The entire game might control much more smoothly with a controller, so if you have a controller and are used to playing fps games with it, I'd say give it a shot. Split-second pin-point precision isn't really needed in this game unless you play a run & gun type, and knowing Gem that's not what she's going to go for anyway.
X_StickmanNot good enough for a custom title.Join Date: 2003-04-15Member: 15533Members, Constellation
<!--quoteo(post=1877746:date=Oct 2 2011, 01:39 PM:name=Geminosity)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Geminosity @ Oct 2 2011, 01:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1877746"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->hmmm... I bought AP but haven't played it yet. Judging by all these remarks I guess I should ask if it's possible to play the PC version with a controller as that might make it a bit more playable by the sound of things :3<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
For some reason, most of the control issues I had (the jerkiness, lag, generally crapness of it) went away on the fourth time I opened the game. No idea why. It's still obviously designed mostly for a controller, but it runs fine on a keyboard and mouse (for me) once you get past that weirdness. I don't know if it's area-based (as in, the whole starting area runs like that) or just how-many-times-you've-opened-the-game. Neither one really makes sense to me.
The computer hacking and sniper rifle suffer a lot from being on a PC though. The hacking is awkward and clunky; you have a box full of constantly changing characters and hidden inside there are two strings of non-changing characters, and you have a copy of those strings assigned to WASD and the mouse. You have to move the strings into position over their copy in the box (I have done a terrible job of explaining a relatively simple concept); the keyboard controlled one moves annoyingly slowly, and the mouse one just feels <i>weird</i>.
Sniper rifle's aim is hard and floaty, feels obviously designed for an analogue stick, but it doesn't come up that often so whatever.
Relating to the game, I've built a mostly stealth character (stealth / pistol / martial arts is where my skill points have gone) and the game keeps throwing me into unavoidable fights which are pretty hard with my skillset (designed for sneaking around and taking people down when they don't know I'm there). I guess the game is punishing me for putting all my eggs in one basket and not diversifying enough, but it's kind of annoying that a game based so heavily on choice and branching storylines doesn't give me a way to avoid these fights.
Yeah, I've found that putting a few points into assault rifle helps a lot for when the ###### hits the fan. Though perhaps just upgrading the ###### out of the pistol could work too.
<!--quoteo(post=1877767:date=Oct 2 2011, 09:06 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Oct 2 2011, 09:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1877767"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah, I've found that putting a few points into assault rifle helps a lot for when the ###### hits the fan. Though perhaps just upgrading the ###### out of the pistol could work too.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I did Pistols. Triple insta-headshots = dead bosses typically.
That being said, yes, there are uber boss battles that you HAVE to fight. So, make sure you have some mines or something.
The boss levels though have infinitely respawning ammo, so don't fret too much about hoarding.
There is one "boss" fight you can avoid by never setting off an alarm. It's the <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Helicopter at the Villa in Rome</span>.
EDIT: Note you don't have to max a weapon, just at least put some points into one. Or max out the grenade skill. MY friend played through on Hard, Recruit, and never put a point in any weapons (Except Technician) and did just fine, but he's also a sadistic completionist. He's 100% completed Super Meat Boy.
<!--quoteo(post=1877757:date=Oct 2 2011, 03:20 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Oct 2 2011, 03:20 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1877757"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Split-second pin-point precision isn't really needed in this game unless you play a run & gun type, and knowing Gem that's not what she's going to go for anyway.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Incidentally, if you go into the game with the same expectations as I did, prepare to be disappointed. There's a lot less talky and a lot more shooty than I expected. In fact all the skills are combat skills, and while that does mean that the outcome of every dialogue is always in your hands and not dependent on a stat that you should have pumped more points into (so it's not necessarily a bad thing) it does highlight how combat-oriented the game is. AP bills itself as "the espionage rpg" but if that's the case then espionage consits of very little sleuthing and schmoozing and a whole ######load of killing people. I'd call it a cover-based stealth shooter, not an espionage rpg.
