VtM: Bloodlines

[johnny]

I have Celerity and Potence as you said, and also Presence. Didn't have to use it very much yet though, but if you reach a high level, you're mere presence scares the crap out of other vampires, so it could come in handy.

I'm a bit puzzled still about some sidequests. There's this woman, or creature, who stays in a room in that hotel in downtown LA. When i ask the clerk at the desk about her, he won't give me any info (naturally) and i can't enter the room either, since the lock is too high for my skills to open. I think it's important though, cause i suspect there's one of those diseasebearing vampires inside that room. Is there another way to get inside, like with a key i have to steal somewhere ?

Same story with the appartments in Downtown LA, at the fifth floor there's a room i can't open up, and again i suspect there's one of those diseased vampires inside. I think that because of the diary i found in the hooker's room at the toplevel. What i'd like to know is how many of these diseasebearing vampires are there ?

I'm also a little dissapointed with the goodies you can find, and the amount of money you can loot. In Redemption there were plenty of chests, coffins, and boxes you could loot and plenty of cash as well. I just whiped out an entire hotelfloor with Russian mobsters, and all i got out of it was 500$ in cash, a ring, and some ammo. What a bunch of cheapass mobsters. One might expect to find a little more in their rooms, but nothing of that kind. It's really hard to earn some money so far, luckily i now am the co owner of some nightclub downtown, where i can pick up my share of the profit every other few days, not sure how much that's gonna be though.

I also found a couple of tomes which can increase some of my skills, but i can't read them yet. I have to be at level 5 to be able to read those tomes, but i'm only at reseachlevel 2 at the moment.

[WOLFGIR]

Well with a Gig in RAM I got a slightly better game when letting Windows deal with it. Of some weird reason it was set for 512 MB RAM pagefile.

Well I can tell you that in HL2 I ran with all the eyecandy and let my GFX card work like a .. madman.. and the only problem I had in HL2 where the occasional sound stuttering and a small stuttering after each load, except from that the game runs beatiful.

VTM is not running beatiful, far from it but it is playable. I still have to see if I encountre some of the more fatal game stopper bugs. So far I have only had one CTD and thats after 6 hours gaming

True, I have a decent machine, but it is far from a monster, and loads of RAM etc, but really, the specs on the back of the box should be able make people play the game. The lack of a setup to determine the best options for your machine that let alot of people experience the blackout screen to me screams of neglect.

I still think that Troika has alo of good ideas, but I still think they should learn ALOT about signing contracts, patches and PR. They haven't learned one thing from ToEE, thats the ugly conclusion. Activision may be bad people as Atari is, but seeing that not many other developers have these kind of problems tells you loads..

I am with Johnny on the matter of things to wear and use.
The ultimate low in a game that provlaims soo much open ends. BUt in another way it is also the best things cause for once one don't have to run around and do the shopping spree item bonanza theme.

Gangrel got teeth and fur .. oh and did I mention fury?

(Yes, I like this game, it is just as the the Redemptiion VTM game, look pass the flaws, one patch and it was a pure ride of story and mystery to partake in)

[Bokken]

Ahhh great topic! I've only just got Down Town as I don't have much time to play. Damn enjoyable game but my main character (can't remember the clan) get's nine colors of crap kicked out of him by a rat if he'd happen to fight one...heh. I picked the clan that is apparently the most humane and can talk through certain areas of the game.
Regardless thought he better get some muscles happening cause it's damn ridiculous! *L*

As far as performance goes, I haven't had a problem at all apart from the intro movie which like mentioned, the audio and video were out of sync. To be honest I think certain parts of the video altogether were missing but I won't go there.

I'm currently playing the game at 1600x1200 and I'm not sure what the glitches are, but I have yet to see them. The only thing I actually do get is is quite annoying yet not affecting gameplay is the save. While on the save screen, I enter the name of the save file I want (e.g. save32 soup is good food) and when I click on okay, the sound gets choppy for about a second or two, then the game resumes and all is fine. As I said this does not affect the gameplay itself but does irritate me. Then again most things do so maybe I'm asking for too much.

