daprdan on 24/4/2007 at 20:40
With Farcry I find myself doing the long driving sequence over and over.I just love the different approaches one can take.And I like Boat as well for the same reasons.
Viva la Fromage!!!
And it looks great with my new ATI 1650;) :D
Bjossi on 24/4/2007 at 20:47
Quote Posted by michaelg
Still though I will pick this game up. If nothing else at least it sounds
different. You guys can't even decide what it is!
If you like FPS games and RPG or adventure as well, you are gonna love Stalker. It's hard at first, but it gets better as you progress.
polytourist97 on 24/4/2007 at 22:12
Quote Posted by Rolander
That style of 'leveling' is not too dissimiliar from what occurs in System Shock 1: Throughout the game you accumulate better weapons (I still miss rapier-rushing Security-2 'bots) and hardware attachments/upgrades (the level 3 map unit that detects enemies was extremely useful).
However, to be clear, SS1 was indeed NOT an RPG/FPS. This upgrade style is not technically "leveling", as most every FPS has better weaponry and equipment become available as the game goes on. They may not have the same depth and variation of upgrades, but it's essentially the same system.
Phatose on 24/4/2007 at 22:59
Quote Posted by Bjossi
To me it is a RPG/FPS. Inventory system, traders, bunch of side-quests, massive area to run around in, many ways to make money.
I don't see how it is not a RPG/FPS.
To me, anyway, the rationale is how shallow the RPG elements are.
If you look at Deus Ex or Bloodlines, there's a level of customization by equipment, a level by add ons, and an underlying skill/xp system.
Stalker lacks the underlying skill system, and outside of artifacts, it's equipment is all disposable. Such impermanence doesn't lend itself well to character building.
As for the artifacts, while they're some level of customization you can keep, it tends to be a little unimpressive. While there are certainly trade off, you don't find anything more fantastic then a bit of bullet resistance or increased endurance. The depth here is limited to resistances, endurance, healing and radiation leak off. You can't even find an artifact that makes you faster, or improves you aim, much less do anything that would explain why there's so a huge interest in them. Just not a lot of meat to it.
The side quests tend to be very formulaic, go here, kill x or pick up y, come back, and the rewards are typically extremely underwhelming. Really, they come across much less as rpg sidequest, and much more like the autogenerated sidequests you'd see in freelancer or the like. Money, similarly, just isn't that useful - there aren't many things you'll see in stalker that you'll absolutely positive want to have the money for.
Additionally, if you look at DX or Bloodlines or even SS2, there's a fair level of variety you'll gain access to through you efforts. JC gets cloaking or super legs or x-ray eyes. The bloodlines lead gets all sorts of cool abilities, from superspeed to boiling peoples blood and making them go pop. Even SS2, arguably less of an FPS/RPG then the other two, you can get all sorts of nifty psi abilities through modules. In stalker....well, you ain't gonna get anything much more interesting then a machine gun, and how well that gun fares is solely the product of your skill and the guns stats. Offensively, at least, it might as well be half-life 2, as your gun and your skill is all there is.
Mind you, that's not saying it's a bad game - it's actually a damned fine game - but it gets by much more on the strength of it's action elements then it does it's underdeveloped rpg parts.
Bjossi on 24/4/2007 at 23:15
The RPG parts are the sole reason I haven't beat it yet, not even close. ;)
As for artifacts, I would love an artifact that increases the weight you can carry.
Jashin on 25/4/2007 at 10:41
In stalker, the skill system is the player. As you get better equipment, your tactics evolve.
You are playing a role that is every man, with matching weapon/supply to your exp level. Half-way through the game you realize it's not the "levels" that make the character, it's your own knowledge of the weapons you carry, the terrain, your own tolerance level, the enemy, etc.
It's a very organic experience - it's what rpg should be. All that stats and number crunching from the traditional rpg are really artifacts of inadequate computational power from the 90s.
Jashin on 25/4/2007 at 10:43
Quote Posted by Phatose
Stalker lacks the underlying skill system, and outside of artifacts, it's equipment is all disposable. Such impermanence doesn't lend itself well to character building.
That means that characters are able to be depowered over time as well as grow in power. That's only a good thing for roleplaying.
Rogue Keeper on 25/4/2007 at 11:55
Quote Posted by Jashin
In stalker, the skill system is the player. As you get better equipment, your tactics evolve.
You are playing a role that is every man, with matching weapon/supply to your exp level. Half-way through the game you realize it's not the "levels" that make the character, it's your own knowledge of the weapons you carry, the terrain, your own tolerance level, the enemy, etc.
It's a very organic experience - it's what rpg should be. All that stats and number crunching from the traditional rpg are really artifacts of inadequate computational power from the 90s.
Your statement scares me, sir. It makes impression that the most simpler an RPG is, the more immersive and realistic it is?
Using your first paragraph somebody could say that even Doom or Unreal or any other FPS is essentially an RPG, because - what a surprise - you play some role and your tactics evolve with every better gun you find - because better guns are in essence upgrades!? Likewise just the knowledge of acid spills' locations in the area, ability to differ between a big red monster and big blue monster and the ability to know that it takes about 50 shotgun shots and 10 pulse rifle shots for that big orange monster to die - doesn't make RPG out of a primitive first person shooter!
Stalker is a good experiment, but I PRAY this is NOT how common FPS/RPG hybrids will look in the future.
In such case, all lessons of excellent FPS/RPG hybridization brought to us by gems like SS2, Deus Ex or Bloodlines have been put in vain.
Just like a future gamer's intellect. :nono:
charlestheoaf on 25/4/2007 at 19:17
Quote Posted by Jashin
It's a very organic experience - it's what rpg should be. All that stats and number crunching from the traditional rpg are really artifacts of inadequate computational power from the 90s.
I agree to an extent. Sometimes the leveling up process seems kind of silly and artificially limiting (though I still greatly enjoy a well-made rpg).
I'd like to see an rpg/fps hybrid that does have leveling up, but it's more of a "natural" system. The leveling up would be increasing you character's technical knowledge of various game systems, or actual physical alterations to him/her (or getting more equipment, etc).
Deus Ex did something nice leaning towards this. Even though it still had the numerical stats driving your effectiveness with the weapons, you were still able to at least use any weapon you found (although very poorly).
And even though I love System Shock 2, it always bugged me that you would be completely inable to even hold a pistol without spending cyber modules on that skill. It fit in with the smaller and more compact design of the game, and worked nicely, but I still thought it was silly for some things.
I could understand that limitation with energy weapons or exotic weaponry (as they would require extra technical knowledge), but I know that I could certainly figure out how to fire an assault rifle (even if not very well) with absolutely no previous knowledge.
mrle01 on 25/4/2007 at 20:06
Did anybody play "Boiling Point: Road To Hell"? I heard that it is a FPS/RPG hybrid, but don't know if it's any good. I've read a couple of reviews, but they didn't sound too promising.
