, but after Destiny I'm extremely wary of any game that comes close to it. This looks like it has potential, but it's not really conveying the vital hook.
 
V

VanWinkle

Member
I just can't get over how much it looks like an iOS or Android or F2P game. I absolutely love Borderlands and have no problem with Gearbox, but my goodness does the game looks so low-budget.
 
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