BeyondUnreal Previews Section 8

[Sir_Brizz]

The kind folks over at TimeGate Studios were nice enough to let us try out some beta builds of Section 8 and we got a preview of the game up for your reading pleasure.

The action is fast and highly entertaining. Getting from point to point isn't too difficult, since you can run, sprint (after running for a few seconds), or use your Tribes-alike jetpack to lift you up to high places. The controls for shooting feel tight and are nicely tweakable in the settings, and kills are both gratifying and fun. There are several loadouts to select from, with a Sniper class, an Engineer, Medic, Heavy Gunner, Light Gunner, and a couple other classes. You can also customize your class and fill different skills with skill points and load yourself out with different weapons. This gives another level of breadth to the game as you can completely customize your loadouts to your own strengths.

So, what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

[JaFO]

Dare I say : this sounds like what UT 3 should have been ?

I have to admit that at first S8 sounded like yet another average fps with pretty pictures.

After reading the preview it is starting to sound like what may be the real next-gen UT.
I mean ... it's got bot-support

The only thing I want to know is if there'll be maps, mutators, mods and an editor to build/create them.

How were the bots btw ?
Can we tell them what classes/equipment to use ?
Do we get to command them in the off-line battles just like your own team in SP-mode ?

[Interbellum]

The gameplay may (according to the reviews) be decent, but it looks like a poor man's HALO or something. Same old generic armored guys in the same old generic sci-fi environments. Bo-ring! Where are the scantily clad women and the crazy aliens? I bet it doesn't have brutal gore and realistic dismemberment, either.

Originally Posted by JaFO

After reading the preview it is starting to sound like what may be the real next-gen UT.
I mean ... it's got bot-support

Yeah, when it comes to gaming, backwards is the new forwards, apparently.

Originally Posted by JaFO

The only thing I want to know is if there'll be maps, mutators, mods and an editor to build/create them.

Probably not (because war is peace, freedom is slavery, and no mod support is 'progress'), but if it does, and it manages to spawn an UT-ish modding community, I might actually buy it. Otherwise no frickin way.

[JaFO]

The graphics may not be on par with Crysis et al, but they are sufficiently advanced and look good enough.
Besides ... gameplay > graphics
And maybe this means the game will actually be playable on my laptop as well.

What the pictures don't really show is the frankly awesome 'drop-sequence' and the effect this has on gameplay itself.
The 'overdrive'/sprint-effect is a very fun solution for the age-old problem of getting somewhere fast.

The only thing I missed on my first demo-run was a jump-button as the jetpack is a bit overkill for the smaller obstacles.

// ---

Probably not

I doubt the console-version will have an editor and mod-capability (except perhaps as stuff you get to pay for), but there's no real reason to assume that the pc-version will not have an editor (even though it appears to be the new 'standard' for UE-games )

, but if it does, and it manages to spawn an UT-ish modding community, I might actually buy it. Otherwise no frickin way.

If you're going to wait for a mod-community to spawn at launch of a new game then there's no way you'll ever find one ...

[Interbellum]

Originally Posted by JaFO

If you're going to wait for a mod-community to spawn at launch of a new game then there's no way you'll ever find one ...

I'm beginning to wonder whether I'll ever find a replacement for the UT series (which has now more or less officially been declared dead). Not because of unrealistic expectations re instant mod communities or whatever, but because they simply don't make games like that anymore: highly moddable & customizable, bot supported, zero time to spectacle, no-bull arena FPS. UT3 was the last of its kind, and by messing it up Epic didn't just kill a series, but a whole genre.

[Dark Pulse]

Originally Posted by JaFO

The only thing I want to know is if there'll be maps, mutators, mods and an editor to build/create them.

How were the bots btw ?
Can we tell them what classes/equipment to use ?
Do we get to command them in the off-line battles just like your own team in SP-mode ?

They have said they do plan to release a "SDK" - this means at least UnrealED, and at least maps. No idea about mutators or mods.

As for bots? They're competent. You can't pick what loadouts they use or anything (as far as I know) but they know how to use everything.

[JaFO]

I did notice that the loadouts get listed in the 'respawn'-screen, so you could check that prior to dropping in. Then again there are no real classes as you can switch between pre-selected loadouts at inventory-stations (or whatever they're called) anyway.

The gametype reminds me of ONS (and pretty much any similar domination-style gametype).
What is interesting is the way they randomly add mini-missions. That definitely ensures that the map never ever plays the same.

Any chance of a pc-demo ?

[Dark Pulse]

There's an open beta out... no idea if you can still sign up for it. I've heard the beta will end when the full game hits on September 4th... at least, in the US/Canada.

You'll need a Gamespy account to play it.

