Played demo. Didn't like it

[jazgour]

Lighthope,

I think you'll find that when the rest of the story is told in the FULL VERSION, EVERYTHING will MAKE SENSE, from the aliens to the environment.

I believe that the remainder of THE SPHERE will truley be A TEST OF THE HUMAN WILL to survive, and the power of LOVE.

A TEST THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS PASSED.

[CypheR]

Ok, found it. It was a Star Trek: The next generation episode. Season 6 Episode 4, Relics. in this episode we have a comeback from scottie, wich was caught in a transport beam or that sorta thing. anyway, his ship crashed on what appeared to be a "dyson sphere", as called in the episode. a giant Sphere surrounding a sun where people would live on the interior of the sphere.

refeering to what was said in the episode (i do realize its star trek.......lol) , the interior surface of the sphere would be 250,000,000 times the surface of a planet similar to earth. here are a few shots of the episode i'm talking about.

the first 3 shots we see the sphere from a space point of view, outside the sphere:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9589/dyson17ma.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4324/dyson24km.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8295/dyson35gi.jpg

In the next 3 shots, you will see the starship Enterprise being pulled inside the sphere:

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2094/dyson46qp.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6708/dyson57ji.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2215/dyson65zn.jpg

And in those last 3 shots, you will be seeing the Enterprise exiting the sphere:

http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/9406/dyson73sp.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6830/dyson88as.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/715/dyson97fm.jpg

Ok...there. i know i'm waaayyyyy off topic here... but just wanted to share it with you since i talked about it in a previous post. sorry.

[Geronimo]

It's kinda funny. You ask the aliens "Where's the bathroom?" and they're like "Down the hall, up the wall, across the ceiling to your right."

[9Nails]

Originally Posted by Geronimo

It's kinda funny. You ask the aliens "Where's the bathroom?" and they're like "Down the hall, up the wall, across the ceiling to your right."

Well, you have that one four legged beast that's probably lived on the Sphere since it was a pup, and it still ran into the window what it saw you! Not every thing on that Sphere is intelligent, or logical.

Back on topic:
If you leave behind all Earth's Engineer's and Scientists today, the general public might have some seriously difficult times making computer chips and finding a cure for a headache. If gravity's fubar'ed on your Sphere, you might use more gravity generators to get you by until someone can make the nedeed repairs. (A pilot might know how to fly a ship but it doesn't mean he knows how to build or repair one!) You make due with what you have in that situation. Who knows what position the Alien's are in.

But any way, it's just a game!!! Entertainment!!! And I don't plan on being left out.

[Lighthope]

Originally Posted by Roger

I guess the idea of making games for fun is an ever-elusive concept.

Well, maybe if the demo hadn't been so boring, I might not have been distracted by the lack of logic.

But really, what it comes down to, logic-wise, is that everyone has a line in the sand that shouldn't be crossed. Some people have the line waaaaay over there. Others have their line waaaaay over on the other side. No one is wrong. But for me, personally, Prey lept beyond what I'm willing to believe. No matter how "alien" the technoledgy is, it still will be based on the same physical laws we follow.

Basically, Prey had me going "baloney", "don't beleive it", "this is ridiculous" too many times and it distracted me from enjoying the game. Others aren't bothered by the things that bothered me. Good for them. Good for me.

So, the makers of Prey can take this post any way they want to. They may read it and say it's "full of feldercarb" or they may say "hmmm, this isn't the first person to bring this up, maybe we went a little too far". Their decision.

Lighthope

Pearls of Wisdom - The most common pregancny craving is for the men to be the ones to get pregnant.

[abnormal]

anyone can nitpick any game. i could nitpick prey but its awesomeness overrides the nitpicking. if i had my way there would be a hellava lot more of george in the game

[alpha400]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

, it still will be based on the same physical laws we follow.

Not in Space!

[9Nails]

In Half-Life 2, you have a “Gravity Gun”, but you still drive a dune buggy.

Alyx wears bullet-proof denim.

Vortigaunts are a nudist alien species who speak English and can travel through space, stop time, and heal you. (But, only when it's convenient.)

The Overwatch Sentry turrets have infinite ammo, your weapons still require clips.

Roller-Mines and Man-Hacks know the difference between “good” people and “bad” people.

Plastic barrels and weights must be found in order to raise ramps for your air boat.

Explosive barrels will be placed near Barnacles and Combine when convenient.

Zombies split in half (torso only) do not bleed to death.

All Poisonous Spiders have a bite that will take you to exactly 1 point of your life, never any further or any less.

