Game News Hammer & Sickle Mod Becomes Full Game

[Balor]

Some news from the front.
Novik is posted some anti-advertisement (yea, ANTI one) for the game.
So, 7 reasons NOT to play the game:
1. Changes in the engine are purely cosmetical. There are some minor fixes, and minor changes in the game mechanics. That means that if you had problems technical problems with S^2 or S^3, don’t buy this game, spare your money.
2. It doesn’t look like S^3. For the first 1/3 of the game there is only ONE unavoidable combat. Scoring frags is not a goal. Of course, you can go “Duke Nukem”-style, but it will not go far. 5 hours - and alles, wait for Post-nuclear sequel. So, if don’t like dialogues and to think - don’t buy this game.
3. There would be a LOT of voice-overs. So, playing a woman does not fit neither budget, nor plot. Therefore, you will not be able to. Same goes for alternative voices for the main character (at least, it’s not planned right now).
4. It’s not for kiddies. It’s not full of obscenities, but heroes are tough men and women in that often get into critical situations - and speak accordingly. An example (a woman NPC - party member missed) - “Liz, it’s a barrel, not a dick! Don’t put it into mouth!” (Perhaps it will be cut out from the actual game, though)
5. No AI changes, except for very minor ones.
6. The game is tactically challenging. You’ll be killed, and many times, especially if difficulty settings will be high.
7. If someone thinks that game must be extremely realistic - don’t buy it. Ragdolls physics, magazine feed for MG42 - it will all remain unchanged.
Gives some insight about humor in the game. :D
Wait for more, I'm translating.

 

[Balor]

A message from Koshkin, the script writer for the game:
“I’m a scenario writer and author of absolute most of the texts in this project. Since the Head Brutator already made you happy by splashing some negativism on the fan, I’ll try to point at some bright sides of the project. Of course, for some of you those will sound like negative ones...
First: About missions and their quantity. It’s not like SS or SSS - there are no ‘missions’ as it is. Basing on information you have, you will have to decide what to do and where to go. You’ll have to collect information yourself. Means are up to you - from nonchalant chatting with locals to blatant criminal acts.
There is no ‘grand quest’ you must undertake to complete the game. It starts with you getting into rather sticky situation, and it will be up to you to escape it, and you’ll be free to pick the means of it.
It’s not that the game does not have any plot at all, but the plot has many branches, which lead to many variations of solving it. Depending on your actions you’ll be able to get different endings.
Of course, there are ‘key points’, solving or not solving those will permanently change some of your plots - like restricting certain branches (and along with them - some scenes and some characters)
Now, about other game features:
1. Yes, Main Hero (that is you) cannot be a woman, and not only because what Novik said. The question is of one of project maxims was ‘Limited realism’ ideology. It means that we can use, as plot events, some unlikely, but not impossible ones. That’s why there are no panzerkleins and laser rifles in the game. The main character is officer of military intelligence of Soviet occupational forces in Germany. He has come through the War, he has experience in subversive activity, impressive service record and 4 years of service in intelligence department. Therefore, he can be intelligent Cossack with short mustaches, but not a bald feminist with cocaine addiction or old Negro. There were no such characters in Soviet Army. Therefore, main character will be male. Sexist, but realistic... And all dialogues with women are constructed on the scheme: “Man talks with woman”. If you’ll apply a mod that’ll allow you to play a woman, that game will instantly become popular with ones who love hot lesbian action.
2. While you can play the game in the “Who is Sara Connor?” - style, but the consequences of this will not let itself waited. Anyway, there would be enough fights, with more then serious enemies, and circumstances may dictate not just eradication, but swift eradication of your enemies.
3. You’ll have to think in this game. It’s, perhaps, the worst flaw of it. There are no “The Main Bad Guy’s lair is THERE!” signs. At first it’s better to find out what’s really happening. Some dialogues have impact on the plot, some don’t. Dialogues are branching, and selecting one branch will lead to different events. Be prepared for any outcome, but most problems can be solved by smooth taking, and some by a well-placed bribe.
4. Have I scared you enough? Let’s continue. At first you don’t even know who’s your enemy, but there would be enough situations to part with your head anyway. It’s American zone of occupation - an a couple of Britain ones, therefore, there would be a lot of US army forces, doing their US army business. You can treat them the way you like, but remember that army is army, and don’t forget the consequences. And, in some places, there are local police forces. A small hint - act ‘in character’, like if you would be major Vikhr or mega-saboteur Kuznetchov (those were very smart people).
5. Now, bad news for those who loves “Red scorpion”, “Hunt for the Red October” and other movies like that. There are no characters shooting people with “Communism! Lenin! Kill!” on their lips. (some Russia-specific comments skipped - not that any of you have watched “Penalty Squad” anyway). USSR’s goals here are not only to desecrate democratic values.
6. While you can kill Cyberdemon with a handgun, and play solo in our game, but some events are tied to specific skills of different characters. If you will not have a specific character in your party - then, no event for you, and perhaps, a certain plot branch will become locked (but you may always choose an other one). The main problem that you’ll never encounter zones full of skilled mercenaries, ready to assist you with skills and muscles. You future companions are dispersed across the game - and some would require a certain effort to be to make them join you. Don’t lose the opportunity - perhaps you’ll not have another chance.
7. There is no warm, safe base with repair shop and resuscitation department for you in this game. You’ll have to solve those problems yourself... but it’s possible to.
8. There are interactions among PC characters. Sometimes it’s just idle banter, but sometimes (and it is based on your actions) it may come to shots. Or may not - it also depends on you actions and inactions.

