First Banjo Threeie in-game shots

[Tieno]

After looking at more screens, I'm not digging the sharp look. Needs to be softer. The weird mechanical stuff has me put off too, I'll be awaiting the videos.

Also, Lionhead has great art. Just look at Fable 1 and 2. One of the rare pleasant and unique looking medieval RPGs.

[MCD]

hehehehe

[treythemovie]

I wonder if the vehicles will be the dominant aspect of this game

[MCD]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=188729

We'd like to point out that this isn't a Banjo kart racing game even though most of internet seems to think it is.

A spokesperson from Rare told us, "People haven't seen the half of it yet and we'd rather people wouldn't draw their own conclusions until Rare's had a chance to properly talk about the game."

[MCD]

Looks good, but textures look pretty bad.

[MCD]

not next gen enough? here you go:

[treythemovie]

Thanks for the update McDragon. For a while there I was worried that this was a Wii game

[Tieno]

I kinda like the blurring of the background/foreground. The muted colors not so much.

[Kestastrophe]

It looks a lot like LBP.

I am not getting that vibe at all. Is it just because it has cartoony graphics?

[MCD]

All this mechanical stuff 

This doesn't look like a Banjo game at all.

mechanical isn't a first in a banjo game.

[Raban]

not next gen enough? here you go:

(Image removed from quote.)

That honestly looks better, at least it doesn't look like a complete ripoff of LBP. The blurring I don't dig, but the muted color gives the entire thing a flavor rather than an amalgamation of extremely vibrant colors.

I am not getting that vibe at all. Is it just because it has cartoony graphics?

No, it's because the color pallet is almost exactly the same between the two games, and many many many textures look exactly similar. I'm not saying it's on purpose and Rare is original, but seriously, the screens we've seen look like they were pulled out of LBP game with a camera. If they wanted to circumvent this, should've used cel-shading or added much more to the VP engine.

I really can't handle how fucking disgusting the character models look like.

[MCD]

...

[Tieno]

Sounds like the vehicle building will be pretty in depth

From GameInformer:
Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)
- RARE says they didn't want to make a hi res version of the old Banjo platformer.
- You create vehicles with parts you find around the levels.
- GI says their first vehicles was a 4 wheeled kart with a spring attached to the bottom that allowed them to jump things. They later found a helicopter blade that allowed their kart to fly. Later they added balloons to the vehicle and put the blade on the back and created a hovercraft.
- RARE showed them a vehicle that was a monster truck that was able to detach its chasis to become a mini bike. When the bike ramped off a cliff it revealed collapsible glider wings and started flying.
- There will be 1,600 parts including weapons that you'll be able to attach to the vehicles.
- The town is called Showdown Town.
- GI says that despite the large focus on vehicles it still features platform elements from the previous games like traditional platforming, tight rope walking and jiggy piece collecting.
- Showdown Town is 16 times larger than anything RARE has created before.
- Every level has a different intro. Nutty Acres begins with a credits spoof of 80's soap opera's like Dallas.
- Note collecting is back and will act has currency that'll allow you to bu vehicle blueprints.
- RARE says there are 15 different challenges spread across 6 different levels. There will also be side missions.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Rare taking some lessons from Square, adding Gummi Ships

[Tieno]

It also gives some purpose or meaning to collecting and finding stuff.

[demi]

wow, that photoshopped pic does look better than what they currently have

[Phoenix Dark]

Honestly Mario Galaxy looks better graphically

[treythemovie]

You create vehicles with parts you find around the levels

collective-thon here we go

[AdmiralViscen]

You create vehicles with parts you find around the levels

collective-thon here we go

It's only a collect-a-thon if you're collecting shit for the sake of shit.

[treythemovie]

You create vehicles with parts you find around the levels

collective-thon here we go

It's only a collect-a-thon if you're collecting shit for the sake of shit.

True but I don't trust Rare in this situation. Even in their golden days they were collect-a-thon whores

[MCD]

Ok, since the embargo has ended, I guess I can spill some beans on Banjo and VP2 as well (besides what you already know from GI).

