I've beaten Deus Ex on Hard, and Thief: TDP on Expert. But now SS2 has me nearly in tears it's so hard! My problems:
1. Damage. The hybrids and monkeys are damn lethal for low-level enemies. You can't always dodge their attacks, and they take off big chunks of life. I'm burning up quite a few nanites for resurrections.
2. Getting around. The maps are big and complicated. By the time I got to Engineering, I was checking the map and my notes again and again and still didn't know where to go. You kind of have to wander around and go back to a previous save game when you do know where to go.
3. Gun deterioration. Whose idea was this? If guns in real life broke that quickly, nobody would ever use them! Why did LGS decide that this was a good feature?
I really want to like this game. The craftsmanship that went into it is obvious, and the story has me hooked. But I can't get into the Shuttle Bays in Engineering without getting killed by laser cannons and detected by the security camera, and I can't hack the security system (not even with multiple tries!) Any advice for a discouraged player?
"Say, whoever you are. Do you know what Freud said about dreams of flying? It means you're really dreaming about having sex."
"Indeed? Tell me, then, what does it mean when you dream about having sex?"
hmmm, that's hard.
Well I had similar problems in thief 2. - It could be too hard (compared to T1, DX, SS)
Yep, the turrets you mention are nasty. On one tour through the game I had to reload an earlier part to get past them. Hacking the security is by far the easiest way here.
If you use too many nanites in respawning, think about reloading more often. Hacking, shopping, modifying need also nanites.
Don't give up! Eat some chips, drink something and stay alive! The Rickenbacher needs you!!!
My suggestion: Start on normal playing either Navy or Marine. If you think you can just jump right in to Psi only on Impossible, well go a ahead but you won't get far.
Practice with the wrench. That'll be your friend for about 3 or 4 decks. Guns should be used for groups of enemies and spiders.
Don't run up to face enemies. Draw them to you and hide behind a corner. They seem to have much longer melee attacks than the player so if you can get up close and hit them each time, then they usually are stuck in a pain animation and can't retaliate.
Shoot the camera if you can't whack them with the wrench.
Turrets can be shut down at security panels. Don't waste ammo killing them. beat them down with the wrench until only one shot is needed.
As for complicated levels? You'll get use to it.
Consult your auto-Notes. They almost always tell you exactly what to do next.
Turn on the mini-map.
And it couldn't hurt to read the newbie's guide to SS2.
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthrea...&threadid=7833
"Look at you, hacker, a pathetic creature who smells of elderberries. Now leave, insect, or I shall taunt you a second time."
Actually, if you want it to be that way, you could reduce, or even completely remove the gun degradation. Install the patch, and check it's readme file for instructions.
Thanks everyone. BTW, I think I've found one reason that I haven't been doing too well: I hoard stuff too greedily. I have 10 med hypos in my inventory, I use them so rarely! I'd probably survive better if I actually used them.
G'len, my copy of SS2 is a "CD-ROM Classics" edition, and the official SS2 site said not to install the patch becuase it's already patched. How would I go about turning off the gun degradation in this case?
create (in notepad or in the MSDOS editor) a file in the System Shock 2 main directory named user.cfg . in it, write gun_degrade_rate 0 (for no degradation at all). Replace the "0" with any number between 1 to 0 for an existant (but reduced) degradation speed. I hope this will work on your version.
Being able to play the game effectively has a lot to do with what things you should hoard and what you shouldn't. Hoard ammo as much as you can without it being so restrictive that you never use any of it (I did that once and by the end I had more ammo than I could hold). If you're in a situtation where it would make things a lot easier, by all means, rain bullets all over hell! Just don't pretend your Rambo and use all your ammo like a madman, or pretend you're some chinese monk and use nothing but hand-to-hand weapons.
Another tip is to train psi pull and psi healing, regardless of what area you're specializing in. Later on in the game you'll get plenty of PSI hypos, and it would be a shame to have it all go to waste.
Use med hypos when you need to, there's no need to hoard them. Of course, don't just blow them. Use med tables if you have fair access to them instead if you can.
And learn Anti-entropy.
A lot of good advice has been given here, particularly by Crion. Yes, the wrench is your friend. I find it easiest to play Navy and hack my way through everything I can. I've played multiplayer more than I have singleplayer, so I've gotten a bit soft in terms of spreading out my skills. Seeing as how in multi the hypos, nanites, and ammo is spread out more, I can't see any reason why you'd complain about those things. Just know where to look for them.
About not knowing where you're supposed to go, it really helps to run through the game once or twice, but since you're apparently having difficulty with this, and if you don't feel like spoiling it by playing multiplay with a seasoned veteran, then I'd suggest running through each map repeatedly to deliberately familiarize yourself with the locations talked about in emails and logs. It's much more effective to know where you're going by looking around at your environment as opposed to staring at the map.
For even more conservation tips, don't kill anything that doesn't pose a direct threat. If there's a turret bothering you, but it doesn't keep you from getting anywhere important, just ignore it. Get a good maint score (4 seems to be all that's required) and hoard maint tools; if you play it right, you'll be swimming in the things by the time you get to endgame and your weapons will be constantly perfect 10.
