Why I pretend Soldat doesn't exist IRL. Is Soldat's strangeness its own undoing?

[jrgp]

So I've got several nerdy friends at school this year. We're always talking about video games. Today the question among us arose, "What's your favorite shooter?" I said Wolf3D (despite preferring Soldat at heart), a few others said Half Life, etc, etc.

The main thing is, I never mention Soldat. Ever. Maybe because whenever I show it to anyone they usually just say WTF and scoff. And I possibly also rarely suggest it to people because, well, (no offense eC), the current versions have been raw crap in terms of reliability and playability. Bugs, access violation errors, etc. It just sucks compared to other games (granted, usually commercial) which JFW 100% of the time.

Your thoughts?

[Lord Frunkamunch]

I pimp Soldat every chance I get. Maybe you're just afraid to commit, man. Then again, I've stopped playing since the beta, so there is that.
I'm sure I'll get back on the pimping schedule once the patch is out.

[Cyrix]

Well. I dont mind talking about Soldat. Simply because i talk about so many other games i play. There have been a few times i have been at work/ school or whatever and loaded the Soldat website as the default home page. That way when anyone went to use the computer it would be free advertisement fr Soldat. Lol

[Dusty]

I never tell people I play computer games since I find it rather lame. I'm trying to hide the geek in me the best I can.

[croat1gamer]

Its not like that their games need to be DX10 to be considered games.
And 3D.
Not that im being laughed out when i say that i play Soldat or Cortex Command.*

Yeh, seems like that they dont play games for the gameplay.



edit:
*make it every time i mention a game older than 3-4 years.

[Espadon]

Disgusting 3D pig

[LtKillroy]

I love soldat. I would like it to become more reliable, but I still say its my favorite game. It feels so light in a world dominated by games where you shoot civilians despite the fact its incredibly gory. I do tell people its unpredictable, but incredibly fun.

[Cyrix]

I play old games, new games, fun games, stupid games. I just like gaming. Lol.

[STM1993]

People nowadays just look at epic 3D graphics, but not at gameplay... sigh... not to mention how those in my place also have a higher tendency to play MMORPGs than shooters. *coughmaplestorycough*

I do have a pair of friends who play Soldat though, but we never played together as far as I know.


It's no surprise Soldat is going on quite a decline due to the kind of attitude we get from the players nowadays, plus senior players leaving for any reason such as having to attend to a busy life.

[Blue-ninja]

We don't talk about the decline of soldat. We just talk about the glory days of soldat and hope people start playing it to find that silver lining.

[Snow]

I tell people it's my favorite game, but they look at me with confusion. "What? you like that retro - 2d graphics game? It looks crappy." Well.... that doesn't mean it is crap. Quality of gameplay matters over eye-candy a bit more for some people.

I also pimp Soldat whenever I have the chance. I swear that if we get that video game conference thing happening here, I'll be setting up a booth for recruiting new Soldateers (with permission of course). Join the Soldat Army! If it bleeds, YOU can kill it.

I love all kinds of games. For genre's my fav's are shooters from Worms to Soldat to FPS's. I don't play most 3d new-fangled titles as much because in those games the developers were more devoted to visual quality. This includes present day physics in a lot of games. Physics in most 3d games these days are just for making more realistic looking eye-candy, but otherwise useless.

The irony is that what many gamers are looking for, Soldat has. I think it's the "judging a book by the cover" thing. People look at it, get turned off because of the old school graphics. Many try it out, but because it takes a while to get used to maneuvering and to gain skills in movement and aiming, they drop it because they think it's too difficult. I myself, didn't like Soldat right off the bat, but after I stayed with it and kept playing, then as I gained skills - it got fun and very addicting.

But, yeah, I can relate. I guess, Soldat is just one of those games that you have to play and stick with for a while to realize just how awesome it is. It's funny and also ironic... that games which are opposite are the ones that are more popular. Some company makes a generic 3d shooter - loaded to the nines with eye-candy. It becomes popular (well, through expensive marketing), but the gameplay quality is crappy and ... generic, nothing different from the 30 or so shooters it's emulating. But hey, eye-candy is attractive.

