F.E.A.R. Factor

[Paladin]

Vivendi/Sierra is releasing the multiplayer portion of F.E.A.R. on August 17 as a free downloadable game called F.E.A.R. Combat. You'll have to register for a key code on the justfear.com website, but that's it.

The package includes everything that was in the multiplayer portion of the retail game, plus all the official game modes and maps released since... 10 modes, 19 maps, and 12 weapons. It will also support user made maps and mods, and include Punkbuster support.

Sounds like ideal Smackdown fodder to me...

[Shadowrat]

I'll check it out. I can't promise my machine can run it though :(

Sometime in q1 07 i'm getting a new laptop though.

[Creole Ned]

I'm willing to give this a test-run at the very least (I actually have the full version of the game) but I'm not sure if my increasingly aged server PC can handle this one. It meets the minimum system specs for the regular game (haven't found the server-only specs yet) but we shall see!

[Creole Ned]

Firing Squad is reporting (http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=11760) that FEAR Combat has now been released. It's a whopping 1.8 GB download and requires a key. Keys are available at the official FEAR website (http://www.joinfear.com/main).

People who already have FEAR can update to 1.07 to be compatible with the standalone MP version.

[Avalon616]

Could someone give a rundown or general description as to what kind of game F.E.A.R. is and what the gameplay is like?

[Creole Ned]

FEAR is a first person shooter with a good dose of horror in it. In terms of gameplay, it's similar to FPSs like Quake or Unreal.

[jackrabbit]

The installer is a bit of a bicth. It ran my CPU at 100% for about 6 minutes before it ever actually launched. The CD key does not allow you to copy/paste the whole code, and the screen in which you have to type it is full-screen with no way to restore down. You have to keep swapping back and forth between your confirm email code and the screen, or have written it down with what historians call "pencils". Then you have to agree to 2 separate install EULAs, and then you MUST install DirectX 9.c, even if you already have DirectX 9.c installed.

It's a lot of hassle for a free MP patch, and after Dead Rising I'm accutely more annoyed by stupidity like this to play a game.

I'll let you know how the gameplay is in a bit, but if it's like the SP experience, it should be excellent.

[jackrabbit]

Hmmm... seems like the same MP from the full game. I think I may have missed something. Is this just the same thing but free?

[Creole Ned]

If you have FEAR (the full game) you do not need the standalone version at all, just the 1.07 patch.

FEAR 1.07 multiplayer and FEAR Combat = same game

[Paladin]

Hmmm... seems like the same MP from the full game. I think I may have missed something. Is this just the same thing but free?


Vivendi/Sierra is releasing the multiplayer portion of F.E.A.R. on August 17 as a free downloadable game called F.E.A.R. Combat.

So, yes. You missed something. And your install issues may have been due to having the full game installed.

[Creole Ned]

I now have the game patched and ready on the server PC, so I'd like a few volunteers to see how it handles on my connection/rig. It is currently configured for plain DM and a maximum of eight players. The name of the server is Ned's FEAR Donut, password and IP are both the same as usual.

The server will only be up for testing, not as a general thing, so don't go a-lookin' for it.

[Circuit]

I have downloaded the game. Now I'm just waiting for them to send me my key. I tried registering again thinking maybe I typed my email wrong, but it says that a key's already been sent to that email. Not in the spam folder, either. Neat!

*edit: Registering again generated an error email that had the key in it, so all is well.

[Creole Ned]

Mayhap we could try this tonight.

[Creole Ned]

Circuit and I tested the server last night and it seemed to run well enough with a whopping two of us on it. The game starts you with a single gun (which you choose among five) but most maps have one or two others you can pick up. The big guns slow your movement.

It looks great, of course, and the aesthetic reminds me a bit of Half-Life 2 but without the Eastern European squalor. But holy generic levels, Batman. Every map is pretty much a slight variation on medium-size series of rooms spread over two levels. Sometimes you get a small outdoor area with trees or a dock.

Also, the Waterworks map has no water. False advertising!

Anyway, I'd like to give this another go with more people. What say some other night this week?

[jackrabbit]

I'm up for it!

[Q]

I'll play if I can ever remember to download the damn thing.

[samuelk]

I'm in. Though, not this weekend, as I'll be out of town.