In terms of how you should distribute your skills, avoid psi like the plague and stock up on Standard (AR is a very well-rounded weapon), Heavy (Grenade Launcher and Fusion Cannon rock), and maybe a point or two in Energy (Lazpistol is good against robots, laser rapier is like an enhanced wrench, Stasis Field Generator is good for getting out of a tight spot. EMP rifle, however, is too specialized, and you're better off using EMP grenades). I've found the Exotic weapons to be utter crap; just avoid it and stick with your AR. As I said before, get your maint up to 4 and no higher. Hack is almost, if not more important. Repair is somewhat useful but can be safely avoided in my experience. Modify nearly useless; You have to spend too many modules in it to be good enough to mod anything worth modding. My general rule is: Don't get modify. That's what French-Epstein devices are for
Research should only be increased when you find an object that requires you to do so. Under this model you're not going to be using any exotic weaponry, so don't even bother with them. In terms of Stats, I'd have to say STR is more important than it may seem; getting good armor and getting handy with a wrench or rapier are critical. Furthermore, you get more inventory space, which is always a bonus. CYB is the next up, making it easier to hack, repair, etc. AGI is next, making you move faster and better able to dodge. Also notice that the laser rapier requires an AGI of 4 IIRC. Finally, END isn't entirely too important if you have enough hypos around, but it's good to upgrade it once or twice in the game. PSI, of course, is ignored.
So anyways, I've spoken entirely too much on this subject. Just remember that this is how I play the game to maximize my potential; Shock is designed so you can have fun playing the game just about any way you choose. I just find it easier to do it this way
Often the Laser Rapier, EMP Rifle, Stasis Field Generator, and the Fusion Cannon all kinda.. eh. Laser Rapier is horrid (if you played SS1) and isn't all that better than the wrench. EMP Rifle is as EliteGrunt said too specialized although it is nice and powerful (also requires MAINT 6). STG is worthless I say and the Fusion Cannon is awfully weak (tis the Railgun of SS2). The prisms are better off in a recycler. But I do recommend getting at least level 1 skills in Energy and Heavy weapons for the Laser Pistol and Grenade Launcher.
Avoid Repair skills. If you're letting you gun jam, then you're doing something wrong.
I once heard a theory that the weapons in Shock2 deteriorated because of the fact your were in space where there is more pressure and of course gravity. I don't know how thatd worked in on a pressurized and gravitized (although-when you walk through a Grav Shaft...) spaceship...
They key for me was to quicksave then quickload. I'd RECON (like the true Marine I am), die, then quickload the level knowing EXACTLY where everyone is.
I think it's more likely you misheard.Originally posted by pdenton
I once heard a theory that the weapons in Shock2 deteriorated because of the fact your were in space where there is more pressure and of course gravity.The pressure and gravity on the VB would be Earth-normal.
The two theories I've heard most often are:
1) The Many are using their psychic powers to emit an anti-entropy field.
2) Someone under the Many's influence created and released weapon-munching nanites.
Neither of these theories are directly supported by anything in-game, so they both represent pure conjecture.
I was always under the impression that the faster than light drive was the cause of the weapons breaking.
Isn't there a log somewhere that says that every thing is breaking due to the entropy field the engines are putting out? It was from a maintenance guy, I think.
This also explains the anti entropic field that black ops had developed.
I never really had a problem because there are more than enough maintenance tools around, not to mention heaps of nanites if you need to buy more tools.
No.Originally posted by MightyMouse
Isn't there a log somewhere that says that every thing is breaking due to the entropy field the engines are putting out?
No it doesn't. Entropy exists everywhere. It's just the tendency of all systems toward disorder.This also explains the anti entropic field that black ops had developed.
Lowest bidder.
Yeah, but the whole point of contention with a lot of people around here is that the guns break much faster than in real life.Originally posted by ZylonBane
No.
No it doesn't. Entropy exists everywhere. It's just the tendency of all systems toward disorder.
System Shock seems to have greatly accelerated entropy...
Thank you to everyone for the advice. I've just purged the radiation in engineering, and am getting the hang of everything. I nearly died when I was beset by 3 hybrids and a bot, but I survived. The shotgun is a terrific weapon, but the wrench is indeed my friend. Just upped my strength to 3 (4 with the brawnboost implant) and I can kill pipe hybrids with one hit of the wrench, shotgun hybrids with two hits. Though, if the latest transmission is any indication, I'm going to meet more difficult enemies soon. Well, that's it for now. Game on!
"Say, whoever you are. Do you know what Freud said about dreams of flying? It means you're really dreaming about having sex."
"Indeed? Tell me, then, what does it mean when you dream about having sex?"
Just you wait! Watch your spine...
All right, I've run into a problem.
I've restored power to the elevator. But when I try to go to Deck 4, all I get is, "Error! Deck inaccessable!" What gives?
"Say, whoever you are. Do you know what Freud said about dreams of flying? It means you're really dreaming about having sex."
"Indeed? Tell me, then, what does it mean when you dream about having sex?"
You might want to try to get to another deck instead, one that <I>is</I> accessible.
<SMALL>3.</SMALL>
Who's "Frued"?
Do a Google search if you don't know. If you're accusing me of misspelling the name, I've seen it spelled both ways. The quote comes from The Sandman, and... I just checked, it's spelled your way there. I'll change it shortly.Originally posted by ZylonBane
Who's "Frued"?
News Flash: "Frued" is not an alternate spelling. It's a misspelling.Originally posted by Cyborg Vampire
If you're accusing me of misspelling the name, I've seen it spelled both ways.
<SMALL>Hmm. When I see <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=sigmund+frued&btnG=Google+Search">"Frued"</A> I want to pronounce it "Frood", and when I see <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=sigmund+freud&btnG=Google+Search">"Freud"</A> I want to pronounce it "Froyd".</SMALL>
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