SubJeff on 14/7/2011 at 23:14
So I was gifted this in the recent Steam sales and thought, yeah, let's give it a go!
I've only got a little way in, playing as Soldier, and it's... fun so far. Different, that's for sure. I really like the art style; looks great on a 22" widescreen at 1680x1050. The atmosphere is great. It's serious in a Mad Max 2 kind of way but irreverent at the same time with all them thar hillbillies paw.
I suppose the only thing wrong with it atm is I keep finding guns and have nowhere left to put them!
No, scratch that. This game is flawed, in a number of different disappointing ways.
First the inventory(ies). Swapping weapons in/out, dropping stuff, even comparing stuff (that they kindly included) is clunky as hell. I'm sure I've ended up dropping and losing a shotgun somewhere. Why aren't the equipped items included in the main list? And why are they in a different bit when I go to sell stuff? And why do I need to use PG UP and DOWN when there is a perfectly good mousewheel, cursors and wasd keys here?
And what the shit is this "E is for use but if there is nothing to use it's a secondary reload" that I DON'T NEED in the middle of a firefight!? Rule 1. Never, ever take control away from the player in a cack-handed manner.
Is this stuff corrected in the DLC? (Which I have)
I've also noticed enough scenery bugs for it to start annoying me and affecting whether I want to keep playing. The vehicles get stuck in scenery far too easily and walking back is... :mad: I've been trapped between items I've dropped and walls too. And there is no indication what I can and can't jump up to so sometimes I've seeming been foiled by something I can jump-slide up.
This game reminds me a little of Zeno Clash. The atmosphere is dripping wet hot. I hope the annoyances are worth it.
Volitions Advocate on 15/7/2011 at 02:49
Some of the annoyances you mention I've actually never noticed / experienced. Especially the itemdrop/wallstuck bug, I never saw that.
The atmosphere of Borderlands to me has very close to the same pacing as Strangers Wrath. Starts out very hillbilly, but opens up to a much broader canon towards the end. Like many, I was disappointed with the ending, but the DLC continues things on, and you can reset the world while keeping your character and the game keeps track of them as "Playthroughs". so even if you restart the game you can still go back to your original playthrough and play the world as it was when you left it (in case you missed something)
I've sunk many hours into it. The only real reason I stopped playing is because I got my 3rd monitor and started playing everything in Eyefinity and it's basically impossible to get borderlands to work in a triplehead/eyefinity setup. I'd still be playing it probably if I didn't have a huge backlog and wasn't a gimmick whore. Definitely more hours of fun for mymoney than any game I've bought in the last 3 years or so.
dexterward on 15/7/2011 at 10:29
Stranger`s Wrath is one of the best titles of last decade for me. Agreed Borderlands is uncannily similar (though infinitely inferior) at the beginning...dev`s must`ve been fans.
Overall I like it very much...yes, there are consolitis scars all over, but can be lived with - some even (
http://borderlands.wikia.com/wiki/PC_Tweaks) edited out. (Essential reading for mouse/Fov fixes). Very refreshing to play after some harrowing session in Stalker/FO3...
Yeah, that invisible walls jumping is maddening. Also vehicle controls = :/ But it`s also pretty, always some missions to do, FPS grindfest (I love), guns are fun...perfect bubblegum game.
Koki on 17/7/2011 at 06:54
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
First the inventory(ies). Swapping weapons in/out, dropping stuff, even comparing stuff (that they kindly included) is clunky as hell.
That's because you don't need to swap weapons(quick use slots), you shouldn't need to drop stuff(if it sucks then don't pick it up) and comparing is automatic - just hold your weapon and look at the new one and the arrows will tell you if it's better or worse, and how.
Quote:
Why aren't the equipped items included in the main list?
Why would they be?
Quote:
And why are they in a different bit when I go to sell stuff?
So you don't sell them by mistake.
Quote:
And why do I need to use PG UP and DOWN when there is a perfectly good mousewheel, cursors and wasd keys here?
Because you didn't edit your config files. Though selling is faster by spamming enter and arrow keys anyway.
Quote:
And what the shit is this "E is for use but if there is nothing to use it's a secondary reload" that I DON'T NEED in the middle of a firefight!? Rule 1. Never, ever take control away from the player in a cack-handed manner.
Then why do you press USE in the middle of a firefight? Oh, you wanted to pick something up but you missed it. Well it's your own damn fault then.
Quote:
Is this stuff corrected in the DLC? (Which I have)
No.
SubJeff on 17/7/2011 at 11:38
shut up koki as usual
Well I've got used to the quirks in the interface and I'm being very careful when driving (though the driving controls on PC are weird) and having a tremendous amount of fun with this! I'm surprised at how well it all seems to fit together. I've stopped hoarding guns, selling everything that isn't top spec (I'm keeping a pistol, smg, combat rifle and sniper) but holding on to 3 different shield types, getting used to using my turret and yeah, it's fun.
nicked on 18/7/2011 at 06:56
Actually apart from the abrasive tone,I'd have to agree with most of Koki's points there. I found Borderlands to be very intuitive and user-friendly on all levels.
dexterward on 18/7/2011 at 13:19
Quote Posted by nicked
very intuitive and user-friendly on all levels.
Well, it`s PC gaming in 2011. I hate it too, but what can you do?
SubJeff on 18/7/2011 at 19:24
Quote Posted by nicked
Actually apart from the abrasive tone,I'd have to agree with most of Koki's points there. I found Borderlands to be very intuitive and user-friendly on all levels.
Nah, it's not clear when you start about a bunch of this stuff and you have to get used to it. I didn't get a manual, remember, and the tutorial doesn't teach you a lot of it. Yeah, you learn it pretty quickly if you've game experience but simple stuff like keeping the equipped weapons out of the selling section can throw you easily - especially as there are loads of weapons.
I think I haven't killed enough stuff in the wild because I'm level 15 and all the mission bad guys are 17 and 18 and those Bruisers take a crapload of ammo.
Koki on 18/7/2011 at 19:26
That's odd, after Bone Head you should be always equal or ahead of enemies. Assuming you do all sidequests and don't wander off into wrong parts of the map too soon that is.
Jason Moyer on 19/7/2011 at 06:57
I didn't grind at all and around level 10-ish, IIRC, I was constantly ahead of most if not all of the available quests.
