Two related questions: We've all heard about the massive sum of money thrown at games from big publishing houses these days, but how much has the *effective* level of resources aimed at games changed between Crusader and the present? And does the (assumed) level of oversight that comes with the given levels of investment work out to be positive in the end or more of a hindrance?

I received Crusader: No Remorse for my 17th birthday from my friends. Could you please wish me a Happy 17th Birthday, for old times sake? Really enjoying the memories as a Silencer, thank you!

any chance of creating modern continuation of series?
in particular: massive multiplayer with persistent world, rpg character development,
fast action, isometric view, fully destructible environments

We've all heard the stories about game development that modern developers talk about. The hard push toward the deadline, the sleepless nights and the piles of Mountain Dew. Was it the same for older games like Crusader: No Remorse? Got any good stories you remember from the final push?

First of all Tony: Many thanks for this great game, I discovered it thanks to GOG and I think it's really fun :)

As for my questions: When I played the game, one of the things that I really liked about it (and games in general) is the music. During the development of Crusader: No Remorse how did you implement the music/sound effects around the environment and gameplay? Was the music inspired by anything and was there something that you wanted to Put in the game in terms of Sound but didn't make it in the end?

Thank you!

At +15 years after release did you think about the game in terms of people revisiting and even finding it brand new over a decade later? In hind site, after seeing how cult-ish and nitch-ish people stick to their games of youth, do you see any changes in how games should be developed over the long term? (from both a technology perspective and from a design and content perspective).

Hi, Tony. First of all, I have to say, these are fantastic games, and I'm waiting for GOG to release No Regret, hopefully soon. I have a few questions. One, how did you get the talent for the live-action videos? Two: Were you planning on a third game after No Regret was released, and do you think it would still be possible to make a game like Crusader today? And do you know of any plans to develop a third game?

First of all, I am a huge fan of the crusader games and no regret is in my top 5 games of all time, and believe me I've played a lot of great games. My question is: Can you share with us one interesting anecdote from your time in the gaming industry?

Thanks, killert2011 :)

Dear Tony,

While playing Half-Life 2 back in 2004, I couldn’t help myself but feel that the game was quite influenced by the Crusader series.

For starters, both take place in a near future dystopian world.

Also, in both games you take the role of a person who:
i. Wears a special protective suit.
ii. Joins the ranks of a resistance force in order to fight against the same people he used to work for.
iii. As time goes by, gains a legendary fame among the circles of the resistance and becomes one of its leaders.
iv. And, most importantly of all, never, ever, says a single word, with the people who talk to him often poking him about being not much of a talker.

During the course of both games, you can replenish your health and your suit’s energy either by using medkits and batteries (common gameplay mechanic almost in every action game), or by using health charging stations and energy charging stations (well, this one isn’t that common, is it?).

The Crusader series introduced the idea of teleportation in a degree no other action game at that time have come close to. Teleportation stations were the most common way in the world of the Crusader series to travel from place A to place B (even if sometimes bad things happened when using them – minor spoiler ;) ). In the Half-Life series now, teleportation was still under research, but it played a major role in the story arc, as it happened to be the science topic Gordon Freeman was obsessed with and therefore became the reason he got involved with Black Mesa in the first place.

In the latest part of Crusader: No Remorse, you are promised a group of resistance members to come and assist you in what seems to be the climax of the final fight. To my disappointment, they never showed up, but I understand that, from a technical point of view, such a feature would have been impossible to be implemented in a game developed during 1994-1995. Now, almost a decade later and as computers became way more powerful, this awesome gameplay idea got materialized in Half-Life 2. I can’t describe how amazing this specific feeling was. Having the game make you feel that you are in fact part of a big resistance force. That you are so important to it, it will let you lead a pack of comrade fighters. That, in other words, you are not just controlling a puppet hero; you are actually an awesome hero leading a resistance force. Half-Life 2 was filled with lots of similar spectacular moments, more than any game has achieved to this very day. However, Crusader: No Remorse was the first game that gave me this feeling, even if it was just a tease and not the real thing... I can't recall any other game between 1995's Crusader: No Remorse and 2004's Half-Life 2 giving me this unique feeling.

So what do you think about all of the above Tony? Is it my idea, or was Crusader: No Remorse actually, to some degree, a source of inspiration for the developers of one of the greatest games of all time (Half-Life 2 that is)? And if so, how damn proud do you feel? :D



P.S.: I was such a sad panda the day it was announced that “Project RedLime” was a Syndicate reboot and not a Crusader reboot... Syndicate was an amazing game back in the day, but Crusader... Oh boy. :(

P.S. 2: English is not my native language, so forgive me about the numerous grammatical and syntactic mistakes in my post… :)

Now a lot of people over the years have criticised the lack of storytelling inherent in -especially- action games? (Most famously by roger ebert who said "games will never be art because of their lack of depth).

Now the story of Crusader is rather cyberpunk, how important do you think story, narriative and plot are to the gaming experience? and did you have the concept of this story of "the corrupt system" before designing and scripting the physical game, or did you decide to make an action game, than fill in the story?

If I copy HELP3.DAT from the Crusader CD and rename it to HELP3.BMP, I get this image. Who the hell is this?

Now this is a question that deserves to be answered :-)

Hi

I am not very familiar with Origins Systems or Crusader series, but I would like to know how you found out Origin Systems and how you came up the idea to develop the Crusader: No Remorse and No Regret?

Aside the classical question (Are games art?), I'd like to know the thoughts of a game designer about the contrast that is evolving and growing between the Game industry and the players, a contrast that spawned and at the same time is alimented by piracy and digital restrictions management: shall the players renounce to their freedom or shall the industry surrender to piracy and avoid restrictions?

I second that! :D