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Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Red Divided - MMORPG.com
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Red Divided - MMORPG.com
Red Thomas looks at The Division 2 and assesses whether he thinks it’s worth the buy or not. Red explores some of the content differences that have changed since the first game and ponders whether his previous story-breaking constitutional concerns still trouble him in the sequel.
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Comments
The only negatives I came away with playing yesterday was, holy crap does the game feel like it was designed around controllers, and looting needs to be a bit faster. I was changing graphic settings, and to get into the menu you have to click on the option and hit the space bar. What menu ever has required you to hit the space bar to accept going into the next drop down. It's like that with everything too. With looting you have to run up, hit F to loot and then F again to pick up the item. It just isn't fluid in that respect.
Only problem I have so far is with the skills system. You don't really get a chance to try out all the skills but have to pick them up and see what they can do as you progress through the story. You end up with all of them at the end but knowing in advance which ones match your play style would enhance your game play.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Superb animaions of TD1 went MIA. Run with SMG = your character's hand look like it's broken. Run itself is slow as if the action happens in a liquid.
Attractive females didn't survive the apocalypse. Those who left look uninspiring - to put it mildly. Funny part: sliders in character creator don't improve them but makes look even worse in most cases + there is still RNG involved since some parameters aren't available as sliders (you can get same presents looking differently depending on initial auto-generated template).
Naively looking enemies (running in gas masks?) look like a bunch of clowns from superhero comics like Batman or some other comedy game - like Defiance.
Giant targeting reticule also look like it's borrowed from a game targeted to 14yo - too big, too flashy, etc.
Setting is an uncompelling generic junkyard, miles away from scary apocalyptic Manhattan of TD1. Once again - reminds me of Defiance.
Mods system is nowhere to be found, devs still tinkering with idea "mods must have negative impact" (like useless rivens system in Warframe), people run without mods to avoid their negative effects.
Overall, the beta felt like I've played a cheap knock-off of the first game with improved visual effects. And probably I wasn't alone since the devs have decided to stop apparently insufficient sales in 3rd party stores and go full exclusive with Epic while Epic's management is dumb enough to throw away Fortnite's fortunes.
Thank you for your time!
fun if you think back to when steam was released, and everyone was bitching steam *yawn* nope, wait, not fun, just boooorrrrriiiing
uh and for the record, all those "influencers" and models will NOT fight after the apocalypse, they aren't know for their fierce fighting skills, but for being nice picture motifs.
"I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!"
The whole "PC Master Race" railed against consoles, but missed out on a lot of exclusives. Now there is a "Steam Master Race" out there that won't play games that aren't on steam? Silly, silly people.
I could forgiving the numbering problem as just a bit of failed research, and it's relatively insignificant. The problem is just that the President CAN'T do what the game's entire premise is based on, and Tom Clancy knew that. His name has just been tacked on to the game for PR, but this isn't based on anything that he ever would have written. If it had been, there'd been some sort of legal justification worked into it.
The other thing that I'm finding a little wonky is the insane abundance of military grade hardware in this game. WTH did all these automatic firearms come from? There's no where near that many in the US. We should be seeing a lot of people with handguns and shotguns, and a few snipers with semi-auto rifles like AR-15s and such. But it's fiction, so I'd kind of ignore that for the sake of story, too.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
I too served in the Military (2 terms) but I do not feel the need to bog my game experience down with if this is accurate or not. I also believe the constitution (a good idea) is not used how it was intended and people (mostly politicians) like to use it as a crutch to be a big POS... so that being said, I'm not real big on a document written centuries ago that no longer reflects the nature of things today in this country. So much was wrong when the document was signed and a lot of those things have yet to be fixed. There is so much hidden, fucked up shit with the government that its hard to believe we truly live in a democracy. It's almost naive to believe the US Government isn't hiding something. Which makes something with the premise of TD very interesting. Who are we to say the US Government DOESN'T have sleeper agents in real life? If they did we would never know until they activated. WHY would they activate? What could be so bad? What secrets are they not telling us to prevent panic?
That's the type of world we live in. That exact thing in a way could happen. That's why its interesting. So for you "This would never happen." sure, but I'm more like "What if this happens" that's how art works.
So no.. Its not real because its not supposed to be. Of course they took liberties.. Its fiction! Tom Clancy's books are also fiction loosely based on reality. I personally don't really have a issue with Massive separating themselves from the books, I think that's a good thing. Fiction loosely based on a Fiction can be very good if executed right.
Its very similar to what The Witcher series did.
"The Society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools."
Currently: Games Audio Engineer, you didn't hear what I heard, you heard what I wanted you to hear.
I don't hold them to any sort of accuracy standard. That's pretty unrealistic is most popular games, because accuracy would be boring. Games like Arma focus more on the accuracy aspect of military engagements, and clearly Division is targeting a less serious audience here. I'm talking about plausibility.
The US doesn't have sleeper agents. For one, it just wouldn't be efficient and it's not really necessary. There's nothing you'd get from the fictional Division that you couldn't get between the IRR, active duty, and federal law enforcement. It'd be a lot of work and expense for no real gain.
