Shadowrun Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition

[Lhynn]

I still don't understand what that has to do with anything. Artists will still be paid their wages for creating art. If anything it's more work as they'll have to adapt to a completely different style of producing assets.

Doubt its going to be a completely different style. Also it seems that art is the mayor thing that HBS brings us with each new Shadowrun, small tweaks and a good new storyline, but definitely more good art.

Keyword: decent

Fair enough.

Whoa there buddy? Do you really think they should get props for their "hand crafted" encounters? Their encounters boil down to nothing more than here are a bunch of guys, here's a some cover. Even if they actually put thought into enemy position, cover position, enemy weapons etc. all that falls apart due to the retard tier AI.

Not really, all their encounters are coherent with the narrative and some of them even fairly challenging, especially in DF, but that of course is up to your char building skills. The retarded AI is part of the experience sadly, im not sure why they dont just fix it.
You do not have trash encounters with no thought put into them like you would in PoE for example. No filler content to pad the length of the game, or pointless systems designed to waste your time, etc.

 

[Excidium II]

Doubt its going to be a completely different style.

It's going to be full 3D from what I've read. SRR map assets are all flat 2D pieces.

 

[Septaryeth]

It was worse in:

• matrix minigames (some boring, time consuming crap especially in the tsang tower...)
• music
  
• combat difficulty (too easy even on hard, especially in the later missions, which made for a bit of an anti-climatic boss fight)
• voiceover (raymond was very poorly voiced. It sounded like someone was faking an old asian accent and doing a mediocre job at it. They should've just grabbed some old guy from the street.)
• story

[/spoiler]

I heard alot of Asian accents and Raymond's voice is not too far from a Chinese who started speaking (not learning) English in their middle age.
I wouldn't call it "faking", but it is the wrong type of accent. Modern Hong Kongeses speak English more fluently than most Asians.

Spoiler

And Raymond had the best education money could buy. Or he could have just use a language sim.

 

[Lhynn]

It's going to be full 3D from what I've read. SRR map assets are all flat 2D pieces.

I really have no idea where you read this, but wasnt aware of it.

 

[Excidium II]

I really have no idea where you read this, but wasnt aware of it.

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...-battletech-at-sarna-net.102287/#post-4087136

 

[Lhynn]

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...-battletech-at-sarna-net.102287/#post-4087136

Ah yeah, brian fart. i even brofisted that post.

 

[Excidium II]

But yeah. You're gonna get banner saga with mechs and you're gonna like it.

 

[imweasel]

Battletech is going to be a great tactical combat game interactive novel. Bunch of mechs telling you their life story and stuff.

 

[Gruncheon]

Yes the combat is much to easy, but i still have to play it through to solidify my opinion. The only character that i like in SR:HK is Gaichu perhaps, because of my japanese study. At least i know things like: Genji Monogatari, Heike Monogatari, Manyoshu and Makura no Sooshi. Therefore at least he has a background for me. The other characters are just plain SJW shit, put in there just for the sake of it. The avoidable combat is in my opinion not an advantage. I'm not a Shadowrun fan, because i dislike the mix of fantasy and cyberpunk, but a Shadowrun for me is about the hidden corporate wars, dealt with corporate espionage and sabotage, and this seem to be lacking here (at least at the beginning).

I can't tell you how many SJWs I've come across on their damn Tumblr talking about the evolutionary advantages of psychopathy this or their cool talon-ed cyber feet that. It's a classic shaming tactic. Fucking liberals.

SJW means nothing to you people anymore!

 

[Ellef]

Sorry

You killed me too, fuck.

 

[Nael]

Oh, and am I the only one with some performance issues? The game lags from time to time for me.

I started playing it last night and it was really, really bad at first. But after closing the program and starting again about a dozen times it finally worked flawlessly for a few hours before I stopped playing for the night. I have no idea what's causing it though.