Ramps can be found to lead you around a city to precisely the right window which will take you to the next section of the city. All other doors, windows, and ally ways will be locked or “inaccessible”.

…and in all shooters, you can carry a supply depot of weapons but have no logical means of keeping them all on your person.

A lack of logic can be foud in any game. Because games are story driven, not logic driven. (Tetris is an exception!) Your arguments are more on taste, and not design. Just say that you do not have a personal preferance for this game, and move along. buh bye.

[Lighthope]

Originally Posted by 9Nails

IJust say that you do not have a personal preferance for this game

I did. But some people can't seem to accept that others have different opinions.

and move along. buh bye.

Awww, and that paragraph was so nice until you ruined it.

Lighthope

Pearls of Wisdom - "I've never heard the words 'only' and 'candy' in the same sentence before." - Eric Cartman (South Park: A Ladder to Heaven)

--== TIGERS' QUEST - http://www.tigersquest.com
--== THE DOCTOR WHO AUDIO DRAMAS - http://www.dwad.net

[Prohass]

Dude what the hell. Did you seriously enter this demo expecting a deep well rounded universe? It involves super powers based in CHEROKEE MYTHOLOGY for god's sake. Fine you didnt like it, but to not like it based on some absurd notion that it's 'unrealistic' or 'ridiculous' is baffling. What led you to believe this game would provide you with anything more than an awsome romp through a crazy-ass alien space ship.

Name 1 sci-fi or fantasy game that has a COMPLETE AND UTTER cohesion in its design and mythos. Most games just provide a backdrop universe for you, to demand that its founded in unasailable logic then turn away in disgust when its not is your damn problem. I pitty you for missing the point, and thusly missing out on the fun. Theres more to the thematics and emotions of a game than its depth of lore, the horror of abduction and a completely alien world seems to be lost on you.

Your the kind of person that came out of Signs going "How come the aliens didn't KNOW water hurt them, what a stupid movie"

CONGRATS ON MISSING THE POINT BUDDY.

sheesh.

[John]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

But for me, personally, Prey lept beyond what I'm willing to believe. No matter how "alien" the technoledgy is, it still will be based on the same physical laws we follow.

No, it is not. Willing to believe? So you simply dis-believe that aliens could ever exist or any other lifeform besides creatures on planet earth (in our galaxy) could possibly be there? I'm sorry you are stuck in your own little box but others like to think outside of it once and awhile. (This is applied to everything.)

[X-Vector]

I don't think that there should be any mystery regarding the realism to gameplay devices such as the portals and gravity walkways.
If there's any thematic logic to them, then it's logic that's constructed to fit the gameplay ideas.

I don't think this is reason for dismissal per se, but IMO some of the puzzles are so contrived that any illusion of purpose is violated (the 'barf room', for example).
For my liking, there's too much of the "developer holding hoops for the player to jump through" syndrome in the demo, a distinct lack of freedom to the experience.

[Prohass]

Films have no freedom yet are still an enjoyable experience. Games dont have to be 'open-ended', there is immense fun in linear exploration for those who love the feeling of 'whats around the corner' game types. Some people are completely opposed to this, like some revolutionary pretense that cant stand anything associated with the 'typical'. Theres a difference between 'on-rails' and linear gameplay, Prey is linear, theres no denying that, but its still hugely interesting, entertaining and well presented, with a great sense of itself, but without dipping into the self-mockery pond too often.

[John]

I dont think Prey is the freelance type of game. It isnt a "do whatever you want" type of game like others are.

[Chris Dri]

My big fear is that the rooms will get boring, there will be too few puzzles, and the gravity flipping and portals will get over used. They are cool but overuse will destroy that for me, and there was almost that in the demo.

I didn't even think about the gravity flipping. the portals i can see a definate point to, but the gravity flipping reason still escapes me. I'm prepared to live with the fact that i don't understand everything though.

[John]

The gravity flipping adds more dimensions to the rooms than just "go straight and find key to open door", dont you think?

[X-Vector]

Originally Posted by Prohass

Theres a difference between 'on-rails' and linear gameplay, Prey is linear, theres no denying that, but its still hugely interesting, entertaining and well presented, with a great sense of itself, but without dipping into the self-mockery pond too often.

The Prey demo is not as 'on rails' as for example the Call of Duty games, but that's mostly because there are no superiors or squad mates to tell you where to go and because there is no time pressure.

Overall though, I feel that it's still too confined, both when it comes to the environment and the freedom to tackle gameplay situations.
There's generally only one way to go and one way to play.

[Vivi]

Doesn't make sense to us, but makes perfect sense to the E.T's.

