Dead Frustrating

[Morfiend]

**Very Minor Spoilers**

So I got Dead Rising, and the game so far has been pretty fun. Lots of cool zombie killing and stuff, but thats another thread.

I have not been this frustrated by a game in a long long time. This morning I actually had to refrain myself from throwing my controller across the room, and its been years since I really had that urge. I think a big part of it is the HORRIBLE save system this game uses. As it stands after playing a lot on friday and saturday, I am still going off the save I made thursday night. I have dead and reloaded and died and reloaded and died and reloaded, over and over and over. It wouldnt be so bad if the saves wernt so far between, so that when you died, you had to replay quite a bit. I mean, maybe I just suck at this game, but I was doing fine up to this point.
I am at the begining of day two on the "Rescue the Proffessor" quest. Or as some of you might know it as the "OH MY GOD CARLITO FUCKING KILLED ME AGAIN" quest, or the "GOD DAMNIT BRAD STOP GETTING SNIPPED" quest. I must have tried this about 35 times and I cant do it. Every time I try and shoot Carlito, he blasts me with that fucking sniper rifle, and if I dont help he kills Brad. I even went online looking for tips. Every one says to go to the gun shop and get an uzi. So I fugure ok, this is a good idea. FUCK that god damn hick in the gun shop. I probably have died to him 15 times so far. Every time I try, he shoots me first knocking me down. I hate this stupid controller aiming. Maybe I just not fat enough, but I am getting extremely frustrated.
Can anyone tell me what im doing wrong? Do I just suck, and man, what I wouldnt give for a better save system.

ARG.

Just needed to vent a bit.

[Trippy]

Capcom has a history of torturing players with their save systems (typewriter ribbons anyone?) so it's not really a surprise they are doing it again with Dead Rising. I was just reading the GameSpot review and they talked quite a bit about how brain damaged the save system is where you can save yourself into a position where you can no longer progress in the game because you don't have enough time remaining *and* that's "working as intended" (i.e. they intended for it to allow you to screw yourself) since they allow you to restart with all your stats and stuff to "fix" that situation.

[Litigator]

Damn shame. They would have had a 9+ game otherwise.

[schild]

Eh.

The save system is fine. On the way to any given mission is a bathroom. Or the security office. You can save an unlimited number of times. Just remember to make a pitstop. I didn't the first time and got super pissed. But once it's written on your brain, you stop forgetting and always map yourself to get into the bathroom and out in the alotted time.

Just finished it today. Game was amazing. Also one of the most difficult capcom games since.... Well, since the NES. Was positively amazing, perfect, whatever. I'm glad they finished this one before Dead Rising. It makes the 360 a joy to own. This is game of the year contender material. When the biggest problem is a save system - a save system that's really only a big problem due to player stupidity (that I too am victim of - stupidity that is) - I'd say that's a fine game.

We got the A ending the first time through, so pretty much everything is unlocked on our copy. I will replay this over and over and over and over.

[Morfiend]

I am having a real problem with a lot of the Psychopath fights. So far most of them seem to include having to pop out of hiding, and aiming very very quickly and then hoping back in to cover. With the horrible trying to aim with the analog stick, it drives me crazy. If this game had a target button it would probably be game of the year, but with out it, and the bad save system, I cant see giving it over 85%.

[Calantus]

That's a skill issue Morph. Yeah I suck at analogue aiming too so I feel ya, but I've seen a few people who just breeze through those kind of manuvers so it's not that it's broken, just that you and I haven't mastered it yet.

[Morfiend]

This was from the IGN review. I agree with it.

6.5   Presentation
A good story mixes with a helpful map, statistics menu, and side quest selector. The frustratingly limited save system and frequent load times bog down this score.

8.5   Graphics
Tons of zombies onscreen, very rare framerate hitches, plenty of visual variety, lively animations, and a very well detailed mall.

9.0   Sound
Squashing a skull has never sounded so good. Dead Rising is infested with excellent audio. Voice acting is pretty good, and the music is hilariously appropriate.

7.5   Gameplay
There's lots of killing to be done, and plenty of ways to do it. Controls are overall adequate but cumbersome when precise timing is required, and the NPC A.I. can get in the way.

