Forum Overview :: System Shlock 2 :: Influential?

[quote name="Mischief Maker"][quote name="Universal Plan B"]It was a good game that deserves it's "underground classic" status because it was influential in making the FPS a deeper game.[/quote] How? Half-Life introduced cinematic atmosphere to FPSs. Thief introduced the concept of sound design being more important than graphics for atmospheric effect. And in my opinion, the biggest fuckup this game made was not the skill system, but rather using the thief engine with the thief AI and making the enemies UNAVOIDABLE. While, in theory, adding skills should give a FPS the "escalating power" feel of RPGs, in practice all those skills do is make you really bad at everything until you save a zillion experience points to finally make the game control like a regular FPS. A stumbling crawl towards competence. As I said in another forum, DX1 is actually <B>more</B> enjoyable if you use the cheat that raises all your skill levels to maximum. Besides SS2 and DX1, skill levels were only used in, what, Daikatana? System Shock 1, by the way, gave you that escalating feel of power through increasingly powerful cybernetic upgrades like jet packs and rocket skates without nerfing the actual game controls one bit. The OS upgrades in SS2 were just fucking sad. OMIGOD!!! THIS ADDS 3 SPACES TO YOUR INVENTORY! OH CHRIST!!! WITH THIS UPGRADE YOU LEARN HOW TO LIFT THE WRENCH <B>ABOVE YOUR HEAD</B> BEFORE SWINGING! THAT IS SO... SO... *SPLORT!* Degrading weapons is just irritating. I can't think of any game ever which would become funner/scarier if you caused the weapons to fall apart after 10 shots. So what's left? Message logs? I guess that must be it! The secret to making your FPS go <B>deeper</B> is message logs! [quote]Caltrops seems to prefer an uninspired "me too" game to one with original idea that doesn't reach perfection.[/quote] So I take it you're a fan of the Derek Smart games? I believe it was Erik who said this first, but video games can't overcome a crippling flaw like movies can. You can let your mind wander or hit fast forward while Neo and the Senator are having some long cryptic conversation about nothing. But in a video game YOU ARE Neo, standing there fighting your way through the senator's noodle-logic and you cannot progress to the ass-kicking parts until this conversation is concluded! For the record, Aliens Vs Predator controlled just like any regular FPS, made <U>all</U> your shots connect with whatever was in your crosshairs, started you out with an assault rifle (with underslung grenade launcher) and plenty of ammo, and was possibly the scariest FPS ever made.[/quote]