Russian rock: how the domestic studio almost became Rockstar Games
At the turn of the millennia in Russia, a three -dimensional game was developed, combining the mechanics of the shooter and races. The protagonist made his way to the top of the criminal hierarchy, starting with a “six” and earning a reputation for increasingly responsible tasks. The main feature of the game was the freedom of action: the player could move around the seething metropolis, steal any car and kill any NPC. In January 2001, the game was canceled.
And in October of the same year, Grand Theft Auto III came out and forever changed the industry. A game that was not destined was called outlawed, and for foreign markets the project was called Project Overdrive. The publisher was the company “Buka”.
The most amazing thing is that already in the mid -2000, the finished and working build were sent to the editorial offices of gaming magazines. Now everyone can feel it – the game is available on Russian and foreign sites dedicated to old games. The author of this text may confirm that the build is launched and played on a modern laptop on Windows 10. But because of the initial dampness of the game and problems with compatibility with modern iron and to go through it, if possible, it is very difficult.
There are videos with the game gameplay on the network, but they all last no longer than a couple of tens of minutes – it does not smell like any complete passage here. It was also not possible to find a single user review. So, the game at that time was either so amusing or so boring that even the most charged enthusiasts could not go through it until the end.
On their own impressions, we can say that the game was made damn ambitious and, unfortunately, inexperienced people. It contains a graph that is really impressive for 2000, which is not inferior to Deus Ex or Hitman: Codename 47 . The range of drawing and animation of the weapon on the cut above any part of the GTA era PlayStation 2. There are completely no load screens when crossing between the street and the room. Implemented the possibility of dismembering people’s models – very similar to the first part of Soldier of Fortune . Also, transport breaks up into pieces, fragments of glasses are beaten. In the same GTA III, car damage was implemented by a simple replacement of the body model.
At the same time, the structure of the game is much more reminiscent of the first two parts of the “great car carrier”. GTA III offered a simple but full-fledged plot with KAT scenes voiced by Hollywood actors. Outlawly, everything comes down to running between employers and reading text briefings. However, perhaps these briefings were going to voice subsequently.
An interesting feature of the law is the absence of any hints of the “Russian flavor” so characteristic of our games of that era. The build posted into overall access is collected in English, all game signs and posters are also in English. Without knowing the name of the publisher, it is almost impossible to recognize Russian development. The city in which the game takes place, pleases with the size and general quality of the graphics. In all other respects, by the impression of twenty minutes of gameplay and studying the map, this is a large abstract location in the style of “megalopolis from the games of the end of the nineties”. Atmosphere of a living city characteristic of Liberty City, in the “Russian GTA” will not be able to feel. Most of cars are also abstract, disproportionate and more reminiscent of cars from children’s drawings than references to really existing models.
In one of the first missions, the player reports that the cops can chase after him if he exceeds the speed or passes the intersection “to red”. Also in the starting briefing we are warned that you should not try to speak with each person, because it can add problems. That is, the game promises to be hardcore, if not in the combat system (at a slight level of the complexity of two enemies with a firearm, it is easy to defeat with a knife), then exactly at the level of some mechanic difficult life.
It is impossible not to say that the game has a very overloaded management. The “pedestrian” scheme resembles “s.T.A.L.TO.E.P.” – there are separate buttons in order to get or remove weapons, use binoculars or first -aid kit. Sitting in the car, you can separately open the hood, trunk and each of its four doors.
The soundtrack in “Outlaw” was not noticed. Perhaps this is due to bugs – in the sound parameters you can configure the volume of music – or the developers were going to add musical accompaniment already to the release. The publisher was not said about the in-game radio in the reviews of users or in press releases of the publisher. At the same time, the presence of radio in GTA III was one of the strongest tools for creating an atmosphere. When the character met in a mission five minutes ago calls a live broadcast, it turns out to believe in such a game world.
It is hardly possible to agree with the opinion, which was often expressed in notes of the law – supposedly Buka could have ahead of Rockstar Games and become the legislator of the fashion in the industry. The team of developers needed a person who could cut off the excess and bring to mind everything else. Apparently, the publisher decided that it was impractical to spend time and money.
In her statement on the closure of the development of Buk, she said that she decided to focus on three other projects. One of them – “Access Code: Paradise” – turned out to be a relatively successful tactical role -playing game. About the second – “Talisman” – practically nothing is known. About the third – “Spell” – reviewer of the site Absolute Games wrote:
“Alas. It seems that the idea is wonderful and https://casinosnotongamcare.co.uk/review/madcasino/ the role system is peculiar, and the world is large, and many more pleasant little things, but. As a result, there is not enough, something is missing there, everything conflicts together and looks unpleasant. But native “.
The fate of the project is outlawed is what could happen to the first part S.T.A.L.TO.E.P., If not for the APPRICED, producer Din Sharp. A sad reminder that in creativity rationality and self -discipline are no less important than ambitions and fresh ideas.
