What are you playing at the moment? [Archive] - Page 22

bonkers

12-05-2012, 06:30 PM

Currently playing Space Marine which I bought in a Steam sale some time ago.
Although reviews weren't all that good, I actually quiet enjoy it. I'm into Warhammer (40k) a bit, so that might be a reason. Being that much a fan of the universe to understand what is going on, but not fan enough to know every detail they might have screwed up. Currently I'm at Chapter 10 of 17, Chaos forces just appeared and so far I am having a lot of fun.
One thing I hate though is that I am playing on "Hard" and the game is hardly (pun intended) giving me a hard time. I died only a few times so far and not because it was a challenge but I did not know the amount of enemies coming at me. After I knew the incoming waves I knew which weapons to use when and then it was easy in the second try. So far at least, so I hope it get a bit harder in the last chapters.

Oak

12-05-2012, 07:12 PM

All the recent Xenonauts talk drove me to start a new game of X-Com, which has so far played out at its tragicomic best. In the two most recent missions, I lost my entire team, not to mention a perfectly-good skyranger and thousands of dollars worth of equipment, to a single grenade thrown from the shadows, then all but one member of their completely new, completely green replacement squad during a response to a terror raid in Havana that went catastrophically wrong. In short, chrysalids were involved.

Althea

12-05-2012, 07:15 PM

squirrelfanatic

12-05-2012, 08:33 PM

The Secret World beta. Nothing I would pay a monthly fee for (well, I wouldn't do that for a lot of things), but entertaining and some nice references to other people's work. Maybe a little bit too silly with the references. The scariest thing is the start-up though. Twice I winced because I got suprised by the sudden jingle that plays when the launcher has finished loading. Lovecraftian.

Roufuss

12-05-2012, 10:11 PM

Path of Exile.

It is bloody amazing. This is definitely the year of the action RPG (or whatever you want to call the genre Diablo popularized); it's just a shame they are all releasing so close to one another.

SirKicksalot

12-05-2012, 10:59 PM

Splinter Cell Conviction

I watched Haywire today and it got me in the mood for Conviction.
The one big flaw: underpowered weapons. They're utter crap. The game wants to be like an action flick but it's sabotaged by its weapons. The stealth is good enough but whenever it's Action Time everything falls apart. That's a damn shame because it feels like I should be able to pull off awesome moves, but then I shoot a dude point blank and he barely flinches.

Freud

12-05-2012, 11:45 PM

Roufuss

13-05-2012, 02:39 AM

The most annoying part about Path of Exile is the camera. It's way too zoomed in, even at maximum distance. Also walls aren't transparent when you/enemies are behind them which is a bit annoying. Otherwise the graphics are nice and it is a very nice general mood to the game.

I just encountered this in the forest -- the trees tend to block my view. I don't mind the zoomed in look, personally, but I do wish they make the objects transparent. Who knows, maybe they'll decide to change it.

Not a fan of the map either. Diablo 2 is over a decade old and that type of map sucked even back then.

The overlay map? I quite like it myself. There is an option to place the map in the upper right corner so its available at all times. Haven't had much problems in this area.

The game systems themselves are pretty good. I like the flasks and the ability to switch skills as you please. I do suspect all the accumulated % increases from gear/the skill tree will turn into a balancing nightmare for them at higher levels when people have multipliers of 1000s of percent.

But it is an early beta and very polished already. It will be interesting to see where it ends up. It's absolutely a promising start.

I definitely agree with all of this. I'm blown away by how polished this is; this honestly feels like a retail game. The amount of content in the first two acts alone is more than the size of most game's entire single player campaigns.

I didn't expect anything going in and I'm just blown away.

Supposedly Act 3 is almost ready for release as well.

Adam

13-05-2012, 06:38 AM

I'm currently playing Commandos 2.

Velko

13-05-2012, 07:38 AM

Company of Heroes is proof I got old. Back when it was launched I got pretty far into the campaign but now the sixth mission overwhelms me.
I can't micromanage anymore. I just panic. Whenever shit gets real or I have to manage two fights, I don't know how to react. It's also exhausting.
ON EASY.
Shamefur dispray!

I honestly feel really bad about this :(

My feelings exactly. Though, I'm on my first playthrough... And on Easy, I'm stuck. Damn the Nebelwerfers. Damn them to hell.

Heliocentric

13-05-2012, 07:46 AM

You guys realise you can pause CoH and issue orders? It's the key with "pause" written on it.

Velko

13-05-2012, 07:51 AM

You guys realise you can pause CoH and issue orders? It's the key with "pause" written on it.

That hardly helps when the entire set-up is built around too many conflicting goals. Defend this town square from an attack! But if you want your guys to live more than two minutes, destroy the GODDAMN Nebelwerfers which are conveniently located in three different locations behind the attacking forces deep in the FoW! Defend while you're attacking! Attack while defending!

BURMA!

DaftPunk

13-05-2012, 08:06 AM

Tested COH on my shitty setup and it works well enough for playing,i get about 74 fps on 1280x1024 res. Now i'm going to install COH Anthology and i hope i won't have problems with the game,because i remember setting up the game and i needed to download 15 patches,then harrase people on official forum because my account didn't worked.. Wish me good luck xD

Spacewalk

13-05-2012, 08:18 AM

Finished Caves Of ZZT now to get to work on Dungeon Of which I really shouldn't be doing because I've got my own damn game to work on.

bonkers

13-05-2012, 08:33 AM

I don't mean to spoil it, but it doesn't.

And you will be sick to the back teeth of the combat soon enough.
Yeah, I feared that. Those low review scores have to come from somewhere... Combat really is a bit... "uninspired".

Althea

13-05-2012, 08:51 AM

Yeah, I feared that. Those low review scores have to come from somewhere... Combat really is a bit... "uninspired".
I would suggest the lower scores come from dull combat, an inconsistent difficulty curve and - well - if you finish it then you'll find out.

Velko

13-05-2012, 01:09 PM

More Far Cry 2. Oh there is an another map??? Whoa. Guess I should've played it a bit more back then...

Serenegoose

13-05-2012, 01:19 PM

Playing Warlock, but it's a bit easy?

Casimir Effect

13-05-2012, 01:38 PM

More Far Cry 2. Oh there is an another map??? Whoa. Guess I should've played it a bit more back then...
New weapons in the shop too, although watch out for the crazy bastard with a mortar along the lakeshore. That guy is a dick.

Althea

13-05-2012, 01:38 PM

New weapons in the shop too, although watch out for the crazy bastard with a mortar along the lakeshore. That guy is a dick.
Doesn't he appear just for a mission? But yes, he's a dick.

sabrage

13-05-2012, 01:46 PM

I played through the ending of ME3 with a few friends. Y'all a bunch of whiny babies, it wasn't that bad. (It helped that I had no idea what was going on.)

Nemesis is still handing my ass to me.

Heliocentric

13-05-2012, 01:50 PM

Casimir Effect

13-05-2012, 02:00 PM

Doesn't he appear just for a mission? But yes, he's a dick.
Nooope. The prescient dickbag is always there, waiting. Always waiting.

That mission throws in an RPG guy or two who don't appear otherwise.

Althea

13-05-2012, 02:04 PM

Oh. Mind you, pretty much everyone in FC2 is a dick.

Voon

13-05-2012, 02:17 PM

"Oh, you're just wandering around here and not wanting to shoot us? KILL HIM!"

To makes things worse, dudes in cars are relentless. I swear, they'll even try to run me over even I lead them over a cliff

Rauten

13-05-2012, 02:24 PM

Played a bit of The Secret World beta.

The ambience, setting, characters, eveything is fantastic, and you can clearly feel Tornquist's hand in all of it... until you get to the combat. My god is the combat dreadfully BORING.
I can't help but feel this game would work wonderfully as a single player open world experience with a different kind of combat system that doesn't need to adapt to MMO tropes.

Casimir Effect

13-05-2012, 02:26 PM

I wish they didn't just drive cars and jeeps. I want to see them being aggressive asshole on those quadbikes, dune buggies, hang gliders and zebras. They could have been the new cliff racers.

TailSwallower

13-05-2012, 04:17 PM

(3rd time trying to post this... Apparently marking two separate things in bold causes the forum software to crash Firefox? Either that or Amanita Design's spelling... )

Machinarium and Botanicula.

Machinarium looks gorgeous and the sound is great... But goddamn it is an annoyingly adventure-gamey adventure game. I know what I'm meant to do, but I can't figure out what strange combination of actions and items the developers had in mind. Doubt I'll push ahead with it because I lost all my progress due to the menu options along the bottom of the screen getting cut off on this netbook. It can go on the back(log)burner.

Botanicula... Wow. First off, they've made it so the screen scales, which I guess is a response to the aforementioned issue. And then the game itself - everything is completely delightful - the sounds, the music, the animation, the characters, the look. [I]Everything is completely delightful. I'm not sure of the last time I played a game that plastered my face with that particular look of joy. And it runs perfectly on my netbook, so that's a bonus.

SirKicksalot

13-05-2012, 04:45 PM

Seriously? Have you tried the unlock guns you can get from the extras menu.

...WHY ARE THEY HIDDEN THERE?

Will try them as soon as I finish this abysmal Iraq mission.
Highlight of the game so far: Sam Fisher asking a dude on the phone if the explosions in the background remind him of something.
"Yeah. Iraq."
FLASHBACK TIME!!!

This is so bad it's... bad.

Lambchops

13-05-2012, 04:57 PM

But goddamn it is an annoyingly adventure-gamey adventure game.

i actually didn't think it was too bad, largely because most of the time when you failed you did it in such a cute way that it made you want to get solutions wrong first to see what happens (always the sign of a good adventure game when it can still entertain you when being wrong). But yeah, there were a couple of iffy moments, not least another bloody Tower of Hanoi puzzle. Adventure game designers should be banned from ever using puzzles of that style on pain of, well, a slap in the face at least!

Ravelle

13-05-2012, 05:10 PM

sabrage

13-05-2012, 05:21 PM

i actually didn't think it was too bad, largely because most of the time when you failed you did it in such a cute way that it made you want to get solutions wrong first to see what happens (always the sign of a good adventure game when it can still entertain you when being wrong). But yeah, there were a couple of iffy moments, not least another bloody Tower of Hanoi puzzle. Adventure game designers should be banned from ever using puzzles of that style on pain of, well, a slap in the face at least!
The Tower of Hanoi one wasn't that bad... The sliding bead puzzle was a nightmare though.

Rauten

13-05-2012, 06:03 PM

It seems all MMO's can do only one of the two things right, gameplay or it's setting.

Yeah, and it's a pity; I think I'm going to skip this one.
The story is good, and I really mean good, it's filled with characters I want to know more of, a story that I want to see unfold, a lot of lovecraftian horror, and the only 2 locales that are being shown are both breath-taking. That Kingsmouth village you're sent to actually fells like a village, and not 4 scattered huts like most MMOs tend to do.
I'd love to explore the game and it's story more, I really would, but I don't think I can do so through such a downer of a combat.

Heliocentric

13-05-2012, 06:28 PM

...WHY ARE THEY HIDDEN THERE?

Will try them as soon as I finish this abysmal Iraq mission.
Highlight of the game so far: Sam Fisher asking a dude on the phone if the explosions in the background remind him of something.
"Yeah. Iraq."
FLASHBACK TIME!!!

This is so bad it's... bad.

Iraq is the single weakest part of the game, you aren't even Sam.

Althea

13-05-2012, 07:56 PM

Finally pushed on in DA2. I'm in the last act, and I can definitely feel things coming to a narrative close even though I'm likely a good few hours from the end (and not just because I've found some pieces of the 'main' armour set).

That said, it feels shallow at times. It hasn't connected all the dots when it should do (for example, I'm romancing Waify and she's <3, but Hawke completely forgets about her during dialogue, such as when she refers to Anders as "the only good mage in Kirkwall" during one of his 'base' conversations), and that makes a lot of choices and decisions feel hollow. Some conversations are really, really well done, but it's not always that great.