 

[Septaryeth]

I can't tell you how many SJWs I've come across on their damn Tumblr talking about the evolutionary advantages of psychopathy this or their cool talon-ed cyber feet that. It's a classic shaming tactic. Fucking liberals.

SJW means nothing to you people anymore!

I'm confused as how any of this came across as SJW content.
I was expecting them to fire shots at HBS for their portray of Satanists in SRDF, but I guess people only care about "Glory muh waifu" .

Is0bel, who was raised in a concentrated poor man camp? Maybe. But you, Gobbet and Duncan are typical street rats that are common in Shadowrun.

Racter may come across as a Hannibal knockoff with a robot fetish, but the game never defend his nature as a primary psychopath.
It merely includes him as a usable companion, and you are more than welcome to tell him to piss off or stand up to him. SRHK never at once say things like "pyschopaths need love too". In fact it's the opposite, suggesting psychopathy is only convenient in a dysfunctional cyberpunk world.
Racter doesn't welcome love either. He wants the world to be rid of emotion. To defend his "selection for the pyschopathy" as a liberal is like saying liberal support hardcore eugenics. You could even say that his character paints a bad light on trans-humanism, as if the latter are based on apathy and cold-blooded competitions.
(Personally I think there is a grain of truth in this statement. I find this portrait of trans-humanism much more realistic than the glorified only-misunderstood-because-of-illuminati and generous Sarif in Deus Ex: Human Revolution).

I like Racter as a refreshing character, who is not a noble savage archetype and is not afraid to admit he plays dirty in a degenerate hostile world, but agreeing with him in real life? Pfff.
These people are like those crazy fans who say they like the comic character "Joker" for his philosophy. The fictional villain HAS NO philosophy and would have died a thousand times in reality.

 

[Rivmusique]

Game was fun, thank you again agris .

Ending spoiler:

Spoiler

Are we meant to have a concrete idea who the mysterious benefactor who clears the APB at the end is? Because I have no idea.

Anyone know why they dropped Very Hard difficulty? Is hard in this the same as very hard in DF: DC? It felt much easier this time, though going with a rifle specialist for the first time probably plays a part in that . PC was ridiculously powerful at the end, minigun is insane.

I enjoyed the new Matrix, sitting and trying to work out a path through watchers was a nice change from the standard fighting, wish I there were more matrix sequences. Though it did seem they were low on ideas in a few bits, at the end there were some that were just a square track with two watchers at opposite sides, facing the same way, doing a circuit.

Edit: Another ending spoiler:

Spoiler

One of a few bugs I got was not being able to talk to Gaichu at the very end (the Optional: Check in with x parts right before credits), can anyone give a rough idea what he says? I let him turn his old leader into a ghoul, which probably matters.

 

[Nekot-The-Brave]

Yes the combat is much to easy, but i still have to play it through to solidify my opinion. The only character that i like in SR:HK is Gaichu perhaps, because of my japanese study. At least i know things like: Genji Monogatari, Heike Monogatari, Manyoshu and Makura no Sooshi. Therefore at least he has a background for me. The other characters are just plain SJW shit, put in there just for the sake of it. The avoidable combat is in my opinion not an advantage. I'm not a Shadowrun fan, because i dislike the mix of fantasy and cyberpunk, but a Shadowrun for me is about the hidden corporate wars, dealt with corporate espionage and sabotage, and this seem to be lacking here (at least at the beginning).

Since when did trying to create unique and meaningful characters translate into SJW propaganda?

 

[Zetor]

Ending spoiler:

Spoiler

Are we meant to have a concrete idea who the mysterious benefactor who clears the APB at the end is? Because I have no idea.

I'm about 95% sure that's going to be the hook for the mini-campaign coming in Jan 2016 (?).

WRT no 'very hard' difficulty, I think it was discussed during some pre-release interview with Arvan Eleron (sp?) -- it was left out because there was no time to 'do it right'. IMO it's a cop-out, since in previous games Hard and Very Hard only really differed in enemy stats... maybe skill checks would require 8 skill in VH, too.

