Jason Moyer on 1/4/2013 at 19:47
Thief/System Shock 2 didn't work like that. I wish there were a way to play BSI where your resources were limited and you had to specialize your upgrade path but the enemies didn't turn into goddamn bullet sponges.
Edit: My god, best April Fools prank ever.
june gloom on 1/4/2013 at 19:51
Not every game was Th!ef or System Shock. In fact, they were outliers in their time. You know this as well as I do, so why even bring them up?
Jason Moyer on 1/4/2013 at 19:53
I'd imagine it's relevant since "1999 mode" is specifically a reference to System Shock 2.
polytourist97 on 2/4/2013 at 01:25
Quote Posted by dethtoll
No, 1999 games were pretty dumb like that.
Were they? I'm thinking through the games I remember playing (which were released) in 1999...
Tiberian Sun
Unreal Tournament
Quake 3 arena
Half-Life: Opposing Force (also played the original that year)
System Shock 2
Counter Strike
Homeworld
Rogue Spear
Those are the ones I remember the best, and I don't remember any of these games having a "higher difficulty results in enemies with inflated health bars" difficulty model. There could be plenty of 1999 games that do indeed have that behavior present, but I didn't encounter them. And most of the acclaimed/lasting titles from that era certainly didn't have that as their difficulty model.
In fact, I remember one of the first games I ever noticed having higher health enemies being an effect in increasing the difficulty was the original Far Cry. It really annoyed me to no end at how nonsensical and frustrating it was to get downed in a couple shots (sometimes even one) while I still had to pump round after round in a dude's head. But the thing is that was not what I was used to when increasing a game's difficulty, so that seemed like a "new" development at the time. Maybe I was spoiled by playing games that were designed better and didn't feature that sort of thing? I don't know.
faetal on 2/4/2013 at 02:29
Quote Posted by Dresden
And yet everyone keeps responding.
This.
Replying to zajadadzj is like scratching at chicken pox. Less satisfying than you thought it might be and making things worse.
Phatose on 2/4/2013 at 03:43
Homeworld actually did pump up enemies - there were more of them when you were doing better or on higher difficulties, essentially more HP from the perspective of a fleet. The others on that list I seem to remember basically giving the enemies aimbots on higher levels. Q3A was terrible about that. It's a different solution, but I'm not sure I'd call it a better one.
I expect the HP buffs are there as a way to show off the AI. Doesn't matter if you AI is a brilliant tactician if it's dead before it can do anything.
That said, can't say I'm even remotely interested in 1999 mode. Figure I'll reserve that level of self-torment for games who's names end in "Souls".
Yakoob on 2/4/2013 at 04:07
Just finished it and...... I know I'll get a lot of flak for this, and I will admit to totally slobbering on Levine's dick here, but this has seriously been one of the, if not THE most amazing gaming experiences I've ever had.
The interesting story completely drew me in, pulled many unexpected twists, and is deep enough that I need to sit back and think for a while. The storytelling, with the aesthetically beautiful vistas, gorgious environments and story-segments, is constantly enthralling. The combat, once I got the hang of it, was also very fun, allowing a good variety, rewarding strategy, but also occasionally forcing you to mix things up and adapt. And the pacing, between story, battle and pure exploration segments, was also perfect.
That being said, yes it has its issues - the world, as rich as it is, is just smoke and mirrors; the gameplay can be unfairly brutal at times (1999 mode); the story/suspension of disbelief is soemtimes broke by gam-y elements coming in the way ("oh my good look at these massacred people... let me search their corpses for beans and ammo."); and the game is basically just a linear rollercoaster. But the thing is, it doesn't pretend or try to be anything else, so if you accept it for what it is, it absolutely excels and will suck you in like no other. Few forgivable kinks aside, BS:I felt very polished and refined in that regard.
Quote Posted by mothra
After 2nd playthrough on 1999 mode I will - IF - I ever play the game again play on normal. There is no "challenge" in having to headshot an unarmored guy 4 times instead of 1.
Another thing that bothered me is the randomized gear upgrades. It was OK in dishonored for the charms since they do not play a big role but in BI you can actually do a special build by combining certain gear. But not possible when it is random. e.g. Getting the 50% vs. handyman in the last level is rather useless.
