Serious Sam HD : The First Encounter

[scavvenjahh]

Widescreen Grade: A
Ultra-Widescreen Grade: Incomplete
Multi-monitor Grade: A
4k Grade: Incomplete

Read Full Detailed Report - Serious Sam HD : The First Encounter

Serious Sam is an FPS from Croteam and Gathering of Developers. You play as Sam "Serious" Stone, and do battle with thousands of alien nasties throughout various historical set-pieces, using an array of diverse and enormous weapons.

4:3

16:10

16:9

3x1

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[skipclarke]

Wow. Quite impressive support.

[The_cranky_hermit]

It might also be worth noting that you can optionally play in anamorphic 16:9 (or anamorphic 16:10 or pillarboxed 4:3, not that there's any reason for that).

Certified.

Also, there was a version of this game on XBox with slightly gimped gameplay but some very amusing cut-scenes. For instance, this intro:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvmGbrxWHNw

It's a shame that they didn't include them in this definitive version of the game.

[scavvenjahh]

Is it real-time ? The various trailers and 'testimonials' were also lots of fun: http://www.serioussamhd.com

Noteworthy bit on optional anamorphism added to the Method section.

[infernus]

I really want to get this after seeing this report now. Truly deserving of the "HD" in the title.

[dopefish]

I want to get it just based on the fact the original was so amazing and epic, especially in coop.

[X-Warrior]

Well if you intend to get it, do so today, as it's 50% off now :roll:

[StingingVelvet]

Even though I don't really like Serious Sam/Painkiller style shooters I am tempted to get this just to support such excellent PC support.

Well done.

[KreK]

Some problems reported by TH2G and Eyefinity users are fixed and will be available in the next patch.

SamHD starts in your desktop resolution, so it works for tripleheads, but the menu resolution selector had a filter for nonstandard aspect ratios. This filter has been removed so the graphics options should now display all available resolutions. The lockup problem with the screen width slider on tripleheads has also been fixed. It was caused by the "resolution limit" message at the screen's bottom that would shrink to zero size causing our text wrapper to end up in an infinite loop.

The Xbox version mentioned by The_cranky_hermit is an old one, the HD version is coming to Xbox Live Arcade in about 3 weeks. The only difference is in the coop mode that is limited to 4 players versus 16 in the PC version.

[GeneralAdmission]

Some problems reported by TH2G and Eyefinity users are fixed and will be available in the next patch.

SamHD starts in your desktop resolution, so it works for tripleheads, but the menu resolution selector had a filter for nonstandard aspect ratios. This filter has been removed so the graphics options should now display all available resolutions. The lockup problem with the screen width slider on tripleheads has also been fixed. It was caused by the "resolution limit" message at the screen's bottom that would shrink to zero size causing our text wrapper to end up in an infinite loop.

The Xbox version mentioned by The_cranky_hermit is an old one, the HD version is coming to Xbox Live Arcade in about 3 weeks. The only difference is in the coop mode that is limited to 4 players versus 16 in the PC version.

Awesome news. I just picked this up on the Steam sale and love it.

Do you work for Croteam? Awesome to see developers actively supporting multi-monitor gamers.

[infernus]

The only difference is in the coop mode that is limited to 4 players versus 16 in the PC version.

Wait. There's 16p co-op?! I really need to save up some pennies.

[ViciousXUSMC]

Yeah 16 player co-op fun to play cant wait for them to release the map cration software so we can get more maps made by users. Also there is going to be a sequel to this game, they are doing the 2nd Serious Sam game into HD also.

[KreK]

Do you work for Croteam? Awesome to see developers actively supporting multi-monitor gamers.

Correct, I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Kresimir Kis, I'm one of the guys from game's credits. Most of our team is active on Steam's Sam HD forum so if anyone is having technical problems with this game, please report it over there.

There's 16p co-op?!

ViciousXUSMC has a couple of Youtube gameplay videos running on Eyefinity. We also recently released a coop trailer (shameless plug):
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-carol-serious-sam/60229

In my opinion, Serious Sam is first and foremost a coop game. You can play it single player and we are working on a deathmatch patch, but nothing beats the carnage of 16 Santas shooting cannon balls at headless suicide bombers.

...cant wait for them to release the map cration software so we can get more maps made by users.

The game's editor is on our todo list because it cannot be released in its current state. With current editor, players would be able to open game's levels, modify them however they see fit and boost their leaderboard scores. We put a lot of effort to detect leaderboard cheats and the editor would serve as a backdoor to anyone who wants to see his name at the top. New multiplayer maps are planned to be released with the upcoming deathmatch patch. The editor will be out at some point in the future but there is no ETA on it. Other, more important features must be finished first.

Also there is going to be a sequel to this game, they are doing the 2nd Serious Sam game into HD also.

If everything goes as planned, the remake of the 2nd Encounter and the completely new Serious Sam 3 should be out in 2010.

[DaFox]

Damn, I had very little interest in this but I actually feel like picking this up after seeing this kind of support all around.

[The_cranky_hermit]

I've heard the wacky gravity effects weren't ported to the new engine yet. I don't remember if TFE used them, but I sure hope they make it back in time for TSE. It just wouldn't be the same game without those crazy spinning rooms where you and the enemies are running up and down the walls and ceiling.

[infernus]

In my opinion, Serious Sam is first and foremost a coop game. You can play it single player and we are working on a deathmatch patch, but nothing beats the carnage of 16 Santas shooting cannon balls at headless suicide bombers.

trufax. I played this with my buddy split-screen on the Xbox and it was a great time, even with the glitches. And we were only two! Gotta try 16...

[KreK]

I've heard the wacky gravity effects weren't ported to the new engine yet.

This is unfortunately correct.

What I heard from guys who did physics system, there are a lot of shortcuts and optimizations that you can do in physics and ragdolls if the gravity is always in one direction only. SamHD is based on a physics system from Sam2 and that one didn't support variable gravity directions either. Apparently, a feature like that would require a rewrite of the current physics system but nobody seems to be very enthusiastic about doing it. It's on our endless todo list, but somewhere at the very bottom. We're getting a lot of flak for this but there's no guarantee that it will make it for the 2nd Encounter remake.

[Downtown1]

Picked it up during the Steam sale once I found out it had such amazing Multi-Mon support.

[dopefish]

Can you add a good ending to SS2 HD? SS2 had possibly the worst and most unrewarding ending ever. :(

[GeneralAdmission]

Having a lot of fun playing the remake. REALLY really need dedicated servers, though. It's truly sad to see a grand total of 3 MP games running online.