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[TheExodu5]

i don't know if i can provide valid DX10 comparison shots. i do have a DX10 card still, but it's an nvidia card, so any differences in IQ we might see we can't be sure wouldn't be driver related.

it'll be ATi DX9 vs ATi DX11 maybe compared to few DX10 nvidia screens. they will be uncompressed PNGs

if anti aliasing is possible in DX11, i'll try to do some anti aliasing comparisons too.

I think DX10 is just DX11 - tessellation. Just take a shot without tessellation and I'l be satisfied.

As for the anti-aliasing, the game uses its own AA method (that can't be turned off). I was confused at first how the game had no AA option yet looked very smooth. Very impressive AA technique, I have to say.

Don't worry about the IQ differences. Other than differences in anti-aliasing techniques and texture filtering, I've never been a believer in image differences. Many people tend to claim that "oh so and so card gives better colors" and the like, which I have never observed.

To take the screenshot, often the best way is to save the game at a choice location (if saves are possible) and just reload with the different settings or rendering engines. That way you've got a nice shot and the positioning is the same in each scenario.

 

[MMaRsu]

Any people from my XBL list picking this up?

 

[pain-giver]

PC Zone 82%

All my doubts are now washed away.

 

[luka]

I think DX10 is just DX11 - tessellation. Just take a shot without tessellation and I'l be satisfied.

As for the anti-aliasing, the game uses its own AA method (that can't be turned off). I was confused at first how the game had no AA option yet looked very smooth. Very impressive AA technique, I have to say.

Don't worry about the IQ differences. Other than differences in anti-aliasing techniques and texture filtering, I've never been a believer in image differences. Many people tend to claim that "oh so and so card gives better colors" and the like, which I have never observed.

To take the screenshot, often the best way is to save the game at a choice location (if saves are possible) and just reload with the different settings or rendering engines. That way you've got a nice shot and the positioning is the same in each scenario.

A couple points about this from the readme:

Under Windows Vista / 7 you have the option of using either the DirectX 9 or
the DirectX 11 version of Aliens vs Predator. You can use the DX11 version
even on DX10 hardware but the additional DX11-specific video options will be
disabled. Provided drivers are up to date, any Vista / 7 users with DX10
hardware or better should therefore be able to run the DX11 version.
Generally the DX11 version should provide superior performance over the DX9
version.

from troubleshooting:

vi) In the DX11 version you may experience a low framerate for a limited
period of time when starting a level or after modifying graphics options.
This is more likely to be seen on computers running Windows Vista rather than
Windows 7. Reducing your resolution, AA setting, or texture detail will help
to alleviate this issue. This may also be addressed in future driver updates.

Which strikes me as odd because you said AA can't be turned off. Is that in DX10/11 only or does DX9 use this AA method as well?

 

[Gigglepoo]

Keep in mind all those reviews are for the single player only as they weren't able to play online!

Keep in mind that GameSpot plays retail of every game we review and spends hours online before we asses the quality of the game.

 

[Volcynika]

Not sure if there will be an online thread, but Steam people add me: Volcynika. Should be up to multi soon (perhaps tonight even). Located in the US, central timezone.

 

[aegies]

Keep in mind that GameSpot plays retail of every game we review and spends hours online before we asses the quality of the game.

Yeah. IGN and TeamXbox played multiplayer with retail copies for about 2.5 hours. I'm seeing a lot of assumptions that critics who reviewed it poorly didn't do their due diligence, but everyone I've seen has gone out of their way to give the game a shot.

 

[TheExodu5]

Which strikes me as odd because you said AA can't be turned off. Is that in DX10/11 only or does DX9 use this AA method as well?

I was speaking simply from experience with the demo, which is DX9. Good to know that DX11 should perform better though.

The only thing that confuses me is that you can launch:

AvP
AvP DX11
AvP DX9

What's the first option? Guess I need to wait and find out. Thankfully, FRAPS makes it easy to tell which DX version is running, since transparency is not enabled on the framerate counter in DX10.

 

[Combine]

From what it sounds like from people, if you love Multiplayer, then you prefer Rebellion as the developer, but if you love single-player, then it was in better hands with Monolith. It just sounds that way because the people who seem to have the fondest memories of the AvP games talk about the multiplayer from the original game.

