The Shrine

PostPosted:**Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:59 pm**

Get it!

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:58 pm**

I hate to compound your misery, Lotus, but the demo...

It's fucking awesome.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:39 am**

I'm sorry, I have to talk about Bioshock.

It is SO GOOD.

I remember, years and years ago, Tortolia ranting about how good System Shock 2 was, and I finally get it.

Bioshock is mechanically pretty perfect: the gunplay and melee combat is satisfying, as are the two plasmid powers you attain in the demo. The controls are intuitive and it just feels right. The enemies in the demo are smart, and behave differently (and not just randomly) every time I've played through.

But mechanics aside, this is art. It's glorious, and terrifying, and beautiful. The environments are stunning, what there is of the story in the demo is engrossing, the voice acting is pitch perfect. Rapture feels like a perfectly encapsulated world.

It's going to be a long couple of weeks before release, lemme tell you.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:44 am**

And the demo doesn't even expose you to any of the RPG-levelling hooks: the actual game allows you to upgrade all of your weaponry, powers and ammunition (!), and apparently has a robust crafting system (!!!). And it's got doodads like story-revealing diaries to collect!

Oh god! This game is going to drive me insane!

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:27 am**

it looks like bioshock has really streamlined the whole systemshock RPG experience. It's been turned from a clunky, first person perspective action RPG into an adventure FPS with RPG elements. How they streamlined the hypo system with animation and automaticness instead of the previous system of opening up your inventory and selecting the hypo or using one of around 8 different types of hypos associated with hotkeys. They've taken all the good stuff (atmosphere, story through your actions and backstory through prerecorded messages you pick up, upgrade system) and taken away all the bad stuff (so many menus and complicated 3 tier level up system) to change the way the game is played, but kind of make it feel the same. It appears as sheer brilliance from the demo, and I assume the real game's more complex elements will be as fine tuned as the small chunk of FPS exposed in the demo.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:10 am**

I tried getting it last night but it was painfully slow and I was really tired.

So, tonight, I shall be Bioshocking!

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:32 am**

My girlfriend bought a 360 in preparation for this game...

Me, I'm torn-- it's an amazing game... beautiful graphics, great story, awesome system and everything... but I can't stand games that try to scare me half the time. I stopped playing Doom 3 and FEAR because of them.

That being said I enjoyed the demo. I liked hacking bots even though the puzzle to do it is kind of...quaint? It looks to be an above stellar game.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:42 am**

Doom...d...DOOM...

The shadows...the shadows...want...kill me...SHADOWS!

*screams and throws myself out a window*

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:15 am**

Andrew, Killer Bee wrote:And the demo doesn't even expose you to any of the RPG-levelling hooks: the actual game allows you to upgrade all of your weaponry, powers and ammunition (!), and apparently has a robust crafting system (!!!). And it's got doodads like story-revealing diaries to collect!

Oh god! This game is going to drive me insane!

You need to post a few more times on this subject, I want to watch Blotus' head explode like a badly sealed aerosol.

...I keep trying to download the demo, but this game called "Fight Night Round 3 on XBox Live" keeps coming up instead. Think it's a glitch in my system?

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:15 pm**

I've already heard Garnett Lee of 1up champion the game on the 1upYours podcast to great detail, so Andrew's excitement doesn't frustrate me at all. I'm glad there will be people here with whom I can talk about it when I get my system back.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:18 pm**

I guess I could make time to get the demo. I tried System Shock 2 back in the day and it wasn't really my cup o' tea though...

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:00 pm**

It sucks, I can't connect to XBL until...god knows when.

I'm terrible with connecting things to anything, and from what I've heard, basically, I'm gonna need to spend 100+ bucks on a Router and a Modem.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:15 pm**

RentCavalier wrote:It sucks, I can't connect to XBL until...god knows when.

I'm terrible with connecting things to anything, and from what I've heard, basically, I'm gonna need to spend 100+ bucks on a Router and a Modem.

