GAMEWORLD:
questions:
- Is it rewarding to explore the last inch of the gameworld ?
Yes - you can find interesting items, locations, more quests.
- Are unique items in the game ?
Yes
rating:
No: 0 points:
-The task to get from A to B has no or few options to go away from a fixed physical path.
-The game-world only inhabits monsters and a few merchants.
-The world is without (none monster) societies.
Ultra light: 1 point:
-Still a strict physical path, but with a few small societies on your way.
Light: 2 points:
-A few areas are optional on your path each chapter / milestone.
-Societies will give some quest / story material.
Medium: 3 points:
-There are at least several physical path's to choose between, AND more will open up as the game proceeds.
-Societies must give the feeling of a live community, with their own daily business, AND not just a few NPC's waiting for the hero's
to come along and pass on a few quests.
-The size of the game-world must be considerable.
More: 4 points:
-Societies must be very different and have strong relation to the game-world and each other.
-We are no longer talking about a few path's when exploring the world.
-The appearance of monsters and societies must make common sense.
Heavy: 5 points:
-The world is totally open for extreme freedom to explore, AND it's your own task to decide if your character(s) are good enough
to take on the different part of the world.
-The diversity of the game-world environment must be significant.
-Day & night cycles, and different weather conditions and /or different seasons.
Fallout New Vegas (GAMEWORLD): 4 points (not so much diversity of the gameworld, no weather)
MANIPULTION:
questions:
- Can you manipulate the gameworld ? (levers, buttons, secret doors, …)
Yes, mostly by hacking and lockpicking.
- Can the gameworld manipulate your character(s) ? (traps, teleports, …)
There are mine & rifle traps.
- Can you pick up items, herbs, raw materials and then mix new potions, make new weapons, … ?
A lot - you can make lots of things, weapons,food, … you have to find or buy recipes first.
- Is item-repairing possible ?
Yes.
rating:
No: 0 points:
- Almost no action possible besides walk/run and combat, except maybe a very few items.
- Game-world itself is very static.
Ultra light: 1 points:
- Very few limited interactions besides walking and combat.
- A few chest barrels is scattered through the game.
Light: 2 points:
- There are a few weapons, armours, items in the game.
- Traps, levers, keys and alike is available in it's simple presence.
Medium: 3 points:
- The game-world have a considerable amount of weapons, armours, items, skills, spells in significant variations.
- The things to do will quickly fill up more than one page in your journal, AND keep it that way for most of the game.
- Custom items must be available. (Custom items are items that can’t directly be found in the game-world, the player needs to either
combine more items or process an item with (Fire, acid, poison, magic, tool-masters etc (repairing items don’t count)). It’s not limited to weapons and armour only)
More: 4 points:
- You can see /influence changes in the environment, OR use it either to create/ manipulate things or get strategic possibilities in
combat. (Summarised: Game-world environment itself offers several interactivity possibilities: (Chopping trees, make fire, diving in
water, hide behind objects, move/destroy/manipulate objects, etc.)
- A few different ways of making custom items must be available. (See above).
Heavy: 5 points:
- Many different ways of making custom items must be available. (See above).
- Alchemist, spell-casters, smiths, herbalist and other item collectors are in heaven due to the tons of items for manipulation.
- Gameworld environment itself offers many interactivity possibilities: (Chopping trees, make fire, diving in water, hide behind
objects, move/destroy/manipulate objects, etc.)
Fallout New Vegas (MANIPULTION): 4.5 points (not so many interactivity possibilities)
COMBAT:
questions:
- how many tactics, strategies, spells/counterspells you have to use to survive in combat ? (remark: this has nothing to do with real time vs. turn based combat. example: Rage of Mages: Real time and very tactical)
For surviving combat in New Vegas you need:
1. good gear
2. stimpacks
3. one or two partners
4. VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System)
- Are there many different monsters, enemies,..?
Yes
- how good/complex is the enemy AI ?
Mediocre
- Is it critical for combat to have a good equipment management ?
Yes
- Do you need resistances against poison, fire, … to survive ?