8.0   Lasting Appeal
Though it'll be familiar ground after a while, the sheer amount of things to do will keep you coming back. The three game modes provide different experiences. Where's the multiplayer?

8.3 Impressive   OVERALL (out of 10 / not an average)

[geldonyetich]

** More minor spoilers within **

Just fiinished Case 1, and Carlito wasn't much of a problem for me, but then I was level 6ish at the time.  Having dodge roll comes in handy. 

Rescuing hostages (side quests) proved difficult.  Two words: Total Babysitting.  An important lesson learnt about escorting survivors: don't run ahead to the save point.  Upon reloading, your return to the hostage will find them in the eye of a zombie hurricane.  Sophie was a good girl, Leah managed to make it back via piggyback, but the first barricaded did little to disprove the sissiness of their stereotype.  Unfortunately I went back for the Japanese couple and borked my chance for the rest of the case by not being somewhere I needed to be.  So, what, if I want to get all the hostags back I need to escort them all in one big load or kiss the storyline goodbye?  Can't wait to unlock the free play mode.

Funny observation: It seems zombies and hostages alike are terrified of physical fitness.  Neither will set foot in Flexin' of the Al Fresca Plaza.  Those automatic doors won't operate for them - I guess it uses one of those sensors that check for the presense of common sense.

[Edit] Late observation: Upon selecting the "save stats and restart" option on the "truth was lost in darkness" screen, I think the game time might have slowed down a bit.  Just finished case one and it's just 6:30pm on the first day.  Hard to verify if the time really is slower - might have something to do with my skipping the helicopter ride interactive cutscene? 

[Morfiend]

** More minor spoilers within **

Just fiinished Case 1, and Carlito wasn't much of a problem for me, but then I was level 6ish at the time.  Having dodge roll comes in handy. 

Im talking about the second time you fight Carlito, where he has that sniper rifle that hits for 2 or 3 blocks of life.

[schild]

You need to do one of two things. Grab the pickaxe and fuck him up. or find a camping point behind a column where he THINKS he can see you. Frank has a much more precise and accurate cone of fire. If you can see one pixel of Carlito, you can hit him.

[Morfiend]

find a camping point behind a column where he THINKS he can see you.

Wow, this helped a lot. I dont know if thats a mark in the games favor or not. Do you think it is design choice that Frank can shoot around corners like this, or is it an exploit?

[geldonyetich]

Probably a little of both.  There's a number of strange design decisions in Dead Rising, like having those friggin convicts on the jeep come back after I killed them.  Fortunately, my bro pointed out there was a way to get back without going through the park.

[Ookii]

Probably a little of both.  There's a number of strange design decisions in Dead Rising, like having those friggin convicts on the jeep come back after I killed them.  Fortunately, my bro pointed out there was a way to get back without going through the park.

Ha, the exploit is how you kill the "end boss".

It's funny, judging by the posts you haven't even gotten to any of the really "fun" parts yet.

[hal]

Ookii, Please change your avatar. I hear Lawrence Welk every time I see it. And no, I don't like Lawrence Welk. But I didn't have the remote when I was growing up (and there weren't remotes. But if there were. They wouldn't have me have it).

[Jain Zar]

I want to like it, but like most people, I have an SD TV. 
And thus cannot read any text outside of subtitles in cutscenes.
Its completely unreadable. 

And before the HDTV elitists tell me too bad go buy one, I will continue to say my 27" tv works wonderfully and I refuse to spend money I admittedly have on a TV I don't fucking need yet.
(HD TV content is an extra charge for Dish Network, and an extra charge for HD DVR. I don't want to pay extra or to downconvert.  I also don't want to pay triple what I will pay in 2008-2009 when I finally buy one.  Ill wait till LCD tech is better and avoid Plasma like the short life plague it is.  CRTs are too big and heavy.)

Also no, I don't want to finagle something into an inconvenient monitor I don't use, and my 2 active computers are a laptop and iMac, so that little option is out too. 

I have a 27 inch TV set and the text is unreadable.  That is NOT a small TV.