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There are better screenshots from this point of view. But, as I understand it, this is from promo.
Well, in general, the graphics look like a clumsy spot is not clear what is absolutely without the effects of lighting, shadows and at least a hint of something like that.
This is where Rocks from the Rock in 2001 was the “sea of dough”, interesting?
Well, do not fight – I did not say a word either about tracing, or about other modern games. I am focusing on GTA, on Hitman, on Operation Flashpoint at least, which was also done, roughly speaking, five people on the knee. And since when, for the presence of artistic integrity, the budget was responsible for the picture? There is a billion indie game that look much better, although they have no budget or hundreds of people in the development team.
I remember the country of games with Axle Rage on the cover and a huge preview, which left the impression that our Russian exclusive PS2 is about to come out. And if I am not mistaken, console exclusives for 6 and 7 generations, our studios eventually made zero)) Yes, even, even a multi -platform up to 8 generation was a rarity.
Of these ambitious unfinished ones, all the omnipotent sorcerer can be remembered)
But it is always difficult to figure out where there is really a sincere desire to make an epicmegaproekt, and where is cynical feeding of the audience and investors fairy tales for drinking dough. It could well have been that in one studio part of the team was the first, and part – the second.
I think Axle Rage has not survived to the release for the same reason. Then we generally loved to start truly monstrous projects. One w.E.L.L. Online what was worth. The output often turned out to be Kreed, or nothing came out at all.
I am embarrassed by screenshots from other resources. Actually, the author, whether you have launched this creation yourself?
Hmm … in the first I hear about this game.
I disagree with Ivan. What are the effects of lighting? Trace could add it was necessary? Chuvak 2001, Kamon bro, developers survived as they could. The small studio tried to do something. It’s cool even to imagine that he was “dancing” to compete with the fate.
And shadows? As far as I see on the second screenshot, there are shadows, and it surprised me first. Take the games of that year – Max Payne, Hitman, JTU. (… and two of them from afar are rocks)
who had a dough the sea. And here people from Russia did it, and it is unlikely that they had a fat budget.
In this game, square models of “non -pains”, the cars are also not offset.Yes, it is obvious that it is still a file to saw and saw it, but you need to pay tribute to the developer, tried and not from afar))))
It’s a pity, maybe more money and faith in your product, maybe everything would have happened.
Yes, I launched, and there are no screenshots in the text. For some reason, the standard Win+PRTSC was not removed, but I didn’t want to dance with a tambourine. Actually, I played, as I wrote, for about 20 minutes, and something above the screenshots and footages lying on the Internet, I still would not show.
Not to bring the game to mind the publisher. I took the gun, so to speak, when you already tracked down the bear and began to aim.
I believe in comparison with the Russian developer, they had a lot of dough. And this is not a shit, but a little twisted argument to your words, “a scarlet spot is not clear why it is absolutely without the effects of lighting, shadows and at least a hint of something like that.”(There are shadows). It’s just that technically it is a sluggish designer in which it seems that it is, but it will fall apart, because there is no support. And if it came to the release, I think it would be a harace better from the technical side. And the first fees would bring money for development.
I just sincerely sympathize with our “. Then there was enthusiasm, fuse, desire. But there was no money. You understand, someone wanted to do, hired artists – they drew. And someone “wanted” wouldn’t be money, and was spinning as best he could.
And I did not understand your sharp criticism towards the developments.
And now what? There is money, but there are no talents or desire.
There are of course guys who do a good turkey, but unfortunately the problem is the same, the lack of funding.
There is of course hope for VK, which I will help with the financing of domestic developers, but I still feel that it will not bring to good. The only thing I’m waiting for atomic heart. And for some reason it seems to me that this will be the last suitable game from Russia.
And what to sympathize with? Crookedly assembled and blind pinos, which instead of walking each time falls into an epileptic seizure?
Games do not make money, games are made by people. And if the team has a billion of ambitions, but neither experience, nor money, then you can sympathize only with their level of intelligence, which gave the go-ahead that they spend so much time and time that will not be brought to the end or at least to some mind.
If you do not have guns – well, blasphemy you rush into the forest on a bear with a penny knife? Cut a cool spoon with this knife, sell it, then cut ten such spoons-linkens and sell, buy an encyclopedia about bears, explore the path, accumulate a gun, buy a gun and go to bear, and do not demonstrate your dementia and courage.
We are doing quite a lot of indie now. And indie of interesting, high -quality, diverse and “with the soul”, so there are talents, and desire. And the fact that there is no big publisher who could tower the brutal grandmothers to develop something AAA level is generally a different conversation, there is neither talents nor a desire to do it, this is a business story.
Well, looking at the attached personnel and descriptions above – the guns were not there and closely outlined.