GMG Classical Music Forum

The Back Room => The Diner => Topic started by: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 04:07:59 PM

Title: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 04:07:59 PM
Well the old thread was on the old forum, so have to start again! :D

I am currently playing Heavy Rain which is alot like Indigo Prophecy, where it works almost like a puzzle game or perhaps a choose your own adventure where you playing several different characters try to track down a boy taken by the origami killer.

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51biBRAp2-L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

In the past few months, I've played God of War 3, Mass Effect 2 both of which IMO are perfect games, highly satisfying, and had mixed opinions about Dragon Age: Origins.

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61kacRM2GOL._AA300_.jpg)

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511t4hVscgL._AA300_.jpg)

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ygbr2aw6L._AA300_.jpg)

What have you been playing recently? :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2010, 04:30:16 PM
Lol, I knew you wouldn't find the thread.

I haven't played much in a while... just 2 games in the last year.  :-\


(http://www.gamecyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/xenogears_box.jpg)
Just finished this a month or two ago.
(i borrowed it from a friend since its OOP at ~$100 a copy, except I was impatient and only actually played 1/3 of the game and watched the rest on youtube).

This game, is literally, a freak show. What I mean is that (and I don't know how this didn't instantly become my favorite game because of these two reasons) this is the possibly the most EPIC and DEEP game I've ever played, and more so than any show I watched, book I've read, etc. It just brings these two things to ridiculous proportions (not to mention 80+ hour gameplay).

The beginning (first ~3 hours) may actually be the best part of the story... the last part of it didn't quite pull it off like it could've, but let's just say there was a lot going on.  ??? All I remember is the main character had some physical manifestation of himself called "Id," which was exactly represented Freud's conception of the Id- and this "Id" was a badass.  :o

And there is a loooooooooooot of flashbacking and reminiscing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTeBQnJGtig&feature=related
2:46 hehe

(http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/1/931851_73371_front.jpg)
Played this last summer. FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great graphics and gameplay. Actually, I liked this one better than Xenogears just because it was so much fun.

Only 2, but at least I played some really good ones!  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 04:40:28 PM
Oh boy you're going old school with a ps1 game!  Coolness. :)

Yeah you're right Greg, I couldn't find it.  And then I'm like oh...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2010, 04:53:01 PM
Haha, I think I'll be able to get a PS3 by the time the PS5 comes out, in 20 years.

By then, games will be crazier than this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPIbGnBQcJY&feature=channel
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 05:00:43 PM
That is incredible, and I bet natal is coming soon. :)  I have to say that the highest rated comment was what I had in mind too. >:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2010, 05:05:47 PM
I guess it is.

On this page:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/projectnatal/

it says "Coming Holiday 2010." Hopefully people will actually be able to afford it.

I bet the pedophiles will be lining up for it after watching that video, though....  :D

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 05:41:53 PM
Seriously Greg. You are dangerously close to full fledged weaboo territory. I'd try to cut it down with your wapanese fixation if i were you.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 05:44:46 PM
Quote from: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 04:07:59 PM
In the past few months, I've played God of War 3, Mass Effect 2 both of which IMO are perfect games

The Mass Effect series is anything but perfect. What RPGs have you played in the past? Ever tried some of the old school classics?

Quote from: DavidW on May 09, 2010, 04:07:59 PM
and had mixed opinions about Dragon Age: Origins.

You didn't find the gay sex to your satisfaction?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2010, 05:52:32 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 05:41:53 PM
Seriously Greg. You are dangerously close to full fledged weaboo territory. I'd try to cut it down with your wapanese fixation if i were you.
But we're all craaaaaaaaaaazyyyyyyyyyy...
aren't we..............
Josquin?
???
:P


aren't we?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 06:18:06 PM
Quote from: Greg on May 09, 2010, 05:52:32 PM
But we're all craaaaaaaaaaazyyyyyyyyyy...
aren't we..............
Josquin?
???
:P


aren't we?

I swear man, this is your future:

(http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/1/11/Sepiroth_american_flag.png)

;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2010, 06:46:21 PM
Lol  :D
Looks like fun, though I can't imagine myself doing that.

Anyways, I guess the reason I appreciate Japan so much is that it's the only place where I see any "art" at all that actually tries to emulate certain things of that Germany used to do. The same spirit may be there sometimes, and the intelligence level may be close at best, though I don't think they'll ever consistently do what Germany did (some of the highest levels of human achievement IMO). I guess, maybe, they may be smart, but not quite as smart? Also, the ancient Greeks are probably to credit with stuff like this- Germany pulling itself out of the darkness and on to the Renaissance and onward, keeping in mind their great achievements, while Japan pulled itself out from being not quite a prosperous country to something greater.


I think if Germany/Austria had the soul + intelligence that it had (from Bach-Schoenberg, before the war), plus the technology of today with new mediums of telling stories, and ahem... a certain art style, I would drop everything and figure out how to live in Germany or Austria today. I would regret that my ancestors ever came to this country from Germany.  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: XB-70 Valkyrie on May 09, 2010, 06:57:05 PM
(//)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 08:59:59 PM
Begone with that lowbrow stuff, now this is where its at: 

(http://www.retrogamer.net/users/103/thm1024/elitebbc.jpg)

(http://elite.acornarcade.com/ims/logo.gif)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: XB-70 Valkyrie on May 09, 2010, 09:13:44 PM
You have Atari? You suck! I have Coleco!  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Papy Oli on May 10, 2010, 11:12:11 AM
Pinball...  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 11:33:47 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on May 09, 2010, 05:44:46 PM
The Mass Effect series is anything but perfect. What RPGs have you played in the past? Ever tried some of the old school classics?

Oh I bet you like those old games like Baldur's Gate 2... ah man not for me I like more cinematic games.  There have been many concessions to make games appealing to the casual gamer, and that's for me I'm a casual gamer! :)

QuoteYou didn't find the gay sex to your satisfaction?

I don't care either way about that, I didn't like the buggy AI, uneven difficulty, framerate issues and broken skills.  Usual problems bioware had with Neverwinter Nights.  I also didn't like that I chose the wrong version, bioware is much too slow about fixing problems with the ps3 version, or should I say port. :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 10, 2010, 11:49:57 AM
Quote from: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 11:33:47 AM
Oh I bet you like those old games like Baldur's Gate 2... ah man not for me I like more cinematic games.  There have been many concessions to make games appealing to the casual gamer, and that's for me I'm a casual gamer! :)

The problem is that they don't make games for real enthusiasts anymore. What you call concessions i call dumping down for mass consumption.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 10, 2010, 01:32:35 PM
Quote from: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 11:33:47 AM
I don't care either way about that
So they did have that in there?  ???

(glad i didn't play it)  ::)


Quote from: Josquin des Prez on May 10, 2010, 11:49:57 AM
The problem is that they don't make games for real enthusiasts anymore. What you call concessions i call dumping down for mass consumption.
I wonder how true this is...  I'd probably have to actually have new games to know.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 01:56:55 PM
Quote from: Greg on May 10, 2010, 01:32:35 PM
So they did have that in there?  ???

(glad i didn't play it)  ::)

Well it's not forced on you! :D  You have to actively role play a gay character, and hit on the other gay character in the game.

QuoteI wonder how true this is...  I'd probably have to actually have new games to know.

Oh I think it's very true, JdP is right about that.  More and more games are designed to have mainstream appeal and complexity and difficulty are reduced, I've seen it in sequel games of every series that I've played.  As I've said, it works for me, but serious gamers that want a challenge are left with nothing to play.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 10, 2010, 02:03:38 PM
Quote from: Greg on May 10, 2010, 01:32:35 PM
So they did have that in there?  ???

(glad i didn't play it)  ::)

http://www.kakigamersmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/52938__468x_dragon-age-origins-hot-sex-4.jpg(//)

Look, and weep.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 10, 2010, 03:31:09 PM
I think I'll pass on that picture...


Quote from: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 01:56:55 PM
Oh I think it's very true, JdP is right about that.  More and more games are designed to have mainstream appeal and complexity and difficulty are reduced, I've seen it in sequel games of every series that I've played.  As I've said, it works for me, but serious gamers that want a challenge are left with nothing to play.
hm that sucks to hear. I thought only Nintendo was doing that with their Wii games. I guess not, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 10, 2010, 03:36:18 PM
I abandoned computer games excluding intermittent bouts of WoW around 2003, and already couldn't play the newest games at that time due to a crummy PC, so I am catching up at the moment. I played Deus Ex 2 a while ago and was pleasantly surprised that it had a lot of the fun qualities of the original. From the bad press it had got I had assume it was an all-out action shooter, but it retained some of DE's atmosphere and exploratory fun, albeit with a worse plot and generally every aspect other than graphics also being slightly worse. I was most surprised by the leap in graphical quality that took place in the years between DE (which at the time was a bit ugly) and DE2 - surely one of the biggest shifts in the history of the medium. If DE2's textures were higher res it would still look servicable today, and the ragdoll physics on the bodies were a lot of fun. I suppose I represent the archetypical gaming delinquent in shooting around some of the alien bodies just to see them somersault through the air impressively.

The gameplay was markedly inferior to the original, though. The areas were less freeform and expansive, the plot of the original was daft but also enjoyable, the one of DE2 felt like an ill-thought-out hash. There were some balance improvements (no longer being able to take out security cameras with one shot from an upgraded scoped rifle), but generally it was more geared towards action. This meant that I died a lot more in DE2 from things like being stuck in a tight area with a tank-sized robot until I realised the only way to deal with this was to use the machine invisibility aug, which I hadn't been putting points in to. This lack of option in a game known for its multiple choices is kind of a pain, but overall it more or less fulfilled my requirement for more of the same.

Quote from: DavidW on May 10, 2010, 11:33:47 AM
Oh I bet you like those old games like Baldur's Gate 2
No way, Baldur's Gate and all computer games are an arm of the Liberal Media which water down western culture until we all die ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 10, 2010, 03:38:40 PM
I don't know if you guys know already, but there's a good website that sells old games with a price range of five to ten dollars, all in electronic format:

http://www.gog.com/en/frontpage/

Of course you can probably get the same games for free from a torrent site, but when you grow up playing some of those titles its a good feel to have them in a neat little package.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 10, 2010, 03:46:22 PM
Quote from: Lethe on May 10, 2010, 03:36:18 PM
No way, Baldur's Gate and all computer games are an arm of the Liberal Media which water down western culture until we all die ;)

You got that right, this is what real conservatives play:

(http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/rogue-graphics.gif)

;D

Baldur's Gate 2 is a good game due to the size and scope, but the writing leaves a bit to be desired. The first Fallout and Planescape: Torment are much better in that respect, even though both games are pitifully short in comparison. You should give it a try David, they are not really that hardcore, you just have to get used to reading a lot of text. It isn't that hard, and once you get sucked in the atmosphere you'll realize just how limiting the "cinematic" style of Mass Effect really is, with that fake dialog wheel and all the spoken speech, which of course had to be kept to a minimum to avoid jacking up the price to astronomical levels.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 10, 2010, 04:17:30 PM
JDP: you might like Dwarf Fortress (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/) (freeware, alpha, no UI yet, but still works) - it is the most overtly complicated and painful game I have ever played - I have lost as often from my retinue killing each other from me not micromanaging each guy's needs (they each have a gradually progressing life story, emnities, quirks, pets and food requirements - not bad for a single ANSI character) than from enemy attacks.

(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6536/dwarffortressbig.png) (http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6536/dwarffortressbig.png)

I think the greatness of it can be summed up by these:

(http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9784/1211390339624.jpg) (http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9784/1211390339624.jpg)
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1673/aaafn.jpg) (http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1673/aaafn.jpg)
(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7411/72812365.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/7411/72812365.jpg)

It does keep track of  every possible variable throughout meaning the larger maps require a good PC even though it has no graphics. Any other "in-depth" strategy games are just pretenders :P I like how the guy developing it admits that at its current rate of progress, it will not get far into beta before his lifespan ends, but I admire him for sticking to his ideals.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: WI Dan on May 10, 2010, 11:43:43 PM
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/3046730597_8b89cdd701.jpg?v=0)

I like a game that doesn't interfere with my drinking.   (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/cool.gif)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 12, 2010, 07:29:50 PM
Quote from: Lethe on May 10, 2010, 04:17:30 PM
JDP: you might like Dwarf Fortress (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/) (freeware, alpha, no UI yet, but still works) - it is the most overtly complicated and painful game I have ever played - I have lost as often from my retinue killing each other from me not micromanaging each guy's needs (they each have a gradually progressing life story, emnities, quirks, pets and food requirements - not bad for a single ANSI character) than from enemy attacks.

I tried dwarf fortress before, but the ASCII simply murdered my optic nerve. I tried a few graphical interfaces, like the following:

http://mayday.w.staszic.waw.pl/df.php

But for some reason i couldn't get it to work, and after a while i gave up. I'm not hardcore enough for this game.  :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on May 12, 2010, 08:09:39 PM
Dragon Quest V - Nintendo DS
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 12, 2010, 08:19:37 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on May 12, 2010, 07:29:50 PM
I tried dwarf fortress before, but the ASCII simply murdered my optic nerve. I tried a few graphical interfaces, like the following:

http://mayday.w.staszic.waw.pl/df.php

But for some reason i couldn't get it to work, and after a while i gave up. I'm not hardcore enough for this game.  :(
I tried just now and it wouldn't work for me, either.

Strange stuff, though... I don't think I've even played a game like this before. I'm not even sure I understand what Dwarf Fortress is.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Bogey on May 12, 2010, 08:33:55 PM
(http://base1.googlehosted.com/base_media?q=http://www.elecnelec.com/images/CompGallery/CM10THEDITIONJC-f.jpg&size=20&dhm=c51f97d3&hl=en)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on May 12, 2010, 08:54:13 PM
Well, what do you know, i just fixed it right now. All i had to do is change the resolution in the ini file. How silly of me. New title set doesn't look as eye gauging as basic ASCII

Quote from: Greg on May 12, 2010, 08:19:37 PM
Strange stuff, though... I don't think I've even played a game like this before. I'm not even sure I understand what Dwarf Fortress is.

You can get some information here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaves_to_Armok_II:_Dwarf_Fortress

Back in the early 80s, there was a game called Rogue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_%28computer_game%29

It was a simple dungeon crawler, very basic D&D stuff. Visually, it was essentially an ASCII based title composite. Eventually, this game spawned many clones and different versions usually referred to as "rogue-likes" (the most popular rogue-like of modern times is Diablo). Dwarf Fortress is an insanely detailed building/fortress simulation game which uses a graphical interface similar to that of Rogue. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to play the most insanely complicated video game ever convieced, this is it. Essentially, this is the Brian Ferneyhough of video games.  ;D

BTW, here's a link to the original Rogue if you want to start with something less daunting:

http://www.dosgamesarchive.com/download/rogue/

Infinitely less daunting in fact.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The new erato on May 13, 2010, 12:29:51 AM
Since baiting Rob Newman on this site; none.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 13, 2010, 05:51:25 AM
Quote from: erato on May 13, 2010, 12:29:51 AM
Since baiting Rob Newman on this site; none.
That game was a tricky one. No matter how well you did or how right you were, the game would never acknowledge anyone as a winner.  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 13, 2010, 06:06:30 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on May 12, 2010, 08:54:13 PM
Well, what do you know, i just fixed it right now. All i had to do is change the resolution in the ini file. How silly of me. New title set doesn't look as eye gauging as basic ASCII

You can get some information here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaves_to_Armok_II:_Dwarf_Fortress

Back in the early 80s, there was a game called Rogue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_%28computer_game%29

It was a simple dungeon crawler, very basic D&D stuff. Visually, it was essentially an ASCII based title composite. Eventually, this game spawned many clones and different versions usually referred to as "rogue-likes" (the most popular rogue-like of modern times is Diablo). Dwarf Fortress is an insanely detailed building/fortress simulation game which uses a graphical interface similar to that of Rogue. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to play the most insanely complicated video game ever convieced, this is it. Essentially, this is the Brian Ferneyhough of video games.  ;D

BTW, here's a link to the original Rogue if you want to start with something less daunting:

http://www.dosgamesarchive.com/download/rogue/

Infinitely less daunting in fact.
Lol, the "Ferneyhough of games," eh? Well, I'm not much for difficulty in games, but I'll try it (the original ASCII)  8).
I actually remember reading about "Rogue" and "rogue-likes..." good refresher.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 13, 2010, 06:20:42 AM
Quote from: Greg on May 13, 2010, 05:51:25 AM
That game was a tricky one. No matter how well you did or how right you were, the game would never acknowledge anyone as a winner.  ???

The Newman game is like the games from the 80s, if you beat it you just start over at a harder level. ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on May 13, 2010, 06:50:54 AM
Quote from: Greg on May 13, 2010, 06:06:30 AM
Lol, the "Ferneyhough of games," eh? Well, I'm not much for difficulty in games, but I'll try it (the original ASCII)  8).
I actually remember reading about "Rogue" and "rogue-likes..." good refresher.

I was a big fan of Nethack, which was the "open source" or community developed extension to Hack, which succeeded Rogue.  For the primitive interface, the interplay of the items, characters and situations managed to surprise even the most jaded of veterans with novel situations.   there are some different GUI versions (tile, isometric and 3D available.) 

Anyway, the overview is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nethack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nethack)


And an article (admittedly a decade old) that describes some of the bizarre permutations that were possible.

http://web.archive.org/web/20080113042211/http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/01/27/nethack/ (http://web.archive.org/web/20080113042211/http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/01/27/nethack/)


One of the most interesting characters you could play in the game was a Tourist with a handful of darts, a wallet full of cash, an annoying flash camera, and your only armor was a loud Hawaiian shirt.  If you survived long enough to get to the first shop, you could do pretty well.  Nethack had more than a dozen character types. 

I'm not that big into "shooter" games, but when my kids got an Xbox, I got Fallout 3 and really enjoyed it.  Not only was the nuclear survival vault where the game starts located pretty close to where I grew up, but it was a wonderfully open ended game.   (You could finish the main story line in 10 hours, but you'd miss all the fun, like the perky, cheerful cult of incestuous cannibal Republicans in the remains of Annandale VA, some of the radioactive flesh eating zombies on the Metro, and the Republic of Dave, and the having an insane psychologist trap you in a black and white, 1950s Suburbia acid flashback Virtual Reality nightmare.). Some complained that there wasn't enough guidance from place to place, but you can wander all over and explore endlessly and still stumble into unexpected situations.   It's not really a "shooter"-- some situations require negotiation, is sneakyness.   I'd have to confess that the ending of the scripted part was underwhelming, but as a whole I really dug it.  Not that I can make many comparisons to other "shooter"/RPG games.

The game I'm wasting most of my time on now is Sega Total War Medieval 2.  It's like a Civilization game with a far more detailed overlay for battles, where you can zoom in and command battles in real time from  any angle you want, and zoom down  see combat at the individual level.  Although released in 2006, it's a graphics pig, but on a decent machine the battles are too much fun, and the financial/character/diplomatic framework and be pretty engrossing.  I'm still having trouble with Tamurlane shows up with his war elephants.   For 20$, it's a steal.  Some of the history and scale elements don't work, but on the whole it's hugely addictive if you a strategy game or history buff.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 13, 2010, 07:43:22 AM
Tried playing Dwarf Fortress... got the ASCII running, but (maybe it's my computer's fault) it was pretty laggy and slow. Not only that, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I set it on Adventure mode and just moved my charater ("@" sign, i think it was) across my world, and nothing happened. When I got the game to shut down, it froze up my Windows Explorer bar and I had to restart my computer just to use it.  ???


Fallout 3 looks and sounds cool, btw.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Scarpia on May 13, 2010, 07:45:03 AM
Tetris.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 13, 2010, 07:47:06 AM
Jowcol, I'm tickled to see from your post that they tried to seriously do some geography matching in Fallout 3, I didn't know.  It's a fun game and I need to go back to it and play it through, only played part of it. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on May 13, 2010, 07:56:27 AM
Top Ten RPGs

Xenogears - The greatest.
Star Ocean 2 - Lots of innovations, and the voices are so bad they're good. HEEERE'S MR. ENEMYYY!
Dragon Warrior 7 - I'm a sucker for job systems. Characters were pretty funny, too.
Grandia 2 - Might be the single best game as far as awesome quotes go.
Skies of Arcadia - One of the few RPGs that really had a world, as opposed to just a "world map."
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - Criminally underrated.
Final Fantasy X - Something about this FF above the others that I like. It just came together so well.
Lunar: SSSC - What a magical experience. Pretty much perfect.
Arc the Lad 2 - The two heroes' stories coming together is pretty unique amongst RPGs.
Valkyrie Profile - I just can't get tired of that battle system.
Disgaea - Had a special camaraderie that its developer has struggled to reproduce.
Etrian Odyssey - This game is a clinic on how to update the old dungeon crawler system.
Final Fantasy Tactics - Great soundtrack, and a nice take on the strategy genre.

If I had played more of DQ6 and Mother 3, they might have made it. If I were to include a Tales game, it'd probably be Eternia.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 13, 2010, 08:03:39 AM
Quote from: Greg on May 13, 2010, 07:43:22 AM
Tried playing Dwarf Fortress... got the ASCII running, but (maybe it's my computer's fault) it was pretty laggy and slow. Not only that, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I set it on Adventure mode and just moved my charater ("@" sign, i think it was) across my world, and nothing happened. When I got the game to shut down, it froze up my Windows Explorer bar and I had to restart my computer just to use it.  ???
It's an absolute resource hog on larger maps. It is also rather merciless with the learning curve. I haven't played the latest update (which added an arena, etc), but ignore adventure mode - I can't recall what it 's any good for - fortress mode is the core of the game.

There are some guides here: http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/09/the-complete-and-utter-newby-tutorial-for-dwarf-fortress-part-1-wtf/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 13, 2010, 08:21:19 AM
Quote from: Lethe on May 13, 2010, 08:03:39 AM
It's an absolute resource hog on larger maps. It is also rather merciless with the learning curve. I haven't played the latest update (which added an arena, etc), but ignore adventure mode - I can't recall what it 's any good for - fortress mode is the core of the game.

There are some guides here: http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/09/the-complete-and-utter-newby-tutorial-for-dwarf-fortress-part-1-wtf/
Cool, thanks!




Quote from: The Six on May 13, 2010, 07:56:27 AM
Top Ten RPGs

Xenogears - The greatest.
Star Ocean 2 - Lots of innovations, and the voices are so bad they're good. HEEERE'S MR. ENEMYYY!
Dragon Warrior 7 - I'm a sucker for job systems. Characters were pretty funny, too.
Grandia 2 - Might be the single best game as far as awesome quotes go.
Skies of Arcadia - One of the few RPGs that really had a world, as opposed to just a "world map."
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - Criminally underrated.
Final Fantasy X - Something about this FF above the others that I like. It just came together so well.
Lunar: SSSC - What a magical experience. Pretty much perfect.
Arc the Lad 2 - The two heroes' stories coming together is pretty unique amongst RPGs.
Valkyrie Profile - I just can't get tired of that battle system.
Disgaea - Had a special camaraderie that its developer has struggled to reproduce.
Etrian Odyssey - This game is a clinic on how to update the old dungeon crawler system.
Final Fantasy Tactics - Great soundtrack, and a nice take on the strategy genre.

If I had played more of DQ6 and Mother 3, they might have made it. If I were to include a Tales game, it'd probably be Eternia.
Have you played Chrono Cross? (that one is my favorite game of all time, even though I acknowledge its flaws)
Chrono Trigger? (classic!)  8)

Another one of my favorites is a game called "Legend of Legaia" for the PS1. It had such a unique style- if anything, I'd call it "eastern" in general, though it's pretty much impossible to describe its personality. Unfortunately, this is the game I was referring to in this thread that is OOP, on sale for over $100 a copy. (something I'd never sell)

Interesting to see Xenogears as your favorite RPG. I'm still not sure what to think of it. It was definitely mindblowing, though I didn't really care for maps/scenery/world, mecha, etc....

This thread got my appetite going.... so I played a little Twisted Metal 2 yesterday.   ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 13, 2010, 08:30:59 AM
I've recently picked up Robot Unicorn Attack again after a forced hiatus (the song was driving me insane), it's worth a go as for a free game it actually has fun mechanics (free arcade style games often have controls that feel like your character is drunk) and is a god way to waste a few minutes:

http://games.adultswim.com/robot-unicorn-attack-twitchy-online-game.html
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on May 14, 2010, 03:39:57 AM
Drakensang II (Am Fluß der Zeit)
Eschalon Book II (soon :-)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 14, 2010, 04:02:22 AM
I bought a ps3 in February along with:

(http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvUGxheXN0YXRpb25fMy9BY3Rpb24vU2hvb3Rlcg==/call_of_duty_4_modern_warfare_frontcover_large_2wro3UFbAzsK9Oj.jpg)

(http://www.gaanza.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Metal_Gear_Solid_4_US_Box_Art.jpg)

Just started playing MGS4. Loving it so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 14, 2010, 01:25:39 PM
My favorite games
1. Chrono Cross
2. Final Fantasy 9
3. Final Fantasy 7
4. Beyond Good and Evil
5. Legend of Legaia
6. Half-Life
7. Resident Evil 5
8. Chrono Trigger
9. Twisted Metal 2
10. Gran Turismo (any)
11. Jet Moto (original)
12. Final Fantasy 10
13. NBA Jam (Sega Genesis)
14. Dead or Alive (hehehehe the only game with a "bouncing breasts" option)


There are a few others that would probably make the list if I had played the whole thing, such as Kya, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy 6, Resident Evil 1, etc.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on May 15, 2010, 05:50:34 AM
Quote from: The Six on May 13, 2010, 07:56:27 AM
If I had played more of DQ6 and Mother 3, they might have made it.

I'm re-playing Mother 3 at the moment, in fact. I like it a lot but I still don't think it has quite the scope of EarthBound, but the different battle engine is a lot of fun and the smoother animation looks great.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on May 17, 2010, 11:34:10 AM
I see nobody has mentioned the ultra-tasteless and un-PC game Postal 2-- which allows you to privilege of urinating on Gary Coleman-- although he's usually packing heat and will kill you for that. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 17, 2010, 04:53:12 PM
Quote from: jowcol on May 17, 2010, 11:34:10 AM
I see nobody has mentioned the ultra-tasteless and un-PC game Postal 2-- which allows you to privilege of urinating on Gary Coleman-- although he's usually packing heat and will kill you for that.
I've heard about that one somewhere... looking it up and watching a video, it looks crazy and fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on May 18, 2010, 09:57:49 AM
Quote from: Greg on May 17, 2010, 04:53:12 PM
I've heard about that one somewhere... looking it up and watching a video, it looks crazy and fun.

I only  played the demo.   (I couldn't justify paying them for it).  My favorite weapon was the shovel-- it made a satisfying "Klonnggg" when you hit someone, and many times the head would come off.  You could kick it into a crowed of innocent bystanders and watch them freak out.  One interesting thing about the game is that you were not required to go postal, but people will keep annoying you until YOU JUST WANT TO..... never mind.


The original game (equally tasteless, banned in two countries and denounced by Sen. Liebermann),  used a 3rd person isometric projection, and was not as open ended, but had great sound editing.  Your victims would writhe in agony for minutes after bringing them down.  There was also a great opportunity to take out a high school marching band with a molotov cocktail that was hysterically funny no matter how many times you played that level.

Uhh.. naturally I'm viewing this as a profound satire about modern society...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 18, 2010, 10:02:03 AM
Quote from: jowcol on May 18, 2010, 09:57:49 AM
Uhh.. naturally I'm viewing this as a profound satire about modern society...
Sounds to me like the proper perception of something like this.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on May 18, 2010, 10:51:48 AM
Quote from: jowcol on May 18, 2010, 09:57:49 AM
My favorite weapon was the shovel-- it made a satisfying "Klonnggg" when you hit someone

Hah! That is exactly the sound.

Yeah, I've played Postal 2. I think I even own it; which is hardly a surprise, as I used to collect PC games much like I collect music. Sadly, the demise of my gaming PC a couple of years ago has made things difficult...


That said, I have not failed to notice this thread, and will eventually, when I've the time and proper mood, post about the console (omg, n00b) games I've been playing, as well as a few good RPGs, just 'cause (2?). ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 06, 2010, 10:47:49 AM
There is a walkthrough to Fallout 3 on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHln6wgJe_U&feature=related

I've watched the first 2 videos, wow, it is fascinating!  :o
I probably shouldn't watch them all in case I ever get to play the PC version, but I'm not sure I can help myself.

Now... I just need to find some game just like this, but in a setting that's not futuristic, but instead starts off with a traditional JRPG opening village.  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 06, 2010, 12:48:42 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 06, 2010, 10:47:49 AM
Now... I just need to find some game just like this, but in a setting that's not futuristic, but instead starts off with a traditional JRPG opening village.  :D

Oblivion, same devs made that game, but it is in a fantasy setting instead of a scifi setting.  I really love that game and have spent way too much time playing it. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 06, 2010, 01:56:35 PM
Awesome. Looking up a youtube walkthrough right now.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on June 07, 2010, 10:53:33 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 06, 2010, 10:47:49 AM
There is a walkthrough to Fallout 3 on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHln6wgJe_U&feature=related

I've watched the first 2 videos, wow, it is fascinating!  :o
I probably shouldn't watch them all in case I ever get to play the PC version, but I'm not sure I can help myself.

I'm not even an RPG buff, but Fallout 3 completely floored me.   I just haven't  had the time to develop a character along the evil axis, or one of the many other types.  And I know there are several places I've never visited.

I'm afraid to look at Oblivion -- sounds like too much fun.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 07, 2010, 02:12:48 PM
I'm having too much fun being completely floored just watching a walkthrough of the game!

The possibilities seem endless. There's one scene where, in the village outside of the Vault, there is a bomb that could blow up any minute and kill all of the villagers, but no one does anything about it. So, the Sheriff asks you to help fix it, so it doesn't go off. In the video I watched, he agrees to it. Then, there is a shady guy in the bar who asks you to make it go off- he offers a reward for it, and in the video I watched, he agrees to, and gets a device that'll make the bomb go off. Then he goes back to the sheriff and chooses to tattle-tells on the guy. The sheriff gets mad and goes to the bar to talk to the guy. He tells him he is going to arrest him, but turns his back for a minute, and the guy shoots and kills the sheriff. (Then you can shoot him, of course). What's amazing is that this scene only happens if you follow several decisions, and you can end up blowing up the village or simply disarming the bomb, depending on what you choose to do and say.



Also looked at the beginning of Uncharted 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7BAelqlxwI

with an incredible train escape scene!  :o
(hard to believe this is by the same people who made Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 07, 2010, 02:49:37 PM
Uncharted 2 is loads of fun!  But it has only a few hours in it, Fallout 3 has dozens of hours in it + expansions + replay value. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on June 07, 2010, 07:12:57 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 07, 2010, 02:12:48 PM
I'm having too much fun being completely floored just watching a walkthrough of the game!

The possibilities seem endless.


There's a couple adventures where you need to try to talk your way through.  And you really need to see the virtual reality portion-- it's like being in the evil, acid-inspired parallel universe to "Leave it to Beaver".

I spent, easily, 100 hours on teh first play through, and only visited about 2/3 of the sites, and I know I missed a lot in the ones I visited.

There is also something about dueling fire-breathing ants while listening to swing that is very surreal.  And was it the pasta factory that was the front for the Chinese zombies? And the one vault you explore where there are hallucinogens in the air?  And the other with the clones?    Too much!


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 07, 2010, 07:28:54 PM
Don't give it all away!  :D
I'm thinking that whenever I get to play it, I might just might make my character evil right away, since I'm already watching what a good-ish scenario would turn out to be.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on June 08, 2010, 05:26:35 AM
BTW- I had mentioned how the game Postal 2 allowed you to urinate on Gary Coleman.  (Or at least to try...)  Given his recent passing, I just wanted to point out that Mr. Coleman was an active supporter of Postal 2, and the Running with Scissors Website has posted its condolences for its loss.

It makes me wonder if they'll need to get Danny Bonaduce for Postal 3....
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 08, 2010, 06:22:42 AM
I'd like to see Jim Carrey in there. He'd be the crazy guy running around in the street with a green mask on.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Scarpia on June 09, 2010, 02:20:35 PM
I was at a party and saw a Wii game where you ride a Segway and try to pop balloons being held by some sort of weasel.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 10, 2010, 02:46:52 PM
I recently stored my PS3 and games at a relative's house for personal reasons so no PS3 for me for a while. I do however still have my non-PCI Express six year old PC that doesn't have a graphics card!

About six months ago I played the original Half Life after hearing people go on and on about it for years (I was never a PC gamer.) I gave it a chance and loved it and I played both expansion packs (which were nearly as good). I can't play Half Life 2 because my system can't handle it so I'm looking for older games. I recently bought this on Steam:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fr/4/43/Deus_Ex_Logo.jpg)

I'm playing it on medium difficulty and I find it to be pretty hard. One thing -- it's pretty jarring going back to a game that has this sort of graphics after growing accustomed to PS3 graphics. I often wonder: is an older game that's held to be "great" really great or does that estimation merely stem from the nostalgia of the people who played it? 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 10, 2010, 02:58:25 PM
Another Half Life fan- excellent!  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on June 10, 2010, 03:03:26 PM
No, Deus Ex really is really great. It's veritably titanic, one of the greatest achievements of the PC as a gaming platform so far, in terms of gameplay innovation still unmatched on any platform. But you need to explore it quite a bit to notice.

Plainly put, this is a game three people can play, compare notes, and wonder if they were playing the same game at all. Its structural depth and multiple-approach design are far beyond anything Fallout 3, or the recent Alpha Protocol has to offer.


I know I sound like James here, but DE really is the Bach of modern PC gaming, if any game is.

Everyone is still catching up to what it was, despite graphics having gotten a lot prettier in the interim!


Edit: And it kills Half Life dead. :P

Sorry. I see why people admire it, but I got bored at the half-way (:P) mark back in the day, and I don't feel it's aged well, either. :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 10, 2010, 03:09:02 PM
Wow! I'll definitely continue to play it.

Edit: Another game I recently bought is the original Starcraft. Windows XP keeps giving trouble though. Also: I can't believe I paid $20 for a game that's 12 years old.  :o
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on June 10, 2010, 03:24:26 PM
Quote from: -abe- on June 10, 2010, 03:09:02 PM
Wow! I'll definitely continue to play it.

Edit: Another game I recently bought is the original Starcraft. Windows XP keeps giving trouble though. Also: I can't believe I paid $20 for a game that's 12 years old.  :o

Starcraft is timeless. It doesn't matter when you buy it, it simply 'is'. ;D


I still remember reading all the lore in that large manual it came with, and thinking how great 'modern' games were becoming. But all the reverence aside, the solidity of gameplay that Starcraft afforded us back in '98 really is another of those singular cultural artefacts of PC gaming.

That said, Starcraft II should one-up it. I wish my PC wasn't dead. :(


Edit: The way this is going, you're going to mention Diablo II next, and I'll have to deliver a third such eulogy!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 10, 2010, 04:26:43 PM
Has anyone ever played Beyond Good and Evil?
I couldn't really explain any aspect of it that was significant, but it was just an all-around wonderful playing experience. Just a well-rounded game, I guess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on June 10, 2010, 07:32:11 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 10, 2010, 04:26:43 PM
Has anyone ever played Beyond Good and Evil?
I couldn't really explain any aspect of it that was significant, but it was just an all-around wonderful playing experience. Just a well-rounded game, I guess.

It's supposed to be one of those brilliant games that failed to sell, and most people don't know about, like Tim Schäfer's Psychonauts.

Certainly, the majority of game critics I respect (and who are serious journalists) rate it highly. But I haven't played it myself. I guess I wasn't in the mood for something like that when it came out: Max Payne 2 had just come out back then, if I recall correctly.


On a tangent, there's a game, Max Payne 2. Not brilliant in the gameplay innovation, and/or social statement, and/or psychological exploration sense that some of these games I'm discussing were, but it was beautifully made, genuinely 'noir', and deeply touching - for me, at least.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 11, 2010, 07:22:47 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 10, 2010, 04:26:43 PM
Has anyone ever played Beyond Good and Evil?
I couldn't really explain any aspect of it that was significant, but it was just an all-around wonderful playing experience. Just a well-rounded game, I guess.
I liked BGAE and it was very well-made, but I can't really get into the family-friendly genre/gameworld it's part of. It beats any comparable game in the style dead, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 11, 2010, 09:00:53 AM
Yeah, there are several games that "nobody plays" that are thought to be brilliant- besides Psychonauts and Beyond Good and Evil, Okami and Ico could be included on the list (I've never played them, though they seem pretty cool).

I'm also wondering what might be some good PC games out there... I'm not interested in MMORPG, RTS, sports, or racing right now. Maybe some FPS, RPG, or action games. Just curious...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 11, 2010, 09:27:23 AM
There may be some minor problems running a few of these, as they're all old games, but they are some of the best I have played:

System Shock 2, Thief 1 & 2 (both sneaker-shooter/horror hybrids - really nice gameworlds and very well-made). Deus Ex has already been mentioned, but it's essential. DE2 is also very good, worse in many ways but still excellent and less ugly.
No One Lives Forever (a very underrated sneaker/action franchise set in an Austin Powers style universe).
Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 (these can be quite hard, but are the most atmospheric Forgotten Realms PC RPGs I have played. There are non-game breaking cheats you can use if you find them difficult such as extra gold, because it's worth playing them through just for the stories).
Fallout 1 & 2, Planescale Torment (great plots, unique gameworlds). If you like these, try Arcanum - it's more flawed than these three, but along the same lines and has a strong fanbase which have probably made fixes for its biggest issues.
If you are okay with puzzle games, try Grim Fandango and The Longest Journey. I dislike these type of games (I'm an idiot who finds them very difficult :P), but these two won me over due to their great style and setting.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on June 11, 2010, 09:34:42 AM
Quote from: Lethe on June 11, 2010, 09:27:23 AM
There may be some minor problems running a few of these, as they're all old games, but they are some of the best I have played:

System Shock 2, Thief 1 & 2 (both sneaker-shooter/horror hybrids - really nice gameworlds and very well-made). Deus Ex has already been mentioned, but it's essential. DE2 is also very good, worse in many ways but still excellent and less ugly.
No One Lives Forever (a very underrated sneaker/action franchise set in an Austin Powers style universe).
Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 (these can be quite hard, but are the most atmospheric Forgotten Realms PC RPGs I have played. There are non-game breaking cheats you can use if you find them difficult such as extra gold, because it's worth playing them through just for the stories).
Fallout 1 & 2, Planescale Torment (great plots, unique gameworlds). If you like these, try Arcanum - it's more flawed than these three, but along the same lines and has a strong fanbase which have probably made fixes for its biggest issues.
If you are okay with puzzle games, try Grim Fandango and The Longest Journey. I dislike these type of games (I'm an idiot who finds them very difficult :P), but these two won me over due to their great style and setting.

Yes, yes, yes, [...] yes!

Every one of them a classic, except perhaps Invisible War (DE2); and I'm glad to meet another one of the 100 people in the world who liked Arcanum. ;D And the sequel to No One Lives Forever was also memorable, if suffering a little from kitchen-sink-sequel syndrome.


Incidentally, Planescape: Torment is my favourite RPG ever made, and my game equivalent of that Karajan/VPO Bruckner 7th.

Edit: It's also the game that convinced me beyond all doubt that games can be art, in the philosophical/aesthetic sense.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 11, 2010, 10:20:52 AM
Well, sounds like I'll have to look up that Planescape Torment!  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on June 14, 2010, 09:10:14 AM
Dragon Quest IX is coming for DS in English soon. This should be as big as any FF game but the series has never quite caught on outside Japan. I haven't gotten far in it but if you like class/job systems, and lots of postgame content, you want this game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 19, 2010, 08:47:52 PM
I recently splurged on games for the PS3. I bought the system in early February and bought along with it "Modern Warfare 2" and "Metal Gear Solid 4." I'm midway through the latter and the substance of the former is the multilayer, which I've enjoyed. I also at the time picked up "Resistance: Fall of Man" for cheap, and I just managed to beat it today. So, there was actually a substantial backlog of games I missed out on which I bought last week (mostly used):

QuoteBioShock
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition
Fallout 3
God of War: Collection
Katamari Forever
Killzone 2
LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition
Super Street Fighter IV
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

And from the PS Network:

QuotePixelJunk Monsters
PixelJunk Shooter
Super Stardust HD
Flower

Any thoughts on any of these games?

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on June 19, 2010, 08:54:18 PM
Quote from: -abe- on June 10, 2010, 02:46:52 PM
I'm playing it on medium difficulty and I find it to be pretty hard. One thing -- it's pretty jarring going back to a game that has this sort of graphics after growing accustomed to PS3 graphics. I often wonder: is an older game that's held to be "great" really great or does that estimation merely stem from the nostalgia of the people who played it?

You are playing Deus Ex, which is a great game. You can figure it out on your own. When the demo of the game first came out i finished it seven times, thanks to all the different approaches and techniques the gameplay afforded in order to defeat all the challenges. I got more entertainment from one level of this game then an entire linear, modern shooter.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on June 19, 2010, 09:04:01 PM
Quote from: Lethe on June 11, 2010, 09:27:23 AM
No One Lives Forever (a very underrated sneaker/action franchise set in an Austin Powers style universe).

NOLF was a buckload funnier then Austin Powers. The farcical conversations between the guards, fake accents and all were just hilarious. I spent just twice as long finishing each scenario just by listening to those.

IMHO, the most underrated shooter of all is Jedi Knight. I don't usually like Star Wars but this game had some of the best level design i ever saw in a shooter, or any game period.

Quote from: Lethe on June 11, 2010, 09:27:23 AM
Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 (these can be quite hard, but are the most atmospheric Forgotten Realms PC RPGs I have played. There are non-game breaking cheats you can use if you find them difficult such as extra gold, because it's worth playing them through just for the stories).

I don't know, the writing was pretty bad on both games. I far prefer the original Fallout games and Torment in terms of story and writing. Baldur's Gate just felt like i was reading some third rate fantasy novel. Baldur's Gate 2 had some intense gameplay sections though. Mage battles in particular were awesome, easly the most entertaining part of the game.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on June 19, 2010, 09:14:29 PM
1) BioShock

Poor man's version of System Shock. Similar in principle, but very dumped down If you take it as a straight shooter its actually not that bad though. Nice atmosphere.

2) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition

Poor man's Morrowind, which in itself was a poor man's Daggerfall. Inherited all the problems of Morrowind (bland writing, no notable characters, dead world), while taking away the things that made that game enjoyable (a large world filled with various areas each with its own unique aesthetic and atmosphere). The only good portion of the game was the thief path, which was suprisingly well written and designed compared to the rest of the game.

3) Fallout 3

Poor man's Fallout. Oblivion with guns. Terrible writing and story, combat system is cluncky and inefficient. More entertaining then your average modern shooter,  but that's about it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 24, 2010, 12:48:57 PM
Playing Half-Life at the moment. Given that it is 12 years old it has aged well. However, it is less perfect than I remembered.

The graphics engine is a huge problem when rendering deep chasms, textures disappear into blackness after a very short distance, and the torch cannot illuminate that blackness, meaning that even if it has a bottom, you can't discern it.

It relies sometimes on the "ha-ha, you died because you are not psychic" formula (bridges falling underneath you in set-pieces that you are supposed to be witnessing unfold in front of you but walked too fast, etc).

The zombies are stupidly under-powered, they are slow but also hit badly. The groups of green beam aliens tend to do less damage than a same-numbered group of headcrabs, the shotgun is worse than the pistol, etc. A zombie taking 15 seconds to break down a door may have been scary when it was new, but now it is tedious.

But ignoring all that stuff, it achieves the remarkable feat of still being worth playing. Games such as Quake can't pull this off unless the person is on a retro-trip.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 24, 2010, 06:29:45 PM
Excellent! What system are you playing on? (i played it on the PS2).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 24, 2010, 06:33:26 PM
PC - It's fun that I don't even have to use my gaming PC because no matter how bad this PC is, it cannot fail to perfectly run something so old.

At the moment I am stuck on my first Gargantua (after the first tentacle boss) - I think my hits aren't counting because I'm firing from a concealed place rather than in the open and I've run out of ammo. Guess it's time to reload and retry.

Edit: Oh, it's an un-killable set-piece, you need electrify some rails with a power generater elsewhere. Cool beans.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 02, 2010, 02:47:41 AM
(http://illbethejudgeofthat.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/3399788.jpg)

Ign.com awarded Uncharted 2 its "Game of the Year Award" for 2009, so rather than just dive into that one I am playing the original which is also well regarded. I'm surprised at how much I'm liking it (I've put Metal Gear Solid 4 aside to play it.)  The graphics are gorgeous and the action fast and enjoyable. One annoying thing though: Nathan Drake is clearly a psychopath. He is merely after treasure yet kills hundeds of people. At least in most other action games/first person shooters your killing of endless bad buys is morally justified (you're trying to save the world, you're in Word War II, etc.) But no. Nathan Drake just keeps killing "bad guys" who might have only picked up guns because they're trying to feed their families.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on July 02, 2010, 04:10:19 AM
Quote from: Lethe on June 24, 2010, 12:48:57 PM
Playing Half-Life at the moment. Given that it is 12 years old it has aged well. However, it is less perfect than I remembered.

The graphics engine is a huge problem when rendering deep chasms, textures disappear into blackness after a very short distance, and the torch cannot illuminate that blackness, meaning that even if it has a bottom, you can't discern it.

It relies sometimes on the "ha-ha, you died because you are not psychic" formula (bridges falling underneath you in set-pieces that you are supposed to be witnessing unfold in front of you but walked too fast, etc).

The zombies are stupidly under-powered, they are slow but also hit badly. The groups of green beam aliens tend to do less damage than a same-numbered group of headcrabs, the shotgun is worse than the pistol, etc. A zombie taking 15 seconds to break down a door may have been scary when it was new, but now it is tedious.

But ignoring all that stuff, it achieves the remarkable feat of still being worth playing. Games such as Quake can't pull this off unless the person is on a retro-trip.

     How dare you? (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/angry.gif)

     (http://cynicwithagamepad.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/quake3_3.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 02, 2010, 07:30:34 AM
:P

To be fair I gave up on HL towards the end, it got very tedious. I noclip and godmode cheated my way through the final two areas as it just stopped being fun. The first 4/5ths of it remain very entertaining, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 02, 2010, 07:50:25 AM
Quote from: -abe- on July 02, 2010, 02:47:41 AM
I'm surprised at how much I'm liking it (I've put Metal Gear Solid 4 aside to play it.)  The graphics are gorgeous and the action fast and enjoyable. One annoying thing though: Nathan Drake is clearly a psychopath. He is merely after treasure yet kills hundeds of people. At least in most other action games/first person shooters your killing of endless bad buys is morally justified (you're trying to save the world, you're in Word War II, etc.) But no. Nathan Drake just keeps killing "bad guys" who might have only picked up guns because they're trying to feed their families.

I did the same thing back a couple of years ago, set aside mgs4 to play Uncharted.  I thought that that the Gears of War inspired shooting sections were tedious and repetitive and not done well, same complaint with Uncharted 2, but in that game it takes up even more game time.  Still overall I liked those games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 03, 2010, 10:07:27 PM
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHJVolaC8pw

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 03, 2010, 10:09:45 PM
Quote from: DavidW on July 02, 2010, 07:50:25 AM
I did the same thing back a couple of years ago, set aside mgs4 to play Uncharted.  I thought that that the Gears of War inspired shooting sections were tedious and repetitive and not done well, same complaint with Uncharted 2, but in that game it takes up even more game time.  Still overall I liked those games.

Beat it this morning. I can wait to play the sequel (but I do want to play it since it's supposedly better.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 04, 2010, 05:47:39 AM
Quote from: -abe- on July 03, 2010, 10:09:45 PM
Beat it this morning. I can wait to play the sequel (but I do want to play it since it's supposedly better.)

The sequel captures a cinematic feeling much better than the first game (actually much better than most games), despite my rant about the shooting sections, it's one of the best ps3 games that I've played.  I hope that you enjoy it. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 04, 2010, 12:16:52 PM
Quote from: -abe- on July 03, 2010, 10:07:27 PM
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHJVolaC8pw
Same here.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 05, 2010, 02:54:45 AM
Quote from: DavidW on July 04, 2010, 05:47:39 AM
The sequel captures a cinematic feeling much better than the first game (actually much better than most games), despite my rant about the shooting sections, it's one of the best ps3 games that I've played.  I hope that you enjoy it. :)

I'm sure I will, given the unanimous strong praise.

This weekend I made progress in Metal Gear Solid 4 (I've so far been playing 21 hours on Big Boss Hard. I think I'm about to finish the 3rd act as I was fighting a boss (a flying creature) when I saved the game last. Also, I made the decision on the 3rd act to start skipping the cut scenes because the story/scenes are so self-indulgent. )

I also started to play Super Stardust HD. I think I'll have a blast trying to complete the arcade mode (which requires you to clear the 25 stages without saving.)





   
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on July 06, 2010, 08:13:26 AM
Drakensang - River of Time /again. Love it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Brian on July 06, 2010, 08:40:38 PM
Out of the Park Baseball 11. This game lets me become general manager of a baseball team and, although I can't actually take swings or throw pitches, I am in charge of trades, transactions, promotions and demotions, deciding who goes in the rotation and lineup, meeting payroll, setting ticket prices, and developing the minor league system. Call it a baseball game for geeks!

I started with the Opening Day 2010 Milwaukee Brewers, gutted the roster, and currently have my Brew Crew on pace to win the division in June 2012:

(So far my biggest blunder has been trading for Ryan Dempster. Since the deal went through, he's had a 9.18 ERA for me. He only cost me one mediocre prospect, but that's still a bad return.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on July 09, 2010, 10:18:36 AM
Just bought the special edition of Monkey Island on Steam. I just got a massive nostalgic kick just by listening to the main theme again. PC gaming was so much better back when it was an exclusive hobby for basement nerds, some of those games actually had heart: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoT5qK6hpbw&feature=related

God i'd give anything to go back in those days.

[EDIT] Original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjvD3C_nvBk&feature=related
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 17, 2010, 09:45:04 AM
I tried Monkey Island, but like basically all games in that genre the puzzle solutions were all too obtuse and I had no nostalgia to make me put up with it.

An excuse for a bump:

(http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/6017/1279381858371.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: karlhenning on July 17, 2010, 09:48:44 AM
Playing "Genius." Rules here (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,16802.msg431158.html#new).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on July 17, 2010, 11:15:11 AM
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2010, 09:45:04 AM
I tried Monkey Island, but like basically all games in that genre the puzzle solutions were all too obtuse and I had no nostalgia to make me put up with it.

Sometimes they can be obtuse, other times they can be rather clever. Puzzles are only a part of the game though. The writing and story, not to mention atmosphere, make it a well worth the experience even when the puzzles are at their most illogical. Even after so many years the writing and humor still hold the same amount of charm, there really is no comparison with modern games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 17, 2010, 12:06:59 PM
Like the cartoon Lethe, so true especially brings back memories of Doom. ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 17, 2010, 12:12:41 PM
Quote from: DavidW on July 17, 2010, 12:06:59 PM
Like the cartoon Lethe, so true especially brings back memories of Doom. ;D
And it reminded me of Tomb Raider...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on July 17, 2010, 02:21:18 PM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 17, 2010, 09:48:44 AM
Playing "Genius." Rules here (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,16802.msg431158.html#new).

Interesting game, except that it seems to have no end, but except to perpetuate itself.  Also, since each replay seems nearly identical, I'm not sure about the replay value over time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Carnivorous Sheep on July 17, 2010, 03:44:10 PM
Playing the Starcraft II Beta, and gearing up for the release of the real deal on the 27th.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 17, 2010, 06:32:41 PM
Quote from: jowcol on July 17, 2010, 02:21:18 PM
Interesting game, except that it seems to have no end, but except to perpetuate itself.  Also, since each replay seems nearly identical, I'm not sure about the replay value over time.
Kind of like "discussions" with Teresa or Saul. Reading that analogy makes me wonder why I even spent time talking to them when I could be playing a good video game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on July 17, 2010, 07:03:38 PM
I started playing Ecco the Dolphin for Sega Genesis recently and was reminded of why I would always end up throwing that chunky controller at the TV screen in a rage. ;_;

The music is good, though.

http://www.youtube.com/v/h-ti2_KZr-Q
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on July 18, 2010, 12:05:20 AM
Quote from: Greg on July 17, 2010, 06:32:41 PM
Kind of like "discussions" with <Poster A> and <Poster B> Reading that analogy makes me wonder why I even spent time talking to them when I could be playing a good video game.

Actually, those circular discussions remind me a lot of Pong, except that no one keeps score.

(http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives/pong.bmp)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 18, 2010, 05:00:43 PM
Replaying Deus Ex with some texture packs to make it look acceptable. The engine has such horrible limitations that it makes me smile over how it was considered revolutionary at one point - it seems barely a step up from Quake. The texture packs are a great asset though - they replace the horribly blurry item models with remade ones (the crates now have 3D struts rather than simply being textured cubes, etc). They definitely bring the game's environments up to scratch - the character models and faces are still nasty, but it's not too bad. The biggest flaw is the engine itself - it is almost totally unable to render shadowed areas properly, and they always look very washed out even with high definition textures. The night vision goggles essentially just turn the screen green rather than enhance any light because the engine can't do that. But whatever, I love this game. The following just happened:

I sneak and dodge my way down a booby-trapped alley to see what was at the end of it, I am confronted by this scene:

(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/6436/clipboard01.png)

It is the end of an L-shaped corner. I had just snuck past a gun turret, so I am pinned in (there are always multiple ways to deal with them if you do ever get stuck, but you'll waste an item or some health) and think "oh, it's an inanely simple video game puzzle, how cute", so I leave one small box on the ground, and lift the other on top of the explosive barrels to make some steps over the fence. I do this, and discover that the fence is ever so slightly too tall to jump over using this method.*

Rather than backtrack, I decided to suicide and reload my save from before the alley, so I shot the barrels to die in the explosion, but survived marginally. Then I noticed that the fence was actually destructable, and it had a hole in it that I could now get through. It's super cool stuff like this that makes DE amazing - it doesn't require you to do things like these for you to progress - there are always obvious paths through the missions - but despite being 10 years old, modern games still can't produce this level of variability or surprise. Barely any modern FPS has destructable scenery that is actually useful (outside of set-pieces) rather than cosmetic, and Deus Ex did it frequently on an engine that wasn't particularly designed for that. Super coolie.

*In hindsight, I could have crouched and lifted the second small crate up to the top, then put it half on the other small crate to use them both as steps, but it'd be fiddly.

Quote from: Corey on July 17, 2010, 07:03:38 PM
I started playing Ecco the Dolphin for Sega Genesis recently and was reminded of why I would always end up throwing that chunky controller at the TV screen in a rage. ;_;
I think that the classic side scrollers just aren't fun anymore - at their worst even the best ones can be psychotic. I can see what their appeal was in a situation where this was all a kid had to do at the weekend, and they were stuck with it to recoup the large amount of money that they had paid for the game, but nowadays you have so much to choose from that who wants to invest weeks of work into a hard as hell platformer just to get a "YOU HAVE WON THE GAME: WELL DONE!" message on a blank screen at the end :-\ Maybe I'm lazy :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on July 18, 2010, 06:52:53 PM
@ Corey

Ecco is an awesome game. It's well worth the trouble to get to the end.

@ Lethe

Well Deus Ex, as I recall it, was never considered revolutionary in a graphical sense, but more in the sense of its plot development, and it's integration of different game genres into a workable form. Saying that, I prefer Invisible War to it, as the gameplay was a lot more open, and the storyline was more realistic.

As to the game I'm currently playing, it's easily the greatest game I've ever played, and it's called Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on July 18, 2010, 07:41:36 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on July 18, 2010, 06:52:53 PM
Saying that, I prefer Invisible War to it, as the gameplay was a lot more open, and the storyline was more realistic.

No freaking way. IW was a disgrace, plain and simple.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 19, 2010, 01:35:01 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on July 18, 2010, 06:52:53 PM
Well Deus Ex, as I recall it, was never considered revolutionary in a graphical sense, but more in the sense of its plot development, and it's integration of different game genres into a workable form. Saying that, I prefer Invisible War to it, as the gameplay was a lot more open, and the storyline was more realistic.

As to the game I'm currently playing, it's easily the greatest game I've ever played, and it's called Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.
I meant the Unreal engine itself - I agree, DE was considered ugly even at the time (although in part because it required high specs not to run like a dog at high settings). Unlike many people obsessed with DE1 I was okay with Invisible War's more action-like approach, and I found enough of DE in there to enjoy, but for some reason I found the plot to be a gabled mess. If DE1 was like a compendium of established conspiracy theories tied loosely together, DE2's ideas seemed to have little rhyme or reason (spoiler: for example, discovering MJ12 in the UNATCO base in DE1 was "omg" to me at the time, but DE2's "revelations" such as the two antagonist factions being led by the same people don't really draw an interest - ignoring the coffee war ones, of course - those were awesome). In particular the whole background of DE1 with newspaper clippings, news reports, etc was effective, but DE2 just threw random out of context statements originating from JC's actions in DE1, or new fluff for DE2 on the loading screens and it gave an unnecessarily patchwork feel, which is odd given how short it is. But still, if DE3 can at least be as good as DE2 (maybe dumbed down in some ways, but learning from mistakes in others) I will be pretty satisfied.

I tried Arcanum but for some reason got stuck for a while at the people guarding the first bridge into the next town, and when I finally reached the next town it was all copy-pasted shoebox houses and I lost all motivation to continue :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on July 19, 2010, 01:23:12 PM
@ Lethe

In regards to Arcanum: I'll admit that the houses in the first town all look pretty similar, although that isn't fully true as you explore it. I'd encourage you to give it another shot though. It's easily the most engrossing game I've ever played. It's one of the few games where I actually enjoy walking around in the world.

In regards to Deus EX and IW: Oh?! Well then I agree, I don't think Deus Ex really utilized the engine all that well. I'll agree that Deus Ex worked a lot better in how it constructed its plot structure, but I don't agree with your assessment of IW. I think that IW's story actually was built better, and I think the situations, contextually, were more realistic in the universe. IW was more open and gray, while Deus Ex was much more black and white. The only real flaw in IW, was that they tried to implement all of the endings from the first game, instead of simply selecting one. I felt like this could have been handled better, like how KOTOR II handled KOTOR, with some key dialogue options.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 19, 2010, 09:15:08 PM
Thanks, I'll give Arcanum another shot sometime.

Invisible War did make more improvements to the original than it is given credit for. Ths DE playthrough I found it particularly absurd how you can hack everything (even personal computers right in front of their owner sitting at the desk) without consequences. If I recall correctly, even attacking an ATM gets you attacked by nearby guards in IW. The AI is also much beter, although that isn't saying much, DE's AI was quite bad although at least they don't just stand and shoot. It also removes some of the overpowered elements like the silly dragon sword which can break open basically any door and chest, and the upgraded sniper rifle destroying cameras and turrets.

It's biggest legacy issue (and the same with DE3) is that it is un-moddable, so people can't even correct the elements they dislike (the shared ammo pool being one of the worst).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on July 19, 2010, 10:05:47 PM
The greatness of Deus Ex was based on the multiplicity of options you had at your disposal to deal with each situation of the game. Combined with a strong level design it made for a good gaming experience. IW was too restricted in that respect, which is why everybody felt it was a disappointment.

Arcanum is a great game BTW, but it has many flaws, mainly balancing and bugs. Its still a great overall experience though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on July 20, 2010, 05:05:33 AM
@ Lethe

I do agree that it did suffer from modding issues, but that is of course because it was essentially built for the console. I'd still say I enjoyed the game experience more in IW than DE. My one true complaint, and it applies to both games, was the lack of NPC characters, but I know that FPS aren't really known for that, so it's a minor one, at best.

@ Josquin des Prez
While I agree that DE did allow more room for free play on the small scale (i.e., on separate level design) overall I would disagree, as DE forces you down one path. For me IW was the better experience. I love both games. I simply enjoyed the second more than the first, for reasons expressed in previous posts.

Also, fully agree about Arcanum, although I'm very biased towards the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 23, 2010, 08:16:43 AM
I just found the first flash game that I considered worth playing for more than 5 minutes.

Bloons Tower Defense 4 (http://www.ninjakiwi.com/Games/Tower-Defense/Play/Bloons-Tower-Defense-4.html)

It's like Red Alert's unit building and upgrading crossed with a more arcade style like Space Invaders/Bomberman - very compulsive, and if you register a free account you can save your progress/scores. No way am I paying for the premium features, but great work for the designers making the game so playable.

Edit: Btw don't play for 5 mins and consider it unchallenging - it's one of those games that cannot be won, you can only try to hold out as long as possible. Once you reach 50 you can choose to continue (and you should - it's the most fun part of the game) - I have yet to reach round 100, but came annoyingly close a few times.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on July 23, 2010, 08:28:17 AM
Trailer for Starcraft 2 is out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_E83GfWM-A&feature=player_embedded#

Its horrible. 100% Hollywood with no thought behind it whatsoever. I had to watch the intro to Brood War again to cleanse my eyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GMOTrIjVao
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 27, 2010, 03:50:56 PM
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/542658

This is amazing. Best 3 minute game ever.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 27, 2010, 06:12:11 PM
Quote from: Lethe on July 27, 2010, 03:50:56 PM
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/542658

This is amazing. Best 3 minute game ever.
Haha. That was... interesting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 13, 2010, 10:45:39 PM
I just finished episode 2 of Doom, beating my first cyberdemon ;D

(http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/6665/doomboxart.jpg)

I hadn't played the game before and was concerned it would be too archaic, but it is actually still an excellent game. With a little tinkering, it plays well with mouselook, the level design remains good, the enemies pretty fun - especially the environmental things (explosive barrels, them fighting each other if they accidentely hit one of their own with an attack). The tilesets were also surprisingly diverse from the POV of someone who was used to seeing screenshots of only the very brown first few levels.

I actually had almost no complaints, it simply remains fun to play and very compelling even after playing games 17 years younger, and it even gave one or two scares.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on August 21, 2010, 08:26:30 PM
WELCOME TO THE MACHINE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ils-NolTIAg&feature=related

:o
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on August 21, 2010, 08:47:38 PM
been playing a PBEM game of this: http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/PZC/PZC_minsk44/PZC_minsk44.html (http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/PZC/PZC_minsk44/PZC_minsk44.html), since November of last year
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Diletante on August 22, 2010, 03:32:52 PM
I've just finished Okami in its Wii version. What a great game! The music was nice (still humming some of the most memorable tunes), the whole art was awesome, the gameplay was great, it was funny and it kept me interested from beginning to end. Obviously a lot of work was put into this.

(http://i33.tinypic.com/29de5xv.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 22, 2010, 03:39:01 PM
I always thought Okami looked cool. It's considered a great game, anyway...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 24, 2010, 04:49:50 AM
I finally understand what the South Koreans get from e-sports. This Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/HDstarcraft) has some fun Starcraft 2 matches, and unlike real sport, they tend to be over in 10-20 minutes.

This one should appeal to anyone who has played games online and is familiar with how a fast-paced and fun game, if something statistically unlikely occurs, can become so drawn out and the game mechanics are almost unable to deal with it to allow the match to be resolved. What makes this worth watching is not just the stalemate in the second half, but the funny twist at the end of part 4 (I won't embed them all because apparently some people's PCs don't like many Youtube clips in a browser window):

http://www.youtube.com/v/qEV9niTmeOU Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aLBqeKd_lk) Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww_w7sh6NWY) Part 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOY2ve7zHb4)

This is a more conventional match. I really like the way that the best SC players are able to fully manage up to five areas of the map simultaneously during combined attack/offense runs - sometimes the commentator misses major bits and he's only having to follow units around rather than plan and execute everything:

http://www.youtube.com/v/xRY9yflKTeY http://www.youtube.com/v/InG1qXJORBs

Edit: Also, I spy something potentially significant:

(http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/6054/waty.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on August 24, 2010, 06:49:22 AM
Starcraft 2 is serious decline, and the new Battle.net is an abomination. Personally, i would wait at least until they fix the latter, if they ever do. Blizzard really dropped the ball on this one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 24, 2010, 07:06:33 AM
Their employees aren't happy with BN2, but it's the companies own fault for selling out to a bigger publisher because this has been forced onto them. Especially silly because I think the sellout occured after WoW came out, and WoW is essentially a licence to print money.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 24, 2010, 07:42:59 AM
aha so Karl secretly plays Starcraft....  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: MN Dave on August 24, 2010, 07:47:05 AM
I used to play Civilization all the time but it turns out games are a great time-sucker, just like the Internet.  :-\

I wasn't that good at Civ, but I loved playing it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 24, 2010, 07:52:34 AM
Civ is one of those games that I just don't understand. I loved Alpha Centauri, but for some reason with Civ4 I got really tired of the inevitable point where if I go military the process of mopping up the enemies is so time-consuming for such an inevitable result that it is no fun. The non-military goals are faster, but feel more pointless.

I guess I should try on max difficulty before I complain about easiness, though, but I fear that my inability to fully understand the micromanaging of teraforming and building will get me mauled :-*
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: MN Dave on August 24, 2010, 07:57:06 AM
If I do play a game now, it's on my iPhone.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: karlhenning on August 24, 2010, 08:01:31 AM
I won't play games on my Droid. Browsing the Internet is game enough ; )
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: MN Dave on August 24, 2010, 08:04:54 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on August 24, 2010, 08:01:31 AM
I won't play games on my Droid. Browsing the Internet is game enough ; )

Pretty much.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 26, 2010, 03:15:43 AM
I recently discovered the "Civilization" series. I've been playing Civilization III on the PC. Picked it up for $5 off of steam.

Fun...but I haven't even completed a single game yet! Either things get hopeless too quickly or I simply despair of warfare and quit when invaded.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 02, 2010, 05:27:19 AM
"Gameplay is a psychological experience: it's all in your head. The vagaries of human psychology define your game more than the laws of physics or algebra. Egomania, Paranoia, Delusion - these are tools to be wielded with precision and care. For the player, perception is reality and the center of the universe is right here. As we follow this reasoning to its logical conclusion we discover a number of amazing things, among them: everyone is above average, 2/1 is not equal to 20/10, and the player is his/her own worst enemy."

--Sid Meier
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 05, 2010, 11:21:21 AM
A friend convinced me to try Ultima 7. I had avoided all old RPGs until now fearing that they will offer nothing of value when contrasted with their many primitive qualities, and this one was right on the edge of being too ugly to play, but fortunately the environments are detailed enough to immerse you - the engine has more interactivity than the later Infinity Engine games, for example.

The graphics are of course pixel-art created 256 colour VGA unlike later 2D RPGs which used 3D generated or painted locations presented as 2D maps, and they do look completely amateurish by modern standards, but in terms of gameplay this has one of the better starts I've encountered in an RPG. No starting dungeon, you get dropped into the game trying to solve a murder. Quite neat.

It's abandonware, so free to download (episode 1 (http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/109/Ultima+VII+-+Part+1+-+The+Black+Gate.html) is 10mb, the standalone episode 2 (http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/438/Ultima+VII+-+Part+2+-+Serpent+Isle.html) is the same), and it worked fine on Windows 7 for me with the Exult mod (dl the binary, not source) (http://exult.sourceforge.net/download.php), which was fan-made to provide a better emulator than DOSbox specifically for Ultima 7. Download both here, unzip Ultima first, then point Exult towards the game's directory during its install. After that, running Exult should play the games perfectly without any further hassle.

Also check the Keyboard Commands section on this page (http://www.the-spoiler.com/RPG/Origin/ultima.7.2.2.html) to find a list of shortcuts (this stuff would've been in the manual for a game this old, but nowadays games are expected to be "intuitive" enough so that manuals are not neccessary).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: mc ukrneal on September 05, 2010, 11:47:03 AM
Quote from: -abe- on August 26, 2010, 03:15:43 AM
I recently discovered the "Civilization" series. I've been playing Civilization III on the PC. Picked it up for $5 off of steam.

Fun...but I haven't even completed a single game yet! Either things get hopeless too quickly or I simply despair of warfare and quit when invaded.

You are probably not building enough units early on. I love the CIV series. One of the best thinking strategy games out there.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Guido on September 05, 2010, 01:46:43 PM
I don't play many games these days, but the last one I did play was Machinarium, which is quite simply one of the finest and most beautiful games I've ever played. It's a point and click adventure a la Monkey Island, but the art work and characterisation is just wonderful. Music also amongst the best I've ever heard in a game. I cannot recommend it highly enough... it's not that expensive either.

Other than that I am just patiently waiting for Diablo 3.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on September 06, 2010, 06:57:10 AM
getting my ass kicked by the French at Ligny

(http://www.hpssims.com/pages/products/NapBat/waterloo/Waterloo2.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on September 06, 2010, 08:59:00 AM
Quote from: Lethe on September 05, 2010, 11:21:21 AM
A friend convinced me to try Ultima 7. I had avoided all old RPGs until now fearing that they will offer nothing of value when contrasted with their many primitive qualities,
Really? But old RPGs have soul!  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 11, 2010, 05:19:57 PM
I just bought a 1gb HD 5770 graphics card which should keep me reasonably up to pace for the next year or two (the similarly-priced but more powerful 4670 lacks directx11 support, so in the long-term will actually be slower).

It will be nice to get back into online shooters. Most women are missing a trick when they only play stuff like Farmville and Wii - blowing up online people is both satisfying and theraputic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 19, 2010, 07:18:43 PM
Currently playing through Beyond Good and Evil on the Xbox. It's a truly quality game. Wonderful plot, but it's not really an intuitive game. It suffers from 'Myst' syndrome, where things really aren't clear, in which order they should be done, where the clue is, the importance of the clue, etc. The camera is also a bit annoying, but the writing is so good that one can easily overlook all of those quibbles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 19, 2010, 07:44:34 PM
If this is your first time playing it- have fun, man!  8)
One of my favorite games of all-time- sucks you into a world like no other while being extremely fun at the same time.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 19, 2010, 08:01:45 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 19, 2010, 07:44:34 PM
If this is your first time playing it- have fun, man!  8)
One of my favorite games of all-time- sucks you into a world like no other while being extremely fun at the same time.  :)

Well this is my first time actually trying to get through the game, and I'm having a lot of fun, save the issues I stated earlier. I don't really enjoy games that sort of force you to look at a faq to get through it, but I can easily overlook that because of the story and the wonderful lead character. I also love the camera aspect of it. It does add that element of immersion that I really do enjoy.

It does suck you in, but not like no other, I can think of Arcanum and Fallout for that do that sucking in ability better, but on a console, I think this might be the best yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 19, 2010, 10:40:51 PM
I might have to give it a second try - I enjoyed it for a while but gave up halfway through.

I played Resident Evil 4 for the first time a few weeks ago - lots of fun. I liked the idea of the earlier games but mostly found them too difficult to play with my kind of item hoarding personality "omg I used 4 bullets on that zombie, reload reload" etc.

RE4 is more arcadey and really fun. It's also easy, which is handy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 20, 2010, 03:16:37 AM
Currently Multitasking between Total War Napoleon.  (Where my French generals are dropping like flies) and Fallout New Vegas.  If you liked Fallout 3, this has more of the same-- no breakthroughs with the game engine, but an insane amount of open ended content, and it's clear you will need to play this game at least twice to perform the majority of the quests.  I'm having a lot of fun with that  as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 04:23:19 AM
Quote from: Lethe on December 19, 2010, 10:40:51 PM
I might have to give it a second try - I enjoyed it for a while but gave up halfway through.

It's definitely worthwhile, even if you only go around photographing the different species, but be prepared to look at a faq or a playthrough, because not everything is all that clear cut in how it is presented.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on December 20, 2010, 04:29:17 AM
Quote from: jowcol on December 20, 2010, 03:16:37 AM
If you liked Fallout 3, this has more of the same

New Vegas is a lot better then Fallout 3. Better writing, more consistent quests, lots of tweaks and refining of gameplay mechanics which made little sense in the original. Of course, its not like Fallout 3 was that great to begin with, so it was easier to fix. Incredible how such an appallingly inept developer team like Bethesda have grown so successful. Marketing over quality i guess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 20, 2010, 05:36:28 AM
Quote from: Lethe on December 19, 2010, 10:40:51 PM
I might have to give it a second try - I enjoyed it for a while but gave up halfway through.

I played Resident Evil 4 for the first time a few weeks ago - lots of fun. I liked the idea of the earlier games but mostly found them too difficult to play with my kind of item hoarding personality "omg I used 4 bullets on that zombie, reload reload" etc.

RE4 is more arcadey and really fun. It's also easy, which is handy.
lol I still haven't played through the second time to get infinite rocket launcher bullets.
What do you think about the girl, Ashley? I like telling her to wait in the garbage can. Sometimes I wish I could just leave her there.  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: MN Dave on December 20, 2010, 05:37:34 AM
CIVILIZATION: REVOLUTION for iPhone.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 05:38:19 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 20, 2010, 04:29:17 AM
New Vegas is a lot better then Fallout 3. Better writing, more consistent quests, lots of tweaks and refining of gameplay mechanics which made little sense in the original. Of course, its not like Fallout 3 was that great to begin with, so it was easier to fix. Incredible how such an appallingly inept developer team like Bethesda have grown so successful. Marketing over quality i guess.

Well Daggerfall was one of the most astonishing games ever created, so that probably allowed them a fair amount of street cred, and that they could develop Morrowwind on a console, was also fairly impressive, even though I find their games quite lacking. It was still quite a feat.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on December 20, 2010, 05:54:41 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 05:38:19 AM
Well Daggerfall was one of the most astonishing games ever created, so that probably allowed them a fair amount of street cred, and that they could develop Morrowwind on a console, was also fairly impressive, even though I find their games quite lacking. It was still quite a feat.

Daggerfall was created by an entirely different team thought. I'm talking about the current iteration of Bethesda led by that retard of Todd Howard. Julian Lefay and company wrote a truly wonderful system and its sad to see it being raped like that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on December 20, 2010, 06:35:07 AM
looking forward to this arriving

(http://www.matrixgames.com/images/3dbox/170x220/WITE-3dBox-170x220.gif)

QuoteGary Grigsby's War in the East: The German-Soviet War 1941-1945is the spiritual heir to the great Eastern Front board and computer wargames of the past; a turn-based World War II strategy game down to the division and brigade level, stretching across the entire Eastern Front at a 10 mile per hex scale.  Gamers can engage in massive, dramatic campaigns, including intense battles involving thousands of units with realistic and historical terrain, weather, orders of battle, logistics and combat results.  As with all the award-winning titles made by the 2by3 Games team, factors such as supply, fatigue, experience, morale and the skill of your divisional, corps and army leaders all play an important part in determining the results at the front line. Gary Grigsby's War in the East comes with 4 massive campaigns as well as many smaller scenarios all with different strategic and operational challenges.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: MN Dave on December 20, 2010, 06:38:44 AM
Quote from: bwv 1080 on December 20, 2010, 06:35:07 AM
looking forward to this arriving

When I was younger, I belonged to this wargaming/role-playing group. In one room, we'd be playing D&D, while in the other, the older gents had this huge WWII wargame laid out that took just forever to play.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 06:39:55 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 20, 2010, 05:54:41 AM
Daggerfall was created by an entirely different team thought. I'm talking about the current iteration of Bethesda led by that retard of Todd Howard. Julian Lefay and company wrote a truly wonderful system and its sad to see it being raped like that.

Yep, that's true. They were developed by different teams, but I wouldn't go as far as you go. Morrowwind had some really nice elements. It was just too unwiedly. I think they wanted to do everything all at once, and in so doing, failed in the project as a whole. If they had been a bit more rational in their approach, Morrowwind had the chance to be a brilliant game. One would think with the world they created, that you could get lost in the fantasy of it, but I just got sleepy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 20, 2010, 06:50:35 AM
Quote from: Greg on December 20, 2010, 05:36:28 AM
lol I still haven't played through the second time to get infinite rocket launcher bullets.
What do you think about the girl, Ashley? I like telling her to wait in the garbage can. Sometimes I wish I could just leave her there.  :D
I found the way she moves around really clever - you climb the ladder, then press action to catch her when she jumps, very fluid, although it does make you wonder why she can't climb herself. In practice it's kind of annoying keeping an eye on her as well as fending off mobs :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 20, 2010, 06:53:46 AM
I've been playing Donkey Kong Country Returns and Metroid: Other M on Nintendo Wii. I have also been playing Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet on PS3.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 20, 2010, 07:52:52 AM
I wonder how Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet are...
I tried playing LittleBigPlanet at Best Buy before, but I couldn't figure it out. Very, very interesting graphics in that game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 09:34:33 AM
On a note, generally unrelated, I'll finally be picking up a 360, next year, when Beyond Good and Evil 2 is released.

Here's some early gameplay footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVwTrjwautQ
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 20, 2010, 05:19:04 PM
Wow, I didn't know they are making a sequel!  :o
Looks cool, too... I hope they have a good story, though (not just good graphics). Maybe they'll have her uncle return, too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 05:21:17 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 20, 2010, 05:19:04 PM
Wow, I didn't know they are making a sequel!  :o
Looks cool, too... I hope they have a good story, though (not just good graphics). Maybe they'll have her uncle return, too.

The "official" teaser trailer stars him.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 20, 2010, 06:27:20 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 05:21:17 PM
The "official" teaser trailer stars him.
Nice!  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 07:21:38 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 20, 2010, 06:27:20 PM
Nice!  8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCXE1l5MVI

The game looks gorgeous, and the gameplay looks to be very exciting. So I'm pretty pumped about the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 20, 2010, 10:09:50 PM
Quote from: MN Dave on December 20, 2010, 06:38:44 AM
When I was younger, I belonged to this wargaming/role-playing group. In one room, we'd be playing D&D, while in the other, the older gents had this huge WWII wargame laid out that took just forever to play.

I must have been one of the older gents or one of the cross generational groups that did both. Almost sold a design in my teens, but the company that was going to release it collapsed.  SIgh.

I have a great love for those old hex-based board wargames-- and remember very much enjoying the Barbarossa scenario from the 4-map, many thousand-piece version of SPI's War in the East.  The scale to teh computer game looks similar, if memory serves me.

We also did take over someone's basement for the 9-map War in Europe-- I don't think we got much past 1941.

I exchange emails with James Dunnigan a while back (the designer of Panzerblitz, the "War in the East" system, and god knows how many other games.)  It was a pleasure to thank him.  He said that the growth of D&D and computer gaming made the decline of such board games inevitable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 20, 2010, 11:14:25 PM
Just heads up to everyone--the Steam Holiday sale has began.



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 20, 2010, 11:17:21 PM
Quote from: Lethe on August 24, 2010, 04:49:50 AM
I finally understand what the South Koreans get from e-sports. This Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/HDstarcraft) has some fun Starcraft 2 matches, and unlike real sport, they tend to be over in 10-20 minutes.

This one should appeal to anyone who has played games online and is familiar with how a fast-paced and fun game, if something statistically unlikely occurs, can become so drawn out and the game mechanics are almost unable to deal with it to allow the match to be resolved. What makes this worth watching is not just the stalemate in the second half, but the funny twist at the end of part 4 (I won't embed them all because apparently some people's PCs don't like many Youtube clips in a browser window):

http://www.youtube.com/v/qEV9niTmeOU Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aLBqeKd_lk) Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww_w7sh6NWY) Part 4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOY2ve7zHb4)

I saw this the other day. So suspenseful and hilarious!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 20, 2010, 11:22:52 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 20, 2010, 06:53:46 AM
I've been playing Donkey Kong Country Returns and Metroid: Other M on Nintendo Wii. I have also been playing Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet on PS3.

The original Donkey Kong Country games for the Super Nintendo contained some of the most inspired videogame soundtracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73n7HTcmb5g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v2WJi6RHj4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXQHYkB0CPI
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 21, 2010, 01:48:48 AM
Quote from: -abe- on December 20, 2010, 11:17:21 PM
I saw this the other day. So suspenseful and hilarious!
Thanks for reminding me of this - I find professional Starcraft matches much more fun to watch than to play...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on December 22, 2010, 08:53:57 AM
Bought Gothic 2 from http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/gothic_2_gold_edition

(http://www.kreis-kleve.de/c12570cb0037ac59/files/gothic_2_-_die_nacht_des_raben.jpg/$file/gothic_2_-_die_nacht_des_raben.jpg)

Everyone knows it's maybe THE BEST role playing adventures ever, but I never played it due to lack of time. Now I started. At the moment I'm in the first town talking to many people... Yeah, I like it. BTW, will I get a map somewhere?

I like the immediate consequences of things you do. Drag your sword, and friendly people will soon kill you :)

I tried to play Risen Demo on my Notebook, but it's a bit too hard for my W500 Thinkpad. That's why I got Gothic then.

BTW, the imho best rpg forum (many very knowledgeable people there) is on rpgwatch.com
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on December 22, 2010, 08:58:16 AM
BTW, I recommend everybody to play Riven, it's the best in the Myst series if you ask me. It's sooooo lovely.
http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/riven_the_sequel_to_myst

(http://www.mysterium.ch/riven/pictures/riven_03.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:03:00 AM
I liked it.  Enjoyed the look and the puzzle solving.  This and Fallout 3 held my attention. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:14:18 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 20, 2010, 09:34:33 AM
On a note, generally unrelated, I'll finally be picking up a 360, next year, when Beyond Good and Evil 2 is released.

Here's some early gameplay footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVwTrjwautQ
That does look good.  Hmmm.  Haven't checked into gaming in a couple of years, not since Crysis & Fallout 3. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Brian on December 22, 2010, 09:26:39 AM
Quote from: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:14:18 AM
That does look good.  Hmmm.  Haven't checked into gaming in a couple of years, not since Crysis & Fallout 3.

Hey, maybe you could help me with MY game. I'm doing a baseball sim called Out of the Park, where you play as the general manager rather than one of the athletes. My 2012 Brewers are first in the NL Central at the all-star break, but they've lost 8 of their last 11.

My starting rotation looks like this:
Zack Greinke
Yovani Gallardo
Cliff Lee
Rick Porcello
Ryan Dempster

But Dempster's walking about 1 guy per inning and posting an 8.01 ERA (opponents are batting .310 off him), and Cliff Lee just tore something or other and is out for six months! This season's gonna be a nail-biter... Porcello is absolutely fantastic (sub-2.00 ERA), so I am thinking that if I can crawl into the playoffs, my three-man rotation would definitely be fantastic. But is it worth panicking and trading for starting pitching now?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 09:41:14 AM
Quote from: Wurstwasser on December 22, 2010, 08:58:16 AM
BTW, I recommend everybody to play Riven, it's the best in the Myst series if you ask me. It's sooooo lovely.
http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/riven_the_sequel_to_myst

(http://www.mysterium.ch/riven/pictures/riven_03.jpg)

I fully agree with you there.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 09:42:58 AM
Quote from: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:14:18 AM
That does look good.  Hmmm.  Haven't checked into gaming in a couple of years, not since Crysis & Fallout 3.

I'm impressed with what I've seen so far, and the man behind the game is a rather inventive fellow, so I have rather high hopes for it.

New Vegas is another game that I'll be considering, a friend of mine who has similar tastes, extolls the virtues of this game above all others from this new generation of games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:48:15 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 09:42:58 AM
New Vegas is another game that I'll be considering
That's the next Fallout, right?  Same engine.  Looks as if there were some pre-order enticements for those plugged into the gaming world:
QuoteFallout: New Vegas had 4 different pre-order bonuses, the Classic Pack, Caravan Pack, Tribal Pack, and Mercenary Pack. As the game has already been released, they are no longer available. Each one had a unique suit of armor and a unique weapon not found in-game, along with a few other items that are available in-game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 09:50:37 AM
Quote from: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 09:48:15 AM
That's the next Fallout, right?

Yes, but with Obsidian behind the game, which for me, essentially means that it will be a fantastic game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 22, 2010, 10:12:09 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 09:50:37 AM
Yes, but with Obsidian behind the game, which for me, essentially means that it will be a fantastic game.

I've been playing New Vegas for the last couple weeks.  I'm sure this is easily 150 hours per play-through.

The engine and graphics are much the same as Fallout 3, with a couple minor tweaks.  Maybe not the most cutting edge, but the ambience is nice.   The setup in the beginning gets you into the action quicker, but doesn't let you develop your character as much.  The biggest change in play is the factions-- instead of deciding to be good or evil, you need to choose among 3 large factions for allegience (or else try to go your own way) and numerous small factions.  As I recall, the number of side quests here is much larger, and many are mutually exclusive, so you'll probably be tempted to play at least three times just to do all (or most) of the quests.

Many more potential followers as well

Hardcore mode makes you have ammo count against your weight, and keeps track of your sleeping, eating and hyrdration.  I'm a wimp.  The new Survival skill seems to only really be useful for hardcore mode.  (Sorry I took it) If you want, you can collect plants to make potions, and spent ammo to fashion new stuff.  Not sure if its worth the time.   Many of the skill books and aids are only temporary, and wear off.


Early releases have been buggy- save often and sometimes bad guys are trapped by clipping errors.  Funny, I crashed a lot in the beginning, but once I got to a higher level I've not had problems.  Some reports made this sound a lot buggier than Fallout 3.

On the whole?  In terms of content, its pretty staggering, as I've hardly done any of the main quest-- i'm just wandering around on side quests and building up my level (About to turn 17).  It's also clear that the replay value will be higher, if anything in Fallout 3, just to you can explore 4 major allegience paths.  The writing is pretty interesting in terms of the scope, but the wording can be awkward.


Oh yes, just to make life special, there are new and improved Deathclaws.   


If you liked Fallout 3, and want a LOT of content for a pretty wide open experience, I wouldn't hesitate to get it.  If you're looking for a major upgrade to the Fallout Franchise, this would not be it. 

For me-- I'm a happy camper.  And I still haven't made it to the strip in New Vegas.

I'm loving the voice of Wayne Newton on one of the inane radio channels.  Also the Super Mutant Radio station is very entertaining.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 10:36:28 AM
Shoot--I'm tempted.  Fallout 3 was the most immersive gaming experience I've had.  Played the main quest with multiple side quests en route, loved exploring the world, and was challenged by a couple of the levels and wondered if I would ever find my way out of that circa 1960 small town America simulation.  Enhanced Deathclaws?  Good Lord! 

I bought it and Crysis just to check out the state of the art at the time and to give my college aged boys something to mess with while they were home for the holidays that year.  All three of us enjoyed it, me for the problem-solving aspect, the boys for the RPG and FPS elements.  Then I played it for about three solid weeks, varying the character skills and replaying quests with different strategies/weapons choices.  And then I paired up with the super-mutant sidekick and ran around with full-tilt armor and a chain gun killing everything in sight.  Afraid Vegas would suck me in again, but I'm tempted.

And I doubt I could resist the next gen engine for more than a minute or two!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 10:51:43 AM
@ DavidRoss

If you liked the feel of Fallout 3; you might want to look at the Bioshock series.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 11:18:54 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 10:51:43 AM
@ DavidRoss

If you liked the feel of Fallout 3; you might want to look at the Bioshock series.
Yes, I was interested, but the SecuROM issues made it no-sale as afar as I'm concerned.  I won't support a system that penalizes honest folks instead of punishing the crooks.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 12:58:53 PM
Quote from: DavidRoss on December 22, 2010, 11:18:54 AM
Yes, I was interested, but the SecuROM issues made it no-sale as afar as I'm concerned.  I won't support a system that penalizes honest folks instead of punishing the crooks.

I feel you on that. The game is supposed to be pretty amazing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on December 22, 2010, 01:26:29 PM
Its a good shooter, but its not exactly a masterpiece. The System Shock games were much better.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 02:02:16 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on December 22, 2010, 01:26:29 PM
Its a good shooter, but its not exactly a masterpiece. The System Shock games were much better.

While that is quite true, given his liking for Fallout 3, and its setting, I suggested Bioshock, because it does share some parallels.

But the System Shock games were quite a thrill.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: J.Z. Herrenberg on December 22, 2010, 03:01:09 PM
Quote from: Wurstwasser on December 22, 2010, 08:58:16 AM
BTW, I recommend everybody to play Riven, it's the best in the Myst series if you ask me. It's sooooo lovely.
http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/riven_the_sequel_to_myst (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/riven_the_sequel_to_myst)

(http://www.mysterium.ch/riven/pictures/riven_03.jpg)

Another fan here. I also like the soundtrack a lot. I listen to it very often. Myst IV, Revelation, is also good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on December 22, 2010, 03:02:05 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on December 22, 2010, 02:02:16 PM
While that is quite true, given his liking for Fallout 3, and its setting, I suggested Bioshock, because it does share some parallels.

Well, Fallout 3 is a free roaming sandbox RPG with crappy dialog, crappy quests, crappy combat system, crappy visuals and, well, crappy everything really, but which somehow is still capable of engrossing people due to its scope. Bioshock is a railroaded shooter mixed with RPG elements, average combat and decent visuals. So what you get is a lot less freedom but a bit more quality. Frankly, he's better off with New Vegas. Same as Fallout 3 but with better writing and a few gameplay refinements.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 05, 2011, 04:44:10 AM
Installing WoW Cataclysm.

I am like a fish on a hook :'(

Edit: Golly, this fellow named King Greymane turned out to be a werewolf? What a startling bolt from the blue.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on January 13, 2011, 08:54:58 PM

     Only games I understand are FPS....the word "quest" gives me the heebie-jeebies.

     Could I have Neanderthal DNA?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 13, 2011, 09:43:12 PM
Quote from: drogulus on January 13, 2011, 08:54:58 PM
     Only games I understand are FPS....the word "quest" gives me the heebie-jeebies.

     Could I have Neanderthal DNA?

That is a little like my best friend - she can only "grasp" FPS with very minimal action - i.e. something close to real life in terms of both viewpoint and setting. Sadly this means that there's almost nothing for her to play :P Everything else she finds boring.

But, yes, your inability to carry out epic deeds for the king and his city by way of clearing mines of kobolds, seeking out the ghost pirate's lair and collecting stolen coins from the stomachs of boars for the reward of improved armour and weaponry do mean that you are in some profound way a girly man ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on January 14, 2011, 02:08:09 AM
    I do like Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife. That has "quest" in it. (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)

    (http://games.bigfishgames.com/en_luxor-quest-for-the-afterlife/screen1.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on January 14, 2011, 06:49:06 AM
Quote from: drogulus on January 14, 2011, 02:08:09 AM
    I do like Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife. That has "quest" in it. (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/grin.gif)

LOL  drogulous is a living Conquestador!

Thread Duty:  er...I'm not playing anything...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on January 15, 2011, 08:09:27 AM
     Does anyone here have fond memories of old games like Unreal Tournament, Quake or any of their offspring? I do, naturally. (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/smiley.gif) Speaking of which....I might seek out a DL of UT from somewhere. It's been awhile...(dissolve)

     (http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/3368/unrealtournamentlogo.jpg)

     Ah....I found the old demo I used to play. It works on Win 7 in XP compatibility mode, a minor miracle!

     
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on February 01, 2011, 01:06:50 AM
This is gonna be a great year:

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Duke Nukem: Forever never ever released
The legend of Zelda: Skyward sword.
Portal 2.

Just one question: When will Valve release Half life 2: episode 3?! Or, actually it really is more like Half Life 3: episode 3.

P.S. Oh, and by the way, FF VI is IMO way better than FF VII or FF IX.
P.P.S. Sam & Max Season 4, when will I laugh again?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 01, 2011, 05:14:58 AM
I've played the beginning of FF VI, and it seems great. I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up liking it as much as the others.

I tried installing two games on my computer yesterday: Silent Hill 2 and Bioshock. The first works fine, but the second... my laptop can't quite handle it. I guess high-end video games are the only reason to buy a powerful desktop (or, preferably, putting together a customized PC, which is cheaper).

But, I don't like sitting down on the computer- I like laying down and using my laptop, so I don't know how I'll be able to play Bioshock like this...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 01, 2011, 05:22:55 AM
I hope you like SH2, IMO it's the best of the series.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 01, 2011, 05:28:40 AM
That's the general impression of what I've read. "Silent Hill 2 is the best and has the best story" and "Silent Hill 3 is the creepiest and most disturbing." I might have to try 3 as well, then.  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 01, 2011, 05:34:04 AM
1-3 are all very good, 4 is okay, and interesting for trying something different. The biggest change was between 2-3. 1 and 2 had a lot of outdoor environments, 3 was almost exclusively indoor, with mandatory sewer levels, and that made it much less fun for me. The first I'd definitely suggest playing too, as it allows you to explore the town in a way the second doesn't.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 01, 2011, 07:06:59 AM
Quote from: Greg on February 01, 2011, 05:14:58 AM
I've played the beginning of FF VI, and it seems great. I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up liking it as much as the others.

That's my favorite RPG, and the best FF (though VII comes close.)

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on February 01, 2011, 11:26:14 AM
Quote from: -abe- on February 01, 2011, 07:06:59 AM
That's my favorite RPG, and the best FF (though VII comes close.)

Because of that line Kefka spares your life. All hail Kefka!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 02, 2011, 07:36:43 AM
Quote from: Alberich on February 01, 2011, 11:26:14 AM
Because of that line Kefka spares your life. All hail Kefka!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hqmeDtVEoE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hqmeDtVEoE)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 02, 2011, 09:33:26 AM
The orchestral version sounds cooler.

http://www.youtube.com/v/i0diTY8Ex14&feature=related

Though in terms of themes, Sephiroth's theme is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more evil sounding (especially the orchestral version).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 02, 2011, 06:16:10 PM
Greg, do share your thoughts about the game after you finish it. I'm reluctant to talk about it lest I spoil anything for you.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on February 03, 2011, 12:12:42 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YyNSVUqEao

If by Sephiroth's theme you mean one winged angel... then you must compare it with Kefka Dancing Mad, not with Kefka's theme. Kefka dancing mad begins after Kefka's theme in 1:19, goes through four phases. Second and third phase are my favorites, that uh-uh-uh-choir is badass and I would love to hear that organ part in church :P

And in case some of you didn't know, FF VI has also opera scene. :P

And Sephiroth: you tried to destroy the world and you failed. Kefka tried to destroy the world... and succeeded!   >:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 03, 2011, 06:25:14 AM
Quote from: -abe- on February 02, 2011, 06:16:10 PM
Greg, do share your thoughts about the game after you finish it. I'm reluctant to talk about it lest I spoil anything for you.
Can you wait several years?  :D
Really, I don't have tons of time to invest in stuff like this. I just played SH2 for about 15 minutes, and then turned it off and felt guilty about even playing it when I need to be working.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 17, 2011, 02:39:24 PM
http://greatgatsbygame.com/

Raging so hard at the boss. Even with the "standing at edge" tactic I can't hit it without being hit ;_: I suck at platformers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on February 17, 2011, 04:30:23 PM
I haven't played many video games in awhile. The last games I played were from last month or so and they were the following:


(http://www.wingdamage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/donkey-kong-country-review-snes-3.jpg)


A classic in my book. I loved the second installment of the series as well: Diddy's Kong Quest

(http://loyalkng.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/screwattacks-video-game-vault-ninja-warriors-taito-for-super-nintendo.jpg)


A very hard to find game now, this game is the SNES adaptation of the arcade game. This is such a fun game. Great action.

(http://cdn1.gamepro.com/box/box_111001-hd.jpg)


I almost have this game beat. I was very surprised by how good this game was even after reading all the negative reviews. It's essentially an advanced version of Resident Evil 4, but with different characters. Thankfully, I never played that game and I loved this one.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on February 17, 2011, 04:42:57 PM
Quote from: グレグ格雷格그래그-G on December 20, 2010, 07:52:52 AM
I wonder how Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet are...
I tried playing LittleBigPlanet at Best Buy before, but I couldn't figure it out. Very, very interesting graphics in that game.

Sorry for the late response, Greg, but I love Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet. Both games are great and really were apart of my reasons for buying a PS3 along with the series Uncharted, which is one of the most amazing gaming experiences I've had on any of the Playstation systems. Sony is coming out with a third installment to Uncharted, so I will be buying that one when it comes out. There is also another game that is keeping my interest peaked and it's The Last Guardian, which is from the innovative team who created Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2. If you haven't played these two games, then you should definitely see if you can't download them or buy them from a second-hand shop. They are so much fun and addicting!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 17, 2011, 06:08:05 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on February 17, 2011, 02:39:24 PM
http://greatgatsbygame.com/

Raging so hard at the boss. Even with the "standing at edge" tactic I can't hit it without being hit ;_: I suck at platformers.
I played Level 1 of that. Silly stuff, there, jumping over butlers and drunk guys throwing wine bottles...
I liked the Game Over screen because it was appropriate, "Game Over, old sport."


Quote from: Mirror Image on February 17, 2011, 04:42:57 PM
Sorry for the late response, Greg, but I love Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet. Both games are great and really were apart of my reasons for buying a PS3 along with the series Uncharted, which is one of the most amazing gaming experiences I've had on any of the Playstation systems. Sony is coming out with a third installment to Uncharted, so I will be buying that one when it comes out. There is also another game that is keeping my interest peaked and it's The Last Guardian, which is from the innovative team who created Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2. If you haven't played these two games, then you should definitely see if you can't download them or buy them from a second-hand shop. They are so much fun and addicting!
Cool... I've also heard good stuff about Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, though I haven't heard about The Last Guardian.

Right now, having fun playing a bit of Silent Hill 2 on and off. I'll probably take months to beat it, since I'm not playing much.
It's fun playing it in the dark, in complete silence...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on February 17, 2011, 06:16:13 PM
Quote from: グレグ格雷格그래그-G on February 17, 2011, 06:08:05 PMCool... I've also heard good stuff about Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, though I haven't heard about The Last Guardian.

Right now, having fun playing a bit of Silent Hill 2 on and off. I'll probably take months to beat it, since I'm not playing much.
It's fun playing it in the dark, in complete silence...

Sony will be releasing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus on the PS3 in HD format sometime this year. Even though I've played (and own) both games, I can only imagine how great the games will look with an HD picture enhancement. I suppose Sony is releasing these titles, as they did with the previous God of War games, to wet our appetite for the main course coming later this year (hopefully).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: chasmaniac on February 18, 2011, 02:18:53 AM
Gary Grigsby's War in the East.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 21, 2011, 05:49:25 PM
Here's a cool article about the guy who got the source code of Half Life 2 before it was released:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-02-21-the-boy-who-stole-half-life-2-article?page=1
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 22, 2011, 04:50:23 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on February 17, 2011, 04:42:57 PM
Sorry for the late response, Greg, but I love Resident Evil 5 and LittleBigPlanet. Both games are great and really were apart of my reasons for buying a PS3 along with the series Uncharted, which is one of the most amazing gaming experiences I've had on any of the Playstation systems. Sony is coming out with a third installment to Uncharted, so I will be buying that one when it comes out. There is also another game that is keeping my interest peaked and it's The Last Guardian, which is from the innovative team who created Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2. If you haven't played these two games, then you should definitely see if you can't download them or buy them from a second-hand shop. They are so much fun and addicting!

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are greating re-released on the PS3 in HD format on the same disc. It'll be called the Team Ico collection. Haven't played either and I'll eventually buy that compilation as people speak highly of those games. =D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on February 23, 2011, 04:46:19 AM
It is grim.  I sold my XBox360, steering wheel, the lot, so I could concentrate on writing instead of frittering away playing games.  But I miss games!   :(
On my laptop right now I have ressurected a game made 10 years ago, called Grand Prix 4.
:( :'(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on February 23, 2011, 05:48:23 AM
Quote from: chasmaniac on February 18, 2011, 02:18:53 AM
Gary Grigsby's War in the East.

Curious what you think of it-- I'm a old military board gamer (which was probably at it's height in the 70s), and have been wondering about computer games that can scratch the same itch.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 23, 2011, 05:58:51 AM
Quote from: John of Glasgow on February 23, 2011, 04:46:19 AM
It is grim.  I sold my XBox360, steering wheel, the lot, so I could concentrate on writing instead of frittering away playing games.  But I miss games!   :(
On my laptop right now I have ressurected a game made 10 years ago, called Grand Prix 4.
:( :'(
Arrrghh... somehow this reminded me of a game I used to play up until around 7 years ago- a racing game called "Pod." Now I'm going to have to play this again...

Anyways, I'm not sure selling that stuff was a good idea- maybe just learning how to play for a very short time each day (and only if you have a strong urge to play in the first place)?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on February 23, 2011, 07:52:21 AM
Quote from: chasmaniac on February 18, 2011, 02:18:53 AM
Gary Grigsby's War in the East.

How are you liking it?  I have it, but have not been able to find the time to play it much. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on February 23, 2011, 11:45:05 AM
Quote from: Greg on February 23, 2011, 05:58:51 AM
Arrrghh... somehow this reminded me of a game I used to play up until around 7 years ago- a racing game called "Pod." Now I'm going to have to play this again...
Anyways, I'm not sure selling that stuff was a good idea- maybe just learning how to play for a very short time each day (and only if you have a strong urge to play in the first place)?

Thank you Greg.  I never did try Pod, but everything in me wants to race...almost all the time...and race...and win....and race...and race...online racing with F1 2010 was gobbling up my days.   :(  The only way to cure myself was to get rid of the darn thing.   :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on February 24, 2011, 05:00:47 AM
I'm currentlt playing Dead Space.
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR619iYAZMk9OOXSgk5N6a42mT7Zq1ZrDwJ-7P75RH1uHPYd7B7PQ&t=1)

Funny thing is that I bought it a year ago, but "unfortunately" bought one of the Sega Total War series at the same time.  End result is that I ended up buying all of the Sega Total War series, and playing them pretty compulsively.  Got back into console gaming with Fallout New Vegas, and after about 150 hours, I'm willing to let it go.  (For all of it's warts, I still love the open endedness of FNV, and I must admit it was a game where you'd spend hours away from the console wondering about what to do with your virtual life).

Anyway, since Dead Space 2 is coming out, I figured I'd give the original a try.  THis is definitely one to play on a big screen with headphones and the lights out. 

Graphics are pretty sharp for a 2008 release- much better than FNV.  Atmosphere is phenomenal.  Pretty much imaging being on the Nostromo from the movie Alien, except that it had 1000 crew members originally, but they have died and mutated into voracious creatures patterned after the creature in John Carpenter's remake of the Thing.   The monsters are definitely creepy, crawl in the ductwork, and came at you from all angles in 3D.  ANd better yet, you can't kill them with headshots-- you need to employ the tactic of strategic dismemberment.

(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRBunV3Es4X-mVPbOZQB59B0dyqFd-aWMsXpcEmoflNWDi6Blc1ig)

They also used an "over the shoulder view" that removes the need to have an HUD all the time.   For these alone, it's worth the ride if you like survival horror along the lines of Doom.  Pop ups for inventory and such are rendered as holographs, and are cool.  Nice creepy sounds and mumuring voices in the background.

What's not to like?  It's unbelievably linear.  Go there, get this part, fix that.  If you need help finding your objects, you can have the game display a straight line for where you need to go.  You get to interact with a few other living crew members, but there are no dialog trees.  I'm also not a big fan of puzzles-- and there are a few that may not tax your brain, but I don't get the point of punishing a  player with boredom.  When you replay the game, you can take some of the neat weapons you build with you to start over (and then jack up the complexity), but it will be the same path every time.

So, for the moment, I'm definitely enjoying it.  If you liked Alien, the remake of the Thing, and Doom, it will definitely give you some thrills, but there really isn't much strategic thought beyond getting through the next room alive.  I don't see this getting as much replay from me. 

Also, in mid March, the next Total War release is coming out, and a campaign in that will take a month or two of my gaming time.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on February 24, 2011, 05:30:44 PM
Can you believe this?
I AM 45 YEARS OLD.
I am playing this.
I like it.
WTF?   ???

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 24, 2011, 05:54:54 PM
Quote from: John of Glasgow on February 24, 2011, 05:30:44 PM
Can you believe this?
I AM 45 YEARS OLD.
I am playing this.
I like it.
WTF?   ???
That's good. It means you are fun and interested in new things...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on February 25, 2011, 12:04:43 AM
Quote from: John of Glasgow on February 24, 2011, 05:30:44 PM
Can you believe this?
I AM 45 YEARS OLD.
I am playing this.
I like it.
WTF?   ???

I got my father hooked to Warcraft II once. He was 52 at the time and had never played a video game before (except for a few old arcade classics as a teen). I guess its never too late to be a kid.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on February 25, 2011, 12:54:28 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on February 25, 2011, 12:04:43 AM
I guess its never too late to be a kid.

Amen.  And as I frequently say, "If you can't be childlike, you can always be childish."
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: chasmaniac on February 26, 2011, 11:13:06 AM
Quote from: jowcol on February 23, 2011, 05:48:23 AM
Curious what you think of it-- I'm a old military board gamer (which was probably at it's height in the 70s), and have been wondering about computer games that can scratch the same itch.



Also to bwv 1080:

My comparison is to SPI's War in Europe, now DG's CWiE-win. The GG game does what the old one never quite did. Retains the scope and an essentially simple combat/movement system, while providing a gorgeous map, detailed and accurate OOBs, and a great deal of chrome in the form of detailed supply, air and support units, and command. Moreover, you can ramp up your play by letting the game handle air and support functions while you concentrate on pushing units. It has an AI that is capable on defence, and graduated difficulty levels. The UI can be clunky, but you get used to it. IMO, it is the definitive eastfront game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 26, 2011, 03:41:53 PM
I have a vague idea for the game that I want to design in the future.

<Plot>
I'm thinking it should start off in a world that is almost heavenly. There will only be women in this game that make up the entire population (20 or so years old and hot)- however, they are not sexual or anything, so it's not just a bunch of lesbians running around  ::). They don't (can't) reproduce, but can't die, either, and they also have no idea where they even came from and can't remember the beginning of their lives.

The world is an amazingly fun, innocent place until things slowly go downhill. People start dying, one by one, from some type of unknown illness until finally, your character is the last one. She is on her deathbed, and at the end of the game, accepts her death. She dies and that is the end of the game.
</Plot>

While looking at my wallpaper, I was listening to the second movement of Beethoven op.109, and imagined the character the player controlled looking like Mikuru (light brown-haired girl on the left), walking through a European-style town. While she runs around (the way girls hold their hands up when they run), the wind blows through her hair gently and discovers a pianist playing that Beethoven sonata outside, and you have the option of just standing there and listening, or leaving whenever you want.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Swi448MKCec/TVMiXj1JXEI/AAAAAAAAOAw/maantumrDpU/s1600/suzumiya_haruhi_scan_4f9eaee1.jpg)



Of course, this is just a current idea. Most likely I'll never make a game just like this, but maybe it'll have some elements.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on March 01, 2011, 06:33:02 AM
Quote from: chasmaniac on February 26, 2011, 11:13:06 AM


Also to bwv 1080:

My comparison is to SPI's War in Europe, now DG's CWiE-win. The GG game does what the old one never quite did. Retains the scope and an essentially simple combat/movement system, while providing a gorgeous map, detailed and accurate OOBs, and a great deal of chrome in the form of detailed supply, air and support units, and command. Moreover, you can ramp up your play by letting the game handle air and support functions while you concentrate on pushing units. It has an AI that is capable on defence, and graduated difficulty levels. The UI can be clunky, but you get used to it. IMO, it is the definitive eastfront game.