Right now I can't really be abused by Otis never shutting the fuck up or the obnoxiously moronic save system they brought over from Breath of Fire Dragon Quarter because outside of randomly killing stuff and wandering the mall I can't actually play the game.

[Driakos]

I didn't see it mentioned, but did anyone else notice your level up powers were random?  My roomate is playing it on his 360, and got Jump Kick as his first skill.  My first earned skill was Zombie Ride.  I got Jump Kick third, after Kick Away.  We also got some cut scenes in different orders, even though we took the same paths.  Ups the reply value for me.

I'm only on case 2.1 at the moment.  I really hate the park.  I haven't figured out how to save Sophie yet, the Oz escapees own me.  Trying to figure out how to avoid it altogether, but haven't found the way to open the Entrance Plaza > Paradise Hall gate yet.

[Riggswolfe]

And before the HDTV elitists tell me too bad go buy one, I will continue to say my 27" tv works wonderfully and I refuse to spend money I admittedly have on a TV I don't fucking need yet.
(HD TV content is an extra charge for Dish Network, and an extra charge for HD DVR. I don't want to pay extra or to downconvert.  I also don't want to pay triple what I will pay in 2008-2009 when I finally buy one.  Ill wait till LCD tech is better and avoid Plasma like the short life plague it is.  CRTs are too big and heavy.)

Honestly, you can get a decent HDTV relatively cheap. At the risk of being elitist I will tell you that the difference in visuals is simply amazing on the XBOX360. You quickly get spoiled. Even on non-HD content you do. My friend came over and I was watching Star Wars (the original) on DVD and he hadn't seen my TV yet. He was awe struck by how crystal clear the picture was. My TV ran me about 3 grand and it's 52" widescreen and a chunk of that 3 grand was the 4 year service plan I bought. (which already paid for itself)

I can understand resisting the urge to upgrade, my previous TV was around your TV's size, but if you ever do upgrade you'll be blown away. You'll play games like Oblivion and Fight Night Round 3 just to look at the graphics. No joke.

[Morfiend]

My TV ran me about 3 grand and it's 52" widescreen and a chunk of that 3 grand was the 4 year service plan I bought. (which already paid for itself)

You can get a 50" Plasma at Costco for $1899. Its not the best plasma, but thats an awesome deal. When I recently bought my 60" HDTV, I was a bit over whelmed, now I cant imagine watching TV or playing games on anything else. It is a thing of beauty.

[Engels]

Has anyone got their puter hooked up to a plasma TV? How's the image resolution and overall quality? I suspect it'd be fuzzy, but I'm curious. Its that or the 30 inch dell monitor for 2 grand.

[NiX]

Eh, the difference between HD (720P/1080i) and a normal TV isn't THAT big. I have to struggle with customers who think HD is the only way to play 360 and it isn't. We've had 4 360s hooked up for system link play across our store and really the only complaint was that 2 of our CRTs brightness settings were shitty. That's about it. Most didn't notice the slight crispness difference. It also depends on the game too. Alot of the games listed just have damn nice graphics and having an LCD makes no difference. NCAA looks like shit even on our stores 30" LCD HDTV running on 720P.

Just a matter of perspective.

[Hokers]

Has anyone got their puter hooked up to a plasma TV? How's the image resolution and overall quality? I suspect it'd be fuzzy, but I'm curious. Its that or the 30 inch dell monitor for 2 grand.

Why would you go plasma for a computer monitor?  Go LCD...got my laptop hooked up to 30 LCD TV and love it.  The stupid Intel graphics chip does not allow me to display in true native resolution, but it is wonderful as is.  And it is a failing of the laptop not the TV anyway.  You also should be able to do much better than 30in for 2 grand.  I only shelled out 1 grand for mine and that was 18 months ago.

[geldonyetich]

I dont' have an HDTV too, but one thing I found helped was to go into the settings (of the TV, not the XBox 360) and turn down the Sharpness setting.  Made the text much less fuzzy and easier to read.  It's still hard to make out sometimes, but not nearly as much.  I'm not going to guarentee the same setting will do the same for you, but it's an interesting can of worms that adjusting your TV settings can make the text in Dead Rising more legible.