That is all. Sorry for lame translation, just in case - it’s not my job, after all - I’ve even learned it all by myself.
Original of it is here:
http://forum.nival.com/rus/showthread.php?t=27695
P.S.
Looks like they did't "name drop" Fallout just to gain some cheap popularity. Deja vu anyone?

 

[Fez]

“Liz, it’s a barrel, not a dick! Don’t put it into mouth!” - the mind boggles.

Cheap voice-overs in the game is a worry too.

 

[Human Shield]

If they get good Russian ones and provide subtitles it could be fun, but crappy English ones would ruin it.

 

[Fez]

The writing could well be crappy anyway, judging from the quote given. Once the proper previews start coming out I'll get around to condemning it.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Cheap voice-overs in the game is a worry too.

"Here, Jill. It's a lockpick. It makes sense that you, the master of picking locks, should have it."

Oh... those were the days.....

 

[Balor]

Well, let me note that that phrase:
1. Is deleted from the game.
2. Sounds much better in original anyway (did I meantion that my translation skills suck?).
Dunno why they put it up as an examply of 'harsh language' in the game, since they deleted it, tho.
*scratches head*
Why shouldn't they come up with one they didn't delete as an example, I wonder?
To emphacise, perhaps. After all, Novik is known for it's rather black humor.

 

[Human Shield]

Potty Humor != Black Comedy. People get that confused for Fallout 2 also.

 

[Reklar]

Sounds like something I'll keep an eye on, assuming it makes it to the US. Post-war Germany under Soviet control has a lot of potential for an interesting setting, especially when it comes to intelligence/counter-intelligence.

-Reklar
(a Fallout/RPG fan)

 

[Slaughter]

Thanks for the info Balor. Keep it coming!

 

[Balor]

Hey, I'm not some official Nival guy, I'm just one of fans and wanted to share
But I'll try to anyway.

 

[Slaughter]

Hey, I'm not some official Nival guy, I'm just one of fans and wanted to share
But I'll try to anyway.

Hehe, I know. Just trying to garner information from wherever I can, and you reading Russian and bothering to translate is great! I already contacted Nival, so I'll hopefully get something useful out of them too

 

[Balor]

Well, I just really liked what they said. I'm no translator - I guess you've already noticed that.
Anyway, this game is my №1 in wish-list now. If Koshkin really delivered same quality of humor in the game as he did in his short stories (typical military humor, buy very funny), that game would be a blast...
Not to mention that Novik is VERY knowledgeable about that particular subject (military and WW2 in particular) - since, like I mentioned, he runs very popular forum on military histrory.
Dunno about Fallout, but I think that would be one of true RPGs, and those are so rare nowadays.

 

[Mangler]

I think the major problem with this game not having an english localization is not the setting, but the publisher. JoWood has STILL not released SS3 in North America... mind you most everyone has probably ordered SS3 from the UK or europe by now.

Also translation troubles could have an impact..

however I look forward to this mod..errr mission pack with enthusiasm. SS2 was good, SS3 better... H&S should be great.

 

[Balor]

In fact, it's not a mod, it's not a mission pack - it's, by all means, a different game, in different genre and in almost different setting.

 

[Mangler]

I don't care what they are calling it just Gimme GIMME GIMME! :D

( I hope its not JoWooD this time handling the distribution...they messed it up the last 2 times.)

Too bad Babblefish does not work too on the russian news page...

 

[Balor]

Why? It should do Russian-English translations.
(Not that the output quality will be any good due to differences in languages and Russian being more complex in general).
At least I've seen it in the menu.
What you want translated anyway? I can do it.