A trve very hard difficulty would probably involve the enemy AI becoming slightly less stupid and/or granting every enemy multiple attack actions per round. I have a hunch it would turn some encounters into alpha-strike bloodbaths, though...

 

[Owlish]

I can't tell you how many SJWs I've come across on their damn Tumblr talking about the evolutionary advantages of psychopathy this or their cool talon-ed cyber feet that. It's a classic shaming tactic. Fucking liberals.

SJW means nothing to you people anymore!

Since when did trying to create unique and meaningful characters translate into SJW propaganda?

A half nigger half fantasy dwarf woman tech super genius slash action waif raised out of the ghetto, another badass yet quirky woman action waif raised out of the ghetto, both randumb teenagers, 80% of important leaders are women, etc

no tumblr or goon shit there, derp

and you picked the one character he probably wasn't even talking about

 

[Anthedon]

Oh, and am I the only one with some performance issues? The game lags from time to time for me.

Most menus seem very laggy to me (inventory, character screen, etc.). They also take forever to open. I'm pretty sure that was not an issue in DMS and DF. The actual game runs fine, loading times aside.

 

[supervoid]

Since when did trying to create unique and meaningful characters translate into SJW propaganda?

If you look hard enough you'll find "SJWism" in everything. This also applies to "problematic"- SJWs don't like Shadowrun because of "cultural appropriation" and other imaginary issues.

 

[Starwars]

Which is amusing as SJWs will find stuff relating to their agendas in pretty much everything.
In short, all you GG and SJW people, go kill yourself please and spare the rest of us from your stupidity.

Finished up the campaign today. Was about 4 hours shorter than the Dragonfall DLC for me according to STEAM. Guessing the mini-campaign will make up for that somewhat when it comes out. Still, the length felt fine to me.

I think it holds up well to Dragonfall. It's a bit more uneven. The Dragonfall story had more of a momentum going while Hong Kong kinda stumbles here and there. Especially if you do all the sidemissions, there is a noticeable lull in the story content for a while which hurts the flow a bit. The story itself is still good though and another fantastic Shadowrun yarn. I think they hit just the right notes with these campaigns, navigating the bizarre world of Shadowrun. There are some plot elements that I would have a very hard time accepting at a glance, like

Spoiler

the importance of Feng Shui in the story

but they manage to make it fit right in. The story also feels very appropiate for Hong Kong and they really make use of the setting in that way. Setting, areas and atmosphere are all stronger in Hong Kong than in Dragonfall I think. Music as well, I really don't get the people who prefer the two first campaigns in terms of music. And it's so nice to have a completely new soundtrack for this, no reused tracks.

I love that there is so much text, and I love that there are more ways around combat this time around if you wish. But in terms of missions, there are none that kinda reach the heights of awsum!1 of the Cybertroll mission, the Aztechnology run or the Apex battle in Dragonfall. Those just felt epic and there is nothing like that in Hong Kong unfortunately.

I liked the companions better in Hong Kong. Racter and Gaichu were my favorites. Both are very good. Gobbet was fun and I didn't find Is0bel as bad as some people. She felt pretty "low-impact" though compared to other companions in the series. Duncan was my least favorite, just not that interesting.

Really enjoyed the game and will definitely replay it in the future. I would definitely back another campaign if they decide to do one but I have a feeling they're gonna need some kind of engine upgrade if they're intent to push the formula forward. If that's the case, I certainly hope they keep the overall feel and aethetic.

 

[Infinitron]

Try These Premade Characters for Shadowrun: Hong Kong

Shadowrun Hong Kong is a fantastic follow-up to Shadowrun Returns and Dragonfall (the latter being my favorite game of 2014). Hong Kong refines just about every aspect of this RPG series' formula in some way. Even the writing has improved, pulling away from broader plot points to spend more time on the small, weird details that bring games to life.

