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Posted by Scampie [216.220.241.97] on 2004/09/27 08:12:48
So with the film and music threads still going and being discussed... why don't we get some discussion going on something on topic to the board? What other games are you playing now?

Currently...
#1 posted by Scampie [216.220.241.97] on 2004/09/27 08:20:41
I'm playing Katamari Damacy and X-Men Legends both for PS2.
Katamari Damacy is a crazy japanese game where you roll up a sticky ball of everything to a specified size within a timelimit. Lots of fun and a great sense of scale and style. It's great starting out being able to roll over thumbtacks, then eventually getting big enough to roll over people. They make great screams :D
X-Men Legends is a cool action/RPG game featuring the X-men characters. Kind of like a Diablo 2 type game, but you have a team of 4 most of the time, and can switch on the fly between which you control, the computer taking control of the others. I don't have any friends, but I guess it also allows other players to jump in whenever and control someone else from the team. So far, it's been great fun blasting through levels and beating up sentinels. Wolverine has been my character of choice so far, but I just rescued Gambit and hope to start using him more often.
B;leh
#2 posted by Vondur [195.128.65.237] on 2004/09/27 08:25:02
i'm playing dungeon siege: legends of aranna
and w40k:dow
bleh
Well
#3 posted by JPL [192.91.75.30] on 2004/09/27 08:31:02
I finished yesterday night Red Faction 2 (on PS2)... There are lot of various weapons, and during some level, you can kill your ennemies from helicopter, tank, and sub-marine... Even if I found gameplay rather simple (kill / destroy, destroy everybody / everything you can kill / destroy), sometimes you need to take care to civilians... Globaly, I had fun.. this game is really worth played...
I also play Return to Castle: Wolfenstein (on PC, and not yet finished...). It's a little more tricky and hard I think.. Ennemies are more efficient to trap the player... There are again various weapons, and I found gameplay is really cool...
Q3 on PS2 as well... closed last year...
AND Q1 FOR EVER !!
Recently I Have Mostly Been Playing...
#4 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/09/27 11:18:10
http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
and
http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
Fantastic topic scampie...
Dungeon Siege
#5 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/09/27 13:08:34
I'm currently playing Dungeon Siege in my spare time. It's cool because for the most part your skills are auto-managed, so I can't mess it up.
I like the camera, and the visuals are pretty cool; although the fog can be a little annoying sometimes. Details are cool. It might be better if there were just a few more things to interact with--a few more puzzles and secrets.
Gameplay has some nice variety, and includes some hoard combat, plus combat against fewer but tougher monsters. It's pretty balanced, and has most, if not all, of the RPG elements that people usually enjoy.
The only problem is the one that plagues most RPGs: walking 5 minutes back to town to sell your loot, buy another party member, and upgrade your equipment. A town portal feature, or even a game-time slider would be useful to make the trip better. Come to think of it, I think there is a slider that controls the gamespeed, but it's buried in the options menu.
Katarmi
#6 posted by . [68.77.197.145] on 2004/09/27 13:19:20
Sounds interesting, but I don't have a PS2. I'll check it out anyway.
Since I'm broke I'm stuck in demo land and have just been playing demos of Colin Mcrae 03, 04, 04 and GTR and recording videos of lap replays and crashes:
http://www.phait-accompli.com/crap...
Cool
#7 posted by pjw [63.236.226.222] on 2004/09/27 13:50:39
It's kind of fun to see games you worked on mentioned (X-Men and DS:LoA).
I'm currently playing KOTOR--I started over after not playing it for a couple of months, since I kinda forgot what was going on, and am now back to where I was before (just killed the Rancor in the sewers).
I'm also playing Morrowind on and off (still), and will probably get back to Doom 3 at some point--I basically played the crap out of it for a couple of weeks there and am kind of burnt-out. Occasional bouts of Painkiller too.
Also still playing Trackmania, which I love, and just made a new track a couple of weeks ago.
My tracks: http://www.tm-exchange.com/main.as...
(if anyone plays the game and/or cares)
Morrowind And Blokettiblok
#8 posted by Fat Controller [222.152.132.27] on 2004/09/27 15:18:03
The latter's a fun little Pengo clone, best in small doses. But Morrowind's been consuming me of late. Maybe it should have been called Better Than Life.
One day I'll understand the editor too. Then I'll be truly stuffed.
Mafia
#9 posted by Blitz [24.218.86.166] on 2004/09/27 15:44:09
I'm playing Mafia for PC and it's pretty fun. There's alot of different sub-games in it that you do as part of your missions. It's like GTA3 but set in the 1920s. Good graphics, although sometimes it looks kind of dodgy when it's drawing the buildings and bridges. You'll be driving down the street and suddenly a 2 mile long bridge appears 100 ft in front of you. And that's with drawing distance set to 'Highest'
I think it also would have benefitted from a first person mode, but it's still alot of fun despite the above mentioned shortcomings.
I Bin Playang...
#10 posted by Maj [217.205.117.52] on 2004/09/27 15:45:45
Burnout 3 - as I said in GA, it's Burnout 2 except with extra shitness.
Ninja Gaiden - despite its flaws, pretty much pisses over every sp fps of the last five years in terms of fun and interesting combat. Just goes to show what can be achieved when the emphasis is on "pure" gameplay rather than atmospherics and scripted sequences.
#11 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.60.219] on 2004/09/27 15:56:02
MtGO - Great game, lots of people that play. Only bad side is I'm addicted to Draft, so I end up paying a $39 a week or so... but anyway, that's fun.
DoW demo - Can't wait for the real game, probably get it this weekend. Woot.
PS2 stuff - Lots of games here. Silent Hill 2, Onimusha 2, THUG, Megaman Anniversary, etc.
GBA - Like 3 Zelda games (Oracle games and the NES release), FFTactics Advance, Fire Emblem, Advance Wars 2, Yugioh card games... errrr nevermind that last one. Looking for Link's Awakening, and Tactics Ogre.
Well..
#12 posted by metlslime [64.124.188.211] on 2004/09/27 16:03:53
I picked up Viewtiful Joe and F-Zero GX recently, but I haven't had much time to play them. However, from what I played both are kinda cool, but not great.
I'm interested in that Katamasi Damacy game too, but I don't have a PS2...
Metlslime
#13 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/09/27 16:32:09
Viewtiful Joe gets better, until it gets worse. Episode 5 (or is it 6) is really hard. Once I got into the controls and after I got all the special moves, it was pretty fun until that point.
Arx Fatalis
#14 posted by truskoski [70.57.81.175] on 2004/09/27 19:01:37
just finished and going back to play it again. it rules.
Arx Fatalis
#15 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.73] on 2004/09/27 19:46:55
I liked it too. Of course it brought back all the fun of playing Ultima Underworld and then some. It had some truly suspensful moments (you probably know what I am refering to stopping a human sacrifice while being persued by an invisble stalker) , yikes.
I'll probably play it again soon too.
#16 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/09/27 20:08:31
I started playing Prince of Persia (sands of time) recently. When it first came out I was still finishing my degree and had to resist temptation. It's a great game with attractive visuals, well though out levels, and excellent mechanics. I love not being punished for sloppy mistakes or misreading the length of a jump. It frees you up to really explore the game and try out wacky moves. And you still feel bad ass when you pull it off. I hope the sand dagger becomes a staple of the PoP series.
Meh
#17 posted by NotoriousRay [68.48.66.194] on 2004/09/27 20:21:48
Just beat Call Of Duty: United Offensive singleplayer. Its...ok. Definitely NOT as good as all the hype and previews lead it to be. Typical call of duty stuff with arbitrary ridiculously-hard to cakewalk-easy difficulty. Multiplayer is so far so good. Bigger maps, vehicles and cool new weapons. Here's to hoping they don't fuck up the weapons like regular CoD is now.
Also I bought Diablo II but haven't tried it yet as I STILL haven't finished doom3. I know I will get sucked in so I'm waiting for the right time to jump in.
Also been playing quite a bit of Point of Existence, a mod for Battlefield: Vietnam. Good stuff. Occasionally some UT2K4 (onslaught usually).
Games I Am Playing
#18 posted by Scragbait [69.159.41.54] on 2004/09/27 20:30:56
Great Thread
I'm in a bit of a game slump and have mostly been playing Diablo 2 alone with the Amazon and Necromancer. I'd like to play more Half-Life, Deus-Ex and RtCW addons but nothing is calling me right now.
Games I Have On Que: Painkiller, DX2 - Invisible War
Games I Expect to Buy Soon (because they are becoming cheap): Prince of Persia - Sands of Time (I loved the 1st Prince - played on Hercules monochrome monitor with 8MHz 8088.; Thief 3 (I actually want to try it despite not going far with Thief 1.)
Oh And...
#19 posted by metlslime [64.124.188.211] on 2004/09/27 23:01:54
lots of Robotron (we have it here at work.)
Oh Yeah?
#20 posted by Lunaran [68.51.209.251] on 2004/09/27 23:08:13
Well I just played through Halo for the third time. Not because it was particularly spectacular (it is great fun, but it seems Bungie only had one level designer working there and all he could do to save time was c'n'p a lot), but simply because I'll be sitting in the living room with a sketch or assignment I have to do, and I'll look up and go "ooh, xbox!"
Rargh!
#21 posted by DaZ [80.189.46.1] on 2004/09/27 23:35:31
Currently playing:
Wh40K: Dawn of war.
I am loving this game atm, the space marines just rock, and dreadnaught powerfist kills just bring up some sort of childish glee locked inside me somewhere, played a bit of skirmish too and the eldar rock. Purple explosions were never so cool :)
Burnout3
On my brothers xbox, really fun game (never played the prequels). Crash modes are great fun and the aftertouch and crashbreakers add some "tactical" proceedings to the chaos. Good sense of speed too.
Recently played:
Doom 3
Pretty much commented about this in the "offical" thread, loved the game bar some minor annoyances, am currently mapping like a fuquer for it too.
Gaems
#22 posted by Friction [80.186.132.20] on 2004/09/28 02:58:36
Nethack, as usual.
http//www.kolumbus.fi/ville.niemin...
May the RNG bless my samurai.
Well Now, That Was Unexpected Behaviour!
#23 posted by Friction [80.186.132.20] on 2004/09/28 02:59:34
http://www.kolumbus.fi/ville.niemi...
Headthump
#24 posted by truskoski [70.57.81.175] on 2004/09/28 04:34:40
fuck yes. arx fatalis rules hell. agh. im on my 2nd play through it now. i love the whole feel of the game, everything feels so damn dirty, and it all looks like its gonna fucking fall apart! :)
sadly i never got to play ultima underworld, altho i have read alot about it and seen lots of screenies, but that doesnt really makes up for not playing it :(
agh. gonna go play some more arx
I Forgot To Mentionned...
#25 posted by JPL [192.91.75.30] on 2004/09/28 04:59:22
... that sometimes, I play with my "old game" which are Granturismo2, Tomb Raider 2-4, , Nightmare Creatures I and II, Ace Combat 3, WipeOut 2/3, on PX1, and Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness, WipeOut Fusion, Crash Bandicoot - The Revenge of Cortex on PS2... I've some others which are definitively lost and forgotten, because too much crappy... ;)
I, Yes I
#26 posted by Killes [83.79.4.121] on 2004/09/28 09:04:36
am playing Tribes Vengeance Multiplayer Beta, soon official Multiplayer Demo
Wh40K:DoW which is just fantastic
a dash of Dungeon Keeper 2
and ive got games of Fallout 2, Dungeon Siege, Freespace 2, morrowind and SShock2 one the cooker (started too many cant focus on 1)
Hmmm
#27 posted by VoreLord [144.131.203.253] on 2004/09/29 03:27:51
V8 Supercars 2, and GTR Press Demo. GTR should be the nuts when finished, if they don't stuff it up. Grand Prix 4.
Waiting for Richard Burns Rally to show up 'cause Colin Mcrae sucks it big time :(
#28 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/09/29 03:38:19
- farcry FFA or Teamplay DM has been played weekly by myself since it came out. Now that the game has been out a while players are learning that camping away in the mountains never fares well, and so matches are alot more fun.
- Nethack awww yeah
- Soul Calibur 2 has also been getting a healthy dose of button mashing lately. Maxi vs Taki, 200% health, 4 rounds to win, standard weapons only. It's the trash talk between me n my friend come up with that just makes it so much fun.
Vore
#29 posted by . [68.77.197.145] on 2004/09/29 04:28:47
I'm looknig forward to both RBR and GTR. I've been liking the Colin demos but once I realised they are a balance between accessible arcade and sim, the allure isn't as much. Can still be fun though, I've been recording and uploading videos of runs and crashes. For some reason though in any series Colin demos the control feels different than it did a week or more ago.. I wonder if it's cause of GTR's realism warping my senses/reflexes or if my controller is giving out (the brake paddle has a weird feeling now).
Besides Doom3
#30 posted by lightR [195.208.123.213] on 2004/09/29 07:04:27
q2 DM at work, civ2 when Im really bored at home
but lately I prefer clubbing and socialising to gaming, barely have time for doom3
...
#31 posted by Levelworm [61.173.222.45] on 2004/09/30 09:18:05
Still Diablo 1
Fun
#32 posted by ProdigyXL [216.111.202.25] on 2004/09/30 16:15:23
I rented Burnout3 over the past weekend and could not put it down. I felt like a kid playing it. The Road Rage mode I thought was the most fun. Just trying to crash other vechiles was good times. And like someone mentioned it has a great sense of speed.
Besides that I've been playing the Sims 2 like mad as well. While it is good fun, I wish there were more objects to interact with. Currently I'm trying to make every sim Bisexual and sleep with one another, it's fun to see everyone get pissed at each other by breaking each others hearts. It's like a daytime soap, only with that guy from the Real World Chicago to ruin it.
I also downloaded the demo of Tribes Ven, and I can't say that I'm impressed yet. The user interface for the stations is ugly and clunky and just doesn't do it for me. Graphically it's great I guess, but with the PixelShader 2.0 stuff turned out, the blurness that is supposed to look like a perspective thing just kind of blends everything together. It doesn't feel like either of the Tribes games. Which I guess is fair, 2 never felt like 1 either. I need to play it a bit more. As a side note, the demo ships with 3 or 5 of the 11 TOTAL MAPS... That just isn't cool.
I tried the Rome Total War demo too, it was cool to see the epic battles played out in front of me, but at the same time I wish the character animation was a little more varied. I only played through it a few times so gameplay wise I can't see much about it. Worth a try if you looking for a demo to play around with.
I also am beta testing The Matrix Online right now with Monolith. I obviously can't say what it's like but a recent new patch really overhauled part of it, and actually makes the game fun... it wasn't before. I'm hoping if I test this and what not, maybe I'll call Jason Hall and be like "Hey remember that kid in Michigan you wanted to hire years back, well I want a job now".
With my roommates I've playing Mario Kart 64 and Mario Tennis pretty religiously. Also on my emulator for DC we've gotten back into Dr.Mario and Bomberman II.
Hey Vorelord...
#33 posted by . [68.77.197.145] on 2004/09/30 20:17:37
Richard Burns Rally demo is out!
http://www.3dgamers.com/dlselect/g...
Burnout 3
#34 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/10/01 00:15:25
My brother is playing that right now and the music is atrocious. It's making me live under my headphones.
Speaking of music, here's the latest and greatest illegal hiphop mashup: http://www.waxy.org/archive/2004/0...
Think Grey Album but good.
Oh, I Forgot
#35 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/10/01 00:17:33
The other game I'm playing right now is texas hold 'em poker. Lots of it, and for money. I'm not kidding.
Phait
#36 posted by VoreLord [203.51.196.225] on 2004/10/01 02:16:32
Thank You, I hope it is as good as they say.
Vorelord
#37 posted by . [68.77.197.145] on 2004/10/01 02:33:05
I just tried it.
Yes, it's rather challenging, but you get used to having to be more aware. The physics are pretty nice, a tad over-the-top with the rolling/flipping it seems. You may notice the windshield never seems to crack, someone at a RBR forum mentioned I probably don't have the damage set to real, because if I do - the windshield does crack. I couldn't find it in the demo, it might be in one of the INI files, or maybe they just opted it out for the demo. I'm a bit upset that they claim it's a simulation, yet the interior is rather bland. I know the actual cars don't resemble the production cars as far as interior, but they could have at least had a HUD in front of the wheel area. And I was a little annoyed by the slight off-hue blue of the Impreza, should've been darker (yeah I'm an Impreza WRC fanboy). I guess you should note that it is, after all, a "Quicky Rally" mode, so there is no setup screen, and maybe some things are just toned down a bit. There is a mod to place the gear number ahead of the steering wheel, I tried it (check www.bhmotorsports.com ) but didn't like it - for one my door was missing. Anyway, with patience, RBR can be fun, I'll buy it.
RBR
#38 posted by VoreLord [144.137.189.69] on 2004/10/01 05:47:55
That will do nicely. Feels much, much better than CM, looks pretty nice to. I only wish they would make the stages longer, like in Rally Championship 2000, most of the stages were 15, 20 up to 30 minutes long. (wish I never got rid of it now) But RBR will most likely surpass RC2000 in everything except for the stage length. Supposed to be released here today, 1/10/04, will go down and check in the morning.
I don't really ever see the interiors, I only use the views where you just see the bonnet, or the road (bumper view?). And I haven't experienced rolling/flipping yet, I try to stay on all fours ;) but I'm sure I will.
Oh, something else I didn't like that much was the sound, engine sound, but maybe it will grow on me, or maybe just needs to be mixed in with the other sounds differently, have to experiment.
#39 posted by Scampie [216.220.241.97] on 2004/10/01 09:57:01
I just finished Katamari Damacy's storyline the other night. Still a bunch of challenges to do, like finding hidden packages, getting better times on levels to unlock the 'eternal' stages, getting better results on the various constallation side areas, and filling out the 'objects rolled up' thing which is totally cool and gives descriptions of all the things you've picked up in the game. I totally recommend this game to anyone with a PS2. and speaking of music, the game has the best soundtrack ever made for a game. A mix of J-pop, jazz, lounge, and light electronic. Great stuff, hope they make a CD availible.
Now I'm looking for a recommendation... Anyone played Gradius V? I loved Gradius 3 on SNES, and the V looks to be awesome. I'm thinking of getting Burnout 3 too, but everyone's already been talking about that.
Vorelord
#40 posted by . [68.77.197.145] on 2004/10/01 14:28:09
RBR has some utilities out there for editing - one you can extract all the audio.dat files and repack them:
http://koti.mbnet.fi/kegetys/rbr/
Phait
#41 posted by VoreLord [203.51.207.11] on 2004/10/01 18:07:25
I see what you mean about the interior, you couldn't get much more plain than that dash :)
Rolling and flipping, yes, it may be a little over the top, but not to bad. You ever play VRally back in the day, now that was over the top, but still fun back then.
Manhunt
#42 posted by VoreLord [203.51.207.11] on 2004/10/01 18:23:16
Since I haven't owned a console for a couple of years, I wonder has anyone played the game 'Manhunt', PS2, XBox. I just came across this,
The Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification has sent through notice that Manhunt, the controversial console title from Rockstar Games, has now been Refused Classification:
This means the game, which has been freely available on the Australian Market since Late 2003, has now been banned and "cannot be legally sold, hired, advertised or exhibited in Australia. Any existing stocks of this game held by retailers must be removed from shelves immediately
Just wondering what all the fuss is about, and if it is any good. If it is any good I'd go out and buy a PS2 or XBox to have a gander
Manhunt == Crap
#43 posted by czg [195.18.172.40] on 2004/10/01 18:29:49
Yeah, bloody, gruesome and goory as hell, but without any substance whatsoever
Hmmm
#44 posted by VoreLord [203.51.207.11] on 2004/10/01 18:34:37
Thank You, you haved saved me some money. I also see it is for PC, so may try demo if/when available.
Re: Manhunt
#45 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.70.215] on 2004/10/02 00:22:50
I've only played slightly past the first level. It can be kind of tense, but I haven't gotten far enough into it to really know. Some of the kill scenes make me feel downright guilty, but what can you expect from the concept? Not bad from what I've played, but I wouldn't go by that.
Other people have said that it's good up until you get guns, then it becomes just a regular shoot 'em up kinda game.
I Look Forward..
#46 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/10/04 01:48:07
to Paper Mario 2
and oddly enough, Def Jam fight for NewYork
I seems like it would be a fun party kinda game. Get together 3 of my whitest friends and kick eachothers asses to the gritty rythms of the ghetto.
Alien Hominid
#47 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/10/04 08:51:33
m'oh yeah
More Other Games
#48 posted by pushplay [129.128.23.141] on 2004/10/04 12:49:38
I just ordered my copy of Katamari Damacy. I was also playing the Rogue expansion for Quake until I realized that it was sucking and wasn't going to get any better.
Currently Eagerly Waiting For...
#49 posted by Vigil [212.54.16.175] on 2004/10/04 13:27:59
Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Need for Speed Underground 2, Prince of Persia 2 (the sequel to Sands of Time), and GTA: San Andreas (obviously). All for PS2, which, I think, says plenty about my gaming habits. Hopefully will get a new PC 'soon'.
At the moment however, I'm trying to decide whether or not I should buy Burnout 3: Takedown, and am currently finishing Hitman: Contracts and Need for Speed Underground.
And if I do get that new PC... I'll go ahead and admit it: I'm a heretic, a pagan, a traitor. I'm not nearly as excited about Doom3 or HL2 as I am about Rome: Total War and even WH40k: Dawn of War. Especially the former seems really, really cool and worth playing.
Yeah, blasting away some freaks from Xen/Hell is nice enough, but to command the might of Rome on epic battlefields! To defeat Hannibal before he reach the gates of the great Roman cities, the last beacons of light and civilization for humankind! To crush the Greek phalanges as they try to stop my legionnaires. To plunder, pillage and burn Carthage for the second time, sprinkling salt over the ruins! To rule over all Mediterranean!
That's what I'm waiting for.
Grrr
#50 posted by than [62.189.9.161] on 2004/10/04 14:49:16
It's starting to piss me off that I don't have a ps2 - seemingly so many cool (and exclusive) games are coming out for the damn thing. I'm still holding back on consoles because of the whole region lockout thing. It's ok with DVDs because you can easily get a good multi region player, but you can't do shit with a console, unless you want to get it chipped by some dodgy bloke on the market or something.
Fucking Gamecube. It has plenty of great exclusive titles, but they are mostly Nintendo's own stuff, which, let's face it, we already played when we had a snes or N64. I'm not saying their GC games are bad, but they really do follow a formula, which does piss me off after a while.
Damacy should be on the GC ffs. Gradius IV should too. I'm going to have to wait half a fucking year for GTA: San Andreas on PC. Unless....
PS 2 EMULATOR
#51 posted by . [68.78.218.159] on 2004/10/04 16:13:32
The Best PS2 Emulator Plays Like 5 Games
#52 posted by Blitz [24.218.86.166] on 2004/10/04 16:32:58
[nt]
Than
#53 posted by cyBeAr [213.65.179.30] on 2004/10/04 16:39:50
the dodge blokes probably aren't that dodgy though, at least not all of them
Formulaic GC Games
#54 posted by pushplay [129.128.23.141] on 2004/10/04 17:29:51
I think Nintendo is far and away one of the most innovative game makers. Don't be fooled by the reuse of franchise characters.
Than
#55 posted by nitin [138.217.0.118] on 2004/10/04 19:51:32
what dont you like about mod chips?
#56 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/10/07 17:10:55
http://www.gametrailers.com/gt_vau...
Neo-Contra :D
Okay, A General In Subject Discussion Idea
#57 posted by HeadThump [65.140.59.179] on 2004/10/07 20:06:30
We all know the many short comings of Counter-Strike, I myself have never been able to get into it. The only multi-player game I have gone hard core for was Team Fortress, but Counter-Strike took my LAN buddies away from me.
Grudge aside, and faults aside, what are the qualities of Counter-Strike that have made it such a gaming success.
If you really detest the game and find that question hard to give an objective treatment, how about the question, 'what are the major disfunctions of people who play Counter-Strike that make such a commonly played game', instead.
Headthump
#58 posted by nitin [138.217.0.118] on 2004/10/07 20:24:20
it's easy to play first up. The speed of the game makes it easy for many first timers to get into it straight away (sure tactics etc come into play but you can survive for a fair while first up).
Contrast this with quake, UT etc. Most first timers would get slaughtered first up if they played online against anyone half decent.
Dirty Camperstrike
#59 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.54.120] on 2004/10/08 06:40:11
I must confess that I did like Day of Defeat, though.
Also, what's up with the pricing on the HL2 packages when you buy it via STEAM? You'd think it'd be cheaper than buying a boxed copy at a retail store, and yet the prices range from $50 to $80 USD? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't $50 the going price for most new games in stores in the US? If that's the case.. wtf?
...
#60 posted by necros [142.150.5.252] on 2004/10/08 11:19:15
Contrast this with quake, UT etc. Most first timers would get slaughtered first up if they played online against anyone half decent.
This is very true.
Very.
:X ( ;) )
anyway, i *like* cs. i think it's a lot of fun, really. probably because i have lots of friends who play the game and i'm getting fairly good at it too.
i find the greatest aspect of cs is when you are playing with people you know, instead of nameless pubs, plus the voice chat thing is really cool. q3 would be a lot more fun if it had built in voice chat... playing q3dm with teamspeak or similar program is really fun.
as far as !faults and faults (what is the opposite of fault? O_O)
it's fun for me because there is more situational awareness than q3dm.
while using sound is fairly effective in q3dm, it is vital in cs, and i like being able to use this aspect of the gameplay to my advantage.
but really, that's about the only thing i can positively say why i like cs more than q3dm (or any other game with this type of fast paced gameplay).
All i know is i can play cs for 5 hours without getting bored, but only 2 or 3 on q3dm.
well, maybe it's because i was getting pwned in q3dm. :P
Thanks For The Responses,
#61 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.138] on 2004/10/08 12:20:23
I have been invited to a LAN this weekend, and it has been so long that I have set down and played Counter-Strike that I'm weary whether I'll have fun doing it. The last time I played CS was at the Anarchy On-Line Release party a few years back. Anarchy-OL wasn't quite set up correctly so they had to fall back on CS. Kind of a weird dissapointing evening.
That matter of Steam pricing. Well, in normal circumstances, the manufacturer can't really afford to step on the retailer price because the retailer buys in bulk and being undercut like that is a big disensentive for the retailer to do business with the developer/manufacturer in the first place.
SNES Nosferatu
#62 posted by . [68.78.218.159] on 2004/10/10 18:26:54
Has anyone played this SNES game, Nosferatu? It's like Prince Of Persia meets Castlevania - the character actions are fluid, the control just feels perfect. Maybe the running/jumping could be better, but it's fun. What's weird is... this game as old as it is, is actually kinda creepy. The screenshot(s) don't do it justice here though...
http://www.vgmuseum.com/images/sne...
Discworld 2
#63 posted by [Jimbo] [65.161.73.251] on 2004/10/11 19:09:13
just found dled a copy of discworld II
(an adventure game based on Terry Pratchet books)
very funny stuff.
got it to work with vdmsound and vbeplus
New GTR Official Demo
#64 posted by . [68.78.218.159] on 2004/10/13 01:45:54
- http://www.3dgamers.com/news/more/...
- http://www.gtr-game.com
Same track (Spa) and cars (Lister and Morgan) as the press demo, but this time you can race against up to 19 cars, no time limit and at the site they say "The new official demo also shows the incredible details on the tracks and cars that have become the hallmark of SimBin Development Team. Explore the innovative new features on and off the track and experience the feedback and response of the cars' natural feeling controls."
Phait
#65 posted by VoreLord [144.131.202.17] on 2004/10/13 03:04:57
Thanks !!
My Copy Of Katamari Damacy Just Got In
#66 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/10/15 21:25:57
Yay.
Hidden And Dangerous 2: Sabre Squadron
#67 posted by than [62.189.9.161] on 2004/10/16 12:06:21
I was never really interested in H&D2 single player, although I did enjoy the demo of the first H&D, despite it's many bugs (and ladders that were more lethal than nazis with mp40s.)
H&D2 had no coop mode, wheras the original did. Sabre Squadron adds 9 new SP missions, although it now includes coop play for all the missions. This is the reason I've started playing it. It's absolutely brilliant. I've played the game in a squad of two and three, and every occasion has been a lot of fun. However, we have been using voice comms, and I doubt it would be so much fun if we had to use the keyboard to coordinate our strategies.
Also, as my workmate has pointed out to me on MANY occasions, the effort and research that must have gone into the art side of H&D2 is staggering. H&D2 really puts every other WW2 based FPS to shame. Everything seems to be immaculately researched, modelled and textured, and there is just so much variety in the game it makes you want to weep. The textures may not be particularly crisp, but frankly, when every building seems to have its own textures and mesh (no c&ping stuff all around the levels) I don't care.
The gameplay is great too, although I can't be bothered to write anymore, so I won't go into it.
Anyone else played H&D2? (Sabre Squadron in particular.)
Did I Mention Already That...
#68 posted by Friction [213.243.160.111] on 2004/10/19 09:43:30
MekTek released MechPack2 for Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries already? I was awestruck, it's the best thing since sliced sex. The amount of new stuff will keep things interesting for a long time.
Where Can
#69 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/10/23 21:02:33
I get a copy of 'sliced sex' ?
google shows up nothing. (nothing I want to see anyways)
What I've Been Playing Lately...
#70 posted by Scampie [68.117.128.75] on 2004/11/13 23:34:02
Phantom Brave (PS2). SRPG using 3d levels and 2d sprite characters. Been pretty cool so far, it's the 'kinda sequel' to Disgaea, same way Q2 was a sequel to Q1. If you're unfamilar with these types of games, basically you command a team against a team (or sometime multiple teams) of baddies and use attacks and special moves to defeat them. You create all but a few of your team's characters in tons of differant classes, many of which need to be unlocked by defeating that class type in battle. Getting stronger is standard RPG fare, level up after defeating enemies, and your weapons get more powers as you use them more. The game is great for people who like doing cool flashy attacks, doing tons of damage and leveling up like mad... I believe the game lets you level up to 999 and do tens of thousands of damage per attack... course, that's a ways into the game... I have 23 hours spent so far, and my main character is level 24 :D
The other game I just started playing last night (and have been playing all day today) is Neo Contra. This isn't a sideshooter like most of the previous Contras, but it's a top down shooter using the same '3 weapon switchable' scheme that Contra: Shattered Soldier used. Unlike that game, you can pick between differant sets of weapons and unlock more as you play. Play is great, tons of running and gunning and explosions and dodging tons of shots... been loving every second of it. You're ranked at the end of the level on how well you did and the rankings are what unlock stuff (like, the last 2 levels... need to get an A ranking average on the first 5 levels to open them up.) It's not so hard to get rank B-D, but Rank A pretty much means shooting damn near every baddie, and only dying a few times (instant hit deaths make this a challenge). The toughest rank is S, which means every baddie killed, and you get 1 or 2 deaths, depending on the level. I've so far beaten the first 5 levels with a rank of B... and even that was a challenge.
Beyond the gameplay, the cutscenes, some of the battle sequences, and alot of the bosses seem totally over the top and are at times kinda cheesy, or just plain 'wtf'. But the game seems to revel in it... Just the opening cutscene shows the two main heros blasting away millions of baddies, one the the heros holding his katana while riding on top of an airplane spitting an incoming missle in two and it flys directly into his blade... then shows the two running down a corridor, barely escaping a series of firey explosions behind them, jumping in the nic of time from it, falling down a huge shaft... at the bottom of the shaft, a missle shoots out and the guy with the katana has stuck his blade in and is holding onto the other guy as they rocket out and it explodes.
They are of course, fine.
A good example of a stange battling place? How about the beginning of Level 4? Where you are running on top of the blades of a helicopter, shooting down alien hornets. Also, the final boss of this area is a talking dog and you fight him while surfing on a torpedo. :D
I've laughed at all this silly and weird seqeunces and cheesy story/drama bits, but in a way, I think it was meant to be exactly like this, a completely non-realistic, over the top shooter that's just pure fun.
Neo Contra
#71 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/11/15 01:33:03
yes I'd been oogling this title since the trailer was out
It Needs A GameCube Port
#72 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/11/15 08:33:22
.
Halo 2
#73 posted by DaZ [80.43.77.229] on 2004/11/15 15:12:07
Just been playing it for the last 3 and a half hours, and I am impressed. Its great fun and fixes pretty much all the niggles I had about the 1st Halo. Recommended perchase.
+ Levels are much more detailed and varied.
+ More enemies and varieties of enemies.
+ Cool set pieces.
+ Lots of fun new guns (people who say battle rifle is poor just have no skillz)
+ (SPOILER!!!!!!!! DO NOT READ IF U HAVRNT PLAYED)
Variety of characters to play as in the SP campaign
END SPOILER!
World Of Worldcraft
#74 posted by Jago [81.197.201.94] on 2004/11/15 15:48:24
I've been playing the US Open Beta for a few days now and it's great fun. The character classes are pretty well balanced and there is no "best allaround character/race", which is a good thing. The game world is FUCKING HUGE, not Morrowind-huge, think Morrowind x 2 perhaps even more. I've been playing a lot during the past 3 or so days and I have a lvl 11 human paladin and I already got to defend a few human towns against the invasion of human controlled Horde characters.
http://img129.exs.cx/img129/8984/W...
What I'm Playing Now
#75 posted by Scragbait [69.159.44.154] on 2004/11/15 19:10:02
DX2 - Invisible War. I like this game. It has a lot of depth and flexibility in how you solve problems. There are lots of interesting NPCs, most of whom keep you totally paranoid. I like the concept of parallel tasks that you can take on or ignore and for the most part in the order that you choose. I like the sombre mood and the occasional humorous treat. It's a good game. My biggest gripe are slow load times and an interface that hurts because they wanted something that fits PCs and consoles.
Painkiller. I'm only 4 levels in and this is a good leave-your-brain-in-New-Seattle-be... type of game that is good and mindless if devoid of immersion and the plot is thin enough to give you a paper cut. Okay, you need some brain for figuring out Boss puzzles. Is it me, or are secrets really hard to find (Monastery excluded)? In the Cathedral, I could see two but I suspect you need to do some serious trick jumping or fantastic feats that I'll never master. I like my secrets Quake flavour - accesible to the masses. Any general rules for PK secret hunting? I'm not looking for spoilers, just general advice and a sense of how fair they usually are.
Rpg
#76 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/11/15 21:42:11
lets get a petition going.
Me.
#77 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/11/16 04:28:55
Dawn Of War obviously. The only game to be playing at the moment. Unless you like cartoons I guess.
Scraggy: Painkiller Secrets are utterly desperate, imagine they've been put together by a combination of Vondur and the 1337est of SDA speedrunners, then told by the game devs to "make them harder to find", and you have some idea...
PK Secrets
#78 posted by czg [195.18.172.75] on 2004/11/16 04:58:09
Some are just a matter of bothering to walk long distances though. There's a holy item hidden behind a hangar on the military base for instance, that there's just a matter of walking for 5 mins to find. But yeah, most of them are fucking impossible to find.
Other stuff been playing;
WoW beta. Gorgeous graphics in that one, and no gay space marines. Level 14 Hunter with a bear on test25, currently running around picking wood in the forest for some cheap slut that's going to make me some leather pants. Seksi.
I noticed the Link Of The Day on Blue's yesterday was some shitty flash recreation of Pang!. I'd reccomend you all to get mame and emulate some of the original Pang!, especially Super Pang! and Mighty Pang!. Jolly fucking good arcade fun.
Will be getting HL2 today, so hoorj! Some guys here are already playing it (was unlocked an hour ago) and just from seeing the first 5 mins I'm already giddy as hell.
To all you people who've got exams coming up: http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.ph...
In other olds, Shambler is still a frumpy old git, and has the hots for the space marines even though he says he plays as orks.
Bleh
#79 posted by Vondur [195.128.65.237] on 2004/11/16 06:33:55
nwn currently
waiting for heletwo
CZG.
#80 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/11/16 07:22:48
Less smoking crack up through your asshole, more making sense.
Even Jago admits WOW looks like shite (or words to that effect).
Metroid Prime 2...
#81 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.88] on 2004/11/16 08:21:13
supposedly in stores today (in the US.) But with HL2 and all... not sure when i'll actually play it.
MGS 3 Too?
#82 posted by ProdigyXL [141.209.35.206] on 2004/11/16 09:09:09
Metal Gear Solid 3 is out today too right? I've always liked the cinamatic approach those games have taken, even in 2 where many people were turned off. I approched it from the perspective of an interactive movie. This new one looks interesting, with some quality looking character designs.
Shambler
#83 posted by Jago [81.197.201.94] on 2004/11/16 10:04:41
I never said that. I said that no MMORPG will rival the graphics of the greatest and latest in 3D shooters due to the size of the game world. That being said, WoW is the best looking MMORPG ever and I never stop to think: "gee, does this game look crappy".
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/...
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/...
How the fuck is that bad graphics?
ProdigyXL
#84 posted by Scampie [68.117.128.75] on 2004/11/16 11:14:03
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/press...
MGS 3
#85 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.104] on 2004/11/16 11:39:41
That looks to be a good title. My nephew has already asked for it for Christmas. Of course, I'll completely take over his system for a few days as I don't have a Play Station.
WoW
#86 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.85.126] on 2004/11/16 12:10:47
I guess the graphics are technically advanced, but the style is questionable imo. It's bright and vibrant, but very cartoony, maybe too much so. That turns me off from the game initially.
Too Much Green Global Fog
#87 posted by cyBeAr [213.65.179.30] on 2004/11/16 14:24:58
:(
#88 posted by Scampie [24.196.75.172] on 2004/11/27 02:04:53
Already wrote my positive experiances with my Nintendo DS and Mario 64 DS in the General Abuse thread, so I'll just be brief and say that I'm totally loving the DS and love having it to mess with while I do compiles at work.
In the last few days, I beat Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2), and loved every second of it. A little more than 64800 seconds (18 hours and something mins) to be exact. I need to go back to the other games in the series to remember exactly what all the signifigance of the story is, but the story still felt meaningful on it's own and I loved some of the turns it took. The sneaking aspects of it are just as fun as they were in MGS2, but my fave areas of the game were the bosses. A few were kinda boring, Ocelot and sadly the Bee Boss, but were completely made up for by the awesome sniper battle with The End (took over an hour to kill him cuz you had to sneak up around him without him seeing you, shoot him, then track him) and some of the final battles which I won't spoil. I will say that the bit with The Sorrow was one of the high points for me. So, if any of you liked the previous games in the series, definatly go grab this. And if you like games with some good combat and sneaking puzzles, try it out.
Also been playing a bit of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2). What can I say, anouther awesome GTA game. Really enjoying the addition of the Bicycle and being able to change your appearance. Been fucking around and I'm still on the first island, but so far the missions have been a good mix and there are a few differant guys to get them from even at the beginning. I'll update with more about them as I go, but I will say that this game will be very enjoyable to anyone who liked the othe GTA games.
And finally, been playing Final Fantasy 1 through the Final Fantasy Origins collection (PS1). Old game, updated graphics (I think it's the engine from FF3/FF6j) with some cinimatics added too. Really been liking this as the last few times I've attempted FF1, I was either too young to really 'get' how to properly play an RPG, or just never got very far before moving onto newer games. Currently, my party is all lvl 14. I have Bal the Warrior, Metl the Theif, Biff the White Mage, and I, Scamp, am the almighty Black Mage. Got 10 hours into the game so far, and I'm just about to go into Terra Cave to restore the light to the Earth Crystal.
After FF1, I'll start on the other game on the disc, Final Fantasy 2, which is FF2 Japan, not FF2 US which was FF4 Japan. Peeked quickly at it and it looks interesting, can't wait to get to it!
Dibs
#89 posted by pope [207.216.236.96] on 2004/11/27 21:50:11
on being in your ff2 party
K
#90 posted by Scampie [24.196.75.172] on 2004/11/27 22:10:06
I was thinking Myself, you, a female func_mapper or #terrafusionite, and someone else.
Wouldn't It Be Apropos To Have A Character In An RPG Named RPG?
#91 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/11/28 08:53:56
.
RPG
#92 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.74.57] on 2004/11/28 11:22:42
That's stupid.
.
#93 posted by pushplay [129.128.23.141] on 2004/12/07 16:36:55
<czg> jesus christ people! I've been sitting on f5 on func_qmap all day, and +there's only been like 2 new posts! I am so bored here people! I need some +socializing or at least some new posts to read (interesting ones and maybe +about barney and dicks)
So. Are there any other poker players out there?
#94 posted by Kell [82.41.8.22] on 2004/12/07 16:42:02
No.
Also: I've heard Barney has a dick.
Well
#95 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/12/07 21:45:06
I'm glad I brought that up.
FAPPO!
#96 posted by czg [195.204.39.141] on 2004/12/08 03:59:02
Metal Slug Advance
#97 posted by cyBeAr [213.65.179.30] on 2004/12/08 14:02:52
is hip and cool
The Sims 2
#98 posted by ProdigyXL [216.111.202.25] on 2004/12/08 14:22:50
I just got re-addicted to it over the weekend. I think it's a prime example of a game that comes in cycles for me. I'll play it none stop for a week or two, then not pick it up for a month. Strange.
The game is truely fun tho, great balanced between HL2DM.
Also I've been playing Soul Calibur on my buddies DC since my copy is scratched to hell and back. Forgot how much fun that game is.
Riddick (PC)
#99 posted by Shallow [195.112.29.19] on 2004/12/12 12:21:55
I've started playing the PC version of Escape from Butcher Bay, having previously completed it on XBox... So far I can't see any real differences, apart from I think the textures might be higher res, but it's difficult to say that for sure without comparing side by side. Also, there is a "commentary" option on the difficulty selection screen, which I haven't tried as yet. (The menus are the same crazy design as the XBox ones by the way)
The game itself is pretty good - a mix of reasonably non-annoying and often actually enjoyable stealth sections, shortish bouts of run-and-gun, and RPGish talking to people and doing 'favours' for people (which usually involves killing people). It's not showing any signs of lasting any longer than the original yet - which is a shame as the XBox version was a very short.
It's worth noting that this game has something I thought impossible - the minimum specs on the box are actually surprisingly honest! I fall somewhere between minimum and recommended and the game runs fine with everything pretty switched on - admittedly only at 640*480 though.
Oh, and sadly no printed manual except one of Sierra's cacky "keys you'll remap anyway" cards. This sucks because the manual for the XBox version was really worth reading and explained some stuff more clearly than the ingame help.
And HL2DM. Must harrass some of you for friends list addition (for those rare occasions when the Steam friends network isn't "being maintained"). I prefer to get whupped by people I already know!
Friends List
#100 posted by DaZ [80.43.71.196] on 2004/12/12 16:13:23
nick: DaZ
Email : daz@dazv3.co.uk
shame hl2dm chugs and lags like a mofo on my pc tho :(
Riddick
#101 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/12/12 17:42:09
Cheers for the comments Starbuck, intending to get this one next.
I'm mostly playing "that game".
Starbuck? Shallow!
#102 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/12/12 17:42:51
Fuckin' ell, fucn_tabbed again =/
Vampire: Bloodlines
#103 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2004/12/12 23:27:05
I'm now on my second playthrough on this game, and enjoying the hell out of it. It's not really a "pure" RPG (whatever that means)--it actually reminds me more of Deus Ex than anything else. You can approach problems in a number of different ways, depending on your clan/skills/attributes, the story is good, the HL2 engine keeps it looking relatively nice, and the dialogue and voice-acting is mostly really good.
Bad stuff: It could have really used another week or three of QA. The dialogue subtitles are full of misspellings, there are various small dumbass scripting issues, at least one encounter is ridiculously hard, IMO, and, although I didn't get it, there's at least one show-stopping script bug that crashes the game out and requires fixing via the console.
That being said, I really, really like the game and recommend it to one and all. If you get it, there's a fan-made patch that fixes the crash bug and a host of other bugs and dialogue problems available here:
http://www.planetvampire.com/blood...
Cheers Pjw
#104 posted by Shallow [195.112.29.19] on 2004/12/13 12:20:20
I'd been wondering about that one. Sounds like it could be my kind of thing.
Lots of people have been saying that although it is source-engine based, it is nowhere near as pretty as HL2. Would you agree with this?
Guild Wars
#105 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.49.54] on 2004/12/13 15:22:01
Out of all the new MMORPGS (EQ2 and WoW), this is the only one that really holds any interest for me. Plus, no online fee. I haven't played any of the open betas, but all the articles I've seen say it looks/plays amazingly well. It cracks my defense against MMORPGs. Anyone try this in open beta, and if so how does it play?? :O
I Tried It
#106 posted by pushplay [129.128.23.141] on 2004/12/13 15:27:54
Calling it a mmorpg is a sham. It's no more massively multiplayer than Diablo was. You start off in a town where you do the whole merchant / find a party thing, and then when you take a quest you end up in an instanced land or dungeon. So basically it's Diablo except you have avatars in the chat room.
For a hack and slash game it's not bad. I didn't feel that the abilities tree was particularly intricate or creative. The terrain is pretty though.
#107 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2004/12/13 21:21:40
it is nowhere near as pretty as HL2. Would you agree with this?
Yep. Don't get me wrong--it's not ugly by any means, but the aesthetics aren't as good.
But the boobs are better, complete with Boob Physics(tm), and a console variable to make them bigger. You go, Troika.
5318008
#108 posted by Kell [82.41.8.22] on 2004/12/13 23:13:18
and a console variable to make them bigger.
Come in id software, your time is up.
R_cupsize?
#109 posted by Shallow [195.112.29.19] on 2004/12/14 11:55:19
Yeeeees. Hmmm.
In other news, I finished the Riddick PC yesterday. It was still really short, although there was a new combat sequence during the doublemax section which was cool, I won't spoil it by giving specifics on it though. I suspect there may be a few more cigarette packs around than there was on XBox, but I'm not certain of that (finding cigs unlocks stuff in the 'extras' menu). Directors commentary mode adds floaty icons scattered around the levels that can be used to pause the game and hear some blather from Starbreeze folks.
One thing that I've noticed is that most of the weapons are hopelessly inaccurate at ranges greater than three feet. I think that this is to encourage you to move closer to guards before initiating combat so that you can hear them swearing at you properly.
Kell:
#110 posted by Scampie [63.236.226.222] on 2004/12/14 18:49:01
Doom3's physics have realistic boob movement. Spawn one of the dead female actors and you can fondle her realistically with the physics grabber thing... That's totally better than just being able to increase tit size on the fly
Heh
#111 posted by Blitz [66.31.112.116] on 2004/12/14 18:52:04
I actually noticed that the first time I played it. The part where you go into the lady's office...right before you have to battle a ton of Pinkys I think. The lady is a zombie, but when she's dead on the floor, shoot her a few more times and you will see her tits jiggle.
PoP - Sands Of Time
#112 posted by Scragbait [69.159.43.33] on 2004/12/15 21:23:59
I'm about 2/3rds of the way through this game:
Goods:
- Nice semi-fantasy settings - quite enjoyable settings to see and good variety
- Navigation puzzles are mostly fun as are most of the other in-game puzzles
- Offers some rewards for exploring and is pretty intense, especially for those who fear heights
- Good voice acting and good story so far
- Sweet East Indian female companion who travels with you and mostly stays out of the way. She's not Superfly.
Bads:
- The movement of the Prince using the movement keys moves him relative to the screen view and not relative to the Prince himself. When the camera is moving around on its own (and it can really jump a lot), there are times, especially during tough multi-enemy combats, that this becomes incredibly frustrating. It is equally frustrating during timed navigation puzzles as well. I found Heretic II to have a way better 3rd person control. The funky movement frame of reference made PoP4 feel very unfair at times and really made controlling the Prince a struggle when you had to fight the controls as much as the enemies. When this wasn't a problem, the fighting was a lot more fun.
It's a good game and beautiful to look at but did it ever make me mad too.
Any other opinions on this one out there?
Scraggy.
#113 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/12/16 04:43:18
Tried POP3 demo. Looked nice. Camera blew decaying goat ass. Uninstalled straight away. Basically a nice game setting rendered entirely awful to play by the deliberately shite camera (compared to Heretic2, Rune, Blade, FAKK2, Enclave, etc).
PoP Control Issues...
#114 posted by Shallow [195.112.29.19] on 2004/12/16 07:16:36
Sands of Time is basically a console port, so it is really designed to be played with a pad... I'd imagine playing PoP with keyboard and mouse is just as rank as playing the average PC FPS with a joypad would be. I think that why it feels wrong is that basically, if you're controlling a third-person game with a keyboard and mouse, your expectations are usually that the camera can be used to steer the character. If you're playing with a pad, your expectations are that you push the analog stick in the direction you want to move the character, and the camera follows. Does that make sense? I do think it sucks that completely unsuitable control modes get tacked onto so many console to PC ports. Either put a huge "REQUIRES JOYPAD" logo on it or don't fucking port it.
I haven't gone anywhere near the new PoP: Warrior Within yet, it looks like they've thrown away too much of what made Sands of Time distinctive in a misguided effort to appeal more to "the kids".
Drifting back to control issues, on the console side of things, I think that The Suffering is the only third-person game I've played recently that had FPS style controls without feeling dreadfully wrong, probably because it was mainly about shooting things (and had a first person mode you could pop into, which I didn't really use). It was an enjoyable romp, although far from flawless. There is a PC version I think, no idea how it compares. I hated the controls on XBox Enclave: It really felt like it had been built with the keyboard/mouse controls of the later PC version in mind. I did play the PC version later and the controls were indeed better, but didn't persist as I didn't find it that engaging, mainly because the melee combat felt a bit wooly. Back on PC I have previously enjoyed Rune and Heretic 2, never got around to playing Severance, and was recently frustrated to find the FAKK2 doesn't work at all in Windows 2000.
Shambler
#115 posted by Scragbait [209.226.65.59] on 2004/12/16 07:20:17
Just curious - was that demo PoP 3D (which was pretty much considered crap compared to the 2D PoP and is now an old game) or was it a Sands of Time demo - the recent release which has been very well recieved.
I agree with your comment about the camera if you are talking about Sands of Time.
Sands Of Time
#116 posted by metlslime [64.124.188.211] on 2004/12/16 17:30:59
Was a little annoying (on xbox/gamecube) but most of the time worked. Note: the camera system did improve between the xbox demo and the xbox shipped game.
My only complaints were that the combat was a little bit too button-mashy, and that the final boss was too easy and too simple. Oh, and that the voice-overs were hard to hear when the camera wasn't really close to the characters.
I'm getting PoP5 for christmas probably; i'm worried by what i've read about it but hopefully it's still fun.
Sands
#117 posted by Scragbait [65.92.70.57] on 2004/12/16 23:15:16
I'm at 81% completion. Just finished the battle after the torture chamber section.
Thank god the boss is easy because the gang wars are nothing but mashing the mouse and keyboard and hoping you get lucky. It's as if there is a rotten brat on another controller trying to steer your character into certain death while you're trying to coordinate your attacks and retreats.
Also, the torture chamber had a really hard jumping puzzle section (the two timed switches for the two moving walls) due to the poor camera/control link.
This would be a truly great game if they cared enough to independently design control methods for PCs and consoles separately. Either that or have a setting to slave the character movement relative to either the Prince or the camera. It's a simple transform mathematically.
But I'm compelled to finish because the settings and puzzles are very cool.
BTW, I also finished Deus Ex 2 - Invisible war and also found the PC/XBox duality to be a pain for managing weapons and inventories. Nowhere near as bad as PoP4 but holstering your weapon in DX2-IW was clumsy.
Most of the game development money must go into content, AI and engine coding. Is it really too much to ask for more effort to go into the separate control needs between PCs and consoles since this seems to be current business model for many new titles. The perfect game would have you not even thinking about what your hands are doing - the challenge is in the game world alone.
Like Quake.
Scraggy.
#118 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/12/17 06:31:56
Is it really too much to ask for more effort to go into the separate control needs between PCs and consoles since this seems to be current business model for many new titles.
Or in the case of Deus Ex 2 'we gave this a shite new name so it would appeal to the console retards - oh and shite gameplay too' ; it needed more effort put into the seperate gameplay needs between PCs and consoles i.e. the former can actually be remotely sophisticated. Only played the demo and the inferiority to DX1 put me off. Way to lose a sale, Ion.
Pop:SoT
#119 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/12/18 19:09:33
If you're finding the combat button-mashy then maybe you need to sit down for a second and rethink how you're doing it. Springing off of walls and jumping over heads is fun for the first third of the game, but after that blocking and retaliating is what you need. The only exception is the big fat guy who can hit you even while blocking. He takes a huge wind up you can see comming a while away and attack to interrupt it.
I didn't think the final battle needed to be hard. PoP is a puzzle game and the battle only serves to being colsure to the plot. I don't think the gaming public at large understood Sands of Time, which resulted in the sequel. I worry that gaming is being taken over by fratboys and is getting mainstreamed in a bad way.
Pop:ww
#120 posted by Maj [62.69.55.251] on 2004/12/18 20:24:24
I've only played up to the first boss, and I'm thinking of just getting a refund tomorrow. Mushy controls. Horrendous first boss. Feels like Ninja Gaiden done by EA.
About Riddick For Pc,
#121 posted by necros [66.185.84.80] on 2004/12/19 15:52:37
do you actually *need* to have sp1 and sp2 installed in order for the game to work? i don't want to buy it and be forced to apply the service packs...
Pushplay: (sands Of Time)
#122 posted by metlslime [64.124.188.211] on 2004/12/20 02:57:08
The game is half combat and half puzzles. The last puzzle in the game forces you to use all of the acrobatic tricks you'd learned up until that point. The last fight in the game really should do the same for combat -- specifically, almost all fights in the game involve juggling multiple opponents, so the boss fight should involve using that skill. Fighting against 1 vizier, then 2 viziers, then 4 viziers in order to win would be a really nice way to 1. use the existing "you have to beat him three times" mechanic, 2. make each round more challenging than the previous, and 3. make the player use all of the fighting-multiple-guys skills he learned throughout the game. A boss fight is not just to provide closure; it's also supposed to be somewhat climactic. I don't think SoT's boss served that purpose at all. In fact, having the prince kill him in a cutscene might have actually been better than the current fight.
You're probably right about my button-mashy complaint; it wasn't until late in the game that i began to use the block button very much.
Metl
#123 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2004/12/20 20:16:04
Having the prince kill the boss in the cutscene probably would have made more sense. There was already a lot of cinematics before though, maybe they just wanted to break it up. I really consider the post-dagger level to be the boss. It makes sense that for a puzzle game the boss be a puzzle, not a baddie.
PoP Thoughts
#124 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2004/12/30 22:58:27
Shambler: Dunno what your problem with the camera was exactly. I found that generally it was very well behaved and made navigating the environments fairly simple. However, there were a few spots where the camera angle changed just as I was making a jump, which also affected the controls. There was a spot where I was required to leap from some stalactites and the camera kept changing and I kept falling down into the abyss.
Also, I found fighting easier when I zoomed the camera out, but then sometimes it would close in. I'll admit that the default camera wasn't so hot for the fighting sections all of the time.
My problem with the game was the drawn out fights. Sometimes I would find myself fighting the same battle for around ten minutes, but nothing was really changing, only more monsters were appearing and I was becoming bored.
I stopped playing the game fairly near to the end because of the battle in the lift up the tower which lasts forever. That bitch kept getting killed and I just couldn't cope with the stress of losing because of her inadequate AI. "JUST STAND IN THE CORNER OUT OF THE WAY AND LET YOUR MAN TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION!" Jesus.
PSP
#125 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2004/12/30 23:30:09
My girlfriend bought me a PSP as a combined birthday/christmas present... initially with no games, although I bought Ridge Racers and Lumines myself. So far it seems absolutely fantastic, with only a few problems.
Ridge Racers is brilliant. I never really got into the Playstation/Arcade games (mainly because I never had a PS) but I've always been a fan of arcade style driving over semi-realistic simulations like GT.
Ridge racers has a fantasic sense of speed, and really simple handling - although not so simple that you will master it straight away. There are three types of car, and each one differs in the way you can perform drifts (drifting, or sliding around corners is perhaps the main characteristic of Ridge Racer's driving model.) I think later on in the game you need to use the car which has the most drifting ability to win
My only real criticism with the game is the difficulty. I am finding progress on the PRO league very hard now, although BASIC was really easy - there hasn't really been any kind of gentle difficulty curve. The computer car in 1st place tends to start about half a lap in front, and even after driving a near flawless race, it is very hard to place first (which you need to do in order to win a league.)
Lumines is a simple puzzle game, where you groups of four blocks of two colours (orange and white) in order to create squares consisting of four blocks of the same colour. The game is played to music, and the choice of music affects the speed of a timer bar, which sweeps across the screen and deletes the blocks.
If you are skillful, you can arrange MANY groups of four or more before the timer bar sweeps the screen. This can give large bonuses - so far I've managed about 18 groups of four at once, but there is a picture in the instruction booklet of a 40 bonus multiplier, so I think I:ve some way to go yet.
The PSP also comes with a demo disc, containing game and movie trailers as well as music video clips. The PSP screen and audio capabilities do a seriously DAMN FINE job of displaying movies and although I'm unlikely to buy UMD movies for my PSP, I'd certainly consider renting them for a long train ride or something.
Which brings me onto the minor(ish) problems I've noticed with the PSP. One, the batteries don't really last long enough (anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, depending on the application, although I tend to get nearer 6 playing games.) This lack of battery stamina could be a problem on long journeys, although the rechargeable battery is removeable, so you could take a couple for a long plane journey.
The second problem is that movies are supposed to be region encoded. The only time I would be likely to use the movie playing capability of the PSP is for long plane journeys (and potentially train journeys in the UK, I've used it a lot in Japan on the train, but I'm less worried about it getting nicked by some puffer coated thug.) If I could rent a movie at Heathrow, and drop it off at Kansai or wherever, then that would be great IF they movies were special region free discs. Train journeys are less likely to present a problem, since travel would generally be limited to one country. Of course, I have a Japanese PSP, so any movie rented outside of Japan would need to be region free also.
Hopefully Sony will see this potential problem and address it (many people have said they are not interested in buying UMD movies in addition to DVDs, but IMHO, a rental market for UMDs could be successful.) Maybe then I won't have to sit through hours of awful in flight movies, viewed on the worlds smallest screen, with the worlds most uncomfortable headphones. I would sleep through it, but I can't sleep on planes for some reason.
Has anyone else managed to get a PSP that wants to give some thoughts? I'm also still interested in the Nintendo DS, although my first impression of it wasn't so great. Any thoughts on those anyone?
Flat-Out
#126 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2004/12/31 00:04:27
I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but I:ve been playing Flat-Out a lot at work. The demo was great, but the full game is so much better, thanks to the inclusion of multiplayer. Flat-Out took over the office network as most popular game for a while, with two separate servers needed to cope with the demand (the player limit is 8, unfortunately.)
Generally, Flat-Out is brilliant, the driving model is brilliant with a great feeling of control given to the player (this was using an XBox game pad) when executing drifts and turns - although it certainly takes some practice to get used to turning so early. The single player mode is very long (with three cups, each consisting of 12 or so races) although not too difficult. The bonus games are a fun diversion, but could be better implemented. Multiplayer is where the game really comes into its own, although that may be partially due o the lack of similar competition.
There are a few problems. Sometimes the physics feel a bit random, with cars flipping at the slightest impact, and drivers flying through windscreens for seemingly no reason whatsoever (although this is more rare.)
The multiplayer set up menus are quite poor, and don't allow for any pre-race (or mid-race) chat. The option to change car class restrictions is also only available when starting a new server, which can be annoying.
Problems aside, Flat-Out is certainly the best PC racing game I've played in a while. It's well worth a try if you like your racing arcadey.
Than
#127 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.164] on 2004/12/31 01:53:39
My girlfriend bought me a PSP as a combined birthday/christmas present
she's a keeper.
Just Bought Morrowind
#128 posted by . [68.255.59.240] on 2004/12/31 06:36:51
See you in.. several years! ^_________^
Also
#129 posted by . [68.255.59.240] on 2004/12/31 06:39:05
While I realize there was a community release of updated graphics packs, I'm not particularily interested right now. I'm gonna play through it like it was meant to be.
Ahoy
#130 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.35.222] on 2004/12/31 10:17:01
So I read PCGamer's article about Age of Empires 3, and as an avid RTS-whore and general Ensemble fan I must say I peed on myself. That game looks incredible. Simply incredible. The graphics look great, simply incredible. They've incorporated the HaVoK physics engine in the game so when something blows up people get thrown into the sky with super neat but pointless physics. And the online looks great from what little they released. SPOOGE.
PoP:SoT Thoughts
#131 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2004/12/31 10:43:11
Combat sucked a bit--or at least sucked a bit until I got the (spoiler) last sword and then started seriously wh00ping up on the sand baddies.
Puzzles were usually fairly nice and interesting. But I hated the bit where it was teaching you to jump from wall to wall to wall, though. It might've been nice of them to tell me not to press the jump button more than once for each wall or else he was just going to smash his face on it and fall to his death.
Graphics were absolutely lavish, though. There are some really cool vistas in there.
And re: final boss, he did get harder between the first and second iterations, if you didn't notice. But considering how much I hated the combat, and how little the game trained you with it, I think it was appropriate to have a weaker boss at the end.
Games.
#132 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2004/12/31 11:56:06
Still got Far Cry to play, but that might have to wait a bit.
Recently bought:
Vampire: The Pimperade: Hoe-lines - couldn't argue for a tenner. The more I read the booklet, the cooler it sounds. Haven't had a good FPRPG s3x0ring since Deus Ex.
The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Xbox Mediocrity - looks good, reviews good. FPS business innit.
Painkiller: Battle Out Of More Irrelevant And Unthemed Hordes Of Nonsense - Vondur said it's "funneh". I must obey. Hail Comrades!
Stuff
#133 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2004/12/31 14:29:54
Than:
If you like arcady racing games (and puzzle games for that matter), I really suggest checking out Trackmania. You can also make your own tracks, so that's another bonus. I think I've pimped the game here before, but *shrug*
Demo:
http://www.noos.fr/animation/track...
Phait:
Did you get the expansions as well, or just the base game? I highly recommend getting the expansions if you don't have them. If nothing else, they make the journal a hell of a lot more friendly to use (entries organized by quest rather than just by time--there's nothing like searching through 300 pages of journal thinking "Now where the hell was that guy who wanted this ring...?"
Let me know if you want some recommendations on mods at some point. There are nice graphics upgrades available and also gameplay tweaks that add quite a bit. IMO, I'd go ahead and add a few things now that really improve some aspects without really changing the game much...this site:
http://www.hiredgoons.net/MWFiles/
has some excellent things, especially if you're going to play a character who messes about with thiefly skills at all.
Shambler:
Make sure to get the patch for VtM:B. It fixes a few game-breaking bits of ugliness. Of course, you'll still have various non-game-breaking bits of ugliness that add the occasional taste of piss to an otherwise outstanding RPG concoction. Go Troika/Activision.
I Got
#134 posted by . [68.255.59.240] on 2004/12/31 15:21:32
The standard version. There was a version with the expansion pack, but I was short money.
Oh Well.
#135 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2004/12/31 15:56:59
It's certainly quite fun and playable without the two expansions. There are many plug-ins that won't function with the stand-alone version, just fyi.
I just suggest writing down important quest-related info if you don't feel like paging back through the journal. (Also, sometimes sufficient info just isn't recorded in the journal. I have a few quests that I will never finish unless I consult a walkthrough, since I have no idea where the guy is that I need to report back to.)
DS Warioware Touch!
#136 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/01/01 07:11:10
Nearly bought a DS today just for this game. I actually paid for one, but then realised (or was informed) that I didn't have any money and the cash machines aren't operating in Japan until 4th January. I ended up taking it back.
Still... I'm going to get a DS just for this game - I played it in a store for five minutes and NEED to play it now :)
pjw: I've been meaning to try trackmania for a while now. I'll probably try it at work soonish.
Pjw
#137 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/01/01 11:54:54
Cheers man will get on the patch case.
DS And Warioware Impressions
#138 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/01/07 08:16:29
Here are some brief impressions of the DS. I haven't played much of anything except warioware yet, although I did buy another game with the DS (Band Brothers) which I was shit and, and I didn't like anyway and sold today.
I'll start off with the bad things I've noticed so far. First, the cheap looking silver coating is pretty scratch prone. I had the DS in my bag for a couple of hours of walking around and when I retrieved it from the gloomy depths, there were lots of little white scratches where the silver paint had come off. Crap.
The standard d^pad and buttons are tiny and I'm not looking forward to any game that requires heavy use of them. Aside from my complete lack of coordination, the small buttons were the main reason I was so bad a Band Brothers.
The touch screen is quite impressive. It seems fairly precise when used with the stylus, and has performed near flawlessly with Warioware (which uses the touch screen and mic only for input.) Band brothers didn't exactly make good use of the touch screen, which was another reason I decided to ditch it.
Warioware is absolutely awesome, I can't imagine a better suited game to the DS. The game is basically a series of minigames, which require the player to perform simple tasks. Each game lasts around 5 seconds before the player is whisked onto the next screen. If a task is failed, the player loses a chance.
The games use the stylus input really well, and are pretty instinctive, so you normally know what is required instantly. For example, the game might be putting coins into a wallet by dragging them with the stylus, cutting vegetables by slicing them as they fly across the screen, performing a circular motion on the screen to turn a crank or inflating balloons by blowing onto the microphone.
Although Warioware's USP is the use of touch screen, it makes good use of the dual screens of the DS, giving hints and info in the top screen, whilst the frantic action of the game is displayed below.
Warioware is a great game for killing time, and although you are bound to see the same minigame many times, the brevity of each task means that it is not easy to tire of them (unless you play the infinite stage challenge, which repeats the same stage over and over, increasing the difficulty each time.)
The graphics are simple and functional, but have a lot of character. The presentation is generally ace, and is bound to make you smile.
Bleh
#139 posted by Bal [82.120.131.39] on 2005/01/07 09:27:07
Makes me want to get a DS, but no cash...
I'll buy one when they get photoshop running on it. =D
Than And His DS
#140 posted by cyBeAr [213.66.231.130] on 2005/01/07 10:33:50
Wario ware was great fun on the gba and I can imagine that the touch screen and microphone only makes it more interesting.
You haven't been able to try pictochat with anyone?
PJW
#141 posted by ProdigyXL [66.188.62.216] on 2005/01/07 23:35:54
That Trackmania game is complete and under horse shit. That's not remotely fun in anyway shape or form. I've played better racing arcade games on my PocketPC. That is complete ass and I fucking what my time back from you for trying that shit.
Lol Prod
#142 posted by R.P.G. [12.221.57.86] on 2005/01/07 23:41:07
.
I Always Offer Choices
#143 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/08 01:01:45
a) Learn that peoples' tastes differ; I liked the game quite a bit and even made a bunch of tracks for it.
-or-
b) what my time <--Learn to spell when pissed off and/or smoking the crack pipe.
-or-
c) Lick a dogs asshole until it bleeds.
I offer these options with all the kindness of my heart. I hope they help.
Learn To Grammar, Mr Williams.
#144 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/01/08 01:48:23
The asshole belongs to a dog, making the correct noun usage: dog's. Not dogs.
Insult properly plz kthx moran.
#145 posted by Scampie [24.180.188.31] on 2005/01/08 01:51:57
plz
kthx
neither are words. don't use aolspeak when correcting someone's grammar. and moron is spelt like this, you moron.
now everyone quit fighting and discuss other games.
I'll Get A DS...
#146 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.131] on 2005/01/08 01:57:02
in like a year when the redesign the case to look sexy, like the PSP. In the meantime, i have lots of SP games to play.
Morans
#147 posted by . [68.74.217.49] on 2005/01/08 04:17:51
http://www.rhee.net/LDLD/morans.gi...
Conway's Game Of Life
#148 posted by megaman [141.26.16.2] on 2005/01/08 04:22:42
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conwa...
The "game" is actually a zero-player game, meaning that its evolution is determined by its initial state, needing no input from human players. It runs on a grid of squares ("cells") which stretches to infinity in all directions. Each cell has eight "neighbours", which are the cells adjacent to it, including diagonally. Each cell can be in one of two states: it is either "alive" or "dead". (The terms "on" and "off" are also used.) The state of the grid evolves in discrete time steps. The states of all of the cells at one time are taken into account to calculate the states of the cells one time step later. All of the cells are then updated simultaneously.
The transitions depend only on the number of live neighbours:
A dead cell with exactly 3 live neighbours becomes alive (or is "born").
A live cell with 2 or 3 live neighbours stays alive; otherwise it dies (from "loneliness" or "overcrowding").
been faszinated by this since we had to program it for uni.:)
C) Lick A Dogs Asshole Until It Bleeds.
#149 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/01/08 05:03:13
My vote!
Phait Knows His Morans
#150 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/01/08 09:54:54
Scampie; go lick a cellular automaton's asshole until it bleeds.
One of the things I did when teaching myself some programming was a quick'n'dirty version of Conway's Game. It was more than a little creepy seeing little blobs of pixels doing things that I really hadn't told them to...
#151 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/08 16:06:43
now everyone quit fighting and discuss other games.
Yeah, that post was a bit out of character for me; I was a bit stunned that someone would be cranky about such a thing.
Black Dog: I didn't even think about your nick; you must be embarrassed. Next time I'll suggest a moose, or manatee, or some other animal that starts with "M" so as not to include you in the proceedings. Sorry man. :(
*shifts gears*
I'm continuing to play through HL2 and am fairly near the end. Does anyone else feel that this game is more difficult (on Normal skill) than many other shooters? Seems like I am having to work a bit harder than normal. Note that's not a complaint; I'm enjoying the game a great deal.
PJW.
#152 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/01/08 16:17:13
Aside from the Striders in the city, no.
Hmmn.
#153 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/08 16:38:41
Odd. As one example, the various "hold the fort for X amount of time" parts. <--I don't think I've gotten *one* of those on the first try without having to reload at least once.
I get the feeling though, that I'm not making as effective use of my various weapons as I could...maybe I'll try mixing it up more. I also tend to forget about the alt-fire.
Or perhaps I just suck. :)
My Tactic.
#154 posted by Jaj [62.83.170.212] on 2005/01/08 17:41:34
I had some problems in "Entanglement", where you have to resist for a time, the zone where there are 3 turrets at your disposal...
When i was becoming to desperate and getting very angry with myself, i used a ridiculous tactic and it worked!!:
After killing 4 or 5 combines or so more or less when they started to knock down my turrets, i decided to hide into one cabin where the turrets where placed originally and simply waited... hehe an infantile tactic but it workedm, sometimes a combine crossed just in front of me and i shooted at him, no problem... i waited listening to the voices of them and Alyx, until finnally i heard her voice calling me, then i dared to get out.
I'll try that part as a brave soldier later, but now i want to finish the game =).
Heh.
#155 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/08 18:41:38
Yeah, that took a few tries.
[SPOILERS BELOW]
I finally ended up stacking crates which allowed me to climb up on the second floor, and placed the turrets to mow them down as they came up the stairs. That actually made it pretty easy. You have plenty of time, since the soldiers don't actually spawn in until you grab the third turret...
Easier Still...
#156 posted by Bal [82.120.136.180] on 2005/01/08 19:02:05
On that part, you can climb up to the first floor on one side with crates and the grav gun, before the combine get there, take the turrets with you, and just wait in the back while the turrets kill them off (ocasionaly they will lob a grenade up there, which might tip over the turrets, but just put them back up, or even better, blow the grenades outta the sky with the grav gun...).
There's another turret part, where u can stop the combine soldiers from getting near you by blocking the passages with tables or other junk lying around... "Oh no boss! There's a wooder table in the way! it's at least 1 cm thick, what will we do?!?" smart AI my ass... ¬_¬
It's True The Second Floor!
#157 posted by Jaj [62.83.171.217] on 2005/01/08 20:40:30
How didn't i think about it?!, Maybe i'm aging... I'll try that as soon as i'll finish the game.
I had thought about that way of avoiding the grenades and however never did it, don't know why, i'll have to prove it too.
Another cool use with the gravity gun is to capture a "Man Hack" (those little flying bastards) and throw it against a combine.
#158 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/08 20:43:57
Just walking around holding onto one and using it like a chainsaw is pretty cool too.
Hmm...
#159 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.131] on 2005/01/08 21:31:18
All i did was set up two turrets to guard one door, and the other turret and myself to guard the other door. If one gets knocked down by a grenade, pick it up again.
Caveat:
#160 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.131] on 2005/01/08 21:31:38
medium difficulty.
2nd Floor
#161 posted by Blitz [24.218.175.131] on 2005/01/08 23:09:54
I tried to get up there but couldn't. This was the section that took me the longest...no matter what configuration I setup, I could NOT fucking beat it. Finally I put all three of them in virtually the same spot out of frustration, and I had planned to quit and come back later after that try figuring it wouldn't work. Well of course that configuration worked!
Pee Jay Woubleyou
#162 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/01/08 23:38:41
There's no problem with my nick and your post, I was just ribbing you.
<3
Oh Yeah
#163 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/01/08 23:43:01
That bit in HL2, I fucking hated it. I hadn't realised that the turrets could be ressurected, so I was basically being swamped after the first few waves inevitably took out a turret.
After what was probably forty attempts, I gave up, switched the difficulty to easy and went shotgunning.
#164 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/09 01:31:12
BlackDog: I was just messin' back. We have no problems. :)
Shamb: I just finished the game, and oddly enough, I had *far* less trouble with the striders than I did with the "hold the fort" bits. It was a bit of rectal discomfort finding that one crate of rockets that I was supposed to find while being fired upon by everything in the world, and the one coming up behind in the subway tunnel was a bit of a shocker--that one killed me once until I reloaded and ran like a scared weasel to the cover of the building.
I think the only strider that gave me trouble was the last one that you had to take out with the gravity gun/energy balls. It took me three or four tries to get a good safe spot to sit and bank energy balls at him...
I liked the ending a LOT.
That Hold This Against Combines Spot
#165 posted by megaman [141.26.16.2] on 2005/01/09 03:07:36
i played that when i first saw hl on a friends laptop. i have no clue what difficulty was set, but even with my 1337 lame q3 aim/movement it was hard. very hard.
maybe cause i refused to hide in a corner and camp. thats probably what made hl2gameplay so bad for me - most of the scenes ive played you just _couldnt_ run around strafing, jumping, tricking cause the ai aims 100% after a short reaction time(at least thats what it felt like[hello snipers]).
oh man, how cool the fights against the soldiers in hl1 were. pity.
.
#166 posted by necros [66.185.84.80] on 2005/01/09 03:27:03
well, the game is meant to be treated a little more realistically than the original, so you're supposed to take cover in houses and whatnot and fight "smart".
yeah, i prefer strafing and going nuts too. ;)
PJW
#167 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/01/09 05:21:45
Actually, in retrospect there were a few damn frustrating sections, I guess I was meaning that the overall standard of the game was fine if you average it out.
Facing the last strider was gay, I quicksaved about 180 times going down the corridor.
As for the turret bit, thank fuck I had some warning about this. I took the tables and filing cabinets and shit and blocked off not one but two of the entrances. Even so it was still pretty annoying. After it was over I stacked X amount of shit to try to get on the second level, but couldn't.
P.S. How the fuck do you right turrets? Pick them up (at the same stupid angle they fell at), then what? Drop them down again? At the same stupid angle they fell at... Never got the hang of that.
Shambler:
#168 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.253] on 2005/01/09 05:34:23
an annoying fact about turrets -- if you pick them up with the gravity gun, they right themselves. If you pick them up with the use key, they don't.
Pjw
#169 posted by cyBeAr [213.66.231.130] on 2005/01/09 06:04:08
The big question: is trackmania better than the classic stunts?
HL2 Finished
#170 posted by Jaj [62.83.161.224] on 2005/01/09 14:12:13
An excellent game, some little details could've been slightly different or better in my opinion, but it's a personal taste question.
Generally, i repeat, excellent, this is between the better games, of course.
I think, it wasn't be strange to see a third part.
I remembered, mainly in the final part, Neo and Trinity comparing with Freeman and Alyx, it's not the same story, of course, but i noticed a slight touch
Stuff
#171 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/09 14:34:39
Facing the last strider was gay, I quicksaved about 180 times going down the corridor.
Heh. I quicksaved on the ledge before you jump down and tried a few things. I died once normally, then ran like hell to the other end, hoping for a hallway or cover of some kind (and noticed the energy ball stream things), then died. Then I just sat, mystified, for about 2 or 3 minutes thinking "WTF. This is kinda shitty." and finally realized that I was supposed (?) to get behind the cover near the energy streams, and grab them and bank them. It worked but it took me a couple more tries. I kept leaving a shin exposed or whatever. A designer needs a groin punch from that scenario, IMO.
cyBeAr: Are you talking about: http://www.kalpen.de/stunts/downld... ? (I did a little googling.) I don't think I ever played it. You can basically do everything in the demo I linked above that you can in the game.
There's a race mode (trying to get a medal time upon completion), a puzzle mode (assembling a certain number and type of track sections to connect a start and end point in the fastest way to get a medal time), and a general sandbox mode that lets you make your own race or puzzle tracks and save them off for others. The resulting map files are tiny (~10KB or less), so are easy to exchange with others.
Jaj: Yeah, I got a slight Neo and Trinity vibe every now and then too, now that I think about it. The whole "good luck, hope we don't die so I'll see you again" thing.
Omg!
#172 posted by necros [66.185.84.80] on 2005/01/09 20:19:50
Stunts!
i love this game! i remember way back i had discovered that, although the game didn't allow you to save a track unless it was closed off (ie: was a closed loop from start to finish) if you did a small oval, you can then fill the map with any junk you wanted without having to connect anything. i love this game! ^_^
Well...
#173 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/09 21:52:07
If you liked that game, then you very well might like Trackmania--it looks similar. (I just spent most of the afternoon making a new track for it.)
On the other hand, you might hate Trackmania with a passion, and hope that I die in a fire after trying it. Either way.
Demo link to save you from searching back a few posts, if you do feel like trying it:
http://www.noos.fr/animation/track...
Yes, That Is The Right Stunts
#174 posted by cyBeAr [213.66.231.117] on 2005/01/10 11:57:47
I guess I'll have to try tackmania sometime.
Be Forwarned...
#175 posted by ProdigyXL [141.209.35.75] on 2005/01/10 15:32:01
Trackmania may seem cool in theory, but when played online it is nothing but an excersise in frustration. All the player made tracks are nothing but poorly designed and executed mazes. I consider this a puzzle game more than any kind of arcade racer. The game might be some fun on a decent track, but the community that surrounds this title is terrible. You should never be forced to start a race over a check point because you failed to make a rediculous jumps. This isn't a racing title.
And pjw I don't hate you, but it wasn't anything like you described to me.
ProdigyXL
#176 posted by pjw [68.117.134.13] on 2005/01/10 20:48:02
Hmmn.
I've spent all of ten minutes playing the game online. Perhaps that's part of the reason for the differing experiences? I rarely play online anyway--most people are lame and annoying, unless it's a specific group or restricted community.
There are a lot of horrible, horrible player-made tracks out there--you are quite correct. It is not as technical to make levels for this game as it is for FPS games, thus lots of really abominable shite made by silly twats.
The majority of the fun for me has been searching out the really good tracks (Trackmania Exchange: http://www.tm-exchange.com/ ), and playing them, and making my own tracks for it--since it requires a wholly different kind of design skill to make a good track for this than it does to make a good FPS level.
It's good to know you don't hate me. :)
Armagetron ( Advanced )
#177 posted by Kell [82.41.8.22] on 2005/01/30 12:19:08
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
This is me, drawing level with another cycle.
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
View from cockpit, glancing to my right as I overtake Photoshop.
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
Gimp, about to meet a problem head-on.
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
Taken a split second before things become terribly complicated...
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
Photshop, turning away as I approach. Ph34r meh :P
http://kell.spawnpoint.org/screens...
I rock.
Note that these shots were taken with the moviepack installed and some ( ahem ) custom textures :)
http://armagetron.sourceforge.net/
Replaying Older Games
#178 posted by Scragbait [67.68.0.249] on 2005/01/30 15:26:13
Since my hardware isn't up to Doom 3 or Half-Life 2, I have been replaying my older games.
Quake 2 and Mission Packs - Good brainless fun - relaxing even on Hard skill. I'm getting every secret. The gameplay is rudimentary, there are way too many weapons and switching is slow but the sound and atmosphere still work for me.
Half-Life - I recently replayed the whole single player campaign. I played on Normal since the hitscan stuff can get annoying. I found it fun and not too stressful. I was a lot better at taking out attack helicopters. Xen seemed less unbearable but still was too jump focused and the Scrotal Beast bug had me stuck wondering if me or the game screwed up.
Wheel of Time - I'm not quite half-way though but I'm enjoying the atmosphere of this game and by playing at a more relaxed pace, I'm maintaining better health and not wasting as many Ter Angreals. I'll replay tough areas enough times that I'm able to carry on without hanging onto life by my toenails. I'm using strategy better. This is a nice enough game but handling all those Ter Angreals in a swarm battle can be a real pain.
Right now, I'm looking for a more relaxed gaming experience. I put Painkiller on pause in the train station because I am at a point where after completing several arenas in this map, I'm in a darker area with lots of hitscam enemies in the rafters. I just became tired of the gameplay. I will eventually resume as I really like studying the excellent settings in PK. Except for Towne, the physics in many of the maps isn't interesting enough to elevate the singular gameplay model that this game has voluntarily restricted itself to. Too bad, but I still want Battle Out of Hell just to see the quality environmental modelling. Too bad that the Painkiller series didn't decide to compete with Undying or Blood 1 for immersion in the single player campaign.
After WoT, I'm considering Deus Ex, Unreal and RtCW. They're sitting on my rack as I type this.
NOLF2
#179 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2005/01/30 15:51:13
Played this recently now that I'm not running a SB Live soundcard on Win 98 anymore (actually, both are no longer in use).
Fun stuff. Humorous. Listening to the enemies lament the daily troubles of being a henchmen in an evil organization can be funny.
Sneaking is mostly done well, but it gets annoying in spots (doesn't it always?). The attack gameplay is a nice break from the typical stuff; you can actually choose whether to hide from an enemy, sneak up on him to cap him in the head, run in guns blazing, or just distract him and sneak past.
The game also seemed to have a good length to it; though that may be because I pretty much only played it in the evenings for a couple hours every other day. Nonetheless, the story lasted for the whole game, and I wasn't tired of either before it was over. That said, the sentimental aspect of the tortured soldier didn't fit well with the story.
Overall, a good game, and the finale worked pretty well as an apropos climax.
I Enjoyed The First NOLF
#180 posted by HeadThump [65.140.59.190] on 2005/01/30 22:09:27
much more than the second. The Japanese Swordlady did not fit in with the over the top personas of the other villians in the series. Like the tortured soldier, she was much too serious for the mood of the game.
Also, it was kind of odd that your character Ms. Archer would kill the swordlady's minions by the bucket full without any qualms, but hesitate to do her in as well.
There were some good moments though. The henchman conversations were still up to par ('I hate seeing another man being emasculated.'). As were the the mime troupe and wheely ride, the infinite patience of the Indian Guards you had to sneak around, and the piss in your pants tension of your first super soldier encounter while trying to undo a lock (great scripted timing there) as well.
Oh, yeah. I recall having an odd sense of Deja Vu when I was in the subbase, but I don't know why. I recall my brother saying the same.
Scraggy...
#181 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/01/31 01:36:07
Some fine choices of older games there. Wheel Of Time is great IMO.
If you like 3rd person too, try to get hold of FAKK2 (exotic locations, cool monsters, nice styles, interesting 2 handed gameplay) and Blade Of Darkness (proper fantasy style, great lighting, very interesting (if challenging) combo based violence, lots of blood too).
Nolf2 And Nolf1
#182 posted by nitin [81.10.37.130] on 2005/01/31 02:07:02
are both very good. I prefer NOLF2 because the environments are better executed and some of the annoying stuff removed but NOLF1 has cooler moments. Plus the conversations in NOLF 1 are funnier.
Scragbait,
yeah I love replaying older games (especially since my comp cant run anything new). Its surprising how much easier and less stressful some of them seem the second time around.
NOLF ???
#183 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/01/31 02:09:13
Sorry for my lack of knowledge, but what is NOLF ??
Jplambert
#184 posted by nitin [81.10.37.130] on 2005/01/31 02:13:28
No One Lives Forver
Sort of a satire on the James Bond spy series but also good FPS action games.
Nitin
#185 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/01/31 02:16:28
Thanks !! I know the game, I see many TV advertising for it, but it's not called like this for the french version.
Older Games, Yeah
#186 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/01/31 02:23:46
Started playing through System Shock 2 again yesterday. The graphics look incredibly outdated, but... damn, what a game.
Whatever happened to titles like that?
System Shock 2
#187 posted by Scragbait [209.226.65.59] on 2005/01/31 09:59:32
Highly recommended.
Tons of atmosphere and a very good story. This is not a game to rush. Read every PDA and think carefully about how to develop your character. While the pace of the game is slow and it is pretty hard, the depth of design and imagination pulled me through to the very end.
What happened to such titles? As game development evolves, so does the need for revenue to fund the massive costs to produce current games. Marketing and business planners approve design docs that will likely fulfil business objective.s Looking Glass, who went bankrupt, probably just wanted to create a really good game - and they did.
System Shock 2
#188 posted by nitin [81.10.37.34] on 2005/01/31 10:03:14
always heard good stuff about it, never played it. Will try to track a copy down when I get back.
System Shock 2
#189 posted by generic [69.244.213.210] on 2005/01/31 10:07:15
Didn't id software redo this one with a Hell-ish theme and call it Doom 3 or something?
Headthump
#190 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.230.101] on 2005/01/31 10:38:31
Also, it was kind of odd that your character Ms. Archer would kill the swordlady's minions by the bucket full without any qualms, but hesitate to do her in as well.
Hey, you're the one who chose to kill the minions, not Ms. Archer. ;)
And yeah, I got a strong sense of deja vu from the underwater base, too. The only thing I could figure was that it must have been similar to the space station from NOLF1.
SS2 And Monster Spawning
#191 posted by Scragbait [67.68.2.26] on 2005/01/31 14:21:27
For those who play System Shock 2, I suggest reading the monster spawn section in the readme.wri file to see if you wish to adjust some of the spawn controlling parameters. SS2 is not hugely generous with ammo and too many random respawns don't help your supply situation. Since I took my time playing through, I set the parameters to minimize respawns although they are not stopped completely.
He He
#192 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.162] on 2005/01/31 14:31:59
you called me out on that one. 'It was I, your Honor who slayed the beautiful minions of HARM!'
The Venture Brothers' villians remind me of HARM.
The only thing I could figure was that it must have been similar to the space station from NOLF1.
My other theory on that is that the art director or texture artist for that section may be someone that Quake series players may be familiar with, like an HFX/evillair.
That Reminds Me
#193 posted by Fat Controller [222.152.147.99] on 2005/02/01 22:47:22
I still can't get SS2 running, goddamnit. I thought this Radeon 9800SE was going to do some magic (with DirectX 9.0b, I think) but no. Fooey. SS2 has to be the best damn FPRPG ever. Any ideas?
And ditto on the spawning business. Backtracking from the bridge train was horrible. Always spiders, midwives and an assassin, and me with a goddamn laser gun...
Fatty
#194 posted by Blitz [66.31.113.161] on 2005/02/01 23:00:43
The SE is a poorly reviewed and regarded card -- my friend made the mistake of getting one, and he can barely play Doom3. I know money is tight, but you should have like, sold some Bob Dobbs wares on Ebay or something.
Try and ditch the SE if you can, it's really not a good card. Go for a 9600-9800 PRO if you can, or a slightly older Geforce...
New GTR Demo Released
#195 posted by VoreLord [203.51.220.159] on 2005/02/11 15:20:23
For those interested -
GTR Site
http://www.simbin.com/games/gtr/
Blues News Discussion and Download Links
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/b...
#196 posted by speedu [81.211.120.222] on 2005/02/19 05:38:52
playing riddick (odd game, far from d3 environment design wise)
and tried 'fall' (yeah fallout ripoff by germans in full 3d)
Riddick's
#197 posted by metlslime [66.135.131.101] on 2005/02/19 05:42:44
level design reminded me often of quake2.
#198 posted by [81.211.120.222] on 2005/02/19 06:08:15
true that
#199 posted by [81.211.120.222] on 2005/02/19 06:16:48
btw everyone be sure to play BGE - prolly best fun I had since q1 become boring
Riddick
#200 posted by Shambler [82.38.194.13] on 2005/02/19 06:32:06
I agree. I liked it for that. Some of the mines bits are how I hope Q4 to be. With better controls and gameplay of course.
Knights Of The Old Republic 2 : Sith Lords
#201 posted by DaZ [80.43.115.137] on 2005/02/19 07:07:02
OMG, LOL FAP and other 3 letter acronyms!
This game is roxoring me hard... I loved the original and this seems to carry on where the original left off very nicely... Same great attention to detail and good storyline and deep characters... cant fault it yet... About 3-4 hours into it, loving every second!!
Swkotor2
#202 posted by necros [69.193.222.114] on 2005/02/20 10:51:37
i concur. :)
Riddick
#203 posted by pjw [24.158.15.68] on 2005/02/21 23:39:54
Just finished it.
Damn, that was a good game! Movement/controls were a bit iffy at times, the ragdoll would shit itself occasionally, and there were model seams/cracks from time to time, but those minor gripes were far outweighed by the good stuff.
I played it all weekend, and really enjoyed it. Good story, good gameplay, nice mo-cap and voice talent (and gratuitous one-liners), and very elegent implementation of stuff (e.g. stealth, health, weapons) that is often done poorly. I quite liked the level design too. I don't know that I've played that enjoyable a mix of fps, stealth, and rpg since Deus Ex, and that's damn high praise from me.
I do believe I'll turn right around and play through it again with the commentary.
I'd Like To Try Riddick
#204 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2005/02/22 02:16:17
But the idea of Vin Diesel in my computer is putting me off.
Guess I'll try the demo, if there's a demo.
No Demo
#205 posted by . [68.74.215.170] on 2005/02/22 02:18:10
I want the demo too, I might buy this.
Ss2
#206 posted by megaman [62.52.37.161] on 2005/02/22 04:31:03
is soo fucking great - finally got it to run on my pc ( took 3h of my life ).
the moster spawning in places is really shitty tho - i already encountered 3 or 4 places where monsters would respawn every few secs and always at the same place.. pretty much destroys the atmosphere :/
i want more research + chemical store rooms in games!
btw ss2: rebirth is quite nice, someone redid some of the models for ss2...
Ss2: Rebirth
#207 posted by cant map [195.208.123.213] on 2005/02/22 04:42:55
megaman is it released?
Still Beta1
#208 posted by megaman [62.52.37.154] on 2005/02/22 08:38:58
still beta1
Rebirth
#209 posted by necros [142.150.2.134] on 2005/02/22 11:13:18
appears to be abandoned... too bad. still, the game is excellent nonetheless.
Megaman
#210 posted by Scragbait [69.159.47.67] on 2005/02/22 14:35:23
Checkout the readme.wri file. There is a subheading called Monster Spawning. Here is a partial cut and paste but you'll want to read that whole section:
Monster Spawning
Not all ecologies support these new unsupported variables. A few will still respawn at their default rates. For instance, there are two ecologies on MedSci1, and only one of them is affected by these variables.
If you've killed everything in a given area, and you wait around long enough, you'll notice that more monsters are spawned to keep you busy. To minimize respawning, use the configuration variable:
no_spawn
Yeah, Already Seen That
#211 posted by megaman [149.225.92.2] on 2005/02/22 14:48:27
wanted to play the game the devs intended me to tho :)
hm, im now at recreation deck and i have to say it gets a bit.. tiring. all this worms everywhere shit gets on my nerves :) its just that its the same for 3 levels...
Zoo Keeper
#212 posted by Shallow [213.143.16.244] on 2005/03/31 05:48:00
Some of you will have played the Flash version of this. I'm currently horribly addicted to the Nintendo DS version. It has a Tetris-like quality to it... crack in game-cart form.
Shallow:
#213 posted by metlslime [209.213.199.133] on 2005/03/31 10:30:00
is that related to the old arcade game of the same name?
Nevermind...
#214 posted by metlslime [209.213.199.133] on 2005/03/31 10:41:17
It's just a bejeweled clone with different graphics.
The old arcade game had some of the most hardcore air control ever, by the way. Here's a flyer with some screenshots:
http://www.jmpc.com/Starcade/Stari...
1943
#215 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/04/01 00:32:15
1943 (P38 plane combat against Japan Air Forces) was IMHO one of the best arcade games I ever played (before discovering Doom and Quake...) I know some guys who found an emulator in order to play the game on Linux, and it's still really funny...
http://www.gamespot.com/arcade/act...
Lumines
#216 posted by Scampie [63.236.226.222] on 2005/04/01 13:40:15
Forgive me if I stop being coherant midway through writing this, it'll likely be that Lumines has yet again eaten my soul and left me a cold, hollow man with an addiction to it's pretty lights and sounds.
Lumines is a Playstation Portable puzzle game which is somewhere near a cross of Tetris and Tetris Attack, with some of the cool audio/visual effects of Res thrown in.
Play is rather basic, you have rotatable falling squares of 4 blocks that can be 2 colors. The goal is to score points by dropping the blocks to make single color squares of 4 blocks. A 'scanline' passes by the playfield left to right constantly, and removes all the singlecolor squares you've made. Points are awarded depending on how many squares you clear in one pass. There are also 'special' blocks, which are one of the two colors and have a jewel in them. When you make a square with a special block in it, all connected blocks of the same color are also cleared, which generally will clear large areas and make big combos for you next pass of the scanline. Just like Tetris, the game is over when the play area is too full to drop a block.
The Audio and Visual effects are what makes the game so awesomely cool. Every 5-10 levels has it's own animated background and ambient song. Beats and lyrics to the song are played when rotating, dropping, and clearing blocks. There are also some special visual effects depending the the background. All and all making the game look and sound very fun to play.
Only bad thing I can say about the game is that when you play the game through, the order of the backgrounds is always the same, and the first one has a song with a very repetitive 'shinin' and shinin' and shinin' and shinin'...' lyric to it. But it's otherwise very cool.
Anyone with a PSP is going to want this game. Definately one of the best Puzzle games I've played in some time.
Band Of Brothers On A Road To Hill 30 With Maybe Some Omaha Beach And
#217 posted by DaZ [80.43.234.70] on 2005/04/01 16:06:45
Yeah BROTHERS IN ARMS : ROAD TO HILL 30 Mini/crap review!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOL aw gibbie lol!.
Yeah so its an fps that defies pretty much everything an fps tries to be. But also remains pretty fun after the fact. Lemme explain u fucking retards!!!
Ok, so. In prety much all fps games if u aim at the enemy and shoot then u score a hit!!! BUT NOT IN BROTHERS IN ARMS LOLOLOOL!!! Actually if they are behind cover u get a nicen circle that fills with colour that shows that the enemy is suppressed which means that u are owning them so u can move and fire while they are shitting their pants!!!
This is generally how u win the game, suppress the enemy then outflank them with your secondary squad and pwn them hard. It sounds wwird but if u can get used to shooting at the enemy without any real consequences other than getting them to take cover then it actually becomes quite fun after a while. Especially when u gain a 2nd squad or a tank!
Graphics are good enough and AI is good too, your dudes take cover and shoot at shit, and generally do what u want, with NOT VERY occasional glitches (tank in breakfast room etc!) its all good son!
It can get frustating at times, (shooting at germans and not scoring a hit even tho your crosshair was on them OMGLOLBBQ!!! but if worth a try imo.
It is very strategic at times too, u can give orders to your squad(s) to tell them to kick arse or SHAG EACH OTHER BY A WALL LOL CZG! etc which is nice'.
I am on level 7 and rock balls! K mini review / shit hole bright to you by DaZ!!!!!! YES I ROCK!!! see u in chav magazine with Kinn etc
OH YEAH
#218 posted by DaZ [80.43.234.70] on 2005/04/01 16:09:58
ALso lots of invisible walls eveyrwhere (sucks) but other than that is ok, now fuck you!!!
#219 posted by Scampie [63.236.226.222] on 2005/04/01 16:54:20
Daz, the drunk thread is thataway.
Currently Playing:
#220 posted by NotoriousRay [69.250.90.110] on 2005/04/01 20:52:36
kotor2. so far so good, although parts of it are a bit more frustrating than the original, which i loved playing through immensely.
that matrix online game looks/seems pretty cool, from what i've read. may have to give that a go after kotor2. and maybe finish splinter cell. speaking of which, anyone tried sc: chaos theory?
Oh Sweet Jesus
#221 posted by Kinn [217.44.228.104] on 2005/04/02 01:07:58
I felt it in #tf, but now I'm 100% positive that DaZ has been possessed by the Daemonic soul of czg.
Hang in there DaZ, we will send these blasphemous Daemons back into the abyss from whence they crawled.
(P.S. - looking forward to your photoshoot in the latest issue of Chavs ^_~ )
Brothers In Arms: Unnecessary Subtitle
#222 posted by Shallow [82.133.105.54] on 2005/04/02 03:18:44
I played up to level 5 (I think) before getting bored. It turns out that 'genuine military tactics like they done used in the war' consists of approaching every combat situation in exactly the same way, making for very repetitive gameplay.
The graphics I thought were way below par for a current PC game. Lots of nastily washed-out textures on some of the levels as well. The character models in particular are going to look a bit sucky to you if you've played HL2 on high quality settings. Sir Daz is dead right about the shitty invisible walls "I am a well trained fit and healthy soldier yet I cannot climb over a tiny pile of twigs which is blocking this gateway OH NOES."
The first-person squad control interface is also incredibly intrusive - it looks like some kind of half-assed Flash game has been superimposed on top of World War 2. Surely this could have been designed to blend in with the rest of the game's artwork more appropriately?
So I traded it in to buy the new Timesplitters.
So What's Pushplay Playing?
#223 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.110] on 2005/04/02 22:41:19
metl: that game has some pretty neat mechanics. Glad you pointed that out.
JP: you're talking about xmame I assume. If you google romnation you can download (if you legally own the game, heh) the roms for the rest of the 1940 series. Also look into Strikers 194*. If you ask I can always recommend more.
Meanhile a friend lent me Resident Evil 4 and I've been playing that. I tried RE2 (I think) a long time ago and I didn't really care for it. I started RE4 with low-expectations and when I started getting frustrated with the first chainsaw dude I almost have up. I got through it though and now I'm 20 hours in and can't put the damn thing down.
I'm also still playing poker. I'm up a bunch online and just won $100 at the casino today.
God Of War
#224 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.38.168] on 2005/04/10 15:37:13
I picked this up and expected it to be another Devil May Cry rip off... and it is, but it's a lot of fun.
The design is top quality. Everything, characters, levels, story and voice acting, attacks, everything in this game is top quality. TOP of the top. Like Kilamanjaro top. Or is it Everest? I forget, one of those is top of the top, just like the quality of this game.
Levels wind back on themselves, opening new areas and what not as you progress. I expected sort of linear levels that moved only forward, but the layout of each level is truly spectacular. I'm on level 4 right now, and I am very surprised by the design so far. Very spectacular.
For example, in level 3 you're scaling down the side of a mountain village around Athens, and wayyyyy in the distance is this huge Ares being attacked by a huge army, with all sorts of missiles flying around, and Ares is just shooting fireballs and picking people up and eating them. That's all background stuff, but occasionally you get a scripted sequence fireball that comes and destroys a building in your way or something. And as you scale down the mountain, dawn peaks and the lighting subtly changes, from early morning blues to pinks to reds to oranges to yellow at dawn... very very nice.
I must say, the game has kept my interest a lot more than Katamari Damacy, which is pretty good too, but God of War is just amazing so far. If you have a PS2 I would recommend it. 5 thumbs up.
Oh Yeah
#225 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.38.168] on 2005/04/10 15:38:07
In case you didn't know, they got lots of boobies in there too. Tons of em. Boobies everywhere. On women and monsters. Sexy booby monsters. Boobies and blood. Good stuff. 6 thumbs up.
#226 posted by Scampie [24.180.188.166] on 2005/04/10 17:50:56
God of War is perhaps the best game I've ever played...
...at least the first stage of it after which my PS2 decided to kill itself... FUCK YOU SONY DISC DRIVE THAT STOPS SPINNING DISCS!!!
Big Disappointment
#227 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/04/11 06:03:54
I tried some days ago Red Faction II in deathmatch mode... and while it was quite funny to fight against bots (like in most deathmatch contest...), I was really disappointed how item looked ingame... Weapons, health and ammos are "disco" colored in transparent-like red, white, yellow, purple, etc... colors... It was not like in the SP game where you have real items... I was really surprised to see how ugly they look... *cough*
Cough QUAKE 3 Cough
#228 posted by DaZ [80.43.66.182] on 2005/04/12 13:50:14
;)
Hitman 3 Trick
#229 posted by . [68.255.59.34] on 2005/06/05 21:47:11
Maybe it's an exploit, but here's how you sneak the sniper rifle into the hotel, Traditions Of The Trade:
Before you approach the guard who checks your ID, drop the sniper case. Let him check it, pickup the sniper case. Turn sideways and strafe a bit up to the metal detector, do not pass through it! Drop the case. Go through the metal detector now. Once you're on the other side, pick up the sniper case. Enjoy!
30 Lives In Contra:
#230 posted by metlslime [209.213.199.133] on 2005/06/06 13:13:31
up up down down left right left right B A start
Games.
#231 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/06/07 00:13:57
Just finished: Painkiller: Battle Out Of Hell
After having to reinstall both games to get it to work. Quite good, a bit on the short and repetitive side, but some good maps and more interesting enemies this time. Just more Painkiller really.
Just started: Far Cry
A complete change of direction. So far, so good. Still looks great and plays interesting too.
Just installed: Vampire The Assquerade
A bit dark and gloomy for summer evenings but when the British summer rains start I might play it.
Just about to buy: D3: Erection of Evil
Well, yes.
I Dropped
#232 posted by pope [154.5.27.236] on 2005/06/07 00:52:28
vampire: the masquerade
something about the character you play just ruined it for me. maybe his piss poor jumping motions? the hokey combat & effects? I just felt so taken out of the game at times.
maybe I'll try to get back into it again...
d3: roe, I've stopped playing at the final boss. why I don't really know. Maybe it's me realizing I've seen all there is to offer by this point, why bother finishing it. If someone tells me it's actually worth playing through the final battle then maybe I'll pop that cd back in the tray.
Pope
#233 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.44.79] on 2005/06/07 14:15:59
It's WELL worth the 5 minutes to kill Betruger. The ending is amazing - I won't spoil it though.
Especially The Last Scene
#234 posted by VoreLord [203.51.235.223] on 2005/06/07 14:39:32
Where Dr Whatshername says those last 3 words, just before the credits roll, simply amazing.
Oh My God, I Was Wrong,
#235 posted by metlslime [209.213.199.133] on 2005/06/07 15:32:39
It was Earth all along...
So Why Don't We Just Sit Here
#236 posted by Kell [82.41.10.46] on 2005/06/07 15:41:47
and wait a while...see what happens..?
Good.
#237 posted by distrans [211.28.241.21] on 2005/06/07 16:16:04
For a moment there, I thought we were in trouble.
GY
#238 posted by ANAN [82.81.12.250] on 2005/06/19 06:47:21
RRTT
Games.
#239 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/06/20 04:08:59
Been playing Far Cry, guess I am 1/2way+ through it. Very cool stuff, reminds me more of Deus Ex + a bit of HL/2 in a novel setting, rather than a tediously realistic modern conflict sim. Thank fuck! Quite hard though, definitely rewards careful but tactically aggressive gameplay.
And I've just ordered Guild Wars because Zwiffle told me to. Need a fresh game to play in the bright summer evenings and want to try some online shit - hopefully I can get involved with the #fucn people who are playing it, w3rd.
Guild Wars Destroyed My Life
#240 posted by pushplay [129.128.23.177] on 2005/06/21 09:44:31
Send help!
Killer 7
#241 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.254.133] on 2005/07/08 18:24:49
I watched a guy play Killer 7 during lunch break at work. I only saw about 30 minutes of the game, but it looked pretty trippy, and very cool. I'm not sure if the gameplay is going to be top notch, but the setting combined with the theme seems to be right up my alley. I'm definitely looking to buy this one.
Guild Wars
#242 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/07/09 00:11:28
Tis okay.
Anyway I'm now in the main game big after Ascalon got pwnd, and I am fucking clueless already. Any #funcers wanna hit me up with some coop mission shizznit, look for Shambler The Obtuse...
You Say You Like Vert-dragging?
#243 posted by pjw [66.188.100.27] on 2005/07/15 18:57:35
This is a pretty cool idea...
http://home.cwru.edu/~jnt5/Planari...
You Say You Like Vert-dragging?
#244 posted by pushplay [68.148.157.98] on 2005/07/16 01:05:42
Yes, yes I do.
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~grajkow...
Heh.
#245 posted by pjw [66.188.100.27] on 2005/07/16 01:21:15
Nice one! I was only at level 11 after 19 minutes...
Vert Draggin'
#246 posted by bambuz [80.221.25.15] on 2005/07/16 05:24:17
it's funny at first but gets boring after a while, i only played until about 40000 points and went to bed.
Max Paybe 2
#247 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.254.133] on 2005/07/17 16:58:37
Yeah well I've had a bit of vodka so maybe I should spout about Max Payne 2?
I bought it a while ago when I had a job. The gameplay was basically the same as the original. Take that for what you will; it's either good or bad, depending on what you thought of the original.
Anyway, basically my complaints reside with the story. At this point it's been years since I've played the original, so take my comments as you will--my memories have faded along with everything else.
They basically changed Max around completely. He went from being a good guy who wanted save the world but was turned into a victim into a total loser who deserved everything that came to him. And they changed his look?! What's up with that? Totally horrible.
Not only was the character changed both in the art and point of view, but the entire story aspect has changed. Now we have the story inserted in a combination of comic-book penals and in-game cinematics. What's up with that? Why be so inconsistant? Even something from the same story point will have a cut from a comic-book style and then cut to a in-game cutscene, which basically makes no sense since the comic-book style cutscenes were part of the original selling point.
Basically I found the entire game to be a huge disappointment. I know sequels should be different from the original in order to maintain creative originality, but why ruin a character that you could empathize with by making him into a total loser and then ruining the entire story-telling mode by taking away the creativity of the original?
Bah
#248 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.254.133] on 2005/07/17 17:09:39
Poorly written, but I'm glad that post is off my chest. I hated that game so much. Considering the fact that I'm such a sucker for games that focus around art instead of actual substance, that game really disappointed me. The story was a total let-down, and I hate the publisher/developer for that.
If a game is story-based, try not to make it based around a character that is totally unlikable. I was basically rooting for Vlad at the end since he summed it up pretty well: "You hate life, you're miserable all the time, afraid to enjoy yourself even a little. Face it, you might as well be dead already. Do yourself a favor, give up!" Oh believe me, I wanted to.
#249 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.83.67] on 2005/07/17 20:10:39
Yes, I beat Max 2 on hard mode in 3 hours flat. The game was a HUGE disappointment. Absolutely poor imo.
Saint Seiya - Zodiac Knights - The Sanctuary
#250 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/07/18 00:16:18
I played this week-end "Saint Seiya - Zodiac Knights - The Sanctuary" on PS2... I'm not really a fan of "fist-fight games", but this games comes from a manga movie release 10/15 years ago, and I was a fan of this manga movie series... so...
Animation / video sequences are really cool: it's like in the manga movie. As well, the special effects like lights halos, etc.. are very well made
Commands are a little bit complicated and annoying sometimes (it's not like tekken), i.e. you need to learn special combo in order to have efficient damages on your ennemy... Maybe it's not so easy as I would like... or maybe I'm too old for this game ... ;)... As well, keeping in guard without attacking your ennemy is not helpfull, and after more or less 5 attacks of your ennemy: hits, and you loose health... You really have to attack to survive..
There are 3 modes: a "one vs one" as usual, the "12 house of zodiacs" like in the movie (yo have to defeat the 12 gold zodiac knights in their respective house, so if you missed an episode of the movie, it's pretty cool... ), and a third one (I don't remember the exact name..) where you are the pope (the bad guy of the movie) and you try to kill the heroes while they are progressing trhought houses of zodiac... So you are allowed to choose between the good and the evil...
The most crappy thing are the sub-titles ingame, and you are not allowed to remove them (or I still don't find where and how to remove them..)
Globally, it was fun, and I fall back in my late youth...
Max Payne 2
#251 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/07/18 02:12:30
Cool game, well done and I really enjoyed it. Maybe on the short side, only took me 12-15 hours but it was a fun 12-15 hours. Gameplay was pretty standard but the atmosphere and style was distinctive and a very cool - a bit OTT but it did what it did well.
Then again, I was enjoying it on it's own merits, I hadn't played MP1 so I didn't have any preconceptions....and I've heard unbiased views are so passe these days....
Bleh
#252 posted by than [80.68.41.58] on 2005/07/18 10:31:39
I enjoyed MP2 a hell of a lot more than the first game. I thought the art was generally better, the gameplay much more forgiving, the dream sequences done better with regards to gameplay (although perhaps they had less impact). As a result, I actually bothered to play it on all skill modes until I got the slightly altered ending.
It's a fairly short game, but I find most games a bit too long these days, so that was a refreshing change.
As for Max, I didn't really think he was particularly likeable or dislikable, and I didn't care much since all he was there for was to allow me to run around shooting things.
I Agree
#253 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.221] on 2005/07/18 10:59:27
As for Max, I didn't really think he was particularly likeable or dislikable, and I didn't care much since all he was there for was to allow me to run around shooting things.
Max is too emotional and navel gazing for my taste but this had no effect on how I enjoyed the game play. The loony asylum haunted house set up was a particularly inspired moment of game design IMO. As was the gangster in the costum with the giant feet you have to save from a mob hit.
Yeah, But...
#254 posted by than [80.68.41.28] on 2005/07/21 10:14:31
although the general idea was cool and execution was great, the mission where you have to save that guy was massively frustrating. It was the only point I remember constantly hitting quick save/load.
One nice touch is that when you go through his flat you can smash his Captain Baseball Bat Boy stuff up and he nearly starts to cry :)
Agreed, But
#255 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.254.133] on 2005/07/21 10:22:50
It was definitely an interesting gameplay scene. However, what bothered me about it is that in the previous game Max wasn't about saving the bad guys for any reason; he was about killing the scum and then figuring out what to do after they were all dead. It just didn't fit with the established character.
Rpg
#256 posted by DaZ [80.42.202.254] on 2005/07/21 11:00:21
he was in love, and not thinking clearly
blame the woman ;)
Battlefield 2
#257 posted by DaZ [80.42.202.254] on 2005/07/21 11:11:46
Ok so I've played quite a bit of this game now, so I'm gonna share my thoughts on it.
Overall I enjoy it, but there are things that bring it down from being great.
Let me elaborate, in a game such as this where you are throwing down your gameplay to the mercy of the people playing it, quality can swing from good to bad in a matter of seconds, and this is the main problem with Battlefield 2. 80% of the people playing it are just fucking stupid.
Harsh but fair, how many times have I seen a player get into a blackhawk, which has ample room for a FULL SQUAD of soldiers to ride in (which just happen to be approaching to get in) and the idiot just takes off by himself and flies into the nearest friendly tank. You would think that this happens maybe once or twice a game, but I see this happen every 30 seconds at least. And if you are one of those squad members rushing to the transport you tend to get FUCKING PISSED OFF and shoot the thing as it flies off. And its not just limited to aircraft, it happens with everything.
Now I have had the luxury of playing on a server where most of the players have been very sensible, and the game was a joy to play from start of the match to the very end. I geuss what I'm trying to say is that its a arse to find a decent server to play on, which brings me nicely to my 2nd point...
The games server browser didnt work on release.... Well it KIND OF did, but its was fucking useless. How EA could green light a ONLINE SHOOTER with a broken server browser is beyond me, but I geuss I half expected it being EA after all. Luckily this has been fixed in a patch.
The game is also quite the resource hog, I have to run everything on medium settings or it lags, chops, stops and burps more than czg after a double helping of whale meat.
If you can find that golden server, then the game is great, but its a long and dark road to this great place. A shame...
Thief Deadly Shadows
#258 posted by . [68.74.215.234] on 2005/07/30 05:13:42
Any good? I'm gonna try it once I've got the time.
Battlefield 2
#259 posted by NotoriousRay [69.250.87.12] on 2005/07/31 09:15:08
I've been playing the hell out of this. Most of what DaZ said is true, public servers are a bit of a gamble. I've found that if you've got nice phat bandwidth as I do, the pubbie servers can be pretty fun if there are 40 or more people on it and you can find one with a playable ping. This is because with the greaters numbers theres a better chance of at least one or two squads on each side actually playing with some teamwork that you can get in on. And if thats not your thing, plenty of fragbait to vent your frustration :) But for the most part I play on private servers so pubbie faggotry is a relative non-issue.
Oh, and if you're in it for teamwork, definitely stay away from public ranked servers. Most of those folks just care about increasing their rankings, above all.
Game has some issues though, the UI, while useable since the latest patch, is still slow and poorly designed. It also consumes a load of bandwidth (disconnecting my AIM session when connecting to a server *every* time, forcing an alt-tab which is way annoying) and resources in general.
I plan on checking out the map editor IF EA RELEASES IT SOMETIME THIS CENTURY. 64 player all-city map? Oh yes, please.
Ray
#260 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.254.133] on 2005/07/31 13:24:47
Make an id base map for it and maybe I'll buy the game.
Sure
#261 posted by NotoriousRay [69.250.87.12] on 2005/07/31 14:40:29
if you make the hi-res textures and shaders :)
Battlefield 2
#262 posted by ProdigyXL [66.194.172.190] on 2005/08/08 09:44:55
I won't repeat what has already so much, but just affirm their comments. No other game can be so supremely entertaining, and outright frustrating at the same time. When you play BF2 as intended, with an intellegent, well balanced squad, you will have an experience unlike any other currently available on pc. Teamplay like this hasn't been excuted so well in a long time.
However, within minutes of this gaming high, it's brought to a crushing low by several key design issues. First up, auto teamswitching. If you are enjoying yourself in a good squad, be prepared to be switched at a moments notice. This is so annoying, particularly when you and you're squad have gotten in a good grove.
Next, terrible terrible terrible UI. Like Notor said before, it's usable now, but that isn't saying much. Connecting to the Auth Server takes up to and over a minute, and then you're brought into one of the worst server browsing GUIs of all time. Slow, nearly unresponsive, this is just unthinkable to have considered 'good enough'.
Finally, and this maybe just my rig, but loading times are rediculously long. Granted it's loading a lot of content, but they should have been able to shave some time somewhere. I guess it wouldn't be half as bad if I didn't spend so much time just getting to a server. After the first load, things get better I'll admit.
But for all my complaining, it's worth it once you get into the squad gameplay it was designed for. Nothing feels as rewarding as playing with a great squad and accomplishing the various goals assigned to you.
Psp Vs Ds
#263 posted by than-in-japan [61.114.70.121] on 2005/08/26 06:02:48
Of all of you that have both a PSP and a DS, which do you prefer?
I have to say that although the DS is full of really cool game ideas, most of these seem to last me about an hour before I get bored of them. My PSP games have had a lot more playtime and I don't get bored of them on a 2-3 hour train ride.
The PSP also has all the cool media options, and if you have an original Japanese or US model, it is very easy to run emulators on it. Apparently it is very difficult to do this on the DS.
Glad the DS is outselling the PSP though. I really don't want another market to be saturated by the same games we have on consoles (no NFS extreme hardcore underground illegal edition or WWF RAW kickass ultra violent edition.)
I Have Neither
#264 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.38.16] on 2005/08/26 07:38:44
But the DS interests me more than PSP, at least currently. So far, the PSP is full of mediocre, uninspired games like Madden and other boring pieces of donkey spittle. The DS has some REALLY cool games (or at least interesting) and as a game machine sports some awesome hardware ideas. The PSP is neat, yes, but it's not really a gaming machine as much as a multimedia machine.
Personally, I would go with DS over PSP because I think whenever the next hand-held Zelda game comes out it'll r0x0r your mom's b0x0rz. But my opinion is invalid and pointless because
1.) I own neither system.
2.) I am Zwiffle, and no one respects me.
Kind Of Agree
#265 posted by than-in-japan [61.114.70.121] on 2005/08/27 01:55:29
The DS is more interesting on paper, but so far, all the games I have bought, aside from warioware, have been a dissapointment. Even warioware was dissapointing after it was completed - I did not have any urge to go back for more.
Electroplankton was the last DS game I bought and was a complete waste of money. For a fiver it would be worth it though.
There are still a few interesting PSP games, and even though there is a drought of really exciting new stuff, there are a handful of titles that are high quality and lots of fun, despite their lack of originality.
Cave Story/Doukutsu
#266 posted by cyBeAr [80.217.112.208] on 2005/08/29 06:00:36
That was mentioend in the GA thread is really good, some of the best 2d platform action I've experienced actually with great boss fights that really gets the arenaline going.
Exceptionally good for freeware!
Knight Online Free MMORPG
#267 posted by . [70.224.242.132] on 2005/09/07 10:53:42
Anyone tried this? I'm downloading it now.... their site's download doesn't seem to connect and they provide no mirrors, but check Filefront or Fileplanet.
http://www.knightonlineworld.com
Lego Starwars
#268 posted by [Jimbo] [64.203.165.126] on 2005/09/09 12:05:25
i got the Lego Star Wars game thingy
very fun game so far, dunno if I would spend money on it tho :)
Other Games.
#269 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/09/10 02:46:53
I am a total GW whore now. Nuff said.
God Of War
#270 posted by Kinn [86.128.237.241] on 2005/09/10 09:11:08
Ok, I've been on a bit of a console-playing binge for the last couple of months, and I've got an arseload of games I've been meaning to do reviews of, but I'll start with God of War for the PS2 because it's fresh in my memory atm.
Summary: Ridiculously OTT Greek mythology-themed 3rd person hack-and-slash fest, with platforming and puzzle-solving elements.
Review: On the whole, this is an arse-roastingly good game, with probably the best graphics I've seen on the PS2 so far, and probably the most fun and visually impressive combat i've seen in the hack'n'slash genre as you become a whirlwind of flaming death, spinning your ridiculous fiery twin swords-on-elastic-chains about in a seemingly endless variety of ways, all akin to watching a catherine wheel on an acid trip. It's got awesome music too. I'd say the technical polish of the game is pretty much flawless.
You can level up your weapons and magic, and acquire new moves and combos as you accumulate red shit that comes out of monsters as you kill them. After twatting a monster for a bit, you can then do a sort of 'finishing move' which involves some nifty button-mashing, and if you get the combination right, it yields extra health and magic orbs. Very cool.
Some of the level designs are truly awe-inspiring. About one third of the game takes place inside a single vast temple of insanity; when you get a chance to go outside the tower and look down, you see that the temple is actually being carried across the desert on the back of a colossal crawling giant.
The platforming and puzzle-solving aspects are for the most part extremely well done, imaginative and balanced. The checkpoint/autosave points are well positioned, and you (generally) never find yourself having to spend more than a minute or two catching up if you get killed.
