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Source: BASHandSlash.com - RoH: First Look Play Test
Sam (aka iBleedv20 was at TWI studios this weekend checking out Red Orchestra 2). He files this report on the game.
There is a new player in FPS-town and its honest gaming-origins contrasts starkly against today's pop-gaming, gadget-oriented shooters that seem to be crafted more by psychologists than by game-developers.
That game is Red Orchestra Heroes of Stalingrad (RO:HoS). RO:HoS by any other name...well, if you did call RO:HOS by any other name, it would still smell as sweet.
RO:HoS takes you in and does not let you go until you have captured your objective or won the campaign. You would expect this type of immersion from a single player game that has the advantages of storyline and cinematic exposition, yet RO:HoS does this in multiplayer. How many recent FPS MP's can you say that about?
My play-test of the alpha of the game ranged between the feel of the typical "pop-video game" we are recently used to and that of a classic game from the PC-platform's heyday...a lovingly crafted and immersive shooter that strives to be playable, realistic and most of all relevant all at the same time.
For this gamer it succeeds at all those things.
The Play Test
I want to mention that John Gibson (TWI’s President) made it clear to me that I would be playing against the finest RO players in the world and I interpreted that as his concern that I might think that the game was too elite for an unabashed run'n'gunner like myself.
The play testing lasted 4 hours. Most of that time was consumed by RO:HoS’s campaign gametype , where you battle on ten smaller maps that you have the option to vote on.
In these battles there were moments that thrilled and captured me in ways that other games have not. In one such moment on the map Grain Elevator, part of our squad was held up from entering a room and there was hesitation as to how that could be accomplished.
All the players had stopped and taken realistic positions relative to cover and strategy. With the German squad leader communicating the danger on Teamspeak, I stepped up to the plate and used my well-worn grenade skills. I would bank my "Potato-masher" grenade off of the door jamb back into the room and come out of this as a hero to my squad.
I removed the cap (scripted at the perfect rate to feel tension). I pulled the pin (scripted again...not too slow, but there is no going back). I have a live bomb in my hand and yet I hesitate but I know that the longer I hold the throw the longer the nade travels...am I cooking it? I know I have a dangerous explosive in my hand and I feel the need to get rid of it. I panic and it doesn’t feel like I've thrown it right. It comes across my body like a poorly thrown football. The nade misses the jamb and hits the wall...
The action goes by in seconds but I describe it an agonizingly detailed fashion to show you how realistic even throwing a nade can be in this game.
The game's scripting makes accentuates the need for skillfullness. Every action is immersive. The beauty and simplicity of the scripting in conjunction with the learned skill of the throw blows me away. In gaming, “it’s the details that matter”.
I expect to die immediately but I don’t. The blast radius of the grenade does not kill me and I am doubtful that a real grenade would have either. But I don’t remember if I took damage. I was so completely engrossed in the process I forgot about everything else.
These are the type of layered features that RO:HoS offers that sucks you in: short, powerful scripts, thoughtfully integrated.
In another RO:HoS moment that gave me great satisfaction, I heard the commander (John Gibson on TS) bark out the sitrep that we had sniper fire coming from a high window to our right. This was while we were trying to control a trench and bridge area objective.
John: “We need somebody up on the third floor to suppress a sniper up high and on the right. Somebody needs to get up there. He’s killing us !”
In RO:HoS you want to be a team player because the feeling you get playing is as urgent as I would think real battle might be.
I made the decision to be the one for the suppression mission...not making any consideration of the weapon that was in my hands. My team needed help...and that was that.
I quickly made my way up to the 3rd floor on a switchback staircase. This game does not play slow and your avatar runs with realistic human speed.
Once I arrived at the top I had to search for the sniper and cautiously scan the other building for the him using a beautiful lean that curves out and around like your human body would.
Once I located the sniper (realistic and directional sound helps out remarkably), I realised that I didn’t know my weapon or its capabilities. At least I was safe for the moment as I could see that the sniper had no shot on me.
In this situation, in most games, you would be left with a wasted effort of having arrived there in that moment totally impotent unless that sniper was foolish or you got lucky with the right geometry. Not in RO:HoS! I laid down some fire! And I was useful.
With the suppression system integrated into ROHOS you have the weapon and what it is capable of in an actual battle.
I would like to reiterate this. A real weapon is multifunctional. It’s primary purpose is to kill. Its other purpose is to suppress. I find it curious why even some more casual shooters don’t pay more attention to this.
TWI has integrated suppressive fire into it’s game in an organic and playable way.
My Tokarev was more than capable of suppressing the sniper. In this game when you are suppressed and under fire it has an effect on the avatar that is designed to create tension and just as important, it simulates real world danger. Your screen color bleeds out a bit. Your heartbeat accelerates in your eardrums. In addition, you are shaken in proportion to the incoming fire. But never does it seem overbearing nor does it have pop gaming sensibilities.
It screams, “This is war and I am in trouble!”
This is “fight or flight” This is primal. Then it unwinds at a pace simulating adrenalin wearing off.
Oh yeah, back to my moment.
I was unfamiliar with the weapon. But I have fired my share of weapons and know a bit about realistic recoil. These guns shoot and I could quickly adapt to them even while adjusting within the moment. Just as I would expect with any new weapon in my hands from any era. While suppressing, I was able to catch sight of an advancing player trying to take control of our ground. I noticed him three stories down and out, about maybe fifty yards. I swung my weapon left and down steeply, centered his body mass and made the kill.
I have always loved rifles and as an initiate to the game I was very proud of the event and how I was able to influence the moment.
After all I was playing against the finest RO players in the world.
