07. July 2015, 04:03:28

#0

SalkQuote

Quote by ZylonBane:

If you can breathe calmly while playing SS2, you're playing it wrong.

I mean, sure, if you're a wuss who can't handle full-strength SS2, I guess it's better than not playing it at all. But then don't go telling people you've played SS2, because you haven't. You've played a weaksauce, watered-down, decaf imitation. SS2 is supposed to wear you down. It is supposed to stress you out. You are supposed to be motivated to run, and hide, and cower in the dark, and learn the few areas that are completely safe. Quiet time in SS2 isn't handed to you, it's earned.

This doesn't make any sense.

Even under a narrative point, it's wrong to have tension from beginning to end with no time to think or change of pace. You earn the quiet after the storm.  Exploring is something that requires focus and time. Distracting from it with unceasing and repetitive battles (trademark of respawning) is a mistake. Being in the storm from beginning to end is simply bad game design, especially if this is artificially created by respawning, the cheapest and most despicable way to create a challenge for a player.

07. July 2015, 04:12:50

#1

ZylonBaneQuote

Golly Salk, you're right. SS2 is a badly-design game, which is why it didn't win armloads of awards, wasn't influential, and isn't fondly remembered by thousands of gamers to this day. You've even made me realize that apparently I've never explored in SS2 because I was too gosh darn distracted by all that respawning. I must have just imagined enjoying it, I guess.

07. July 2015, 04:44:24

#2

SalkQuote

Your sarcasm is pretty weak here, ZB.

Respawning is only one element of the gameplay. System Shock 2 can be a great game in its own right even if the developers had the (poor and stale) idea of implementing respawning. I doubt the game won awards because of it though but rather despite it.

And you (and others) obviously enjoyed respawning as gaming design, for some reason.

To me, it'll always be a sign of a weak hand of cards. A simple bluff. But to each their own.

07. July 2015, 08:09:20

#3

OlfredQuote

The idea of the respawning monster is to show that you really are in a fucked up place  which is compromised with monsters. It's a way to create a certain tension where you know that you can't simply just smack em all till everyone is dead and you win. No, you actually have to get to the root of it or otherwise you will face the same end they did.

07. July 2015, 08:41:39

#4

voodoo47Quote

the thing is, SS2 isn't Doom, where you just clear the level out and proceed to the next one. VB represents a living, breathing environment (sometimes literally). trying to un-live it is a bad idea.

I wasn't very fond of respawning either when I've played the game for the first time all those years ago, but after playing for some time, I had to give in - as mentioned many times before, subtle respawning is an essential part of the game mechanics, and contributes significantly to the SS2 atmosphere. you just aren't supposed to be safe unless you are in a small room with just one door, and aiming a fully loaded gun at it.