I say 'for the most part', because the game seems to lose the plot a bit on the penultimate level. This is the only really shitty bit I've come across so far. Maybe some hobo broke into the level designer's house and stabbed his pet dog or something, because whoever made this map was in a really, really shitty mood. Ok, imagine having to vertically navigate the most drawn-out, frustrating, impossible multiple spinning blade trap, which would take you about 10 minutes to traverse if you did it perfectly the first time without ever fucking up once, but then consider that there are approximately 12,527 unique opportunities to fuck it up along the way, and that when you do fuck up, you get kicked all the way back to the beginning. Yeah. I'm probably fine with calling it a day here to be honest, because I understand I'm basically at the end of the game, and the end boss will probably be more of the same bollocks, but even so >:{
So, yeah, in conclusion, the first 95% of the game rocks hard, but the QA guys kind of dropped the ball on the last bit - but it was fun while it lasted!
Re: God Of War
#271 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2005/09/10 09:17:52
Yeah, Kinn, I saw a guy playing that at Red Storm this summer. It looked pretty cool, and I can attest to the cool graphics.
I wouldn't be too harsh on the QA guys, though; they can't actually change the game.
Sounds Like It Needs...
#272 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/09/10 09:29:26
...quicksaving =)
#273 posted by Kinn [86.128.237.241] on 2005/09/10 09:37:06
I wouldn't be too harsh on the QA guys, though; they can't actually change the game.
True dat :{
Kinn
#274 posted by bambuz [130.233.220.23] on 2005/09/12 04:14:56
sounds to be some nice and inspired shit at least on the plot/art department...
Dystopia-Mod For HL2
#275 posted by Blitz [24.218.85.216] on 2005/10/02 01:48:06
I just finished a 4 hour session of the Dystopia demo for HL2, and my mind needs readjusting to reality O_O
Outrageous exaggerations aside, this is really quite spectacular. It takes about 2-3 sessions to really get familiar with it, and definitely be sure to read the instructions, or you will be totally lost.
Right now there is only 1 map, but it's quite excellent. and has a lot to explore, so you won't get sick of it quickly.
The coolest part of it though, is that an integral part of the mod involves the player 'hacking' through cyberspace to unlock doors and areas on the rival facility. It looks like Tron, but there is no gravity or friction, and you have to hit certain areas in such a manner to get right side up and "hack" your objectives. What's awesome is that the other team is hacking too, so you end battling in cyberspace while the rest of your team is battling the "real world," waiting for you to unlock doors for them. It's a really unique and great gaming experience, and I highly reccomend it.
http://www.dystopia-game.com/
I Have A Feeling
#276 posted by . [70.224.198.40] on 2005/10/02 15:03:18
Dystopia is going to go retail.
Although I'm not remotely interested in it.
#277 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/10/31 07:25:20
tried ssam2 - same thing again
it just throws monsters at you, locking out areas until you kill all you are supposed to..yawn
and even at this, very limited, gameplay Sam2 is worse than PainKiller
there are some trendy "vehicles" (which dont change gameplay really)
everything looks like some cartoon that lacked good art direction
there are some spacious impressive environments (like city) but overall it seems tasteless and garish
I think I bothered to play 4 levels before giving it up
You might remember the game from ~`95 called MDK - great action with same-ish basics: fast massive combat, cartoonish designs, boss battles, humor, even some "snowboarding action
But it had more style, much more variety in gameplay and it was definitely more fun
and 10 years later we get this - plenty of pretty effects and absolutely shallow game
Fek, I would even say its less fun than many old school 2d arcades that wer about the same - brainless shoot and evade
SERIOUS SAM 2
#278 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/10/31 07:34:14
that was
Re: PK
#279 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2005/10/31 09:55:39
that style of gameplay is beginning to bother me more and more now... it was fine when i first played it, but having just replayed the game a short while ago, i was a lot more frustrated with being always trapped in an area until i cleared it.
MDK
#280 posted by mwh [82.33.200.181] on 2005/10/31 10:28:48
Wow, I remember that. I think it came with my parents' iMac, or something like that. Headshots were fun :)
Alien Arena 2006
#281 posted by metlslime [209.213.199.133] on 2005/10/31 15:28:53
http://red.planetarena.org/
Another id-source-based free deathmatch game. Just released a couple days ago. Has anyone tried it?
Alien Arena
#282 posted by Kinn [86.136.155.88] on 2005/10/31 15:57:05
I tried looking at the screenshots, but I couldn't really make out much beyond the all-encompassing neon-glowing bloom-haze
http://www.planetquake.com/cor/cod...
Lol At That Screenshot
#283 posted by Tron [202.7.183.132] on 2005/10/31 17:44:44
Bloom aside, is it normal practice to have someone saying "die bitch" in the chatbox on publicity screenshots? :)
.
#284 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2005/10/31 17:44:44
dude, you know if maps could be made entirely out of bloom, someone would do it, right? ;)
Uh
#285 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/11/01 00:34:39
Iv been talking with local developers team making some arcade-ish racing. It looked kinda shit and they admited, that they didnt care about the visual quality of the tracks and the the cars much. They just (ab)used glows and bloom and motion blur NFS-style to hide it and get the modern look :(
To me the excessive effects are not just unpretty and usless, they are mostly unwanted cause they only obscure the view and make playing harder and even frustrating. I dont want to crash or get fragged cause couldnt see much beyond the nearby huge glowing sign or overwhelming bloom effect.
NFSs, UT2k etc - I have to turn the effects off to make it playable for me.
The only game Iv seen where it was done well is Prince of Persia, IMO
K
#286 posted by . [70.225.15.164] on 2005/11/02 04:01:47
Just bought Doom 3, $20. Yay. Haven't really been excited for this game but figured I'll give it a try.
Phait
#287 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2005/11/02 05:13:22
I'm just reaching the Hell level of Doom3, and just for it, it's really worth playing till the end ! If you like "infernal satanic" level, you will be pleased for sure... ;)
#288 posted by PuLSaR [80.80.111.240] on 2005/11/02 15:29:52
The only game Iv seen where it was done well is Prince of Persia, IMO
The version for mobile phone? =)
Speeds
#289 posted by Fat Controller [222.153.49.106] on 2005/11/02 21:37:06
I agree with you about the Serious Sams - both of them. I remember giving up on the last map thanks to suddenly realising, "Killboxes! All I'm doing is hopping through killboxes!"
Croteam had a good idea, but their overuse of the killbox style of gameplay ruined both games. Virtually no real use of 3D either.
Serious Sam
#290 posted by . [69.216.186.104] on 2005/11/02 22:48:18
Over-the-top sillyness with inconsistent game/enemy design and hordes isnt my idea of fun.
I would however, like to see the SS2 engine in something like a Chrono Trigger of 2005.
What?
#291 posted by Bal [81.249.66.39] on 2005/11/02 23:18:14
Chrono Trigger in the Serious Engine... you on crack or something? O_o
Oh, and I must be weird, I still find playing a bit of serious sam once in a while fun, and I actually laughed a few times at the stupid jokes and secrets in SS2.
CT
#292 posted by . [69.216.186.104] on 2005/11/03 00:30:09
Chrono Trigger in the Serious Engine... you on crack or something? O_o
Chrono Trigger
- http://www.nofrag.com/images/0007e...
- http://rome.ro/rhaluka/hello/18303...
Serious Sam 2
- http://www.nofrag.com/images/0007e...
Now imagine CT in 3rd person, isometric or whatever - with the colorfulness and expanse of SS2 in that screenshot. Remember that Chrono fan project that got canned? It looked quite nice... When I tried SS2 demo and the village level, I thought of CT's outdoor areas and especially it's map.
#293 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/11/03 01:48:21
ever heard of chrono cross?
__
maybe Im finding mindles shooting games boring cause I play dm online often and when it comes to slaying monster hords its just totally bleh - they dont even move much, dont have tactics, minimal use of environment cover required ..
just strafe-aim and no change of the pattern
its not that shooting is bad, just there needs to be something else
in PK atleast some foes needed different approach and the levels were not only open arenas. Still, not much variation or any involvment and 'bocked-out areas pregression' that makes halflife or quake look like nonlinear game
Actually.
#294 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/11/03 03:15:33
Quake is a pretty non-linear game. A choice of 4 episodes that can be tackled in any order, and then within most maps there are often route choices and plenty of areas to explore. I'm still impressed when I got back and play the levels and see how many options you have as a player, compared to the games of these days.
Hmm
#295 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2005/11/03 05:00:24
Yeah about that, I think what with how maps are becoming so much longer to create, most level designers just don't dare make too much content that many players might possibly just pass by without noticing (as in, areas to explores, proper secret areas, etc), cause it's not cost effective enough. And yeah, that is quite unfortunate... =(
I'd be curious in knowing if there is any precise design decision about what to do/not do with these kinds of things in popular FPS companies.
Yeah
#296 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/11/03 05:01:20
esp notice romero maps (most of the ep2)
Multiple Choice
#297 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.156] on 2005/11/04 05:09:41
One of the bosses at Rebellion (well, probably both to be fair) said that he didn't like the idea of extra routes because he thought players would just play through the games once, so any extra content would be wasted - and to him, money would be wasted.
To be fair, I doubt that many players would play through the likes of Dredd vs. Death even once - proably deciding they had purchased a stinker by the training level or thereabouts.
Anyway, when you are spending millions of dollars on making a game (slightly less at Rebellion, since they were able to save a lot of money on salaries) you don't really want to create content that isn't going to get seen. You want to make the bare minimum that will get the game reasonable reviews, pay magazines if they won't otherwise grade it well, and then market it a bit to get people to buy it. Then profit! (fingers crossed).
That's if you are a game company or publisher that sucks anyway. By that I mean strictly in a producing good games sense, not in the sense of making money for the bosses/shareholders, which is exactly the goal of any business.
With Quake, I think there were plenty of route choices and hidden rooms, but not that much where you can just skip massive chunks of the level (without trick-jumpery). Back then, it was easy to produce a fairly large amount of content for a game quickly, because there were less assets to create. These days it requires a lot more work to make secrets and extra routes, and hence a lot more money.
Look at HL2. 4 years in the making, and with a massive budget (I can only imagine) and the only secrets I remember were areas where you had to stack some crates to find an ammo clip*. Fucking awesome. Completely linear too. Still, that's hardly a reason not to buy it.
Imagine if Mario Sunshine had a pipe early on that took you to nearly the end of the game**... you don't see that sort of secret much anymore. These days games are judged heavily on how long they are, which I suppose is fair enough considering the cost of the average game. Some people will go on about how "Max Payne only took me 8 hours to finish. That was fucking lame!" and others will say "Shit, Final Fantasty 23 lasted for 56 hours before it was over." Really it is the quality of the experience that matters, not how long it was (within reasonable limits at least) but describing the quality is more difficult than stating the average length, so some games appear to make everything overly drawn out to keep players bashing away for hours upon hours until the game is finally finished - kind of like when you have to write an essay about something you know nothing about and it has to be 5,000 words long. You just pad it out with waffle.
*or lift some boxes over a gate with the grav gun.
**Actually, you could finish the game without seeing a lot of it. I think you just needed to finish 7/8 of the levels on each chapter, rather than complete each level.
Doom 3
#298 posted by . [69.216.185.190] on 2005/11/04 06:32:48
Just completed Doom 3. Thoughts:
Not even worth $20. Overrated. I knew not to expect much more than run and gun gameplay, but other such games haev stuck with me. Doom 3 just doesn't have that "keep" factor for me. I thought as a whole, it was a good game, but got boring too soon. I found myself going all out towards the later half because I just wanted to be done. The boss battles weren't so challenging either, at least once you figured out the trick to them.
Hell - bleh. It could have been done much more disturbingly (i.e. better). I did like some of the enemy animation. Running up to imp's and blasting them with the shotgun was fun. Trites were annoying. Cacodemons should've been much bigger. Hell Knight was fun to dodge and fight with. PDA scouring became annoying.
On top of that I don't really see any interesting mods out, either. I'd be interested in something that strays away from the base. Or if it retains the base, somewhere other than Mars. But whatever really, Doom 3 just isn't worth keeping.
Than....
#299 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/11/04 07:05:59
Anyway, when you are spending millions of dollars on making a game (slightly less at Rebellion, since they were able to save a lot of money on salaries)
LOL, you managed to get that very cutting without actually being rude...
I'd Like To See An Fps Do Something
#300 posted by cyBeAr [80.217.112.208] on 2005/11/04 12:03:33
similar to cave story or the 2d metroids, in other words a game that can be completed in a few hours but has a lot of stuff adding replay value and since it doesn't require a lot of time to replay the player is more likely to do it.
I guess it might also be interesting to discuss the way developers spend their ever increasing budgets where the general tendecy seems to be to add people dedicated to making great gameplay enhancements such as burger and trashcan/bags props for that extra realism everyone wants...
Doom 3 (may Contain Spoilers)
#301 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.163] on 2005/11/05 02:29:19
I thought it was good, but can't help but feel annoyed that it was far from as good as it could have been had id done a few things a little differently. My suggestions:
1. ditch the stupid mad scientist bullshit. Research going on, portal opens, satans minions start coming through and killing stuff. Why do you need more than that? The stupid betruger stuff just made the story feel b-movie and cheesy.
2. If you are going to make a horror game, try not to throw in too many stupid looking skeletons moving for no obvious reason followed by cheesy evil laughter. It isn't scary. Also, Hell was rather dissapointing, as it was pretty much exactly what everyone expects hell to look like. No original take on it or anything. Some cool visual touches in there, but nothing too special.
3. Don't save all the fun monsters right until the last 6 or so levels and leave all the boring imp/marine fighting for the levels beforehand.
4. More large monsters would have been nice.
5. The spider queen monster was shit.
6. The final boss was SO SHIT. Come the fuck on. They could have done so much more with that boss encounter. Why did they have to give THE Cyberdemon a gay looking tail?
7. I would have liked to have some more marines to fight alongside during the game, the same guys for a few levels, just so it feels like you are bonding with them, rather than them being faceless cannon fodder (with annoying floaty nametags) like in CoD. Fighting alongside the security bots was awesome whilst it lasted. Trying to escort the scientist was not awesome.
8. A bit more environment variety wouldn't have gone amiss.
9. Those crap invisible monsters could have been somthing more interesting.
10. I loved the end of the old e3 shakey cam footage when the hell knight eats the marines head. Why couldn't we have had that and more?
11. Then we have all the obvious gameplay improvements that people have beaten to death already.
It was fairly enjoyable, but I think I'm in the majority when I say it could have been so much better.
D3
#302 posted by . [69.216.185.190] on 2005/11/05 03:35:29
9. Those crap invisible monsters could have been somthing more interesting.
Where? (Seriously :P)
Nonlinear
#303 posted by speeds [84.204.120.141] on 2005/11/05 18:36:29
just make smaller 'sideways' or some alternate paths in parts of the map, it shouldnt drastically increase dev time but will enhance game experience
make it quake-non-linear, not real non-linear (like fallout or mororwind)
and don’t push player with those pesky npcs
that only pretend to be interactive
And don’t make unreachable areas that look like you could go there (HL2 had many of that, how many times had you stacked crates only to find there is clip all over the place?)
Or kind of HUB non-linear, where you need to complete all the parts, but have a choice what to do first. And hub being not just like start.bsp, but actually big map where you could do stuff (like a city in RPGs)
the bottom line: good game should have (some) freedom of choice and exploration (with reward) cause one of the reasons ppl play games is for 'being in another world' or as a sort of journey.
And it is worth spending dev money on, much more than modelling realistic trashcans.
Creating 'sense of place' and illusion of freedom of choice is worth much more than a futile attempts and mimicking reality
speaking of time - I dont want a game that takes long time to play (like some bloody RPGs) I have no time for those!
And I dont rush the games, I tend to look around alot and try to do different things
cybera: there is no way to beat supermetroid in 2hrs on the 1st try
Time...
#304 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.147] on 2005/11/06 00:20:48
Speeds wrote: "speaking of time - I dont want a game that takes long time to play (like some bloody RPGs) I have no time for those!
And I dont rush the games, I tend to look around alot and try to do different things"
Couldn't agree more. Some games are just too hard-core time wise. A lot of Nintendo's major titles (Mario and Zelda games at least) take too long for me these days. I still play them, but I get a bit fed up with how much time they consume. At least the general experience in these games is good, and not some stupid random battle 500 times over 60 hours CRAP with fancy cg cutscenes and beautiful backdrops that probably consumed about 500 times more production time than the rest of the game added together. Basically, I hate most japanese rpgs...
Deus Ex... that's an RPG (role playing game - not stat building game).
Sometimes I find it amazing that people play WoW so much, but I guess that with online games there are other people to talk to, so it's ok. SP rpgs though... ffs. Can all this repetetive shit and let me feel like I have some part in the story, rather than just feeling like I am advancing a pre-determined story by completing tedious menu driven magic based random battles.
WOW
#305 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2005/11/06 02:06:02
On the subject of game length, I couldn't possibly disagree more. Games are becoming shorter and shorter whilst their price remains the same. Most new PC/console games cost 50-60 euro around here. If I am getting less than 20 hours of gameplay for that amount of money, I feel completely ripped off.
Many of these games are suffering the "Max Payne syndroma" (which I beat in less than 8 hours, loving every minute of it, never to touch it again). HL2 was another such case, was it a great game? Hell yeah. Was it worth 50 euro? FUCK NO. Pretty short, completely linear gameplay, zero replayability value and STEAM annoys the fuck out of me. I do admit that custom content and mods make HL2 worth the money, but "on it's own" it definately is not, hell it didn't even ship with a multiplayer mode.
I have this theory on why this is happening. Publishers want to increase sales, revenues and profits (like any normal business would). The problem is that the amount of people who buy computer games doesn't grow as fast as they'd like to. So in order to sustain continuous growth, they have to change the games to make them appeal to a broader casual gamer audience who want the games to be short (because many of them dont have a big attention span) and easy to get into (require little to no time to learn).
I am all for there being more PC and console gamers on this planet, but if that comes at the cost of game length and depth with the price remaining the same, I am pissed off big time.
Than:
Sometimes I find it amazing that people play WoW so much, but I guess that with online games there are other people to talk to, so it's ok. SP rpgs though... ffs. Can all this repetetive shit and let me feel like I have some part in the story, rather than just feeling like I am advancing a pre-determined story by completing tedious menu driven magic based random battles.
I am guessing you haven't played Morrowind?
What Speeds Said...
#306 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/11/06 03:22:39
...I agree with, good ideas there. Not much to add except some approving nodding.
Jago....firstly if you are spending 50-60 E on a game you need to discover the joys of internet mail order. I don't think I've spent more than 40 E on a game in the last 3 years (and often a lot less when they aren't latest release games) - and the UK ain't exactly bargain bin. Secondly, you really think you are getting short changed if a game is under 20 hours? Say I spend £25 on a game and it lasts 15 hours, that's £1.60 per hour for what is likely to be jolly good entertainment. Cheaper than a lot of things. And many games offer more than that in terms of longetivity.
Shambler
#307 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2005/11/06 05:15:42
Obviously £1.60 per hour is a decent deal, but it's not as good as I am used to. Why should I be queitly accepting the "inflation" of game hours per money unit?
#308 posted by speeds [193.69.116.45] on 2005/11/06 12:03:17
no inflation. about 10 hours is a standard for pc fps. rpg s are much longer of cource . dont compare them. hl 2 was proper length , it had CS included too :)
#309 posted by speeds [193.69.116.45] on 2005/11/06 12:03:23
no inflation. about 10 hours is a standard for pc fps. rpg s are much longer of cource . dont compare them. hl 2 was proper length , it had CS included too :)
Speeds:
#310 posted by cyBeAr [80.217.112.208] on 2005/11/06 12:25:21
I don't think I ever wrote anything about super metroid being beatable in two hours on the first run but in any case it's shorter than your average sp game and at least metroid zero mission was really short. My point was that this doesn't have to be bad as long as it's good enough and have new challenges to offer like improving your time or finding all items. When you can play through a game in one evening you're far more likely to replay at least a couple of times and then ending up with a total playing time of a longer game you can't be bothered to replay a second time.
WHAT
#311 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2005/11/06 13:49:43
I don't think I ever wrote anything about super metroid being beatable in two hours on the first run but in any case it's shorter than your average sp game
I don't think you and I have played the same Super Metroid. Metroid Zero Mission was kinda short, but Super Metroid was BIG.
#312 posted by Speeds home [84.204.125.69] on 2005/11/06 17:02:45
than: yeah, I dont dig j-rpgs for similar reasons. In chorno trigger it was done much better but it didnt get nearly as popular as FF, surprisingly ;/
bear: I would say, its better to have a (rather) short but quality game that has some depth and thus replayable,
rather than lengthy good game that just drags on, using repetitive sections, random-generated missions, locking player and swarming him (hi ssam) and other low-cost methods of prolonging the play time (that just make a game dull).
If the game is good and I like it - I dont mind it being short, I will replay it (on harder mode, in somewhat different way). And if the game is not my bag of shit, I jsut dont care if its long or not. I flush it after few playing sessions
But one evening (like 2-3 hrs?) I dont know, that sounds like a speedrun to me. For example you could beat fallout really fast, but that's skipping even large chunk of the main quest.
What I like, is when you can play any level of a game on its own if you just want a quick blast (loading map from a console for example, and getting all the needed items there)
The Thing Is
#313 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.156] on 2005/11/06 23:27:10
Like speeds says, the length of a game is not really relevant, it's how much you play it that counts, and that includes replayability, multiplayer etc. I also think that the right price is important. All games aren't equal. I don't think charging 30 quid for an old snes game converted to GBA is fair, and if I had know how much I would get from Quake, I would probably have been prepared to pay a LOT more for it.
I seriously didn't mind how short MP2 was. I replayed it on all the skill levels (but gave up on new york minute because by that time I was a bit bored). Then again, I'll admit that I just played a copy at work, rather than buying it myself.
Good Point
#314 posted by Jago [194.137.185.222] on 2005/11/07 00:00:56
and if I had know how much I would get from Quake, I would probably have been prepared to pay a LOT more for it
If I had known how much fun I would be getting from Quake and the metric shitload of custom content made for it, I would've probably been ready to pay 200 euro for the game, if not more.
Quake.
#315 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2005/11/07 02:34:32
At the rate of £1.50 p / hour as we mentioned before, say 2 E p / hour.....I'd be looking at paying 5000 E ? Or more?
Of Course
#316 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.161] on 2005/11/07 05:04:58
If I was being charged by the hour for quake, I probably wouldn't have played as much. Thank god id isn't Microsoft, who seem to want to move all the Office apps to an online subscription model, where you don't ever own the software and have to keep paying to keep using.
Playing
#317 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/12/13 06:42:02
NFS most wanted
Man, this game looks great. Awesome detailed cars (and not just asian ricers, you get real supercars now)
Very impressive seamless large city that runs without lags. Many destroyable objects and shortcuts/different routes.
The post processing is rather nice (excessive bloom but you can turn it down) Motion blur is a bit too strong (and you cant switch it!)
Cop mode is well done and reminds carmageddon, rather than racing game. And you have the whole city to fight the cops in!
But the normal racing is rather boring due to easy rubberband ai - computer cars slow down to let you catchup or run as fast as you if you are doing great (stil too easy).
You can even use slowest car in career mode and win no problem beating much better cars
(well, about 10th spot on the list you would have to use better car, cause some tasks, like speedcheck and racing against time become more demanding).
I dont like rubberband ai\dynamic difficulty change for apparent reasons, esp done so blantantly and being so easy like in this game. Caring for the console 'casuals' eh?
nfs underground 1 ai was done better (and more challanging too).
Too bad there is no difficulty settings in NFS MW and 'catchup' is switchable only in custom races :(
Also
#318 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/12/13 07:23:51
no replays :(((
Does It Resemble Midtown Madness
#319 posted by bambuz [213.169.3.246] on 2005/12/13 08:49:04
I remember when I played midtown madness at a cousin's place - was quite a fun game. That was 6 years ago.
You had to race against the traffic on the left lane of a highway etc.. And the city was pretty cool.
It didn't bother me that you couldn't hit pedestrians (they'd always jump sideways high speed). I also never liked carmageddon at all.
DooM3... And Next...
#320 posted by JPL [82.234.166.130] on 2005/12/13 13:04:38
I finished DooM3 yesterday night... I'm again very late compared to you guys, and many things have been already said on this forum.. I will not restart to enumerate all good and bad points of the game, it's useless, but I would like to give my final personal impression..
Well, globally I enjoyed to play it, just for the ambiance.. it was really frightening, the most in "Hell" level... .. Exactely what I was expecting since the very beginning (i.e taking also into account what were first DooM games... it follows very well the evilish progression of the serie... >D ...)... The only thing I really have to complain is CyberDemon weakness... How deceiving I was to defeat CyberDemon so easily at the end... BFG9000 for standard monters, and Soul Cube against CyberDemon... it was too much obvious... The Soul Cube guardian was much more difficult to kill IMHO... Anyway...
Well, I will try to replay DooM3 in Nightmare skill, just to have a real challenge this time....
Bah, now it's time to install Call Of Duty 2... and regarding all the trailers I already saw... it sounds to be a real good game, like Medal Of Honor... Maybe I will give you feedback in... 6 months... ;P
Vietcong
#321 posted by Scragbait [69.159.51.217] on 2005/12/13 14:36:31
I picked it up for very cheap. I started playing and it reminded me of the invisible snipers in MOHAA. Is this a game of find the enemy after you die (via the post death flyby) or is this a good game?
RE: Vietcong
#322 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.145] on 2005/12/13 20:32:48
The first Vietcong is fucking brilliance, if mainly for the excellent coop mode. If you find the 6th sense servers, you can have a really enjoyable game there with some really great people. However, now the sequel has been released, I think the community has become divided and the servers might not exist anymore.
You have to be prepared for a seriously full-on experience if you join a VC coop server. The goal of 6th sense and true teamplay servers is to encourage real teamwork and play at a slow pace for an immersive experience. If you die, you might be waiting 40 minutes for another game, so be careful.
As for the SP game, first make sure you patch it up to 1.6, then play, it fixes a lot of serious bugs. Even with the patch there are problems, but it becomes much more enjoyable.
The game is supposed to feel quite realistic, which is why you get picked off quite often if you aren't careful. Luckily, if you use your pointman, then you will almost always know when it is dangerous to move forward, and you certainly get picked off a lot less. Make effective use of cover and the crouch/aim mode and it is great when you are under fire.
There are a few really shitty levels (the boat mission, some of the tunnel rat sections and one of the last FA missions (stealth), but stick with it, because it's fun and the final level (of fist alpha/purple haze) is really cool.
Anyway, despite the game being rather rough, I much prefer it to games like CoD and Battlefield. It feels a lot more authentic and immersive, and you don't feel so much of a loner surrounded by completely scripted, braindead cannon fodder.
Vietcong - Getting Into It
#323 posted by Scragbait [209.226.65.59] on 2005/12/14 09:55:21
I'm partway through the second SP mission and I'm liking this game. I do like the go slow, keep an eye out and use cover and prone shooting for progressing. Haste is punished.
I installed and progressively patched to 1.6 right away.
Note: I really have only just begun this game.
Highs:
Jungle looks, sounds and feels like a jungle. Good foilage and lots of it. Critters are well done. Good outdoor feel.
Traps that keep you on the alert. They can be disarmed.
Limited weapons that you can carry. I like this as it prevents clutter and redundancy. It makes you chose your preferences (I'm a single shot Mosen user.)
Good backstory on missions so far. Diary in bunker fleshes out story.
Enemies seem realistic but I've really only begun.
Performance and load times are acceptable on my P4 1.2GHz with Radeon 9600 Pro. That is a modest system these days.
Lows:
Some awkward clipping and can get stuck on terrain. Not always smooth but not too bad considering.
Dead enemies that protrude from terrain - clipping problems.
NPCs can get hung up. My commanding officer got very stuck walking me to my bunker.
My squadmates sometimes get in my way. They rush into battle and kill more VCs then me. But they save my ass too.
The autosaves have the benefit of creating suspense but replaying sections can get repetitive. It's a good/bad feature.
BTW, there's a Vietcong 2 or are you talking about a mission pack for Vietcong? If this is a good game, I'll look for the other one.
Any opinions on other Vietnam war games? (Single Player)
Vietcong
#324 posted by therealthan [210.142.230.152] on 2005/12/15 03:44:55
There is Vietcong, Vietcong: Fist Alpha (expansion) and Purple Haze (pack including Vietcong and FA). REcently, Vietcong 2 was released, but I'd steer clear for now, as I am told by my super hard-core VC loving friend that it sucks. We have quite similar taste in games so I trust his opinion. The release of VC2 was also blighted with problems and the Pterodon (creators) forums were ablaze with people complaining about all the issues with the game, and also how much of a letdown it was for them. Only a handful seem to like it :(
There are issues with VC, but once you get used to them, they tend not to be a problem. When I played, I don't think I had one show stopping bug where I had to revert to a save. Of course, I did notice a lot of smaller bugs, with my teammates getting confused.
Also, don't you think that Nhut sounds like he's saying "me wait for Arthur"? He is actually saying "me wait for other (men)" but it sounds really odd.
My teammates never got many kills actually. This kind of spoiled things for me, because hornster is supposed to be some kind of hard-ass raving pscyho, but at the end of each mission, I would see that I got 40 kills and he got 5.
The bits in the bunker between missions are really cool I think. I like the authentic feel of the game. The music is really nicely done too.
Got to admit that the graphics generally suck, but some of the FA missions (with grass) look rather nice.
By the way, if you play online, try and find a teamspeak coop server playing no-respawn vietnam mode coop (6th sense). Usually before the mission begins, all the players split into squads, assign squad leaders, point men, medics etc. and discuss how they will do the mission. It's really cool, and one of the nicest things is that when they speak, their in-game character is speaking. If you get too far away, you can't hear them. It really helps immerse you in the game.
ambush coop is amazing (if you don't die in the first 10 mins).
Ahem
#325 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2005/12/27 05:13:27
I just wanted to point out that playing Mario Kart DS on local wifi netwok is ridiculously fun, haven't had so much fun with a multiplayer game in quite a while, and the fact that it's on a portable console makes it even nicer.
Wario Ware On GC With Friends
#326 posted by cyBeAr [80.217.112.208] on 2005/12/27 06:26:21
is crazy, silly and a lot of fun!
Indigo Prophecy
#327 posted by . [70.224.233.86] on 2005/12/27 07:52:36
I bought this a few days ago.
http://www.3dgamers.com/games/fahr...
"Fahrenheit" in Europe and "Indigo Prophecy" in USA. They cut out some love/nudity scenes in the USA, which is bullshit because USA's middle name is T&A.
It's an adventure-action game where you unravel a supernatural conspiracy involving ritualistic murders. You play 4 (or 5) characters throughout the game, but the main character Lucas as at focus - he's one of the latest murderers. Along the game you're trying to unravel why you did what you did.
You can do little things like mop up blood, drink a glass of water, open cupboards and find food to eat to boost your mental state. If it goes too low, you become despondent and may commit suicide or make a decision that ends the game. Fortunately it's not a tedious gameplay feature, so you won't be forced to eat/drink and do little things like that all the time.
Basically the actions you choose to do - whether hiding your evidence, or a dialogue option you choose with character(s), affects what happens now, and later - in the game. There are 3 endings, and it's a fairly replayable game because of this. It's VERY cinematic, it's like you're in a movie, controlling the scenes. You just have to get used to the pace.
The action scenes are a "Simon Says" mini-game of hitting lights in order (you have 2 sets of these lights that correspond to the keys or gamepad [analog sticks] you choose. Get them in the right order, and your character will perform a (successful) action sequence. They're not frustratingly hard at all, but a bit of fun.
I haven't passed the game yet, but if you're looking for a replayable adventure game deep with story and emotion - try the demo out. It's fucking ridiculously short demo, but the gameplay itself swayed me over and ever since getting the game - it's a keeper.
Mario Kart DS Non Competetive
#328 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/27 16:05:01
can you play it coop? I suck at Mario Kart and hate playing ultra competetive types because I usually lose and get fed up of losing. I much prefer racing against the AI with a mate. I heard it was possible... do people actually do this, or just have races (which they drop out of if they are losing so I've heard).
"Indigo Prophecy" / "Fahrenheit" Review
#329 posted by . [70.224.233.86] on 2005/12/27 21:21:06
4 out of 5
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com/200...
Than
#330 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2005/12/28 01:05:26
Hmm, well MKDS really isn't a competetive game to start with, you can pretty much go from being 8th to 1st in the last few seconds of the race with a bit of luck (what with how you get much better items when you're doing badly). I've been playing it with 3-4 people quite a bit at school, and the scores balance out pretty well. You can set up teams and play against the cpus, but I never really saw the point as it actually plays exactly the same as other races (you can still hit your team mates) and just adds up team scores at the end of each race...
Haven't heard about people droping out when they are losing, but I haven't played online yet (don't have any wifi here).
Bal
#331 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/28 01:23:54
yes, the blue spiked shell really pissed me off in Double Dash on the GC. I gave up on 150cc special cup (or maybe star, I don't remember - had rainbow road on it) because every time I would be doing well, some cunt would get the blue spiked shell and fuck me over on the last lap - when there is no time to make up for errors.
Anyway, I didn't like playing Mario Kart with my mates when I was at uni because they were better than me, and it really sucked to come last most of the time. I don't really go in for games that feel too competetive these days.
Than
#332 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2005/12/28 02:43:29
I haven't played MK since the original on snes, so I don't really know how this one compares to the N64 and GC versions, but it's definatly less competitive than the snes version. Most of the people I play with (who've played the other versions) seem to agree that this one is at least a bit more fun.
Hmm, grabbed Meteos, have to try and see if that's any good multiplayer...
Mario Kart
#333 posted by cyBeAr [80.217.112.208] on 2005/12/28 08:21:47
I haven't played the DS version but all the between it and the snes game has added lots of more powerfull items and tons of annoying somtimes semi-random hazards on the course. To me the snes version is still easily the best one I've played because it's simpler and awards skill more but then again I guess that makes for more uneven fights wich can be boring for beginners.
Played mario kart double dash recently for the first time and the giant boswer shells and some other things taking up half the width of the course was the most annoying thing ever.. despite all powerfull items I still didn't have any problems racing far ahead of the people I played with on most tracks.
Well
#334 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/28 16:00:47
you obviously own.
I prefered the snes one to double dash too. Double Dash just looked a lot prettier.
Got Meteos Too!
#335 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/29 02:24:17
I bought it today for 1800 Yen, so it was a bargain. I don't buy many DS games purely because I find the price a bit insulting for the hours I usually get from them.
I've only had a quick go so far, but it seems cool, but insanely hectic and becomes very hard very fast (on the regular mode). Maybe I will get good if I keep playing...
...didn't get good at Lumines though :(
Wtf U Still In Jpn?
#336 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2005/12/29 04:17:15
what are u doing there? any job? (jpn is bloody expensive to live afaik)
I'm A Famous Tv Chef Ffs
#337 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/29 06:51:58
jesus, where have you been for the last 3 months?
I have a cooking show called "than's 101 peach fizz recipes". Each show I make a meal where one of the key ingredients is peach fizz drink. I always make sure either me or someone else has dipped their penis into it before adding it to the recipe.
I'm a damned celebrity!
I still find time to map between dating all the hot actresses and producing and starring in my show of course. It's because Japan is 9 hours ahead of the UK at the moment, so I have 35 hours in a day rather than 24 - it gives me lots of spare time.
Hehe...
#338 posted by distrans [211.28.243.79] on 2005/12/29 06:58:41
...Iron Chef Fizz
Than
#339 posted by pjw [66.188.135.147] on 2005/12/29 09:02:53
I like you; you're full of shit.
Than I Hate You =(
#340 posted by Bal [83.199.50.171] on 2005/12/29 11:04:32
Hmm, Meteos is weird, you can pretty much just swing your pen around the screen randomly and not lose for quite a while, make some funky uber combos is fun though, still have to try it multiplayer to see what it's really worth.
About game prices, I find I spend alot more time playing these silly DS games than pc games that often cost 2 times more... I have about 50 hours of play time on Advance Wars, and probably at least half that on Mario Kart. But as it's already been said, it's probably silly to judge a game by the time you spend playing it.
Games
#341 posted by metlslime [198.145.103.166] on 2005/12/30 02:40:54
Than, I wonder how you got 35 from 9 and 24 (and 3 and 101)...
Just picked up Shadow of the Colossus for christmas... pretty nice game. It's just boss fights (and riding your horse from boss to boss,) but it takes as long to fight a boss as most games' full levels. Artistically very nice, though the PS2's technical weakness shows through sometimes.
Also got We Love Katamari, but it's too early to tell if this game offers enough new stuff to be worth having if you already own the first game.
26 And 9
#342 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2005/12/30 04:26:06
the Japanese day is 26 hours long anyway, since the Sun rises here, which takes two hours, and thus there are an extra two hours in the day.
Ok, I admit, I am just retarded.
Gamepark 2X (GP2X)
#343 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/02 16:42:20
Has anyone got or is considering getting one of these?
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-7...
They sound pretty cool, and support custom code properly, rather than the annoying hacks/updates of the PSP. I am thinking about getting one so I can upgrade my PSP bios and forget about PSP homebrew forever.
btw, Metlslime, if you are reading, can we have a tags help button somewhere, since I don't know what they are.
Than:
#344 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/01/02 16:48:52
http://www.celephais.net/board/faq...
Than:
#345 posted by cyBeAr [213.65.176.77] on 2006/01/03 01:05:19
they might be good for homebrew but less so for unique games, I guess if you can run most old console/arcade games on it you might need need much more though.
btw I'm going to Thailand today so we'll almost be neighbours!
Have A Good Trip
#346 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/03 04:25:51
What are you going to Thailand for? Work or picking up ladyboys?
Do you speak Thai?
You Are Empty (PC)
#347 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/03 17:58:59
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/...
Does that appeal to anyone else? Absolutely gorgeous graphics, interesting setting (I suppose comparable to HL2, but with far more detail to the environments) and gameplay that sounds like it will be another return to the old school style of run and shoot, as featured more recently in games like Painkiller and Serious Sam, but mixed with more slow paced horror and exploration levels.
Sounds and looks awesome to me.
One of the monsters looks a bit crap though... kinda looks like a mutant kangaroo. You will know what I mean if you look at the shots.
Serious Sam II
#348 posted by Fat Controller [222.152.140.144] on 2006/01/03 18:27:02
I understand it's out now.
Is it any improvement on the previous releases? Or are you just lurching from killbox to killbox again but with better graphics?
You Are Empty
#349 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/01/03 21:19:26
i like the setting... anything that looks post-apocalyptic is good to me. ^_^
So In Preparation For A New Comp
#350 posted by nitin [138.217.0.153] on 2006/01/03 22:26:58
I'm looking at these games. The last *new* game I played was Star Trek : Elite Force 2.
Any other suggestions :
Doom 3
D3 exp – ROE
Quake 4
Painkiller
Far Cry
Half Life 2
FEAR
Call of Duty
Medal of Honor – Pacific Assault
Max Payne 2
Prince of Persia – sands of time
Halo
Unreal 2
Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell 2
The chronicles of riddick
Driver 3
Enclave
King Kong
Splinter Cell 3
XIII
You Are Empty
#351 posted by BlackDog [202.72.148.102] on 2006/01/04 04:57:26
Terrible monster design. Crap name. Beautiful environments, with particularly good lighting.
I like the visuals and the coherently old fashioned feel, but can't say anything more than that is terribly appealing. At least it isn't god-awful ww2 bollocks.
Hmm
#352 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/04 06:04:57
I think there are a couple of monsters that look quite cool. I quite like the art style of them too.
The environments are the real standout visual feature though, I suppose.
I'm looking forward to a demo anyway.
Ticket To Ride
#353 posted by bambuz [130.233.243.228] on 2006/01/04 09:02:31
it's a boardgame originally, but one can play in the internet for free - it's a java thing in the browser and looks exactly like the original. It's a fun multiplayer game, turn-based, where you build railroad tracks across north america (the europe map is crap imo). You have to draw objective cards between cities and then approximate what the others will do, if they might block your routes or something.
I like it. Played the boardgame too a while ago and it's even nicer.
http://ticket2ridegame.com
@ Nitin
#354 posted by pjw [66.188.135.147] on 2006/01/04 18:52:18
Are you into RPGs at all? If so, I would recommend Vampire: Bloodlines (kinda buggy out of the box, but great fun, and made superb by patches, both official and fan-made), and Morrowind + expansions (also made even better by fan-made plugins). If you try the latter, let me know, and I can post a pretty decent list of plugins that enhance the game without changing the overall feel too much.
#355 posted by Spee [84.204.121.129] on 2006/01/04 19:58:56
sam2 sux. worse than 1st one, 10x worse than PK
there is a demo, so u can give it a try urself
You Are Empty
#356 posted by You Are Empty [84.204.107.180] on 2006/01/04 20:09:39
You Are Empty - forget it
its Russian shooter
russians can model. cant do a game yet
OK NITIN Man
#357 posted by Speed happy 2 be [84.204.105.157] on 2006/01/04 20:35:19
Doom 3 - sure
D3 exp – ROE - MUST HAVE
Quake 4 - ofcourse. its vety good, just forget its QUAKE. play it openminded
Painkiller - yeah, most likely. much better than SSam. You`d still get bored half thru it.
Far Cry. - Prolly Yeah. I didnt like it, but its a fine game. Very good looking outdoors, mediocre indoors. Fine game if you dont mind restarting (no quicksave, unless its been fixed in some patch)
Half Life 2 - Must Have. Despite any letdowns, its a great game.
FEAR - NO. Looks shit. Runs like sloth. There is some neat AI to battle tho (try demo)
Call of Duty 1\2 - well, if you like braindead linearity and WW2 and some arcade-like bits. Try demo (was enough for me).
Medal of Honor – Pacific Assault - didnt try
Max Payne 2 - its ok.
Prince of Persia – sands of time. Get Warrior within! YES. GREAT slasher. Great gameplay.
Halo - BIG FUCKING NO. Looks pos, boring repetative
Unreal 2 - its OK. You might even like it.
Splinter Cells - well, if u like stealth (I got bored by the demo of Cell2/3)
The chronicles of riddick - fine game. bit of fps, bit of adventure, bit of stealth. nice dialogues, good charachrters, OKish environments (much more modest than d3/q4)
Gets boring a bit.
Driver 3 - NO. Shit gameplay, good cinematics
Enclave - YES! gorgeous slasher
King Kong - hmm dunno, only played demo
XIII - NO ( avrage shooter with some stealth, gets boring pretty soonish)
Add 'Beyond good and evil' and 'Fable- Lost chapters' for envolving marvelous looking lush and immersive slasher-adventure games. My faves.
Trying to be honest and unbiased as ever.
Pjw
#358 posted by starbuck [86.132.5.67] on 2006/01/04 23:41:42
I'd be interested to know what plugins you'd recommend for morrowind. I'm finally getting into it properly, and having a bloody great time. Can't wait for Oblivion; those demo vids look fantastic.
Speedy
#359 posted by nitin [138.217.0.153] on 2006/01/05 00:23:59
thanks, I'll go with that.
I was mainly going off screenies and some reviews. Cant run any demos on curretn system.
Beyond good and evil & Fable, are they like enclave ?
And is warrior within a newer prince of persia ?
Pjw
#360 posted by nitin [138.217.0.153] on 2006/01/05 00:24:47
thanks for the suggestions but I havent come acroos an rpg that I like yet (unless you count diablo2 which I dont since it's more of a slasher).
Nitin.
#361 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/05 01:14:50
Pretty much what Speedy says to be honest except I'd rate Far Cry a lot higher, not least because of this trick I found:
"Open the console with "~" then type "\save_game name" where name is the name of your savegame file. I just use 2 names (0 and 1) and alternately overwrite them when I'm far enough along bwteen in-game checkpoints. Then when you want to load one of your own savegames, use the Esc key and double-click the savegame written at whatever time you saved."
Remember that, homie.
Ummm Max Payne 2 is good. You should make sure you've played all the important older stuff too: RTCW, Undying, FAKK2, Blade Of Darkness (especially).
If you want to try a semi-MMORPG, I reccommend G***d W**s ;).
Shambler
#362 posted by nitin [138.217.0.153] on 2006/01/05 01:48:53
played and have the older stuff. Except Blade, whcih I didnt really like.
Me Neither
#363 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/05 06:26:56
I was in the Rune is more fun and imaginative than Blade, but Blade has fancier tech and is perhaps a bit more ambitious but is ultimately flawed camp :)
Hmm
#364 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2006/01/05 06:29:18
I thought Blade was pretty cool, enviroments were beautiful and gameplay quite original, it was bloody hard though... =\
Yeah, What Bal Said.
#365 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/05 06:35:11
Blade had gameplay.
Nitin
#366 posted by necros [142.150.106.147] on 2006/01/05 07:31:43
if you liked diablo, you could pick up 'fate'
it's really cheap too. you download the game off of the website (about 120mb) then, you pay 20$ to get a serial number to unlock it from demo mode.
i don't have the site, but a quick google search will turn it up for sure.
it's a nice game where you can play for 10 minutes, and not touch it for a week and come back to it and not be lost or anything. very straight forward etc etc, but fun.
Hmmn.
#367 posted by pjw [66.188.135.147] on 2006/01/05 18:00:03
I really enjoyed the hell out of Fear when I played through it. It doesn't do a whole hell of a lot, but it does a few things quite well and I enjoyed the combat.
@Starbuck, I'll post my canned "Morrowind Tips and Suggestions" and see if breaks some kind of func_character_limit or something:
Morrowind Plug-In Sites (some of these might be dead):
http://teyandei.net/projects/morro...
Excellent basic place to start. This has a list of all the official mods (the only one I would avoid is the Siege at Firemoth, which I found to be kind of dumb and tedious), and a bunch of recommended ones--I notice that most of the links seem to be dead, so use it as reference. :( If nothing else, be sure and grab the Animal Realism and Real Signposts mods from one of the other sites.
http://www.hiredgoons.net/MWFiles
Pretty much everything on this site is good, especially if you play a thief-type character. The Illuminated Order quest is very cool for high-level types.
http://www.thelys.org/modlist.php
Limited selection, but seem to be typically high-quality.
http://home.tiscali.co.za/~3100360...
I pretty much grabbed all the Texture Replacer mods from here. I didn't bother with the face replacer ones since I was already using different ones . . .
http://khalazza.production.free.fr...
The Visual Packs from here basically replace textures in the wilderness areas, unlike Carnajo's textures above, which are primarily urban.
http://www.rpgplanet.com/morrowind
http://www.mwsource.com
http://www.euro-morrowind.com
http://unforgottenrealms.net
I would recommend being careful and organized about what you're using, and keeping backups of all the .zips etc. in a different folder, just to keep track of what you're using and where it came from. And, obviously, read the readmes, to make sure that you're doing what the author intended re: installation.
The plugins that I'm currently using are below--I feel like these enhance and improve the game without changing it too drastically.
Face replacement textures from Astarsis.
Adamantium Armor
Area Effect Arrows
Atmospheric Sound Effects from Duncan (up to update 4)
All of LDones game-improvement stuff from the second link above.
Bitter Coast Sounds
Pretty much all the offical mods except Firemoth (which I found to be long and annoying and silly)
A fix to add a ring to your stronghold that teleports you there when you put it on (since they seemed to enjoy putting your stronghold in the middle of Bumfuck Egypt).
Real Signposts
All the texture upgrades from Carjano
Sharpened Armor, Weapons, and Clothes upgrades from NelothsMouth
Gnomish Sky Glider from Mykul
All of Wakim's Game Improvements
Calender Fix from Spuzzum
Book Rotate mod that allows you to place books just so
Vivic Expansion mod from Hoghead
Climbing Gear from GhanBuriGhan
Foreign Quarter Manor from DJGrim (my preferred home base)
Text Patch from Kevin Dorner, that cleans up grammar, spelling, etc.
Sell n Sail Galleon from detritus2004
Nature-based visual pack from Zuldazug, Raptre, Lord Gabryael and Ayse
(it did, part 2 follows)
Morrowind Part 2
#368 posted by pjw [66.188.135.147] on 2006/01/05 18:00:35
Helpful Morrowind tips:
Character Creation:
(note: some of the following is blatant opinion--your milage may vary--also, you may know all this shit--if so, ignore me)
1. Create your own character class--most of the pre-made ones are kinda sucky in one way or another.
2. Argonians and Khajiit can't wear boots or helms, which means you'll miss out on using a few good items. This isn't the end of the world by any means, and the races are cool in other ways. Just sayin'.
3. There's no real reason to pick more than one armor skill for a major or minor skill.
4. There's no real reason to pick more than one or two weapon skills for major or minor skill (plus maybe Marksman, if you feel like it).
5. It's not a bad idea to pick at least one magic skill as a major skill so you can get immediate membership in the Mage's Guild, in order to use their fast travel options and free potions. This is true even if your character is a straight fighter or thief type. Mysticism is pretty damn useful because of the Mark and Recall spells (teleportation). Alteration is another good one for levitation and water walking/breathing.
6. Unarmored, and Hand to Hand kinda suck ass, in my opinion, especially at lower skill levels.
7. Armorer is a skill that's always useful, in my opinion (unless you're going w. Unarmored). Acrobatics is fun when you get it up to crazy levels and can jump across town.
8. Decide how you're going to open locks, and either pick Security (open locks with picks/probes) or Alteration (open locks with magic). They both have their pros and cons.
9. The only birthsign I would warn you away from is Atronoch, only because it's annoying (especially if you haven't played the game before) not being able to regenerate your magicka normally when you rest.
Other Tips:
1. SAVE OFTEN. Especially early in the game. It can be pretty easy to get the crap beat out of you suddenly. Don't be afraid to turn the difficulty down if it gets annoying.
2. If you get arrested, even if you just pay the fine and are free to go, any stolen stuff on you gets taken away and placed in an evidence chest somewhere in the (potentially huge) city. Getting your stuff back can be a pain in the ass.
3. If you're a thief, be careful that you don't try to sell something back to the same merchant you stole it from. Sadly, if you steal a diamond from Merchant X, and then try to sell them an entirely different diamond later in the game, they'll cry thief. Try not to steal generic stuff, or just steal from certain places and sell to different places.
4. If you get a quest from someone out in the boonies, be sure that their location is mentioned in the journal entry. If not, write it down. I have several quests that I'll probably never complete because I have no idea where to find the bastard again, and this world is HUGE.
5. Once you reach Balmora initially, and talk to Caius, don't be afraid to put him on hold for a while and just explore and try things and screw around. There's almost never any time value to quests in this game, and when there is, it's clearly stated.
6. Go ahead and check the data files for Tribunal and Bloodmoon (when you first start up the game, under data files). This gives you the advanced journal
options of Tribunal (e.g. click on a quest and get all journal entries related to that quest, instead of having to page through several hundred pages of journal) and other improvements.
7. It makes the game a little easier at the very beginning if you aren't too moral, and steal all the stuff from those first couple of unoccupied rooms and sell it. Also, early on, you'll be getting attacked by assassins if you're running Tribunal. You can stop the attacks by doing the first couple of steps in that quest (talk to guards, talk to guy at Ebonheart), but I always let them go on, since I can usually kill them and the armor that they wear is quite valuable (and useful, if you have the light armor skill).
Than:
#369 posted by cyBeAr [58.136.135.104] on 2006/01/06 02:27:46
see GA + no I can't say I speak thai although I hope I at least learn some basics during the three months I'll be here. I'm here as an exchange student at the fine art faculty of the university in Chiang Mai wich I'll spend some time in but I'll also move around quite a bit I hope.
"Hitman" Series Review
#370 posted by . [70.224.207.165] on 2006/01/06 05:00:09
I'm a Hitman fanboy so I finally got around to writing a set of reviews (more like overviews, it's a lot of work otherwise)...
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com/200...
Fabel Mods?
#371 posted by sp [84.204.119.165] on 2006/01/06 19:22:18
Are there Fable lost-chaps mods?
if its modable at all (excep custom tatoo)
quick google didnt help
King Kong (Xbox)
#372 posted by Kinn [86.137.182.83] on 2006/01/07 14:45:39
Bleh, it was quite good overall I guess.
FPS sections (most of the game) were very good fun, if a little simplistic. Very frantic and tense - the "no HUD" mechanic was done very well, and added to the immersion. Health is based on a "two strikes and you're dead" idea - first hit injures you, and get this - the sound goes quiet, the game slows down and the screen goes all dramatic and motion blurry, and some LOTR-style ethereal choir starts singing, and you can hear your teammates dramatically shouting your name and stuff. It's really over-the-top and cool, but kinda makes me laugh when you get nibbled by a millipede or something and everything goes into "Boromir Death Mode(tm)" You have to avoid damage during this time until you recover, or a second hit will kill you. Little is more satisfying and adrenaline-pumping than whipping around to throw a spear point-blank into the face of a raptor belting towards you whilst you're trying to recover. V-Rex chases were genuinely scary. Team-mates were done well and didn't annoy me for once.
Graphics were awesome for the Xbox, with some truly breathtaking scenery and lighting in places.
I more or less dreaded the sections where you play as Kong in third person - often feeling only semi-interactive, the controls were kinda crap, and I died many a time because I couldn't actually get Kong to do what I wanted him to do. Looked very nice though - very "cinematic" I must say :}
Overall, I'd have liked a game with just the FPS bits, with a bit more variety to the puzzles (I got kinda tired of the same old "find fire to light bushes, find lever to open gate" stuff) and none of the Kong bollocks. Worth checking out if you've got a console.
WRT Morrowind
#373 posted by Fat Controller [222.153.95.162] on 2006/01/07 20:44:58
I'd recommend saving often as well, mainly because the memory leakage is appalling. The acronym CTD is universally understood as "crash to desktop" (without any explanation.)
Also, at the very least, get Morrowind Enhanced executable and Journal Enhanced. Buy a quill and inkpot from Arrille, and make all the notes you need. Preferrably in character.
If you want a fortress teleportal ring, you can use mine. Read the book on top of it. It contains hints as to how it can be used.
http://www.breakthinktank.com/cgi-...
There's also Necessities of Morrowind, which requires you to sleep, eat lunch and dinner, and drink. Better still, it allows you to rent rooms for up to a month at a time and cook your own meals, independent of Alchemy skill.
Also, the Less Generic NPC mods are fun. At the very least, install the Pelagiad and Seyda Neen ones and hear about Erene Llenim's glory days or Madres Navur's colourful visions (and guess what the references are to!) Quests included. This is having a major effect on the design of a village I'm working on.
http://lgnpc.sabregirl.com/
Also I prefer Motoki's Better Heads since they don't shave years off old Caius.
Anyway, if you prefer housing, either wait for me to finish Varlninya or get either "Houses and Apartments" or "The Latest, Greatest Housing Mod Gold". Infinity Warehouse rocked.
LGHMG has a quest associated with its Vivec property, but that's pretty darn expensive, unless you do lots of Dwemer delving. H&A are more modest places that you can buy from a place in the Hlaalu canton. These mods conflict WRT Caldera.
Or, if you're Evil, download Shannon's HellHouse-X. My only beefs are that the slaves in the Crypt of Necrosis won't follow you, Arrille has a teleport amulet right at the start, and the use of Secret Masters' alchemy gear. There's an old thread on TheLys about potential HH quests, but I think Shannon (and modeller Barabus) are busy with a monster city. I reckon it looks alright.
http://www.thelys.org/forums/index...
And me? I got most of my MW crap from TheLys. Including Lilarcor.
Guild Wars Again.
#374 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/08 02:18:01
Just got back into playing it.
Fun going through the early 4-6 player missions that I'd skipped before, on my own, and getting lots of loot. Kinda makes up for a moment of insanity buying 4 bottles of black dye to p1mp my threads.
They are making a Chapter 2, I'm kinda fearful for my life o_O
Painkiller Expansion
#375 posted by nitin [138.217.2.194] on 2006/01/13 23:38:08
opinions ?
Nitin.
#376 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/14 02:25:57
Basically, more Painkiller. In fact, absolutely, completely, just more Painkiller. If you want more Painkiller, get the expansion.
Ico
#377 posted by Kinn [86.128.228.235] on 2006/01/15 11:16:35
Ico (PS2)
I made a point of ordering a European import version, with the original Japanese cover art: http://img434.imageshack.us/img434... to save my eyes from the soul-searing abomination that is the cover they made for the Western release: http://img375.imageshack.us/img375...
The entire game takes place inside a single vast castle of madness, that could have been lifted straight from the etchings of Giovanni Piranesi. You will spend a good 10 hours inside this castle and the interconnectivity of the environment here is phenomenal, probably the best I've seen.
For those not familiar, the game is all about solving environmental navigation puzzles in order to escort a rescued girl through the castle (and escape yourself). The girl has limited mobility compared to you, and thus you must create different paths allowing her to progress whilst keeping with each other as much as possible in order to protect her from the shadow monsters that frequently try to claim her. You can't die yourself (unless you fall from a great height), but it's game over if the girl gets caught by the shadow beasts and you don't rescue her in time.
Overall I think it's a genius game with awesome atmosphere and art, occasionally marred by slightly quirky controls.
I've already pre-ordered Shadow of the Colossus, which is Team Ico's follow-up to this game.
Mall Madness (1989)
#378 posted by bambuz [213.169.5.134] on 2006/01/15 14:22:18
Played this mind boggling boardgame.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image...
I don't really know where to start. It's a game made for young girls, and the objective is to shop as fast as you can. Each player starts at a shopping center parking lot with some pocket money and a credit card. There's an electronic complex in the middle of the board that, after pushing a button, says to you in a nice digitized voice how many squares you can move. Then you go to shops and buy stuff. When you run out of money, go to the bank to use your credit card. All these events have some randomity which comes from using your credit card with the electronic reader in the center of the game.
There are sale and clearance placades at some random shops, and they are shuffled at times - often it's good to try to get to those shops.
What this game does to young person's world view is slightly interesting and more disturbing. The objective is just to shop virtually anything as quickly as possible. Running around the pink-coloured mall frantically chasing sales and clearances and getting more from dad's bottomless well of money with the credit card doesn't sound like very constructive or a way of life I'd like to raise my daughter to.
Buying for buying's sake, stuff you don't really need. It seems like a complete lunacy. Maybe it cannot be viewed as anything else in history. Or then a joke from the eighties. :)
Shopping Maul
#379 posted by Kell [82.41.10.46] on 2006/01/15 16:00:17
You should have tried this instead:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/...
Path Of Neo
#380 posted by starbuck [86.132.5.67] on 2006/01/15 18:45:16
oh my god. This is the best game I've played in years. I had my doubts originally with the whole franchise crossover thing and all, but boy! Those Wachowskis really put my fears to rest as soon as the game started! Wow, what great fluid combat and pretty graphics. I wonder if Doom 4 will use the Path of Neo engine. I always wanted to try living in the world of the matrix and now I can! It's just like another Matrix film but I can do whatever I want! Swell!
Well, that's the review I would have written if I was 12 years old and semi-retarded. What the fuckity-fuck is wrong with the twats that made this game? It looks like someone shat on an N64. And if I turn the graphics up high all I get is too many reflections and 10 frames a second, great. I guess a geforce 6800 isn't good enough to play this abortion of a cash-in.
First you get too many intro movies, then a shitty in-game cutscene where you see the models for the first time. Jesus, the neo model looks more like Optimus Prime than Keanu Reeves. Then you take the red pill (unless you're smart) and fall down the rabbithole, or the "awful mirror shader brought to you by 1995" then you get some bonus random 3d shit with shiny code going everywhere.
Soon you get your first cutscene: stuff stolen from the first movie but ingeniusly re-edited, apparently, by the same pig-fuckers that put together an episode of MTV's cribs. Then you get some combat. Imagine the best combo you could possibly do in Prince of Persia. Keep that mental image; in Path of Neo you can probably do that combo by clicking the mouse a few times. Really fun if you're the kind of gamer who enjoys opening and closing folders.
I'm so very angry. It's a huge insult to anyone who can dress themselves or count into double digits to release this as a 'game'. This is worse than apartheid, it is filth. It's the bloody glitch in the matrix, and if you complete this game or even enjoy it you are most likely a horrible paedophile nazi.
Path Of Neo
#381 posted by starbuck [86.132.5.67] on 2006/01/15 18:49:00
oh my god. This is the best game I've played in years. I had my doubts originally with the whole franchise crossover thing and all, but boy! Those Wachowskis really put my fears to rest as soon as the game started! Wow, what great fluid combat and pretty graphics. I wonder if Doom 4 will use the Path of Neo engine. I always wanted to try living in the world of the matrix and now I can! It's just like another Matrix film but I can do whatever I want! Swell!
Well, that's the review I would have written if I was 12 years old and semi-retarded. What the fuckity-fuck is wrong with the twats that made this game? It looks like someone shat on an N64. And if I turn the graphics up high all I get is too many reflections and 10 frames a second, great. I guess a geforce 6800 isn't good enough to play this abortion of a cash-in.
First you get too many intro movies, then a shitty in-game cutscene where you see the models for the first time. Jesus, the neo model looks more like Optimus Prime than Keanu Reeves. Then you take the red pill (unless you're smart) and fall down the rabbithole, or the "awful mirror shader brought to you by 1995" then you get some bonus random 3d shit with shiny code going everywhere.
Soon you get your first cutscene: stuff stolen from the first movie but ingeniusly re-edited, apparently, by the same pig-fuckers that put together an episode of MTV's cribs. Then you get some combat. Imagine the best combo you could possibly do in Prince of Persia. Keep that mental image; in Path of Neo you can probably do that combo by clicking the mouse a few times. Really fun if you're the kind of gamer who enjoys opening and closing folders.
I'm so very angry. It's a huge insult to anyone who can dress themselves or count into double digits to release this as a 'game'. This is worse than apartheid, it is filth. It's the bloody glitch in the matrix, and if you complete this game or even enjoy it you are most likely a horrible paedophile nazi.
A Double Post? That Only Makes Me Angrier
#382 posted by starbuck [86.132.5.67] on 2006/01/15 19:20:29
I Totally Agree Though
#383 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/01/15 21:51:58
i mean, it was actually worse than the enter the matrix games.
More Reviews Please Starbuck
#384 posted by nitin [138.217.1.74] on 2006/01/15 23:58:37
I've always wondered what a game made by pig fuckers would be like.
ROFL.
#385 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/16 01:59:38
Starbuck, all about mailing that to the developers ;).
Starbuck
#386 posted by Kell [82.41.10.46] on 2006/01/16 03:18:56
for president
Eh ?
#387 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/01/16 08:03:29
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/i...
I Mean
#388 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/01/16 08:11:49
How is that pretty or 'awesome art'
You're Not Seeing It In Motion Sp
#389 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/01/16 09:16:44
Like the Doom 3 engine, it looks like shit when it's just a still shot.
Also it has more to do with the compositions and atmosphere of the scenes, not with how pretty (or not) the rock textures are.
Speeds
#390 posted by Kinn [86.128.42.164] on 2006/01/16 10:58:44
You know, there are more to games than just random screenshots interpreted horribly out of context.
Also, what czg said.
True
#391 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/16 17:04:20
Prey is the perfect example of a D3 engine game that look really meh in shots and great when moving. I couldn't give a fuck about it when I saw the early shots, but after I saw the E3 trailer it shot to the top of my FPS most wanted list.
Ico is one of those games that pisses me of purely because I've never played it (not ever having owned a PS2) and everybody spazzes over it all the time. The time I saw it moving, it looked cool, but I didn't particularly want to play it... just watch it and look around the castle. It looks really relaxing to play, and seemed to have quite a strange atmosphere.
#392 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/01/17 01:20:09
I browsed thru gamespot screenshots section - it's the average shot from the bunch. (neither best nor worst)
Blame me for having a helpless "mapper syndrome" but that's a room with same dull tile texture over all the surfaces, misaligned too.
Even if there is bumpmapping and dynamic light its still a dull badly textured scene.
And (from the screenshots) most other areas look about the same - dirty brown...
Now I even think there must be truly brilliant gameplay and thick atmosphere to compensate for such a lack of pretty visuals.
Than
#393 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/17 01:36:27
Is right about Prey. Although the video did show a lot more than the shots did.
As for Ico, whatever.
/me Throws Playstation At Shambler
#394 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/01/17 02:04:34
Well..
#395 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/01/17 14:08:18
I'm playing Shadow of the Colossus by the same team. The monsters are awesome and the landscape is pretty nice, and the architecture is sort of passable.
It is the PS2, so it's not like I have very high expectations.
Fable
#396 posted by Bank [68.225.201.69] on 2006/01/17 17:09:48
I've been currently playing an obscene amount of Fable. It really is quite the game, not deserving a lot of the crap it got from plenty of folks. The Expansion isnt particularly terrible either.
Fable Is V Good
#397 posted by sp [84.204.105.220] on 2006/01/17 18:28:50
the main complaint was, that its shorter and smaller than mororwind and basically same story no matter if u are good or bad, despite developers promises
I Love Fable Too
#398 posted by Kinn [81.129.225.237] on 2006/01/18 11:28:19
Best RPG on the Xbox IMO; I enjoyed it a lot more than Jade Empire.
Still yet to play Fable:TLC, but I believe it's basically the same game but with extra stuff thrown in.
Star Wars - Empire At War Demo
#399 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/19 02:39:18
740 meg, screenshot looks real nice, feedback on Blues so far has been very positive.
List of download links here http://www.teamkilled.net/display/... - the AOL link at least is a direct download link so is easy to use with download programs etc, saves all the cocking around trying to find direct links that other sites force you to do / stop you from doing >:(
Knights Of The Old Republic 1 & 2
#400 posted by nitin [138.217.1.74] on 2006/01/19 02:53:13
what is this game like ? All the reviews seem to be spooging but what is it ? More action than rpg ? Fun ?
Nitin
#401 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2006/01/19 03:11:11
I haven't player KOTOR2, but I REALLY REALLY liked the first one. Very fun game.
Jago
#402 posted by nitin [138.217.1.74] on 2006/01/19 03:52:14
can you describe the gameplay a bit ?
To Quote Gamespot
#403 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2006/01/19 10:49:21
"you create a main character and then explore many different areas, interact with many different characters, settle many different disputes, solve many different puzzles, and engage in plenty of combat."
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/sta...
Total Annihilation
#404 posted by bambuz [213.169.26.136] on 2006/01/24 10:35:36
It was released in september 1997 so it's quake vintage... the first 3d real-time strategy game. I played it only little back then, but now there's an open source version called Spring or TA:Spring, you can get it from http://taspring.clan-sy.com .
(get springsp and aai 0.42 if you want to play for yourself, otherwise it's a multiplayer game)
I've been playing and learning it a little, and it's quite fun. The idea is that there's two resources: energy and metal. You have construction units and then normal units, and then there's a commander which is a strong construction unit. There are also some fancy buildings like cannons that can shoot almost to the other side of the map etc. :) You can queue an unlimited amount of unit orders with the shift key, so managing all that moving stuff is quite easy. The community is alive and the game is being constantly upgraded and fine-tuned. If you want to play with me, come to terrafusion... it was voodoochopstiks who first introduced me to this game but now he won't play ffs.
Oh, and it's funny: this game can still bring a new computer to it's knees if there are a lot of units and you zoom far out of the map. I also like the sounds a lot. :)
Halo 2 (Xbox)
#405 posted by Kinn [86.128.9.177] on 2006/01/30 16:45:36
I completed Halo 2 on the Xbox the other week. Ok I enjoyed Halo, the first game - I thought it was a fun, balanced shooter with some satisfying weapons and vehicular combat.
Halo 2 starts out promising when you actually fight on Earth in the first couple of levels, but you soon get sent back up to space, where another "Halo" awaits (yay!), and you proceed to spend the remaining 90% of the game there. Sadly it's all downhill from then on. The architecture and variety of designs is a bit less repetitive than the first game, but that's about the only real difference in the level design.
Completely neutering some of the cooler guns from the first game (the assault rifle is gone), the weapons now feel totally piss-weak. They range from "ineffective peashooter" to "ineffective peashooter that overheats if you hold the fire button down too long". The new ability to dual-wield guns is about the only way to render any of the roughly 83 different types of peashooters cabable of killing anything, but dual-wielding also robs you of the ability to lob grenades (which are pretty much your only effective weapons in a largely redundant arsenal).
Vehicles seem to control a bit tighter, and have a couple of new gimmicks - you can do barrel rolls and shit in the Banshee to avoid missiles better, and you can do a nitro-like speed boost in a couple of the vehicles. Also, if you time it just right, you can jump onto a passing enemy vehicle, and hijack it after punching the driver for a bit (and enemies can do the same to you). These new gimmicks are kinda cool, but hardly add anything to the game. I thought the environments in which you used vehicles in the first game were more interesting to be honest.
Player movement has been dicked around with too. Bizzarely, the jump is even higher and floatier than before, with just enough lack of air control to make an accidental jump often send you helplessly plummeting to your death. Fun.
In another of the "Why the hell did they do that??" files: the health bar has now been removed - all you have now is your automatically recharging shield. This of course means that you are forced to take less risks and spend more time standing still waiting for your shields to regenerate, because further damage will now just kill you outright. BAD gameplay decision.
There's a few new monsters but none of them are any fun to fight against. Most of them can considerably out-run you, and coupled with the ability to kill you in a single melee hit, I heard myself utter the phrase "What a load of shit" and variations thereof, rather frequently during the game.
There are long tedious sections where you fight the Flood, and these are just as drawn-out and repetitive as the Library stage in Halo 1. I'm not sure why the designers chose to pay homage to what was arguably the very worst part of the first game.
In conclusion: considerably inferior to the first Halo, breaking much of what made the first game fun; and the handful of new gimmicks are pretty disposable.
But...
#406 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/30 17:49:45
It's Halo? I thought that was supposed to be one of the best games ever or something? Can't say I was that impressed by the original myself, but there are a lot of serious fanatics for this game.
I guess it's another of those console FPS games with high popularity that I just cannot understand - like Goldeneye. Why did people spaz over Goldeneye so much?
Goldeneye
#407 posted by . [70.225.1.72] on 2006/01/30 19:12:06
Was like the Halo of N64 - something fresh.
Goldeneye
#408 posted by nitin [138.217.0.173] on 2006/01/30 23:32:48
I had so many arguments over the "quality" of that game.
So Just Playing Enclave On My Dad's Laptop
#409 posted by nitin [138.217.0.173] on 2006/01/30 23:39:32
while I wait for my new comp.
Very nice game. Very nice.
But is there a way of controlling your attacks, at the moment I'm just button mashing really. And it's getting quite difficult, I'm on the level taht has lots of lava and a big lava boss at the end.
Any other tips ?
Yeah
#410 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/01/31 01:01:50
Halo2 sounds like crap instead of 'of the best games ever' (halo1 is crap, and if 2nd one is worse...)
Nitin.
#411 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.54] on 2006/01/31 02:31:15
No, there isn't. I asked bear a couple of times about this and he didn't give me a straight answer but having played the whole game it's clear there is no control to the attacks.
It can be a bit difficult, the lava boss was okay though, maybe there was some trick to him, I can't remember.
Lyle In Cube Sector
#412 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/01/31 10:09:10
http://www.sitesled.com/members/bo...
Oldschool 2d sidescroller, like Cave Story, but without the story and 400 tiems!!1 more difficult. Cool nes music and huge pixels.
Nitin
#413 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/01/31 11:36:50
I found there to be a slight amount of control to the attacks based on directional movement and frequency of your attacks, but in sum there's basically no control because you're always trying to attack as fast as possible and you're always moving because you're trying to avoid the enemies.
Cave Story
#414 posted by than [219.62.0.8] on 2006/01/31 20:49:37
Did anyone finish it? I was having fun and then just kinda got bored and stopped playing it. Maybe I should go back to it, as it was rather nice.
Cube Sector looks cool, I'll check it out.
I Got Stuck On A Boss
#415 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/01/31 21:00:27
somewhere in level 4 or 5 (the boss which is a giant vehicle on wheels in a cave.)
I got busy and then forgot about it, basically.
Cave Story
#416 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2006/02/01 03:06:20
I finished it a couple times, using the different weapons you can chose from during the game, and finding the various secrets etc. I spent a while trying to finish the hidden level which is pretty insane, but despite reaching the uberboss many times I still haven't managed to defeat him (but I'm sure I could if I replayed through the whole game and didn't use up my heart bottle before until I reach him).
I think it's an awesome game anyways. =)
Yes, Cave Story Wins
#417 posted by cyBeAr [210.86.142.77] on 2006/02/04 00:40:13
Haven't defeated the last "hard/secret" boss yet, probably my favourite game this year. I'll have to try that lyle i cube sector when I get back to my comp.
I Found...
#418 posted by distrans [131.172.4.45] on 2006/02/20 19:08:09
...a second hand copy of Alice in a music store, discs were in good condition so I picked it up. Best 10AUD I've spent in a loooooong time.
Distrans
#419 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/02/20 19:30:35
I concur! And I don't even know what else you bought recently.
Far Cry: Instincts
#420 posted by Kinn [86.141.142.45] on 2006/02/23 15:48:25
Far Cry: Instincts (Xbox)
A quick rant first:
I'm tempted to dock a fair few points off this game simply for the fact that you are forced to sit through an unskippable 5 minute advertisement every time you start - Even if you are 8 hours into the game and want to continue from your latest save point you still have wait for this advert to finish every time you switch on the console.
That said, here's my quick review - I'm assuming not many people have played this game on here, so I'll mention some differences between this and the PC original.
Instincts is basically a totally new game designed from the ground up to work better with the Xbox's ageing hardware. It shares the engine, and I guess a lot of the assets, but the gameplay is very different.
The game is linear as hell, but you do get some very wide paths to move around in, giving you many different ways of approaching an enemy camp. Stealth is important in the early part of the game, and you can adopt three different stances that affect your movement speed and visibility in the undergrowth. You can sneak up behind enemies for silent stealth kills and you can set a sprung branch trap around any tree, and lure enemies towards it by hiding and throwing stones to distract them. You can do other gimmicky crap like go prone and roll onto your back to shoot enemies in the balls from underneath wooden huts.
I would say that this early part of the game, where you are left seriously outgunned to enforce the stealth approach, is kind of underdeveloped, and often overly difficult and frustrating.
You soon throw all this stealth bollocks out the window when you get your hands on some decent guns though. It's not long before the game's other main gimmick comes into play and you slowly acquire your Feral Abilities(TM) - your health now auto-regenerates, you can run fast and leap huge distances, you can "see" scent trails (this looks pretty cool), and you get an insta-kill melee punch that can smash infrastructure. Most of this shit costs adrenaline though, so you can't use it constantly.
The difficulty level is completely fubared. First off, there are no selectable skill levels whatsoever (and no auto-adjusting of difficulty seems to be in play either). It starts off hard until you get decent guns, then it becomes a knife-through-butter run-and-gun fest for the larger part of the game, which is pretty damn good, before turning to shit in the last couple of levels, which are about as enjoyable to play as having sodium hydroxide solution squirted up your urethra, and yes, it all boils down to the distance between checkpoints. Life is too short (and sanity too fragile) to continue playing a game where the player systematically fails to get past the same checkpoint after about 16 attempts (because he has to escort a mission-critical NPC across a massive section of terrain - an NPC who has some cover-taking autonomy but equally will quite happily plough forward into a horde of enemies before you have had a chance to kill them). Don't even get me started on the endgame boss *_*
Overall: Definately the best FPS I've played on the Xbox so far (I've played three: this, Halo, and Halo 2). Oh yes, graphics are awesome, and vehicles are pretty cool too.
#421 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.52.133] on 2006/02/24 11:10:42
Been playing The Movies Demo, pretty fun so far even though I haven't actually been able to make my own movies yet. So far so good.
Quit playing WoW, just got boring.
Looking forward to the GuildWars expansion, and definitely Warhammer Online. Sweet stuff.
Is There Anyway
#422 posted by nitin [138.217.2.73] on 2006/02/24 20:05:00
to quicksave in Enclave?
Getting picked up by archers and the less frequent checkpoints is annoying me.
Attn: Vondur. Re: HoMM3
#423 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/02/25 16:11:48
Dear Vondur.
I hate strategy games and oh boy do I hate this one.
I blame you. And Kinn (for good measure).
Yours faithfully,
cz-I haven't even been close to winning a single fucking scenario in this stupid fucking game. Maybe I just fucking suck.-g
Thief: Deadly Shadows Review
#424 posted by . [69.217.62.2] on 2006/03/03 13:46:09
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com/200...
3/5
Sweet!
#425 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/03/03 17:08:03
anyone got any reviews of UT 2003?
No,
#426 posted by [59.167.121.156] on 2006/03/03 22:58:32
but here's one for Quake ...
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/...
Well
#427 posted by . [69.217.62.2] on 2006/03/04 12:18:57
It's not like everyone plays every single game so they're always up to date. Some people haven't played older games. So eat my ass!
Beyond Good And Evil
#428 posted by Kinn [86.137.181.129] on 2006/03/11 18:41:46
Beyond Good And Evil (Xbox)
Another 2003 game - oh noes! :P
Anyway, in case you haven't played it (and I would imagine most people here haven't) this is a fairly jolly Zelda-inspired romp in a Futurama-esque sci-fi cartoon world, where you play a female photographer/reporter who has to save the planet from evil aliens with the aid of various anthropomorphic animals, burly men in turtleneck sweaters and lisping holographic sidekicks.
The game's pretty easy - a simplistic stealth mechanic is used more often than combat, but it's kinda cool. Vehicles are rather groovy and integrate nicely with the rest of the game.
Missions mostly involve sneaking around various interior environments, navigating all sorts of cunning security mechanisms (with a fairly heavy emphasis on the laser-themed variety), and taking pictures of dodgy shenanigans without alerting the guards.
The game has high production values - Graphics and art style etc. are all rather tasty - music is good, voice acting is great.
I guess if you like the modern Zeldas, you might wanna check this game out, but it is a fairly short game and you might be surprised when it's over so quickly (like I was)
Black
#429 posted by Kinn [86.128.236.1] on 2006/03/12 13:00:08
Black (Xbox)
I bought the latest overhyped Xbox shooter yesterday, and I reached the final room in the game today.
Because the checkpoints are not hard saved to the console, it will take well over an hour to reach this point again from the beginning of the level should I want to switch the machine off and try again later. I've done this three times now, dying each time in the final room, and it's unlikely that I'll try again anytime soon.
It's basically a big fat gun-wank, where you shoot terrists in the face across a variety of generic urban locations, using realistic weapons etc.
The main gimmick is that there is a somewhat above average amount of destructable scenery in the game (but not quite as much as the marketing hype would have you believe)
I had some fun with this game. It looks really good (for Xbox lol) and I like shooting people, and there are a lot of opportunities to shoot people in this game so that was cool.
By far my biggest complaint is the distance between checkpoints, which is utterly retarded and unfair. You will typically have to plough through 30 minutes of gameplay before you reach the next checkpoint (which usually split the hour-long levels down the middle). As I previously mentioned, mid-level checkpoints are not hard saved if you turn off the machine, which only adds to the retardedness.
As long as you can avoid dying, this is a rather short game, clocking in at around 6-8 hours if you just want to blast through it without doing any of the secondary objectives.
8-10 Hrs Is Normal
#430 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/03/16 03:45:57
b
Call Of Duty 2
#431 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/03/16 07:03:55
Very immersive second word war 2 game, very impressive, very realistic, but too short IMHO (I finished it in normal in 20 hours...). Nevertheless, it was very very enjoyable.
The game is composed of 5 episode (Stalingrad, north Africa desert, France D-day, Belgium, and Germany). Each time you are either a russian soldier (was it a special vondur's request ?... 8D...), or british, or american... it depends on the episode, and in reality it doesn't matter at all, it is just the weapon type that changes.
You have to progress with your combat unit, and teamplay is very well executed: I save my friends' ass as often as they did it for me !
Well, it is really worth to play: I will try it as veteran soldier now... I guess it will be much much more difficult ;P
No I go back to mapping :P
Anarchy
#432 posted by Gib [81.179.240.118] on 2006/03/18 18:14:43
Quit wow recently, got really bored with doing the same old stuff and then discovered Anarchy Online which, if you don't upgrade to the expansions, is totally free (you get some ads but there implemented quite well). It's alot of fun and has a sci fi theme and if you can look past some of the graphics being naff then you will discover a great game, kinda like SWG was it was actually good. Also you can upgrade your free account to all addons for just $9.95 but then you incur monthly fees of around $10
Silkroad Online
#433 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.56.171] on 2006/03/19 15:16:40
If you wanna try some MMORPG stuff you can check out Silkroad Online at
http://www.silkroadonline.net/.
Korean game (I think) which is all about the connection between Rome, the Islamic world and China, and combines/hybridizes all three into a single mythology. Free client and no monthly fees, I've read good things about it at www.mmorpg.com. Just in case anyone was interested in something like this.
Anarchy Online
#434 posted by . [70.224.243.76] on 2006/03/19 15:19:43
I fucking hate that game. My friend is glued to it. The reason I hate it is because of it's interface - it's overwhelming, but even worse is the control scheme is just plain wacked. Else I might've cared more to get through it a little.
Shadow Of The Colossus
#435 posted by Kinn [81.158.85.12] on 2006/03/20 15:08:02
Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
After playing Ico, I had a feeling the team's follow-up game would be good, but I wasn't quite expecting something as transcendantly awe-inspiring as this. I'm just going to come out and say that playing Shadow of the Colossus was the most intense, enthralling, satisfying and emotional game experience I have ever had.
There simply is no other game like this.
I'm still staggered that there is so much to experience from such a relatively simple concept. The clarity of purpose is such that there is little more to the game than finding the next Colossus, working out how to get on it, clambering around it, and clinging on to its furry bits for dear life as it tries to stop you repeatedly stabbing it in its weak spots. But My God, the experience of it all...
There is no unnecessary cruft to to bog this simple concept down, the game is just that pure. As a result (but in no way to its detriment) it is not a particularly long game, taking me about 11 hours to beat it the first time. The game is essentially sixteen massive boss fights played in sequential order. It just happens that these are the most astonishing, immersive, tense, rewarding, and visually stunning boss fights ever made.
(On the subject of immersion, it's worth noting that to hang on to anything in this game, you have to simulate the act of "gripping" by holding the right trigger button; it's quite visceral to feel your finger aching and literally slipping off the trigger button in a particularly gruelling struggle just to stay in control as a Colossus whips you around hundreds of feet up in the air).
Like Ico, the world these beasts inhabit is beautifully realised, yet at the same time empty and desolate. It's just you and your horse for companionship.
The design, art direction, animation and music in this game are all mindblowingly good, and witnessing the awesome ending sequence makes the struggle of slaying the final Colossus more than worthwhile. And yes, I'm man enough to admit that I cried.
...
#436 posted by than [220.97.92.40] on 2006/03/21 03:16:04
I heard the controls and camera were a bit shit though (perhaps someone mentioned it here too).
So...
#437 posted by necros [142.150.4.59] on 2006/03/21 06:48:05
TES4: Oblivion was supposed to be released yesterday...
anyone able to pick that up yet? :x
No
#438 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.56.171] on 2006/03/21 09:13:43
But American PCG gave it 95%. I'd like to get it, but I don't have a good enough computer, I don't have 3 years available to play it, and my attention span is sho
Oblivion
#439 posted by negke [82.83.10.31] on 2006/03/21 10:26:47
i'm looking forward to playing it, too. haven't orded it yet, though. but i'm not sure if i should do it, either, since i know it will definately distract me from all duties and mapping in particular...
i recently finished morrowind. by and large, it wasn't as long as i expected and as everybody said. it all depended on how many side quests one was willing to take (i'd say i took some 60% and discovered more than half of the map). so i don't expect oblivion to be all that long. but still...
Lul
#440 posted by megaman [84.63.17.180] on 2006/03/21 10:51:15
nd my attention span is sho
So short you couldn't be bothered to finish the sentence? ;)
Than
#441 posted by Kinn [86.128.224.211] on 2006/03/21 11:24:02
I heard the controls and camera were a bit shit though
As someone who is usually very critical of these things, I had absolutely no problems with either of these aspects of the game. In fact, the control system struck me as being particularly intuitive and responsive.
Megaman
#442 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.45.205] on 2006/03/21 12:54:22
Congrats, you got the joke.
Than/kinn
#443 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/03/21 15:54:02
there were a few problems with camera/controls, but 98% percent of the game is not affected by them.
TES4 : Oblivion
#444 posted by DaZ [80.42.192.186] on 2006/03/22 10:36:01
my preorder just shipped from play.com a few hours ago, woooooooooooo! So check it out tomorrow / friday if you get the chance!
#445 posted by Gib [81.178.64.148] on 2006/03/22 11:11:10
Mine also, due tommorrow. It will be most satisfying.
It's Less Funny Then
#446 posted by megaman [84.63.29.16] on 2006/03/23 13:41:22
thank you, zwiffle!
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (PC)
#447 posted by starbuck [82.40.164.223] on 2006/03/30 08:18:38
I know when I usually review anything I resort to taking the piss but I thought a more reasoned 'first-impressions' was deserved.
Oblivion starts by letting you create your character. This is a game in itself. The face generation is powered by 'FaceGen' software that allows you to tweak almost any part of a 3d face model but the ability to import your own face from a few photos (as seen in FaceGen retail) was missing.
It would have been useful if Bethesda gave us some template faces as most of the randomly generated ones are just too ugly to use as a base. Also, would it have been hard to include more than say 8 hair-styles per race? Just 2 or 3 styles that didn't look totally stupid would have been a plus. I'd prefer it if my Spellsword didn't look like Fabio, thanks.
Three hours later and I've designed my character. Whoosh! I'm in a cell. Holy fuck, those cobblestones look amazing! My god. Those are the sexiest bricks I've ever seen. Sometimes the beauty of the Oblivion engine astounds you, and I spent a goot 20 minutes just looking around the tiny cell. Havok physics is here for the ride as I found out while throwing bones at some shackles hanging from the ceiling. This is a big improvement on Morrowind, where the lack of any believable physics distanced the player from the items in the world.
Fast forward a little, and the Emperor is breaking me out of jail. The game introduces you to combat by giving you a gentle battering as you try and escape, courtesy of goblins and other ruffians.
My verdict on combat so far? Improved greatly from Morrowind, but not perfect. You can block and charge opponents, but somehow it still seems a little detatched. Spellcasting is a lot simpler thanks to the extremely easy keyboard shortcut system, and Magicka regenerates pretty quickly. Morrowind had me playing a warrior character mainly because I couldn't be arsed to bother with spells, but in Oblivion they seem easy to use and pretty effective.
There are lots of nice new touches, and many things which correct problems with previous games. One example is lockpicking: in Morrowind you get out your lockpick and click a few times, or many times if it's you're a bad thief or it's a tough lock. Oblivion introduces a mini game where you have to push back the pins in the lock one by one, much like in the real world.
The most annoying thing in Morrowind was travel. The mission says 'go to this small village up north', but that could mean you have to take a transport to another city, on to another town, take a boat to village X and then get the mage's guild to teleport you there. Not fucking fun. In Oblivion, the fast travel option is back! Seen as far back as Arena, you just click the name of a town on your map and you go right there.
Also, you have a shiny compass that points you towards your next waypoint... useful, if like me, you wasted too much of your life in Morrowind trying to find some asshole in some guild in Vivec.
more likes/gripes:
The graphics in outdoor areas are spectacular at times. There's a town (maybe Chorral) where there's a big chapel, and all around it is long grass blowing in the wind, and trees with hanging branches. At the right time of day the sunlight is pink, and with the HDR enabled, everything glows. That was the most amazing in-game graphics I've seen, period.
The 3rd-person camera sucks. A lot. It bobs slowly about like the cameraman is standing up in a canoe. Bring back the Morrowind camera.
The guards can be ridiculous. I got chased down and thrown in jail for (accidentally) stealing a shitty wood cup worth less than one gold piece. Piss off, guys.
Horses, yay or neigh? Sorry. So sorry. Pretty useful for running about the wilderness, but not very well animated, and the control is a bit weird. Might just take getting useful though.
Voice-acting: it's just rubbish. A lot of the dialogue is pish too. It's clear the Bethesda team aren't very witty guys. Why not get Patrick Stewart in it for longer and give his character a bit more depth?
All in all, it's early days, but i can tell this is going to be extremely addictive gaming. It's got it's faults, and it crashes a bit, but all in all it seems to have improved on Morrowind in a big way. Graphically it's hard to fault Oblivion.
As your life in an Elder Scrolls game gets better, your real (social) life gets worse. Onward, towards Oblivion!
#448 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/03/30 09:49:31
The 3rd-person camera sucks. A lot. It bobs slowly about like the cameraman is standing up in a canoe. Bring back the Morrowind camera.
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy....
lol, i don't even have the game yet and i'm looking at mods... T_T
:P
#449 posted by Gib [81.178.106.239] on 2006/03/30 10:02:54
Totally agree with starbuck, although I find the lock picking was annoying but I soon got used to it. (possible spoiler maybe) Speak to someone in the Leyawiin mages guild about a shrine ( you must be lvl 10 to speak to shrine ), then may your lockpicking needs be forever fulfilled...
Ive got 49hrs played so far and have completed darkbrotherhood, thieves guild, fighting arena, some fighter guild missions and can enter the last part of the game but am holding back as im only level 15 atm and wasnt sure if the game ended if I completed it.
I highly recommend this game to everyone (I didnt particularly get hooked on morrowwind). Oh yea, i'm also a vampire!!
Is it me or is Martin, Sean Bean.
#450 posted by Gib [81.178.106.239] on 2006/03/30 10:07:03
also the game doesn't take 49 hrs and could be done alot quicker but Im loving faffing around the place, and at least 10hrs I was furiously masturbating over the graphics.
Camera
#451 posted by starbuck [82.40.164.223] on 2006/03/30 11:01:54
ah sweet, cheers necros. I'll definitely use that. I played 3rd person most of the time in Morrowind, and I don't usually whine about camera controls or anything, but this is just... SO bad.
Gib, yeah it is Sean Bean :D
Oh and I've probably notched up at least 10 hours in that manner too.
#452 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/03/30 14:44:45
and at least 10hrs I was furiously masturbating over the graphics.
Yeah but have they turned it into a minigame?
Np
#453 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/03/30 16:23:48
you may want to peruse the addons list on http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy....
there are some other addons that look to fix technical aspects of the game (i don't know how relevant or good they are as i can't use them yet, i'm just going by the descriptions).
for example, http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.... reduces the range at which guards can 'hear' crimes, supposedly making it more realistic.
some other addons are along the same line-- tweaks that may or may not unbalance gameplay. i'd need to have played the original game to be able to tell you though. but check it out, anyway.
others are purely cosmetic (one adds a bunch of different coloured eyes to choose from)
Append To Above Post:
#454 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/03/30 16:26:41
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.... is supposed to help smooth out outdoor movement by removing the loading screen... apparently it only really works if you have a good machine though because the game still does pause, it's just not abruptly flashing the screen all the time.
#455 posted by [131.165.112.33] on 2006/03/30 22:55:18
hdjsd
IL-2 Sturmovik WW2 Flight-sim
#456 posted by . [69.217.53.105] on 2006/03/30 23:29:51
Anyone have this? Complete Edition came out yesterday, has IL-2 + IL-2: Forgotten Battles, Ace expansion, Pacific Fighters... so you can fly for USA, Russia, Germany, Britain, tonsa missions/campaigns...
http://www.pacific-fighters.com/en...
http://www.gogamer.com has it imported in USA, since it's only being released in Europe. But hey it's $35 DVD, there is no Starforce.
Here's some more info/screenshots:
http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/show...
Tes4: Oblivion
#457 posted by negke [82.83.60.104] on 2006/04/05 02:16:54
got it, too. some impressions after two days of playing:
graphics are nice, indeed. but wtf? it's running so slow on my machine, even with reduced details. what i dislike is the spectecular rendering or what it is called - the shininess of everything. something like this works in environments like doom (base), but looks silly on natural components like stone or wood. i set it down to the minimum.
with all the moving grass and trees it looks much more pleasant than morrowind's wastelands. a pity i can't set details higher to have less 'popping up' of them at short distances.
fast travel is ok, though at the same time diminishes the immersion a little i think. well, one still has to discover places before it's possible to travel to them of course. will probably get used to it.
i am somewhat annoyed by the controls, as the cannot be customized the way i want - at least it's impossible to change the mouse configuration by regular means. also, i have to change the keyboard settings everytime i start the game. :(
what really sucks is the translation of my localized version. the voice acting is ok, but the text..! a lot of words are still in english; sometimes sentences are a mixture of both languages. some spells have the wrong names, too, e.g. a healing spell has been called 'fireball' by mistake, and so on...
much of the text (because of the awkward, way too large font) are cut off the screen, or abbreviated in an incomprehensible manner. fortunately, it can be changed in the .ini.
i haven't played very far yet, but still seen some beautiful places and had some very original quests, like the painted forest and the dream world. it has greatly improved on morrowind, also in terms of lifeliness, even though it still feels a little artificial in parts... maybe i'm just biased and spoiled by gothic.
#458 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/05 12:58:36
e.g. a healing spell has been called 'fireball' by mistake, and so on... good god o.0 maybe just pick up the english version unless you have a hard time with it? that sounds really irritating :\
and yeah, you need some pretty hefty hardware to run the game at max.
i have an r850xt and it still struggles at times in outdoor areas with lots of grass (although interiors run perfectly fine)
i'm really liking the game so far, but it's irritating me the way monsters are spawned...
i liked in morrowind how there'd be areas with monsters that would completly destroy me, actually making me scared to go there until i had leveled up a bit and gotten some gear...
now, no matter where you go, the monsters you meet pretty much match your level, so that there is no real danger of going anywhere.
i ended up downloading a mod that changes the leveled lists so that high level mobs spawn irregardless of level. :P
also, i found fast travel sort of made horses redundant. having a mount is cool, but i fail to see the point of it when i can just click and be there instantly. i ended up downloading a mod to be able to store items on my horse, which actually now makes them useful, and not a burden (getting attacked when mounted is a pain, as the dismount animation is about 1.5 seconds long, and you are getting hit during that time (and using spells is less effective because they are in melee range by the time you can cast them)).
it would have been really cool if there was a different, faster dismount animation for when you are in combat.
also, dodging enemy spells is ridiculously easy from someone who's played quake for... well, too long. ended up downloading a mod which increases the speed of the cast projectiles by 250%.. now it's a lot more difficult, and makes the 'speed' attribute a lot more important (so you can move faster to avoid the shots). unfortunatly, it also increases the speed of my own cast projectiles... so hitting things is pretty easy now.
i wish casting was more involved... like in WoW, there are two different types, channeled spells and casts (there's also instant casts, which function the way oblivion has them now). for normal casts, when you get hit, you get delayed in your casting, and if you move, the cast is interrupted. (most spells have a set duration that they take to cast, ie: 2.5 seconds), so if you get hit, you can be delayed from 0.5 to 1 seconds, which adds a bit of strategy to casting.
channeled spells work in the opposite manner. typically they are dots that will continually damage, and if you are hit, you loose the duration of the spell.
you can also be interupted while casting, causing your casting in that school to be shut down for a short duration.
as it is, with a fireball spell with explosive effect, i feel more like i'm playing quake with a rocket launcher... :P i get into melee range, try to trigger a melee attack, and back off quickly to fire. go go shambler trick. :P
the melee system is more interesting though... you don't miss now if you are in range, unlike morrowind where the computer would randomly decide if you miss or not.
now, you loose stamina when you swing equivalent to how heavy the weapon is, so heavier, more powerful weapons take a larger chunk from your stamina (which recharges over time). plus you can do interesting power attacks to knockdown, disarm, stun or paralyze enemies as you become more proficient in combat, which adds a little something to melee. also, for some more powerful monsters, it's usually best to dodge attacks altogether so there's no shortage of running around, and no standing around like a zombie clicking the attack key.
More Oblivion
#459 posted by pjw [24.240.37.219] on 2006/04/06 15:29:40
i am somewhat annoyed by the controls, as the cannot be customized the way i want - at least it's impossible to change the mouse configuration by regular means. also, i have to change the keyboard settings everytime i start the game.
I was confused by how to configure mouse controls when I first started too; I'm glad I'm not the only one.
When you change your controls, just click the arrows to the left/right of "Keyboard" and it will switch to the Mouse configuration screen.
I'm not sure why it's not keeping your changes--that's really weird. You could try manually editing the .ini (in My Documents\My Games\Oblivion), but that's going to be a bitch since it uses hex values for everything. (wtf)
I'm loving the game, although, yeah, it does have some warts. The autolevelling loot and monsters sucks donkey balls and takes all the challenge out of being a newbie, and all the satisfaction out of being godlike. I'm running a mod to fix that, and a few other mods.
My current mods:
Sagerbliv's Monster Balance Fixes (comes bundled with a version of Tom Servo's loot fix).
A mod that makes traps much deadlier.
Dejunai's Harvest Mod that makes plants and mushrooms and shit actually go away when you pick them and then respawn when they're ready for harvest again.
Khajitt and Vampire night-eye mods that change that ability to a toggle rather than a fucking spell you need to cast over and over (dunno what the hell Bethesda was thinking).
A mod that reduces the font size of your inventory so you can see more than, oh, five or so things at once without scrolling like a madman.
A mod that makes it easier to drag around ragdoll bodies and put them in obscene and embarrassing positions.
A birthsigns mod that makes bonuses from your birthsign stack on top of the 100 max (e.g. Steed birthsign makes 120 speed possible).
A mod that changes the screaming green look of the Light spell to something a bit more subtle.
Oh yeah, and the "Juvenile Mod" that adds a "Show Me Your Tits!" option to most common dialogue trees. When you pick it, the character looks surprised and removes (unequips) their shirt for a short time. It never gets old.
I was in the hospital last week for major surgery and can't play for much more than a couple of hours without feeling shitty and having to lay down, but I'm loving the game. The dungeons are huge and cool, the game is gorgeous for the most part, and the new melee system is really fun.
Oblivion
#460 posted by Kinn [86.128.228.136] on 2006/04/06 17:19:52
I'll write more when I get the time, but atm I'll just say I'm ~15 hours into it and digging it so far :)
I'll repeat what others have said with regard to the retarded auto-leveling of monsters; I don't really understand the bloody point of having a levelling up system when the monsters are gonna auto-adjust to provide the same challenge no matter what.
Overall though, the good outweighs the bad quite substantially :}
Pjw
#461 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/04/06 20:24:10
Best wishes in healing! I hope everything is in order now, except for the stitches.
Heh
#462 posted by pjw [24.240.37.219] on 2006/04/07 00:39:28
Thanks, I appreciate it. :)
I had just under a foot of small intestine removed (long-term Crohn's disease damage), and the rest splunged back together. The new(ish) plumbing does seem to be in order, but I'm not going to be doing any sprinting anytime soon.
[/off-topic]
Yeah
#463 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/07 09:24:02
the mods that fix leveled monsters rock... i love it now as i might run into some crazy ass ogre or other high powered beast thing, and spend a good amount of time trying to take it down, instead of dropping the same wolf in 4 hits all the time. :P
god damn though... the minotaur looks cheesy. 9_9
Oh
#464 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/07 09:25:23
and i think a map with architecture similar to the ayleid ruins would totally rock... however is responsible for that style is cool. ^_^
Regarding Oblivion Mods
#465 posted by Kinn [86.128.239.132] on 2006/04/07 17:30:11
I'm rather reluctant to mod the game before I've finished the quest as the designers intended (yes, I know, that may take a while :P), although I appreciate that the goal of completing the game is somewhat secondary to the experience of just exploring the world and doing your own thing. As I said, I've played around 15 hours and I've barely scratched the surface regarding the main quest; I haven't even done the bit where you meet Sean Bean yet.
Splinter Cell
#466 posted by nitin [138.217.1.73] on 2006/04/08 19:16:35
I've been playing the first one in the series on my dad's laptop, how many levels are there supposed to be in this ?
at the end of the second mission, it tells me "Congratulations, oyu have finished blah blah. Please visit the website for more details."
I check my install folder, there's sound, texture and music files for upto six missions but the levels folder only contains files for only 2 missions. It's a 1 Cd version, I got it off the net, but it doesnt seem to indicate that there's multiple discs or anything.
Anyone else played it ?
Sounds Like
#467 posted by Kinn [86.141.142.140] on 2006/04/09 02:51:44
you're playing the demo
Kinn
#468 posted by nitin [138.217.1.73] on 2006/04/10 02:22:15
that's what I thought, but everything apart from the fact that the levels folder has 2 maps, seems to indicate the full game.
Readme, writing on the cd, manual, game content for the rest of the game etc.
Uhem… Oblivion
#469 posted by megaman [217.229.123.146] on 2006/04/12 06:28:24
i dont understand how one could give a game a decent rating that needs 3+ mods to be played.
#470 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/12 10:04:38
it's not that you need to play it with mods, but that they are easily accessible (there were some mods out a day or two after the game came out).
i played the game without any mods for the first 2 or 3 days, and absolutely loved it. but i'm notorious for customizing my games... i often replace sound effects which i don't like in games i play(heh, you should hear how my copy of WoW sounds like...)
the only major gripe i have about oblivion that i think really requires a mod is the thing about leveled monsters and loot-- how it's impossible to find cool loot at low levels, and how at high lvls, cool loot is *everywhere*.
it makes the game too easy as well, by having monsters always the same level as me. i mean, what is the point of lvling up if the monsters scale with me? if i pick up the quad damage and pentagram in quake, do other monsters become more powerful?
Yeah, What Necros Said...
#471 posted by pjw [24.240.37.219] on 2006/04/12 13:19:26
I would enjoy the game with no mods (even despite the auto-leveling); it's just that the moddible nature of it allows you to tweak it to make it even better, per your own preferences and idiosyncrasies.
I See
#472 posted by megaman [217.229.123.146] on 2006/04/12 15:14:11
it sounded like those mods greatly enhance gameplay to me, thus my comment :)
Oblivion Moddage
#473 posted by Kinn [86.128.226.240] on 2006/04/13 01:08:10
beaten (like a horse without the £1.99 armour addon installed ^_~), but what necros and pjw said. The fact that there were about 35,478,653 separate mods available within 7 days of the game's release, coupled with the almost completely freeform nature of the game, I think means that there are plenty of ways to tinker with it here and there without actually breaking the overall experience. A lot of people are having *vastly* different experiences of the game without modding it anyway.
As for me, well I'm still not gonna apply any mods simply because I like the game perfectly well as it is. I'm actually warming to the levelled monsters too - there is already enough variation in the difficulty of the encounters imo - every fight is a challenge, but a satisfying one, and I will meet monsters who I can eviscerate easily just as often as I meet those who will end up chasing me screaming into the nearest town. It all depends on your character choices really - I seem to be rather shite with magic and bows atm (I'm working on it), but a bit tasty with a blade - this obviously is gonna make combats different depending on who I'm up against. I'm guessing necros must be playing some leet ninja battlemagey-type if he's finding *all* the combats easy. I can still make myself more powerful without levelling up, just by for example buying new spells, or scrounging better equipment.
In fact, I've deliberately chosen not to level up for bit anyway - I'm staying at lvl 11 and not sleeping, just seeing how far I can raise my stats before I decide I'm ready for lvl 12.
The balance just means that, unusually in a game of this type, most quests are potentially doable, regardless of where you are, which I feel is probably an improvement on having to do quests in a more ordered fashion, depending on your level. At the end of the day it gives players more choice, which I think is a good thing
#474 posted by gone [84.204.106.215] on 2006/04/14 17:16:41
are there no other new games? except this oblivion thing
any1 played call of chtulu on pc? or any non-ww2 shooters?
Wait...
#475 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/04/14 19:30:58
Call of Cthulhu is out on PC now?
Speeds
#476 posted by Kinn [81.158.85.181] on 2006/04/15 07:08:12
Well, as soon as one starts playing Oblivion, one tends to become oblivious (lol, see what I did there? ^_~), to other new releases...
I'm Still Waiting
#477 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/15 09:08:54
for CoC. afaik, it hasn't been released yet.
it's too bad it's being released now though (april 21?) because i'm busy with oblivion. :P
CoC(K HAHAHAHAHA!)
#478 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/04/17 04:23:18
Yes, I would like some comments on that too. I was planning to order it from the UK along with Quake 4, because it is dirt cheap. I've been holding back because I just moved apartment and have no money.
Oblivion
#479 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2006/04/23 15:05:54
has devoured my life.
Oblivion
#480 posted by Kinn [86.139.71.246] on 2006/04/24 11:30:05
has devoured my life too.
Good Riddance
#481 posted by czg [83.253.25.47] on 2006/04/24 12:06:21
Actually...
#482 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/24 13:29:45
it's funny cause i stopped playing oblivion about 2 weeks ago. o.0 never completed the main quest either. heh, i'm sure i'll get back to it, but i had a sudden brainwave and had to get mapping on it. :P
Necros
#483 posted by Kinn [86.139.71.246] on 2006/04/24 16:23:08
what's oblivion mappage like? Is it easy to bolt new terrain sections on, extending the current map - or are you making new stuff that drops into the existing world?
I'm seriously thinking of getting back into mappery because of Oblivion :}
O
#484 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/24 16:47:33
sry, i didn't mean mapping for oblivion. :) i have no idea about how it is to map for it, however, from my brief looksee in the contruction set, it looks to be very similar to morrowind, in that buildings and such are built from prefab mesh objects.
if you wanted to make new terrain outside of the current terrain available, i think you need to download a mod to remove the borders around the area so you'd be able to get to it.
however, i've heard the terrain beyond the borders is generated by the computer or something... but i'm just guessing at that point.
neither morrowind or oblivion have ever made me want to make a 'map' for them. i just can't stand working with prefabs, and doing mesh work and then texturing my own prefabs was too much work, imo. (plus morrowind crashes all the time for me, so it wasn't really worth the effort anyway; oblivion doesn't though)
Oblivion Mapping
#485 posted by Jago [85.76.178.187] on 2006/04/24 16:57:46
Is something I am definately interested in. There is quite a big amount of quality visual mods already so what I would be interested in doing is adding new game areas and quests.
Necros
#486 posted by Kinn [217.42.6.84] on 2006/04/25 01:26:58
ioc :P
Hehe, I imagined you might have been interested in doing some kind of dungeon crawl.
After I struck victory in the Siege of Kvatch over the weekend, I made a comment in IRC that some of the hordes I came up against in the courtyards and underhalls of that doomed city felt positively Necrosian. >:}
It's... It's You!
#487 posted by Shallow [213.143.16.244] on 2006/04/25 04:00:46
The hero of Kvatch!
Get used to it, you'll be hearing it every five minutes from now on ;)
I played with the mode tools briefly, slotting bits together to make new dungeons seems pretty easy but like you guys I'd rather be working on a proper new area. Inserting things into the existing map, or the spaces just beyond the empire's borders seems a bit chancy, especially since the neighbouring areas will probably be expansion pack fodder. We need a proper new bit, like an offshore island accessed by chartering a ship from Anvil. Not sure how well that could work though.
Also, is it just me or are goblins ten times harder to kill than everything else in the game? Even the more vicious kinds of Daedra are pansies compared to goblins. I think it's the really fast attacks and constant charges that makes them so annoying.
Heh
#488 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/25 10:21:29
horde combat is the only thing that's challenging any more.
too bad the monsters aren't all that visually appealing. :P and really, who names a monster "clannfear"? o.0
i'll take a shambler or mancubus anyday. :P
#489 posted by Kell [82.41.8.232] on 2006/04/25 13:07:10
i'll take a shambler or mancubus anyday.
from behind, no doubt.
#490 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/04/25 14:37:19
crouched right into that one. -_-
Kinn
#491 posted by Drew [202.76.133.174] on 2006/04/25 21:51:06
You've gotten out of mappery?
Drew
#492 posted by Jago [217.152.220.34] on 2006/04/26 01:44:34
Kinn got a game industry job at a UK console game developer so he obviously doesn't have much time for "community mapping".
Indeed
#493 posted by Kinn [86.128.228.3] on 2006/04/26 16:53:08
Although the urge to do community stuff is still strong, inevitably I feel it's hard to justify coming home only to spend my evenings doing pretty much the same shizzle that I do in my "9-to-5" :/ Every now and then, I'll feel motivated to do it, but in general the energy's just not there.
Shallow - that offshore island idea sounds like an excellent solution - avoids the incredibly problematic situation of merging new stuff into the existing map. All it really needs is a new NPC who hangs around the docks who can ferry you by boat to the new island, kinda like the way silt striders worked in MW. I haven't really come across any killer goblins like you describe, although for me it's mountain lions that seem to be ridiculously overpowered compared to all the other monsters o_O
necros - hehe, yeah I don't think Kenneth Scott needs to watch his back just yet, although I think the monsters look decent enough.
Yes
#494 posted by jimi [71.35.231.224] on 2006/04/26 21:35:53
i've been gone from the gaming world since 2003 or something. cant really remember. but seems im going back to it. playing arx fatalis and well, i cant help but ask what other games that have come out since then rule like hell?
jesus the 3d adventure? agh, i want that shit :-)
Another World
#495 posted by metlslime [71.202.21.157] on 2006/04/27 10:15:24
Just played another world again after the recent official re-release.
RE: Another World (me Too)
#496 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/04/27 20:56:05
Fantastic game, if a bit frustrating at times. I looked at it more like an action puzzler than an action game, because the constant deaths are a bit much otherwise. You just need to figure out exactly what to do, then do it.
The first two oddworld games are quite similar, but a lot more forgiving I think.
Even if the game pisses you off, it's worth it just to see the beautiful design and graphics, which have really stood the test of time.
RE: Another World (me Three)
#497 posted by negke [82.83.49.142] on 2006/04/27 23:32:01
cool. only wtf to the registration thing.
i played another version (a simple pc port) last year. pretty nice game, especially for a one-man project - the cutscene animations alone...
i'd also like to play a revamped (or at least ported) version of flashback now, because my amiga version has been broken for ages. :/
Registration
#498 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/04/28 05:17:28
works fine. You just go to the site, pay, get a .txt with a reg key in the mail and pop it in your AW folder. Piece of piss.
#499 posted by Ankh [212.121.135.226] on 2006/04/28 05:25:17
How do you find the time (and money) to play all those games?!
Ditto To What Anhk Said
#500 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/04/28 12:25:04
:|
I Am New
#501 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/05/14 04:40:34
to the whole antialiasing and anistropic filtering thing, but is it me or do Enclave and Riddick have large amounts of aliasing compared to other games ?
Playing at 1280*1024 (monitor recommended mode) with 16x anistropic and 4xAA.
I Just Finished Painkiller
#502 posted by Scragbait [70.51.92.117] on 2006/05/16 15:00:12
I don't think I can add much to what has already been said, but I now have this game under my belt. So as not to repeat too much, I'll make a few brief points:
- Excellent environments, models and character models. The quality and detail in so many differing environments shows the level of research and skill within the PK team. Excellent work - not a bad level in the game from a visual POV.
- The final level Hell was the most freakish and creepy and wickedly original game world that I have ever seen. Incredible. It will freak you the first time you run through it.
- The Shipping Docks level gave me real vertigo as I walked along those cranes - this is the first time a game made me feel really uncomfortable about heights - it was great.
- Physics: something about that hanging cross in the Monastary level that was irresistable. The physics was useful and fun.
- Rich ambient sounds that are bizarre and effective. Great moody music when you're not listening to Battle Rock.
- The right number and effectiveness of weapons.
- Except for the Swamp Boss, I found the boss fights to be okay and I normally dread boss fights. The puzzles were good.
- It really ran great on my older system.
- It could often be fun.
Some lows:
- Why deny the Prison and Forest levels to those that don't play at Trauma skill? I may not be good enough to get that far.
- Long load times - but that's the price of content so I'll deal with it.
- Very immersive environments combined with totally unimmersive gameplay and battle music.
- It could sometimes be not fun. The desire to see more of the great settings pulled me through. The Railway Station and Military Base were really hard.
- Most secrets that are too difficult to get at.
I found that the best way for me to enjoy PK was to spread it out over a long time. That way, the boring gameplay seemed less boring after returning to it after a long hiatus. Horde slaughter then seems entertaining for a bit.
I have Battle Out of Hell but something makes me think that I'll have to reinstall PK for it to install properly.
I've seen it so cheap that I'd highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in gameworld design.
Within A Deep Forest
#503 posted by Bal [81.249.71.188] on 2006/05/20 01:54:10
A platform game, where you play a bouncing blue ball, yay!
Quite nice really, gameplay is fun, visuals are cute, music fits ok.
http://withinadeepforest.ni2.se/
Call Of Whatever
#504 posted by game-hater [84.204.101.187] on 2006/05/20 15:51:25
tried playing call of cthulhu - way too puzzle oriented and a bit buggy. The atmosphere is thick, despite shitty engine/effects (everything is blured, like on a bad old tv) and rather sketchy texturing and animation. Hard too (solving puzzles whily being chased with no idea what to do - causes replaying). Im not sure I will bother playing it much more, (so far its been ~4hrs)
new lara - 20 minutes of the demo was it. just boring and annoying camera. looks ok.
btw havent finished PK - too repetative/flat
Also
#505 posted by game-hater [84.204.101.187] on 2006/05/20 16:01:54
PK has some very nice architechture, yet a lot of shit leveldesign
with killboxes, no logical route/progression etc
Agreed
#506 posted by Kinn [81.129.224.232] on 2006/05/21 07:24:09
Painkiller's levels look great, yes, but for the most part they are just sprawling architectural backgrounds created solely by an environment artist, with gameplay fudged in by the trigger slaves as an afterthought. They're just arenas.
Call Of Cthulhu
#507 posted by megaman [84.63.3.61] on 2006/05/22 02:51:22
~1hour into it
hm, interesting, i like how it's so puzzled oriented. so far…
i hate:
- the 2002 graphics (mainly textures + lighting)
- the amount of fixed scripting
- so many doors, so few open
- clichee characters
- 'scifi' stuff
- story only through reading in parts? myst anyone?
- i can't set the sensitivity low enough!? It's at the lowest setting and still like way above my normal sens :/
- rain effects look worse than in descent 3
- 'horror' games really need SOME kind of dynamic lighting
i love:
- characters look nice most of the time and have a nice modeling style.
- puzzles in an fps
- voice of player
- cigarette smoke
- blurring / bloom is cool here
- 1930'ies setting
- static lighting tries to be good
- "it won't budge" (daikatana reference?)
Re: Within A Deep Forest
#508 posted by Ankh [212.121.135.226] on 2006/05/22 05:04:06
Fun game :) I like it very much. The music and sounds are great, the bouncing balls also. Thanks for the link.
Re: Re: Within A Deep Forest
#509 posted by Text_Fish [194.72.70.124] on 2006/05/22 07:00:16
Seconded. It's a nice hangover-recovery game, though at the moment I'm a little frustrated by it because as far as I can see I've done everything I can do and I only have five balls. D'oh.
Within A Deep Forest
#510 posted by Bal [84.14.13.212] on 2006/05/22 07:06:57
Look around more, there's always somewhere new to go using different balls. =)
I really enjoyed it myself, nice addition to my small list of great free 2d platformers (like Cave Story and Lyle in Cube Sector).
I Am Stuck With My 2 Balls
#511 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.63] on 2006/05/22 08:15:41
A friend of mine already found all 10. I love the music and mood in the game.
So Ive Been Playing Painkiller...
#512 posted by scar3crow [216.145.71.35] on 2006/05/27 21:53:20
...with god mode, yes I know its lame, but I do that with the horde oriented games. Also Im playing on Trauma skill so as to access the maps you would otherwise be deprived of... However Ive ran into a problem. It wont let me into episode 5. I beat Alastor, it goes to a montage style cut scene of the various bosses and a glowing silhouette.. and then it rolls the credits. I go back to the map, click on V and it does nothing. I have found no mention anywhere on 'how to access episode 5', is it locking me out because Im cheating? Technically youre not supposed to be able to use cheats in Trauma difficulty (how you do it is load a normal game, turn on god mode, and then load a Trauma save, the God mode status will carry over).
Notes regarding it in general - crappy secrets, these are some of the most inane things ever crafted... Many of the jumps and tricks remind me of the QW acrobatic style maps to show off your skills - I shouldnt have to do that, over an instant-death pit only to have to endure the level load times once more to try again... That and I encountered a secret I should be able to bunnyhop to, but they blatantly put a clip brush blocking you from reaching what would otherwise just be a minor step to get over.
Oblivion
#513 posted by negke [82.83.44.146] on 2006/05/28 03:04:00
finished it. finally!
compared to other rpgs, the playing time was extremely long - in the end (after having finished the main quest) i had played for about 115 hours and done 153 quests. easily more than twice as many as other games had. in this respect, it was worth the money for sure.
on the downside, it became somewhat boring after a certain time. the quests were nice, some even very imaginative (like the painter's quest), but the locations showed little variation. i'm mainly talking about the many caves and ruins - they were way too generic (all somehow looked alike and didn't offer anything interesting after having been to a couple of them), with unrealistic crate/chest placing. the items didn't really justify or rather encourage exploration, either, since there were mostly weak weapons and ridiculous amounts of gold to be found. the same applies to the oblivion realms.
the difficulty was ok (slider in the middle) for the most time, although in some situations i got annoyed and temporarily moved it down a little - not because it was too difficult, but because it just wasn't fun having to fight some 20 ghosts/minotaurs/orwhatever in one dungeon, especially if one fight takes quite long already.
some stupid bugs, too (likely already mentioned), like poor translation in parts, npc staying silent despite the dialogue option (though still giving quest-sensitive information that went straight to the diary), having to readjust the keyboard config everytime i started the game (beta patch fixes that, but i only installed it before the last session) and some strange issue with ingredients (couldn't finish the vampire cure and sheogorath's quest, because the ingredients needed were not detected although they were present in the inventory).
i don't want to compare it to morrowind too much, but i was a little disappointed that oblivion's cities are lacking the architectural variety of morrowind's (the mixture of different races or blah - solely human buildings, not houses built into trees, or those worm-like buildings in balmora?). i understand it's a different part of tamriel and therefore has a different style, but still... at least one doesn't have to fight 10k cliff dancers or whatever those flyers were called. ;P
a nice feature would have been some corpses (outside of dungeons) with items and some background story bits like diary pages or something. near the borders maybe. i assume there are a few, but not as many as i had been able to find them (gothic fanboy speaking).
dunno, what else to say. by and large, it was an enjoyable game, but i'm glad it's finally uninstalled. now back to mapping (or not). :)
btw. don't get the 2$ plugins - they are not worth the money.
HL2 EP1
#514 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/06/01 14:08:58
Holy god yes lovely.
Taking me 4 hours to beat, it's just a bit more of HL2 really.
(maybe spoilers)
Alyx is cool, and you get to meet Barney (he's hurt, poor thing :( ), and Dr.Kleiner talks about sex.
Cutscene with dog and the car was awesome.
Weird stuff with the vortigaunts and G-man.
I wonder what happened to Judith (besides her finally putting on a jacket to cover up those huge tits).
Really not much story was told, except about people escaping the city.
It ended on a cliffhanger and I dammit Valve I want ep2 now!
In conclusion, yay!
