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DZNUTZ
04-29-2002, 03:07 PM
Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter
A blend of FPS and space sim, Mace Griffin is shaping up to be one heck of a game.
By Ben Turner | Apr. 29, 2002

Game Stats
Game Type: FPS / Space Action
Developer: Warthog Entertainment
Publisher: Crave Games
Release Date: Q3 2002

Full Game Information

All Screenshots... Freshening Up the FPS

Perhaps more so than other genres, the gameplay of First Person Shooters seems prone to becoming overly repetitive if not properly infused with the creativity and thoughtful design that an AAA title demands. So it goes that for every Half-Life, we have several Mortyrs, for every No One Lives Forever we get a Daikatana and a Blood 2. With so much dreck, it's all the more gratifying when a good one appears. And from what we've seen so far, it would appear that Crave's Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter is going to be a very, very good FPS.

Starring in the titular role, Mace Griffin is a futuristic bounty hunter who, as they say, doesn't take no guff from nobody. He wasn't always in this line of work, though. In the past Griffin was a member of the elite Ranger armed forces, a group charged with keeping the peace in the distant frontiers of the Vagner System. That all changed, however, when the Rangers were undermined and disbanded by shadowy forces and Mace found himself framed for crimes he didn't commit. Sentenced to ten years in prison, Griffin emerged from the experience a vengeful and bitter man. With cold determination, he became a bounty hunter, vowing to seek revenge for the events that had ruined his life ten years before.

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the course of this mission Mace will traipse about a rich frontier universe that draws some obvious parallels to America's Old West. Crave will be using this analogy to make for some amusing little parallels, but won't be hitting players over the head with them. For example, one of Mace's early sidearms is clearly based on an Old West style six-shooter. He won't, however, be riding around on a tin horse that has red LED eyes and whinnies in the electronic monotone of a Speak 'N Read. His loss, I suppose.

Innovation Rears its Pretty Head

Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter could best be described as a mission-based FPS, but that's not entirely adequate. For one, a notable portion of the game (around 25%, the developers estimate) is spent behind the controls of various space-faring vessels as Mace travels from place to place. Unlike a traditional FPS, completing a single mission or goal may involve traveling to and from numerous locations. As a theoretical example, you may find a bounty in a planet's spaceport and watch as he jumps into a ship and takes off for the stratosphere. You'd then have to secure your own transportation, pilot it, and track him down to his next destination. Keep in mind this all of this intrigue takes place through the game's own engine, not unlike a popular FPS of the past whose title rhymes with "Half-Life."


Of course, making things go boom will be a large part of the FPS segments. Speaking of the engine, it happens to be one of the game's chief innovations. Crave has designed a custom game engine called Tusk -- Tusk allows for not only the cutting edge graphics you'd expect from a new FPS engine, but for completely seamless transitions between different areas. This was demoed to great effect for us in a sequence that started with Mace at the helm of one of the numerous spacefighters he'll control during the game. As it started, we were able to maneuver his ship around with easy, intuitive controls. There was a huge dreadnaught in the distance, so we flew towards that to get a better look. On the way there, I hit another button and suddenly the view pulled back a bit -- I'd disengaged the controls and was able to walk around the ship on foot!

After inspecting the impressive interior (and almost walking out an open hatch into space -- darn beta builds!), I walked back to the front and grabbed the sticks again. The dreadnaught was now close by. The kind folks from Crave directed me to the far end of the massive ship, where a small opening could be seen. With the grace of an elephant, I eventually managed to line up my craft and fly into what turned out to be the docking bay. As soon as we passed the threshold, autopilot kicked in to land the ship. While this was happening, I was able to disengage from the ship's controls and walk around as I pleased. When the ship landed, I jumped out of the hatch into the hangar.

At this point we were very impressed, as the entire sequence described above had taken place with no visible loading whatsoever. Through judicious use of portal-based technology, the massive gameworld is made to seem continuous and immersive, adding greatly to the suspension of disbelief. In-level loading screens are all but eliminated. This makes it seem like you're exploring one big world and not small, interconnected sub-levels. Back in the game, I found myself and my ship in a massive hangar. The detail on everything was very impressive. Most surfaces sported lovely pixel shader effects, and some also had bump mapping. The hull of the ship I flew in on looked particularly shiny, all polish and chrome. (So shiny, in fact, that it may be toned down for the final version.) Not to be outdone, the vast hangar environment was equally detailed, right down to the intricate metal rafters that supported the ceiling. While this was all well and good, the best part was that the game rendered all of this at a near-constant 60 frames per second, with only minute stutters that should be worked out in the final game. It's amazing to see a first person game with graphics of this caliber mere months after the pretty but decidedly un-smooth Halo shipped. The Xbox can be a graphical beast when developers take the time to tame it, and the second generation of Xbox software will be amazing.

