21 December

The Original Strife: Veteran Edition updated to 1.2

Hello everyone!

The Original Strife: Veteran Edition has been updated to 1.2. All your previous saves should work from 1.0. Here is the huuuge list of the changes, fixes and additions that have been made:

Added new options for Smooth Mouse Movement, X and Y Sensitivity, Overall Mouse Scale Factor and Disable/Enable Mouse Acceleration,
Better hash checking on SVE.WAD to check for modifications,
Added support for vsync (Options -> Graphics -> Advanced menu)
Correct behavior for using a second Shadow Armor,
Timer appears on-screen during timed multiplayer matches,
Notification messages always appear in the proper location on screen,
Gamepad axes are auto-calibrated at startup,
Numerous fixes for binding gamepad buttons in the frontend menu
-- These fix Xbox 360 pad support for MacOS,
Most sprites are now drawn billboard-style,
Unbinding a keyboard key is now done by pressing the currently bound key again, instead of backspace (prevented rebinding backspace),
Delete key can now backspace in multiplayer chat. (Backspace not working because of Steam glitch also affecting TF2 and Garry's Mod),
Capped framerate (60 FPS) is now optional (Options -> Graphics -> Basic Settings menu)
Follow mode default binding moved to "L" key on keyboard,
Defaults for mouse acceleration and bloom threshold changed,
Gamma correction.
Press F2 during netgames (deathmatch or CTC) to see scoreboard,
Gamma now affects skies properly,
Removed in-game mouse sensitivity slider (use Advanced options menu instead),
Fixed a possible crash in multiplayer when using Shadow Armor,
Improved lightmaps for MAP19,
Added mouse buttons for inventory use and inventory scrolling by request,
Added missing "center view" keyboard and gamepad bindings to menus,
FBO support is no longer required for the classic "software" renderer,
Gamepad profiles will automatically apply more consistently,
Removed an incorrect window texture that looked bad in "software" mode,
Added indicator on dialogues where BlackBird speaks at the end, to alert players so they don't miss humorous or important information.
Multiplayer Improvements,
Added checks if the current machine lacks Framebuffer Object (FBO) support, which will run in "Safe Mode" for Intergrated Intel Chipset users.
FBO extensions no longer required, improves Intel chipset compatibility,
Vsync and framerate limit settings are no longer mutually exclusive, for machines where vsync isn't working,
Automap name of "AREA 29: Entity's Lair" corrected,
"Becoming" Acolytes no longer converse with the player,
Netgame stutter lag for 3-or-more player games eliminated. Special thanks to Edward850,
Random CTC team assignment is more intelligent,
Architecture is not prematurely clipped out with super-wide FOV settings,
Startup movies are skipped when the game is started by Steam in response to a lobby invite,
Selected item is remembered between visits to the Advanced Options menu,
Nvidia Optimus cards will automatically switch from onboard GFX to Nvidia mode,
Fixed blending issue on glowing items when Sprite Clipping was turned off.

We hope you like the update. Please post any problems you may have on the forums and we'll do our best to look into them.

Enjoy!

11 comments Read more

Ggdograa

390 products in account

Recommended

4.6 hrs on record

Posted: 27 December

With a source port this awesome there's no excuse to not play Strife. It's kind of like Deus Ex before Deus Ex even existed. What you get with this game is an open world which lets you interact with lots of different NPC's and kill lots of bad guys with rocket launchers and machine guns. The puzzles and design is a bit like Hexen but much less confusing. Easily one of the best shooting games of the 90's and something every FPS fan should play.

Full video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu3CGEcRl8U&feature=youtu.be

Was this review helpful? Yes No

Vic

572 products in account

2.1 hrs on record

Posted: 24 December

Strife is a game you probably haven't heard of, and that's largely because it came out 3 weeks before Quake. As a result, people pretty much forgot it existed. It's a remarkably ground-breaking non-linear FPSRPG that kind of shattered contemporary conventions, long before the days of Far Cry, Borderlands or Destiny (but following in the footsteps of 1993's Pathways into Darkness and 1994's System Shock).

Notably, all copies of its source code were completely lost and so, modern versions of the game running on source ports rely on reverse-engineering. That's where the Veteran Edition comes in, and it's clear that a lot of care has gone into crafting it. Not only have you got modern OS support, customizable keybinds, along with bells and whistles like bloom, motion blur, high-res textures and so on, but you've also got the original version of the game for purists or curious folk and, on top of that, the reconstruction of unfinished features in the original game, which is pretty damn neat.

The game itself holds up remarkably well to this day. It's far from the highly immersive, airtight, diegetic experiences from nowadays, but exploring it and making gradual progress through the world feels incredibly rewarding. Gameplay is fun and challenging, and the world itself looks pretty good and most environments offer a good sense of realism and sense of purpose.

