Hardcore mode

[Art Blade]

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Hard Core... This is the hardcore view, a clean screen but dirty hands  ;D

There are no checkpoints, no markers... your buddies won't respawn (as they do on normal on reaching a checkpoint) and you stay handicapped once you were wounded (on normal you get fully restored on reaching checkpoints). You don't get any visual help. You have to guess or see if you hit or killed an enemy. If you received a bullet somewhere, you don't get any icon showing hit body parts... you may notice your heart beat and how it goes slower, your vision blurrs slightly (reddish peripheral view)... time to call your medic and apply a bandage in the meantime. No compass, but a map.

I am currently enjoying this doing single missions :)  :-X That is completely different from "normal" and obviously much more intense.

[Art Blade]

Something has changed -- when I play on normal, I tend to be a little reckless and blue-eyed, knowing I can always go back to my last saved checkpoint. The last mission I played on hardcore had a significant increase in accuracy (46%) and a lot more activity for my team which I now use to scout ahead and secure the perimeter before I go in (hehe, keep the boss save, boys). Of course the lack of a compass forces me to use the map more often and I try to use every bit of cover, checking the map for safe routes. This is a lot more challenging and a little exhausting, but also is a big leap towards immersion.

When I now play a little FC2, I notice how quickly I dispose of a few mercs, the angst is still alive from playing OFP:DR. Those mercs are like a bunch of kids compared to the PLA who can kill with one shot. Great to have both games :)

[fragger]

From what you've written about OFP2 so far, I imagine the FC2 baddies would make great stress-relieving punching bags! ;D

Nice bloody hands, btw, I see you've been busy ;D

[Art Blade]

hehehe, yeah, FC2 is just cute in comparison  ;D And I love FC2 for it  :)

Those bloody hands, I haven't rearranged someone's face with them -- I shed my own blood on them  :-* ;D

[fragger]

Looks like my hands after I've tried to shave with a hangover ;D

[Art Blade]

Sounds like shaving with an empty, broken bottle... You know, like in some bar fights when people grab a bottle of beer on the top, turn it round, and whack the bottom off to get a nasty weapon... :)

I wonder what I looked like after a buddy exploded right in my face at the airport (see the campaign diary)  ;D

[Art Blade]

I think one of the best single missions is the very first campaign mission "dragon rising." If played on hardcore, even better. I think it is great because you don't have a time limit, you can walk around the small isle as you like, there are some stray enemies across the map, you can train basic commands (ie "assault building"), you can exercise formations and spread, and there are three secondary objectives across the map. You could return to the extraction point at any time without completing all secondary objectives. So you have a lot of freedom. The two primary objectives can be used to test alternative strategies (ie don't walk up the hill as the tutorial taught you to, instead round it and take the enemy by surprise and at a better angle. And, don't destroy that radar first, attack the village from the hill first... then destroy the radar on that hill.)

Here are a few impressions during that mission on hard core.

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[PZ]

That's great news because it means that users can create missions that do not have time limits (hate running on a schedule; if I wanted that, I'd stay at w@&k)

[gvse]

I agree with you Art that hardcore mode redefines your player experience, and forces you to be extremely careful with whatever you do. It's the only mode! ;)
You are wrong about the compass though: press q (orders key) to bring it up.

[Art Blade]

about the compass though: press q (orders key) to bring it up.

LOL, never noticed that, cheers mate  :-X