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[Minsc]

Thanks a lot to the both of you! I do have a small question though:
Of the first two mods you mention, are these two compatible with each other though or do I have to pick one? They both seem to be texture mods, so I assume they're not compatible. I would like the textures to stay true to the original just to be on the safe side, but having widescreen support would be a godsend as well, so I'm a bit torn here.

They work together, the Dark Engine Widescreen mod is a general engine mod, works for the Dark Engine games, doesn't specifically target SS2. It doesn't change textures, just allows for new resolutions. Take a look at the link yourself for the texture mod (SHTUP), you can see if you feel the textures are true to the original (I certainly think they are).

Rebirth on the other hand, see the link in moniker's post above (NSFW/spoilers)...

Were those completed or will there be inconsistencies where you get to a new area or encounter a new enemy and it's far uglier than another?

I'm not 100% sure, but I get the impression (especially since it's still actively supported) that it's pretty comprehensive and very much an improvement worth having:

"SHTUP is the one mod you never want to be without. It's completely true to the original textures while making a huge difference. It has been named one of "50 essential mods" in PC Gamer UK (Nov 2009)."

 

[Diseased Yak]

Father Ted is so awesome!

Buying this day 1. Thanks GoG!

 

[jrcbandit]

Does the disc version of SS2 still work in Windows 8? That is one of the few older games that I still held on to after all these years.

 

[Calavera520]

Oh wow. Both of them at once, even!

both? looks like just System Shock 2 i think.

 

[rbenchley]

Thanks a lot to the both of you! I do have a small question though:
Of the first two mods you mention, are these two compatible with each other though or do I have to pick one? They both seem to be texture mods, so I assume they're not compatible. I would like the textures to stay true to the original just to be on the safe side, but having widescreen support would be a godsend as well, so I'm a bit torn here.

The updated textures work fine with widescreen resolutions. Also, the widescreen mod won't be needed if the GOG release is compatible with or already incorporates the 2.4 patch update that was released back in the fall. The 2.4 patch adds widescreen support in addition to numerous other fixes and upgrades.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

Never played it. Bioshock was a mixed bag for me albeit enjoyable. Something similar but better sounds good to me.

 

[Dominic_Shade]

Fuck me sideways. I'm there minute one tomorrow.

 

[Brinbe]

Fantastic news. Still have my boxed copy of SS2, but getting this for sure.

 

[IrishNinja]

fuck yeah! SS2 has been on my list forever now (at least since bioshock), finally gonna get a chance to play it proper-like! time to dig up GAF's mod/build guides for this one

 

[Sephiroth503]

Best reply I've seen. Father Ted gifs need to be used more often!

 

[Lazy Man's Wallpaper]

Wow, awesome news. I had the big box version back in the day but never finished it. Will definitely buy!

 

[CosmicQueso]

So I'll be playing through Dead Space 3, then Aliens: CM, then SS2.

I don't know whether I'll laugh or cry, just be angry or weep silently in the corner, rocking back and forth, wondering what's happened.

This should be fun.

Shodan still scares me.

 

[Amagon]

NNNNIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCEEEEEEEE!!!!

 

[FACE]

Father Ted is so awesome!

Buying this day 1. Thanks GoG!

Best reply I've seen. Father Ted gifs need to be used more often!

You're gentlemen of distinguished taste.

 

[subversus]

I wondered why since I had only read half the post before and it sounded like sweet praise... Wow at the rest of it.

The whole post is a praise actually.

 

[Stallion Free]

Patch 2.4 makes the darkengine fix kinda pointless now.

 

[CTLance]

Late to this thread, but...

I will buy this so hard I fear my credit card might shatter.

 

[vocab]

Can't wait.

 

[scitek]

fuck yeah! SS2 has been on my list forever now (at least since bioshock), finally gonna get a chance to play it proper-like! time to dig up GAF's mod/build guides for this one

.

Never played these. I've heard people say Dead Space (the first one) is similar, is that accurate?

 

[shintoki]

After this, we only have Lucas Art games as the big hold out.

 

[Minsc]

Patch 2.4 makes the darkengine fix kinda pointless now.

I see. I updated the earlier list I had going, thanks.

 

[vocab]

.

Never played these. I've heard people say Dead Space (the first one) is similar, is that accurate?

Nope.

 

[Stallion Free]

I see. I updated the earlier list I had going, thanks.

Anyone with a disc copy should switch to that as well.

 

[Sub_Level]

Shodan saved Valentine's!

Roses are red.
Your face will turn white.
For this game is full of fun and fright.
Just make sure to maintain your weapons.
Or this game's difficulty will teach you a lesson.
For the Many are strong and Shodan is cunning.
But keep a cool head and never stop running.
For an "easy" time, go Navy with Tech speciality.
Marine if you want to experience brutality.
Psy on Impossible if you're not a filthy casual.
Look at you hacker, my how laughable.

 

[moniker]

.

Never played these. I've heard people say Dead Space (the first one) is similar, is that accurate?

Not really. But at the same time, I don't think Dead Space would have been the same if SS2 didn't exist. They're very different though.

 

[scitek]

Nope.

