NGDT Announces Razion

[cube_b3]

via Dreamcast-Scene
http://www.dreamcast-scene.com/news/ngd ... es-razion/

This is an interesting bit of news, NG:Dev.Team just announced Razion an upcoming horizontal sh'mup scheduled for Autumn 2014 for the Neo-Geo a Dreamcast port has not been announced.

I was quite surprised when I received the press release from the German based studio, I couldn't understand how they could announce another game so soon. They just released Neo XYX on Feb 24th 2014 and the studio is still fairly small in size. Although things became increasingly clear once I had a look at the trailer.<!--more-->

Razion is fundamentally Dux overhauled for Neo-Geo. Here are some of the additions/changes.

* Most notably the color scheme has been inverted. Dux emphasized bright colors where as Razion is all about darkness.
* The players will be controlling the Veteran ship that was featured in Redux: Dark Matters which basically means the game has been retooled with an increased emphasis on reflexes. The Veteran ship lacks the bullet absorption shield, which will necessitate the players to dodge bullets.
* The game is primarily a 2D sh'mup with 3D effects. Enemies seamlessly transitioning from foreground to midground. Redux: Dark Matters utilized a lot more 3D effects than Dux, but this is taking things to the next level and it looks great.
* Significant changes have also been made to the levels, changing enemy layouts and bullet patterns but the game is still unmistakably Dux.
* In later stages, several new enemies are added such as the Terminator inspired sub boss.
* Significant work has been done on the bosses, in Dux they were all static enemies that fired projectiles. Over here they seem to be slightly smaller in size which allows them to move around the screen. It would also make each boss different, where as in Dux they were all very similar.
* A new Terminator inspired boss has also been introduced.

I have mixed feelings about this reveal. On one hand I am happy that the Neo-Geo audiences will finally experience Dux, but it is unfortunate that they won't experience the same game.

The comments on YouTube were interesting as well, Dreamcast owners were present in the comments and many acknowledged the similarity to Dux including <a href="http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/">GagaMan</a> who aptly dubbed the game Dux 3.0.  Then there were those Dreamcast fans who asked when/if it would be coming to Dreamcast?

I asked myself do I really want to play another version of Dux?

Maybe if it is released for 10$. I can't see myself paying Play-Asia's usual 45$ fee.

For comparisons sake here is a video of Dux 1.5 followed by a video of Redux: Dark Matters:

The full press release:
<blockquote>Dear NEOGEO customers,

we are happy to show our new NEOGEO game RAZION.

RAZION is a horizontal 1560 MEGS CGI shooting game.
The score system is based on growing gold cubes and using the beam.

It has 2 game modes (NOVICE/NORMAL):

Novice mode is significantly easier and will allow more people to enjoy the great graphics and music.
Normal mode is a more maniac experience.

More information and screen shots can be found on the official website:

http://razion.ngdevteam.com

But best watch for yourself in the first trailer for the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyByt-9xyMM

Development is completed 80%. We are aiming at a MVS release in autumn 2014.

The game is immediately available for preorder.

For the first time we offer both the [LE] Limited Edition and [RE] Regular Edition from day one. An AES version will follow after we shipped "NEO XYX AES" and "PINK BULLET AES".

Shop: http://www.ngdevdirect.com/

Best regards,
NG : DEV . TEAM</blockquote>

[DaMadFiddler]

Oh... another space shooter. Huzzah?

Not that I'm complaining about a new Dreamcast game being released, but I was really hoping they'd start branching out more into "adjacent" genres, like they did with GunLord. We've had plenty of space shooters (the DC may, at this point, be better for that than just about any other system), there are several homebrew puzzle games, and we're even getting a couple new RPGs with the eventual release of Pier Solar and now Elysian Shadows. There's been precious little in terms of other types of action games.

Bring on the platformers!

[cube_b3]

This is not another Dreamcast game and I hope it doesn't come on Dreamcast.

At least not as a retail game. I am fine with it as freeware or as a hidden bonus on the eventual bug fixed version of Redux: Dark Matters.

As for Gun Lord, I tried playing it. The game is a barebones port. I do not have the patience to play those massive stages over and over again. If it had a save or a password feature where I could pick up where I left off I might have been more inclined to play the game.

Evem as a studio that makes Sh'mups NGDT really needs to up their game, we live in a post Sturmwind world. This game is basically a horizontal version of Fast-Striker with assets taken from Dux. Lame. It would've been nicer if they just ported Dux to the Neo-Geo because that game had an amazing art style but with the colors inverted it looks like just another sh'mup.

[DaMadFiddler]

To be fair, Sturmwind was developed specifically for Dreamcast, and had been in some form of development for well over a decade.

NGDT's model is quite different. They develop games for Neo-Geo, then port them to Dreamcast and other platforms. You should go in with the expectation that you're buying a port of a Neo-Geo game, not something developed from the ground up for DC. That doesn't bother me, so long as it's reflected in the price.

What does bother me is the rut they seem to have fallen into of "another year, another space shooter." The DC has plenty of space shooters, and enough truly outstanding ones that an annual middle-of-the-road entry, even for a "dead" console, isn't really going to stand out.

