Bad Gamers With Jobs; Bad! > SS2

Well thanks to a $30 discounted power supply at MicroCenter, and a few hours of work updating OS and cleaning, etc., my non-functional (2 years) AMD desktop sytem came back on line again yesterday.

Came online for the horror that is "System Shock 2", thanks to you guys.

I had to play with the sound turned off since my significant other was in the room, but it still creeped me out. What was almost worse was I *remembered* a bunch of it, as far as I had played it (3 years ago).....which wasn't too-far; I always got killed by gun turrets in a room close to the beginning.

Runs smoothly and I very much like the set-up, where you choose your training/benefits and then begin the game. very cool.

Here's one oddity I discovered though, and maybe one of you can supply the answer: I downloaded a patch (that I thought I needed to bring it up to v. 1.7 something); when I tried to install it, the installer told me that I was already running version 2.23 of "System Shock 2"; does that sound right? My CD was a retail version that I bought three years ago.

Anyway, thanks for the nightmares, guys....I see dead monkeys...

Just wait till you get to the giants monsters made out of flesh, then you''ll have some real nightmares.

Can SS2 be found in bargain bins everywhere?

What a fantastic game! One of the parts I enjoyed the most was the Cargo Bay - tension so thick you could cut it with a knife similar to the one Arnold Schwarzenegger used in Predator (""Stick around!""), or perhaps the infamous ""You call that a knife?"" one used by Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee.

"cewargamer" wrote:

...as far as I had played it (3 years ago)...

I played right up to the end, which (at that time) appeared to be quite impossible due to my PC being too slow. Around a year after that I went back on a whim (on the same PC) and tried again. Lo and behold I got past the ""impossible"" part. What a feeling!

"cewargamer" wrote:

Here''s one oddity I discovered though, and maybe one of you can supply the answer: I downloaded a patch (that I thought I needed to bring it up to v. 1.7 something); when I tried to install it, the installer told me that I was already running version 2.23 of ""System Shock 2""; does that sound right? My CD was a retail version that I bought three years ago.

Does your out-of-the-box version have a multiplayer option on the main menu? If it doesn''t, it means you need to get patched - the patch fixed some bugs, added a few settings, and introduced multiplayer. If your copy does have the multiplayer option there is nothing to worry about.

Oh, and finally, please tell me you picked up the basketball riiiight at the start of the game? If you didn''t, and you''re still close to the beginning, restart and do it. It''s worth it.

System Shock 2 can be found on the Underdogs as it''s been released for free now.

You can''t play that game without sound!!!!

Ya.. you definitely need sound. You''re missing out on 3/4 of the experience of that game. Get a pair of headphones.

I use headphones with my laptop; I''ll have to carry them over to the desktop....and turn out all of the lights....

Haven''t seen a basketball yet....where is it?

I don''t really consider this a spoiler since the game is so old, but if you really really don''t want to know where the basketball is, then stop reading this.

I said stop reading this.

.
.
.
.
It''s been 4 years since I played this, but if I remember correctly the basketball is found right at the very beginning of the game. I think it starts with you getting off a train or something.. and then you have to walk through some hallways to get to the training part. Somewhere in those initial hallways there''s a ledge you can mantle up onto and the basketball is hidden up there. For some reason I''m thinking that later on in the game you find one on the ship too.. but I''m not sure.

"cewargamer" wrote:

Well thanks to a $30 discounted power supply at MicroCenter, and a few hours of work updating OS and cleaning, etc., my non-functional (2 years) AMD desktop sytem came back on line again yesterday.

Came online for the horror that is ""System Shock 2"", thanks to you guys.

I had to play with the sound turned off since my significant other was in the room, but it still creeped me out. What was almost worse was I *remembered* a bunch of it, as far as I had played it (3 years ago).....which wasn''t too-far; I always got killed by gun turrets in a room close to the beginning.

Runs smoothly and I very much like the set-up, where you choose your training/benefits and then begin the game. very cool.

Here''s one oddity I discovered though, and maybe one of you can supply the answer: I downloaded a patch (that I thought I needed to bring it up to v. 1.7 something); when I tried to install it, the installer told me that I was already running version 2.23 of ""System Shock 2""; does that sound right? My CD was a retail version that I bought three years ago.

Anyway, thanks for the nightmares, guys....I see dead monkeys...

Welcome to the club CE!

Then again, I haven''t gotten verty far with it. I keep getting mobbed by zombies in the infirmary.

Any suggestions?

Oh, that''s before training, then; I walked around a bit, but didn''t see too much. I''m not so vested in it that I can''t start a new guy....

BTW- I''m trying as a Marine; any advice?

"cewargamer" wrote:

Oh, that''s before training, then; I walked around a bit, but didn''t see too much. I''m not so vested in it that I can''t start a new guy....

BTW- I''m trying as a Marine; any advice?

Nah, its in game. Early too.

Not sure which is best. You aren''t very strong starting out as any of the classes, so its a toss up.

It''s not really worth starting your entire game over for... you might just want to start a quick new game to play around with it and then go back to your real game. I don''t think you can take it with you into the rest of the game. After you pick your characters class and you wake up on the ship your inventory is wiped anyway.

I don''t remember enough about the game to really issue any advice. All I remember is that I also played as a marine.. and raised a lot of stats in my weapons and shot a lot of zombies.