[Eagles_Arrows]

Soldat used to be my most favorite game to play online back in high school.  Hell, when I was a sophomore, alot of freshmen were playing it, and I didn't know.

One year later, everyone moved to either Halo or CS and forgot about it.

I used to talk about Soldat a little with one of my close friends, who's a big RPG fan.  A couple of my classmates in computer science also heard of and liked the game.  It didn't last very long, though.

I remember there was a hidden folder within the school's network drive that contained the following games: Halo, CS1.6, Starcraft, Armagetron Advanced, Starseige: Tribes, and Soldat.

Sadly, I don't like Soldat anymore and even regret playing it for three straight years. 

[Cyrix]

Wish there was a way to advertise... For christmas i am buying a Soldat t-shirt and i will advertise that way. I have gotten quite a few people into Soldat. Just tell your friends "i bet i can kick your a*s at this game". If your friends are like mine then you will get a few new players. lol.

[iDante]

My friends are too busy playing WoW, so instead of talking them into playing Soldat I just install it on all of their computers when they aren't looking. That way they might be bored some day and try it out.

[FliesLikeABrick]

First off -- good topic

I have no shame in mentioning Soldat or telling people what it is when they don't know.  I've always been surprised how many people I talk to know what it is, and have played it at least a few times.

I greatly enjoy telling people what work I've done for the communities and Soldat over the years, and depending on who I'm talking to I can sometimes spend an hour or more telling the full story and answering all of the questions

[Cyrix]

First off -- good topic

I have no shame in mentioning Soldat or telling people what it is when they don't know.  I've always been surprised how many people I talk to know what it is, and have played it at least a few times.

I greatly enjoy telling people what work I've done for the communities and Soldat over the years, and depending on who I'm talking to I can sometimes spend an hour or more telling the full story and answering all of the questions

Thats awesome. Since there is very few, if any, advertisements for this game its up to us. Word of mouth is very powerfull. We need to be able to look at some n0b years from now and remember how you taught him how to do stuff. I think the thing i brag about the most is the forums. Because i tell people that if it can be modded is has been. If you have a question or a problem... The forums and the people in here make Soldat unlike anything else. <3 for all of us!

[SadistAtHeart]

Back when I was thirteen or fourteen, I got a group of friends to LAN Soldat with me. That's probably one of my greatest Soldat moments, next to playing that RE mod with the guy who made it for about 3 hours.

[Cyrix]

Back when I was thirteen or fourteen, I got a group of friends to LAN Soldat with me. That's probably one of my greatest Soldat moments, next to playing that RE mod with the guy who made it for about 3 hours.

Woah Woah Woah.... You played with the maker of the Resident Evil mod? Thats crazy! Thats my favorite mod.

[SadistAtHeart]

Back when I was thirteen or fourteen, I got a group of friends to LAN Soldat with me. That's probably one of my greatest Soldat moments, next to playing that RE mod with the guy who made it for about 3 hours.

Woah Woah Woah.... You played with the maker of the Resident Evil mod? Thats crazy! Thats my favorite mod.

Yeah it was cool. It was back when he was still testing, we had a blast for quite a few hours. I made one of the maps for it as well, but it's pretty horrible and completely unwaypointed.

[numgun]

I'd love to recommend soldat to other, but due to unreliability and errors that make the game unplayable upon installation holds me back from spreading soldat as something I'd love to share wide. Plus theres also the fact that unlike most new games that come out, theres a tutorial, not a manual like soldat has so the newbie must instantly like soldat as it is in all its harsness when going online.

Soldat is pretty hardcore, its all about skill and getting in requires to read a fucking text manual or doing trial and error and then coming to the forums to ask how the minigun works.

I do mention soldat, but only if I see the other dudes being potential to understand its fun because as you might know, there are those arrogant 3d megasupercool graphics pigs that value old games as shit.