And the morality system is farkled. Anyone who's done the entirety of those Bone Pit quests may possibly understand what I mean with regards to talking to Hubert about it, particularly towards the end of that quest line.

Sketch

13-05-2012, 08:20 PM

Iraq is the single weakest part of the game, you aren't even Sam.

That bits not even that bad, plus it takes 5-10 minutes, tops.

Dubbill

13-05-2012, 08:32 PM

That Kingsmouth village you're sent to actually fells like a village, and not 4 scattered huts like most MMOs tend to do.
Kingsmouth was a delight. I was having so much fun exploring and learning about the town but the annoying mobs meant I had to stop every to mash 1 and 2 for 30 seconds before I could continue on.

Lambchops

13-05-2012, 08:32 PM

Speaking of "annoyingly adventure gamey adventure games" i spotted The Dream Machine on Steam and remembering it had got a fair bit of praise decided to give it a shot. Only played the first chapter so far and have a feeling it's just laying the groundwork.

On the plus side the art is excellent (claymation must be so horribly time consuming!) and the atmosphere manages to feel both rooted in reality but naggingly unsettling. It definitely draws you in and makes you want to play more so consider the groundwork well layed! However considering its short length that it's not so promising that it has managed to throw in a couple of missteps that should be gotten rid of in modern day adventures (puzzle spoilers ahead, but really you'll be grateful for them if you do pick up the game!). First there's a terrible switch shifting puzzle involving a circuit board that just doesn't set itself up particularly well and even if it had would have been tedious (though at least it wasn't a felect the beam of light puzzle I suppose, though I honestly wouldn't be suprised if one of those bloody things crops up later). Secondly it pulls the "the item you need is in a place you are unlikely to look even though something else in your inventory would probably do the job" trick. There's a key through an ajar window you have to pick up. Obviously I assumed I could use either the letter or envelope I had to slide under the jey but alas what I should have done was look for a coat hanger in a sofa stuck in the door that I'd previously assumed was simply a plot device to stop me leaving the apartment block I live in. Obviously.

It's a shame that such nonsense mars what is otherwise a very interesting experience and hopefully they either vastly improve the puzzles or just ditch them altogether in the further installments.

Niggles aside I'm looking forward to playing a bit more of this.

Heliocentric

13-05-2012, 08:40 PM

That bits not even that bad, plus it takes 5-10 minutes, tops.

I know, its not "that bad" but I freaking love deniable ops mode, that's quite a gulf.

enter0the0void

13-05-2012, 08:45 PM

Hey, I made a post to enquire where the shotcast was a couple of weeks ago; then my account was banned [permanently with no reason specified] and a shotcast has appeared a few days later.

What's the problem with this forum? Why have I been banned with no reason specified? I was not rude or abusive in any way at all. This is a poor way to manage a community. I was a new poster and have not been involved in any of the silly bitchiness or arguments that tend to go on in these forums and the comments pages. Bots still rampage through the comments and the forums. Sorry, but now I feel I can't believe people make a "living" from this site!

Scumbag

13-05-2012, 09:00 PM

enter0the0void

13-05-2012, 09:15 PM

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?7-Rock-Paper-Shotgun-Discussion

Thanks but it isn't possible for new users to post threads. I can only assume that is what you are implying with your thoughtful contribution; however yes, perhaps I should have put it in the feedback thread which otherwise hasn't been updated for a month. Apologies.

Roufuss

13-05-2012, 09:34 PM

Spent the day playing TERA so far.

Its ok. Combat system is a lot of fun, rest of the game apes World of Warcraft too much for it be a serious contender in the genre.

I get a great sense of delight out of being a small raccoon/man hybrid tasked with saving everyone over and over; it is a ridiculous premise that somehow works. I'd certainly never ask my character to do anything, he can barely hold his sword!

As always, the player base in these sorts of games is horrid; general chat is full of children. Luckily, a lot of the game can be played solo, and they have a dungeon finder so you can easily find a group for an instance.

SirKicksalot

13-05-2012, 09:35 PM

my account was banned
Trigger-happy mod saw your username.

Althea

13-05-2012, 09:41 PM

Anders questioned my relationship with Merrill in Dragon Age 2.

fak u andsre

Nalano

13-05-2012, 09:48 PM

Anders questioned my relationship with Merrill in Dragon Age 2.

fak u andsre

Of course he did. She's a blood mage, and a rather enthusiastic one at that. The entire game up until that point was him sermonizing "DUDE YOU'RE NOT HELPING" to every blood mage you come across.

Casimir Effect

13-05-2012, 09:49 PM

Which was pretty much every single mage in that game.

Nalano

13-05-2012, 09:51 PM

Which was pretty much every single mage in that game.

Well, 'cept your sister.

Funny thing is, it's almost like a parable on gun control, except instead of handguns everybody has RPGs and ANFO bombs.

...so it's like Kansas.

vinraith

14-05-2012, 01:33 AM

A Valley Without Wind is, I think, my favorite game of the year (so far, anyway). I would not have expected that, as I've never really met a Metroidvania game that captured me like this one has. The strategic elements, procedural generation, and the massive sense of exploration and collection just keep pushing me forward. It's, well, it's amazing. It is to side scrolling platformers what AI War is to RTS games, something that's in the genre but completely different than anything that's come before it. Arcen's support has been typically outstanding, with bugs being stomped out, features added, elements rebalanced, and community feedback being incorporated on (literally) a daily basis.

Oh, and it's oddly more attractive than the press made it look, not that it even matters considering the gameplay. I'm honestly stunned to be talking this thing up, but it's exceeded all expectations, and is exclusively occupying both my single player and co-op gaming time (and, honestly, time I should be doing other things as well!).

Hal Fenix

14-05-2012, 05:30 AM

Going through Lone Survivor and Portal 1 + 2 while I wait for Max Payne 3.

Althea

14-05-2012, 07:28 AM

Of course he did. She's a blood mage, and a rather enthusiastic one at that. The entire game up until that point was him sermonizing "DUDE YOU'RE NOT HELPING" to every blood mage you come across.
Sure, it's just that he had the bollocks to turn to me and go OMG WTF UR FKIN A BLOOD MAEG WUTS WRONG WIV U????? whilst he's going WAH WAH WAH I IZ SORT OF POSSESSED and WE NEED TO HELP ALL MAEGS.

So, I'm with a mage who's done nothing wrong (yet) and has her powers in control, and is arguably less susceptible to the evil shizzle, not to mention I'm helping him throw things at the Templars and call them names, yet all he can do is go Y U MAKEOUT WITH BLOOD MAEG??

Me no likey him much.

eRa

14-05-2012, 07:41 AM

Sure, it's just that he had the bollocks to turn to me and go OMG WTF UR FKIN A BLOOD MAEG WUTS WRONG WIV U????? whilst he's going WAH WAH WAH I IZ SORT OF POSSESSED and WE NEED TO HELP ALL MAEGS.

So, I'm with a mage who's done nothing wrong (yet) and has her powers in control, and is arguably less susceptible to the evil shizzle, not to mention I'm helping him throw things at the Templars and call them names, yet all he can do is go Y U MAKEOUT WITH BLOOD MAEG??

Me no likey him much.

I really liked Anders in Awakening and was excited when I heard that he'd return. But what they did to him in DA2 is horribad, even more horribad than the constant recycling of areas.

I'm spending the last hours of the pre-Diablo 3 era with Tribes: Ascend and figuring out a spec for my Witch Doctor.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 08:12 AM

So, I'm with a mage who's done nothing wrong (yet) and has her powers in control, and is arguably less susceptible to the evil shizzle, not to mention I'm helping him throw things at the Templars and call them names, yet all he can do is go Y U MAKEOUT WITH BLOOD MAEG??

I highlighted the operative word.

After all, there's not a single blood mage in the game that doesn't eventually Fuck Things Up For Everybody™.

Althea

14-05-2012, 08:15 AM

I highlighted the operative word.

After all, there's not a single blood mage in the game that doesn't eventually Fuck Things Up For Everybody™.
Oh, I'm sure she'll do something. That mirror was worrying enough!

But it just seems so... stupid. I mean Anders is like TEMPLARZ IS EVUHL and WE SAEV MAEGS!, but then he goes WAET UR BLUD MAEG? I HAET U LOLOLOLOLOL to pretty much every mage in the game. So he's like TEMPLARZ IS EVUHL and ALL MAEGS R EVUHL AND WE SHOULD KILL THEM 2 SAEV THEM AND SAEV UVVA MAEGS.

Gods above he's an idiot.

The JG Man

14-05-2012, 08:24 AM

On the plus side, you're invested into Act 3. That helps. I can't wait for what's coming next.

Vexing Vision

14-05-2012, 09:01 AM

Dabbling around with World of Battles, which is nice and light-weight fun. Doing a few turns of Warlock every other day. But mostly, I'm horrendously fixed and waiting for the Secret World next month - I seriously want to know how the main mission story continues, and I cannot wait to see the other origin stories and locations. Was very, very impressed with Kingsmouth and London.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 09:03 AM

Oh, I'm sure she'll do something. That mirror was worrying enough!

But it just seems so... stupid. I mean Anders is like TEMPLARZ IS EVUHL and WE SAEV MAEGS!, but then he goes WAET UR BLUD MAEG? I HAET U LOLOLOLOLOL to pretty much every mage in the game. So he's like TEMPLARZ IS EVUHL and ALL MAEGS R EVUHL AND WE SHOULD KILL THEM 2 SAEV THEM AND SAEV UVVA MAEGS.

Gods above he's an idiot.

He's been pretty consistent. It's like when you're trying to stage a protest about the war and these chuckleheads keep showing up:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-piMRfDAbnE8/TeQ5IksXDUI/AAAAAAAAARA/6PhrgkiSaGc/s1600/medical_marijuana_protest.jpg

So instead of the media picking up on the anti-war message, all they see are a bunch of pothead college kids. DUDES. YOU'RE NOT HELPING.

Drayk

14-05-2012, 09:37 AM

Back to gaming.

I played a bit trough my backlog.

I just finished Skyrim main quest (with a really powerful 50+ warrior-mage gone silent assassin orc...) I still have lots to do in it but it's gonna wait.

I finished Bastion has well. Excellent game. Fitting end.

So, now I am gonna focus on Batman AC. Magicka and Hard Reset.

Died 5 times in the same place in hard reset. Pretty early in the game. Some sort of small arena with an upper floor where bots are taking a shot at you and you're facing two sturdy bots bellow.

Got bored gonna try again later.

Althea

14-05-2012, 09:48 AM

He's been pretty consistent. It's like when you're trying to stage a protest about the war and these chuckleheads keep showing up:
*Potheads*
So instead of the media picking up on the anti-war message, all they see are a bunch of pothead college kids. DUDES. YOU'RE NOT HELPING.
I disagree. I think a good analogy for it is homosexuality. I noticed that a lot of the arguments used against blood magic are the ones we've had against homosexuals, interracial marriages and so forth. It's not entirely the same, of course, but it's very much along those lines - X kind of people are more likely to do A, B and C - with no real evidence to it. There's a number of cases in DA where it's actually mages who *don't* use Blood Magic are the ones who go a bit loopy or massively dangerous - abominations, possessions and so forth.

And, also, if the mages get their equality, then surely there would be more room to find a way to 'safely' use blood magic?

The JG Man

14-05-2012, 09:57 AM

How much about DA2 did you know before starting it up? I don't think any things you discuss in that latest post can be responded to without a spoiler.

Althea

14-05-2012, 09:58 AM

How much about DA2 did you know before starting it up? I don't think any things you discuss in that latest post can be responded to without a spoiler.
I'm not sure what you mean? I went through DA:O and DA:O-A, if that's what you're getting at.

