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[Sande]

I can get why publishers might pump the brakes on doing demos after seeing this thread. It's been overarching complaints and hyperbole how the game is qualitatively shit when the developer has even commented directly about those fixes that are happening.

Demos are usually separate submission packages for devs and is indicative as a taste of the game rather than opening it up to technical review up and down, DF analysis and such

IDK bums me out to see people so down on this when I think the core gameplay, concept, execution are really well done albeit some control & audio issues.

Or maybe the game just isn't striking a chord with some people, which is fine too

A demo is essentially an ad that's trying to sell the game. If you can't slap together a demo that gives a positive image of the game, you have no one to blame but yourself. This is why I roll my eyes at all the "This is still in development, things will improve" messages in demos. No, this is the one chance you decided to have to convince me. Make it count, no excuses.

That said, with Prey I'm intrigued by the premise and love the genre so I remain hopeful. If the reviews and overall discussion are positive at launch, especially concerning the aspects I didn't like in the demo, I'll probably buy the game.

for the devs who had nothing to do with the input lag that their work is being tarnished by it.

Are you suggesting the input lag is on Sony? There is certain delay that the controller has, but it's the same for everyone. Anything on top of that is the developer's own fault.

 

[Inspector Q]

I didn't play much, but I guess your character stays silent throughout the entire game? For whatever reason, this annoys the hell out of me, lol.

I hate when games have fully voice acted NPCs that keep talking to you and your character never responds. Like, at least give us text responses so it feels like a natural conversation. Why would they keep speaking to us if we are never going to respond to them?

I almost want an NPC to grab your character and slap the shit out of him/her yelling, "I am talking to you, you ungrateful bastard!!!"

lol...ok, just needed to get that off my chest. Had the same problem with the Division beta. Silent PC (no voice or text responses) combined with fully voiced NPCs irk the hell out of me.

One thing I will say, though, is that where these Arkane games suck at developing their characters, they have some amazing world building through environmental interaction. Just wish they let their main characters shine a bit more. But I guess that is not something they are really interested in exploring for their games, which is fine. Not every game needs to be heavy on story and character interaction. But it is the main reason their games leave me slightly disappointed.

Sorry for the mini rant.

 

[SmoothRunningGun]

The gameplay is bad. Feels clunky. Pass for me.

 

[SmoothRunningGun]

I can get why publishers might pump the brakes on doing demos after seeing this thread. It's been overarching complaints and hyperbole how the game is qualitatively shit when the developer has even commented directly about those fixes that are happening.

Demos are usually separate submission packages for devs and is indicative as a taste of the game rather than opening it up to technical review up and down, DF analysis and such

IDK bums me out to see people so down on this when I think the core gameplay, concept, execution are really well done albeit some control & audio issues.

Or maybe the game just isn't striking a chord with some people, which is fine too

EDIT: Prime example: I don't think this should be necessarily the standard of evaluation? We can wait one week and see if the issues persist, but saying a demo should have the polish of the final product is questionable eval imo

I've always said if your game is good you should release a demo, if not don't. The truth is going to come out eventually though.

 

[ThatOneGuy831]

Okay.

You've got a bit of a "consumers vs devs" mentality going on at the moment which isn't what I'm getting it.

It's unfair for everyone involved that the game is getting a negative rep because of a technical issue in a demo.

It's unfair for the gamers who are disappointed in the demo due to the input lag, it's unfair for the devs who had nothing to do with the input lag that their work is being tarnished by it. It's generally just a shitty situation,

How exactly is it not the devs fault that there is input lag in the demo? If they didn't want the demo to have a bad rep they shouldn't have put out a demo that had this issue in the first place, especially since demos are generally gonna be a consumer's first impression on the game.

 

[Jake2by4]

Been playing more now and my impression has changed. I like it so far. The only thing is the movement feels off to me.

 

[jem0208]

That seems like the definition of fair. How are the devs not responsible for their own demo having input lag? Thats on them. And if its on them, then consumer judgement based on the demo they deemed a fair representation of their game, is also fair. Nothing about this situation is unfair.

