Comments on: Challenge Series 2009: Challenge 09 http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/ Finishing Half-Life is just the beginning! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:57:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MNM http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212854 MNM Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:36:57 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212854 0 divided by 2...lets see here... 0 divided by 2…lets see here…
]]> By: Episode #57 » Podcast17 http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212838 Episode #57 » Podcast17 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:32:50 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212838 [...] PP 10 Week Challenge #9 [...] [...] PP 10 Week Challenge #9 [...]
]]> By: WizardExt http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212686 WizardExt Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:17:53 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212686 Interesting. I remember a few years back I had this bad habit to save every minute. For each new encounter or enemy I had killed I would save. If I missed two shots with the crossbow or had a grenade that didn't made any serious impact I would load last quick save. I soon realized how much this hurt my overall experience and I slowly stopped to quick save and relied more on auto saves. Of course I quick save still, but not nearly as much. I think that it has to do with me actually caring more about my own experience. When playing a map/mod/game I put my time to it. I don't play for 15 minutes. I play for at least an hour. Otherwise I can't get myself immersed. Same with quick saving, it takes away some of the immersion and also disturbs the difficulty. What's the point in playing a game if your journey is forced to perfection? Avoiding quick saving will really higher the experience. You will remember things. A stupid mistake that almost had you killed or that intense encounter where you ran out of ammo and was forced to kill the remaining two combines with the crowbar. It will be your journey, something to share and talk about with fellow gamers. So I have changed my save habits a lot and I am not going back to quick saving for each new room I enter. And all mods/games that feature poor auto saves/checkpoints make a less good impression on me. I think it's a serious flaw to have bad checkpoints and too long distances for each auto save. Interesting. I remember a few years back I had this bad habit to save every minute. For each new encounter or enemy I had killed I would save. If I missed two shots with the crossbow or had a grenade that didn’t made any serious impact I would load last quick save. I soon realized how much this hurt my overall experience and I slowly stopped to quick save and relied more on auto saves. Of course I quick save still, but not nearly as much. I think that it has to do with me actually caring more about my own experience. When playing a map/mod/game I put my time to it. I don’t play for 15 minutes. I play for at least an hour. Otherwise I can’t get myself immersed. Same with quick saving, it takes away some of the immersion and also disturbs the difficulty.

What’s the point in playing a game if your journey is forced to perfection? Avoiding quick saving will really higher the experience. You will remember things. A stupid mistake that almost had you killed or that intense encounter where you ran out of ammo and was forced to kill the remaining two combines with the crowbar. It will be your journey, something to share and talk about with fellow gamers.

So I have changed my save habits a lot and I am not going back to quick saving for each new room I enter. And all mods/games that feature poor auto saves/checkpoints make a less good impression on me. I think it’s a serious flaw to have bad checkpoints and too long distances for each auto save.

]]> By: Ade http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212680 Ade Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:18:08 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212680 :)) bind save to w key, funny :D :) ) bind save to w key, funny :D
]]> By: Grey Acumen http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212648 Grey Acumen Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:13:56 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212648 It's funny, I tend to either save rapidly over a short period of time, or I don't save at all, and I haven't entirely figured out what my reasoning is. Sometimes I'll go without saving even when I've been brought down under 10 health and I'm low on ammo. Other times I'll barely even accept taking any damage at all without reloading to try again. When it really comes down to it, my take on this challenge is to play through a full mod or game with only using the autosaves and only reloading when you've died. It's still up to you to choose which mod or game you use this with. It’s funny, I tend to either save rapidly over a short period of time, or I don’t save at all, and I haven’t entirely figured out what my reasoning is. Sometimes I’ll go without saving even when I’ve been brought down under 10 health and I’m low on ammo. Other times I’ll barely even accept taking any damage at all without reloading to try again.

When it really comes down to it, my take on this challenge is to play through a full mod or game with only using the autosaves and only reloading when you’ve died. It’s still up to you to choose which mod or game you use this with.