Banjo (slated for November):
- Building vehicles is basically like playing with LEGO. You can <i>always</i> jump in and out of the vehicle editor and come right back to the game with the new design.
- Parts are easily placed and moved around. You don't have to worry about connecting the motor with the wheels for example. Just place everything so they stick together and don't get in the way.
- Vehicle designs can play a large role in missions. We saw one where you had to collect coconuts from a field and got a small truck that could suck them up. Unfortunately you couldn't fit all the coconuts in the truck and had to back and deliver them in a large barrel. We were then shown how you could create a helicopter with a hook, that could pick up this large barrel, fly to the coconut field and fly low to scoop the coconuts in the barrel.
- Physics are awesome in this game and everywhere! With one design I placed the foot-in-a-box weapon behind a propella, and when I tried to use it, the foot/boot couldn't get past the propella... well, until I used it enough times to actually kick the propella off the vehicle!
- Pixel art... imagine the possibilities (Rare already had an example of this, paying homage to a certain plumber)
- Multiplayer is great fun with the ability to either chose from pre-fabricated or own vehicle designs. It still needs some polish here and there, but showed great promise.

VP2 (slated for September):
- I will only touch on one feature here, as GI already touched on many of the more traditional improvements. This feature is extremely cool though, in two ways.
1. VP2 uses the Vision Camera in combination with physical cards sorta like Eye of Judgement. It basically scans a small code on the card, when it's being held up in front of the camera, and this can both insert custom designed pinatas, unlock buildings or abilities, change the weather and many other things. We were told how Rare had designed a moose that got a big, red nose only around christmas time... and this could be passed around with these cards.
2. So the game also got a photo mode. Cool, but that's not the best! This photo mode is able to interpret the pictures and create the above-mentioned code based on the picture. Basically, you will have a card generator available on the internet! Imagine this: you have created this really cool pinata and instead of the tiresome task of sending it only to selected friends on Live, you can take a picture of it, get the code/card generated and share it on a forum. Instantly everyone will be able to get the pinata in their game and since the camera can also read from LCD screens, ipods, zunes etc., there is little to no hassle. Now THAT'S sharing!

[MCD]

I thought Banjo was beautiful, no doubt, although the most impressive game from a technical standpoint. I really like the color palette and art style though, which is very coherent throughout the levels I saw.

Did I find it fun? Me and colleague haven't stopped thinking about it since we played it. It was extremely fun being able to create your own vehicles however you wanted it and play around with them. Just that in itself. It works so great! Add balloons and it will start to float. Add wings and you can actually steer in the air and fly around. Add inflatable balls and you won't sink when landing on water. Add a propella and you got propulsion in the water. Everything makes sense and work exactly how you think they will.

Now take that concept into multiplayer...

[BamYouHaveAids]

VP2 (slated for September):
- I will only touch on one feature here, as GI already touched on many of the more traditional improvements. This feature is extremely cool though, in two ways.
1. VP2 uses the Vision Camera in combination with physical cards sorta like Eye of Judgement. It basically scans a small code on the card, when it's being held up in front of the camera, and this can both insert custom designed pinatas, unlock buildings or abilities, change the weather and many other things. We were told how Rare had designed a moose that got a big, red nose only around christmas time... and this could be passed around with these cards.

what exactly does that mean? do i have to buy a peripheral and cards to access content that most likely is already on the disk? that sounds like a microtransaction except more inconvenient, not to mention shameful, buying cards with pinatas on them in public sound very emasculating. what would my family think?

[MCD]

i doubt you will need the cam, from what i understand, the cam is basically a cheat code.

but then again, VP did have awful microtransaction (useless accessories) guess we have to wait and see.

edit also this:

2. So the game also got a photo mode. Cool, but that's not the best! This photo mode is able to interpret the pictures and create the above-mentioned code based on the picture. Basically, you will have a card generator available on the internet! Imagine this: you have created this really cool pinata and instead of the tiresome task of sending it only to selected friends on Live, you can take a picture of it, get the code/card generated and share it on a forum. Instantly everyone will be able to get the pinata in their game and since the camera can also read from LCD screens, ipods, zunes etc., there is little to no hassle. Now THAT'S sharing!