 

[RavenFox]

PC Zone 82%

All my doubts are now washed away.

Amen. Even though I didn't give a crap about the reviews. Me and I my buds have been a fan of this genre since day 1. I remember hosting on 56k back in the day. ahh man such goodmemories.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

From what it sounds like from people, if you love Multiplayer, then you prefer Rebellion as the developer, but if you love single-player, then it was in better hands with Monolith. It just sounds that way because the people who seem to have the fondest memories of the AvP games talk about the multiplayer from the original game.

What I would give to see how that turned out...

FEAR and Condemned are two solid series.

 

[Speculator]

too bad monolith is property of wb

 

[TheExodu5]

Rebellion made a great underrated game with Rogue Trooper. I hope I feel the same way about AvP.

 

[luka]

I was speaking simply from experience with the demo, which is DX9. Good to know that DX11 should perform better though.

The only thing that confuses me is that you can launch:

AvP
AvP DX11
AvP DX9

What's the first option? Guess I need to wait and find out. Thankfully, FRAPS makes it easy to tell which DX version is running, since transparency is not enabled on the framerate counter in DX10.

The first option is probably just to autodetect the best avaliable dx mode.

 

[plagiarize]

From what it sounds like from people, if you love Multiplayer, then you prefer Rebellion as the developer, but if you love single-player, then it was in better hands with Monolith. It just sounds that way because the people who seem to have the fondest memories of the AvP games talk about the multiplayer from the original game.

i feel the complete opposite looking at the first two titles. AvP2 was the better MP game by far, and AvP Classic the better SP by far... unless you take 'good single player game' to mean 'it has a story'.

single player GAMEPLAY in the original was so much better and so much more replayable.

Don't worry about the IQ differences. Other than differences in anti-aliasing techniques and texture filtering, I've never been a believer in image differences. Many people tend to claim that "oh so and so card gives better colors" and the like, which I have never observed.

you didn't see my Bioshock 2 comparisons then. in DX9 mode there were substantial differences between the ATi and Nvidia cards, where the ATi cards have a couple of major visual defects the Nvidia cards just don't have.

Sniper Elite is another underrated Rebellion Oxford game.

 

[Pimpbaa]

From what it sounds like from people, if you love Multiplayer, then you prefer Rebellion as the developer, but if you love single-player, then it was in better hands with Monolith. It just sounds that way because the people who seem to have the fondest memories of the AvP games talk about the multiplayer from the original game.

I muched preferred the single player of rebellions first pc avp game than monoliths.

 

[plagiarize]

i'm expecting you'll see the tesselation most obviously in the alien hive areas, on the 'pipe/tentacle' things that sprawl out across the floor.

you might see it in the execution moves on character models, but i can't imagine it being too obvious on an alien hurtling towards you at a million miles an hour.

it's interesting to me that AvP is one of the first games to use it, when Rebellion had an in house demo of tesselation running ages back in the original AvP engine, adding polygons on the fly to that giant alien statue from the end of the first level of the Alien campaign.

 

[HooCares]

Interestingly I liked AVP2 SP better, and AVP1 MP better.

AVP2 single had Alien Lifecycle, combat synthetics, NO ALIEN ROBOTS (I hated those), and a much more interesting Predator story and endboss than just, "kill the queen."

It's interesting, I enjoyed the shit out of the demo but this game is getting some bad reviews. Then again many games have gotten 9's and I hated them.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Usually in the case of games with mixed reviews, it's simply that the poor reviews are from reviewers who simply do not get it.

 

[HooCares]

Usually in the case of games with mixed reviews, it's simply that the poor reviews are from reviewers who simply do not get it.

Interesting point - as opposed to games in which all of the reviews stink, in which case it probably stinks.

 

[TheExodu5]

Usually in the case of games with mixed reviews, it's simply that the poor reviews are from reviewers who simply do not get it.

Monster Hunter is probably a great example of this.

you didn't see my Bioshock 2 comparisons then. in DX9 mode there were substantial differences between the ATi and Nvidia cards, where the ATi cards have a couple of major visual defects the Nvidia cards just don't have.

