[Let's Play] Strife: Macil turns this world into dust!

Strifer

Strife is an FPS with some RPG elements made in 1996 by Rogue Entertainment. It uses the Doom engine, so we can have some lovely 2.5D pixel stabbings, and we do not even need to worry about running it in DOSbox, since ZDoom supports this game. All of you with legal wads can now turn on the nostalgia dial to the max.

The Story:

Note: This part was taken straight from Wikipedia, since I have lost the manual ages ago.

The following is as it is explained in the manual of the game: "You are a wandering mercenary, led to the small town of Tarnhill by rumors of conflict between The Order, a well-equipped religious dictatorship, and The Front, the rag tag resistance movement. While searching for The Front you decided to take a brief rest somewhere that you thought was safe. The Order acolytes have been rounding up all suspicious characters in the area. Yes, you happen to be one of them. What they didn't expect, though, is the knife you keep concealed for situations just like this one..."

Why Strife?

Well, it is the first original game I ever bought for the PC, so nostalgia is a factor, but also because it is a wonderful gem of a game thrown into obscurity by the very-soon-to-be-released Duke Nukem 3D. The aim of this LP is to show you why I think this is one of the best games you have never played.

From a coherent world (on the Doom engine no less), through a cheesy storyline, to engaging gameplay, the game oozes with memorable moments and satisfying stabbings. It does not even take a lot of grinding to get into so you can fight the Order right from the get-go.

Technical Stuff

It took me quite a while to start this thread, but I have had some problems here with the production of these lengthy, lengthy videos. Please excuse the commentary in the second video as I really wanted to just be done with it. A third of the problem lies with me being a bit shy; another third with me having a great command of the english language, except, it seems, only in the written word (I do not talk often in English, I hope to remedy this with this LP); the last third with me having little privacy at my home, so I cannot guarantee frequent updates - I have to wait for a quiet spell at home to make sure you will not hear any background noise other than my nervous breath.

I will try to mass produce some videos this week so I can have a batch before high school kicks in next week. I will of course finish this LP, you should not worry about it, but please do not start the internet hate machine if things seem to get a bit slow in the future. Because the game is not long, I will hopefully not keep you blue-balled too much. For now, I will try my best to entertain you.

Strife LP and You

Since this is a Let's Play thread, I will have to ask for your input regarding my playthrough. You can either tell me to play through the hardest difficulty level, which will be a pain in the ass, or the lower ones. The second video presents the five available options so you can choose one.

I know you bastards will have me play the hardest one though, which completion I cannot guarantee. I will try if you make me, and if I happen to be really stuck, then I will just start again on a lower difficulty level and magically zip through the game off-screen to where I got stuck. Also, the more I am being shot at, the harder it is to create the opportunities for the funnies and the longer it will take to produce the video (I am going to be a bit creative with them).

My computer is a crappy ancient crap-o'-crap, so I cannot exactly provide you with Stage6 level of high-definition quality stabbings. Even so, I think I have made a tolerable compromise.

The Good Stuff (Probably)

Anyway, without any further ramblings, the videos:

#1 Intro

Basically an advanced DOOM splash-screen.

#1.5 Difficulties

This is your so-called "tangible reference." I did not have too much to say, since what could I say?

If you have any sort of challenges for me, please state your pain. I will try to do them, though do not expect any miracles. Actually, if you are curious about anything - different dialogue options, wanton stabbings, other stuff - request away.

If, for some reason, you do not wish to hear my awful commentary, then I will simply produce the videos without it. Either way, you will see the end to this game.

One last thing. There are a few choices in the game which affect how it flows and what ending we will ultimately get. When we get there, I will leave the choice up to you. Aside from that, every conversation is comprised of two options: progress or being stuck. I will simply choose the correct option. Since voice-acting is one of the big draws of this game, I am going to let the actors speak freely, which I am also going to demonstrate in the next video.

The-fucking-end of this long-ass post. Whew.

EDIT: I also just found out that the text is a bit blurry. I will play around a bit with the compression and, if that yields no results, I will simply read or post the text in question. Well, the text did not appear that bad on my end, but the video is stretched and stuff. Growing pains, I guess.

Strifer

The videos:

#1 Intro
#1.5 Difficulties
#2 Mercenary for Hire
#2.5 Strife (Cheap) Omake Theater #1
#3 The Front
#4 Prison Break In
#5 Crystal Clear
#6 Sewers, Castle, Sewers - JOY!
#7 Storming the Castle - Part 1
#8 Storming the Castle - Part 2
#8.5 Let's Hate the Programmer
#9 Enlightenment
#10 Solo Fortress
#11 Mazed
#12 Warhouse
#13 Childhood Trauma
Not14 Let's Kill Macil Dead
#14 Kill Macil
WIP #15

TVs_Frank

Good choice. I remember being pretty impressed with Strife when it came out. It was ahead of it's time on gameplay mechanics. When everyone was making straight up shooters like Hexen (I don't know. I think that came out at around the same time?), they had a much deeper game with NPCs, inventory, currency, and shops. I never did buy the full version though for some reason. I don't think the actual gameplay managed to hook me.

