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mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants
:siren:Latest Update: 05: TRAFFIC: "A Slip of the Tongue":siren:



Okay, here’s the lowdown:

LA Noire was released in 2011, developed by Team Bondi and released by Rockstar Games. It’s basically a cluefinding simulator with a bunch of interactive dialogues, and heaping helping of driving, punching, and killing (with guns!). But it’s so much more than that. Let me try to explain:

LA Noire is set in the late 1940’s. Most of the game centers around a man named Cole Phelps. He’s recently returned from distinguishing himself in Okinawa. Now it’s up to us (well, me, poor Phelps) to distinguish him in the LAPD! He’s got a strong sense of justice as well as a stiff stick up his rear end. And I have a sneaking suspicion he doesn’t care too much for the Jews, either. But no matter! If we find all the clues and ask the right questions, we’ll be getting pats on the back all the way to the depressing conclusion!

About the game itself: LA Noire is one of those games that tried ambitious things, and kind of stumbled and scraped its knee. Firstly, the game uses something called MotionScan. It’s a new technology (circa 2011), and as far as I know, hasn’t been used in any other game since. Basically, they pointed 32 (thirty-two!) cameras at about 400 different actors’ faces as they recorded their lines for the game. The idea was that the actor would wear a blank expression when they were telling the truth, and squint, squirm, and roll their eyes when they were lying. Unfortunately, many of the actors lacked subtlety when idle, so the effect is pretty comical. And then there are a few characters sprinkled throughout the game that have VERY good poker faces. Which brings me to something that irked a lot of people who played this game:

It’s not fair. There are many times when thinking reasonably won’t help you at all. Many interrogations require you to use evidence that only makes sense in the most convoluted way. Many people didn’t understand the difference between “lie” and “doubt” (more on that in the first video). “But I just wanted to say I ‘doubted’ the person was where they said they were, not to accuse them of working with the Jews to cause 9/11!” Well, don’t worry! I’ll be holding your hand the whole goddamn way, and NO, I won’t shut the gently caress up.

Which brings me to my final point before we get started: I do not give a gently caress. And neither will anyone co-commentating with me in future vids. Sorry, but I’m a rambler. I don’t have encyclopedic knowledge of the 1940’s, I’ve never BEEN to the west coast, and I LOOOVE talking to the characters in cutscenes. You know what I mean if you’ve seen any of my other videos. Or you’ll find out soon.

Okay, the whole “OP” thing is out of the way. Let’s play LA Noire!

PS NO SPOILERS!!!!!:siren::siren::siren:

:siren:Videos::siren:

BEAT DESK:

01: Intro Missions featuring CirclMastr

TRAFFIC DESK:

02: "The Driver's Seat"
03: "The Consul's Car" featuring CirclMastr
04:"A Marriage Made in Heaven"
05:TRAFFIC: "A Slip of the Tongue"

mrbotus fucked around with this message at 14:43 on Sep 20, 2014

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mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants
Reserved.

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

You're off the LP, nickmeister! I'm busting you down to GBS!

MassRafTer
May 26, 2001

BAEST MODE!!!
My favorite (possibly) psychotic LPer is back!

1stGear
Jan 16, 2010

Here's to the new us.
This could have been a really good game, if it hadn't wasted a bunch of time on an useless open world or facial animation tech that already looks outdated or way too much goddamn shooting or a overarching story that no one gives a gently caress about.

EightDeer
Dec 2, 2011

1stGear posted:

This could have been a really good game, if it hadn't wasted a bunch of time on an useless open world or facial animation tech that already looks outdated or way too much goddamn shooting or a overarching story that no one gives a gently caress about.

I'm confused, because once you take out those things there's pretty much nothing left. Your argument basically boils down to "I wanted a point-and-click adventure game about 1940s cops".

mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants

1stGear posted:

This could have been a really good game, if it hadn't wasted a bunch of time on an useless open world or facial animation tech that already looks outdated or way too much goddamn shooting or a overarching story that no one gives a gently caress about.

The open world has very little to do other than look at landmarks (which I don't give a gently caress about, 'cause I'm from the East Coast). It's almost as bad as Mafia II. As for the facial animation, I think it looks quite good. The main problem is the actors.

1stGear
Jan 16, 2010

Here's to the new us.

EightDeer posted:

I'm confused, because once you take out those things there's pretty much nothing left. Your argument basically boils down to "I wanted a point-and-click adventure game about 1940s cops".

