Man Tron 2.0 was a cool game. It wasn't a very GOOD game

BINGO! well said. i've never heard TRON 2.0 summed up quite so well. it had it's moments, but overall it was a fairly standard FPS, no better or worse than games like Red Faction, or RtCW. but, it was *really* cool. the music, the "inside jokes" for the tech savvy player, and some of the level design (like the internet city hub, or the one with the giant firewall rings) was extremely stylish. there will likely never be another one, though. buena vista interactive totally screwed their fans by releasing the game in a buggy state, not utilising the multiplayer properly, releasing a confusing string of idiotic patches (the best patch for the game came from the fans, who dissected the official patches and made an "uber patch" out of them), and then after pissing everyone off - they removed the official website for the game! unless someone else buys the rights to the TRON world, i expect that we'll never see another game in that universe. sadly, the new movie never arrived either...

DOOM3 did get a demo, a month or two after release...

If I change my name do I lose my post history? I might even like that.

No, that is unique.

But new name? No post history?

That is what I like to call...."new account."
j00 |<@n d00 dat t00!
I am fairly skeptical of Q4, shocking as that may be. I think it looks like it might be a fairly basic game, perhaps only as "good" as Doom 3 was.

I think the id fans will be all over it for the Q3-esque MP component, but I have a sneaking feeling the SP will be fairly lackluster.

Did I mention my wish for a sequel to Quake already? Oh, I did? Ok, never mind.

Having to say it: thinking secret text is better than nanotubes!,
Ray

Edit: Cut off quote by accident.
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This comment was edited on Oct 12, 16:42.

Man Tron 2.0 was a cool game. It wasn't a very GOOD game... butI really thought it was cooool. They should make another one.

As for the Quake 4 demo, Doom 3 didn't have a demo until after it released... or wait ... did Doom 3 ever get a demo??? I don't remember ever seeing one.

id / Raven probably know that their fans will buy Quake 4, and the id haters will not, and so they aren't worrying about a demo right now.

Or maybe they don't want the internet Hate it / Love it Q4 shitfest to begin before the game is even released.
Or maybe Raven dropped the ball and Quake 4 sucks, which I hesitate to say since I am normally a mindless id fan, but it is possible
I would buy it just for the deathmatch, the video makes it looks like more Quake 3 Arena and I'm all for that. Getting tired of CS:S.

If I change my name do I lose my post history? I might even like that.

Keeping my name for now,
-Toad

Tron, I had that exact problem with the demo, and I'm assuming it's still in the retail version

that's good to hear... i've been sitting here thinking that i'm the only guy in the world who has SS2 running wonky for me. if there are others, then a fix will likely surface in the near future...

Lamestop had 2 copies come in yesterday. I got one of them. Best buy had quite a few of them.

the very first thing i noticed is that there are some serious (pun intended) synch problems during the cinematics. the speech portion of the cins ends about 1/2 way through the video - no exaggeration. it is so far out-of-synch that i can't help but wonder if i am the only one with this problem... if it was common, surely they would have caught it???

Tron, I had that exact problem with the demo, and I'm assuming it's still in the retail version, so you're not the only person experiencing problems.

Sphinx - a little cynical, are we? Lol!

Thanks for trying to help me save some cash, but I'm just too much of a games enthusiast to NOT buy these games. I guess you can call me a multi-fanboy. Or fanboi. Still not sure about those.

Did I mention that Lam....oh, never mind.

As ever, it is interesting to note what does/does not get pushed by the retailers.

As for your name, you already have 118 posts establishing you as Celestial Toad, but you can change your name.

Account options ---> Modify User Details ---> Name & Nickname
(If you want both or you can do just the one)

Unfortunately, names are not unique. If somebody seems to suddently go off the deep end (no comments! ;P,) check their post total to see if it is the same person - that, at least, is unique.

I keep on going back and forth on SS2. Ultimately, I really dislike the art direction, but I think the pacing is really off. It seems to pick up quite a bit, I almost get that old feeling back, and then it slows down for some confined, clustered area or some lame story segment or some other such nonsense.

As ever, it depends on how the later levels turn out...
Sticking with 7.8 - 8.5 at the good bits - 7.0 at the crap bits.
Wondering where that Q4 demo is...,
Ray

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I love you, mom.

