FC3: PZ's experiences

[PZ]

I just started the game and played for about an hour before I had to reluctantly give it up to spend time with my sweetie for the evening.  Here are a few initial impressions:

   
• Vehicle: way early in the game you drive a car that is quite reminiscent of the Datsun in FC2.  You get in and all is silent until you press the throttle and then the car moves (with engine sounds).  Kind of strange that the car does not make a sound when idling.  Driving is similar to FC2 for me; as I like to say to my wife when she asks what I'm doing "I'm careening down the road"
• Loot chests: feels kind of like the treasure chests in Just Cause 2, or more like the chests in AC3 - you get some kind of trinket plus some cash
• Moving across the terrain on foot: no more did I experience the pebbles that were insurmountable!  I was able to easily walk up hillsides.  I even found a cave that reminded me of the caves in AC3 where you find loot.
• Towers: activate towers and you get weapons for free - not from a weapons dealer, but from a general store.  The first tower I encountered felt like the tower in the junk yard in FC2.  However it was much higher, and much better eye candy.  Once you activate the tower at the top (kind of like activating the cell tower missions in FC2) you can zip line down to the ground - felt like zip lining in AC:Revelations.  Also, activating towers appears to reveal additional parts of the map, which is also like synchronizing in the AC series.
• Hunting and collecting: hunting reminds me of Red Dead Redemption, and AC3.  You kill and skin animals.  You also collect plants which is exactly like you did in RDR.
• Sound effects:  your character actually speaks to himself rather than being completely soundless. Some of the sounds remind me of FC2.
• Shacks and other buildings: my beloved tin-roofed shacks from FC2 are there as are the austere light poles!  I love the buildings.
• In game map: is much like the AC maps - you open it and can set way points.  You also have fast travel icons which you can activate and you are immediately transported to that location.
• Swimming: is fantastic.  One of the tutorial missions included collecting plants, and one of those was a plant at the bottom of a river.  You jump in and then swim down - lots of eye candy.
• Landscape: at first I thought there was no way I would like the jungle as much as I love the African environment, but I am beginning to change my mind.  The view from the top of the tower was simply spectacular!
• HUD: I really don't like the HUD too much, but it is not that bad - am accustomed to similar in the AC games.
• Stealth: so far so good - you are able to hide in grass just like in AC3.  You can throw rocks to distract guards which is similar to throwing things in the AC series.

So far, the game starts somewhat like FC2 except you don't have a town break-out like what you needed to do in Pala.  Instead, you activate a tower (there are many more), and then you do a hunting and collecting expedition.  I'm sure there is much more to come.
It looks like the developers have taken elements out of several other games, and have listened to the complaints about FC2 in the creation of this game.  To sum it up, there are enough similarities between FC2 and FC3 to have me really excited to play the game.  As many of you already know, if not for FC2, I'd not be gaming.

I don't want to jinx it, but if the rest of the game is anything like the beginning, I'm going to spend many, many hours in the jungle, just like with FC2  >:D

[fragger]

All sounding good :-X

I like the idea of throwing rocks to distract guards. You used to be able to do that in FC1 and it was one of things I was sorry they didn't carry over into FC2. Glad to hear that's back in :-X

[JRD]

I could copy + paste your first impressions into a post of my own, PZ... it sure delivers a great Far Cry experience... Oh yeah!  :-X

Just like you I only had time to play an hour or so yesterday... just the tutorial missions down to the point where you reveal part of the map and collect plants and hunt boars, but I can feel I'm playing an upgraded  Far Cry game!!

I also enjoyed the fact that you are "introduced" to some game aspects by Dennis, in the village, and he is from Nigeria (according to his game profile) which brings some of the African accent into this new game... feels like a smooth transition of environments!  :-X

A few elements are sure brought back from FC2, as you said... shacks, antennas and poles but also some foliage. Sounds like picking up ammo are the same.

