[OFP] The Tiptoe Boys by Shark Attack

Review by Mikero

Overview

A little noisy and wordy, but any overview using a badge logo rather than yet another snapshot of Houdan deserves credit.

Intro

Quick, to the point via night vision goggles, with a visually interesting use of dust scripts (on water). An additional pan and scan of the industrial complex seen later in the mission would have been appropriate here as the author went to great lengths to get them right and did not do himself justice here. But the intro itself is fine as it is.

Briefing

One of the bad ones. Plenty of detail, worded well, lots of information, but lacking that at-a-glance necessity of just seeing immediately what was required. A real confusion here on author's part to get the objectives presented nicely (and briefly). Not too good in presentation but well worth a read as the author has done well to immerse you in the storyline. The gear selection is immediately interesting because there's a backpack installed. This becomes critical later in the mission to keep up your ammo supply. The mission itself would be worth the trouble, simply to get used to your 'gear', and you are a 4 magazine spec op. A nice touch, and carefully chosen. Considering the ease it would have been to make the player a standard grunt, great care was taken here, to do it properly. The map is noisy and large. But the author has made a real attempt, a good one, to compensate for the very poor icons used in the ags industrial addon. Rather than be too critical, i am awarding points in his effort to overcome the difficuties.

Mission

Excellently crafted with intense care to get all the triggers right. Notable among them is what I call the "dead body alert". Standard players to OFP will get a severe surprise. Too often, shooting one loon has no effect on any other loon. Not this mission, Sunshine. The only thing the author could have done 'better' here, is to make the player hide bodies. The positioning of enemy troops has been crafted to near perfection. Groups of 2 and 3, waypointing to proper postions, singles placed in crafty (but not unfair) positions in towers and buildings. All in all, you will not have a ghost's chance doing a Rambo. You need your binocs, you need NVG, every step (and certainly any sound!) can mean the alarm is raised. The first group of tents have a surprise in store for you. As do some of the building entrances, as do, some of the towers. This is care, and attention to detail. The mission contains two endings which compensates for the lack of an outro. I highly recommend losing! Again, clever scripting in setting off 'door sensors', clever scripting in getting a chopper to HOVER, just low enough for you to clamber aboard. A nice ending sequence with the actual invasion after you've cleared the way. Voice acting is 'tight' and has not been overdone. Radio save games are excellent. Unlimited saves, is a necessity for this mission. You wont get through without it. Unfortunately, the briefing and its objectives aren't quite polished, and there is a mistake causing confusion with the radio commands. They shouldn't be available until required. The only fair criticisms to make of this mission are: the three accompanying squad members do nothing and achieve nothing, the escape is a non event. The base of the mission is to find four trucks. It has been done fairly, it is very very tough to achieve. You will find yourself clambering up and down ladders and tearing your hair out. Good luck!

Special

Backpack is one, but the clever use of loon awareness of each other, via the scripts, is a must see and must do, for other authors wanting to get it right. Also worthy of mention is the careful use of the AGS industrial buildings, putting them all, to their best use. Unlimited Radio save retries.

Overall

Note however, that the mission itself is a deservedly higher rating.