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*** Official Splinter Cell (X-Box) Review & Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

James Zos

Supporting Actor
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Jan 7, 2002
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Mark - there is help available. In fact, I can help you.
The first step in conquering any addiction is to get rid of the drugs, whatever they may be. Eliminate the supply, and then work on the emotional problems that feed the addiction in the first place.
Now you could just take Splinter Cell and throw it in the trash. But then you would only end up digging it out again, ten minutes later. No, I think the easiest, and the wisest solution is for you to send the game to me. Let me hold on to it FOR you, and when you're feeling stronger, maybe THEN you can have it back, after you've gotten some distance and proper perspective. I'll even pay shipping and handling, since that will make letting go a little easier for you.
Not everyone would be willing to help you like this, and I know that right now you must be feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, but remember, we are all in this together, my friend!
I await your reply.
 

Micheal

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Mark - there is help available. In fact, I can help you. The first step in conquering any addiction is to get rid of the drugs, whatever they may be. Eliminate the supply, and then work on the emotional problems that feed the addiction in the first place.
Now you could just take Splinter Cell and throw it in the trash. But then you would only end up digging it out again, ten minutes later. No, I think the easiest, and the wisest solution is for you to send the game to me. Let me hold on to it FOR you, and when you're feeling stronger, maybe THEN you can have it back, after you've gotten some distance and proper perspective. I'll even pay shipping and handling, since that will make letting go a little easier for you.
Not everyone would be willing to help you like this, and I know that right now you must be feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, but remember, we are all in this together, my friend!
I await your reply.
LOL!! :laugh: :laugh: Very nice James!
 

Jay H

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Mark, I did that, but halfway between the corner and the open window is this so-called trigger point and the alarm would keep going off. So I spent an hour and a half trying to go another way, including up the elevator shaft where there is a hole in the roof (and a medikit and dis. pick)
There's another trigger point when you have to kidnap the CIA mole guy. He's in the courtyard and you just accessed the foyer area (with the UFO center :) ). I really think it now has to do with the bodies. I dumped all 4 guys (2 in the cafeteria, and 2 in the dark room in the women's bathroom but it wasn't exactly dark (hey, have you seen any women in this game yet? :) At this point, you have heard the D lady, the 3rd Ech intelligent agent, but you haven't seen her.)
If these are "trigger points" Consider myself very annoyed with them. Maybe they should label it somehow as a trigger point because they don't differentiate between getting detected via a laser/camera versus not hiding the bodies in darkness Therefore, (especially in the courtyard where they tell you there are lasers) I kept thinking I was triggering a laser and I had to go another way. But apparently not. Not a good job of informing us though. Our intel never said anything about a trigger point, magical video game alarm, or anything of that nature.
I'm now at the Chinese embassy, I really liked the K building mission.
I got through the colonel and the retinal scanner and the two guys by
Going up and over the lower stairs and falling on the guy by the desk, knocking him out. Then I put him under the stairs. The next guy is a piece of cake then and put him in the same place hugging his buddy.

Jay
 

Micheal

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(hey, have you seen any women in this game yet? At this point, you have heard the D lady, the 3rd Ech intelligent agent, but you haven't seen her.)
I don't find something like that to be a bug. They make it VERY clear to be extremely careful when hiding the bodies. (Especially on the CIA level) It only makes sense that if you leave them in a bad spot that someone will eventually find them. I actually ended up following "the Mole" on his way out to the courtyard for a smoke. All I know is that I'm passed the Chinese Embassy (on Hard difficulty) and I have run into none of the problems that you have. Not one. I take the time to dispose of all the bodies properly and I barely shoot a soul.
Therefore I believe that if the game is played properly you won't run into any "trigger points".
If you are running into these problems it must be a real pain. (I feel for you) I just find it odd that I'm not?
 

Jay H

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Well, maybe it's the software guy in me (I'm a developer), if you've killed everybody or knocked them out in the section (between checkpoints) then who is going to find them? One can tell that the guards have a preprogrammed route that they stick too unless provoked. I know they wont find a body in the women's room because they never go there, they're not programmed to unless the source of the detection is there which is isn't.
You can't say that triggering the alarm is because somebody stumbled upon the body that wasn't in the darkness because like I said, I could of walked around for years, in fact, I spent an hour and a half going down to the garage, up the elevator, trying to get back to the roof and NEVER did the alarm go off. It is not until I get to the exact pixel that the alarm goes off and the mission is over. Like I said, (in real life) if you stumbled upon a body, would you wait until the intruder is somewhere specific til you pulled an alarm? I wouldn't think so, which is why I think it's a silly point to have a trigger like that and not say anything or give any indication why you just failed.
At the CIA Mole kidnapping, I once just knocked him out at the soda machine, then I got the OPSAT on telling me, "you idiot, now you have to carry him out" kind of message :) Decided carrying him was too slow and started again...
BTW, for a funny read, read that mole's docket in your data file, it's pretty funny. I didn't read alot of the data pockets but I did read this one for some reason..
Jay
 

