SS2 Community Patch beta7 now available

[ps47.3dfx]

april fools! well, almost. anyway;
SCP beta7[www.systemshock.org]
SHTUP-ND beta3[www.systemshock.org]

if you want an early taste of how the EE gameplay is going to be, then this is it.

[aeglosistarion]

Does that mean the EE will not offer the vanilla experience as a baseline? Was it developed and optimized around the idea that SCP would be installed by default?

Or is this just your way of saying nobody SHOULD play SS2 (EE or Classic) in 2025 without this patch?

[ULTRA]

Will this include the promised VR support!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??!!??!?!?!?!?!?

sarcasm

This is good though, time for another playthrough, thanks everyone

[ps47.3dfx]

correct, EE was developed and optimized around the Community Patch. why would anyone want to shell out almost 30 bucks for vanilla again?

[ZylonBane]

My understanding is that you don't have to use SCP, but if you don't, some of the enhanced visual effects like the new weapon animations will be missing.

[ps47.3dfx]

definitely not on the fly/during a playthrough though.

[aeglosistarion]

Originally posted by ps47.3dfx:

correct, EE was developed and optimized around the Community Patch. why would anyone want to shell out almost 30 bucks for vanilla again?

I guess because it's called a remaster now instead of Enhanced Edition, I was expecting something that looks different but plays the same, but that changelog makes it sound like SCP goes far beyond that, making changes to the ingame economy, weapon balance, enemy spawn rates, etc.

That just makes the remaster a fundamentally different product than what I thought it was - which is not a problem as long as that is clearly communicated to new and returning players, and the "classic" version remains commercially available. It's a bit of a shame we won't be able to play the OG(-ish) SS2 with a new coat of paint, but that has never stopped us before, right?

But as far as new players are concerned, once the remaster is released SCP will be SS2. Not a mod, not an optional enhancement (especially on consoles), but simply the official current release version of the game. For those behind it that must be exciting, but also daunting, I imagine. I think a certain amount of ambivalence regarding this idea is only natural.

With all that being said, I have nothing but respect and admiration for the work and dedication that has gone into this project and its predecessors, and look forward to the release of the remaster.

[ps47.3dfx]

Originally posted by aeglosistarion:

SCP will be SS2

yes. that is the idea exactly - SCP is what SS2 would have become if the original devs had (much, much) more time to finish their product. it was never meant to be a mod, but a patch (hence, the name).

[aeglosistarion]

Originally posted by ps47.3dfx:

Originally posted by aeglosistarion:

SCP will be SS2

yes. that is the idea exactly - SCP is what SS2 would have become if the original devs had (much, much) more time to finish their product. it was never meant to be a mod, but a patch (hence, the name).

It may not have been thought of as a mod, but it very much was - one of many ways to modify the game to the player's liking. Now it is not a choice anymore. That makes a big difference to me.

I do not question the intent behind the project, and like I said I applaud the results - the scope of it, the ambition, the diligence.

I also understand why it makes sense to include it in the remaster - why duplicate efforts if this comprehensive suite of fixes and refinements already exists and has been enjoyed by many in the community? It would only lead to endless debates, comparisons and feature demands for both projects.

But I have to tell you, the immediate feeling I got when I realized what this means was that of a hand on my neck, pushing me around, and I really do not like it. It's at least partially irrational, and I will get over it, but there it is.

Anyways, no need to keep dragging down the mood with this pointless waffle. It's a done deal, and I will not change anyone's mind, and at the end of the day it's a video game and there's no actual gun to my head making me buy it, I get that.

My congratulations to the SCP contributors. I may feel conflicted about it, but it's objectively a cool thing this happened for you.

[ZylonBane]

Originally posted by aeglosistarion:

Now it is not a choice anymore.

False. Just disable it if you don't like it.

[ps47.3dfx]

thanks, but you literally can play any iteration of the game you desire - the cd version will still work if you run it via dgvoodoo, so you can play v1.15, or v2.3, or play the GOG/steam build with the NewDark fixes, or SS2Tool patched if you want a few more fixes, and you can throw some mods on top and play that with, or without the Community Patch enabled.. and if whatever crazy combo you want does not exist, you pretty much can just request it on systemshock.org and we will (probably) make it exist.

EE is (going to be) there specifically for the people who want all the shiny things, and want it on steam, so if that is not your cup of tea.. well, 30 bucks saved?

[aeglosistarion]

Yes, of course. And having this discussion now, before I have all the facts in front of me, is premature anyway.

But I disagree with your assessment of what this remaster is. It's not one version among many, it's THE version any new players will play. From now on, whatever is in this patch will be System Shock 2 as far as the gaming world at large is concerned.

It's your game now, your responsibility. Handle it with care.

[ps47.3dfx]

that we shall, as we always have.

and yes, this will be the build most people will play, and that is a good thing. because it indeed is THE version of the game.

[ZylonBane]

The good news is, this will lead to more feedback on the changes SCP makes. If any changes turn out to be broadly unpopular, there's a good chance they'll be tweaked or reverted. This has already happened with many SCP changes.

[ps47.3dfx]

we are not reverting the single hybrid shotgun slug being unloaded though.

[ULTRA]

At any rate, if handwringing about third party artistic license is a concern for you then you should never, ever buy an NDS product in the first place. As it is, they halved the backpedaling speed, halved max health on nightmare and added in segments of maps that were cut for quality reasons in their Quake port and people couldn't stop skeeting over how amazing that opportunity was.

Let's, of course, also not forget the obviously-inspired-by-Black-Mesa remake of System Shock 1 that they wasted most of a decade on.