Alien: Isolation

[Ulysa]

My headcanon is that revolver is intentionally underpowered (maybe some weak-ass 22lr cartridge) so it wouldn't pierce through a hull.
Same with a shotgun - it's a riot control weapon, so it shoots rubber instead of slugs/buckshot.

IIRC the standard canon was that the xeno is essentially bulletproof against all but the largest calibers and/or armor-piercing rounds. Of course there are weak spots in the armor (inside of the mouth, key parts of the 'face') where any half-capable firearm can do damage, but generally it's not going to be bothered much by 'standard' guns.

The ammo onboard the Sevastopol is probably flechette rounds or something similar to specifically prevent people from blowing out the hull.

I'd pay good money to see a xeno go up against one of those transit trams at full speed, though.

Hahaha nooo, the perfect organism...

 

[jebsmoker]

Bunch of Millennial NEET wastes of skin ITT should go play a nice short, "streamlined" Telltale adventure from their safespace and leave the real games to the adults.

Once they stop burning down everything that adults built of course

what on earth are you rambling about. what does this have to do with alien: isolation

 

[Psquit]

Bunch of Millennial NEET wastes of skin ITT should go play a nice short, "streamlined" Telltale adventure from their safespace and leave the real games to the adults.

Once they stop burning down everything that adults built of course

You're becoming hysterical.

 

[vortex]

 

[Latelistener]

Usually I always try to break games I'm playing just to see how competent devs were, but in this case I didn't even need it.

The broken AI of two NPCs in the seventh mission speaks it all: https://steamcommunity.com/app/214490/discussions/0/619569341044015717/

Most players probably won't even notice that because you can sneak past them, but I have some concerns regarding QA of this game if they missed it.

Overall it felt amateurish and underdeveloped. Most items you create are useless. You'll only need ammo for the flamethrower, molotovs and bombs (because the alien is more annoying than everything else in this game). And bolt gun for androids. I also had a hard time figuring out why they put those hacking boxes everywhere if most of them were useless and did nothing to help you.

It's also over-bloated, but they clearly had enthusiasm only in the 1/3 of the game. They show you great cutscenes, give you an NPC mate, but in the next 2/3 the cutscenes are mostly absent even when important characters die. It's not that I like cutscenes, it just shows that the first 1/3 of the game had more work put into it than the last 2/3. Even such a little detail like interactable bulbs in the first ventilation shaft (leading you from Spaceflight Terminal) are absent from every (or almost) other shaft (they're there, just static).

I also felt like there was a huge (more like massive) gap between the level of professionalism of engine programmers, visual artists and such and those who created the actual game. It looks amazing and works like a charm even on old rigs, but gameplay wise it could have been a great immersive sim if they had more competent designers.

 

[Apostle Hand]

most survival horror games are shitty

 

[JDR13]

Usually I always try to break games I'm playing just to see how competent devs were, but in this case I didn't even need it.

The broken AI of two NPCs in the seventh mission speaks it all: https://steamcommunity.com/app/214490/discussions/0/619569341044015717/

Most players probably won't even notice that because you can sneak past them, but I have some concerns regarding QA of this game if they missed it.

Eh? Big deal. Show me a game that's completely bug-free.

 

[True Ukrainian]

Does anyone get this weird bug where the framerate suddenly tanks for no reason at all? I need to reload a save in order to solve the issue.

 

[JDR13]

Does anyone get this weird bug where the framerate suddenly tanks for no reason at all? I need to reload a save in order to solve the issue.

Never experienced that. What CPU, GPU are you using?

Game always ran smooth for me, and I was using Nvidia DSR on top of max settings.

 

[True Ukrainian]

Does anyone get this weird bug where the framerate suddenly tanks for no reason at all? I need to reload a save in order to solve the issue.

Never experienced that. What CPU, GPU are you using?

Game always ran smooth for me, and I was using Nvidia DSR on top of max settings.

I looked up the Steam forums and it seems some other people are having this issue as well, even on rigs exceeding recommended requirements. Game runs very smooth for hours and suddenly the frame rate tanks. So I don't think its a system issue. The most popular theory seems to be either shadow maps since the bug usually strikes when you enter an area with certain kinds of lighting or there's a memory leak. The bug didn't stop me from completing the game, since reloading always seems to solve the issue and it strikes so infrequently.

 

[Daedalos]

This game is still one of the best surival horror games in recent times. I had a blast playing it, bugs notwithstanding.

It reeked of quality, effort and sheer fandom.

 

[Latelistener]

Eh? Big deal. Show me a game that's completely bug-free.

That's not the point though. It just shows how amateurish it is (on top of other things mentioned) if they managed to miss it during QA. Dead Space for example never allowed something like that. Even Dark Corners of the Earth (despite the fact that it has other bugs, it never bothered me).

It reeked of quality, effort and sheer fandom.

Yeah, I thought this too... about 1/3 of the game.

 

[DJOGamer PT]

it could have been a great immersive sim

The game was trying to be Resident Evil not System Shock

 

[JDR13]

Eh? Big deal. Show me a game that's completely bug-free.

That's not the point though. It just shows how amateurish it is (on top of other things mentioned) if they managed to miss it during QA. Dead Space for example never allowed something like that. Even Dark Corners of the Earth (despite the fact that it has other bugs, it never bothered me).

No, it doesn't. You point out 1 bug in an otherwise fantastic game and we're supposed to believe that makes them amateurish? I'm curious what you must think of developers like Bethesda.

