AuthorTopic: Official Off-Topic Thread  (Read 298265 times)

Offline Rox

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #110 on: October 06, 2007, 12:43:03 pm
I get what you're saying, and half of it is a sign that you obviously can't enjoy Halo the way it's meant to be enjoyed. Nothing to do about that, though, I guess.

It's true that the Halo games have always been really bad at tapping into the amazingly deep story that surrounds them, but that's intentional design. It's an ACITON GAME for crying out loud. Yes, it's got some edges shaved off to appeal to a larger audience - that's why it's, like, the biggest FPS series in the world. I don't see how Halo is trying to be "badass" either. Badass is for Doom or Duke Nukem. Halo is deep and beautiful. The Chief himself is badass, but he's just one character in the middle of it all.

Do me a favor and play Halo 3 at least three times, and don't freaking rush it. Halo is MEANT to be a relatively slow game, for an FPS. That's why you have the insanely weak shields that recharge when you take cover. You're not meant to rush anything.

Everyone thinks Halo 3 is bland on their first playthrough. Most people play it again, because they know they'll like it more the second time - that's how the first two games worked as well. I didn't like Halo at all the first time I played it. I disliked Halo 2 the first couple of times. But now they stand out to me as some of the best games I've ever played. Halo 3 is the same. The second or third time through, the story will finally make sense. You'll start to find the seven hidden terminals (which each contain two seperate messages, the second set varies if you play on Legendary while reading them) which explain a huge deal of backstory. Every terminal I found made me go "Aaah!" at least once. If you want depth, you have to go deep to find it, but it's there. Also, you'll start to find new tactical opportunities that make every large battle twice as fun. For example, you know the first Scarab battle? I bet you took that one down by riding on a Mongoose and letting the marines shoot it with rockets, right? Instead, you could've stuck to high ground inside the buildings. They provide excellent cover and there are two missile pods there that let you take down the threats from a distance. Or, you could take the elevator up to the construction crane above. There's a sniper rifle there! Pick off the dudes on the Scarab from afar, then wait until it's close enough and board it by jumping onto it - no explosives necessary to destroy it that way. If you're feeling extremely gutsy, you could try to take it down externally by destroying the armor on the back, exposing the core to outside fire and taking it out without boarding it at all.

And on the last Scarab battle, you know which one I'm talking about, I managed to take out a Scarab by jumping onto it with a Warthog. Yep, there are ways to do that. Extremely quick - and extremely useful if you're playing the meta game and going for score, where time affects the end-of-level multiplier.

I haven't even bothered touching the multiplayer yet. Not even co-op. I'm still having too much fun with the campaign. On my fifth time through it now, and still finding new stuff on almost every level.

Offline Helm

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #111 on: October 06, 2007, 02:46:28 pm
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It's true that the Halo games have always been really bad at tapping into the amazingly deep story that surrounds them, but that's intentional design. It's an ACITON GAME for crying out loud.

What does that mean? Does HALO spend time in cutscenes? Yes. Therefore it could create a better immersive experience.

The way you defend these series of games looks at me like the way some religious people defend their faith.

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I get what you're saying, and half of it is a sign that you obviously can't grasp the nature of God. Nothing to do about that, though, I guess.

You're evangelizing, Rox, and it's all about an one-dimensional high-profile shooteroid.

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Do me a favor and read the bible at least three times, and don't freaking rush it. The second or third time, the story will finally make sense.

Offline huZba

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #112 on: October 06, 2007, 03:20:17 pm
I don't see much point in playing slower, since there's nothing to achieve by doing that. There is no special atmosphere to be enjoyed and i'm pretty darn sure i know the full extent of the(surprisingly) run-of-the-mill scifi story that's simple enough for young gamers to "get" it. Even that yahzee guy pretty much nailed it without ever playing halo 1 or 2. So going slower would be more boredom from the unimaginative surroundings, or if you're really into it, you might get to see a grunt taking a piss.... which was actually the first ever fleeting moment i would've felt sorry to kill him. The enemies are just fps enemies, i don't feel sorry or happy for killing them and i wouldn't feel for the arbiter if he was tortured to death.

The way it's meant to be enjoyed? Should i stare at the no-purpose corridors copypasta-ed all over the place decorated with random rainbow colored lights, crates and boxes? Just add offices and we'd have a textbook example on how to NOT make levels (*cough*, f.e.a.r.) Which is kind of a funny thing, since in, say, system shock 2 you might be doing just that, staring a wall, but ALSO be too scared to turn around. Most elements in the game(system shock 2) are consciously chosen to make you feel more and more alone, disconnected from anything remotely human.
The beginning of halo3 led me to believe they had abandoned the way they've made levels up till now since Oni, but from there on it just regressed back to the old ways.
It being an ACTION GAME is nowhere near a good excuse to not create emotional moods. It can be done, but there has been no intent to even try.
Duke Nukem has mood to it and it's an action game, without cutscenes i might add... and also tits.... made of 4 pixels... uh... yeah. anyway..... Duke nukem makes me feel sick for some reason, but hey, at least there's SOME emotion caused by the game.

As for the whole tactical opportunities and so forth, the way i play presents them in a more exciting fashion than thinking over it too much, i rather decide things on the go and do them right off the bat based on gut feel. Getting pansy on a battlefield ain't fun. Using the warthog in novel ways is one of the ways to rush. Oh and i'd like the master chef to run faster... he is a super söldner afterall. Rushing might end up with more random dying, but you might get to pwn someone by jumping over them with a warthog upside down and then dropping out to melee them to death from behind rewarding you the right to yell out "PWNED", which is essentially all the fun to be had. So there, i still think it's multiplayer only since that brings more factors to the random novelty of killing enemies in different ways. Halo3 is great fun to be had nevertheless.

Offline pkmays

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #113 on: October 06, 2007, 04:04:57 pm
Hmm, the way I see it, there are two types of first person shooters: Quake (1), and everything else.

Offline Faktablad

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #114 on: October 06, 2007, 04:08:46 pm
I enjoy playing Halo.  I also enjoy having fun enjoying playing Halo with other people who enjoy playing Halo.

I don't mind if other people don't enjoy playing Halo.  That's cool too.

Offline ptoing

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #115 on: October 06, 2007, 04:12:26 pm
If a game does not captivate me the first time I play it, why the fuck should I play it a second time? If I have a story and it does not deliver anything of interest, why play again to dig for and atrificially create interest. Is it because you paid good money for it and do not wanna confess to yourself it's a bit shallow?

Also I have to agree with Helm on the religion thing. You defend the thing like your whole life was built around it.
There are no ugly colours, only ugly combinations of colours.

Offline Rydin

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #116 on: October 06, 2007, 05:06:02 pm
Remember how, pretty much, nobody ever has long winded discussions about 300 anymore?

Hype.  ;)
Man cannot remake himself without suffering for he is both the marble and the sculptor.

Offline miascugh

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #117 on: October 06, 2007, 06:17:13 pm
I wonder who would win a fight one on one Leonidas or Master Chief no guns or bottomless pits

I'm a bit prejudiced when it comes to halo, but still, I don't have the time or have better things to do than to play through a game trice just so I can find bits and pieces to appreciate. I do want to do other things than gaming too with my life.

Offline Cow

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #118 on: October 06, 2007, 06:56:53 pm
To enjoy Halo, don't even play the singleplayer. I think that's good advice.

Offline Helm

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Re: Official Off-Topic Thread

Reply #119 on: October 06, 2007, 07:04:25 pm
Quote from: miascugh
I do want to do other things than gaming too with my life.

Quote for righteous size amendment.