Early FPS Megathread: the kids need to learn about TekWar sooner or later

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Retro Games > Early FPS Megathread: the kids need to learn about TekWar sooner or later

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closeted republican: Sep 9, 2005

jerkstoresup posted:

Quake 2 seems like one of those games where they developed the maps sequentially, and didn't go back to revise the early maps.

Yeah. The early maps are pretty dull and really feel like they should've had someone gone over them.

If you play Daikatana without the AI partners and unlimited saves, Episodes 2 and 3 are actually quite fun and good. I'd rather play Q2's warehouse hub over and over than look at Episodes 1 and 4, but Episodes 2 and 3 are quite solid when you don't have to worry about babysitting the AI and you don't lose your progress when a dumb bug kills you. There's a few annoying spots here and there, like they item hunt in E2M4, but it's a lot more tolerable when you don't have to have the AI with you to switch levels. Daikatana's Episodes 2 and 3 are better than Hexen 2's takes on "Ancient Greece" and "metal Medieval world" IMO. I actually kinda like it more than Q2's SP now. :shobon:

# ? Oct 3, 2014 19:31

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# ? May 21, 2024 07:04

Rupert Buttermilk: Apr 15, 2007; 🚣RowboatMan: ❄️Freezing time🕰️ is an old P.I. 🥧trick...

haveblue posted:

Was it Sensory Overload?

Aw man, yes! Thanks! I don't remember the HUD being so disgustingly huge, but that'd be it. I remember those walls.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 19:39

ToxicFrog: Apr 26, 2008

Geight posted:

I hope once I get to Jedi Outcast I'll be able to just run the games normally. Dark Forces I had absolutely no luck getting to run, and Jedi Knight was a pain but more a matter of trying various "drop this file in the folder" fixes until one of them worked.

Dark Forces runs just fine in dosbox :confused:

I mean, the controls are awful and there's not much you can do about that, but it works.

If you were trying to get it working in DarkXL, that's a bit more dicey given that it's in alpha and still missing some important features (and will be forever, since it looks like the dev has hosed off without releasing the source code).

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:05

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

Rupert Buttermilk posted:

Aw man, yes! Thanks! I don't remember the HUD being so disgustingly huge, but that'd be it. I remember those walls.

Like most early fps's it has a full screen mode, and any emulator or final PPC mac should be able to run it fine in fullscreen

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:09

haveblue: Aug 15, 2005; Toilet Rascal

Marathon also had to do that. 640x480 is a lot harder on mid-90s CPUs than 320x200.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:10

Icept: Jul 11, 2001

Quake 2 spawned Action Quake 2 and that poo poo was straight up fantastic on a 28.8k modem when you were 13 years old.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:11

Rupert Buttermilk: Apr 15, 2007; 🚣RowboatMan: ❄️Freezing time🕰️ is an old P.I. 🥧trick...

Icept posted:

Quake 2 spawned Action Quake 2 and that poo poo was straight up fantastic on a 28.8k modem when you were 13 years old.

Is Action Quake 2 still worth playing today? I know nothing about it, other than it's supposed to be more realistic (my sister's boyfriend was nuts for it back in the day), and I'd like to give it a try. Is it singleplayer or multiplayer only?

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:13

SPACE HOMOS: Jan 12, 2005

If you don't mind a more rough look to Q2 just set your texturemode to "gl_nearest_mipmap_nearest" and it won't look so smeared. You can fiddle with cvars and make it look okay instead of bright orange and covered with vaseline.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:23

Roobanguy: May 31, 2011

Rupert Buttermilk posted:

Is Action Quake 2 still worth playing today? I know nothing about it, other than it's supposed to be more realistic (my sister's boyfriend was nuts for it back in the day), and I'd like to give it a try. Is it singleplayer or multiplayer only?

arn't action halflife/the specialists basically spiritual successors to it?

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:23

bbcisdabomb: Jan 15, 2008; SHEESH

Rupert Buttermilk posted:

Is Action Quake 2 still worth playing today? I know nothing about it, other than it's supposed to be more realistic (my sister's boyfriend was nuts for it back in the day), and I'd like to give it a try. Is it singleplayer or multiplayer only?

It's multiplayer only, sadly, bit it is absolutely worth playing. I was just plating with some friends a month or so ago and it's just as brutal as ever.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:26

ToxicFrog: Apr 26, 2008

haveblue posted:

Marathon also had to do that. 640x480 is a lot harder on mid-90s CPUs than 320x200.

