Something for all your gamers out there!
Why are you players hating?
Honestly . . . I've heard such horrible reviews of Quake 4!
It isn't perfect, and lacks many interactive features. I find that most of the new games are STILL trying (in vain, mind you), to match the brilliance of Halflife 2.
Sure, Doom 3 made me shriek, but the fact that I had to drape a dark towel over my head and my monitor just to see vague shapes didn't help it's closed-in feeling. Most reviews of doom 3's graphics engine lauded it as paramount. Personally, I thought it used cheap darkening tactics to seem better than it was; much like how starting artists draw such thick, sketchy lines so the viewer picks out the best-fitting one from the bunch. The very few outdoors scenes I saw used cheap "atmospheric" fog effects to lower the detail there.
Quake 4 was a cross between Doom 3's engine (of course . . . it uses it!) and Halflife 2's engine; closed, dark spaces, with little *actual* detail, but with slightly better visibility (the visibility is pretty much the only Halflife 2 feature ). Unfortunately, my hypothesis about Doom 3's engine being inferior seem to be correct. Quake 4's outdoor scenes were rendered better than doom 3's, but they placed me in a trench, so the only difference to indoors was better lighting and a sky instead of a roof . . . .come on!!!
Ok, so graphic style aside, and everyone already knows that quake 4 seriously lacks in the physics department, I have to hand it to the quake team for their motion capture. Extremely fluid (maybe because they were basing it more on animation and less on physics). And I found the actual game flow to be a lot of fun. Not as great as HL2 (of course), and can be a tad frustrating for gamers like myself to have to keep going back and forth through the same buildings to solve different tasks. More realistic, maybe, but takes away from a game trying to amaze the player with new things around every corner.
Oh, before I forget. . . who the HELL decided that every monster should announce itself with the SAME annoying sound every time it jumps out at you from a distant corner? I mean, I remember reading something about how Valve set up some crazy algorithms so that every gunshot sounded differently . . . and QUAKE 4 can't even record a SECOND vocal?!?!
Ok, getting too caught up in comparing it to the best game EVER! I *did* have fun with it, had a good fright every now and then without being paralyzed (ala doom 3), and got to shoot some monsters. Would have been nice to be disciplined for shooting my teammates (something I do in every game - try it in america's army for a "secret" level . . . lol), but alas, they won't let you fire your weapon if it's aimed at a friend. Poo.
Ok, got off topic again. Instead of comparing it to HL2, I'll try Doom 3 instead. Gameplay and storyline seem less braindead, and while it isn't a truly immersive environment, at least they tried. And I'm betting the best is yet to come . . . I can't wait to check out the multiplayer, and the more open levels with vehicles.
To sum it all up: fun game, not worth the hype and build-up, but ultimately a fun diversion from the mundane aspects of life. And really, isn't that what it's all about? Maybe not . . .cause then Psychonauts would be the best rated game ever! (Seriously, check that one out!)
Right, well I'm dead tired, and ranting about video games . . . a sure-fire sign that I should hit the sack. Don't use this post against me. . . I may delete it in the morning
Honestly . . . I've heard such horrible reviews of Quake 4!
It isn't perfect, and lacks many interactive features. I find that most of the new games are STILL trying (in vain, mind you), to match the brilliance of Halflife 2.
Sure, Doom 3 made me shriek, but the fact that I had to drape a dark towel over my head and my monitor just to see vague shapes didn't help it's closed-in feeling. Most reviews of doom 3's graphics engine lauded it as paramount. Personally, I thought it used cheap darkening tactics to seem better than it was; much like how starting artists draw such thick, sketchy lines so the viewer picks out the best-fitting one from the bunch. The very few outdoors scenes I saw used cheap "atmospheric" fog effects to lower the detail there.
Quake 4 was a cross between Doom 3's engine (of course . . . it uses it!) and Halflife 2's engine; closed, dark spaces, with little *actual* detail, but with slightly better visibility (the visibility is pretty much the only Halflife 2 feature ). Unfortunately, my hypothesis about Doom 3's engine being inferior seem to be correct. Quake 4's outdoor scenes were rendered better than doom 3's, but they placed me in a trench, so the only difference to indoors was better lighting and a sky instead of a roof . . . .come on!!!
Ok, so graphic style aside, and everyone already knows that quake 4 seriously lacks in the physics department, I have to hand it to the quake team for their motion capture. Extremely fluid (maybe because they were basing it more on animation and less on physics). And I found the actual game flow to be a lot of fun. Not as great as HL2 (of course), and can be a tad frustrating for gamers like myself to have to keep going back and forth through the same buildings to solve different tasks. More realistic, maybe, but takes away from a game trying to amaze the player with new things around every corner.
Oh, before I forget. . . who the HELL decided that every monster should announce itself with the SAME annoying sound every time it jumps out at you from a distant corner? I mean, I remember reading something about how Valve set up some crazy algorithms so that every gunshot sounded differently . . . and QUAKE 4 can't even record a SECOND vocal?!?!
Ok, getting too caught up in comparing it to the best game EVER! I *did* have fun with it, had a good fright every now and then without being paralyzed (ala doom 3), and got to shoot some monsters. Would have been nice to be disciplined for shooting my teammates (something I do in every game - try it in america's army for a "secret" level . . . lol), but alas, they won't let you fire your weapon if it's aimed at a friend. Poo.
Ok, got off topic again. Instead of comparing it to HL2, I'll try Doom 3 instead. Gameplay and storyline seem less braindead, and while it isn't a truly immersive environment, at least they tried. And I'm betting the best is yet to come . . . I can't wait to check out the multiplayer, and the more open levels with vehicles.
To sum it all up: fun game, not worth the hype and build-up, but ultimately a fun diversion from the mundane aspects of life. And really, isn't that what it's all about? Maybe not . . .cause then Psychonauts would be the best rated game ever! (Seriously, check that one out!)
Right, well I'm dead tired, and ranting about video games . . . a sure-fire sign that I should hit the sack. Don't use this post against me. . . I may delete it in the morning