Delving into the Battlezone 98 Redux Controversy: A Conversation with a Dedicated Critic
A Negative Review After 8,000 Hours: Scott Smith, a dedicated Battlezone player with over 8,000 hours in Battlezone 98 Redux (BZ98R), left a scathing negative review on Steam, sparking curiosity about his motivations.
Early Days of Battlezone: Smith's history with the game goes back to its early days, including experiencing dial-up internet struggles and encountering notorious community figures like "Captain Choes."
The Unofficial 1.5 Patch and a Thriving Community: Smith highlights the significance of the unofficial 1.5 patch for the original Battlezone, which fostered a dedicated and active community.
Redux and the Decline of 1.5: The release of BZ98R negatively impacted the 1.5 community, effectively killing its multiplayer scene and prompting Smith to reluctantly transition to the remaster.
Grievances with BZ98R: Smith details a laundry list of issues with BZ98R, ranging from gameplay changes like simplified jump sniping to more serious bugs that affect balance and strategy, including a minimap that reveals the entire map, eliminating fog of war.
Multiplayer Woes and Netcode Issues: One of Smith's primary complaints is the poor netcode in BZ98R, which causes frequent disconnections and instability.
The BZ98R Bot Fiasco: Smith recounts his investigation into suspicious bot activity in the game's multiplayer, suggesting that bots were used to create a false impression of a populated online environment.
A Strained Relationship with the Developers: Smith's interactions with Rebellion, the developers of BZ98R, have been characterized by a lack of communication and a sense of distrust, leading to an adversarial relationship with at least one developer.
Continued Playtime After the Negative Review: Despite his negative review, Smith continued to play BZ98R for a significant amount of time afterward, primarily to assist modders and other players with technical issues and share his extensive knowledge of the game.
Mourning the Loss of a Community: Smith's strong criticisms of BZ98R appear to stem from a sense of loss for the vibrant community that thrived around the original Battlezone and its unofficial 1.5 patch, a community that was fragmented by the release of the remaster.
Helping the Remaining Community: Smith's continued involvement with BZ98R, even after expressing his dissatisfaction, suggests a desire to support the remnants of the community and utilize his expertise to help others.
Unforgivable Bugs and a Sense of Disappointment: Despite his willingness to assist the community, Smith maintains that some of the bugs and design choices in BZ98R are unacceptable and contribute to his overall negative assessment of the remaster.