Solace773

Join Date 09/2010

SWAT 3

Anyone here ever play SWAT 3? In my opinion, it's the greatest tactical first-person shooter ever. It was released in the late 1990s, and had really good graphics for it's time. The online play was amazing for this game, it was just like Battle.net (the original Battle.net, not Battle.net 2.0 which StarCraft II uses), with chat rooms, clans, custom games, and a lot of other features that Battle.net has. Sadly the online play was shutdown when Activision purchased and subsequently shutdown Sierra Entertainment in 2008-2009. The game is also heavily modifiable. There were custom maps, custom skins, custom weapons, and hundreds of modifications of every kind.

I remember playing this game all the time back in the early and middle 2000s. I was really disappointed when Activision announced that they were shutting down the servers, despite the game still having a lot of players online still. A few people managed to set up Hamachi matches on it after the shutdown, but two of the largest fansites, which hosted all of the custom mods both shutdown (hot-swat-mods.com and 10-david.com). Sierra also released a sequel, SWAT 4, but a lot of SWAT 3 fans didn't like SWAT 4 since they changed the gameplay and made it more of a normal FPS game, instead of a tactical FPS game. So has anyone else here ever played this game? Below is a video I found on YouTube of someone playing a single player mission of the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJas8kMt8Hc

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James009D

Join Date 01/2005

+67

Unfortunately, they removed most of that stuff in SWAT 4 and streamlined the game. SWAT 4 was still good but was definitely missing many of the really FUN elements that 3 had. I will say, though, that SWAT 4 definitely had the far superior engine with a lot better design and graphics. If you could combine SWAT 3 with SWAT 4's engine you'd have a perfect tactical game.

They just don't make them like they used too

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Quoting James009D,

reply 1

SWAT 3 was pretty sweet. In fact, I loved all the SWAT games, even found SWAT 2 to be very fun and enjoyable (loved the music). I liked how in SWAT 3 you were your own character and had more control over your team then in SWAT 4. The situations were also a LOT more random and dynamic. For example, there was that one mission in the house where the guy would hide in closets and stuff. If you didn't clear it right then he'd pop up behind you or escape. Some SWAT 3 missions also had multiple factions against one another. I remember I had a bodyguard protecting his client from the hostiles in one mission.

Unfortunately, they removed most of that stuff in SWAT 4 and streamlined the game. SWAT 4 was still good but was definitely missing many of the really FUN elements that 3 had. I will say, though, that SWAT 4 definitely had the far superior engine with a lot better design and graphics. If you could combine SWAT 3 with SWAT 4's engine you'd have a perfect tactical game.

They just don't make them like they used too

This is so true.

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pacov

Join Date 02/2008

+183

Yeah - I'm sad I missed out on swat completely. That video is great. Check out the guy who just stands by a wide open door at the beginning though. Pretty sure that guy is not so great on swat (but i know - I'm sure the guy knew it was scripted and no one would be there).

Anyway, I have played rainbow 6 raven shield, and it has alot of elements similar to this (and is a more current game anyway). I'd suggest giving that a look if you see it. I love me some co-op tactical games and wish I picked up swat when it went live. Much fun missed.

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SWAT 4 MP was awesome. I just keep hoping they would do another one, but oh wells. A strategic FPS game isn't going to sell to the tune of ton of money.

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The greatest loss in gaming is as games companies have got bigger and they are almost all privatised then no games companies want to make specialist / niche games. They just want to make Call of Duty clones or turn their games that have been loved by fans in to Call of Duty clones anyway.

Sadly SWAT 5 would be a Call of Duty clone if they made it now. Look at the last Rainbow 6 games, sort of a Gears of War clone.

Any games company that makes amazing games carving their own genre gets bought up by a big games company so they can do more CoD or CnC clones.

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Swat 3 is still being played online, thanks to VPN software there is a cadre of hardcore tactical gamers who are keeping the trinity alive; Rainbow 6, Ghost Recon and Swat.

I started with Swat 2 on WON in 1998 and bought Swat 3 CQB the week it came out in fall of 1999, I was on WON when Swat went multiplayer in the fall of 2000. Played Swat online until late 2001 and then moved onto other games. I fired up swat 3 again a year ago for the first time in 8 years and I got news people THIS GAME HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. With all due respect to today's game graphics, they will never approach the realism of the original Rainbow 6, Rogue Spear, Raven Shield, Swat 3, Swat 4 or the first Ghost Recon.

If you left Swat 3 early like myself then you missed out on a lot of great mods, I am in awe of the accomplishments of this community like laser sights, frags that work right and high poly/hi res gun models. I have recently created Blue Light for Swat 3, a Mod that compiles the all time best guns, gore and gameplay content created by the community.