[John]

One way to go and one way to play, much like many other FPS games. Except I still felt a better vibe from Prey than most other games Ive played recently. (Opinions differ though.)

[brandon105]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

Well, maybe if the demo hadn't been so boring, I might not have been distracted by the lack of logic.

But really, what it comes down to, logic-wise, is that everyone has a line in the sand that shouldn't be crossed. Some people have the line waaaaay over there. Others have their line waaaaay over on the other side. No one is wrong. But for me, personally, Prey lept beyond what I'm willing to believe. No matter how "alien" the technoledgy is, it still will be based on the same physical laws we follow.

Basically, Prey had me going "baloney", "don't beleive it", "this is ridiculous" too many times and it distracted me from enjoying the game. Others aren't bothered by the things that bothered me. Good for them. Good for me.

So, the makers of Prey can take this post any way they want to. They may read it and say it's "full of feldercarb" or they may say "hmmm, this isn't the first person to bring this up, maybe we went a little too far". Their decision.

Lighthope

Pearls of Wisdom - The most common pregancny craving is for the men to be the ones to get pregnant.

I don't understand the reason behind your post, it had a very stupid name, and for one I don't care what your opinion about the game is, why can't you think to yourself instead of coming on here and saying "O this game is too sci fi to play tee heh, and my ego is so large I can make better games tee hee"? good, go play something else more 'realistic', you pathetic freak.

........................

[Orochi Avlis]

Originally Posted by 9Nails

Vortigaunts are a nudist alien species who speak English and can travel through space, stop time, and heal you. (But, only when it's convenient.)

It's more of they are holding back until the time is right.

Roller-Mines and Man-Hacks know the difference between “good” people and “bad” people.

The Combine are part mechanical, they have a sensor that makes RMs and MHs tell who are the friendlies out in the field.

Zombies split in half (torso only) do not bleed to death.

Coagulation.

[DissidentRage]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

Basically, Prey had me going "baloney", "don't beleive it", "this is ridiculous" too many times and it distracted me from enjoying the game. Others aren't bothered by the things that bothered me. Good for them. Good for me.

Some of us enjoyed playing Super Mario Brothers, despite the fact that it involves two Italian plumbers jumping through huge pipes, growing to twice a man's size by eating mushrooms, and stomping on the heads of prehistoric creatures while attempting to save a princess. Some of us even got a kick out of Sonic the Hedgehog, where you control a blue hedgehog that could spin around on his spikes and destroy thick walls of solid rock by spinning into them. Some of us watch science fiction TV programs or movies that involve a lot of pseudo-science that we can tell right away is fake or impossible. Even though we know these things aren't possible, we enjoy it.

I believe that it takes a very high degree of anal-retentiveness to not enjoy a game simply because things aren't realistic, relative to the world we know and feel. Perhaps you would be more comfortable playing Rainbow Six or Medal of Honor than playing something made with the idea "fun over realism" in mind. Maybe you should've known from the start you weren't going to like Prey and shouldn't have wasted both your time and ours downloading it and talking about it.

[Straw Dog]

Originally Posted by Roger

I believe that it takes a very high degree of anal-retentiveness to not enjoy a game simply because things aren't realistic, relative to the world we know and feel.

Have to agree with Roger here.

But also I feel quite sorry for you Lighthope, games are about escapism. If you want everything in your games to conform to scientific fact and real world probabilities then thats pretty ridiculous and really, maybe video-gaming isn't the hobby for you, perhaps something like.. accounting might suit you better.

I have to admit, whilst I applaud you for presenting your reasons for not liking Prey, it doesn't stop them from being bizarre and 'quite unique to you' reasons. Personally I love games that aren't set on earth. I have to live on this shitheap 24 hours a day conforming to scientific fact. To be able to explore a completely alien environment where everything we know is disregarded to present us with a toybox full of the unexpected is bloody brilliant. You on the other hand, would probably prefer to play games like Shenmue, where you have to wake up each day and go to work, then go to a bar, have a bit of a chat with someone at the bar, maybe get into a fight but always have to get back home to get some more sleep before you can carry on playing. Snooore.

I guess 'life' is your ideal videogame Lighthope, I mean look at it like this, its an incredibly long and expensive first person game, with loads and loads of boring predictable levels... and the ending sucks!

[DavoX]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

or they may say "hmmm, this isn't the first person to bring this up, maybe we went a little too far"..

Don't worry, with your way of thinking you really shouldn't buy the fullgame, because "Realism" only gets weirder in the full game .

