Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Preon1 on August 04, 2004, 04:35:07 PM
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For those worried about spoilers... don't.
I've just soaked up my first 2 hours of Doom 3, and it was everything that I was expecting. I remember playing Doom 2 in my early highschool years, sitting and shaking at the edge of my seat. Granted these days, those 2D pixilated images in a 3D world aren't much to fright about, but back then, it gave me nightmares. This is even more of the same with a gorgeous facelift powered by 10 years of graphics, physics, and sound innovation. (I'm still shaking)
However, before you go buy this game, you should be aware of what it is, and most importantly, what it isn't. If you're looking for a game that has a storyline, characters, and dialog with any meaning, go ahead and turn around. Doom 3 plays much like a very dark Half Life without the puzzles (and I mean dark). The spaces are tight and cramped, the world is as interactive as it was in the original installments, and the game offers only a singular (and very linear) path from objective to objective.
Doom 3 is a shoot to survive game. The cinematics flow into and out of the game with beauty and the scripted events play on many of everyone's childhood nightmares. The lights are low and go out suddenly. Sometimes the only usable light you have is the muzzle flash from your weapon. Monsters come at you from shadows and attacking from all directions. The world is filled with moving machinery that confuses the eye with ominous shadows cast on bloodstained walls. You hear other people fighting and screaming behind locked doors. You hear monsters scratching thier way through corridors around and above you. Any student of the horror genre would recognize the time honored tools of fright that have been utilized with the flair of the best Hollywood producers.
[rant]
As scary as Doom 3 is, it doesn't play all that well. I'd hate to think that my Radeon 9600 XT is behind the times, but honestly, it can only handle this game at 800x600 resolution with medium detail. I shudder to imagine the graphics card that can play this game at 1600x1200 at the ultra-detailed setting. The load times are also a little much for my P4 2.4 GHz processor. The intensity is nearly lost in the 2-3 minutes I sit there and watch the load bar going nowhere. I also find the difficultly scales well over my head. With this kind of game, I can usually play at the medium setting and beat the game. However, on medium, some of the monsters that I would expect to go down in one or two shotgun shells take 3 or 4 blasts to the head before they fall. I know I'm not that great, but when you can't even see the target that well, how are you supposed to pull off headshots? Which brings up another question, why must I chose between using my weapon or the flashlight? The game doesn't allot you enough time to swap between the two effectively so there are times where you're either shooting blind or clearly seeing the monster ripping you to shreds.
[/rant]
Overall, I give this game a C+. To really enjoy this game, you'll need a dream PC with a top of the line 256mb graphics card and full surround speakers. If you're looking for something to keep you up at night, Doom 3 is exactly what the doctor ordered. If you're looking for a game that people will still be playing a year from now, you'll have to look somewhere else.
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Thanks for taking the time to let us know your views. My PIII definitely won't handle Doom3.
ra
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No current video card can handle doom 3 at max settings. This is done so when they license out the graphics engine it will be usable for years to come.
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I'm enjoying it but I did have to turn the res down.
Being in the dark all the time does suck but it adds to the fear factor.
I was thinking of a B+ but I will hold my final grade till I beat it.
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I'd like to see what it does to my comp.. :lol
Can we say permant Blue screen of death!
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I run it on a gf3 on low settings and it still looks gorgeous.
I to get frustrated at times with it though. The guns need the flashlight on the end instead of having to switch.
I can help with load time is you need it. You have to unpack a file into your base folder. It involves using winzip and stuff but can walk you through it if you like.
EDIT...just saw saur's post, doh!! read what he said to help in the other thread.
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Hmm that's strange, I have a 2.4 GHz box with a GF4 Ti4400 and I can play fine at 1024x768 with medium settings...
I concur with what's been said: a dark, scary bloodfest.
BTW I guess you have to choose between the flashlight and the weapon in order to increase the pucker factor :)
Daniel
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Running Doom 3 at 1024x 768 with with no problems whatsoever.
P4 3.0ghz (Prescott)
Ti-4600
1gig Dual Channel DDR400
SB Extigy
WD160g HD
Pretty dang good game so far.
Too dark really. I hope eventually I get better lighting.
Story line is decent.
Very cool how they integrated real web sites. In a couple places so far I got stuck trying to figure "clues" out. So, I exited the game and went to the web addresses mentioned in the game and I'll be damned if there it was. (http://www.martianbuddy.com and http://www.ua-corp.com). I was REALLY suprised to see that stuff. (not a spoiler folks, if ya get the game you'll thank me lol).
Best part so far is the fear-factor. I have NEVER EVER jumped out of my seat while playing a game.... until tonight. So far I've only been jolted a couple times. Once, not bad but enough to make me to quietly go "woah". Second time? Holy mamma! I yelped like a little girl and I think I busted a toe as my foot slammed into the corner of my desk. Wife happened to see it and laughed her bellybutton off.
Good good job Id!
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The 3 bay area stores I tried were all sold out lol.
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Here are some codes for you guys
press ctrl,alt and ~ first while in game
then type:
r_gamma 1.3 (better lighting)
r_swapinterval 1 (reduces choppiness)
here is what i found on the WRX forums, people say it works good for lighting?? i dont know because i dont have the game. :(
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So far I give it an A-, pry because if I can enjoy it, people that like this type of game must be thrilled.
