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System Shock 2 Enhanced?

Posted by simoniker on from the shock-to-the-system dept.

Mathias Wittlock writes "Etienne Aubert has created a mod for the classic System Shock 2 which replaces all models with much better looking, higher polygon ones. Maybe a reason to pick up this game again?" You can also find more info about this classic Looking Glass-legacy title at fan site Sshock2.com - and this is yet another good mod for an older game.

3 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. SS2 working with Wine yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    There was progress but dunno if it's working now. The screenshots are oldish.

  2. Cool, but will they update the environments? by Bagels · · Score: 3, Interesting

    These new models look quite cool, but it would also be nice to update some of the inanimate objects (or, if they're being thrown around by explosions, technically animate) and textures - in the screenshots, the models look just a tad incongruous, simply because they're so much more detailed than their surroundings. BTW, System Shock 2 is now considered abandonware (as already mentioned, its makers went bankrupt), so you can find it on most abandonware sites. Technically speaking, that's not legal, but I believe most of these sites get permission from the original creators of any games they put up.

    --
    --- Bwah?
  3. I'd like to see game developers do this by @madeus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'd like to see game developers do this more.

    Obviously I don't want to just see old tedious content re-hashed, but many games with great storylines (like this one) could benifit greatly from something as simple as updated 3D models.

    Obviously with titles like DN3D, Marathon, Dark Forces, Doom, etc you can't simply inject new full 3D models, but for existing older fully 3D titles, games like Jedi Knight, Driver, System Shock 2, etc., then adding new models and high resolution textures needent require any additional programming and could make an older game attractive again.

    If you wanted to take things a little further, with a little map work to smooth things out and some additional coding to take advantage of lighting effects/bumpmapping then you can have a great looking-great playing title again with much less work (and cost) than creating a game from scratch, and you can reach out to all those who didn't play it (or finish it) first time round, and who maybe those who really enjoyed it and would love to play it again.

    I'd love to play Jedi Knight again with Doom III quality models for example.

    With the current speed of advancements in 3D hardware (and the future advancements still to come for quite a few years) I'm surprised firms aren't looking to capitalise on their existing assets.