How would I get started with SS2?

[673f17c93740aModdedInstall2]

Hi all,

I'm new to the System Shock games. I've tried starting SS2 many times because I've heard it's an incredible game, but I can't ever find myself able to get more than half an hour into it. I have a hard time getting past the endless enemy respawning and funky physics. Any advice?

[673f17c9375f3voodoo47]

that would suggest alarm is being triggered. so just don't do that.

physics are what they are.

[673f17c9379c2Marvin]

If a timer runs down at the bottom of the screen and the music goes haywire, you triggered an alarm and should activate the nearest security computer you can find to cancel the alarm.

There's this short newbie guide: http://www.shtupmod.net/newbies_guide.html

... and of course a truckload of Let's Plays, some Steam guides, and so on. If you google "system shock 2 for beginners" you should find whatever resource you are looking for, such as an introductory walkthrough of the first level or something like that which could ease you into the game.

If you have any specific questions, just ask away. The character creation and initial stats distribution is a bit daunting for some players, and there is the possibility for trap builds, but it's not too bad overall. Lowering the difficulty is also always possible.

[673f17c937ad9ModdedInstall2]

Thanks guys

[673f17c937ca3voodoo47]

might as well add this - for an easier start, go marine, and choose the leftmost career path always, you will end up with extra strength that will allow you to bash things with the wrench more effectively, a free laspistol that, while weak, only needs to be charged to fire, so it's almost free to operate (and the overcharge mode may deplete the battery quickly, but it is powerful enough to take out even the first big droids with relative ease), and some maintenance skill to keep it going. upgrade the maintenance skill asap to at least 2 (ideally 3) to actually be able to maintain it properly (at skill level 1 the fairly rare maintenance tools are very ineffective), then hack to (at least) 2 to get into the seccrates. research 1 to research monster organs and maximize the damage dealt, standard weapons 3 to fire the shotgun, Sharpshooter OS upgrade to get even more kick out of your guns. maybe modify 2 to get the laspistol to level 1 modification level, so that once you find the first auto-mod epstein tool you will be able to get it to modlevel 2.

doing this will make medsci and (especially) engineering a much less painful experience.

[673f17c937dc4ModdedInstall2]

I made it to MedSci 2!

I now have a newfound level of confidence in myself, and I believe I can beat the game. Thanks for the info guys

[673f17c937f6eJDoran]

System 2 can feel really daunting at first, with the depth of it's gameplay, and it's refusal to hold your hand. But learning it's ways and means is part of the fun, and when you come to replay it again (and you will want to play it again), then you will have a much better idea of how to build your character to the playing style that you'd prefer.

And don't let your guard down at all - listen at all times in case there is an enemy around the corner, or sneaking up behind you. The game is intended to keep you on your toes, so don't become complacent or too relaxed.

[673f17c93826fsarge945]

Enemy respawning and weapon degradation can be jarring for new players, because most seasoned gamers are not used to it. The good news is, you should get used to it very quickly, and leaving it on will improve the experience later when you need to backtrack, otherwise the maps will be empty.

I have a guide here recommending some beginner-friendly mods and settings:

http://sarge945.xyz/articles/ss2-mod-guide/

[673f17c9385aeZylonBane]

seasoned gamers are not used to it.

What.

I have a guide here recommending some beginner-friendly mods and settings:

Calling this beginner-friendly is bonkers, since you're recommending modding basically every aspect of gameplay, some of them in highly non-standard ways.

Also this...

- SCP
- Graphics Mods on the bottom

...is just wrong.

[673f17c9387e5sarge945]

My point is, most FPS games don't have respawning enemies, at least not in the same style as SS2. When they do have respawning, it's usually based on leaving the area and coming back later, at which point the whole area is respawned, as opposed to SS2's constant slow trickle of enemies.