Looks like the cheapest HDTV money can buy is something like this, but it's still too pricey for my tastes.

[Rhonstet]

I'm glad to see at least the OP agrees with me, in that this game isn't just difficult, its difficulty is artificial.  Things like the respawning convicts are just design flaws.  But there is so much more, that is just so very, very broken.  I'd make a list, but I don't want to spoil anything for those people who enjoy this game. 

I'm getting close to the very end (10 or so hours left is my current save).  I'm clearly not going to get the good ending: for that, you have to start again with your level 35+ character and get EVERY scoop.  Since N3 comes out tomorrow, I probably won't bother. 

[Miasma]

There are a couple of funny fake articles about the game at SA.

Strat guide.

Novelization.

[murdoc]

I dont' have an HDTV too, but one thing I found helped was to go into the settings (of the TV, not the XBox 360) and turn down the Sharpness setting.  Made the text much less fuzzy and easier to read.  It's still hard to make out sometimes, but not nearly as much.  I'm not going to guarentee the same setting will do the same for you, but it's an interesting can of worms that adjusting your TV settings can make the text in Dead Rising more legible.

I was given a 36" Sony Wega CRT on the weekend and I had to play with the sharpness a LOT to be able to read text properly on the 360. Yeah, the TV is a slight upgrade over what I had, but I had spent 7-ish years tinker with that original set and was pretty happy with it's picture.

[Ookii]

ANYWAY, back on the subject:

Anyways, head into the Entrance Plaza, top floor, north end; and the shop called "In the Closet". Put on the grey tank top outfit and have a good look at the print on the front; it's plainly a topless woman. The image is pretty low res, B&W, and people rarely look at the front of Frank, but it's there.

I am busy working away, anyone want to confirm this?

[Big Gulp]

Has anyone got their puter hooked up to a plasma TV? How's the image resolution and overall quality? I suspect it'd be fuzzy, but I'm curious. Its that or the 30 inch dell monitor for 2 grand.

I don't have a plasma, but I do have a rear projection 52" HDTV, and the images are fantastic.  Although, truthfully, the only time I really run the computer through the TV is for ROMs or for AVI's.  I just feel more comfortable playing most PC games on a standard monitor.

As for keeping with the 27" TV, if you can afford an HDTV I urge you to get one.  It really is night and day.

[Jain Zar]

Has anyone got their puter hooked up to a plasma TV? How's the image resolution and overall quality? I suspect it'd be fuzzy, but I'm curious. Its that or the 30 inch dell monitor for 2 grand.

I don't have a plasma, but I do have a rear projection 52" HDTV, and the images are fantastic.  Although, truthfully, the only time I really run the computer through the TV is for ROMs or for AVI's.  I just feel more comfortable playing most PC games on a standard monitor.

As for keeping with the 27" TV, if you can afford an HDTV I urge you to get one.  It really is night and day.

Once I can get a 40"+ 1080p LCD (or CRT, if I want to have a forklift to bring it in the house) for under a grand Ill be on board.  I have plenty of time to wait I think.
Which is good since I would need an entertainment center to put the thing on since putting it on top of the current TV would cause neck strain and look ghetto as hell.
(And I need a place to display my Transformers Alternators.)

Until then, Capcom needs to get off their ass and fix the fucking text.  People are complaining about it all over the net.
Can it really be THAT hard to fix?  Im not asking them to fix their dumb design decisions just the text.  It can't be THAT hard to do.
(Though adding in some save slots and maybe an easy mode with extra time to do everything wouldn't be too shabby either.  And again,
not hard to do.  Making Otis shut up a bit couldn't be tough either.)

An update: A mixture of putting Sharpness to minimum and wearing my driving glasses (I am near sighted.) made the text mostly readable if I am 2 1/2 feet away from the TV.
My glasses are a bit scratched and a 10 year old prescription, so it could possibly be even better.  Not GOOD, but it went from squiggles to text. 
I was able to rescue far more people (or at least begin to figure out the game) and do some serious exploring.  I nearly made it to the 2nd day morning but a chainsaw wielding clown sent me to my doom, leaving a couple rescuees to die by his hands.  Or get run over by a mall amusement park type ride.

geldonyetich, I owe you the frosty cold beverage of your choice!