As far as the constitutionality mattering, it really does. It's a little dry and hard to explain, but if you've ever worked in intel and/or cyber, you deal with the policy side of government than the typical enlisted do. For instance, a lot of cyber guys can go on for hours complaining about the issues they run into separating Title 10 actions from Title 50 actions and the sort of legal fictions they create to do that. Intel guys will have the same complaints about the overlap in Executive Orders, collection against US persons, and host country policies.
The short of it is that the government doesn't work like that. It literally can't. There are checks and balances in even the most covert programs, and while the President can do a few things on the sly without congressional approval, it couldn't be something on the scale of creating, training, and maintaining a secret covert cell inside the US. Even more, there's no way to keep something like that secret for long.
The thing about Tom Clancy was that everything in his books was based on reality. It was fiction and he took a few liberties, but it was all plausible given the scenario he created. He was so accurate in how he constructed scenarios that he was investigated multiple times by the FBI for having gained access to classified information. Red Storm Rising, Hunt for Red October, Rainbow Six... those are all great books that reveal a lot about the covert world if you care to read them.
Nah you are 100% wrong about the Marine bit. Honestly Im pissed you think you can disrespect me like that. Lets address that. Don't tell me shit about how a Marine speaks. You are not a Marine, I am. I can say whatever the fuck I want when it comes to describing my service, because i will always be truthful. What were you a freaking cook? Better yet, Admin? Its always the Admin dudes talking about "I was in the army" man shut tf up. Nobody cares is my point. We are talking about a game.
If someone asks me if I was military then the correct answer is yes, "Marine". If I am speaking in general terms to people on the internet that I cant see in real life, then its "yes, I served in the military". Most people say "Oh really? what branch?" then I answer accordingly.
I know you aren't on here trying to fact check me about my fucking military service as if I have some reason to make it up. I don't feel the need to tell people what branch unless they ask and that's my choice. Also my favorite units I served with (deployed) are in my sig and has been for most of the decade I've been here. The division too. Google those units. look at 2nd mar div. See what its about. Again.. if you wanna go that deep PM me and I will give you the creds.
I've been out for almost over a decade big dog, I'm 100% civ life and loving it. I'm doing something I love to do which has nothing to do with military at all. It pays well. I'm comfortable. I don't need to remind every single person I meet in life I'm a Marine. I'm proud to be who I am but I don't need to tell "war stories". I'm not here to prove anything, I'm just trying to live my life to the fullest. I'm wasting it actually right now typing this bullshit.
Furthermore i don't need to prove it to you or anyone else (especially ONLINE).. But again if you really want to measure your dick, PM me and I will shut you up. Forget Airforce, you were ARMY?? lmao give me a break. All Marines know what Army is about.. and you know what Marines are about. End of story. Don't do it to yourself.
Also yes we do say "Terms" in the Marines. Don't speak on shit you have no clue about. That's exactly what we say when we describe how long we were in. "Ay devil how many years did you do?" "oh, Just 2 terms." When we say "TOURs" we are referring to overseas tours of duty. "I have 2 tours in Iraq". We also say Tour of duty but its not exclusive to mean term. Its interchangeable. Big Facts.
Again stop talking about shit you don't understand "Soldier"
I'll do you one better big dog. Don't ever disrespect me again. I was nice and you attacked my character. Excuse my french in this post but I don't give a flying Fuck about tom clancy. Don't ever disrespect me on that level again. I can say former Military if I want because that's what I am. Former fucking military.. the fuck.. I'm not active, reserves, IR, nothing. Just a Veteran. A war veteran at that. Honorable. But one thing I will always be is a Marine. Who I choose to tell that to is my choice. You have no idea about our lingo so stop while your'e ahead. All love
https://imgur.com/dBGBtql
Just for you Soldier boy. Had to address that.
Real quick to address the division part:
Its fiction man. Don't get your panties in a bunch.
Its not impossible either. The government hides layers and layers of hidden shit on top of hidden shit. My point was even if the "Division" was real, we the general population would never know about it. Your military service doesn't give you secret knowledge dude. You wouldn't know! lol You are regular just like everyone else. Its the United States Government... You really think they would let something like that out the bag? With all the shit they keep hidden, Secret programs etc..I'm pretty sure they can cover up some sleeper agents easy.
Again my only point is, all this type of stuff is very interesting to think about, and its dope that Massive touched on it in their own way. I don't care that its fiction because its supposed to be. Its not a mil sim bro. Its a looter shooter. Its not that deep.. unless you want it to be
"The Society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools."
Currently: Games Audio Engineer, you didn't hear what I heard, you heard what I wanted you to hear.
Dude, chill. I never meant any disrespect in any form. It doesn't matter your branch of service, service is service. I was just saying that the different branches have different vernacular. I was in a joint environment nearly my whole career and even now work alongside all the various branches, including Coast Guard. Each service has their own unique culture and way of speaking. For instance, you say head, I say latrine. Air Force calls it the powder room.
