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System Shock 2 |OT| A Perfect, Immortal Machine
- Thread starter DocSeuss
- Start date
At least you can imagine how we felt when we played Bioshock for the first time.
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
SDA just put this up on their site (although the run is like 8 months old)
System Shock 2 on Impossible completed in 27 minutes and 31 seconds.
http://speeddemosarchive.com/SystemShock2.html
System Shock 2 on Impossible completed in 27 minutes and 31 seconds.
http://speeddemosarchive.com/SystemShock2.html
polyh3dron
Banned
Just got this from GOG and after all the mods it actually looks pretty good. Can't wait to get into it this weekend.
Pretty much my exact reaction when playing Bioshock for the first time.
AHA-Lambda
Member
I'm planning on buying this asap and playing it, what is the recommended difficulty for this? I know SS2 does have a reputation as a difficult game and I haven't played too many old school rpgs lately I guess.
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
For your first time through, I would recommend Normal and choose Navy.
The game is split into "levels":
- Intro/Tutorial
- Deck 2
- Deck 1 (not a typo, this is done after Deck 2)
- Deck 3
- Deck 4
- Deck 5
- Deck 6 + Backtracking
- And 3 more areas after that which I won't spoil
If you make it to Deck 3 on your 1st playthrough then you're probably playing the game well enough, but if you get stuck on Deck 1 like many do, consider "rerolling" your character and approaching things differently. The game is not hard in the sense that it requires skill so much as it requires you to always proceed with caution and level up in a logical way.
AHA-Lambda
Member
How do I know what is the "most logical way" to level up?
Poimandres
Member
Well, just finished up Bioshock Infinite and I crave more Shock. I think I'll play through this game again sometime soon... it's been a long time...
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Don't level up horizontally (i.e. jack of all trades), level up vertically (i.e. you specialize in a few areas and really build them up)
If you want a relatively easy time, specialize in Standard Weapons, Hacking, and Maintenance while levelling up Strength and Research as needed. Go with Sharpshooter for your first OS Upgrade (you'll know what that is when you get to it)
On Normal, there's still room for mistakes so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Part of the game's fun is learning what works and what doesn't. Some people like to play with Melee and some people like to play with Psi.
How plausible would it be for someone to take this game and lay UE3 graphics on top of it without changing anything else? Isn't that what 343 did with Halo Anniversary (with their own engine not UE3)?
I guess it wouldn't be worth the costs if they were just doing it on PC alone. They'd probably need console versions to justify the costs and at that point you gotta start making changes to the core control systems of the game. But still, I think the graphics is all you'd really need to change in order to make SS2 stand up to the standards of the Bioshock games.
I guess it wouldn't be worth the costs if they were just doing it on PC alone. They'd probably need console versions to justify the costs and at that point you gotta start making changes to the core control systems of the game. But still, I think the graphics is all you'd really need to change in order to make SS2 stand up to the standards of the Bioshock games.
Imp the Dimp
Member
Is it possible to bind quicksafe to F5?
It's even cooler when you find out that Polito was SHODAN's previous "avatar" and find her real body and last log.
How the hell does the world in this game feel more immersive than pretty much anything with current gen graphics, including the first BioShock? I have a few theories.
BioShock has almost exactly the same gameplay mechanics and its world is at least as well-realized. I think a big reason is because BioShock's "gamey" elements are very much highlighted, while absolutely everything you see in SS2, even the HUD, is written into the universe somehow. Another theory has to do with graphical detail: SS2 is obviously a much less-detailed game visually, but on the other hand you can interact with nearly everything you see, making the environment feel that much more believable. BioShock's environments are much denser and more detailed, but they're filled with a bunch of crap you can't touch. Most importantly though, SS2's areas feel like real lived-in places while BioShock's feel like video game levels. Navigating SS2 actually requires the player to think as if the Von Braun was a place where people used to live and work.
