Topic: How often do you play Descent?

[Kaiaatzl]

The datalinks say that the bees got infected with the virus just like everything else.  They also reveal that the 'alien' planetoid wasn't alien at all, it was a human project that went horribly wrong because of the virus.

[-<WillyP>-]

I liked the end to D3 because it wasn't a sequel hook, even though they were planning a sequel.  Considering that the sequel was never made, I think it was a good place to leave off the series.  Though there were a few things left unresolved, like the origins of the 'alien' virus -- I'm exploring those.  The virus as a sentient preadator that preys on entire civilizations, an entity whose sole property is sentience -- a hive mind of sorts.  The idea being that the 'aliens' and the 'virus' are not two separate things, the alien is the virus.

That's good! I never thought of it like that, it wraps up nicely.

[Scyphi]

Wasn't that merc level on the alien planetoid supposed to deal with that?

Heck, no, it only gave a taste of what could be, and didn't really resolve anything. The only it did was tide players over for the time being, until the answers could come...which never did.

They also reveal that the 'alien' planetoid wasn't alien at all, it was a human project that went horribly wrong because of the virus.

I don't remember this, actually. I had thought it was more of the fact that the CED had secretly found the planetoid and set up a facility on it to study it. Whether or not these studies went awry I don't recall being mentioned...but I suppose that would explain why it's so void of inhabitants (save infected bots). But I have to admit, I like the idea that it was just a human project gone terribly wrong due to the virus coming along.

Anyway, as for story plots, I personally like games that have more story than Descent generally did, but I suppose it is more than possible to have too much. Like...um...like...RPGs! RPGs have more story than game, and actually are kind of boring IMO.

I honestly didn't like D3's ending too much, as it felt a little...campy and cheesy. I mean, "That's what I like, easy money" is a heck of a line to send you off on. But I will give it props that it was still a satisfactory enough an ending in the sense that it DID indeed wrap up enough of the plot to leave you happy.

[VANGUARD]

If memory serves, that guy from the CED that says "blast that thing to hell!" looks so clownish and just wrong almost.

it wasn't too bad an ending I suppose.

If it's not a RPG, then I guess I never got into any of those, but I did like the classic "legend of Zelda" on Nintendo.
My girl friend likes Final Fantasy IV on the classic Sega (On the PS3, the Sega classics disc)


I've always liked first person shooters. some are better than others though.

How did F.E.A.R. end? I'd like to say, that's another rare game that gets more into an actual story and detail rather than the usual games we play.
I understand, most games have a story, some just go deeper.

[Kaiaatzl]

There is a lot of implied story in Descent, especially D2 -- but it's hard to figure out what it means.
After level 16 in D2, there are no hostages, and strange alien writing on the walls instead of PTMC signs.  Also, the names of the levels (though many are anagrams) at first glance look like they're some other language.  The first impression this gave me was 'I'm not in PTMC's mines anymore' -- except for Gytowt Station, which gave me the impression of being the last PTMC mine.

My impression of the planetoids, given that we know they aren't the virus's source, is that they were infected in order to spread the virus.

Mercenary level 3 is (pretty obviously I think) a coverup to stop the CED from finding out that Dravis sent the override to kill the Material Defender.

I think the Mercenary series, up to level five, must have happened before Vertigo because at the beginning of Vertigo Dravis seems to be in the process of recommending Sweitzer be fired and imprisoned.  Mercenary level 5 would also nicely explain why the Beta Ceti system was infected.

I'm pretty sure the SuperThief was Dravis's attempt, once you'd found Sweitzer's evidence, to have the robot bring the data to him.  Fortunately you stopped that .

[NUMBERZero]

Yes, Level 4 was supposed to deal directly with that, but it was so easy and simple that it was impossible to believe that that was it. It did say in the briefings that it was the source of the virus.

And Scyphy, you have it backwards. "Easy money. That's what I like." And it's a classic mercenary-like quote! I use it all the time!

[Matthew]

You're a mercenary now? Uh oh. 

[VANGUARD]

what's so bad about being a mercenary? just a bad reputation.

[Matthew]

Being a mercenary IRL?

[VANGUARD]

i had to google that, IRL, in Real Life.

ah, no comment. 

[-<WillyP>-]

Levels in Chronological Order: Ziqidel's version.

Levels in Chronological Order: Tech-Pro's version.

[NUMBERZero]

I like Tech Pro's version because it does not look so much like a clusterf***.

[Kaiaatzl]

I do not agree with either chronology .

[VANGUARD]

Dravis is evil. uses bots against us. sends MD in to be killed. MD lives to kill Dravis.

That works for me.

[Scyphi]

It did say in the briefings that it was the source of the virus.

Nooooo, it said that neither planetoid was the source of the virus, just that the virus had been carried here via them, so exactly where the virus comes from is still very much a mystery.

I think wazzazzle's about nailed it with both the virus and the planetoids, though. The virus is sentient, and uses the planetoids as a means of transport. But, again, neither tells us the virus origins.

I've thought at times that given the nature of the virus that it was artificially created by some other race for some reason, possibly on purpose, or possibly accidental, having different purposes in mind, but they lost control. But this is just speculation on my part.

There is a lot of implied story in Descent, especially D2 -- but it's hard to figure out what it means.

This is very true. A lot of potential hints are dropped in both of those first two games, but were never really picked up on and explained in detail later on in later productions. D1, for instance, emphasizes greatly the virus is of alien origins and extremely deadly, and that the PTMC was caught off guard by it's appearance, which makes me think that Dravis didn't actually start coming up with his ulterior motives until either after he hired MD when he couldn't back out, or just before, but didn't have his plans solidified enough to realize that MD would cause trouble later. (Or he hired him as a cover to hide his plans and make it seem like he was still following orders, which is also just as possible, just didn't realize it'd cause issues later. Maybe Dravis figured MD wouldn't succeed so well with the mission) And then there's D2, and I have wondered myself if all of those mines were really of PTMC origin myself, as some of them don't seem like it, especially late in the game (minus the planetoid, which we KNOW isn't of PTMC origin). And didn't the briefing in the D2 demo say that the jump core was of alien origin instead of PTMC origin like in the final game? (can't remember, it's been awhile) That alone raises quite a few questions.

By the time we get to D3, there seems to be a lot of questions that need to be answered, but D3 actually gets kind of off-topic on all of this and instead focuses on Dravis's attempts for power and not the virus and it's origins, like what I think many of us were expecting it to, although there's nothing wrong with that (beating the crap out of the PTMC is actually quite satisfying ). But even D3 drops some hints, and then there's that first demo that was released of the would-be level three. Remember the crashed flying saucer? I think the developers had something very different in mind for D3 at first...

Because of all of this, I really think that if a D4 ever were to be made, it needs at least enough story to sort this all out. I've actually been planning out a possible story in my head lately...maybe someday I'll write it down and share.

Chronology-wise, I've never really been entirely sure where to stick the Vertigo levels. I personally would like to think they sit precisely between D2 and D3, but that would mean that MD was out floating in deep space in stasis for longer than most people seem to like to consider. And that doesn't answer whether or not there's any overlap with Mercenary or not.