Michael Bluth
03-28-2003, 10:48 AM
March 27, 2003 - This fall, Infogrames is bringing Dead Man's Hand exclusively to Xbox as a first person shooter with head-to-head play over Xbox Live. In bringing the rustic flavor of the American Old West to a modern Unreal-based FPS on Xbox, developers Human Head plan on using every trapping of the Wild West, both real and as seen in countless cowboy movies, to bear in Dead Man's Hand.
"Dead Man's Hand will be an amazing recreation of the Old West, from the high drama of showdowns to the window-smashing action of shoot outs to the bitter plights of vengeance," said Steve Allison, vice president of marketing for Infogrames, Inc.'s Los Angeles studio. "Using the power of the Xbox and Unreal Technology together, Human Head is creating one of the best looking, best playing and truly unique first person shooters ever released. Xbox owners are in for a real treat, both in single player and against online foes through Xbox Live!"
Dead Man's Hand --named for the black aces and eights poker hand Wild Bill Hickock supposedly held when he was shot in the back-- follows the story of El Tejon and the irresistible cowboy story of betrayal and revenge. El Tejon used to ride with a crew of gunslingers known as The Nine. Of course, the leader of the gang ends up betraying El Tejon and it's up to you to help in exact his revenge on every member of the gang that betrayed him.
As a first person shooter, gunfights and shootouts should prove to be a staple for the action in DMH. But the development team is looking to enrich the experience with several other gameplay components to immerse players in their own cowboy fantasy. As far as action goes, Human Head says we'll be dashing through stagecoach chases, shooting from horseback and from moving trains with revolvers, knivers, dynamite, rifles and other weapons of the period. You'll be able to shoot enemies through their hats knocking them off their heads, enemies will have real physics so that they'll fall through furniture and objects and off of roofs.
The stuff outside the shooting could prove to be the most interesting parts of Dead Man's Hand. Throughout your adventures you'll be accumulating Legend points. Stack up enough Legend points and you'll be able to pull off trick shots and other special moves on the fly. Saloon gambling was big in the late 19th century so it'll play a crucial part in DMH. It's a pure poker sim where you can earn or lose bonuses like extra health, ammo or Legend points and you'll play it as a bonus game between regular missions in the game.
Human Head also claims that players will have some degree of control of their mission paths in Dead Man's Hand and that their Semi Persistent World Technology will allow things that have been changed or destroyed in the world to remain that way when you come back to the same area in subsequent missions.
While no specific cities are mentioned by name towns and locations synonymous with the Old West will also be featured throughout Dead Man's Hand's 20 single player missions. Indoor and outdoor locations include mineshafts, saloons, riverboats, deserts and mesas of the wild wild west.
No specific game types have been mentioned for play over Xbox Live, but the developers suggest both competitive and cooperative games will be available for both online and splitscreen play.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/GatlingGun460a.jpg
http://xbox.ign.com/articles/391/391308p1.html?section_id=566 (Insider)
Wild West + FPS + XBox Live = sweet
Update: GameSpyDaily has a story about it:
Atari (an Infogrames brand) is teaming up with Human Head Studios (makers of Rune for the PC) to bring the drama and action of the Old West exclusively to the Xbox this fall Dead Man's Hand Powered by Epic's Unreal technology, Dead Man's Hand is a fast-pace first-person shooter that lets players take on gunslingers, bandits and other unsavory chracters found in the Old West - and other unsavory folks online via Xbox Live. In the single player portion of the game, players strap on the boots of El Tejón, a gunslinger and his gang known as "The Nine". When the leader of The Nine stabs El Tejón in the back, you decide to turn from a life of crime to a life of revenge and retribution. Your ultimate goal? Put every one in the gang into a shallow, unmarked grave. Players can experience the American Frontier, bar fights, shoot outs, stagecoach chases and other definitively Western scenes. To keep it real, Dead Man's Hand also delivers on all the trappings of the period including six-shooters, rifles, black hats, horses, hombres, dancing girls, riverboats, saloon poker and many other iconic images.