]]> By: Olrick http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212643 Olrick Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:40:44 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212643 I read that and realise I don't save regularly. I can save every 30 sec when it's hard but sometime I don't during 10 or 15 minutes. And in that case I may reload, not because I'm dead, but because I'm not satisfied of my last fighting for exemple (to replay it better). I let you imagine... And that why I love autosaves. I read that and realise I don’t save regularly. I can save every 30 sec when it’s hard but sometime I don’t during 10 or 15 minutes. And in that case I may reload, not because I’m dead, but because I’m not satisfied of my last fighting for exemple (to replay it better).
I let you imagine…
And that why I love autosaves.
]]> By: Hoyy http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212641 Hoyy Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:13:56 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212641 Dude this has become so much more difficult you know? First of all I died so more often, insecure about some parts that I just would not be able to get past thru, mods specially (essentially Strider mountain ... :X) . That has to be the 2nd most difficult challenge, just after the mouse sensitivity one. Dude this has become so much more difficult you know? First of all I died so more often, insecure about some parts that I just would not be able to get past thru, mods specially (essentially Strider mountain … :X) . That has to be the 2nd most difficult challenge, just after the mouse sensitivity one.
]]> By: Jasper http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212636 Jasper Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:11:07 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212636 A challenge very worthy of the name indeed Normally I save in front of every door and gate or other entrances and if I have dispatched a large group of enemy. Did this with Sickening Sanity in Hard with no personal saves at all. I thought I was taking the easy line with a map where enemy are thin on the ground (and completely absent in the air). Screaming abdabs, it was terrifying! Especially in the blacked out underground car park with the ever spawning zombies. I had no idea that quick saves gave that much of a comfort zone - but they do. I'll be doing this again with maps and mods AFTER first play. It adds a whole new skill level - Titanium anyone? That said, absolutely no chance of doing this with the harder mods. Imagine, Minerva Metastasis, with no quick saves? Oh no! A challenge very worthy of the name indeed
Normally I save in front of every door and gate or other entrances and if I have dispatched a large group of enemy.
Did this with Sickening Sanity in Hard with no personal saves at all. I thought I was taking the easy line with a map where enemy are thin on the ground (and completely absent in the air).
Screaming abdabs, it was terrifying! Especially in the blacked out underground car park with the ever spawning zombies.
I had no idea that quick saves gave that much of a comfort zone – but they do.
I’ll be doing this again with maps and mods AFTER first play. It adds a whole new skill level – Titanium anyone?
That said, absolutely no chance of doing this with the harder mods. Imagine, Minerva Metastasis, with no quick saves? Oh no!
]]> By: hypnotek http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212635 hypnotek Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:21:28 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212635 I hate to sound mean about this, but I don't ever use saves other than the built in ones at loading times. I'm able to keep myself alive long enough to get to those points and move on. I only ever have to replay a section when I either get gangbanged or do something stupid like drive off a cliff. I hate to sound mean about this, but I don’t ever use saves other than the built in ones at loading times. I’m able to keep myself alive long enough to get to those points and move on. I only ever have to replay a section when I either get gangbanged or do something stupid like drive off a cliff.
]]> By: Wozzle http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212623 Wozzle Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:57:17 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212623 I'm surprise there hasn't been a poll about save styles yet. Maybe next week... :) Anyway, I would be one of the odd ones that doesn't save after every corner. Most of the time I am cautious enough that I don't really need to save too often. I mainly rely on the auto save points or I save when I get interrupted (sometimes that happens quite a lot). I feel that this challenge is one of the easier ones for me. The only time this might apply is after becoming frustrated at having died in many attempts to pass an area. When this happens I will quicksave after every wave of enemies or after every jump until I have passed the area or give up and quit. As a side note, when I did the challenge 7, the health limiting, I became quite paranoid when keeping my health below 30. My usual style of saving went out the window and I was quicksaving nearly after every step. I probably should have binded quicksave to my w key. I’m surprise there hasn’t been a poll about save styles yet. Maybe next week… :)

Anyway, I would be one of the odd ones that doesn’t save after every corner. Most of the time I am cautious enough that I don’t really need to save too often. I mainly rely on the auto save points or I save when I get interrupted (sometimes that happens quite a lot).