In a lot of ways, it feels like a lot more than just an underrated game from 1996; it's distinctly ahead of its time and so, playing it feels totally unlike a step backwards in any way. In fact, it feels just as fun, and perhaps more so, than some of the games of today it predated. To sum up, it's a really good game and you should go spend money on it.

Sayu Hisanuma

255 products in account

0.2 hrs on record

This game is amazing. This professionally made port is truly a masterpiece.
I'll just list what you get:
1. Original game data. Untouched.
2. VE game data in the same familiar WAD format.
3. Some bonus content: a PDF manual, town map and field guide, all in HD.
4. Not less important, (nearly) full source code!
5. Hours and hours of well-spent time.

Get it. >10000 hours in Doom, tellin' ya.

TheyKeepOnRising

213 products in account

2.4 hrs on record

An excellent remaster of the classic STRIFE FPS RPG. This is the game that inspired Deus Ex, set the foundation for the first person RPG genre.

Matty

1,965 products in account

2.2 hrs on record

Posted: 12 December

Ahhh Strife! Back in 1996, Rogue Entertainment made it's debut with the most ambitious use of the Doom engine yet. Strife hit the scene as the first true story-driven FPS/RPG hybrid. Using a hub system quite similar to Hexen, Strife also added in NPCs, voiced dialog, and actual conversation choices that affect the outcome of the game. Compared to the mindless run and gun action of previous Doom-based games, this was quite a refreshing change. And now 18 years later Night Dive Studios has taken this amazing classic, and given it the kind of re-release that quite frankly I wish could be done for every Doom-engine game!

Right off the bat when you start up Strife: Veteran Edition you're greeted with a plethora of options, ranging from enhanced music to widescreen views, FOV, bloom, and all the other trimmings. You want delicious crunchy pixels? You got it! Smoothed filtering your kinda thing? It's there too! Night Dive Studios has replaced the "vanilla" doom engine with a massively reworked version of the hit source port Chocolate Doom. Despite the source code for Strife being lost to the ages, they have managed to completely reverse-engineer the game, and bring it perfectly into the modern age.

Everything that made Strife what it is is completely intact here, and it all holds up very well considering the game's age. From the games stealth elements to its vicious deathmatch mode, this package is just dripping with juicy goodness. The original manual, town map, and field guide are all included as .pdf files, and the Roland SC-55 soundtrack is present as ogg files. Speaking of music, if you want to experience the oldschool synthesizer charms of retro Adlib sound, you can turn on OPL3 music in the sound settings.

As if all of the above wasn't good enough, Night Dive has also augmented Strife: Veteran Edition with a set of trading cards, badges and achievements. They are also planning further additions such as a "capture the Chalice" multiplayer mode, and better automapping. If only id Software would hire Night Dive to give Doom, Heretic and Hexen this kind of epic overhaul. Those games sorely need it as the janky Dosbox setup they have on Steam is just not pretty. Strife: Veteran edition is a shining example of what happens with a game company is passionate about both the game at hand, and giving their customers the best experience possible.

10/10

GURGBURZ

133 products in account

5.2 hrs on record

Strife on steam = instant purchase.
This game blew my mind when it came out, and this port/update is incredible.
the port is well done, I havent had any issues with mouse lag (one of the other reviews mentioned it)
all the extra graphical options are welcome, but to be honest I'm running it without the high quality renderer, because the chunky pixellated style just looks wicked to me.

The gameplay is awesome, and modern FPS games could learn a thing or two about level design and mission structure from strife.

Only an hour or so in, and I've already found a couple secrets I missed when I was a kid!

ᴰᵣ. Cuddlebug

290 products in account

5.0 hrs on record

Posted: 13 December

Strife was one of the last games made on the Doom engine, and it really shows off the strength of Carmack's engine really well.

Unlike Doom, in Strife your objective is not to kill everything in sight and find the level exit. Rather, the game is built more like an RPG, with mission based objectives. You play as a wandering mercenary who joins the resistance toward a corrupt government of cyborgs known as The Order. All of the characters in the game are really memorable and really well voice acted. It also features multiple endings, and overall the story is really engaging. Especially for a game released in 1996 with comic book cutscenes.

Strife also features hub levels like Hexen, where you revisit a central town location regularly to purchase ammunition and health items prior to a mission. The game also takes place in an interconnected world similar to Metroid. Where you can backtrack to prior mission areas if you so desire to uncover secrets you might have missed. Later on in the game the levels get much more sprawling and the level design in general gets more unique.