Besides that, the game is wild! I love the replayability of it for after visiting a friend who was playing as some vampire chick, I found that her speech text was all warped and her answers were slightly different. Not to mention that I can go back and play as the most saddistic bloodthirsy geeser this side of town!

As far as Troika rushing the game. Well, we all saw Temple of Elemental Evil which I did buy but did not finish. Sure, Atari was to blame for that but it seems that it's becoming more and more a fashion these days. I've stuck to console gaming for that reason alone recently. At least I know I can pick up a game, take it home and play it from start to finish without the stress of bugs, crashes, copy protections that won't run the game or need a separate account altogether before it even works and the loads of other crap we can pile onto that. Don't get me wrong, I would never pass up the PC alternative to anything especially as I love to upgrade my hardware as soon as the option is available. All I'm saying is that you can only be pushed enough before you begin to wonder whether it's all worth the price.

Anyway, this far and in my experience, this game has delivered what I was expecting and a hell of a lot more! Best part of all is I've only hit the tip of the iceberg so I can't wait for what's to come!

[johnny]

Got a question... this may contain spoilers....

I'm in Hollywood, on a quest for the man in the jewelry store. I'm supposed to get a full copy of a snuff film in which a girl gets ripped apart by a bunch of monsters. I bribed the appropriator of the Sin Bin, and he told me that i should go to the public payphones down the street, where an anonymous caller will give me further instructions on where to collect the tape.

Well, i'm standing next to the phones, and ive been waiting for like 15/20 minutes or so, and nothing happened yet. How long is this gonna take, or do i need to do something first in order to trigger the phonecall ?

Help please !!!

[Luvian]

Originally posted by johnny: Got a question... this may contain spoilers.... I'm in Hollywood, on a quest for the man in the jewelry store. I'm supposed to get a full copy of a snuff film in which a girl gets ripped apart by a bunch of monsters. I bribed the appropriator of the Sin Bin, and he told me that i should go to the public payphones down the street, where an anonymous caller will give me further instructions on where to collect the tape. Well, i'm standing next to the phones, and ive been waiting for like 15/20 minutes or so, and nothing happened yet. How long is this gonna take, or do i need to do something first in order to trigger the phonecall ? Help please !!!

The same thing happened to me. The phone you are looking for is on the wall of the convenience store.

About the lack of items, the Vampire world was never item based. You're a vampire in a more dangerous version of our world. When I played the pen and paper, I used knifes and guns, I didn't run around in a platemail of invincibility +5, or a sword of elemental slaying. That stuff does not exist.

I think they even added a lot of magic stuff in this game. I must have finished the game with about 5 artifacts.

There is also about 5 clothing variation, but they can be hard to get. Next game I'll console me the armor I want.

[Bozos of Bones]

Wow! I mean... wow! I've been playing for 2 days now, just bought meself a katana and I'm about to go see how much damage can I do with that.
This game is great! Really good work! The Ocean Hotel has more suspense, atmosphere and feel to it than the whole Doom III, just goes to show you how some things can turn out when given time and effort. Too bad they had to rush it out, they could have used one more month to polish it out.
Oh, as for the magic items, I've got 2 of them, and I've found 2 with the Chinese shopkeep that I simply must have. I think the quantity of magical items in the game is just right, viewed from both reality and gaming mechanics.

[johnny]

AAAARGHH.....the Katana....where did you get it, quick.

Seriously, my melee weapons are still pretty poor, i'm still doing most of the fights with a bat. I also have a sledgehammer, which came in handy for the Gargoyle, but i don't use it for much else.

@ Luvian....you're mistaken about the artifact part, i recall there were plenty of special items in Redemption, rings, bracelets, necklaces, magical armour, like the Unholy Platemail and such, and not to mention the goldcoins, diamonds and other jewelry, Goldbullions, and later cash money. I was kinda expecting the same in this game. Looting has always been one of my favourite things to do in RPG related games, and it's just not there in this one. Small annoyance though, i'm enjoying it thoroughly. Man...i'm having so much fun in the sewers below Hollywood....just me, my new Magnum, and an army of ugly whateveritisyoucallem.