Yes - good armour and anti-poison, anti-rad pills make life easier
- Is the combat balanced ?
Always balanced - some challenging fights.
rating:
No: 0 points:
- You put your character(s) into position and they solve combat on their own, or the combat result is only affected by your skills
on the keyboard.
Ultra light: 1 point:
- Real-time combat only without any pause options.
- Options are limited to the choice of the opponent to attack.
Light: 2 points:
- Character skills and/or players strategic abilities have a noticeable more impact on the outcome of the battles too.
Medium: 3 points:
- Players can more decide the pace of the battle,
- Strategic positions of the party is more vital, and the options for each character is more plentiful.
- At this point it's also important that monsters offers some diversity not only in numbers, but also in strategies necessary to win.
- Monsters AI are more than attacking the closest enemy!
- There must be more issues for your characters during combat, than loosing or giving hit-points. Ex. Poisoning, paralyse, curse etc.
More: 4 points:
- Their must be alternatives to swing your sword and cast a spell during combat Ex. Skills, traps, spells, treats, or items to use
in battles.
- Different strategies are necessary for survival.
Heavy: 5 points:
- Each characters can be controlled individual down to the smallest detail and in any pace wanted.
- The monsters must offer a lot of difference both in numbers, abilities, battle environment, which must offer quite a diversity in battle approaches.
- Monsters AI are considerable.
Fallout New Vegas (COMBAT): 2.5 points
OTHER NON-RPG RELATED INTERESTING CATEGORIES:
GRAPHICS:
A “Year” of evaluation should follow the graphics score!
We try not to express how beautiful the graphics is (It's difficult to separate entirely), just how many specific graphic technology elements it contains (Like shadows, lightning etc), and it's standard compared to others at the time of the review!
* 0 points: Text only.
* 1 point: Static pictures, and/ or low 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.1 point: Static
pictures, and/ or low 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 2 points: Higher 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 3 points: Mediocre 3D or 2D with up to date standard compared to others in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 4 points: Fully 3D with up to date standard compared to others in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 5 points: Fully 3D. Absolute among the best in it's category, with a few ground breaking content compared to others at the time it is reviewed.
Fallout New Vegas (GRAPHICS): 3 points (year 2010) (Oblivion engine, some problems with shadows, feels a bit old)
SOUND:
This determines the amount and the degree of acoustic technologies in the sound, not directly the quality or realism of the sound,
and not how many different sound boards it covers.
* 0 Points: No sound.
* 1 point: Mono sound.
* 2 points: Very sparse and basic Stereo sound
* 3 points: Plentiful Stereo sound
* 4 points: Support of more than 2 speakers, and considerable environmental sounds.
* 5 points: Fully real surround sound support (At least 5.1), with ultra real 3D feeling
Fallout New Vegas (SOUND): 4 points
LENGTH:
An average length is used for calculation, a second score in “( )” for maximum hours searching under every stone and solving every
quest could be mentioned if it brings the game into another score-area.
* 0 points: Under 8 hours.
* 1 point: 8 - 20 hours.
* 2 points: 20- 50 hours.
* 3 points: 50- 80 hours.
* 4 points: 80 - 150 hours.
* 5 points: over 150 hours.
Fallout New Vegas (LENGTH): 3 (4) points
DIFFICULTY:
you can change the difficulty and select a 'hardcore' mode
* 0 points: No brain teasers at all, only walk /run and hack 'n slash
* 1 point: Easy brain teasers that don't slow the game pace down considerable.
* 2 points: Some problems (Riddles, events, combat, NPC's etc) can make you stop for a short while until you find the relative easy solution!
* 3 points: Not all problems are obvious in solution, but there are more possibilities to get help. The amount of problems must also be considerable.
* 4 points: Some problems can't be solved without help/things from other places or without some in vain tries first!
* 5 points: The game is loaded with more or less hard problems, and many problems can only be solved by extensive brain use!
Fallout New Vegas (DIFFICULTY): 4 points
continue...
questions:
- Is it rewarding to explore the last inch of the gameworld ?