Performance wise, it runs great on a 2.4 with a FX5900, 1Gig of Ram at 1024/7, High settings. No deductions there because I spent not alot to upgrade to those specs, and it does look amazing. To think the engine will be viable for years, and when you can turn this stuff up to ultra and higher res? Man, it will be awesome.
People might complain about the maps or whatever, but it's why I like it. Fishing around with a flashlight in the dark in cramped quarters at first was a pain in the arse, now it's a feature. You have to get used to it. Add in the amazing sound, now i know what people were geeking about. You really do have to have surround sound though.
I do not like the way the weapons vs. hits work. If after sneaking around and a bad guy jumps out and scares the crap outta you, if I pull off a headshot in those circumstances, I want it to go down. Seems like they give you lotsa damage protection for the trade off you have to pump them with half a weapon load full, no matter where you hit them, unless they are really close. I'd rather be vunerable and shoot less. Not sure whats with that.
Anyway, it's really a game you have to try. I wasn't thrilled about the premium price, but that's what you get pre-ordering.
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Only thing I don't like is... the game at times is built around the "quicksave" feature. At times... the old "bad guy appears just as you open the door" or "two bad guys suddenly appear one in front and one behind you at the same time" scheme's getting old.
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Man, playing the game a bit longer, and the C+ rating hasn't gone up any. The game certainly is scary, and there are a lot visuals and audibles in there to bring you back to the edge from time to time, but my interest in it has started to wane. The scenery blurs from one room to the next, the AI that I once thought was so refreshing is now dreadfully predictable, and once you've been jumped by a particular kind of monster, it's easy to clue in when and from where that kind of monster is going to attack. I walked into a room and knew instantly that an imp was going to spawn over there with maybe a zombie marine and some spiders were going to attack out of some tiny holes in the walls. Then I do as always... Run in to trigger the event, draw the demons into the room I just cleared to kill them, then go back to grenade the zombie. The game designers can appall me from time to time with ghastly images, but the suspense in the combat has gotten dull.
So I tried multiplay... Tried for about an hour. In all that time, I was able to successfully connect to 3 servers (most were either full or offline) and each game only lasted about 5 minutes before the server dropped. The game seriously needs a server generation/search system so that a person can enter what kind of game he wants to play and the computer finds an appropriate server. The game also needs some kind of cue system so people can wait in line for spots on the stable servers as those spots open.
All told, Doom warrants that C+. I'm still glad I bought it, but I doubt I would again knowing what I know now. Great game to borrow for a few weeks... tops.
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The more I play the better it gets. I had to take a few breaks after the first few levels... skeered. ;) Thanks to the predictability, my mouse is no longer about to break under my tensed iron grip.
I've heard talk of a few co-op 'single player' mods too. One was said to steal your cd-key though.
I'll reserve my grade til I finish the game.
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Originally posted by Preon1
Man, playing the game a bit longer, and the C+ rating hasn't gone up any. The game certainly is scary, and there are a lot visuals and audibles in there to bring you back to the edge from time to time, but my interest in it has started to wane. The scenery blurs from one room to the next, the AI that I once thought was so refreshing is now dreadfully predictable, and once you've been jumped by a particular kind of monster, it's easy to clue in when and from where that kind of monster is going to attack. I walked into a room and knew instantly that an imp was going to spawn over there with maybe a zombie marine and some spiders were going to attack out of some tiny holes in the walls. Then I do as always... Run in to trigger the event, draw the demons into the room I just cleared to kill them, then go back to grenade the zombie. The game designers can appall me from time to time with ghastly images, but the suspense in the combat has gotten dull.
So I tried multiplay... Tried for about an hour. In all that time, I was able to successfully connect to 3 servers (most were either full or offline) and each game only lasted about 5 minutes before the server dropped. The game seriously needs a server generation/search system so that a person can enter what kind of game he wants to play and the computer finds an appropriate server. The game also needs some kind of cue system so people can wait in line for spots on the stable servers as those spots open.
All told, Doom warrants that C+. I'm still glad I bought it, but I doubt I would again knowing what I know now. Great game to borrow for a few weeks... tops.
Very in agreement.
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Domm3 is a technical masterpiece of a new game engine...its just not quite up to snuff in the "game" area. It relies WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY (ok you get the idea) too much on:
magical baddies appear behind you (((poof))) hey wanda look at me
the wonderful magical myster spot...you know the one that as soon as you cross it triggers the moster masters to let go of their leashes.
AI that is...well very DOOM like....as in 1992 like.
Lets see...Ive got shoddy AI...and no real great ideas....I know....as he enters the room we shut off all the lights and release the monsters with the night vision.....yea...thats it.
Not that its a terrible game...but a $54 game...ummm no. The atmosphere is great, it looks outstanding as you admire it frame by frame on your 2gHz machine:eek:
Full review once I finish it....right now Im thinking C+ also
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its good imho, i jumped a few times in the first few lvl's. Once there was a "dead" slumped over the counter...as i said to myself "oh cool look at this" he jumped up and i almost pissed myself. another time was i only saw a monster for a second but it ran across the window i was looking out of :eek
I dont find it too dark, i only ran into a few areas where i had to only use my flashlight.
im not too far.. im only a few ways pass where you first see that 4 legged monster/huge dog thing.
I had to take a break and play Eve for a bit because playing in the pitch black does put some added fear into the game.
i'm actully looking forward to some MOD's for this game :D
but so far i give the game a :aok