Thanks for the description-- my knees still haven't recovered from a couple of campaign games from SPI's War in Europe.  (For those who aren't familiar, SPI was one of the leading companies making board wargames in the 70s, or IMO, THE leading company).

Sort of tangent, but if any of you were part of that scene, you might find it interesting.  I was doing some research a couple of years back on Situation Awareness in decision support systems, and the name of one of the authors on a paper I was reading was Al Nofi-- one of the writers to Strategy and Tactics magazine. I wrote him, primarily about the paper, but also about the old days, and got a very nice reply. After that, I took a chance and looked up Jim Dunnigan (the guy who developed most of their games), and got a really nice reply in about an hour. 

Okay, nostalgia aside, it would be nice to keep the map and pieces on a hard drive instead of devoting a room to it for several months.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Marc on March 19, 2011, 12:37:01 PM
Deeply inspired by the Formula 1 thread ànd by Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge, I played an exhibition game with NHL 2004: Atlanta Thrashers vs Calgary Flames. As it turned out, after a tough battle I myself scored the only goal of the night for the Flames, in overtime!

;D

(http://i51.tinypic.com/351s93l.jpg)

GO FLAMES, GO!!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on March 19, 2011, 02:56:41 PM
Last video game I beat was Super Metroid — engaging, epic length and genuinely creepy atmosphere. The music is good too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 19, 2011, 02:59:12 PM
HIPSTER! :)

Edit: actually, I am one to talk - the last game I played through was Valis: The Fantasm Soldier, which was stupidly easy and annoying. The cutscenes took up almost as much time as the gameplay, and they were beyond dire - this seems a good example (skip to near the end, then it carries into the next one):

http://www.youtube.com/v/jfsw2vRQpig

After a few minutes I just went to make lunch :\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on March 19, 2011, 03:04:01 PM
u_u
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 19, 2011, 03:59:28 PM
Playing through Arcanum (as a dwarf technologist) and Spycraft (learned about a totally new ending).

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 19, 2011, 04:10:25 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on March 19, 2011, 02:59:12 PM
HIPSTER! :)

Edit: actually, I am one to talk - the last game I played through was Valis: The Fantasm Soldier, which was stupidly easy and annoying. The cutscenes took up almost as much time as the gameplay, and they were beyond dire - this seems a good example (skip to near the end, then it carries into the next one):
Lol... that was... quite pathetic...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on March 20, 2011, 08:15:11 PM
     I was an Avalon Hill gamer back in the early '60s. I had D-Day, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on March 19, 2011, 02:59:12 PM

The cutscenes took up almost as much time as the gameplay, and they were beyond dire - this seems a good example (skip to near the end, then it carries into the next one):



After a few minutes I just went to make lunch :\

     Yeah, that's pretty stupefying.

     My niece likes to play board games with her uncle and (http://pested.ifas.ufl.edu/newsletters/2009-10/fireant.jpg) when we go visit. Some of these games give me trouble because I'm supposed to act out something or draw a picture. I prefer rolling dice and moving a piece or answering a question from a card. Oh well, she turned 13 a couple weeks ago so this phase won't last much longer.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on March 20, 2011, 09:19:57 PM
(http://www.gamexchanger.co.uk/images/B001CN8LUA/main.jpg)

Aye.
If anyone ever plays this, I'll race their sorry asses clean off the map.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 24, 2011, 11:49:09 AM
Just had a shot at Homefront - well worth avoiding. The average to good mainstream reviews were no doubt bribe money - all the indies I've enountered seem to hate it for the same reasons I do: it's a rubbish game and not fun as a shooter.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 25, 2011, 12:59:43 PM
(http://images.wikia.com/falloutsuomi/fi/images/c/c1/Fallout2cover.jpg)

After a long pause, it's time to restart maybe the greatest RPG of all time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 01:01:27 PM
Quote from: Alberich on March 25, 2011, 12:59:43 PM
(http://images.wikia.com/falloutsuomi/fi/images/c/c1/Fallout2cover.jpg)

After a long pause, it's time to restart maybe the greatest RPG of all time.

After Arcanum.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on March 25, 2011, 02:41:33 PM
nah, it's EarthBound! :3
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 25, 2011, 07:01:32 PM
But who has played every RPG to know which one is the greatest?...  :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 07:06:03 PM
Quote from: Greg on March 25, 2011, 07:01:32 PM
But who has played every RPG to know which one is the greatest?...  :-X

I have a friend who has, essentially. And he says that Planescape: Torment is the best.

... but it's really Arcanum.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 25, 2011, 07:18:14 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 07:06:03 PM
I have a friend who has, essentially. And he says that Planescape: Torment is the best.

... but it's really Arcanum.
Has he went to Japan and played all of the obscure RPGs that haven't been released elsewhere, as well?  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 07:19:12 PM
Quote from: Greg on March 25, 2011, 07:18:14 PM
Has he went to Japan and played all of the obscure RPGs that haven't been released elsewhere, as well?  ;)

He hasn't gone to Japan, but he has planed most of the jrpgs. Let's just say he doesn't have much of a life...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 25, 2011, 07:31:05 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 07:19:12 PM
He hasn't gone to Japan, but he has planed most of the jrpgs. Let's just say he doesn't have much of a life...
Well, if he gets to play video games all day, that sounds like a fun life. I surely had more fun back in the days when all I did was play video games and guitar all day compared to now. Of course, if he has no social life at all, that's not a good thing, either.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 25, 2011, 07:33:48 PM
Quote from: Greg on March 25, 2011, 07:31:05 PM
Well, if he gets to play video games all day, that sounds like a fun life. I surely had more fun back in the days when all I did was play video games and guitar all day compared to now. Of course, if he has no social life at all, that's not a good thing, either.

Well... he likes the things he likes. More power to him, he's where I get all of my anime recommendations from.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 26, 2011, 01:55:31 AM
Well, no. Best RPG is actually FF VI.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 26, 2011, 08:53:44 AM
Quote from: Alberich on March 26, 2011, 01:55:31 AM
Well, no. Best RPG is actually FF VI.

That is so far from the truth. It isn't even the best Final Fantasy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 26, 2011, 01:46:43 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on March 26, 2011, 08:53:44 AM
That is so far from the truth. It isn't even the best Final Fantasy.
Which is your favorite FF, out of curiosity?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on March 26, 2011, 02:10:13 PM
Quote from: Greg on March 26, 2011, 01:46:43 PM
Which is your favorite FF, out of curiosity?

My favorite is No. 4/2, but I don't really care for that series at all (at least the playing of it).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on March 27, 2011, 07:24:20 AM
Playing this:

(http://www.mariowiki.com/images/thumb/4/4e/Superstars.PNG/250px-Superstars.PNG)

Really cute and fun so far — a lot like the Paper Mario games but less trippy and weird.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 28, 2011, 08:49:40 PM
Anyone been bitten by the Minecraft bug? It seems the ultimate mess around for a while, leave, then return to again and again kind of game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on March 29, 2011, 09:58:40 AM
This thread makes me happy whenever I return to it. :D

Re: Minecraft, I've even seen people in lecture theatres play it. Yet... Call me contrarian, but I get a Portal reaction to it: not yet.


And the best cRPG of all time is definitely Planescape: Torment, Philo's friend is right.

(The same way Mahler's 9th is unequivocally the best symphony, and other such indisputable universal truths. ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 29, 2011, 11:35:06 AM
Quote from: Renfield on March 29, 2011, 09:58:40 AM
(The same way Mahler's 9th is unequivocally the best symphony, and other such indisputable universal truths. ;)
And that's why I take this man seriously.  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 31, 2011, 08:24:52 PM
Quote from: Renfield on March 29, 2011, 09:58:40 AM
Re: Minecraft, I've even seen people in lecture theatres play it. Yet... Call me contrarian, but I get a Portal reaction to it: not yet.

Bear in mind that it doesn't really work as a singleplayer game unless you have a plan for something (like some replica city/building) - SP is sort of like the tutorial. In survival mode online it's much more fun, collaborating to make things and dicking around in general - it's like WoW guilds but without the feeling that you're forced to do anything useful.

I recently played: You Are Empty. The terrible reviews of it are right in a lot of ways but miss the point - this is a throwback game and anyone who has played stuff like Redneck Rampage will see the charm of this old-style gameplay mechanic. The graphics aren't an issue either - the urban environments had very impressive scale and depth in their background scenery, and despite being a corridor shooter felt quite nicely expansive on rooftop parts. It is a bit of a genre game, and after the first area isn't particularly scary - more of a very slightly creepy shooter than horror. The worst thing about it was how it had a perfectly good plot, but revealed it in oblique and uninteresting ways. The artsy between-level videos should've been dropped and cutscenes added, and at least allow for some eavesdropping.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 08, 2011, 05:01:36 AM
Somehow the makers of Silent Hill 2 expect me to able to read this code.

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/SilentHill2-CodeforCinderellaMusicBox.jpg?t=1302267600)

And I need to in order to progress through the game. Maybe they didn't actually test through all of the possibilities?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 09, 2011, 03:46:40 PM
The word was "down." Apparently, other positive combinations people get include "doom" and "lose."  ::)
Well, I beat Silent Hill 2 and it was a pretty good game!

Now I got Half-Life 2 up and running- a little jerky on my computer, but still playable. I have high expectations for this one.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 09, 2011, 03:57:01 PM
SH2 was a nice game, but WTF was that ending clip. Just when I thought the script had finished it had more and more and more lines of silly wiffle stuff.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 09, 2011, 04:05:13 PM
I finished it late at night and had to go to sleep. That letter at the end was so painfully tedious, "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh James!!! I miss you, darling" blah blah blah just shut the f*** up. Getting through that letter was nearly torturous.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 11, 2011, 01:40:47 AM
Quote from: Greg on April 09, 2011, 03:46:40 PM
Now I got Half-Life 2 up and running- a little jerky on my computer, but still playable. I have high expectations for this one.  8)

Hopefully you have played the first one too (and Opposing force and Blue shift). Nothing beats running around in research facility complex, killing aliens because of invasion that was caused by resonance cascade and beating the shit out of highly trained soldiers as mere scientist, while The Smoking Man from X-files stalks you.

...Ok, Xen might be little annoying to some people.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 11, 2011, 03:01:33 AM
Hated Xen, not enough ammunition. I had to cheat through it :\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 11, 2011, 06:31:45 AM
Quote from: Alberich on April 11, 2011, 01:40:47 AM
Hopefully you have played the first one too (and Opposing force and Blue shift). Nothing beats running around in research facility complex, killing aliens because of invasion that was caused by resonance cascade and beating the shit out of highly trained soldiers as mere scientist, while The Smoking Man from X-files stalks you.

...Ok, Xen might be little annoying to some people.
The original was one of my favorite games. I kinda like Xen, because it was really out there. I was thought it would have been suitable to play some Xenakis electroacoustic music in those levels.  :D

Anyone ever watch the "Freeman's Mind" channel?
http://www.youtube.com/user/freemanmind?blend=3&ob=4#p/a/u/0/JF8Kj7JB7mM

It's basically some guy making his way through Half-Life while voicing over what Freeman's thoughts are (it's professional, and pretty funny). The unfortunate thing is how long you have to wait for new videos, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 11, 2011, 07:31:45 AM
I've played possibly one of the worst rpgs ever: FF XIII.  Well I did for 8 hours anyway.  There is a limit to how much time I can spend walking in a straight line, going through attacks by spamming the x button, and watching angsty cut scenes.

I enjoyed Dragon Age 2, but it froze up my ps3 several times over.  And I guess the haters make valid points, but I enjoyed it anyway.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 11, 2011, 04:16:13 PM
It's really sad to hear all of that about FF XIII. Not many people like it, and it seems to be going downhill. I haven't played it, but I'm not even interested in it after having watched quite a bit on youtube. It looks stupid, and the being "too linear" thing doesn't sound promising.

Hopefully Square Enix can get their act together by the time XIV (... uhh, wait, that's an MMORPG)... I mean, XV, comes out. Or they could make a long-awaited sequel to Chrono Cross or Chrono Trigger, which they should have done years ago.

It would be cool to have a first person RPG. Think of the interactivity of Half-Life 2 mixed with the environment, story line, side quests, etc. of a Final Fantasy game...  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 11, 2011, 07:20:16 PM
Quote from: Greg on April 11, 2011, 04:16:13 PM
It looks stupid, and the being "too linear" thing doesn't sound promising.
Yeah talk about too linear-- I walked down a small corridor for 8 hours!  Sheesh!!

Quote from: Greg on April 11, 2011, 04:16:13 PM
Hopefully Square Enix can get their act together by the time XIV (... uhh, wait, that's an MMORPG)... I mean, XV, comes out.
The next one is actually going to be XIII-2, stupid numbering systems. 

Quote from: Greg on April 11, 2011, 04:16:13 PM
It would be cool to have a first person RPG. Think of the interactivity of Half-Life 2 mixed with the environment, story line, side quests, etc. of a Final Fantasy game...  8)

I think that was called Fallout 3. ;D Well actually Oblivion is a first person rpg as well... and hey Skyrim comes out in Fall.  Speaking of which these are the three games I'm really looking forward to:

Skyrim
Mass Effect 3
Portal 2

And one of those comes out this month!! :)  Anyone looking forward to any of the new gamers... or am I surrounded by retro gamers?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 11, 2011, 07:47:55 PM
Ah, yes... I see what you mean about Fallout 3. I meant to say "a first person JRPG", though...

I guess I'm a semi-retro gamer.  :-[ PS1, PS2 games, etc., but not much more after that for me. Probably a good thing I don't have that distraction, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 11, 2011, 08:32:44 PM
I am waiting on DLC for Fallout NV, and trying to suppress the futile dream that Deus Ex 3 won't suck :c
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 12, 2011, 11:48:48 AM
IMO this is one of the funniest web comics ever.

http://www.hlcomic.com/

BTW, what do ya think about Red dead redemption? I personally love it, even though many might say that it is overrated (IMO, if something is overrated, it's GTA 4) and along with Vice city and San Andreas it is my favorite Rockstar game. Maybe it has something to do with my admiration concerning westerns.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 12, 2011, 01:22:43 PM
I didn't care for GTA 4 but I've enjoyed Red Dead when I rented it, want to buy it.  I feel like I'm in the wild west and I'm like wow!  In gta 4 I feel like I'm in a generic city driving a car that handles like a wet bar of soap.  It's just not my thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 12, 2011, 10:01:40 PM
I've never played an MMO in my life yet from what I seen of "Guild Wars 2," it might be a game worth checking out, especially since it isn't subscription based.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5wBIPF8bGA
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on April 14, 2011, 05:48:04 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on April 11, 2011, 08:32:44 PM
I am waiting on DLC for Fallout NV, and trying to suppress the futile dream that Deus Ex 3 won't suck :c

Supposedly, Avellone was in charge of that (the guy who was in charge of Torment). Its supposed to be very good, better then New Vegas at least in terms of writing. Waiting for a PC release myself.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on April 17, 2011, 08:13:06 PM
The best in the series:

[asin]B00009M7Q8[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 17, 2011, 09:07:39 PM
Getting all geared up for the new Deus Ex game?

I'm playing Fable 3, like the other Fable games really goofy, it's fun.  Fun enough I can excuse the stupid replacement they have for menus. ::)

I don't even get why they thought that any gamer demographic, including casual, disliked menus??  Menus as in the thing in all of our computer programs?  The thing that everyone knows how to use?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 02:46:46 AM
(http://s3-llnw-screenshots.wegame.com/9-3432065224079888/3432065224079888_l.jpg)

Its going to be prophetic. Mark my word.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 18, 2011, 05:40:52 AM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 17, 2011, 09:07:39 PM
Getting all geared up for the new Deus Ex game?

I'm playing Fable 3, like the other Fable games really goofy, it's fun.  Fun enough I can excuse the stupid replacement they have for menus. ::)

I don't even get why they thought that any gamer demographic, including casual, disliked menus??  Menus as in the thing in all of our computer programs?  The thing that everyone knows how to use?
So what do they use instead of menus? I couldn't imagine a game of any complexity being playable without menus.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 18, 2011, 06:13:38 AM
Starcraft 2 player Jinro returning home for a few days to compete in a tournament. It's cute to see a professional gamer who has parents who are actually interested in what he does - his dad watches all his matches, etc. Often parents tend to all but disown their kids if they try to go down this career path.

(http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9582/jinroparonen.jpg) (http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/spela/article12860418.ab)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 18, 2011, 06:25:08 AM
Quote from: Greg on April 18, 2011, 05:40:52 AM
So what do they use instead of menus? I couldn't imagine a game of any complexity being playable without menus.

It's called the sanctuary, when you hit start you go there and it's like a house filled with rooms.  For instance want to change your weapon, you click start to go to the armory and then either you hit left on the D-pad or you walk into the armory go up to the weapon you want to equip, select a, then select a again.  Then you can hit start again to go back into the game.

With a menu system it would take 10-20 seconds, with the sanctuary it takes closer to a minute. ::)

(http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/11/119398/1656567-fable_iii_screenshot__sanctuary__super.jpg)
(http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/fable3-sanctuary.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 18, 2011, 06:26:07 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 02:46:46 AM
Its going to be prophetic. Mark my word.

Wow!  It's not even out yet!  I'll play it anyway but if you're right, dang I'll admit it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 18, 2011, 06:30:54 AM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 18, 2011, 06:25:08 AM
It's called the sanctuary, when you hit start you go there and it's like a house filled with rooms.  For instance want to change your weapon, you click start to go to the armory and then either you hit left on the D-pad or you walk into the armory go up to the weapon you want to equip, select a, then select a again.  Then you can hit start again to go back into the game.
Lol, that's a really dumb idea.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 02:18:23 PM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 17, 2011, 09:07:39 PM
I don't even get why they thought that any gamer demographic, including casual, disliked menus??  Menus as in the thing in all of our computer programs?  The thing that everyone knows how to use?

Must be a console thing. Lowest common denominator, and all that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 18, 2011, 02:29:27 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 02:18:23 PM
Must be a console thing. Lowest common denominator, and all that.

You laugh now... but most of the pc games these days are just console ports.  That's why I put my desktop away.  The console demographic is the only demographic devs care about these days.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on April 18, 2011, 03:13:29 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 02:46:46 AM
(http://s3-llnw-screenshots.wegame.com/9-3432065224079888/3432065224079888_l.jpg)

Its going to be prophetic. Mark my word.

That picture should be flipped.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 18, 2011, 03:22:36 PM
I'm reminded of this, and even though I liked DA 2, it's pretty true:

(http://i55.tinypic.com/25stp40.jpg) (http://i55.tinypic.com/25stp40.jpg) (click on it to see a bigger version of the picture)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on April 18, 2011, 06:37:31 PM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 18, 2011, 03:22:36 PM
I'm reminded of this, and even though I liked DA 2, it's pretty true:

(http://i55.tinypic.com/25stp40.jpg) (http://i55.tinypic.com/25stp40.jpg) (click on it to see a bigger version of the picture)

I don't think that's true at all. If you want obnoxious dialogue trees, just go the Elder Scroll route.

Also, there is this:
http://www.youtube.com/v/_CaSKhrURIw
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 10:59:25 PM
Elder Scrolls don't have dialog threes, just wiki style topic windows. Worked fine on Daggerfall, not so much in the rest of the series.

And i hope you are not hinting that Torment dialog system was in any way "obnoxious". Even disregarding the atrocious amount of dumping down, Bioware's new wheel system is just plain stupid. Half the time the character's dialog line doesn't even reflect the choice you made. Not that it matters of course, since the outcome is the same regardless. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 19, 2011, 05:56:14 AM
Glad to see I'm not the only one that dislikes Bioware's tree.  Choosing between good, evil and sarcastic is not much of a choice.  Perhaps I would like a chance to choose an actual different response other than three shades of "I'll do it".
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on April 19, 2011, 02:39:08 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on April 18, 2011, 10:59:25 PM
Elder Scrolls don't have dialog threes, just wiki style topic windows. Worked fine on Daggerfall, not so much in the rest of the series.

And i hope you are not hinting that Torment dialog system was in any way "obnoxious". Even disregarding the atrocious amount of dumping down, Bioware's new wheel system is just plain stupid. Half the time the character's dialog line doesn't even reflect the choice you made. Not that it matters of course, since the outcome is the same regardless.

Elder scrolls tree is definitely structured like an encyclopedia, but it is still a tree.

It was obnoxious, but in a good way. I adore the insane amount of choices available.

I will agree with your last statement, mostly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on April 20, 2011, 12:45:17 PM
Without wanting to be 'that guy', I think you gentlemen may be selling Bioware's dialogue system a little short. The 'wheel' was put to use by Obsidian in Alpha Protocol, and had little issue coping with a wide variety of choices there*. Ditto for Bioware's own DA2, to a greater extent than the Mass Effects.


Contemporary gamer here, BTW. :P Just not always with enough time on my hands to post in a timely fashion!

Re: Deus Ex 3, it will either work, or it won't. At worst, it'll be a well-engineered fan tribute, a la Heroes V. I honestly don't think they'd risk the brand with a game that is bad per se; what the audience will claim, however, is another issue. DA2 reminded me how dumb the PC Gaming Master Race really is!

And that's speaking as someone who didn't own a console until 10 years after I played my first PC game. 8)



*Unless by 'wide' you mean 'Fallout 2' (or New Vegas) - a niche experiment on player choice, despite my being very much in that niche.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 20, 2011, 01:01:00 PM
Even ignoring the idiot wheel, DA2 was depressingly unacceptable. The texture work was also horrible, the weren't even pretending that this wasn't an Xbox game. The opening is as bad as I can recall in any modern game, thrown into a shitty brown desert with a cohort of idiots with no personality and a plot scrawled on the back of a napkin.

(http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9224/ragei.jpg)

I am of course kind of biased against this even more than its badness warrants as I was witness to what a bullshit company Bioware now is. 4chan's /v/ was basically ruined for the runup to release due to their attempts at marketing, which in turn created a backlash, which basically led to the most intense trolling shitstorm which locked the whole place down. Taking advantage of social media is one thing, but realising you have a turd on your hands and instead of listening to fan feedback,* scrambling to make fake positive feedback on every aggregator you can find is just behaviour that indicates this is a company gone badly astray.

*From people on the official forums with accounts dated years old and lengthy posting records - not same-day signups. They just locked every thread trying to discuss it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 20, 2011, 01:43:57 PM
Quote from: Renfield on April 20, 2011, 12:45:17 PM
Without wanting to be 'that guy', I think you gentlemen may be selling Bioware's dialogue system a little short. The 'wheel' was put to use by Obsidian in Alpha Protocol, and had little issue coping with a wide variety of choices there*. Ditto for Bioware's own DA2, to a greater extent than the Mass Effects.

I haven't played Alpha Protocol since the previous Obsidian games I've played were buggy, broken and incomplete.  But I've played all of those Bioware games and I've noticed in DA 2 and ME 2 you really don't have any options other than karma related.  I mean you have

* I won't do it (if an optional side quest).
* I'll do it because I'm an angel.
* I'll do it for gold.
* I'll do it because I'm evil.
* Sarcastic joke and I'll do it.

... and it's always a fetch quest in DA 2.  That's not choice.  In other rpgs like Dragon Age 1, Oblivion, Knights of the Old Republic etc you faced moral dilemmas, or an inability to complete the quest if you took another quest, and they involved diplomacy, solving a mystery, theft, murder other neat things. 

In DA 2 the only real choices you have are at the end of the game... and they result in the same boss battles anyway!  In ME 2 I don't think you really have any choice in the game.  Contrast that with Vampires: Masquerade Bloodlines in which you had four different endings and great replay value.  Or constrast with Dragon Age 1 where just your choice of race led to a different beginning game!

Not only are options not present... but in Dragon Age 2 being able to persuade people is not a present skill.  I really enjoyed being able to talk someone into revealing information with a high persuade skill in many other rpgs.

Bioware's devs realized that to tell a story you have to do it Final Fantasy style, and not offer choice, and they admitted in an interview! (well they didn't say FF style because they don't consider FFs to be rpgs).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 20, 2011, 01:49:25 PM
Quote from: Renfield on April 20, 2011, 12:45:17 PMWithout wanting to be 'that guy', I think you gentlemen may be selling
And that's speaking as someone who didn't own a console until 10 years after I played my first PC game. 8)

Sounds like me too.  I went from nes as a kid to not having a console until the 360.  I completely missed out on the ps1, ps2 and the xbox generations.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on April 20, 2011, 11:35:41 PM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 20, 2011, 01:43:57 PM
I haven't played Alpha Protocol since the previous Obsidian games I've played were buggy, broken and incomplete.  But I've played all of those Bioware games and I've noticed in DA 2 and ME 2 you really don't have any options other than karma related.  I mean you have

They are not as buggy, broken or incomplete as they are made out to be. The problem with Obsidian is that they are trying to play second fiddle to Bioware because they are too afraid of making the game they would really want to make, since there is no market potential for a real RPG. They made a small attempt with Mask of the Betrayer, and that expansion must have not sold a lot because the next one was pure action. You should try it, BTW. Its a very good expansion.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Renfield on April 21, 2011, 01:42:27 AM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 20, 2011, 01:43:57 PM
I haven't played Alpha Protocol since the previous Obsidian games I've played were buggy, broken and incomplete.  But I've played all of those Bioware games and I've noticed in DA 2 and ME 2 you really don't have any options other than karma related.  I mean you have

* I won't do it (if an optional side quest).
* I'll do it because I'm an angel.
* I'll do it for gold.
* I'll do it because I'm evil.
* Sarcastic joke and I'll do it.

... and it's always a fetch quest in DA 2.  That's not choice.  In other rpgs like Dragon Age 1, Oblivion, Knights of the Old Republic etc you faced moral dilemmas, or an inability to complete the quest if you took another quest, and they involved diplomacy, solving a mystery, theft, murder other neat things. 

In DA 2 the only real choices you have are at the end of the game... and they result in the same boss battles anyway!  In ME 2 I don't think you really have any choice in the game.  Contrast that with Vampires: Masquerade Bloodlines in which you had four different endings and great replay value.  Or constrast with Dragon Age 1 where just your choice of race led to a different beginning game!

Not only are options not present... but in Dragon Age 2 being able to persuade people is not a present skill.  I really enjoyed being able to talk someone into revealing information with a high persuade skill in many other rpgs.

Bioware's devs realized that to tell a story you have to do it Final Fantasy style, and not offer choice, and they admitted in an interview! (well they didn't say FF style because they don't consider FFs to be rpgs).

And this is where I have to politely disagree.

Clearly, like I said above, Bioware does not aim for Troika-style RPGs. Their narrative have always been linear-plus-minor-permutations.

Much like a lot of classical era composers (and thank goodness this is a forum I can make that comparison in :D), they work on pre-determined narrative frames, but it's in the involving presentation of the familiar narratives that they excel, when excel they do (e.g. DA: O).

The reason I invoked DA2, to which both you and Lethe reacted as I was afraid you would, is precisely because I am still at a loss to explain why so many people, otherwise thoughtful and thorough commentators, judge it based on a form it was never intended to represent! DA2 is certainly very self-consciously 'different'. Its art style is different, and clearly that's a perfectly valid reason to complain, if one does not appreciate the change. But as a narrative, it simply is not a fantasy RPG anymore.

Its plot is as see-through as - extreme example - Crime and Punishment: tension exists, shit happens, consequences are pondered. To that extent, I don't think the story is the point at all. There's no One Ring. What there is, rather, is a somewhat unrefined (by the standards of literature and cinema) attempt to explore moral conflicts in a fantasy wrapping, packaged with absolutely superlative real-time tactical combat mechanics*. The main difference with DA:O is that it no longer cares to dress its goals in Tolkien-love-letter wrapping.

In some ways, DA2's problem is the reverse of New Vegas', which really is Troika's Fallout 3, but that was lost on many people due to how much it looked like Bethesda's. DA2 tries so many new things that its actual goals, and how well it meets so many of them (IMO), are very easy to miss in the cacophony of unfamiliar elements.


This post is reaching Seanian lengths, so I'll close with two examples:

Persuasion is not gone. It's simply manual. They have completely excised the game-mechanical aspect of persuasion, in favour of picking the right dialogue options. Does this happen often? No. But it's there, and I prefer it to [Speech 100%] These aren't the droids you're looking for. Ditto the issue of choice, which Bioware have finally honestly framed the way they've always gone about it: you play a pre-established heroic archetype, and have to choose things through the prism of this narrative role. [The male] Hawke is a macho stereotype, and he acts like one. What the player considers and engages with is how their particular brand of macho-stereotype-Hawke deals with certain crucial issues. Peripeteia, catharsis and all that. That's Bioware.


And yes, Troika games are still better. But for decency's sake, bad? No, DA2 is not bad. It's as bad as Schönberg's Verklärte Nacht is, at being a symphony.



*Play it on Nightmare. No, really. There is a qualitative difference, more than any other game I can remember.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 21, 2011, 06:44:09 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on April 20, 2011, 11:35:41 PM
They are not as buggy, broken or incomplete as they are made out to be. The problem with Obsidian is that they are trying to play second fiddle to Bioware because they are too afraid of making the game they would really want to make, since there is no market potential for a real RPG. They made a small attempt with Mask of the Betrayer, and that expansion must have not sold a lot because the next one was pure action. You should try it, BTW. Its a very good expansion.

I liked Mask of the Betrayer, but it was REALLY HARD. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 21, 2011, 07:00:40 AM
Renfield, I think you've misread my post.  I liked DA 2, I just didn't like the lack of choice in conversations.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 22, 2011, 06:37:25 AM
http://www.youtube.com/v/P3Ci09GwAmg

:) I keep going back to watch this every week or two. Dat terrifying scream ;_:
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 22, 2011, 07:01:20 AM
Man I'm loving Portal 2!! :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 23, 2011, 01:03:53 AM
Quote from: haydnfan on April 22, 2011, 07:01:20 AM
Man I'm loving Portal 2!! :)

The cake is still a lie.

How much u wanna bet that Skyward sword has Ganondorf as villain? Although it was stated that in zelda timeline it happens before ocarina of time, maybe even before Minish cap. But that doesn't necessarily change anything. Two separate timelines are already enough confusing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CD on April 23, 2011, 06:22:21 AM
I just wish they'd continue with the Ocarina storyline. Wind Waker was cool though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 24, 2011, 09:37:43 PM
Maybe this thread should be stickied?  8)

I went to an internet cafe the other day and I noticed that a bunch of kids were playing the Defense of the Ancients clone "League of Legends." It's a free game and I would so try to really give it a chance and learn were it not for the fact that my multiplayer focus right now is Starcraft 2 and seriously picking up another RTS would be too strenuous.

Blizzard however is coming out with a free DOTA Starcraft 2 mod, perhaps as a response to Valve trademarking "DOTA 2." Maybe that'll rope me in. DOTA was originally a mod created by Warcraft 3 players, and Valve is seen by some as trademarking community property. But from the Warcraft 3 mod (actually maybe going back to the original Starcraft), we now have League of Legends, Heroes of Newarth, and pretty soon DOTA 2, all of them a hit (and guarenteed to be a hit, in Valve's case.) Interesting seeing the evolution of a genre of RTS.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 24, 2011, 09:45:44 PM
I've been playing the new Mortal Kombat game. Not bad at all. I'm still learning the fatalities though.

(http://www.gamersmint.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/xHzst.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 24, 2011, 09:49:08 PM
^But how are you coping with the Playstation Network outage?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3544727/Sony-PlayStation-net-game-KO-hits-day-5.html
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Sandra on April 25, 2011, 12:10:00 AM
Last night I played the original Contra!

:)) Very primitive. But it reminded me of my childhood, so I enjoyed it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 25, 2011, 07:34:34 AM
Quote from: -abe- on April 24, 2011, 09:49:08 PM
^But how are you coping with the Playstation Network outage?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3544727/Sony-PlayStation-net-game-KO-hits-day-5.html

IT SUCKS!!!  At least I can still use netflix after I read a trick to get it to load.  No vudu=no watching new releases.  Can't play co-op on Portal 2.  Can't compare trophies with my friends.  Can't download demos.  Or get new wallpaper.  Several times a day I check to see if it's up... sadly...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 25, 2011, 10:35:12 AM
Quote from: -abe- on April 24, 2011, 09:49:08 PM
^But how are you coping with the Playstation Network outage?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3544727/Sony-PlayStation-net-game-KO-hits-day-5.html

Sandra, you like classical music and play video games? Are you a married woman? :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 26, 2011, 05:11:01 PM
(http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5262/kgrhqmokkue0tplw0hbnzdf.jpg)

Moar classical/gaming meetings :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 26, 2011, 10:06:41 PM
The Playstation Network outage is a big deal.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-26/sony-says-network-hackers-may-have-stolen-users-personal-data.html

QuotePlayStation Hackers May Have Stolen Data on 75 Million Users, Sony Says

Including credit card info.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 27, 2011, 06:48:12 AM
Thank God I never bought anything off of psn!  I have to warn my friends.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 01, 2011, 11:10:01 PM
So, I have given the DOTA clone League of Legends a chance--I've played about ten games, and my verdict is that it's an excellent and fun game.

And it's free, so don't hesitate to give it a chance if you are the least bit intrigued. Game play footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV2rRcskn4Y&feature=related



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 05, 2011, 12:13:32 PM
PC Gamer's contributers list what they consider to be the top 100 pc games of all time:

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/02/16/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on May 05, 2011, 12:17:54 PM
Quote from: -abe- on May 05, 2011, 12:13:32 PM
PC Gamer's contributers list what they consider to be the top 100 pc games of all time:

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/02/16/the-100-best-pc-games-of-all-time/

Didn't see Arcanum on the list, so that immediately invalidates it.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 05, 2011, 12:19:48 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on May 05, 2011, 12:17:54 PM
Didn't see Arcanum on the list, so that immediately invalidates it.  ;D

Also saw several crappy console ports.  I call thumbs down! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 05, 2011, 12:21:21 PM
3 Valve and 3 Blizzard games in the top 10. What a shock ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on May 05, 2011, 12:28:22 PM
Have been having fun with this for the past week:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GMKNSJ9GL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

The graphics and gameplay are primitive of course, but the battle engine is familiar to me (the developer was formerly known as APE inc., who worked on my favorite game ever, EarthBound) and the endless grinding makes for a comforting backdrop while I listen to music. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: J.Z. Herrenberg on May 05, 2011, 12:49:14 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on May 05, 2011, 12:21:21 PM
3 Valve and 3 Blizzard games in the top 10. What a shock ::)


No Myst, Riven, Zork Nemesis!  >:( But - miraculously - a text adventure I like very much: Anchorhead (67).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 05, 2011, 01:32:22 PM
Quote from: Coco on May 05, 2011, 12:28:22 PM
Have been having fun with this for the past week:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GMKNSJ9GL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

The graphics and gameplay are primitive of course, but the battle engine is familiar to me (the developer was formerly known as APE inc., who worked on my favorite game ever, EarthBound) and the endless grinding makes for a comforting backdrop while I listen to music. :)
The endless grinding is the game!   :D

Yeah, when it first came out, I had to choose between Red and Blue, and I think I chose Blue... very addictive, fun game with lots of great memories, many of which involved trading Pokemon with friends. I'm not sure how you would catch 'em all nowadays, though, since nobody plays the original versions anymore.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on May 05, 2011, 09:08:11 PM
diglett dig trio trio trio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCsayJJg4iQ#)

This is still pretty badass.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 05, 2011, 09:20:10 PM
Quote from: -abe- on April 24, 2011, 09:49:08 PM
^But how are you coping with the Playstation Network outage?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3544727/Sony-PlayStation-net-game-KO-hits-day-5.html

I tried signing up with PS3 Network at one point so I could play some multiplayer on Unchartered 2, but each time I try to sign on it says the network is busy. I know it's not my connection as I test my connection and everything is working properly. I can surf the net with no problem (not that I actually use a PS3 to do, I have my own computer), but the network just won't let me play the multiplayer, so I quit trying. Other than this, I never have bought or will buy from the PS3 store. I have no need for it. I just wanted to play multiplayer and I'm getting pretty frustrated that I can't get on just to play my game.

It's a bummer that people hacked into the network. I thought it was more secure than that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 05, 2011, 11:26:52 PM
And I wanted to to log on to the Playstation Network for that reason too--to play Uncharted 2. Up until yesterday I could also still log onto Netflix and stream films and tv shows, but now that's blocked too.

I don't think having access to the store matters all that much, it's just losing online multiplayer that's really frustrating for a lot of people.

QuoteIt's a bummer that people hacked into the network. I thought it was more secure than that.

Sony REALLY screwed up the security. Key parts of their network had no firewall.

http://techland.time.com/2011/05/05/security-expert-sonys-network-unpatched-and-had-no-firewall-installed/



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 06, 2011, 07:12:43 AM
Yeah I gave up on psn and bought a Samsung blu-ray player for all of my streaming.  I'm thinking of giving up on sony, I have a 360 after all.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 07, 2011, 01:11:54 AM
Quote from: Coco on May 05, 2011, 12:28:22 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GMKNSJ9GL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)

Playing it right now, moving to Gold after that.

Straight english translation from Pokemon Crystal's vietnamese version may gather some laughs

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

I had explosive laugh attack at 8:30.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on May 18, 2011, 08:27:31 PM

     (http://www.thereaderseye.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/angry-birds-game-logo.jpg)

     
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 19, 2011, 07:39:31 PM
Super Mario Brothers Wii for me, enjoying the feeling of nostalgia! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 19, 2011, 07:42:12 PM
Quote from: haydnfan on May 19, 2011, 07:39:31 PM
Super Mario Brothers Wii for me, enjoying the feeling of nostalgia! ;D

That's a cool game for sure. Have you played the Mario Galaxy games? I love these too. I'm patiently waiting for the new Legend of Zelda game to come out. A person can only play the Twilight Princess so much. :) I hope it does sometime this year.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 19, 2011, 07:44:08 PM
I've played Super Mario Galaxy 2 and that's very fun.  I haven't played the first one though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 19, 2011, 07:46:03 PM
Quote from: haydnfan on May 19, 2011, 07:44:08 PM
I've played Super Mario Galaxy 2 and that's very fun.  I haven't played the first one though.

I prefer the first to the second.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 20, 2011, 05:49:15 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 19, 2011, 07:46:03 PM
I prefer the first to the second.

I will definitely play it!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mn Dave on May 20, 2011, 05:57:29 AM
I've been playing these on my iPhone:

Neuroshima Hex

Dungeon Raid
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on May 24, 2011, 06:39:33 AM
Playing:

(http://images.wikia.com/egamia/images/9/96/Golden_Sun_GBA.jpg)

Catching up on this generation of 2D games, which I completely missed-out on when they were new as I never had any of the handheld consoles (post plain ol' GameBoy). The character and world design in this are cute, and interest in the story is set up immediately from the first frame. I'm sure most RPG nuts know this, but it seems like fans of the old-school SNES Final Fantasy games would like this a lot.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 26, 2011, 06:54:34 PM
Anyone else think it's a good idea to be a few years behind in gaming in order to save money? New games these days almost always cost $60. Yet waiting just mere months brings down the price considerably, and eventually to less than $10. For instance, last winter Steam had a sale in which I spent $35 but snagged about twelve well received games. Just picked up the original Far Cry for $2.50 today off Steam.

Currently playing: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 26, 2011, 06:59:34 PM
A few nights ago, I played some multiplayer on Uncharted 2. Pretty cool, but I need more practice as I keep dying. Anybody got any interesting strategies to add?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 26, 2011, 07:03:37 PM
Getting killed is unavoidable. Do you mean that it's happening to you more so than your teammates?

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 26, 2011, 07:18:26 PM
Quote from: -abe- on May 26, 2011, 07:03:37 PM
Getting killed is unavoidable. Do you mean that it's happening to you more so than your teammates?

Yes, I'm trying not to get killed so much. Even if I hide somewhere where I think is a good spot, I still get shot in the back. I'm hopeless.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 26, 2011, 07:57:47 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 26, 2011, 07:18:26 PM
Yes, I'm trying not to get killed so much. Even if I hide somewhere where I think is a good spot, I still get shot in the back. I'm hopeless.


I think I recall a poster on a gaming forum claiming that Uncharted 2 now has a lot of veteran players and no steady influx of newer players. Basically, everyone who was going to buy the game has bought the game and the casual players have left the multilayer scene.

When I play the game, I don't worry about the number of times I die. I just try to get as many kills as I can and even when my team is losing I try to compete with my teammates to be the guy who gets the most kills.

By the way, the game has two-co op modes you can select from the "playlist." I played one of these modes a couple of times and found it less intense but as much fun as the cut-throat deathmatch mode. Basically, you and another human controlled player take on a lot of AI controlled units. They designed special missions for this co-op mode that are based on the settings of the regular levels. Check it out if you haven't.

Something else I noticed is "The Lab" where they sometimes implement experimental rules, like classic team vs team deathmatch but with only RPGs.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 26, 2011, 08:44:00 PM
Quote from: -abe- on May 26, 2011, 07:57:47 PM

I think I recall a poster on a gaming forum claiming that Uncharted 2 now has a lot of veteran players and no steady influx of newer players. Basically, everyone who was going to buy the game has bought the game and the casual players have left the multilayer scene.

When I play the game, I don't worry about the number of times I die. I just try to get as many kills as I can and even when my team is losing I try to compete with my teammates to be the guy who gets the most kills.

By the way, the game has two-co op modes you can select from the "playlist." I played one of these modes a couple of times and found it less intense but as much fun as the cut-throat deathmatch mode. Basically, you and another human controlled player take on a lot of AI controlled units. They designed special missions for this co-op mode that are based on the settings of the regular levels. Check it out if you haven't.

Something else I noticed is "The Lab" where they sometimes implement experimental rules, like classic team vs team deathmatch but with only RPGs.  :)

Thanks for the tips and the information. I'm about to try this out now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 02, 2011, 02:42:40 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NVPCJbOnL._AA300_.jpg)

Despite the average reviews, this is a very good game. It somehow manages to be faithful to the original, despite being in 3D free-roaming city distrcts rather than a 2D platformer. The grappling lets you move around in the same way Spiderman does, and it doubles as a weapon, a quick way to pick things up, etc. The graphics really make the game - very detailed environments, good variety of areas and enemy types and the dialogue and plot is fun because of how over-the-top hardassed it is.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 02, 2011, 05:07:08 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uaelymndL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
This one is completely different from the first two Jet Motos. Extremely fast, unrealistic physics, and I just won on two different tracks holding down the gas pedal all the way through and turning.  ??? Part of the game strategy is literally hovering over the walls while turning. It's fun, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 03:59:01 AM
You're quite the retro gamer, Greg.

I remember playing Jet Moto 1 or 2 back in 97 or 98.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 04, 2011, 07:12:09 AM
I've been playing Sam and Max Season 1.  Favorite quote so far "your unbridled cynicism is like a breath of fresh air in the subway." ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 04, 2011, 04:36:17 PM
Quote from: -abe- on June 04, 2011, 03:59:01 AM
You're quite the retro gamer, Greg.

I remember playing Jet Moto 1 or 2 back in 97 or 98.
Yeah, I still have some of the early PS games, like Jet Moto and Twisted Metal 2 (Singeltrac games), among others. Me and my little brother were playing Jet Moto and I decided to try a rom of 3.

I'm unable to play stuff that is somewhat new because of my laptop's limitations and my parents not buying a new-generation system, but... if I move in with my friend, I'm sure he'll buy a PS3 or XBox 360, and I might get a couple of games. Probably Fallout 3 and Bioshock to start with.

Have there been any good Japanese RPGs within the last 5 or so years (stuff on the new generation systems)? I haven't heard of any, sadly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on June 04, 2011, 04:46:22 PM
The English hack of Mother 3 came out in 2006, if that counts, but you haven't played EarthBound through have you?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 04, 2011, 05:22:16 PM
Nope. I gave up on that village area not far from the beginning, where I couldn't get past the gangsters. That's about the time when I decided to absolutely not play any games for a while. I may resume, but I don't know when.

I'm looking for something with the graphical capabilities of a new system, but a JRPG, or close to one. And something good, because I get the impression that FF is dying.  :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 06:18:50 PM
Have you ever played Deus Ex, Greg?

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 04, 2011, 06:26:45 PM
Nope. But I looked it up and it looks like an FPS (or is it an FPS with RPG elements)?
Why is it that nowadays so many games are FPS or war games? It's like they're taking over the market.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 06:53:30 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 04, 2011, 06:26:45 PM
Nope. But I looked it up and it looks like an FPS (or is it an FPS with RPG elements)?
Why is it that nowadays so many games are FPS or war games? It's like they're taking over the market.

Yea, it's an FPS with RPG elements. I downloaded it through Steam a while back ago, stuck in the second level. It's a game that's really adored to this day by the people who played it when it originally came out. Thought you'd be familiar with it.

As for your question...it's simple: gaming companies are running out of ideas. It's as if all the ideas for games have already been conceived and new systems can only offer prettier iterations. I mean, if it isn't a war FPS, then it's a zombie one or a sci-fi one.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 04, 2011, 07:05:02 PM
Well, I can imagine how it might be hard to be original nowadays.
Still, though, I can talk to people and between me and them, we can come up with something that is pretty original. I can think of several cases right now, and I could talk about all of them in detail.

Or maybe game companies are getting lazy and trying to be safe by giving people what they think they want? (either shoot-em-ups or sports games?) If I can think of several original video games, and I'm not being a game developer. It seems like game developers should be able to outdo me, in terms of originality, and yet they don't.  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 04, 2011, 07:18:22 PM
Definitely try it if you can - I'd swap several of my favourite games for another game as good as Deus Ex...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 07:19:35 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 04, 2011, 07:05:02 PM
Well, I can imagine how it might be hard to be original nowadays.
Still, though, I can talk to people and between me and them, we can come up with something that is pretty original. I can think of several cases right now, and I could talk about all of them in detail.

Or maybe game companies are getting lazy and trying to be safe by giving people what they think they want? (either shoot-em-ups or sports games?) If I can think of several original video games, and I'm not being a game developer. It seems like game developers should be able to outdo me, in terms of originality, and yet they don't.  ???

it's Activision that's really guilty of the inundating the market with FPS games.

They are determined to publish a Call of Duty game every year. Cod: Modern Warfare 2 was released in November 09, then followed Black Ops in 2010, now Cod: Modern Warfare 3 is mere months away. It's as if Activision knows that the time frame in which they can exploit this property is limited and are making sure to reap as much money as they can. Then they'll abruptly stop making this franchise. They did the same thing with the Guitar Hero games.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 07:22:21 PM
I'll be giving Deus Ex my undivided attention after I complete the final five levels of the Diablo-clone Torchlight! :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 04, 2011, 07:24:35 PM
I gave up on Torchlight when I reached the "this zone contains four portals, you must go within each portal to an identical looking area to get a key, then combine them to progress" kinda bits. I don't think I'm cut out for that kind of gameplay :( It had a really nice vibe in the first two town and its mines, though.

Edit: typo.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 04, 2011, 11:03:10 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on June 04, 2011, 07:24:35 PM
I gave up on Torchlight when I reached the "this zone contains four portals, you must go within each portal to an identical looking area to get a key, then combine them to progress" kinda bits. I don't think I'm cut out for that kind of gameplay :( It had a really nice vibe in the first two town and its mines, though.

Edit: typo.

I like its art style and graphics, though the gameplay is a tad too repetitive. But there are only 35 floors. Too make it a bit more challenging I am playing under the "very hard" difficulty. I am using the minions tech tree available to the Alchemist. So in addition to my pet I have a group of 8 minions running around assisting me. Quite fun...

I also happen to own Titan Quest and its expansion, which I should be getting around to a year or two from now.

After that I'll take a break from dungeon crawlers and in 2017 hopefully get the Diablo 3 Battlechest for $15 or something.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Hilltroll73 on June 16, 2011, 05:27:39 PM
Well, I have been playing the male dominance game - with little success. Um, you folks are talking about something else?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on June 16, 2011, 07:15:54 PM
http://www.youtube.com/v/ErNgypoAKxg
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on June 16, 2011, 10:24:31 PM


     (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fSBFsgjfCvM/TaN7q5oVr_I/AAAAAAAAAwI/eRul19a3mr4/s400/angry-birds-holiday_news.jpg)

     No, wait. I can explain.


     
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on June 17, 2011, 12:09:26 PM
Finally beat Golden Sun. The ending took me completely by surprise in that... it didn't feel anywhere near being over! I've heard that the sequel is kind of disappointing. Has anyone played it?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 24, 2011, 11:55:31 PM
Steam has made "Team Fortress 2" free to play forever.

Why?

The company make a killing from players buying virtual cosmetic items.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 25, 2011, 08:18:35 AM
Probably to compete with EA's Origin (just a guess). :)

I'm paying LA Noire and really liking it.  Gotta watch those facial expressions closely!! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on June 25, 2011, 11:54:16 AM
     I bought Half Life 2 in a used book store. Nope, Steam won't let me register it. The game is legit, but the product key is used, so apparently you can't play a used game. I have a support ticket pending, but the way this goes is a used product key is treated as illegitimate even though it isn't.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 25, 2011, 11:57:55 AM
More reasons to pirate. Fuck Valve :) Console gamers don't have to deal with this crap.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 25, 2011, 12:00:05 PM
Quote from: drogulus on June 25, 2011, 11:54:16 AM
     I bought Half Life 2 in a used book store. Nope, Steam won't let me register it. The game is legit, but the product key is used, so apparently you can't play a used game. I have a support ticket pending, but the way this goes is a used product key is treated as illegitimate even though it isn't.

It might be that the previous owner didn't uninstall and deauthorize the game.  You can play used games on steam, you can even buy, sell and trade used licenses for digital downloads.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 25, 2011, 12:02:36 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 25, 2011, 12:00:05 PM
It might be that the previous owner didn't uninstall and deauthorize the game.  You can play used games on steam, you can even buy, sell and trade used licenses for digital downloads.

Srsly? I had similar problems with a game and they wouldn't fix it, assuming it wasn't legitimate.

I guess that system seems to imply you can only really trade real copies between friends - trusting a stranger not to be lazy/to be aware of this is a gamble against bad odds :\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 25, 2011, 12:06:28 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on June 25, 2011, 12:02:36 PM
Srsly? I had similar problems with a game and they wouldn't fix it, assuming it wasn't legitimate.

I guess that system seems to imply you can only really trade real copies between friends - trusting a stranger not to be lazy/to be aware of this is a gamble against bad odds :\

That's why it's too much of a hassle, I wrote off pc gaming a few months ago.  EA games if you buy them used you can't play multiplayer.  If you play certain games like the Bioshocks you have to have the disc in, be connected online *continuously* to be checked by both windows live and another server. 

If I get the 360 or ps3 version I have to put the disc in, that's it.  Keep it simple.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 25, 2011, 12:12:21 PM
That permanent connection DRM for singleplayer is stupid, as I DL quite heavily and it often squeezes my connection enough for it to close the game because it thinks I'm offline. Not that I find the concept acceptable even in theory, let alone practice.

My solution to that, as ever, is to pirate, because those copies lack this feature. Publishers are morons and they don't seem to realise how much they hurt themselves by destroying the PC market.

Oh, I forgot my </nerd_rage> tags.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 25, 2011, 07:10:11 PM
Quote from: drogulus on June 25, 2011, 11:54:16 AM
     I bought Half Life 2 in a used book store. Nope, Steam won't let me register it. The game is legit, but the product key is used, so apparently you can't play a used game. I have a support ticket pending, but the way this goes is a used product key is treated as illegitimate even though it isn't.
Just get a torrent that bypasses Steam. I got one that works fine like that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 03, 2011, 06:28:05 PM
I don't know if you guys are aware, but the Steam summer sale is ongoing right now. Pretty much everything they is on sale.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 03, 2011, 06:32:13 PM
For instance, you can get every game Valve made for $50:

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/7930/

That includes Portal 2, which was released mere months ago and retails for $40 on Amazon.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on July 03, 2011, 06:32:53 PM
I've been playing a Super Mario World fan hack called The Essence Star (http://smwc.hostzi.com/SMWiki/wiki/SMW2_3__The_Essence_Star.html). The levels are surprisingly well-designed and there's even a cute story that attempts to retcon the other Mario storylines. It's like the original SMW but made into a platformer RPG.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 07, 2011, 04:52:28 PM
http://www.youtube.com/v/hHmzO2RI1fs

I WISH I was playing it, but I don't have the skill level to get beyond half of level 1.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 07, 2011, 06:15:47 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on July 07, 2011, 05:59:25 PM
One of the great games of all time.

Absolutely, when I first played this game and I found the first colossus, my jaw actually dropped at, not only how huge this thing was, but how amazing the detail was given to it. As I said, the concept of the game was just so simple, but where it excelled was in strategy and gameplay. I didn't really understand the storyline, but then again, I never played Ico which I heard is tied into SOTC. Anyway, yes, this is one of the great games of all-time. I have been thinking of replaying The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess as this game was amazing as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 11, 2011, 08:25:42 PM
Bought these two games the other day:

(http://jailbreakscene.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Super-Street-Fighter-IV-Arcade-Edition-cover.jpg)

What the first Street Fighter should've been on the PS3. This edition has all the characters unlocked.

(http://www.gamesddl.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Red-Dead-Redemption-PS3.jpg)

I've played this game a little bit so far and I'm very impressed. I think this may be the best Western-themed game to come out on any system (not that there has been many of them mind you).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 12, 2011, 06:54:20 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/eS6iw.jpg) ;)

In other Blizzard-related news, I am finally caving in and buying Starcraft 2 for multiplayer laddering. I want to test myself to see how high I can get against great players.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 12, 2011, 11:45:07 PM
^What is your experience with Starcraft?

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 13, 2011, 12:44:06 AM
Quote from: -abe- on July 12, 2011, 11:45:07 PM
^What is your experience with Starcraft?

The single player campaign of SC1 a loooo-ng time ago and nothing else. I came to follow SC2 as an e-sport, which I subsequently became slightly addicted to, and kept finding myself wondering "why didn't they do such-and-such" leading me to wanting to see if I could do this myself. I'm aiming for gold league for now, I think.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 14, 2011, 01:55:26 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 11, 2011, 08:25:42 PM
(http://www.gamesddl.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Red-Dead-Redemption-PS3.jpg)
I've played this game a little bit so far and I'm very impressed. I think this may be the best Western-themed game to come out on any system (not that there has been many of them mind you).

Trust me, it's awesome, pretty damn close to perfect. My only minor complaints are that it felt shorter than many GTA games (although that was possibly because this game's missions are much easier because there are checkpoints during them) and the fact that there isn't PC version.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 14, 2011, 06:49:12 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on July 13, 2011, 12:44:06 AM
The single player campaign of SC1 a loooo-ng time ago and nothing else. I came to follow SC2 as an e-sport, which I subsequently became slightly addicted to, and kept finding myself wondering "why didn't they do such-and-such" leading me to wanting to see if I could do this myself. I'm aiming for gold league for now, I think.

I'm in Gold. Took me a long time to get there as well (an embarrassingly long time) because I didn't fully grasp these three key points: Use hot keys, always make workers, and scout. I could probably get to diamond league if I get better at those things but I have avoided playing the game since April because I find it too engrossing and can't give it the time required.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 14, 2011, 09:15:30 PM
Quote from: Alberich on July 14, 2011, 01:55:26 PM
Trust me, it's awesome, pretty damn close to perfect. My only minor complaints are that it felt shorter than many GTA games (although that was possibly because this game's missions are much easier because there are checkpoints during them) and the fact that there isn't PC version.

This is good to hear. Hopefully, I'll be able to play it in more depth as the days progress.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Brian on July 16, 2011, 04:52:32 AM
Slightly off-topic: I haven't played the game since maybe 2002, but all of a sudden I have the Rollercoaster Tycoon theme song stuck in my head.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 16, 2011, 04:23:51 PM
RCT is swell - I also have precise memories of the exact "scream" sound of people going around a loop and the vomit sound too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on July 16, 2011, 04:44:53 PM
The Cat & The Coup (http://coup.peterbrinson.com/)

(http://i53.tinypic.com/1zqrngj.jpg)

Highly recommended, especially in these circles – many classical (and well-placed) choices in the soundtrack.

It's Alley Cat (http://alley%20cat) meets Persepolis.

In other news, the fabulous Zeno Clash is on Steam for a bargain (http://store.steampowered.com/app/22200/).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 18, 2011, 04:59:47 AM
(http://files.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/177045_S/TGS-09-Battlefield-Bad-Company-2-Hands-On-Preview.jpg)

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

I'm coming to love this game. It's so visceral and thrilling and considerably deeper and more satisfying than COD.

I bought it December 2010 from steam on a sale, and only truly got into it past couple of months (after resovling some driver issues with my videocard and upgrading my cpu to a 4 cores which this game runs best on.)

The franchise is developed by a firm in Sweden but they're unfortunately owned by EA, which seems bent on turning this game series into a cash cow like Activision's COD. Battlefield 3 is coming out late October...I hope people don't abandon Bad Company 2 en masse.

This introductory video for those new to the game illustrates the main differences from Call of Duty games:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p4fkH9qC4M

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 18, 2011, 07:40:59 AM
I installed BC2 recently but my PC doesn't run it quite well enough for it to be enjoyable (it meets the spec, so maybe I will need to tinker with my video card), and as it's a console port the graphics customisation options are limited although not as ridic as some, such as Brink, which only allows you to change resolution iirc.

I srsly raged at the unskippable scene that the game starts with. Why do FPS devs think that I care about their stupid "war buddies rubbing up together in a van/boat/plane" cutscenes - Medal of Honor: Allied Assault began this, I think. I'm sure it's very impressively atmospheric the first time you see it, but I have gotten to the point where I want to skip this rubbish and games are increasingly not letting me.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on July 18, 2011, 10:44:49 AM
Sweatshop (http://www.crazygames.com/game/sweatshop), from the same minds that conjured the brilliant Curfew (http://www.thecurfewgame.com).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 18, 2011, 12:55:54 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on July 18, 2011, 07:40:59 AM
I installed BC2 recently but my PC doesn't run it quite well enough for it to be enjoyable (it meets the spec, so maybe I will need to tinker with my video card), and as it's a console port the graphics customisation options are limited although not as ridic as some, such as Brink, which only allows you to change resolution iirc.

I srsly raged at the unskippable scene that the game starts with. Why do FPS devs think that I care about their stupid "war buddies rubbing up together in a van/boat/plane" cutscenes - Medal of Honor: Allied Assault began this, I think. I'm sure it's very impressively atmospheric the first time you see it, but I have gotten to the point where I want to skip this rubbish and games are increasingly not letting me.

The single player campaign is dead weight. I played an hour or so when I first got the game then moved on to the multiplayer, which is the heart of the game.

Also: my performance with the game really improved when I got this cpu:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

My video card is an Amd 5770, which is the best budget video card around.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 18, 2011, 01:20:48 PM
Quote from: -abe- on July 18, 2011, 12:55:54 PM
The single player campaign is dead weight. I played an hour or so when I first got the game then moved on to the multiplayer, which is the heart of the game.

Also: my performance with the game really improved when I got this cpu:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

My video card is an Amd 5770, which is the best budget video card around.

Indeedie, after seeing online gameplay I picked it up hoping for something with the feel that Soldier of Fortune 2 had online (not that anybody took that game seriously, but it was actually amazing, like a more accessable Counterstrike with far nicer graphics).

Worryingly, a friend said that as a rule of thumb: if changing resolution improves framerate, then it's the card, if it remains bad no matter what resolution, then it's the CPU (my problem was the first - but even lowest ran poorly). I was hoping it was the CPU because a Radeon HD 5750 really should run the thing at over 15fps.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on July 18, 2011, 07:26:34 PM
(http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/157570-final-fantasy-vi.jpg)

Not for the first time, but let's see how far I can get this time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 18, 2011, 07:49:59 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on July 18, 2011, 01:20:48 PM
Indeedie, after seeing online gameplay I picked it up hoping for something with the feel that Soldier of Fortune 2 had online (not that anybody took that game seriously, but it was actually amazing, like a more accessable Counterstrike with far nicer graphics).

Worryingly, a friend said that as a rule of thumb: if changing resolution improves framerate, then it's the card, if it remains bad no matter what resolution, then it's the CPU (my problem was the first - but even lowest ran poorly). I was hoping it was the CPU because a Radeon HD 5750 really should run the thing at over 15fps.

According to this chart you should always be getting a frame rate at least in the 30s with that card:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gts-450-gf106-radeon-hd-5750,2734-11.html

And those benchmarks are for higher resolutions as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 25, 2011, 07:44:51 AM
I'm replaying Bioshock 2. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 29, 2011, 04:59:17 AM
L.A. Noire finished. I loved it, even though truth/doubt/lie-system wasn't always perfect. They should make sequel starring Roy Earle: Dirty cop edition. That magnificent bastard rose quickly to my top 10 Rockstar game characters. Loved Biggs and Rusty also and homicide cases were easily the best ones.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 29, 2011, 05:12:33 AM
My reaction for LA Noire ended up being meh because you didn't really do anything besides collect clues and read facial expressions.  I would have preferred real mystery solving.  I didn't play completely through the game, but on most mysteries I could figure out what happened before I left the first scene.  Not fun enough.  If it gets much more challenging, or the murders less predictable, than they were taking too long to get there.  But A+ on atmosphere, music, and acting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 29, 2011, 07:59:20 AM
Quote from: Alberich on July 29, 2011, 04:59:17 AM
L.A. Noire finished. I loved it, even though truth/doubt/lie-system wasn't always perfect. They should make sequel starring Roy Earle: Dirty cop edition. That magnificent bastard rose quickly to my top 10 Rockstar game characters. Loved Biggs and Rusty also and homicide cases were easily the best ones.

L.A. Noire didn't seem like a good game to me. I haven't played it, but many of reviews I've read called it "boring." Now reading David's opinion of the game only reinforces this fact.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 02, 2011, 10:20:13 AM
Diablo 3: well gee, yet another game I can't buy if I wish to retain any dignity. It's truly impressive how developers are managing to make games unplayable due to biohazard levels of monetisation and intrusive "features" - Blizzard have actually managed to take these damaging trends to new lows, including a real-world money auction house in which they take a cut of the profit at three seperate stages not including Paypal's fees. Spectacularly this manages to simultaneously make such an endeavor unprofitable for anybody who might want to use it, yet retain the "this ruins the entire game" experience for those who won't.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on August 02, 2011, 11:54:43 AM
(http://www.gamerdna.com/public/images/xd/covers/drxx00/xx05/xx05036.jpg)

Nostalgia boost after so many years. It's even better than I remembered! About halfway through disc 3 right now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 02, 2011, 06:58:46 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on August 02, 2011, 10:20:13 AM
Diablo 3: well gee, yet another game I can't buy if I wish to retain any dignity. It's truly impressive how developers are managing to make games unplayable due to biohazard levels of monetisation and intrusive "features" - Blizzard have actually managed to take these damaging trends to new lows, including a real-world money auction house in which they take a cut of the profit at three seperate stages not including Paypal's fees. Spectacularly this manages to simultaneously make such an endeavor unprofitable for anybody who might want to use it, yet retain the "this ruins the entire game" experience for those who won't.

I heard about this.

Can't you just play the game and ignore that aspect of it all together?

I play "League of Legends" and manage to have a lot of fun without spending a cent.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 02, 2011, 11:53:37 PM
The difference between this and LoL is that the people I play can buy power in Diablo 3. I can get beaten by rich kids who can just buy all the gear they like. Why should people put up with this behaviour from developers when it will only get worse? What's so unacceptable about a game being luck or skill-based nowadays.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 03, 2011, 04:22:16 AM
As Extra Credits had to say:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3689-Microtransactions (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3689-Microtransactions)

Never, ever sell power.  And they explained exactly what happens when you do, people stop playing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 05, 2011, 05:29:56 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 29, 2011, 07:59:20 AM
L.A. Noire didn't seem like a good game to me. I haven't played it, but many of reviews I've read called it "boring." Now reading David's opinion of the game only reinforces this fact.
It looks cool to me:
http://www.youtube.com/v/jeYym1U226M

though who knows... never played it...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 11, 2011, 03:04:44 AM
n__n More nostalgia'ing:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ggB33d0BLcY http://www.youtube.com/v/HtvIYRrgZ04
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2011, 05:40:01 AM
I like the Leroy Jenkins thing, but that's so well known I don't think I even have to post a link.

I've been playing Lego Harry Potter years 1-4, pretty fun... easily the most polished lego game yet.  Have not run into any frustrations, just fun. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 13, 2011, 07:04:45 AM
Sampling some games in a batch of 299 Nintendo 64 games...


(http://www.geeksetconline.com/pdshoppro/images/southpark64.jpg)
Surprisingly not bad, but if this gameplay keeps on, it will be repetitive very quickly.


(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/61/Papermario.jpg)
I've known about this game, but didn't know it was an RPG. I would play through it if I really loved the Mario series. Looks like potentially a really good game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on August 13, 2011, 07:08:21 AM
^_^ Paper Mario is so fun — more lighthearted than most JRPGs (duh, it's Mario), but it has to be one of my favorite games. The sequel for GameCube was great too.

Currently about halfway (I think?) through FFVI — liking this a lot more than I had expected. Definitely up there with Chrono Trigger and EarthBound for me as far as 2D RPGs go.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 13, 2011, 07:49:58 AM
I played half of Lego Harry Potter until I got bored.  It's actually pretty fun... just to repetitive.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 13, 2011, 09:00:40 PM
You astound me, Greg. How old most of the games you play are! :)

In that spirit, I'm playing the original Max Payne for the first time.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on August 14, 2011, 12:31:25 PM
Old games are better. They just are.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 14, 2011, 01:38:03 PM
Quote from: Coco on August 14, 2011, 12:31:25 PM
Old games are better. They just are.  8)

You old farts! ;D  Give me the newer games anyday, they are much more polished and balanced in design. :P 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 14, 2011, 02:02:18 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 14, 2011, 01:38:03 PM
You old farts! ;D  Give me the newer games anyday, they are much more polished and balanced in design. :P 8)

The thing that often stops me when I go through pre-2000s games is super repetitive mechanics. A lot of modern games are bad like that too, but at least have been forced to be visually interesting and diversified.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 14, 2011, 02:06:30 PM
Yeah like grinding in rpgs... oh I hate that!  And for every game that featured unique, interesting varied levels like Super Mario Bros 3 there are ten games that are just cut and paste.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on August 14, 2011, 02:36:10 PM
If there was a game that mixed modern dynamic play, a charming, engrossing story and well-designed graphics that won't look horrible in 10 years, then I would play it. I think I dislike games that go for "realism" in general as that realism is always relative and doesn't hold up well. But now games are designed to be replaced in a year by endless expansion packs and new graphics i.e. Modern Warfare 2898b. Because who cares about longevity?  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 14, 2011, 03:33:16 PM
I agree with you that many games show a poor or nonexistent visual aesthetics.  As you can see I love extra credits because I'm going to post this: ;D

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3201-Graphics-vs-Aesthetics (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3201-Graphics-vs-Aesthetics)

I really don't like the brown, bland aesthetic of many modern shooters too.  The shooters I do like visually though are the Bioshock and Crysis games.  They both manage to use a richer color palette and avoid the excessive use of brown. ;D  In particular Bioshock went into alot of effort to make a 50s esque setting.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 14, 2011, 03:48:53 PM
One of the many annoying things about Duke Nukem Forever was how much of a pointless brown 'em up it turned out to be compared to the original. Bulletstorm was another that went in the right direction, Brink too. Not super bright, but pretty and with a coherent style and colour palette.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2011, 04:52:02 PM
NBA Live 08

This is probably the "newest" basketball game my computer can run. Very fun, but I can't win because the controls are so insanely difficult to memorize and master, even with my custom control setting. What I like doing is setting up a simulation to make it as realistic as possible.
No create a player feature, though... not good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 14, 2011, 07:15:56 PM
Quote from: Coco on August 14, 2011, 02:36:10 PM
If there was a game that mixed modern dynamic play, a charming, engrossing story and well-designed graphics that won't look horrible in 10 years, then I would play it.

Okami.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2011, 07:34:09 PM
Almost everything will look horrible in 10 years, though... just the nature of technology.

Probably the exception would be anything that is cell-shaded or from a Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis console (for example, Super Mario World or Sonic). That's because, unlike, say, PS1 games, they aren't trying to look realistic and end up failing. 

I'd like to see games get as realistic as real life one day (Crysis can be pretty close sometimes), but also still have many different art styles depending on the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 14, 2011, 07:45:39 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 14, 2011, 04:52:02 PM
NBA Live 08

This is probably the "newest" basketball game my computer can run. Very fun, but I can't win because the controls are so insanely difficult to memorize and master, even with my custom control setting. What I like doing is setting up a simulation to make it as realistic as possible.
No create a player feature, though... not good.

Greg, have you played the NBA 2K11? I've heard good things about it. I've been a fan of this franchise since the first 2K game, which was on Dreamcast I believe.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2011, 07:21:14 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 14, 2011, 07:45:39 PM
Greg, have you played the NBA 2K11? I've heard good things about it. I've been a fan of this franchise since the first 2K game, which was on Dreamcast I believe.
I wish I could. I also hear that it's one of the best basketball games ever. Maybe if I can convince my friend to get that and a PS3 sometime before long, we'll have an NBA (pretend, so what?) "season" this year instead of a lockout.  ::) :D

I read a youtube comment where some guy says that they should have David Stern on the cover of NBA 2K12, and no gameplay. I'm thinking it would be extra funny if he were holding a basketball and had a smug look on his face, looking at you while money is raining in the background. Then you can have the all of the regular options in the main menu, except the "NBA Season" and "Play Now" options would be greyed out. You can practice alone in either a playground or a gym, but you have to have bodyguards surrounding you. The franchise is mainly about realism, so why not?  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on August 15, 2011, 07:26:48 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 15, 2011, 01:53:31 AM
The Splinter Cell series of games.

Probably not. Not into shoot'em-ups.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2011, 07:35:17 PM
I've played a demo of (i think) the original Splinter Cell. It was the beginning where you were on a train.
Freaking impossible to beat the demo... anyways, it's more like Metal Gear Solid, I think.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2011, 07:43:50 PM
Ah, okay. I've never played the full Metal Gear Solid, either- just the (long) demos of the first one and another one. I liked the gameplay, and I think it was the first one to be a "spy" or "stealth" or whatever-type game. I think Splinter Cell came after that, and I've never heard of the Thief series.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2011, 07:52:03 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 15, 2011, 07:45:32 PM
Metal Gear Solid was never a 'spy' or 'stealth' game. Although, many folks did try to sell that line.
Then the course of the game must have changed after the demo section. I don't remember ever using my gun- if I did, I'd be dead.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 16, 2011, 05:03:04 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 15, 2011, 07:45:32 PM
Metal Gear Solid was never a 'spy' or 'stealth' game.

Yeah it's really a soap opera! ;D 

But kidding aside, the Metal Gear Solid games are better than stealth games, they are shooters that you can play as stealth games or as shooter games.  You can also play it as kill 'em all, or only use tranq darts or some combo in the middle.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 17, 2011, 03:19:15 AM
My goodness, it' so pretty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tZmUZxhJ08&feature=player_embedded

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 22, 2011, 08:27:04 AM
http://www.youtube.com/v/eTlWBtz62Z0

I am not doing quite as badly as this guy :3

Also, Firefall is coming into open beta soon and looks amazing. Free to play, no buying power and so far is looking more fun than most for-pay games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 22, 2011, 10:03:23 AM
Ha!  That reminds me of the bear Condemned 2 vid!

http://www.youtube.com/v/Ixvh-8W1OS8
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 22, 2011, 11:42:21 AM
Quote64 Hanafuda: Tenshi no Yakusoku
64 Ozumo
64 Ozumo 2
64 Trump Collection: Alice no Waku Waku Trump World
AI Shogi 3
Air Boarder 64
Animal Crossing
Bakuretsu Muteki Bangai-O
Bakusho Jinsei 64: Mezase! Resort O
Bass Hunter 64
Bass Rush: ECOGEAR PowerWorm Championship
Bomberman 64 (JP, 2001)
Centre Court Tennis
Choro Q 64 2: Hachamecha Grand Prix Race
Chokukan Night: Pro Yakyu King
Chokukan Night: Pro Yakyu King 2
Custom Robo
Custom Robo V2
Daikatana
Dance Dance Revolution Disney Dancing Museum
Densha de Go! 64
Derby Stallion 64
Dezaemon 3D
Doraemon: Nobita to Mittsu no Seirei Ishi
Doraemon 2: Nobita to Hikari no Shinden
Doraemon 3: Nobita no Machi SOS!
Duke Nuken: Zero Hour
Eiko no Saint Andrews
F-1 World Grand Prix
F-Zero X
F-1 Racing Championship
Famista 64
Fushigi no Dungeon: Furai no Shiren 2: Oni Shurai! Siren-jo!
G.A.S.P!! Fighters' NEXTream
Getter Love!!
Goemon Mononoke Sugoroku
Hamster Monogatari 64
Heiwa Pachinko World 64
Ide Yosuke no Mahjong Juku
Iggy's Reckin' Balls
Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1
J-League Dynamite Soccer 64
J-League Eleven Beat 1997
J. League Live 64
J-League Tactics Soccer
Jango Simulation Mahjong-do 64
Jikkyo GI Stable
Jikkyo J. League: Perfect Striker
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu 4
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu 5
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu 6
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu 2000
Jikkyo Powerful Pro Yakyu Basic-ban 2001
Jinsei Game 64
Kira tto Kaiketsu! 64 Tanteidan
Last Legion UX
Mahjong Horoki Classic
Mahjong Master
Mario no Photopi
Masters '98: Haruka Naru Augusta
Morita Shogi 64
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Neon Genesis Evangelion
New Japan Pro Wrestling: Tohkon Road Brave Spirits
New Japan Pro Wrestling: Tohkon Road Brave Spirits 2, The Next Generation
Nintama Rantaro 64 Game Gallery
Onegai Monster
Pachinko 365 Nichi
Parlor! Pro 64: Pachinko Jikki Simulation
PD Ultraman Battle Collection 64
The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-traction
Premier Manager 64
Pro Mahjong Kiwame 64
Pro Shinan Mahjong Tsuwamono 64: Janso Battle ni Chosen
Puyo Puyo Sun 64
Puyo Puyo~n Party
Rakugakids
Robot Ponkottsu 64: Nanatsu no Umi no Caramel
Saikyo Habu Shogi   
San Francisco Rush
SD Hiryu no Ken Densetsu
Sin and Punishment: Hoshi no Keishosha
Stunt Racer 64
Super B-Daman: Battle Phoenix 64
Super Robot Spirits
Super Robot Wars 64
Susume! Taisen Puzzle Dama: Tokon! Marutama Cho
Tamagotchi 64: Minna de Tamagotchi World
Taz Express
Tetris 64
Turok: Rage Wars
Ucchan Nanchan no Hono no Challenge: Denryu Ira Ira Bo
Virtual Chess 64
Virtual Pro Wrestling 64
Virtual Pro Wrestling 2: Odo Keisho
Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey
WCW Nitro
Wonder Project J2: Koruro no Mori no Josette
Yakochu II: Satsujin Koro
Zool: Maju Tsukai Densetsu
I still have quite a few N64 games left before I have every single one ever published... these are the ones I need to find next...


Well, my plan is to buy this:
http://www.amazon.com/May-Flash-Controller-Adapter-Nintendo-64/dp/B002B9FIUU/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1314030991&sr=1-1

which enables you to connect up to 2 N64 controllers to your laptop. Then, I'll get a connection to my TV and play as if it were a normal Nintendo 64.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 22, 2011, 07:18:52 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 22, 2011, 10:03:23 AM
Ha!  That reminds me of the bear Condemned 2 vid!

Woah, that is neat - hadn't seen it before :3

I just saw a preview of Space Marine, and this may be the first Warhammer action game licence that hasn't been a letdown for me. It has some of crunchiest combat I've ever seen, and yet looks very fluid too. Next up: waiting for independent reviews of Deus Ex 3 that haven't been bought out by the publishers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 22, 2011, 07:41:10 PM
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/Blast_Corps_Coverart.png/250px-Blast_Corps_Coverart.png)
This is very fun.
The whole purpose of the game is to go around, destroying buildings within a time limit. Although in style it's nothing like it, it has the same feel for fun as Katamari Demacy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on August 22, 2011, 09:26:48 PM
I had no idea there were that many games for N64! I had a Zool game for SNES — pretty good platformer but difficult as hell.

I'm still playing FFVI — just after the beginning of the World of Ruin section of the game. So far I can tell this will become a favorite.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 23, 2011, 05:35:07 AM
 FFVI is one hell of a game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 23, 2011, 05:48:13 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on August 22, 2011, 07:18:52 PM
Woah, that is neat - hadn't seen it before :3

I just saw a preview of Space Marine, and this may be the first Warhammer action game licence that hasn't been a letdown for me. It has some of crunchiest combat I've ever seen, and yet looks very fluid too. Next up: waiting for independent reviews of Deus Ex 3 that haven't been bought out by the publishers.

Reviews on Deus Ex 3 I'm wanting are Jim Sterling and Yahtzee.  But it's on my queue at gamefly, no harm in renting it even if it turns out to not be good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 23, 2011, 05:59:56 AM
Quote from: Coco on August 22, 2011, 09:26:48 PM
I'm still playing FFVI — just after the beginning of the World of Ruin section of the game. So far I can tell this will become a favorite.
Awesome!  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 23, 2011, 06:02:09 PM
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is absolutely brilliant, most of the time on par with the original and surpassing it when it comes to stealth and hacking.

Can't wait to see its cover system implemented in the new Thief (same company).

And speaking of Thief, if you like open-ended games, keep an close eye on Dishonored (http://www.gameinformer.com/p/dishonored.aspx), which shares some of its gameplay and aesthetic elements. The legacy of Looking Glass Studios / Origin lives on.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 23, 2011, 06:38:12 PM
Four games I eagerly await:

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo Wii) - Release date: Nov. 20th
Batman: Arkham City (PS3) - Release date: Oct. 18th
The Last Guardian (PS3) - Release date: TBA - maybe next year?
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3) - Release date: Nov. 1st
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 25, 2011, 03:01:40 AM
DE3 SPOILERS (from very early into the game and not major):

It looks like the developers were just as cowardly as I suspected - the opening area and setup is a Metal Gear Solid-style interactive movie. The first zone has a few similarities to UNATCO (music included), but the difference is that you cannot explore at your own pace, the game proceeds as a series of "atmospheric" POV walk-and-talkathons which demonstrate a total contempt for player control or individual experience. Just as terrible, very early on a "boss" character emerges and it includes a cut scene of you being ambushed and taken down without any control over the matter - and all in the aid of a sickly "they stole mah girl" plot. There's the little things too - talk to a secretary from behind their desk and the cutscene shows you talking to them from the front - the game actively dislikes you not playing on the rails. I'll pick this back up if reviews indicate the start was all just a terrible misjudgement (with its total lack of alternate routes because of the scripted scenes playing out in front of you - even DE2's near-identical intro did not do this quite so badly iirc), but atm rage mode is stuck on ;)

It's as if developers can't even visualise what a good game of this type is like, they are so corrupted by all the silly, cheap tricks available to them :( If they can even claim to enjoy the original, then its qualities flew right over their pea brains.

Edit: a friend has been playing it in the background, and the next area seems a bit more open, which is good - but I do object to the developers deciding when or where you should go into "adventure mode" and "corridor mode" - it's contrary to the core style of the game. I feel that the target market for the original DE were somewhat inquisitive people looking for something very different and radically slow-paced and text-based, but the next two games were produced to try to appeal to people with shorter attention spans. While this is a nice idea, it's just not going to result in a game that is as worthy - and as long as the franchise retains the name of the original I don't see any reason not to hold it up to the standards of that game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 25, 2011, 10:13:51 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on August 25, 2011, 03:01:40 AMIt's as if developers can't even visualise what a good game of this type is like, they are so corrupted by all the silly, cheap tricks available to them :( If they can even claim to enjoy the original, then its qualities flew right over their pea brains.

Calm down. It opens up when you reach Detroit. They sort of had to ease players that never experienced the original into it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 25, 2011, 01:23:07 PM
I'm feeling pretty content irrationally hating it right now, but I'll inevitably continue it sometime soon. I've even played DE2 through about three times for wont of any other acceptable games in this abortive genre... I am being silly, though - of course :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 29, 2011, 02:40:25 PM
Meh, DE3 turned out to be okay but not worth finishing. The cover system is completely misguided and design decisions often change the experience to something I am not looking for in a DE game. There wasn't a moment where I felt like it was me walking through the areas because this illusion isn't just broken all the time, it seems to be discouraged. It just felt like I was playing yet another video game with the same old plastic bloomy environments.

Moving onto Crysis 2 on Xbox, it's great. I didn't get the PC version because the visuals were disappointing once you took the time to examine anything for more than 1 second. It's surprising how the developers managed to combine a rail shooter with unusually open areas which allow you to do your own thing to some extent - it combines an illusion of freedom with a very tight progression, good stuff. I hope there will be a sequel, whether on a next gen console (wishful thinking) or not.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 29, 2011, 03:00:28 PM
Lethe are you criticizing 3rd person view?  I think that is the only real solid way to do anything involving cover. :-\

I thought this was funny, an alignment but from the escapist magazine:

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 29, 2011, 03:13:38 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 29, 2011, 03:00:28 PM
Lethe are you criticizing 3rd person view?  I think that is the only real solid way to do anything involving cover. :-\

The previous games didn't need cover, though. This is the thing that I don't understand about games that go away from pure FP - it doesn't just break immersion, but in the obvious desire for fluid, movie-style firefights, the whole concept stops making sense to me. For example, being able to pick your target's exact bodypart and then pop out, fire two shots and go back down in a second. It looks impressive but it's working against immersion for me because it's an eyes-in-the-back-of-your-head thing which feels like game-logic and not real (and a realistic approximation of real-life perception is the primary reason for utilising a FP viewpoint). Any move from pure first person results in a game that becomes more about artfully using the mechanics of the specific game rather than just doing what comes naturally - for example, I tried to take cover around a corner at one point, but it covered me on the wall before the turn where I was exposed. Any such system can never have all those "clunky" parts ironed out and even if they could it seems unneccessary given how elegant pure FP is. I could've just run around the corner myself and used lean, making flashy cover systems unneccessary.

It's not just that, though - in the original DE's the main characters, whether intentional or not (I lean towards the former considering DE2 followed the same line), were wooden and faceless. In DE3 I can only view my character as a bearded greaseball with a pre-designated girlfriend. In the previous two they were rather more anonymous, somewhat sexless entities which didn't distract as much from my perception of the gameworld.

These points probably only apply to myself, but they really grated on me :-[ I get the Metal Gear experience from DE3 - I'm not playing me, I'm playing Solid Snake.

Edit: some of this made no sense.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on August 29, 2011, 04:10:40 PM
Haven't played a console game in years, which really saddens me... :'(  thinking of buying "Portal 2" for my computer, the original "Portal" is one of my favorite games.

But I've been playing "Plants vs. Zombies" on my iPad which is fun. Otherwise, Gin Rummy, all the time, sort of became my game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 30, 2011, 05:11:50 AM
Portal 2 is alot of fun Greg! :)

I played Bulletstorm (good, stupid fun) and as of this weekend I'm now playing Deus Ex 3. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 30, 2011, 05:20:27 AM
Bulletstorm is so cool - I love the mostalgic feeling of gaming circa 1996 with all of its "you can't jump over this waist-hight obstruction" stuff ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 30, 2011, 08:19:57 AM
Bulletstorm is the most fun I've had in a game in along time!  I miss the days of high momentum run and gun shooters!!  I would like to see the whole genre come back and the tactical shooters take a back seat. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 30, 2011, 08:47:04 AM
Indeedie, the whole tacticool genre is a nice idea for an multiplayer experience, but the market is beyond saturated (and watching people run around in full field warfare gear knifing each other like in Action Quake is kind of painfully retarded). I blame Half Life for ruining the Quake 2-style singleplayer experience :P Sure games like Q2 were a bit plain, but it was the same kind of action that Doom offered and the obsession with realistic weapons that came with HL seems to have moved the genre to an ever more faux realistic playstyle.

It's strange how I never really got into Serious Sam, considering how much I like straight-up action shooters. Even the minigun-type weapons felt light as a feather and there wasn't a lot of satisfaction in taking down countless waves of dudes with that lack of impact and weight. I'm looking forward to Space Marine precisely because of how ridiculously weighty the combat appears to be.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 30, 2011, 09:06:31 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on August 29, 2011, 02:40:25 PM
Meh, DE3 turned out to be okay but not worth finishing. The cover system is completely misguided...

Interesting. I remember hating the inclusion of 3rd person camera in the third Thief (and never used it) but I absolutely loved the cover system in Human Revolution and thought it was one of the game's highlights.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 30, 2011, 09:09:59 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on August 30, 2011, 09:06:31 AM
I absolutely loved the cover system in Human Revolution and thought it was one of the game's highlights.

(and I mean HIGHLIGHTS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y414Q7vVgYU))
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 30, 2011, 09:21:45 AM
I thought the cover system needed work.  It's not fluid like in Gears of War... because the control scheme doesn't work right. 

In most shooters you would push lt to aim, rt to fire (on the 360).  You push A to grab cover.  You push A again if you want to jump over the obstacle.  This is a very intuitive overloading of the A button since the second action is really the extension of the first action.

So I play DE 3, I push lt and... I grab the nearest wall!  How do you unlearn lt to aim since every other game uses it??  Not only that but aim is lt+left analog, seriously!?  While the A button is still used for jumping over obstacles or switching walls, there is a weird disconnect that it had nothing to do with finding cover.

After a little bit of playing you get used to it, but still... I wouldn't call it a highlight of the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 31, 2011, 09:34:07 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 30, 2011, 09:21:45 AMAfter a little bit of playing you get used to it, but still... I wouldn't call it a highlight of the game.

I see. I've played the PC version using mouse + keyboard so I didn't have to deal with something like this.

Thread duty: playing Driver: San Francisco and I'm having quite a lot of fun. It's nowhere near the original in terms of atmosphere but still a blast thanks to the shift mechanic, which allows you to jump from car to car, astral projection style. As crazy as that sounds - it works flawlessly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 31, 2011, 09:44:26 AM
Maybe the PC version is the one to play.  I'm playing on the 360.  What about you Lethe?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 31, 2011, 09:51:10 AM
360 too - it was a friend who bought it, I'd have waited a lot longer to get it myself if it was my own money, but it would be for the PC, as I vastly prefer mouse and keyboard for FPS.

Edit: I suck at writing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 31, 2011, 09:56:31 AM
Gamefly is rolling out an unlimited pc gaming plan soon, I might give DE 3 another play through on the pc when that happens.

Did you accidentally grab walls when you meant to just aim like me or were you luckily not as retarded? ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on August 31, 2011, 10:00:42 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 31, 2011, 09:56:31 AM
Did you accidentally grab walls when you meant to just aim like me or were you luckily not as retarded? ;D

Yeah,* but once or twice (far more annoyingly) the system grabbed the wrong bit (often at a corner) which left me in the firing line.

*Although this part is more to do with me not being very good with gamepads in complex action games, it feels almost like a masochistic exercise at times.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 31, 2011, 10:49:05 AM
That's what happened with me too.  How stupid do you feel to be hanging on to a wall while being riddled with bullets? :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 04, 2011, 12:07:25 AM
Tedious update #29883:

I've decided to just pretend cover doesn't exist in DE3, and the more I play it, the more I notice it at least bothering to include stuff that DE2 removed. It has an inventory, real ammunition, and even huge areas to get lost in (mein Gott). While melee in the original wasn't great, I don't see why in this game it's been removed all together and only seems to be a special move that requires energy. It seems unusual that in a game that has at least tried to offer various ways to complete objectives, from silver-tonguing to shooting, that fists would not be considered an acceptable option. The worst is when you want to break stuff without using ammo - why won't it let you :'( The continual jumps into third person are still bad (such as the slow fall ability) but I am becoming more and more impressed by the game not forcing you to kill everything. It also has a surprising amount of optional creeping and burglary, which is one of the very key Deus Ex things that I look for in a game. Maybe the best part of it so far: getting lost in China. The game doesn't scream where you should go, it allows you to get annoyed and bored if you lack the interest in exploration, without the devs fearing you writing them angry letters. Which is a nice and essential touch for a game with any ambition. The dialogue is still very poor, but one of these days a game like this will get a real writer on board - especially given how cheap they are in the face of ever-expanding budgets for modern triple-A titles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 04, 2011, 05:49:56 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Pettersson on September 04, 2011, 12:07:25 AM
One of these days a game like this will get a real writer on board - especially given how cheap they are in the face of ever-expanding budgets for modern triple-A titles.

They actually had one, Mary DeMarle.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 04, 2011, 07:48:21 AM
http://www.youtube.com/v/8Hi225wWHnw

This is looking pretty impressive, in a Bulletstorm kind of way - visually it's super too. My PC in its current state won't be able to run it though ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 09:49:55 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Pettersson on September 04, 2011, 12:07:25 AM
one of these days a game like this will get a real writer on board

Crysis 2 had Richard Morgan for the writer... and it was one of the worst stories I've seen in a game for awhile!  Having a real writer wouldn't be a guarantee of anything sadly. :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 09:52:08 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on September 04, 2011, 05:49:56 AM
They actually had one, Mary DeMarle.

Huh?  Who?  Real writer = bestselling writer of novels and short stories in my book. ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 04, 2011, 12:49:34 PM
Almost halfway through Half-Life 2... this is going to take forever to beat.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 05:17:18 PM
Quote from: Greg on September 04, 2011, 12:49:34 PM
Almost halfway through Half-Life 2... this is going to take forever to beat.

Awesome!  One of my favorite games!! :)

Rinaldo, thank you for the heads up about the pc controls on DE 3.  I bought the pc version and it rocks! much more fluid than the console version.  Will be selling my 360 copy next week. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 04, 2011, 06:13:58 PM
It was actually voted "Best PC game ever" according to a PC Gamer reader poll.
One thing I really love about the series is the distinct personality of it- the combination of having the protagonist as a physicist and the whole alien, mysterious, detached, feel of the series.

Just one thing that is ruining the whole game for me at the moment: headcrabs. Especially the black ones. They are so frustrating that I'm constantly feeling like yelling at them. Hopefully, once I make it past this messed up city (Ravenholm), there won't be quite as many. ?...  ::)

As for the positives, I could go on endlessly. There are some mind-blowing, incredible experiences in this game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 07:05:46 PM
Yeah Greg it doesn't get much better than throwing chainsaw blades at headcrab zombies! ;D

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/v/XhD-vd7PXY4
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 07:06:27 PM
Oh Greg did you pick up the game of the year edition which has Half Life 1 included?  That game rocks even harder!! 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 04, 2011, 07:20:15 PM
Quote from: DavidW on September 04, 2011, 07:05:46 PM
Yeah Greg it doesn't get much better than throwing chainsaw blades at headcrab zombies! ;D

Check this out:

That's exactly why I like doing that, but making sure they line up 3 in a row- I'm only putting them out of their misery, so it's a good thing.  ;)

They make that noise while they are slowly burning to death...

http://www.youtube.com/v/sd4jlnh-oo4
I didn't think it could get any more disturbing, but now that I know what they are really saying...  :-\

I'm pretty sure my edition is the regular one... and I won't elaborate on why I'm not 100% sure.  :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 04, 2011, 08:44:16 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on September 04, 2011, 06:15:39 PMHalf-Life 2 isn't even the best Half-Life game.

Glad I'm not alone on that one.

Playing Bastion right now, which is lovely. Clever narration, great visual style & fabulous soundtrack.

(http://i53.tinypic.com/33accjm.jpg)

And if anyone feels the new Deus Ex isn't hardcore enough, E.Y.E. might be a viable alternative for you. It's über complex, user unfriendly and bugged as hell. Just like the old days.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 04, 2011, 08:45:59 PM
Heaven forbid we can punch enemies without requiring a cutscene, that would be user-unfriendly ;)

Edit: recent mentions of HL2 are giving me the urge to go back to the original. I never played the expansions, so maybe now is the time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 12, 2011, 09:48:54 AM
Well, I was originally planning to post how great a game Half-Life 2 was, but there are certain section which are near-impossible. Right now, I'm playing a section that truly is impossible, and it's on easy.
I think the amount of enemies you get and how many grenades they throw are up to chance, and I just happen to be unlucky. I watched a youtube video of someone playing this section, and there are way less enemies.

It is the part near the end of Entanglement where you have to set up the turrets and have probably about a hundred guys coming after you and at least 6 or 7 spinning blades (that's how much I could survive). So, the game is ruined, and now I can't finish it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 12, 2011, 01:39:42 PM
I don't remember where that is in the game.  Did you get to the part with the full on assault of the city?  It's epic but hard.

As for most of those turret sections... those are tough!  I don't remember the game well enough, but I think I kept righting the turrets if they got knocked over.

I want to replay Knights of the Old Republic, but it won't run on windows 7 so I bought the xbox version and it is fun and cool playing it on the console. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 12, 2011, 02:12:56 PM
Okay, David, here's where it is:


http://www.youtube.com/v/LiyOt2FLt2U&feature=related
I set up the turrets pretty much like this, but when I'm playing there are so many more soldiers that they end up knocking all 3 down at the same time. If I go to pick them up, by the time I set them up, I'm halfway dead and they knock down whatever I've just set up anyways. At the point where the turrets become useless, I've tried to hide in a dark room and shoot from there. However, despite being able to shoot fairly well, I run out of ammo (which I've had tons of) and die, because they just don't stop coming.



I might have to try this:

Quotethere's a more preparation intensive way to do this, but it's so easy. there's a balcony on the one side that leads back into a close hall. stack up crates to form stairs. then toss the turrets and some items up there. climb up and set up the turrets. sit back and let them handle the soldiers for you.

occasionally they may knock a turret out with a grenade, but they can't climb up there, and they can't hit you unless you come to the edge. this worked flawlessly the first time i tried it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 12, 2011, 06:25:49 PM
I tried the box strategy on the left side of the hallway. I made a pyramid of 6 boxes and a barrel at the top. I climbed on top of the barrel and was literally level with the railing. I tried jumping over the railing, because I was in position to do so. Apparently, it was preprogrammed to not allow you to jump onto the second story, because there was an invisible force that wouldn't let me cross over.

Before that, I watched another video of someone setting up the turrets. I tried to imitate what he did- keep them closer to me (halfway inside the room) and to use the gravity gun to pick them up and set them up again, instead of the A button. Same thing, though- it was so chaotic I couldn't do anything without dying instantly.

The only thing left to do to progress in the game is try to jump onto another area of the railing and hope it's not also invisibly blocked.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 12, 2011, 06:40:12 PM
Oh god I remember that now... I think I blocked it out.  That is crazy, crazy hard even with the turrets to help you.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 15, 2011, 01:48:02 AM
Assassin's creed 2 finished, now moving to Uncharted.

Huge improvement over Assassin's creed 1, and like Desmond said: "The subtitles, definitely a big plus!"
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 15, 2011, 05:00:58 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 12, 2011, 06:40:12 PM
Oh god I remember that now... I think I blocked it out.  That is crazy, crazy hard even with the turrets to help you.
I'm going to see if it can fit on my friend's flash drive Monday or Tuesday and let him take it home. If he can get me past that part, I'm going to give him a tip. That's the only way.  ::) >:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 15, 2011, 05:15:51 AM
Greg, I bet you can also get other people's saves files online...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jwinter on September 15, 2011, 05:18:58 AM
I just finished Fallout: New Vegas and have moved on to Divinity II.  Pretty good so far, though I'm largely killing time until the new Elder Scrolls game comes out...

[asin]B002QK00OI[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 15, 2011, 05:50:16 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 15, 2011, 05:15:51 AM
Greg, I bet you can also get other people's saves files online...
I didn't think of that. Good idea.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 15, 2011, 07:08:06 AM
I got past a corrupt save on a game once that way. ;D

Quote from: jwinter on September 15, 2011, 05:18:58 AM
though I'm largely killing time until the new Elder Scrolls game comes out...

That's how I regard my game play right now as well.  I've even contemplated replaying Oblivion yet again! :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jwinter on September 15, 2011, 09:45:33 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 15, 2011, 07:08:06 AM
That's how I regard my game play right now as well.  I've even contemplated replaying Oblivion yet again! :D

I played it all the way through three times, did the same with Morrowind -- only times I've ever done that on an RPG.  Awesome series...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 16, 2011, 08:48:53 AM
(http://purenintendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zelda_skyward_sword_boxart.jpg)

I'm seriously looking forward to this game as I was a big fan of The Twilight Princess. I'm really anxious to see what kind of dungeons are in this one. I've always liked the Lake Bed Temple in The Twilight Princess. Any other Zelda fans out there?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 16, 2011, 09:09:01 AM
I played a bit of the first one... that was a long time ago!  It had was a gold cartridge. :D

Edit: stupid correction + I'm talking about Zelda for the original Nintendo if it's not clear.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jwinter on September 16, 2011, 09:52:25 AM
I received Twilight Princess as a gift, haven't started it yet.  I played Ocarina of Time back in the day...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 16, 2011, 10:09:44 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 16, 2011, 08:48:53 AM
(http://purenintendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zelda_skyward_sword_boxart.jpg)

Any other Zelda fans out there?

o/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 16, 2011, 08:01:35 PM
Quote from: DavidW on September 16, 2011, 09:09:01 AM
I played a bit of the first one... that was a long time ago!  It had was a gold cartridge. :D

Edit: stupid correction + I'm talking about Zelda for the original Nintendo if it's not clear.

Yes, Dave. I played some 8-bit Zelda myself back in the day also. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 16, 2011, 08:04:55 PM
Quote from: jwinter on September 16, 2011, 09:52:25 AM
I received Twilight Princess as a gift, haven't started it yet.  I played Ocarina of Time back in the day...

Twilight Princess is my favorite Zelda game so far. It exceeded my expectations. I was incredibly happy with it overall, although I did find some parts of it annoying like having to change into a wolf, but that's just a small gripe. All great games have weak points, but thankfully the stronger ones outweigh those weaker moments.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 19, 2011, 01:54:02 PM
I'm really looking forward to playing the newly remastered Shadow of the Colossus on PS3. This will be the first of four game purchases I'm going to make. The other three being Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 19, 2011, 06:03:43 PM
Replayed LIMBO, the Steam version. Even better than the first time (on XBLA). Maybe the fact that I remembered solutions to some of the puzzles helped me immerse myself in the atmospherics more. I love how they intertwined its distinct art style with the gameplay itself.. it's not just a platformer with German Expressionism splashed over it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 20, 2011, 01:04:37 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 19, 2011, 01:54:02 PM
I'm really looking forward to playing the newly remastered Shadow of the Colossus on PS3. This will be the first of four game purchases I'm going to make. The other three being Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Pretty similar list to mine, except I would add also Skyrim. From what I have seen about that game it looks almost too good to be true.

Btw, Uncharted kicks ass! Who said that Naughty Dog can only do games for kids?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 20, 2011, 05:06:25 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 19, 2011, 01:54:02 PM
I'm really looking forward to playing the newly remastered Shadow of the Colossus on PS3.

Sony exec 1: Now that we've eliminated ps2 compatibility in ps3s let us resell the biggest sellers on the ps2!

Sony exec 2: Brilliant!!

MI, why are you looking forward to replaying a game you've already played on upscaled graphics?  I paid $5 to play that game, now it's going to be what $40-60?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 20, 2011, 05:07:02 AM
I'm still playing DE 3, but Gears of War 3 releases today.  Darn I game too slowly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 20, 2011, 11:24:46 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 20, 2011, 05:06:25 AM
Sony exec 1: Now that we've eliminated ps2 compatibility in ps3s let us resell the biggest sellers on the ps2!

Sony exec 2: Brilliant!!

MI, why are you looking forward to replaying a game you've already played on upscaled graphics?  I paid $5 to play that game, now it's going to be what $40-60?

I heard the playability is much more smoother, which the original was pretty rough around the edges, plus I NEVER played Ico. It will be nice to see all the improvements that were made to it this time around. I'll probably wait until it comes down in price from $40. I could probably get it second-hand if I just wait on it.

I'm one of those people who can either fall head over hills for a game or it can just have a total negative effect on me. There's no inbetween. Shadow of the Colossus was one of those games I never got tired of, because I feel in love with it instantly. Not many games have done this for me, but this one had me from the very beginning, especially when you fight the first colossus. Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, both for the SNES, were two games I loved instantly and I still continue playing to this day. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is another game I continue to play over and over, because I love it. It's an engrossing experience. I really can't explain it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 22, 2011, 09:15:30 AM
Finished Half-Life 2.
I ended up keeping the invincibility that I had from the online save files, because I wanted to get the game over with and didn't feel like being under stress.
The ending was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. If you can bypass some of the outrageously difficult parts, it really is one of the best games ever made.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 22, 2011, 10:18:10 AM
Replaying Thief 2 (I still refuse to play 1 as it's too scary) - it's still super enjoyable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 22, 2011, 11:25:33 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Pettersson on September 22, 2011, 10:18:10 AM
Replaying Thief 2 (I still refuse to play 1 as it's too scary) - it's still super enjoyable.

One of my all time favourites. I love the world it conjures and its aesthetics, both visual & aural.

The company that did Human Revolution is working on a fourth installment in the series.. I wonder if they'll be able to retain the original vibe.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 23, 2011, 09:59:28 AM
I must say, though, the original Thief games can be somewhat confusing. Take this:

(http://i.imgur.com/X1XSv.jpg)

This map is unusable to me. The character knows his way around, after all, it's his home quarter, but the repetetive textures make memorising the layout myself a nightmare. I'd have greatly preferred to take a hit to the realism and get a "you are here" marker ;)

Good news about the DE4 sequel, I hope they don't feel the need to "streamline" it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 23, 2011, 01:19:21 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Pettersson on September 23, 2011, 09:59:28 AM
I must say, though, the original Thief games can be somewhat confusing. Take this:

(http://i.imgur.com/X1XSv.jpg)

Oh, the good old "where the hell am I?" map. I sort of liked that approach back in the day but yeah, it WAS confusing.

QuoteGood news about the DE4 sequel, I hope they don't feel the need to "streamline" it.

Actually, it's a Thief sequel - I've phrased it wrong. They're keeping it under wraps so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 23, 2011, 01:22:49 PM
Oh, I see. I haven't even played Thief 3 yet :-\ I really should work on that :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 23, 2011, 01:31:56 PM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Pettersson on September 23, 2011, 01:22:49 PM
Oh, I see. I haven't even played Thief 3 yet :-\ I really should work on that :)

Thief 3 has its moments.. but if you find the first one scary, then you should definitely stay away from The Cradle - voted as one of the scariest levels in videogame history.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 23, 2011, 01:49:24 PM
Aww not fair. Even the bug-guys in Thief 1 freaked me out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on September 23, 2011, 08:31:58 PM
Thief 2 spoilers follow:

The first time I played the eavesdropping level (where you go into the Mechanist church and listen in on how they make the robots when the bell chimes), at one point in the conversation this line comes up:

"A most unfortunate guttersnipe who waits just outside."

The first time I played when I heard this I thought that it was scripted for me to be discovered listening through the door so ran like hell, so I have never heard the rest of the dialogue - but this time I remained and it turns out there was another character in behind the door that they were referring to and the dialogue continues. Hehe :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 25, 2011, 05:01:11 PM
I just started Planescape: Torment.  8)
I really never liked the whole point & click style (you know, Baldur's Gate, Starcraft, Warcraft, etc.), but it seems to me to somewhat of a visual novel in a way. The conversation with Dhall was interesting. Now I'm on my first mission.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 25, 2011, 05:15:01 PM
Quote from: Greg on September 25, 2011, 05:01:11 PM
it seems to me to somewhat of a visual novel in a way.

Prepare to be blown away.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 12, 2011, 03:04:12 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/IynbP.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on October 12, 2011, 03:18:20 PM
Its not that confusing. All you have to do is draw your own map. I used to do that all the time in Daggerfall, and Thief was a lot easier in that respect. Great game BTW, one of the absolute best. Too bad Thief 3 sucked ass.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on October 13, 2011, 04:44:10 AM
I'm going on a Mario marathon in preparation for the release of Mario 3D Land next month.  I've recently ran through Mario 64, 3, NSMB on Wii and DS and I'm currently working on 2 and Super Mario Land.  Will start the Galaxy games next.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Coco on October 13, 2011, 06:18:42 AM
Quote from: Geo Dude on October 13, 2011, 04:44:10 AM
I'm going on a Mario marathon in preparation for the release of Mario 3D Land next month.  I've recently ran through Mario 64, 3, NSMB on Wii and DS and I'm currently working on 2 and Super Mario Land.  Will start the Galaxy games next.

No love for the Paper Marios? u_u
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on October 13, 2011, 07:05:09 AM
Quote from: Coco on October 13, 2011, 06:18:42 AM
No love for the Paper Marios? u_u

I don't have those on hand.  Come to think of it, I also need to complete Mario RPG!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 13, 2011, 07:53:29 AM
I'm going to make one more purchase this year and it is this game:

(http://purenintendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zelda_skyward_sword_boxart.jpg)

Can't wait to play it. I've been waiting many years for a new Wii Zelda game to come out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 13, 2011, 09:44:47 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 13, 2011, 07:53:29 AM
I'm going to make one more purchase this year and it is this game:

(http://purenintendo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/zelda_skyward_sword_boxart.jpg)

Can't wait to play it. I've been waiting many years for a new Wii Zelda game to come out.


Very nice! The last Zelda I played was WindWaker, which was fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 13, 2011, 12:02:16 PM
Finished RAGE. It actually turned out to be quite a memorable experience. It's still just a straightforward shooter but its design shows lots of love poured into it. Lots of nods towards Doom as well. The overall feel is brilliant. My major gripe with the game are all those invisible walls. Conjuring such stunning landscapes and not allowing the player to explore them? Boo.