I went into Lamestop today looking for Serious Sam II and they didn't have a single copy in store, and have not ordered any. WHAT THE HELL ???
so yeah im stealing "Lamestop" from whoever invented that, hope ya don't mind
They have a four foot poster for Quake 4 hanging from the ceiling along with four oversized Quake 4 pre-order boxes, they have Call of Duty 2 pre-order boxes, they have Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion boxes out for pre-order, even though it doesn't come out for well over a MONTH, but Serious Sam II does not exist as far as my local Lamestop is concerned. I wish I could just pay the 30 bux and download it ala Steam. Death to Lamestop. Bring the pitchforks and other dangerous looking medieval weapons.

Why the hell did I make my screen name "Celestial Toad" anyway?
-Toad


This comment was edited on Oct 12, 01:45.

Ray, have you tried the co-op multiplayer yet? It kicks all kinds of ass....and the later parts of the game are HUGE! The game just gets better and better as the levels progress.

And IGN with an 8.2.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/657/657662p1.html

I do think the score is a tad low in the GS article, but the text is completely accurate. IGN comes off a little gnerous.
.
Proving t3h 1in|<@63,
Ray

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I love you, mom.

I think 6.9 is a tad low, but I completely agree with all the points...
For $20, the SS collection is probably better.
Fun for being new, but...not bad, but a lot of weird little things I just do not understand.

Shutting up for now; playing some more,
Ray


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s{I love you, mom.
This comment was edited on Oct 11, 23:29.

Kasavin reviews it.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/serioussam2/review.html

6.9

If it were any other reviewer I'd shrug it off but Greg Kasavin is usually spot-on with his opinions.

*depression sets in*

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Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburgers

I've been playing B&W2 for the past 2 nights. The creature AI isn't nearly as freeform as the original. They've made teaching your creature easier but at the same time I didn't notice any distinct personality traits developing as it did in the first game. I guess you have to play it to understand. The rest of it is the same old stuff but a little less annoying this time around. One thing Lionhead did do that is appreciated is they let you take your time in the first level. Theres no "evil" God trying to muscle in on your towns.

Overall its nothing to run to the store for.If you want it, wait till it drops down by about $10 and then grab it.

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Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburgers

ARGGHHH!! More games that I want, all shipping at the exact same time. I really need to start saving money year round so I have enough moola handy to buy all of the good games that come out in the fall. I'm serious! Here's my short list:

Warhammer: Winter Assault
Serious Sam 2
Black and White 2
Brothers in Arms :EiB
Indigo Prophecy
Rome TW Barbarian Invasion
Dragonshard
The Suffering: Ties That Bind

That's just a list of games that shipped in the last 2 or 3 weeks. I've yet to pick up BF2, AND I'm planning on getting FEAR, Call of Duty 2, and Civilization 4 when they ship! Anyone got a thousand bucks handy?


Well I can help out here:

Black and White 2.. I mean Jesus it's Black & White 2. Isn't that a sure enough sign NOT to buy it? There, saved ya $40.

Rome TW expansion. Download the Realism mod instead. There, another $30 saved

Warhammer. Another RTS. Too much point and clicking already.

The others should just be put on the back burner. Except Serious Sam 2. And there ya go!

Edit: LOL @ hyper-reactive physics box-jumping.

I hate to say this, but I think most should wait for "full" reviews.

Otherwise, I agree with the tone of everything said.

I am glad that I have the game now, it is much more open than the demo, but damn this thing is slow in building up action. It is fun, but I am on level six or seen and things are still moving fairly slow. The game really is not throwing enemies at you and, if it does, it makes sure you have a turret, hamster ball, or rocket launcher at your disposal.

I really hope the action greatly increases by the second "world" area. Otherwise, it is decent, but I am just noticing a lot of little quirky/strange/annoying things:

• The abrupt ending thing is a little weird. I did enjoy exploring everything or even killing everything and then huting down any secret I might have missed.

• It is harder than it should be to pick up items in vehicles and, well, you should just automatically pick them up when you do something like smash through a crate.

• Twice now, I have been hit with a blast...with nothing in sight, no enemies nearby, and so forth. I am not sure if that is just the way the game does fall damage, if there is some AI clipping issue, or what.

• The invisible walls are hit or miss. You can at least go run/jump off to your death in the starter world, but the idea of blocking you seems to lose any logic later on. There is a lake that Sam just refuses to cross because he says something like "I hate to swim." At least have mines in there or magical, invisible creatures, or something. Otherwise, there are some bits in the jungle area where they do at least put a mound to block your access, but it is a tad shorter than it should be; anywhere else, I would be able to jump up it.

• I never intentionally died in SS before - I wonder if I always loaded up a savegame? Or were there no lives in the previous SS games? Anyway, when you did come back, did it always reset weapons and stuff in the area?

