Stolen Pixels #93: Crysis Demo, Part 2

By Shamus Posted Tuesday May 26, 2009

Filed under: Column 21 comments

Part 2 of the Crysis demo “review” is up. Part 3 will wrap things up. Then it’s back to Left 4 Dumb.

 


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21 thoughts on “Stolen Pixels #93: Crysis Demo, Part 2

  1. Kleedrac says:

    Hate to be a bother but any idea when you’ll be done with Left4Dumb and back to writing funny comics about games that suck less?

  2. Mike says:

    To provide the counterpoint to Kleedrac, I’ve never played Left4Dead, but find the comics friggin’ hilarious!

  3. R4byde says:

    Wow, Shamus, people must read your work just to here you lambaste games they hate. :)

    EDIT: Well not Mike I guess.

    EDIT AGAIN: Or me for that matter.

  4. Blackbird71 says:

    “Psuedo-Military Techno-Jargon” – nice. That’s probably exactly what it said in the original script, too. Well done, Shamus.

    Just an FYI, those “duffle bags” are reserve ‘chutes, in case the main parachute breaks/doesn’t open. They’ve been a staple of military paratroopers for about as long as people have been jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. Still, it’s odd that in a technologically advanced setting, they’re using equipment that doesn’t look any different than it has in the past several decades. Actually, if anything, the reserves in Crysis look a little larger than modern or even WWII era gear – you’d think with future synthetics they could get them packed in even tighter.

  5. Book says:

    Blackbird, I don’t know anything about modern military chute materials or their design, but it seems pretty obvious to me if you’re having a man suited up in an entire set of full composite metal body armor you’re going to need a bigger chute. Maybe even something awesome, like a jet pack.

  6. Nostromo says:

    “We’re ‘Special Forces'” made me spit my coffee through the nose…

  7. Lupis42 says:

    Blackbird: It depends a bit on the weight of the soldier and gear. That nanosuit might be a bit heavy, and the ammunition, scopes, etc are even more so. Come to think of it, some of that stuff might concealed under the backup suits, and so partially responsible for the bulk.

    (Also, Shamus, I have yet to perceive a reliable correlation between subject game and comic quality. More succinctly, whatever game you choose, they’ve all been funny so far)

  8. Blackbird71 says:

    Yes, they may be carrying a bit of extra weight, but still, it’s “the future,” everything is supposed to be smaller, right?

    But really, it’s not so much about the size of the packs as the appearance. You’ve got soldiers in these high-tech shiny super suits, and they’re wearing what looks like the same old green canvas-wrapped packs with the same straps, buckles, etc. It just looks a bit out of place.

  9. Volatar says:

    This is funny stuff.

    On a similar topic, I find it amusing that there are people commenting on this asking when you will post non L4D comics. Yet this very comic (and the last one) are bot L4D.

    Ironic isn’t it…

  10. Joe Cool says:

    Start of a trend of authentic enemy language? I seem to recall this little title that came out waaaay back in 1992 where the enemies spoke German.

    I think the trend has started long ago. This is only continuing it.

    But you’re right. It’s dumb that you have to play on the hardest difficulty to have the bad guys not sound dumb.

  11. Saint Rising says:

    Enemies in the first Mercenaries game spoke their respective languages. I don’t think authtentic languages is anything new.

    Loving the comics about this demo, Shamus. And I’m looking forward to the return of L4D, even though I’ve never played it. (but after reading your comics on it I really want to…)

  12. Cuthalion says:

    As evidenced by Age of Empires II — and maybe even I, I don’t remember — authentic enemy languages are both venerable and awesome. Though they might’ve just made up the Aztec lines.

  13. Volatar says:

    Really, I also enjoy having enemies with authentic foreign languages spoken.

    Really, I do not know why more developers don’t do this

    1: Frees up need to write scrips. Ask the people to say a number of different nonsense things in differing tones and voice (including as much cursing and swearing as possible for any kind of war/battle/shooting game).
    2: It’s not hard to find people that speak any language you want in America, really, every kind of person can be found here.
    3: Most people will be unable to tell bad voice acting if it is in either a different accent, or a different language from their own. Both together just wins, even if your voice actor selection sucks, no one can tell.

  14. Anaphyis says:

    Volatar: “It's not hard to find people that speak any language you want in America, really, every kind of person can be found here.”

    This is a thing that never ceases to amaze me, because on the one hand, you are absolutely right. On the other, every time I hear a foreign language I’m familiar with in American media (including high budget movies) it’s a revelation when they actually get it right – and then, it’s mostly Spanish.

  15. PDClone says:

    I think this was one of your best comics so far, very cleverly written and very funny.

  16. SolkaTruesilver says:

    @Anaphysis

    But finding someone who can speak language X and finding an ACTOR who can speak language X is not the same thing. Isn’t there an Actor Guild that prohibit medias from hiring voices that aren’t actors?

  17. Zaghadka says:

    Maximum burn.

  18. A fan says:

    The first guy’s right, the “play 4 dead” comix are not funny.Please, stop making them.Think about it: people that don’t like them will be happy and watch the new comix.People that like them will also like the new comix.It’s a win-win.

  19. Teron says:

    Even more hilarious than usual, if that is possible. “Say… I don’t remember seeing a “Parachute” button in the key bindings’ really cracked me up.

  20. Simplex says:

    “Unfortunately, the only way to get this is to play on the highest difficulty level, which completely ruins the realism in other ways”

    Fortunately, that is not true. It is possible to enable “native speakers of Korean” on any difficulty level by modifying config files.

    “Go to C:Program FilesElectronic ArtsCrytekCrysisGameConfig, or your equivalent.
    Open diff_easy.cfg, diff_normal.cfg, or diff_hard.cfg

    Look for this:
    — AI voice readability
    ai_UseAlternativeReadability = 1

    Change the 1 to a 0, and your opponents will speak Korean. Enjoy!”

    I am not saying it is user friendly solution. I’m just saying it’s possible.

    Interesting factoid – highest difficulty (delta) mode is called “JackBauer” in config files – an obvious nod to 24 series :)

  21. Kleedrac says:

    Aside from the fact I was rather tired when I posted some of you seem to misunderstand me. I really enjoy Shamus’ writing both in comic and blog form! There’s a reason this site is in my RSS feeds. I, personally, dislike Left4Dead and find little humor in it. That is not to say it’s a bad game, doubly so as I personally dislike the whole survival horror genre (interesting RPG, not so much for video games.) Yes this and the last comic were not Left4Dumb but with 12% of all Stolen Pixels thusfar being Left4Dumb and Shamus saying he’s going back to it after Crysis I do feel a little let down. I was of the impression that Stolen Pixels was about him lambasting games from his own experience, guess I was and am taken by surprise that so much focus has been on Left4Dead? Meh. As (at least) one of you pointed out, I am still here and reading and will continue to do so :)

    Kleedrac

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