Also, the problems surrounding the PC version are a disaster, although I've been spared as the game works just fine on my system.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 13, 2011, 01:11:18 PM
It is a really good game, and quite brutal to compare to a worse title like Duke Nukem Forever - especially as both are surprisingly unforgiving on high difficulty, made by old devs and have lengthy driving sections.

Id are ridiculous, though. I have a friend whose PC copy choose the un-tweakable "optimal" settings for him and it ran at 10fps. I've played it on 360 because a friend bought it, but if they hadn't I'd have picked it up secondhand to make sure that id got none of my money after all the foolishness :-\ I feel like a sucker for being one of the few supporting them on messageboards throughout all the "it looks like Borderlands", "it's brown lol" kiddy complaints from people who were too young to feel the impact of Quake 1, 2 and 3. Sadly the company seem to have forgotten how to make PC games, and ironically, also how to market their engines (which arguably Rage was the showcase for) with very mechanically and graphically stable releases.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 13, 2011, 07:41:01 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 13, 2011, 09:44:47 AM

Very nice! The last Zelda I played was WindWaker, which was fun.

Yes, Skyward Sword looks very promising or at least from the video clips I've seen of it. What a minute, you didn't play The Twilight Princess? ???

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0zsddJYDFBI/TmU8D7ERPrI/AAAAAAAAAMs/LgoTY_y0oH0/s1600/928519_67607_front.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 13, 2011, 08:49:40 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 13, 2011, 07:41:01 PM
Yes, Skyward Sword looks very promising or at least from the video clips I've seen of it. What a minute, you didn't play The Twilight Princess? ???

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0zsddJYDFBI/TmU8D7ERPrI/AAAAAAAAAMs/LgoTY_y0oH0/s1600/928519_67607_front.jpg)

No,  :-[ 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 13, 2011, 09:01:48 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 13, 2011, 08:49:40 PM
No,  :-[

Do you own a Wii, Greg? If yes, then I highly recommend Twilight Princess. I'm not a big video game player and there are only a few titles I've enjoyed from childhood until now, but The Legend of Zelda series has always been one of the favorites. N64's Ocarina of Time changed Zelda forever and if you've followed the series up to Wind Waker, then you will be thrilled by how far it has come with Twilight Princess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 01:39:47 PM
I still have not gotten a reply back from Greg as to whether he owns a Wii or not? Well, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available Nov. 20th, so I hope you're prepared for this great event. Also, please bare in mind, that this new Zelda game requires a Wii Motion Plus for your Wii Remote, so for those who don't have one, you will need get one. To those who already have one, ROCK ON!!! 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 22, 2011, 02:41:37 PM
I have been finding myself increasingly experiencing the urge to replay this game - one of my favourite childhood experiences, so... I am. Shame the series didn't survive, the first 1.5 were pretty special.

(http://i.imgur.com/ls93S.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 22, 2011, 06:51:05 PM
Could you imagine how awesome it would be to play video games all day?...  :-\

(putting Planescape: Torment on hold- might be a while).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 07:35:49 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 22, 2011, 06:51:05 PM
Could you imagine how awesome it would be to play video games all day?...  :-\

(putting Planescape: Torment on hold- might be a while).

I couldn't play video games all day. I don't have that kind of patience.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 22, 2011, 08:04:42 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 07:35:49 PM
I couldn't play video games all day. I don't have that kind of patience.
I think I would find it a challenge, too. My parents would limit me to an hour a day when I was a kid, though when I was a teenager, I had a Playstation in my room for a few years, I could get away with more (sometimes necessary, considering save point distances).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 08:11:42 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 22, 2011, 08:04:42 PM
I think I would find it a challenge, too. My parents would limit me to an hour a day when I was a kid, though when I was a teenager, I had a Playstation in my room for a few years, I could get away with more (sometimes necessary, considering save point distances).

I enjoy video games, but there is a world outside of one's house whether we want to embrace that world is entirely up to the individual. This said, I wasn't particularly sociable growing up, but I was enough of an extravert to deal with boring people. I had to create my own fun most days.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 22, 2011, 08:15:36 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 08:11:42 PM
I enjoy video games, but there is a world outside of one's house whether we want to embrace that world is entirely up to the individual.
I wish this were true...  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 08:19:14 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 22, 2011, 08:15:36 PM
I wish this were true...  ::)

Then who is up to? Who makes the choices in your life? You or your aunt?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 23, 2011, 01:04:37 AM
I have done the unthinkable: paid $50 for a new game.

I have a huge backlog that would take me six years to finish were I to complete a single game a month (a pace I don't even keep as I usually only play multiplayer...not falling for those Steam sales again) so I don't normally feel the compulsion to spend money on new games as I got a bunch of untouched ones but I couldn't resist the pc version of Battlefield 3.

My FPS multiplayer for the next couple of years:

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


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on October 23, 2011, 05:23:40 AM
Quote from: -abe- on October 23, 2011, 01:04:37 AM
I have done the unthinkable: paid $50 for a new game.

What about the $1000+ upgrade needed in order to play the actual game?

Battlefield 3 looks awesome though. Finally a game that actually feels like it was made for the PC first and foremost. Well, at least the visuals and the multiplayer do. Single player looks like typical Call of Duty consolized crap, but hey, can't have everything.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2011, 07:23:30 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 22, 2011, 08:19:14 PM
Then who is up to? Who makes the choices in your life? You or your aunt?
You can't "live in your parent's basement" forever is what I mean (what parent would let you?). Though, honestly, it beats many (though not all) alternatives.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 23, 2011, 07:00:37 PM
Not playing this atm, but ran into this nicely made video and remember that I never did find that swing (I never bothered following a guide or anything):

http://www.youtube.com/v/1vyHRK1E1Ww
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on October 24, 2011, 04:28:44 AM
I'll play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call Of Pripyat soon. I've seen a lot of Youtube videos, it seems to have an incredibly dark and creepy atmosphere, is open world, is a bit like RPGs and together with some available mods just great in graphics. Really looking forward.
He.. Because of the post Chernobyl setting, it seems to have complete day/night cycles in short moments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmIXK35rm-U&feature=related

Great mood here:

http://www.youtube.com/v/pxWvt297aC8
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 24, 2011, 08:44:04 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FktL2pu2wE&feature=related

Battlefield 3 is coming out soon and has the most realistic graphics of any game I've seen yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 24, 2011, 10:39:08 PM
Battlefield 3 went live here on the East Coast two hours ago. It feels quite different from the Battlefield game "Bad Company 2" in terms of movement. Your character more heavier and more bound by gravity. It actually feels like you're running instead of skating, and the sound is spectacular.  I'm playing the game's most neglected mode--death match--to get used to it.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on October 25, 2011, 12:48:03 AM
I hope my new PC will soon be delivered. It'll be an Intel Core i7 Sandybridge 2600K 4x 3.40 GHz based computer with enough RAM and a GTX580 GPU and -yay- I'll install Win7x64 onto an SSD, which will hopefully be fun. The only thing I couldn't buy is enough time for gaming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 25, 2011, 03:36:44 AM
Quote from: Tapio Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on October 25, 2011, 12:48:03 AM
I hope my new PC will soon be delivered. It'll be an Intel Core i7 Sandybridge 2600K 4x 3.40 GHz based computer with enough RAM and a GTX580 GPU and -yay- I'll install Win7x64 onto an SSD, which will hopefully be fun. The only thing I couldn't buy is enough time for gaming.

That's going to be a beast of a PC. It would run BF3 like a dream. :)

Unrelated, here is a great SC2 match from this past weekend's Blizzcon. It's the final game in the championship series and it's quite epic and entertaining:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrQ-_qDnekI&feature
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 25, 2011, 03:40:49 AM
And here's a much shorter Protoss vs Protoss match (recorded from the perspective of one of the players)  that shows just how skilled professional players can be. The comments might spoil the result:

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

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mn Dave on October 25, 2011, 12:22:04 PM
Oh no! I am playing computer games again!

Civ III, role-playing, board and card games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 25, 2011, 12:34:58 PM
Quote from: -abe- on October 25, 2011, 03:36:44 AM
That's going to be a beast of a PC. It would run BF3 like a dream. :)

Unrelated, here is a great SC2 match from this past weekend's Blizzcon. It's the final game in the championship series and it's quite epic and entertaining:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrQ-_qDnekI&feature

That one just made me cross. I am not usually a conspiricy theorist, but WTF was NesTea doing - players as good as him don't do that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 25, 2011, 01:10:19 PM
Going to trade in some Wii and PS3 games that I don't ever play and buy this:

[asin]B002I0F5M8[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on October 26, 2011, 08:46:59 PM
http://www.youtube.com/v/Xx38tIF_3Ps

Ignore the horrible voice. The second clip is beautiful Q__Q
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 28, 2011, 01:09:28 AM
Got a chance to spend three hours with Skyrim. Customizable dual-wielding is ace.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 30, 2011, 06:34:47 PM
Purchased this tonight:

[asin]B002I0F5M8[/asin]

Traded in 5 games I never play and wound up with a $65 in-store credit, so I paid nothing for the game and still have a $5 credit. I'll probably trade in some more games and hopefully I'll get enough credit to get Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mn Dave on October 31, 2011, 03:49:47 AM
http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/avadon/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 31, 2011, 08:21:15 AM
Wow....

[asin]B002I0F5M8[/asin]

I played this game for three hours last night, which is something I seldom do, but I couldn't help myself. This game is outstanding so far. The graphics, the gameplay, and the whole atmosphere is fantastic. Unlike Arkham Asylum, Arkham City is free roam, which I think helps the game much more. You're not confined to one area. This game has 500 something trophies as well and not to mention all of the side missions. I would wager this game is definitely game of the year, but Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword haven't been released yet. Those two games look very promising.

Anyway, Arkham City is the first Batman game I've played that made me really feel like Batman. Can't wait to start playing it again.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 31, 2011, 09:18:49 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 31, 2011, 08:21:15 AM
Wow....

[asin]B002I0F5M8[/asin]

I played this game for three hours last night, which is something I seldom do, but I couldn't help myself. This game is outstanding so far. The graphics, the gameplay, and the whole atmosphere is fantastic. Unlike Arkham Asylum, Arkham City is free roam, which I think helps the game much more. You're not confined to one area. This game has 500 something trophies as well and not to mention all of the side missions. I would wager this game is definitely game of the year, but Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword haven't been released yet. Those two games look very promising.

Anyway, Arkham City is the first Batman game I've played that made me really feel like Batman. Can't wait to start playing it again.

I consistently hear positive comments on this game, and let's hope the new Zelda is good, Nintendo has been hurting, sales are way down.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 31, 2011, 10:24:21 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 31, 2011, 09:18:49 AM
I consistently hear positive comments on this game, and let's hope the new Zelda is good, Nintendo has been hurting, sales are way down.

The look and feel of Arkham City has really impressed. I haven't been this positive about a game since Super Mario Galaxy, LittleBigPlanet, and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The first installment, Arkham Asylum, was decent but so much has been corrected, improved, and added that it clearly is left in the dust. The graphics are also much better this time around. I've recently hooked up my PS3 using an HDMI cable so I could play in high definition and this has greatly improved my experience.j

All of this said, I'm not a big gamer, but there are always a few titles that come out through the year that look interesting to me. Both Uncharted games so far have been really fantastic, let's hope the third installment is just as good.

By the way, what systems do you own Greg?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 31, 2011, 11:26:40 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 31, 2011, 10:24:21 AM
By the way, what systems do you own Greg?


Used to own an XBOX360, but sold it shortly after I had my son, had no time to play it, so I've just been sticking with computer games. It's a shame because I've been missing some great titles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 31, 2011, 12:03:47 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 31, 2011, 11:26:40 AM

Used to own an XBOX360, but sold it shortly after I had my son, had no time to play it, so I've just been sticking with computer games. It's a shame because I've been missing some great titles.

I never have liked the Xbox 360 or any Xbox system. I've always been a loyal Playstation and Nintendo fan. I've heard a lot of people who have had issues with the Xbox (i. e. red ring of death). Playing games on a PC just never felt right to me. I do like to play the occasional chess game on my computer though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on November 01, 2011, 07:32:23 AM
Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevna Pettersson on October 26, 2011, 08:46:59 PM
http://www.youtube.com/v/Xx38tIF_3Ps

Ignore the horrible voice. The second clip is beautiful Q__Q

It became pretty fashionable to fully investigate the users computers to watch out for copyright infringements etc. Here EA's origin.exe at work as logged by Sysinternals Procmon... I know file searches etc. induce a lot of file IO,,, but anyway, that origin.exe seems at least "curious". Usually you'd call that "spyware".

http://www.youtube.com/v/6lGUOFjMuQA
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on November 01, 2011, 09:02:24 AM
I heard EA just copied its entire American EULA for Germany and is now in conflict with that country's software laws.

Anyway, regarding the game itself, turns out the IRNV scope is pretty over powered:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUKpwkXTj0

It would be cheating if a lot of people weren't also using it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 02, 2011, 07:39:24 PM
I've been playing this...

[asin]B002I0F5M8[/asin]

Played this game for about 2-3 hours last night and I have say this game is amazingly well conceived. When Arkham City came out and was receiving one rave review after another, I was, needless to say, pretty skeptical. I thought perhaps this is one of those cases where the game magazine critic overhype machine was in full steam ahead mode. When I sat down and started playing AC, I was immediately impressed with how fluid the controls were. Whether I was running, walking, using the grappling to latch onto a building, it was done responsively and in a smooth motion. This alone gets a big plus from me. This engaged me, as a gamer, to continue playing the game. The graphics are the second thing I noticed. The city and overall atmosphere is dark and dingy just like it is in the comic books and movies. I really feel like Batman in this game. The first game Arkham Asylum achieved this, but not to the effect this game has. Honestly, the first game and this game shouldn't even be put on the same level. This one blows it's predecessor out of the water. This game certainly is one of those rare games that live up to that notorious media hype.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on November 11, 2011, 03:39:15 PM
This is why we can't have nice things (NSFW) (http://i.imgur.com/H4lRX.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 11, 2011, 03:45:49 PM
They forgot the box of delivery Domino's pizza.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on November 11, 2011, 03:48:01 PM
Ah, yes, that would truly set the Ham-Beast-O-Meter into the red.

Edit: I've watched a lot of Amnesia playthroughs, idk why, it's compulsive, but Day[9]'s recent one was ridiculously fun:

http://www.youtube.com/v/8fGHJMeTGwg

Skip to 2:20 for the most increasingly scared person you have ever seen :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on November 14, 2011, 01:18:07 AM
You know, I try not to be cynical but maybe Day9 was hamming it up for his considerable audience.  ::)

Anyway, I finally reached Platinum League in SC2 in 1v1. I would love to go higher but I simply never feel like practicing (like doing APM drills, practicing builds against computer, etc.)  and that is exactly what it would take to move up (and in fact to probably stay in Platinum.)

And in the single player department I finally started playing this game due to a recommendation:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0d/Titan_Quest_Immortal_Throne.jpg/252px-Titan_Quest_Immortal_Throne.jpg)

It's a dungeon crawler that came out in 2006 which continues to have a fairly devoted fandom:

http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/forum.php

It's more substantive than Torchlight and I find its classes and setting (ancient Greece) more interesting.  :)

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 14, 2011, 06:53:58 PM
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be released on Sunday and it's already been getting rave reviews. Metacritic gave it 9.5 out of 10, IGN gave it a 10 out of 10, Game Informer gave it a 10 out of 10, and some have heralded it as the Wii's crowning achievement. We'll see if it lives up to the hype. I've always been such a big Zelda fan. I mean my history with the game goes back to the very first one released on NES. N64's Ocarina Of Time was, however, a game changer. It completely energized and revamped the entire franchise. For me, the next big change came with The Twilight Princess whose dark textures and environment gave the franchise a serious prodding. I hope Skyward Sword delivers on all the promises Nintendo have made to us fans who have had to wait 5 years for a new game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on November 14, 2011, 07:54:29 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 14, 2011, 06:53:58 PM
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be released on Sunday and it's already been getting rave reviews. Metacritic gave it 9.5 out of 10, IGN gave it a 10 out of 10, Game Informer gave it a 10 out of 10, and some have heralded it as the Wii's crowning achievement. We'll see if it lives up to the hype. I've always been such a big Zelda fan. I mean my history with the game goes back to the very first one released on NES. N64's Ocarina Of Time was, however, a game changer. It completely energized and revamped the entire franchise. For me, the next big change came with The Twilight Princess whose dark textures and environment gave the franchise a serious prodding. I hope Skyward Sword delivers on all the promises Nintendo have made to us fans who have had to wait 5 years for a new game.


Nothing beats Koji Kondo's theme....

http://www.youtube.com/v/6SiCb-6b-Zw&feature=fvst
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on November 17, 2011, 10:47:05 AM
(http://www.gamerspot.de/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Skyrim-Logo.jpg)

Huge world and amazing beauty. I think you could play it 1000 hrs. in order to see everything... And what a time waster!  ;D If I play Skyrim, I cannot practise the clarinet :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on November 21, 2011, 12:46:12 PM
Then there's the mods... :) I want some simple fix ones first (no third person criticals, no bleeding eyes, etc).

(http://i.imgur.com/XM9zi.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 25, 2011, 08:31:08 PM
I've been playing Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, but I bought this game tonight and played it some and it's really fun:

(http://greleases.com/bg_bilder/rayman-origins-ps3-boxart.jpg)

For those not familiar with this game, it's a 2D platformer. The graphics, while obviously cartoon-like, are fantastic. The gameplay is excellent. It's been released for all systems: PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. I bought it for PS3, because I wanted the full HD quality. Glad I did too. This game reminds me of Donkey Kong Country for the SNES. Obviously not graphically, but the way the game handles and it has that DKC feeling, which sadly I think the Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns severely lacked.

I traded in several games today: Super Smash Brother Wii, Endless Ocean, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Street Fighter: Arcade Edition. With these games I received an $80 store credit. I bought, obviously, Rayman Origins, and I also bought the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword collector's edition strategy guide. You can't play Zelda without a strategy guide IMHO. While I know many who have, they go through the game haphazardly, which maybe okay for some, but I would like to be able to collect, at least, all the items and hearts I need.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on November 28, 2011, 05:16:45 AM
Quote from: Tapio Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on November 17, 2011, 10:47:05 AM
(http://www.gamerspot.de/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Skyrim-Logo.jpg)

Huge world and amazing beauty. I think you could play it 1000 hrs. in order to see everything... And what a time waster!  ;D If I play Skyrim, I cannot practise the clarinet :)

I just took the plunge with Skyrim-- loving it so far. I'll need to sleep less to balance job and family-- I think it wlll be worth it.  No shortage of side quests and adventures. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 14, 2011, 07:46:40 PM
Someone noticed this in Battlefield 3:

(http://i.imgur.com/tnU9w.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 15, 2011, 03:32:42 AM
;D

I am currently playing Gabriel Knight 1, and going to replay The Longest Journey after that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on December 15, 2011, 05:49:57 AM
Had a child = no more console game  :'(

But have been playing some great iPad games, for example Tiny Towers, Machinarium and Infinity Blade.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 15, 2011, 06:09:42 AM
I am not old enough to have played the early generations of adventure games like Gabriel Knight, Broken Sword, etc - I'm only catching up now - but now that you mention Machinarium, a game that I also enjoyed, I did notice some mild parallels between that game and Beneath a Steel Sky if you're looking for more of that type. Its age makes it less stylish, but that kind of game remains quite fun, and BASS isn't too hideous to be unplayable nowadays (although it's quite bad).

If you're interested, GOG.com (http://www.gog.com) offers it for free once you sign up to an account. If you like it, there are similar classics available in their Christmas sale for $3 each. They should be undemanding enough to run on an iPad.


I just realised, that site is Windows only :'( But if anyone else is interested, do try that site out. Ultima IV is another of the freebies, although it's too primitive for me despite being constantly recommended by the fanbase. The Longest Journey is the best adventure game I've played and it's only $5.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 06:49:00 AM
Haven't been playing many games at all lately, but I do have this game coming in the mail:

(http://thesilentchief.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The-box-art-of-the-Uncharted-3-Drakes-Deception.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 15, 2011, 07:41:48 AM
About 40 hours into Skyrim.  Wow.  Similar to other Bethesda games-- the physics of the game engine is a bit spastic, and it walks a line between FPS and RPG.  For openness, however, this seems about 3  to 4 times as expansive as the last two Fallout releases, and is every bit as immersive.   Maybe moreso.   I'm finding the quality and writing in the side quests (I've hardly touched the main) to be better in most cases than the last two Fallouts as well. 

Although the rendering is still not as sharp as other games, for an overall artistic/immersive impact, the game is amazing, and I'll lose 10-20 minutes at some sites just soaking in the beauty at some vista I've just uncovered -- assuming some bad-ass troll doesn't come out of the quiet, snow draped landscape to tear me a new one. 

I was in the middle of a moderately "Harry Potter" like storyline at the Wizards college when I went back to my home town just to stock up on supplies.  Dropped by the tavern and took up a drinking contest with a very friendly fellow.  Blacked out and woke up to a true WTF moment that took about 10 hours of game time to unravel.  Don't want to provide spoilers, but, I woke up on the other side of Skyrim (one I knew nothing about), and was told I'd been blathering about my upcoming marriage plans and a goat.   


Although I thought the main storyline was better in Fallout NV than Fallout 3, many of the side quests were just running messages back and forth between mulitple parties.  I'm really enjoying my side quests more here.   Although some of the bizarre humor is missing, I'd say that Skyrim is having a much stronger immersive factor than I either of those two Fallouts-- and that is saying a lot.   


There are many more options for playing styles and races-- this is a lot of game for the price.     I'm sure the final main plot line will be a let down after all of this, but I don't care.  this was just what I was looking for.   too bad most of my playing is at obscenely early times in the AM before I wake up the kids, and that I have a family and professional life that stops me from getting fully lost... 



On another note-- for more of a turn-based strategy game, I'm a big fan of the Battle of Wesnoth open source game which is available in IPad for 5$.   This is actually the closest thing you can get to an old hex-based wargame on the IPad, but is more like fantasy small/unit and Individual flavor, and it comes with an obscene amount of content.   The only thing I miss from the PC version (which is free, and worth checking out), is that you can't use the cheat console, and some campaigns have a couple really hard battles , and you can only set the difficulty at the start of a campaign.  I started developing a scenario in WML (Westnoth Markup Language) , as it's very configurable on the PC, but then got crunched for time.  I'm assuming you'd need to buy the IPad App to add new content-- although the author is bringing new campaigns in from the community.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 07:47:39 AM
Quote from: jowcol on December 15, 2011, 07:41:48 AM
About 40 hours into Skyrim.  Wow.  Similar to other Bethesda games-- the physics of the game engine is a bit spastic, and it walks a line between FPS and RPG.  For openness, however, this seems about 3  to 4 times as expansive as the last two Fallout releases, and is every bit as immersive.   Maybe moreso.   I'm finding the quality and writing in the side quests (I've hardly touched the main) to be better in most cases than the last two Fallouts as well. 

Although the rendering is still not as sharp as other games, for an overall artistic/immersive impact, the game is amazing, and I'll lose 10-20 minutes at some sites just soaking in the beauty at some vista I've just uncovered -- assuming some bad-ass troll doesn't come out of the quiet, snow draped landscape to tear me a new one. 

I was in the middle of a moderately "Harry Potter" like storyline at the Wizards college when I went back to my home town just to stock up on supplies.  Dropped by the tavern and took up a drinking contest with a very friendly fellow.  Blacked out and woke up to a true WTF moment that took about 10 hours of game time to unravel.  Don't want to provide spoilers, but, I woke up on the other side of Skyrim (one I knew nothing about), and was told I'd been blathering about my upcoming marriage plans and a goat.   


Although I thought the main storyline was better in Fallout NV than Fallout 3, many of the side quests were just running messages back and forth between mulitple parties.  I'm really enjoying my side quests more here.   Although some of the bizarre humor is missing, I'd say that Skyrim is having a much stronger immersive factor than I either of those two Fallouts-- and that is saying a lot.   


There are many more options for playing styles and races-- this is a lot of game for the price.     I'm sure the final main plot line will be a let down after all of this, but I don't care.  this was just what I was looking for.   too bad most of my playing is at obscenely early times in the AM before I wake up the kids, and that I have a family and professional life that stops me from getting fully lost... 

You make Skyrim sound interesting. :) I've heard good things about it. I'm just not so sure about it. I don't know but something inside of me is telling me "DON'T BUY IT!!!" I've spoken with several people about the game and their responses were quite enthusiastic. I'll probably pick it up (eventually). I'll definitely consider it when it drops in price which may be a little while, but I have plenty of other games to hold my interest until that time comes. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 15, 2011, 08:23:06 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 07:47:39 AM
You make Skyrim sound interesting. :) I've heard good things about it. I'm just not so sure about it. I don't know but something inside of me is telling me "DON'T BUY IT!!!" I've spoken with several people about the game and their responses were quite enthusiastic. I'll probably pick it up (eventually). I'll definitely consider it when it drops in price which may be a little while, but I have plenty of other games to hold my interest until that time comes. 8)

For hours of playing time per dollar, it's a steal at its current price.   But it won't hurt to wait for some patches to come in.  I've had a couple minor glitches and one crash.  For the complexity, that's not bad.

It won't appeal much to the hardcore FPS/Multiplayer crowd, like Halo, or Rage (which I considered getting, but turned down for Skyrim.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 06:25:51 PM
Quote from: jowcol on December 15, 2011, 08:23:06 AM
For hours of playing time per dollar, it's a steal at its current price.   But it won't hurt to wait for some patches to come in.  I've had a couple minor glitches and one crash.  For the complexity, that's not bad.

It won't appeal much to the hardcore FPS/Multiplayer crowd, like Halo, or Rage (which I considered getting, but turned down for Skyrim.)

I'm not a FPS fan, but I'm not much for RPGs either. Is it safe to call this game an adventure game?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on December 15, 2011, 10:55:32 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 06:25:51 PM
I'm not a FPS fan, but I'm not much for RPGs either. Is it safe to call this game an adventure game?

Skyrim is an open world RPG, through & through, but it's all about adventure and the way you shape your own hero / story. For a fan of the genre (and the series), I'd say it's a must, otherwise.. it might not be your thing.

I've been playing L.A. Noire recently, as it finally came out on the PC. Cherishing every minute. Solving even the weaker cases is tons of fun and I just love the fact that I can be the "good" guy in a game for a change. I used to be a huge fan of the Police Quest series so this one is a dream come true, even if it's basically a rehash of L.A. Confidential. The technology that drives the virtual acting is fantastic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on December 16, 2011, 07:18:58 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 15, 2011, 06:25:51 PM
I'm not a FPS fan, but I'm not much for RPGs either. Is it safe to call this game an adventure game?

To me, it's like living in a novel for several months.  It intrudes in your real life, and when you are caught in traffic, you find yourself  worrying about half a dozen threads going on-- some of which you know who won't get to for weeks if you're only playing an hour a day.  I'm not sure if "game" really captures the feeling.   

It does take a certain mindset-- some sessions you'll be wandering over bleak landscapes and managing your logistics and finances.  Other sessions, can be pretty hairy when yo have to clean out a complicated underground necropolis, get caught in a civil war, stage a jail break, etc.  A few times I just find myself wandering in a subterranean grotto or wantering a snowy ridgeline at night and I'm so caught up in the beauty that I don't really do anything rather than be there. 

(If I decided to abandon job and family, the XBox comes with me!)


For the record-- most of my gaming time in the Total War series by Sega-- both turn and real-time strategy games.  I'm not typically into FPS or RPG that much, but the type of games that Bethesda dishes out are something I can't turn down.  Although the dialog choices at each branch are still pretty limited, the way the myriad lines and interactions keep expanding exponentially, and the trully open freedom to explore is something hard to find elsewhere.

I'm curious about LA Noire-- I love the James Ellroy LA quartet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 16, 2011, 07:49:56 AM
I just finished Arkham Asylum last night so I could purchase Arkham City with a clear conscience. Awesome game with high production values. I can't help but think the sequel will follow suit.

I also saw Titan Quest mentioned - I have the game on Steam so if anyone wants to play let me know.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 16, 2011, 08:12:34 PM
Quote from: stingo on December 16, 2011, 07:49:56 AM
I just finished Arkham Asylum last night so I could purchase Arkham City with a clear conscience. Awesome game with high production values. I can't help but think the sequel will follow suit.

Arkham City is a fine game that has a ton of replay value. There are a lot of side missions that will keep you busy after you've beaten the main story. This game is much more of a sandbox game than Asylum with many interesting plot twists along the way. I read one review where the person complains that they didn't know where to go. THE GAME GIVES YOU DIRECTIONS! I mean how dumb someone has to be to not be able to make any kind of progress in this game. The gameplay is almost identical to Asylum so no surprises there except you can use your environments against your opponents now (i. e. slamming someone's head into a rail). Arkham City is a completely different game than Asylum and you'll notice this world of difference in a matter of minutes.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 20, 2011, 07:21:50 PM
Last night, I played some Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception for a couple of hours and really enjoyed it:

(http://thesilentchief.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The-box-art-of-the-Uncharted-3-Drakes-Deception.jpg)

From the opening scene, I knew I was in for another great Uncharted experience. I really enjoyed the last two installments, so I was eagerly anticipating this game. The game is damn fluid and the story seems to be very good as well. What's interesting is we get to go back in time when Drake was a kid and how he met Sully. I love the way they have incorporated the past into the present in this game. Anyway, I won't bore any of you any longer other than to say I'm very impressed with the game so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on December 21, 2011, 03:46:15 AM
As for Skyrim, it's attractiveness is basically because of the world. You can wander around for hours. I love the bleakness of mountains, or if you walk around in the north... The different moods of different parts of the day... You get a lot for your money.

But still, many quests are boring and disappointing, or even dumb.
[spoiler]For instance, in Windhelm, there's a slaughterer who's killed a girl. It all sounds hopeful, but the quest immediately ends after you found some information in your house and spoke to a woman and the Jarls companion. He says "Windhelm ist safe now - and that's it.
Same as with the war against Solitude (with Ulfric) - you win, everybody goes home, finished.
[/spoiler]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 21, 2011, 08:13:12 AM
I agree, Bethesda have always been quite poor with quests :\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 21, 2011, 08:24:17 AM
The majority of quests are dumb/mundane which is probably why the quest givers pay you the pittance they do.

I started in on Star Wars: The Old Republic yesterday and it seems pretty good so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 22, 2011, 12:38:54 PM
Great sale at Steam if you're into PC gaming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 28, 2011, 12:01:09 PM
Replaying Baldur's Gate 2. Despite being able to pick some flaws, it's still the best RPG I will probably ever play - although I do have a mild preference to D&D's Faerûn over other settings I have encountered (other than Warhammer, which I like equally), as it feels richer and less arbritrary than most. The AD&D2 mechanics drove me insane initially, as they do with many, but I'm finding myself enjoying it even more this time, and they offer a lot of depth to the combat options to have. It's a pretty long game, and it ticks all the boxes I expect in an adventure RPG - a huge explorable city full of little secrets, faraway villages with strange secrets, even a pirate island :P I am usually unwilling to play games that I am nostalgic about, because I know that they will no longer be as enjoyable, but BG2 holds up exceptionally well and hasn't been bettered by another game of this style.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 28, 2011, 05:46:56 PM
Thanks to Steam I picked up (and started) Arkham City, Saints Row The Third and Skyrim. Also added some other Dawn of War II add-ons as well. Good times. (This is in addition to Star Wars: The Old Republic)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 28, 2011, 06:07:21 PM
Still playing:

(http://thesilentchief.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The-box-art-of-the-Uncharted-3-Drakes-Deception.jpg)

What a game this is! I love it. For those who played the first two installments, Uncharted 3 is a must. There's a good bit more action in this game than from what other people have been saying about it. If you don't like stories, then don't play this game or any Uncharted game for that matter. The game features more hand-to-hand combat than the last one, which is always fun and I especially love bashing an enemy's head into the wall. 8) I'm really enjoying this game and feel that I'm getting my money's worth out of it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 28, 2011, 06:48:20 PM
Never got past the beginning of Planescape:Torment, because of it crashing yet again, so I'm putting it aside for sometime later in the year.

Just started today:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61OBazJh9RL._AA300_.jpg)


We all got these games for Christmas:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qAVZayaZL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61SP1LXPRaL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51K7jBq7onL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61%2B2twFzEKL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XUkxBc%2BqL._AA300_.jpg)
I've played a little of Little Big Planet and it's fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 28, 2011, 06:54:43 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 28, 2011, 06:48:20 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qAVZayaZL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61SP1LXPRaL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)


Uncharted 2 is an amazing game. Have you played the first one? I haven't played LittleBigPlanet 2 yet, but I loved the first one. Fun game.

If you like 2D platformers, you should definitely try Rayman Origins. This is such a fun game. I think it's one of the best games to come out in 2011.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 28, 2011, 08:26:15 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 28, 2011, 06:48:20 PM
Never got past the beginning of Planescape:Torment, because of it crashing yet again, so I'm putting it aside for sometime later in the year.

I had the same problem when I played some years back (did it happen outside the front of some building on the north of a zone you were in?) I forgot how I fixed it, though - but some version of it will work. Did you try with XP compatability?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 29, 2011, 08:31:06 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 28, 2011, 06:54:43 PM
Uncharted 2 is an amazing game. Have you played the first one?
Nope. Is it good?

Quote from: Lethevich Dmitriyevna Pettersonova on December 28, 2011, 08:26:15 PM
I had the same problem when I played some years back (did it happen outside the front of some building on the north of a zone you were in?) I forgot how I fixed it, though - but some version of it will work. Did you try with XP compatability?
I use Vista... I don't remember if I had to adjust some settings or what.
The area was at the beginning- talk to that one guy who seems to know everything, loop around, and walk up to this place that's either a gate or something that leads you upstairs... I'm sure there's a solution out there if I google it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 29, 2011, 06:45:18 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 29, 2011, 08:31:06 AMNope. Is it good?

The first game has all the hallmarks of the other games, but one thing that sets it apart is the dialogue isn't as strong in the first installment as it is in the next two, which means there's much more action, which can never be a bad thing. Each game offers a unique gaming experience. You will enjoy this one a lot I think.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 03, 2012, 03:55:44 PM
Bioshock is like a Disney ride from hell.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:12:28 AM
Why i hate skyrim:

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

Ok, jokes aside, seems like Bethesda has been improving quite a bit. This game doesn't seem to be the disaster Oblivion was, but its still Bethesda. Expect bad writing and bland dialog.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:19:34 AM
Quote from: Greg on January 03, 2012, 03:55:44 PM
Bioshock is like a Disney ride from hell.  ;D

That's quite pertinent actually. The problem with Bioshock, and most other FPS games this days, is that they feel more like a theme park ride then an actual game. In some of them, like in the Call of Duty series, you get warnings if you attempt to step out the path the developers set out for you. There worst, i think, is the single player portion of Battlefield 3 (the multiplayer is apparently surprisingly good, or so they say). Some parts of the game have so little interaction it feels almost like you are watching a movie.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 05, 2012, 01:17:12 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:12:28 AM
Why i hate skyrim:

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

Ok, jokes aside, seems like Bethesda has been improving quite a bit. This game doesn't seem to be the disaster Oblivion was, but its still Bethesda. Expect bad writing and bland dialog.

Hmm, this guy said that the women were too butch.   I must admit that my real life wife is acting a bit jealous of my virtual wife Aela the Huntress, since I do have a thing for her.

(http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSubV9X79SNTZeB8rJMgAqJXeZRc0Ia0OvuxeeIgG6Ch2J4yVAzbQ).(http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ0ARSEzxpo0NVMEqwAVlfLq0hizY3k6YsUnL9iuMAV0x6AhUPdHQ)

  None of the NPCs you hang with that long are  going to surprise you with their dialog after a while, but I must admit that Aela is my favorite follower.  I once gave here better armor, but she wasn't as much fun to look at.  So she's back in light armor.

I fully agree about the dialog, and the heavy use of exposition, but I haven't seen a video game that ever really blew me away in that regards.

Something I am liking about Skyrim (About 100 hours so far, just made 50th level, have only done about 1/2 of the main quest, and still am in no hurry to finish...), is that many of the dungeons have a theme or story to make them different.  (Even though you can count on finding the journal of the doomed party as you start).   So there are at least some narrative threads to follow, and many of them are in visual terms, not dialog, which fits the medium better.

Really, the scope of the game, and its strengths, is like a Bildungsroman, where your development is the major  story, and the quests are just a a part of this larger arc.  On the whole, I've found some of of the quests more interesting than Fallout New Vegas (where many of them devolved into relaying messages between two parties, back and forth, back and forth), but still, some of them are still pretty lame, although the relative rate of klunkers seems lower to me.

I would say that for content and gameplay,  it offers twice as much as the last two Fallout installments.  If you like the basic Bethesda approach, you will have a blast, but a lot of the major weaknesses from those two are evident as well.

I've got no regrets other than the loss of sleep as I'm trying to balance job and family with this beast.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 05, 2012, 01:18:57 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:19:34 AM
That's quite pertinent actually. The problem with Bioshock, and most other FPS games this days, is that they feel more like a theme park ride then an actual game. In some of them, like in the Call of Duty series, you get warnings if you attempt to step out the path the developers set out for you. There worst, i think, is the single player portion of Battlefield 3 (the multiplayer is apparently surprisingly good, or so they say). Some parts of the game have so little interaction it feels almost like you were watching a movie.

This is a good point-- the replay value in a game, to me, is tied to how many different ways you can attack it.  I tend to find cutscenes intrusive, and also don't like it when there is only one way to attack the game. .
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 05, 2012, 04:59:03 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:19:34 AM
In some of them, like in the Call of Duty series, you get warnings if you attempt to step out the path the developers set out for you.

True & although I enjoy many modern games, this trend is a disgrace to the whole medium and its potential. Sadly, it sells. A lot.

Hope remains with developers trying to fight this cancer - the team behind Dishonored & I'd list Irrational's new Bioshock Infinite as well. It might be another theme park ride but at least it has themes that are worth riding.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 06, 2012, 12:45:07 AM
Serious Sam 3. Slightly better than my already positive expectations. I was concerned about the inclusion of iron sights, but you can ignore them, yay!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 06, 2012, 03:35:10 AM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:19:34 AM
The problem with Bioshock, and most other FPS games this days, is that they feel more like a theme park ride then an actual game.
I know the main reason why: they are overusing the technique of "stuff just happening for the first time right in front of you". The first time I remember seeing that was in the first Half-Life, and it was amazing, but barely used, so it was more believable.

The other factor is simply the environment in Bioshock. The underwater city, malfunctioning lighting, etc. just has that feel to it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on January 08, 2012, 09:13:37 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 05, 2012, 07:12:28 AMOk, jokes aside, seems like Bethesda has been improving quite a bit. This game doesn't seem to be the disaster Oblivion was, but its still Bethesda. Expect bad writing and bland dialog.

Did you play the civil war with Ulfric against Solitude? The ending is just sooo... useless and disappointing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 09, 2012, 01:52:18 AM
I haven't finished the game yet. I'm about to buy a new desktop so i'm saving the game for when i can play it at maximum graphical detail.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 09, 2012, 02:32:57 AM
Quote from: Tapio Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on January 08, 2012, 09:13:37 PM
Did you play the civil war with Ulfric against Solitude? The ending is just sooo... useless and disappointing.

I haven't reached that yet-- I've been avoiding it so far (122 hrs) .  As much as I dig the Bethesda releases, the main story lines are inevitably a letdown. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 12, 2012, 10:58:52 AM
Quote from: jowcol on January 09, 2012, 02:32:57 AM
I haven't reached that yet-- I've been avoiding it so far (122 hrs) .  As much as I dig the Bethesda releases, the main story lines are inevitably a letdown.

That is the most boring part of the game (imperials vs stormcloaks).  I've put in about 70 hours into Skyrim.  20 hours with a shifty mage character named Quick Ben, and 50 hours with a hero melee warrior named Whiskeyjack.  Erikson fans will get the references! ;D

I love Skyrim it is now officially my favorite video game.  I just never run out of fun things to do, and I'm still discovering new places. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 13, 2012, 05:50:16 AM
Quote from: DavidW on January 12, 2012, 10:58:52 AM
That is the most boring part of the game (imperials vs stormcloaks).  I've put in about 70 hours into Skyrim.  20 hours with a shifty mage character named Quick Ben, and 50 hours with a hero melee warrior named Whiskeyjack.  Erikson fans will get the references! ;D

I love Skyrim it is now officially my favorite video game.  I just never run out of fun things to do, and I'm still discovering new places. 8)

I can see why some people don't like it.  In addition to the graphics engine, the "openness" and sheer scale makes it hard to craft a strong narrative.  And, even though they claim they recorded 60,000  lines of dialog, they could have done more.  I hear the same lines form different shopkeepers- that gets old. 

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.)   It would have been cool to have a model where the war goes on without you-- and unless you get involved, different holds would change allegiance, etc.  And better yet, have that determined randomly for EACH GAME, so that, strategically, no two games would be the same, and every time you entered a hold you'd get the chance to influence what happens.   Althouigh, the possible logic issues with other quests, etc would be formidable.

136 hours (I'm Scrotum the Nord, warrior/thief) , and I've just found ANOTHER major dwarven complex that took the whole evening to get through.    Another thing I like about it is that, after a while, to level up, you need to change your playing style.  I'm level 54,  and I've needed to avoid archery and heavy armor, since I've taken them all the way.  Which means that I need play differently if I want to grow.   I can still pick parts of the map and wander and keep finding new stuff. 

This is sick, but I'm already looking forward to starting my next game-- but I need to finish this one and work out my sleep deficit.



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 13, 2012, 09:10:55 AM
I love those dwarven complexes!  But they're so huge you could sink a whole afternoon exploring one of them.  I especially like it when you follow ghosts that were there... and the whole steampunk vibe to those places, very cool, very refreshing change from the rest.

I think my favorite stuff to do are those daedric and divine quests.  My biggest disappointment was the Bard's college.  I was expecting/hoping for alot more than just 3 fetch quests.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Karl Henning on January 13, 2012, 09:15:18 AM
Fetchquest!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 13, 2012, 01:32:39 PM
Quote from: jowcol on January 13, 2012, 05:50:16 AM
It would have been cool to have a model where the war goes on without you-- and unless you get involved, different holds would change allegiance, etc.  And better yet, have that determined randomly for EACH GAME, so that, strategically, no two games would be the same, and every time you entered a hold you'd get the chance to influence what happens.

Mount & Blade (http://www.taleworlds.com/). It's pretty rough around the edges but its medieval combat system (including horseback fighting) is amazing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on January 13, 2012, 01:58:38 PM
Started Limbo this week. Really good game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 17, 2012, 04:42:37 AM
Quote from: jowcol on January 05, 2012, 01:17:12 PM
Hmm, this guy said that the women were too butch.

He was just being facetious. His main point was about the fact the nationalist side was somehow the "bigoted" side, reflecting a politically corrected mindset (I.E., you can't really chose a side in the game, the developers already did that for you). It was actually worst in the Witcher, where the issue was given a far grayer tone, that is, there was no clear good or bad side between the humans and the other races, yet, you could tell which was the "evil" option, mainly due the fact the humans had no redeeming quality whatsoever. This is not to say the dwarves or the elves didn't have their share of nasty qualities but the humans were thoroughly evil in almost every respect. The most amusing thing is that the protagonist was a human, but they tried to dodge the paradox by implying that the Witcher was somehow "raceless" due to his mutations.

Quote from: jowcol on January 05, 2012, 01:17:12 PM
I fully agree about the dialog, and the heavy use of exposition, but I haven't seen a video game that ever really blew me away in that regards.

Far for me to imply one should expect great dialog in a video game, but frankly there's no excuse for the level of juvenile, unprofessional writing most games contain today, not considering the amount of money some of those companies make. Better writing and storytelling is and has been possible in the past, and that often coming from developers, not even dedicated professional writers.

That said, Bethesda is known for making decent sandboxes and it seems this is what most people want today, even if some of the toys included aren't exactly among the most entertaining or well crafted.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 17, 2012, 11:02:19 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on January 13, 2012, 01:32:39 PM
Mount & Blade (http://www.taleworlds.com/). It's pretty rough around the edges but its medieval combat system (including horseback fighting) is amazing.

If you want to get deep in medieval warfare (strategic and unit  level) check out Sega Total War Medieval II.  That series supports turn based strategic, and real time tactical resolution of battles where you can view the action at most any angle you please.   I've spend more time gaming in that series over the last few years than all of the time I've spent on video game combined.   But I'm typically more into the strategy thing than FPS or RPG.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ataraxia on January 17, 2012, 11:04:18 AM
Quote from: jowcol on January 17, 2012, 11:02:19 AM
If you want to get deep in medieval warfare (strategic and unit  level) check out Sega Total War Medieval II.  That series supports turn based strategic, and real time tactical resolution of battles where you can view the action at most any angle you please.   I've spend more time gaming in that series over the last few years than all of the time I've spent on video game combined.   But I'm typically more into the strategy thing than FPS or RPG.

Sounds interesting. Do you play Civilization?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 17, 2012, 11:13:46 AM
Quote from: Ataraxia on January 17, 2012, 11:04:18 AM
Sounds interesting. Do you play Civilization?

I played FreeCiv for a while- (the open source version), and it was fun, but got old after a while for me.

The Sega Series follow periods like Rome, Medieval, Fuedal Japan, etc.  My favorite is Empire-- global level of teh 18th century.  It has some issues (slow run times, etc), but the interaction of financial planning, military strategy, technology development, and government mixed with very colorful battles on a global scale is utterly mind-bending.  There are also so many other competing factions that you will never have the same game twice.  The next release was on the Napoleonic era- they cleaned up a lot of the mechanics and made it run much more efficiently, but it still isn't half as much fun as Empire, despite the latter's warts.

Think of these games as as Civilization focused on a given era, but when you fight battles, you get to lead units of individual soldiers and view from any angle.   You don't get the same sweep of history, but you get into the campaigns in far more detail.  And the Elephants are something to dread.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ataraxia on January 17, 2012, 11:15:22 AM
Thanks. Sounds like something I'd like if I had the time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 17, 2012, 11:19:07 AM
Quote from: jowcol on January 17, 2012, 11:02:19 AM
If you want to get deep in medieval warfare (strategic and unit  level) check out Sega Total War Medieval II.

I'm familiar with the Total War franchise, loved the first Shogun. Good to see a series that retained its quality over the years.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 17, 2012, 12:12:27 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on January 17, 2012, 11:19:07 AM
I'm familiar with the Total War franchise, loved the first Shogun. Good to see a series that retained its quality over the years.

Sort of. There's been a steady decline in the quality of the artificial intelligence and other things starting with Rome, but it seems Shogun 2 was a return to the right direction, at least according to many. Never tried it myself.

My favored is still the first Medieval.

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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on January 17, 2012, 12:17:58 PM
Quote from: Ataraxia on January 17, 2012, 11:04:18 AM
Sounds interesting. Do you play Civilization?

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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 17, 2012, 02:08:14 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 17, 2012, 12:17:58 PM
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. 

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 17, 2012, 05:18:52 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on January 17, 2012, 12:12:27 PMAnd 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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 18, 2012, 03:16:24 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on January 17, 2012, 05:18:52 PM
Agreed. And Alpha Centauri is one the select few games that never leaves my hard drive.

Dem endless drone riots :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 19, 2012, 08:42:44 AM
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
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 19, 2012, 09:50:59 AM
I didn't take you Lethe for one of those multiplayer shooter type of player! :o
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 19, 2012, 10:10:18 AM
Quote from: DavidW on January 19, 2012, 09:50:59 AM
I didn't take you Lethe for one of those multiplayer shooter type of player! :o

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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on January 19, 2012, 10:35:28 AM
Quote from: Lethevich Dmitriyevna Pettersonova on January 19, 2012, 10:10:18 AM
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. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on January 29, 2012, 09:28:23 PM
http://www.omiod.com/games/fastkat.php
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 01, 2012, 07:09:31 PM
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!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on February 01, 2012, 10:54:26 PM
Quote from: jowcol on January 13, 2012, 05:50:16 AMOne 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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jowcol on February 02, 2012, 02:42:06 PM
Quote from: Tapio Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on February 01, 2012, 10:54:26 PM
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.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 03, 2012, 07:04:32 AM
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

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 03, 2012, 03:22:01 PM
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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: jwinter on February 03, 2012, 03:33:52 PM
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...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on February 03, 2012, 03:36:04 PM
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

(http://i.imgur.com/cp3Mo.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: mariawrites on February 04, 2012, 06:31:31 AM
I haven't performed much in a while... just 2 game titles in the last season.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on February 12, 2012, 07:40:54 AM
Game Music from Extra Credits, as usual very informative.  I'm making a note here, huge success 0:)

http://youtu.be/CKgHrz_Wv6o (http://youtu.be/CKgHrz_Wv6o)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on February 13, 2012, 12:24:09 AM
Quote from: jwinter on February 03, 2012, 03:33:52 PMI 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  :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 07, 2012, 10:29:29 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61OBazJh9RL._AA300_.jpg)
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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 07, 2012, 11:30:33 AM
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.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 08, 2012, 02:42:05 AM
Cart Life (http://richardhofmeier.com/cartlife/).

To quote Electron Dance:

QuoteCart Life depicts life as a street vendor. Each of the three playable characters (only two available in the free version) have a different business and a different life. This is the crucial point. Cart Life breaks out of its narrow confines as a "retail simulation" and bulldozes into bigger questions about personal ambition, determination and work-life balance.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 11, 2012, 05:41:54 AM
A WTF moment: I was looking into some games I was vaguely aware of but knew nothing about (scouting for what to play next), and when reading up on Enemy Zero (an obscure Sega Saturn survival horror), it turns out that the soundtrack was specifically written by... Michael Nyman ??? It's the same guy, and apparently he only agreed because he had his arm twisted, but it's pretty cool. More games should throw some of their massive budgets at getting real music written for them, as in many instances it's still quite lacking.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 11, 2012, 08:32:42 AM
Quote from: Lethevich on March 11, 2012, 05:41:54 AM
A WTF moment: I was looking into some games I was vaguely aware of but knew nothing about (scouting for what to play next), and when reading up on Enemy Zero (an obscure Sega Saturn survival horror), it turns out that the soundtrack was specifically written by... Michael Nyman ??? It's the same guy, and apparently he only agreed because he had his arm twisted, but it's pretty cool. More games should throw some of their massive budgets at getting real music written for them, as in many instances it's still quite lacking.

Oh, if only. There are masterpieces here and there (Outcast is one of my favourite OSTs across all modern media) but so much dull rubbish trying to emulate the Hollywood oomph. And I really wish developers / producers started digging into the classical archives - so many re-usable gems there that are so cheap to license!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on March 11, 2012, 10:57:04 AM
I've found this recording very enjoyable...

[asin]B005QW1FB0[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on March 11, 2012, 02:29:05 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on March 11, 2012, 08:32:42 AM
Oh, if only. There are masterpieces here and there (Outcast is one of my favourite OSTs across all modern media) but so much dull rubbish trying to emulate the Hollywood oomph. And I really wish developers / producers started digging into the classical archives - so many re-usable gems there that are so cheap to license!

Speaking of old gems, for those who may not know, there is a place where you can buy old games at low cost, all fixed up and ready to work on modern machines:

http://www.gog.com/

Its a great repository for forgotten treasures.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on March 11, 2012, 02:36:30 PM
Here's an interesting review to one of my favored games of all times:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuuWxlj0EZM

This rageholic guy has some anger management issues, but he is on the mark most of the times.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 12, 2012, 02:54:55 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on March 11, 2012, 02:36:30 PM
Here's an interesting review to one of my favored games of all times:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuuWxlj0EZM

This rageholic guy has some anger management issues, but he is on the mark most of the times.

Indeed he is. I love all three Thief games (and hope the fourth one will manage to retain at least a fragment of the series' charm) but Metal Age is my favourite as well. The world it conjures is one I could explore for endless hours. Just hearing the brief string interlude that plays in the Docks (http://aaraaf.net/temp/swells2.mp3) (and which reminds me of Busoni's Nocturne Symphonique, btw).. goosebumps, every single time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 13, 2012, 01:01:13 AM
Is it wrong that I prefer #2 soley because #1 is too scary for me :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josquin des Prez on March 13, 2012, 02:31:22 AM
Both games are masterpieces in their own right and they are pretty much largely identical. And yes, Thief 1 has some truly terrifying moments. 

Thief 3 i consider to be the lesser game but its still entertaining.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 13, 2012, 03:58:26 AM
Quote from: Lethevich on March 13, 2012, 01:01:13 AM
Is it wrong that I prefer #2 soley because #1 is too scary for me :P

That is a thoroughly valid reason as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on March 13, 2012, 05:08:00 AM
Lands of Lore - Throne of Chaos. Still luvin' it.
(http://h9.abload.de/img/lolfelwy.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 13, 2012, 12:31:49 PM
Wheey, an oldie! :)

In related news, I just contributed to the Wasteland 2 Kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/wasteland-2). More than many of these prospective projects, finally a Kickstarter offers the potential for a real game, and a valuable addition to the medium.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 22, 2012, 05:55:59 PM
A game I'm seriously looking forward to...

[asin]B0050SXLQC[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on March 22, 2012, 08:44:01 PM
     
     (https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQmseY4QPltWx6Cg1zVr39kEdNIbTJV-hzQmUJNI6dxJIyYYQWORg)

     (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/Smileys/classic/cheesy.gif)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 26, 2012, 05:21:41 PM
Nobody here is outraged by the Mass Effect 3 ending!?  No discussion at all!?  C'mon people, put the old nostalgia games aside for a second and play something new. ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 26, 2012, 07:44:53 PM
Quote from: DavidW on March 26, 2012, 05:21:41 PM
Nobody here is outraged by the Mass Effect 3 ending!?  No discussion at all!?  C'mon people, put the old nostalgia games aside for a second and play something new. ;D

Dave, why do you keep deleting your profile?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 27, 2012, 01:22:54 AM
Quote from: DavidW on March 26, 2012, 05:21:41 PM
Nobody here is outraged by the Mass Effect 3 ending!?  No discussion at all!?  C'mon people, put the old nostalgia games aside for a second and play something new. ;D

I elected not to play it - as much as I like a good story-driven experience, it seems to have become too much of a contrived excuse for an intergalactic romance simulator. While that kind of stuff is optional, it was given such weight of importance by both the fanbase and devs that it sometimes seemed that this was all they cared about. The ending in some sense might have been a sign of that :P

Edit: this is the most reasonable article on why the ending sucks that I've bumped into so far:

http://doycetesterman.com/index.php/2012/03/mass-effect-tolkein-and-your-bullshit-artistic-process/

Edit: by coincidence, two in one day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBETU-uOGh8

I didn't really care about the matter before, but it does iffy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on March 30, 2012, 11:04:59 AM
This time in the right thread ::)

$5 for the major D&D games of the Baldur's Gate generation:

http://www.atari.com/buy-games/action-adventure-fighting-rpg-strategy/dungeons-amp-dragons-anthology-master-collection
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on April 05, 2012, 07:21:01 PM
Playing Legend of Grimrock (http://www.grimrock.net), a modern revival of the dungeon genre, and as you can see

(http://i41.tinypic.com/6s5iyo.jpg)

I'm having a blast. A must-have for old school gamers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 06, 2012, 06:21:35 AM
I hadn't played any of the predecessors, and was fully expecting this to be incompehensible fan service, but I was surprisied at how playable it looks, even the combat. I pre-ordered and will give it a go when it comes out/I have time.

In related news, there are now kickstarters for Shadowrun and a Gabriel Knight 1 sequel.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on April 06, 2012, 07:38:50 AM
Playing the original Mass Effect for the first time. Good game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 06, 2012, 07:51:07 AM
Quote from: stingo on April 06, 2012, 07:38:50 AM
Playing the original Mass Effect for the first time. Good game.

I kind of wish they would (optionally) patch out the item management that they streamlined in later games - it's a bit of a hassle in the original. It's a really good experience, though, and I love that impossible to control buggy thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on April 06, 2012, 08:47:30 AM
Quote from: Lethevich on April 06, 2012, 07:51:07 AM
I kind of wish they would (optionally) patch out the item management that they streamlined in later games - it's a bit of a hassle in the original. It's a really good experience, though, and I love that impossible to control buggy thing.

Agreed - especially when it's spread out over 6 or so different characters.

I've yet to flip the buggy but that's not through lack of trying. :)

Still trying to figure out squat tactics though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 08, 2012, 12:19:59 AM
Returning to Dragon age origins, I love that game!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 08, 2012, 06:01:46 AM
Quote from: Alberich on April 08, 2012, 12:19:59 AM
Returning to Dragon age origins, I love that game!

Awesome!!

I played much more of DE Human Revolutions and I got way further than I did before.  I used an augments guide though to make sure I didn't choose duds and got the best ones to be able to explore.  I really enjoy hacking in and reading through emails, and finding strange routes, I also like using the social aug in conversations to always score a win.

But what I don't like are the combat intensive sections which are too linear and time intensive if you want to use stealth.  It takes three times longer to move unseen through these levels than it does to just simply kill everyone.  There was one point where I was extracted by helicopter, and presumed that I would have a break from the main storyline, but was instead immediately pushed to another linear corridor crawl.  These two types of gameplay really stand out as being at odds with each other!!

For me the hacking, exploration and probing conversations are full of win, so much so I would like the game more if I could actually play that way throughout the whole game.  DE: HR is a bit too hard for me, but I do appreciate it more than I do... but I'm casual about playing games and this game is for gamers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 08, 2012, 09:07:29 AM
@David: I think you would like the original - it hasn't aged amazing well, but it's eminently playable. The augs are less balanced (and less important) than in DE3 so might be worth looking up first - also the combat is so terrible that stealth is the preferred option in every area.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 08, 2012, 08:59:52 PM
Not playing, but watching: the IPL4 Starcraft 2 finals. It's creepy to think that two young kids are making career-changing decisions within the space of just an hour or so - the difference in prize money between first and second place is $13,000 (edit: actually $24k difference it seems - winner is 40).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 10, 2012, 01:58:51 PM
Quote from: Lethevich on April 08, 2012, 08:59:52 PM
Not playing, but watching: the IPL4 Starcraft 2 finals. It's creepy to think that two young kids are making career-changing decisions within the space of just an hour or so - the difference in prize money between first and second place is $13,000 (edit: actually $24k difference it seems - winner is 40).

How has your laddering been going for that game? I've peaked as a Plat Toss and a Gold Terran.  :(

I would have to exert a lot of effort and sweat to raise my skill to Diamond and beyond. I'm trying to do daily exercises on this map ( http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=124983 ) so hopefully I can make the jump to Diamond finally.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 11, 2012, 08:20:54 AM
Quote from: -abe- on April 10, 2012, 01:58:51 PM
How has your laddering been going for that game? I've peaked as a Plat Toss and a Gold Terran.  :(

I would have to exert a lot of effort and sweat to raise my skill to Diamond and beyond. I'm trying to do daily exercises on this map ( http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=124983 ) so hopefully I can make the jump to Diamond finally.

I gave up around gold, I wasn't finding it fun to play at all, so currently I just watch. Once my PC is in a happier state I am probably going to focus on Tribes as something to really build skill at, as it was mostly the indirect control that I didn't like with SC2, or RTS in general, but was hoping I could overcome it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 15, 2012, 08:40:26 PM
Gaming while listening to classical. Yay or nay?  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on April 15, 2012, 08:45:29 PM
Quote from: -abe- on April 15, 2012, 08:40:26 PM
Gaming while listening to classical. Yay or nay?  :D

It was the only thing that made WoW enjoyable while I played it -_-
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on April 15, 2012, 08:47:11 PM
*

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 16, 2012, 05:50:14 AM
Quote from: -abe- on April 15, 2012, 08:40:26 PM
Gaming while listening to classical. Yay or nay?  :D
All depends...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on April 23, 2012, 12:32:20 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on April 05, 2012, 07:21:01 PMPlaying Legend of Grimrock (http://www.grimrock.net), a modern revival of the dungeon genre, and as you can see

(http://i41.tinypic.com/6s5iyo.jpg)

I'm having a blast. A must-have for old school gamers.

I also play it, got it from gog.com, lovely and difficult afaics. Currently searching for a key like crazy...

BTW, as for usage of magic: Do I really need 3 clicks? 1. Rightclick Hand 2. Leftclick speel 3. Rightclick the big button in order to cast the spell. ??
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 08, 2012, 09:01:24 PM
I've been playing Silent Hill: Downpour and really liking it.  Puzzles, atmosphere and baddies you can either attack or simply run away from!

[asin]B003O6G47U[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on May 09, 2012, 06:04:22 AM
ArmA II combined Ops. Getting it from Steam. Very curious about that kind of Genre (Tactical Shooter).
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5164M8lyZhL._AA300_.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 09, 2012, 10:00:18 AM
I am tempted by Arma 2 mostly for an online-mode zombie mod being made for it - kind of like Stalker but with permadeath.

Edit: http://crudepixel.com/2012/05/oh-my-dayz/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on May 09, 2012, 12:46:19 PM
Ugh, pretty difficult to learn, but I was prepared for that. I played it in 1920x1200 on pretty high settings and ohh... - fans are permanently working (GTX-570 here).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 10, 2012, 01:38:26 PM
No excitement for Diablo III?  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 10, 2012, 08:21:08 PM
Non :( It's made by a completely different design team and doesn't seem as fun as D2 - with free alternatives like Path of Exile, and the botched lack of multiplayer, it doesn't seem worth paying for.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes on May 10, 2012, 08:39:05 PM
Quote from: Lethevich on May 10, 2012, 08:21:08 PM
Non :( It's made by a completely different design team and doesn't seem as fun as D2 - with free alternatives like Path of Exile, and the botched lack of multiplayer, it doesn't seem worth paying for.

Yes, but a better team. One of the leads was instrumental in crafting the best game ever made: Arcanum.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on May 11, 2012, 11:12:22 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on May 10, 2012, 08:39:05 PM
Yes, but a better team. One of the leads was instrumental in crafting the best game ever made: Arcanum.

But the creator of my favourite game of all time (Deus Ex 1) went on to dedicate two decades of his life to the "Epic Mickey" series. Most developers from that era are now involved in terrible mobile games. I'm not too swayed by reputation, as much as I like Arcanum (the only game where playing a 1 int ogre actually has dialogue benefits as well as downsides).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: chasmaniac on May 12, 2012, 04:41:03 AM
Settlers Online. Suits my low energy lifestyle.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on May 18, 2012, 09:39:02 AM
X³ Terran Conflict. Also bought Albion Prelude, a newer Addon with some refinements, but as I'm a newbie I first want to have some solid plot lines (basically it's a simulation / sandbox game - you can do whatever you want). You can get it from Steam. http://store.steampowered.com/app/2820/
On my new computer it's running very decent (constant 60 FPS@1920x1200 plus VSync on, 4 Frames precalculated)... It's CPU intensive and supports only one core, so it's good if you have a powerful cpu. I've got that 3.4 GhZ fastest Sandybridge CPU.

I was new to the genre; and I'm completely fascinated. Veeeeery time consuming. No time for real sunlight, also I won't play Arma II as I've planned before...

(http://ui01.gamespot.com/2238/x3terranconflict_2.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Brian on May 18, 2012, 01:22:05 PM
Quote from: -abe- on April 15, 2012, 08:40:26 PM
Gaming while listening to classical. Yay or nay?  :D

My favorite computer game of all time, Europa Universalis II (http://www.paradoxplaza.com/games/europa-universalis-ii), which I played more or less every day of my life from age 13-16, featured a soundtrack entirely licensed from BIS. Every century of gameplay (1419-1819) featured BIS recordings of music from that century.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 18, 2012, 02:54:44 PM
Has anyone here played Max Payne 3 yet? I was just curious. It looks like a cool game. I've read reviews of it which seem generally favorable, but I'd like to hear from someone here.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 18, 2012, 04:02:11 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 18, 2012, 02:54:44 PM
Has anyone here played Max Payne 3 yet? I was just curious. It looks like a cool game. I've read reviews of it which seem generally favorable, but I'd like to hear from someone here.

I was waiting for you! :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 21, 2012, 04:28:28 PM
Max Payne 3 is so awesome!  It's the best shooter I've played in years. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 21, 2012, 04:54:33 PM
Quote from: DavidW on May 21, 2012, 04:28:28 PMMax Payne 3 is so awesome!  It's the best shooter I've played in years. :)

That's it...I'm buying it tomorrow! I've got a $20 gift card from Gamestop, so I'll soon be joining you, Dave. By the way, have you played any of the multiplayer yet?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 21, 2012, 07:35:30 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 21, 2012, 04:54:33 PM
That's it...I'm buying it tomorrow! I've got a $20 gift card from Gamestop, so I'll soon be joining you, Dave. By the way, have you played any of the multiplayer yet?

Awesome!! 8)

I haven't played the multiplayer, not really into that kind of thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 22, 2012, 10:35:15 PM
Sadly, I didn't pick up Max Payne 3 today. I think I'll just wait for it to become a Greatest Hits or for the price to be lowered to $39. I've got some unfinished business to take care of with Uncharted 3, which I haven't even beat yet and I still need to finish Rayman Origins. Red Dead Redemption is another game I own that I've hardly played at all. With all of this going on, I really want to replay Batman: Arkham City, which is the best comic book game I've played.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 23, 2012, 12:16:51 PM
I also own Red Dead and haven't played it nearly enough.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on May 26, 2012, 11:25:25 AM
I just finished ME3.  It truly is a beautiful game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 31, 2012, 06:40:56 AM
Quote from: PaulR on May 26, 2012, 11:25:25 AM
I just finished ME3.  It truly is a beautiful game.

Awesome!!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on May 31, 2012, 07:46:19 AM
Sunk about 20 hours into Diablo 3. Not a fan of the series but I've enjoyed this one, it's simple & clichéd but pretty engrossing nonetheless and the 'story' (if you can call it that) managed to grip me. I wish the higher difficulty was there from the beginning, though - it makes the game much more interesting. But that's how Diablo is meant to work, I guess: you play it once to learn it, then you start over and the 'real' game begins.

But I hate, hate, HATE the fact you need to be online to play even the singleplayer.

I've also finished Rock of Ages and had tons of fun. A pythonesque game where you control Sisyphus' rock to roll over historical figures to the sound of Mozart's Dies Irae? Instant win!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 05, 2012, 08:05:41 PM
Bought this new for $18 today:

(http://games.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/nba2k11_ps3-wamary_fob.jpg)

This is supposedly one of the best NBA games of all-time. We shall see. I've always been a fan of the NBA 2K series.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 06, 2012, 05:35:33 AM
Arma II + http://dayzmod.com/

(http://geek.pikimal.com/files/2012/05/DayZ_thumb.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 06, 2012, 07:53:04 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 05, 2012, 08:05:41 PM
Bought this new for $18 today:
I would buy NBA 2k12 and Twisted Metal right now if games weren't so expensive. By the time 2k12 is a price I'd like, 2k13 will be out.  ::)
(Twisted Metal I'll get eventually, though...)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 06, 2012, 08:33:06 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 06, 2012, 07:53:04 AM
I would buy NBA 2k12 and Twisted Metal right now if games weren't so expensive. By the time 2k12 is a price I'd like, 2k13 will be out.  ::)
(Twisted Metal I'll get eventually, though...)

I just want one basketball game for the PS3 and 2K11 seems like a safe bet. 2K12 looked interesting but 2K11 was a lot cheaper and had more positive reviews than 2K12.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philoctetes3 on June 06, 2012, 09:03:08 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516uREHuifL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
(http://cdn.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/34010/header.jpg?t=1317241396)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 06, 2012, 11:10:40 AM
Looking forward to: Carmageddon remake. The original is one of the few racing games that didn't feel low on content for me, as there was a lot of room to just mess around in the levels rather than race the same tracks over and over. In a way it was a precursor to GTA's level of driving for fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 07, 2012, 06:04:50 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51D4yVUR9mL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Played most of it so far...

Seems like the levels are a mixture of previous Sonic levels. They remain somewhat familiar, yet mixing disparate elements together gives them a more elusive character. Also, the 3D-ish elements happen to be pretty useless. Overall, I like it, though the springs are frustrating. I ended up turning it off after this one level with a giant maze that won't let you go in the right direction.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 15, 2012, 11:02:10 AM
(http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2010/08/dwarf-fortress-2.jpg)

Dwarf Fortress (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/), I must be crazy. Took me some hours to actually be able to understand 1/1000 of what it's capable of... That game is teh arts. I play it with Phoebus graphics set btw. So funny :) One of my dwarves got visited by a female dwarf: "Hi I'm your old love from the mountains - lets discuss our situation".

"The brilliance of Dwarf Fortress" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/magazine/the-brilliance-of-dwarf-fortress.html?pagewanted=all) - on NYT.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 17, 2012, 06:14:34 PM
Quote from: Tapio Kimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 15, 2012, 11:02:10 AM
Dwarf Fortress (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/), I must be crazy.
Anyone who plays that game is crazy.  ;)


I've been playing this all day:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51C2yV-CpBL._AA300_.jpg)
Man, this is so fun.  :o
The last SimCity I used to play was SimCity 2000, many years ago (and the original before that).

SimCity 5 should come out next year, and it looks like it'll be amazing. This stuff brings to mind so many possible game/simulator scenarios...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on June 18, 2012, 10:49:22 AM
did yall see this - 10 year game of Civilization II

Quotehttp://imgur.com/a/rAnZs
I've been playing the same game of Civ II for 10 years. Though long outdated, I grew fascinated with this particular game because by the time Civ III was released, I was already well into the distant future. I then thought that it might be interesting to see just how far into the future I could get and see what the ramifications would be. Naturally I play other games and have a life, but I often return to this game when I'm not doing anything and carry on. The results are as follows.
The world is a hellish nightmare of suffering and devastation.
There are 3 remaining super nations in the year 3991 A.D, each competing for the scant resources left on the planet after dozens of nuclear wars have rendered vast swaths of the world uninhabitable wastelands.
-The ice caps have melted over 20 times (somehow) due primarily to the many nuclear wars. As a result, every inch of land in the world that isn't a mountain is inundated swamp land, useless to farming. Most of which is irradiated anyway.
-As a result, big cities are a thing of the distant past. Roughly 90% of the worlds population (at it's peak 2000 years ago) has died either from nuclear annihilation or famine caused by the global warming that has left absolutely zero arable land to farm. Engineers (late game worker units) are always busy continuously building roads so that new armies can reach the front lines. Roads that are destroyed the very next turn when the enemy goes. So there isn't any time to clear swamps or clean up the nuclear fallout.
-Only 3 super massive nations are left. The Celts (me), The Vikings, And the Americans. Between the three of us, we have conquered all the other nations that have ever existed and assimilated them into our respective empires.
-You've heard of the 100 year war? Try the 1700 year war. The three remaining nations have been locked in an eternal death struggle for almost 2000 years. Peace seems to be impossible. Every time a cease fire is signed, the Vikings will surprise attack me or the Americans the very next turn, often with nuclear weapons. Even when the U.N forces a peace treaty. So I can only assume that peace will come only when they're wiped out. It is this that perpetuates the war ad infinitum. Have any of you old Civ II players out there ever had this problem in the post-late game?
-Because of SDI, ICBMS are usually only used against armies outside of cities. Instead, cities are constantly attacked by spies who plant nuclear devices which then detonate (something I greatly miss from later civ games). Usually the down side to this is that every nation in the world declares war on you. But this is already the case so its no longer a deterrent to anyone. My self included.
-The only governments left are two theocracies and myself, a communist state. I wanted to stay a democracy, but the Senate would always over-rule me when I wanted to declare war before the Vikings did. This would delay my attack and render my turn and often my plans useless. And of course the Vikings would then break the cease fire like clockwork the very next turn. Something I also miss in later civ games is a little internal politics. Anyway, I was forced to do away with democracy roughly a thousand years ago because it was endangering my empire. But of course the people hate me now and every few years since then, there are massive guerrilla (late game barbarians) uprisings in the heart of my empire that I have to deal with which saps resources from the war effort.
-The military stalemate is air tight. The post-late game in civ II is perfectly balanced because all remaining nations already have all the technologies so there is no advantage. And there are so many units at once on the map that you could lose 20 tank units and not have your lines dented because you have a constant stream moving to the front. This also means that cities are not only tiny towns full of starving people, but that you can never improve the city. "So you want a granary so you can eat? Sorry; I have to build another tank instead. Maybe next time."
-My goal for the next few years is to try and end the war and thus use the engineers to clear swamps and fallout so that farming may resume. I want to rebuild the world. But I'm not sure how. If any of you old Civ II players have any advice, I'm listening.
Edit: -Wow guys. Thanks for all your support. I had no idea this post would get this kind of response. -I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on my efforts. Whether here on Reddit, or a blog, or both. -Turns out a whole subreddit has been dedicated to ending this war. It's at /r/theeternalwar
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on June 18, 2012, 11:00:58 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 17, 2012, 06:14:34 PM
Anyone who plays that game is crazy.  ;)


I've been playing this all day:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51C2yV-CpBL._AA300_.jpg)
Man, this is so fun.  :o
The last SimCity I used to play was SimCity 2000, many years ago (and the original before that).

SimCity 5 should come out next year, and it looks like it'll be amazing. This stuff brings to mind so many possible game/simulator scenarios...
i always sucked at that game....
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 18, 2012, 03:04:23 PM
Quote from: bwv 1080 on June 18, 2012, 10:49:22 AM
did yall see this - 10 year game of Civilization II

It was curious seeing this story explode last week. I read reddit/gaming section sometimes, so I saw it posted with a few replies. A couple of hours later it was on the main page, and then on Andrew Sullivan's blog and then it even made it on Mexican news.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: eyeresist on June 18, 2012, 06:14:35 PM
Non-Australians might be interested to hear that we're finally getting an R18+ rating for games here. Previously, the highest possible rating was MA15+ (unlike films, books, etc.), which meant a number of important games had to be censored, or else banned. For things on the border, it also occasionally meant rating quite "mature" stuff as suitable for children. Glad they finally got that sorted out....

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/gamers-get-adultsonly-r18-classification-20120618-20kiw.html
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 19, 2012, 04:37:10 AM
Stressing about how unlikely I am to get into the Planetside 2 beta.

Quote from: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 15, 2012, 11:02:10 AM
"The brilliance of Dwarf Fortress" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/magazine/the-brilliance-of-dwarf-fortress.html?pagewanted=all) - on NYT.

Thanks for this. I don't bother visiting video game articles on old media websites because they're almost always very poor (for a variety of reasons) - but this one was exceptional.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on June 20, 2012, 07:05:19 AM
Quote from: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 15, 2012, 11:02:10 AM
(http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2010/08/dwarf-fortress-2.jpg)

Dwarf Fortress (http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/), I must be crazy. Took me some hours to actually be able to understand 1/1000 of what it's capable of... That game is teh arts. I play it with Phoebus graphics set btw. So funny :) One of my dwarves got visited by a female dwarf: "Hi I'm your old love from the mountains - lets discuss our situation".

"The brilliance of Dwarf Fortress" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/magazine/the-brilliance-of-dwarf-fortress.html?pagewanted=all) - on NYT.

Thanks for posting this (i think) downloaded it last night and spent the good part of an hour learning to dig a hole
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 22, 2012, 05:12:32 PM
Quote from: PaulR on June 18, 2012, 11:00:58 AM
i always sucked at that game....
There's a trick to this game, surely. I haven't built a big city from scratch yet, but I have built a town of around 10,000 while getting rich at the same time and maintaining a positive income each month. I basically made a slave wage state with little education and health care, where I'm the only one with any money, yet retarded Sims keep on demanding to move into my little ghetto, so maybe it's not that great.  :-\
I'm sure building a big city (or whatever your goal is) is just a matter of reading about how to do such a thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 23, 2012, 08:55:25 PM
Lately, I've been replaying this:

(http://www.fabbl.de/Bilder/Nintendo/SNES-Donkey-Kong-Country2.jpg)

They don't make games like this anymore. There's no telling how many times I've beaten this game. It never grows old. I feel the same way about it's predecessor: Donkey Kong Country.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on June 24, 2012, 02:15:15 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 23, 2012, 08:55:25 PM
Lately, I've been replaying this:

(http://www.fabbl.de/Bilder/Nintendo/SNES-Donkey-Kong-Country2.jpg)

They don't make games like this anymore. There's no telling how many times I've beaten this game. It never grows old.

A great game, I remember playing it years ago, when my SNS still worked.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 24, 2012, 06:32:04 PM
Quote from: North Star on June 24, 2012, 02:15:15 AM
A great game, I remember playing it years ago, when my SNS still worked.

I think the SNES was one of the best gaming systems ever created. The games were so much fun from the Donkey Kong series to Super Mario World (one of my favorite Mario games along with the first Super Mario Galaxy on Wii) to Super Metroid. What a great, fun system.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 24, 2012, 08:07:32 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 23, 2012, 08:55:25 PM
Lately, I've been replaying this:

(http://www.fabbl.de/Bilder/Nintendo/SNES-Donkey-Kong-Country2.jpg)

They don't make games like this anymore. There's no telling how many times I've beaten this game. It never grows old. I feel the same way about it's predecessor: Donkey Kong Country.

A great game indeed! It was favorite of my childhood years and has been something of an obsession of mine since its release.

I also think it, and its predecessor, contain some of the best music of that gaming generation. An example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v2WJi6RHj4



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 24, 2012, 08:55:33 PM
Quote from: -abe- on June 24, 2012, 08:07:32 PM
A great game indeed! It was favorite of my childhood years and has been something of an obsession of mine since its release.

I also think it, and its predecessor, contain some of the best music of that gaming generation. An example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v2WJi6RHj4

Totally agree there, -abe-! That was a nice selection from DK2. I always liked this one from DK1:

http://www.youtube.com/v/wAPpVplHiDE
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 26, 2012, 08:29:12 AM
Once again played Arma II DayZ, but ugh it sucks pretty hard if you don't find weapons in stables, but only ammo; if you walk thousands of miles and finally get eaten by zombies because real life postman rings ;) The game before I was the king for a minute with my sniper rifle, but got shot by a nasty coward player waiting outside the building.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on June 27, 2012, 11:30:10 AM
I dislike the system for many reasons, but never thought to add all the points together, as this article does:

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/131615-diablo-3-the-blizzard-sweatshop

It reads like a million miles away from the playful, no-pressure escapism that gaming of this nature might (should?) be expected to be, and paints a fairly unpleasant picture of the current culture of games developers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 27, 2012, 02:19:00 PM
I avoid games like these like the plague.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on June 27, 2012, 03:32:31 PM
Quote from: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 27, 2012, 02:19:00 PM
I avoid games like these like the plague.
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsnyscrdQq1qeksb7o2_400.gif)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 28, 2012, 04:53:06 AM
Oh, how disappointed I am with Diablo 3!

It is game burdened by an irritating scheme to easily rake in money.

Basically, it retails for $60 but has the dynamics of a free to play game.  One of the pleasures of playing action RPGs is finding good items for your character, but in D3, item drop rates are rigged so as to encourage you to use the auction houses. So much about the game is rigged towards encouraging the player to spend real money on items. It effectively has a pay to win option. It's short sighted on Blizzard's part.

Moreover, it is a cartoonishly written game with atrocious and cheesy dialogue.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on June 28, 2012, 11:27:40 PM
Can Metroid take off his gun, or is it permanently attached to his arm?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on June 29, 2012, 04:29:01 AM
Quote from: The Six on June 28, 2012, 11:27:40 PM
Can Metroid take off his gun, or is it permanently attached to his arm?

Samus cannot take off her gun, it is permanently attached to her arm.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 29, 2012, 06:32:41 AM
Quote from: -abe- on June 28, 2012, 04:53:06 AM
Oh, how disappointed I am with Diablo 3!

It is game burdened by an irritating scheme to easily rake in money.

Basically, it retails for $60 but has the dynamics of a free to play game.  One of the pleasures of playing action RPGs is finding good items for your character, but in D3, item drop rates are rigged so as to encourage you to use the auction houses. So much about the game is rigged towards encouraging the player to spend real money on items. It effectively has a pay to win option. It's short sighted on Blizzard's part.

Moreover, it is a cartoonishly written game with atrocious and cheesy dialogue.

I think people would sell gold and items anyhow on other venues. Why shouldn't Blizzard try to get some of that action?

If the pleasure of playing action RPGs is finding good items, you're more than welcome to do so without having to look at the auction house. Or am I missing something?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 29, 2012, 09:14:13 AM
Quote from: stingo on June 29, 2012, 06:32:41 AM
I think people would sell gold and items anyhow on other venues. Why shouldn't Blizzard try to get some of that action?

If the pleasure of playing action RPGs is finding good items, you're more than welcome to do so without having to look at the auction house. Or am I missing something?

But the existence of the auction house appears to effect the rate at which good items drop for your character, thus you have no choice but to go to the Gold auction house to get items. Or, you can just go the auction house and get items for gold or real money.

I have played about 21 hours, and only in a handful of occasions did I find items that were suitable upgrades for my character. Everything else that dropped was trash or appropriate for another class (thus encouraging me to sell it on the auction house.) The only alternative to avoiding the auction houses is to endlessly grind.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on July 06, 2012, 08:17:35 PM
Given the back-and-forth that Mirror Image and I have been having in the latest purchases thread bumping this thread seems appropriate.  I finally gave in and ordered a PS3 (came in yesterday) and after some monetary terror about having to wait several more days to use it due to thinking the AV cord was broken I was saved by Google and realized that I had to do a long reboot because it was currently set for HDMI cables.  Up until tonight I've been playing the Sly Cooper Collection, which is a lot of fun, but I was looking for a PS3 game to really give the system a go.

Fortunately, Demon's Souls came in today.  I've done a lot of reading on the game over the past couple of weeks and it seemed right up my alley:  An action RPG aimed at having a sense of realism, in particular in how the combat is executed, and being quite challenging as a result.  I quickly tossed together a character (Hunter class) and decided to dive in.  The fact that it's published by Atlus and can be purchased for $20 with the soundtrack included didn't hurt matters.  (Atlus games typically have excellent soundtracks.)  I was very surprised to see that the servers were still online given that the game has been out for three years and a pseudo-sequel has been released (Dark Souls) and I'm glad.  You cannot communicate directly with others, nor do you play directly with others often (and part of that time they're invading your game to attempt to kill you), but there is a distinct mystique to playing online.  You can click on blood stains on the ground to view ghosts of other people rushing to their death and attempt to glean knowledge their sacrifice -- or pride, in some cases, that you survived a battle that cost others their life.  The various messages along the ground add to the mystique...most of the time.  A combination of ambush warnings, advice about items you should have on hand, and smart ass comments are everywhere.  I've only had an hour of play time, but this looks like a long, painful, fascinating journey.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 10, 2012, 05:04:34 PM
(http://www.gadgetreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Max-Payne-3-for-PS3-650x746.jpg)

When buying this game, I considered the positive/negative aspects of it and just totally went with my gut. As turns out, I'm glad I did. This is turning out to be one of the better PS3 games I've played. There really haven't been that many IMHO. What impressed me so much is the intense story this game carries throughout. I haven't beat the game (yet), but I just wanted to tell Dave (DavidW) wherever you are that you're totally right on the money with your opinion of this game. I'm glad I listened to your high praises about Max Payne 3.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on July 12, 2012, 09:21:59 PM
Hey gents, there's a massive Steam pc games going on for the next few days. Heads up.

And looks like I got into the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Beta.  8)

It's coming out in about seven weeks.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on July 17, 2012, 12:44:22 PM
I just picked up the full GTA games bundle for £5 ^_^ And a bunch of others, but this is more notable for being a super price.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on July 18, 2012, 04:08:32 AM
Demon's Souls was an amazing experience, but it's on hiatus for now.  1up's week of Metal Gear Solid articles (http://www.1up.com/features/cover-story-metal-gear-turns-25) did me in.  In particular the stuff on the greatness of Snake Eater, given that I've never played it.  I grabbed the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection off the shelf and played through MGS2 over three days and have now started Snake Eater.  If all goes well I'll also be playing 4 and Peace Walker.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 18, 2012, 04:23:51 PM
Working on a list of games I'd like to play for spring. I'll pretty much have to work on the weekends and take 5 classes at school, so for the little free time I have, screw everything else- I'm having fun. There are quite a few RPGs I'm not aware of, but when it comes to 6th generation console gaming (PS2, Gamecube, Dreamcast), I kind of have to wait and see if the laptop my brother is going to get will be able to play the games at a good frame rate.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on July 18, 2012, 05:19:27 PM
If anyone fancies a race with an utterly superb F1 driver (me) we can have a race, though you may be on bended knee in wonder at my outrageous speed.

(http://www.formula1-game.com/uk/files/2011/06/thegame_pack1.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 18, 2012, 05:56:19 PM
Quote from: Greg on July 18, 2012, 04:23:51 PM
Working on a list of games I'd like to play for spring. I'll pretty much have to work on the weekends and take 5 classes at school, so for the little free time I have, screw everything else- I'm having fun. There are quite a few RPGs I'm not aware of, but when it comes to 6th generation console gaming (PS2, Gamecube, Dreamcast), I kind of have to wait and see if the laptop my brother is going to get will be able to play the games at a good frame rate.
Whoa! I got Dolphin (my Gamecube/Wii emulator) to run Baten Kaitos at nearly full speed! I just used minimal graphic settings and something called Game Booster, which shuts down unnecessary services while gaming.

When my brother gets his laptop, he's basically going to get something like what I have (cheap), but 5 years newer, so I would imagine it should run it at full speed.


(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mQTs6JslL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Played the first ~10 minutes of this game and can already tell this is EXACTLY my type of game. Oh, I am looking forward to this so much.  Looks like a classic JRPG masterpiece with decent graphics in the vein of Chrono Cross or Final Fantasy, but slightly newer than some of the ones I'm thinking about (7 or 9) and music that may be just as good.
This is too long to play now, but it just looks soooooo good!  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 21, 2012, 06:07:34 AM
I just stumbled upon this Amiga CDTV game. What the...?  What is this? ???

http://www.youtube.com/v/J1wddGf2EYY
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 23, 2012, 11:16:42 AM
(http://chib.enjoyjocel.com/wp-content/plugins/rss-poster/cache/2e147_129327_v1.jpg)

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

THIS I recommend people to play. By far the weirdest game I've ever played. It's Japan-only, though, so you'd probably just have to run it on an emulator like I did.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ataraxia on July 23, 2012, 11:19:55 AM
Quote from: Greg on July 23, 2012, 11:16:42 AM
THIS I recommend people to play. By far the weirdest game I've ever played. It's Japan-only, though, so you'd probably just have to run it on an emulator like I did.

Does it come with the LSD or do I have to purchase that separately?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 23, 2012, 11:21:24 AM
Oh, trust me, if you play this game, you won't need it.  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on August 07, 2012, 04:58:36 AM
Still Arma II DayZ, so much Multiplayer fun. Basically its Players vs. Zombies, but often Player vs. Player... You can do so much, you can be a bandit, team up, be lonesome wolf, nasty sniper... some people are helpful medics and cure others with low blood or broken legs...
Typical Elektrozavodzk scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMu2lFkgvII&feature=player_detailpage#t=3335s
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on August 22, 2012, 02:28:01 PM
These:

[asin]B000CBVC0Y[/asin]
[asin]B001IK1BJ0[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 23, 2012, 04:58:28 AM
I'm sinking hours & hours Darksiders II and loving every second. Didn't play the first game but this one is a blast: imagine a melting pot of Prince of Persia, Zelda, God of War and Shadow of Colossus and now imagine that such a gaming potpourri actually works (most of the time). The plot is clichéd as hell but nicely executed nonetheless. Great voiceovers & great music by Jesper Kyd. This might be my game of the year.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 27, 2012, 04:58:32 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 10, 2012, 05:04:34 PM
(http://www.gadgetreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Max-Payne-3-for-PS3-650x746.jpg)

When buying this game, I considered the positive/negative aspects of it and just totally went with my gut. As turns out, I'm glad I did. This is turning out to be one of the better PS3 games I've played. There really haven't been that many IMHO. What impressed me so much is the intense story this game carries throughout. I haven't beat the game (yet), but I just wanted to tell Dave (DavidW) wherever you are that you're totally right on the money with your opinion of this game. I'm glad I listened to your high praises about Max Payne 3.

Awesome!  I wondered if you did go there.  Now I guess we're both waiting on RE6. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 27, 2012, 07:03:25 PM
He's back!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 28, 2012, 05:27:26 PM
Yup I'm back!! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: k.vermont on August 29, 2012, 07:36:13 AM
Lately, I have been playing PSP Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Crisis_Core.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on September 01, 2012, 10:30:34 AM
I'm playing the BETA of Carrier Command. It is a remake of a 1980s Atari game. Release is on 28th September. It's a very interesting concept. A mix between Strategy and Action game. You and your enemy have one Carrier which hold 4 Mantas (airial fighters) and 4 Walrusses (drive in water and on land). The task is to either destroy the enemies carrier or to conquer all island (there are 33). You can either control your vehicles remotely (AI takes over then, you see what they do in a top right PIP window) or you can control them directly.

Original Carrier Command:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CyUP-1_boM

Remake/Lets play:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw1jFaN-BEc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW6GGnkey_s
[that guy has 3 more parts]

(http://www.carriercommand.com/newweb/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sd54f56sd4sd4s-fdafsd54fs45sdf.jpg) (http://www.carriercommand.com/)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 01, 2012, 05:42:26 PM
Ha, nice to se Carrier Command getting some love. I've played the original a lot as a kid and twenty years later, I did interview the fellow Czechs who are developing this remake. Lots of genuine enthusiasm on their part. Hope the final product lives up to its potential.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 01, 2012, 06:47:53 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 27, 2012, 04:58:32 PM
Awesome!  I wondered if you did go there.  Now I guess we're both waiting on RE6. :)

Welcome back, Davey Boy! I haven't beat Max Payne 3 yet, but I did just get this with an in-store credit:

(http://getps3games.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/mv1.jpg)

Looking foward to playing this one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on September 02, 2012, 06:32:44 AM
Given all the hype that Darksiders II has been getting I decided to return to the original to play through it first. A great game but I'm having a hard time controlling it via keyboard, so I'm looking at getting a wireless receiver for my xbox 360 controller or getting a wired one.

[asin]B0047T7UDU[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on September 02, 2012, 08:30:37 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on September 01, 2012, 05:42:26 PMHa, nice to se Carrier Command getting some love. I've played the original a lot as a kid and twenty years later, I did interview the fellow Czechs who are developing this remake. Lots of genuine enthusiasm on their part. Hope the final product lives up to its potential.
I didn't play the original game. I hope the game won't be too repetetive - simply because there are many islands, but basically the same buildings and tansks. They should make the enemy hard to crack, and the enemy AI variable, interesting, with random elements...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 09, 2012, 08:02:49 AM
So I googled my Starcraft 2 account name, and it turns out that two guys casted a game I played on the 4th of July and uploaded it to youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQSp0wJvGcQ

Since I, the terran, lose, it's likely that the other player uploaded the replay and asked them to comment on it. Haha. I just wish I didn't play so bad. :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 21, 2012, 09:23:50 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61dkRpQHWBL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
(from PS network)

Played an hour of this today, since my brother bought it. Very fun, silly game. I suppose that in this world, it's okay for police to shoot a kid to death for vandalism. Lol...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 21, 2012, 09:29:53 AM
Quote from: Greg on September 21, 2012, 09:23:50 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61dkRpQHWBL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
(from PS network)

Played an hour of this today, since my brother bought it. Very fun, silly game. I suppose that in this world, it's okay for police to shoot a kid to death for vandalism. Lol...

For this game to make any sort of sense, you would have had to been a teenager in the 1990s and actually be able to recall what aggressive inline roller blading is.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 21, 2012, 09:36:09 AM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on September 21, 2012, 09:29:53 AM
For this game to make any sort of sense, you would have had to been a teenager in the 1990s and actually be able to recall what aggressive inline roller blading is.
None of those fit me.  :D
Became a teenager at the end of the year 2000 and never got into any type of skateboarding or roller blading. I like the game, though- fun, fast, arcade-style, almost like a style between Crazy Taxi and Katamari Demacy. Also notable for being the first cel-shaded game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 21, 2012, 09:39:52 AM
Quote from: Greg on September 21, 2012, 09:36:09 AM
None of those fit me.  :D
Became a teenager at the end of the year 2000 and never got into any type of skateboarding or roller blading. I like the game, though- fun, fast, arcade-style, almost like a style between Crazy Taxi and Katamari Demacy. Also notable for being the first cel-shaded game.

Well that might explain why the 'rebellion' element really doesn't come across as clear. I think the game is super fun. Love the music, and the crazy antics you can pull off whilst playing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on September 21, 2012, 10:15:38 AM
Quote from: stingo on September 02, 2012, 06:32:44 AM
Given all the hype that Darksiders II has been getting I decided to return to the original to play through it first. A great game but I'm having a hard time controlling it via keyboard, so I'm looking at getting a wireless receiver for my xbox 360 controller or getting a wired one.

[asin]B0047T7UDU[/asin]

Picked up a wired controller and am loving Darksiders. 3 bosses down and at least two to go.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on September 21, 2012, 12:44:29 PM
I hadn't played video games for a month or two (other hobbies got in the way) but I found myself thinking about Metal Gear Solid 3 so I booted up the PS3 with the HD Collection.  I made a no-kill run (my first) through 3 on normal mode focusing on collecting the various plants and animals that I haven't found before (I'm a trophy collector :D) and getting all the cool camo (and one awesome weapon) that you get when you run through the bosses with tranquilizers.  I'm sure I'll be going back to make a second run on that save to finish off the animals and plants I wasn't able to find previously and to hone my sneaking skills before I move onto harder modes.  In the meantime I've started Peace Walker.  Long game with plenty of opportunities to replay missions to level your weapons and your crew.  That should last me a while.  One of these days MGS2 will draw me back in, too:  I was in the process of doing a dog tags run on easy mode when cooking got in the way of gaming.

By the way, good call on Jet Grind Radio.  I never had the opportunity to play it, but I've had a lot of fun with the sequel Jet Set Radio Future, which is supposed to be inferior to the original.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 23, 2012, 05:22:51 AM
What game are you playing? Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark. Souls!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 05:58:06 AM
I'm going to play Silent Hill: Homecoming and then we should be in October when the games start releasing again.

In October (if I have free time sigh) I plan on playing: Resident Evil 6, Dishonored and the remastered Doom 3.

I tried replaying DA: Origins but find that I'm not into the game like I was when it came out.  I think I'll continue my Mass Effect replay with #2 soon.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 10:57:40 AM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on August 22, 2012, 02:28:01 PM
These:
[asin]B001IK1BJ0[/asin]

Holy cow was the last boss in this game irritating. I loved the Arcanum-like conclusion though, and will definitely be replaying this a few times through. Really good stuff.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 11:44:28 AM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 10:57:40 AM
Holy cow was the last boss in this game irritating.

Oh yes!  An update removed the difficulty spikes though, apparently that wasn't a virtue of the game but a technical bug. :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 11:45:46 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 11:44:28 AM
Oh yes!  An update removed the difficulty spikes though, apparently that wasn't a virtue of the game but a technical bug. :D

Lol, and I get why the boss had to be so tough, but there wasn't even a hint at how tough. The battle also wasn't hard, it was just long, but the reward of the ending was totally worth it. This is probably the best rpg of this generation of games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 11:49:14 AM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 11:45:46 AM
This is probably the best rpg of this generation of games.

It's also worth noting that it is the last classic western rpg of this time, perhaps of all time.  The genre has been transformed so much that it no longer resembles it's roots.  More current rpgs play more like action rpgs.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 12:17:57 PM
Quote from: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 11:49:14 AM
It's also worth noting that it is the last classic western rpg of this time, perhaps of all time.  The genre has been transformed so much that it no longer resembles it's roots.  More current rpgs play more like action rpgs.

Perhaps not... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Eternity
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 23, 2012, 12:25:22 PM
Anyone else looking forward to the Wii U? I'll probably get it once they get a new Zelda epic out (I hated Skyward Sword on Wii). Other than this, Assassin's Creed III looks good. Resident Evil 6 is another one I'm looking forward to playing. I'm still digging Rayman Origins. What a great, fun game. I'm also still playing Max Payne 3.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 12:45:06 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 23, 2012, 12:25:22 PM
Anyone else looking forward to the Wii U? I'll probably get it once they get a new Zelda epic out (I hated Skyward Sword on Wii). Other than this, Assassin's Creed III looks good. Resident Evil 6 is another one I'm looking forward to playing. I'm still digging Rayman Origins. What a great, fun game. I'm also still playing Max Payne 3.

Are you sure you don't want to Facebook message me this question?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on September 23, 2012, 02:33:43 PM
Finished Darksiders - great game. Going to wait before jumping into Darksiders II so deciding what to play next.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 04:21:11 PM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on September 23, 2012, 12:17:57 PM
Perhaps not... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Eternity

Awesome!!!!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 04:25:58 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 23, 2012, 12:25:22 PM
Anyone else looking forward to the Wii U? I'll probably get it once they get a new Zelda epic out (I hated Skyward Sword on Wii). Other than this, Assassin's Creed III looks good. Resident Evil 6 is another one I'm looking forward to playing. I'm still digging Rayman Origins. What a great, fun game. I'm also still playing Max Payne 3.

I am!  I'm looking forward to Zelda, and having third party games on the console, and finally having a 1080p console.  Those that are saying the graphics will be the same as the current gen 360, ps3 are idiots.  I've already seen preview material that demonstrates that the graphics on the Wii U is superior to the 360 and ps3 on Arkham City and Mass Effect 3.  But that does make me wonder how jaw dropping the next gen ms and sony consoles will be...

You make me feel better that I didn't wait for Skyward Sword before selling my Wii.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on September 24, 2012, 04:40:56 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 23, 2012, 04:21:11 PM
Awesome!!!!

I know, and they got their initial funding in under 5 days, which is so nuts. I'm pretty pumped to see an Arcanum-like rpg come to the PC. I also like how they aren't bringing it to the consoles, who seemingly cannot appreciate a good rpg (Here I'm looking at Alpha Protocol).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on September 24, 2012, 09:21:37 AM
Carrier Command Beta 3
AND
Arma II on Elektro Deathmatch servers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 25, 2012, 04:12:37 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 23, 2012, 12:25:22 PMI'm still digging Rayman Origins. What a great, fun game.

A true gem. And the next one looks amazing as well - I've had the chance to try the multiplayer on the WiiU and while I'm not that interested in the console itself, it was double the fun.

Aaaanyway, Steam is telling me I've already sunk 100 hours in Dark Souls? And I'm still barely halfway through the game :o It's the Ring des Nibelungen of gaming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on September 27, 2012, 08:19:10 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on September 23, 2012, 05:22:51 AM
What game are you playing? Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark Souls.

Dark. Souls!

:D

Demon's Souls took over my life for a while and I'm sure it will again when I'm ready to move away from Metal Gear.  And then after Demon's Souls I'm sure Dark Souls will follow the same route.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 27, 2012, 11:14:23 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on September 25, 2012, 04:12:37 PM
A true gem. And the next one looks amazing as well - I've had the chance to try the multiplayer on the WiiU and while I'm not that interested in the console itself, it was double the fun.

Yeah, the next Rayman looks fantastic. I'm only interested in the WiiU if they release a Zelda game that harkens back to The Twilight Princess. Skyward Sword was the worst Zelda game I ever played. I disliked it so much I sold the game along with that stupid Wii Motion Plus attachment that is required just to play the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidRoss on September 27, 2012, 01:42:29 PM
Disc golf.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 13, 2012, 09:43:33 AM
Finished Dishonored. You should too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on October 31, 2012, 03:28:28 PM
After getting the platinum in Metal Gear Solid 2 (time consuming and very difficult) I've decided that I've earned the right to take a break from that series for a while.  I've moved onto a task that is only moderately ridiculously hard (Maximo: Ghosts to Glory) and the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus collection.  I never had the opportunity to play Ico last generation -- it was always too expensive used due to its rarity -- so I've been very excited to try this.  Thus far it's great, though I do find the combat tedious.  The atmosphere is great, the scenery is beautiful, and the puzzles are fun.  I'm also very impressed by the way the game maintains a good pace and remains interesting in spite of being so minimalistic.  At this point I don't think it quite stands up to Shadow of the Colossus, but that's an extremely high bar to set. 

By the way, Okami was re-released on PSN yesterday. :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 31, 2012, 03:43:21 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on October 31, 2012, 03:28:28 PMAt this point I don't think it quite stands up to Shadow of the Colossus, but that's an extremely high bar to set.

A very high bar most certainly. Shadow of the Colossus is one of my all-time favorite games. Thankfully, I caught it when it was released on PS2 the first time around and have loved it since the first time I played it. This game could very well be considered ground-breaking in it's gameplay.

Right now, I've been alternating between these three great games:

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8O4UeweQpek/UF-WTNavAKI/AAAAAAAARo4/yvGrXJFbZXQ/s1600/super+mario+galaxy+box+art.jpg)

(http://diehardgamefan.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/loztpcover.jpg)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eWfkZxxBnzk/UDduC1hjw9I/AAAAAAAADOk/frOTkRkFMR8/s1600/rayman-origins-playstation3-cover.jpg)

All three of these games are amazing. If you don't own them, buy them now! They are fun games, which is what gaming is all about. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on October 31, 2012, 03:47:33 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 31, 2012, 03:43:21 PM
A very high bar most certainly. Shadow of the Colossus is one of my all-time favorite games. Thankfully, I caught it when it was released on PS2 the first time around and have loved it since the first time I played it. This game could very well be considered ground-breaking in it's gameplay.

Right now, I've been alternating between these three great games:

All three of these games are amazing. If you don't own them, buy them now! They are fun games, which is what gaming is all about. :)

I caught Shadow the first time around, but not Ico.  I've loved Shadow of the Colossus dearly since then and even have the soundtrack.  I certainly agree with you about Mario Galaxy but haven't played enough of Twilight Princess yet to make the call...and yes, Rayman Origins is on the buying list when I can get some money together. :)  By the way, if you like borderline masochistic, very old school platformer/action games, Maximo is available for $10 on PSN.  I've always felt that game (and the sequel) were two underrated classics (perhaps minor classics, but classics nonetheless) on PS2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 31, 2012, 04:26:02 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 13, 2012, 09:43:33 AM
Finished Dishonored. You should too.

I've started it but haven't gotten very far.  Not enough free time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 31, 2012, 04:27:52 PM
I bought NBA 2K10 at Gamestop today for $3. After playing it for a while, I think it's enjoyable enough to not feel like spending the extra money for 2K13. Mainly I preferred the rosters during that time, anyways (the Magic were good a few years ago), and the graphics are still great.

Christmas and my birthday... hmm... Twisted Metal, Mirror's Edge, and Okami, perhaps? For me, those games will last all year.  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 31, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on October 31, 2012, 03:47:33 PM
I caught Shadow the first time around, but not Ico.  I've loved Shadow of the Colossus dearly since then and even have the soundtrack.  I certainly agree with you about Mario Galaxy but haven't played enough of Twilight Princess yet to make the call...and yes, Rayman Origins is on the buying list when I can get some money together. :)  By the way, if you like borderline masochistic, very old school platformer/action games, Maximo is available for $10 on PSN.  I've always felt that game (and the sequel) were two underrated classics (perhaps minor classics, but classics nonetheless) on PS2.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is a game you'll either love or hate. For me, I hated it at first, but I was patient with it and it really picked up after that slow beginning. Once you enter that first dungeon, it's pretty much non-stop action and puzzles. The game isn't too difficult. I remember there were a few places where I became frustrated, but what's the point of a game if it doesn't challenge you? I don't know if I'll buy any more games right now. I'm having a lot of fun with the three I mentioned. The new Assassin's Creed III looks great. I especially like the time frame it takes place in: the American Revolution. Sounds quite promising. There are still a few games I'm waiting on: The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, Tomb Raider, and Hitman: Absolution. All of these games look promising.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on November 01, 2012, 05:24:04 PM
Skate 3
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Nier
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 04, 2012, 09:09:23 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 31, 2012, 06:34:06 PM
I don't know if I'll buy any more games right now.

You may not, but I have!  I downloaded Okami HD yesterday. :D  (And Crash Bandicoot 2 with the money left over.)  Currently I'm playing Shadow of the Colossus, but as soon as I'm done I'll be diving straight into Okami.

Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on November 01, 2012, 05:24:04 PM
Skate 3
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Nier

Let me know what you think of Nier.  It seems to be a love-or-hate game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on November 05, 2012, 09:57:52 AM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 04, 2012, 09:09:23 AM
Let me know what you think of Nier.  It seems to be a love-or-hate game.

I absolutely adore it. It's easily one of the most depressing games I've ever come across.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 07, 2012, 02:40:14 PM
Having fun with Postal 2.

Here's my collected pile of violent video game protesters (had to kick them across the hall to meet up with each other, but a couple were stuck under doorways and couldn't move them):
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/Postal2Pile.jpg)


Here's me peeing on their charred corpses:
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/Postal2Pile2.jpg)

>:D >:D >:D ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on November 08, 2012, 09:27:47 AM
Stuck at the final boss of Hotline Miami and while I hate the fight, the whole game is tremendous. It's been labeled as a top down fuck 'em up and rightly so. It's Drive crossed with The Wild Bunch and David Lynch. And the soundtrack (http://soundcloud.com/devolverdigital/sets/hotline-miami-official) is ace.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 08, 2012, 04:16:43 PM
I'm nine hours into Okami and it's delightful.  The game is still strikingly beautiful nine hours in and contrary to most games I'm just getting started at this point.  (Think of how many games take nine hours to finish.)  I love grand, Zelda-style adventures.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on November 08, 2012, 04:39:41 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 08, 2012, 04:16:43 PM
I'm nine hours into Okami and it's delightful.  The game is still strikingly beautiful nine hours in and contrary to most games I'm just getting started at this point.  (Think of how many games take nine hours to finish.)  I love grand, Zelda-style adventures.

Well, you're in for one GRAND adventure. The game is HUGE.

And absolutely amazing, of course.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 08, 2012, 05:25:44 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on November 08, 2012, 04:39:41 PM
Well, you're in for one GRAND adventure. The game is HUGE.

And absolutely amazing, of course.