So if "charm and stealth where possible" is your approach, be aware that charm is rarely possible. Stealth, yes, but the majority of the game boils down to "avoid these guys, or kill these guys stealthily, or barge in there guns blazing." Don't expect to talk your way through much.
X_StickmanNot good enough for a custom title.Join Date: 2003-04-15Member: 15533Members, Constellation
There's significantly more talky later on in the game than there is during the opening few missions, but it's rarely a case of "talk to this guy or kill him". It's usually "kill him during a boss fight and then be able to talk to him afterwards when the cutscene has decided that 10 consecutive headshots are a non-fatal injury". There's one mission I can think of where you can talk your way into a place without having to sneak in/fight them, but that's a cutscene that forces you into it, and it's only past the first gate, and they figure out your con after a few minutes anyway.
There are some missions that are nothing <i>but</i> talking and can have an effect on the game though, which can either be fun or annoying. Actually reading up on the person (their dossier which lists habits and junk) is useful, which is somewhat surprising given how games usually handle this. The dossier will mention that someone prefers jokey banter to deadpan seriousness, or something, but when you get to a conversation with them the game doesn't remind you or make "joking" options flash blue or whatever. It's down to you.
Also deliberately pissing off some of the characters is immensely fun.
NeonSpyder"Das est NTLDR?"Join Date: 2003-07-03Member: 17913Members
<!--quoteo(post=1878027:date=Oct 4 2011, 10:10 AM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Oct 4 2011, 10:10 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1878027"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also deliberately pissing off some of the characters is immensely fun.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1878027:date=Oct 4 2011, 08:10 AM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (X_Stickman @ Oct 4 2011, 08:10 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1878027"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also deliberately pissing off some of the characters is immensely fun.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, the nice thing is you also get perks even if you piss people off. So, for handlers, you get bonuses for being on their good and AND being on their bad side. Which is a nice touch imo.
But yeah, this ain't talky-talk. It's much closer to Deus Ex where there's a lot of shooty/sneaky going down. And no air ducts, so sometimes stealth = tranq darts in everyone's head. Which doesn't kill them for some reason.
X_StickmanNot good enough for a custom title.Join Date: 2003-04-15Member: 15533Members, Constellation
<!--quoteo(post=1878100:date=Oct 5 2011, 04:47 AM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spellman23 @ Oct 5 2011, 04:47 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1878100"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah, the nice thing is you also get perks even if you piss people off. So, for handlers, you get bonuses for being on their good and AND being on their bad side. Which is a nice touch imo.
But yeah, this ain't talky-talk. It's much closer to Deus Ex where there's a lot of shooty/sneaky going down. And no air ducts, so sometimes stealth = tranq darts in everyone's head. Which doesn't kill them for some reason.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Some of the non-lethal takedowns look fairly lethal, too.
Not Batma: Arkham Asylum levels of lethal "non-lethal", but still, a full force rabbit punch to the throat is gonna do more than knock someone out, as is pulling someone's headback and chopping them in the neck.
Both of those compared to the other one, where he kicks the guy in the stomach and then leg sweeps them to the floor, makes the last one look pathetically non-harmful. It almost looks like a prank.
ThansalThe New ScumJoin Date: 2002-08-22Member: 1215Members, Constellation
I will mention that the 2 DLCs add more entertainment. One of them is simply more levels (yaaay), the 2nd one adds 2 weapons and 2 traps. The weapons are hilariously fun.
A machine gun health stealer, that can drain your health to replace your mana, and satchel charges in the form of giant alchemical bombs.
<a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-renegade-ops/17-4885/" target="_blank">http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-renegade-ops/17-4885/</a> It looks like a lot of fun, but I can't really afford anything right now...
Comments
For some reason, most of the control issues I had (the jerkiness, lag, generally crapness of it) went away on the fourth time I opened the game. No idea why. It's still obviously designed mostly for a controller, but it runs fine on a keyboard and mouse (for me) once you get past that weirdness. I don't know if it's area-based (as in, the whole starting area runs like that) or just how-many-times-you've-opened-the-game. Neither one really makes sense to me.
