29-06-2005 21:46									#151
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

If you're lucky, you can fry Simons with the switch on the wall if he steps on the rails. No muss, no fuss.

	29-06-2005 21:57									#152
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Good idea!

Carolus

	29-06-2005 21:59									#153
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Or use cloak and run away behind something.

	30-06-2005 00:42									#154
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Well, I already tried running away (albeit without cloak)...

Carolus

	30-06-2005 01:25									#155
	Inflate your Upload Space

Yeah, cloak is a good way to either run away or kill him. If you're going the killing route, it takes a few seconds for him to react when you start firing on him and you can get in a few shots before he fires a shot. If those few shots are to the head, that may be all you need anyway...

If it weren't for the enormous power drain, cloak would be game-breaking.

	30-06-2005 01:49									#156
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

That is what I meant. Use Cloak, hide, cloak off, position yourself, cloak on, fire something heavy, hide, cloak off. Repeat as often as necessary.

	30-06-2005 01:50									#157
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

btw. its nice to hear Simons saying: "you cannot hide forever, Denton" while doing this.

	30-06-2005 02:33									#158
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Simons also chucks grenades form time to time. If you the field enhancement which predatonates grenades (also useful with flamethrowers) you can let him blow himself up. I saw him pull out a grenade and...*POOF*...there went Simons

	30-06-2005 03:03									#159
	Put an end to popups!

The Aggressive Defense System is handy, as it also nullifies Simon's Plasma Rifle so long as you don't get too close.

I replayed through the game more aggressively and choose it over the Spy Drone, and it made the fight with Simons all too easy, even if it was a little hard to see where I was shooting.

	01-07-2005 06:27									#160
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JC Denton:

"Another Stone Age is hardly the solution"

I met Walton Simmons again... He killed me all the time... As I said above, the Plasma Gun's explosions make the game run pretty bumpy...

Finally hit him with the Sniper Rifle a couple of times... Which, BTW, seems to be the favourite gun among MP players...

Carolus

	01-07-2005 13:28									#161
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

If you have the speed enhancement you can avoid him the second time also.

	02-07-2005 01:45									#162
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Feels like I'm closing in...

Create a New Dark Age, Reinstate The Illuminati, or merge with some software...

Hm... The only option that hasn't been "demanding" or "evil-sounding" is Tracer Tong... So, unless another option appears I guess a New Dark Age is falling on the earth...

Well, I'll snoop around some more first and see if there are any clues...

Of course, I'll save and do all three... New Dark Age, Helios, The Illuminati... In that order...

Carolus

	02-07-2005 02:00									#163
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Just got a message from Gary Savage... Seems things are under, eh, "control" in Hong Kong due to Helios...

Power corrupts... Absolute power corrupts absolutely, though...

Tracer Tong and Savage preaches today's economic, capitalistic, system... Under guidance of basic (current) laws ensuring stability... Individual freedom within legal limits... Sounds allright...

Carolus

	02-07-2005 06:08									#164
	Got spare money?

I tried all three endings...

Doesn't seem to make much difference, but The Illuminati ending felt darkest (end quote was something like "Better to reign in hell, than to serve in heaven"...

What a great game! The atmosphere, the story and most of the dialogue... The fact that you don't have to kill everything in sight...

Definitely going to replay it!

Carolus

	02-07-2005 06:11									#165
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

... and I can finally check out the spoiler posts!

But first, some sleep... Good night.

Carolus

	02-07-2005 06:15									#166
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spoiler(highlight to read): Which one did you go for first? Dark Age? That's the one I went for the first time. Didn't trust the Illuminati, didn't know if I could trust Helios. The Illuminati ending felt the least darkest to me. Everett seemed surprisingly true to his word about benevolent dictatorship, Denton is alive and not part of a machine, and the ruling Illuminati are all quite mortal, offering the hope for another turnover of power should they screw up. One of the reasons I decided against the Helios ending was that it seemed quite adamant about protecting itself, and seemed to have the means to do so. Without immortality, it would be ruling for a long long while if not forever, so if the final result of the Daedalus/Icarus/Denton merger did not make a good dictator, there might not be much the world could do about it unless it had the courage to bring about the Dark Age JC didn't.

	02-07-2005 10:53									#167
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I generally put myself in my characters shoes and do what I'd do in their place. The Illuminati.
It's the only ending that doesn't have irrevocable consequences.

Afterall one could always merge with Helios later, after the risks involved had been calculated. After it had been contained such that negative fallout could be controlled.

Or one could destroy the global commo hub, after the virus had been contained, the vaccine distributed and a semblance of order re-established everywhere.

Until then though I'd have to go with the mythical city on the hill ...