Basically, yeah. The best parts of LA Noire are when you're looking for clues or (some) of the witness interrogations. The parts of the game where you're actually playing as a cop. I would have preferred them to spend the time on vastly expanding those parts rather than meticulously recreating 1940's LA.

ProfessorBooty
Jan 25, 2004

Amulet of the Dark
Hey, I watched your LPs of Manhunt 1 and 2 - this game is pretty good and I'm looking forward to you playing it.

Could you ask your friend to tone it down a bit though?

Spudd
Nov 27, 2007

Protect children from "Safe Schools" social engineering. Shame!

Seconding what the other guy said this game could have been so good. :(

CAPT. Rainbowbeard
Apr 5, 2012

My incredible goodposting transcends time and space but still it cannot transform the xbone into a good console.
Lipstick Apathy
This game has a pretty Noir plot, which means people understand it as much as Watch Dogs or Mass Effect 3. Yeah, I went there. Video games as Art confuses the gently caress out of some people, and that's okay, but those people shouldn't be under the impression that they're somehow smarter than someone who can follow story thread of a type which aren't often used by MTV or reality TV.

It's too bad that loving with established game formulas doesn't always equal monetary success.

Also, this is what I think of both coasts. Good local artist.

WendyO
Dec 2, 2007
I thought the plot was awful, probably part of that whole development hell process the game went through. Closest thing to noir than anything else I've seen trying to use that genre, but constantly jerking the plot around.

The interrogation angle was kind of interesting but shot itself in the foot. And I think there'd be an easy fix to it as well, if you could have a couple of 'bait' questions like in a real interrogation. Some handy things you can ask about and press people on where the answer doesn't matter as much as the reactions, rather than it always being an all-or-nothing that hinges heavily on whether you've read the writer's mind or not.

Syncopated
Oct 21, 2010

WendyO posted:

I thought the plot was awful, probably part of that whole development hell process the game went through. Closest thing to noir than anything else I've seen trying to use that genre, but constantly jerking the plot around.

The interrogation angle was kind of interesting but shot itself in the foot. And I think there'd be an easy fix to it as well, if you could have a couple of 'bait' questions like in a real interrogation. Some handy things you can ask about and press people on where the answer doesn't matter as much as the reactions, rather than it always being an all-or-nothing that hinges heavily on whether you've read the writer's mind or not.

I agree, it would have been more fun to make the interrogations about the dialogue instead of facial expressions. Although I never really understood how the facial expressions worked.

mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants

Syncopated posted:

I agree, it would have been more fun to make the interrogations about the dialogue instead of facial expressions. Although I never really understood how the facial expressions worked.

It's pretty easy to tell when someone's lying (MOST of the time), because they make it REALLY obvious. You'll be seeing this a lot in the game. The hard part is figuring whether you should DOUBT or LIE, and if they're lying, what evidence to use.

1stGear
Jan 16, 2010

Here's to the new us.

nickmeister posted:

It's pretty easy to tell when someone's lying (MOST of the time), because they make it REALLY obvious. You'll be seeing this a lot in the game. The hard part is figuring whether you should DOUBT or LIE, and if they're lying, what evidence to use.

I thought the rule was always use Lie first because if you don't have the right evidence, Cole can back out of screaming that a suspect hosed their own grandmother.

Squallege
Jan 7, 2006

No greater good, no just cause

Grimey Drawer
I had trouble telling people apart so the plot was a little confusing.

CAPT. Rainbowbeard
Apr 5, 2012

My incredible goodposting transcends time and space but still it cannot transform the xbone into a good console.
Lipstick Apathy

Squallege posted:

I had trouble telling people apart so the plot was a little confusing.

Yeah, us white folks sure do look the same, huh?

:colbert:

Geop
Oct 26, 2007

I dunno, I REALLY enjoyed this game. The setting/aesthetics were quite nice (pitch me a decent movie set in this era or earlier 20th century and I'll dive right in), and the sleuthing scratched a lovely little itch :v: The music was also amazing. The Title-screen music? Awesome.

Is it a game for everyone? No, definitely not. But I liked Shenmue's slow pacing, so my enjoyment of detective-like games is already off-kilter from the norm.

Geop fucked around with this message at 06:44 on Aug 4, 2014

Automatic Slim
Jul 1, 2007

CAPT. Rainbowbeard posted:

Yeah, us white folks sure do look the same, huh?