GunLord seemed like the first experimentation with taking that experience in another direction, and I'd have loved to see them explore that direction more. At this point, I think NGDT could pull off a really good run-and-gun platformer. They could probably even manage a hack'n'slash dungeon crawler, along the lines of the Gauntlet series. Both of those genres would draw from their experience with sh'mups, and could still be feasible NeoGeo releases.

[cube_b3]

To be fair, Sturmwind was developed specifically for Dreamcast, and had been in some form of development for well over a decade.

NGDT's model is quite different. They develop games for Neo-Geo, then port them to Dreamcast and other platforms. You should go in with the expectation that you're buying a port of a Neo-Geo game, not something developed from the ground up for DC. That doesn't bother me, so long as it's reflected in the price.

The price! It all comes to the price.

Sturmwind (Best Sh'mup Period) = 45$
Fast-Strike (Best Sh'mup from NGDT) = 45$
Dux 1.5 (Best Sh'mp from Hucast) = 45$

Ideally this is what the price shuld've been:
Sturmwind = 50$
Dux 1.5 = 30$
Fast-Striker = 20$

What does bother me is the rut they seem to have fallen into of "another year, another space shooter." The DC has plenty of space shooters, and enough truly outstanding ones that an annual middle-of-the-road entry, even for a "dead" console, isn't really going to stand out.

GunLord seemed like the first experimentation with taking that experience in another direction, and I'd have loved to see them explore that direction more. At this point, I think NGDT could pull off a really good run-and-gun platformer. They could probably even manage a hack'n'slash dungeon crawler, along the lines of the Gauntlet series. Both of those genres would draw from their experience with sh'mups, and could still be feasible NeoGeo releases.

Razion is just filler. I believe Timm already stated last year on Facebook that 2014 will bring something different from them instead of a sh'mup. In response to fans who were not excited for Neo XYX. Since that game needs work they are going with this to bring in some cash.
http://www.dreamcast-scene.com/intervie ... e-hellwig/

In my interview with Rene, he shared with me that development on Fast-Striker started in 2004 and took basically 6 years where as GunLord was actually conceived in 2003 and didn't come out till 2011; off course they weren't full time devs and that caused further delays.

[Christuserloeser]

My thoughts on this game:

1. Yes, it looks like a step back from GunLord and NeoXYX.

And that's because it is! This is a spritiual sequel to Last Hope, not GunLord or NeoXYX.

And the graphics are done by Rene Hellwig - who did Last Hope and Fast Striker but not GunLord and Neo XYX.

This is the first game the Hellwig brothers have been working on together since Fast Striker.


2. It looks a lot like Redux.

Yes, it looks like Redux, because the graphics in both games were done by Rene Hellwig.

And it looks like Redux because it runs in the Neo Geo's standard 320x240 resolution - like Redux does due to problems when porting the game to Dreamcast. (The original Dux was made for Dreamcast and runs in 640x480, Redux was made for Windows PCs and Xbox 360 and ran in 1280x720 before being down-ported to Dreamcast)

It also looks like Redux because it is another horizontal shmup just like Redux - and Last Hope, ngdevteams very first game.

But it is not yet another Dux/Redux reprint. These games were made for Dreamcast (Dux) and Windows (Redux). RAZION is written for NEO-GEO and the game itself was designed by Timm Hellwig. It is not based on Dux or Redux but on Last Hope - which in turn was based on Pulstar, which in turn was based on R-Type.

Dux/Redux obviously share this influence which is why the games appear so similar to the untrained eye, yet the underlying engine is completely different.


3. Yes, it seems like a filler to bridge the gap for their next games.

2d pixel art like ngdevteam used in GunLord and NeoXYX is time consuming and expensive. Reviving the Last Hope concept and working together again for the first time since 2010 most likely allowed the Hellwig brothers to catch a breath financially, and to gain some time. We do know that Rene Hellwig/hucast is working on Ghost Blade and Timm Hellwig/ngdevteam is working on three other games for at least three years now according to the 'Jobs' section at their website: a Run 'n Gun (like GunLord), a military-themed multi-directional shooter (like Granada on MD, or perhaps Ikari Warriors?) and a Metroidvania-style game.

That said, we do not know how long development for RAZION took. So take the claim of this being "just a filler" with a grain of salt. For me the announcement of RAZION certainly was a nice surprise! I expected their next game to be released sometime in 2015.

[cube_b3]

Your rationalization that it is artistically similar and not the same is silly.
Christ, NGDT has confirmed that the assets are external. Which means they have infact taken the artwork done for Dux.

[Christuserloeser]

YT comment: "Is DUX for Neo Geo?"
NGDEVTEAM reply: "No. The game is designed by NGDEVTEAM. Only the graphics were external." (read: by Rene of Hucast)

- this is the comment you're basing your entire argument on.

If they'd have "taken the artwork done for Dux" you would find more than just a few similarities between Dux or Redux and RAZION. I cannot find ANYTHING directly lifted from Redux nor Dux. All similarities are superficial and easily explained due to the fact that Rene did them using the same software he used for his previous work - and not because they've ripped them straight out of Dux or Redux.