Next up: Graphics Sound and Movement.
Sam (aka iBleedv20 was at TWI studios this weekend checking out Red Orchestra 2). He files this report on the game.
There is a new player in FPS-town and its honest gaming-origins contrasts starkly against today's pop-gaming, gadget-oriented shooters that seem to be crafted more by psychologists than by game-developers.
That game is Red Orchestra Heroes of Stalingrad (RO:HoS). RO:HoS by any other name...well, if you did call RO:HOS by any other name, it would still smell as sweet.
RO:HoS takes you in and does not let you go until you have captured your objective or won the campaign. You would expect this type of immersion from a single player game that has the advantages of storyline and cinematic exposition, yet RO:HoS does this in multiplayer. How many recent FPS MP's can you say that about?
My play-test of the alpha of the game ranged between the feel of the typical "pop-video game" we are recently used to and that of a classic game from the PC-platform's heyday...a lovingly crafted and immersive shooter that strives to be playable, realistic and most of all relevant all at the same time.
For this gamer it succeeds at all those things.
The Play Test
I want to mention that John Gibson (TWI’s President) made it clear to me that I would be playing against the finest RO players in the world and I interpreted that as his concern that I might think that the game was too elite for an unabashed run'n'gunner like myself.
The play testing lasted 4 hours. Most of that time was consumed by RO:HoS’s campaign gametype , where you battle on ten smaller maps that you have the option to vote on.
In these battles there were moments that thrilled and captured me in ways that other games have not. In one such moment on the map Grain Elevator, part of our squad was held up from entering a room and there was hesitation as to how that could be accomplished.
All the players had stopped and taken realistic positions relative to cover and strategy. With the German squad leader communicating the danger on Teamspeak, I stepped up to the plate and used my well-worn grenade skills. I would bank my "Potato-masher" grenade off of the door jamb back into the room and come out of this as a hero to my squad.
I removed the cap (scripted at the perfect rate to feel tension). I pulled the pin (scripted again...not too slow, but there is no going back). I have a live bomb in my hand and yet I hesitate but I know that the longer I hold the throw the longer the nade travels...am I cooking it? I know I have a dangerous explosive in my hand and I feel the need to get rid of it. I panic and it doesn’t feel like I've thrown it right. It comes across my body like a poorly thrown football. The nade misses the jamb and hits the wall...
The action goes by in seconds but I describe it an agonizingly detailed fashion to show you how realistic even throwing a nade can be in this game.
The game's scripting makes accentuates the need for skillfullness. Every action is immersive. The beauty and simplicity of the scripting in conjunction with the learned skill of the throw blows me away. In gaming, “it’s the details that matter”.
I expect to die immediately but I don’t. The blast radius of the grenade does not kill me and I am doubtful that a real grenade would have either. But I don’t remember if I took damage. I was so completely engrossed in the process I forgot about everything else.
These are the type of layered features that RO:HoS offers that sucks you in: short, powerful scripts, thoughtfully integrated.
In another RO:HoS moment that gave me great satisfaction, I heard the commander (John Gibson on TS) bark out the sitrep that we had sniper fire coming from a high window to our right. This was while we were trying to control a trench and bridge area objective.
John: “We need somebody up on the third floor to suppress a sniper up high and on the right. Somebody needs to get up there. He’s killing us !”
In RO:HoS you want to be a team player because the feeling you get playing is as urgent as I would think real battle might be.
I made the decision to be the one for the suppression mission...not making any consideration of the weapon that was in my hands. My team needed help...and that was that.
I quickly made my way up to the 3rd floor on a switchback staircase. This game does not play slow and your avatar runs with realistic human speed.
Once I arrived at the top I had to search for the sniper and cautiously scan the other building for the him using a beautiful lean that curves out and around like your human body would.
Once I located the sniper (realistic and directional sound helps out remarkably), I realised that I didn’t know my weapon or its capabilities. At least I was safe for the moment as I could see that the sniper had no shot on me.
In this situation, in most games, you would be left with a wasted effort of having arrived there in that moment totally impotent unless that sniper was foolish or you got lucky with the right geometry. Not in RO:HoS! I laid down some fire! And I was useful.
With the suppression system integrated into ROHOS you have the weapon and what it is capable of in an actual battle.
I would like to reiterate this. A real weapon is multifunctional. It’s primary purpose is to kill. Its other purpose is to suppress. I find it curious why even some more casual shooters don’t pay more attention to this.
TWI has integrated suppressive fire into it’s game in an organic and playable way.
My Tokarev was more than capable of suppressing the sniper. In this game when you are suppressed and under fire it has an effect on the avatar that is designed to create tension and just as important, it simulates real world danger. Your screen color bleeds out a bit. Your heartbeat accelerates in your eardrums. In addition, you are shaken in proportion to the incoming fire. But never does it seem overbearing nor does it have pop gaming sensibilities.
It screams, “This is war and I am in trouble!”
This is “fight or flight” This is primal. Then it unwinds at a pace simulating adrenalin wearing off.
Oh yeah, back to my moment.
I was unfamiliar with the weapon. But I have fired my share of weapons and know a bit about realistic recoil. These guns shoot and I could quickly adapt to them even while adjusting within the moment. Just as I would expect with any new weapon in my hands from any era. While suppressing, I was able to catch sight of an advancing player trying to take control of our ground. I noticed him three stories down and out, about maybe fifty yards. I swung my weapon left and down steeply, centered his body mass and made the kill.
I have always loved rifles and as an initiate to the game I was very proud of the event and how I was able to influence the moment.
After all I was playing against the finest RO players in the world.
Next up: Graphics Sound and Movement.