Micheal

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Like I said, (in real life) if you stumbled upon a body, would you wait until the intruder is somewhere specific til you pulled an alarm?
Of course not but you can't deny that if you did what you were supposed to you wouldn't be running into these problems. BTW, there are some levels that allow you to kill people and leave them laying around. The CIA level is just not one of them.
I also read all the data sticks, you can get a lot of good tips from quite a few of them so I suggest that you read them all. EDIT: There's a really funny one that you find on a gate guard during the Chinese Embassy level. :)
 

Jay Mitchosky

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I guess I did OK in my progression through this level as I did not face this problem. I took out every security camera from the library to the parkade, and also the lights in the lower levels of the parkade stairwell which ended up being helpful when one of the two hall guards from upstairs came down. Any bodies I tapped were hidden in the dark. When you make it into the office prior to leaving the East Wing make sure you don't barrel straight into the room as there's a camera immediately over the door. After picking the back door lock, shimmying down the outside ledge to the kitchen, and getting into the cafeteria and beyond not one alarm sounded.

I do agree that some of the scripted parts can be kind of annoying. For instance, you can wait at the entrance to the parkade at the bottom of the stairs for days but the guard from upstairs will never come until you open the door and take out the security camera.
I agree that this game would benefit from more random and less scripted activity but that doesn't take away from it being great. I also think it would have been nice for it to be in at least 480p given all the textures and detail available.

Bottom line is it's very addictive.
 

Jay H

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Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, I still dig the game. I liked MGS for the PSX and was debating on either this or MGS2 and the reviews here persuaded me to try this at least for now. Might even get MGS2 later on.

I think a little more random AI would be nice too, am I right that the "Hard" level has the same amount of guards/pattern but they just are faster or do out more damage?

Jay
 

Fred Bang

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Have you guys been in the sewers in China? The guards in there will give the scare of your life...

because they have flashlights... Very cool.
 

Micheal

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Fred, I just finished that level a little while ago! Definitely the coolest effect so far!!
htf_images_smilies_smiley_jawdrop.gif

Jay, I'm not sure if the number of guards change (or their pattern) on "hard". (I haven't tried normal or easy) The one thing I love is that you can really lure a guard far away from his post by making sounds and such...:emoji_thumbsup:
 

pitchman

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Dang! I picked this up yesterday and even early on, Splinter Cell delivers the goods! Linear schminear, this game is flat out FUN! Wish I could same for some of the other holiday AAA releases...
 

Jay Mitchosky

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According to the back of the packaging it is not 480p. I've seen combing in the cutscenes which to me would suggest that it is not. During gameplay the edges seem a little rough (ex. fences), although I'm not sure if that's an aliasing issue. That said there have been games in the past that indicate no HD support on the back cover yet are in fact 480p.

--Jay
 

Micheal

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Dang! I picked this up yesterday and even early on, Splinter Cell delivers the goods! Linear schminear, this game is flat out FUN! Wish I could same for some of the other holiday AAA releases...
I agree. It's one of the best games I've played! I also think that once I finish I will be able to go back and complete the game in a completely different manner. (Not to mention the download content!):emoji_thumbsup:
 

Micheal

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According to the back of the packaging it is not 480p. I've seen combing in the cutscenes which to me would suggest that it is not. During gameplay the edges seem a little rough (ex. fences), although I'm not sure if that's an aliasing issue. That said there have been games in the past that indicate no HD support on the back cover yet are in fact 480p.
I'm 99% sure that it's 480P! The textures just look too damn good. They have it listed as 480P here...Splinter Cell 480P
Anyone confirm this?
 

Jay H

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Not yet in the sewers. I've JUST started the Chinese embassy mission. I've always wanted to try playing with wall mines.. ya know like set on up in some dark area. And try to lure a guy to go. I've found I can run right by a wall mine and it wont go off until I'm safely past but I figure a guard might be different. I think it would be cool.

I feel odd cause I only found half way through the K mission of the sniper mode for the SC rifle! I thought it was a whole separate weapon.

Jay
 

Patrick Bennett

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Sep 1, 1998
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There's absolutely no question the game is in 480p.
My projector isn't set up for a good 480i video mode, but is for 480p, 720p and 1080i.
The projector explicitly synchs to 480p when I play Splinter Celll.
 

Jay Mitchosky

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It definitely supports 480p, back of the box be damned.
Gotta love those packaging standards. ;) How many games does that make with incorrect labelling? Not that I buy based on that but one would think these things should be correct.
On another note, am I the only geek one who thinks about tactics when not playing? :b Are you guys approaching this game with the goal of moving silently through with nothing to indicate your passage or strategically picking off those in your path?
 

Micheal

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On another note, am I the only geek one who thinks about tactics when not playing? Are you guys approaching this game with the goal of moving silently through with nothing to indicate your passage or strategically picking off those in your path?
Absolutely!:D "Silently through" for me! I'm even trying not to use gadgets, if I can sneak up behind someone or lure them into the shadows then that's the way I'll do it.:emoji_thumbsup:
 

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