Crysis vs Crysis Warhead vs Crysis 2 (PC)

[jessterman21]

Yeah they kind of used brute-force methods for generating those amazing visuals. A bit like if someone dropped full ray-tracing reflections into a game today.

MAL, download the Crysis Single-Player demo. Before I bought the game I spent hours just playing through it over and over, taking different paths and approaches each time. And I can attest that it looks incredible at 1080p (and even better at 1200p).

 

[jessterman21]

And for those who haven't seen it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdGUZauShA Crysis 3, the urban jungle.*

I'm glad the pre-alpha build looks at least as good as Crysis 2.

*Now with more jungle!

 

[PCgamer81]

Do you think this claim would hold up in multiplayer? 😛

In Crysis wars? Hell no.

In Crysis 2? Nope.

I don't have aim assist in MP.

 

[casualcolors]

Crysis's storyline is poorer than Warhead, despite being much longer. Play Crysis first but realize that part of Warhead happens concurrently with the Crysis storyline. They each follow 2 different soldiers.

Crysis has a lot of good features, but storyline just isn't one of them. It's a good experience though, and it actually has a segment that takes place in zero gravity that is the design-ambition peak of the series in my opinion. Warhead just provides much needed catharsis and really gives you that YEAH F*** YOU ALIENS feeling after going through all of the first game.

Don't expect an experience that is nearly as story-driven as Crysis 2. Enjoy the atmosphere and some of the art direction instead (particularly the aliens and segments where the island is snow-covered which look completely awesome).

 

[casualcolors]

In Crysis wars? Hell no.

In Crysis 2? Nope.

I don't have aim assist in MP.

Oh I know, I'm just ribbing you lol.

 

[jessterman21]

Crysis's storyline is poorer than Warhead, despite being much longer. Play Crysis first but realize that part of Warhead happens concurrently with the Crysis storyline. They each follow 2 different soldiers.

Crysis has a lot of good features, but storyline just isn't one of them. It's a good experience though, and it actually has a segment that takes place in zero gravity that is the design-ambition peak of the series in my opinion. Warhead just provides much needed catharsis and really gives you that YEAH F*** YOU ALIENS feeling after going through all of the first game.

Don't expect an experience that is nearly as story-driven as Crysis 2. Enjoy the atmosphere and some of the art direction instead (particularly the aliens and segments where the island is snow-covered which look completely awesome).

Yeah the story's weaker in Crysis, but the atmosphere is better - there's more room to walk around and get lost in the 5km+ levels. (I say get lost, but there's always an objective marker.) In Warhead you walk into a firefight every 2 minutes. OH - and I love this feature -> No lame invisible barriers blocking you from exploring, either. You'll get one of three things: a shark will attack and kill you, one of the battleships surrounding the whole island will shoot an unavoidable missile at you, or a message saying "return to the combat area." But that last one rarely happens unless you're purposely trying to go somewhere that isn't part of the level.

There are some small glitches in the first one - little things that you'll notice that weren't ironed-out for some reason, and the game runs slightly slower at the same settings as Warhead. Warhead is more optimized and runs pretty great (well, comparatively). Of course you'll be fine with either of your rigs, Mal.

There's a few great fan-made HD texture packs for each, and I don't think anyone plays without a system.cfg or autoexec.cfg in their game folders to tweak the engine to their liking. I'll re-post the commands I have in mine if you like (edited mine recently because of crashes). I've tweaked the HDR to more closely match Crysis 2.

 

[jessterman21]

so Crysis is more exploring and things while Warhead is more bang bang shoot em up..?

Well, not like Elder Scrolls exploring, but there are more quiet and open areas you'll go through on your way to the next objective. Both are a lot of fun, but Warhead is much more action-packed and combat-focused.

 

[Stringjam]

a little video entertainment while I digital download from Steam....


[flash=560,315]http://www.youtube.com/v/XgS67BwPfFY?version=3&hl=en_US[/flash]

Although it would be cool to see a game with that graphic quality, it took three GTX580's to render that real-time. Not sure we'll see that in-game for several more years, unless someone takes a massive risk and develops a PC-only title, throwing system demands to the wind (much like CryTek did in 2007.....but this would be farther reaching than that.......a night scene that requires 3 GTX580's is one thing, but a day scene with long draw distances would be insane. Still - - who knows where GPUs are going to be even 2 years from now?).

