|
 www.playblacklight.com  NOW AVAILABLE ON STEAM What is it? Blacklight: Retribution is a competitive multiplayer FPS developed by Zombie Studios as a sequel to 2010's XBLA/PSN title, Blacklight: Tango Down. Although that game was met with lukewarm response from critics and players alike, Zombie Studios is looking to right a lot of the wrongs that plagued it, and attract a long-time player-base in the process. Best of all, it's completely free-to-play. And really, it's kind of surprising that it is. Blacklight: Retribution oozes production values, from the slick interface to the graphical presentation that rivals some of the top retail games in the industry. Being free-to-play, there are some annoyances, such as limited-use items and a cash shop, but it's handled very well. Almost all items are available via in-game currency you earn just by playing, and it's all balanced so as not to be overpowered compared to the starting gear. In the end, how well you do will depend on your skill, not how much money you pay. What's cool about it? At a glance, Blacklight: Retribution doesn't do too much differently from other games in the genre. Controls will feel instantly familiar, and if you're good at other shooters, you'll probably do well here. However, the game has a few things unique to it. Firstly is what the game calls the Hyper Reality Visor. If you press V, you go into a tactical view that highlights enemies on the map, as well as weapon depots. Be wary, as you're completely vulnerable while doing this. The weapon depots are the other thing that's different. Basically, as you play a round, getting kills, assists, and whatnot, you earn points. These points are used at depots littered across the map to purchase things for use in that round. These can be simple, like a health or ammo refill, or more exotic, like a stinger missile, a flamethrower, and, best of all, a mech suit. Customization is a big part of the game. From the very beginning you can create a custom emblem, similar to Call of Duty, that people will see next to your name and on your character. Using in-game currency you get at the end of rounds, you can purchase different sets of armor with different attributes, and there's an extensive weapon modding system, with custom muzzle breaks, barrels, magazines and stocks that you can mix and match to suit your playstyle. All of this equipment is visible on your character, helping you stand out from the pack. Most importantly, it's just a lot of fun to play. I was skeptical at first, having played a lot of really crappy free-to-play shooters in my time, but this game quickly won me over. There's a lot to offer here for shooter fans, and since there's no entrance fee, there's no obligations at all. There's no reason to not give it a try unless you're completely tired of team-based shooters. Where the goons at? Okay, so the clan system in BLR is kind of lovely. Basically, you have to be on at the exact same time as the person who's adding you, without being in a match when they send the invite. As such, your best bet is to add every clan officer as a friend, and then ask when you see them online. The list of clan officers is as follows: Goon Squad US Carmyn ProfessorGascan nwf rayjenkins Cirena OhSH Fuzzlewhack Scud RomanHonesty Habermann Goon Squad EU Crashbee Kelmomas Kikubaaqudgha Videos PAX 2011 trailer Closed beta trailer Gameplay demo with commentary WTF is... Blacklight: Retribution Screenshots       HELP ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON Luckily, the thread is proving to be a well of help! Gets posted:Type "/leave Global" Thompsons posted:
A Lamer posted:Weak points show up as white instead of orange, if you don't see it, it's probably on the opposite side of the suit. Cardboard Box posted:I was able to afford a permanent weapon after playing a few hours across three days, and I usually earn enough currency after one or two matches to pay off something daily. Phoix posted:Oh god don't make my mistake and buy the Combat Rifle. You would think a single-shot weapon would be accurate but it's like shooting in a tornado. Carecat posted:Working solution for the really long startup times. S.T.C.A. posted:1) Never unlock anything permanently till you're level 30 unless you're sure the item is the best in its class and you won't get anything better later. I say this because of the helmet thing above and because I need to find out if there's a better barrel and muzzle than what I have now; if there isn't, I'll buy them, but if there is, then I need to wait till level 30 (the cap) so I'm not buying useless poo poo. And there's a LOT of useless poo poo I'm finding out just from using my free trials from level ups. Gets posted:Steam Starter Pack: Maxwell Adams posted:I found a tweak in increase the FOV in this game. Apparently it works great for Eyefinity setups. NihilCredo posted:Min spread is the size of the cone in which your first bullet will hit. For example, the bolt-action rifle has an aim-down min spread of 0° - pinpoint accurate - but a hip-fired min spread of around 15° - practically a random point somewhere in the central half of your screen, you need to be in melee range to have a chance. Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Nov 10, 2012 around 00:03 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 07:36 |
|
|
|
| # ? May 25, 2013 02:37 |
|
|
I got an email about this thing even though I don't remember signing up for it. I was planning to ignore it. Is it really that good? What's so cool about it?