[BamYouHaveAids]

i doubt you will need the cam, from what i understand, the cam is basically a cheat code.

but then again, VP did have awful microtransaction (useless accessories) guess we have to wait and see.

yeah, it had a bunch of crappy accessory packs, but the quote says "buildings and abilities", i can understand (not agree) with releasing extra costumes and maps via microtransaction, but intentionally restricted abilities and such sounds duplicitous.

hope it's just a misunderstanding 

[duckman2000]

nexus there is like a green colored Wollan with a press pass

[pilonv1]

What are the release dates?

[CurseoftheGods]

Honestly Mario Galaxy looks better graphically

Agreed. This looks good enough, though. Just give me my Banjo game this year, Rare. 

[Bildi]

I don't find these screens very inspiring at all.  If Rare can pull off a great game that'd be awesome, but I'm keeping my expectations low.

Hopefully, it will be more like the first Banjo rather than the second. 

Yes.

[Kestastrophe]

Just saw this on GAF, thought it didn't deserve its own thread here, so I am posting it in this thread.

[MCD]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11151146&postcount=334

Ok, I just wanted to share a few more of my pictures with all of you, to give you a bit more insight on some things.

First a picture of the garage, where a construction is underway:
(Image removed from quote.)

The construction continues.
(Image removed from quote.)

And so this vehicle, designed from scratch, embraces the world:
(Image removed from quote.)

It now flies, thanks to a propella placed on top of it:
(Image removed from quote.)

And now for some quick real-time changes to the design:
(Image removed from quote.)

This other design with downwards-angled engines gets up pretty high:
(Image removed from quote.)

Another design with wings seems to get forward and steer a bit better:
(Image removed from quote.)

Artwork of a few vehicle pieces (we only got to play around with a few):
(Image removed from quote.)

And last, some VP concept art love
(Image removed from quote.)

[Kyle]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11151146&postcount=334

Ok, I just wanted to share a few more of my pictures with all of you, to give you a bit more insight on some things.

First a picture of the garage, where a construction is underway:
(Image removed from quote.)

The construction continues.
(Image removed from quote.)

And so this vehicle, designed from scratch, embraces the world:
(Image removed from quote.)

It now flies, thanks to a propella placed on top of it:
(Image removed from quote.)

And now for some quick real-time changes to the design:
(Image removed from quote.)

This other design with downwards-angled engines gets up pretty high:
(Image removed from quote.)

Another design with wings seems to get forward and steer a bit better:
(Image removed from quote.)

Artwork of a few vehicle pieces (we only got to play around with a few):
(Image removed from quote.)

And last, some VP concept art love
(Image removed from quote.)

holy fuckin' shit that's some CG Quality screenshots

Professor Prole delivers

[AdmiralViscen]

holy fuck at that string of shit

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Man Banjo looks fucking nuts.  Can't wait to play that.

[MCD]

"RARE is gonna make some PS3 advocates shit their fuckin' drawers this year." - Professor Prole.

[MCD]

debut trailer:

http://gamevideos.com/video/id/18831

[MCD]

[MCD]

it's more of a lego game.

[AdmiralViscen]

Trailer was kind of up and down for me, but overall awesome. Much anticipation.

[MCD]

what's wrong with the framerate in the video 

anyway, it looks fucking fun.

[duckman2000]

Looks pretty lame. Rare should be on a tighter leash, that much is clear. Hacks.

[MCD]

don't ever change andrew.

[AdmiralViscen]

Whatever dude, the actual gameplay in there looks awesome. Building that vehicle looked great.

[evilol]

debut trailer:

http://gamevideos.com/video/id/18831

i can see the ps3 advocates already giving up.  no offence but ratchet craps over this easily.