[motionblur]

Originally Posted by Lighthope

My biggest problem was the lack of logic in the ship design.

Yes, walking on walls and upside down is really cool, but it didn't seem to serve any purpose other than as a gee-whiz factor.

... I like gee-whiz factors...

[Hotapplepie]

Overall I liked the demo but i think it turned off alot of 360 gamers.

I think 3D shooters are starting to get old, they all seem so similar.

Prey designers used probably the last remaining tid bits to present the game in a somewhat different view.
However, i cannot help but see so much of UT and many other FPS present within the game.
The seperation of body~soul can be distracting along with odd but this is the main difference used to seperate it from the latter games...

The indian motif is weird, if the old chief indian can keep sending the young indian back after he is killed why can't he send himself back?
Obviously, he is much more skilled and aged to the point where he is seasoned!

The concept of walking upside down and on walls is very difficult to model because the human awareness cannot be duplicated.
In reality when we are turned upside down our eyesite naturally pans the 360 spectrum which provides a very good understanding as to where we are.
Trying to model this in a PC game places blinders on our sight that cause poor awareness; confusion.

Example: The typical flight simulator or a model RC program, the perspective is lost, what we take for granted is practically impossible to model in a PC game.

In all honesty, i was just glad the demo came with an uninstall.
I could never bring myself to shoveling out $40-50 shekels for Prey.

Wait 2 months after it is released, the game will find it's way to the EB, GS or BB bargin bin for $9.00 very quickly...


My opinion, sorry if it offends anyone.

[PeterParker74]

I don't like to repeat myself but again:

3D Realms don't want to swim with the tide.
They want to be different,they want to develope different kind of games.
PREY is unique and state of the art.
You don't want cool looking portals?You want just a door?
You don't want to walk on walls?Don't like gravity?
Well,THATS boring! PREY is different,and thats why it's such a great game!

You don't like it? ok. And now?

Finally,and thank 3D Realms: PREY is different!

And now please stop talking about it,it's a waste of time.

[Orochi Avlis]

People are entitled to their opinions and they can say what they want.
But seriously some of the "reasons" why people won't buy the game are so superficial, moronic (sorry, but a few are quite moronic) and funny that it makes me want to giggle like a little school girl.

[abnormal]

It's A Fu**ing Video Game!!!!

[Straw Dog]

Originally Posted by Orochi Avlis

People are entitled to their opinions and they can say what they want.

This is true, but having read young Lighthopes opinions I'm not at all surprised its been met with such a backlash. Its mainly the result of just how spectacularly he's missed the entire point of Prey ..or in fact videogames in general. It doesn't take the sharpest knife in the box to realise that videogames are supposed to stretch the truth, which is why they are called 'games'. I guess Lighthope is one of the spoons in that box of not very sharp knives.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Roger

Some of us enjoyed playing Super Mario Brothers, despite the fact that it involves two Italian plumbers jumping through huge pipes, growing to twice a man's size by eating mushrooms, and stomping on the heads of prehistoric creatures while attempting to save a princess. Some of us even got a kick out of Sonic the Hedgehog, where you control a blue hedgehog that could spin around on his spikes and destroy thick walls of solid rock by spinning into them.

Maybe he does enjoy those games. Are you saying he needs an explanation for Pong?

The point is that our mind can easily deal with abstraction; we can deal with representations. Super Mario Brothers is so far from our reality that it carries more symbolic value than depictional value.

However the closer you come to true realism, the more you risk ending up in the 'uncanny valley' where something is not realistic enough to fool the brain into thinking it's 'real', and not abstract enough to make the brain see it as a representation. That's the issue, that he can't put aside the things he's seen in Prey, because the game is telling him that what he's seeing is the world.

He's not saying that he wants everything to be realistic, just that where Prey draws the line isn't right for him. I think that's quite reasonable, seeing we all have limitations on our ability to cope with incoherency. I'm sure there's a limit to how many plot inconsistencies you can take before the illusion of reality comes tumbling down.

Some of us watch science fiction TV programs or movies that involve a lot of pseudo-science that we can tell right away is fake or impossible. Even though we know these things aren't possible, we enjoy it.

I think we can enjoy these programs because they're self-consistent, because they represent a fictional universe that may have completely different laws to our own. The problem occurs when we can't understand what we're seeing because it doesn't makes sense even within the context of that fictional universe.

I believe that it takes a very high degree of anal-retentiveness to not enjoy a game simply because things aren't realistic, relative to the world we know and feel.

The fact that the game universe is different isn't a problem in itself, as long as the differences within the universe are explainable. If they're not explainable then the reality of the universe is compromised.