Strifer

Bumpage due to obscurity. Also, an update should be up today. I am currently processing the video on my end and preparing to add commentary.

I have also fiddled a bit with the video quality and I am going to see how it turns out after dailymotion does its magic. Hopefully, everything should be less blury.

There will be some fighting, some talking and a whole lot of no women.

Strifer

#2 Mercenary for Hire

It seems the video quality is mostly the same, but I have decided to encode audio differently and it does not make your ears bleed so much. There were some moments were I was supposed to shout, but I could not do so for certain reasons. Maybe when I finally get my balls glued back I will go back and redo the commentary.

I will now have to ask you whether you want to be:

A. Messy
B. Bloody

There will be a decision later on to make and we will get a "job." I will probably also prepare two separate videos, one continuing the story, the other dealing with what I mentioned in this video and also what happens if I decide to follow through with the chalice-swiping ordeal (to make it a bit longer).

GaoGaiGnar

Of course "bloody". Kill them all especially that Geff.

Strifer

I am already working on a special "omake" video that tackles this suggestion. My video editing skills are still not so advanced, so do not expect fireworks.

Basticle

NickTheNewbie

Dude, i only had the shareware of this game, but i remember it being AWEXOME.

Strifer

That review is mostly spot-on, but I have to slightly disagree with the RPG elements. I think the way the developers went about it does not dilute the experience too much and provides a nice bonus as you progress through the game. Different strokes and all that. I guess it is nostalgia speaking here for me.

And I wish I had kept the box with the manual. It might have been a bit bulky, but it was made of awesome.

Anyway, I will have to postpone a proper update until tomorrow, since this little video took me some time to prepare. I think I will be making more of these in the future, since there are many things to poke fun at and I don't want to overbloat the main videos with useless drivel.

#2.5 Strife (Cheap) Omake Theater #1

I will try and make up for the lack of a proper video tomorrow, but either way there will be an update.

Iolo

Basticle wrote: »

<pure goodness>

Oh man, a Michael Wolf review from a hard copy PC Gamer. Talk about nostalgia. Sherman, set the wayback machine for Awesome!

Impersonator

Why not a visual walkthrough, with PICTURES

TychoCelchuuu

Impersonator wrote: »

Why not a visual walkthrough, with PICTURES

Because without the awesome voice reading the commentary, and without the voice acting in the game, it's boring. Or at least not as awesome.

Green

Holy shit, Strife!

I didn't know anybody else played this game

If you talk to the guard in the very beginning, he says "We're going to kill you!"

And then turns around and patiently waits for you stab him in the head

Strifer

Really? I will have to check that.

Also, the pictures wouldn't do it any justice. Especially with the voice-acting - Governor Mourel is one of my favourite characters in the game. I am doing my best to make sure there isn't too much fluff in the main videos, though I do have some problems with shooting pixel-sized enemies across the hall.

Regardless, I did the bloody job, though I have also prepared an extra video for that and another video showing off the other job. I also did not explore the Front's base, since there isn't much point in that. Just running around and talking to the people there takes about five minutes, so I also pushed that into the extras territory. You'll see.

Finally, real life caught up with me yesterday, so I might not do any extras today, but I am already halfway done with two other videos. There will be an update today.

EDIT: There won't be an update today. Things did not go as well as I thought they would. Too much background noise and other real life things set me back a little. Sorry about that. Fortunately, I will have the perfect conditions for recording tomorrow, so that means you will be getting what should have been for today and tomorrow. Once again, I am sorry.

NickTheNewbie

unguarded pier unguarded pier unguarded pier unguarded pier

Strifer

I had some quality time alone to work on finishing up the videos, but I ended redoing them many times, so I only completed the next main video and some extras. I have actually almost nailed video #4, but I had to postpone it until tomorrrow. Hopefully, I will get up early and finally do it. Anyway, here is the next video:

#3 The Front

As I have mentioned in the video, there are two ways to get through the Power Station - we will be doing the usual get-exposed-before-you-reach-the-core in the main video and I will show you how to go about it the ultra-sneaky way in the omake theater as a special step-by-step instructional walkthrough (for the funnies).

I also said that I would like to dedicate a special omake update for the exploration of the Front's base. I will be doing that over the weekend as I would like to get a little creative with it.

