D1 vs D2 robots

Randor244 · Post by **Randor244** » Sat May 10, 2008 10:02 am

I've played both D1 and D2 for a while, and I have been thinking of the different designs of the robots. When I initially bought D2 I was a bit disappointed about the enemies in there, I though they lacked imagination in their design compared to the D2 ones. Now I actually think D2's robots are a bit better, mainly because of their more interesting features (thief anyone?).

I do think, however, that D1 has more interesting design of them both.

What's your opinions?

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Sat May 10, 2008 6:54 pm

D2; definitely had more variation and, seemingly, inspiration.

A case could be made, though, that the D1 robots seemed more \"real\".

Sapphire Wolf · Post by **Sapphire Wolf** » Sat May 10, 2008 7:00 pm

I would say that the D2 bots are rather intresting to me.

DarkHorse · Post by **DarkHorse** » Sat May 10, 2008 7:36 pm

Neither are well planned out. It's fairly obvious that D1 and D2 came before art direction became part of video games. D3 inexplicably made the same mistake; there was a theme going but it wasn't a good one.

Testiculese · Post by **Testiculese** » Sat May 10, 2008 9:58 pm

I've never liked anything about D2 other than the intro/level movies and the gauss cannon. I didn't like the bots, I didn't like the level layouts, I didn't like the textures. I play it anyway, but I can't get into it like I can with D1.

Randor244 · Post by **Randor244** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:24 am

Yeah, I think the D1 robots actually look better, but the D2 ones are more imaginative.

Neither are well planned out. It's fairly obvious that D1 and D2 came before art direction became part of video games. D3 inexplicably made the same mistake; there was a theme going but it wasn't a good one.

I can agree on that one as well. And I do really think the D3 robots suck. Compared to other games, the Descent robots aren't all that good. But compared to each other, which is the best, this is the discussion.

MD-1224 · Post by **MD-1224** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:36 pm

I think that the Descent 2 robots were a bit more interesting than their Descent 1 counterparts, although I would say there were some very interesting Descent 1 designs.

The Class 1 Drone has gun points that are pretty much the same as player ships. Course, the main thing I remember about them is the sound that they make.

I really like the Class 2 Drone because its guns are placed in a vertical fashion, rather than one on the left and one on the right.

Probably the most interesting design (to me anyway) of all the Descent 1 bots is the Class 1/2 Platform. They have a centered cannon with a couple of big body parts on both sides of them. I really love this design...very aesthetic.

MD-1224 · Post by **MD-1224** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:38 pm

What would be really cool is if they made it so that you could fly these different kinds of robots...that would be interesting.

Darth Wang · Post by **Darth Wang** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:37 am

D2 bots - Diamond Claw rules

Lothar · Post by **Lothar** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:43 pm

D2 is what I call a \"bobby game\", named after my (at the time) very young brother Bobby (who isn't that different from the \"Bobby's world\" kid), who always thought it would be cool to have a super-fusion-vulcan-BFG-mega gun and things of that nature.

A few of the D2 bots were cool, but a lot were just kinda... \"hey look how many guns we can stick onto this one little frame\" or \"look how ridiculous we can make this bot\" or \"look at what we can do by making this bot do something ridiculous in response to a particular type of weapon\". Many of the D2 weapons were similarly ridiculous, and even the gargantuan levels were ridiculous.

D1, by comparison, was elegant. Your weapons were well balanced and useful, the bots were simple but threatening, and the levels mostly made sense. I'd much prefer a game with simple bad guys than one where half of the bad guys have way too many guns and the other half have way too many random side-effects.

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:49 pm

Lothar wrote: D1, by comparison, was elegant. Your weapons were well balanced and useful, the bots were simple but threatening, and the levels mostly made sense. I'd much prefer a game with simple bad guys than one where half of the bad guys have way too many guns and the other half have way too many random side-effects.

X2

I find myself going back and playing D1 MUCH more than D2 or D3 for this very reason... at least in solo. With the D4 discussion on the Interplay site, this very thought has been on my mind a good deal lately.

DarkFlameWolf · Post by **DarkFlameWolf** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:05 am

My decision to make a 50 (hopefully) level Descent 1 mission set is looking to be a better and better choice!

D3Alien · Post by **D3Alien** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:34 pm

The D1 robots are a more interesting mix of characters, and make a complete set of very formidable enemies, whereas the ones in D2 feel like a hodge podge collection of foes. Heck, one of my first online aliases in D3 was \"Fusion Mech,\" a tribute to that giant purple badass.

Zantor · Post by **Zantor** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:39 pm

I think, also after nearly ten years of playing the first two, that Descent 1's robots are classic. They are the original set that everyone who has played the game since its initial release is familiar with.

I do agree that on occasion the Descent 1 robots lack originality, but they have their own character which sticks.

Descent II has so many more enemies and, in my opinion, more creativity as to their design and personality. Each theme has its own that have their own characteristics, and when you turn the difficulty up, they don't just pummel you, but they work together to take you out.

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Firewheel · Post by **Firewheel** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:34 pm

I definitely preferred the original Descent's robots. D2 had plenty of cool designs, not to mention dangerous ones (the Smart Missile robot and Ice Boss come to mind...) but Descent had a great balance of weapons and enemies.

I like all the games in the series but Descent 1 is definitely the best for me. Everything about it - the level design, the music, the enemies, the atmosphere - is astonishingly high for a first-person shooter of its time, and it still holds up well today - and I find its gameplay far more captivating and consistently enjoyable than most games being made today that feature fancier graphics and gameplay.

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:18 am

In my opinion Descent 1 robots were as good if not better than D2 ones. I mean, just take a look at the Purple Fusion Hulk. Streamlined angles, perfect bulk (I think he and the boss he's modeled after were the basis for the later Lou Guard). Besides, the bot has some really awesome sound effects, perhaps the best in the entire game. I don't know if it's just me, but I think that the robot's sound is very reminescent of the Polish phrase \"ja stwierdzę\", which in rough English translation means \"I shall ascertain\", with the emphasis on \"I\". If one went further with the interpretation, this could be read as \"I shall judge\". Spooky, huh? This bot is an awesome piece of design, really.

Another one, our little, nimble, pesky Class 1 Driller. Man he's a nightmare! His voice is a nightmarish anthem of impending doom, and his Vulcan takes no hostages. There is no bot as awesome in the entirety of Descent 2. I think they replaced the Vulcan wich \"light Vulcan\" just to make the game somewhat easier...

I think that D1 bots are superior in terms of looks (Class 2 Drone, Class 1,2 Driller, Fusion Hulk, End Boss), sounds (Class 1,2 Driller, Fusion Hulk, Missile Platform bot, the Bosses), and overall feel. D2 bots are shallow imitations of these bots for me.

Alter-Fox · Post by **Alter-Fox** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:22 am

I like the D2 Vertigo bots...

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:49 pm

They did have some nice designs, yeah.

Xfing · Post by **Xfing** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:56 am

From D2, I liked the Bulk Destroyer bot, the one with Gauss. Its design reminded me very much of the Heavy Driller from D1. Like a logical continuation of a line.

Also liked the inclusion of Supervisor Robot from D1.

And Vertigo is the apogee of win, featuring D1, D2 and its own new bots. Really, epic win.

D1 vs D2 robots

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D1 vs D2 robots

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