Splinter Cell PC Demo

[phsstpok]

Anyone else play this yet. It's intense. I love the thermal imager. This game looks great. Very good use of shadows.

It's pretty demanding, hardwarewise. With Radeon 8500 + Tbird @1.33 Ghz I had to drop down to 640x480. I was playing max LOD + 4X AF, 4X AA because I wanted the full effect but still a pretty demanding game. I think it uses the Unreal 2003 engine.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[Stick_e_Mouse]

I haven't, yet.

I just hope the final product is better than the X-Box version. All the reviews of the X-Box version have been good, but not GREAT, and not nearly as good as the hype that surrounded it. It certainly isn't a "Metal Gear killer".

Disregard my previous post.

 

[AMD_Man]

Err, Splinter Cell for XBOX has a higher rating than even HALO by OXM and I agree. It's an excellent game. However, comparing Metal Gear Solid 2 to Splinter Cell is ludicrous. Metal Gear is weaker far far weaker in terms of sound, graphics, style of moves, story line, everything. Splinter Cell dwarfs Metal Gear in every single way. It really leaves it in the 80s where it belongs.

Intelligence is not merely the wealth of knowledge but the sum of perception, wisdom, and knowledge.

 

[phsstpok]

Never saw the X-box version of Splinter Cell nor the Metal Gear titles.

The PC demo is too easy with normal difficulty. Don't have to be as stealthy as you first think. AI is above average but still pretty bad (but not as bad as the last stealth game I played, Thief 2). The player character's gun is silenced but the guards' are not. Gun shots don't always trigger an alarm. Seems pretty dumb to me.

Good thing is you seem to be able to go about the mission anyway you like. Don't have to kill everyone in sight.

I'm going to try it again on the difficult setting.

I wonder how I use the in-game Palm Pilot?


<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[Stick_e_Mouse]

You're right, MGS2: Substance for the X-box cannot compare to Splinter Cell. However, NONE of those X-box games can compare to the origional MGS2 for the PS2!! X-box owners get all excited about this game and call it a MGS killer...yeah right, get real. Too much hype, not enough delivery at the end.

No sh!t it has better sound and graphics, considering it's a newer game!!! But I guess that's all an X-box owner can argue about, "oh this game for X-BOx has better graphics and better sound than anything else, so that automatically means it's better! yay!"
whatever....
Some of the detctions is REAL crap, like intrusion detection and wire tripping, and head shots not always connecting is a REAL issue. It seems like the levels have to be completed through trial and error, making completing each mission more teadious and less fun, which is a real shame.

Yay, a game with more "styles" of moves...that would be great if the collision detection wasn't so horrible!!
And if you think MGS2 isn't deep in plot and story line, you must be smokin' something!

MGS2 for PS2 puts Splinter Cell for X-box right where it belongs, in the exclusive hands of X-Box owners that only care about good graphics and sound, but don't give squat about playablity, story, and quality.
The ONLY thing Splinter Cell beats MGS2 is graphics and sound, and NOTHING MORE!
It's a good game, but not a great game like MGS2 for PS2.

End of discusstion.

Disregard my previous post.

 

[Stick_e_Mouse]

Well, the X-box version of both Splinter Cell and Metal Gear isn't something to gloat about, so you're not missing anything there.

I just hope UBI fixes all the problems with the X-Box version in the PC version. Especially the questionable detctions and head shots. Hmmm, bad AI on the demo, you say?? That doesn't sound too good. It's only about a month's release away, so UBI better get their act together and deliver something better than the X-box version.

Disregard my previous post.

 

[HolyShiznit]

I can't decide whether or not "<font color=red>Tom Clancy's</font color=red>" before a game title makes me want to see and learn more about it.

<font color=blue>
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Guns kill people just like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
<font color=blue>

 

[phsstpok]

Well, I'll still have to try the higher difficulty to decide whether AI is bad. I don't think it's crap but it might be mediocre.

Here are some examples.

I was shooting at someone behind a door. The character seemed smart enough not to open the door. He definitely knew I was outside and shooting.

I once was caught by the security camera and alarms sounded. The team commander's voice said something like "This is a supposed to be a stealth mission". The mission didn't end and guards didn't come. On the other hand I figured I was toast so I just ended the game. Maybe I'll try it again and see what happens.

Another time I killed a guard and a civilian just ran out of the building not sounding the alarm. Is that good or bad AI? I'd run out of the building if a shooter came in.

