System Shock stuff. (System Shock Remake, Kickstarter/Demo Up!)

[acroig]

No links but every time a kickstarter/indiegogo project had a "delay" and release date promised 2 years from original nothing ever comes of them, just dead unupdated pages.

Very possibly so but kindly don't burst my bubble.

[Argoon1981]

No links but every time a kickstarter/indiegogo project had a "delay" and release date promised 2 years from original nothing ever comes of them, just dead unupdated pages.

Only time will tell if you are right or not but i give them the benefit of the doubt.

This team is not a totally strange team with no proven back record, even tho they made a big mistake, imo they still have a chance to do it right, i know they have other sources of income besides the kickstarter, for example they have popular (albeit old) games still selling well on GOG and steam and i'm sure they have investors willing to pay for the game, the interest for the IP has been proven to be there.

[acroig]

New demo coming tomorrow, limited time only.

"A playable demo that Shodan doesn’t want you to see.

Starting December 12th at 10 am Pacific, you will be able to play the demo of System Shock exclusively on Steam. This will coincide with the Video Game Awards and Steam’s first Game Festival.


As a result, this demo will only be available for 48 hours."

Longer for backers.

[acroig]

New demo is live.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/482400/System_Shock/

[UFO]

New demo is live.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/482400/System_Shock/

Downloaded it and played it. It is basically the first medical level of System Shock 1. Very limited game play wise. Graphics are ok but a little bit too dark for my taste and how it matches to the original. Cyber space is not implemented yet and it will be interesting to see how they design it.

The game is buggy and only works in windowed full screen which several times loses focus which is annoying. The AI is in this version way more stupid than the original.

What I don't like:

• The mutants look too generic with glowing eyes. The could skip the glowing eyes and have more imagination I think.
• You don't throw away the iconic System Shock windows. (example in the ceiling: https://www.zerker.ca/home/screenshots/ubetagrove1.jpg
• Too dark, this is not Doom 3.
• I miss the MIDI music, somehow.

What I like:

• Finally someone thinks about installing toilets on the space station.
• The design of the cyborg assassins looks good. The AI is stupid but this is pre alpha.
• They kept the elevator music.
• I liked those medical cyborgs that walked around and checked the patients destined for conversion. Nice addition.

Which brings me to how impressive the original is. Almost 30 years old and the game is still very playable. It just had tons things in it, even small mini games including a Wing Commander clone. You could even click on the textures and they would give you an explanation what it is.


With the current development speed, I think we can experience System Shock in a holo deck before this is done.

[Ziklitschli]

Graphics are ok but a little bit too dark for my taste and how it matches to the original.

With the current development speed, I think we can experience System Shock in a holo deck before this is done.

Yes and yes. I liked the unity version more, also they are showing the same thing over and over. Hope it's like they said, vision is clear and it's hands dirty now.

[acroig]

Hope it's like they said, vision is clear and it's hands dirty now.

I think (hope?) they learned their lesson.

[acroig]

New demo available. Much more polished.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/482400/System_Shock/

[Mangler]

[yt]vWUYz9x_I18[/yt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWUYz9x_I18

Welcome back Hackers!
We’ve got a very special update this month - as you are aware we’re releasing our final demo and opening pre-orders on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store which should be available as you read this. This is a major milestone in our development of System Shock and once again we’d like to thank you for your continued patience and support while we diligently create the experience you originally backed all those years ago.

Our development road was bumpy (to say the least) - but ultimately what you’re playing is the vision and experience we set out to create and the adversity and challenges we’ve faced along the way has only improved the final game. The team has evolved and grown considerably and we hope that the end product will meet your expectations. With all that said we are planning on a late Summer 2021 release date.

On to the demo - Let’s run through all the updates!