I have to warn you that, since school starts next week, I will have less time to spend on making future videos; however, it is not because I will not have any time at all, but because I have very little privacy at home - we are playing Strife after all, not some weird amalgam of Sims and real-life. That is why I will be able to do commentary on Thursdays and maybe Fridays. It does have its pluses though - I will spend more time preparing the videos and the commentary (I am not actually writing it out beforehand, but I will have to start making notes), so that when Thursdays arrive I will be able to batch produce them and then spread them out over the week so you won't be left dry or anything.

I will finish this thread and I will do this game justice. It's just that justice takes some time.

JamesDM

So far I'm having fun with this one, the video let's plays are always fun in their own right, hopefully this one plays out well.

Green

Hahaha

"Shootings, killings (not so many stabbings)"

Strifer

I was trying to do two videos today, but, out of curiosity, I have decided to see how well the commentary goes with in-game audio. It turns out I will have to re-record future videos, since talking while shooting does not turn out so hot.

I have decided to just post another update, since I am already spending too much time as it is trying to do the commentary (I want it to be good). That means that the next update will definitely be on Thursday, batch-style, though, if possible, I will try to update earlier, either with some Power Station action or some omake.

#4 Prison Break In

There are some missteps here and some more shameless roleplaying. The amount of action, compared to earlier tasks, should make up for it though. Sometimes I am trying to talk while I am shooting things, but I do not say anything particularly vital during those moments, so I did not bother redoing the commentary. Also, you do not need to do anything else after you free the prisoners and there is no bonus or anything for doing so.

Strifer

Dammit! I had to deal with real-life stuff and it took me more time than I thought it would. I have most of things prepared here, the last being doing the commentary for which I will have a perfect opportunity tomorrow.

Did anyone read "Angela's Ashes?"

Strifer

Just a heads up - I am processing the video on my end and I am going to upload it as soon as it is done. There will be an update today, which will end this short, godawful hiatus.

Roadmap for the future - I am going to upload video #5, then tomorrow either video #3.5 (I already have the material for it done, but I want to include the Front's base) or #5.5 detailing another way of dealing with the Power Station. Next would be either video #4.5 (I cannot say it will actually happen, but I did not touch upon some things) or video #6 where we go through sewers - I will probably update with this one on Monday. Finally, on Wednesday I will either post video #7 or #6.5. I am "eithering" here because I will have to see how things pan out tomorrow when I compile all these addendums, though the goal is to get to the castle and even do one part of it.

EDIT: This means at least a semi-daily update, but if I get more done, then you will get more.

NOT EDIT: I am sorry for the abysmal lack of updates and the slowness of this thread, but I will do my best to make sure I will have some videos prepared in advance, so I can post them during the week.

Anyway, update coming as soon as I render it and upload to dailymotion.

Strifer

Dear God, finally. Finally... I can go to sleep now.

#5 Crystal Clear

It's dead of the night over here and I really do not have anything to say about this video aside from what I have already said during the video. Or maybe I am just very tired and in need of hitting the sack. Both.

I will try to update tomorrow with another video.

Strifer

My updating tendencies will scare everyone away from this thread, maybe they already did. Anyway, I am currently trying to get an update ready, but I guess I will upload it in the morning.

Strifer

Update time! It took me some time, but it's done. There is one very annoying thing setting me back a lot. Imagine that you are doing tech support, an old fart who can't talk calls you, and you have to write every single word he says. I am not exaggerating.

#6 Sewers, Castle, Sewers - JOY!

At one point I even try to say something in Polish, but I quickly correct myself. Force of habit.

I do hope I am not boring you to death with my commentary.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the spiders and flying sentries are actually Stalkers and Sentinels, respectively.

Also, I have decided not to redo the commentary until everything turns out to be impossibly perfect, because it is futile. I just went with something that sounded at least okay. And my English sucks.

Dratatoo

Thanks for the videos, Strifer. I really enjoyed watching them. You got better too at making the comentary during each video and I am looking forward to the next one. Actually, you don't need to do it "perfectly". Often this just sounds unaturally (is this a word?) - because no person talks like that. I have stumbled other the game here and there in the interwebs but I couldn't check out the full version. Its nice that the game gets presented in this way.

The following comment isn't meant to hardly criticise you: (I wouldn't have the balls to do a "voiceover" for any public video, anyways) The other videos besides 1.5. are golden in my book. In 1.5 you sound like the MS speech engine with an accent But I assume this was just a test more or less.

Concerning commentary while playing through videogames. I really like this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=25D2DC18FBD81577&page=3

I am following his playthrough of La-Mulana. Although I have finished the game on my own (and missed lots of secrets BTW), he is very good at keeping the whole thing interessting during each episode and there are like 80 of this game alone (No, this doesn't mean your videos are boring me. Besides that, English is the native language of this guy).

Strifer

Everyone, and I mean everyone, should see his attempt at Hell's Temple. Some of the best videos ever made.