The JG Man

14-05-2012, 10:01 AM

DA2 progresses the world a fair bit and almost all of the significant impacts take place in the final act.

Argh, I can't really say what specifically I'm referring to because it's a spoiler in knowing. I just recommend finishing the act in short order.

Althea

14-05-2012, 10:05 AM

Yes, mum. If you say so.

It'll have to wait, though, as some of us have this work thing to do. The gold reward is pitiful, too.

thegooseking

14-05-2012, 12:13 PM

It'll have to wait, though, as some of us have this work thing to do. The gold reward is pitiful, too.

The XP is wicked, though, right?

Anyway, I've been playing Dungeon Defenders since I discovered I bought it several months ago, promptly forgot I had bought it, and have, since then, been trying to decide whether or not to buy it. Even though I already had it. I've just been soloing the first few campaign maps, though, and it isn't really a solo game, so I suppose I should get into playing with other people.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 01:50 PM

There's a number of cases in DA where it's actually mages who *don't* use Blood Magic are the ones who go a bit loopy or massively dangerous - abominations, possessions and so forth.

I think you're mixed up in your lore, Althea. Abominations are demons. Possessions are by demons. Demons happen when you use blood magic, because blood magic can only be learned by making pacts with demons, and the demons are only too happy to oblige because usually the very next thing the mage does is summon more demons.

Merrill's kind of a "the nice guy asked me to take this ticking suitcase onto the flight" brand of naivete.

sonson

14-05-2012, 02:35 PM

Just finished Trine, was lovely, very rewarding experience, enough puzzle moments to make me feel clever, enough to make me feel abit annoyed but not for long, lots of fun swinging from things, jumping on skeletons, controls felt very fluid and organic, all wrapped up in the most beautiful package. Great game.

Moved onto Psychonauts, and am loving it, (just finished the Milkman Conspiracy) didn't expect it to make me laugh out loud, as I rarley do that, but it really has.
At first the old cliche of it being great writing with an ok game seemed to be apt. The camera was at times incredibly annoying, and some of the difficulty spikes seemed abit much. This in turn was getting me really pissed off as it was very jarring to enter into a new fantastic world only to die instantly, or get poked incessantly by something, really broke the immersion.

But in hindsight this was becuase I was so wrapt in the narrative that it was almost that I forgot I had to actually play a game, and once I asked Cruller for some advice, or stopped to consider what mechanics I had to hand, I realised that it was more or less perfectly balanaced actually, a straight forward enough compromise between advancing the story and providing a challenge. I still wish that I hadn't got stuck as often as I did, becuase it still felt like it was wrenching me away from this incredible experience, but I imagine that's probably fairly subjective.

I do think there could be clearer ways of pacing the game better though; I didn't realise Night Fall would be perpetual, and thus make arrow head divining and scavenger hunting a billion times harder than had I done it at the start. I also went into Fred Bonaparte's head before Gloria's, and had to pull myself out accordingly, which was a little irritating, broke some of the magic.

I feel like in isolation it's levels are fun enough, and there are moments which really make you pause and applaud; but then afterward you stop and think about it some more, or maybe go back to grab some figments, and then other things click into place and it hits you as to how brilliant the design really is as you come to ponder and then see the full picture. And the writing is without peer in my experience I would have to say. It's not just good for a game, it's simply excellent dialogue and narrative, lifted by it's medium but still remarkable in isolation. Fully up to par with something like Toy Story in my opinion, in the way it enthralls and delights while examing all facets of the emotional spectrum.

Truly remarkable game, quite unlike anything else I've ever experienced.

Serenegoose

14-05-2012, 02:37 PM

I think you're mixed up in your lore, Althea. Abominations are demons. Possessions are by demons. Demons happen when you use blood magic, because blood magic can only be learned by making pacts with demons, and the demons are only too happy to oblige because usually the very next thing the mage does is summon more demons.

Merrill's kind of a "the nice guy asked me to take this ticking suitcase onto the flight" brand of naivete.

It's pretty easy to argue that if you refuse to teach your mages about blood magic other than 'don't use blood magic it's awful' they'll be woefully unprepared to handle the risks of it should they be foisted upon them. Remember that the harrowing is to prove a mage can resist the lure of demons, who will approach the mage regardless. Being well educated as to the risks, nature, and effects of blood magic would likely make one safer around blood magic than a blundering newbie who just wants some extra kick to their spells so they can do some real good. After all, it's not like it's tough for mages to meet demons and learn blood magic - they just need to have a nap.

roryok

14-05-2012, 02:45 PM

Currently playing Thief: Gold for the first time ever.

I know.

Bobtree

14-05-2012, 02:56 PM

Currently playing Thief: Gold for the first time ever.

I know.

Somehow I envy you. There are games I would dearly love to play "for the first time" again.

Roufuss

14-05-2012, 03:17 PM

I really liked Anders in Awakening and was excited when I heard that he'd return. But what they did to him in DA2 is horribad, even more horribad than the constant recycling of areas.

It's because they changed who wrote him between games. He went from one of Bioware's better writers to one of their worst (imo) and it really shows.

Definitely agree with what you wrote; Anders went from a favorite character in Awakenings to one I couldn't stand. It's a shame because with a better writer, he could have shined.

Gaider claims he set it in stone that this is how Anders was always supposed to turn out before he stopped writing him, but I think even with better writing the whole scenario would have turned out a lot better.

DaftPunk

14-05-2012, 03:27 PM

Wrote message to THQ support about COH,that was yesterday and still they didn't replied. I want to play COH today -.-

Roufuss

14-05-2012, 04:11 PM

Wrote message to THQ support about COH,that was yesterday and still they didn't replied. I want to play COH today -.-

Yesterday was Sunday in the US, they probably weren't in the office.

THQ probably has a barebones support staff as it is due to their issues, so it may take awhile even on a weekday to hear back from them.

Althea

14-05-2012, 06:51 PM

Gaider claims he set it in stone that this is how Anders was always supposed to turn out before he stopped writing him, but I think even with better writing the whole scenario would have turned out a lot better.
Yeah, but Gaider wouldn't know what consistency was if it slapped him in the face.

With a mace.

That's spiked.

And white-hot.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 06:55 PM

It's pretty easy to argue that if you refuse to teach your mages about blood magic other than 'don't use blood magic it's awful' they'll be woefully unprepared to handle the risks of it should they be foisted upon them. Remember that the harrowing is to prove a mage can resist the lure of demons, who will approach the mage regardless. Being well educated as to the risks, nature, and effects of blood magic would likely make one safer around blood magic than a blundering newbie who just wants some extra kick to their spells so they can do some real good. After all, it's not like it's tough for mages to meet demons and learn blood magic - they just need to have a nap.

Funny that, even with the extensive training on explosives handling, and all the ridiculously overwrought precautions, they're still pretty much children with matches. Hell, even in DAO they blew up the freakin' magey HQ... and the warden HQ... and everywhere else, for that matter.

Althea

14-05-2012, 07:12 PM

Who would you rather have on your side - Merrill or Anders?

Merrill. By far. Easily. 100%. Even if she did manage to kill you both, you'd go out going "d'awww she's so cute <3".

DaftPunk

14-05-2012, 07:15 PM

Yesterday was Sunday in the US, they probably weren't in the office.

THQ probably has a barebones support staff as it is due to their issues, so it may take awhile even on a weekday to hear back from them.

What i find incredibly stupid with COH,that you can't play single player if you're not online,i mean at least give me that option. I bought fucking ANTHOLOGY few years ago and now can't play game,its bullshit really.

Now better for them that they can recover my account because i took pics of game and serial codes. Its good enough proof i think.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 07:46 PM

Who would you rather have on your side - Merrill or Anders?

Merrill. By far. Easily. 100%. Even if she did manage to kill you both, you'd go out going "d'awww she's so cute <3".

Hardly. I grew out of finding patently naive neo-hippies cute by sophomore year in college, exactly eleven months after I discovered that patently naive neo-hippies existed.

Casimir Effect

14-05-2012, 08:03 PM

Hardly. I grew out of finding patently naive neo-hippies cute by sophomore year in college, exactly eleven months after I discovered that patently naive neo-hippies existed.
I'd actually agrue she's kind of retarded. Years pass in that game during which she lives in the slums of a vicious city, and all the while she remains that naive? It's amazing she lives to Act II, and she probably never found a better house because she kept giving all her gold to that nice-sounding prince from Nigeria.

Rauten

14-05-2012, 08:08 PM

Who would you rather have on your side - Merrill or Anders?

Honestly? neither.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 08:09 PM

I'd actually agrue she's kind of retarded. Years pass in that game during which she lives in the slums of a vicious city, and all the while she remains that naive? It's amazing she lives to Act II, and she probably never found a better house because she kept giving all her gold to that nice-sounding prince from Nigeria.

Oh, she's totally socially underdeveloped, to be sure. To wit (http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Varric_Tethras/Dialogue#Varric_and_Merrill_2),

Varric: Daisy, for my sake, please quit cutting through the alleys in Lowtown alone at night.
Merrill: Nothing ever happens. I'm perfectly safe, Varric.
Varric: Yes, I know. And that nothing is costing me a fortune.

Althea

14-05-2012, 08:13 PM

I'd actually agrue she's kind of retarded. Years pass in that game during which she lives in the slums of a vicious city, and all the while she remains that naive? It's amazing she lives to Act II, and she probably never found a better house because she kept giving all her gold to that nice-sounding prince from Nigeria.
"Retarded"? Nice going.

She's naive, yes. Incredibly so. She constantly puts Hawke and his/her friends in danger. And you know what? I don't care. She's fucking awesome.

Nalano

14-05-2012, 08:23 PM

"Retarded"? Nice going.

If you prefer, "a remarkably ignorant, incompetent liability." :p

Althea

14-05-2012, 08:30 PM

Well, I like Merrill and I would kill for her.

Oh, I did.

Casimir Effect

14-05-2012, 08:46 PM

I could have said "rides the shortbus" but that would have been crass...

Either way, she was in my party most of the time and was one of the better characters. It just irked me how much she is written to be male nerd-bait, like a Tali for Dragon Age (right down to giving the Dalish an accent). Quiet, naive, demure and innocent but with a wild streak; basically in need of a White Knight to keep her safe and accept her and tolerate her evil crazy magic and wuv her for eva and eva.

Althea

14-05-2012, 08:54 PM

Good job I'm a White Knight, then.

Heliocentric

14-05-2012, 09:03 PM

After watching my fiancée play DA2 I wanted to play it as a female just to date the dwarf, best character in the game... Checked the wiki, not possible :(

Nalano

14-05-2012, 09:04 PM

After watching my fiancée play DA2 I wanted to play it as a female just to date the dwarf, best character in the game... Checked the wiki, not possible :(

Pshaw. He's a heartbreaker.

Heliocentric

14-05-2012, 09:05 PM

What i find incredibly stupid with COH,that you can't play single player if you're not online,i mean at least give me that option. I bought fucking ANTHOLOGY few years ago and now can't play game,its bullshit really.

Now better for them that they can recover my account because i took pics of game and serial codes. Its good enough proof i think.

I bought a retail disk early on, plays without the net :s

edit:

Pshaw. He's a heartbreaker.
Also Mordin, Kasumi and Doctor Chakwa.

MOAR EDIT:
I do think there could be clearer ways of pacing the game better though; I didn't realise Night Fall would be perpetual, and thus make arrow head divining and scavenger hunting a billion times harder than had I done it at the start.

To be honest, trying to do the scavenger hunt when you "cant open door x because you lack tool Y is even more frustrating, but i agree that upon finishing the story you should have had some more daylight.

But to be honest, its the games way of prodding you to the finale, its a worthwhile(and infamous) finale, will we ever see a sequel?

Freud

14-05-2012, 10:44 PM

Diablo 3. It's a new action RPG.

Drake Sigar

14-05-2012, 10:51 PM

Diablo 3. It's a new action RPG.