[cube_b3]

I will say that they aren't ripped off.
They have been modified, anything beyond that we can agree to disagree.

We are not going to see eye to eye on this one, old friend.

[Christuserloeser]

Ok, let's agree to disagree then.

[cube_b3]

Bump it?

[Christuserloeser]

Bump it!

[cube_b3]

Trailer 2 revealed

Opinion
http://www.dreamcast-scene.com/news/ngd ... trailer-2/

[Christuserloeser]

After the phenomenal backlash on Redux and Razion's announcement it is not at all surprising not to see a Dreamcast version announced yet. I really, really hope they'd change their mind but somehow I doubt it. And a part of me thinks we'd deserve it.

I've talked to them via email and facebook over the past weeks and while they replied to almost all of my questions they did ignore anything regarding a Dreamcast release

We do take these games for granted by now but they're not. Not at all.

[cube_b3]

Umm... I can't speak for the entire community but I see no loss for the Dreamcast community with the absence of this game. I think it is a good thing that it is not coming.

I think NGDT would need to re-evaluate their Dreamcast strategy for the future with proper games like Elysian Shadows, Pier Solar, and Hypertension on the horizon barebones Neo-Geo ports are not going to work as full price games.

P.S. You already did 1 news post on Razion, you don't need to do another one. Especially since their is no mention of Dreamcast.

[Christuserloeser]

Umm... I can't speak for the entire community but I see no loss for the Dreamcast community with the absence of this game. I think it is a good thing that it is not coming.

You do not speak for the community, that is correct, but you do abuse your position to push your agenda down everyone's throat. Because of your position at various Sega websites you are representing the very communitiy you cannot speak for.

I think NGDT would need to re-evaluate their Dreamcast strategy for the future with proper games like Elysian Shadows, Pier Solar, and Hypertension on the horizon barebones Neo-Geo ports are not going to work as full price games.

1. Some of us are 16-bit fans (I for one) who actually do prefer 16-bit games over modern games. I like these games better than any full price PS4 game. I would pay 10x times the money for a game like this - and I am not alone, as crazy as it might seem to you.

2. You have no idea what you are talking about. These "barebone Neo-Geo ports" are every bit as complex as the games you just mentioned. We know for a fact that Last Hope and Gun Lord were in the works for more than half a decade until they found their way on Dreamcast. Last Hope probably even longer. Here's the process: Developing the tools and engine, developing the game itself and creating its graphics/sounds/music, testing and refining the game, creating the tools and engine for the Dreamcast port, porting the game to Dreamcast, testing and refining the port. A phenomenal amount of work went into this over many many years just to have someone like you piss on it.

- How about you just don't buy the game instead of publicly complaining about it in an editorial piece on Dreamcast Scene BEFORE it's even released?

[cube_b3]

1) Much love from me to you.
2) Duke Nukem Forever was in development for over a decade it did not stop it from being a pile of shit.
3) I have extensively played all games from the Hellwig brothers except Neo XYX. I find their games average at best.
4) I do have some strong prejudice about 8/16 bit games, I hated W&W before I even played it but I eventually learned to respect the art style and design choices. The same can not be said about minimalist functions of NGDT/Hucast can you explain why a game years in development doesn't even have Haptic support.
5) I discuss my news posts with professional editors from the video game industry like Chris Powell and even big time sceners like GagaMan and AdamKoralik and they tent to agree with my reporting.
6) Read 1 again.

[Christuserloeser]

Oh, I am sure if you ask the right people you can get confirmation for ANY point of view you might have.

4) I do have some strong prejudice about 8/16 bit games

Yes, I know. That's why I wrote what I wrote.

I come from the complete other end of the spectrum. 8-bit and 16-bit is all I ever play, really. If all new Dreamcast games were 3d games I would probably be EXACTLY as skeptic about them as you are about ngdevteam's games - but I would still not post about them negatively on a public site because I know that there might be people out there who would appreciate these games more than I do. My opinion is not "god's word" so to speak, and neither is yours.

[|darc|]

I come from the complete other end of the spectrum. 8-bit and 16-bit is all I ever play, really.

Same here, though I wasn't too fond of ngdevteam's games either. I thought they were too simple and overpriced, but I still bought them to support the scene and Dreamcast development.

[cube_b3]

Second 8-Bit games on Nes have even had better presentation, by presentation I am talking about the main menu, in game pause screen menu and HUD's. I am sure I could find pre 8 bit games as well with better menu's cause all they really have is the same ugly font for everything. It is minimalist to a fault and I don't care what end of the spectrum you are cause that is just bad.

I have also mentioned they do not support basic features like ABXY + Start = Reset and the aforementioned rumble pack support. More over, the audio is not optimized for Dreamcast or even Neo-Geo. This is especially apparent in GunLord when the music gets muffled when their is an explosion. Then we have the atrocious inaudible voices, I honestly have no idea what weapon I collect in the game. Sports Games with audio commentary are proof that even the fucking mega drive could produce better sound so you can't use 16-bit as an excuse.

Try and be a little unbiased Christ, I don't have anything against them. I would have even bought NeoXYX if I was in a more stable financial situation.