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"My Luigi's Mansion preview."

When I first heard of Luigiís Mansion, to be perfectly honest, I thought it was going to be a corny, stupid game, which would be advertised by the Ghostbusterís slogan ìWho ya gonna call? Lu-igi!î But after I saw the Luigiís Mansion video clips from Space World, I promptly changed my mind about this game.
The video clip really showed off Luigiís Mansionís graphics, including the amazing lightning blasts. The sound effects were really funny as Luigi cried out for his brother and the whistling in the wind.
The brilliant thing about the graphics in Luigiís Mansion is that all the graphics are basically the same, both while playing and through cut scenes. The characters look great, as the cartooned Luigi moves you can see him chattering in fear as his nose wobbles around and his cold breath can be seen in the air as it leaves Luigiís mouth. Nintendo have made a great use of shadows and lights in this game, especially when lightning flashes and Luigiís shadow suddenly appears behind him. The ghostís look amazing, because when they move around the house you can partially see through them but you can still see a vague picture of the background and when lightning strikes they disappear in a flash and the reflections in the mirror are brilliant, this game really shows off the power of the GameCube as the graphics arenít just straight lines or grainy, there really crisp clear graphics.
Luigiís Mansion, even though it may sound a bit stupid at first, is a very original game, itís one of the first, if not the first, Spook ëem up game. The reason why itís such an original game is that itís a bit of a mix between the fishing on Ocarina of Time for the N64, whilst catching ghostís and amazing kind of puzzles from the Banjo series. Luigiís Mansionís such a new and different kind of game, which seems like it will be a totally new experience, which is what I look for in a new title.
The one thing I worried about this game when I first heard of it was the lastability. I really didnít think that walking around, catching ghosts, would last, it might get repetitive. But when you see some of the puzzles in this game itís easy to see that it will last a while. If the playability isnít too repetitive this game should last quite a while because there seems to be a lot of puzzles and things to do, but it wonít last if itís not playable. I personally think that it will be very playable because looking at the Marioís (Marioís and Luigiís last name) past, all his games have lasted for ages like Mario 64 and Mario All Stars.
Compared to Mario 64, Luigiís Mansion is a 3D game but set out as a 2D game. This is a totally new way to set out a game, thereís only one camera angle like a 2D, but it has 3D graphics. I think that this could be the future of Adventure games. I prefer the idea to Mario 64ís because itís never been done before and seems like a funny new test to see Nintendoís ability to make any kind of game a classic. Iím glad itís not like all the other Mario games that have come out, the way itís set out seems to be a bit like both Mario games for the N64. The classic Mario 64ís cartooned graphics but set out like the 2D Paper Mario.
It came out 14th September in Japan, coming out 18th of November in the US and will hit the UK in March 2002 as a launch title for the GameCube. Published and developed by Nintendo this 1 player Adventure should be a classic Mario game and an ace launch title.

Shocktrooper wrote:

Because the game is based on a 'spooky' theme, there's no real need for quality, noticeable textures, because you should really notice them. Don't use this as a poor excuse to start saying that the developers were lazy, because they're not. I can't wait for the game, it's as simple as that.

*****

First off, you do need good textures in a game... and just because the game is spooky doesn't mean you can't see anything... I've played the game and you can see a lot more than you can in other games... There are hardly any very dark areas, and in fact, I don't think there is ever a non-cutscene part where you're in complete darkness! The game is by no means a survival horror... or even a horror... it's more of a comedy act... with Miyamoto emphasising the babyishness of Luigi...

The storyline isn't what you think either...

Luigi wins the Mansion in a contest, Mario finds out... goes there and gets lost... toad does the same and tries to find him... you (Luigi) have to rescue Mario and restore the Ghosts to the paintings, or the basement...

Trust me.... the textures need to be good... You DO need good textures in any game if you're to be applauded for the work on the graphics.... you can have flashy semi-transparent ghosts, but if the textures of other areas of the graphics department let the game down, you lose marks...

Secondly, I didn't say that the game was an Excuse for Miyamoto to make a 'below-par' game... and I didn't even say it was a bad game... but i'm saying, that with the talent he has, and the texturing abilities the Gamecube has... the textures could be better... and from purely a technical point of view, the game could be seen as disappointing!

