Silent Storm

[Pidesco]

I'll probably be getting Silent Storm next week (with a magazine).

 

I seem to recall reading good things about it on these forums. I understand it's like Jagged Alliance but in 3D. What can you tell me about it?

[Deraldin]

I piked it up earlier this week. Great game.

 

Anything in particular about it that you want described?

[Pidesco]

I piked it up earlier this week. Great game.

 

Anything in particular about it that you want described?

 

What are its innovative features? Is the 3d engine good for something other than eye candy? Is it buggy?

 

I'm also hoping to stir a fun, readable debate over the game for me to read over the weekend. I'm a lurker in need of entertainment. :p"

[Deraldin]

What are its innovative features? Is the 3d engine good for something other than eye candy? Is it buggy?

 

I'm also hoping to stir a fun, readable debate over the game for me to read over the weekend. I'm a lurker in need of entertainment. "

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The 3D Engine does a very good job in my opinion although for some reason I just can't get used to the up and down movement of the camera. I keep moving the mouse the wrong way and if I reverse it then it is reversed in my mind at the same time so I get no where.

 

I haven't had any problems whatsoever on my ATI card so that should tell you something. " My copy came pre-patched to version 1.2 so that might explain a few things. Actually now that I think about it there was one glitch where I practically stood on top of a guy and still couldn't see him. I assumed he was dead as I put a full round of Thompson ammo right through the red shadow. Turns out he didn't die as he pumped my guy so full of lead on the next turn that I was surprised the bullets didn't start ricocheting off him near the end as they hit bullets that were already fired.

 

Destructable terrain is your friend! If you hear someone on the other side of a wall or above/below you, you don't need to expose yourself to an interrupt and possible full burst to the face() since you can just fire right through floors/walls depending on what weapon you are using. Entrance to a building to well guarded? Blow a hole in the side wall and storm in there!

 

When blowing holes in walls though just remember to leave enough that the building doesn't collapse. Unless of course you are on the outside and the enemy is on the inside. " I was playing a mission where I had to rescue a couple allied soldiers that were pinned down outside a building by a bunch of Germans that were using the building for cover and shooting out the windows. Ended up with a group of massed german troops in one corner of the second floor firing out a single window. The Allied troop that was closest pulled out a bazooka and blew away the wall on the first floor which collapsed the whole corner of the building from the first floor up to the third and sent the germans crashing to their deaths. That was pretty neat. :cool:

[Pidesco]

This is all very, very impressive. Especially the bit about destructible buildings.

 

Does the game have any gameplay faults?

[Deraldin]

Does the game have any gameplay faults?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I probably shouldn't comment on them having not run into them yet, but...

 

Panzerkleins apparently ruined the later stages of the game for a lot of people as they basically turned your soldiers into walking tanks.

[Hurlshort]

I played through to the Panzerkliens, they do ruin the game but there is so much goodness beforehand. I really want to pick up the expansion. It's actually hitting the States next month, so I'll buy it.

 

The game engine is just wonderful. Sniping someone from a third story window and watching them tumble down, bouncing off rubble, is just sublime. There is tons of WW2 era weaponry available, and grenades are more realistic than in any other game.

 

The story is unfortunately mediocre. Some missions are great, some are not, but it carries itself well because of the combat. Basically if you enjoyed Xcom and Jagged Alliance, this is the ONLY game to capture the same gameplay style. I had some camera issues as well, but patching helped with that.

[213374U]

Unfortunately, the game suffers from some serious balance issues. For instance, nothing short of metallic walls (and those are EXTREMELY rare) can prevent a character from being mowed down by a MG burst (pks notwithstanding), which makes burst specialists rather overpowered in the early to middle phases of the game. Also, the game is broken when it comes down to skill development as there are some items whose requirements you will NEVER meet (this is especially frustrating for engineers).

 

I made my lead character a stealth/melee/throwing specialist, but as soon as the "soldier" types in my party mastered burst fire, it all came down to bursting every enemy to hell. Just remember to bring plenty of ammo.

 

Nice engine, but the AI is pretty stupid, at least compared to what you can do. For instance, the AI will sometimes camp a position of advantage in front of some stairs, making your advance next to impossible due to suppression fire. However, a well placed grenade will make a huge hole in the floor that, in the unlikely event that the enemy survives, you can use to blast him to pieces comfortably. Just remember to bring plenty of grenades.

 

Also, the game pretty much gets f*cked up with the appearance of Pks, since most of your party becomes useless unless they can operate a Pk or a RPG. Snipers are basically useless (unless you get teh uber 1337 secret rifle), as are stealth characters and MG soldiers.

 

If only they had included a MP co-op feature... :'(

 

Be on the lookout for Hammer & Sickle, though, a RPG that uses the S2 engine. From the previews, it's looking pretty cool.