If you love tactical shooters and are bored with the status quo, you are not alone. Feel free to email me swat3baron@gmail.com if you want to step into the shadows of the tactical underground

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I love SWAT 3 back in the day. Havent tried it recently. But me and a friend were talking about it and thought how funny that the theme of this first person shooter, is not to shoot anyone. You get higher scores to make them surrender and put down a gun. So the point of the game is not to shoot anything. LOL

Played SWAT 2 also. I actually liked it. First tactical real SWAT game i played. I remember it being buggy as freak, but still great memories.

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Quoting Grove12345,

reply 7

how funny that the theme of this first person shooter, is not to shoot anyone. You get higher scores to make them surrender and put down a gun. So the point of the game is not to shoot anything. LOL

grove, you make an excellent point. tactical shooters stood out from the FPS genre because they required you to think, not just run and gun everything that moves. in real life, even soldiers have rules of engagement that must be followed. its that feature in tactical gaming that delivers a much more intelligent experience. rainbow six, ghost recon and swat all did this extremely well.

swat 2 was an excellent game. I don't know if today's gamers could understand a game like that, but much like swat 3 it was a thrilling game with a lot of depth and personality.

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Quoting bArOn88,

reply 8

Quoting Grove12345,
reply 7
how funny that the theme of this first person shooter, is not to shoot anyone. You get higher scores to make them surrender and put down a gun. So the point of the game is not to shoot anything. LOL

grove, you make an excellent point. tactical shooters stood out from the FPS genre because they required you to think, not just run and gun everything that moves. in real life, even soldiers have rules of engagement that must be followed. its that feature in tactical gaming that delivers a much more intelligent experience. rainbow six, ghost recon and swat all did this extremely well.

swat 2 was an excellent game. I don't know if today's gamers could understand a game like that, but much like swat 3 it was a thrilling game with a lot of depth and personality.

I think you are being unnecessarily harsh. Today's gamers includes a HUGE range of people, including people who like to think while playing games.

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i like realistic shooters, but most do it horribly wrong.

Sometimes aiming, like in all Tom Clancy games, is tooooo easy.

Other times in games like ARMAA movement is so non fluid and camera is swaying all over the place.

Sometimes realistic damage is super unrealistic. Bullet to the chest from a 9m 200m away should do nothing. B/C OF ARMOR PLATES.

My favorite tactical shooters are:

Rainbow 6: 1. Remember you had to setup a plan before going in. How cool was that?

Hidden and Dangerous 2: WOW. Stats, inventory, characters, realism, tactical planning all on the fly. If you havent tried HD2 go get it now. Learn how to play it and be amazed how many ways there are to complete a mission.

Stupid how there are no more games like HD2.

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I liked both SWAT 3 and 4. Really good games. Haven't played for a while, but might try it sometime. The tv serie 24 makes me eager to arrest/stop some terrorists, although you can't be the invincible Jack Bauer

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Quoting GJDriessen,

reply 11

Its a shame the official 24 game for the PS2 was a steaming pile of horse crap, literally unplayable. Believe it or not, with the open source, mod friendly nature of swat 3 and some of the user generated utilities developed for it, just about anything is possible with swat 3. Of course it still requires a lot of time and effort, but you can customize every single aspect of the game outside of the core gameplay. I've thought of doing a 24 based total conversion for swat, which is well withing the modding options of swat 3 (along with just about any other theme you could think of)

Quoting Grove12345,

reply 10

i like realistic shooters, but most do it horribly wrong.
Sometimes aiming, like in all Tom Clancy games, is tooooo easy.
Other times in games like ARMAA movement is so non fluid and camera is swaying all over the place.
Sometimes realistic damage is super unrealistic. Bullet to the chest from a 9m 200m away should do nothing. B/C OF ARMOR PLATES.

My favorite tactical shooters are:
Rainbow 6: 1. Remember you had to setup a plan before going in. How cool was that?
Hidden and Dangerous 2: WOW. Stats, inventory, characters, realism, tactical planning all on the fly. If you havent tried HD2 go get it now. Learn how to play it and be amazed how many ways there are to complete a mission.
Stupid how there are no more games like HD2.

hidden and dangerous sounds great, I'll add that to my list of games that I missed out on but am determined to play. Rainbow 6 1 was THE definitive tactical shooter. The planning and other realistic aspects of the game have yet to be matched. Its been all downhill from there for tactical gamers who look for depth and complexity in their games.

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This is the ultimate game i have played. I have played SWAT 4 and really it is awesome to play. Now i don't have much time to play but i will play it again when will have time.

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