*Breathes...*

There! I don't think i'll get the game straight away because it's a bit short... i'll get it in time... but there are other games I want to play first...

Word...

I don't think the game has any 'faults' in the texturing departement. In fact, I think iy looks utterly superb as it is - I don't want it to change.

I don't know what video clip you were watching, matey, but it must of been slightly 'faulty' itself.

Judgeing by the video clips of what I've seen of Luigi's Mansion, the texturing has been 'tweeked' to perfection. The colour scheme is in pefect combination with the spooky atmosphere intended by Shigsy, and even if the texture side of the game could be slightly increased, it wouldn't quite work as well as it does now - bland-ISH textures that work in harmony with the lighting effects that Luigi's Mansion has EXCLUSIVE to it. Because the game is based on a 'spooky' them, there's no real need for quality, noticeable textures, because you should really notice them. Don't use this as a poor excuse to start saying that the developers were lazy, because they're not. I can't wait for the game, it's as simple as that.

Shocktrooper.

I'm not 'FM' I've used this name for about a year on-line... I only have one account...

Word.

Own up...who popped this? Allow it to sink for reasons I am not allowed to say :P

VKTR

FM?

Is that your second account?

(clearly not used much - 3 posts in 252 days? ;-D)


I don't remember seeing bland textures but I've only seen a primitive video.

The fact that it was the only thing you could find wrong with it shows that Nintendo games can't be all that bad...

My hopes for Luigi's Mansion were shattered in a 47 second video-clip. Being the texturing monster it is, the Gamecube was locked and loaded, ready to unleash the texturing fire that could have burned a title with such potential into our hearts... But Miyamoto didn't see it like that... with 'Christmas' fidgiting impatiently at the bottom of the up-escalator and approching unnervingly quickly, he had to do something...

Before I carry on, I have loads of respect for the man, and I don't believe Luigi's Mansion was at all a cop-out for release-date sales!

But with a texturing masterpiece in his hands, Miyamoto dropped the ball... the result? Terrible textures... if/when you play Luigi's Mansion you'll notice the bland textures... everything is quite simple... okay... so simple isn't always bad (Super Monkey Ball), but for a flagship title, on the console that Nintendo hope will change the flow of gamers purchases and the market share figures Luigi's Mansion didn't impress too many people...

Lots of people will call Black White and Real-Time Lighting Cel-Shading until the cows come home, in order to defend their favourite company, but Ninty or no Ninty... you have to admit, Miyamoto held back on the textures... who knows why... maybe he wanted to show the GC's power through PIKMIN, Mario Sunshine or The Legend of Zelda, either way, Luigi's Mansion seemed to be short changed in the texturing department...

Having said all this and moaned a little about it, it doesn't REALLY matter.... picky technological boffs may well shun the game, but gaming has always been about gameplay... good graphics nowadays are thought nothing of, unless they're very special... To keep up with the market games need to look good... it's a raised standard that developers need to follow to survive... good gameplay though, seperates the good the bad and the ugly. And having played Luigi's Mansion in Swindon, I can tell you that the blanded textures will harm no-one.... except maybe a few Playstation 2 fans that begin to cry when they realise people don't care... and that the game is a great one!

My verdict? The game will sell systems, but as soon a PIKMIN arrives in stores, Luigi's Mansion will only be remembered as the Miyamoto launch title that made was for his Gamecube masterpieces... Luigi will be overshadowed by Mario once again.... but not because of lack of gameplay... but because the game is nowhere near Miyamoto's best.

Word.

I read it all.

I think that posts like this should go in the Nintendo forum.

The topics in chat disappear under tonnes of spamming.

If you put it in the Nintendo forum then it'll stay around longer.

Nice detailed posts to both of you.

Bodgemeister wrote:
> I think it makes for a worthy read


Evidently not.

I played Luigi's Mansion at The Nintendo Show earlier this year. Here's what I wrote about Luigi's Mansion in my report back from the event. Please forgive the length, but I think it makes for a worthy read:

------------------------------------------------------------

Luigiís Mansion.

