Brink

[Azazel]

which it seems that almost noone bought

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_Territory:_Quake_Wars#Reception   

Also Game of the year many times over. The console versions were given low scores, wonder why.

OK, I stand corrected on the PC side. I guess I just never seemed to see or hear much/anything about it after release.

It pretty clearly was no blockbuster, though, since we're not getting a direct sequel to it. BTW, critical reception and review scores don't always = sales. Just ask Bayonetta.

[Kail]

Found this by accident: if you equip something, the game doesn't unequip it even if you lose the prereqs for it.  Got to level 20 and took a level hit to respec, and my guy was still wearing his level 20 threads.  More interesting: if you choose a heavy body type, and choose whatever weapon you want as your default loadout (by clicking on the circle in the corner of the pic) and then change back to a light or medium body, you'll still spawn with whatever weapons you chose when you were heavy.  Hopefully this gets patched soon, along with the Refuel map muting all sound whenever you play it, and the annoying "invisible enemies" glitch.  I'm kind of surprised by the tech issues in this game, honestly, you don't often see glitches like this in a competitive FPS.

EDIT:  Also, apparently there's a DLC pack planned for June slated to have more maps, and it'll be free.
http://bethblog.com/index.php/2011/05/13/brink-updates-now-live-free-dlc/

[Strazos]

Who the hell has a coordinated team to play this shit with?  If a game wants to have teamwork it better figure out how to be a HELL of a lot more popular than Brink is turning out to be. 

Random PUG teams manage to coordinate All The Damn Time...in TF2, especially on decent servers. You know, Medics heal people, Engineers build dispensers, guns, and teleporters in (hopefully) sensible places, etc. Pretty sure 360 players are just...dumb. 

[jakonovski]

I bought this. I have no idea why. I basically spent the money I'd earmarked for Witcher 2, because right now I'm not feeling the rpg burn.

[Mrbloodworth]

Who the hell has a coordinated team to play this shit with?  If a game wants to have teamwork it better figure out how to be a HELL of a lot more popular than Brink is turning out to be.  

Random PUG teams manage to coordinate All The Damn Time...in TF2, especially on decent servers. You know, Medics heal people, Engineers build dispensers, guns, and teleporters in (hopefully) sensible places, etc. Pretty sure 360 players are just...dumb.  

The difference is how you do the objectives. Most are extremely hard with out support, you can't sit on a point and defend yourself, there is no point to sit on and increase a counter, you must have backup, same as in ET:QW.

EDIT:  Also, apparently there's a DLC pack planned for June slated to have more maps, and it'll be free.
http://bethblog.com/index.php/2011/05/13/brink-updates-now-live-free-dlc/

Nice.

As to your issues, what version? I tried what you said on the PC version and could not reproduce.


Aslo, played more today after that patch, the AI is smarter now, and will group around you in solo modes, buff each others and toss out rezes more among other things. If you can believe that.

[Amaron]

Random PUG teams manage to coordinate All The Damn Time...in TF2

As someone pointed out in this thread TF2 is made in such a way that people just running around killing people in TF2 are still helping.   Brink is exactly the opposite in this regard in that they actively sought to punish teams who don't have high coordination.

[Strazos]

I played Wolfenstein: ET on public servers just fine. Maybe some of ya'll are just not good team players. 

People who just run around and kill aimlessly are marginally helpful, at best.

[Malakili]

Random PUG teams manage to coordinate All The Damn Time...in TF2

As someone pointed out in this thread TF2 is made in such a way that people just running around killing people in TF2 are still helping.   Brink is exactly the opposite in this regard in that they actively sought to punish teams who don't have high coordination.

I think that point is kind of wrong though.  We've all had teams in TF2 that fail because the team has players who aren't trying for the objective.  They really aren't helping at all in a lot of cases.  That isn't to say Brink and TF2 are the same insofar as this matter are concerned, just to say that this problem isn't unique to Brink.  

Edit: For example, there is a reason there are a lot of last second wins in TF2 - because when the chips are down and your team realizes they have one minute left to cap the point, they all actually try for the objective at once, and lo' and behold they take it.

[K9]

I think that point is kind of wrong though.  We've all had teams in TF2 that fail because the team has players who aren't trying for the objective.  They really aren't helping at all in a lot of cases.  That isn't to say Brink and TF2 are the same insofar as this matter are concerned, just to say that this problem isn't unique to Brink.  

Generally playing Spy or Sniper I think.

[Malakili]

You know what, fuck it, I got my tax return in the mail, I'm buying this thing.  There hasn't been another shooter in the last year that has made me nearly as curious.

[01101010]

You know what, fuck it, I got my tax return in the mail, I'm buying this thing.  There hasn't been another shooter in the last year that has made me nearly as curious.

And another falls... 

[K9]

Malakili is wonderfully weak-willed, it's why we love him.

For science!

[Malakili]

You know what, fuck it, I got my tax return in the mail, I'm buying this thing.  There hasn't been another shooter in the last year that has made me nearly as curious.

And another falls...  