If anything its merely a shame the devs put out a crappy demo. Because its ultimately going to bite them in the ass about something they CLAIM will be rectified, but we have no proof of that actually being the case yet...but all that is squarely on them.

I think criticisms of how the devs have handled the demo is perfectly fair, I think the general negative perception the game is going to get because of it is unfair. Unfair for people interested in the game, unfair for the game itself.


I'm not defending the developers here.

Are you suggesting the input lag is on Sony? There is certain delay that the controller has, but it's the same for everyone. Anything on top of that is the developer's own fault.

... no.

Arkane isn't some singular entity, it's made up of a bunch of different people. I think it's unfair that work done by people who have nothing to do with the input lag is going to be tarnished by it.


Anyway, I'm bored of this discussion.

 

[Dec]

I think criticisms of how the devs have handled the demo is perfectly fair, I think the general negative perception the game is going to get because of it is unfair. Unfair for people interested in the game, unfair for the game itself.


I'm not defending the developers here.

... no.

Arkane isn't some singular entity, it's made up of a bunch of different people. I think it's unfair that work done by people who have nothing to do with the input lag is going to be tarnished by it.


Anyway, I'm bored of this discussion.

The hell are you even talking about

 

[jem0208]

The hell are you even talking about

The game is a hell of a lot better than what a lot of people are experiencing, I think that's a shame.

 

[AgentOtaku]

The game is a hell of a lot better than what a lot of people are experiencing, I think that's a shame.

I effortlessly put nearly 3 hours into the demo alone

 

[Arklite]

I went from knowing nothing of this game to thinking of picking it up due to the demo, but on the other hand, I want nothing to do with the console version.

 

[Rexatality]

I went from knowing nothing of this game to thinking of picking it up due to the demo, but on the other hand, I want nothing to do with the console version.

If PC version turns out to be good, go with that instead.

 

[jem0208]

I effortlessly put nearly 3 hours into the demo alone

I've put just under 3 hours in as well, I'm itching to play more but I don't want to spend so much time exploring the game place that i ruin the main game.

The game was completely off my radar before this demo now I'm pretty certain I'll be picking it up. Just got to wait until after my exams...

 

[Pixel Samurai]

smh at all the talk about "fairness" "judgement" "the truth will come out" - it's okay to say a demo is rough without talking about a free thing like it owes you anything.

I'm just saying, I really hope the technical issues are ironed out but whatever I saw in about 2 hrs of play was really impressive from most accounts, and the System Shock-style game I crave.

 

[MayMay]

Damn, that was tough to play. The input lag is insane, died a few times because I just couldnt hit these damn mimics.

But I loved every second of it otherwise, the beginning was really cool. I didnt really bother with this game, never looked at any media related to it but now I'm definitely in Day 1. Or, maybe Day 2 to make sure the PC port is at least playable before I buy..

 

[Kinyou]

I have to say the whole element with the

Spoiler

simulation really impressed me.

Visually it's just a very cool effect. I hope the full game makes more use of that tech

 

[Donniewahlberg]

Had a scan through the thread. It reads like the safe bet is to grab the X1 version if you can choose between X1 and PS4, is this accurate? Or does the X1 version also have some horrible problem that will need patched?

 

[The Flash]

Had a scan through the thread. It reads like the safe bet is to grab the X1 version if you can choose between X1 and PS4, is this accurate? Or does the X1 version also have some horrible problem that will need patched?

The input lag issue present in the PS4 version is known to the devs and is going to be addressed but as it stands I guess the Xbox version is the way to go?

 

[Bloodporne]

Had a scan through the thread. It reads like the safe bet is to grab the X1 version if you can choose between X1 and PS4, is this accurate? Or does the X1 version also have some horrible problem that will need patched?

I think there are some serious annoyances with the gameplay at a fundamental level that will obviously not be patched, but the things which seem clearly out of whack like the sound and input lag issues are, according to the devs' promises, being fixed at launch.

According to pretty much everyone in here, X1 seems like the safer bet and doesn't suffer from the input lag apparently. I've only played PS4 myself.