:colbert:

It's the cops. The men in blue are hard to tell apart.

I liked this game a lot, but didn't care for the ending which I often find true with Rockstar games.

Miyamoto Musashi
Jul 22, 2006

Geop posted:

I dunno, I REALLY enjoyed this game. The setting/aesthetics were quite nice (pitch me a decent movie set in this era or earlier 20th century and I'll dive right in), and the sleuthing scratched a lovely little itch :v: The music was also amazing. The Title-screen music? Awesome.

Is it a game for everyone? No, definitely not. But I liked Shenmue's slow pacing, so my enjoyment of detective-like games is already off-kilter from the norm.

This was my experience as well. I can definitely see why people would be disappointed, and it's not a perfect game, but I thought it was fantastic overall. Loved the post-war atmosphere and the investigating was fun. Honestly, I thought the little shootout things were probably the weakest part, but it's not even necessary to do those and they're a small part of the overall game.

Zeroisanumber
Oct 23, 2010

Nap Ghost

Geop posted:

I dunno, I REALLY enjoyed this game. The setting/aesthetics were quite nice (pitch me a decent movie set in this era or earlier 20th century and I'll dive right in), and the sleuthing scratched a lovely little itch :v: The music was also amazing. The Title-screen music? Awesome.

Is it a game for everyone? No, definitely not. But I liked Shenmue's slow pacing, so my enjoyment of detective-like games is already off-kilter from the norm.

Yeah, but the story was awful. Rockstar wanted to recreate the feel of a James Ellroy novel, and instead they just made an immersive game with great asthetics but a mediocre story. I had fun with LA Noire, but it fell short of what it could have been.

The Casualty
Sep 29, 2006
Security Clearance: Pop Secret


Whiny baby
Oh poo poo, barely two hours ago I was wondering if anyone was ever going to do an LA Noire LP, and here one is! I got it the last time it was on sale on Steam and I enjoyed it for a bit, but I stopped playing when I reached the end of the Homicide Division story arc. Now I have an excuse to get back into it. Can't have nickmeister ruining the plot before I get to it :v:

Duckbehindcover
Oct 21, 2010

Hold A to vault

EightDeer posted:

I'm confused, because once you take out those things there's pretty much nothing left. Your argument basically boils down to "I wanted a point-and-click adventure game about 1940s cops".

You say that like it's a bad thing

Aces High
Mar 26, 2010

Nah! A little chocolate will do




huh, it is only now that I realise which character is giving the narration. Here I had always thought it was just some random voice but as we will find out it is a person we will meet later (or if you've played the game you probably already know who's voice that is :v:)

Frogfingers
Oct 10, 2012

nickmeister posted:

It's pretty easy to tell when someone's lying (MOST of the time), because they make it REALLY obvious. You'll be seeing this a lot in the game. The hard part is figuring whether you should DOUBT or LIE, and if they're lying, what evidence to use.

The lying cues were so obvious in this game I did terribly the first time I played, because I thought the character's expressions were some kind of red herring, causing me to second guess myself and therefore fail all of the interrogations.

Xander77
Apr 6, 2009

Fuck it then. For another pit sandwich and some 'tater salad, I'll post a few more.



I don't think you really need to know anything about what the 40's were actually like to get the game. You just have to watch LA Confidential.

By the way, you missed out on the best part of the tutorial - your one and only chance to smear your partner with a truck without any consequences. Could have happened to a better partner, but when it comes to LA Noir you take your fun when you can get it.

Crumps Brother
Sep 5, 2007

-G-
Get Equipped with
Ground Game
Ace cop finds gun and immediately points it at his face.

Tiggum
Oct 24, 2007

Your life and your quest end here.


I still don't get how you're supposed to know whether to choose "lie" or "doubt". I failed that first interrogation about four times and still don't know why the "doubt" option is correct. As far as I can see it should be lie, because you do have evidence that Gage hated Jews - the witness statement. But for some reason you can't bring that up. :iiam:

The Casualty
Sep 29, 2006
Security Clearance: Pop Secret


Whiny baby

Tiggum posted:

I still don't get how you're supposed to know whether to choose "lie" or "doubt". I failed that first interrogation about four times and still don't know why the "doubt" option is correct. As far as I can see it should be lie, because you do have evidence that Gage hated Jews - the witness statement. But for some reason you can't bring that up. :iiam:

I know I felt the same way. Eventually you start to understand which one is which, but it took me about five or six cases, and then there's still the people who are really "good" liars and don't leave you much to work with.