• NEW Cyberspace Level! (tame those cyber doggies!)
• NEW Crew Audio Logs! (no devs this time!)
• NEW SHODAN Audio! (Terri is back!)
• NEW Dismemberment! (if Viva Pinata were rated M!)
• NEW Proximity Mines! (don’t get too close!)
• NEW Bugs! (tell us what you find )
• NEW Enemies! (the repair bot is flamin’ hot!)
• NEW GenerativeMusic System! (never the same song twice!)
• NEW Snack! (make your selection at the Snacktron!)
• NEW Save Feature! (what a novelty!)
• NEW Notes System! (USB 1.1 support!)
• NEW Difficulty Modes! (crank it all the way up to 3!)
• NEW Destructibility! (smash that glass!)
• NEW DLSS Support! (update your drivers for your RTX card!)
• NEW Trailer! (a ton of new reveals!)
• NEW Nightdive intro! (who’s that lurking in the depths?)
• NEW Secrets! (first to post a picture of the special skull to our Twitter wins a prize!)

So check it out and please tell us what you think - we value your feedback and look forward to hearing from you.

-Stephen

[acroig]

Thanks mangler, I was about to post this.

[acroig]

Also, looks like my $50 will not be wasted and I get a copy of SS2 Enhanced as well.

[eNforcer]

Also, looks like my $50 will not be wasted and I get a copy of SS2 Enhanced as well.

Ehh, SS2:E goes on sale for ~$1 on bundle/discount sites and $3 on Steam

[acroig]

Ehh, SS2:E goes on sale for ~$1 on bundle/discount sites and $3 on Steam

The new one they're working on.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-02-16-system-shock-2-enhanced-edition-dev-confirms-fully-fledged-vr-mode-after-earlier-tease

[UFO]

The new one they're working on.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...-earlier-tease

This has a lot of potential. The original System Shock 2 is masterpiece of survival horror, despite outdated graphics even when it was released. With the current tech there is a lot of room for graphical improvements, for example all that meat of the many can be made much more detailed and horrifying.

If the developers can pull off great graphics without destroying the level design this will be a winner. In the sound department the original SS2 is already very well done so this one will be difficult to surpass.

[Mangler]

Don't expect too much from SS2:E, it's not a remaster.

[UFO]

Don't expect too much from SS2:E, it's not a remaster.

Then I say it's pointless because the graphical fidelity of SS2 is not good enough for VR. It's like playing SS2 on a 100" TV, the dated graphics will show too much.

[Destroy]

Ugg...latest System Shock demo is pretty bad. Textures are horrible, pixelated as hell. WTF?!

So many artistic interpretation changes from the original, not cool.

And dumbed down of course.

Hard pass unless its <$5.

[UFO]

They really failed when it comes to lighting. The game looks Doom 3 like with pitch dark shadows and dark settings in general. If you build a space station (which is probably very expensive), you probably invest in proper lights so that you have a good working environment. This game could use some global illumination to fix this artificial looking lighting.

[Trunks0]

Ugg...latest System Shock demo is pretty bad. Textures are horrible, pixelated as hell. WTF?!

So many artistic interpretation changes from the original, not cool.

And dumbed down of course.

Hard pass unless its <$5.

Yea the pixelated textures thing is becoming more and more of a trend. Not a fan personally, and I really don't think it works here. I'd rather just have sharp textures instead.

Some shot I also posted in the screen shots thread...

[acroig]

DLSS added to demo via UE4 plug-in.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/march-2021-rtx-dlss-game-update/

[UFO]

I'm trying to play the demo but honestly, it is kind of a useless game. Cyberspace control is even more confusing than the original and difficult to navigate. Also I cannot find stuff in cyberspace, where are all the upgrades like in the original.

The graphics is annoying, very dark but there is glow everywhere, both in real world and cyberspace.

As a game it doesn't do the original justice. There is more control in the original, you can do more and the user interface is more intuitive which is crazy as the original SS was made during the first person 3D game infancy.

There is absolutely nothing that I want from this game. If you like System Shock, play the original because it is excellent despite outdated graphics.

What a waste really.

[acroig]

You do understand the demo is running Alpha code, right? It even says there's placeholders in the opening screen.

The demos have changed many times since the first reaslease so don't panic, this is not finished yet.

[UFO]

You do understand the demo is running Alpha code, right? It even says there's placeholders in the opening screen.

The demos have changed many times since the first reaslease so don't panic, this is not finished yet.

Then they have a lot to improve and the question is if it will be enough time until summer 2021 as their official release date.

[Trunks0]

Yea cyberspace was a pia to navigate. Eventually I got the hang of it... but ffs, the control scheme drove me nuts.

[acroig]

Then they have a lot to improve and the question is if it will be enough time until summer 2021 as their official release date.