As I'm playing in the PC I have DX11 running and boy does it look great!!!!!  8)

[shelmez]

I don't want to jinx it, but if the rest of the game is anything like the beginning, I'm going to spend many, many hours in the jungle, just like with FC2  >:D
Hello old friend PZ :) I have the game already passed. and started again))))) The final game has disappointed, but it's still a great game! World truly alive! Nature is amazing! Fly like a bird on a hang glider fantastic! Enemies are smart and really dangerous! Now, more adrenaline in the blood! Now I'm a real hunter for a skulls)))) I think this game is destined to live long.
I hope that real life will not harmed ;)

[Art Blade]

Now the pack is back to play the same game the predecessor of which initially united all of us  :) :-X

[JRD]

Now the pack is back to play the same game the predecessor of which initially united all of us  :) :-X

... and the prophecy is fullfiled!!!  8)

[PZ]

Now the pack is back to play the same game the predecessor of which initially united all of us  :) :-X

Yes, indeed!  :-X :P

... I have the game already passed. and started again)))))

Wow, you've already completed the game!  :-X  I think you're correct; the game will please for a long time.

I also enjoyed the fact that you are "introduced" to some game aspects by Dennis, in the village, and he is from Nigeria (according to his game profile) which brings some of the African accent into this new game... feels like a smooth transition of environments!  :-X

So true!  Hearing his accent brought back fond memories of what I loved about FC2  ^-^

I played for about an hour this morning and boy did the time go by fast; this is the first time in a while that a game has excited me this much and I'm only at the beginning.  Here are a few more observations:

   
• Drive a technical this morning, and the engine sounds are just fine.  I'm not sure why the Datsun didn't make engine noise; probably just a fluke.  You can repair vehicles like in FC2, only this time you need to purchase a $400 tool (welding torch) from the shop.  I also found an ATV and it drives well - fast and nimble.
• Evidently your fast travel points serve as safe houses of sorts, and you need to discover them like in FC2.  However, you can purchase items in these houses, and change weapons much like the armory in FC2, but you don't see the equipment on the wall; you choose it from a menu.
• Because I had activated a tower, I received a free 6P9!  What is cool is that I went into the shop and purchased a silencer and some kind of night vision accessory (you can add up to two accessories at a time).  The developers heard the gamers designing the game with weapons that you can change
• I'm at the point where I need to talk to some Dr., but he is across the map a ways, so I'm traveling the roads - ran into mercs - three technicals descended on me.  I have only a single weapon slot available so all I had was the silenced 6P9.  However, now that weapon has reasonable strength - I could actually kill them and not expend a clip per man!
• You can pick up the dead mercs weapon, but you can also loot their dead bodies like in the AC series.
• As part of the tutorial, I crafted a backpack out of some skins and now I can carry lots of things (32 items at a time).  You can open the backpack in the store and sell things, or use items to craft things like syrettes.  The game also gives you recommendations as to whether or not to keep an item for crafting, or to sell it for cash.
• I like the syrette mechanism - you now hunt for medicinal plants and can then craft the medicine, or if you don't want to do that, you can purchase the syrettes from the shop.
• Movement is really smooth, and it is easy to target the mercs; I'm not sure how they did it, but the movement mechanics are better than they were in FC2.
• The environment is really beautiful; I ran into an area that reminded me of another game, Just Cause 2.  In fact, the Island environment reminds me of Panau
• There are people in the village that I have entered - they are milling about like the people in JC2
• I ran into a rabid dog, and intended to use my knife, but a villager not far behind me started firing at the dog, which aided me in killing it - that's cool; you have friends that will help you.

All in all, the game is more impressive each time I open it, and I've only played for about 2 hours now.  :-X

[Art Blade]

nice observations there, PZ :) You can't walk for a minute without running into this or that distraction.. kind of hard to focus. You see a living environment with everything in it but children  :-D It sure is a game that you can lose yourself in and come back to for a long time. :-X

[PZ]

One thing I forgot to mention; I was still doing one of the early missions when I heard a voice on the radio - I could swear that was Prosper Kouassi.  You might remember the first mission you get when you enter the southern map in FC2 - go back north and kill either Gakumba or Kouassi whichever mission you had triggered.

If you've forgotten, he was the guy standing atop a rail car with a megaphone, and part of his speech was "You are men! .... powerful men!"

We might hear a few other voices we know  ;)

On a different note, when you get into a vehicle, the radio automatically plays, which is initially kind of fun, but might prove to be distracting after a while.  I wonder if there is a way to turn it off.

