First of all, I hope this is the right place to discuss the game because I was just observing the state of FPSes from the late 90s as games like Unreal tested the limitations of what computers were capable of when it came to 3D graphics.
But one game that suddenly caught my attention was Trespasser as the game wanted to revolutionize the FPS genre by having mechanics like enemies who could go from hungry to aggressive, as well as an invisible health bar system, but then I started to realize that the game was far too ambitious, which hurt the game the most.
Sorry if everyone knows all that already as I just wanted to share my personal observation on the game as basically I was observing the enemy AI to see if a game from way back then could have handled dynamic AI as again while I know where the game's concepts went wrong, I sometimes wonder how an FPS from back then could have used that concept.
Like a boomer style FPS where the enemies can rapidly change their emotional state by going from calm one minute, then suddenly going into aggressive mode where they use tactics that confuse the player as to put it simply, I just want to see what classic FPSes could successfully pull of what Trespasser did not do in its time.
I actually loved that game, it was so analog in the gameplay, no "move here" you were content to explore the beautiful wilderness, and the voice overs like Hammond's atmospheric echoy story interjections.... Dude...
Minnie Driver voiced the chick btw
Something about old 90s games that doesn't connect today, they make games not better in a 90s way, but just flashier and algorithmic, you dont feel like your're in a world, I literally cannot think how to convey it any better. A 90s big scope game made you feel free in that world, even weird shit like A-10 Cuba....
The last I can remember that pulled it off was F.E.A.R, but I guess the flight sims do it well, those are one trick ponies though, as awesome as they are
Trespasser is a fascinating game to look back at because it was a game that wanted to do so much in design concepts as it had a high potential.
Raptor AI meaning they could go indoors, and all AI really need the modern treatment
Even 15 years ago it still held up, but maybe the approach is fully antiquated now
It's that essence though dude, Gaben saw it, Tresspasser inspired his barrel physics in Half-Life 2
You just felt like you were in the world, no icons, no hud, full on exploration...You had noidea what gun you'd find next, and there's like 40 of them.
There's Spielberg magic in it, seeing as he made it too
What I would like to see in more FPS games is dynamic AI because I want to see how it can be implemented correctly where NPCs can change their emotional state in certain situations.
One thing that’s interesting is how they completely missed 3D acceleration when starting development. If they’d required 3D hardware and not spent resources on the software renderer, could they have finished some of their other goals?
That’s a really good question as I was wondering just what was the key mistake that hurt the game the most because I remember hearing how the studio wanted to make the game the most ambitious FPS of its time by having things like dynamic AI and a realistic gameplay design where the player couldn’t take too much damage in fights.
But somewhere along the line, something went very wrong with the game’s production process because I was looking to see what happened that caused the game to be released in such a janky state.
I think a lot of their ideas were solid, since they eventually came out as part of better games. The physics in HL2 are often cited, but a large, open island that’s responsive to your actions? That’s the Far Cry series. Enemies with goals rather than canned actions? FEAR.
The one idea that never really took off was the limb control, because you’d need today’s VR controllers to do it well. A VR remake would be interesting.
Trespasser really does feel like a VR game that was made before VR.
I played it back in the day and tend to load it up for a new game every few years. The community has helped keep it more than playable. Despite it's extreme jank and unpolished feel I find it quite enjoyable.
The physcis engine was revolutionary for the time but computers in the 90's just couldn't handle it. Also had it's dev cut quite short so is very unfinished. I still appreciate what it did for FPS games though.
Basically I wanted to discuss the game to see just where it went wrong because the developers had so much concepts planned, such as AI that can rapidly change in gameplay with the dinosaurs, but something didn’t work out.