Salk on 30/9/2009 at 14:52
Hello people!
I have recently come in possesion of an original copy of the game (bought second-handed) and I believe I might start a gaming session in few days.
I tried to gather infos about what mods I want installed but I have a question.
Is there an easy way to disable the respawning?
I have always hated respawning in any game and I would like to eliminate it altogether from System Shock 2.
I'd like to do that while mantaining compatibility with ADaoB 0.30.
In another forum I got no reply so I hope I'll have more luck here.
Thanks!
ZylonBane on 30/9/2009 at 15:45
Quote Posted by Salk
Is there an easy way to disable the respawning?
Yes.
Also, you suck. SS2 is an RPG, not smegging DOOM. You are not supposed to be able to clear out the levels. You are supposed to be afraid at all times. Suck it up and play it right, you gigantic pansy.
Enchantermon on 30/9/2009 at 15:54
Not to mention that it also takes the fun out of it. Running along a corridor when you're out of bullets and coming face to face with a shotgun hybrid who popped up out of nowhere is half the fun.
Seriously, leave it on. Otherwise, you hurt the game experience.
Salk on 30/9/2009 at 15:58
ZylonBane,
just out of respect for the work you have been doing, I won't reply to your provocations but will just say that spawning -for me - is what makes me most think of playing a game like Doom.
Not to mention that spawning was barred from the RPG sessions I and friends used to play because we thought it broke the atmosphere. I guess we have a different concept of how a RPG should challenge the players.
Salk on 30/9/2009 at 16:01
Enchantermon,
I appreciate the politeness. I do believe that for some people (re)spawning might be funny. And that for them taking it off ruins the experience. For me, it is just the opposite. I might decide to play the game at a more difficult level if I believe that the combat is not enough challenging but I would really like to get rid of the respawning. It is also a matter of realism. In fact, I appreciated a mod that would just leave the respawning of worms, which seems more consistent to me than the sudden appearance of enemies from nowhere.
RocketMan on 30/9/2009 at 16:09
Or you could adjust the respawn rate so that it's not gone altogether but perhaps more believable to you.
I think the idea that you can clear the level gives you a sense of security in knowing that there is a finite threat in each sealed area and once that's one, you're 100% safe. If the potential remains that you didn't find all the enemies (even if you actually did) then you still have that suspension of disbelief and you still fear the level...but I think you already understand this.
Salk on 30/9/2009 at 16:16
RocketMan,
yes, I can see your point in this. I guess we are speaking of different philosophies here. For me the suspension of disbelief requires that things that are plainly unrealistic (and in my opinion, tedious) like respawning should - when possible - be taken out of any kind of game. It's just not the matter of how often the respawning happens but rather the whole concept itself hurting the overall gameplay and breaking immersion.
I played other cRPGs like Baldur's Gate (the trilogy, via BGT mod) with disabled respawns (via BGT Tweaks mod) and I enjoyed it immensly. The game was not easier, because the experience points you would gain were much less, due to the many less combats. But it was certainly a step forward gameplay-wise.
I have bought a boardgame (Descent) that disappointed me just for that reason: it features respawning and it broke mine and my friend's fun. We played it once only and now it's collecting dust on its shelf.
ZylonBane on 30/9/2009 at 16:34
Quote Posted by Salk
It's just not the matter of how often the respawning happens but rather the whole concept itself hurting the overall gameplay and breaking immersion.
SS2 is set on a gigantic interstellar starship. Your apparent notion that the movement of your enemies should be constrained to individual maps is the one that's absurd and immersion-breaking.
Apparently that's what you want though... a highly artificial experience in which the universe is chunked up into convenient little zones -- which only you can traverse -- where your enemies do nothing but patiently wait for your arrival.
Yeah, super immersive there dude. :rolleyes:
Enchantermon on 30/9/2009 at 21:07
Quote Posted by RocketMan
I think the idea that you can clear the level gives you a sense of security in knowing that there is a finite threat in each sealed area and once that's one, you're 100% safe.
That's the thing, though. You're not
supposed to have a sense of security. SS2 is a survival horror game. Part of what makes it that is not being able to feel safe anywhere.
Quote Posted by Salk
For me the suspension of disbelief requires that things that are plainly unrealistic (and in my opinion, tedious) like respawning should - when possible - be taken out of any kind of game.
Interestingly enough, SS2 can explain respawning. Not only would enemies be able to realistically traverse the decks as ZylonBane said, but it's quite possible that your psionically advanced enemies are able to be transported to different areas as well (just as you can transport around on a deck when you learn the teleportation psi power).
By the way, you can't completely turn off respawning. Even those mods Kolya linked to cannot; there are certain spawn ecologies that are constant.
