Alan Wake - (original video game)

[Danny]

As for The Signal - is there an "easy" mode? Didn't Alan Wake only have Normal, Hard and Insane? WTF is that about? the main game was easy regardless of difficulty. the enemies just took longer to kill, you had all the same weapons and ammo, and if you ran more than stood your ground there was an abundance of items. The signal on the other hand has a slim list. theres like 2 flashbangs in the entire episode at the start and you NEED them to get the achievement for beating the final boss in 90 seconds. Plus there are sections that will FUCK.YOU.UP.   I one woodland area its full of those floating words from episode 6 that, when burnt away, spawn enemies, possessed objects, flocks of ravens and book-birds, fireworks, explosives and flashbangs that not only kill enemies, but activate tons of nearby words. So one wrong flaregun shot or something spawns a LOT of shit at once, like a dozen enemies, 6 flocks, 7 possessed items and 4 explosions. imagine doing that on nightmare..... There is also 10 clocks to collect. Six cardboard standees of books barry got the cast to write after the 'show' two manuscript pages. one story one in normal that zane drops to help alan and spawn phantom barry, another in nightmare mode i havent discovered yet. NOTED EASTER EGGS: In the bright falls oh deer diner when you go in the men's bathrooms the last stall has "MIRRA WAS HERE" on the wall, a reference to john mirra, the enemy and split personality of the protagonist of the show address unknown from the tvs in max payne 2 When Alan makes it to the lumberyard to fight the two monster trucks barry says "alan is complicated, and noone understands him but his-" and alan interrupts with "shut your mouth" barry goes "but im talkin' bout" and then is silenced again. -shaft if you are a pop culture retard. When you fight the monster trucks barry yells "death rally!", remedies first game.

[Danny]

i actually was talking to someone from remedy earlier and he said that, due to complaints that the main "season" was too easy, and lets face it, even on nightmare it really was, they are increasing the difficulty so from now one hard is normal, though the original normal health for alan remains. I assume its to lengthen it out becuase the first time through the signal took me maybe 75 minutes. i just burst through it for the 'do the whole thing without dying and in one go" and "kill the final boss in 90 seconds" achievements and did it in about 20 when i knew what to do and when to conserve ammo for what. -which reminds me, to get the final boss achievement you NEED 4 flare guns. that is the least amount of light weapons you need to beat it.   just 4 clocks, one standee and that damn 'no vehicles' one which, if youve played it, you know will be insane unless you save all your items FOR that, but then you need to do the whole thing, not just that section so you are in deep shit for the final warehouse area if you spend everything to beat the monster trucks.

[MinionZombie]

Fair enough for people that want a challenge, but for people like me who couldn't give two sloppy shits for "a challenge", and just want to play it for the gameplay, story, character, setting etc ... it's a kick in the balls. If you don't want to use easy mode, fair enough, but to deliberately make it harder and NOT provide an "easy" option at all for both people like me, and people who aren't particularly talented at videogames, is just wrong and quite disappointing.

[Danny]

Fair enough for people that want a challenge, but for people like me who couldn't give two sloppy shits for "a challenge", and just want to play it for the gameplay, story, character, setting etc ... it's a kick in the balls. If you don't want to use easy mode, fair enough, but to deliberately make it harder and NOT provide an "easy" option at all for both people like me, and people who aren't particularly talented at videogames, is just wrong and quite disappointing. To be fair, Alan wake was a VERY easy game, the worst that happens if you die, on any setting is lose maybe a couple of minutes tops? theres numerous one shot kill items like flashbangs ect. There not saying there making it unforgivable, just enough so that ammo matters slightly and you need to think. I dont know about you but i would get hunter rifles and shotguns and never use them in the main game because i have a light, a pistol and dodge and even on the hardest setting the enemies are by and large two hit kills. I think its just an attempt to make it a little tenser and a little longer. Its the new thing with patching and alterations though. we go "THE PISTOL NOW DOES 1/3'RDS DAMAGE INSTEAD OF 2/4THS!!! BULLSHIT" but this has been done for years and when we didnt know we weren't bothered yknow?