When people are used to things working a certain way, it can be very easy to feel like something working differently is wrong. I felt this same way when I first played SS2, because my gamer brain was so used to the idea of clearing the area first, THEN exploring thoroughly, which is not really how SS2's gameplay works. Never being able to feel safe is an unusual feeling for a veteran FPS player because that's not how it works in most other games. Even Prey (which is probably the closest experience most people have had to SS2) has the area-based respawning mentioned previously.

I have seen multiple lets plays where the person playing feels uncomfortable not feeling safe, because it's not something they are used to, and they usually conclude it's therefore bad game design. They all eventually get used to it, though.

People are also used to weapon degradation from games like Fallout 3, where it's generally much slower and much less of an issue than in SS2, so I can see how that would be jarring too, especially since it's considered unrealistic how fast weapons break (why oh why didn't Irrational add that audio log?).

[673f17c938924voodoo47]

way, way too long, and yeah, that part NOT smacking SCP NEEDING TO BE AT THE VERY BOTTOM over the player's head thrice needs to be nuked from orbit - any guide, no matter how long or short, has to have "SCP at the very bottom, then Fixed Objects, then SHTUP" framed in red somewhere.

because NOT doing that WILL cause problems.

[673f17c938b95sarge945]

any guide, no matter how long or short, has to have "SCP at the very bottom, then Fixed Objects, then SHTUP" framed in red somewhere.

Oops, fixed.

[673f17c938f63JDoran]

My point is, most FPS games don't have respawning enemies, at least not in the same style as SS2. When they do have respawning, it's usually based on leaving the area and coming back later, at which point the whole area is respawned, as opposed to SS2's constant slow trickle of enemies....

Yes. People who have only played first person shooters and not FPS/RPG games will find things like System Shock 2's constant close quarters enemy respawns strange and uncomfortable. And other gameplay mechanics too, such as the concept of encountering an enemy that can't easily (relatively) be defeated by the weapons/abilities that you currently possess and so that enemy must instead be avoided or fled from. That's not common in first person shooters, nor are a weapons degradation mechanic, an under-abundance of ammunition for the first part of the game, or things that need a little thought to understand.

I really wish more modern games developers used System Shock 2's game mechanics as a starting point for FPS/RPGs. How is it that we were given SS2 and Deus Ex, and yet so few of the thousands of following games bothered to learn from two such innovative classics?

[673f17c93907cvoodoo47]

because (a lot of) people actually love garbage. sometimes literally - the meticulously crafted Pistol Hybrid mod has less downloads than the Garbage Barrel mod, which just turns the object into a green turd, because reasons and more polygons.

[673f17c939167ZylonBane]

I'm pretty sure anyone who's ever played an open-world game is familiar with the concept of constant respawning.

[673f17c9393abXkilljoy98]

I don't know exact numbers, but I don't think SS2 has too many enemies in most cases. Like there are enemies in the level and some respawn and some spawn when security detects you. Though the main thing about difficulty imo comes from being low on things

[673f17c93960dModdedInstall2]

the Garbage Barrel mod, which just turns the object into a green turd

... I'm sorry, what?

[673f17c939713voodoo47]

it's a low quality hires mod that exists. nobody knows why. it turns the SS2 waste barrel object into a smooth green thing.

I could link it, BUT THEN IT WOULD GET EVEN MORE DOWNLOADS.

[673f17c9397f7ModdedInstall2]

In that case, don't link it, please.

[673f17c939aa0sarge945]

because (a lot of) people actually love garbage. sometimes literally - the meticulously crafted Pistol Hybrid mod has less downloads than the Garbage Barrel mod, which just turns the object into a green turd, because reasons and more polygons.

The accepted truth in gaming is that greedy publishers and incompetent developers are the reason gaming is so terrible.

The actual truth is that players continue to support garbage, so more garbage is made, and the cycle repeats, and then we all cry how garbage gaming has gotten.

But speaking of mod quality, I spent over 100 hours finely tweaking the randomiser to ensure it remained faithful to the original design and not just "lol so random". Despite that, the most commonly requested feature has been more wacky randomisation. People don't know what they want.