RPD Dispatch 13 - Playing Silent Hill 1

[Becky's Butt]

Nikkolas - The story for the original Silent Hill, prior to 3 and Origins' screwing with it, was actually better than 4's. Mostly because, and as they kept with Silent Hill 2, it was multi-ended and open to interpretation of the pieces, additionally while AJ's card enhanced screens fail to show, on the original console the enviroments and monsters had a very unique and original design that just was it's own (much like the original MGS on the PlayStation). On top of that it's the first game I can think of that got and deserved an indepth plot analysis and debate because of the possibilities of what was going on, not what wasn't going on. Of course if you've never played it, especially when it came out, then you missed this point and as 3 and Origins now set their own new version of events then it seems a little irrelevant. Still I strongly suggest playing the other two titles if you get the chance... you're missing out on more of the series, and better titles than the last two games especially.

Additionally Silent Hill 4's problem was that the game actually had far more backstory than the actual game showed... there was numerous detailed files on the official Japanese website, which were thankfully translated eventually.

I have SH3 lying around my house. I just haven't gotten around to playing it.

And yeah I know all about the stuff you get outside the game. After I beat The Room I learned as much as I could about the story. That doesn't diminish the game IMO. The game still had plenty of intriguing plot points and everything you needed to understand the characters' and their motivations were in the game. The sheer number of files, the things you read on those tombstones and in the prison...it all adds up to make a grand puzzle detailing both the main plot and various sideplots that happened in the other apartments.

Plus I just really liked Walter's character. it's a shame so few understood the plot and believe he thought Room 302 was his mother. I mean he comments on his real mother in writing and there's that part before the final boss where he has you hear his real mother's voice as she and his father abandoned him. Amazing how people miss that.

[Dot50Cal]

Good stuff AJ Keep em coming!

[Sunglasses]

It looks like A-J is a SIlent Hill guru LOL

teach me A-J i suck at playing SH

[A-J]

it's quiet simple actually, download a souped up game save file from gamefaqs, with the ammo frequency set to 3x (i-e you get 3 times the ammo on a single pickup)and enjoy !



other than that Silent Hill (1 atleast) is a pretty barren game, especially in the open area's. Hardly one or two enemies for miles, gives you ample time for exploration.

[GuardhouseMusic]

Yeah they put some unsettling touches in the game, besides all of the movie posters. That "A Friend in Need" article is creepy.

[randomwab]

Dot - If you're a PAL owner of Silent Hill that bug doesn't exist playing it on a PS3... but there could be others (I haven't played that far but I know that screech bug isn't in the PAL version anyway).

The bug is actually in the PAL version. The last time I played Silent Hill (about a year or so ago) it happened twice for me, although it went away after I paused and unpaused the game. Nothing too serious. I'll be playing the PSN/PSP version for this podcast, so I'll see if it's still present.

[Guest]

So, I want to play the game (no, I never played it), a friend has it, I wanted to know: is it better to play it on PS2 (I don't have a PS1, but I think if I buy a PS1 memorycard I can save the game in it) or PC?

[Sunglasses]

it's quiet simple actually, download a souped up game save file from gamefaqs, with the ammo frequency set to 3x (i-e you get 3 times the ammo on a single pickup)and enjoy !



other than that Silent Hill (1 atleast) is a pretty barren game, especially in the open area's. Hardly one or two enemies for miles, gives you ample time for exploration.

If i can use those savefiles on my 60GB PS3 i could give it a try, I've beaten SH only 2 times, but i need to try that cool over the shoulder view

[Harry Mason]

it's quiet simple actually, download a souped up game save file from gamefaqs, with the ammo frequency set to 3x (i-e you get 3 times the ammo on a single pickup)and enjoy !



other than that Silent Hill (1 atleast) is a pretty barren game, especially in the open area's. Hardly one or two enemies for miles, gives you ample time for exploration.

Hyper Blaster don't use ammo so why set it to 3x? Also hard mode isn't 1 or 2 enemies for miles they are faster and they take more ammo to kill and it looks like your not doing the UFO sightings so far..but other than that nice view of the konami burger

By the way anybody here acually own the original Hyper Blaster lightgun? I've heard if you plug it in the second controller you will start with it without needing to get the UFO ending...

[A-J]

Hyper Blaster don't use ammo so why set it to 3x?

for teh shotgun, at 3x the ammo count you can rack up the shells pretty easily, and it's way better to use than any other gun i have at this point.

@sunglasses

it's supposed to be possible to convert both PS2 and PS1 saves to use as PS3 virtual memory cards, but the method is somewhat convoluted. Check it out and see if you can do it.

[Sunglasses]

thank you Reinard... emh A-J XD I'll check it out

[Gradon]

OH MY GOD SILENT HILL PODCAST! *faint*

[Carnivol]

Additionally Silent Hill 4's problem was that the game actually had far more backstory than the actual game showed... there was numerous detailed files on the official Japanese website, which were thankfully translated eventually.

You could do a lot of private investigation in the game if you wanted to (such as all the stuff related to the people living in the various apartments and the everyday drama going on), but it was all rather non-rewarding, so I guess a lot of people never did it.

The alter in the middle of the lizard boss fight. Look at the round thing below, it resembles the "magnetic sphere" from Event Horizon, or atleast that's what it looks like to me.

Worth taking a look at the Final Boss Room in Silent Hill 4: The Room too for this one. You can see the Event Horizon space folding thingy-ma-bob here (0:38s into trailer).

There's also some other really hilarious stuff in Silent Hill 1. Me and Randomwab will probably touch it on the podcast if we have the time to prep for it.

[Harry Mason]

Spoiler:

show spoiler

Hilarious as in throwing a bottle of red liquid on a skinless baby in an amusement park?

[Rombie]

The bug is actually in the PAL version. The last time I played Silent Hill (about a year or so ago) it happened twice for me, although it went away after I paused and unpaused the game. Nothing too serious. I'll be playing the PSN/PSP version for this podcast, so I'll see if it's still present.

Well in any case it's not as much an issue as in the US anyway, where it happens all the time. I played as far as the school without it taking place... but I think I'll ePSXe the game for my playthrough due to the bug just in case.

Carn - Yeah I know, but there is still stuff in those files that is as if not more interesting that isn't included. There is a well thoughtout backstory to all the games in the series it seems, and SH4's seems to have more going for it than people see. Sadly though I just don't like it any better than 2 or 1.