[MinionZombie]

Even still - provide an "easy" mode for those that want to use it! Is that so hard?! As for the original game and weapons, I used everything. I'd use the best stuff as soon as I got it (especially as you constantly lose all your damn inventory like five times during the game), so I was never conserving anything ... perhaps because I had read a review which said 'don't bother conserving as you'll lose your inventory several times over, so use it as soon as you get it' ... but still, I used all my inventory when I had it. And as for making something longer - make more content! - don't make it harder so people that are: A) Not so good at games. B) Not interested in being challenged. Have to repeat shit over and over - that's just frustrating to many people, and it interupts the flow. It'd be like watching the same ten minutes of a movie ten times before you could continue the movie. Ergo - EASY MODE SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR THOSE THAT WANT IT! It's not a hard thing to implement, sheesh!

[LouCipherr]

MZ - so what you're saying is, you want a "super easy" mode on all your games as discussed in that other thread? Alan Wake with an uzi equipped with a spotlight that never runs out of ammo or batteries/power. Now that could be a load of fun!

[MinionZombie]

MZ - so what you're saying is, you want a "super easy" mode on all your games as discussed in that other thread? Alan Wake with an uzi equipped with a spotlight that never runs out of ammo or batteries/power. Now that could be a load of fun! Well, not quite that easy ... just a normal easy/casual mode ... like on Gears of War 2 - that's a perfect balance for easy mode. GoW1 was too hard at times for "easy mode" (I mean come on, pay attention to the NAMES OF THE MODES, games company people), and they recognised that and so they made easy mode easier, and in turn also made the harder modes harder - so everyone was catered for, and that was one of a few things that made GoW2 damn near a perfect game. Alan Wake doesn't even have an easy mode - which I was most surprised by - and I mean, how hard could it be to implement an easy mode for those that want it? Not at all difficult to implement, I'm sure. As for 'making the game scarier' - pfft - that wouldn't make it scarier, in fact it'd make it less scary as you'd be repeating segments, and doing something over and over you know exactly what's going to happen (as well as the fact that it totally interrupts the entire flow of the plot and gameplay, and is frustrating rather than enjoyable as a gaming experience) ... Alan Wake was scary because of: A) The atmosphere, feel and overall tone & vibe of the game B) The plot C) The style of the gameplay, not the difficulty D) The graphics and the sound design

[Danny]

Well, not quite that easy ... just a normal easy/casual mode ... like on Gears of War 2 - that's a perfect balance for easy mode. GoW1 was too hard at times for "easy mode" (I mean come on, pay attention to the NAMES OF THE MODES, games company people), and they recognised that and so they made easy mode easier, and in turn also made the harder modes harder - so everyone was catered for, and that was one of a few things that made GoW2 damn near a perfect game. Alan Wake doesn't even have an easy mode - which I was most surprised by - and I mean, how hard could it be to implement an easy mode for those that want it? Not at all difficult to implement, I'm sure. As for 'making the game scarier' - pfft - that wouldn't make it scarier, in fact it'd make it less scary as you'd be repeating segments, and doing something over and over you know exactly what's going to happen (as well as the fact that it totally interrupts the entire flow of the plot and gameplay, and is frustrating rather than enjoyable as a gaming experience) ... Alan Wake was scary because of: A) The atmosphere, feel and overall tone & vibe of the game B) The plot C) The style of the gameplay, not the difficulty D) The graphics and the sound design I'm sorry but this is madness, you are upset because the easiest possible setting, a setting that IS mind blowingly easy, is still not okay because its not called easy on the menu selection screen? This is baffling. If you are 'only after the story' then i cannot assume replays and multiplayer are a sell for you. Do you honestly see every single game you have ever bought and pay £40 just to play it once on easy for the story? That's a few dvd's and a novel or two worth of money for, lets face it, a medium where the stories are 90% of the time predictable shit. If its always on easy its going to be the same even if you do replay it. I genuinely cannot fathom how you would consider this a sound way to spend your hard earned money. There are maybe 30 to 40 games tops that i would consider worthy of buying on there story alone, and ive played a LOT of video games in the last 2 decades. I can almost understand your retort about not wanting to replay points, but then why bother replaying it at all then?, if there is absolutely no chance of you losing how is it still even a game? I mean this is paying the price of up to a dozen stories in another medium of your choosing and i truly cannot comprehend why you would spend what is an obscene amount of money for what is statistically going to be generic shit spread over a longer period of time than had it been a straight to dvd movies. A videogame is a challenge intended to tell a story, but at the same time challenge your mind and your reflexes to leave you with a sense of satisfaction upon completion that you have not wasted your time and money, that you have done something. If there is no challenge then you are missing what is often a core part of the experience. The tension, the adrenaline rush of scraping through by the skin of your teeth against a boss in demons souls, just having a tough challenge in shadow of the collosus that leaves your heart beating a mile a minute. Or even something as simple as growing to associate more with a character when there is a chance that you could lose them in the story through no fault but your own lacking gameplay and puzzle solving ability it part of what makes the medium of videogames so goddam great. Something that leaves you breathing fast, your arms tired and your thumbs sore where you just barely made it- or set a new unbeatable record is why i love videogames, not setting it every chance i get to the lowest possible difficulty which just means enemies die with less shots, or i am a walking tank because it cheapens the story and my experience with it. -and im not saying everything should be hard either, that's what boggles my mind, i just think its wrong to think a mandatory 'lead me by the hand' mode in every game is stupid. Flower is a game where you play the wind and is described as less of a game and more as an interactive poem but there is still failure and only one difficulty setting- your own ability to play. Is it somehow treating its customers like shit because it wants them all to have this same, artful, beautiful experience? if you think so i cannot think of a good reason why you spend so much money on a product for so little reward from it. Though at the end of the day everyone can enjoy what they like, i'm not making an attempt to alter your opinion on playing easy if thats what you wish. Just understand that a lack of an easy mode isn't a malevolent, vicious act on the creators to cut off a portion of there market they feel is not worth acknowledging. It's to enable all the players to have an equal, enjoyable experience. Even if its not called easy, the lowest difficulty is always the easiest, and if you don't like it then its not for you then. Getting upset about it gains nothing, thats just time better spent finding something that is the right kind of gaming experience for you. If the increased difficulty in Alan Wake for example hampers your experience then it isn't the type of game you like to play anymore is it? there going for the biggest market share, and most of there fans found it to be too easy, there will still be an easiest mode, but should people wish the greater challenge will be greater still, thats all. Though like i said, this isn't the medium of choice to go into for the story is it? Alan wake is a guy spending 5 hours in the woods looking for his wife and he finds her. It's hardly award winning narrative is it? and paying £60 for that alone is madness bordering on sparta.

