Go buy Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow RIGHT fucking now.

[schild]

I'm not kidding. Review coming later this week. It's just that fucking good. I will be setting up a dedicated server for it.

[Alluvian]

I will be getting the xbox version probably whenever I finish ninja gaiden.  When I get too many games at once I tend to not go back and finish games or fully appreciate them during a 'game glut'.  If I wait till I am wanting something new, then I will be able to fully immerse myself in SC:PT.  The first was one of my alltime favorite games.

[schild]

If you have a PC get it for PC. I played the Xbox one at the store. Sucks comparatively.

[Alluvian]

I have the pc demo installed and I think is pretty lackluster compared to the original on the xbox.

No multiplayer in the demo of course.

[Anger]

Hated the first one, I'll skip this one.  Thanks.

[schild]

I just played through about 10 multiplayer rounds. Being part of Spynet is fucking brutal. No lethal weapons, you basically have to tazer people and hope they run into their own grenades. But spies are also about 4 times as fast as mercs, so it isn't hard to get away via climbing or running. Anyway, this is definately a winner.

[Alluvian]

That was my biggest concern, that the spies would become runners and not sneakers.  I think the mercs have WAY too many ways of finding the spies.  Speed seems to be their only advantage in the end.

All their vision modes are pretty negated by the merc vision mode that can see a spies gadgets when they are activated.

They can't move at any speed because of motion detector vision mode (this one has a big negative of not being able to see a stationary spy).

They can't really use the shadows because the mercs have flashlights.

Their weapons SUCK.

In the end it seems like outrunning the mercs would be a better tactic than try to slip past them.  And outrunning people is not what I think splintercell is about.

Hopefully I am wrong as I have not played the game.
Schild, is sneaking valid in multiplayer for the spies?  Or does the tech advantage of the guards overwhealm that?

I fear the multiplayer would have been better with 7 vs 1 odds with 1 spy and 7 guards without these technical whizbang gadgets.

[schild]

Playing as Spynet in MP is VERY hard. I'm hoping they patch in a regular silenced pistol for the spies. That would make all the difference in the world. As it stands spies have no real way other than melee to kill a Merc. They *NEED* to fix that. But other than that it's incredibly fun. Playing as a spy in multiplayer ramped up my singleplayer ability (where I have a gun) by at least 20%.

[Morfiend]

Well, I seem to be having massive problem with this game.

First, under no circumstances will it connect inless I totally disable my firewall.

Second, most games I try to connect to, it says, game no longer valid.

Third, if I do happen to connect, it drops me to desktop.

Third, even on the lowest settings, it runs like crap (when I run around in a lan game) and I have a 1.7 with a gig of ram and a geforce 4 ti.

This is not looking good for them, if they cant make it run decent on my system, then most mid to low end people cant run it. I can run UT2k4 on high graphics, and it runs very good, and looks wonderful.

[schild]

I'm running it on a 2.8ghz, with a gig of ram, and a should I say, less than adequate graphics card (original release GeforceFX 5200 without the upgraded core). It runs perfectly on almost all high settings at 1024. As far as game connections go, first of all, I had to download a NoCD crack to even log onto multiplayer, it seems as if they should be patching very very soon.

As for games, look for games with less than 4 people in them. If you hover the mouse over the game and it says 'Joinable' - well, yea, you join it. I need to get a good mic/headphone piece, as having morons scream through my center speaker while trying to play was erhmm, shitty. But the gameplay more than makes up for it.

Brave through your problems, it's worth it. Oh, and go read the UBI soft forums (self-help section), find someone with your computer setup and you should be able to find a fix.

PM me if you're having specific problems, I'll see if I can figure it out.

[HaemishM]

Bad news. The X-Box version has a bug in the multiplayer Optimatch portion of X-Box Live. If you sit at the Optimatch screen more than ten seconds looking for a game, it will lock up. UbiSoft appears to be working on it, but I'll hold off any purchase for a while.

