Half-Life came out in '98.Flabyo wrote:At the time I was heavily into playing Quake 2 capture the flag at work, and around this time there was also Half-life... (actually, I'm not convinced that lines up time wise? Maybe I didn't buy it at launch. Hmm, getting old is fun.)
GoldenEye 007
Re: Our next podcast recording: GoldenEye 007
Re: Our next podcast recording: GoldenEye 007
When Goldeneye 007 is being brought up in video game discussion, the typical conversation follows a pattern of fond remembrance of both the single player campaign and the mutiplayer deathmatches and musings about how it was the first good/great first person shooter for a console, followed by the conclusion that time has not been kind to it and the advise not to revisit the game in its original format.
And as overall positive the sentiment is around Goldeneye 007, I think it deserves more, far more credit that that.
Let's take a trip back to late 1997. Around this time, the first person shooter that represented the state of the art on PC at the time was the original Quake, as Unreal and Half-Life had not come out yet. id Software's much hyped follow-up to Doom boasted moody looking environments and impressive light sourcing, but its character models were decidedly angular and low on polygons and it was still a maze-type corridor shooter set in more abstract environments that did only really evolve from Doom in terms of the greater verticality in its levels. So after Turok: Dinosaur Hunter on N64 (and PC), which already fared better than Quake in terms of polygon counts for its 3D models, along came Goldeneye 007.
More than just being good for a console based FPS, Goldeneye was perhaps the first game in the genre to feature environments with a real world sense of logic to them, from the dam and its security locked areas to the facility within, as well as the frigate and many other locations in the game. These weren't the mazes of old with inexplicable raising platforms in place to transport you to higher levels. No, there were actual elevators and fire escapes and offices and connected hallways. And trains. Don't forget about trains.
But that was not all. Probably thanks to its original conception as a Virtua Cop-style light gun shooter, Rare introduced another first as they made it so that enemies actually reacted accordingly to where on their bodies you would shoot them, albeit in an often comical manner. Did you ever attempt to shoot a Russian soldier in the bottom, the first chance you got when sneaking around in the facility? I did and had a good laugh, seeing him jump up and reach for his buttocks with both hands! Oh yeah and you could pop off berets and other headgear!
Remember that Goldeneye 007 was also released before Metal Gear Solid, quietly introducing polygonal tactical espionage action as an aside. Using a silencer, circumventing CCTV cameras and patrolling guards and preventing soldiers to reach for the alarm button was often very beneficial, unless you didn't care to accomplish the mission and fancied a glorious shootout.
And then there was the mission design, with made for various goal posts contained within a single level, even expanding when a higher difficulty level was selected. This was another leap from the keycard grabbing and maze running seen in the big PC FPSes before it. This exact structure would survive through Perfect Dark, the TimeSplitters games and ultimately Perfect Dark Zero, but I don't think it's unfair to state that it must have influenced at least other games of the genre with real world settings after it as well.
So you see, Goldeneye 007's impact, both in terms of its presentation and in terms of its design and play mechanics, and the complete breath of fresh air the game represented was positively huge and often strangely understated. Maybe because much of its earliest fans weren't overly familiar with the PC FPSes of the time and just how sharp the contrast was?
Before I got to own the game (pretty much on release), I had been very skeptical about the split screen death matches, as I only had played competitive FPSes via LAN on PC and the idea of being able to see your opponent's screen seemed to take too much away from the game for me. But in the end, the slower, considerate play, resembling real life fire fights more, combined with the ability to quickly pop around corners and back again and the rigging of environments with explosives gave it its own unique and enjoyable flavour.
As for revisiting, I do pop the cartridge in from time to time (the Natalya escort mission on 00 Agent level is my bane) and to me the experience is not as unpleasant as it is to many others. The default controls don't bother me, as the game has been designed around it (auto-aim or manual aim with the R-button takes care of enemies above and below very well, no need to mess around with the C-buttons) and I personally don't demand standardised controls for every game of a genre anyway. The now substandard frame rate is a bit rougher to deal with, but with the right (or wrong?) mindset I can do it. Funnily enough, at the time of the game's release I had noticed it too, but since my PC was chugging along when hordes of imps were chucking fireballs at my space marine as well, I more or less accepted choppy frame rates when things get busy as part of the genre... sort of how I now accept slowdown in a Cave shoot 'em up.
