Is anyone still playing METROID PRIME (1 Viewer)

[pitchman]

the "no looking up or aiming while moving" stuff is absolute garbage

...and don't get me going on platform jumping from a first person perspective! Otherwise though, they did a great job capturing the essence of the original games.

 

[JamesH]

I thought they did a pretty good job on the platforming, better than most FPS. However, Metroid Fusion is about 10X the game Prime is, so

 

[Morgan Jolley]

...and don't get me going on platform jumping from a first person perspective

I thought the jumping was done perfectly.

 

[Adam Nixon]

I was also amazed at how well the jumping worked. It seems most of the complaints that people have come from those expecting more of an FPS-type experience. If that's what you're looking for, you'll be sorely disappointed -- the feel of Metroid Prime is totally different when compared to something like Halo.

 

[JamesH]

Metroid's core gameplay has always been about exploration, that is understood. Why then, would they hurt the exploration so much by using a moronic control scheme that doesn't even let you look around while moving?

I think they were more concerned with making sure it didn't get labeled as "just another FPS" than making a good game. The control adds to the difficulty in what is an inherently easy game. All it does is make the little scan squares harder to find. Instead, why not think of something a bit more clever than "scan these 4 runes to open this door"?

They did an excellent job on some aspects but a horrible job on others.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

The control adds to the difficulty in what is an inherently easy game. All it does is make the little scan squares harder to find. Instead, why not think of something a bit more clever than "scan these 4 runes to open this door"?

I agree completely. The controls really hindered the combat at times...no free look, slow turn rate, the lock-on doesn't lock well on things up high,the lock-on also doesn't auto-cycle to another target when the current lock is destroyed, and the whole strafe/strafe-jump just felt stiff.

It's not like they couldn't have employed a lock-on feature with free-look. They are not mutually exclusive. But if they had given us free look and a faster turn rate I could have laid waste to any enemy in the game with ease without a lock on. Years of PC FPS clan play will do that for you. I would have preferred the standard approach to console FPS combat (i.e dual analog) with bosses that had more AI than what we were given...which is a crippled combat system with bosses that followed simplistic patterns made artificially difficult because of the controls (Resident Evil suffers from the same problem..combat made difficult because of poor controls).

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The controls really hindered the combat at times...no free look, slow turn rate, the lock-on doesn't lock well on things up high,the lock-on also doesn't auto-cycle to another target when the current lock is destroyed, and the whole strafe/strafe-jump just felt stiff

First of all, you rarely need a free look, and you can hold down R to use it.

Second, the lock-on has problems locking onto something if it's right above you. Otherwise, hold R, find the target, hold L, and you're locked on.

Third, if you let go of L just enough so it's not clicked in anymore and press it again, it will cycle to the next target. Do this right before a target is destroyed, and you can cycle between them as they die.

Fourth, I found the jumping to be the best ever in a FPS.

I strongly suggest playing the game more. As you play it, you'll get used to the control scheme more.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

I strongly suggest playing the game more. As you play it, you'll get used to the control scheme more

It's not an issue of getting used to it. I am used to it. I'm just saying there are things with the controls that could have easily been far better.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The only real thing I can say to you that I haven't already said is that given the controller, they have the best setup possible for this specific game. The D-pad and C-stick are used for the visors and weapons, respectively, which only leaves you with one joystick. Unless you know of a way that they could have all the same functions on one controller but have it work better, I say we've got the best setup possible.

 

[Nathan A]

just beat it yesterday! 23 hours and 79% (that Samus sure is a pretty gal). loved it.

as far as controls....i did get a little annoyed by how slow turning is. and about no free look while you're moving- i think it's only annoying if you've played a good deal of FPS games; it's only annoying because you're used to the ability to do so, not because you actually need to (cuz you really don't). i did use the free look often, but it always worked out well standing still (if you're using free look to find an enemy, it almost always is not within range to attack you, and if you're using it to look around for secrets- just clear the room first!).

 

[Aaron Copeland]

The D-pad and C-stick are used for the visors and weapons, respectively, which only leaves you with one joystick. Unless you know of a way that they could have all the same functions on one controller but have it work better, I say we've got the best setup possible.

There are ways around that. If the game had a more typical dual analog set-up it would not need the "look around" button. That frees up the R trigger. The R-trigger could either be made as a cycle weapons button or as a "shift" button. By "shift" I mean that the D-pad could be set-up to change visors by default, but when you hold the shift button (R) it now works to change weapons. There are other ways too, that is just one possible solution.

Let me also take this opportunity to point out that this is a good example of why the Dual Shock 2 controller is easily the best all around controller available. Having 4 shoulder buttons plus the L3 and R3 buttons makes for much better control set-up options. Oh well, it's still workable with the GC controller.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Let me also take this opportunity to point out that this is a good example of why the Dual Shock 2 controller is easily the best all around controller available

I agree that the DS2 is the best controller overall.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

Cycling through weapons in the middle of a battle would be more difficult than holding R and aiming upwards, IMO.

No way. If you had any experience with vehicular combat games (Twisted Metal, Critical Depth, Vigilante 8, etc...) you would know this is not the case.

A game like Twisted Metal has more weapons to cycle through than Metroid and in the middle of combat that is far faster paced than Metroid. With a little playing time, you get really good at knowing how many clicks it takes to get to the desired weapon and can switch to any weapon you want in under a single second...with ease. Beyond that, you still have have my "shift" idea and I can come up with others if you want.

My point is that there were many options available that would have made a dual analog control set-up very workable.

 

[Jeffrey D Smith]

Let me also take this opportunity to point out that this is a good example of why the Dual Shock 2 controller is easily the best all around controller available. Having 4 shoulder buttons plus the L3 and R3 buttons makes for much better control set-up options.

You mean that SNES copy cat with the prongs, and N64 "inspired" analog sticks?
Oh yeah, they put on two extra buttons.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

You mean that SNES copy cat with the prongs, and N64 "inspired" analog sticks?

Well, I'm not sure what that has to do with the DS2 being the best all-around controller, but I never said it was original.

The DS/2 also introduced internal rumble, a second analog stick, analog face buttons (not counting 3rd party controllers like the NegCon), and the L3 and R3 buttons in addition to the L2 and R2 buttons.

It may all be "inspired", but it still adds up to the best.

 

[Jeffrey D Smith]

Best is a matter of opinion now aint it? Which of course I respect yours.
Internal rumble? Also something nintendo brought to the plate.
Offtopic soapbox: These are the things I think people shrug off when they say Nintendo should go software only. They bring a lot to hardware market as well as software.

 

[Jeffrey D Smith]

BTW, I'm still playing metroid.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

Internal rumble? Also something nintendo brought to the plate.

Not that I recall. The N64 used the external (i.e. plug-in)rumble packs, the original Dual Shock (w/ internal rumble) was introduced during the PSX life cycle.

 

[Ted F]

Me too. I'm still playing. I just got my grapple beam, so I'm going to go back through all of the areas and search for things I may have missed. I love this game.
I don't play many FPS at all (the last ones I played were Half-Life, MOH, Halo, and RF2) and its really my least favorite genre, but I think this game is fantastic.
Minor griping point: I don't care for the regenerating space pirates or Chozo spirits in every room. It takes quite along time to kill them the first time through, it makes me dread going back through areas.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

FINALLY!!!
100% Scans
100% Pickups
Beat it on Hard Mode at 11:23!!!
I hate Omega Pirate!!!
If anybody needs tips, I'll gladly give it to them, although there's a sh*tload of luck involved with Omega Pirate.