Know (and Gib) Thy Enemy


Walking to the front of the ship, I found some guns lying on the ground. Now armed, I was ready to infiltrate the dreadnaught and take out some enemies. I took the elevator in front of me and I was suddenly in the innards of the ship. As explained by Crave, the cruiser was affiliated with the Order of Virtual Light, a pseudo-scientific religious cult that is gaining influence in the system. As I moved deeper, the Order was out in full force, defending viciously against the heretic intruder (ie, me). While deadly, members of the Order had a decidedly amusing appearance, sort of like a high-tech warrior but with a TV for a head, the screen of which displays a simple smiley-face conveying their current emotion. Scary? Not really. Original? Definitely. The artificial intelligence in the early version that we played was not quite there yet, but Crave has ambitious plans for the AI. Each NPC will have numerous internal attributes that will determine how they behave in different situations. For example, an enemy with a low bravery rating would be much more likely to throw down his gun and flee than one with a high rating. Each of these attributes can be set by the game's level designers, making to an AI experience that will probably not be as dynamic as Halo's, but will likely be more cohesive and satisfying.


Despite the decided lack of AI in the current version, we're happy to say that when Mace's enemies blow up, they blow up real good. Enemies in the vicinity of a rocket-propelled grenade tend to splatter into so many pieces of delicious meat, sending an alarming amount of crimson spray through the suddenly moist air. Yes, Bounty Hunter marks the triumphant return of that old FPS mainstay: gibs. Indeed, the first time we saw chunks of Mace's former enemies whirling through the air it warmed our crusty old Quake-playing hearts.

But, no sooner were we getting into the carnage than it was time for the game to leave. From what we've seen, Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter is one of those rare games that comes out of nowhere, knocks you to the floor, and leaves you begging for more. With its unique blend of first person shooting, space simming and real-time plot elements, Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter is definitely worth getting excited about. We'll have more on this game from E3, where Crave will be exhibiting the first complete level. Until then, check out the new trailer on FilePlanet and visit the official site to read up on the rich backstory of Mace's universe. It's good stuff, and should help prepare you for your stint of duty as a Bounty Hunter later this year. •
http://www.planetxbox.com/features/previews/2002/macegriffin/index2.shtml

l Maximus l
04-29-2002, 03:20 PM
Awesome info, yet again, DZNUTZ! I'm all over this game....Mmm....FPSs and Beeeeeer :D

DZNUTZ
04-29-2002, 03:27 PM
thanx max....too bad its not gonna have multiplayer modes...but oh well...hopefully the game makes some great breakthroughs.

btw...go back a few pages and take a look at my new update on deathrow...

you'll LUV IT!!!! and if u reply others that haven't seen it will be in for a treat.

DaturaX
04-29-2002, 04:06 PM
I saw the video on OXM's June disk.Gonna keep my eye on this one for sure.Should be a interesting game indeed.

l Maximus l
04-29-2002, 04:08 PM
Originally posted by DZNUTZ
thanx max....too bad its not gonna have multiplayer modes...but oh well...hopefully the game makes some great breakthroughs.

btw...go back a few pages and take a look at my new update on deathrow...

you'll LUV IT!!!! and if u reply others that haven't seen it will be in for a treat.

Sweet! Can you post a link to the thread? That would be awesome! :)

DZNUTZ
04-29-2002, 04:12 PM
whoa!~!! i didnt' see a video for this game on that disc...i'm checking again as soon as i get home.

DZNUTZ
04-29-2002, 04:26 PM
don't point and laugh max (and the rest of u) but i don't know how...right now that deathrow thread and a turok thread that i think u would be interested in max..can be found on page 4

DaturaX
04-29-2002, 06:54 PM
DZNUTZ,just hit Y at the tittle screen on June's OXM disk and it will show it.I often overlook those vids myself.

DZNUTZ
04-30-2002, 12:36 PM
checked it out...prett cool...to bad no multi....i'll have to wait and get more info before its release..probably a must own though...to bad no multiplayer option:(

and yeah i usually do check the y screen zoom feature...but they usually list the content that shows their....this month they didn't..thats y i thought i already saw everything on the disc.

l Maximus l
04-30-2002, 01:02 PM
Bummer :(

I was hoping for more FPS multi-player games...it just seems to me that Bounty Hunter would be a great one for that! Oh well...I'll end up getting it anyway...it just looks sweet, but, it won't be a Halo.