[Kyllian]

Graphics: Section 8 runs smooth, damn smooth. If a player has a rig that can handle 2k4 without any problem, they won't have any issues with Section 8
So whoopdidoo if it isn't photo-realistic, like JaFo said, gameply > graphics

Gameplay: This game is not the "poor man's Halo." It's caviar compared to the tuna Halo sammich
When it comes to comparing it to 2k4 gametypes, feels more like a combination of ONS and AS


As far as I know, you can still sign up for it and if you already have a UT3 login, it should work with S8.
Besides, Gamespy integration is only for another week. Timegate is going to switch over to GfWL

[JaFO]

I don't want a beta ... especially if it has Gamespy instead of GfWL as part of its on-line/player-management.
I just hope the real game does not require the internet just to play the offline part of the game.

the (360) demo said that there'd be a pc-server that would allow more than 16 players to play the maps, which makes me wonder if they're going to allow pc & console-gamers on the same server. Given that the stats are separated it probably won't be, but otoh the integration of GfWL does allow for the opportunity.

[Sir_Brizz]

They stated on their forums that they are not allowing cross-platform play.

[Interbellum]

Originally Posted by Kyllian

Graphics: Section 8 runs smooth, damn smooth. If a player has a rig that can handle 2k4 without any problem, they won't have any issues with Section 8
So whoopdidoo if it isn't photo-realistic, like JaFo said, gameply > graphics

I suppose it's 1337 to say stuff like that, but the simple fact is that it shouldn't be an either/or issue. A game that has solid gameplay but crap visuals, or vice versa, is an unpolished, sloppily, lazily made POS, period. And let's not forget that gameplay classics like Q3A & UT99 actually looked pretty good when they were first released. Indeed, state of the art graphics were Unreal's main selling point, iirc; not gameplay.

Originally Posted by Kyllian

This game is not the "poor man's Halo."

Well, the visuals kinda remind me of Halo, interbred with something grungy (GoW?).

[xMurphyx]

The visuals aren't crap. It's not like you can't bust out UT2004 in this day and age and have fun with it without having the visuals bother you. It's not like this is a three-colored-vectors-on-the-screen shooter from the 80s.
Ok, the visuals won't wow anyone and no one will buy it for the visuals but other than that they are solid.

I'm more concerned about what people find so great about the gameplay? I played the demo a tiny bit but so far it seemed like a pretty generic game overall. Just based on playing both game's demos I think Enemy Territory is still superior to this. If someone could go into what makes this stand out so much that would be nice. So far I don't see it.

[JaFO]

If someone could go into what makes this stand out so much that would be nice. So far I don't see it.

I think the best feature in this game is its re-spawn mechanism and the way it is integrated into the gameplay itself. As a bonus this makes it virtually impossible for an enemy to completely shut out your team.

And then there's the way they chose to drop in any extra support-items in the same way the players spawn ...

[Kyllian]

Originally Posted by JaFO

As a bonus this makes it virtually impossible for an enemy to completely shut out your team.

I dunno, saw a few games where one team could have easily covered the map with AAs
Yea you can use deceptor plates to get by them without damage, but you have to tack on all 4 for it to be worth it

[Sir_Brizz]

Originally Posted by Kyllian

I dunno, saw a few games where one team could have easily covered the map with AAs
Yea you can use deceptor plates to get by them without damage, but you have to tack on all 4 for it to be worth it

I think you'd have a hard time with that, actually. I thought about that too not long after I started playing the game, but the AA range falls off at the edge of the circle, so you can easily drop out by the fringe of it and hardly even get hurt.

[Kyllian]

Yea, I've floated in and out of AA ranges before. It's just that it seems the deployable AAs have a larger radius than the base ones
There's also a trick to nullify deceptor plates: lay multiple AAs in the same area
Happened at CP4 on Orbital last night. These two guys set up a pair of AAs, 2 or 3 Supply Depots and a few mini turrets, plus themselves.
You couldn't get near it from the air and even if you managed to take out a turret or two, those guys would mow you down and call in new turrets

Not really whining, but taking out something like that takes a concentrated effort from at least 4 people to clear them out

[Sir_Brizz]

It's nice that way, though, because of someone is devoting so much effort to that point, they are obviously slacking on another... go grab it

[Hyrage]

I've played the Demo on my 360 and it convinced me to NOT buy that game. I rarely saw such poor controls for a FPS, the thumbsticks are terrible and auto-lock on is ridiculous...

[Kantham]

Yep like I said before, the Auto-Lock killed it for me. I'd rather see less armor/shields and the lock out.
At this point I would probably care about the game more. Weapon balance was smelly too.

Otherwise the game had a lot of potential.

Oh and Hyrage, thumbsticks works fine in Gears. It just doesn't for this particular type of game.