Comments on: Bullet In The Head. And Groin. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:13:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: soldier pleads http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-425467 soldier pleads Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:27:43 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-425467 [...] on ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra's wealth, otherwise the country could plunge into lawlessness.Bullet In The Head. And Groin. | Rock, Paper, ShotgunA little late with this, but we'll post it as it reminds me of the time I interviewed [...] [...] on ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra's wealth, otherwise the country could plunge into lawlessness.Bullet In The Head. And Groin. | Rock, Paper, ShotgunA little late with this, but we'll post it as it reminds me of the time I interviewed [...]

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]]> By: KBKarma http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4964 KBKarma Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:03:02 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4964 Surprisingly, I was a bit put off by the gore. Only a bit, mind. I was more interested in how the game looked: not so very good. The blood was unrealistic, the level destruction, as has been said, wasn't the best, and the weapons... seemed a bit overpowered, imo. @Keiron (cause I don't know how this thing handles quotes): Always "KIDNEY!"? No "GROIN!" or "HEAD!" or, I dunno, "METACARPAL!"? Surprisingly, I was a bit put off by the gore. Only a bit, mind.

I was more interested in how the game looked: not so very good. The blood was unrealistic, the level destruction, as has been said, wasn’t the best, and the weapons… seemed a bit overpowered, imo.

@Keiron (cause I don’t know how this thing handles quotes): Always “KIDNEY!”? No “GROIN!” or “HEAD!” or, I dunno, “METACARPAL!”?

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]]> By: drunkymonkey http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4620 drunkymonkey Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:37:01 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4620 @Thelps: I wasn't making out that SOF3 was the worst game ever and if it does come out it'll be the end of all things sacred, but rather that it's just another in a long line of FPSs that bring little to the table. Indeed, you could say the whole point of SOF, or the whole niche, is that there's tonnes of gore, but how much does that really change the experience? Yes, it's unsettling, but aside from the anatomy of the human body and what harm a shotgun round can do to it, you still don't get a sense of empathy with the characters. As most have said in this comments thread, it's mostly for the laffs. @Thelps: I wasn’t making out that SOF3 was the worst game ever and if it does come out it’ll be the end of all things sacred, but rather that it’s just another in a long line of FPSs that bring little to the table.

Indeed, you could say the whole point of SOF, or the whole niche, is that there’s tonnes of gore, but how much does that really change the experience? Yes, it’s unsettling, but aside from the anatomy of the human body and what harm a shotgun round can do to it, you still don’t get a sense of empathy with the characters. As most have said in this comments thread, it’s mostly for the laffs.

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]]> By: Ferrous Buller http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4589 Ferrous Buller Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:32:53 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4589 Considering how much sick joy I derived from Stranglehold's slomo zoom-cam single-groin-shot kills, I'm clearly (still) the sort of lad who enjoys over-the-top FPS violence. Still, what made SoF2 so sweet was its great MP; the SP side was pretty perfunctory, once the novelty of dismemberment violence wore off. Cartoonish gore is the extra cherries on top of a good FPS sundae, not its <i>raison d'etre</i>. Considering how much sick joy I derived from Stranglehold’s slomo zoom-cam single-groin-shot kills, I’m clearly (still) the sort of lad who enjoys over-the-top FPS violence. Still, what made SoF2 so sweet was its great MP; the SP side was pretty perfunctory, once the novelty of dismemberment violence wore off. Cartoonish gore is the extra cherries on top of a good FPS sundae, not its raison d’etre.

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]]> By: Andrew http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4542 Andrew Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:19:46 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4542 I seem to remember the Soldier of Fortune demos had the gore disabled, which meant that they lost their one selling point. Quite amusing, really. It highlighted how standard SoF2 was in particular. I seem to remember the Soldier of Fortune demos had the gore disabled, which meant that they lost their one selling point.

Quite amusing, really. It highlighted how standard SoF2 was in particular.

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]]> By: madhaha http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4541 madhaha Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:16:43 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4541 I'm was probably far too late to the SoF party since I only got it when it became a bargin bin guilty pleasure. I never touched the multiplayer and the single player was pretty meh. The enemies weren't too interesting although the cutscenes were enjoyably camp. The level designs were terrible. I only really played around with the gore because I got stuck and the enemies kept on respawning so I ended up farming them. Maybe this sequel will be fun. I’m was probably far too late to the SoF party since I only got it when it became a bargin bin guilty pleasure. I never touched the multiplayer and the single player was pretty meh. The enemies weren’t too interesting although the cutscenes were enjoyably camp. The level designs were terrible. I only really played around with the gore because I got stuck and the enemies kept on respawning so I ended up farming them. Maybe this sequel will be fun.

