1 (edited by Delinquent 2007-10-05 06:35:06)

Topic: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

Dear First Strike Developer Team,
I have been into Star Wars since I saw the movies for the first time in 1992.
When I was 13, back in 1993, I played X-Wing like crazy.
It was a time when being a Star Wars fan was not quite en vogue, since the last movie had been shot ten years before, and Star Wars fan articles and source books were not easy to get unless you knew where to get them.
There was no internet and none of my friends was as much into Star Wars as I was, and I kinda felt like the only person on Earth who could tell the difference between an X-Wing and a Y-Wing.

With virtual reality and cyberspace being promised as computer gamings future at that time, I was thinking, how much of a cool computer game it would be, where you could just run around as a Stormtrooper and eventually hop into a TIE-Fighter or pilot an AT-ST.


In 2004 I bought Star Wars Battlefront, which got me into online gaming. Although I played Battlefront and Battlefront II for a long time having countless hours of fun with it, I was quite annoyed by its many many flaws like onesided map design and ridiculously unbalanced units. 
I admit that I´m still playing Battlefront, but just to find myself surrounded by Jet Troopers splash damaging me away or Rocket Troopers mining up each and every map. Not to talk about the shotgunners in Battlefront II, or immatures teamkilling and wallhacking without ever being kicked off the server...

I also spent a lot of time mapping and side modding for Battlefront so I think I do have a basic understanding of what it takes to create a mod like First Strike.


So if you are still reading after my longer than intended introduction, let me tell you that first of all,
I appreciate your basic decision to center First Strike around the Original Trilogy instead of the Clone Wars, although the Clone Wars nowadays seem to be more popular.

I think you did a really great job. 
When I played Battlefront, I often thought: "Wait a second... Ninety percent of each team made up of Rocket Troopers? That´s not Star Wars!"
What I am saying is, I can see that a lot of source book knowledge has gone into this mod, but you also managed to actually let First Strike battles feel like Star Wars battles. I think it is kind of hard to have Blaster shots visibly travelling across the Battlefield, and have it be an effective but not overpowered weapon at the same time.

I am running this game on a very outdated computer, and with lowest graphics setting and a resolution of 800 x 600 I am just able to play the game. Unfortunately I am not able to play the Space maps, since everything is slowing down to 3 FPS as soon as I close in to the Star Destroyer or just any enemy ship, and without a joystick it´s not any fun.

But the ground map gameplay is just brilliant although I cannot enjoy the maps in their entire beauty... to be honest they look a bit crappy on my graphics settings, and approaching Mos Espa from the desert is giving me a headache aswell ... frameratewise.

But again, I think First Strike´s gameplay is just brilliant and very well thought out.
Not only did you guys make right what Battlefront made wrong, you also fixed all that stuff, I hate about Battlefield 2142. I haven´t encountered anyone successfully avoiding my shots bunny hopping around and shooting me in the end.
I also think that it is a great gameplay improvement towards Battlefield that going prone actually harms your accuracy for the first few seconds.

From the deployable E-Webs to correct Skinning (Sandtroopers on the Desert maps, normal Stormtroopers, officers and Scout Troopers on Endor), great Balancing and accuracy to Source Books and Technical Data...
It is unbelievable how much First Strike represents the perfect Star Wars game.

Thank you for bringing us this great mod, and for staying in touch with the community;
Finally I am really thinking about getting a new PC just to fully enjoy the great work you have created.
It´s not that I couldn´t think of any improvements, but First Strike really does have the potential to become the Star Wars game I always dreamed of.
Can´t wait for your future releases.

2 (edited by Kayin 2007-10-05 07:26:11)

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

I have to add my thanks to this too. My first experience of SW-game was Tie-fighter. I loved it, but have been dissapointed to every game ever since. When I heard about First Strike, all the possibilities that it could bring flashed in my mind, and I really started to wait this. And boy was it worth every second.

The one thing I like is the fine tune between gameplay and SW lore. I think it's made perfectly. A small change to the way or other can only make it worse. Blaster are as "accurate" as they should be, AT-ST pilot has the narrow view, and it's blasters work the way they should. The graphics and sounds and every other detail gives the player the feeling that you are in Star Wars world. All in all I'm extremely satisfied to this, and it is the Star Wars game I always dreamed of.

Thank you.

http://stats.fsmod.com/fssig.php?player=Ruohomaki

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

Thanks, glad you appreciate our hard work smile

keep having fun!

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

Wow that's a nice read there Delinquent. Pretty speechless, what to say except Im really glad you enjoy it this much smile

Hell, I got to say it myself. Im addicted to our mod. I cant stop thinking of playing it, I love the sw feeling thats present. Im glad Im not the only one big_smile

Happy to please yall! And keep playing, we'll try to satisfy you 10 times better over the next few months!

www.pee-baa.com - Online Portfolio of Peter Jansson!

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

Right you are. Things have been pushed pretty far to make it the perfect experience. Curious as hell to see what the future holds in store for FS. Hoth on the ground is one i'm awaiting the most.

http://i.imgur.com/pkJ0Ygm.png

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

Thanks guys! Everyone chip in and get him a new computer!

http://www.fsmod.com/stats/fssig.php?player=FS_BLITZ
Someone tell Bandu Ron Paul won't win!

Re: The Star Wars Game I always dreamed of?

US ? your he devs hehe wink If there was one reason to upgrade your computer buddy, it would be FS smile Im running it on a bog standard machine myself, it looks really pretty but id love to run it on a more "l337" rig.