What are you using for internet right now if you don't have a modem and router? 56k? cup and string? smoke signals?

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:17 pm**

No no, I'm going to college, so I'll be in a dorm room, and I don't wanna deal with laggy wireless stuff.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:33 pm**

I lived in dorms all my college life... they force wireless on you poor schmo's? Most colleges are smarter than that and just ban it except in public places.

So what... they give you the option of buying a line based internet instead of wireless? I've never heard of that.. either they give you a jack to plug into or wireless.

I mean assuming the bandwidth isn't that bad you could just share the connection from your computer to your Xbox with no additional hardware.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:53 pm**

Well, I don't know what the deal is, that's why I haven't bought anything already.

I am assuming there is an Ethernet Port, so I'll need to get a Modem and one of a particular type of wireless routers, unless one of you knows a better way of connecting both a Vista computer and a 360.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:12 pm**

RentCavalier wrote:Well, I don't know what the deal is, that's why I haven't bought anything already.

I am assuming there is an Ethernet Port, so I'll need to get a Modem and one of a particular type of wireless routers, unless one of you knows a better way of connecting both a Vista computer and a 360.

A cord

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:59 pm**

Cord?

Like the one the 360 comes with?

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:43 pm**

Ethernet cord. I have mine hard-wired. So much better especially considering how stupid Microshaft is with something I get for free with every system that has come out in the last 5 years, including the handhelds.

They should be apologizing to me for their short-sighted greed and sending me the wireless adapter for free.

We'll see how long before Live Gold is free.....

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:53 pm**

Andrew, Killer Bee wrote:And the demo doesn't even expose you to any of the RPG-levelling hooks: the actual game allows you to upgrade all of your weaponry, powers and ammunition (!), and apparently has a robust crafting system (!!!). And it's got doodads like story-revealing diaries to collect!

Oh god! This game is going to drive me insane!

Man, I was somewhat looking forward for this game, but now you're making really like it already. System Shock 2 was such a good fucking game!

Nev, you're crazy for not liking SS2 either. Maybe you just needed to play it further (hell, at least to the 4th floor). The story was awesome, complete with all of the different diaries that you collected. (A plot device that Doom 3 eventually borrowed.) The music was awesome. The gameplay and RPG elements were awesome. The villians were awesome.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:48 pm**

My 360 was working a bit today. It froze a couple of times, but I was able to download the demo and play it before it (O RLY?) froze again. Got about ten minutes in. Fuck it was rad...

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:26 am**

IT IS RAAAAD.

I watched my cousin play through it today and caught a bunch of stuff I've missed the first three or four times I played through. Examples: the placards just outside the bathysphere, protesting against Ryan and Rapture, and the big official sign stating that transportation out of Rapture had been closed. And a Little Sister's eyes glowing in one of those vents they chill out in!

He sat in the ocean after the plane crash for a minute or so before Fea told him he was actually in control, heh.

Small spoiler: Sit and listen to that woman crooning over the pram for a bit. She says some creeepy shit.

Apparently Toys R Us has broken the street date: <a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread. ... 35">GAF</a> is going nuts about it. You fucking Americans could be playing the game right now, arrrrgh!

I've downloaded System Shock 2 and am going to see if it can keep me occupied till Bio comes out over here.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:33 am**

Yeah Toys R Us fucked up, it's out =o

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:20 pm**

RentCavalier wrote:Cord?

Like the one the 360 comes with?

Yes... you can share your Internet connection on your Vista PC to the Xbox, all you need is a free network card on your Vista machine (which is no problem since you're using wireless for internet) and the cable they give you... some setup on Vista is required but nothing that isn't documented to hell and back online.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:26 pm**

Eric wrote:Yeah Toys R Us fucked up, it's out =o

Haha wow... and it looks like the BitTorrent community released their copy as well... for all 50 people who mod their 360's.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:27 pm**

Eric wrote:Yeah Toys R Us fucked up, it's out =o

Apparently they're not selling it any more.

