Summer Games Challenge 2017 - Begin when ready!

[laurenhiya21]

I had some free time last night, so I thought I'd get started on this!

Below is my final list:

Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1)
Chrono Trigger (SNES)
Shadow Hearts (PS2)
YU-NO (PC)
Phantasy Star (SMS)
Yoshi’s Island (SNES)
Prince of Persia (SNES)
Super Metroid (SNES)
DOOM (GOG)
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

I started off with DOOM first. Technically I'm playing Ultimate DOOM, but from what I understand they are the same other than the Ultimate exclusive final episode. I don't plan on playing that episode since apparently it's pretty brutal.

Right now I've finished the first episode and making my way through the second. I'm playing on the easiest difficulty because I know I'm very bad at FPSs haha. The game so far is a bit of a mix for me. I'm liking most of the actual shooty bits (even if I'm horrible at them), but I keep on getting really lost. I'll be wandering and wandering and wandering, looking for something I missed, until suddenly I'm somehow in a new area. There's only been one time where I've gone "Oh! I didn't see that!" and felt really silly for missing it. The rest of the times I got lost, I just somehow stumbled through after a while. Luckily the levels aren't incredibly long, but a number of times I've gotten times that were 10-15 minutes over the par time haha. Not sure how fast those par times are, and if they're meant more for speedrunners than normal play, but it was a bit funny to see how slow my time was in comparison.

Also the control scheme messes me up a bit (I mix up sprint and shoot a lot plus I'm bad at strafing), but hopefully I'll get used to that.

[Ack]

Don't worry about par times. It's your first playthrough, so instead focus on the level design, getting a feel for how the combat handles, and how to tackle different enemies. The par is really there for folks who want to challenge themselves further.

[Exhuminator]

Castlevania Symphony of the Night (PS1)
Chrono Trigger (SNES)
Shadow Hearts (PS2)
YU-NO (PC)
Phantasy Star (SMS)
Yoshi’s Island (SNES)
Prince of Persia (SNES)
Super Metroid (SNES)
DOOM (GOG)
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

That is such a great list. I'm looking forward to your reviews on all of those (to contrast my own opinions as I've beaten all of them except YU-NO). I'm especially interested in your opinion of Shadow Hearts once you play through it. It's such an underrated yet amazing JRPG.

[laurenhiya21]

Don't worry about par times. It's your first playthrough, so instead focus on the level design, getting a feel for how the combat handles, and how to tackle different enemies. The par is really there for folks who want to challenge themselves further.

Good to know. I wasn't worrying about it too much, but I wasn't exactly sure about those times either.

[MrPopo]

I'm liking most of the actual shooty bits (even if I'm horrible at them), but I keep on getting really lost. I'll be wandering and wandering and wandering, looking for something I missed, until suddenly I'm somehow in a new area. There's only been one time where I've gone "Oh! I didn't see that!" and felt really silly for missing it. The rest of the times I got lost, I just somehow stumbled through after a while. Luckily the levels aren't incredibly long, but a number of times I've gotten times that were 10-15 minutes over the par time haha. Not sure how fast those par times are, and if they're meant more for speedrunners than normal play, but it was a bit funny to see how slow my time was in comparison.

Also the control scheme messes me up a bit (I mix up sprint and shoot a lot plus I'm bad at strafing), but hopefully I'll get used to that.

So it sounds like you're playing the raw DOS release and not a source port. That's definitely the harder way of playing it; these days you can grab a native Windows/Mac client that uses all the original game files but has some niceties like a more modern mouselook system (so you can use your keys for strafing).

As for getting lost, there is an in-game map that works pretty well. Since the levels are all technically 2D (all the height changes just make it more interesting visually) it can display a comprehensive map.

[Exhuminator]

As for getting lost, there is an in-game map that works pretty well. Since the levels are all technically 2D (all the height changes just make it more interesting visually) it can display a comprehensive map.

Yes the Automap is a must IMO, at least the first time you play. Just push TAB to bring it up.

Here's the rest of the keyboard commands if you need them laurenhiya21:

[marurun]

I always changed the controls to make Q and E strafe left and right, respectively. That way they were right close to turn left and turn right.

[laurenhiya21]

Ah! I looked over the controls before but I must have glossed over the map key. It's not on by default so I assumed that it didn't have one. That should make it easier!

Also yeah I'm playing the GOG version of DOOM with no mods. I'm also only using a keyboard to play and not a controller or mouse.

[Sarge]

I played the game with a gamepad. Works better than you'd think.

[strangenova]

I played the game with a gamepad. Works better than you'd think.

I play it on Xbox and it's great with that controller.