Could Serious Sam 4 take the series back to its roots?

[PootisMayo]

We still know that the so-called Serious Sam 4 is still in development, and that it's a prequel to SS3. But some things just spark my mind from time to time, and here's one of them: Could SS4 be more reminiscent of the Classic Encounters even though it's a prequel of BFE?

[Skorly]

They did say they wanted to make SS4 more like TSE in an interview I think (I can't find that interview for the life of me tho). So yeah, it's probably possible.

[Serious Sam(BG)]

Well, SS3 did it successfully, SS4 must polish some minor issues and keep the line and it will be a good game.

[Discy]

I love how people throw the "back to the roots" around in every entertainment form. What is your definition of Sam's roots, and how did the franchise stray from it?

[Serious Sam(BG)]

Originally Posted by Discy

I love how people throw the "back to the roots" around in every entertainment form. What is your definition of Sam's roots, and how did the franchise stray from it?

var Roots = Sam.Game(Console.ReadLine());

It's not near to "accurate" but you got the point

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by Serious Sam(BG)

var Roots = Sam.Game(Console.ReadLine());

It's not near to "accurate" but you got the point

This sounds like your definition of Sam's roots is open for interpretation (user input)

[Artman40]

Back to its roots may not be the best option. Rather it's probably good to analyze what each installment did the best and then combine them together.

And then add features that enhance the core gameplay mechanics (dodging enemy attacks, choosing right weapons and prioritizing targets).

[Serious Sam(BG)]

Originally Posted by Scratch

This sounds like your definition of Sam's roots is open for interpretation (user input)

Isn't it irl?

[LordAngus]

SS never left it's roots except with SS2 which is eventually going to be "fixed" (remade).

[Poorchop]

One could argue that melee and things like the scoped assault rifle were pretty big departures. Huge, flat, open areas were also eschewed in favor of a more claustrophobic metropolis in ruins. I personally don't think that SS3 strayed from the roots of the series but stylistically, it felt quite different from TFE/TSE. My guess would still be that 4 will pretty much just be like 3 but that would still be mostly fine by me as long as it gets released within my lifetime.

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by LordAngus

SS never left it's roots except with SS2 which is eventually going to be "fixed" (remade).

Honestly I kinda hope it doesn't.. at least, if nothing is changed from the original aside from the engine. I liked Sam2 for its silliness. I don't want that to change.

[Discy]

Originally Posted by Poorchop

One could argue that melee and things like the scoped assault rifle were pretty big departures. Huge, flat, open areas were also eschewed in favor of a more claustrophobic metropolis in ruins. I personally don't think that SS3 strayed from the roots of the series but stylistically, it felt quite different from TFE/TSE. My guess would still be that 4 will pretty much just be like 3 but that would still be mostly fine by me as long as it gets released within my lifetime.

I suppose Croteam wrote themselves into a corner by making Sam3 take place in Sam's current timeline's Egyptian ruins. Their color has been corroded away long ago. Also Croteam focused more on realistic environments, so everything feels smaller because Sam can't jump his own height anymore. But I agree that the level design of Sam3 felt lackluster at times, the huge sprawling Egyptian ruins played really well and I definitely feel that the open ended-ness should stay, but it missed a lot of the creative surprises and verticality.

Originally Posted by Scratch

Honestly I kinda hope it doesn't.. at least, if nothing is changed from the original aside from the engine. I liked Sam2 for its silliness. I don't want that to change.

For people that feel that way there's still Sam2. Just like I still prefer the Classics over HD because their gameplay feels mechanically more solid.

[Scratch]

Yeah but if the classics can have an HD, and so can Sam 3 (in Fusion) then why not Sam 2? Sam 2 HD was mentioned a few times, not "Sam 2 Remastered" or whatever. I think if they change Sam 2 from the way it was a lot of fans will be disappointed. (I know I would probably be)

I would love to play Sam 2 in a modern engine, but I don't want the silliness of it to go away.

Anyway, this is kind of offtopic, sorry

[LordAngus]

Solais has made it clear that CT plans on toning down the silliness with the SS2 remake. But still, it should be a little silly (which SS always was anyway).

[Serious Sam(BG)]

I miss classic FE bigheads... They were saying their names when they are close, not just "Hello". Classic SE bigheads angels and devils also were unique. The first ones were saying "Pak s tebu" (again with you), and the second ones - "Come to daddy". Now all of them just repeat "Hello", which is... Not that funny.

[Discy]

Actually, the angel bigheads are saying "pax tecum", which is Latin for "may peace be with you." In fact, the sound file is called PeaceWithYou.wav (you can find it in ModelsMP\Enemies\Mental in Classic TSE).

[NoMercy Rider]

Am I the only one who doesn't really care about "fixing" the issues with SS2 and doing a remake? Yes, it is thematically very different from all other SS titles, but I still think it fills a nice niche and I enjoyed it a lot (10x more with the Insamnity mod). I just feel like CT time and effort would be better served progressing the story further, instead of doing prequels and remaking older titles. I won't mind if it's a side project taking the efforts of a few people, but I'd rather see original titles than remakes.