Getting as far as the menu screen doesn't count as 'playing.'

Ravelle

14-05-2012, 11:15 PM

Getting as far as the menu screen doesn't count as 'playing.'

Surely you're not familiar with " the waiting game".

jnx

15-05-2012, 03:43 AM

Some of the worst and most stupid scenes and infuriating lack of choice also comes with Merril's plot. Spoilers ahoy.
When you kill the demon and the whole frekin' clan arrives to do an intervention or some shit. One would expect there to be a possibility to explain what just happened in that cave, and that the old elf lady did what she did out of her own will. But no. Not possible. Elves have made their mind. Merril and his companion must die without speaking words. Words are the way of demons I guess. So you end up butchering a fuckin' elf village just because they won't listen. Good job bioware.

HeroDude

15-05-2012, 07:24 AM

im playing at the first private server for Sword 2/Granado Espada, http://ariagaming.com also they have Forsaken World and Lineage 2 servers.

DaftPunk

15-05-2012, 08:28 AM

Still waiting for response from THQ,thinking about downloading FEAR 1 again,i really love the gunplay in that game,one of the best. Also add superb AI and you have a great FPS game :3

Marar Patrunjica

15-05-2012, 08:36 AM

Some of the worst and most stupid scenes and infuriating lack of choice also comes with Merril's plot. Spoilers ahoy.

Urm, no? Just pick "I'll take responsibilty."

The JG Man

15-05-2012, 01:00 PM

Some of the worst and most stupid scenes and infuriating lack of choice also comes with Merril's plot.

Urm, no?

What Marar said. There very much is a choice there. It makes sense too, considering the elves are separate from the humans, as well as ostracising Merril. By taking responsibility, you're making sure that it doesn't involve them any more. They're not happy, but they appreciate the gesture.

NathanH

15-05-2012, 02:29 PM

Althea

15-05-2012, 02:48 PM

That part of the Merril plot highlighted the limitations of the dialogue system in that game. It was exactly the situation that really needed 1) a very clear indication of what you were actually going to say and 2) a sensible and large-enough selection of possible things to say.
I'd say that's the case with most aspects of the game, not just any one quest.

I just finished Dragon Age 2, actually. I have a feeling that I know what Dragon Age 3 will be about and where it will be set.

Althea

15-05-2012, 03:00 PM

Anyway, with regards to Merrill... I kinda see where you guys are coming from with her, and I don't disagree as such, I just find the good to outweigh the bad (plus more combat = more rewards, so go figure) with her. She does wind me up a bit, and the way her final quest with me went made me feel terrible, but there is something charming about her. Maybe it's the fact I can't break from White Knight, I don't know, but I couldn't leave her behind in any way, shape or form.

Anders? Yeah, definitely a dick. I kept him with me towards the end because I had to. I agreed with him whilst not doing so, plus I needed a healer.

But the funny thing with DA2 is I tended not to like the characters I thought I would - I came out of it not thinking much of Bethany (Hawke saved her little butt and she didn't even hug her?!) and Aveline - yet I liked some of the characters I was unsure about - Merrill became my favourite, Varric was a staple member of my party, Isabela was more enjoyable than I thought she'd be. Fenris didn't get much attention from me, largely because:
a) I was a 2H warrior initially, then I went S&B
b) He reminds me of the second main character in Gray Matter
c) I just didn't find him interesting

It just seems like BioWare wanted to stuff it to the tits with references, jokes and cameo appearances, though. I think some of Varric's comments in particular were references to how DA:O was perceived and the changes BioWare made, and I liked them despite breaking the fourth wall a bit, but this shoe-horning of characters from the previous games (and in one DLC, that I've not played, Felicia Fucking Day) tired me a bit because it was all too convenient. Everyone just happens to be in Kirkwall and in the way of Hawke. Sigh. A few lines towards the end made me burst out laughing ("By Andraste's flaming knickers!"), too.

And if Bodahn and Sandal are in the next game without any more information about Sandal's abilities, then Maker help me.

vinraith

15-05-2012, 03:08 PM

38 posts about DA2 in the last two pages. I'm all for lively discussion, but shouldn't this conversation be moved out of the "What are you playing at the moment?" thread?

And to avoid being off-topic myself: I'm still obsessively playing A Valley Without Wind.

Rauten

15-05-2012, 03:18 PM

Serenegoose

15-05-2012, 03:21 PM

But the funny thing with DA2 is I tended not to like the characters I thought I would - I came out of it not thinking much of Bethany (Hawke saved her little butt and she didn't even hug her?!)

Hawke leaves her in jail for 6 years and doesn't so much as visit, even breaking out other mages and solving conspiracies in the gallow's basement, all the while becoming one of the most influential members of the city and using appx squat of that influence to help her out. The character has every right to loathe you. As a complete aside, this story arc bugs me more than any other facet of the game.

Althea

15-05-2012, 03:21 PM

38 posts about DA2 in the last two pages. I'm all for lively discussion, but shouldn't this conversation be moved out of the "What are you playing at the moment?" thread?
Sorry for discussing the game I was playing in the topic about games we're playing :p

HiddenPooh

15-05-2012, 03:23 PM

Currently playing community levels in Portal 2

vinraith

15-05-2012, 03:33 PM

Sorry for discussing the game I was playing in the topic about games we're playing :p

I'm just saying that, at the point that you've got an in-depth discussion going, surely it deserves its own thread? :)

Heliocentric

15-05-2012, 03:36 PM

Finished 'Not America McGee's' Alice. The ending sped up the narrative to a bareable pace and delivered a nice wrap up to the story. But I was glad it was over,

Enjoyed finding Raz from Psyconauts but genuinely there were so few "moments" in the game I would care to repeat. I compared this with Assassin's Creed at times in that so much beauty and majesty were paired with such a great combat system (if you learned to properly prey on distracted guards rather than just spamming counter).

Maybe the developers of Alice MR can get a similar improvement from their sequel.

Drake Sigar

15-05-2012, 03:38 PM

Sorry for discussing the game I was playing in the topic about games we're playing :p

You're forgiven, just don't let it happen again.

NTMY

15-05-2012, 03:53 PM

I'm mostly playing Tribes: Ascend and a bit BF3 with some friends.
I have so many other (single player) games I want to play and finish (I recently started to play Mass Effect 1), but after a few hours/sessions I go back to my MP games ... :/ don't know why

Doodier

15-05-2012, 04:13 PM

Oh my... I am replaying Binding of Isaac (I forgot to backup my saves before formatting harddisk (well, not exactly forgot - I thought they are on Steam cloud >.<)). So far I am 7 out of 10 Mom's heart's deaths and I finally confronted Satan himself. I had lots of great upgrades - A pony, common cold, lump of coal, rock, the mark, spoon bender, tons of it, really and he killed me again! Ugh, I hate that game! Also, I cannot wait for the expansion :)

khaz

15-05-2012, 04:46 PM

Personally, the only partners I found enjoyable to carry with me were Aveline and Isabela; it's the closest thing you can get in DA2 to the constant epic bickering between Alistair and Morrigan.

On-topic: Playing Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines that I picked from Steam's sunday daily offer.

Brutal, unfair, mean as fuck and cruel beyond all reason and doesn't give a flying fuck what you think. I can't get beyond mission 15, I just can't. I've gone and completed Commandos 2 (On the hardest difficulty and got all the secrets) in the meantime and its an exquisite game with gloriously large, beautiful, detailed levels with tons of personality but its nowhere near as difficult as the firsts Commandos. The first game is just plain unfair. I'm half tempted to resort to cheats.

Don't even get me started on what I had to go through to get to mission 15. Mission 14, where you have to destroy four large cannons so D-Day can commence a little easier gave me nightmares. 15 is just impossible because the combinations of patrols, sight cones, number of guards, no alarms allowed or your target leaves the map, the complete and utter lack of leeway given to you is downright insane.

ARGH!

/rocks back and forth

Rauten

15-05-2012, 04:47 PM

O_O
I'm... I'm just up to mission 4 for now. Now I'm scared.

khaz

15-05-2012, 04:55 PM

The first 10 missions are tricky rather than brutal and require patience more than anything to resolve them. But the second half of the game is just ugh...mission 12 onwards is where it got tough for me. Pretty sure 12, 13 and 14 combined were almost as long the previous missions combined in number of hours played.

What difficulty are you playing on?

The JG Man

15-05-2012, 05:00 PM

I'm just saying that, at the point that you've got an in-depth discussion going, surely it deserves its own thread? :)

I've noticed this thread goes through little periods where a side discussion forms around a particular game. I don't think it's a particularly bad thing, although I see where you're coming from...I mean, we did actually have a DA2 thread somewhere. Not sure where that vanished to or if it was entirely relevant.

I have a feeling that I know what Dragon Age 3 will be about and where it will be set.

Mmmhmmm. I quite liked the ending, even the final boss fight(s). I know they were slightly contrived, but I felt they were a suitable pay-off. I also thought it was hilarious that you completely foreshadowed one of the bosses too in an earlier discussion.

But the funny thing with DA2 is I tended not to like the characters I thought I would

Similar feelings here. Aveline (my tank) and Isabella were in most of the time, replacing Isabella with Varric every so often and then *insert random mage here*. I didn't like the change to the entire healing system, with a cooldown on potions and limited healing spells. I know DA:O could be somewhat broken with regards to how much you could heal, but it was nice having the choice. Playing DA2 on the 360, I would've loved the ability to have modded and changed that, alas...

I too thought Fenris was uninteresting and again, didn't fit in with my 2H Hawke and I didn't use Merril too much, mostly because she made me think of Torchwood (she plays a lead role in it). I didn't mind Bethany so much...to be honest, by the end game, I was just happy to have her there considering she had all these talent points and a crap ton of power. I think her and Aveline did most of the work on my final boss attempt.

Anyhow, I'm still playing the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer. Give it a week and I'll be starting one of the games from my 13 or so backlog. Might start with Psychonauts or Bulletstorm, haven't decided which. I'll also be introducing a friend to Ocarina of Time tomorrow. I can't wait to go through it again, been so long and doing it with someone who hasn't experienced it at all before? Fantastic.

Althea

15-05-2012, 05:03 PM

Mmmhmmm. I quite liked the ending, even the final boss fight(s). I know they were slightly contrived, but I felt they were a suitable pay-off. I also thought it was hilarious that you completely foreshadowed one of the bosses too in an earlier discussion.
Did I? Hm. Well... Ugh. That final boss fight was stupid. I mean stupid. It made sense until that glowy bit (I sided with the mages, by the way), and after that it just got S-T-U-P-I-D.

Similar feelings here. Aveline (my tank) and Isabella were in most of the time, replacing Isabella with Varric every so often and then *insert random mage here*. I didn't like the change to the entire healing system, with a cooldown on potions and limited healing spells. I know DA:O could be somewhat broken with regards to how much you could heal, but it was nice having the choice. Playing DA2 on the 360, I would've loved the ability to have modded and changed that, alas...

I too thought Fenris was uninteresting and again, didn't fit in with my 2H Hawke and I didn't use Merril too much, mostly because she made me think of Torchwood (she plays a lead role in it). I didn't mind Bethany so much...to be honest, by the end game, I was just happy to have her there considering she had all these talent points and a crap ton of power. I think her and Aveline did most of the work on my final boss attempt.
How to abuse DA2's healing system - RUN LIKE FUCK MUTHAFUCKA. Seriously. You know that side quest line with the scrolls and then Mr Hang From The Ceiling Whilst I Talk At You About Nothing? It's how I survived the fight.

Rauten

15-05-2012, 05:13 PM

What difficulty are you playing on?

Normal, I believe.

Give it a week and I'll be starting one of the games from my 13 or so backlog. Might start with Psychonauts or Bulletstorm.

No, the bold text isn't a suggestion. It is an order.

Althea

15-05-2012, 05:15 PM

Bulletstorm FTW.

The JG Man

15-05-2012, 05:16 PM

Did I?