[Anonymous]

A fatal bug in an UBISoft/Xbox title?  Say it isn't so.

[Alluvian]

I have a 2.5ghz AMD  1 gig of ram.  A puny TI4200 video card.

I can run the demo on max settings in 1024x768 and I didn't detect any visible slowdown through either of the two demo levels.  I am not super picky about framerate, but I start to be annoyed anytime below 20 fps and it never got that low for long enough to notice.

The xbox live bug in the game just stuns me.  How the hell did that get past internal and external testing?  Did MS skip out on testing it because of release date pressure they put on themselves?  Someone needs to get an ass kicking for such a HUGE and INCREDIBLY easy to find bug.

Ah well.  It will probably be patched by the time I buy the game.  I am in no hurry at all.  I have plenty to keep me occupied.  (Ninja Gaiden, and making a flash movie)

[HaemishM]

The xbox live bug in the game just stuns me.  How the hell did that get past internal and external testing?

Penny Arcade has an idea about that.

[Alluvian]

Yeah, I read the PA comic before coming here.  Any word out on the real story?  Just wondering if it was UBI or MS that was supposed to test this kind of thing.  I would have thought it would have been BOTH.

[Morfiend]

Welp, seems no matter what I do, I cant join a multiplayer game, every time, CTD. Its getting really annoying. Also, combine that with the fact my mouse wheel wont work once I get in the game, I am pissed. Also, UBI did not think to include a way to change your speed up, speed down buttons, so people with no mouse wheel, or a fucked up one like mine, cant change our speed.

[Alluvian]

Between the growing complaints about multiplayer in the PC version and the fucking BROKEN multiplayer in the Xbox version I don't think I am going to touch this game with a 10 foot pole for awhile until it gets thoroughly patched.  WTF is wrong with these morons?  I can sort of understand PC problems, but the broken xbox version is unforgiveable.

[Gong]

regarding the CTD when joining multiplayer games, the best solution i've found is to terminate every single process you can before attempting to play. i've been able to get it to work using ATI catalyst 4.1 and 4.2 drivers. even then, there are still a few flukes though. from what i've gathered on the official forums, the CTD may be caused by hosts without having the proper ports opened.

if any of you are having the punkbuster issues (i.e. there is no punkbuster button for you to enable), some people have worked out a fix at http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=954105331&m=853108103 , it worked for me. note that punkbuster-enabled servers appear in a darkened text color, as if to suggest that you would be unable to join them. regardless of the text color, you CAN join them, provided of course that the proper ports are open on the host.

furthermore, i called tech support, they said that there will be a patch available on monday. that's good, i suppose, but of course they've already patched the demo before going home for the weekend. i guess they figure they've already got our money, so no need to rush. demo is more important, since it needs to make a good impression in order to convince people to buy the game. weee.

[Rei]

I assumed the CTD was trying to join a game as it filled up with people.

I however, am having no trouble playing the game. SinglePlayer is fucking awesome, as always.

Oh, and Spies do win as much as the Mercs. You forget that the maps have a lot of places that Spies can get to, where Mercs cant. Plus they manage to balance it out so that if you can see the Merc with night/heat vision, he can see you with EMF Goggles.

But yeah, the spies do need a more lethal variety of weapon. Although the Stungun will help you out in a pinch.

[Pig Destroyer]

Holy shit I am glad I didn't pick up the Xbox version today.  I had it in my hands and everything.  Hopefully it will be fixed by the time I am in more of a game buying mode.

[Rei]

Yeah, the X-Box version sucks ass, the PC version works just fine for me, though.

[Morfiend]

Here is a little update on my attempts to play SC:PT multiplayer.

After trying just about every thing I could think of, or sugested on the official help forums (short of opening every port), and including bypassing my router, I did in fact manage to connect to ONE game. Now for the splendor of the one game I got in. It was already in progress with one player in it. All I could do was spectate, and this guy was just standing still facing a wall.