So, closer to Bioshock then?

 

[vocab]

So, closer to Bioshock then?

The only similarities they share are audio logs, and oh shit the wall collapsed, better find another route. I guess the protagonists share similar qualities, but I would put shodan being similar to the guardian from ultima. Unsure what will and won't happen at any given second. Bioshock didn't offer any rpg elements, and had zero challenge. It's closer to deus ex.

 

[BloodMoney]

They are related, but I think you can play SS2 without playing the first and not miss a lot story-wise.

Agreed, SS1's story does tie into SS2, but SS2 does an excellent job narrating the back story (making it unnecessary to play the first).

SS1 is great in its own right, but SS2 is far superior IMO.

 

[BloodMoney]

I see. I updated the earlier list I had going, thanks.

Thanks for this!

 

[G-Fex]

I saw someone streaming SS1 and yeah....looks a bit rough. Kinda reminded me of Ultima Underworld a little. I'm not sure if I'd get that one.

 

[TEJ]

what's some advice SS2 veterans can give to someone who has played bioshock but never SS2?

I heard it has rpg elements. Do you get exp from killing enemies? What are some skills to focus on?

also, am I able to explore to my hearts content? do enemies respawn?

 

[alphaNoid]

AWWWW YISS!

One of the absolute best video games ever made, and perhaps the single best survival horror ever.

 

[vocab]

I saw someone streaming SS1 and yeah....looks a bit rough. Kinda reminded me of Ultima Underworld a little. I'm not sure if I'd get that one.

Ultima underworld is actually easier to get into. Ss1 controls even with mouse look are still awkward, and the inventory and item stuff are really tough to mess with. It is by no means unplayable like early ultima games, but it requires some learning and reading on the users side before enjoying it.

 

[King Mystery]

what's some advice SS2 veterans can give to someone who has played bioshock but never SS2?

I heard it has rpg elements. Do you get exp from killing enemies? What are some skills to focus on?

also, am I able to explore to my hearts content? do enemies respawn?

I can't remember since I haven't played it in a while, but I THINK enemies respawn at random locations when you leave the area. As the plot progresses, time-released enemies will show up in areas you've cleared as well.

Basically, the game is sorta like a Metroidvania, but instead of a castle, it takes place on massive spaceship. Though, unlike Castlevania: SOTN, there are loading times when you move from one level of the ship to another.

When I said I think enemies respawn when you leave the area, I meant if you leave a level and cause another area to load then go back to the previous level, enemies would will have respawned randomly.

It's not like Megaman where you can scroll back and forth to make an enemy respawn endlessly. And as for time-released enemies, think of the original Resident Evil, when you get back from the garden house only to find the mansion crawling with Hunters.

 

[Sub_Level]

what's some advice SS2 veterans can give to someone who has played bioshock but never SS2?

I heard it has rpg elements. Do you get exp from killing enemies? What are some skills to focus on?

also, am I able to explore to my hearts content? do enemies respawn?

• 
  Play the tutorial
  
  - Play on Normal or Easy. Prefferably Normal.
  
  - Go Navy and specialize in Hack, Standard Weapons, Endurance, and Strength. Other tech skills are important but Hack is priority 1. If you level up Maintenance, don't level Repair. And vice-versa.
  
  - Get System Shock 2 Mod Manager and download a texture pack. As for other graphical mods, they're nice but not a necessity for enjoyment.
  
  - If you encounter an issue where your mouse cursor can't access your inventory, look up a mod fix for it.
  
  - You loot enemy corpses for nanites, which is the game's currency. You can also occasionally find rare cyber modules, which are used for levelling up.
  
  - Yes, enemies respawn.
  
  - The game is divided into 9 levels, not counting the tutorial
  
  Deck 2: Med-Sci (starting point)
  Deck 1: Engineering
  Deck 3: Hydroponics
  Deck 4: Ops
  Deck 5: Recreation
  Deck 6: Command (and some backtracking to other Decks as well)
  The Rickenbacker
  And two more levels that I won't spoil
  
  - Approach each deck surgically and methodically. Explore everything you can. Go from left to right or right to left to cover ground efficiently.
  
  - Save ammo. Use the wrench for the first couple of decks unless you're dealing with Robots.
  
  - Make use of different ammo types. Armor piercing for robots. Hollow point for organics.
  
  PROTIP: Most enemies in the first couple decks carry jammed shotguns. Pick up those shotguns, empty the 1 shell they have, and throw them away. That ammo adds up and really helps out.
  
  BONUS TIP: There are four one-time OS Upgrades to your character. Do not take the one-time Cyber Module bonus. It may seem good early on, but there are more than enough Cyber Modules to find throughout the game/get from quests that it's a waste.

 

[ari]

i like bioshock more than systemshock.

 

[vocab]

i like bioshock more than systemshock.

That's cool.

 

[Forsaken82]

This, Bioshock was such a dissapointment besides it's great looks...

Bioshock had atmosphere, but its design is what made it inferior in my opinion. Was less about horror and just more about action. It was like comparing the original exorcist to the Friday the 13th remake.