Scar3crow
#515 posted by Scragbait [67.68.0.213] on 2006/06/01 14:25:45
I agree with you totally about the secrets in Painkiller. In any other game, I love finding counted secrets - in PK, I guess they feel that only trick jumpers deserve secrets (okay, perhaps 5% don't require l337 skilz, but that's not enough.) I have seen secrets I could get to but then I wouldn't know how to return to the psth. The really long load times is a huge deterent to experimentation. Also, arbitrary clips placed just to block you and for no other reason are also a big deterent to exploration for secrets. The secrets seem more geared for those that built the maps and not for those that play. There's a website with videos of all the secrets - perhaps I'll just watch them all and be done with it. Movement in PK feels imprecise because of a high player inertia.
I am at the final level of Battle Out of Hell - playing on Daydream to start. One level is locked out for Daydream. Levels are all good and some are outstanding - the Pit is really impressive and the Funhouse map has totally weird enemies and a wild ride. BooH is just more Painkiller with all that is good and bad intact. I suspect that Insommnia will be really hard for me.
If PK didn't have such a pandering to trick jumping, I'd enjoy it a lot more. I'd love to see a proper SP game with this style of map making.
SWAT 4
#516 posted by . [69.217.53.88] on 2006/06/01 18:20:13
Bought the gold edition for $30. I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy it, the demo was okay but not a good representation of the game. I'm almost through with the main set of missions and I've found this game grows on you. I've gotten over the lack-of-detail nitpicks (i.e. small amount of physics, can't shoot out lights, etc.) but I'm enjoying it as I progress.
Have yet to play the Stetchkov add-on included in the gold edition, but it gives you a dozen or so missions - and an extra weapon or 2, plus you can punch! So $30 is a good deal.
HLEP1: New Stuff?
#517 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/06/01 21:52:34
are there any new aliens or anything? Weapons? How are the combats if there are not any/many new enemies?
Are the "secrets" still as box pilingly lame?
Is it just more HL2? Really worth the cash?
Only New Enemy
#518 posted by czg [83.253.25.47] on 2006/06/01 23:48:31
Zombified combine soldiers. They don't shoot, but they run faster sometimes and they sometimes pull out a grenade but forget to throw it, so you have to kill them before they get to you and gravgun the grenade away.
Ep2 supposedly introduces a new alien species, though.
So Basically
#519 posted by megaman [84.63.39.83] on 2006/06/02 01:50:22
hl2 ep1 is a well thought out way to get your money?
Well Worth Every Penny Imo
#520 posted by DaZ [80.42.199.14] on 2006/06/02 03:25:00
[nt]
This Isn't The Kind Of Thing That Usually Goes Here...
#521 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2006/06/02 10:35:59
...but, hell, it is an "other" game, and a bunch of the designers here got sucked into it at lunch yesterday. I finally beat it (Lvl 30) last night.
Pretty addictive and fun.
Oh, and level 16 is a dirty, dirty whore.
http://www.microgames.info/game_in...
Stuck On LVL 6
#522 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/06/02 13:15:03
[nt]
^^
#523 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/06/02 15:03:30
Okay yeah I'm stupid, but now I am stuck on 15 :(
Advice Needed
#524 posted by spd [84.204.107.161] on 2006/06/02 16:13:36
I want PC games that would be mostly action-oriented (more than rpg and not pure puzzle adventure games) and would be sort of an open world/nonlinear.
Like Fable or BGE.
If you know games like that - please tell me.
Could be old games too (anything that runs on w2k)
Lvl 16
#525 posted by Spirit [80.171.159.138] on 2006/06/03 05:42:47
is a bitch, yeah :D
XIII
#526 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/06/03 06:38:56
first game I played on my new computer, no real reason but already had it lying around since my brother bought it for his laptop a while back.
Pros :
- cel shading is nice, although it does admittedly wear off after a while.
- some of the outdoor levels are very nice
Cons :
- most of the level design ranges from average to poor. Out of 30 or so levels, 5-6 are good.
- poor gameplay. Some of it is compounded due to the next point but although the makers have tried to keep it varied, it's fairly mediroce in its execution.
- Fucking lame checkpoint system. This pissed me off no end, especially since the checkpoints became scarcer as the game went on and because you were forced to sit through entire cut scenes upon each reload.
- Plot. a C grade attempt at redoing the Bourne Identity storyline in a noir like fashion. It's terrible and takes up too much gameplay time too.
I'd rate this 5/10.
Lvl 16
#527 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/06/03 06:47:01
...is effectively a bitch !!
...but Lvl 17...
#528 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/06/03 06:50:57
.. is even worst !!
I'm This Time...
#529 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/06/03 07:05:31
... completlty stucked at lvl 21...
... Errrr...
#530 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/06/03 07:21:34
I mean 23 ... ;P
Spd
#531 posted by erc [193.255.247.250] on 2006/06/03 09:57:44
Try Fallout.
Heh.
#532 posted by pjw [24.180.181.189] on 2006/06/03 09:58:57
It was kind of weird...level 16 slowed me down for over 20 minutes, but once I got it, none of the following levels ever slowed me down for more than a short time.
The guy needs to make more levels and use various shapes of primitives...
For Info...
#533 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2006/06/03 12:57:27
.. there are 30 levels... adn then it's over..
Level 16
#534 posted by Ankh [83.15.8.58] on 2006/06/03 15:21:00
such a bitch! solved after 2 hours :(
I Want XIII
#535 posted by . [69.217.53.88] on 2006/06/03 20:37:46
But it has Starfarce.
Phait
#536 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/06/03 22:48:37
it's an older version of starforce though, not starforce 4, which is the one causing problems (Splinter Cell 3 and the new Prince of Persia have it).
Erc
#537 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/06/05 01:38:16
played both fallouts ofcourse. and its rpg, not action really
XIII kept me interested till 2nd winter level, then I gave it up. rather average game
Speedy
#538 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/06/05 01:40:39
didnt miss much, 1 or 2 decent levels after that but not much more.
Spd
#539 posted by erc [193.255.247.245] on 2006/06/06 03:03:08
Sure they're RPG - I thought the action within would satisfy your needs. Anyway, glad you've played them.
Oblivion
#540 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/06/13 07:43:24
so does this game have real time combat ?
never played morrowind so have no idea what to expect from this.
Yep.
#541 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2006/06/13 08:16:42
And it's actually much better than Morrowinds combat (which was also real time, but actually hitting your enemy was an electronic roll of the dice based on offense/defense combination, and (especially at low levels) you'ld just stand in front of an enemy and flail at air quite a bit sometimes.
If you hit something in Oblivion, you'll actually make contact based on positioning, and then the offense/defense only comes into play to determine damage.
Oblivion is enormously better than Morrowind when it comes to graphical beauty, combat, and many basic game mechanics, while Morrowind excels at making general world exploration a joy, and provides much more asset variety (e.g. architecture, races, factions) and random hidden fun to discover.
Both games are on my personal "best-ever" list.
XIII & SWAT 4
#542 posted by . [69.217.53.88] on 2006/06/13 09:52:11
XIII isn't too average to me, I'm really enjoying it.
Here is my SWAT 4 Gold review
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com 3/5
Shambler's Post In The Music Thread Made Me Curious...
#543 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/06/13 10:05:16
has anyone here played eve? is it actually any good?
Necros
#544 posted by R.P.G. [24.136.180.235] on 2006/06/13 20:08:21
See Lun's 06.01.2006 post on his site.
http://lunaran.com/
Yikes
#545 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/06/13 20:30:27
Oh Hey!
#546 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/06/13 20:33:21
q4 textures! ^_^
XIII Review
#547 posted by . [70.224.243.0] on 2006/06/16 12:51:27
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com/
Generous Phait
#548 posted by nitin [138.217.0.11] on 2006/06/16 19:32:35
but it seems the lack of a proper save system and the shitely implemented quicksave system, didnt bother you as much.
which is probably fair enough, I'm not the best FPS player, but I shouldnt be penalised for that IMHO.
#549 posted by spd [84.204.103.228] on 2006/06/18 06:46:02
nitin I felt the same as you, hell annoying to rewatch the same cinematics for 5th time ffs
and I don like sneaking games (die sam fisher!)
Prey
#550 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.63.223] on 2006/06/18 20:32:28
June 22nd, the demo will be released. I will be waiting in line to download it. This game gets me tingly.
Hmm
#551 posted by Tron [203.26.206.129] on 2006/06/18 23:01:38
Zwiffle: you have a thing for alien arsehole doors?
Hmm
#552 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/06/18 23:49:07
Tron: you don't?
Bah
#553 posted by . [70.224.243.0] on 2006/06/19 00:15:15
Aliens, save the world, blah blah. Seen it before.
No
#554 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.63.223] on 2006/06/19 10:15:18
I'm pretty sure you haven't. Yeah, the story is Save t3h Girl/World. Same with HL2. Same with D3. The difference is, Prey actually looks COOL. It looks like they took the technology the developed, and put it to practical use. I don't know any other game that comes close to the Wow factor that Prey has given me. It looks similar to Doom 3, but there are also some distinguishing features (unlike Quake 4, bleh.) Prey still gets me wet. I'm literally sitting in a puddle of my own wet. OK, not literally.
Prey
#555 posted by DaZ [80.41.178.247] on 2006/06/19 13:09:05
Looks fucking brilliant, if you are seriously not gonna play the game because "the story is peh" then you sir, suck :)
#556 posted by kiko [195.93.102.10] on 2006/06/19 13:35:37
wiech les negro bi1 ou bi1 je cherche 100% pregresion pour gta san adreass
Making Of Shadow Of The Colossus
#557 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/06/19 17:06:27
Found this link:
http://www.dyingduck.com/sotc/maki...
Interesting in that it talks about a lot of the tech that made it unusual. Not very in-depth, but covers a lot of topics.
#558 posted by spd [84.204.114.19] on 2006/06/20 16:29:44
metls lime: thnx
prey: looks-shmooks... I hope for interesting gameplay with some innovations. its all about FUN. bump is the false god.
shadowgrounds: almost beated it (got 2 levels left) and got bored
story progrssion is idiotic with all those military types ordering you around... chop-chop! feck off
He He
#559 posted by HeadThump [65.141.73.28] on 2006/06/20 18:56:31
Anita Miller: FECK YOU!
Elaine Miller: HEY!
Anita Miller: This is a house of lies!
Elaine Miller: Well there it is, your sister used the "F" word.
William Miller: I think she said "feck."
Elaine Miller: What's the difference?
William Miller: The letter "u."
No Its Interesting
#560 posted by 4iburaschka [80.138.249.133] on 2006/06/21 10:45:29
hehe
Prey Demo
#561 posted by Tron [203.26.206.130] on 2006/06/21 23:49:40
Bathrooms, anus doors and shit spewing vents.
Oh my.
Haven't tried the mp yet but the sp is interesting, runs bad at the moment though, might be fine once I adjust some settings.
Prey Demo Indeed
#562 posted by BlackDog [220.235.130.89] on 2006/06/22 03:09:57
This demo oozes quality and atmosphere. The alien/organic/alive universe thing is thought out and pulled off very well, level design lighting and assets are all of a high quality, the movement is fun and satisfyingly solid. There are plenty of smart little touches which really set the game off - the weapons, the ammo, even the doors are cool. Fuck yeah.
Lastly it runs very smoothly at meduim/pathetic settings on my increasingly outdated 9800 pro. Human Head have done a kickass job and I will definitely pick this one up.
/me runs off to try the MP
Prey Demo
#563 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.48.163] on 2006/06/22 09:42:09
Fucking 100 out of 10. Nothing bad here. Not a thing. Everything is perfect - except it might be hard getting good pings in MP, but once you find one (Team DM preferred) you will have the best DM you have ever had. At least I did. The levels are amazing. The weapons are amazing. The gameplay is fast and frenetic. I will definitely pick this game up as well.
Prey Demo
#564 posted by megaman [84.63.22.237] on 2006/06/22 11:44:57
good
- runs very nice here, on hihg settings. cool!
- gravity is AWESOME! why hasnt anybody done this before. shrinking, teleporters, omg. all this even useful for gameplay, wth, someone must've gathered fucking lots of stupid gamedesigners to do something that is (from a concept point of view) this simple, awesome and actually useful. the small diameter planet actually has less gravity - great, simply great!
- opening sequence, although the standard "no weapon/hud, run around, blabla" its still awesome. you can change the music, ffs!
- shot impacts
- vertical gameplay, yay (the little there was)
- design of the levels. everything looks so much better than in doom3, so much less boring/standard, almost any element has a twist that makes it stand out.. that might change after a few hours into it though.
- nice hawk
bad
- models look.. meh. Doom3 models look a lot better imho.
-not enough vertical gameplay
- gameplay felt weird, it was very easy until suddenly i had seldom more than half health.
- no armor
- no secrets?
- not enough music
- weapons, i dunno. got to see more of em to know if they suck (or not)
- i felt like playing the trailers that were already out there. not a single thing that surprised me (besides the planet thingie, which i saw before, but couldn't remember), lots of 'ah, i saw this in the trailer' things. felt like a movie spoiled by the trailer.
- 3 "roll explosive to blocked exit and blow up" riddles in the first two gameplay levels already.. argh boredom. also, you couldn't blow the obstacles up with a grenadefrogalienthingie, yeah right.
- 2d design SUCKS. Someone, make them get a decent artist ffs!
Actually
#565 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.48.163] on 2006/06/22 11:56:47
The "gravity" part has been done in Serious Sam, at least to a tiny extent. I don't know how they did it or if they could even do some of the things Prey can do, but there was at least one secret room that was spherical, and you could walk along all the walls and on the ceiling. That was neat. Still, Prey is spot on.
Prey Demo
#566 posted by . [70.224.243.0] on 2006/06/23 07:28:15
It's great to see the level of interactivity in Doom 3 engine back, and I like the real-world setting and environment and social immersion (like in the bar).
Beyond that, once you progress - it's pretty much like Doom 3, and more boring mech-aliens. I like the the execution of it's presentation overall, but not the artistic direction and plot.
Prey Demo
#567 posted by DaZ [80.41.179.147] on 2006/06/23 07:59:57
Just finished it, wow!
+ Graphics are fantastic
+ Adore the biomechanoid alien ship/hive/thing
+ Weapons rock! Living weapons ftw
+ Getting shat on has never been so cool
+ Spirit mode is cool and adds gameplay/puzzle depth
+ Dying isn't dying, just another puzzle to get back to the living, cool
+ Portals fucking rock
+ Wall walking fucking rocks
- Needs some more music to the levels
- some of the player characters voice acting is rubbish, and most of his quips are not required
- The demo ends just as it gets interresting :)
This game rocks, like others said above it takes some standard gameplay concepts (gravity etc) and makes a totally new and cool game out of them. Then layer ontop of that the spirit walk mode and death battle, plus the whole alien living ship/hive thing and its pure game bliss :)
Already pre-ordered!
Spd
#568 posted by AvP 2 [84.204.113.179] on 2006/06/23 15:57:15
I had missed it back then (wait a sec, 5 years ago? sheet)
I was expecting nice Aliens atmosphere and good gameplay...
Instead I got corridor crawling wirh flashlight with some attempts at being scarry. uh
I was expecting the game to look dated and I actually dont mind the environments (some outdoors look cool, indoors are on year 98` level tho), but the aliens ... they are utterly unimpressive and bleh in every aspect. Its a huge letdown for a game about ALIENS ;/
Hmm.
#569 posted by Text_Fish [82.45.22.61] on 2006/06/23 16:35:33
I have to say I was a little dissapointed by the Prey demo. My first despairing moment came when I'd pretty much interacted with everything I could in the bar at the beginning and nothing seemed to be happening. That was all far too drawn out. Blue Oyster Cult piping in when things finally did take off was quite cool, but any pleasure that that gave me was soon destroyed by the millionth FPS-scripted-train-ride-crap that I've had to sit through in the past five or six years. Seriously -- it was good when HL1 did it, but isn't it getting a bit f**king tired now? I suppose I could level the same complaint at Quake 4, but at least you could watch yourself being butchered during that one.
The guns all feel weak, the enemies show absolutely no signs of intelligence and although the anti-grav walkways are pretty fun to start with, the rest of the environment is just plain annoying. Whoever thought it would be fun to have intermittently-acid-spewing-rectum... in the walls was quite frankly an idiot. Avoiding them doesn't involve any skill or deep thought, it's just a case of remembering to look out for them. Where's the reward in that?
Multiplayer was fun for a while and they seem to have sorted out the Doom 3 Engine's dodgy net code [dunno if it's just me that suffers from some terrible lag in D3 and Q4?] but I doubt I'll ever have the patience to fully learn those maps, so it essentially just decends in to running around killing whoever you happen across.
Prey DM
#570 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.48.163] on 2006/06/23 20:19:43
I find Prey DM to be, quite frankly, super fun. Not just fun - SUPER fun. The 2 maps aren't hard at all to learn. I had them memorized the third time through each of them, and they are quite spectacular maps at that. Keeper Gravity is better than Salvage Walk imo, but that's just because its easier to learn and find all the secrets. It's fast, but not QW fast, and the weapons just feel right to me. The acid gun (aka shotgun) leaves green spray on the walls wherever you shoot, while the other guns are just too damn cool. I've been hooked to Multiprey all day long - maybe because I rarely lose at it, but this game is a load of fun.
Prey Demo
#571 posted by Kinn [86.128.63.41] on 2006/06/24 04:02:49
Quick summary: Oh Hells Yes!
If I were to give a more sober evaluation, I might criticise it for using basically the exact same near-black pipe-infested metallo-dungeons shakily glued together by Giant Anuses and undulating flesh pylons, that have already been beaten to a greasy crimsom pulp in Doom3 and Quake4, but that would be missing the point that, thanks to various well thought out gimmicks like the gravity and portal shenanigans, the gameplay is cool and fun and actually feels new!
Also, bonus points for actually having the bollocks to put enemies somewhere other than the same bloody plane as the player, something that comes naturally from the gravity fuckery, I might add.
I wasn't too keen on the player speaking all the time. "Whoa, this is fucked up!", "Whoa, this shit is intense!" (I can't remember the exact words) To which I would often find myself groaning back, "Yes I know this shit is intense - I'm playing the fucking game, I don't need a constant commentary to tell me what's cool and what's gross etc, I want to discover it for myself thank you". But this is a minor criticism at best, and I've had a shitty week at work.
Yes, the opening "interactive cutscene" was overly drawn out, and it's really not that interesting listen to some old fart waffling on about Cherokees and embracing your heritage and all that crap. I liked the bit in the bar where the first thing you do is bludgeon two blokes to death with a rusty monkey wrench for looking at your girl. That immersed me in the character. Gave it that "emotional edge".
So yeah I guess a revised summary would be: It may look like the same old shit, but it certainly doesn't play like it. I look forward to playing the full game :)
Played The Prey Demo
#572 posted by HeadThump [65.140.53.79] on 2006/06/29 16:22:09
First thing that struck me was the incredible feel of the controls. Despite having all settings maxed out (well, for a 17 inch monitor), the controls and screen refresh rates were extremely smooth.
Game play felt fresh in many ways, demi-organic weapons, a nicely fleshed out space ship, some original game play elements already mentioned. A completely satisfying game play experience. It helps the demo wasn't supershort like most tend to be now. I'll definitely pick this up.
Negatives: Still screen of Tom and Jen voguing
was a bit off putting. They look so damn unreflectively serious. What Kinn mentioned earlier about the story elements holds true. Very stereotypical characterizations. Whoever wrote the story bits needs to get out of the EnglishLit Department and meet some actual people.
Great
#573 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/06/30 01:30:02
but a bit linear I thought. There should be TONS of exploration with all the cool environment shit they have going on, but the demo felt really linear with lots of locked doors and stuff :/
still enjoyed it.
Prey
#574 posted by spd [84.204.115.78] on 2006/07/01 03:55:55
not much shooter, more of 'whoa this is fucked up' :) Im so getting it. Looks like the best game to come out this year.
than: its less linear than hl ep atleast
Call Of Cthulhu
#575 posted by . [69.217.54.135] on 2006/07/01 21:23:08
One of the first games I've bought without trying a demo, because there is no demo.
So far, for $30 I think it's worth it. I haven't even gotten a weapon yet and I'm like 23% done (according to the stats screen).
Plenty of immersion sans any HUD, the soundscapes/ambience/score is well done, voice acting generally well done -- artistic presentation well done, although low-res and outdated, it doesn't detract from the fun and mystique of this action-adventure FPS.
I never was familiar with Lovecraft's work, but I know we have some fans here. Maybe rent it for X-Box first before buying the PC version, get a feel for it.
I like it.
Could You Please All
#576 posted by [84.63.3.16] on 2006/07/02 02:15:39
just shut up about living weapon? OK, the model has three moving tentacles, fine. HL1 had that. Having something 'living' requires at least a tiny amount of own will. And you don't want that on weapons…
Oh,
#577 posted by metlslime [71.202.21.157] on 2006/07/02 02:29:37
come on, Prisoner #8463316. Plants are alive too.
That Gun Is So Cool
#578 posted by HeadThump [65.140.59.132] on 2006/07/02 07:35:30
it deserves its own topic. Yes, Half Life had organic weapons, but none of their weapons ever reached down during a rest cycle to give you a blowjob. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, 'I love my Smith&Wesson'
Shoot Em Ups
#579 posted by razorbill [195.93.21.33] on 2006/07/04 10:13:15
I've played an awful lot of shoot em ups and a few I really enjoyed were..Serious Sam,Max Griffin Bounty Hunter, Doom3 ( of course! )and Boiling Point Road To Hell.Halo and the like were ok(, Breed, Half Life, Hitman etc etc )but as modern games keep pushing the envelope, how long before we're playing full 3D holograms?By the way,if you intend to try a Flight Sim, make sure its LOCK-ON Modern Air Combat, phew! what a buzz!
Doom RPG
#580 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2006/07/04 22:40:30
Just got Doom RPG for my mobile phone. It's kinda funny (and good) :)
Hl Episode
#581 posted by speed [193.69.116.45] on 2006/07/05 10:19:45
oh no Alyx just died. game over ... flashback :) But where is FPS ? all the puzzle solving with grav gun and almost no shooting Why?
Mleh
#582 posted by Kinn [86.128.9.232] on 2006/07/05 12:10:16
FPS is old and busted. Gravity puzzles for teh win!
Prey
#583 posted by gila [195.131.126.32] on 2006/07/07 09:23:45
just finished full version of Prey. very very very damn good game. sort of like quake 4 mixed with fucked up gravity/etc stuff you can see in the demo. took me 7 hours.
So
#584 posted by NotoriousRay [68.33.252.95] on 2006/07/07 23:28:31
Titan Quest: who's playing it? Take DIablo 2, make it 3d and pretty, ditch the fantasy setting for ancient Greece/Egypt, and you have a pretty solid action RPG, aside from some pretty widespread bugs. (I have only encountered a few pretty noticeable graphical glitches, but no crashes yet.)
Anyone else digging this? Maybe some internet play?
Agh
#585 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.77.30] on 2006/07/08 15:54:27
I didn't know Prey was out yet!!! I thought it came out like the 11th or something. I need that game - 3dRealms can have my soul if they want it - I just need it fast and hard!!!!!!!
Prey
#586 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.243] on 2006/07/09 00:18:27
is not out yet unless you pirate a gold beta or something.
Call Of Cthulhu Review
#587 posted by . [69.217.54.135] on 2006/07/09 21:49:25
http://phaitplays.blogspot.com/200...
Red Faction 2
#588 posted by megaman [84.63.29.104] on 2006/07/11 17:44:08
oh my god, how could i miss this gem?
i just got my hands on it and it ROCKS! Arguably a very dissappointing start, but oh boy does it get nice after that.
It feels weird at first and arguably has shitty (tm) lighting all over the place (vertex lighting only?) and it looks kinda washed out, but the leveldesign gets better and better, vehicle missions actually make sense when you can destroy the environment and it has all the non-linear FEEL to it that hl2 and doom3 so miserably fail to produce.
the level-layouts are just so much nicer and more thought through then box - corridor - box (and yes, it feels like that in hl2, too), and the destroyable stuff adds a cool realistic flair.
woha, im blown away, more to come :)
Prey
#589 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.77.30] on 2006/07/12 09:54:56
OMFG
I won't spoil the story - but hands down the Best Game Ever. My only complaint is that it's short - it shouldn't take more than 10 hours to beat. But my god, what a feast this game is. It's just... really really good.
Get it and play it.
DOES IT HAVE CLEAN BRUSHWORK???
#590 posted by negke [82.82.170.210] on 2006/07/12 11:45:27
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/6...
Prey
#591 posted by gila [195.131.126.32] on 2006/07/12 12:16:28
by the way, the ending continues on after the credits...
if only this game had more monster types...
So
#592 posted by nitin [138.217.0.46] on 2006/07/12 15:24:07
how does it run compared to q4/d3 ?
Nitin
#593 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/13 01:40:38
slower for me
but u can turn off all the extra glitz to make it run fine. why not try the demo?
Thanks Speedy
#594 posted by nitin [138.217.0.46] on 2006/07/13 01:45:24
as for demo, I'm annoyed at having tried demos that require different specs to the final game.
Speed
#595 posted by gila [195.131.126.32] on 2006/07/13 03:34:27
hm. it loads and runs faster than doom3/quake4 for me on the same settings in 1024x768.
Replayed Enclave
#596 posted by nitin [138.217.0.46] on 2006/07/13 05:57:39
on the new comp, god this game is stunning ot look at. The textures are so sharp and the design is great. I like hte levels too, free to explore and do what you want most times. Nice enemy variety, I dig the gameplay here.
If only it had a proper save system and some better model animation, especially the player. It seems a bit stiff.
Is it mappable ? some killer maps could be made or it.
Playing Unreal 2
#597 posted by nitin [138.217.0.46] on 2006/07/14 22:51:25
so far it's like everyone said, fairly so-so.
There's some stunning design, but in other places the levels look overly cluttered, much like a lot of new games. Rorshach's skinwork is amazing, especially on the Skaarj who just look brilliant IMHO.
The atmosphere is fairly good too, but what is clearly lacking is gameplay. The weapons are pathetic and weak, there is no sense of intensity in any of the fights. The best level so far has been the one where you rescue a team of marines than hold the dropship landing zone for 5 mins whilst being attacked from multiple points.
Dnt know how far into it I am, but hopefully the gameplay picks up (I doubt it). till then, the occasional brilliant design and the cool Skaarj will ekep me going.
Unreal2
#598 posted by scar3crow [216.145.71.35] on 2006/07/15 00:43:40
I started Unreal2 multiple times, and hated it multiple times. Then one time I pushed myself and got past a certain point... and really liked it.
The weapons are weak, they have very little sense of impact... but the fact is, I found myself giving a damn what was happening. I enjoyed talking with the crew members, finding out more of what was going on, and actually cared. It has a lot of significant flaws, but it does something no other FPS has done - made me care about the other characters in the game or what happened beyond whether or not I died.
Nitin:
#599 posted by bear [80.217.112.209] on 2006/07/15 06:40:39
Enclave is mappable but unfortunatly I don't think there has been any custom map made and due to lack of community and good documentation it's probably very hard to get into at least when it comes to doing any script stuff but please do try!
Look here for info and tools: http://www.starbreeze.com/ogier.js...
Unreal2
#600 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/16 22:53:03
Its one of the most underrated games
WoW
#601 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2006/07/17 01:35:16
So I gave in and purchased WoW, currently playing a lvl16 Night Elf warrior on Ravenholdt.
(see you all in 6 months or so)
Prey
#602 posted by Kinn [195.92.144.188] on 2006/07/17 05:31:50
Ok yeah so I played the demo and gave my thoughts a few posts above. "So far so good" I mused. Then I got the full game.
I'm not sure how far into the game it dawned on me, but when it did, it went something like this:
"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a fucking minute - I can't actually die in this game???."
So I'm playing the game in a thinly disguised God Mode, where "death" is just a minor inconvenience, costing you only a few seconds as you are sent to a brief shooting gallery minigame to raise your health (but even shooting stuff is optional because you're given a nominal amount of health even if you don't hit anything); you can never run out of ammo as it regenerates slightly when you run dry (as does your health just in case being effectively invincible was too much of a challenge). No it's nothing like quicksave/quickload (it has that too btw) - if you "die" halfway through killing a monster, when you "respawn" (in the exact same place you died, conveniently) the monster is still half-dead. This made the first boss encounter laughable as I just stood in the middle of the room shooting him because I wanted to get a close-up look at the cool model, and also I couldn't be arsed to find cover - I only needed to visit the shooting gallery 3 times before he keeled over.
So ok, combat is now trivial and meaningless - what about the rest of the game?
Spirit walk puzzles were fun until I realised that the game tells you exactly when to go into Spirit Mode by conveniently placing a glowing blue "Go Into Spirit Mode Here" decal anywhere you needed to use it (do you see a pattern emerging here?). I had to groan when they started using this to do crap Doom3-style "find the access code" puzzles to open doors.
Portals are cool I guess, but they're just teleporters - even Unreal had the ones like here where you can see through to the other side - so I'm not going to get too excited about them.
Gravity dickery is the only real innovation here and it is cool - makes for some very confusing navigation in parts, but sadly it does little to disguise the fact that the game progression is still mind-numbingly linear.
So yeah - who's the target audience for this game? There's a big red 18 certificate slapped on the box - I guess because they wanted the player character to say "fuck" a lot (he does), and they wanted gibs and gore, but the difficulty level surely means that only casuals and those new to gaming will get any lasting satisfaction from playing this.
You Have Won A Tee
#603 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/07/17 07:25:20
http://images.cafepress.com/produc...
Y'know, Kinn...
#604 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2006/07/17 08:26:00
...it's weird, I can't really argue with any of the facts you've pointed out, and yeah, in a way all those things do make the game sorta weak and hand-holdy (which I normally despise), but all that being said, I'm still really enjoying the game.
I know that the wall-walking/gravity tricks are at least a good chunk of it--I love shit like that, and I love creative level layouts and lots of vertical and so forth, but...I dunno. Maybe I'm just getting less critical in my old age. It's a fun, pretty game and I like it.
Anyone know the status of an editor? I'd love to make a map with lots of gravity stuff that will make people projectile vomit five minutes after the match starts...
Hmm
#605 posted by Bal [83.199.82.101] on 2006/07/17 10:23:57
About Unreal2: I thought this was really a horrible game, gameplay was just awful, and the story is insultingly stupid, they make you play a complete idiot. Only some of the visuals were ok.
About Prey: I totally agree with Kinn, but I still kinda enjoyed it. A shame they didn't use the spirit walk and death thing in a more interesting manner (like requiring you to use up spirit energy to come back from the dead maybe, and making more interesting secrets with spirit walk, for instance opening up areas to attack enemies from more a more advantagous area or something).
pjw, type editor in the console. =)
Heh.
#606 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2006/07/17 11:07:49
I don't have the game handy; how do you bring up the console? I tried hitting tilde, and when nothing happened, couldn't be bothered to mess with it further and went back to playing the game...
Or is it some config setting, allowconsole 1 or something...?
Pjw
#607 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.92.186] on 2006/07/17 11:42:38
You can make a new short Prey.exe shortcut, but add "+set r_fullscreen 0 +set r_brightness 1 +set r_multiSamples 0 +wait +wait +wait +editor" after the prey.exe, without quotes.Really all you need is +editor, but the other stuff is supposed to help out too. I stole that from doom3world.org or 3drealms forums or something. It's basically the Doom3Editor (sad face.)
Kinn: You are right about everything really. That's one reason the game is so short - because it's just overly easy. The "self-adjusting" style of difficulty has, at least in my experience, never been pulled off well. After a while, the spirit walking puzzles basically just got tedious, as they all became "walk through barrier, push button, /spiritwalk." The level design was never fully realized imo, they could've done a lot cooler puzzles and everything.
Still, this is probably my new favorite game. I had a total blast playing it.
I'm Curious...
#608 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/07/17 12:40:04
This sounds like a situation where our preconceptions about what makes a game good or bad (saving, death, puzzles) fails to explain whether the game is actually fun. So what is it about Prey that makes it fun even though it shouldn't be fun based on our pseudoscientific analyses? Is it the medal-of-honor effect where all you need is a lot of flash and sizzle and "cool moments" to ignore that it's shallow, or unchallenging, or overly linear?
(note: i haven't played it myself.)
#609 posted by pjw [24.180.181.156] on 2006/07/17 17:29:07
Thanks Zwiffle!
(I should have known...)
Metl
#610 posted by megaman [84.63.21.73] on 2006/07/18 11:55:26
atmosphere (ie. graphics), fuckedupness. That's about it.
I still don't get why not being able to die is a BAD thing though - if you're not exploiting it like kinn did (the game should punish you for that). I still try to stay alive, and i think prey isn't easy at all. Although a lot of that accounts to hitscan allways hit enemies..
Just occured to me while playing: even though they have larger and more complex rooms than d3, they dont use em for nice gameplay.
#611 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.55.231] on 2006/07/18 12:04:04
What do you mean by nice gameplay? I thought some of the bigger areas had really awesome gameplay - snipers spawning in, flying monsters ,etc. But yeah, not being able to die contributes significantly to the shortness of the game. I do think the afterlife was a nice addition, but maybe should have let you come back only a certain number of times (lives/continues/whatever) per level. That would have made the gameplay a little more challenging.
Portals
#612 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/07/19 03:59:42
Prey had this type in 1997, so I don't know why they didn't put a portal gun in the final game...
http://xboxyde.com/stream_2793_en....
That's how Portals should be used.
Than
#613 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2006/07/19 04:07:26
Wow, nice trailer !!
Whoa
#614 posted by bambuz [193.167.6.193] on 2006/07/19 07:03:52
what tricksters could come up with that?
Someone make a fps puzzle game with push / pull guns and that portal gun. :)
Okay
#615 posted by Zwiffle [69.210.55.231] on 2006/07/19 07:23:58
I'm not a Valve fan, but that looks fuckin sweet. I may have to reinstall HL2 if that's a mod. Nice find.
Tipped From Qexpo
#616 posted by bambuz [193.167.6.193] on 2006/07/19 07:32:59
They added deluxemapping to q3.
http://www.quakesrc.org/forums/vie...
http://www.quakesrc.org/forums/vie...
Looks doom3ish, but should be faster, since it's done in compile. Dunno.
Wtf
#617 posted by bambuz [193.167.6.193] on 2006/07/19 07:47:57
multiplayer lego building game :)
http://planetfreeware.org/index.ph...
Zwiffle
#618 posted by DaZ [80.41.150.32] on 2006/07/19 10:49:08
nah thats a new valve game called "portal" (heh).
Its ships with HL2 episode 2 and is basicly a huge puzzle game from I know. There is a full quality trailer available on steam, looks frikkin messed up :D
Did We Already See This Yet?
#619 posted by metlslime [67.188.209.101] on 2006/07/20 00:20:08
teamfortress 2 video, cool art style:
http://www.worthdownloading.com/do...
#620 posted by [83.249.224.159] on 2006/07/20 01:39:58
jfioafj
gh
#621 posted by [83.249.224.159] on 2006/07/20 01:39:58
jfioafj
gh
Yeah
#622 posted by bambuz [193.167.7.13] on 2006/07/20 01:59:53
what 83.249.224.159 said, the mirrors are probably congested.
Maybe this works
http://www.fz.se/filarkiv/?file=mo...
Titan Quest
#623 posted by Gib [81.178.123.24] on 2006/08/02 12:09:45
http://www.titanquestgame.com/ Look very nice and have read nuthing but good reviews from most places. Dungeon Siege esque, how can it not be good? Has anybody here tried this game and is it worth shelling out the £17.99?
#624 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/08/02 12:52:23
i'm planning on getting that soon... i'll let you know when i do. :)
Titan Quest
#625 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.224] on 2006/08/02 15:18:18
Aye its good, its more Diablo than dungeon siege though (which is great!).
I currently have a level 24 elementalist, and I can see myself replaying this game a lot, as you can only choose 2 skill professions per character (and there are 8 (??) professions in the game) and each one is very cool and different.
Basicly if you loved Diablo you will like this a lot, I would say its not *quite* as good but its sure worth a look.
One thing that has really irritated me so far though is that 90% of the *good* loot that drops is for warrior type characters, ie. damn good armour pieces and huge swords, so my lonely little mage is feeling mightly left out, maybe its just bad luck I dunno but its getting tiresome :)
Also its just too damn easy (im playing on normal though...), my character seems to nuke everything (literally lol) usually before they reach me, and if they do my core dweller soon stomps on them :D
DaZ
#626 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.148.55] on 2006/08/02 20:45:57
Funny how you went from paragraph 4 to paragraph 5. Surely the irony there is intentional.
Just Started Playing Today..
#627 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/08/03 00:04:47
i had one of the ice mage style chars, but it felt really weak, so i restarted as a fire/earth magey char, and this guy is crazy now...
most of the spells one or two shot the mobs, and i just got this elemental beast thing... my minion can pretty much solo a large group of mobs on it's own, so i just send him in and use aoe bombs. whee... :P
hopefully it gets harder later on, but after reading Daz's post, i'm a little worried. :)
game runs pretty well, but there are some odd bugs like some parts of the sound (music and some battle sounds) cutting out for a few seconds, followed by some dumb ai pathing so that when my minion can't make it to a mob, instead of giving up, it makes the game get really choppy until you kill the mob to make the minion stop trying to path to it.
i've heard it crashes a lot, but haven't had it crash on my yet in about 3 hours of play.
anyway, mroe later when i get furthur in, i suppose.
i'm taking this as a good warmup since i plan to renew my WoW subscription again.. 9_9
Hmm
#628 posted by inertia [24.164.73.173] on 2006/08/03 00:26:07
what's with everyone playing mmorpgs? it seems counterproductive to me, since the game is obviously only designed to get you to play nonstop (so blizzard can get your monthly [rent] money).
Inertia
#629 posted by Jago [83.102.27.110] on 2006/08/03 00:58:24
Playing computer games in general has never been exactly productive,
But You Forget One Thing, Jago
#630 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/08/03 01:03:08
Inertia is a pro qw player!
He has a strategy for aerowalk!
Serious business!
But Mmoopropgsgs?
#631 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/08/03 01:28:20
Well, I guess they are kinda like irc, only with fancy graphics, and silly quests to do when you would be idling and doing something more productive if you were in irc.
Anyway, I don't think I only speak for myself here, but playing Quake hasn't exactly been unproductive, since it has led to a lot of other stuff. Playing WoW would surely just make me have less money, time and perhaps more internet friends... whooopie!
Seem like a waste of money to me.
If there was a pay by the minute option, where each minute cost around 1/40,000th of the regular monthly subscription, then maybe I would bother, but as I am a value for money man, I wouldn't be getting perceived value from a mmopoioreiopppgg unless I played it all the time.
#632 posted by Trinca [85.88.130.59] on 2006/08/03 02:13:28
the only game besides quake that bring some atencion was enemy territory fortress :) love that one a lot!!! bunny jumping and rocketjump very good.
in 1998 i was a quake fortress player also :)
#633 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/08/03 02:43:22
I had to erase q2 cause it was killing my time
A Rocket By Any Other Name
#634 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.148.55] on 2006/08/03 07:48:41
inertia: I decided the samething about watching TV.
Jago: true, but with Quake you're not paying a monthly fee to be unproductive.
czg: lawl. Will you be my friend?
Mmorpgs
#635 posted by Gib [81.179.81.74] on 2006/08/03 08:00:52
Wow was really interesting for about a year but then it`s just the same old stuff over and over. I just lost the time and patience to sit there 4-8hrs at a time doing 20-40man instances, with some angst teenager shouting bullshit over ventrillo at you.
I don`t think I`ll be subscribing to another mmo, single player is where it`s at.
Hmmm, how about Mmo quake?
WoW
#636 posted by necros [70.31.50.57] on 2006/08/03 09:40:20
i'm not sure exactly what keeps bringing me back to WoW... i like the challenge of the endgame content; the competitive nature between guilds to be the first one to kill a certain boss. i like the teamwork involved. i like to pvp a lot too, although a lot of people are disappointed with the BGs and the new world PvP stuff coming out in 1.12 look pretty stupid.
I've Been Having Wet Dreams
#637 posted by Text_Fish [82.45.22.61] on 2006/08/03 09:46:33
about a Quake MMO for some time. I picture the coming together of all three Quake legends [General Quake's Minions, the Strogg and the Vadrigar]. It could be some sort of fourway war spread out through various different galaxies and dimensions.
Character levelling elements would have to be kept to a minimum to maintain Quake's simplicity, but perhaps higher 'level' characters could carry different default weapons, stronger armor, higher ammo capacity etc.
It would be a gigantic team coop game.
Mmmmm.
#638 posted by mwh [82.32.6.72] on 2006/08/03 09:51:41
I don't know what netcode, server architecture etc etc etc would have to be arranged, but the idea of having about 30 or 40 players cooping on a map a bit like marcher.bsp but EVEN BIGGER is almost more than I can cope with.
(my brain is bent out of shape from programming to hard right now though)
^^
#639 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/08/03 12:59:28
If I recall correctly, LordHavoc is working on some kind of MMOFPS...not sure if he's using some kind of modified Quake engine as the framework for it (probably not) but I know he mentioned that as being one of his current projects.
Everyone I know has been saying Titan Quest is an excellent game and therefore I think it is probably well worth £17.99. Most of these same people spent between 50-70 hours just getting through all the content the first time around.
I think MMORPGs are a pretty transparent money grab and as such I have never played one. I love single player RPGs because you get a nice smattering of story along with your combat and you enjoy spending time with the carefully (or sometimes not carefully) crafted characters. In an MMORPG I don't get to spend time with carefully crafted characters -- I get to spend it with annoying people who will e-yell at me because I'm not "aggro" enough or I haven't spent 200 hours mining for gold some shit like that.
The other thing I like about RPGs is that they have an end. Even if a book was the most engaging thought provoking book in history, I would want there to be an end at some point so I could dwell on it and be satisfied with having finished it.
#640 posted by Trinca [85.88.130.59] on 2006/08/04 02:28:39
where can i get this MMORPGs???
There Is At Least One Way
#641 posted by bambuz [193.167.7.18] on 2006/08/04 03:35:10
a massive multiplayer quake could be done. Quakeworld servers with deathmatch=0 and spprogs.dat (so it becomes coop-like) and teleports leading to other servers. Would require some customization of course, and I don't know if the game dynamic is plausible at all, how you would design the maps etc, and how you would "score" the progress etc.
Yea',
#642 posted by Text_Fish [82.45.22.61] on 2006/08/04 03:53:27
I was thinking something along those lines. A modular system like GuildWars, so you could have non-combat maps [such as a quake/strogg/marine/vadrigar HQ] where players meet up and discuss tactics etc. before jumping through a slipgate or on to a spaceship to go to a battle map and meet a set of players from an opposing force. Upon winning a battle, the team wins something or other for their HQ. Quakes forces might win Runes, whilst the Strogg could take back the corpses for energy, etc. etc.
Also
#643 posted by bambuz [213.169.26.112] on 2006/08/04 07:32:54
if you had separate textures, downloading maps could be really quick. This could already be possible by making maps with really simple textures and using external tga:s. Dunno.
Slipgates to other servers were done already in 1997 or so (remember when iNET had a "front end" server which had slipgates to all of their servers).
Hey
#644 posted by NotoriousRay [68.33.252.95] on 2006/08/04 08:01:19
All you Titan Quest gits need to get on irc sometime and we can have romp around online. I have a lvl42 battlemage and recently beat normal skill.
Necros
#645 posted by DaZ [80.41.182.135] on 2006/08/04 12:16:16
my current character is fire / ice mage, and yeah the lower tier ice spells are a bit poo, but DAMN once you get a high level lightning bolt spell it does serious damage! basicly my level 11 lightning bolt can 1-hit pretty much anything apart from bosses, and as it goes up levels it gains area damage too (heh).
Anyone tried the "spirit" (I think its called that) class tree? It looked kind of necromancer 'ish and I was gonna try it next.
ETQW Tech Explained (megatexture) At Least Somewhat
#646 posted by bambuz [213.169.26.112] on 2006/08/04 15:02:31
http://www.beyond3d.com/interviews...
Hum
#647 posted by Tei [88.0.80.41] on 2006/08/11 04:24:24
I think Quake2 as some sort of "Guild wars" alike game. Is a central server for coop games. but I am not a q2 guy so I dont know much.
System Shocks
#648 posted by negke [82.82.163.57] on 2006/08/13 04:16:24
i replayed both games, system shock 1 and 2, recently. what a great retro experience! :)
i thought ss1 would be too hard to swallow in terms of graphics, but with the cd version (which is abandonware apparently) it was very ok. all it needed was an inofficial winxp patch..
controls are dodgy at first but it works once one knows the strafe keys. i really liked the game's atmosphere - very immersive - and the textures looked cool (colorful, in a positive way). also, this was the first time i played the game with voice-acted audio logs, which are a nice addition (even though they always pronounced "cyborg" incorrectly :)).
proper story (back then it was still original) and story development; cyberspace; skulls in crates..
the ending was a bit strange though, because the final cutscene started immediately after having drained shodan's health (no death animation).
strongly recommended if you are in the mood again!
getting ss2 to run, on the other hand, was quite an effort: i had to run the setup with some arcane parameter, apply lots of patches and use a slowdown tool while playing. later, i had to get fixed versions of two of the maps for they would not load, and finally needed to regsvr some file to be able to watch the ending cutscene...
well, graphics are better of course (3d), though at the same time made the game look kind of boring - too bright and shiny. compare ss1 with ss2 screenshots and you will see.
i liked the way the story was continued, with the approach of "the many" and all. near the end, one even has to destroy its body and fights within a living organism grown over a part of the ship. the final area (shortly before the fight against shodan) was also pretty nice, as it is a part of the first level from ss1. average ending, but at least made way for another sequel.
the 'leveling system' (buying tech/weapon/etc upgrades) as well as the choice of different player classes in the beginning was more distracting than helpful. psi powers did not really kick it either.
what annoyed me most were the respawning enemies - it's ok in principle, but it just sucks having to blast away security mechs every single time when returning to certain spots..
psi reaver enemies were quite a nice idea, though: they are floating apparitions with very tough psi attacks that respawn after a short when being killed. the only way to defeat them is to destroy a weak 'brain organism' hidden nearby. might be interesting to see something like that in quake... ;)
btw. a somewhat nice feature of both games (related to recent prey fake-death discussions): almost every deck of the station/ship has a regenerator which can restore your body when you have been killed. but it has to be found and activated first (otherwise one gets transformed into a cyborg or just dies). this at least still maintains some tension until the 'rescuing switch' is found (especially if one plays as intelligently as i did and walks into the wrong direction, only finding it after having cleared the entire deck :P).
Dungeon Siege
#649 posted by nitin [138.217.3.199] on 2006/08/19 20:47:25
now that I have a comp that can run it, either of the dungeons sieges recommended ?
which one's better ? grpahics ?
Nitin
#650 posted by DaZ [80.41.146.177] on 2006/08/20 06:23:25
I completed the 1st one and quite enjoyed it, though it can get quite trite in places. I only played the demo of number 2 and wasn't particularly impressed by it.
Have you looked at titan quest also?
Dungeon Siege
#651 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/08/20 06:47:35
I thought it was pretty good. I normally suck quite profusely at RPGs (how ironic, eh?) but I didn't have much trouble with this. I never finished it, though. I got near the end and just stopped playing, but I don't remember why exactly.
Graphics are decent to good. If you're still playing Quake and those graphics don't bother you, then I doubt you'll have a problem with this.
I haven't played Dungeon Siege 2.
Thanks Chaps
#652 posted by nitin [138.217.3.199] on 2006/08/20 07:01:05
I'm not much ofan RPG man myself RPG (hehe), but I liked Diablo2 and heard this was similar (ie more hack/slash than RPG).
might give it a whirl.
Just Played The Fear Demo A Bit
#653 posted by bear [213.115.252.84] on 2006/08/21 12:56:58
I had heard the enviroments wereboring but I couldn't imagine they would be SO AWEFULLY LIFELESS and they really killed the immersion. Bad dialouge/acting combat/enemies feel weak although when placed in groups in a room full of physic objects it gets slightly interesting.
I totally will not play the full game.
Meh
#654 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/08/21 14:27:59
People complain a lot about the FEAR environments being boring but they're just office buildings and warehouses with some tech facilities. They're not anything amazing or innovative but they are well executed and good at what they do. It's a game about a guy terrorizing a city and you work with a SWAT-type team to take him out within said city. What did you expect, volcanoes and tropical tree forts?
AND ^^
#655 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/08/21 14:29:57
It's definitely not for lack of talent on the level design team. They had some veterans including long lost community member and former Freshteam mapper kanaeda
My Complaint
#656 posted by bear [213.115.252.84] on 2006/08/21 14:43:07
was not about it being offices and wareshouses but that they were poorly excecuted and not very convincing at all with crappy lighting etc.
Maybe later levels look better but these days I tend to judge games quick wich I guess in some cases might be unfair but if it doesn't hook me I'm not going to waste my time on it.
Penumbra
#657 posted by DaZ [80.41.146.203] on 2006/08/28 04:46:01
http://frictionalgames.com/penumbr...
Its a first person horror/thriller set in an underground complex of some sort in Greenland, and featues some pretty nifty ideas and oldskool puzzle gameplay.
I have to mention 1st the physics and how the player interacts with the world. Top open a door you have to click and hold the mouse and then drag the mouse in the direction you want to apply force to the door, thereby opening it, sounds simple but this mechanic is used for multiple things in the game and works great. Reminds me a little of that old game "Trespasser" with the virtual hands (that sucked) but thankgod the implementation here is solid and easy to control and really helps sell the immersion.
Which brings me nicely to the 2nd great thing about this game, the atmosphere. I dunno what it is about this game, but it really sucks me in, its just so creepy it freaks you out! The combo of doom3 style lighting and visuals, the player controled physics interaction, and the fact that you have NO WEAPONS to defend yourself just makes it terrifying.
Yes there is NO WEAPONS, this is not an fps, more of FPP (first perpon puzzler) like Portal etc, it does have some very oldskool puzzle elements such as combining items to create new items (this can be quite obscure at times) and using inventory items on the world.
Again this brings me nicely to the major drawback I found with this game, some of them item combos and world objects to use said items on can be very obscure and not clear at all, which does lead to frustration when you cannot find where to go or what to use items on. The game does have a handy notebook system to keep info on but its not enough, something I hope the developer fixes for the full product.
In closing, this game rocks, totally differrnt take on the horror/thriller genre and it works, it is created by an indie developer (just 3 guys iirc) and has cool motion blur :D
Please try this :)
Thanks For The Heads Up There
#658 posted by HeadThump [65.140.58.178] on 2006/08/28 06:19:00
this sounds like the kind of game I'm inclined towards these days.
Daz
#659 posted by bambuz [213.169.30.35] on 2006/08/28 10:36:14
that sounds like the first game in a looooong time that is interesting.
From The Screenshots:
#660 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/08/28 12:50:58
...there seems to be some sort of electrical chord...
The in-game text really strikes a cord with me.
Oh, but yeah, the control scheme sounds interesting.
DOW : Dark Crusade Demo
#661 posted by DaZ [80.41.138.117] on 2006/09/02 02:57:41
pretty cool stuff! 2 levels from the game, 1 skirmish and 1 SP, where you play the new Tau race. Its a cool race made up of 2 seperate species which are allied together, the Tau are technically advanced and have cool guns and shit, while the other ones are like cavemen but are awesome at close combat.
New stuff - Upgradable commander units with new armour, weapons, abilities etc
- Tau have a split tech tree, if you go up 1 side (tau) then cavemen remain weak, or vice versa.
- they seem to have tweaked the effects, lots more blood and gore (heh) and cool fx.
- Not in the demo, but there is a full strategic map in SP now which is playable with all 7 races.
Definately gonna get this!
^^
#662 posted by Spirit [213.39.204.1] on 2006/09/02 06:14:10
I just played the first level. The Tau are SO cool! I love it and will definitely buy it. Wooooot!
Kroot.
#663 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/04 11:03:58
They're called Kroot.
I just tried it. Seemed good, but I'm not hugely inspired by more DOW, as good as that was. Haven't even played Winter Assault yet.
Penumbra.
#664 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/04 14:16:22
Tried a bit of this. Got past the monster by just running. Then couldn't get up the overhead vent despite numerous attempts.
Agree with Daz in general about the atmosphere and interaction and stuff. I found the motion of things you interact with a bit sluggish though, and it was odd having things floating around. Definitely got an intriguing feel though.
Shambler
#665 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.40] on 2006/09/04 14:42:44
I know the vent you mean, believe it or not you just need to get close to the opening and 'use' it... Took me fooking ages to realise that!
...One of the downers of the game I geuss!
#666 posted by Trinca [87.196.175.84] on 2006/09/04 17:30:12
Shambler go play Quake :p
Meh.
#667 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/05 01:56:47
I tried that, I got the hand symbol on the vent hatch and got it to swing a bit, that's all. Grrrr.
Trinca, I played the DM3Rmx the other week, it rocked, great fun!
#668 posted by Trinca [85.88.130.59] on 2006/09/05 05:21:15
;) then sorry :p
Rewind Selecta.
#669 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/05 13:47:41
Penumbra again...
Finally managed to complete it thanks to Daz's tip, and a walkthrough for some other bits, as it turns into a maze of vents and shit later on. I did figure out the acid on my own though!
Kinda, yeah, interesting as D says. Setting is kinda bland but the engine shows it off well and it is pretty atmospheric. Those little creatures are well scary when you can't fight them back. Got an intriguing feel to it for sure, dunno if I could take a whole game of that gameplay though.
DOW:DC again...
Got stuck into this and completed both missions. Gameplay is pretty much the same old same old (scouts / builder / scouts / rush to capture shit / build barracks / troops / leader / everything depends solely on the first 2 minutes) but well, it's still functional, and I do like the Tau, they are pretty stylish and their weapons are well satisfying, I like the missiles in particular. Could be tempted by this more than actually playing Winter Assault, I reckon the Necrons will be pretty slick too...
P.S.
#670 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/05 13:49:25
The bodies staying around is pretty cool.
P.S.
#671 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/06 11:48:11
About the other one - the main theme ambient music is well good.
And I dug around the site and found this monster screenshot, pretty stylishly done:
http://frictionalgames.com/files/s...
Click-Drag-Type 3
#672 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/09/07 20:08:33
15 puzzles without a storyline: http://fizzlebot.com/cdt3.php
Grid Wars 2
#673 posted by metlslime [69.181.42.13] on 2006/09/08 02:26:48
geometry wars type game, with some twists. A review (which also contains a download link):
http://worldofstuart.excellentcont...
Blitz: Fear
#674 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/09/08 06:43:08
First of all, they didnt have to choose naturaly boring environments for the game.
Second: HL
Urban can be sexy and fun even indoors
Speeds.
#675 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.31] on 2006/09/08 07:08:34
*Nods*
Anyway
Saw a HL2 E2 trailer recently. Looked pretty cool.
Yeah...
#676 posted by Bal [87.91.229.58] on 2006/09/08 07:51:58
The three new HL2ep2 vids look quite promising, as did the second trailer. I kinda regret having watched them though, probably spoiling lots of the new stuff.
The second Team Fortress 2 trailer also rocks immensely, the designs and style are great, hope the gameplay lives up to them.
HL2 EP2
#677 posted by Jago [83.102.29.231] on 2006/09/09 08:42:44
Trailers #4 and #5 of HL2EP2 have been released on STEAM and #5 is the best of the bunch by FAR, pure $$$.
Fuck!
#678 posted by [70.57.95.84] on 2006/09/16 00:05:25
my brother bought me UT2004, Editors' choice edition and the damn thing uses 7 cds to install! 10 if i want to install the mod discs, whatever they are. fuck this. why cant company's make dvds now. :-(
reminds me when we bought mortal kombat 2 in floppy's and man.. so many of them! :-D
Gothic3 Ingame Video
#679 posted by negke [82.83.47.51] on 2006/09/23 00:07:35
there's a nice ~6min ingame video downloadable at http://www.gothic3.com with english commentary (that doesn't really tell anything new). the game looks pretty cool, i doubt it will run smoothly on my machine though. i don't like the term 'action rpg' as it sounds like a diablo-sort of game, which gothic is of course not - it's like oblivion et al, but (hopefully) with less generic areas.
Cheers Neg!ke
#680 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.104] on 2006/09/25 03:08:58
On the checkage. G3 looks good.
P.S.
This week I have mostly been playing...
...with my cock!
Oblig. "Minigame" Joke Here
#681 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2006/09/25 03:56:00
LOL
#682 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.104] on 2006/09/25 04:10:46
Bollocks to you.
Anyway, Gothic3 trailer looks cool. Kinda nice lighting and stuff and I appreciate what they're getting at. Might have to give it a go.
[deleted Spam]
#683 posted by Vallentino [83.229.92.5] on 2006/09/29 10:06:50
[deleted spam]
[deleted Spam]
#684 posted by Vallentino [83.229.92.5] on 2006/09/29 10:07:11
[deleted spam]
So Did Some Gaming This Weekend
#685 posted by nitin [138.217.1.115] on 2006/10/01 03:24:48
continued with unreal 2 where I left off.
Now this gets better, the gameplay is still mediocre but the level design just keeps getting better. Some of it is downright inspired in parts.
But what the hell were they thinking with the cutscenes on the ship after each level ? Trying to give each character a backstory when they should have just kep going with the action.
And one way to have increased the fun in the gameplay would have been simply to double themoving speed. It woudl have still been above average at best but much better than what it is.
Unreal 2
#686 posted by Shallow [195.112.20.132] on 2006/10/01 11:09:18
I certainly remember getting bored with the bits on the ship, it felt like padding, which is ironic considering how much effort it must have taken to script all that crap. It's such a shame that the gameplay and story weren't even close to the standard of the art.
This weekend I have mostly been playing Company of Heroes, Relic's new World War 2 RTS. It's a lot like Dawn of War in many ways, but with a lot of additional nuances in the control system like setting the facing on units (very important for tanks whose armour is thickest at the front, and artillery pieces which have a limited arc of fire). The SP campaign seems a lot tougher than DoW so far as well.
I've also been playing Doom, off XBox Live Arcade. I think this must be at least the fourth time I've bought Doom!
In Short
#687 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/10/02 02:22:14
scrapland - nice design and could'v been good if they polished gameplay mechanics... but as it is, all the spaceship battles are just boring fillers. played like 3 times for 1hr, not sure I will return
manhunt - dont care about graphic violence, gameplay is primitive with very little variation (stealth mostly). looks bleh, but nice location design and very good sound and voice action. some good AI(for what it has to do). played ~80% of the game
suffering - nice horror setting and monster
design, bleh gameplay (shooter/slasher), bad camera (crucial for TPS). gave up after ~3-4 levels
DevilMayCry3 - abysmal camera, awfull controls (with gamepad its even worse).very hard. but still fun (on the 6th level now)
Scrapland
#688 posted by megaman [217.229.71.60] on 2006/10/02 04:02:50
i thought what was ruining it was:
way too linear
way too much repetition
Speeds...
#689 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.198] on 2006/10/02 04:20:55
...useful info ;).
Well...
#690 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/10/02 09:15:23
repetition yeah. but with good ship battles\races mechanics it couild`v been more fun
say, NFS:MW has a lot of repetition, but its still good fun
GTR 2, D3: ROE...
#691 posted by . [69.217.62.118] on 2006/10/02 11:27:01
Anyone play racing sims? I bought a Logitech MOMO wheel and have been playing GTR 2:
http://www.3dgamers.com/screenshot...
And some Doom 3: ROE
Penumbra : Overture
#692 posted by DaZ [80.41.174.81] on 2006/10/02 15:52:24
http://penumbra-overture.com/
So frictional Games are making a full quality game from their Penumbra tech-demo game released a few months back.
2 Screenshots are presented, which look 10x better than anything in the techdemo! Looking forward to this!
Company Of Heroes
#693 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.198] on 2006/10/03 07:08:12
aka Dawn Of WW2...
It's hardly much different is it??
Except...
DOW - you have 2 starting units - builders and scouts
DOWW2 - you have 1 starting unit - combined builders and scouts
DOW - you have 2 resources - requisition and power
DOWW2 - you have 3 resources - manpower, ammo and fuel
DOW - you capture strategic points anywhere to bring in resources.
DOWW2 - you capture strategic points but have to link them to your base.
Errrmmm okay and there is capturing buildings and cover and stuff ;). But even so...
Actually I quite like the new game mechanics, maybe the 3 resources is overcomplicating things but the other aspects seem natural improvements to the gameplay.
-----
Now, having said all that, I'm bloody struggling with the demo. Have been trying the skirmish map as Allies on Normal skill. First time out I didn't really know what to do with the building tree and got pwned quickly. Subsequent times out I've got pwned but more slowly. I've been taking 2 of the critical points ASAP and then building my base backwards from there, making sure to cover the centre of the map with bunkers and to reinforce captured points. Problem is, I start winning with the 500 points countdown thing, and but suddenly Harry Hun has fucking tanks everywhere while I'm struggling to get a normal base set-up and it all goes tits up. Now, given I can pwn most DOW skirmishes with one hand up my arse, this is somewhat disconcerting. Anything obvious I'm doing wrong?? I do confess I'm struggling a bit with all the micro management (partly due to the cover getting in the way of the camera) AND base building at the same time - but it shouldn't be that difficult??
Shamb
#694 posted by DaZ [80.41.174.81] on 2006/10/03 11:39:01
axis can get Stug IV tanks realatively quickly compared to the allies tanks. The best counter is to research sticky bombs for your riflemen in the barracks, get 2 sticky bombs on a stug and it will be serverly damaged / destroyed.
Also build a motor pool and you can make AT guns with crew which are very effective at tank-busting but have a limited cone of fire and long setup time, so protect them with infantry.
As for rushing the points at the start, I tend to capture resource giving points asap and then go for victory points as soon as I have s steady flow of all resources coming in, this lets you build lots of infantry/tanks/whatever to retake victory points from the enemy and hold them.
Come to think of it, if you go with the infantry tech tree (another difference from DOW!) you can get ranger squads which are very good at taking out armour and buildings.
Also, get engineers to place minefields near choke points if you can spare the resources, they are goood at tank killing too.
Attack tanks from the rear when possible too!
Question Is
#695 posted by gone [213.170.89.98] on 2006/10/04 03:19:35
is SP campaign as boring as 40k DoW, or more fun?
Speeds
#696 posted by DaZ [80.41.174.81] on 2006/10/04 06:31:12
Its really good actually. There hasn't been 1 "kill this base" mission yet, and each one is different and interresting.
The defence of carantan mission in the demo is a good example of the quality of the single player missions, awesome mission that :)
I Liked The Fuck Last Night :)
#697 posted by gay [72.138.6.165] on 2006/10/16 14:52:11
i looooved that fucking last nite when u sucked my dick.....oooooo tht was good u made me cum soooo much
next ill fuck u up the ass straight
call me
905-785-8374
Hhaha Yeah It Was Pretty Good
#698 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/10/16 15:32:28
[nt]
<--Shiny Butt
#699 posted by pjw [66.188.106.192] on 2006/10/16 17:17:47
I love romance.
Yeap, But
#700 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.7] on 2006/10/16 18:34:21
as soon as you let 'em know that you have no gag reflex they get clingy.
Uh Huh.
#701 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.134] on 2006/10/17 00:34:12
So CZG forgot his log-in details again...
Yeah.,...
#702 posted by metlslime [69.181.183.245] on 2006/10/17 00:54:10
hmm, should i delete that phone number? is that a gay chat line or something?
Someone Call It.
#703 posted by metlslime [69.181.183.245] on 2006/10/17 00:54:27
Be A Mam Metl
#704 posted by DaZ [194.247.242.109] on 2006/10/17 04:09:48
sometimes the admin just has to take the plunge....
And if we are talking about a gay chat line, the above sentence just got 2000% more worrying :D
Shitsticks
#705 posted by DaZ [194.247.242.109] on 2006/10/17 04:10:20
mam = man, or another cunning gay joke? you decide!
Moving Swiftly Back Out Of Daz's Soiled Mind...
#706 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.134] on 2006/10/17 14:45:07
Just started Prey. Rather good really. Nice to see an FPS that is unashamedly about FUN and ENTERTAINMENT rather than technological breakthrough X or advancing the WW2 counter-terrorist teamplay genre Y or whatever.
Shambler
#707 posted by Kinn [86.128.42.39] on 2006/10/18 11:03:06
lol, you need to play it some more i think :}
Yeah
#708 posted by megaman [84.63.22.65] on 2006/10/19 07:31:20
i hate how prey advances the ww2 counter-terrorist teamplay genre.
Dawn Of War: Dark Crusade
#709 posted by Spirit [80.171.96.199] on 2006/10/19 10:38:34
Is it me or are the Necrons totally overpowered?
I am playing the Campaign with the Tau right now. The second mission is Necrons for me, Strength = 3. I have no chance... Any tips?
Next Cool Looking FPS That Isn't A Sequel...
#710 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/10/19 20:41:38
or WW2 game.
Anyone? Feels like I haven't played any good FPS games in ages :( I still haven't played HL2 ep1, but actually I can't be bothered whilst I've still only got a paltry 512mb ram.
Actually, I still haven't played Prey, so I will get that if it comes to steam.
what's next?
Than
#711 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.134] on 2006/10/20 02:44:50
Good point, apart from HL2E1 and Prey it has been a bit dry recently. The former was good and the latter is good so far so that's something.
Otherwise it's better to be into RTS or RPG I think!!
The one thing I'm looking forward too is Dark Messiah, FPHackEmUp rather than FPS though.
Spirit.
#712 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.134] on 2006/10/20 02:46:35
Ummm... dunno. If in doubt, turtle??
Or look for an online walkthrough - I found a good one for Winter Assault so I assume there will be one soon for DC.
One thing, maybe the Necrons require different tactics given they have quite a different race / base structure - any subtle weakness you can look for??
Supreme Commander
#713 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2006/10/20 03:27:27
there is a competition to get into the closed beta over on eurogamer at the mo... but I lost the url (or am too lazy to dig it out... you decide)
definitely looking forward to SC big time. I was a fan of Total Annihilation, and SC seems like it will be similar, so it should be good. War on a massive scale with an interface someone ACTUALLY FUCKING DESIGNED REALLY WELL (probably, if it's anything like as advanced as the TA one was in its day) that lets you effectively direct the battle.
Anyone else got a hardon for SC?
Supreme Commander
#714 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2006/10/20 03:47:38
Call it supcom. SC is reserved for an almighty RTS that will probably still be played in 2010.
^^ Lol
#715 posted by DaZ [194.247.242.109] on 2006/10/20 03:51:16
yeah "supcon" looks awesome, ive preordered dark messiah also and ET:QW.
Apart from that the pc fps at the moment looks rather bad, discounting sequels and ww2 games ofc :)
There is still always stalker =)
#716 posted by Kinn [86.137.182.52] on 2006/10/20 11:07:05
i hate how prey advances the ww2 counter-terrorist teamplay genre.
laomo poned :{
PC FPSers
#717 posted by BlackDog [58.7.250.27] on 2006/10/20 22:08:09
Hrmm, Project Offset? Bioshock?
Project Offset?
#718 posted by Kinn [86.136.158.191] on 2006/10/21 02:52:32
I wouldn't hold your breath for that one. Is that still any more than a wishful tech demo that has no chance of running in real-time on a realistic system? Do they even have a publisher yet?
Looking at their website I see they've managed to expand to more than three people though, so something may get made in the end...
^^
#719 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/10/21 13:50:07
A friend of mine is talking with them now and apparently they are going to be doing a huge round of hiring early next year.
Orly?
#720 posted by Kinn [81.158.83.131] on 2006/10/21 15:48:16
/me starts updating his CV...
Dog.
#721 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.135] on 2006/10/23 03:37:21
Agreed there is exciting stuff on the horizon for sure....but still on the horizon...
Anyone Bought...
#722 posted by . [70.224.193.69] on 2006/10/23 13:04:47
A Fagpad 2.0 yet?
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337...
Yeah I Bought A House In The Castro District A While Ago
#723 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2006/10/24 08:50:16
[nt]
Kinnbler
#724 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.135] on 2006/10/24 10:57:52
lol, you need to play it some more i think :}
Well I've just rescued the dippy bird with the effete walk and big ears, and it hasn't changed much in terms of gaming fun except a slight preponderance of coloured lighting and taking a while to get some varied enemies...
Dark Crusade
#725 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/10/28 21:56:07
Necrons and Tau both seem pretty overpowered. Neither one really has a weakness.
The tau were supposed to be awesome at range, the trick being to keep them that way. You don't have to bother, since you also get the Kroot carnivores, which can eat any other race within arm's reach for breakfast. With the upgrades, a fire team can knock a player off the map without losing a man.
The necrons have all kinds of fun advantages like units that resurrect, a commander unit that reappears where died (a tremendous fucking pain if he's lying dead in your base), their ultimate unit being absolutely immune to all damage, and them NOT REQUIRING ANY GODDAMNED RESOURCES. The base squad of necron warriors is free for God's sake. Out of the gate, free. There is nothing to counter this, like their units having less health. The only disadvantage I can see is that they walk kind of slow and there's no artillery. You can win with Necrons easily by playing as if you were space marines, IE, without needing to exploit any of their tricks. Utilizing them leads to total rape.
Here's an awesome trick: build a huge army (up to close to the squad cap limit) and send them off to die outside an enemy base, preferably in a pile. Build a second army, also up to the squad cap. Send them off, get your necron lord into the pile of bodies, and give your resurrection orb a loving squeeze. You will now have an army that's way the hell over the squad cap, bigger than anything anyone else has, and the game doesn't stop you.
Crap, I say. A lot of fun if you're Necrons, and it'll probably help sell a lot of the expansion by word of mouth until the inevitable first nerf patch, but if you're someone pansy like the Imperial Guard who take ages to get on their feet, you'd better like the feel of a long green gauss bugzapper up your ass.
Pie Pie
#726 posted by hello [24.60.49.14] on 2006/10/29 11:34:00
phat
Pie Pie
#727 posted by hello [24.60.49.14] on 2006/10/29 11:34:06
phat
Lun...
#728 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.135] on 2006/10/29 12:47:56
Sounds great :(
How does it work in SP? Like, facing Necrons?
You Die A Lot
#729 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/10/31 20:53:22
consensus is that going up against them as IG is great if you can survive the first few minutes, which you pretty much can't unless you're playing a sheep. With other races, on a difficulty level where most things don't give you much trouble, against Necrons it's extremely pitched the whole way.
Games
#730 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/02 04:53:21
Played PoP 2thrones quite a lot.
Hardcore. No manual save, savepoints are rather rare and there are no health pickups. Instadeath all the way. And you dont even get 'rewind' ability for the first 5 or so levels.
Speedkills are bleh (just a matter of timing/reaction) fights are kinda same as in PoP WW - cool when u figure the combos and tactics.
Dark prince is very strong, but his health reduces every second (gets restored with sand). So he's very ez to fight with, but 'trick' sections turn into bloody speedrunning - if you're not fast enough, you die even w/o failing a jump. Retry-retry...
Its pretty, good art, seamless maps, nice layouts etc etc (see screenshots somewhere)
played WH40k Dark Crusade demo
I still love the style, but SP mission there is not much... duno if I should bother with the full game. I wish there was WH40k rpg or tactics
FEAR expansion demo - very unimpressive. Its only 1 map with 5 rooms and nothing special in it, takes like 5 minutes to play thru.
Flatout 2 - very good and fun racing game. If you like arcad-ish racing, very worth checking.
Prey
#731 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.135] on 2006/11/02 15:06:09
Shambler: Just started Prey. Rather good really. Nice to see an FPS that is unashamedly about FUN and ENTERTAINMENT
Kinn: lol, you need to play it some more i think :}
Ummm, was it supposed to stop being fun at some point??
Well it's stopped being fun now, I guess, because I've finished it...
Okay so the AI was a bit crap and there was the usual bad boss combat and too much arena bollox, but aside from that it continued well all the way to the end. Some spectacular scenes, fair variety of situations, some good monsters (I like the spider creatures), pretty well balanced and sometimes intense gameplay, good use of it's gimmicks....did I miss something??
I Don't Think You Missed Anything.
#732 posted by pjw [24.183.100.127] on 2006/11/02 20:40:45
I enjoyed the game quite a lot, other than perhaps the guy being sort of annoying and stupid.
I especially enjoyed the flying bits and the gravity tricks, and thought the entire game was pretty solid, polished, and enjoyable.
It wasn't like it revolutionized the genre or anything, but I certainly got my money's worth.
Enjoyment.
#733 posted by pjw [24.183.100.127] on 2006/11/02 20:42:04
I enjoy saying enjoyed.
Yeah
#734 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/03 09:02:22
Prey is good. Some ppl couldnt get over the fact that you dont actually die there. Lesser punishment for the lower skill - nothing wrong in my book. Good shooter, maybe the most playable/fun fps in last 2 yrs.
Going for the Call oh Juares (its FPS and not WW2 and should be somewhat new) and Just`cause...
Call Of Juarez
#735 posted by DaZ [80.41.129.218] on 2006/11/03 09:19:47
stay away, I warn you =)
And about Prey, yeah I really enjoyed that game, the whole immortal thing never really bothered me, in fact I would say it removed some frustration from the game in that there were never areas that were too hard and descend into load,die, repeat syndrome that plague some shooters.
The art as well was fantastic imo, the whole living ship idea was pulled off very well and the weapons while conventional in effects were very original in terms of design and feel.
I thought the areas where you fly around in the ship could have been polished up a little more, they were one of the weaker parts of the game but were not crap, though I think if they had pulled the flying maps and expanded the gravity gameplay it might have been worthwhile.
Lunaran : Dark Crusade
#736 posted by [217.118.78.1] on 2006/11/05 13:52:31
Space Marine`s landspeeders make a quick job of Necrons
just need to tech to them asap
Woah
#737 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.208] on 2006/11/06 00:57:16
I never built Landspeeders! Thanks for the tip. :o
For The Lovers Of Cave Story And Within A Deep Forest
#738 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.208] on 2006/11/06 01:39:53
http://www.autofish.net/clysm/art/...
Uh, Thanks
#739 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/11/08 11:36:20
imperial guard don't get access to space marine landspeeders but ok
A Few
#740 posted by . [70.224.207.95] on 2006/11/08 16:27:46
Registered with Direct2Drive and downloaded Deus Ex, and Rainbow Six Raven Shield.
Well, I bought Raven Shield on disc, but apparently from the forums I've browsed, it's copy protection does not like some RW drives - like mine. So I cannot install it without a CRC error cropping up. Apparently it will install well over a regular ROM drive. Another culprit I read, was bad RAM.
I can't return the retail RS but hey only $10... also $10 from Direct2Drive.
Also got Flight Simulator 2004. Runs generally well on the 6200 LE actually.
DoW
#741 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/09 01:28:57
well Lun, you didn't say you only play IG... I guess anything FAST and anti-infantry would work ... hellhounds? or just turret-rush :)
Iv almost beated campaign as marines, only the eldars left alive
Raven Shield
#742 posted by . [70.224.207.95] on 2006/11/10 21:44:58
It seems pretty fun even though I haven't passed the first mission.
The reason is I'm playing Lone Wolf, I don't really like tactical/team shooters. So the problem is playing alone is much, much harder. I think this is made even worse with the health system - there are 3 stages: healthy, injured, and dead. Can you guess how many times you're allowed to be shot?
So you're almost forced to play with a team, blah to that.
Raven Shield
#743 posted by DaZ [80.41.156.78] on 2006/11/11 04:14:21
iirc my brother bought me this version of Rainbow 6 for my birthday a few years ago, and yeah I just used to play lonewolf all the time :) Dunno why but it was really satisfying for a terrorist to empty an entire clip of Uzi at me and hit nothing, then for me to take him down with 1 shot from my pistol :) Didn't happen often but very nice when it does :)
Thief : Deadly Shadows
#744 posted by Blitz [71.30.178.108] on 2006/11/11 18:45:17
I've been playing this for a few weekends now and I am just blown away at the quality of this game. It's really one of the best games I've ever played and I'm about an hour into a level called "Shalebridge" which is without a doubt, the most scared I've ever been while playing a game. This is simply brilliant level design, executed flawlessly. Whoever is responsible for this level should be teaching a class on level design.
Ikka Karanen
#745 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.239] on 2006/11/11 19:24:32
worked on Deadly Shadows. It is a shame it was released around the time Doom 3 sucked all the oxygen out of the publicity mills with its own release.
Shalebridge
#746 posted by . [70.224.207.95] on 2006/11/11 22:06:47
Totally overrated.
DS is a good, game though, most immersive I've played in awhile - love the music.
This Is Going Back A Bit...
#747 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/11/11 23:53:49
...so i gave silent hill 3 a shot. i like the idea of it, and it's very wierd and funky. but good lord, i can't stand the controls... a lot of the time i'm fighting monsters and the camera isn't even pointed in a remotely helpful way, so i'm resigned to swinging haphazardly waiting to hear whatever it is yelp. :\
are there other games like Silent Hill series but with good movement controls and camera ai?
#748 posted by negke [82.83.45.164] on 2006/11/12 00:17:15
i think all SH games suffer from bad camera positions in some places. SH2 seems to be fairly alright in this respect - at least i can't remember any extraordinary infuriation because of this... also, pyramid head ftw.
Hmmmm
#749 posted by Shambler [82.38.197.90] on 2006/11/12 01:38:13
I think I might have to try Thief - DS. Someone recommended it to me as having a really scary level in. And I haven't got much action stuff to play.
Speedy
#750 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/11/12 17:34:09
yeah, hellhounds seemed to work but you've gotta tech to them fast, which eats resources you could be spending on a wall of (ineffective) men.
IG buildings should autoheal if techpriests are holed up inside.
Thief Series
#751 posted by Sielwolf [84.130.235.142] on 2006/11/12 19:04:58
one of the most original gameplay concepts, they just don´t make games like that anymore, though the community is quite split about the third part.(it was developed simultaneously for xbox and pc, so some say it´s dumbed down, there´s no deep water, the levels are short, no rope arrows etc).
Still better than 99% of the stuff out there imo.
But parts one and two are amongst the best games I know.(even spent over 50€ for the rare T1 gold edition on ebay :)
I Bought The Gold
#752 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.177] on 2006/11/12 20:15:58
for retail price when it came out just a few weeks after buying the standard addition at a discount. Definitely the kind of game play I like.
Silent Hill & Necros
#753 posted by megaman [84.63.61.53] on 2006/11/14 04:42:48
it's supposed to be like this. it is. and that's a good thing even to me, the hater of such things ;).
seriously, you have to play on ps2 though - the controls on pc are shitty - because the game is designed to be played with two analog sticks. iirc it has EXTREME negative mouse acceleration on pc so you can't turn fast.
i guess you already found the button to swing the camera so it points in front of you?
Silent Rage Against The Awkward Cameras
#754 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/14 06:27:05
I have dual stick gamepad, it doesnt help much
- SH4 camera is awfull ~40% of the time.
necros: maybe try condemned criminal origins - mixes SH horror\dirt atmosphere with first person hth/shooter. better combat than SH, but not as creative design\plot wise.
Runs on FEAR engine and has much better location design than fear - so it looks quite nice ... but not enough open spaces
I suggest you get the demo first.
Re:
#755 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/11/14 08:53:24
yeah, the slow mouse speed is very irritating... it's like playing quake with 'sensitivity' set to '0.1' :P i ended up binding some keys to turn to supplement the mouse turning.
i guess the bad camera placement could be a way to add more suspense. but it just seems more annoying to me than suspensful.
one thing: i know there's a key to make the camera sort of pan around a bit but what button to swing the camera so it points in front of you? i don't remember seeing that on the config menu!
one thing i'm not really liking about SH3 so far is that each area is sort of self contained. you walk into an area, and monsters can move around there, but you walk into the next area, and even if it's just a little gate, they don't follow you there, so it really takes the edge off of some encounters because you know you can be safe just by going to a different section. i suppose this was a limitation of ps2 console or something. it's nice to be able to save anywhere though. a console port that got it right!
i will have to take a look at condemned. it's not exactly what i was looking for, although it does look interesting. thanks for the suggestion, speeds :)
Camera Swing
#756 posted by megaman [84.63.61.53] on 2006/11/14 11:56:58
i don't know, it might be a combination of buttons? can't even remember what it was on ps2...
OMG
#757 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/11/14 19:48:22
WTF new games!
gears of war
zelda: twilight princess
final fantasy XII
guitar hero 2
BBQ
Guitar Hero 2
#758 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/11/14 21:52:37
A classmate picked that up last week. He wants to get me into it, too. I don't get it?
RPG:
#759 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/11/14 22:14:16
A girl called me on the phone one time, and told me, "Come over, there's nobody home." I went over. There was nobody home.
But Seriously Folks...
#760 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/11/14 22:25:35
I haven't played the sequel, but the original is fun. Playing the toy guitar feels less contrived than hitting bongos, for some reason. Plus the music is stuff I mostly like (classic rock, metal, etc.) Instead of whatever you get in DDR or donkey konga.
GH2
#761 posted by tron [203.94.140.5] on 2006/11/14 23:53:22
Watched a couple of workmates playing it at lunch, looks like fun and with some good songs.
Watching them belt out "Trogdor" was quite amusing. :)
Guitar Hero 2???
#762 posted by Shambler [82.38.197.90] on 2006/11/15 00:53:52
Metl go ban yourself ;).
On the other hand I've just ordered:
Guild Wars - Nightfall (so I can game with Fribbles and his wife lol)
Thief 3 - Whatever it's called (just because)
And In The Meantime...
#763 posted by Shambler [82.38.197.90] on 2006/11/15 13:35:05
...I've been playing the Gothic 3 Demo until my eyes bleed.
The bad:
Crashes every hour, very annoying if you haven't saved.
Chugs like a bastard when loading new areas (not enough hardware obviously).
GFX a bit patchy, for example some shadowing and textures in the distance are bollox.
Close combat fighting is quite annoying against some monsters.
The good:
Everything else??
This is really engrossing for a demo, I reckon there's probably a good 10 hours gameplay if you explore everywhere, do every quest, collect every item (and, errr, die as much as I do).
The world is standard fantasy stuff but it's done well, full of animals and monsters and people and mushrooms and plants and characterful details. Lots of nice GFX touches, in particular the day night cycle has some lovely lighting in the evening/night/morning, and the torchlit effect is cool. Monsters and characters are pretty well done too.
The whole social set-up is interesting, Orcs - mercenaries working in line with the Orcs - slaves under the Orcs - rebels resisting the Orcs - bandits raiding everyone - goblins and undead and god knows what else lurking on the fringes.
Lots of talking and quests and shit, and lots of free choice too. Go anywhere, do anything in any order. I've been playing nice but I'm sure you could get yourself in a whole lot of trouble killing everyone and everything in sight.
Talking of killing, combat is okay, but I still don't really get how it works. Hack and slash, you're supposed to be able to use direction keys + attacks for better fighting, but it doesn't seem to do anything spectacularly tactical...
Still, it's kept me gripped!
#764 posted by negke [82.83.45.40] on 2006/11/15 13:53:11
heh, nice you mentioned it.
it likely is a proper demo (=more than 15 minutes of gameplay).
i'm going to post a detailed description of the full game as soon as i have finished it.
just let it be known that this game definately has its quirks and flaws (quite a few to be honest), but is still enjoyable for the most part and definately on par with oblivion.
I Tried Gothic 3...
#765 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/11/15 13:55:19
but my machine is pretty old these days, amd 2500, 1gig ram and only a fairly decent video card; ati x850.
there's some kind of bug that makes the screen flicker white unless i turn on post effects, which make the game run even slower, as well as frequent complete lockups (no crash to windows, completly freezing requiring a hard reboot).
also, it annoys me i can't choose what i want to pick up if there are multiple objects on a table. you just sort of keep clicking till you get what you want.
over all, i haven't really enjoyed the game much because of the poor performance issues.
Goatic3
#766 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/16 01:03:35
there should be patch to fix crashes and performance (hopefuly) I would wait till then.
and on the other subject: Krootox FTW!
Gears Of War
#767 posted by Kinn [86.128.40.65] on 2006/11/16 09:18:18
So, anyone played this yet? Is it the excuse I need to fork out for a 360?
General Consensus On Gears So Far:
#768 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/11/16 11:43:38
Very pretty, specular maps too intense, motion blur is cool, gameplay is nothing new but it's fun and polished, coop is awesome, Dom is a fucking idiot.
Kinn
#769 posted by Jago [88.192.74.20] on 2006/11/16 12:18:42
From what I hear, if you have a HDTV, the answer to your question is YES.
Ok Guitar Hero
#770 posted by starbuck [129.215.149.98] on 2006/11/16 18:35:31
It was mentioned so I thought I'd throw in my two cents. I'm not really a fan of the whole party-game genre... it always seems a bit contrived to me, imagining people sitting around playing bongos to get points, pretending they're on quiz shows, dancing on mats. Seriously, karaoke on a playstation? That's pretty weak.
I think the problem is, when I actually want to party, I don't really want to be sitting around an x-box acting like a douche. I want to be acting like a douche in a public place, doing terrible things and risking arrest.
Also, I play quite a bit of guitar... what's the point of pretending to play a riff using a plastic controller when you could actually play it, given a few minutes practice?
So I had a, i guess, negative bias going into Guitar Hero. When my brother offered me the controller, I decided to give it a chance though, and uh, I was wrong. This game definitely deserves all the praise it gets... I've had trouble finding the time or the motivation to really get into a game lately, but you can pick up the controller anytime and try and improve a score. If you've got 2 guitars, the battles are awesome, and if not, just take turns.
If you play real guitar, it actually helps too... you can do hammer-ons and pull-offs and there's a whammy bar... it feels pretty natural, this is pretty much the only PS2 game I can beat my brother at. I can't wait to try the sequel, if it actually improves on the first I may actually buy a PS2 for myself just to play it.
Good set of songs too, it must be said. You'd expect to get a load of mtv rock shit, but you get some Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hendrix, Cream, Bowie, Blue Oyster Cult (Godzilla!), Ramones, the list goes on. Try it and you'll see.
I Shied Away From Guitar Hero At First
#771 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/11/16 22:44:45
because it evoked images of all the DDR nuts I went to college with, but I got drunk at a cinco de mayo party one of the programmers here threw to break his new house in and discovered I kind of enjoyed it.
it's also really hard to play when you're sauced on tequila, but I still beat kungfusquirrel. :)
Gothic 3 Demo Again
#772 posted by Shambler [82.38.197.90] on 2006/11/17 02:12:15
Well I played plenty more of it, fuck you get value for money in this, I've now explored pretty much the whole coastal region and done everything except committing to helping either the Rebels or Orcs. I quite like the Orcs and the way they always call you MORON. There's so much to do and to explore for a demo, well impressive. Don't know if I could fit in a whole game of this....120 hours playtime or something *gulp*.
But it is tempting me...
there should be patch to fix crashes and performance (hopefuly) I would wait till then.
Deffo. I don't have problems with FPS, and even tried it on high settings and it's not bad, but loading chugs like a fat bitch on heat. I'd probably wait until firstly some patches, and secondly getting some more RAM at the very least.
Buying Gears
#773 posted by Kinn [86.141.142.8] on 2006/11/17 04:10:08
Jago: I don't own a HDTV, so I guess the question now becomes "is it worth me buying both a 360 and a HDTV to play Gears of War" o_O
Lunaran: rockage. Who's Dom, the player character?
Kinn
#774 posted by nitin [124.191.213.153] on 2006/11/17 05:51:11
I;m guessing the domination game mode like in UT.
Guitar Hero
#775 posted by bear [80.217.113.37] on 2006/11/17 09:17:02
I've only played a couple of times at starbreeze "Friday beer" but it does as a party game and if I got it at home I think I'd sit with it until I could play all the songs near flawlessly...
I hope there will be comes a wii version though as I don't have a ps2 and don't think I will get a ps3 or 360 in the foreseeable future. Another option is getting the game disc controller and ps2tousb adapter and use it on your PC with Frets on Fire but as that tends to bug out after a while it doesn't seem like a good idea at the moment anyway.
One Thing That I'm Wondering About ...
#776 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/11/17 12:34:50
...is whether to get Twilight Princess for the gamecube or for the wii. Assuming I will eventually buy a wii, I still want to get the one that's a better version of the game. The wii version is basically a port, and I'm assuming the entire game was designed for the gamecube controller, so I'm thinking it'll play better on the cube.
Metl
#777 posted by Bal [81.249.114.93] on 2006/11/17 12:52:52
Well, it's getting excellent reviews on the Wii anyways... and from what I understand the GC version won't be so easy to aquire... I think it won't even be available at all here in Europe. =\
How Is Wii Pronounced?
#778 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.221] on 2006/11/17 13:42:30
Double two?
Dubya two?
Weeeee?
A block of port cheese for a correct answer.
Oui
#779 posted by generic [69.244.208.113] on 2006/11/17 14:05:06
Burp!
Wii!
#780 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/11/17 15:20:47
Headthump: it is pronounced like the English word "we."
metlslime: From what I've read, the Wii will have support for both Gamecube games and the Gamecube controller. So you should be able to play it on your Wii with a Gamecube controller no matter what choice you make.
Sounds Like Everyone Is Liking The Wii Controls In Zelda
#781 posted by bear [80.217.113.37] on 2006/11/17 16:46:39
the impression I got is that there's no reason to get the gamecube version as long as you intend to get a wii.
Dom Is The Idiot That Follows You Around
#782 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/11/18 15:13:38
and continually gets himself killed.
What Bear Said
#783 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2006/11/20 17:59:15
The article I read about it (can't find the source right now) strongly suggests that the Wii version would be far preferable. Apparently it really takes advantage of the new controller, and its not just a port.
Here's The Article
#784 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2006/11/20 18:01:48
http://au.wii.ign.com/articles/744...
Quote: If you have the means to buy Twilight Princess for Wii and you still get it for GameCube, you are a fool.
Wii!
#785 posted by tron [203.94.140.5] on 2006/11/20 19:54:59
Apparently though they for some reason decided to remove the support for the Game Cube controller for the Wii version, so if you get it for the Wii you can't play it using your GC controller.
Get the Wii version though, all the reports seem to be saying that once you are used to the controls it's hard to imagine going back to using the GC controls.
Fribbles.
#786 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/21 00:37:03
Are you going to be playing Guild Whores Nightfall or what??
Gothic 3
#787 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/23 16:59:49
So I downloaded the demo after Shambler was raving like a madman about it all over the place (moron! :D)
It looks great, and has huge scope, BUT:
WHAT THE JESUS FISTING FUCKING CHRIST were they thinking when they made the combat system!??!!?
I really dont know where to start, its just SHIT, so so so utterly mindbendingly SHIT! So you stand there with an orc in your face, what do you do? I TELL YOU, press rmb as fast as you can!!! Oh look you have an "angry boar" in your face, what do you do? DIE OVER AND OVER BECAUSE THESE THINGS SEEM TO IGNORE THE PLAYERS SWORD.
All you need to do to defeat anything except boars is press rmb madly, and you win every time! Apart from this steaming pile of rancid fly infested shit the game is great.
I am actually really annoyed, because otherwise the game seems really really great, but with the current system it just hurts to play it.
Deeply saddened...
Shambo
#788 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2006/11/23 18:05:52
Yessuh, we've been playing it a bit (up to level 10 or something, so not exactly blitzing it, but getting there). I only play it when both Amy and myself feel like it though, which hasn't been a lot since the first weekend we grabbed it (too many other good games to play as well!)
I do enjoy playing with my little guild whore FRUITY BIX though (she's a paragon) so maybe I should get back into it...
I assume you're playing on the European servers? I am too... you can guess my username I'm sure... I can probably guess yours as well!
Dazzler
#789 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2006/11/23 18:07:27
Well that sounds fabulous... mindbendingly shit, I'll have to remember that one. :D
Daz
#790 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/24 01:51:19
You are a total loser, I don't know whether to laugh or sympathise :).
Okay here is the deal about combat, pay attention to all of this:
1. Pressing the strafe keys along with the attack keys(s) produces different attacks i.e. sideways ones. There is also some attack where you spin behind yourself using the back button. These combos are supposed to be important in the game and might be worth practising out of combat.
2. I can never be bothered to try any of the above combos as they seem to have no additional effect (unlike, say, Blade Of Darkness) and are to tedious to try in combat. I tend to stick to tactical button mashing.
3. BUT there are subtleties to that it's worth picking up on. For a start, animals are harder than other enemies as they knock you down AND run away from your attacks. To deal with that, step back if they knock you down, and then attack after a brief delay, AND try to corner them to stop them running. Then button mash them.
4. Combat is not that important a part of the game it seems, compared to exploration, RPGing, taking quests etc. Equally, purely fighting is not that important part of combat. Build up your armour, your health, your fighting stats, buy a better sword, and it will help a lot. With a fire-sword, light armour, 120 strength etc, boars are PISS.
5. Sword fighting is only one of many options. Don't forget you have archery and magic too. In the early stages when you are weak, those are very useful to avoid getting pwnd.
Okay Daz...
#791 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/24 03:19:53
...you wearisome pussy. Just for you I've written up all the attack details I've found.
Things to remember:
1. Default position for the sword is ahead. There is also a left position which is functionally identical to ahead, and a right position which is different. During attacks the player alternates ahead/left and right positions, but if the player moves the sword defaults to ahead.
2. For blocking and blocking attacks, sword is always ahead.
3. All non-strafing attacks move the player forward.
4. Pressing strafe or backward along with an attack usually sweeps an attack in that direction AND changes the player's facing to that direction - this is the basis of different attacks. Pressing forward has no effect.
5. I don't know how useful these combos are, BUT I can make the following guesses:
Mashing attack with 180 - useful for focusing on one enemy but attacking others who are closing in.
Mashing block - useful to chase reluctant enemies (seems to have some reach)
Sweeping attacks - good with a few enemy at once.
Block groin jab - useful for awkward creatures who stun you (seems to be a powerful attack?)
Strafing attacks - useful when surrounding enemies are becoming more of a threat.
...
Boring list of attacks:
Sword ahead/left:
Press attack - quick diagonal attack L > R
Hold attack - big sweeping attack L > R
Press attack + press strafe right - sweeping attack to R + change direction to R
Press attack + press strafe left - sweeping attack to L + change direction to L
Sword right:
Press attack - quick diagonal attack R > L
Hold attack - big sweeping attack R > L
Press attack + press strafe right - short hack to R + change direction to R
Press attack + press strafe left - sweeping attack to L + change direction to L
General:
Hold attack + hold back - big 180' sweeping attack, direction depends on side sword started on.
Mash attack - continuous wide attacks
Mash attack + press back - wide attacks then big 180' sweeping attack, direction depends on side sword was last on during continuous attacks
Press block - short fencing jab
Hold block - block
Press block + press strafe - short jab to L or R as appropriate + change direction to L or R
Mash block - continous narrow fencing attacks
Mash block + press back - narrow attacks then smaller 180' sweeping attack, direction depends on side sword was last on during continuous attacks
Hold block + press attack - short L > R swing
Hold block + hold attack - low groin jab
That is all I've found. Combining various attacks does not seem to have any further effect. Some of these are difficult to time, e.g. a direction button may need to be pressed just after attack but when the attack is still being initiated.
Indeed
#792 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/24 03:38:07
sounds like a shitty combat system
Bleh !!
#793 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2006/11/24 04:26:10
You need 20 fingers to manage correctly all the combos :P
You Dildos
#794 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/24 05:05:08
It uses the following keys:
Primary Attack
Secondary Attack (block)
Strafe Left
Strafe Right
Backwards
If you can't cope with using those in an action game, then how the hell do you manage to play FPS at all, given that every FPS for the last 8 years has been using those functions...DUH.
Ok I Will Try Those
#795 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/24 07:07:40
but that doesn't really fix the fact that the combat just feels so awful... Your character feels like a block of concrete most of the time.
Also, where the hell in the demo does it tell you about all these attacks? You get maybe 1 or 2 help screens at the start of the game saying what the attack buttons are, but it never really says anything about swings, sword directions, combos etc, so how the hell is anyone meant to know (ok there maybe a readme with it all in, but who ever reads that prior to playing?)
Still I will give it another chance, as like I said the rest of the game is great.
Also, Where The Hell In The Demo Does It Tell You About All These Atta
#796 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/24 07:25:27
Work it out, yo! You don't get stuff handed on a plate, you have to experiment a bit.
Uh...
#797 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/11/24 09:38:59
it's like street fighter? lawl.
anyway, i couldn't even play the demo, because the screen flashes white, and looks like it could start giving me seizures.
Err
#798 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/24 20:39:12
Work it out, yo! You don't get stuff handed on a plate, you have to experiment a bit.
Im sorry, but if you bought say a new car that worked differently from all other cars and there was no manual, and the guy selling it said "stfu and experiment a bit" would you really try and take it for a test drive? ;)
Saying that though, I did try with the game some more and decided to leave the stupid angry boars alone for a bit and explore elsewhere, I liberated a blacksmith from some orcs and quickly got him working for the rebel camp, then bought a cool fiery sword off him, shame I am scared to enter into swordfights because they are rubbish :)
I also found a pirate in a lighthouse, so I killed him.
Daz.
#799 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/25 04:54:25
ROFL. Give me a few days, I'll knock you up a medal for the worst analogy ever.
> I also found a pirate in a lighthouse, so I killed him.
LOL.
I didn't find any pirates?
Yeah
#800 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/25 05:14:39
if you go out the back entrance of Ardea there is lighthouse on the cliff with some pirate man in there.
LOL
#801 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/26 04:06:21
We know about you and back entrances.
BTW, isn't that Jack? You can leave him alive, talk to him, and get a couple of quests...
Yeah Jack
#802 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/26 07:10:17
thats the guy, but I felt it was time to test the open nature of the game so I decided that all pirates must die on site after talking to him and lo and behold it let me kill him!
Well I got about 6 hours logged in the demo and I have now uninstalled it. I gave the combat system a lot of time to see if I could adapt to it but in the end it just really pisses me off, and judging by ANY gothic 3 forum on the internet I am not alone by a long shot.
Sad really cos like I said the rest of the game is great
I On The Other Hand...
#803 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/26 09:54:38
...saw the full game second hand for £20 so snapped it up. Just got to upgrade to do it justice (will encourage me to do so).
BTW it tells you some stuff about attacks in the manual.
I still find it mostly mashing though - although that's no different to Rune or Enclave, for example.
Oh to have Blade's combat system in more games.
Shambler
#804 posted by negke [82.82.188.226] on 2006/11/26 13:33:20
make sure to apply the latest patch BEFORE starting a new game! otherwise the chests will only contain useless junk.
another patch is said to be released in a week or two.
^^
#805 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/26 13:59:32
That posts reminds me, the game is also ridden with bugs which is unfortunate.
Gears Of War
#806 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/27 01:52:43
holy fucking shit! this game ROCKS!
My bro got it the other day for his 360 and we played about 3 hours of coop single player, its the most fun I have had in a game in a long time :)
The weapons are really satisfying to use, particular mention MUST go to the chainsaw melee attack you can do on enemies, this is just amazing, sprays of blood and bits of bone and flesh spray all over the place as you cut though guys, sooooooo satisfying!
The coop mode is done really well. If one of you dies the other player can run over to you and revive you so you can keep on playing, and some levels feature split paths that you both take for some quick solo play, usually these areas have intersecting parts where you can help each other out such as player 1 being pinned by a locust MG while player 2 can get around behind it and take it down etc. I cant recommend this mode enough! Framerate is excellent too considering the graphical detail.
Ok some of my favourite bits so far (spoiler warning!)
1) The berserker enemy! This thing is blind but has a great sense of hearing and smell, you are in abandoned building with just this guy shuffling around, if you make a noise or get too close he goes crazy and just runs at you, breaking through walls/pillars and other things to get at you while screaming :) Amazing monster design, you need to "aim" his charges to break down doors and objects to progress.
2) The evil bat enemies that come out when it gets dark. They are afraid of the light so if you wander out of the street lit areas you get totally gibbed after a second or 2. There are various gas tanks lying around the level that you have to shoot to make light sources so its safe to progress, and some areas require a player to aim a giant spotlight at the other player while he progresses across a dark courtyard etc. Fantastic!
3) The cutscenes are in general, fucking cool, really well done with fantastic animations and effects, really enjoyed watching them.
Going to play some more when my bro gets back from work, cant wait :)
Blargh.
#807 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/27 02:00:06
XBlargh360Blargh.
Neg!ke, will do for sure. Any other tips to get it running as best as possible?
(BTW apart from slow loading and occasional but regular crashes (which seemed to be mostly related to the loading)) I didn't have many problems with the demo).
Daz
#808 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/11/27 02:00:49
do you or oyur brother have a home theatre ?
I've heard great stuff about GoW on a wdiescreen tv with surround sound.
Shambler
#809 posted by negke [82.83.33.143] on 2006/11/27 04:07:11
since you're going to get new ram anyway, I guess there shouldn't be much need to tweak.
i only have 1gb and somehow managed to minimize the preloading stutter by inceasing the windows swap file to 2gb and setting object cache to max (recommended for 2gb physical ram anyway). common ini tweaks only had negative effects for me.
i also recommend disabling post-processing as it seems to improve the lighting a bit (because i found the many fullbright spots to look spectacularly shit).
i rarely encountered crashes. some started to appear after installing patch 1.08 at certain events (only two actually), but patch 1.09 kind of fixed them - the game still froze for some time but instead of crashing to the desktop, i was able to continue playing eventually.
as for bugs, yeah, there are lots of them. but they are not that serious so i can live with them (apparently unlike the rest of the faggy emo community arose around this game). what bothers me more are certain gameplay decisions the creators made that i disagree with as they make the game feel more shallow and take away a good chunk of the immersion and atmosphere its predecessors had. also, it suffers a little from the oblivion syndrome: the world is too large. (but in its defence: it has three different environments, forests, ice land and desert, with a remarkably huge variety of creatures)
i don't know which version the demo is, but patch 1.08 fixes the hyperspeed attacks of some monsters, e.g. boars and bloodflies, as well as making the crossbow actually usable.
overall balance still sucks, especially when comparing monsters/npcs.. ah, what gives. my right index finger already looks like hulk hogan :D
DaZ
#810 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/27 04:35:50
Sounds great. Using berserk to break doors for you - very clever design.
too bad its box-only :(((
Gears
#811 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/27 04:54:54
My bro has a medium-ish sized widescreen TV but no surround sound unfortunately.
It is a shame its 360 only at the moment, I hope they do bring out a pc version because this game kicks so much arse.
Negke
#812 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.175] on 2006/11/27 06:14:07
Noted and saved. Demo is probably 1.08 as the attacks are not too bad.
Me Too (GoW)
#813 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2006/11/27 06:50:13
played GoW coop at work for the first time and I must say it's fucking awesome. Only played for 2 hours so haven't got as far as Daz, but I totally agree with what he said about it.
It's not perfect, but it's still fucking good fun and likely the best game you are likely to play this Christmas.
Er
#814 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2006/11/27 06:58:10
- one of those likelys
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
#815 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/11/27 20:31:44
iiiiiiiiiiiii
anybody else have one of these yet? I think it's pretty fucking awesome myself. So shut up than.
Wii Sports seemed like it might just be a simple throwaway title for the sake of having one in the box, but it's kind of addicting. It's still simple, but a title deserving of shelf space. I got a hold of a Wii before Thanksgiving and brought it home over the holiday, and my dad kept challenging me to games of golf. The different sports all come with a variety of training gametypes, too - a tennis mode that trains you to time your swings to hit specific moving targets, a golf mode that has you hitting balls onto a big bullseye with a 9-iron for score, and a bowling mode for practicing power throws that pits you against larger and larger arrays of pins (up to almost 100 pins at a time).
But, here's the utter seal of amazement: my mom wanted to try it. That's something. She was still deathly uncoordinated, but it's a step forward.
Lun's Mom Can Touch My Wii If She Wants
#816 posted by Blitz [151.213.178.54] on 2006/11/27 21:05:46
We have one at work and it's pretty popular...like people are coming in early and leaving late to play the Wii. So far I've played Bowling and Tennis and they were pretty cool. I watched other people play Red Steel (mehhh looks not so great and apparently controls not so great) and Twilight Princess (pretty cool, about what you'd expect from a "new" Zelda game)
I can't help but shake the nagging feeling that the core concept of motion controlled gaming is something that could have been done years ago but probably wouldn't have caught on because games were still improving graphically. This is the perfect time for the Wii because we have all these slight improvements being touted as next gen, and I think even "hardcore" gamers realize it's bullshit and just want to actually enjoy themselves.
The Wii, although gimmicky, is still a very cool concept and I think we could see some really crazy/innovative ideas pop up...hopefully :)
So I Tried The Condemned: Criminal Origins Demo...
#817 posted by BlackDog [220.235.132.40] on 2006/11/27 23:18:29
...and it was ugly, unrewarding and unbelievably tedious. I don't think I've ever been so bored by something that claims to be entertainment.
I think Condemned tries to be something other than your average shooter, but it fails miserably imho. The slow player speed, sparse combat, heavy darkness, limited ammunition, claustrophobic environments and prosaic level design all add up to a game with little to enjoy and nothing to do but trudge through the cliche story and predictable set peices.
High points include believable environments, a strong atmosphere of tenstion, all around quality assets, and an interesting melee combat system. Unfortunately the visuals are let down by harsh minimal lighting and the combat is simply not that good.
It's difficult to recommend so much as spending the time to play the demo, let alone purchasing the game. Avoid
Than
#818 posted by bear [130.242.7.26] on 2006/11/28 03:15:55
they play xbox in japan? (ok it's a game company but anyway!)
#819 posted by spd [217.118.78.1] on 2006/11/28 03:51:41
I think there were like 8 xboxes sold in october...
totalling to ~120 since the beginning of the year. source - NPD
xbox360 numbers are much bigger but still way ps2
Correction
#820 posted by [217.118.78.1] on 2006/11/28 03:53:09
way below ps2
XBOX360
#821 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2006/11/28 04:04:17
So, my question goes to the XBOX360 owners here who DO NOT have an HDTV: Is the XBOX360 noticably superior to othe original XBOX in visual quality assuming you are using a regular widescreen TV (and not HDTV) ?
Cant Comment
#822 posted by DaZ [80.41.160.82] on 2006/11/28 05:29:29
I've never seen an 360 on hdtv but in terms of graphics quality you just need to look at gears of war in action and its easy to tell that its way ahead of the xbox
Funny
#823 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2006/11/28 06:37:21
It's hard for me to judge the 360 on a NON-HDTV TV and I've _ONLY_ seen it demoed on HDTV's in stores and thefore dont have the slightest idea about what kind of quality I should expect if I was to get the 360 since I don't have an HDTV myself.
HD Games
#824 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/11/28 07:55:44
are just the console rendering in higher resolution. That's the only difference - no bells and whistles are enabled in 720 or 1080 that aren't in 480, the same assets are used across all settings ... it's just the same picture on a different size TV.
Universally.
Oh wait I guess I pissed off Shambler by mentioning a non-PC game so he had to change the thread title. I'd better not post this then!
Jago I Was Thinkig About All These TV Issues
#825 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/29 07:18:49
I think the best solution is to get a widescreen PC monitor, smth like those 21" Samsungs (215TW) or bigger. With all kinds of TV-ins.
You get a very good PC monitor, and also can plug a console into it and enjoy high resolution. I recon you would get a picture superior to almost any TV.
x360 games are QA-ed for 720p
hence u have unreadable text in Rise of the Dead (as the most famous problem with lowrez displays)
gah, we`v been thru it few times at TF
Also
#826 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/11/30 03:11:02
In the recent news Lost Planet (another x360 game from capcom http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox-360... also has tiny font unreadable on lowres TV, but capcom promised to fix the issue
Boycotting The Console Gaming Thread
#827 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/11/30 08:48:50
So I thought about selling my GC so I could have a little money to put towards buying a Wii, but then I realized there would be almost no buyers because the Wii can do exactly what the GC does, and more. :|
Oh well. I'll probably wait until a better selection of games comes out, and I see a bundle that I really like.
And I have to agree, it doesn't look like the Wii has a whole lot of really strong release titles. Mario Galaxies might be cool, although from the previews I've seen, mostly the game doesn't take place in the traditional Mario land fantasy world, which for me was one of the draws of the other games.
I've Also Thought About Selling The Gamecube
#828 posted by bear [80.217.113.37] on 2006/11/30 09:06:33
since I never use it and if I get a wii it won't have any function at all.. but yeah the problem is that most likely won't be anyone at all that wants to buy one and on top of that it might be nice to keep the gc-controller but then selling the console without a controller will be even more hopeless *sigh*
My fear is that it will become a piece of completely use and worthless electronics unless some one comes up with some good use of any of the components in it :/
RPG.
#829 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/11/30 09:22:46
Boring, pointless.
#830 posted by [217.118.78.1] on 2006/11/30 14:42:54
what GC games do u have?
Me?
#831 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/11/30 15:33:19
Alien Hominid, Killer 7, Zelda Collection, MK, MP, NFS:HP2, POP:SOT, POP:TT, POP:WW, RE1, RE2, Sonic Collection, Smuggler's Run, Viewtiful Joe.
...I just realized that I haven't beat half of those.
Hah!
#832 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2006/11/30 17:33:18
I have games that are still in the shrink-wrap. Like resident evil 4, and max payne 2 (the latter for the PC, obviously.)
I Have Now Realised...
#833 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/01 01:44:54
My computer is full of fantasy games and RPG games...
Have got:
Gothic 3
Guild Wars Nightfall
Thief 3
Vampire: Assquerade
And am going to buy:
Dark Messiah
Warhammer Mark Of Chaos
Funny, I spend ages wanting some good, proper, fantasy games, and then dozens of them come along at once...
Hmm
#834 posted by Bal [62.210.227.22] on 2006/12/01 01:55:54
Yeah, I seem to also be playing mostly Fantasy games these days, seem to be releasing more of them (maybe cause of the success of LotR or something?)
Played Oblivion, Dark Messiah, Thief 3, and Final Fantasy 3 (but that's a console game, so I'll say no more, or Shambler might devour me).
You seemed so pumped up about Dark Messiah Shamb, yet you haven't gotten around to playing it? Was wondering how you'd find it...
Bal.
#835 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/01 03:08:27
Dark Messiah, yeah very cool, but then this thing called Gothic3 came along....o_O
Might end up finding the full G3 so buggy compared to the demo that I give up and play DM instead O_o
Gothic3
#836 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/01 09:07:37
Neg!ke, so far I *have* to run post-processing at full, otherwise I get huge amounts of see-through textures in the landscape - yay, go G3, go! Full PP is okay, the distance blur is interesting but I can take it or leave it - do you know any way around that particular bug??
Metl
#837 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/12/01 11:05:58
Yeah, POP:WW and Dues Ex 2 (PC) are still in the shrink wrap. So was Q4 until this summer, and POP:TT until a month ago.
And I still haven't been able to play HL2!
Shambler
#838 posted by negke [82.82.191.138] on 2006/12/01 12:44:32
dunno about the third (full) setting of PP as it doesn't work for me - all sprites/shaders turn into black rectangles or something. likely related to my graphics card (only have a radion 9600pro). what about the lighting on full setting? is it still overly bright around torches/candles? 'distance blur' as in standard fog-like effect or something more sophisticated? not sure about the distance rendering setting either, i guess i have both sliders on medium, since max distance would slow my rig down too much, or i'm just too scared to try it, or whatever - with 2gb RAM it should work better, i guess. on the other hand, i'm using 4x AA / shadows disabled. performance isn't really the problem in this game, the preloading is (and the fucking long quickload/save times).
btw. do yourself a favor and play on hard difficulty. there are only few frustrating moments. monsters might be quite hard at first, but at least orcs/npcs are a little less weak.
we'll see what the next patch (next week?) brings...
oh, and a little gameplay tip: if you beat up enemies they only drop wornout weapons, but if you knock them out with those headbutt-arrows, they drop a fully functional weapon. this way, you can make proper use of the powerful orc weapons or even the best weapon in the game: an ogre hammer (with the appropriate amount of strength points of course). ;)
Neg:
#839 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/02 01:51:51
Lighting is a little bit bright in a few places - the only time it's looked bad is in the Cape Dun fighting ring.
The distance blur really is distance blur, i.e. everything in the distance is blurred. Like the artificial depth of field you get tweaking a picture in photoshop. I think I might stick with it as it stops the funny effect where the terrain "pops" into more detail as you get closer.
Funnily enough, although both the new card and new ram definitely help matters (woohoo, shadows on, woohoo, teleporting into a town without 30 seconds of pausing), I have got some random slowdowns in funny places - going into Dun after 1 hour of play, it chugged like a bitch until I restarted.
BTW, how do headknocks work? I presume you have to aim at the head, and that they work on humanoids?
And can you change difficulty in game? I'm already a few (useful) hours in...
#840 posted by negke [85.176.89.147] on 2006/12/02 17:22:50
headknocks work on any creature (npcs, monsters). i don't know if you have to specifically hit the head, although it can't be wrong as headshots do more damage anyway, but i think it's important to deplete their health entirely with headknocks. i recently tried to knock out some ogres by first hurting them with regular arrows and doing the final shot with a headknock, but they just died.
difficulty can be changed in game at any time.
This Looks (maybe A Bit Too Much?) Like It Coud Be The Next Cave Story
#841 posted by bear [80.217.113.37] on 2006/12/05 07:51:41
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jx...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjh...
Um...
#842 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/12/05 10:50:26
I never played Cave Story. :(
We're Pretty Sure You'll Be Passing By This Sign Again Real Soon
#843 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/12/05 11:19:34
I lol'ed. Shamelessly.
^^
#844 posted by DaZ [80.41.129.106] on 2006/12/05 12:22:21
Yeah, that was great :)
A New (old) Half-life Expansion...
#845 posted by generic [71.1.2.126] on 2006/12/05 16:46:17
The original was great and this one doesn't look half bad:
http://poke646.com/
What
#846 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/06 00:08:45
is the steam version of half life ?
I Am Guessing...
#847 posted by generic [71.1.2.126] on 2006/12/06 05:19:15
It is the Half-life 1 available through Steam ;)
Yes
#848 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/06 05:32:49
but how is it different half life retail ? And why would you need th steam version?
Just A Geuss
#849 posted by DaZ [80.41.129.106] on 2006/12/06 06:39:27
but the half-life 1 engine has been updated lots since it moved to steam, while the non steam version has had no patches for years. Maybe there is some incompatibility there.
Poke646
#850 posted by ijed [190.82.49.79] on 2006/12/06 08:56:39
the original was very pro and well designed, but was kind of annoying because the weapons just had new art resouces - they behaved exactly the same as the origials.
What Kind Of Name
#851 posted by . [70.224.244.98] on 2006/12/06 17:05:04
Is Poke 646? Reminds me of Pokemon.
Phaitmon
#852 posted by generic [71.1.2.126] on 2006/12/06 18:02:44
From the Poke646 website:
The true meaning of Poke646 goes way back into the early 80's were the C=64 homecomputer was very popular. I wrote my first games on it in Basic and Poke646 was the command to change the font color on the screen. I thought it would fit the title of this mod as this is the first complete game I designed since my early days in the computing business.
:)
Daz
#853 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/07 00:10:28
what does that mean ? Do I have to repurchase half life through steam to reap the benefits ?
The Steam Version Of Hl1
#854 posted by negke [82.82.181.179] on 2006/12/07 01:24:58
is half-life ported to the source engine. there are no major differences apart from water and maybe physics though, afaik.
but if poke646 is developed exclusively for this very version, it unfortunately means hardly anyone will be able to play it - at least i doubt too many people have bought hl1 again only because of the source features. if the team is smart enough, they will either (also) do it on classic hl or hl2.
What If You Have Hl2
#855 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/07 01:29:45
do you get the half life 1 steam version with it ?
Hmm...
#856 posted by Bal [62.210.227.22] on 2006/12/07 02:04:07
When I bought HL2 on steam it was a pack that included HL1 (along with ep1, multiplayer, etc).
Not sure if that kind of pack still exists, probably.
Old HL
#857 posted by Preach [131.111.8.98] on 2006/12/07 02:53:55
If you still have your half-life CD key, you should be able to register it with steam, and then half-life and all the associated games will be added to your list of games on steam. You may have to download lots of content from the servers to get it working, but you shouldn't need to buy it again.
Nitin
#858 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/07 05:55:18
IIRC you can use the "activate a product on steam" window and input your hl1 cd key and it will unlock the game for currently logged in steam account, you can then download the game OR if you have it installed already it will copy the files over to steam and download all the updates automatically.
I haven't used this though, so it might not work that way
Clear Up
#859 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/07 05:57:22
Neg!ke, you are talking about Half-Life:Source, which is a totally separate game from half-life. Half-Life on steam is the same as HL without steam, valve just released a source version so you could have pretty water and effects :)
/clearup
#860 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/07 06:11:44
fucking steam ...
DaZ
#861 posted by negke [82.82.185.93] on 2006/12/07 06:33:00
thanks. i've confused it.
does the steam version (newer patches) have any special features that justify developing the mod for it? or maybe just as a precaution.
I Geuss
#862 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/07 13:18:16
its just that 90% of hl players have the steam version now so it makes sense. As for upgrades and shizz I suppose there have been optimizations etc to the graphics engine and online play but I have not looked to closely at it tbh.
Game Tech: Render Planets In Realtime
#863 posted by . [70.224.244.98] on 2006/12/08 23:57:23
If this doesn't make you feel small after watching the entire thing, well then I dunno
http://selectivegamers.com/pc-news...
Quote:
A few guys have been working on a very impressive project during their free time, "Infinity: The Quest for Earth". The game is a massively multiplayer online game set in a futuristic persistent universe. Here's the impressive part: their game engine can render entire planets in real-time.
It's best to quote Flavien Brebion, the main man behind the project: "..all the planets have realistic dimensions and scales. If you were to land on a planet and fly at low altitude at airplane speed, it'd take you hours before reaching another continent. You'd never see the same hill or some mountain twice. Then, each major planet can have tens of moons. Each solar system can have many planets, all rotating with realistic, dynamic orbits, allowing you to attend an eclipse or a sunset in real time. Finally, the galaxy will contain millions, if not billions, of these solar systems. All different."
Here's a demo video of the game, the impressive part starts at about 1:00:
.
#864 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/09 00:23:18
broken link
Here It Is
#865 posted by tron [59.167.116.31] on 2006/12/09 20:21:09
http://selectivegamers.com/pc-news...
Long Rundown
#866 posted by Blitz [151.213.183.177] on 2006/12/09 20:31:28
I've finally gotten into playing some games again lately and from best to worst, here are my thoughts:
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Top notch stuff. Chock full of interesting gameplay, open-ended, oozes atmosphere, great story, great voice acting, and most importantly, it's a fun game.
The game is really well paced too...it changes from being a straight up stealth game where you're a petty thug who steals some things to being a game where you're basically saving the world. It does it gradually though...none of this "OH SHIT ALIENS ARE COMING HERE'S A GUN SEE YA LATER" stuff that every FPS seems to think will make you feel like a hero.