 

[120v]

that was fun. but... feels like the same game i've played several times already. gonna have to put this one on the backburner until i'm really in a system shock-y mood or whatever

and yeah, lot of technical issues on ps4. nothing egregious but definitely am not getting this for console

 

[Jack The Nipper]

Lets not exaggerate shall we? Also whats your definition of a good atmosphere? An example would be nice.

I didn't exaggerate, for what the demo is people are giving it way too many free passes. Other than, it may get better. You aren't really seeing how the levels are layed out in the game as the actual area in the demo is quite small, especially the second area.

Good atmosphere? One with good visuals and enemies as a starter. Silent Hill? Mgs, metro, Dmc all have good atmosphere in design and art. This game like I said, it's in space, but it needs more than that.

 

[GavinUK86]

Had a scan through the thread. It reads like the safe bet is to grab the X1 version if you can choose between X1 and PS4, is this accurate? Or does the X1 version also have some horrible problem that will need patched?

Having played both for 4+ hours, the PS4 has better performance but XBO has zero input lag. But, Arkane have apparently already fixed the input lag the PS4 has. If true at launch, I would go for the PS4 version. If you're going solely off the demo, XBO is a safer bet.

XBO's framerate is ok-ish. There are noticeable drops around reflections and windows. Has a softer image, probably due to a slightly lower resolution.

PS4 is pretty solid. Seems to be full 1080p.

Sophie's choice really.

 

[Mub!]

I effortlessly put nearly 3 hours into the demo alone

I'm still messing around in it tbh

 

[Teeth]

I was super excited for this game. I downloaded the demo on PS4 (since there is no PC version) and...well damn, the core movement/aiming is god awful. I turned it off when I got to the helicopter because everything other than actually playing the game seems amazing and I would rather wait and see if the PC version is better or not.

Still hyped, but now extremely tempered in my expectations. If I have to struggle through shit-tastic controls to play an otherwise stellar game, that will be a massive disappointment.

 

[Donniewahlberg]

Cheers for the feedback guys. Ps4 suits me a little more as it's in the study where I can get longer sessions in, but I plan on picking this up at launch and I don't want to cut my nose off to spite myself and suffer through lag when I can play the X1 version without too much more hassle. Resolution doesn't tend to bother me much these days honestly with modern AA techniques, but lag would drive me up the wall and best performance is obviously preferable.

 

[GavinUK86]

lol firing the toy arrows at a goo blob in a locked room through the window so it ricochets and hits the open switch.

this is the kinda stuff i love arkane for. they create systems that allows this to happen.

https://youtu.be/u5RVanV0OiY

 

[LCKellow1994]

At points during this demo, the game scared the absolute crap out of me. It wasn't even an enemy or a jump scare, but the audio. It's amazingly well done.

Thoughts about the demo: Really enjoyed it! I could notice the slight delay but it wasn't enough to hinder my experience, and after 5-10 minutes I adapted and it felt perfectly fine. The art direction and audio is sublime. Also, with lots to read in the form of email, magazines and books, safe to say I'm purchasing this on launch day.

 

[Karamsoul]

Outside of the input lag and the situational "music", everything about this demo is amazing. Just got finished with a 3 hour session and still have more to explore. My pre-order will definitely be worth it, especially if they fix the two problems I mentioned.

 

[SlasherJPC]

Outside of the input lag and the situational "music", everything about this demo is amazing. Just got finished with a 3 hour session and still have more to explore. My pre-order will definitely be worth it, especially if they fix the two problems I mentioned.

Oh yes! Welcome to the waiting game now for launch!

 

[Karamsoul]

Oh yes! Welcome to the waiting game now for launch!

Just a few more days. Thankfully, not months 😆

 

[More_Badass]

You know, I was leaning towards not feeling it earlier, but then I put almost three hours into a "first hour" demo, so I think that's more of a sign of the game's quality than any issues I had with the music or combat

 

[Ashtar]

So i finally got a chance to play the demo

I like the game, it has an interesting story and premise but i do have some concerns which have been talked about ad nauseam: movement feels really slow and weighted, pointing/shooting feels like it accelerates too fast, jumping feels floaty, and the combat music is just harsh on the ears. Overall I've enjoyed my experience though.

