Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box


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Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box

Posted By: PerseusSpartacus Date: 11/20/17 1:04 p.m.
In Response To: Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box (Martin)

: I've actually always enjoyed the level. The advance and retreat to shields
: and pattern buffer gameplay is very reminiscent of Marathon 1, and is very
: old school these days, definitely not helping to move a story on, but
: making the small level size they were beholden to take longer to get
: through. The older games took longer to play through than the likes of
: what we have now, that's for sure. And I really dislike the modern way of
: using cinematics as story drivers.
I think we're in total agreement on the cutscenes part – especially because cutscenes make the game creators write the story as though it's a Hollywood movie instead of a book. And if Marathon has taught me anything, it's that writing like a book instead of a movie can pay off really well if done right.
: And that's why we're still discussing Marathon now. The balance between
: reading story information and actually playing was just so, with a lot of
: optional story background thrown in. I guess you could say Destiny's
: grimoire was that also, but it was nowhere near as deep or well rounded.
Again, I totally agree. Marathon had some of the best writing of any video game ever, which is impressive given just how long ago it was made.
I think the point that RADIX was making, and which I found quite perceptive, is that Devil in a Blue Dress devotes too high a percentage of its terminal text to instructing the player on what to do ("Go here, press this button, etc."), rather than expanding the story in interesting ways.
: One of my favourite Marathon features vs most other FPSes is the automap, and
: especially on this level I do quite a bit of navigating, especially
: backtracking, with it, often easier in the very dark corridors. But they
: put so many bloody obstacles in that south corridor! It's quite annoying
: having to weave the way among them; I'd have been happy to lose -that-
: variety :).
Yeah, the automap is a great feature, and I think a lot of modern first-person games would definitely benefit from having one. The only game I think of that does something similar is Alien: Isolation.
: That first door is a fun one, especially as one probably sees the pattern
: buffer before one dies to it :). And especially if you hit all of the
: switches the first time in Click! The last part of that level is a pain,
: with very little ammo to one's name.
Yeah, that first door is kinda funny, I will admit.
As for the ammo factor, I actually haven't had any problems with ammo. Then again, I am playing on Normal; I'm sure it'd be a very different situation on Total Carnage.
: Funny as I was just looking back through our emails about this ToD, and early
: on you included this as one of the levels you liked. How times have
: changed I guess :).
Yeah, I think this is one of those levels that is interesting the first time you play it, and then loses its interest and becomes just tedious and irritating when you come back to it. More importantly, I think I was projecting a bit of my own personal irritations on it – the level itself isn't bad to play, but it sure isn't fun to write about. You'll notice the words "corridor" and "hallway" keep coming up over and over in my write-up, and the more convoluted parts of the level are something of a challenge to make sense of in writing.
Vale,
Perseus

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/19/17 6:38 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box General-RADIX 11/19/17 10:13 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/20/17 6:09 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box Martin 11/20/17 12:33 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/20/17 1:04 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box Martin 11/20/17 11:43 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/21/17 8:27 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/21/17 4:06 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/21/17 7:45 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/22/17 2:07 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/22/17 10:17 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box Yossarian 11/23/17 5:10 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/23/17 5:17 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/21/17 3:58 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/21/17 3:50 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/21/17 7:53 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box nevets01 11/22/17 7:41 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/22/17 1:05 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/22/17 1:37 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/22/17 2:09 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/23/17 7:42 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box Yossarian 11/23/17 4:54 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box nevets01 11/25/17 4:52 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/22/17 1:59 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box General-RADIX 11/22/17 3:50 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/23/17 3:02 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box nevets01 11/25/17 4:44 a.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box Yossarian 11/23/17 4:58 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/21/17 4:11 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box VikingBoyBilly 11/21/17 2:56 p.m.

Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box PerseusSpartacus 11/21/17 7:49 p.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Subject:
Message:
: : I've actually always enjoyed the level. The advance and retreat to shields : I think we're in total agreement on the cutscenes part – especially because : cutscenes make the game creators write the story as though it's a : Hollywood movie instead of a book. And if Marathon has taught me anything, : it's that writing like a book instead of a movie can pay off really well : if done right. : : And that's why we're still discussing Marathon now. The balance between : Again, I totally agree. Marathon had some of the best writing of any video : game ever, which is impressive given just how long ago it was made. : I think the point that RADIX was making, and which I found quite perceptive, : is that Devil in a Blue Dress devotes too high a percentage of its : terminal text to instructing the player on what to do ("Go here, : press this button, etc."), rather than expanding the story in : interesting ways. : : One of my favourite Marathon features vs most other FPSes is the automap, : and : Yeah, the automap is a great feature, and I think a lot of modern : first-person games would definitely benefit from having one. The only game : I think of that does something similar is Alien: Isolation. : : That first door is a fun one, especially as one probably sees the pattern : Yeah, that first door is kinda funny, I will admit. : As for the ammo factor, I actually haven't had any problems with ammo. Then : again, I am playing on Normal; I'm sure it'd be a very different situation : on Total Carnage. : : Funny as I was just looking back through our emails about this ToD, and : early : Yeah, I think this is one of those levels that is interesting the first time : you play it, and then loses its interest and becomes just tedious and : irritating when you come back to it. More importantly, I think I was : projecting a bit of my own personal irritations on it – the level itself : isn't bad to play, but it sure isn't fun to write about. You'll notice the : words "corridor" and "hallway" keep coming up over and : over in my write-up, and the more convoluted parts of the level are : something of a challenge to make sense of in writing. : Vale, : Perseus

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Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/19/17 6:38 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	General-RADIX	11/19/17 10:13 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/20/17 6:09 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	Martin	11/20/17 12:33 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/20/17 1:04 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	Martin	11/20/17 11:43 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/21/17 8:27 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/21/17 4:06 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/21/17 7:45 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/22/17 2:07 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/22/17 10:17 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	Yossarian	11/23/17 5:10 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/23/17 5:17 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/21/17 3:58 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/21/17 3:50 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/21/17 7:53 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	nevets01	11/22/17 7:41 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/22/17 1:05 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/22/17 1:37 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/22/17 2:09 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/23/17 7:42 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	Yossarian	11/23/17 4:54 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	nevets01	11/25/17 4:52 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/22/17 1:59 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	General-RADIX	11/22/17 3:50 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/23/17 3:02 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	nevets01	11/25/17 4:44 a.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	Yossarian	11/23/17 4:58 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/21/17 4:11 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	VikingBoyBilly	11/21/17 2:56 p.m.
Re: Tour of Duty - Skinner Box	PerseusSpartacus	11/21/17 7:49 p.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : : I've actually always enjoyed the level. The advance and retreat to shields : I think we're in total agreement on the cutscenes part – especially because : cutscenes make the game creators write the story as though it's a : Hollywood movie instead of a book. And if Marathon has taught me anything, : it's that writing like a book instead of a movie can pay off really well : if done right. : : And that's why we're still discussing Marathon now. The balance between : Again, I totally agree. Marathon had some of the best writing of any video : game ever, which is impressive given just how long ago it was made. : I think the point that RADIX was making, and which I found quite perceptive, : is that Devil in a Blue Dress devotes too high a percentage of its : terminal text to instructing the player on what to do ("Go here, : press this button, etc."), rather than expanding the story in : interesting ways. : : One of my favourite Marathon features vs most other FPSes is the automap, : and : Yeah, the automap is a great feature, and I think a lot of modern : first-person games would definitely benefit from having one. The only game : I think of that does something similar is Alien: Isolation. : : That first door is a fun one, especially as one probably sees the pattern : Yeah, that first door is kinda funny, I will admit. : As for the ammo factor, I actually haven't had any problems with ammo. Then : again, I am playing on Normal; I'm sure it'd be a very different situation : on Total Carnage. : : Funny as I was just looking back through our emails about this ToD, and : early : Yeah, I think this is one of those levels that is interesting the first time : you play it, and then loses its interest and becomes just tedious and : irritating when you come back to it. More importantly, I think I was : projecting a bit of my own personal irritations on it – the level itself : isn't bad to play, but it sure isn't fun to write about. You'll notice the : words "corridor" and "hallway" keep coming up over and : over in my write-up, and the more convoluted parts of the level are : something of a challenge to make sense of in writing. : Vale, : Perseus
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