[Art Blade]

There is. You can even switch stations.  :)

[Art Blade]

just checked: you need to check your controller layout in a vehicle -- on my PC it's C to switch it off and N to change stations.

[PZ]

That is really cool  :-X

I sure do hope gibbed is planning on making modding tools.  I recall modding the radio in Fallout3 adding my own sound tracks to the stations.  That was lots of fun and resulted in a more immersive experience for me because I added old time radio commercials instead of all music.

[PZ]

UPDATE: just received an email from gibbed indicating that he is already working on the FC3 tools.   :-X

I'd better get a copy of FC3 for my PC and get ready for the fun  >:D

[durian]

Hello fellow FC3 fans,
Here are some of my first impressions after playing about 5 hours.

As a big fan of FC2, I was very excited for this game, and so far it's not disappointed me. It's beautiful, the large island feels alive with tons of animals (there are 31 different species are in the game.) We can carry up to 4 weapons (compared to 3 in FC2) and we're able to customize them using the automated machine at safehouses but it's a shame that we can't customize weaposn on the fly. The stealth is good, greatly improved from FC2. I often do not like stealth games but I really enjoy sneaking up on the pirates and stealth kill them. The takedown are very satisfying :) The faction wars between humans or animals and humans are a nice improvement.  I've just have a memorable experience. While I was wandering in the buffalo hide to skin them for making ammo pouch, 2 pirates spotted me and they started firing at me. But suddenly 2 cassowaries ran to them and attacked them to death! I thanked them for saving my precious bullet which are expensive in this game. The cassowaries in this game are suprsingly  agressive and dangerous. They attack you without any provocation and they often attack in group. I was attacked and died once when I was skinning the buffaloes, so be careful.

The cover mechanic is one of the best in games.

But it's worse to FC2 in a few aspect, like:

- Unlike FC2, this game has only 1 save slot. This is annoying because I want to load a save file to play after finishing the game.

- Is it just me or the vehicle handling is worse than FC2 ?
- Daynight cycle is faster than FC2.

- We can't set clock at safehouses. Another great feature of FC2 that I really miss because if I want to do a stealth mission at night, I can't set the clock at night. What a shame.

- Although I like the tropical island setting, it's  really gorgeous but like PZ, I still prefer Africa as it's more diverse in terrains as well as clolors (savannah, desert, jungle, mountain ...). Here, all you see is green and jungle, mountain and beach.

- Fire propagation. it still spreads dynamically here but because it's a wet environment, the fire is not as spectacular as its was in Africa, especially at night.

- The mercs, IMO are somewhat funner than the pirates
- I wish I can turn off the radio in the cars.

[PZ]

Nice first post durian, and I agree with all of them (that I have experienced so far only 2 hours into the game).

I didn't realize you can't set a clock for napping in the safe houses; that will be sorely missed because like you I often went out at night particularly on difficult missions.  I suppose the lack of manipulating the day/night cycle is the reason for the short cycle duration.

That's too bad about the fire, but reasonable considering the wet environment.  I was kind of hoping that there would at least be a variety of environments like in FC2, where we had both desert and jungle.

I haven't driven the vehicles enough to notice if handling is worse, but most people seem to report it being so.  Art also reported that it is far easier to damage the vehicles now as well.  There is also a new way of repairing them - you need to purchase a welding torch.  I wonder if the repair animations are more realistic than in FC2 where all you did was turn a wrench on the radiator.  :-()

Can't wait to get back into the game  ^-^

PS: welcome to OWG!

[durian]

I didn't realize you can't set a clock for napping in the safe houses; that will be sorely missed because like you I often went out at night particularly on difficult missions.  I suppose the lack of manipulating the day/night cycle is the reason for the short cycle duration.


I haven't driven the vehicles enough to notice if handling is worse, but most people seem to report it being so.  Art also reported that it is far easier to damage the vehicles now as well.  There is also a new way of repairing them - you need to purchase a welding torch.  I wonder if the repair animations are more realistic than in FC2 where all you did was turn a wrench on the radiator.  :-()

Can't wait to get back into the game  ^-^

PS: welcome to OWG!