[Edit: Darnit. CR beat me. ]

	02-07-2005 11:44									#168
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Helios for me. Connected to the net 24/7?

	02-07-2005 13:35									#169
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Carolus Rex I tried all three endings... Doesn't seem to make much difference, but The Illuminati ending felt darkest (end quote was something like "Better to reign in hell, than to serve in heaven"... What a great game! The atmosphere, the story and most of the dialogue... The fact that you don't have to kill everything in sight... Definitely going to replay it! Carolus

It's a great feeling to finish the game isn't it?

	02-07-2005 14:03									#170
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quote: Originally posted by DrSpike It's a great feeling to finish the game isn't it?

Actually, I felt a little sad...

I've been playing it so much that it became a normal part of life... I know that sounds extremely corny, but hey, we're all gaming geeks here, right?

I wish it wouldn't end... I loved starting a (or part of a) new mission... When you have to discover the area, the traps and the various ways to go through with the mission... It's the same feeling I have at the start of a Civ II game, when the map is black and everything is up for discovery...

Carolus

	02-07-2005 14:15									#171
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quote: Originally posted by ravagon I generally put myself in my characters shoes and do what I'd do in their place. The Illuminati. It's the only ending that doesn't have irrevocable consequences. Afterall one could always merge with Helios later, after the risks involved had been calculated. After it had been contained such that negative fallout could be controlled. Or one could destroy the global commo hub, after the virus had been contained, the vaccine distributed and a semblance of order re-established everywhere. Until then though I'd have to go with the mythical city on the hill ...

Hm, good point... I didn't think that far... In this case I was a "gut player" ()... I liked G Savage's character, he seemed to be a reasonable guy...

I suspected it would be Myst-like in the end, where 2 out of 3 possible endings are bad outcomes...

BTW, I haven't found any official add-ons or expansion packs... Wasn't this game a giant hit (commercially)? If it was (which it surely must have been?), then why are there no extra missions?

Edit: it's obvious, isn't it? What is there to expand on after the dust settles? Still, some pockets of resistance in exotic places somewhere wouldn't be that farfetched, would it? I wouldn't mind going to, say, Rio de Janeiro and smoke out rebels against the new world order in the statue of Jesus...

Carolus

	02-07-2005 14:17									#172
	Increase Your PM Length

quote: Originally posted by Carolus Rex Actually, I felt a little sad... I've been playing it so much that it became a normal part of life... I know that sounds extremely corny, but hey, we're all gaming geeks here, right? I wish it wouldn't end... I loved starting a (or part of a) new mission... When you have to discover the area, the traps and the various ways to go through with the mission... It's the same feeling I have at the start of a Civ II game, when the map is black and everything is up for discovery... Carolus

I know exactly what you mean.

	02-07-2005 14:46									#173
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And hopes for a good sequel are also dashed.

	02-07-2005 14:56									#174
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quote: Originally posted by DrSpike It's a testament to the game that I played it 5 years ago and still remember most of the parts you describe.

5 years... 5 years of ignorance on my part... What other gold nuggets are there out there, waiting for me?

Carolus

	02-07-2005 15:02									#175
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quote: Originally posted by Skanky Burns Even something for non-violent people.

Yes... I'm truly lousy when it comes to shoot-outs... I prefer to sneak in the dark... That's why I have great expectations about Thief!

Carolus

	02-07-2005 15:42									#176
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by Carolus Rex 5 years... 5 years of ignorance on my part... What other gold nuggets are there out there, waiting for me? Carolus

Play System Shock 2 next. Second only to Deus Ex in the story heavy RPG flavoured FPS (a small but perfectly formed genre) it is certainly the most atmospheric game I've ever played.

	02-07-2005 15:59									#177
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System Shock 2 I played Shock first and Deus Ex second many years later, my old computer couldn't handle the latter.

	02-07-2005 16:02									#178
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SS2 is certainly up there with the greats.

	02-07-2005 17:24									#179
	Got spare money?

SS2 is even better with the graphic updates.

	02-07-2005 17:43									#180
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Originally posted by DrSpike Play System Shock 2 next. Second only to Deus Ex in the story heavy RPG flavoured FPS (a small but perfectly formed genre) it is certainly the most atmospheric game I've ever played.

Yes... Don't remember if it was a thread about Deus Ex that opened my eyes to System Shock II or the other way around (or was it in a MOHAA thread, featuring ravagon?)...

But as I understand it, those are two great games (and for long the only ones in the genre?)... I've read some great reviews about System Shock...

I'm buying System Shock II as planned from "down under" + Fallout 1 and 2 + Planescape: Torment...

Perhaps I should hold it off a little bit, though... Play something different first...

Carolus