I feel the exact same differences between the original Deus Ex and Human Revolution. Human Revolution is an excellent game that extols the virtues of the IP, but in that game I still feel like I'm running around video game levels as opposed to DX1's areas which felt "believable," though the effect isn't quite as strong as in BioShock.
I think the main difference between the old games and the newer ones is their "RPG-ness." SS2 is an RPG with FPS elements, BioShock is an FPS with RPG elements. Deus Ex 1 is an RPG with FPS (and stealth game) elements, Human Revolution is first person action game (choice between stealth and shooting) with RPG elements. It's not just the core game mechanics either. I think the approach of designing and RPG as opposed to designing a straight action game informs how a game's environments are laid out. BioShock's environments feel like they were laid out as FPS levels, Human Revolution's environments honestly feel like they would fit in Metal Gear Solid 2. Many of DX1's areas feel like RPG towns or inhabited dungeons. SS2 feels like you're investigating the ruins of a really big RPG city.
Another reason I think being an RPG is a bigger difference is because the only current generation games I've played that come sort of close to SS2's or DX1's immersion are games like Fallout, Skyrim, and possibly Demon's Souls (though for different reasons). Say whatever you want about Bethesda's recent games, but they are still clearly making RPGs. The land of Skyrim still has that deep level of interactivity and isn't designed like a bunch of action game levels. In fact, in terms of pacing and the feel of the gameplay, SS2 probably feels closer to Fallout than to BioShock.
I throw Demon's Souls in there because while it's a completely different kind of game, it takes a similar level of care in promoting suspension of disbelief. It embraces its video game mechanics, but does so by writing a story and world perfectly around them instead of the other way around.
BioShock has almost exactly the same gameplay mechanics and its world is at least as well-realized. I think a big reason is because BioShock's "gamey" elements are very much highlighted, while absolutely everything you see in SS2, even the HUD, is written into the universe somehow. Another theory has to do with graphical detail: SS2 is obviously a much less-detailed game visually, but on the other hand you can interact with nearly everything you see, making the environment feel that much more believable. BioShock's environments are much denser and more detailed, but they're filled with a bunch of crap you can't touch. Most importantly though, SS2's areas feel like real lived-in places while BioShock's feel like video game levels. Navigating SS2 actually requires the player to think as if the Von Braun was a place where people used to live and work.
I feel the exact same differences between the original Deus Ex and Human Revolution. Human Revolution is an excellent game that extols the virtues of the IP, but in that game I still feel like I'm running around video game levels as opposed to DX1's areas which felt "believable," though the effect isn't quite as strong as in BioShock.
I think the main difference between the old games and the newer ones is their "RPG-ness." SS2 is an RPG with FPS elements, BioShock is an FPS with RPG elements. Deus Ex 1 is an RPG with FPS (and stealth game) elements, Human Revolution is first person action game (choice between stealth and shooting) with RPG elements. It's not just the core game mechanics either. I think the approach of designing and RPG as opposed to designing a straight action game informs how a game's environments are laid out. BioShock's environments feel like they were laid out as FPS levels, Human Revolution's environments honestly feel like they would fit in Metal Gear Solid 2. Many of DX1's areas feel like RPG towns or inhabited dungeons. SS2 feels like you're investigating the ruins of a really big RPG city.
Another reason I think being an RPG is a bigger difference is because the only current generation games I've played that come sort of close to SS2's or DX1's immersion are games like Fallout, Skyrim, and possibly Demon's Souls (though for different reasons). Say whatever you want about Bethesda's recent games, but they are still clearly making RPGs. The land of Skyrim still has that deep level of interactivity and isn't designed like a bunch of action game levels. In fact, in terms of pacing and the feel of the gameplay, SS2 probably feels closer to Fallout than to BioShock.
I throw Demon's Souls in there because while it's a completely different kind of game, it takes a similar level of care in promoting suspension of disbelief. It embraces its video game mechanics, but does so by writing a story and world perfectly around them instead of the other way around.