Indeed. :)

I originally played Okami on PS2 but never made it all the way through (I'll make sure to rectify that this time) and when I heard there was an HD remake coming out I downloaded it, of course.  This is the third time I've bought the game and have no regrets.  I hope this new release gives Okami a second-wind as it was heavily under-rated back in the day.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 09, 2012, 10:52:59 AM
Speaking of long games - still on Darksiders II.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 19, 2012, 04:58:10 PM
the Assassin's Creed Trilogy came in today and I've started on Assassin's Creed 2.  I've been hearing a lot about this series for a while and was looking forward to this.  It's pretty impressive up to this point.  I can see why people (or at least Metal Gear Solid fans :)) like it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 19, 2012, 05:08:50 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 19, 2012, 04:58:10 PM
the Assassin's Creed Trilogy came in today and I've started on Assassin's Creed 2.  I've been hearing a lot about this series for a while and was looking forward to this.  It's pretty impressive up to this point.  I can see why people (or at least Metal Gear Solid fans :)) like it.

I don't like Assassin's Creed. Any of them...well I haven't played the new one. I never was impressed with the game's controls. Ubisoft makes some good games, but the best game they ever made, IMHO, is Rayman Origins, but, when I buy a Wii U, I'll definitely be getting Rayman Legends.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 19, 2012, 05:37:12 PM
Started with the original Assassin's Creed - pretty good so far (going through Damascus now).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 10:18:55 AM
I'll go back and try 1 at some point in the future.  I'd heard many great things about 2 (in comparison to 1) and decided to start there.  It didn't hurt that a trilogy pack was being released for $40.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on November 20, 2012, 10:37:50 AM
XCOM Enemy unknown
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 11:07:09 AM
I'm definitely going to be buying a new Wii U, but only when all this hoopla and shortage mayhem settles. I'll probably buy one around March (my birthday month). I'll definitely take a week off from work to test drive and tweak this new Nintendo.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 11:40:56 AM
These two Wii U games will definitely be purchases along with the new system:

(http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/09/NewSuperMarioBrosUBoxart610.jpg)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/archive/f/f6/20120816071747!Rayman_Legends_Box_Art.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on November 20, 2012, 11:50:21 AM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 10:18:55 AM
I'll go back and try 1 at some point in the future.  I'd heard many great things about 2 (in comparison to 1) and decided to start there.  It didn't hurt that a trilogy pack was being released for $40.

Ending of No. 2 will leave you speechless.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 03:08:45 PM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on November 20, 2012, 11:50:21 AM
Ending of No. 2 will leave you speechless.

I'm looking forward to it.  What I've read indicates that it's a Metal Gear Solid 2 level of mind-screwery and I love MGS2. :D  That said, with so much to do in the game I feel comfortable taking my time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 03:46:54 PM
Anyone going to get the Wii U? I know you're probably not Geo Dude since it hasn't been long since you bought a PS3. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 20, 2012, 03:48:58 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 03:46:54 PM
Anyone going to get the Wii U? I know you're probably not Geo Dude since it hasn't been long since you bought a PS3. :)

Probably not - not that it's not a good system, I just have a huge pile of shame (unplayed games) and Steam's Holiday Sale will definitely add to the pile.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 04:03:51 PM
Quote from: stingo on November 20, 2012, 03:48:58 PM
Probably not - not that it's not a good system, I just have a huge pile of shame (unplayed games) and Steam's Holiday Sale will definitely add to the pile.

Really? Not at all? Hmmm....I think once I see some more goods on the table, I may take the plunge in March. A new Legend of Zelda title will, no doubt, help me make a decision.

But, like you, I have many games that I haven't completed yet. I'm still trying to beat LittleBigPlanet! :) That's how much I play video games. When I was a kid, I played them a lot more than I do now, but there are so many other things I'm interested in that take up much more time than video games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 05:02:56 PM
I'm somewhat interested in Wii U but as you noted I bought a PS3 about six months ago and have the backlog of games I own and backlog of games I need to buy to worry about... :P

That said, what I really want to do is wait a little while and see how the game library pans out.  Nintendo insists that this is the console they're going to use to try to bring back the hardcore gamer crowd and I want them to put some real effort into demonstrating that before I shell out.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Wii, but much like the GameCube (and N64 for that matter) one really does have to search out the gems amongst the shovelware and I'd like to see them back up their claim.  (Come on Metroid Prime 4.... :D)

Speaking of Zelda, playing through Okami really has me hankering for some Zelda awesomeness.  I suspect that I'll be buying OOT 3D next month so I can ease the withdrawal symptoms.

EDIT: 1Up has a great article (http://www.1up.com/features/our-wii-wish-list-11-games) which ties well into the Wii U library comment in my post.  Some great ports certainly wouldn't hurt.  Also, speaking of Metroid Prime... (http://www.1up.com/features/metroid-prime-vs-fusion-texans)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 20, 2012, 05:18:30 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 04:03:51 PM
Really? Not at all? Hmmm....I think once I see some more goods on the table, I may take the plunge in March. A new Legend of Zelda title will, no doubt, help me make a decision.

But, like you, I have many games that I haven't completed yet. I'm still trying to beat LittleBigPlanet! :) That's how much I play video games. When I was a kid, I played them a lot more than I do now, but there are so many other things I'm interested in that take up much more time than video games.

As far as I know, Bayonetta 2 is slated to be a Wii U exclusive. That might be able to get me to purchase the system.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 05:38:07 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 05:02:56 PM
I'm somewhat interested in Wii U but as you noted I bought a PS3 about six months ago and have the backlog of games I own and backlog of games I need to buy to worry about... :P

That said, what I really want to do is wait a little while and see how the game library pans out.  Nintendo insists that this is the console they're going to use to try to bring back the hardcore gamer crowd and I want them to put some real effort into demonstrating that before I shell out.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Wii, but much like the GameCube (and N64 for that matter) one really does have to search out the gems amongst the shovelware and I'd like to see them back up their claim.  (Come on Metroid Prime 4.... :D)

Speaking of Zelda, playing through Okami really has me hankering for some Zelda awesomeness.  I suspect that I'll be buying OOT 3D next month so I can ease the withdrawal symptoms.

EDIT: 1Up has a great article (http://www.1up.com/features/our-wii-wish-list-11-games) which ties well into the Wii U library comment in my post.  Some great ports certainly wouldn't hurt.  Also, speaking of Metroid Prime... (http://www.1up.com/features/metroid-prime-vs-fusion-texans)

Yeah, the Wii was pretty much a disappointment from a gaming perspective. All the gamers had to wait until the next Mario or Zelda adventure to come out just to justify owning the system. Too much junk and not enough solid titles. The system itself was quite good, but I don't think it was the best Nintendo has to offer. Hopefully, the Wii U will deliver more games that will keep fans anticipating their every move.

Re: Zelda

Did you ever play Twilight Princess? For me, this is one of the greatest games of all-time. I absolutely hated Skyward Sword. I thought this was weakest game in the series. It certainly was too gimmicky as you had to have a Wii Motion+ attachment in order to play the game. A definite disadvantage to the overall gaming experience.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 06:28:07 PM
I had the benefit of picking up Wii late in the game which meant plenty of great stuff was out but I have read from gamers who were waiting for a long period of time between say Mario Galaxy 2 and Xenoblade (one of the few third party works of brilliance) and Donkey Kong to...well....like you said, there were long dry spells.

I have Twilight Princess on GameCube and I've played a little but never properly ventured into it.  I'm really missing OOT and will likely head into Twilight Princess afterwards.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 20, 2012, 07:08:05 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 20, 2012, 06:28:07 PM
I had the benefit of picking up Wii late in the game which meant plenty of great stuff was out but I have read from gamers who were waiting for a long period of time between say Mario Galaxy 2 and Xenoblade (one of the few third party works of brilliance) and Donkey Kong to...well....like you said, there were long dry spells.

I have Twilight Princess on GameCube and I've played a little but never properly ventured into it.  I'm really missing OOT and will likely head into Twilight Princess afterwards.

Twilight Princess starts off slow, but give it time. It's like one giant metamorphosis. It goes from stale to non-stop action where there's so many things to do. It will keep you busy for awhile.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 22, 2012, 04:39:24 AM
Steam's Autumn Sale has begun! Darksiders II is available at a substantial discount, and XCOM is a 33% off. There are other deals - these are the two I took most interest in.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 22, 2012, 06:10:01 PM
Just bought:

(http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/wiiublack.jpg)

Bought the deluxe set which you can checkout what it comes with here: http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/buynow/

The beautiful thing about this sell is I got 20% of the system because at my place of employment we get a one time only discount on anything in the store. Some people may put this discount towards a television, iPads, etc., but I felt the Wii U is what I wanted to use this discount on since it's something I've wanted since I heard it was going to be released. It already comes with a game, NintendoLand, but I'm definitely going to be buying New Super Mario Bros. U.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 22, 2012, 07:24:57 PM
Glad to see that you picked it up!

This thread reminded me that one of these days I need to get around to downloading Majora's Mask on the Wii.  I've actually never played it. 

Meanwhile I continue to love Assassin's Creed 2.  I'm loving all the history they've worked into the game that you can find out about just by clicking.  I'm a fan of this period of history anyway and odds are that this is going to drive me to picking up a book or two on the subject when I can find something that fits the bill.  I also love the expanding world and all the different things I can do.  Hell, I love spending time just admiring the architecture.  Speaking of architecture, I have put some serious effort into infrastructure at the villa (I sacrificed more advanced weapons and armor entirely until I had everything in the Villa maxed out) and it is paying off!  Things only get better as I buy extra weapons, armor, paintings, etc. since they create a feedback by adding value when I purchase that stuff.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 22, 2012, 07:51:27 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 22, 2012, 07:24:57 PM
Glad to see that you picked it up!

This thread reminded me that one of these days I need to get around to downloading Majora's Mask on the Wii.  I've actually never played it. 

Thanks, Geo Dude! I look forward to playing it!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on November 27, 2012, 08:51:01 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 22, 2012, 07:51:27 PM
Thanks, Geo Dude! I look forward to playing it!

I certainly hope you've had some time to play it by now. :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 27, 2012, 06:41:31 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on November 27, 2012, 08:51:01 AM
I certainly hope you've had some time to play it by now. :P

Nope, I haven't even taken the unit out of the box yet. I hope to set it up and play it in the next couple of weeks. At least before Christmas, that's my goal right now anyway.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 05, 2012, 06:54:36 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512HTSW5ATL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Postal 2
Really enjoyed this game.  8)

A very cynical game with juvenile humor. The gameplay takes place in five days: Monday through Friday. Each day consists of 4 or so separate missions. One day, you try to get an autograph from Gary Coleman but a shootout happens. Another day, you make people sign a petition to get whiney Congressmen to play violent video games. Another day, you go to the library and a group protesting books ("Burn a book! Save a tree!") burns down the library. There are also scenes where you kill butchers for witnessing that they are throwing live humans into their cutting machines while laughing; where you meet a mascot named "Krotchy" which is just a pair of testicles; another where you piss on your dad's grave, but get abducted by rednecks and made to be a gimp; another where terrorists attack your church after you confess your sins; too much fun!  8)

Since I have a few weeks of no school, I started up Final Fantasy 8... the first 5 minutes work in the epsxe emulator, and the game should keep on working fine. It will take quite a while to beat it, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 06, 2012, 06:52:56 AM
I've decided to take my Wii U back for a refund. Honestly, I just don't think I'll ever play it. I barely play my PS3 or Wii now. To be honest, I don't think the Wii U will be the next generation console, but I've been wrong before. I just don't see much attention getting paid to the Wii U which a lot of it has to do with so many weak launch titles. There aren't enough Nintendo exclusives that have caught my eye. New Super Mario Brothers U is nothing but a rehash of a rehash of a rehash. The only title that looks good is Rayman Legends and it's not even out yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 09, 2012, 03:22:01 PM
Finished Assassin's Creed. Started Assassin's Creed II. What a leap forward in the series.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on December 10, 2012, 03:24:47 AM
"The Walking Dead" on Ipad. Great game design, plays like an episode of the TV show, you have to make decisions that affect the actions and thoughts of AI characters with you, sometimes given mere seconds to make a decision such as who to save during an attack, or how to respond to someone's question. The atmosphere is the right amount of creepy, along with great sound editing, especially on headphones. And above-average to great voice talents which is always a must when having to listen to characters talk so much.

I think it's available on some other platforms such as XBOX and PS3, and it just won Game of the Year on Spike TVs VGA...not that means anything other than just a little bragging rights.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 10, 2012, 07:54:35 PM
I was at a mall today and there was some Nintendo Wii U people demonstrating the system and it's capabilities. Kind of glad I returned mine now. The system doesn't seem that impressive to me. It doesn't have much going for it and the lack of the Nintendo exclusives during the system's launch was just disappointing to me. I know, I know if I waited around more games would come out eventually, but Nintendo had a weak launch this time around IMHO. I'll reconsider the Wii U once I see some heavy hitters hit the market.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: mc ukrneal on December 10, 2012, 07:59:29 PM
Quote from: stingo on December 09, 2012, 03:22:01 PM
Finished Assassin's Creed. Started Assassin's Creed II. What a leap forward in the series.
I only ever played II, but what an amazing game. It just gets bigger and bigger and the graphics are phenomenal.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 10, 2012, 08:02:01 PM
Never thought much of the Assassins Creed games. One thing that always bothered me about the game were the controls. You can have a visually nice looking game all day long, but if the mechanics of the game are poorly executed, then the game is a failure IMHO.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: mc ukrneal on December 10, 2012, 08:16:05 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 10, 2012, 08:02:01 PM
Never thought much of the Assassins Creed games. One thing that always bothered me about the game were the controls. You can have a visually nice looking game all day long, but if the mechanics of the game are poorly executed, then the game is a failure IMHO.
Never had an issue myself once you learned what was what, which admittedly took a little while. Once I got it, boy was it fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 10, 2012, 08:30:54 PM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 10, 2012, 08:16:05 PM
Never had an issue myself once you learned what was what, which admittedly took a little while. Once I got it, boy was it fun.

I'm very critical of video games. I can play a game in 10 minutes and if my reaction to the gameplay is negative then I'll probably never return to it. In all honesty, there have only been a handful of games that I have thoroughly enjoyed playing and continue to play to this day.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on December 11, 2012, 05:09:58 AM
I never warmed to Assassin's Creed but I applaud its ambition and I did enjoy exploring Istanbul in Revelations.

Right now, I'm playing the Karateka remake, a small but enjoyable game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: mc ukrneal on December 11, 2012, 06:19:11 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 10, 2012, 08:30:54 PM
I'm very critical of video games. I can play a game in 10 minutes and if my reaction to the gameplay is negative then I'll probably never return to it. In all honesty, there have only been a handful of games that I have thoroughly enjoyed playing and continue to play to this day.
Wow! I give them at least an hour, often substantially more before evaluating them. But I don't buy that many games either. Some are fun right away, but can't sustain that interest. On the other hand, some games start slow, but then get hugely fun as you get into it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 11, 2012, 07:27:52 AM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 11, 2012, 06:19:11 AM
Wow! I give them at least an hour, often substantially more before evaluating them. But I don't buy that many games either. Some are fun right away, but can't sustain that interest. On the other hand, some games start slow, but then get hugely fun as you get into it.

There are some games I have more patience with like for example one of my favorite games of all-time The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess started off real slow, but it did finally pick up and it was an amazing gaming experience. The only reason I gave the game more rope is because it's Zelda. I make special exceptions for this series. This said, I HATED Skyward Sword. I thought it was quite possibly the worst Zelda game I ever played, although Majora's Mask was right up there with it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 11, 2012, 02:25:04 PM
I typically go through 2 play throughs - the first gets a bit into the game and then stops. I eventually return to the game, start a new session from scratch and wonder why the first playthrough was so much more difficult.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 11, 2012, 02:52:48 PM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 10, 2012, 08:16:05 PM
Never had an issue myself once you learned what was what, which admittedly took a little while. Once I got it, boy was it fun.

Same boat. Plus the end of the second one is truly epic and had me rolling. It was a really fun game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 12, 2012, 04:26:59 AM
Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 10, 2012, 08:16:05 PM
Never had an issue myself once you learned what was what, which admittedly took a little while. Once I got it, boy was it fun.

I never had an issue with the controls in 2, myself.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 16, 2012, 07:36:36 PM
In today's gaming news Mass Effect was blamed for the mass shooting and Bioware was harassed on Facebook. (http://www.destructoid.com/mass-effect-and-more-attacked-over-school-shooting-240657.phtml#WZBqW4YpEAk2vyOj.01)

Ironically I just bought a copy of the Mass Effect Trilogy for PS3.  I'm currently playing God of War 3 while I wait for Mass Effect to arrive.  I've been curious about how the story plays out for five years (since God of War 2 came out) and I have to say, while some may criticize the game play for being simple hack-and-slash they really nail down the presentation.  The music is great, the graphics are impressive, and the art style itself is beautiful.  It really builds a world around you and leaves you on the edge of your seat.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 16, 2012, 07:44:46 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on December 16, 2012, 07:36:36 PM
In today's gaming news Mass Effect was blamed for the mass shooting and Bioware was harassed on Facebook. (http://www.destructoid.com/mass-effect-and-more-attacked-over-school-shooting-240657.phtml#WZBqW4YpEAk2vyOj.01)

Perhaps Deus Ex: Invisible War might be a more apt target.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 10:17:45 AM
I'm almost finished with God of War III and really enjoying it, though -- and this will seem an odd statement about a God of War game -- there's a bit too much combat for my taste.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that the combat is a fundamental part of God of War's formula, but there are times when I think 'okay, okay, enough with the combat, I want to get back to getting things done!'
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 10:20:50 AM
Quote from: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 10:17:45 AM
I'm almost finished with God of War III and really enjoying it, though -- and this will seem an odd statement about a God of War game -- there's a bit too much combat for my taste.  Don't get me wrong, I understand that the combat is a fundamental part of God of War's formula, but there are times when I think 'okay, okay, enough with the combat, I want to get back to getting things done!'

Personally, I never cared much for the God of War series. Not enough adventure for me, but, then again, these games are just button-mashers to me anyway. Not particularly fun to play. Mentally, these games are dumbed down and aimed at the lowest common denominator (no offense BTW). Just my general assessment.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 10:32:41 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 10:20:50 AM
Personally, I never cared much for the God of War series. Not enough adventure for me, but, then again, these games are just button-mashers to me anyway. Not particularly fun to play. Mentally, these games are dumbed down and aimed at the lowest common denominator (no offense BTW). Just my general assessment.

If I was to base my assessment of the game entirely on the game play (some of the puzzles and more challenging enemies with good AI aside) I would agree with you.  My main interest in the God of War series is in the storyline and the world building and music, though some of the QTE stuff is a lot of fun, too.  That's why my biggest complaint is an over-abundance of the basic button-masher combat.  I can see why it wouldn't have enough adventure for you, though, it is quite linear.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 11:30:37 AM
Quote from: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 10:32:41 AM
If I was to base my assessment of the game entirely on the game play (some of the puzzles and more challenging enemies with good AI aside) I would agree with you.  My main interest in the God of War series is in the storyline and the world building and music, though some of the QTE stuff is a lot of fun, too.  That's why my biggest complaint is an over-abundance of the basic button-masher combat.  I can see why it wouldn't have enough adventure for you, though, it is quite linear.

The linearity of the game doesn't bother me. I love the Uncharted series and it's very linear and one could argue one-dimensional, but it plays out like a movie, which in the 2nd and 3rd installments made it even more linear in scope. The first game was more open, but I really enjoyed the adventure of it all.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 01:07:17 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 11:30:37 AM
The linearity of the game doesn't bother me. I love the Uncharted series and it's very linear and one could argue one-dimensional, but it plays out like a movie, which in the 2nd and 3rd installments made it even more linear in scope. The first game was more open, but I really enjoyed the adventure of it all.

Ah, I see what you mean.  Seeing as you like the feeling of adventure/cinematic elements, how do you feel about the Metal Gear series?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 04:12:21 PM
Quote from: Geo Dude on December 18, 2012, 01:07:17 PM
Ah, I see what you mean.  Seeing as you like the feeling of adventure/cinematic elements, how do you feel about the Metal Gear series?

I liked the first one on PS1, but lost interest in the series after MGS: Sons of Liberty. Haven't bothered keeping in touch with the series. This new one they're working on looking pretty...ah....dumb.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 18, 2012, 09:05:10 PM
Dragon Age II

Thus far enjoying it more than the first.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 20, 2012, 04:08:38 PM
Beat Dragon Age II. Extremely enjoyable. Better than the first, in my opinion. Really cannot wait until the third. Hopefully it doesn't go the way of KOTOR III.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 20, 2012, 10:54:41 PM
Recently played a lot (but only finished a few): Dishonored, Demon's Souls, Planetside 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Embric of Wulfhammer's Castle, Metro 2033, Pathologic
Recently played but gave up on or didn't have the patience for: Europa Universalis III, Syberia, Skyrim, Hitman: Blood Money

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 18, 2012, 04:12:21 PM
I liked the first one on PS1, but lost interest in the series after MGS: Sons of Liberty. Haven't bothered keeping in touch with the series. This new one they're working on looking pretty...ah....dumb.

Same for me - I freaked out as a kid over how good the first MGS was.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on December 21, 2012, 07:42:47 AM
Quote from: Philo on December 20, 2012, 04:08:38 PM
Beat Dragon Age II. Extremely enjoyable. Better than the first, in my opinion. Really cannot wait until the third. Hopefully it doesn't go the way of KOTOR III.

Given the fact that Old Republic turned out to be a financial catastrophe, the chances of Dragon Age venturing online are quite slim.

Just finished the second ending of Waking Mars (on PC), brilliant game! Developed by ex-Looking Glass folks (notably Randy Smith and Terri Brosius) and it shows.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 21, 2012, 09:13:12 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on December 21, 2012, 07:42:47 AM
Given the fact that Old Republic turned out to be a financial catastrophe, the chances of Dragon Age venturing online are quite slim.

Just finished the second ending of Waking Mars (on PC), brilliant game! Developed by ex-Looking Glass folks (notably Randy Smith and Terri Brosius) and it shows.

What I meant is its never happening.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on December 21, 2012, 01:45:30 PM
I've started Mass Effect (1) and I'm about twenty hours in.  I'm really enjoying it.  There are some really annoying elements (occasional frame rate hitches on PS3 version and CUT SCENES PRIOR TO A BATTLE THAT YOU CAN'T SKIP THROUGH IF YOU DIE) but they tend to be pretty rare.  The classes and party members are interesting and so are the conversation options (good voice acting, too).  I'm really liking the world, too, which is important in this kind of game.  It's also just started to lay some heavy choices down on me that really make me think about the moral consequences of those decisions.  The driving sections are a bit uneven, but what the hell? I don't expect everything to be perfect the first time around in a game this ambitious.  In any case, it seems like a pretty solid start to what is supposed to be a great series.

Quote from: Philo on December 21, 2012, 09:13:12 AM
What I meant is its never happening.

Dragon Age 1 and 2 both sold pretty well so I'm reasonably certain that Dragon Age 3 will materialize.  There's been a steady stream of information coming on the game, too.  According to the latest news it will be a next generation game, but I don't mind.  They can take their time and make sure they put out something brilliant.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on December 21, 2012, 01:56:24 PM
On the 5th and final episode of The Walking Dead game on my iPad. It's just as intense, creepy and dramatic as the TV series, the decisions the gamer has to make are becoming more grand and increase the replay value, I'll definitely want to play again and see the different outcomes.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 25, 2012, 08:14:14 AM
Got the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus collection for Christmas.
Played an hour of Ico and watched my brother play some of Shadow of the Colossus. I like Team Ico's style. Ancient and mysterious.

So... I have 5 games I want to complete this year- a year that will include little free time. Luckily, the longer games are more accessible (on my laptop) and the others are shorter.

Rough estimates of gameplay in hours from howlongtobeat.com:
Ico: 7 (PS3)
Shadow of the Colossus: 10 (PS3)
Mirror's Edge: 7 (PS3)
Final Fantasy 8: 40 (PC/emulator)
Planescape: Torment: 25 (PC)

I should be getting Mirror's Edge and Twisted Metal (PS3) for my birthday on Friday.
What games to play next year? Okami...? Earthbound...? Another Final Fantasy...? Panzer Dragoon...? The #1 game I am looking forward to play won't come out for quite a while: Beyond Good and Evil 2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 26, 2012, 04:01:04 PM
I hope you enjoy Planescape: Torment ^__^ If you like it, fortunately the main developer of it is currently producing a spiritually similar game (albeit one set in a more generic fantasy world) which will be out in 2014. (Project Eternity.)

I am playing way too much Planetside 2, although sometimes my aversion to VOIP can make it a bit impersonal at times.

http://www.youtube.com/v/HgbiA_Pq_90
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 26, 2012, 06:53:55 PM
Quote from: Lethevich on December 26, 2012, 04:01:04 PM
I hope you enjoy Planescape: Torment ^__^ If you like it, fortunately the main developer of it is currently producing a spiritually similar game (albeit one set in a more generic fantasy world) which will be out in 2014. (Project Eternity.)
I was confused by this at first... looking them up, Black Isle Studios != Obsidian. But this Feargus Urquhart guy is who you must be referring to. Anyways, good to hear about this. (though I don't plan a computer upgrade for quite a while, possibly not even 2014 lol)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Lethevich on December 26, 2012, 07:06:44 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 26, 2012, 06:53:55 PM
I was confused by this at first... looking them up, Black Isle Studios != Obsidian. But this Feargus Urquhart guy is who you must be referring to. Anyways, good to hear about this. (though I don't plan a computer upgrade for quite a while, possibly not even 2014 lol)

It's Chris Avellone who was/is the lead developer of both, I think - I hope he makes PO as non-combat oriented (as a possibility) as PS:T, but it's looking unlikely. It should still be very wordy, though, which can only be a good thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on December 26, 2012, 11:13:40 PM
Replaying Dragon Age: Ultimate Edition
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 27, 2012, 08:08:28 AM
Still on Assassin's Creed II, but picked up Tropico 4 in Steam's Holiday Sale for a change of pace.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on January 03, 2013, 07:56:33 AM
Some Mil sims. After Arma II, now a great Flight/Mil sim, DCS (Digital Combat Simulator) with A-10C Warthog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0LFTRENPw4
Steep learning curve. Visually probably the best looking flightsim today. And it's much more efficient on ressources than e.g. X-Plane. Maybe its because it's programmed for Windows only, whereas X-plane is somewhat multi platform. The A-10C is said to be very deeply simulated.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on January 12, 2013, 09:16:47 PM
My current view of the Nintendo Wii U originally posted on the Amazon Wii U forum:

I honestly don't see what's so great about the Wii U, but before the Nintendo fanboys start giving me tons of unhelpful votes, understand this: I have been a Nintendo fan since it's inception. I have all the main consoles until now. My problem with Nintendo is they felt the need to compete with Playstation and Xbox when there is no competition. Playstation and Xbox doesn't have Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, or Metroid. Instead of capitalizing on these now iconic characters with new, innovative games we got nothing at the release date except for "New Super Mario Brothers U," which is a rehash of a rehash. Graphically, the Wii U looks nice, but so did the PS3 and Xbox 360 when they were released. Graphics should always take a backseat to the actual gameplay and fun factor of the game itself. They're what I would call the "icing on the cake." Anyway, just thought I would share my two cents.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 13, 2013, 02:41:16 PM
Well, it looks like I'm not going to be playing Planescape: Torment. I've spent so many countless hours trying to fix the problem of the game crashing on the first flight of stairs that I'm done wasting more time.

I've tried every fix and patch available, even following long, detailed guides for installing them. I'm following every little tip. I've searched for every mention of this error (not many), and people asking about this either get no response or none that is applicable to mine. My suspicion is that it is the autosave feature, but there's no way to disable it (and yes, the installation directory is not on C:\Program Files).


Almost done with Twisted Metal (should finish tomorrow, with only 2 matches left). New list, with PS:T dropped:
1. Mirror's Edge
2. Shadow of the Colossus
3. Final Fantasy 8

Will be playing (3) on my laptop and 1 and then 2 on the PS3. Trying to finish these games soon, so I can get back to learning more programming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on January 14, 2013, 03:39:38 AM
Lethevich, do you play games on your mobile phone? Greg? I have Nokia, I don't know any nice game, but you can invite me.  >:D No new metal album purchased lately, will look after some. I think it's all rubish however, but of course if you need some preparation... ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 14, 2013, 06:54:36 AM
Quote from: Henk on January 14, 2013, 03:39:38 AM
Lethevich, do you play games on your mobile phone? Greg?
Nope. I don't have a smart phone because I can't really afford the $40 a month (minimum) that it would be.

Quote from: Henk on January 14, 2013, 03:39:38 AM
No new metal album purchased lately, will look after some. I think it's all rubish however, but of course if you need some preparation... ;)
Try BTBAM... not their old albums, but anything from Colors on to their newest stuff. It's about half metal, half other genres.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 14, 2013, 05:06:22 PM
Here I am in FF8, after becoming a SeeD; just watched the Squall and Rinoa dance scene.

http://www.youtube.com/v/J5ye7GQEuh0

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on January 15, 2013, 11:57:13 AM
Quote from: Greg on January 14, 2013, 06:54:36 AM
Nope. I don't have a smart phone because I can't really afford the $40 a month (minimum) that it would be.
Try BTBAM... not their old albums, but anything from Colors on to their newest stuff. It's about half metal, half other genres.

You can't afford it?? And you can afford to pay these games or are they cheap or something?

BTBAM sounds good to me. Just checked some samples.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 15, 2013, 05:36:59 PM
Quote from: Henk on January 15, 2013, 11:57:13 AM
You can't afford it?? And you can afford to pay these games or are they cheap or something?

BTBAM sounds good to me. Just checked some samples.
Well, technically I could afford a smartphone, but I don't need one enough to merit $40+ a month. I have to be tight on my money, since I go to school and work part-time (and don't get paid much). The games I mentioned are ones that I either got for Christmas or download for free online.

Good to hear that about BTBAM.  :) Whenever you get an hour free, I would recommend you to listen to the full album of Colors in one sitting, since it is really just one piece of music divided into sections for convenience. Here it is one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-OagFHpYYs
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on January 16, 2013, 02:21:41 AM
Quote from: Greg on January 15, 2013, 05:36:59 PM
Well, technically I could afford a smartphone, but I don't need one enough to merit $40+ a month. I have to be tight on my money, since I go to school and work part-time (and don't get paid much). The games I mentioned are ones that I either got for Christmas or download for free online.

Good to hear that about BTBAM.  :) Whenever you get an hour free, I would recommend you to listen to the full album of Colors in one sitting, since it is really just one piece of music divided into sections for convenience. Here it is one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-OagFHpYYs

You said you earned a "decent amount of money"? Thanks for the tip, will probably do.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 16, 2013, 07:15:20 AM
Quote from: Henk on January 16, 2013, 02:21:41 AM
You said you earned a "decent amount of money"?
If I said that, I was referring to the extra financial aid money for school (Pell Grant) I received that I am saving up.  ;)


Quote from: Henk on January 16, 2013, 02:21:41 AM
Thanks for the tip, will probably do.
Cool.
btw, I just saw a comment you made on one of my pictures on FB last week- but you wrote it over a year ago! It was the one were you noticed how different my music and my mom's music is. I'm not sure why FB didn't give me a notification.  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on January 19, 2013, 06:57:58 PM
Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Just an amazing game.

Stranglehold: Like Max Payne on steroids.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 22, 2013, 12:54:53 AM
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i193/goboenomo/kingdomofwin_zps661e60c3.jpg)
Minecraft!
and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb1R6o_9d7Y&list=UU5nSQGTHBiNTa19sDICGykw&index=3
Stepmania!

and
(http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i193/goboenomo/Borderlands_2_-_Assassin_zpsdd460e17.png)
Borderlands 2!

and
Hey guys
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 22, 2013, 07:59:01 PM
Whoa. How many years since you've last posted here?  :o
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 22, 2013, 08:59:10 PM
About 5 or 6 years. I guess you could say I'm getting back into the "forum scene" again. I have started posting again at discusscooking after about just as long a break. How have you been Greg?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 23, 2013, 07:03:32 AM
In school now... should finish fall 2015. Musically, I guess the major thing is I've been listening to a lot more metal the last few years.
Good to see you back- hope you stick around. There should still be a few people who you know here.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on January 23, 2013, 07:21:35 AM
Recently finished L.A. Noire.  Solid game, wish the ending was altered a bit.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 23, 2013, 11:14:45 AM
Quote from: Greg on January 23, 2013, 07:03:32 AM
In school now... should finish fall 2015. Musically, I guess the major thing is I've been listening to a lot more metal the last few years.
Good to see you back- hope you stick around. There should still be a few people who you know here.

Yea same here. My brother's band has been getting a fair bit of shows lately, and I have so much metal on my stepmania now. Kind of wish there was a least a bit more classical, but nooooooo.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 06, 2013, 02:49:36 PM
A game everyone on GMG can enjoy! (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/611760)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 21, 2013, 09:58:34 AM
Got my hands on Bioshock Infinite. It's the original Bioshock and then some.

And by "some" I mean "A LOT".
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 15, 2013, 08:18:11 PM
Quote from: Greg on January 14, 2013, 05:06:22 PM
Here I am in FF8, after becoming a SeeD; just watched the Squall and Rinoa dance scene.
Three months later, I am done with Final Fantasy 8!  ;D
~55 hours of game time. I got all of the GFs, but never played the card game, and the chocobo thing is only fully playable if you buy this device that is only sold in Japan.

Anyways, fantastic game. I didn't like it quite as much as FF7 or FF9, but I would still probably rank it between 5th and 7th favorite game of all-time.

You guys have to watch the 5:50-10:00 segment of this video. It's the first part of the ending sequence of the game.
To put it in context, it's right after you beat the final boss, and Squall is trying to connect with Rinoa, while all his memories from previous events in the game are causing the distortions. Possibly the most awesome 4-minute video sequence of anything that I've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/v/-qy1GLPOtmY
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 15, 2013, 08:21:15 PM
Seriously looking forward to this next installment of the Batman Arkham series:

(http://imagery.playerattack.com/BatmanArkhamOrigins-Logo.jpg)

Some stills from the game:

(http://www.gamepur.com/files/imagepicker/6/batman-arkham-origins-screen-3.jpg)

(http://cdn3.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Batman-Arkham-Origins-6.jpg)

(http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/batman-arkham-origins-2.jpg)

(http://www.cinemablend.com/images/gallery/s54499/Batman__Arkham_Origins_13656012394705.jpg)

(http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/batman-arkham-origins-1.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 07, 2013, 06:57:43 AM
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/e2/62/1123225b9da0cfc4706e2110.L._SX342_.jpg)

(played on Jnes emulator)
Final Fantasy stripped to its bare minimum. No Cid, no chocobos, no sidequests. Annoying sound, all the villages look the same, no direction (strategy guides are a must to get through it), and no named characters (just choose a party of 4 at the beginning of the game).

I played the game with a Fighter, Thief, Black Mage and White Mage. Luck is a big part of getting through dungeons, unfortunately. I guess back then it was considered great, but there really weren't many great games back then, either.


Now to see if FFXI will work on my laptop...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 07, 2013, 08:00:36 PM
(http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/object/042/042602/Final-Fantasy-XI-Ultimate-Collection_US_ESRB-FINAL_PCboxart_160w.jpg)
Got this installed and have just started playing!  :)
It isn't "supposed" to work for my system according to systemrequirementslab (because of my graphics card), but I figured it's such an old game that it must be a mistake. I took the gamble and yes, it runs completely fine.

The installation and setup is the most convoluted insanity I've seen in a game, and I wouldn't be surprised if it were the worst process for any game, period. It took several hours of figuring stuff out with no really clear instructions (just piecing together info from various sources because they are constantly changing the whole process), and then the very last step was an update that was supposed to take 10 hours. Luckily, it was less- started it at 3:30, went to work at 5, and when I got home at 10:30 it was done.

I created my character: a female Hume Red Mage, named "Redrumage." It looks cool, and I'm very glad I played the original Final Fantasy first, mainly to get used to the class types. I still feel like I have A LOT to learn.

I will probably only play this for 3 months (this summer semester, basically), and have the first month free. Not sure if I'll have time to play the expansion packs that came with the game, though they are nice to have just in case.


The game actually features a disclaimer:
(http://socksmakepeoplesexy.net/images/ff11/warning.png)
Uh-oh.  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on May 17, 2013, 01:19:57 PM
A whole slew of games starting next week, upon a recently purchased Xbox:

KOTOR I and II, being the first up.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on May 18, 2013, 04:21:08 AM
I urge anyone to go & play Starseed Pilgrim (http://starseedpilgrim.com/).

It's Tetris meets Mario meets Minecraft meets Dark Souls. It's mysterious and clever and challenging and beautiful.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on May 21, 2013, 08:09:29 PM
Just beat Dragon Age 2 again. God I love this game. Easily the best boss fights in any game I've ever played, especially the last one. So epic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 21, 2013, 08:20:22 PM
FF 11
Level 13 Rank 2 Fame 2  San d'Orian Red Mage

After doing my 13+ hours of homework for the week today, ready to log in again. Hopefully I can visit Bastok soon.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on May 26, 2013, 11:58:50 AM
Just finished Call of Juarez: Gunslinger and was thoroughly surprised by the amount of fun I've had! It's a potpourri of all the favorite westerns, it's an unabashed shooting gallery and it cleverly injects narration right into the action, with the narrator actually changing events of the game on the fly. The shooting itself is very old school without feeling outdated. Good, very good stuff!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: CaughtintheGaze on May 31, 2013, 06:42:09 PM
Bouncing between two games:
NFS:U
2003 World Series Baseball
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 31, 2013, 08:40:00 PM
Man, some of you guys play old ass games.

(See: Greg and his Playstation 1 games.  ;D )

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 01, 2013, 03:47:25 AM
Albion.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Axn36IMiOQ/Tb8nMJM54AI/AAAAAAAADwc/UNTrL3vJ9dk/s1600/Albion_PC_065.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on June 03, 2013, 12:36:09 PM
Quote from: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on June 01, 2013, 03:47:25 AM
Albion.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Axn36IMiOQ/Tb8nMJM54AI/AAAAAAAADwc/UNTrL3vJ9dk/s1600/Albion_PC_065.png)

Oh, the memories.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 11, 2013, 09:27:56 PM
I've been stuck in FF11 well over a week, but decided to travel all the way to Windurst either yesterday or the day before via ship.

Although at least as big land-wise, it's the complete opposite of San D'oria. It's a mystical and primitive land which seems to be carved out of nature and filled with easy-going inhabitants. The Taru-taru are the main residents here, a race that is only about 1-2 feet tall and talks in a cutesy-wutesy manner.

Through the vast majority of the land in Windurst, you won't find a single player running around. You'll pretty much only see them at the edges of the kingdom. The auction house in San D'oria might be packed, but twice I went to the auction house in Windurst, and there was no one there. I can imagine it's the least popular of the three kingdoms to start the game in.

Such an odd an interesting place. Great to explore if you want to experience something new. Their homes are so inviting- during night time, I wish I could jump into the game and go to sleep in their house.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 30, 2013, 09:27:22 AM
Quote from: CaughtintheGaze on May 21, 2013, 08:09:29 PM
Just beat Dragon Age 2 again. God I love this game. Easily the best boss fights in any game I've ever played, especially the last one. So epic.

I thought I was the only one that liked that game!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 30, 2013, 09:34:39 AM
This past year I've played

Bioshock Infinite-- awesome.
Dead Space 3-- I liked the part in space, I became bored on planet
God of War Ascension-- this is not that good of a game
Gears of War Judgment-- this is crap
God of War-- Hd remastered, finally played it and it is awesome!  Until late in the game where I get frustrated and progress becomes slow
Journey-- an amazing experience

I'm currently replaying Mass Effect 2 (my quest to replay all of my fav games in honor of a generation coming to a close).

I'm disappointed in the lack of must have games for the Wii U, I was excited to see the next gen start early but it fizzled with Nintendo.  After alot of soul searching I'm going to explore the option of giving away my rights to resell to game on a PC with steam and gog.  I upgraded my power supply and video card and plugged the pc into my home theater.  Picked up an xbox receiver and wireless keyboard and mouse.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Bogey on July 16, 2013, 07:02:26 PM
(http://www.gamehead.com/sites/default/files/images/article/inline/stratego-50-year-ed-product-shot.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 16, 2013, 07:12:08 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 30, 2013, 09:34:39 AM
This past year I've played

Bioshock Infinite-- awesome.
Dead Space 3-- I liked the part in space, I became bored on planet
God of War Ascension-- this is not that good of a game
Gears of War Judgment-- this is crap
God of War-- Hd remastered, finally played it and it is awesome!  Until late in the game where I get frustrated and progress becomes slow
Journey-- an amazing experience

I'm currently replaying Mass Effect 2 (my quest to replay all of my fav games in honor of a generation coming to a close).

I'm disappointed in the lack of must have games for the Wii U, I was excited to see the next gen start early but it fizzled with Nintendo.  After alot of soul searching I'm going to explore the option of giving away my rights to resell to game on a PC with steam and gog.  I upgraded my power supply and video card and plugged the pc into my home theater.  Picked up an xbox receiver and wireless keyboard and mouse.

The Next Gen consoles don't look very promising, but I've been finding myself going back to older systems (Playstation 2 and back). My favorite system is my beloved Super NES. It doesn't get much better than this IMHO. This is when graphics looked pretty decent (16-bit) but the main object of the game was to have fun and that replay value was necessary. Of course when I speak of replay value, I talk about games like Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Super Mario World, among others. These games are classics. Of the newer systems like Wii and PS3, I have enjoyed Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Mario Kart Wii, Rayman Origins, Uncharted, and LittleBigPlanet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 16, 2013, 07:53:27 PM
Taking a short break this week from FF11 to play FF13 (on chapter 4/13 now). Aiming to finish it by Friday.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 24, 2013, 07:05:19 AM
I agree MI, it will be awhile before there are a bunch of fun games to play on the new consoles.  They have to play it safe with boring crap that will move units like Call of Duty and Battlefield.  blah!!

I upgraded my PC and bought all of my favorite games from the past 10+ years on the recent steam sale.  Will be keeping myself busy with older games during the long drought (there is nothing that I want to play for the rest of the year and for a big chunk of next year as well).

I think that the first round of interesting games are coming this fall to the Wii U, I'll pick that up to play the new Mario game and a few others.  But as for the ps4 and xbox 1, I'm not excited yet.  What can I say?  I'm not an early adopter.

In the meantime I'm real excited to play System Shock 2 which I never played before.  Picked it up on the steam sale.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Daimonion on July 24, 2013, 11:54:21 AM
I don't have much time to play, but two games I have spent some times playing are:

Europa Universalis III:

(http://www.sztab.com/tapety/galeria/europa-universalis-iii-8.jpg)


Hearts of Iron II:

(http://img7.gram.pl/20080607204646.jpg)


Grand strategy games developed by Paradox Interactive, in general, are just awesome. Much recommended! (If you prefer more to on industry and politics and/or if you want to win World War I you can go into Victoria; for American Civil War you can choose Victoria II Civil War, the number of further possibilities is just great - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Paradox_Interactive_games)

P.S. One more is World of Tanks:

(http://www.grasz24.pl/media//galerie/W/world_of_tanks/world_of_tanks14.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on July 24, 2013, 07:37:09 PM
Even those these games cause me to rage at times, I'm currently replaying through the first three games in the Splinter Cell series. (Not on the PS3, on the original Xbox, but this was the first image that had all three in the shot)

(http://images.linnlive.com/625ee2e0ae707d2b01df2f193a35b05f/fffef272-8342-4ab8-8644-7ba6accb3906.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on July 31, 2013, 07:02:09 PM
When I picked up Bioshock Infinite on PS3 it came with the original Bioshock, which I never got around to, so I decided to start with that.  I'd guess that I'm half to 2/3rds of the way through and it's been an interesting ride.  Also, I feel compelled to listen to Django Reinhardt after playing.:P  I'm also looking forward to The Last of Us when I get around to picking that up.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 01, 2013, 06:47:57 AM
GeoDude, would you so kindly post your impressions of Last of Us? ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 01, 2013, 06:55:34 AM
When I made my post about the Super NES, I should of mentioned my love of this game as well:

(http://timewarpgamer.com/images/snes/super_metroid/super_metroid_box_us.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 03, 2013, 07:55:23 AM
I'm approaching hour 34 of my rerun of Mass Effect 2.  I think that is what happens when you have nearly all of the DLC and are trying to gain every upgrade available in the game.  I was starting to get cocky because of the high level and massive upgrades... until I nearly walked into somebody with a flame thrower.  I AM ON FIRE!  AHHH!!!  I'M RUNNING INTO ANOTHER GUY WITH A FLAMETHROWER!!! AWE THE PAIN!!!! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 04, 2013, 02:25:36 PM
What difficulty? I had a blast playing through ME2 under the difficulty right above "Normal."

I like the "Suicide Mission" theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2z28mutY1E

That last mission was especially memorable to me as I lost multiple characters, Garrus among them.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 05, 2013, 06:19:36 AM
Normal, which is a step up for me, my first play through when it first came out was easy, and half of my crew died.  As a casual gamer it's taken me along time to get my skill up to normal (I don't play alot unlike many gamers).  Gears of War 3 and Arkham City were my first forays out of easy mode.

So I completed the game in 41 hours and nobody died!  I was striving for completionist but avoided all pay dlc except Lair of the Shadow Broker.  What I turned down was about 7 more hours of gameplay.  Looks like I have an average runtime (compared to how long to beat website).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 05, 2013, 09:57:12 AM
I think there's pleasure to be had from challenge, within reason of course. There were several sections in ME2 & 3 that were truly aggravating under Veteran difficulty, but overcoming them made the game all the more entertaining, mainly because it forces you to use all those skills and talents correctly and you have to focus in every fight, and when you use your talents/skills correctly, the thrill is that it makes you feel OP and like a cheater.

I haven't played a single one of the DLCs. I think the games are meaty enough as they are.


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 05, 2013, 02:34:33 PM
I played on the 360, when I play again on the pc I'll have to up the difficulty to compensate for the precision of keyboard and mouse making things easier.  Abe, did you micromanage your team?  I didn't have to on normal, excepting Miranda who would like a complete idiot at times.  I'm like where are you going?  Even Grunt is taking cover!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 05, 2013, 06:39:20 PM
Yes, you kind of need to, though they do take cover automatically if they have cover. But in some instances you'd have to keep them from straying and getting themselves taken out, which would mean game over because you really need their abilities for pulling off power combinations.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 06, 2013, 07:09:24 PM
Dark Souls is the most engrossing game I've played in years. It's a third person fantasy action RPG that's seemingly* very difficult. Moreover, the mythos and story of the game are vague and the game is opaque about many of its rules. There is no hand holding. Really, those things sound like a negative, but they just add to the game's atmosphere and make getting it through it feel like a genuine adventure of discovery. A neat community has formed around the game, because it's a game where you need the insight and advice of other people to make things easier for yourself.


*Seemingly, but through sheer persistence you learn what to expect and become more skilled...thus what was once difficult becomes manageable.

Here is an article on Slate that is critical of the game but only convinced me to buy it:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/gaming/2012/02/dark_souls_review_is_a_100_hour_video_game_ever_worthwhile_.html
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 06, 2013, 07:18:11 PM
Probably going to pick this up tomorrow, the premises intrigues me immensely.

(http://cdn.xbox360cheats.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/spec-ops-the-line.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 06, 2013, 07:25:08 PM
I picked that up on the Steam Summer Sale.  (Spec Ops The Line)

I look forward to playing it, but up next is Remember Me.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 06, 2013, 07:29:51 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 06, 2013, 07:25:08 PM
I picked that up on the Steam Summer Sale.  (Spec Ops The Line)

I look forward to playing it, but up next is Remember Me.

That's another game on my list. Been hyped about Remember Me since its announcement.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 07, 2013, 08:09:20 AM
Quote from: -abe- on August 06, 2013, 07:09:24 PM
Dark Souls is the most engrossing game I've played in years. It's a third person fantasy action RPG that's seemingly* very difficult. Moreover, the mythos and story of the game are vague and the game is opaque about many of its rules. There is no hand holding. Really, those things sound like a negative, but they just add to the game's atmosphere and make getting it through it feel like a genuine adventure of discovery. A neat community has formed around the game, because it's a game where you need the insight and advice of other people to make things easier for yourself.


*Seemingly, but through sheer persistence you learn what to expect and become more skilled...thus what was once difficult becomes manageable.

Here is an article on Slate that is critical of the game but only convinced me to buy it:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/gaming/2012/02/dark_souls_review_is_a_100_hour_video_game_ever_worthwhile_.html
The same thing could be said of FF11, and I've heard it compared. You have to work for everything, though you don't have to be a genius; you just have to read about what to do. That might go for any game, though; once a strategy is figured out and read about, you don't have to figure things out for yourself.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 07, 2013, 09:17:56 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 07, 2013, 08:09:20 AM
The same thing could be said of FF11, and I've heard it compared. You have to work for everything, though you don't have to be a genius; you just have to read about what to do. That might go for any game, though; once a strategy is figured out and read about, you don't have to figure things out for yourself.

The thing is that Dark Souls seems to have in part been designed around an intention for it to be a communal experience, as if you are supposed to get tips and hints from others. For instance, there is a weapon that makes the game's first stages easier, but getting it requires a tip to do this, which may never occur to you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0x5OpEt8M

It's a game that brings people together to crack it, and I think that's neat.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 08, 2013, 07:53:58 AM
Quote from: -abe- on August 07, 2013, 09:17:56 PM

It's a game that brings people together to crack it, and I think that's neat.  :)

Fez was like that too, don't know if you've played it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2013, 07:21:20 PM
Finished:
Final Fantasy 2.

Don't play this game. Absolutely horrible; story isn't bad for its time (much better than 1) and it introduces important things such as Chocobos and Cid, but those are the only good things about the game.
If you want to contemplate jumping off a cliff, play this game on the original Nintendo (meaning no emulator saves states) with no strategy guide and no "cheating." Yeah, I used the select-cancel trick and attacking my own characters to boost my stats, so what?  ::)

This article sums it up- and interesting read:
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/finalfantasy/ff2/ff2-2.htm


Now starting:
Final Fantasy 3 (Nintendo DS remake)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2013, 07:24:48 PM
What I'll refer to as "the list":
(my favorite Final Fantasy games, in order)

1. 9
2. 7
3. 8
4. 10
5. 11
6. 12
7. 4
8. 10-2
9. 1
10. 2

haven't played: 3, 5, 6, 13-2
haven't finished: 13
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 09, 2013, 07:34:46 PM
I absolutely hate FF 13.  In fact it turned me off of jrpgs.  Walking along a corridor, no choices, anything other than autoattack is a waste of time.  There are no choices even for leveling up, you get everything anyway.  What is the point of that stupid game!?!  It is the exact opposite of what a roleplaying game should be.  How do you roleplay when you have no choice in anything in the game!?!?!  You are just watching a movie with cuts for walking in a straight line and autoattack.  And I played it for 10 hours hoping something would change!!

Sorry rant over.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 09, 2013, 09:59:11 PM
Greg is one confusing dude. He's supposedly crazy about the Final Fantasy games but hasn't played the single greatest Final Fantasy Game -- the 6th one, or the 3rd as it was known in the U.S at the time.

Here is my experience with this series.

FF 6 & 7 = masterpieces.

6 was the last FF of that era (mid 90s and earlier) and they really poured their heart into it. The music is wonderful, the artwork is charming, and the story is spectacular.

It also has plenty of funny moments. 7 basically brought a lot of the charms of the 6th game to the Playstation, substituting an equally involving story and premise. The game though lacked one interesting feature of its predecessor. In FF6, all the characters you could play (I forget the count, but maybe something like 12) were treated pretty equally in terms of importance and back-story. There's no one you can say is actually the main character. This really adds to the game's scope and makes it feel very expansive.

In 7, everything revolves around Cloud. Still a great game though.

The series lost me after that point. Their subsequent iterations didn't seem to have the heart, charm and sense of fun as 6 and 7. I remember in 1999 playing FFIX and getting absolutely bored with its endless dialogue.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 10, 2013, 06:55:53 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 09, 2013, 07:34:46 PM
I absolutely hate FF 13.  In fact it turned me off of jrpgs.  Walking along a corridor, no choices, anything other than autoattack is a waste of time.  There are no choices even for leveling up, you get everything anyway.  What is the point of that stupid game!?!  It is the exact opposite of what a roleplaying game should be.  How do you roleplay when you have no choice in anything in the game!?!?!  You are just watching a movie with cuts for walking in a straight line and autoattack.  And I played it for 10 hours hoping something would change!!

Sorry rant over.
Probably shouldn't expect it to be an RPG. It really isn't; more like an action game with random battles. I stopped at the point where you finally get out of the longest hallway in game history; will resume later.




Quote from: -abe- on August 09, 2013, 09:59:11 PM
Greg is one confusing dude. He's supposedly crazy about the Final Fantasy games but hasn't played the single greatest Final Fantasy Game -- the 6th one, or the 3rd as it was known in the U.S at the time.

Here is my experience with this series.

FF 6 & 7 = masterpieces.

6 was the last FF of that era (mid 90s and earlier) and they really poured their heart into it. The music is wonderful, the artwork is charming, and the story is spectacular.

It also has plenty of funny moments. 7 basically brought a lot of the charms of the 6th game to the Playstation, substituting an equally involving story and premise. The game though lacked one interesting feature of its predecessor. In FF6, all the characters you could play (I forget the count, but maybe something like 12) were treated pretty equally in terms of importance and back-story. There's no one you can say is actually the main character. This really adds to the game's scope and makes it feel very expansive.

In 7, everything revolves around Cloud. Still a great game though.

The series lost me after that point. Their subsequent iterations didn't seem to have the heart, charm and sense of fun as 6 and 7. I remember in 1999 playing FFIX and getting absolutely bored with its endless dialogue.

I'm saving 6 for last because I'm playing the last few I haven't played in order (3, 5, 6) and because it's supposed to be one of the best ones. I played only about 5 hours or so of 6 a few years ago, and it was very promising.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 10, 2013, 07:40:07 AM
Are there any jrpgs that offer exploration, character customization and an interesting story?  I'm not being sarcastic, I'm aware that I shouldn't let one bad game characterize the entire genre for me.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 10, 2013, 04:28:15 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 10, 2013, 07:40:07 AM
Are there any jrpgs that offer exploration, character customization and an interesting story?  I'm not being sarcastic, I'm aware that I shouldn't let one bad game characterize the entire genre for me.

That really isn't their bag.

As to FFXIII and FFXIII both games are visually sunning but are possessed by stunted gameplay.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 11, 2013, 04:21:29 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 10, 2013, 07:40:07 AM
Are there any jrpgs that offer exploration, character customization and an interesting story?  I'm not being sarcastic, I'm aware that I shouldn't let one bad game characterize the entire genre for me.
Not sure how you can have two and three at the same time (unless no voice acting is involved)...
The first two are an MMO thing, which FFXI does well (except that you can't change your character's physical appearance once they are created).

As for the first and third ones, that would be pretty much any great JRPG; try Chrono Trigger if you haven't (and don't mind SNES graphics).



Quote from: modUltralaser on August 10, 2013, 04:28:15 PM
That really isn't their bag.

As to FFXIII and FFXIII both games are visually sunning but are possessed by stunted gameplay.
You mean "FFXIII and FFXIII-2?"

I actually liked the battle system much more than I thought I would; very quick and smooth, and actually a bit more fun than normal. I can't see myself ever playing the game again, though, due to its linear nature.

Enjoying 3 so far...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 06:19:21 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 11, 2013, 04:21:29 AM
Not sure how you can have two and three at the same time (unless no voice acting is involved)...
The first two are an MMO thing, which FFXI does well (except that you can't change your character's physical appearance once they are created).

Greg I guess you've never played any western rpgs before then?  You can have character customization by either or both class progression and dialogue options.  Choosing a class and how you level up your character doesn't effect the story.  Molding the narrative with dialogue options allows for multiple endings or simply different outcomes in subplots, handled smoothly in all Bioware games.  And exploration is not just for MMOs, take the Elder Scrolls games or even the much more linear Mass Effect games.

It sounds me to that you're confirming what modultralaser is saying, guess I should avoid jrpgs then, what a waste.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 11, 2013, 11:23:09 AM
Which JRPGs have you played before?

Those developments you're talking about came about after most (or all) of my favorite JRPGs. Not sure why you're looking for a strictly specific criteria, unless that's the only type of game you like. To not play them simply because you are attached to those three things only means you're going to be really missing out on some good stuff.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 02:10:09 PM
How old are your favorite games Greg?  The properties that I speak of (character customization and some narrative control) have been around since Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate (late 90s), and the creation of tabletop rpgs (70s).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 02:39:09 PM
To answer your question, only two.  FF13 as I spoke of I stopped playing in disgust after 10 hours.  I tried Lost Odyssey a few years before that, but I only made it 4 hours in before I quit in boredom.  It wouldn't let me play the game, it had more cutscenes than game content!  Still a masterpiece compared to FF13.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 02:48:34 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 02:39:09 PM
To answer your question, only two.  FF13 as I spoke of I stopped playing in disgust after 10 hours.  I tried Lost Odyssey a few years before that, but I only made it 4 hours in before I quit in boredom.  It wouldn't let me play the game, it had more cutscenes than game content!  Still a masterpiece compared to FF13.

They're very different sorts of gaming experiences. They are more cinematic than the 'normal' WRPG, but they're also trying to hit different sorts of markets. The sort of games that we enjoy, rpg wise, aren't really made anymore. Although, Project Infinity seems to be ramping up to smack it out of the ballpark.

Most JRPGS I can't stand. I enjoyed XIII and XIII-2 simply because of their beauty, but than you have a game like Nier, which while JRPG in it's scope has all of the tendencies of a WRPG outside of the character customization, and might be one of the best games ever made plotwise.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 06:05:17 PM
I'm not currently playing any games, but I'd just like to comment on my love for the Mario series. I've loved all the platformer games in the Super Mario series, as well as all of the Mario Kart series. I'm not much for the RPG or sports spinoff games. My top five Mario games are:

1. Yoshi's Island (SNES/GBA). There's something really special about this game. Maybe it's the coloring-book style graphics, which can often be quite haunting (one level's background uses van Gogh's The Starry Night for inspiration). Or maybe it's the catchy and powerful soundtrack (which boasts some heartbreakingly beautiful credits music). I doubt any game will ever supersede this timeless masterpiece as my favorite.

2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii). I had a hell of a hard time choosing if I preferred this to the original; they're both excellent games. SMG 2 just has an overall more "polished" feel than the original, and the graphics, needless to say, are amazing. The addition of Yoshi (my favorite Mario character) is also a plus. The soundtrack just barely falls short of the original, though.

3. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii). This blockbuster game was a real breakthrough for the Mario series. It is an epic game on all counts, with a powerful storyline and imaginative level designs. The soundtrack is a masterpiece in itself; the use of a live orchestra in many of the tracks really adds to the game. Check out this awesome medley of themes from the game performed by the WDR Radio Orchestra of Cologne under Niklas Willen (who recorded an excellent Alfven symphonies cycle for Naxos): http://youtu.be/jk_jQB9Iius (http://youtu.be/jk_jQB9Iius)

4. New Super Mario Bros. U (Wii U). The New Super Mario Bros. series has been masterfully emulating the style of the old Super Mario Bros. games and transforming it into addicting platformers in which the simplicity of the old games are kept, but is "spiced up" with new elements and colorful graphics. NSMBWU is the best yet from this series, a really addicting game with plenty of challenges and delights.

5. For fifth place, it's pretty much a toss-up between Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64, later remade for the DS) and Super Mario 3D Land (3DS). The former was a revolutionary game which introduced a "freer" style of gameplay to the series in which the player is able to explore more. The latter is a real gem of a game which uses the New Super Mario Bros. series as inspiration for level layout (e.g. eight worlds with a castle at the end of each) and the Galaxy games as inspiration for the outstanding graphics. My main criticism of it is that it is a bit too easy.

What are some of your favorite games in the Mario series?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 06:11:59 PM
Don't own a Wii U (don't really have any interest in the Next Gen systems), but my favorite Mario games are: Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario World, and Mario 64. I never owned a Gameboy, Nintendo DS, etc. as I'm not a fan of handheld gaming devices.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 06:26:32 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 06:11:59 PM
Don't own a Wii U (don't really have any interest in the Next Gen systems), but my favorite Mario games are: Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario World, and Mario 64. I never owned a Gameboy, Nintendo DS, etc. as I'm not a fan of handheld gaming devices.

Yeah, there haven't been that many good games for the Wii U yet, but you should definitely consider getting it. I've heard news of some exciting upcoming Mario and Donkey Kong games for the console (due out in late 2013/2014): Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Super Mario 3D World.

Many say the recent games in the series can't compare to the original classics, but I find myself enjoying a lot of newer games in the series better than some of the classics. I've never really been a great fan of Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World, to be honest, though they're fun to dig out every once in a while. Have you ever played Yoshi's Island, John?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 07:01:56 PM
Quote from: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 06:26:32 PM
Yeah, there haven't been that many good games for the Wii U yet, but you should definitely consider getting it. I've heard news of some exciting upcoming Mario and Donkey Kong games for the console (due out in late 2013/2014): Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Super Mario 3D World.

Many say the recent games in the series can't compare to the original classics, but I find myself enjoying a lot of newer games in the series better than some of the classics. I've never really been a great fan of Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World, to be honest, though they're fun to dig out every once in a while. Have you ever played Yoshi's Island, John?

I'll be even more honest here. I don't find myself playing many video games at all these days. They're good to pass the time if you're waiting on something or someone, but I'm just not into them much anymore. Yes, I played Yoshi's Island, but don't remember it and the list of favorite Mario games is nothing more than based purely on memory. I do remember Super Mario Galaxy very well, though, and probably would rank it as one of the best more recent games I've played even though it's not really a 'new' game.

My favorite game for the Nintendo Wii, besides SMG, is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (probably the best Zelda gaming experience I've ever had). I've played this game all the way through (with/without a strategy guide) at least five times. If you haven't played it, I highly recommend it. I also love The Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2 (recently remastered in HD for PS3 of course). A simple game in terms of storyline and not complicated either, but this game kept my interest from the time it began to the time I played it all the way through. The sheer size of the world you're exploring is just mesmerizing to me. I also loved hunting down these colossi and the fact that they all require different strategies to defeat them. Absolutely love this game.

As far as getting a Wii U, I'll consider it once I see a new Zelda game released and particularly a Zelda game that's free from gimmicks and just offers the gamers some solid storytelling and gameplay.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:13:04 PM
Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on August 11, 2013, 02:48:34 PM
They're very different sorts of gaming experiences. They are more cinematic than the 'normal' WRPG, but they're also trying to hit different sorts of markets. The sort of games that we enjoy, rpg wise, aren't really made anymore. Although, Project Infinity seems to be ramping up to smack it out of the ballpark.

Most JRPGS I can't stand. I enjoyed XIII and XIII-2 simply because of their beauty, but than you have a game like Nier, which while JRPG in it's scope has all of the tendencies of a WRPG outside of the character customization, and might be one of the best games ever made plotwise.

Thanks I'll give Nier a try.  I'm looking forward to Obsidian's new game too.  I agree with you that FF 13 and 13-2 are beautiful!  A couple of the best looking games this generation.  So you can't say I didn't positive about those games! ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 07:16:02 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:13:04 PM
Thanks I'll give Nier a try.  I'm looking forward to Obsidian's new game too.  I agree with you that FF 13 and 13-2 are beautiful!  A couple of the best looking games this generation.  So you can't say I didn't positive about those games! ;D

Yeah, but I get the complaints, especially for someone who was groomed on the classic WRPGs. It's a very hard shift, and as Greg points out, a lot of it is more like timed action sequences. Lightning though might be the best FF protagonist, story wise. I'm pretty pumped for her return.

Nier, to give you a fair warning, is an extremely long game, and it might possess the most depressing plot ever put to the video game screen. The musical score is amazing though, and the game has a lot of replay value.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:17:09 PM
Quote from: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 06:05:17 PM
What are some of your favorite games in the Mario series?

Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario Kart.  I've heard great things about Paper Mario but have never played it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 07:19:47 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:17:09 PM
Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario Kart.  I've heard great things about Paper Mario but have never played it.

I was more of a Sonic boy, so the normal Mario platformers were never my bag, but Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario are both amazing games. I also really enjoyed Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:20:58 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 07:01:56 PM
As far as getting a Wii U, I'll consider it once I see a new Zelda game released and particularly a Zelda game that's free from gimmicks and just offers the gamers some solid storytelling and gameplay.

Same here, but a new Zelda game and not just an HD remake (that will shelves before the brand new Zelda game does).  Or awesome third party games but uh yeah that won't happen until awesome first party games are out and people buy the console.

Dragon Age 3 will be what drives me to pick up a ps4, unless I was mistaken about the quality about some of those launch window games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 07:24:10 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:20:58 PM
Dragon Age 3 will be what drives me to pick up a ps4, unless I was mistaken about the quality about some of those launch window games.

DA3 is still projected for this generation's system. No need to splurge simply for that game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 07:25:17 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:17:09 PM
Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Mario Kart.  I've heard great things about Paper Mario but have never played it.

I'm not a big fan of the Paper Mario series, or RPGs in general for that matter. The latest installments in the series, Super Paper Mario (Wii) and Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS), were quite disappointing, especially for those who enjoyed the earlier games in the series. I'll admit I've never played the highly-acclaimed Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for the GameCube, but considering I haven't really enjoyed a single RPG game I've played yet, I think I'll pass on that one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:29:39 PM
Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on August 11, 2013, 07:24:10 PM
DA3 is still projected for this generation's system. No need to splurge simply for that game.

Awesome!  I thought (incorrectly) that it would be exclusive.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 07:31:05 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:29:39 PM
Awesome!  I thought (incorrectly) that it would be exclusive.

Not so far, I'm hoping they keep to that. Watch Dogs, the game I'm most excited for, is also being made for this generation. I've not really seen anything exclusive to the next generation that makes me want to purchase them. Maybe KOTOR 3 will be announced...  :o
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 07:40:00 PM
Quote from: kyjo on August 11, 2013, 07:25:17 PM
I'm not a big fan of RPGs in general for that matter.

Nor am I. I'm an action/adventure gamer all the way. I also do not like first-person shooters.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2013, 07:41:37 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:29:39 PM
Awesome!  I thought (incorrectly) that it would be exclusive.

Remember how Rayman Legends was going to be a Wii U exclusive? Not anymore! A big thumps up for anyone who owns a PS3 or Xbox 360.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:47:03 PM
Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on August 11, 2013, 07:31:05 PM
Not so far, I'm hoping they keep to that. Watch Dogs, the game I'm most excited for, is also being made for this generation. I've not really seen anything exclusive to the next generation that makes me want to purchase them. Maybe KOTOR 3 will be announced...  :o

I think actually it just very well might be.  Bioware has started two new projects, Mass Effect 4 and something mysterious that they're keeping very quiet about.

I've heard of Watch Dogs as in the game where you can use a cell phone or a tablet but that is all I know about it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 07:48:43 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 07:47:03 PM
I think actually it just very well might be.  Bioware has started two new projects, Mass Effect 4 and something mysterious that they're keeping very quiet about.

I've heard of Watch Dogs as in the game where you can use a cell phone or a tablet but that is all I know about it.

One can only hope. Disney owns the rights. I think the game would make a ton of cash. It'd definitely be a game I'd purchase new.

One of the highlights of E3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPYgXvgS6Ww
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 11, 2013, 08:00:21 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 02:10:09 PM
How old are your favorite games Greg?  The properties that I speak of (character customization and some narrative control) have been around since Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate (late 90s), and the creation of tabletop rpgs (70s).
I supposed these aspects weren't more popularized (and practically expected) until the 2000s, as in nearly expected in many modern games.

My favorite JRPGs are mainly the titles produced by Squaresoft before they merged with Enix. When Square merged with Enix to make their first FF title (10-2), the series went downhill. Experiments abounded, which is great, but the newer games aren't nearly as loved as the previous ones. They just lack that magic.

Best Squaresoft JRPGs that I've played:
-Chrono Trigger (1995, SNES)
-Final Fantasy 7 (1998, PS1)
-Xenogears (1998, PS1)
-Chrono Cross (1999, PS1)
-Final Fantasy 8 (1999, PS1)
-Final Fantasy 9 (2000, PS1)

Also, Legend of Legaia (1999, PS1) is one of my favorite games, a non-Squaresoft JRPG.
...but I'm not hardcore gamer, either, so I could be missing out on a bunch of great games.

I think you said you were watching Evangelion?... there's quite an influence on JRPGs from this era, especially Xenogears. The Chrono series is interesting, involving wild plots with dual worlds (Chrono Cross is my favorite game). These games are about getting lost in an epic adventure in another world with twisting and turning storylines, not to mention that it's hard not to fall in love with Uematsu's melancholy tunes in the FF games. And FF8 has the best video game cut scene ever at the ending.



Quote from: DavidW on August 11, 2013, 02:39:09 PM
To answer your question, only two.  FF13 as I spoke of I stopped playing in disgust after 10 hours.  I tried Lost Odyssey a few years before that, but I only made it 4 hours in before I quit in boredom.  It wouldn't let me play the game, it had more cutscenes than game content!  Still a masterpiece compared to FF13.
FF13 isn't typical of a JRPG... I wouldn't even call it a JRPG to begin with (the developers were trying to create a new genre). Never heard of Lost Odyssey, though; so, you've only played one JRPG, I suppose.




Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on August 11, 2013, 07:16:02 PM
Yeah, but I get the complaints, especially for someone who was groomed on the classic WRPGs. It's a very hard shift, and as Greg points out, a lot of it is more like timed action sequences. Lightning though might be the best FF protagonist, story wise. I'm pretty pumped for her return.
What I think about Lightning- finally, a "cool" lead character- that hasn't happened since FF8! Some of the concepts of Lightning Returns are intriguing, so it'll be interesting to see how they work (or don't work).



Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on August 11, 2013, 07:16:02 PM
Nier, to give you a fair warning, is an extremely long game, and it might possess the most depressing plot ever put to the video game screen. The musical score is amazing though, and the game has a lot of replay value.
Sounds like a winning combo to me!  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 11, 2013, 08:04:27 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 11, 2013, 08:00:21 PM
I supposed these aspects weren't more popularized (and practically expected) until the 2000s, as in nearly expected in many modern games.

My favorite JRPGs are mainly the titles produced by Squaresoft before they merged with Enix. When Square merged with Enix to make their first FF title, the series went downhill. Experiments abounded, which is great, but the newer games aren't nearly as loved as the previous ones. They just lack that magic.

Best Squaresoft JRPGs that I've played:
-Chrono Trigger (1995, SNES)
-Final Fantasy 7 (1998, PS1)
-Xenogears (1998, PS1)
-Chrono Cross (1999, PS1)
-Final Fantasy 8 (1999, PS1)
-Final Fantasy 9 (2000, PS1)

Also, Legend of Legaia (1999, PS1) is one of my favorite games, a non-Squaresoft JRPG.
...but I'm not hardcore gamer, either, so I could be missing out on a bunch of great games.

I think you said you were watching Evangelion?... there's quite an influence on JRPGs from this era, especially Xenogears. The Chrono series is interesting, involving wild plots with dual worlds (Chrono Cross is my favorite game). These games are about getting lost in an epic adventure in another world with twisting and turning storylines, not to mention that it's hard not to fall in love with Uematsu's melancholy tunes in the FF games. And FF8 has the best video game cut scene ever at the ending.

FF13 isn't typical of a JRPG... I wouldn't even call it a JRPG to begin with (the developers were trying to create a new genre). Never heard of Lost Odyssey, though; so, you've only played one JRPG, I suppose.

What I think about Lightning- finally, a "cool" lead character- that hasn't happened since FF8! Some of the concepts of Lightning Returns are intriguing, so it'll be interesting to see how they work (or don't work).

Sounds like a winning combo to me!  ;D

I loved the Chrono series as it eliminated random battles, which is easily the thing I find most annoying about JRPGs. I think it also has the most interesting ideas associated with it, especially in the ties between Trigger and Cross.

Agreed with you on FF8, love all of the characters in that game, which might have been the best protagonist since FFIV.

Yeah, I'm super hyped for Lightning. I'm hopeful that they handle it well by combining the best elements from the first two games.

You'd love Nier. It's exactly the sort of game for you. I'd liken it to Full Metal in plot and art styling.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on August 12, 2013, 08:06:36 AM
Played a good bit of Pikmin 3 on Wii U, great gameplay and visuals, story mode and co-op challenges are both enjoyable. Also a good example of how the Wii U game pad becomes part of the game with live maps and data constantly available.

Rayman Origins on XBOX 360, easily one of the most fun I've had with a game in a while. So bright and vibrant, a great side scroller game.

Didn't get to complete either one, was staying at a friends house over the weekend that had both.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 13, 2013, 07:53:50 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on August 12, 2013, 08:06:36 AM

Rayman Origins on XBOX 360, easily one of the most fun I've had with a game in a while. So bright and vibrant, a great side scroller game.

One of the more recent games that has impressed the hell out of me. Simplistic? Sure, but it's such a fun game. Right now, I have my eye on The Last Of Us.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on August 13, 2013, 07:58:45 PM
Spec Ops: The Line is amazing (This might be the first game that implements actual morality.)

http://www.edge-online.com/features/spec-ops-lines-moral-dilemma/
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/09/the-darkness-of-the-moral-compass-is-exposed-in-spec-ops-the-line/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 20, 2013, 09:11:27 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41492GB0APL._SX385_.jpg)

I'm in the final area of the game, but in the same way as when I was playing FF1, the final boss requires a bunch of hours of mindless level grinding to beat that I'm not even going to bother. For now, I may watch the ending scenes on youtube, but I'll keep the save file for when I might want to complete it one day.


Other than the amount of level grinding required in the second part of the game, great game. The job system is very interesting, requiring some very specific strategies to take down some bosses. I ended up switching quite a bit for this, which makes the game more fun.

Story-wise, it should first be noted that there is basically no development on the individual stories of your four main characters. Throughout the plot, you get a fifth character that comes and goes, similar to FF2. Despite this, the story can be fun and I liked it better than how high it is actually regarded (being regarded as one of the worst FF storylines). My favorite part was probably the transition to the second world map, which is at first completely barren and covered in darkness. Also, you get 3 or so airships in this game (lost count). This game should be played with an emulator, too, because dungeons don't have save points, meaning you can play for 2-3 hours, die, and lose all of your progress easily.

The music is great, too. On par with nearly any other FF score.



Next: FF5
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 20, 2013, 09:38:51 AM
You know what, never mind. I need to stop this.
I'll be back to programming and studying Japanese now in my spare time. If I feel like I ever get ahead, I'll play the rest of the Final Fantasy games I haven't, and maybe some other games. Same goes to the anime I want to watch (Shingeki no Kyojin and Legend of the Galactic Heroes). Also, I should cancel my FF11 account.* (just need to somehow make sure my character is kept)

This leaves:
5, 6, 13, 13-2, and 14 unplayed for me (well, except for 13, which 3/4 of the way done).


*well, right after I do the Elshimo Uplands and Lowlands supplies quest, since it's not often that San d'Oria controls both regions at the same time.  :P

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 21, 2013, 07:26:47 PM
Yes, gentlemen. I am a huge nerd.

http://www.twitch.tv/zergfluid/b/449047804
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Todd on August 22, 2013, 06:59:25 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91q8vjgp3qL._SY445_.jpg)


Not a huge gamer, but I like the Splinter Cell series.  This continues the downward slide from the nose-bleed heights of Chaos Theory.  Good to see the emphasis on stealth, but the story so far is weak, and the fact that some fifth-rate actor replaced third-rate actor Michael Ironside in the lead cannot be forgiven.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 22, 2013, 07:03:48 PM
Saints Row 4 for me.  Already has some hilarious moments.  A game that can make me laugh is a good game.

[asin]B00BRQN2H4[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 22, 2013, 07:24:30 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 20, 2013, 09:38:51 AM
Also, I should cancel my FF11 account.
Not happening. I realized I needed something to look forward to. But perhaps I'll play the remaining games in the FF series eventually, maybe next year.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 26, 2013, 05:48:14 AM
How NOT to play Final Fantasy 8


http://www.youtube.com/v/HPh1VoJ6TUg
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 27, 2013, 07:36:58 PM
http://squallsdead.com/

Oh, wow, this interpretation of the Final Fantasy 8 storyline is just way too depressing.

Basically, in this interpretation he died at the end of disc 1 and everything else is just a dream. His flashback at the end is everything that could have happened. He fantasized about saving the world and getting the girl (Rinoa), who before disc 1 briefly danced with him but quickly left for Seifer. He didn't know much about the villain Edea, but made up a story about her. It was his own Final Fantasy, in a way, before he died, and the last scene that turns from the nightmare into a sudden happy ending is like some sort of heaven. The last thing frame shown, now that I think about it, is him being stabbed through the chest before it turns into that "heaven" scene. 

It was probably meant to be intentionally vague, but if that is the intended plot... that is some seriously messed up stuff. A young man in the military that dies in combat and has this wild fantasy before he dies?  :-\

Time to read some different theories, I don't feel too good...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 27, 2013, 07:54:33 PM
Here's a photo from the ending of FF8:


(http://squallsdead.com/endshot8.jpg)


But you DON't see it. What's so strange is that it is only a split-second long. Back when this game came out, no one saw it because you can't pause while watching it using your PS1. But if you look at the youtube video and pause it, it's there.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 27, 2013, 11:48:48 PM
I found this short video pretty funny. It's about the fall of many notable Starcraft 2 personalities and organizations, and it's all done through a Games of Thrones reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKWVKC6xz8o

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 08, 2013, 06:00:23 PM
Finished Gone Home. Touching. I recommend this to everyone who's given up hope on games as a mature form of art.

Finished Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Not so much. But an enjoyable stealth shooter nonetheless.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 16, 2013, 07:12:01 PM
I beat Rayman Origins, although I'm still working on getting 100% in everything, but now I've moved on to it's successor, Rayman Legends:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BGXSOn26L._SL1500_.jpg)

This is such a fantastic game! As good as the first one. I just started playing it tonight but I can tell right away that I was going to enjoy it. There have been some minor changes but it still feels similar to Origins. The basic mechanics seem still intact. For those that love 2D platformers, then check out Legends but be sure to get Origins as well. Legends was well worth the wait and I'm glad that Ubisoft didn't make this game a Wii U exclusive like they originally intended.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 17, 2013, 03:05:14 PM
Amidst my Rayman Legends hijinks, I have been considering this game:

(http://d1vr6n66ssr06c.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/gaming-the-last-of-us-cover-art.jpg)

The problem with these types of games is they seem like they don't have much replay value in them. Like, for example, I can play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess over and over again and still come away from the experience with a sense of fulfillment. The Last of Us looks cool and I dig the post-apocalyptic world, but, still, I don't think I'm going to fork over $60 for this game just yet. I'll wait until it becomes a greatest hits.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 18, 2013, 04:40:03 AM
What it's still full price!?  Ridiculous.  It should already be at most $40 by now if not $30.

I see that gta5 is out now.  I wonder if I'll be playing it, I've kind of stopped playing games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on September 18, 2013, 05:47:26 AM
http://www.hardestgameever.net/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 18, 2013, 06:36:16 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 18, 2013, 04:40:03 AM
What it's still full price!?  Ridiculous.  It should already be at most $40 by now if not $30.

I see that gta5 is out now.  I wonder if I'll be playing it, I've kind of stopped playing games.

Yep, The Last of Us is still full price unfortunately. It'll come down by Christmas time I'm suspecting. Grand Theft Auto V looks pretty lame IMHO. I played Vice City when it came out many years ago and enjoyed but thought the series went downhill pretty quickly. Rockstar needs to work on their graphics too. Truth be told, I haven't been too impressed with many of their games in quite some time. I am, however, looking at picking up this game at some point as well:

(http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/jaquettes/00046172/jaquette-puppeteer-playstation-3-ps3-cover-avant-g-1364933002.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Geo Dude on September 18, 2013, 11:02:57 AM
I'm currently working on Okami HD and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 19, 2013, 01:46:10 AM
Quote from: DavidW on September 18, 2013, 04:40:03 AM
What it's still full price!?  Ridiculous.  It should already be at most $40 by now if not $30.

I see that gta5 is out now.  I wonder if I'll be playing it, I've kind of stopped playing games.

Yea...far too many good games are released these days, so much that it's impossible for anyone but hardcore gamers to keep up.

I think the trick is to pick one game...and play nothing else. For instance, I discovered Starcraft 2 (through this forum, in fact) in late 2010 and 90% of my gaming since then has consisted of that game's multiplayer.

Some people find this sort of obsession with games like Civilization V...or Minecraft...or Diablo II, etc. The commonality being: games built to last.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 19, 2013, 04:20:57 AM
I have a game backlog now.  Good grief.  You said it Abe.  Not enough time except for hardcore gamers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 19, 2013, 06:20:05 PM
Still enjoying Rayman Legends best game I've played since...well....Rayman Origins! :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on September 20, 2013, 08:33:28 AM
Going to play through this series for the umpteenth time:

(http://www.alexismagne.fr/public/DeusEx_mention.jpeg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 20, 2013, 09:44:25 PM
^I should play that again someday. I quite enjoyed it. The soundtrack was superb!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_wsxDFRbEk
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on September 21, 2013, 06:35:36 AM
Quote from: -abe- on September 20, 2013, 09:44:25 PM
^I should play that again someday. I quite enjoyed it. The soundtrack was superb!

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

I'm having to reacclimate myself to playing a PC game which requires two hands. I'm such a console gamer these days.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 29, 2013, 04:15:17 AM
So, I started playing Final Fantasy 6 again...  :P

(Forget about my previous post about the free time thing, since I've found out something and have done stuff to free up a lot of time, so playing games is okay now...)

This game is crazy.  :D Just now got to the point where I had left off on my Playstation years ago. I'm following HCBailley's tutorial on youtube. Currently at video 25/93. Playing the Game Boy Advance version with VisualBoy Advance emulator.


Train suplex...
"Do you like these? I call this one 'Humpty' and the other one 'Dumpty'."...
Kefka killing an entire kingdom by poisoning the water supply...
Figaro castle on fire and sinking into the sand and moving to a distant location...
"There's a reason 'oppose' rhymes with 'dispose.' Kill them all!"...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on September 30, 2013, 05:09:12 AM
Quote from: Greg on September 29, 2013, 04:15:17 AM
I'm following HCBailley's tutorial on youtube.

Um.. what?

Don't have enough time to dedicate to relearn my PC controls well enough to play Deus Ex, so currently I'm replaying this gem:

(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/2/22269/2185819-mp2.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 30, 2013, 06:43:41 PM
Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on September 30, 2013, 05:09:12 AM
Um.. what?
It's more like a video walkthrough with commentary. I'm finding these good video walkthroughs more useful than the text-only ones.

Example:

http://www.youtube.com/v/WGkr3iwW0lg

(Actually, I misspelled his name, too).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 01, 2013, 07:26:38 AM
Quote from: Greg on September 30, 2013, 06:43:41 PM
It's more like a video walkthrough with commentary. I'm finding these good video walkthroughs more useful than the text-only ones.

Example:

http://www.youtube.com/v/WGkr3iwW0lg

(Actually, I misspelled his name, too).

So you're letting someone else play for you?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 01, 2013, 10:03:27 AM
Quote from: Philo (Artist formerly known as) on October 01, 2013, 07:26:38 AM
So you're letting someone else play for you?
Yes. I also have my own personal butler, driver, and pre-chewer of food. I don't do anything myself but I have everyone else do stuff for me. Jealous?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 01, 2013, 11:14:15 AM
Quote from: Greg on October 01, 2013, 10:03:27 AM
Yes. I also have my own personal butler, driver, and pre-chewer of food. I don't do anything myself but I have everyone else do stuff for me. Jealous?

Nope. Still don't understand why you'd let someone else play for you.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 01, 2013, 07:28:00 PM
Quote from: Philo the Harbinger on October 01, 2013, 11:14:15 AM
Nope. Still don't understand why you'd let someone else play for you.
I'd rather finish these long games in a reasonable amount of time, mainly. No strategy guide in a typical Final Fantasy game can mean hours of aimlessly wandering around trying to figure out what to do next (especially the first two). Also, I like to know where a lot of the hidden treasures are. When it comes to battles, though, I just figure them out myself most of the time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 02, 2013, 05:55:39 AM
Quote from: Greg on October 01, 2013, 07:28:00 PM
I'd rather finish these long games in a reasonable amount of time, mainly. No strategy guide in a typical Final Fantasy game can mean hours of aimlessly wandering around trying to figure out what to do next (especially the first two). Also, I like to know where a lot of the hidden treasures are. When it comes to battles, though, I just figure them out myself most of the time.

I suppose that's a generational thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: John Copeland on October 03, 2013, 06:46:34 AM
Tomorrow sees the release of F1 2013.  It will also contain retro F1 racing from the eighties in the standard edition, and in a 'classic' edition it will feature the 80's and 90's.

(http://www.formula1-game.com/content/images/logo.png)

I wont be able to get it for a few days.  But by all the Mansells, I'll be on it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 09, 2013, 05:18:47 AM
Likely to pick this up today: Dark Souls I

(http://greybackpack.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ds_1.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on October 11, 2013, 09:47:52 AM
I follow HCBailly too!

Now, GTA V...

I love it. But I still think it is little overrated, most complaints I have are pretty minor things, for ex. it felt too short. Some missions were ridiculously short, like for ex. buying a mask. That's it. My favorite characters are Lester (the smart guy in wheelchair), and Dave (the FIB agent, the one who is not a total asshole).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 12, 2013, 09:50:04 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cGJ-6TxiL._SX385_.jpg)

Well, this was a great game. In fact, I'd say it turned out to be my third favorite Final Fantasy, after 9 and 7. A slight edge over 8.

There were some great moments- the Kefka poisioning, the opera, the suicide attempt by a certain party member, the negotiation with the empire, etc. The story was quite fast paced and active in the first half; the second half (the World of Ruin) was the complete opposite- totally open-ended, and it felt like a relief in a way at first, but after a while, the story sort of lost its brilliance. At least the game itself, with the spells and characters got more interesting at that time.

I think the main reasons why I still prefer 7 and 9 have to do with the towns, mainly. It seems all Final Fantasies before 7 just had cookie-cutter towns and castles that almost completely look the same. With 7, it completely changed, and I still think about some of the interesting places I haven't visited in years but want to go back to. With 1-6, all the towns are just... bleh. Nothing could beat 9 in mini games, either- that chocobo hunting quest and the card game...

Overall, the game was pretty easy, other than good luck on the Fanatic's Tower without an emulator. The ability to teach anyone any magic and the overpowered spells, like Ultima, is what made it that way. I developed my own strategy for Kefka's Tower: out of the 3 parties, have a "leader" that is ~level 42+ and has Ultima, Osmose, and the Cure spells- I used the females, since they are the best at magic (Celes, Terra, Relm). All other party members should be ~level 35. I used the Dinosaur Forest to level grind at the end for a few hours, which happened to be the only time I level grinded in the game- huge positive for me. Of course, if you don't like to use Ultima and prefer a challenge, this isn't the strategy for you.

Music was great, too. Check out the long ending credits theme. The ending is okay... a joke compared to something like 8, but then again, this is an SNES game, which has way more limitations.

Now, on to play 5 to complete the FF 1-12... (although there supposedly is a sequel to 4 that came out a few years ago that I somehow never heard about until recently that I'm not going to worry about for a while)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 13, 2013, 10:12:23 PM
Glad you enjoyed it Greg!

I played that game for the first time in the summer of 1998 after randomly discovering it. It was one of the first games I completed which also happened to be a great game. I cherish it very much.

I read an interview with one of the designers of the game where he mentioned that, for this installment of the series, they chose to not have a "main" character but instead treated nearly every playable character as a main character. So they all have their moments.

And there are so many great sequences, like the onset of the World of Ruin -- so cinematic and eerie. Graphics don't matter. All that's required is creativity!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 13, 2013, 10:17:23 PM
Did you become aware of this in your play-through, Greg?

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Vanish-Doom_Bug
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 13, 2013, 10:28:57 PM
Quote from: Philo the Harbinger on October 09, 2013, 05:18:47 AM
Likely to pick this up today: Dark Souls I

(http://greybackpack.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ds_1.jpg)

It's certainly an experience.

It's challenging and,, often,  deceptively hard. So many times I'd end up bashing my head against the wall over a particular sequence only to go "oh, that's how you do it" But it is quite brutal in parts.

Another thing: I'm convinced that it's a game designed in part to be a communal experience. I quite enjoyed talking about it with a friend who was crazy about it and gave me plenty of advice.

I think I've completed about 40% so far. And I have 60 hours logged in.  :-\

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 13, 2013, 10:34:57 PM
Also: The game is beautiful. Its atmosphere, design and the architecture of the settings it depicts are gorgeous. The game is worth playing for those alone.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Fafner on October 14, 2013, 12:23:03 AM
Quote from: Alberich on October 11, 2013, 09:47:52 AM
I follow HCBailly too!

Now, GTA V...

I love it. But I still think it is little overrated, most complaints I have are pretty minor things, for ex. it felt too short. Some missions were ridiculously short, like for ex. buying a mask. That's it. My favorite characters are Lester (the smart guy in wheelchair), and Dave (the FIB agent, the one who is not a total asshole).


I'm playing GTA V and it is great. The level of detail is astonishing. I don't have a problem with the length of the campaign. I have already put like 60 hours in the game and I'm still nowhere near finishing it. But I often spend hours just fooling around, doing stuff, without playing a single story mission.

Red Dead Redemption was the same. It kept me occupied for several months, and I was just riding around, hunting animals and playing poker for hours at a time.   8)

http://www.youtube.com/v/iQnCjGiPFnc
http://www.youtube.com/v/CPY_EZCQa6s
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 14, 2013, 03:36:15 AM
I picked up GTA V awhile ago but became immediately bored with it, and wished that I had not wasted money on it.

I'm currently playing LEGO Lord of the Rings.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Fafner on October 14, 2013, 03:49:47 AM
Quote from: DavidW on October 14, 2013, 03:36:15 AM
I'm currently playing LEGO Lord of the Rings.

I have that for Vita. I have not played it yet. None of the Lego games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 14, 2013, 05:26:20 AM
Quote from: -abe- on October 13, 2013, 10:28:57 PM
It's certainly an experience.

It's challenging and,, often,  deceptively hard. So many times I'd end up bashing my head against the wall over a particular sequence only to go "oh, that's how you do it" But it is quite brutal in parts.

Another thing: I'm convinced that it's a game designed in part to be a communal experience. I quite enjoyed talking about it with a friend who was crazy about it and gave me plenty of advice.

I think I've completed about 40% so far. And I have 60 hours logged in.  :-\

All super solid points, I won't be able to play it until December likely as my job consumes up most of my time, but I'm super stoked to get a crack at it.

Currently I'm replaying DA:O and DX:HR.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 14, 2013, 05:32:13 AM
Quote from: Philo the Harbinger on October 14, 2013, 05:26:20 AM
Currently I'm replaying DA:O and DX:HR.

Awesome!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 14, 2013, 06:25:54 AM
Quote from: DavidW on October 14, 2013, 05:32:13 AM
Awesome!

I think DX:HR might just be in my top five games of all time. It's simply extraordinary. DA:0 ain't half bad either, love the length, depth, and intrigue of it, but I think DA II was the superior game. I'm super hyped for DA:I.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 14, 2013, 06:29:20 AM
Quote from: -abe- on October 13, 2013, 10:12:23 PM
And there are so many great sequences, like the onset of the World of Ruin -- so cinematic and eerie. Graphics don't matter. All that's required is creativity!
That was one of my favorite moments.


Quote from: -abe- on October 13, 2013, 10:17:23 PM
Did you become aware of this in your play-through, Greg?

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Vanish-Doom_Bug
Wow lol. That is a pretty serious bug that I didn't even know about.
I played the Advance version, so it says that I wouldn't have been able to do that on bosses, anyways. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 14, 2013, 07:02:22 AM
My younger brother and I used to refer to this as the break-out theme. It always played whenever anything super dramatic happened and the team got ready to fight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJBMK4EsNuI
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2013, 08:06:39 AM
A little less than 1/3 through FF5 right now, but I just have to say, for now... wonderful game. The music is some of the most consistently great from track to track that I've heard, the job system is great as they say it is (because of the ability to add an ability from other jobs), and the story is a bit better than what people have been saying about it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: modUltralaser on October 16, 2013, 08:51:58 AM
You'd think growing up with the early-1990s era of gaming that quick saving would simply be an instinct...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Fafner on October 16, 2013, 11:41:53 AM
Just started playing Grandia. I've never played the game before, it is quite charming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 16, 2013, 06:10:54 PM
Quote from: DavidW on October 14, 2013, 03:36:15 AM
I picked up GTA V awhile ago but became immediately bored with it, and wished that I had not wasted money on it.

Have you played the other Grand Theft Auto games? Surely you knew what you would be getting into?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 17, 2013, 04:59:56 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 16, 2013, 06:10:54 PM
Have you played the other Grand Theft Auto games? Surely you knew what you would be getting into?

I've played IV, I thought they would fix the things that I didn't like about it.  They did, I still don't like it.  I don't care for the snide way that you phrased that rhetorical question.  I like other Rockstar games, and I like open world games including ones similar in style and tone to GTA.  I had every expectation of liking it, but I did not.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Josefa89 on October 18, 2013, 06:29:22 AM
I play WoW  :-[ I know I know, but I can't help it
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 18, 2013, 06:33:00 AM
Quote from: Josefa89 on October 18, 2013, 06:29:22 AM
I play WoW  :-[ I know I know, but I can't help it

We've all been there, friend.  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 18, 2013, 06:35:29 AM
Thought this was an appropriate place to post this. Came across this track the other day and memories came flowing in like the wind  ;). Always been one of my favorite gaming experiences, and of course as always, great music. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - Dragon Roost Island from this album...


http://www.youtube.com/v/ZUUll4N3u80
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on October 18, 2013, 09:29:18 AM
I have both volumes those recordings and they are fantastic!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 28, 2013, 12:16:21 PM
Yesterday I finished Final Fantasy 5, so now I have finished 1-12!
I will play the FF13 trilogy sometime next year when FF13:Lightning Returns comes out and would like to play some of the other spin-offs eventually.

Favorites in order:
9
7
6
8
10
5
11
12
4
3
10-2
1
2


I only disliked 1 and 2, btw.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 28, 2013, 12:25:12 PM
I liked the story of FF5 better than most, but some things about it were hard to take seriously- like when you thought you killed ExDeath (a very generic main villain), he reveals that he turned into a splinter and hid on a characters body because his true form was a tree. ::) Wtf, game?

Check this out. This is the wonderful scenery and music I saw to end my Final Fantasy journey. Seriously, a minute into this video, you see them on chocobos and Krile on a Hiryu, journeying across the plains with that grand, adventurous Uematsu score- that's the point I lose it. How can you not love that?  :o I mean, that sums up how I feel about the whole series in a nutshell and what it has done for me- adventures in a world where real adventuring isn't quite possible.

http://www.youtube.com/v/JUqe798LS7g
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 12, 2013, 07:37:50 PM
Only playing FF11 right now...


man, there's just something about FF8; I'm not sure what it was, but I think it's really that something that the PS1 Final Fantasies (7-9) had. I think it is the combination of bearable graphics, incredible music and NO voice acting.

Why is that these games create such an intense obsession after playing them? I finished FF8 earlier this year yet already go through times when just thinking about the game gives me a sense of overwhelming nostalgia. Not sure I mentioned on this thread when I first rented FF9 years ago and in-between the few months of returning the game and then buying it, I dreamed about it seven times.

I'm just wondering if there are any games out there that have the soul of something like FF7, 8, or 6, etc.? (I was listening to the OST yesterday of FF8 and really had to umm... hold back). Not that I would play it immediately, but I'm just wondering.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 22, 2013, 09:12:03 AM
Finally finished Dawn of War: Winter Assault, and checked out Dawn of War: Dark Crusade. Not sure how I feel about single player campaign map, since it seems to eliminate a lot of the story telling from the previous games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 28, 2013, 05:28:05 PM
I think I should quit Final Fantasy 11. I've played enough plenty of the game to say that I've "played" it, though I haven't even done any of the expansion stories. There's a lot I want to do in the game, sure, but if I have free time, I'd kind of rather spend it doing something equally as fun that is constructive at the same time, such as studying Japanese. Also thinking about going to back to drawing after many years.

I really should stop playing games for and watching anime for a long time. So I might not even play the rest of the FF13 trilogy or finish FF13.
Actually, if I'm studying Japanese, I'll be watching plenty of anime while studying the scripts, but not new ones, so probably that wouldn't count.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on November 29, 2013, 05:56:31 PM
Bought this tonight at Walmart for $25 (which was apart of their Black Friday sale):

(http://i2.cdnds.net/12/50/618x780/gaming-the-last-of-us-cover-art.jpg)

Regularly this is a $60 game. Could have bought Arkham Origins for a similar price but backed out of that one based on the fact that the developer Rocksteady had nothing do with the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 30, 2013, 07:03:26 PM
Quote from: Greg on November 28, 2013, 05:28:05 PM
I really should stop playing games for and watching new anime for a long time.
Seems I'm going to make a compromise with myself.

No games on the computer, but console only games- just playing stuff I already have and will get soon on the PS2 (which is in my brother's room) and the PS3 (which is in the living room). Being in these rooms will really put a time limit on to how much I can play them.

This year I ended up gaming quite a bit, though the last several years I'd only play, maybe, 2 games a year. I think it pretty much started in the spring- with the 70 hours a week of work and school, I decided that in my free time I'd just spend time doing what I wanted to do most, which was playing Final Fantasy 8. (I had been wanting to play that game for years). Then the idea of playing all of the other Final Fantasy games came about...  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 30, 2013, 08:18:24 PM
Anyone planning on getting the Oculus Rift when the consumer version comes out next year?


http://www.youtube.com/v/eFK1_miZ0eU

This guy has some of the best Oculus Rift game playthrough videos. Often, they are scary, but sometimes they are just crazy, like the last one, where it simulates you being a giant elephant and knocking stuff over.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 30, 2013, 08:32:30 PM
Another good one:
in this game, you have to hold down both control keys, while crazy stuff happens to you.

http://www.youtube.com/v/_7xWp2iQDwU
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 01, 2013, 05:50:03 AM
Quote from: Greg on November 30, 2013, 08:18:24 PM
Anyone planning on getting the Oculus Rift when the consumer version comes out next year?


http://www.youtube.com/v/eFK1_miZ0eU

This guy has some of the best Oculus Rift game playthrough videos. Often, they are scary, but sometimes they are just crazy, like the last one, where it simulates you being a giant elephant and knocking stuff over.

The Oculus Rift is a bridge too far in sheer geekery.

I'll let other geeks absorb the early adopter shaming and eventually get on board when it becomes mainstream.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 02, 2013, 04:42:36 AM
Quote from: -abe- on December 01, 2013, 05:50:03 AM
The Oculus Rift is a bridge too far in sheer geekery.

I'll let other geeks absorb the early adopter shaming and eventually get on board when it becomes mainstream.
Sounds like you care too much about what other people think of you.  :P
I only haven't bought it yet because I'm waiting for the final, complete product; better to wait than spend $300 on something unfinished.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 03, 2013, 09:01:41 AM
Quote from: Greg on November 30, 2013, 07:03:26 PM
Seems I'm going to make a compromise with myself.
Even more... going to experiment with ways of playing FF11 that don't consume my time. If that doesn't work, I'll unsubscribe.


*end monologue
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 16, 2013, 05:29:00 PM
I finished Beyond Two Souls.  I thought that it was an incredible experience, I don't care what the critics think. I loved it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 16, 2013, 09:40:32 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 02, 2013, 04:42:36 AM
Sounds like you care too much about what other people think of you.  :P
I only haven't bought it yet because I'm waiting for the final, complete product; better to wait than spend $300 on something unfinished.

Stuff like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic The Gathering always struck me as a bridge too far as well. But maybe you're right.  :-\


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on December 17, 2013, 04:52:16 AM
Playing KOTOR II again.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Fafner on December 17, 2013, 10:03:26 AM
Terraria.

I picked it up for Vita a few days ago and I cannot stop playing.

Definitely one of my top purchases since I got the handheld.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 27, 2013, 09:11:53 PM
Quote from: Greg on December 03, 2013, 09:01:41 AM
Even more... going to experiment with ways of playing FF11 that don't consume my time. If that doesn't work, I'll unsubscribe.


*end monologue
Scrapped that plan and have been playing the game constantly. I'm at the point now where I can solo many of the storyline missions, and they can go by quite quickly. I should be able to "finish" the game (by my definitions) in a reasonable amount of time now. I suppose I just am not the type to give up or quit...

The downside of this game is that one you've got it going, you never want to step outside. Probably more than ever I realize how dull the real world is in comparison. The real world is just crap, simply. It would be nice if it weren't crappy enough to fantasize about staying in and playing video games for the rest of your life...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 31, 2013, 11:44:47 AM
I found another awesome game!  I'm thoroughly addicted to Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the 3DS.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 31, 2013, 01:32:56 PM
Quote from: DavidW on December 31, 2013, 11:44:47 AM
I found another awesome game!  I'm thoroughly addicted to Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the 3DS.

I've heard very good things about it so I may pick it up as well.

Got back into MMOs - Final Fantasy XIV:  A Realm Reborn. The art style isn't to my taste, and sometimes the music isn't either, but the jobs/class system is pretty awesome, especially the gathering/crafting professions.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 31, 2013, 09:36:26 PM
Quote from: stingo on December 31, 2013, 01:32:56 PM
Got back into MMOs - Final Fantasy XIV:  A Realm Reborn. The art style isn't to my taste, and sometimes the music isn't either, but the jobs/class system is pretty awesome, especially the gathering/crafting professions.
I know some people who have played it (a friend recently took a break from it, though) and was enthusiastic about the job system. He mentioned something about being able to change your class by changing your weapon or something...

If I recall correctly, instead of doing a subjob system as in 11, you only have one job at a time, but you can add abilities from other jobs to your selected job (3 or so at a time?); this reminds me of FF5, where each character has a job but has one additional slot where you can use an ability from another job (of course, which would have to be learned first for that character). And of course, FF5 has one of the most critically acclaimed job systems ever.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 14, 2014, 04:45:02 PM
Been playing Call of Duty: Ghosts.  Despite all of the hate poured onto it by the internet... it IS fun!! 
Title: What game are you playing?
Post by: GuybrushThreepwood on January 14, 2014, 05:06:33 PM
For iphone:

1. Hoplite, great roguelike. Pure strategy, real fun.

2. Kingdom Rush Frontiers. Best Tower defence I have ever played on the phone.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on February 09, 2014, 02:32:51 AM
Fallout: New Vegas has been my main play with a bit of dabbling in Deus Ex: Invisible War and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 09, 2014, 11:19:23 AM
I've logged about 1050 hours in FF11 and have played probably about 800 or so now... I'm done with about half of the storyline missions, but am way further along than that sounds. I'll almost definitely be done with the stories this month, and from there on there are one or two more jobs that I want to level and gear up nicely so I can help out other members of my linkshell with endgame stuff.

18 hour game day a few days ago...  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 10, 2014, 11:18:11 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmanAPUcZlw&list=UU-lHJZR3Gqxm24_Vd_AJ5Yw&feature=c4-overview


LOL another avant-garde, weird Japanese game. This is the type of game I wanna play.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 10, 2014, 12:44:37 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7n5kRRHDpw

This looks fun, if you're ready for a workout. Most immersive gaming experiences to date.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on February 10, 2014, 03:24:41 PM
Best strategy game I've played in quite a while: rymdakpsel (http://rymdkapsel.com/) ("space capsule" in Swedish)

http://www.youtube.com/v/5tiip5sJQAE

I'm glued to the recently released PC version. It's a tower defense game mashed up with Tetris and zen meditation. And quite a challenge too, when played in the advanced mode. Great music, too - there are only two extended tracks, one very Neu!-like, the other one straight from the repertoire of Brian Eno, but they both create a wonderful atmosphere. Highly recommended!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on February 16, 2014, 02:48:24 AM
Currently replaying Dragon Age I and II. Getting my saves prepped for Dragon Age III.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on February 22, 2014, 03:35:20 PM
Tomb Raider (the new one, the reboot) and I love it!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 22, 2014, 07:02:30 PM
Will be coming to my first stopping point soon in Final Fantasy 11!  :)
By that I mean I won't pick it up for a long time, possibly a few years from now. I'll probably be done in a week or so, just gotta finish up the Wings of the Goddess storyline. After that, I plan to make a long post about my thoughts about the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on February 28, 2014, 08:58:26 AM
(http://geekstronomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/final_fantasy_11.jpg)

Final Fantasy 11 (2002-)

I have finished my personal "Stage 1" of this game. My character profile, which includes most (by far not all) of my stats and achievements:
http://www.ffxiah.com/player/Shiva/Redrumage

Basically, I leveled one job which was able to solo 99% of the storyline missions. I finished all of the storyline missions in the game except the new Seekers of Adoulin, which I am part of the way through; this storyline isn't even complete and still being written, so I'll have to complete it one day when it is finished.

Nation Storylines:
There are three nation storylines, and I did all three of them: San D'oria, Bastok, and Windurst. My favorite story was Windurst, though San D'oria is what I started with and it will always feel like a second home to me. Bastok is boring, but at least they have Cid. Windurst is such a peaceful place, a place that would be very nice to live in.

Expansion Pack 1: Rise of the Zilart (2003)
Shortest storyline other than one specific annoying mission. I feel that this is like the prelude to Chains of Promathia.

Expansion Pack 2: Chains of Promathia (2004)
Basically the length of some Final Fantasy games. When this came out, it required massive group play for missions lasting several hours, and everyone had to play perfectly to get through the storyline. Everything about it had an "elitist" air about it.
Excellent storyline and most demonstrative of what a Final Fantasy story is actually supposed to be. Top-notch and epic.

Expansion Pack 3: Treasures of Aht Urghan (2006)
A whole new continent is unlocked in this expansion. The storyline tends to be more humorous than epic, as you're working as a mercenary, aka "Eternal Slave" for your master, Naja Salaheem. Imagine a mideastern feel, but with a touch of blue.

Expansion Pack 4: Wings of the Goddess (2007)
The longest storyline, it takes as many hours to be this as a proper Final Fantasy game; it takes place in the past, 20 years ago during the Crystal War, so it has the same areas you're used to, but slightly different. Probably the best storyline, but it wasn't my favorite, if that makes any sense.