Strife is one of my favorite fps/rpg games. While it wasn't the first one to try the concept, it was probably the first one to do it really well. It's a very enjoyable and simple game to play and if you're a fan of games like Deus Ex and System Shock I guarantee you'll like it.

This re-release also includes the original WAD files that Strife shipped with back in 1996. So if you're not a fan of this particular port of the game, you can copy those into your favorite Doom source port like gzDoom or Skulltag. Happy hunting.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=355314412

Velcrosasquatch™

436 products in account

20.4 hrs on record

Strife was originally released in 1996 on a modified doom engine, it was unique for its time because it combined elements of RPGs with dooms run and gun gameplay. The result was a cult classic that has garnered fan projects and restorations, but sadly it was forgotten amongst the other big PC games like Duke Nukem 3D and Quake. Until this re-release I was convinced many forgot about Strife, thankfully I was wrong as the devs who ported this cared very much about the game. Strife: Veteran Edition is thankfully not just Strife shoved in with dosbox, it is an actual port based mainly off of the Chocolate Strife source port. It contains the original IWADs and the ability to play it as it was in 1996. It also adds a large amount of modern new features and customization options. An optional bloom lighting system and motion blur have been added along with objective/damage indicators and weapon recoil. I'd easily recommend this version of Strife to anyone looking for a good action game, its a very unique experience and this port only enhances it.

Kenshiro3

346 products in account

20.9 hrs on record

One of THE Best Doom Engine Game EVER!

Strife is incredible. It's EASILY the best game released using Doom Engine. It feels almost like an earlier version of Deus Ex with its post apocalyptic cyberpunk inspired setting that has you running around a city hub taking & completeing jobs for various NPC in the game while finding, earning, & buying upgrades for your character & his arsenal. Its a damn shame it had to drop a month before the likes of Quake. Thanks to this almost no one has ever heard of it, and it was doomed (no pun intended) to launguish in relative obscurity never recieving the recognition it deserved. Believe it or not, this is the game that pioneered interactive AI allies & ingame storytelling in an FPS, things Half-Life was later was credited for. This truly is not only the best Doom Engine Game but also one of the greats forgotten gems of all time.

SonataFanatica

288 products in account

12.1 hrs on record

The original version of this game is one of the few first-person shooters I have in its original big box in my classic game collection shelves – and the reason is simple: it's just overwhelmingly good! Why?

Well, the game was way ahead of its time, back in 1996. Just think of it as a mission-based, story-driven "Doom"-clone with an open world. This description still doesn't do the game full justice, but it's a good way to at least categorize it.

I've re-played the original game during the Christmas holidays in 2010 and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. The comic-style artwork and the voice acting really reminds me of the style of the classic adventure game "Beneath a Steel Sky", the faction of The Order feels like a high-tech version of the Hammers from the "Thief" trilogy (by the way: "Thief 2014" doesn't exist...) and the open world has a very unique feel to it. It offers a nice opportunity to experiment a bit with choices and outcomes. Getting your secret "underground rebellion missions" via in-ear radio feels really immersive, too!

Thankfully, this updated Veteran Edition doesn't change the original too much. Just a very comfortable new Full HD engine with complete mouse look, high quality textures, dynamic lighting and bloom and a rich variety of options to customize the game to your liking. Oh, and Steam achievements, too.

This was an instant buy – and I wholeheartedly recommend this game!
Go buy it. It's WELL worth the asking price!

Lotica

712 products in account

9.3 hrs on record

Considered a classic for many that have played it, Strife is a DOOM-based game that takes the mechanics of DOOM and turns it into something that was unique for the time, a FPS-RPG hybrid. Rogue and Night Dive have done a lot to help make the game suitable for modern times, and those changes do not ruin the fun that this game has. Unlike ID with their releases of the original DOOM games, they took time to make it run on a source port and add useful features. In short, if you're a fan of the original Strife or if you always wanted to try this game out, this is for you!

Simbaaa

223 products in account

7.2 hrs on record

Hmm, how can I describe Strife... Take some of that action from Doom and give it a little story, nice characters and branching dialogues. This is the game that said "let's do what Dues Ex did, only 5 years earlier". Such a shame it didn't get the attention it cried for, due to both Duke Nukem and Quake releasing just a few weeks earlier.

Playing it again on the "Veteran Edition" just reminds me of how good and refreshing it was playing it over 10 years ago, as a child. And now it has some cool new features in it, like upgraded lighting, bloom, widescreen resolution, steam achievements, trading cards and even an entire multiplayer mode. I'm not saying that if you didn't play it before you shouldn't buy it, not at all, if you are familiar with Doom-like games even today you might very possibly find it enjoyable. So why not? It's only 7.5$ right now.