I really want to pick this game up, but inless they patch the demo and I am able to try it, no way Im going to pay money for it.

[Morfiend]

Well, seem UBI did some thing right, as I was able to start playing the MP Demo this week. You're right schild, it IS fun. Its great if every one has mics also.

Well, I happened to be in Frys last night, and well, they happened to have SC:PT on sale for $29.99 (Nice to see new games at this price). So I bought it on a whim.

What I have found is. I *REALLY* suck at stealth games. I am having major problems getting past the first level. Its fun, and I cant wait to go home and play some more. Im also looking forward to trying some of the other MP modes. Even if the description for all the game modes seems about the same. "Keep Spys Away from Thingies".

I have also decided that to play these new games, I amprobably going to need a new graphics card, as my GF4 Ti is not handling so hot any more.

If any one want to get a game going online, let me know. I can blast your ass as a Merc, or get my ass handed to me as a Spy.

[NiX]

What I have found is. I *REALLY* suck at stealth games.

Take your time. That's how I beat SC. Timing is everything and patience is key. Or, you can run. Like a little schoolgirl. That works.. sometimes.

You almost have to be a paranoid schizophrenic when playing these games. Peek around every corner, wait on every guard, listen to every sound and when you get the chance.. toss a pop can at a wall and giggle endlessly.

Why does every stealth action game have weird things in them? MGS2 had bird shit you could slip on, skateboarding and the ability to make it look like you're humping people. SC has pop cans, rolling and the ability to use every computer with the monitor still on. Sam can type. 230 WPM.

[WayAbvPar]

So has the patch to unfuck the Xbox version been released yet? Not that I would play it on Xbox (I HATE FPS on consoles)...more morbid curiosity than anything.

[Rasix]

I'm not sure this game being on the XBox would hurt it.  The amount of pressure shooting you do is nominal from what I've seen.

I really blow at sneakers and quite frankly don't like them that much.  Hitman 2 I thought blew copious amounts of cock and for some reason I just couldn't get into Thief 2. I like SC:PT, though.  Sometimes it's a tad cheesey with what they throw at you, but at least unlike in Thief, Sam Fischer can knock people the fuck out when they get too close. I often don't sneak around people at all; I just get into positions where I can ambush and knock them fucking senseless.

[HaemishM]

Splinter Cell (the original at least) is not what I'd call a "shooter" at all. I actually think it would be better on the X-Box than PC due to the way the controls work.

[WayAbvPar]

Splinter Cell (the original at least) is not what I'd call a "shooter" at all. I actually think it would be better on the X-Box than PC due to the way the controls work.

From what I have seen of the multiplayer, it seems to play a lot like a FPS. I think you are right regarding the single player game (I played the original for a couple of hours at a buddy's place).

[Khaldun]

I really didn't like the first SC on PS2: I thought it was one of those "you're a car on a railway" shooters, where you've got to do everything just the way the game wants you to. If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie. I spent twenty minutes in that opening courtyard trying to see if there was any other way to get out of there besides the way I was obviously supposed to do it. I can't stand it when the skilled he-man I'm controlling can do all sorts of amazing shit when it's the stuff the game wants him to do, but then acts like an arthritic nun when I want him to climb or jump somewhere that he ought to be able to climb or jump but that the game doesn't want him to go into. Is this one any different?

[Morfiend]

I really didn't like the first SC on PS2: I thought it was one of those "you're a car on a railway" shooters, where you've got to do everything just the way the game wants you to. If I want to watch a movie, I'll watch a movie. I spent twenty minutes in that opening courtyard trying to see if there was any other way to get out of there besides the way I was obviously supposed to do it. I can't stand it when the skilled he-man I'm controlling can do all sorts of amazing shit when it's the stuff the game wants him to do, but then acts like an arthritic nun when I want him to climb or jump somewhere that he ought to be able to climb or jump but that the game doesn't want him to go into. Is this one any different?

The main difference, is SC:PT has really fun multiplayer.