L.A. Noire

[lanky316]

Am I really the only one here who hates the idea of them moving the game to the future or into locations that don't really seem to suit it? To me the main reasons why I wanted the game and am enjoying it currently is that its set in the particular era that it is and based so much on the film noir genre. I certainly dont' want one set in London. Chicago might work, or New York I guess. Moving a decade or two into the future would be even worse in my opinion, I don't mind the idea of them going back in time to the period in between the wars (where the majority of the book influences come into play) or slightly ahead to the future (the 50s were still part of that classic period) but 60's London is something entirely different to me. If they're going to do another Noire game and want to change it up a bit than I honestly think the best thing they could do is just have you go from cop to private investigator. Being Sam Spade in a video game would be amazing.

That's not to say that I don't think they could make a good game out of the current engine set in London in the 60's or whatever else, just that its not the reason that I personally bought L.A. Noire. I wanted a game with that setting, with jazz music playing in the background, a morally corrupt world and all the other trademarks of the genre of movies and books that I enjoy so much and which they're only really scratching the surface of. To me its a genre game, and swome of the suggestions here would take it too far out of that genre. Not that there arn't British noirs of course, but they're a slightly different style anyway.

Here's why a 60's London could have the potential to be a great game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kray_twins

I love the idea of something taken with the base in reality alongside the film noire elements. The only thing I'd want is to keep it pre-forensics. Leave that to the (not THAT bad) CSI point and click games but any time period where there's some interest that can be had from the historical setting and work with a good clue gathering/interrogation setting can work great.

Prohibition era Chicago for example would be great as well, on the subject of London I'd like to see one during the 1880's... Let#s see where they go but I think almost anything they tried has the potential to work in the same way as this one. LA Noire isn't prefect but it's enjoyable and if Rockstar take what works and tweaks it I think could be a series better than GTA.

[Vamp]

But then to me those are ideas for a different series. L.A. Noire is a game based heavily on the classic American noirs, and arguably the books they were based on, setting it in the 1880s or making a game about the Kray Twins takes it away from that ethos. That's not really carrying on the series. I can see why they might use the game engine to explore those topics, but I'd also like one carrying on in the genre of the classic American film noirs. Because that's what sold the game to me. I knwo people are excited about the whole facial recognition but it was the atmosphere and setting that sold it to me. Nothing else really.

[lanky316]

The thing is, the style and imagery which are associated with Noir aren't actually that far from detective fiction elsewhere. I know people like to see them as an American only phenomenon but while that's the image and certainly the depression era gangster setting is one of the more defining images it doesn't mean that there is no other eras and locales where the look and feel is covered. The French and British were making great noirs alongside and around the American scene. If you love the genre certainly recommend you check out some more of how it can work beautifully in other settings. The '60s I would semi agree is late given the classic era of the movies BUT given the amount of modern noir there still is the setting could work.

I'd say for a start the iconic film noir image of the shadowy trilby worn silhouette standing in a dark misty alley is inspired by the earlier image from the 1880's pea-souper.

[Kaney]

I'm the only one who didn't get much of a noir vibe from this then? I must not have watched enough Dick Tracy or something, I expected a much larger atmosphere of suspense and mystery, but eh. I should play it in black and white mode next time.

[Herr Matzat]

Time for DLC!

Detective, thank goodness you're here! We've got a hot case that just came in and we're stumped. Here's what we've got so far:

Rockstar has revealed a steady slate of L.A. Noire DLC, coming until late July, that includes four new cases for Cole Phelps to bring his seething congeniality to. (Yep, the previously Best Buy-exclusive Nicholson Electroplating arson case is on the list.) You could buy all the content piecemeal for $20, or you could pre-purchase all of it for $10 with the newly announced Rockstar Pass. After June 14, the price of the pass will increase to $12.

In even better news, two of the cases -- The Naked City and A Slip of the Tongue -- are available today, assuming you have the 360 version. Sadly, trying to access the PS Store on the PS3 version still causes the game to crash, but hopefully the store will be working soon.

If this seemingly smart gambit works as planned, it would give players a reason to keep their copies off of the used game shelves until just before August -- after all, they've already paid for the DLC, right? -- so we'll be interested to see if it plays out that way.

... So, the boys in the lab have been going over it and they can't make heads or t-- whaddya mean it's all laid out there in its entirety, rendering your services pointless? What about a list of all the DLC with prices? ... Oh, right after the break? You don't say.

Chicago Lightning Detective Suit (Social Club only) - May 17

L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (limited-time discount price) - May 31 - $10

"The Naked City" DLC case - May 31 - $4

"A Slip of The Tongue" DLC case - May 31 - $4

Broderick Detective Suit and Gun - May 31 - $1

Sharpshooter Detective Suit and Gun - May 31 - $2

The Badge Pursuit Challenge - May 31 -$2

Chicago Piano Machine Gun (free community unlock) - May 31

L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (standard price) - June 14 - $12

"Nicholson Electroplating Disaster" DLC case - June 21 - $4

"Reefer Madness" DLC case - July 12 - $4

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/la-noire-dlc/

I´ll get that pass, it´s a nice little fuck you to all people who got preorder bonuses... you pay as much as i do and get nothing earlyer.

