Abe and Elum

Introduction

Abe’s Oddysee is a 2D platform game that was released on Play-station and PC in 1997, created by Oddworld Inhabitants and published by GT Interactive. Known for its innovation and distinct quirk, it is a multi-award winning video-game with game’s main character becoming a very iconic and well known character in the Games Industry.  The game’s plot is centred around Abe, a slave in a meat processing plant who is faced with an ultimatum in which his Masters have to harvest Abe’s brethren to keep the Company afloat. The game is acclaimed for having a unique style, good graphics, in-depth cut scenes, and innovative puzzles and game play.

Storyline & Characters

The game starts with Abe over hearing his bosses/masters stressing about their company’s decreasing profits, ‘Rupture Farms’ which happens to be the biggest meat-processing plant on Odd-world. Molluck, the owner of the company and the game’s main villain (antagonist) announces that his idea ‘Mudokon pops’ will save the company. Abe immediately figures out that this means the slaughter of his race which are the slave workers of Rupture Farms. Fearing for his own life, Abe tries to escape. During his journey he comes across a Mudokon spiritual leader ‘Big-face,’ who says it’s up to Abe to save his brothers from Rupture farms from the meat grinders. Abe very reluctantly accepts the role as the saviour and goes on a spiritual quest to gain powers in order to shut down Rupture Farms and save every single Mudokon.

Molluck

Abe the game’s protagonist (hero) is a Mudokon slave worker, himself. Unlike the other people of his race and slave workers, his mouth is sewn shut to keep him quiet. Apparently it didn’t do any good as he is very vocal throughout the whole game. We find out early on during the game that Abe is simple-minded, clumsy and cowardly, which creates an interesting dynamic in game’s appearance, innovating the ideals of a typical hero.

Mullock the game’s main villain is a corporate figure well-known in Oddworld. He owns Rapture Farms and a line of other chain companies on a cartel. The attributes of this character are clear from the get go, just like the others in his race, he is greedy, ruthless, a capitalist and has no remorse for the slaughtering of his slave workers.

Rupture Farms

Major Game Elements

The game is an innovative 2D side scroller that has various different puzzles throughout the game to progress to the next level. The character Abe has no weapons and only the ability to pull levers, press buttons, jump, run, sneak, roll, climb and the ability to command fellow Mudokons.  The main goal of the game is to escape and to save your race from being slaughtered. This can be achieved by pressing various command buttons meaning Abe has the ability to interact with others of his race. By saying ‘hello’ he gets another Mudokon’s attention, by saying ‘follow me’ the Mudokon then follows Abe wherever he goes. With this, you can bring your brothers to a bird portal to be rescued and teleported to a safe location away from Rupture farms. Abe also has a few whistling commands which are used in order to complete sound puzzles.

Another important game element that the player needs to rely heavily on is Abe’s ability to chant/possess. It allows Abe to take control of enemies. The player needs to be able to take control of enemies (security) in order to disarm dangerous situations further ahead or in the current area in order to progress. Sligs, which are the slug-type creatures that are employed as security personnel at Rupture farms always have a gun, so possessing one gives the player a chance to play with offensive/aggressive tactic.

Slig (Security)

With these game elements and defensive abilities, creates very interesting puzzles where the player has to think about his actions before he continues to go ahead. One mistake or out of time action might cost the game to re-spawn at the checkpoint (death of main character) or even worse, the death of a slave worker. While this was a very successful game system, criticism has been made for the large learning curve and saving at limited checkpoints.

Game Levels

The levels are constructed as a 2D platform, but the environments are created in a 3D landscape, which gives the player a more in-depth experience to the world. The main floor and ledges form the main platform and inform the player the limitations and boundaries of the area, so the game can have a high detailed environment but still provide the information needed for the player to play the game and acknowledge their boundaries.

Scrapyard Level

Obstacles in each level vary from environment to environment. In Rupture Farms (Meat processing factory), meat slicers, bombs, and electrical fields are stationed everywhere throughout the level slowing Abe down or causing a block. Other obstacles in Rupture Farms are biological, like security and vicious dogs that can follow Abe. In the environmental levels, vicious wild creatures, bee hives and swinging rock traps are in areas that prevent Abe from gaining the easiest access. This causes the player to explore the level and use various objects and think about different ways of solving the puzzle within the environment. For example: luring a creature away from an entrance by placing a piece of meat away from the current area. The creature immediately notices the meat and leaves the area allowing Abe to gain access. Other obstacles include whistle codes, where the player has to obtain the code and repeat it back via button combination to another character to pass an area.  

Desert Temple

Other areas in the game might involve Abe manoeuvring between platforms and areas, within a time frame or a dangerous circumstance. This might require the player to run, sneak past sleeping security guards, hoist up to higher levels, or roll into smaller gaps.

Rewards

The player is rewarded with cut-scenes of the story after progressing so far. This keeps the player intrigued about the story and helps develop an emotional attachment to the main character. For completing Abe’s spiritual journey, he is rewarded with a sacred power that allows Abe to take form of a beast that kills every enemy in the screen. This can only be accessed when saving a certain amount of Mudokons at a special portal.

The ending of the game also has two different outcomes. If you save all your buddies you receive the Good ending cut scene but if you neglect or kill you buddies in the process you’ll receive the Bad ending.

Conclusion

Abe’s Oddysee is definitely a challenging game; at times it can prove a little frustrating but still has that ability no matter how many times you die, to want to try again. The in-depth story and rich environments grab your attention from the start and keep the player curious and entertained. It also has a lot of humour throughout the game which helps raise its appeal. Interesting creatures, puzzles, and talking to other characters makes this game a very original and successful game, that being said its guaranteed leave any person with a smile on their face.

Desert Level

 * All pictures sourced from http://oddworldlibrary.net/archives/togg/

Bug creature By Josh Sacco

Here’s a few of my pieces. I draw them on paper first Then scan them in and render them with photoshop.

Jungle By Josh sacco

arachma By Josh Sacco

More information is at http://www.freeplay.net.au

I intend to enter my game in the competition they run next year.

English game developer studio Just Add Water  announced that it has been co-operating with Oddworld Inhabitants over the last twelve months and is currently working on four or five projects that will see a return to Oddworld.

While there are very few specifics, Just Add Water’s managing director Stewart Gilray told Glenn Percival, Joel Sherfinski and Josh Langford of the PS Nation Podcast the first project would see Abe but not on the PlayStation, and that he was hoping to reveal more in the next couple of weeks. 

Abe

picture from http://oddworldlibrary.net

I’m pretty excited about this up and coming game. Oddworld has always been known for its twisted creatures and dark humourous stories that bare a slight resemblance  to the problems we face In our global society.

‘article from http://oddworldlibrary.net/oddblog/‘

• http://www.jawltd.com/?p=546
• http://www.oddworld.com/

I came back to a program I had used in the past for creating amateur games called Game maker. Due to its lack of professionalism and it’s limitations I thought it would be inferior to create the ideas I wanted on such an epic scale compared to the simplistic retro games that was often made with it.  To my surprise the newest version had new features that allowed me to handle all the art in the game alot easier, so I’m back on track with my concept idea.

Feeble concept By Josh Sacco

• http://creators.xna.com/en-US/
• http://www.yoyogames.com/make

• http://www.aie.edu.au/
• http://sydney.qantm.com/en-gb/home/
• http://aftrs.edu.au/
• http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/undergraduate/computer_science_games/index.html
• http://www.jmcacademy.edu.au/courses.cfm?id=7
• http://www.raffles.edu.au/index.php/Bachelor-of-Arts-VisComm/Games-Design.html