1781

Linkage does not equate to agreement. =) I’m not far enough into Rage to make a valid assessment of the game, but I will say on my relatively modern box the texture pop in was very distracting to me.

1782

From what I’ve read the texture pop is because id Tech 5 is geared towards consoles and thats how they decided they could best use the console hardware, by leveraging its strengths. The PC version suffers as a result (though tweaks and patches and drivers have improved things greatly for many) because the engine isn’t optimized to take full advantage of its strengths.

As far as the link goes, I don’t see what the writer thinks would come out of his proposal. id pushed out games in short order in the past because the technical reality limited what the artists could do. They could push something story shallow in two years again, but nobody would buy it because it wouldn’t look that good with only two artists working on it. id’s past success was because their games did push the technical and artistic envelope each time, and whatever its other problems (and there are many), Rage is graphically a move forward. It’s just that the days of big jumps are over, so improvements are subtle.

1783

That’s a part of what makes those sorts of critiques so frustrating. The author implies that artists weren’t a driving force behind Doom or Quake - bullshit! Those games had cutting edge graphics when they came out which is a big reason why they were so popular. They looked as good as the tech of the day would allow. Just like Rage does today.

1784

So…finished this one. Some observations:

  1. Solid all around. You know what was another solid shooter? Singularity. Tomato-soup shooters. Like (I think) McMaster said: gamer comfort food.

  2. Abrupt ending. I shoot zero (0) BFG shots in the end mission because I was saving them for, well, the end game. Which really never came. So I’m at this disjunction where I felt the game ended way too abruptly, with no build up, but the sheer shootery was fatiguing the crap out of me, so I was glad it ended when it did.

  3. So there are I am, listening to the end credits, and I’m going, “You know, that guy really wants to sound like Mark Lanegan”. Because, you know, it actually was Mr. Lanegan, of whom I am a big fan. There needs to be a Screaming Trees reunion. Hey, if Soundgarden could do it…

1785

Just finished- Steam Sez- 19 hours. Played on hard. Did a bit of grinding toward the end for money…of course there was no reason to…But if you need cash, it is all about Smash TV! I walk out of there with a grand every time.

Favorite area…hrm…I found most of it pretty fun and quite beautiful. If I had to pick one, I had a hell of a good time in Dead City.
This is the only game I’ve ever played that I’ve mistaken game play for a cut scene. After the first couple of days baloney with drivers, the game runs flawlessly, we minimal popups with the textures.

The ending is…abrupt. I’m ok with no ‘boss’ monster or whatnot, but that last wave battle better be EPIC…it sadly was not. I too, never fired my BFG, and did the whole last mission with the minigun.

All in all, yes it is a solid comfort food shooter. The combat is pitch perfect, and really for me that is exactly what I was looking for. Best Shotgun in 10 years or more. And pop rockets in your double barreled shotgun?A serious guilty pleasure. Love the wingsticks, and other useable items. The car was cute and occasionally useful, but the robot sidekicks were very useful. Never built a single stationary turret, because I just don’t play that way. I’m always on the go, and don’t hunker down at all.

1786

You know what was another solid shooter? Singularity.

I really regretted finishing that game; I felt the time I invested in playing was just not worth it. Probably why I abandoned Rage after 2 hours.

1787

Huh? I thought the minigun itself was the BFG…?

1788

Well, the Authority Pulse Cannon had two types of ammo, the regular minigun ammo and the BFG ammo. The BFG ammo took a while to charge up and shot one big blast.

1789

The ending is really as if they had something big planned, but could not keep it on schedule so Bethesda exec said “cut it”.
They give you BFG and than unleash, gulp, mutants at you!

1790

Quick question: Do i need to finish up in/around Wellspring before i move on? I am at the point in the story where it is obvious that I am going to a new area, but I have only just started on the races and there are some other achievements i need to pick up.

1791

I remember the makron fight being piss easy in Quake 2 because I’d been afraid to use my quad-damage power-ups throughout the game. I had 5 or 6 by the end and, couple with the railgun, I was able to take his second incarnation out in a handful of shots.

1792

You can go back to Wellspring after you go to the next area.

1793

Excellent, thanks!

1794

Damn I love subway town, some very nice art design there, just upgraded my 2 turrets/sentries and my wingstick.

Anyone wish the sewer areas were bigger? I seem to fly right through them.

Found this! Spolierz?

1795

I wish the game was bigger. I wish very hard, but it doesn’t work :( the game is still the same :P

1796

Well i blasted through the first sewers by the Ark in like 30 seconds so yes.

1797

Don’t know if this was mentioned elsewhere, but you can look around while driving with MMB by default.

Got this last night. Zero technical issues beyond a cloth animation flickering in one of the hideouts. 5850. No pop-in anywhere. Agree with the consensus - it’s fun when I get to do stuff, but the go here/go back/go here/ go back stuff is not that great so far.

1798

Yep, it’s more a case of bad controls. With the 360 pad you can look around, and the mmb does the same fuction. It’s just clunky.

Still it’s only a minor complaint, in comparison with the quick use items.

1799

I finished the last of the sewers , the power plant, and now I am headed north.

Looking back , the starting area / missions of RAGE were really poorly done. And John Goodmans talents really went to waste. :(

The Blue Line / Gearhead Vault / Distillery / Power Station almost feel like they were made by a different level developer, compared to the starting missions.

Also the double barrel sawed off shotgun with pop rockets, is so full of win.

1800

Heh heh, yeah, the “double barrel sawed off shotgun” (god was a long name) is a blast, pun intended. The reason to have the Anarchy edition together the sewer missions, as the suit is just a cheat, the extra vehicle is not needed and and the fist as weapons are just a curiosity.

Today i played both the coop and the rage rally mode. Both were fun, the coop capturing the best part of the game itself (in your face combat) in short but sweet levels with one friend, and the rally mode is pretty unique and fun. There is even quad damage! :D