Yes - you can find interesting items, locations, more quests.
- Are unique items in the game ?
Yes
rating:
No: 0 points:
-The task to get from A to B has no or few options to go away from a fixed physical path.
-The game-world only inhabits monsters and a few merchants.
-The world is without (none monster) societies.
Ultra light: 1 point:
-Still a strict physical path, but with a few small societies on your way.
Light: 2 points:
-A few areas are optional on your path each chapter / milestone.
-Societies will give some quest / story material.
Medium: 3 points:
-There are at least several physical path's to choose between, AND more will open up as the game proceeds.
-Societies must give the feeling of a live community, with their own daily business, AND not just a few NPC's waiting for the hero's
to come along and pass on a few quests.
-The size of the game-world must be considerable.
More: 4 points:
-Societies must be very different and have strong relation to the game-world and each other.
-We are no longer talking about a few path's when exploring the world.
-The appearance of monsters and societies must make common sense.
Heavy: 5 points:
-The world is totally open for extreme freedom to explore, AND it's your own task to decide if your character(s) are good enough
to take on the different part of the world.
-The diversity of the game-world environment must be significant.
-Day & night cycles, and different weather conditions and /or different seasons.
Fallout New Vegas (GAMEWORLD): 4 points (not so much diversity of the gameworld, no weather)
MANIPULTION:
questions:
- Can you manipulate the gameworld ? (levers, buttons, secret doors, …)
Yes, mostly by hacking and lockpicking.
- Can the gameworld manipulate your character(s) ? (traps, teleports, …)
There are mine & rifle traps.
- Can you pick up items, herbs, raw materials and then mix new potions, make new weapons, … ?
A lot - you can make lots of things, weapons,food, … you have to find or buy recipes first.
- Is item-repairing possible ?
Yes.
rating:
No: 0 points:
- Almost no action possible besides walk/run and combat, except maybe a very few items.
- Game-world itself is very static.
Ultra light: 1 points:
- Very few limited interactions besides walking and combat.
- A few chest barrels is scattered through the game.
Light: 2 points:
- There are a few weapons, armours, items in the game.
- Traps, levers, keys and alike is available in it's simple presence.
Medium: 3 points:
- The game-world have a considerable amount of weapons, armours, items, skills, spells in significant variations.
- The things to do will quickly fill up more than one page in your journal, AND keep it that way for most of the game.
- Custom items must be available. (Custom items are items that can’t directly be found in the game-world, the player needs to either
combine more items or process an item with (Fire, acid, poison, magic, tool-masters etc (repairing items don’t count)). It’s not limited to weapons and armour only)
More: 4 points:
- You can see /influence changes in the environment, OR use it either to create/ manipulate things or get strategic possibilities in
combat. (Summarised: Game-world environment itself offers several interactivity possibilities: (Chopping trees, make fire, diving in
water, hide behind objects, move/destroy/manipulate objects, etc.)
- A few different ways of making custom items must be available. (See above).
Heavy: 5 points:
- Many different ways of making custom items must be available. (See above).
- Alchemist, spell-casters, smiths, herbalist and other item collectors are in heaven due to the tons of items for manipulation.
- Gameworld environment itself offers many interactivity possibilities: (Chopping trees, make fire, diving in water, hide behind
objects, move/destroy/manipulate objects, etc.)
Fallout New Vegas (MANIPULTION): 4.5 points (not so many interactivity possibilities)
COMBAT:
questions:
- how many tactics, strategies, spells/counterspells you have to use to survive in combat ? (remark: this has nothing to do with real time vs. turn based combat. example: Rage of Mages: Real time and very tactical)
For surviving combat in New Vegas you need:
1. good gear
2. stimpacks
3. one or two partners
4. VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System)
- Are there many different monsters, enemies,..?
Yes
- how good/complex is the enemy AI ?
Mediocre
- Is it critical for combat to have a good equipment management ?
Yes
- Do you need resistances against poison, fire, … to survive ?
