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BlackSite designer looks back on development woes

Posted Nov 28, 2007 at 2:27PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Xbox 360, PS3, PC Gaming Tags: Harvey Smith, Iraq, Montreal International Game Summit, Unreal Engine

Although the game is still in it's infancy stage since it first debuted in the US back in November 13, Midway Studios Austin's latest game for the first person shooter genre, BlackSite: Area 51 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3), was met with a pelting deluge of mixed reviews from both critics and fans alike at the recent Montreal International Game Summit for 2007.

Before it got released, BlackSite had already garnered fame for it's political leanings towards the ongoing war in Iraq, but it was in the last year of BlackSite's development that those political issues materialized. It seems that the limited time given produced a "half baked" message of sorts which could've been misinterpreted by the public.

It was revealed that BlackSite's designer, Harvey Smith, expressed his initial lack of interest about working on the game. He said he was simultaneously working on two other projects that could've made focusing on BlackSite quite difficult for him.

There were also tech problems that further exacerbated BlackSite's development problems. Though Smith did not say if Unreal Engine 3 was part of their tech woes, he did reveal that tech sharing was most problematic. "Everyone was forced to share tech. It took eight months to get one thing working, " he said.

Smith complained that Blacksite's levels were "orange boxed" - that is, patched and polished - in the span of just four days just to meet corporate deadlines. And when the game was found to be playable, it jumped from Alpha to final in a heartbeat. He admitted to the mistake, calling it "completely reprehensible".

BlackSite clearly needed a lot of improvement, but Smith felt that the game was underrated and stated that he would've given it a rating of 80 instead its current GameRanking score.

Buy: [ Blacksite: Area 51 (PC) ]

Buy: [ Blacksite: Area 51 (PS3) ]

Buy: [ Blacksite: Area 51 (Xbox 360) ]

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I bought this game and mass effect at the same time. Mass effect had me hooked for 40 hours of great gameplay as the levels just get better as you go. This game however I just played it straight through this afternoon in 3.3/4 hours???

Hey I am not a great shooter but this game just sucks. Story is terrible, unreal engine doesnt look any better than the original game Unreal. lots of glitches and one where I could jump over a wall but the team could not join me and i could not get back. Another glitch had me fall off the world after walking into a garage in the suburbs???

If you want to just blast away with some friends after a couple of beers this would be a fine rental. A couple of hours of blast away. If you think this game after all the hype is gonna be good! well forget it. go get TimeShift its way more fun and much much better. Pity that the above article is released after the game rather than before hand, I could have saved my money for something better. BS all the way.

# As an area 51 fan. — ShadeyProphet 2007-11-29 02:14

would you recomend this game to fans of the original area 51 when it hits budget price?

Are the grey aliens even in this game?

# Re: ShadeyProphet — shabghai360 2007-11-29 02:46

NO WAY:

the xbox Area 51 was a great game and dealt with aliens. This games is totally screwed up with Saddam in Irag having mutant soldiers and then the US having done the same to its own troops. Nothing in this game has any relevance to the first area51 which I aslo enjoyed even if the x files voice over was a bit dumb. After hearing of this game I have spent many months looking forward to it only to be soooooooo disappointed its cruel. I strongly suggest you rent it or if a friend has done the same as I, just go check it out. This one even at a budget price is too expensive, it should be a giveaway. Its really not worth your money. Better still just find the torrent and download for ya PC. I do not advocate Piracy but this is such a rip off and they do not deserve to earn money on it.

# shabghai360 — ShadeyProphet 2007-11-29 03:16

Thanks, I was a huge fan of the original. and just for the story elements alone I was planing on buying this, if it ever hit budget price. But after learning it has no real ufo mythology or connection to Extraterrestria l's in general. I will avoid this like the plauge. Its just another hum drum generic shooter.

Thanks bro. At the very most you saved me from buying the game at full price, just for the sroty which would have disappointed me. at the very least you saved me from spending a 20 spot on a budget game I would have broken out of dissgust.

Thanks Bro, Reps :)

# No prob Shady — shabghai360 2007-11-29 04:39

Thats what these forums are for, they are for news but also to express our views.

A lot of great games out there but this is sadly inferior to many original xbox titles.

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