AHA-Lambda
Member
System Shock 2 has been updated on gog to work with OSX ^_^
http://www.gog.com/news/mac_game_update_system_shock_2_10_more_titles
http://www.gog.com/news/mac_game_update_system_shock_2_10_more_titles
Absolutely!
Will get it nowHave you read the OP?
KiwiLannister
Member
Playing for my first time at the moment, using a mod that is basically a bunch of graphics mods combined into one. Just got to Engineering.
Absolutely fantastic atmosphere, so tense. I turned off music about 30 mins ago and it's already so much better. I feel like I wasted bullets early by using the pistol, as the melee seemed impossible, but just now I've sort of figured out how to do melee without getting myself damaged and I wish I'd just used the wrench the entire time.
Question for Deck 1 (Engineering):
Absolutely fantastic atmosphere, so tense. I turned off music about 30 mins ago and it's already so much better. I feel like I wasted bullets early by using the pistol, as the melee seemed impossible, but just now I've sort of figured out how to do melee without getting myself damaged and I wish I'd just used the wrench the entire time.
Question for Deck 1 (Engineering):
Am I supposed to have some sort of anti radiation suit or something at this point? I have plenty of anti-radiation hypos. I died on my first attempt trying to go through the start of this level and figured I'd take a break for a bit.
Mgoblue201
Won't stop picking the right nation
There's one in the engineering section (you might need a password to enter the room; I'm not completely sure).
Yes, you either hack the door or find the log with the password.
Red Blaster
Member
game becomes a fucking chore once you hit
, probably just gonna use cheats and blast through this part
im convinced ken levine just gets bored with making games. it's almost a trademark that the last third of anything he makes will be pretty undercooked.
the rickenbacker
im convinced ken levine just gets bored with making games. it's almost a trademark that the last third of anything he makes will be pretty undercooked.
anywhere close to the elevator should be fine!
anonymous_abc
Member
does anyone know if the Mac version runs coop too?
so hyped to be able to play it again after many years!
[edit]
download was quicker than expected.
OMGoodness, the feels when getting into the main screen.... freaking amazing
*yes it has multiplayer*
now to get the graphical enhancement mods to work.
I don't think I have been this excited about playing a game in ages. love this game sooo much!
so hyped to be able to play it again after many years!
[edit]
download was quicker than expected.
OMGoodness, the feels when getting into the main screen.... freaking amazing
*yes it has multiplayer*
now to get the graphical enhancement mods to work.
I don't think I have been this excited about playing a game in ages. love this game sooo much!
anonymous_abc
Member
The what?
afternoon delight
Member
So, insects I'm going
I have a couple of questions:
1) I found two crates in Command that required Hack Level 6, I don't have enough skill and don't feel like I should spend my points in it. I have anyway two ICE Picks,
can I use them?
2) I'm missing one OS upgrade, is somewhere inside the Von Braun? From what I've seen they should be one for each deck, so at the moment I didn't find one in OPS.
3) Can I carry over the stuff I left on the deck elevator? I have a couple Exotic weapons I didn't upgrade for, like
4)
Thank you for your help, and, anyway, I'm not using any mod but the graphics hold pretty well. On GAF I red someone suggesting to put off the music, I gladly left it on, added a bit to the experience and some tracks like one in Med, in Ops and in Command are just great.
into the Ri-ri-rickenbacker and
1) I found two crates in Command that required Hack Level 6, I don't have enough skill and don't feel like I should spend my points in it. I have anyway two ICE Picks,
should I save them for the Rickenbacker or
2) I'm missing one OS upgrade, is somewhere inside the Von Braun? From what I've seen they should be one for each deck, so at the moment I didn't find one in OPS.
3) Can I carry over the stuff I left on the deck elevator? I have a couple Exotic weapons I didn't upgrade for, like
the worm-thing and the crystal one.
There's anything else I should do before changing ship?
Thank you for your help, and, anyway, I'm not using any mod but the graphics hold pretty well. On GAF I red someone suggesting to put off the music, I gladly left it on, added a bit to the experience and some tracks like one in Med, in Ops and in Command are just great.