 

[Zombra]

A game that didn't hit my g-spot was "amateurish" because they missed a bug.
A game I did like was buggy as fuck and slashed the original design intent to a million pieces due to horrendous resource mismanagement but gets a pass, in fact it was super professional.

 

[Latelistener]

No, it doesn't. You point out 1 bug in an otherwise fantastic game and we're supposed to believe that makes them amateurish? I'm curious what you must think of developers like Bethesda.

I think you should re-read my first post in this thread. There is a list of things I mentioned that lead me to this conclusion. You just quoted a small portion, then started twisting my words. Not good for any discussion.

One bug in an otherwise fantastic game won't change a thing. For me personally even one hundred won't (it depends of course). Unfortunately, this is not fantastic game for various reasons (some of them mentioned above) and I have no idea how low your standards must be if you consider it to be as such.

However, this particular issue with the AI on top of other things I mentioned made me thinking.

A game that didn't hit my g-spot was "amateurish" because they missed a bug.
A game I did like was buggy as fuck and slashed the original design intent to a million pieces due to horrendous resource mismanagement but gets a pass, in fact it was super professional.

Does my post says it was amateurish because it has one bug? I don't think so. They why I have to correct you? If twisting words is the only strategy you can come with while defending this game, then it just proves my point. It hit your g-spot, so the game must be without flaws.

Dark Corners of the Earth is indeed a better game, despite having many issues on modern systems (yeah, most "bugs" you experienced are probably coming from trying to play it on something more modern than Windows XP).

The fact that I enjoyed it more should already tell you that bugs aren't the issue here.

The game was trying to be Resident Evil not System Shock

My point is, if they had more competent people it could have been both. Everything is there, just half-ass, amateurish and under-cooked.

 

[Zombra]

Dark Corners of the Earth is indeed a better game, despite having many issues on modern systems (yeah, most "bugs" you experienced are probably coming from trying to play it on something more modern than Windows XP).

Throwing darts trying to guess things about me? Want to try for my hair color next? I played Dark Corners on release bro. I loved it too, but it did not run like a dream on the hardware or software of the time.

The broken AI of two NPCs in the seventh mission speaks it all

Bugs aren't the issue here.

Make up your mind.

 

[JDR13]

No, it doesn't. You point out 1 bug in an otherwise fantastic game and we're supposed to believe that makes them amateurish? I'm curious what you must think of developers like Bethesda.

I think you should re-read my first post in this thread. There is a list of things I mentioned that lead me to this conclusion. You just quoted a small portion, then started twisting my words. Not good for any discussion.

One bug in an otherwise fantastic game won't change a thing. For me personally even one hundred won't (it depends of course). Unfortunately, this is not fantastic game for various reasons (some of them mentioned above) and I have no idea how low your standards must be if you consider it to be as such.

However, this particular issue with the AI on top of other things I mentioned made me thinking.

Other people not agreeing with you = twisting your words. Right...got it.

Thing is, all you did was mention 1 bug and then some things that you just didn't like personally. The game didn't hit all the right spots for you which is fine, but you're trying to rationalize that the team was amateurish. The end product doesn't reflect that.

 

[orcinator]

Usually I always try to break games I'm playing just to see how competent devs were, but in this case I didn't even need it.

The broken AI of two NPCs in the seventh mission speaks it all: https://steamcommunity.com/app/214490/discussions/0/619569341044015717/

Most players probably won't even notice that because you can sneak past them, but I have some concerns regarding QA of this game if they missed it.

Eh? Big deal. Show me a game that's completely bug-free.

Try crouching behind a waist high object ans see how long it takes for you to get detected.
The game isn't buggy, its core gameplay mechanic is straight up broken.

it could have been a great immersive sim

The game was trying to be Outlast not System Shock

 

[Zombra]

So no, its does not feel like cheating at the least and if you are not aware of the existence of the separate alien AI and the director AI guiding its search grids.

Sorry, but it did for me. The whole AI director is a big cheat! If the AI was so great, why not drop the Alien into a vent with only it's sensors and let the game play out?

My question is, how did you know all this about how the alien is "directed"?

 

[True Ukrainian]

So no, its does not feel like cheating at the least and if you are not aware of the existence of the separate alien AI and the director AI guiding its search grids.

Sorry, but it did for me. The whole AI director is a big cheat! If the AI was so great, why not drop the Alien into a vent with only it's sensors and let the game play out?

My question is, how did you know all this about how the alien is "directed"?

The developers admitted to it. There are two AIs governing the Alien. The director and the search AI. The director tracks the location of the player independently and will always send the alien to your general location. The alien will then try to ferret you out with it's search AI.

The director also handles close calls. If you manage to avoid the alien at close range for long enough, the director will tell the alien to back off, sending a bogus search order in another part of the level.

You can even try it for yourself in gameplay. Just remain hidden and don't move. The alien by right should not be able to find you, but it will always home in on your location thanks to the director.

 

[Zombra]

Was this before or after you played the game?

 

[True Ukrainian]

I suspected it while playing the game. I tested it out and the alien could still track me when my character should have been undetectable. Its like an invisible leash connects you to the alien at all times. The developer interview just confirmed it.

 

[JDR13]

I suspected it while playing the game.

Yeah... ok.

 

[True Ukrainian]

I suspected it while playing the game.

Yeah... ok.

Try it for yourself. And I'm not the only one. Plenty of players believed that the alien teleported around the level to shadow you until the developer revealed the director system.