Related Sections: Shooters
Open season on mule deer and creative grammar in theHunter
Some friends of mine have been playing an online hunting game created by Swedes at Avalanche Studios, the folks who made Just Cause and are currently working on Just Cause 2. In this online hunting game, you can go for an hour before you come across deersign. I'm not sure how much longer you can go before finding a T. Rex, but unless you pony up to pay for the full version, you're never going to find anything but mule deer. When you sign up for "the Warden plan", you get turkey, whitetail deer, and elk, plus two new guns and more clothes.
The game is called theHunter. Yeah, that's how they write it. At least they didn't make it an acronym. You can go here to register and download the client for free. Then you can mess around and hunt mule deer. Or just watch this. It looks absolutely gorgeous, even if it is slow as molasses. Think Far Cry 2, but minus Molotovs and with about 1/1000th the amount of ammunition fired.
Any hope for a patch to add in dinosaurs? Perhaps this comment from the press release will provide some clue:"theHunter addresses the lack of quality and realism found in many hunting games, which has done a great disservice to the sport and its fans for many years," said Morgan O'Rahilly, President of [publisher] Emote Games. "By developing an experience that uses the most advanced technology and follows strict ethical guidelines, theHunter will change the way the genre is perceived and set a new benchmark for future hunting games."
Hmm. They say "lack of realism" like it's a bad thing. Also, what do strict ethical guidelines have to say about shooting velociraptors?
(Thanks flyinj and Cubit!)
By Jarmo at 3:02 PM ON 04/13/09
Those graphics are a remarkable achievement. It's the first time I've seen a game that could conceivably be mistaken for real imagery. I think they also make clear just how immersive great graphics can be when they are not depicting boys' fiction cliches.
By HVO-Jetfire at 7:01 PM ON 04/13/09
The twitches and gestures of the deer are absolutely incredible. Colour me impressed, though I shudder to think what I would have to do to my PC to get it to operate that well.
Also, the whole hunting genre in gaming is tainted in a weird way to me. Throughout the entire video I expected the damn dog from Duck Hunt to pop up and mock me.
By Mark at 11:10 PM ON 04/13/09
How could anyone think that hunting defensless animals is fun? I mean, games like this don't even try to make the argument that hunting is a necessary evil - though they would probably be wrong to do so. They just say, "Let's all have fun killing."
By repinsnug at 11:54 PM ON 04/13/09
Mark
Killing deer is fun... You think they don't want to kill you when they jump out in front of your car? Its evening the odds
By Mark at 4:46 AM ON 04/14/09
Evening the odds? We're humans, we're supposed to know better. If you want to even the odds, don't get yourself into a situation where you would need to kill.
By Tom Chick at 4:57 AM ON 04/14/09
Mark, no one asks to be attacked by a deer when he's driving down the road. That's an entirely specious argument to make, like accusing a rape victim of asking for it because of the way she's dressed. How long do humans have to put up with deer-inflicted traffic fatalities without some sort of response? Without controlled hunting to thin the deer population, do you know how many stretches of road would be officially rated "Unsafe" by the Federal Transportation Administration? Lots. That's how many.
By bahimiron at 11:22 AM ON 04/14/09
I love those graphics. It's like Flower, but with the stalking and eventual execution of innocent animals!
By Neuro at 11:25 AM ON 04/14/09
Tom what are you doing, driving down these country roads late at night, going way too fast? You know the risks, I think you almost want a deer to jump out in front of you. You sick little monkey.
Neuro:
Tom what are you doing, driving down these country roads late at night, going way too fast? You know the risks, I t...More »