Spoiler warning for the ending of DA2:
There's a number of cases in DA where it's actually mages who *don't* use Blood Magic are the ones who go a bit loopy or massively dangerous - abominations, possessions and so forth.

Even if not 100%, I still say that was close enough! And I agree, the ending was stupid, but I thought it just about worked. This MacGuffin corrupted its wielders, we knew this from Varric's side quest in Act 2 and both sides felt like they were, actually quite accurately, being engaged upon by the other. I also like how, really, Anders set about motions for an entire civil war. Anders, you muppet.

Althea

15-05-2012, 05:18 PM

Even if not 100%, I still say that was close enough! And I agree, the ending was stupid, but I thought it just about worked. This MacGuffin corrupted its wielders, we knew this from Varric's side quest in Act 2 and both sides felt like they were, actually quite accurately, being engaged upon by the other. I also like how, really, Anders set about motions for an entire civil war. Anders, you muppet.
Hm, you're right. But I want to punch Anders for what he did. I agree with it, but don't. Just seemed too extreme.

The ending I got worked, but... I wanted to know what happened to the others. I missed not having the Fallout-esque explanation at the end.

Heliocentric

15-05-2012, 05:18 PM

Bulletstorm FTW.

I enjoyed it but I was glad it was over, how far in are you?

Althea

15-05-2012, 05:26 PM

I enjoyed it but I was glad it was over, how far in are you?
Bulletstorm? I finished it last year. It was worth it simply for Steve Blum singing.

Wizardry

15-05-2012, 05:45 PM

Brutal, unfair, mean as fuck and cruel beyond all reason and doesn't give a flying fuck what you think. I can't get beyond mission 15, I just can't. I've gone and completed Commandos 2 (On the hardest difficulty and got all the secrets) in the meantime and its an exquisite game with gloriously large, beautiful, detailed levels with tons of personality but its nowhere near as difficult as the firsts Commandos. The first game is just plain unfair. I'm half tempted to resort to cheats.

Don't even get me started on what I had to go through to get to mission 15. Mission 14, where you have to destroy four large cannons so D-Day can commence a little easier gave me nightmares. 15 is just impossible because the combinations of patrols, sight cones, number of guards, no alarms allowed or your target leaves the map, the complete and utter lack of leeway given to you is downright insane.

ARGH!

/rocks back and forth
Level 15 is quite difficult and is probably the hardest in the game due to the little space and cover you have when running down those roads. However, all you really need to do on the level is to run up the road to the left of the screen, run along the top to the top right corner, and from there complete your objectives and get away before anyone can kill you. Don't expect to clear up the whole level like you may have been doing on previous levels.

khaz

15-05-2012, 06:10 PM

That is what i've been attempting to do as going from the right of the canal seems to be a no go. The problem is that the guard who goes up and down the stairs screws up my approach towards the smoking guard. The patrol that takes a full circle of the area isn't helping either. I've managed to get rid of the first two guards right at the start so at least that area is clear. I can't snipe the stairs guard either because apparently, Duke kneels so the wall on the edge of road gets in his line of sight. :/

Ugh. I'll get it eventually I suppose but thanks for the tip anyway.

Memph

15-05-2012, 06:16 PM

I enjoyed it but I was glad it was over, how far in are you?

I can relate to liking it, kinda, but also just wanting it to end. I'm barely past meeting the woman and doing the sniping, which thus far is the only really satisfying weapon i've come across. The others have as much meat as a service station pastie.

Oh and is it me or is the MP too annoyingly finnicky with how to clock up points to be any fun? I've played with 2 and 3 players and both times it was pretty much a clusterfuck, with not much real chance to line up the kind of kills expected of you to rack up the necessary points. We ended up one of us kicking and leashing and the other doing finishers, which was boring as chuff.

Davkaus

15-05-2012, 06:19 PM

Torchlight, because it's more entertaining than Diablo's login screen.

Wizardry

15-05-2012, 06:23 PM

Hal Fenix

15-05-2012, 06:25 PM

Max Payne 3. This game's pretty brutal.

Playing through Portal 1 and 2 as well, and Deus ex: HE. I hated Deus Ex: HE the first time I played it...but I'm starting to warm up to it even if Jensen is a douchebag.

Heliocentric

15-05-2012, 08:27 PM

I'm starting to warm up to it even if Jensen is a douchebag.

He didn't ask for this.

Heliocentric

15-05-2012, 08:34 PM

Oh and is it me or is the MP too annoyingly finnicky with how to clock up points to be any fun? I've played with 2 and 3 players and both times it was pretty much a clusterfuck, with not much real chance to line up the kind of kills expected of you to rack up the necessary points. We ended up one of us kicking and leashing and the other doing finishers, which was boring as chuff.
I never even tried the MP, the idea of trying to orchestrate something mindful over the internet when one person could easily screw up any skill shot just seemed to be stupid. Maybe I was being unfair. A gun near the end was the only gun I wanted to use and its ammo was kinda expensive but totally worth it, its a spear gun thing and its charge power is like a love letter to action shooter fans.

Althea

15-05-2012, 08:37 PM

Now DA2 is done, I'm back to Divinity II: the Dragon Knight Saga.

If I'm brutally honest, it feels no different to D2 despite all the changes. Well, it's perhaps less brutal, but that's about it.

DaftPunk

15-05-2012, 09:17 PM

bonkers

15-05-2012, 09:19 PM

I would suggest the lower scores come from dull combat, an inconsistent difficulty curve and - well - if you finish it then you'll find out.
A qte boss... seriously... how... I... gosh.

Althea

15-05-2012, 09:23 PM

A qte boss... seriously... how... I... gosh.
Ah, you finished it then.

PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH

Nalano

15-05-2012, 09:31 PM

Have question for you people,you know i can't play COH because i'm waiting for THQ to respond back about my online account. So meanwhile i'm thinking about cracking the game,so i could at least play single player,but what after i get account back,will it work normally or would i need to re-install the game or something else ??

If it's a Steam copy, just back it up and then go to town. If it isn't, just make sure to back up the executable, which is usually what cracks replace.

Heliocentric

15-05-2012, 09:35 PM

You can usually uncrack a steam game by verifying files fyi.

SirKicksalot

15-05-2012, 09:36 PM

If it's a Steam copy, just back it up and then go to town. If it isn't, just make sure to back up the executable, which is usually what cracks replace.

Sort of related: a couple of years ago I installed my Steam copy and it automagically filled in a yaaarrr'd key it found in my system somewhere. Instant ban -----> made a new Relic Online account, added a new key, works perfectly now.

Nalano

15-05-2012, 09:46 PM

You can usually uncrack a steam game by verifying files fyi.

Well, that just redownloads 'em, and I was thinking that his aversion to "reinstalling" was similar, because that's what Steam does anyway.

Sort of related: a couple of years ago I installed my Steam copy and it automagically filled in a yaaarrr'd key it found in my system somewhere. Instant ban -----> made a new Relic Online account, added a new key, works perfectly now.

A good reason to clean your registry every once in a while. :P

Lukasz

16-05-2012, 08:00 AM

Question to people who beat Hard more of terraria.

What precautions should I take to stop corruption and hallowed biomes?
I planted seeds of hallowed biome next to my house to stop incoming corruption. it is still growing slowly consuming green areas to the left of my house. a natural hallowed is to the right still quite far. should i let it consume all the green or stop it somehow before it happens?
and my hellevator is being corrupted. will it spread to the very top?

apricotsoup

16-05-2012, 08:20 AM

So yesterdays D3 session was called off as our 4th member couldn't get in.

In the mean time, M&B: Warband. Can't believe it's taken me this long to play it, great fun gallivanting around sniping people from horseback.

DaftPunk

16-05-2012, 09:29 AM

Went to bed yesterday,in the morning got email from THQ,they recovered my CoH account so its ok now. Thanks for help anway. Cheers*

psyk

16-05-2012, 10:20 AM

D3 + that game which is like H&H

Heliocentric

16-05-2012, 12:34 PM

Started playing overlord 2, accidentally burned a town and its population to the ground while smashing things for money...
:(

shaydeeadi

16-05-2012, 01:19 PM

Pre-ordered TLII and started playing my free copy of the first last night (had it on 360 before.) Damn this game is pretty, I don't want to be bandwagon jumping but it looks better than the D3 beta looked on my system by a country mile. Can't wait for the second one to drop, should be great.

Tikey

16-05-2012, 04:02 PM

In the mean time, M&B: Warband. Can't believe it's taken me this long to play it, great fun gallivanting around sniping people from horseback.

I KNOW! That game is consuming me.

Started playing overlord 2, accidentally burned a town and its population to the ground while smashing things for money...
:(

But you're evil, you should be burning down towns on purpose just because you were bored!

Heliocentric

16-05-2012, 05:23 PM

But you're evil, you should be burning down towns on purpose just because you were bored!

I think I'm more stupid evil than marurder evil,

Nalano

16-05-2012, 05:49 PM

But you're evil, you should be burning down towns on purpose just because you were bored!

Conan: You killed my father! You killed my people! You took my father's sword!
Thulsa Doom: Ah, it must have been when I was younger.

:D

The JG Man

16-05-2012, 07:12 PM

Introduced my friend to Ocarina of Time. She'd played a little bit of the very beginning before, but not much else. Considering our play session lasted about 3-3.5 hours and we got up to just before the boss in Dodongo Cavern, she already hates Navi, culminating in this exchange:

Navi: Would you like to speak to Saria?
Her: No.
Navi: Do you want to speak to me then?
Her: Why the fuck would I want to do that?!

The hilarious part is, as much as I'm frustrated at it by sitting on the side, it almost veers into comedy territory. Most of the times she was getting frustrated by Navi, I was chuckling to myself. Despite this, Navi is a hell of a lot better than Fi from Skyward Sword.

Heliocentric

16-05-2012, 07:28 PM

Navi: Hey listen!

*Link gets out jar*

Navi: Hey listen!

*Link fills jar with water from stream*

Navi: Hey listen!

*Link grabs navi, stuffs her in the jar and corks it*

Link: *sigh*

khaz

16-05-2012, 08:08 PM

I enjoyed Ocarina too much to really be bothered by Navi. The water temple however, was a fucking turd of a dungeon. One of the most infuriating dungeons I have ever played in any fantasy 3rd person adventure game. The constant water level changing + the sheer amount of time in the menu to switch to the iron boots infuriated me no end. That aside, superb game.

Wind Waker and LttP remain my favourites from the main Zelda series though. But Four Swords on the gamecube is my favourite Zelda game of all time. I can't tell you how much fun three friends and me had playing that. We lined up four GBAs and everything. It was fucking amazing.

Heliocentric

16-05-2012, 09:10 PM

I still regret never having the complete four swords experience. Another ridiculous investment game is splinter cell double agent (last gen) the best version was the xbox version played on the 360 upscaled, so I'd need 2 copies of the game and 2 360's and 2 720p TV's to play the real sequel to one of my favourite games (splinter cell chaos theory).

I settled for getting the Wii version for next to nothing and it's not bad too be honest, but I'd need to start buggering about with emulators to play things nicely on the pc with a mouse.

Ugh, stupid publishers.

khaz

16-05-2012, 09:37 PM

I still regret never having the complete four swords experience.

Enjoy. And yes, they did the whole game. And yes, they did it emulated (And online I think) and even put up a explanation showing how. 720p + full screen recommended so you can see the GBA bits properly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0lpYLKvFrY&feature=plcp

Ravelle

16-05-2012, 09:54 PM

Lambchops

16-05-2012, 09:59 PM

I believe I'm the only one that doesn't hate Navi ;p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCjyiEOZP44

Ravelle

16-05-2012, 10:52 PM

How is that not adorable? She's just tying to help you guys.