Add-on Scenarios: A Crystalline Prophecy, A Moogle Kupo D'Etat, and A Shantotto Ascension (2009)
I've almost finished all of these; I could literally finish these in a few hours if I wanted to, but I just hate asking for help. Nowadays, there's no reason to do these other than the achievements, or if you want, to experience the silly or mediocre storylines. The gear you get as a reward is simply outdated. And if you fail the final battles (which are incredibly tough), you have to redo the previous mission, which take normally at least an hour to complete. Not highly regarded by many.

Add-on Battlefields: Scars of Abyssea, Heroes of Abyssea, Visions of Abyssea (2010)
All I've done in Abyssea is a worm party, once. These are just areas that people use for finding rare items, leveling up or making money (no story). I got all three of these add-ons for free during a promotion, saving me $30! Worm parties are used for quick leveling, so assuming it isn't your first job, you can level up a job from 30 to 99 in a single day.


Expansion Pack 5: Seekers of Adoulin (2013)
So far, the storyline is completely unmemorable, but then again, I'm only somewhat near the beginning. It introduces a new continent, which is very easy to navigate... unless it's for the first time. Colonization reives are basically road blocks to progress and have been an endless source of frustration. This is where most endgame events normally take place, as you can see many players decked out with gear that drops from the megabosses in these zones. I regret not leveling up a job at this point which is acceptable for joining an endgame event that my linkshell (my group) likes to form parties for.




What I want to do for the next time I pick up the game for a few months or so: level up cooking and fishing crafts; level up (at least) samurai, black mage, thief, corsair, and red mage; focus on samurai the most by acquiring tp sets and/or the most current relic armor, possibly doing something similar with corsair; get at least artifact armor for red mage, possibly black mage as well; participate in things like Voidwatch, Monstrosity, etc. However, before I return to FF11, I may end up picking up FF14 first.  ;)

And that's what I spent 1000+ hours on...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 03, 2014, 08:26:25 PM
Just started up playing Final Fantasy 14: ARR. Got on my friend's server just in case he makes a return to the game. My new system runs it perfectly. However, I might need to run to the store to get a sound card since after many hours today I can only conclude that my onboard sound is dead.

Name: Ibanez Monster
Server: Goblin
Race: Sun Seeker Mi'Qote Female (bluish black hair, she is really lovely)
Job: Pugilist, so starting in Ul'Dah

The UI in this game is just great. I realize now exactly how terrible the UI for FF11 was. (I heard the original FF14 was extremely terrible, though lol).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 05, 2014, 07:22:49 PM
Funniest thread I've read in a while.

http://www.ffxivpro.com/forum/topic/940/signs-of-too-much-ffxiing
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on April 05, 2014, 08:22:50 PM
What a fun thread!
I am thinking about getting back to Skyrim, but it is such a time sink.... *shiver*       >:D

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/The_Elder_Scrolls_V_Skyrim_cover.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on April 05, 2014, 11:06:35 PM
Replaying Fallout: New Vegas. Just love that setting and vibe.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 05:59:02 AM
Picked up the legendary edition of Skyrim for the ps3 now that I no longer own a 360.  Immediately encountered a very frustrating and known bug.  After all this time the ps3 version is still buggy!!?!?!?!?! >:(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 06, 2014, 08:11:34 AM
My FF14 character:
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/7023811/

Level 12 Pugilist...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 09:59:19 AM
Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 05:59:02 AM
Picked up the legendary edition of Skyrim for the ps3 now that I no longer own a 360.  Immediately encountered a very frustrating and known bug.  After all this time the ps3 version is still buggy!!?!?!?!?! >:(

They should have titled it "The Legendary Bug Edition". :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 10:26:17 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 09:59:19 AM
They should have titled it "The Legendary Bug Edition". :)

Yes!  I also hesitate in playing New Vegas on the ps3.  Bugs ahoy!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 11:13:48 AM
Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 10:26:17 AM
Yes!  I also hesitate in playing New Vegas on the ps3.  Bugs ahoy!

It's a shame that there hasn't been a patch offered for Skyrim. I mean it's really ridiculous. If video game companies would invest more time into getting their games right, then rushing it out due to a deadline, there would less problems.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on April 06, 2014, 12:19:51 PM
Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 05:59:02 AM
Picked up the legendary edition of Skyrim for the ps3 now that I no longer own a 360.  Immediately encountered a very frustrating and known bug.  After all this time the ps3 version is still buggy!!?!?!?!?! >:(

I have this feeling of that Bethesda always been entrenched in the PC realm and simply expanded to 360 and PS3 for the financial opportunities. It is ridiculous that there are bugs in the PS3 version at this point in time.
Still, the enormous game world (which is one of the attractive aspects of Skyrim) invites the presence of bugs so I guess it is a catch 22?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 02:52:17 PM
Quote from: Moonfish on April 06, 2014, 12:19:51 PM
I have this feeling of that Bethesda always been entrenched in the PC realm and simply expanded to 360 and PS3 for the financial opportunities. It is ridiculous that there are bugs in the PS3 version at this point in time.
Still, the enormous game world (which is one of the attractive aspects of Skyrim) invites the presence of bugs so I guess it is a catch 22?

I'm not talking quest breaking bugs.  I'm talking about not being able to save or load a game.  That is nothing to do with the size of the world, and it has everything to do with incompetence and laziness.

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 11:13:48 AM
It's a shame that there hasn't been a patch offered for Skyrim. I mean it's really ridiculous. If video game companies would invest more time into getting their games right, then rushing it out due to a deadline, there would less problems.

Amen.  We pay to be beta testers.  It used to be pre-internet that games were written to be bug free or as close as possible before being shipped.  Now day 1 patches are common.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 06, 2014, 06:00:55 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 11:13:48 AM
It's a shame that there hasn't been a patch offered for Skyrim. I mean it's really ridiculous. If video game companies would invest more time into getting their games right, then rushing it out due to a deadline, there would less problems.
People just can't wait. And that's why those who work in the games industry sleep under their desks each night.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 06:10:56 PM
Quote from: Greg on April 06, 2014, 06:00:55 PM
People just can't wait. And that's why those who work in the games industry sleep under their desks each night.

Then people need to learn the value of patience. It's that simple.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 06, 2014, 06:21:56 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 06:10:56 PM
Then people need the value of patience. It's that simple.
Like that'll ever happen.  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on April 06, 2014, 10:11:53 PM
Quote from: Greg on April 06, 2014, 06:00:55 PM
People just can't wait. And that's why those who work in the games industry sleep under their desks each night.

But I bet they get free pizza and beer.....      :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on April 06, 2014, 10:12:25 PM
Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 02:52:17 PM
I'm not talking quest breaking bugs.  I'm talking about not being able to save or load a game.  That is nothing to do with the size of the world, and it has everything to do with incompetence and laziness.

Yes, no excuse for that....     :'( :'(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on April 09, 2014, 05:02:19 PM
(http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/WW1/France14/F14-Cover.jpg)

captures the history well I suppose, because it is a total slaughter
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 10, 2014, 07:00:24 PM
Level 25 Pugilist... halfway there. Although considering how much work is involved in leveling in the 20s and how much is required later on, probably not even halfway there.
Also level 10 goldsmith. Crafting in this game is actually quite fun, whereas in FF11 it was actually quite torturous and I was really amazed to see people get so many crafts up to high levels. And I do plan to get level 50 Goldsmith...

And once I hit level 30 Pugilist, gotta get Lancer to level 15 (which will take ~3 days) also so I can actually make my Pugilist a Monk. Doing Ul'Dah for the main quest and might quit there when I'm done, since I don't know how much time I'll have to do endgame stuff (would like to quit at the end of the month, preferably). Then onto finishing the last few hours of FF13 and playing FF13-2 and FF13-Lightning Returns to have played through FF1-14. I guess FF1-12 wasn't enough for me.  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on April 19, 2014, 11:10:26 PM
Still plodding my way through Fallout: New Vegas. Just soaking in all that atmosphere. Also, looking at adventure games, specifically the FMV sort.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on April 22, 2014, 02:06:46 AM
Just completed The Plan, a game much like Journey (free on Steam) - One word: Haunting. The game took me about 5 minutes.
http://store.steampowered.com/app/250600/

Currently playing Beneath a Steel Sky, a classic point-and-click adventure game (free on GoG)
http://www.gog.com/game/beneath_a_steel_sky
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 25, 2014, 07:44:07 PM
Anyone know any good sites for game saves with emulators?

The reason is, I should be done with my list of Final Fantasy games I wanted to play by the end of next month (finishing up 14's main scenario and the 13 trilogy), so I'm not going to be playing any games that are a time sink for quite a while.

However, I want to visit some game worlds in my free time. I realized something while playing through the list of Final Fantasy games several hours each day since last year- I've been feeling unusually happy overall. They're simply the ultimate escape and must be satisfying some sort of psychological need, possibly the most important one. In order to not get caught spending so much time playing more RPG's, though, I'd like saves of some of the older RPG's I've played on the PS1 and PS2, and transferring the saves to PC is no easy task (if I still have them).

I'm starting to envy people with no hobbies or talents that just play video games in their spare time. I could write some music, for example, but playing a game would be much more fun...  :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 26, 2014, 07:14:07 AM
First game I'd play on an Oculus Rift.  ;D

http://kotaku.com/sonic-on-the-oculus-rift-is-a-recipe-for-awesome-puki-1567793059
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 26, 2014, 08:38:16 AM
I think you would throw up Greg!  I would want a roller coaster sim, that would be awesome imo.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 26, 2014, 09:14:35 AM
Quote from: DavidW on April 26, 2014, 08:38:16 AM
I think you would throw up Greg!  I would want a roller coaster sim, that would be awesome imo.
Saw this a while ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6rz45nMa6k

Nah, I don't get sick on spinning stuff; would be fun stuff. Even funner would be if they included the actual rolling first person view of Sonic's spin.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on April 26, 2014, 10:00:26 AM
That was a cool vid!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 29, 2014, 04:34:38 PM
Hmmm... thinking I might just stop at my current level of 30 for goldsmithing and mining in FF14 and only getting Monk to 50. This means ~20 more days of playing, but it wouldn't average much more than an hour a day because I'd do duty roulette (1/2 level per day) and the main scenario.

Also seriously considering waiting until I'm done with that to finish the FF13 trilogy. So I could just anticipate being done with this crazy project in a few months instead of one month so that I can have plenty of free time starting now. Drawing and studying Japanese are basically open-ended "projects" without a finish, so I could just focus on that most of the time starting now. Then there would be no stress to quickly finish these projects I create for myself that I rush because they have an end and I wanna get done with them. No finishing games, no writing music, etc... will be very different.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 03, 2014, 06:55:09 AM
What is the deal with Skyrim being a timesink when the main scenario only takes 31 hours?

http://www.howlongtobeat.com/game.php?id=9859

I see that a leisurely completist can take over 800 hours to get everything... that's still a lot, but when I have in mind FF11, where the top players who obviously have spent many thousands of hours playing the game don't even have many of the mythic/relic/empyrean weapons, it's not really that much.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 11, 2014, 07:44:27 AM
Quote from: Greg on May 03, 2014, 06:55:09 AM
What is the deal with Skyrim being a timesink when the main scenario only takes 31 hours?

http://www.howlongtobeat.com/game.php?id=9859

I see that a leisurely completist can take over 800 hours to get everything... that's still a lot, but when I have in mind FF11, where the top players who obviously have spent many thousands of hours playing the game don't even have many of the mythic/relic/empyrean weapons, it's not really that much.

Why are you comparing a single player to an MMO?  MMOs are designed to be time sinks revolving around grinding and collecting loot.  Single player RPGs are meant to be narrative driven experiences.  Saying that one is better than the other because you can do the same repetitive work for longer is absurd. 

The deal with Skyrim having a short main campaign is that the guild campaigns and the side quests are the majority of the game.  As it is in every Elder Scrolls game.  Each guild plotline takes usually about as much time as the main campaign.  I remember in Oblivion the plot twists made the fighters guild story more interesting than the main quest.
Title: Re: Game Bonanza!
Post by: Rinaldo on May 19, 2014, 11:51:32 PM
Quote from: Philo on May 19, 2014, 04:01:38 PM
Bought:
The Novelist
Papers Please
The Cat Lady
The Shivah
Micy Roll
Reperfection - Volume 1
Trauma

Free:
Bad Dreams Part 1-5
Mainichi
Mudlarks

Good stuff. Haven't played The Novelist yet but I'm looking forward to it. Papers are ace and I really enjoyed the lucid-dreamlike quality of Trauma.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 20, 2014, 11:00:31 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81zPaQXiYwL._SX385_.jpg)

Final Fantasy 13

[Got halfway through the last boss when I accidentally switched the power off. Haven't watched the ending scene yet.]

Finally, after starting a year ago, I finished a few days ago. 65+ hours to get through through this and did almost none of the optional sidequests. I can't really say anything new about this that hasn't already been said, but you have to separate it from other Final Fantasies to really enjoy it. Graphics-wise, it's the prettiest game I know of and the final dungeon is pretty awesome. The music is better than I expected, but the storyline doesn't really inspire much.

Also, this game can be pretty difficult. I can't believe people actually say that you can play the game using any paradigm, etc. Either they're trolling or actually haven't played the game. It gets pretty specific in what you have to do later in the game- just as much strategy is involved as the previous games in the series even though the battle system is entirely different.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 20, 2014, 11:13:02 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81Xs4BQNPVL._SL1500_.jpg)

Final Fantasy 14: A Real Reborn

[Okay... technically I have two dungeons (~2 hours worth of gameplay) to finish the main scenario, but I just felt like writing this right now]

I got my monk to the level cap of 50, miner & goldsmith to 30... storyline is honestly pretty disappointing and boring most of the time. It gets better near the end, but doesn't change the fact that throughout much of the main scenario, you are just doing errands for various NPCs.

Graphics = excellent, music = so-so...

It's kinda hard to judge an MMORPG that is so new, but I have two things I don't care for that are permanent features:

1. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of dungeons, which were a new thing to me in a way, since these are... what's the word? "Instanced?" Doing a daily duty roulette is the quickest exp, so that's what I did a lot of.

2. The battle system is simpler than FF11 but quicker-paced. It just feels more "simplistic" with the hotbars, etc.

There will be a ton of stuff added pretty soon and if I decide to quit playing and resume, I still have to play Chronicles of a New Era, Patch 2.1-2.2, and whatever patches come out. Oh yeah, and the expansion pack whenever it comes out.



FF15 comes out Dec.31 and I don't have a PS4...  :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 21, 2014, 05:48:10 PM
I picked up the new Wolfenstein game.  Look forward to shooting Nazis.  The school year is almost over, just a couple of weeks left.  I can't wait for a break.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 21, 2014, 07:55:08 PM
Quote from: Greg on May 20, 2014, 11:13:02 AM
FF15 comes out Dec.31 and I don't have a PS4...  :-X
My bad... was looking at the amazon page, which is wrong. There isn't a release date yet.

And I forgot to mention that the crafting system in this game is fantastic. Such a huge improvement over FF11's.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on May 21, 2014, 08:08:26 PM
Quote from: DavidW on May 21, 2014, 05:48:10 PM
I picked up the new Wolfenstein game.  Look forward to shooting Nazis.  The school year is almost over, just a couple of weeks left.  I can't wait for a break.

I wasn't very interested but it's getting a lot of praise for the Nazi shooting AND the story as well, so I'll probably check it out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on May 21, 2014, 08:42:06 PM
Hmm, pondering jumping into this one (but Skyrim beckons..   >:D)
Was this a good experience?

[asin] B007CM0K86[/asin]
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 22, 2014, 05:44:00 AM
Quote from: Moonfish on May 21, 2014, 08:42:06 PM
Hmm, pondering jumping into this one (but Skyrim beckons..   >:D)
Was this a good experience?

[asin] B007CM0K86[/asin]

What little of it I've played, I've enjoyed, Moonfish. Of course, it's a completely linear game and follows a storyline, so there's hardly any chances of exploration. It's not a sandbox game. But, for what it is, it's enjoyable. I honestly prefer games that have more of a fun factor and where it's more about the gameplay than the ongoing story, which is part of the reason why I never liked RPGs for example. Just to give you an idea of games I do like: one of my favorite games of all-time was Donkey Kong Country on SNES back in the day. :) But The Last Of Us offers a unique gaming experience and it's definitely worth playing, but I imagine it has little replay value once you finish the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on May 22, 2014, 11:51:26 AM
Thanks for your thoughts MI. It does sound enticing, but you are probably right about the replay value. Kind of typical for story-line games....
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 22, 2014, 05:34:58 PM
Quote from: Moonfish on May 22, 2014, 11:51:26 AM
Thanks for your thoughts MI. It does sound enticing, but you are probably right about the replay value. Kind of typical for story-line games....

You're welcome. Well, in some instances a game with a strong narrative will have replay value. Like, for example, my favorite game of all-time is The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess. With this game, even though I've beat it on numerous occasions, I still find something new when I play through it again and again. I suppose a lot of it has to do with there's just so much stuff to do in this game and it's quite long. Not Final Fantasy long, but long enough. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 23, 2014, 06:07:32 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 22, 2014, 05:34:58 PM
You're welcome. Well, in some instances a game with a strong narrative will have replay value. Like, for example, my favorite game of all-time is The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess. With this game, even though I've beat it on numerous occasions, I still find something new when I play through it again and again. I suppose a lot of it has to do with there's just so much stuff to do in this game and it's quite long. Not Final Fantasy long, but long enough. :)

And same can be said about my favorite game: Majora's mask. If any game has replay value it's definitely that one. And what makes it impressive is that even though the game has only 5 dungeons (4 if you don't count the moon) the 100 % completion can take more time than twilight princess or ocarina of time. You can thank numerous sidequests about that. Even though I love such games as elder scrolls, I find the daily routines of NPC:s in this game even more compelling and interesting. I of course love twilight princess also. I really hope they reveal something about wii u zelda at E3.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 23, 2014, 06:11:56 AM
Quote from: Alberich on May 23, 2014, 06:07:32 AM
And same can be said about my favorite: Majora's mask. If any game has replay value it's definitely that one. I of course love twilight princess also. I really hope they reveal something about wii u zelda at E3.

I didn't enjoy Majora's Mask at all, but apart of this had to do with the day/night and three days gimmick. Twilight Princess was a much more mature game overall. Not to say that Twilight Princess didn't have it's flaws, but it's pluses definitely outweighed the minuses IMHO. As for the Wii U, this is the only major console by Nintendo that I've not been interested in at all. To be even more honest, I seldom play video games much these days anyway.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kishnevi on June 28, 2014, 06:40:15 PM
Found this while looking for something else.  Is that not how it always is?http://www.declarationclothing.com/collections/assassin-s-creed-shop
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 01, 2014, 06:47:26 AM
I have changed my mind. Earlier Majora's mask was my all-time favorite game if you had to pick only one. But now I think the first place goes to final fantasy IX. It's just so... humane. There is no other word for it. It's so humane.

Majora's mask has the same kind of humanity which makes me love it so much. And it is definitely the most mature Zelda game. But now maybe just a tiny bit more I love Final Fantasy IX. As much as it is a cliche to pick it. Technically I have many (and I mean MANY) favorite games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 01, 2014, 06:54:38 AM
Quote from: Alberich on July 01, 2014, 06:47:26 AM
I have changed my mind. Earlier Majora's mask was my all-time favorite game if you had to pick only one. But now I think the first place goes to final fantasy IX. It's just so... humane. There is no other word for it. It's so humane.

Majora's mask has the same kind of humanity which makes me love it so much. And it is definitely the most mature Zelda game. But now maybe just a tiny bit more I love Final Fantasy IX. As much as it is a cliche to pick it. Technically I have many favorite games.
Ha! If it weren't for Chrono Cross, FF9 would be my favorite game as well. Such a thrill ride of a story and some of the most interesting places to visit in any game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 01, 2014, 06:56:33 AM
I have to confess I have never played Chrono Cross. Chrono Trigger I have though, many times. And I loved it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 01, 2014, 07:03:05 AM
Chrono Trigger is one of the greats. You may very well end up hating Chrono Cross if you ever play it, as some do (especially if you go in thinking that there will be similarities with Chrono Trigger), or you may love it.

It does also involve using time to jump in between two different eras in the same world, a silent protagonist and an intricate and fascinating storyline with many different endings and characters. The criticisms against the game include the time spent setting up your characters' battle abilities and the lack of character development. I can't really pinpoint why it's my favorite game, but if I had to guess, I'd say that it inspired my imagination the most.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 01, 2014, 07:28:33 AM
I'm replaying Mass Effect 3.  I hate how the journal is nearly useless and clearly broken.  I do like how streamlined inventory management is.  Kind of don't like how little there is in the way of exploration and side missions.  This is the most linear bioware game that I've ever played.  Dragon Age 3 will be a breath of fresh air.  Don't get me wrong I love this game... but with ME each game keeps making it less rpg like and more Call of Duty clone. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 01, 2014, 07:45:36 AM
What I like most in bioware games such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect is that they are extremely well written. The lines are witty, characters complex etc. This is what I feel is lacking in Bethesda games such as Skyrim. They can make a convincing-looking world but the script is often poor.

Oblivion had much better script IMO than Skyrim and overall I like it much better, especially the Shivering isles. The main quests in both games are often much more boring than some of the side quests. At first I thought that poor as Skyrim's main story is, it at least beats the endless oblivion plane runnings in Elder Scrolls IV. But now I think that Oblivion's story, poor as it is, has some kind of charm in it. Skyrim on the other hand managed to make something as cool as fighting dragons boring and irritating. Don't get me wrong, I still like Skyrim but to me it has some flaws, even some major ones. The Quests in Markarth and Riften are often my favorites. However I think Bethesda handled Fallout 3 magnificently (even though I like 2 most). You really feel the post-apocalypse crarm it has, complete with awesome songs in radio.

In short, the perfect western RPG game to me would be combining the writing and characterization of Bioware with environment and gameworld of Bethesda.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 02, 2014, 07:00:40 AM
I think the new Dragon Age should be that fusion between open world Elder Scrolls and narrative driven Bioware.  Fingers crossed.

What I loved about Oblivion is even the smallest side quest was interesting, or had a hook or a plot twist.  I just wish that they didn't simply scale the whole world with you and make every dungeon and every oblivion plane feel the same.

I disagree on Fallout 3.  I thought the stories were threadbare or simply not there.  I became tired of VATS too and wish the game could have been a bit faster paced.  New Vegas is on my backlog, and since Obsidian has a better reputation for story telling, I'm hoping to get my fix there.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 02, 2014, 08:02:41 AM
New vegas is a great game. I actually like it more than 3. I even like the widely disliked Dead money add-on.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 06, 2014, 07:17:06 PM
Still playing FF11, but having second thoughts about what I want to accomplish in the game.

I originally returned to it just because I missed Vana'diel and just felt like playing the game more, but then I ended up getting the idea of building several jobs. Currently, I have Beastmaster, Corsair, and Samurai leveled to 99 and plan to level Red Mage to 99- those I consider to be my 4 main jobs. One of the main reasons for building a job is to be able to participate with my linkshell in the highest level endgame content, called Delve. The problem is that vast amount of time required to the appropriate armor... possibly a couple of months of regularly doing once-per day (what they are essentially) "dungeons" (Limbus and Dynamis). This is 2 hours+ a day to do both. I don't have that time, patience and I sure don't enjoy doing the same thing each day. (These two things are also, incidentally, the best way to make money in the game).


We'll see, but I may just consider exploring the jobs and other content the game has to offer now that I know how the systems work, and it'll be more work than fun. And then I'll quit long term. It may be better for me to eliminate that allure and mystery of the game to keep me from coming back, since there is just SO MUCH to explore. Endgame is more about the feeling of achievement through long-term commitment through massive timesinks, and I surely don't need a game for that (too much like real life for me).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 08, 2014, 05:41:49 AM
Oh, boy... I've done something naughty.

Due to my lack of time and desire to continue the game, I've gone to my last resort... buying gil (in-game money for those who don't know). I hate to support RMT companies, but the rate was pretty good and I have a ton of money in the bank, just no time. $20 for 5 million gil is pretty good. That saves (at this point in time for me) probably 30+ hours (at least) of time I don't have, and did buy from the most trusted RMT source out there. Eventually, I'll find a way to make gil easier, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on July 08, 2014, 10:00:55 AM
Played through Valiant Hearts: The Great War this weekend. Really good story and engaging play mechanics. Looks and sounds good too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 08, 2014, 06:23:43 PM
I haven't played a video game in such a long time. I suppose I simply don't need them anymore. If a new Legend Of Zelda comes out that was as remarkable as Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess, then it's possible my enthusiasm for video games may return, but I'm not going to hold my breath for this to happen. The Wii U has been a colossal failure or so it seems.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 06:04:31 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 08, 2014, 06:23:43 PM
I haven't played a video game in such a long time. I suppose I simply don't need them anymore. If a new Legend Of Zelda comes out that was as remarkable as Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess, then it's possible my enthusiasm for video games may return, but I'm not going to hold my breath for this to happen. The Wii U has been a colossal failure or so it seems.

I feel the same.  I didn't have time to play games from February through May because I was so busy.  So when summer came around, I should have been enthusiastic.  I'm not.  I play a bit of a game, get bored and move on.

I also wonder about the new Zelda game.  But for me, Bioware is the company that got me into gaming.  It's all on Dragon Age 3.  Either it will renew my flagging interest, or it will cause me to give up on gaming altogether.

I was going to buy an Xbox One when I finished my ps3 backlog, but no.  What a boring console.  I'm going to simply sell my ps3, and have only two consoles instead of three.  If the Wii U doesn't pick up the pace soon, I'll sell that too.  And then there will be only one-- the ps4.

Anyway as for gaming, I've only really liked one game that I've played this summer-- Super Mario 2 on the 3ds.  Alot of people have crapped on that game and praised Super Mario 3d Land.  But I'm opposite, I like the elegance and polish of the 2d sidescroller.  And it's not as short as land is, and doesn't suffer from that awful choice to lock levels until you collect enough stars.  Don't make a short game long by forcing the player to replay and replay.  Make a longer game!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 06:45:19 AM
Quote from: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 06:04:31 AM
I feel the same.  I didn't have time to play games from February through May because I was so busy.  So when summer came around, I should have been enthusiastic.  I'm not.  I play a bit of a game, get bored and move on.

I also wonder about the new Zelda game.  But for me, Bioware is the company that got me into gaming.  It's all on Dragon Age 3.  Either it will renew my flagging interest, or it will cause me to give up on gaming altogether.

I was going to buy an Xbox One when I finished my ps3 backlog, but no.  What a boring console.  I'm going to simply sell my ps3, and have only two consoles instead of three.  If the Wii U doesn't pick up the pace soon, I'll sell that too.  And then there will be only one-- the ps4.

Anyway as for gaming, I've only really liked one game that I've played this summer-- Super Mario 2 on the 3ds.  Alot of people have crapped on that game and praised Super Mario 3d Land.  But I'm opposite, I like the elegance and polish of the 2d sidescroller.  And it's not as short as land is, and doesn't suffer from that awful choice to lock levels until you collect enough stars.  Don't make a short game long by forcing the player to replay and replay.  Make a longer game!

I hear you, Dave. I suppose that 'child' within me that loved video games has simply died. Like you, I get quickly bored with games these days. This, however, isn't to say I don't love playing some classics like Donkey Kong Country or even Super Metroid once in awhile, but, overall, there have been hardly any newer generation games that I've gotten excited about. The last game that I played and fell absolutely in love with was Shadow of the Colossus on PS2, but that's been quite some time back. I just think I'm at that stage now where video games have no relevance or importance in my life anymore. It's sad for me to say this, but it's the truth.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 09, 2014, 08:41:56 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 06:45:19 AM
I suppose that 'child' within me that loved video games has simply died.
That sounds too sad. Could also just be a phase. I went from about 2008-2012 only playing one game a year, and right now (though I do find some games quite interesting) I'm not excessively compelled to play anything other than FF11. Many new games still don't appear interesting to me.

VR may change a lot, though, long-term.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 10:54:04 AM
Quote from: Greg on July 09, 2014, 08:41:56 AM
Could also just be a phase.

Yeah that phase is called the Wii U lifetime. :D

As for you Greg, you're tapering off of gaming is consistent with the tapering off of the jrpg.  Ditto MI and Nintendo games.  Maybe you guys didn't change, just your favorite genres are being marginalized.

Come to think of it that could be true for me too.  My favorite genre is the western rpg.  There was a perfect storm of two Bioware games and the great Skyrim all within a few months.  After that both companies were done, and it takes years to develop new games.  So I haven't been able to play what I like the most in a couple of years (except of course by replaying the older games).

This is a bad year for gaming.  Most of the big releases for the ps4 and xbox1 are for 2015 because the studios have to put in extra time making their games work and work well on those next gen consoles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 09, 2014, 12:12:24 PM
Quote from: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 10:54:04 AM
As for you Greg, you're tapering off of gaming is consistent with the tapering off of the jrpg.  Ditto MI and Nintendo games.  Maybe you guys didn't change, just your favorite genres are being marginalized.

Come to think of it that could be true for me too.  My favorite genre is the western rpg.  There was a perfect storm of two Bioware games and the great Skyrim all within a few months.  After that both companies were done, and it takes years to develop new games.  So I haven't been able to play what I like the most in a couple of years (except of course by replaying the older games).
This may be entirely true and was at the back of the mind but not quite articulated yet...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 05:31:26 PM
Quote from: Greg on July 09, 2014, 08:41:56 AM
That sounds too sad. Could also just be a phase. I went from about 2008-2012 only playing one game a year, and right now (though I do find some games quite interesting) I'm not excessively compelled to play anything other than FF11. Many new games still don't appear interesting to me.

VR may change a lot, though, long-term.

No need to worry. The joy I get from ripping the plastic from a newer acquired CD really gets me excited and that new smell from the booklet is like one of the finest perfumes I know. One whiff and I'm a child all over again.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 09, 2014, 06:33:14 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 05:31:26 PM
No need to worry. The joy I get from ripping the plastic from a newer acquired CD really gets me excited and that new smell from the booklet is like one of the finest perfumes I know. One whiff and I'm a child all over again.
;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 21, 2014, 07:12:39 AM
I've been playing Infamous 2.  Like the first game it's pretty fun.  Has the same uninspired design of the first game too though.  As you progress through the game introducing enemies that take different tactics to defeat would be interesting.  But too often the designer instead just throws more and more baddies at you instead.  More baddies does not equal more fun, it equals irritating.  Could you imagine if the approach to Mario was to keep repeating the same level but with more and more goombas?

Which brings me to another point, for every large open world filled with locales to discover, there is some shitty small town open world which ends up being smaller than a more traditional game.  This game is the latter.  I just don't see the point of having a city to explore if (a) the city is small, and (b) you can't go into any buildings.

Sadly enough this is the best gaming experience I've had all summer.  Also I have less than two weeks left of summer break.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 25, 2014, 07:16:17 PM
I just ordered the Oculus Rift DK2. New shipments start in September.

It was $350 + $22 shipping, but considering how much money I have right now, it's a better deal spending it rather than waiting. I hear so much good stuff about the DK2 that I'm wondering what in the world is left for improvements. I mean, it'll be at least 6 months to a year before the commercial release is available, and I check for news about it every single day, so I figured why not just buy one?

Might consider even playing Skyrim on it...  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on July 25, 2014, 08:27:31 PM
Quote from: Greg on July 25, 2014, 07:16:17 PM
I just ordered the Oculus Rift DK2. New shipments start in September.

It was $350 + $22 shipping, but considering how much money I have right now, it's a better deal spending it rather than waiting. I hear so much good stuff about the DK2 that I'm wondering what in the world is left for improvements. I mean, it'll be at least 6 months to a year before the commercial release is available, and I check for news about it every single day, so I figured why not just buy one?

Might consider even playing Skyrim on it...  8)

Please report back!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 26, 2014, 04:40:42 AM
Quote from: stingo on July 25, 2014, 08:27:31 PM
Please report back!
Will do. Waiting over a month for it to arrive is going to be excruciating, though.  :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on August 01, 2014, 02:12:39 AM
I like dragon age origins more. Sten is extremely funny character in his deadpan comments. The real gem is when player finds The Urn of Sacred Ashes. Pretty much all other party members are admiring in their comments about it but Sten says: "Congratulations, you've found a waste bin." At first the part where Loghain betrays Cailan made me think "Oh great, once again the same old eeevvviiiill traitor type" but thankfully the game reveals that he is not nearly as one-dimensionally evil as he first seems. Loghain actually is one of my favorite characters in the game full of wonderful ones although probably no-one beats Sten. He is just hilarious despite being perfectly serious most of the time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 01, 2014, 06:44:11 AM
I've been playing Silent Hill 2.  I had to get over how awful the hd remaster is, and also how clunky the controls are and the camera.  But I have actually forgiven those aspects of the game, and what remains is awesome. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 01, 2014, 10:07:52 AM
Speaking of RPGs, Divinity: Original Sin turned out pretty great. I love the way battles incorporate the environment - striking a puddle of water with lightning magic stuns anybody standing in it, casting a chill spell in the rain freezes the wet enemy, etc.

Also, most quests can be solved by different means and the fact that you can control your characters separately makes for interesting situations (e.g. chatting up a guard with one character, picking a lock with the other).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 01, 2014, 11:37:35 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on August 01, 2014, 10:07:52 AM
Speaking of RPGs, Divinity: Original Sin turned out pretty great. I love the way battles incorporate the environment - striking a puddle of water with lightning magic stuns anybody standing in it, casting a chill spell in the rain freezes the wet enemy, etc.

Also, most quests can be solved by different means and the fact that you can control your characters separately makes for interesting situations (e.g. chatting up a guard with one character, picking a lock with the other).

I've heard really good things about it - and will get it once I get my new PC.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 08, 2014, 06:09:52 AM
A question for anyone who might know.
When MMO's are about to be discontinued, is there usually a notice in advance? (like a year, maybe?)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 08, 2014, 08:54:46 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 08, 2014, 06:09:52 AM
A question for anyone who might know.
When MMO's are about to be discontinued, is there usually a notice in advance? (like a year, maybe?)

Yes - the community would pitch a fit if they didn't. My only experience with that was when EA shut down Earth and Beyond. They gave ample notice they were going to do it.

Thread duty: new PC, old games running better - Diablo III.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 08, 2014, 09:46:32 AM
Quote from: stingo on August 08, 2014, 08:54:46 AM
Yes - the community would pitch a fit if they didn't. My only experience with that was when EA shut down Earth and Beyond. They gave ample notice they were going to do it.
Good to hear, and makes sense. Looked it up and saw that it was a 6-month notice.

Possibly a good comparison to make for FF11 would be EQ. EQ came out 3 years earlier than FF11 and is still active. As long as that game is still going, IMO that's a good sign for FF11. And SE said that they'll continue with the game as long as it makes money (actually, they have been making updates every month recently!).

(Going to try to take a break from FF11 at least for the rest of the year... looks like they should be finishing the storyline of the most recent expansion before too long)... would love to follow the game for many years to come.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 09, 2014, 06:17:37 AM
Since you're asking about FF XI, have you tried FF XIV? I remember XI being very console-y but XIV isn't. XIV's job system is great (in my opinion) because your character can be anything, and tradeskills are treated as real jobs in that they have their separate abilities etc. As you level in jobs you can use some of the powers from other jobs in your current one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2014, 07:09:46 AM
Quote from: stingo on August 09, 2014, 06:17:37 AM
Since you're asking about FF XI, have you tried FF XIV? I remember XI being very console-y but XIV isn't. XIV's job system is great (in my opinion) because your character can be anything, and tradeskills are treated as real jobs in that they have their separate abilities etc. As you level in jobs you can use some of the powers from other jobs in your current one.
I'm glad you asked. I noticed that you mentioned you were playing it but I guess you missed when I was posting about it.

My character:
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/7023811/


I played through the main storyline and that was it (will come back one day, of course). I have mixed opinions about the game, though I do like it overall.

What I liked about the game was the crafting, graphics, ease of transportation as well as many other things such as class changing, and balanced leveling system. There is no competition between crafting in FF11 vs. FF14: FF14 is clearly more fun and interesting.

What I didn't like was amount that the game streamlined things. I didn't care for the whole approach being point-and-click rather than keyboard and the job system felt more constrained despite the ability to add four optional cross-class abilities. The subjob system in FF11 just feels much richer to me. Maybe I didn't get into 14 enough to accurately judge the possibilities of the system. Also, since parties are pre-defined in dungeons, there's little room for custom or experimental strategies. And I hate being so pressured to not be able to go afk for 5 minutes because a dungeon is timed. And the main storyline was mainly just taking care of errands for people, though it does get good near the end.

I do prefer FF11 and that's why I went back to it for a while and am just now starting to quit again. I'm curious how FF14 will evolve. Right now, it's a somewhat small world and for me, the bigger the world, the better. They'll probably start up some good storylines when they start releasing expansions. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2014, 08:15:15 AM
Having said that, I'm toying with the idea of making a return to FF14 during my fall semester which starts next Monday. The reason is that I doubt I'll get more than an hour of free time each day, and you simply cannot progress in FF11 with that little bit of free time each day, whereas you can in FF14. I would probably daily roulette my rng/brd to 50 and try out the patches which I haven't done yet. Not sure how a lot of the endgame stuff works, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2014, 07:45:01 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 09, 2014, 08:15:15 AM
Having said that, I'm toying with the idea of making a return to FF14 during my fall semester which starts next Monday. The reason is that I doubt I'll get more than an hour of free time each day, and you simply cannot progress in FF11 with that little bit of free time each day, whereas you can in FF14. I would probably daily roulette my rng/brd to 50 and try out the patches which I haven't done yet. Not sure how a lot of the endgame stuff works, though.
Thought about this all day, and...
when I do return, might play White Mage instead, and will probably play Skyrim first, until I get bored with it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 10, 2014, 06:50:10 AM
I finished Silent Hill 2 yesterday.  It is now my favorite game, replacing Knights of the Old Republic.  This is the only time that I can say yes, this video game has a good story and not add (for a video game).  It has a great story, great atmosphere, excellent pacing, a good blend of combat, puzzle solving, exploration and narrative.  The endings are organically developed and depend on how you play the game instead of a decision at the end or a stupid karma meter (Bioware could have learned from that, just saying Mass Effect 3 I'm looking at you).  My only complaints are that the camera is terrible, and the HD remaster is not the best.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 10, 2014, 10:30:47 PM
Silent Hill 2 is awesome. Exactly how a horror game should be. The atmosphere is my favorite aspect of the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on August 11, 2014, 06:07:00 AM
I still think the first one is best, even if only for Kaufmann and the "Darkness devouring the town? Must be on drugs"-line and the best ufo ending. I have heard some people mock James in second game, mainly for moments like him putting his hand in toilet without hesitating for a moment.

Not to say Harry Mason didn't have his dumb moments. Whose first thought when seeing aliens would be to ask them if they have seen his daughter?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2014, 01:09:19 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 10, 2014, 06:50:10 AM
I finished Silent Hill 2 yesterday.  It is now my favorite game, replacing Knights of the Old Republic.  This is the only time that I can say yes, this video game has a good story and not add (for a video game).  It has a great story, great atmosphere, excellent pacing, a good blend of combat, puzzle solving, exploration and narrative.  The endings are organically developed and depend on how you play the game instead of a decision at the end or a stupid karma meter (Bioware could have learned from that, just saying Mass Effect 3 I'm looking at you).  My only complaints are that the camera is terrible, and the HD remaster is not the best.

Here's how far behind I am: my favorite game is still Donkey Kong Country. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 15, 2014, 11:03:43 AM
Finished Diablo III yesterday as the witch doctor. I think I may have really lucked out on my loot drops, because I felt it necessary to upgrade from Normal to Hard difficulty. I still need to play/finish the expansion (Reaper of Souls) before I can consider it truly finished.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on August 15, 2014, 11:14:11 AM
2048
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kishnevi on August 15, 2014, 12:56:38 PM
Especially for Greg
http://www.geekinheels.com/2012/08/17/video-game-characters-reinvented-as-traditional-japanese-woodblock-prints.html
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2014, 01:12:38 PM
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on August 15, 2014, 12:56:38 PM
Especially for Greg
http://www.geekinheels.com/2012/08/17/video-game-characters-reinvented-as-traditional-japanese-woodblock-prints.html
Pretty cool.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 15, 2014, 03:44:05 PM
I'm really enjoying "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag."

In addition to the traditional AssCreed segments, Ubisoft added a substantial sea piracy simulator element. I don't believe a big boating/piracy game like this has existed since the 2004 game "Sid Meirs' Pirates!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcU-zrI2Rg8





Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 16, 2014, 06:57:39 AM
Quote from: -abe- on August 15, 2014, 03:44:05 PM
I'm really enjoying "Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag."

In addition to the traditional AssCreed segments, Ubisoft added a substantial sea piracy simulator element. I don't believe a big boating/piracy game like this has existed since the 2004 game "Sid Meirs' Pirates!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcU-zrI2Rg8

I like it too, I played it several months ago.  It is the only time that I liked an AC game.  What stops me from loving it is:

* stealth is too simplistic, for a game with assassin in the title this is unforgivable.
* fighting is more tedious than fun, it lacks that rhythm that games like Arkham City have.
* side quests lack any type of narrative, I don't like it when a game tries to be open world by simply putting in fetch quests.  It lacks depth.
* need to ditch the future guy stuff, who cares?

If they could fix those problems they could make something on par with an Elder Scrolls game which would be awesome.  Maybe if they didn't release 1-2 games every year, they could make something amazing instead of merely good.  But yeah don't get me wrong, I liked it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 17, 2014, 10:11:17 AM
Finished Diablo III campaign (Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion) as the Witch Doctor. Really good game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 25, 2014, 08:10:47 PM
Quote from: stingo on August 17, 2014, 10:11:17 AM
Finished Diablo III campaign (Diablo III and the Reaper of Souls expansion) as the Witch Doctor. Really good game.


And of course that's the sort of game some addicts continue to play well past the point of just beating the campaign -- Diablo 2 servers are still running. Grinding for great loot and maximizing their character as much as possible compels some people to play these sort of games for years on end. I sort of get the appeal. Couple of months ago I went to a PC cafe in Virginia, and there was a korean dude on the computer to right of me who was dozing off. Some guy there told me this dude would come in to the PC cafe, pay $30, and stay at the place for 24 hours straight, doing nothing but playing Diablo 3 and dozing off when he needed to. Blizzard games tend to bring that out in some people. When this guy came out of his nap I asked him politely to take a look at my Demon Hunter and tell me how I could make the character better, and he switched a few things around and gave me a great build that almost tripled my damage output.  Speaking of Diablo 3, a greatly anticipated patch (2.1) comes out Tuesday.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 25, 2014, 08:55:44 PM
Quote from: -abe- on August 25, 2014, 08:10:47 PM
And of course that's the sort of game some addicts continue to play well past the point of just beating the campaign -- Diablo 2 servers are still running. Grinding for great loot and maximizing their character as much as possible compels some people to play these sort of games for years on end.
This is precisely what I learned about MMORPG's after playing my first two. For one, in these games, you're never "there" forever. You always have to play catch-up with whatever updates that are implemented.

You ever read this article?
http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html


I had to quit FF11 and decided to not get back into MMORPG's for a long time. The addictive qualities I noted:

1) You can feel a sense of achievement every day.
2) The world felt like a secondary home, or perhaps a home you wish were your primary home.
3) The ridiculous amount of time spent accomplishing stuff makes you think, "well, I've invested this much time, why not invest more?"
4) The ridiculous amount of things you learn make you feel like you are fluent in an advanced skill, so it's fun to keep perfecting this skill.

#1 is possibly the most important factor, and it is noted in the cracked article. The problem with real life is that you typically can't get anywhere just by working hard. Maybe some people can, but those people aren't going to be addicted to MMORPG's. Working more hours at my job won't really achieve any goal and school predetermines when I finish. Neither are particularly enjoyable, as well. An MMORPG that is enjoyable and gives you the ability to get "there" as quick as you can spend the time to get there is a recipe for addiction.

It's almost horrifying to realize the feeling of subconscious fulfillment when playing FF11 vs. not playing FF11. The feeling of achievement is what keeps me from feeling empty inside, and FF11 sure helped, basically every day I was able to play it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on August 26, 2014, 04:11:29 AM
Quote from: -abe- on August 25, 2014, 08:10:47 PM

And of course that's the sort of game some addicts continue to play well past the point of just beating the campaign -- Diablo 2 servers are still running. Grinding for great loot and maximizing their character as much as possible compels some people to play these sort of games for years on end. I sort of get the appeal. Couple of months ago I went to a PC cafe in Virginia, and there was a korean dude on the computer to right of me who was dozing off. Some guy there told me this dude would come in to the PC cafe, pay $30, and stay at the place for 24 hours straight, doing nothing but playing Diablo 3 and dozing off when he needed to. Blizzard games tend to bring that out in some people. When this guy came out of his nap I asked him politely to take a look at my Demon Hunter and tell me how I could make the character better, and he switched a few things around and gave me a great build that almost tripled my damage output.  Speaking of Diablo 3, a greatly anticipated patch (2.1) comes out Tuesday.

It's not just loot drops, you can also modify existing enchantments which adds a whole other level to the proceedings. While I can appreciate such mastery of a game, that comes at an awfully high cost in life.

Thread Duty: Completed the Easy mode of Fist of Awesome last night, and I've recently completed the first three or so missions of Majesty 2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 12, 2014, 11:47:39 AM
Playing Half-life 2 episode two. Along with the original Half life and it's add-ons this is probably my favorite. Although I am driven crazy by that one achievement, killing all 333 antlion grubs, I managed to get only 325. So frustrating. And it's a great game, one of the greatest shooters ever made, even though original is still even better. I think the reason they haven't continued Half life in 7 years is because they don't know in which direction to take this franchise.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 12, 2014, 11:53:31 AM
Quote from: Alberich on September 12, 2014, 11:47:39 AM
I think the reason they haven't continued Half life in 7 years is because they don't know in which direction to take this franchise.
That might indeed be the underlying reason. I mean, where do really go from there? Of course, you could explore stuff that is left unexplained in Half Life 2, but the appeal about the game is precisely that it doesn't explain everything, so it feels that much more mysterious.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 13, 2014, 07:59:32 AM
After having to replay entire mine sequence to get that one achievement I am getting a bit of sick of it. Maybe I enjoy it more now that I got outside, it's some time since I last played this. More variety and all that. So I think the original Half life (and even the add-ons by gearbox) is by far the best. They just have that unique kind of atmosphere. Even if it is a bit corny at times (many quotes from Black Mesa Scientists come in mind) that's one of the main reasons I love it. Newer Half-life games while still provide excellent action and adventure do not quite reach the atmosphere of the first games. Ah, I dunno. Maybe episode 3 (0r Half life 3), if it ever arrives, brings the kick I need. I guess I shouldn't have replayed the beginning of this episode, I did get even a bit frustrated when playing original I had to start the game from the beginning twice after some game-breaking glitches after having already played several several hours of it.

I really hope Gman is not an alien...

Am I starting to lose interest in video games? I hope not.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 25, 2014, 04:12:27 PM
Quote from: Alberich on September 12, 2014, 11:47:39 AM
Playing Half-life 2 episode two. Along with the original Half life and it's add-ons this is probably my favorite. Although I am driven crazy by that one achievement, killing all 333 antlion grubs, I managed to get only 325. So frustrating. And it's a great game, one of the greatest shooters ever made, even though original is still even better. I think the reason they haven't continued Half life in 7 years is because they don't know in which direction to take this franchise.

I completed Half-Life 2 (and its mini sequels in 2011), almost 7 years after the game's release and quite enjoyed it and appreciated many of its aspects but, by 2011, it was certainly a series that showed its age.

What I suspect is that there's a special attachment that many people who first played the game back in 2004 (people of a certain age, many of them teenagers or in their early 20s) have to the game, but in 2014 the Source engine is outdated, and Valve would have to do serious work to create a fully modern sequel and they have their hands full with being the most successful digital games store.  ;D

Maybe Valve realizes that there's no way a sequel can live up to the myth that's been built around Half-Life 2?  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Artem on September 28, 2014, 11:02:09 AM
I'm also playing Half Life 2 for the first time. I'm on the second part of it. I was a big fan of the original Half Life when it came out long time ago and maybe I'm getting old for computer games in general, but I'm loosing the excitement of playing HL2 the more I'm playing it. There are two many scenes where you have to wait for a conversation to end just to get out of another door.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 14, 2014, 09:17:11 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BKEp6nSvL._SX522_.jpg)

Just finished FF13-2 and now just started Lightning Returns.

I liked this a bit better than FF13. More freedom!  :D
Having to choose a monster as a third character was really cool. I liked how the villain in this game actually had some good reasons for turning the world into oblivion, rather than just being evil. The best part of the storyline was somewhat near the end, before the final dungeon. Especially the part where you are controlling Serah and in a dreamworld version of the opening village. Now that is a real Final Fantasy moment- something the series has strayed away from and needs to go back to. Poor Serah and Yeul...

Lightning Returns has gotten very mixed reviews, on par with FF13 (while FF13-2 seems to have gotten the best reviews of the trilogy), so not sure what to expect.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 14, 2014, 03:20:33 PM
Quote from: Artem on September 28, 2014, 11:02:09 AM
I'm also playing Half Life 2 for the first time. I'm on the second part of it. I was a big fan of the original Half Life when it came out long time ago and maybe I'm getting old for computer games in general, but I'm loosing the excitement of playing HL2 the more I'm playing it. There are two many scenes where you have to wait for a conversation to end just to get out of another door.

That is a definite fault of the game.

I think the original (and its expansions) are simply better games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 14, 2014, 03:41:54 PM
There's a huge controversy going on right now in the gaming world, called "GamerGate."

Basically, there are two issues:

1. Some popular gaming websites (Polygon, Kotaku, etc) have come to be seen as favoring political ideology (of a feminist, leftist sort) over pure gaming content.
2. Some journalists affiliated with these websites have relationships and connections with indie game developers, and this is seen as potentially coloring their coverage of many games.

As an illustration of the second point, consider the game "Gone Home."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gone_Home

I haven't played it but this is a typical reaction to it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMjXnBWBuQ

There's suspicion that a lot of these young game reviewers (on certain sites) are too chummy with the people they're supposed to be covering. Worst still, when these accusations were first raised, a lot of these critics decided to fight back by declaring "Gamers are Dead."

http://gamergate.giz.moe/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/1409546711940__large.jpg





Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 14, 2014, 05:48:46 PM
Lol, this stuff is exploding.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 14, 2014, 07:25:11 PM
Quote from: -abe- on October 14, 2014, 05:48:46 PM
Lol, this stuff is exploding.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/10/14/the-only-guide-to-gamergate-you-will-ever-need-to-read/
That's funny, I was just reading a new story about some threats made against her, except no one actually believes them because in the past she has made up stuff.

Isn't she like some sort of feminist that is attacking how video games portray women or something? Which is hilarious, as I go finish up the FF13 trilogy, each game starring a woman hero (Lightning then Serah then Lightning again) or think about the several games in the past I've played featuring female protagonists. I mean, sure, female protagonists aren't quite as common, but male villains are also more common than female villains, and does anyone care?

But meh, I could be misremembering the case- glanced over something about this a while ago. Is this something she actually complains about?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 14, 2014, 09:18:11 PM
What you have is some people of a cultural marxist bent poking millions of video game consumers with accusations of sexism and misogyny. The gamers get irate at these accusations, and a few of them make threats through Twitter that are then used to paint the entire male video game community negatively by those making the "sexism and misogyny" accusations in the first place.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 15, 2014, 05:50:25 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 14, 2014, 07:25:11 PMThat's funny, I was just reading a new story about some threats made against her, except no one actually believes them because in the past she has made up stuff.

She didn't make anything up. And the authorities take these threats pretty seriously. Especially after Elliot Rodger.

Quote from: Greg on October 14, 2014, 07:25:11 PMIsn't she like some sort of feminist that is attacking how video games portray women or something? Which is hilarious, as I go finish up the FF13 trilogy, each game starring a woman hero (Lightning then Serah then Lightning again) or think about the several games in the past I've played featuring female protagonists. I mean, sure, female protagonists aren't quite as common, but male villains are also more common than female villains, and does anyone care?

She's doing a feminist critique of the tropes used in videogames, not an 'attack'. And yes, people do care, because it's an important topic, tied into the overall sexism that's pretty prevalent in the gaming industry, as indicated by campaigns like 1reasonwhy (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/11/29/1reasonwhy-we-are-all-responsible/).

Quote from: -abe- on October 14, 2014, 09:18:11 PMWhat you have is some people of a cultural marxist bent poking millions of video game consumers with accusations of sexism and misogyny.

What you have is a bunch of a-holes, trolls and cynics trying to preserve the boys' club of videogames at all costs.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 15, 2014, 07:16:25 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 15, 2014, 05:50:25 PM
She's doing a feminist critique of the tropes used in videogames, not an 'attack'. And yes, people do care, because it's an important topic, tied into the overall sexism that's pretty prevalent in the gaming industry, as indicated by campaigns like 1reasonwhy (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/11/29/1reasonwhy-we-are-all-responsible/).

What you have is a bunch of a-holes, trolls and cynics trying to preserve the boys' club of videogames at all costs.
When people critique IT and such for being a "boy's club," I think they are losing some perspective.

If I had to guess, the main reason why there are far more men in IT and video game development is the extreme number of hours a week that people have to put in for some IT-related jobs (I knew a guy that was working over 100 hours a week). The game industry is absolutely absurd, and that's why I chose not to get into it. 90+ hours a week- not thanks. Nowadays, it's still more often moms that stay at home when couples have kids, so I can imagine this being a strong turnoff for any female who is even considering taking time off from work to be with kids. Thus, males who have historically been expected to work whatever number of hours a week is necessary to provide for their family are more likely to be open to a 70+ hour a week schedule. I'm not saying that I support this, but this is just a common aspect of society. It would be more ideal to have the same number of stay at home dads as moms. So what solution is there other than the government mandating a legal limit for of hours worked? I could just imagine how that'd go over with businesses and small government advocates, not to mention the economic impact, etc.

Anyways, when you are in a territory filled with a different demographic, you should expect there to be some people that'll say stupid stuff. It doesn't say anything about the whole group. The one girl that was in our programming class a few years ago was treated with respect just like anyone else, though there was this one guy who say highly inappropriate stuff to her, but he just said highly inappropriate stuff in general. I remember once being in JoAnn fabric and had to get some fabric cut, and this lady said that I didn't look like I come in there often so it's not my field of expertise- obviously because I'm a guy and you only ever see old ladies in that store. Instead of going on some internet rant about how women don't want me in their fabric stores, I just rolled my eyes.


Quote from: Rinaldo on October 15, 2014, 05:50:25 PM
What you have is a bunch of a-holes, trolls and cynics trying to preserve the boys' club of videogames at all costs.
I'm highly skeptical of any large numbers of guys wanting to do that. Most straight guys are going to want more females to be in the workplace. The IT field is a "sausage fest," which is very much undesirable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 15, 2014, 11:49:09 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 15, 2014, 05:50:25 PM
What you have is a bunch of a-holes, trolls and cynics trying to preserve the boys' club of videogames at all costs.

A history of women and videogames:

http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/The+road+to+gamergate_513c7b_5308230.png


:P


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 04:20:05 AM
Quote from: Greg on October 15, 2014, 07:16:25 PMIf I had to guess, the main reason why there are far more men in IT and video game development is the extreme number of hours a week that people have to put in for some IT-related jobs (I knew a guy that was working over 100 hours a week).

I'd say the main reason is simple history. Less than 100 years ago, there were still universities where women couldn't get a technical degree.

Quote from: -abe- on October 15, 2014, 11:49:09 PM
A history of women and videogames:

Fixed: No Girls Allowed (http://www.polygon.com/features/2013/12/2/5143856/no-girls-allowed)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 05:45:12 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 04:20:05 AM
I'd say the main reason is simple history. Less than 100 years ago, there were still universities where women couldn't get a technical degree.
Okay, but nothing is stopping them now from getting a technical degree. There were plenty of girls at the technical school I went to. Well, they were all in cosmetology. Cosmetology was basically 90% female, 10% gay dudes. Auto mechanics and welding were 100% male. Our programming class was 90% male, 10 % female. Graphic design and accounting were the only somewhat balanced classes, gender-wise.

They're just choosing what girls are more often interested in- makeup and hair, etc. rather than fixing cars or working on computers. And in that field, it's more family friendly than most IT work, so if you do decide to have kids one day (or already have them) it's easier to see them more.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 07:01:45 AM
Lol, speaking of that lady, I saw something a friend posted on fb...  ;D

https://www.facebook.com/wtfmagazine/photos/a.158496730837565.31194.150601421627096/889697334384164/?type=1&theater
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 11:43:59 AM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 05:45:12 AM
They're just choosing what girls are more often interested in- makeup and hair, etc. rather than fixing cars or working on computers.

Because. Of. All. The. Centuries. Of. Women. Being. Denied. Getting. Knowledge. And. Degrees. Not. Only. In. Technical. Fields.

It's social inertia, it's slowly eroding but there's still many stereotypes and glass ceilings left.

We're in a games thread, so let's consider this example, which was part of a study about the way games are marketed: a group of teenage girls was asked about their interest in a game from the Battlefield series. There was none. But then they got the chance to play it and LOVED it. Women are people, you know? And people have different tastes and interests, which are massively shaped by the society they live in.

Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 07:01:45 AM
Lol, speaking of that lady, I saw something a friend posted on fb...  ;D

Well, if you find missing the point of feminists like Anita Sarkeesian funny..
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 12:13:41 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 11:43:59 AM
Because. Of. All. The. Centuries. Of. Women. Being. Denied. Getting. Knowledge. And. Degrees. Not. Only. In. Technical. Fields.

It's social inertia, it's slowly eroding but there's still many stereotypes and glass ceilings left.
And that's what's preventing them from taking cosmetology in school? Wait...

Of course, oppression is the simple answer. It can't be that they aren't interested in the subject. Just can't be. But who am I to discuss oppression, since I am a white male with special privileges who gets everything handed to him and oppresses people not in his demographic.

If the average person were asked how many males vs. females they know that have built a computer in their free time or worked on a car recently just for fun, would you really expect an even number? And if not, is it because of white males suppressing them?



Quote from: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 11:43:59 AM
We're in a games thread, so let's consider this example, which was part of a study about the way games are marketed: a group of teenage girls was asked about their interest in a game from the Battlefield series. There was none. But then they got the chance to play it and LOVED it. Women are people, you know? And people have different tastes and interests, which are massively shaped by the society they live in.
Of course there are plenty of girls who play games. I know a few and there's plenty on my server and linkshell in FF11.

But there's far more men developing the games, and a lot times they are making games for themselves, rather than their audience. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on October 16, 2014, 12:49:52 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 12:13:41 PMOf course there are plenty of girls who play games. I know a few and there's plenty on my server and linkshell in FF11.

But there's far more men developing the games, and a lot times they are making games for themselves, rather than their audience.
Just like in the good old days when there were obviously many women undergraduates, but they just weren't interested in professorships and such..
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 12:52:32 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 12:13:41 PMAnd if not, is it because of white males suppressing them?

It's beacuse we suppressed them for centuries. And in certain fields, the suppression continues more subtly through sexism.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 12:55:23 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 12:52:32 PM
It's beacuse we suppressed them for centuries. And in certain fields, the suppression continues more subtly through sexism.
Oh, okay. Girls are less interested in building computers for fun because of guys because of centuries of sexism. Okay, got it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on October 16, 2014, 01:00:25 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 12:55:23 PM
Oh, okay. Girls are less interested in building computers for fun because of guys because of centuries of sexism. Okay, got it.
Girls are only interested in what happens between the fist and the stove.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 01:06:19 PM
Quote from: North Star on October 16, 2014, 01:00:25 PM
Girls are only interested in what happens between the fist and the stove.
Not sure I get what fist and stove means...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kishnevi on October 16, 2014, 01:24:42 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 12:55:23 PM
Oh, okay. Girls are less interested in building computers for fun because of guys because of centuries of sexism. Okay, got it.
Most accurately, millenia of male dominance have resulted in both society and women themselves thinking cosmetology is more appropriate for girls that software development. 
Go back and read your comment...which I think is a very reasonable one....about how men are willing to work a zillion hours but women are not....and think how much of that is the result of cultural expectations:  that men are still thought of as the ones who bring in the money while women take care of the kids.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 01:54:22 PM
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on October 16, 2014, 01:24:42 PM
Most accurately, millenia of male dominance have resulted in both society and women themselves thinking cosmetology is more appropriate for girls that software development. 
Not sure how software, which is relatively new, fits into this, but I know that traditionally, since the early 20th century, it's been thought that the man's place is the garage and the woman's place is the kitchen. So that might explain the automechanics proportion.


Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on October 16, 2014, 01:24:42 PM
Go back and read your comment...which I think is a very reasonable one....about how men are willing to work a zillion hours but women are not....and think how much of that is the result of cultural expectations:  that men are still thought of as the ones who bring in the money while women take care of the kids.
Yep... but while it's great that women are encouraged to go to school and have careers, where's the encouragement for men to be stay at home dads? I certainly don't feel like this would be much of a possibility for me or many friends (although I do have one friend who fits this description, married to someone a bit older).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on October 16, 2014, 02:48:18 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 01:54:22 PMYep... but while it's great that women are encouraged to go to school and have careers, where's the encouragement for men to be stay at home dads? I certainly don't feel like this would be much of a possibility for me or many friends (although I do have one friend who fits this description, married to someone a bit older).

Perhaps the society isn't in dire need of any stay-at-home parents..
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 03:11:20 PM
Quote from: North Star on October 16, 2014, 02:48:18 PM
Perhaps the society isn't in dire need of any stay-at-home parents..
Maybe, but my point is that there is often a stigma against men staying home and playing the role that women usually do. Maybe it's a bit better in Scandanavian countries (I heard Sweden was the country to introduce paternal leave)? Some might not see a stay at home dad as a "real man" because he is not a "breadwinner." Maybe some men would rather work part-time and see their kids most of the time, but cultural perceptions affect both genders so that people might be more inclined to play traditional roles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: North Star on October 16, 2014, 03:20:07 PM
Sure, there's paternal leave in Finland too, although the parents can decide not to have it (there's 3 months of maternal leave, and the rest is divided by the parents). A big reason being that in many families the husband has a higher income. There are extremely few stay-at-home parents of either gender in Finland.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 05:43:16 PM
If we get back on topic...

I'm finally getting the Oculus Rift Tuesday!


Also, I made a file to track my Final Fantasy info in a neat little summary. I'm going to try to take it slowly now, though. Going to resubscribe to FF11, since I've realized how it's actually easy (and better, in a way, often) to study Japanese while playing a game. Also, I want to get back into it.

I guess this is one of those odd psychological problems, but... having the goal of progressing as much as possible in a game is the only thing that would consistently get me out of bed after 6-7 hours of sleep, so it's going to be odd trying to keep on doing that when I'm not going to view games as goals, but as just fun instead.  :P


QuoteFavorite to least favorite:
9, 7, 6, 8, 11, 10, 5, 14:ARR, 13-2, 12, 3 (DS), 13, 10-2, 1, 2

To play:
4 (The Complete Collection), 13: Lightning Returns

Finish final boss:
1, 3, 13

-Have played original FF4 up until final boss, did not beat
-11: Completed 3 nation storylines, ROTZ, COP, TOAU, WOTG (+San d'oria quest, but not Bastok or Windurst), Adoulin in progress
-14:ARR: Completed main storyline

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 16, 2014, 06:01:16 PM
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on October 16, 2014, 01:24:42 PM
Most accurately, millenia of male dominance have resulted in both society and women themselves thinking cosmetology is more appropriate for girls that software development. 
Go back and read your comment...which I think is a very reasonable one....about how men are willing to work a zillion hours but women are not....and think how much of that is the result of cultural expectations:  that men are still thought of as the ones who bring in the money while women take care of the kids.

Or maybe the sexes are innately different psychologically due to evolution and therefore have different average interests and goals. Historically, women, as the weaker sex, were always entitled to more care and protection than men, which meant that far more males than females throughout history have died in brutal warfare or in brutal physical labor. Everybody had it bad in the olden days.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 06:10:36 PM
Back on topic: Shadow of Mordor! As a fan of the books, I'm very critical of what's been done with the license since the first movie (which I enjoyed) came out. But this is friggin' AWESOME. Sorry for the lack of a better word but this game just oozes AWESOME while not being braindead stupid at the same time. You're playing as an undead ranger, possessed by an elven lord. It's a silly concept, it shouldn't work at all but somehow it does. And did I mention that it's AWESOME? Imagine Assassin's Creed making out with the recent Batman games and spawning a child that still manages to surprise you and has the most entertaining swordplay since Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. The sheer barrage of game mechanics might seem daunting at first but can be mastered soon. GOTY material, folks.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 16, 2014, 06:16:53 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 16, 2014, 01:54:22 PM
Yep... but while it's great that women are encouraged to go to school and have careers, where's the encouragement for men to be stay at home dads? I certainly don't feel like this would be much of a possibility for me or many friends (although I do have one friend who fits this description, married to someone a bit older).

The problem is that women's innate nature rules out the scenario where there's an equal number of male vs female stay at home parents. Seriously, look at it rationally. Many men would quite naturally opt out of the stress, competitiveness and drudgery of labor for staying home with their kids and doing the household chores if women were willing to accept that. Instead, men basically know that women won't accept that for two reasons:

--Inherent gender relationship dynamics that will make the woman get turned off by a stay at home dad and be more likely to find an assertive male boss or colleague as attractive.
--The simple fact that women strongly prefer that, if anyone gets to stay home, it should be them.

Also, women have a requirement that their potential life partners earn, at the very least, as much as them, but preferably more. So women's own mating choices will only rarely lead to a situation where the dude has to be the one who stays home.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on October 16, 2014, 06:28:17 PM
Quote from: Rinaldo on October 16, 2014, 06:10:36 PM
Back on topic: Shadow of Mordor! As a fan of the books, I'm very critical of what's been done with the license since the first movie (which I enjoyed) came out. But this is friggin' AWESOME. Sorry for the lack of a better word but this game just oozes AWESOME while not being braindead stupid at the same time. You're playing as an undead ranger, possessed by an elven lord. It's a silly concept, it shouldn't work at all but somehow it does. And did I mention that it's AWESOME? Imagine Assassin's Creed making out with the recent Batman games and spawning a child that still manages to surprise you and has the most entertaining swordplay since Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. The sheer barrage of game mechanics might seem daunting at first but can be mastered soon. GOTY material, folks.

It is awesome - I actually defeated Tugog the Guardian and posted about it on my Facebook page.

Could there be a separate gamergate thread?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 16, 2014, 06:37:40 PM
Quote from: -abe- on October 16, 2014, 06:16:53 PM
The problem is that women's innate nature rules out the scenario where there's an equal number of male vs female stay at home parents. Seriously, look at it rationally. Many men would quite naturally opt out of the stress, competitiveness and drudgery of labor for staying home with their kids and doing the household chores if women were willing to accept that. Instead, men basically know that women won't accept that for two reasons:

--Inherent gender relationship dynamics that will make the woman get turned off by a stay at home dad and be more likely to find an assertive male boss or colleague as attractive.
--The simple fact that women strongly prefer that, if anyone gets to stay home, it should be them.

Also, women have a requirement that their potential life partners earn, at the very least, as much as them, but preferably more. So women's own mating choices will only rarely lead to a situation where the dude has to be the one who stays home.
If I said anything about "innate nature," I'd be labeled misogynist...

Besides this:
Quote"--The simple fact that women strongly prefer that, if anyone gets to stay home, it should be them."
which I'm not so sure of (if so, it might be due to the difference in income to begin with), I've observed your points as being valid.

I know match.com might not be an ideal description of people in general, but there was that time when I looked at over 50 profiles of men and 50 of women and noticed that half of the women listed an income requirement while only 2 or 3 guys did. Most of the income requirements were at the same level or greater than the income they made.

Typically, women are attracted to men that are taller, stronger, and have more money than them. The way it's set up is that women are like the employer and men are the potential employees trying to get the job. Which gender asks out which? So, ultimately, it's the woman who decides who to date, and their preferences remain traditional, whether it's because of an "innate quality" or something cultural. Men are expected to "man up" if they wish to be desirable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Marc on October 20, 2014, 08:29:22 AM
Played EA Sports NHL 2004 .... for the first time since ages and ages, with 11 year old rosters :P, picked the Sabres (dunno why) as my team and beat the Islanders with 6-2 .... on the DIFFICULT (!) level!

And I was already happy that my old GamePad still worked.

When I was young(er) I really liked to play those (ice) hockey games, but EA stopped developing them for PC after NHL 2009. A great shame, it was always fun to visit the websites and forums where loads of upgrades, tools and add-ons could be downloaded.

Anyway, I had the series from 1999 up to 2009 and always liked 2004 the best, best combination of graphics and gameplay IMO. Of course it looks outdated and a bit clumsy now, but 10 years ago this was really .... good.

Here are some examples of an upgraded Finnish League version, but it's more fun playing than watching. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/v/FeK8pHJ_Kfg
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 20, 2014, 12:03:52 PM
I SO knew that, sooner or later, a game like this was coming:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV3PhvCf_Jg

(NSFW, extreme violence, etc)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 20, 2014, 06:46:09 PM
Quote from: -abe- on October 20, 2014, 12:03:52 PM
I SO knew that, sooner or later, a game like this was coming:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV3PhvCf_Jg

(NSFW, extreme violence, etc)
Lol. It mentioned a comparison to Postal (or maybe they meant Postal 2?), but look. I doubt in this "Hatred" game you'll be able to set a marching band on fire and then pee on their corpses.

So meh.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 22, 2014, 09:45:35 AM
Well, I got my Oculus Rift working for the last 2 hours. I still can't figure out how to get the "Direct HMD Access from Apps" mode working, though, which many games need to run. Only "Direct to Desktop" mode is working.

So... lol. Just describing it as "awesome" or "amazing" doesn't really do it justice. You literally feel like you are in another world. Most impressive is, for example, the object such as candles or trees that you walk up to in the Tuscany. They not only look like they're there, but they feel there. I want to to touch them... oh, and yeah. There are some other demos out there that make you want to touch stuff lol.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 22, 2014, 02:58:48 PM
Got my mom, dad, brother and friend to try it. One more friend to go that I'll let try it. All of them were freaking out when trying it. As my friend says, "You're really there." I hate to say it in a thread about video games, but just about every game feels trivial now. They're all just... visually flat.

The only major flaw about the DK2, visually, is the screen door effect is still there. There's hundreds of small, black dots- not a huge problem, but the only major thing from keeping it from becoming perfect. There are a few minor things, such as motion blur one game I played and sometimes you'll see incorrect coloring if you look out of your field of view (due to the stereoscopic effect), but it's really even that noticeable.

I can't stop riding these two rollercoasters- even though you're not actually there, you feel those drops!  ;D I'm going to see what it takes to create my own games for the Rift. If the process is smooth enough (heh, though what ever does go smoothly?) then I can't imagine I'll be playing much Final Fantasy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2014, 11:32:39 AM
Meh... guess I'm going to play Lightning Returns, since it is the last Final Fantasy game that I set out to play. Then I'll do the main stuff I wanted to do in 11. Then I'll mess around with programming for the Rift.

I was surprised how easy it was to compile and run the Rift demo... I literally just loaded the project into Visual Studio 2013, ran it, and it ran as I put on the Rift. Usually setting up things programming-wise is the biggest hassle imaginable for the smallest goal, but this worked without any problems at all. And this demo featured all the main features of the Rift- head tracking, 3D, etc. all just embedded in the code. So to make your own game you just gotta take that as the base and build off of it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2014, 08:08:08 PM
So... I think experiencing this:

https://www.youtube.com/v/XV9zrLqb328&noredirect=1

while setting it on mute and instead listening to this:

https://www.youtube.com/v/TQ4kKqYU14k&index=6&list=PL77A92F0DC1C49749

was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life.

It's really weird going right next to an anime character in 3D. The girls look like... dolls. In my opinion, they're gorgeous, though I could easily understand most people just getting weirded out by how they look. And I noticed that dots for the noses actually appear the same exact way in 3D with a frontal view. I thought it was just a shorthand, but nope.

I get all three Vocaloids to dance in unison, though. I don't know... there's just something incredible about these girls that look like dolls dancing to very deep, barbaric, strange and oddly rhythmic music. I'm totally going to show my friend this special combination.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 26, 2014, 06:47:06 AM
Continuing the extensive monologue...

Tried my first horror game in the Rift last night- Mental Torment. Walking down dark hallways with random serial killing looking things and such. I have no problem with stuff like that- somewhat interesting and fun. At the end, I drowned in a cage of blood. Okay, fine. But when the cage was dropped off in the middle of the ocean and there was a shark right outside the cage, and the cage opened, leaving me just waiting to be eaten by a shark... that's when I had to take it off. Being chased by chainsaw maniacs and such is fine, but being in the ocean or being covered in spiders or cockroaches are the only two things that are a no for me.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on October 26, 2014, 10:29:07 AM
Still on Shadow of Mordor - what a great game. Killed my first warchief last night.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 30, 2014, 08:34:48 AM
 :D


(http://i.imgur.com/oisibb7.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on October 30, 2014, 08:48:09 AM
Bought Red dead redemption yesterday. Saw my friend play it through years ago but never actually played it myself before. And when I saw the game played, I enjoyed it very much. It merely felt relatively short game compared to other rockstar games for ex. San andreas.

Also bought Oblivion because I lost my old one long time ago so I gave up.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jo498 on October 30, 2014, 09:46:42 AM
I basically play only one game: Civilization IV (Beyond the Sword version).
Most of the leaders one can play are male, but human history is to blame for that. The female leaders (out of about 50) are Hatshepsut of Egypt, Boudicca of Celtia, Isabella of Spain, Elizabeth I and Victoria of England and Catherine of Russia, they are all comparably good (each leader has two traits that influence the game and each nation/civilization has also some distinguishing features), Elizabeth is considered one of the best.

Before that I played the earlier versions of Civ IV, before that Civ II (I skipped III).

I have also some fondness for older or old-fashioned RPGs, but have not played any newer mainstream ones. (For fun and cheap indie games, I recommend the spiderweb RPGs). And they take even more time than CIV, so I usually stick to the latter (and also try to have gaming pauses of several months if I have more important stuff to do.)



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Artem on October 30, 2014, 09:58:02 AM
I bought Bioshock Infinite on steam sale. Played it a little and it looks interesting and so colorful that sometimes it is hard to bear. Also it heats up my macbook like nothing else and makes me worried about this laptop.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 30, 2014, 10:30:10 AM
Probably about halfway through Lightning Returns. Last Final Fantasy game I plan to play for a long time (other than endless 11).  :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 04, 2014, 09:08:00 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81r6G1HP7yL._SL1500_.jpg)

Okay, I'm done. Done with playing additional Final Fantasy games for quite a while. I have checked off all of the titles on my list of Final Fantasy games to play that I created last year.

I thought Lightning Returns was a decent, though not incredible, game. There are three main points to make about the game.

1) The whole game is basically a time trial. However, the timer is really not a problem at all if you use chronostasis enough, have a walkthrough, and remember to dash to your destinations.
2) The battle system is quite different from any other Final Fantasy. It's the most similar to real combat.
3) The storyline is weak. Also, Lightning just seems like a static character, which is possibly stemming from the fact that she is alone nearly the whole game.


So now... Just going to play FF11 and FF14. On Monday, FF11 is concluding the storyline of its latest expansion pack that came out March of last year, so getting through that now. Spring of next year, FF14 will release its first expansion pack, introducing the Dark Knight job and flying chocobos! So I'll be switching from 14 to 11 depending on the month.


As you'll notice... um, 5 games where I didn't technically beat the final boss, but oh well. One day.  :P (at least I got to the end with every game)


QuoteFinal Fantasy Log
=====================================================================================

Overview
*************************************************************************************

Played
------------------------------------------
1-14, 10-2, 13-2, 13: Lightning Returns (17 total)


Favorite to least favorite
------------------------------------------
9, 7, 6 (SNES), 8, 11, 10, 5 (SNES), 14:ARR, 4 (SNES), 13-2, 13: LR, 12, 3 (DS), 13, 10-2, 1 (NES), 2 (NES)


Got to end but did not finish final boss
------------------------------------------
1, 3, 4, 13, 13:LR


Favorites
------------------------------------------
storyline: 6, 7, 9
graphics: 13, 13-2
OST: 5
gameplay: 11
locations: 9
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 06, 2014, 02:59:37 PM
I just unsubscribed to FF11 (was only at it for 3 weeks  ??? ) and resubscribed to FF14. I'm on Goblin server.

I feel like I should actually be able to get somewhere with FF14, and years from now I'll actually be a solid player that is able to help with endgame stuff using many different jobs. Very much looking forward to the expansion and will probably get straight to leveling the rogue/ninja job that was released a week ago. My friend might rejoin FF14, since he said he would once they added more jobs. He should play... Dark Knight.  ;D

The problem with FF11 is that it's nearly unplayable. On two different storylines I got stuck. One person that tried to help me with a fight said that was their 11th failed attempt. Since that fight was released a year ago, there isn't a ton of people that would be willing to join, and enough people is exactly what is needed to win (that's why they lost 11 times).

Also, the leveling is just too hot and cold. Leveling parties in Abyssea seem to be getting less common, and it's the only way to save myself 20-30 extra hours just leveling a single job. My work schedule doesn't exactly line up with everyone else's, so getting the chance to join these parties is so rare that it's not even worth it. I mean, the main reason (nearly the only reason) why I even continued to play FF11 was because of the jobs, but there are just way too many jobs to level and it takes way to long too even be worth it.

Bottom line: only playing because these MMORPG's are the only thing that brings my life continuous excitement, as sad as that sounds. Switched back to FF14 because FF11 felt like a dead end. Music, other video games, anime, etc. all feel like dead ends as well... as much as I like them, it seems I've sucked them dry and there isn't a ton of stuff to explore that I'd absolutely love.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 07, 2014, 05:02:04 AM
Quote from: Greg on November 06, 2014, 02:59:37 PM
I just unsubscribed to FF11 (was only at it for 3 weeks  ??? ) and resubscribed to FF14. I'm on Goblin server.

I feel like I should actually be able to get somewhere with FF14, and years from now I'll actually be a solid player that is able to help with endgame stuff using many different jobs. Very much looking forward to the expansion and will probably get straight to leveling the rogue/ninja job that was released a week ago. My friend might rejoin FF14, since he said he would once they added more jobs. He should play... Dark Knight.  ;D

The problem with FF11 is that it's nearly unplayable. On two different storylines I got stuck. One person that tried to help me with a fight said that was their 11th failed attempt. Since that fight was released a year ago, there isn't a ton of people that would be willing to join, and enough people is exactly what is needed to win (that's why they lost 11 times).

Also, the leveling is just too hot and cold. Leveling parties in Abyssea seem to be getting less common, and it's the only way to save myself 20-30 extra hours just leveling a single job. My work schedule doesn't exactly line up with everyone else's, so getting the chance to join these parties is so rare that it's not even worth it. I mean, the main reason (nearly the only reason) why I even continued to play FF11 was because of the jobs, but there are just way too many jobs to level and it takes way to long too even be worth it.

Bottom line: only playing because these MMORPG's are the only thing that brings my life continuous excitement, as sad as that sounds. Switched back to FF14 because FF11 felt like a dead end. Music, other video games, anime, etc. all feel like dead ends as well... as much as I like them, it seems I've sucked them dry and there isn't a ton of stuff to explore that I'd absolutely love.

I just unsubscribed from FF14. I wasn't playing much beyond doing crafting (which is fun, but if I wanted a crafting-only experience, I'd play Minecraft). Not that FF14's a bad game it's not - I think Rift and FF14 are my favorite MMOs - I'd happily play either, it's just finding time to play and people to play with consistently at those times. The fun for me is when leveling up - once you hit max level, MMO's become a grind in the end game - basically it's the random number generator's decision to drop the loot you need and the crew to let you have it.

That said, I was thinking about checking out WoW's new expansion that will be releasing next week (as I know people who actively play there).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 07, 2014, 06:08:17 AM
Quote from: stingo on November 07, 2014, 05:02:04 AM
I'd happily play either, it's just finding time to play and people to play with consistently at those times.
That is a huge challenge.  :-\





Quote from: stingo on November 07, 2014, 05:02:04 AM
The fun for me is when leveling up - once you hit max level, MMO's become a grind in the end game - basically it's the random number generator's decision to drop the loot you need and the crew to let you have it.
I'm thinking this time I won't even join a free company, but just do some leveling instead. Long term, maybe. (Unsubscribing for over 30 days got me kicked out of my FC).  :P

I never really played any endgame stuff in FF14 and might even consider avoiding it and or just not playing much of it at all. Maybe I'll play some so I can gear one or two jobs that I like at the most.

Got my Rogue at level 6... will be interesting to see if Ninja is cool or what.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 07, 2014, 06:46:11 AM
I have to say that it IS cool when you've amassed sufficient tradeskills, you can readily see a difference in quality in the ones you take up after it. If you've got a good full set of beginner's crafting clothes, your chances for producing HQ items are noticeably increased - at least that's my recollection.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 07, 2014, 06:55:15 AM
Quote from: stingo on November 07, 2014, 06:46:11 AM
I have to say that it IS cool when you've amassed sufficient tradeskills, you can readily see a difference in quality in the ones you take up after it. If you've got a good full set of beginner's crafting clothes, your chances for producing HQ items are noticeably increased - at least that's my recollection.
Cool. Got my mining and goldsmithing to level 30- will probably cap mining and then goldsmithing and move on to another craft, so I will see what you mean.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 07, 2014, 07:02:02 AM
You'll need tailoring to get the clothing and blacksmithing for the tools if I recall correctly, unless you just buy them outright from the vendors. Always felt better doing it myself.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 12, 2014, 05:23:23 AM
I've started Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Wolfenstein: New Order on PC and Diablo III on PS4 (I bought the PS4 yesterday for that reason). I have to say, I really like the implementation of D3 on the console. The controls are very intuitive and the inventory system is vastly improved from the PC version (I originally played through D3 on the PC as the Witch Doctor, on PS4 it's the Barbarian - both are fun). There are other little perks too - smashing stuff up gains you temporary movement boost - the more stuff you can smash, the longer you get the boost. But probably the biggest plus is having couch co-op, which the PC version does not have.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 12, 2014, 04:55:20 PM
Do you have a lodestone or ffxiv link to your character, stingo? (I'm always nosey when it comes to characters)  :D


Here's mine:
http://www.ffxivpro.com/player/Goblin/Ibanez-Monster

Although actually I'm currently lv 47 Miner and will easily get to 50 tomorrow. I have my next few jobs planned out: will get white mage to 50, then goldsmith from 29 to 50. When the time the expansion comes out, I'm seriously thinking about trying out Dark Knight...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 12, 2014, 07:38:22 PM
Ogrog (http://www.ffxivpro.com/player/Adamantoise/ogrog-bashdemgud) is my most developed character.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 12, 2014, 07:42:57 PM
Quote from: stingo on November 12, 2014, 07:38:22 PM
Ogrog (http://www.ffxivpro.com/player/Adamantoise/ogrog-bashdemgud) is my most developed character.
Well... I can see that you're taking an entirely different approach from the game as I am (at least with that character).  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on November 13, 2014, 04:12:16 AM
Quote from: Greg on November 12, 2014, 07:42:57 PM
Well... I can see that you're taking an entirely different approach from the game as I am (at least with that character).  :D

Well the other character is built the same way, just not as far along. I want crafting to be useful to me, so I try to keep all of the skills around the same level. It creates variety since I don't have to always be fighting/grinding. Plus I love the way they implemented crafting in the game - of all the MMOs I've played this is my favorite crafting system. (And ironically enough, I have little to no interest in Minecraft...)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 13, 2014, 05:11:42 PM
Quote from: stingo on November 13, 2014, 04:12:16 AM
Well the other character is built the same way, just not as far along. I want crafting to be useful to me, so I try to keep all of the skills around the same level. It creates variety since I don't have to always be fighting/grinding. Plus I love the way they implemented crafting in the game - of all the MMOs I've played this is my favorite crafting system. (And ironically enough, I have little to no interest in Minecraft...)
I definitely agree that the crafting system in this game is superb. I actually had quite a bit of fun so far with mining and goldsmithing. I think maybe the realization that the crafting system in FF11 couldn't possibly be more boring and tedious made them want to improve. In 11, for 8 out of the 10 crafts, it's all the same- load items in the slot and hit synth. Lose massive amounts of money for items that you can't sell so that you can do this tedious process over and over, taking probably over 100 hours to level a single craft. They literally just added a resynth macro earlier this year.  ???

Got my miner to 50 and got the lv 50 mining tool- was messing around with Arcanist to get it to 15, and I do think choosing a different job will help me enjoy the battle system of this game more. I can't say I really enjoyed Monk much- moving my position constantly while trying to do rotations wasn't really that fun... with Arcanist, it's quite a blast sic'ing my pet on the mob and doing long-range magic attacks at the same time.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on November 21, 2014, 10:44:43 PM
Back to XCom:EW (long war mod) and also Wasteland 2. And always ArmA III, I am also a modder there, its about weather making.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 03, 2014, 09:21:10 PM
Okay. I'm done with MMORPG's. Cancelled my FF14 subscription.

Maybe when I retire I will get back into them seriously (by then VR should be amazing). Maybe I'll even study another language. Both are similar in the fact that they are such ridiculously time-consuming goals. If you want to be really good at an MMORPG or a foreign language, it has to become your life. For years.

For the last several weeks I've been wanting to quit every other day, but then figuring out a way to squeeze the time in, since I do enjoy playing. One of the biggest problems I have with FF14 is if you want to play one job at endgame, you have to have cross-class abilities from two other classes that you might not even want to play. It's actually slightly worse than in FF11. It's just too much work. Probably the best decision I'll ever make as long as I don't get... cravings.  :-X

So what will I be spending my free time on? Now, just anime + japanese study + programming... as for composing, we'll see when.  8) But yeah, MMORPG's definitely fill a certain void which is why they are so addictive- not only is there always new content, but it's like a perpetual sense of new achievement which is excessively lacking in real life (or just not as interesting- school, for example).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 04, 2014, 04:09:36 AM
You chose wisely. MMORPGs are definitely a time sink - and I like them right up to the point of when the leveling stops. Then it's all about random gear drops and raids which are a whole 'nother level of time commitment.

A bit of gaming ADHD going on with me - Wolfenstein: New Order and Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor on the PC, Diablo III and Destiny on the PS4 have been started to varying degrees. As of right now I'm downloading AC: Black Flag and AC: Unity to my XBox One, speaking of time sinks.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on December 05, 2014, 10:09:44 AM
Quote from: Greg on December 03, 2014, 09:21:10 PM
Okay. I'm done with MMORPG's. Cancelled my FF14 subscription.

Maybe when I retire I will get back into them seriously (by then VR should be amazing). Maybe I'll even study another language. Both are similar in the fact that they are such ridiculously time-consuming goals. If you want to be really good at an MMORPG or a foreign language, it has to become your life. For years.

For the last several weeks I've been wanting to quit every other day, but then figuring out a way to squeeze the time in, since I do enjoy playing. One of the biggest problems I have with FF14 is if you want to play one job at endgame, you have to have cross-class abilities from two other classes that you might not even want to play. It's actually slightly worse than in FF11. It's just too much work. Probably the best decision I'll ever make as long as I don't get... cravings.  :-X

So what will I be spending my free time on? Now, just anime + japanese study + programming... as for composing, we'll see when.  8) But yeah, MMORPG's definitely fill a certain void which is why they are so addictive- not only is there always new content, but it's like a perpetual sense of new achievement which is excessively lacking in real life (or just not as interesting- school, for example).

I suspect that your GPA will go up now...?   >:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 05, 2014, 11:05:44 AM
Quote from: Moonfish on December 05, 2014, 10:09:44 AM
I suspect that your GPA will go up now...?   >:D
Lol. It's about a 3.8 or so, so it probably won't and I could care less if it does.  :P


Quote from: stingo on December 04, 2014, 04:09:36 AM
You chose wisely. MMORPGs are definitely a time sink - and I like them right up to the point of when the leveling stops. Then it's all about random gear drops and raids which are a whole 'nother level of time commitment.
Hehe. That's all good if you literally don't have a life at all, and one day I'd like to not have one so that I could completely dedicate myself to that.  ;D It's just too overwhelming if you have so many other things going on- you start planning stuff and reading about the game like crazy in your spare time, too.

It's fun, though. Been trying to substitute anime for this in order to have something fun (and stress-free) in my life. If you don't have have any fun at all, you're not going to feel good, ever. I've been relentlessly browsing titles to watch to get myself excited.  ;D

Miiiight consider playing a game soon, though, just because I have a full month off from school starting Thursday, and the last week I don't work, either. Just something to fill in the time, since it will feel weird after not taking a day off from homework for 3 months.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on December 11, 2014, 08:41:10 PM
Playing Fallout: New Vegas

Recently purchased:
Finding Teddy
Road Not Taken
They Breathe
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on December 13, 2014, 07:42:51 AM
Quote from: Philo on December 11, 2014, 08:41:10 PM
Playing Fallout: New Vegas

I suck at that game. I keep dying all the time. Odd, Fallout 1 and 2 went just fine. 3 naturally too since it was so extremely easy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on December 13, 2014, 07:57:36 AM
Quote from: Alberich on December 13, 2014, 07:42:51 AM
I suck at that game. I keep dying all the time. Odd, Fallout 1 and 2 went just fine. 3 naturally too since it was so extremely easy.

New Vegas can be very punishing, but I absolutely adore it. It might be the only game that gives me the feel of Arcanum. Such a unique atmosphere with such a massive open world.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on December 13, 2014, 11:15:05 AM
I do like the game, I merely suck at it. But there's always the coward's way out, aka god mode.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on December 13, 2014, 01:25:59 PM
Purchased from GoG:
Gomo
Hotline Miami
Richard and Alice

Purchased from Desura:
CastleAbra
Oknytt

Purchased from Humble:
Legacy of Kain Collection
Never Alone
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on December 21, 2014, 08:40:31 AM
Does anybody here play shmups (aka "bullet hell" shooters)? This is a niche genre from Japan that grew out of arcades and is now struggling to survive in the world of consoles and (regrettably only sporadically) PC. Those games are known to be exceedingly difficult, requiring great manual dexterity and finesse, perfect memorization of patterns, and elaborate scoring systems which often result in complex and difficult strategies. Here's an example of those type of games in action played by an actual professional:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0myXMFpgAU

I myself been playing those games on and off for the past couple of years and i have only managed to get close to finish the first DoDonPachi in one credit, let alone explore any of its scoring mechanics. I think the ability to play those games competitively is essentially a form of virtuosity. It is a fascinating demonstration of what can be done in this medium.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 21, 2014, 10:24:39 AM
Okay... gotta confess, but I've been playing FF14 even though I said I quit it.  :-X

The difference is that I'm setting very reasonable and realistic goals for the game... sure, I'll level every job and somewhat ilvl gear just a couple of my favorite jobs, but if I spread that out throughout the entire life cycle of the game, I won't have to even play that much. I could literally play only an hour a day and accomplish what I want (unlike in older MMORPG's such as FF11). That's really the ideal balance- letting go is bad, but letting it consume all of your free time is even worse.

Speaking of FF14... new details about the expansion pack, Heavensward, that will be released in spring, have been announced. The three new jobs are Dark Knight, Astrologian, and Machinist (tank, healer, dps). There is a new race called the Au Ra (humans with dragon-like features), flying mounts and airships, level cap increase to 60. Extremely excited about this. I was thinking all day yesterday about switching my race to Au Ra (male), flying a black dragon as a Dark Knight. I don't think it gets any more metal than that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on December 22, 2014, 04:52:51 PM
For anyone who is following this, new trailer for Star Citizen is out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJ9TcGxhNY

And yes, this is all in game footage. I'm actually planning to build a new PC just for this game. I played Wing Commander to death when i was a kid so this is a dream come true if Chris Roberts actually manages to pull it off.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on December 22, 2014, 07:16:45 PM
Quote from: Purusha on December 22, 2014, 04:52:51 PM
For anyone who is following this, new trailer for Star Citizen is out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJ9TcGxhNY

And yes, this is all in game footage. I'm actually planning to build a new PC just for this game. I played Wing Commander to death when i was a kid so this is a dream come true if Chris Roberts actually manages to pull it off.



It will either be a great game that will be played for a decade and more OR a massive disappointment. Wait for the reviews.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on December 23, 2014, 07:00:43 AM
Yeah, i'm probably setting myself up for disappointment, but a man can dream, right?  :(
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 24, 2014, 02:02:51 PM
@Greg Well if it makes you feel any better, I started playing World of Warcraft to check out the Draenor expansion. If you liked the building subgame in Assassin's Creed II I think you'd be right at home in WoW. Pretty fun, though I'm not liking the babysitting the game seems to be asking for. (Making sure production queues are full of crafting materials etc.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on January 23, 2015, 10:53:49 AM
Replaying Telltale's Sam & Max Seasons 1-3. They're hilarious, well-thought and never fail to make me laugh and hard. There are not many games that make me feel so good. Season 3 was maybe a little bit less entertaining.

My Favorite characters: Sam & Max themselves, Jürgen the emo vampire, nostalgic, old-prefering COPS, Blah blah blah-Myra Stump, and eccentric Papierwaite and his boss Dr. Norrington.

I recommend these games for anyone who is looking to get a lot of hilarity and having a time of their life, ranging from political satire to adult jokes, slapstick and black nihilistic comedy. I should search for the original comics and Hit the road as well from somewhere.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 23, 2015, 12:17:26 PM
Quote from: stingo on December 24, 2014, 02:02:51 PM
@Greg Well if it makes you feel any better, I started playing World of Warcraft to check out the Draenor expansion. If you liked the building subgame in Assassin's Creed II I think you'd be right at home in WoW. Pretty fun, though I'm not liking the babysitting the game seems to be asking for. (Making sure production queues are full of crafting materials etc.)
Have you ever looked into building your own private server for WoW? You could play solo and I believe have characters instantly fully leveled, which is the only reason I'd play (to satisfy my curiosity).

I've researched it, and it looks very much possible, though between buying the game and getting a subscription, I don't think I'll do it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on January 24, 2015, 09:09:59 AM
Quote from: Greg on January 23, 2015, 12:17:26 PM
Have you ever looked into building your own private server for WoW? You could play solo and I believe have characters instantly fully leveled, which is the only reason I'd play (to satisfy my curiosity).

I've researched it, and it looks very much possible, though between buying the game and getting a subscription, I don't think I'll do it.

I have not. Seems a lot more work to do essentially what I'm doing now in WoW, or am I missing something?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 24, 2015, 09:21:11 AM
Quote from: stingo on January 24, 2015, 09:09:59 AM
I have not. Seems a lot more work to do essentially what I'm doing now in WoW, or am I missing something?
Heh, probably not much unless you're into admin cheats and hacks and either playing by yourself or just yourself and a small group of friends. Personally, it would just seem a cool thing to do to understand the mechanics of the game out of curiosity without committing to actually playing it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on January 25, 2015, 05:14:41 PM
Doom 3
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Artem on January 25, 2015, 05:28:33 PM
That was the first game that I've bought after I got new laptop that could handle post half life games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on January 25, 2015, 05:56:03 PM
Quote from: Artem on January 25, 2015, 05:28:33 PM
That was the first game that I've bought after I got new laptop that could handle post half life games.

I dusted off my old Xbox. Screaming like a little girl. So much fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 26, 2015, 09:17:26 AM
Unsubscribed from FF14 over a week ago. Realized just watching anime is actually better than playing this game, especially considering the little amount of free time coming up. So, in the case I might never return to the game (despite all the new, interesting stuff that is coming out soon), I took a few screenshots of my character.

My top four jobs:


Lv50 Monk
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/ffxiv_01262015_130144_zps1e25b663.png)


Lv50 Miner
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/ffxiv_01262015_130223_zps5d3d20f4.png)


Lv50 Goldsmith
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/ffxiv_01262015_130238_zpsb6587edb.png)


Lv47 White Mage (would actually have the robe and all if I were at lv50)
(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/ffxiv_01262015_130208_zpsbeb14206.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on January 31, 2015, 04:15:15 PM
Seen on fb. I sorta feel bad about laughing at this...

Comment #1:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10945673_1537414953193538_3490474247260322131_n.jpg?oh=d2911fc57de9a17a280d387828dc2388&oe=55509D3E&__gda__=1431122030_80469e9308fac9e48879fbd2e8dc3c53)

Comment #2:
The respawn system is broken to shit on that server. Seriously, about sixty million players got fragged during this huge PvP match a while ago, and they still haven't spawned back in. This one guy had a 6,000,000-1 K/D ratio
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on February 10, 2015, 04:44:26 AM
I heartily recommend Sunless Sea (http://www.failbettergames.com/sunless/). Take Sid Meier's Pirates! or FTL, set it in a world that's a cross between Gaiman and Lovecraft and sprinkle with a healthy dose of poetry. It's not easy to slip into - there's tons of text and an initial confusion when trying to grasp the mechanics governing different events - but well worth the patience. After an hour or so, it all comes together in a way that is unlike anything I've played before.

(http://gamewalkers.com/resources/games/assets/main/sunless-sea-sunless-sea-release-date-announced.jpg)

And the music is exquisite as well:

https://www.youtube.com/v/u8jlKSOdDXs

It's early, but if this doesn't end up to be my game of the year, then there's something unbelievably glorious waiting in the shadows.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 19, 2015, 05:35:48 AM
Some major announcements regarding FF11 last night. I was so nervous thinking about this yesterday that I had a dream about the game around the time that the announcements were being made last night.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/threads/46414-Conference-Digest?s=8b0fc86a84906e861922dbf315d3c1e2&p=543880#post543880

Basically, after a few major scenario updates ending in November, there will be no more new content in the game.  :-X
After that, it's going mobile.  ???

I had actually resubscribed about a week ago (though have only played one day so far) just because of realizing how much I loved the game and had to have something to look forward to, since nothing great is happening right now. They're implying that I can still play on PC past November, but with no more updates I wonder how long it'll be until people just stop playing entirely.

To be honest, this news doesn't make me feel so good. Playing this game is one of the best things I ever decided to do- provided me with more hours of entertainment than all but a few things. So I guess the good news is that I'll have plenty to play until the end of this year and have a good idea of when the end of the game is (finally), but I would have liked to see more expansions.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 19, 2015, 08:32:51 AM
I heard that FF XI didn't get all that good reviews after certain famous western MMORPG was released... I'm of course not saying the reviews were right, from what I've seen FF XI, it looks quite good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 19, 2015, 09:08:01 AM
Quote from: Alberich on March 19, 2015, 08:32:51 AM
I heard that FF XI didn't get all that good reviews after certain famous western MMORPG was released... I'm of course not saying the reviews were right, from what I've seen FF XI, it looks quite good.
If you're talking about WOW, then yeah, the perception of the game has changed somewhat since then.

FF11 is based on the Everquest model of MMO's, which is seen now to be archaic and clumsy. Ever since WOW got popular, MMO's have been trying to be a "WOW killer" by copying the same model but adding their own unique aspects to their games. FF14:ARR is an example of this. WOW stepped up the game by making a very user-friendly MMORPG that allowed you to level in different ways and such. FF11 has a terrible, archaic user interface with slow, methodical battles.

However, although I don't like the user interface, I do prefer the slow, methodical battles. And the world of FF11 has the irresistible allure that I can't quite describe. It has that "it" factor that a game like FF14 doesn't have. I just can't go too long without having the urge to just be there again. It feels like my second home.

Also, there's many people who say that FF11 died upon the release of Abyssea, back in 2010. It really changed a lot. Probably an entirely different point, though. (Upon release, FF11 always got great reviews).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 19, 2015, 09:17:14 AM
Gameplay examples:
FF11

https://www.youtube.com/v/cRlEFxpchis


FF14
https://www.youtube.com/v/I2_ONXgvf8I


FF14 has such complex battles that it's just too stressful to want to play with others IMO. As a single player, yeah, I'd try it out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on March 26, 2015, 04:13:41 PM
I did something I never thought I'd do: I bought a Nintendo 3DS XL.  ???

Although I plan on trying out a few different games (especially Bravely Default), the main reason was to play the newest generation of Pokemon (I got Alpha Sapphire). My new goal is to catch 'em all!  8)

This wasn't an impulse purchase- I had been considering this for several weeks as a solution for the metaphorical void in my soul that finishing the main Final Fantasy series caused. I was considering really getting back into FF11 but realized "who am I kidding? I've already done all of the fun stuff, so why bother?" And FF14 still has me too turned off to want to join again. Playing with other random people you don't know totally sucks.

Considering there are 719 Pokemon, catching them all should take well over a year, maybe? I also know someone now that has a decent collection (I believe over 400), so it's someone to trade with. I stopped playing Pokemon over 12 years ago, never playing anything other than the first generation.

Played for a few hours and I'm incredibly impressed. The towns still look horribly basic (as terrible as early Final Fantasy games), but the 3D effect is amazing and I'm liking the gameplay a lot so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 27, 2015, 05:04:29 AM
I think after the second generation the Pokemon designs became a lot less creative. Of course there are exceptions every now and then such as my favorite pokemon, Cofagrigus. Yamask (which evolves into Cofagrigus) is pretty cool as well.

It has been some time since I played Pokemon Blue and Pokemon Gold. Haven't ventured into playing generatios after those yet. I remember liking Pokemon Blue and and Gold very much but the reason I haven't played later games yet is probably that I dislike many of the pokemon designs. Some are better, some worse.

I still remember everyone of the first 151 pokemon in order and there was a time when I remembered everyone from second generation as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on March 27, 2015, 06:42:52 AM
Pillars of Eternity is out and it's PURE RPG BLISS. I've never been much of a fan of the Baldur's Gate saga (Planescape, on the other hand.. ♥) but this is a masterpiece. And a new benchmark for isometric RPGs.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on March 30, 2015, 01:08:39 AM
From what i've seen, the game is rife with problems, poor design decisions and uneven quest design. Visuals are good, and from what i've told the writing is decent enough (not surprisingly since this is Obsidian we are talking about). Not sure why they went for a combat oriented game, when everybody just wanted another Torment. I think i'll wait a while before getting it, see if they fix things around.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on April 04, 2015, 08:46:37 PM
I thought I'd give the Neverwinter XBox One port a go. Not bad at all, but for some problems with facing. I had played the PC version a couple of years ago, so I am already familiar with the game, just have to get used to a console controller.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on April 30, 2015, 04:32:05 PM
Once I finish my last final exam on Tuesday, I'm going to swing by Target and pick up Pokemon Y. I still have to beat the Elite Four for Alpha Sapphire. My team will be:

Swampert, Typhlosion, Absol, Bellossom, Hariyama, Plusle

I also caught Kyogre.  8)

Can't wait to see Pokemon from Generation 4-6. The thing I'm hating most about Pokemon, though, is that it really is impossible to catch them all (in a legit way) unless you get lucky enough to get one at an event. And you might have to wait a very long time to get certain Pokemon you want.  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on May 01, 2015, 01:58:51 AM
Playing with girls on social media. :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 01, 2015, 02:26:04 AM
Headstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Blizzard's online card game based on the Warcraft series, lots of fun and an easy game to play even if you only have 5 mins to spare. I've been playing it on my iPhone and kindle fire.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 01, 2015, 11:45:44 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_aXcH1zDEE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_aXcH1zDEE)

ROFL one of the greatest AVGN episodes in a long time!

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 06, 2015, 01:28:10 PM
I bought these two games today:

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81QOS6lhb2L._SL1500_.jpg)


(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZOppNjvtL.jpg)


Summer is going to be fun now.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Moonfish on May 06, 2015, 05:03:18 PM
How does Nintendo 3DS compare to PS3 and PS4?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on May 06, 2015, 05:18:05 PM
Quote from: Moonfish on May 06, 2015, 05:03:18 PM
How does Nintendo 3DS compare to PS3 and PS4?
It's portable.  ;D

Also, 3D capabilities. And certain games that you can't play on other systems.

Graphically, of course, it's more PS2 level. But even then, Bravely Default is a gorgeous game to look at. Played a couple hours so far of my two new games and am very impressed so far. Yeah, I'm loving the 3DS.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on May 08, 2015, 09:37:52 AM
Still playing Neverwinter now and again on XBox One. Good stuff, despite the occasional graphics freeze/disconnect.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 01, 2015, 11:08:43 AM
I've had Witcher 1 and 2 on my hard drive for a long time thanks to previous Steam sales. Since 3 has just come out I decided I'd start the series off with the first game. I like it a lot -  very different from other RPGs in terms of combat, skill trees and crafting. Combat - relies on timed series of attacks, so just clicking fast will get you killed. Skill trees - There's a Heavyweight skill on the Stamina tree that takes off 50% of the effects of intoxication, which is good, because there are drinking contests where you can get items/information if you win. Crafting - in this case, alchemy, really affects how easy/hard your experience will be. Also, there's very much a sense of your decisions mattering - one such choice prevented me from getting an item that would make a subsequent quest easier. Plus, the decisions are not cut and dried, which is an unusual thing in a video game. It seems to have aged well too.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 05, 2015, 06:44:31 AM
Also back into Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition on my android phone. Great fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 06, 2015, 06:07:00 AM
So... I went back to playing Final Fantasy 14 again.  :-X

Why? I had the urge to play something like this- good graphics and similar gameplay. Pokemon just wasn't doing it.
Why not 11? Even though I would have liked to wrap up the little bit of story I had left in the game, I guess the appeal of a game entering its prime outweighed the appeal of a game on its deathbed.

I've been working on iLvls so I can get the main scenario complete, because you have to complete it in order to play the new Heavensward expansion. i90 is the requirement, and I'm currently at i71, so I'm on schedule. I'm mainly using the Crystal Tower raids to gain iLvls, and I see even more how much of a slot machine endgame MMORPG's are now. At least you're always guaranteed stuff via currency, but there is an element of luck which will determine how quick you get there (new player bonuses help, too).

Triple Triad has been fun, too. Bought two extra retainers, trying to level all of them, and yes, totally skipping The Binding Coil of Bahamut and Extreme Primal fights. Maybe eventually I'll run with my free company and do some difficult stuff, as long as stuff is being added at a digestible pace.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 09, 2015, 04:42:53 AM
So it's just not a level thing? You have to do a quest sequence to use the expansion?