Other cool features promised for this game include between mission gambling for extra fun, 20 some-odd missions, split screen and multiplayer mode via Xbox Live, nine different firearms and a whole lot more. Check out this (http://www.gamespydaily.com/news/pressrelease.asp?id=1977) press release and the first bits of art below:
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/Desert.jpg
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/GhostTown.jpg
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/Saloon.jpg
"Dead Man's Hand will be an amazing recreation of the Old West, from the high drama of showdowns to the window-smashing action of shoot outs to the bitter plights of vengeance," said Steve Allison, vice president of marketing for Infogrames, Inc.'s Los Angeles studio. "Using the power of the Xbox and Unreal Technology together, Human Head is creating one of the best looking, best playing and truly unique first person shooters ever released. Xbox owners are in for a real treat, both in single player and against online foes through Xbox Live!"
Dead Man's Hand --named for the black aces and eights poker hand Wild Bill Hickock supposedly held when he was shot in the back-- follows the story of El Tejon and the irresistible cowboy story of betrayal and revenge. El Tejon used to ride with a crew of gunslingers known as The Nine. Of course, the leader of the gang ends up betraying El Tejon and it's up to you to help in exact his revenge on every member of the gang that betrayed him.
As a first person shooter, gunfights and shootouts should prove to be a staple for the action in DMH. But the development team is looking to enrich the experience with several other gameplay components to immerse players in their own cowboy fantasy. As far as action goes, Human Head says we'll be dashing through stagecoach chases, shooting from horseback and from moving trains with revolvers, knivers, dynamite, rifles and other weapons of the period. You'll be able to shoot enemies through their hats knocking them off their heads, enemies will have real physics so that they'll fall through furniture and objects and off of roofs.
The stuff outside the shooting could prove to be the most interesting parts of Dead Man's Hand. Throughout your adventures you'll be accumulating Legend points. Stack up enough Legend points and you'll be able to pull off trick shots and other special moves on the fly. Saloon gambling was big in the late 19th century so it'll play a crucial part in DMH. It's a pure poker sim where you can earn or lose bonuses like extra health, ammo or Legend points and you'll play it as a bonus game between regular missions in the game.
Human Head also claims that players will have some degree of control of their mission paths in Dead Man's Hand and that their Semi Persistent World Technology will allow things that have been changed or destroyed in the world to remain that way when you come back to the same area in subsequent missions.
While no specific cities are mentioned by name towns and locations synonymous with the Old West will also be featured throughout Dead Man's Hand's 20 single player missions. Indoor and outdoor locations include mineshafts, saloons, riverboats, deserts and mesas of the wild wild west.
No specific game types have been mentioned for play over Xbox Live, but the developers suggest both competitive and cooperative games will be available for both online and splitscreen play.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/GatlingGun460a.jpg
http://xbox.ign.com/articles/391/391308p1.html?section_id=566 (Insider)
Wild West + FPS + XBox Live = sweet
Update: GameSpyDaily has a story about it:
Atari (an Infogrames brand) is teaming up with Human Head Studios (makers of Rune for the PC) to bring the drama and action of the Old West exclusively to the Xbox this fall Dead Man's Hand Powered by Epic's Unreal technology, Dead Man's Hand is a fast-pace first-person shooter that lets players take on gunslingers, bandits and other unsavory chracters found in the Old West - and other unsavory folks online via Xbox Live. In the single player portion of the game, players strap on the boots of El Tejón, a gunslinger and his gang known as "The Nine". When the leader of The Nine stabs El Tejón in the back, you decide to turn from a life of crime to a life of revenge and retribution. Your ultimate goal? Put every one in the gang into a shallow, unmarked grave. Players can experience the American Frontier, bar fights, shoot outs, stagecoach chases and other definitively Western scenes. To keep it real, Dead Man's Hand also delivers on all the trappings of the period including six-shooters, rifles, black hats, horses, hombres, dancing girls, riverboats, saloon poker and many other iconic images.
Other cool features promised for this game include between mission gambling for extra fun, 20 some-odd missions, split screen and multiplayer mode via Xbox Live, nine different firearms and a whole lot more. Check out this (http://www.gamespydaily.com/news/pressrelease.asp?id=1977) press release and the first bits of art below:
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/Desert.jpg
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/GhostTown.jpg
http://www.gamespydaily.com/screenshots/4914/Saloon.jpg