Four New cases is nice.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Michael Matzat on a Plane

[Vamp]

The thing is, the style and imagery which are associated with Noir aren't actually that far from detective fiction elsewhere. I know people like to see them as an American only phenomenon but while that's the image and certainly the depression era gangster setting is one of the more defining images it doesn't mean that there is no other eras and locales where the look and feel is covered. The French and British were making great noirs alongside and around the American scene. If you love the genre certainly recommend you check out some more of how it can work beautifully in other settings. The '60s I would semi agree is late given the classic era of the movies BUT given the amount of modern noir there still is the setting could work.

I'd say for a start the iconic film noir image of the shadowy trilby worn silhouette standing in a dark misty alley is inspired by the earlier image from the 1880's pea-souper.

I get what you're saying, I mean a lot of the film noir style was taken from the experimental European film styles prevelant in Germany and such like, but I was sold on the game as an American film noir. Plus the few British noirs I've watched genuinely feel quite different. There's similarities admittedly but the style is slightly different. I mentioned the French ones, but I don't see them moving the game to France, as interesting as it would be. I just think there's another game to be had in the classic era of the genre and I'm not as interested in a British one in the '60's. I mean, Brick's a pretty great cross between film noir and teen fiction but I also wouldn't wanna play High School Noire. Although that's probably a bad example since I guess Brick's set in California but you get my point.

I'm the only one who didn't get much of a noir vibe from this then? I must not have watched enough Dick Tracy or something, I expected a much larger atmosphere of suspense and mystery, but eh. I should play it in black and white mode next time.

I think they were slightly holding back on it. I think its the lighting that prevents from fully creating that atmosphere. But then they based that on L.A. Confidential which isn't a classic of the genre by any means. I think there's an appropiate sense of bleakness to it. Film noir's are generally defined by their visual style but also their themes. I think the game, so far (I'm yet to finish it), pretty much ticks off quite a few of the boxes in terms of theme.

If I'm honest I just don't like some of the ideas thrown around. They don't personally appeal to me. I'm sure they'd sell. But I have no interest in being a criminal, of chasing criminals in 60s London or even the suggestion of going back to the 1880s which I feel misses some of the pre (more if we include the books that helped inspire it), during and post war vibe of the genre. I suppose the 1880's is late enough (debatable) to tick off the box in terms of modernist concerns that you can also find in the genre. I don't know if you'd fully achieve the sense of crisis in terms of masculinity that the genre comments on though.

Like I say, the only change that I'd really be interested in is handling a P.I. instead of a cop. The engine would work pretty much the same but you'd have the bulls breathing down your neck, less freedom and so forth. Although the driving would have to be improved because its one thing for a cop to crash into anything but a P.I.? Or maybe that's just my shit driving.

[Herr Matzat]

Than again, the idea that there is a "Rockstar Pass" for everything kinda sugests that this will be it.

[TCO]

Just like to note how awesome it is recognising real-life actors by their face and not their voice in a game.

Severe mark-out moment when first seeing Dr. Arzt from Lost!

[DavidMarrio]

I remember seeing one of the doctors from Scrubs and was like I KNOW YOU!!!!!!!!!! Also Matt from Heroes was a good one as well haha.

Just downloaded the Rockstar pass then gonna give them a go. I need to do the side cases and that and newspapers but I'll probably run through the game try and get 5 star on everything and then start again and just be a bastard of a copper this time just for a lol

[Herr Matzat]

Could you comment on the download size of the cases?

[DavidMarrio]

The suits are 240kb and 304kb, the badge pursuit challenge is 228kb, and the cases the Slip of the Tongue traffic case is 244mb while the Naked City vice case is 422mb

[Herr Matzat]

Thank you.

[Benji]

I remember seeing one of the doctors from Scrubs and was like I KNOW YOU!!!!!!!!!! Also Matt from Heroes was a good one as well haha.

Just downloaded the Rockstar pass then gonna give them a go. I need to do the side cases and that and newspapers but I'll probably run through the game try and get 5 star on everything and then start again and just be a bastard of a copper this time just for a lol

Which case was that? I must have missed that one.

[Herr Matzat]

And how do you select these missions in game? Do they just pop up after the final mission (i am still in homocite, have not playe for days).

[Benji]

Yeah, they came up after the main game for me. Not sure if you can play them before that, the game seems to indicate you can, but I never bothered checking.

[Herr Matzat]

But is there an order? A reason you go back to trafic? Back to Vice? Or are they just another case?

[Your Mom]

If we bought the pass do you still need to download everything one at a time? None of the stuff came up in the game and going to each thing looks like they want to charge for each of them.

[Benji]

But is there an order? A reason you go back to trafic? Back to Vice? Or are they just another case?

No, it's just basically re-playing the same missions for better rankings. I couldn't say about the DLC since I don't have it, but presumably you can play those as soon as you download the content.

[gunnar hendershow]

GameFly finally sent me this, looking forward to finally playing it.

Any early tips and pointers from folks or is it all pretty straightforward?

[Herr Matzat]

There issent much to missunderstand.