R6:Lock Down Demo Review

KODIAK · Post by **KODIAK** » 12 Mar 2006, 14:12

Thing is, most of these sorts of games are that way - update the graphics, add a few little mods and extras, change the maps. And then sell it under a new number. Most folks will go out and buy it sooner or later. Sometimes they even change the name and call it an add-on! But it adds up to the same thing for the most part in the majority of cases. On the odd occasion, we get a real gem which is almost all-new.

Gator · Post by **Gator** » 12 Mar 2006, 15:06

Edit: I stand corrected - can be purchased at gogamer.com for $30 (PC-DVD), which is not entirely unreasonable.
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I guess, to put it in perspective for me, they released Iron Wrath for free and Lockdown costs $50. Seems a little steep.

I did like the night vision, that was cool and the MP5 i used was nice. The thing I liked is that I didn't die when the first guy took the first shot at me. They weren't all "dead-eye dicks" in the demo -- that being the main thing I didn't like about RVS. I felt like I actually had time to spot the tangos and aim a shot at them. I liked the feel (movement, head movement, zoom, etc) - the new graphics are definitely a plus. However, I didn't feel the atmosphere like you get from some other games like doom/HL2/FEAR. It just felt too "clean." Perhaps there is some difference from the demo to the real game ... anyone know?

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » 12 Mar 2006, 22:42

well, sometimes it does not need to be all new...

tried and true is just fine. look at falcon series... and rainbow six is fine the way it is...so it seems all good to me. myself, i don't see that they messed it up. need to play it more to know for sure though.

KODIAK · Post by **KODIAK** » 13 Mar 2006, 09:27

Yeah, you're right there for sure. Am happy to blast around in the demo meanwhile myself.
I think it's natural to get that clinical atmosphere with Rainbow series. IRL the whole environment is somewhat clinical anyway, with a few moments of madness and mayhem thrown in to keep you from falling asleep. I'd offer about 85-90% of time is put into planning and rehearsal for the final 10-15% which is the mission itself.

Jedi Master · Post by **Jedi Master** » 13 Mar 2006, 10:49

There's a quite humorous review on SimHQ.

The basic lowdown is that the AI, both friendly and enemy, is crap. That plus the maps are far more linear than ever before.

KODIAK · Post by **KODIAK** » 13 Mar 2006, 11:28

Damn! That's the last thing we really want to hear though, eh? My only gripe with AI in any of the games we play, is their incessant ability to suddenly notice you're there, even if you're behind them. When in actual fact, in RL they would probably NEVER have known you were there at all. The surprise element is certainly curtailed somewhat in most games of that ilk.

Gator · Post by **Gator** » 13 Mar 2006, 11:35

Well, there's different kinds of crap AI.

1) Uber AI (as in RVS and JO) where they can see through objects and know exactly where you are and headshot you the second you appear.

2) Dull AI - they have no tactics, just stand in open and shoot and miss, take no cover, exhibit no tactics or movement.

3) Hyper AI - they use no tactics and merely run back and forth to not get hit.

4) Rush AI - run right toward the player with no use of tactics.

5) Camper AI - Hide behind obstacles and wait for death.

I'm not sure what kind of crap AI is in Lockdown. In the demo, I saw them stand behind obstacles and periodically shoot back. I did not see the uber AI. I did not see Hyper AI, I did not see Rush AI. It could have been a combination of Dull/Camper AI.

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » 13 Mar 2006, 14:10

said SimHQ review:

http://www.simhq.com/_land2/land_040a.html

one point against it:

I should point out here that Lockdown is one of the many games using the Starforce protection scheme.

two points against it:

The one major negative to Lockdown's multiplayer, which is for most Ubisoft games, is that you have to go through their Ubisoft server list to play, no direct connect, direct IP, ect., ect. When will these people learn?

feedback thread:

http://www.simhq.com/simhq3/sims/boards ... 9;t=000415

so it might be a dead series...

hey, Jedi was quoted!!!

Gator · Post by **Gator** » 13 Mar 2006, 14:19

well, i would agree, however, if we don't play games that use Starforce and require in-game browsers, we may be stuck ... I don't see those 2 features going away anytime soon.

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » 13 Mar 2006, 14:53

read the review...it is just more that those two things. granted, it seems you and i did not encounter the AI issues - but look at the forums and what other folks are saying.

Gator · Post by **Gator** » 13 Mar 2006, 15:18

Don't get me wrong - I'm not advocating this game. I don't know enough about it. All I meant was that those two features alone shouldn't be enough to scuttle a game. And neither should the fact that the publisher is releasing it on "consoles" -- especially if that's not the problem. If the AI is as horrendous as those accounts, that's a problem that has nothing to do with "consolization."

KODIAK · Post by **KODIAK** » 13 Mar 2006, 18:28

That isn't great news at all TBH. Think I'll wait-out on this one for now. Maybe they'll bring a patch out at some point.

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » 13 Mar 2006, 18:46

yes - i agree... i am wondering if Ubi and the dev house will listen and get it fixed.

Jedi Master · Post by **Jedi Master** » 14 Mar 2006, 06:48

The fact that R6:Vegas (Yes, real name) is due out the end of this year doesn't bode well for support for Lockup.

Yeah, I was quite shocked to be quoted in it, too. Mag and I were talking on Teamspeak while a few SimHQ people were playing SWAT 4 MP and he was talking about the AI in Lockdown just running and reversing direction when you shot them...so that it took a long time to kill them because you'd get one hit, 180 degree turn, another hit, 180 degree turn. He said it reminded him of a shooting gallery and I mentioned that the "Ding!" noise would be appropriate then.

The linear maps (as shown in the demo) did bug me a bit too. The ability to enter from multiple directions at once or choose your entry based on tango placement has been replaced with bottlenecks.

All told, I think the problem is not that Lockdown has Massive Shortcoming #1 that rules it out, it's more that it has SEVERAL shortcomings that added together make it bad. Sort of like how a flat tire or a bad battery or an old oil filter won't make you pass up buying a car, but if it has all 3 you start to wonder just what else might be wrong that you're not seeing and you pass.

KODIAK · Post by **KODIAK** » 14 Mar 2006, 11:09

The more we chat, and the more I read, the less I feel like putting money down on this one, for now at least. And without putting another nail in the coffin, I have to be honest and say there are more favourable options available in the near future anyway.

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R6:Lock Down Demo Review