1.5 was more of a "get comfortable doing this" and it did help immensely. You have no idea how many times I have tried to do this one. I'll probably redo the first two videos so they don't sound so bad.

I have also been doing some touch-ups on the audio track to try to remove as much background noise as possible. There is some barely audible clipping, which is drowned out by the game, so I think it works quite well.

I've tried to get an update ready today and I am already processing the video on my end. It is quite long, so I hope I wll manage to upload it today. I will probably also blueball you to death because I might not get a chance to do another video until Thursday, though I will try to prepare something to comment on.

EDIT: Nope, there is no way I will be able to upload it today. It will simply take too long, but the video is done, so I will upload it as soon as I get back tomorrow, unless angry people will steal the Interwebs.

Strifer

It took me a while to upload this one, but it is done at last.

#7 Storming the Castle - Part 1

This video is rather long, so I have allowed myself for some banter, some of which is related to linguistics. I will make sure to not let this happen in the future.

Also, I have mentioned this LP. You owe it to yourself to see it.

Strifer

Once again I am sorry for the lack of updates, but I have come down with some flu and I am barely comprehensible when I am healthy. That and I have received a birthday package on Thursday containing, among other things, Resident Evil 4. LttP indeed.

JamesDM

Cool, I finally got around to watching the final video and I'm anxiously awaiting the ending.

Raslin

Haha, no offense, but I was going to point out you sounded like the MS speech engine... it was really entertaining, actually

But I'm loving the video's man.

Strifer

Well, to make up for the lateness of the final part of the castle ordeal I will provide two videos. The second one won't be particularly long, but I have made a very interesting experiment, which turned out to be successful and, maybe, hilarious at the same time. There might be a chance to update sometime during the week (maybe tomorrow), but if not, there will be an update on Friday for sure.

Green

Finally getting the time to track this thread down again and catch up on the videos

Man, I need to find my old Strife CD

Strifer

There will be an update tomorrow. I actually have one video ready to go, but it takes so much time just to merge the tracks, then to convert it and finally upload it that I might not make it today. I will just spend the rest of the day making sure the next one is also ready to go and I will update tomorrow.

The reason for being a bit late today is that I had to do a bunch of translations, so there.

Well... Okay, part of the reason I do not want to upload the video today is because I do not have the second one ready yet, and I would like to not have more extras piling up in the pipeline. With luck, I will be also getting that Front Base extra out the door, since it is going to be a bit outdated after video #9.

NickTheNewbie

This gets better with every video.

Strifer

#8 Storming the Castle - Part 2

We kill the Programmer.

I have wanted to post both videos at the same time, but I still have to combine things and do other stuff with the second video. I will try to upload it in a few hours.

MechMantis

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar. These are quite fun to watch.


I might do some E-bay diving later on, see if they have a copy of this.

Strifer

#8.5 Let's Hate the Programmer

EDIT: The next update will probably be on Thursday.

Strifer

Just posting to say that there will be an update coming today in the evening CET. Actually, I should be done in about 3 hours, since all I have to do now is to process it here on my end.

I am working on that long-promised Front's base update, but it is going rather slow, since I am also trying to figure how to edit movies and make them do what I want them to do. Also, lack of time and the need to get on with the main videos. Sooner or later I will get everything done.

I wanted to update semi-daily since the last hiatus, but it takes so much time to process the videos on my ancient piece of crap computer that I simply cannot make this possible. There is going to be at least an update a week, that I can manage, but I will try to do more if time permits and opportunities arise. It seems that the optimal day for updates is Thursday or Friday, with a little hint of Saturday, so every Thursday I will try to update or at least post an ETA until the next update. This will not only help me in keeping some kind of a reasonable schedule for this thread, but it will also not annoy the hell out of every person who has been following this LP.

It is settled then - check back every Thursday for an update of some sort. You will be fully informed of the progress of every video and I will not spring an update in the middle of the week or anything without telling you. EDIT: In a way, the last part sounds pretty retarded.

Strifer

And here it is:

#9 Enlightenment

A poor choice for a title considering that I repeat myself and employ bad grammar in my commentary, but I only had one chance to do it, so I made it count, regardless of the result, which, I think, is acceptable considering that I actually decided to post it. There is one point in the middle where I say "two themes," which sounds more like "two teams." I'm no good at dental fricatives.

Anyway, more plot, more overworld, more flamebaits.

I think you should expect another update sometime around Thursday because my weekend will be packed full of joy and by that I mean I will never get to play Ace Combat 6 (no money, no XBox 360, no computer from this decade), but I sure will get to study a lot!

Roblo

man, i remember this game, twas awesome. i can barely remember playing it. might have only been the demo, thinking about it.

anyway. awesome!