Yes - good armour and anti-poison, anti-rad pills make life easier
- Is the combat balanced ?
Always balanced - some challenging fights.
rating:
No: 0 points:
- You put your character(s) into position and they solve combat on their own, or the combat result is only affected by your skills
on the keyboard.
Ultra light: 1 point:
- Real-time combat only without any pause options.
- Options are limited to the choice of the opponent to attack.
Light: 2 points:
- Character skills and/or players strategic abilities have a noticeable more impact on the outcome of the battles too.
Medium: 3 points:
- Players can more decide the pace of the battle,
- Strategic positions of the party is more vital, and the options for each character is more plentiful.
- At this point it's also important that monsters offers some diversity not only in numbers, but also in strategies necessary to win.
- Monsters AI are more than attacking the closest enemy!
- There must be more issues for your characters during combat, than loosing or giving hit-points. Ex. Poisoning, paralyse, curse etc.
More: 4 points:
- Their must be alternatives to swing your sword and cast a spell during combat Ex. Skills, traps, spells, treats, or items to use
in battles.
- Different strategies are necessary for survival.
Heavy: 5 points:
- Each characters can be controlled individual down to the smallest detail and in any pace wanted.
- The monsters must offer a lot of difference both in numbers, abilities, battle environment, which must offer quite a diversity in battle approaches.
- Monsters AI are considerable.
Fallout New Vegas (COMBAT): 2.5 points
OTHER NON-RPG RELATED INTERESTING CATEGORIES:
GRAPHICS:
A “Year” of evaluation should follow the graphics score!
We try not to express how beautiful the graphics is (It's difficult to separate entirely), just how many specific graphic technology elements it contains (Like shadows, lightning etc), and it's standard compared to others at the time of the review!
* 0 points: Text only.
* 1 point: Static pictures, and/ or low 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.1 point: Static
pictures, and/ or low 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 2 points: Higher 2D resolution in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 3 points: Mediocre 3D or 2D with up to date standard compared to others in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 4 points: Fully 3D with up to date standard compared to others in relation to other games in the year of evaluation.
* 5 points: Fully 3D. Absolute among the best in it's category, with a few ground breaking content compared to others at the time it is reviewed.
Fallout New Vegas (GRAPHICS): 3 points (year 2010) (Oblivion engine, some problems with shadows, feels a bit old)
SOUND:
This determines the amount and the degree of acoustic technologies in the sound, not directly the quality or realism of the sound,
and not how many different sound boards it covers.
* 0 Points: No sound.
* 1 point: Mono sound.
* 2 points: Very sparse and basic Stereo sound
* 3 points: Plentiful Stereo sound
* 4 points: Support of more than 2 speakers, and considerable environmental sounds.
* 5 points: Fully real surround sound support (At least 5.1), with ultra real 3D feeling
Fallout New Vegas (SOUND): 4 points
LENGTH:
An average length is used for calculation, a second score in “( )” for maximum hours searching under every stone and solving every
quest could be mentioned if it brings the game into another score-area.
* 0 points: Under 8 hours.
* 1 point: 8 - 20 hours.
* 2 points: 20- 50 hours.
* 3 points: 50- 80 hours.
* 4 points: 80 - 150 hours.
* 5 points: over 150 hours.
Fallout New Vegas (LENGTH): 3 (4) points
DIFFICULTY:
you can change the difficulty and select a 'hardcore' mode
* 0 points: No brain teasers at all, only walk /run and hack 'n slash
* 1 point: Easy brain teasers that don't slow the game pace down considerable.
* 2 points: Some problems (Riddles, events, combat, NPC's etc) can make you stop for a short while until you find the relative easy solution!
* 3 points: Not all problems are obvious in solution, but there are more possibilities to get help. The amount of problems must also be considerable.
* 4 points: Some problems can't be solved without help/things from other places or without some in vain tries first!
* 5 points: The game is loaded with more or less hard problems, and many problems can only be solved by extensive brain use!
Fallout New Vegas (DIFFICULTY): 4 points
continue...
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