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 07:38 |
|
|
Put simply, it's really fun to play. The shooting mechanics don't veer too far from the industry standard--it's team-based, there's a sprint button, iron sights, the works--but it has a few features that make it stand out. Firstly is a thing called the Hyper Reality Visor. If you press V, you go into a tactical view for a few seconds that highlights enemies on the map, as well as weapon depots. Weapon depots are another unique thing: if you perform well enough in a match, you earn points, and these points can be used at depots spread across the map. You can get simple things, like a health or ammo refill, or more exotic things, like a stinger missile, a personal flamethrower, or, best of all, a mech suit. As it's in the beta stage, the map selection is a bit small (there's maybe a half-dozen), but I think there's a lot to offer here, provided you aren't completely tired of team-based shooters. EDIT: I added this information to the OP, like I should have from the start. 
Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 08:20 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 07:47 |
|
|
It reminds me of FEAR 2 multiplayer quite a lot, with its not-so-far-away futuristic dystopian feel, yet the gameplay feels fast, arcadey and tacticool, like a Call of Duty game. I'm really liking it so far.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 07:58 |
|
|
I had more fun in this game in half an hour than I did in a whole day of MW2. Just sayin', game is fun.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 07:58 |
|
|
Downloading it right now. I'll be in game in twenty minutes --- looks like fun!
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 08:22 |
|
|
This game would probably be a lot more fun if I could log into it. I do love the art style though, I'm a sucker for anything realistic looking cyberpunk.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 12:12 |
|
|
I think it's the "hyper-reality visor", but I'm getting some funny Neotokyo vibes off of the trailer and such. But that game had pretty slow gunplay (no respawns, mag drop reloading...). Is it like that or closer to the "Call of Duty rush rush shoot shoot" style?
Davin Valkri fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 12:50 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 12:47 |
|
|
Fergus Mac Roich posted:I got an email about this thing even though I don't remember signing up for it. I was planning to ignore it. Same here. Weird. No idea where they got it from, as I don't even care much for FPS.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 13:25 |
|
|
This is a lot better than the last game but my framerate is awful. I turned off DirectX 11 and it actually got worse then crashed.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 16:46 |
|
|
Davin Valkri posted:I think it's the "hyper-reality visor", but I'm getting some funny Neotokyo vibes off of the trailer and such. But that game had pretty slow gunplay (no respawns, mag drop reloading...). Is it like that or closer to the "Call of Duty rush rush shoot shoot" style? It's definitely more frenetic than Neotokyo, and I didn't even play that game  In all seriousness it's pretty fast-paced and the respawns are kinda quick, like 4 or 5 seconds long. The only weirdness is that sometimes the game will automatically respawn you, and sometimes it'll prompt you to press space after a few seconds. Now, some advice. Hardsuit Beginners Manual You see that big suit in the second screenshot? That's a hardsuit, a mech available for purchase from any depot for the princely sum of 1300 in-match funbucks. Armed with a few hundred rounds of chaingun ammo, 50 railgun slugs, and 15000 hitpoints of hull plating, the hardsuit can easily hold its own against groups of poorly armed agents. HOWEVER, there are some things to keep in mind. Ordering: Once you've purchased a laser designator from the depot, you need to aim it at a spot of open ground with a clear line to the sky and hold down the left mouse button. If the area isn't suitable, the little meter on the designator won't turn green and fill up. Note that laser designators, like rocket launchers and other things you buy from the depot, are immediately lost if someone kills you. Make sure to check if the coast is clear before potentially wasting 1300 CP. Use: Once your suit is called in, walk up to it and hold the