No I didn't. I would be interested in seeing this.

 

[Gigglepoo]

Usually in the case of games with mixed reviews, it's simply that the poor reviews are from reviewers who simply do not get it.

This is by far my favorite technique people use to discredit reviews.

 

[SlasherJPC]

This is by far my favorite technique people use to discredit reviews.

Because mixed reviews make a game bad? Mixed reviews are just that...MIXED. So really it just means people are going to like or dislike this game across the board.

 

[chespace]

Really?

For example, the dark thrills of the first marine levels give way to tedium once you leave the dark behind and enter jungles and temples, which are far less interesting and make shooting the grotesque xenomorphs no different from shooting up raptors in Turok--except that the levels are much more confined and straightforward. Eventually, you'll learn that the same trick in combat dispatches aliens almost every time: block their attack, smash them with a melee attack, and shoot them when they're down.

Smashing aliens with melee attacks as a marine to knock them down?

Temples and jungles?

 

[Gigglepoo]

Because mixed reviews make a game bad? Mixed reviews are just that...MIXED. So really it just means people are going to like or dislike this game across the board.

Oh, I agree completely. Different people have different standards, tastes, and expectations. But saying that people who scored the game lower just "didn't get it" is asinine.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Because mixed reviews make a game bad? Mixed reviews are just that...MIXED. So really it just means people are going to like or dislike this game across the board.

Except saying a person "didn't get it", is just trying to discredit another persons opinion.

 

[Unicorn]

Keep in mind that GameSpot plays retail of every game we review and spends hours online before we asses the quality of the game.

How could they fully experience the online with almost no one to play with besides a few people in the office?:lol :lol

This is a game where if people already know they want it, they'll get it and everyone else won't.

I mean physically obtain it. not "get it" in the abstract sense of understanding.

 

[BattleMonkey]

How could they fully experience the online with almost no one to play with besides a few people in the office?:lol :lol

You realize that "not just a few people" work at gamespot.

 

[panda21]

Oh, I agree completely. Different people have different standards, tastes, and expectations. But saying that people who scored the game lower just "didn't get it" is asinine.

i dont know if you noticed but there is an AVP defence force here and they are fucking insane, regardless of whether the game is good or not :lol

 

[Pimpbaa]

Really?



Smashing aliens with melee attacks as a marine to knock them down?

Temples and jungles?

Aliens vs Predator. Also there was a temple in one of those crappy AvP movies.

 

[SlasherJPC]

Oh, I agree completely. Different people have different standards, tastes, and expectations. But saying that people who scored the game lower just "didn't get it" is asinine.

True... though I'm sure some reviews are due to this but you'd never truly know. Thats why I stand by the notion that "you yourself make the best reviewer" Interested in a game enough, even though it got low scores, give it a go. You might find you fall into the group that loves the game.

Sometimes I get so sick of review scores. Wish they would dissapear.

i dont know if you noticed but there is an AVP defence force here and they are fucking insane, regardless of whether the game is good or not :lol

Well people defending it to the death having not played it is one thing. People like unicorn and myself that actually have the game, and have had it for a few days can speak of what we think of the game. That counts for something right?

 

[Unicorn]

You realize that "not just a few people" work at gamespot.

I also realize "not just a few people" get paid off to write glowing reviews. Remember the Kane and Lynch debacle? Gamespot destroyed all the credibility it managed to have. Reputation and credibility are not so easily gained after a scam like that.

 

[MMaRsu]

Who cares about smacking the aliens. Whatever. I know it's really bullshit but whatever, it works man.

Thank god I can fucking smack those things when they are coming at me.

Anyway, the only thing so far that bothers me is the lack of cool dialogue from marines when playing as any of the other two species .

 

[luka]

i dont know if you noticed but there is an AVP defence force here and they are fucking insane, regardless of whether the game is good or not :lol

Why does a game that averages 70-80% need defending, and why are people who like it insane? No one here is arguing that this game was ever meant to be all things to all people.

EDIT: Download complete, and I'm off.