[Serious Sam(BG)]

Originally Posted by Discy

Actually, the angel bigheads are saying "pax tecum", which is Latin for "may peace be with you." In fact, the sound file is called PeaceWithYou.wav (you can find it in ModelsMP\Enemies\Mental in Classic TSE).

Never checked the file, I rely only on my hearing... Thanks for this, Discy!

[Poorchop]

I appreciate the remakes. Sam HD is one of my favorite series of all time. The visuals really enhanced the games for me. Frankly when it comes to Sam, I'm not playing the games for the story. Badass dude battles against insane immortal demigod and blows up a lot of stuff along the way. What more do you need?

That's not to say that I'm not interested in advances in the story but more Sam is always welcome whether it's a remake or a new entry. With the case of Sam 2, it seems as if it's going to be drastically different mechanically and visually, so it might as well be a new game anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with it.

[Skorly]

I find it weird that they even make a remake of SS2 because

[Spoiler]

nothing in the game matters anyway.

[Catonator]

Originally Posted by Discy

Actually, the angel bigheads are saying "pax tecum", which is Latin for "may peace be with you." In fact, the sound file is called PeaceWithYou.wav (you can find it in ModelsMP\Enemies\Mental in Classic TSE).

Huh, so the angelheads are called "Mental" internally? Is this some sort of great conspiracy?!?!?!

I'm a bit confused. None of the Serious Sam games have really departed from the roots. All of them have been fast and frantic shooters where you fight hordes upon hordes of enemies in ginormous arenas.

I think the series could depart from its roots a bit more and take a few lessons from enemy, level and weapon design in Doom 2016. Even though I dearly love the series, it's always a bit more difficult to replay the games, and some of the smaller nitpicks and nags have turned into pretty annoying funkillers growing up.

[LordAngus]

Originally Posted by Discy

Actually, the angel bigheads are saying "pax tecum", which is Latin for "may peace be with you." In fact, the sound file is called PeaceWithYou.wav (you can find it in ModelsMP\Enemies\Mental in Classic TSE).

Is "tecum" pronounced tess um or tek um?

[Discy]

Originally Posted by James989

Huh, so the angelheads are called "Mental" internally? Is this some sort of great conspiracy?!?!?!

All the bigheads are referred to as "Mental" internally in TFE/TSE. It's all part of a huge conspiracy.

Originally Posted by LordAngus

Is "tecum" pronounced tess um or tek um?

In the sound file it's pronounced tek um.

[Serious Sam(BG)]

No matter what, why this change was made at all? They have the files, why instead of this they used the "Hello", which sounds more like SS2 simbas...

[Discy]

Because times change. The First Encounter was released in 2001, when Croteam was just a small company. TFE HD was released in 2011, so people who were a bighead then might not work there anymore, and a lot of people who worked on TFE HD weren't a bighead then so it might feel unfair to only keep the old names.

[Scratch]

Calling people bigheads, I love it

[Serious Sam(BG)]

So there was a guy, called "Moses"?

***

TFE HD was released in 2009, SE HD - 2010, SS3 - 2011. If they want - they can record names for the new "bigheads" and keep the idea.

[Discy]

Originally Posted by Serious Sam(BG)

So there was a guy, called "Moses"?

According to a certain ancient bookwork there was.

Originally Posted by Serious Sam(BG)

TFE HD was released in 2009, SE HD - 2010, SS3 - 2011. If they want - they can record names for the new "bigheads" and keep the idea.

You're right, I wrote that post in a bit of a hurry and I thought of 2011.

[Dave3d]

Hearing the 'Hello' 200,000 times in 2 just, well, sucked.
It got to be so annoying, I could barely enjoy any of the gameplay at all.
I am glad they removed it in the HD version, as it would have been instantly a game killer for, even for that fewminutes the big heads come out.
I hope thats the reason they removed it, and not because the team changed. Because, that to me would mean that they have learned from their mistake, which bodes well for them learning what things were wrong with ss3.
Just my opinion.

[FreekNik]

I really hope that SS4 will be true to classic roots, but at the same time I honestly doubt that. Croteam always goes into different extremes with each Serious Sam game after TSE. I don't think it'll ever be the same anymore. I'm already concerned about Davor Tomicic's words about their desire to make a game with "the biggest levels and biggest amount of enemies". To me, it's the same extreme as "small levels and way too little enemies" - can be tedious and boring. What I've always considered to be the "roots" of Serious Sam games is not only big ass, open wide and plain levels with overwhelming amount of enemies, but also a nice incorporation of interesting indoor locations and areas somewhat similar to old-school FPS games of the 90s (albeit completely linear) with some verticality to them. There was also a great feeling of adventure to classic Serious Sam games, you felt like this cool Indiana Jones guy, combining gunning down bad guys with nice exploration aspect in a lovely living world where some divine and crazy things could happen sometimes! It was like uncovering 7 wonders of the world - you could visit places that noone ever seen before. I'm afraid that SS4 will fall into the same problem as SS3 - dead, boring world with very huge and plain realistic evironments, very huge amount of enemies coming in waves, but at the same time it'll have silly enemies, silly jokes and weird gameplay sections. Though I still have some hopes, just not that high, and I hope I'll be wrong in the end as well and the game'll be much better than I expect nowadays.