The intro credit were also incredibly well done I don't think I've seen that in a game before

Some story spoilers from the demo

Spoiler

It was pretty cool the whole simulation thing, I'm not sure what an operator is though.
Just to be clear Morgan signed up for this but she was supposed to be reset so she'd keep up but Alex for some unknown reason made her go through the same day repeatedly?

Also I'm stuck so some help would be appreciated

Spoiler

I watched the video and got a pop up saying to preorder or whatever, but I was also told to go to trauma, in trauma there's a phantom or whatever so i killed but also a guy who can one hit you and can't be glooed.... what in the hell am i supposed to do to get by these guys?

 

[Truant]

So i finally got a chance to play the demo

I like the game, it has an interesting story and premise but i do have some concerns which have been talked about ad nauseam: movement feels really slow and weighted, pointing/shooting feels like it accelerates too fast, jumping feels floaty, and the combat music is just harsh on the ears. Overall I've enjoyed my experience though.

The intro credit were also incredibly well done I don't think I've seen that in a game before

Some story spoilers from the demo

Spoiler

It was pretty cool the whole simulation thing, I'm not sure what an operator is though.
Just to be clear Morgan signed up for this but she was supposed to be reset so she'd keep up but Alex for some unknown reason made her go through the same day repeatedly?

Also I'm stuck so some help would be appreciated

Spoiler

I watched the video and got a pop up saying to preorder or whatever, but I was also told to go to trauma, in trauma there's a phantom or whatever so i killed but also a guy who can one hit you and can't be glooed.... what in the hell am i supposed to do to get by these guys?

I placed two turrets in the reception area of trauma and lured the phantom there.

 

[family_guy]

This is how I looked trying to hit those little things with a wrench. I hope they don't play as large as a role when you get further in.

 

[The Flash]

Just a few more days. Thankfully, not months ��

Yes. Everything Is Going to Be Ok.

 

[Ashtar]

I placed two turrets in the reception area of trauma and lured the phantom there.

ha ha ha didnt even think you could move those

 

[Krappadizzle]

Yeah, cryengine

CryEngine 1 still looks amazing. Seriously, go look at Crysis 1 PC 4k footage. If you are unhappy with how Prey looks, I'd blame art direction more than anything else. Engine is more than capable. I like the way it looks. I just hope it performs well on PC at release. Though I won't hold my breath.

 

[More_Badass]

Weird how other 60fps first person shooters on the same platforms look better visually than Prey's 30fps visuals

In terms of realism, sure. A lot of games looked better than Dishonored 1, Dishonored 2, and Prey, if that's your measure.

But I don't think Arkane has gone for that in any of their games. And realism is far from the only thing that counts in looking "better" visually

 

[Rexatality]

Some story spoilers from the demo

Spoiler

It was pretty cool the whole simulation thing, I'm not sure what an operator is though.
Just to be clear Morgan signed up for this but she was supposed to be reset so she'd keep up but Alex for some unknown reason made her go through the same day repeatedly?

Operators are basically floating robots you encounter in the game. Some of them are corrupted by the Typhon and are hostile against you as a result.

Regarding spoilers,

Spoiler

Basically, uninstalling a Neuromod resets your memory back to the moment your first put it in. Morgan went through several memory rests and was forced to live in a Simulation, so it's why she has no idea why she is in Talos I in the first place.

 

[BigEmil]

Been playing more now and my impression has changed. I like it so far. The only thing is the movement feels off to me.

Weird movement must be why I'm getting motion sickness from this game.

Part of it's going to come down to the fact that Prey has tons of physics objects lying about.

Most good looking titles have very static environments.

It seems like Prey has a huge amount of interactivity with the environment. Most 60fps shooters have very little.

Ah. Yes that's true.

 

[jem0208]

Operators are basically floating robots you encounter in the game. Some of them are corrupted by the Typhon and are hostile against you as a result.

Regarding spoilers,

Spoiler

Basically, uninstalling a Neuromod resets your memory back to the moment your first put it in. Morgan went through several memory rests and was forced to live in a Simulation, so it's why she has no idea why she is in Talos I in the first place.

