New Bloodlines Sequel Teased?

[Porphyria]

Well. I guess it's good there's a sequel game coming. I wanted to be excited for this for a long time, but unless I'm proven wrong, which I could be, MEH.

I really like the thin-blood idea, or whatever they are going for there story-wise. I'm sure that would be interesting. I personally don't want to play a first-person perspective game. I know I'm in the minority since many new games are going that way, but a large part of my enjoyment in these games is seeing what my character is doing, how I can customize them, etc. I couldn't really tell if it was an open world type style either, or more linear.

Also, it looked suspiciously like Lacroix was in that trailer, probably trying to sell his flavoured water. Douche. 

[IanW]

Canonically:

• Thin bloods have been described as "inceptors" (i.e. able to create their own Disciplines) since 1999. In V5 this takes the form of "thin-blood alchemy," a pseudo-Discipline where they can use their vitae to sort of alchemically draw out the essence of other mixtures or objects, drink the resulting formula, and gain powers. Unlike regular Disciplines, it's not permanent: when you run out of formula, you'll have to make a new batch or come up with something new. This is probably the source of the telekinesis and mist powers that have been described so far.
• Thin bloods don't have any clan characteristics; the curse is too weak in them. No clan advantages or weaknesses. V5 effectively treats thin-bloods like their own clan, because they have a lot more in common with each other than they do with the clan that may have sired them. Incidentally this is why I get irked when people insist that Rosa in VTMB1 must be a Malkavian because she has precognitive abilities. That's something common to many thin-bloods, and it's more likely she has it because she's a thin-blood than because of her clan. There's no way to tell what her clan is.
• Thin bloods are occasionally rewarded with the opportunity to diablerize another vampire: this thickens the blood enough that they lose thin-blood status and behave like a normal vampire. It also means they gain the clan of whoever they just diablerized.

So that's how you'd get to be able to choose your clan: you gain the clan of whoever you diablerize to escape being a thin-blood.

(And yes, it means you can get a weird case like your actual sire being a Brujah but you yourself are a Ventrue.)

[Ghanima_Atreides]

• Thin bloods are occasionally rewarded with the opportunity to diablerize another vampire: this thickens the blood enough that they lose thin-blood status and behave like a normal vampire. It also means they gain the clan of whoever they just diablerized.

So that's how you'd get to be able to choose your clan: you gain the clan of whoever you diablerize to escape being a thin-blood.

I admit I am not completely up to date with V5, but this seems...weird to me. The Camarilla generally frowns on diablerie quite a lot, so it would be strange, to me, for them to offer it as a reward. Unless this isn't exactly "on the books" or perhaps not even done with the Camarilla's knowledge, that's also possible.

It would also rather put a damper on certain character concepts, like high humanity vamps who avoid violence, if you are forced to be a diablerist. But I guess this can be worked around somehow, invoke the Beast etc. Still...

[Mond_Blutgut]

I couldn't really tell if it was an open world type style either, or more linear.

Considering that they mentioned a regular playthrough taking about 30-40 hours I assume it's structured like the original Bloodlines, with each district being much larger and more (vertically) spacious (but still confined in one way or another) than the LA ones of course.

(And yes, it means you can get a weird case like your actual sire being a Brujah but you yourself are a Ventrue.)

Which only makes the concept even more intriguing.
Not to mention providing probably THE incentive for multiple playthroughs. And that's not even taking into account the different backgrounds (police officer, criminal, etc) to choose from at the beginning.

[J3ster]

Canonically:
[...]
So that's how you'd get to be able to choose your clan: you gain the clan of whoever you diablerize to escape being a thin-blood.

(And yes, it means you can get a weird case like your actual sire being a Brujah but you yourself are a Ventrue.)

Is that an official confirmation? It still looks a bit rough from a storytelling perspective to me (granted, I've seen nothing yet) - the patsy will have to either be insignificant enough to be able to swap clans based on a player's choice, or if we're gonna diablerize an actual character there has to be a vast array of them - for every sect/clan combination there has to be at least one potential target. It would stand to reason that Camarilla would let me diablerize a Brujah Anarch but Anarchs probably won't.

Ed: Of course, there's a simple route of player doing the tutorial and then being led into the faction cellar where every clan representative is served in an individual cell with a glass and corkscrew, but that's just lazy.

[mdqp]

Is that an official confirmation? It still looks a bit rough from a storytelling perspective to me (granted, I've seen nothing yet) - the patsy will have to either be insignificant enough to be able to swap clans based on a player's choice, or if we're gonna diablerize an actual character there has to be a vast array of them - for every sect/clan combination there has to be at least one potential target. It would stand to reason that Camarilla would let me diablerize a Brujah Anarch but Anarchs probably won't.