Have a few more questions though, some unfinished business in other parts of LA.

1 The quest you get from Damsel, the one where you have to find the plaguebearers.... what are their locations, and how many exactly are there ? So far i only found one, the one in the sewers below downtown LA.

2 I kinda lost track of a guy i was looking for, basically because every time something else came up, but i'd like to finish this quest now. Where the hell is "Muddy" Mike Durbin ?

3 The Carnival of Death.... who do i speak to to get access to that ground ? I wanna solve the murder that took place there, but i haven't got a clue where to begin.

4 That chick...Lily.... just tell me where i can find her, i'm getting sick of following clue after clue after clue. I have her picture, but again, i haven't spoken to anyone who knows anything about her since finding the pic. I wanna get the search over with, so i can collect my well deserved XP points. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[ 11-25-2004, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: johnny ]

[Luvian]

Originally posted by johnny: AAAARGHH.....the Katana....where did you get it, quick. Seriously, my melee weapons are still pretty poor, i'm still doing most of the fights with a bat. I also have a sledgehammer, which came in handy for the Gargoyle, but i don't use it for much else. @ Luvian....you're mistaken about the artifact part, i recall there were plenty of special items in Redemption, rings, bracelets, necklaces, magical armour, like the Unholy Platemail and such, and not to mention the goldcoins, diamonds and other jewelry, Goldbullions, and later cash money. I was kinda expecting the same in this game. Looting has always been one of my favourite things to do in RPG related games, and it's just not there in this one. Small annoyance though, i'm enjoying it thoroughly. Man...i'm having so much fun in the sewers below Hollywood....just me, my new Magnum, and an army of ugly whateveritisyoucallem. Have a few more questions though, some unfinished business in other parts of LA. 1 The quest you get from Damsel, the one where you have to find the plaguebearers.... what are their locations, and how many exactly are there ? So far i only found one, the one in the sewers below downtown LA. 2 I kinda lost track of a guy i was looking for, basically because every time something else came up, but i'd like to finish this quest now. Where the hell is "Muddy" Mike Durbin ? 3 The Carnival of Death.... who do i speak to to get access to that ground ? I wanna solve the murder that took place there, but i haven't got a clue where to begin. 4 That chick...Lily.... just tell me where i can find her, i'm getting sick of following clue after clue after clue. I have her picture, but again, i haven't spoken to anyone who knows anything about her since finding the pic. I wanna get the search over with, so i can collect my well deserved XP points. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

But redemption had too many items compared to the pen and paper game. They really went crazy in that one.

1) There is another one, she's in the rich hotel.

To get to her, go to skyline, in the basement, and go up in the ventilation. Up on 5th or 6th floor there is a prostitute that is dying talk to her, and she'll tell you about her new client. Once you kill the second one, you'll be sent to a house close to the anarch bar. It's a place with no loading, the guy ask you if you've seen the light.

2 and 3 are related. Again in skyline you'll find an answearing machine in appartment 2, the guy talk about a meeting somewhere. Again go close to the anarch place. There is an abandoned building there, inside there will have been a murder, and some hints. Eventually you'll find the killer in the first town.

4) Go to the dinner in the first town, and talk to the lady, she'll give you car keys. Go into the beach access and find a red car. Open the trunk for her journal. The surfer guy should have told you to go to the dinner.

Go into the hospital basement at the blood bank and into the freezer. In one you'll find a small numpad on the wall. Enter the code 1969

[Bozos of Bones]

Tseng or something in Chinatown, a man recemtly discharged from the Chinese ar- herbal medicinal forces sells the 2 artifacts I wanna get my hands on, as well as an Uzi, Katana and the like.

[ 11-26-2004, 09:14 AM: Message edited by: Bozos of Bones ]

[Bozos of Bones]

WHAT IN THE DEVIL!? Something's messed up now... certain female models' breast polygons are now all over the level of Chinatown. I mean this polygon goes through walls, and really obscures view. Annoying, had to slaughter everyone on Chinatown because it got me mad. Anyone know of this problem?