Quick review for those who are intrested in the game rather than the remaster:

Pros:

- Great combination of both FPS & RPG elements.
- Very nice story and charcters along with some interesting plot twists.
- Good use of the Id Tech engine; truly bueatiful world, fun to explore.
- Doom's addicting shooting mechanics, awesome guns as well.
- Best 16-bit voice acting out there.

Cons:

- Somewhat annoying maze-like level design.
- Repetitive music.

Overall score: 9/10

VanDaniels

81 products in account

9.6 hrs on record

I have recommended this game to several people. An early Doom Clone with an RPG element and excellent story. It hasn't aged well but this game is in my top 10 of all time for sure, maybe even top 5. Even though I still have the old CD rom somwhere, I didn't even blink when spending $8 for it.

Controls have changed to be better for 'current generation' gamers - I don't remember using a mouse in the original game but I imagine this is probably a better experience. Also the opening menu allows you to change settings but won't take effect til the game actually starts so don't be alarmed at the resolution.

Fight for the Front, and freedom!
Move out!

416 products in account

10.4 hrs on record

Posted: 14 December

Strife is extremely underrated and one of the prime examples of why the 90's was the golden era of gaming, while games today may be more visually advanced, they're pretty much all formulaic, bland, dumbed down and generic clones of each other with no soul or depth except for the very rare exception. How did games devolve from this into brown/gray, linear, cinematic slogfests that play themselves?

Strife is an FPS-RPG hybrid which is said to be one of the original games of the like, set in a world ruled by a tyrannous cult known as The Order in which you play part of a rebellion which plots to overthrow them. The game itself plays like a mixture of DooM and Duke 3D with fast paced combat that relies heavily on maneuverability/skill and the missions in Strife are open ended which allow for a lot of freedom and exploration.

This has got to be one of the best looking games I've ever played to this day, it has tons of rich colours and the textures all fit perfectly with each other instead of the monotonous garbage that passes off for games these days that consist only of disgustingly bland mixtures of brown and gray. The sound is great, the weapons feel heavy and powerful and the game is complimented by what has to be one of the most badass soundtracks in gaming.

Strife is definitely worth the 9.99 asking price (currently 7.49 on sale) given that it is a complete masterpiece in every regard. I wish gaming would return to what made it great in the first place but until then I've got plenty of classics like this to play through again.

Increasing (Jan 7th 2015)

224 products in account

63.0 hrs on record

Posted: 21 December

Combine the story from RAGE, the art style from Dishonored, the gameplay from System Shock 2, the graphics and music from DOOM and a pinch of HeXen and you've got yourself a masterpiece.

Vik

187 products in account

6.5 hrs on record

One of the best games no one played. A great retro experience and a solid port with a lot of options. Nice mix of an old shcool shooter and a RPG that holds up well even today. Achievements add some replay value.

They simply don't make them like this anymore.

Framzan

30 products in account

This game seems cool so far, but a WIP ATM. it was modified to support modern systems. Otherwise it would require a doom launcher like ZDoom, GZDoom, or Vavoom. The original version of this game was compatible for "Windows 95" as far as i know because Windows 95 was the latest OS when this game was released. The developers of this game went out of business years ago (Rogue Entertainment). I'm not exactly sure who gave Night Dive permission to edit this from scratch and re-distribute. What's new to this version of the game is it supports multi-player, new atmosphere, still got more to see. I've played this game months ago, beaten it twice, almost a third time.

Garrus Vakarian

245 products in account

4.2 hrs on record

I tried exiting the game and it insulted me. 10/10

SHODANFreeman

1,464 products in account

1.6 hrs on record

This game is one of the greatest games of the mid-90s, and this version is even better than ever.

Vadam5

95 products in account

15.7 hrs on record

Posted: 15 December

Another beyond-great classic game that was shadowed by others. The problem is that not many people knew the game because it was released 3 months before Quake and was left behind because of the dated technology.
But i tell ya, Strife is one of the best games ever made. And with this version, its even more awesome.
Firstly, i love the aspect of the "Story builds up on the choices you make", that means that if you got a choice the story will develope branches, and you will end up in other levels or meeting other people.
Secondly, the people you meet. Sometimes you will meet people who will betray you, sometime you will just meet ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥s, and sometimes you will meet people who are friendly and will help you.
The weapons feel awesome, and all are useful, cant expand more on that.
In this version the visuals in the game look really good, shaders, smooth textures and sprites lightning, and motion blur, looks real good.
Music is great.
Multiplayer has great potential and is overall fun but needs little fixes there and there but overally its fun and good, and I believe that its just about time till the workshop comes.
In a conclusion, this is the must have. If not, you should at least try it.
I rate it as one of my top favorited games.