Lawdogs review

[page=Mod Information]
Mod Information (taken from their website): Lawdogs is the first Wild Western style modification for Unreal Tournament 2003 and currently being developed for UT2004. Lawdogs aims to capture the exciting atmosphere and deadly gun battles from the American 'old West. The mod will be a multiplayer only experience and will feature realistically replicated weapons from the era along with new gametypes, characters, maps & new features such as mountable horses! The mod is currently in beta stages of development, and there is no set date for the full release at this stage.

[page=Overview]
Overview: I had the pleasure of downloading and play testing Lawdogs for Unreal Tournament 2004 today. If nothing more Lawdogs creates a stylized western atmosphere blanketing the same remedial game play of Unreal Tournament 2004. Its quirky, humorous overtones of the old west are easily identified. While not dramatically altering the original game mechanic of its predecessor, Lawdogs succeeds in establishing a vibrant western demeanor.

[page=Download & Installation]
Download & Installation:An area not always touched upon by most reviewers, yet often overlooked by pretentious developers. Lawdogs was an acceptable 250 meg download accessible through a modest list of download mirrors. The installation process was precise and smooth, finishing completely without a hitch. The only blemish to the installation was the lack of creating a shortcut to execute the game. I had to browse to the Lawdogs installation directory to find the batch executable file and begin the game. An option to create a start menu or desktop shortcut would be appreciated.

[page=Graphics]
Graphics: Lawdogs’ biggest achievement is their knack for creating seemingly convincing western scenery. From open ranges, to barroom saloons, to old western town shootouts, Lawdogs actualizes some of our favorite western settings. The textures of the old wooden structures, the rut filled dirt trails, and the abandoned mine shafts are distinct and recognizable. Each texture assists in the uniform appearance for which they were intended. At times however, some of the destinations in-game are void and lifeless. It would be nice to see a bit more ambience within each scene, perhaps giving them more vitality. Perhaps something as simple as tumbleweeds crossing streets, or sounds of dust storms forming on the horizon. Small details would go a long way in further realizing their goals of recreating western locales.

Where the textures seem to taper off is on the weapon and player models. Weapons seem to have a foggy undertone that discredits the validity of the weaponry. Player models have a multitude of costume designs, but where they coincide is in their drab appearance. The majority of the player’s attire have a washed out, lackluster appearance. One would think such a style would blend well within the confines of a western setting, however they seem to clash against the solid texture work done for the environment and static pieces. I was also expecting characters to have a more battered, unkempt presence. I didn’t notice anything similar to stains, dirt, or blemishes in their clothing. It was as if the foggy undertone of the textures was their way of illustrating such characteristics mentioned previously.

All of the static objects, players, and “vehicles” are modeled adequately with enough detail to make them convincing. Small details on the player models, such as chaps, holsters, and vests help maintain the notion of playing against true western counterparts. The few “vehicles” (horses, Gatling guns, etc) within the game are modeled accurately and convincingly. Weapons themselves are true to their real-life counterparts in most respects. It is not difficult for one to easily distinguish between two similar firearms. Extra emphasis seems to have gone into static props included within each map. Saloons are filled with tables, chairs, and bars, as cemeteries have eerie trees, headstones, and iron-rod fencing.

One particular area of interest I felt was lacking was in the animation department. Everything from reloads, player stances, and vehicle movement were poorly executed. Most reloads consist of temporarily lowering the weapon out of view and returning once the bullet has been loaded. Player stances were comical at best and had little plausibility. One highly noticeable blemish occurs while riding a horse. It seems as if the player model is unable to look in the direction the player is shooting, creating many awkward moments.

[page=Sound]
Sound: Audio plays a more crucial role in gaming everyday. Developers are starting to attack more of our senses than ever before. Coexisting with a solid graphical theme, the audio department can take the atmosphere and intensity of an environment to a whole new level. For their first attempt, Lawdogs fashions their audio with successes and inadequacies. One of my favorite additions to the audio is the cliché phrases uttered by the characters throughout the game play. You’ll hear classic lines from western dramas and comedies. Though not altogether convincing, still a delight to discover. Lawdogs’ biggest obstacle in audio is to create more authentic and powerful tracks for their weapons. The old school guns we’ve come to respect and dread from our favorite western films lose their credibility once fired. Most of the sounds are feeble and lackadaisical. There seemed to be little disparity between small arms fire and large caliber rifles or shotguns. Even a meager amount of adjustments to the current audio would do wonders for solidifying the intense atmosphere of western shootouts.

[page=Game Play]
Game Play: The meat and potatoes of any respectable game. Most modifications can overcome graphical infidelity with a solid game style supporting itself. It is here however, that I believe Lawdogs falls short. Several gametypes are available “out of the box” such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Last Team Standing, and Catch the Gold. Each is as exactly as one would expect. The foundation of each style is directly linked to its UT2004 counterpart. This dependency on vanilla UT2004 game play can and is detrimental to Lawdogs. The biggest offset between the two is purely cosmetic. Lawdogs does an excellent job providing some interesting weaponry from a beloved time period; however each fails to differentiate themselves from each other outside their visual presence. Besides shotguns packing a much heftier punch than pistols and rifles, there was little difference between each fired bullet. I never noticed a rifle doing much more damage than a pistol, or one caliber pistol over another. To top it off, there doesn’t seem to be any form of location damage. A shot to the foot seemed equal to that of the head. Again, stylized in the same manner as UT2004. It would seem that since the weaponry of the western time period was fairly straightforward, more emphasis would have gone into making them stand apart within the game. UT2004 had some extravagant weapons, each with a vastly different function to keep things interesting. Since Lawdogs is relying on somewhat of a historical basis, their attributes need to be addressed to set each other apart. What you end up with is a cosmetic facelift to your favorite UT2004 gametypes. The “exciting atmosphere and deadly gun battles from the American 'old West” are unaccounted for.

[page=Conclusion]
Conclusion: While Lawdogs isn’t without its shortcomings, they have proved themselves as capable developers on UT2004. Considering this is only their first UT2004 beta test, I expect many of their imperfections to be addressed with subsequent releases. In its current form I can honestly only recommend the mod to true die-hard western fans. I truly believe that only western enthusiasts could find enough long-lasting enjoyment out of Lawdogs’ current state. However, with some minor adjustments that expand upon game play and further enunciate the western motif, Lawdogs could easily become a stand-out component of the Unreal Tournament 2004 community.