Shattered Horizon Review

UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA:Redwood City, CA Icrontian
edited January 2010 in Gaming
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Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I will be trying it on a GTX 275 on the 4th. I have the game preloaded in Steam.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    err double post?
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I just don't see this game finding a place within today's top FPS titles. It might look pretty in DX11 but the argument most of you have thrown at me is "does it have content" and from the sounds of it that is a big no currently. A few maps with 1 gun = me jumping back to another FPS a few hours after I get over the prettiness. Which honestly for me... 0G in space isn't all that pretty, sounds like an easy way to remove 1/2 the polys current gen FPS games have to contend with.

    I can see what Futuremark is trying to do here, but they really need to fill in the content gaps and quick. Honestly a game like this reminds me of a great game back in the day called Tribes.
  • ObsidianObsidian Michigan Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    One gun? You've got to be kidding me.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I ran it on my system, which is shown in my signature, but currently running an ATI Radeon HD 5770 rather than my 8800GTX.

    I run the game on pretty much full settings. 1680X1050 resolution. My framerates were not as good as Prime's, obviously.

    This game will push your system like Crysis did (does)
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I'm very excited to see what free DLC content can bring to the table.

    Look at the complete evolution TF2 has gone through. The Team Fortress 2 of today is almost completely different from the TF2 of October 2007, and nobody has had to pay a dime for any of the extra content.

    Futuremark could do the same with this game. Through free updates, they could add character, story, world-building, style, weapons, maps, game modes, everything. It can be done. They've promised to make it happen. Now we only can wait to see if they deliver.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    So... what kind of hardware were you guys using?
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I ran it on an ATI Radeon HD 5870, and was able to go max settings at 1920x1080.
  • ButtersButters CA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I'm very excited to see what free DLC content can bring to the table.

    Look at the complete evolution TF2 has gone through. The Team Fortress 2 of today is almost completely different from the TF2 of October 2007, and nobody has had to pay a dime for any of the extra content.

    .. They've promised to make it happen. Now we only can wait to see if they deliver.

    I see this all dependent on community support. TF2 at the time of release was an awesome game and in my opinion the extra content is just a bonus. Shattered Horizon, if its an *okay* game and needs DLC to keep people interested, then thats a bad sign. What would motivate Futuremark to provide quality DLC to just a few devoted followers, compared to one like TF2's.

    I'm sure Shattered Horizon will be bundled with everything Futuremark related and will be available anywhere, so the community has the potential to grow. But I wouldn't bank on DLC. SH2.0 could be right around the corner.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    You know, one gun as a mechanic could be interesting. The focus becomes directly targeting your prey. It may sound shallow, but in a way limiting the weaponry could provide a more focussed experience that really forces the player to work on his aim. Also in an open floating environment like this, how do you place weapon upgrades? Just leave them to float around randomly? Also, what use are typical splash damage weapons here with nothing to bounce your rocket off of? A grenade would just float indefinitely if true to the games physics. I'm willing to give the single gun game play its fair evaluation.
  • Sledgehammer70Sledgehammer70 California Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Well looking at the levels there are many areas to store weapon creates or even just weapons like UT series... as for grenades or projectiles can easily find a home in this futuristic gameplay. In all honesty 1 bullet to a guys suit would in turn kill him by being in space...
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    The melee attack is a one-hit kill. You rip the enemy's spacesuit open.

    Getting close enough to use it is incredibly difficult. The payoff is worth the effort.
  • GrimnocGrimnoc Marion, IN
    edited November 2009
    I'd like to try it, if only for the zero-g combat.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I played it on the specs found in my signature, minus the GeForce 8800GTX. I replaced it with an ATI Radeon HD 5770. Running everything at highest, DX11, 1680X1050. Mine certainly chugged a little, averaging around 30FPS.

    This game will push your system like Crysis did (does).

    As for the one gun, there is a surprising amount of depth to the one gun. You'll have to learn how to use the gun as a propulsion device, and counter the movments it makes for you when firing. There is good potential for 'advanced techniques' with the gun.

    Potentially, if you power down suit, catch the spash off of a concussion nade, then fire your gun in the direction of the blast, you can move in speeds greater than your boosters. That's one example.

    The game is only a few decades into the future, so from a viewpoint of realism, you woulnd't have much more up in space other than an automatic rifle. Realistic isn't always fun though. I would like to see the weapon loadout expanded in some way, but I really, really enjoy playing it as is right now.
  • TiberiusLazarusTiberiusLazarus Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Thrax wrote:
    I will be trying it on a GTX 275 on the 4th. I have the game preloaded in Steam.

    Robert Hallock does not play FPS games.
  • chrisWhitechrisWhite Littleton, CO
    edited November 2009
    I really want to play this but it's going to have to wait four or five months until I can rebuild my machine (hopefully). Zero-G sounds really compelling and whether or not it will stick will entirely depend on the quality of the DLC and how quickly they can get it to users. Waiting on the game may not be a bad move as more stuff is released or it could be terrible if only the most hard-core players are still at it down the line the way Demigod has become.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Robert Hallock does not play FPS games.