The JG Man

17-05-2012, 01:23 AM

To which my friend also replied "STOP TRYING TO HELP ME!" Of course, that could've been directed at me, but I was providing biscuits, so it seemed unlikely. I believe in the 3DS version, they toned her down a little bit, so lesson half-learnt. Like I said, your companion fairy in Skyward Sword is far, far worse than Navi is.

DaftPunk

17-05-2012, 06:59 AM

I need help guys,i can create server in Company Of Heroes or any other game,swat 4 for example but its not visible because i use router,so what can i do to fix this. I read somewhere that you need to unlock ip or something like that :o

Sketch

17-05-2012, 07:06 AM

sonson

17-05-2012, 12:30 PM

Never got *that* annoyed with Navi, also I wasn't very good at working out what to do next so it helped to have her point the way at times.

I can understand why people hate the Water Temple but I never had an issue with it, must have just lucked out. Thing that used to annoy me most were the hand things, it used to irritate me how much they scared me. That, and winning Epona, from that twirly moustache bastard.

For a game so long I rarley got annoyed though, in hindsight.

Heliocentric

17-05-2012, 12:48 PM

I enjoyed the water temple too, I was probably just lucky/smarter than the complainers. ^_^

Kodeen

17-05-2012, 02:32 PM

Speaking of consoletoys, I just got mine (PS3) in the mail yesterday after having sold it a couple of years ago. I played GT5 for most of the evening. They seemed to have jumped the shark in this game. I mean ... go-karts. Also, parts of the levels and a large majority of the cars seem to be PS2 assets, which is disappointing. It's still GT, though.

jnx

17-05-2012, 04:13 PM

I just played my first ever game of Mage Knight. I was convinced of its greatness after reading the article on RPS, or rather halfway through it. However, it wasn't all that simple to get it. I had to wait several weeks before it was available. The game is just as great as it sounds if you dig up that article. It's actually rather simple to play, but there's a huge amount of setting up, and while the rules aren't complicated, there are a lot of them. Anyway here's a screenshot.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6334282/IMAG0134.jpg

Winged Nazgul

17-05-2012, 04:16 PM

Never mind. I found the link.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/01/14/cardboard-children-boardgame-of-2011/

Heliocentric

17-05-2012, 04:39 PM

I can now reliably beat Binding of Issac,but why does it get slow down when I can run Crysis on high on the same pc?

airtekh

17-05-2012, 04:48 PM

I'm having a bit of a Portal 2 binge at the moment.

In addition to playing the mountain of newly created community test chambers, I'm replaying both the singleplayer and the excellent co-op.

Sketch

17-05-2012, 05:27 PM

Max Payne 3.

Wow, this game is fantastic so far. If Max Payne 2 was the Fall of Max Payne, then this is his at the bottom. They've capture him perfectly, the writing is pretty damn good so far, a tad less silly than the first two games. But the physics are astounding, leaping head first into a wall, kind of recoiling and Max pulling himself to his feet in a completely uncanned animation is brilliant.

Just great.

Ravelle

17-05-2012, 05:32 PM

Want to play it so bad, damn you PC version delays.

Sketch

17-05-2012, 05:36 PM

I'm only stopping to recharge my batteries!

It is literally fantastic so far, when you DO get it though, I'd play on Normal rather than Hard - it's not a forgiving game.

Casimir Effect

17-05-2012, 06:47 PM

I can now reliably beat Binding of Issac,but why does it get slow down when I can run Crysis on high on the same pc?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS4_Z84-rRE
Your answer.

cosmicolor

17-05-2012, 10:47 PM

Diablo 3 Starter Edition since a kind RPSer got me into it. The DRM shit was spotty for me, which I wasn't really impressed with, but the game itself was real enjoyable. Blizzard did a really good job giving the attacks impact. Will I buy it? Yes, but only after a price drop and/or time when the drm is virtually problem-free.

Rolled a Monk first, enjoyed kicking skeletons all the way across the screen.

Juan Carlo

18-05-2012, 12:48 AM

Started Saints Row 2 which I bought a while back. Probably won't finish it any time soon, but I really liked the uber-detailed character editer. Finally, at long last, I can play as an morbidly obese, middle aged, chicano, transexual!

Rauten

18-05-2012, 12:51 AM

khaz

18-05-2012, 12:59 AM

Slowly making my way through Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines, just finished mission 6, which I only managed to finish after realizing the potential for awesomeness in combining the Green Beret's radio with the Sapper's bear trap.

Haha, indeed. That radio will be your best friend to break up single man patrols when the missions get more devious.

Ertai

18-05-2012, 01:00 AM

Took two months of gaming because of work in Germany etc.
World of Tanks again.
Now playing Company of Heroes, main campaign, 8th mission, really starting to like it, tho Men of War:Assault squad would be higher in my toplist (also the old brilliant Close Combat series) - I like more realistic approach, but CoH is really a gem!
Dropped Deux Ex: 30-60minutes played approx. dunno why didn't like it.
Skyrim - taking a break.

Installed Hitman Blood Money again, did i finish it or not, don't remember.
Also thinking of reinstalling and playing Alpha Protocol for second playthrough after some years.
that's it.
Hoping to get to play Diablo III Starter Edition. No guest pass yet, or a month of waiting.

dsch

18-05-2012, 04:22 AM

Going through Far Cry 2 again. Didn't finish it the first time, but am much more engaged this time round, for some reason. And it's so beautiful.

Raaritsgozilla

18-05-2012, 05:24 AM

Dropped Deux Ex: 30-60minutes played approx. dunno why didn't like it.
.
I had this exact same experience

I'm playing Brotherhood more at the moment. I'm going to start Patrician IV again then because of these forums will try Far Cry 2 again (Didnt like it first time)

MD!

18-05-2012, 05:54 AM

Are you guys talking about Deus Ex the first, or Human Revolution?

Velko

18-05-2012, 06:09 AM

Far Cry 2 is pretty. The fire mechanics are pretty and awesome and often present tactically interesting situations. Baddies sitting in cover behind a fence? Set the grass on fire = baddies come out or burn alive. I just wish the fires would spread a little farther and didn't die out so quickly.

Also, imagine if Just Cause 2 had that sort of fires :drool:

Ertai

18-05-2012, 07:00 AM

Are you guys talking about Deus Ex the first, or Human Revolution?

I'm sorry, I was talking about Human Revolution.
Maybe I should put more time into it, but the main problem is:
as I read that basically you could play it as you want, BUT sneaky types gets more xp ... so my problem is while I could ignore the sneaky type or be semi-sneaky type, in back of my head the maximalist is pounding my brains saying think-think - you're loosing a huge amount of xp points atm.

That's the problem, I usually creep behind every corner, try to do all side missions etc etc.

It sound really stupid and plain, but it really bothers me.

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 07:04 AM

This is why xp needs to GTFO every genre. Seriously RPG's can keep it as long as it's quest xp only, not xp for smacking every goblin.

dsch

18-05-2012, 07:35 AM

I ended up playing DXHR just for the story, which started well but got a bit lost towards the end. It had great atmosphere, though.

Actually, I think the DXHR opening (the proper opening, when Jensen gets back to work) may be the best I've seen, narratively. Loved one dead (or is she? and what is the backstory there?), hidden intrigue, rumblings of discontent: it was set up with so much potential. I think the narrative suffered from being too much about the grand, technological theme. That would have been great as a backdrop to a tighter, more personal story.

In other news, I'm also encouraging everyone to try Fallen London.

Nalano

18-05-2012, 08:15 AM

I'm sorry, I was talking about Human Revolution.
Maybe I should put more time into it, but the main problem is:
as I read that basically you could play it as you want, BUT sneaky types gets more xp ... so my problem is while I could ignore the sneaky type or be semi-sneaky type, in back of my head the maximalist is pounding my brains saying think-think - you're loosing a huge amount of xp points atm.

That's the problem, I usually creep behind every corner, try to do all side missions etc etc.

It sound really stupid and plain, but it really bothers me.

Pff. Everybody knows that to maximize XP, you sneak past the guard, then you sweet-talk the guard, then you club the guard to death. Bonus points if you sell the guard an item and then pickpocket the item back.

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 08:26 AM

Pff. Everybody knows that to maximize XP, you sneak past the guard, then you sweet-talk the guard, then you club the guard to death. Bonus points if you sell the guard an item and then pickpocket the item back.

Sad but true. Between filling vents with knocked out guards and blocking doors with vending machines I think my jensen has serious vicarious-agrophobia, "All people must be in confined places" a stand out moment was jumping over the 'opponents' on the last area like Super Mario with the jumping augmentation rather than trying to sneak by or subdue them.

Nalano

18-05-2012, 08:43 AM

Btw, Helio--

This is why xp needs to GTFO every genre. Seriously RPG's can keep it as long as it's quest xp only, not xp for smacking every goblin.

Y'know, that's exactly how Mass Effect works.

(inb4 Wizardry)

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 08:46 AM

Btw, Helio--

Y'know, that's exactly how Mass Effect works.

(inb4 Wizardry)
ME1 had goblin smacking XP though.

Nalano

18-05-2012, 08:48 AM

ME1 had goblin smacking XP though.

ME1 had massively stupid inventory juggling, too.

Anyway, back on topic, oscillating between Company of Heroes, Saints Row 3 and Simcity 4. So, basically, I'm avoiding clanmates and Origin friends.

khaz

18-05-2012, 08:54 AM

Not had time to play Heroes of Newerth over the last six weeks. Getting back into it this weekend like a total maniacal fiend. Cannot wait, curse this moba obsession of mine.

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 01:36 PM

Capsized, got to level 11 and playing with the 360 controller Its got a really nice flow to it once you realise you can use the kick/impact hammer function of your grappling hook while grappling and you are incredibly mobile as a result. But I did start getting slightly tired of smashing statues and being chased by seemingly infinite swarms of giant bloat fly things and the intro cut scene comic things summed up my feelings perfectly.

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/541801803990876902/DAE971C6E3BA410A89DFF799C09CEC1C263D0650/

Time to take a break I think.

Casimir Effect

18-05-2012, 01:53 PM

I really enjoyed Capsized just because of how much fun it was to move around. Jumping, wall-climbing, jetpack, elastic grappling hook, impact hammer thing - on the more open levels things were so much fun. I remember Quinns review where he mentioned falling a long way, grappling to something and catapulting himself back up at great velocity. That's what I did at every opportunity and loved it.

Sounds like you're almost at the end to be honest. The game is pretty short but I'd say it's that perfect length. Surprised you went for the 360 controller though as I found mouse+kb really easy and precise.

Fontan

18-05-2012, 03:05 PM

Currently going through The Witcher after buying it ages ago. Just got to Chapter II. I recently finished Penumbra: Overture, so I'm considering getting started on Black Plague as well.

Serenegoose

18-05-2012, 03:16 PM

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 03:33 PM

Sounds like you're almost at the end to be honest. The game is pretty short but I'd say it's that perfect length. Surprised you went for the 360 controller though as I found mouse+kb really easy and precise.
It wouldn't surprise if I was nearly done and I'd likely come back to it, in coop hopefully. The pad is because I tend to get "keyboard claw" (sore hands/wrists) if I try and play a game with both hands on the keyboard(just realised that isn't the case in Capsized doh!) . Capsized I played with a regular 360 (used the same for Bionic Commando Rearmed) pad and it really is nice that every button has a job, could be nightmarish for me to try and learn m+ kb now.

In Binding of Issac I used a 360 street fighter pad(same with Spelunky and retro gaming) because it's a digital input game and it is much more enjoyable with the snappiness.

Memph

18-05-2012, 04:36 PM

Capsized I played with a regular 360 (used the same for Bionic Commando Rearmed) pad

You must have madskillz on a 360 pad. Fine for Capsized, but for BC:Rearmed it was an impossible nightmare as there was no way in hell I could use either the analogue stick, or that sorry excuse for a d-pad to aim diagonally. It pissed me off so much I spent an hour taking the smegger apart to try that 'put a disc of plastic under the d-pad trick', but failed.

