Comments on: The RPS Electronic Wireless Show Episode 28

By: Bobsy

Bobsy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:07:54 +0000

Yes, I really wasn’t anticipating such detailed discussion of wonderful thighs. Expect every tweeted question from me to pertain to legs in some way from now on.

By: Fat Zombie

Fat Zombie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:32:40 +0000

Bah! I disagree with Quinns. I don’t mind random, quick death; I prefer it over the random, slow death that I get in Warhawk (unless I’m in a jet, where it’s MISSILELOCKBEEEPDEATH in about .5 of a second).

In games like battlefield or RO, there’s less Humiliation Time; the time between the point where you realise you’re going to die and the point where, yes, you actually do die. You’re walking, then there’s a dude and- BLAM. You’re dead, respawn.

In Warhawk (which I purchased off your recommendation Quinns, forshame), the interval is always much longer. I’m not too skilled, so I usually panic when I’m under attack. With insta-kill rifles there’s a chance I can lay the crosshairs over an assailant and blow their brains out before they can mine; with Warhawk, I’m being shot at and panicking and trying to hit a rapidly moving gnat with a gun that fires styrofoam pellets. With a joypad.

BAH

By: Muzman

Muzman — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:18:35 +0000

Hmm, I guess Quinns does address my questions up above, more or less. I is apparently hard of reading.
I suppose the thing is I don’t mind getting shot randomly now and then (does kinda depend on how often it happens though). I haven’t played Red Orchestra.
Mostly I played the Forgotten Hope mod and things of that ilk. They had a pretty good firepower balance, by my estimation. Shooting at people was an effective deterrent.

By: Kirrus

Kirrus — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:12:42 +0000

Setting up recording kit isn’t that hard.. can easily provide lessons.. but needing two sets would be annoying :(

Could always get cheaper solid-state recorder of course, but the 660 is one of the best around. (Which is why the BBC World Service bought every single one they could get their hands on when they first came out over here. Wiped out the entire country’s stock they did!)

By: Muzman

Muzman — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:02:08 +0000

If you’re going to get fancy, do it with retro cool.
http://www.bluemic.com/snowball/
(or any of the others they’ve got)

Anyway, there’s plenty worse podcasts sound quality wise than this particular one. It’s also kinda par for the course when doing conference calls unfortunately. Probably better they use gear that doesn’t need a couple of roadies to set up and operate too. (I think the Zoom H5 is highly thought of for budget self contained digi recording, incidentally)

I’m curious about Battlefield 1943. I get that it’s the same old same old, and that’s a negative in itself. I’m curious how multiplayer games are supposed to have moved on though. What’s dated about BF1942 gameplay? And how could anything trying to be so large scale be all that different and still create the same feel?
(Corollary: What are all the games I’ve missed that do a better job? Bf1942 was pretty much the last online game I played to any great extent)

By: Jim Rossignol

Jim Rossignol — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:31:03 +0000

John’s recording system is okay. I think the sound quality on the John/Jim podcasts has been perfectly listenable of late.

By: Kieron Gillen

Kieron Gillen — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:16:54 +0000

Kirrus: We’d need two sets due to the RPS London/Bath split too. Boo!

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:34:34 +0000

Hey Quinns, did you get a chance to try out the Bixi system downtown while you were here?

By: Kirrus

Kirrus — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:33:37 +0000

iTunes always seems to take 12-14 hours to work out that any of the podcasts I’ve listened to have updated.
[Insert obligatory grumble about proprietary tech here]

Kieron, if i have money spare once I’ve bought another car, I will buy you one. And a mixing desk. And four mics. And a stand :)

Maybe we should start a “donate decent audio tech for RPS podcast” donation rally ;)
Or, a bring and buy sale? They’re always popular for raising money… :P

By: Quinns

Quinns — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:13:21 +0000

Oop, didn’t see Min3mat’s question.

The ridiculously hard GBA puzzle game I was talking about was Guru Logi Champ. Wikipedia page here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Logi_Champ

And OHHH! Look who brings the gifts! There appears to be a 10 level PC demo right here:

http://www.ntsc-uk.com/reviews/gba/GuruLogicChamp/champ.zip

Haven’t tried the demo myself. Link works though! Also it isn’t that I’M not smart enough to play it. I eat puzzles for breakfast, which may explain my diagnosed malnutrition. The game just gets so hard and is so long that almost everyone is going to hit a ceiling with it eventually where they can’t progress any further.

By: DrStrangepork

DrStrangepork — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:07:05 +0000

Thanks for the reply Quinns. I’ll go back and give Warhawk another shot.

By: Quinns

Quinns — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:26:19 +0000

Not travelling anymore! Am in Ireland. Turns out Ireland is grey and wet as a pebble in a puddle. I think I like it.

Vinraith: Yeah, it was the hardest difficulty setting of Far Cry 2 I was talking about. It’s not called Insane, it’s like, Infamous or Fearsome or something.

As for Arkham Asylum, it’s fairly linear in that there’s only one path through it, but there’s plenty of room to breathe. The Riddler challenges that flood the game mean you can always hang around in a room or a building or a section of the island, pottering around and finding secrets. And some of the large-scale fights in the games can be snuck past if you’re not in the mood. But I guess it’s not quite as freeform and Metroid like (or RPG-like) as it could have been.

DrStrangePork: The command structure’s not at all my issue with Battlefield. My problem is that I feel all the very powerful instant-hitscan weaponry is not compatible with a large-scale online game that’s both chaotic and has an emphasis on rapid movement in large, outdoor areas. The result is that you get shot and killed a lot without expecting it, which I don’t find fun and I’m sure I have that in common with most gamers.

To games I enjoy that go someway to solving this problem are Red Orchestra and Warhawk. Red Orchestra obviously has guns that are even more vicious than Battlefield, but that’s okay because the entire game is about staying the fuck out of sight and the levels are designed that way. Decisions in Red Orchestra revolve around when it’s okay to risk leaving cover and when to retreat, and the guns are powerful enough that you can suppress people or scare them off. When you get shot, it’s because you weren’t being cautious, patient or clever enough, or because your team let you down. Battlefield’s design does not allow a team to move slowly or carefully, and so you get shot and that’s just tough shit.

Warhawk I talk about right here:

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/07/column_battle_klaxon_warhawk.php

For the record, I’ve never played Battlefield to a clan level or anything. For all I know the pro servers are full of people skulking around in bushes, but I doubt it.

ALSO: I liked Battlefield when it first came out! It was rad as Hell! My problem with 1943 is that it’s the same game! It’s lazy! Give me something new! FEED ME!