[duckman2000]

Whatever dude, the actual gameplay in there looks awesome. Building that vehicle looked great.

I guess I don't understand what's fun about doing that. Racing them, perhaps, but the last racing heavy platformer I played was sort of shit, and that was from a company that's better than Rare. I suppose I'm missing the all important nostalgia.

[AdmiralViscen]

I'm not nostalgic for this series. If I was I'd probably be mad that they CHANGED THE GAMEPLAY AND THE CHARACTER ART OH NOOO

You don't think it's cool that you can build a plane that can launch a smaller plane, add widgets to it so it's a sub or has missiles or has bumpers or has wheels or has a magnet to pick shit up?

[duckman2000]

I'm not nostalgic for this series. If I was I'd probably be mad that they CHANGED THE GAMEPLAY AND THE CHARACTER ART OH NOOO

You don't think it's cool that you can build a plane that can launch a smaller plane, add widgets to it so it's a sub or has missiles or has bumpers or has wheels or has a magnet to pick shit up?

I'm sure I will, for like 5 minutes. But I'm not half as much of a fan of this "create your own game" crap as everyone else seems to be these days. Then again, maybe it's for the best, considering that the design would otherwise be entirely up to Rare. And that's never a good thing.

[Mondain]

wtf, constructing stupid shitty carts with lego parts, who the fuck wants to do that, dumbest gaming idea ever

[duckman2000]

wtf, constructing stupid shitty carts with lego parts, who the fuck wants to do that, dumbest gaming idea ever

People seem awfully excited about LBP, although I guess that's a bit different. Still, LEGO is pretty damned popular.

[MCD]

duck, it's mondain, no need to explain anything to him.

[crimsondynamics]

wtf, constructing stupid shitty carts with lego parts, who the fuck wants to do that, dumbest gaming idea ever

People seem awfully excited about LBP, although I guess that's a bit different. Still, LEGO is pretty damned popular.

...not to mention TrackMania, where a good part of the game is building and racing each other's tracks.

[hyp]

banjo seems interesting enough.  i mean, what other "construction" style games have come out this gen?  i'll give it a whirl (rental at least).  and of course VP2 is on my must-buy list.

[Mondain]

I like this comment from the real OA

Adding vehicle customization and building etc, defeats the purpose of it all. It's not even a platformer anymore. Platformers are simple and accesible and not some tedious building bullshit. This is a massive disappointment.

[hyp]

it's not a fucking platformer dude, get over it.

[Mondain]

it seems optional or there seems to be far less of that construction shit, which I won't ever partake into, I have a mild interest in LBP, the 2.5D platforming seems inventive but I wonder if it's gimmicky or if it'll simply get old fast

[MCD]

it's not a fucking platformer dude, get over it.

it is a platformer.

[hyp]

it's not a fucking platformer dude, get over it.

it is a platformer.

i thought i read a quote where the guy from rare was saying that he didn't want to make this version a carbon copy of the old in high def? 

but i trust you, since you're pretty much the biggest banjo follower on eb.  me = pwned

[Eel O'Brian]

This actually sounds interesting to me.  I like tinkering, so I can see myself losing a few hours to this.  I feel the same way about LBP.  

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

wtf, constructing stupid shitty carts with lego parts, who the fuck wants to do that, dumbest gaming idea ever

Yeah, it's no Lair that's for sure!

[AdmiralViscen]

I'm not nostalgic for this series. If I was I'd probably be mad that they CHANGED THE GAMEPLAY AND THE CHARACTER ART OH NOOO

You don't think it's cool that you can build a plane that can launch a smaller plane, add widgets to it so it's a sub or has missiles or has bumpers or has wheels or has a magnet to pick shit up?

I'm sure I will, for like 5 minutes. But I'm not half as much of a fan of this "create your own game" crap as everyone else seems to be these days. Then again, maybe it's for the best, considering that the design would otherwise be entirely up to Rare. And that's never a good thing.

You're not creating your own game, the goals and objectives and world exist and you have to make the tools to achieve and interact with them.