    He does when they're not the same old tired shit:

    CORRIDOR + WEAPONS + ASSAULT OBJECTIVE.
  • OhmecksOhmecks Orlando, Florida Member
    edited November 2009
    I played it for a couple hours today, and I really enjoyed it. I got an average of 25 fps on low settings with my Athlon 64 X2 5400+ and HD 4830, though it fell down to around 15 fps when in a close quarters firefight with several people. Despite the relatively poor performance, I don't think I'll grow tired of this for a while.
  • edited November 2009
    The thing about SH "getting old", is that Left 4 Dead was a fairly innovative game, with not much in terms of content (certainly more than this SH, though), just a few weapons, and it remains one of my favorite games.

    I just gave it a shot, so lets see.
  • wahaywahay Cincinnati, OH Member
    edited November 2009
    I restate that I want to play this with a space navigator.
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Has anyone tried to play it with a flight-stick?
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I have a space navigator... I wonder if I could get it to serve as input.

    And I still want to try my joystick (flight stick, not fightstick.)

    oh lord, I just realized I haven't seen my Saitek X45 in MONTHS, if not years. ...where is it now? I miss flight sims so much :(

    And I just realized how badly REAL flight sims have disappeared on the PC platform. That really makes me sad.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    UPSLynx wrote:
    I miss flight sims so much :(

    And I just realized how badly REAL flight sims have disappeared on the PC platform. That really makes me sad.
    Yep... Miss the good old flight sims.
  • chrisWhitechrisWhite Littleton, CO
    edited November 2009
    Lynx, I really really really want to be able to use the Space Navigator in games but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. The developers don't really care for it and it's outside of their target audience. Maybe someone will build a 3rd party driver to make it run as a typical joystick.
  • CrazyJoeCrazyJoe Winter Springs, FL Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    I enjoyed the game, but I've yet to see any IC people on at a time to play... Anyone up for scheduling some play time this weekend?
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited November 2009
    Notre Dame football be damned, there's no way I'll see game time this weekend :(
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    You know, I am extraordinarily concerned for the future of this type of game. I love what Futuremark did here. Make a multiplayer only, PC exclusive shooter around a unique concept, only ask $19.99 or less for it over Steam, whats not to love?

    Right now the player count on the servers is pathetic and its a shame. At any given time you would be lucky to find fifty total people playing this title. I think the learning curve is scaring people off. Its hard to get the hang of. Its very hard, but the more I play the more competent I feel. Am I good yet? No, not at all. Am I satisfied with this new play experience? Yes, totally. I can't wait to play some more. And if I die twice as often as I frag, so what? I'm still having a blast playing something that challenges the typical shooter paradigm.

    I'm afraid for the future of this type of PC offering. Unless Shattered Horizon has a second life of some kind, a re birth of sorts we may never see another developer attempt anything of the sort, and that would be a real shame. So everyone here that loves Shattered Horizon, get out there, tell your friends, colleagues, lovers, enemy's, everyone about this gem. We need to get people playing this thing.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    I think one of the biggest problems SH faces is not necessarily its difficulty, but its lack of variety. It launched with a tiny handful of maps and, what, two game types? People expect more these days. I knew what I was getting into for $20, and I love the game. It's my favorite FPS. But your average gamer isn't addicted to being thrown through the meat grinder to be a good player.
  • Cliff_ForsterCliff_Forster Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    Thrax wrote:
    I think one of the biggest problems SH faces is not necessarily its difficulty, but its lack of variety. It launched with a tiny handful of maps and, what, two game types? People expect more these days. I knew what I was getting into for $20, and I love the game. It's my favorite FPS. But your average gamer isn't addicted to being thrown through the meat grinder to be a good player.

    There are three team based game types. I think it could use a standard free for all death match, which would be easy for them to accomplish in an update.

    Four maps, three gametypes, I might understand how some might get a little bored by it after sinking a good number of hours on it, but from what I can see there is a very small pocket of dedicated players. For all I know a few of them may be futuremark staff.

    What I am finding appealing at least in my last few hours of play is that each time I play I have another small revelation about strategy. Little things that start adding up. I want from going 1 for 10 to 2 for 10 to 3 for ten, now I'm fragging about half as often as I die which is still lame, but an improvement, and the reason for it is some experience in how to leverage the environment for tactical advantage, how to properly set up and aim, and a big thing for me has become how I leverage Ice to escape when I am in trouble rather than going at everything head on.

    I can understand some people frustrations because I had them all at first, as I would die ten times before scoring a kill. Since I'm fairly casual I stick with it, but the more hardcore dedicated shooter gamer might find himself saying, "this game is bullshit" and running back to more familiar camp and kill grounds of COD so he can feel elite again. In Shattered Horizon precision aiming for the head and backpack are really necessary, shooting in controlled bursts, using cover in a meaningful way, drifting instead of using the backpack full time, finding a good landing zone to aim betting down scope, all things I am learning on the fly making each game a new challenge to apply what I have learned.

    I hope more players catch on.
  • CrazyJoeCrazyJoe Winter Springs, FL Icrontian
    edited January 2010
    The biggest thing that I dislike about the game is that for a game that is extremely team oriented, there is no built in voice chat. That is a pretty big omission in my eyes.
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