Unkillable Cat
LEST WE FORGET
- Joined
- May 13, 2009
- Messages
- 27,093
We can start by comparing the appearances of the two games, SS2 is clearly following in TNE's footsteps in that department, regardless of there being different developers. Compare that to the realistic appearance of SS3.
The addition of vehicles in SS2 (and their absence in SS3) sounds like an attempt to reach the Halo (2)-crowd, which is mostly console-based.
Level design is probably where it's at, though. One of the key points of Serious Sam's large levels was the absence of artificial barriers. (You want to go run out into the desert? OK, call me back in 10 minutes.) When barriers are in place they're natural, like scorching heat killing the player from sunstroke, bottomless pits, plain normal walls etc. SS2 has invisible walls to make sure the player doesn't run off somewhere. SS1 and SS3 also reward players who go out exploring, while SS2 rarely does so (or its idea of 'exploring' is checking 'round back of that shed you'll be passing close by anyway).
I'm unsure whether the weapons being as imbalanced as they are in SS2 is due to console-based reasons, but the imbalance is there. A shotgun having high accuracy and low spread up to long distances? A minigun that nibbles on its ammo instead of chewing through it? These things clearly favor the player by lowering the skill ceiling of the weapons.
The addition of vehicles in SS2 (and their absence in SS3) sounds like an attempt to reach the Halo (2)-crowd, which is mostly console-based.
Level design is probably where it's at, though. One of the key points of Serious Sam's large levels was the absence of artificial barriers. (You want to go run out into the desert? OK, call me back in 10 minutes.) When barriers are in place they're natural, like scorching heat killing the player from sunstroke, bottomless pits, plain normal walls etc. SS2 has invisible walls to make sure the player doesn't run off somewhere. SS1 and SS3 also reward players who go out exploring, while SS2 rarely does so (or its idea of 'exploring' is checking 'round back of that shed you'll be passing close by anyway).
I'm unsure whether the weapons being as imbalanced as they are in SS2 is due to console-based reasons, but the imbalance is there. A shotgun having high accuracy and low spread up to long distances? A minigun that nibbles on its ammo instead of chewing through it? These things clearly favor the player by lowering the skill ceiling of the weapons.