In Thief: DS, the choices you make actually have an impact on the world, so you can play through the game 10 different ways and have 10 different experiences in terms of how NPCs and AI will react to you...not just little stuff either...I'm talking about hordes of people hunting you or no one hunting you all in the same scenario depending on how you've played it up to that point.
It seamlessly blends horror, mystery, action, adventure, and stealth and uses just the right amount of each one. You owe it to yourself to play the damn game.
Most memorable moment
The entire Shalebridge Cradle level -- fucking fantastic.
10/10
Half Life 2: Episode 1
It's really just an exact continuation of Half-Life 2. Same exact gameplay, same exact locales, very very few new art assets, and virtually no advancement of the storyline other than things are starting to look slightly better, and you're making headway towards getting out of City 17. But I really enjoy the gameplay and universe of HL2 so I found this to be really enjoyable.
The only slight distinction about HL2 EP: 1 is that it has a higher ratio of puzzle elements to action than HL2 did. It was something I actually enjoyed though although a lot of people I've talked to and read posts from didn't like the puzzle stuff.
Most memorable moment
Kind of low on memorable stuff, but the very beginning of the game had a few epic scripted moments...like DOG tossing you 1000 yards in an old jalopy
8/10
F.E.A.R.
I had no intention of ever playing F.E.A.R really. It didn't look that interesting, it needed a seemingly monster machine to enjoy, and it looked like a giant Ring/Ringu rip-off. Well I ended up needing to play it and play it a lot when it became part of my job, and I actually ended up liking it.
I kept getting my ass handed to me when I was first playing it because I didn't understand that Slow-Mo was vital to actually beating the game. I always thought that Slow-Mo was just some kind of gimmicky shit you use when you're recording a demo to show off to your friends "ne0dud3" and "XXX_Trinity_XXX" on the Matrix message boards. It still is that, but in F.E.A.R. you basically need to use it to beat the game because of the way the A.I. functions.
The plot is OK...some nice twists at the end and it keeps a generally creepy vibe, but it really doesn't deviate too much from your standard "some bad shit went down here, and we'll slowly and cryptically tell you what it was" storytelling device. In terms of the game's horror vibe I will say this -- Thief : DS is by far a much scarier game, although F.E.A.R does have some slightly creepy moments...especially the intro for some reason...that is probably the most disturbed I felt by the game.
Long story short, the combat is really fun, there are some interesting gameplay concepts at times, although they are rare, and it will probably keep you entertained throughout if you don't get frustrated and quit for the hour and a half you are in the exact same environment doing the exact same thing without a break.
Most memorable moment
The vault level
8/10
.
#867 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/09 20:33:44
thanks tron :)
(cont'd)
#868 posted by Blitz [151.213.183.177] on 2006/12/09 21:20:50
Quake 4
A pretty good game...much better than people seem to have said it was. Out of all the games on this list, Quake 4 was definitely the hardest. There are a lot of really fucking tough battles at points in the game, mostly towards the end. I would have preferred it if they had spread them around evenly with a slight ramp up towards the end as opposed to being a game where I never die for the first 5 hours then OMG QuickLoad for the last 3-4.
The game has an absolutely awful fucking ending...definitely in my top 3. A much better ending would be Kane gets back to base and all of the dudes freak out and forget that he's been "changed" and start firing upon him mercilessly. As you lay dying, they hover over you completely unaware that you save their ass and someone in the background yells out "OK where's Kane..." And then the game fades to black. End of the terrible Quake 4 storyline and characters forever.
The story on a whole is pretty damn shaky...but part of the problem is that Quake and Quake 2 really didn't have too much of a story and therefore Quake 4 had nothing to build off despite being the 4th damn game in the series. The industry has changed since '96 and suddenly if you don't have a good in-game story, your game is a piece of shit. I think part of the problem is that there have been sooooooo many shooters since then that good gameplay alone just isn't enough to cut it anymore.
Quake 4 is rock solid gameplay-wise other than the aforementioned difficulty balance issues, it just suffers from a terrible story, a terrible ending, and the fact that id already let everyone down with the Doom 3 game and engine.
(P.S. Raven don't you fucking dare make a sequel with these same characters, as was indicated that you might do with the ending of Quake 4)
Most memorable moment
Stroggification & the excellent and really creepy human-machine hybrids that are mounted on the walls in various levels.
7/10
(cont'd)
#869 posted by Blitz [151.213.183.177] on 2006/12/09 21:21:14
Prey
Oh my sweet Lord Jesus...ohhhhhhh why HumanHead why why why did you ruin what could have been a good game with your ridiculous lack of the player dying? I can't even begin to express my disappointment with this system.
The game was perfectly fine for the most part with a nice story, some excellent puzzle bits, and really innovative level design, but it was completely ruined by the fact that player CAN NOT FUCKING DIE. I know we had a debate on this very messageboard about whether or not dying is a good game mechanic to use, and I have to say after playing Prey that this game is the best argument to have the player die as part of the progression of the game.
I literally spent 20 minutes beating the penultimate boss to death with my wrench because I knew I wouldn't die and I was just bored to tears by that point because of it. I knew that no matter what I did, I would come back to the exact same spot, the boss would have the exact same health from when I died, and everything would be fine and dandy while I continued to not fear death at all and play the game like a trained monkey.
If you're going to remove the fact that the player can die from your game, it's probably not a good idea to have an hour long boss battle. I mean seriously, if you're going to say that tactics and combat matter so little that there is no consequence to dying, then just remove the HOUR LONG boss battle and replace it with the puzzle and story elements that you seem to be able to pull off just fine.
The level design in Prey was top notch. It boggles my mind to think how long it must have taken to design some of the areas that you could completely rotate on all 3 axes. It had to be at least a month for just one of those areas. They were completely fantastic and awe-inspiring pieces of layout design. The levels themselves were usually less repetitious than Quake 4 and F.E.A.R and any other games that pad their length slightly with an hour or two of "room-doorway-room" layouts. I really feel bad for the level designers because I'm sure so many people didn't bother to explore at all since the lack of dying made it so you didn't need to hunt down health or ammo.
The story and universe were pretty compelling, with only Tommy's girlfriend really being the only sore spot in the acting department. The major plot point is basically the story of creation as presented by Scientology with some names swapped out -- but it still works.
Overall what could have been a great game was marred by one really stupid game mechanic that serves to nullify any kind of immersion you might feel. And yeah, it could be argued that quicksave is basically the same thing, but that would be wrong because I don't usually quicksave every 5 seconds during a boss battle, because if I did that I might end up quick saving with one health and have to go back to my last proper save because the game would be unbeatable. But since Prey brings you back with full health and all enemy attributes exactly where you left them, there's no reason to approach the game with any kind of strategy at all.
(P.S. 2K Games, 3DRealms, and HumanHead. If you plan on bringing these characters and this universe back, as you have indicated that you would at the end of the game, that's fine. Please, for the love of the Native American gods in Prey, get rid of the lack of dying. Thank you)
Most memorable moment
Seeing my body on the other side of a room getting flipped upside down and tossed around while I was doing some spirit mode puzzle & the mini-moon orbit gravitational pull sequences
5/10
#870 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/09 22:58:11
"I think part of the problem is that there have been sooooooo many shooters since then that good gameplay alone just isn't enough to cut it anymore"
I have a problem with that line of thinking, because most shooters since then dont actually have good gameplay, but instead try and pass off the inclusion of a (C grade) story and scripted sequences as good gameplay.
Blitz
#871 posted by Kinn [217.42.6.64] on 2006/12/10 05:54:28
Great reviews there. I don't agree with all your points but you are bang on the money with your assessment of Prey. Actually, you expressed its problem much better than I did. Namely - it's fine if you want to design a game where you can't die, but for fuck's sake at least design the rest of the game mechanics around this.
With Prey you have a standard twitch shooter. Ignore the puzzles for the moment. It's essentially like any other FPS we've seen in the last few years. Make the player invulnerable and the whole game breaks.
Playing Prey made me feel exactly the same way as if I was blasting through say Quake 4 on God mode. An empty and ultimately boring experience. Not once did I get a kick of adrelanine like I did in Doom 3 or Quake 4. I couldn't even be bothered to go out of my way to hunt health or ammo.
Regarding your Quake 4 review - I disagree with your view that if a game doesn't have a good story it's shit. I think this is one of the main problems facing games today - the idea that games need to somehow be interactive movies, with proper stories, characterisation etc.
This is exactly what games don't need to be. I think it's a shame that money has to be spent cooking up expensive cinematics and whatnot when most gamers are going to want to skip them anyway.
Well
#872 posted by Blitz [151.213.183.177] on 2006/12/10 12:50:29
I was a little unclear. I don't think a game is shit if it doesn't have a story, but if I have to pick between a good solid shooter with a good story or a good solid shooter with a bad story, I'm obviously going to go with the one that has a good story.
Quake is a great game with no story, but I don't know the public would accept a game like that today where the entire story is in the readme or in the instruction book.
Story
#873 posted by Kinn [217.42.6.64] on 2006/12/10 13:25:42
I don't think the games buying public really care for stories in games as much as you think. People want fun gameplay - story shouldn't be allowed to get in the way of this. If story elements create immersion, then fine, but to be honest most of the overly scripted crap we see these days doesn't actually benefit the game. It just makes games more linear and expensive to make and the effort is largely unnapreciated.
Seriously
#874 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/11 02:59:33
how many games have a good story ? Most are b grade level movie stories, if that.
Prey.
#875 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/11 03:22:42
I didn't have a problem with the spirit/death/reviving thing. I still tried just as hard to avoid dying (apart from in the boss battle but I usually either cheat or quit those anyway), and when I did die I ended up doing some jiggery pokery with shooting spirits instead of some jiggery pokery with F9...
Sounds like I am more able to get into the spirit (sic) of being immersed in a game than you guys...
Seriously. You Are Missing The Point.
#876 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/11 09:22:14
Is there ANY shooter at all that has a decent story?
HL1/2 does not. It has good and convincing world. With developed "legend" that is not being told actually.
"Freeman comes and beats the shit out of combines" is not much of a story.
Ok Deus, SysShock and Thief had good storylines. Those are less shooters tho.
The Point
#877 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/11 09:39:49
Convincing immersive world (as Kinn said).
And good diverse gameplay (no detailing this time sorry)
Thats what HL2 did. And CoD. And Prey (to some extent)
It feels to me Quake1 did that too pretty well, but Im biased.
Prey.
#878 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/11 10:01:45
You do die. It is an indication of 'not doing well at game' and it is present. But then there is a punishment - and instead of making you replay some amount from the last savepoint it forces you to go thru the 'spirit' routine for a bit.
Im sorry you cant accept this concept and ruin the game for yourself with 'no need to replay - no need to try hard' attitude. Its more a problem with your preconceptions.
Also you had an obvious choice of using quickload yourself whenever you die, just to make game a bit harder (like I did). But I understand that some people would be unwilling to 'discipline themselves'. I’m on the other hand have more problem with games that don’t have quicksave and use much more sever punishment for losing – forcing you to replay the game from the last checkpoint or the very start of the map. And no other choice, (except maybe cheat, if that’s available). It can get very tedious, and time consuming. Yes, I didn’t like Mario.
To conclude: I believe there should be challenge and should be punishment for losing. But its hard to agree on the degree of both. As was apparent from the many discussions on QMAP some ppl cant stand dying at all.
And back to Prey - I believe the 'resurrection' should be made available on the easy/norm skill level only. Not on the harder one.
I would love to hear some other opinions from people interested in gamedesign.
And The Last One
#879 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/11 10:14:14
I have no idea why Q4 didnt sell well and got many bad reviews. Its not another D3 definitely. And its not a bad game. Solid shooter with its ups and downs.
Maybe many customers shrugged it off as 'another doom3', maybe MP was a letdown, maybe the marketing is to blame... maybe its the lack of bloom!
Pre-release shots of Q4 didnt look spectacular really...
Failure of q4 is a mystery to me, almost as big as the shite looks and the great success of the Halo series.
Was Unreal2 even a bigger flop than q4?
Unreal 2
#880 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/11 13:21:48
ta speedy, I forgot I till havent finished that yet :)
Fallout Resurrection
#881 posted by Spirit [213.39.129.13] on 2006/12/12 02:00:13
will be a MMORPG. Crap! :(
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/...
Yeah Sure
#882 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/12 06:24:45
Interplay has no money. Needs 75mln? They gotta be kidding
Zero chance of release.
Uhh..
#883 posted by . [70.224.244.98] on 2006/12/12 13:11:19
1.) WTF does "Securities and Exchange commission" whatever the fuck that is have to do with Interplay/games?
2.) $75M budget for a game? That's ridiculous.
3.) Is this Fallout 3 by Bethesday or Interplays rebirth and their own Fallout too?
Its FOOL
#884 posted by spd [217.118.78.1] on 2006/12/12 13:19:11
FallOutOnLine
Things...
#885 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/13 12:03:36
...that are incredibly cool in Gothic 3.
Day/night cycle and random weather cycle (rain and fog).
Wandering around with a tamed Rhinocerous. Looks great and actually very useful fighting tougher stuff.
Speeds
#886 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/12/13 13:10:54
Failure of q4 is a mystery to me, almost as big as the shite looks and the great success of the Halo series.
Marketing and advertising. q4 shipped when id wanted it to, and not when activision wanted it to, and activision was footing the bill for promoting the game. if a game doesn't make pre-decided dates, a publisher decides not to waste money on aisle-end space and standees and ads and stuff if there won't be a game to sell on those shelves in time.
that, plus PC gamer's resounding initial 70, plus a consumer base already somewhat beleaguered by doom3, completely nuked enthusiasm for the game.
Yeah
#887 posted by Kinn [86.128.235.105] on 2006/12/13 17:21:58
PCGamer need to be fucking taken out and shot for that. That was totally unreasonable. I for one will never trust a word they print again.
For the record I think Quake 4 is a great game and it's a shame that shit had to turn out like it did.
Hmm
#888 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/13 17:28:55
well, i haven't read pcgamer in ages, but i'd say 70% sounds about right for q4. it was never anything astouding, which is what they usually reserve stuff higher than 80 for (iirc).
it was a slightly above average game, but still had many flaws. (sadly, a lot of those flaws were flaws in the d3 engine itself).
Ummm
#889 posted by Kinn [86.128.235.105] on 2006/12/13 17:35:04
it was a slightly above average game, but still had many flaws. (sadly, a lot of those flaws were flaws in the d3 engine itself).
what aspects of the doom3 renderer were responsible for making this a "flawed" game? (not trolling, just asking :}
Quake 2 Vs Quake 4
#890 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/12/13 18:19:18
To me, Quake 2 felt more like an adventure, whereas Quake 4 felt more like a cheesy script.
Something about Quake 2's theme made it feel more like a strange, alien place (even though it was clearly not a purely alien environment). Maybe part of it was due to the lack of wires, control panels, and pipes streaming across every scene which made Q4 seem more like a logical Borg facility than a de-humanizing society that recycled body parts.
Which is something that bothered me. The most disturbing elements of Q4 were either only touched upon briefly, or were just recycled in exactly the same way throughout. Example: the medics' futile efforts to de-stroggify their comrades, or the Strogg systems with the same integrated human torsos copied everywhere. I felt like the real horrors of the war were never really touched upon; even in your own stroggification it was very formulaic: of course your teammates still love you as the ever-capable Corporal Kane and shower you with pats on the back, but you're simultaneously bullied by unfamiliar marines onboard the mothership who want to give you the 24th centuary equivalent of a lynching.
Not that Q2 had obviously grotesque imagery, but it didn't try; it was just an action-adventure game. But that also meant it stuck to its ideals pretty easily.
Clearly I was disappointed with the themes of Quake 4. I saw it more like Doom 3 without hell, and humanoid cyborgs substituted for demonic cyborgs.
I don't feel so strongly about the gameplay. It didn't excite me, but it wasn't exactly disappointing to me either. The sections where you drove a vehicle seemed like a weak link, but things were generally balanced pretty well even if there weren't really any gameplay innovations.
.
#891 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/13 18:56:36
well, one of the key points would be the most obvious one; lighting.
d3's lighting is terrible for outdoor areas, which q4 had quite a lot of. lack of a way to properly fake GI/Ambient Occlusion at the minimum made the game look almost like a step back graphically. (soft shadows would have been prefered, of course, but a faking of ambient occlusion would have rocked)
Shambler You Are A Cocksucker
#892 posted by scampie [66.188.106.136] on 2006/12/13 23:06:39
hi shambler i just wanted youm to know my feeelings. I started this thread long ago as a wayn of diversivifying ths little quake ampping community into playing and discussing other games, butn it seems you are a coomunist and hate fun and only care about you you you and it makes me angry alright so please stop it and close that other thread and make this the Other Games thread again alright ok bye
O_O
#893 posted by tron [203.94.140.5] on 2006/12/13 23:34:26
Scampie's been hitting the gin?
Lmbo
#894 posted by Kinn [86.128.224.128] on 2006/12/14 02:39:58
Anyway. Re: Quake 4. Sorry I was really drunk last night and so my posts had a "grr angry defensive grr" tinge to them, but I still believe what I wrote. Namely, PCGamer's 70% is a bad score, the sort of score that basically says to the public "this game is really mediocre, don't bother with it". I think PCGamer had basically jumped onto the id/doom3 backlash bandwagon at the time they wrote that review, like a bunch of bratty schoolchildren, and so they went over the top in panning the game.
Necros: yes there are limitations in Doom3's lighting model, but I think when you look at the capabilities of the lighting system as a whole, the pros quite convincingly outweigh the cons.
Also, maybe I'm not really seeing the problem, but Quake 4 had some massive outdoor vehicle sections, and I thought the lighting worked fine for what it was.
I agree with RPG that for some reason, the Stroggos architects seemed to have taken a shine to the UAC base's "double horizontal patch railings around everything, pipes covering every wall and ceiling" design ethic, and it didn't seem particularly alien, and to be honest in many of the levels you could have just done a texture replace and got something that would fit perfectly into Doom3. Hell, some textures in Q4 were actually unchanged from Doom3 anyway.
Then again, I like that style and Q4 just gave me more of it :}
Q4
#895 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/14 02:40:59
I rated it.
If Most Games Magazines
#896 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/12/14 06:28:00
didn't rate games on a scale of 72 to 93 it wouldn't have come across like Quake4 was utterly unplayable. But, then again, humans don't endeavor to become critics and editorialists to be nice to people.
I've always liked the concept of reviews that don't try to summarize what they said into some kind of numeric rating. It implies absolutes where there are none. A review should just go over the premise of the game, if and why it's fun, what works, what doesn't, who it's for, and then just leave it at that. The reader will come away with a strong sense of whether or not he wants it himself (which is what a review is FOR) rather than skimming it to find out how the reviewer and his editor (who we're supposed to trust as knowing everything there is to know about games, including more than the actual developers) graded the game. Did it pass? Can the studio maintain its GPA? Will dad ground them?
Lucasarts' Ron Gilbert originally planned his website (www.grumpygamer.com) as a review site that would review other reviews. I thought that was ingenious. (It's too bad he decided instead to enter the site into the 'blogs that never update' market.)
Word.
#897 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/14 06:38:04
A review should just go over the premise of the game, if and why it's fun, what works, what doesn't, who it's for, and then just leave it at that. The reader will come away with a strong sense of whether or not he wants it himself (which is what a review is FOR)
*Nods.*
#898 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/14 06:49:05
PC gamer's resounding initial 70
There was a stats research that showed no correlation between reviews score and game sales
Probably The Aggregate Mean
#899 posted by Lunaran [67.129.250.254] on 2006/12/14 07:35:06
You'd be right, Q4 on average reviewed somewhat well (mid-eighties), and didn't sell that way at all. But I'm sure that study wasn't weighted toward the earliest reviews, which public opinion usually is - just the eventual average. We monitored the buzz around the game anxiously, and after that one review, in what we read and heard there was a tangible sense of "What? ONLY 70? oh well time to immediately make my decision to buy FEAR instead."
also, I think we all generally know that there's typically not much of a correlation between stats research and reality either.
Lun Is Correct
#900 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.221] on 2006/12/14 08:13:16
My bro' relies heavily on the PC Gamer goofballs for his purchasing advice, and that "What? ONLY 70? oh well time to immediately make my decision to buy FEAR instead." is exactly what happened in his case. He'll be getting a copy of Quake4 for Christmas from me though.
Also, I have no doubt from reading their other scores if an indy developer came out with the same quality product but with no tie to the established Id franchises, the score would have been much higher.
There are expectations built in for a 'ground breaking', a 'life changing event', if you will, when Doom/Quake
release occurs because of the impact of the original games of the series.
Something that is just a fun game is not enough to quench the thirst of hyperbole driven reviewers.
#901 posted by Kell [82.41.8.80] on 2006/12/14 10:01:55
A review should just go over the premise of the game, if and why it's fun, what works, what doesn't, who it's for, and then just leave it at that. The reader will come away with a strong sense of whether or not he wants it himself (which is what a review is FOR)
Lun wins this month's Hug Of Koth. And a beer icon.
There are expectations built in for a 'ground breaking', a 'life changing event', if you will, when Doom/Quake
release occurs
Actually, I've felt this is true of pretty much all FPSs
.
#902 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/14 13:10:19
Necros: yes there are limitations in Doom3's lighting model, but I think when you look at the capabilities of the lighting system as a whole, the pros quite convincingly outweigh the cons.
Also, maybe I'm not really seeing the problem, but Quake 4 had some massive outdoor vehicle sections, and I thought the lighting worked fine for what it was.
it's of course, not just that. i wouldn't say a game was only about average just based on lighting :P
i was very disappointed in the first vehicle section of the game, and the followup part where you're in the mech wasn't much better.
the first vehicle section, you're litterally on rails, and can't even move. this was an incredible blunder, and i'm astounded someone, somewhere, greenlighted that section. even the intro to the russian chapter in call of duty or medal of honour (i forget, but it was one of those war fps games) was better. sure you couldn't move, but you could at least duck.
so here i am, standing tall in the back of a truck, getting shot, and seeing all my friends ducking, like smart soldiers, and i can't even do that.
the mech part was only slightly better. i could control my actions, yes, but in a very sluggish manner. i'm going through what seems like a gauntlet of only mildly interesting brushwork (and poor lighting, which i already covered, which only serves to accentuate the poor lighting).
finally, i gotta put this last jab in here: where is the liquids?! jeez, i don't even need fancy ass fresnel shaders like the source engine. i'd have been satisfied with some proper swimming physics and a semi-transparent static texture that looked vaguely like slime or water. why the hell d3 originally never even had it is completly beyond me. i guess this is more from a mapping perspective really. but i hold to my belief that at least 1 map in q4 which had some nice sewer-y or flooded areas, would have totally pwned.
Edit:
#903 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/14 13:11:14
(and poor lighting, which i already covered, which only serves to accentuate the poor lighting)
should read:
(and poor lighting, which i already covered, which only serves to accentuate the poor geometry)
I See
#904 posted by Kinn [86.128.224.128] on 2006/12/14 14:56:40
Of the things about Quake 4 I could complain about, the brushwork is pretty low down on the list.
Seriously, I literally finished the game today (my second playthrough), and it did a pretty good job of reminding me that an awful lot of the environment art is really really fucking good.
Water
#905 posted by Kinn [86.128.224.128] on 2006/12/14 16:43:40
I agree that some water areas would have improved the variety in the game, (and looked hella purdy), but I'm pretty sure id would not have settled for anything less than proper fresnel shader shenanigans, and from what I've heard the resulting performance hit required to get these looking good ultimately prohibited their inclusion.
The vehicle sections were a bit pants gameplay-wise but I've already said that. They did grow on me the second time round though.
Re: Water
#906 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/14 18:24:05
nah, not at all. there are a couple of player-made water shaders out there that look very nice, and don't seem to have any performance hit at all or a very slight one such that i don't notice it on my mediocre system.
Hm Mm
#907 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2006/12/14 19:19:54
yes there are limitations in Doom3's lighting model, but I think when you look at the capabilities of the lighting system as a whole, the pros quite convincingly outweigh the cons.
No. No they do not. When you look at the amount of scattered light in any natural photo, and consider the myriad of ways the engine would make it prohibitively expensive to simulate that with even a tiny handful of always-dynamic batch-splitting overdraw-mongering lights that only attenuate from a single point, you'll know what I mean. Yeah, it's cool seeing the light pick out all the little bits of a texture from the right direction, but that's actually pretty non-essential to making a scene sell itself.
the water decision had nothing to do with the shader. the development of water physics and time spent on water character animations and all the other new assets you'd need wasn't considered worth the nearly minimal amount of time the player would spend in the water in the first place. but I miss it too.
Lighting?
#908 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/15 02:11:58
I think lighting alone is no biggie for games success, and q4 has just crappy outdoors, with good indoors.
I dare you to look at all the PS2 ports with poor vertex light model. I would even say the games with good light are in the minority...
Actually good games are in the minority
Anyway, cant argue it was silly to not allow easy lightmap usage in d3 tech and you need to use ambient_ light that looks crap and still eats resources.
This brings me back to discussion would Q4 been any better if it was made on (omg) SOURCE or smth like cod2 engine(Q3 +DX, shaders and bump ?)
I Stand Corrected
#909 posted by Kinn [86.137.181.179] on 2006/12/15 02:50:12
Lun, thanks for clearing up the water issue.
I'm still not convinced D3 engine's outdoor lighting ability is that terrible though. I'm currently working on a massive outdoor section in my map and a bit of ambient light to complement the sky and the regular lights is working out quite nicely.
Frankly
#910 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/15 12:20:59
yes. i agree with speeds. they should have used the d3 engine for all the interior areas, and the source engine for all the outdoors.
i'm continuously amazed by outdoor areas in the source engine. they are so vibrant, and exciting to look at. the way d3 engine lights things, it usually leads to drab, 'vacuum-ish' lighting.
What?
#911 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/15 20:54:07
You are seriously suggesting that a game uses 2 entirely different engines to render indoor / outdoor areas?
That would produce just an absolute TON of work for the developer, its hard enough making a game work with 1 engine never mind 2! You would have so many more things to do and fix it would turn into a nightmare! Plus you would need to make a load of content just for one engine that wont be able to be used in the other, the list just goes on and on.
As a purely fictional idea though I totally agree, Source does make some amazing outdoor scenes, probably the best I've seen in a game to date actually.
Sorry if you were just making a joke but I didn't catch the humour :(
O.o
#912 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/15 21:21:37
uhhhh... yeah, obviously it wouldn't make any practical sense to do it. it was just a way for me to say the d3 does a good job with indoor and source does a good job with outdoor without actually saying that.
Heh
#913 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/15 21:22:15
auto cap ruined my facey. twas supposed to be o.o :P
Roll On Id's Next Engine
#914 posted by Kinn [86.141.142.218] on 2006/12/16 02:29:35
I'm sure one of their main focuses is making it do badarse outdoor scenes
Well
#915 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/16 07:58:45
I heard something about realtime dynamic shadowmapping somewhere but who really knows. Im sure Carmack learn't a lesson from the doom 3 engines narrower focus than say UE3 (you just need to count the licences for each engine to see that UE3 is proving much more popular) and will make the next one much more versatile.
Saying that though, Quake Wars outside landscapes do look really great and once that ships maybe the D3 engine will take off.
Quake4...
#916 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.19] on 2006/12/16 12:55:29
...interesting discussion, I'm sure I had things to say but I've forgotten them, except I agree that D3 lighting outdoors looks too stark.
Got Dark Messiah Yesterday
#917 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/16 16:29:28
only played the first instruction type level so far, but it looks kind of plain. Does i get better in the looks area ?
Oh Yes.
#918 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/16 17:50:30
although the final levels got back into cavesey areas, the maps in the middle look really really cool. oh and the town maps are very nice too :)
Dark Messiah
#919 posted by pjw [71.90.22.204] on 2006/12/16 18:41:51
...looks really gorgeous in spots. I loved the cliffside levels in particular.
Dark Messiah
#920 posted by Bal [81.249.12.119] on 2006/12/17 01:49:41
Yeah, the tutorial level is really a bad indication of what follows, some very nice stuff (Even the final underground maps are great I thought).
Cool
#921 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/17 05:14:41
look forward to it, although I probably ownt play it for ages fiven how many other games I have but havent yet played.
Max Payne 2
#922 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.16] on 2006/12/20 03:18:44
I finally got around playing this. Never beat the first though. I love the atmosphere, the comic sequences, the dark and depressing mood. The game is really nice, I am almost at the end I think. Story is quite thick except for some small stupid things. You've got to know the first Max Payne to follow it I think.
There are some major annoyances. First of all the scenes where you have to protect some damn stupid NPC. Why are developers still doing such things. Gah!
Then one or two re-visits of old levels, that are quite boring and annoying to play (the burning buildings...).
Some of the dream sequences, those are made good, but sometimes lenghty and not as moody as probably intended.
Also near the end you will encounter scenes where you just cannot get around quickloading a lot.
It would have been nice if the playermodel would become transparent when the crosshair is blocked by it. But that's a minor thought.
I really liked Max' strong character and the love to Mona Sax. I think I got a bit in love with her too. *^_^* A shame that it was not developed further and happier.
Soundtrack is ace! I love it. And I mean the soundtrack throughout the whole game, with themes reoccuring and reminding you of feelings and places from earlier in the game.
The voice actors were very good too, but in the comic sequences sometimes they should have add effects or different moods to them in my opinion.
The end was sad (to me). To a certain point it is good of course, good for the character Max, but rather disappointing for me. Very mixed feelings. I can't see a reward for the player.
I don't want to spoil it, so I won't write more.
I think I will replay it somewhen. I will definitely buy it (for 5 Euro cheap, heh), just to have it. It's quite short, maybe 10-15 hours. But for the strong and thick atmosphere that is ok I think.
Just Reading RPG's Review Up There ^
#923 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.16] on 2006/12/20 03:24:01
Yes, I feel the same disappointment about Max being a weird loser up to a point too. It was not really a nice feeling to play someone like that.
Thanks For Bringing That Up
#924 posted by negke [82.82.165.202] on 2006/12/20 07:27:28
inspired by your post, i just installed and started playing max payne (1, the better part) again. pretty fun. anyone remember the bomb scene - "is it the red or the green wire"? ;)
Spirit
#925 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.62] on 2006/12/20 07:56:56
That ending changes on the hard setting replays. I thought the 'protect the NPC' part was the best ever implemented in a game. The goon in the kid party costume character suit, big floppy shoes, squeeky Jersey shore accent, what's not to love?
I get RPG's point though, they give Max too much of a past. It is a wonder he doesn't play toesy with a shotgun trigger.
Not To Love:
#926 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2006/12/20 08:02:49
The goon in the kid party costume character suit, big floppy shoes, squeeky Jersey shore accent, what's not to love?
The unending quicksaves/quickloads for one. But I do have to agree that it was highly amusing; I still laugh about him getting the giant head stuck in a door.
MP2
#927 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/20 09:14:47
Quite a graphical milestone for it's time I think. I don't know why more games don't use photosourcing for textures, it certainly helps MP2 even to this day regardless if it's dated - it still looks great.
Too bad it's not very replayable and got repetetive after awhile.
Vinnie In The Costume :D
#928 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.16] on 2006/12/20 09:23:11
Ha, yeah. I laughed a lot too. But the load-marathon totally killed every fun.
Gonna play on hard then, shit. :\
Bler Et Al
#929 posted by negke [82.83.41.140] on 2006/12/21 02:45:51
gothic3 patch 1.12 is out. among other things, it's supposed to fix the ambient sound bug (yes, there were actually hardly any ambient sounds played during the game) and make friendly npcs less prone to die like flies when fighting against monsters.
too bad i already lost interest for the most part.. :|
Phait:
#930 posted by bear [130.242.7.26] on 2006/12/21 07:45:48
uhm I think most games use photosourcing for textures in one way or another...
It Doesn't Look Like It.
#931 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/21 09:39:46
I've seen more realistic looking models *texture wise* in Mafia than in Doom 3.
Alpha - Prime
#932 posted by jiri_b [84.191.201.198] on 2006/12/21 15:32:58
the design of this scifi-game looks quite neat.
http://www.alpha-prime.com/
#933 posted by gone [193.124.10.152] on 2006/12/22 02:26:52
hey, maybe it cause mafia is more realistic game than doom3? just a guess...
You Just Don't Get It
#934 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/22 12:06:38
Silly russian
Phait Just Doesn't Get It
#935 posted by BlackDog [220.235.132.40] on 2006/12/22 18:58:31
There are obviously plenty of assets that use photosourcing in d3. You don't have to be making realistic environments to find the technique useful, and you don't necessarily get a realistic result from using photosources in the texture making process.
Whatever
#936 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/22 21:03:10
Check it out:
MP2: http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/8...
D3: http://www.ixbt.com/games/images/d...
Which of the 3 characters looks most realistic?
I Think The Question Is
#937 posted by nitin [124.191.220.95] on 2006/12/22 21:19:41
which of them is meant to look more realistic ?
"Most Realistic", Eh?
#938 posted by BlackDog [220.235.132.40] on 2006/12/22 21:42:49
Congratulations on understanding almost nothing about game art.
Sorry BD
#939 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/23 00:56:20
Didn't know this place only allowed game developers as members.
Is That Supposed To Be An Excuse
#940 posted by BlackDog [220.235.132.40] on 2006/12/23 03:03:54
For telling the more experienced they "just don't get it" without having the first clue yourself?
Lame.
Meow
#941 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.179] on 2006/12/23 03:14:29
.
#942 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2006/12/23 09:50:22
i'm sorry, but you really can't compare d3 and mp2 since the two are completly different games with completly different styles. apples and oranges, dude.
i will say there seems to be shitty uv wrapping around the mouth area on the d3 character, which is giving that strange extra curve to the fold of flesh there and they didn't get rid of the seam where they mirrored the mesh along the x axis when modelling (probably a result of generating the normal map from the high poly model. should have been touched up manually at the very least).
neither of these problems have to do with photosourcing.
Cheers Necros
#943 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.194] on 2006/12/23 10:46:07
I've noticed that as well. Norm mapping does present some problems for facial animation.
I haven't played MP2 in a while, and my copy is a
few hundred miles away at the moment, so I can't check this for certain, are the photosourced textures adjusted to eliminate the natural lighting from source material(quite evident in the original Max Paine's texture set, but I don't recall for MP2)?
Maxpayne
#944 posted by bambuz [213.169.28.108] on 2006/12/30 17:43:34
bleak textures... reminds me remotely of console games.
Thief Deadly Shadows & AMD 64
#945 posted by . [70.224.231.45] on 2006/12/31 21:23:19
When I ran T:DS on the upstairs computer (2GHz Celeron, GF 5600 XT [256 MB]) I might of had to lower some graphical options, but it ran smooth.
Now running it on a 1.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 and a GF 6200 LE (128 MB) and while it should run smoothly even on low detail, there seems to be a constant but small stutter - I can tell it's not a framerate issue. But I'm attributing it to the CPU - possibly the card, but I don't know. Other games run better on the 6200 than the 5600 could dream of, of course.
I Had A Weird Issue With Thief:DS
#946 posted by pjw [75.130.21.36] on 2007/01/01 00:21:15
I just finally got around to playing it over the last few days, and every (every!) time I hit a level transition, or quit the game, my computer would hard lock with a black screen and I had to hit the power switch (Intel 3.2 Gig w. 2 Gig of RAM and SLIed 7800s).
After reading a few threads on the Eidos forums I turned down resolution to 1024x786 and turned down shadow detail a notch or two, and turned off bloom. I'm not sure what was actually the fix, but it seems happy now.
From the reading I did, I got the impression that the game was very rushed toward the end, and has some issues with memory and optimization. A buddy of mine worked QA on it, and said pretty much the same thing...
I'm enjoying it though.
Thief:DS...
#947 posted by Bal [86.205.49.192] on 2007/01/01 02:38:18
Doesn't support dualcore, it crashed all the time for me, had to manually set it to only use one core, and then it ran fine.
Max Payne 2
#948 posted by Spirit [213.39.186.13] on 2007/01/02 02:37:06
So I played through it on Hard-Boiled mode now. Mona is dead again. And I have not noticed any different ending. I don't have to play it AGAIN on Dead-On-Arrival, do I?
Spirit
#949 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/01/02 05:39:56
yes. Not "new york minute" though, thank fuck.
She lives, but it is 1 frame in the novel that is different from what I remember. I enjoyed it all three times though actually. It's a damn fine game, and Remedy corrected a lot of what was wrong with the gameplay of the first one (slightly less reliance on quick load and slightly less annoying dream sequences) whilst improving the visuals and story a bit.
I Borrowed A Gamecube With A Bunch Of Games
#950 posted by bear [130.242.7.26] on 2007/01/02 14:00:00
including twilight princess and resident evil 4... so far I've been mostly playing re4.
I'm not really feeling very enthusiastic about zelda. Feels a bit like some chore I have to do - knowing that it's a long game and feeling a bit worried that the actual gameplay feels pretty dull. Haven't played much yet though and I'll give it more time but unless it gets better I'm not sure I'll play through it despite there being plenty of nice designs.
Gamecubeage
#951 posted by Kinn [86.128.225.159] on 2007/01/02 17:02:07
RE4 is a seriously cool game. Massive too - it took me 25 hours, give or take, to get to Krauser (the penultimate boss), but I never managed to defeat him :{
I tried playing Wind Waker. My first experience of the Zelda universe, but after about 2-3 hours in I was bored out of my mind. I meant to pick it up again but I never got around to it. I will probably try Twilight Princess on Wii.
Tonight I just started Metroid Prime 2. Doesn't feel as immediately cool as the first one, simply because I've already spent 25 hours in the Metroid Prime universe with the first game, but I'm hoping I'll warm to it.
Bizarrely mirroring RE4, it took me ~25 hours to reach the last-but-one boss in Metroid Prime, a boss that again proved impossible for me to defeat. That thing is fucking nails :{
Stuff
#952 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/01/02 19:34:02
I gave up after Ripley because when I died at the final boss I was spawned before those rooms of metroids and just couldn't be arsed. Also, having forgotten to rescan some bosses after dying, I couldn't get 100% scans so I was a bit downhearted anyway. I basically gave up at that point but didn't feel short changed as I had played 99% of what was on offer and spent a long and enjoyable time doing so.
From what I played of RE4 recently, it's a big improvement over previous RE games, but the controls are still a bit awkward, and it still has Capcom's awful interface design ("Would you like to take the ammo pack? YES/NO" when you have 3 bullets and nothing much in your inventory) and unfathomably bad voice acting. What the hell is it with that? I gave it back to the mate I borrowed it off just because I know it's a game I am very likely to get pissed off with and I have a lot of other games I've yet to play much of (Zelda!) that I would rather play.
You are unlikely to warm much to the start of Twighlight Princess if Wind Waker pissed you off. Whilst it is great, there are some annoying laws of three things that annoyed the fuck out of me, although Nintendo have learned and do try and make it stay interesting. The Twighlight Realm is also exceptionally lonely, and the battle music is quite grating after the 4th or 5th time you hear it. I hear it gets REALLY good after the third dungeon though :)
Metroid Prime
#953 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2007/01/02 20:26:32
I never managed to beat the final boss, either. That really annoyed me since I was really impressed with the rest of the game, which was mostly pretty easy, and of all the games I've ever played, there are only 2-3 that I've never finished.
What The Hell People
#954 posted by czg [83.253.241.174] on 2007/01/02 23:29:27
Beating the Metroid Prime wasn't half as difficult as Omega Pirate or that ice boss.
Heh...
#955 posted by metlslime [67.188.208.99] on 2007/01/03 00:12:02
and if you loved all the fucking BOSSES in metroid prime, the sequel has about 3x that many.
...but i really liked the first one. Bosses were hard, but there were relatively few of them, and most of the game was exploration which is what it's all about anyway. They must have had a focus group tell them there weren't enough bosses in the original, so they had to add more.
This Is Exactly Why
#956 posted by Spirit [213.39.186.13] on 2007/01/03 00:30:07
creating a Console Gaming Thread was UTTER BULLSHIT! This is beyond stupid.
Dammit, please someone locked that one and rename this one?
There is not a 100% difference in game art, game design or whatever. There in fact is NOTHING justifying a split of PC and Console games here.
Zelda Twilight Princess
#957 posted by Bal [82.124.159.211] on 2007/01/03 01:40:42
I finished it a few days ago, and I found it to be very good.
The start is a bit slow, like most 3D Zelda games I think, I guess it suffers a bit from trying (and succeeding) to be completely accessible to any player.
After the first dungeon, things get much better in my opinion. The dungeons are really great, every room has it's purpose, and the layouts and puzzles are really nicely thought out, as are the boss fights. I just wish the combat was a bit more challenging at times...
Oh and I was sceptical about the Wii controls at first, but now I really enjoy them, adds a bit of extra immersion to the game.
More Stuff
#958 posted by Kinn [195.92.144.188] on 2007/01/03 04:52:36
czg: yes, the ice boss was an absolute cunt and utterly impossible to defeat unless you had at least a certain number of health tanks at the start. The only way I got past him was to trawl back through the entire game to uncover secret health tanks which took ages. I eventually had to use a guide ¬_¬
I don't remember the omega pirate being that impossible, but then by that stage of the game I was pretty p1mped up with all the secret shit I had uncovered earlier.
Metlslime: ugh. I hope the bosses are somwehat fairer this time round :/
Than: the only thing that really sucked arse about RE4's interface was the retarded inventory system not giving you a quick way to change weapons during combat. The game would be so much cooler if you could map items to a button, like a hotkey, to use in realtime.
Spirit: Hear hear. This retarded split only exists because Shambler got out of the wrong side of the bed one morning
Moar
#959 posted by Kinn [195.92.144.188] on 2007/01/03 05:37:00
I'm hoping Metroid Prime 3 is gonna be the Wii's "killer app" (jesus I hate that phrase).
Metroid Prime on Gamecube would have been the perfect game if:
1) The lock-on targeting control system was ditched and replaced with Halo-style dual analog controls for moving and aiming. Seriously, what were they thinking? This would have made combat a tad more challenging, but about 100x more satisfying.
2) The bosses were toned down a bit. I mean come on.
As it stands, non-boss combat in metroid prime is a bit boring, thanks to the dumbass lock-and-strafe tactics. Bosses are basically brick walls that bring the whole game to a shuddering halt.
Exploration and puzzle solving elements (the bulk of the game) are already really cool and chillax and don't need to be changed.
I played a little bit (the beginning) of Metroid Prime Hunters on my brother's DS over christmas and was really impressed that they had implemented the proper mouselike control system using the stylus :D It actually felt like Quake in terms of the speed and wide FOV. I didn't care much for the level design at the start though :/ I'll have to pick up a DS and play it properly...
Metroid...
#960 posted by Bal [83.204.153.175] on 2007/01/03 06:53:57
I hope MP3 has proper online multiplayer, that would help the Wii quite a bit I could imagine.
The multiplayer in Metroid Prime Hunters is nice, although very hectic, and lacks proper options when joining games and stuff, which is a shame.
Bosses
#961 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/01/03 08:50:29
I don't remember the bosses in MP being that hard at all, apart from ripley, who was a cunt. The final boss was easy in its first form, but when it turned into the floating head thing I couldn't figure out what to do, died, and then couldn't be arsed to traipse through 2 or three rooms of platforms and metroids to get back to it.
Didn't bother playing MP2 because of the time the first game ate up, and I'm not sure I will bother with 3 because I have access only to the Japanese version, and I am not sure how kid/foreigner friendly it will be. Zelda is ok in this regard, but I require a lot of help from my electronic dictionary.
Btw
#962 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/01/03 08:53:36
I liked the aiming in Metroid Prime because it allowed me to relax a bit more than I would have if it were dual analogue (on a fucking GC controller? no thanks!) and concentrate on exploring and not get bogged down with insanely difficult fights. I also think that it let them be a bit more creative with the bosses. I honestly can't think of any other FPS with bosses that cool.
Kinn Should Look Forward To The MP2 Bosses
#963 posted by czg [83.253.241.174] on 2007/01/03 09:55:08
As far as I have heard other people say, the boost ball guardian is fucking impossible, but it was pure joy compared to the fucking spider ball guardian a bit later, which is possibly the most insanely difficult boss ever.
Bomb jumps are ok to pull off to progress, but pulling off several jumps in a row with split second timing while constantly taking damage is infuriating.
I liked the lock on aiming bit of the Prime games. It made the combat more of a timing/spatial puzzle instead of a test of aiming skill.
Thought Of Another Way Of Improving Metroid Prime
#964 posted by Kinn [217.42.6.77] on 2007/01/03 12:26:49
3) Note to the designers of MP3: At least use a modicum of common sense when deciding how to distribute the save points. Having twenty minutes of navigation gameplay and jumping puzzles between the last save point and a frustratingly difficult boss battle is BAD DESIGN. Just make sure there's one right before each boss, you cocks.
As a side note, I have just played enough of Metroid Prime 2 to realise that the designers have learned nothing in this regard since the original game.
Kinn:
#965 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/01/03 14:05:42
yeah. My year-old savegame is right before one of those bosses -- where you have to travel 10 minutes to get to the boss room after loading. It's the boss that swims in a circle and has endless mosquitoes coming at you.
Spirit.
#966 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.95] on 2007/01/03 14:52:05
Stop whining you toddler.
It would have been more useful if that lot had been posted in the console thread. Would have saved some of us skipping over it at least.
Alpha Blogg?
#967 posted by generic [76.3.10.128] on 2007/01/03 15:56:49
Is that the one, Metlslime? I play Echoes every so many months hoping I've accumulated enough mustard to get past it but, alas, I have given up hope and am considering hiring a twelve-year-old to get me past that boss :)
Gereric:
#968 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/01/03 16:31:18
could be... there's like an energy tank or something missle expansion or something right before it... you stand in a middle platform and he makes waves sometimes? I think...
Yeah That Was A Bastard Of A Boss Too
#969 posted by czg [83.253.241.174] on 2007/01/03 16:53:05
Especially since he has a somewhat difficult first form as well, and then when you get to the second form (already weakened by spending so much time in the damaging atmosphere) it just becomes a stressing hell to navigate around the thing in the precious seconds when it's dazed.
And Quadraxis! Jesus!
Metroid Prime 2 has generally been a complete pain in the ass, and I never bothered finishing it once I got the final suit and I just needed to do the last key hunt.
Posting just to annoy Shambler here.
Re4 And Zelda
#970 posted by bear [80.216.212.75] on 2007/01/04 10:35:38
than: I also found the controls annoying when starting but now I've gotten used to them and it's definitely a game worth playing. Have to agree on the voice acting and that they should have made weapons/items switchable/usable with some button instead of having to pause the game and bring up the inventory screen.
When I've finished re4 I'll probably write a bit more of what I liked and what I would have liked to see done differently.
The thing that kind of puts me off about zelda is that after finishing the first temple I've spent four hours on it and haven't really had any real challenge at all wich means that my brain has only gotten very small bits of stimulation from appreciating some of the designs (wich btw seems to range from awesome to blah).
Fear
#971 posted by megaman [84.63.7.161] on 2007/01/14 04:33:55
playing fear now, writing down thoughts:
1) There are no locked doors. Is the common conception in games such that locked doors i NEVER get a key to are 'irritating' or 'misleading'? Or why would a pretty realistic game like fear not use the concept of locked doors to make their levels more realistic?
2)This brings me to the next point: the leveldesign is pretty... obvious to me. That may very well have everything to do with me own level design experience and nothing with how much fun the game is, but most levels up to this point felt.. like built from a certain formular. Maybe that will change.. ?
3) Don't just completely refill the player after and before each fight(-ing area). that makes 'being good' at the game so fucking pointless it's a shame. (that just stopped though, so maybe the first levels were like that to make life easier for newbies?
4) Why have fighting areas at all? The game could feel much more tense if there weren't these supposedly completely saled off areas with about 5 enemies in them.
5) points for the enemy ai: it's just stupid, not ultra-mega-duh like most other games. Still feels stupid though.
6) having 3-dimensional layouts is awfully important for fpses. The amount of fun of an area is almost proportional to the degree of how much the third axis is put to use.
7) long quicksave times are pretty annoying
8) What's up with the player speed? It's ok for fights, but hello, even diablo introduced running...
9)only one way (or one way camouflaged as a fork to two ways) is always bad. Always. Seriously. In a game where you're up against a huge numer of enemies that act in a team, having more than an entrance and an exit to a room is vital to have more interesting gameplay and more afraidness of the player.
10) It just crashed in idle while i was writing this. hrm.
FEAR Huh?
#972 posted by Kinn [86.136.158.2] on 2007/01/14 05:05:19
Well, the enemy AI is pretty good. I haven't seen enemy AI done better in an FPS or 3PS to date, and I've had to look at these things in quite some detail.
Other than that, I found the game somewhat unimaginative and boring. Recommended as an AI case study only.
More
#973 posted by megaman [84.63.7.161] on 2007/01/14 05:09:25
11) Autosaves should be intelligent: if i just saved 2secs before the auto, it's much less confusing to just use that savepoint when i load.
12) Don't make enemies fall down stuff when they die via scripting. looks bad, and every enemy on a ledge does this. it's old.
13) we need an alternative to hard hitboxes. something that fits more into the way humans move through obstacles. i just bumped my head and got stuck under a 5cm metal thingy.
Maybe you could make this into a realistic falling damage model: when you jump against a door with your shoulder, your shoulder hurts / is slower. this would put an end to ledge crawling, too, i guess. And rocket-jumps... :/. But this is for realistic games anyways.
13) while you're at that, put hitpoints to rest, and model real injuries.
14) oldie: consistency. In fear there's numerous valves everywhere. about 2% ofthem are important to the game (ie. you can turn them). it'd be cooler to have all of them functional and make me figure out when there's one that's actually useful
15) love the way you can destroy grates with two hits in this game.looks so cool.
Kinn
#974 posted by megaman [84.63.7.161] on 2007/01/14 05:16:15
hrm, they sometimes try to get in your back. what else is good about it? They mostly just run stupidly into my fire. They feel pretty lifeless, ie. like computer players.
Game with best AI is still descent2 for me ;). of course the robots didn't really react in swarms, but each kind had their own behaviour and felt unique. I personally hated those green small fuckers with laser lvl4. i don't feel hate against the greyish anonymous soldier in fear. and some robots tried getting behind your back, too. also, they hid, were defensive and then suddenly came at you. the smaller, faster enemies tended to come at you in groups. Also, there were dumber and more intelligent (evil) robots. oh, the joy of a homing robot hiding in lava filled passages... </fanboism></nerdiness.
Megaman
#975 posted by Kinn [86.136.158.2] on 2007/01/14 06:33:39
Essentially, the FEAR AI uses an implementation of Jeff Orkin's GOAP architecture. I'm not an AI programmer, but those that I work with never get tired of telling me how good GOAP (Goal-Oriented Action Planning) is at producing emergent looking behaviour in AI with no scripting, far superior to more traditional systems such as finite state machines. FEAR probably doesn't show off the potential of GOAP as well at is should because the enemies have a pretty simplistic set of goals and actions (get to cover, kill player etc.)
The reason they run stupidly into your fire is because the designers chose to make them exposed all the time, so you can see all the cool animations of them running around, jumping through windows and vaulting over boxes.
In this case, sophisticated AI does not amount to "intelligent" looking soldiers, but it does give the illusion of fun dynamic combat, with enemies running around all over the place and flanking you etc.
This is why unless you're making some kind of neckbeardy realistic tactical shooter, where the enemies stay in one place most of the time behind cover and occasionally pop out and headshot you, enemies will seem dumb. After all, you've got to give the player a chance to shoot them sometimes.
Metroid Prime 4 Gliders
#976 posted by samus [68.116.238.101] on 2007/01/14 14:39:36
gril
Metroid Prime 4 Gliders
#977 posted by samus [68.116.238.101] on 2007/01/14 14:39:40
gril
Metroid Prime 4 Gliders
#978 posted by samus [68.116.238.101] on 2007/01/14 14:39:40
gril
What?
#979 posted by tron [203.94.140.5] on 2007/01/14 15:52:51
o_O
That's the oddest spam ever, Nintendo trying to do advertising or something?
Christmas 2005 Game Wallpapers
#980 posted by . [70.224.231.22] on 2007/01/14 20:22:04
I can't find the original Imageshack links so I uploaded them to my server. There are 1600x1200 wallpapers of Blood, Duke Nukem 3D, Half-Life and Doom 3:
http://www.phaitaccompli.com/gamew...
Lost Planet
#981 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2007/01/15 21:46:19
It sounds good.. Anybody already played it, or a demo ? In anyway here is the website:
http://lostplanet-thegame.com/flas...
That Does Look Cool...
#982 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/01/15 23:15:15
but it's 360-only. Bzzt! wrong thread! :)
Lost Planet
#983 posted by Kinn [86.143.95.167] on 2007/01/16 00:16:00
I hear it's quite cool, but you can get into an infinite loop of falling down after damage and taking another hit that floors you the instant you recover and so on until you die.
Other than that it sounds quite cool.
Bleh
#984 posted by Lunaran [24.159.240.226] on 2007/01/16 06:26:50
lengthy pain anims on bad guys = yes
lengthy pain anims on the player = nooooo
Metlslime
#985 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2007/01/16 11:23:32
I knew that, but as the game looked very good, I decided to post anyway...
BTW a friend of mine played it on X-360, and it reminded him "StartShip Troopers" movie.. It told me that is it really frantic: many exploding stuff everywhere, a lot of hordes of monsters, etc.. etc.. Very intense gameplay it seems... Well, I'll try to test it ASAP :)
Rainbow Thix: Vegath Baby Yeah! ;¬*
#986 posted by Kinn [81.129.225.202] on 2007/01/16 21:54:43
Currently playing the PC version of R6:Vegas at work and the 360 version at home - yeah I don't know why either :/ I find the game really pisses me off constantly, but there's something about it that keeps me coming back for more.
The games are identical in terms of content on both platforms, although the 360 wins imo due to the controls working out better.
Not far past the Vegas Strip, so I won't post a proper review yet.
Lost Planet
#987 posted by tron [203.94.140.5] on 2007/01/17 01:38:08
I watched a few minutes of someone playing it at work last night, plot seems a little weird (from what I gathered you kill the creatures to harness their "precious thermal energy") but from the few minutes of gameplay I saw it looked like it could be fun, if a little clumsy at parts. Apart from nice graphics in the into cutscene (which I'm assuming was being rendered ingame) there wasn't much to make me want the game though.
Lost Planet
#988 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/01/17 01:43:00
funny thing is, I knew it was japanese as soon as I saw the subtitle "Extreme Condition."
And it is apparently a Capcom game, and has lots of console-y designs and stuff (the look of the alien creatures is very metroid prime-y, for example.)
I Like
#989 posted by Kinn [195.92.144.188] on 2007/01/17 13:37:03
metroid prime-y bugs and aliens that move in wierd ways and you don't know what to expect. Generally more interesting than shooting the same old bloody terrorists/nazis/other blokes-with-guns etc.
¬_¬
#990 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2007/01/17 14:35:13
Generally more interesting than shooting the same old bloody terrorists/nazis/other blokes-with-guns etc.
Oh, I get it; so you're one of those bleeding heart liberals, eh? Next you're going to want a game where you get to bomb American infrastructure.
I can see the terrorists have already won.
That's Rich, Coming From A Guy Named After A Rocket Launcher
#991 posted by BlackDog [58.7.188.41] on 2007/01/17 22:01:35
The RPG
#992 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.220] on 2007/01/17 22:31:00
is used merely for deer hunting and bass fishing, oh, and the occassional revenuer who gets too curious about what's growing in the back lot for his own good, but beyond that it's pretty much for show.
Headthump
#993 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2007/01/19 05:04:38
I dunno about everyone else, but I usually just use dynamite for fishing.
Oh, And BlackDog
#994 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2007/01/19 05:06:13
Actually, I'm named after my dad.
Now don't ask me why my mom was getting it on with unexploded ordinance.
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
#995 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/01/19 09:31:36
Incredible game. I suggest everyone who has a Wii gets it. Though it may not sound like much to have tons of short minigames to play, the style, humour, and sheer madness of having to so many differant things in the span of a couple minutes is an experiance not to miss.
Yay!
#996 posted by tron [59.167.125.19] on 2007/01/19 11:00:37
I'm going to play it tonight. Imported it from England so I have it a few days before it's released here, a fact which irritated many people at work today. :D
#997 posted by spd [193.124.10.152] on 2007/01/19 11:09:21
Lately I`v been playing (trying) games made by the company Im working at. And it all made me rather upset...
Kekeke
#998 posted by spd [193.124.10.152] on 2007/01/19 17:09:48
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152...
Lol
#999 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.171] on 2007/01/19 18:23:26
but atm its loads of fun :) Leveling is quick and easy and there are tons of quests with great rewards. The new zones are gorgeous and some of the new items are just silly...
Gah my wow addiction knows no bounds!
1K!
#1000 posted by generic [68.35.250.145] on 2007/01/19 18:52:09
First one to one thousand (i.e. me) wins!!!
"Schlooomph!!"
#1001 posted by Kinn [81.158.83.224] on 2007/01/19 20:01:27
That's the sound of me being uncontrollably sucked into the world of Oblivion again.
And you'd have thought 215 hours would have been enough for anybody... :{
(Also, anyone else getting excited at the news of the expansion - seems like a return to the phreaky high-fantasy mushroom world of Morrowind...)
Yeah, I'm Kinda Stoked...
#1002 posted by pjw [66.188.90.89] on 2007/01/20 06:51:00
Looks like they listened to the folks who didn't want more semi-generic fantasy stuff. :)
And I've never really stopped playing Oblivion, although I usually only play for a few hours a week, and not obsessively, like I did with Morrowind...
.ffs Files.
#1003 posted by benjwano [82.17.181.213] on 2007/01/20 20:56:08
Hi all, stab in the dark here, but i have no where else to go,.... Does anybdy know how to extract audio from a .ffs file or a program that will open it.
#1
#1004 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.170] on 2007/01/24 15:03:33
Gothic 3 - still brilliant and engrossing despite the occasional bugs and stuff. A lot more stable since the 1.2 patch. Only the slow running in busy towns is a real issue now. So much to do any explore, it rocks. Seems to be very few restrictions on what you can do. Unfortunately I lost my pet rhino somewhere. Last night, however, was very cool. I went back to the starting area of the game and swam directly across the ocean to a small island near the desert mainland (which I think I could have done first and completely ignored the normal progression). I got to this island which had a small fishing dock and a shack....went inside the shack and all there was was a decaying corpse, swarming with flies, hanging from a noose. Very bleak and cool.
#2
#1005 posted by Shambler [82.38.193.170] on 2007/01/24 15:05:45
Need a game recommendation for someone (not for me, I'm purely addicted to G3!). For a laptop, mobile Celeron 1.6 ghz with integrated graphics and 1 gig ram. Said someone specified:
I want something I can play over the internet, that's continuous play rather than a game you complete. Should be more of an adventure game than a shoot 'em up.
Any ideas? I've dismissed WOW and EQ due to monthly fees, and recommended Guild Wars as a cheaper option. Clearly online adventure games don't really exist, offline pure adventure games or MMORPGs being the nearest alternatives. Would appreciate suggestions cheers.
#1006 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/01/24 15:29:24
Tell your friend to get a 360.
QW!
#1007 posted by mwh [84.71.128.96] on 2007/01/25 10:13:02
(sorry)
Kol
#1008 posted by tel [84.221.99.162] on 2007/01/26 19:37:58
hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...
UT Classic
#1009 posted by Fantatier [88.70.17.215] on 2007/01/26 19:48:46
It's very old but it rocks and it runs on my computer.
Hahaha!
#1010 posted by 1000 [88.144.48.59] on 2007/01/27 20:00:04
No i put 1000 u just put ebriviation hahah (i.e. I win)
Yes Yes.
#1011 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.124] on 2007/01/29 12:16:31
Any more proper suggestions? I know UT and QW are class, the person in question wants something more "adventury"...
Yoda Stories
#1012 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.171] on 2007/01/29 14:18:33
nuff said ;)
#1013 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/01/29 23:31:11
Animal Crossing
*rolls Eyes*
#1014 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.124] on 2007/01/30 10:38:45
Anyone would think I was asking on a gaming forum or something...
Uhm
#1015 posted by Spirit [213.39.204.222] on 2007/01/30 11:19:42
how about that Ragnarok game?
Games...
#1016 posted by Bal [81.249.98.50] on 2007/01/30 22:30:13
Yeah so I've been playing too much games recently...
Gothic 3:
Started playing this a few days ago, it's nice enough but feels like it could have been alot better... Fortunatly I'm playing with the new patch, which means there are only half of the thousands of bugs that there were in the original version, yay! Still haven't had any major bugs, but mostly lots of little silly things like unfinishable quests and invisible monsters etc... The environments are nice as is the character building and all, and the quests. The combat sucks, it feels like whoever hits first wins, thank god for bow and arrows. I've died so many times against easy monsters it's annoying, wouldn't be so bad if quick saving wasn't so loooong.
Anyways, still a good game, it does alot of things better than Oblivion, but for now I think Oblivion is still superior... Maybe I'll change my mind though, who knows.
Farcry:
Yeah finally played this, a mixed bag. it was alot better than what I remembered from the demo, very pretty, lots of fun running around the jungle. Looks a bit cartoony though, which doesn't really fit with the whole military vibe, they seem to have resolved this on their next game. The gameplay can be nice at times, and just very frustrating at others... I like the freedom though, you can do things however you want, for instance in one map where you start in some fortress like building, I jumped off a wall and then off a 100 meter cliff into the ocean, and swam to shore, thus skipping a large portion of the map... It's just nice to know that you can. =)
Otherwise the designs and story are completely bland and fairly uninteresting, but I still enjoyed it.
Alright, Fess Up
#1017 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2007/01/31 12:39:51
Who's playing WoWcraft? The expansion is hot.
Yes
#1018 posted by Jago [88.192.74.20] on 2007/01/31 14:30:26
Me and Vondur (long ago) sold our souls to the devil and are playing the expansion, which is absolutely awesome (altho we are playing on different servers): http://jago.pp.fi/images/WOW/AgaUI...
70 Warlock Here. :P
#1019 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/01/31 22:22:17
Cheers Necros
#1020 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.116] on 2007/01/31 23:34:06
Recreational activity helps rejuvinate a tired, stressed out modder who may be a bit burned out with his project but who is still willing to soldier on inspite of it all (I hope that preempts what I think is coming).
Burning Crusade
#1021 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.171] on 2007/02/03 14:49:51
yeah Im hooked on that atm... Got my paladin up to level 66 so far,all the new areas and content just rocks, Nagrand in particular is beautiful, with all the floating patches of land with waterfalls falling off them, and the bendy trees, great stuff :)
Loving the new shorter dungeons too, I just dont have time for 1.5 - 2 hour runs these days, so spending 45 minutes from start to finish is great.
Also, the different versions of the new tier 4 armour sets is a great idea, now you can really create the character you want to play with complentary gear rather than what blizzard thinks you should have.
raiding ZG with a group of 20 level 65+ players is just really easy now too :)
I Remember Daggerfall
#1022 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.181] on 2007/02/03 19:07:22
Loving the new shorter dungeons too, I just dont have time for 1.5 - 2 hour runs these days, so spending 45 minutes from start to finish is great.
What a chore it could be to complete a dungeon from beginning to the end. That was a great game inspite of the chugging it out time. Though I've played a bit of both Marrowwind and Oblivion, and I liked what I saw, but neither one of those held my attention as long as Daggerfall did. Like you, the time factor is quite a bit different today than back then.
The Last Time Two Hours Of A Game Felt Like A Chore
#1023 posted by Lunaran [70.226.151.179] on 2007/02/03 20:32:56
didn't you uninstall it?
Just sayin'.
Eh?
#1024 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.103] on 2007/02/03 20:49:12
Talking about individual dungeons inside the game. In Daggerfall, the minor mission dungeons were completely randomized but within a limited set of map templates so their was a great deal of monotony. The main mission was pretty good though, with the moody Lord of the Worms lair and good stuff like that.
Lun
#1025 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.171] on 2007/02/03 21:44:37
I was not a chore, it was good fun, but 2 hours is a long time these days, thats all I was saying :)
It also means its a hell of a lot easier to get dungeon groups together, and there is a load less of "afk for dinner, be back in 20 minutes" just before the final boss :)
Also, you gotta laugh that there is a level 70 dreanei Shaman on my server, that took what 3 weeks? Some people on this planet scare me :)
.
#1026 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/02/04 03:05:12
they've also made a lot of improvements in the 'follow the npc' type gameplay area.
remember onyxia attunement and doing jb runs? :P
there's a new one like that in CoT, and it's much better. has different save points, so if you wipe, you don't have to restart the whole thing, and doesn't start automatically when you accept the quest, so you don't accidentally have dudes who didn't know start the quest prematurely.
Company Of Heroes
#1027 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/02/05 22:48:45
so I've been playing Company of Heroes pretty much every day at lunch with some other guys here at Raven. I do well sometimes, and sometimes I get owned. We play pretty casually, and our strategies aren't really more advanced than 'I'll go here, then use tanks'...
So it came as a suprise that one of our replays was submitted to be video reviewed by one of our regulars, and it was. I play horribly this game though :(
WMV here:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/toh...
Belgian Rofl Maker?
#1028 posted by Lunaran [70.226.151.179] on 2007/02/06 03:18:19
nice :)
Coh
#1029 posted by spd [87.249.61.2] on 2007/02/08 12:07:52
why did they choose tiny soldiers and boring ww2 setting in CoH? I prefer the bulky spacemarines and and other scifi stuff of DoW, but apparently CoH gameplay is better and has more depth to it
Two guys here are hardcore CoH players.
Some others play CS and Joint Operations (rather yawn)
More RTS Goodness
#1030 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/02/10 06:51:34
Supreme Commander demo came out earlier this week, and I've been playing that like crazy every night. Tons of fun once you break into the thought that you need 5 factories to pump out units, not just one, and 10 or so defensive guns at a position, otherwise 100's of units will simply walk over things. Thankfully, you can easily set up multiple orders and cancel parts of them so you can just set up units to do a ton of shit and forget about them.
Glad to be playing it at work too, since it supports dual monitors, so your main screen can be zoomed into the action and moving your dudes, and the second monitor can be zoomed out to be a 'minimap' and give you a good overall view of the fronts.
Oh, and Giant Spiderbots are just awesome.
http://pcmedia.gamespy.com/pc/imag...
Damn!
#1031 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/02/10 11:18:10
I have to get SC going at work where I have a decent enough PC to run it AND two monitors :)
Everyone else is waiting fo C&C3, but I've irrationally hated C&C since the first game (Warcraft 2 was waaaay better) and don't play many RTS games anyway... only TA, WC3 and DoW when they were new. Never finished the SP campaigns of any of them though ;)
Supreme Commander...
#1032 posted by Bal [90.2.34.39] on 2007/02/10 13:48:26
I dunno about this, I guess I've been spoiled by Blizzard RTS too much, and this is nothing like them so I'm having trouble enjoying it.
There's not much new compared to TA really, there's pretty much no micro management, and the games quickly turn into giant wars where you're looking at little unit icons moving across the map and dying... Doesn't seem to be much strategy involved, just having a fast build order.
Er
#1033 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2007/02/10 19:42:15
Didn't the demo come out months ago? Or was that the beta?
And, SC = StarCraft.
Maybe SupCom = Supreme Commander?
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
#1034 posted by Daniel menoza [207.69.139.146] on 2007/02/22 03:10:39
dude you got to play oblivion i knw so many glitches hers one a man named dorion in the in the imperial tempel district first find him in his house he is always there bribe him alot then when cant you no more hit him once with your fists then bribe him again so on son but do it only about 5 or 6 6 times.when you are done kill him but fast or he will run then go to his gold and press a. his gold will never go away.dont press take all or the game will freeze but his body will disapear after a few days.i got about maybe 1 million $$$ in about 20 min.but......never mind youll have fun
Ryiryiryiyi
#1035 posted by ryiryiryui [207.69.139.146] on 2007/02/22 03:11:40
fgyykriuiry
Bal
#1036 posted by Killes [62.203.123.161] on 2007/03/01 01:10:25
You're just a bit overtaken by the action, theres fukken loooooooaads of strategy involved in supcom, once youve mastered controlling the fuck you doing :P
Bah
#1037 posted by Tronyn [207.47.212.238] on 2007/03/01 01:50:08
If Supreme Commander is anything like TA, there's tons of strategy, don't let the fact that TA always included/allowed actual economic/territory management be enough of a factor to influence the outcome even sometimes without strategy, eclipse that. As for Blizzard, I never saw the point of their games. Seemed a lot like C&C, but without as much action. I'm not a blockheaded action freak, but controlling 12 units only at a time seemed like such an arbitrarily limitation, of the exact kind Chris Taylor wanted to do away with. Also their art style never really flew with me (though Diablo's art style always ruled). C&C was small scale, stylized like a really simple Chess kinda, pretty fun but once TA came out I never looked back. I'm looking forward to Supreme Commander, the whole scope of land/air/sea/submarine, radar/sonar/jammers, would just be so awesome on an even bigger scale than TA.
I Loved
#1038 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2007/03/01 02:36:38
playing and mapping for TA. Although Starcraft was/is more fun on a competitive level (in TA, it kind of sucked having 500 units on a side with nearly unlimited resources), maybe supcom will blow my panties off and just make me freak out!!13
Yay
#1039 posted by . [69.217.57.128] on 2007/03/01 03:22:06
Bought a GeForce 7900 GS for $160, now I can run more recent games - Hitman: Blood Money rocks and runs great at 1440 x 900, 4x AA, 8x AF
Well...
#1040 posted by Tronyn [207.47.212.238] on 2007/03/01 06:46:35
With TA, the engine seems like it's hardware-scalable: obviously, the unit limit was increased by Cavedog from 250 to 500 a while after the release, and larger maps became possible (the original game had like TWO maps that were 64MB, the rest were all less - now 128 MB are the norm), and the unit limit has since been increased to 5,000. 5,000 is basically beyond one's own ability to organize and control even with enqueing (some refinements to the system are hopefully present in SupCom), so essentially TA has had for years now an nonexistant unit limit. Furthermore, there is never a situation, playing with Cavedog-only units, where resources are truly infinite. There is always a way to use or abuse resources, whether that's 500 construction planes (this is possible) or 100 tank factories (also possible) - and the enemy, whose resources may approach or exceed your own, also has these choices. In other words if each side had truly infinite resources it would become fairly meaningless. Luckily that's not the case.
I really like how TA is based on real war. Not as in, your guy gets shot in the leg and has to be flown out and you send an apology to his family, but rather in the emphasis on economics, strategy, and scope. All Blizzard RTS, and C&C games, are tiny, simplified almost arcade-type games in comparison, where you just save up 200 bucks to buy one or two special types of unit that screw the other guy. In these games, you don't need to both outproduce and outmanuever your opponent. It's enough just to do one or two things they weren't expecting and wipe their "base" off the map. In TA, shit can be built anywhere: territory is based on whoever can control it, not arbitrary rules. Aside from Myth, which is entirely different and I worship for entirely different reasons, I have yet to find a better RTS.
I Mean...
#1041 posted by Tronyn [207.47.212.238] on 2007/03/01 06:51:01
When an "army" is 10 of unit X, and 20 of unit Y, with an air support of 5 planes and you need to blow up the other guy's construction yard to completely fuck him over... how is that strategically related to what you'd do with actual (multiple) armies, production centres, ports, mountains (not wall-like ridges), resource-rich terrain, barren plains, and non-arbitrary unit types (ie, instead of rock-paper-scissors simplicity, it's more just: scout, fighter, bomber, torpedo bomber).
Alright, end TA worshipping rant. I suppose it's ultimately the reason I'm posting here, but when I like a game, I really, really like it. Quake, Rune, Myth, TA, etc.
TA
#1042 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/03/01 14:46:50
was also revolutionary when it was released. I can't be bothered to list all the things TA did before all the other RTS games that were trying to ape C&C managed to do them, but there is a lot on the list, and some things TA did so well (the interface and queuing system), for example) that it still beats the shit out of most games today.
If I had a better PC I would give SupCom a whirl, but as my notebook was creaking under the strain of a 3 player online game when the beta was running I think I will give it a miss for now.
BTW, Tronyn, did you play Blade? It came out around the same time as Rune and was a similar game but with more depth but hobbled by a totally shitty control system. Had posh graphics with real-time shadows and stuff. Personally I thought Rune was way more fun :)
Hmmm...
#1043 posted by Bal [90.2.33.171] on 2007/03/01 22:51:40
Starcraft is still the best RTS ever, TA doesn't come close to rivaling it in my opinion. =D
So I've played more supcom, it's fun but it just doesn't grab me the way Blizzard RTS do, really feels like I'm always doing the same thing. Yeah it's vast, and there's lots of action all the time and hundreds of unit running and stuff, but it feels mostly like a speed race, whoever can get the best economy going first, to pump out a continual flow of tech3 units, but I guess lots of people just prefer that.
As for C&C, I never really liked those so much... The live cinematics made me giggle though. =)
Yeah
#1044 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2007/03/02 10:17:12
I'm curious how serious, creative tactics come into play with supcom.
After all, if you're a commander of some IRL military and you're fighting a war, don't you have to maximize your organization's strengths and minimize weaknesses? If yes, then when playing supcom, everyone has the same strengths and weaknesses at the outset => it's a race.
Are You Suggesting
#1045 posted by Tronyn [207.47.212.238] on 2007/03/02 10:44:32
that in WW2, Germany had a certain type of weird tank that shot anti-air missiles and could go underwater, while Russia had personnel carriers, and specialized anti-infantry helicopters (which Germany lacked)...
I think in actual war, it's not rock-paper-scissors, and each side does, in fact, have units that are roughly equivalent. Sure, one side's heavy tank might be really good and the other's crap but it has a better bomber, but never the less each side has basically the same range of units.
In TA (I can't speak for SupCom yet) it's not some arbitrary limit on the types of units your side is _capable_ of building, it's the ones you choose to build and how you choose to use them. I tend to be a huge prick with submarines. You could win without a standing land army at all and just a huge air force, although that would be a strange way to play...
The economic factor is there, meaning it is partially a race, but that's also indicative of actual war.
Oh And
#1046 posted by Tronyn [207.47.212.238] on 2007/03/02 10:45:53
I never actually played Blade, I should probably give the demo a spin if it's at all like Rune. While Rune was pretty simplified, it was damn fun.
CoH
#1047 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/02 11:34:16
is the best strategy
BoD Looks Worse Than Q1 (nevermind The Char Rt Shadows)
#1048 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/02 11:35:12
http://image.com.com/gamespot/imag...
With Regards To Blizzard
#1049 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.25.239] on 2007/03/03 03:02:03
Warcraft 2 is still the best (and only good) RTS game for my money. I say this mainly because it was the only one I could even attempt to play - the other ones just have too much stuff going on at once and I can't deal with it!
#1049 Is The Truth Incarnate
#1050 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.247] on 2007/03/03 06:40:45
because it was the only one I could even attempt to play
Amen brotha. Speaking of brothers, my own bro is good at the RTS thing and I can't play them even if I wanted to. They ressemble accounting with all of the stats you have to keep up with, and accounting is a chore, not fun.
Speeds
#1051 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/03/03 09:07:09
way to pick a really great looking area of the game to show off.
Whilst the graphics might not be awesome today, I do remember them being generally pretty nice at the time.
Dark Messiah
#1052 posted by kyle [90.197.226.116] on 2007/03/04 14:37:07
have u got a download file of dark messiah:might and magic?
Kyle
#1053 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/04 15:18:22
Sure, here you go:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Messi...
Only 10 notes - glad I waited until now!
Or if you haven't tried the demo:
http://www.ubi.com/UK/Downloads/Do...
To #1052
#1054 posted by Blitz [151.213.184.13] on 2007/03/04 18:45:25
I'm sure you don't realize you're asking for a link to download a game that one of the moderators of this message board actually worked on because otherwise that would be pretty damn stupid. I'm sure he doesn't give a shit but it's the principle of the thing, damn it.
I Didn't Work On That Game.
#1055 posted by pjw [24.196.140.188] on 2007/03/04 18:57:32
And I give a shit.
Because retards annoy me.
I Guess
#1056 posted by megaman [84.63.6.119] on 2007/03/04 19:23:00
you don't read d3w then.
Hitman Blood Money
#1057 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/04 19:38:21
Just passed it... besides one of the best games ever, and the best of the series - it has THE best ending I've ever seen in a game, hell it surpasses most movies.
It's a must-try even if you're not a Hitman fan. So replayable, varied and interesting locales, various ways to complete missions... <3
Just Curious
#1058 posted by R.P.G. [65.188.147.21] on 2007/03/05 01:18:09
but which moderator worked on it?
#1059 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2007/03/05 06:06:46
I'm sure he doesn't give a shit but it's the principle of the thing, damn it.
rofl.
UFO 2000
#1060 posted by bambuz [213.169.28.82] on 2007/03/07 15:45:42
I've been playing some games of it with pope.
It's easy to download and get going:
http://www.hut.fi/u/tmaja/configs/...
It's like the original x-com series but with multiplayer.
Fun and weird situations always ensue when playing. :)
Games For 7900
#1061 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/08 00:50:00
I bought an Nvidia 7900 GS a week ago (used to have a 6200 LE), what games would you recommend I try to make use of this card? Not looking for a specific genre, but I don't need recommendations for games like Prey/Serious Sam 2/WW2 FPS' cause they don't interest me. I have Doom 3 + exp. and Thief 3, and I'm about to try the demo for Riddick... uhh what else... here are the games I have:
http://www.phaitaccompli.com/games...
Phait
#1062 posted by Kinn [86.147.135.242] on 2007/03/08 01:05:18
Oblivion, jesus
To Add To That Initial Suggestion
#1063 posted by Kinn [86.147.135.242] on 2007/03/08 01:17:47
Oblivion is pretty playable on my 6800 Ultra @ 1280x1024, and I can even get away with some graphics options maxed, such as the grass distance and actor draw distance, which certainly helps with immersion. The rest of my rig is kinda beefy though so that helps I guess.
I'm still trying to work out what the best option for me is when it comes to graphics card upgrades, considering I'm on AGP. This cheeky chap seems to be in the lead at the moment:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/show...
But really I haven't got a fucking clue when it comes to computer insides and wires and stuff
Kinn
#1064 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/08 01:28:37
Maybe... although I admire Morrowind (and hell Daggerfall), Morrowind started to get boring even as I progressed on the main quest and got towards the end (or what I assume was near the end).
Penumbra : Overture Episode 1 Demo
#1065 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.171] on 2007/03/08 01:36:40
(Not to be confused with the Penumbra tech demo/gameplay demo released last year)
Holy shit!
This game just gets under your skin totally, the atmosphere is so intense and downright creepy. I think its the 1st FPS where I can say I have been truly "scared to play" ...
This demo is so much more polished than than the demo last year, the graphics are way better with some really great effects usage that is used to make the atmosphere better, rather than keep up with the current trend of HDR, dynamic lighting shizznit.
And at a measly 125mb, you are an idiot not to try it...
http://www.gamershell.com/download...
Daz
#1066 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/08 10:05:43
And there I was about to say "Hasn't there already been a Penumbra demo?".
Cheers for the recommendation. 125 meg, my got it's like 2002 all over again.
Phait: Get Gothic 3 you mofo.
Not That You Need A Super Rig For It
#1067 posted by nitin [124.191.216.47] on 2007/03/08 10:28:38
but Enclave looks mighty nice in high resolution and everyhting maxed.
#1068 posted by negke [82.83.39.31] on 2007/03/08 10:38:20
ah yes, gothic 3. still haven't been able to finish the game, even with cheating.
so shambler, just a word of caution: if you ever intend to free a town, make sure to get your business with the town's leader done beforehand (especially concerning zuben and rhobar), because if you haven't already killed him, once everybody starts fleeing, the only way to get to him (and his items) is by spawning them from the console. and this is prone to create further problems for completing the quests.
Phait
#1069 posted by Kinn [86.128.225.218] on 2007/03/08 12:01:17
Oblivion is a completely different animal to Morrowind. I played Morrowind and it bored the hell out of me. Sure, I appreciated its scope and depth, but I just found the "fun" part pretty thin on the ground. I shelved it after ~20 hours and regretted spending that long on it really. You spend most of your time in Morrowind walking across a barren lifeless heightmap, usually lost.
Oblivion is the opposite. Seriously, play it - I've already clocked up ~300 hours (between 2 characters) and I'm still playing it.
Heh
#1070 posted by Kinn [86.128.225.218] on 2007/03/08 22:49:33
all this talk of RPGs finally prompted me to resurrect my old Guild Wars account this evening.
I've started a new character though because I've totally forgotten everything.
Is anyone here still playing Guild Wars?
#1071 posted by pope [154.20.171.226] on 2007/03/09 01:47:24
ufo2000
seriously
Phait's Post Reminded Me
#1072 posted by starbuck [82.32.140.205] on 2007/03/09 01:52:44
Serious Sam 2, what a load of balls. Got it free with my 7900, not worth putting in the drive really. I know it's just supposed to be fun, arcadey, cartoony, etc, but it just feels really amateurish and unsatisfying, it's a total mish-mash of styles. The cut-scenes attempt to be funny all the time too and they're absolutely cringeworthy. Maybe it gets better later on in the game but I'm sure as hell not gonna find out. I remember the original being better though... but you might as well play Painkiller or something, which was a good time until the worst end boss ever.
FEAR
#1073 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/09 04:00:53
Yeah Starbuck I agree, SS series is just too silly for me - Duke was enough. And very disjointed feel to it.
Anywho I bought FEAR. While it's definitely not my top pick when I wanted a new FPS I figured for $14 I may as well give it a shot. I guess the biggest problem I've read is the office/dilapidated environment is never escaped from and can be monotonous -- which does bug me, but I'll play through it and see if it's a keeper.
I do like the melee kicks.
Also
#1074 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/09 04:02:02
I'm very interested in Test Drive Unlimited but it won't be out for PC until March 20th. I may have to have my friend rent it for 360 so I can at least get an idea of what it's like. I saw videos and it looks great, my only concern is I'd want some solid handling/control - ala GTR 2, or even a notch or 2 below like Flatout - but nothing too sloppy.
Shivering Isles Trailer
#1075 posted by Kinn [86.136.157.163] on 2007/03/09 15:45:02
If you're as ghey for Oblivion as I am, you'll probably be interested to see the official Shivering Isles trailer that's just been released:
http://elderscrolls.com/downloads/...
I still can't get over how many new monsters they're adding in this expansion. I can't wait to kill all of those things with my sword, Sloochy :)
Kinn
#1076 posted by Jago [88.192.74.20] on 2007/03/10 12:02:03
No, everyone is playing WOW.
Bridge Building Game
#1077 posted by bambuz [213.169.28.214] on 2007/03/10 13:01:27
This here is perhaps something that could interest mappers. It's basically a puzzle game where you have to build bridges above water. You are given start hardpoints and the cost limit. Then you just place girders.
It's very fascinating and addictive, there are lots of ways you can accomplish your goals.
The game is free, you can download it at:
http://www.crypticsea.com/
When you first start playing, your bridges will always break up and fall down, it's fun to watch the physics in action.. But pretty soon you learn to make steel bridges that resemble real ones, with triangular shapes and crosses, to hold them stiff.
(There have been other more complex bridge building games by the same guys, Chronic Logic, but I think this refines the essence without extra stuff.)
I'm at level 9 in the "new" series.
Sigh
#1078 posted by inertia [24.164.73.173] on 2007/03/10 19:36:05
windows only
u giraffes
Wow Inertia
#1079 posted by Lunaran [70.226.135.230] on 2007/03/10 20:02:22
you're so underground
here, this might help
http://www.google.com/search?q=win...
Lun
#1080 posted by inertia [24.164.73.173] on 2007/03/10 20:03:49
lollerskaters on a halfpipe of doom!
i dont run linux on the desktop much, and my puters arent fast enough, u know that!
You
#1081 posted by . [69.217.55.2] on 2007/03/10 21:03:30
Y+O+U = "You".
Thanks,
The Management
Quiet U
#1082 posted by czg [83.253.253.215] on 2007/03/10 21:34:27
inertia: you are sucking
Bambuz
#1083 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/03/13 00:13:36
http://www.chroniclogic.com/
More recent (and less free) Bridge Building games.
www.armadillorun.com
An Incredible Machine like physics puzzle game (I bought this one, it's pretty good).
http://www.experimentalgameplay.co...
A wobbly tower building game.
There must be lots more of this type of game.
Yeah Rock
#1084 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/13 12:07:54
www.experimentalgameplay.com
HL2SP: (SMOD) CSS SCI-FI
#1085 posted by negke [82.83.37.29] on 2007/03/15 23:27:58
just spotted this today at tenfour:
http://www.amphibian.myzen.co.uk/c...
http://accept.hopto.org/smod/phpbb...
scripts that let you play the counterstrike source maps in sp with improved (more realistic) gameplay than hl2's. it's possible to adjust physics and graphics for improved realism, and because of SMOD (which is required) it's not as blatantly easy as hl2.
i was fairly surprised how nice the rebuilt cs maps look.
loading times are quite long but playing the maps (objectives: rescuing hostages or killing a certain number of combine, sometimes including reinforcements) was pretty fun.
Uh
#1086 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2007/03/16 03:04:13
improved (more realistic) gameplay
Are these your words, or a quote?
Umm Than
#1087 posted by bambuz [213.169.3.172] on 2007/03/17 15:08:54
Yes, I've played the other bridge building games like I said, but I think the free one is the best as there's less fooling around.
You know. It's as if tetris 2 had three dimensions, well it isn't doing it any better, just adds more hassle.
That's why the crypticsea one was good.
Bam
#1088 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/03/17 17:17:59
ok, I wasn't criticising you, I was just pointing out the other games :)
Sorry
#1089 posted by bambuz [213.169.27.179] on 2007/03/19 01:04:37
I realized after writing what kind of cock I sounded like but had to go somewhere so couldn't write an instant retonement.
So
#1090 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/22 09:26:54
so who is NOT playing stalker (exceptWoW junkies ) :)
Errrr?
#1091 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/22 12:32:44
What Stalker?
Not Me
#1092 posted by than [221.244.26.90] on 2007/03/22 12:47:29
don't think it's out in Japan yet, and I've no idea about the release date. I might order it from the US...
whatever, I WILL be playing it soon :)
Yay! Stalker!
#1093 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2007/03/22 16:44:28
I've been having a lot of fun with it. The game kicks ass, despite some minor warts, and is really pretty. And it's tough.
Holy shit is it tough, especially early-on.
Stalker
#1094 posted by DaZ [80.41.132.199] on 2007/03/22 16:51:04
DAMN YOU ALL!
My order has been posted but it didnt arrive today :( Really cant wait to get my hands on it.
All the reviews I read gave it an 8/8.5 ranking and said when its had a few patches etc they would give it a 9 or higher, thats great news indeed!
Im actually kinda glad its harder than most games where you can breeze through without any trouble, as long as its not unfair in doing so...
Fingers crossed I will get it tomorrow!
and ps - WoW can wait, Ive been waiting for this game for too long :D
Using My Powers Of Deduction...
#1095 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/22 18:19:31
...I guess it's out now??
Sherlock Shambler ;).
It's Out Tomorrow
#1096 posted by czg [83.253.253.215] on 2007/03/22 19:46:50
And that is why everyone who are playing it now are pure fucking evil pirate warez whores
^^
#1097 posted by DaZ [80.41.132.199] on 2007/03/22 20:03:26
PWND
Heh
#1098 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/22 20:26:43
gamespot has it listed as march 20 as the release date, so technically, it's been out for 2 days now...
in any case, i'm really looking forward to picking this up. been waiting for this game for.. well, ages... and it still looks as amazing as it did back then. i really hope it lives up to at least 1/2 the hype about a-life and all that.
Stalker
#1099 posted by Kinn [86.149.125.250] on 2007/03/22 20:31:07
Shambler will hate it with every fibre of his being.
That is all.
Oh Do Tell...
#1100 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/22 22:11:32
It can join the queue behind 80 more hours of Gothic 3, and Guild Wars, and Thief 3, and Vampire the Assquerade, and Dark Messiah which I haven't even bought yet. I haven't play any games for over a month.
P.S. Let me guess, head bob that makes Alton Towers look like sitting in a library??
Stalkerrr
#1101 posted by Blitz [63.97.37.210] on 2007/03/22 23:08:49
I'll probably pick it up now that everyone has been so enthusiastic about it. Looks like a fun game :) I just hope it runs on a 9800
Czg:
#1102 posted by tron [121.45.211.34] on 2007/03/22 23:45:03
It was in stores in Australia on either Tuesday or Wednesday this week, I haven't got a copy yet but I have seen the legitimate copies that some of my workmates bought. :)
Shut Up Shut Up Shut Up
#1103 posted by DaZ [80.41.132.199] on 2007/03/23 00:20:38
9 hours and it will be mine...
:D
Mine's Legit. Eat Me.
#1104 posted by pjw [71.90.27.94] on 2007/03/23 01:56:34
Tip: * and / on the keypad act as a time lapse/acceleration thingie. The only real use for it (that I've found) is to get to morning more quickly, if you don't want to screw around in the middle of the night and get killed. It also makes you hungry quicker.
Also, it's not quite as hard now as earlier--I've gotten a few better weapons, but you still need to keep on your toes...
Beware--some of the jobs are time-based, so don't be a dumb shit like me and take about ten of them without paying attention, and then fail half of them the next day.
Stalker
#1105 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/03/23 08:41:35
what, I thought this was an FPS ? sounds like an RPG from pjw's description.
And if I should know this but have been living under a rock, sorry.
#1106 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/23 11:17:53
Its fps that plays more like RPG
And its must have. (And Im the game-hater :))
It runs on 3 year-old PCs at lower render (w/o normals and bloom)
all the goathics and MoMs and stuff pail in compraison
#1107 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/23 11:19:09
runs good on 3 year-old PCs
Speeds.
#1108 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/23 12:28:22
Another immaculate review ;).
I still want to know why I'll hate it. No quick-saving? Lots of "defend the suicidal NPC" missions?
Well For One
#1109 posted by DaZ [80.41.132.199] on 2007/03/23 13:15:50
it has realistic weapons =)
#1110 posted by Vigil [91.152.72.143] on 2007/03/23 13:30:40
gamespot has it listed as march 20 as the release date, so technically, it's been out for 2 days now...
Pelit says March 23rd, which means that GameSpot is wrong. Again. And I just wanted to second czg's sentiments. You're all cocksucking warez whores.
#1111 posted by Kinn [195.92.144.188] on 2007/03/23 14:35:20
shambler: the counterstrike-feel to the combat with its weapon randomness/innacuracy, coupled with frequent gun jamming may be less than acceptable to some people. I dunno, maybe you'll like it.
PS: did you say you might be getting back into guild wars?
Stalker
#1112 posted by megaman [84.63.49.92] on 2007/03/23 16:58:53
feels like it's a great game, but somehow it doesn't 'grab' me :/
Stalker.
#1113 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/26 08:04:21
wow.
so far, amazing. some minor gamplay problems, but not game stopping bugs yet, thank god.
movement is pretty responsive. a little slow for my tastes, but i can understand why the speed was chosen, as there is a large focus on realism.
random gameplay and Alife stuff is there. maybe not as apparent as i thought it'd be, but you can definatly see it.
randomness is sometimes a little too random... for example, at one point, i was called to help a bunch of guys fend off an outpost from a wave of mutant boars... except that by the time i actually got to the site, i just had enough time to see the guys engage the boars and kill them all themselves in about 5 seconds. there was absolutely no way i could have gotten there in time since i ran straight to the area the minute i got the notification.
the maps are simply amazing. every single area looks great. i *love* all the run down machinery and busted buildings... it feels amazing to be exploring those areas.
atmosphere is good, but it really shines in the underground maps. i just got to this one tunnel complex with shades of that mansion level in vampire masquerade: bloodlines. it's just plain freaky. in fact, i had to stop playing for a while, because my heart felt like it was going to explode. :P
combat AI feels good so far. i feel they are not aggressive enough though. when they have a numerical advantage, i would expect them to press forward and charge me down to try to overwhelm me. instead, they tend to hang back, and we get into long (sometimes drawn out) plinking matches, where i'll slowing take each dude out one at a time. they are smart enough to stay spread out most of the time and to try to flank you. on the other hand, i'm only playing in normal skill ('stalker' skill level), so maybe they are much more evil in the higher levels.
the timelimit thing on missions is sometimes annoying. i've had a few times where i've completed a few missions, but couldn't get back in time to turn them in and get credit, with the result that i did all the work for nothing...
i'm not against time limits for a mission, but i think that once you complete one, you should be able to radio in and either get an extension on the time limit or plain drop the time limit altogether.
anyway, just my thoughts for now... definatly check it out if you have the means. it's a lot of fun. like a more goal oriented Oblivion with guns and a post-apocalyptic feel ^_^
Good Review.
#1114 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/26 11:48:01
Please post more comments ppl, I'm finding this interesting.
Hmm...
#1115 posted by Bal [83.204.195.67] on 2007/03/26 13:37:56
Well, well I just finished it, got a really shitty ending though, but that's probably because as soon as the occasion arose, I just ran through to the end (I was getting a bit bored...).
It's an interesting game I guess, but I can't help feeling a bit dissapointing (mind you, I'll still go back and try to get better endings).
There are plenty of bugs of course, and some things that are just annoying. the weight system just annoyed me, if you want to carry around more than 2 guns you're gonna have to be continually throwing stuff out of your inventory... The running to get to places and back gets boring, but the world honestly isn't large enough to have vehicles, so I understand why they didn't keep them in. I still think there's no real incentive to do the side jobs after a while, as money is useless and the rewards were rarely worth it, they are just an excuse to explore really, which is fine I guess...
The premise is good, and the cutscenes are stylish, but I truely think they could have gone further with that basis... The anomalies are pretty uninspired, as are the baddies... I really wish they would have put more work into this, I was expecting some stuff like the "Beyond" episode of animatrix maybe, or the weirdness in "Nova Swing" if anyone's read that book. I mean, there's no reason for radiation to do half the stuff it does in the game, so I don't understand why they didn't make it do even stranger stuff.
Ok that's alot of negative, it's still a good game I think, just can't help feeling like it could have been so much more.
Weight System
#1116 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/26 19:02:15
i think the real problem here is that other stuff besides guns weigh too much.
i too agree with bal in that the weight system is very limiting.
things like food and ammo take up a lot of your available weight. you are allowed to carry up to 50kg worth of stuff, and guns only account for i think 3 to 6kg. the rest is your bandages, FA kits, foods (some are 0.5kg per food), artifacts you find and all your ammo.
it's just feasible to carry around 2 rifles with enough ammo for both of them. and sometimes you have to do just that. not all bad guys carry the same ammunition, so sometimes, you'll run out of whatever you're using and have to switch over to what the badguys are using. but you'll often find a better than average gun with, for example, faster than average fire rate, which you'll want to keep (also, i don't know if you can remove scopes or not, i never checked if you can do that, but there's another good reason to keep a gun).
in the end, i'm almost always over burdened and can't sprint much because of it.
the running to places and back doesn't bother me much. maybe because i got used to that kind of thing playing WoW, but mostly because you always find something new. it's always fun just to walk out into the zone and see the sights.
also, doing side jobs gives you a better rep, and you can work your way up the ranking system. i'm still ranked very low, but i eventually want to get up near the top 20, so i'm doing a lot of the side missions. :P
...
#1117 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/26 19:03:35
it's just not feasible to carry around 2 rifles
I Agree With Bal Here
#1118 posted by czg [83.253.253.215] on 2007/03/26 19:05:15
But I haven't finished it yet. Probably won't until I figure out how to turn on godmode either...
#1119 posted by Kinn [86.128.235.71] on 2007/03/26 20:52:00
#1113 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/26 08:04:21
"like a more goal oriented Oblivion"
#1115 posted by Bal [83.204.195.67] on 2007/03/26 13:37:56
"well I just finished it"
see what I did there ^_~
I Guess You Changed Some Date Or Something Possibly In An Attempt To C
#1120 posted by czg [83.253.253.215] on 2007/03/26 21:00:46
all the game short but whatever Kinsky
I Didn't Change Any Dates Lol
#1121 posted by Kinn [86.128.235.71] on 2007/03/26 21:19:24
Kinn
#1122 posted by negke [82.83.49.192] on 2007/03/26 22:35:25
not everybody spent half a lifetime on oblivion.
more remarkable than the date of Bal's post is its time... :o
btw. started playing the game two hours ago. sucks having mouse1 assigned to +forward (concerning pda, inv, etc)
Ouch
#1123 posted by HeadThump [4.136.249.186] on 2007/03/26 23:20:16
sucks having mouse1 assigned to +forward (concerning pda, inv, etc)
That takes one back to the days of Ultima Underworld when configurations were sub-ergonomicaly inclined. Can you not rebind it?
I Could Get Used To The Standard Fps Config Of Course
#1124 posted by negke [82.83.49.192] on 2007/03/26 23:42:13
but who would do this after ten years of successful use? the developers are to blame for not locking the movement keys in pda mode.
Holy Shit.
#1125 posted by pjw [71.90.27.94] on 2007/03/27 02:57:17
You mean there's actually someone else in the world who uses mouse1 for forward!?!
Sup, mouse1 buddy? Do you also use mouse2 for back?
And yeah, not locking movement during menu stuff is goofy and annoying at times. :(
Mouse 1 All The Way.
#1126 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.30] on 2007/03/27 10:25:15
Brethren, unite!
Stalker Patch Is Out
#1127 posted by Spirit [213.39.214.185] on 2007/03/27 10:40:28
http://www.worthplaying.com/articl...
No, savegames don't work.
#1128 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/03/27 12:22:59
I`v made stalker thread, so you can talk about 'other games' here :)
Heh
#1129 posted by negke [82.83.46.233] on 2007/03/27 12:48:16
so i'm not alone, eh? mouse2 is attack btw.
strangely enough, i only use this config in fps games, all 3rd person games go with wasd or cursors.
yay for the patch. good thing i'm not very far into the game yet.
Mouse Buttons
#1130 posted by Ankh [192.100.130.7] on 2007/03/27 15:28:57
I'm also using mouse1 for walking and mouse2 for attack. I was thinking this is a standard setup everyone else was using. Mouse3 is a quick grenade bind with return to the previously used weapon.
#1131 posted by ijed [190.82.49.6] on 2007/03/27 18:50:24
Mouse1 attack, mouse2 jump, mouse3 secondary fire, wheel for weapons and arrows for movement. Map quick weapons to numpad along with reload / scope / activate etc.
Should really change to wasd.
Hrm...
#1132 posted by necros [74.111.254.57] on 2007/03/27 21:13:26
so now i'm stuck... do i continue onward without updating (i haven't seen a single bug yet) and risk having to update later on when i'm even furthur in the game, or just update now and restart... >_<
Ankh
#1133 posted by Vigil [91.152.72.143] on 2007/03/28 00:10:22
I'm also using mouse1 for walking and mouse2 for attack. I was thinking this is a standard setup everyone else was using. Mouse3 is a quick grenade bind with return to the previously used weapon.
You might have already figured out that it's not standard just by looking at what the default config in most FPS games these days is. WASD movement, space jumps, mouse1 shoots.
I also have to change it around in every game.
Ok
#1134 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/02 11:13:33
so 3 years late or whatever, finally finished Unreal 2.
Thoughts remain exactly the same as before, killer level design, dodgy but not unplayable gameplay that could be improved dramatically if only sped up a bit.
Special mention to those last few Alien inspired levels, fucking brilliant I thought.
The Main Problem Being.
#1135 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.160] on 2007/04/05 22:51:23
It's not Unreal 2...
And it's not anything approaching the glory of the original Unreal.
Shambler
#1136 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/06 02:18:28
agree, it's almost as distinct as quake and quake2. But honestly, it didnt bother me. Maybe, it's beacuse I already knew what to expect given how late I played it, but after the first few levels I just played it as another game rather than as a sequel to Unreal.
#1137 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/04/06 09:45:02
I still believe U2 failed largely cause it was nearly unplayable and the load times were very long on the average gaming PC of that time.
Some nice environment design and art there, puts stuff like Halo 1\2 to a shame. Gameplay is a mixed bag...
I havent finished U2 btw... maybe I should install it back, I might have the old saves ;)
Speedy
#1138 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/06 09:50:14
the last few levels look great, it's worth checking out.
and yes, rorshach's work on it is excellent too.
Resistance: Fall Of Man
#1139 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2007/04/07 18:46:12
It's obviously a PS3 game,a nd I don't know if it is already, or planened to be, ported onto PC... but it is worth seeing !
http://www.resistancefallofman.com...
JPL
#1140 posted by Kinn [86.139.71.71] on 2007/04/10 07:32:29
yeah it's nothing special; just a mishmash of ideas cobbled together from some of the more popular genre FPS's currently doing the rounds. WWII versus aliens, essentially.
Kinn
#1141 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2007/04/10 08:27:17
Agreed on that point, nevertheless, I like the concept of mixing COD + Starship Tropper + Doom3 in order to develop the game. The ambiance of the website is quite cool as well... and if it reflects the game itself (I hope so much), it would be a good point in the decision to buy a PS3 IMHO... Anyway, I really liked what ?I saw there... that's why I posted.. :)
Sumotori
#1142 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/04/12 17:13:35
dunno how old this is, but I figure some of you must have seen it since it's so fucking cool.
http://web.t-online.hu/archee83/su...
hilarious.
Than: Haha
#1143 posted by bear [80.217.112.194] on 2007/04/13 12:19:59
these sumos are the best physical comedians I've seen! The movment is really great (and funny)
Bear
#1144 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/04/13 14:48:52
too true. The author has done a stunning job of making move like incredibly clumsy humans. It's pretty impressive when you consider that there is no animation and they are working out how to stand up on their own.
Try watching them as they try to get up to bow after a fight... they usually get up in the end, but not before falling out of the ring and crashing through the barriers at the side.
Fuck
#1145 posted by megaman [84.63.44.67] on 2007/04/13 15:02:32
that is nice. and i almost went to breakpoint - its about 50km from here - had to learn though. :/
Excellent
#1146 posted by ijed [190.82.49.132] on 2007/04/13 15:37:51
Everyone here loved it, I'm just wondering how long until someone gives the author some cash to make a selling version.
Haha
#1147 posted by Bal [83.204.153.106] on 2007/04/13 19:22:26
Great little game, it reminds me those robot combats they have in some tech schools, especially the way they get up.
Riddick
#1148 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/14 14:21:06
well I'm hooked, despite the flaws.
I think I've finished 3/4 of it in one long sitting. Good stuff.
.
#1149 posted by necros [74.113.113.108] on 2007/04/14 16:20:46
it's an excellent game. riddick is such a fun character to play :)
Question
#1150 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/15 02:13:05
is performance uniformally shit for everyone ?
this is the first game to actually bring my 7900gt to its knees. I had to turn off stencil shadowing (the shader 2.0++ option) and turn off model shadows to make it playable in combat scenes.
And AA doesnt really seem to work here even if you force it. I have 8x AA on but there's still aliasing and jaggies evrywhere.
#1151 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/04/16 10:05:28
than: not clumsy, drunk. They move exactly like seriously drunk people :)
megaman : can u code? lets make a demo :)
nitin: odd, I played it on rad 9600xt and fx5900
shader 2.0 all on 800x600 was fine, 1024 unsmooth, but still playable
(and the game refused to run on 7600 at all complaing its not OGL 1.2 so => trashbin )
you should get ~70fps average
http://www.ixbt.com/video/itogi-vi...
Goathic3
#1152 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/04/16 10:07:43
any tips how to make it not ugly-looking on the coast? maxing both detail distance settings doesnt help at all
Speedy
#1153 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/16 11:41:06
yeah I dont know, bit weird but it runs ok without the soft stencil shadows so its not too bad.
Speeds
#1154 posted by megaman [84.63.33.183] on 2007/04/16 15:02:25
yeah, getting into graphics programming, but a demo is a shitload of code :/
Ok
#1155 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/18 15:01:59
finished ridick.
very very good stuff with a few detracting flaws. I liked the engine, nice effects and even though AA doesnt work properly and it's a bit of a system hog with stencil shadows, it still looks quite good without those options. Levels look good, not brilliant like Unreal 2, but good. It helps that a very strong atmosphere is also there which definitely gives it a very distinct sense of place.
Combat I thought was brutal, I havent played FEAR yet but the fights against the guards here were quite thrilling quite a few times. And none were too frustrating. The movement, however, felt like shit.
I cant say I cared for the way they closed each chapter, with riddick getting caught and being placed in higher security each time. Fine the first time, annoying all the other times.
Secondly, there is non-linear and there is annoyingly nonlinear. I have to say, especially in the mine levels, it felt closer to the latter than the former although I guess I gathered my bearings quick enough.
Anyway, overall I was very satisfied with it.
#1156 posted by ijed [190.82.52.143] on 2007/04/18 15:30:14
Alot of the opinions I heard were the same - another game of flawed brilliance; I want to play it.
The thing about getting captured each time sounds interesting, kind of like Eternal Darkness where you know most of your characters will end up dead after the chapter.
Although there you kept some of the items and all of the spells - in Riddick you lose everything you collected each time?
Ijed
#1157 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/18 15:45:30
yep, you basically start a new chapter each time in a different higher security setting
Far Cry
#1158 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/21 07:43:58
nice stuff!
dont know how far in I am, but I love it.
Riddick
#1159 posted by bear [80.217.113.98] on 2007/04/21 16:42:43
is a fine example of a game where the overall experience is higher than the sum of the parts. It's not a great shooter, it's not a great stealth game, it's not a great melee fight game but it is a great game.
Pikmin 2
#1160 posted by R.P.G. [75.183.9.100] on 2007/04/22 04:48:38
I spent about 3 hours playing a 2p battle with a friend yesterday. I had only played the game for about 6 hours in single player, so I still haven't mastered the game. Anyway, it was great fun. Some of the maps were too small, but the cuteness of the Pikmin always shown through. It's like a cross between Katamari Damacy, Lemmings, and Warcraft.
It was my friend's first time playing but he kicked my ass in in 12 out of 22 rounds. :/
I Thought
#1161 posted by megaman [84.63.90.65] on 2007/04/23 03:27:06
rpg spelled pakman wrong
Games.
#1162 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.23] on 2007/04/23 12:53:14
Bear that is well put about Riddick. I'm not sure I found it quite "great" but it is very good in the way you mention. It's a solid, well done, one-off gaming experience.
Far Cry is awesome (with the quicksave command added). Not much more to say than that. It gets better and better generally.
It's Ok, Megaman
#1163 posted by R.P.G. [75.183.9.100] on 2007/04/23 14:44:44
I think you spelled Pacman wrong. ;)
Lul
#1164 posted by megaman [84.63.35.77] on 2007/04/25 04:11:45
i seriously thought it was written like that :/
Far Cry
#1165 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/25 04:48:51
finished it.
Awesome game, the engine and levels are brilliant. Outdoors are obviously the star attrations but indoor ones looked good too, although you could see that the designers threw in every effect they could to make up for the lack of detail possible in indoor levels.
Still, it looked stunning and ran pretty well on my setup, some killer views of stuff in some areas. But it's the same open endedness of the levels that lets you go pretty much anywhere that makes the gameplay so varied and interestng. The AI is ok, and the fights are nothing special but the sheer amount of variety afforded makes it very fresh.
I died many times but I was only frustrated on a handful of occasions which is saying a lot for a game with mainly hitscan weapons. The story and cutscenes were crap, but they didnt come into the way too much.
Far Cry
#1166 posted by scar3crow [216.145.71.254] on 2007/04/25 10:05:00
I stopped playing right around the introduction of the TriGens or whatever they were called, the hammy NotFunCheesyButJustPoorlyDone introduction of them, and the attempts to scare me with having boots being dropped from ventilation shafts in the ceiling... I mostly just felt insulted at such attempts.
The game, as I experienced it at that point, wouldve been significantly more difficult if the ai sought cover from sniper fire (gone into buildings, ran behind a rock). You could kill off an entire map laying prone and looking down the iron sights of your machine gun - with each enemy dropping in plain sight of one another.
It had some cool moments (lead shotting a helicopter with the rl, only to have it tilt to the side and three guys fall out to their deaths) and some nice detail, but ultimately just didnt do a whole lot for me. I noticed this when I had to take a break from it for schoolwork, and didnt find myself wanting to get back into it, a day later, or two weeks later - when I ultimately convinced myself to do so, shortly before finally uninstalling it because I preferred having the hard drive space than the game available at any given moment.
I'll give it a go another time, or just wait for Crysis - though what I've read of that... I dont care how cool you make it sound Mr Developer, you just tried to sell me a game on a renamed Endurance bar.
Far Cry.
#1167 posted by Shambler [82.38.192.23] on 2007/04/25 10:12:35
Nitin's views >> scarecrow's views
;)
Trigens
#1168 posted by nitin [60.224.123.3] on 2007/04/25 10:20:46
that reminds me, I hated those little common ones as much as those fat semi-electronic things in rtcw. They did way too much damage and had a long reach in their melee attacks.
There Are No Right Opinions.
#1169 posted by inertia [134.53.176.37] on 2007/04/25 10:20:58
Only wrong opinions.
Agree
#1170 posted by necros [206.186.24.146] on 2007/04/25 14:20:07
the common trigens are overpowered for the amounts that they appear in the maps.
and i much preferred the outdoor areas to the indoor ones. one of the later maps where you start off on the rubber raft and have to blow up some towers was a really cool and fun one.
Farcry
#1171 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/04/25 16:42:55
basically, all the missions where you are free to roam around in vehicles taking out marines are awesome, and all the missions where you fight mutants are so-so.
At least that's how I remember it.
There were a couple of fucking annoying levels near the end, but overall it was a fantastic game and is a good reason why you should all be excited about Crysis.
Opu
#1172 posted by koi [81.165.6.203] on 2007/04/25 21:05:02
kjhggfd
&é"'
#1173 posted by kjfyf [81.165.6.203] on 2007/04/25 21:06:44
nhhfhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... nfjhv jdjdjdjdujdhjrjhjjjjf,jfngjf,vujgu...
Aattri
#1174 posted by melvin [81.165.6.203] on 2007/04/25 21:09:25
mop
Jade Empire
#1175 posted by gone [87.249.61.2] on 2007/04/27 15:31:06
So Im playing this... hardly an RPG
feels more like adventure + simplistic beat`em`up. Neither is exciting. But its got nice unique style overall, I hope it gets better.
( pics http://jade.bioware.com/specialedi... )
Old Fallout 3 Techdemo
#1176 posted by Spirit [84.143.17.193] on 2007/05/03 08:20:44
http://www.nma-fallout.com/article...
Hm
#1177 posted by megaman [84.63.37.237] on 2007/05/03 18:07:46
there's no dl link in their filebase page?
Hm
#1178 posted by megaman [84.63.37.237] on 2007/05/03 18:07:47
there's no dl link in their filebase page?
Colin McRae Rally 04
#1179 posted by megaman [84.63.52.119] on 2007/05/07 20:55:29
good racing game, but feels very consoly :/ which is a really really bad thing.
1) stupid minigames aka 'testing' that unlock stuff. Bah, really really hard compared to the racing and i don't really fucking care for this shit.
2) menus
3) Sometimes the copilot voice feels like it isn't accurate - often it's too long before the curve or almost into it, often DOESN'T tell you to 'Don't cut!', etc.
:/ with a bit of polish this could be SUCH a nice game, this way it's only nice.
God Of War II
#1180 posted by Vigil [91.152.72.143] on 2007/05/07 21:36:20
is awesome and you all suck for not playing it.
GoW2
#1181 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/05/08 00:59:35
you should send me a copy or get sony to release it in Japan NOW then.
Christ, it's not like I (and a bunch of my colleagues) don't want to play it.
God Of War II
#1182 posted by Vigil [91.152.72.143] on 2007/05/10 14:32:33
Are you kidding me? We already had to wait over a month after the US release, and it's still not out in Japan? There's something very wrong here if obscure Yurop with no real gaming market sees a release before Nihon.
Well, at least I can read the manual in what I guess tries to be Finnish.
#1183 posted by -_- [89.110.6.107] on 2007/05/19 02:08:17
http://indygamer.blogspot.com
pretty good site covering interesting small free/shareware games
if you like platformers/shootemups its worth checking
Girl
#1184 posted by toto [84.36.128.25] on 2007/05/20 01:14:54
Tomb Raider Anniversary
#1185 posted by czg [83.253.252.143] on 2007/06/04 00:58:09
Remake of the original game using the Legends engine.
Fucking huge, seamlessly loading levels, you can in theory walk from the end of the first "episode" back to the start of the game if you want to.
Very faithful remake of the general layout, puzzles, atmosphere and setpieces of the original, but all the actual gameplay is brand new.
They thankfully resisted putting in lots of new stupid combat, making this game is very atmospheric, it's just you in a cave and the howling wind. Maybe a bat or a wolf here and there.
The game is fucking HARD. Some of the jumping puzzles are just insane. In the last episode you have to pull off multiple crazy combos while on a time limit while being attacked by Atlantean creatures.
Usually I hate egyptian levels, but the egyptian episode in this one isn't half bad, though it gets a bit bland in places.
First game in a loong time where the bosses are awesome. All of them rely on the concept of enemies getting 'enraged' when you shoot at them. An enraged enemy will charge at you until melee range, at which point there is a slowdown effect and you have a split second to perform a dodge. If you pull off the dodge, you enter an even slower slowdown state, where you can aim and pull off a headshot on the enemy, which usually kills normal enemies. For bosses they will instead do something stupid to get themselves injured or vulnerable, which you have to act on quickly.
Best game I've played since Okami.
It's like 20 bucks on Steam. Cheap!
FALLOUT 3 TRAILER CONFIRMS:
#1186 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2007/06/05 20:20:45
BETHESDA IS IN FACT MAKING A FALLOUT TITLE
Free Online "Tactics"-style Game
#1187 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/06/07 22:59:40
http://www.thatvideogamesite.com/p...
#1188 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/08 15:04:42
That's pretty cool, could do with some more features but is nicely done.
#1189 posted by golden boy [89.27.252.99] on 2007/06/08 19:22:44
TR Anniversary is something I will probably get. The first TR game is superb.
Did they include the levels from TR Gold (Temple of the Cat, and Unfinished Business?)
Those were even better.
Tactics 100
#1190 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/08 20:17:56
Got as far as arrow storm then was slaughtered. 265 measly points :|
Re: TR Gold
#1191 posted by czg [83.253.252.143] on 2007/06/08 20:33:41
No, they didn't.
Other Games
#1192 posted by Mike Woodham [86.147.203.117] on 2007/06/16 11:50:45
Just finished Half Life 2: Episode One. Although this seemed more linear than I remember HL2 to have been, it was still an enjoyable couple of ours over several evenings play. And well worth the $9.95.
I'm looking for some other games to play. Is Dark Messiah a safe bet for my Radeon 9700? I like plain fps style without too much thinking and no spells or side missions.
I want something like Q1, Doom3, HL2.
I don't want to pay top whack so I wont play HL2: Episode 2 until the first price drop (2008?). It also cuts out any 'latest' release.
Any suggestions?
Dark Messiah
#1193 posted by Mike Woodham [86.147.203.117] on 2007/06/16 11:55:45
I've just read that it's Action-RPG with spells and stuff, so I guess it's not for me.
Mike
#1194 posted by nitin [58.161.99.58] on 2007/06/16 12:25:27
prey sounds good from what everyone else said.
Yep
#1195 posted by DaZ [80.41.154.86] on 2007/06/16 14:29:38
Prey is killer, although it does feature some thinking puzzles with the spiritwalking, but these are really cool and imaginative rather than dull filler puzzles. I would recommend it Mike.
#1196 posted by -_- [89.110.51.158] on 2007/06/16 15:11:42
Prey FTW definately.
did you play Q4? its a good shooter
try Alpha Prime (demo, pics http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/...
Prey
#1197 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/06/17 03:04:15
Q4 isn't really worth your time unless you must play every FPS. It's pretty bland and gets a bit tedious at times. The vehicle sections also suck, whilst the ship sections in Prey are pretty damn cool.
HL1
#1198 posted by inertia [24.164.73.173] on 2007/06/17 06:09:30
has a lot of high quality fan-made episodes, that you might like.
Q4
#1199 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.196] on 2007/06/17 10:21:16
I really liked it! It's a good game and well worth the time in my opinion. I played it three times now.
Q4
#1200 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/06/17 11:37:49
Is pretty cool. Good solid FPSer, apart from the crap vehicle parts. The team-mates and stuff give it a good vibe, and some of the updates to Q2 monsters are great - Gladiator railgun...
Sure it's simple but it does what's needed.
Prey is good too though. Probably better and definitely more creative.
Dark Messiah has a demo, it convinced me straight away. But I still haven't got around to buying it.
Far Cry is always recommended.
Prey Sounds Good
#1201 posted by starbuck [82.33.107.75] on 2007/06/17 11:48:21
I haven't played a lot of new FPS recently because very few games seem to hold my attention these days, but Prey sounds like exactly what you're after. It reeks of plain simple FPS and it's got no side missions or any fucking about, just extremely solid gameplay with some awesome new twists.
UFO2000 - Sneaky Beta Release
#1202 posted by pope [154.20.171.226] on 2007/06/17 12:03:26
Xcom. Many of you loved it back in the 90's.
Many of you still love it. well UFO2000 is xcom, minus the geoscape but with a real live opponent (either online or hotseat). If you haven't played this game, you do owe it to yourself. IGN even rated it number 1 game of all time. The soundtrack alone is killer.
if so far you're still interested - can get it here - http://ufo2000.sourceforge.net/
Bambuz and I for the past 2 or 3 months have been working semi diligently on our own map tiles to be used in the game. If anyone actually takes interest and would like to have a look, please do here.
http://www.jesselawrence.com/terra...
simply throw the 'terrain-burbs' folder into your ufo2000/extensions/ directory and it should be available (as long as both players have it, but you can take a look in hotseat to)
also we have a little irc channel on quaknet at #ufo2000 where mostly I sit and idle, but it would be cool if we managed to get a couple more players in the circle.
Ratmaze 2
#1203 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/06/17 23:40:21
http://www.pixeljam.com/ratmaze2/
Heh
#1204 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/18 15:18:34
Nicely 8-bit; nostalgic. The music was good, always just on th cusp of being irritating.
Seems strange there weren't any cats in the maze though.
Now Playing Max Payne 2
#1205 posted by nitin [58.161.96.50] on 2007/06/19 12:01:40
so far so good but could they get any boxier and could they possibly fit more crates into a level than ins ome of these maps?
on the plus side, the gameplay is still fun if repetitive and the texturing is very nice.
Still Playing?
#1206 posted by -_- [89.110.4.65] on 2007/06/19 23:56:04
Ist it the shortest 3d action game ever
Well
#1207 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/20 00:23:46
It's not bad, just not as good as the first one in terms of gameplay.
The physics and graphics are much more advanced though, making it a typical modern sequel.
Havent Played Since The First Go
#1208 posted by nitin [58.161.96.50] on 2007/06/20 11:13:56
but I have heard that shortness comment quie a lot.
