M rated game (F.E.A.R.)

**TosaInu** · 08-06-2005, 22:55

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**discovery1** · 08-07-2005, 19:08

I thought the demo good, when it wasn't lagging horribly. Very creepy at times, and the bullet time mode is impressive, if not particularly useful. The installation process askes you when you were born, and if your not 17 it won't install. Although you can start over and put in a fake date if you didn't already.

**Bob the Insane** · 08-08-2005, 02:29

LOL... sorry for making a duplicate thread but the title of this one was not exactly obvious... ;)

Standard FPS fair but the atmosphere... Well lets just say they are not screwing around with that title, play in the dark with headphones and quality sound and you will *&%^ yourself...

The engine loks fantastic will and the detail on, and with everything on medium (playable on my machine) it still looks fantastic. The whole thing (including the graphical style of the engine) reminds me of DOOM3...

Except for the fact that this messes with your mind rather than just having monsters jump out of the dark...

**frogbeastegg** · 08-08-2005, 10:13

Renamed, to make it a bit clearer.

**GilJaysmith** · 08-08-2005, 14:46

Just tried it this lunchtime, and it was a bit of a machine-eater.

Pros: good solid shooting scenes, loved the particle effects, and there's a really nice shader for the swimming pool.

Gameplaywise, though, it's a bit like Max Payne - go round the corner, get shot to hell in a scripted sequence, quickload, go in again and kill them all, quicksave, go round the corner, get shot to hell, quickload...

I expect skill would play a greater part on a system which didn't chug :-)

But you can't fault Monolith for constantly trying to make FPSs more interesting. I still think Tron 2.0 rates as a masterpiece...

**TosaInu** · 08-08-2005, 15:40

Yes, Max Payne was about my first thought too when I loaded it (bullettime, can carry medkits). The game plays well for me (I think that is because of the decent graphics card and the overdose of RAM, as my CPU is 'modest').

I noticed the scripting, but also noticed some other neat bits. The enemies jump, roll duck through broken windows which makes them a harder target. I even saw one crawl like a worm to reach me, because a cabinet blocked his path, very effective.

Using the quickload like that is cheating yourself a bit, but that's ones own choice. I admit it's tempting

, but I don't like any savepoints/slots system.

And really, this game is scary. Your stomach being able to withstand PacMan doesn't qualify you.

**CBR** · 08-08-2005, 15:50

Demo crashes on me when launching it

CBR

**TosaInu** · 08-08-2005, 16:04

Missing DLL's, not upgraded DX9/graph drivers?

**CBR** · 08-08-2005, 16:30

DX9 is latest but I guess I dont have the uber latest nvidia.

Edit; didnt help

CBR

**TosaInu** · 08-08-2005, 17:10

The game need DX9.0C.

My Nvidia driver is 71.84 (probably not the lastest either).

I had to download 3 DLL files to get it to work msvcr71.dll, msvcp71.dll and d3dx9_25.dll (those are in windows/system).

**CBR** · 08-08-2005, 17:46

Well I dont any type of message. It just hangs and I have to ctrl alt del to close it down.

CBR

**TosaInu** · 08-08-2005, 17:52

Firewall perhaps? This SP demo wants to go to the internet.

**Bob the Insane** · 08-08-2005, 23:42

It actually states in the readme that it supports the 77.72 nvidia drivers. I am using 77.76 and it mostly works with a few CTDs...

The comments on scripting are interesting as it is correct that when you arrive at an area a scripted sequence of events (placement of enemies, conversation and radio chatter)...

But in the E3 mvie they where singing the priase of the unscripted AI during the fight sequences (all the hiding and diving through windows)...

**SouthwaterPanda** · 08-10-2005, 00:54

Long-winded Panda alert...

I did fire and forget a bit quickly with my comments... sorry Monolith! Yes, I agree, the opening moments of each encounter were 'scripted' as most people use the term, but the action within the fights was different each time (i.e. each time I got killed and hit QuickLoad), and the guy leaping through the window was quite eyecatching.

On the other hand, after a long time working on Spartan, I can confidently say that you can create some extremely intelligent-looking behaviour using only a limited palette of script... and since one of the big debates in Artificial Intelligence is about whether you need to be intelligent or just look intelligent in order to be considered intelligent, it's arguable that heavy scripting is in fact a form of AI... even before you add behavioural code.

Regardless! I enjoyed the atmosphere of the game and can see myself shelling out for it.

Incidentally, if anyone has trouble even starting to install this demo, this is one of those pesky installers which requires you to scroll to the bottom of the EULA before it will allow you to click on the 'Yes, please proceed and install' button...