 

[BattleMonkey]

I also realize "not just a few people" get paid off to write glowing reviews. Remember the Kane and Lynch debacle? Gamespot destroyed all the credibility it managed to have. Reputation and credibility are not so easily gained after a scam like that.

Well you just have an axe to grind so whatever the review said unless it was glowing will obviously not please you.

 

[Unicorn]

True... though I'm sure some reviews are due to this but you'd never truly know. Thats why I stand by the notion that "you yourself make the best reviewer" Interested in a game enough, even though it got low scores, give it a go. You might find you fall into the group that loves the game.

Sometimes I get so sick of review scores. Wish they would dissapear.

I follow the philosophy of find a handful of reviewers that you generally agree on their reviews of other games and gravitate to their opinions to simulate your experience with the game. I'm almost always in agreement with Destructoid's Reviews and Giant Bomb is good too, but there's certain areas where we differentiate.

Finding reviewers that share the same interests as you is the best thing, and throwing around numbers from all over the internet really doesn't affect me because I have no history of their past reviews or how they perceive a certain game. Game Informer to me is trying to appeal to the mass market, as it's under Gamestop's wing and Gamespot is Catering to it's forum of Gamefaqs.

 

[brain_stew]

Why do people feel the need to question this every single time?!

Look, I like mouse and keyboard, but it just isn't comfortable in a living room setting. I almost exclusively play PC games using my HT setup. 360 pad support allows me to comfortably do just that without sacrificing performance through buying a console version.

For the few PC games which require a mouse and keyboard to play, I can deal, but it's very uncomfortable for long sessions and I simply don't enjoy playing games at my desk. STALKER CoP is a great example. It's a game I want to get into, but playing at the desk ruins the experience and playing in front of the TV is much less comfortable.

I think people need to realize that more of us are playing PC games through our home theater setup these days.

Well the demo had native 360 pad support so I think you're good.

 

[Apharmd Battler]

Been waiting for this with abated breath since it was announced. Huge fans of the original by Rebellion, and can't wait to get my species death-match on! WOOHOO!

 

[Gigglepoo]

How could they fully experience the online with almost no one to play with besides a few people in the office?:lol :lol

Wow, you really have no idea what you're talking about. I'm going to go over there now.

i dont know if you noticed but there is an AVP defence force here and they are fucking insane, regardless of whether the game is good or not :lol

I guess I was just hoping people would be more critical. There is nothing at all wrong with wanting AvP or having a really good time with it. But that doesn't mean people have to turn a blind eye to the game's problems. If this is considered an acceptable take on the AvP franchise, you won't see significant improvements made to it.

 

[Unicorn]

Well you just have an axe to grind so whatever the review said unless it was glowing will obviously not please you.

Even if it was glowing, it'd just be another review I wouldn't factor in to a questionable purchase.

 

[aegies]

I also realize "not just a few people" get paid off to write glowing reviews. Remember the Kane and Lynch debacle? Gamespot destroyed all the credibility it managed to have. Reputation and credibility are not so easily gained after a scam like that.

Ah, we're back to this. Reviewers are "trashing" a game because they "weren't paid off" to write a glowing review. That's the biggest pile of bullshit, and it makes you sound like an insane conspiracy theorist.

 

[panda21]

Why does a game that averages 70-80% need defending, and why are people who like it insane? No one here is arguing that this game was ever meant to be all things to all people.

then why are people (who have only played the demo) instantly discrediting anyone who thinks negatively of it? why did you even feel the need to mention it averages 70-80%? i havent played it so i cant pass judgement. writing off negative reviews and insulting the reviewers when you havent even played it is the insane part.

 

[chespace]

Aliens vs Predator. Also there was a temple in one of those crappy AvP movies.

Doesn't mean I want to play as a colonial marine in a hot steamy jungle temple.

Also, this is basically my problem with the feel of the alien control in the demo:

You'll crawl onto some walls and outcroppings willy-nilly whether or not it's what you intended to do. You'll try to activate one of the game's super-picky button prompts and jump onto a wall instead, or wrestle with the controls and camera trying to do something as simple as slither into a vent. You'll eventually learn to wield some control over the alien's fickle movement, but even then, moving around isn't all that enjoyable. You never feel in control of an actual creature; instead, it's as if you are floating just above the ground.