I spent much of the weekend playing Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition on my phone. Good times.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 09, 2015, 05:35:52 AM
Quote from: stingo on June 09, 2015, 04:42:53 AM
So it's just not a level thing? You have to do a quest sequence to use the expansion?
Yeah, isn't that crazy? You have to do the entire Main Scenario storyline, including the newest Patch 2.55. Each patch from 2.1-2.5 takes, I'd say, about a day each to complete if you're off that day. I just finished Patch 2.3 so I'll be ready for Heavensward in two days. You have to be i90 to complete the Main Scenario because a trial or two on Patch 2.55 requires it (I'm i91 now). The currently highest ilvls are i130 for armor, i135 for weapons. The main developer said that i130 will be good until level 55, but we don't know any more details.  :-X

I just don't understand SE's strategies sometimes. They're dropping FF11 and focusing on FF14, but the new expansion requires some very time consuming requirements to even access, which might discourage many people from buying the game if what they've seen from Heavensward is the what made them want to start playing in the first place. I don't see how that adds up to a smart financial move.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 09, 2015, 07:50:25 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 09, 2015, 05:35:52 AM
Yeah, isn't that crazy? You have to do the entire Main Scenario storyline, including the newest Patch 2.55. Each patch from 2.1-2.5 takes, I'd say, about a day each to complete if you're off that day. I just finished Patch 2.3 so I'll be ready for Heavensward in two days. You have to be i90 to complete the Main Scenario because a trial or two on Patch 2.55 requires it (I'm i91 now). The currently highest ilvls are i130 for armor, i135 for weapons. The main developer said that i130 will be good until level 55, but we don't know any more details.  :-X

I just don't understand SE's strategies sometimes. They're dropping FF11 and focusing on FF14, but the new expansion requires some very time consuming requirements to even access, which might discourage many people from buying the game if what they've seen from Heavensward is the what made them want to start playing in the first place. I don't see how that adds up to a smart financial move.

Interesting. I have to give them credit, because they don't allow you a free pass to all of the previously released content. But, like you said, this would only appeal to hardcore FFXIV players, who are already subscribers.

You cited my main reason for shying away from MMORPGs. Eventually it all comes down to faction grinding and loot lottery.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 10, 2015, 06:05:03 PM
Quote from: stingo on June 09, 2015, 07:50:25 AM
Interesting. I have to give them credit, because they don't allow you a free pass to all of the previously released content.
Just finished 2.x.
Near the end, you get a section consisting of an uninterrupted 40 minute cutscene followed by some smaller cutscenes. Amazing stuff. Really dark and depressing to watch, a story of politics and greed. It's so good that it's almost like "where did that come from?"

I just wish the main scenario was not filled with a ton of stupid fetch quests. FF11 had the formula for expansion storylines just right: keep the number of quests to a minimum and make the actual quests interesting. The story takes precedence and isn't lost in the scheme of things. In this game, the narrative gets lost in the fetch quests.

I really would like to see Heavensward improve this while keeping amazing cutscenes and story development...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 15, 2015, 08:02:09 PM
Well, people are going crazy over the announcement of the remake for Final Fantasy 7.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Kznek1uNVsg

Possibly the most anticipated game that hasn't been announced yet (until now)? Or would that title belong to Half Life 3?

I will, uh... eventually have to get a PS4. For both FF15 and FF7.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on June 16, 2015, 05:45:17 AM
FF VII is a bit overrated maybe, but not a bad game. It bothers me quite a bit that many of the so-called heroes in the game are terrorists. And it's not like Clockwork Orange or Godfather, where the main character is a villain: in this game Cloud, Tifa and Barret are clearly meant to be seen as heroes. The game opens with a terrorist action, provided by none other than the player himself. And at one point, Shinra has a plot to save the world from the meteor (albeit not from altruistic reasons) and what do the heroes do? They try to sabotage it! There is a throw away-line from Cait Sith towards the end of the game, where he calls Barret out of their murder of innocent people, but this is not explored enough.

I like FF IX most, especially because it is one of the only titles in the FF series where the character development of villains changes in positive direction. Kefka's and Sephiroth's character development leads them deeper and deeper to madness and villainy. But Kuja and Garland get their shot at redemption. Okay, at first Kuja seems earlier type of cackling maniac villain and he does get all-nihilistic, Kefka-style in the climax. But the point is, his character is ultimately given more humane attributes such as fear of death and even the final repentance and rescue of the heroes. My brother didn't like the apparently completely out of blue-repentance of Kuja, but I disagree, because I see subtle hints in the game that this is what his character was going towards the whole time. Some people don't like Garland because he doesn't seem to have a will of his own (and because they may remember his cheesy "I, Garland, will knock you all down"- translated line from the first game) but, personally, he is my favorite character in the game. I seem to really like characters who are committed to their mission: Ash from Alien, Garland from Final Fantasy IX, Javert from Les Miserables. There is something honest about them, in spite of their villainy/antagonistic position. In the end, Final Fantasy IX is the best because it is the most humane.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 17, 2015, 07:34:12 PM
There's also this:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/17/e3-2015-final-fantasy-7-wont-be-a-simple-remake-says-nomura

He's basically saying that sometime in the future, FF5 and FF6 will be remade!  ???
*dies*



Quote from: Alberich on June 16, 2015, 05:45:17 AM
FF VII is a bit overrated maybe, but not a bad game. It bothers me quite a bit that many of the so-called heroes in the game are terrorists. And it's not like Clockwork Orange or Godfather, where the main character is a villain: in this game Cloud, Tifa and Barret are clearly meant to be seen as heroes. The game opens with a terrorist action, provided by none other than the player himself. And at one point, Shinra has a plot to save the world from the meteor (albeit not from altruistic reasons) and what do the heroes do? They try to sabotage it! There is a throw away-line from Cait Sith towards the end of the game, where he calls Barret out of their murder of innocent people, but this is not explored enough.
Ha, well that's part of the fun.  ;)



Quote from: Alberich on June 16, 2015, 05:45:17 AM
I like FF IX most, especially because it is one of the only titles in the FF series where the character development of villains changes in positive direction. Kefka's and Sephiroth's character development leads them deeper and deeper to madness and villainy. But Kuja and Garland get their shot at redemption. Okay, at first Kuja seems earlier type of cackling maniac villain and he does get all-nihilistic, Kefka-style in the climax. But the point is, his character is ultimately given more humane attributes such as fear of death and even the final repentance and rescue of the heroes. My brother didn't like the apparently completely out of blue-repentance of Kuja, but I disagree, because I see subtle hints in the game that this is what his character was going towards the whole time. Some people don't like Garland because he doesn't seem to have a will of his own (and because they may remember his cheesy "I, Garland, will knock you all down"- translated line from the first game) but, personally, he is my favorite character in the game. I seem to really like characters who are committed to their mission: Ash from Alien, Garland from Final Fantasy IX, Javert from Les Miserables. There is something honest about them, in spite of their villainy/antagonistic position. In the end, Final Fantasy IX is the best because it is the most humane.
I don't remember much specific about the end of FF9 or Kuja, since it's been over 12 years since I played the end of the game... the most memorable parts to me are mainly on the first disc. The whole kidnapping the princess (instead of rescuing the princess  ;D ) was brilliant, and Vivi is still my all-time favorite Final Fantasy character. I just realized that similarity- in FF7 you're a terrorist in the beginning and in FF9 you're a princess kidnapper.  :P

To this day, I'm not sure I could choose a favorite FF game for 100% certain because I'm not sure if it's 7 or 9, though I've always said 9 probably because it's the first one I played. They both have their own thing going. I appreciate 9 mainly for its imagination and 7 for its sheer soul, something only FF6 and FF8 can even rival out of all of the games I've played.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on June 17, 2015, 08:05:14 PM
Quote from: Alberich on June 16, 2015, 05:45:17 AM
FF VII is a bit overrated maybe, but not a bad game. It bothers me quite a bit that many of the so-called heroes in the game are terrorists. And it's not like Clockwork Orange or Godfather, where the main character is a villain: in this game Cloud, Tifa and Barret are clearly meant to be seen as heroes. The game opens with a terrorist action, provided by none other than the player himself. And at one point, Shinra has a plot to save the world from the meteor (albeit not from altruistic reasons) and what do the heroes do? They try to sabotage it! There is a throw away-line from Cait Sith towards the end of the game, where he calls Barret out of their murder of innocent people, but this is not explored enough.

I like FF IX most, especially because it is one of the only titles in the FF series where the character development of villains changes in positive direction. Kefka's and Sephiroth's character development leads them deeper and deeper to madness and villainy. But Kuja and Garland get their shot at redemption. Okay, at first Kuja seems earlier type of cackling maniac villain and he does get all-nihilistic, Kefka-style in the climax. But the point is, his character is ultimately given more humane attributes such as fear of death and even the final repentance and rescue of the heroes. My brother didn't like the apparently completely out of blue-repentance of Kuja, but I disagree, because I see subtle hints in the game that this is what his character was going towards the whole time. Some people don't like Garland because he doesn't seem to have a will of his own (and because they may remember his cheesy "I, Garland, will knock you all down"- translated line from the first game) but, personally, he is my favorite character in the game. I seem to really like characters who are committed to their mission: Ash from Alien, Garland from Final Fantasy IX, Javert from Les Miserables. There is something honest about them, in spite of their villainy/antagonistic position. In the end, Final Fantasy IX is the best because it is the most humane.

The reason a lot of people look back fondly on it is because it was the first game of its type they played. I played it around the time of its release as well (97/98) and totally understand the nostalgia for the game but it's just that...nostalgia. I don't believe the game holds up today.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 17, 2015, 08:09:00 PM
It looks like The Last Guardian on PS4 will see the light of day after all:

https://www.youtube.com/v/zXLZvsSmBIs
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 17, 2015, 08:21:03 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 17, 2015, 08:09:00 PM
It looks like The Last Guardian on PS4 will see the light of day after all:
I saw that... sorta stressful to watch. So Ico-ish, though I guess that's to be expected.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 17, 2015, 08:56:02 PM
Quote from: Greg on June 17, 2015, 08:21:03 PM
I saw that... sorta stressful to watch. So Ico-ish, though I guess that's to be expected.

Yes, but that's what we've come to expect from Team Ico. :) This game is going to incredible. I might just skip out on the Wii U and buy the PS4. Arkham Knight looks unreal as well. Damn, it's a good time to be a Playstation fan. 8) In the back of my mind, I'm still hoping Nintendo pulls through with their Zelda Wii U title as I'm such a fan of this series. The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess (released on both the Wii and Gamecube) is one of my favorite games of all-time. I just hope Nintendo doesn't drop the ball on this new title like they did on Skyward Sword, which is one of the biggest disappointments in the Zelda series IMHO. I thought Majora's Mask was awful, Skyward Sword really takes the cake here.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on June 17, 2015, 10:42:52 PM
No no no no no, Majora's mask kicks ass!  8) If not for FF IX it would probably be my favorite game of all time, if I had to pick one. The 3 day-system is challenging and the game itself is very difficult, on many levels. But it is still so rewarding after you spend time and effort with it. And I personally liked Skyward Sword just fine (Groose's character development is awesome, greatest character in a long while). While I like Twilight Princess and as much as I love Ganondorf... really. They just had to put him behind Zant's actions. Hijacked by Ganon, indeed. Midna is pretty annoying character, to me. You want great character development, watch Groose in Skyward Sword (although my friend actually argues you don't need character development in games: I agree, you don't necessarily need it but if the game does have it, I don't see it as a bad thing).

Oh well, to each his own.

Edit: Have you seen what the Wii U Zelda looks like, Mirror Image? If so, do you like it? I thought it was awesome and even my friend who's not the biggest Zelda fan there is, said he liked what he saw, especially the graphics.

If I had to mention "the worst" Zelda game, probably The Adventure of Link. Still a fine game, though. "I am Error",  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 19, 2015, 12:16:47 PM
So... played about 10 hours of Heavensward today (woke up at 5:30 AM) and plan to do at least that much tomorrow, since I don't have to work tomorrow.
It's just crazy seeing TONS of people doing the same main scenario quests you are at the same exact time, all in the really early morning when normally there's hardly anyone online.
Also weird not having a guide to follow because it hasn't been written yet- I'm not used to this!  ???

Tomorrow I'm gonna post a link to a picture of my character, who I remodeled after the new race. Coolest looking character ever.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 20, 2015, 08:31:31 AM
Argh, guess you can't put the image URL in here, but my new character design:
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/7023811/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 21, 2015, 08:12:22 PM
Quote from: Alberich on June 17, 2015, 10:42:52 PM
No no no no no, Majora's mask kicks ass!  8) If not for FF IX it would probably be my favorite game of all time, if I had to pick one. The 3 day-system is challenging and the game itself is very difficult, on many levels. But it is still so rewarding after you spend time and effort with it. And I personally liked Skyward Sword just fine (Groose's character development is awesome, greatest character in a long while). While I like Twilight Princess and as much as I love Ganondorf... really. They just had to put him behind Zant's actions. Hijacked by Ganon, indeed. Midna is pretty annoying character, to me. You want great character development, watch Groose in Skyward Sword (although my friend actually argues you don't need character development in games: I agree, you don't necessarily need it but if the game does have it, I don't see it as a bad thing).

Oh well, to each his own.

Edit: Have you seen what the Wii U Zelda looks like, Mirror Image? If so, do you like it? I thought it was awesome and even my friend who's not the biggest Zelda fan there is, said he liked what he saw, especially the graphics.

If I had to mention "the worst" Zelda game, probably The Adventure of Link. Still a fine game, though. "I am Error",  8)

For me, Majora's Mask is one of the worst Zelda games I've played. I don't like the 3-day system and, while I love a good challenge, some of this game was just so annoying, and difficult, that I couldn't take it any longer. I don't even think I played it all the way through. That's how badly I hated the game. Twilight Princess is the best Zelda game for me following Ocarina Of Time. Skyward Sword wasn't bad, but it wasn't a game I wanted to play again all the way through. Yes, the newer game on Wii U looks great or at least judging from that ultra short trailer for it. I'm hoping some actual gameplay will be released soon so we all can drool all over again. ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 21, 2015, 08:34:58 PM
I think I'm a bit burnt out after playing over 30 hours the last three days. Which is actually a bit worrying, considering most careers involve 10 hour days as a normal day, doing stuff that isn't nearly as fun as playing a good game. Must be a psychological problem I have. Of course, I think I'd feel recharged if I just took one day off.

Seeing people way ahead of me in the storyline already doesn't leave me surprised, but just baffled and wondering why force themselves that much? Or, for example, they somehow find the time to get to where I'm at, but with a NEW JOB (meaning roughly 20 extra hours of playtime on top of what I've done). I don't see how it can be fun at that point, when you're not even sleeping and forcing yourself to stay awake.

Anyways, I was talking with my friend about Fallout 4 a few days ago, and the level of detail is just unheard of (for me, at least). They have a database of names, and an NPC will actually call you by your name if you choose one in their database. They go to extra efforts to make sure that the environment isn't repeating (kinda hard to explain this one) and the lead developer at Bethesda has played over 400 hours of it and is still going...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on June 22, 2015, 12:27:17 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 21, 2015, 08:12:22 PM
I'm hoping some actual gameplay will be released soon so we all can drool all over again. ;D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECWlFInyFM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECWlFInyFM)

Have you seen this? It contains some gameplay (albeit not enough).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on June 22, 2015, 07:12:38 AM
Quote from: Greg on June 21, 2015, 08:34:58 PMAnyways, I was talking with my friend about Fallout 4 a few days ago, and the level of detail is just unheard of (for me, at least).

While I'm looking forward to F4 as well, you should try the new Witcher. I'm not a fan of the series but CD Projekt raised open world gameplay to a whole new level. The complexity and branching is simply insane (yet very playable). I hope Bethesda will be able to match this, in their own way.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 22, 2015, 07:27:13 AM
Quote from: Alberich on June 22, 2015, 12:27:17 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECWlFInyFM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECWlFInyFM)

Have you seen this? It contains some gameplay (albeit not enough).

Yes, I've seen this video and, yes, there's just not enough gameplay to formulate any kind of opinion. Personally, I'd prefer to see the full screen gameplay rather than watching two people talking even though it's Miyamoto.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 22, 2015, 08:02:44 AM
Quote from: Rinaldo on June 22, 2015, 07:12:38 AM
While I'm looking forward to F4 as well, you should try the new Witcher. I'm not a fan of the series but CD Projekt raised open world gameplay to a whole new level. The complexity and branching is simply insane (yet very playable). I hope Bethesda will be able to match this, in their own way.
I might check it out at the very least. Though I really won't have time to get immersed in any other large-scale games, considering what I'm playing now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on June 29, 2015, 07:37:41 PM
I might be taking another break from FF14... I had tons of fun for a while, but kind of feel like playing something else.

I started playing FF12 again, but instead of the original that I played once 8 years ago, I'm using an emulator to play the International Zodiac Job System version. I hadn't realized it, but this is the epitome of what it would be like to have an MMORPG as a single player game. Job system, huge maps, real-time/somewhat action-oriented combat, and even the hunting system which is probably where FF14 got the idea from.

I'm considering eventually playing some other games down the road- Skyrim, Fallout 3, The Witcher 3, Dragon Age series, among others. If FF14 doesn't suck me back in again, at least.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 05, 2015, 07:22:38 PM
I got Skyrim working for the Oculus Rift now!  :D
Though I still gotta download a bunch of mods so it's a decent enough experience for spending a bunch of time playing.


I've been checking out several of the newer MMORPG's. I played an hour of Neverwinter last night and watched some pretty extensive videos of a guy playing Tera and Guild Wars 2. Rift and Wildstar look like they have the same feel as well. I think that seeing how similar modern MMORPG's are to each other just helps me gain a stronger opinion on FF11. I'm not the only one who has said it, but that game just had such an original feel to it- I can't think of any other game that even comes close to that same vibe. Not even FF12, honestly, and that's the closest game I can think of (and it's not even in the same genre)!


Ahhhh... now I have a long list of games I wanna play. Skyrim, Xenoblade Chronicles (3DS), Bravely Default (3DS), whatever halfway decent f2p MMORPG I can find I'll play for a while, etc...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 05, 2015, 07:48:21 PM
So I have to say a few more things about both FF11 and FF14. Before I say some shit about FF14, I have to admit that I love the game and if I were to play all of the newer MMO's on the market today, I would not be surprised if it were my favorite out of all of them.



Here's some differences between FF14 and FF11 that really turn me off:

-Story isn't nearly as good. Not bad, but not particularly incredible IMO

-WAAAAAAYYYYYY too many quests and they are WAAAAAAYYYYY too short. For main scenarios, it's like a couple hundred quests for FF14 while the equivalent in FF11 is like 30 quests. Quests actually have meaning in FF11. I noticed the short quests is something typical of WOW clones. Every quest feels the same- go to exclamation mark on map. It felt so much rewarding to do quests in FF11 because you have to read the coordinates from a guide online and match them up on the screen. Sure, it's inconvenient, but it's MORE FUN.

-Combat, as someone put it, is about dodging orange lines on the ground and not sucking at your job in FF14, while in FF11 it's about mastering your job. You may have several different armor sets for a battle and you switch armor while battling. Now that's more appealing to me than dodging orange lines. FF14 tests your reflexes and memorization of mechanics while FF11 tests your strategy.

-Leveling up is... (and I might sound crazy here) actually more fun to me in FF11. Despite the fact that it's just killing mobs in the map and incredibly brainless, it's still more fun. Well, usually.  :P

-Subjob system in FF11 just blows away the job system of any game I've ever known about. Combining jobs always feels like playing a completely new job, and you can get over 400 combinations as a result (though really only over 100 are useful). I don't think any other game can claim over 100 jobs or even anything that feels like 100 jobs.

-Vertical progression. At first, I liked the idea. But now, I wonder what the point of endgame raiding is when BIS (best-in-slot) gear is only the best gear for 2 months? By the time you get it, there is better gear. FF11's progression was almost completely horizontal during its lifespan. Gear was useful for years.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 06, 2015, 07:47:30 AM
Playing Uncharted 3. This is possibly my favorite one. I really like Marlowe's line: "Still wallowing in the gutter with your protégé, I see". But all Uncharted games are awesome. The first one was maybe at times a bit too monotonic with constant similar waves of enemies but it was still a very entertaining game. Golden Abyss has one of my favorite characters, Jason Dante. The second one would probably be my favorite (it had most balanced and varied gameplay) if not for the fact that Sully isn't in that game for a very long time, whereas the third game's entire point is the relationship between Nate and Sully so naturally he appears almost all the time. So that's maybe the reason I like the third one most. Sully is awesome. The awesome characters and a great script are a guarantee in all these games. Maybe a bit offput by some of the choices in 3, such as dropping off Cutter from storyline because the actor Graham Mctavish was tied up in The Hobbit. Such a great character! Marlowe's screentime is also pretty limited and there are certain elements about Talbot that aren't explained in the game, but that is not necessarily a negative attribute, because it adds to the mystery of the character. Too bad Uncharted 4 was delayed... I wonder who is going to die in that game (referring to title "Thief's end"). My guess would be Sully, which would be unfortunate. But maybe he's too cool of a character to live. I half-jokingly expected Naughty dog would continue their formula of 3 games + driving game and thus release "Unkarted" instead of Uncharted 4. But I guess not.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 08, 2015, 12:16:02 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-AralNylL.jpg)

So, the one time I played this game was 8 years ago, and my memory has been so incredibly vague that it demanded a replay. The IZJS makes the gameplay somewhat different, though I'm not sure if it was the fact that I chose the best jobs or what, but the game turned out to be almost too easy even for my standards (I'm not too crazy about challenges in games).

I've done about 80% of the story now and am ready to move on. Since I don't remember the ending, though, I might just look it up on youtube to refresh my memory.

The story for this game, even after a second playthrough, I still find bland. And I think it's mainly because the characters were incredibly boring. Only Balthier had some sort of sense of personality. The story just lacked emotion and interesting characters that were easy to actually care about. If you like politics, though, (and the awkward shift of protagonists midway through the game) then this is your game. The gameplay was, and still is, very much to my taste, though I can very much understand the criticism. It seems to be the most divided game in the series in terms of what people think about it. Many people have the exact opposite opinion as me about the gameplay and story. There is also supposedly a couple hundred hours worth of extra stuff to do in the game which some have said is better than the actual game itself. Hm?

Looked at some more JRPG's and I hear high praise about Suikoden 2's story... hmmm?  8)

Next: gonna finish up the fine points of my Rift/Skyrim setup and put some hours into that.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 08, 2015, 01:04:37 PM
Quote from: Greg on July 08, 2015, 12:16:02 PM
It seems to be the most divided game in the series in terms of what people think about it.

From what I remember about the game I liked the grey morality. Vayne is one of the most likable and sympathetic Final Fantasy villains ever.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 10, 2015, 09:20:13 AM
Quote from: Alberich on July 08, 2015, 01:04:37 PM
From what I remember about the game I liked the grey morality. Vayne is one of the most likable and sympathetic Final Fantasy villains ever.
Weird, perhaps I'm missing something, but he just seemed like a typical power-hungry brat to me. I don't remember the ending, though...

I don't think I'm going to play Skyrim with the Rift... it seems I've done everything I can successfully (after many hours of setup, mods, etc.), but the end result is an experience that just isn't comfortable enough to my tastes. I heard there are a couple other games that work much better on the Rift, but I don't really have an interest in playing them.

Meh. I might just play other games for now. Too much hassle. Maybe... back to Bravely Default...?  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 10, 2015, 09:47:31 AM
Quote from: Greg on July 10, 2015, 09:20:13 AM
Weird, perhaps I'm missing something, but he just seemed like a typical power-hungry brat to me. I don't remember the ending, though...

I guess it depends on how you interpret his character. I saw his goals as trying to free humanity from Occuria's tyranny, although committing bad actions in the process. Then again, you could argue he merely used it as an excuse in his quest for power. What makes me most think he was probably meant to be seen as a more sympathetic character, is the pitiful way he was portrayed in the end and the way he seems to genuinely care for Larsa. He applies as a villain but I think he's far more sympathetic and 3-dimensional character than, say, Kefka.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 10, 2015, 07:21:18 PM
Quote from: Alberich on July 10, 2015, 09:47:31 AM
What makes me most think he was probably meant to be seen as a more sympathetic character, is the pitiful way he was portrayed in the end
Well, that would explain it since I don't remember the ending.

Even bad leaders can treat their family members well and make it appear that they are trying to do good when they really aren't (just look at real life). Judging from what I remember after playing the game 80% through, Kefka is more interesting to me just because it's interesting to see how far of a descent into insanity a character can go. Vayne just seems like a more realistic bad guy. I mean, I'm sure some of the worst dictators in the history of the world probably had their attractive qualities if you got to know them, but Kefka, on the other hand, is just so unbelievable that he's a bit more suited to the "fantasy" genre (and the fantasy aspect of these games is part of the appeal)...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on July 11, 2015, 02:57:57 AM
Kind of interesting I mentioned Kefka of all people because now that I think about it I actually think he is more interesting character in how his nihilism deepens more and more. And of course, Uematsu is at his best in Dancing mad, the final part has that sorrowful lyrical moment which seems to reflect on how sad character Kefka ultimately is, in how he can't find any other meaning in life than utter destruction. This aspect of his character is explored in Dissidia as well.

BTW, after you've finished the game, you may not even then find Vayne's end as sympathetic as I do. It's possible to see him merely wallowing in self-pity. But I tend to empathize so strongly with bad guys that I couldn't help seeing it as an invitation to feel sorry for him (and I actually did).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 12, 2015, 10:16:29 AM
Quote from: Alberich on July 11, 2015, 02:57:57 AM
And of course, Uematsu is at his best in Dancing mad, the final part has that sorrowful lyrical moment which seems to reflect on how sad character Kefka ultimately is, in how he can't find any other meaning in life than utter destruction.
Those types of characters always remind me of these two endings from Twisted Metal 2:

https://www.youtube.com/v/j-bF0o8SzUo

https://www.youtube.com/v/pawu82ea9Bw

What would happen if the villain's wishes would be fulfilled is that... well, it wouldn't last. And the villain would fall right back into misery.


Anyways, playing Bravely Default now, which is just a superb game. 24 jobs in the game, including some strange ones (you can even play as a Merchant and make an enemy buy items from you for a profit while in battle lol). Although the story isn't anything remarkable, it is entertaining and the characters actually have personalities and amusing dialogue (nice to see after the bland characters from FF12).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 14, 2015, 04:27:03 PM
Currently downloading Tera and also ordered Guild Wars 2 today.

Tera:

https://www.youtube.com/v/shPMz-zGyRU

Guild Wars 2:

https://www.youtube.com/v/Ax-_06Acj8Y


Other than that, as far as MMORPG's go, I miiiiiiiiiight check out Wildstar once it becomes free to play within a few months. Besides that, after spending all of this time checking out other MMORPG's, these are the three I settled on actually seriously trying out.

I uninstalled Neverwinter. Maybe this sounds silly, but if a game's graphical style doesn't appeal to me, I'm not interested (unless the story is known to be brilliant or it's umm.... a Final Fantasy title).  ;D So many MMORPG's just have that bleak, Western look, and I definitely prefer a brighter art style. Perhaps that's even one of the things that has put me off from playing Skyrim.

Tera is mainly selling me on its graphics (some of the most beautiful I've seen in any game). Guild Wars 2 I want to try because it deviates from the standard MMORPG in many different ways, and is exactly what I'm looking to try out. Wildstar just looks different visually, worth trying once it becomes free.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 15, 2015, 12:28:33 PM
Played a couple hours of Tera and I'm really liking it. The world is just incredible looking (accentuated by the music) and combat is very fun, too. It's a bit different- no tab targeting or global cooldown and very fast-paced. I usually prefer slower paced (like FF11), but this has its own charm to it.

I should be getting Guild Wars 2 within a few days, so I'll comment on that game after I've played a few hours.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 18, 2015, 11:36:27 AM
Guild Wars 2 is installed and I bought Xenoblade: Chronicles today. So... here's my idea. The only games I play seriously for the next year or so will be these two and Bravely Default.

Btw, check this out. Just saw this now.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/time-names-guild-wars-ii-best-game-of-2012/1100-6401228/


Time's choice for game of the year in 2012: #1 is Guild Wars 2 and #2 is Xenoblade: Chronicles. Lol, this will be interesting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 19, 2015, 05:59:43 PM
So, I've been been looking up a few threads about "best rpg storyline ever."

The overwhelming choice that was mentioned was Planescape:Torment. And this is a game that was never exactly extremely popular, so that's saying a lot. Too bad I couldn't get it to stop crashing after playing the first hour.

So, it would be that for WRPG's, but for JRPG's, I've seen Suikoden 2 mentioned probably the most (and always with the most enthusiasm). Also, Xenogears and FF10. Xenogears was ridiculously complex and epic in scope- not sure I understood it, but more like just admired for how ridiculously profound it was trying to be (I'd have to give it another spin to make more of a judgement).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on July 19, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
Continuing my obsessive rambling, monologue... as long as it doesn't get to snyprrr-level obsessiveness?...

I have the newest RPG Maker (VX Ace), but am not sure if I will ever want to dedicate the time to making my own game. (What's nice is that, as a musician, I can literally make a game by myself with this program).

I had this idea for a plot... a fisherman is fishing in a boat at night when a whirlpool opens up before him and he's swallowed up. He awakens in a dark room and a disembodied voice speaks to him. Then, he is imbued with a special power that forms all of the abilities that would be in the battle system. Then, three doors appear before him. They are each doors to awakening in slightly different realities of the same world. I'm not sure what to add after that.

The battle system would feature no random battles, levels or gear. Possibly, there would just be a wide selection of weapons which could either be 2-hand or dual wielded, which determine which abilities you can have. There would be no vertical progression- just horizontal, because you're only trying to unlock different weapons (which define which "job" you are when equipped) to take down bosses. Oh, and... there are literally ONLY bosses. You could optionally train somewhere, but there will not be a such thing as dungeons or the trash mobs which inhabit them.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 05, 2015, 08:11:01 PM
Guild Wars 2

I've been really getting into this the last few days. Simply an awesome game!

I've also been looking comparing the world map size of games. Of course, if you have no conditions, Minecraft wins easily. For randomly generated maps, Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall is bigger than England (you can play this game for free from the official Elder Scrolls site, though it takes ~15 minutes worth of setup to get running).

The biggest world map of unique content is Guild Wars: Nightfall, coming in at nearly twice the size of Israel. I have no words for how they can even do that... Guild Wars 2 world map is supposedly 100 square kilometers, which is about 4 times the size of my town.


Fantastic article here for the curious:
http://www.hexapolis.com/2014/11/05/10-biggest-open-world-video-games-terms-map-size/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 08, 2015, 12:00:34 PM
Not playing video games, but working on theory and science to make video games.. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 08, 2015, 01:33:32 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 08, 2015, 12:00:34 PM
Not playing video games, but working on theory and science to make video games.. :)
Interesting... any more details on this?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 08, 2015, 08:55:23 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 08, 2015, 01:33:32 PM
Interesting... any more details on this?

Use information from social media and all the data the internet collects about you ander other people.

See also:
http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251 (http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251)

"Therefore a higher culture must give man a double brain, two brain chambers, so to speak, one to feel science and the other to feel non science, which can lie side by side, without confusion, divisible, exclusive; this is a necessity of health. In one part lies the source of strength, in the other lies the regulator; it must be heated with illusions, one-sidednesses, passions; and the malicious and dangerous consequences of overheating must be averted by the help of conscious Science."
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2015, 06:07:02 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 08, 2015, 08:55:23 PM
Use information from social media and all the data the internet collects about you ander other people.

See also:
http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251 (http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251)

"Therefore a higher culture must give man a double brain, two brain chambers, so to speak, one to feel science and the other to feel non science, which can lie side by side, without confusion, divisible, exclusive; this is a necessity of health. In one part lies the source of strength, in the other lies the regulator; it must be heated with illusions, one-sidednesses, passions; and the malicious and dangerous consequences of overheating must be averted by the help of conscious Science."
Not sure what this has to do with games, but I guess I should have expected Nietzsche, coming from you.  :P :D

So, Henk, just curious; if you were looking for a video game to play, what type of game would you be interested in?



I tried the new MMORPG, Skyforge, for about an hour today. The videos looked awesome, but it just didn't really click with me for some reason. I created my character to be just as hot as I could imagine using the character creator.

Her name is Sawa Zawa.

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%201_zpsigbcndqd.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%201_zpsigbcndqd.jpg.html)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%202_zpsu5qjr9ag.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%202_zpsu5qjr9ag.jpg.html)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%203_zpsekxvdhrx.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/Skyforge-%20Sawa%20Zawa-%203_zpsekxvdhrx.jpg.html)



And here's my Guild Wars 2 characters.
My main character, Lyliava, I also made to be as hot as possible using the character creator. She's my main now because 1) I could stare at her endlessly and 2) she shoots fire (and other elements if you wish) from her hands. Nice.  8)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/GW2-%20Lyliava_zps5gjjieib.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/GW2-%20Lyliava_zps5gjjieib.jpg.html)


My other characters:

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/GW2-%20Muxthova_zps7fpxkbwx.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/GW2-%20Muxthova_zps7fpxkbwx.jpg.html)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/GW2-%20Ruphweqri_zpshasq3coe.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/GW2-%20Ruphweqri_zpshasq3coe.jpg.html)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/GW2-%20Xaxaxivion_zpse1tkhroh.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/GW2-%20Xaxaxivion_zpse1tkhroh.jpg.html)

(http://i833.photobucket.com/albums/zz257/ibanezmonsterg/GW2-%20Loqrishuman_zps5f3is0tu.jpg) (http://s833.photobucket.com/user/ibanezmonsterg/media/GW2-%20Loqrishuman_zps5f3is0tu.jpg.html)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 09, 2015, 06:39:13 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 09, 2015, 06:07:02 PM
Not sure what this has to do with games, but I guess I should have expected Nietzsche, coming from you.  :P :D

So, Henk, just curious; if you were looking for a video game to play, what type of game would you be interested in?

It has everything to do with games / virtual worlds.

Adventure type game perhaps, though I never played them. Also with some action.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 09, 2015, 06:59:29 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 09, 2015, 06:39:13 PM
It has anything to do with games.

Adventure type game perhaps, though I never played them. Also with some action.
If you have a somewhat decent computer, you can always look into some of the better free MMORPG's, which include Rift, Tera, Skyforge, Neverwinter, though the best ones you have to either buy or subscribe to...
RPG's or MMORPG's, especially, are essentially action/adventure. All RPG's are at least somewhat based off of Dungeons & Dragons, if you've ever played that (I haven't).

Or you can download an emulator and played slightly older games, all for free (don't even need a good computer). Most of the best games can be played this way.

And of course, there's always the actual action/adventure genre, which I don't play much of.  :P

But if you ever find yourself bored and curious, just ask for recommendations!  ;D (you can spend hundreds of hours having fun in certain games, which is nice)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 10, 2015, 01:44:41 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 09, 2015, 06:59:29 PM
If you have a somewhat decent computer, you can always look into some of the better free MMORPG's, which include Rift, Tera, Skyforge, Neverwinter, though the best ones you have to either buy or subscribe to...
RPG's or MMORPG's, especially, are essentially action/adventure. All RPG's are at least somewhat based off of Dungeons & Dragons, if you've ever played that (I haven't).

Or you can download an emulator and played slightly older games, all for free (don't even need a good computer). Most of the best games can be played this way.

And of course, there's always the actual action/adventure genre, which I don't play much of.  :P

But if you ever find yourself bored and curious, just ask for recommendations!  ;D (you can spend hundreds of hours having fun in certain games, which is nice)

I have a decent computer, but not for highly advanced games.

I'm not bored, Greg. So much to do..

But probably going to play some games because I need to experience it, for my research. And also to have some fun, I hope. :) Thanks for willing to help me with that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 10, 2015, 07:37:58 AM
To add:

The book "Mind Change" by Susan Greenfield is very interesting (on basis of the contents, need to read the book) in this respect.

You might like to read it as well, Greg! :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Karl Henning on August 10, 2015, 08:17:54 AM
Is that what you receive back when you have to break a 20? Mind change . . . ?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 10, 2015, 08:36:25 AM
Kinda looks like one of those "don't be on the computer all the time" type of books, though...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 11, 2015, 12:47:15 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 10, 2015, 07:37:58 AM
To add:

The book "Mind Change" by Susan Greenfield is very interesting (on basis of the contents, need to read the book) in this respect.

You might like to read it as well, Greg! :)

Thank you for mentioning this book. Looks interesting!  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 12, 2015, 04:27:47 AM
Greg, you might try to learn Dutch. ;)

http://www.music-arts-philosophy-science.com/uncategorized/het-sturen-van-de-techniek-sociale-media-en-games/ (http://www.music-arts-philosophy-science.com/uncategorized/het-sturen-van-de-techniek-sociale-media-en-games/)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 12, 2015, 07:15:53 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 12, 2015, 04:27:47 AM
Greg, you might try to learn Dutch. ;)

http://www.music-arts-philosophy-science.com/uncategorized/het-sturen-van-de-techniek-sociale-media-en-games/ (http://www.music-arts-philosophy-science.com/uncategorized/het-sturen-van-de-techniek-sociale-media-en-games/)
I already know it.


(with Google translate)  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 12, 2015, 07:43:25 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 12, 2015, 07:15:53 AM
I already know it.


(with Google translate)  ;)

Ok, let's come to the point then, did you understand it? ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 12, 2015, 08:45:15 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 12, 2015, 07:43:25 AM
Ok, let's come to the point then, did you understand it? ;)
Well, I tried to understand some of it lol.

I suppose this is the most relevant portion to the thread:


(google translate)
QuoteIn the aphorism "The future of science" (Human, All Too Human) Nietzsche writes that scientific knowledge is always boring for normal people. Only if science is to extract a lot of fun. But science also takes pleasure path for humanity by "suspicion of metaphysics, religion and art." Via "illusions, errors and delusions" which in this context occur, then the sciences are "ruined". However, it lost ground to recover should the science as "governor" will act on these issues, which now can be formulated positively, namely as "illusions, biases and passions." The human part is the energy source, in science so the governor. Therefore, Nietzsche speaks of a "double brain" and "two ventricles. This clearly what Nietzsche prophetically alluded to: virtual worlds, movies, games, digital brain games, educational apps, tec. "With illusions, biases and passions should be fired" wrote Nietzsche, "to avoid the bad effects of overheating," by developing games using the knowing science. Result is a "high culture": there are better, more interesting games developed and these have a connection with the real world because the information collected will be used in games about people on the Internet. Through this virtual world people obtain information about each other, you can find information about others in a game, and that's a lot different than you information imposed by the autonomous super brain of the Internet (under the guise of "personalized information"). And you may not find that information about others, but the impressions that people do through games remain well behind and are 'real' and 'valid'. Mixing occurs in the real world, with real life, of course, remains much more interesting.
So is the whole idea proposing the development of games that can teach science?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 12, 2015, 09:30:08 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 12, 2015, 08:45:15 AM
Well, I tried to understand some of it lol.

I suppose this is the most relevant portion to the thread:


(google translate)So is the whole idea proposing the development of games that can teach science?

Can you point out where exactly in the text you come to conclude this? Because it's not at all what I try to explain and what Nietzsche writes about.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 12, 2015, 10:47:58 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 12, 2015, 09:30:08 AM
Can you point out where exactly in the text you come to conclude this? Because it's not at all what I try to explain and what Nietzsche writes about.
The part where I quoted. But... since that's not what you meant, I guess I didn't understand it. Not your fault- just hard to understand with Google translate.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 12, 2015, 11:41:04 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 12, 2015, 10:47:58 AM
The part where I quoted. But... since that's not what you meant, I guess I didn't understand it. Not your fault- just hard to understand with Google translate.  ;D

Thanks for your feedback, Greg. I changed the text a bit. Google translate gives now:

"In the aphorism "The future of science" (Human, All Too Human) Nietzsche writes that scientific knowledge is always boring for normal people. Only if science is to extract a lot of fun. But science also takes pleasure path for humanity by "suspicion of metaphysics, religion and art." Via "illusions, errors and delusions" which in this context occur, then the sciences are "ruined". However, it lost ground to recover should the science as "governor" will act on these issues, which now can be formulated positively, namely as "illusions, biases and passions." The human part is the energy source, in science so the governor. Nietzsche therefore speaks of a "double brain" and "two ventricles (Nietzsche writes of a" requirement of health, "as contrasted with" brainwashing "I want to add to it). This clearly what Nietzsche prophetically alluded to: virtual worlds, movies, games, digital brain games, educational apps, tec. "With illusions, biases and passions should be fired" wrote Nietzsche, "to avoid the bad effects of overheating," by developing games using the knowing science. Just as an architect may create more beautiful buildings with the aid of a particular theory, there may be more engaging games are being developed with the aid of the knowing science. Result is a "high culture": there are better, more interesting games developed with more 'gameplay' and these have a connection with the real world because the information collected will be used in games about people on the Internet. Through this virtual world people obtain information about each other, you can find information about others in a game, and that's a lot different than you information imposed by the autonomous super brain of the Internet (under the guise of "personalized information"). And you may not think about others, but the impressions that people do through this 'new games' remain behind and be 'real' and 'valid'. Mixing occurs in the real world, with real life, of course, remains much more interesting. Thus there is a "high culture" emerged."

Are things more clear for you now?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 12, 2015, 11:58:45 PM
Not really.

The question is, why are you writing a book about an entertainment form you are not even familiar with?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 12:14:40 AM
Quote from: Purusha on August 12, 2015, 11:58:45 PM
Not really.

The question is, why are you writing a book about an entertainment form you are not even familiar with?

I wanted to buy and play a game some time ago. But my computer wasn't suitable for, however I asked the seller when I bought my computer if it was.

Furthermore, 'new games' have more my interest. I would like to play them (probably).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 13, 2015, 01:21:26 AM
Which "new games", and why new games, and not old ones? What's the difference anyway? (aside for the fact the new ones are crappier).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 13, 2015, 06:18:38 AM
Henk, since you're into philosophy, probably the best recommendation I can give you for a game to play is Planescape: Torment. Not only that, but after reading some threads on video game forums about games with the best storylines, this tends to be the most mentioned.

https://www.youtube.com/v/iblKGNtpEnE

Your PC is powerful enough to run it, I guarantee it. The game is nearly 16 years old now; my microwave could probably run it.  :P The catch is that you might have to do some research on how to actually get it to run because the game was written for Windows 98, so there will be compatibility issues.

Eugene would be glad to know I'm advertising his favorite game.  :D (it was what got him into philosophy in the first place)


Quote from: Purusha on August 13, 2015, 01:21:26 AM
Which "new games", and why new games, and not old ones? What's the difference anyway? (aside for the fact the new ones are crappier).
Probably true overall when it comes to PC games. Though I much prefer anything with 3D graphics over spirtes, even if the game is 15 years old and dated looking.





Oh, and unrelated to all of that... ok, I think I should just finally admit it. My favorite game, Chrono Cross, for the last 13-14 years has been dethroned. When I really think about it enough, I enjoyed Final Fantasy 11 more than any game I've played. Yeah, it has the unfair advantage of having 14 years' worth of content, but still...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 06:46:17 AM
Quote from: Purusha on August 13, 2015, 01:21:26 AM
Which "new games", and why new games, and not old ones? What's the difference anyway? (aside for the fact the new ones are crappier).

You didn't take the effort to read my text?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 13, 2015, 07:32:14 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 13, 2015, 06:46:17 AM
You didn't take the effort to read my text?
I had to read it a few times. I think I finally understand it now. So I don't blame him lol.
The basic gist being how science can help create video games

This sentence is completely understandable:
QuoteJust as an architect may create more beautiful buildings with the aid of a particular theory, there may be more engaging games are being developed with the aid of the knowing science

I'm not sure what "overheating" is supposed to refer to, though...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 11:47:39 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 13, 2015, 07:32:14 AM
I had to read it a few times. I think I finally understand it now. So I don't blame him lol.
The basic gist being how science can help create video games

This sentence is completely understandable:
I'm not sure what "overheating" is supposed to refer to, though...

I understand. Nietzsche means that through "illusions, one-sidednesses, passions" things can get overheated, which certainly happens on social media and in games, so there must _distiled_ with it, with means of the knowing science. Doesn't necessarily mean there can't be action in games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 11:59:39 AM
Thanks again for the feedback, Greg.

Maybe reading the aphorism by Nietzsche itself things will get more clear all the more. http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251 (http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 12:04:42 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 13, 2015, 11:47:39 AM
I understand. Nietzsche means that through "illusions, one-sidednesses, passions" things can get overheated, which certainly happens on social media and in games, so there must _distiled_ with it, with means of the knowing science. Doesn't necessarily mean there can't be action in games.

Greg, I edited my text, to make it easier to read.. So if you can reread.. ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 01:29:30 PM
I have a tendency to fail to write things well when it becomes crucial, doing neglectful about it. Must change that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 13, 2015, 02:23:29 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 13, 2015, 11:59:39 AM
Thanks again for the feedback, Greg.

Maybe reading the aphorism by Nietzsche itself things will get more clear all the more. http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251 (http://www.lexido.com/EBOOK_TEXTS/HUMAN_ALL_TOO_HUMAN_BOOK_ONE_.aspx?S=251)
Now that was actually understandable. That's the difference between a real translator and Google translate, I guess.  :P

I reread that paragraph...

Quote' and these have a connection with the real world because the information collected will be used in games about people on the Internet.
Usually this doesn't happen, though. People tend to be far more anonymous in games than in something like Facebook. Unless you make friends with people in a game and tell them details about yourself.

So the point that you are making at the end- the "high culture" point, is that a game can ignite passions while also being used to learn about people, as in a scientific way? (relating to Nietzsche's "double brain?")
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 13, 2015, 02:28:25 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 13, 2015, 02:23:29 PM
Now that was actually understandable. That's the difference between a real translator and Google translate, I guess.  :P

I reread that paragraph...
Usually this doesn't happen, though. People tend to be far more anonymous in games than in something like Facebook. Unless you make friends with people in a game and tell them details about yourself.

That's the second point I am making Greg. Information on the internet about you, anything, what posts you liked on social media etc, becomes available in the game, so you get details about people by playing the game in that way.

Quote from: Greg on August 13, 2015, 02:23:29 PM
So the point that you are making at the end- the "high culture" point, is that a game can ignite passions while also being used to learn about people, as in a scientific way? (relating to Nietzsche's "double brain?")

See previous sentence. By "double brain" Nietzsche means on the one side non-science, so playing the game, on the other hand science, so developing the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:02:17 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 13, 2015, 06:46:17 AMYou didn't take the effort to read my text?

Not really, no. But i have a feeling that your interest in video games has nothing really to do with video games at all.

Quote from: Greg on August 13, 2015, 07:32:14 AMThe basic gist being how science can help create video games

How would he know this, if he doesn't know what makes a video game good or entertaining? All i'm seeing is another academic or academically minded person who thinks abstraction and "theory" comes before the reality, or rather, that the reality IS the abstraction. This has been the essence of the modern weltanschauung for a long time now, and we have seen the effects (all deleterious) this had on music and art (as well as science for that matter). Now, apparently, it is the turn of pop entertainment. The way i understand it, video games are becoming a tool a disparaging number of people want to use to proselytize their particular views among the unwashed proles. First was the turn of the cultural Marxists (which turned into a big fiasco, see GamerGate), and now apparently this medium is open field for anyone else. I guess "academia" has now discovered video games. But don't worry video gamer, this is all for your own good. This is all about making games "better". Doesn't matter that we have no idea of what a video game is and never even played one before, we have theories that we can use to "elevate" this entertainment form into an high art. Trust us!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:03:15 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 13, 2015, 02:28:25 PM
That's the second point I am making Greg. Information on the internet about you, anything, what posts you liked on social media etc, becomes available in the game, so you get details about people by playing the game in that way.

Which of course is going make the game better because...?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on August 14, 2015, 05:36:27 AM
Dragon Age II again.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2015, 07:12:11 AM
Quote from: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:02:17 AM
Not really, no. But i have a feeling that your interest in video games has nothing really to do with video games at all.

How would he know this, if he doesn't know what makes a video game good or entertaining? All i'm seeing is another academic or academically minded person who thinks abstraction and "theory" comes before the reality, or rather, that the reality IS the abstraction. This has been the essence of the modern weltanschauung for a long time now, and we have seen the effects (all deleterious) this had on music and art (as well as science for that matter). Now, apparently, it is the turn of pop entertainment. The way i understand it, video games are becoming a tool a disparaging number of people want to use to proselytize their particular views among the unwashed proles. First was the turn of the cultural Marxists (which turned into a big fiasco, see GamerGate), and now apparently this medium is open field for anyone else. I guess "academia" has now discovered video games. But don't worry video gamer, this is all for your own good. This is all about making games "better". Doesn't matter that we have no idea of what a video game is and never even played one before, we have theories that we can use to "elevate" this entertainment form into an high art. Trust us!
Totally true.
(btw, what were your favorite games? Didn't you say you liked Fallout 2 (and hated 3) or something like that? I'm going to take a wild guess and say you like Baldur's Gate)?

I suggest the same, Henk. It's really a better idea to play a lot of games before writing seriously in-depth about them or your ideas about what they can become.

Top 10 philosophical games: (very interesting read)
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/top10/2242-the-top-10-games-which-deal-with-important-philosophical

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:01:14 AM
OK, thanks A LOT for the feedback Purusha and Greg! Will read your comments closely.

Greg, I would prefer games where I get into contact with girls I think! ;) :laugh:

I will follow your advice. Will need a better computer probably first I think, I'm afraid emulgators will ruin my computer and I'll lose my documents.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2015, 08:24:12 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:01:14 AM
Greg, I would prefer games where I get into contact with girls I think! ;) :laugh:
Heh, idk then, Second Life, maybe? lol (if you can even call that a "game")


Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:01:14 AM
I will follow your advice. Will need a better computer probably first I think, I'm afraid emulgators will ruin my computer and I'll lose my documents.
First of all, you should always have a backup for your documents. If you only have books, pictures, and writings, a cheap flash drive should be big enough to hold all of that.

Emulators won't mess up your computer (as long as you use the standard ones- epsxe for Playstation games, pcsx2 for PS2 games, Project64 for Nintendo 64 games, etc.) And unless your computer is 15 years old, it should be able to run any game that needs an emulator. Oh, and you can download all of that (emulators and games) for free.

Just a thought if you ever feel like playing any quality games...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:29:42 AM
Quote from: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:03:15 AM
Which of course is going make the game better because...?

It's at least an alternative approach worth investigating.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:37:55 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 14, 2015, 08:24:12 AM
Heh, idk then, Second Life, maybe? lol (if you can even call that a "game")

First of all, you should always have a backup for your documents. If you only have books, pictures, and writings, a cheap flash drive should be big enough to hold all of that.

Emulators won't mess up your computer (as long as you use the standard ones- epsxe for Playstation games, pcsx2 for PS2 games, Project64 for Nintendo 64 games, etc.) And unless your computer is 15 years old, it should be able to run any game that needs an emulator. Oh, and you can download all of that (emulators and games) for free.

Just a thought if you ever feel like playing any quality games...

Haha.

I have 3 backups of my documents currently. But not automatic backups, which I am searching for..

Of course gonna play quality games. Final Fantasy? ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2015, 08:49:03 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:37:55 AM
I have 3 backups of my documents currently. But not automatic backups, which I am searching for..
Good.


Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:37:55 AM
Of course gonna play quality games. Final Fantasy? ;)
You have the right idea.  ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 09:40:03 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 14, 2015, 08:49:03 AM
Good.

You have the right idea.  ;)

What's the idea then? ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2015, 09:52:15 AM
Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 09:40:03 AM
What's the idea then? ::)
What you said, playing Final Fantasy games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 10:36:57 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 14, 2015, 09:52:15 AM
What you said, playing Final Fantasy games.

Are you conscious of your terrible mind fuck, Greg? ;) :laugh:
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:41:48 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 08:29:42 AM
It's at least an alternative approach worth investigating.

Looks to me more like something the Ministry of Truth would come up with.

Still don't see what that has to do with the game. When i think of MMORPGs, i think of game and class balance, good dungeon design, proper world building, stuff like that. Knowing what the party member next to me likes to do on the internet outside the game isn't exactly something i would associate with the type of experience those games are supposed to offer.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 01:34:54 PM
Quote from: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 12:41:48 PM
Looks to me more like something the Ministry of Truth would come up with.

Still don't see what that has to do with the game. When i think of MMORPGs, i think of game and class balance, good dungeon design, proper world building, stuff like that. Knowing what the party member next to me likes to do on the internet outside the game isn't exactly something i would associate with the type of experience those games are supposed to offer.

Not open for experiments? ::) I'm not a party member by the way..

That's why I write about _new games_ :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 04:16:18 PM
Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 01:34:54 PMNot open for experiments? ::)

Not the creepy, Orwellian kind that have no relation whatsoever with what the medium in question is about to begin with.

Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 01:34:54 PMI'm not a party member by the way..

You certainly sound like one. Not that that's what i was talking about.

Quote from: Henk on August 14, 2015, 01:34:54 PMThat's why I write about _new games_ :)

Yes, new games. Games+
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 14, 2015, 06:45:50 PM
Quote from: Purusha on August 14, 2015, 04:16:18 PM
You certainly sound like one. Not that that's what i was talking about.
Now that was funny!  :D

Henk, a "party" that he's talking about is just a group of players that might be doing something in the game (typically dungeons or raids, for example).

I think Henk's ideas/experiments might apply more to something like Second Life, maybe, than a typical game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 14, 2015, 09:40:08 PM
Quote from: Greg on August 14, 2015, 06:45:50 PM

I think Henk's ideas/experiments might apply more to something like Second Life, maybe, than a typical game.

That was also my first impulse, but Second Life sounds so negative. Maybe we can drastically improve it and give it an other name.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 15, 2015, 12:09:07 AM
Shutting down that abomination would certainly be a start.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 15, 2015, 12:20:00 AM
http://www.utnieuws.nl/english/61773/Playing_the_Game_of_Games (http://www.utnieuws.nl/english/61773/Playing_the_Game_of_Games) :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on August 15, 2015, 01:03:15 AM
New Games!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 15, 2015, 06:33:35 AM
Quote from: Purusha on August 15, 2015, 12:09:07 AM
Shutting down that abomination would certainly be a start.
Lol. Personally, I don't get the point of social games like this and another one I heard of called IMVU. If I want to be social, I just go to a friend's house.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on August 15, 2015, 06:38:59 AM
Quote from: Greg on August 15, 2015, 06:33:35 AM
Lol. Personally, I don't get the point of social games like this and another one I heard of called IMVU. If I want to be social, I just go to a friend's house.

Probably what I want to develop is more for the mass. Still I want to put my energy in it..
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on August 19, 2015, 08:37:14 AM
Enjoying the PC version of Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon (http://www.shroudedmoon.com/).

https://www.youtube.com/v/wCFrIfp9WeQ

Tiger Style is a studio run by Randy Smith of Looking Glass fame and you can feel that legacy throughout the whole game - while the scale is obviously tailored for mobile devices, the attention to detail and overall vibe are reminiscent of Thief.

Their previous title, Waking Mars, was also highly enjoyable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 21, 2015, 11:07:05 AM
Long video, but very entertaining throughout. This guy tells about his addiction in the past with Final Fantasy 11. Sounds so much like a drug addiction.


https://www.youtube.com/v/Jfolw_wdBJE
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on August 31, 2015, 03:36:54 PM
And look at where that last post left me... I resubscribed to FF11 about a week ago!  ;D

The updates to the game have made it so solo-friendly that nearly everything in the game can be soloed. Also, leveling every job solo is actually viable (it's 4 times as fast as before, likely even faster with the upcoming final update in December). The last time I quit is because I couldn't level and couldn't get anywhere with the stories, but now I can do both!

This game really is one of the strangest things to happen to me. I initially tried to avoid it because I knew it was an MMORPG and would suck me in like a drug. Turns out that was actually a good thing. (My initial plans were to get to level 30 and quit- look how that turned out lol). There are many different things that can help against depression caused by being bored by daily life, but this game has been the most effective out of anything I've tried before. If they drop the subscription fee eventually (they should because they won't be updating it next year ever again), I'll probably always be playing it at least every now and then even if I eventually ever "do everything..."

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on August 31, 2015, 11:11:45 PM
Did you try Guild Wars 2?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on September 01, 2015, 03:52:26 AM
Well, STASIS is out, and everybody appears to be raving about it, even the fine people at RPGCodex, that hive of scum, villainy, and extremely picky taste in video games:

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/stasis-an-indie-space-adventure-game-released.54428/page-55#post-4105430

Visually, the game looks amazing:

https://www.google.com/search?q=stasis+screen+shots&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI8OmqtOLVxwIV5mtyCh2Q1QLk&biw=1680&bih=935

Hopefully this will inject some life into the adventure genre.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on September 01, 2015, 12:20:23 PM
Quote from: -abe- on August 31, 2015, 11:11:45 PM
Did you try Guild Wars 2?
Yep, and it is a FANTASTIC game. I highly recommend it. It just went free to play a few days ago, though I hear there are some limits, so you should try it out and if you like the game, you can buy it. The server I'm on is Stormbluff Isle, though I'm probably on going to be on when the mood strikes, rather than all the time.

I could say the same for the first Guild Wars. Not sure if I mentioned it yet, but I had bought and played a few hours of that game, too. Fascinating in entirely different ways.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on September 20, 2015, 07:14:22 PM
Blizzard's cinematic for their upcoming competitive FPS game "Overwatch" is pretty good. I'd say the technical side of their CGI team is good enough to churn out a Hollywood product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqnKB22pOC0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqnKB22pOC0)

I look forward to the game.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 02, 2015, 04:21:59 PM
For anyone who might be interested, Wildstar went free to play a few days ago. I played a bit of it and it seems like a pretty cool game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 04, 2015, 05:56:54 PM
Some thoughts about Wildstar. I'm only at level 6 (out of 50), so can't go in depth, but...

-The UI and controls are THE BEST in all off the MMORPG's I've tried out (currently 12). All you have to do is set the mouse to where you don't have to click to turn and prepare to have your mind blown at how smooth and satisfying everything is.

-The skill bar is limited to only 7 skills! So you have to customize your setup, just like GW and GW2. Compare to FF14, where people have been running out of keys to use because their jobs have over 30 skills. Not sure which I prefer. Certainly friendlier to your fingers and can make fights differ greatly from each other, but you lose the fun of having to decide between so many options quickly during battle.

-I doubt I'll be into endgame raiding much, because it sounds like everything I hate about new MMORPG-style raids (like FF14, but worse): endless dodging telegraph patterns on the grounds, basically. In fact, it's more about that than actually being good at your job, and it's known for being very difficult and catering to hardcore players. Not for me.

-Storyline is practically non-existent in this game. Seems to be just quests. I have to adjust to the fact that most MMORPG's have crappy or nonexistent storylines and just judge them by their gameplay. There's probably no more than 5 MMORPG's in existence with storylines comparable to FF11 and FF14, and this isn't me saying this- this is general consensus.

-The art style is pretty cool. Very much like Ratchet & Clank, Beyond Good and Evil, or a futuristic version of WOW.

Not sure how far I'll get because I've been having more fun learning about the various MMORPG's out there than actually getting far in them, but I can see myself occasionally getting in the mood to pick up and play it, just like GW, GW2 or Tera. The only 2 MMORPG's that left a sour taste in my mouth were Neverwinter and Skyforge, and the strange thing is that I have absolutely no idea why lol.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on October 07, 2015, 12:19:14 PM
Currently nearing the end of a replay of Dragon Age after which I'll move onto Awakening and Dragon Age 2 (which is one of my favorite games to play). Also picked up a whole slew of empathy games off of Steam/GoG/Humble, so I'll be getting to those soonish.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 12, 2015, 04:29:45 PM
I'm actually downloading World of Warcraft right now.  ???

A little confused on the beginning pricing model, but I know it's pretty cheap unless you want WoD.

Narrowed down the list of MMORPG's to the ones that I know I will want to play. I'd like to at least max level one character and/or do whatever main storylines, if there are any.
-FF11
-FF14
-WOW (at least, very likely)
-GW
-GW2
-Tera
-Wildstar



Some that I'm not sure of yet if I'll ever seriously play or not:
-ESO
-SWTOR
-The Secret World
-EQ
-EQ2


Strongly considered for a while but decided against after playing briefly:
-Neverwinter
-Rift
-Mabinogi
-Skyforge


Strongly considered for a while but decided against after reading about them:
-Archeage
-EVE Online
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2015, 04:52:23 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 12, 2015, 04:29:45 PM
I'm actually downloading World of Warcraft right now.  ???

A little confused on the beginning pricing model, but I know it's pretty cheap unless you want WoD.


I played WoW when it was first released, and continued through most of the expansions. I spent a lot of time playing it, but also had friends that played at the same time which really made it fun. Let me know your thoughts, Greg. It's a game I've always thought about returning to at some point.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 12, 2015, 05:46:17 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2015, 04:52:23 PM
I played WoW when it was first released, and continued through most of the expansions. I spent a lot of time playing it, but also had friends that played at the same time which really made it fun. Let me know your thoughts, Greg. It's a game I've always thought about returning to at some point.
I will, if I ever get serious with it. At one point, everyone in my previous programming class but me and one friend were playing WOW (and eating pot brownies).  ;D

Idk, I'm really undecided right now about what game to play next. I might even decide against playing any of those games on my list that I liked. For now, just concerned about finishing up Bravely Default.

What I played just now for 20 minutes was a "Starter Edition." It looks cool. I'm sure I'd enjoy it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Artem on October 12, 2015, 07:02:04 PM
I finished Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 recently. It felt like the longest game in the series that I had played, which was a positive aspect of it. Not a bad game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Philo on October 14, 2015, 01:00:24 PM
Had to restart DA as I wasn't happy with my choices.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 01:17:00 PM
Quote from: -abe- on September 20, 2015, 07:14:22 PMI'd say the technical side of their CGI team is good enough to churn out a Hollywood product.

Their writing team is certainly bad enough to live up to that "standard", if you can call it such. The cinematics for Starcraft II and Diablo 3 are so bad they are literally cringe worthy. The Blizzard that used to make stuff like this is long since gone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-00uQzXyujI

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 01:42:21 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 12, 2015, 05:46:17 PMWhat I played just now for 20 minutes was a "Starter Edition." It looks cool. I'm sure I'd enjoy it.

Playing WoW so long after the fact will probably feel a bit underwhelming, particularly since they pretty much obliterated all open world progression and it is now purely about the end game. This seems to be a common trend among MMOs which to me is completely mystifying. Why spend so much time crafting such a huge world only to make all that content trivial and pointless? It took me several months to get to 60 on vanilla but now you can reach the level cap in about two weeks. This is a sore point to me since i like the progression in those games more than the end grind and i never found a game that even comes close to what WoW offered back in the day. Worse yet, their latest attempt to revamp the open world experience actually made things worst, with new "extended" quests that have worse writing than the original (where the writing in the original was as baseline as it gets).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 01:45:34 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 04, 2015, 05:56:54 PM-Storyline is practically non-existent in this game. Seems to be just quests. I have to adjust to the fact that most MMORPG's have crappy or nonexistent storylines and just judge them by their gameplay. There's probably no more than 5 MMORPG's in existence with storylines comparable to FF11 and FF14, and this isn't me saying this- this is general consensus.

From what i understand, if it is story and writing you are looking for your best bet is The Secret World. But story and writing isn't usually something that i would associate with those type of games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 14, 2015, 02:40:43 PM
Quote from: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 01:42:21 PM
Playing WoW so long after the fact will probably feel a bit underwhelming, particularly since they pretty much obliterated all open world progression and it is now purely about the end game. This seems to be a common trend among MMOs which to me is completely mystifying. Why spend so much time crafting such a huge world only to make all that content trivial and pointless? It took me several months to get to 60 on vanilla but now you can reach the level cap in about two weeks. This is a sore point to me since i like the progression in those games more than the end grind and i never found a game that even comes close to what WoW offered back in the day. Worse, their latest attempt to revamp the open world experience actually made things worst, with new "extended" quests that have worse writing than the original (where the writing in the original was as baseline as it gets).
If you want "what WOW offered back in the day," from what I understand about how WOW was, FF14 is as close as you'll get to that. It took me probably a month to get my first level 50 (quicker if you no-life it). To get from 50-60 (the new level cap after Heavensward), I spent two full weeks playing 40 hours a week each week and only got from level 50 to level 56 before I burnt out and quit.

If you think about it, speeding up the leveling process is just natural for any MMORPG that has aged. Developers want enough people getting through the game and demanding new content so they can sell their subscriptions. Every time a veteran quits, a noob is going to have to get to the same spot to fulfill that demand, except they have to get there quicker because they just started playing. If veterans quit and noobs quit before they even get to endgame and demand for new content will slowly but surely cease to exist, leaving developers with nothing to do and the appearance of a dying game. At least, that's my theory.

The exception is Guild Wars 2, with its unique design philosophy of having practically no endgame and making the journey to level cap pretty much the whole game. They're not subscription-based, though, which probably makes it easier to do that.



Quote from: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 01:45:34 PM
From what i understand, if it is story and writing you are looking for your best bet is The Secret World. But story and writing isn't usually something that i would associate with those type of games.
Yep. The general consensus is the only MMORPG's with great stories other than FF11 and FF14 are The Secret World and SWTOR. A shame, because I've grown to enjoy the gameplay style of MMORPG's more than any other genre. It would be nice to have it all in a game other than FF11. GW2 also has its own main stories, but from what I've encountered, they're far from great and probably the game's only real weak point.

I haven't actually tried out The Secret World because: 1. you have to buy it and 2. not sure I'm ready to play an MMORPG with such a realistic setting. I much, much prefer fantasy settings.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 03:36:28 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 14, 2015, 02:40:43 PMIf you want "what WOW offered back in the day," from what I understand about how WOW was, FF14 is as close as you'll get to that.

That seems to be the consensus. Specifically, i heard one aspect they nailed completely is dungeon design, but the rest appears to be pretty close as well.

Quote from: Greg on October 14, 2015, 02:40:43 PMIf you think about it, speeding up the leveling process is just natural for any MMORPG that has aged. Developers want enough people getting through the game and demanding new content so they can sell their subscriptions. Every time a veteran quits, a noob is going to have to get to the same spot to fulfill that demand, except they have to get there quicker because they just started playing. If veterans quit and noobs quit before they even get to endgame and demand for new content will slowly but surely cease to exist, leaving developers with nothing to do and the appearance of a dying game. At least, that's my theory.

This is probably the case but i think trivializing the content of the game is a very poor solution.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 14, 2015, 04:24:27 PM
Quote from: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 03:36:28 PM
That seems to be the consensus. Specifically, i heard one aspect they nailed completely is dungeon design, but the rest appears to be pretty close as well.
The game certainly has plenty of dungeons.

I guess it's all up to taste. How I feel about dungeons is kind of a complex topic... regardless, they all seem to have their own gimmick or two thrown in. Just enough to make it an annoyance for a returning player who forgets stuff and not enough for you to not get burnt out if playing many hours.

The only raids in the game that I did were the first two 24-man Crystal Tower raids- those were the most fascinating designs IMO. The other raids (Binding Coil of Bahamut and currently, Alexander) are known to be some of the most difficult content in MMORPG's today, if you like that sort of thing. Personally, I don't.




Quote from: Purusha on October 14, 2015, 03:36:28 PM
This is probably the case but i think trivializing the content of the game is a very poor solution.
I agree that there should be better solutions. It seems to be the WOW formula- nearly every MMORPG now is based on vertical progression.

GW1, GW2 and FF11 (pre-Abyssea) are the only well-known MMORPG's that I've heard of that are nearly entirely horizontal-based progression. It would have been better if the newer games would have followed FF11's formula- what that game did was allow you to swap gear in the middle of battle, so one class might use several sets of gear. There was so much customization, possibilities and how you needed to gear up really depended on how you wanted to play the job. For example, as a Beastmaster, I would often swap a piece or two of gear right before healing a pet for healing potency and then switch back to dps gear. So there was so much useful gear in the game that for years, they could add new gear for updates without making most gear obsolete. In contrast, in FF14 you just try to obtain one perfect set of gear per class. And ilvl will increase every few months. Which IMO is boring.

And don't even get me started gushing on the job system for FF11- I can't imagine a more incredible job system, and I haven't seen a game come even close. The ideas for possible subjob combinations entertained my mind for months. 22 jobs, over 400 possibilities (probably nearly 200 are actually useful). Only Archeage comes close, with over 100 possibilities. Irrelevant to the topic, but whatever.  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 21, 2015, 01:58:54 PM
I'm done with Bravely Default, finally. Though technically I just got to the final boss, but chose not to fight it because I want to do get a few things to carry over to the New Game +, which I don't plan to play for quite a while.
I had no idea how long this game actually was. I'd estimate 70-80 hours of playtime to get to the true ending after Chapter 8.

Currently deciding whether I want to focus on GW1, GW2 or Xenoblade next. Each are going to be 100 hours, easily...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 22, 2015, 11:07:28 PM
(http://cdn3.dualshockers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DS2.jpg)

"Dark Souls" was one of the most challenging and rewarding games I've ever played, so naturally I'm playing the sequel, which is more punishing.

There are things that are frustrating (and simultaneously original/interesting/fun) about these games: there is very little hand-holding. It's as if these games were designed to be approached and tackled through community effort -- that is, gathering info/tips from others as to how to approach bosses, where to go, itemization and the potential of weapons. That said, some hardcore gamers like to approach it entirely blind.

The story is hard to describe: You are some sort of person, or former person, stuck in a nether region or purgatory, and are on some sort of quest which requires killing creatures in this world and various bosses. The story is deliberately opaque.

Anyway, all these things work to make this series very fascinating and addicting (and frustrating!).



Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 22, 2015, 11:38:30 PM
And oh yea--these Dark Souls games have a slight MMO quality to them. There's a PvP component and you can "invade" other players' worlds and attack them. This means it isn't possible to pause the game like many an mmo.  :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 22, 2015, 11:52:28 PM
Dark Souls was a breath of fresh air for me. The first game in nearly a decade that made me feel what i used to feel with games back in the 90s, when gaming was actually good. From what i understand the sequel was made by a different team and they got off on a rough start (particularly in terms of world design, which i heard was decidedly inferior to that of the original) but eventually picked up the slack, with the DLCs being as good if not better than the first game. This whole series is actually making me consider buying a console for the first time ever. If they remaster Demon's Souls and Dark Souls for PS4 i'll definitely get one. Bless those Japanese geeks for not falling pray to the declining standards of the west.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 23, 2015, 12:47:04 AM
Quote from: Purusha on October 22, 2015, 11:52:28 PM
Dark Souls was a breath of fresh air for me. The first game in nearly a decade that made me feel what i used to feel with games back in the 90s, when gaming was actually good. From what i understand the sequel was made by a different team and they got off on a rough start (particularly in terms of world design, which i heard was decidedly inferior to that of the original) but eventually picked up the slack, with the DLCs being as good if not better than the first game. This whole series is actually making me consider buying a console for the first time ever. If they remaster Demon's Souls and Dark Souls for PS4 i'll definitely get one. Bless those Japanese geeks for not falling pray to the declining standards of the west.

Lol.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: psu on October 23, 2015, 03:03:54 AM
Dark Souls is one of the great games of the current century. It took the kernel of Demon's Souls and polished it just enough to make it just a perfect level of just a bit more playable.

Dark Souls 2 is mostly OK. It improves some things and is weaker at others (the PVP matchmaking is a lot better, for example).

Bloodborne (PS4 only) was also nice and soulsy.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 23, 2015, 05:30:08 AM
I'm planning to play them all eventually. Yeah they are all pretty much the same at this point but i don't mind that. I'd rather have more of the same if it means they maintain the same level quality (making room for the usual ups and downs) rather than have them trying to reinvent the wheel and possibly fail.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2015, 05:49:07 AM
I would play Dark Souls because I do like it when games don't handhold (older FF11 is a perfect example for this), but I don't have patience and get frustrated way too easily for it to be a good idea to play it.


btw, Guild Wars 2's first expansion, Heart of Thorns, comes out today. I didn't buy it yet, though. Probably I'll finish up with my current character (Elementalist) and then buy it and play as the new Revenant.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 23, 2015, 06:29:29 AM
You need to git gud, scrub.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2015, 07:30:30 AM
LOL. Problem is, when I do get good is when I start getting bored. That's why I quit FF14- I got bored because I got too good as Monk. It takes a ton of learning and practice to play the job correctly (you have about 30 skills and you need to know what to use quickly and also memorize long rotation sequences), so when learning stops, inspiration stops.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 23, 2015, 11:20:03 AM
I came to the decision that I really need to streamline my gaming for now. I'm a bit overwhelmed by how many games I want to play, which can be a good thing, but I need to focus less on gaming right now.

For PC, Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2. For 3DS, Pokemon X, Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Bravely Default and Xenoblade. Half of those games I've already beat.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 23, 2015, 01:37:35 PM
Dark Souls is poetry. I'm looking forward to replaying it when the right mood comes.

Right now, this is my gaming crush:

https://www.youtube.com/v/q1lmyxrJXeo

What looks like a weird experiment with a 'hacking' gimmick turns out to be a brilliant, open ended adventure where you can literally program things around you to suit your agenda.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 24, 2015, 03:37:47 AM
Quote from: Greg on October 23, 2015, 07:30:30 AMLOL. Problem is, when I do get good is when I start getting bored. That's why I quit FF14- I got bored because I got too good as Monk. It takes a ton of learning and practice to play the job correctly (you have about 30 skills and you need to know what to use quickly and also memorize long rotation sequences), so when learning stops, inspiration stops.

You get bored when hard games become easy but you don't get bored by games that are easy from the get go?

Everything becomes easy with practice. But with Dark Souls, and i'm assuming this is the point you were trying to make, the main draw is not that it is difficult in and of itself, but that the challenge is actually fun to overcome. It is very easy to make a game difficult if a developer wants to, just give the monsters copious amounts of health and damage, but it is another thing to make something difficult and fun at the same time. The best way i can describe Dark Souls is that it is sort of like learning to play an instrument. I don't know if you ever had that experience, of trying to master a difficult passage and technique and finding the process seemingly insurmountable, until you actually begin to get the hang of it, and you revel in the feeling of satisfaction that follows. Dark Souls is kinda like that. And each area offers its own unique challenges so that you will always be learning new things. It is not as easy as mastering the game's mechanics and then steam roll through the game. Much of the difficult comes from the level and monster design as well. The only time the game becomes easy is towards the end, where the developers made the oversight of allowing you to chose between four different paths, with the result that by doing one you make the others easier since they are all designed for the same character level. But hey, no game is perfect.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 24, 2015, 02:38:12 PM
Quote from: Purusha on October 24, 2015, 03:37:47 AM
You get bored when hard games become easy but you don't get bored by games that are easy from the get go?
Yeah, I think the best explanation is that if something feels repetitive to me, it gets boring after a while. It's like (referring to the rest of your post) learning some really difficult shred song and then having to play it 5 times a day to get rewards (like loot/gear). Perhaps this is more of FF14-specific matter.  :P

I might get bored by games that are easy throughout, or I might not- just depends when it feels like I stop learning. The fun of games, to me, is the learning and the otherworldly experiences, rather than the challenge.



Quote from: Purusha on October 24, 2015, 03:37:47 AM
The best way i can describe Dark Souls is that it is sort of like learning to play an instrument. I don't know if you ever had that experience, of trying to master a difficult passage and technique and finding the process seemingly insurmountable, until you actually begin to get the hang of it, and you revel in the feeling of satisfaction that follows.
Totally. I mean, some of the first guitar stuff I learned between the ages of 13-16 was Yngwie Malmsteen's stuff, and by now all of his stuff is super easy and I could probably play nearly twice as fast, so I'm no stranger to pushing myself towards some crazy challenges. Though I've been more crazy about experimenting with harmonic/rhythmic possibilities the last ten or so year rather than just playing a harmonic minor scale fast (that got boring as well). Though... it is fun experimenting exactly how fast I can get at certain easier scale patterns (28-30 notes per second). Very satisfying.  ;D

I guess I just never found overcoming challenges in games meaningful in the same way that something like playing an instrument can be.


Quote from: Purusha on October 24, 2015, 03:37:47 AM
Dark Souls is kinda like that. And each area offers its own unique challenges so that you will always be learning new things. It is not as easy as mastering the game's mechanics and then steam roll through the game. Much of the difficult comes from the level and monster design as well. The only time the game becomes easy is towards the end, where the developers made the oversight of allowing you to chose between four different paths, with the result that by doing one you make the others easier since they are all designed for the same character level. But hey, no game is perfect.
Well, I might just give it a shot. Just not now. I decided to commit to Guild Wars 1 for now (likely will be playing this until the end of the year or so) simply because despite the fact that ArenaNet said they wouldn't ever pull the plug on the game, I don't trust them because of their history. They did take a very popular game, City of Heroes, offline forever, after all.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 26, 2015, 05:00:23 PM
I considered Ornstein & Smough to be the toughest boss battle I've ever encountered in a game -- I got stuck on them in my first attempted run at Dark Souls, and beat them after starring over months later after endless tries.

This guy defeats these dudes using only voice controls.  ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m2a2dLdZ0M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m2a2dLdZ0M)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on October 26, 2015, 05:05:09 PM
Now on drums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02my_zhX4Bs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02my_zhX4Bs)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on October 28, 2015, 01:36:16 AM
Ha yes, the Bud Spencer and Terence Hill duo. And to add insult to injury, you have to kill the fatso first if you want the best rewards.

That said, people pulling off crazy stunts like that is just what you would expect coming from an entertainment form made for autists.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 31, 2015, 12:46:33 PM
Anyone actually play The Secret World?
I have to say, certain aspects of it look very appealing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 31, 2015, 02:09:37 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 31, 2015, 12:46:33 PMAnyone actually play The Secret World?
I have to say, certain aspects of it look very appealing.

It looked great on paper and I've got friends and colleagues who enjoyed it very much but I've never got past the first few hours which were full of bland shooty stuff. That was years ago, though. No idea about the current state of the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on October 31, 2015, 02:29:32 PM
"Bland shooty stuff."  ;D

It's probably one of those games that you really have to sink many hours into before it becomes enjoyable, because of the deep character customization and strong storyline. I would try it now, but it seems like a waste of $30 if I just play it for a day and then realize that, you know, I need to finish certain other games first, and that's going to take over half a year or longer.

Was $30 worth the first few hours?  :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on October 31, 2015, 04:39:32 PM
Quote from: Greg on October 31, 2015, 02:29:32 PMWas $30 worth the first few hours?  :D

It must've been a free trial or something because then I would be even more pissed and I don't recall that. I just didn't understand why a game that strives to differ itself from the rest of the MMO crowd kicks off with the most unimaginative intro section ever, running around some boring subway shooting black goo with a shotgun..

A good friend of mine tried to convince me that things get MUCH better after that (Secret World became her favourite MMO) but I never got around to giving it another chance.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 01, 2015, 09:53:21 AM
Story line driven or not, it is still an MMO:

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6f/73/2b/6f732b18061f62b05debfd627d0d8c84.jpg)
(http://static2.fjcdn.com/comments/And+of+course+then+this+one+_8e91409f136790606e58a0919455fab5.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 01, 2015, 02:03:03 PM
Well, that would apply more to Guild Wars 2, where every zone is automatically level synced, so there is never much of a feeling of getting stronger throughout the game. If it were any other MMO, there could be a third pic where the guy makes the crabs explode with his mind.  8)

Also, completely changed my mind about even considering WOW. Not unless it ever went f2p, which probably would never happen. The problem with subscription games is that if you unsubscribe but a few months later just feel like revisiting the world for a few minutes, it's $15. And there's two games I have that problem with. I don't need a third.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on November 02, 2015, 05:13:50 AM
Elder Scrolls, while not MMO (Except for Online) still has that stupid level scaling.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 02, 2015, 11:40:22 AM
Level scaling made sense in a game like Daggerfall because the content was randomized, which means it had to be created to match your character to begin with. But ever since Morrowind the content of those games has been entirely hand crafted so level scaling makes no sense whatsoever. Especially in Oblivion where everything was scaled, even more so than Daggerfall, which had enough sense to change enemy type after a certain point (so no level 50 rats).

To me, the Elder Scrolls series is a quintessential example of decline in western gaming, right next to Call of Duty. Those games are absolutely dreadful, in almost every respect. I heard people refer to Skyrim as being as big as an ocean, but as deep as a puddle, which describes this series to perfection, at least starting with Oblivion (i would also include Fallout 3 in this). And then to add insult to injury those games are always broken. Hell, even the graphics are crappy. Yet, they are immensely popular and universally praised.

I never played Arena so i can't comment on that, but to me the only two decent entries in the series are Daggerfall and Morrowind, but those two games had their problems as well, with Daggerfall being a broken, unfinished mess (the game was really ambitious though) and Morrowind being a bit too MMOish for my taste. It also had bad combat. Plus, Cliff Racers. I don't know what hell must be like, but i'm pretty sure this is as close as it gets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4rXsrZRchQ

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 02, 2015, 03:57:20 PM
Yeah, I'd say a game with a world supposedly the size of the UK is pretty ambitious.

I wish I had more time for gaming. Being realistic and going to have to just stick with Guild Wars 1 and 2 and Xenoblade until April, when I graduate. I'm going to have to look more toward anime or other stuff for inspiration, because gaming is just too time consuming. But it really is the world's best antidepressant. Doing nothing but gaming 12 hours a day would truly be a dream- hopefully one day I could make it happen. So many games out there I want to play and don't have the time for.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 02, 2015, 04:37:51 PM
Don't see why you have to play games. From my part, it is something i grew up with, so i have a nostalgic attachment to it, and i find the activity therapeutic to ease my depression and anxiety. But all things considered it is just a recreational activity and not something you should feel forced to devote yourself to.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 02, 2015, 05:12:29 PM
One thing about why I feel I need to play those specific games instead of others, is... well, I don't like to see over $100 wasted. And they're fun, even if not among my all-time favorites.  :P

It sounds like you already get it, though. No, you don't have to, and you could certainly find another hobby, but games are one of the most reliable sources of fun out there. Imagine depriving yourself of everything you enjoy and how miserable that would be. So yeah, in a way, I kind of have to. Either games or something else.

Games really fill in for the lack of exploration, fun and achievement in my life. I really started to realize that during Spring 2013, when I was doing 70 hours a week work/school and my only moments without stress was playing Final Fantasy 8 at night for an hour. That's where my attachment started. Before that, I hadn't been playing many games at all, which was a mistake.

Lack of exploration= no time or money to travel
Lack of fun= struggle for time with friends
Lack of achievement= spending the majority of my 20's working extra hard so my life isn't miserable, and by the time I get out of it, my 20's will nearly be over. Also explains the lack of fun.

So it's more like an attachment at this point. It couldn't be addiction because I don't have enough time to be technically addicted...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on November 03, 2015, 04:43:28 AM
I never really liked that much Skyrim. Used to prefer Oblivion... but then I played Oblivion again and remembered that most of the dungeons are dreadfully dull, the inevitable result of having only one dungeon designer. Even in Skyrim, where they are more varied, it is awful. Prime examples of great dungeons are found in Zelda games, IMO. However, I do enjoy Shivering Isles DLC of Oblivion, I liked the acid trip-like mindset of the whole thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 03, 2015, 07:42:04 AM
Dungeon design was a thing during the 80s and early 90s. Ultima and Wizardry set the standard and the vast majority of games took from there. Even something like Doom sported solid level design since the developers were all reared in complex dungeon building, whether through computer RPGs or table top games. Of course, you won't find any of that in modern games. Wouldn't want to confuse the dumb masses or the pretentious hipster hacks.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 04, 2015, 07:47:24 AM
Ok, I'm going to act like the first Guild Wars never existed. I'm done. Not the best $50 spent, but at least I have an idea of how the game works. I'm edumacated now.  :P

Not into games that are simply unfair. Overleveling and overgearing for a mission (the second mission I'm halfway to level cap and have the best gear) and dying 30 minutes in repeatedly is not what I need right now. There's no way to control hate and the NPC's you get to help you are stupid, so every time your healer just decides to sit there and get beaten up and there is no way to make the Charr hit you instead of your healer.

So now that I'm crossing that off my list (tbh I didn't like the game much, anyways), I'll be on to Guild Wars 2, Xenoblade, and mayyyyyybe The Secret World?




Thoughts about the game:

-Graphics are crap (in comparison, FF11 is older and looks better), PvE gameplay is crap, background music is good ambiance.
-I hear the PvP is some of the greatest in any MMORPG, but I'm not really into PvP.
-It's useless to Google anything about the game, because 95% of the search results will be about Guild Wars 2. Outside of the wiki, it's extremely hard to find any info about the game.
-Its extremely unorthodox ways paved the way for the sequel. Only 8 abilities at a time, weapon swapping, no crafting. You learn abilities by doing quests that are given around the world, which IMO, is a fantastic idea. The sequel adopted some of these ideas and some it ditched.

I guess the time and money was worth it, though. My curiosity about this game wouldn't let me not check it out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 04, 2015, 10:54:52 AM
Quote from: Greg on November 04, 2015, 07:47:24 AM
So now that I'm crossing that off my list (tbh I didn't like the game much, anyways), I'll be on to Guild Wars 2, Xenoblade, and mayyyyyybe The Secret World?
You know what, forget The Secret World. Blade and Soul looks more like my cup of tea. The combat looks amazing. I just have to wait until early next year when beta is over and it's released (free to play).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 05, 2015, 03:23:49 PM
Mushihimesama is out on Steam:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/377860/

This is a major release for us fans of this genre. We've been begging Cave to release their games on Steam for a long time now, and it looks like it is finally happening. Previously, the only place to get those games was on the Japanese Xbox 360, with each title costing upwards to 60 dollars. A few of their games also exist on MAME or PS2, but those versions were either broken (MAME) or weren't ported right (PS2). More and more we see Japanese companies setting aside their racism in order to make us lowly gaijins happy!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 05, 2015, 03:28:23 PM
I'm assuming you know what Touhou or Touhouism is then?

I'm still trying to trying to figure that out. Supposedly it's something to do with those types of shooters and anime girls, though I don't get the connection. And supposedly there's a sizeable fandom.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on November 05, 2015, 03:29:26 PM
I'd like to buy the Guild Wars 2 expansion but I feel $50 is a bit steep. And I only dick around in those games anyway rather than playing religiously.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 05, 2015, 03:37:13 PM
Quote from: -abe- on November 05, 2015, 03:29:26 PM
I'd like to buy the Guild Wars 2 expansion but I feel $50 is a bit steep. And I only dick around in those games anyway rather than playing religiously.
Same here, I'll probably hold off on the expansion for now.

It's definitely more suitable for casual play (easily the most casual well-known MMORPG on the market). It's not a game that you feel you need to burn through to get anywhere at all. Which is a good thing if you play casual and a bad thing if you're a hardcore player.

I'll buy the expansion once I get to level 80 and have 100% map completion, which will be quite a while from now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 05, 2015, 05:26:52 PM
Quote from: Greg on November 05, 2015, 03:28:23 PM
I'm assuming you know what Touhou or Touhouism is then?

I'm still trying to trying to figure that out. Supposedly it's something to do with those types of shooters and anime girls, though I don't get the connection. And supposedly there's a sizeable fandom.

Touhou are basically indie bullet hell games made buy some Japanese drunkard named Zum. The guy does everything, including the music (which is decent enough) and the art (which isn't very good at all). Apparently, the thing that makes those games "special" are the characters (all of which are animu little girls), the "story", and maybe the music. I'm using a lot of quotation marks here because story and characters are the least interesting thing in bullet hell games (most of them are on a "your base are belong to us" level of story telling), and to be frank i don't see how those games are any different. Plus, as i said, the art is pretty bad. With a million of anime series out there i don't understand why this in particular garnered such a cult following. Considering the profusion of porn art made around this thing, i'm guessing Touhou is essentially the Japanese counterpart to My Little Pony here in the west. I'm also thinking that since commercial shmups were mostly made for arcades, with several being ported on various consoles and sold at premium price, an indie shmup series that was easy to share was bound to spread like wildfire.

As for the games themselves, they are pretty nice i guess. I got them all on a torrent from rutracker because i'm not even sure where one is supposed to buy them. All of them are in Japanese (menu is English, mercifully enough), and they are all variants of the same basic game. Personally, i would strongly recommend you try regular shmups before delving into this... thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 05, 2015, 05:47:39 PM
Quote from: Purusha on November 05, 2015, 05:26:52 PM
Touhou are basically indie bullet hell games made buy some Japanese drunkard named Zum. The guy does everything, including the music (which is decent enough) and the art (which isn't very good at all). Apparently, the thing that makes those games "special" are the characters (all of which are animu little girls), the "story", and maybe the music. I'm using a lot of quotation marks here because story and characters are the least interesting thing in bullet hell games (most of them are on a "your base are belong to us" level of story telling), and to be frank i don't see how those games are any different. Plus, as i said, the art is pretty bad. With a million of anime series out there i don't understand why this in particular garnered such a cult following. Considering the profusion of porn art made around this thing, i'm guessing Touhou is essentially the Japanese counterpart to My Little Pony here in the west. I'm also thinking that since commercial shmups were mostly made for arcades, with several being ported on various consoles and sold at premium price, an indie shmup series that was easy to share was bound to spread like wildfire.

As for the games themselves, they are pretty nice i guess. I got them all on a torrent from rutracker because i'm not even sure where one is supposed to buy them. All of them are in Japanese (menu is English, mercifully enough), and they are all variants of the same basic game. Personally, i would strongly recommend you try regular shmups before delving into this... thing.
Very interesting. I see that they are on nicoblog.org and might just try one out. Bullet hell, here I come!  :D







https://www.youtube.com/v/Pkk0dozrgVk
This is so weird seeing the leaders of my free company from Final Fantasy 14 for the first time today. They aren't cat people!  :o

These two have waaaaaaaaay too much free time. I can't believe that have all but the three new jobs at level cap already (60). That's insanity lol. Yeah, I'm jealous.  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 05, 2015, 06:12:17 PM
Okay, so I just played a few minutes of Touhou 15...

I think I sort of get the appeal. It's so polished- honestly, the only games like this I've played are the ones everyone else has played- Asteroids and Space Invaders, so didn't really expect much. I could see how these games could get addicting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 06, 2015, 02:10:40 AM
I would recommend you try DoDonPachi on MAME. Prior to that game there is Batsugun, Battle Garegga and DonPachi, but none of those really defined the genre as much as DoDonPachi (Battle Garegga is stil a favored because of his unusual scoring mechanic). All those work perfectly on MAME without any of the problems that afflict the more recent games on that emulator (like Dai-Ou-Jou, Daifukkatsu and Mushihimesama).

Also, keep in mind one thing. The only real way to play those games is what is known as 1cc on one side (basically finishing the game on one coin), or ramping up the highest score possible (and the scoring mechanic of those games is usually very complex). Those may seem like self imposed goals but without them the game loses any meaning.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 06, 2015, 02:11:32 PM
BTW, i'm just going to leave this one here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6kwkFuACdY
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 06, 2015, 03:12:49 PM
I have Dragon Quest 1 on my phone now for those minutes where I'm out and have nothing to do but stare at a wall. It's a remake and it's pretty cool!



Quote from: Purusha on November 06, 2015, 02:11:32 PM
BTW, i'm just going to leave this one here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6kwkFuACdY
So what is the actual name of that genre of games?



Today I've been thinking about actually being responsible and spending all of my free time programming. So when I graduate I won't be saying that I've forgotten how to do everything. Then it won't be my fault at all if I can't find a job.

However, if I were to do that, I would absolutely need 1-2 hours of entertainment every day that will get me through it. Anything new would be too much of a risk. My top choice for now is the idea of replaying FF10 (it's been 11-12 years). But we'll see.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 06, 2015, 03:17:32 PM
Speaking of Dragon Quest, here's the best battle theme ever:


https://www.youtube.com/v/kkZu8xj3lvs

8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on November 08, 2015, 11:56:22 AM
How video games are saving symphony orchestras:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-video-games-are-saving-symphony-orchestras-and-filling-concert-halls/ (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-video-games-are-saving-symphony-orchestras-and-filling-concert-halls/)

I like this track myself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns7fNPiNiNc
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Purusha on November 08, 2015, 01:09:22 PM
Quote from: Greg on November 06, 2015, 03:12:49 PMSo what is the actual name of that genre of games?

Shmups in general, but more specifically, bullet hell, maniac shooters and danmaku in Japanese.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 08, 2015, 01:44:28 PM
Quote from: Purusha on November 08, 2015, 01:09:22 PM
Shmups in general, but more specifically, bullet hell, maniac shooters and danmaku in Japanese.
Thanks. I thought Shoot-em-ups referred to first person shooters- good to know the distinction.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 10, 2015, 02:49:29 PM
Anyone get the "Xenoblade Chronicles X reportedly has large land mass" on their facebook news feed?  ;D

Bigger than Skyrim, Fallout 4 and the Witcher 3 combined. Not sure I'll ever get to play it, though, because I don't have a Wii U and have only played a few hours still of the original Xenoblade.

https://www.youtube.com/v/8Qfhg2FJgx8

"The world is 4 times the size of San Francisco and seamless (no loading screens)"
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 13, 2015, 08:15:22 AM
My gaming plans have changed even more. I really think I'm going to either a) not play anything or b) limit it to FF14. I will, regardless, play the Dragon Quest games for mobile when I'm not at home.

My exploration/trying out new games phase is over. It's just too much to have on my mind right now. For entertainment, I'll just stick to anime.

I resubscribed to FF14, but with plans to play casually. However, considering my past efforts to do something like that, I'll probably eventually spend too much time playing it and unsubscribe because of it.  :P


Quote from: -abe- on November 05, 2015, 03:29:26 PM
I'd like to buy the Guild Wars 2 expansion but I feel $50 is a bit steep. And I only dick around in those games anyway rather than playing religiously.
Just now I was reading the amazon reviews for HoT, and all of a sudden the game supposedly after level 80 has turned into something ultra hardcore. As in, spend hundreds of hours fighting the same enemies again and again to attain rewards. Ugh.  No thanks. :-X
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 13, 2015, 08:59:11 AM
...

...

...

So yesterday I was researching which platforms some of the Dragon Quest games are on. I looked into what was on the 3DS, and it seems people have been waiting for years to get a remake of 7 and 8 for the DS.

Just now there is an announcement of 7 and 8 going to be remade for the DS.  :-X


Anyways, I've seen a lot of people saying how there's just too many games coming out right now and in 2016. I don't think even a no-lifer could play every decent game coming out next year. So for everyone, it's going to be a matter of learning how to hold back.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 13, 2015, 12:57:04 PM
Oh, I forgot to mention that Pokemon Blue, Red and Yellow are coming to the 3DS, as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kishnevi on November 15, 2015, 02:02:50 PM
As a RedSoxian, this is mildly amusing

http://www.polygon.com/2015/11/14/9736066/fallout-4-red-sox-mod-makes-mlb-mad
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 25, 2015, 03:11:35 PM
I want to play Blade and Soul when it comes out on Jan.19, but some of the changes in localization don't sound too good. Mainly PC police localizers/censoring, and not only that, but your character has been rewritten from being morally ambiguous and morally clear and having no faults. An MMO with a morally grey lead character would be a nice change of pace from what I've played, but I guess we can't have that. I just hope they don't do something stupid like take away breast size sliders like the did with Xenoblade Chronicles X because apparently, that is inappropriate/offensive to a western audience.

But I'll still try out it for the gameplay, which looks awesome.

http://nichegamer.com/2015/11/report-blade-soul-alteredcensored-for-questionable-material-in-western-release/
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on November 25, 2015, 05:07:22 PM
I'm heavily considering just dropping Guild Wars 2 as well. The game is fun, but I have no motivation to continue. I think it's mainly due to the lack of a good story. Oh well, one less game to worry about completing.

(So this will be so funny: quitting Guild Wars 1 out of frustration and quitting Guild Wars 2 out of sheer apathy).

An interesting thing that I just realized: Final Fantasy 11 and 14 are the ONLY well-known Japanese MMORPG's on the market (if one doesn't include the Japan-only Dragon Quest 10)!  :o Pretty much most of the market is American or Korean MMORPG's...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: XB-70 Valkyrie on November 25, 2015, 11:28:50 PM
http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/blob-lander
(http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/blob-lander)


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on November 26, 2015, 10:43:28 AM
I tried the beta for Blizzard's "Overwatch" and it was outrageously fun. Team Fortress 2 is dead! Long live Overwatch!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on November 26, 2015, 11:30:58 AM
Dabbled in Fallout 4, liked what I've seen.

Julian Gollop's (X-COM, anyone?) new game's out, Chaos Reborn. I've tried the demo and had a blast!

https://www.youtube.com/v/NNYanUtVJHo
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich on December 05, 2015, 07:22:31 AM
Played Chaos Reborn a lot and was very busy on their Fora. It's a good game, but MP # of players is a problem.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: ibanezmonster on December 05, 2015, 04:10:53 PM
https://www.youtube.com/v/A3sBZ5Nr4hc

FF7 Remake Gameplay Trailer
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Henk on December 06, 2015, 02:31:58 AM
All that forstructured stuff, not really interesting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: nickcar on December 18, 2015, 09:16:49 PM
Well, because I am a huge Transformers fan, so I am play Fall fro Cybertron lately. It's a great game! It just "push" me to rewatch the whole Transformers movie series. Luckily, I got DVD movies already, so I just watch dvd on ipad  air 2 (http://www.videoconverterfactory.com/tips/ipad-air-2.html) or 1, I don't remember it, doesn't matter anyway.

Megatron is sooo hot.


(http://www.gamnesia.com/?ACT=28&f=transformers-fall-of-cybertron-logo.jpg&fid=11&d=10539&)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 05, 2016, 08:47:55 AM
I urge everyone with a PC to give Undertale (http://undertale.com/) a shot.

https://www.youtube.com/v/1Hojv0m3TqA

What looks like a nostalgia romp might actually be one the best games of this decade. Finished it today, will start it again tomorrow to experience the other endings. It's smart, poetic, meaningful and most of all, fun. Glad to see it selling close to a million copies. Well-deserved.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on January 10, 2016, 03:01:57 PM
I have heard a lot about that game, Rinaldo! Seems fun.

I am replaying XCOM: Enemy Within with the Long War mod. The sequel comes out next month but I will hold on this one for a while. Fun game, and this mod is spectacular.

Funny bit from this game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVDPj8IDR_E
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on January 10, 2016, 09:02:21 PM
Quote from: -abe- on January 10, 2016, 03:01:57 PM
I have heard a lot about that game, Rinaldo! Seems fun.

I am replaying XCOM: Enemy Within with the Long War mod. The sequel comes out next month but I will hold on this one for a while. Fun game, and this mod is spectacular.

Funny bit from this game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVDPj8IDR_E

Looking forward to giving Long War a proper shot!

As for the sequel, I've had a chance to play a recent build and it looks solid, with a lot of improvements to the missions and a constant need to rotate soldiers properly to keep them fit for duty.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: The Six on February 04, 2016, 05:06:07 PM
Is Metroid's gun fused to his arm or is it part of his suit?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on February 04, 2016, 05:36:05 PM
Quote from: The Six on February 04, 2016, 05:06:07 PM
Is Metroid's gun fused to his arm or is it part of his suit?

Her (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samus_Aran) ;) Part of the suit it seems.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on February 05, 2016, 03:55:40 AM
Playing Conker's bad fur day. I loved the first 1/3 of the game. The rest is still good but does not quite rise to the level of the beginning. I really liked that suicidal pitchfork and the great mighty shit-boss.

Btw, the opening shot of Conker on his throne staring at the camera is clearly a reference to Clockwork orange. Even the music is the same Purcell piece! Also at one point there is a reference to Eyes Wide Shut, password to a certain club being "Fidelio".
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on February 08, 2016, 07:42:16 AM
Just curious, has anyone played The Sims 4?  Is it worth buying?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 10, 2016, 04:06:54 AM
Replaying Majora's mask. It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly innovative this game is. Easily the greatest Zelda game and one of the greatest games of all time. It's a very hard game but I like challenge.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 23, 2016, 10:01:26 AM
Now playing Super Metroid. This has to be one of the best SNES games I've ever seen. Had a good time with this one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 23, 2016, 03:02:58 PM
Quote from: Alberich on March 10, 2016, 04:06:54 AM
Replaying Majora's mask. It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly innovative this game is. Easily the greatest Zelda game and one of the greatest games of all time. It's a very hard game but I like challenge.

I respectfully disagree. Ocarina of Time is the greatest Zelda game of all-time, but my personal favorite is Twilight Princess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 23, 2016, 03:03:49 PM
Quote from: Alberich on March 23, 2016, 10:01:26 AM
Now playing Super Metroid. This has to be one of the best SNES games I've ever seen. Had a good time with this one.

I remember playing Super Metroid back in the day. Certainly one of the greatest games I've ever played. They don't make them like this anymore.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 24, 2016, 08:40:10 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 23, 2016, 03:02:58 PM
I respectfully disagree. Ocarina of Time is the greatest Zelda game of all-time, but my personal favorite is Twilight Princess.

Yes, that's where our opinions differ. I have mentioned this often enough but Ocarina of time is my second favorite and IMO the greatest Zelda after Majora, in fact it's pretty close to a tie but if had to choose, i would pick Majora over it. Twilight princess I enjoyed immensely as well, although I do find it bit of an asspull to reveal at the halfwaypoint of the game that yep Ganondorf is behind Zant's actions. Don't get me wrong, I love Ganondorf, in fact my favorite Zelda character and one of the coolest video game characters ever. It's just that adding Ganon really adds nothing more than admittedly one helluva series of boss fights, not much plot-wise. And those boss fights could have been managed with Zant. But gameplay of course is the most important aspect and in that Twilight princess certainly excels although most of the puzzles are maybe a bit too easy. But that's nitpicking. I have enjoyed pretty much every Zelda game I've ever played. Even CDI-Zeldas, although I would never consider them canon (which they are not) I still find them so bad that it's really entertaining to watch someone play them, although not enough to play them myself.  8)

Glad to know our opinions about Super Metroid are similar.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 24, 2016, 04:29:01 PM
Quote from: Alberich on March 24, 2016, 08:40:10 AM
Yes, that's where our opinions differ. I have mentioned this often enough but Ocarina of time is my second favorite and IMO the greatest Zelda after Majora, in fact it's pretty close to a tie but if had to choose, i would pick Majora over it. Twilight princess I enjoyed immensely as well, although I do find it bit of an asspull to reveal at the halfwaypoint of the game that yep Ganondorf is behind Zant's actions. Don't get me wrong, I love Ganondorf, in fact my favorite Zelda character and one of the coolest video game characters ever. It's just that adding Ganon really adds nothing more than admittedly one helluva series of boss fights, not much plot-wise. And those boss fights could have been managed with Zant. But gameplay of course is the most important aspect and in that Twilight princess certainly excels although most of the puzzles are maybe a bit too easy. But that's nitpicking. I have enjoyed pretty much every Zelda game I've ever played. Even CDI-Zeldas, although I would never consider them canon (which they are not) I still find them so bad that it's really entertaining to watch someone play them, although not enough to play them myself.  8)

Glad to know our opinions about Super Metroid are similar.  8)

My argument to the Zant and Ganondorf comments is where would Mario be without Bowser, Luke without Vader, Xavier without Magneto, etc.? Ganondorf had to be the enemy in Twilight Princess. I didn't really view Zant as a main villain anyway and he certainly doesn't begin to touch Ganondorf on the 'evil scale". Zant was nothing but a henchman and a lackey to the more powerful Ganondorf.

I can't say I was fond of Majora's Mask. I didn't like the whole three day element in the game. One thing I don't like, unless it's a certain challenge to get a special item or something, is having some kind of time line on when I'm supposed to get this or that accomplished. It makes the whole game feel rushed and, while I'm always up for a challenge, this was more annoying than anything.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on March 25, 2016, 03:04:56 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 24, 2016, 04:29:01 PM
My argument to the Zant and Ganondorf comments is where would Mario be without Bowser, Luke without Vader, Xavier without Magneto, etc.? Ganondorf had to be the enemy in Twilight Princess. I didn't really view Zant as a main villain anyway and he certainly doesn't begin to touch Ganondorf on the 'evil scale". Zant was nothing but a henchman and a lackey to the more powerful Ganondorf.

I can't say I was fond of Majora's Mask. I didn't like the whole three day element in the game. One thing I don't like, unless it's a certain challenge to get a special item or something, is having some kind of time line on when I'm supposed to get this or that accomplished. It makes the whole game feel rushed and, while I'm always up for a challenge, this was more annoying than anything.

Yes, that's where our opinions differ. I always thought Song of inverted time in Majora gives more than plenty of time to accomplish this or that. Interestingly I found Zant more evil than Ganondorf, mainly because at least Ganondorf has a freudian excuse, the one he told in Wind Waker. Actually made me feel a bit of sympathy for him, whereas Zant I saw as a sore wangsting loser. :D I am also against bringing a character back suddenly without any build-up merely because of tradition. To me, character is supposed to have a purpose, adding him halfway point through the game is what seems rushed to me. I would have been more glad if Ganondorf would have been established to be the villain from the start. I'm not against big reveals (No, I am your father), it's just that before that point in the game I saw no subtle clues whatsoever about Zant not being the real enemy here.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 02, 2016, 03:21:56 PM
I've been playing The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD on Wii U and loving every minute of it. Easily the greatest Zelda game I've ever played. Also, graphically, it's art design is the best of the entire 3D series. I just beat the Forest Temple and I got stuck on one of the puzzles, but I quickly remembered what I did 10 years ago. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 22, 2016, 07:41:16 AM
I sincerely hope Wii U Zelda isn't turning into Duke Nukem forever... I doubt it, considering it's Nintendo we're talking about, but there's always a possibility.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 22, 2016, 07:47:18 AM
Quote from: Alberich on May 22, 2016, 07:41:16 AM
I sincerely hope Wii U Zelda isn't turning into Duke Nukem forever... I doubt it, considering it's Nintendo we're talking about, but there's always a possibility.