Interestingly, that's a big step back from its predecessor, Pathways into Darkness. Most of the Pathways screenshots look like this:

But the thing is, all of those windows are independently movable and resizeable, including the render window. So if you're playing it on a modern machine running SheepShaver, you can crank that fucker up to 1680x1050 or whatever you want.

Over on DOS, Ultima Underworld took the same approach as Marathon (and had no full screen mode). System Shock added a full screen mode, but defaulted to half screen at 320x200, which looked like rear end:

I can't really blame them for having that as the default, though; at 640x480 with high res textures enabled, even a P1 will chug, and it was released when the 486 was still common.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:27

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

Pathways was a Wolfenstein clone, while Marathon was technically more similar to Duke Nukem 3D (but 2 years earlier.) Marathon on 68k even had options to run in 1/2 detail and disable all textures and sound to get a playable frame rate at the time.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:37

nexus6: Sep 2, 2011; If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes

Doomed: The Embers of Amiga FPS: http://youtu.be/Tv6aJRGpz_A

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:40

The_Franz: Aug 8, 2003

ToxicFrog posted:

Over on DOS, Ultima Underworld took the same approach as Marathon (and had no full screen mode). System Shock added a full screen mode, but defaulted to half screen at 320x200, which looked like rear end:

I can't really blame them for having that as the default, though; at 640x480 with high res textures enabled, even a P1 will chug, and it was released when the 486 was still common.

Back then most monitors were only 14 or 15 inches (with only 13 or 14 inches viewable, remember that?) so the low resolution wasn't that intolerable.

I would love to see a System Shock 1 "source-port" that left the game alone but modernized the controls and interface. It's really hard to get into the game when the interface is so clunky. Even back when it came out I found the controls to be annoying, especially in cyberspace.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:41

Douk Douk: Mar 17, 2009; Take your pervert war elsewhere.

nexus6 posted:

Doomed: The Embers of Amiga FPS: http://youtu.be/Tv6aJRGpz_A

This is fantastic for obscure FPS junkies.

Also it's funny to see how much ECWolf supports Noah's Ark 3D even going so far as to having built-in features and DECORATE objects for it. It's a shame that the Blake Stone source was lost, it'd be cool as hell to have built-in vending machines, nonlinear levels and dialogue systems added in. But then again knowing the apeshit dev for ECWolf, it's only a matter of time before that stuff gets added in as well.

Did anyone remember that goddamn game Chub Gam 3D? The one that said it was rated the best game ever for 20 years with all the mismatched hosed up graphics that ran on the Pie in the Sky engine?

# ? Oct 3, 2014 20:57

closeted republican: Sep 9, 2005

IIRC there's a bot for AQ2 that's floating around if you want a quick fix. Knowing Q2s bots, it's probably pretty decent.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 21:03

orphean: Apr 27, 2007; beep boop bitches
my monads are fully functional

nexus6 posted:

Doomed: The Embers of Amiga FPS: http://youtu.be/Tv6aJRGpz_A

This is awesome thanks.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 21:12

The_Franz: Aug 8, 2003

MONKET posted:

It's a shame that the Blake Stone source was lost

It was?

http://www.apogeesoftware.com/uncategorized/apogee-releases-blake-stone-source-code

# ? Oct 3, 2014 21:17

titaniumone: Jun 10, 2001

The_Franz posted:

It was?

http://www.apogeesoftware.com/uncategorized/apogee-releases-blake-stone-source-code

code:

			case 381:
			case 382:
			case 383:
			case 384:
			case 385:
			case 386:
			case 387:
			case 388:
//			case 389:
			case 390:      		// candy bar
			case 391:				// sandwich

			case 395:				// Table
			case 396:				// Chair
			case 397:				// Stool
			case 398:				// Gore

			case 402:				//
			case 403:				//
			case 404:				//
			case 405:				//
			case 406:				//
			case 407:				//
			case 408:				//
			case 409:				//
			case 410:				//
			case 411:				//
			case 412:				//
			case 413:				//
			case 414:				//
			case 415:				//
			case 416:				//
			case 417:				//
			case 418:				//
			case 419:				//
			case 420:				//
			case 421:				//
			case 422:				//
			case 423:				// bo_coin
			case 424:				// bo_coin5
				SpawnStatic(x,y,tile-315);
			break;

hurghhhhhhhhh

# ? Oct 3, 2014 21:26

Prenton: Feb 17, 2011; Ner nerr-nerrr ner

nexus6 posted:

Doomed: The Embers of Amiga FPS: http://youtu.be/Tv6aJRGpz_A

If you fancy a go of some of them:

Citadel actually got a PC version

Genetic Species (which is interesting as it's an attempt to do Paradroid in 3D, sort of) got released for free by the developers. Behold, a handy-dandy 19 part LHA file on Aminet

# ? Oct 3, 2014 21:33

Shadow Hog: Feb 23, 2014; Avatar by Jon Davies

Getting back to models for Doom sprites, I stumbled upon this guy (fair warning: this guy's gallery seems to have NSFW poo poo in it, but not the specific image linked) on Google Image Search.