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 05:07 PM

You must have madskillz on a 360 pad. Fine for Capsized, but for BC:Rearmed it was an impossible nightmare as there was no way in hell I could use either the analogue stick, or that sorry excuse for a d-pad to aim diagonally. It pissed me off so much I spent an hour taking the smegger apart to try that 'put a disc of plastic under the d-pad trick', but failed.
You are going to feel so silly.
You might want to take a seat.
Ready? Okay, here goes. You can't aim diagonal in re-armed. Firing off the hook-arm while stationary(no direction of movement pressed) does it at a 45 degree angle.
That's it, guns always shooting flat.

Trelow

18-05-2012, 05:23 PM

I'll likely be playing nothing but Diablo 3 for a few months at least; and I'm ok with that.

DaftPunk

18-05-2012, 06:29 PM

I figured out how to open router for CoH to work,so i had one skrimish match with friend against two AI. Then i played some SP and damn,game is mad hard on even normal. I mean i manage to win every time but its not an easy win,if you get me. I cna't imagine playing game on hard or even highest difficulty :D

alms

18-05-2012, 08:41 PM

Well, I was enjoying torchlight, until I got 30 floors down and started running into one-hit-kill dark zealots. I had zero deaths up until that point. Sucked all the fun out of the game in an instant.

had the same problem with instadeath and tried the rebalance mod which apparently didn't make much difference for me (I also picked up the Ferret mod, brighter map, respec, and another one to make gems bigger).

Guess my character was underleveled, because I went back up and did Vasman's quests which I had somehow left behind. When eventually I confronted the zealots again my char was strong enough to handle them. Playing a vanquisher, I was using wind of justice to keep the green skellies at bay while I spammed arrows on the zealots' heads. "...very satisfying."

Casimir Effect

18-05-2012, 09:42 PM

Well, I was enjoying torchlight, until I got 30 floors down and started running into one-hit-kill dark zealots. I had zero deaths up until that point. Sucked all the fun out of the game in an instant.
Those things are a pain and you need to keep an eye out for them then not get too close. Lots of summons help to keep the heat off. Weirdly I had no problem with them using my Vanquisher, but my Alchemist ran into all sorts of trouble until I realised what was killing me. You can always try building some lightning resistance.

But then, while they are annoying I think you're getting near the end, so some added difficulty is expected.

Heliocentric

18-05-2012, 09:48 PM

I was a minion master type Alchemist, i had a 2 of my spell as summons and my dog was summoning, we both had "heal all", i had a gun with an insane rate of stunning, i simply stunned opponents while my zombie sate them. The narrative last boss just stood dazed while my zombies killed him.

Serenegoose

18-05-2012, 09:50 PM

Those things are a pain and you need to keep an eye out for them then not get too close. Lots of summons help to keep the heat off. Weirdly I had no problem with them using my Vanquisher, but my Alchemist ran into all sorts of trouble until I realised what was killing me. You can always try building some lightning resistance.

But then, while they are annoying I think you're getting near the end, so some added difficulty is expected.

Yeah, I'd figured out a mostly reliable method until a boss one destroyed me instantly - when I respawned the entire floor above it had been demapped and repopulated, so I ragequit.

Casimir Effect

18-05-2012, 10:32 PM

Yeah, I'd figured out a mostly reliable method until a boss one destroyed me instantly - when I respawned the entire floor above it had been demapped and repopulated, so I ragequit.
The boss ones hurt like hell but they shouldn't be dropping you instantly. Any chance you're under-levelled? Could always buy some dungeon maps or go do some quests for the Asshole Who Always Wants Stuff.

Serenegoose

18-05-2012, 10:34 PM

The boss ones hurt like hell but they shouldn't be dropping you instantly. Any chance you're under-levelled? Could always buy some dungeon maps or go do some quests for the Asshole Who Always Wants Stuff.

Not on a regular attack, but a crit. I'm level 30 at present, against level 28s. I might do those though, give me some different layouts to explore until the idea of remapping an entire floor doesn't fill me with as much ire. I'd like to finish the game now that I've got so close, and ideally I don't want that sensation to be marred with a sense of 'thank fuck for that.'

Casimir Effect

18-05-2012, 10:47 PM

ideally I don't want that sensation to be marred with a sense of 'thank fuck for that.'
Ah, so... um... the final boss... um... ... a fantastic great experience not at all a dull annoying HP-sink you'll be totally fulfilled.

There's also an endless dungeon that opens up which can be fun if you want to keep going, and all the extra maps of course. I've never really experienced what happens after the endgame though. All I know if that there is a metric fucktonne of mods that can add extra content

Serenegoose

18-05-2012, 11:40 PM

Apparently my game is just broken. I died again, and once more the entire dungeon unmapped and respawned every enemy on the floor. No. Just. No.

Tritagonist

19-05-2012, 12:23 AM

Played about an hour of Dungeon Siege III. The camera is a bit of a hassle, and the characters don't 'feel' like they have any weight to them which makes movement somewhat unwieldy. The whole "You are the last of your order of Special Knights" is also a bit tiresome. Still, I think there's some potential there that I hope comes through if there are some larger scale battles later on in the game.

Casimir Effect

19-05-2012, 12:41 AM

Apparently my game is just broken. I died again, and once more the entire dungeon unmapped and respawned every enemy on the floor. No. Just. No.
I don't know if I've ever died in Torchlight so I'm not sure what happens. Doesn't sound right though - I'm pretty sure things shouldn't re-map or respawn.

OT: That's Mass Effect 2 + (ALL) DLC done. Overlord was an interesting deviation, trying as it did to make a more horror environment. Lair of the Shadow Broker was the best and felt like a well-crafted beast, although definitely worth it's price (once converted from Bioware Moon Money) seeing as it lasted about 3-4 hours.
The Arrival was also decent for what it is meant to be - a bridge between ME2 and ME3. The environments were decent and the character skins lazy and rehashed. My biggest sticking point is the story itself and where it was sent at the end of ME2. In ME1, a single Reaper is enough to fuck up so many ships/people. In ME2, a single Reaper controls an entire species and almost fucks up humanity (and has some weird, unexplained plan involving human Reapers too). In ME3 (which I haven't yet played), and as set up by ME2 and The Arrival, the Reapers invade. Hundreds of them. I'm sorry, but the galaxy is fucked if that happens. The only way out is either a giant ret-con or the biggest deus-ex machina ever pulled, neither of which will be good. In my opinion the story should never have gone that route: keep the Reapers as a constant threat but otherwise leave them the fuck outta things.

I'm sure I'll enjoy playing ME3 and have fun with the story (supposedly crappy ending notwithstanding) but I can't see how the plot can do anything other than go overboard or cop-out.

Serenegoose

19-05-2012, 12:42 AM

I don't know if I've ever died in Torchlight so I'm not sure what happens. Doesn't sound right though - I'm pretty sure things shouldn't re-map or respawn.

It definitely isn't right, because I've been dying fairly consistently since hitting the last area at level 30 - but it's only once I get up to level 33 that everything keeps respawning, like it's not saving my progress past that point. Oh well.

Fumarole

19-05-2012, 12:49 AM

Well, I was enjoying torchlight, until I got 30 floors down and started running into one-hit-kill dark zealots. I had zero deaths up until that point. Sucked all the fun out of the game in an instant.On a hardcore playthrough with my first time as the alchemist guy I died literally at the top of the stairs down to the final boss.

alms

19-05-2012, 01:09 AM

Apparently my game is just broken. I died again, and once more the entire dungeon unmapped and respawned every enemy on the floor. No. Just. No.

Your progress should only be lost whenever you drop back to title instead of choosing one of the options. Otherwise you should be able to walk back to the exact spot where you died and find the same monsters with exactly the same health you left them with.

Or at least that's how it works for me at Hard/not hardcore, regardless of the dungeon level.

Serenegoose

19-05-2012, 02:40 AM

My torchlight woes are gone, because I got my beta weekend invite :) I was pleasantly surprised to find that in both diablo 3 and torchlight 2, your ranged DPS has an early level skill to fire very rapidly, regardless of how impossible your choice of ranged weapon would actually make the task. I'm looking at you, demon-hunter crossbows.

Sketch

19-05-2012, 02:54 AM

kstress71

19-05-2012, 05:15 AM

MD!

19-05-2012, 05:46 AM

I finally got around to starting Botanicula today, and it's lovely! Closer to Samorost than to Machinarium, but with a whole new aesthetic and mood and style of its own. Delightful.

Heliocentric

19-05-2012, 09:00 AM

Set myself the goal of expanding my gaming horizons, so I'm planning on diving into a good RTS. Never really been very good at them historically, but want to appreciate the genre more. Any suggestions for a good series to start with and enjoy for an RTS newbie? Doesn't have to be recent necessarily. Just engaging with a reasonable learning curve. I was thinking RUSE, Starcraft II, or C&C Tiberium Sun. Thoughts?

Truely a newbie rts player should probably start with a nuanced tower defence game, say plants vs zombies.

Next play atom zombie smasher, it's a risk assessment and attrition experience which is alien to people. After that you need to decide which school of strategy game you want to learn, entropic or empirical.

Starcraft is an example of empirical, combat is resolved in a mathematically certain manner(C&C games belong in this group, as does Warcraft and many more) .

An example of entropic is men of war (or company of heroes or world in conflict) *

Simply put, in empirical rts luck has very little bareing, in an entropic rts management of everything going wrong is a core skill.

*WiC is a hybrid as the units are empirical but the omnipresent artillery is highly unpredictable at times

Lambchops

19-05-2012, 10:21 AM

Finished the tird chapter of The Dream Machine. Probably my favourite chapter so far in terms of puzzles, they've ditched some of the frustrations of the first chapter for a more detective-esque kind of feel, which is something I always tend to find satisfying when it come to puzzles. It still looks great and is utterly macabre at times. Definitely looking forward to the concluding chapters, though I kind of wish I'd waited for the whole thing to finish before buying as it definitely feels like one game arbitrrary chopped into chunks. Then again I get the impression it was only split into chapters because it's so time consuming to make and the devs needed some money to keep them going and I'm more than happy to do so.

sabrage

19-05-2012, 12:23 PM

How is PvZ "nuanced"? It introduces new towers with the precise purpose of countering whatever new threat a level presents. There's very little decision-making at all; I used essentially the same strategy with a few towers swapped out for every level. I'd be willing to bet that everyone else that played used the exact same strategy too. I still enjoyed it (because I'm a total sucker for tower defenses) but it was all a bit mindless if you ask me.

Still grinding away at Demon's Souls. In case you haven't heard, it's hard, especially since there's a Dark World tendency event for the remainder of the server's uptime. I found Dark Souls for a song at Goodwill so I've got that lined up next.

Ravelle

19-05-2012, 12:23 PM

Had a fair amount of Diablo III and Torchlight II beta.

I also played a little of the new Game of Thrones game, the voice acting sounds a little out of place and most people talk like dorky half-wits while Mors sound like someone from the Warhammer games. Combat isn't as bad as I expected and the graphics are quite decent.

Drake Sigar

19-05-2012, 01:27 PM

Back to the Future. I'm really not sure why I seem to own every TellTale retail release (except for Jurrasic Park) because they're not fantastic games, but they can be charming in their way. Even looking forward to getting the complete Walking Dead after RPS ran a fairly positive article on the first episode.

LeiterJakab

19-05-2012, 01:29 PM

I'm playing Dream Machine too. I'm in the middle of chapter 2 (I guess). I've made my first venture into the world of Proteus as well.

DickSocrates

19-05-2012, 02:22 PM

Max Payne 3 is still brilliant, I think it feels like a Max Payne game, but it's got Rockstar's touch to it, it's actually better written that the first the only thing missing is the slight silliness to it, though there is some dark humour in its place. I really hope it gets a good PC version, because it's a wonderful game. Even if it wasn't well written, presented etc. it would still be worth playing for the phenomenal animations and physics engine.

