Master O Posted January 29, 2017 Seeing there's already a thread for its sequel (https://www.doomworld.com/vb/everything-else/92367-should-i-play-system-shock-2/), how is the original System Shock? Everyone tells me it's a must-play classic that is also the origin of the A.I. called "Shodan." Also, I heard it was getting its source code released at some point. Did that ever happen? 0 Share this post Link to post
Doominator2 Posted January 29, 2017 Wait until the remake is released, It will be much more playable. The original hasn't aged well. I mean you could go ahead if you dont mind the clunky controls. 0 Share this post Link to post
Egyptian Guardian Posted January 29, 2017 If you do decide to get it, buy the Enhanced Edition. It improved some of the the problems it had back when it came out, and will be a much more subtle introduction. But even still, the control interface is just as garbage as it is now and will take a lot of time to get used to, even when it comes to tasks as simple as chucking grenades. 0 Share this post Link to post
dew Posted January 29, 2017 Doominator2 said:Wait until the remake is released, It will be much more playable. The original hasn't aged well. I mean you could go ahead if you dont mind the clunky controls. Ugh, I might be in the minority on this, but I hate what the remake seems to be going for. The footage of the melee combat I saw was outright apalling and nothing like the original game. The UE high-definition graphics seem to clash with the "faithful" design, it's just wall detail tacked onto otherwise blocky layouts of the early 90's, like playing Doom with some ridiculous HD pack. This might not matter to first-time players, but for me it's just... all wrong. That said, Bernie is right - SS1 has aged poorly, because its control scheme is beyond clunky. It's stuck right in the uncanny valley between a FPS and a first person RPG game, paced like the former, but with a complex and slow UI of the latter. Also no mouselook or higher resolutions... the Enhanced Edition is definitely the way to go if you want to give it a try (not sure if it's a source port or recreation). 0 Share this post Link to post
[McD] James Posted January 29, 2017 I remember Yahtzee saying that playing System Shock 1 is like flying a helicopter with your head stuck in a Commodore 64. Funny thing is, he's kind of right. The physics really do kind of feel like you're trying to operate a helicopter. At any rate, I like the physics and user interface just fine, but the feel of the game will no doubt seem antiquated to many. I think it comes really close to its sequel. The only complaints I have about the game is that you're constantly being overfed with resources and the AI is pretty stupid. The cyberspace sequences aren't exactly enthralling, but I kind of got used to them by the end. Yes, you should play it. It's a brilliant and absorbing title that was way ahead of its time. 0 Share this post Link to post
Sick Bow Posted January 29, 2017 dew said:Ugh, I might be in the minority on this, but I hate what the remake seems to be going for. The footage of the melee combat I saw was outright apalling and nothing like the original game. The UE high-definition graphics seem to clash with the "faithful" design, it's just wall detail tacked onto otherwise blocky layouts of the early 90's, like playing Doom with some ridiculous HD pack. This might not matter to first-time players, but for me it's just... all wrong. That said, Bernie is right - SS1 has aged poorly, because its control scheme is beyond clunky. It's stuck right in the uncanny valley between a FPS and a first person RPG game, paced like the former, but with a complex and slow UI of the latter. Also no mouselook or higher resolutions... the Enhanced Edition is definitely the way to go if you want to give it a try (not sure if it's a source port or recreation). Well the redux is a reimagination, not a faithful remake. It's meant to be nostalgic while also playable by modern standards. The melee combat was fine, and it's still in early alpha. It's a free demo regardless, so give it a whirl, OP. 0 Share this post Link to post
Jon Posted January 30, 2017 I was going to spring for Enhanced but it was Windows only so I passed. 0 Share this post Link to post
BigDickBzzrak Posted January 30, 2017 There's this thing called System Shock Portable, makes the game almost pleasant to play on my Win7, adds mouselook (kinda) and things like that. Runs using DOSBox. It's for free, but requires the original's datafiles. I'm not sure if that's the "Enhanced Edition", though. Gah, I haven't actually played SS1 since April or so. I haven't played anything that isn't Doom since April, dammit. 0 Share this post Link to post
Wild Dog Posted January 30, 2017 If you have a PC that belongs to the Mid 90s with the Right monitor, Then give it a try. It's a good game, but if you try to play on a new monitor and new PC, it won't look very good. 0 Share this post Link to post