[karka]

I bought it last week as a gold edition (with Sentinels). It cost me 26 TL.(About 19$)

 

I am waiting for semester holiday to play it.

[Musopticon?]

If I recall correctly there's a mod that fixes the balance issues and various bugs.

 

Oh, and I heartily agree with all the praise Silent Storm has recieved in this thread. Get the add-on, Sentinels, too. It gets rid of Panzerkleins and adds quite a hefty bit of JA-flavor.

[Pidesco]

What's the best place to go to get mods and other stuff for Silent Storm?

Edited October 29, 2005 by Soulseeker

[Musopticon?]

I guess the russian fansites would be the best sources, but as you're...lacking the language, google might the best choice. I really don't know any english pages.

[Hell Kitty]

Silent Storm (+ Sentinels) is fabulicious. Sadly there was never that much in the way of mods.

[Hurlshort]

S2 HQ has the most information on mods. It hasn't taken off very well though.

 

Link

[kumquatq3]

Get the add-on, Sentinels, too. It gets rid of Panzerkleins and adds quite a hefty bit of JA-flavor.

 

 

If you like SS, you'll love SS:S

 

 

One downside no one pointed out: When you end your turn in combat, the NPCs and enemy units then move.

 

Those turns take quite a bit of time.

[Deraldin]

One downside no one pointed out: When you end your turn in combat, the NPCs and enemy units then move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Um, you were commenting on how slow those turns take right? Not that they take place at all right?

 

Would be kinda boring if the enemy didn't move at all.

[kumquatq3]

One downside no one pointed out: When you end your turn in combat, the NPCs and enemy units then move.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Um, you were commenting on how slow those turns take right? Not that they take place at all right?

 

Would be kinda boring if the enemy didn't move at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I got distracted.

 

Yes, I was trying to say that those turns take awhile

[Pidesco]

Are the turns any slower than in JA?

[Musopticon?]

Nah, nothing major. If you liked JA, you'lll be fine.

[Pidesco]

Oh, good. You had me worried for a moment there.

 

 

Is Silent Storm Gold the original game plus the expansion?

[Musopticon?]

At least in Europe it is.

[Spider]

Also, the game is broken when it comes down to skill development as there are some items whose requirements you will NEVER meet (this is especially frustrating for engineers).

 

I think this is caused by a patch (I read a walkthrough that mentioned that medicine and engineering are worthless when playing with the latest patch). Not sure though since I haven't played unpatched.

 

And this is fixed in the expansion, skills improve much faster.

 

I made my lead character a stealth/melee/throwing specialist, but as soon as the "soldier" types in my party mastered burst fire, it all came down to bursting every enemy to hell. Just remember to bring plenty of ammo.

 

I thought the soldiers were pretty bad compared to the sniper which is almost invincible. Range and headshots are your friends.

 

Also, the game pretty much gets f*cked up with the appearance of Pks, since most of your party becomes useless unless they can operate a Pk or a RPG. Snipers are basically useless (unless you get teh uber 1337 secret rifle), as are stealth characters and MG soldiers.

 

Panzerkleins are boring. Not only are they overpowered, they also move slower than anything, so just walking across maps takes ages. Both of these are also fixed in the expansion however (all of a sudden rocket launchers are scary).

 

But I don't agree that snipers are useless against PKs. First, they have so much better shooting compared to anyone else which make them as good as anyone inside PKs (especially with the plasma weapon). And outside PKs there is always the plasma gun. It kinda sucks that it's one-shot only, but one or two shots with it takes out any PK you encounter.

[kumquatq3]

Hammer & Sickle, I think, will get rid of the Panzerkleins problem (tho it has tanks now)

 

Anyways, I'm waiting for 12/5/05 (gamestop lists it as such)

[Musopticon?]

^Hammer and Sickle is an espionage rpg. Not a strategic team one. Even if there were power armors in the game, you wouldn't have to face them. The obstacles you face in the game are totally different in comparison to Silent Storm.

[kumquatq3]

^Hammer and Sickle is an espionage rpg. Not a strategic team one. Even if there were power armors in the game, you wouldn't have to face them. The obstacles you face in the game are totally different in comparison to Silent Storm.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

How much of a RPG it is remains to be seen, but it is clearly a "squad based" game still.

 

After all, you still have all the same guns, classes (which means your main guy can only really do 1/6th of the stuff effectively without party members) , and you even "level up" in exactly the same way. You have full control over the party.

 

It's silent storm with dialogue trees.

 

After all, there is a soldier class. If there isn't a strategic combat route, why even have a combat heavy guy? For one or two missions?

Edited October 31, 2005 by kumquatq3