E key to enter. Congratulations! You are now loving huge  Left mouse fires the chaingun, right fires the rail gun. Directional movement is still the same, even down to sidestepping, but it's very slow. Holding down shift will let you boost, which is good for clearing long stretches of empty space, but you can't shoot or turn during boosting or at the end of it, so be sure not to sprint yourself into a whole pack of enemies.Also, as tough as the hardsuit is, it is NOT invulnerable. Each one has a randomly generated weakpoint revealable by HRV that, if shot, deals 10x damage. Even a rifle shot will hurt if it lands on your weak point. Also, be sure to watch out for rocket launchers (for obvious reasons) and for flamethrowers, which not only damage the suit but can easily kill a pilot and let the enemy steal your expensive hardware. Hardsuits can only be repaired with a marketplace tool, thankfully available for ingame monies; I haven't gotten high enough a level to buy it so I'm not sure if it refills ammo either v v Generally speaking, you'll die before you run out of bullets anyway, but keep your limits in mind.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 17:28 |
|
|
Thompsons posted:Hardsuit The hardsuit is amazing against bad players because they just can't touch you, i got 32 kills in one suit yesterday because the enemy players were just plinking me with their SMGs. The game really is a lot of fun and the shooting feels pretty solid, i might spend some money on it.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 17:41 |
|
|
Is anyone else having problems downloading the client, it gets to 100% for me, then the download says "Interrupted" and there's no file in my downloads folder.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 20:00 |
|
|
Oh hey, I signed up for this a long time ago and forgot about it. Guess I'll have something to tide me over once the ME3 demo bites it after this weekend!
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 20:05 |
|
|
Thompsons posted:Also, be sure to watch out for rocket launchers (for obvious reasons) and for flamethrowers, which not only damage the suit but can easily kill a pilot and let the enemy steal your expensive hardware. This is incredibly easy and rewarding to do, as only rarely do teammates stick around their hardsuit pilots to provide support. The hardsuit pilot won't know it's coming either unless you rush down a corridor he's peering down, as HRV is disabled unless you level up to unlock and buy a tactical kit that allows you to use it. Incidentally when I get there, that's going to be the first thing I buy permanent. Hardsuits really dominate but finding out where the battle is focused at is a real pain once you've mowed everyone down. There are only a couple points on each map that actually let you boost for any decent distance, and there's a good chance you'll get snagged on a pixel of railing or a teammate blundering in front of you just as you hit boost, so it takes forever to get there. A Lamer fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 21:04 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 21:00 |
|
|
Carecat posted:This is a lot better than the last game but my framerate is awful. I turned off DirectX 11 and it actually got worse then crashed. That's quite strange. I'm running max settings in DX11 and keeping around 60 frames per second pretty consistently. I have a couple friends who are playing just fine at lower settings with DX11 turned off. Sounds like it's probably an issue with certain hardware setups. Thompsons posted:
I probably should've reserved a second post for stuff like this. Davin Valkri posted:I think it's the "hyper-reality visor", but I'm getting some funny Neotokyo vibes off of the trailer and such. But that game had pretty slow gunplay (no respawns, mag drop reloading...). Is it like that or closer to the "Call of Duty rush rush shoot shoot" style? More on the Call of Duty side of things. It's a fast-paced game with quick respawns. Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 21:28 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 21:14 |
|
|
This seems pretty fun but I really wish it wasn't F2P. I feel like this kind of store doesn't work at all for FPS games.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 21:17 |
|
|
Do they actually plan on supporting this one after release or are they going to go the Tango Down route again?
