The Division - Angry Joe Gameplay Impressions

Arctic Blast · February 17, 2016, 12:19:24 AM

Hell yeah, I'll happily try out the Beta.

JudgeDredd · February 17, 2016, 01:50:41 AM

Quote from: TacticalWargames on February 16, 2016, 08:45:30 PM
JD if you want a good online FPS then I say Verdun.

I don't want an online FPS - period.

What I do want is a great game with a great story, great graphics and great gameplay.

Will this deliver? ???

Well, the BETA is free and I have a Uplay account, so I'm going to give the BETA a go. I'm still not playing out the trap - but it would be daft not to try the game myself when it's free.

Skoop · February 17, 2016, 11:29:53 AM

I think why I can't exactly shut the door on this game is the way they present the mp, if you wander into the dark zone you find the mp area. If you stay out of the the dark zone, then it's all sp mission based stuff like metal gear. It seems unique, never heard of the mp done like this. The mp seems more like dayZ survival rpg than a straight up competitive shooter like bf4. There's an uncertainty when you come across other humans in the dark zone, are they going to jack you or leave you alone....the beta should be worth a try.

Jarhead0331 · February 17, 2016, 12:01:35 PM

Quote from: Skoop on February 17, 2016, 11:29:53 AM
I think why I can't exactly shut the door on this game is the way they present the mp, if you wander into the dark zone you find the mp area. If you stay out of the the dark zone, then it's all sp mission based stuff like metal gear. It seems unique, never heard of the mp done like this. The mp seems more like dayZ survival rpg than a straight up competitive shooter like bf4. There's an uncertainty when you come across other humans in the dark zone, are they going to jack you or leave you alone....the beta should be worth a try.

Yeah...it is unique. I heard a lot of complaints from closed beta testers about the dark zone though.

AchillesLastStand · February 17, 2016, 01:07:20 PM

Am keeping my eye on this. Also if you get a new Nvidia 970 or higher you get a free copy of the game.

Skoop · February 17, 2016, 01:36:40 PM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 17, 2016, 12:01:35 PM
Quote from: Skoop on February 17, 2016, 11:29:53 AM
I think why I can't exactly shut the door on this game is the way they present the mp, if you wander into the dark zone you find the mp area. If you stay out of the the dark zone, then it's all sp mission based stuff like metal gear. It seems unique, never heard of the mp done like this. The mp seems more like dayZ survival rpg than a straight up competitive shooter like bf4. There's an uncertainty when you come across other humans in the dark zone, are they going to jack you or leave you alone....the beta should be worth a try.

Yeah...it is unique. I heard a lot of complaints from closed beta testers about the dark zone though.

I heard those too, one of them was players resorting to snipe camping the extraction areas. Could totally ruin the dark zone.
These ubi games usually don't take long to get discounted, so I'll probably get a taste of the beta then come back to it in 6 months when it's 20bucks.

JudgeDredd · February 19, 2016, 04:12:57 PM

So, this became available today on BETA and I've gave it an hour or so. What I've played of it wasn't bad.

It's, imo, very linear - or at least at the moment it is. I have walked around a fair whack and I've encountered one building I could get in and that was a shop...with no other movement except out the same way I came in.

I was suffering from information overload and because of that missed several things the tutorial was teaching me (like throwing a grenade...I can do it, just...eventually after some key mashing).

Graphics are pretty good and there's a lot about...it's a busy world and yet, empty. Not an awful lot going on in the time I was walking about. I came across a couple of gangs, a couple of muggings and a couple of groups of guys with flame throwers.

And example of the emptiness was me going down the sewer and spending quite some time walking about - to find absolutely nothing. No baddies. No loot. No lore. Zip. Nada.

I didn't do any of the 3 missions I was initially assigned...just walked around and kicked some bad guys arses and helped some civvies out with med kits.

However, it's only an hour in and I'll be heading back in tomorrow. I haven't been to the dark zone yet...as a player who severely dislikes MP, it's not really the part I was looking forward to - but apparently that's where you get all the good kit. So maybe I'll stick my toe in.

It is still BETA. So yet to see.

JudgeDredd · February 19, 2016, 04:15:08 PM

Oh - and there are some cool bits...like finding "flashbacks" that you can activate and they tell a story.

JudgeDredd · February 19, 2016, 05:42:05 PM

Played some more.

A few videos will go up on the Videos thread.

You can get rid of the floating directional line in the game by going to the map and switching off the GPS track line by pressing TAB.