[MinionZombie]

*sigh* Sod off do I play games once ... unless it's not good enough or interesting enough for another bash through. I get my money's worth, damnit. And nor is "easy/casual" mode 'leading you by the hand' - no wonder you're so entrenched in your view when you just dismiss it like that. Is it harming you? You have your "hard" and "insane" difficulties, so there should be the opposite for other people - so everyone can play ... it should be about including, not excluding ... nor about frustrating some of the gaming audience if they don't want to be frustrated. Everybody should potentially be able to play any game they want. PLAYER CHOICE, for crying out loud! And who the fuck paid £60 for Alan Wake?! I mean good lord, heaven forbid somebody wants to play a game not for the "challenge", but for the plot, gameplay, graphics, atmosphere and just sheer enjoyment of playing the videogame itself ... OH MERCY!!! Have I not said, repeatedly, that it should be there for those that WANT IT. If you don't want it - fucking fine by me, no skin off my nose - but if I, and people like me (as well as those who are just rubbish at playing games, but enjoy them nonetheless ... Dara O'Briain for example, as a reference to a previous conversation I've had on HPOTD with another member more than once), want to have an "easy/casual" mode that actually reflects the name of the difficulty mode, then SO FUCKING BE IT, I say. Think about it, for the Dara O'Briain's of this world - as he said himself on Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe - wtf kind of bullshit is it for someone to buy a game, but then be DENIED content, as well as concluding the ruddy plot, simply because they're not good enough at mashing buttons around or don't have the player skill. Everyone should be catered for. How is that a bad thing? Sheesh! ... *sigh* Right, I'm now officially fed up of this same old argument - hellsing - let's stop discussing it at all, shall we? Let me and my brethren be. Every game for everyone, yeah?

[darth los]

I kinda pissed right now. I'm sure the game is glitching. I can't seem to get all 10 alarm clocks. I've checked every you tube video i can find on it and I've went to all those spots and gotten the clocks but it only says I have 9. I've gone through the signal about 5 times and nothing. It looks as if I'm gonna have to erase the save file and start a new game and check for those clocks again. That and beat the the game with out reloading or restarting a checkpoint are the only ones I'm missing.