How could you even make that comparison in the first-place? Trust me, the whole 'open world' concept isn't going to completely true. There will be some linearity to the game. Like for example, there may be certain aspects of the world in which you can't enter until you've defeated a certain boss to obtain an item that helps you get into this particular area. Of course, I'm speculating, but the challenge of Zelda, for me, has always been acquiring the items you need to defeat certain bosses and just the whole journey to get to this boss fight (i. e. side quests, the whole puzzle things in dungeons, etc.).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 22, 2016, 07:52:12 AM
I made the comparison because the game keeps being delayed over and over and over again, not because I had anything to complain about the game's quality.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 22, 2016, 08:02:12 AM
Quote from: Alberich on May 22, 2016, 07:52:12 AM
I made the comparison because the game keeps being delayed over and over and over again, not because I had anything to complain about the game's quality.

I think March 2017 is probably going to be the date. This will hopefully be an effective strategy as nothing major is coming out in March and Nintendo will also launch it's NX (or whatever title they give their new system), but I'm quite disenchanted with the way Nintendo has continued to offer very little in the way of new games to Wii U system owners. The Wii U may very well be the last Nintendo system I own unless they can impress the hell out of me with what they're going to offer next year, but I have my doubts that they'll be able to pull ahead of Playstation or Xbox for the simple fact that these two companies have had a bite on the video game industry since Nintendo's failures with third-party developers and the Wii U. Nintendo simply has a lot of catching up to do and they better do it fast.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on May 24, 2016, 01:00:00 AM
Blizzard's Overwatch. Multiplayer only, and so far I'm enjoying it immensely. It's the spiritual successor to the 10 year old "Team Fortress 2."

Whether or not it's recommendable well depend on its staying power, and as it just came out today, we'll have to see, though to be fair games by Blizzard do tend to have a fairly strong staying power.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on May 24, 2016, 01:22:30 AM
Speaking of shooters, I totally didn't expect to enjoy the new DOOM, yet I totally do(oom). Beat it on ultra-violence yesterday and boy, was that an exhilarating, gory ride! Old school pacing, new school moves and the whole thing doesn't take itself too seriously. Fun!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on May 25, 2016, 01:49:29 PM
Playing Titan Quest: Immortal Throne on Steam. A fine Diablo clone that didn't do so well when it came out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 21, 2017, 05:18:06 AM
I'm sure pretty much every gamer has known this for a while already (I certainly have) but in case you missed it: Bye bye Half Life 3 (or Half life 2 episode 3, whatever you wanna call it). I guess it is still possible for some other company to buy rights to it and make it but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2017, 05:30:05 AM
Wow, this thread has been missing in action for a while.

I bought my son a Nintendo Switch over the summer, and it's great. Been playing mostly Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon 2. But the system itself is fantastic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 21, 2017, 05:45:11 AM
While I love Breath of the Wild's overworld, I think the dungeons and many of the puzzles in general are a bit disappointing. Although I have started to see many exceptions, for instance the manipulating of Ancient Beast's movements is often enough creative. Overall, a great game but I think I still prefer Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 05:48:00 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2017, 05:30:05 AM
Wow, this thread has been missing in action for a while.

I bought my son a Nintendo Switch over the summer, and it's great. Been playing mostly Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon 2. But the system itself is fantastic.

I heard The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a lot of glitches in it, especially when it comes to loading backgrounds and different areas. What's your take on this?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 21, 2017, 05:59:05 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 05:48:00 AM
I heard The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a lot of glitches in it, especially when it comes to loading backgrounds and different areas. What's your take on this?

You didn't ask me but I have hardly met any glitches at all in the game, all the more impressive considering how freaking huge that game is.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 06:32:47 AM
Quote from: Alberich on September 21, 2017, 05:59:05 AM
You didn't ask me but I have hardly met any glitches at all in the game, all the more impressive considering how freaking huge that game is.

No kind of frame rate issues? Are you playing docked or undocked?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2017, 06:33:33 AM
Quote from: Alberich on September 21, 2017, 05:59:05 AM
You didn't ask me but I have hardly met any glitches at all in the game, all the more impressive considering how freaking huge that game is.

Very true!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 21, 2017, 06:41:16 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 06:32:47 AM
Are you playing docked or undocked?

You do know that the game is on Wii U too? In fact, that's what it was first anticipated to appear on, Switch was a last-minute addition. Wii U shows no problems whatsoever. Or is there a docking system for Wii U as well? If there is, well, then I am a bit wiser now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 06:53:06 AM
Quote from: Alberich on September 21, 2017, 06:41:16 AM
You do know that the game is on Wii U too? In fact, that's what it was first anticipated to appear on, Switch was a last-minute addition. Wii U shows no problems whatsoever. Or is there a docking system for Wii U as well? If there is, well, then I am a bit wiser now.

I'm referring to the Switch version of the game not the Wii U version.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on September 21, 2017, 06:55:05 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on September 21, 2017, 06:53:06 AM
I'm referring to the Switch version of the game not the Wii U version.

Well, haven't played Switch version so therefore I can't say. Wii U works smoothly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2017, 08:07:41 AM
Quote from: Alberich on September 21, 2017, 06:55:05 AM
Well, haven't played Switch version so therefore I can't say. Wii U works smoothly.

The switch version is flawless. Both docked and handheld.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Rinaldo on September 21, 2017, 08:52:55 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on September 21, 2017, 08:07:41 AMThe switch version is flawless. Both docked and handheld.

Seconded. I'm not a Switch owner but had to borrow the console just for this game. What an amazing achievement.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bwv 1080 on September 22, 2017, 08:33:09 AM
a disturbing article on the negative impact of video gaming on young people:

When a generation finally comes face to face with reality, it's going to be ugly (http://www.clickhole.com/blogpost/modern-video-games-are-giving-kids-unrealistic-sta-6638)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on September 22, 2017, 10:27:36 AM
Quote from: bwv 1080 on September 22, 2017, 08:33:09 AM
a disturbing article on the negative impact of video gaming on young people:

When a generation finally comes face to face with reality, it's going to be ugly (http://www.clickhole.com/blogpost/modern-video-games-are-giving-kids-unrealistic-sta-6638)

:'(  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 27, 2017, 06:56:50 PM
Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread:

Quote from: Mirror Image on October 27, 2017, 05:33:37 PM
Bought myself an early Christmas present:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81eaQnvJkpL._AC_.jpg)

This just came out today and I found myself drooling over it. I'm a Nintendo fan and I heard the Switch does not disappoint unlike the Wii U.

I'm really looking forward to playing Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Switch. I've already read great things about this new Mario game. Many online reviewers giving 10 out of 10 or 5 out of 5 and so forth. The gameplay certainly looked impressive. Thankfully, the Switch is a young system, so Nintendo has time to develop it and really flesh out the games. It also seems that the Switch is a hit unlike the Wii U, which must have been one of the most disappointing systems they've released in a long-time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 03, 2017, 06:55:41 PM
I've finally gotten into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:

(https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7802443/NintendoSwitch_TLOZBreathoftheWild_boxart.jpg)

Calling Breath of the Wild a masterpiece of video gaming would be an understatement as far as I'm concerned. This is, hands down, the best Zelda game I've ever played. I don't think Nintendo will be able to top this one. Everything started a bit slow for me, but things really started picking up whenever you finally receive that paraglider. The adventure truly begins at this point in the game. I know I've got a long way to go, but, wow, I'm truly mesmerized by the environments and the gorgeous graphics. This is the game I've been waiting for Nintendo to release for a long time. If Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild are any indication of the system's future, then I'd say it has a bright one ahead.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 28, 2017, 12:48:55 PM
Picked up a few games in the Steam Winter Sale so far:

Guild of Dungeoneering - Rogue-like RPG with Turn-Based Combat
War for the Overworld - A spiritual successor to the Dungeon Keeper series. Real Time Strategy Dungeon Building
Dungeons 3 - Like WftO, another game in the Dungeon Keeper genre.

And have been having fun with them.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on December 28, 2017, 01:20:15 PM
I've been dying to get Super Mario Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch, being a hardcore Super Mario fan and seeing that the game has gotten unanimously glowing reviews. The trailers look really cool! Not sure if I can afford the Switch at the moment, but hopefully soon!

At the moment, I've been playing Super Mario Run on my iPhone. Not a terribly exciting game, but a good way to pass the time!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 09:27:45 AM
Quote from: kyjo on December 28, 2017, 01:20:15 PM
I've been dying to get Super Mario Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch, being a hardcore Super Mario fan and seeing that the game has gotten unanimously glowing reviews. The trailers look really cool! Not sure if I can afford the Switch at the moment, but hopefully soon!

At the moment, I've been playing Super Mario Run on my iPhone. Not a terribly exciting game, but a good way to pass the time!

If do decide to get a Switch, there are two games that are absolute must-buys and those are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, which you already mentioned. Odyssey is a great game, but my usual problem with any Mario game is it's too short. For once, I wish Nintendo would create an epically scaled Mario game. I think you'll enjoy Odyssey, though, as there's some neat surprises along the way that will give you some serious nostalgia.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on December 31, 2017, 10:22:51 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 09:27:45 AM
If do decide to get a Switch, there are two games that are absolute must-buys and those are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, which you already mentioned. Odyssey is a great game, but my usual problem with any Mario game is it's too short. For once, I wish Nintendo would create an epically scaled Mario game. I think you'll enjoy Odyssey, though, as there's some neat surprises along the way that will give you some serious nostalgia.

Yeah, I know what you mean about Mario games being on the short side. I think that's part of their unique charm, however I also do wish Nintendo would make a more epically-scaled Mario game. I was hoping Super Mario Odyssey would fit the "epic" bill, but even if it doesn't I'm still very interested in playing it of course.

I've never played any of the Zelda games, but based on the enthusiasm of you and others for Zelda: Breath of the Wild, I'll certainly consider getting it if and when I do purchase a Switch.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 10:37:01 AM
Quote from: kyjo on December 31, 2017, 10:22:51 AM
Yeah, I know what you mean about Mario games being on the short side. I think that's part of their unique charm, however I also do wish Nintendo would make a more epically-scaled Mario game. I was hoping Super Mario Odyssey would fit the "epic" bill, but even if it doesn't I'm still very interested in playing it of course.

I've never played any of the Zelda games, but based on the enthusiasm of you and others for Zelda: Breath of the Wild, I'll certainly consider getting it if and when I do purchase a Switch.

You never played any Zelda games?!?!? ??? Yikes! :-\ :) Anyway, basically, Zelda is a puzzle-solving, action/adventure game set in the world of Hyrule. Breath of the Wild breaks the usual Zelda mold by being the first completely non-linear, open-world in the game's long history. Basically, what you see in the distance, you can go to and explore. It does have some intriguing quirks, too, like, for example, you have to hunt and cook your own food and the weapons you acquire along the way break after so much usage with the notable exception of the Master Sword, which doesn't 'break' but does have to be recharged after so much usage. It's, quite simply, a game you must play and remains somewhat of a revelation to me. The only flaw in the game is there is one area in the game where there's frame rate issues and that's in the Great Hyrule Forest (where you get the Master Sword). I still give the game 10/10 and the same goes for Odyssey. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Nintendo has up their sleeves for upcoming titles.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: kyjo on December 31, 2017, 11:09:53 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 10:37:01 AM
You never played any Zelda games?!?!? ??? Yikes! :-\ :) Anyway, basically, Zelda is a puzzle-solving, action/adventure game set in the world of Hyrule. Breath of the Wild breaks the usual Zelda mold by being the first completely non-linear, open-world in the game's long history. Basically, what you see in the distance, you can go to and explore. It does have some intriguing quirks, too, like, for example, you have to hunt and cook your own food and the weapons you acquire along the way break after so much usage with the notable exception of the Master Sword, which doesn't 'break' but does have to be recharged after so much usage. It's, quite simply, a game you must play and remains somewhat of a revelation to me. The only flaw in the game is there is one area in the game where there's frame rate issues and that's in the Great Hyrule Forest (where you get the Master Sword). I still give the game 10/10 and the same goes for Odyssey. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Nintendo has up their sleeves for upcoming titles.

Sounds most interesting, John. Thanks for the feedback.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on December 31, 2017, 11:41:42 AM
Oh but the very best Zelda game, Majora's mask, does not take place in Hyrule at all. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 12:23:27 PM
Quote from: kyjo on December 31, 2017, 11:09:53 AM
Sounds most interesting, John. Thanks for the feedback.

My pleasure, Kyle. 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on December 31, 2017, 12:26:44 PM
Quote from: Alberich on December 31, 2017, 11:41:42 AM
Oh but the very best Zelda game, Majora's mask, does not take place in Hyrule at all. :)

Ah yes, but I'd hardly call Major's Mask the best Zelda game. I forgot it was set in Termina (an alternate universe to Hyrule). For me, Twilight Princess is still my favorite Zelda game with Breath of the Wild in a distant second-place.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Marc on February 11, 2018, 03:02:15 AM
Now that the Winter Olympics have started, I started to play the oldie goldie NHL 2004 again. Nice to be a playful child again, but man, it's a difficult game at the difficult level. Had not played for it about 2 or 3 years, but... it's getting better. Of course, video games nowadays have much better graphics, but with a great gameplay it's still a nice game to play.

LET'S PLAY HOCKEY.

(https://images2.imgbox.com/df/ea/kBx7jN10_o.jpg)

(https://images2.imgbox.com/f2/d9/GT4fMZIm_o.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 02, 2018, 11:04:19 AM
Anyone playing anything interesting?

Trying to get through my backlog, and have gone down from over 17 games to just 6 now. Currently on this game for the original XBox:

(https://images.lukiegames.com/t_300e2/assets/images/XBOX/xbox_deus_ex_invisible_war-110214.jpg)

Otherwise, will be playing FF14 off and on as always, looking forward to the new Blue Mage job.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on December 11, 2018, 07:04:43 AM
I have played Red Dead Redemption 2. A great game, probably Rockstar's best. Although I am a bit rolling my eyes how they are blurring genitals. In a game where you can shoot someone's head off with a shotgun, they think that showing genitals unblurred is going too far because that would supposedly make it pornography? Okay, granted, there IS a part in where two people are engaged in sexual act but I think it's still potentially much less horrifying than blowing someone's head off.

That being said, a great game and fun to play.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on December 11, 2018, 03:32:05 PM
Quote from: Alberich on December 11, 2018, 07:04:43 AM
I have played Red Dead Redemption 2. A great game, probably Rockstar's best. Although I am a bit rolling my eyes how they are blurring genitals. In a game where you can shoot someone's head off with a shotgun, they think that showing genitals unblurred is going too far because that would supposedly make it pornography? Okay, granted, there IS a part in where two people are engaged in sexual act but I think it's still potentially much less horrifying than blowing someone's head off.

That being said, a great game and fun to play.

Great to hear, Alberich! I have a feeling my son is getting me RDRII for Christmas. 
I just downloaded the newest God of War for PS4, which seems to winning a lot of Game of the Year awards...and it's very deserving of that title. Great graphics, great storytelling.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 17, 2018, 08:31:09 PM
Those seem to be the top 2 titles for PS4 this year...

Now playing Dragon Quest 9 for the DS. Played through DQ11 on PS4 a few months ago, got my only Platinum as well- really great game mixing traditional JRPG combat with updated graphics and such.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: lisa needs braces on February 05, 2019, 01:02:11 PM
Quote from: Alberich on December 11, 2018, 07:04:43 AM
I have played Red Dead Redemption 2. A great game, probably Rockstar's best. Although I am a bit rolling my eyes how they are blurring genitals. In a game where you can shoot someone's head off with a shotgun, they think that showing genitals unblurred is going too far because that would supposedly make it pornography? Okay, granted, there IS a part in where two people are engaged in sexual act but I think it's still potentially much less horrifying than blowing someone's head off.

That being said, a great game and fun to play.

Rockstar also softened on the edgy elements from their PS2/PS3 era games that built their reputation, eg, killing prostitutes and taking back your money.   
>:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 05, 2019, 02:50:51 PM
Currently enjoying this, though having to get used to some of the odd mechanics and idiosyncracies of the gameplay. I heard the story gets quite bizarre, which means I will be looking forward to playing all of it.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91LFcSHALdL._SX522_.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on February 06, 2019, 07:00:14 AM
I figured you'd be playing Kingdom Hearts, Greg.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on February 06, 2019, 12:10:44 PM
Nope. I do have two friends that are, though.

The problem is that series has a notoriously complex plot and if you haven't spent a million hours playing the previous games, you'll have no clue about what's going on.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 07, 2019, 07:27:52 AM
Quote from: greg on February 05, 2019, 02:50:51 PM
Currently enjoying this, though having to get used to some of the odd mechanics and idiosyncracies of the gameplay. I heard the story gets quite bizarre, which means I will be looking forward to playing all of it.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91LFcSHALdL._SX522_.jpg)

Hi, other-Greg. Recently finished Nier, or at least the first ending, Fun game if not a bit difficult, but I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll go through the other endings.

I recently finished God of War which was epic. Some amazing graphics and storytelling.

Me and my best friend have been getting pretty deep into Final Fantasy 14/Online, the initial release of FFIV wasn't very good, but Sqaure Enix has done a great job of continuing to build this game. The online community for FFIV is good, never toxic, the designs are beautiful. Really having fun with this.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 07, 2019, 07:51:36 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 07, 2019, 07:27:52 AM
Me and my best friend have been getting pretty deep into Final Fantasy 14/Online, the initial release of FFIV wasn't very good, but Sqaure Enix has done a great job of continuing to build this game. The online community for FFIV is good, never toxic, the designs are beautiful. Really having fun with this.

Related to Final Fantasy, I played FF 9 yesterday. And still loving it!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 07, 2019, 08:21:31 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 07, 2019, 07:27:52 AM
Me and my best friend have been getting pretty deep into Final Fantasy 14/Online, the initial release of FFIV wasn't very good, but Sqaure Enix has done a great job of continuing to build this game. The online community for FFIV is good, never toxic, the designs are beautiful. Really having fun with this.

Realized I was using the incorrect roman numerals for 14, FFXIV, not FFIV


Quote from: Alberich on April 07, 2019, 07:51:36 AM
Related to Final Fantasy, I played FF 9 yesterday. And still loving it!

I've only played parts of FF7, and 10, but have watched friends play through 9 and it looked great.
. I do see that 7 is getting an updated re-release soon, for PS4 I believe.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 07, 2019, 09:20:21 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 07, 2019, 07:27:52 AM
Hi, other-Greg. Recently finished Nier, or at least the first ending, Fun game if not a bit difficult, but I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll go through the other endings.

I recently finished God of War which was epic. Some amazing graphics and storytelling.

Me and my best friend have been getting pretty deep into Final Fantasy 14/Online, the initial release of FFIV wasn't very good, but Sqaure Enix has done a great job of continuing to build this game. The online community for FFIV is good, never toxic, the designs are beautiful. Really having fun with this.
Yep, Nier is a bit difficult- sometimes I would "cheat" by putting it on easy (auto-pilot), though, just to save time.

Is it the PS4 God of War? I was played the original God of War around the time the PS4 one came out, had some friends playing the PS4 one...

Which server are you on for FF14? I'm on Gilgamesh. Just caught up with the content and waiting for the expansion in a few months.

Actually have been finishing up the main storylines of FF11, playing A LOT over the last few weeks due to not currently working, but that's just how it is- the most overwhelmingly time-consuming game I've ever known.




Quote from: Alberich on April 07, 2019, 07:51:36 AM
Related to Final Fantasy, I played FF 9 yesterday. And still loving it!
9 is the first Final Fantasy that I ever played, and still my favorite in the series (along with 11). Though a big part may be first-game bias.

Have fun, the story and music is just one of a kind. Back when it came out, I was a teenager and was obsessed with it. I might have mentioned the story about this before, but after renting it from Blockbuster I got up to Cleyra and then had to return it. But then the next few months I dreamed about playing it, literally 7 different times. So I eventually got it and that was the start of my FF obsession.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 07, 2019, 12:08:05 PM
Thanks to Mirror Image's helpful pointing, I have found myself here. I'll begin to explain why.

In the 1980s I became fascinated by the possibilities of the ZX Spectrum - specifically the idea of creating a virtual 'open world' that could be explored at will. Adventure games were the closest I found, but (a) they seemed mostly driven by puzzle solving; and (b) they were not at all 'open'. Exploration was carefully directed along certain paths.

I taught myself to program the Spectrum, and wrote a graphic adventure game that was about as 'open' as you could get in 1985. I tried using the same technique to program a Battle of Waterloo war game, and got as far as creating the world ... and couldn't be bothered putting the game into it!

So the Spectrum passed into history, and I moved on to other things. I became very involved some years later with Mike Oldfield's PC game experiments with Tres Lunas and Maestro. I loved them, but they were very much a minority thing, and slipped into the past.

Last November I saw some bits of Red Dead Redemption II and was instantly smitten by what I saw. I bought a Playstation purely for this purpose (never had any interest previously), and started to play. I utterly adore it. I wish it were not so graphically violent, and there are aspects of it that are far too gruesome for my liking, but outweighing all this is the wonderfully life-affirming, rich virtual environment, whose fascination seems endless. I don't play it for the sake of the 'story' (though I have played it once through to the end, before starting again), but primarily because I want the world it offers, just to play in. I've been playing it quite intensively through December, January, February and March. I am trying to think what other single composite work of art has preoccupied me every day  for so long, so intensely, and I can really only think of The Ring. (Not that I think they have anything else in common, I should add!)

That's a start, I'll try to add more later.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 07, 2019, 12:29:04 PM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 07, 2019, 12:08:05 PM
Thanks to Mirror Image's helpful pointing, I have found myself here. I'll begin to explain why.

In the 1980s I became fascinated by the possibilities of the ZX Spectrum - specifically the idea of creating a virtual 'open world' that could be explored at will. Adventure games were the closest I found, but (a) they seemed mostly driven by puzzle solving; and (b) they were not at all 'open'. Exploration was carefully directed along certain paths.

I taught myself to program the Spectrum, and wrote a graphic adventure game that was about as 'open' as you could get in 1985. I tried using the same technique to program a Battle of Waterloo war game, and got as far as creating the world ... and couldn't be bothered putting the game into it!

So the Spectrum passed into history, and I moved on to other things. I became very involved some years later with Mike Oldfield's PC game experiments with Tres Lunas and Maestro. I loved them, but they were very much a minority thing, and slipped into the past.

Last November I saw some bits of Red Dead Redemption II and was instantly smitten by what I saw. I bought a Playstation purely for this purpose (never had any interest previously), and started to play. I utterly adore it. I wish it were not so graphically violent, and there are aspects of it that are far too gruesome for my liking, but outweighing all this is the wonderfully life-affirming, rich virtual environment, whose fascination seems endless. I don't play it for the sake of the 'story' (though I have played it once through to the end, before starting again), but primarily because I want the world it offers, just to play in. I've been playing it quite intensively through December, January, February and March. I am trying to think what other single composite work of art has preoccupied me every day  for so long, so intensely, and I can really only think of The Ring. (Not that I think they have anything else in common, I sould add!)

That's a start, I'll try to add more later.

You should give The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild a shot sometime --- that is if you own a Nintendo Switch. I think you'll love the open concept of this game. It's the first truly open Zelda game.

(https://static-ca.ebgames.ca/images/products/729007/3max.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 07, 2019, 12:44:44 PM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 07, 2019, 12:08:05 PM
Last November I saw some bits of Red Dead Redemption II and was instantly smitten by what I saw. I bought a Playstation purely for this purpose (never had any interest previously), and started to play. I utterly adore it. I wish it were not so graphically violent, and there are aspects of it that are far too gruesome for my liking, but outweighing all this is the wonderfully life-affirming, rich virtual environment, whose fascination seems endless. I don't play it for the sake of the 'story' (though I have played it once through to the end, before starting again), but primarily because I want the world it offers, just to play in. I've been playing it quite intensively through December, January, February and March. I am trying to think what other single composite work of art has preoccupied me every day  for so long, so intensely, and I can really only think of The Ring. (Not that I think they have anything else in common, I sould add!)

That's a start, I'll try to add more later.
For open world without a strong emphasis on main storylines (mainly just a bunch of different questlines, but you can freely explore at any level), then Skyrim is your best bet (also provided you like medieval settings).

I have Skyrim VR for the PS4 and yeah, it's one mindblowing experience to just step into another world and feel like you're really there.

(But I never got into playing the Elder Scrolls games at all, really, or doing their stories, so although I'm recommending it for the visceral experience, I'm pretty clueless about the franchise).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 07, 2019, 07:08:45 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 07, 2019, 12:29:04 PM
You should give The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild a shot sometime --- that is if you own a Nintendo Switch. I think you'll love the open concept of this game. It's the first truly open Zelda game.

(https://static-ca.ebgames.ca/images/products/729007/3max.jpg)

I don't have a Nintendo machine, John. Indeed, I'd never owned a Playstation until last November, and I'm not sure yet about other games. Nothing I'd ever seen before Red Dead II had tempted me to think about buying one - indeed, most of what I'd seen my grandchildren playing held no interest for me. I'm not attracted by ... I don't know how to describe it ... the 'cartoon' style of most of them.

The things I love about RDR2 include:

1. The weather. It constantly changes. The light changes. The wind changes. It rains. It snows. This means that no two views of the landscape are ever the same. Often I don't really do anything specific. I just enjoy being there.

2. The horses. They are beautiful. They have character. I can build a relationship with each one. Playing the game riding a nervous blue roan Nokota is quite a different experience from playing with a grillo dun mustang. The thrill of seeing a beautiful horse in the wild, and carefully approaching it, and trying to win its trust, and then riding it across the plains, mane flowing in the wind ... I never supposed that any video game would be able to provide me with such an experience.

3. The camp, at night. The stories told around the campfire; the guitar, banjo, and harmonica; the singing; the dancing (yes, dancing!).

And so on. You see the sort of thing? The world draws me in; makes me long to be there. I think of it like this: imagine the best, most visually spectacular western movie you ever imagined. Then suppose you are invited to be part of it, taking the role of the main character, playing it pretty much however you like, as often as you like. That's what it feels like. I don't feel as if I'm playing a game - I feel like I'm enjoying an extension of experience, of the same flavour as I experience when I read a novel or watch a movie, but more intense, more personal, and endlessly variable.





Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 01:41:41 AM
Quote from: greg on April 07, 2019, 12:44:44 PM
For open world without a strong emphasis on main storylines (mainly just a bunch of different questlines, but you can freely explore at any level), then Skyrim is your best bet (also provided you like medieval settings).

I have Skyrim VR for the PS4 and yeah, it's one mindblowing experience to just step into another world and feel like you're really there.

(But I never got into playing the Elder Scrolls games at all, really, or doing their stories, so although I'm recommending it for the visceral experience, I'm pretty clueless about the franchise).

When I bought the playstation, the deal included RDR2 (my sole reason for buying the machine at all), and Morrowind. Morrowind is still in its box, and what I've seen of it on Youtube doesn't especially encourage me to take it out. Maybe one day I will, but I'm not looking for more games at present. RDR2 seems to be all I need - it feels like it's the ultimate fulfilment of a lifetime's longing for the romance of the Wild West, set up by watching Saturday matinée western movies at the cinema as a kid in the 1950s.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 08, 2019, 02:57:49 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 01:41:41 AM
When I bought the playstation, the deal included RDR2 (my sole reason for buying the machine at all), and Morrowind. Morrowind is still in its box, and what I've seen of it on Youtube doesn't especially encourage me to take it out. Maybe one day I will, but I'm not looking for more games at present. RDR2 seems to be all I need - it feels like it's the ultimate fulfilment of a lifetime's longing for the romance of the Wild West, set up by watching Saturday matinée western movies at the cinema as a kid in the 1950s.

RDR2 does have amazing detail, the design and atmosphere of the world are mind-blowing. I wish I could get into it more, I've played perhaps 8-10 hours of it, but it's just not my kind of game. However I can recognize it's excellence.



Quote from: Mirror Image on April 07, 2019, 12:29:04 PM
You should give The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild a shot sometime --- that is if you own a Nintendo Switch. I think you'll love the open concept of this game. It's the first truly open Zelda game.

(https://static-ca.ebgames.ca/images/products/729007/3max.jpg)

Breath of the Wild was amazing! I beat the game almost a year ago now and my son and I still like to roam around the world and explore.



Quote from: greg on April 07, 2019, 09:20:21 AM
Yep, Nier is a bit difficult- sometimes I would "cheat" by putting it on easy (auto-pilot), though, just to save time.

Is it the PS4 God of War? I was played the original God of War around the time the PS4 one came out, had some friends playing the PS4 one...

Which server are you on for FF14? I'm on Gilgamesh. Just caught up with the content and waiting for the expansion in a few months.

No worries, greg, I had to switch to easy-mose several times myself.

My main toon on FF14 is on Coeurl. And my son just started too but I can't remember what server he's in, Coeurl has already closed and won't allow any more new players or characters.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 08, 2019, 07:37:15 AM
While Breath of the Wild's overworld is amazing, I am really disappointed with this game concerning many other important elements in Zelda: namely, dungeons and bosses. And quite frankly, those are rather big flaws. There were hardly any decent puzzles in Breath of the Wild, odd considering how many dungeons there are (if we count the shrines as well). Also, they missed a perfect chance to give Ganondorf a voice actor, instead they didn't have Ganondorf form in the game at all, merely (Calamity) Ganon.

My favorite Zelda games (and among my top 5 games of all time) are Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 07:55:57 AM
Quote from: Alberich on April 08, 2019, 07:37:15 AM
While Breath of the Wild's overworld is amazing, I am really disappointed with this game concerning many other important elements in Zelda: namely, dungeons and bosses. And quite frankly, those are rather big flaws. There were hardly any decent puzzles in Breath of the Wild, odd considering how many dungeons there are (if we count the shrines as well). Also, they missed a perfect chance to give Ganondorf a voice actor, instead they didn't have Ganondorf form in the game at all, merely (Calamity) Ganon.

My favorite Zelda games (and among my top 5 games of all time) are Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time.

Agreed. I really hope the next installment of Zelda gets back to puzzle-solving, bosses, and dungeons. Another huge flaw of the game was the lack of any kind of underwater exploration. As large as the world is, you can't even go underwater? I mean that was hugely disappointing for me and was a missed opportunity. I loved Ocarina of Time, but I despise Majora's Mask. My favorite Zelda game is Twilight Princess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 07:57:19 AM
It blows my mind that people have time for this.  :o  :laugh:
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 08, 2019, 08:10:01 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 07:57:19 AM
It blows my mind that people have time for this.  :o  :laugh:

For me it's usually late at night after my son and wife go to bed. And I end up being tired the following day, but I still have fun playing video games, have been for 30 years now  :o 8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:14:18 AM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 08, 2019, 08:10:01 AM
For me it's usually late at night after my son and wife go to bed. And I end up being tired the following day, but I still have fun playing video games, have been for 30 years now  :o 8)

Late at night after the family is asleep is my classical music time. I usually pass out after a half hour.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 08:14:49 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 07:57:19 AM
It blows my mind that people have time for this.  :o  :laugh:

I'm not married nor do I have any children, so unless I end up in bad health, I've got the time. ;) Of course, I don't play video games that much these days as there's really been nothing since perhaps the last Mario and Zelda game that has piqued my interest.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 08:20:41 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 07:57:19 AM
It blows my mind that people have time for this.  :o  :laugh:

I'm not sure whether your 'this' was a general 'this', or a specific 'this', but I'll respond as if it were general.

The key, for me, comes from a comment that CS Lewis once made about literature, the gist of which is this: "When I read great literature, I see with the eyes of a thousand men, yet it is still I who see." I'd say this is the reason why I'm interested in art of any kind. If it works, I don't care what the medium is: painting, sculpture, music, theatre, etc - whatever opens a new window. If I think of living in a house with a single window (my own perception), then works of art provide extra windows (extra perceptions). Works of art multiply my windows. Of course we all want different sorts of windows: my favourite Elgar window may be anathema to others.

If this can be achieved by a video game (and RDR2 has demonstrated to me that it can), then so be it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 08:23:33 AM
I would probably buy a PS4 just so I can play this 'reimagined' PS2 classic:

(https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5891/5891011_sd.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=550)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 08:23:41 AM
Ah, hang on. I think, Scarps, looking at comments made a few minutes ago, that you may have meant this literally: i.e. how do you find the time to do this? If you did, then my previous post is superfluous.

Addendum
In my case, if I get really interested in something, then I move heaven and earth to make the time for it. It's a lot easier to do this now I've retired!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:35:33 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 08:23:41 AM
Ah, hang on. I think, Scarps, looking at comments made a few minutes ago, that you may have meant this literally: i.e. how do you find the time to do this? If you did, then my previous post is superfluous.

I do mean "find the time," but there is an implicit value judgement, I admit. Personal and Professional obligations consume almost all of my time. The idea that I would be at liberty to spend hours doing something (anything) is inconceivable. But the little time I have is devoted to listening to music, reading literature, and maybe a television show. It is bewildering to me that people have hours and hours to spend on anything.

I guess I have a prejudice against computer games in general. You could say reading a novel allows you to enter an unreal world created by someone else, but that world is in your imagination. In a video game you are entering an explicit representation of someone's unreal world. I don't find that attractive. Bear in mind I haven't played a computer game since about 1995.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 08, 2019, 08:39:06 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 08:23:33 AM
I would probably buy a PS4 just so I can play this 'reimagined' PS2 classic:

(https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5891/5891011_sd.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=550)
If you like the original game, I highly recommend it. In fact, I have the original game, but when I found out about this, I bought and played it instead. The visuals are just ridiculously awesome.

Only thing that I don't care for the game is the extremely slow movement speed- which is appropriate to convey the sense of weightiness, but it was something to get used to since I normally lack the patience for it.


Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 07:57:19 AM
It blows my mind that people have time for this.  :o  :laugh:
At the moment I'm not working and live alone, so I've been having all day every day to game.

But there were times where I was too busy with work and school that I only had an hour of free time each day, so gaming progress was extremely slow.

Normally, I will work a regular 40 hour week and come home to play a game- no one is around to interrupt, not even any pets.  :P (so ~4 hours a day is possible)

(This year will be much less gaming than normal since I finally have finished the games in my extensive backlog).

As for "listening to music" time which you mentioned, I usually do that while I'm doing something else, and don't dedicate any special time to that- though nowadays it's mainly listening to youtube while gaming.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:43:30 AM
Quote from: greg on April 08, 2019, 08:39:06 AMAt the moment I'm not working and live alone, so I've been having all day every day to game.

Walking around in "the world" is no competition to gaming?  :o

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 08, 2019, 08:45:08 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:35:33 AM
I do mean "find the time," but there is an implicit value judgement, I admit. Personal and Professional obligations consume almost all of my time. The idea that I would be at liberty to spend hours doing something (anything) is inconceivable. But the little time I have is devoted to listening to music, reading literature, and maybe a television show. It is bewildering to me that people have hours and hours to spend on anything.

I guess I have a prejudice against computer games in general. You could say reading a novel allows you to enter an unreal world created by someone else, but that world is in your imagination. In a video game you are entering an explicit representation of someone's unreal world. I don't find that attractive. Bear in mind I haven't played a computer game since about 1995.
Yes, it's a different set of tastes...

I do read occasionally, but nothing quite compares to gaming (except maybe playing an instrument), as it feels like I'm using more brainpower and can increase my adrenaline sometimes- and more importantly, dopamine boosts (sense of reward).

I also like the visual representation because I'm always stuck in my head enough as it is- I'd like to experience something unique without having to imagine it.



Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:43:30 AM
Walking around in "the world" is no competition to gaming?  :o


Not 100% sure what you mean by this... but currently still waiting for calls, and still getting job interviews by phone.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 08, 2019, 08:56:44 AM
Sure, gaming does not strengthen imagination in the same way that books do. However, games have the very important factor of choice. You cannot really with your choice decide how book ends (although you can decide how to interpret the book). With games you can contribute to actual facts about the game's content and still also make your own interpretation of the game's subjective attributes.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 10:05:23 AM
Quote from: greg on April 08, 2019, 08:39:06 AM
If you like the original game, I highly recommend it. In fact, I have the original game, but when I found out about this, I bought and played it instead. The visuals are just ridiculously awesome.

Only thing that I don't care for the game is the extremely slow movement speed- which is appropriate to convey the sense of weightiness, but it was something to get used to since I normally lack the patience for it.

Didn't the original game have slow movement as well?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 08, 2019, 11:40:04 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:14:18 AM
Late at night after the family is asleep is my classical music time. I usually pass out after a half hour.

A game like Final Fantasy 14/Online is perfect for listening to music while playing. I always have CD player spinning while playing, multi-tasking I guess. Other online games, like Overwatch, I need to hear the footsteps of the players I'm about to earth-shatter and elimnate  ;)


Quote from: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 08:23:33 AM
I would probably buy a PS4 just so I can play this 'reimagined' PS2 classic:

(https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5891/5891011_sd.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=250)

SOTC is a masterpiece. Both original and remastered versions.


BTW, one of my new favorite games is Journey. Released in 2012 but I never played it until last year when I got my PS4. It's more of an experience than a game, there really is no difficulty in finishing the game, or any puzzles, it's all about the journey you take with your character as you travel to top of the mountain. The music is incredible, one of the best video game scores I've ever heard, and it evolves and reacts to the actions in the game beautifully. Another aspect I love is the ability to travel with another online player, you're unable to que up with anyone in particular but sometimes the game will actually place two players online in the same level together. You can tell by the designs/patterns on the robe of the character if he/she has traveled to the mountain before and how many times, if you're paired with a player that has never played you can help lead them to the right direction and reach the peak togther, or yourself get help from another player. I've been on both sides of this 'buddy system' within the game and it's delightful.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Journey_Title_Poster.png)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 08, 2019, 12:58:15 PM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 08, 2019, 08:35:33 AM
I guess I have a prejudice against computer games in general. You could say reading a novel allows you to enter an unreal world created by someone else, but that world is in your imagination. In a video game you are entering an explicit representation of someone's unreal world.

I don't accept the distinction. Any successful interaction between observer/listener/reader and a work of art relies on the exercise of the imagination. (That's a loaded word, but I'll skip over it). I find it helpful to think of Ruskin's notion that art presents a kind of truth,  but it is truth that relies on the imagination to make it seem real. That fits every work of art I've ever engaged with.

In RDR2, one is not merely invited to engage one's imagination (as, say, a movie might), but also to enter creatively into the experience. A movie is a movie is a movie, but this game can be creatively different (in really significant ways) every time it's played. The player is not merely offered an imaginative movie-like experience, but the honour of creative engagement is bestowed upon the player as well.

But as ever in art, each work presents an invitation (not a compulsion) to engage, and we can decline or accept - or be simply unable to respond. (Take me to as many ballets as you like, and I will be unable to engage - but this tells you only about me, not about the validity of ballet as an art form.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Iota on April 08, 2019, 02:53:23 PM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 07, 2019, 07:08:45 PM
I don't have a Nintendo machine, John. Indeed, I'd never owned a Playstation until last November, and I'm not sure yet about other games. Nothing I'd ever seen before Red Dead II had tempted me to think about buying one - indeed, most of what I'd seen my grandchildren playing held no interest for me. I'm not attracted by ... I don't know how to describe it ... the 'cartoon' style of most of them.

The things I love about RDR2 include:

1. The weather. It constantly changes. The light changes. The wind changes. It rains. It snows. This means that no two views of the landscape are ever the same. Often I don't really do anything specific. I just enjoy being there.

2. The horses. They are beautiful. They have character. I can build a relationship with each one. Playing the game riding a nervous blue roan Nokota is quite a different experience from playing with a grillo dun mustang. The thrill of seeing a beautiful horse in the wild, and carefully approaching it, and trying to win its trust, and then riding it across the plains, mane flowing in the wind ... I never supposed that any video game would be able to provide me with such an experience.

3. The camp, at night. The stories told around the campfire; the guitar, banjo, and harmonica; the singing; the dancing (yes, dancing!).

And so on. You see the sort of thing? The world draws me in; makes me long to be there. I think of it like this: imagine the best, most visually spectacular western movie you ever imagined. Then suppose you are invited to be part of it, taking the role of the main character, playing it pretty much however you like, as often as you like. That's what it feels like. I don't feel as if I'm playing a game - I feel like I'm enjoying an extension of experience, of the same flavour as I experience when I read a novel or watch a movie, but more intense, more personal, and endlessly variable.

For somebody who has never gamed in their life, nor has ever really been interested in doing so, you make this game sound quite appealing.
I googled RDR2 and it came up with 'Red Dead Redemption 2', would that be right? It somehow sounds rather distant from what you describe, though it's only a title I know. The very few games I've had a passing awareness of seem to involve killing someone/something, which immediately reduces my interest to zero.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 01:23:07 AM
Quote from: Iota on April 08, 2019, 02:53:23 PM
For somebody who has never gamed in their life, nor has ever really been interested in doing so, you make this game sound quite appealing.
I googled RDR2 and it came up with 'Red Dead Redemption 2', would that be right? It somehow sounds rather distant from what you describe, though it's only a title I know. The very few games I've had a passing awareness of seem to involve killing someone/something, which immediately reduces my interest to zero.

Yes that's the one.

I have felt exactly the same as you until now. I'd assumed that the sole purpose of the majority of video games was fighting and killing. And don't let me mislead you: this is a Wild West game, and has the potential for a lot of shooting. It has a violent, and indeed gruesome aspect that I wish were not there, or at least, not so raw. But then, I feel the same about most western movies of the last few decades.

But the story evolves through a series of 'Chapters', and it's possible to halt the progress at 'Chapter 2', and simply use the world as a playground, meeting people, having adventures by the way, taming horses, hunting for treasure, and just exploring. That's where I'm finding most of the rewards.

There was a special moment where my interest turned to love. Early in the game, the outlaw gang sets up camp on a plateau overlooking a river valley. I walked to the edge of the cliff. The wind was blowing, clouds were sailing through a blue sky, and there was this magnificent vista across the valley, to distant mountains. And I realised that this vast landscape wasn't a mere backcloth. I could get on my horse and go there.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 09, 2019, 06:35:14 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 01:23:07 AMThere was a special moment where my interest turned to love. Early in the game, the outlaw gang sets up camp on a plateau overlooking a river valley. I walked to the edge of the cliff. The wind was blowing, clouds were sailing through a blue sky, and there was this magnificent vista across the valley, to distant mountains. And I realised that this vast landscape wasn't a mere backcloth. I could get on my horse and go there.

This is what is great about open-world games. Whatever you see, you can go to. That's one of the huge pluses for games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus. Exploration is one of the numerous achievements of open-world games and is a reason why so many gamers love them.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 09, 2019, 08:04:54 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 08, 2019, 10:05:23 AM
Didn't the original game have slow movement as well?
I think so. So what I said applies to both.

Idk, the first game I ever got into was the original Sonic the Hedgehog when it came out back in 1991, so it might explain my affinity for faster movement speed. I'll always remember when my dad first bought the Sega Genesis and that game, and also during the same time when I saw people playing it in Pre-K, while I was starting at it, mesmerized.  ;D


Quote from: Iota on April 08, 2019, 02:53:23 PM
The very few games I've had a passing awareness of seem to involve killing someone/something, which immediately reduces my interest to zero.
I've heard other people say this before, and have a hard time grasping it. I understand if people aren't into gore, and tbh, I really am not, either. But most games aren't gory even if they involve killing, and killing is mostly a means to an end (usually the core concept is about completing a storyline or powering up your character(s)).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bhodges on April 09, 2019, 08:06:36 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 01:23:07 AM
Yes that's the one.

I have felt exactly the same as you until now. I'd assumed that the sole purpose of the majority of video games was fighting and killing. And don't let me mislead you: this is a Wild West game, and has the potential for a lot of shooting. It has a violent, and indeed gruesome aspect that I wish were not there, or at least, not so raw. But then, I feel the same about most western movies of the last few decades.

But the story evolves through a series of 'Chapters', and it's possible to halt the progress at 'Chapter 2', and simply use the world as a playground, meeting people, having adventures by the way, taming horses, hunting for treasure, and just exploring. That's where I'm finding most of the rewards.

There was a special moment where my interest turned to love. Early in the game, the outlaw gang sets up camp on a plateau overlooking a river valley. I walked to the edge of the cliff. The wind was blowing, clouds were sailing through a blue sky, and there was this magnificent vista across the valley, to distant mountains. And I realised that this vast landscape wasn't a mere backcloth. I could get on my horse and go there.

Your comments resonate, since I am not a fan of "shooting" games, either. The last game I enjoyed was Myst (there, I said it  ;D), which I found alternately intriguing, frustrating, and ultimately memorable. (The frustrating elements were more technical or design issues, e.g., entering an empty, octagonal room, scouring it endlessly, and finally finding a ridiculously tiny button in a corner that had to be pressed to make a door appear.)

But I admired the ingenuity of the game, and the massive amount of planning involved in its creation. A rather quiet game, too, which was appealing.

--Bruce
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 08:48:39 AM
Quote from: Brewski on April 09, 2019, 08:06:36 AM
Your comments resonate, since I am not a fan of "shooting" games, either. The last game I enjoyed was Myst (there, I said it  ;D), which I found alternately intriguing, frustrating, and ultimately memorable. (The frustrating elements were more technical or design issues, e.g., entering an empty, octagonal room, scouring it endlessly, and finally finding a ridiculously tiny button in a corner that had to be pressed to make a door appear.)

But I admired the ingenuity of the game, and the massive amount of planning involved in its creation. A rather quiet game, too, which was appealing.

--Bruce

We're going back a long way now ... the Myst games were special and highly imaginative, but I found the convoluted puzzles very frustrating. And they were certainly not 'open world'. Closer to an explorer's world was Uru - now that was a world I delighted to be in, but the complexity of the puzzles, far beyond what sanity could accept, ultimately killed it for me.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bhodges on April 09, 2019, 09:36:50 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 08:48:39 AM
We're going back a long way now ... the Myst games were special and highly imaginative, but I found the convoluted puzzles very frustrating. And they were certainly not 'open world'. Closer to an explorer's world was Uru - now that was a world I delighted to be in, but the complexity of the puzzles, far beyond what sanity could accept, ultimately killed it for me.

Yes, 1993 -- 25 years ago! And yes, convoluted and frustrating. I love puzzles, but when the answer arrives and it's something that would never have occurred to you in a million years, I mentally throw up my hands. Have heard of Uru in name but no more than that.

The main reason for not delving into computer games since: I'm in front of screens for a good part of each day for work, either my laptop or smartphone, or both. So in leisure, I don't want yet more screen time. ("Get out of the house and take a walk!")

--Bruce
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 09, 2019, 09:48:21 AM
You should "explore" while slumped in front of your LCD monitor?

There is a 3D, infinite resolution world out there to explore, you know. :)

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: bhodges on April 09, 2019, 09:53:15 AM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 09, 2019, 09:48:21 AM
You should "explore" while slumped in front of your LCD monitor?

There is a 3D, infinite resolution world out there to explore, you know. :)

That's my point, exactly. I love technology, but not 24/7 -- good to step away from the screen now and then, and go to concerts, hang out with (real) people, sit in a park.

Anyway, I feel like I'm derailing this thread, which was not my intent. (Nor to shame hardcore gamers, either.)

--Bruce
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 12:15:43 PM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 09, 2019, 09:48:21 AM
You should "explore" while slumped in front of your LCD monitor?

There is a 3D, infinite resolution world out there to explore, you know. :)

C'mon, you're letting your prejudice run free and unfettered here, Scarps! Anyone who disliked books could say the same about reading (especially fiction). How many avid young readers have been accused of 'sticking their noses in a book' instead of doing what some non-literary person (who does not understand the richness of the experience) thinks is more worthwhile?)

The image here of being 'slumped in front of an LCD monitor' merely imposes a stereotype. Personally, I don't slump. I am as actively engaged playing RDR2 as I am when looking at paintings in a gallery, or when walking through the countryside down by the river here. It is another extension of being, like the wholehearted enjoyment of any art form. Many who dislike classical music must think it very odd that we sit in silence for long periods of time listening intently to sounds that seem pointless, and even unpleasant, to them. They do not see, from outside, what's going on within.

And there's also an implicit and dubious assumption in the suggestion that we are making a choice between real world and virtual world in favour of the latter, as if it has to be one or the other. I see no reason why I should not revel in both, and I do. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 09, 2019, 04:30:01 PM
Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on April 09, 2019, 09:48:21 AM
There is a 3D, infinite resolution world out there to explore, you know. :)
Too bad interesting places aren't readily available to visit every day after work at 6pm. (And going to the same places within a few miles radius loses its charm really quickly).

Now that I have the time and money, I go on a trip abroad each year, which helps. But my appetite for exploration can't be quenched with that- so gaming (exploring virtual worlds) really does help quite a bit.

(also, I thought at first that picture was some screenshot of some next-gen demo- games are getting so photorealistic  ???)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Iota on April 12, 2019, 03:15:09 PM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 09, 2019, 01:23:07 AM
There was a special moment where my interest turned to love. Early in the game, the outlaw gang sets up camp on a plateau overlooking a river valley. I walked to the edge of the cliff. The wind was blowing, clouds were sailing through a blue sky, and there was this magnificent vista across the valley, to distant mountains. And I realised that this vast landscape wasn't a mere backcloth. I could get on my horse and go there.

Your description packs quite a punch! If I ever find myself in front of a video game (by no means certain) I can imagine enjoying exploring such a virtual world. Part of the brain I imagine never quite figures out it's virtual, and I can see there's plenty of potential for emotional involvement. Thanks for the vivid introduction!  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 20, 2019, 04:28:42 PM
Quote from: Iota on April 12, 2019, 03:15:09 PM
Your description packs quite a punch! If I ever find myself in front of a video game (by no means certain) I can imagine enjoying exploring such a virtual world. Part of the brain I imagine never quite figures out it's virtual, and I can see there's plenty of potential for emotional involvement. Thanks for the vivid introduction!  :)

There's an aspect of this that has a very personal resonance for me - something to do with the promise of distant vistas. I remember encountering it many years ago in one of William Morris's romances:

"So they rode by a good highway, well beaten, past the Tower and over the ridge of the valley, and came full upon the terrible sight of the Great Mountains, and the sea of woodland lay before them, swelling and falling, and swelling again, till it broke grey against the dark blue of the mountain wall."

When I first read that, I was so moved by it that my reading of the book came to a temporary halt. I hoped hoped hoped: 'Oh are we really going to go there, through the sea of woodland and beyond the Great Mountains?' The literary response and the imagined visual response were all entwined. Well, there are seemingly infinite (visual, not literary) encounters with such vistas in Red Dead Redemption 2, and you can go there, and see what adventures befall. In a way, the RDR2 experience is a deeply satisfying alternative fulfilment of that early encounter, 40 or 50 years ago with a Morris romance.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 23, 2019, 12:22:16 AM
I want to say more about horses in Red Dead Redemption 2.

You can buy horses from a stable, or you can find them in the wild, and tame them, and bond with them over a period of time. They all have a different character, different strengths, weaknesses, and so on. It's accepted by many who play the game that the finest horse is a white arabian, found (if found at all) in the far north in the snowy mountains, where it sometimes haunts the shores of a lake, hard to see against the whiteout of snow.

It's hard to tame. Very skittish when you approach it, and runs off if you put a foot wrong. But it's worth the effort. The horse is classed as 'Elite'. Once you've gone through the bonding process with it (which takes quite a long time), it's faster and stronger than any other, light on its feet, and super-responsive. It draws admiring comments from other (non-player) characters in the game. And yet, it is not my favourite horse.

My favourite is a grullo dun mustang - a lovely shade of grey, with a characterful mane. I saw it once, running wild, at a distance, but could never get close to it. Days later I saw it again, and it was the very dickens to track down, and even harder to approach without scaring it off. But patience paid off. Now the weird thing is this. It's a good horse, statistically speaking, but  certainly not as good as the white arabian. And yet it's the only other wild horse I know (I have ridden a lot of different horses in the game) which seems to be recognised as special by non-player characters. I ride through a town, and hear things like:
"I bet you cover some ground with a horse like that."
"If I saved up all my money I couldn't afford a horse like that."
"I bet that horse is a wonderful companion."

I don't know why or how they pick up the fact that I think the horse is something special. As far as numbers go, it's just a typical mustang. I have wondered if there's some algorithm that picks up the number of times I give it treats, or brush it, or how far I've ridden with it, or the quality of saddle I've bought for it? I have no idea. But the illusion of a relationship with this animal - one that seems to be recognised by others - is tremendously convincing.

Incidentally, before this game, I was not especially interested in horses. Now, I take special note of them them when I see them in fields around home. I hadn't fully recognised how beautifully they move; how full of character they are; the subtle beauties of their coats.

There's a youtube video showing someone catching one and riding it around - he uses a lasso which is a good deal easier than my 'sneak up and gain trust' method.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr4owaLdLsc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr4owaLdLsc)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 28, 2019, 02:06:18 PM
I am now the proud owner of a Playstation 4 slim (1 TB hard drive). I'm just now setting it up. Games that I bought (all for $19): Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Bought the system and three games all for $385. Not bad.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 28, 2019, 05:15:38 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 28, 2019, 02:06:18 PM
I am now the proud owner of a Playstation 4 slim (1 TB hard drive). I'm just now setting it up. Games that I bought (all for $19): Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Bought the system and three games all for $385. Not bad.
Cool. Horizon Zero Dawn seems to be a game people really like.

I bought 4 games:
Destruction Derby 2 and Cool Boarders 4 for the PS1
Final Fantasy 1 & 4 (Complete Collection) for PSP

Mainly the PSP version of FF4 is the big one here, as it includes additional content after the original game which no other version features. It basically includes short Interlude and then another part called "After Story" which is like another game itself. Started from the beginning and it's good stuff, as I remember from the PS1 version that I played about 12 or so years ago. Actually liking the PSP version better so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 28, 2019, 06:44:51 PM
Quote from: greg on April 28, 2019, 05:15:38 PM
Cool. Horizon Zero Dawn seems to be a game people really like.

I bought 4 games:
Destruction Derby 2 and Cool Boarders 4 for the PS1
Final Fantasy 1 & 4 (Complete Collection) for PSP

Mainly the PSP version of FF4 is the big one here, as it includes additional content after the original game which no other version features. It basically includes short Interlude and then another part called "After Story" which is like another game itself. Started from the beginning and it's good stuff, as I remember from the PS1 version that I played about 12 or so years ago. Actually liking the PSP version better so far.

I really bought the PS4 for The Last Guardian since this is a game I was drooling over I think for six years or so. It's from the makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, so this game has a lot to live up to. One problem with the release of The Last Guardian was one of the main developers of the game dropped out about midway through (don't quote me on the exact timing of his departure), so this left the rest of the team holding the bag. But my understanding was he did stay onboard for questions to help get the game finished. What a long process this was! I hope it was worth the wait. Horizon Zero Dawn was a game I have been looking at since it was announced. The game looked gorgeous and the idea behind it seemed pretty interesting, so I made a 'mental note' of it. Of course, when I heard that Shadow of the Colossus (one of my favorite games of all-time) was going to be completely remade with updated graphics, I smiled from ear to ear and, then, I drooled for a long-time. ;D I'm glad I finally bit the bullet and bought the system as now there are so many games I'll have access to and decide whether to buy or not.

By the way, I have say to Alan (Elgarian Redux) that Red Dead Redemption II looks amazing. When it becomes one of those 'Greatest Hits' and the price goes down to $20, I'll definitely buy it.

I did buy one more game tonight via Amazon:

(https://static-ie.gamestop.ie/images/products/253311/3max.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 12:29:30 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 28, 2019, 06:44:51 PM
By the way, I have say to Alan (Elgarian Redux) that Red Dead Redemption II looks amazing. When it becomes one of those 'Greatest Hits' and the price goes down to $20, I'll definitely buy it.

When I bought the PS4, I bought it solely for the purpose of playing Red Dead Redemption 2 - which was included as part of the package. So, effectively, I was paying the price of a PS4 just to play RDR2. I have to say that it has more than justified my hopes in it.

I do have a couple of other games: Assassin's Creed - Odyssey, and The Journey. I can see they are very good. But they are 'just games' (I don't say that in a derogatory way - it is what they are, and they are very good at being what they are.) But RDR2 is something else as well as being a game. (I can also see it would not suit everyone.)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 06:08:19 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 12:29:30 AM
When I bought the PS4, I bought it solely for the purpose of playing Red Dead Redemption 2 - which was included as part of the package. So, effectively, I was paying the price of a PS4 just to play RDR2. I have to say that it has more than justified my hopes in it.

I do have a couple of other games: Assassin's Creed - Odyssey, and The Journey. I can see they are very good. But they are 'just games' (I don't say that in a derogatory way - it is what they are, and they are very good at being what they are.) But RDR2 is something else as well as being a game. (I can also see it would not suit everyone.)

I never could get into Assassin's Creed (doesn't matter which one it is) as the concept just didn't appeal to me for some reason and then when I actually played it, I didn't like the gameplay. Thinking about Red Dead Redemption II, I'm not sure that I'm going to buy it now as it doesn't look unique or different to me. Truth be told, I'm more attracted to fantasy action type of games where you go on a long journey in a lot of different landscapes (think films like The NeverEnding Story, The Lord of the Rings or The Dark Crystal). These kinds of games are highly appealing to me and it's not very often that a game developer gets the concept right.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 10:47:35 AM
By the way, Elgarian, which Playstation 4 did you buy?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 11:02:07 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 10:47:35 AM
By the way, Elgarian, which Playstation 4 did you buy?
I don't know! Or at least, I can't remember. How do I tell? It's very unobtrusive.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 11:10:06 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 06:08:19 AM
Thinking about Red Dead Redemption II, I'm not sure that I'm going to buy it now as it doesn't look unique or different to me. Truth be told, I'm more attracted to fantasy action type of games where you go on a long journey in a lot of different landscapes (think films like The NeverEnding Story, The Lord of the Rings or The Dark Crystal).

RDR2 is indeed nothing like those fantasy movies. I would say though that it is unique. My first response to it, after a few days of delighted play, was 'are there more games like this?' It soon became apparent that there are not. But its uniqueness will not suit everyone. Not everyone is going to want to spend many days in a forest, hunting, collecting herbs, and seeking out rare flowers. Or dancing with the ladies in the camp. Or taming wild horses. Or just going somewhere many miles away just for the pleasure of the ride. I can spend hours just by a lake, fishing, and watching the sky change.

Obviously, that is not going to suit everyone.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 11:14:52 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 11:02:07 AM
I don't know! Or at least, I can't remember. How do I tell? It's very unobtrusive.

Well, the price tag you paid should be a good indication or, at least, it would be for me. The PS4 Slim with a 1 TB hard drive goes for $299 (£231) while the PS4 Pro with a 1 TB hard drive goes for $399 (£356). I've read a lot of people who claim there's no real difference between either consoles unless you want to upscale to 4K (or have a TV that's capable of it), then the PS4 Pro is the way to go. Since I don't have a 4K TV nor care to get one, I went with the Slim.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 29, 2019, 11:21:27 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 28, 2019, 06:44:51 PM


(https://static-ie.gamestop.ie/images/products/253311/3max.jpg)


A very cool game, John. Quite possibly the best open-world design I've seen/played. Just web-slinging around the skyscrapers of Manhattan is worth the price!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 01:02:09 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 11:14:52 AM
Well, the price tag you paid should be a good indication or, at least, it would be for me. The PS4 Slim with a 1 TB hard drive goes for $299 (£231) while the PS4 Pro with a 1 TB hard drive goes for $399 (£356). I've read a lot of people who claim there's no real difference between either consoles unless you want to upscale to 4K (or have a TV that's capable of it), then the PS4 Pro is the way to go. Since I don't have a 4K TV nor care to get one, I went with the Slim.

I see - thanks. I can say that mine is definitely not the Pro!! I think it must be the slim, because I believe there was a slightly cheaper one with a different offer, at the time, and I seem to recall a discussion about size, also. And the price you quote is about right.  But I don't know anything about these things - I've no idea what 4K is, for example.

Best £250 I've spent in a long, long time. The way I see it, RDR2 was a bargain at £250, and the PS4 came free.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 01:26:52 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 29, 2019, 11:21:27 AM

A very cool game, John. Quite possibly the best open-world design I've seen/played. Just web-slinging around the skyscrapers of Manhattan is worth the price!

Thanks, Greg. The gameplay I've seen of it has been quite enticing, indeed. Looking forward to digging in it, but not before I finish Horizon Zero Dawn. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 01:32:26 PM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 01:02:09 PM
I see - thanks. I can say that mine is definitely not the Pro!! I think it must be the slim, because I believe there was a slightly cheaper one with a different offer, at the time, and I seem to recall a discussion about size, also. And the price you quote is about right.  But I don't know anything about these things - I've no idea what 4K is, for example.

Best £250 I've spent in a long, long time. The way I see it, RDR2 was a bargain at £250, and the PS4 came free.

Excellent! It's great that there's a game that you can play that gives you pleasure. I'm very particular about video games in general, but it seems that, so far, I've been pretty much right in my inclinations.

Someone asked me the other day what my favorite video game was of all-time (or rather that I've played) and my answer seems to invariably be The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on April 29, 2019, 02:24:36 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 01:26:52 PM
Thanks, Greg. The gameplay I've seen of it has been quite enticing, indeed. Looking forward to digging in it, but not before I finish Horizon Zero Dawn. :)

Another great game. Enjoy!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 29, 2019, 06:54:07 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 29, 2019, 02:24:36 PM
Another great game. Enjoy!

Thanks, Greg.

Speaking of Horizon Zero Dawn, I have to be careful as this game will completely take you out of reality without any concept of time. I played this game last night for four hours and I didn't even realize how late it was until I looked at the clock. I mean I didn't have a bus to catch, but sleeping does take some priority I would think. ;)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on April 30, 2019, 06:51:30 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 29, 2019, 11:10:06 AM
RDR2 is indeed nothing like those fantasy movies. I would say though that it is unique. My first response to it, after a few days of delighted play, was 'are there more games like this?' It soon became apparent that there are not. But its uniqueness will not suit everyone. Not everyone is going to want to spend many days in a forest, hunting, collecting herbs, and seeking out rare flowers. Or dancing with the ladies in the camp. Or taming wild horses. Or just going somewhere many miles away just for the pleasure of the ride. I can spend hours just by a lake, fishing, and watching the sky change.

Obviously, that is not going to suit everyone.

If you like unique atmospheric games, have you tried Shadow of the Colossus which John mentioned in one of the previous posts? It is absolutely gorgeous, as is RDR2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 07:00:15 AM
Quote from: Alberich on April 30, 2019, 06:51:30 AM
If you like unique atmospheric games, have you tried Shadow of the Colossus which John mentioned in one of the previous posts? It is absolutely gorgeous, as is RDR2.

I can only concur with your post. I actually bought Shadow of the Colossus three different times. The first one was the original release on Playstation 2. The second one was the remastered edition on Playstation 3. And, finally, the newest iteration with graphics that are completely redone on Playstation 4. Yeah, I'm kind of a fan of this game. ;) I'm also a fan of the Playstation. I've owned every single system so far. When it first came out in the mid-90s, I couldn't believe my eyes. I've been a fan of their consoles ever since, but this opinion would be nothing if their games weren't excellent, especially their exclusives. I have a friend at work who has an Xbox One and I rag on him all the time about getting a PS4, but this guy is heavily into all the multiplayer stuff, which, I, personally, don't care anything about.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 30, 2019, 07:03:52 AM
Quote from: Alberich on April 30, 2019, 06:51:30 AM
If you like unique atmospheric games, have you tried Shadow of the Colossus which John mentioned in one of the previous posts? It is absolutely gorgeous, as is RDR2.
No, I really haven't tried anything at all, apart from dabbling with The Journey and Odyssey several months ago. I'm sure there will come a time when I want to try something else (and then I shall check through these posts again for suggestions), but for the present, RDR2 is exactly the Imaginary World I want.

I think, reading between the lines of what people say, that I'm not, fundamentally, a 'gamer'. I don't want a challenge, I don't want to 'beat' the game. I just want a life-enhancing imaginative experience.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 10:45:03 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 30, 2019, 07:03:52 AM
No, I really haven't tried anything at all, apart from dabbling with The Journey and Odyssey several months ago. I'm sure there will come a time when I want to try something else (and then I shall check through these posts again for suggestions), but for the present, RDR2 is exactly the Imaginary World I want.

I think, reading between the lines of what people say, that I'm not, fundamentally, a 'gamer'. I don't want a challenge, I don't want to 'beat' the game. I just want a life-enhancing imaginative experience.

To the bolded text, my sentiments exactly. I'm not a gamer either really. My idea of a gamer is someone who's obsessed with online multiplayer games with headsets and all of that stuff. I'm just someone who likes games for the fantasy world in which it inhabits and that I can get lost in. If there's a narrative to the game, then I'm even more interested.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 30, 2019, 11:42:04 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 30, 2019, 07:03:52 AM
I think, reading between the lines of what people say, that I'm not, fundamentally, a 'gamer'. I don't want a challenge, I don't want to 'beat' the game. I just want a life-enhancing imaginative experience.
My brother is the same exact way, and he wants to make a game that is mostly just about exploring.

There's the '4 types of gamers' idea, which tbh might actually translate a lot into real life. Maybe?

The original one I'm familiar with is: Explorer, Manager, Conqueror, and I think Socializer. Can't find that one but found one just now called the "Bartle Test."

My tastes are: explore and conquer, don't care about the rest.

My results:

Quote
The Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology
You are 80% Achiever
What Bartle says:

♦ Achievers regard points-gathering and rising in levels as their main goal, and all is ultimately subserviant to this. Exploration is necessary only to find new sources of treasure, or improved ways of wringing points from it. Socialising is a relaxing method of discovering what other players know about the business of accumulating points, that their knowledge can be applied to the task of gaining riches. Killing is only necessary to eliminate rivals or people who get in the way, or to gain vast amounts of points (if points are awarded for killing other players).
You are also:

60% Explorer
40% Killer
20% Socialiser
This result may be abbreviated as AEKS
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 12:38:10 PM
Quote from: greg on April 30, 2019, 11:42:04 AM
My brother is the same exact way, and he wants to make a game that is mostly just about exploring.

There's the '4 types of gamers' idea, which tbh might actually translate a lot into real life. Maybe?

The original one I'm familiar with is: Explorer, Manager, Conqueror, and I think Socializer. Can't find that one but found one just now called the "Bartle Test."

My tastes are: explore and conquer, don't care about the rest.

My results:

I'm sorry, Greg, but this is just a load of bologna.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on April 30, 2019, 01:05:49 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 10:45:03 AM
I'm just someone who likes games for the fantasy world in which it inhabits and that I can get lost in. If there's a narrative to the game, then I'm even more interested.

Yes, that's pretty much my position (i.e. the world is more important than the game), though the narrative is not overly important to me either - on this current second playthrough of the game, I just stop the narrative from unfolding (eg by refusing to release Micah Bell from jail in Strawberry) and proceed from there in my own way.

And greg said:
QuoteThere's the '4 types of gamers' idea, which tbh might actually translate a lot into real life. Maybe?

There might be something in that. I don't know enough about gamers in general.

On this second playthrough, I am adopting a particular attitude. I'm building Arthur Morgan as a 'Robin Hood' character, who never robs or harms ordinary folk, but who steals only from rival gangs. His honour level has steadily risen over time, and his personal fortune stands at present at a phenomenal $17,000, despite spending vast sums on improvements to the camp, and despite providing the finest supplies of food, ammunition, and medical supplies to the gang members.

This rather negates the whole thrust of the narrative itself, which has the leader of the gang, Dutch van der Lind, leading them to destruction in his reckless attempts to build a large fortune robbing trains and creating general mayhem. If I could find some way of actually giving all this money to Dutch, the narrative could end a lot more happily than it does, with everyone settled in quiet retirement in rocking chairs on porches!

Which all seems to show that it pays to be nice, even if you're an outlaw.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 30, 2019, 07:29:49 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 12:38:10 PM
I'm sorry, Greg, but this is just a load of bologna.
Saying it's bologna doesn't actually say anything, though.



Quote from: Elgarian Redux on April 30, 2019, 01:05:49 PM
Yes, that's pretty much my position (i.e. the world is more important than the game), though the narrative is not overly important to me either - on this current second playthrough of the game, I just stop the narrative from unfolding (eg by refusing to release Micah Bell from jail in Strawberry) and proceed from there in my own way.
So you probably already went over this in detail already, but... if you stop the storyline and just explore, wouldn't you get to a point where you've seen everything? Then what?

(I'm not the biggest open world game expert, I've dabbled briefly in Skyrim but that's it...).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 07:45:59 PM
Quote from: greg on April 30, 2019, 07:29:49 PM
Saying it's bologna doesn't actually say anything, though.

Neither does posting a bunch tests that prove nothing other than there are a lot of people with free time on the internet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 07:48:29 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on April 29, 2019, 11:21:27 AM

A very cool game, John. Quite possibly the best open-world design I've seen/played. Just web-slinging around the skyscrapers of Manhattan is worth the price!

A proper follow-up to this post -

I finally got around to playing a bit of this game tonight and I was quite impressed with the fluidity of the controls and the overall movements. I haven't gotten deep into it yet, but I can say with great certainty that this may end up being the best superhero game I've ever played.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 30, 2019, 07:49:24 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 07:45:59 PM
Neither does posting a bunch tests that prove nothing other than there are a lot of people with free time on the internet.
The tests aren't really necessary, and sometimes can be misleading. The concept is legit, though.

Obviously you would fall under one or two types more than the others. My guess is that you are almost definitely mostly just an explorer, as well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on April 30, 2019, 07:56:55 PM
Quote from: greg on April 30, 2019, 07:49:24 PM
The tests aren't really necessary, and sometimes can be misleading. The concept is legit, though.

Obviously you would fall under one or two types more than the others. My guess is that you are almost definitely mostly just an explorer, as well.

I guess I'm just old-fashioned about these kinds of things, but I don't think a test proves anything other than what you know for a specific topic. That's it. It's like I remember having to take the graduation test when I was in high school and thinking it was the dumbest test I've ever taken and also pointless as I've already did the work (i. e. credits) to graduate high school. These kinds of online tests are the equivalent to that graduation test. Pointless and mind-numbingly stupid. Sorry, but there's nothing legitimate about finding out what kind of gamer a person is, because the concept is moronic to begin with.

But, hey, that's my two cents. I'd rather put my energies towards something more fruitful and beneficial to me like reading about a composer I want to learn more about or just listening to music.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: arpeggio on April 30, 2019, 11:39:39 PM
Do board games count? My wife and I are playing a strategy on the Second Punic War.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on May 01, 2019, 12:31:59 AM
Quote from: greg on April 30, 2019, 07:29:49 PM

So you probably already went over this in detail already, but... if you stop the storyline and just explore, wouldn't you get to a point where you've seen everything? Then what?


Well, to a great extent, it's the kind of game where that question isn't relevant. It's like saying, when you've done all the country walks in your local neighbourhood, once, then what?

As a matter of fact I did decide recently to let the game narrative progress just a little, so the gang was able to move camp to a spot by a great lake. I could then buy a boat, and also this meant it was much easier to go fishing, and provided a really nice change of local scenery, a new set of local townsfolk and shops nearby, in the town of Rhodes, and a different gang of rival outlaws (the Lemoyne Raiders) to deal with. I shall stick with this for some time now.

'Then what?' is a long way off yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 02, 2019, 07:08:41 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on May 01, 2019, 12:31:59 AM
Well, to a great extent, it's the kind of game where that question isn't relevant. It's like saying, when you've done all the country walks in your local neighbourhood, once, then what?

As a matter of fact I did decide recently to let the game narrative progress just a little, so the gang was able to move camp to a spot by a great lake. I could then buy a boat, and also this meant it was much easier to go fishing, and provided a really nice change of local scenery, a new set of local townsfolk and shops nearby, in the town of Rhodes, and a different gang of rival outlaws (the Lemoyne Raiders) to deal with. I shall stick with this for some time now.

'Then what?' is a long way off yet.
Haha, then it sounds like it isn't 100% open world. Probably just 99%.  ;D

It's a scale... the other end of the scale is Final Fantasy 13, which was like a long hallway through the first ~70% of the game, which really pissed off fans.  :D

The PS1 era JRPG's and older Final Fantasies were the best... strong narrative focus in the beginning, and was linear but didn't feel like it... then later in the game you get an airship and it becomes purely open world. A tension and release sort of thing.



QuoteIt's like saying, when you've done all the country walks in your local neighbourhood, once, then what?
Great question. Everyone is different here.
Very few things I like to repeat. There was a old arcade/bar downtown that I meant to revisit, but never did... I have to really enjoy something to do it again.

Also, concerning open world games. Guild Wars 2 has the best, most ridiculously amazing game world that I've ever experienced, by far. It took me literally 3 months just to get the achievement that you get by exploring all the zones (and they added more). And all these zones are absurdly detailed.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on May 02, 2019, 10:14:30 AM
Quote from: greg on May 02, 2019, 07:08:41 AM
Very few things I like to repeat. There was a old arcade/bar downtown that I meant to revisit, but never did... I have to really enjoy something to do it again.

That's a difference, certainly. If I'm attracted to something, I want to get to know it really well (in real life, I like revisiting favourite places many times, for instance). I have favourite areas in RDR2 where I like to hang out: see which fish are biting today; which horses are roaming wild among the trees; how nasty the bears are. That sort of thing.

Incidentally, when I let the game narrative progress a little, that only changed the location of the camp and the circumstances: various triggers are tripped, so new characters and new events come into play. The locations themselves were already 'open', though fewer things happened in them.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on May 06, 2019, 12:07:39 AM
Here's a couple of Red Dead Redemption 2 curiosities.

By playing Arthur Morgan as an honourable character (in the sense that he only robs rival gangs), I have gradually built up a personal fortune of $22,000. Most of this has been acquired by by treasure hunting, hunting, fishing, and of course raiding other gang hideouts. For example, if you send a day fishing (nice relaxing music, exquisite weather changes, endless locations to try, a wide variety of fish to try to catch) you can catch enough fish to sell to a butcher for more than $100. One year of fishing:  $36,500. Enough for the members of the gang to retire somewhere nice. It all makes the business of robbing trains and banks seem unnecessary! So there is a sort of flaw in the game logic somewhere.

Second weird thing. Why are the game controls so clunky? Most of the controls are fine, but the simple act of picking up an object in a restricted space can prove infuriating, and even sometimes impossible. Is this a gaming problem in general, or just a Rockstar thing? I'd have thought something so elementary would have been sorted out by now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 06, 2019, 06:11:48 AM
Quote from: Elgarian Redux on May 06, 2019, 12:07:39 AM
Second weird thing. Why are the game controls so clunky? Most of the controls are fine, but the simple act of picking up an object in a restricted space can prove infuriating, and even sometimes impossible. Is this a gaming problem in general, or just a Rockstar thing? I'd have thought something so elementary would have been sorted out by now.
I experienced the same thing with Final Fantasy 15 back when it first came out and wondered the same thing...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on May 06, 2019, 01:10:39 PM
Quote from: greg on May 06, 2019, 06:11:48 AM
I experienced the same thing with Final Fantasy 15 back when it first came out and wondered the same thing...
It seems especially odd because they achieved a near-miracle in creating this game, yet gave it a control system that made it almost impossible to pick up a pack of cigarettes on the table beside Arthur Morgan's bed.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 06, 2019, 02:07:05 PM
I'm taking a bit of a break from Horizon Zero Dawn at the moment and have been playing Spider-Man. Hugely enjoyable game so far!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on May 07, 2019, 03:12:00 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 06, 2019, 02:07:05 PM
I'm taking a bit of a break from Horizon Zero Dawn at the moment and have been playing Spider-Man. Hugely enjoyable game so far!
Maybe I should try Horizon Zero Dawn again, but I just couldn't get into it.  :\

Loved Spiderman though
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 07, 2019, 05:52:01 PM
Quote from: PaulR on May 07, 2019, 03:12:00 PM
Maybe I should try Horizon Zero Dawn again, but I just couldn't get into it.  :\

Loved Spiderman though

Hey Paul! Long-time no see! Good to see you around. It takes awhile to get into Horizon Zero Dawn and I'll freely admit that the first few hours or so were slow going for me. But when Aloy finally grew up and started hunting on her own, I started to get pretty excited about the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on October 21, 2019, 02:26:58 AM
There's been a gap of severl months since my last, so I thought I'd add an update. I am still playing Red Dead Redemption 2  with deep satisfaction. I completed the story long ago, and indeed all the by-the-way quests have been completed too, but it doesn't seem to matter. I'm treating the game as if it were a kind of holiday theme-park, which allows me to create the sequence of events. There's no great impetus to pursue any goal, now, including money - I must be the richest ex-outlaw there ever was, and can afford to buy anything available in the game-world. But no matter: the beauty of the thing is inexhaustible. The horses alone form one of the best reasons for playing - the beauty of their movements is a delight to control and watch, and they seem to have real character once you get to know them well.

Wherever I go in the game world, I'm conscious of a history - much as one experiences when pottering about anywhere in England in real life. Here in a forest in the far north-east is the clearing where I first met Charlotte Balfour and taught her how to hunt rabbits, and there in the west is the burnt-out shack where Evelyn Miller wrote his final book. Rockstar seem to have been aware of the game's potential in this regard, and if I revisit places where the gang once camped, ghostly remembered conversations of the gang members, or snatches of campfire singing, can be heard for a few moments.

In a lifetime of searching for the most rewarding works of art produced by humankind, I do not think I have ever found anything so engrossing, satisfying, and breathtakingly beautiful, as this. It has been the primary art-related activity in my daily life for nearly a year now, and I can't think of anything - any single work of art of any kind- that has been able to sustain that intensity, for so long.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Iota on October 21, 2019, 11:10:39 AM
Very interesting reading, ER, you make a very compelling case for it! A kind of virtual Mahler symphony perhaps. If I ever take up computer gaming (unlikely, but who knows) I'll be certain to remember your inspiring advocacy!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on October 21, 2019, 06:18:26 PM
Now that's the enthusiasm I like to hear.  :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Karl Henning on October 22, 2019, 08:16:31 AM
Sudoku puzzles, and Wordscapes, as cognitive therapy, really.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on October 22, 2019, 09:16:18 AM
     I imported Windows 7 Mahjong Titans into Windows 10. Every time a major update occurs it's removed and I put it back.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 02, 2020, 07:46:51 AM
For anyone that owns a ps4... A demo of the Final Fantasy 7 remake is a free download today. So check it out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 08:31:10 PM
Quote from: greg on March 02, 2020, 07:46:51 AM
For anyone that owns a ps4... A demo of the Final Fantasy 7 remake is a free download today. So check it out.

I would, but I don't like Final Fantasy. :-\
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 06, 2020, 08:45:12 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 08:31:10 PM
I would, but I don't like Final Fantasy. :-\
You should still give it a try since the gameplay is quite unique compared to the others. (And no idea which one you've played before... they are all so different that disliking one game in the series doesn't really mean anything).

Though you will be missing out on the nostalgia factor... which is one reason that it appears to be the most anticipated game of all time. I don't think I've seen so many people excited about anything, ever, before.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 08:47:42 PM
Quote from: greg on March 06, 2020, 08:45:12 PM
You should still give it a try since the gameplay is quite unique compared to the others. (And no idea which one you've played before... they are all so different that disliking one game in the series doesn't really mean anything).

Though you will be missing out on the nostalgia factor... which is one reason that it appears to be the most anticipated game of all time. I don't think I've seen so many people excited about anything, ever, before.

Actually, the game I'm anticipating will be the next installment of The Legend of Zelda. This game series is my favorite of all-time. Anyway, I think a person has to be nostalgic before the 'nostalgia factor' actually kicks in. ;) My brother was big into Final Fantasy. It just wasn't my thing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 06, 2020, 09:00:53 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 08:47:42 PM
Actually, the game I'm anticipating will be the next installment of The Legend of Zelda. This game series is my favorite of all-time. Anyway, I think a person has to be nostalgic before the 'nostalgia factor' actually kicks in. ;) My brother was big into Final Fantasy. It just wasn't my thing.
Since I never owned any of the Nintendo systems besides the handhelds I wasn't able to play much Zelda at all, so can't really say much about it.

But I can say that anyone who enjoys playing games should try the FF7 remake demo anyways. It's very impressive in many ways- the music, the snarky dialogue between the characters, the graphics, gameplay, etc. And it's only an hour long, so totally worth it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 09:07:14 PM
Quote from: greg on March 06, 2020, 09:00:53 PM
Since I never owned any of the Nintendo systems besides the handhelds I wasn't able to play much Zelda at all, so can't really say much about it.

But I can say that anyone who enjoys playing games should try the FF7 remake demo anyways. It's very impressive in many ways- the music, the snarky dialogue between the characters, the graphics, gameplay, etc. And it's only an hour long, so totally worth it.

Something is only worth it if the other party believes that it's worth it as well. As I mentioned, FF was never something I cared anything about. I simply couldn't get into. If you love FF, good for you, but you do realize that there are people out there that aren't into what you're into, right?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 06, 2020, 09:16:14 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 09:07:14 PM
Something is only worth it if the other party believes that it's worth it as well. As I mentioned, FF was never something I cared anything about. I simply couldn't get into. If you love FF, good for you, but you do realize that there are people out there that aren't into what you're into, right?
I'm trying to understand the logic here. You don't want to try because you don't like story-driven JRPGs, or because you don't like it because it has Final Fantasy in the title? Because if you played another Final Fantasy and didn't like it, okay, but this (as well as the other games in the series) bears little resemblance at all to each other. They are each like a different franchise.

I'd understand if you were talking about Dragon Quest or Pokemon, since the games are very similar to each other, but not Final Fantasy (especially the modern ones, where the controversy is that they are highly experimental from game to game)...



edit: also, I don't really understand the point of your original comment... the only direction discussion could go is 1) me convincing you to try it, or 2) I could write "okay, then" and that's it. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 09:59:44 PM
Quote from: greg on March 06, 2020, 09:16:14 PM
I'm trying to understand the logic here. You don't want to try because you don't like story-driven JRPGs, or because you don't like it because it has Final Fantasy in the title? Because if you played another Final Fantasy and didn't like it, okay, but this (as well as the other games in the series) bears little resemblance at all to each other. They are each like a different franchise.

I'd understand if you were talking about Dragon Quest or Pokemon, since the games are very similar to each other, but not Final Fantasy (especially the modern ones, where the controversy is that they are highly experimental from game to game)...



edit: also, I don't really understand the point of your original comment... the only direction discussion could go is 1) me convincing you to try it, or 2) I could write "okay, then" and that's it.

Greg, one doesn't have to play every single FF game to know whether it's their thing or not. I have friends who are into FF and have tried for years to get me into but they have given up. There is no logic involved there and there shouldn't be. If I say I don't like FF, you should take that at face value. You don't have to comment at all and that would be perfectly fine. Just because I commented that I'm not a fan of FF doesn't necessarily mean you need or should feel like you have to respond. Too many times you say stupid crap like "I don't understand your logic here" or "I don't understand this or that..." Sometimes you need to learn how to accept opinions for what they are and not question them. You made the comment "For anyone who owns a PS4...should check out the new FF7 demo". Well, what if I don't give a crap about FF? You turned an innocent comment into something more than ought to have been. In other words, you made a mountain out of molehill.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 07, 2020, 07:43:36 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 06, 2020, 09:59:44 PM
Greg, one doesn't have to play every single FF game to know whether it's their thing or not. I have friends who are into FF and have tried for years to get me into but they have given up. There is no logic involved there and there shouldn't be. If I say I don't like FF, you should take that at face value. You don't have to comment at all and that would be perfectly fine. Just because I commented that I'm not a fan of FF doesn't necessarily mean you need or should feel like you have to respond. Too many times you say stupid crap like "I don't understand your logic here" or "I don't understand this or that..." Sometimes you need to learn how to accept opinions for what they are and not question them. You made the comment "For anyone who owns a PS4...should check out the new FF7 demo". Well, what if I don't give a crap about FF? You turned an innocent comment into something more than ought to have been. In other words, you made a mountain out of molehill.
Then why even comment if you don't want anyone to reply?

And whether you have to play every single FF game to know whether you like the series or not... actually is debatable if someone is so vague about it. The series is mostly known for it's main numbered JRPGs, but it also has MMORPG's, one that's more like a western RPG (#15), spin-off fighting games, mobile games, etc. There's barely even a cohesive identity of what the series actually is any more. If someone told me, for example, they didn't care for FF7 because of the battle system, then I'd still suggest them trying the FF7 remake demo, because it is waaaaay different from the original.

So my conclusion is just that you aren't interested because of the title... or as you said, bad experiences previously trying to like the series (which actually says nothing about whether you'd like this game)... so in other words, the title.


Anyways, the middle of this year also has a few other games coming out.

My calendar looks like:
April 3- Resident Evil 3 remake
April 10- FF7 remake
May 29- The Last of Us Part 2
June 26- Ghost of Tsushima (considering it, may or may not get it).

Cyberpunk is also a possibility, but I would just wait until later in the year to see all of the reviews first and finish the other games.

Looking like a good year for PS4.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: staxomega on March 07, 2020, 08:28:41 AM
Quote from: greg on March 06, 2020, 09:16:14 PM
I'm trying to understand the logic here. You don't want to try because you don't like story-driven JRPGs, or because you don't like it because it has Final Fantasy in the title? Because if you played another Final Fantasy and didn't like it, okay, but this (as well as the other games in the series) bears little resemblance at all to each other. They are each like a different franchise.

I'd understand if you were talking about Dragon Quest or Pokemon, since the games are very similar to each other, but not Final Fantasy (especially the modern ones, where the controversy is that they are highly experimental from game to game)...



edit: also, I don't really understand the point of your original comment... the only direction discussion could go is 1) me convincing you to try it, or 2) I could write "okay, then" and that's it.

I haven't played any since FF XII since I find the combat to be quite a slog. At one point XII felt more like doing a job than having fun. I looked up video reviews for FF XV when it came out and it didn't look much different from that MMORPG style combat of XII.

I did obsessively love FFVII when it originally came out, but I think age had a big part of it and being so moved by the story. I remember not enjoying the combat even back then. And I don't have an aversion to turn based I think it's great in Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2, the first Dragon Age and some others I'm forgetting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 07, 2020, 08:43:26 AM
Quote from: hvbias on March 07, 2020, 08:28:41 AM
I haven't played any since FF XII since I find the combat to be quite a slog. At one point XII felt more like doing a job than having fun. I looked up video reviews for FF XV when it came out and it didn't look much different from that MMORPG style combat of XII.

I did obsessively love FFVII when it originally came out, but I think age had a big part of it and being so moved by the story. I remember not enjoying the combat even back then. And I don't have an aversion to turn based I think it's great in Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2, the first Dragon Age and some others I'm forgetting.
I actually enjoyed the style of combat for XII, and also the world, but it was the story that I feel was really uninspiring and disappointing. For XV I wasn't sure what to think about the combat, but the game overall I thought was really mediocre (only played the original version).

Usually you can tell if you like something through videos, but there's always gotta be an exception... like Xenoblade Chronicles where it looked like exactly what I was looking for at the time- a single player MMORPG. But the combat just didn't click with me at all- maybe it was the low amount of skills that can be used, the battle yells, not sure exactly.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on March 07, 2020, 09:19:20 AM
     I just do FPS against bots in the same games I played since the world was young.

     (https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/41014/ss_7a5ffa6a9b52c05da80a9f2f573a683733d8a619.1920x1080.jpg?t=1573728535)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 07, 2020, 10:07:00 AM
What game is that?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on March 07, 2020, 02:04:06 PM
Quote from: greg on March 07, 2020, 10:07:00 AM
What game is that?

     It's called Serious Sam, The Second Encounter, from 2002. It's hilarious fun. It has giant biomechanical chickens with rocket launcher wings.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 07, 2020, 04:40:07 PM
Quote from: drogulus on March 07, 2020, 02:04:06 PM
     It's called Serious Sam, The Second Encounter, from 2002. It's hilarious fun. It has giant biomechanical chickens with rocket launcher wings.
Oh ok, I heard of it way back around that time. If it's a goofy FPS, then you might also like Postal 2 if you haven't played it already.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on March 08, 2020, 08:19:09 AM
While I love Final Fantasy, including VII, my main problem with that game is a moral one: the protagonists are terrorists who cause deaths of innocent people yet hypocritically claim to be morally above Shinra, at one point even flat out trying to stop Shinra from saving the world. Shinra may have done it for self-interested reasons but they still WERE at that point trying to save the world. I find it very hard to sympathize with most of the player characters due to their inherent hypocricy and reprehensible acts. I am fine with villain protagonists (I like GTA and Red Dead Redemption a lot, after all) but the problem with Final Fantasy VII is that they apparently try to paint the protagonists as heroes. I am not completely blind to their good points, but I think the bad traits of theirs easily outweigh the good ones.

My favorite Final Fantasy remains IX. It is also the most human one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on March 14, 2020, 07:06:27 PM
Been trying to get someone to play Divinity Original Sin co-op on the PC or PS4. That or Path of Exile. No takers.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Crudblud on March 17, 2020, 01:30:20 AM
I beat Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice yesterday. An amazing experience from start to finish, and very challenging indeed (From Software really saved the hardest boss for last this time around!). Apparently I got the "true" ending, although I didn't look up how to get it. I suppose the Souls veteran in me was determined to explore as much as possible instead of simply progressing the main path as prompted, and it looks like it paid off. Guess now that I'm sick I have an excuse to move onto NG+...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 17, 2020, 07:23:12 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on March 17, 2020, 01:30:20 AM
I beat Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice yesterday. An amazing experience from start to finish, and very challenging indeed (From Software really saved the hardest boss for last this time around!). Apparently I got the "true" ending, although I didn't look up how to get it. I suppose the Souls veteran in me was determined to explore as much as possible instead of simply progressing the main path as prompted, and it looks like it paid off. Guess now that I'm sick I have an excuse to move onto NG+...
Nice...
those games look cool but would be too hard for me. I finally beat the original Crash Bandicoot a few days ago as I was stuck at The High Road and that was more than challenging enough. I must have been in a particularly good mood to not break anything. 😅
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on April 01, 2020, 09:30:29 AM
Not exactly what I "played" but I did watch LP of Half Life: Alyx and it did not disappoint. I think almost no-one saw the ending plot twist coming although I knew there was going to be one.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 01, 2020, 10:31:48 AM
Quote from: AlberichUndHagen on April 01, 2020, 09:30:29 AM
Not exactly what I "played" but I did watch LP of Half Life: Alyx and it did not disappoint. I think almost no-one saw the ending plot twist coming although I knew there was going to be one.
It looks great, though will be some time before I play it. Gonna use the Vive headset for it.

Patiently awaiting the RE3 remake to arrive on Friday.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 04, 2020, 05:44:14 PM
Just finished Resident Evil 3 remake. It was great!!! 9/10

Glad that it didn't get up to absurd difficulty near the end like re2 remake did, so was able to finish on standard difficulty. Also, Nemesis I found to be better than Mr.X because you're not really trying to solve puzzles while running away from him like you did with Mr.X, so he was more effective rather than annoying. These are the reasons why I'd probably have to say I enjoyed 3 more than 2 (although 2 had some satisfying puzzles, and the first half was excellent).

With this release it also means that all of the numbered entries are available on ps4 (0-7), so this will be the system that I will collect them for, for sure.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 09, 2020, 06:58:24 PM
Just got Final Fantasy 7 remake and just got to Chapter 3.

I can already see how they have padded out the story. So far it totally works, and is a good move imo.

Anyone else playing it?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 08, 2020, 08:03:59 PM
Finished replay of Final Fantasy 10... it's been, what 15 or 16 years since I played it.

Bittersweet ending, completely unique world/character/story conception, great battle system... it was unforgettable back then and still unforgettable now.

It really is amazing just how distinct that era of Final Fantasy games (7-10 especially) from anything else is, each of them have this totally unique feel that stands out so much that none of them really remind me of anything else at all (can't say the same for many games out there).

I got the HD remaster for PSP so will eventually get around to 10-2 and get all the trophies for both. 10 really has a deep post-game, actually it's supposedly the deepest post-game of the whole series (though 12 comes close).



(btw, I have a friend who completed FF10 7 times!  :o )
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 08, 2020, 08:07:41 PM
Finally played Bioshock: Infinite , the 3rd installment of the series. I played the first Bioshock, not the second one though.
Infinite was spectacular. The design of the city, and it's floating-buildings had me in awe. Great experience.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 08, 2020, 08:22:48 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on May 08, 2020, 08:07:41 PM
Finally played Bioshock: Infinite , the 3rd installment of the series. I played the first Bioshock, not the second one though.
Infinite was spectacular. The design of the city, and it's floating-buildings had me in awe. Great experience.
I can't imagine what relation the two sequels would have had to the original... only played the first and it seemed like a closed story.

The first one was a decent game... but apparently didn't enjoy it enough to want to continue the series. It's sitting there in my collection since I was able to retrieve it from my friend after letting him borrow it while he never ended up playing it.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 09, 2020, 04:26:25 AM
Quote from: greg on May 08, 2020, 08:22:48 PM
I can't imagine what relation the two sequels would have had to the original... only played the first and it seemed like a closed story.

The first one was a decent game... but apparently didn't enjoy it enough to want to continue the series. It's sitting there in my collection since I was able to retrieve it from my friend after letting him borrow it while he never ended up playing it.  ;D

Infinite is really a stand-alone game from the first 2, although a small reference to those are made. I was told you don't really have to even have played the first 2 to enjoy Infinite, which is why I skipped the second game.

I'm thinking of getting the download of the original The Last of Us, I continue to read great reviews about it, and the sequel is close to being released. Plus it's cheap on the Playstation store.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 09, 2020, 08:05:22 AM
Well that would be a good move since The Last of Us is a great game.

Not sure I'll get Part 2 or not, it's kinda in the middle of a shitstorm of controversy right now.  :-X But still, we'll see...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on May 10, 2020, 06:46:16 AM
I have never played The Last of Us, nor watched Let's plays of it. But I am a huge fan of other Naughty Dog games, Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter and especially Uncharted. Uncharted 4 is one of the best games of the decade.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Brian on May 10, 2020, 06:53:25 AM
Glad to see you back here, Mr. Moeller!!!

Quarantine boredom drove me to download Cities: Skylines, and I've tried it a couple times. Seems fun. For now though my main squeeze is Out of the Park Baseball, where you act as a general manager making trades, building rosters, hiring scouts, etc. I'm in an online league and it's tremendous fun to try trading and trash talking with real people. Addicting for baseball fans.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 10, 2020, 10:38:13 AM
Quote from: Brian on May 10, 2020, 06:53:25 AM
Glad to see you back here, Mr. Moeller!!!

Quarantine boredom drove me to download Cities: Skylines, and I've tried it a couple times. Seems fun. For now though my main squeeze is Out of the Park Baseball, where you act as a general manager making trades, building rosters, hiring scouts, etc. I'm in an online league and it's tremendous fun to try trading and trash talking with real people. Addicting for baseball fans.

Hey, Brian. Good to see you too. I still follow you on Twitter and enjoy seeing your Dallas-food writings. Good stuff.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 10, 2020, 11:05:52 AM
Quote from: AlberichUndHagen on May 10, 2020, 06:46:16 AM
I have never played The Last of Us, nor watched Let's plays of it. But I am a huge fan of other Naughty Dog games, Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter and especially Uncharted. Uncharted 4 is one of the best games of the decade.

I hate to chime in with my two little measly cents, but I thought the first Uncharted was the best of them all. There felt like there was more real action in it than just a game comprised of cut-scenes which you can sometimes partake in. I rank games based on whether the game is worth replaying. None of the Uncharted games for me have been worth revisiting and the same goes The Last of Us. I'm finding that more and more of these next-gen games to be weak on in-game action and more about storytelling. I mean there's nothing wrong with having a strong narrative in a game obviously, but when all you do is watch cut-scene after cut-scene, it gets tedious and boring. It's like "Is this a game or a film?" Thankfully, there have been some fine games that have come out in the past decade that have been awe-inspiring and just flat-out fun to play. A few of them for me have been: The Last Guardian (PS4), Little Nightmares (PS4), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch), Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4), Rayman Legends (Nintendo Switch) and Spider-Man (PS4).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on May 10, 2020, 11:20:37 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 10, 2020, 11:05:52 AM
I hate to chime in with my two little measly cents, but I thought the first Uncharted was the best of them all. There felt like there was more real action in it than just a game comprised of cut-scenes which you can sometimes partake in. I rank games based on whether the game is worth replaying. None of the Uncharted games for me have been worth revisiting and the same goes The Last of Us. I'm finding that more and more of these next-gen games to be weak on in-game action and more about storytelling. I mean there's nothing wrong with having a strong narrative in a game obviously, but when all you do is watch cut-scene after cut-scene, it gets tedious and boring. It's like "Is this a game or a film?" Thankfully, there have been some fine games that have come out in the past decade that have been awe-inspiring and just flat-out fun to play. A few of them for me have been: The Last Guardian (PS4), Little Nightmares (PS4), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Nintendo Switch), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch), Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4), Rayman Legends (Nintendo Switch) and Spider-Man (PS4).

I see your point. I like the first Uncharted too and Uncharted Golden abyss which is rather similar gameplaywise. Too bad golden abyss is on handheld console.

The greatest game of the decade 2010-2019 in general, is in my opinion Red Dead Redemption 2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on May 10, 2020, 11:26:24 AM
For what its worth, I think uncharted 1 gameplay isnt quite as varied as in 2 3 and 4 although the amount was good. But it felt a bit too much like same enemy wave after another. I still like it a lot, just not as much as others.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 10, 2020, 12:08:16 PM
Quote from: AlberichUndHagen on May 10, 2020, 11:20:37 AM
I see your point. I like the first Uncharted too and Uncharted Golden abyss which is rather similar gameplaywise. Too bad golden abyss is on handheld console.

The greatest game of the decade 2010-2019 in general, is in my opinion Red Dead Redemption 2.

I haven't played Red Dead Redemption 2, but my general problem with Rockstar Games is I don't care anything about the storyline and feel compelled to just go around wreck havoc just to see how long it takes me to get killed, which is the only reason why I play Grand Theft Auto V for example. One Rockstar game I liked a lot was Manhunt on PS2. I'd love for them to make another one of these games for the next-gen consoles, but I don't think it'll happen.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 10, 2020, 12:20:08 PM
If backed into a corner at gunpoint and forced to chose a favorite game of the past 10 years, it would be The Last Guardian. This game isn't perfect and there are some issues with controls/camera angles at various points, but I felt deeply immersed in this game's universe. This game was developed by the same makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus and it took six years for The Last Guardian to see the light of day and this was mainly because the main driving force behind the game had jumped ship before the game was completed, but he did stay on as a creative consultant. To anyone who likes adventure games with a mythical twist, check out The Last Guardian. For those that don't own a PS4, sorry you can't play this game --- it's a PS exclusive. :)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: FelixSkodi on May 10, 2020, 12:55:39 PM
Currently replaying Spec Ops: The Line and Max Payne 3 (both on the Xbox 360).

Super fun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 13, 2020, 05:47:07 PM
So just now I finally completed Final Fantasy 11. I started playing the game in summer of 2013, so it's been 7 years to finish the main storyline.

What I mean by completed is: complete all of the main storylines, so basically the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel that they finished up with 4 1/2 years ago, when the game was 13 years old. In three days it's officially legal  ;) (turning 18).

I had to ask for help and someone helped me out for the final fight. Originally wanted to solo it, but sadly that wasn't possible (without possibly as much as months of grinding away first).





Here's an old post of mine back in the day:
Quote from: ibanezmonster on February 28, 2014, 08:58:26 AM
(http://geekstronomy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/final_fantasy_11.jpg)

Final Fantasy 11 (2002-)

I have finished my personal "Stage 1" of this game. My character profile, which includes most (by far not all) of my stats and achievements:
http://www.ffxiah.com/player/Shiva/Redrumage

Basically, I leveled one job which was able to solo 99% of the storyline missions. I finished all of the storyline missions in the game except the new Seekers of Adoulin, which I am part of the way through; this storyline isn't even complete and still being written, so I'll have to complete it one day when it is finished.

Nation Storylines:
There are three nation storylines, and I did all three of them: San D'oria, Bastok, and Windurst. My favorite story was Windurst, though San D'oria is what I started with and it will always feel like a second home to me. Bastok is boring, but at least they have Cid. Windurst is such a peaceful place, a place that would be very nice to live in.

Expansion Pack 1: Rise of the Zilart (2003)
Shortest storyline other than one specific annoying mission. I feel that this is like the prelude to Chains of Promathia.

Expansion Pack 2: Chains of Promathia (2004)
Basically the length of some Final Fantasy games. When this came out, it required massive group play for missions lasting several hours, and everyone had to play perfectly to get through the storyline. Everything about it had an "elitist" air about it.
Excellent storyline and most demonstrative of what a Final Fantasy story is actually supposed to be. Top-notch and epic.

Expansion Pack 3: Treasures of Aht Urghan (2006)
A whole new continent is unlocked in this expansion. The storyline tends to be more humorous than epic, as you're working as a mercenary, aka "Eternal Slave" for your master, Naja Salaheem. Imagine a mideastern feel, but with a touch of blue.

Expansion Pack 4: Wings of the Goddess (2007)
The longest storyline, it takes as many hours to be this as a proper Final Fantasy game; it takes place in the past, 20 years ago during the Crystal War, so it has the same areas you're used to, but slightly different. Probably the best storyline, but it wasn't my favorite, if that makes any sense.


Add-on Scenarios: A Crystalline Prophecy, A Moogle Kupo D'Etat, and A Shantotto Ascension (2009)
I've almost finished all of these; I could literally finish these in a few hours if I wanted to, but I just hate asking for help. Nowadays, there's no reason to do these other than the achievements, or if you want, to experience the silly or mediocre storylines. The gear you get as a reward is simply outdated. And if you fail the final battles (which are incredibly tough), you have to redo the previous mission, which take normally at least an hour to complete. Not highly regarded by many.

Add-on Battlefields: Scars of Abyssea, Heroes of Abyssea, Visions of Abyssea (2010)
All I've done in Abyssea is a worm party, once. These are just areas that people use for finding rare items, leveling up or making money (no story). I got all three of these add-ons for free during a promotion, saving me $30! Worm parties are used for quick leveling, so assuming it isn't your first job, you can level up a job from 30 to 99 in a single day.


Expansion Pack 5: Seekers of Adoulin (2013)
So far, the storyline is completely unmemorable, but then again, I'm only somewhat near the beginning. It introduces a new continent, which is very easy to navigate... unless it's for the first time. Colonization reives are basically road blocks to progress and have been an endless source of frustration. This is where most endgame events normally take place, as you can see many players decked out with gear that drops from the megabosses in these zones. I regret not leveling up a job at this point which is acceptable for joining an endgame event that my linkshell (my group) likes to form parties for.




What I want to do for the next time I pick up the game for a few months or so: level up cooking and fishing crafts; level up (at least) samurai, black mage, thief, corsair, and red mage; focus on samurai the most by acquiring tp sets and/or the most current relic armor, possibly doing something similar with corsair; get at least artifact armor for red mage, possibly black mage as well; participate in things like Voidwatch, Monstrosity, etc. However, before I return to FF11, I may end up picking up FF14 first.  ;)

And that's what I spent 1000+ hours on...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 14, 2020, 06:36:09 PM
Started playing Resident Evil: Origins (which is the remake of RE0 and RE1 for PS4).

A little distracted, though, since the main character, Rebecca Chambers, just seems super attractive to me. The face, haircut, voice, super adorable...

(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/varis/rebecca2.jpg)
(https://pm1.narvii.com/6333/42711f597dc3835190d2e7da8fb5e9ac0cdc0d01_00.jpg)


but this is a zombie game. Gotta ignore that.  :P
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 14, 2020, 08:18:40 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 10, 2020, 12:20:08 PM
If backed into a corner at gunpoint and forced to chose a favorite game of the past 10 years, it would be The Last Guardian. This game isn't perfect and there are some issues with controls/camera angles at various points, but I felt deeply immersed in this game's universe. This game was developed by the same makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus and it took six years for The Last Guardian to see the light of day and this was mainly because the main driving force behind the game had jumped ship before the game was completed, but he did stay on as a creative consultant. To anyone who likes adventure games with a mythical twist, check out The Last Guardian. For those that don't own a PS4, sorry you can't play this game --- it's a PS exclusive. :)

SOTC is a top 5 game of all time for me, was my favorite when it was first released! The PS4 remastered version is to die for. And I really liked ICO, so I need to check out The Last Guardian.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: arpeggio on May 14, 2020, 08:21:41 PM
My wife and I are playing the board game Command and Colors: Ancients.  We are currently playing engagements from the Roman Civil War between Caesar and Pompeii. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 14, 2020, 08:29:11 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on May 14, 2020, 08:18:40 PMSOTC is a top 5 game of all time for me, was my favorite when it was first released! The PS4 remastered version is to die for. And I really liked ICO, so I need to check out The Last Guardian.

I, too, bought it when it came out of PS2, but, man, that PS4 remaster is gorgeous. I used to get lost in this game. I think you'll like The Last Guardian --- it's cheap now. Again, it's far from perfect and the controls/camera can be frustrating at times, but I love this game warts and all.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 14, 2020, 08:32:18 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 14, 2020, 08:29:11 PM
I, too, bought it when it came out of PS2, but, man, that PS4 remaster is gorgeous. I used to get lost in this game. I think you'll like The Last Guardian --- it's cheap now. Again, it's far from perfect and the controls/camera can be frustrating at times, but I love this game warts and all.

Cool! I went on a video game hiatus for a while starting from 2010-2016 while my son was growing up, so I'm going back and picking up hits from those years now fairly cheap on the PS Store. I'll put The Last Guardian in my wish list.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 21, 2020, 06:50:02 AM
So, getting through Resident Evil 0, and although it started well, have to say this is possibly the worst game I've ever played. If you want to make a game completely lack fun and be as tedious and petty as possible, make it like this.

It's like encountering someone who at first appears to be some cool goth lady but then is actually, Surprise! A Karen in disguise. And she will scold you for not being perfectly prepared for something you never could have predicted. Just don't play this game without a guide.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 23, 2020, 07:54:27 PM
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81LFcvyvMPL._SL1500_.jpg)

Just beat Resident Evil 0, the worst game I've ever played.

First of all, I am finally convinced to never play another RE game on normal difficulty for a first time playthrough. Easy it is, always. But too risky if you haven't conserved ammo enough by the end so you run the risk of having to start the game over again. I was slightly conservative and just barely made it through the last boss. But what is "enough" ammo to save up? These games never tell you, so you just have to guess. Unacceptable. (Maybe this is just an old school gaming problem or something)...