Spoiler

i thought Morgan choose to go into the simulation. There's an email in the office next to Morgan's which implies Morgan knew what was going on.

 

[More_Badass]

Spoiler

i thought Morgan choose to go into the simulation. There's an email in the office next to Morgan's which implies Morgan knew what was going on.

Spoiler

Maybe she agreed after getting the Neuromod? Not sure what the date was on the email

 

[GeNoMe]

So yeah, I just finished the demo myself. And i'm not convinced, definitely not a day one pick up for me. The game needs some work if this is what Bethesda considers a representation of the final product, even in the slightest.

They nailed the setting and atmosphere though. I'll wait until the game has been patched enough. Shame really, I was really looking forward playing this day one.

 

[Tovarisc]

Spoiler

i thought Morgan choose to go into the simulation. There's an email in the office next to Morgan's which implies Morgan knew what was going on.

Spoiler

But Morgan got messed with and Morgan's memories were never returned. Morgan was forced to relive same day over and over again for those experiments.

 

[Rexatality]

Spoiler

i thought Morgan choose to go into the simulation. There's an email in the office next to Morgan's which implies Morgan knew what was going on.

Spoiler

From what I've read, it seems that Morgan willingly became a vital part of an experiment that's meant to alter humanity forever (Typhon, of course).

But of course, things go to shit on Talos 1 and we (the players, I mean) have to clean up the mess

Edit: or what Tovarisc said.

 

[EGM1966]

I can get why publishers might pump the brakes on doing demos after seeing this thread. It's been overarching complaints and hyperbole how the game is qualitatively shit when the developer has even commented directly about those fixes that are happening.

Demos are usually separate submission packages for devs and is indicative as a taste of the game rather than opening it up to technical review up and down, DF analysis and such

IDK bums me out to see people so down on this when I think the core gameplay, concept, execution are really well done albeit some control & audio issues.

Or maybe the game just isn't striking a chord with some people, which is fine too

EDIT: Prime example: I don't think this should be necessarily the standard of evaluation? We can wait one week and see if the issues persist, but saying a demo should have the polish of the final product is questionable eval imo

Sorry but specifically n this situation that's bullshit.

The Xbox version does not have input lag. The PS4 does. That's not polish - that's why aren't they equivalent?

Plus I want to play on PC but the secs didn't even bother to make a PC demo available so I could evaluate my platform of choice: how terrible of me to expect them to do better.

That seems like the definition of fair. How are the devs not responsible for their own demo having input lag? Thats on them. And if its on them, then consumer judgement based on the demo they deemed a fair representation of their game, is also fair. Nothing about this situation is unfair.

If anything its merely a shame the devs put out a crappy demo. Because its ultimately going to bite them in the ass about something they CLAIM will be rectified, but we have no proof of that actually being the case yet...but all that is squarely on them.

Exactly. I'm actually sympathetic and my favourite games are exactly this type of game: I love system shock, deus ex, etc.

But the revs put out a demo with issues on PS4 and that's on them. End of.

I want the game to be good but expecting consumers to make all kinds of assumptions/excuses for issues in a demo is madness and defeats the purpose of a demo.

Any fallout due to word of mouth is fair and indeed square on the developers.

 

[jem0208]

Spoiler

But Morgan got messed with and Morgan's memories were never returned. Morgan was forced to relive same day over and over again for those experiments.

Spoiler

I thought it was implied that Morgan was willing in that experiment though...

 

[Flunkie]

Demo sold me. My main complaints are fixed in the full game. Day 1 for me. Can't wait. The opening sequence stuff was just way cool.

 

[specdot]

Maybe don't ship a demo on the largest installbase with crappy input lag then?

While I'd agree with you there, I really do think they had an optimized PC version first in mind. The game looks ugly on PS4, and the input lag (error on their part or not) is so dumb. I was excited to give this game a shot, but the demo really did put me off. I'll wait for impressions after launch.

 

[GavinUK86]

Weird movement must be why I'm getting motion sickness from this game.

Just a fyi if you don't already know, you can turn off player bob and camera roll in the options menu if that's adding to your sickness. I put them both on 0 and the movement felt so much smother.