As always, though, when faced with the character creation screen you might find yourself paralyzed by indecision. With so many stats, skills, and class combinations at your disposal it's difficult to narrow things down. Why not go with one of these characters I've planned out for you?

The Obvious Kickstarter Backer

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower: 1, Charisma: 1

Choose the "Corporate" etiquette. As soon as you make credits, spend them. Stand around in town for extended periods, hoping lots of people see your face and the hair surrounding it.

M'Lady

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1 , Charisma:1

Tip your e-fedora to every female you encounter. When forced to converse with another male, either clam up or try to change the topic to cyber-libertarianism or your favorite tv show.

The Something Awful Goon

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

Choose the Decker archetype to specialize in computers. Take the "Gang" etiquette. Make a beeline for the nearest pile of trash. Stay put, limiting your adventures to the matrix. Spend all your time arguing with and making fun of other Deckers who are exactly like you, employing varying levels of irony and unnecessary bitterness.

White Man

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

Wander around the city aimlessly until a police officer asks if you need any assistance or a stranger offers you a job. As you take in the sights of this bleak, oppressive future, do your best to hide your excitement.

White Guy

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

A variation of White Man, White Guy is for role players who wish to explore the ramifications of future collars.

Mister MRA

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

Take the "Academic" etiquette, and spout nuggets of wisdom you've learned from dystopian pickup artist samurai. Never allow a female character on your team.

Cyber White Guy

Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

Like a White Man or White Guy, but better with computers. This is for advanced players only. A delicate balance must be struck between the number of glowing facial accessories and neckbeard length.

Score: 9/10

 

[Septaryeth]

Spoiler

the importance of Feng Shui in the story

but they manage to make it fit right in. The story also feels very appropiate for Hong Kong and they really make use of the setting in that way. Setting, areas and atmosphere are all stronger in Hong Kong than in Dragonfall I think. Music as well, I really don't get the people who prefer the two first campaigns in terms of music. And it's so nice to have a completely new soundtrack for this, no reused tracks.

Still waiting on the verdict from Asian gaming community.
No news for now, they are probably still waiting for a mandarin patch.

Here is an oddball I picked up from their gaming news. It seems they have a very, very different summary of the story compare to the final products.
Can anyone remember the following description of the game during kickstarter?

-
The game will explore Hong Kong in 2050, a city sponsored by megacorporations and resistant to all heretics and conspirators.
Ancient races live in harmony with modern people, while everyone search for the magical "dragon lines".
Many temples outside the city have these dragonlines and the monks claim by controlling dragon lines they hold the secrets of dragons.
The players must protect the monks and their master in a mysterious organization known as "the triad", against an organization called "Dragon among Man".
-

 

[Roguey]

Spend all your time...making fun of other Deckers who are exactly like you,

Hmm, yes.

 

[naossano]

Could the chinese have an entirely different plot or the pitch was made by someone who didn't play it ?

 

[eXalted]

A Codexer character will be interesting to see.

As far I dig a lot the new Hong Kong installment. I've been thinking, am I the only one who liked the straightforwardness and simplicity of DMS?

 

[Owlish]

The Something Awful Goon AKA Dennis Farrell

Self-Hating White Male Human

Body: 1, Quickness: 1, Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Willpower:1, Charisma:1

Choose the Decker archetype to specialize in computers. Take the "Gang" etiquette. Make a beeline for the nearest pile of trash. Stay put, limiting your adventures to the matrix. Spend all your time arguing with and making fun of other Deckers who are exactly like you, employing varying levels of irony and unnecessary bitterness. Post snarky commentary about anti-metahuman racists and MRAs. Attribute every negative quality about yourself, like your flabby ass, body like a post-menopausal woman, penchant for collecting fedoras, overbearing militant atheism etc onto anyone the hugbox hivemind tells you not to like. Win the confidence of cat ladies and be selected to write for free frontpage articles on cyberspace websites (bonus free forum account) as you dig around in the garbage for leftover fast food and microwave dinners.