It doesn't look too bad, I guess? I mean, it looks nothing like the original model (beyond having green hair), but that might be for the best.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:19

Dominic White: Nov 1, 2005

Shadow Hog posted:

It doesn't look too bad, I guess? I mean, it looks nothing like the original model (beyond having green hair), but that might be for the best.

That's literally a bad reskin of the Quake 2 marine. Doesn't exactly fit the aesthetic.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:21

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

Hi Bitterman, I see you caught a case of the Anime Eyebrows.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:23

Diabetes Forecast: Aug 13, 2008; Droopy Only

MONKET posted:

Did anyone remember that goddamn game Chub Gam 3D? The one that said it was rated the best game ever for 20 years with all the mismatched hosed up graphics that ran on the Pie in the Sky engine?

Let's never remember that okay? I was 12 when I first discovered that thing and I was so confused as to what I was meant to do when playing it.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:25

Shadow Hog: Feb 23, 2014; Avatar by Jon Davies

Dominic White posted:

That's literally a bad reskin of the Quake 2 marine. Doesn't exactly fit the aesthetic.

Ah. Well, that'd explain why the model looks competent, at least.

(I never did play much Quake 2. Or any Quake beyond the first, really.)

MONKET posted:

Did anyone remember that goddamn game Chub Gam 3D? The one that said it was rated the best game ever for 20 years with all the mismatched hosed up graphics that ran on the Pie in the Sky engine?

I looked up a video. Looks like garbage (beyond using the same goddamn shotgun with the gap between its barrels as every other PitS3D project, I especially love how the first stage has you listening to sound effects that glitch out at the very end - very loudly). However, I'm mildly curious as to where they were going with their plot. Presumably it's nothing more complex than "shoots down planes, invites survivors to their hotel, eats survivors", but I don't know for certain.

And then the related videos had LGR's old Depth Dwellers review, which reminded me that that was a game that existed.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:34

Douk Douk: Mar 17, 2009; Take your pervert war elsewhere.

Shadow Hog posted:

Ah. Well, that'd explain why the model looks competent, at least.

(I never did play much Quake 2. Or any Quake beyond the first, really.)
I looked up a video. Looks like garbage (beyond using the same goddamn shotgun with the gap between its barrels as every other PitS3D project, I especially love how the first stage has you listening to sound effects that glitch out at the very end - very loudly). However, I'm mildly curious as to where they were going with their plot. Presumably it's nothing more complex than "shoots down planes, invites survivors to their hotel, eats survivors", but I don't know for certain.

And then the related videos had LGR's old Depth Dwellers review, which reminded me that that was a game that existed.

I don't think it was the game itself that makes Chub Gam such a stain, though it contributed, but it was the horrible loving site that it was on and how its developers pushed it as the best game ever created, with straight-faced fake and doctored reviews from PC Gamer and Gamespy.

I just watched Depth Dwellers gameplay. Were all the sounds made with the developer's mouths? Jesus

# ? Oct 3, 2014 22:59

laserghost: Feb 12, 2014; ^{trust me, I'm a cat.}

I always thought Chub Gam is some sort of elaborate, absurdish joke about shareware era, similar to Acord Games. Or Zombie Crisis.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:13

Elman: Oct 26, 2009

Do people still play Quake 3 Arena? I downloaded Quake Live after it came out on Steam only to find out they added weapon loadouts that kind of ruin the game for me (you can just spawn with a rocket launcher and never run out of ammo).

Or if Q3A is dead, maybe OpenArena or Xonotic still have some population?

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:27

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

Q3A has a decent bit of players, though I think a lot are CPMA only now.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:32

Woolie Wool: Jun 2, 2006

MONKET posted:

Also it's funny to see how much ECWolf supports Noah's Ark 3D even going so far as to having built-in features and DECORATE objects for it. It's a shame that the Blake Stone source was lost, it'd be cool as hell to have built-in vending machines, nonlinear levels and dialogue systems added in. But then again knowing the apeshit dev for ECWolf, it's only a matter of time before that stuff gets added in as well.