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 21:59 |
|
|
handbags at dawn posted:Do they actually plan on supporting this one after release or are they going to go the Tango Down route again? Can't say. I would imagine they'd keep supporting it, as that's how other free-to-play games survive, but who knows.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:00 |
|
|
Goddamn it takes ages to unlock stuff for more than a day. This coming from someone who plays world of tanks.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:04 |
|
|
It's not too bad. I was able to afford a permanent weapon after playing a few hours across three days, and I usually earn enough currency after one or two matches to pay off something daily. My advice is, if it's something you're interested in, just purchase it for one day--think of it as a rental--then go from there and decide if it's something you really want to use permanently. I was saving up for the LMG, but it felt a long ways off, so I bought it for a day to try it out, and wow, I think it sucks! That ended up only costing me 200GP, instead of 5500GP. So, in some ways, the system does work. But really, unless you think you'll be in this for the long haul, you're probably better off just purchasing something daily or weekly. It's cheaper in the short-term. Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 4, 2012 around 10:07 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:11 |
|
|
I guess I'm just bad then. I get 200 whatever currency unit they use after mindlessly charging right into people while spraying wildly (A surprisingly effective method, I was first on the scoreboard)
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:14 |
|
|
Am I supposed to feel like the user interface and especially the store for buying things is a complete ugly clusterfuck of information or is that just my inexperience with Call of Duty type games showing?
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:24 |
|
|
Its very pretty and very polished but: The movement is much, much too fast. Skill takes a back seat to blind luck most of the time and every game I've been in has been a clusterfuck of sprinting circuits round the map, bunny hopping and spray/pray. If they were to drop the movement speed 20-30% you could get some nice firefights and tactical play going but there's just no point trying that at the moment. Overuse of coloured lighting: Cranky Steve would be having conniptions over some of the levels in this. Even after turning down/off every single graphical whizzbang it is still visually very busy. There are even a couple of maps (construction site?) that overly favour one team by having orange lighting throughout most of the map. The weapons feel and sound brilliant and the player models are gorgeous but that is wasted most of the time due the speed everything zips around at. They could have substituted in HL1 models and I don't think I would have noticed. Also I'm unable to purchase any upgrades whatsoever, I can't even equip the bonus trial items I got given for levelling up 
Banano fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 22:49 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:26 |
|
|
Does this have any kind of persistence, or mmo like qualities, or is it just an excuse for them to monetize an FPS?
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 22:36 |
|
|
Cowcaster posted:Am I supposed to feel like the user interface and especially the store for buying things is a complete ugly clusterfuck of information or is that just my inexperience with Call of Duty type games showing? It can be a bit difficult to figure out at first, especially with the tutorial windows bombarding you in the face every time you go to a new sub-menu, but it's not too bad once you get used to it. Banano posted:The movement is much, much too fast. Skill takes a back seat to blind luck most of the time and every game I've been in has been a clusterfuck of sprinting circuits round the map, bunny hopping and spray/pray. If they were to drop the movement speed 20-30% you could get some nice firefights and tactical play going but there's just no point trying that at the moment. Maybe it's because I spent much of my teen years playing Doom multiplayer but that's the kind of poo poo I enjoy. To say there's no skill involved is a bit much--you need fast reflexes and to be aware of your environment to really do well.Banano" posted:Also I'm unable to purchase any upgrades whatsoever, I can't even equip the bonus trial items I got given for levelling up This can be a little finicky and counter-intuitive. First, make sure you're trying to equip things you own by checking the 'Only Owned' box. Then, to equip, make sure you're actually pressing the 'Equip' button, and not on the equipment picture behind it. Same goes for buying: make sure you're pressing the 'Purchase' button, and that you have enough GP and are the proper level for it. LumberingTroll posted:Does this have any kind of persistence, or mmo like qualities, or is it just an excuse for them to monetize an FPS? You have a persistent character, and you earn experience and level up as you play. As well as receiving free rewards when you level up, you unlock access to more advanced weapons that you can purchase with in-game currency. Luckily, those weapons don't cost more than regular ones and are generally balanced well. Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 3, 2012 around 23:18 |
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 23:10 |
|
|
Fun hardsuit fact: boosting into an enemy will crush and kill them instantly.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 23:24 |
|
|
Oh god don't make my mistake and buy the Combat Rifle. You would think a single-shot weapon would be accurate but it's like shooting in a tornado.
