John Matrix
Prisoner 849

Done! 10char

I have no ideas, honestly. I think, in some ways, devs might just be sick of the direction the industry is going. Maybe they're all not happy with how the next-gen is turning out? Don't like what MS and Sony have planned?

Also, Rod and Cliff were pretty big... but I don't think they were the top-dogs in terms of company/business bureaucracy.

GoWJ is already a FPS-styled game... the series is almost already dead in player-base...

Your inbox is full. lol

Yeah, I think it would be awesome to have a network of tunnels for MP. Although my biggest fear is that Epic wouldn't get the idea of it being true tunnels. We'd end up with a smaller version of Trenches with no sky -- if you know what I mean? I like the idea, I just don't know if Epic could pull it off without making it too small or too "non-tunnel-looking".

Funny you should mention a vomit attack as that's what the Boomer in Left 4 Dead does.

Well, if Mallock ever does show up again, I'll be sure to ask him if he could do a Plague Boomer illustration, I'd like to see that.

I think of the Locust Horde as a kind of hive like entity, as in they all work toward a common goal without needing any prompting. Course, that doesn't explain the Berserker, who I'm pretty sure was led around in chains by drones before going berserk and killing them. I think there might have been a barge master in Gears 2 also, some sort of overseer, or maybe that was cut.

What I mean is, that dissension among the horde could be seen as a weakness, which would make them seem less formidable, less scary, if that makes any sense.

Check here for some of Mall's art, it's pretty cool stuff... http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/...D-October-27th

It's just a shame that so few people take any interest in fan art anymore.

So, the creature is kind of a Berserker hound/bull type thing? And hey, if it's bigger than a Boomer when on all fours, then evading it shouldn't be a problem, just go through an average size door and it won't be able to follow.

Think I prefer "Plague Boomer" to "Sludger" if I'm honest. I imagine it to have a mask of some kind, with metal and glass tanks filled with toxic sludge on it's back. I guess it would also look kinda diseased and stuff, with toxic vapors surrounding it.

What attacks would a four legged Berserker have? Wouldn't it need some sort of bite attack, or would it just charge at players like a bull?

BTW, it's a shame Mallock isn't still around, he used to draw all sorts of Locust creatures. Could have asked if he'd be interested in illustrating some of these creatures, it would have made a nice "Locust Bestiary"

Maybe some kind of filthy looking, giant hairy razorback type creature? Or the Locust equivalent of a werewolf? Something like that, big, dirty, disheveled and scary!

The Descent? About the girls who go caving and get killed by the mutant human things? Yeah, something like those, it's the more humanoid aspect that I like, suggests intelligence, which I think makes them even creepier.

The Hollows in Gears 2 disappointed a little. It promised so much, like we were gonna go to the heart of the Locusts home and discover all these cool things. But... we didn't. : /

Remember the deleted scene from Gears 2? There was a part where players witnessed the Locust torturing captured Gears and laughing about it, now that was kinda messed up. Did make me even more eager to kill grubs though.

Maybe toxified players could run around too as they slowly fall to pieces in a gooey mess?

Maybe more of a hairy denizen of the Hollow than an actual grub? I dunno, I just like the furry idea.

I was writing a story a while back which featured failed drones, "Locust Creepers", they'd be kinda like Golum from Lord of the Rings only more feral, feasting on battlefield bodies and emitting bone chilling screams to alert other nearby Creepers or drones when they spotted humans. Someone pointed out that they sound just like Wretches, which is kinda true, but I think giving them a more humanoid look is creepier.

So yeah, I assumed Drones were mass produced (from their name and sheer numbers), which would mean failed drones were a distinct possibility.

Mini Corpsers do rear up to scream, exposing their heads, good time to spew gunk as a Clogger I'd imagine.

I always thought of toxic attacks as melting characters, turning them to sludge, like acid or something. Freezing players in their death throes sounds like some other effect, though, truthfully, who knows what effect toxic materials would have? I do like the idea though, it would be a good visual reminder to surviving players to, step it up.

Think I'd like to see some hairy/shaggy/furry creatures for a change. Technically, it's something of a challenge in a game with the scope of Gears, but maybe as a boss character it could be accomplished to required levels. It's just something we haven't seen in Gears, and I really like the idea of an Abominable Locust.

I do like the idea of a creature with claws that can pick players up (didn't something like that happen in Starship Troopers?). Lol, might piss off those players who do get grabbed though.

One thing to remember about Locust creatures is the need to make them "alien" and "unearthly". People talk about dog type creatures a lot. Well, that's what the wretches are, dog like creatures Gears-ified. And Bloodmounts are like the Locust version of cavalry horses. True, makes it kinda hard to explain them in text form though.

Clogger? I had an idea for Locust Reekers, these flying manta ray style creatures that spew out toxic smoke, blanketing an area. Though, I guess it'd be more like a Lambent Berserker trail only less "glowy". So yeah, Cloggers could work, I'd change the design just to differentiate them from mini Corpsers though.

A two person HOD would do a lot of damage I think.