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]]> By: Iain http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4539 Iain Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:23:39 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4539 I've not played SoF in a very long while, but I do remember it being very enjoyable. Some of the mission design was pretty interesting and I didn't find the tone particularly grotesque at all - the violence was so over the top (a Microwave Gun, FFS) that it never felt "real". And shooting people in the crotch *was* funny. SoF2, on the other hand - I remember trying the demo at the time, and it was tiresome. Just a run of the mill Quake III engine shooter with "realistic" damage that actually didn't do anything to enhance the gameplay at all. I'm in two minds about which direction we should take FPS games in - you've either got to go the route where everything is so overblown that you're on the verge of not being able to suspend your disbelief (i.e. this is fun because it's palpably not even remotely real), or you've got to make them so realistic that you show shooting people with guns off as the ugly, brutal, nasty thing that it is, where the effects will make a player almost feel physically sick. The whole concept of a "murder simulator" isn't such a bad one if you ask me - if you stop making games that glorify killing in a way that makes kids think "killing = fun", perhaps then they'll be less inclined to go out and try it in real-life. I’ve not played SoF in a very long while, but I do remember it being very enjoyable. Some of the mission design was pretty interesting and I didn’t find the tone particularly grotesque at all – the violence was so over the top (a Microwave Gun, FFS) that it never felt “real”. And shooting people in the crotch *was* funny.

SoF2, on the other hand – I remember trying the demo at the time, and it was tiresome. Just a run of the mill Quake III engine shooter with “realistic” damage that actually didn’t do anything to enhance the gameplay at all.

I’m in two minds about which direction we should take FPS games in – you’ve either got to go the route where everything is so overblown that you’re on the verge of not being able to suspend your disbelief (i.e. this is fun because it’s palpably not even remotely real), or you’ve got to make them so realistic that you show shooting people with guns off as the ugly, brutal, nasty thing that it is, where the effects will make a player almost feel physically sick.

The whole concept of a “murder simulator” isn’t such a bad one if you ask me – if you stop making games that glorify killing in a way that makes kids think “killing = fun”, perhaps then they’ll be less inclined to go out and try it in real-life.

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]]> By: Kieron Gillen http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4538 Kieron Gillen Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:56:58 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4538 I honestly believe the actual famous racism think was just a really unfortunate bug. KG I honestly believe the actual famous racism think was just a really unfortunate bug.

KG

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]]> By: Simon http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4537 Simon Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:51:16 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4537 It's odd though. In the first game from the first mission you were fighting white supremasists. It’s odd though. In the first game from the first mission you were fighting white supremasists.

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]]> By: John Walker http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4534 John Walker Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:27:06 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4534 Ah, the racism of SoF. Hey, do you think they'll remember to include that this time too? Ah, the racism of SoF. Hey, do you think they’ll remember to include that this time too?

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]]> By: Thelps http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4531 Thelps Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:48:24 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4531 P.S. Can I have points for controversy? P.S. Can I have points for controversy?

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]]> By: Thelps http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2007/10/21/bullet-in-the-head-and-groin/#comment-4530 Thelps Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:47:53 +0000 http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=463#comment-4530 @Drunkymonkey: I don't really see your point. There are plenty of FPSs that come out that add a lot less to the genre than improved death animations. If SoF2 can achieve fairly realistic (if somewhat caricatured) death animations at a level that no other FPS has touched then it has carved out its own space. Granted, from a gameplay point of view it's still a matter of point crosshairs, press left mouse button, but the impact on the player is altered, and one is given the option of actually killing a target in more ways than just a body shot or a head shot. That's a gameplay dynamic not present in the vast majority of other FPS games, and certainly not present in anything like as much care or detail. It's not ground breaking, and SoF/Goldeneye and a few others have done it before, but the mechanic has been refined to an almost artistic extent. If a game sets itself apart from the crowd (within its own genre) then it's arguably innovating, even if the innovation itself is minor. @Drunkymonkey: I don’t really see your point. There are plenty of FPSs that come out that add a lot less to the genre than improved death animations. If SoF2 can achieve fairly realistic (if somewhat caricatured) death animations at a level that no other FPS has touched then it has carved out its own space. Granted, from a gameplay point of view it’s still a matter of point crosshairs, press left mouse button, but the impact on the player is altered, and one is given the option of actually killing a target in more ways than just a body shot or a head shot. That’s a gameplay dynamic not present in the vast majority of other FPS games, and certainly not present in anything like as much care or detail.

It’s not ground breaking, and SoF/Goldeneye and a few others have done it before, but the mechanic has been refined to an almost artistic extent. If a game sets itself apart from the crowd (within its own genre) then it’s arguably innovating, even if the innovation itself is minor.

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