How you deal with that depends on your perception - it's not a conscious decision you make. If you can't let go of the inconsistencies then you're never going to be immersed in the world, and if a lot of your enjoyment depends on being immersed, then your experience will suffer and perhaps the game won't be fun at all for you.

At the end of the day though, you can't favour one perception over the other. You may feel high and mighty, being able to enjoy games like Prey without worrying about issues with the universe, but perhaps Lighthope can connect with a game's universe in a way you can't or don't.

Perhaps you would be more comfortable playing Rainbow Six or Medal of Honor than playing something made with the idea "fun over realism" in mind.

All games are made with "fun over realism" in mind; it's just that people disagree over how much realism is fun, and how much realism contributes to the fun.

Maybe you should've known from the start you weren't going to like Prey and shouldn't have wasted both your time and ours downloading it and talking about it.

Why judge? He has a right to his opinions and he understands them far better than we do.

Anyway, while I haven't played the single player side of the demo, I would say that the ship is organised the way it is because a conscious entity is controlling it, is it. It might seem arbitrary to the player, but the ship's consciousness itself can be considered arbitrary. Perhaps it's crazy, disorganised, angry, tortured. And it seems like it's guiding the player, playing with him, and the ship is its playground.

Do humans always operate according to logical principles? No. Do they always put practicality first when designing something? No.

Originally Posted by Straw Dog

This is true, but having read young Lighthopes opinions I'm not at all surprised its been met with such a backlash. Its mainly the result of just how spectacularly he's missed the entire point of Prey ..or in fact videogames in general. It doesn't take the sharpest knife in the box to realise that videogames are supposed to stretch the truth, which is why they are called 'games'. I guess Lighthope is one of the spoons in that box of not very sharp knives.

And what does "supposed to" mean? Are you saying that having a credible universe isn't important, or even beneficial? Are you saying that the player shouldn't believe what's happening to him is 'real' within an alternate universe, he shouldn't feel connected with the events that occur as part of the plot?

To claim that these things are irrelevant is to do injustice to the work 3D Realms and Human Head did on Prey's story.

As soon as you acknowledge there is a limit to how far you should stretch the truth, you open up the possibility that some people have different thresholds. And maybe what you get out of a video game isn’t the same as what other people will get out of a video game. Perhaps it's best not to insult those people for being different.

[sindex]

Everything has to be logical huh, so that’s why Physics (at one time) could not explain why a bumble could fly. Also Quantum Mechanics is also to be proved to be illogical idea same with cloning back in the day. Those ideas are implemented Half-Life2 and F.E.A.R., so in truth logic has nothing to do with it. Video games are a art form like plays and movies a good amount of times their logic can be warped a bit, but that’s only to raise the bar and to expand the imagination. Logically speaking nothing is impossible it’s at times improvable but that’s it.

[Denz]

Wah FireFLy, post of the year.

[brandon105]

It's not that hes differant, he just doesn't know whats good and whats bad, just ignorant. ..The way he titled his post, the way he typed his thoughts out didn't sound good to me...imo.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Geronimo

It's kinda funny. You ask the aliens "Where's the bathroom?" and they're like "Down the hall, up the wall, across the ceiling to your right."

Haha!

[Danule]

did no one here find the gun fights terribly boring? am i the only one?

[Denz]

It's like that with the low enemies, they are not strong, but wait until you find the bigger.

[Parkar]

Originally Posted by Denz

Wah FireFLy, post of the year.

Yup.

All the bashing of a guy who just simply does not happen to like Prey is just stupid. Calling his reasons for not liking it stupid is even more stupid. So please if all you can add to the discussion is "I don't like your opinion, go play something else and stop bothering me!", please just leave the post button alone. You don't have to read the thread if his views are bothering you.

Just to be clear, I don't feel like everyone not agring with him is "over reacting".

My view of the sphear is like someone else wrote that it's a biological being where things just is the way they are. Also the sphear seems to be playing with tommy or tesing him after noticing he can understand it. This is asuming the voice is actualy the sphear ofcourse. even if it's not the sphear it would explain the portals in the bar etc. I do agree that some puzzle don't make any sense at all but I can live with that.

[Aegeri]

Originally Posted by Danule

did no one here find the gun fights terribly boring? am i the only one?

Lots of us did, but that's a problem with the difficulty I would think and not the AI inherently. Believe this or not, the AI of the enemies is actually a lot more varied than the demo would at first indicate. It seems the AI get's more varied routines the further in the game you go, making combat more entertaining. It's just they don't have the HP/cajones [whatever] for extended firefights.