[Riggswolfe]

My TV ran me about 3 grand and it's 52" widescreen and a chunk of that 3 grand was the 4 year service plan I bought. (which already paid for itself)

You can get a 50" Plasma at Costco for $1899. Its not the best plasma, but thats an awesome deal. When I recently bought my 60" HDTV, I was a bit over whelmed, now I cant imagine watching TV or playing games on anything else. It is a thing of beauty.

That's pretty close to what mine cost. Mine was a DLP and is very clear and bright compared to some HDTVs. I also got cables, the service plan, a new USB and other things which tacked on and pushed it up close to 3 grand.

Eh, the difference between HD (720P/1080i) and a normal TV isn't THAT big. I have to struggle with customers who think HD is the only way to play 360 and it isn't. We've had 4 360s hooked up for system link play across our store and really the only complaint was that 2 of our CRTs brightness settings were shitty. That's about it. Most didn't notice the slight crispness difference. It also depends on the game too. Alot of the games listed just have damn nice graphics and having an LCD makes no difference. NCAA looks like shit even on our stores 30" LCD HDTV running on 720P.

I have to disagree. You must be running it on shitty HDTVs or something. I went from a 32" crt to my current DLP HDTV and the difference is truly amazing. It's not just because the tv is larger either, it is honestly a difference in crispness and detail. Just going from interlaced to progressive makes a huge difference.

I could tell the biggest difference in Fight Night Round 3 and Call of Duty 2 but it was there and it was noticeable on most games. I specifically played several of my games the morning my HDTV arrived so I'd have a fresh mental picture of the graphics. Once I got my TV hooked up and fired everything up I was floored by the difference. Hell, even my DvDs look much, much crisper and that's just an upgrade from 480i to 480p

[Morfiend]

ANYWAY, back on the subject:

Anyways, head into the Entrance Plaza, top floor, north end; and the shop called "In the Closet". Put on the grey tank top outfit and have a good look at the print on the front; it's plainly a topless woman. The image is pretty low res, B&W, and people rarely look at the front of Frank, but it's there.

I am busy working away, anyone want to confirm this?

I can confirm this. Also, it wasnt in that shop I was in. It was a shop in Paradise Plaza. I didnt even notice it, but my friend was watching and when I put on the outfit he was like "Wait, was that a topless chick on your shirt" so I looked closer, and sure enough, it was.

[Ookii]

ANYWAY, back on the subject:

Anyways, head into the Entrance Plaza, top floor, north end; and the shop called "In the Closet". Put on the grey tank top outfit and have a good look at the print on the front; it's plainly a topless woman. The image is pretty low res, B&W, and people rarely look at the front of Frank, but it's there.

I am busy working away, anyone want to confirm this?

I can confirm this. Also, it wasnt in that shop I was in. It was a shop in Paradise Plaza. I didnt even notice it, but my friend was watching and when I put on the outfit he was like "Wait, was that a topless chick on your shirt" so I looked closer, and sure enough, it was.

Are you still talking about Dead Rising?  That's such old news, it's all about Ninety Nine Nights now.

[geldonyetich]

Are you still talking about Dead Rising?  That's such old news, it's all about Ninety Nine Nights now.

What is this Nintey Nine Nights?   Apparently a Destiny Warriors clone Gamespot's given a 5.9, citing lack of creativity in killing the foes.  Looks like they're a bit spoiled by Dead Rising.

[Ookii]

Gamespot is on the gaming axis of evil.

They are the equivalent to North Korea on the "real" axis of evil.

[NiX]

I have to disagree. You must be running it on shitty HDTVs or something.

It's a Samsung, but you're entitled to your own opinion. I guess you were more impressed than I was. All I'm saying is the hype isn't entirely justified when the games themselves also determine how well they look.

[geldonyetich]

Gamespot is on the gaming axis of evil.
They are the equivalent to North Korea on the "real" axis of evil.

Sounds like you've got em' mixxed up with IGN to me.  Gamespot is more like Switzerland.