First time Outcast player - 1.1 or Second Contact?

[GAME GOD FLUENT]

Hi! I am very interested in Outcast and have never played it. I still play old games all the time, I recently finished Gothic 1 and 2 which supposedly have similar open-world designs, so graphics are not all that important for me. I'm just curious what the diehard fans of Outcast suggest. Should I start with Outcast 1.1, which I have, or jump right into Second Contact? Which is the more interesting version to play? Thanks in advance.

[GAME GOD FLUENT]

Originally posted by t3opc:

SC looks far better and that alone makes it worth it and more enjoyable but my review of it puts it into the not recommended section as you will deal with some bugs which should for the most part be towards the end of the game.

Either way you go however, there are possible bugs but I ran into less with 1.1. SC also needs better hardware so if you're using anything from around 2010 then 1.1 is the best way to go.

There are other numerous differences that make SC better such as 99% less invisible walls on hills. But other things as disadvantage such as the Twonha no longer jumps.

Thanks for the detailed info. I want the most "true" experience. I've started playing Outcast 1.1 and running into bugs there, too. The HUD voice volume is too low and I get a constant screen tearing even with V-sync on or forced through Nvidia. Amongst other things (Jan walking away during our sneaking test, etc..) The game seems cool, though. I dunno, might just roll with the very old-school but charming looking one and see how it goes.

[GAME GOD FLUENT]

Originally posted by t3opc:

If you have those problems with 1.1 then you're probably the right person to find more SC bugs too that I've never experienced but others seem to find.

Hope the best for you =)

I usually don't find or have bugs in games, though. So far it's fine, definitely playable. And hilarious, lol.

Questions, though. Is there a way to "identify" the weird electronic items in your inventory? Also, I clicked one of those items and it put a green arrow in front of my character. Did I equip some sort of gear? Is there a way to access your equipped gear somehow? All I saw was the inventory screen and couldn't really figure out what was happening.

[PlanetAdelpha]

I would recommend SC, because it's the newest version and has removed a lot of story bugs and quest problems. It's the best experience out there right now imo.

Of course SC is not 100% polished and there are quite a few minor graphical issues etc. but I think it's the more modern and better experienc overall. No big showstoppers...

[Whitebeard]

Outcast 1.1 is more fun to play, but may occasionally crash and start over from your last save. Save often. 1.1 has first person if you want it, and allows you to lie down anywhere to hide. 1.1 has a zoom control for the camera in third person. The inventory system makes a lot more sense, also. It is much more difficult in 1.1 to get money or supplies, but the soldiers are slower with worse aim. Bullets in Second Contact are a lot better. They travel at the speed of a baseball in 1.1. The enemy weapons are also a bit slower. In Second Contact the enemies can harm you behind rocks and trees and even through walls, not so in 1.1. There are some additions in Second Contact, but nothing that affects the story. In either, swim around to the rear of the Darosham (not exactly a spoiler, more like an Easter Egg).

All the versions of Outcast have had bugs. The most annoying in the original and 1.1 is a conversation with a weapons dealer stopping for no reason, and you can't break out of it. I found one way to "fix" it: Draw a weapon, and the arms dealer will kneel and cover his head. Then the conversation will work OK when he "recovers".

[Whitebeard]

QUOTE: "TNO: Thanks for the detailed info. I want the most "true" experience. I've started playing Outcast 1.1 and running into bugs there, too. The HUD voice volume is too low and I get a constant screen tearing even with V-sync on or forced through Nvidia. Amongst other things (Jan walking away during our sneaking test, etc..) The game seems cool, though. I dunno, might just roll with the very old-school but charming looking one and see how it goes.".

In the original game and in 1.1 you can adjust the music volume with two keys on the keyboard. Somewhere in the DFGH area - I can't remember exactly. A volume slider will appear on the screen. Also, you can adjust the relative volumes of just about everything on the Audio tab on the startup screen for 1.1. Also, the mixer can be reached within the game under Options.

[Yukevich]

SC is not the best expirience right now, becouse it didnt have true ending, just titles.

[Redrusty66]

I keep starting to get it and then i read the reviews, most are so nice, but then those negs are so "legit". The bugs, the problems with dated things like the inventory (the thought of having to look up items because something as simple as highlight = description wasn't even included) , the overall agreement that the controls are just lazy horrid...it's just a really torn feeling, i could grab it right now for 77% off ($9.37) at a sale on a store i buy often from, and yet, even with trading cards, and seeing that the review score is 89%, what neg reviews there are are really intuative and well written. it keeps me pretty torn, even after watching let's play vids (The rushed end game stuff). just a lot harder descision than it should be which tickles my "caution" bone. It's such a beautiful looking game yet it seems that's all they did, make really beautiful graphics and left it very dated and clunky. I just keep being unable to pull the trigeer for some reason.

[Whitebeard]

After Attempting to play through Outcast 1.1 on Windows 10, I will now have to cast my vote for Second Contact. Outcast 1.1 on Windows 10 is a buggy mess. Second Contact has a few problems, but in time those may be corrected. Though I uninstalled it, I will wait for Second Contact to mature a little, and try it again.

[Plex]

Outcast 1.1 is polished and fully playable as well.
At this point its just a matter of what graphics do you prefer, or how strong your system is.
If you like old school graphics go with 1.1, if your system doesn't meet the requirements for second contact, go with 1.1 as well.
performance in 1.1 depends what resolution you are using, the lower the faster,
Also graphics card doesn't matter since it all depends on your CPU, you can have the worst GPU and can still play the game just fine.