 

[nocturnal7x]

Maybe it was just me, recently being off an oblivion binge I thought the crysis story was exceptional. "elite soldiers go in to rescue scientists, get screwed by government, find aliens, shoot your way out w/ some stuff happening along the way." basically how I remember it.

Crysis 2 was more of a "you can't walk 2 ft without someone talking or something happening" kind of story telling. 2 very different story's and different ways of telling them. The games are not comparable in that way imo.

 

[Stringjam]

And for those who haven't seen it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdGUZauShA Crysis 3, the urban jungle.*

I'm glad the pre-alpha build looks at least as good as Crysis 2.

*Now with more jungle!

Hmmm.....don't know what to think about that. Once again there's that ridiculously narrow FoV (which I assume can be subverted with console commands...hopefully).

Overall looks very dark and constricted.....short draw distances and not a lot of view......which I would assume is how they're getting by with a "sandbox" environment on the consoles.

Oh well....it's too early to tell. I've got other games to look forward to until then (Metro: Last Light and FarCry3).

 

[Gman450]

[flash=640,360]http://www.youtube.com/v/8PdGUZauShA&feature=player_embedded[/flash]

 

[Gman450]

I don't see much of difference in gameplay or graphics...
Just a new setting, and a bow.

 

[PCgamer81]

Oh I know, I'm just ribbing you lol.

If you want to know the truth, I detest controllers.

If a PC game can't be played with a mouse and keyboard, it's not worth playing. The only reason I brought up Crysis 2 and a gamepad is because I tried it just to see if my theory holds water, and it does - Crysis 2 is so consolized that a gamepad works like a dream.

That would NEVER be true with Crysis/Warhead/Wars.

 

[casualcolors]

If you want to know the truth, I detest controllers.

If a PC game can't be played with a mouse and keyboard, it's not worth playing. The only reason I brought up Crysis 2 and a gamepad is because I tried it just to see if my theory holds water, and it does - Crysis 2 is so consolized that a gamepad works like a dream.

That would NEVER be true with Crysis/Warhead/Wars.

That is certainly true. Hell, the suit-function swapping in the first two was so abysmally designed that it barely works to a reasonable standard. As much as people love to defend it, I think objectively it's hard to say that it's a concept that should have made it out of alpha. Crysis 2 got it right by allowing single-press individual keybinds for each function, even if they got it wrong by limiting the number of suit functions (definitely aiding in the use of controllers, but probably more the result of streamlining with the multiplayer in mind to be frank).

 

[Stringjam]

I am one of the staunch defenders of the middle-mouse suit switching system.. 😉 ...I find it completely intuitive. Once you develop the muscle memory to switch suit functions, you can do it in a split second without even thinking. Even doing "combo" switches (the speed to power jump to cloak was one of my favorites for MP).

The biggest sin Crysis2 commited in that single-button system was eliminating lean control (something I don't think any real FPS that emphasizes stealth can be without), and dropping the speed and power functions of the suit - - - two things I used way more than cloak or armor. Their doubling up of the "power" function into holding down keys for a longer duration just produces that awful movement lag situation as well. The jump lag in Crysis2 just makes me cringe.

You were capable of SO much more in Crysis with the nanosuit than you can do in Crysis2. You lose all of your speed and agility in Crysis2, and this is most evident in the MP. In Wars you had to be a master of suit functionality to do well - - there were few things more fun than sneaking up on somebody and doing a speed melee before they even had a chance to blink. In Crysis you actually are fast enough to dodge bullets. 😉

 

[Gman450]

In Crysis you actually are fast enough to dodge bullets. 😉

Yep.
Strafing in speed mode was one way to do that.

 

[Gman450]

2013....!
WTF.?

LOL, yes.
EA already started the pre-order... so early..

 

[Stringjam]

In Crysis you actually are fast enough to dodge bullets. 😉

Yep.
Strafing in speed mode was one way to do that.

Yup...speed strafing. #1 key to survival in Wars.

 

[casualcolors]

I am one of the staunch defenders of the middle-mouse suit switching system.. 😉 ...I find it completely intuitive. Once you develop the muscle memory to switch suit functions, you can do it in a split second without even thinking. Even doing "combo" switches (the speed to power jump to cloak was one of my favorites for MP).

The biggest sin Crysis2 commited in that single-button system was eliminating lean control (something I don't think any real FPS that emphasizes stealth can be without), and dropping the speed and power functions of the suit - - - two things I used way more than cloak or armor. Their doubling up of the "power" function into holding down keys for a longer duration just produces that awful movement lag situation as well. The jump lag in Crysis2 just makes me cringe.