In the end, Perfect Dark did almost everything Goldeneye did better (even though the last few levels of its campaign weren't much fun), but the Rare FPS with the Bond license certainly deserves a lot more credit than I've seen it getting so far.
And as overall positive the sentiment is around Goldeneye 007, I think it deserves more, far more credit that that.
Let's take a trip back to late 1997. Around this time, the first person shooter that represented the state of the art on PC at the time was the original Quake, as Unreal and Half-Life had not come out yet. id Software's much hyped follow-up to Doom boasted moody looking environments and impressive light sourcing, but its character models were decidedly angular and low on polygons and it was still a maze-type corridor shooter set in more abstract environments that did only really evolve from Doom in terms of the greater verticality in its levels. So after Turok: Dinosaur Hunter on N64 (and PC), which already fared better than Quake in terms of polygon counts for its 3D models, along came Goldeneye 007.
More than just being good for a console based FPS, Goldeneye was perhaps the first game in the genre to feature environments with a real world sense of logic to them, from the dam and its security locked areas to the facility within, as well as the frigate and many other locations in the game. These weren't the mazes of old with inexplicable raising platforms in place to transport you to higher levels. No, there were actual elevators and fire escapes and offices and connected hallways. And trains. Don't forget about trains.
But that was not all. Probably thanks to its original conception as a Virtua Cop-style light gun shooter, Rare introduced another first as they made it so that enemies actually reacted accordingly to where on their bodies you would shoot them, albeit in an often comical manner. Did you ever attempt to shoot a Russian soldier in the bottom, the first chance you got when sneaking around in the facility? I did and had a good laugh, seeing him jump up and reach for his buttocks with both hands! Oh yeah and you could pop off berets and other headgear!
Remember that Goldeneye 007 was also released before Metal Gear Solid, quietly introducing polygonal tactical espionage action as an aside. Using a silencer, circumventing CCTV cameras and patrolling guards and preventing soldiers to reach for the alarm button was often very beneficial, unless you didn't care to accomplish the mission and fancied a glorious shootout.
And then there was the mission design, with made for various goal posts contained within a single level, even expanding when a higher difficulty level was selected. This was another leap from the keycard grabbing and maze running seen in the big PC FPSes before it. This exact structure would survive through Perfect Dark, the TimeSplitters games and ultimately Perfect Dark Zero, but I don't think it's unfair to state that it must have influenced at least other games of the genre with real world settings after it as well.
So you see, Goldeneye 007's impact, both in terms of its presentation and in terms of its design and play mechanics, and the complete breath of fresh air the game represented was positively huge and often strangely understated. Maybe because much of its earliest fans weren't overly familiar with the PC FPSes of the time and just how sharp the contrast was?
Before I got to own the game (pretty much on release), I had been very skeptical about the split screen death matches, as I only had played competitive FPSes via LAN on PC and the idea of being able to see your opponent's screen seemed to take too much away from the game for me. But in the end, the slower, considerate play, resembling real life fire fights more, combined with the ability to quickly pop around corners and back again and the rigging of environments with explosives gave it its own unique and enjoyable flavour.
As for revisiting, I do pop the cartridge in from time to time (the Natalya escort mission on 00 Agent level is my bane) and to me the experience is not as unpleasant as it is to many others. The default controls don't bother me, as the game has been designed around it (auto-aim or manual aim with the R-button takes care of enemies above and below very well, no need to mess around with the C-buttons) and I personally don't demand standardised controls for every game of a genre anyway. The now substandard frame rate is a bit rougher to deal with, but with the right (or wrong?) mindset I can do it. Funnily enough, at the time of the game's release I had noticed it too, but since my PC was chugging along when hordes of imps were chucking fireballs at my space marine as well, I more or less accepted choppy frame rates when things get busy as part of the genre... sort of how I now accept slowdown in a Cave shoot 'em up.