If I had to go to a store, I never would have bought this.  This is why Valve is making a mint off Steam.

Also -
Yes, I am very weak willed when it comes to video games.  I don't spend much on other leisure, so there is always a little more room in my entertainment budget for another game.  

Edit: I will of course report back sometime tonight with a first impressions post.

[01101010]

If I had to go to a store, I never would have bought this.  This is why Valve is making a mint off Steam.

Also -
Yes, I am very weak willed when it comes to video games.  I don't spend much on other leisure, so there is always a little more room in my entertainment budget for another game.  

Edit: I will of course report back sometime tonight with a first impressions post.

Oh I am with ya. The only thing keeping me from picking this up is the fact I just started my new job and we only get paid monthly...as such I am at the bottle of the barrel with the cost of the move. 

[Amaron]

I played Wolfenstein: ET on public servers just fine. Maybe some of ya'll are just not good team players. 

This isn't ET.   Maybe you should buy the game we're talking about in this thread and play it instead of talking about that one.

We've all had teams in TF2 that fail because the team has players who aren't trying for the objective.  

Agreed!  My point was that TF2 creates team play and attempts to bring non team players into it.    Brink creates team play and attempts to make non team players quit playing the game forever.

[K9]

Giving the TF2 medics a heal gun rather than health packs was a really good design

[kildorn]

I don't think TF2 really goes out of it's way to lure non team players into team play. It just has different game modes, which Brink dispenses with.

We all know that ***24/7 2fort EXTREME*** is probably not a server for the team play minded. However, we can filter by Payload, and probably find a mess of people who want to shoot other people as a team

Brink is essentially only 24/7 payload, and assumes everyone knew that when picking it up. This is reinforced by the marketing behind it, which makes it seem like Killzone: Waterworld Edition, when it's nothing like that.

[Kail]

As to your issues, what version? I tried what you said on the PC version and could not reproduce.

PC. I can't get the equip bug to reproduce now, either, either there was some patch I didn't notice or there's something else involved in the glitch.  The other glitches (sound etc.) are fairly common, as far as I know.

Does someone want to start a Steam group or something for this?  It would be nice to get a semi-regular group going so I don't have to respec.  I keep meaning to hit up Morfiend to unlock some challenges, but we're rarely online at the same time as far as I can tell. 

Incidentally, if anyone else just picked this game up, my reccomendation is to do the challenges as soon as possible.  The bots level up as you do, and at higher levels they are MUCH more difficult.

[Miasma]

I liked this review on somethingawful.  It seems like some people might just love the core gameplay enough to put up with all the other lack luster shit.

[Samprimary]

guh, what the fuck is this pay-to-beta shit

[01101010]

guh, what the fuck is this pay-to-beta shit

The new hotness...

[Strazos]

I would buy the game, just to prove a point, but...It's not like I paid $50 for W:ET, and I'm sure as shit not going to pay more cash for less game. Playstyle issues aside, this game appears to have other problems, such as being developed by a studio who didn't think to do a god damned demo.

[Morfiend]

Brink is essentially only 24/7 payload, and assumes everyone knew that when picking it up. This is reinforced by the marketing behind it, which makes it seem like Killzone: Waterworld Edition, when it's nothing like that.

This is my main problem with the game. I really thought I was getting something more like Borderlands. The core game of Brink is not that bad, its just not super fantastic. If you know what you are getting the game is decent.

For me, its now making me want to play Borderlands, Global Agenda and TF2.

[Strazos]

...Borderlands? 

[Malakili]

Ok, got a couple hours of play time in.

I'm really pleased with it so far.  Its actually really solid.  I guess I'll just do a like/dislike/neutral list real quick.

Like:
1) Pacing - its a bit slow, but it works well given that time is a useful resource.  It felt really slow the first time I booted it up, but after about 2 rounds it felt normal, and given the size of the maps, distances, etc, it all comes out to being paced pretty well.

2) Aesthetics - The game oozes style.  This might be one of those love it/hate it things, I love it.  I knew this before I bought it.

3) Buffing! I really like that there isn't just one "support" class.  The fact that all the classes buff each other really means its always worth while having a nice class balance.   I like the fact that the medic isn't relegated to "support" while the others do all the shooting.  It seems like there is a lot of room here for playing your classes well, and because there is a LOT going on most of the time, it really rewards good decision making.

4) Parkour - This is actually more than just nice to look at in demos.  It really does change very quickly how you think about moving around the levels, and its a legitimately cool and useful mechanic.  Also - the first time you come under fire and slide/duck behind a wall, you will squee like a little schoolgirl.  Plus, I booted up Bad Company 2 for a couple maps with a friend after playing this and immediately started sprinting into walls and just stopping cold much to my dismay.


Dislike:

1) 16 player limit: I dislike this sort of just on principle.  In practice it works pretty well since its designed to, but it does leave me wondering what could have been.

