not complaining cause the game is perfectly enjoyable despite it

[Tiphereth]

do y'all think the alert phases are much more difficult to deal with compared to the other games? I'll be out of sight with no guards near me for millennia and it'll still be at 99.9 the whole time.

[Frank Sinatra manifestation]

Hmm, it does feel like that here or there. On my first few playthroughs I'd get an alert, put down the guy that spotted me with a tranq, and then run off and hide. It'd stay on full alert even when the occasional reinforcements show up and don't even check the immediate area, or even find the guy that I put to sleep

[teg]

I think they're finding your handiwork and re-initing the alert. Like finding tranqed bodies.

[Tiphereth]

Originally posted by teg:

I think they're finding your handiwork and re-initing the alert. Like finding tranqed bodies.

Genuinely after a bit it got way easier when I started going into the shade. That could also be a reason (wouldn't surprise me since in MGS2 they can see your shadow) but that seemed to lower the alert much faster.

[Shuyin178]

It's because of this game's SOP system that keeps enemies on higher alert for longer.

[Tiphereth]

Originally posted by Shuyin178:

It's because of this game's SOP system that keeps enemies on higher alert for longer.

fair enough

[Phate]

Kojimas talked about how they exteneded alert phases to cause the player to leave hiding and confront the enemy. Could be that.

[Kohchu]

The Alert Phases in MGS4 are far more balanced then the ones in earlier games, because you have more tricks to avoid detection; and plenty more weapons to tranq enemies or distract them. The Octocamo itself basically lets you hide in plain sight, as long as you aren't right in someone's face, they'll rarely notice you. Getting through MGS4 with 0 alerts is actually super easy, except on the Final Chapter, where you pretty much need to take a specific path to avoid being seen. Other then that, it's all about being aware and observant.

If you do get seen though, it's not too rough; Guards may come to explore, but again: Its not as bad as the other games thanks to the sheer amount of places you can hide (At least, until you bump up the difficulty, where they can kill you in a handful of shots). Or, if you wanna engage, you have more weapons to deal with groups easier.

The other MGS games had much rougher Alert Phases; In MGS1, they were short, but you could often die long before you could get away; at least until you get better weapons. In MGS2; where there is limited places to hide inside the Big Shell, the Riot Shield/Shotgun equipped Soldiers would comb the building and root you out. Unless you found a vent to hide in, or a cranny they never explored; you would be found and would be forced to flee. And MGS3 was considerably more forgiving, but could still be made rough as during Alert Phases, Guards would group up into pairs; making it harder to take them out without being seen, and resulted in far more caution being needed.

I generally go for no alerts in most playthroughs anyway; but for a first playthrough of MGS4, just play for fun and try to unlock and explore a ton to find secrets and items. If you go for No kills/No alerts on your first run, it's going to be a pain in the arse.