Interface
Thresh's comments in BLACK
CalBear's comments in BLUE
Keep it simple stupid
Thresh:
Kingpin doesn't stray from the simple interface that makes first person shooters so easy to play in the first place. The HUD is simple and uncluttered, keeping most of your view open to admire the pretty graphics. The amount of money you have is in the upper right, while health and armor values reside in the bottom left. There are three kinds of armor you can have, which can protect the three zones of your body. Helmets cover your head, flak vests cover your torso, and pants can protect your legs. The amount you have on each part is represented by a number next to the silhouette of a thug. In the bottom right are two numbers which show how much ammo is currently loaded into your weapon, and how much ammo you have remaining outside your gun. The weapon currently in use shows up in your hand (duh). If you have any hired goons with you (single player only), these are represented by thug figures in the bottom right. The amount of damage they have taken shows by the figures filling up with red.
![Kingpin Review [ Jack that bike @ 640 x 480 ] > View Full-Size in another window.](images/15-s.jpg) Jack that bike
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![Kingpin Review [ Cya later! @ 640 x 480 ] > View Full-Size in another window.](images/16-s.jpg) Cya later!
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Menus and such
CalBear:
The interface to connect to an online server is just like Quake 2's. You have an "address book" where you can list IP addresses and the game checks everything in the list. I've never been a fan of that method, but Kingpin does ship with Gamespy Lite so simpletons like me don't have to deal with it. What's annoying is that you can't bring down the console in Kingpin unless you launch the game from the command line with the switch "-developer 1" This is an annoying oversight, and hopefully the upcoming patch will correct things.
![Kingpin Review [ Perforating with a tommygun @ 640 x 480 ] > View Full-Size in another window.](images/17-s.jpg) Perforating with a tommygun
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![Kingpin Review [ Burn baby burn @ 640 x 480 ] > View Full-Size in another window.](images/18-s.jpg) Burn baby burn
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