What game are you playing?

[jowcol]

I wouldn't compare Civilization to it. There's a top view, turn based strategy element to the game, but its very light. The real meat is in the actual battles. This isn't your average command and conquer clone. It simulates actual ancient battle tactics.

I'd say in later games like Empire, there is a LOT more meat at the strategic level-- sometimes I stay there.  (Although the automated battle resolution is weighted against you.)   I've not played the most recent Shogun, but I wish they'd take the mechanics they improved in Napoleon and retrofit them to Empire.

I'll need to check out Rise of Nations. 

[Rinaldo]

And on the line of Civilization/Real Time Strategy hybrids, i still rank Rise of Nations among the best. This one was actually designed by Brian Reynolds, one of the leads in Alpha Centauri and Civilization 2, and it shows. It leaves games like Age of Empires in the dust, that's for sure.

Agreed. And Alpha Centauri is one the select few games that never leaves my hard drive.

[Lethevich]

Agreed. And Alpha Centauri is one the select few games that never leaves my hard drive.

Dem endless drone riots

[Lethevich]

I feel like I am missing out - why don't I encounter cool bugs like this, only boring standard gameplay.

http://www.youtube.com/v/zb8w8yiSUA4

[DavidW]

I didn't take you Lethe for one of those multiplayer shooter type of player!

[Lethevich]

I didn't take you Lethe for one of those multiplayer shooter type of player!

Hehe, I usually suck at them and don't find many games fun, but some of my formative gaming experiences were with online FPS (Soldier of Fortune 2) and they've kind of stuck with me. In the right environment/game, good matches can feel so much more direct than the many layers of obfuscation that RPGs and the like involve - it can be really refreshing. I'd never try online FPS on a console, though - such a bad reputation.

[jowcol]

Hehe, I usually suck at them and don't find many games fun, but some of my formative gaming experiences were with online FPS (Soldier of Fortune 2) and they've kind of stuck with me. In the right environment/game, good matches can feel so much more direct than the many layers of obfuscation that RPGs and the like involve - it can be really refreshing. I'd never try online FPS on a console, though - such a bad reputation.

I used to work in an R&D department in the 90s where, without knowledge of management, set up a dedicated network to play "Marathon".  Every day at lunch time, half the doors would close, and we'd go after each other.  I agree-- a good match with the right people has the immediacy factor.  Its also easier to walk away from a game like that. 

[Lethevich]

http://www.omiod.com/games/fastkat.php

[Lethevich]

I like the things that I can keep discovering in Deus Ex 1. You can get a tip from a child by giving them a chocolate bar, but I just discovered that if this child were to die in mysterious circumstances when he turns his back on me, I can get the chocolate bar back. Valuable life lessons!

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

One problem I have with the story trees is that, 99% of the time, things will wait until you get there.  (I left Delphine waiting for me at Kynesgrove for about 50 hours of playing time.)

A necessity. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to ever finish that game. Or start/continue quests.

But it's a valid point: the game is far too easy. You can solve any puzzle with only one brain cell, in dungeons you usually just walk through - no Labyrinth at all. I remember when I played the first Myst game, and Riven later. There was some really hard to crack stuff. Exactly the opposite of Skyrim.
But I still love it because of the mood. BTW I now play it with uGrids=9, which makes the landscape sooner much more complex, it looks so much better than with the original settings.

[jowcol]

A necessity. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to ever finish that game. Or start/continue quests.

But it's a alid point: the game is far too easy. You can solve any puzzle with only one brain cell, in dungeons you usually just walk through - no Labyrinth at all. I remember when I played the first Myst game, and Riven later. There was some really hard to crack stuff. Exactly the opposite of Skyrim.
But I still love it because of the mood. BTW I now play it with uGrids=9, which makes the landscape sooner much more complex, it looks so much better than with the original settings.

Frankly, I've never cared for the puzzles-- as they tend to punish you with tedium.   A tactical situation that gets increasingly hairy unless you come up with an acceptable approach would appeal more to me.   After the first couple block turning puzzles I just went to the web.

I'd like to see a Skyrim game which took the Radiant Quest line to the extreme, where more of it is randomized, only  differnent cultures and NPCs would take different paths, and not just wait for you to show up.  For example, the Skyrim Civil war would be ongoing, and you attacking a fort may change the balance of power.   Or, if you  do nothing, your house in WHiterun is overcome by Stormcloaks.   NPCs would not be nearly so predictable, although they would certainly have particular traits. 


The drawback of course, is that the long, more elaborately scripted story lines could not be supported,-- so many things could happen.   You would get more vareity in dialog-- but you would still get more "do this, get that" guidance.   But, as you pointed out, with Skyrim and the last couple fallouts, its the mood and immersion more than the story lines and dialog, anyway. 

Have you played Dark Souls? SOunds like they've mixed the open fantasy ethos of skyrim with more of a survival horror feel, and it's not supposed to be too easy...  I havent; taken the plunge yet.

[lisa needs braces]

I am finally playing the original DEUS EX after having bought it quite a while ago (I remember posting about it here.) I have been exposed to a lot of hype surrounding the game, so my expectations were quite high. Nonetheless, having just completed the Hong Kong section, I can finally say I find this game to be engrossing. Well, certain plot developments a bit earlier than that did win me over, but now I'm looking forward to taking my time in the next week or so completing the rest 

I am also loving this game's music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er4Kx7rqRn0

[Lethevich]

It does have great music - I keep hoping for new games with soundtracks in this spirit, but they tend to go down the fake orchestral route. Frozen Synapse came close, but that was more IDM-oriented. I was impressed by this remix, you might like:

http://www.youtube.com/v/lOddfPsN_70

One thing that impressed me this DE1 playthrough was how well the Unreal engine upscalled. The shadows are still awful, but the textures at 1440x900 are surprisingly crisp, and the dialogue boxes only just avoid being too small.

[jwinter]

Skyrim is crack.  Just sayin'...

I too have heard good things about Dark Souls.  I picked it up a couple of weeks ago, but haven't broke the shrink-wrap yet.  I may give it a try this week...

[Lethevich]

Dark Souls reminded me so much of certain mid-90s PC games - I'm amazed that they didn't port it, I wanna play :c

Edit: hehe

[mariawrites]

I haven't performed much in a while... just 2 game titles in the last season.

[DavidW]

Game Music from Extra Credits, as usual very informative.  I'm making a note here, huge success 0:)

http://youtu.be/CKgHrz_Wv6o

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

I too have heard good things about Dark Souls.

meee2. I've got a new computer, full of gaming power, but problem is, I have no time for playing currently 

[ibanezmonster]

Finished today.
Very good game, though I wouldn't rank it among my top favorites. I think the reason why is that it just didn't feel dynamic enough for me, perhaps because of the environment completely being an underwater city. Pretty much the same things are used throughout and it didn't feel like there was enough variety.

I saved the Little Sisters throughout the game, but I'm curious about what happens if you either harvest them all or split it up.

[DavidW]

That's a fair criticism.  Corridor crawl is a bit boring. 

If you harvest just one sister you get the evil ending, everything else is the same.  You find the evil ending on youtube.

I started Mass Effect 3 yesterday.