You were capable of SO much more in Crysis with the nanosuit than you can do in Crysis2. You lose all of your speed and agility in Crysis2, and this is most evident in the MP. In Wars you had to be a master of suit functionality to do well - - there were few things more fun than sneaking up on somebody and doing a speed melee before they even had a chance to blink. In Crysis you actually are fast enough to dodge bullets. 😉

Wars multiplayer was an egregious failure though. Thanks in large part to the middle-mouse button suit functions. If you have to alter the function of your look-movement (mouse flick) for a second, the game as a competitive multiplayer is doomed.

 

[jfizzle4321]

Wars multiplayer was an egregious failure though. Thanks in large part to the middle-mouse button suit functions. If you have to alter the function of your look-movement (mouse flick) for a second, the game as a competitive multiplayer is doomed.

Crysis Wars looked beautiful and its open world was one of the most beautiful multiplayers and is the first multiplayer shooter that I played. I remember playing for hours. With that being said, once I purchased battlefield 2142 I never played it after that. I like playing multiplayers with an awesome community. Rise of Flight is a prime example, though not a shooter, the folks that play are a tight knit community.

 

[casualcolors]

Crysis Wars looked beautiful and its open world was one of the most beautiful multiplayers and is the first multiplayer shooter that I played. I remember playing for hours. With that being said, once I purchased battlefield 2142 I never played it after that. I like playing multiplayers with an awesome community. Rise of Flight is a prime example, though not a shooter, the folks that play are a tight knit community.

The looks of the game could definitely never be questioned. But like you said, it falters in the wake of much more engaging multiplayer experiences, for better or worse.

 

[Stringjam]

Wars multiplayer was an egregious failure though. Thanks in large part to the middle-mouse button suit functions. If you have to alter the function of your look-movement (mouse flick) for a second, the game as a competitive multiplayer is doomed.

Well, I never felt that way about the look-movement - - Wars always felt so fast and precise to me, especially compared to Crysis 2 MP.....but different strokes and all that. 😉


I think one of the main reasons Wars wasn't more successful is because it wasn't released with Crysis.....it was released with Warhead, which wasn't any kind of huge seller. Wars fixed what was lacking in the original Crysis MP release, but by the time it came out, the world had moved on........a case of too little, too late.

I still have more hours logged into Wars than any other MP I've ever played.....every now and then I miss it and log back in to play a few games.

 

[PCgamer81]

I will say that Crysis 2 MP is far better than Crysis Wars. It just seems more...high budget and quality infused. Crysis Wars seemed a little cheap. Just my opinion.

 

[jessterman21]

I really enjoy Crysis 2 multi as well. Though I find I'm always playing with Russians??? And I die a lot. The one time I played on a US server I got third out of 16...

Another question: I tested DX11 vs. DX9 last night to further pinpoint my stuttering issue shown here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=13&post=118174&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0

And I found that Ultra DX9 uses about 560MB VRAM at my res, whereas DX11 uses 900+ even on high settings... This is on Vanilla+Reg Textures (can't use HD Textures until I upgrade to 64-bit!). I know I have 1024MB VRAM, but is there some throttling mechanic that keeps it from going over 980MB or so? Changing from high to ultra only uses 80MB more, and dropping to 800x600 on high still uses 800+ according to GPU-Z.

And one final question for those who play/tweak Crysis 2: Does an autoexec.cfg work with the 1.9 version? And what commands work? The narrow FOV is getting more and more annoying.

 

[jessterman21]

how's that X2 250 hold up on Crysis2, I know the HD 6870 runs it well.?

It's funny - it's nearly pegged @ 100% while playing in DX9 and 11, but DX9 plays with no hitches - even on Ultra, but any settings in DX11 cause the stuttering I'm complaining about in my other thread. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS6W6DWNPHM

Also, there is some noticeable minimum and average framerate reduction - I can't keep it above 30fps at all times even on High/DX9. But it's more than playable even on Ultra/DX9 - avg fps: 35. My HD 6870 is never maxed while playing.

Can't wait to purchase a new case, LGA 1155 mobo, i3, 8GB DDR3, and install W7 64-bit. (The HD 6870 + EA-500D was Xmas money and thus acceptable to my wife - we're trying to pay off student loans. Now I need to hold on until next year...)