I made a stab based on the words you used and I was wrong. I said right up front that it was just a guess, so take it easy. I'm not sure where all the anger is coming from. In no way did I ever question your service, I just made a guess at the branch. So, you could have come back with, "No. Marines." That would have been sufficient. Think you read something that wasn't there, mate.
w/r to the unlikelihood of something like the Division existing... Yeah, I would know. When Tom Clancy wrote about Jack Ryan, Ryan did for the Navy what I did for the Army (BTW, anyone take their ASBAV and thinking of military service, hit me up. I'll let you in on the best MOS on the planet) and I've been in that community for a really long time. The secret programs all have congressional approval. They go through something called the intelligence oversight committee, and even the unacknowledged special programs (like the stuff Skunkworks developed and a lot of the modern cyber stuff) get their funding through Congress. It's just distributed in a way that hides the actual disbursement.
It's not that I'd know if a program existed per se, because the way compartmentalized information works, there's just a ton I wouldn't ever know. It's more just a general understanding of how things like this works. In order for something like the Division to exist in real life, they'd have to acquire money to support it and that'd be really hard to hide from Congress. Also, just the idea of sleeper cells like the Division... Tactical proficiency is a skill and it has to be trained and practiced. Where are all these Americans going periodically to train without anyone knowing? No one noticed the influx of strangers into town periodically? No one at the local diner realized there were the same random people coming into town at regular intervals and for no reason?
It's really really hard to keep something a secret like that, so you don't even try. Everyone knows your special forces exist. You just obfuscate your training program and when you leave for an operation or get back. It's more misdirection than actual secrecy when it comes to weapon systems and units.
But all of that is basically irrelevant. As you know, everyone in the government takes the same oath, which is to defend the Constitution. The President just doesn't have the constitutional authority to do something like this. Even if one tried, the next would blow it out of the water, especially if they belonged to a different party. That's also assuming all the people down the line tolerated an abuse of Presidential authority. It'd take only one person blowing the whistle...
Govt does a lot of shady stuff. Presidents abuse their authority in every administration. Something like the Division though? Not a chance. It'd fail at every level. I don't think you could even recruit people for it. The only type of person who could keep this kind of secret is the kind who has unwavering national loyalty, which means they wouldn't support an abuse of Presidential authority either.
I think Div2 is really pretty, but I don't believe the environment is as well done as Anthem.
They definitely are doing better with respect to progression, crafting, and content, though. I expect Div2 will beat the pants off of Anthem because it's a much more fun game to play for most folks.
Definitely think Div2 is the better overall experience, but have to give a few nods to Anthem, though. They definitely did a few things right in that game.
Well if you are saying you didn't mean any offense, I'd have to take your word for it, what I read sounded like a insult in my brain and I don't take kindly to people disrespecting my service, which is why I tend to never discuss it online. Its just not something I like to do. Stolen Valor is a real thing, and on a public forum you challenged my service, jokingly or not. But I am also an adult, like you are so lets let bygones be what they are and move on from that. We both served is all that matters, I agree. Btw 0311 here.
The Division:
If America wants something hidden, believe me it would be hidden. Google "operation dark winter".. You know what Executive Order 51 is correct? Then you are also familiar with the classified Annexes. They are so classified that homeland security member Peter DeFazio asked to see the entire contents of the full directive and was denied. What was so important to hide like that?
IRL the stage is set for SHD agents.. We currently almost live in that exact world. We just need a nationwide state of emergency (There are several irl flu science people are very worried about) and boom. The Division. America prides itself on being prepared. If we IRL created a simulator where this could happen (Operation dark winter) then we would be prepared for it. In a state of nationwide emergency, talking half the population is dead type of thing.. something like SHD would be put on the ground to help restore order, they wouldn't need congress, the President can push the button. We aren't talking option ABC, we are talking option Z. SHD is to be used when there is no other hope. Gov/Mil has failed, you need a sector that operates freely, something that has been invested into. Covert cells aren't new, it goes all the way back to WW2 maybe even before then. The NATO "stay behind" covert cells in case of USSR attacks on Europe were at the time so classified that barely anyone knew they existed.
You question the how..good question. TBH idk where they would train. Maybe Canada in a underground facility. Maybe that's what they are doing at Area 51.. maybe Alaska..we would never know is again my point. Congress would get it paid for, because its in the interest of our nation. You cant pay IRL SHD in purple beenies, and We are already in unimaginable debt from "Protecting the ideas of the Constitution" idk whats one more drink on the tab?
My point is, The Division Games, are pointing at very real life ingredients and saying "haha what if we mix all these together" The whole thing isn't just plausible, its a lot of reality.
Pray this stuff never happens because its some scary shit if you think about it.
"The Society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools."
Currently: Games Audio Engineer, you didn't hear what I heard, you heard what I wanted you to hear.
"The Society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools."
Currently: Games Audio Engineer, you didn't hear what I heard, you heard what I wanted you to hear.