The computer hacking and sniper rifle suffer a lot from being on a PC though. The hacking is awkward and clunky; you have a box full of constantly changing characters and hidden inside there are two strings of non-changing characters, and you have a copy of those strings assigned to WASD and the mouse. You have to move the strings into position over their copy in the box (I have done a terrible job of explaining a relatively simple concept); the keyboard controlled one moves annoyingly slowly, and the mouse one just feels <i>weird</i>.
Sniper rifle's aim is hard and floaty, feels obviously designed for an analogue stick, but it doesn't come up that often so whatever.
Relating to the game, I've built a mostly stealth character (stealth / pistol / martial arts is where my skill points have gone) and the game keeps throwing me into unavoidable fights which are pretty hard with my skillset (designed for sneaking around and taking people down when they don't know I'm there). I guess the game is punishing me for putting all my eggs in one basket and not diversifying enough, but it's kind of annoying that a game based so heavily on choice and branching storylines doesn't give me a way to avoid these fights.
I did Pistols. Triple insta-headshots = dead bosses typically.
That being said, yes, there are uber boss battles that you HAVE to fight. So, make sure you have some mines or something.
The boss levels though have infinitely respawning ammo, so don't fret too much about hoarding.
There is one "boss" fight you can avoid by never setting off an alarm. It's the <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>Helicopter at the Villa in Rome</span>.
EDIT: Note you don't have to max a weapon, just at least put some points into one. Or max out the grenade skill. MY friend played through on Hard, Recruit, and never put a point in any weapons (Except Technician) and did just fine, but he's also a sadistic completionist. He's 100% completed Super Meat Boy.
You know me so well :3
I'm thinking charm and stealth where possible! :D
So if "charm and stealth where possible" is your approach, be aware that charm is rarely possible. Stealth, yes, but the majority of the game boils down to "avoid these guys, or kill these guys stealthily, or barge in there guns blazing." Don't expect to talk your way through much.
There are some missions that are nothing <i>but</i> talking and can have an effect on the game though, which can either be fun or annoying. Actually reading up on the person (their dossier which lists habits and junk) is useful, which is somewhat surprising given how games usually handle this. The dossier will mention that someone prefers jokey banter to deadpan seriousness, or something, but when you get to a conversation with them the game doesn't remind you or make "joking" options flash blue or whatever. It's down to you.
Also deliberately pissing off some of the characters is immensely fun.
Struth.
Yeah, the nice thing is you also get perks even if you piss people off. So, for handlers, you get bonuses for being on their good and AND being on their bad side. Which is a nice touch imo.
But yeah, this ain't talky-talk. It's much closer to Deus Ex where there's a lot of shooty/sneaky going down. And no air ducts, so sometimes stealth = tranq darts in everyone's head. Which doesn't kill them for some reason.
But yeah, this ain't talky-talk. It's much closer to Deus Ex where there's a lot of shooty/sneaky going down. And no air ducts, so sometimes stealth = tranq darts in everyone's head. Which doesn't kill them for some reason.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Some of the non-lethal takedowns look fairly lethal, too.
Not Batma: Arkham Asylum levels of lethal "non-lethal", but still, a full force rabbit punch to the throat is gonna do more than knock someone out, as is pulling someone's headback and chopping them in the neck.
Both of those compared to the other one, where he kicks the guy in the stomach and then leg sweeps them to the floor, makes the last one look pathetically non-harmful. It almost looks like a prank.
True. Michael Jackson was impaled in his sleep!
Today has Orcs Must die for under $5, and the DLCs for about $2 total.
Go buy it.
Oh, and if any one wants to join Scythe in some HARDCORE MEN'S SIMULATOR, D2D has it on sale for 1/3 off today.
I wouldn't call it hugely complex gameplay but it *is* fun shooting thousands (literally, thousands) of orcs in the face with a magic crossbow.
A machine gun health stealer, that can drain your health to replace your mana, and satchel charges in the form of giant alchemical bombs.
It looks like a lot of fun, but I can't really afford anything right now...