That is a good question....

[Silent-Runner]

That is a good question....

and the answer is: no

[acroig]

[yt]vZWaCLBUCeA[/yt]

[SirBaron]

I like the artstyle, but I hope to be able to scale that UI.

[Nagorak]

Looks good. Will probably pick it up when it's out. Never played the first SS, so I guess this will be a good opportunity to do so.

[Mangler]

Not that there is anyone left here to read this, but I'm still going to post this in order to bring some closure to this thread.

The remake is out now.

[theshadowcult]

Saw that, and its looking pretty damn good too. Cant wait to play it!

[AluminumHaste]

It's been great, been playing the game for a few hours now on GOG.
Runs great, capped it at 200 fps at max settings.

[theshadowcult]

does it feel like a modern game? hows it compare to the original?

[Lithurge]

does it feel like a modern game? hows it compare to the original?

According to the Guardian review it's a pretty good mix of staying faithful to the original whilst updaing it where it counts, although the combat is servicable rather than anything amazing,

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2023/may/30/system-shock-remake-review-pc

[KAC]

I never played SS games. I am excited to get back in with some healthy dose of consolitus and QOL improvements to the formula. But is this game happening or not?

[theshadowcult]

By happening do you mean will it release? cause it did...

[KAC]

Oh OK. I think I was on page 1 of the thread. My bad. Will go watch some reviews and then shite on the game. Proper OG R3D style.

[Nagorak]

Just read through the whole thread to catch up on what happened. Kind of crazy that this was in the works since 2016. Things looked bleak in 2018. Eventually they went on "hiatus" which is often a death knell for a game, but then amazingly they came back from the dead. They targeted Summer 2021... well they really missed that target. But the game actually came out! And apparently is actually decent!

Maybe there's still hope for Vampire: Bloodlines 2!

[theshadowcult]

Just read through the whole thread to catch up on what happened. Kind of crazy that this was in the works since 2016. Things looked bleak in 2018. Eventually they went on "hiatus" which is often a death knell for a game, but then amazingly they came back from the dead. They targeted Summer 2021... well they really missed that target. But the game actually came out! And apparently is actually decent!

Maybe there's still hope for Vampire: Bloodlines 2!

I dont think so. They removed the people who worked on the original and reworked the game, so its just gonna be some random game with a "sequel" title thrown in to use the ip. Maybe it will be a good game, who knows, but i cant see it being a good sequel to bloodlines.

[UFO]

I'm currently playing it and they have improved the game play since the demo. Is it better than the original, well no, the original System Shock is such a gem that even this remake with its long development cycle couldn't beat.

The original even had mini games in it which the remake doesn't have which indicates that the roof was higher almost three decades ago. The biggest disappointment is the weaponry. The original SS was a safari of weapons and all the weapons were unique. In the remake they have standardized the weapons, now you have a shotgun for extra damage, an assault rifle. Just boring. The grenades are also boring, as you had plenty of them in the original and you could even set the timer to what you wanted. Now it is just the old FPS grenades and you don't even know where you throw them as you don't have an arc telling you were you are supposed to throw them which hurts accuracy. The weapons in the original SS was a blast. The sound of the Magnum 2001 was excellent and you even had a recoil in the game. The Scorpion was insane with its rate of fire and was just mower. The MK3 assault rifle was a cannon with great accuracy and fire power. It was just great choosing from those weapons and they were fun.

The graphics are of course obviously better in the remake and they have done a good job preserving the look of the Citadel. They also added that you could see parts of the Citadel from the Windows which adds to the massiveness of the station. One thing I don't like is that they removed the alien infestation textures in the upper levels with some generic tech panels.

When it comes to the enemies, they are most of the part ok. I don't like that they removed the invisible mantis on level 3 which were lethal. Now it's just a virus thingy which isn't as interesting. I assume they did this because of they couldn't properly develop the mantis how it was to move in the environment.

The music it's just boring, even the general MIDI music is better than the ambient music that you hardly hear.

In all, the game is ok but it doesn't beat the original by far. There are rumors that they are going to do an SS2 remake and that would be interesting. That is a very high bar to beat as well. Graphically they can do a lot but on the music/sound design that bar is too high for them I think.