Ed: Of course, there's a simple route of player doing the tutorial and then being led into the faction cellar where every clan representative is served in an individual cell with a glass and corkscrew, but that's just lazy.

Maybe they'll take you to a cell, but make you pick the clan before you enter, and change the guy inside to fit the choice. Honestly, there are probably many ways, I just don't get why we start as a thin blood if they then change it. Feels like a big deal quickly changed to become inconsequential early on.

[J3ster]

Maybe they'll take you to a cell, but make you pick the clan before you enter, and change the guy inside to fit the choice. Honestly, there are probably many ways, I just don't get why we start as a thin blood if they then change it. Feels like a big deal quickly changed to become inconsequential early on.

But then you just diablerize a glorified tickbox. There's no weight to it. Alternatively there might be a challenge to complete the game without turning into a full vampire? Like Deus Ex Zero Factory achievements? I'm having a hard time imagining it being possible with thin-blood having to potentially fight elder vampires and werewolves. (?! They are the "enemy" in the DLC, amirite?)

[YamiRaziel]

I think that you might have to put some solid game hours before you pick the clan. I really doubt it's going to be after the tutorial or anything like that.

From what I've read the idea is for you to feel a bit weaker so that you can slowly grow in power.

[Signothorn]

I couldn't find any 100% confirmed documented proof they were using Unreal 4, but Florian Schwarzer confirmed it to me in a Twitter thread. Also sounds like the game was literally built from the ground up with modding in mind. 

[IanW]

I admit I am not completely up to date with V5, but this seems...weird to me. The Camarilla generally frowns on diablerie quite a lot, so it would be strange, to me, for them to offer it as a reward. Unless this isn't exactly "on the books" or perhaps not even done with the Camarilla's knowledge, that's also possible.

The Camarilla does sanction diablerie in some cases, for example as a reward for taking part in a Blood Hunt, you get to diablerize the target of the hunt. And while it may not technically be allowed when you're running-and-gunning in Sabbat territory, they'll often look the other way.

Of course, there's nothing saying the Camarilla is involved at all in this case. Anarchs don't really have a set of laws so much as they have some common sense behaviours, so if you're going to diablerize someone, Anarchs might frown on it, but they're not going to come for your head or anything.

Is that an official confirmation?

That's an official confirmation of how things can theoretically work in-universe, not a confirmation on how it's going to work in Bloodlines 2 specifically.

I think that you might have to put some solid game hours before you pick the clan.

That's the impression I got. I'd imagine that, to use a Bloodlines 1 analogy, you'd spend Santa Monica as a thin-blood, and then after getting Downtown -- maybe after the Elizabeth Dane -- you'd get the opportunity to pick your clan. Pretty much the whole of Santa Monica was low-key an extended tutorial area anyway.

[Mond_Blutgut]

I think that you might have to put some solid game hours before you pick the clan.

That's the impression I got. I'd imagine that, to use a Bloodlines 1 analogy, you'd spend Santa Monica as a thin-blood, and then after getting Downtown -- maybe after the Elizabeth Dane -- you'd get the opportunity to pick your clan. Pretty much the whole of Santa Monica was low-key an extended tutorial area anyway.

Don't quote me on that but I think they mentioned you'll spend roughly the first third of the game as a clanless thin-blood.

[Wesp5]

The Camarilla does sanction diablerie in some cases, for example as a reward for taking part in a Blood Hunt, you get to diablerize the target of the hunt. And while it may not technically be allowed when you're running-and-gunning in Sabbat territory, they'll often look the other way.

But what happens if you meet a Camarilla vampire afterwards that can see the diablerie aura? Wouldn't they kill you or at least question you? Also what about the new disciplines you get in Bloodlines 2 at the start: fog, bat swarm and telekinesis. Have these any base in V5 and are they available to thin blood caitiff?

[Gurkhal]

The Camarilla does sanction diablerie in some cases, for example as a reward for taking part in a Blood Hunt, you get to diablerize the target of the hunt. And while it may not technically be allowed when you're running-and-gunning in Sabbat territory, they'll often look the other way.

But what happens if you meet a Camarilla vampire afterwards that can see the diablerie aura? Wouldn't they kill you or at least question you? Also what about the new disciplines you get in Bloodlines 2 at the start: fog, bat swarm and telekinesis. Have these any base in V5 and are they available to thin blood caitiff?

In the case of the diablerie I imagine that this Camarilla vampire would take things to the elders who will look the other with more or less grace to it. After all while the Camarilla has laws, it don't have the rule of law, if you get my meaning.

[Mond_Blutgut]

https://twitter.com/Zakkarian/status/1108960161396219905

[Aurelian]

I couldn't find any 100% confirmed documented proof they were using Unreal 4, but Florian Schwarzer confirmed it to me in a Twitter thread. Also sounds like the game was literally built from the ground up with modding in mind. 

Legends say, that players are already patching the game.