My long moan about Project Reality Options

[MonkeyFiend]

read this if you can be arsed, I only wrote this to justify my thoughts on PR, while waiting for a fat program to compile...

Basically I downloaded it again after briefly playing an older version. My first impressions are that it has quite a bit of potential. The new training servers were handy for getting me use to various kits/vehicles without people bitching and moaning or insiting they fly because it's their server etc.,

However I've found relatively few servers playing, a lot of the servers I've been on have featured people TK'ing for vehicles, abuse of assets, childish behaviour and racism (often with no kick vote or players that just dont care, lack of admin etc.,) and the impact of cheats which I've seen a few is greater than bf2.

Spending 20 minutes getting to a point only to have someone crash the server was not fun.

I've no issues with the new weapons and vehicles as such, to be honest I quite like them. However I did find the medic system unintuitive.

I base my opinions on a couple of games with some from R6, a few hours of random squads and probably about 20 hours of games with EB staff (who knew all the levels like the back of their hands)

I have to admit I like the teamwork elements, however I did find the spawn times excessive. While making assets like helicopters more valuable, the long spawn times mean you're often left waiting, especially when someone sharks an asset then totals it within 20 seconds. This would be avoided if everyone were truely working together, however this just doesn't happen on public servers; players work as squads because they have to, but not as a team as a whole.

Now I don't want jumping on rockets insta-respawn a la UT, however the pace of PR is too slow for my liking, even with rally points near the fight. In probably the 20-30 games I've played, regardless of being superior to the enemy or getting our asses kicked, I've never found the battles to be intense, more a series of disjointed skirmishes.

Now even after all of this I've still not given up on the game - perhaps it will grow on me, so I'll play some more of it.

However please don't dismiss my opinions as lacking in knowledge - although I don't have as many hours as some I would like to think my knowledge of games dating backs from wolfenstein3d, encompassing many strategic games (hell even a HNC in military tactics... don't ask ), 'realisitic' fps games like americas army etc., and a working knowledge of bf2 along with the hours I've put into PR would stand me in good stead to make comment. I know it's a different game and I have spent time learning it (ok I may not be a master of PR, but I at least know what's going on)

I've also found the 'community' of sorts to contain a high propertion of wankers - many people are just retards (tk'ers/general flamers), while others have the truly vile arrogant and aloof cliquey type mentality. Often people are quick to blame others or condescend for 'lack of game knowledge' - even on training servers. (although I have met quite a few cool individuals too) - impact of people TKing is also higher since you don't just respawn in 15 seconds back into the action.

I suspect this is inherant of the game type - making a more realitisitc more hardcore FPS attracts the more 'hardcore' crowd, who often think that by making the game more hardcore (complex/difficult etc.,)means they are possess 'skillz' etc., that players of other games couldn't possibly have, which makes them better than players of other games. There's a surprising number of PR players that have told me BF2 is for noobs. None of which have managed to justify this statement.

Overall, the game is good on a technical, reailistic levels.. however I've not found it particularily fun.

Now Flame away....

[HYPOBOXER]

I used to play Operation Flashpoint and then moved on to ARMA. When they finally got it patched well it was a good game but man you need patience. One of the MODs had you spawn as a basic grunt and the only way to progress was to play the game properly. Complete a task, win point and what do points make = promotion, the more points the more options. So only a dedicated pilot could fly a Heli or a Plane and same for a tank driver or gunner. Snipers where not an issue unless you really knew how to play one as ballistics where very acurate.

Also being a Military sim, military tactics had to be employed which just like the army involved waiting around alot for shit to get in the right place. Then you would move into a tactical phase get headshot and spawn 6 miles away (and I mean 6 miles as the island was huge.) If you had good pilots you could call them back to the airfield for pickups. But most games where full of dicks so this usually meant walking for 20 minutes to a waypoint only to find it changed.

Although this was good in practise there was no way to save your progress so if you got a disconnect you lost your progress and this in the end sealed it for me. I just did not have hours to put into a single game. These games are Sims and as such far more hardcore.

OPF2 is definately on my list, but I hope they put the option in to simplify it more. I love realism but I love fun more.

Hypo