Q4-
#1209 posted by steven_a [203.55.33.245] on 2007/06/21 02:47:18
Agreed with Shambler. The combat's interesting too. I'm playing it through for the second time. Raven make great games ;>
Favourite bit is when the you race across massive crossfire and then see the *absolutely huge* mothership take enemy out, pivot, and touchdown.. (the sound should have been better/deeper though).
ETQW Beta
#1210 posted by tron [121.45.201.24] on 2007/06/23 20:10:34
Is awesome.
That is all.
Finished It
#1211 posted by nitin [58.161.96.50] on 2007/06/24 03:57:53
decent game, but too linear, short and repetitive. The first one actually had more variety.
ETQW Beta...
#1212 posted by Bal [82.124.155.248] on 2007/06/24 11:40:59
Is enjoyable, but really doesn't feel like anything new.
Kind of a mix between BF and Wolf:ET I guess, I probably still prefer Wolf:ET (and still hate BF), but maybe once people learn to play better things will work out more.
Runs fine on my machine otherwise (Amd x2 4200, 2gb RAM, GF 7900GT), and haven't had any crashes or other problems, so looks fairly solid for a beta.
Yay
#1213 posted by nitin [58.161.96.50] on 2007/06/24 12:13:44
fairly close to my specs bal, better cpu notwithstanding.
so I look forward to it.
Bloxorz
#1214 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/06/26 08:08:12
This is cool, I haven't seen a puzzle quite like this before. It's like a lot of other sliding block maze type puzzles, but with an odd-shaped block that restricts how it can move. Reminds me a little bit of the "knight's-move" type puzzles, but it's a bit different even from that.
Bolloxorz
#1215 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/06/26 10:44:53
And the all-important URL: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/ga...
Gawd
#1216 posted by megaman [84.63.45.10] on 2007/06/26 14:59:21
i hate that game :>
for one, it has logical flaws: if you roll half-way over void, you fall, if you roll half-way over the hole, you don't sink in a bit. That's some extremely nicely fitting stones you got there.
then: how the fuck does that stone move? why does the magical power not enable him to just move without rotating?
lastly, the theme is so fucking boring. so boring. needs fun. It'd be kinda cool if pinkish and bluish care-bears ( http://www.myglitterromance.com/ca... http://www.edutainingkids.com/revi... )would jump around your stone and you had flower particles fly up on every move, or even just some dust flying up, or whatever, just NOT nothing at all.
The game itself mostly consist of memorizing patterns to move to different combinations of fields, doesn't it? either that, or you're the next genious who calculates all that in his head (in which case you'd be better off beating whoeveristopatm-chessmaster), or you just brute-force try to get there (better get some ROCKS and HIT SOMETHING!!!!! maybe birds!).
oh, and what's with the conecpt of the switches?!wth, just introduce concepts for them that aren't so similar, or go the hard way and think of somethingh better than '"soft" and "hard" switches, and then there's teleport switches, too'.
On the other hand, it'd probably be interesting to write an ai for this.
/rant
Very Cool
#1217 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/26 15:16:22
Again.
Neat concept, will keep playing.
Prefer to the previous two, although they weren't bad.
Nono
#1218 posted by bambuz [213.169.5.63] on 2007/06/26 18:45:54
no ai would be nice, it's completely calculatable (you can make the process faster by starting from end and start simultaneously as the narrow bridges reduce the problem nicely.)
The idea is just to have right amounts of sideways rolling of single squares at a time combined with cartwheeling the narrow bridges two squares at a time. Ie it's an integer fitting problem.
Somewhat fun at the beginning but quickly boring.
#1219 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/06/26 20:45:15
it's completely calculatable
Agreed. This is a maze, in the broad sense of the term, becuase you can create a graph of all possible states (there aren't that many) and connect the states to each other by legal moves. Then just find a route from the initial state to the goal state.
#1220 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/26 21:18:56
The fun in this case comes from the process of calculation.
Other Games.
#1221 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/06/26 22:48:23
Hi can someone either get whichever Amazon Marketplace slackers I ordered Dark Messiah off to deliver the damn thing, or do something to make English weather more like summer so I'm not so desperate to play games. Kthxbyewtf.
Hm
#1222 posted by ijed [200.73.76.170] on 2007/06/26 23:31:13
Check with sean connery about a weather control device.
Or bush for a nuke to threaten amazon with.
Fun
#1223 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/06/26 23:46:42
The fun in this case comes from the process of calculation.
Well, I don't know that the computer can be said to be having "fun" but it does give it a chance to use its CPU and memory cache and stuff.
If you're talking about what makes it fun for humans, the fun of a maze game like this is that the motion through the state-graph mostly corresponds to the motion through the physical space, so you can generally tell that you're progressing, but the individual steps required to progress are not always obvious, becuase sometimes the physical progress and state-graph progress are divergent. So the cases where you have to go farther from the goal to get closer to the solution require you to overcome your gut feeling and use your analytical capacity, which is fun for people who like puzzle games.
Also...
#1224 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/06/27 00:07:56
there is also the aspect that the solution to each maze involves re-using learned patterns which is a standard video game design concept. Players learn small techniques that they can combine to solve larger problems. If the route through the state graph didn't involve repeated use of a handful of simple techniques, it wouldn't be much fun. These techniques also need to correspond to recognizable patterns in the physical design of the maze, so that people can recognize them easily.
More...
#1225 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/06/27 02:39:47
This is actually a subject I've thought about a lot in the past. The idea of making a state graph for a maze game is an interesting one to me.
First, you can use the state graph to programatically prove that the maze you've created is solvable. One of the advantages of this is you could have the computer randomly generate a bunch of mazes, and guarantee that none of them are impossible.
Second, you could use properties of the graph to determine how "hard" or "easy" a maze is, or other properties. This can't replace the subjective human experience, but combined with your own experience, you could come up with some rules for what makes a maze hard/easy and fun/tedious. For example a graph could have many choices from each state, and a very short path to the goal, or very few choices at each state, and a very long path to the goal. Also, are all moves reversible, or are some moves one-way only? Are there any unwinable states that you can get into? Are there a lot of loops that lead back to previous states, or do most wrong moves lead to dead-ends?
One more thing to note about this game is that there is almost always a move from each state that kills you. These could instead have been illegal moves that you were prevented from doing, which would not change the complexity of the maze but would change the feel of the gameplay (removing the threat of pushing the button at the wrong time.) I think the choice to allow falling into the void is good, becuase it fits better with the loosely-physics-based theme of the puzzles (all rules except for the teleportation switch are based on gravity and the weight of the block.)
Making rulesets that roughly correspond to players' real-world experience is a good practice for games and makes them more accessible.
#1226 posted by ijed [201.222.201.187] on 2007/06/27 03:29:59
The next level would be to randomly generate a solvable maze and have the player design an NPC and threw it in there, then watch how it fares.
The CPU would handle all the avatar's 'thinking', throw in a few enemies and maybe the option to continually create NPC's as the first tries to solve the maze and you've got game.
What happens if two of the NPC's meet? Depends again on how the player created them.
That's a world away from the topic, but I can see it working, though maybe a bit too D&D for mainstream (who don't like tweaking curiosity vs. aggression stats, usually).
With enough variables it could work, but the concept would need nailing down so as not to go off on a tangent during production.
Got 'a' Game.
#1227 posted by ijed [201.222.201.187] on 2007/06/27 03:31:42
#1228 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/06/27 07:16:12
The next level would be to randomly generate a solvable maze and have the player design an NPC and threw it in there, then watch how it fares.
That's a cool idea, though i'm not sure that a maze is the best choice of environment. A more open environment with obstacles sort of spread around might be better.
Actually, it would be cool to see an RTS where you design your own units. I guess you'd have to design them before the battle started. In this type of game, I would make the cost of a unit based on the complexity of its ai program, so players would have an incentive to get the best results out of the simplest AIs.
This would also mean that even if you had a super-smart AI that could win the round for you (like he knows the exact route to the enemy base or something) he would be so expensive that you'd have to wait until rather late to build him, and you'd be vulernable in the meantime.
The Only
#1229 posted by bambuz [213.169.6.82] on 2007/06/27 13:00:23
game where you designed units was Master of Orion.
That was fun!
The AI designed spaceships too.
Of course, like with many games, there were somewhat clear optimal solutions. And when you have some experience playing the game, they become obvious and thus remove any decision making from the game and make it just boring. (Have I talked about the CIV3 settlers already?.)
That's a thing most game designers haven't realized - you have to keep the player making decisions that are not obvious. (At least in non-twitch games.)
And
#1230 posted by bambuz [213.169.6.82] on 2007/06/27 13:01:07
It's hard to make a game that is not random (rock, paper, scissors) and not obvious.
Chess is one - there is no one sure tactic to win.
#1231 posted by ijed [201.222.202.172] on 2007/06/27 14:02:06
That's why I said about having more than one NPC trying to get through the maze - maybe when they meet each other they could fight, get in each others way (forcing a different route) just ignore each other or try and help an injured comerade - all depending on how they'd been built.
This still might be boring - drop only one guy in there and he'd eventually finish.
But how about multiplayer - maybe four different people dropping thier creations into a maze.
Chess is rigidly structured, it's the other player with thier behavioural input (not least your own as well) that gives any one game randomness.
In this game idea that'd come from how many characters a player dropped into a maze and how they built them.
#1232 posted by -_- [91.122.91.159] on 2007/06/27 18:12:32
metlslime knows it all.
been playing Flatout2 with coworkers, great fun
Prince Of Persia Sands Of Time
#1233 posted by nitin [58.161.96.157] on 2007/06/30 14:10:50
nice. camera's a bit wonky but I really liek this. 19% in according to the save game.
"you Have To Keep The Player Making Decisions That Are Not Obvious."
#1234 posted by bear [80.217.113.98] on 2007/06/30 15:48:21
I think that's what bothers me with Picross DS, it's all about being methodical and you never really have to change strategy.
Sands Of Time
#1235 posted by ijed [201.222.205.40] on 2007/06/30 17:05:15
Is excellent. The sequels are pretty good as well.
Ijed
#1236 posted by nitin [58.161.96.157] on 2007/06/30 17:36:56
yeah have them too, along with like 15 other games I need to play :)
Sands Of Time...
#1237 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/06/30 20:42:51
Is one of my favorite games ever (so is the original PoP.) The puzzles, the level design, the artwork, the storytelling, writing, voice acting, are all excellent. The combat is the weakest part of it IMO, and even that is pretty good.
Never got either sequel because I heard so much about how they were "ruined" on internet forums. Maybe I should try them.
Wouldn't Say Ruined
#1238 posted by ijed [201.222.202.215] on 2007/07/01 00:15:28
But more gamey. But they kept the original play and expanded on where it lacked as well as occassionally spoiling stuff.
But the bosses in the second one were great and the fighting much more entertaining.
Ie. Made More Gamey
#1239 posted by ijed [201.222.202.215] on 2007/07/01 00:15:47
Yep
#1240 posted by nitin [58.161.96.157] on 2007/07/01 03:09:13
puzzles and level design are great, I originally thought the puzzles would shit me given the lack of saving but its implemented really well, and that rewind dagger thing works quite effectively.
combat is a fair bit of button mashing for me, but it does look cool.
So.
#1241 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/07/05 11:56:57
Got my Dark Messiah, played a bit, is good. Seems a bit harder than the demo or maybe I practised in the demo a bit more. Nice proper fantasy style. Not played much so far.
Been playing a bit more Guild Wars: Nightfall, well as in just started it, as a Dervish. Knowing my steez about GW I've monched on up to level 7 fairly quickly. Quite good but the general setting is not that rad - give me the Shiverpeaks anyday!! Absolutely loads of new options and tweaks which is kinda cool. I like the one that pops up saying "You have been playing for 3 hours. Please take a break". Well, I did.
That is all.
Finished
#1242 posted by nitin [58.161.98.6] on 2007/07/07 06:29:32
sands fo time. Defnitely a great game. Camera's bit wonky like I said and the fights get tedious. I think its because there's no combat progression, the first fights are so easy you never learn how to fight properly and then when you get to difficut ones, you have to learn a technique there.
envinments are fantastic.
Painkiller is next.
Nitin:
#1243 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/07/07 07:54:10
I think its because there's no combat progression, the first fights are so easy you never learn how to fight properly and then when you get to difficut ones, you have to learn a technique there.
Yep, that's a good description of what's wrong with the combat. I never stopped button mashing until like 90% into it, when you have to suddenly learn how to block every attack to survive.
Painkiller
#1244 posted by ijed [201.222.202.203] on 2007/07/07 16:27:43
Is great as well. The bosses are a bit stupid and random, and the expansion has some terrible map designs (forcing the player to know about bunny-hopping or giving no clue at all how to proceed). But its still great, some very nice artwork, combat and physics.
I considered switching from q1 mapping to Painkiller.
Hmm
#1245 posted by nitin [203.214.62.243] on 2007/07/08 03:12:17
so far, painkiller is the most 2d game i've played in some time (not counting the doom reinstall I did a few days back).
all the gihting is on eye level, wit hardly any 3d combat. Just 5 levels in. And yes, the two bosses so far have been totally random. The one you couldnt kill by firing had blood when yous hot him and the one you could kill by firing didnt show any damage.
Painkiller
#1246 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.144.26] on 2007/07/08 07:05:33
I gave up on that game after quite a few levels/bosses because it was just too damn repetitive and boring. The actual base combat is pretty fun (the weapons feel good to use and the enemy reactions are of course amusing), but the levels were just so damn unimaginative and plain that there was almost no game there.
Considering that the game has pretty decent combat/weapons and some interesting monster types that could potentially be used to good effect, its a real shame that all they bothered to do with the levels was basically this:
- Player enters box room (completely flat with no height variation)
- Doors close ahead of and behind player (that is, "hello, I am a generic gameplay device" doors that don't match the art of the level)
- Hordes of monsters spawn in waves and run directly at the player
- Player kills all monsters, doors open again
- Repeat x 89738924682638479287643972
The levels of course look nice (apart from the lack of 3d-ness in most areas). More so than any other popular game I've played, it seems quite obvious to me that they had a bunch of artists building the levels (possibly from game desginer sketches/notes... or not) rather than experienced level designers/builders.
Frib
#1247 posted by nitin [203.214.62.243] on 2007/07/08 09:49:38
so far agree 100% with what you say, although I also have a beef with the progression in some levels, but I'm not bored yet :)
That's True . . .
#1248 posted by ijed [201.222.205.150] on 2007/07/08 17:10:45
But there are some real gems inside there as well; the venice level, hell, some of the base sections and the colliseum from the expansion.
It is just horde combats, but the game never pretends to do anything else - as complex as it gets is the gold / silver cards management.
That's what I liked about it; you're dropped into the game right away.
Yeah.
#1249 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/07/08 22:47:38
Tend to agree with the above comments, but I did like Painkiller, the style and stuff made it worthwhile, and although I'm not a big horde fan, as that sort of stuff goes, it was fine.
Just Booted Up Hl2
#1250 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/16 12:55:54
for a quick runaround.
The texturing is phenomenal!!
Echochrome
#1251 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/07/16 14:21:48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcv...
some ps3 downloadable mindfuck...
There Is A Concept...
#1252 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/07/16 15:12:00
of the echochrome game lurking somewhere on the net that can be played with. I can't remember where it is, nor am I helpful enough to find it and post the link... but it's there :) I think there is a web version and also an exe somewhere.
Echochrome...
#1253 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/07/16 20:54:57
looks awesome. It's really nice (and sort of rare) to see people trying to come up with a distinctive visual style for a game, especially one that is appropriate to the distinctive gameplay.
Echocrome
#1254 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/07/17 01:45:14
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/16/...
Damn You Than!
#1255 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/07/17 03:25:56
I was just going to post a link about it! Actually I think I'll still post the dirct link to the page where you can download the interactive editor: http://tserve01.aid.design.kyushu-...
Damn You Guys
#1256 posted by Scampie [67.129.250.254] on 2007/07/17 17:39:18
didn't read here and see you posted it first :)
Wait...
#1257 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/07/17 21:07:15
a PS3 game in the PC games thread! I'm so confusedddd.
Videlectrix
#1258 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/07/18 09:43:20
http://www.videlectrix.com/videlec...
Play-in-your-browser versions of Videlectrix games.
I Do Wish This Could Get It's Old "other Games" Title Back
#1259 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/07/18 13:40:57
Since most of the discussion tends to be about general game design/mechanics rather than platform specific issues. It's much more interesting than "Recommend good PC games for Shambler".
Bear.
#1260 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/07/18 20:36:13
Way to miss the point. No need for bollox like that.
Bler!
#1261 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.253] on 2007/07/18 21:23:46
I recommend the games on http://nifflas.ni2.se/ (just in case you didn't play them yet).
Maybe It Was A Bit Harsh
#1262 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/07/18 21:29:48
But I didn't agree with the split back then and I still think that most of the material posted in both threads are of the nature that it would be more fruitful to have them in one place.
Well..
#1263 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/07/18 23:06:24
it does feel like a sort of artifical distinction to me. For example, nitin was playing a PC port of Sands of Time, whereas I played the xbox and gamecube versions, yet we had a conversation about it here.
Painkiller Bosses
#1264 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/21 08:24:32
suck. That is all.
Some Interesting Visual Stimulation
#1265 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.102] on 2007/07/21 09:54:45
and concepts in Painkiller, but I didn't care for the horde combat so much nor the boss encounters. It got boring.
Kinn and Necros do horde way much better.
Painkiller Bosses
#1266 posted by negke [82.82.173.2] on 2007/07/21 10:28:22
At least they were varied and always required a special technique/thinking to beat them.
Except
#1267 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/21 11:59:44
that you never have any idea what it is till you die a few times.
But
#1268 posted by Spirit [213.39.187.172] on 2007/07/21 12:15:17
That's how it works most of the time. Remember Quake? ;)
If there is enough of a chance to find out the way to proceed in an entertaining way I'd say all is well even if the player dies several times (if there is a quicksave function!).
Should Explain
#1269 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/21 13:00:03
some you can kill with weapons, others you have to work out some trick. but there's never any indication as to which ones are killable because you can nver see them get hurt.
Painkiller
#1270 posted by scar3crow [151.141.113.21] on 2007/07/21 17:52:04
Never any indication? Fire a few shots, see if the giant health bar for them at the top of your screen goes down... If not, obviously you need to do something different. The first boss is just a straight shooter, the second one takes a trick but its extremely obvious, the third is obvious in how he regenerates... the fourth? Well I wouldn't know, the game locked me out for some reason and though I liked it, I don't feel like replaying the first 3 episodes once again because of its insistence of a bad savegame.
I Remember
#1271 posted by ijed [201.222.204.39] on 2007/07/21 22:59:45
That the hammer boss was just plain stupid. Kill the stick its waving around before you can kill it. Dumb.
In the expansion it got really convoluted; the orphanage miniboss was unkillable until you realised you had to burn the sarchophagus. But not just an accidental blast - I'm still not sure if it was up to a certain amount or on all four sides.
Lucifer was crappy as well - I reckon everyone checked a readme there.
The bosses were inventive but a long way from intuitive.
scar3crow - the corrupt savegame thing hit everyone a few times - lots of bugs in the card system as well, although they could be used to your advantage.
Scarecrow
#1272 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/22 01:56:27
hmm, I never got a health bar. I just thought it was a 'feature' rather than a bug.
And talking about bugs, I lost count of the number of times the game crashed during the swamp boss level for me. Got through and havent had other problems yet.
Nitin
#1273 posted by ijed [201.222.204.39] on 2007/07/22 03:52:39
Keep extra saved games in the open slots.
Painkiller Bosses
#1274 posted by -_- [89.110.55.41] on 2007/07/23 00:01:50
Rock. Thats pretty much it.
I Agree.
#1275 posted by Shambler [82.38.196.180] on 2007/07/23 11:53:06
With nitin and ijed, of course.
Finished The Main Game
#1276 posted by nitin [203.214.73.32] on 2007/07/23 12:50:53
mixed feelings overall. Some of the levels were great and so were some of the design concepts (hell was a very good idea, the frozen nuclear stuff was brilliant), but overall I didnt really warm to it.
I know a lot of people liekd the tarot card and soul stuff but I didnt really care for it. And while the base monster designs were good, some variations on it apart from a different skin/model for different sections would have been welcome.
Also like frib said, too many levels felt cluttered and put together by artists rather than proper mappers.
As for the gameplay, I have nothing against horde combat, nor arena combat, but this was way too 2D for most the time. At least serious sam had a 3d element to most its arena combats (although the base weapon/monster design is better in this).
Still, going to play the expansion now.
Oh, one more thing, when you have such a D grade 'story', please dont have 5 minc cutscenes FFS.
The Expansion
#1277 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/07/23 15:16:49
Is better in some ways, much worse in many others; it breaks alot of golden rules of design, like making the player rely on trick jumping in one section of the colliseum (bunnyhopping).
The soul cards thing could have been alot better; it was a bit too rigid to be useful; I'dve preferred some more complexity there since you just end up finding a good card set and sticking to it.
It was a nice evolution over the standard powerup system, linked over levels and tied into the secrets, but it just didn't go far enough.
The game is very flat and I agree with the put together by artists thing - its becoming a very common industry standard now.
Seems like the team had some very good artists and programmers, but a lack of designers.
Id've preferred if the episodes were thematically linked as well, sometimes there were style changes that made the whole thing even more incoherant.
Left 4 Dead. "Braaaaaiiins!"
#1278 posted by cheshire [138.217.244.167] on 2007/07/24 15:48:28
I have no idea if this has been previously mentioned, but Left 4 Dead is clearly the best game that hasn't been released to be coming out ever.
Created by Turtle Rock and Valve it's a horror/survival FPS where you work within a team to get from point A to point B while avoiding hordes of zombies in a cityscape environment.
"Super Zombies" with different, special powers are controlled by other players and they also work hard to get you maimed by the relentless hordes of undead.
Perhaps the best feature is the use of what seems to be called "The Director". It changes the flow of every level, so you never quite know what to expect. One time you play the game and you may walk down a passage, open a door and enter an empty room. In the next game you play on that level you may go down that passage only to find it burst open before you reach it while you shoot wildly at the sudden zombie rush.
Either way I am a total fan of zombies, teamwork, first person shooters, survival and horror stories so this game represents - to me - the absolute peak of gaming.
If only those bastards would release it...
More info @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_...
I haven't been so excited about a release since Diablo 2. I remember the countdown to that game... agonizing!
Finished Battle Out Of Hell
#1279 posted by nitin [203.214.7.17] on 2007/07/29 11:15:56
ijed's right, amplifies both the good and bad parts.
Some of the levels are stunning, the dead city, colosseum, stony pit and leningrad. others not so good, although the first one is nicely demented and disturbing.
Worth a play though if you dont get bored of the main game.
Bioshock Bleh
#1280 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.112] on 2007/08/02 16:06:27
I found this on another site but couldn't find the source:
2K games PR representative for the the eagerly awaited title "Bioshock", Susan Keele revealed this to GameSpot eariler today;
"It's safe to say we are around 50 steps ahead of those looking to play Bioshock on their own systems without purchasing the game. Active internet connections and retail discs are mandatory for Bioshock to run on an individual's system. On disc insertion for the first time, the user will be prompted to connect to the Internet if not already connected. Several updates will be installed during the game installation and once the game is installed, digital IDs of the user's hardware such as RAM, CD drives and processors (in no particular order, and not necessarily all three hardware types) will be tied to a game-specific sector in the operating system. This sector is completely invisible to users and cannot be found, nor duplicated in any way what so ever.
On attempting to run the game, another game-specific sector available only on retail discs of the game will look to locate the digital IDs stored securely on the system - this will be digitally checked and signed by 2K again and is the only way to launch the game. The game-disc sector is just as secure as it's counterpart on the operating system, and cannot be copied in any way shape or form, as we have introduced a"security scramble" code system should any attempted copying of game discs take place. Durng gameplay, updates will relay from our servers to the individual and hardware digital ID verification locks will be checked, and changed, then digitally signed by 2K again, with this check and change occuring frequently.
We been working closely with IBM since August of last year, and Microsoft even further back to develop these new security measures. We are sending a message to stomp out piracy and we hear those who say our protection program will have been a wasted invesment but we will continuously strive to protect the interlectual property created by ourselves and our partners in any way deemed appropriate. I can also confirm any Games for Windows released after Bioshock will employ the same security measures.
In essence; no official disc, no play. We wish you all a happy, pleasant and exiciting gaming experience."
Fuckers
#1281 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/02 17:19:36
Sounds like thier stalinist "interlectual" protection systems will at the very least cause problems for anyone doing so much as wanting to upgrade thier RAM.
I want to buy and play Bioshock, but I have a below par connection with scant chance of being able to upgrade it. I had alot of trouble connecting to Steam and eventually gave HL2 away as a gift (after completion) because staring at multiple connection failed screens over anything from five to fifty minutes was shit, no matter how good the game itself was. I do know there's a hacky method to enable offline play by default for that - but why should I have to bother? I bought a product to enjoy it, not be beaten with a 'YOU ARE AN IDIOT CONSUMER' stick.
Cheers 2K!
That Should Read:
#1282 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/02 17:21:06
YOU ARE AN IDIOT / POTENTIAL THIEF
It's great how they're really respecting thier ligitimate customers.
#1283 posted by spd [87.249.61.2] on 2007/08/02 17:45:59
will be cracked anyway
also
In essence: no broadband = no play
hardware change = no play (have to reinstall ?)
9_9
#1284 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/08/02 19:02:58
it'll be cracked in a week, and then everyone buying it legitimately will have to put up with BS while those who download it will probably have an easier time.
gg.
This Will Come Back
#1285 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.131] on 2007/08/02 19:14:01
and bite them on the ass.
. . . will be tied to a game-specific sector in the operating system. This sector is completely invisible to users and cannot be found, nor duplicated in any way what so ever.
Hackers are licking their chops and grinning back at these muttonheads.
Ugh...
#1286 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/02 21:08:23
so in addition to getting a no-cd crack, i need to get a no-internet crack?
Sod It
#1287 posted by Legit customer [195.137.87.176] on 2007/08/03 16:03:17
I was defo going to buy this, but as they seemingly trust me so little, I might just pirate it...
This Will Come Back...
#1288 posted by shacker [192.251.46.21] on 2007/08/03 16:49:58
as a complete lie.
http://shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=14...
Jason Bergman of 2kGames says it is "definitely not true"
Thats Good News Anyway
#1289 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/03 17:28:25
Now all I have to worry about is buying a PC that can run more than Quake I . . .
Completely Untrue
#1290 posted by Jason Bergman (2K) [64.49.90.34] on 2007/08/03 18:38:33
Hi guys,
This is all completely untrue. There is no Susan Keele who works for 2K Games. I don't know where the source is for this (it references GameSpot, but I can't find that) but it's inaccurate.
Thanks,
Jason Bergman (2K)
He He
#1291 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.176] on 2007/08/03 18:50:06
looks like Bergman is all over that post trying to stomp out the fire. I hope he is the one for real and the story isn't. It does have a button pushing feel to it though many high ranking execs from Ballmer, Jobs, Newell to Steinbrenner have said things that pushed my button the wrong way that were equally as inane as what the purported PR lady in this article said.
Speak Of The Devil
#1292 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.176] on 2007/08/03 18:50:56
Hrm
#1293 posted by Spirit [80.171.28.40] on 2007/08/03 19:44:20
Well, as I said I couldn't find the source either.
Let's hope it was a bad hoax, sorry about posting it then.
Websites For D3 & Q4 DM Map Reviews?
#1294 posted by FaTbOy! [76.18.139.61] on 2007/08/04 03:32:36
Ive been searching for over an hour, cant find a reliable DM site out there. My roomates and I have grown tired of the official maps, and unfortuneately I cant talk them into installing Quake 1 on their PCs, and I missed out on Painkiller. /slapself
Any links would be very welcome!
Heh
#1295 posted by starbuck [82.41.25.152] on 2007/08/04 03:49:24
well I need to get the internet working on my PC anyway, so this is a good incentive... as long as they aren't gonna fuck about after ive installed it. This is one of the games i'm most excited about coming out since... ever, really. I read the review in xbox360 magazine today and they gave it 10/10, only the 2nd game to get a rating that high from them.
Europe release is the 24th from what i can tell, i might start putting part of my beer money aside...
#1296 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/08/04 04:25:53
thank christ. -_-
cheers for the debunkage. :)
Fascinating
#1297 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/08/04 15:02:38
It's cool to watch the progress of Infinity, a mostly procedurally generated space massive multi user game.
http://www.fl-tw.com/InfinityForum...
I think this is a big part of the future.
Tomb Raider Anniversary...
#1298 posted by steven_a [203.55.33.122] on 2007/08/05 01:41:03
Started Anniversary... the game ~is~ great - using the TR-Legend engine to reinvent the original game. But like Legend, it ~can~ be pretty frustrating when you cant solve some
arcane puzzle or even cheat *&^% ... Apears to be tougher so far.
I just went back to Legend to beat the huge salamder boss after not playing it for a couple of months. (I'd been pissed of at the goading, tough bosses, and it's also nice to take my noisy fx5600 out and use my fanless 5200). All of the bosses have been tough, but satisfying when you beat their arse. Bout 70% through now.
The cut sequences are just all totally amazing.
Anyway, in Anniversary I don't like how they've changed the game interface: Controls, auto-aim and saves have all been messed up by some hopeless project manager. You're low on health... so lets add some annoying heart beat drum in the background. eeeediots.
Rage, Left4Dead, QuakeArenaDS, Etc
#1299 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2007/08/05 02:54:50
So QuakeCon and BlizzCon gave us a shitload of info on some games.
Rage is iD's next "Gen 5" game. It looks like id does FallOut more or less, mixed with buggy racing. Apparently it's 50% run-n-gun, 50% racing. Not sure exactly how that will turn out. I'm not all that excited about the racing portion, but I can imagine some cool level design centered around the option of racing.
Left4Dead seems to be a CS:Source mod, where up to 4 players have to co-op through various zombie-infested locales to escape. Some of the sounds are ripped straight from CS, such as footsteps, and it's source, which sucks, but it looks kind of fun. Not sure if it's free or you have to pay for it.
Also, Carmack says Quake 3 is coming to the DS, BUT WITH NO (YES THAT'S RIGHT, NO) stylus support. It's all D-Pad and A,B,X,Y controls. Does that seem retarded to you? Oh well, maybe I'll pick it up, but probably not.
Also some WoW stuff, but StarCraft 2 looks super nifty. Waiting for Star Craft 2 is like waiting for ... something really awful to wait for. I want it now.
And Quake Wars comes out Sept 28 in Euro, Oct 2 for states, so a day after my birthday. Faggotry.
Thoughts?
All info from ign.com btw.
Zombies
#1300 posted by Killes [83.228.153.157] on 2007/08/07 14:52:48
cheshire and all others interested in coop zombie survival make sure you've checked out KillingFloor
http://www.killingfloor.freedomsne...
ut2k4 mod, the main (and only O_O) maker of the mod has stopped working on it (no shit after 3 years on it alone) but a community patch to be released very soon will polish up what needs polishing ; altho the game is 100% playable and enjoyable as is, it isnt a beta version. Theres games on everyday in peak hours. It just pwns; real good gritty gory coop fun, and thats real coop with welding doors shut to hold back the hordes, healing teammates etc etc.
Dont miss it :P
O_0
#1301 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/08/13 16:20:52
For decades, mankind has contemplated what would have happened if two historical icons had battled…with balls. Finally, there’s a studio brave enough to tackle this difficult question. Blazing Lizard, Inc today proudly announces its first console downloadable game, Pirates vs. Ninjas™ Dodgeball.
The first game in the Pirates vs. Ninjas™ series allows up to 8 players to choose from 5 unique teams (Pirates, Ninjas, and three more to be unveiled later), and compete against one another in the ultimate sport of champions – Dodgeball.
Could it be those other three teams include robots and zombies?
Or Maybe
#1302 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/13 17:15:24
Ninja pirate nuns, riding camels? In space!
The first in the series? Christ.
Cookie cutter innovation.
Probably
#1303 posted by negke [82.83.44.89] on 2007/08/13 17:44:08
also nazis and aliens
Damnit...
#1304 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/13 20:33:38
there goes my whole idea for a ninjas vs. pirates vs. zombies vs. robots game. Of course, my idea didn't involve dodgeball, so maybe there's still hope.
Well
#1305 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/08/14 00:08:14
there are many more distinct iconized groups.
Samurais, cowboys, eskimos to mention a few.
Article On The History Of Adventure
#1306 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/14 01:23:54
http://brain.lis.uiuc.edu:2323/ope...
Talks about the relationship between Adventure's game cave and the real-life Colossal Cave, and the differences in the contributions of the original author and the guy who added the other half of the content several years later.
Note:
#1307 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/14 01:24:31
since Adventure was a mainframe game, i guess it doesn't really belong in the PC games thread... oh well.
Make A New Thread For It Or Get Out
#1308 posted by Lunaran [76.208.71.184] on 2007/08/14 01:57:10
About TF2 Visuals
#1309 posted by Spirit [84.143.12.29] on 2007/08/16 08:52:46
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
I like that they are actually thinking about the gameplay (aware of visual noise).
Saw some Unreal3 video yesterday and it was awful (bad): The player models merge into the background, everything is "realistic" lit and dark. Can't see it being fun in competetiv gameplay. For fun with friends sure, but not on a more "professional" scale.
Oh
#1310 posted by Spirit [84.143.12.29] on 2007/08/16 08:54:24
and http://www.valvesoftware.com/publi...
Tetris
#1311 posted by bear [80.217.113.193] on 2007/08/16 10:55:36
it's the shit
Nice
#1312 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/08/17 02:00:28
that TF2 could be a fun game. If you can do concjumps. :)
Hmm
#1313 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.76] on 2007/08/19 12:41:28
there are no grenades in tf2
Well
#1314 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/08/20 02:36:50
I can understand them taking them out but then the grenjumps and concjumps are out and it's a shame...
Bioshock
#1315 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2007/08/21 08:02:33
Anyone else play the demo? I might have to go mug someone for the money to get this damn game. So damn good.
Not Tried The Demo Yet
#1316 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.76] on 2007/08/21 19:51:49
but its finished preloading on steam so just 3 days to go :)
Bioshock Demo
#1317 posted by Bal [83.204.132.166] on 2007/08/22 00:20:38
A bit underwhelmed by the demo...
The controls felt wonky, it didn't show much interesting gameplay, just a really basic shooter.
And honestly, I didn't find the visuals so great, I noticed alot of little errors, like badly tiling textures, and brushes that aren't placed right...
Doesn't run very well on my system anyways, still looking forward to playing the full game, which I've bought on steam, but it won't let me preload it, been telling me the servers are too busy for 3 days now (and I try regularly)...
It Seems Ok
#1318 posted by negke [82.82.160.249] on 2007/08/22 00:43:51
But yeah, not the revolution in gaming as announced (didn't expect it to be anyway). At least judging from the demo. Combat can get a bit messy. Many people were particularly fond of the water, though while it isn't bad, it's not that outstanding either. The weapon models look somewhat dated.
However, the atmosphere is great and it runs smoothly on my rig (so far). I'm definitely going to get it sooner or later.
What Are You Specs?
#1319 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/08/22 01:19:27
?
Underwhelmed By The Demo
#1320 posted by -_- [91.122.60.174] on 2007/08/22 02:42:04
right.
it reminds me of doom3
Bioshock Demo...
#1321 posted by generic [71.1.71.144] on 2007/08/22 03:38:22
Runs like ass on my machine, currently. An ATI Hotfix didn't help. First, I have no pointer icon on the GUI. Then all I get is a crappy scrolling water texture and flames, with big black blocks. I do have a help ticket, though.
It's just a pity, for now...
Apparently,
#1322 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.222] on 2007/08/22 04:26:37
both ATI and Nvidia have been building new drivers to accommodate Bioshock. Shouldn't the game designers be accommodating the existing software specs instead of the other way around? Anyway, here is where BluesNews recommends going to if you are having ATI driver problems:
http://support.ati.com/ics/support...
Bioshock Bis...
#1323 posted by Bal [90.2.47.95] on 2007/08/22 08:16:30
I guess this explains why the fov felt so weird on my 16:10...
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/s...
Btw, my specs are, Athlon X2 4200+, 2gb ram, geforce 7600GT, and using the new nvidia beta drivers, which apparently are the cause of the fucked up mouse in game... And yeah, doesn't run well on my rig anyways.
Bioshock Art Deco Fonts Overdose
#1324 posted by JohnXmas [83.79.8.201] on 2007/08/22 09:11:38
Disappointed. Very cliché. Bland weapon design and sound. Water looks way better in Sauerbraten! Flat visuals. Unimaginative gameplay. Cutscenes and teasers were jawdropping good but this demo is quite a mess!
And the overuse of Art Deco style fonts is nauseous. Plaza font everywhere, huge ugly unreadable ingame captions and menus... What a waste.
Otoh, no tech prob at all, full settings. -Pent D 3.2Ghz, 2gigs ram, 2xGeForce 7900GTX SLI ForceWare 94.24 (NO beta drivers, OMG!), XP DX9.0c
Ah Dammit, This Day Is Going To Be Wasted
#1325 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.148] on 2007/08/29 09:50:25
Knytt Stories was released:
http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?ma...
God Damn You Spirit
#1326 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/29 15:24:10
Argh
Only played thr practice level so far (supposed to be working) but this looks very addictive.
Knytt Stories
#1327 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/29 22:47:11
hmm, and the game has a level editor... might be fun to map for.
Alot Of Fun So Far
#1328 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/29 23:28:06
But very irritating as well. I've started with Within a Deep Forest - that spider puzzle in the tower was annoying.
Hahahahhah
#1329 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/08/30 21:15:27
Watch out for the old bint.
http://nigoro.jp/game/rosecamellia...
Ijed....
#1330 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/08/30 22:44:08
nice, that game makes much more sense in english than the japanese version I had been playing.
Nice
#1331 posted by megaman [84.63.49.76] on 2007/09/01 16:34:54
that's a nice game
i hate that you don't have full health after each enemy though
Knytt Stories
#1332 posted by Lunaran [76.210.74.73] on 2007/09/03 03:07:46
looks great. Played through it twice already.
I find the notion of working on a game like this far more appealing than some triple-A nazi shooting fest.
Bioshock
#1333 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/09/03 06:11:32
what an amazing looking game! e6300 + ati x1950pro and only 1gb of ram, with everything on except 'force global lighting' and hq post processing (which i hate anyway) and the game runs extremly well.
but yeah, graphics in here are really great, with a cool theme. water effects are just as good as i heard. no actual swiming yet, which is surprising, but i ain't complaining.
it's pretty easy so far... maybe i should have chosen hard. i guess it's because it was made to be playable on the x360... mouse makes it too easy as headshots are very generous. the gooey blood effect is... well, it's good feedback, but it looks kind funny. i guess that's to fit in with the theme. or maybe blood really does look like a bucket of paint spraying all over when you get shot? :P
no really amazing combat like what was described though... fighting the big daddies *is* a challenge, but they are despatched with some footwork and good timing of attacks (won't spoil this stuff).
i'm surprised there hasn't been more said so far here. :)
Oh Forgot
#1334 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/09/03 06:17:58
there is some kind of bug with the captions though... the timing never aligns with the actual speech, and you also get captions for normal monster talking which is dumb... i don't care that the monster said "i'm gonna kill you", really. :P anyway, just turn them off. makes hearing important dialog difficult at times (vocals could have been louder, but i have both vocals and SFX volume maxed. i should mess with the settings maybe), but you can always go back in the log to read it again.
i really dislike the interface though... it's totally a console style thing. very very simplified, with button layout not totally optimal for a mouse (again, obviously the console controller in mind there). also, no inventory! maybe they mentioned that before, but i purposely didn't read too much about bioshock. you can't stockpile on food and drink to restore health and eve. it's also annoying because often there's ammo sitting alongside cigarettes/booze which have negative effects, so sometimes you'll chug a beer when you really wanted to pick up the bullets. >_<
otoh, the sound in this game is a big step up from most other games out there. there is a lot of intricacy just on player movement sounds, which, i find, add a ton to immersiveness. at the start, i was standing still and turning on the spot a lot just to hear the crisp footstep sounds... ^_^;
Hmm,
#1335 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.51] on 2007/09/03 06:23:18
i guess that's to fit in with the theme. or maybe blood really does look like a bucket of paint spraying all over when you get shot?
I once saw a chicken accidentally rip its own head off trying to get through a barbed wire fence. The blood spurted for a moment like the arc of a supersoaker as the chickens body flopped backwards.
Also, I was shot is the ass once but it only soaked my underwear with a dark blood stain.
Bioshock
#1336 posted by Bal [90.2.96.41] on 2007/09/03 08:12:24
Necros, you can change difficulty at any time, it's a bit more challenging on hard, but still fairly easy in my opinion.
Yeah anyways, it's a great game, I haven't quite finished it yet, but that's mostly cause I've really been taking my time with it. What I enjoy most is the exploration, they really got it right, there are lots of side areas to explore, and little secrets.
The combat is ok, it's nicer later on when you actually use all your weapons and plasmids to help you.
Interface kind of sucks yeah, really annoying that you can't see how much of a specific ammo you have without having to reload, and it's silly that you can't see your inventory.
Yeah this game suffers from one of the many Doom3 syndroms: you never swim, which feels strange for a game taking place in a city built underwater...
Otherwise, story is good, atmosphere is great, definetely don't regret having bought it directly off steam.
1337 Post About Swimming
#1337 posted by bear [213.66.230.110] on 2007/09/03 10:25:50
I haven't played bioshock but isn't rapture a bit deep down for you to just go swimming?
(where's the rotfish icon?)
Bear
#1338 posted by Bal [195.101.1.129] on 2007/09/03 10:59:57
Well, I didn't mean actual swimming out in the open sea, but many areas are partially flooded, and your walking in water and stuff, but you can see they went out of their way to block out any areas with deeper water, I even noticed a few areas where I should be able to just jump in deep water, but there was an evil invisible clip in my way.
I'm not sure swimming would have brought anything to the gameplay, but it would have added a bit to the immersion probably.
Knytt Stories
#1339 posted by Spirit [213.39.211.84] on 2007/09/03 11:12:30
There is a bonus pack with more missions on the site.
http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?ma...
A strange Dream is very nice but also quite short. I recommend the original Knytt and of course Within a Deep Forest if you like these games.
Knytt
#1340 posted by Bal [195.101.1.129] on 2007/09/03 11:26:38
Yeah the original Knytt feels better than any of these new ones I think, even though I still like them. Within a Deep Forest is still my favorite though.
I'm curious how making levels for Knytt Stories is, how much liberty you have with additional art content, will have to check it out.
Just
#1341 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/09/03 16:08:49
Playing in between Q3 sessions, so fairly slow going, but enjoying the simplicity and even the cuteness.
Played The First Knytt While Waiting For A Render
#1342 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2007/09/03 23:48:10
Not as good as Stories, I'd say. Lots of wandering around being lost and very little gameplay. The occasional 'dodge a spider' puzzle was a tiny breath of fresh air - I'd have loved it if it had been full of that stuff.
downloading Forest.
Braid
#1343 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/09/04 02:03:08
looks cool. Damn sight more interesting than the terminally dull Knytt. Also, Aquaria should be out this year I think. It's a super nice looking indie game.
Thanks For The Link
#1344 posted by Lunaran [76.210.74.73] on 2007/09/05 05:56:44
Anti-aliasing?
#1345 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.16] on 2007/09/06 18:20:40
Games would look so much less shitty if people would/could use it without too much slowdown. Especially all those modern shader stuff often looks so pixelated.
I just noticed it when watching on MoH:Airborne screenshots:
http://image.com.com/gamespot/imag...
http://image.com.com/gamespot/imag...
http://image.com.com/gamespot/imag...
It's Even True
#1346 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/09/06 18:23:26
in modern digital tv - the Osaka Athletics World Championships had horrible aliasing in the white track lines against the red tartan.
AA
#1347 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/09/06 20:15:41
i don't know why, but in a lot of newer games, you can't use AA if you use the fancier hdr lighting or bloomy effects. frankly, i rather use AA. :P
AA Is Cool And All...
#1348 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/09/06 20:58:14
but i think anisotropic filtering is awesome and much more important.
Also, AA becomes less important as you go to higher resolutions (I know this isn't always an option.)
?
#1349 posted by necros [99.244.15.189] on 2007/09/06 22:02:42
you can use AA and aniso together. both of them working at the same time make a big difference in quality.
Necros:
#1350 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/09/06 22:32:21
of course, I'm just saying that of the various features available, i think anisotropic provides a larger improvement.
AA also seems to only improve sampling on polygon edges, which doesn't help with some shaders that look chunky and aliased on the interior of the polygon. (for example the wet cobblestone texture in this shot: http://image.com.com/gamespot/imag... )
Also, I believe (but haven't tested this theory) that AA also doesn't help with techniques that rely on the z-buffer and polygon inter-penetration. Like doom3 shadows... can any one veryify whether doom3 shadow edges get improved by AA?
It occurs to me that the term "FSAA" implies that all pixels on the screen are super-sampled, not just polygon edge pixels, but I don't remember if this is actually the case. If so, that cancels out all of my above rant :)
Prince Of Persia - Sands Of Time
#1351 posted by negke [82.83.27.211] on 2007/09/07 21:41:25
Played the ad-supported version. Ads in menus and loading screens. Turned out there were none when not connected to the internet.
Though I haven't played the original games too thoroughly, I guess this new one is a worthy successor. The jump'n'run bits were nice and entertaining (albeit repetitive after a while) and just right in terms of difficulty. The fights, however, became tedious, even annoying, quickly. The camera behaved awkward in places.
At any rate, a nice free game. Apparently Ubisoft has already stopped the free distribution of the three games (POP, FarCry, Rayman), but I hope this might have started a trend more companies will follow. The ads were not very annoying, and worth the trouble for a quality free game.
#1352 posted by -_- [91.122.5.137] on 2007/09/09 02:00:52
I got bored of replaying every time I fail a jump. prolly 30% into it
AA
#1353 posted by BlackDog [58.7.158.36] on 2007/09/10 19:36:09
FSAA simply means Full Scene Anti Aliasing, as opposed to edge detection or similar schemes. It doesn't imply supersampling to my knowledge.
The relatively fast technique that is used in current 3d hardware is multisampling AA - this is the one that only makes a difference on polygon edges, but sample resolution also takes the stencil buffer into account. Thus stencil shadows see improvement.
Lastly, multisampling simply doesn't work in a few situations due to various limitaions - deferred rendering, and when using HDR framebuffers on some hardware.
AA
#1354 posted by Shambler [82.38.199.129] on 2007/09/10 20:08:43
I like AA, would never play without it.
Just Saw A Quake Wars Demo Ad
#1355 posted by golden_boy [217.251.62.193] on 2007/09/11 00:46:17
oh my, the Strogg now officially look like Borg. It's a ripoff.
:/
although I like Trek, at least the better parts of it. The Borg movie is the only good one :-)
False:
#1356 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/09/11 01:09:52
The Wrath of Khan is the only good one.
Haven't Seen The Borg One
#1357 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.158] on 2007/09/11 01:48:01
But it would have to be supertastic to be as good as Khan.
KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!!!!!!
#1358 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/09/11 16:21:07
The Borg One
#1359 posted by golden_boy [217.251.60.43] on 2007/09/11 16:21:47
is indeed pretty good, it has rock'n'roll, Zero-G combat, machine guns, and Picard doing a pretty good Captain Ahab.
Some nice shock effects, and good music too.
Damn You Kell
#1360 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/09/11 18:28:24
Beat me to it . . .
Tehn You Should Have Went
#1361 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.238] on 2007/09/11 20:21:52
Keeeeelllll!!!!!
'Tehn' Jeez I'm Coming
#1362 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.238] on 2007/09/11 20:27:19
to the realization three cups of coffee is just not enough to keep me awake, alert and on the look out for typos. Coke is too expensive and speed makes you see shit. Getting older is like becoming one of the living dead.
ETQW
#1363 posted by -_- [91.122.3.37] on 2007/09/11 21:58:15
Battlefield :strogg?
its not Quake at all :(
Dude
#1364 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2007/09/12 04:13:52
Come out into the cold, harsh light of reality... since the original title was released, none of the so-called sequels have offered anything closely resembling Quake at all.
They should have stopped at one. But hey, the name sells copies! Look at the F.E.A.R farce going on at the moment... sigh.
Bioshock Thread?
#1365 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/09/12 21:42:35
I don't have the game so I have nothing to say about it, but surely there's enough fanboy drool (and/or jaded ennui) to justify a Bioshock thread, right???
Yeah ^^
#1366 posted by DaZ [80.41.191.14] on 2007/09/13 12:28:51
I'm surprised there isn't one yet, the game is fucking amazing! 11.5 Hours into it myself and nearing the end, storyline and characters are really well done, and the atmosphere is just plain classy.
Quake Wars
#1367 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2007/09/16 06:56:21
Anyone playing the demo? If so, what servers? Let's a game going people. So far, it's okay but not fantastic. Not sure if I'll pick it up or not. But if you play let's rock!!!
Quake Wars
#1368 posted by Bal [90.2.43.244] on 2007/09/16 20:19:23
I play it a bit, but it just sucks that they removed the friend system that was in the beta.
It's an ok game, will probably buy it and play it online a while until I get bored of each map.
I still prefer Wolf:ET I think, but as far as class-objective-based fps team games are concerned, this is alot better than any battlefield game.
QW
#1369 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/09/17 18:22:17
unfortunately the demo runs and looks shit on my pc, so I'll be sitting out on this one :(
PixelJunk Racers
#1370 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2007/09/17 18:24:09
dunno if anyone here is rich enough to have a PS3, but you might want to give the PixelJunk Racers demo a whirl.
I worked on the game, and though it's far from perfect, it's a lot of fun - particularly if you have a bunch of other people around to play with.
If anyone has tried it, I'd love to hear your comments, good or bad.
Agree With Bal
#1371 posted by DaZ [80.41.191.14] on 2007/09/17 18:48:31
On Quake Wars, its nice but its not as good as Wolf: ET imo. I have played the demo a bit and it does suffer from slow performance on my pc also which is a shame.
Also I think the vehicles may have been a mistake, some of them feel very odd to use and (for me at least) it reduces the feel of squad combat that Wolf:ET had.
Still its a fun game!
More On Quake Wars
#1372 posted by Bal [195.101.1.129] on 2007/09/18 09:26:41
I think the large maps and vehicules have removed the focus of the game, especially on public servers where everyone just seems to be doing their own thing. In wolf:et, the maps where tighter and more linear (that's a good thing in this situation), which made everyone alot more focused on the objective, thus it really felt like playing with a team, instead of just playing some random deathmatch with vehicules.
But when you find some good players in Quake Wars, who are more into completing the objective than getting exp, it can become more like wolf:et and be quite good.
Anyways, still gone back to playing wolf:et at work, people just couldn't get into QuakeWars it seems. =\
#1373 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2007/09/20 04:54:18
Yeah I think I'm going to leave Quake Wars alone and migrate to TF2. I hear good things about it, and I was hooked on TFC back in the day. Plus, QW was just... kind of bland tbh.
WHAT THE FUCK
#1374 posted by inertia [134.53.120.119] on 2007/09/21 03:32:03
DO NOT CALL QUAKE WARS "QW"
WHAT THE FUCK
Heeeey Anyone Up For Some QW This Weekend?
#1375 posted by czg [83.253.252.162] on 2007/09/21 11:24:44
I want to fly the Tormentor!
Czg
#1376 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2007/09/21 11:31:11
I'd be free saturday evening... around 20:00 GMT... if you want to kick my ass :P
Sorry I Was Just Trying To Annoy Inertia
#1377 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2007/09/21 11:58:56
Me? Playing a multiplayer game? Wtf!
Haha
#1378 posted by starbuck [80.192.72.117] on 2007/09/21 12:00:30
so you won't be switching to Quake Wars then inertia?
I Second That Motion
#1379 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.23.216] on 2007/09/21 13:18:10
I don't usually agree with you Inertia, but this time you speaketh the truth!
While we're at it, don't call "Quake" by the ridiculously inappropriate name "Quake 1" either. There is only QUAKE. That is all.
#1380 posted by -_- [89.110.55.82] on 2007/09/22 22:15:47
its 'classic quake' now :/
TF2 And The Mappers Who Love Them
#1381 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2007/09/23 22:28:21
Err, it.
Anyone totally blown away by the TF2 beta? Probably the funnest multiplayer game I've played in a long time, and definitely better than QWars (I hope inertia notices I used QWars and not QW.) Anyone planning on mapping for this or knows of a TF2 mapping community yet?
Tf2 Mapping = Hl2 Mapping
#1382 posted by -_- [91.122.3.236] on 2007/09/24 08:26:45
mapcore
#1383 posted by nitin [203.214.122.38] on 2007/09/24 12:10:26
so Ive been playing some Cal of Duty and Callof Duty : United Offensive (mission pack).
Now the only wwII game I've played before this was MOHAA which was quite good even if the autoaim snipers got a bit annoying.
This starts off pretty poorly and about halfway through I was wondering why it was so popular. Then, out of nowhere, there is a huge increase in quality and level of immersion. The level design improves immeasurably, the fighting becomes fun and the squad missions actually work.
And the scale of some of the later levels is staggering, maybe not compared to recent games but it does feel like a war and that you are only a small part fo it. I'm sure q4 and a lot of the recent games achieve the same thing but as I havent yet got to them, this was something new for me. MOHAA still felt like a solo game or at best a squad game, it didnt feel like the player was a small part of the whole.
Anyway, more comments later but for now, the secnd half has won me over.
^ Call Of Duty
#1384 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.127] on 2007/09/24 13:53:13
Yeah, I really really enjoyed Call of Duty 1, especially the later stages, although the end was a little anti-climactic for me (not sure what I was expecting though to be honest). All the Stalingrad stuff is just awesome though. For some reason, the newer games in the series just don't have the same appeal.
CoD
#1385 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.12.164] on 2007/09/24 14:35:51
Agreed 100% starbuck.
My Take On TF2
#1386 posted by BlackDog [58.7.158.36] on 2007/09/25 18:36:23
It's crazy awesome. Valve can count my money.
Wait, they have it already. :(
TF2
#1387 posted by Bal [195.101.1.129] on 2007/09/25 18:45:40
So yeah, lots of people complain that they simplified it compared to the original TF and even TFC, but really as far as I can tell it takes nothing away from the pure fun that is TF2.
Some of the maps are a bit boring though, but mostly cause engineers don't seem to use their teleporters much yet.
Manifold
#1388 posted by metlslime [204.15.3.5] on 2007/09/25 22:47:22
Nice little flash game, but doesn't have enough levels.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/jo...
Huge List Of Freeware Games
#1389 posted by Spirit [80.171.28.41] on 2007/09/26 13:43:58
unfortunately also some ad-ware made it to the list
http://www.gamespot.com/pages/foru...
Chalk is great, dunno if it was posted here.
http://www.konjak.org/chalk.htm
Manifold runs with like 3fps here, crap. :(
Gimme GTA4!
#1390 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.194.24] on 2007/09/27 16:03:30
Cause I want it. I hear some crack like they were gonna release it next month for the 360, but sorting it out for the PS3 has put them back to next spring cause they had to do a simnultaneous release. No fair!
San Andreas just looks a bit dated now really. Sub-Quake graphics (except for the scale of it), even tho quake has been oot for 11 years or so and it has only been out for about 3. I enjoyed it mucho at the time but.
Gameplay nowhere near as good as Quake either.
Finished
#1391 posted by nitin [210.84.4.18] on 2007/09/30 15:06:10
COD and COD:UO.
COD comments I already made, a very strong second hald of the game that has a very high immersion factor. COD:UO pretty much picks up where the second half left off in terms of quality and just ups the level a bit more.
Easily one of the most fun and well built mission packs I have played.
COD2
#1392 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2007/10/02 21:31:23
I just finished it in veteran mode.. What an awesome game: really immersive. Also, you really need to use team play, and a lot of strategy to not die each step you make... I'm guess real war was more tense and horrible, but if it is a smooth vision of WW2, please God preserve us to live any war...
Jericho Demo
#1393 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2007/10/03 12:35:43
Looks pretty, setting is cool, story might be cool if you can bother with it.
Thinking back about the gameplay I can imagine the mechanics actually being quite cool, but while playing it just felt terrible.
Those 'interactive cutscene' things where you have to press buttons when they flash on the screen? Those are utter shite. In every game they've ever been. If you ever make a game, don't put this shit in your game. It is so shit. Like a turd pooing.
I hate the player characters. The enemies might be cool but I honestly have no idea what's going on because there's blood and spittle all over my screen.
Weapons suck. The magic thing I dunno what's up with that. Was there any health monitor on the HUD? I couldn't find it.
Worst fucking physics ever. Do the physics even exist? It feels like we're just navigating a 2d plane here with designated 'jump down here', 'climb here' markers. Way too many invisible walls. If I want to dive into the black void for the love of god let me. You can't even jump.
Overall a bad game. Not planning to buy it.
Oh And
#1394 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2007/10/03 12:37:30
Aegia PhysX please go fuck yourselves with something nasty. Don't install drivers and shit.
#1395 posted by PhysX [87.249.61.2] on 2007/10/03 12:59:43
having kinky fantasies of me?
Physx
#1396 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/03 20:22:43
physx demo is fun to play...
The Cake Is A Lie
#1397 posted by BlackDog [58.7.103.204] on 2007/10/10 12:12:51
I just finished Portal, and it's brilliant. The gameplay is good head-scratching fun, there's wacky narrative, and a "omg wtf" ending that you both will and will not expect.
I wanna map for it. But first, hl2:ep2. \o/
Portal
#1398 posted by Bal [90.35.120.253] on 2007/10/10 15:32:20
I concur.
Portal rocks.
The cake was good.
Portal
#1399 posted by tron [59.167.107.23] on 2007/10/10 16:28:58
I take back anything I have ever said bad about Valve.
note: be sure to watch the credits.
Valve Didn't Make Portal Themselves
#1400 posted by grahf [71.206.185.91] on 2007/10/11 02:52:19
http://www.wired.com/gaming/gaming...
Woo.
#1401 posted by pjw [66.168.26.186] on 2007/10/11 08:43:48
That was the best gaming experience I've had in years. Now for the challenge and advanced levels...
Damn. I may just have to learn Hammer.
Portal
#1402 posted by Bal [81.249.100.90] on 2007/10/11 10:03:09
The challenges are bloody hard, I have no friggin clue how to accomplish some of them.
Cave Story
#1403 posted by Spirit [213.39.156.104] on 2007/10/12 14:12:16
Bloody hell, how many bosses are there in that boss fight (misery, doctor, core)? And is there any hidden savepoint in there?
The game is cute and nice but the savepoints are terribly retarted sometimes.
Episode Two: Spoilers
#1404 posted by czg [83.253.234.172] on 2007/10/13 00:59:37
For some reason I'm not sitting here with the same feeling of having been blown away like I was with EP1 or the original game.
It was still cool tough.
The environments are so goddamned breathtaking you can't help but sit and just stare for several minutes everytime you enter a new area.
Leveldesign highlights: The outdoor area of the first level, the open mineshaft where you defend Alyx from antlions, the big open gorge where you run with the vortigaunt inbetween an ambush with both antlions and zombies, (was cool when you ride the lift up and you look down and there's total chaos,) and the level where you have to cross the river to get the car and you can see the entire level you've been going through.
Lots of big, wide outdoor areas, which is too bad because I hate those in games. They look fantastic but I hate not knowing your boundaries when you're fighting stuff.
The hunters are fucking bastards. Sucks that the first time you're introduced to them it's with two at the same time so you're too overwhelmed to figure out a good strategy for them. At the very end I figured out a big fat blunt object right in their face takes them out in two or three hits. Or running over them with the car.
The vehicle sections were a bit better than in the first game. The first time I got out of the car and looked back at Alyx, she winked and patted her thigh. That skank-ass ho!
The ambush in the mountain village was hard as fuck! Fourty hunters and a trillion combine in that tiny-ass motel!
The combine advisors are weird. WTF is up with those. Sad to see that guy die. Magnusson is a prick, he should have died instead.
Can't wait to see how the story continues, especially with how Aperture Science fits in to the story. EP3 with portal gun? Zåmg!
Was nice to finally get out of City 17 and will probably be interesting to see what's going on up north by the Borealis.
Good game. Where the hell is Barney?
Zomg
#1405 posted by DaZ [80.41.191.14] on 2007/10/13 13:34:42
Where the hell is Barney?
I can't believe I never thought of Barney!
EP2 SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Knytt Stories
#1406 posted by megaman [87.245.53.70] on 2007/10/14 17:46:21
Wow, what a surprise. It's basically a cute Metroid.
I love the non-linearity; that said, the leveldesign could give you more hints which paths are 'just an easier alternative than backtracking' - i often found myself going through 15 or 20 screens just to find that it was such a shortcut and the item i need lay in the other direction. it would very much help if there was a map, and if you could teleport back to the save-points you visited.
other than that it's only minor nitpicks:
1) the partition in individual screens sometimes messes up your movement.
2) in the tutorial i couldn't figure out how to use the hologram for a few minutes, cause i tried setting the hologram anywhere where the red glowing thingie (explained as: "enemy can see you"?) was glowing. This powerup should have a larger range.
3) some monsters don't look like monsters, some background animals do
4) The ghosts that attack you werer weird - all the other ghosts just seem to ignore you.
Review: Aces High Over Verlor Island
#1407 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 21:14:28
http://www.reflectgames.com/games....
A very, very simple game with planes and shooting.
Controls suck, you accidently do tricks all the time. Sound is annoying. Graphics are simple, but kind of effective. Potential wasted. It's basically 2d and very slow - boring.
2/10
Review: Bear Go Home
#1408 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 21:47:16
http://downstream.bonusweb.cz/8943...
Huh, the binary in the zip doesn't work on my machine!?
Oh, Btw
#1409 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 21:49:06
In case anyone is wondering: all these games are from http://www.gamespot.com/pages/foru...
Review: Cluster Funked
#1410 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 22:54:26
http://iterationgames.com/indev.ht...
Small game, where you place turrets in a 2d world to fight off red triangles. The idea is neat and the graphics are a good fit. Too bad the controls are laid out in a weird way and the player ship is a tad slow. Also, this seems like an alpha. Runs slow, too.
3/10
Review: Coaster Rider
#1411 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 22:57:01
http://www.yoyogames.com/games/sho...
Basically a (commercial?) uninspired Line Rider clone. It has obstacles, stars to collect, speed boosters in free mode. Oh, and a roller coaster instead of a sled.
4/10
Review: Cortex Command
#1412 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/14 23:55:14
http://www.datarealms.com/devlog/c...
Wow, this is weird.
Think Worms with bunker building in real-time. Has a great graphics style. Sadly, i couldn't figure out how to actually play the game once i built my base and bought robots and stuff... this is still in dev though.
?/10 cause i couldn't really figure out how to play it.
Megaman
#1413 posted by ijed [190.20.107.236] on 2007/10/15 00:48:38
I tried Cortex Command but it refused to start - 'the application or dll is not a valid windows image'.
I guess its because I'm on XP spanish, maybe, although it'll be the first time its caused a problem. It was with the latest build 18. I'll try it on XP english at work and send them an email, unless you know what caused this?
The error message I translated from Spanish, so it might be innaccurate.
Review: The Last Stand
#1414 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/15 00:53:14
http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/...
Neat flash game, where you have to defend your base from hordes of zombies. you can try to find weapons and or survivors. Loads of fun :)
7/10
Ijed
#1415 posted by megaman [87.245.32.20] on 2007/10/15 00:54:28
no idea really, worked fine here :(
It's Probably
#1416 posted by ijed [190.20.107.236] on 2007/10/15 02:46:14
the language thing - it'd be something to be cleaned up for a release version, most likely. Wouldn't be suprised if it was looking for my programs / documents or something. Of course, I have mis documentos and archivo de programas.
Looks interesting though, I'll definately give it a look. Last stand sounds good as well.
HL2 Riot Act
#1417 posted by Mike Woodham [81.154.10.184] on 2007/10/18 20:38:34
Anyone seen this before? Any ideas as to what causes it?
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156...
It does this at the end of the loading screen. I am playing the game (trying to) with Steam off-line.
Ho hum...
If I Remember Well,
#1418 posted by JohnXmas [83.78.8.232] on 2007/10/18 23:07:38
To keep Riot Act installer small, they did not include some sound files. These are compiled on engine first launch. I did it with Steam online and got no problem.
Very good mod! Comes close to Minerva, I'd say...
HL2 Riot Act
#1419 posted by Mike Woodham [81.154.10.184] on 2007/10/19 13:04:07
I tried Steam on-line with and without HL2 on-line, but no joy.
I can get it to work if I run it in a window.
I Installed The Holiday Season Pack
#1420 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/10/19 13:20:52
With Episode One, and I had to physically carry my computer into my fathers office (from my house, a street away), and plug it in to the internet just to get it to work. And then my dad came in and said 'what are you doing to my computer!!!'. So I explained how the bastards at Valve mad a game which you have to connect to the internet atleast once even if you dont want to play online.
Then I installed Roit Act (among other things) and it wouldnt let me play it for the same reason.
Thats whay I'll stick to my 360 for HL games, although I know I'm losing out on all the custom stuff!
Shame really, I should go and get broadband installed at my house!!
Episode 2
#1421 posted by negke [82.82.160.114] on 2007/10/19 23:41:08
Very nice. Felt better and longer than Episode 1. I hope they expand on the (somewhat) nonlinear elements, namely the valley fight. The hint at the microwave casseroll incident made me laugh. Looking forward to Episode 3 and it would be cool if it included a return to the Black Mesa facilities..
Barney isn't there for obvious reasons: he died in the explosion of City 17 - that's what he got for being foolish enough to attempt rescuing survivers. Sorry czg :/
Lies!!!
#1422 posted by czg [83.253.234.172] on 2007/10/20 00:25:20
#1423 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/10/20 00:29:46
[SPOILERS]
it would be cool if it included a return to the Black Mesa facilities..
Black Mesa was nuked by the warhead at the end of Opposing Force. Also: no, it wouldn't be cool. Stories should not run backwards.
Also: Ep3 is to be set in the Arctic, on the trail of the legendary Borealis and the Aperture Science tech on board.
Actually, this leads me to something I've been thinking about a lot since completing Ep2.
It seems clear to me that there is a 'seasonal' cycle being played out in the design of HL2.
Going by screenshots of the Ep2 trailers on its Wikipedia page, Ep2 received something of a chilly misty facelift after the first trailer was made. The pine forest setting was already there, but Valve deliberately made it more cold and....autumnal. And Ep3 is to take place above the Arctic circle in what one can only assume will be snowy terrain maps.
So lets run through this from the start...
Half-Life: Black Mesa, New Mexico desert. Hot. Bright. Sun-drenched. Summer
Half-Life 2 -> Ep1: Eastern Europe. In the City. While a variety of day/night times are used, sunsets are prominent and one of the developer commentaries even mentions an 'autumnal' coloring for the streets in Ep1. Summer gives way to Autumn
Ep2: Europe. Out of the City. Mist. Cold blues and greens positively saturate the Ep2 color palette. Autumn gives way to the ominous onset of Winter
Ep3: Almost immediately following the brutal death of a key character, our heroes must travel north, above the Arctic circle into cold. And probably dark. Winter
Half-Life 3 ???: The worst to befall humanity yet, the darkest hour etc. The final battle to permanently liberate Earth of the invaders.
Humanity travels out of the dark Winter into a new beginning...Spring
I maybe spend a tad much time thinking about flavour text and the like, but it's hard to deny the deliberate design choice of ambience in Ep2 and the likelihood of Ep3 taking place in an even colder, snowy environment as already seen in the Mossman communication.
And this is exactly the sort of mature design approach typical of Valve.
So I just want it on record that I called it :P
Oh Yes
#1424 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/10/20 00:32:01
Barney isn't there for obvious reasons: he died in the explosion of City 17
You are a bad, bad person and you are going to android hell.
There won't be any cake.
Kell
#1425 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/10/20 10:31:43
You smoke beetles and it's going to piss down in HL3.
#1426 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/21 06:22:09
since everyone's being positive, i feel i should mention this:
most of the cave levels blew. :(
Playing Dark Messiah Now
#1427 posted by nitin [124.168.136.49] on 2007/10/21 11:12:38
pretty cool, even though for some reason it looks very jaggy despite me having 8xSAA on.
Movement feels shit but once you get used to that, all the different combat possibilities are great.
Chat Noir
#1428 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/10/21 12:30:13
http://www.gamedesign.jp/flash/cha...
Metl
#1429 posted by nitin [124.168.136.49] on 2007/10/21 12:55:19
that is so cool.
Chat Noir
#1430 posted by Bal [86.205.113.56] on 2007/10/21 13:10:15
Heh, fun, it's strange it kinda feels like playing a very basic version of Go.
#1431 posted by megaman [84.63.2.60] on 2007/10/21 13:24:41
I have a boardgame quite similar to that, just that it's on a rectangular grid and you can build towers. once two towers stand in a combination like the horse in chess, you can build a wall between them. Goal is to reach the other side of the board.
That
#1432 posted by starbuck [82.41.206.175] on 2007/10/21 13:25:02
is AWESOME
Such cool design, doesn't need any instructions or words at any point... seems impossible for a while but then you I got the hang of it and it's very satisfying.
Oh
#1433 posted by megaman [84.63.2.60] on 2007/10/21 13:26:26
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TwixT
#1434 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/10/21 22:28:24
since everyone's being positive, i feel i should mention this:
most of the cave levels blew. :(
I'm not entirely positive about Ep2. I agree with czg; while it isn't bad, I wasn't blown away by it the way I was by HL2 and Ep1.
What was it though about the cave levels that "blew"?
I thought the actual sculpting was superb, really the first cave map to actually be shaped exactly the way real caves are. I wondered if it had been made as a model in max or maya and then imported, until I played with commentary and discovered it was done with Hammer's 'displacements'. I've heard of this before, but I have no idea how it works.
I also thought the custom shader written specifically to render the look of a flashlight casting long shadows off every little protrusion on the surface was the first use of bump mapping I've seen that added something useful to the experience.
The colors otoh I was less impressed with. The same green and blue the Valve team apparently decided to make the signature palette of Ep2. Kinda bleh, and gray/brown would have been fine
The Larval Essence was also a disappointment. As an item significant for being both:
1) the key to saving Alyx's life
2) the goal of a sizeable chunk of stylised mapping in the episode
it should have had a unique model, placed in the center of a spiral-like cavern path.
Instead, I wanted to ask the Vort why we couldn't have just got some from the identical honeycombs I'd been fighting my way past for the last quarter of a mile.
But I still found the caves a cool place to be, and the combat fortunately wasn't tediously hard, unlike when you are later bludgeoned with the Hunters.
So what blew?
Hah...
#1435 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/10/22 00:46:03
My parents had a box of old board games from the 60s and 70s. One of them was twixt. Another one was that version of mastermind with the james-bond-themed cover:
http://www.junkyardclubhouse.com/2...
Here was the twixt cover:
http://members.aol.com/ttonuch/ima...
And of course everyone seemed to have yahtzee back then.
I Have
#1436 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/10/22 01:01:00
that mastermind as a travel-version right here, I'm holding it in my hand as I type. Parents have the normal bigger version at home.
Game of the year!
#1437 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/10/22 02:13:51
that version of mastermind with the james-bond-themed cover
Oh dear god >_<
Yes, when you look at this distinguished man sitting at the table, you can now know that his lap is secretly spoiled with cat pee.
The world is now a very slightly, but permanently, better place ^_^
Haha
#1438 posted by starbuck [82.41.206.175] on 2007/10/22 12:49:38
I used to have that version of mastermind too! I remember thinking even back then it was a slightly odd cover, and the guy didn't look like a mastermind of anything much, and the girl didn't look much like a bond girl.
#1439 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/23 01:38:47
sorry, i should have explained what i meant in the original post.
it's not so much that it blew in the sense that i thought it was not well done. it's just that that set of levels is incredibly visually boring. the part where you have to basically run from one hidey hole to the next before the antlion guard kicks your ass bugged me. 1 because i don't really enjoy gameplay like that when i can't really fight back and 2 because the tunnels all look so damn similar, i was never really sure where to go.
the last part, where you see the antlion standing across a chasm, and then you have to make the longest run to the next hidey hole than any of the other runs, for example.
i didn't actually know where to go, and the first time i took the correct path to go the long way, i thought i had taken a wrong turn (because of the incredible distance vs the other times) and so when the antlion headbutted me, i didn't bother trying to actually get into the hole and just reloaded, instead trying to go the other way which leads back to the beginning.
it took me like 4 reloads before i realised which way to go and it was really annoying.
also: regarding the honeycomb model, i noticed that too! hehe
i think another reason i didn't really like it was because i was really looking forward to seeing more of the city/town stuff and almost from the start you're plunged into (what i found to be) really boring caves.
i would have loved to see more of the topside mine entrance area. instead, i had to run through really quickly because antlions were making eyes at me.
also, the area right after alyx is healed where you fight in the huge canyon, as well as the spot before you heal alyx where you take that long elevator up and watch the vort take on a horde of guys for a little bit.
otoh, i really liked hunter combat! i liked how they were introduced early on at the mine entrance, and then the first combat at the communication building at the top of the hill. really fun and fast paced fighting = win, for me. :)
i also thought the fight in the hotel when the combine traps you was awesome. what with all the dudes outside shooting in, and the hunters breaking through the walls, it was hectic and awesome.
i have yet to replay with commentary on, mainly because i don't really feel like it. maybe when i hear some of the rationale for the choices they made i'll like it more, but i don't think it should be necessary to listen to dev commentary to like a game.
sorry for the disorganization of my thoughts, btw. >_<
Mastermind
#1440 posted by negke [82.82.187.59] on 2007/10/23 08:38:16
Heh, I have the same version too. Never put the cover in relation to a James Bond theme (though it actually fits well). Never liked the game much either.
HL2 Riot Act
#1441 posted by Mike Woodham [81.154.10.184] on 2007/10/23 21:34:48
Just finished it. Liked it.
Le Fuckign Chat Noir.
#1442 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/10/23 22:31:55
I never tried a web flash game before. It's pretty addictive.
I've done it a few times and am very slowly picking up some vague ideas how to do it. But I still feel I'm not grasping the game mechanics, more just floundering around and occasionally glimpsing what to do...
Up To The Orc Temple
#1443 posted by nitin [124.168.84.181] on 2007/10/25 15:20:18
in dark messiah, holy shit is some of the mapping good. Even that gimmick level where you chase the ghoul is excellent.
Crysis Demo
#1444 posted by Mike Woodham [81.154.10.184] on 2007/10/27 23:47:02
First thoughts anyone?
Ohh
#1445 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/28 15:56:34
i shall have to try that one out, thanks for reminding me :)
has anyone played the hellgate demo? i wasn't really impressed by it, any other opinions? it might be one of those games that gets better near the middle and end.
Demos...
#1446 posted by Bal [86.217.85.101] on 2007/10/28 16:58:34
Crysis Was interesting, it's really pretty similar to Farcry, except you have the suit powers, which makes it a bit more interesting, as you can approach situations differently. I played it on low, so I can't really say it's gorgeous, but even on low it's looks ok-ish. Looking forward to playing the full game with a new 3D card later on...
Hellgate london demo was pretty trash, but being so weak when it comes to these type of games, I still feel tempted to try it some more... =\
Jerico
#1447 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2007/10/28 18:32:45
Anybody already tried this game ?
http://www.direct2drive.com/2/5210...
Jericho...
#1448 posted by Bal [86.217.85.101] on 2007/10/28 19:04:43
Yeah I tried the demo for a bit, and it made so little sense and ran so poorly I just uninstalled it right away. Maybe I'll give it a fairer try if it gets awesome reviews, but even though the visuals looked fairly good, the gameplay didn't feel like anything so interesting.
That's A Shame
#1449 posted by ijed [190.20.84.152] on 2007/10/28 19:43:56
I thought Jericho would have been one of the suprise good games this year, like Undying was.
Spose I'll wait for a metacritic compiled review
score.
Crysis
#1450 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/28 20:14:47
just finished the demo. feels exactly like farcry. sadly, the part after the demo looks cooler than the demo itself. :\
still, the suit powers are cool, but i think they need some balancing or something.
cloak would be a lot cooler if it lasted for more time. i don't think that would be overpowering or anything, since without it, those koreans have much sharper eyes than anyone in farcry did.
speed is probably one of the more useful ones in almost any situation. you could fall back on armor, but i found the improved maneuverability of speed to be more useful than being able to take more hits.
strength... i dunno, i mean, it's effective because i can one-shot npcs with my fists/gunbutt, but i don't really see it as all that useful since melee range is not something you're in most of the time. i suppose you could sprint up with spd and switch to str and pummel someone, but sprinting uses up a lot of energy, so you'd probably only get a single punch anyway. not something you can use for a group of dudes.
once i got the shotgun, i pretty much just stayed on speed mode and ran around blasting everyone. now THIS is how a shotgun should be like. pretty much guaranteed kill at medium to close range which is awesome and very satisfying. add to that, npcs fly backward and into the air just a bit (ok, not totally real, but cool) and it's my favourite weapon in the demo. ^_^
i liked how the binocs worked in farcry but i know it's not the same game. it's just that it's even harder to see these jokers in the bushes now, and the binocs don't identify npcs as well as the farcry version did. also, you have to actually 'mark' hostiles before they show up on the minimap/radar so it kind of goes against the whole idea. maybe i'm just a wuss though. :P
Oh
#1451 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/10/28 20:19:09
i did like the way you can pull up the menu to select the suit powers although i would have liked the option to map individual powers to a single key.
the menu for weapon mods is awesome though. i like the ability to change anything on the gun at a moment's notice and the use of the mouse interface means you can't just do it in the middle of combat. it's a good way of making it non-instant without artificially slowing it down (long change animations).
CB Jericho
#1452 posted by JohnXmas [85.0.182.111] on 2007/10/28 21:32:30
I use to spend thrilling nights playing Undying. I've always been a big fan of this game for its scare factor and powerful ambiance. So I had big expectations about Jericho. After the demo, my feelings were so-so but anyway I decided to give the full game a chance.
Currently after a whole night of playing through some levels, things come to mind such as: Damn, this game is nothing more than a rehash of D3 (all, I mean ALL levels, even outdoors are sooo dark you have to use the flashlight...) and UT (the look of the characters...). But imo the worse is it doesn't scare at all! Gore and supranatural elements are there but the fact you can't escape from switching between characters all through the game removes yourself from any possible single player immersion. In the end, you don't feel concerned at all for what happens to the crew. This kind of forced schizoid way to progress dissolves it all.
On the design, everything is so mushy-blurry in the background, kinda these Quake 4 outdoors ugly flatty backgrounds, but worse...
Gameplay is heavily scripted, with savepoints, Quick Time events and all that shit.
I'll play some more levels to face a boss, in a desperate search of scary moments of some sort, but I'm already very near to give up.
Gimme back the twisted Covenant family and the howlers. Back when I was playing Undying I had nightmares filled of these monsters. Jericho is definately not this type of game, alas.
Hellgate: London Demo
#1453 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.114.187] on 2007/10/29 09:06:05
I enjoyed the demo. Graphically, it's pretty underwhelming overall (surprisingly so - I honestly was expecting it to be a bit nicer than that, even though many of the screenshots I've seen looked decidedly average).
Of course, that doesn't really matter too much, as long as the gameplay is solid. This is the new Diablo. Kill 'em and take their stuff. If I hadn't already decided to buy the game, the demo would have been enough to convince me - I played it through 3 times, even though the limited areas and quests in the demo weren't terribly exciting - I just wanted to play more.
What really impressed me about the demo was how comfortable and natural it felt to play. Do you find yourself struggling to understand how to do things, or arseing about with clunky controls/methods in most "modern" (aka shit) games like Oblivion? I know I do. In contrast to that, playing Hellgate for the first time felt more like playing a familiar old game, with intuitive controls and actions. Also, quite notably, the game handles the transition from first person to third person seamlessly and naturally, and it feels equally comfortable to play in either mode.
This is a game you're either going to enjoy and play for a long time, or skip entirely. If you played Diablo II to death and often lament the fact that nobody has even come out with a respectable clone in the 8 or so years since the release of that game*, then you probably need this. If not, look elsewhere.
* close-but-no-cigar award goes to Titan Quest. They tried, but they obviously missed the point - or at least they couldn't quite nail the fun factor and addictive nature of the Diablo II gameplay.
Games
#1454 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/10/29 09:39:51
Shit me there's quite a few around at the moment isn't there.
Very useful comments on this thread. Jericho had caught my eye (not least because of how class Undying was). Hellgate too, I've been following.
Guess I need to download some demos. And start playing again...
Frib...
#1455 posted by Bal [83.199.79.140] on 2007/10/29 09:53:18
Actually, I kinda disagree, it was easy enough to play yeah, I mean, it's hack&slash, so that's normal, but the user interface didn't feel half as good as what I was hoping for. Really, it's barely better than Diablo2's UI, and Titan Quest still kicks the shit out of it any day. It just felt so wrong not having any indication of your damage per second, damage per hit, and hit rate, and sometimes it felt really clunky having to unequip items to put them in the nano constructor thing, etc...
But unfortunatly I'm quite afraid I'm still one of your kind, and will end up buying it cause I require to kill monsters and pick up their loot... =(
On a side note, I thought Titan Quest was Diablo2 made perfect, and the visuals were really perfect in my opinion.
Dark Messiah
#1456 posted by nitin [124.168.114.157] on 2007/10/29 12:11:02
so yeah its pretty cool overall, I much preferred the levels with outdoor areas in it though or at least some huge inside areas because they were very impressive.
Game on the whole is pretty good, although the RPG element is very half baked. I mean half the time I didnt even know how much armor I had or how much damage I could do so all those different weapons etc didnt really do a whole ot. Basically, like Rune, pick the biggest weapon or one that has the most requirements and off you go.
Movement was also shitty, but the combat options were quite nice and varied. I also liked the non-linarity present in parts, although wish more levels had it.
so yeah, another worthwhile addition to the fantasy genre.
Frib And Bal
#1457 posted by starbuck [82.41.206.175] on 2007/10/30 11:09:49
I really need to get both Titan Quest and Hellgate, I'm just like you people, I can't escape the Diablo II urge to kill monsters for loot. So damn satisfying.
I Was Playing Halo3 Last Night
#1458 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/10/30 15:46:55
I would just like to say that that is one hell of a game. I was near the end (I think) at the part where you are fighting the flood in a massive catacombe style level, and it is one of the best environments to have ever graced a computer game of any kind!!
Crysis
#1459 posted by negke [82.83.29.4] on 2007/11/01 00:53:24
Judging from the demo it feels like an okay game, but nothing more. Seems like standard (Farcry) gameplay for the most part. The suit powers are quite interesting though. Graphics (I only played on medium detail) look ok but definitely not outstanding. Actually, it reminded me of Gothic3 - potentially great, but way too bright, too much gloss, and meh.
I don't think I'm going to get the game in the nearer future.
#1460 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/01 01:00:05
so apparently gears of war is being released on the PC in a week or so.
i only found out yesterday browsing through gamespot.
i've seen screenshots of the xbox version and it looks great. since i never play console games, it was a pleasant surprise. :)
Stuff
#1461 posted by Kinn [86.135.135.141] on 2007/11/01 21:30:47
Crysis Demo: Looks laavely, although the AI is rubbish by today's standards. Check out the editor - it's very nice, especially with its graphical state-machine-like interface to the triggering system.
Halo3 - as a vehicle-based open battle game it's brilliant. As an indoor FPS it's very mediocre. I didn't try the multiplayer.
at the part where you are fighting the flood in a massive catacombe style level, and it is one of the best environments to have ever graced a computer game of any kind!!
I hope you don't mean that fleshy pink cave network near the end, because I thought that was about the worst level design in the game :p
Yeah, That's The Bit I Meant!
#1462 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/11/02 11:05:58
I got lost in there. Me and my friend were playing on split-screen co-op. We blasted our way through so far, and then we seemed to be running around in circles, unable to progress any further. But eventually, thinking outside of the box a bit we realised the only way of getting out was to climb upwards, by doing a bit of jumping and traversing. Genius! Probably the most interesting part of the game! Plus I wouldnt fancy trying to do a Quake re-make of that level. Halo3 weapons are just like other Halo series weapons. One of the guns used by the aliens is a sorty of long-range artillery style one-shot thingy, which I though was rubbish cause of the re-load times on it. But in that cave it was very usefull for picking those fucking spider things off of the walls.
I dont think Halo3 has moved on much from Halo2 as far as gameplay goes, but the graphics and level design are better. The gameplay and co-op modes are (always have been) very good fun!
On another Point
*||New Soldier of Fortune!!!||* :)
Really looking forwards to this! I love Gore in video games. Doom3 was a dissappointment (for me, anyway) in this department. S.O.F. 1 was the only game to have really got it right!
I just hope the new game has good gameplay. I watched some videos on IGN, and it looked OK but the player needed to be moving a bit faster. But REAL LOCALISED DAMAGE!!! Hehehe!!!
Stuff
#1463 posted by bear [194.237.168.165] on 2007/11/02 15:11:29
Is fighting the flood still a mindblowing tedious chore as it was the first time?
I automatically hate anything solder of fortune since paying SOF license money is utterly depressing.
Yeah...
#1464 posted by Bal [86.205.103.3] on 2007/11/02 15:30:32
I'll take the silly gibs in TF2 over any kind of sick SOF type gore any day thankyouverymuch.
Gears Of War...
#1465 posted by generic [98.192.129.54] on 2007/11/02 15:45:01
I never played the console version but I am looking forward to playing it on the PC. It is the only game in recent history that reminds me of Quake -- dark atmosphere, monotone textures, marines vs. monsters -- and that includes the later Quakes and Doom 3 ;)
Gears Of War Sucked
#1466 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2007/11/02 15:59:04
I hate you all. I hate the world. I hate you.
Gears Of War
#1467 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/11/02 16:10:07
I thought it was good. The combat system is pretty original. The graphics were sweet, some good level design. It was a bit short though. Plus the cut-scenes were dumb. Also over here the christmas commercial for Gears of War had that bloody depressing Tears for Fears cover on it. I didnt get that at all!! Also, if any of you guys thought 'The Sickbase' was too hard, there are some very hard bits in Gears. (I admit the Sickbase was too hard, badly balanced gameplay BTW:(
Luckily loading times are quite short (on a 360)
Yeah. It Started A Trend
#1468 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.249] on 2007/11/03 01:33:25
Gears of War had that bloody depressing Tears for Fears cover on it.
The HaloIII commercial had a freeze flash battle scene with Chopin's Raindrop Prelude playing in the foreground (sounded like it was coming from behind me on my surround sound television setup, gave a real tingly feeling up my headshaft). Kind of an interesting approach, but I need some hurtful (heh, see what I did there) metal for my FPS carnage.
Yes
#1469 posted by Vigil [91.152.93.88] on 2007/11/03 09:05:03
You invented yet another metal subgenre, adding to thousands.
He He, Maybe
#1470 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.31] on 2007/11/03 09:54:13
but I was going for this:
http://www.amazon.ca/Hurting-Tears...
New Painkiller
#1471 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/06 03:41:43
only done 3 levels so far.
it's fun, but more of the same. i really am starting to hate the way they keep locking you in and spawning in monsters. there's very little variety for the horde combat this time, and the second level is very cramped and not very fun.
also, visually, i find the levels not as interesting as the original.
i'm hoping there will be some hidden jewels later on for maps though. like the mine shaft from the exp or like the island with the cathedral in the original.
to me, painkiller has always been about generally fun gameplay taking place inside amazingly beautiful maps. this new exp started out as a fan project, and i think they somehow forgot about that. at least so far. :x
Heheh
#1472 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/11/06 16:51:26
http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node...
#1473 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/11/06 16:54:20
I liked the original as well, but the first expansion got lost somewhere, most of the guys here turn out better design consistently.
Forcing the player to rely on trick maneuvers like bunny hopping is a criminal, newbie mistake.
Sounds like this new expansion is repeating old errors - a shame.
TimeShift
#1474 posted by JohnXmas [83.79.47.46] on 2007/11/07 04:44:58
Somebody tried it? The time-suit generates great variations (slowmo, stop and reverse) on a known gameplay... At first, you have to get used to the kinda clumsy aliased visuals but once you're in, the well made lighting and design and colorful, quite cartoony textures add some olkskool fun to the experience. AI is correct, weapons are powerful. I'm not ashamed to say I really LIKE this game!
If you had fun with F.E.A.R. or HL2 (urban levels) and Painkiller type weapon effects, just grab the 1Gig demo (one full SP level) and see for yourself...
http://demo.timeshiftgame.com/
Settings and menus are plain and efficient. In the 'video' section, I found 'hardware quality' settings on 'good' might really boost fps without ruining the visuals too much. DoF might be turned off with no regrets too. And hey! There's a built-in FoV cursor in the 'game' settings!
Unlike Crysis or Jericho, this game runs fast and smooth in 1920x1200 here. Pent D 3.2 - XP SP2 DX9c - SLI GeForce 7900GTX (Forceware 169.04 beta required, but working well)
http://www.timeshiftgame.com
Cheers For That.
#1475 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/11/07 10:38:38
Not convinced yet but will check it out.
I need more demos and stuff to try. Someone give me some links.
Tall Stump
#1476 posted by metlslime [71.202.113.29] on 2007/11/08 01:37:36
Flash puzzle/platformer:
http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/...
.
#1477 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/08 01:42:53
Have any of you guys seen any space flying games where they focus on capital ship combat?
So far, the only one i know of is star trek: bridge commander. from what i can recall of playing it, it was pretty cool and was a lot more than you'd think.
the ship's weapons would basically work like capacitors, and there were a few all around the ship. when you fire at the enemy ship, which ever phaser was pointed at him would be the one to fire and it would deplete the energy in it which would slowly recharge.
the idea is to fly around the other dude while rotating your ship such that phasers that have a full charge are pointed towards him.
i think it was a good idea and a lot of fun, but i guess it didn't do very well because i never hear about it.
i was just wondering what you guys thought of a game that tries to do this type of thing. it doesn't have to be star trek or anything, of course. just something where you are maneuvering to get the upper hand while keeping track of which parts of your ship you want to expose to enemy fire and what not.
any opinions on that?
Oh And
#1478 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/08 01:54:08
if i'm wrong and there are other games like that out there, can you suggest any? :)
Space Control - Theory And Practice
#1479 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/11/08 03:53:50
That sounds a lot like the starship combat chapter of the Aliens Technical Manual I've mentioned already. There are no SW type starfighters, instead a picture of Hunt For Red October type manoeuvre and counter-manoeuvre is painted, a game of outsmarting in silence.
The chapter is written as a fictional lecture "Excerpted from the STARTAC '76 introductory seminar to the USCM staff college by Colonel James Mortimer, USASF."
The closing paragraphs read:
"Good captains should have an assassin mentality - prepared to sneak up on an enemy and stab him in the back before he can react. Almost 90 percent of space battles are settled this way - without even an exchange of fire. The key phrase here is 'emission control'. A starship captain can't always use his radar and lidar, broadcasting electromagnetic emissions which are gonna light him up like a beacon for everyone to see. The good captains, the ones that survive at least one battle, stay invisible. They control their infrared and EM emissions to become an invisible 'blackbody' in space; they limit their relative motion against the starfield so as to prevent visual detection; they plan their attack pass to fall on the enemy from a sensor blind spot such as a system's star; and they disguise the flare of their ASAT launches. When they light up their radars, it'll be to obtain a firing solution for their weapons, and by that time it'll hopefully be too late for their enemy.
Stealth is everything, and in a battle in which both sides are attempting to find each other in a vast, vast sky, the winner will be the smartest, most alert and best trained.
This is the essence, the Zen of space combat..."
#1480 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2007/11/08 03:57:28
I'd probably love a game like that, and would probably suck at it too :P
There's something attractive about the challenge of wielding an entire starship like an assassin's blade. It would certainly be a change from conventional space games.
You looking for project ideas..?
Metslime
#1481 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/11/08 13:38:22
Nice game, I like stuff that remakes oldschool concepts without needing to over complicate it.
And being able to wear a paper hat is pimp.
Flashgame
#1482 posted by megaman [84.63.62.31] on 2007/11/08 14:25:09
I'm always expecting seizure man.
Gunlimb
#1483 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/11/08 14:41:02
Seizure man? This is close. It's a terrible game, but the story nearly makes up for it.
http://www.greatgamesexperiment.co...
You don't have to play, so don't blame me afterwards if you do ;)
Sort Of...
#1484 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/09 04:37:05
just doing a bit of research.
the thing is that i'd love a game like that, but i don't think it would be possible to make it so that it would appeal to a broad audience. :\
i've played one of those sub games (silent hunter #) and they are incredibly slow paced.
it would be nice to strike a balance between that and something like x-wing or freespace... i thought st:bridge commander did it fairly well, but the emphasis on movement is a little too much for me. i think that's just because it's the startrek universe that's like that.
if you think about it, real engagements between space ships would be on the order of hundreds or thousands of kilometers. add to that inertia and the lack of gravity... engagement ranges could be incredibly long and down to how accurate your targetting system was.
i dunno, there's a lot to think about. :S
Btw
#1485 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/11/09 04:40:00
i totally agree about the role stealth would play in any kind of space engagement. it's much more akin to submarine combat than traditional naval battles.
crawling around waiting for some whisper of the enemy and then blowing the shit out of him before he even knows it.
on the other hand, you can't always rely on lying doggo to catch the other guy, sometimes you gotta light up your drives and let the other bastard see you...
Stuff Would Take A Lot Of Time
#1486 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/11/09 16:36:52
the speeds would be huge and targets tiny.
You could shoot (well, accelerate with multi-stage missiles) lead balls from the other side of a planet on an elliptical trajectory opposite to your opponent's trajectory (it's called retrograde) and they would hit him thus at double orbital speed relative.
In low Earth orbit that would mean 16 km/s.
(Normal weapons on earth have less than 1 km/s muzzle velocities.)
You could detect those projectiles by radar though. Radar echo weakens by the fourth power of distance, and even small balls hitting at 16 km/s do a lot of damage...
You could also shoot from multiple directions by varying the inclination and eccentricity of the orbit.
You'd have to know where your enemy is very very precisely.
I've been toying an idea of such a game where gravity plays a big role. I was such a fan of Star Control and wondered what it could do in 3D and with slightly more realism added to the dynamics. (Like no speed limit, that was completely unphysical.)
Could still be arcadey. The targets would have to be unrealistically big though so that humans could judge the targeting without calculations.
Hmm...
#1487 posted by Bal [90.2.104.61] on 2007/11/09 16:52:59
I'd imagine it would be kinda hard to make a realistic game like this, as I'm guessing in space warfare, computers would really be doing most of the fighting anyways, everything would be going too fast, and the calculations too complex for humans to really take part in any way (other than in designing better, faster computers/AIs before the actual fighting).
You Would In The Least
#1488 posted by bambuz [80.221.169.201] on 2007/11/09 17:20:02
have to have computer helpers, ie dynamically updated trajectory maps. So you could move your mouse and these curves would move, bending with the gravity field and depending on the direction of your thrust... and the enemy location and speed would also generate a curve for the enemy future location. They could be ticked for certain time intervals.
Hrm
#1489 posted by megaman [84.63.20.212] on 2007/11/09 21:52:06
that sounds very interesting /me takes notes
Call Of Duty 4
#1490 posted by DaZ [80.41.167.106] on 2007/11/13 12:42:12
Got it Monday, completed it Monday night!
Very short single player mode, I would say around 5-6 hours on normal difficulty, but damn is it fun!
It follows the same formula as call of duty 2 really, if you loved that then this is more of the same but in a modern setting. The developers have been watching way to much "Aliens" and "Black Hawk Down". Some of the missions are lifted straight from that movie now that I think about it.
The game does feature some of the most awesome scenes though, from attacking a freight ship on a stormy night through to escaping a nuclear explosion in a helicopter, its just breath-taking.
One final thing I must mention, there is a Chernobyl level where you play as a sniper, this single level PWNZ Stalker in so many ways, it almost makes me sad that GSC Gameworld are going to play this map and be so pissed! :)
Also, you can shoot dogs.
The end.
The Witcher
#1491 posted by Ankh [192.100.124.219] on 2007/11/15 14:38:02
Anyone has tried this game already?
The Witcher
#1492 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.45.92] on 2007/11/15 15:07:14
From what I've seen so far, the Witcher is a very nice "interactive movie"... apart from, perhaps, the interactive bits. :D
To be fair I've only played for about 5-10 minutes. I actually clocked in 1-2 hours overall, but actual playtime was less than 10 minutes. The rest of the time I was watching cutscenes and loading bars.
I trust the game will open up a bit more soon, once the initial story setup has been done, allowing me to play a bit more and get a more informed opinion on the gameplay. So far though, the fun factor has been hampered by crappy camera controls and a fairly annoying combat system, so I can't say I've truly enjoyed my play time thus far.
The camera has a few different modes and can be adjusted automatically or manually... I preferred the manual setup, but instead of allowing full control and playing nice, the camera jumped around a lot in a really shitty and distracting way. It seems like they've tried to allow for both a point-and-click style movement/auto camera model, while also allowing the option for WASD control for movement with a manual camera. So rather than being perfect for one of those styles, it ends up being pretty average for both.
The combat so far is a bit... meh. Rather than simple button mashing or auto-attacks, The Witcher lies somewhere in between - clicking on a bad guy will initiate an attack sequence, and you're required to press the mouse button at the appropriate times to perform extra attacks (bad timing will fuck up the sequence and you'll have to start again). It works well enough, but I'm not sure if I really like it or not yet. You can also change stances and cast spells, though I don't have many options yet (for spells at least) so it's hard to say whether those additional skills will make it interesting enough or not.
Ultimately if the game overall is good enough, I can see myself putting up with the less-than-ideal camera and combat... but only if the rest of the game is above average. So far it looks pretty good - the story is interesting enough, art is nice, voice acting is pretty good, etc, no complaints really, other than the aforementioned camera and combat issues.
Timeshift
#1493 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/11/15 23:10:27
JohnXmas wrote:
Somebody tried it? The time-suit generates great variations (slowmo, stop and reverse) on a known gameplay... At first, you have to get used to the kinda clumsy aliased visuals but once you're in, the well made lighting and design and colorful, quite cartoony textures add some olkskool fun to the experience. AI is correct, weapons are powerful. I'm not ashamed to say I really LIKE this game!
If you had fun with F.E.A.R. or HL2 (urban levels) and Painkiller type weapon effects, just grab the 1Gig demo (one full SP level) and see for yourself...
http://demo.timeshiftgame.com/
Settings and menus are plain and efficient. In the 'video' section, I found 'hardware quality' settings on 'good' might really boost fps without ruining the visuals too much. DoF might be turned off with no regrets too. And hey! There's a built-in FoV cursor in the 'game' settings!
Unlike Crysis or Jericho, this game runs fast and smooth in 1920x1200 here. Pent D 3.2 - XP SP2 DX9c - SLI GeForce 7900GTX (Forceware 169.04 beta required, but working well)
http://www.timeshiftgame.com
I tend to agree. Whilst it basically 100% IS Half-Life 2 + bullet time, it is still pretty fun. The FPS basics are all present and correct and done well, and there are a few things I like:
Timeshift is easy and useful and fun (although will probably get old?)
Weapons are powerful and feel good - death animations and blood are rewarding.
Destructable enviroments are a nice touch (although the enviroments and currently visuals are pretty cluttered).
Overall it seems to do the job, albeit a derivative one. I could be tempted.
So Games.
#1494 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/11/15 23:29:31
There seems to be a few shooters and stuff recently.
Am I right that I should be buying / playing:
Bioshock
Crysis
Gears Of War
and Timeshift since I like the demo
???
Any others??
I am so behind with gaming it's ridiculous. Have still got to start Dark Messiah, Vampire and Thief 3, and make progress on Guild Wars and Gothic 3....hmph. Still it's always good to have straight up shooters to play, right??
Shambler...
#1495 posted by Bal [83.204.155.205] on 2007/11/15 23:48:56
You should buy the Orange Box and have some Team Fortress 2 with us online!
/me votes TF2 best game of 2007.
Anyways yeah, so many games coming out these days! Have to play Gears of War and Crysis, but will probably get a 8800gt first to play them in proper quality.
And have to get Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 on Wii! And if I had a 360 I'd be playing assassin's creed. =\
Oh and been wasting time on Hellgate a bit, Frib, what do you think of the full game?
Asassin'cs Creed
#1496 posted by nitin [210.84.48.176] on 2007/11/16 08:46:57
checked it out for a bit at the local shop, that looks like a great game. Although I wonder if the missions would get repetitive? WIth good level design they shouldnt. Either way, it looks cool. anyone know if its coming out on pc ?
Nitin...
#1497 posted by Bal [81.249.97.88] on 2007/11/16 09:38:47
Yeah, apparently early 2008.
Raisins' Creed
#1498 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2007/11/16 11:23:37
I heard it gets a bit repetitive yeah. So far I've done only one assassination though, and I'm really enjoying every aspect of it. I take my time to explore and shit and just chill out on the rooftops. So far very little action for me, which I love, because I hate action.
It's a brilliant groping sim.
HL2 Ep2
#1499 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/11/17 17:03:39
Okay, this will sound dumb but can someone inform me here.
I played HL2 a while back, it was cool. I played HL2 Ep1 a while back too, it was also cool.
Ep2 is the one just out, that's been delayed for ages??
Now, what purchase options does this come with?? I presume you at least have to buy it with TF2 and Portal included (which is fine by me). Can you just buy it like that, or do you have to buy this Orange Box bollox with HL2 and Ep1 as well??
Yes!
#1500 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/11/17 18:15:14
As far as I know you have to buy it all!
Still - Its OK for me - I now have 360 versions of all of them, I preveiosly had HL2 on xbox1, [HL, HL2, HL2 ep1 - PC] and now [HL2, HL2 ep1, HL2 ep2, Portal and TF2 - 360]
Oh well...
360 versions all look better...
Eventually
#1501 posted by pjw [66.188.138.39] on 2007/11/17 18:56:02
There will be stand-alone versions of them all, I'm sure, but I'm not sure how eventual that will be.
There was talk of "The Black Box" version for a while (that contained the three new games without the earlier content) but I seem to remember reading that it was shitcanned entirely.
Shambler
#1502 posted by Bal [90.2.102.136] on 2007/11/17 19:15:48
You can buy HL2 ep2 alone if you want on steam, it costs $30 though I think, so it's really not worth it considering the Orange Box is $50, and ep2, portal + tf2 are worth $80 total, and all 3 games are great. Just think of it as HL2 and ep1 being free bonuses you can give away as gifts to someone else. =)
I kinda wonder how much they were planning on selling the black box, cause the orange one is already really cheap.
Yeah
#1503 posted by DaZ [80.41.167.106] on 2007/11/18 12:13:02
Orange box is insanely good value for money, even if you already own HL2 and EP1.
Hell its worth the entry fee for TF2 alone, and with the amount of custom maps that are no doubt gonna be released for Portal it will have a huge lifespan if you enjoy the 1st person puzzle gameplay.
I would seriously pick it up Shambler...
Under The Radar
#1504 posted by jsHcK [99.241.160.220] on 2007/11/19 17:28:28
Soldier Of Fortune: Payback
www.sofpayback.com
Built on engine used for Chaser.
No demo released.
SoF Payback...
#1505 posted by Bal [82.124.24.160] on 2007/11/19 18:33:46
The 2 first games were fairly average, and the gratuitous violence completely puts me off now.
Err
#1506 posted by megaman [84.63.20.14] on 2007/11/20 04:04:34
i hate marketing like that. let's all not buy the game.
Timeshift.
#1507 posted by Shambler [82.47.200.179] on 2007/11/20 23:49:32
Ordered the game yesterday, playing it today. Just what I felt like.
For anyone who was worried it might wildly deviate from it's HL2 + bullet time shooter on rails theme, don't fret...
It's fun though, and the slow mo deaths are great - shooting some dude jumping off a platform in slow-time and blowing him back onto the platform, very nice.
Does what it says on the tin, though that's a pretty small label.
Kawaaiiiiiiiiiiiiii Kitteeeeeeeens!
#1508 posted by bear [213.89.237.140] on 2007/11/22 07:41:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS8...
Bear
#1509 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/11/22 13:00:46
That looks pretty nice - the soundtrack is pretty manic / insane though.
GTA Vice City
#1510 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.130] on 2007/11/23 21:22:19
Yeehaw, finally finished this sucker (years after everyone else)! And what great fun it was. Some missions were super hard because of the "bad" movement and control (laggy compared to Quake, but one gets used of it). I love the car feeling, greatest fun driving I have yet encountered in any game. I wish there was a patch to give a higher distance "cut-off" of the buildings and especially the entities. It's pretty weird to turn your back and make cars behind you disappear.
All the npcs are pretty cool characters. NPC AI sucks big time, I had to restart missions so often because of it.
The open ending is kinda nice, I have 50% completion (played 13 hours apparently, but this probably does not count reloads, duh) and will have fun exploring the city. Can't wait to try a race in the stadium. Also I need to get 6 stars. :>
But what a disappointing ending sequence. No, dear development team, you are NOT cool or famous or whatever enough to justify a 10 minute movie-style name text-wall with gay music and still pictures of the city which is not interruptable by the player. Nice wanking there...
Well, San Andreas is waiting for me. And its shiny manual & map already gave me the impression it will rock even more (seriously, what a great manual book!) :)
PS
#1511 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.130] on 2007/11/23 21:23:49
There is a fun GTA Vice City multiplayer mod. Easy to install and great fun to play even with only 2 people (played with a friend last weekend). It's basically exploration, hunting down the other player, pursuit, racing, whatever you want it to be.
http://www.vicecitymultiplayer.com
Cool
#1512 posted by negke [82.82.161.43] on 2007/11/24 08:37:09
I'd sure like to give it try. Maybe even with a few more players (#tf?).
Aquaria
#1513 posted by Bal [86.205.112.63] on 2007/12/08 10:10:24
This indy game has been in the works for quite a while, it's finally been released, and there's a demo, might be worth checking out. It's a 2D underwater exploration/action game, looks fairly pretty, and the basic gameplay seems nice and smooth.
http://www.bit-blot.com/aquaria/de...
Not Found?
#1514 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2007/12/08 16:51:45
404...
#1515 posted by Bal [82.224.161.165] on 2007/12/08 18:13:49
Ah yeah... seems their whole site went down cause of too much traffic I guess, they had quite a bit of publicity going. =\
Oblivion Expansion: Shivering Isles
#1516 posted by Kinn [81.155.230.106] on 2007/12/14 01:38:32
Shivering Isles is to me final, definitive proof that Bethesda's designers and scriptwriters are largely unimaginitive and witless nerds, who just happen to be fortunate enough to be working on a vastly ambitious and successful game series. It really doesn't add up.
To set the expansion in the Realm of Madness was a brilliant move; if anything, Oblivion's dodgy-as-fuck NPC AI could be largely excused under the pretense that, now officially at least, everyone is meant to be badger-boilingly batshit.
Whilst it's true that everyone in the main Oblivion game still comes across - completely unintentionally - as barmier than a bag of carrots, unfortunately transitioning into the Realm of Madness doesn't amount to much more than the NPCs adopting a slightly eccentric theme to their conversation topics. Let's see, you've got that Orc who's a bit camp and calls you "Sweetie", then there's that one who talks in made-up words (but not that far-out so you can still kind of follow the conversation), Oh yeah then there's that lizard guy who steals forks...
To make the quests in the expansion so bloody mundane (the majority are basically just your standard dungeon-crawling fetch quests), and the NPCs such banal, one-dimensional, and childish caricatures of what are supposed to be "mad people", is a huge missed opportunity. The voice acting is just as painful as it ever was in Oblivion, but coupled with the turgid, humourless "crazy talk" of the expansion, meant that it was a race every time to skim read through the text dialogue and exit the fuck out of the conversation menu before I popped a blood vessel from cringeing too hard.
When all's said and done though, like Oblivion, I'm still playing the bollocks out of it and I can't see that changing anytime soon.
I Actually Uninstalled It
#1517 posted by pjw [24.183.51.240] on 2007/12/14 03:54:11
...right after I finished the main questline. I kinda hated it, which is saying something, because I've been a Bethsoft fanboy since Elder Scrolls 1.
It kind of felt like the crew from Monty Python just came in and jerked off all over the game. And not in a particularly hot or even caring way. They were all drunk, and just didn't give a shit.
Oblivion certainly has it's flaws, but this expansion was being oh-so-witty in a "hey, wow, look at this! We're really wacky!" way that was seriously annoying to me.
If you want something good, check out the Lost Spires mod. It adds an archeologist's guild, and an extended questline and really does kick ass (at least so far...I think I'm about halfway through it).
http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy....
Oblivion Sucks!
#1518 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/12/14 10:19:41
No U
#1519 posted by pjw [67.129.250.254] on 2007/12/14 18:46:26
OK It Doesnt Suck
#1520 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.26] on 2007/12/15 15:35:27
Its just my opinion man!!!
Oh Okay.
#1521 posted by pjw [24.183.51.240] on 2007/12/15 20:42:36
Internet crisis averted.
That was close though.
King Kong
#1522 posted by nitin [203.217.76.135] on 2007/12/16 05:17:44
playing this at the moment, very very nice.
Re: Oblivion
#1523 posted by Kinn [81.155.230.106] on 2007/12/16 12:15:55
Thing is, Oblivion is still one of my favourite games of all time, for what it does brilliantly - the way it immerses you in a massive open world. The problem is that because it tries to do so much, so many aspects of it suffer from mediocrity.
Of course there are some areas where you really have no excuse to be shit - the NPC character modelling and animation is fairly piss-poor and you shouldn't really be able to get away with that these days. You've gotta love the way they rigged male and female alike with the exact same set of movement anims - having all the men mincing along, wiggling their hips is something I don't think I'll ever be able to "not see".
Likewise the not-particularly-well-conceived structure of skills and abilities ends up collapsing in on itself when you're given a million ways of breaking the game through "fortify" magic abuse - there isn't really any such thing as balance in this game and to be honest I don't think there could be with the ropey way they've handled the character's levelling.
But yeah, still one of my all-time favourites.
Oblivion
#1524 posted by Bal [90.35.63.5] on 2007/12/16 13:53:02
I agree with everything you've said Kinn, still can't wait for another game like it... Gothic 3 was a bit similar, the locations were more varied and nice though, but it was pretty much unfinished. Maybe now with all the community patches it's had it's better.
Back to oblivion, I think the leveling system, although flawed, was still an interesting concept, and could maybe work nicely if implemented better.
Heh.
#1525 posted by pjw [24.183.51.240] on 2007/12/16 18:11:42
Likewise the not-particularly-well-conceived structure of skills and abilities ends up collapsing in on itself...there isn't really any such thing as balance in this game
That's all very well put. Oblivion is one of those games where you'll get to a certain point, in both familiarity with the game and character development, and you have to make a decision: "Do I want to play the game "as intended" or do I want to bust it all to hell and become completely unstoppable?" (And, hell, that applies to Morrowind, and I believe Daggerfall and Arena too, from what I remember.)(I'm old.)
In a way, those exploits can give the games even more mileage, and offer a lot of sandbox play after you've made your way through it in a more normal manner. Or perhaps I'm just a bit too much of a Bethsoft fanboy.
Oblivion
#1526 posted by Bal [90.35.63.5] on 2007/12/16 23:26:46
Yeah, I'm pretty weak, I stopped playing Oblivion the day my gear gave me full 100% damage reflection, I could have just changed gear, but whatever. I rushed through the main story quests and stopped playing. That was after more than 100 hours of play time though.
Gahd I hope the new Fallout is good.
Finished King Kong
#1527 posted by nitin [203.217.76.135] on 2007/12/17 10:55:57
that was great, the whole thing just clicked and was well made, entertaining and varied enough in gameplay and graphics throughout the whole game.
The bits where you play kong are enormous fun, they got the controls right, the camera right and made it not too difficult so that you can just enjoy those parts rather than worrying about how to jump to the next ledge.
Pjw
#1528 posted by starbuck [77.100.123.82] on 2007/12/19 15:45:54
That doesn't make you that old, I'm 23 and I played Arena more than any of the other games in the series. I probably made the least progress in the game narrative in that too.
Arena is amazing though, I don't think any of the other games give you the same feeling of unsafety when you're in a dungeon somewhere miles from a town, and the feeling of when you finally get back to town but it's night so there are monsters roaming the streets which always sneak up on you, so you have to find an Inn which is open to spend the night.
I don't want to ramble on, but the more I think about it, i think I'm in love with the safe/unsafe game dynamic... trying to find protection and safety is such a good motivating factor. In fact, I've had a load of ideas for a game that would build off that, maybe one day I'll actually work on putting something together.
Arena
#1529 posted by pjw [24.183.51.240] on 2007/12/20 04:35:34
Having played Arena doesn't make me that old, true, but I feel that way sometimes. :)
I hear what you're saying about the safety thing. I think of it more as built-in user-friendliness. Game designers used to get away with being serious assholes, and gamers enjoyed it, in a somewhat masochistic way. Many games these days are more immediately user-friendly and don't have as steep of a learning curve. I blame consoles and a larger, more mainstream audience.
Get off my lawn.
Werl,
#1530 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/12/20 12:55:23
It's the types of games as well, you can't just assume everyone will be able to navigate a 3d world, but a 2D is another (simpler) matter.
Also there's a shitload more money in the industry now, so the higher ups want as broad a selling base as possible - that's why most games are rated M; which really means T.
E
#1531 posted by megaman [84.63.59.85] on 2007/12/20 16:45:12
[can't assume ] everyone will be able to navigate a 3d world
i loled at that
Heh, Ok
#1532 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2007/12/20 17:34:09
a virtual 3d world, and that's the marketing / QA / shitheads at the top view
Medal Of Honor Pacific Assault
#1533 posted by nitin [203.217.80.62] on 2007/12/23 14:57:51
starts out fairly sucky, and the attempts at story are even suckier but the main part of the game, fighting through the jungle levels, is pretty good.
Levels and missions in that part still do get a bit repetitive, but overall the gameplay in the jungle bit is very entertaining and noticeably different from your usual WW2 shooter. Dont know what exactly is different in this part, but it feels really good.
All of that is nearly undone in one very horrible flying level towards the end that is terrible in every aspect and is also extremely long to prolong the agony. What were they thinking??
Recent Purchases / Mini-reviews
#1534 posted by DaZ [80.41.162.230] on 2007/12/24 16:30:03
<quote>The Orange Box</quote>
All 3 games are fantastic, team fortress 2 is my favourite of the whole bunch and will keep me playing for a long time! Whole package runs great on older pc systems too! 5/5
<quote>Bioshock</quote>...
Winner of my personal "best intro sequence I can remember" award and has some great storytelling elements and characters throughout. Plasmids are great fun to use but the weapons could have felt meatier. Needs a fairly recent pc to run at the fullest. 4/5
<quote>Hellgate : London</quote>
Diablo 2 reincarnated, mindless blasting action for all the family, forget the subscription thing it simply is not worth it AT ALL. All the classes are fun to play and very different from each other. Needs a fairly new pc to run at its best. 3.5/5
<quote>Call of duty 4</quote>
(Might have already written about this) Great game! Classic CoD intensity and set pieces, loved the into where you are in the car also. The Chernobyl level shits on Stalker and laughs in its face. Not tried multi player yet... 4/5
<quote>Gears of war (pc)</quote>
I enjoyed the xbox version and the pc version pisses all over it. It looks much better and the mouse/keyboard make it so much easier to play. The new single player chapter is great fun also. Mutiplayer is the same as the xbox version and requires amicro$osft LIVE account. 4/5
<quote>Crysis</quote>
fantastic for the 1st 3 quarters of the game, then slowly but surely falls into mediocrity. Won't go into too much detail as I don't want to ruin the plot, but the jungle fighting gameplay is second to none, the nanosuit is not a gimmick, it is 100% genuinely useful in most situations. Weapon modifying on the fly is fantastic also. Needs a *BEAST* of a pc to run at high settings, I played through at medium / low settings and it looks slightly prettier than farcry. 4/5
<quote>Unreal Tournament 3</quote>
Only got this a day or 2 ago so can't comment with 100% accuracy, but so far it totally rocks! They fixed the UT franchise at last, everything is back to that gritty in your face combat that UT was known for. Most maps make your jaw fall off visually. Warfare mode is great and very fast thanks to the special orb that can instantly capture an enemy node. Menu system blows. Looking forward to playing more over xmas. So far - 4/5
Daz
#1535 posted by Mr Fribbles [220.253.6.249] on 2007/12/25 03:58:29
Thanks for the mini-reviews! :)
p.s. the funniest thing about your b0rked tags is that I read the whole post the first time without even noticing.
Mario Clone For Masochists
#1536 posted by bear [213.89.237.7] on 2007/12/28 12:45:59
Go play first:
http://www.geocities.jp/z_gundam_t...
Then search youtube for syobon and watch the video of all the hilarious deaths you won't have patience for experiencing first hand.
Wow
#1537 posted by megaman [87.245.9.113] on 2007/12/28 13:11:02
that's some frustrating leveldesign.
i'd hate to play that. =)
So
#1538 posted by nitin [203.217.71.97] on 2007/12/30 15:21:34
is it just me or is prince of persia 2 (warrior within) much more infuriating than the first??
they've fixed up the combat a bit, but then ruin it with too many mini boss fights, and they've completely fucked the health system and the camera has a lot more problems than before too.
Yeah I Found That Too...
#1539 posted by starbuck [77.100.123.82] on 2007/12/30 16:31:53
I just couldn't be bothered to play it for very long, found it too frustrating.
I Think I'm Somewhere Towards The End
#1540 posted by nitin [203.217.71.97] on 2007/12/31 01:12:44
the nice level design kept me going, but I'm at a ridiculous boss fight at the moment and havent been bothered to try and get past it again. Will try again when I grow back some hair :)
Hm
#1541 posted by ijed [190.20.88.145] on 2007/12/31 02:47:11
Better in some ways, worse in others. The most annoying thing was that alot of stuff wasn't finished - storyline inconsitancies in the hidden / second ending, unfinished textures (water sword, a few others), crappy bugs that should have been fixed during QA process (like the occassional bad camera view).
I preferred having the boss fights instead of hordes of the same old enemy relentlessly attacking. Some were great bosses as well - the griffin was cool. I liked the escape sections from that demon thing as well, even though they're probably more annoying than others.
Remember the first one was called frustrating as well.
I just remembered the stupid bits where you have to jump between the ship mast's before they collapse (pillar jumping) that has to be the most annoying bit in the whole game.
Didnt Mind The Demon Bits Either
#1542 posted by nitin [203.217.71.97] on 2007/12/31 03:02:05
and really if they didnt stuff up the health system (ie you can only get health back generally at a save point), the mini boss fights wouldnt have been bad.
HL 1 Mod Paranoia
#1543 posted by mechtech [24.162.224.144] on 2008/01/01 22:39:24
If HL1 is still on the hard drive this is worth the download. Thankfully works with or without steam.
http://paranoia.level-design.ru/
Wow
#1544 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.220] on 2008/01/02 11:08:48
That looks fantastic and Half-Life v 1.1.1.0 or higher! It will look not as nice with 1.1.1.0 I guess but I wouldn't play it otherwise. :)
Cursor 10
#1545 posted by metlslime [67.164.90.144] on 2008/01/04 07:40:38
http://www.nekogames.jp/mt/2008/01...