Playing several times I crouched past the same window each time. One time I was too close to the window and was detected. I was fully concealed but did the guard hear me? Don't know but he sounded the alarm. That would be premature if he couldn't see me.

One thing I don't like. The guard's always tip you off that you have been detected. Shouldn't they investigate quietly and snuff you without you knowing.

Maybe you're right but I still enjoyed what I played.

Oh, I did miss some head shots and also several lamp shots LOL! It's bad when you miss shooting out a lamp or at least it should be.


<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[phsstpok]

Well, this is no Rainbow Six although I could never really get into that game. I'm a bad planner. Splinter Cell is just an FPS, a stealthy FPS. I think maybe it has more to offer than just style. I've seen enough to make me want more, anyway.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[AMD_Man]

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance is exactly like Sons of Liberty but with a whole bunch of alternate missions and VR missions. I don't understand how you can say Sons of Liberty is better. By definition Substance has far more gameplay and thus better.

Intelligence is not merely the wealth of knowledge but the sum of perception, wisdom, and knowledge.

 

[AMD_Man]

phsstpok, the AI enemies aren't too smart with their guns, but they are great at detecting you. The point of the game is to finish as much of it as possible without ever being seen. When no one is around, fire at the lights. As long as you are in very dark shadows, they won't see you. Let the guards come to you, don't go to them. Most guards have a set patrol route. If they're moving from one place to the next, wait until you can get a clear shot and aim for the head (the gun in the demo doesn't have very accurate aim, so you may have to shoot twice). If the guard has a stationary patrol site (as in he's not moving), save your bullets and find a way to sneak in behind him. Yes, the levels need lot of trial and error to develop a working strategy, but that's the whole point of the game.

Intelligence is not merely the wealth of knowledge but the sum of perception, wisdom, and knowledge.

 

[HolyShiznit]

Rainbow Six was cool when it first came out, though to be honest I never liked the whole group effort concept. For me, it was too much work and too little play. The group aside, the game was cool.

<font color=blue>
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Guns kill people just like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
<font color=blue>

 

[phsstpok]

It was the timing and the way points that always messed me up in that game. And talk about bad AI, the NPCs were always blocking the doorways. I think it would have been a nice option in Rainbow Six if plans were handed down to team leaders who just carried them out. I liked the INTEL part of game. I think advanced knowledge of the mission would make Slinter Cell a much better game. It would be good to have some idea of where to go and what to do. In novice mode you could have a voice in your ear telling you everything move to make. Advanced modes would require memorizing maps and such. Oh well, it's easy to say when I'm not the one writing the programs.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[phsstpok]

Yes, the levels need lot of trial and error to develop a working strategy, but that's the whole point of the game.

I know Splinter Cell is not a simulation but trial and error seems like a silly concept. That's too much an arcade mentality. I didn't expect this from a "Tom Clancy" associated title. I would prefer the ability to actually plan prior to a mission than using pure trial and error.

As for shooting the lamps, I was just fooling around. I was already in the shadows and didn't need to shoot out the lamp. Unfortunately the gun is not accurate enough for two quick kills. In the game it didn't matter, the guards miss a lot and the player character can absorb hits. Seems like the player character misses a lot also so maybe it's fair, just not realistic.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b>

 

[juicebykurt]

good graphics? i played the splinter cell demo on xbox at a friends house and i thought it looked like garbage. my friend has a 27 inch tv too so thats not the issue. they need to stop making games like this for consoles. hopefully the pc version will look better and ffs, ill at least be able to use my mouse...

 

[phsstpok]

I've changed my opinion of the demo (I'll reserve judgement on the actual game).

The demo is too short. The AI stinks. Even with difficult setting (have to tweak an .ini file to do this). You can just run through the mission completely unstealthy and still finish the mission. For example, if you walk in front of a video camera you trigger the alarm despite this the whole facility is not alerted to your presence. The guards are lucky they don't shoot themselves in the foot because they can't hit anything.

Lighting effects do provide some nice mood to the game. However, reflections are faked. The character can't see himself in a window nor can the real background be seen in the reflection. At first, shadows looked great but I discovered there are no compound shadows. Depending on where the character is standing only one shadow is produced even though there are several lights in the room. Shoot out the right lights and there will be no shadows even though the room is still illuminated. I still like the thermal imager.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 01/28/03 01:23 PM.</EM></FONT></P>