The Rockstar touch is what is putting me off it. There's no sense of magic, wonder, awe, otherness, intrigue or strangeness in anything they do. It's all plain thugs and inelegant satire. Max Payne 1 and 2 are weird experiences and from everything I've seen of MP3, it's just a slick action fest like the kind of movie that once it's finished you'd say 'Yeah, was ok. Not sure how it got a cinema release or why it was made in the first place, but it's ok.' For that to be a Max Payne game, to me, is a tragedy.

Heliocentric

19-05-2012, 03:13 PM

How is PvZ "nuanced"? It introduces new towers with the precise purpose of countering whatever new threat a level presents. There's very little decision-making at all; I used essentially the same strategy with a few towers swapped out for every level. I'd be willing to bet that everyone else that played used the exact same strategy too. I still enjoyed it (because I'm a total sucker for tower defenses) but it was all a bit mindless if you ask me.
Just acknowledged I've selected it as a tool for novices to learn time management and basic strategy.

Defence Grid is perhaps deeper better game, but you can bludgeon down many levels with exactly one tower type(cannon and gun are both candidates for this on many levels), but PvsZ forces you to use half a dozen different towers and mirrors 2 thirds of the rush boom turtle trinity.

Sketch

19-05-2012, 03:14 PM

Nah, this still feels very much a Max Payne game. He probably gets more characterisation in the first cutscene (the horror!) than he does in MP1 or 2. MP3 is much more than 'ok'. Plus the plot is not nearly as much of a mish mash as the original 2.

sabrage

19-05-2012, 05:39 PM

Just acknowledged I've selected it as a tool for novices to learn time management and basic strategy.

Defence Grid is perhaps deeper better game, but you can bludgeon down many levels with exactly one tower type(cannon and gun are both candidates for this on many levels), but PvsZ forces you to use half a dozen different towers and mirrors 2 thirds of the rush boom turtle trinity.
I have no argument that it's a great beginner's strategy game, just with your word choice. As far as non-WC3 tower defenses go, I think PixelJunk Monsters is my favorite, though of course that's a Sonybox exclusive.

Heliocentric

19-05-2012, 05:50 PM

I have no argument that it's a great beginner's strategy game, just with your word choice. As far as non-WC3 tower defenses go, I think PixelJunk Monsters is my favorite, though of course that's a Sonybox exclusive.

Sure, nuanced was probably a bad word, I think I was looking for an alternative to layered.

The JG Man

19-05-2012, 05:56 PM

cosmicolor

19-05-2012, 07:33 PM

The Torchlight 2 beta as an Engineer, and Diablo 3 Starter still. Just went through that as a Wizard, gonna try out Barbarian next. TL2 is pretty enjoyable as well.

psyk

19-05-2012, 07:38 PM

Just Salem

Serenegoose

19-05-2012, 09:10 PM

The Torchlight 2 beta as an Engineer, and Diablo 3 Starter still. Just went through that as a Wizard, gonna try out Barbarian next. TL2 is pretty enjoyable as well.

The engineer is so good. I've been rockin' it up with a voulge, medibot, and spider mines. Unfreakin'touchable, to quote the scout.

cosmicolor

19-05-2012, 09:40 PM

I'm going a little more two-hander at the moment, switching between my gun and sword weapon set as I feel like it. Pretty fun.

Barbarian in Diablo 3 was a lot of fun, especially when I got Leap and could jump right into a crowd and start hammering things to death, sending skellingtons flying. When I get the full game, that might well be the class I take to the end of Normal first.

Heliocentric

19-05-2012, 10:51 PM

Just decided to continue my controller rampage and played "and yet it moves", Its well made is somewhat self contained, but the focus helps you know you are not lost.

Just got a monkey to hit himself in the face with his nuts.

Scumbag

19-05-2012, 11:02 PM

Just finished playing about 3 hours of Tribes: Ascend with a friend. Very good fun. Rarely feels unfair, mostly feels satisfying. I can see how it can get a bit pay to win, but it seems fairly level so far. It makes a welcome departure from BF3 at any rate.

There be an RPS server people play on. (http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/forums/showthread.php?3338-Rock-Paper-Spinfusor-Tribes-Ascend) I can see how people can percive it as pay to win, but not quite. There are a couple of blatant upgrade weapons (the Tech's thumper and the Raider's Plasma gun) but most weapons when gained are not really that much better then the opening weapons, more sidegrades. The evil temptation to pay mainly comes with the need to unlock stuff yet you need to upgrade what you already have.

The JG Man

20-05-2012, 12:02 AM

I know, I spent a bit of that time tinkering. I was actually gonna hop on the RPS server last night, but no-one was on. Besides, playing with my friend was pretty amusing, especially for a short time at the beginning when we were on opposing teams and hilarious skiing past each other. I'll be sure to jump on board!

Sketch

20-05-2012, 12:35 AM

Huh, playing MP3 still and I'm coming across some weird stuff now. Especially the flashbacks to NYC, anyone who remembers the tramps from the apartments in 2 will probably nostalgia here. Some cheesy jokes too which fit, and I could very much imagine Remedy having something like it. Few pretty damn hard parts too, but nothing frustratingly so. I think when RPS does a WIT they'll be a bit upset over how much the controls get taken away (there's like 4 hours of cutscenes) but it's nothing annoying like RE4, stuff actually HAPPENS in them. That's not to say there isn't plenty of gunplay either - there is. Tried the multiplayer too, it's pretty fun so far, leaping over an guard rail in slo mo, turning round and gunning down a friend as I start to flip is so fun.

Voon

20-05-2012, 04:26 AM

Dark Souls again, gentlemen

Holy shit, I thought I'm gonna barf looking at that Gaping Dragon in the sewers. Big, headless with a ripped out torso and exposed rib-cage for a mouth. My little brother played with my character for a while and reached that part. He's pretty good at at so, I wouldn't worry (he fought and killed the goddamned thing in his playthrough without Solaire). But, he wasted all my fire arrows, so I had to take the controller back and killed that thing proper with my Halberd and followed his advice by backing the fuck up after hitting that thing twice.

Also, I went back to the Asylum to fight tubby again. Only this time, it wasn't a fair fight...

Althea

20-05-2012, 03:52 PM

I loaded up Mercs 2.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/2184/miscfemaleseriouslyglas.jpg

DaftPunk

20-05-2012, 05:44 PM

Never played the mercs 2,how are they. From videos game look quite fun,even if its flawed.

NathanH

20-05-2012, 05:45 PM

I have been playing some Skyrim. I've played about 45 hours of the game and I've reached the stage where I just want to go back and play Oblivion instead every time I start playing.

Althea

20-05-2012, 05:46 PM

Never played the mercs 2,how are they. From videos game look quite fun,even if its flawed.
Look at the image I posted. That sums it up.

It's the single shittest console port I've encountered so far. I can barely read the UI.

byteCrunch

20-05-2012, 05:47 PM

Torchlight 2, having a blast so far, despite having done the beta about three times, it was still fun each time.

Raaritsgozilla

20-05-2012, 09:13 PM

Started playing Bad Company 2 again as I feel I want to buy BF3 and do not have any money for it. Is it the same kinda thing?

Also, is there an RPS server?

Drake Sigar

20-05-2012, 09:27 PM

Back to the Future.

Your mission Mr Mcfly, should you choose to accept it - team up with your best friend from an alternate timeline, then ignore his wishes and destroy his young self's life whilst condemning his wife to a lifetime of unhappiness in a dingy apartment smelling of cat pee, all because you think your reality is more valid than his.

Seriously, I felt like a complete asshole.

squareking

20-05-2012, 11:15 PM

I have been playing some Skyrim. I've played about 45 hours of the game and I've reached the stage where I just want to go back and play Oblivion instead every time I start playing.

May I ask why?

NathanH

20-05-2012, 11:39 PM

May I ask why?

I suppose that, to begin with, for Oblivion I have gathered together a collection of mods that makes the game play pretty much how I want. For Skyrim I cannot yet find these mods and furthermore because a lot of the RPG mechanics have changed in Skyrim it's far from clear that Skyrim mods will ever be able to match Oblivion for me. And I don't have enough time to make my own.

Another thing is that I think that the way things worked in Oblivion was much more to my liking, particularly the magic system and the spellcasting. I loved being able to instantly fling the spell I wanted without having to unequip anything, and having a huge variety of spells that I could tinker with. Skyrim's magic would require a massive overhaul to get it to the same level of quality as vanilla Oblivion, and it would be a big effort to try to work out which if any of the magic overhaul mods to use. By contrast, I found it very easy to find and select a spell system tweak mod for Oblivion which worked in a way that I knew I'd like, because the initial system is so robust.

Finally there's the stats and skills system, which again was more expressive in Oblivion and easier to tweak to my liking. A big problem with Skyrim is that it doesn't allow expressive definition of your character through your stats. A good example is restoration. No matter what you choose at the start of the game, pretty much every Skyrim character is of a roughly equal restoration skill, and will advance at broadly the same rate if they use the skill the same amount. And restoration is obviously a good skill to use. I can't imagine a character not making significant use of restoration. Restricting your restoration use because you've decided that your character is bad at it is just the wrong way round for an RPG system: you should define your character through the mechanics and then best play should follow naturally from the mechanics.

Compare instead an Oblivion Breton with Restoration major skill and Magic focus with an Oblivion Orc with Restoration minor skill and Combat focus. The Orc starts out much worse than the Breton at restoration and even with the same amount of skill use will continue to be much worse throughout the game. Add to that as well that the Orc is probably not going to use Restoration as much because he's not as good at it and will be relying on alternative strategies.

This sort of problem persists throughout the Skyrim skill system. The character that I have played the most with hasn't really developed anything like the way I wanted her to, because the game didn't allow me to make her good at the things I wanted her to be good at, and it turned out that using other skills was just better play so I used them instead. And next time I play I will probably do the same things because the mechanics drive me in a particular skill direction. Add to that as well that the removal of attributes in Skyrim gives you even less scope to define your character. Indeed, I use a mod in Oblivion that makes my character extremely poor in an attribute if she is extremely poor at its three associated skills. The corresponding theme in Skyrim just doesn't exist.

Nalano

20-05-2012, 11:50 PM

Sketch

21-05-2012, 12:01 AM

On Althea's reccomendation (yup, I'm putting this all on you), I've been playing some Divinity II: DKS and...

so far it's pretty good! Not very far at all yet, but impressions are fairly good so far. If it keeps this up, I will feel like I should have paid more, which is weird.

Jackpotzz

21-05-2012, 12:20 AM

playing rambo IV

SirKicksalot

21-05-2012, 03:20 AM

Diablo 3.
The writing and some of the voices are abysmal. I don't usually care for that in games but here they're so bad they hurt, and the same was true for Starcraft 2. Hey, at least it's not as bad as Heart Of The Swarm's leaked ending!
I'm also annoyed by the awful quest rewards.
Otherwise it's fucking brilliant. I'll play it for years.

NathanH

21-05-2012, 07:55 AM

I can appreciate the difference between the two, but I hate stat-based identification, especially when even what you describe is itself not "expressive definition of your character through stats", but of informed ability. Your Breton and Orc argument, for instance, proves that it's not the self-definition of your character by the usage of your stats, but the fact that you selected primary skills at the beginning of the game, pre-determining your lot in life.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean here, but I think that pre-determining how good your character is going to be at X is totally all right and good for RPGs. It's not exactly necessary; Skyrim attempts to have you define your character through perks throughout the game. This doesn't work particularly well, but it's not necessarily the concept that is bad, just the execution. I think it's harder to execute as well: you need to care about game balance, and Bethesda games don't really care about game balance and I reckon they should try to avoid it as much as possible even.

I don't understand how you think you can define your character without doing it through stats. Sure, you can say "my character isn't very good at X", but unless the game mechanics reflect this, you're just wrong. Your character is good at X.