Cursor 10
#1546 posted by inertia [24.210.152.6] on 2008/01/04 10:58:17
very nice :)
Hmmm
#1547 posted by megaman [84.63.82.91] on 2008/01/04 11:41:24
im stuck on the floor where there's 3 switches and 4 poppables. nothinghappens when i press alll three switches :(
Floor 15
#1548 posted by lurker [65.83.194.159] on 2008/01/04 15:42:55
needs assistance from floor 6.
Oops
#1549 posted by lurker [65.83.194.159] on 2008/01/04 15:44:52
That was to be accompanied by a beer, not the red sign.
Thanks
#1550 posted by megaman [84.63.82.91] on 2008/01/04 16:09:43
wow, that last one was evil.
hmm, wish there were more cooperative only riddles. as it is now, it's a lot of 'point your mouse fast at next stairs'
Biggest Cooperative Goal
#1551 posted by lurker [74.160.107.118] on 2008/01/04 19:54:50
is to get 188 points.
This post was flagged as spam.
#1552 posted by a spammer [193.238.213.66] on 2008/01/04 22:11:33
Cursor 10
#1553 posted by Ankh [88.199.103.6] on 2008/01/04 22:38:18
very nice. I was always a bit nervous while trying to get the 188 score but finally got it :)
metlslime: thank you a lot for the link
anyone got the highest score with 9 cursors only?
Nevermind
#1554 posted by Ankh [88.199.103.6] on 2008/01/04 22:51:06
it can be done wit 7 cursors :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=y8RzgqX...
and I think 6 could also be possible with carefull planning but I won't try :)
I Got Thru
#1555 posted by bambuz [88.195.5.87] on 2008/01/06 22:35:17
on the third try with 2 cursors left and 24 in the counter...
Scorpion
#1556 posted by Mike Woodham [86.147.201.14] on 2008/01/12 20:50:33
Any views on this from Akella?
Timeshift.
#1557 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/14 11:49:12
Finished it. Was good fun until the last bit, i.e. final "battle" and ending, which was pretty much unfinished and weak and didn't explain anything. Kinda weird given how well set-up some of the gameplay was before that and how good some of the set-pieces were. Needed more umph and spectacle at the end.
But still a fun game. Put in the "quick blast of FPS" category.
Next....ummm Dark Messiah??
Portal, You Flappy Cunt
#1558 posted by czg [213.115.252.84] on 2008/01/14 12:28:59
Prince Of Persia 2
#1559 posted by nitin [124.168.34.45] on 2008/01/14 12:44:17
finished it, comments from before apply. Fucked health system and tedious combat situations. Add shonky camera at quite a few points and a lack of intuitive gameplay in parts (the first one did this aspect much better) and its more frustratin than fun.
Nice environements though, despite repetitve visits to same areas.
Nexus: Jupiter Incident
#1560 posted by necros [99.227.103.17] on 2008/01/23 21:38:02
as part of my 'research' into this genre, i tried this game out.
i was just wondering if anyone else had tried it.
i didn't play long, about 6 missions maybe, but it was still pretty fun, but also annoying at times.
graphics are alright, and i liked the slowerpaced combat. not being able to move wherever i wanted to annoyed the hell out of me though. you can only move to other objects, which takes some of the tactical feel out of the game. it also reminded me of sword of the stars which could have been amazing (taking the original Stars! but with nicer graphics and a little simpler control) but ended up as shit because you couldn't do a lot of things that made Stars! amazing.
This post was flagged as spam.
#1561 posted by a spammer [193.238.213.66] on 2008/01/26 20:34:28
#1562 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/01/26 21:24:00
Hooray! Spam is awesome.
What A Classy Ad.
#1563 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/01/26 21:37:34
-_-
PornTube
#1564 posted by ijed [190.20.112.9] on 2008/01/26 21:39:59
Ok.
COD4 Demo.
#1565 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/27 19:52:38
Just played this. Obviously I'm not into realistic warfare bollox but this is pretty damn cool. Pretty frantic and very atmospheric, and looks very good without any slow-down issues.
Hmmm, tempted tempted....
Cursor 10 Again
#1566 posted by megaman [84.63.62.160] on 2008/01/28 01:27:48
http://haukerehfeld.de/misc/temp/c...
max score, 1 cursor left.
i suck though, http://youtube.com/watch?v=saN-LV3...
The Witcher
#1567 posted by DaZ [84.208.229.31] on 2008/01/28 11:58:04
Just played through the demo, damn this is a great game! Very cinematic and atmospheric, and the over the shoulder camera is really great.
Combat is a bit too simple, to pull off combo attacks all you need to do is click the mouse at the correct time, this never really changes so combat can get a little repetitive quite quickly sadly.
I must say, the blood splatter you get on the ground when you slit someone's throat is by far the most realistic I have seen so far, yes maybe I do need some therapy :)
If you like action RPG's I would definitely check this one out!
Cheers Daz.
#1568 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/28 14:04:56
That's the encouragement one needs.
I'm Actually Playing Through The Witcher Now...
#1569 posted by pjw [24.158.13.151] on 2008/01/29 03:16:16
And it kicks large quantities of ass, in my opinion. I'm getting toward the end of act 2 (out of 5), and I've put a lot of hours into it. They aren't lying when they promise 60-80 hours of gameplay.
Not allowing you to pick class/race like many RPGs allowed them to focus the story a lot more, and it's a good thing. There's a fair number of plot points and characters to keep track of, and still a decent degree of character customization possible as you progress.
Good stuff: Decisions that make more difference than usual in an RPG. Tons of side quests that you can do or not. Challenging enemies and gameplay (I'm playing on normal difficulty). A real feeling of depth and history to the world. Fun dialogue at times. Being told "Your mother sucks dwarf cock!" Getting laid. BOOBS!
Bad stuff: Somewhat fussy and unintuitive alchemy system, occasionally silly/repetitive dialogue trees and canned responses, sort of lame drinking game, minor bugs at times, drastically cut dialogue for English version.
One of the best games I've played in quite a while. I recommend it.
Also, check the first post in this thread on the Something Awful forums for additional information and some good addons/downloads for expanded English subtitles and a number of other things:
http://forums.somethingawful.com/s...
Nice.
#1570 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/29 10:14:56
Being told "Your mother sucks dwarf cock!" Getting laid. BOOBS!
Excellent. Sounds like the best real life has to offer :)
My Brother Is Playing
#1571 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.24] on 2008/01/30 06:10:44
The Witcher and he says he is enjoying it quite much. Thank God something has pried him away from World Of Warcraft, I thought I was going to have to kill him one day for his own good.
Hahaha
#1572 posted by pjw [24.158.13.151] on 2008/01/30 07:27:26
Yeah...W.O.W.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/...
I'd probably be interested in playing MMORPGs if I didn't think that most other people suck. :)
That being said, I still might give Age of Conan a try when it comes out...
Hmmm.
#1573 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/30 10:42:33
Just tried the Witcher demo. Initial impressions: Combat and controls, WTF?
Given I've got Gothic3 and Guild Wars Nightfall to finish, and most of Dark Messiah to play, I'm not sure that this is adding anything to my fantasy fix...
P.S. Gears Of War PC - any good? How well does it run? Knowledge plz.
Shambler
#1574 posted by negke [82.82.171.119] on 2008/01/30 10:50:06
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/ar...
Its Funny When You Talk Really Fast....
#1575 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.8] on 2008/01/30 11:44:30
Seriously tho, I sounds like the combat in The Witcher is pants. I mean since when was it good to kill enemies by clicking on them once?
Ill stick to FPS :-D
Witcher
#1576 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.77.187] on 2008/01/30 12:40:28
Just a repost of 1492, regarding the Witcher game. It's worth noting that I haven't bothered loading it up to play again since, which may be more telling than anything else.
From what I've seen so far, the Witcher is a very nice "interactive movie"... apart from, perhaps, the interactive bits. :D
To be fair I've only played for about 5-10 minutes. I actually clocked in 1-2 hours overall, but actual playtime was less than 10 minutes. The rest of the time I was watching cutscenes and loading bars.
I trust the game will open up a bit more soon, once the initial story setup has been done, allowing me to play a bit more and get a more informed opinion on the gameplay. So far though, the fun factor has been hampered by crappy camera controls and a fairly annoying combat system, so I can't say I've truly enjoyed my play time thus far.
The camera has a few different modes and can be adjusted automatically or manually... I preferred the manual setup, but instead of allowing full control and playing nice, the camera jumped around a lot in a really shitty and distracting way. It seems like they've tried to allow for both a point-and-click style movement/auto camera model, while also allowing the option for WASD control for movement with a manual camera. So rather than being perfect for one of those styles, it ends up being pretty average for both.
The combat so far is a bit... meh. Rather than simple button mashing or auto-attacks, The Witcher lies somewhere in between - clicking on a bad guy will initiate an attack sequence, and you're required to press the mouse button at the appropriate times to perform extra attacks (bad timing will fuck up the sequence and you'll have to start again). It works well enough, but I'm not sure if I really like it or not yet. You can also change stances and cast spells, though I don't have many options yet (for spells at least) so it's hard to say whether those additional skills will make it interesting enough or not.
Ultimately if the game overall is good enough, I can see myself putting up with the less-than-ideal camera and combat... but only if the rest of the game is above average. So far it looks pretty good - the story is interesting enough, art is nice, voice acting is pretty good, etc, no complaints really, other than the aforementioned camera and combat issues.
GoW Pc
#1577 posted by DaZ [84.208.229.31] on 2008/01/30 16:21:31
Great fun, its a short game but really fun while it lasts. Chainsaw kills rock!
Runs surprisingly smoothly at max settings (I would say it runs a lot smoother than UT3 for example) and looks great.
Multiplayer uses Games for windows live which is utter shit though, a shame cos the online game was great fun on the xbox.
Worth looking at imo
Just Played UT3 Beta Demo For 1st Time
#1578 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.8] on 2008/01/30 17:55:16
Had to download ATI drivers, hehe, it was just crashing the computer everytime I clicked the icon.
Thought it was good! It seems there arent very many graphics option in the beta demo. I tried it in 1024/768 and it wasnt too bad (by my standards) but I resorted to 640/480 in the end, cause gameplay get the better of me. I love the unreal tournament series DEMOS! Its great that you can just download, install and get straight onto a decent deathmatch game, it s000 easy!!
Hmmm, Gears of War, Bioshock and UT3 - Unreal engine looks pretty sweet nowadays huh!!?
I still think I'd prefer mapping for D3/Q4 when I get new computer tho!!
UT3
#1579 posted by jsHcK [99.241.160.220] on 2008/01/31 06:15:09
UT3 has been worth the investment. The speedy gameplay and balance are the best of the series so far.
Warfare mode is a little awkward with a strange CTF element mixed into the Onslaught format. The vehicles are a mixed bag, and the hoverboard is simply idiotic.
But I'm in it for the straight DM game, and it's great. It is surprisingly smooth on low-end systems and very nice looking on good hardware.
Daz.
#1580 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/01/31 10:56:21
Thanks for the info, reckon I'll give that a look.
Shambler
#1581 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.8] on 2008/01/31 11:03:42
Have you ever played GoW on the XBox360?
I would put it down as 'highly recommended', brilliant graphics balanced out with good gameplay, love the way that you can reload faster if you press you reload button twice with the correct timing, also love the combat system, the way it incorporates the environment as 'cover', where you can do blindfiring as well as ducking then shooting, love the squad stuff...
...well concieved and executed game!
A bit short, but some of the more memorable scenes make up for that threefold, good replayablity!!
Finally
#1582 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/01/31 23:36:29
I'm D/Loading the Orange Box . . . my mapping will suffer as a result.
I Envy You.
#1583 posted by pjw [24.158.13.151] on 2008/02/01 04:40:14
I wish I could play through Portal again for the first time.
Well
#1584 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/02/01 09:23:27
I've ordered COD4. Trendy realistic warfare bollox, hmph.
Haha
#1585 posted by starbuck [82.41.206.175] on 2008/02/01 12:00:32
love the self-hate there, Shambler.
I Know.
#1586 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/02/01 12:43:07
Giving in and admitting that you actually rather enjoy something that you have a firm standpoint of hating....ugh.
Pjw
#1587 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/02/01 13:31:59
Yeah - the first few moments of looking at yourself, endless mirror effect or portal-sickness (as in sea-) are amazing.
I see now what everyone was talking about, and I've only managed to play for a few minutes so far.
Still have episodes 1, 2 and TF to look at as well. Also Peggle extreme - ?
COD4 Is Good!
#1588 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.8] on 2008/02/01 13:45:25
Dont be afraid to admit it!!
Ep2 was great also, a little short. HL1 was for me the best of the bunch, it was just so HUGE!!
My new system is due to arrive on Tuesday. I'll be starting out with either D3 or Q4, purely to examine the technicalities of mapping, play some custom maps and stuff. I'll finish my current work before I do anything else tho ;-)
Replaying HL2
#1589 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/02/01 18:19:28
and I forgot how it was good !!
Filler...
#1590 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/02/01 23:55:46
prettty cool, simple game -- Qix gameplay, plus expanding balls, plus ball physics. Elegant controls.
http://filler.fizzlebot.com/
That Is Good.
#1591 posted by pjw [24.158.13.151] on 2008/02/02 06:27:52
I couldn't get much over 25K after playing for a while though. It starts to get stupid-hard...
Hmm
#1592 posted by starbuck [82.41.206.175] on 2008/02/02 13:50:51
ok idea, but really annoying.
Shift...
#1593 posted by metlslime [67.164.90.144] on 2008/02/04 09:42:11
kind of cool, though the portal references were kind of lame...
http://armorgames.com/play/751/shi...
Metlslime
#1594 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2008/02/04 13:05:13
Yeah, it is a really good puzzle game, quite simple, but needs a lot of clue sometimes to finish the levels...
Re-played Hl2 Ep2
#1595 posted by [84.208.229.31] on 2008/02/08 16:58:59
I actually seemed to enjoy it more this time around, when I get a new game I always play through it in "gotta beat this" mode first, so this time I sat back and enjoyed the experience a lot more.
The hunters really are great, and the enormous amount of polish that must have gone into this is insane.
The commentary nodes are very interesting also!
Just Played Through
#1596 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/02/08 17:09:29
As well, very nicely done. The huge internal changes of Ep1 meant less mapping was done (for some reason, they're different disciplines) but Ep2 made up for the smaller gameplay time of Ep1 maybe twice over. Really looking forward to Ep3, and more stuff like the Lost Coast + commentaries would be good as well.
Out of the orange box it seems I don't like Portal as much as everyone who posted here when it was released. It's a very well executed concept, but next to HL2-Ep1+2 it just fades into background. Having said that Portal2 would be a very interesting must-have. The end song is great as well.
Half-Life 2 - Ep2
#1597 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.38] on 2008/02/08 17:50:47
I really like this. I think it could have been a bit longer though. HalfLife was the best for me! How long is that game??!?!
Ep2 - Played on the 360, and I thought the Graphics were tremendous, also the NPC interaction was really good! What I miss was the early fights out of HL1 where we first get to meet the soldiers. That stuff was so cool, they had the best AI of the time! I dont quite think that any of the sequels have managed to create the same type of atmosphere as what we had there. Period.
The end battle of Ep2 was really smart though. Also theres a fight where you loose your escort (the alien-dude) and you have to take an elevator up whilst he stays down below and hold off the marauding zombine and ant/acidlions. That was a good battle.
Huh
#1598 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/02/08 19:12:40
Just checked and I see that commentary is available in Ep1, and I assume Ep2 . . . might have to play through again.
Mass Effect Released On PC In May
#1599 posted by DaZ [84.208.229.31] on 2008/02/12 20:12:58
and the world rejoiced...
"Ogre3D Portal", Hopefully Opensource
#1600 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.132] on 2008/02/13 08:52:00
http://freegamer.blogspot.com/2008...
Ok
#1601 posted by megaman [84.63.48.124] on 2008/02/13 14:26:25
The Collision thing impressed me.
Independant Games Festival
#1602 posted by negke [82.83.6.161] on 2008/02/13 16:53:48
http://www.igf.com/02finalists.htm...
Some of them look quite interesting.
(starbuck?)
Yeah!
#1603 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.133] on 2008/02/13 16:56:33
I saw all those recently while researching, some amazing stuff there for sure.
Phun
#1604 posted by Spirit [127.255.255.255] on 2008/02/21 18:11:18
Physics playground:
http://www.acc.umu.se/%7Eemilk/
Enjoy
#1605 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.223] on 2008/02/24 22:20:14
http://onemorelevel.com/game/spin_...
and don't hate ME when YOU waste your time.
Spirit
#1606 posted by JPL [127.255.255.255] on 2008/02/25 08:18:40
Cool !
Lost Another Post . . .
#1607 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/02/25 13:37:47
Nice mechanic in that one, Spirit, thanks.
Well
#1608 posted by megaman [84.63.36.96] on 2008/02/26 14:04:15
mechanics are interesting, but the level design is kind off annoying.
Yep
#1609 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/02/26 14:06:23
A bit straightforward - the maker finds a new way to exploit the mechanic then follows it for five levels instead of going for a less rigid and more experimental theory of level design.
Very Nice Game
#1610 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.75] on 2008/02/27 14:28:54
http://www.flipsidegame.com/
Sock will like this.
Nice
#1611 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/02 03:31:14
Great little game, nice simple concept and pretty well done also.
That 'Black Circle' Game Is Crack.
#1612 posted by biff_debris. [24.159.177.80] on 2008/03/03 04:05:10
Must. Stop. Playing. Fuck.
Battlefield: Heroes
#1613 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/03/06 00:05:35
http://www.battlefield-heroes.com/...
Tired of realistic WWII shooters? Well, you'll only be 50% tired of this game then!
Looks Fun
#1614 posted by negke [82.82.160.143] on 2008/03/06 10:41:52
The video is hilarious. Hope it doesn't take until the end of the year for the game to be released.
Hahahaha
#1615 posted by starbuck [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/06 15:40:04
loved that video, I'm sold (though I won't have to pay i guess)
*Nods*
#1616 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/07 11:33:38
Probably not my cup of tea but the trailer made me laugh, respect to them for the idea and change of WW2 shooter focus.
Random Text Adventure Nonsense
#1617 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/03/09 02:13:42
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/...
Piracy & PC Gaming
#1618 posted by schbirid [91.62.29.231] on 2008/03/12 09:22:00
http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.c...
Nice article by one of the guys behing Sins of the Solar Empire.
I Read A Review About It Too
#1619 posted by bambuz [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/12 12:19:00
that's one of the games that I have to keep in mind for later trying...
(I've been playing UFO and Master of Orion lately.)
It's sorta funny to read some gaming magazines again. It's probably more than ten years since I last took a look. Some editorial personalities have diverged a bit from my views, but some have still something interesting to say.
And the old Mikrobitti computer magazine is nowadays for general consumers, there are even music reviews in there.
It's a hard choice. Gamers and computer enthusiasts are no single demographic. Either you can try to gather for all of them (general gadget consumers) or then the largest segment (single slightly adolescent lifestyle men, studying or working in IT).
Awaiting mikrobitti's pizza reviews.
Old Skool Fun??
#1620 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/13 10:10:53
Just saw this on Blues...
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/b...
"Dark Salvation....a freeware Quake III-engine shooter....The game lets the player take on the role of a young dead woman who has been sucked into the underworld and is now possessed by a deadly object. This game will take you back to the days of old school FPS shooters with it's single player fast action game play set in various surreal underground worlds. There are plenty of levels, secrets, monsters and secret weapons to explore, find and fight and we'll be targeting the game at a budget price this 2008 year."
Hmmmm....possible?
Interesting
#1621 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/13 13:16:21
Sounds Like Shadowman, looks like Painkiller.
Hope the team knows that "oldschool" doesn't mean "shitty level design".
Yeah.,
#1622 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/13 13:38:45
PK comparison is the obvious expectation. Personally, I'd hope not. PK was a good fun game but the single-minded semi-horde combat got old pretty quickly. A game with proper monsters that actually mean something would be welcome.
Hm
#1623 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/13 18:50:54
I think it was the level design - the monsters were ok for what they were, the occasional cooperative attack AI was nicely done (eg. skull bikers using the normal bikers as human shields) but the levels were basically a series of box maps, with the expansion following the same theme but making trick jumping a progression prerequisite.
PK
#1624 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.229.49] on 2008/03/13 22:05:56
textures/sounds/themes were done very well, but levels were indeed boring. But what made me stop halfway through were the frustrating "secrets" which were mostly movement tests. The fun just stops for me when I need one hour or more for some of the jumps. Pffft.
They Got Cave Trolls!
#1625 posted by bear [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/13 22:34:16
and all the shots are full of clichés but might still be fun if they keep the gameplay as mindless action DooM style
Yep
#1626 posted by Mr Fribbles [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/14 02:37:55
With Painkiller's (lack of) level design, the game was basically stillborn. It's a shame, because it could have been a great game.
.
#1627 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/03/14 18:57:38
as bad as painkiller's gameplay might have been, it had fantastic looking maps. since they're using the q3 engine, i wouldn't expect it to look as good as PK, but i think it's something to be strived for, regardless.
#1628 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.204.98] on 2008/03/15 13:41:21
since they're using the q3 engine, i wouldn't expect it to look as good as PK
"nearly as good" is fair enough for me, atleast one can expect good fps from the well optimized q3 engine; whereas for me PK runs with 250 fps in an empty map, but as soon as monsters appear it goes down into the 30 fps range, no matter the settings. Not acceptable.
Yeah Was Gonna Say
#1629 posted by Kinn [81.159.127.69] on 2008/03/15 15:41:12
I haven't tried it, but I'd assume that a good artist could throw enough pollies and textures at the Q3 engine and probably make it look just as good as PK, whilst running a lot faster.
#1630 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2008/03/15 16:17:05
The Q3 engine has always been my choice for 'remake of classic quake' fantasy.
a good artist could throw enough pollies and textures
This for me is the problem. One must do more than throw polys and pixels to be a good artist.
The screenshots on Blue's are less than stellar. They have that all-too-common style of game design that looks like someone burned a new age jewellery shop to the ground, dumped the debris in a skip, then threw me in after it.
Glowing, sparking, purple crystals? Really?
Your shaders have to be really neat to make such gaudy choices work. And here's a tip for aspiring modellers out there: if your skillset doesn't cover human anatomy, don't show hands on the weapon models, especially skeletal hands.
Look, I want a decent Quake-like game too. The FPS industry has been choking on so much concrete for the last several years I think my body has actually developed a chemical tolerance to it.
And these guys are at least putting in the work, slogging away for seven years. I wish them luck.
But even Painkiller, with a decent budget thrust up it's heavy-metal backside like a stake in a bloated corpse, wasn't more than a simplistic shadow of what is truly enjoyable about Doom and Quake.
I'll probably buy it when it arrives, more as an expression of solidarity than a vote of confidence.
- Kell McDonald, still waiting for a proper high-poly shambler :(
Kell
#1631 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.148.10] on 2008/03/15 16:31:39
Ask Lunaran. I think he's got a high-poly shambler somewhere.
#1632 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2008/03/15 16:43:14
Yeah, forgot about that. He surreptitiously linked me it when I was sleeping. The perv.
That's a modification of the Q1 shamb though. Not a remake for a Q3-or-later engine.
A new shambler must have fully modelled jaws bearing vicious thorny growths that serve as teeth for the vile beast. And rugose, mouldy flesh that hangs in scabrous furrows from its hulking semi-simian frame, swaying repulsively as it lumbers towards the luckless victim...terrible, barbed claws...that reach...
Excuse me, I have to lie down.
#1633 posted by Kinn [81.159.127.69] on 2008/03/15 16:46:55
Sup Kell :}
This for me is the problem. One must do more than throw polys and pixels to be a good artist.
I wasn't claiming that makes a good artist because it doesn't (obviously it doesn't).
My point is that a typical environment in PK uses a triangle count and an amount of texture data somewhat in excess of that seen in Quake 3. To make a visually comparable scene in the Q3 engine, you are probably going to be adopting triangle and texture budgets similar in magnitude. An experienced environment artist of course will use the usual tricks and optimisations to make the most of what he has at his diposal.
High Poly Shambler?
#1634 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/15 17:11:27
Hello guys :).
Good discussion. PK had some good-looking and striking maps, they just didn't play as exciting as their themes.
I tend to agree with Kell. I think that's the second time that's happened this month!
Blers!
#1635 posted by Spirit [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/15 17:50:31
I thought Randy's Shambler was a good start:
http://qexpo2005.quakedev.com/boot...
It seems like the Shambler is the most memorable monster as there are loads of fanart. Maybe I will compile a post with some good ones.
This one is most excellent in my opinion:
http://fc02.deviantart.com/fs28/f/...
http://david-the-cenobite.devianta...
It's Immaturity
#1636 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/15 18:20:10
of design - "look, we can do this!" instead of thinking "should we do this?".
It's an easy trap to fall into, especially since once new feature X is included the team fires headlong into yet another new feature, instead of getting the previous one to work properly.
Then delviery day comes and the good bits are diluted in a soup of unfinished features.
Spirit
#1637 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/15 18:21:09
That Shambler model is excellent.
To Clarify
#1638 posted by Kinn [81.159.127.69] on 2008/03/15 18:53:28
My comments about a Q3-engine PK clone potentially looking good were not in any way refering to that game on Bluesnews, the screenshots of which I didn't bother checking out until now.
Also don't you just hate it when a couple of modders call themselves some stupid shit like "Mangled Eye Studios", completely giving away the fact that it's just some angsty kid and maybe one or two of his internet friends mucking about in the Q3 engine (for seven years apparently).
Um
#1639 posted by BlackDog [58.7.94.51] on 2008/03/15 19:19:45
Vanilla Q3 is not particularly fast. Try standing in the worst spots of blacktown or tvy-bench - my 7950GT gets single digit framerates for scenes that a modern engine should fly through at 100 FPS or more.
There's a bunch of reasons for this, which boil down the the fact that q3 is a decade old and wasn't written for the fast paths of modern hardware.
Ok
#1640 posted by Kinn [81.159.127.69] on 2008/03/16 01:09:55
I agree with BlackDog I guess
I Don´t
#1641 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.231.168] on 2008/03/16 05:43:49
those are unoptimized 3rd party maps and ofcourse it´s easy to kill an engine fps-wise by not minding it´s limits (there are plenty of those on lvl); pom.pk3 also runs poorly for me with maxed gfx, but quake engines were always weak rendering big open spaces.
Show me one 8 years old engine that is still able to look very good in these days and also gives good fps. ---> Q3 <3
#1642 posted by megaman [84.63.47.109] on 2008/03/16 14:00:45
i think it's more the number of polygons/surfaces the engine's not good at.
A Brief Diversion...
#1643 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/16 21:01:33
Finished Dark Messiah. Was good. Fairly long and substantial. Would have happily played more of it, got into the style of the game. The semi-RPG elements were pretty effective, I tended partway between jack of all trades and a swordsman, I definitely could have original chosen to go in different directions. Some great settings and fantasy styles too, and good gameplay. A bit clunky in feel sometimes, and some random slow downs, but otherwise a fantasy thumbs up.
MOHAA/Reality Games
#1644 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.186.241] on 2008/03/18 14:28:02
Hmm, they totally cripple any physics worth mentioning so all that is left is aim.
But even then, the constant spawning while player reloads/turns his back is sure to unnerve even the most patient players.
I guess they just design these games wíth the concept in mind that players save every 30 seconds so it seems to be no problem. Pffft.
Call Of Duty 4 Multiplayer
#1645 posted by DaZ [80.41.131.206] on 2008/03/18 21:11:34
Sweet jesus lord on multiple vibrating sticks!
This is the most fun I have had online in a LONG time! You can level up your character and unlock all sorts of things for each of the weapons such as grips (reduce recoil), and various laser sights, scopes and silencers. You can also select 3 "perks" for each loadout you create, these are little tweaks you can make to your character to make it a little better, these are as simple as faster reloads and faster weapon firing, through to dropping a live grenade when you die (hehe) and extra bullet penetration through walls.
Ahh yes, bullet penetration, this game does it perfectly! Firing through thin objects with a beefy gun will actually hit people behind thin walls and obstacles, you can tell your hitting someone because you get that funny "dink" sound, this is so much fun!
Blah that was fairly incoherent, but I can't be arsed to re-type it when I can be back in the game. I am level 32 now (55 is the max) and have more unlocks to chase!
CoD4
#1646 posted by Bal [86.205.115.4] on 2008/03/18 23:17:13
Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it (so bored of realistic war games), Call of Duty 4 is a really good game, the solo is really well made and fun, and the multiplayer is great action, nothing like CounterStrike etc... So much that I'm lvl 55 twice (at home and at work). =)
In the end though, after playing it for 2 months, we've gone back to TF2 at work, and that remains the best multiplayer FPS of the moment for me. =)
Bal Plays A Pyro
#1647 posted by DaZ [80.41.131.206] on 2008/03/19 02:26:03
He loves teh latex!
COD 4
#1648 posted by Mr Fribbles [127.255.255.255] on 2008/03/19 08:30:34
I tried COD4 MP and it was ass :(
Mind you, I'm sure the actual GAME is good, but it felt like shit to play. There was an INSANE amount of view bob with ridiculously exaggerated animation of the player arms and stuff. The weapons fire just didn't feel right either... and everything looked the same (same colours everywhere on the environment and players), I couldn't see shit.
I guess I'm just too picky and have played Quake based stuff too much - nothing else ever feels as solid or as nice as that.
I haven't actually tried the single player yet, but I will eventually (it's on my list). I'm sure I'll like it, I loved the original COD single player (and, incidentally, thought the multiplayer was ass... :)
COD4
#1649 posted by Shambler [77.100.140.250] on 2008/03/19 10:06:23
I bought it based on the demo. Maybe next on the agenda to play. Yeah it feels like ass but it has bags of style.
Strange
#1650 posted by DaZ [80.41.131.206] on 2008/03/19 14:14:54
I think the movement and feel of the game is spot on and really solid, everything has a real weight and I like that. Each to his own I guess :)
I also enjoyed cod2 multiplayer, but only in team deathmatch (which incidentally, is all I play in cod4 really) so maybe that helps here too.
Additional...
#1651 posted by DaZ [80.41.131.206] on 2008/03/19 14:18:42
Another thing I love about the multiplayer is that they really nailed the epic combat feeling, which is a lot easier to get in the single player portion as you can author it to be that way. The multiplayer levels always feel like this gigantic carnival of death and destruction and I sometimes just stand back and watch the scenes unfold like I was watching some in-game scripted scene.
Fear my airstrikes.
Played On 360
#1652 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.233.151] on 2008/03/19 14:31:34
I liked the fact you can talk to opponents on XBox Live. I had some guy called Psycho Smurf laughing at me every time I died...
1 on 1 is a bit dull tho. Still, one map is a town setting with a machinegun nest. Its quite good for 1 on 1 cause you can see the direction of the opponent on the radar, then go and beast them! I play like I was playing Quake though - run and gun! Doesnt always work though...
Singleplayer is really cool - like the scripted sequences, but it feels on a rail!
Im Playing Hellghate London
#1653 posted by gone [91.122.150.143] on 2008/03/19 16:32:24
and its really good and underrated (demo is not much and most of the bugs are already patched)
Feels like the right blend of Diablo and fps.
Combat gameplay is somewhat like painkiller but with more tactical abilities and more fun beacause of the monsters variety and the whole motivation of levelling up, completing the quests and the loot! Ofcourse Im playing as a marksman in FPS mode
Hellgate: London
#1654 posted by Mr Fribbles [121.44.230.49] on 2008/03/19 16:39:41
It was enjoyable for a while, but got old really fast. Very limited amount of content in the game (and it just wasn't quite fun enough to consider re-playing many times over like Diablo...)
Some things were done exceptionally well, and some stuff was very amateurish. It's feels as if they had a bunch of veterans/pros and some absolute n00bs as well (which is probably exactly the case with their team make-up).
Such a big disappointment... I was really hoping for a Diablo replacement, but they just didn't quite nail it.
Daz:
#1655 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/03/19 16:55:57
when you 'level' up your character, is it only for that game or all games you join?
Its Persistant
#1656 posted by DaZ [80.41.131.206] on 2008/03/19 18:21:12
Its saves your character info/unlocks/level etc with your character profile.
CoD4 Leveling / Hellgate
#1657 posted by Bal [82.124.158.175] on 2008/03/19 22:36:54
It doesn't really give you a huge advantage over others though, just a wider range of options/weapons to chose from. I had no problem being the guy with the highest score on servers filled with lvl 55s, while I was still under lvl 10 (I'd already been playing it for a while at work obviously).
The achievements and all are quite fun to do really.
Hellgate London, yeah I'm somewhere between Speeds and Fribs on it. I think it got alot more bashing than it deserved, it's not a bad game, but it's definately not the succesor to Diablo. I'll probably get a one month subscription for it in a few months, to try out the new content.
Hoshi Saga 2
#1658 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/03/22 09:36:47
mostly cool and fun, a couple annoying or dumb.
http://www.nekogames.jp/mt/2007/09...
Flash Game With Moving Stuff And A Thing You Control
#1659 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/03/30 11:42:10
http://www.addictinggames.com/thew...
Prey
#1660 posted by Jago [88.192.76.204] on 2008/03/30 14:09:24
is 4,95$ on STEAM right now.
Gothic 3
#1661 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/03/30 21:05:46
Got back into playing this almost a year after I slacked off it.
As before it is a Marmite game i.e. love it or hate it. I'm quite like Marmite in an indifferent sort of way, but I think I love Gothic 3.
Yes it's still buggy, slow loading, sometimes slow running, and the combat is a button mashing mess.
BUT the world is as capivating a portrayal of a fantasy world I've seen in any game. The sense of "being there" in a fairly classic fantasy setting is particularly appealing to me. The details that go into this - and pretty good graphics - it really does come across as a genuine world. The houses you can go in and see everything that seems natural to live in. The people with their lives and homes. I'm in the desert at the moment and the atmosphere is as strong as ever. The Hashashin crack me up with their greed and pompous malice, calling you "Son of ill-judgement" or "Father of patience" or similar all the time.
Plus in the grand RPG tradition there is a hell of a lot to do. I've focused on combat and exploration and haven't really scratched the surface of thieving... or magic... or smithing... or alchemy... or exploring the political factions of the back story...
Ummm yeah rambling a bit. It's satisfying my fantasy needs once more, anyway.
Same Here
#1662 posted by neg|ke [82.83.42.128] on 2008/03/30 22:43:39
And I'm in the desert too. Clearing the temples - such pitoresque, cunningly contstructed and neatly lit interiors. :P
Patch 1.6 (including all community patches) has been released few weeks ago btw. Probably not usuable for you though (savegame incompatibility or whatever).
Goathic
#1663 posted by gone [91.122.178.40] on 2008/03/31 00:12:47
did they fix much? cause out of the box it was unplayable with zero balance. great let down for me :( and the horizon clipping on the medium shader setting... such a mess instead of a good RPG it should`v been
Desert....
#1664 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/03/31 10:37:53
I have...
Earnt the trust of the Mora Sul Hashishin, and opened that temple there (I have a tendency, so far, to support the Orcs, thus was helping them mostly, although when I tried to deliver the keys to the Orc leader, it would only let me fight him for his key).
Liberated Braga in favour of the Nomads
Liberated Ben Erai in favour of the Nomads
Done as much as I can in Lago and left it alone for the time being (this is an example of how vibey the game is - a little coastal village full of stoners, it just cracked me up).
Tried to get in to Ishatar and been unable to.
Explored a lot of random shit but no other towns.
I'm uneasy about the Hashishin - they amuse me quite a lot but basically they are greedy, grasping, amoral, slave-trading scum with no higher principles other than looking after themselves. Hence why I've helped the nomads. On the other hand, I'm tending to support the Orcs who are allied to the Hashishin so I don't want to cause too much trouble there...
(Speeds: I dunno what's been fixed, combat balance is okay even tho melee combat is a bit gash. Horizon clipping is a bit b0rky but to be honest given how lush the detailing is I can put up with that)
#1665 posted by gone [78.37.12.89] on 2008/03/31 16:29:34
I mean WTF, is this shit fixed? (set to highest qulity everything except DoF, geforce 7600)
http://www.speeds.quaddicted.com/g...
Wa-hahahahaha ! ! !
#1666 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.233.151] on 2008/03/31 16:49:43
Well I dont know about Gothic 3, but since I finished Slave, I've been bashing on with Crysis.
~O~M~G~
I understand why some people say the gameplay is a bit borked, its annoying when you die-die-die, and it says
"the difficulty settings can be altered from the main menu"
but the graphics are so fucking sexy I just cant believe it!! Im running on XP32, with the Vista-very-high hack, in 1280x1024 (on a 15" cr8, which is just about the highest pixel density you can get I think), with AA off.
Cryengine 2 would make one hell of an Oblivion style game! The bit inside the mountain, the bit with the snow, the mental detail of the earth stuff is just incredible.
Someone should make a fantasy crysis mod?
Speeds.
#1667 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/03/31 16:56:01
I never saw that in the first place, although I've had occasional glitches with terrain going. (Make that very occasional). Whether it's fixed or not I dunno, but I didn't have that problem.
Lol - "did They Fix Much?"
#1668 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.233.151] on 2008/03/31 17:26:59
http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc...
a couple of little things....
LOL Crysis
#1669 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.188.81] on 2008/03/31 21:19:10
Speeds
#1670 posted by negke [82.82.170.209] on 2008/03/31 22:05:36
The comparison shot you requested: http://negke.quaddicted.com/images...
Neg!ke
#1671 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/03/31 22:39:53
How fucking gay do you look in those robes?!?! I thought the crown was bad enough....
But yeah that's a lot more what mine looks like.
Did I mention how much the day/night cycle and weather in this game rocks??
#1672 posted by spd [78.37.12.89] on 2008/03/31 23:42:27
I installed the patch ... http://www.speeds.quaddicted.com/g...
neg|ilke yeah same shit, just more blur with the DoF
I cat help but notice such things
(and lame shoddy UVs allover the place and much more stuff that shouldnt be present in a retail product)
#1673 posted by negke [82.82.176.201] on 2008/04/01 08:23:19
Shambler: yeah indeed, but their stats are a few points higher than the fire magician robe I had before. Need to kiss-up the rebels a bit more (bore slaying them all) so I can finally buy the Paladin armor which seems to be the best armor in the game. Kind of silly really, I haven't even been to Nordmar.
Speeds: I agree it looks bad but there are more than enough areas that make up for it (where it isn't noticable). If one buggy view is enough to ruin a game for you, well... just go map Bitterman.
Nordmar
#1674 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/04/01 11:32:51
I haven't been too. Winter stuff tends to be my favourite atmosphere in a game, so I'm saving it until last.
This Seems Like A Pretty Cool Golf Game...
#1675 posted by bear [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/04 12:45:47
http://www.golfquestionmark.com/
Golf?
#1676 posted by Kell [80.192.19.108] on 2008/04/04 21:46:40
Yeah, saw that on RPS few weeks back.
It is good, but it's also unfinished :(
The physics are very intuitive, and the visual style is cool, if a little rough in spots. The only thing that annoyed me was the physics properties of the vehicle - too damn light to stay upright.
If You Want To Smile
#1677 posted by Spirit [80.171.29.243] on 2008/04/05 12:11:48
then play this game (with sound!): http://www.mazapan.se/games/BurnTh...
I Completed It!!!
#1678 posted by starbuck [92.235.196.172] on 2008/04/05 12:54:32
YES!!
Beat It...
#1679 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/04/05 21:36:56
now, what am i going to to with the rest of my day?
That's Pretty Funny.
#1680 posted by pjw [66.168.23.166] on 2008/04/05 21:42:06
Now how am I going to spend the rest of my day?
Damn You Metlsime
#1681 posted by pjw [66.168.23.166] on 2008/04/05 21:42:42
That's what I get for not refreshing.
So
#1682 posted by bambuz [91.152.87.250] on 2008/04/06 23:25:46
that's why Swedish games are so popular - their challenge is set at just the appropriate level!
HL2DM
#1683 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.20] on 2008/04/09 00:14:33
Enjoying a bit of this! Some maps leave a lot to be desired, I've been playing some low-G maps, which seem to be massive box rooms with crude platforms in and a few props, but the gameplay is fun. Primitive but fun.
I'll have to get TF2 soon though I think...
Unreal Tournament 3
#1684 posted by Jago [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/11 14:42:58
While UT3 is definately not without it's faults, I have been enjoying this game a lot as of late (purchased it from STEAM a few weeks ago).
The bad: the UI (and especially the server browser) is horrible, the "consolisation effect" is definately noticable. But seriously, EPIC can make a game that pushes hundreds of thousands of polygons per scene at a stable framerate of 70+ fps, but the stupid game menu is jerky and slow? WTF?
The broken server browser might be one of the reasons for a relatively low amount of people playing this game, it's serious broken. First of all, it's only showing maybe 30% of existing servers at any given time and to top that off, it's misrepresenting ping times, when the server browser shows that I have 80 ping to a game sever, in reality when I connect I usually ping 50-55. For finding games you definately want to use SKUT3 (an mIRC addon) instead, you can download it at http://www.esreality.com/?a=post&a...
The good: actual deathmatch gameplay. One of the problems with UT2004 was the fact that it was very easy to get away from your opponent forcing a lot of fights to become long-range histscanfests. UT3 has had its movement toned down a little bit, which ironically made it into a faster game with fierce combat, the combat is a lot more about closerange all-out fights to the death.
The game is absolutely stunning for the most part (although there are obviously a few very average-looking maps), very highly configurable through the game interface and editing the .ini files and runs very well on moderate hardware. I have a C2D E6600, 2GB ram, 8600GT 512mb and WinXP SP2, which is pretty much midrange these days and I am able to play the game at 1024x768 with all world/texture details on highest settings and a stable 70+ fps framerate as long as I tone down some of the unnecessary effects like dynamic decals and explosion details.
#1685 posted by Blitz [69.25.132.5] on 2008/04/15 20:14:27
But seriously, EPIC can make a game that pushes hundreds of thousands of polygons per scene at a stable framerate of 70+ fps, but the stupid game menu is jerky and slow? WTF?
I bet you worthless American money that they're using Flash for the UI stuff. Seems like a new trend in gaming lately to use Flash interfaces in bigger retail games.
Willem confirm/deny?
#1686 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/04/15 20:35:27
UE3 has it's own UI editor and system. From what I've seen, it's not flash based.
Heh
#1687 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/15 20:55:39
. . . worthless American money . . .
It's not worthless - now everything I buy from steam is cheaper.
Heh2
#1688 posted by Spirit [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/15 21:18:42
It's probably Java, just like the shit Bluray uses.
#1689 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/04/15 21:24:18
It's not flash. As Scampie said, we have our own system which is completely proprietary.
It's still under development so speed improvements should be forthcoming.
Spirit
#1690 posted by megaman [92.72.9.25] on 2008/04/15 21:59:04
if you don't have a clue, better STFU
;)
Willem Works At Epic?
#1691 posted by DaZ [80.41.177.1] on 2008/04/15 23:54:46
Kept that one quiet mate :)
Ok
#1692 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.93.82] on 2008/04/16 13:57:20
So I got UT3 last weekend. I'll tell you the single most impressive thing with the game: load times.
HOLY FUCK! Those levels load in like 2 or 3 seconds. Literally. Considering that the size of the assets is probably very large, I'm truly impressed... and happy. Loading times (in games in general) have been getting pretty ridiculous even on the PC these days, so it's nice to see that they've put a lot of effort into getting those load times down to a minimal level.
I'm sure the fact that it loads in a lower LOD for stuff first helps, but even so, I can't imagine how they got it that quick.
I Like UT3
#1693 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.233.151] on 2008/04/16 14:18:32
Do you play it online Fribbles?
I'll have to buy it! I've got the demo, and I really like it! It's the most Quake-like gameplay about at the moment.
Loading times are good, graphics are tremendous! Gameplay is fun - fast and furious.
Also I like the newer games (steam etc) just because it's so00 easy to get straight into an online game.
So hey, there's finally something we agree on! :D
UT3
#1694 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.93.82] on 2008/04/16 14:32:33
I haven't tried online play yet. To be honest I usually just play versus the bots (or LAN) in UT games. I tend not to play it online. That's not to say I won't give it a go though.
I do really like the gameplay, as always with UT. Maps are for the most part stunning visually, and the game as a whole has a much more coherent look than previous UT games (both with the maps and character designs). I have a little bit of a hard time picking players and pickups out from the background though... it all blends together a bit to be honest.
Haven't played enough to learn the maps well yet, so I can't comment in any meaningful way on layouts etc.
Tell you what though, the default mouse movement is completely fucked! It feels so wrong, acceleration is forced on and there's no way to turn it off in the game menu (this is a pretty big oversight). I had to search around and find out how to disable acceleration and change some other stuff in the config files to get the mouse to feel halfway decent. (It's pretty nice now, just gotta tweak sensitivity and stuff a bit more to my liking.)
So, in summary:
Awesome: load times.
Strong: gameplay, art.
Shithouse: default mouse movement and options.
Load Times...
#1695 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/04/16 15:00:16
Yeah, games like CoD4 and UT3 are awesome when it comes to load times, I wish TF2 loaded the maps faster, it seems to take ages...
Played UT3 a bit, dunno, not really doing anything for me, think I spent more time checking out the characters in the character creation screen than actually playing.
UT3
#1696 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/04/16 18:13:07
Checked out the demo a bit.
What a radical progression over UT/UT2/UT2k3/k5/k5/k6 eh.
#1697 posted by gone [91.122.106.224] on 2008/04/17 05:17:03
how did you fix the shitty mouse in UT3 Frib?
that was the thing that totally ruined the game for me to the point of unplayable
They Added
#1698 posted by DaZ [80.41.177.1] on 2008/04/17 06:38:46
more input options in the latest patch so you can turn off mouse acceleration and all that other shite.
As for the load times, I'm no expert on UT tech or anything but I think its got something to do with the streaming nature of the engine, my guess is it only loads what you see when you spawn into the world and streams the rest in and out as you move around. It was the same with Gears of war there were very very few actual loading screens, usually there would be a brief pause after a cutscene and thats all.
Shambler
#1699 posted by starbuck [92.235.196.172] on 2008/04/17 11:07:28
Sarcasm? I haven't played it.
Speeds
#1700 posted by Mr Fribbles [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/17 11:31:44
The main thing is turning off the mouse acceleration:
My Documents/My Games/Unreal Tournament 3/UTGame/Config/UTInput.ini
[UTGame.UTConsoleP_layer_Input]
bViewAccelerationEnabled=FALSE
This thread could also help (some different stuff to try, not sure how much it helps if at all):
http://utforums.epicgames.com/show...
Never Seems To Bother Me....
#1701 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.233.151] on 2008/04/17 11:36:09
....mouse acceleration. I notice v_sync more - I prefer it to be off, unless the game runs constantly above the refresh rate. Crysis it has to be off. Doom3, Quake4 and UT3 it can be on.
#1702 posted by gone [91.122.106.224] on 2008/04/17 13:11:31
thnx. mouse in bioshock was equaly bad btw, less of an issue in SP but still
oh and on the topic
played Alice - rather boring combat design due to crappy one-ammo-for-all weapons and mostly turret-like enemies. FAKK2 had pretty much the same puzzles and jumping but much more interesting combat. Atmosphere is nice but not enough to keep my interest for more than ~5hrs. next
... comes Getting up: contents under something - yeah that Mark Gekko` graffiti game. Which has some parkur (which is luckily much easier and far more forgiving than Tombrider or the insta-death-frenzy Prince of Persia); some sneaking (which is mostly unnescesary if you dont mind to fight) and ofcourse the best part of it - asskicking which is a rather solid beat'em'up with some depth. Oh and there is spraypainting the walls which is done well.
Fakk2
#1703 posted by nitin [124.168.53.122] on 2008/04/17 14:44:47
didnt have the atmosphere to match Alice though, although I agree that Alice gameplay got old. But there was some pretty imaginative dressup of some puzzles and the level design was great.
Alice
#1704 posted by ijed [127.255.255.255] on 2008/04/17 15:20:24
Was a missed opportunity for me. A real shame they didn't use the thirdperson perspective a bit more - dodging or close combat or something.
I remember I was looking at the pause screen loads of times before I noticed L-oad S-ave D-elete.
Another one of those subliminal design things.
Here's a great Portal article:
http://www.game-ism.com/?p=91
Alice And FAKK2
#1705 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/04/17 17:19:56
Agreed in general. Alice had good music too.
Im Downloading ET Quake Wars Demo 2.0 . . .
#1706 posted by RickyT23 [90.213.8.240] on 2008/04/19 05:58:29
never played it before.
QWET
#1707 posted by gone [91.122.4.142] on 2008/04/19 08:51:57
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
QWET
#1708 posted by Mike Woodham [86.147.202.94] on 2008/04/19 10:16:23
Nevermind the game - the demo is brilliant!
Haha
#1709 posted by Bal [90.44.102.155] on 2008/04/19 10:39:47
That ad rocks. =)
Voxelstein 3D
#1710 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.41] on 2008/04/19 18:39:09
Wow. Runs very slow for me though (well with Wine). Nice details etc. I'll need to find some "impulse 9" cheat though to trash the whole map.
http://voxelstein3d.sourceforge.ne...
Wow
#1711 posted by starbuck [92.235.196.172] on 2008/04/19 19:25:08
kinda cool! Haven't seen voxels for ages. What was that game that used them, Outcast? And there was an rpg too.
Just googled Outcast, it looks pretty good for a 1999 game!
http://www.quandaryland.com/2006/p...
Then I remembered the voxel rpg I played was called Hexplore, and I remember that looking good too, but apparently my memory has completely deserted me:
http://www.vollversion.de/bilder/1...
Oh dear.
Actually
#1712 posted by starbuck [92.235.196.172] on 2008/04/19 19:29:47
I'm not sure Outcast uses voxels, there's a load of sites saying it does, but surely it just uses heightmapped terrain?
Outcast
#1713 posted by gone [91.122.4.142] on 2008/04/19 20:17:31
its both voxels and polys (for models)
it has bumpmapping, bump+reflection on the water, AntiAlasing and DepthOfField - all in software running pretty fast on a 400mhz p3
How The Hell Did They Do That...
#1714 posted by starbuck [92.235.196.172] on 2008/04/19 20:56:40
I must have been running a P233 at the time, and I don't remember it running that badly on that even!
Heh
#1715 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.41] on 2008/04/19 20:57:07
still everyone drowned in that darn pool right after the start.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R
#1716 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.123.104] on 2008/04/22 10:21:42
Picked this up for 5 pounds yesterday. Sat up till 3:30 playing it! I'll tell you what it is to me: Half Oblivion and half Half-Life.
I dont like the Oblivion elements (crappy animation) but I love the Half-Life side. Very atmospheric, addictive RPG game-play, non-linearity.
Gameplay seemed a bit unfair at points. For a game called Stalker you would have thought it would be a bit easier to stalk things!
Good fun none-the-less!
Hmmm.
#1717 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/04/22 12:00:42
I think I have to get it, don't I. Dirt cheap bizzle.
Still playing Gothic3 BTW. Only just discovered you can dig up some graves to get more cash. Woot.
For Fucker
#1718 posted by kevin peterson [59.95.84.224] on 2008/04/22 12:41:55
gn gnlbnf;mbfh
For Fucker
#1719 posted by kevin peterson [59.95.84.224] on 2008/04/22 12:41:57
gn gnlbnf;mbfh
For Fucker
#1720 posted by kevin peterson [59.95.84.224] on 2008/04/22 12:41:57
gn gnlbnf;mbfh
For Fucker
#1721 posted by kevin peterson [59.95.84.224] on 2008/04/22 12:41:58
gn gnlbnf;mbfh
For Fucker
#1722 posted by kevin peterson [59.95.84.224] on 2008/04/22 12:41:58
gn gnlbnf;mbfh
Hi, Kevin Peterson.
#1723 posted by czg [213.132.100.2] on 2008/04/22 12:42:44
Half Oblivion And Half Half-Life.
#1724 posted by gone [89.110.7.94] on 2008/04/22 12:45:21
Very misleading - its neither
Yeah its a nonlinear realistic/sci-fi shooter with some open gameplay and huge open maps. And a dash of RPG elements.
Its probably the best game from the previous year, best PC action game for sure. Unless you totally hate shooters and cant stand freedom and nonlinearity - its highly recommended.
Despite all the shortcomings its the most enjoyable and immersive game Iv played in some years.
#1725 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.123.104] on 2008/04/22 13:12:16
Im enjoying it. I think the game engine looks and feels a lot like the oblivion engine (better though, the environmental effects are unbelievable), one of it's biggest downsides is the facial animation. literally the animators must have just turned a blind eye to it! all that happens is the bottom jaw flaps up and down like a Thuderbird.
Lunaran - Have you played this game? I couldnt help but notice the bump mapping effects looked very good in places. I would guess that (certainly in places) people have done the overlay stuff by hand.
Stalker Is Outstanding
#1726 posted by pjw [66.188.138.62] on 2008/04/23 05:56:43
One of the better shooters I've played in a long time.
And if you really want to see some sweet visuals, check out the Stalker: Clear Sky trailer here, with all the Direct X 10 eye-candy:
http://www.pcgames.de/aid,640665/V...
Coming in August...
Yeah
#1727 posted by DaZ [80.41.169.50] on 2008/04/23 09:36:42
Stalker is flawed genius, there are very very few games that come close in terms of atmosphere, Stalker really manages to stick you right in there, sifting through a nuclear wasteland with danger everywhere.
The non linearity and open maps are both a boon and a curse however... I dont think the developers really managed to capture the open ended feel the game should have had. Too many times I cross a border into a new map and there will be the same 3 guys standing in the same place doing the same shit over and over.
I really do have high hopes for clear sky however, they have fixed just about everything that was wrong with Stalker (so they say) and added some great new features with the whole faction war thing. Not to mention it looks fucking fantastic! I'll be picking it up in a heartbeat.
Hooray
#1728 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.172] on 2008/04/23 09:44:39
So I guess the bugfixes will not run on the same hardware as the game plus one has to pay to get them.
I am still waiting for some "make the sp enjoyable and great" patch. Good thing I sold the game when it still was worth some bucks.
DaZ
#1729 posted by gone [89.110.45.92] on 2008/04/23 11:18:30
they have fixed just about everything that was wrong with Stalker
how do you know, have you played ClearSky beta or what? 0_o
stalker got patched, sp is enjoyable and spirit is a bitter game-hater :P
Oooooooooooh
#1730 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.172] on 2008/04/23 11:25:41
Is it? I remember that the PDA thing drove me nuts, the map, the textstuff/missions/infos. And of course the "surprise spawn right in your face" enemies.
#1731 posted by negke [82.82.187.165] on 2008/04/23 11:54:32
If even spd calls you a bitter game-hater, you're really beyond remedy..
Were You Into Oblivion Spirit?
#1732 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.189.62] on 2008/04/23 12:31:14
TBH I get a bit frustrated with Stalker too. And the map is about at usefull as a dogs chopped off tail. Navigation - just follow the arrow on the minimap...
And you have to quicksave all of the time too, cause 'realistic' combat = dead in 2 seconds. I'll be creeping through some basement, and - OK - I can see a haze in the room, but it doesnt stay in any specific place, so fair enough, I move forwards, the all of a sudden BOOM!!!! Im dead. So I quickload (already back in the same area) - repeat until I get lucky enough to survive.
The game is pretty addictive though, what it lacks in perfection I think it makes up in immersion. Feels like a real adventure! Took me a while to figure out how the task system works, as a result I completed a few tasks but was unable to collect my reward because the option to timed out.
None the less I can see me playing this one through! Not enough good shooters out these days. I was tempted by Blacksite: Area51, but apparently that sucks.
Roll on Aliens: Colonial Marine! :D
#1733 posted by gone [89.110.45.92] on 2008/04/23 12:54:15
the pda map and the spawns were fixed in the first patch a ~year ago. patch is a must
I played it on the max difficulty w/o any loading I got as far as 4th map. yeah it was hard, but Im hardcore!
A Dog's Chopped Off Tail
#1734 posted by bambuz [193.167.3.34] on 2008/04/23 13:19:52
Imagine a small plastic bag full of them. Puppy ones. And putting said bag in a jacket pocket. And someone else searching something from the pocket and accidentally putting their hand in the bag.
Happened to my cousin. The one who looks a bit like pope's gf.
Yeah I Know, Terrible Isnt It
#1735 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.189.62] on 2008/04/23 13:24:05
And you get zero trade value for them, the only thing they're good for is synthesizing anti-rad serum. Bah!
Oh
#1736 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.172] on 2008/04/23 14:38:24
Now I remember, that things were fixed but old savegames were rendered useless or something.
Well, I will play it once I am through with Diablo 2 (again...).
The First Patch Did
#1737 posted by negke [82.83.18.95] on 2008/04/23 19:07:36
With all others, the savegames continued to work. Some spawning issues still remained in patch 1.0001 or 1.0002. Or at least situations in which respawning enemies spoilt some of the fun. For example, every time I returned to the garbage from Agroprom, there used to be new bandits attacking the hangar. Eventually, I ignored them so the stalkers there would be killed.
Retried the game recently with patch 1.0004 (the two newer only contain fixes for MP), because the majority of mods only support this version. However, all the mod packs I tested kind of sucked in one way or another. Either they featured too many critical modifications, or too few. Too bad. I just play it again without any mods..
Well I Patched To 1.0006 Straight Away
#1738 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.189.62] on 2008/04/23 19:12:11
Seems ok. Sometimes the task system seems buggy, but never commits a real error.
#1739 posted by gone [89.110.45.92] on 2008/04/23 23:18:04
oh yeah most stalker mods blow
like 'super realism awesome gfx mod!' = broken game balance and economy (yeah gun prices from real world - great idea!) and 1000% bloom intensity for graphics improvements. "fuk dat!" (© sagat)
Finally Read It
#1740 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.155] on 2008/04/28 11:20:40
Harvey Smith's review of Half-Life
http://www.planetdeusex.com/witchb...
I guess the other articles are as readworthy.
Spirit
#1741 posted by bambuz [91.152.87.250] on 2008/04/28 13:26:58
excellent stuff there. Game reviews are almost never like this. This is actually more of a pondering post analysis that would not fit as a review/preview, so it's not fair to compare to magazine stuff.. but still.
Game Reviews Huh
#1742 posted by gone [91.122.6.252] on 2008/04/28 14:28:10
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p...
Im also trying to play this weird thing
~4hrs in and there is no "game" so far. just reading and long walking ;|
Speeds
#1743 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/04/28 15:06:54
Sounds very interesting, reading those reviews.
Also sounds like it's better that you're trying to play it, rather than me ;)
Half-Life Review
#1744 posted by Vigil [91.152.87.250] on 2008/04/28 17:06:18
That review was more about System Shock and Thief than Half-Life.
And Its
#1745 posted by gone [91.122.109.124] on 2008/04/28 18:42:20
by a guy who worked on System Shock and DeusEX :)))
But These Days
#1746 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.18] on 2008/04/29 04:49:47
he is better known for what he has screwed up.
Half-life Review
#1747 posted by megaman [92.72.2.250] on 2008/04/29 16:54:43
it's great, most of his points are very valid.
Now that i think of it, hl2 did everything wrong he mentions as the dangers of the stuff in hl ;)
Hl2
#1748 posted by megaman [92.72.2.250] on 2008/04/29 17:02:22
Not This is one of the best ways to create such coherency-the world is not a single-file trail through the woods, but a looping, contiguous labyrinth? check.
No But now the combinations of elements in the room provide a new twist.? check.
Not gives the player just enough ammo to cause him to pause and consider? check.
Cut scenes that are the exact opposite of being interesting, not too long or common and they do not stop the player from moving around in the game world.? check.
Another Zombie Shooter Game
#1749 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/05/03 23:31:02
This one has some basic between-round survival management, where you are searching the nearby town to find weapons and survivors. And you occasionally have to travel to the next town, using supplies you found to make the trip. It's a good way to join the zombie survival premise of the game with the typical shooter features of buying/upgrading/repairing between levels.
http://armorgames.com/play/1443/th...
Gears Of War 2 Trailer (new)
#1750 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.205] on 2008/05/12 03:34:29
http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/dor/obje...
looks excellent! :D
I Can't Wait...
#1751 posted by Bal [90.35.123.203] on 2008/05/12 09:53:56
... for someone to make a video game about Uwe's boxing, that would be cool.
It Seems So Very Contrived
#1752 posted by bambuz [91.152.87.250] on 2008/05/12 16:35:11
Huge war machines are fighting and they depend on one guy sitting on the back with a small machine gun for defence. How about putting a gun on the thing?
It's arcadey all right.
The lighting on the huge models doesn't seem right either when they move right at the start at the one minute mark.
But looks very cool otherwise.
#1753 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/05/12 17:00:44
Those are derricks, not war machines. They transport things.
The Flying Things...
#1754 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.150] on 2008/05/12 17:03:43
...with the tails coming out of the back combined with the massive valleys instantly reminded me of Crysis, but then I remembered that they were in Gears of War 1 at the end with the train...
Bit Grey...
#1755 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/05/12 17:07:05
otherwise it's looking pretty damn sweet.
I remember a lot of the concept art for gears being very colourful, but oddly what I saw in the game was far less so. Still, it was a blast in coop and the graphics were otherwise fucking amazing, so I didn't care.
Besides, I guess I've been making grey and brown Quake levels for years so who am I to complain about lack of colour?
Oh, And Chainsaw Duels
#1756 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/05/12 17:17:18
that's fucking cool. I hope a duel isn't always initiated in multiplayer though. It'd suck to always lose if you had a dodgy finger even though you got in first or snuck up from behind. I only say this because I suffer from occasional RSI and mashing buttons is no longer something I'm really good at :(
#1757 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/05/12 17:32:04
than
The duel initiates if someone tries to chainsaw you and you have your saw out and attack them at the same time. If someone gets the drop on you or you're facing the wrong way or whatever - you're dead. :)
That Was Clearly The Best Moment
#1758 posted by BlackDog [58.7.115.188] on 2008/05/12 18:30:09
I mean, chainsaw duel? You can't go wrong.
#1759 posted by gone [78.37.23.235] on 2008/05/12 18:30:20
q4 any1?
GoW2 Trailer
#1760 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/05/12 21:07:57
Looks fun. On rails, but at least they're next-gen rails.
ChronoTron
#1761 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/05/14 10:28:42
from the makers of cursor 10:
http://www.kongregate.com/games/sc...
Hrm
#1762 posted by megaman [92.72.13.225] on 2008/05/14 14:14:20
they practically eliminated the optimizing factor out of their game design. too bad that was the most fun part for me.
Also, the new graphics are :(, using the mouse was unique, and i don't like those silly puzzle games :) (but i loved cursor10)
Heh...
#1763 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/05/14 22:34:21
sounds like it's not for you then!
Hehe
#1764 posted by megaman [92.72.2.214] on 2008/05/15 01:54:47
well, i played up to level 21, where i couldn't figure out how to push me higher with the rocker, had to watch the walkthrough and then clicked on the paradox screen and it reset 2minutes of WORK. :(
it is a good puzzle-jumper, it just doesn't fit me as well as cursor10 =D
GTA4
#1765 posted by Jago [84.250.87.231] on 2008/05/17 00:17:07
is fucking awesome (playing it on a PS3).
That is all.
#1766 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/05/17 01:24:33
I'm playing it on my 360 and, yes, it's fucking awesome. Love it!
Yup I Played It Today
#1767 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.205] on 2008/05/17 05:31:49
on a PS3 on a cr8, and I thought it felt a lot like the other GTA games, but many of the problems where removed, + it had a realism overhaul, including excellent graphics.
A true sequel! Very deep game...
#1768 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/05/17 10:57:32
It's all about 2 characters:
1) Niko Bellic. Fantastic character backed up with amazing acting. His voice actor nailed it.
2) Liberty City. The city itself is a character unto itself. It lives, it breathes and it's a joy to be in.
Nexuiz
#1769 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.19.111] on 2008/05/19 13:56:44
For the money I paid for this game, you can't really go wrong!!!
(it's free)
Seemed like fun to me last night!
Trespasser
#1770 posted by Wayne [86.145.200.44] on 2008/05/21 19:31:14
hi all didnt no if anyone of u know got prob with when u start game says my video card doe's not have direct x drivers and says it may work fine but u start it and the video scenes act as if they on fast forward and there is no sound and u put sound on and that turns itself off again i got a NVIDIA Geforce 6200 anyone no of a patch or somefink to solve this problem ????
#1771 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/05/21 19:51:53
wtf?
A/s/l?
#1772 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/05/21 20:44:17
16/swe/czg
#1773 posted by gone [78.37.142.231] on 2008/05/21 20:47:39
Btw
#1774 posted by gone [78.37.142.231] on 2008/05/21 20:55:03
I played GRAW2 and its a realistic shooter where you cant even jump thus cant pass a single sandbag. It still takes 2 bullets to kill you even on easy.
Who wanted realistic games?
Stop Namedropping Me Plz
#1775 posted by czg [83.253.254.12] on 2008/05/21 21:56:00
#1776 posted by starbuck [92.233.159.212] on 2008/05/21 22:12:45
hi all didnt no if anyone of u know got prob with when u start game says my video card doe's not have direct x drivers and says it may work fine but u start it and the video scenes act as if they on fast forward and there is no sound and u put sound on and that turns itself off again i got a NVIDIA Geforce 6200 anyone no of a patch or somefink to solve this problem ????
I think the solution is to not play Trespasser. I'm serious.
#1777 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/05/21 23:49:20
Or to not post on Func.
Shambl0wnd
#1778 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/05/22 01:23:44
Shambl0w'd?
#1779 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/05/22 03:29:55
As Long...
#1780 posted by megaman [92.73.95.113] on 2008/05/22 03:57:45
as the balls don't touch...
swe is a sex now?
Hmm
#1781 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/05/22 16:30:38
No. He got the order wrong ofc fool. Swe is the location. Jeez, some people.
czg is obviously the sex
Hmm
#1782 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/05/22 16:31:26
That in no way implies czg is 't3h sex'.
Just a valid gender choice in the modern world...
Ooooh
#1783 posted by megaman [92.72.2.235] on 2008/05/22 17:55:35
that makes it even funnier.
Yeah Go On, Ruin Another Thread
#1784 posted by gone [78.37.13.164] on 2008/05/22 18:13:30
QMAP`ed
meawhile Iv played pennyarcadegame demo - it has nice comics style, but the gameplay with FF-ish combat didnt interest me at all
LOL @ #1782
#1785 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/05/22 18:36:54
That is all.
90 Minute Non-interactive Cutscenes...
#1786 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/05/23 16:45:17
Personally I'm not an MGS fan because of the cutscenes and shit controls so I won't be playing MGS4, but this news just blew my mind. People sit through this shit?
http://kotaku.com/392923/mgs4-has-...
discuss.
Personally I think it's absolutely absurd that the cutscenes in MGS are often substantially longer than the gameplay sections. In the first game (or at least Twin Snakes) the cutscenes near the start of the game we between 5 and 30 minutes long. 30 minutes is already an insanely long time to be watching a cutscene for, but 90? You have to be fucking kidding. The cutscenes are skippable, but if you do that you will miss all the story.
I wonder if Kojima thought of adding a shortened cutscene option for those who just want to play a game rather than sit through hours of his movie making wankery. Save and resume during cutscenes maybe? Can you imagine if you had 45 minutes to play a game and you chose MGS4 only for one of these cutscenes to start minutes into your session. God, that would just suck cock so bad.
Whatever Kojima might bring to the table with regard to innovations and whatnot in his games, he needs to go make a fucking movie and get it out of his system.
Idea: set up a 360 with a copy of CoD4 or GoW next to the PS3 and play a little... er, 90 minute chunk each time one of the cutscenes starts. I bet you finish MGS4 way later. You could probably play CoD4 and GoW in the time it takes to sit through just the MGS4 cutscenes.
Wait A Sec
#1787 posted by gone [91.122.99.148] on 2008/05/23 17:22:32
90min overall, or a single scene of that length? o_0 Game is an interractive medium. Cutscenes of this length make no sense at all.
I guess he indeed makes a movie with some interractive sequenses :)
And I dont care for MGS or any stealth for that matter. yes
BTW I beated stalker clrear sky e3 demo leak, despite it crashing all the time and not letting you reload. I killed everyone (except the chopper) :)
Pretty Predictable Really.
#1788 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/05/23 20:40:25
Hideo Kojima openly admits to spending well over 90 minutes at a time masturbating to his own reflection in the mirror.
In an unrelated story, I have never had any desire to play - and I'm sure will never have any to desire to play - one of his games.
#1789 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/05/23 20:46:46
The early Metal Gear games are pretty fun, you should give them a shot.
#1790 posted by gone [91.122.99.148] on 2008/05/23 21:09:51
snes ones?
#1791 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/05/23 21:14:37
No, the 3D ones. .. I mean the ones on PS2. Metal Gear was alright until about Sons of Liberty. That's when the interminable conversations started over the codec and the long ass cut scenes started rolling.
Bleh
#1792 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.94] on 2008/05/26 23:41:50
Decided to give STALKER another try recently. I am just at that early border with the Monolith guys I have to keep away from getting near. I killed them all, the mission said "wee, done" and now the mission seems frozen in "defend the border" state...
That "family rifle" has run away too.
And why on earth didn't they fix the PDA's diary so it at least displays read posts in white? The map, well, that would be advanced programming I guess...
I am using that 1.0000000006 patch. Is there something else I could do against such stupid logic/mission bugs? Some fixed mod maybe?
Artice About Indie Games On Wii
#1793 posted by gone [78.37.20.109] on 2008/05/27 12:12:30
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/gam...
Far Cry 2 Trailer
#1794 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/05/28 14:28:03
In game footage and shizzle, pretty cool despite the annoying Flash-ness: http://uplay.ubi.com/teaser/teaser...
Never really been drawn to Afrikkkka as a gaming location but this does look good...
Yawn
#1795 posted by gone [78.37.6.108] on 2008/05/28 16:22:58
from the 5 seconds worth of gameplay it looks like yet another delta call of medal ops: whatever
Whatever To You Too.
#1796 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/05/28 16:51:22
I liked Far Cry.
Speeds
#1797 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/05/28 16:54:26
I think it's meant to be quite open and sounds VERY different to super linear games like CoD in terms of the freedom you get to choose your strategy and do missions in whatever order you like.
#1798 posted by gone [78.37.6.108] on 2008/05/28 17:10:16
yeah, lets discuss games, not promo trailers
Yeah
#1799 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.146] on 2008/05/28 17:33:34
So no more trailers (or screenshots of up and coming games) on the "Other PC Games" thread.
And if you do post a link, then please:- nobody talk a word about it.
(PS - Im looking forwards to Far Cry 2, The explosions look really smart, and I hope it's a bit like crysis but with an oppertunity to actually talk to NPCs!!! (that would be cool))
Ooops! Sorry SPEEDS
Other Games
#1800 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/05/29 00:58:30
Spore - WANT WANT WANT WANT
Left4Dead - WANT WANT WANT WA
Warhammer Online - WANT WANT WANT WA
Starcraft 2 - WANT WANT WANT
Human Head's New Game - WANT WANT WANT WANT
Mass Effect - WANT WANT WANT WA
Most of these are at least 3 1/2 WANTs, so they must be pretty good. (Score is out of 4 possible WANTs.)
I Measure Desire In WANKs
#1801 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/05/29 22:19:20
For Speeds
#1802 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/05/29 23:02:23
Present for you, might be old:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
More For Speeds
#1803 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/05/30 02:16:14
http://www.shacknews.com/featureda...
Far Cry 2 != CoD4 or HL2. Maybe they will fail, maybe a lot of the stuff you hear people gushing about is marketting hyperbole or maybe it won't end up in the finished product for some reason, but you've got to admit that if you like games like Far Cry, Crysis and STALKER that Far Cry 2 has some promise.
Far Cry 2
#1804 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.41.141] on 2008/05/30 02:32:42
Wasn't interested in Far Cry or Crysis, but Far Cry 2 has a lot of interesting things going for it. The main thing is the gameplay - very open ended within a living world offers some very very unique gameplay opportunities. I get the feeling strategy and recon are going to play a very big part of this game, possibly unlike any other FPS game. All the movies show the player setting fields on fire to cut off escape/reinforcement routes, laying traps, etc etc, which looks like a lot of fun.
I'm still a bit skeptical, but it looks like an immensely promising game right now.
Great Free Fast Tank Action
#1805 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.220] on 2008/05/30 11:23:37
http://www.quanticode.com/zeroball...
Just played it a bit and damn was it fun.
Ok Cool
#1806 posted by gone [89.110.45.224] on 2008/05/30 13:06:47
Im bought sold or whats the word.
I like open-world games
Mleh
#1807 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/05/30 23:43:29
ever since the Far Cry IP was handed to Ubisoft, it's been fairly shite - case in point: the abysmal Far Cry Instincts: Predator on the xbox and 360.
We've already had "Far Cry 2" - it was called Crysis. I'm not optimistic about this new game.
Well...
#1808 posted by Bal [90.2.103.178] on 2008/05/31 09:34:29
Crysis was friggin boring, even Far Cry 2 looks more interesting at this point to me.
But yeah, I'm not sold yet, Ubi touted the whole "open world" thing with Assassin's Creed too, and it didn't turn out so great.
Beyond Good And Evil
#1809 posted by nitin [210.84.34.205] on 2008/06/01 04:48:44
pretty nice stuff, probably 20% or so in (just finished black isle).
Bit too many cutscenes but really enjoying this.
Yeah...
#1810 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/06/01 09:51:16
that's one of my favorite games ever, btw.
Beyond Good And Evil...
#1811 posted by Bal [90.2.34.242] on 2008/06/01 10:39:00
I never understood what was so great about this game, the premise was good, and at first it looked like it could be really nice, but then I feel like it didn't really deliver, it ended up pretty linear and fairly short.
Still, bonus points for space whales.
Looking forward to the sequel.
BG&E
#1812 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/06/01 11:06:53
well, the game wasn't perfect, but here were some of the things i liked about it: 1. the overall zelda-like gameplay and exploration and item collection and puzzle solving worked for me because i like zelda games. 2. the successful mingling of various game mechanics worked well, they put whatever mechanic in that they felt suited that section of the game, including stealth puzzles, photography/collection, space rail shooter gameplay, etc. 3. the art was really nice, all the designs were cool, the environments, the little robots, the security droids, etc. etc. 4. the characterizations were good, including writing and voice acting. 5. the gameplay implementation, i.e. level design, was very well done.
There were some complaints i could make about the game. Primarily: game's story was a very tired "evil government/aliens" scenario, which was so overplayed that i kept expecting to turn out to be reversed in some surprise plot twist (i.e. the government is actually good and the rebels are working for the true evil aliens or something) but it never happened. The name "beyond good and evil" was part of this expectation i guess, as the actual storyline did not get beyond "good and evil" -- it wallowed in it.
The length isn't a "good" point, but it also didn't bother me -- i'm an adult with a job and don't have tons of time to spend on a game, so i'd rather play a ten-hour game full of good stuff, than a 40-hour game with ten hours of good stuff and 30 hours of filler. However, i probably would have liked just ONE more dungeon, to improve the overall pacing of the game.
DNF
#1813 posted by Spirit [213.39.129.47] on 2008/06/05 22:55:33
Skip the gay and start at 1:45: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYi...
Mleh
#1814 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/06/05 23:38:12
"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by HDFILMS INC"
Still Alive Here, Kinnu
#1815 posted by czg [83.253.254.12] on 2008/06/05 23:42:45
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p...
Still looks like a boring game though.
Cheers Czg
#1816 posted by Kinn [86.156.76.15] on 2008/06/06 00:58:48
yep, that's definately an FPS.
Wow
#1817 posted by megaman [92.73.95.36] on 2008/06/06 03:31:26
did they strafe once in those scenes?
Another Semi-usless Trailer. But This Game Will OWN
#1818 posted by gone [78.37.142.24] on 2008/06/07 01:37:25
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
looks already better than SC2
and if they improve it basing on CoH gameplay it WILL BE FUCKING AWESOME
(yeah Im excited. loved both DoW and CoH - best RTS ever)
Yeah
#1819 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/06/07 01:47:19
I'm excited about DoW2. Not as much as I am about SC2, but still, I loved DoW, and I expect great things from Relic. Looks fantastic.
SC2
#1820 posted by bambuz [91.152.87.250] on 2008/06/07 02:02:58
I already had hopes up since that means star control 2 to me. Bah, kids these days...
That Looks Pretty Damn Good
#1821 posted by nitin [210.84.23.75] on 2008/06/07 02:25:19
count me in.
We're Adults Blah Making Adult Games Blah Blah
#1822 posted by bear [213.89.242.120] on 2008/06/07 02:41:57
more like adolescent
I R Drunk
#1823 posted by Kinn [86.156.167.165] on 2008/06/07 04:07:39
kebab lol
#1824 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/06/07 11:58:01
What's adolescent? I agree that the industry needs to grow up but the last game referenced, DOW2, looked fine to me. Didn't see any large breasted chicks with swords or anything.
Adolescent?
#1825 posted by Vigil [84.250.123.245] on 2008/06/07 12:10:18
I think it's Age of Conan you're looking for:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
Tyranids
#1826 posted by nitin [210.84.23.75] on 2008/06/07 12:15:24
hope DoW2 gets tyranids.
DoW2
#1827 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/07 17:33:23
Yep, looks fantastic, I lost so many hours to both DoW and CoH so really looking forward to this.
Also, ffs make a new space hulk game!
And
#1828 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/07 17:34:44
while we are on the subject of games workshop materials...
Make a WH40k war game like operation flashpoint!
Dyson
#1829 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/06/08 02:09:15
http://forums.tigsource.com/index....
Fkn terrific little asteroid-aquarium-divide-and-conqu... game with a quiet Defcon-like pace and tone. And one of the guys who worked on it is Borsato. :D
Er
#1830 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/06/08 02:09:37
... conquer
And A Much Less Shitty Link
#1831 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/06/08 02:11:14
http://www.omni-labs.com/projects....
#1832 posted by inertia [24.164.67.55] on 2008/06/08 02:11:58
windows executables
douche bags
Cryostasis Is Looking Pretty Badass
#1833 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/06/08 10:09:49
:)
#1834 posted by gone [91.122.106.18] on 2008/06/08 11:19:29
for everyone interested in indie games bookmark:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Indepe...
#1835 posted by czg [83.253.254.12] on 2008/06/08 13:41:41
inertia posts
douche bag
1823.
#1836 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/06/08 16:21:36
Informative.
DOW2 - looks very good. Both the action and the cityscapes.
BUT, as always, RTSes seem to be so much about stressing around managing the entire bloody army and resource system, that all those great graphics tend to be pointlessly hard to appreciate. Spending 10 seconds admiring one combat basically means you've lost the mission because some of your fuckwits elsewhere have wandered off or a resource post has been captured and that's it. Okay the high quality scenery will be a good omnipresent ambience but I still think the graphics are a bit of a waste if you can't stop to appreciate them.
CHZO Series: Oldschool 2D Point&click Adventures
#1837 posted by negke [82.82.161.9] on 2008/06/08 17:42:14
I discovered these games accidentally and found them to be quite compelling for some reason. It's a series of four short and easy adventures created by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw, centering about a family curse and ancient gods:
1) 5 Days a Stranger - http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/5d...
2) 7 Days a Skeptic - http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/7d...
3) Trilby's Notes - http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/no...
4) 6 Days a Sacrifice - http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/6d...
First, second and fourth game have traditional p&c controls, third one requires commands to be typed in like the old FF/SQ games (sounds annoying, but one gets used to it quickly). The plot is interesting - nothing groundbreakingly new but I liked it, especially the way it's tied together and expanded throughout the games - and the there's plenty pixel gore.
If anyone's in the right mood and has some spare two hours for each game, I recommend giving them a try. Just make sure to play them in the intended order.
(it's Actually Called John DeFoe Series But Whatever)
#1838 posted by negke [82.82.161.9] on 2008/06/08 17:45:02
DOW2
#1839 posted by ijed [190.20.126.91] on 2008/06/08 18:46:16
I'll just buy it automatically.
I'm still playing through Soulstorm.
Dyson
#1840 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.157] on 2008/06/08 20:39:20
Beautiful game except for
a) the music gets really braindamaging after 30 minutes of the same very short pattern
b) NO FUCKING SAVE OPTION. How long does it take to conquer the whole universe? 1-2 hours?
Adolecent
#1841 posted by bear [213.89.247.140] on 2008/06/08 21:49:02
was refering to the DNF video interview
Shambler
#1842 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/09 02:27:21
Got to agree with you there I think, I know what I used to do is record every good game I played and re-watch it later and get into all the good combats.
The same with CoH too.
Its a shame, but I cant really think of any good work arounds off-hand, you could slow the game down but then it would become boring, or you could make the graphics crap and everyone would moan :)
Cryostasis
#1843 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.41.141] on 2008/06/09 03:02:36
Looks like a cheap Bioshock ripoff. And NecroVisioN (yes, it has a capital 'v' and 'n') looks like Wolfenstein set in World War 1. Same publisher for both (or developer, whatever.)
Still, can't judge until you play it.
Indigo Prophecy
#1844 posted by Blitz [67.168.57.20] on 2008/06/09 06:50:24
Playing Indigo Prophecy right now. Pretty good so far...couple of nice horror moments that actually made me jump. I'm not a huge fan of the quick time / Simon says bullshit but I can look past that as long as the game stays interesting.
Dyson
#1845 posted by Bal [82.124.156.193] on 2008/06/09 08:17:40
Nice little game, a collegue was playing some similar and shorter flash game a while back, can't find it anymore.
Spirit, nah it takes 30 minutes if you know what you're doing, this isn't the kind of game that requires saves in my opinion.
Beyond Good And Evil
#1846 posted by nitin [210.84.23.75] on 2008/06/09 10:24:36
finished it. Yes, it's short but I loved every bit of it.
In hindsight, probably still too many cutscenes but great freedom and varied gameplay. Loads of fun.
CoH/DoW
#1847 posted by gone [78.37.6.236] on 2008/06/09 13:36:52
Did you know there is a pause mode in CoH/DoW and you can still give orders during a pause? You can really play it like a turn-based game in sp and have all the time in the world to admire the looks
Multi is antoher thing ofcourse and I set all on low in CoH cause we played 2v2 or 3v3
I skipped the DoW Soulstorm, only tried the demo.
Emo/fetish eldars are pathetic
Yeah
#1848 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/06/09 17:36:58
And the sisters of battle just get the shit knocked out of them straight away.
To be honest I just went back to Chaos after getting nowhere with the new races. At least they make good target / chainaxe practice for my berserker's.
I've also played through with Necrons and Marines, now going with the emoeldars.
It was an overpriced purchase (50$ expansion pack? M-U-G tattooed on my forehead) since the aerial units are pretty lame and the interplanetary thing sounds good but in reality its the same as Dark Crusade.
All the same its a massive amount of content, to complete it with all nine races will take more time than I'm prepared to put into a game, these days.
Although I did get the Little Rocket Man achievement . . .
Zak McKracken 2
#1849 posted by negke [82.82.176.18] on 2008/06/10 10:17:06
The inofficial sequel is finally done: http://www.zak2.org
Haven't tried it yet but the screenshots look promising. 2GB - wtf.
Timeshift
#1850 posted by nitin [210.84.23.75] on 2008/06/10 12:02:45
um ,what the hell is wrong with this game?
I know I successfully started it when I got my new 9800gtx to put all the settings on max but I've been trying to start it over the last day or so to play it and it just keeps crashing to the desktop before starting.
Some quick google searching shows it's a common problem, apparently the game doesnt like new drivr installation and updating of settings. WTF? surely that cant be true?
anyone else experience this?
Sorry Nitin.
#1851 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/06/10 12:05:56
Can't help, I had no problems here.
Zak Team
#1852 posted by megaman [92.72.11.171] on 2008/06/10 12:48:14
http://www.zak2.org/zak2/cms/front...
i love how everyone looks pretty normal, until you get down to the engine programmers :(
Shambler
#1853 posted by nitin [210.84.23.75] on 2008/06/10 13:33:49
did you patch it at all? or just play straight out of the box?
Megaman
#1854 posted by bambuz [91.152.87.250] on 2008/06/10 15:09:55
that's the price you have to pay for intelligence, the big frontal lobes deform your head.
Mass Effect Pc Edition
#1855 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/11 19:22:10
I never saw or played the xbox version of this game so its been a real treat so far! :)
Just utter WOW basicly, im about 12 hours into the game and its just fantastic. It is very hard to spot any console origins so I guess it must be a very good port to the pc.
What you notice straight away is the excellent animation of every single character, and the fantastic facial/lip synching that goes on, it really does sell the illusion of reality. Next you notice the incredible depth and quality of the storytelling and dialogue, every single conversation is fully recorded audio with great voice actors, I can only guess at the amount of voice work contained in this game, it must take up over half of the dvd!
The graphics in general are fantastic also, I love the film effect that gets applied to everything, it adds so much detail to things. The only console throwback I can see is from the texture resolution which is fairly low in most areas, but the architecture and special effects more than make up for it, it looks beautiful :)
There is a ton of dialogue in this game, I would say its about 50/50 combat/roleplay at the moment, so if talking isn't your thing you may not like it, but the dialogue is so well written and interesting to take in that I really don't mind it at all. You can also sway the dialogue with your reputation and skill points, so for example you can bully a character if you have high skills in that area.
The combat is good but its definitely a worse off part of the game, its a fairly simple point and shoot affair and your squadmates special abilities dont really seem to do that much. I think I prefered the combat system from one of Biowares earlier games Knights of the old republic, it felt a lot more tactical and involving there.
Ok, gonna carry on playing now... addicted...
Bleh
#1856 posted by Bal [83.204.220.247] on 2008/06/11 20:14:13
I'd like to buy it, but can't get it online anywhere in France it seems, and I don't want to get it in French... =\
Mass Effect
#1857 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/06/11 20:45:37
Yeah, that should be the first new game I test out with my 9800 GTX. Hopefully I'll be able to run it decently on my system, as the video card is the only thing on it that's younger than 3 years of age.
I also heard Assassin's Creed was bloody good. Might give that a spin too.
Daz
#1858 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/06/11 22:24:58
OMG Fanboi'd
Spirit
#1859 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/06/11 23:34:45
a) the music gets really braindamaging after 30 minutes of the same very short pattern
click 'turn off the music' at the main menu?
b) NO FUCKING SAVE OPTION. How long does it take to conquer the whole universe? 1-2 hours?
A half hour? Do you want to save your game in Solitaire too?
Hmm
#1860 posted by HeadThump [4.136.111.122] on 2008/06/12 03:48:46
Not Solitaire. Maybe Hearts when I have possession of the Bitch and want to spring it on some one and not get caught with it in my hand. It would be edifying to always win in that situation,
Lun
#1861 posted by Spirit [213.39.204.64] on 2008/06/12 07:53:46
Yes, I saw that when I tried the game again. No idea why I cannot turn it off ingame. Anyways, the ingame sounds are way too silent anyways. If one has other music playing one cannot hear them.
The save option is not needed indeed. The game started so very slowly that I estimated a much long gameplay. Once I had my big swarms the rest was like 2 minutes. Very disappointing. :(
Nice little game anyways.
Yeah
#1862 posted by Lunaran [75.134.21.66] on 2008/06/12 12:38:13
the action curve isn't terribly flat. if you start out near other colors' home asteroids you'll be fighting for your life constantly, but if you start out with no neighbors you can gleefully take over half the world and have unstoppable blobs of hundreds by the time you meet anyone else.
That aspect could use some work. That said, I still fire this up and play it when I'm waiting for an import/compile/upload/etc at work.
Daz
#1863 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.77.199] on 2008/06/12 12:41:49
The combat is good but its definitely a worse off part of the game
So basically it's a nice interactive movie, apart from the interactive bits?
Thanks, you just saved me some money, I was vaguely tempted to pick this up, but if the actual gameplay (i.e. the only important thing) is pants then I'll skip it.
Dyson
#1864 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/06/12 13:07:09
Multiplayer could be nice, the ai just doesn't cut it yeah.
#1865 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/06/12 14:29:35
"Thanks, you just saved me some money, I was vaguely tempted to pick this up, but if the actual gameplay (i.e. the only important thing) is pants then I'll skip it."
It's an RPG. 3/4s of the experience is the world immersion.
Lun
#1866 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/12 14:40:16
I think "interactive movie" is perhaps taking things a bit too far.
There are lots of non combat gameplay situations also, lots of puzzles and detective work to be done etc.
While the combat isn't quite up to the quality of the rest of the game, it is by no means bad, I think it just suffers from trying to be a shooter when it really isn't.
For me personally I can overlook it, as on the whole this is the best rpg I have ever played (since knights of the old republic, heh) with a very compelling sci-fi world to explore.
Shambler : yeah I guess fanboi' is semi-correct here, as far as im concerned Bioware can do no wrong :) Lets just hope they dont go tits up after be swallowed by EA... :(
Dyson...
#1867 posted by than [220.47.251.83] on 2008/06/12 15:07:34
do you remember Borsato? He and another guy made it together.
MUSIC IN MOTION
#1868 posted by inertia [24.164.67.55] on 2008/06/13 10:46:18
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Co...
ELEPHANT RAVE
#1869 posted by inertia [24.164.67.55] on 2008/06/13 10:46:34
http://www.kongregate.com/games/jm...
Yeah, Fair Enough
#1870 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2008/06/13 12:10:10
I suppose it should be said that RPGs for the most part just mean to me "stacks of dialogue and shit to skip".
Look, I try to like it, and I want to enjoy it, but damn, even if it's all well voice acted, these sort of games (especially with branching dialogue/choices) just end up driving me up the wall. I mean I'm sorry Fred Noblespank, but I just don't give two shits who stole your horse, find it yourself! Just fuck off and let me play!
I guess I'm just not in the target demographic...
Having Said That
#1871 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2008/06/13 12:12:07
Thanks for elaborating on that point, Daz, I'm now at least vaguely interested again. :D
Hehe
#1872 posted by nitin [124.168.40.18] on 2008/06/13 12:56:26
I know how you feel frib, the only "RPG" I've ever got into was diablo/2, for obvious reasons :)
althoughI do have both of the KoTORs lying around
I Think Its Also Worth Mentioning
#1873 posted by DaZ [80.41.186.123] on 2008/06/13 14:19:07
that if you dont want to speak to people, you can be obscenely rude to them and end up telling them to fuck off, basicly ;)
...which is amusing
Mr Fribbles
#1874 posted by gone [89.110.51.241] on 2008/06/13 14:39:17
but I just don't give two shits who stole your horse, find it yourself! Just fuck off
yeah you can do exactly that, thats why the game is a good real rpg unlike the sissy jrpg stuff
About Dyson
#1875 posted by Borsato [78.156.70.68] on 2008/06/14 17:48:49
Hey guys, been a while eh?
Thanks for those of you who played Dyson, and thanks for the feedback. I would like to iterate some important points however.
Dyson is a game made in 1 month in the spare time of 2 people only, for a compettion to create a proecedurally generated game indie game :-) The design is not fully implemented, we are still worrking on things like defensive units and better Ai and a better distribution of the attributes of in-game objects and entitis. To even get the game in this state within the limited timeframe was a triumph imo :-0
The contest has about ten days to go and then we will see how well we have done, and as importantly can start releasing updates with all the originally planned features in them.
www.omni-labs.com for news on this.
Anyway, how is everybody? :-D
Hey Borsato!
#1876 posted by Bal [86.205.66.10] on 2008/06/14 22:40:23
Good to hear from you.
Any word on when a new version of the game will see release? I threw it around at work (after seeing a collegue playing Nanowars, a slightly similar flash game, dunno if you've seen it) and quite a few people enjoyed it, but we all wanted to play multiplayer.
Good luck with the procedural contest.
Dyson
#1877 posted by Borsato [78.156.70.68] on 2008/06/15 11:46:39
Thanks Bal! Good to hear from you.
Nothing will happen until the competition is done, after that we will start updating it incrementally with all kinds of features. Not sure when multiplayer will happen, it is incredibly useful to do so of course. I can't wait for that myself :-)
Borasto
#1878 posted by SleepwalkR [78.52.98.220] on 2008/06/15 17:51:14
Quit running drugs to the dutch soccer team and get cracking already!
Sleepy!
#1879 posted by Borsato [209.130.141.130] on 2008/06/17 13:49:38
Not when they are polaying this well!! :-)
(I mean ok, sure) ;-)
Meet The Sniper Is Up
#1880 posted by czg [83.253.254.12] on 2008/06/17 21:51:56
And it is awesome:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
Oh, That Poor Demoman ;_;
#1881 posted by BlackDog [58.7.170.233] on 2008/06/17 22:54:33
Good stuff.
Playing Splinter Cell 2
#1882 posted by nitin [203.217.95.35] on 2008/06/18 12:11:54
pretty groovy, not as annoying as I thought it might be. More later.
Spore
#1883 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/06/19 15:40:02
Kids will love it!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?...
Another Preview Vid :P
#1884 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.219.12] on 2008/06/19 17:03:56
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg-...
This looks pretty cool! The most convincing eviromental damage I've seen yet...
Also seems to have a TF2-esque quality to the graphics overall!
Rofl Bal
#1885 posted by DaZ [80.41.163.47] on 2008/06/19 17:52:33
I did have a quick play on the creature editor and its pretty fun. I'm kinda tempted to buy the full game, we will have to see how the demo is.
The 35 minute demo on youtube had me really interested, and its funny to boot :)
Yeah
#1886 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/06/19 21:59:42
The creature editor is a pretty neat toy, but I remember getting bored extremely quickly with Black and White.
Have to wait and see.
Spore
#1887 posted by Bal [81.249.97.155] on 2008/06/19 22:02:33
Yeah I'm not really so interested by this game, will try it though.
But imagine having your kid playing it, and he reaches a planet populated by the creature I posted above (cause iirc your creations are propagated randomly online to appear on planets in other peoples games), that would be quite a laugh.
Spore
#1888 posted by bear [213.89.243.186] on 2008/06/19 22:14:34
Seems very cool but I think for many people the seemingly huge scope of the game might end up being a turn-off.
Ijed
#1889 posted by DaZ [80.41.163.47] on 2008/06/20 02:06:13
I can see where your coming from, but I think a fairly major area where Spore is different from B&W is that the gameplay changes dramatically with each stage of evolution of your creature(s).
I imagine this will keep things fresh for a lot longer than in B&W, where in all fairness, after the first level you had kinda seen it all.
Its a neat concept for a game at least, perhaps a tad "kid friendly" for my tastes but im definitely going to give it a shot and see what happens.
Now the moral difficulty is "do I give EA my money"... BLEUGH!
Heh
#1890 posted by ijed [190.20.67.110] on 2008/06/20 03:52:39
Well I'll probably read the reviews (carefully ignoring any numerical values) to see if I buy it or not.
I was a big fan of Populous (especially :the beggining) because although you were a god you weren't omnipotent and unkillable.
Black and white just got boring for me because there was no apparant goal or a way to fail - the belief continued to inscrease and expand no matter what I did.
It had its moments (I wasted alot of time teaching my tiger to throw its shit around) but the lack of a straight line progression lost me.
So its a balence between concept (good) gameplay (wait and see) and giving EA money (can I give money to islamic extremists instead?)
B&W
#1891 posted by bear [213.89.246.162] on 2008/06/20 12:21:46
For me the problem with B&W was that it felt like either you spent time on playing with your creature or you focused on getting through the missions - the two aspects of the game never really mixed well together.
Spore Creature Creator
#1892 posted by Kinn [81.148.100.80] on 2008/06/20 13:34:55
omg so fun :D
still using the free version with only 25% of the bits too.
Genius marketing to be honest - releasing a cool mini-game for free where you can make stuff to import into the full game. This is going to make a shitload of money.
I Tend To Agree With Bear.
#1893 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/06/20 13:37:19
B&W: creature = fun, building villages etc = fun, pissing around with all the options and spells and stuff = fun.
doing the missions and trying to progress != fun.
Better as a sandbox than a game. Still had some amazing features tho.
Agreed
#1894 posted by DaZ [80.41.163.47] on 2008/06/20 16:06:50
I think my greatest achievement in B&W2 was teaching my creature to throw my villagers at the enemy army. It was a lot of fun but I agree that the game kinda failed to link all its elements together.
In other news, I tried out TF2 with the new Pyro update that just got released, the rebound ability of the flamethrower is awesome! But currently there are so many players choosing the pyro class the game is kinda broken :(
Valve should really release a few class updates at a time to avoid this behaviour, the game atm is no fun :(
TF2
#1895 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/06/20 16:36:29
Yeah, as much as I enjoy this new content, it does always break the game for a week.
Try playing Engineer, sentries still own pyros.
Splinter Cell 2 - Pandora Tomorrow
#1896 posted by nitin [203.217.76.123] on 2008/06/22 03:54:44
ok, finished it, quite short really although I suppose it takes a long time to do each mission due to the nature of the game.
stealth gameplay isnt my thing but I was surprised to like this more than I was expecting. The AI, as usual in stealth games, is a bit spotty so some scetions got annoying pretty quick.
Otherwise fairly solid, if unexceptional stuff.
Yeah
#1897 posted by Lunaran [75.134.21.66] on 2008/06/22 22:18:37
Try playing Engineer, sentries still own pyros.
Yeah, if you can get one built in time. Every time I've tried this I'm banging away at it as four pyros come at me, and as soon as it's done it fires two bullets and then we're both dead in a horrible inferno.
Fucking pyros.
Wherein I Blather About Indigo Prophecy
#1898 posted by Lunaran [75.134.21.66] on 2008/06/23 02:21:18
ie "a game about the one color of the rainbow nobody needs"
http://www.lunaran.com/page.php?id...
KoTor
#1899 posted by nitin [203.217.76.123] on 2008/06/24 12:31:57
pretty cool so far although I dont really get the combat. How long is this game? Just want to get an idea of the hours I'll be wasting :)
Fairly Long
#1900 posted by DaZ [80.41.163.47] on 2008/06/24 15:32:38
If you do all the quests and side missions / activities it can last well over 20 hours.
From what I remember the combat is turn based but plays out in realtime until you pause it to queue up new actions for your characters.
I found it very fun after it clicked for me!
How Stupid Can A Linux Game Development Studio Be
#1901 posted by Spirit [213.39.174.12] on 2008/06/26 10:47:12
LGP are adding copy protection to their games.
http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com...
And that's because the people who are pirating are more than those who are buying their games. And of course adding copy protection will make more people buy.
It is an online activation system. From the sound of it you cannot install/play the game on a disconnected PC. On the other hand they say "Contingencies are made so that if no internet connection is available, the
game will never lock out legitimate customers.". Wait, what? So that copy protection is cracked as simply as locking the game into a sandbox or something? Or will people with no internet have to send them a postcard requesting a password? ...
One part I love:
We obtained this estimate by seeding the download sites with a number of broken copies of our games, and monitored the number of requests for technical support that referenced the known bug we had inserted.
Did they upload a buggy pirate version? Or did they plant a deliberate bug into all versions?
I toyed with the idea of getting Gorky 17 from them, but with this idiotic attitude they won't see a cent (and no, I won't pirate it either).
What Did You Expect?
#1902 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/06/26 11:06:29
Piracy is a well-known problem in the Windows world. Now, in the Linux world, people are even LESS inclined to pay for games because they are so used to free software, meaning that without copy protection involved, the piracy % on Linux is going to be even higher then that on Windows.
So what exactly would you rather have, games with copy-protection or no games at all?
Jago
#1903 posted by megaman [92.73.80.38] on 2008/06/26 12:11:23
we've been through this. Copy protection doesn't protect you from 'piracy', but it's awful for the legitimate customer.
It All Depends
#1904 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/06/26 12:47:21
There are a lot of copy protection methods that can be very intrusive and annoying. However, it most definitely prevents "casual piracy". For the more advanced users, getting a pre-cracked game copy off Bittorrent might be trivial, but for a lot of people it is not. Whether this prevented piracy results in that person paying for the game or not playing it altogether is a whole different discussion.
Gears2 Multiplayer Coverage Rampling Up
#1905 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/06/26 14:12:04
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cI...
Stuff to see!
#1906 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/06/26 14:12:23
Yes, rampling. *sigh*
Jago
#1907 posted by Spirit [213.39.174.12] on 2008/06/26 15:45:21
We are talking about like 500-1000 copies of old and mediocre games. With such a nichee you are a complete *** to throw copy-protection at your paying customers.
Hmm
#1908 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/06/26 17:04:35
Like Danny?
(that made sense I assure you ;)
Oh, and;
However, it most definitely prevents "casual piracy". For the more advanced users, getting a pre-cracked game copy off Bittorrent might be trivial, but for a lot of people it is not.
We are talking about Linux games here, I very much doubt that anyone capable of installing Linux is capable of warezing a game.
(I haven't actually decided what I think of this issue yet, it's too early in the morning to jump off the fence, will think+post later)
Hmm
#1909 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/06/26 17:05:07
Incapable.
Dammit.
Hehe
#1910 posted by DaZ [80.41.163.47] on 2008/06/26 17:23:06
he makes a good point :)
I Disagree
#1911 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/06/26 17:35:43
Installing and setting up a distribution like Ubuntu for basic computing tasks is easier than installing and configuring Windows XP for doing the same thing. Arguably, Windows XP is a 8 year old OS, but that is beside the point. Not to mention that several vendors ship computers with Linux pre-installed.
As such, the argument that whoever is using Linux is also capable of warezing a pre-cracked game does not hold any weight.
Yes, It Does
#1912 posted by megaman [92.73.82.63] on 2008/06/26 18:52:19
Installing and setting up a distribution like Ubuntu for basic computing tasks is easier than installing and configuring Windows XP
that's until you run into issues. and you usually do.
#1913 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/06/26 21:30:50
First Gears2 review!
http://revver.com/video/983176/gea...
Willem
#1914 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/06/26 22:11:52
I want my 20 seconds back.
Jago
#1915 posted by inertia [24.164.67.55] on 2008/06/26 22:28:27
Arguably, Windows XP is a 8 year old OS, but that is beside the point.
Indeed, it is arguable - Windows XP was released in fall 2001, making it less than 7 years old.
Gears
#1916 posted by Kinn [86.162.11.209] on 2008/06/26 22:41:11
why does everyone call it "Gears"? is "Gears of War" that cumbersome to type/say?
Anyway, can't spend all day chatting - I'm off to fire up my PS2 to play some more "God".
#1917 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/06/26 22:51:38
'Gears' is 2 less words than 'Gears of War'. We call it Gears around the office.
Hmm
#1918 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/06/26 22:53:11
is "Gears of War" that cumbersome to type/say?
y
Woot
#1919 posted by Bal [81.249.12.74] on 2008/06/28 13:49:12
http://eu.blizzard.com/diablo3/
Jimmy's Lost His Toilet Paper
#1920 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/07/02 21:38:03
oh shit!
http://www.kloonigames.com/blog/ga...
That Was Pretty Cool, Actually.
#1921 posted by pjw [24.180.186.92] on 2008/07/03 04:20:24
I got through the first 12 levels, and then the game "encountered a problem" and I can't be fucked to start again from the beginning since there's no "load level X" or "continue". :p
Really nice use of simple physics and pathfinding to create interesting puzzles.
Jesus I hate him for using spacebar for restart though. Spacebar is cemented firmly in my brain as jump...
Half-Life 2
#1922 posted by Blitz [67.168.57.20] on 2008/07/06 04:18:14
I'm replaying HL2 this weekend and it's really as great as I remember it being during my first play through. It's cliche at this point to say it's one of the best games of the past 10 years, maybe ever but it's just really *fun* I've played a lot of games and the majority usually have at least an hour or two worth of gameplay that you just hate and you grind through it anyway. The thing that struck me about playing HL2 again is that at least for the first 5-6 hours so far, it's been nothing but pure fun. Being chased through the city at the beginning, then through the canals, then the boat ride through the canals, then blasting zombies with the gravity gun in Ravenholme, it's such a pure god damn joy to play this game.
Ditto That!!! Ep 2 Is Also Ace!
#1923 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/06 04:21:37
Still think HL1 was better . . .
HL1
#1924 posted by rj [82.4.228.100] on 2008/07/06 07:27:22
disagree on that. it was awesome at the time but i went back and played it after first playing 2 and found it incredibly frustrating in comparison. i just remember there being so many situations where you'd step out of line for as little as one second and die pretty much instantly..
i purchased EP2 on the day of release but still haven't had the chance to play it yet, kept crashing my pc. i need an upgrade :(
HL1 Comparison To HL2...
#1925 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/07/06 09:05:41
.. makes no sense to me. OK one is so far better in gameplay, situations, etc... but come on, both have different engines performances, different texture set, etc... and have been released at different time, with many years of difference.
It is like comparing Doom and Doom3, or Commando with Quake.... and for this you can only have a personnal taste..
Game comparison makes sense when you are comparing games that have been released let's say the same year, and having more or less the same technology (e.g Doom3 s HL2, etc...): Let's try to compare apple to apple ;)
What?
#1926 posted by Bal [83.204.223.160] on 2008/07/06 10:06:19
I disagree, there's no reason not to compare games that weren't released in the same time frame, the gameplay has evolved, but not so much that you can't compare it.
I agree with rj about HL1, it's a great game, but there are really alot of instant death situations that are pretty annoying, they fixed that nicely in HL2.
Can't wait for EP3, want to see the Aperture Science tie in, and maybe eat some cake.
Jpl
#1927 posted by rj [82.4.228.100] on 2008/07/06 13:55:30
It is like comparing Doom and Doom3, or Commando with Quake.... and for this you can only have a personnal taste..
i didn't imply anything else :)
it all boils down to personal taste at the end of things.
Bal, Rj
#1928 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/07/06 14:32:52
Well, I'm just saying that I don't see the point in comparing a game that uis 10 years old with a nowaday game... not the same technology, not the same performances, not the same visual... so for me difficult to say yes, X was better than Y... when there is 10 years between each release... It is not the case for HL1 / 2 but, anyway, I guess it is more clear now ;)
But It's The Same...
#1929 posted by rj [82.4.228.100] on 2008/07/06 15:18:10
measure of fun ;)
i'm not looking at each game objectively here, just saying one was more fun to play than the other.
That's The Thing Though...
#1930 posted by Bal [83.204.223.160] on 2008/07/06 15:19:15
We aren't really talking about tech/performances/visuals, we are talking about pure gameplay, and that to me is always comparable.
It's important that we do compare games, because new games don't always have better gameplay.
Bal Is The Truth
#1931 posted by Mr Fribbles [121.44.245.68] on 2008/07/06 15:29:21
because new games don't always have better gameplay.
Exactly, and in fact in recent years this is especially true because people keep over-complicating things and trying to pack too much into one game.
Reminiscing about (and re-playing) classic games isn't just for the sake of nostalgia. I think to some extent people like myself are yearning for the simplicity and purity of the game mechanics found in those older titles.
Fribbles
#1932 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/06 17:58:39
I agree with you, kinda...
In a way I think the fact I like HL1 really god IS due to nostalgia! I just think that HL1 reminds me of when I started really getting into shooters! I remember playing Quake2 on my P133/16Mb, and being pissed off cause the coloured light's wouldn't work because I had nee 3DFX card. Then playing HL1 - first off it was the first game with a software coloured lighting renderer! (and one of the last)
And second - I think the most classic moments of my gaming career came from that game! The intro sequence, "we've got hostiles", and all of the stuff with the big aliens in the desert towards the end. AND the part's with the "assassins" - soo atmospheric with the footsteps and glowing eyes! And also I seem to recall HL1 having more play time that its sequels - the game is a truie epic!
But I also agree - there were plenty insta-death moments - like Distrans's last map!
I remember many occasions where I would be quick saving with 5% health, to try and take out 3 soldiers with a pistol and 4 shotgun shells...
But hey - like you say - it is down to personal taste, and nostalgia! In short I love all the HL games, and I'm really looking forwards to EP3!!! :D
HL2
#1933 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/06 22:26:15
Is what HL wanted to be, but wasn't.
HL
#1934 posted by ijed [190.20.82.211] on 2008/07/06 22:58:48
Is Quake 1.5
#1935 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/07/07 03:03:01
the HL engine maybe...
Well
#1936 posted by ijed [190.20.118.20] on 2008/07/07 04:06:09
Yeah.
I Should Really Get Around To Tese "new" Games
#1937 posted by nitin [124.168.116.136] on 2008/07/07 11:28:56
like HL2 and Doom3 before the cds turn to dust :)
But KoToR has taken up most of my last few weekends. I only this game had real time combat, it would be almost perfect (actually and skippable cutscenes).
.
#1938 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/07/08 07:20:53
you might like Mass Effect then.
Mind You
#1939 posted by ijed [190.20.108.14] on 2008/07/08 13:51:07
I find more Lovecraftian themes in HL1 than in Quake2 - Colour out of Space, Walls of Xyrix.
The tenticles are a very Lovecraft creature, and the Alien Grunt factory had a strong similar theme.
I Assume You Mean Quake1
#1940 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/07/09 19:42:55
And yeah, quake's take on lovecraft is ... highly interpretive. Pretty much some borrowed names and maybe a creature description or two, loosely followed. The Cthulu mythos wasn't really on anyone's mind, except Petersen who probably exerted that influence with the occasional "oh hey what about". Given quake's chaotic development, there was probably plenty of room for influence like that.
Quake is no more lovecraft than doom, but the important influences in both cases are more atmospheric/characteristic than literal.
Going Back To What Was Said Before
#1941 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/07/09 20:10:40
Q2 isn't the sequel to Q1 - basically.
Why?
#1942 posted by Bal [81.249.35.157] on 2008/07/09 20:26:57
Quake was just the military code name for Shub's evil other-wordly hordes, why couldn't the same military, having vanquished Shubby, use that code name for the next earth-menace, the Strogg?
#1943 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/09 20:33:21
Because that's a fairly large reach.
Quake2 had nothing to do with Quake1, whatsoever.
Dev Title
#1944 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/07/09 21:46:53
Aliens Vs Predator Vs Quake Vs Quake2 Vs Gordon Freeman
#1945 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/07/09 23:00:39
vs Ron Perlman
...vs CZG's Ass.
#1946 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/10 08:54:09
nuff said.
Finished KoToR
#1947 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/12 14:48:18
excellent game, one thing star wars always has had is a well realised world and this exploits that fairly well. I could have done with less cutscenes and also less story/dialogue but ovrall its was very enjoyable. Even the turn based combat became tolerable :)
And Started Doom3
#1948 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/12 14:49:56
and finished about half of it in one sitting I think. Definitely has flawed and repetitive gameplay but I still think it's great fun. So much atmosphere and so much polish, its pretty involving stuff so far (finished alpha labs and up to endor area).
I Like It Man
#1949 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/12 17:57:11
but on the PC version I couldn't get past the gatekeeper. Completed it on the xbox a couple of years earlier.... (?!)
Nitin
#1950 posted by Kinn [86.162.11.209] on 2008/07/13 00:06:19
Careful. Saying that you enjoy Doom3 on this forum is likely to be met with a response not entirely unlike that which would be received by a fully gussied-up gay pride carnival queen who's just minced flamboyantly through the swing doors of an Old West rinky-dink piano cowboy saloon.
Kinn,
#1951 posted by bambuz [91.152.89.28] on 2008/07/13 00:21:12
you mean, an orgy?
Kinn
#1952 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/13 01:26:26
heh they wont find me without a flashlight :)
Sounds Like Fun Except For The Penis On Penis Action
#1953 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.24] on 2008/07/13 01:52:49
a fully gussied-up gay pride carnival queen who's just minced flamboyantly through the swing doors of an Old West rinky-dink piano cowboy saloon who saunteringly pulls his brassiere up Mae West style while snarling, 'come and get it boys.'
Yeah, I could go full gay disco with the leather cap, leopard print muscle shirts, tight jeans and 'stache look, if it wasn't for the dick on dick action; the same reason I avoid porn with Double Penetration scenes in them. You know, at some point in the sloppy sex or when the girl between them wants to prove she can handle two dicks in her mouth they are bound to touch and the universe should explode but chillingly enough, it never does.
Hey, Whoa
#1954 posted by Kinn [86.162.11.209] on 2008/07/13 02:20:18
who's implying cowboys are gay?
An Old Joke
#1955 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.59] on 2008/07/13 03:15:21
But in case you have never heard it:
Lone Ranger and Tonto was traveling through some low country, when the Lone Ranger has to stop for a piss. He finds a cactus to piss beside and in so doing doesn't see the diamond back rattle snake he pisses on. The snake strikes and bites the Lone Ranger on his pecker.
Lone Ranger is half paralyzed from the poison, so he yells in pain for Tonto to go into the nearest town and find the doctor there to come back and aid him. Tonto precedes to do so, and finds the doctor's office, and chances upon the doctor who is unfortunately for the Lone Ranger in the middle of delivering a baby.
The doctor tells Tonto that he has to go back to the Lone Ranger and suck the venom out of the wound in order to save his friend. Tonto goes back to the place he left the Lone Ranger and sees his friend who is fast fading away.
Lone Ranger asks him, "where is the doctor."
"The doctor couldn't come, he is delivering a baby."
"Well, what did the doctor say?"
Tonto looks sternly in his friend's eyes, gives him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder,
and he tells the Lone Ranger, "The doctor says
you are going to die."
So, though the vast majority of cowboys are gay, like John Wayne whose extreme cornholing activities prevented him from even walking like a straight man, a few like Tonto were clearly straight. Oh, wait, Tonto was an indigenous American (Indian for short), so not a cowboy. So, correct that. All cowboys were gay.
Like I Said
#1956 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/13 05:16:36
I like Doom3
The graphics were awesome. Also the gameplay was, er....., tense.
It was annoying having only the ability to run when pressing shift and then only for a limited period of time. Which made battles a bit more annoying. But nonetheless - it was immersive, and I liked it. But then I wanted to like it, so I did.
Delta Labs
#1957 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/13 06:49:54
definitely got lazy here gameplay wise, this is the area I take it pissed off most people?
I Pretty Much Agree With That
#1958 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.59] on 2008/07/13 07:36:47
the monster closets were annoying from the very beginning, but the set up of the maps was so interestingly done that
I still found it worth playing. By the Delta Labs section, my eyes were pretty much glazed over and I wanted to get it over with. I had more fun the second time through when I was hauling ass almost the entire time.
Gears Of War
#1959 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/15 20:12:59
I bought the PC version today. It took about an hour to install. I'm impressed with that.
When one hosts a LAN game, how does one simply spawn on the map so one can check out controls / feel / mouse-sensitivity etc before diving into the full game???
Upto Hell Now
#1960 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/16 00:35:25
thats a pretty impressive level, I love it! Cyberdemon looks cool too although I havent worked out how to kill him yet. Should have left him as the original though, weapons and killing wise.
Defender Of The Favicon
#1961 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/07/16 02:28:01
game you play inside a web page's favicon:
http://www.p01.org/releases/DHTML_...
Lol
#1962 posted by megaman [92.73.89.9] on 2008/07/16 16:32:05
that's a nice idea
Nitin
#1963 posted by Kinn [86.156.155.87] on 2008/07/16 20:55:24
that's not the Cyberdemon.
>:{}
Mleh
#1964 posted by Kinn [86.156.155.87] on 2008/07/16 21:00:36
Been chugging through all the E3 videos at lunch.
On Fallout 3 - is it just me or have Bethesda's character animators made no progress in quality since Oblivion? Animation was the one area that looked shite in Oblivion. I'm surprised they haven't addressed that.
Yeah
#1965 posted by megaman [92.73.87.103] on 2008/07/16 22:10:58
Interesting Concept
#1966 posted by megaman [92.73.87.103] on 2008/07/16 22:13:34
but flawed in execution
http://www.indiegames.com/blog/200...
FA3 Animation
#1967 posted by DaZ [80.41.165.63] on 2008/07/16 22:15:18
I noticed it too, its pretty awful and sticks out like a sore thumb.
They really need to sort that shit out! :)
Kinn
#1968 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/16 23:55:06
really? cool, looking forward to it then.
Daz
#1969 posted by Kinn [86.156.155.87] on 2008/07/17 00:41:01
For sure. I've been saying Bethesda need to sort their bloody animation team out since Morrowind. With the sort of budgets they must be getting now they've got absolutely no excuse to be so behind everyone else.
Gears Of War.
#1970 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/17 12:28:22
Played a little bit. Don't like it at all. Control system feels awful, particularly the way the mouse works for zooming. Makes the whole cover system very cumbersome.
Is it worth trying to persist to get used to how bad it feels for later on in the game??
#1971 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/17 12:41:07
If you aren't enjoying it now, you might as well stop. It isn't like the cover system suddenly changes halfway through the game or something.
Heh - Are You Playing The PC Version?
#1972 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.217] on 2008/07/17 12:44:00
Obvioulsy you are:
...the way the mouse works for zooming
Well I liked the cover system, but I played on my 360, it worked pretty well with the control pad config. Also split screen co-op was cool!
Unf
#1973 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/17 14:04:29
Maybe I'll try it again in a few days / weeks.
It's more of the switch from 3PS feel normally to FPS feel when aiming (which have a totally different feel for mouse up/down), combined with the awkward cover thing that is the problem.
#1974 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/17 14:14:52
Your one of the few people I've ever encountered who would call the cover system awkward. People generally find it to be quite fluid and easy to get the hang of. Well, everyone is different I guess...
Gears Of War PC
#1975 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/17 15:21:02
I actually got the game from the bargain bin (for 19 euro) yesterday and played around with it a bit. While I do know the game (beat it on 360) and like it, jesus, why does the PC port have to be so damn buggy?
I have to resort to playing the game in windowed mode and for some obscure reasons give it administrator privileges in order for the game not to crash. If I launch the game in fullscreen mode, it will work for 30 sec to 2 minutes and then just completely freeze. And no, it's not a cpu/gpu temperature issue and no, it's not a driver issue as I have the latest drivers installed for every piece of hardware I am using.
Googling around and browsing the forums, it seems like I am far from being the only one who has to run the game in windowed mode in order for it not to crash all the damn time. This is ridiculous.
Specs: C2D E6600, 2gb RAM, 8600GT 512mb.
Vista Ultimate SP1 x64 with all latest updates and drivers.
For the record, UT3 runs flawlessly on the very same system.
ER...
#1976 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.217] on 2008/07/17 15:28:50
Nice rig Jago.
I would recommend doing one of two things.
1: Install XP32 or Vista32
2: Buy another 2Gb of RAM.
Why? - There's no point in having a 64 bit operating system if you only have 2Gb of RAM. I think the other 2Gb will make a big difference!!
Games will probably run faster in XP32 if you keep the 2Gb.
As for the bug - have you tried making sure your NVidia control panel is set to "allow the application to decide" on everything? From my experience UE3 (UT3BetaDemo) is funny about that.
I could be wrong, it's just a thought.... :D
#1977 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/17 15:30:46
"This is ridiculous."
Play games on your console.
Err...
