MINERVA - read-only archives

Just like in role-playing games, FPS players have different expectations from the games they play. What are you looking for in Metastasis?

I was looking for an experience that I've been unable to find in the FPS genre as a whole.
Some kind of twisted combination of, say, Fight Club, Deus Ex, and KOTOR2 (Yes, that's right. A Film, An RPG/FPS & a buggy, dodgy, but way too deep for it's setting RPG. All mixed into one).
Something that makes me think. Makes me want to do additional research into the Mythical figures alluded to.
[2cents]The fact that MINERVA was the first time that I was truly awed by HDR is a feat in itself, but I feel that without such utterly brilliant writing, the experience would be somewhat diminished.
[/2cents]

What kind of person wants only one thing out of a game? That being said, if I had to choose one thing that makes me appreciate the Minerva mods, it's immersion. The mod has one element where it outdoes even Half-Life 2, and that is getting you to think about the experience of gameplay as you in a real-world situation instead of as an entity on the level of a game. You don't have a gravity gun, so you have to interact in human ways with objects- shoot them or move them with your hands. The story and mysteries- who you are, who the person directing you is, the nature of the place you're in- are of personal relevance to you (i.e. your character) and thus highly engaging. It's openly acknowledged that you're using violence to an extraordinary degree and that you have a lifespan "measured in minutes". There are fewer artificial mechanics- things that most gamers easily accept and even enjoy, but in doing so also begin think of the game more in terms of a game.

I think, out of the myriad wonderful qualities of M:M, what I most... what most entertains me is the knowledge that I could die at any moment. It feels like a real struggle to play through. And while I can reload at any point, there's something about the helplessness and Minerva's messages that so immerses me in the game that I fear for my life. Or at least the life of the character I play.

While it may not be a RPG in any conventional sake, MINERVA is one of the few games that makes you feel that you are taking on a real role, rather than a floating gun or set of statistics. We know next to nothing about him yet I feel the same fear, adrenaline, fatigue and confusion that 'Perseus' does.

So, more to the point - I'm looking for an incredible level of immersion in games large parts of which are a deep, involving story and convincing level design where everything fits the internal logic of the world. Puzzles and combat are there to drive the game (and player) and pace it well but I could honestly live without them if I was given an impressive enough world and story. The reverse cannot be said - combat and puzzles simply aren't fun without a suitable, convincing enviroment and storyline.

Yes, the level design really helps to reinforce the feeling of immersion. It feels like a real Combine base, whereas the official Half-Life campaign suffers from what I like to call "the roller-coaster effect". By the way, I voted for the mix, naturally.

I like the fact that the Combine bunker actually seems like it's a full complex that has other areas and corridors you never visit as opposed to the corridor of locked doors and nothing else feel of half-life.

In Metastasis I treasure the obscure, intriguing story and awesome scenery AND the game play which is actually challenging.

It seems to me that any game that garners much a following at all has elements of all the things mentioned in the poll. HL2 is the commercial leader in the FPS genre in that regard. The have an intruiging story, good gameplay, and interesting visuals. Give us a reason to want to play, something pretty to look at while we do it, and some fun to do along the way too.

I think that M:M beats Valve at their own game in some ways. I haven't had the chance to play all the way through the new material from Adam yet, but what I have seen so far is freaking amazing. I was blown away by that portal scene. It was much better done than the one at the end of HL2, even if that was its inspiration. Also, the writing is excellent throughout what I have played and from what others are saying, all the way through.

Valve's commentary repeatedly comes back to the subject of the big pay-off - usually this means a beautiful vista. Take Episode 1 - the visual pay-off includes after Dog picks up the gunship and you see the rising(?) sun over the ruins of City 17. Or when you finally reach the Dark Matter Reactor and it is revealed to you, the great window opening.

Metastasis has visual payoffs of this kind but usually leaves it to the player to take their own time to view it. They aren't presented on a silver platter (with the exception of the portal scene), which aids player immersion but does mean that it's possible to play M:M without getting that visual reward.

I voted for mix, because it all needs to come together well to make a really good game.

One thing I really like about Minerva though, and that I often miss in other games is the nonlinearity in many parts of the maps, i.e. there is more than one way to get from A to B, so you can go over D to avoid the Combine going from B to A over C and, when they get there, shoot them from complete safety with a mounted gun. That means it often really pays off to have a good look at your surroundings and memorize the possible paths. It also has the downside that you can get a bit lost, but that's far better in my opinion than always being on a set track, where you don't even have to know where you want to go next, just follow only path available. I actually think parts 1 and 2 of Metastasis were better in that respect.

[edit: small typo]