Eight days till it comes out over here. CANNOT WAAAAAAIT.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:58 pm**

I played through the demo. That game is freeeeeaky. I don't think I could handle playing it alone at night.

Very fun thought. Lighting people up using your pyro abilities is fun!

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 am**

BioShock Demo woes.

I'm downloading the PC demo to my extrenal harddrive, I drop a DVD case on the drive, not even one of those gigantic special edition ones, a normal DVD case, and the drive crashes, the download stops, and it's gone from My computer, now I just have a flashing green light and a beeping sound when I try to turn it on. =/ 2x worse cause I had a shit load of anime on there.

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:35 pm**

I broke down and pre-ordered the game after trying the demo on Saturday. That was a heck of a demo and if the game's just gonna get better, it'll be a spectacular game.

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:47 pm**

I just cant decide whether to get it for PC or 360.

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:36 pm**

Oracle wrote:I just cant decide whether to get it for PC or 360.

I prefer console just 'cause of the closed system. In 10 years, I know I'll be able to play it again if I want to and I also know that the game will have a much better chance of holding its value on a console. Also, it's more comfy for me to sit in front of a console and play than a PC.

But I'm a console baby. PC gamers will scream heresy if they hear that

PostPosted:**Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:22 pm**

The PC version will get mods.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:35 am**

Andrew, Killer Bee wrote:The PC version will get mods.

yeah, that is the one thing you miss, but I can just d'load it for that. The Aliens mod for Doom was amazing.

There's rumblings about Microshaft finding ways to get mods on the 360. Read an article about that last week. That would rule if they did.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:56 am**

The 360 has quite a bit of opportunity on the user-created tip, what with XNA taking off and all. Wouldn't be surprised to see mods there, also that would be tremendous for Microsoft.

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:50 pm**

Nev wrote:The 360 has quite a bit of opportunity on the user-created tip, what with XNA taking off and all. Wouldn't be surprised to see mods there, also that would be tremendous for Microsoft.

They've actually built in user-generated levels into Halo 3. I'm wondering if you'll be able to share them across XBL

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:51 pm**

Tessian wrote:
RentCavalier wrote:Cord?

Like the one the 360 comes with?
Yes... you can share your Internet connection on your Vista PC to the Xbox, all you need is a free network card on your Vista machine (which is no problem since you're using wireless for internet) and the cable they give you... some setup on Vista is required but nothing that isn't documented to hell and back online.

I tried this, but for some reason I can't split my Wireless...where's the documentation you mentioned?

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:18 pm**

RentCavalier wrote:
Tessian wrote:
RentCavalier wrote:Cord?

Like the one the 360 comes with?
Yes... you can share your Internet connection on your Vista PC to the Xbox, all you need is a free network card on your Vista machine (which is no problem since you're using wireless for internet) and the cable they give you... some setup on Vista is required but nothing that isn't documented to hell and back online.
I tried this, but for some reason I can't split my Wireless...where's the documentation you mentioned?

PostPosted:**Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:18 pm**

Zeus wrote:There's rumblings about Microshaft finding ways to get mods on the 360. Read an article about that last week. That would rule if they did.

Microsoft has been rumbling about user-generated content forever. The kind of control they want over anything delivered to the end user will never allow a healthy modding ecosystem to develop.

That said, even if I had a PC that could run Bioshock, I'd get the console version. I prefer the controller, couch, and TV to the kind of experience a PC allows for. I might buy the PC version also at some point in future to toy around with user-generated stuff.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:20 am**

Tessian wrote:
RentCavalier wrote:
Tessian wrote: Yes... you can share your Internet connection on your Vista PC to the Xbox, all you need is a free network card on your Vista machine (which is no problem since you're using wireless for internet) and the cable they give you... some setup on Vista is required but nothing that isn't documented to hell and back online.
I tried this, but for some reason I can't split my Wireless...where's the documentation you mentioned?