I think I'd almost prefer a game with fewer cases in exchange for a richer interrogation system. It'd be cool to have the option to good cop/ bad cop someone, or mislead a suspect into giving themselves up. As it is, most interrogations seem to go something like this.

Perp: I want a lawyer!
Cole: Nah.
Perp: Well, uh, you can't prove anything!
[DOUBT -> DOUBT -> LIE]
Perp: And I woulda gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling kids!
Cole: You're going to the gas chamber! *fist bumps partner*

Duckbehindcover
Oct 21, 2010

Hold A to vault

The Casualty posted:

Cole: You're going to the gas chamber! *fist humps partner*

You're off the force.

mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants

Duckbehindcover posted:

You're off the force.

This is a man (or woman) who gets it.

chitoryu12
Apr 24, 2014

Crumps Brother posted:

Ace cop finds gun and immediately points it at his face.



It's okay, it's only a .32. As far as most modern shooters are concerned, it would have only tickled him.

The Casualty
Sep 29, 2006
Security Clearance: Pop Secret


Whiny baby

Duckbehindcover posted:

You're off the force.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DF6Oz4KBww

Chewbot
Dec 2, 2005

My Revenge Meat!

Geop posted:

I dunno, I REALLY enjoyed this game. The setting/aesthetics were quite nice (pitch me a decent movie set in this era or earlier 20th century and I'll dive right in), and the sleuthing scratched a lovely little itch :v: The music was also amazing. The Title-screen music? Awesome.

Is it a game for everyone? No, definitely not. But I liked Shenmue's slow pacing, so my enjoyment of detective-like games is already off-kilter from the norm.

This was my favorite game of the year. I have an elitist theory about why some people found the interrogations so hard: those people are dumb. As soon as the learner missions end and the witnesses stop over-acting, kids who have never watched Chinatown, LA Confidential or a Coen Brothers movie, who just saw R* on the box, don't know what to do anymore. In fact, this is probably the most snobbery-inducing game I've ever played, because I turned off the shiny/rumble help feature for finding clues and played the whole thing in black and white and I loved every minute.

I loved the story, and it took about half-way through the game to realize why: you are not Cole, don't try to pretend that he does your bidding. Cole is Cole, and you are trying to maneuver him as he self-destructs in spectacular noir fashion. I feel like they made a huge-budget AAA game just for me, that very few people will appreciate. It'll probably never happen again.

Also, to OP: your friend's making this hard to watch.

Chewbot fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Aug 5, 2014

Aces High
Mar 26, 2010

Nah! A little chocolate will do




I feel that that whole idea of "this is a Noir game for Noir fans" is exemplified in the DLC for this game because drat those cases are hard if you've never seen even an episode of Law & Order, much less L.A. Confidential or The Black Dahlia. Getting 5 stars on the DLC cases shows that you do really think the way the game expects you to think.

mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants
:siren:UPDATE!!!!!:siren:



02: TRAFFIC DESK: "The Driver's Seat"


So we’ve officially made it to the Traffic Desk. That means we get a desk (that we have to share), an unmarked vehicle with a siren, and a new partner (that we share our desk with).

The first case, “The Driver’s Seat”, is deviously straight-forward. If you’re a paranoid motherfucker like me, you’ll gently caress up the first two interrogations. So just relax. People are most well-meaning and want to tell the truth. BOOOORING!

Don’t worry, though, I’m dedicated to spicing things up. Or ruining the game with my inane rambling. Whichever floats your boat.

break-up breakdown
Mar 6, 2010

tips for nailing pedestrians: crash scenery (benches, food carts) into them

Aces High
Mar 26, 2010

Nah! A little chocolate will do




Awwww yeah and we are introduced to the best partner in the game :allears:

mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants

sick trigger posted:

tips for nailing pedestrians: crash scenery (benches, food carts) into them

Pretty sure the drunkard is gifted with infallible dodging skills. I guess they figured it would be too creepy if Cole could kill someone he just TALKED to.

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mrbotus
Apr 7, 2009

Patron of the Pants
Does anyone have any recommendations for "noire" films? Been wanting to watch one, lately. I'll pick one and write a review, or something. Maybe it'll be funny?

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