There are 3 areas to upgrade in your base...Medical, Technical and Security wings. These can be upgraded by doing missions which give points to these specific areas. In one of the videos above, I've done a mission that gave me 60 medical points and 34 credits. Credits can buy you equipment (clothing and weapons) at your base and you can also sell stuff you've picked up. There's also a stash at your base that looks like you can deposit equipment in.

I believe in some missions I've tried the enemy keeps on coming unless I move forward. So sitting still and waiting for the enemy to come git you so you can kill them isn't an option.

Some enemies have a grenade that they throw that disorientates you (not a flash bang...a gas one) and the effect is pretty cool.

You carry 2 medikits as standard I think but you can pick up more on route. I resupplied at base and left with 2 med kits. I then picked one up from a rucksack and had 3. I don't know if there's a limit - I would imagine so.

I'm actually really enjoying it. As a shooter it's quite good and as a story driven game it also seems to have some depth. I've done a mix of randomly running around exploring and coming across some enemies, doing side missions and doing the main missions.

I'll be looking at this very carefully on release (no point in pre-purchasing with no discount to do so)

glen55 · February 19, 2016, 05:50:29 PM

Thanks for the impressions. Are you managing to avoid "the dark zone?" Can you tell when you are entering it?

JudgeDredd · February 19, 2016, 06:04:17 PM

I haven't been there yet. I'll be sticking my heed in there tomorrow

JudgeDredd · February 20, 2016, 02:04:44 AM

Videos up

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=10662.msg426572#new

A point to note...initially I thought the overhead directional line was annoying, but actually, it grew on me and totally fits with the tech world they are in.

JudgeDredd · February 20, 2016, 03:31:36 AM

Also having played more and discovered more, it's not as linear as it first appears. Initially it looks like you're heading down main streets, but there are sewers (though I found nothing of note down there), side streets and a few buildings here and there. Not loads, but enough to go exploring for a while.

JudgeDredd · February 20, 2016, 04:11:51 AM

I went into the Dark Zone not knowing at all what it was or what to do. I was just curious to see what was about.

It seems there's tougher enemies (hence the better loot). There were "landmarks" that you went to and once there, took on some baddies. I died each time...badly.

The first time, I was helping some people attack a place (not as a member of their group (if they were a group) but as a rag tag bunch). Anyway, I saw a bad guy with a machine gun pinning someone down and threw a grenade. I did not know one of "our mob" was heading there and he got hit with the grenade...so I was then Rogue and got soundly kicked.

The final time I went into a "landmark". Sent out my "pulse" to see if there were any enemies about and there were not - so I headed in looking around. All of a sudden, there were about 10 touch bad guys right next to me. They had clearly respawned right on top of where I was. It took about 1 second to put me down.

I saw some people calling extraction and when the helo came, they put a package on a zip. I guess it was whatever they had picked up (presumably there are things around that you have to pick up...whether they are all in where the bad guys are or not, I don't know).

Successfully negotiating through the dark zone for a period of time increases your experience in the DZ and opens up other things (example...I found a crate but could not open it due to my level).

So - it was interesting. No-one turned on me which was a pleasant surprise - until I went rogue of course. Completely my fault. Watch what you're doing with grenades in the DZ.

I really liked the seamless move from sp to mp.

I could imagine (as with all mp games) that playing this with a bunch of pals would be great. I actually don't know how you would do that because obviously in SP there are no other players...perhaps telling your mates what DZ you are heading into?

Anyway - the BETA is obviously limited in play and functionality - but colour me impressed.

That's it. I'm going to play it some more today then work on my Su27. O0

Arctic Blast · February 20, 2016, 04:13:51 AM

Quote from: glen55 on February 19, 2016, 05:50:29 PM
Thanks for the impressions. Are you managing to avoid "the dark zone?" Can you tell when you are entering it?

It's literally a whole separate region of the map. You have to pass through gates that require you to acknowledge passing through them. There's no way you can accidentally wander in there.

I just spent about 2 hours in it. I like it so far. Completing missions will open up new weapons, weapon mods, gear, grenades and the like. Leveling up unlocks new skills (Q and E are the default skill triggers). For example, I currently have a sticky grenade mapped to E and a locator pulse to Q. I can also switch to a ballistic shield and/or short range healing pulse. You use them, then they slowly recharge. The full game will have Perks, but those aren't in the Beta. Neither is the crafting system, but that will also be in the full game.

Also, during my first organized mission, there was a side door that I could have opened if I had lock picks. I've also seen spots where having other gear or a certain ability would grant access.