 

[brain_stew]

I mean plays like an 11 year old PC game in the year of our Lord 2010.

Why are people painting this as a bad thing? That sounds just about the best news about the game I could hear, the controls in your average FPS have devolved considerably in recent years, going back to what actually worked well in the first place is cause for major celebration imo.

 

[Unicorn]

I guess I was just hoping people would be more critical. There is nothing at all wrong with wanting AvP or having a really good time with it. But that doesn't mean people have to turn a blind eye to the game's problems. If this is considered an acceptable take on the AvP franchise, you won't see significant improvements made to it.

AvP DOES have it's share of problems, but it seems people are being TOO critical when replying here.

"Such awful reviews! game is a disappointment."

When really, 7-8 is actually the sign of a Good game worth trying, certainly worth owning if you're a fan of the franchise.

I'm not trying to be a defense force, just trying to counterbalance the over-negative comments. I never claimed it was the next coming of Christ.

Domination matches are bullshit on most maps because Aliens have the advantage of speed and mobility. Online menus are atrocious because there's no audio cues that other players have been found or you've joined a lobby. Matchmaking is passable at best, Alien campaign was short, but probably for the best otherwise it would've been repetitive.

But all of that is something I can deal with because the game is a goddamn BLAST to play. And that's all it comes down to is the Fun factor, playability, and replay value.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Doesn't mean I want to play as a colonial marine in a hot steamy jungle temple.

Glad they didn't make the game just for you then. I want a game that encompasses all the environments of both franchises (especially jungles).

 

[SlasherJPC]

The thing is, anyone trashing this game is ridiculous. This game has good production values. The three campaigns offer different gameplay. The multiplayer is fun, though how long that will last needs to be seen with more people online playing.

I mean sometimes trashy reviews are just that trashy. I mean we can go over and over this again about how some reviewers click with games and don't, some get paid (or not who knows), etc, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Its a little number at the end of some text. Play the game, form an opinion, express said opinion if you want. Though it really grinds my gears when people jump on review bandwagons just because a "professional" reviewer comes out and says the game is shit or weak.

I mean hell I know I don't get paid to play games, but I've played games since I was 5 years old, I've written for a few online fan based publications, I do youtube video reviews, and what makes these professionals any better at this then me aside from maybe more funding, money, etc for video editing and what not? NOTHING!

 

[Unicorn]

Ah, we're back to this. Reviewers are "trashing" a game because they "weren't paid off" to write a glowing review. That's the biggest pile of bullshit, and it makes you sound like an insane conspiracy theorist.

:lol
This isn't conspiracy. It was a giant issue a couple years back when Kane and Lynch released and one of the core editors at Gamespot resigned/quit/fired because of this bullshit that happened.

http://www.destructoid.com/rumor-ga...e-eidos-w-r-hearst-rolls-in-grave-56683.phtml

 

[Pimpbaa]

Why are people painting this as a bad thing? That sounds just about the best news about the game I could hear, the controls in your average FPS have devolved considerably in recent years, going back to what actually worked well in the first place is cause for major celebration imo.

Indeed. I still play rebellions first pc AvP from time to time.

 

[vitaminwateryum]

The thing is, anyone trashing this game is ridiculous. This game has good production values. The three campaigns offer different gameplay. The multiplayer is fun, though how long that will last needs to be seen with more people online playing.

I mean sometimes trashy reviews are just that trashy. I mean we can go over and over this again about how some reviewers click with games and don't, some get paid (or not who knows), etc, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Its a little number at the end of some text. Play the game, form an opinion, express said opinion if you want. Though it really grinds my gears when people jump on review bandwagons just because a "professional" reviewer comes out and says the game is shit or weak.

I mean hell I know I don't get paid to play games, but I've played games since I was 5 years old, I've written for a few online fan based publications, I do youtube video reviews, and what makes these professionals any better at this then me aside from maybe more funding, money, etc for video editing and what not? NOTHING!

Gamefly sent this out today, the demo was awesome and I haven't read anything about the singleplayer yet so hopefully it isn't just bot matches ala Shadowrun.