Right, right, but Googling it didn't get me much info...

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:27 am**

Oracle wrote:I just cant decide whether to get it for PC or 360.

The PS2 version of Deus Ex is annoying the fuck out of me because of the controls. I'm of the firm belief that a FPS is just plain better on a keyboard and mouse. Anybody else disagreeing with that is just kidding themselves.

If the console market actually bothers to adapt by supplying a keyboard/mouse as standard hardware, they would have a stronger place in the FPS market.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:22 am**

Have you heard of Halo? It's kind of successful.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:12 pm**

Kupek wrote:Have you heard of Halo? It's kind of successful.

Have you heard of Half-Life? It's kind of successful, too. What's your point?

Just because it was successful on console doesn't mean it couldn't have been better with a keyboard and mouse. After all, if you can't aim at a moment's notice...

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:29 pm**

SineSwiper wrote:Just because it was successful on console doesn't mean it couldn't have been better with a keyboard and mouse. After all, if you can't aim at a moment's notice...

Halo's on the PC, and the PC version is worse. Halo plays better with a controller.

A keyboard and mouse offers faster and more accurate controls than a controller, no doubt. I prefer a controller for games that were designed for it, though. Halo is my favourite FPS ever and it needs to be played with a controller.

PostPosted:**Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:23 pm**

You make it sound like console FPSs are a dying breed, while the most anticipated FPS is a 360 game.

PostPosted:**Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:22 am**

Andrew, Killer Bee wrote:Halo is my favourite FPS ever and it needs to be played with a controller.

Why? What are the controls like that make up for it? I'm seriously asking, because I've never played Halo before.

PostPosted:**Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:47 pm**

Pretty much, it's like PC controls, but...easier.

PostPosted:**Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:47 pm**

SineSwiper wrote:
Andrew, Killer Bee wrote:Halo is my favourite FPS ever and it needs to be played with a controller.
Why? What are the controls like that make up for it? I'm seriously asking, because I've never played Halo before.

I used to agree very heavily with that Sine... I could not play FPS on a controller; I needed my keyboard and mouse. That is... until I bought a console and kept playing on it. You need to get a lot of experience with a controller before it can rival the response and accuracy you get on a KM, but with Bioshock as an example I actually like the controller better... if the game is designed well with the controller in mind and certain things are added (Bioshock adds a hair of auto-aim to help but not let you cheat) then it's as good if not better.

Games designed for PC's first though, suck on consoles. That and I've yet to see a successful RTS on a console... did ANYONE play C&C3 on Xbox? I didn't think so

PostPosted:**Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:33 pm**

SineSwiper wrote:What are the controls like that make up for it? I'm seriously asking, because I've never played Halo before.

I'm not exactly sure, sorry dude

. They just feel better.

PostPosted:**Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:56 pm**

SineSwiper wrote:
Oracle wrote:I just cant decide whether to get it for PC or 360.
The PS2 version of Deus Ex is annoying the fuck out of me because of the controls. I'm of the firm belief that a FPS is just plain better on a keyboard and mouse. Anybody else disagreeing with that is just kidding themselves.

If the console market actually bothers to adapt by supplying a keyboard/mouse as standard hardware, they would have a stronger place in the FPS market.

Give Metroid an honest shot next week. See if that comes close to the keyboard/mouse

PostPosted:**Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:58 pm**

SineSwiper wrote: If the console market actually bothers to adapt by supplying a keyboard/mouse as standard hardware, they would have a stronger place in the FPS market.

They... already do man. I'd say FPS's are split pretty evenly between consoles / PC's... and I can bet you that most FPS that are released on both console and PC have better sales on console.

Don't get me wrong, I love me my PC FPS's... but I love my Xbox FPS's too. You're just being horribly ignorant about the ease of use and feeling of a controller.

The Shrine

Bioshock demo now up on XBL

Bioshock demo now up on XBL