Thanks PZ
I was infitrating an outpost at night and after a while, before I completed the mission, it's morning. I don't like that.
Some people complained FC2 vehicle handling was bad I think it's good and better than FC3. The cars in FC3 feel like they have little weight so it's very easy to lose control of the cars and crash into objects ...

[JRD]

The cars in FC3 feel like they have little weight so it's very easy to lost control of the cars and crash into objects ...

True... I'm only 1 hour into the game (real life is quite demanding sometimes... you know  ::) and only drove the car in the tutorial, but weightless is a good definition of what it feels like! As for handling, I think in FC2 all vehicles felt too stiff but in FC3 they feel more loose as if the rear was sliding over mud and the controls went a bit off the track... but I like the way cars handle so far!!

[PZ]

The problem I'm having with the vehicles is more about braking - I stomp the hand brake and the vehicle feels like the brakes are not so effective.  I probably just need to get more practice because I'm still driving FC2-style

[durian]

^^
Oh yes, I forgot about this issue. The hand brake is not very effective.

Another thing I miss is the vegetation interaction in FC2.
The music in FC3 IMO is better.

I now regret some mistakes I made in this game.

- Buying weapons. You don't have to send your hard eaned cash to buy the guns as they become free after you activing the radio towers.
- Buying ammo. It's expensive and a waste of money. In the beginning you can carry a very limited amount of ammo so you may run out of it fast. Just go hunting, skin animals to make bigger ammo pouches so that the problem will be solved.

[PZ]

- Buying weapons. You don't have to send your hard eaned cash to buy the guns as they become free after you activing the radio towers.
- Buying ammo. It's expensive and a waste of money. In the beginning you can carry a very limited amount of ammo so you may run out of it fast. Just go hunting, skin animals to make bigger ammo pouches so that the problem will be solved.

These are good tips; I noticed that after activating my first tower, a free 6P9 and some kind of assault rifle were available in the vending machine store.

I forgot all about the skins and creating ammo pouches.  In fact, because crafting was not a part of FC2 and I'm so accustomed to doing things the FC2 way it has been difficult for me to remember to do the crafting of those very useful items.  Things like ammo pouches, and health syrettes.  Collecting the raw materials and hunting for the animal skins is kind of fun anyway, and somewhat follows the same kind of crafting as in Assassin's creed 3

[durian]

I've just read your first impressions on AC3, you said we could sneak up behind a deer and killed it with the knife. This makes me think why Jason can't stealth kill animals in this game ?
That would me killing the dangerous predators like tiger, leopard, komodo dragon ... easier and satisfying.

[PZ]

That's an interesting idea;  I've not much of the stealth in vegetation in FC3 yet, but in AC3 you are virtually invisible - the opponents there typically have to step on you to notice your presence.  Same with the animals - sure would be nice if FC3 were similar.

On that note, it almost seems like there are other elements in FC3 that are similar to things in AC3 - like the HUD for example.

[PZ]

As I climbed into the drivers seat of the Stryus (one of the cars that looks like the Datsun in FC2) I took a look at the journal entry for that vehicle.  Reading these descriptive entries is kind of funny.  In this one you discover that the Stryus was made in South Africa, and that lots of these kinds of vehicles end up on the island.  The good part is that when the engine dies, a family can simply pull out the interior and voila... they have a new house 

[fragger]

 :-D

First, let me say hi durian and welcome to OWG :)

I too pretty much agree with your impressions of the game thus far.

Re: stealth killing animals, this is a way to do it apparently (I haven't tried it myself): there's a particular kind of syringe you can craft that when used gives you the ability to go after animals that are normally spooked by you, such as goats. The downside is that when you use the syringe it only lasts for, I think, 20 seconds, although I think there's a skill that can extend that time.

I haven't really formed a opinion about vehicles yet, possibly because I haven't done much driving at this stage, although I really like the jet ski 8) Jumping out of a moving car is certainly different to FC2, as your guy doesn't just jump out and immediately stand still, he actually tumbles along on the ground, as you would if you jumped out of a moving car. I kind of like that, it's a bit more realistic.

[PZ]

I piloted a jet sky outside of Denis' town and went down a series of falls - the 3D nature of the water ways is much more realistic  :-X