• Speaking of jumping, Sam has some real issues jumping out of water.

• For being a 3D game, for being a 3D game known for its graphics and look, why in the heck are we using FMV? It just...it is below average for FMV (and not talking about DVDs I play on my computer, just game FMV) and just makes no sene. I don't know what the original sycn problem was, I have been playing the game with the patch, but the animation of the movies does seem to pause/stutter now and then.

• I changed the use key, formerly "Enter," to the letter "E." However, if you bring up the logbook thingie, it still references the old key and will not respond to it. Not a huge thing, but just a little sloppy. Likewise, before the level loads, there is some text to read about the so-called story. It generally does not fit on the screen, but if you highlight the down arrow and click the mouse button, it ends up starting the level. Note that the menu screen only says "Press Enter to continue" and that I do realize using the scroll wheel works. But again, just a little sloppy, confusing thing.

• This is really nitpicking, but you get the parrot weapon and it lands on your shoulder, facing forward, but it somehow defecates on the front or tip of your shoe. Basically, just a couple of little things in the game that make you do a double-take or make you wonder why Croteam did it that way.

• Story bits seem really bad. I know, this is Serious Sam, but the weak voice acting, limited interaction, and poor FMV just really make it feel annoying. Worse, the levels are centered around it, (thus far) limiting the chances of "Sam...a big level...tons of mobs...FIGHT" scenarious.

• Could you "use" (pick up) stuff in the demo? Well, you can in the game, mostly to utilize the physics, but it is really rough. It took me forever to score a point with the basketball - not because I suck, but because the physics were so wonky. Likewise, models get caught on a lot of stuff that you may or may not move around as you play. I got bored and shot one of the beach umbrellas, tilting it down just a tad. I was then able to get two different monsters stuck on it. I guess you could do this in the previous games, too, but they did not have as much clutter in the level nor did the clutter have any type of physics properties applied to them. The physics just seem really rudimentary and pointless - even for Serious Sam.

• Something is really screwed up with the 5.1 sound. With EAX on, I take a pretty hefty performance hit. With it on or off, the separation is quesitonable. First off, the center channel is just under-utilized fairly frequently. The game then goes and makes heavier than normal use of the rear speakers. I am actually ok with that, it is different from most games, but that center channel is almost silent.
  
  Looking just at that channel, very few things seem to come from it. Sometimes weapons do, music does, but sound effects are few and far between (I want to say they never go there, but I am sure that I am wrong.) Otherwise, Croteam made the mistake of (a) separating the speakers into distinct cones of hearing and (b) made the cones (at least the center one) way too narrow. Let us say that I get on the dino and fance an emey; unless I am staring directly at it (the sound cone is directly focused on it,) the center channel just drops out. But...this is Serious Sam - you are dodging mobs and shots - you are (circle) strafing all the tiem. I can face a mob and have it pick up in the cetner. The moment I strafe, even though I have it targeted in the center of the screen, because Sam is technically turned sideways, it drops out and moves to the left or right speakers. Basically, Croteam made the sound heavily positional to Sam (rather than the camera) and took an almost on/off approach to the surround sound rather than varying the level of recognition and output.

Sure, Creative is t3h su><, but its utility works for all my speakers, all of them are clearly defined, and I have not experienced this issue in any other current games (or even the demo.)

So...yeah. Do not even bother playing on anything less than hard and I am having som fun, but the action really, really needs to pick up. If you liked the demo or thought it was ok, you will like this. For everybody else, I hate to say it, but wait for reviews that have gone further into the game, finding out if the game does eventually work up to its former pace.

The demo level was ok (on the higher difficulties,) but the few levels I have played thus far are quite tame in comparison on the action front. The game is certainly larger and does open up a bit more, though...

Based solely on what I have played, I would give it something like a 7.8/10.
Basically, warming up to it, but a couple of m3h things.
A little mixed...having some fun...but a bit mixed,
Ray

Edit: Clarification.
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This comment was edited on Oct 12, 00:51.

Seriously!

I'm on the second chapter (several levels in) and it was worth the money spent.

yeah, i installed the patch before i even ran the game for the first time...

I installed the patch. I'm about 5 levels into the game and I'm having fun. I agree that the weapons don't have the "oomph" that they should, but they work just the same. Try installing the patch. I did so before firing it up the first time and I had no synch problems or any other noticable bugs. Only thing I dislike is the invisible walls that seem to be in places that it looks like you can go.

Thanks for the 411 on the first couple of levels tron.
Out of curiousity, did you download and install the patch they already have out for the game prior to your results?