adonly on 9/9/2003 at 18:08
Yes it is one of the best previews I read.
I really can't wait for the release. Fortunately hl2 is comming on 30. of September.
Retischal on 9/9/2003 at 20:33
yeah, cool preview. It sounds as though they have really thought about how to improve the game and streamline the interface. (No more searching bodies, their items get left on the floor next to them).
The use of universal ammo sounds like a good development too, I guess that different weapons will use more / less ammo. Hopefully this will work well.
RobDDav on 9/9/2003 at 21:44
just read it. It sounds really good.
D'Juhn Keep on 10/9/2003 at 02:24
This preview has actually got me quite worried. I hope my fears are unfounded of course, but some of these changes sound pretty detrimental.
I'll start with what I would class as good.
Actions made whilst playing affect the outcome in both the short- and long-term.
You can visit or not some areas based on your actions which probably means more replay value.
All three endings of DX are utilised, which is cool.
No body searching.
And now the bad.
"The interface is completely new, and makes really good use of the Xbox controller." Great! Unless it sacrifices ease of use on the PC, this is obviously tainted by self-interest, but hey.
"Each item takes up only a single square of space". "In Invisible War, locked boxes now have see-through sides, so you can see what's inside before expending multitools to open them."
The targeting reticle has been replaced with a "weak spot finder". Does this mean that the accuracy of your guns is now 100%?
Some biomods are passive.
"All weapons will use one generic type of ammo."
These bad changes seem to make the game too dumbed down and simplistic. No care need be taken with the inventory, no need to open some of the boxes, no inaccurate shots, no different types of ammo. It all seems to be aimed at the limited-interface of a console. This might be a good thing, but I don't actually see how at the moment. Obviously I'm judging all this on one preview and the changes might turn out to be brilliant, but I was a hell of a lot happier with the game before I read this preview. :(
chris the cynic on 10/9/2003 at 03:13
I'm sure that someone can mod tradtional ammo types fairly quickly.
ZylonBane on 10/9/2003 at 21:12
And distribute them in a balanced way throughout every map in the game? :weird:
Yah, unified ammo sounds idiotic. We, as gamers, have only had since Doom to get used to the concept, y'know.
chris the cynic on 10/9/2003 at 23:04
I wouldn't doubt it, it would be time consuming but not difficult, and if everyone is so much against unified ammo then I'm sure some one will do it.
Chade on 11/9/2003 at 02:49
Why on earth are you against unified ammo in a roleplaying game?!?
Even if different ammo types were placed and balanced perfectly, you would still end up with a situation where you were rewarded (ammo-count wise) for straying from your chosen character, and penalised for playing a role.
chris the cynic on 11/9/2003 at 03:33
Wouldn't it encourage you to play that role to an even deeper level if you had to think out what your character would do given the material restrictions placed on you (him/her) by a realistic situation?
If you were role playing in an early colonial situation would you feel that it was better to have unified ammo for your bow and your musket? There are reasons to carry both, the bow can be reloaded faster and “fired” silently, the musket packs a better punch as well as boasting better range.
Yet the ammo that you have on hand may well dictate which you can use, and encourage you to work in a way that is different from your role. I really doubt that you would feel it allowed you to role-play better by loading arrows into your musket or musket shots and gunpowder into your bow (actually I'd like to see someone try to fire a musket shot with a bow.)
How is loading up a 9mm gun and a 20mm grenade launcher with the same thing any different than trying to shoot bullets with a bow?