#1978 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/17 15:52:15
RickyT23: 64bit Vista has several useful features not available in 32bit editions of Windows beyond supporting above 3,5gb RAM. And I specifically moved from XP to Vista, because overall, Vista is a much better OS.
Willem: is this what you tell all the people who purchase PC versions of your games and encounter issues?
PC / Console Ports
#1979 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/07/17 15:53:36
Are always buggy because they put two programmers on the conversion and give them a few weeks to get it out the door.
Not In This Case
#1980 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/17 15:55:25
Considering GoW PC has additional game content, it wasn't just a straight port of the 360 version.
#1981 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/17 16:22:51
"Willem: is this what you tell all the people who purchase PC versions of your games and encounter issues?"
No, it's what I would tell anyone who asked me before purchasing a game.
Afterwards, well, I'm not technical support so I don't have an answer for you.
#1982 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.217] on 2008/07/17 16:23:04
Specs: C2D E6600, 2gb RAM, 8600GT 512mb.
64bit Vista has several useful features not available in 32bit editions of Windows beyond supporting above 3,5gb RAM
#1983 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.217] on 2008/07/17 16:28:03
i didnt say install XP and buy 2Gb of ram, I said install XP OR buy 2Gb of RAM!
Heh - This computer I'm using uses Vista32 and has 4Gb of RAM. Which is equally as dumb. We should really upgrade to 64, except I worry about COMPATIBILITY ISSUES with 32 bit applications. General applications.
Willem
#1984 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/17 16:44:10
"No, it's what I would tell anyone who asked me before purchasing a game.
Afterwards, well, I'm not technical support so I don't have an answer for you."
1) There is no Gears of War for PS3.
2) Even the 360 version doesn't ship with an editor.
#1985 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/17 17:19:10
Ricky
XP can actually use up to 3.5GB I believe so what you have is good. Don't buy anymore RAM though. :)
Yeah - 3.5Gb
#1986 posted by RickyT23 [217.44.37.217] on 2008/07/17 18:06:55
Thats what it says on System Informaton.
In an ideal world I would have Vista64 on this machine. It has a 9800GTX 1Gb and a 22" Samsung!
Work computer tho - All it's seen so far is GIMP :-(
Oh and that Medusa tech demo.
Wonderful Crack Drama
#1987 posted by Spirit [80.171.20.106] on 2008/07/18 09:23:46
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/inf...
An official patch for Rainbow Six Vegas 2 contains a cracked no-cd .exe by a piracy-terrorist-childmolester group. And since that crack cracks the copy protection it would be illegal to have at least in Germany.
Willem.
#1988 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/18 10:52:15
Yes I can be quite fussy / quirky about control systems. I play with mouse inverted for a start (which is part of the problem here).
I'm not intending to diss your game as a generalisation. It's my first impressions and personally I didn't like the feel to it (I think there's something about the camera too). The way it's controlled means might not be the 3PS for me, but I will try some more.
Hmm
#1989 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/07/18 19:20:44
I've only played it on 360 myself, where the control system works wonderfully, but I can see how it wouldn't transfer to PC that well.
I should also note that I played the majority of the game co-op, it makes it a lot more fun and adds the beserking american football style the control/cover systems encourage since you can be ressed by your teammate indefinately. Don't know if that'd be the same if you're not in the same room tho...
Get a console Sham tbh, they're cheap, pads are surprisingly pwn these days and the 360 can be chipped by flashing the firmware of the CD drive so you don't have to buy games... I mean, they discourage piracy so developers are more inclined to develop a wide variety of titles with the increased revenue ;)
#1990 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/18 20:19:07
"and the 360 can be chipped by flashing the firmware of the CD drive so you don't have to buy games... "
1. Fuck you
2. That may work but you won't be able to play online.
3. Die in a fire.
PCs And 3PS's
#1991 posted by Kinn [86.156.155.87] on 2008/07/18 22:14:12
I played a bit of Rainbow Party Six: Vegas Baby Yeah! - Or whatever it was called - I'm sure you need at least 7 for a proper rainbow party, but I digress. Anyway, I played a bit of that on the PC, and the Gears of War-esque cover system felt ok with the PC controls. If there's one thing I learned from playing those two games, it's that you can't have a cover system without lots of repressed manlove. Mmmm-mmm, the satisfying, testosterone-fueled grunts of our chiselled heroes, as they slam their muscled flanks firmly against those great slabs of crumbling concrete and mortar - As someone who worked for two years on a game with a similar cover system, I can't stress how important (and difficult) it is to get the feel of that hefty rump slamming hard into unforgiving breeze-block - absolutely spot on. God knows, we tried. Some of my fondest memories come from those bleary-eyed all-nighters sneaking into the mocap studio, slipping effortlessly into that gollum suit (I was voted the one with the most heroic physique) and just throwing myself into the various obstacles, purely out of passion - and a belief that there was still some new subtlety that we could bring to the table, a new angle to explore, or just simply some way of smacking arse-first into a brick wall that hadn't been done quite like this before. The next morning, knackered but grinning vehemently, I would wear my bruises like battle scars - a proud reminder of our trial of sweat and pain in the pursuit of perfection.
Lol Kinn
#1992 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/07/19 00:02:45
Hmm
#1993 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/07/19 00:31:34
kekeke
Knew that'd get you ;p
It was more a comment on the 'consoles stop piracy' argument, although I will expand on my views on chipping after I get back tomorrow morning...
Doom3
#1994 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/19 06:08:25
finished it, quite like it. Playing RoE next.
#1995 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/19 11:52:27
"I will expand on my views on chipping after I get back tomorrow morning..."
Hint: Nobody cares.
Haha
#1996 posted by rj [82.4.228.100] on 2008/07/19 12:03:50
nerve touched
D3
#1997 posted by Sielwolf [91.4.182.188] on 2008/07/19 13:05:36
few games ever scared me, but after the great initial impression the gameplay and the maps became so repetitive I couldn't believe it was an ID game.
Strange, because I recall the few outdoor parts not running any worse than these endless hallways.
But the worst was that it felt like playing another Halo/Red Faction; just annoying gameplay mechanics. Did they expect atmosphere and graphics to last forever ?
And, in a game relying so heavily upon atmosphere, not being able to adjust the music volume independently from the game sounds...roulfffff even Q3 has that.
Plus the unbelievable lameness to announce "we all agree we've seen enough of 'find key open door'" and then do exactly that while ripping off every other game to date.
#1998 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/19 13:18:36
"nerve touched"
Yeah, I make games for a living. I like to get paid. Wouldn't it make sense that I take issue with someone stealing from me?
Willem
#1999 posted by Spirit [213.39.156.23] on 2008/07/19 13:25:24
I downloaded some file from you, could I lend it for a couple more days or do you need it back already?
#2000 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/19 14:25:44
What file?
Willem
#2001 posted by megaman [92.72.13.18] on 2008/07/19 15:17:42
i don't see you raging about how bad the publisher system and all that is for the devs.
^^
#2002 posted by megaman [92.72.13.18] on 2008/07/19 15:19:31
that means, if e.g. Lun would have said the same thing, it wouldn't sound so much like big evil publisher propaganda (like with all the movie/music shit), because he actually talks bad about both sides ;)
#2003 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/19 15:31:15
Who's raging? I'm annoyed because some ass is advocating stealing from me.
Otherwise Known As 'baiting'
#2004 posted by rj [82.4.228.100] on 2008/07/19 17:06:36
nothing more.
#2005 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/07/19 17:11:42
Sure. He doesn't actually pirate games and he wasn't seriously advocating it. No, he was simply baiting me. Wake up.
Hmm
#2006 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/07/19 20:08:11
Sure. He doesn't actually pirate games and he wasn't seriously advocating it. No, he was simply baiting me.
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261...
Yeh, pretty much.
Hungover atm, expansion of chipping still to follow...
Wot.
#2007 posted by Shambler [92.232.214.79] on 2008/07/19 20:19:45
#1991 - YOU ARE TEH GAY.
#2000 - What a waste of post #2000.
It's #2008
#2008 posted by inertia [24.164.67.55] on 2008/07/19 22:33:18
Bits are bits.
If your business model can't deal with the implications of sharing something at zero marginal cost for both consumer and producer...
it's #2008.
Rock And Roll
#2009 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/20 00:38:04
the best things in life are free
And Then You Have Shops Selling Used Games
#2010 posted by bear [213.89.243.174] on 2008/07/20 00:41:51
Where a third part makes money without any compensation to developers while avoiding the "theft" issue.
In The Late 80's
#2011 posted by HeadThump [71.76.161.52] on 2008/07/20 01:11:43
here in the States, the music industry tried to put a stop to resell stores with lawsuits and the like when those stores flourished in the CD era only to be bitched slapped by the Courts.
Heh
#2012 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/20 01:28:43
Someone can charge you to look at a picture.
Someone can draw the picture
You can take a photograph of something beautiful and sell it for money
You can go and look at something beautiful for free
You can draw a picture and people can look at it for free and if it looks beautiful then they will love it, and you created it so they will love you too!
In the real world people have to suffer to stay alive
RoE
#2013 posted by nitin [203.217.83.247] on 2008/07/20 09:39:39
not as polished I'd say as D3, but theres more detail and I am still liking this.
#2014 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.106] on 2008/07/20 11:18:30
http://www.locomalito.com/juegos_8...
great music
Totem Destroyer
#2015 posted by metlslime [98.210.181.179] on 2008/07/20 11:33:50
http://armorgames.com/play/1871/to...
Spirit
#2016 posted by megaman [92.73.85.140] on 2008/07/20 18:54:30
wow, that game has great art. where did you find it?
Can't Remember
#2017 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.106] on 2008/07/20 21:58:08
usual web floating with brain shut off
The Indiegames Blog Maybe?
#2018 posted by Lunaran [75.135.75.200] on 2008/07/21 03:25:59
from irc:
<Lunaran> so, 8bit killer is in fact awesome
<Lunaran> but you can't save
<Lunaran> you can't even warp to a stage you've played up to before
<Lunaran> so playing through 3 and a half episodes and then dying is kind of the last I'll ever play
<Lunaran> because I really don't want to do all of it again
But, you know, try it, if you have a completely uninterrupted 3 hour stretch to burn.
Yeah
#2019 posted by megaman [92.73.86.9] on 2008/07/21 10:59:36
especially annoying because you're so slow in that game :(
More On Gears Of War PC
#2020 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2008/07/21 11:27:04
I have a serious love/hate relationship with this game. The game looks absolutely stunning and plays great. However due to some bug, I am forced to play the game in windowed mode. If I play it in full-screen, it ALWAYS crashes after 2-10 minutes. Looking at the forums, it seems that it's a common issue for many people and the few proposed solutions seem to only work for half the users, sadly I don't belong to that half. Game is patched, Windows and all the drivers are up to date.
Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be much (any?) of a perfomance hit for playing in windowed mode, but it does feel a bit odd to play the game in a 1280x800 window against a 1680x1050 desktop.
OK - Not A Complete Solution
#2021 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.123.230] on 2008/07/21 11:34:19
but why dont you set the desktop resolution to 1280 x 800?
Totem Destroyer
#2022 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/07/21 15:18:12
That's a pretty nice game.
You Could
#2023 posted by Lunaran [75.135.75.200] on 2008/07/21 15:22:14
temporarily apply a windows color scheme that turns everything black, and just center the window perfectly and pretend it's letterboxed.
I guess it would be kind of hard to get your old theme back when you were done though.
Assassins Creed (pc)
#2024 posted by DaZ [80.41.165.63] on 2008/07/22 04:18:04
About 4-5 hours into this game...
Pro's
+ Amazing city sizes / draw distance
+ Climb anything and go anywhere
+ Animation is simply amazing
+ The story "twist" (dont wanna spoil)
+ Great sound
Con's
- Combat controls are a bit wonky, takes time to get used to it (still not got it down 100%)
- Can get annoying sometimes when you need to walk slowly to avoid detection
Loving it so far though! Its great fun bounding over rooftops at breakneck pace to stab an archer in the face before he see's you. Its a very brutal game also with some adult themes (I don't mean porn!) that are dealt with quite nicely. The twist on the whole story is very intelligently done and adds a lot to the game, Im really interested in finding out where its going, but I dont want to say anything here in-case I spoil it for someone :)
AC
#2025 posted by nitin [124.168.76.134] on 2008/07/22 11:35:49
looked pretty cool on my friend's console, I should check it out now that I'm actually playing some games :)
Finished RoE, decent but a little disappointing. More of the same, which wasnt such a bad thing since I like D3 on the whole, but the Hell level was pretty disappointing and I was hoping they used some of the ancient ruins theme a bit more.
Fable's next.
#2026 posted by Spirit [213.39.169.54] on 2008/07/25 23:04:58
Some more infos about Quake Live
http://www.shacknews.com/featureda...
Dark Knight
#2027 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/26 01:15:26
Watched it today. While the movie (although good) in its entirety wasn't the 2nd coming the media painted it to be, Ledger's Joker is everything the hype says and then some. He absolutely steals every single scene he is on, almost to the point of turning it into a movie about Joker and his arch-nemesis Batman.
Watch in cinema.
WTF
#2028 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/07/26 01:15:40
wrong thread
Once Again A Great Post By That Guy
#2029 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.12] on 2008/07/30 21:10:52
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentys...
He is a rhetorical genius.
Haha
#2030 posted by DaZ [80.41.133.218] on 2008/07/30 23:45:25
I totally agree with him :) im sick of spending a fuckton of cash to play games on my pc.
I think another good example of a AAA game that runs well even on older systems is call of duty 4, and that looks great too.
I probably would have enjoyed crisis more if the framerate was above 30.
Oh
#2031 posted by DaZ [80.41.133.218] on 2008/07/30 23:47:04
and half-life 2 of course, even when it was released it would run on older hardware, and look at all the money that made :)
I Found Nothing
#2032 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.132] on 2008/07/31 00:54:22
about Crysis justified not making it as scalable as Far Cry. I originally played Far Cry on a PIII 850 mhz with a GeForce 2 card, and it played well. Crysis is not that different in game play. In fact, I preferred the original game's interface more than Crysis. For instance, to climb a ladder in Far Cry you only had to stand beside it and move forward while looking up. In Crysis you have to use an interface. Interfacing GUIs should only be used for things that can't be done any other way to minimize the disruption of the game flow. However, I had the feeling these elements were added to make console and pc versions compatible.
Maybe It'll Come Out On The XBox 540
#2033 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/07/31 01:55:22
Anyone else heard of this XBox 540?
Google it...
Grimm Episode 1 Is Out
#2034 posted by Spirit [213.39.219.138] on 2008/08/01 09:37:46
http://www.gametap.com/grimm/episo...
All the episodes are free in the first 24 hours after release, how nice. Gonna try it now.
^
#2035 posted by Spirit [213.39.219.138] on 2008/08/01 10:53:04
Great fun, I played ~50 minutes, no challenge but you can speedrun.
Unfortunately (well, no surprise) it runs not very well on my old rig, the graphics look nice even when all settings on low, thanks to the style.
Try it!
Hm
#2036 posted by megaman [92.73.94.211] on 2008/08/01 11:39:41
all that is to it is running around painting stuff?
It runs like shit on my rig, and looks like it could easily run fine on q3 tech. The art style is nice, but they're not doing anything q3 tech couldn't do.
Btw
#2037 posted by megaman [92.73.94.211] on 2008/08/01 13:03:09
gametap IS pretty evil, isn't it?
#2038 posted by Spirit [213.39.219.138] on 2008/08/01 13:34:25
You basically run around and paint stuff. Just like you run around shooting stuff in FPS.
There are objectives, enemies, moving targets and such. Pretty fun!
Try setting the graphics as low as possible (the "visual quality" too). I doubt the q3 engine could do that dynamic world changing.
Dunno about Gametap. But hey, it does not cost a cent.
Well
#2039 posted by megaman [92.73.94.211] on 2008/08/01 13:49:39
it isn't really dynamic, is it? (i only played about 10mins with ~10 fps) it just changes to premade stuff.
All the option don't help at all with my system (and make it look like 320x240 quake). They seem to be really, really cpu bound.
Rage Extended Trailer.
#2040 posted by Shambler [77.97.138.124] on 2008/08/01 15:23:37
http://www.fileshack.com/file_down...
Looks really cool I think. Like the graphics, like the style.
Two major concerns:
1. Integration of driving bits and FPS bits?
2. How on-rails and linear will it be?
(Potential for both of these to work well i.e. natural integration combined with exploration, but I don't have high hopes).
Two minor concerns:
1. How well will it run? (but I'm overdue an upgrade anyway)
2. How easy will the vehicles be to control? (but since it's Id they'll probably keep it easy).
Hmmm...
#2041 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/08/01 16:00:30
It looks nice yeah, I'm looking forward to it. But I can't help wishing it was an open world type game like Stalker or Oblivion or something, but that just seems impossible considering the ammount of detail everything has, would take ages to make a large world. =\
I Agree.
#2042 posted by Shambler [77.97.138.124] on 2008/08/01 17:01:35
Would suit it well.
But why not have a "smaller" typical-Id-game-size world, but with some non-linearity to it...
Considering The Amount Of Outdoor Rage Is Supposed To Have,
#2043 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/08/02 01:29:12
it would be nice if they integrated a system similar to farcry/crysis where you just tell the engine 'this type of terrain has these types of debris and plants' and it just plasters them randomly on the ground.
it would even be easier since they have their megatexture stuff, they just have to paint a giant mask texture to tell the engine what to go do with itself.
that'd solve the problem of having huge open areas. they could still spend all their dev time on doing the actual playable areas without any procedurally generated stuff, but the rest would be filler that was basically 'free'.
Saw Some New Wolfenstein Screenies
#2044 posted by nitin [124.168.76.134] on 2008/08/02 02:03:35
bland is the first word that comes to mind...
Wolfenstein
#2045 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/08/02 02:12:28
Not very exciting. =/
Singularity
Unsure as of now, but has potential.
Rage
#2046 posted by megaman [92.73.91.245] on 2008/08/02 02:45:36
wow, trailer blew me away. Is that all in-game footage?
Megaman
#2047 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/08/02 02:54:03
Yep. Now imagine Doom4, which according to Carmack is 3 times as detailed.
Odd
#2048 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.254] on 2008/08/02 05:45:03
I thought something appeared a bit odd about that first picture from Rage:
http://ve3d.ign.com/images/33683/P...
I increased the brightness and contrast, and it appears to me those two models are blue screened into the scene. Is it from a cutscene sequence then?
Looks Like It
#2049 posted by ijed [190.20.96.237] on 2008/08/02 05:51:07
But more likely just a render - the characters look in-place, if you know what I mean.
The shots look more like wallpapers than anything.
Could Just Be Distance Blur...
#2050 posted by Shambler [77.97.138.124] on 2008/08/02 10:28:55
?
Wolf looks okay, but just more wolf really. If it plays like RTCW but a bit spanglier, I'd get it.
Fable
#2051 posted by nitin [124.168.76.134] on 2008/08/02 11:32:55
this is a pretty cool game.
Seems to have the right mix of action and RPG elements. And although I'm not sold on the art style, the graphics engine is superb (anyone know if its a custom one or a HL2 spinoff?). More variety in monsters/opponents would have benefited it too I think.
But still, I'm enjoying so far.
Ugh
#2052 posted by megaman [92.73.87.61] on 2008/08/02 13:41:55
http://www.gametrailers.com/player...
Tim Willits: "[mutants] they're very scary, they pop up everywhere..."
Sry
#2053 posted by megaman [92.73.87.61] on 2008/08/02 13:43:36
"They pop up out of anywhere"
Jago
#2054 posted by megaman [92.73.87.61] on 2008/08/02 13:45:17
It's not the detail that's blowing me away. It's the design and style, quality of the models and lighting.
^^
More Importantly...
#2055 posted by DaZ [80.41.133.218] on 2008/08/02 14:14:14
He says that it IS an open world game and the player is free to go where they want, thought they are "directed" onto missions etc.
Its funny how with 1 sentence the game went from average to awesome :)
Yeah.
#2056 posted by Shambler [77.97.138.124] on 2008/08/02 14:36:01
Will have to wait and see but it definitely sounds more promising.
What?
#2057 posted by Bal [82.124.154.80] on 2008/08/02 17:18:26
John Carmack and Matt Hooper just said it WASN'T an open world game actually, and you are NOT free to go wherever you want.
"Though the world will be large, it is not a sandbox title or traditional "open world" game--players will need to complete the game's story quests in a linear fashion."
Back to average?
So Long As You Can
#2058 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.242] on 2008/08/02 17:57:48
still hop ten towns over from your destination to play a game of billiards with your mutant ghoul buddies you owe a case of warm beer to while the hostages in the burnt out factory are still waiting for you to rescue them, it will still be above average.
Neg
#2059 posted by Lunaran [75.135.75.200] on 2008/08/03 03:54:57
it would even be easier since they have their megatexture stuff, they just have to paint a giant mask texture to tell the engine what to go do with itself.
this is remarkably similar to how their tools work. seen any of those videos?
*necros
#2060 posted by Lunaran [75.135.75.200] on 2008/08/03 03:55:12
YOU
Finished Fable
#2061 posted by nitin [203.217.66.183] on 2008/08/03 12:34:38
top game, borrows the right elements from diablo2 and puts it in a 3d enviornment. A different art style and maore variation in areas and enemies would have made it an outright classic.
Playing FEAR now. Crap looking and laid out levels, but I think the gameplay's kind of fun so far. Firing rate is insane.
I Liked
#2062 posted by megaman [92.73.95.154] on 2008/08/03 14:19:01
FEAR when it wasn't trying to be doom3
Rage
#2063 posted by Kinn [86.158.50.87] on 2008/08/03 14:59:22
yep, still looks amazing. Regarding enemies - so far we've seen the orcs and sand-marines - I hope they've got some truly original enemy designs. id games have traditionally had quite varied bestiaries, so I hope they've got a few surprises there.
Original?
#2064 posted by bear [213.89.245.12] on 2008/08/03 15:31:53
should be enough to have orcs AND sandpeople
Yeah...
#2065 posted by Bal [83.204.132.30] on 2008/08/03 15:36:58
I hope they have lots of non humanoid enemies, silly mocap, destroying enemy diversity in games... =(
Anything
#2066 posted by ijed [190.20.110.190] on 2008/08/03 19:28:12
With more than two legs is cool.
Lun
#2067 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/08/03 21:30:19
heh, i guess i should keep more up to date with rage :P
Gore Special Edition
#2068 posted by negke [82.83.20.222] on 2008/08/07 00:04:48
Free download at Fileplanet.
It's a class-based multiplayer shooter with a few different game modes and around 20 varied maps. The problem is that the game looks and feels pretty much exactly like Daikatana - crude models, poor animation, average sounds. And the maps, while they do have a good number of different themes (Kingpin-like backyards, gothic cathedrals, Wild West towns, space stations etc.), mostly lack visual quality. Some are too bright or drown in colored lighting, others have ugly textures or plain brushwork, some are quite cramped.
Not recommended - there are *way* better free MP shooters available.
Thanks To Negke For The Reminder
#2069 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.190] on 2008/08/07 21:08:27
Grimm Episode 2:
http://www.gametap.com/grimm/episo...
Warhammer Online
#2070 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/08/08 01:18:38
OOOOH IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!!!!
Lol
#2071 posted by DaZ [80.41.133.218] on 2008/08/08 03:23:58
yeah, the half of the game that wasn't cut out anyway ;)
#2072 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/08/08 03:32:55
I still get to play as a Squigherder and a Stunty Engineer. That's mostly what I care about.
BlackRock Zdoom
#2073 posted by Steven [203.55.33.219] on 2008/08/11 08:11:26
Holy cow... ZDoom::ZPack::map_e3m7 is great.
Lots of exploration and dark intricate environs like you find on the best Q maps.
http://www.realm667.com/index.php?...
Good Link
#2074 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/08/11 15:04:58
Hmmm.
#2075 posted by Steven [203.55.33.245] on 2008/08/12 05:20:46
Try here:
http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/i...
All the wikis point to the 667 link. It must have just f-ing died, but it's pretty fitting actually. ZDoom is so dynamic, you have to get the latest version week to week just to play anything.
Ah
#2076 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/08/12 15:04:59
I just got into reading the site and didn't download the mod, don't know if I'll have time, tbh.
I'll try and get round to it.
#2077 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.221] on 2008/08/14 18:44:19
a nicely working System Shock abandonware pack for modern Windows: http://www.strangebedfellows.de/in...
Finally I can play it :)
and http://www.gametap.com/grimm/episo...
Zpack
#2078 posted by Steven [203.55.33.219] on 2008/08/16 02:25:22
I did play through the whole thing. Combat was fun, but generally the levels were average, and the final spider boss shitty, imho, (i gave in and cheated). There's also three amusing concept levels (e1m0, e2m0, e3m0) i didn't finish.
FEAR
#2079 posted by nitin [124.168.0.138] on 2008/08/16 06:58:56
been a while since I've liked a game with crap maps but the intense gameplay in this has definitely got me looking past the very poor level design.
The graphics engine itself is ok though (but as usual with monolith engines it runs like shit compared to other comparable engines), the attempt at 'horror' laughable, the enemies not very varied, but boy is it fun!
I thought it would get repetitive sooner or later but it didnt, pretty much every fight is heart pounding thanks to a combination of good weapons, good AI and plentiful ammo and health.
I Enjoyed FEAR
#2080 posted by RickyT23 [90.217.64.245] on 2008/08/16 16:04:26
Excellent monsters and inventive gamplay, cool weapons. Good to see a game focused so much on gameplay! Also the ending - weird 70's horror movie ending, I liked.
Played Fear Ultimate
#2081 posted by rudl [78.104.8.92] on 2008/08/16 16:33:56
F.E.A.R excellent
F.E.A.R Extraction Point excellent too
F.E.A.R Mission Perseus sucks, really sucks
horror scenes: not really
story absolutely the same
graphics, worse than original, textures that are not even bump-mapped, washed out, very high minimum light level, too high default gamma,
unfair KI, too hard gameplay
Sandviche's
#2082 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.97] on 2008/08/20 01:10:19
http://steamgames.com/tf2/heavy/sa...
I lol'ed
Ricky
#2083 posted by Blitz [67.168.57.20] on 2008/08/20 07:20:43
Interesting you picked up the same 70's horror vibe I did from F.E.A.R as it was actually one of the things I really liked about it. I thought the first few minutes of gameplay had it in spades as well.
It's funny because although the lead designer claims to have been influenced by J-horror like the ring, I think that he was subconsciously chanelling a lot of late 60s / early 70s horror stuff for the backstory and overall mood of the game.
Well The J-horror Influence
#2084 posted by nitin [124.168.0.138] on 2008/08/20 11:54:56
is definitely noticeable, and for me in a very distracting and offputting kind of way because it is done a bit cheesily.
The very first level did it ok but the rest of the time it looked like a cheap gimmick.
Grimm Episode 4
#2085 posted by Spirit [213.39.129.100] on 2008/08/21 16:46:14
http://www.gametap.com/grimm/episo...
WotLK Intro Cinematic
#2086 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.97] on 2008/08/21 16:58:48
Even if you don't like WoW, Blizzard's cinematics are always worth watching :)
http://www.wow-europe.com/wrath/in...
Blitz
#2087 posted by Lunaran [97.87.13.222] on 2008/08/23 16:42:56
So why did they channel their own office and the empty lot behind their own office for the level design and overall look of the game?
My Guess:
#2088 posted by Blitz [67.168.57.20] on 2008/08/24 05:21:16
It was the best fit for the story, gameplay, and engine. I can't see anything more fantastical working very well. I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with doing a somewhat realistic setting in a game if it's done well and in F.E.A.R's case I think it was.
Also there was a lot more breakup in the game than people give it credit for. In addition to the much complained about office building crawl, there was a pretty nice tech section, some run down tenements, some good industrial stuff, and even a nice dock area.
I'd say it's pretty tough to make a game that has a wealth of interesting places without relying on some hokey Daikatana bullshit like you're a time traveller or something.
FEAR
#2089 posted by nitin [210.84.31.98] on 2008/08/24 08:05:50
the level design was atrocious, theres no two ways about it. It was hands down some of the worst I've seen.
It's one thing to have a realistic setting, another to have used what felt like te diablo2 level generator to randomly spice together pre fabricated rooms and corridors.
But the game itself is good.
Eh
#2090 posted by Blitz [67.168.57.20] on 2008/08/24 11:19:52
But the game itself is good
How can you say that the game was good but the level design was the worst you've ever seen? Isn't level design ideally the place where the game's bits and pieces come together as a cohesive whole? If you thought the A.I. for example, was good, wouldn't that mean that the level design facilitated it? If you thought the horror stuff was good, wouldn't the sequences have been scripted and paced by the designers?
The "bad level design" knock against F.E.A.R has always bothered me because the game reviewed really well across the board, sold very well, and people generally seem to really like it, so I don't understand where the criticism fits into that.
It's got a lot of right angles and generic industrial stuff going on, but I would say none of it is "bad" in the sense that the game overall was not boring and is generally considered to be quite immersive. Don't confuse realistic design (offices and warehouses *are* boring places by design) with bad design.
Hah
#2091 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.141.66] on 2008/08/24 11:53:09
How can you say that the game was good but the level design was the worst you've ever seen?
I haven't played FEAR but that sentence reminded me of Painkiller, which was fun despite having lackluster level design.
It's just unfortunate because (in the case of Painkiller at least) it could have been a great game with better level design, rather than merely "good".
I Think
#2092 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.97] on 2008/08/24 11:53:32
what he meant was the visual side of things, its just room corridor room and they all look the same.
As a gameplay space, each area is actually setup very well, and usually there are multiple entry points and routes for the AI to take which makes each fight different.
I actually really enjoyed fear, I never quite understood why it gets such a bad rap.
Blitz
#2093 posted by nitin [124.168.112.215] on 2008/08/24 12:32:35
sorry I should have clarified that, I was speaking plainly from a visual sense. Hence my comment about the d2 like level generator. But I do not agree that just because the level design was meant to be realistic that it had to be that repetitive and boring. Splinter Cell games have better looking maps and they are all about realism.
What made the game fun was the intensity of the combats, the usefulness of the weapons and the AI. And as daz said most the fights were setup well for utilising the AI.
I Agree With Nitin
#2094 posted by bear [213.89.245.129] on 2008/08/24 14:03:06
I only played the demo though but there certainly is a difference between realistic and boring/weak.
¬_¬
#2095 posted by Kinn [86.153.225.202] on 2008/08/24 14:03:42
the layout of FEAR's levels was 100% designed to work with the AI. The distribution of cover points, multiple entry and exit routes, corridor loops, size and shape of the spaces etc. etc. was purely made to create the combat experience that the gameplay designers intended.
The art direction is another thing, and yes it was fucking boring as hell. I wish people would stop confusing the two things.
FEAR
#2096 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/08/24 20:16:07
sucks.
Heh
#2097 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/08/24 22:53:15
i'd say painkiller and fear are total opposites.
fear had shit visual design but good gameplay. painkiller and incredible visuals and boring gameplay. :P
So, If We Can
#2098 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.219] on 2008/08/25 00:15:20
get those Painkiller maps to load into Fear, woo-hoo, win win.
I did love playing Fear exponentially more than I enjoyed Painkiller. Fear could get your heart beating with simple AI flank maneuvers, and those plain looking areas, in particular, I recall a basement near the start, could be creepy as hell.
You Know
#2099 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.104] on 2008/08/25 04:49:06
I noticed just then that in more than one place simnultaneously but also by pure coincidence two or more threads were "bigging up" AVP1.
Well I loved AVP1. The monster AI is pretty much the best I've seen, and not bad gameplay to boot.
Level design? (I liked it)
Shame AVP2 was so wank.
Hm
#2100 posted by megaman [193.167.41.43] on 2008/08/25 09:52:42
i liked the office environments in fear. they had something going with that nice brownish plain style. The industry environments sucked a bit, though; too generic random pipe/grate systems?
Not Sure If The Point Was Clear
#2101 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2008/08/25 10:52:13
Both the gameplay and art in Painkiller were good (in my opinion), but the level design was poor to nonexistent.
You had good solid weapons and powerups, a good range of enemies with interesting behaviours... and an endless series of box rooms which did absolutely nothing to compliment or enhance the gameplay. Fail.
I don't actually know the details of the dev team, but if I had to guess I'd say the levels were made by artists from very basic plans provided by the game designer. They probably didn't have "level designers" at all.
Painkiller.
#2102 posted by Shambler [77.97.138.124] on 2008/08/25 10:54:04
Some cool levels. Or was that the expansion? Or both?
Hrm
#2103 posted by Mr Fribbles [202.161.117.131] on 2008/08/25 11:10:08
I didn't play all the way through it, but most PK levels I saw were literally like this:
1. Enter large box room. "Door" (ugly, out of place stone block that is) closes behind you.
2. Spawn 7 thousand waves of monsters, all of which charge directly at the player in aforementioned box room because there's no interesting combat terrain or any kind of AI scripting.
3. Defeat horde, "door" opens and you may exit the area.
4. Enter next area, go to step 1...
Yeah
#2104 posted by Text_Fish [82.32.29.116] on 2008/08/25 11:19:56
that's how I remember PK too.
And personally I didn't think the monster design was all that great either. Like the endless boxrooms, they just seemed to be endless variations on the same monster design but with a slightly different model/skin to complement the aesthetic of the particular level. Sure there were some interesting ideas in there like the HP-sapping scythe thing, but without any decent AI it's reduced to 'just another basic melee weapon'.
Deathmatch was a blast. It also had bloody brilliant netcode. I never ever ever had lag in Painkiller. Once again the level design let that side of the game down a little bit though.
What??
#2105 posted by nitin [124.168.119.143] on 2008/08/25 12:17:17
AvP2 was heaps better than avp1. Better levels, better AI and better immersion.
I Found It To Be
#2106 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.104] on 2008/08/25 13:35:31
more cartoony, less moody
maybe its just me...
AvP2 Vs AvP
#2107 posted by Jago [88.195.214.20] on 2008/08/25 13:39:54
I found AvP2 to better in pretty much all departments as well.
Painkiller
#2108 posted by ijed [190.20.71.90] on 2008/08/25 14:00:53
Did have some well-designed levels - the 'venice' (made by someone who's never been there) level was excellent - manouvere through the city taking various routes with the sun dawning as you complete the level, changing the lighting. The bigger enemy's can pick up the smaller ones to use as human shields.
Levels like that did tend to be exceptions though.
I wouldn't say they had artists designing the levels, just inexperienced level designers who allowed themselves to be pushed around by the art team.
#2109 posted by negke [82.83.11.185] on 2008/08/25 14:38:56
I prefered AvP2 too, but AvP1 was scarier somehow.
Agree
#2110 posted by DaZ [80.41.180.97] on 2008/08/25 19:27:43
Avp2 was a great game, but was let down by the poor graphics engine :(
The models did look very cartoony and the animation was very jerky and generally very poor :(
I did prefer the graphics and atmosphere in avp1, though avp2 had a much better narrative and better gameplay scenarios in most places
#2111 posted by Kell [80.192.82.197] on 2008/08/26 01:46:57
what avp1 did so well was the dark claustraphobia. The use of the vision modes - for all species - was masterful. Once they got that right, it didn't matter that the textures were hideous photosources and the level design bland and utilitarian.
And personally I didn't think the monster design was all that great either...they just seemed to be endless variations on the same monster design but with a slightly different model/skin to complement the aesthetic of the particular level.
Indeed.
The problem with PK was that it's designers clearly had a hard-on for oldskool FPS ( which was a good thing ) but they were under the sad delusion that DooM and Quake were great games because of two and only two things:
1. hordes
2. bunnyhopping
the rest of the experience seems to have completely passed them by.
This is a problem you get when the understanding of a type of game design is throttled by obsession with leetness; there's almost no diferentiation between players and designers, and expertise is reduced to an almost neurotic concentration on only a tiny area of gameplay.
Fez
#2112 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/08/26 02:27:25
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id...
kind of a cross between Cave Story and Echochrome
Fez
#2113 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/08/26 09:31:38
Yeah, been waiting for this one to come out, looks nice.
#2114 posted by Red [213.140.6.110] on 2008/08/29 12:40:51
"Indeed.
The problem with PK was that it's designers clearly had a hard-on for oldskool FPS ( which was a good thing ) but they were under the sad delusion that DooM and Quake were great games because of two and only two things:
1. hordes
2. bunnyhopping
"
I agree 100% with you. I hated painkiller, it was just a mindless slaughter of hordes of identical monsters(with different skins). The pacing, the quality of the design of the monster, the setting\atmosphere, the level design were nothing like the classics of id software.
I hope some day a proper successor to quake\doom will be released.
Grrrrrimmmm
#2115 posted by Spirit [213.39.186.67] on 2008/08/29 17:41:50
http://www.gametap.com/grimm/episo...
Halo: Combat Evolved
#2116 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/08/31 13:31:45
Okay so I'm slowly catching up on all the games I've missed over the last several years. Haven't really played anything since 2001, apart from Unreal 2. I got a new computer this year (March) so I'm started from 2001 and playing all the good FPS since then! Already done Undying, WOT, SOF2 and this week played through Halo.
I was expecting it to be ugly repetitive shit, but gave it a chance. It didn't feature very good level design; there was alot of copy/paste of rooms and corridors, made worse by incredibly bland textures. But, the outdoors levels were good, and huge. Especially given this was released in 2001. I absolutely hated no quicksave and having to wait for checkpoints. Not because it was too hard, but some of the outdoor battles, eg. flying ships, gun turrets and rocket tanks with a dozen aliens on foot, can take up to 10min of strategy gameplay to get through. Getting 90% of the way through only to get hit by a rocket and having to start all over again is inexcuseable. I actually found most of these outdoors battle scenes (particularly in level 8) to be much harder than the final 2 levels. Where's the big finale aswell? A lame poor-handling buggy ride is the finale.
Only carrying 2 weapons at a time was also a rubbish idea. But with the machine gun and shotgun combination, some of the close range combat against the Flood was surprisingly enjoyable.
Still, with ugly indoor level design and only say 30% of the gameplay being enjoyable, I can't say I'd ever sit through the game again. Nor am I eagerly anticipating the sequel. Very, very overrated. And while the story was decent, it was nothing worth being made into a blockbuster.
Fuck Grimm
#2117 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.59] on 2008/08/31 18:26:09
Am I the only one who thought "free during the first 24 hours" meant "downloading during the first 24 hours and play it when ever you want"? I am pretty sure I played the previous episodes after more than 1-2 days even, not it is not possible anymore. Using Gametap.
Oh yes, DRM, kiss my ass.
Kona: If you like great stories and atmosphere, then give Max Payne 2 a try.
Yes
#2118 posted by negke [82.82.168.189] on 2008/08/31 18:56:21
I realized when I tried to play episode 2 one day later. Makes sense not allowing people to stretch the free offer indefinitely. It's a Steam clone, after all.
I've lost interest anyway (after having played three episodes). The game has nice art, but gameplay gets old quickly. Unless, that is, they saved the really interesting features for later episodes. I also found that I hardly remember any of the tales which makes the game's story all the more confusing, especially the dark version.
Well
#2119 posted by Spirit [213.39.147.59] on 2008/08/31 19:04:12
I already wondered why they would allow people to get the game(s) for free. Yeah, it got boring, especially since none of the episodes reached the fun of Episode 1. In the latest you sometimes have only one level to reach to finish the level, how boring compared to the "you have to jump"-birds in ep1.
Palying Halo Rigt Now Too
#2120 posted by nitin [124.168.119.143] on 2008/09/01 01:55:37
crap looking enemies and indoor areas, outdoors do look better. But I do find the core gameplay to be quite fun.
Still, only about 1/3 of the way in, will see how it fares up by the end.
#2121 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/01 05:22:16
Yeah Contract Jack (crappy Nolf prequel), Serious Sam 1 and then Max Payne 2 are next on my list. What's better - SS1 or SS2?
Nitin... it gets pretty tedious after a while. Once the Flood come into it (think Halflife headcrabs... only thousands of them), it actually gets slightly more fun, but the big outdoor scenes when your fighting heavy machinery is a pain in the ass. I nearly punched my computer on one instance.
Kona
#2122 posted by nitin [124.168.119.143] on 2008/09/01 08:20:39
I preferred SS2 to 1 personally.
Serious Sam
#2123 posted by Spirit [213.39.146.189] on 2008/09/01 09:23:52
I felt the other way around.
They are both very stupid though.
Yay
#2124 posted by Spirit [80.171.84.249] on 2008/09/03 21:05:54
can't wait http://www.monkeysofdoom.org/
#2125 posted by Red [213.140.6.110] on 2008/09/04 15:44:54
halo: nice core gameplay, shitty, awful, horribile and repetitive art and level design (interior), shitty and stupid sounding and looking enemies.
One of the stupidest sequences in the first one was the corridor with the flood.
For who hasn't played it or doesn't rember it:
take one corridor and fill it with thousands of headcrabs. Now copy and paste the same fucking corridor for one hundred identical instances until the damned sequence finally ends.
Bloody Zombies
#2126 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/09/05 18:01:07
http://www.kloonigames.com/blog/ga...
Where blood is used as a puzzle element.
Anyone Played Clear Sky Yet?
#2127 posted by RickyT23 [90.199.193.191] on 2008/09/07 17:39:02
I heard it sucks! Shame cause I enjoyed Shadow of Chernobyl and it was cool, but too buggy to finish!!
Super Id Pack Bought
#2128 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/09/08 15:43:36
Clear Sky
#2129 posted by negke [82.82.167.121] on 2008/09/08 17:11:31
I played it for a short time.
Looks great and the "enhanced full dynamic lighting" renderer seems to work with dx9/xp, too. I can't tell for sure, though, because the game is crashing a lot. I'm not sure what is to blame - surely the game, but I'm also a little suspicous about my card. Regular "full dynamic" renderer works slightly better but I still have to save often. Maybe it's because the first level is so large.
Not sure about gameplay. The first few quests in level 1 feel somewhat un-stalkery. At least the one in which you have to repel hordes of bandits with your team mates and there's action music in the background... Too early to see.
Stalker SOC. was great and it was definitely playable/finishable. I recently played through it again with the Oblivion Lost mod 2.1 which, apart from script fixes, added many nice little bits, monsters, weapons, vehicles, and random blowouts - very enjoyable.
Me Too
#2130 posted by DaZ [80.41.190.13] on 2008/09/09 01:45:27
Stalker SOC. was great and it was definitely playable/finishable. I recently played through it again with the Oblivion Lost mod 2.1 which, apart from script fixes, added many nice little bits, monsters, weapons, vehicles, and random blowouts - very enjoyable.
I've been doing the same last week the exact same mod, it really does add a lot to the game!
It basicly turns it into what GSC gameworld has in mind before THQ stuck their noses in, you have to sleep, shelter during blowouts (which are awesome) and generally survive.
Lots of new and tweaked weapons and armour, fixed quests etc, tons of new enemies that GSC had made but not implemented fully into the game, that really add to the atmosphere.
It really does take the game a step up.
I'm sad to hear that clear sky is possibly a step backwards in the franchise, as I felt that all GSC had to do was polish the Stalker game and it would be perfect, but it sounds like there are just as many issues/crashes in this new version as well. A real shame as the bugs really do destroy what could be an utterly fantastic and engrosing experience.
Also
#2131 posted by ijed [190.20.90.135] on 2008/09/09 03:49:21
If anyone has bought Doom3 + expansion and can't run it then its because you need to run the expansion and then the original game to cicumnavigate the cd-key.
So...
#2132 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/09/10 00:33:53
anyone try out Spore? I guess it's released.
Yeah I Did
#2133 posted by DaZ [80.41.190.13] on 2008/09/10 06:12:38
The 1st part is great (where your swimming around eating stuff) then there is a rather boring section where your creature gets onto land and has to make a nest and gather food/dna. That is followed by the tribal part which kinda like C&C but dumbed down to boredom, then the civilization part which is like C&C but dumbed down - But you can make your own vehicles (which is actually really cool).
By this point I was not really impressed, but decided to carry on and see if it got better in the space stage, and it does!
I've only played about 30 mins of the space stage, but im loving it. You can design your own spaceship and then fly around planets abducting lifeforms and wildlife so you can seed other planets with life.
There are tons of upgrades you can get for your ship which makes it better at combat/teraforming/trading and I cant wait to try them all out!
This is really short and badly written I know, but I really need sleep right now :) Just thought I would share my 1st few hours of the game with you.
Hehe, I just had a flash of that Futurama episode where bender gets shot into space and those two civilizations start to evolve on either side of his body... :)
Additional...
#2134 posted by DaZ [80.41.190.13] on 2008/09/10 19:08:32
The game is really a bit to cute and fuzzy for me tastes, especially for the first two or three stages, all you get are cute giggles and woo'ing noises from your creature - it made me feel like vomiting all over my screen tbh... Luckily I managed to resist the urge and got to the space age.
It looks like the space portion of the game is where all the meat is at. You can basicly think of all the minigames before it as "customizing your ride, and picking the paint job" as that is essentially what happens there.
For instance, my race of dazpods (yeah, kill me) are hell bent on galactic domination and have just about made extinct every other race on their home planet in their evolution. If you take the path of war you get special tools that make you better at it, for instance in the civilization phase I got some nifty nukes to throw around, while in the tribal phase my leader could lay booby traps and throw bombs.
I'm gonna start another race soon and see what happens with the peaceful / trader / gatherer race choices...
Good Old Games.com
#2135 posted by DaZ [80.41.190.13] on 2008/09/10 19:22:15
http://www.gog.com/en/intro
Seems like a very nice service for purchasing and downloading old games without any DRM at all. Should be open to the public very soon by the looks of it.
Serious Sam II Review
#2136 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/13 05:05:04
Okay I'm gonna start reviewing every new game I play and put them on Ethereal Hell. I reviewed Halo a few weeks ago. Here's Serious Sam II.
After reading reviews from Gamespot & IGN that gave rather average ratings (6.9/10), complaining of cartoon-like design and repetitive gameplay, my expectations for Serious Sam II weren't high. However, I didn't have the option of comparing it to the first two parts of Serious Sam, as I only ever played the original demo years ago. This may have been a good thing.
As it turned out, the further I progressed in the game the more I realised this is a well underrated game. In particular, it was the level design that truly impressed me. Compared with other FPS' that have you plodding through the same themes for hours; eg. Doom3 and it's indoor base, Croteam throwing in a brand new world and theme almost every second level was very welcome.
Some players might complain that it's all too inconsistent (those some players probably complain that the gameplay is too repetitive), but it was all well tied into the story as to how they could present so many different themes and cultures.
Some of the memorable themes for me were the swamps of Deadwood, giant tree village of Woodstock, the Giant Junkyard, the entire Kleer chapter - very similar to Doom3's Hell levels, and the many little villages in different planets. Fantastic level design all the way through the game, all very colourful and bright. This may be the first game I've ever played where I didn't have to turn the lights out to see properly! My only nitpick in design was the lack of vertical design - it's all very flat and open.
Gameplay was all very enjoyable. I will say that those reviewers that complained about it being too easy on normal are very much wrong. The in-game menu describes normal as being for the "Experienced FPS Player" and that's exactly what I am. I found the gameplay to be pretty spot on. There were some parts that were a little tight on health, but ammo was always plentiful. I played through most of the game with the DBL-SG and Minigun, always with more rockets (and later cannonballs) left than what I should have. My only criticism is the final level, which went on far too long. By the time I managed to make it to the final arena, I felt it was already enough of a build up to bring on the final boss. I was wrong, it's time to battle around 20 giant spiders. By this time I was sick of it and ready to put god mode on just so I could finally get to the boss. The final level was also probably the worst looking level in the game, so it was a poor way to end the game.
One more strength Serious Sam II has is the humour, albeit sometimes too cheesy. Still, this beats NOLF/NOLFII as the funniest FPS made. And it actually had a story with two cutscenes after every single level. Good job for a game supposed to be about pure hardcore action. In fact, Serious Sam II probably has more cutscenes than Halo and Half-Life! Admittedly the story was rather straight-foward compared to something like NOLF.
Overall Serious Sam II is very good game, particularly if you don't take gaming too seriously (Halo & RTS gamers may not like this). Croteam are very tight-lipped on Serious Sam III, but I'm definitely going to be on the lookout. The Serious Engine III is said to be at least as good as Unreal Engine 3.
Good
#2137 posted by ijed [190.20.81.131] on 2008/09/13 05:20:15
Thanks Kona, keep them coming.
I liked SS1 but the enemy set was very limited. I finished it more out of bloody-mindedness than anything.
I probably won't buy SS2, but its nice to hear an opinion.
But
#2138 posted by ijed [190.20.81.131] on 2008/09/13 05:23:23
Please don't say anything about review scores.
Dirk Valentine
#2139 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/09/16 23:17:49
decent flash platformer, nice pixel art, decent steampunk theme.
http://www.nitrome.com/games/dirkv...
Dirk Valentine
#2140 posted by BlackDog [58.7.123.58] on 2008/09/17 18:03:40
Very nice! Film buffs in particular will appreciate some of the sound effects...
Stalker : Clear Sky
#2141 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.31] on 2008/09/17 22:44:05
I'm about 10 hours into the game at the moment, so I figured I would let you guys know how it is.
1st off, I installed the latest patch before I even fired up the game, as I heard that is fixes a lot of bad issues the release version of the game had, and I am happy (and relieved) to report that I have had a crash free 10 hours of fun with this game :)
From what I can tell the game levels are made up from 50% entirely new areas and 50% revamped areas from SOC, the new areas are fantastic and full of atmosphere, while the old areas have been brushed up and repolished to come into line with the new standard. Things do feel more polished overall with better animations, ai, sound and a vastly improved PDA system that shows your inter-faction standing / quests / map / etc.
The new graphical options are very very nice, and the "enhanced full dynamic lighting" render is actually faster than the renderer in SOC despite all the new graphical features going on. Special mention must go to the "god rays" that the sun casts as it pops over the hill in the morning, these look absolutely fantastic and don't really hurt the framerate too much. Other additions are a depth of field effect that is activated when you reload or an explosive goes off near you. All good!
Gameplay has been enhanced but is still faithful to the original SOC, enemies now throw grenades at you (there is a grenade proximity warning on the UI now too) and take cover behind objects, blindfire around corners and over boxes etc. Mutants now work in packs much better and are very convincing.
Finding artifacts is now a little minigame in itself, and they are way more rare than in SOC, you have to equip special detectors to even find artifacts, and then strategically dodge into the anomaly holding them to retrieve them. You can buy better detectors as you make more money so that finding artifacts becomes easier, but retrieving them is still a tough job.
The other addition is you can upgrade your weapons and armour at a technican npc. There are tons of mods you can make and it works in a little tech-tree kind of way for each weapon / armour type. For example if you upgrade your weapon to fire a faster bullet and reduce its recoil by 20%, then the option to increase its rate of fire becomes available for purchase.
It seems like you are fighting other factions of humans now rather than mutants, I would say around 70 / 30 if you want a percentage. This is mainly because of the new faction alignment gameplay. Joining 1 faction will make you an enemy of certain other factions and you will receive dynamic objectives to take opposing faction bases as your teams move up and get pushed back. Its very involving stuff and enhances the replay value as there are like 7-8 factions in the game.
Some annoyances do remain, night time is now almost pitch black, and a real pain to see where you are going until you get a suit capable of night vision, sometimes the ai screws up and enemies will wiggle on the spot and not really do much, and pointing at a friendly stalker will make them say something to you and after 100 times hearing this line you will start to go a little bit mad.
The initial weapon set is really really inaccurate, to the point where the 1st few assault rifles you get are basicly useless beyond 40 meters or so, and watching as your perfectly aligned headshot bullet flies 2 meters wide of the target is a real source of frustration, but the later guns feel much better and are fun to use.
Nice Review
#2142 posted by megaman [92.73.87.122] on 2008/09/18 01:56:50
i loved the first few hours of stalker with the low precision weapons. really made fights nice and dynamic, because you had to get so close at them to kill them.
Some Screenshots Too...
#2143 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.31] on 2008/09/18 16:30:29
http://daz.quaddicted.com/clearsky...
Hhhmmm
#2144 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/09/18 18:21:44
Looks "tasty" :)
Hey Daz
#2145 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/09/18 20:26:52
what kind of rig are you running? i'm glad to hear not everyone is getting back to back crashes... i haven't picked this up yet because of the initial talk of crashes (and i've been replaying soc with some mods too).
i've got an e6300 cpu and an ati x1950 but only 1gb of ram which i think is the major chokepoint atm because i run out of ram for textures. :(
#2146 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/19 02:27:44
hmmm in those screens it looks a little bland for a 2008 game. the lighting is nice, but level design average
Necros
#2147 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.31] on 2008/09/19 16:09:00
My rig is getting fairly old now... amd 2.8ghz (not dual core) 2gb ram and a 8800gts 320mb. Necros I would not try and run the game with 1gb of ram, it just wouldn't be worth it :)
The game runs great at medium but really chugs on high, im guessing the gpu runs out of memory :)
[Kona], I know what you mean. This is the strange thing about the developer... They can create this utterly absorbing gameworld with a great atmosphere but there are things about it which just dont feel right or simply just do not work.
Sadly, there are some quite sloppy game design decisions in there too, as I found out last night, once you enter Limansk (think Pripjyat from SOC) you can't go back as the exit is blocked. This means that if you had just done the story missions and wanted to go back and join a stalker faction and play that part of the game you cant, which is totally unforgivable on GSC's part. I can't see any reason to block the player from leaving Limansk...
Apart from these annoyances, I'm still having a blast though :)
Stalker Clear Sky
#2148 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/09/22 10:56:43
I started playing it, have a few hours in, and haven't had a single crash. I think I've just started coming across bugs though, some missions don't appear in my PDA, and at the moment I have no idea what to do as the people I'm supposed to kill just aren't there.
I had to put the settings on low for it to run on my 7600GTS (my 8800GT fried a while back) so it's kind of ugly.
Feels ok for now anyways, Stalker improved really.
Baaaaaaaaaal
#2149 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/22 11:38:06
How the hell did you get your 8800GT to fry? I got one of those. I want to put in a second 1 just for added boost.
PS. who remembers Chaser (2003)? I just bought it so will be playing it next I think :)
Well...
#2150 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/09/22 12:36:41
I heard most of the recent Nvidia cars 8x, and 9x mostly, have had lots of problems with faulty components... =\
Playing Clear Sky
#2151 posted by BlackDog [220.235.27.39] on 2008/09/23 14:55:28
Not quite sure what to think of it so far. On one hand, there's great visuals, lots of small improvements and upgrades, and the game is far less buggy than it's predecessor. On the other, the flavour and charm of SoC seems to have largely been lost.
Clear Sky is not as fun as SoC. Combat is more annoying, weapons less effective, many of the voice overs are completely inappropriate, there's increased pressure on resources, and getting hold of artifacts is an exercise in waiting for the last quicksave to load. If that wasn't enough, the brilliantly creepy underground levels that were my favourite part of SoC are gone.
The only truly remarkable part of Clear Sky so far has been the trip through Red Forest. I turned up at night, low on medkits and antirad, and stumbling alone and terrified through that pitch black radioactive forest was some of the most enjoyably tense gaming I've ever done. And then just as I left the treeline, dawn was breaking.
That was pretty cool. I'm going to reserve judgement until I've played more.
Agreed
#2152 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.31] on 2008/09/23 21:08:04
On the other, the flavour and charm of SoC seems to have largely been lost.
100% agree, and it is a shame. It is still a very atmospheric game but the atmosphere certainly isn't as deep and brooding as SoC.
the brilliantly creepy underground levels that were my favourite part of SoC are gone.
Yes this is a real shame, as they were my favourite areas also. Clear sky doe's add a couple of new indoor/underground areas but nothing approaching SoC.
One of the other major annoyances I have with Clear Sky is that every single enemy is shown on your map, so you know exactly where they all are at all times, I mean wtf was GSC Gameworld thinking? It really doe's totally remove the suspense of mutant attacks as you know they are in the area way before you even get near it.
I'll bet there is a mod that removes this "feature" already, I must go and look for it.
The random attacks / encounters involving other npc's seem to happen much less in CS also, almost to the point where they never happen at all. in SoC I loved being able to load in a new area and not being totally sure what I was going to find, even though I had been through it 40 times before. In CS there seems to be nothing happening at all in 99% of the areas, occasionally a bandit raid will attack a group of stalkers or a herd of mutants will get too close to an outpost and cause a shootout, but these are exceptions rather than the norm...
I'm sure there will be mods to breathe some life back into areas too, its just a shame that mods are needed at all for these kind of things.
Still loving the game though :D
Yes
#2153 posted by BlackDog [220.235.27.39] on 2008/09/24 00:52:42
Very much looking forward to what modders do with the material in Clear Sky.
Unfortunately the game is now crashing upon entry to the Warehouses. I might have to play through from an earlier save. :(
Finished Clear Sky
#2154 posted by BlackDog [220.235.27.39] on 2008/09/24 06:19:21
The ending fucking sucked. As did the last few levels.
Meh.
Nooooo Cave Story
#2155 posted by Spirit [80.171.9.86] on 2008/09/24 12:53:24
How fucking ridiculously hard are the Sacred Grounds? :D
That was really not worth the xth playthrough I think.
Stalker Clear Sky
#2156 posted by Bal [86.205.115.228] on 2008/09/24 22:56:44
So I reached a point where I've done quite a few missions, but I can never complete any of them cause no NPC seems to accept the fact that I have whatever bloody PDA they want in my inventory, so I stopped playing.
Fuck you stalker. =(
#2157 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/09/24 23:01:44
Stalker is short for Shit Talker. Cuz apparently every one who plays it talks shit about it afterwards.
But The First One Rocked
#2158 posted by BlackDog [220.235.27.39] on 2008/09/25 09:00:18
That's what makes Clear Sky so disappointing. It's not just a crap game, it's a wasted opportunity to improve on the flawed gem that was SoC.
Seems Like Ricky Was Right After All
#2159 posted by negke [82.82.170.255] on 2008/09/25 13:52:30
I lost interest after reaching the Cordon. Maybe I'll give it another try when the next patch comes out (tomorrow?).
One should think GSC have learned their lesson, but as it turns out they even put some icing on everything that's wrong with the industry these days.
I Guess I'll Wait A Little While
#2160 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/09/26 05:34:59
it seems that this is a game that's worth playing, but patience while they patch up stuff would probably be worth it.
Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault (2002) Review
#2161 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/26 10:11:09
Medal Of Honor, and in fact the entire realistic war-setting FPS sub-genre, flew under the radar for me. I like pure action, fantasy, medieval. Having to use realistic strategy and tactics in order to avoid the one or two hits it takes to put you down is not what I'm used to. Until MOD:AA, I'd never actually played a game from this genre. But having played through it, it's in fact very similar to the Soldier Of Fortune and NOLF series'. And in those games I actually enjoyed sneaking around corners and trying to make every press of the trigger a headshot. This is the same, only even more emphasised.
You can take a number of hits before hitting dirt, but there is more reloading in this game than any I've ever played. At times this can be slightly annoying, especially in the sniper town where you'll have to reload many times over before you figure out where the next sniper is hiding. Nonetheless, this was my personal favourite part of the game. The comparison to Saving Private Ryan was obvious; and a smart move as it made it even more realistic actually pitting yourself in a destroyed town with snipers everywhere, pretending your actually in Saving Private Ryan.
The other highlight was, of course, Omaha Beach, again from Saving Private Ryan. It was a very difficult level to begin with. I ended up getting through with 4% health left, even with many, many reloads. But while it was a highlight, it could have been much more on a grand scale - the feature of the game. I'd love to see the battle remade in a newer engine.
The gameplay was surprisingly enjoyable and well-paced throughout the game. But while it was very fun, MOD:AA does have some drawbacks. Firstly, it's far too short. The ending was very abrupt, with no big battle at all. The entire game I completed in just two days, 3-4 sittings. Other games would only be reaching the halfway point by this stage. Fortunately, there are two mission packs available for extra playtime.
The other disappointment for me was the design. While this is a 2002 game, getting on six years old now, the Quake3/IDTech3 engine is capable of better. Games that come to mind: RTCW, American McGee's Alice, FAKK2; all of which were released well before MOH:AA. However, it was probably slightly better than Soldier Of Fortune II, which used the same engine and was released only months later.
Having said that, some of the design was great for 2002 - the war-battered sniper-town, the dark snowy forests, small villages set among countryside. But there were other levels looking very flat and plain such as the submarine and Omaha Beach itself.
Overall though, the design was good enough and even for a short game, MOD:AA was a load of fun. Probably not quite as fun as Soldier Of Fortune 2, but I'll be sure to play the two mission packs and look forward to the two PC sequels released since MOH:AA.
Kona:
#2162 posted by metlslime [24.130.121.165] on 2008/09/26 11:23:26
i worked on Breakthrough, let me know what you think.
#2163 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/26 12:05:08
oh sweet, what did u do on it?
i'll probably review both the mission packs next :)
Kona:
#2164 posted by metlslime [24.130.121.165] on 2008/09/26 12:24:00
i'll tell you after the reviews :P
Breakthrough
#2165 posted by nitin [203.217.82.185] on 2008/09/26 13:37:23
I could never get that to run on my old gfx card, should try it now.
Hmm
#2166 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2008/09/26 21:58:06
Add more turret combats?
Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault - Spearhead
#2167 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/28 06:31:31
The first mission pack for MOH:AA, did not really live up to the original game, but only due to many small problems. It really needed more polishing and playtesting.
Spearhead is made up of three missions, each containing roughly five levels each. The first mission takes place around the French countryside of Normandy. The visuals were good, living up to the original game, as was the gameplay. I will say the video intro is quite possibly the best intro to a video game I've seen. It begins with you parachuting out of a plane, flying through the air with carnage all around you, and eventually crash landing through a barn. Very intense.
For me, mission two was where the problems begun. Mission two took place in a nice snowy atmosphere, but it's the gameplay that ruined it. I eventually got up to tank, and having not received my stickybombs yet, could not proceed any further and had to start the level again. It was not clear at all the steps required during this level, as you need to blow up various equipment.
The third mission took place in Berlin and was really quite bland and ugly. The level design was flat, very open and the destroyed buildings were just a little too destroyed. Eventually I got to a point where I had four tanks to take on with a single rocket turret. Completely impossible, and I was forced to put god mode on. I'd already also left another two tanks behind. I'm guessing at some point I was supposed to have received sticky bombs, but that was not the case. Eventually I then get my own tank so here begins a long tank level, the finale. The tank level in MOH:AA was my least favourite, so having to play through more of this in what is already a short mission pack was not a good way to end it.
Add to this short playtime (only a few hours) the endless clipping problems as you get stuck on all sorts of small trees and even changes in terrain level. In the last mission I was able to use tiny pieces of barbed wire to my advantage, blocking tank rockets.
Apart from the final mission, the level design only barely lives up to the original MOH:AA, but gameplay needed much more playtesting and it was far too short to cough up money for.
Dogfight
#2168 posted by megaman [92.73.86.184] on 2008/09/29 12:26:42
http://www.rocksolidarcade.com/gam...
Too bad it's so fucking difficult and you have limited lives :(
Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault - Breakthrough
#2169 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/09/30 10:01:08
The second mission pack for MOH:AA, titled Breakthrough is exactly that; a breakthrough. But while it's much improved on the previous mission pack, titled Spearhead, yet it was the very brief and unpolished Spearhead that was more popular and received the favourable reviews.
Of course Breakthrough still had it's own set of flaws, different from the original game and Spearhead again. But it was the professionalism of the level design that saved Breakthrough - it looked much better than it's predecessors. Same engine, same graphics, but better build quality and a much more intense atmosphere. It kicks off intense right from the beginning in the Battle Of Kasserine Pass - a pass which is so thick with fog you can barely see in front of you. Very atmospheric and intense. This continues throughout right until the finale in an Italian castle. There are no levels here that really stand out as being sub-par, unlike the original game.
That covers the positive, so what of the flaws? This time, it's fairly big one - lack of ammo. While I never completely ran out of ammo, throughout the game it was really touch and go. I was forced to make every single hit count. Even then you may be reduced to the pistol in a couple of levels. Mission two, which takes place in a canal, is the worst for this. All I had left were about 30 shotgun shells, but a shotgun is hopeless when your enemy is 100 metres away sitting in a machine gun turret. So while I never truely ran out, it did force me to play much more conservatively, which had a slight impact on the enjoyment levels.
The other problem I found was the amount of times your put in a gun turret, the back of a vehicle or a tank having to hold off enemies. The problem is your nothing but a sitting duck which a huge gun. While this was fun for a while, it occurs a little too often in Breakthrough. The worst of it being in control of two rather awkward and frustrating mortars as several tanks appear over the horizon. I prefer solid run-and-gun gameplay, with only the very odd gimmick.
Breakthrough is overall a much longer experience than Spearhead and with the subtly improved level design, fans of MOH:AA really should not skip on Breakthrough. Just make sure your hits count, because the level of difficulty is slightly harder this time.
World Of Goo Is Going To Rock Your Fucking Pants
#2170 posted by Lunaran [97.87.13.222] on 2008/09/30 14:36:25
and you better be ready
Wehl
#2171 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/09/30 16:30:18
Just a shame the concept is as old as the hills.
http://fantasticcontraption.com/
Lunaran
#2172 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/09/30 17:33:01
they may as well not bother, the greatest game ever made has already been made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLu...
Hope Is A Lost Cause
#2173 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/09/30 18:00:43
...
#2174 posted by stevenaaus [220.245.180.132] on 2008/10/01 03:27:23
What are the best Quake 4 sp mods ?
Enclave
#2175 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/02 09:48:10
I nearly wasn't going to play Enclave. I got it anyway, but upon installation get a blank screen when loading the game. A month later I decided to come back to it and check some forums for a solution. Turns out if your monitor is 60hertz it won't work. A rediculous problem, but easily fixable as I pumped my monitor up to 75hertz.
Having played through the entire game in two days, the second half in one sitting, I really struggle to think of a game, at least action game, that looks this good up until 2002. The level design is top notch all the way through - to the point of absolutely inspiring me to make my own levels. The levels are fairly small and cramped, with a theme last scene in Wheel Of Time. Only WOT was rather bland throughout most of the game, whereas Enclave is brilliant the entire way through. There are many different design styles from villages, castles and citadels to more creative islands, mines, hell-like outlands, woods and even a haunted house. The game engine is good, but doesn't allow the visuals to depend on fancy engine features for its looks. Instead what we have in Enclave is great architecture and design matched with wonderfully intricate textures. There appear to be only two level designers for the game - one of which was JF Gustafsson, creater of two of Quake 2's best custom releases, Age Of Panic and 1964. So it's no wonder we've got a visual feast from Starbreeze.
Only nitpicks with design would be that there are a few levels used twice in game. The reason why they're repeated is because you play this game in two halves. The first half of the game your playing the good guys, while the second half you return to the beginning of the story and repeat it as the bad guys. It was an interesting way to play through the game, but ultimately lead to a short and uninspired story.
Also one major glitch was the final two levels in the first half were harder than any of the levels in the second half. In fact the finale at the end of part two was dead easy.
While much of the game play was great fun, it was very unbalanced. As you progress through the game you get the choice of different characters to play, with different weapons. I attempted to play most of them and found that the Druid/Sorceress was easily the most dominant character with her long range spell attacks. Any close-range melee combat with many of the other characters was poor and very difficult. Even on easy, I'd die in no time trying melee combat with the large strong characters. While as the Druid/Sorceress it was breeze as enemies usually couldn't even get to me in time. So playing Enclave as any melee based characters is likely to be far too frustrating.
The other problem is no quicksave. If you die, you start the level again unless you've found a checkpoint. In that case, whenever you die you respawn at the checkpoint. It doesn't restart the game at the checkpoint, it simply respawns you. Which basically means you can just keep respawning until all enemies are dead, which makes it even easier than a quicksave. Frustratingly, sometimes checkpoints don't come soon enough, and some levels don't have them at all. The penultimate level in the first half was badly needing a checkpoint and I think some people may give up on that level.
If you only play first-person-perspective, you can switch from third to first very easily in Enclave. I couldn't figure out what the key was, but I accidentally pressed it at some stage. I'm a FPS fan, but for Enclave it actually seemed better as third person, especially when you get to play as the scantily clad Druid. More third-person-perspective games need the option of allowing first-person.
Enclave isn't perfect; the checkpoint feature and lack of quicksave is frustrating and the characters are not well balanced. But with gorgeous level design, its not a game you want to miss. Sadly, I think many players have skipped it.
#2176 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/02 09:49:26
Yo Tronyn you should play Enclave, you'd appreciate it I reckon - it reminds me a lot of Heretic 2 and Rune. Just make sure you play as the Druid/Sorceress.
Enclave
#2177 posted by nitin [124.168.4.227] on 2008/10/02 11:53:22
is definitely awesome.
Btw, Kona:
#2178 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/10/02 23:48:36
I made 4 levels for breakthrough.
Kasserine Pass II was the second desert level. This had the mine detector segments in it. I would like to hear your opinion of the section where you escort the minesweeper tank while sniping at rocket launcher guys.
I also made the third level, Bizerte Canal. This had the canal crossing, and the section where an NPC has to pick a lock while you fight off guys on neighboring rooftops. I'd love to hear if you liked that section too.
Then i made two multiplayer maps, Anzio Beach (foggy bombed-out beach town) and Tunisia (narrow canyon connecting two desert towns.)
Some screenshots here in case you forgot:
http://www.celephais.net/cv/portfo...
Also about the level design, we had a lot of community mappers on that project. Of the five or six main level designers, we had Yogi, Amethyst7, Unitool, and myself, all from the quake 1/2/3 mapping scene. Probably the only reason we could ship a decent game in the ridiculous short schedule we had is everyone knew the quake3 tech really well.
Nitin
#2179 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/03 01:30:00
Your 2 levels actually had quite difficult parts to them. The second desert level was overall pretty difficult from memory, especially escorting the minesweeper tank. And that lock picking scene was pretty hard too - you have to make every shot count. The idiot NPC got blown up a couple of times haha. No ammo problems on your maps though.
BTW what maps did Yogi make? I loved his Q3A maps, he's got a real talent for detail. You can't really do that sort of detail in realistic shooters though.
Kona
#2180 posted by nitin [124.168.4.227] on 2008/10/03 01:55:46
thanks for the generous comments but they should be directed at metl :)
Kona:
#2181 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/10/03 03:39:43
my memory is a bit fuzzy, but...
I know Yogi did the very first level and I'm pretty sure he also did the very last level or last two levels. Beyond that, i'm not really sure but I think he made one more somewhere in there.
#2182 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/03 06:24:43
lol yeah metl, that's what i meant :P
Check This Out:
#2183 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.124] on 2008/10/07 14:20:44
http://www.ausgamers.com/games/duk...
I take it the game isn't optimised yet - not even any anti-aliasing here....
It's Running On UE3
#2184 posted by BlackDog [220.235.73.117] on 2008/10/07 16:39:27
Which doesn't antialias, since it uses deferred rendering.
Looks underwhelming.
Yikes.
#2185 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/10/07 17:54:16
Who transported me to LAST WEEK's NEWS?? Timewarp makes me dizzy yo...
Looks fine to me.
#2186 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/07 20:47:17
It's not UE3.
And it looks great. Not awesome, but I suspect if it still has the Duke way of over the top crazy firepower and enemies, it'll look amazing in action.
Demakes Competition Results
#2187 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/10/07 21:12:05
Top 10: http://tigsource.com/articles/2008...
Full gallery: http://tigsource.com/features/dema...
#2188 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/08 02:43:50
that strippers ass is hot. i'm sure it will be great when it finally comes out, but nothing we haven't seen before.
#2189 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/08 02:52:32
Just beat CoD4. Pretty good. The icing on the cake was the after-credits level. Totally unexpected and just a fun joyride. Good ending too. 5/5 I would think, maybe 4/5 because it was so short.
Oh I Thought They Licensed Unreal
#2190 posted by BlackDog [220.235.73.117] on 2008/10/08 06:38:42
It certainly _looks_ like they did. Anyway, we'll see.
Eventually.
#2191 posted by [Kona] [118.92.142.201] on 2008/10/08 07:48:33
yeah they did. they decided to scrap everything and move over to unreal engine 2, but i think since then they scrapped it all again to move up to unreal engine 3. which is fair enough because 2 is getting on now. hell, before long 4 will be available for licensing.
Its The Doom3 Engine Though :)
#2192 posted by DaZ [80.41.161.119] on 2008/10/08 14:41:41
Like they used in Prey.
It's Totally The Gamebryo Engine
#2193 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/08 20:43:38
I am an informed gamer and I know what I'm talking about
Actually
#2194 posted by Kinn [86.162.11.203] on 2008/10/08 22:38:17
it's a bespoke engine, specially optimised to provide a fast path towards rendering characters that happen to look exactly like grown-up, homosexual versions of Bart Simpson.
So...
#2195 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/10/09 09:48:04
...you've pre-ordered then Kinn ;)
RPG Rant To Ignore
#2196 posted by negke [82.83.58.44] on 2008/10/09 21:05:38
Bleh.
Played the Velaya mod for Gothic 2 (an English version is in the works) which used the original world excluding the mine valley and tells the story of a female hero some time after the events of G2. Nicely done for an amateur mod, good quests, well tied-in with the Gothic story, good voice-acting for the most part. Very enjoyable.
Crawling for more, I soon had to find out that this kind of RPG must be fairly unpopular, at least measured by the amount of games available.
I then tried Neverwinter Nights of which I played the first chapter a couple of years ago. And what a boring game it was. I wonder why I even bothered to finish it. The first chapter is okay, but it gets so repetitive and tedious afterwards (during too), because the levels aren't particularly well designed and there isn't much variation, especially regarding the dungeons and caves. What made it worse was the gameplay. I dislike this kind of top-down horde combat Diablo games. Everything felt so shallow: average story, text-based dialogue with close to no variation (as in hardly any unique NPCs), mostly stupid and useless henchmen, xp and levelling system that seemed utterly ineffective, and hordes of monsters everywhere. The monster design was somewhat nice and varied, though.
Then Fable, ostensibly "the best RPG in the last few years." Well, fuck it. This isn't an RPG, it's just some mediocre consolized action game. Calling the missions quests, using a rudimentary skill increase function and adding an awkward inventory menu doesn't bridge the gap. The game consists of small and confined (yes, sometimes you can't leave the path even if there is no visible obstacle) levels in which the enemy hordes respawn every time you return. At least there are teleporters. Again a dull story and both story and regular quests exclusively focus on getting through the levels by killing everything, and if just to ensure the survival of the dumb-ass NPCs. Speaking of which, this game felt as lifeless as NWN with its unresponsive NPCs and whatever it was the developers and press creamed about concerning the choice of good and evil, I must have missed it since none of my actions seemed to have any considerable impact. Everybody liked me regardless of how many times I farted/threatened/killed them. After defeating some boss. Jack of Blades, in an annoying fight which took me around 50 (!) health potions, I quit and uninstalled. Again, I should have done that a lot earlier.
Then tried Oblivion only to realize that it indeed mainly focuses on first person view (third person being awkward at best) and how poorly the NPC models look. Uninstalled it again after ten minutes.
So yeah, I guess games suck more than I expected. Total Speedyism atm. An impatient search for RPGs similar to the Gothic series/Morrowind/Ultima 9 even/etc turned out there are hardly any. Pretty dismal, though I guess I should have known.
I don't really care for the upcoming G3 addon as it doesn't seem to offer anything too special (using the old world, albeit modified), so it's G4 then or the new PB game? Who knows. Until then, I keep on hating a bit :)
Two Games:
#2197 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/09 21:22:47
For programmers:
http://www.gameroo.nl/games/light-...
For negke:
http://rephial.org/
I couldn't really get into it, but I haven't had time to give it a decent go yet.
Ijed
#2198 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/10/09 22:16:29
cooool !
NWN
#2199 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/10/09 22:38:50
i had a lot of trouble enjoying the NWN 1/2 games. i never played the dungeons and dragons game when i was a kid, but i don't think the gameplay from the dice game works at all in a computer game.
some of the shit in there is downright retarded, ie: getting instantly killed from a spell? o.0
trying to slog through the NWN2 addon, mask of the betrayer, and it's just even more annoying.
the fights are downright impossible unless you spend 30 seconds before every fight using every possible buff you have. buffs should only help tip the odds in your favour, not be required to even be able to have a chance at winning.
also, what is the deal with wizards only being able to cast a certain number of spells before they have to 'rest' again? especially in MotB where you'll fight maybe a group of 5 guys and they all have maybe 400hp. a wizard type character needs to rest every other fight because even the most powerful spells only do maybe 25% damage. this is all on easy skill to, btw.
Neg!ke
#2200 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/10/09 23:55:31
G3 Forsaken Gods dude.
G3 totally hits the mark for me despite the combat and bugs. It just feels like a world and never ceases to convince me.
You tried Guild Wars?? Don't have to MMORPG it at all, can do everything with computer controlled henchmen. I found it pretty damn involving and a pretty damn good RPG experience.
Gothic 3
#2201 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/10/10 01:13:01
after finally picking up a bunch more ram, i can play this game properly and it's shaping up to be one of the best rpgs i've played in a while now.
combat is a little annoying though. getting stunlocked by shitty wolves sucks. in fact, fighting animals is more difficult that facing a gigantic orc warrior.
Ijed: Programmers Game
#2202 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/10/10 09:11:31
I'm stucked in level 12... any idea to solve it ?
Fable
#2203 posted by nitin [124.168.81.195] on 2008/10/10 12:38:02
I liked it, but thats probably because you're right and it isnt really an rpg as I dont really like them (same for diablo2).
#2204 posted by negke [82.83.23.105] on 2008/10/10 14:57:08
necros: Yeah. And damn those traps everywhere. Felt like I spent almost half the playtime waiting for paralysis, stun or fear to wear off while the monsters happily slaughtered me. At some point I just stopped looting bodies and chests (unless I expected quest items) because of this.. and the 400k+ gold I already had from selling all unusable weapons/armors.
As for G3, be sure to install the latest community patch.
Shambler: I'm going to get Forsaken Gods anyway. Just don't expect much. Apparently they improved the combat system though.
I might give GW a try, however their demo key faggotry isn't helpful. The screenshots look good, but I'm not convinced enough to just buy it without testing.
ijed: Nethack! :P
nitin: There are multiple kinds of RPGs, e.g. Diablo clones (which I don't like either) with bird perspective and party-based horde combat and ones in which you play a solitary character with a close 3rd person perspective, less focus on action and more on atmosphere. I prefer the latter.
JPL
#2205 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/10 17:03:04
I can't remember where I got up to - the level with the long lines of squares set in troughs and peaks.
If it's there then there needs to be some sort of recalling series of functions so you don't run out of space, but I haven't figured out how to fit it all in yet.
I Can't Remember The #, I Mean
#2206 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/10 17:03:29
Ijed
#2207 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2008/10/10 17:45:21
This one you mentionned is indeed level 12, and it is particularly evil: you need to build a function of function, and then it can work according to an office collegue, but I still didn't figure how... He just told that it has to be cut in 2 half part of each segment.
OTOH, he was not able to solve level 13, and I solved it for him...
Globally if you don't see the "obvious" solution directly, you can spend a lot of time before finding... sometime not finding at all :P
Anyway, it is a good puzzle game for programmers for sure :D
Thanks !!!
Yeah
#2208 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/10 22:23:11
I'm still stuck on that one as well - it's the turning inside the functions that's the problem. A third function to call would solve it, or being able to recall the main loop.
I've got a suspicion that you have to go horizontally instead of vertically because then the steps are divisible by two instead of seven.
Is There Any Way
#2209 posted by bambuz [91.152.86.10] on 2008/10/11 01:36:35
to skip straight to a level without having to play all the tutorial maps...
Well
#2210 posted by bambuz [91.152.86.10] on 2008/10/11 02:12:00
level 11 wasn't that hard, i had 5 unused programming spaces...
K
#2211 posted by bambuz [91.152.86.10] on 2008/10/11 02:19:08
Completed the game with 184 commands.
Pretty fun. Level 10 was the hardest for me.
I ended up doing very versatile functions, since you can put lots of extra walking in since you can't walk off ledges.
Forever Tangerine Dream
#2212 posted by stevenaaus [220.245.180.139] on 2008/10/12 22:59:33
The Forever GZDoom mod is pretty trippy. Not really playing it much, but the music in data.pk3 is very synth heavy... @distrans.
Screenshots:
http://www.foreverhood.com/d_wal.h...
http://zdoom.org/wiki/Image:Foreve...
Download:
http://www.foreverhood.com/d_for.h...
Listening to it again... I had to go and check that they didn't just rip off Tangerine Dream. Music credits are: Marc A. Pullen, Mike Hansen, Patryck Goodsell, CPX.
Foreverhood...
#2213 posted by metlslime [24.130.121.165] on 2008/10/12 23:24:14
interesting TC... i haven't gotten very far yet, the long dialogs make me impatient.
I Am A Programmer At Heart, Apparently
#2214 posted by mwh [118.93.21.227] on 2008/10/13 04:55:50
Which is good, seeing as that's what pays the bills.
Level 10 was by far the hardest, and the most interesting. I used 183 commands, one fewer than bambuz, fwiw :)
I'm Curious
#2215 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.25] on 2008/10/13 18:07:47
Are there any Zuma fans here? Man this game is destroying my life.
Starbuck,
#2216 posted by JohnXmas [84.72.207.35] on 2008/10/13 19:28:00
I spent nights of my life playing Zuma. Yes. Reaaaly addictive if you ask me. A friend of mine had to trash it from her computer cause it was swallowing all her afterwork time!
I really think you don't become a Zuma fan. If it's in your genes, that's it, you're hooked and there's hardly a cure for it! This game just drove me mad! I too had to remove Zuma from my comp and never installed it again!
Hooga hooga booga! ;)
It's In Your Genes
#2217 posted by Blitz [69.25.132.5] on 2008/10/13 20:31:45
If your chromosomes are XX
Chaser Review
#2218 posted by [Kona] [118.92.200.209] on 2008/10/14 07:34:38
Chaser is an older, forgotten title dug up from the grave. Released in 2003, the game was developed by Cauldron HQ based in Slovakia, using their own CloakNT engine.
The engine was definitely an improvement over competitors such as the Quake 3 / id Tech3 engine. But this is 2003, and id Tech4 is only one year away. Chaser's main competition would have to come from Unreal II, and I'm afraid the two are hardly comparable.
Chaser had a variety of environments, plenty of which looked good such as; the sewers of Little Tokyo, a cold and snowy Soviet Union, the Mars Spaceport and underground Prison. In fact there were a few levels that really reminded me of Quake2, but being reminded of a game five years old isn't saying much for Chaser. The problem is, while there were good looking levels, there was nothing truly spectacular. And on top of that there were plenty of levels that looked well below average. There are too many rooms and corridors that look the same as the last, which makes the game rather disorientating. There were times when I was completely lost, despite the game being very linear.
On to the gameplay; it started off action-packed as you get a weak gun and face a plethora of tough enemies. The guns took some getting used to, as they seemed to lack firepower and substance. It felt like I wasn't holding a real gun, but a little toy that spews millions of rounds a second. And when the enemies get hit nothing really happened. After a while I did get used to the weapons and there are a LOT of weapons to choose from. Ammunition was never a problem, nor was health. Gameplay was in fact very fun, but only if you don't mind reloading aplenty. Your enemies can take you down fast - their weapons are quite powerful, so you need to make sure you kill them quick. The enemies were very repetitive all the way through the game - it might as well have been the same opponent with slightly different guns. But even until I finished the game I still enjoyed the gameplay, despite there being absolutely no big finale - the game just ended. Speaking of which, the disappointing and confusing ending did nothing for the game whatsover.
One last criticism of the game is that there are some parts that are very frustrating. The submarine levels were not only ugly, but disorientating and possibly the worst levels I've ever played in a first person shooter. Fortunately they don't last long, and most of the game is enjoyable. The graphics are a bit outdated and level design can be average at times, but it's still worth playing for the hardcore FPS fan, especially seeing as it's quite a long game.
WoG
#2219 posted by Lunaran [97.87.13.222] on 2008/10/14 15:31:20
Why aren't any of you playing World of Goo yet? This game is awesome. I stayed up far too late last night playing it without realizing - it's one of those games.
The puzzle design and the types of goo are so far extremely awesome, and the game has a very tongue in cheek sense of humor about itself. Intensely cute and squeezable on the surface, but there's an underlying note of sad mystery that really pulls you along, wondering where the bizarre Burtonesque story of these gooballs is going.
I want to play it right now, but I have to wait.
WoG
#2220 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/10/14 16:27:53
Yeah I bought it off steam yesterday, quite fun, should have brought it to work, would help to get through these long boring days... -___-
World Of Goo Bis
#2221 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/10/15 09:04:19
Seems I bought it at the right time, it's released has just been pushed back till february/march 2009 in Europe, so steam has to stop selling it, fortunatly, I already bought it and they can't take it away! =)
Fun little game anyways, smart and funny, I'm dissapointed I can't recommend it to more friends now that they have to wait 4+ months to try it...
Why's The Release Been Pushed Back?
#2222 posted by megaman [92.73.88.143] on 2008/10/15 22:04:51
Leaked Gothic 4 Gameplay Video
#2223 posted by negke [82.83.24.149] on 2008/10/15 22:29:15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSy...
Doesn't show much, though. Apparently one plays a Ninja :P
And Fallout 3 Is Just What I Expected
#2224 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.41] on 2008/10/15 22:37:12
http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/v...
The First Chapter Of Dead Space
#2225 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/15 22:39:52
A cynical and premature review by Lunaran:
This game does pretty much exactly what's advertised: it's Alien, it's Event Horizon, it's Doom3, it's System Shock 2, with glowing idiot-lights on everything, and for a game that aims to be scary, absolutely nothing is unexpected. You play Isaac "Asimov Arthur C" Clarke, the guy lucky enough to be stuck in the work suit that enables him to push buttons and open doors for everyone else while they stand around impatiently reminding him that he hasn't done it yet.
The story is *exactly* what any of us would predict, and I will describe it here without fear of spoiling anything because it's nothing you haven't heard before: giant ship sends out distress signal and goes quiet, tiny ill-equipped repair shuttle arrives to help out but a totally unexpected disaster strikes and the shuttle crash lands on the ship, stranding everyone. The NPCs all lead the player to a bloodstained room that's divided in half by an impenetrable but very large and clean window, which the player conveniently finds himself locked on the other side of when the beasties come out of the air vents and eat everyone except the important characters that will forever remain separated from the player, where it's easiest to give him explicit instructions on where to go and what to do.
Monsters are defeated not by shooting them in their fat torsoish parts, which does nothing, but instead by dismembering them by shooting them in the shoulders and thighs, which is where all their vital organs apparently are. This would be a lot more fun on the PC imo, where, faced with dozens of monsters, you could just click on the aforementioned parts with your mouse instead of struggling to do it to one or two monsters at a time with two twitchy little sticks. Fortunately, the monsters so far are all nice enough to walk in a bowlegged spread-eagle kind of way to make it nice and easy for you, and if you still fuck it up and they get too close (which I admit I let happen a couple times) you can also just punch their limbs off. Your character is seriously the most badass martial artist in any game yet - you can completely disassemble the corpses of monsters and humans alike by stamping on them (with the ridiculously satisfying curbstomp button).
Similarities to Doom3 are almost hilariously common: the guis with lots of diagonal shapes, the semi-useless audio logs of scared whiny people who express frantic concern before being audibly eaten alive, a tram, the shadow that moves at the end of the hall, the bodies that stand up when you get close enough, monsters that only crawl on the ceiling in their canned intro cinematics and then never do it again, and of course the environments. If you still pop a stiffy from space-tech themes, this game should keep you happy for a while, but don't expect anything terribly new conceptually.
You do, however, have a flashlight on your gun (don't celebrate yet) and the only way to see in the dark is to raise your gun and thus go into extra slow walk mode (see I told you).
That said I still kind of want to keep playing because, as brimming with cliche as this game is, I'm still a sucker for this stuff.
Oh Yeah
#2226 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/15 22:43:02
there's monster closets and monsters sometimes appear behind you. No idea how I forgot to put those on the list.
Cheers
#2227 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/15 23:04:37
Now I can continue to feel smug for boycotting EA games.
I'll Add To The Review...
#2228 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/15 23:15:42
having only watched Lunaran play the game, I will mention the horribly cliched setting is at least pretty, with some nice colored lighting choices. Plus, you can curbstomp crates, which I believe made Lun far more giddy then it should've.
Lunaran
#2229 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/15 23:18:27
We had a demo of it at work today. I was not impressed. You could easily predict when the body would rise up in front of you, when you would open a door and a corpse would fall from the ceiling, etc etc.
The combat looks ridiculous. The puzzles look ridiculous. The monsters looks ridiculous (I've only seen two so far though.) The game just looks ridiculous. I could go on about weapons, level design, characters, etc. The whole thing just feels like a glorified haunted house, and it feels very game-y. I didn't feel any immersion whatsoever.
Red space barrels what explode when you shoot them and are placed in convenient areas to dispose of multiple enemies? Check.
I was kind of looking forward to it, but I will probably not be picking this thing up.
You Alterate Feet When Curbstomping
#2230 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/15 23:18:58
so if you just press it over and over you can walk down a hallway pretending to be a big dinosaur
#2231 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/15 23:26:04
I have clearly misjudged this game.
Acheivement Unlocked!
#2232 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/15 23:29:40
Do the Dinosaur Walk for 100feet.
Good Review.
#2233 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/10/16 12:11:48
ROFBBQMAO.
Left 4 Dead Looks Like Fun
#2234 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.124] on 2008/10/16 14:28:34
:D
Yeah
#2235 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/16 15:18:43
But I'll need friends to play it.
Left 4 Dead Gameplay
#2236 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/16 15:20:27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSS...
World Of Goo Demo
#2237 posted by megaman [92.72.2.0] on 2008/10/17 02:45:33
is it full of copy protection spyware rootkit trojans?
#2238 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/17 02:47:30
Get it from steam.
World Of Goo
#2239 posted by Lunaran [75.135.73.11] on 2008/10/17 03:38:17
started to get annoying, then it got worse. I kind of just want to be fucking done with it already.
megaman, your continued paranoiac terror of absolutely everything on the internet continues to amuse me. when are you going to completely snap and go off the grid?
Hmm?
#2240 posted by Bal [81.249.11.163] on 2008/10/17 08:17:28
Where you at Lun? I'm finishng up island 3 and still find it amusing, almost wish the puzzles were a bit harder though.
#2241 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/10/17 11:21:41
So we've gone from world changing experience, to annoying, to just wanting to be fucking done with it. Sounds awesome!
Bwaha Lun
#2242 posted by megaman [92.73.90.247] on 2008/10/17 15:10:45
that made me laugh out loud :D
maybe it's because i know a lot of stuff :P
xss that takes over your badly configured router? check. xss that acts as a proxy so the attacker can use your line for requests? check. [...]
Bal
#2243 posted by Lunaran [75.135.73.11] on 2008/10/17 16:16:18
Every time they teach you a new goo type you use it for like two puzzles and then it's on to the next new thing. The concepts are never built upon or exploited, so instead they have to ramp up difficulty by making every puzzle a new gimmick like "NOW build a tower on a tilty platform that heaves your entire wobbly painstaking creation into the lava at the slightest provocation" instead of exploring where the depth really is.
I quit last night because I finally got my balloon-driven goo tiltawhirl thing to lean over to the pipe the right way, but it stopped in exactly the wrong spot for the pipe to start vaccuuming, but still close enough for all the remaining goo to want to jump to the pipe, so I thought I had finally beaten the level and instead was treated to the sight of every last one of my gooballs leaping gleefully to their deaths. fuck off world of goo.
#2244 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/10/17 16:18:31
"Why aren't any of you playing World of Goo yet? This game is awesome. I stayed up far too late last night playing it without realizing - it's one of those games.
The puzzle design and the types of goo are so far extremely awesome, and the game has a very tongue in cheek sense of humor about itself. Intensely cute and squeezable on the surface, but there's an underlying note of sad mystery that really pulls you along, wondering where the bizarre Burtonesque story of these gooballs is going.
I want to play it right now, but I have to wait."
:P
World Of Poo
#2245 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.22] on 2008/10/17 17:14:54
It is cute, but after seeing wobbly-bobbly eyes for more than 10 minutes you might want to pinch them. The sounds are cute too but after a while each "weeeee! woooooo!" and "bloolooobloobiboo?" makes me wanna hit the monitor. Not to mention the dumpa-dumpa-dumpa 20 second "music" loop (is it my imagination or is the sound compressed as fuck? I really get a headache from it.) that is full-on ear and brain penetration.
The art style ranges from "oh nice" over "lol <3 *snugglez u* deviantart-emo" to "please let me kill that thing".
The tongue in cheek humour might be ok if it was done occasionally and well (anyone remember how fantastic the Monkey Island series did this?) but it seems the whole concept of the game is "lol we are so > lololol that we are totally awesome and indie and shit".
The levels were either boring or frustrating so far. The one I am at (Red Carpet) took me several attempts to even figure out what to do because there was no fucking visual feedback on some thing (you'll know if you play(ed) it) suggesting the first idea that comes to mind won't work. But then it does, hohoho.
All in all, play random free puzzle games, you won't miss anything. That being said, just one more level, then I quit.
World Of Poo
#2246 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.22] on 2008/10/17 17:14:54
It is cute, but after seeing wobbly-bobbly eyes for more than 10 minutes you might want to pinch them. The sounds are cute too but after a while each "weeeee! woooooo!" and "bloolooobloobiboo?" makes me wanna hit the monitor. Not to mention the dumpa-dumpa-dumpa 20 second "music" loop (is it my imagination or is the sound compressed as fuck? I really get a headache from it.) that is full-on ear and brain penetration.
The art style ranges from "oh nice" over "lol <3 *snugglez u* deviantart-emo" to "please let me kill that thing".
The tongue in cheek humour might be ok if it was done occasionally and well (anyone remember how fantastic the Monkey Island series did this?) but it seems the whole concept of the game is "lol we are so > lololol that we are totally awesome and indie and shit".
The levels were either boring or frustrating so far. The one I am at (Red Carpet) took me several attempts to even figure out what to do because there was no fucking visual feedback on some thing (you'll know if you play(ed) it) suggesting the first idea that comes to mind won't work. But then it does, hohoho.
All in all, play random free puzzle games, you won't miss anything. That being said, just one more level, then I quit.
Thanks For Pointing That Out Again Willem
#2247 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/17 21:07:30
My opinion of the game changed the more I played it. Why is that unusual? The first half of the game presented a lot of character and opportunity for depth that the second half didn't bring to fruition.
My opinion of you keeps changing, too.
#2248 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/10/17 21:14:21
I love watching people get sucked into hype and then having the joy crushed from their bodies, spraying from every available orifice. It pleases me.
Well
#2249 posted by Bal [90.35.57.79] on 2008/10/17 21:17:41
I'm nearing the end and I'm not nearly as negative about it as Lun and Spirit. I still think it's funny and fun (yeah those are 2 different things). I agree that they could have pushed the puzzles further, they all feel fairly easy to me and never really posed much of a challenge.
#2250 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/17 21:48:58
The more I see of Far Cry 2 the more it gives me wet dreams. I was considering holding off on this game until after I play Fallout 3 but I just don't know if I can wait until then.
It just looks fucking bad ass.
Farcry2
#2251 posted by Bal [90.35.57.79] on 2008/10/17 22:12:55
Yeah it looks more interesting than Crysis anyways, but I'm careful with Ubisoft games these days, they know how to promote them, and I often end up dissapointed.
Won't be buying it right away anyways, cause once again they are being idiots and decided that they would not do a Steam release in Europe, bastards.
The Medical Community Will Catch On
#2252 posted by Blitz [69.25.132.5] on 2008/10/17 22:36:21
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217...
#2253 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/17 22:46:50
Why is anyone tasting Lunaran? :(
I suspect it was done without his knowledge and/or consent.
#2254 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2008/10/17 22:50:58
Isn't he more towards the middle there? *ducks*
Ahhhhh
#2255 posted by Blitz [69.25.132.5] on 2008/10/17 23:40:11
Damn. Brutal. Brutal
#2256 posted by Lunaran [24.158.1.74] on 2008/10/18 00:25:55
I love watching people get sucked into hype and then having the joy crushed from their bodies, spraying from every available orifice. It pleases me.
no wonder you work for Epic.
#2257 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/18 01:03:05
Oh snap!
I'm With
#2258 posted by megaman [92.72.15.231] on 2008/10/18 02:18:49
willem on this one :D
#2259 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/10/18 11:53:13
LOL
#2260 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/10/18 11:56:50
Lun
BTW, sorry about going after you like that. I guess I was feeling down or bored yesterday but that's no excuse. So, I do apologize.
We had the Gears of War 2 gold party last night and I drank my attitude away. Best. Gold party. Ever.
Sometimes Lunaran Reminds Me Of
#2261 posted by negke [82.83.57.97] on 2008/10/18 14:18:39
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/h...
#2262 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/10/18 14:54:23
http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/h...
Your JPG link doesn't work for some reason.
World Of Goo Review
#2263 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/19 22:29:18
You may have already seen it elsewhere.
http://roguelikedeveloper.blogspot...
I Think...
#2264 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/10/20 00:23:25
...some of these debates sound more fun than the games do.
Tasha's Game
#2265 posted by metlslime [67.180.230.20] on 2008/10/21 09:57:26
a careful mix of 8-bit retro essence and modern flash-game-ishness.
http://www.doublefine.com/news.php...
Thief: Deadly Shadows Review
#2266 posted by [Kona] [118.92.139.248] on 2008/10/22 05:08:16
Released in 2004, Thief: Deadly Shadows is the third game in the series. However, this time it was developed by Ion Storm Austin, after Looking Glass Studios closed doors.
I played the original Thief demo in 1998 but didn't particularly enjoy sneaking around in shadows, so I never played the full game or it's sequel. But with Thief 3 based on a heavily modifed Unreal 2 engine, I decided I could put up with some slow gameplay in order to explore the gorgeous Victorian city.
I'm glad I did too, because it was very well designed. After playing through Enclave and now Thief 3, I've been spoiled with highly detailed, tight and twisting little levels. The FPS genre needs more games in this style, rather than modern war or sci-fi themes. Every level in this game looks great, and there is just enough variety in there so that you don't get sick of the town theme. Level highlights were the short but foreboding haunted, rotting ship full of zombies. But it was an insane asylum slash orphanage which wins the award for spookiest level I've ever played. You help a ghostly little girl try to escape the asylum, playing from present time to back in the past through the eyes of one of the insane patients. Very, very well done.
Due to the level of sneaking around in shadows and trying not to be seen, this brings a whole new level of suspense to first person shooters (if you can call this that), which even horror games like Undying couldn't do. If you get seen and have to engage in a fight you're going to take a lot of damage, which means you really can't treat this as an action game. The style of gameplay works well, but I did wish at times I could just run in and shoot everything and be done with it. Instead, you can easily spend ten minutes in an area trying to knock each opponent out.
The game ends up being very long, perhaps around twenty hours which is double your average action FPS. Unfortunately, you spend a great deal of time returning to levels you've already played through over and over again. Made worse by the fact that your maps are useless and the levels are very non-linear, so you can easily get lost in the streets which often lack distinguishable features.
The biggest problem with the game were the loading times. On a fairly new system brought for gaming (8800GT, 3ghz Intel Core 2 Duo) you don't expect loading times of 20 seconds on a game that is four years old, featuring relatively small levels. Every time I'd sneak up behind an enemy ready to knock them out, only for them to slightly turn at the last second or the character not swinging the bat properly (it happens a lot!) I get to sit through another 20 seconds of loading. Also Garrett, the main character, acts like a complete drunk sometimes with the way he moves - and his ability to jump even a foot high object is laughable.
Another big probably was over 15 hours into the game, my saved games corrupted themselves and I lost everything. Fortunately, someone had put all their saved games on the internet for me to play from.
Overall, Thief: Deadly Shadows features some fantastic little levels, enjoyable gameplay and a great storyline. But you need to be a patient person to sit through 20 hours of creeping in the shadows.
Far Cry 2
#2267 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/23 04:43:19
About 2 hours or so into this game. FUcking bad ass game so far. Almost like a FPS GTA or something. Really bad ass.
Only complaint so far: Every character in the game talks fast. They sound unbelievable. It wouldn't kill them to talk a little more normal.
Otherwise it's super awesome so far.
#2268 posted by SysShK2 Fan [78.2.122.61] on 2008/10/23 05:25:50
Great, seems the designers picked a bit of everything, mish-mashed it and there you go! We have a winner...! Hey! What about freakish voices like "the many" or somethin'? Got that too?
Zwiffle
#2269 posted by nitin [203.217.80.192] on 2008/10/23 10:34:41
and how does it run?
#2270 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/23 15:16:18
I haven't had a hickup yet. I'm debating trying to turn the graphics up even higher. I didn't bother seeing what all had changed, I just selected the 'High' graphics option, out of like 5 options, but you can change everything individually if you want.
Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0 GHz
2 Gigs Ram
9800 GTX
Faster, And More Intense
#2271 posted by Lunaran [68.115.32.96] on 2008/10/23 16:08:04
I really shouldn't be this cynical but it's far too easy for me to picture someone on one side of the glass in a recording session saying "Can you say it faster? We only have 200mb for audio data on the disc."
Old Games
#2272 posted by Sh0CI<€D [78.2.103.160] on 2008/10/23 17:47:32
Any of you know about some great horror games like SS2 with the same elements?
Sorry; by the way - Hello all!
SS Can Mean
#2273 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.82] on 2008/10/23 23:29:56
System Shock
or
Serious Sam
or
Perhaps something else.
Serious Sam, Any Horror Elements?
#2274 posted by HeadThump [4.136.90.82] on 2008/10/23 23:30:50
Seriously, I haven't played it.
Yup
#2275 posted by RickyT23 [90.213.8.248] on 2008/10/24 00:41:59
sort of.
its all a bit tongue-in-cheek though...
There Are
#2276 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2008/10/24 00:44:57
skeletons (oddly fiend-shaped, btw.)
I believe he meant System Shock though.
I thought BioShock was pretty awesome, pretty moody. Others thought otherwise (generally those that played System Shock 2 were let down.) But seriously give it a spin.
I Liked Bioshock A LOT
#2277 posted by RickyT23 [90.213.8.248] on 2008/10/24 02:00:23
but you can't really call it old...
Far Cry 2
#2278 posted by negke [82.82.163.176] on 2008/10/24 12:35:38
aka Bloom - The Game. Seems to run fine on my machine (2.6, x1950pro, 2GB), even on high settings. Though I haven't gotten into a larger firefight or vast open area, yet - played only one hour so far.
The extreme bloom sucks. The introductory sequence was basically almost completely white. Problem is, without bloom the game is too dark. But with bloom enabled it's too bright and everything looks somewhat shabby if the details (shadows etc) are not set to ultra-high.
What Zwiffle said. Feels a bit like a GTA game indeed. And yes, the characters do talk very fast. Considering there's a console version too, I can see why. ;)
Stalker Clear Sky
#2279 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/24 13:49:24
Bought this.
Like the Graphics, and the free-roaming, the tackling people for loot stuff, the atmosphere etc.
Dont like: (deep breath)
The fact that people no-longer carry money. (wasn't there money when you searched bodies before?)
The fact that many "missions" are broken and incompletable
The fact that it KEEPS CRASHING TO THE DESKTOP REGARDLESS OF WHICHEVER PATCH IS APPLIED, OR EVEN COMMUNITY "FIXES" WHICH DONT WORK EITHER.
Fucking waste of £30.
Yeah
#2280 posted by negke [82.82.181.88] on 2008/10/24 14:16:44
I gave it a last chance when the fifth patch was released. But alas, the game still crashed. And not only that - it also gave me my first ever bluescreen on XP. Didn't even know there were such things. Lowering the video settings seems to increase the stability somewhat, but why play on low settings only because a game is so poorly made.
NPCs never carried lootable money, I think. They only had some to buy stuff from you. Ricky, have you played SOC? If not, you should - it's much less frustrating.
I Did Buy/play SoC
#2281 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/24 14:27:47
And found similar problems. Although I found the missions to be a bit more stable. I've been debating playing it again, because I hear there's the "Oblivion: Lost" mod, or something, which basically fixes everything.
The thing is I paid £5 for SoC, and din't feel ripped off at all! Yet today I see that Far Cry 2 is out, even in the shops in my tiny town, and if I had known that CS was going to be such a fucking cock-tease let down, I would have waited and bough that instead.
I paid £4 for Far Cry 1 a few months back, and really enjoyed it! I would definately pay £30 for FC2, simply on the basis of my experience of the first game.
There have been a few releases of late which caught my eye, and more just over the horizon:
Crysis - Warhead
Stalker CS (GRRRRRR!)
Far Cry 2
and soon
Fallout 3
Of those four, why did I have to buy the shit one?!?!
Crysis Warhead
#2282 posted by negke [82.82.179.111] on 2008/10/24 14:34:40
Ah yes, played this recently, too.
While it was pretty short, had an anti-climatic ending and no map that really stood out, I somehow enjoyed it more than Crysis. Kind of odd really. Maybe because the Psycho character had such a cool accent.
Gameplay is pretty much the same as in Crysis, only more linear. Half-way through, there's a train ride sequence with turrent combat which seemed to be the most special or new aspect of the game as compared to its predecessor, but I didn't like it that much.
The performance was better than in Crysis on high settings. I suppose that was because many environmental details were turned into mapobjects with a limited distance of visibility - as a result, all those things, e.g. stones, constantly popped up some 10 meters before me as I was moving forward. Looked pretty silly, but I could live with it regarding the potential perfomance boost.
Ricky
#2283 posted by negke [82.82.179.111] on 2008/10/24 14:35:52
Don't worry, they all suck in one way or another.
Crysis Warhead
#2284 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/10/24 15:20:44
Despite the game being gorgeous, I just can't play through it, it's sooooooo boring. =\
ClearSky
#2285 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/10/24 19:25:51
i tried it, but there's some wierd bug with the AI... the game would run smooth when no npcs were 'chasing me' but as soon as i entered into combat with npcs, the game would keep slowing down as if the AI searching was doing something wrong.
What Pisses Me Off Though
#2286 posted by RickyT23 [90.213.8.248] on 2008/10/24 21:28:20
is the fact that I have this game that has been released in a state where it is in-completable. I read one review today which said that it was almost reviewed without even being completed.
I mean the game has a story. I would quite like to see how it pans out! And it's not because my machine isn't up to scratch!
I really feel ripped off. It's like buying a car only to find that that you can't drive it.
Where do I go to demand my money back?
Good Warning
#2287 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/10/24 23:01:37
Doom3 crashes my PC for some reason and I haven't bothered to fix it yet - got sucked back into DOW.
So I can't play through Doom3 again, irritating.
Far Cry 2
#2288 posted by negke [82.82.160.182] on 2008/10/27 10:59:00
Played some more (25-30%).
The engine is kind of nice. It's a vast open world with fast loading times and no perceivanble in-between loading (except when fast-travelling). Details and theme are generally good, but it also looks very samey in many places. Buildings and areas of special interest often feel too artificially cluttered, messy and worn-down.
I wonder what Stalker could've been like with this engine, though I guess its large industrial ruins crammed with details would have had to be drastically simplified.
A cool feature is the spreading of fire from explosions and molotov cocktails to grass and trees which sometimes burns semi-large areas. The water doesn't look so good. There isn't even splashing or ripple when walking/driving through and when bullets hit the surface.
What really sucks is the fact that the player can't jump over many obstacles that don't look insurmountable. This is particularly annoying if one has to walk around rock formations or along riverbanks for some time only because so much stuff is unclimbable (even if there's no risk of getting stuck or whatever).
I like that there's no crosshair (optional - disabled by default) and no permanent HUD.
The game's main problem, however, is that it becomes somewhat boring quickly, because the missions are repetitive and there's not much going on in terms of main story yet. Maybe it picks up later on, but so far I don't find it overly immersive. Could also be a bit related to obvious elements of consolization.
Also, perhaps I missed something, but what exactly does this game have to do with Far Cry? I mean, it would be cool if suddenly monsters dropped in for an "ah, right" reaction, but I doubt this is going to happen. Wouldn't be so bad really, it might spice the combats up, as enemy (and buddy) AI is average at best. More often than not, enemies just stand there waiting for me to pick them off, or they crash their cars back and forth into every wall or object available. Though it can also make for some laughs: one of my buddies once ran up a cliff, telling me to follow her or something and then suddenly jumped down and died. Maybe it was a hint at things to come?
Far Cry 2
#2289 posted by Bal [82.124.152.197] on 2008/10/27 11:08:58
Yeah, I agree with most of what negke just said.
Guess it's a bit similar to Assassin's Creed in that aspect, there seems to be alot going for it when you first start off, but you quickly realise that it doesn't have much depth. It really lacks mission diversity.
A few other complaints I have with it are:
The headbob when you run is just horrible, makes my head hurt when I run too much.
The way they integrated the map is interesting, as the player actually takes it out like a weapon, but when you're looking for something (like diamonds) it's always in your face and really annoying, I'd much rather have a minimap.
The dissapearing HUD is ok, but not for me, I'd rather have that info visible at all time + a minimap.
All in all it's not a bad game, plenty of fun to be had, but it gets boring long before you reach the end. As the comparison is inevitable, I think it's a better game than Crysis / Crysis Warhead, even though the engine isn't as pretty.
Hmm
#2290 posted by negke [82.82.176.156] on 2008/10/27 11:41:59
I like the headbobbing and blurring. Somehow feels more realistic (dunno if it is).
The animations are nice too, e.g. unjamming a gun, getting into vehicles, map view inside the cars.. Nothing special really, but for some reason I always tend to compare such things to HL2's telekinesis thing.
Agree about the map taking up too much of the view - it should be lowered to the bottom of the screen when moving.
Fired Up SoC Last Night
#2291 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/27 11:57:14
With:
"Oblivion: Lost 2.2"
and
"Worldwide patch 1.0005"
It Works!!! No CTD yet, my gun shoots straight, people die when you shoot them.
Also the main improvement is the mutant presence. Makes the game feel more exciting and unpredictable, some of the mutants are fucking scary!
I just hope they hurry up and do the same thing for Clear Sky. It is pathetic that it takes community members a couple of years to finish a game which should have been finished in the first place.
Far Cry 2 - saw it for £25 in Morrisons supermarket. Probably decide I can afford it on Thursday....
Far Cry 2
#2292 posted by Bal [83.204.159.228] on 2008/10/27 13:40:28
Yeah, the animations are great, Ubisoft have some really talented animators (this is also vissible in the Prince of Persia games and Assassin's Creed).
I pick up used guns just to watch the unjamming animation.
Far Cry 2
#2293 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/10/27 14:23:32
So far negke is pretty correct. I, however, really like the engine. I think the world is one of the most beautiful I've seen. I often find myself not paying attention and just looking at the world and end up getting shot or driving off road.
Other than that, the missions are just "go here, kill people" so far, but the firefights are usually really intense. My experience is different from negke's, where enemies have flanked me to smoke me out, and have tried to drag wounded soldiers back out of the firefight. Maybe there's a difference in AI when playing on different skill settings?
So far I've had a bunch of "whoa" moments where something unexpected happened.
Last night while trying to destroy a convoy AK47s I blew up the truck with a grenade, first by stopping the convoy which were all gathered together on the side of the road. After killing the soldiers, I threw a grenade under the truck. I thought I was far enough away but because all the trucks were so close together the explosion was huge and sent one of the trucks way into the air, crashing down on my head.
I was pissed. :(
ROFL@This!
#2294 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/27 17:11:07
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
I actually think this guy has played it too, y'know...
&This
#2295 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/27 17:17:47
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
Fallout 3 Out Today!
#2296 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/10/31 12:41:13
I saw it in a shop and everything. Wanna buy it. So far I've resisted the temptation. Im re-playing SoC ATM, so I'll wait. To many good games = no time for mapping. (Which is still trickling along BTW)
I Heard It Was Shit :(
#2297 posted by DaZ [80.41.161.119] on 2008/10/31 15:38:44
from a lot of different places. Though to be honest most of the people complaining were die-hard fallout - fallout 2 fans.
Im firmly on the fence on this one, if they release a demo (which I think they are not) then I will give it a go.
Fallout3
#2298 posted by ijed [190.20.84.224] on 2008/10/31 16:01:20
But it's getting 'universal acclaim' over on metacritic. Most of those scoring lower saying they wanted to play another game, the typical whiney bullshit
<rant>
It's your fucking job to play games, deal with it. If you don't want to play a tennis game tough shit, you're getting paid to do it, don't write a bad review because you want to play a footbal game.
</rant>
And it sounds alot better than the usual tripe.
But $50 in these hard times . . .
Yeah
#2299 posted by Kinn [81.151.107.23] on 2008/10/31 20:26:22
i would agree that 99% of the negativity towards Fallout 3 seems to be coming from Fallout1/2 fanboy faggots, bitter that Bethesda have stamped their trademark approach on it. That said, I wish Bethesda would just cough up and hire some fuckers who can animate worth a damn.
Agreed
#2300 posted by DaZ [80.41.161.119] on 2008/10/31 20:43:33
"I wish Bethesda would just cough up and hire some fuckers who can animate worth a damn"
Yeah, they really do not seem to have improved the animations at all from the standard they had in Oblivion, which to be fair was wooden at best.
I also heard (dont know if its true) that Fallout 3 has a "point of no return" similar to the Stalker games, so if you are buying FA3 for the sandbox game, be wary of that and do some research to avoid disappointment.
Now then, Dead Space pc controls are fucked up I hear, far cry 2 looks pretty but is dull in the gameplay department, is the only thing to look forward to this Christmas Left 4 Dead?
Sigh
#2301 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/11/01 01:54:05
I wish Bethesda would just cough up and hire some fuckers who can animate worth a damn
man, i was really hoping it wouldn't be another repeat of this. oblivion animations sucked. morrowind animations sucked. you think these guys would learn-- or are they somehow not aware that their animators are shit?
I'm Probably Just Not Paying Attention
#2302 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/11/01 02:12:22
...to the anims, but I played for a while last night and am thoroughly enjoying it so far (just exited the vault-slash-training area).
I'm biased though; I've never played a Bethsoft RPG I haven't enjoyed--I even got a kick out of the horribly broken auto-generated dungeons in Daggerfall. :)
They've reportedly fixed one of the biggest shit parts of Oblivion, which was the auto-leveling enemies. The VATS turn-based combat option is interesting...
I suspect I'll sink a silly number of hours into this.
The Sad Thing Is
#2303 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/11/01 03:17:11
it's probably the best post-ap game for a while, so i'll probably end up playing it anyway.
Same
#2304 posted by ijed [190.20.84.224] on 2008/11/01 05:14:54
Finished FC2
#2305 posted by negke [82.82.182.251] on 2008/11/01 11:08:09
The main story line anyway. At some point I stopped caring for any side missions and just tried to get through as quickly as possible. I found the game pretty boring to be honest. It's fun for the first few hours, but then it's basically just more of the same, with no variation and highlights. Just drive around and kill someone or destroy something on the other side of the map, then return and do pretty much the same mission for the rival faction. At least there were some nice-looking spots (e.g. that village)
I couldn't care less for the story - it felt shallow and tacked-on. None of the player's actions seem to have any impact.
A pity, as the game has some potential which isn't properly made use of. Or maybe I expected too much.
I found Uzi/silenced MP5+sniper riffle+heavy machinegun to be a good weapon combo, btw.
Also, the only game I played with subtitles on. :P
L4D
#2306 posted by Bal [86.205.49.220] on 2008/11/01 11:13:22
The intro is delicious!
http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?s...
True
#2307 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/11/01 14:34:35
that looks fantastic
Negke
#2308 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/01 15:39:04
Yeah, I'm kind of the same way. I just got done with the 2nd barge mission, kind of struggling to continue on. It was really cool at first, but somehow turned into Assassin's Creed: Africa more or less.
Also, hate how you can't stop certain things from happening, even though your reputation with those people is super high.
Holy Fuck
#2309 posted by ijed [190.20.67.81] on 2008/11/01 17:49:03
L4D!
Finished Dead Space
#2310 posted by BlackDog [58.7.149.248] on 2008/11/02 09:15:28
It was pretty damn good. I was unimpressed with the storyline and some of the poorly conceived set pieces, but the meat of the game is a fine, atmospheric shooter set in some of the best tech-themed environments I've seen.
Combat is tense, careful, and somewhat idiosyncratic. Instead of sprinting around blasting stuff, you stand your ground and place planes on damage into the enemy as they charge you. It works well, and the rather gory results are very satisfying.
There are mouse control issues, silly bits and endless shameless wallowing in cliche, but I enjoyed the heck out of this game.
Tested Assassin's Creed
#2311 posted by JPL [82.255.6.127] on 2008/11/02 14:04:43
Fucking good game, very good visuals, nice concept, nice details, mega map are awesome !!.. Only complain, finger combos needed for playre control... took me some time to understand how it worked..;
I have now to finish it, and buy another PC that will support high resolution mode...
JPL
#2312 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/02 15:51:31
Assassin's Creed starts out good. But the game gets fucking repetitive as hell.
ALL of the missions are identical to the first one. So you basically play the same damn thing 9 times (or however many times it takes you to beat the game.)
I think I'm on mission 5, and I just got bored of doing the same thing time and time again. The gameplay wasn't good enough to support that.
Zwiffle
#2313 posted by JPL [82.255.6.127] on 2008/11/02 16:51:35
Maybe you're right as I just progressed till Damascus, and just enter the city... but in anyway, it was quite good... Well, if it is as repetitive as you said, I understand your point of view, however, the fact you can explore many areas of the map, is IMHO very good... and if you take your time exploring, I think you can find something out cool... though...
#2314 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/02 18:03:38
It'd be better if they had more of those free-running missions. If you haven't had one yet, those are pretty good. You have to run around following a stream of flags to collect. Those are pretty good missions simply because they capitalize on the strengths of the game - mainly the free running and exploring parts of the game instead of the combat, stalking, etc. If they had more of those it might have kept my interest longer.
Like Crackdown
#2315 posted by RickyT23 [82.2.91.159] on 2008/11/02 19:49:33
Far Cry 2 First Impressions
#2316 posted by DaZ [80.41.161.119] on 2008/11/03 01:56:50
1st of all I was quite happy to find that it runs fairly well on my ageing system (2.8ghz single core, 8800gts, 2gb ram) on medium settings, while still looking very acceptable! Its not fantastic but pretty much a constant 25-35 fps and no loading pauses.
Weapons feel nice and meaty, good explosions and sound effects.
The African theme is great, and incorporates tropical, desert and savannah themed areas into a large open world.
Missions are simple but effective, go here and kill this variety, but leave it up to you how you go about it, much like the original Far Cry. The annoying thing is that usually the objective is on the other side of the world from you no matter what you end up accepting. I dont mind a quick drive to complete missions but its quite annoying to have to drive for 10 minutes to do every single mission.
The weapon unlock and armoury thing is pretty nicely done and encourages you to go out and explore to find diamonds. The annoying thing is that once you've expended your ammo for your Uber weapons you have to pick up some shitty ak47 to complete the rest of the mission, unless your lucky enough to find replacement ammo or another arms dealer close to your objective.
