Quick Look: ShootMania Storm Beta

Couple of neat ideas. Seems like they've got a handle on the Mania, but the Shoot doesn't look good.

Nice email there Jeff

The shooting looks awful. Feels like that's an important part of a game called ShootMania.

Why would you not just play quakelive?

After playing the beta myself, I kinda agree- it's pretty boring. Because FPSes can't entirely derive on things like stupidly crazy tracks/stages, I don't think this'll be nearly as good as Trackmania.

That is, of course, assuming the community can't fix the awful shooting mechanics that are already in play. But that'd be like people editing the core driving of Trackmania 2, so I don't really see that happening.

It's like Ninja Warrior in Shootmania that last 15 min or so.

Have to be honest, this looks rubbish. Trackmania 2 is where it's at.

I don't know, the things Jeff dislikes about the shooting sound like things I might like about it. I'm not a fan of most first person shooters because of their frantic, sensless combat, but this looks to alleviate that slightly. It's definitely something to keep an eye on.

I love that Jeff found a good excuse to play more Trackmania though. That still looks like the more entertaining game.

@mrpandaman said:

It's like Ninja Warrior in Shootmania that last 15 min or so.

Hah, that is far too accurate.

These Ogg files have got to play!

This is every bit as strange as I'd expected. It's like somehow the developers were only exposed to small fragments of various FPSs and this is their best guess at what a whole FPS should be. As though they're piecing together a dead language, except we all currently speak it.

I don't want to write off the fact that it's in beta, or claim that there's nothing potentially fun about the game already, but unless Shootmania undergoes some dramatic fine-tuning, there is no way I'm paying $20 for what is essentially a clumsy Trackmania mod.

There are some real interesting ideas going on there. I look forward to seeing what this actually becomes when it is released as a finished product to the community.

You don't need great looks or really deep gameplay to make a shooter fun, you need interesting modes.

this game looks fucking stupid

@DarkbeatDK: samesees

Between this and SMNC I'm having more fun with online shooters than I ever have before.

I think I would rather just play tribes. It has a similar skill based shooting (slow projectiles, fast dudes), but its faster and more guns!

This seems like its one of those that you see in Mid-80-90 movies when they show a kid playing a fake video game.

Ron Paul 2012!!!!!!!

Breaking Brad - Jump Mania

I dunno, this actually looks like a game I could sort of get in to. I'm digging the wholes Tribes meets Quake aspect of it, I just hope they end up adding basic stuff like power-ups and weapon variety.

It took me a couple minutes to realize "Oh, he's just playing TrackMania."

This game looks super crazy but unlike TrackMania, the shooting in ShootMania doesn't seem enjoyable. It has some fascinating ideas, but I think TrackMania has a lot more customization.

@Rapid said:

This seems like its one of those that you see in Mid-80-90 movies when they show a kid playing a fake video game.

Dear God you're right

I love the sparsely populated experimental DM levels, brings me back to the Quakeworld days. Kind of makes me wish I was in the beta but I don't think I have the patience anymore.

It may seem stupid on my part, but I really hate the lack of a gun model.

Man, it looks cool in spots but the levels are boring and the shooting does not look fun at all.

@andrew2696: Thinking back on that show i never knew that when you won a game against AI part of your HDD would be formatted lol

"When I play shooters, I like to dump." Jeff Gerstmann, 2012

This is a weird game.

I think it would be more fun if the projectiles were faster. Like Quake 2 railgun fast. And movement should be faster too. And you should be able to jump out of water, 'cause that's shitty and unfun.

this looks kind of awful

This reminds me of UT with Instagib mutator...but not as fun for some reason.

I don't remember getting a beta key even though I've bought Trackmania 2. Is that just a US thing?

@AssInAss: Everything in your comment from your username combined with the video and one line prefacing the video is super gross.

This is quite possibly the most boring and uninteresting FPS game I have ever seen.

This game needs more mania. It's not crazy enough; kind of dull and lifeless, the very opposite of Trackmania. The best part of Shootmania that I saw in this video was the spectator mode.

I never thought Jeff would try a jump map. I'd like to see him surf next.

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting to see from this game, but it sure as hell wasn't a bad, first-person version of Super Meat Boy.

The bullets need to be way way WAY faster. Really everything needs to be way faster. They really aren't lacking on the shoot, but could desperately use more mania.

@Arlecchino said:

Is Jeff Bridges in this?

Is there multiplayer?

@ichthy: Yeah, mixed with quake style quick movement but set within the "-mania" framework, but as you said, seeming a tad lifeless. The shooting, as the guys said, is too slow, to the point where you're timing a shot in the midst of very fast gameplay. It's still a beta, so hopefully they fine tune a lot of things before release to really nail that perfect balance of technique and speed.

@Aegeri said:

This is quite possibly the most boring and uninteresting FPS game I have ever seen.

@Bummey: Thank you, I did read up on French Military history. I was misinformed in general. To be fair though, the French have had it rough over the past century. Still, the shooting in this game is poor at best.

@GnolTac: I may have been stupid joke about French military history (of which, I was misinformed). I guess I should apologize for making a stupid joke. However, if I am correct, "lack of proper knowledge of French military history and application of said ignorance into a joke" is not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders under the symptoms of mental retardation. Please do not use that word in an attempt to insult me because you are insulting people suffering from a real medical condition.

Really dont' like an FPS where I can't see the gun.

If things like the weapons, movement, and the way health works can't be customized then I don't see myself getting this. I was hoping that the editor would be powerful enough that you could basically remake games that are very different from each other (Ex. CS, Quake, and Tribes), all in this one game. The QL obviously shows that the gametypes can be extremely varied, but it is under a framework that I dislike.

I don't get the point of this....

I miss KZ maps!

I'm digging this. Getting a very Tribes/Unreal Tournament/Quake Arena vibe off of this. I'm so fucking happy to see that practically every non military shooter is becoming more innovative, and more skill based, to stand out...just like during the late 90's when all FPS' were locked in an "arms race," trying to outdo each other, and we got some of the most memorable games EVER. None of this fucking Call of Duty/Medal of Honor/Battlefield poser mainstream crap.

Thank Nadeo. This looks awesome, fun and unique. Just like with Trackmania.

I feel like they are trying to straddle the line between giving users creative freedom and the whole, "lets make this an e-sports game where everyone has the same boring gun." Unlimited maps and game modes are essentially useless if you dont actually enjoy the gameplay. But who cares, Jeff loves his Manias so we'll see plenty more of this game at launch.

They've screwed this up. Stamina meter? Get out of town. Refire rates so low they're through the floor? Step off. Health meters which deplete in as few as two shots under default circumstances? Eff off.

What most bugs me about how wrong they've got this is the fact I actually genuinely love the aesthetic. Bright and colourful, realistic but zany. Reminds me of UT. And I freaking LOVED UT (Especially 2004).

The movement speed writes a cheque the weapons and health system don't cash. I'm like Jeff, I don't like to play "conserve the ammo", I want to shoot virtually indiscriminately. Especially in a game as fast-paced as a UT-like shooter. The movement and look speed here really do not lend themselves to such a tactical ammo and health system - that kind of stuff belongs in games more like CoD and Battlefield.

I...I'm disappointed :/