 

[Oni Jazar]

I saw someone streaming SS1 and yeah....looks a bit rough. Kinda reminded me of Ultima Underworld a little. I'm not sure if I'd get that one.

It is based off of the Ultima Underworld Engine.

Have you played the original lately?

I would use all of those same points but replace "SS1" with "SS2".

I don't want to sit here and insult System Shock in order to demonstrate my preference for the second game but, having replayed both within the last couple of years, I just can't get behind the idea that Shock 1 is the superior game. It is a mold for what would become Shock 2. It throws more ideas at the wall (such as Cyberspace) but not all of these ideas work. The core mechanics are unpolished even for 1994 with ugly, poorly animated sprites for both weapons and enemies and imprecise controls. The updated ports of the game allow for controls that were not originally possible, which does improve things, but it never feels precise or comfortable to play. There is always this sense that you are bumbling around the environment while saddled with a poorly implemented interface. The window into the game world simply doesn't work all that well. Of course, for 1994, it's an incredibly ambitious game and stood out as a result but that doesn't mean everything worked well.
....
I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree. Back in the mid-90s, Shock 1 was definitely impressive in a lot of ways, but I always felt it was an experimental game with a lot of big ideas that weren't particularly well executed. It's a great game lacking in polish and I prefer the focused experience of Shock 2.

I used to go back and re-play SS1 almost every year. (Oh those days how I miss them) Sure the animation is pretty much non-existent, the controls are a relic of the pre-3D era, and the graphics are dated but I really adore everything else about it. It is agree to disagree and like you I don't want to tear SS2 apart because it's an excellent game. It just hits a personal nerve when people just skip over the original entirely and gush over SS2 when the original is really the granddaddy of "Everyone is dead, listen to these voice logs to piece back what happened" horror games and unless you're a graphics whore the game still stands up well today. I do want to go back and replay SS2. The notion of breaking weapons, forcing me to pick a class, doling out upgrade modules on the whim of the designer, and the "nah" ending makes me hesitant though.

 

[TEJ]

Thanks for the advice. Really looking forward to this game

I think i'll play on easy until I have a good feel for how the game works, and then replay it on a higher difficulty.

 

[I H8 Memes]

This is the news I wake up to? I have a very good feeling about the rest of the day now. I never thought this was possible. Never thought this would happen.

It would be really nice to get some Maldo level texture and modeling work done for this game. Maldo is one of the few people you can trust to make amazing textures that fit a games original art design.

 

[dark10x]

It is based off of the Ultima Underworld Engine.

I used to go back and re-play SS1 almost every year. (Oh those days how I miss them) Sure the animation is pretty much non-existent, the controls are a relic of the pre-3D era, and the graphics are dated but I really adore everything else about it. It is agree to disagree and like you I don't want to tear SS2 apart because it's an excellent game. It just hits a personal nerve when people just skip over the original entirely and gush over SS2 when the original is really the granddaddy of "Everyone is dead, listen to these voice logs to piece back what happened" horror games and unless you're a graphics whore the game still stands up well today. I do want to go back and replay SS2. The notion of breaking weapons, forcing me to pick a class, doling out upgrade modules on the whim of the designer, etc makes me hesitant though.

If you can do CO-OP you should try it. Without a doubt one of the best CO-OP experiences I've ever had.

 

[G-Fex]

Ultima underworld is actually easier to get into. Ss1 controls even with mouse look are still awkward, and the inventory and item stuff are really tough to mess with. It is by no means unplayable like early ultima games, but it requires some learning and reading on the users side before enjoying it.

Ouch.

Yeah I got into UU surprisngly easy. I love it by the way.

 

[moniker]

About weapon breaking that I keep hearing people complaining about - just put a few points into the maintenance skill and perform maintenance on your weapons when they degrade too much and they will never break.

 

[brandonh83]

I've never played this. It looks like I should get it.

 

[I H8 Memes]

I still have my System Shock 2 disc. I don't double dip very often but.....this will be a nice addition to my collection on GOG.

Sell it quick and replace it with the GOG version. Used copies still go for $70 and new copies go for $300.

About weapon breaking that I keep hearing people complaining about - just put a few points into the maintenance skill and perform maintenance on your weapons when they degrade too much and they will never break.

You can actually adjust the games 2 biggest flaws, weapon degradation and enemy respawn timer, through ini commands. And it's not something you have to set to on/off either. You can set both to just happen more slowly.

 

[rbenchley]

controller support for SS2?

I'm a comfy couch PC gamer, so I'm going to use Xpadder to map the controls to my 360 controller. Fortunately, someone on the Xpadder forums has already created a profile for the game.

 

[Stallion Free]

I'm a comfy couch PC gamer, so I'm going to use Xpadder to map the controls to my 360 controller. Fortunately, someone on the Xpadder forums has already created a profile for the game.

I can't imagine it working very well.

 

[MuddyDonut]

System Shock 2 shits on Bioshock from a great height. Owe it to yourself to play it.

I agree, played SS2 after Bioshock and well...everyone should play SS2.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

As much as I love System Shock 2, I think it's a tad hyperbolic to say it's way better than Bioshock.