Except for one really annoying battle I found all the other encounters perfectly challenging. They seemed hectic at first, but once you figure out the right strategy matching your real-life and in-game skills, it's a blast. Each encounter is also different enough that it makes you mix things up too so think before you rush into something; sometimes I could snipe people from afar, sometimes I'd be moving madly through the arena.
My own method was the gear that makes killing enemies give you salts + lots of companion vigor (with the price reduction upgrade) and, if surrounded by mob, maxed out Buckling Horse. Worked great in lots of situations.
Tho I do agree that randomized gear is kind of annoying, wish it didnt do that.
Quote Posted by zajazd
I'm surprised that noone has mentioned that half of the time in this game is spent picking up loose coins and checking barrels for stuff. Doesn't that annoy anyone? I said - no! I'm no going to waste my precious time OCDing around, what is this - a first person mario game?
You know, it's true but somehow it didn't bother me. I think it's thanks to the amazingly gorgeous environments and aesthetics that sucked me in and made me want to explore every nook and cranny. Plus, the pacing of nice vistas, story and fight segments was perfect (imo) so that no one got boring at any point. This game really should be the definition of gaming polish and refinement.
june gloom on 2/4/2013 at 05:39
Just finished it.
Inline Image:
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lk8pt2oYNv1qhkt21.gifI think I need to let it decompress -- the ending is quite certifiably insane.
That being said... actually playing it wasn't too fun up until you actually meet Elizabeth. At that point the game improves dramatically and is actually kind of amazing.
EvaUnit02 on 2/4/2013 at 06:07
Quote Posted by polytourist97
Were they? I'm thinking through the games I remember playing (which were released) in 1999...
Tiberian Sun
Unreal Tournament
Quake 3 arena
Half-Life: Opposing Force (also played the original that year)
System Shock 2
Counter Strike
Homeworld
Rogue Spear
Those are the ones I remember the best, and I don't remember any of these games having a "higher difficulty results in enemies with inflated health bars" difficulty model. There could be plenty of 1999 games that do indeed have that behavior present, but I didn't encounter them. And most of the acclaimed/lasting titles from that era certainly didn't have that as their difficulty model.
In fact, I remember one of the first games I ever noticed having higher health enemies being an effect in increasing the difficulty was the original Far Cry. It really annoyed me to no end at how nonsensical and frustrating it was to get downed in a couple shots (sometimes even one) while I still had to pump round after round in a dude's head. But the thing is that was not what I was used to when increasing a game's difficulty, so that seemed like a "new" development at the time. Maybe I was spoiled by playing games that were designed better and didn't feature that sort of thing? I don't know.
Don't be retarded. Bioshock: Infinite (the System Shock heritage is irrelevant at this point) is a cinematic SP FPS in the mould of Half-Life, so don't compare it to fucking RTSes, realistic tactical shooters, RPGs and MP arena shooters. The way Half-Life 1 and similar SP FPSes of that era handled their difficulty settings is precisely how BS:I's 1999 modes does, bullet sponge enemies that do higher amounts of damage.
Go fight some marine grunts on HL1's highest difficulty and just watch them soak up heaps of damage from the MP5/M4.
Yakoob on 2/4/2013 at 06:14
Aye same here quite a few things I didn't fully get and need to read up on. Despite exploring as much as I could, according to steam achievements, I missed a few logs which probably doesn't help. I'm most puzzled about the lutecs - while I do understand their relationship, findings and involvement with com stock, I'm not quite sure what they actually were personally attempting to do And what their big disAgreement was about. Particularly the ending shows they have been pulling more strings than I initially thought, but to what end? Merely preventing the world destruction by Dewitt's choices and Elizabeth's powers ? But the cutscene with com stock stealing the baby almost shows they engineered it , tho they might have not known what they were doing at that point yet.
Also the Dewitt's ending can be taken in many different ways, from purgatory to just being the wrong man at the wrong time following blind fate. Kind of like Jacobs ladder or looper.
There's also The question of him sayin I am com stock which could be taken both literally or metaphorically. Tho the lutec guy says at one point 'I'd know. I lived it' which also kind of suggest sort of a universal harmony where everyone is actually the same person just in a different metaphysical state and time. Sort off.
Ah. So many interesting possibilities. Love when games do that tho