I feel that this challenge is one of the easier ones for me. The only time this might apply is after becoming frustrated at having died in many attempts to pass an area. When this happens I will quicksave after every wave of enemies or after every jump until I have passed the area or give up and quit.

As a side note, when I did the challenge 7, the health limiting, I became quite paranoid when keeping my health below 30. My usual style of saving went out the window and I was quicksaving nearly after every step. I probably should have binded quicksave to my w key.

]]> By: Ade http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212622 Ade Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:16:16 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212622 Hm it would be very hard to finish Strider Mountain with less saves, and impossible with NO saves! :D I find this mod very difficult, maybe it's cus I haven't played mods in such a long time.. But I think it would be very hard with a lot of mods. Cus if combine walk in pairs or more, if you try to take one out, another 3 come out from behind him.. I mean, how careful must we be? The hl games in general are created with infinite saves in mind, so I guess I'm answering your next question with a definite No No :P I don't think there IS a PC game with absolutely no saves, from start to finish, surely there are chapters, at least. And I think using fewer saves will definitely become boring, as u said, some don't like to repeat entire chapters if they die, plus the whole timeline and storyline is messed up, the flow of the mod will be lost, imo. And from what I remember, I quit one or two other games just because of saving issues and am bound to do it again. Hm it would be very hard to finish Strider Mountain with less saves, and impossible with NO saves! :D I find this mod very difficult, maybe it’s cus I haven’t played mods in such a long time.. But I think it would be very hard with a lot of mods. Cus if combine walk in pairs or more, if you try to take one out, another 3 come out from behind him.. I mean, how careful must we be? The hl games in general are created with infinite saves in mind, so I guess I’m answering your next question with a definite No No :P I don’t think there IS a PC game with absolutely no saves, from start to finish, surely there are chapters, at least.
And I think using fewer saves will definitely become boring, as u said, some don’t like to repeat entire chapters if they die, plus the whole timeline and storyline is messed up, the flow of the mod will be lost, imo. And from what I remember, I quit one or two other games just because of saving issues and am bound to do it again.
]]> By: Clunkfish http://www.planetphillip.com/posts/challenge-series-2009-challenge-09/comment-page-1/#comment-212620 Clunkfish Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:53:32 +0000 http://www.planetphillip.com/?p=7374#comment-212620 Soldier of Fortune 2 had limited saves - the harder the difficulty, the fewer saves that were available. I seem to remember 3 per level on moderate difficulty - you could use them wherever you liked, but when you'd used them that was it. It made me play very cautiously, especially the first time when you don't know how much of the level is still ahead of you. It was a really sweaty, anxious, cautious experience and I loved it! I'm a pretty slow player anyway, and it made the game last forever. Other games like that are IGI 1 and 2, like SoF favourites of mine. They have no saves - you finish the level or start again. In a lot of ways it's more realistic and it certainly discourages run'n'gun in favour of careful tactics and maximum use of stealth and cover. In IGI 2 the first time, I belly-crawled from shadow to shadow through an entire level because there were so many enemies...it took a very long time! Soldier of Fortune 2 had limited saves – the harder the difficulty, the fewer saves that were available. I seem to remember 3 per level on moderate difficulty – you could use them wherever you liked, but when you’d used them that was it. It made me play very cautiously, especially the first time when you don’t know how much of the level is still ahead of you. It was a really sweaty, anxious, cautious experience and I loved it! I’m a pretty slow player anyway, and it made the game last forever.

Other games like that are IGI 1 and 2, like SoF favourites of mine. They have no saves – you finish the level or start again. In a lot of ways it’s more realistic and it certainly discourages run’n'gun in favour of careful tactics and maximum use of stealth and cover. In IGI 2 the first time, I belly-crawled from shadow to shadow through an entire level because there were so many enemies…it took a very long time!

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