BioShock

[xistence]

As about the demo for PC and the latest driver-update AMD/ATI threw out especially for BioShock (yeah a single driver-version just made for the game) i can just warn. Since i installed it, several other programs working with a DirectX-surface aren't able to run anymore, tho they did during 4 years and several driver-updates before. Don't know what AMD did, but it was a too-quick-job with too many errors as it seems.
And as 'benefit' the game still doesn't run with anything visible then just some particle effects. Seems i have to setup my whole machine again (after -4- years running stable and perfect) as i cannot repair it, even not manually *sigh*.

[Jademz]

that sucks, and microsoft didn't catch wind? something always happens to windows, and 9voltckiken pounds into my head to get Norton Ghost, he gets his reinstalled from the backup in 4-5 minutes.

I'm in the same postion, but for a different reason. I used up my HD space, had no memory controlled by the system, which made my windows sys32 drivers to get easily corrupted. (maybe it was the cheap RAM). but yeah, It runs the same, however some windows services malfuntion. system 32 is a beast, but I'm glad it's not DX9c. have you considered un/reinstalling SP2? This could be an easier solution, than wiping it, for some PCs. (uninstalling everything but windows)

Well, sorry to hear the update was bio-slop, good luck!

[xistence]

I'm not real sure de-/reinstalling SP2 will help there, as mainly only a driver-update for GraCa happend. But who can say what that crapolous installer of the update did in the background, or what it exactly modified to make it fit to the game BioShock? And to de-/reinstall the driver itself didn't help so far, even not manually.
Anyway, at least it might be a good timepoint to make a new, clean system, but i hate to be forced to do such things by those situations.

[Daddyo]

The demos running extremely smooth on my 4 year old P4 3 ghz, 6800gt nvidia, 2 gig ram, no swap file. Looks great, freaky, didnt update video drivers. Also couldn't enable DX10 effects, but everything else was on high. But it's a bit too violent & dark for me to buy. After the intro video I had no idea I was already in the game due to the really good water & fire effects.

[win3k]

Evening chaps

Personally, I won't play any further than I have (about half an hour playtime, fact fans) until I've done my next upgrade

OK. I lied.

I did manage (after much messing about) to get the game up and running. At 800x600. I've basically converted my current rig (specs as previous) to a dual boot (one for Bioshock, one for everything else). I've now completed my first full run-through.

With pretty much all of the eye-candy turned off, the game runs at between (estimated) 20 - 30 fps - good enough for a first go. And it still looks fantastic.

The game itself? Worth every penny. Atmospheric doesn't even come close. Immersive, intelligent, this game is (IMHO) a worthy successor to SS2.

Uppers:
1. Taking on a big daddy is something that you'll really want to think about. Yes, they are tough
2. The little sisters > SS2 robot nurses in sheer creepiness
3. Pretty much eveyone you'll meet is, comprehensively, batshit insane, and they want to kill you. Yet, you still feel sorry for them
4. The plasmids work brilliantly
5. Sound/music is sublime. Visuals are superb (even on a crummy rig like mine). Animation is great.
6. The much-vaunted moral choice with the little sisters. Prior to playing, I thought: "Pah! it's just a game". Then, I actually had to make the choice in-game. I had to hit the pause button and go drink a glass of wine before I could continue. And even then, I couldn't hit the "Harvest" button.

Downers:
1. The weird Vita-chambers thing. WTF?
2. See 1. There is nothing else wrong with this game.

Buy/steal whatever you need to play this game. It's worth it.

win3k

[TronFAQ]

The copy protection has been cracked. So if you buy the game, you can now rest at ease that you won't have to install the SecuROM DRM crap in order to play Bioshock. Or, you can remove SecuROM (which is difficult, but not impossible) and use the crack afterward.

[TronFAQ]

I managed to get the demo running last night. I had to use a community made Shader Model 2.0 "fix", since I have an X800 card.

My current system specs (soon to be totally replaced with a new rig):
Athlon XP 3200+
1GB DDR400 RAM
ATI X800XT
nForce 2 Soundstorm audio

At 1280x720 (same resolution used on the Xbox 360) on my widescreen monitor: with all game settings at maximum (only distortions was turned off, because it was needed for the SM2.0 fix), VSync off, 4x AA and 8x AF, my framerate averaged 30 FPS. Sometimes it was as high as 40 FPS, and on rare occasions it dipped as low as 15 FPS.

If an area had bright lighting, it looked pretty good. But most of the game is in the dark or in shadow. And those areas looked like crap. Understand that I'm not even supposed to be able to run the demo, so that's why parts of the game look like crap to me. The "fix" is a hack, a work in progress that may never allow older video card owners like me to get the full quality of the graphics. But at least I was able to play the demo.

After playing it a couple of times, it felt quite "buggy". A lot of little things didn't work quite right. At one point, the audio logs and music completely cut out on me so I had to start over (can't save in the demo). The loading times were horrible, but again that has to do with the SM2.0 fix. I literally had to wait 5 minutes for each level load. If I had the right hardware, I'm sure the loading times would be a lot quicker.

As for the gameplay, I felt the demo let me down. Maybe if I could see the graphics as they're meant to be seen, it might help. But overall, it was pretty boring. I hope that when I play the full game, I'll be more impressed. A lot of other people also complained that they felt the demo was boring, as well.

[win3k]

Evening chaps

I managed to get the demo running last night. I had to use a community made Shader Model 2.0 "fix", since I have an X800 card.

Marvellous!

And those areas looked like crap

After playing it a couple of times, it felt quite "buggy".

Not so marvellous :sad:
I haven't played the demo version, so I can't really comment on that. I've played (to completion) the full version, and (performance issues aside) for me, this tops Half Life 2. I can find very little to criticize in it (I'm looking at you, stupid Vita-chambers thing), and I've now shelved my copy pending either (a) a replacement system (on it's way) or (b) some level editing tools/SDK, whichever comes first.

TBH, the 2K forums are a bit crappy at the moment. Too many "OMG IM GONNA SUE U 111!!!11" type posts for my liking, and I do wish that 2K would actually come clean on the whole mod scene (tho' I'm probably being a bit premature, seeing as they have enough on their plates with what looks like a fairly sizeable fixit list without them worrying about a mod kit).

win3k

[Announcer Guy]

[xistence]

Sun049

[TronFAQ]

From crappy, to slightly less crappy Big Daddy costume . . .

[Load81]

I don't really know the price at the local stores for it, but gogamer has Bioshock on sale for $35 + $3 s/h.

http://www.gogamer.com/BioShock--I--Fro ... dp0t610346

[TronFAQ]

Cool, $35 is a pretty good price for Bioshock.

Now, if only I could play the game. Looks like I won't be upgrading until October or November. All the latest hardware coming out is behind schedule.

[win3k]

Morning chaps

There's a really interesting (but long) video interview with Bioshock's lead programmer (Chris Kline) available here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 1400518462

Irrespective of whether you've played Bioshock, I found this to be a really insightful look at the whole design process - well worth taking the time to watch (advanced spoiler: no, there is no mention anywhere about modding tools )

win3k

[TronFAQ]

I already blasted Irrational because of that video, on a Bioshock fan site. Basically, Kline reveals that a lot of features were thrown out or dumbed down because they got it into their heads that every feature in the game had to be focus tested. That they shouldn't "trust their instincts", and allow the testers to guide them instead.

WTF? Who's designing the game? Irrational, or the testers? What do we need a design team at Irrational for, then? If they're going to let the testers dictate everything they do? Listening to some feedback is understandable, but "no added features without focus testing"? Just fire the design team and send them home, then! Christ.