Nintendo were obviously keen to push Luigiís Mansion. It took up a whole quarter of the available Game Cube units, which, considering it was 100% complete, isnít all that surprising. Promoting any launch title, especially when the launch itself is mere months away, takes priority at a games show - and given that The Nintendo Show is the last games show before said launch, you can understand how Nintendo thought it vital that Luigi maintained a high presence.

As soon as you start playing Luigiís Mansion, itís clear where it got its inspiration from. Not only does it mimic top film Ghostbusters in concept, but also in style, and the result makes Luigiís Mansion a surprisingly delightful game to watch, let alone play. The general premise of using a vacuum cleaner to suck ghosts up is an uncomplicated one, but there are a wealth of other, supplemental ideas to keep the title from becoming simplistic.

Like, for instance, having to shine a torch in a spiritís eyes before vacuuming it up. This startles them, giving you the opportunity to put your inhaling machine to good use. The way the ghosts appear from behind Luigi is a neat one; the skinny plumber shrieks in a less than heroic fashion and jumps a little way off the ground before control of him is returned to the player. This in turn results in a feeling of panic, particularly when multiple spooks turn up at once, because if they get to you before you can flick the switch on your torch, then a piece of reasonably precious health is lost. You can guess what happens when you lose all your health.

It is possible to regain it, however, as certain ghosts have power-ups visibly hovering within their semi-transparent bodies. When the phantom gives up the ghost - ARF! - you can ëinspectreí - ARF! ARF! - the now available power-up and collect it by just running over it. In the spirit - ARF! ARF! ARF! - of adding that little bit of extra complexity, Nintendo ensure that at times, these power-up ghosts take priority.

Sometimes, though, itís not simply a matter of grabbing the goodies first. Each ghost has a points value, which basically denotes the number of times you have to hit it with your vacuumís sucking ëbeamí. The higher the points value, the more pummeling the ghost takes, which can mean you want to leave the more hardy ghost until last.

The control system really comes into its own here. Luigi moves forwards and backwards, and side-steps left and right, with the help of the primary analogue stick. The C-stick swivels his body left and right, and allows his to look up and down. At first, itís a confusing setup. Itís a little like playing Perfect Dark, GoldenEye or Turok, except that the c-buttons, rather obviously, are now incorporated into the one stick. Miyamoto has said more than once that Luigiís Mansion is something of a "training game", encouraging players to get used to playing with two sticks at once, and its easy to see why.

Novices will always find their first play intimidating. Given a little practice, however, the systemís benefits shine through. To hit the ghosts effectively requires subtle guidance of the path of your sucking ray, which means moving the C-stick about in a controlled manner. If you take too long in depleting a ghostís resistance, itíll escape your beam and reappear at an awkward moment. Though the process of reducing its ëhealthí starts from where you left off, itís a nuisance none-the-less.

Itís the quirkiness that really makes Luigiís Mansion stand out, however, and not only to gamers. There were plenty of people who were supposed to be demonstrating the titles that confessed to me they werenít really "the gaming type", but every single one agreed that Luigiís Mansion had an irresistible charm to it. You can blow thing out of your vacuum cleaner as well as suck things in, leading to all sorts of nice little puzzles, and almost every object in the game is affected by what you do with you hoover - locked doors fly open, clothes in wardrobes are pulled right in and vases wobble precariously atop bookcases. In fact, the only thing that didnít move when I tried to suck him up was Toad (much to the general annoyance of the group behind me, who commended me for the effort but ultimately wanted to see him stuffed through the pipe and into the bag).

The animation, too, is wonderfully detailed. Conkerís Bad Fur Day claimed to be an interactive cartoon, but Luigiís Mansion does the idea a little better. The variety of Luigiís expressions is pretty breathtaking, and the facial contortions themselves give the game a comical tone.

Boss battles are present - notables included the spirit of a woman applying make-up at a mirror, and a scary flying baby wielding a pretty frightening rattle. Luigi is pretty much the perfect title to demonstrate new concepts for a new console - as a launch title, I think itíll be bloody marvellous.

-=Vektor~Va=- wrote:
> www.serverproblems.com

Were all banned :-D

Anyways, please tell me that
> isn't the NintyUK preview Rick.....please just say it ain't so.

VKTR

Yeh, but why?