The Planet Strike source code was released and there's already an experimental ECBlake branch. Its functionality is extremely limited but it exists. And through it I learned that enemies on skill 4 in Blake have ridiculous amounts of health--the STAR Troopers have 425!

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:35

SolidSnakesBandana: Jul 1, 2007; Infinite ammo

Elman posted:

Do people still play Quake 3 Arena? I downloaded Quake Live after it came out on Steam only to find out they added weapon loadouts that kind of ruin the game for me (you can just spawn with a rocket launcher and never run out of ammo).

Or if Q3A is dead, maybe OpenArena or Xonotic still have some population?

Remember when they first announced the loadout patch and it was deemed so ludicrously insane that it was immediately dismissed as a bad joke? I miss those days.

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:38

Bloodmobile: Jun 15, 2012

Elman posted:

Do people still play Quake 3 Arena? I downloaded Quake Live after it came out on Steam only to find out they added weapon loadouts that kind of ruin the game for me (you can just spawn with a rocket launcher and never run out of ammo).

Or if Q3A is dead, maybe OpenArena or Xonotic still have some population?

Xonotic is completely dead, OpenArena is deader than dead. Q3 is mostly casual players doing ffa on dm17 and diehards doing duels on ztndm3 and dm6. If you just want to play some ffa q3 is still perfectly serviceable.

e: Apparently in north america the public CTF scene still exists, according to quakeservers there are multiple 32 slot servers almost full right now.

Bloodmobile fucked around with this message at 00:01 on Oct 4, 2014

# ? Oct 3, 2014 23:56

Shadow Hog: Feb 23, 2014; Avatar by Jon Davies

MONKET posted:

I just watched Depth Dwellers gameplay. Were all the sounds made with the developer's mouths? Jesus

That's LGR's assertion, anyway, but it's a pretty likely assertion.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 06:18

Segmentation Fault: Jun 7, 2012

Shadow Hog posted:

That's LGR's assertion, anyway, but it's a pretty likely assertion.

He also asserts the game was the sole cause of the recent US recession.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 06:21

Shadow Hog: Feb 23, 2014; Avatar by Jon Davies

Segmentation Fault posted:

He also asserts the game was the sole cause of the recent US recession.

That part is clearly satire. Not very good satire, granted, which is almost certainly why his later reviews don't dwell on jokes as long as that. (Really, watching early LGR is weird. His stuff from a year or two later on up through today is a lot more consistent in having high quality, but early on, you've got... well, that tirade.)

The sound effects all being voices messed around with in an audio editor, however, I'm pretty sure is a legitimate criticism. I'd be hard-pressed to believe those sounds are anything else, really, they're that bad.

Also, tried DemonSteele already. Pretty chaotic. I frequently forget I even have a gun, which might be why I lose health so quickly. Melee's definitely better than stock, that much is for sure.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 07:10

Segmentation Fault: Jun 7, 2012

Shadow Hog posted:

That part is clearly satire. Not very good satire, granted, which is almost certainly why his later reviews don't dwell on jokes as long as that. (Really, watching early LGR is weird. His stuff from a year or two later on up through today is a lot more consistent in having high quality, but early on, you've got... well, that tirade.)

Oh I'm aware. I just thought it was goofy and, much like anyone who isn't James Rolfe or kinamania doing Angry Video Game Nerd, cringe inducing.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 07:18

nexus6: Sep 2, 2011; If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes

In Russian Overkill, what do these items do and how do you use them? I've not found an explantion anyhere.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 17:50

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

They're empty bullet/shell casings. One of the shotguns's alternate fires charges empty shells to spray them (and kill lesser computers). One of the machine guns will eat empty bullets to heal you.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 18:03

Chinese Tony Danza: Oct 30, 2007; Crappy Cat Connoisseur

Prenton posted:

Citadel actually got a PC version

Jesus Christ, this is clunky as gently caress. No auto switch on pickup, nor running out of ammo, nor gaining ammo... and running into walls loving hurts you. What is this, Berzerk?

# ? Oct 4, 2014 18:09

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# ? May 21, 2024 07:04

Karasu Tengu: Feb 16, 2011; Humble Tengu Newspaper Reporter

It's not a proper 90's Amiga game without dozens of confusing, stupid, and nonsensical design decisions.

# ? Oct 4, 2014 18:17

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Retro Games > Early FPS Megathread: the kids need to learn about TekWar sooner or later

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