So why don't I break down why I hate this stupid fucking piece of shit game:

-6 inventory spaces per character, no way of increasing it... this is the main complaint you'll hear about the game, and the foundation for countless other problems that always stem back to this
-near the end, there is a part where a frog will randomly just jump at you and kill you... wtf...
-the camera angles always switching at the worst time
-the limited saves, while not a terrible thing per se, will make you super conservative on saves, which leads to excessively replaying 30 minutes because you can't predict what is upcoming that will kill you, and those 30 minute segments consist of at least 15 minutes of inventory shuffling
-inventory shuffling because of only 6 slots... it's like half of what you'll spend time on in the game
-you don't get item boxes to store items, so you have to leave them in random spots. So you will spend a ton of time backtracking for random items since you only get 6 inventory slots. If you leave items too close to a door, you will accidentally open a door. Picking up items need extreme accuracy in positioning your character, which is not very predictable, and sometimes needed while dodging an enemy, which just feels stupid.
-there is no onscreen UI indication of anything, and it is strongly needed- it's easy to forget whether your two characters are in "team mode" or not, and forgetting that can lead to death
-only Rebecca can mix herbs for health, which leads to extra planning steps... why? there is no good reason for this
-exchanging items between characters is only possible when they are physically very close to each other... no good reason for this because it's not like this is a game aiming for realism
-cut scene graphics look worse than the actual gameplay
-boss fights are just terrible... the boss designs are so bland and the mechanics are just about non-existent, except for the bat fight, which just seemed random




What I like about it:

-something about the graphical look is appealing, despite only being an upgrade
-Rebecca is hot
-The three or so costumes the characters have look cool
-the beginning train section is actually not bad, and the ending section is also not bad since they allow backtracking to the training facility to get the items you've left
-it explains more about the origins of the T-Virus, which is the foundation of the whole RE series- this is the main reason for playing it


Trying to understand how anyone could enjoy this game would be hard... seems like it's meant for extremely, extremely detail oriented people, because to sum it up, the nitpickiness of this game is just so off the charts it's unbelievable developers would expect people to enjoy it.


I'm starting the original Resident Evil now, as the other game in the RE Origins disc. Easy mode it is. It's supposed to be better overall than RE0. Expecting to enjoy it somewhat.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 23, 2020, 08:28:53 PM
I was seriously, not even joking, thinking about how I'd rather be mowing yards or cleaning houses instead of playing this game, and I have enough experience with both that I can say I really don't enjoy those activities at all, to say the least.

Seriously, gotta vent the rage. Been playing it over a week and has been so much misery. I hate this game so much that I just can't describe how deep the hatred is... I thought about breaking the disc and throwing it away, or setting it on fire, to just give an idea. I saw the game designer credits and thankful they are in Japan, because if I saw them in IRL I'd have the strong urge to just slap them in the face.



this review I like:
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/resident-evil-zero-hd-review-where-it-all-started-go-wrong-capcoms-horror-series-1538516


QuoteThe character switching and inventory management is excruciating. The game gains nothing – no thicker atmosphere, no greater sense of "survival", no memorable moments of team work or decision-making – and loses all momentum and vibrancy as a result of these inexplicable mechanics.

A joyless game. Every section feels like a tedious lateral thinking puzzle – "the farmer has a fox, a chicken and some grain, but can only carry one at a time" – and the locations and creatures are half-heartedly designed.

Who found this interesting? Who played Resident Evil Zero and thought it anything but contrived and perennial? This isn't a petty gripe. It's not that I'm adverse to backtracking, absence of action or any of the other things that stereotypically give petulant critics cause to complain.

I just found myself, time and time again in Resident Evil Zero, laughing at how pedantic and fussy it was, how you couldn't pick up this item if you didn't give your partner that item, how you couldn't swap items unless you were close enough together, how he can't mix herbs and she can't push boxes, and everything has to be just so. I felt like I was addressing the prissy manager of a menswear department: "No sir, we do NOT stock that cravat in periwinkle blue."




So the brighter takeaway from this is to somehow be able to identify the more obnoxious games, put them on easy, and use a walkthrough at all times. That would have helped a lot, instead of being naively optimistic just because some other games don't require that (like the RE 3 remake, for example, which I recently played and enjoyed very much).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on May 24, 2020, 05:57:27 AM
I'm currently playing Doom Eternal.  It's extremely hard.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 10, 2020, 01:13:05 PM
Done with Resident Evil 5. Now onto RE6, which will be the last game in the mainline series that I haven't completed yet.

Afterwards will also do a replay of RE4 since it's been a while (also will mean having the whole mainline series solely on PS4).

BTW, there is a youtube video that surprisingly never got taken down, but it is a nude mod of Jill Valentine in the RE3 remake... it looks great but also would be too hilarious to actually play that way.  :D

edit: apparently there's one for Claire in RE2 remake as well... all I can say is wow, the contrast of that in a horror setting is bizarre, but I recommend looking that one up because, um, to put it bluntly, it's freaking hot.  :P :D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 13, 2020, 04:50:00 PM
Done with Leon's campaign in RE6. There's four total.

What I think about RE6: Very fun! It's what I would call "Hollywood action horror." Capcom actually called it "dramatic horror."

Fast gameplay, many QTE's, constantly running to new locations, exploding helicopters, buildings, trains, etc. very Michael Bay-like.  ;D

Amazing how much of a radical departure this was if you compared it to the earlier series- definitely a waaaaay different genre- it could almost be considered the polar opposite, in fact. In many ways it seems to parallel the Final Fantasy series in how radically it changed up over the years. However, the somewhat return to its roots in RE7 perhaps saved the franchise, because reviews and opinions of RE6 were pretty mixed, since many people don't even consider it a Resident Evil game, even if generally people enjoyed it.


And for the PS5 reveal, funny that the biggest two games they showed were Resident Evil 8 and Horizon Zero Dawn 2, two series that I'm committed to following! No new games coming out this year that I'm for sure going to play, but those two I definitely will end up playing, probably later in the year next year.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 25, 2020, 05:56:48 PM
Done with replay of RE4, so now I have completed game saves for all of RE 0-7 on my PS4 alone, along with the physical copies of those games lined up.

I've developed a system of backing up saves all on one USB drive + double backup on Google drive cloud storage... for older systems and Nintendo systems in general it is ridiculous what you have to do. I hear the Switch doesn't even let you back up saves to physical media? Horrible.

Anyways, I'm playing Final Fantasy 4: The After Years, which is the sequel to FF4 that was thrown on to the PSP version, which has:

FF4
The Interlude
The After Years

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/816-AZvpWUL._AC_UL480_FMwebp_QL65_.jpg)
Tbh I'm not the least excited about it. Sure, FF4 was a decent game, but The After Years has had extremely mixed reviews and it's long... like 40 hours long. But I can't not play it. It'll be screaming at me to play it, my playthrough of FF4 is incomplete without playing the sequel. Ugh, there goes another week.  :P

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: arpeggio on June 25, 2020, 09:29:24 PM
Is this thread just for video games?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 26, 2020, 06:56:00 AM
Quote from: arpeggio on June 25, 2020, 09:29:24 PM
Is this thread just for video games?
Pretty much...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on June 26, 2020, 10:07:51 AM
Venturing into Path of Exile (yet again). Even though I keep (re-)creating the same character, I still find the process enjoyable.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 28, 2020, 08:00:57 PM
Crash Bandicoot 4 announced.

It's been almost 22 years since Crash Bandicoot 3... I have played the N. Sane Trilogy (PS4 remakes of Crash 1, 2, &3), as well as the original Crash games when they came out on PS1 that long ago... so yeah, definitely gonna play Crash 4.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 29, 2020, 03:41:58 PM
The only game I'm looking forward to at this juncture is next installment of The Legend of Zelda. I don't know if they'll call it Breath of the Wild II or what.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on June 29, 2020, 04:58:16 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 29, 2020, 03:41:58 PM
The only game I'm looking forward to at this juncture is next installment of The Legend of Zelda. I don't know if they'll call it Breath of the Wild II or what.

Rumor Mill: It is a sequel to BOTW, and Zelda might be a(the) playable character. Ironically I just started BOTW again from the beginning the other day, still one of the best games ever made.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 29, 2020, 05:01:43 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on June 29, 2020, 04:58:16 PM
Rumor Mill: It is a sequel to BOTW, and Zelda might be a(the) playable character. Ironically I just started BOTW again from the beginning the other day, still one of the best games ever made.

Yeah, I knew it was going to be a continuation of Breath of the Wild. Actually, Breath of the Wild scores lower on my Zelda-o-meter than I initially thought. My favorite Zelda game is still Twilight Princess followed by Ocarina of Time. Breath of the Wild would be #3 in my own personal list, but I haven't played any of the Gameboy or DS games as I never owned any of the handheld systems. Skyward Sword has to be one of the worst games in the franchise that I've played. I remember being incredibly disappointed by this game and mainly it's because of the horrible motion controls.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on June 29, 2020, 05:20:41 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 29, 2020, 05:01:43 PM
Yeah, I knew it was going to be a continuation of Breath of the Wild. Actually, Breath of the Wild scores lower on my Zelda-o-meter than I initially thought. My favorite Zelda game is still Twilight Princess followed by Ocarina of Time. Breath of the Wild would be #3 in my own personal list, but I haven't played any of the Gameboy or DS games as I never owned any of the handheld systems. Skyward Sword has to be one of the worst games in the franchise that I've played. I remember being incredibly disappointed by this game and mainly it's because of the horrible motion controls.

Never did play Skyward, but Twilight was great, a really creative Zelda game, I wish they would make it available on the Switch.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 29, 2020, 08:28:56 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on June 29, 2020, 05:20:41 PM
Never did play Skyward, but Twilight was great, a really creative Zelda game, I wish they would make it available on the Switch.

Me too! I'd buy it right now. I remember it came out on the Wii U in a remastered version, but I sold that system only about a couple of months of owning it. Looking back on it, I should've kept the Wii U just for Twilight Princess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 17, 2020, 09:28:09 PM
Well I'm done with my only two Game Boy Advance games that I own so far:
Metroid Zero Mission
Metroid Fusion

Basically, they had so much potential for me, but I don't like hard games. And they were hard. And there's no medium or easy mode options.

The Spider boss in Fusion was one of the worst boss battles ever... they really put possibly the most difficult boss I've ever played against in a game, which took probably 10 attempts to defeat, 5 minutes away from the save point? Really?

Zero Mission I had to restart from the beginning after getting nearly halfway through because the navigation gets so confusing that at one point I got hopelessly lost on how to get to this one area that I needed to get to to proceed.


Also gives me such less confidence in the timings that people list on howlongtobeat.com. Sure, something I played recently- Tekken 7 is accurate. But for a game like this (I'm using singular but it applies to both), saying it's "2 1/2 hours" is hilarious. The actual video guide itself I was following, where the guy has the entire game memorized and just blasts through the thing, is 2 hours. My first playthrough is 6 hours after following the guide verbatim.


I just wish they had an easy version of the games... what I really liked was the way movement felt, which seems to be a big factor in how I enjoy action games, much more than I realize over time. But some of the movements are very hard and they don't really explain certain things in the game. Also the gradually gaining new weapons over time does feel very satisfying.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on December 23, 2020, 01:10:04 PM
Finished GTA 3 today. Damn that last mission is hard!!! The only reason I was able to finish it was because I had collected all 100 packages and thus had a rocket launcher at my safe house. Finished off Catalina's helicopter at literally the last shot. Ironic way to spend Christmas perhaps but to each their own I guess.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: AlberichUndHagen on December 23, 2020, 01:11:45 PM
Considering it had changed to 24th in my time zone during the last 10 minutes or so I have to correct my post: I finished GTA 3 YESTERDAY.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on January 07, 2021, 12:31:17 PM
Putting this here for record-keeping:
Just finished Final Fantasy 3.

The significance of this being: In 2013, I had started my project to play all of the mainline FF games. Although I did beat most of them, there were several that I had almost beaten, but often these games will get you to the last dungeon and you need to spend days doing boring level grinding in order to defeat the final boss, so I just burned out and said that I was done when I really wasn't.

So although I "beat" them, it always bothered me that a few were actually unfinished.

This one was the last one, so I can say (without lying) that I have fully completed FF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7R, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 11, 12, 13, 13-2, 13-3, and 15.

(14 doesn't count because it is going to take some more years for them to finish the main story, but I am following it as they release new content).


So hyped for FF16 and FF7R Part 2! I was thinking that if they really do a full trilogy of FF7R correctly, then as a whole it WILL be my favorite game of all time, no questions (while currently it's hard to choose a favorite).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 13, 2021, 09:36:10 PM
Still playing minecraft. Just started playing Titanfall 2, Bless Unleashed, and I have FFXV downloaded, which I will be starting soon
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on January 14, 2021, 07:12:58 AM
Quote from: goboenomo on January 13, 2021, 09:36:10 PM
Still playing minecraft. Just started playing Titanfall 2, Bless Unleashed, and I have FFXV downloaded, which I will be starting soon
Any reason you want to play FFXV?

Probably better to play it nowadays, as it is completed (day one sure was something lol).

But it sure is a wildcard, opinions are very mixed from good to bad and in the middle (i thought it was mediocre).

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 15, 2021, 08:04:05 PM
Quote from: greg on January 14, 2021, 07:12:58 AM
Any reason you want to play FFXV?

Probably better to play it nowadays, as it is completed (day one sure was something lol).

But it sure is a wildcard, opinions are very mixed from good to bad and in the middle (i thought it was mediocre).

My brother told me it was pretty good. He is currently playing through a second time. I was a final fantasy fan all the way up to X-2. That one was terrible, and when I heard XI was going to be an online subscription money grab, I was out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on January 16, 2021, 07:33:01 AM

     I'm not playing, I'm only observing a game played in July.

     https://www.youtube.com/v/FDr4RMvYM1s

     
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on January 17, 2021, 10:27:44 PM
Considering jumping into the current season of Path of Exile. Looks good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: goboenomo on January 18, 2021, 12:59:49 PM
Quote from: stingo on January 17, 2021, 10:27:44 PM
Considering jumping into the current season of Path of Exile. Looks good.
I just started torchlight 3. Similar to PoE and Diablo. So far so good. Already doing end game content
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 18, 2021, 04:34:24 PM
I've been playing The Last of Us Part 2.  Unpopular opinion: I really like it, in fact more than the first game.  Better story and better gameplay mechanics.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: arpeggio on January 31, 2021, 06:13:19 PM
I have always liked sports games.  I do not care for arcade type games.

There was a old computer football game that I liked to play.  They had a coach mode where on only called the plays.  Unfortunantly it is an old DOS game that does not work on Windows.

There was an DOS old hockey game that had a coaches mode.  When could design offensive and defensive setups and worked at changing the lines.

I used to play StratoMatic hockey and football.  These were both board games.

I have just acquired the computer Strato Matic Hockey.  The computer version does a much better job of handling line changes.  I really like it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 18, 2021, 10:12:45 AM
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JXMFYS6ML._AC_.jpg)
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne (PS2 version)
A cult classic. Has become one of my favorites.
I spent 2 months to get through this game, over 120 hours to get the True Demon ending (best ending).

Something about it speaks to me, being alone in a world devoid of humans, wielding the power of demons to take down everyone, including the final boss Lucifer. All done in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo surrealist landscape.

Even reading about it, reviewers have really hit home just how lonely and desolate the game feels, it's such a contrast from the Persona series which is realistic, having a friend group and a schedule.

The unique plot of the game is about the end of the world happening in the beginning of the game, and in this new Vortex World, the only 3 humans to remain in it conceive their own Reason for how the new world is to be born. It is a sort of rigid philosophy or ideology. One being social Darwinism, another being unity from humanity merging into one hive mind, and the third one being individuals having complete isolation from others.

But if you kill them all, then the world is not reborn and you become the demon of chaos. So beautiful, makes me want to cry.  ;D

It's notoriously difficult, though, and should only be played with a guide if you are serious about finishing it.



(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MqtbKz7kL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Just bought a Japanese Sega Saturn and am playing Sakura Wars, which seems to be mostly a visual novel. Using it for study purposes, there is no official English translation and this game is not on anything but the Saturn, so it's kinda cool to play something that very very few Westerners would actually play.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 11, 2021, 04:39:13 PM
(https://dvdcover.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-07-13_60ed4f22721f8_w0177ld3vvq61-950x561.jpg)

Final Fantasy 8 remastered (PS4)

Second playthrough, this time on the PS4 remastered version.

I guess the main thing to say is, I feel like there's more emotional depth in this game than any probably any other story from any other media that I've seen- part of it for sure is the music, but for the rest, I'm not sure exactly. Maybe I find Squall to be the most relatable MC and also I really like Rinoa? (still have a poster of her hanging up lol)  :P


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EB4u4_GWkAEGmIz.jpg)


The ending... the first five minutes of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX1bvl2lD0s

is still my favorite five minute clip of anything, ever. Squall is trying focus on Rinoa while he can to avoid the chaotic disintegrating effects of time compression that is causing the events he/you experience throughout the game to compress.

I actually had a dream once that was the same idea, just the situation was very different... which is another story.



...I also still say that Final Fantasy 6-10 are basically like the Mahler symphonies of video games, the resemblance is uncanny. It's the heart, I guess. If anyone is familiar with both, they might get it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2021, 05:28:51 PM
I haven't played any video games in months. The last game I was excited about and that I beat was Luigi's Mansion 3. I loved this game. Right now, the only game that's coming out this year that excites me is Metroid Dread:

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71LVHNX3vLS._SL1500_.jpg)

All I have to say is I'm so thankful it's a side-scroller like the original one and Super Metroid (plus many of the Gameboy games, which I never owned).

https://www.youtube.com/v/8BeZcMQpSXQ
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 11, 2021, 06:05:12 PM
Metroid Dread should be good. If it's like the other sidescrolling ones, it'll be a challenge.

Kind of on a project collecting retro games and systems. Will be extremely expensive in the long run, but the price of old games only goes up and up so might as well get them now. Have probably bought over 50 so far now. Probably about half overall are Japanese versions, saves money. For people that can't read Japanese, I wouldn't recommend retro game collecting at all, unless it's certain systems (like original Xbox) or you just have a ton of money.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on August 11, 2021, 06:15:38 PM
Quote from: greg on August 11, 2021, 06:05:12 PM
Metroid Dread should be good. If it's like the other sidescrolling ones, it'll be a challenge.

Kind of on a project collecting retro games and systems. Will be extremely expensive in the long run, but the price of old games only goes up and up so might as well get them now. Have probably bought over 50 so far now. Probably about half overall are Japanese versions, saves money. For people that can't read Japanese, I wouldn't recommend retro game collecting at all, unless it's certain systems (like original Xbox) or you just have a ton of money.

Indeed. The oldest system I have in my possession in the Super NES, which I still consider the greatest console of all-time. As great as the NES was, the Super NES had even better games. Two of the reasons why I rate this system so highly is because of the first and second Donkey Kong Country games. These are two of my favorite games of all-time.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on August 29, 2021, 05:33:38 AM
I just picked up Tim Schafer's Pyschonauts 2.

(https://store-images.s-microsoft.com/image/apps.59150.13578175979543723.424401c3-5602-4e35-abfc-c00f9156296a.99cd91cb-4b52-4353-b333-28a9e48f06fe)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 29, 2021, 06:01:13 AM
I replayed a bunch of bioware games this summer.  Mass Effect Legendary edition was a great remaster because it didn't screw with what worked while doing a major much needed overhaul of the combat and controls of the first game.  I then replayed the Dragon Age games.  I don't see them remastering those games.  Origins would greatly benefit from a remaster in the same way that ME1 did.  But Dragon Age 2 has so many identical repeated dungeons that would need to be addressed and the combat needs an overhaul more so than any other Bioware game excepting Jade Empire.  Might be too much work, especially for such an unpopular game.  And then Inquisition doesn't really need anything except to get the pc textures and higher res on console.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 29, 2021, 08:44:36 AM
Quote from: relm1 on August 29, 2021, 05:33:38 AM
I just picked up Tim Schafer's Pyschonauts 2.
How is it?
I will almost certainly get this game in some time.
Haven't played the original, but is annoying that there is no physical release apart from the super expensive and rare Limited Run version for PS4.
I could settle for the original PS2 version, but since it will be quite a while before I even get into this series, I don't know if I should or not....   
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on August 31, 2021, 06:09:40 AM
Quote from: greg on August 29, 2021, 08:44:36 AM
How is it?
I will almost certainly get this game in some time.
Haven't played the original, but is annoying that there is no physical release apart from the super expensive and rare Limited Run version for PS4.
I could settle for the original PS2 version, but since it will be quite a while before I even get into this series, I don't know if I should or not....   

Extremely good reviews.  I didn't play the original one but this one gives you a brief animation at the start to catch up you so you have some idea of what's going on.  It has a lot of humor and heart and a very good story with a strong message but I got that from the reviews as I'm still very early in to my experience with it and about to switch computers so might be a few days before I can sink in to it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: PaulR on August 31, 2021, 07:40:46 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 29, 2021, 06:01:13 AM
I replayed a bunch of bioware games this summer.  Mass Effect Legendary edition was a great remaster because it didn't screw with what worked while doing a major much needed overhaul of the combat and controls of the first game.  I then replayed the Dragon Age games.  I don't see them remastering those games.  Origins would greatly benefit from a remaster in the same way that ME1 did.  But Dragon Age 2 has so many identical repeated dungeons that would need to be addressed and the combat needs an overhaul more so than any other Bioware game excepting Jade Empire.  Might be too much work, especially for such an unpopular game.  And then Inquisition doesn't really need anything except to get the pc textures and higher res on console.
It's a shame with DAII.  I think the combat was fine, mostly.  It was better than DA:O in terms of combat (Though DA:O and Awakens had the best story), but EA forcing Bioware to release it really negatively impacted the game.  I would love for them to remake II and include at least the DLC legacy into the main story.

Is it going to happen?  No.  Would I trust them not to screw it up?  Also no (even after ME:LE)

I am currently playing Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 31, 2021, 08:14:22 AM
Just finished Final Fantasy Type 0 HD (got PS platinum). It's an okay game but nothing super amazing. Very tragic story. Biggest strength might be the replay value (though I don't think I enjoyed it enough to replay it).

Currently replaying Half-Life 2, the PS3 Orange Box edition. Don't think I ever played Episode One and Two, so that may actually be new (originally played HL2 many years ago on PC).

Also was playing some Dead or Alive Extreme 3: Fortune (for PS4) during the weekend. It's only in Japanese, though... they never brought it to the West since they think it wouldn't sell, and also it was too controversial for leftist Twitter prudes, apparently.

But yeah, Nyotengu and Honoka especially, if I had to choose my two favorite... wow.  0:)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 31, 2021, 09:05:01 AM
Quote from: PaulR on August 31, 2021, 07:40:46 AM
It's a shame with DAII.  I think the combat was fine, mostly.  It was better than DA:O in terms of combat (Though DA:O and Awakens had the best story), but EA forcing Bioware to release it really negatively impacted the game.  I would love for them to remake II and include at least the DLC legacy into the main story.

Is it going to happen?  No.  Would I trust them not to screw it up?  Also no (even after ME:LE)

I am currently playing Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition

My problem with Origins combat is that it was trying to please the crpg crowd and the console crowd and doing neither well (my same problem with Witcher 2).  My problem with DA 2 combat is that the cooldown timers are too long, and the mobs are too large so that you're mashing the attack button way too much waiting for a chance to use a special ability.  I think Inquisition nailed it.  It had the fluidity of the second, but the strategic nature of the first and the cooldown timers were just right and the mob sizes were just right.

I really liked FF XV even though many disliked it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: staxomega on September 17, 2021, 07:39:48 PM
MGS 3 has my favorite ending to a video game  ;D I was feeling nostalgic so I watched the ending in HD, I've only played it on PS2. The whole MGS series is probably my favorite, though I've only played the first three.

This isn't the ending, just a live, orchestrated version of the opening theme.

https://www.youtube.com/v/I8pg2XoQTlA
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 18, 2021, 02:13:18 AM
I sold my ps4 and switch last weekend.  Since I sold my graphics cards earlier in the summer I'm now down to just my Xbox.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on September 18, 2021, 04:56:27 AM
Quote from: greg on August 31, 2021, 08:14:22 AM
Currently replaying Half-Life 2, the PS3 Orange Box edition. Don't think I ever played Episode One and Two, so that may actually be new (originally played HL2 many years ago on PC).

Interesting! I definitely recommend Episodes 1 and 2, in fact along with original half life 1, Episode 2 is my favorite half life game, better than half Life 2 and alyx. Episode 1 is probably worst of the bunch but still guaranteed Valve quality.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on September 18, 2021, 09:29:41 AM
Quote from: Ganondorf on September 18, 2021, 04:56:27 AM
Interesting! I definitely recommend Episodes 1 and 2, in fact along with original half life 1, Episode 2 is my favorite half life game, better than half Life 2 and alyx. Episode 1 is probably worst of the bunch but still guaranteed Valve quality.
I just finished everything and I like them all. Surprisingly, I wasn't spoiled from the ending of Episode 2 considering how long it's been and how often I'm online.  :P
But yeah, the selling point of the franchise is mainly the top-notch gameplay, though the atmosphere of the world is something I think is also pretty good.

Alyx is the only entry in the Half-Life series I have not played yet. Will have to dust off my Vive headset and get around to it sometime.


Currently playing the original Silent Hill game- originally I had played nearly half of the game a long time ago but never finished- just got to the point now, actually. Also interesting that the JP version has English voice acting.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on September 24, 2021, 09:54:21 AM
Well, for anyone who thinks having a motivated and highly determined personality is a great thing, just let me share with you that there's games like Silent Hill for PS1 which can give you really unreasonable expectations (normal difficulty) near the end of the game and then makes it almost impossible to complete without starting over the whole game. It's still possible, but not worth it. The experience is hours of completely miserable non-fun stress.

And I made it a mission to complete every game that I decide to finish, but now there's several games: Kya, Final Fantasy Tactics, Silent Hill, which I've just given up on. But the problem is, I'll always remember those games and will want to take revenge on them years later and complete them. Will probably give these games another shot in 5-10 years.


Anyways, moving on:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81YBQYIRw0L._SY500_.jpg)

Played a couple of days and now that I've quit Silent Hill, this will be my main game for quite a while, perhaps for the next month or two.

First observations: very complicated control scheme, but to me that adds to the fun (being a musician, more complex finger movements are always welcome).

First Zelda game (apart from a few hours of Ocarina of Time) that I've played. Very relaxing, the exploration is really fun and the stuff you can do is really cool. Really enjoying it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 11, 2021, 07:16:54 PM
Quote from: greg on September 24, 2021, 09:54:21 AMAnyways, moving on:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81YBQYIRw0L._SY500_.jpg)

Played a couple of days and now that I've quit Silent Hill, this will be my main game for quite a while, perhaps for the next month or two.

First observations: very complicated control scheme, but to me that adds to the fun (being a musician, more complex finger movements are always welcome).

First Zelda game (apart from a few hours of Ocarina of Time) that I've played. Very relaxing, the exploration is really fun and the stuff you can do is really cool. Really enjoying it.

I enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but it didn't quite feel like a "Zelda game" to me. For starters, there weren't any dungeons, which I've become accustomed to for every other Zelda game I've played. I also didn't like the fact that you couldn't do any deep underwater exploration. You only can swim on the surface and, to me, this removes me even further from the game. The lack of puzzles, especially those that are normally found in dungeons are absent to a large extent. I mean you have some puzzle-solving, but nothing quite like other games. I truly hope that the next installment that comes out (probably next year) will have these three curial factors. What I did like a lot is the exploration aspect of it and this is the first truly open-world Zelda game as all of the other games in this franchise up to this point were linear.

In other news, I'm currently obsessed with Metroid Dread:

(https://images.nintendolife.com/7c1760474c995/metroid-dread-cover.cover_large.jpg)

This is an absolute masterpiece of a game. I don't hand out this type of prestige to many games, because it takes a lot to impress me, but being a Metroid fan since Super Metroid came out on Super Nintendo in the early 90s, I've been longing for a 2D platformer that does what Super Metroid did, but even better. On this front, Metroid Dread more than delivers. I won't get into specifics, but this is a challenging game and there have been many points where I was basically stuck and simply couldn't advance any further until I had no choice but to look up via Google how to get out of the trap I sat for myself. I don't like to do this, but I was getting frustrated. But, make no mistake, I have had many moments where I've grinned ear to ear in just the sheer excitement that this game gives me. I've played pretty much all day today with several needed breaks of course. Anyway, I haven't been this excited for a game in a long time, although I did rather like Luigi's Mansion 3. I may go back and replay that game after I complete Metroid Dread.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2021, 05:57:33 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 11, 2021, 07:16:54 PM

In other news, I'm currently obsessed with Metroid Dread:

(https://images.nintendolife.com/7c1760474c995/metroid-dread-cover.cover_large.jpg)

This is an absolute masterpiece of a game. I don't hand out this type of prestige to many games, because it takes a lot to impress me, but being a Metroid fan since Super Metroid came out on Super Nintendo in the early 90s, I've been longing for a 2D platformer that does what Super Metroid did, but even better. On this front, Metroid Dread more than delivers. I won't get into specifics, but this is a challenging game and there have been many points where I was basically stuck and simply couldn't advance any further until I had no choice but to look up via Google how to get out of the trap I sat for myself. I don't like to do this, but I was getting frustrated. But, make no mistake, I have had many moments where I've grinned ear to ear in just the sheer excitement that this game gives me. I've played pretty much all day today with several needed breaks of course. Anyway, I haven't been this excited for a game in a long time, although I did rather like Luigi's Mansion 3. I may go back and replay that game after I complete Metroid Dread.


Metroid Dread rocks! I've been playing it all weekend. And you're not alone in feeling challenged, John, I too had to look up where to go next and it turned out to be something as simple as shooting/breaking a wall to advance to the next room.

I also recently played through Portal 2, which was amazing. Highly recommended.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on October 12, 2021, 01:44:48 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2021, 05:57:33 AM

Metroid Dread rocks! I've been playing it all weekend. And you're not alone in feeling challenged, John, I too had to look up where to go next and it turned out to be something as simple as shooting/breaking a wall to advance to the next room.

I also recently played through Portal 2, which was amazing. Highly recommended.

Glad you're enjoying Metroid Dread as well, Greg. 8) I'd give this game a 10/10 in that I believe it's one of the best games I've played in the last 20 years. I'll probably avoid Portals 2 in that I'm not a fan of 1st person shooters. I know many who are, but I just don't like that particular viewpoint for a video game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 12, 2021, 02:14:44 PM
Quote from: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2021, 05:57:33 AM
I also recently played through Portal 2, which was amazing. Highly recommended.

Yeah that is one of my favorite games, I've played it through several times.

Quote"All right, I've been thinking, when life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don't want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life's manager!
Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I'm the man whose gonna burn your house down - with the lemons!"

;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on October 12, 2021, 02:32:57 PM
Quote from: DavidW on October 12, 2021, 02:14:44 PM
"All right, I've been thinking, when life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don't want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life's manager!
Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I'm the man whose gonna burn your house down - with the lemons!"

Ha! They had quality writers on that game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on October 13, 2021, 07:49:00 AM
Well, I have a lot to say about Metroid Dread but want to finish it before posting anything.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on October 14, 2021, 03:45:02 PM
I won't say a lot.

I'm not into difficult games. Playing this game is like going to a restaurant and having top notch, excellent quality food but the chefs can randomly come to your table and punch you in the face throughout the course of your meal. And there is no option to not have them do that, that's apparently part of the whole experience.

Replaying bosses 3-5 times to learn them is fine. 10-20 times makes it feel very tedious, like studying for an exam.

But if future games had a normal difficulty setting, I'd play them without question. This series has the best gameplay for any side-scrolling games I've played (with the note that I've never played Castlevania). But why play this series when I have a million other games to play that are also fun, but not obnoxious?

I think the same thing for the other two Metroid games I completed (Fusion and Zero Mission), though this one was my favorite.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Umbrella166 on December 16, 2021, 06:02:00 AM
Lately I've been loving playing mini-games.
Recently I also came across a good website https://www.friv5online.com/.
There are a lot of games for all tastes.
  I don't like to play long games and I mostly play on my phone, so I like minigames more))
  For example, snake and the like.
It really helps me to distract myself from bad thoughts.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 16, 2021, 07:24:02 PM
Next month will be playing FF14: Endwalker, logged in a few times this month but the login times are still 2-3 hours, so for now have played the first half of Persona 5: Strikers in the meantime.

Nice to see the success of FF14, started playing just a few months after its release in 2013 and have been following it since. Going to switch to Reaper- my main was Monk for the first four years and then Samurai the next four. So yeah, melee DPS like always. (I've tried tank and healer before, but they just felt weird to play, I much prefer focusing on damage).

Interesting that the problems are so bad with the servers (caused by the chip shortage) that they are temporarily suspending purchases of the game. And they are refunding the playerbase the first week (could be more weeks, don't know yet). Seems like it's becoming too popular for its own good.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on December 17, 2021, 09:28:37 PM
Warhammer 40K Inquisitor - Martyr and Graveyard Keeper
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Elgarian Redux on December 23, 2021, 07:06:04 AM
I'm still playing Red Dead Redemption 2, more or less continuously since it first appeared. I've never thought of it as a game - more as a virtual theme park, or an interactive movie. It was the sole reason for my purchase of a PS4, and still is.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 20, 2022, 02:48:31 PM
I've been playing Cyberpunk 2077.  After all those patches it is honestly a great game and worth playing.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 20, 2022, 09:15:57 PM
Finishing Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux tomorrow, will start playing Final Fantasy Origin: Stranger of Paradise right after that, when I get the delivery (was supposed to be today).


Quote from: DavidW on March 20, 2022, 02:48:31 PM
I've been playing Cyberpunk 2077.  After all those patches it is honestly a great game and worth playing.
Must have required a ton of patience.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 21, 2022, 07:20:23 AM
Quote from: greg on March 20, 2022, 09:15:57 PM
Finishing Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux tomorrow, will start playing Final Fantasy Origin: Stranger of Paradise right after that, when I get the delivery (was supposed to be today).

Must have required a ton of patience.

Yes I've waited close to a year and a half!  Many people jump on a game when it releases and fight bugs.  I frequently wait for a sale and the game is significantly patched.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 21, 2022, 09:27:47 AM
Looking forward to Kirby and the Forgotten Land coming out for Nintendo Switch on the 25th:

(https://sm.ign.com/t/ign_fr/cover/k/kirby-and-/kirby-and-the-forgotten-land_dr9f.1200.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on March 21, 2022, 10:18:57 AM
Let me know what you think of the Kirby game. I might consider it in the future, going to be preoccupied right now, though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on March 21, 2022, 06:25:34 PM
Quote from: greg on March 21, 2022, 10:18:57 AM
Let me know what you think of the Kirby game. I might consider it in the future, going to be preoccupied right now, though.

Will do, Greg. I'm not familiar with Kirby's story and the general "folklore' surrounding the universe he inhabits, but the demo for this game was enjoyable. Looking forward to playing the full game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on March 21, 2022, 07:43:15 PM
Rather oddly for an old fart, l currently am active in:

Diablo 3
Star Trek Online
Unreal Tournament

Lots of D3 today...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 22, 2022, 06:03:15 AM
Quote from: LKB on March 21, 2022, 07:43:15 PM
Rather oddly for an old fart, l currently am active in:

Diablo 3
Star Trek Online
Unreal Tournament

Lots of D3 today...

Well not odd, those are all old games!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on April 26, 2022, 09:02:15 AM
Few weeks ago, finished one playthrough of Nier Replicant. Super modern-ish JRPG, I enjoyed Nier Automata so thought I'd try this as well. Quite innovative.

Starting to play through some old games that I've wanted to play for many, many years, but just never did. All on physical consoles (no emulation), some of the games are so expensive, like the last two I just completed (Silent Hill 3 and 4), that it was cheaper to just buy a Japanese PS2 and the Japanese version of the games instead of the North American releases.

SH 3 and 4 were both great, SH 4 being way different than the others in the series.


So, one of the games that I started playing now that I have been waiting the longest to seriously play through is Metal Gear Solid 1. It's like 23 years old. I originally played the demo of it (many times) at the age of 11. Currently playing the downloaded version that comes with the PS3 Legacy Collection, though. Eventually will get through the whole series, will do casually and will take a few years. Only played 3 hours so far, but it's fantastic.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on April 26, 2022, 11:02:40 AM
Not exactly playing but I have become a big Ace Attorney fan, having watched Let's Play's of the first 4 games and currently on the fifth, Miles Edgeworth investigations. The first 3 games were superb, even Justice for all, which some players hate. But maybe that's the thing: I'm watching LP:s, not playing them so I could be painfully frustrated if I actually played Justice for all.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on April 26, 2022, 11:09:29 AM
As for something which I have actually played, I spent the entire last year completing Red Dead Redemption 2 in 100 % and last December finally made it. This year I have been playing the first part on Ps3, intending to complete it 100 % as well, provided my Ps3 doesn't die before that. Never played Revolver yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 01, 2022, 10:26:03 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on March 21, 2022, 09:27:47 AM
Looking forward to Kirby and the Forgotten Land coming out for Nintendo Switch on the 25th:

(https://sm.ign.com/t/ign_fr/cover/k/kirby-and-/kirby-and-the-forgotten-land_dr9f.1200.jpg)

I've really been enjoying this game. I'd give it a 9.5/10 so far. It will definitely have replay value as there's some challenging courses here and it'll be interesting to 100% the game. I'm not too familiar with Kirby and the games that proceeded this one. Kirby is one of the stars of the Nintendo company (not quite on par with Mario or Link, but quite close). I'd love to see a Donkey Kong Switch game in the future as this was always a favorite character of mine.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on May 01, 2022, 11:09:11 AM
I've been replaying The Outer Worlds.  Now that I know how easy the game is, I'm making a much more diverse build distributing points in all sorts of categories.  The dialogue options from science/medicine/engineering/persuade are more rewarding than maximizing the ability to use a gun.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 03, 2022, 08:58:00 PM
I retook the quantic foundry gamer type quiz (this is the best "what type of gamer are you?" quiz I've found online)

https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/surveys/answer/gamerprofile/
Quote
The Action Components (96%)
Gamers with high Action scores are aggressive and like to jump in the fray and be surrounded by dramatic visuals and effects. Gamers with low Action scores prefer slower-paced games with calmer settings.

Destruction (94%): Gamers who score high on this component are agents of chaos and destruction. They love having many tools at their disposal to blow things up and cause relentless mayhem. They enjoy games with lots of guns and explosives. They gravitate towards titles like Call of Duty and Battlefield. And if they accidentally find themselves in games like The Sims, they are the ones who figure out innovative ways to get their Sims killed.

Excitement (93%): Gamers who score high on this component enjoy games that are fast-paced, intense, and provide a constant adrenaline rush. They want to be surprised. They want gameplay that is full of action and thrills, and rewards them for rapid reaction times. While this style of gameplay can be found in first-person shooters like Halo, it can also be found in games like Street Fighter and Injustice, as well as energetic platformers like BIT.TRIP RUNNER.


The Social Components (26%)
Gamers with high Social scores enjoy interacting with other players, often regardless of whether they are collaborating or competing with them. Gamers with low Social scores prefer solo gaming experiences where they can be independent.

Competition (49%): Gamers who score high on this component enjoy competing with other players, often in duels, matches, or team-vs-team scenarios. Competitive gameplay can be found in titles like Starcraft, League of Legends, or the PvP Battlegrounds in World of Warcraft. But competition isn't always overtly combative; competitive players may care about being acknowledged as the best healer in a guild, or having a high ranking/level on a Facebook farming game relative to their friends.

Community (13%): Gamers who score high on Community enjoy socializing and collaborating with other people while gaming. They like chatting and grouping up with other players. This might be playing Portal 2 with a friend, playing Mario Kart at a party, or being part of a large guild/clan in an online game. They enjoy being part of a team working towards a common goal. For them, games are an integral part of maintaining their social network.


The Mastery Components (31%)
Gamers with high Mastery scores like challenging gaming experiences with strategic depth and complexity. Gamers with low Mastery scores enjoy being spontaneous in games and prefer games that are accessible and forgiving when mistakes are made.

Challenge (20%): Gamers who score high on Challenge enjoy playing games that rely heavily on skill and ability. They are persistent and take the time to practice and hone their gameplay so they can take on the most difficult missions and bosses that the game can offer. These gamers play at the highest difficulty settings and don't mind failing missions repeatedly in games like Dark Souls because they know it's the only way they'll master the game. They want gameplay that constantly challenges them.

Strategy (52%): Gamers who score high on this component enjoy games that require careful decision-making and planning. They like to think through their options and likely outcomes. These may be decisions related to balancing resources and competing goals, managing foreign diplomacy, or finding optimal long-term strategies. They tend to enjoy both the tactical combat in games like XCOM or Fire Emblem, as well as seeing their carefully-devised plans come to fruition in games like Civilization, Cities: Skylines, or Europa Universalis.


The Achievement Components (73%)
Gamers with high Achievement scores are driven to accrue power, rare items, and collectibles, even if this means grinding for a while. Gamers with low Achievement scores have a relaxed attitude towards in-game achievements and don't worry too much about their scores or progress in the game.

Completion (71%): Gamers with high Completion scores want to finish everything the game has to offer. They try to complete every mission, find every collectible, and discover every hidden location. For some players, this may mean completing every listed achievement or unlocking every possible character/move in a game. For gamers who score high on Design, this may mean collecting costumes and mounts in games like World of Warcraft.

Power (68%): Gamers who score high on this component strive for power in the context of the game world. They want to become as powerful as possible, seeking out the tools and equipment needed to make this happen. In RPGs and action games, this may mean maxing stats or acquiring the most powerful weapons or artifacts. Power and Completion often go hand in hand, but some players enjoy collecting cosmetic items without caring about power, and some players prefer attaining power through strategic optimization rather than grinding.


The Creativity Components (45%)
Gamers with high Creativity scores are constantly experimenting with their game worlds and tailoring them with their own designs and customizations. Gamers with low Creativity scores are more practical in their gaming style and accept their game worlds as they are.

Discovery (40%): Gamers who score high on Discovery are constantly asking "What if?" For them, game worlds are fascinating contraptions to open up and tinker with. In an MMO, they might swim out to the edge of the ocean to see what happens. In MineCraft, they might experiment with whether crafting outcomes differ by the time of day or proximity to zombies. They "play" games in the broadest sense of the word, often in ways not intended or imagined by the game's developers.

Design (52%): Gamers who score high on this component want to actively express their individuality in the game worlds they find themselves in. In games like Mass Effect, they put a lot of time and effort in the character creation process. In city-building games or space strategy games, they take the time to design and customize exactly how their city or spaceships look. To this end, they prefer games that provide the tools and assets necessary to make this possible and easy to do.


The Immersion Components (93%)
Gamers with high Immersion scores want games with interesting narratives, characters, and settings so they can be deeply immersed in the alternate worlds created by games. Gamers with low Immersion scores are more grounded in the gameplay mechanics and care less about the narrative experiences that games offer.

Fantasy (92%): Gamers who score high on Fantasy want their gaming experiences to allow them to become someone else, somewhere else. They enjoy the sense of being immersed in an alter ego in a believable alternate world, and enjoy exploring a game world just for the sake of exploring it. These gamers enjoy games like Skyrim, Fallout, and Mass Effect for their fully imagined alternate settings.

Story (89%): Gamers who score high on Story want games with elaborate campaign storylines and a cast of multidimensional characters with interesting back-stories and personalities. They take the time to delve into the back-stories of characters in games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, and enjoy the elaborate and thoughtful narratives in games like The Last of Us and BioShock. Gamers who score low on Story tend to find dialogue and quest descriptions to be distracting and skip through them if possible.
(https://apps.quanticfoundry.com/graphs/export/gamerprofile/radar/STNbMXjYzoW3VvpTgUJLjA/?target=instagram)

Quote
Your Quantic Gamer Type :
BOUNTY HUNTER
Player Type Image   
Gamer Type Motto:

"High-Octane, Solo World Exploration."

Your primary (dominant) player type is the Bounty Hunter.

Bounty Hunters are solo, action-oriented explorers who want game worlds that they can make their own through customization and discovery. They also enjoy power progression and unleashing mayhem.


Also replaying Mirror's Edge, will probably replay this game a million times in my lifetime, eventually until I can play through in like an hour.  ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: TheGSMoeller on May 04, 2022, 06:16:09 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Sea_of_thieves_cover_art.jpg) (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b6/Ghost_of_Tsushima.jpg)

Sea of Thieves is a simple, but very enjoyable MMO I play with my son and a few buddies.
Ghosts of Tsushima is a beautiful, and violent game. The graphics and game play are phenomenal, and the little details and moments such as stopping in a peaceful spot to reflect and compose a haiku add to the high-level character interaction that the player gets to experience. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 10, 2022, 02:02:29 PM
I might have to try Ghost of Tsushima eventually, I anticipate it will be a great experience.
But when I get a PS5, my first game will probably be Ghostwire: Tokyo- aesthetically/visually that game to me is possibly #1 just based on what I'm seeing. Tokyo + surrealism is exactly what I want to see.


I just had a random thought about games.
So I was trying to figure out why I don't really like challenge in games much, but I LOVE it when playing a musical instrument, how to put it in words why that is.
I know exactly why now, there are exactly two reasons why:

1) tedious trial and error.
With music, you can isolate the difficult parts. With games, you have to start over from the beginning every single time (boss fights, for example). Imagine how tedious it would be if to learn a four minute song you had to start over from the very beginning every single time. I'd probably quit music at that point.  :-X


2) non-replayability.
When I learn a difficult skill, the point is to enjoy the rich complexity that it provides. I don't want to abandon it, I want to revisit from time to time. However, most games don't offer the easy access to replay a boss. So what's the point, unless you play through it multiple times in a short time period (when memory is fresh)? I'm not going to replay a 20-50 hour game right when I finish it, I'm ready to move on. Would be nice if games offered a boss selection screen so that you if you have 20 minutes to burn before bedtime, you can just turn on a game and revisit a boss and take it down better each time, refining your accuracy.


I wonder if there are any (single player) games where those two are not really a problem. If not, then I guess I'll continue to only play games on either easy or medium difficulty (with rare hard mode exceptions).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 11, 2022, 07:27:58 AM
Finished Metal Gear Solid 2 just now.

Weird to watch the ending, considering the game was from 2001. The themes very much feel like they should be from 2021.

Other people have noticed that, if you do a search. Mainly about AI censorship and control of information to create mainstream narratives. I don't remember any of that being a concern all the way back in 2000/2001 when the internet was just starting to be adopted, it really feels like Kojima was looking into the future.

Ok, on to #3 now.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 11, 2022, 08:18:35 AM
Quote from: greg on May 10, 2022, 02:02:29 PM
I wonder if there are any (single player) games where those two are not really a problem.
To answer my own question, probably FF7 remake is a good example. For replayability, there has to be segments that are short (~ <= 2 hours). You can sit down during one single late night evening and replay a single chapter from the chapter select and be done with it. I actually WILL replay this game on hard mode, I feel like it's worth it even if it didn't have trophies for it, and this is a big reason why.

(FF14 is an example of a multiplayer game where you can just back and fight the same bosses, as with any other MMORPG)

So I looked it up, Elden Ring does NOT have a chapter select. This is an example of what I'm talking about when I don't understand game difficulty. People report spending over 50 times attempting the same boss battle, but once it's done, they can't immediately replay it in the same or harder difficulty. They have to play the game over again, which is like 50-100 hours. So what is even the point of experiencing that much frustration throughout the game? There's plenty of other open world games with a great experience that you can play that aren't so frustrating. And there's other games (like FF7 remake) where you can repeat the enjoyment of boss fights quickly without having to replay the entire game again.

It almost seems like people either 1) have WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more patience than me, or 2) enjoy these types of games purely as achievement-seeking, for some reason I don't understand valuing the achievement itself so much that fun doesn't matter (like compensating for lack of achievement in their personal life).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 08:40:49 AM
Talking to yourself again I see, Greg. ;)

In other news...

I've almost finished Kirby and the Forgotten Land for Nintendo Switch. I'm now going to give this game a rating of 10/10. I don't allot such a high rating to video games very often and this is only because I'm picky and extremely critical of how a game plays and feels. Of course, fun factor and replay value are also incredibly important. I feel this new Kirby game is a step-up in the right direction for this particular franchise. It's often said that the first game is the best in terms of originating a style, but I'm hoping subsequent 3D platformer Kirby games are created and continue this creative direction.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 11, 2022, 11:27:29 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 08:40:49 AM
Talking to yourself again I see, Greg. ;)
You into any difficult games or have played MGS?
I might have to ask someone that's into the Dark Souls games why they like that sort of difficulty- actually my friend here is an example, might have to check sometime (he even platinumed the first two games).




Quote from: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 08:40:49 AM
I've almost finished Kirby and the Forgotten Land for Nintendo Switch. I'm now going to give this game a rating of 10/10. I don't allot such a high rating to video games very often and this is only because I'm picky and extremely critical of how a game plays and feels. Of course, fun factor and replay value are also incredibly important. I feel this new Kirby game is a step-up in the right direction for this particular franchise. It's often said that the first game is the best in terms of originating a style, but I'm hoping subsequent 3D platformer Kirby games are created and continue this creative direction.
Nice. I used to play the first one a lot back ~20+ years ago. Recently bought a used copy of the original game along with the second game for use in my GBA.

Platformers are kind of a "mid" genre to me, they're great as a sort of way to distract in-between any major JRPG titles.

I guess you could say Mirror's Edge is a platformer, but being first person and mostly about keeping momentum, gives it a waaaaaay different feel. It's almost like a fusion between a racing game and a platformer, resulting in something that is more fun than both. The need to conserve speed, mixed with the quick reaction timing needed, makes it feel more like playing an instrument than other games.

#1 and #2 biggests misfortunes for gaming in the future would be to me is if they #1 screw up or don't do the Final Fantasy remakes, and #2 if they don't make any more games like Mirror's Edge.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 04:42:16 PM
Quote from: greg on May 11, 2022, 11:27:29 AM
You into any difficult games or have played MGS?
I might have to ask someone that's into the Dark Souls games why they like that sort of difficulty- actually my friend here is an example, might have to check sometime (he even platinumed the first two games).



Nice. I used to play the first one a lot back ~20+ years ago. Recently bought a used copy of the original game along with the second game for use in my GBA.

Platformers are kind of a "mid" genre to me, they're great as a sort of way to distract in-between any major JRPG titles.

I guess you could say Mirror's Edge is a platformer, but being first person and mostly about keeping momentum, gives it a waaaaaay different feel. It's almost like a fusion between a racing game and a platformer, resulting in something that is more fun than both. The need to conserve speed, mixed with the quick reaction timing needed, makes it feel more like playing an instrument than other games.

#1 and #2 biggests misfortunes for gaming in the future would be to me is if they #1 screw up or don't do the Final Fantasy remakes, and #2 if they don't make any more games like Mirror's Edge.

I remember getting into Metal Gear Solid back in the days of the first Playstation, but that was about it. I never got into the other ones for the later PS consoles. Honestly, I'm more into Nintendo, but there have been a few PS exclusive games that have impressed me: Shadow of the Colossus (esp. the new remaster of it on PS4), Crash Bandicoot (I still need to get around to playing the latest installment to this series), Marvel's Spider-Man, Grand Theft Audio V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Batman: Arkham City and the Uncharted series. I never have liked any first-person shooter games as I don't like that particular viewpoint in a game. Anyway, I seldom play my PS4 and continue to play my Nintendo a good bit.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on May 11, 2022, 07:57:57 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 04:42:16 PM
Crash Bandicoot (I still need to get around to playing the latest installment to this series)
Me too! Was just watching gameplay yesterday, played the N.Sane Trilogy back a few years ago so all caught up and ready, just haven't gotten around to it.


Quote from: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 04:42:16 PM
Horizon Zero Dawn
Great game, though I don't care much to play the new one. Coolest things: the big story twist/reveal near the end, the cauldrons (dungeons), and a personal favorite: sneaking up behind people and slitting their throat, makes me laugh every time.  ;D


Quote from: Mirror Image on May 11, 2022, 04:42:16 PM
I never have liked any first-person shooter games as I don't like that particular viewpoint in a game.
Interesting.
The camera angle I don't care for is top-down for anything RPG-like, for example Hades/Diablo 3/etc.- though it is totally necessary if you are playing something like an SRPG like Fire Emblem or turn-based strategy like Civilization.
It's more like, watching the gameplay of those types of games make me want to play a game that is a typical third or first person... something about playing as a character is more fun that managing a bunch of stuff. Although the management can be fun sometimes- I don't dislike it at all, just not my favorite.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 04, 2022, 07:30:10 AM
Watched the State of Play, super excited about Resident Evil 4 Remake and Final Fantasy 16 coming out next year.
(16 is "basically done" but they are taking a TON of time to polish and perfect everything).

FF16 graphics looking jaw-dropping, seems this game will have an extremely dark tone and also be mostly a single character (no party members), which is a huge difference from most of the games in the series. And looks open world-ish, so it seems more Elden Ring-style.

But the odds of it being a masterpiece are extremely high. The last true single player entry in the series that was a true masterpiece was 10, back 21 years ago. Although the MMO releases have been successful (11 and 14), the single player games have had so many issues (even if there is a lot to love), the series just sort of fell off a cliff after 10.

RE 4 remake I'm just wondering what in the world they are doing to make what is widely considered one of the greatest games of all time, even better.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 04, 2022, 07:33:26 AM
Quote from: greg on June 04, 2022, 07:30:10 AMRE 4 remake I'm just wondering what in the world they are doing to make what is widely considered one of the greatest games of all time, even better.

Not one of the greatest games of all-time for me. For others, perhaps.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 04, 2022, 03:04:34 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on June 04, 2022, 07:33:26 AM
Not one of the greatest games of all-time for me. For others, perhaps.
I go by this list still, seems the best one to use:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/games/rankings

RE4 is #17. There is a game I feel similarly to on this list, I disagree with the popular opinion: #14, Xenoblade Chronicles. Everything about the game on paper is something I'd love. I played the entire thing (extremely long game), and nope, not a fan.

Actually... just noticed MGS 3 is #5. Wow... still playing that one, super enjoyable game and my favorite out of the first three.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Mirror Image on June 04, 2022, 08:20:13 PM
Quote from: greg on June 04, 2022, 03:04:34 PM
I go by this list still, seems the best one to use:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/games/rankings

RE4 is #17. There is a game I feel similarly to on this list, I disagree with the popular opinion: #14, Xenoblade Chronicles. Everything about the game on paper is something I'd love. I played the entire thing (extremely long game), and nope, not a fan.

Actually... just noticed MGS 3 is #5. Wow... still playing that one, super enjoyable game and my favorite out of the first three.

Interesting list. My "Top 3" video games of all-time would be in order: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Donkey Kong Country and Shadow of the Colossus. For me, it doesn't get any better than these games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on June 04, 2022, 09:38:55 PM
Has anyone played any of the incarnations of Witcher? I'm considering giving it a try, STO and D3 both seem a bit stale atm.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 05, 2022, 10:36:03 AM
Quote from: LKB on June 04, 2022, 09:38:55 PM
Has anyone played any of the incarnations of Witcher?

I played all three.

Here are my impressions:

The Witcher: very rewarding when played correctly.  That is you have to spend time finding books on the monsters and then ACTUALLY READING the books.  And then preparing the potions and oils in advance which also involves meditation.  But if you do all that the bosses are significantly easier.  If you don't do that and hack and slash then the game is very difficult and frustrating.  Later in the game it can be annoying wandering around talking to everyone in the known universe trying to progress but given no direction.  So this is a challenging game.  There is no handholding, and as a result most people that start with the idea that they should experience the full trilogy just give up on this game and sometimes the franchise as a whole.  btw at launch it was pretty hard to run.  The controls with mashing the mouse button have not aged well.  Verdict: a cult classic but you still might want to skip it.

The Witcher 2: cdpr tried to make a game to release on both console and pc.  The result was a good pc game and a mediocre console port.  The controls are just too clunky and complex for a controller imo.  It is not as difficult to get into as the first game, but for some reason I never liked this game.  But if my description of the first one puts you off, maybe start here.  For some reason the tutorial is just awful and tries to get you to master all the mechanics at once which you absolutely do not need to do since most will not be unlocked until later.  Verdict: decent rpg, and not frustrating as long as you use quen frequently.  This game is good on the pc, I would still avoid it on console.

Witcher 3: is my favorite game of all time.  It is funny how far superior it is to the first two.  It has a taste of needing to do your research to be effective against monsters like in Witcher 1 but you can do it on the fly.  It is an open world game, where the first two are linear.  All the side quests are fantastic, featuring better writing than any other rpg out there and all the quests intersect in interesting ways.  Completing side quests and making dialogue choices have meaningful consequences to future quests and the world that you can't predict.  However, the main quest is "the princess is in another castle" repeated a million times, and is far weaker than the main quests in the previous games and the impressive expansion packs.  Verdict: if you play any of the three, just play this one.  You don't really need the story for the first two games, in fact it follows the books more anyway!  Also the game of the year edition of the Witcher 3 took me 150 hours to beat, which is greater than the first two combined.  Verdict: if you love single player rpgs, THIS IS IT.  Love it or hate it, you just to have play it.  Else you will be missing out on the most influential games of last gen.

So I rank them as Witcher 3 >> Witcher 1 > Witcher 2.

I recommend immediately playing the third one and then if you like it, then go back to the previous ones or read the short stories and novels.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on June 05, 2022, 06:01:13 PM
Thanks DavidW, that's very helpful info.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 06, 2022, 07:24:31 AM
"if you love single player rpgs, THIS IS IT."

It's certainly on my list of games to play, might be a couple of years before I get to it, though. The gameplay looks like a selling point.
Probably why I haven't tried it yet is due to the length mostly, but also the feeling about non-Japanese RPGs in general- that they just lack the charisma/charm/quirkiness. Not that I've played a ton of them, just from what I've played and my impression of other games that's how it seems to me.


Edit: and it's also the charcter designs. People look so ugly in Western RPGs. Might seem trivial, but if you can have some good looking ladies (or guys, for the ladies) that have a likeable personality, then memories of that game will stick because you will fantasize about meeting the characters years later. It becomes a little bit more than just a short-lived experience, that way.
(Not saying that's the only way, of course, to get it to stick in your mind, but it is one effective way).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 06, 2022, 10:56:13 AM
But Greg, these witches are so beautiful!

(https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Witcher-3-Crones-Featured.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on June 06, 2022, 11:06:03 AM
That one on the left... reminds me of one of my exes.  ???
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 06, 2022, 12:12:32 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 06, 2022, 10:56:13 AM
But Greg, these witches bog are so beautiful!

(https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Witcher-3-Crones-Featured.jpg)
Omg, they should be marked NSFW, this level of arousal while in office should be illegal.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 06, 2022, 02:39:52 PM
Yeah who is your waifu now? 8) :laugh:
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 06, 2022, 03:13:11 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 06, 2022, 02:39:52 PM
Yeah who is your waifu now? 8) :laugh:
For game characters, probably a three-way tie between Honoka and Nyotengu from Dead or Alive and Tifa from FF7R, nah... a three-way tie between those lovely witches.

The middle one must be Pyramid Head's wife, or sister.... or sister-wife? Or in drag? ???
Pyramid Head, didn't know you were so fine with facenet covering and stomach arm!  :-*
Heeeeeeeeeheeeeeeeeeee (heavy panting noises)

(https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Silent-Hill-Pyramid-Head-Statue-Box-Art.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1400&dpr=1.5)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 17, 2022, 12:33:55 PM
I envy people who can just give up easily and let things go, must be nice. How do you do that? No, really, that's a serious question, I need to learn how to.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker was an enjoyable game, some parts in the beginning can be hard at first but not too bad once you get the hang of them.

I am currently near the end. There are two missions near the end I just finished which turned out to be the most miserable gaming experience I've ever had, and there are some bad ones. The game goes from moderate difficulty to extremely insane and unfair expectations. You have to perform at peak performance for 30-60 minutes straight AND hope the random stuff that you have no control over doesn't kill you.

What is even the point of playing a game if it's going to shatter your nerves and cause the most extreme rage you feel in your life? Why can't they just leave their game at moderate difficulty, instead of having an extreme difficulty spike right before you finish?

(One explanation I read is that the game was originally balanced around playing co-op, and if you play single player then stuff is going to take a really long time to complete, would explain everything tbh... but they lacked the foresight of balancing around the inevitable of people playing single player, years later, when there is no one online to play with)

If you research about the game's difficulty before playing, what you find will be misleading. Google the actual mission and boss names and you'll read people saying how awful they were designed.
Was considering one day playing the extra features after completing it, because the gameplay is quite enjoyable, but now I hate this game so much that I never will.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 17, 2022, 12:43:47 PM
On another note, did anyone hear about that story about porn involving Tifa from FF7 being played at an Italian Senate meeting? Someone hacked into their system and streamed a video, hilarious stuff.



Speaking of that....
FF7 part 2 was announced yesterday, "FF7 Rebirth."
There will be three parts:
Remake
Rebirth
?


Rebirth comes out winter next year, FF16 comes out summer next year.
(though i could see small delays happening)

I am very glad they decided on three parts, it's the perfect plan IMO, exactly what I've wanted since part 1.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 17, 2022, 06:46:22 PM
Quote from: greg on June 17, 2022, 12:43:47 PM

Rebirth comes out winter next year, FF16 comes out summer next year.


Well I know what I'm doing for most of 2023 then! (being repeatedly killed by Tonberry on two separate titles)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 17, 2022, 09:51:19 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 17, 2022, 06:46:22 PM
Well I know what I'm doing for most of 2023 then! (being repeatedly killed by Tonberry on two separate titles)
;D

(https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.1201806251.9190/mwo,x1000,ipad_2_snap-pad,750x1000,f8f8f8.jpg)(https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.1433593460.5246/poster,504x498,f8f8f8-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.jpg)(https://images.lookhuman.com/render/standard/GsaUMATdQtyuHmf5cM41lMEC7m06eqki/diecut-whi-sm-t-one-hit-wonder-tonberry.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 19, 2022, 08:34:52 PM
If anyone knows about the site howlongtobeat.com, you might want to not take it too seriously.

Example, MGS: Peace Walker is the worst offender yet for time estimations that I've seen. People voted as taking 18 hours on average to complete the main story. I've probably played 50 hours and am currently stuck at the last boss (Metal Gear Zeke). I will probably have to grind another day or two now, because this thing is one-shotting me 40 minutes in a fight, with no way to avoid it.

But sometimes the site works- Final Fantasy 7 Remake, averaged at 33 hours? That's about how long it took me, without any guide, so totally accurate.

I just don't know what to trust any more with researching time frames and what people say about difficulty. This is possibly the most difficult game I've ever played, up there with the Metroid games, yet I read online beforehand so I would know, and people say it's one of the easiest Metal Gear Solid games. Wtf!?

If I would have known it was this difficult and time consuming, I would have skipped it. But doing research confirming it's okay, and then not finding how out long and difficult it really is until like 30 hours into the game has seriously destroyed my week. I play games to relax, not to rage. And it wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have the compulsion to finish everything that I start, that's exactly why I research beforehand, to avoid that scenario, yet still I get to experience this wonderful problem.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 20, 2022, 06:49:19 PM
Ok, maybe dumb that I'm posting so much about this game, but just finished Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

To summarize what is wrong with that game: they didn't rebalance the boss HP to be reasonable, because the game was originally balanced around multiplayer and not really meant to be played solo. When boss fights are difficult enough to demand sustained perfection, they should be short. However, the bosses often take 30-40+ minutes to complete, rather than a typical 5-10 minutes. This ends up being extremely exhausting and not fun at all.

Now, I'm about to start Metal Gear Solid 4. The plan is to play all of the canon games in the series (MGS 1-5, Peace Walker, and Rising:Revengeance). (but will skip the old Metal Gear games for now)

Playing them from here:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81RUeIjPdlL._SX425_.jpg)


Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 20, 2022, 06:51:31 PM
Anyone play the Devil May Cry series?

I'm really interested in playing the whole series, perhaps within the next year or so, but knowing that they are difficult games (1 and 3 moreso than the rest), I might have to change my strategize for playing in order to enjoy them without hating them. One thing that might help a lot is the fact that they are all quite short games, so taking breaks might be okay.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 28, 2022, 08:55:37 AM
There is a premade tierlist for ranking Final Fantasy games, so made one just now.
https://tiermaker.com/create/final-fantasy-main-series-5297

(though wish it included FF7R and Type 0)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on June 28, 2022, 09:51:25 AM
The 7 remake is not on the list, I guess it needs to be updated.  I consider the remake to be a completely separate game from the original, unlike say the 10 remaster.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 28, 2022, 02:57:27 PM
Quote from: DavidW on June 28, 2022, 09:51:25 AM
The 7 remake is not on the list, I guess it needs to be updated.  I consider the remake to be a completely separate game from the original, unlike say the 10 remaster.
Oh, it is indeed.
Though... kind of a new category. I've heard the term "re-quel" used.
I'm glad that it isn't just a remake of the original, all the new stuff they added is great IMO, expanding the world more is only a good thing. More is more!
(a big reason why 14 and 11 are in my top two is simply because of the expansive worlds that both have)

Btw, my guess on the name of part 3: Rewrite!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on June 30, 2022, 07:39:26 AM

     I shoot monsters. It's what I do. I play old school PC games like Quake 3 Arena, UT2003 and games in the Serious Sam franchise.

     (https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/20f89076d50badd678268c00cfa22336.jpg)

     Serious Sam has some of the stupidest comic monsters ever. You're doing them a favor to kill them.

     Recently I got the HD update for the earliest games in the series, the First/Second Encounter.

     (https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9554d37c4252c6b3dfadaeeddfbe3fa9.jpg)

     That's pretty cool for a game released 20 years ago.

     
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on June 30, 2022, 04:28:19 PM
I totally missed out on those games, but from that era, the original Half-Life and Postal 2 are my favorite FPS's.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on July 01, 2022, 04:11:05 AM
Half-Life remains the only game which ever got a real scare outta me. That one map with those f***ing headcrabs in the air ducts... :laugh:
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 04, 2022, 09:24:02 PM
Metal Gear Solid 4
Feels like despite still keeping some of the goofiness of the series, the tone of this game is super super somber.
I liked the chameleon-like camouflage mechanic, and how you shake your controller to remove it, but seems like it was almost not even needed.
Satisfying in the sense that this is really the actual chronological ending of the MGS series.


Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Although technically this is the last game in the series chronologically, feels more like an epilogue, story-wise.
This is the most action-y action game of all time. But the gameplay feels a bit repetitive and simplistic because of it.
It does look amazing, though, one of the best looking PS3 games of all time IMO.
Weird thing is how this game got some recent surge in popularity online, I ended up seeing bits of the final boss fight in videos unintentionally. It's been super meme-y lately, despite the game being like 7-8 years old.


As for Metal Gear Solid 5, bought it and will play eventually, but not sure when. Unlike the other games in the series, it's super long.


For now, I'd rank the MGS games like:
3 > 4 > 1 > 2 > PW


Chrono Cross
Playing the HD remake. Got a physical release for Switch from Play Asia.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on July 05, 2022, 05:42:35 AM
Quote from: LKB on July 01, 2022, 04:11:05 AM
Half-Life remains the only game which ever got a real scare outta me. That one map with those f***ing headcrabs in the air ducts... :laugh:

That was a great, great game and very influential.  I never played the sequels though.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on July 05, 2022, 10:22:52 AM
Seriously thinking of downloading RDR2 today...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: stingo on July 09, 2022, 07:49:09 PM
Of late, BL2 and Presequel, W40K Inquisitor/Martyr, Divinity Original Sin. (PC)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 10, 2022, 06:35:11 AM
Quote from: LKB on July 05, 2022, 10:22:52 AM
Seriously thinking of downloading RDR2 today...

Same.  I never got past the never ending prologue.  I need to give it a fair chance.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Karl Henning on July 20, 2022, 06:40:14 AM
One of my daily cognitive exercises since the stroke is sudoku, which I found (a bit to my surprise) that I enjoy. There's a "fast" game (6x6) and one thing I like to do is see how good a time I can manage. Sometimes none too low, but generally even my "worst" game is < 2'
I like to have a "week's best" under 50" ... so when I log a 41" game (as today) I'm mighty pleased with my neurons.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 20, 2022, 07:00:36 AM
Quote from: DavidW on July 10, 2022, 06:35:11 AM
Same.  I never got past the never ending prologue.  I need to give it a fair chance.

That didn't work out too well.  I have to face it, the game bores me.  Not every game is for everyone.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 20, 2022, 07:04:19 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 20, 2022, 06:40:14 AM
One of my daily cognitive exercises since the stroke is sudoku, which I found (a bit to my surprise) that I enjoy. There's a "fast" game (6x6) and one thing I like to do is see how good a time I can manage. Sometimes none too low, but generally even my "worst" game is < 2'
I like to have a "week's best" under 50" ... so when I log a 41" game (as today) I'm mighty pleased with my neurons.

I used to be really into Sudoku.  I didn't know about the 6x6, just tried it.  That is fun and easy.  I used to have an app on my tablets to play it.  They would support pencil markings.  And then you would use some sophisticated logical deductions to fill it in.  Like if the pencil markings in one square could only occur in the middle column that might force the result in another square for example.  Another is the infamous X-wings where you have pairs and their inverses in neighboring squares say 2-4 and 4-2.  And so they have to be coupled, where if you resolve one you automatically have the other in reverse.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Karl Henning on August 25, 2022, 04:43:29 AM
Today's byrdle.net gave my brain cells a workout.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 25, 2022, 04:39:04 PM
I've been playing The Observer with Rutger Hauer.  Cyperpunk goodness.  The mystery is very Serial Experiments Lain.

(https://cdn1.epicgames.com/71e66acf6bb34733bd98514ebf9fcaf8/offer/EGS_ObserverSystemRedux_BlooberTeam_S2-1200x1600-9a24fc78d36d88f8a4217ac75e353539.jpg)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on August 25, 2022, 05:06:07 PM
Still having fun in Diablo 3.

I was hoping this week's patch would allow me to progress dramatically, but that hasn't been the case.

It's all good though. I'm having fun and building paragon, and that's what count's.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Pohjolas Daughter on August 26, 2022, 06:26:57 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on August 25, 2022, 04:43:29 AM
Today's byrdle.net gave my brain cells a workout.
I hadn't heard of byrdle before you posted it.  I did give it a go yesterday and managed to solve it in 6; however, that was probably mostly due to me coming up with a system to solve wordle...that and some dumb luck! lol  :)

PD
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 26, 2022, 10:37:29 AM
Got a PS5 over the weekend (from PS direct) and have been playing Ghostwire: Tokyo.
Been looking forward to it since its E3 announcement, the appeal being the visual aesthetics.
Besides that, the gameplay is super fun.



(https://cdn1.epicgames.com/offer/a93cd6111251461c953776a0c4ea4d80/EGS_GhostwireTokyoWide_2560x1440-4bc1a83c819408d33e29e61f1a9d66e4)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on September 02, 2022, 08:40:49 AM
Done with Ghostwire: Tokyo, will look forward to one day going back and just doing more exploring and getting all the collectible stuff. What a massive and impressive game world. Really enjoyed the avant-garde surrealist scenes, too.


Started Tales of Arise. Never played a Tales game before, apparently this is the 17th game in the series. It's a JRPG franchise that is action RPG, one of the biggest JRPG franchises of all time, yet easily overlooked by people like me that tend to focus on the more popular franchises (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Pokemon, etc.).

Have to say, man... really liking this so far. Visuals, soundtrack (suitably orchestral romanticism-styled fantasy OST), characters, the story of a slave revolt, the way it just feels- reminds me of a Final Fantasy game (especially something like FF14), but with action combat and more of an anime style. So yeah, definitely my tastes.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: drogulus on September 03, 2022, 10:50:38 AM
    This level of the 20+ year old game Serious Sam is the hardest. My boy Decino plays it on Serious difficulty, which I wouldn't attempt.

   
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on September 04, 2022, 12:21:35 AM
Diablo 3's current season began nine days ago. This is only the second season I've taken part in and so far my baby Wizard has shown me a good time.

Now if Blizzard would just stabilize their servers so l can stay online...  ::)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 24, 2023, 12:37:57 PM
I've been playing Horizon Forbidden West.  Much better than the original game.  Better animations, better writing, better quests, better game mechanics, better puzzles, better traversal, better climbing... just flat out better in everyway.  It is like the devs took all the feedback from the first game and set it to do it better and they succeeded.  Even most of the errands are interesting and on par with side quests in other games.  It was unfortunate that the game came out in the same week as Elden Ring and it was just ignored by many.

(https://image.api.playstation.com/vulcan/ap/rnd/202107/3100/HO8vkO9pfXhwbHi5WHECQJdN.png)

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 24, 2023, 12:39:49 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on July 24, 2023, 09:09:10 AMFinally, got a controller and a decent computer, so I'm going to try to 100 percent Fallout: New Vegas, plus play the DLC - none of which I've played, so that'll be my game for a long, long, long time.

Funny enough I was reminded of that game this morning and went yeah I still need to play that.  After Final Fantasy 16, Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty and Starfield I think I will.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on July 25, 2023, 01:42:29 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on July 24, 2023, 09:09:10 AMFinally, got a controller and a decent computer, so I'm going to try to 100 percent Fallout: New Vegas, plus play the DLC - none of which I've played, so that'll be my game for a long, long, long time.

New Vegas and it's dlcs are awesome! I think Obsidian Fallout games (1,2, new Vegas) are the only true Fallout games. Bethesda fundamentally misunderstands what Fallout is about (plus their writing kinda sucks).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 25, 2023, 07:00:05 AM
Quote from: Ganondorf on July 25, 2023, 01:42:29 AMNew Vegas and it's dlcs are awesome! I think Obsidian Fallout games (1,2, new Vegas) are the only true Fallout games. Bethesda fundamentally misunderstands what Fallout is about (plus their writing kinda sucks).

That is not true though.  Fallout was made by Interplay.  And the main guy behind it didn't join Obsidian until 2011, after New Vegas.  Black Isle made Fallout 2.  It is a common mistake to equate Black Isle with Obsidian just because they had some devs in common.  If that was all it took then Callisto Protocol wouldn't have been such an awful game (it had a good number of devs from the studio that made Dead Space).

I'm not the biggest fan of Fallout 3, 4, and will never play 76.  But I'm certainly not going to jump on the myopic "bethesda bad" narrative.  You might not like the direction they took the franchise, but almost nobody played or even heard of Fallout until Fallout 3 was made, probably yourself included.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 25, 2023, 10:08:05 AM
I personally can't get on board with Bethesda because while on surface their games appear to be quite complex in reality there's very little depth. I remember someone describe Skyrim as being "wide as an ocean and deep as a puddle" and i think that criticism rings true for most of their games, with the exception of Daggerfall and to a degree Morrowind.

Fallout 3 also had some appalling writing. The Interplay/Black Isle crew had some very good writers as far as video games go so it really stood out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 25, 2023, 10:13:43 AM
Anyway, i'm currently going through a SL1 run of Elden Ring, just got stuck at Malenia and had to give up for a while as i was experiencing a bit of a burn out.

FromSoft is one of my favored gaming companies and i've been hooked ever since i first tried Dark Souls many years ago, but i will say, Elden Ring feels too big of a game for its own good, or maybe i'm just getting too old.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 25, 2023, 08:53:23 PM
finished FF16, was a great entry in the series. Considering the team, seemed inevitable it would be really good. Solid 8.5/10.

The one thing that is missing the most, though, to me, is not the battle system, but the charm of the older games. The whole story is really focused on the main character so much, and the medieval style world is really something I'm tired of by now. They need to go back to purely fantasy games with a colorful cast like the classics had.


Moreso looking forward to FF7:Rebirth and the Silent Hill remakes.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 25, 2023, 10:15:05 PM
BTW, in case anybody cares, i was sharing my SL1 run with some friends so i recorded most of it, you can find some examples here:


Too bad i had to crash and burn right as i got to Malenia, but eventually i'll finish it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 04:42:36 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on July 25, 2023, 02:28:11 PMbut I will say that the Elder Scrolls series leaves me feeling dry, although, I can't say exactly why.

It's probably a result of the hold over effect from that massive procedurally generation experiment that was Daggerfall.

Ironically, i think this is likely also why those games are so popular. Even though Morrowind introduced a lot of handcrafted content, the sense of "openess" and "immersion" those games tend to promise is something that many gamers find attractive and Bethesda is one of the only companies that do this. That a lot of the experience is somewhat empty is not seen as a problem because whatever is missing in the game is then made up for by the player's own imagination.

A few years ago i played Kingdom Come Deliverance which at face value is supposed to also allow for a lot of sandbox freedom and emergent gameplay where has in reality ended up being a masterclass in handcrafted design, which in a sense makes it the complete polar opposite.

I remember having a conversation with a friend who claimed Fallout 3 was a better game than New Vegas, and when i pointed out to him that New Vegas had better writing and quests he said at at least in Fallout 3 he could strike out in the desert and "find stuff" (his words), where as New Vegas was more limited in this respect precisely because of how better curated by human hands it was.

I think something like Star Citizen, assuming the game is actually real and isn't just a scam to fleece money out of backers, might be the next "big" thing for the Bethesda crowd because of the massive procedurally generated universe it claims to offer.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 26, 2023, 05:45:43 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on July 25, 2023, 02:28:11 PMI think because I am a "patient gamer" that I have a very pollyannaish view when it comes to video games. Like, I loved Fallout 3 (and all its DLCs), but I will say that the Elder Scrolls series leaves me feeling dry, although, I can't say exactly why.

I'll likely play Fallout 4 when I get my next computer, but the game I really want to play next is Mankind Divided, but that's a game I'll also play in a few years.



I'm the opposite.  I love the Elder Scrolls but Fallout hasn't been my cup of tea, especially Fallout 4 which I thought was incredibly dull.  But then Outer Worlds was a game I loved (played it twice), which many described as being like Fallout so go figure.

Mankind Divided is a great game, that I think has been too often maligned.  It has a dense small open world design that is rare.  You can go into just about any building and there are lots to do and little stories to discover.  The level design is exceptional supporting every playstyle unlike its predecessor.  That was also the first game I played at 1440p when I upgraded to a gtx 1070 (from the 970).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 26, 2023, 05:48:11 AM
Quote from: greg on July 25, 2023, 08:53:23 PMfinished FF16, was a great entry in the series. Considering the team, seemed inevitable it would be really good. Solid 8.5/10.

The one thing that is missing the most, though, to me, is not the battle system, but the charm of the older games. The whole story is really focused on the main character so much, and the medieval style world is really something I'm tired of by now. They need to go back to purely fantasy games with a colorful cast like the classics had.

I look forward to playing it, as soon as I finish Forbidden West!

QuoteMoreso looking forward to FF7:Rebirth and the Silent Hill remakes.

Agreed on both accounts.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 26, 2023, 05:59:50 AM
Quote from: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 04:42:36 AMI think something like Star Citizen, assuming the game is actually real and isn't just a scam to fleece money out of backers, might be the next "big" thing for the Bethesda crowd because of the massive procedurally generated universe it claims to offer.

What!? lol?  Where have you been?  Starfield is releasing in September, that is the next big thing not Star Citizen (which really seems like vapor ware for pc enthusiasts not mainstream gamers).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 07:26:31 AM
I'm working under the assumption the downward spiral Bethesda has been undergoing this past years isn't going to stop with Fallout 4 and 76.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 10:27:25 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on July 26, 2023, 05:12:42 AMalso the best soundtrack, as it is straight-up a string quartet.

I once forwarded one of Faure quartets to Tim Cain and suggested he'd use something like that if he ever decided to make an Arcanum 2. Sadly, he never replied. He probably thought to himself, who the hell is this wierdo sending me crap.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on July 26, 2023, 10:29:14 PM
Quote from: DavidW on July 26, 2023, 05:48:11 AMI look forward to playing it, as soon as I finish Forbidden West!
Nice, looking forward to your thoughts on the game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on July 27, 2023, 08:48:59 AM
Quote from: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 07:26:31 AMI'm working under the assumption the downward spiral Bethesda has been undergoing this past years isn't going to stop with Fallout 4 and 76.

I would think the same, but I know that MS forced Bethesda to spend an extra year polishing and improving the game.  I'm cautiously optimistic.  I received a copy for free due to recently buying an amd card.  So I'll get to see for myself.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 06, 2023, 05:32:26 AM
I started playing Disco Elysium, I like it but if I can't fix the crashing issues I might have to move on.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on August 06, 2023, 06:09:35 AM
Quote from: Opus131 on July 26, 2023, 04:42:36 AMI think something like Star Citizen, assuming the game is actually real and isn't just a scam to fleece money out of backers, might be the next "big" thing for the Bethesda crowd because of the massive procedurally generated universe it claims to offer.

I paid for that!  I still have no idea what I actually bought.  These days I'm playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor (hate the name, makes me think Jeff Probst will say "Cal Kestis...the jury has spoken").  Great game with a good star wars story.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on August 06, 2023, 07:37:43 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on August 05, 2023, 07:10:20 PMJust started Dead Money, and I don't know if I'll be able to finish it, as I do not like paranoia or scary, so I might skip it as it is already making me feel uneasy.

Too bad.Personally I think thats the best dlc. I understand, however.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 06, 2023, 09:32:59 AM
Quote from: relm1 on August 06, 2023, 06:09:35 AMI paid for that!  I still have no idea what I actually bought.  These days I'm playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor (hate the name, makes me think Jeff Probst will say "Cal Kestis...the jury has spoken").  Great game with a good star wars story.

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on August 06, 2023, 01:44:55 PM
Quote from: Ganondorf on August 06, 2023, 07:37:43 AMToo bad.Personally I think thats the best dlc. I understand, however.

Avellone is one of the truly quality writers in the industry (for whatever that's worth) but he is a "deconstructionist". His stories are not necessarily dark but he likes to turn standard conventions on their heads in an attempt to add depth by turning on the unconventional.

Planescape: Torment is a primary example and probably remains the best thing he has ever written. One of the few games i've ever played where the writing was actually interesting and wasn't merely intended to be light entertainment, even though ultimately it is still just a game and doesn't measure up to a real novel. Still impressive by the standards of the medium all the same.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on August 06, 2023, 10:41:24 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on August 06, 2023, 02:54:04 PMWorst case is I can watch someone else Let's Play of it, but I'll give it the good college try. I'm most excited for Lonesome Road (the other two dlcs, I've already played and liked).

Dead Money is definitely a kind of hit or miss dlc so I wouldn't guarantee you'd like it even if you did play it. Dont feel bad about getting uncomfortable with playing Dead Money, I myself am frightened by Internet screamers (Even though Dead Money is a bit different) while able to watch the worst horror films with ease. Personally, however, I think Dead Money is largely worth it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on August 06, 2023, 11:01:17 PM
Quote from: Opus131 on August 06, 2023, 01:44:55 PMAvellone is one of the truly quality writers in the industry (for whatever that's worth) but he is a "deconstructionist". His stories are not necessarily dark but he likes to turn standard conventions on their heads in an attempt to add depth by turning on the unconventional.

Planescape: Torment is a primary example and probably remains the best thing he has ever written. One of the few games i've ever played where the writing was actually interesting and wasn't merely intended to be light entertainment, even though ultimately it is still just a game and doesn't measure up to a real novel. Still impressive by the standards of the medium all the same.

If I recall correctly, Avellone wrote New Reno in Fallout 2 as well which is definitely one of the darker and seedier locations in it while still having plenty of humor (he may have also designed Vault City?). Fallout 2 still remains my favorite Fallout game even while recognizing at the same time that it is one of the least Fallout-esque (after all, it can be a bit immersion-breaking when random events include bridgekeeper from Monty Python and The Holy Grail and most of the game is kind of a big joke which definitely was not the case with 1 and New Vegas).

Have to check out Planescape:Torment in more depth which to this day I still have not played. Other than Fallout I really like Avellone's writing in Star Wars KotR 2.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on August 07, 2023, 12:32:07 AM
Planescape: Torment is a truly special game. I forgot how old i was when i played it (14, 15 or something like that) but it made an actual impact on me in a way few games did at the time or since.

Keep in mind it isn't perfect though. First, the combat is relatively poor, not for the system as such which is actually pretty solid with some of the best combat animations out of all the Infinity Engine games. The problem is that the encounter design is very barebone and uniteresting, and requires very little in terms of tactics. This isn't a huge deal as the combat is hardly the focus of the game and you'll spend most of the time reading text and doing quests but its still a flaw.

Also, the third act of the game was clearly rushed. They obviously ran out of developing time and the financial problems of Black Isle at the time prevented an extension over the original deadline. Luckily, the strong ending prevents it from going out on a wimper.

If you decide to play it, i strongly recommend playing a character with an high wisdom. Wisdom is the most important stat in the game because it opens the highest number of dialogue options, which in a game that is 90% text is kinda of important. This likely requires you play as a mage (and without spoiling yourself it may take a while to learn how to switch class) but it's worth it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Atriod on August 18, 2023, 04:14:00 PM
I installed Enter the Gungeon a few days ago after seeing it in a Steam sale (logged in to change my password). I haven't played a video game since the first Hotline Miami which I loved.

I suspect Gungeon will be too much for my old man reflexes :'( I'm also not finding the huge degree of luck/randomness in how a run goes to be a fun aspect. I guess I'm not the type for these try the same level over and over again, my patience is thin.

Quote from: Ganondorf on August 06, 2023, 11:01:17 PMIf I recall correctly, Avellone wrote New Reno in Fallout 2 as well which is definitely one of the darker and seedier locations in it while still having plenty of humor (he may have also designed Vault City?). Fallout 2 still remains my favorite Fallout game even while recognizing at the same time that it is one of the least Fallout-esque (after all, it can be a bit immersion-breaking when random events include bridgekeeper from Monty Python and The Holy Grail and most of the game is kind of a big joke which definitely was not the case with 1 and New Vegas).

Have to check out Planescape:Torment in more depth which to this day I still have not played. Other than Fallout I really like Avellone's writing in Star Wars KotR 2.

Fallout 1 and 2 are among my all time favorite games. Before I had kids I would play those every few years.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on August 18, 2023, 09:44:58 PM
I'm still slugging away in Diablo IV, though the crass ineptitude and customer disregard continually displayed by Blizzard has certainly tried my patience...
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 19, 2023, 10:47:24 AM
I've been playing the Dead Space Remake.  It is in everyway superior to the original (gameplay, story, level design) and is not just a graphics overhaul.  It is too bad that the studio almost immediately abandoned the game and stopped patching it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Atriod on August 20, 2023, 04:45:56 AM
Quote from: DavidW on August 19, 2023, 10:47:24 AMI've been playing the Dead Space Remake.  It is in everyway superior to the original (gameplay, story, level design) and is not just a graphics overhaul.  It is too bad that the studio almost immediately abandoned the game and stopped patching it.

I loved the original Dead Space when it came out, especially on good headphones! A little known space horror film that I really enjoyed is Pandorum (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/).
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 20, 2023, 06:46:19 AM
Quote from: Zauberschloss on August 20, 2023, 04:45:56 AMI loved the original Dead Space when it came out, especially on good headphones! A little known space horror film that I really enjoyed is Pandorum (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/).

Oh I remembered that movie, I really liked it.  I should watch it again, I haven't seen it since it was a new release.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Atriod on August 28, 2023, 04:09:46 PM
Full on nostalgia is really starting to kick in! I started playing Bioshock Remastered, about an hour in it's feeling like classic Bioshock with a bit better graphics.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 29, 2023, 08:43:34 AM
Quote from: Zauberschloss on August 28, 2023, 04:09:46 PMFull on nostalgia is really starting to kick in! I started playing Bioshock Remastered, about an hour in it's feeling like classic Bioshock with a bit better graphics.

Bioshock is one of my favorite games.  I played it on the 360, replayed it on pc and played the remastered version on my Xbox One.  On my series X I replayed a bit of Bioshock 2 recently which has a very nice implementation of auto hdr.

Would you so kindly replay Bioshock?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on August 29, 2023, 08:44:38 AM
I did finish Dead Space remake awhile back and now I'm playing Final Fantasy 16.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on August 29, 2023, 03:54:02 PM
Quote from: DavidW on August 29, 2023, 08:44:38 AMI did finish Dead Space remake awhile back and now I'm playing Final Fantasy 16.
Enjoy!



Currently replaying FF9 after nearly 20 years.  8) 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 16, 2023, 12:22:17 PM
I got through the prologue but then Starfield came out.  I've been playing that since.  I think many people were expecting No Man's Sky, perhaps due to the marketing which I skipped.  Once you get beyond that and see it as Skyrim in space it is a really fun game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on September 16, 2023, 06:15:40 PM
Yesterday, the 29th and " final " season of Diablo 3 launched at 1700 PDT.

I was creating my seasonal character at 1702.  ::)

Got him to 70 around 0200 this morning, and I'm looking forward to slaughtering vast numbers of pixelated demons going forward. ;D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 16, 2023, 07:15:35 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on September 16, 2023, 01:29:58 PMI've been trying to see if there is another game on GoG that I'd like to play, but I'm still searching - I wish Far Cry 3-4 were on it.

You would still need uplay even if gog had them, so you might as well bite the bullet and install uplay if you want to play those games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 21, 2023, 03:27:47 PM
Yes I've heard that it is a sleeper (no pun intended) but never got around to it!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on September 22, 2023, 08:45:49 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on September 22, 2023, 07:35:05 AMTotalbiscuit's has an excellent introduction to it should you ever be interested in picking the game up. (Well worth it, in my opinion, but I game very slowly.)

Oh that is probably where I heard about it.  I used to be a subscriber and avid watcher of his channel back in the day.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on September 28, 2023, 03:19:17 PM
Just started playing the first Devil May Cry, loving the aesthetics and it's the perfect mindless thing to play for me right now. Aesthetic vibes reminds me of a cross between Resident Evil and SMT 3: Nocturne.

(never played any DMC game before)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: VonStupp on October 06, 2023, 03:40:00 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on October 06, 2023, 03:31:59 PMNext up (replaying it over a decade later) the best Bioware game:
Beware Judge Fong!
VS
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 06, 2023, 04:01:24 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on October 06, 2023, 03:31:59 PMNext up (replaying it over a decade later) the best Bioware game:

(https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/7110/capsule_616x353.jpg)

I tried replaying it a few years ago.  It didn't age well for me and I couldn't recapture the feeling when I played it when it finally released on pc all those years ago.  Hopefully it will go better for you.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 06, 2023, 04:11:32 PM
I'm still playing Starfield.  I completed Ryujin Industries and the Freestar Rangers faction storylines.  I'm part way through Constellation (the main plot) and put it aside.  I want to complete all the side quests, the UC Vanguard and the Crimson Fleet factions before I go back to the main plot.

I think that the common criticism that the game doesn't do exploration well and there are too many loading scenes is spot on.  I also don't like how the NPCs don't have their own schedules to keep, something that was done back in Oblivion which is a 17 year old game!!

Anyway I'm more than 40 hours into it and I'm still enjoying it.  It is too bad that the discussion on social media has been polarized into haters and fanboys.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 07, 2023, 06:46:40 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on October 06, 2023, 04:39:59 PMI shall soon see, but everything I've read about the version (GoG) I bought is that it has essentially been remastered (has new game +) and been optimized, but I shall very shortly find out. If it doesn't work out, I'll play the other game that I also recently bought: John Woo's

(https://www.gameonaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GOG_Stranglehold.jpg)

Yeah it plays fine on pc.  In fact, it was even patched to run at 4k60 on Xbox with better textures (i.e. the textures on pc).  This is not like Neverwinter Nights (another older Bioware game) where it was never revisited.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 22, 2023, 07:29:33 AM
It is funny to see that everytime I post about Starfield my opinion has dropped.  I'm now definitely tired of it. It is hard to excuse the bad UI, frequent loading screens, meaningless decisions, wading through hours of tedious dialogue delivered by dead eye characters. 

I'm in the late game now.  I think it is better than Fallout 4, but yeah this game is too soulless.  There is no creativity, imagination, passion to be found anywhere.  Bethesda has fallen so far.  It is absolutely wild that Todd Howard thought this would be a forever game like Skyrim.  I think most gamers will not replay it, I certainly won't.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 22, 2023, 11:48:25 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on October 22, 2023, 09:26:45 AMI find the entire concept of evergreen gaming a strange one, and I'm a patient gamer - all games wear off, and some never wear on.

It is so easy to just reissue the same game over and over instead of develop a new one.  Case in point: Skyrim and GTA V.  It is wild to think that we had three Elder Scrolls games over a period of a few years and now we've had 12 years of Skyrim.  And it will probably still be five years before we have a new Elder Scrolls game.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: relm1 on October 23, 2023, 05:49:26 AM
Quote from: DavidW on October 06, 2023, 04:11:32 PMI'm still playing Starfield.  I completed Ryujin Industries and the Freestar Rangers faction storylines.  I'm part way through Constellation (the main plot) and put it aside.  I want to complete all the side quests, the UC Vanguard and the Crimson Fleet factions before I go back to the main plot.

I think that the common criticism that the game doesn't do exploration well and there are too many loading scenes is spot on.  I also don't like how the NPCs don't have their own schedules to keep, something that was done back in Oblivion which is a 17 year old game!!

Anyway I'm more than 40 hours into it and I'm still enjoying it.  It is too bad that the discussion on social media has been polarized into haters and fanboys.

How is the music?
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 23, 2023, 06:23:36 AM
Quote from: relm1 on October 23, 2023, 05:49:26 AMHow is the music?

Generic and forgettable unfortunately.  Too bad.  I can still instantly recall in my mind music from Oblivion and Skyrim.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on October 28, 2023, 06:59:59 AM
I beat Starfield.  I'm done!  It took me 80 hours to do all the quests.  I didn't really touch most of the worlds which is just filler content.  I also didn't dive into ship and outpost building.  Starfield has probably the best setup for NG+ I've ever seen.  And the main quest was actually good (but doesn't reach the same heights as the Crimson Guard nor the UNC Vanguard factions).

The stories were definitely a big step up from previous titles, but the engine is too old and this is a solid 7/10.  Good but not great.  Judging by the overall reception of the game, it is time to retire the creation engine.  If Elder Scrolls 6 comes out using that engine it might actually flop or at least not meet sales expectations.  I can tell that gamers have become tired of it. The bugs, janky animations and bad inventory management no longer amuse.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on November 11, 2023, 03:08:05 PM
I was playing Alan Wake 2 but I got bored of it.  I'm now replaying Cyberpunk since the game mechanics received a big overhaul.  Once I get to the right place I'll jump into Phantom Liberty. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on November 23, 2023, 03:09:32 PM
In Cyberpunk there is a guy that is a depressed mess because his only friend in the world passed... it turned out it was his pet turtle.  In 2023 it is not much of a stretch that some people have that life, and on Thanksgiving I'm thankful for the friends I have.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on November 23, 2023, 11:36:47 PM
Quote from: DavidW on November 23, 2023, 03:09:32 PMIn Cyberpunk there is a guy that is a depressed mess because his only friend in the world passed... it turned out it was his pet turtle.  In 2023 it is not much of a stretch that some people have that life, and on Thanksgiving I'm thankful for the friends I have.

Well, at least he might have enjoyed a rather specific silver lining ( if a human friend dies, it usually won't result in culinary opportunities ... ) .

Here's hoping everyone had a fulfilling holiday.  8)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on November 24, 2023, 05:45:59 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on November 24, 2023, 04:42:26 PMJust purchased all the Deus Ex games on GoG (plus Throne of Darkeness) for a bit over 15 bucks.

Going to be playing through DX:HR, as it is the Director's Cut, and it has a bunch of stuff I've not done or played through, specifically the 2 DLCs.

8)

I loved Mankind Divided.  It also setup a sequel that... well never happened.  I remember playing Human Revolution... that was so long ago!

I loved my hacker build in Mankind Divided.  I'm reminded of it now because I'm doing that (netrunner) and heavy on cybernetics in my Cyberpunk replay.  I'm trying to be like the major in Ghost in the Shell.  Especially since I know in Phantom Liberty you have to fight a spider tank that seems like it was lifted right from Ghost.

(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.saymedia-content.com%2F.image%2Fc_limit%252Ccs_srgb%252Cfl_progressive%252Cq_auto%3Aeco%252Cw_700%2FMTc0NDgwMzI2MzQzNTMzOTI4%2Fmajor-motoko-kusanagi-a-ghost-in-the-shell-character-analysis.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=3ea8929f3246bf93cab5e20ac4a1bea1a87229b8a5f41ef44793fd2de8faf4dc&ipo=images)
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on December 07, 2023, 01:04:33 AM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on December 06, 2023, 12:38:41 PMAt the end of DX:HR, and it is just as good as I remember - love the music, but I must say that The Missing Link, the larger of the two DLCs, is easily the best part of the game, and I will definitely go back and replay that 1 or 2 more times. It was also the first time that "choice" mattered, by which I mean it affected gameplay (Dishonored might be the game that did this best).

Deus Ex (the first one) did it better than any of the sequels.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: LKB on December 07, 2023, 04:15:40 AM
My adventures in Diablo IV continue. I finally decided that the Sorcerer wasn't for me and maxed out a Rogue... and then decided he wasn't for me, either.  ::)

Yesterday l maxed out a Barbarian, and he's been a blast. So I've achieved a measure of satisfaction, especially since he consistently ranks among the top DPS stats in PVE encounters with other players. Happy times!  >:D
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 07, 2023, 04:21:32 AM
I took a break from Cyberpunk to play The Complex: Found Footage which is a horror game inspired by Kane Pixels.  It was free on Steam.  Takes 1-2 hours to beat.  Mostly just eerie, atmospheric.  No jump scares or anything like that.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 07, 2023, 05:22:15 PM
Quote from: DavidW on December 07, 2023, 04:21:32 AMI took a break from Cyberpunk to play The Complex: Found Footage which is a horror game inspired by Kane Pixels.  It was free on Steam.  Takes 1-2 hours to beat.  Mostly just eerie, atmospheric.  No jump scares or anything like that.
Ohhh. I didn't know about this, I might have to check it out.

I played Anemoiaopolis on Steam recently, which is a similar type of liminal space game- and another one called Pools is on my wishlist.

Also slowly getting around to watching more of Kane Pixels stuff. And regarding him- have watched some interviews of him, to know more about him, and also is one of the people I've been typing lately (spoiler: won't get too specific, but almost predictably, enneagram 5...)

currently:
Just started playing Half Life: Alyx today for the first time, finally, after 3 years. Finally set up my Vive again.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on December 07, 2023, 10:57:01 PM
Quote from: hopefullytrusting on December 07, 2023, 03:56:53 AMOn that point, we will disagree.

I found the new Deus Ex to be too centered into its mechanics.

I noticed this is a common trend among many modern games. A recent example is a game i just completed, Styx: Master of Shadows, which compared to the original Thief series (Thief 1 & 2 being among my top 10 games of all times), is a bit too on nose with its mechanics. Every corner has several hiding spots, holes you can crawl into, grappling points on top etc. Everywhere its the same. There's nothing organic or natural about the level design, it's all tailored to the game's mechanics.

The new Deus Ex is similar. Every area has numerous cover points, you press a button to perform such and such an action (like a take down), you get better xp for certain actions which compels to always do the same actions etc. Everything is about the mechanics.

The original Deus Ex had a more "emergent" feel to it, and the game didn't steer you towards any particular way of doing things. I remember getting the demo off some magazine's CD-Rom as a kid and replaying the libery island level over and over, each time trying different things (stealth, hacking, all out combat), or following different paths, and that was just the first level in the game!

I also liked the story better in the first game, even if it was delivered with hilariously terrible voice acting:


JC Denton was also the most brutal bad ass person in the series:

 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on December 08, 2023, 10:08:42 AM
Quote from: DavidW on November 11, 2023, 03:08:05 PMGeneric and forgettable unfortunately.  Too bad.  I can still instantly recall in my mind music from Oblivion and Skyrim.

They ditched Jeremy Soule didn't they?

The guy used to be great. Before he became known for atmospheric tracks in games like Morrowing or Icewind Dale he used to make amazing bombast:


The soundtrack didn't even fit the game which was kinda of slow and contemplative but it was still great. I guess the idea was to ape the success of Warcraft 2 which also had a great bombastic score:

Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Opus131 on December 08, 2023, 11:08:10 AM
Anyway, recently i did an entire playthrough of Sekiro, which i uploaded on youtube to share with my friends you can see some of that if you like:


I think FromSoft is my favored modern gaming company at this point and this game was among the best of theirs i've ever played.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 08, 2023, 04:30:00 PM
I actually ended up playing The Complex: Found Footage last night, since it's only a 40 minute game.
Lovely tour. Hopefully people keep pumping out new environments for future games.

What you gotta do, though, is find music to your taste that combines with the atmosphere.


This is what I had on my second monitor, Rei from Evangelion playing an acoustic version of Sinatra's Fly Me to the Moon (performed by Julianna Chahayed):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biy4NbuFu4c

(even better, just remembered this one- I'll Never Smile Again, played similarly- with Backrooms video footage playing on old CRTs in the background)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSRFeAg_u_4


Something about this combination of atmospheric dread and bittersweet timeless longing fuse together into something really really fascinating and moving to me. Very relevant and speaks to me a lot.





Quote from: Opus131 on December 07, 2023, 10:57:01 PMThe original Deus Ex had a more "emergent" feel to it, and the game didn't steer you towards any particular way of doing things. I remember getting the demo off some magazine's CD-Rom as a kid and replaying the libery island level over and over, each time trying different things (stealth, hacking, all out combat), or following different paths, and that was just the first level in the game!
Interesting. I haven't played the original yet, although I own it. Will keep in mind as a comparison to the other games.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 09, 2023, 06:04:42 AM
@greg I didn't even have to click on the link!  Evangelion's version of Fly Me to the Moon is engraved in my brain!  I'm glad you liked The Complex.  They made a sequel.  I haven't played it yet.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 09, 2023, 02:21:42 PM
Quote from: DavidW on December 09, 2023, 06:04:42 AM@greg I didn't even have to click on the link!  Evangelion's version of Fly Me to the Moon is engraved in my brain!
Haha nice!


Quote from: DavidW on December 09, 2023, 06:04:42 AMThey made a sequel.  I haven't played it yet.
Ohhh sweet. I will check it out.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 20, 2023, 07:25:02 AM
My hot take is that I'm not really into gaming laptops.  They are expensive, hard to upgrade, and have inferior performance and cooling to desktops.  If you really want something portable then a Steak deck or the Asus equivalent is an option.  If you really want something powerful, build or buy a desktop.  A laptop does neither well.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 20, 2023, 07:47:40 AM
lol yeah steam deck.  Steak deck, I didn't even remember typing that!
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 20, 2023, 07:50:10 AM
Oh a compromise is a mini-itx build.  They have much better thermals these days.  Just a bit bigger than a console (though I will admit the current gen consoles are chunky monkeys).  My personal experience is that you have to have small hands and a delicate touch if you're going to build it.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 21, 2023, 10:25:19 AM
Quote from: DavidW on December 20, 2023, 07:25:02 AMMy hot take is that I'm not really into gaming laptops.  They are expensive, hard to upgrade, and have inferior performance and cooling to desktops.  If you really want something portable then a Steak deck or the Asus equivalent is an option.  If you really want something powerful, build or buy a desktop.  A laptop does neither well.
For most cases, yeah.

I have one, but it's a more odd scenario. My desktop PC is in a room where I can't do VR- back ~5 years ago I bought an Alienware gaming laptop that I knew would be good for gaming for quite a while, but more specifically, for VR. And wanted portability + not having another full desktop just for VR space.

Finishing up playing Half-Life Alyx on that same gaming laptop (using my old Vive), and it has been running well.



speaking of PCs, also bought this keyboard on Black Friday:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DK9CSTQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1



the clickiness of the keys and the feeling of impact is a million times better than a normal keyboard. It feels just like typing on a typewriter.

I'd say the only reason to ever use a normal keyboard is in office, is so you don't annoy your coworkers with the super loud clicking.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on December 21, 2023, 11:37:14 AM
I'm jealous @greg of you playing that new Half Life game!  I can't, VR makes me really, really nauseous. 
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: greg on December 21, 2023, 02:51:17 PM
Quote from: DavidW on December 21, 2023, 11:37:14 AMI'm jealous @greg of you playing that new Half Life game!  I can't, VR makes me really, really nauseous. 
Yeah. There's so much variability with nausea and VR. Depends on the game, depends on the section of the game, depends on the person. There have been games I couldn't play due to nausea. And with this game, I last about 1 hour at a time before I have to take small breaks because the low-level feeling of nausea builds up over time (1 hour being much better than most VR games).

They did use point-and-click movement instead of running, also, and I think it helps a bit. The absolute worst part with any game is when it goes from normal to locking up or some loading screen, I feel instantly like I'm about to puke so I have to close my eyes.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: Ganondorf on January 07, 2024, 10:52:09 PM
Final Fantasy XIV.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on January 08, 2024, 05:13:04 AM
I started The Expanse Tell Tale game.  Good of use of zero g game mechanics.  I like it so far.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on February 06, 2024, 04:41:09 AM
After The Expanse I played Far Changing Tides and Blair Witch Project, both of which proved to be tedious and I didn't finish.

I'm expecting the upcoming Xbox announcement will be MS throwing in the tale and announcing all their exclusives will no longer be exclusive.  And I expect in the long term they will continue switching to being a game platform and service across pc and ps5.  I've been an Xbox fan for a long time, but I expect I will be selling my series X and focusing completely on pc and the ps5.  To say that this generation has been a crushing disappointment for Xbox would be to express it mildly despite them spending literally billions to acquire so many studios.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: DavidW on March 02, 2024, 11:53:25 AM
The new FF7 remake game is out!  I'm excited but my backlog... man...

After sitting on it for close to a month, I did decide that I am done with Xbox.  There is one last thing which is that silly Matrix demo.  I'll give it a play (it is not available anymore, but it is in my library).  And then that will be a wrap.  The ps5 will become my primary platform, and pc will be for the older gen games and pc exclusives I can't play on console.
Title: Re: What game are you playing?
Post by: hopefullytrusting on March 28, 2024, 10:57:40 AM
I've been (nearly) 100 percenting Chrono Trigger, and am almost done with that - don't know what I'll play after that, as I only have three things left to do: Robo's sidequest, which I am doing now, Rainbow Shell armor, and defeating Lavos (which, I can easily do right now - as all my characters are pretty much maxed out - lol). I never have trouble with end bosses.

Just saw that Final Fantasy X was on Steam, so if that game can be played on my laptop - that will be my next game. I truly want to battle Sin, as that seems like something I would heavily enjoy. :-)