In the end, Perfect Dark did almost everything Goldeneye did better (even though the last few levels of its campaign weren't much fun), but the Rare FPS with the Bond license certainly deserves a lot more credit than I've seen it getting so far.
Re: Our next podcast recording: GoldenEye 007
So it's safe to assume I won't be able to read these articles out during the podcast... so here are some...
GOLDENLINKS!It doesn't work, I'm sorry.
Martin Hollis talks about his experience of creating Goldeneye
https://t.co/PLEC3dT0sj
Now Gamer did an interview with some of the key staff about making the game
http://www.nowgamer.com/the-making-of-goldeneye/
And Unseen 64 has a decent page about unused assets found in the ROM. Trust me, this well can go deeper but for your own sake, stay above ground!
https://t.co/bvqbAPSE0I
GOLDENLINKS!It doesn't work, I'm sorry.
Martin Hollis talks about his experience of creating Goldeneye
https://t.co/PLEC3dT0sj
Now Gamer did an interview with some of the key staff about making the game
http://www.nowgamer.com/the-making-of-goldeneye/
And Unseen 64 has a decent page about unused assets found in the ROM. Trust me, this well can go deeper but for your own sake, stay above ground!
https://t.co/bvqbAPSE0I
Re: Our next podcast recording: GoldenEye 007
This is really great stuff, thank you.dezm0nd wrote:So it's safe to assume I won't be able to read these articles out during the podcast... so here are some...
GOLDENLINKS!It doesn't work, I'm sorry.
Martin Hollis talks about his experience of creating Goldeneye
https://t.co/PLEC3dT0sj
Now Gamer did an interview with some of the key staff about making the game
http://www.nowgamer.com/the-making-of-goldeneye/
And Unseen 64 has a decent page about unused assets found in the ROM. Trust me, this well can go deeper but for your own sake, stay above ground!
https://t.co/bvqbAPSE0I
Re: GoldenEye 007
I'm fairly sure the gnarly prawn cocktail crisps that one of you mention in the podcast but for the name of are, Petrified Prawns.
They were the nuts.
They were the nuts.
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ratsoalbion
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Re: GoldenEye 007
I don't remember them having a novelty name, but it could have been a rebrand (or a very similar snack).
Now I want some!
Now I want some!
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ratsoalbion
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Re: GoldenEye 007
Hah, yeah it wasn't those exactly but it was the same make and probably the same (deliciously disgusting) recipe.
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RobC
Re: GoldenEye 007
Great episode, was a massive nostalgia trip. This game was a huge mainstay all through school for me after getting it with the N64 Christmas '97.
I must admit I was a little puzzled at the mention of the statue park level, had completely erased it from my memory as it was a bit bobbins.
I must admit I was a little puzzled at the mention of the statue park level, had completely erased it from my memory as it was a bit bobbins.
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ratsoalbion
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Re: GoldenEye 007
Thanks Rob. It's kinda funny how many levels there were that we didn't really rate, despite adoring the game so much!
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RobC
Re: GoldenEye 007
Absolutely, especially given I still have the Dam level, among others, pretty much committed to memory inch for inch.
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brutaldeluxe09
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- Location: Nottingham
Re: Our next podcast recording: GoldenEye 007
that's interesting as I feel the almost exact opposite, I played this again recently and loved it though the control scheme felt incredibly alien and took a bit of getting used to though that said I'm not really into the modern day shooter.chase210 wrote:I booted up goldeneye on the N64 today after reading peoples thoughts in this thread, and my opinion still stands that this is one that should be left in the past. It's kind of charming though in that way out dated games often are, but I feel like maybe we've just been spoilt by more modern, slicker shooters, or I just don't have the required nostalgia googles to enjoy this.
Re: GoldenEye 007
I'd forgotten about the jungle level totally, that was a bitch to finish on 00.