[Danny]

I kinda pissed right now. I'm sure the game is glitching. I can't seem to get all 10 alarm clocks. I've checked every you tube video i can find on it and I've went to all those spots and gotten the clocks but it only says I have 9. I've gone through the signal about 5 times and nothing. It looks as if I'm gonna have to erase the save file and start a new game and check for those clocks again. That and beat the the game with out reloading or restarting a checkpoint are the only ones I'm missing. 1:in the cafe kitchen. 2:in the playground, after the possessed items on a log, behind you when you face the exit. 3:in the basement on a red chair near the exit. 4: in the area on the way to the saw mill, after the tv introduces the new enemie, the shade taken run down the path to a metal train car, not the wooden one, its on the floor there. 5: after that when you create a floodlight that illuminates and explodes 3 words in the tent the clock is in the tent 6:in the field of growing street lamps head forward and off the first ledge, then turn left and head to a little wooden fence are on the same level and its there. 7:right in front of you next to the logs at the far end of the monster truck derby area. 8:after you climb a ladder after the group ambush its behind you on the dock. 9:by the chainfence after the chainsaw guy signs- 1:in the town after you head through the store after the cars, in the clearing with the red lights turn right and you find odin. 2: after climbing the fence after that area turn left and around the corner for the cop. 3:after fighting the deer float go in the church and its immediately on the left of the door 4: after you use the floodlight to burn the 3 bridge signs go through the train car and go right instead of left for the lamp lady 5:tor is after the growing lamps in the small hollow with the crane leading to the monster truck fight, turn right as you enter the area. 6:alice wake is in the area where you make a bridge, go around the right corner and shes next to a truck You're welcome

[darth los]

1:in the cafe kitchen. 2:in the playground, after the possessed items on a log, behind you when you face the exit. 3:in the basement on a red chair near the exit. 4: in the area on the way to the saw mill, after the tv introduces the new enemie, the shade taken run down the path to a metal train car, not the wooden one, its on the floor there. 5: after that when you create a floodlight that illuminates and explodes 3 words in the tent the clock is in the tent 6:in the field of growing street lamps head forward and off the first ledge, then turn left and head to a little wooden fence are on the same level and its there. 7:right in front of you next to the logs at the far end of the monster truck derby area. 8:after you climb a ladder after the group ambush its behind you on the dock. 9:by the chainfence after the chainsaw guy signs- 1:in the town after you head through the store after the cars, in the clearing with the red lights turn right and you find odin. 2: after climbing the fence after that area turn left and around the corner for the cop. 3:after fighting the deer float go in the church and its immediately on the left of the door 4: after you use the floodlight to burn the 3 bridge signs go through the train car and go right instead of left for the lamp lady 5:tor is after the growing lamps in the small hollow with the crane leading to the monster truck fight, turn right as you enter the area. 6:alice wake is in the area where you make a bridge, go around the right corner and shes next to a truck You're welcome lol Thnx. I agree with everything you put down. And the 10th clock is on the armchair near the end of the game in alan's apartment. I've done all that, checked guides, you tube and it still says I only have 9. It's really wierd man. Thanks though. As for the dlc, I found it really enjoyable but the cliffhanger has got me going nuts! They stayed true to the creepy suspense, shit my pants formula. Especially in that forrest where clocks 4 and 5 are found. I don't remember breathing that whole time! I can't wait till' the writer is released.

[Danny]

They stayed true to the creepy suspense, shit my pants formula. Especially in that forrest where clocks 4 and 5 are found. I don't remember breahing that whole time! I can't wait till' the writer is released. Thats the only point where it got so hard i said "fuck it" and dug in at the empty train cars inside one and stood there just timing my shots. Though when your used to the more fun difficulty it just means you get better at when to run and use flares and time your movements.

[darth los]

Thats the only point where it got so hard i said "fuck it" and dug in at the empty train cars inside one and stood there just timing my shots. Though when your used to the more fun difficulty it just means you get better at when to run and use flares and time your movements. I did the same thing ! And they want you to searh for two clocks in the midst of all that madness. Sadistic bastards. And I don't think the enemies ever stop coming either. So say you wanted to stock up on some stuff you have to light your flare and handle your business. I like the character Barry as well. His "ghost" really made the episode for me. Especially when he said. "That looks CRAZY dangerous Al! " That one got a chuckle out of me. I also thought the basement furnaces were a nice touch as well.

[Danny]

yeah, im tempted to load it up and throw a flashbang or flare gun out in there