I am sure one can do decent (not great but decent) games with FPSC as long as one sticks with using the editors strength and avoids its weaknesses.
I have been modding for NWN and NWN2 for years and although there are 100ds of mods and PWs done with the respect editors, they have their limits. I also know most mods for Oblivion, Gothic and Stalker and although these are top-games the variety of what a talented modder can do, is also not breathtaking.
FPSC X9 is an easy to use editor that makes the building itself so simple that one can actually *waste* lots of time to work on the story, balancing encounters and so on. Also testing is so fast, that the frustrating bughunting after finishing the game is reduced to a minimum.
Strengths and how to use them:
- lighting: be it a desert village at midday or a dark cellar after the fall, thats where FPSC games can indeed compete with pro stuff.
- physics: destroying things that are blocking a path, blowing up fuel barrels to hurt enemies, stacking boxes on top of each other to climb up somewhere. so easy to do, yet so effective.
- pathing: the waypoint system is so simple, flexible and reliable to use that one can achieve anything from (seemingly) randomness roaming to patroling with ease.
- cutscenes: one cant do lip synch conversations but (provided you have fraps or something like it), cutcenes where the PC is walking into a room (gun in hand optional) or guards are entering a building or where you see a secret door opening, are a matter of minutes.
- building: its not just advertising it really IS fast, so the levels should be large. and the level grid is so freaking big that there simply HAS to be room enough for an alternate route or some dead ends.
- level depth: there are ready-made easy-to-use gantries, stairs, elevators, even teleporters (and simple stuff to walk over a gap or chasm). Only using these makes the game really 3D and the levels appealing.
Weaknesses and how to avoid them
- no inventory: even the best mod wont give us an RPG inventory. sticking with ammo/batteries/health will have to do
- no real AI: combats will never be a challenge from a tactical pov. ammo shortage, stationary enemy snipers and fighting large numbers will make it challenging though.
- lack of media: there is not enough media to cater all genres. its no use trying to build a Jurassic Park or Star Wars game, sticking to SF, Horror and WW2 will have to do.
So looking at the list above which games can be re-done in decent way and which cant?
Doom3 can be done, Cronicles of Riddick cannot.
Dark Messias of M&M can be done, Oblivion cannot.
Resident Evil can be done, Stalker cannot.
The list is debatable of course.
And there are games that look like they are perfect for FPSC but still pose problems. Like Tomb Raider - jumping and climbing arent real strenghts of FPSC (and not half the fun in FP) while swimming is simply impossible (unmodded).
On the other hand even something like Myst can be done with a little effort in level building. FPSC allready includes triggers and switches - and no one ever said, that weapons&monsters are mandatory.
Looking forward to your opinion.
In case you find my grammar and spelling weird ---> native German speaker ^^