2) The first time you play a map, its kind of tough to see the "big" picture.  I think the game does a fairly good job at helping you figure out SOMETHING useful to do with the objective wheel, but the second time on a given map was far more enjoyable than the first for me.  In the long run this isn't a problem, but I can imagine that if I wasn't an experienced player of this type of game (from Enemy Territory example), this could've turned me off more than it did.

Neutral:

1) Character Customization.  I don't really care about this kind of mechanic in this kind of game.  The character aesthetic customization is pretty robust and lets you make a pretty neat looking guy.  I will say that I liked seeing my team mates in the cut scenes and then fighting along side them.  As for the skill points and buying upgrades, I like this less because I've prefer if everyone were more or less on even ground from the start.  It isn't a huge deal though, I was able to come out on top in points before I got any skill points as medic one round, so that indicates that its probably not game breaking.

2) Gunplay: I don't feel real strongly about this either way.  Its good enough.  It was definitely the biggest wild card for me simply because if the gunplay doesn't feel right in a shooter almost nothing else can redeem it, I'm glad it isn't holding the game back.

[Amaron]

Is anyone else getting really tired of watching that stupid missile shooting out of whatever the hell that is?

[ffc]

I liked this review on somethingawful.  It seems like some people might just love the core gameplay enough to put up with all the other lack luster shit.

Great summary between this:

Working with a team is more rewarding than any bullshit killstreak in a CoD-alike.

...and this:

The best game that people will be afraid to try since Alpha Protocol.

PSNs outage kept me from buying on pure interest for team shooters which worked out since my jank meter is full.

I am curious whether anyone plays the heavy body type? Or is the loss of ninja slides too high a price for being large?

[Amaron]

I am curious whether anyone plays the heavy body type? Or is the loss of ninja slides too high a price for being large?

Right now it feels like a fully upgraded engineer gives you so much damage that guns kill faster than CoD.  I'm not sure the extra health is worth it in that case.

[Azazel]

Aslo, played more today after that patch, the AI is smarter now, and will group around you in solo modes, buff each others and toss out rezes more among other things. If you can believe that.

I always wonder why they don't prioritise patches like that and get them out before they go gold and send out the release copies. Granted, the patch has come out quickly, but surely you'd want AI issues sorted out before reviewers write up their reviews bemoaning dumbass AI?

[Outlawedprod]

I think the reason people are willing to look past some of the problems with this game is simply because no one really makes many of these types of team games anymore.   It's not like we are back in the golden age of online shooters on the PC.  The community has changed greatly.  This game would be better if there was no console version and they focused on the PC but then the devs would lose money for sure.  Their solution to try and solve the problem of the current gen just not being down for a game like this is to make single player option that attempts to teach how to play the objective.  The problem with that is it's doomed to failure from the beginning since objective team based gameplay works well in a small community.  Unless someone figures out a way to implement clans or guilds into console shooters then it's never going to go beyond "time to have some fun and pwn noobs" for a few hours.  Without some type of investment beyond the game it's hard to get people to care about more than kills.

This video is a prime example of what the current generation of fans want in the modern shooter. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPKFjpna5Iw

[Malakili]

Unless someone figures out a way to implement clans or guilds into console shooters then it's never going to go beyond "time to have some fun and pwn noobs" for a few hours.  Without some type of investment beyond the game it's hard to get people to care about more than kills.

Is it though?  There are tons of people on PC who aren't in clans or communities that have been playing team games for years.  Hell, Tribes came out nearly 13 years ago and a lot of people were still using dial up.  I'm not saying the console community is better than it is, but there doesn't seem to be any  *good* reason why it should be so. 

[Kail]

I am curious whether anyone plays the heavy body type? Or is the loss of ninja slides too high a price for being large?

Right now it feels like a fully upgraded engineer gives you so much damage that guns kill faster than CoD.  I'm not sure the extra health is worth it in that case.

I dunno, I see a lot of heavies.  Extra health is always nice, and the heavy weapons are vicious.  Heavies can still slide, they just can't wall jump (and they're slower).  The general mood I'm seeing is kind of the reverse: that light body types don't give enough to justify the step down from medium.  There are only a few places where being a light and walljumping somewhere will put you in a really advantageous position, usually it just leaves you exposed away from the rest of your team.  Personally, I play a light because I dig the SMGs and the mobility from a fun point of view, but in terms of actual utility, I think heavies have it.

[Malakili]

It may be that heavies look way more different than lights to me,but I think I've seen more heavies.   I've been playing on medium or normal or whatever the default is myself.

Them more i play this the more I'm digging it.   I will say I wish there were more maps (I haven't played all of them yet, but I almost have).  But it looks like the first DLC that is coming out next month will have new maps and will be free.  

EDIT: here is a positive review.   http://games.on.net/article/12494/ber_Review_Brink_PC 

[Strazos]

SO fucking tempted, but $50....

[Malakili]

SO fucking tempted, but $50....

Understable, I said myself I wouldn't pick it up for fifty but I feel like its worth it if you are a big ET fan.  For most people I have to say wait for steam sale.  I don't regret it though myself.  I will livestream some tonight if people want a closer look.