|
| # ? Mar 3, 2012 23:55 |
|
|
Yeah I don't really get the balance on that one. Most people seem to go for the bolt-action rifle if they want accuracy.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 00:11 |
|
|
Might want to change the clans part of the OP. They are definitely supported. In fact, the game will assign the teams at the beginning of each round to put everyone in the same clan on the same team. You can also join other people in the clan through the clans menu. /cinvite to invite people.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 02:35 |
|
|
Really? I never noticed. Perhaps I should make a clan then! EDIT: Wow, it costs $10 to make a clan. Do I want to do this... Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 4, 2012 around 02:52 |
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 02:50 |
|
|
I just got it installed, feel free to use Camping The Stairs goon TeamSpeak server http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3365295 512 slots so there is plenty of room.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 03:43 |
|
|
I can't make any sense of the accuracy. It feels like the sights for every gun are an inch off but then some guy one-shots me from across the map with an SMG.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 03:51 |
|
|
Bolt action still isnt very accurate. Aiming down the sight you can hit like 2 feet off the guy you're shooting. Fun game, sniping is just crappy.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 04:07 |
|
|
Mandrill posted:Bolt action still isnt very accurate. Aiming down the sight you can hit like 2 feet off the guy you're shooting. Fun game, sniping is just crappy. I see this as a pro, not a con, Im really tired of snipers in every shooter, what a pussy way to play a team game.  I played 3 rounds, was on the winning side every time, I rather like it, though looking at the market, the weapon selection is rather slim. but its nice that you can customize the hell out of them. We need a clan going, hit me up on TS some time.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 04:29 |
|
|
I can't shake off how uncanny the customization screen looks like the one from brink. I'm downloading it now and waiting to see if it has anything resembling the team support skills you could take in dystopia or really anything discouraging lone wolfing. I'd be disappointed if it's CoD or Quake style gun and run with a different aesthetic...
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 04:42 |
|
|
Delacroix posted:I can't shake off how uncanny the customization screen looks like the one from brink. I'm downloading it now and waiting to see if it has anything resembling the team support skills you could take in dystopia or really anything discouraging lone wolfing. There are some gear you can get so you can heal/revive and support your team with ammo haven't seen many with it though.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 04:44 |
|
|
LumberingTroll posted:We need a clan going, hit me up on TS some time. I put in the $10 for the zen, waiting on actually getting it so I can make the clan. I have no idea why I used Paypal instead of my direct debit card.  EDIT: Okay, clan is up! It's Goon Squad on West/East. Get an invite by either asking in the TeamSpeak channel that LumberingTroll has provided for us or by sending me a message in-game as Carmyn. Cardboard Box fucked around with this message at Mar 4, 2012 around 05:42 |
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 05:01 |
|
|
Phoix posted:I can't make any sense of the accuracy. It feels like the sights for every gun are an inch off but then some guy one-shots me from across the map with an SMG. This. Proceed to lay four dead-on headshots with your Combat Rifle at 0.08 degree spread on a guy moving towards you and completely miss all of them, then the guy fires back with his AR and kills you in a 3-hit burst. I do like the Combat Rifle when it works, but it currently seems like Assault Rifles are just ridiculous.
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 06:49 |
|
|
|
| # ? May 25, 2013 02:37 |
|
|
I've yet to find a server with a spot open after a day or so of trying, is this some kind of networking issue on my end or is there really only ~40 game servers?
|
| # ? Mar 4, 2012 07:09 |
|