The basketball is on this concrete structure you can climb up next to the lifts when you get to ground level before going into training. It just takes up space in your inventory until you can use it on Deck 5. Keep it in the elevator once you get it running. I would suggest that you use the wrench as much as possible on deck 2 (The first deck you are on), you''ll need the bullets later, and you''ve probably noticed that your guns wear out rather quickly. In fact, use the wrench for as long as you can stand it. You''ll thank yourself later.

If it''s your first time through the game, CE, invest in the hacking skill! It can make life much, much easier. Actually, all the tech skills are nice to have. Strength gives you inventory space and endurance give you hp, of course. Since you started out as a marine, I wouldn''t bother with Psi at all. Waste of modules. Also, pick a weapons specialty and stick with it. Standard is always good to have. Energy is a good backup, IIRC. It''s been a little over a year since I played it last.

"buzzvang" wrote:

I would suggest that you use the wrench as much as possible on deck 2 (The first deck you are on), you''ll need the bullets later, and you''ve probably noticed that your guns wear out rather quickly. In fact, use the wrench for as long as you can stand it. You''ll thank yourself later.

Buzz, how do you get past the infirmary?

If it''s your first time through the game, CE, invest in the hacking skill! It can make life much, much easier.

Best advice yet.

This was a truly fantastic game... until something screwed up and it spawned dozens of nasties directly outside the elevator that I needed to exit from. Couldn''t get more than a few steps without dying, so I just gave up.

I bought System shock 2 for $2.88 a few years ago at Costco and played it for a bit but it is too freakin'' hard!! The way all your items degrade you''d think that everything''s been dipped in hydrochloric acid.

"Spleen" wrote:

I bought System shock 2 for $2.88 a few years ago at Costco and played it for a bit but it is too freakin'' hard!! The way all your items degrade you''d think that everything''s been dipped in hydrochloric acid.

Hence why you use the melee weapons early and save the guns for ""emergencies"" (and monkeys). By the time you start really needing the weaponry, you should have your maintenance skill up to snuff. Then you''ll be able to keep everything in decent working order. Also, it''s not uncommon to use a weapon until it breaks and have another one in your inventory (also close to breaking no doubt) to use as back up. It''s what keeps the tension high!

I think in the .ini file you could tweak degrade settings... so its wasnt so bad.

"TheGameguru" wrote:

I think in the .ini file you could tweak degrade settings... so its wasnt so bad.

Aahhh... OK now that''s piqued my interest. Maybe I''ll give it another shot. I just got Deus Ex GOTY and Thief II free with an optical mouse (along with 2 other games) so it''ll have to wait until I''m done one of my other retro catch up attempts.

Anybody who hasn''t played this game is truely missing out. Turn the sound on, and up. You''ll cry when you meet a Cyber Midwife.

Hence why you use the melee weapons early and save the guns for ""emergencies"" (and monkeys).

This is true. I tend to actually use the melee weapons through the majority of the game.

*MINOR SPOILER*

Probably the strongest, best weapon in the game is a melee weapon. You need a good Exotic Weapon skill to use it.

*MINOR SPOILER*

And when you''re done with single player, grab a friend or two and play co-op. Whole new experience.

"Demiurge" wrote:

And when you''re done with single player, grab a friend or two and play co-op. Whole new experience.

This is not a spoiler mate

Its a classic! But even more so when you play coop, the tension seems to be Aliens-esque.

Most horrific of all, the monstrous sound, atmospheric and voice records. Ack the heebiejeebies have found me!

*I think this is what your looking for sir.......*

Now waiting for System Shock 3, where you have to oppose Shodan''s evil brother, Nidan...

(drum shot)

(silence)

(baby starts crying)

"Demiurge" wrote:

Anybody who hasn''t played this game is truely missing out. Turn the sound on, and up. You''ll cry when you meet a Cyber Midwife.

Truer words were never spoken. Never went back to the wrench after tangling with them.

*SPOILER

I thought Hydroponics had the best ghost sequence (midwife related) and the most chilling log entry. Actually, there were a few really good entries on that deck. [size=8]Turnbull and Korenchkin, specifically[/size]

/*SPOILER

Villains!

I can''t help checking this thread each time a new post is made, and all of this nostalgia is detracting from my current gaming experiences! (namely Doom 3 and UT2k4)

Hmmm, idea for new System Shock 2 topic forming...

Oh ya.. and for those playing through the game, you might want to take a look at some of the mods available.

You can get a hi-res AI model mod from here. It changes many of the monsters into better looking hi-res models.

And there''s some hi-res texture mods out there, but this is the only one I could find.

You can get a hi-res AI model mod from here . It changes many of the monsters into better looking hi-res models.

The rebirth mod is very,very nice.

"mumford" wrote:

System Shock 2 can be found on the Underdogs as it''s been released for free now.

On the underdogs? You lost me man Link?

http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.ph...

The Underdogs is an abandonware site...they have many older, out-of-print games for free download. If you don''t mind 8 grillion popups and the slowest download rates in the known universe, it''s a pretty good way to scavenge some old classics.

Underdogs is a website that claims they are trying to keep old games alive by calling them ""abandonware"" since the developers/publishers have stopped supporting the game and putting up links to download the full game for free. They claim they aren''t a warez site but that''s what many developers/publishers consider them to be.