The way fire spreads is very cool, but using it as an actual aid during gameplay seems to take a back seat 90% of the time.
Not tried the editor yet, but I've seen some vids of it and it looks fantastic!
FO3!
#2317 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/11/03 02:25:57
Love it!
http://d.imagehost.org/0626/scampi...
Where else can you be a business man cowboy?
http://d.imagehost.org/0403/minigu...
Where else can you sit atop a hill, watching the sun set with your minigun?
http://d.imagehost.org/0298/gunslo...
Where else can you find an insane amount of guns in an old military building?
http://d.imagehost.org/0200/lolcow...
And where else, pray tell, can you meet a playboy with a two headed cow head with party hats?
Zwiffle
#2318 posted by JPL [82.252.47.81] on 2008/11/03 11:47:49
I agree: having more open area with more free-running mission, like getting rewards the more you explorate the map would have been better.. In anyway, the game is visually really impressive. The eagle eye on top of the towers is really cool. Maybe more combo in fights would have been better, while on PC it is a nightmare to handle the player... you need at least 11 fingers :P
Anyway, I understand better why it has been so well ranked when the game has been released: it is really worth playing, while repetitive...
Spore Prototypes
#2319 posted by bambý [91.152.86.10] on 2008/11/03 11:50:01
Were sciencey and complex. It was dumbed down.
http://forum.spore.com/jforum/post...
Fo3
#2320 posted by Ernesto [78.37.174.205] on 2008/11/04 00:42:52
yeah fallout3 is great, despite some flaws (I can live with wooden anims, but UI design and some controls are pretty bad) And being less RPG than originals its still much more than a shallow sandbox game(Asscreed etc). Its a huge post-apocal world with tonn of fun to be had. And you can play it just like an FPS.
Playing Fo3
#2321 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/11/04 10:38:55
and to add to the earlier animations comment:
it's not that the animations themselves are bad (although some really are that bad) but that the method which they move the models is extremely poor.
it's basically the same system i remember from morrowind. something simple like pressing forward and strafing makes your character slide to the side instead of properly orienting the legs and hips. it's just really old tech for such a big-name game. also, the speed at which the model moves isn't related to the actual animation at all.
they added IK, which is nice, but they didn't follow through and integrate the IK into the movement speed. hell, even Doom3, which is a pretty old game these days used the actual animation to determine how far to move the model.
when i look at the extremely well done and well integrated animation and movement of say, mass effect, it really pisses me off to go back like 6 years to morrowind style movement/animation.
Movement Encoding
#2322 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/04 13:34:56
Where the character has an extra bone which is moved inside the animation, so the animator moves the character the distance they would really be moving - the code reading the displacement of the extra bone as the movement speed.
Works really well.
Code Driven Movement
#2323 posted by Preach [81.153.27.151] on 2008/11/04 15:14:49
That's been around since half-life days, where the game code decides how fast the player should move, and then calculates how far into the next frame the animation should interpolate to match.
Hmm
#2324 posted by bear [130.242.7.250] on 2008/11/04 15:23:24
hell, even Doom3, which is a pretty old game these days used the actual animation to determine how far to move the model.
yes :(
Maybe Its The Animations Which Subconsciously
#2325 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/11/04 15:44:14
made me assume that Oblivion looked kinda crappy... ?
Still Fo3 doesn't look that crappy from the videos and stuff. And the combat looks cool. Gimmicky but entertaining?
Left 4 Dead
#2326 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/06 09:54:47
Has anyone else preordered and got early access to the demo?
If so we should sort out a few 4 player "squads" so we are not playing with raving 14 year old idiots ;)
L4D
#2327 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/11/06 10:45:43
Yup, I'm in!
Started Playing Fallout 3
#2328 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/11/06 13:36:34
really enjoying this so far. First game I've played that starts with you being born in a first person view. But not the last for sure! I'll probably post a full review when I actually get somewhere.
Yeah
#2329 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2008/11/06 20:26:22
i'm still really enjoying the game too. i think that's what pisses me off even more. this game is so close to perfect on what i was looking for.
#2330 posted by starbuck [129.215.59.126] on 2008/11/06 20:32:08
it's not that the animations themselves are bad (although some really are that bad) but that the method which they move the models is extremely poor.
I forgot to say, I completely agree. At first you think it's just bad animation cycles (although I wouldn't say they're stellar) but it really seems like the speed of animation and speed of movement are almost always out of sync. In all seriousness, I wouldn't say it's a significant improvement on morrowind anims.
Well The Animations Dont Seem So Bad To Me
#2331 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.101.69] on 2008/11/06 20:46:03
Atleast there is half decent lip-sync - what worries me more is a CTD near the start when I pick the lock to the overseers office. Damn...
#2332 posted by starbuck [129.215.59.126] on 2008/11/06 20:51:04
hmm... if you can't get round that, there is a key. Might require a slightly immoral course of action though. Ahem.
Left 4 Dead Demo
#2333 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/06 22:51:11
1st impressions after playing a few full rounds online.
+ Shotgun is meaty, and can take out 5-6 zombies with 1 shot if your lucky.
+ Zombies animations are absolutely fucking amazing, its totally convincing when a bunch of them come at you from around the corner, also the ragdoll effect when they die is possibly the most realistic ragdoll effect I have seen in a game. Hey look here Bethesda! :P
+ Boss infected work really well, I particularly like the Witch, as some idiot 14 year old I was playing with thought it would be funny to run up to her and shoot her in the face, she proceeded to rip him to shreds while we all laughed!
+ Co-op gameplay! It just works brilliantly here, you can see where all your team mates are even through walls as silhouettes, and your characters automatically shout to the rest of your team when they see a boss infected, or are reloading. You are also warned when one of your team mates is taking a pounding so you can try and rescue them.
+ "Play with friends" online option is a godsend, if you host then only your steam friends can join, which as Vondur so eloquently put it so many years ago, this "removes morons out the way".
- Game levels are a little under-detailed in my opinion, but im guessing they needed to pull the detail down a notch as they cannot gauge how many zombies are going to be in an area at any time.
- Most boss infected die too easily I think, smokers and hunters can be taken out with a few shots, all the other bosses are fine however. It may be that each time I played my entire team focus fired the bosses as soon as they appeared...
- I'm sure this is because the demo servers are getting hammered to death right now, but 8/10 times when starting a round the server will disconnect or time-out. Very frustrating!
Loving it so far, now excuse me I must play a few more rounds ;)
Little Big Planet
#2334 posted by Spirit [213.39.146.212] on 2008/11/06 23:08:04
awesome
L4D
#2335 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/11/07 08:43:35
This game fucking rocks. That's really the only coherent thing I can say at the moment about the game without going overboard on the gushing.
L4D
#2336 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/11/07 12:17:52
Is quite cool yes, the demo is painfully short though, can't wait to play the rest of the maps!
L4D
#2337 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/07 13:33:39
Downloading . . .
Steam name ijed, though I'm probably online at odd times.
L4D
#2338 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/07 18:41:03
Valve makes the rest of the industry look foolish. Even if connecting fails constantly.
Alot my reaction is 'why isn't it normally like this?'
Weapons that do realistic damage, for example.
Keep looking for quicksave as well.
I wouldn't say smokers / boomers are even meant as bosses, just variants - its their attacks that are the danger, not an invisible bullet proof vest.
The witch nearly got me first time as well :P
L4D Continued...
#2339 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/07 22:40:31
Been playing it some more... (lots more!)
+ The levels do actually differ in layout slightly on each playthrough, I have noticed that sometimes a wall has a hole in it that leads to another part of the map, while in a later game on the same map the wall is intact, forcing you to take a different route.
+ Play on advanced/expert difficulty! Normal is just too easy in its current state, and I end up just running around shooting everything because I know I can get away with it, on advanced/expert mode you really do need to stick with your team and cover each other all the time, and it makes the whole experience work much better.
+ Valve released a few bug fixes for the matchmaking system and server setups, so it is a lot smoother now. Not quite where it needs to be yet, but certainly a step in the right direction.
+ I found the option in the in-game menu called "take a break" that puts your character in cpu control so you can go for a piss or whatever without fucking over your entire team, very nice insight there!
This game really does just keep getting better and better the more I play it :)
#2340 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/11/07 23:17:23
Yeah, I expect Normal difficulty will ramp up more in later maps, but for these 2 maps, it's best to just try at first to get used to the game, then it's all about Advanced/Expert for some actual fun.
And be sure to kick idiots on Expert who run off and get themselves killed, they just fuck your team.
Man I Want To Try This Out
#2341 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/11/08 00:47:12
do I have to preorder to play the demo?
Right Away, Yeah
#2342 posted by Preach [81.153.85.178] on 2008/11/08 01:12:34
The demo will come out later, possibly when the game proper is released, but the only way to get it early is with a preorder. I suspect my ageing rig isn't going to cope, so I'm gonna have to hold on until that demo rolls around rather than preorder something I'm unlikely to be able to play.
L4D
#2343 posted by Bal [82.124.159.226] on 2008/11/08 11:32:29
Demo is coming out on the 11th, so best to wait a few days if you're unsure about your purchase.
Preach
#2344 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/08 14:37:57
I would say L4D has similar performance to the Orange Box games, perhaps slightly more demanding in certain instances (Zombie horde rushes, etc) but it works as a basic guide.
How Bind You??
#2345 posted by [24.132.38.114] on 2008/11/09 13:24:20
Hoe bind je met Armagetronad Ik Snap er niks van?
Bind? Hoe Dan?
#2346 posted by Olaf [24.132.38.114] on 2008/11/09 13:26:01
Ik Weet Niet Hoe Je Moet binden ik snap er niks van Jullie laat het me horen !
^^^
#2347 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/11/09 17:43:28
Na het doornemen van dat Babelfish, I' niet helemaal zeker m welk spel you' het re spreken over (Armagetronad?), maar enkel in geval it' s Radioactieve neerslag 3, u kan rebind controles door gaande Montages --> Controles --> De Afbeelding van de actie, en dan het klikken op " Device" aan schakelaar tussen muis en toetsenbord.
(After running that through Babelfish, I'm not quite sure what game you're talking about (Armagetronad?), but just in case it's Fallout 3, you can rebind controls by going Settings --> Controls --> Action Mapping, and then clicking on "Device" to switch between mouse and keyboard.)
Also
#2348 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/11/09 17:47:39
Googling "Armagetronad" leads me to some Tron light-cycle remake? Looks kind of cool...
(Googling " Armagetronad" me leidt tot één of andere Tron licht-cyclusremake? Kijkt vriendelijk van koel...)
#2349 posted by Spirit [80.171.96.156] on 2008/11/09 18:49:09
Armagetron(ad) is great, try a 4-player-drunk-LAN-match.
Hell Yeah
#2350 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.208.137.37] on 2008/11/10 10:01:50
toetsenbord is a much better word than keyboard
QWOP
#2351 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/11/10 22:54:29
http://www.foddy.net/Athletics.htm...
Metlslime
#2352 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/11/10 23:54:22
Thanks for effectivly killing me and Lunaran's productivity.
No Problem...
#2353 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/11/11 02:32:45
i managed to hobble to the 10m mark... also got a few strides in a row that sort of looked like running...
this game reminds me of a science museum i went to as a kid... they had a bicycle set up with mechanical legs attached to the pedals, and four pneumatic pistons each connected to a button. You could make the legs pedal the bike with the right sequence of button presses.
This is a lot harder because in addition to timing, you have to keep your balance.
ARGH
#2354 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/11/11 02:34:50
I CAN'T RUN
1.9m
#2355 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.101.69] on 2008/11/11 03:29:57
yeah!
27.9m...
#2356 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/11/11 05:05:51
with a series of awkward lunges.
#2357 posted by Scampie [24.158.1.74] on 2008/11/11 06:34:53
Sent that game to one of my buddies at Raven, and he managed to actually run and get to 50m... and there's a fucking hurdle.
Hmm
#2358 posted by megaman [92.73.91.246] on 2008/11/11 12:51:59
a game that exploits the broken-ness of current animation/simulation? bah!
Oh
#2359 posted by megaman [92.73.91.246] on 2008/11/11 12:53:34
what i meant was that all this game does is present you with an incredibly shitty control scheme for something that should be as intuitive as possible and then makes it a contest. Teh win.
I Just Laughed A Lot
#2360 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.126.162] on 2008/11/11 13:12:11
theres only so many times you accidentally fall over backwards and land on your head before you laugh.
4m
#2361 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/11 13:53:13
In an Elvis shuffle.
Megaman:
#2362 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2008/11/11 23:29:28
while you're correct in your assessment, I don't think that makes it a bad game.
A good control scheme, using your criteria, abstracts the details of an activity and emphasizes the top-level goals instead -- a way to limit complexity and provide focus. Therefore, a game about conquering the planet would involve moving huge armies, not micromanaging individual squads or soldiers. A game where you are an individual soldier focuses on shooting, reloading, moving around, but you don't have to worry about low-level activities like moving your limbs.
This game is about the low-level muscle coordination. Unless you think there is a different keyboard mapping that make more sense, I'm not sure what you suggest -- the game is about moving your legs to run, abstracting that would remove the game. An "intuitive" control scheme is simply one you're already familiar with. Show Quake to your grandmother and see how intuitive she thinks it is.
Uhem
#2363 posted by megaman [92.73.91.246] on 2008/11/12 02:52:01
Following your argumentation, that would just make it a bad game mechanic :)
But imho "there's no better way" doesn't help with the shittyness of the controls. It's still shitty controls ;) They just don't work. Btw, there is a better way, it's called animation. It's just not realtime.
imagine that 'game' with the goal of "walk as beautifully as you can". What part of it would be fun? Or rewarding?
bah, i just can't write or think anymore today.
Mirrors Edge 2d Edition
#2364 posted by starbuck [129.215.59.129] on 2008/11/13 13:09:12
just a beta, but absolutely awesome. EA hired the guy who made fancy pants adventures apparently, and the animation and movement is ace:
http://www.bornegames.com/?page_id...
Left 4 Dead
#2365 posted by ijed [190.20.66.102] on 2008/11/15 05:43:22
~3 days and counting.
It's an instant classic. One of those games where it gets more interesting, not less, as you play.
With bots is ok, but it's with bots.
Replaying the demo so far we've had three last-man-standing finishes. Basically the group turning on each over before closing the door to the safe room.
One involved a 'mate' chucking a molotiv into the safe room where the rest of us were waiting. I saw what he was doing (waiting to close the door) and exited. He was stood next to a gascan and I had an automatic shotgun.
Playing on a LAN, and we're pissing off all the Quake4 players by screaming at each other more than they do.
Just waiting for the full game now.
This game gets an ijed nine drinks drank.
^^
#2366 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/15 13:42:23
Yeah, its pure gaming gold as far as im concerned.
Errr.
#2367 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/15 15:03:10
Should I buy this game and play with you gaylords??
Shambler
#2368 posted by Bal [81.249.78.203] on 2008/11/15 15:18:29
Yes you should.
Gonna be hard not to want to shoot you despite it being coop though.
Hehe
#2369 posted by DaZ [80.41.170.222] on 2008/11/15 16:06:32
Gonna be hard not to want to shoot you despite it being coop though
I rofl'ed
But yes you should get it Shamb, if only to shoot Bal in an act of revenge.
I Can't Wait For L4D
#2370 posted by Orl [71.58.131.69] on 2008/11/15 17:24:48
But I'm playing solo the first time through, with the AI. As far as I'm aware the AI is better with weapons and teamplay, I can't count how many times I've been saved by them.
They always put me first before themselves, as in healing me even if they need it a bit more.
They never rush me, so I can take my time and look around levels and go at my own pace as opposed to human players flying through a map with me trying to play catch up with them.
And lastly, I know they won't do anything stupid on purpose like throw a Molotov next to me or curse at me because I should have closed that particular door earlier when the zombie mob was coming.
L4D And AI
#2371 posted by Bal [83.204.155.63] on 2008/11/15 17:39:01
On expert mode they aren't smart enough really, much better off playing with humans then, AI get owned pretty fast.
And the stupid things humans do just add to the game really, accidentally shooting a team mate point blank with a shotgun makes for some interesting situations. =)
L4D Expert Mode Ai
#2372 posted by Preach [86.150.196.117] on 2008/11/15 19:03:36
I got the demo running even on this poorly machine, so I can certify if you meet orange box specs, then you can run L4D.
The coop bots seem mostly competent, they don't ever have pathing problems or split up(that I've seen). Even on expert they seem to be capable of meeting the combat so long as you work hard.
Until the tank comes on the scene. Since you need to lead the bots around the map, you're almost always on point when he appears. He always seems to target me first, smash me to the ground before there's the remotest chance of dealing fatal damage. Left to their own devices, the bots are then thoroughly incapable of beating it, and so you get a game over with everyone pinned.
The only way I've found of beating it is to ruthlessly push one of the other bots into it's path, let it take out them while I keep popping headshots, and hope that afterwards they respawn quickly. Anyone got tips?
Uh Huh.
#2373 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/15 19:37:35
And the stupid things humans do just add to the game really, accidentally shooting a team mate point blank with a shotgun makes for some interesting situations. =)
Oh yeah, it will do. Where's my mofoing credit card?
You Haven't Got One
#2374 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/11/15 21:02:55
you live in a van down by the river
Left 4 Dead Demo
#2375 posted by BlackDog [58.7.149.248] on 2008/11/16 21:14:06
I'm loving it, hands down the best coop game I've ever played.
Don't play with bots unless you have absolutely no choice: this game lives and dies on the interaction between players. When you fuck up and shoot your mate in the back during a mad zombie rush and have to hustle extra hard to make up for it, that's when things really come alive.
Fallout3
#2376 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/11/17 10:07:38
Oh fek I started playing this and it's sucking my life away already.
It's not so pretty, but it's horribly addictive, Post-Apocalyptic Oblivion with Guns = win.
L4D
#2377 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/17 12:53:38
Got the demo, works fine, kinda cool.
My name seems to be teamshambler , so you p1mps can find me if needed.
L4D
#2378 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/17 13:40:48
20 hours and counting, preload grinding away.
Bot'sre ok for the first couple of games when you're learning, yeah, but you lose most of the game without human players.
Really looking forward to playing as the boss zombies (yeah, I finally looked up the forum posts).
Shambler
#2379 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/17 13:42:42
Spooky.
You don't exist.
Eh.
#2380 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/17 14:37:48
I'm sure I do exist. Have opened Steam now.
Unable To Find Teamshambler
#2381 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/17 16:07:21
Fallout3
#2382 posted by RickyT23 [81.132.88.108] on 2008/11/17 17:36:37
Yes - Its sucking the life out of me, too...
I love it when you get to level 10 you get a perk to instantly reach level 11....
So many fantastic elements to Fallout3, one cant even describe how immersive and addictive it is. And the animation really isn't that bad....
One example of the brilliant "open-endedness" of it - Megaton - Do you:
1 - talk to the guy at the bar, get the device and then detonate the bomb (apparently you get a room at Tenpenny Tower)?
2 - talk to the sherrif and de-fuse the bomb for 100 caps?
3 - talk to the sherrif first, then the guy in the bar, then go and tell the sherrif what the guy in the bar says. The sherrif goes to confront the guy, who shoots him dead. God knows what will happen to the bomb now, for this is what I have done.
A freind of mine has started this over four times now. One time, my other freind was playing around with his character when he (by pure chance) stumbled upon the location of the characters father. This kinda spoiled it for him...
I have yet to find the dog.
Eh.
#2383 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/17 18:10:53
Back on again. Online and profile is public. What next?? Is there like a pre-game chat thing? I have no idea how steam works.
Shambler
#2384 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2008/11/17 18:31:20
Post your community page url here, so someone can add you to the func_group or something, if no has done so already.
You Just
#2385 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/18 13:15:52
Click on friends, add friend and put the name.
To be fair had alot of problems here with someone sat across the room - cannot find 'x'.
My steam id is the same as my name here.
Looking forward to playing the proper game today, considering the demo maps were still fun.
Left4Dead Pack
#2386 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/18 14:18:17
Damn. After its released they make a 3 for the price of four pack.
That's irritating for those who already own it.
For Those Without L4D
#2387 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/18 22:19:21
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Ni...
Nothing to do with it, but there you go.
UK Left 4 Dead Full Version
#2388 posted by DaZ [80.41.137.60] on 2008/11/19 02:49:01
Its even better than the demo, I have been totally engrossed since it unlocked today!
The pacing is much improved over the demo, this is mainly due to the fact that you can play through an entire campaign rather than 2 short maps, but even so the highs and lows and very well thought out.
Difficulty seems to have increased on both advanced and expert mode, which is a welcome change imo, the game is challenging on advanced and downright evil on expert - which is exactly where it needs to be :)
Its a shame that there are only 4 campaigns to play through, and a good team can complete one in around 30-45 minutes, but as has already been discussed, the repeatability of the campaigns is immense.
After a playing a few laggy games I went searching for a decent server grouping for the UK and found this great group : http://steamcommunity.com/groups/W...
If you add this group to your profile you will be able to join and host games on these UK servers and pings are very respectable every time I have played on them.
I shot Bal around 16 times "by accident" when we played earlier, so you can all form a queue to thank me!
Buy this game!
Meh.
#2389 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/19 21:49:20
Free evening in and I have to wait 3 hours to download this bizzle.
14%
#2390 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/19 22:21:32
cunts.
Why can't I chat to anyone online in the func group?? Do I have to be-friend you gaylords first?
L4D
#2391 posted by Bal [83.204.158.47] on 2008/11/19 23:17:48
Woo, so fun, playing as the infected is really tricky, but so enjoyable when you get away with something nasty (I love jumping on Zoey as a hunter, mmmm, yeah). Playing the Tank is awesome. =)
The versus mode really makes it alot more intense, you always need to be ready for an attack.
Still having some server probs though, kinda hard to find good ones with friends.
Shambler yeah I think you need to friend people before you can talk to them.
Shambler
#2392 posted by negke [88.70.8.156] on 2008/11/19 23:21:28
You can't just stick your dick in everything. It doesn't work like this...
L4D
#2393 posted by negke [88.70.8.156] on 2008/11/19 23:25:58
The demo level was kind of fun, but $50? I don't thinks so.
Well
#2394 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/20 01:02:10
There is apparently a deal where if you buy 4 copies of L4D you get the 4th one for free. So that's 4 for $150.00 or so. Which turns out to be... $34.00 or so? Something like that.
$34.00 Per Person I Mean
#2395 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/20 01:02:37
[nt]
Err Shit
#2396 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2008/11/20 01:03:25
Whatever, rough day. $38 or something. I give up.
Shambler
#2397 posted by DaZ [80.41.137.60] on 2008/11/20 02:06:41
Also, your friends list is integrated into L4D, so you can instantly join a game your friend is playing without any searching for servers or messing with IP's etc. You can also make a friends only game that only people in your friends list can join.
I Know
#2398 posted by RickyT23 [82.20.37.149] on 2008/11/20 02:21:03
when I was on steam it told me every time that scampie was playing TeamFortress 2 (roost)
i think he was my only freind. I killed a few random people on HLDM and HL2DM, and that was it...
Ricky...
#2399 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/11/20 03:41:22
or...
3a) Save the sheriff when the guy tries to kill him.
Bugger
#2400 posted by RickyT23 [81.132.88.108] on 2008/11/20 10:21:21
I tried that but I wasn't quick enough
Then the guy left the bar and dissappeared.
The sherrifs son gave me the house key when I defused the bomb! And really acted as though he had lost his father, and inheritted everything...!
Fantastic!
Steam Group
#2401 posted by Mr Fribbles [150.101.155.114] on 2008/11/20 10:34:56
If you're not in it, but want to be, just post your Steam ID and ask to be added. Most of the members can add you.
My Steam ID
#2402 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.1.113] on 2008/11/20 16:00:34
is SleepwalkR, please add me!
Errr.
#2403 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/11/20 16:22:28
Tried and failed to add you to func. Someone with skillz will have to do it.
Thanks
#2404 posted by SleepwalkR [84.189.125.158] on 2008/11/20 17:22:21
it worked
Ijed
#2405 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/11/20 20:07:27
Add me as well. Still playing through the campaigns without a completed achievement so far, but managed to get Dead Stop.
Assembler
#2406 posted by metlslime [67.180.230.20] on 2008/11/22 11:54:35
http://www.gamereclaim.com/2008/10...
crate-stacking puzzle game
That Was Kind Of Fun.
#2407 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/11/22 18:16:07
I got up to level 19 pretty quickly, but then got sort of bored...it was getting fussy.
Dead Space
#2408 posted by Drew [98.124.1.197] on 2008/11/29 05:48:39
Anyone played it?
Check Back
#2409 posted by ijed [190.20.125.226] on 2008/11/29 15:31:16
a few pages ago.
Black Mesa : Source
#2410 posted by DaZ [80.41.185.86] on 2008/12/01 04:15:59
This mod is remaking the entire Half-Life game in the source engine and bringing everything up to date. They just released a trailer on their website and I was very impressed, very professional quality stuff.
http://www.blackmesasource.com/
That Looks Excellent
#2411 posted by nitin [124.168.120.182] on 2008/12/01 10:24:22
nice find!
Ditto.
#2412 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/12/01 11:39:19
Undeniably impressive.
#2413 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/12/01 11:41:25
Wow, amazing work! New voices, animations, etc. Just awesome!
Linux Source Engine
#2414 posted by stevenaaus [60.240.198.243] on 2008/12/03 06:57:00
Does anyone know much about it ? Here
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?p...
is the only news i've read. It'd be great to see valve do it, but they're a more practical (ie dollar) company than id... and i dunno if it's likely.
#2415 posted by Spirit [213.39.211.146] on 2008/12/03 11:09:52
Yes, it is bullshit. The files are for the Steam server on Linux and it's nothing new nor exciting. Phoronix is the The Register of the linux world.
Here are some facts: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?si...
Oh Wait
#2416 posted by Spirit [213.39.211.146] on 2008/12/03 11:11:02
I thought you had linked to that recent news story.
No idea about that other things, but I won't ever use Steam. :)
Mirror's Edge LDC
#2417 posted by Bal [82.124.25.14] on 2008/12/04 19:58:26
http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?s...
The maps look like some stuff from the geo competitions for quake3, looks pretty damn nice.
Seems
#2418 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2008/12/04 20:37:02
Odd that they made it FPS instead of thirdperson, but that's the new cool.
http://www.bornegames.com/mirrors-...
Is the not bad for what it is flash version.
Love The Look Of That DLC
#2419 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/12/05 00:48:21
I hate the acronym DLC for some reason. I always forget what it means.
The Mirrors Edge flash game is just a beta, but I think it's fantastic. I posted it earlier in the thread. Definitely hoping for a proper release.
#2420 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/12/05 11:14:27
DownLoadable Content.
#2421 posted by starbuck [78.86.131.39] on 2008/12/05 15:04:53
heh, thanks, but I just mean that it takes me a few seconds to recall each time. I usually think of the Sega Dreamcast first for some reason.
This game is shit, but addictive:
http://www.kongregate.com/games/mo...
Damn birds!
This Is Fun.
#2422 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/12/06 06:36:35
And you really can't beat the sound quality.
http://puzzlefarter.com/
Fallout 3
#2423 posted by negke [88.70.237.240] on 2008/12/06 11:11:05
Finished it yesterday. Daz: the point of no return is the end of the main quest story line, the game ends after you've turned on the machine. So it's a bit different from Stalker.
By and large a nice game, I guess. The world design was good for the most part, although sometimes the destruction/junk placement felt a little forced and unrealistic. Everything has a gritty look to it which is good, but also made the world feel repetitive after a while. The Oblivion engine wasn't such a good choice - the models and animation are average, and the lighting really sucks. It's just ugly minlight with no variation in contrast at all. I understand that reasons of performance played into this considering the huge viewing distance, but they could have at least tried lightmaps or whatever. Strangely enough, the game ran mostly smooth for me on high settings on the outside, but often stuttered a bit in inside levels. Very short loading times.
The buildings and especially the caves reminded me of Oblivion, too, for they pretty much all looked alike and thus made me lose interest in exploration quickly. Navigating through the Washington DC ruins became particularly annoying after a while, with the need to use the subway tunnels and all. At other times, exploration was rewarded with the discovery of unique locations or quests, but there could have been more. Despite all the stuff (radar locations) one can discover, there isn't much incentive left after a while (even more so because there're hardly any good items to find, unless you're a cup or finance clipboard collector) - the world feels pretty lifeless. And its boudaries are clipped off.
The overall number of quests is fairly low (though sometimes there were things without being labeled quests). The main story line is pretty short and I guess in this respect it didn't help that I discovered father's location by accident and thereby skipped a number of in-between main quests. The two quests that really stood out in my view were Oasis (Harold) and Tranquility Lane (remember that magical painting in Oblivion?). The ending felt rushed and pointless.
Gameplay was easy, but that's ok (even with the game's level cap at 20, which I reached quickly). Played mostly in first person perspective and realized only later that third person view helped a little in creating a somewhat more RPGish feeling (despite the retarded-looking player model). VATS targeting system for el consoleros was fun sometimes (especially the excessive gibbing), but more often than not, at least in the beginning, manual aiming payed off more. Lockpicking minigame was ok for a while, hacking sucked.
The Karma thing didn't really work out - it seems you have to try hard to be evil. Will do that next time around.
It's good that more and more FPS games now seem to go into the sandbox direction - I'm interested in what comes out of it.
#2424 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/12/06 11:45:00
My one wish with Fallout 3 is that the character creation would have had a fast path. I like experimenting with different builds and it's hard to stomach starting the game over and over again if I have to go through things like the interminable birthday party. Other than that, it's a great game! Loved, loved, loved it!
#2425 posted by pjw [68.114.222.44] on 2008/12/07 04:33:19
Willem, they give you an "are you sure" prompt as you're leaving 101 for the first time (with the ability to alter whatever you wish), so if you made a save game right before that, you could just load it up to experiment with different builds. I like doing the same thing, and have already decided I'm going to try (try) to be a bit more of a bastard next time through, even though I'm usually too much of a giant flapping vagina and start feeling guilty about being mean to people in a game. :p
negke, I actually sort of liked the hacking mechanic--were you aware that you could eliminate "dud" passcodes or even reset your count by highlighting gibberish between matching pairs of < >, ( ), or { }?
I haven't played as much as you guys have, and haven't been able to play for about a week--I had just hit level 14--but Fallout 3 is certainly in my top 10 of all time. Maybe even top 5.
#2426 posted by Willem [75.177.185.17] on 2008/12/07 05:41:14
"negke, I actually sort of liked the hacking mechanic--were you aware that you could eliminate "dud" passcodes or even reset your count by highlighting gibberish between matching pairs of < >, ( ), or { }? "
Really? Shit, that's definitely worth trying, thanks!
#2427 posted by negke [88.70.54.73] on 2008/12/07 17:19:10
I didn't know that. Then again, I accidentally closed the hacking manual without reading it (if that was mentioned at all).
In the end, I just tried regular terminals and didn't care if the hack failed, and did a lame quickload action for terminals I deemed important.
Legendary Demo.
#2428 posted by Shambler [82.38.195.22] on 2008/12/14 11:55:33
An entirely successful attempt to create a bland, meaningless, Z-list turd of a console port.
Also has bonus fucked up key bindings.
OK, This Looks Very Cool...
#2429 posted by RickyT23 [82.20.37.149] on 2008/12/22 01:46:44
http://uk.pc.ign.com/dor/objects/3...
I just hope they dont get cold feet ad pull it again....
Snort.
#2430 posted by Shambler [82.47.201.98] on 2008/12/22 10:38:14
Errr yeah.
Outstanding
#2431 posted by gb [89.27.210.27] on 2008/12/26 14:49:26
Very good Russian humour. I'd cite from the site, but you'll really have to read for yourself. I laughed.
This is the same MG tower but the soldier is equipped with a missile launcher instead of machinegun. The soldier is also given a piece of bacon for greezing the barrel and a bottle of whiskey for cleaning the aiming optics.
If you have ever been in the army, you will find this funny.
http://btanks.sourceforge.net/blog...
Lol, Lol, Lol
#2432 posted by gb [89.27.210.27] on 2008/12/26 15:00:21
Mines are effective equally against troops and vehicles. They have winning appearance, and are easy to install and use.
Five fully equipped troops are frozen and GZIPped into standard rectangular bricks. Before refrigeration, each trooper is prepared using special hormons and steroids, and can be used in action after quick microwave-aided defreezing. Shipped in two versions with machine guns and handheld rocket launchers.
Boomerang rocket is an accidental modification of the homing missile that has been found after beta drivers were installed from a damaged CD
argh. I'll stop now, because I have to compile it.
#2433 posted by starbuck [92.237.128.247] on 2008/12/28 19:01:39
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
Bioshock now £3.50 on steam, if you haven't bought it already!
And
#2434 posted by than [60.56.60.72] on 2008/12/30 01:37:17
if the fucking stupid store will actually let you buy anything.
Thanks valve!
Lol!
#2435 posted by RickyT23 [82.20.37.149] on 2008/12/30 02:32:42
why not go and, er, maybe no. wouldnt want to start a flame war.....
Vietcong (2003)
#2436 posted by [Kona] [118.93.60.157] on 2008/12/31 05:58:59
It's been a couple of months since I've played a full game, having kept myself busy with Half-Life mods. Most of which were fairly average, but of course the engine was designed in 1996. I read a review for Vietcong which mentioned the game being only marginally better looking than the high-definition updated Half-Life. So, as usual, I wasn't expecting much, but Vietcong definitely delivered. The visuals were great, albeit outdated by todays standards. But compared to it's competitiors of the time; Medal Of Honor and Call Of Duty, Vietcong looks just as good. But it's hard to compare because most of the battles in Vietcong take place in lush jungle and bush.
The waterfalls, rivers, rotting trees and bush everywhere creates an atmosphere I have not yet played in game. The levels were also quite big, some of which you can easily get lost in. Although there is a fairly linear path, you often need your teammates to guide you through because it doesn't always look linear.
Which brings us to another aspect that Vietcong suceeded at compared to most other first person shooters - team mates. You team mates don't really get in your, they don't get stuck or lost, the aren't complete idiots that run into bullets. Your pointman also shows you the way, although at a snails pace. You don't have to wait for them, they won't hold up your progression, but if they are around in a gunfight it's certainly helpful. There are a couple of levels where you're fighting with another team charging up a hilll towards some ruins full of Vietcongs, so you've got at least a dozen team mates charging up with up - a neat feeling.
The game does have some flaws though. The biggest being limited quicksaves. You can only use quicksave five times on normal difficulty - and with the instant deathtraps and when a single bullet can slash your health in half, you need unlimited quicksaves. Fortunately, you can get unlimited quicksaves on easy difficulty. But easy was actually still very fun, certainly not so easy that you can play with your eyes closed.
The other annoying thing was the limited amount of ammunition and weapons you can carry. One handgun, and one normal gun, but often you have to drop your weapons and pick up an enemies gun because you've run out of ammo. Actually picking up ammo is a timely matter, as is making countless radio calls in the middle of battle.
Vietcong was not a long game, probably ten hours max. But maybe it just felt short because I was having so much fun with it. Everything is very realistic, even killing your enemies as you need to hit them pretty well or they'll recover and keep shooting. Great graphics for 2003 and fun gameplay means I'm looking forward to playing the official addon pack and sequel. It's a pity the creators, Pterodon & Illusion Softworks, haven't done much else in this genre. But, how will this hold up against Men Of Valor, the only other successful Vietnam-based game released a year later...
Cool Alchemy/Programming/Machine Design Game
#2437 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/01/01 02:24:25
http://www.zachtronicsindustries.c...
OMFG Vietcong
#2438 posted by than [121.80.136.37] on 2009/01/04 18:01:35
is like the best coop game ever. I doubt there are still any servers up, but I used to play online on the hardcore servers and it was totally ace. Probably on par with left 4 dead, just not as polished.
Hidden and Dangerous 2 Sabre Squadron has nice coop too, if anyone fancies revisiting old classic games with their mates to play coop.
Btw
#2439 posted by than [121.80.136.37] on 2009/01/04 18:04:18
try being a radio man in vietcong... you actually have to use the map when calling in an airstrike, and as the map isn't full of detail and markers showing where stuff is, it's not impossible to miss the enemy completely or even blow yourself and team up. A neat touch.
Airlock-based Puzzle Game
#2440 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/01/07 02:23:41
http://www.foddy.net/Evacuation.ht...
Unfortunately, some of hte random levels are stupidly easy, but you can move on quickly to a harder one.
Metslime
#2441 posted by ijed [190.20.101.143] on 2009/01/08 01:50:30
You just killed my productivity.
I Want To Buy It !!!
#2442 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2009/01/14 11:23:49
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums...
Hmm
#2443 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/01/14 16:36:51
Kek, lovely. And tasteful.
May I suggest here tho JPL; http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=...
So Has Anyone...
#2444 posted by DaZ [80.41.130.104] on 2009/01/24 02:16:35
Played the dawn of war 2 beta on steam?
I loved CoH. so I have high expectations for this game, please tell me its not shiiite :(
I Played It
#2445 posted by Zwiffle [24.183.101.72] on 2009/01/24 03:05:21
Only played 2 really short matches, in which I was thoroughly thrashed. Not really sure at all what to make of it tbh. It's a lot different from Dawn of War, but I haven't played enough to know whether it's good or not. Haven't figured out how to play, and there's no real tutorial, so I'll prolly need to play a lot to figure it out.
Firestarter
#2446 posted by [Kona] [118.93.39.244] on 2009/01/25 11:39:55
Okay so I just played through Firestarter, an old 2004 Russian FPS. Oh and Vondur was a level designer on it, lol. Vondur I bet you did that big Empire level with the hole in the middle? That was my favourite of the game.
The levels were all really good, it looked as good as Doom4, albeit a little more cartoony and not as good lighting. The gameplay was also all pretty good, monsters entertaining, weapons decent. This would have made a pretty good multiplayer game actually. But it seemed to be marketed as a single player game - which is a bit disappointing. You play in 16 arena's, where various parts get unlocked as you kill more baddies. Much like my Chanthood Quake map, actually.
I reckon it could have shown a lot of promise of being a good shooter if only there were proper, linear single player levels rather than deathmatch arenas. Oh and no quicksave is lame.
Neeeeext
#2447 posted by [Kona] [118.93.39.244] on 2009/01/25 11:43:33
Okay so what game shall I play next from 2005?
I've never played a Tom Clancy game, are these any good? Are they action games or just strategy crap?
I'm thinking one of the below games:
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (2005)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (2006)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (2005)
Havent Played That Particular Splinter Cell
#2448 posted by nitin [210.84.37.143] on 2009/01/25 12:51:09
but I have got it and I didnt mind the last one I played (Pandora Tomorrow).
Never liked the Rainbow Six series.
Currently playing PoP: Two Thrones, this series is just a whole lot of fun.
DOW2
#2449 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/01/26 15:58:33
I've got it downloaded but haven't had chance to play it yet.
Apparently you need a GamesForWindows account.
What is G4W? A mailing list, DRM, some other wankery?
The demo is coming from Steam, why do I have to fuck around with other 'helpful' systems?
Will post once I've had a look at it.
Games For Windows LIVE
#2450 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.236] on 2009/01/26 16:32:31
Its not so bad. It solves problems like the dates on savegames getting fucked up. You might get an online gamerscore or whatever.
GTA4 uses it, I dont really mind. Its not so hard to fix it up. I've only ever recieved one email from them I think and that was on signup.
I think more and more games will use it, probably anti-piracy measures.....
Sigh
#2451 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/01/26 17:26:40
So I've got to play the game between two slices of DRM bread.
Fuck it.
I don't mind Steam, and I probably wouldn't mind Windows whatever either, but both together is too much of a ballache for me - it's not like I don't have other stuff to play.
When are the high up fuckwits going to realise that you need to make it as easy as possible for the customers to buy your product.
GamesForWindows + Steam = sale -1
That Aint So Bad
#2452 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.236] on 2009/01/26 17:43:46
GTA4 is rediculous!
G4W, Rockstar Games Social Club, .NET Framework, Visual C++ (!!!?&%#$!!@!), NVidia BETA Drivers (which crashed my comp)
Sigh.....
Atleats you dont NEED Steam for DoW2 (do you?)
Well
#2453 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/01/26 18:21:41
I didn't buy GTA4 either.
DOW2 I can buy in hard copy, but if I have to do that just to circumvent their DRM systems (considering I'll probably have to find a nocd patch anyway) then I'm not feeling like a valued customer.
I just mentioned being a valued customer and hacking a game in the same sentence. I can say something like that because it's my ~$50 you want me to part with.
Hmm
#2454 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/01/26 18:33:20
Today the British government (a) decided 3 strikes was unenforceable and, more importantly, (b) suggested increasing ISP's prices to cover a mandatory fee to 're-imburse' the music industry for users piracy.
I think this legally obliges me to steal media now...
Hmm
#2455 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/01/26 19:29:35
http://entertainment.timesonline.c...
If my blurred rambling didn't make sense. Heavy weekend ;p
No
#2456 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/01/26 21:13:30
I got it - the three strikes thing threw me because it was introduced when I was outside blighty.
The music industry has long being going down the tubes since they want to hang onto hard formats - that being the only way they can squeeze a profit.
How much longer are cd's going to be a viable format?
And if you can fit thousands of songs onto most other forms of media then hard formats become obsolete.
Not much to do with the topic, or pirating music, but;
http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/0...
Criminalising your customers a bad idea? It's mind-numbing how slow most of the industry CEO's are, considering games are supposed to be the new media.
#2457 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2009/01/26 21:50:47
there seems (to me, anyway) to be a downward spiral at the moment where more people are pirating because of stricter drm
Append
#2458 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2009/01/26 21:51:41
of course, i realize it's not *just* because of that. nothing is that simple.
Three Strikes?
#2459 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/01/26 22:12:31
didn't know you guys were baseball fans...
#2460 posted by metlslime [67.180.230.20] on 2009/01/27 11:13:18
a couple of flash games with boiled-down "coop" puzzles. you control multiple entities, toggle between them, and solve puzzles.
http://lightforce.freestuff.gr/thr...
http://www.kongregate.com/games/se...
Fallout3
#2461 posted by Shambler [82.47.201.98] on 2009/01/27 11:16:10
How well does it run, yo?
Fallout3
#2462 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2009/01/27 11:41:18
Don't think it requires such a top of the line pc, it ran very well with all settings maxed, but my vid card is pretty new.
Yeah
#2463 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.236] on 2009/01/27 12:06:43
My girlfreind's netbook will run it on Medium:
9300 M GS (8400 equiv) 256 dedicated
Vista (!)
2Gb DDR2 667
5400rpm HDD
Atom 270 (1.6Ghz)
Runs OK, occasional mild stuttering, but y'know - it's a Netbook!
Brilliant game. I run 1920x1200 on an 8800GTS on High! :)
Buy it......
Runs Good
#2464 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/01/28 02:43:07
running on high settings on my laptop (2ghz core 2 duo, mobile 8600gt, 2gb ram, XP) at 1280x800, getting a good 30fps.
Hmm
#2465 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/01/28 07:44:32
Off topic-ing a bit more, my personal favourite media industry tactic is using download statistics as a lost profit model.
This means that every time an album is downloaded, they count it as an (~)15$ loss of earnings that can be written off against profits to avoid paying tax. ie, for every album downloaded the publishing company makes ~1$ in taxes they don't have to pay. Whether the downloader would have bought the album or not, the publisher makes money (and the artist gets screwed).
Careering Off-topic ...
#2466 posted by stevenaaus [60.240.198.243] on 2009/01/28 09:55:35
You're joking. Big business are such scum. Maybe someone will get a chance to give G.W.B. a bullet now.
<Loosen collar>
Fallout 3 does look amazing :>.. saw it briefly on a 360. I played Industri/Tenebrae for the first time too. Nice looking Q1 engine.
They Get Tax Savings From NOT Sold Media?
#2467 posted by megaman [92.73.80.11] on 2009/01/28 14:05:59
Hmm
#2468 posted by nonentity [86.160.232.20] on 2009/01/28 16:23:42
Yeh.
Yeh. I know.
PoP3
#2469 posted by nitin [210.84.37.143] on 2009/01/29 08:45:24
pretty cool, liked it better than the second one (combat is heaps less frustrating) and although some of the puzzle design is a bit tired in spots, very satisfying on the whole.
Play This
#2470 posted by ijed [190.20.120.132] on 2009/01/31 18:03:22
Oldschool point and click adventure game:
http://www.zombie-cow.com/?page_id...
Just Finished It
#2471 posted by ijed [190.20.120.132] on 2009/01/31 18:10:54
And I donated 2 quid. Genuinely fun to play.
Game
#2472 posted by luke [84.92.215.13] on 2009/02/01 17:51:10
this game is shit
Which Game, Luke?
#2473 posted by ijed [190.20.73.65] on 2009/02/01 17:59:56
Totem Destroyer 2
#2474 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/02/06 21:41:29
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
This Is Awesome
#2475 posted by DaZ [80.41.151.213] on 2009/02/11 06:49:56
the "Goldeneye : Source" team released beta3 of their mod this/last week, and its fucking awesome.
Anyone who had some serious GE64 matches in their time wont be able to help raising a smile here, its a very faithful recreation of the multiplayer experience.
http://goldeneyesource.net/
Around 500mb for the Beta3 client, and worth every second it takes to download imo :)
Oh...Also!
#2476 posted by DaZ [80.41.151.213] on 2009/02/11 07:12:16
Eye of the storm for HL2 Episode 2
http://eots.half-life2.cz/english....
Is part 1 of a single player episode that has very high quality standards, its still downloading here so I can't give a more accurate description but the screenshots look niiiiice
Daz
#2477 posted by negke [88.70.230.181] on 2009/02/11 16:50:10
A "very faithful recreation" indeed. GE64 bland ugly levels turned me off even back then..
FEAR 2
#2478 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/02/11 21:09:45
IGN score of 8.3. The video review does a good job of showing what's improved from FEAR - mainly the gripes I had about repetitive environments and gameplay are primarily fixed, and it does look a lot better than FEAR did.
Anyone else on the fence about this one?
For The WoW People
#2479 posted by DaZ [80.41.151.213] on 2009/02/13 20:41:51
http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow...
This is the most awesome UI mod ever! Its bejeweled that we all know and love, and you can play it in WoW while waiting for your raid to form or while you are flying around.
Even better, it has a high scores list that is populated by everyone in your guild that has the addon, also it adds a Bejeweled profession that you can "skill up" by getting combos and special jewels etc, it also has achievements and challenges that also add to your bejeweled skill rating.
I mentioned it in guild chat today and now practically everyone has it :) Great fun
I Fucking Hate That Mod.
#2480 posted by necros [99.227.108.217] on 2009/02/13 20:53:16
i kept trying to get people gkicked if they didn't turn off the stupid skillup notice in guild chat, but my guild leader is too nice. :P
Hmm
#2481 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/02/13 21:33:51
My name is ___ and I'm 14 months clean.
I'm not allowed to play anymore...
FEAR2 Ramblings (and Some Spoilings)
#2482 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/02/17 22:09:34
So I bought FEAR2. The game took about 7.7 hours on hard mode to finish. I think I can sum up FEAR2 using two other popular games.
FEAR 2 = CoD4 + Doom3
If you liked both of those games then F2 will be good for you, perhaps when the price falls a little bit. There is an amazing level of polish in this game, but not much else. There is no innovation to speak of, just cliche that looks really good.
Your weapons are pistol, shotguns, machine guns, sniper rifle, uber weapon, nail gun, laser, rocket launcher, flamethrower, 4 types of grenades, and your feet.
Your enemies are soldier with machine gun, soldier with shotgun, soldier with flamethrower, soldier with shotgun, soldier with flamethrower, soldier with machine gun, soldier with sniper rifle, soldier with machine gun, soldier with shotgun, soldier with machine gun... you get the idea.
The new monsters (which are pretty cool) are few and far between. The game could have really benefited from more of those crazy weird deformed humans or undead zombie puppeteer things, or at least more non-soldier enemies. Monster dogs, monster ghosts, monster... something.
Combat is like FEAR. Nothing new really that I can tell. Story is like FEAR. Nothing new really.
There are some parts where they switch up the combat, like "this part is about sniping" or "this part is about a giant mech," but it's still just shooting stuff a lot with slowmo. It feels good and solid, but it's just same old stuff.
Anyhoo -> FEAR2 = CoD4 + Doom3. If you liked FEAR then you will like this game. It's basically FEAR 2.0, not really FEAR 2. High level of polish/detail, no evidence of innovation. Environments are more varied than FEAR's.
I would rate it about 70-75%, which is good, but not amazing, because let's face it, it isn't amazing.
P.S. The game isn't scary, it's predictable.
P.P.S. Not enough hallucinatory levels. At least Doom3 had Hell half-way through. Just fighting through Alma's demon-realm would've been a nice change of pace and would have made an interesting multiplayer map to boot.
Good Review Zwiff.
#2483 posted by Shambler [82.47.201.98] on 2009/02/18 00:10:26
+1 informative.
Max Payne 2
#2484 posted by [Kona] [118.93.39.244] on 2009/02/18 02:25:53
I almost felt like I should have replayed Max Payne again prior to playing through Max Payne 2. While the story can easily stand on its own, it would have been good to get an idea of the recurring characters; Max, Mona Sax, Woden. But Max Payne 2 is already a six year old game. Replaying the original would be going back another two years to very dated graphics. Nevertheless, Max Payne 2 is a good looking game. There are no big set-pieces or memorable levels. You may include the Funhouse as a memorable level, as it hasn't been done before in my playing experience. However having to play through the same level on three different occasions gets old very fast.
While there were no set-pieces, the game still looked good with oodles of detail scattered throughout the levels. The entire game takes place in a John Woo style film noir world. It's always dark and raining, the city is run-down. If you love film noir, you'll love Max Payne 2. It's not just the design of the levels but the story is heavily told throughout the game. I haven't seen the Max Payne movie, but I'm sure the story told in this game could be made into a full movie.
Gameplay was good even with just the one difficulty setting. After playing through the first two levels I was soon tired of Max's head always in the view of the target. I just knew throughout the entire game I would grow tired of this, and wished it was first person. So, I did a search. Somebody had created a first person mod, and I restarted the game and played it all in first person view. I think it was more enjoyable actually, as you can aim at enemies much easier. The trade off is your line of vision isn't quite as good.
But even so, the difficulty level was well balanced. The game increases the difficulty depending on how well your playing. The most difficult parts I found were when your having to escort or protect another character in the game. Including playing as the sexy Mona Sax trying to protect Max. However these were equally the more frustrating parts of the game.
Overall May Payne 2 was a great game, with fantastic story telling, good design and fun gameplay. It could have had more spectacular levels, but what was here fit in well with the film noir setting. Also not a long game; I finished it in three long sittings. No more than 10 hours.
Max Payne 2 Was Fund
#2485 posted by nitin [124.168.65.101] on 2009/02/18 12:53:43
bit short though.
But please, it's extremely try hard film noir at best :)
Also
#2486 posted by nitin [124.168.65.101] on 2009/02/18 12:56:05
anyone played this Dead Space game?
Not Played It
#2487 posted by DaZ [80.41.151.213] on 2009/02/18 14:00:00
but the holographic HUD is a cool idea. I heard it was a lot like doom 3 in 3rd person however, so I may wait until it hits the bargain bucket :)
#2488 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/02/18 18:08:21
But please, it's extremely try hard film noir at best :)
I always presumed the try-hard was tongue-in-cheek, although it wasn't particularly witty or funny.
I tried replaying Max Payne 2 recently, but on the PS2 this time. Had a lot less fun than before, I mainly blame the controls, oh and the FUCKING LACK OF QUICKSAVE/LOAD OR ANY TYPE OF SLIGHTLY CONVENIENT SAVE SYSTEM. I especially love being taken back several chapters of the game when I die, silly me for expecting a single autosave thoughout the whole game. I need to lie down.
Nitin: Dead Space Impressions
#2489 posted by lurker [67.33.136.87] on 2009/02/18 18:28:18
from BlackDog: http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
from Lunaran: http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
#2490 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/02/18 19:41:57
Got Max Payne2 for Christmas few years ago. Beat it in 3 hours. Not very satisfying tbh.
I Remember
#2491 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/02/18 20:13:25
It being far too short compared to the original as well.
#2492 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/02/18 20:21:21
Sure, it was short but I find it hard to believe that it was 3 hours short on a first play through.
#2493 posted by [Kona] [118.93.39.244] on 2009/02/18 22:37:15
yeah the developers were pretty lazy, there's even a few levels where you play through multiple times like that stupid fkn funhouse. but yeah... 3 hours on a first play through sounds a little low to me too. i guess if you skipped all the cinematics that would take an hour or two off.
MP2.
#2494 posted by Shambler [82.47.201.98] on 2009/02/18 22:52:06
I liked it. Simple game but plenty of style. Was shortish but took me a lot longer than 3 hours. Certainly got plenty of playtime for my £ as I do with almost any game.
#2495 posted by Spirit [80.171.29.243] on 2009/02/19 11:06:34
Looking back Max Payne 2 is still one of the best stories I ever played. Gotta play it again.
3 hours is a joke but maybe Zwiffle is so zwofflish that he zwuffled right through it.
I still haven't bought it though, cough. But I bought GTA:San Andreas and that piece of shit just does not end. So I guess I am even with the gaming industry dickheads.
#2496 posted by negke [88.70.233.113] on 2009/02/19 11:35:48
Hey, aren't you the guy who fell in love with Mona Sax?
#2497 posted by Spirit [80.171.29.243] on 2009/02/19 11:42:06
Yeah, quite embarrassing reading that old gibberish...
Lurker
#2498 posted by nitin [124.168.65.101] on 2009/02/19 13:08:30
thanks. I did do a search but didnt realise the game was so old :)
WHAT
#2499 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/02/19 16:05:08
negke: Post? Where is this little gold nugget hidden at?
Replaying Hl1
#2500 posted by Drew [98.124.1.208] on 2009/02/20 10:16:27
any links for HL 1 mods/editing info?
... I'm lazy, I know.
#2501 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.130] on 2009/02/20 10:48:22
I found this one really nice (but have to admit that I do not remember if I completed it, oops). If you like "post-nuclear" feeling, check it out: http://paranoia.level-design.ru/in...
Nice review site: http://spmapcorner.blogspot.com/se...
Just Completed Gothic 2
#2502 posted by spy [88.204.185.241] on 2009/02/21 13:02:20
i've never play it before and i must say it impressed me a lot, what the beautiful game :)
Necrovision
#2503 posted by PuLSaR [91.203.96.31] on 2009/02/21 16:57:23
Anyone played it? From the authors of painkiller
Well
#2504 posted by Drew [76.75.67.74] on 2009/02/22 03:27:01
I'm using the steam version of half life, but not the source version. Not sure if downloading mods/editing will be a pain in the ass to set up - anyone have any experience there?
Nah
#2505 posted by nitin [124.168.71.217] on 2009/02/22 03:52:51
no problems here with the non source version. Some older mods though dont work with 1.08 updates onwards.
Necrovision
#2506 posted by [Kona] [118.93.39.244] on 2009/02/23 09:11:41
Pulsar I didn't think it was gold yet? Looks awesome though, a bit of a RTCW ripoff, but who cares if it looks good and is fun.
Necrovision
#2507 posted by PuLSaR [85.175.175.190] on 2009/02/23 18:32:30
i wonder why no one tells anything about it, it's about a week in retail. my pc is too old to run it
#2508 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/02/23 19:33:11
I got the demo at work. It doesn't run all that well, and the PC here is fairly decent. It was running well on a coworker's PC, and looked pretty much like Painkiller in WW1. Fight zombie Germans, ghosts, use two weapons at a time, run around a lot, etc.
Quake LIVE
#2509 posted by DaZ [80.41.171.148] on 2009/02/25 02:13:45
Is now an open beta, for anyone that missed the news. The site is totally swamped at the moment so I would leave it a while before trying to register if your interested :)
Thanks Daz
#2510 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/02/25 14:32:08
pretty frustrating right now though, with the queue to get onto the page. Had to go through it once to register, once after downloading the plugin, and now i'm in the queue again after i tried to go fullscreen in firefox and it completely fucked up and wouldn't let me quit.
Hopefully will get to play within the hour!
Impressions
#2511 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/02/25 16:46:40
offline play: worked fine, Q3 is still fun!
online play: good, good, lag, lag, BSOD
Might wait a few days and try again...
Does
#2512 posted by Drew [216.168.120.159] on 2009/03/01 04:39:16
Anyone know if there are any sites with Half life tutorials or mapping resources still active? 69th parallel seems to be dead. Handy Vandal is really hit and miss...
Did Valve ERC disappear too?
#2513 posted by DaZ [80.41.171.148] on 2009/03/01 14:22:27
http://www.half-lifecreations.com/
http://developer.valvesoftware.com...
http://www.snarkpit.net/
http://twhl.co.za/tutorial.php?cat...
http://www.interlopers.net/
http://www.podcast17.com/ is your friend :)
Wow!
#2514 posted by Drew [216.168.101.173] on 2009/03/01 15:18:56
Thanks Daz!
Oops
#2515 posted by DaZ [80.41.171.148] on 2009/03/01 23:50:31
Interlopers is source engine only, my bad!
But if you are mapping in Source, you should already have bookmarked Interlopers, signed up to their forums and read everything there :) They are like the func_msgboard of Source engine games.
Well
#2516 posted by Drew [216.168.101.173] on 2009/03/02 04:17:50
I just wanted to try and make a little HL Episode. It was the first game I ever mapped for and I never finished anything I started with it. So it's more of a nostalgia trip than anything else.
#2517 posted by gb [89.27.246.169] on 2009/03/03 08:08:05
John Carmack:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feat...
So, in the couple months after launch, we will be putting together, more or less, a subscription option that allows players, for a very nominal fee -- something around like the $4.99 price point -- to also probably do other things, but the core functionality will be to allow players to, through the very elegant interface they have on the website, run their own game servers.
So in the end, they really want to resell a 10 year old game that only consists of a multiplayer mode. Isn't this pretty sad?
It's a good game and all, but shouldn't they be doing something groundbreaking instead?
#2518 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.30] on 2009/03/03 09:30:14
Hello Mr. Negative,
I find QuakeLive pretty great. The matchmaking works fine and I have never had as much fun with Quake 3.
Maybe if you did not take that quote completely out of context, you would notice that he talks about paying for running custom servers.
The game is fucking free, isn't this pretty nice?
Any Difference In Gameplay?
#2519 posted by nitin [124.168.19.246] on 2009/03/03 11:19:46
Spirit
#2520 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/03/03 11:48:07
how's it running for you? Every game I play ends up lagging and freezing up. Sometimes it fixes itself and goes back to playing normally (and usually freezes again later) and sometimes I get proper system crashes and BSODs.
Really affecting my enjoyment of the game... when it's running nicely I have a lot of fun. I'm running it on firefox 3, have tried fullscreen and windowed, playing on european servers, UK servers if I can find them.
Fine For Me
#2521 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.18.236] on 2009/03/03 11:59:07
Yeah - everything maxed out, looks great, 60hz, sometimes I lose the server, the stats seem to be disabled at the moment.... other than that its fine! Oh - it has a freind finder and tried to accept a request from the Negke and that didnt seem to work.
#2522 posted by gb [89.27.245.13] on 2009/03/03 12:17:06
Maybe if you did not take that quote completely out of context, you would notice that he talks about paying for running custom servers.
I did.
The game is fucking free, isn't this pretty nice?
Apparently not, which was the whole point of my post. I consider running your own server a vital part of the package.
Playing on id's servers is "free" if you don't consider looking at ads ingame (and serving as part of the community that they are in fact selling, thereby effectively working for them, unpaid) some kind of price.
Mr. Negative, heh.
If being "positive" is another way of saying that someone is being stupid enough to eat all the shit that people toss at him, then yes, I'm proudly negative.
And
#2523 posted by gb [89.27.245.13] on 2009/03/03 12:22:45
Quake 2 is effectively free, since you can play online with just the demo and latest patch, and I'm pretty sure it lets you run a server and has no ingame ads O_o
But sssh, don't tell.
Starbuck
#2524 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.30] on 2009/03/03 13:35:15
Runs very fine for me!
Hmm
#2525 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.140] on 2009/03/03 16:56:04
I must be doing something wrong then... I was hoping it was just early-days jitters, and it would sort itself out. Will look into it.
Gb
#2526 posted by bear [94.255.211.23] on 2009/03/03 20:36:47
Do you really think it being multiplayer only is part of the problem? I really prefer to see multiplayer or singleplayer only game where they focus on one of those parts instead of adding a half-assed version of one of the modes that takes away resources from the main component only to score an extra bullet point on the box.
Anyway it doesn't seem to run very well for me as it is now and although I can see some value being added by the site with friends/stats/matchmaking old Q3 would probably offer a more enjoyable experience currently.
#2527 posted by gb [89.27.198.0] on 2009/03/03 21:02:03
Do you really think it being multiplayer only is part of the problem
No. My tongue just slipped.
#2528 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.140] on 2009/03/03 21:49:07
[is qlive free?] Apparently not, which was the whole point of my post. I consider running your own server a vital part of the package.
Just read the article, from what I can see, you aren't allowed to run your own server, you are in fact buying time on their servers with your $5. He claims this represents good value relative to normal server rental costs, but I have no experience there, so who knows.
Playing on id's servers is "free" if you don't consider looking at ads ingame (and serving as part of the community that they are in fact selling, thereby effectively working for them, unpaid) some kind of price.
Well, this is the premise of ad-supported games I guess, it is what it is. It's free in the monetary sense, but you pay for it by having your eyeballs bombarded with special offers on herbal viagra pills. The game content is degraded, and you can choose to make that sacrifice if you wish. The exciting thing here is that because so many people are cheapskates (hi) those servers are going to be rammed.
#2529 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.30] on 2009/03/03 22:25:59
The advertising is quite subtle and not degrading the game in any way for me. Just think of it as random image on the wall (muh_bad but without jesus).
And since I consider QuakeLive more like a "free service" instead of a free game I am totally fine with it. I really hope id can monetise it so it does not vanish in a year.
Flash Game
#2530 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/03/07 00:08:51
"Don't Look Back" -- like a cross between Pitfall and Another World (AKA Out of This World.) Fun enough to play to the end.
And Here's The URL:
#2531 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/03/07 00:09:08
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Te...
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
#2532 posted by nitin [124.168.19.246] on 2009/03/14 11:30:04
quite decent, its better that you have the option of going stealth or assault rather than forcing you to go one way (which still happens every now and then but at least not all the time).
wasnt used to seeing so much aliasing, for some reason the game turns off AA (even if you force it through desktop) if you select HDR rendering. graphics were decent otherwise without being anything awe inspiring.
did get a bit repetitive towards the end.
overall, good.
UE3
#2533 posted by DaZ [80.41.171.148] on 2009/03/14 13:37:33
Is chaos theory on the UE3 engine? If so then that would explain the lack of AA. There is some technical reason why UE3 cannot do AA on anything but DX10 hardware but I can't remember what it was.
I have not actually played any of the Splinter Cell games, as I find stealth frustrating in 90% of games (was great in Deus Ex tho), but if the sequels give you more freedom of choice then I might have to check them out.
Daz
#2534 posted by nitin [124.168.19.246] on 2009/03/14 13:55:20
not sure, but I think so.
as for the stealth, Chaos theory is no actioner in the normal sense but compared to the other Splinter Cells, the amount of action that could be used was welcome.
Undying
#2535 posted by generic [67.233.219.7] on 2009/03/21 16:06:32
After purchasing a used copy of this game 3 years ago (!), I finally finished it. Overall, the story was interesting but the game was just a bit too difficult. There were a few things, though, that I really appreciated:
1) The mansion hub - while "won't budge" could get a little annoying, I liked the giant haunted house theme and would love to see it implemented in a Quake mod/map pack.
2) The "finish him" animations - it was neat to see how the various baddies dispatched you in Undying, even if it was often awkward and you couldn't fast forward through it :(
3) Creature diversity - from the gypsy terrorists to the giant floating heads with arms, there was a good variety of enemies with just the right amount of evil mixed in. I would like to see someone implement a comprehensive collection of prehistoric monsters in Quake like the base baddies in Quoth (e.g., cavemen with melee and long-distance attacks, dinosaurs, man-eating vegetation, etc.).
That is all. Now I hope to start playing my used copy of Wheel of Time!
Yeah
#2536 posted by ijed [190.20.78.106] on 2009/03/21 20:06:01
It's one of the good games.
I found that the last 'autumn' section jarred a bit with the rest, but was a great style anyway.
The skeletons were the only misjudged bit - infinitely respawning enemies is ALWAYS a bad idea.
Undying Was Great
#2537 posted by nitin [124.168.63.244] on 2009/03/21 23:51:42
save for a few tech errors (czg has a great post on them earlier).
Wheel of Time is good fun too, great atmosphere like Undying.
Undying Was Great
#2538 posted by Shambler [77.97.152.124] on 2009/03/24 11:37:33
Indeed.
As was Wheel Of Time.
I Tried Playing WoT...
#2539 posted by necros [173.34.78.53] on 2009/03/24 20:24:22
i'm also reading the books right now and WoT game should NEVER have been a shooter. :\
i guess cause shooters were all the rage back then, but it would (and still could) make a great rpg. i'm eager to see how dragon age plays.
WoT And Undying Are Both Great
#2540 posted by Scragbait [69.159.50.254] on 2009/03/24 22:47:12
BTW, you can 'kill' the skeletons for good with the Invoke spell (or some other spell if I named the wrong one).
Nope
#2541 posted by ijed [190.20.89.235] on 2009/03/25 04:14:23
That's it.
Although I always preferred to use after killing a donkey to bring it back to life.
Temporarily
#2542 posted by ijed [190.20.89.235] on 2009/03/25 04:14:50
Nile Online
#2543 posted by DaZ [80.41.171.148] on 2009/04/04 23:50:19
http://www.playnileonline.com/
This is browser game that is free to play and involves building a city and trading materials and goods with other players in order to upgrade your own city status.
Its quite an addictive little thing, perfect for switching to and managing your city for a few minutes every couple of hours to keep things ticking over, just the kind of thing you might want if you are bored at work :)
Try it out if resource management / trading games are you sort of thing!
Rombo
#2544 posted by Bad Sector [87.202.230.129] on 2009/04/05 13:41:11
http://www.runtimeterror.com/play/...
Its a 3D flash first person action game (some might even say shooter, if you consider casting fireballs as shooting :-P). It took me a while to make (now i know why many 2.5D games used prerendered art instead of hand drawn sprites :-P), although i didn't worked on it all the time (mostly a side project).
Currently there are only five levels, although each level has something new to show (otherwise i could have done much more levels but they would be too 'same').
Btw, there is a dopefish hidden somewhere.
http://gimme.badsectoracula.com/ro...
Can you find it? :-)
Any comments would be appreciated :-)
AH! Before i press the Submit button... do not forget to read the instructions (they're below the story)! Also if you're using firefox, due to a bug i'm trying to squish, do not press the right button or you'll hang your browser!
#2545 posted by metlslime [24.130.223.174] on 2009/04/06 00:19:06
hey, cool. Nice old-schoolness. Kind of like if they tried to make Heretic using the wolfenstein engine.
Great Article About Game Reviews And Stupid Fanboys
#2546 posted by Spirit [80.171.28.95] on 2009/04/06 12:39:52
http://www.destructoid.com/is-the-...
Hmm
#2547 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/04/06 13:35:18
Aye, good article.
The Killzone 2 review linked from the article is scary though. Fairly happy review with 80% score and over 60 pages of Anonymous and profanity filterd abuse...
This Is Kind Of Awesome...
#2548 posted by pjw [24.183.98.202] on 2009/04/07 03:47:56
Epic even.
http://www.theonion.com/content/vi...
Hmm
#2549 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/04/07 15:10:21
I'd play it... Mainly for the emu headshot
Also, lol at the cure for crying at the end.
CoD 2
#2550 posted by nitin [124.168.69.98] on 2009/04/13 13:59:58
throughly enjoyed it, probably the best of the military shooters I've come across.
Nice big levels, good autosave system coupled with well pulled off no health bar gameplay, varied missions and squad members that feel like squad members. Linear but importantly has a few routes available whenever there is a fairfight so that there is no bottlenecks.
Civiballs
#2551 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/04/14 03:07:00
cool physics puzzle game:
http://armorgames.com/play/3434/ci...
Indeed
#2552 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2009/04/14 08:04:12
Good found ;)
Yeah
#2553 posted by ijed [190.20.104.68] on 2009/04/14 13:48:27
It's not that special in concept but extremely well finished.
Replay Doom 2 TNT Evilution
#2554 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2009/04/19 15:26:06
Hell, I didn't remember how good it was.. fucking good map.. To play again without any doubts :D
... I Thought TNT: Evilution Was Part Of Final Doom
#2555 posted by meTch [69.183.103.146] on 2009/04/20 03:54:33
along with the plutonia experiment or what ever :O
//doom3 should have been doom4 on PC :P
////damn i should play Final Doom again :S
MeTch
#2556 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2009/04/20 08:01:06
Final Doom is a compilation of the best Doom maps ever, and TNT Evilution / Plutonia Experiment has been included "as is" in the pack... And if you have any interest of replaying it separately on your PC (as I do with Doom Legacy engine) you can download the Doom wads here: http://doom4ever.free.fr/ in the wads section ;)
Enjoy !!
Lunaran
#2557 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/20 15:43:21
Was right - World of Goo is pretty good. It is just an extended flash game, but with more depth, better story and artwork.
$20 is a bit steep for what you get, nut I'm having fun with it.
Nuts
#2558 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/20 15:43:40
Shii !!!!!
#2559 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2009/04/20 18:26:18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SX...
Rofl
#2560 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.104.235] on 2009/04/20 18:48:01
That's very insulting to women!
New Fallout !
#2561 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/04/20 20:17:43
Fallout: New Vegas - apparently a new game, not a sequel to Fallout 3 but more like a contemporary kind of thing. Coming out next year or so.
Who else is excited?
http://kotaku.com/5219584/new-fall...
I Still
#2562 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/20 20:52:53
Haven't played ANY of the previous Fallouts - so many games, so little time. $50 is a price I try to pay once or twice a year as well.
That's Surprising.
#2563 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/04/20 21:43:36
i'd have thought they'd just keep doing downloadable content for FO3.
Ijed
#2564 posted by Spirit [80.171.9.242] on 2009/04/20 23:36:13
Screw Fallout 3! Get Fallout 1 for 1$ somewhere and lose countless hours in its greatness.
Isnt It In Fallout 1 N' 2
#2565 posted by meTch [69.183.103.146] on 2009/04/21 02:35:54
you can make your characters intelligence so low that when they speak its just Sloth-like sounds?
L4D Survival Pack
#2566 posted by Shambler [77.97.152.124] on 2009/04/21 13:53:37
The DLC is free to all owners of Left 4 Dead and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode.
No mention of any new coop stuff = pointless = count me out.
Hehe
#2567 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/04/21 19:38:27
yeah, although it's more like "me help you" instead of "sure, i'll help you out."
and some NPCs mock you which is pretty funny.
L4D Pack
#2568 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/21 21:34:08
http://www.l4d.com/blog/
You can't be counted out unless you never connect to the internet to play.
There's a rumour that the HDR testmap (lighthouse) might be one of the Survival maps, though don't know how valid that is.
And
#2569 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/22 00:40:59
There it is, including a lighthouse.
58% and counting . . .
And Some NPCs Mock You Which Is Pretty Funny
#2570 posted by meTch [69.183.103.146] on 2009/04/22 00:45:48
only three letters can describe that: L, O, L
Hmmm.
#2571 posted by Shambler [77.97.152.124] on 2009/04/22 11:02:32
Okay, maybe I'm not understanding Survival mode, is it coop then??
I'd rather just have new campaigns / a new weapon / a new special.
Survival
#2572 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/04/22 13:30:29
Is basicly a never ending finale event like the ending area of each campaign. The idea is to survive (duh) as long as you can against endless zombies and specials.
I did hear a rumour that Valve were working on a flamethrower for L4D, which would be great :D
Also, I would love some sort of heavy melee weapon that you could replace pistols with perhaps, like a fire axe or sledge hammer, im sure that could be fun ;)
Hmm
#2573 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/04/22 13:58:53
It's like the DMSP player mod but co-op Sham.
Still got all the hectic teamplay you enjoy from campaign, but without all that hassle of walking through a level (yes, I agree that it's inferior to a new campaign, but still, probably be good for a laugh or 6)
Hmm
#2574 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/04/22 13:59:24
Yes I'm a single-player player. Playa!
Yeah.
#2575 posted by Shambler [77.97.152.124] on 2009/04/22 17:21:48
I see. Hmmm, maybe baby.
+1 for flamethrower.
I Like
#2576 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/22 17:37:49
The sound of new specials - the Screamer that was cut was basically a cross between the Boomer and the witch but there's alot of scope for other designs.
Not a fan of the weapon suggestions so far - an instant fire weapon negates the molotov's clunkiness. It was left clunky for a reason and adding the ability to instantly flame stuff introduces a whole new range of mechanics.
Could be done I spose.
Melee would be fun, but I doubt they'll go for it. I suspect they'll keep the zombies as the melee creatures. It's the cool thing to do right now - 1st person everything - but I'm not yet convinced. Have yet to play Zeno Clash though.
How about a disposable rocket launcher? Not a Quake rocket launcher but a real one. I mean kneel down to fire, shrapnel pinging off etc. A tank stopper.
Another one might be claymores - cover yourselves but if you don't let your team-mates know then you're fucked.
The other thing that could be an interesting new mechanic is non-combatants. You have to get them to the safe house but they're useless bots without guns.
Aiiiyahh!
#2577 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/04/22 17:44:25
Not too sure about a rocket launcher, even if it is real world inspired. It would make me feel too powerful against the zombies, and something would be lost as a result. Its scary when you look at a huge horde running at you and "shit, I've only got this fucking peashooter?" :)
Claymores could be a very cool addition indeed, or any kind of "home made" booby traps that you can set down like that.
"useless bots without guns".. Please die in a fire!!!!!! =) The only good I can see coming from such an idea would be if you could blindfold them, tell them to scream and run away from you, thereby attracting a ton of zombies to them while you slip past. Roofles may be had.
Maybe a full length dress mirror would be a cool "weapon" ;)
I Meant
#2578 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/22 19:04:28
A RL as a single shot LAW type weapon which has a big delay to fire - it'd be useless against a horde unless you wanted to turn your team into pate.
Just got the image of a curling smoke trail and a tank being quartered in a spray of intestines.
Hm, maybe bodyguard scenarios are a shitty idea. But different scenarios / missions could be good - go find a car battery and come back to the safe house, for example.
I'm Thinking
#2579 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/22 19:04:44
Necromunda.
MicroMachines Racing Game Online
#2580 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.134.180] on 2009/04/22 22:31:51
this is how the game looks like
http://sliderpoint.com/images/ts08...
6MB to download, we are GMT+1
icq 259689233
#2581 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/04/22 22:46:09
a/s/l?
#2582 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.134.180] on 2009/04/23 11:55:22
feel free to join us meltslime or just shuttafucka. it may LOOK like game for little kids but it IS the most addictive online game ever. (runs on XP with no problems)
Did Anyone Try That ZenoClash Melee FPS?
#2583 posted by megaman [92.73.88.124] on 2009/04/23 12:40:05
Not Yet
#2584 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/23 15:12:06
But most everyone in my office has it - the guys who made it are a splinter dev team from ours, and we're still pretty friendly.
I haven't played it yet (credit card maxed for the month) but the general first impressions sound good and visually its interesting - an acid trip inside the Sorcery books (original inspiration).
And
#2585 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/23 15:54:57
I just bought it. Will post feedback later.
How do you spell slef conrtol?
#2586 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.134.180] on 2009/04/23 17:00:12
ok, it is qip number of course, not stupid icq
Zeno Clash
#2587 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/23 20:39:13
Well worth the $20.
I'm still not convinced that first person camera is the best way to represent melee, but when the mechanics are so well balanced it doesn't really matter.
The things that impress so far are the melee, storyline and visuals.
The melee system is simple yet has a nice range of options to exploit.
The gun sections make a nice break from the fisticuffs - sniping at animals or mercenaries. The shooting mechanics are not as polished as the melee (less tactics) but they're not the focus of the gameplay.
Usually the better option against groups is to throw the weapon away and start brawling, which is oddly realistic, although the ranged weapon damage isn't so much.
It's apparently pretty short but that's represented by the price.
Interesting game.
Orange Box
#2588 posted by ijed [190.20.86.106] on 2009/04/25 03:32:57
Is 66% off this weekend, buy it if you don't have it.
Fallout 3
#2589 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.189.106] on 2009/04/27 11:26:58
Well, I bought a copy of Far Cry 2 and Crysis Warhead recently (terrible distractions from mapping I know), and although I am slowly trudging through both games, for some reason I found myself strangely drawn back to Fallout 3! Despite the fact that I already completed the game (well the stroy mode anyway) first time through, it is such a brilliant game and has sooooooooo much replayability that I just couldnt resist.
Having already done about 70-80% of what is in there I am able to plan my tatics a bit better. Here I am at level 4, with the alien blaster hunting deathclaws for XP. I refuse to use any drugs this time round, and also I am going to persue the route of melee weapons expert!
And I know that I could probably play it again in the future, except I will see what happens when I take the entirely evil route! :DDD
For those who havent for whatever reason, this game is truly the best game of '08, and well worth a look! And yes, I think its better than Oblivion, which I didnt like at all...
#2590 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/04/27 11:29:32
I have a mental block with Fallout3 ... I keep restarting, trying different character builds. I can't get very far before my mind starts wandering, "Man, I wonder what would happen if I specialized in X?". So I start over, specializing in "X". Repeat indefinitely. :) Awesome game though, I agree!
Playing KotOR 2 Atm
#2591 posted by nitin [124.168.13.232] on 2009/04/27 11:29:58
and its very playable but somehow it feels not as good as the first. Maybe because its *too* similar, almost feels like an expansion than a new game.
I Believe
#2592 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/04/27 19:23:31
kotor 2 was rushed a lot. probably why it doesn't have a real ending and has so much unused assets still in the game. (you can download mods that add these unused assets back into the game, if you're interested)
The Path
#2593 posted by negke [88.70.226.191] on 2009/04/29 15:44:19
http://tale-of-tales.com/ThePath/
Supposedly
#2594 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/04/29 17:21:50
Extremely slow - haven't played it but apparently you need 6 hours uninterrupted to get the best out of it.
Zeno Clash Is Cool
#2595 posted by [78.37.14.151] on 2009/04/30 02:43:33
thats all
KotOR2
#2596 posted by nitin [124.168.97.239] on 2009/05/05 11:05:43
gets better, even addictive, from the middle to the end. The end levels get a bit tedious though. Overall pretty good, but definitely lacked polish.
Oh
#2597 posted by nitin [124.168.97.239] on 2009/05/05 11:06:28
and its one the worst AA rendered games I've seen, so many jagged lines even with 8xAA in which most games look great.
#2598 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/05/05 13:28:49
Plants vs Zombies is good. You will to download now!
Quake 4
#2599 posted by nitin [124.168.32.221] on 2009/05/11 12:15:42
finally around to playing it.
Effectively a less polished but entertaining in its own way of D3 with moments of spoogeworthy graphics and a well executed if over oppressive theme.
Ok Finished It
#2600 posted by nitin [203.217.72.209] on 2009/05/12 14:00:35
same comments as above for the whole thing except that there are lots of moments of spoogeworthy graphics, especially in the levels inside the nexus area. Insane amounts of detail in some of those bits without seeming too cluttered as UT2KXX does (well from screenshots anyway)
Id Software's Cancelled Game
#2601 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.140] on 2009/05/12 19:24:43
did anyone else completely miss this news last year?
http://www.shacknews.com/featureda...
That's all I can find on it, apparently id software were developing a game with id tech 5 for 18 months, which they abandoned because they felt it was rehashing Doom 3. Anyone got any more information?
Yeah, It Was Called Rage
#2602 posted by negke [88.70.226.142] on 2009/05/12 19:51:59
Good riddance.
Nah
#2603 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.140] on 2009/05/12 19:55:58
It was called 'Darkness', Rage is the project they dropped Darkness for.
Yeah
#2604 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/05/12 20:07:12
I remember that. Based on what I remember thinking I heard about it, I think they made a good decision to cancel it. Wasn't that big a deal to me anyway.
Plants Vs Zombies
#2605 posted by Scampie [96.61.118.34] on 2009/05/12 22:01:23
Greatest game ever made.
Discuss.
Re: Plants Vs Zombies
#2606 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/05/13 00:17:56
For some odd reason, my 9800 GTX does not like the demo, and will, after a few minutes, turn everything into seemingly 8-bit colors and freeze.
Having said that, what I did play of it was boring, and it doesn't seem like it will hold my attention for long. Of course, Peggle as well did not hold my attention either.
Just those kinds of games I suppose.
PvZ
#2607 posted by starbuck [129.215.58.140] on 2009/05/13 00:30:40
really want to try the demo, but can't really justify it right now, being in the middle of finals. Damn you PopCap, with your games so full of PopCrack, ho ho ho etc.
Post Number Twothousandsixhundredone
#2608 posted by meTch [64.148.30.155] on 2009/05/13 05:08:25
HAH! i like the "Shacknews artist's rendering"
L4D SDK
#2609 posted by Bal [82.124.26.82] on 2009/05/16 09:34:50
http://www.l4d.com/blog/post.php?i...
It's on!
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
#2610 posted by ijed [190.20.79.121] on 2009/05/17 00:29:37
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
DUN-DUN DUN-DUN . . . DAH DAH
DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUUN-DUN-DUN DAH DAH
Bah
#2611 posted by ijed [190.20.79.121] on 2009/05/17 00:30:04
Too many.
Prey
#2612 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/17 15:08:43
fab game, although after this and q4, I'm oppressive teched out :)
Someone mentioned ages ago the fact that you cant die, I thought the spirit levels were pretty much the same punishment wise as reloading from where you die (ie if you are used to autosaving, no real difference).
I'm Really Looking Forward To This:
#2613 posted by bear [94.255.220.238] on 2009/05/17 20:25:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8B...
Are They Serious With That One?
#2614 posted by meTch [69.183.71.111] on 2009/05/17 21:13:25
i was laughing and shocked at the same time
Wot's The...
#2615 posted by Shambler [86.10.105.175] on 2009/05/18 13:32:46
...postage rates to Sweden? Am gonna buy a copy for CZG...
Shamb:
#2616 posted by bear [130.242.7.250] on 2009/05/18 16:39:17
it's download only.
Fathom
#2617 posted by metlslime [24.130.223.174] on 2009/05/20 09:49:38
http://adamatomic.com/fathom/
Short, worth playing, clean pixel art.... pretty decent.
Now This Looks Good:
#2618 posted by bear [94.255.213.28] on 2009/05/20 12:43:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF3...
#2619 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/05/20 13:05:03
Holy crap, that looks killer! Great environments!! And I loved ICO to death so this is a day one purchase for me. Awesome, awesome...
Whats ICO?
#2620 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/20 14:25:08
Hmm
#2621 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/05/20 14:51:00
One of the best games ever; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ico
#2622 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/05/20 15:28:11
Whats ICO?
Get out. And leave your gamer card by the door on your way out.
Holy Shit
#2623 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/05/20 19:44:59
that's big news! Looks exactly halfway between ICO and SOTC. This is probably years away isn't it :(
I'm Wondering
#2624 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/05/20 20:30:04
If you control the Hippogriff or the kid.
. . . and why the kid's art style looks completely different from the rest of the game.
Holy Shit On A Stick Vasquez!
#2625 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/05/21 00:17:53
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
:D~~~~~~~~
Daz
#2626 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/05/21 00:23:58
Welcome to earlier in the day.
Zwiffle
#2627 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/05/21 00:27:37
you are a cunt!
Never Played Console
#2628 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/21 00:51:17
so dont know any console specific games.
Daz
#2629 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/05/21 03:52:04
Haha, I saw the shots on kotaku earlier and specifically thought: Daz will literally jizz his pants at this, so hard he may die.
AVPR:
#2630 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.244] on 2009/05/21 11:04:03
When good graphics and a good theme meet *nods*
That Does Look
#2631 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/21 11:43:33
very spoogeworthy.
Metl
#2632 posted by megaman [94.221.96.99] on 2009/05/21 11:54:43
hm is there a way to beat the boss? and the sea thing is.. weird. i even got the poor little guy to the end, but he just died. I question the reward system :)
Fathom
#2633 posted by starbuck [94.193.240.185] on 2009/05/21 12:50:58
I thought they were trying to play on the conventional gamer expectations... the lack of a 'win' state, or clearly defined goals. The early section seems intentionally arbitrary - what are these things i'm picking up? Who are those guys I'm killing and why?
On the other hand, while the execution is good in one way (pixel-art, music, movement in section 1), the gameplay in the underwater area is hugely boring and frustrating. Inverted steering with annoying inertia in the dark + flashlight pointing the other way to where you're going, oh boy. Intentional, maybe. Irritating, yes. Payoff, no.
I wish less pixel art platform games tried to be clever and arty and just gave me situations where I can rescue Princess Peach/My gay lover Tails from King Koopa/Dr. Robotnik.
Well
#2634 posted by megaman [94.221.96.99] on 2009/05/21 13:02:37
Inverted steering with annoying inertia in the dark + flashlight pointing the other way to where you're going, oh boy. Intentional, maybe. Irritating, yes. Payoff, no.
Exactly. I like the idea, it should just have been executed better. There's some form of communication missing. The little hints you give the player. Discovering that you can Persuadertronize the fishes didn't feel rewarding, because i was wandering around for minutes until i finally got it, and then immediately knew i had to wander round even longer to find all of them. Also, there was no feedback if they were helping at all or were just a gimmick. Finding some weird green thing that i had no idea what it was supposed to do didn't feel rewarding. just random. I still don't really get what happened ;-)
I Did Indeed SPOOGE HARD
#2635 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/05/21 15:10:37
Now rebellion dont sit very well with me, after the masterpiece that was avp they have made shite (unless you can prove me wrong).
But, the shots from avpr look fucking fantastic so far, so im slyly crossing my fingers that they are going to return to the greatness that was AvP. I don't think ive ever played such a suspenseful and atmospheric game since (hmm actually, perhaps the penumbra games) and the moments of sheer terror when an alien pulls your face off! Good, good times.
This AND Colonial Marines, my god im in heaven... I just hope the cornbread is good
I Just Hope They Dont Can Colonial Marines
#2636 posted by RickyT23 [82.27.236.72] on 2009/05/21 15:27:38
Man I got a baaaaaaaad feelin' about the fact that they might can Colonial Marines.
Release a bloody classic shooter already, some company...... !!!
Re: Fathom (spoilers)
#2637 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/05/21 21:49:45
i agree with the criticism that the middle section is a bit too tedious for what it is. I thought the overall presentation was great, and the twist ending and stuff was cool, the only real problem is that specific twist has been done to fucking death in movies, tv shows, books, etc. etc. etc. for decades or maybe centuries. It's basically An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge in video game form. But like i said, done well.
Errr Another L4D Type Thing..
#2638 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.244] on 2009/05/22 00:45:54
http://news.filefront.com/gt-qa-tr...
http://www.killingfloorthegame.com...
Views??
Hmm
#2639 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/05/22 01:59:54
Haven't played. Heard good shit about it. Meh. Why did no-one tell me L4D was £4 a few weeks back? No worries about the trousers. Safe.
Timeshift
#2640 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/24 02:49:05
nice weapons, cool enemies, decent gameplay.
But the engine is a bit unpolished (hello plasticness) and the level design could have been more inspiring given the setting, lots of detail but not all that interesting detail.
Gameplay is fun but unfortunately very repetitive too given the timeshift powers and the fact that you can die in like 2 sec if you try and play this like a normal shooter. I liked the auto regeneration but some armor would have been good too even if they had to tinker with other stuff for balance.
Just Finished The Wheel Of Time
#2641 posted by spy [92.47.199.161] on 2009/05/24 16:26:42
for the first time, what the great game.
in the credit menu there is a name Warren Marshall, is it you Willem?
Pretty Sure It Is
#2642 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/24 16:55:15
responsible for many of the shadar logoth classic levels.
#2643 posted by Ankh [88.199.103.6] on 2009/05/24 17:41:14
I didn't play the game but the books are great.
Killing Floor
#2644 posted by ijed [200.111.70.236] on 2009/05/24 21:03:12
A few in the office have it, sometimes L4D is on backburner, but they basically say it{s like Survivor mode but with more varieties of zombies. And much longer load times.
Didn{t catch my attention, tbh, seeing as it seems I already own it, inside L4D.
Whenyou Say Killing Floor I Get The Feeling Is SHOULD Be
#2645 posted by meTch [64.148.35.77] on 2009/05/25 01:53:08
a Ancient Roam arena where space-cowboys and waist-land warriors have chainsaw-jousts on the backs of dinosaurs and ginormous scorpions and other ultra-violent sports to the beat}s of Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Fear, but i know it will just end up being a disappointing zombie game
Oh Yeah And
#2646 posted by meTch [64.148.35.77] on 2009/05/25 01:58:25
the last boss would have to be Brucie Campbell as Ash from..well you know ;}
Killing Floor:
#2647 posted by RickyT23 [82.27.236.72] on 2009/05/25 03:25:03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hww...
THATs what it makes me think of! :)))
;}
#2648 posted by ijed [190.20.109.215] on 2009/05/25 05:48:36
Try typing on a spanish keyboard when you've no time.
It doesn't look special TBH, just reminds me of that Q1 map where you have to watch over your comrade's tomb. I forget the name.
#2649 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/05/26 00:07:03
"in the credit menu there is a name Warren Marshall, is it you Willem?"
Yep, that was the first big game I ever worked on!
WoT
#2650 posted by Scragbait [65.92.69.238] on 2009/05/26 01:34:16
I got it for very cheap and got it because one of my favorite mappers Kew Jervis worked on it.
I agree, it was a great game - tons of atmosphere. I really liked Shadar Loggoth and those basement halls full of traps.
WoT
#2651 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2009/05/26 09:29:11
The multiplayer was kind of interesting at the time too, but it never really picked up. Was lots of interesting tricks to do with the spells, like shooting a position switch spell just as your throwing yourself in lava with a fire resist rune.
#2652 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/05/26 11:29:58
Bal
Oh yes, the WoT multiplayer was incredible - and I don't use that word too lightly. I think that it was too complex for people at the time, however. It came out right around the UT/Quake3 timeframe so all anyone wanted to do was blast each other with rocket launchers. Having to think about 20 ter'angreal and their various interactions was too much work I think.
WoT was one of those games where if you got a bunch of guys together who really knew the ter'angreals and how to use them it was an absolute blast. We had some killer deathmatches around the office during development.
Oh Yeah
#2653 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/26 11:42:32
Tim Jervis did work on it didnt he, his unreal pack Illhaven is still awesome.
Willem
#2654 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2009/05/26 11:44:39
Yeah I was quite sad it died out fairly fast, I had some great games on it, even on the demo before the full game came out. Was fun just having hundreds of homing stuff flying around, you're never sure how a battle is gonna turn out, depending on who has the most counters.
WoT Should Have Been Called
#2655 posted by bear [130.242.7.250] on 2009/05/26 12:49:50
w00t!
I never played more than the demo though.
Hmm
#2656 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/05/26 19:20:26
Yep, that was the first big game I ever worked on!
And arguably the best. Fsck Gears3 or whatever you're doing atm, get Epic to acquire the license for a remake tbh...
#2657 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/05/26 19:41:02
Well, since it inarguably paid the worst, I'm going to have to decline. :)
This Is Not A Love Song Eh Willem?
#2658 posted by meTch [64.148.35.77] on 2009/05/26 21:34:07
Willem
#2659 posted by nitin [124.168.95.197] on 2009/05/27 10:47:27
were you at legend during Unreal 2? do any levels for that?
#2660 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/05/27 11:12:53
nitin
I was there during the very early pre-production work but I left for Epic before any real work got done. So, no, I don't have any levels in there.
So...
#2661 posted by generic [67.233.216.102] on 2009/05/27 13:48:23
When is Matt Sefton returning to the Quake community? I miss that guy.
Hmm
#2662 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/05/27 19:00:39
Didn't he start remaking a map a while back?
No
#2663 posted by negke [88.70.56.14] on 2009/05/27 19:02:34
That was Matthias Worch.
Hmm
#2664 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/05/27 19:04:41
Oh yeh, ofc.
Why did all the truly old skool have names starting with M?
Matthias Worch
#2665 posted by nitin.at.work [203.202.43.53] on 2009/05/28 09:30:39
8 March 2009 headline on his quake page at www.worch.com says he is looking for testers.
Sefton Did A Q3A Map...
#2666 posted by generic [67.233.216.102] on 2009/05/28 13:22:02
but that's last I've heard of him mapping :(
BTW: http://lvlworld.com/a.php/Matt+Sef...
Worch
#2667 posted by Drew [76.75.125.51] on 2009/05/28 17:05:57
Screenshots look fucking rad.
I think that levels gonna be kinda like a big deal.
Hmm
#2668 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/05/29 19:53:18
All this Mass Effect 2 E3 preview business is making me want to go back through and play it again. Eeeffffffffff
The Original
#2669 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/05/29 19:54:31
It makes me want to play through the original again, not the sequel (of course.)
Mass Effect
#2670 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/05/30 03:58:46
played through it once on PC, it was a fantastic experience! The combat was a tad crap but the story and characters more than made up for it.
Really looking forward to the sequel! Hmm and the bioware MMO too actually! :P
Spooged Again :(
#2671 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/06/01 01:47:46
http://www.pcgames.de/aid,685633/A...
#2672 posted by meTch [64.148.35.77] on 2009/06/01 03:21:48
always with aliens, zombies and trying to make it like real life and the like;
don't they have anything original for new first person shooters?
Yes.
#2673 posted by ijed [190.20.64.100] on 2009/06/01 05:30:09
But those ideas get cancelled when marketing comes back - saleability of content unknown, saleability of zombies 70%.
It's important to remember that execs don't give a shit what the game is about, only that it sells. And that producers tend to have their balls surgically removed upon signing their employment contract.
Bah
#2674 posted by nitin [124.168.89.125] on 2009/06/01 10:23:40
originality is underrated but not as underrated as quality.
#2675 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/06/01 11:10:19
Guys, it's Aliens vs Predator. The characters aren't really open to interpretation.
Hehe
#2676 posted by DaZ [80.41.135.208] on 2009/06/01 11:17:30
I need a good aliens game, my poor mind has been starved for way to long!
I Was
#2677 posted by nitin [124.168.89.125] on 2009/06/01 12:06:16
actually trying to say stuff originality if the game is good, and so far this one looks good.
#2678 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/06/01 17:08:26
Guys, it's Aliens vs Predator. The characters aren't really open to interpretation.
I disagree - I would actually love to see some bold variations of the Predator and Aliens we all know. The idea of the alien has tons of potential already because of the face-hugger breeding through different organisms thing, and, well, I'm sure there are a fuck ton of ways to spice up the Predator. They don't all have to be clones of the first one.
#2679 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/06/01 17:18:17
Established franchises don't really need to be messed with, IMO. If you want to go all freaky experimental, create a new IP.
Should Be A Player Mode
#2680 posted by Drew [98.124.14.238] on 2009/06/01 17:57:12
Where you are a face hugger. or a baby. first level starts in some dudes intestines.
Oh, and I hope they digitally insert Arnold Schwarz into the game. Or at least Danny Glover.
#2681 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/06/01 17:59:02
All the best franchises constantly evolve (this is a statement I'm pulling out of my ass, but just play along.)
Terminator introduces newer and better terminators each movie, etc etc.
Star Wars constantly adds new things, different ways to fight with light sabers, aliens, etc etc.
Hell, Quake is a COMPLETELY NEW GAME each and every iteration. And Quake 4 = Doom 3, so that counts as a new game.
For a species as technologically advanced as the Predators to have cloaking technology, laser targeting shoulder cannons,and arm-band nukes, they sure as hell could have a ton of different, interesting gadgets with which to battle, more interesting armor, etc. A warrior-centric society where each Predator tries to display his (or her?) own trophies and badges of honor, etc, has a ton of room to evolve.
Hmmm
#2682 posted by RickyT23 [82.27.236.72] on 2009/06/01 18:51:03
Firstly I LOVE Aliens. What a fantastic movie! I really hope they dont can Aliens: Colonial Marines, because I would love a game like that - set in the Aliens universe, likely to stay with the established themes of my fave movie!
Without bringing a predator into the equation at all, as a games designer (creature artiste or whatever) you could have so much fun with the Aliens species (the Alien/Aliens/Alien3 and maybe (just maybe) Alien Resurrection). You could have all types of Aliens! It begs the question - do aliens favour humans/humanoids as hosts or were they just using them because that's all there was? What if aliens made it to earth - you could have snake aliens, bull aliens, dog aliens, cat aliens, tiger, lions, elephants, horses, sharks, you name it!
Imagine if aliens made it to a planet with dinosaur like creatures on it?
I dont personally feel offended by the idea of any of these, a movie would be fucking scary as could a game. But making the predalien out of AvP2 Requiem have dreadlocks was a TERRIBLE idea. Really. If the artwork is done true to the style of Giger/Camerons alien, and the space marines are bad-assed enough then it would work.
Its a shame that the imagination has been taken out of the aliens franchise. It was a franchise which originally was about imagination. Its the stuff schoolboy's dreams are made of (quite literally) and TBH I think the only thing which has been capitalised and perverted in a worse manner is probably the bible! or something.
Think about it in terms of "what we know about the alien". What did we know about the alien by the end of Alien3?
Facehuggers impregnate large animals (always mammals? or large creatures?) which then "hatch" into aliens which although have a recognisable form do inherit many features from their hosts.
Acid for blood
Inner jaws
Queens
Intelligent agressive behaviour
Blah blah blah.....
I mean you could have countless different scenarios with different hosts and environments!
But the recent stories have all seemed completely cliched, the aliens havent been allowed to be anything other than "human" aliens and "predator" aliens, so as not to break the "iconic" laws of marketing, the posters, the glyphs, the hardware. Rotten tomatoes!!!!!!!!
In The Comics
#2683 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/06/01 19:20:01
I'm thinking specifically of the series Aliens: Colonial Marines, there were a shit fuck ton of different aliens. Somehow there was a water planet and there were like squid aliens and whale aliens, which, as I remember, totally scared the crap out of me as a kid (mainly because of my fear of the wide empty ocean + unknown oceanic life combined with aliens.)
Also: if you can find it, check out the Aliens: Colonial Marines trailer for the Nintendo DS. They have crazy kinds of aliens in that game it looks like. There was a scene of a 30-foot giant alien who just picked up marines like ragdolls. Looked like fun.
Actually
#2684 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/06/01 19:24:57
http://www.dukenostalgia.com/Kscop...
You can probably find a better picture of these toys, but yeah, I had (have, actually) the Mantis Alien. How a face hugger impregnated a mantis, I'll never know.
Truer Words
#2685 posted by Preach [86.153.45.91] on 2009/06/01 19:39:35
Should Be A Player Mode where you are a face hugger. or a baby. first level starts in some dudes intestines.
This was actually in the original alien vs predator game. First level you were a face-hugger, second level a chest-burster. Dunno if doing it again would be too much of a retread...
That's Pimp Zwiffle
#2686 posted by meTch [64.148.35.77] on 2009/06/01 21:37:18
variety is great, its good to kill things that look different from each other, gives personality and makes for a well rounded experience
WOW
#2687 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/06/01 21:41:23
E3 fucking rocks. L4D 2 announced, Project Natal, etc etc. I'm so tingly!
Gamesh.
#2688 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.244] on 2009/06/01 23:09:53
Timeshift - quite good, I liked it a bit more than Nitin, solid feel to the combat, good but not great shooter.
WOT - great game, might have said this before. A fantasy classic. It didn't inspire me to read the books but it was atmospheric, stylish, distinctive, and interesting gameplay.
AVPwotever - looks good still.
L4D2 Cynicism
#2689 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/06/02 18:52:49
Hm. So you can't release a large DLC because of the Xbox limit, so you have to make it an entirely new game, justifying the expense by adding HDR and the phong shading from TF2.
Does look like it'll be good though, but basically torpedoes the previous version.
Also
#2690 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/06/02 19:31:07
"Valve employees decide which game gets made"
Wtf is that supposed to mean? I know what they want us to think; that there's some kind of democratic system in place.
E3 2009
#2691 posted by DaZ [80.41.149.142] on 2009/06/08 01:41:59
All the games in 1 handy post
http://bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board...
Medal Of Honor Airborne
#2692 posted by nitin [210.84.24.127] on 2009/06/08 15:17:36
I cant even get this game to install. google tells me its physx related but I dont even have physx installed.
what the hell EA?
Http://www.nitrome.com
#2693 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/06/09 00:38:19
Nice set of quirky flash games.
Little Wheel:
#2694 posted by metlslime [71.202.219.105] on 2009/06/10 11:53:00
short point and click adventure with nice art:
http://fastgames.com/littlewheel.h...
Nice Art
#2695 posted by megaman [94.221.121.45] on 2009/06/11 17:01:55
but it's a lot like an interactive movie ;)
Willem:
#2696 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.252.180] on 2009/06/14 15:28:52
http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/994/...
I hope this is true! I know that I'm making myself succeptible for a severe dressing down about how its a console game and not designed for the PC, but I dont think I would have any problems with the controls. I for one would definately buy it!
UE3 engine games always run very well on PCs with half decent processors, just ashame theres no anti-aliasing, but thats no big deal really.....
Hmm
#2697 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/06/14 15:58:51
I for one would definately buy it!
Personally I'd just d/l it...
*snigger*
#2698 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/06/14 16:12:01
"Personally I'd just d/l it...
*snigger*"
Dude, really? That's pretty insulting.
Yeah, I Think He's Jut Trying To Bate You!
#2699 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.252.180] on 2009/06/14 16:15:33
And you fell for it.....
#2700 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/06/14 16:51:10
Bait.
But yeah, probably. The thing is, I run into jerks like that all the time so my natural compulsion is to take it at face value.
Hmm
#2701 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/06/14 17:05:30
Surely you've seen enough of my posts to take _nothing_ I say seriously?
Don't make me posts the photo of my GoW case held up in front of a screen with func on again (I would do one with the GoW2 case, but I completed it co-op at a friends and holding up someone else's copy wouldn't really prove the 'I buy games' point).
But yeh, it was a mixture of showing inertia how to bait, a throw back to previous piracy conversations (including the hissy-quit one that led to the afore mentioned photo) and a minor commentary on one of the main reasons for delayed PC releases. This isn't just flame bait, it's Marks & Spencer's Organic Meta-textual Flame Bait. (reference lost on all non-UK residents deprived of M&Ss food pr0n)
Hmm
#2702 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/06/14 17:06:55
Altho part of me is tempted to get a list of every game Willem's ever worked on and pirate them all on principle (the principle of humour, but still ;)
The Interesting Part Is
#2703 posted by Spirit [213.39.129.24] on 2009/06/14 17:29:08
It would not have any more impact to anything in this world than if you clapped your hands and shouted "harrharrharr!". That's what many don't get about some individuals personal reasons to pirate stuff.
Nonentity
#2704 posted by megaman [94.221.100.239] on 2009/06/14 17:48:42
i can't believe you played through gow2 at a friends without buying it.
#2705 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/06/14 18:42:50
megaman
That's fine, it's a co-op game. You're supposed to play with your friends.
Nonentity
#2706 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/06/14 18:56:10
I can't believe you played gow2.
Nah, I'm kidding, to each his own.
Hmm
#2707 posted by nonentity [78.86.152.78] on 2009/06/14 19:56:53
Interesting point.
If he lends me the game so I can complete it on my own is that as bad as d/l-ing it? (Not that I will, one of the best bits of GoW1/2 imo is the co-op, gotta love the madcap american football esque gameplay the res adds)
Hmm
#2708 posted by nonentity [78.86.152.78] on 2009/06/14 19:59:06
(that was a response to megaman, I just forgot to hit post for 2 hours)
#2709 posted by starbuck [92.237.128.247] on 2009/06/14 22:23:55
i can't believe you played through gow2 at a friends without buying it.
I know, I was all "nonentity has friends?!"
ZING! OH NO SHE DIDN'T
Starbuck
#2710 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.252.180] on 2009/06/14 22:44:05
is a girl (!?)
Lol
#2711 posted by megaman [94.221.100.239] on 2009/06/15 02:06:44
i was joking, again.
iirc from a legal pov it's fine to lend the game away. In Germany, anyways.
Yeah
#2712 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.137] on 2009/06/15 08:33:07
If there was no copy protection we would even be allowed to copy it for close friends and family members. But breaking copy protection is illegal, so...
Shheeeeiiittt
#2713 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/06/16 23:23:53
Elder Scrolls 3, 4 and Call of Cthulhu on Steam for pretty affordable prices.
Must... resist...
Fuck it I'm buying them.
COC
#2714 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/06/17 00:02:16
Is a buggy port.
If you can't get away from the Shoggoth then you need to lower your screen resolution = higher running speed.
Gb
#2715 posted by stevenaaus [203.55.33.245] on 2009/06/17 01:14:18
hexen mod
http://hamsterrepublic.com/dl/star...
Pretty cool if you can get over the idea of a medieval themed spaceship. Our HHexen GL is busted though %<
#2716 posted by negke [88.70.78.106] on 2009/06/17 09:43:24
medieval themed spaceship
This would be an awesome idea for a Quake map too!
Free Stuff! (tm)
#2717 posted by DaZ [80.41.143.229] on 2009/06/26 15:47:30
I still have a copy of Half-Life 2 on steam that I can give away for free to anyone with a steam account.
Let me know if you want it!
No Lan In Starcraft2?
#2718 posted by megaman [94.221.109.158] on 2009/06/30 13:06:10
http://www.incgamers.com/Interview...
Hmm
#2719 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/06/30 13:46:47
but added value services like starting a custom tournament, league, or the like would cost a small amount of money.
They've actually gone insane after WoW.
mentioned WoW as an example, where "value added services" like server transfers are paid for, but "you can get the full experience of Battle.net with all the features just from buying the box."
Well, that and the fucking subscription fee.
The WoW profit model is one of the most unethical things in gaming, the fact that they seem to be trying to work out how to convert it to more traditional genres scares the hell out of me...
And yeh, no LAN support. As far as I can tell if I want to host my own game with (local) friends I have to connect to battle.net, pay blizzard for the 'privilege' of creating a game then get the people sat in the same room to connect to me via blizzards own servers (yeh, I get it's not going to be stupid enough to proxy the entire game, but still, that's hassle).
Only other option is to steal a cracked, non-battle.net version of the game just to play on LAN. And forcing your customers to turn to crime is ofc an excellent business model...
Yeah...
#2720 posted by Bal [82.234.123.21] on 2009/06/30 14:56:56
I kinda agree all this sucks... But damn I can't wait to play the hell out of this game. =\
From What I Can Tell
#2721 posted by DaZ [80.41.143.229] on 2009/06/30 15:06:41
it looks exactly like SC1 gameplay with new graphics?
I never really did get on with Blizzards strategy games, I much preferred Relic's offerings over theirs any day, company of heroes is still my favourite RTS game, though I have not tried DoW2 yet as my pc is crap!
Blizzards strategy games upto and including warcraft3 seem to be more about what order to build units in and then just swarming your enemy, and that just has never been fun for me at all.
RTS
#2722 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/06/30 16:27:47
I must say StarCraft is pretty damn addictive. It was the first RTS I ever played, and the one I played the most. AoE2 however felt the best. If I could get an RTS that combined the economy of AoE2 with the micro/macro of StarCraft on a DoW battlefield, I think I just might be in heaven.
#2723 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/06/30 19:30:41
But damn I can't wait to play the hell out of this game.
aannd, that's why they can get away with it.
Hmm
#2724 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/06/30 23:16:49
aannd, that's why they can get away with it.
But that doesn't justify it in the slightest, if anything it makes it worse
#2725 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/01 00:39:13
But that doesn't justify it in the slightest, if anything it makes it worse
it's fair game if you can pull it off and make money off it. it's not about ethics, it's about money and the fact is that people want to play this game so much, they'll be willing to spend an extra whatever $ to do so.
btw, i wasn't trying to single you out, Bal. your comment just provided a stating point.
i mean, i get it. i understand the sentiment behind it. but if a person is willing to pay, than it's not bad business because the net profit is positive. if this pissed people off enough to not buy it such that those net profits are negative, well...
Clarification
#2726 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/01 00:48:30
my point isn't that people are stupid to pay extra money, but that their willingness to pay means that the game is worth the extra money to play.
something's worth is determined by how much people want to sacrifice for it. if the subscription fee goes through and people agree to pay, it just means your take on how much the game is worth doesn't coincide with everyone else.
i personally don't think the game is worth the extra money, but i don't think the game is worth 50-60$ (or whatever it's price will be) either, so i will not be purchasing it. :)
Well...
#2727 posted by Bal [82.124.157.62] on 2009/07/01 07:41:58
To be honest, I don't feel like I'm paying extra money... yet.
The LAN thing isn't an issue for me, I don't play LAN, or when I do it's at work and we are all connected anyways. The three games issue will become one if the 2 next games aren't priced as expansions, and if they aren't nothing is forcing me to buy them. I played the hell out of Warcraft3, but never bought the expansion for instance.
There has been NO talk of subscription for Battlenet (for SC2 anyways) at the moment, I seriously doubt they will go that route.
Whining About MMO Subscription Fees...
#2728 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/07/04 19:23:09
... is so 2003, seriously. You are buying a maintained and constantly developed and evolving service, not a static game.
I Just Deleted WoW
#2729 posted by DaZ [80.41.139.249] on 2009/07/05 11:13:47
nyah!
My productivity has just gone up 50% =)
Only
#2730 posted by Zwiffle [75.44.60.89] on 2009/07/05 17:14:37
50%?
WEllllll
#2731 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/07/06 15:06:23
Now get Vondur to delete it!
Hmm
#2732 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/07/06 17:09:50
You are buying a maintained and constantly developed and evolving service, not a static game
And if we were actually discussing an MMO game that might almost be approaching a valid point...
I'm Not Interested In Playing It
#2733 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/07/10 22:38:50
But EVE Online has some of the best stories I think I've ever seen in an MMO.
http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/100...
#2734 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/10 23:14:46
i always felt that eve had hit on something quite good. while it doesn't appeal to as many people as wow, having never played eve, it seems to me as if the developers can take a much more 'hands off' approach. blizzard is constantly working with the next expansion in the pipeline because WoW is content driven whereas eve gives the player more of a framework to work with and pits players against each other.
a game that could apply eve's model but also break into the casual market like wow could be amazing.
the important thing here would be to make sure people know that it's the players who write the story, not the devs.
Hah
#2735 posted by Bal [83.204.154.218] on 2009/07/11 14:31:51
http://armorgames.com/play/4137/gi...
Hmm
#2736 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/07/11 14:34:13
Doesn't feel suitably giraffe and I can't dodge fast enough.
0.4/pi
Hmm
#2737 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/07/11 14:35:07
Giraffe-y even.
You know, that guy in charge of Libya
Trine
#2738 posted by Bal [83.204.157.167] on 2009/07/12 15:27:05
So anyone played this?
It's really good, very fun gameplay, single player and coop.
Playing alone is a great platformer, mastering the characters is lots of fun.
Playing coop with 2 other people (on the same machine, no online coop =( ) turns it into more of a Little Big Planet experience, with lots of silly physics.
The game is really pretty too (just the 2D character art is a bit average).
Sonic And Knuckles Collection
#2739 posted by meTch [69.183.70.109] on 2009/07/14 04:47:56
which includes sonic3, sonic and knuckles, and sonic3 & knuckles are the only other games i really play besides quake
...just moving a certain thread down a certain page
Shattered Horizon
#2740 posted by JPL [213.30.139.243] on 2009/07/22 07:51:02
http://www.shatteredhorizon.com/te...
Looks interesting :)
Um
#2741 posted by [Kona] [118.92.231.56] on 2009/07/22 08:20:49
could be good aye, but this lame ass trailer shows nothing. oh wait... multiplayer only, and no gravity. damn.
Aion
#2742 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/07/22 13:38:28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP0...
This is the game I am dumping WOW for, I am in the closed beta and the game is ace.
Oh God
#2743 posted by megaman [94.221.118.3] on 2009/07/22 19:42:42
teasers/trailers
Cool Building/defense Game
#2744 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/07/23 05:42:36
http://www.casualcollective.com/#g...
So How Much Time
#2745 posted by nitin [210.84.44.69] on 2009/07/23 11:17:53
needs to be set aside to play through HL2 and Ep1?
You
#2746 posted by ijed [190.20.119.17] on 2009/07/23 14:05:39
Don't want to set aside an allotment of time to play them, trust me. You're going to waste lots of time playing with the physics, experimenting with different ways to kill enemies, looking at pretty stuff and driving like a prick.
Make sure to play ep2 as well.
Ijed
#2747 posted by nitin [210.84.44.69] on 2009/07/23 15:37:49
dont have ep2 yet, have had hl2 and ep1 sitting around for ages since sleepwalker kindly gifted them to me.
unfortunately, I thought that might be the case (wasting lots of time doing various stuff) from what I had read, but I just dont have that time right now. maybe I'll put it off till the end of the year when i get some time off and am not overseas.
Ep1
#2748 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/23 19:46:40
is pretty short. i think maybe 8-9 hours?
Wheel Of Time
#2749 posted by negke [88.70.229.14] on 2009/07/23 19:58:18
So after which level exactly does it stop feeling mediocre and boring?
#2750 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/23 20:11:46
hey, a kindred spirit! :P
i've played up to the first level in the blight (after the first trip into the Ways) so far and i would say the game is consistent up to that point, so if you're not liking it now, i'm not sure you'll like it later either.
also, i only noticed later on, but the videos don't play for some reason, so i missed out on a lot of the story (and there's a fair amount of it told in those videos). so if they aren't showing up for you, make sure to check them out in /WheelOfTime/Movies
for me, i'm only playing because i like WoT.
#2751 posted by negke [88.70.229.14] on 2009/07/23 20:22:21
Good to know... I haven't read the novels, only gave it a try because people here said it was good.
I'm in the second level, somewhere in the White Tower. The videos do play, but they always take some 30 seconds to load, because they are opened externally (wtf). If they don't work for you, it's most likely a Quicktime issue.
Errrr.
#2752 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/07/23 23:43:05
It's all good. Bah.
Negke
#2753 posted by nitin [210.84.44.69] on 2009/07/24 00:41:36
I'd keep playing till Shadar Logoth and if you still dont like it, quit.
Agreed With Nitin
#2754 posted by lurker [74.160.35.48] on 2009/07/24 04:15:27
I played it to the finish many many years ago. Have no desire to ever do so again, though I have fired it up expressly for Shadar Logoth once or twice in the intervening years.
Wot
#2755 posted by [Kona] [118.92.231.56] on 2009/07/24 04:57:32
Yep, the first 1/3 is good. It goes downhill the further you play I thought, so if your still not enjoying it, don't bother continuing. It was good for it's time.
#2756 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/07/24 13:57:00
I'm going to pretend that I don't see this blasphemy and just carry on with my day. La la la...
Fun Fact
#2757 posted by negke [88.70.253.190] on 2009/07/24 14:10:02
So after which level exactly does it stop feeling mediocre and boring?
- The same could be said about Quake.
. . . Or Any Game
#2758 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/07/24 15:30:05
Neg
#2759 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.208.209.121] on 2009/07/24 15:30:39
1/10
Ok, Cool
#2760 posted by negke [88.70.243.130] on 2009/07/25 14:40:43
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cln...
Though I hope the glow doesn't make it too easy for the survivors in the end.
#2761 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/07/25 14:54:59
I believe the first one has that glow as well. Do you mean the effect where you see team mates through walls?
Glow?
#2762 posted by Bal [81.249.15.230] on 2009/07/25 15:07:15
Yeah being able to see your team mates trough walls has always been in...
Damn I can't wait to play it!
Does It?
#2763 posted by negke [88.70.254.255] on 2009/07/25 15:12:37
Hmm, I guess I should play it more often. :P
But there's no such effect for items, is there?
Yep
#2764 posted by ijed [190.20.82.120] on 2009/07/25 16:13:57
You focus on it and it outlines.
Selective Perception FTW
#2765 posted by negke [88.70.49.81] on 2009/07/25 16:18:46
Fucking Hell
#2766 posted by ijed [190.20.82.120] on 2009/07/25 16:19:36
That looks so good I don't even mind the dumb phong shader choice.
Looks Good...
#2767 posted by Mike Woodham [86.177.190.92] on 2009/07/25 21:29:38
...but do I have to have all those messages on the screen and all those 'buddies' getting in the way. I just want to kill things, I don't need to be clever about it!
Clutter Free
#2768 posted by Preach [217.44.87.82] on 2009/07/25 23:23:37
Those hints can be disabled, they're meant to be help for beginners. Some people do leave them on though, because it's a clearer cue that something happened to your teammates than the sounds/other HUD indicators.
Looks Just Like More L4D...
#2769 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/07/26 00:04:39
...well that's me sold then :)
Axe looks well brutal. Incendiary shotgun looks good for lighting up Zombies for others to shoot.
#2770 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/07/26 00:16:59
Yeah, the melee stuff looks cooler than I was expecting. And, yes, incendiary shotgun plz!
Mike
#2771 posted by Bal [81.249.96.226] on 2009/07/26 10:17:02
You can't play L4D without buddies, be they real people or bots. Any random special infected is capable of incapacitating you, and someone needs to be there to free you.
The 2 new infected look good, they will stop people stacking up in corners when a swarm comes.
Is It Just Me
#2772 posted by ijed [190.20.70.138] on 2009/07/26 15:43:33
Or does the player kill a special with a single hit from a frying pan?
Yeah
#2773 posted by Zwiffle [67.53.156.12] on 2009/07/26 16:38:38
Melee kill special infected with on hit except for witch and tank.
#2774 posted by negke [88.70.65.228] on 2009/07/26 16:56:45
I can imagine how this will affect my Versus experience.
No
#2775 posted by Bal [81.249.96.226] on 2009/07/26 17:20:23
Actually in an interview they said that will probably be tweaked. Killing the charger with one frying pan hit looks weird.
#2776 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/07/26 17:26:28
And they might change the rules based on how you're playing. Players vs Players could never have 1 hit kills but Players vs AI might...
Changing Rules
#2777 posted by megaman [94.221.116.31] on 2009/07/26 17:41:04
are awesome!
#2778 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/07/26 20:51:54
Hey, they can be. As long as it's made clear what's happening to the player.
To Be Fair
#2779 posted by ijed [190.20.70.138] on 2009/07/26 23:08:46
Boomers die from 1 bullet no matter what mode you're in. The charger is pretty big looking to go instantly into ragdoll after being hit by a frying pan.
Stalker : SOC With Oblivion Lost 2.2 Mod
#2780 posted by DaZ [80.41.190.210] on 2009/07/28 01:28:34
Is great stuff! =)
Been playing loads recently, and this mod really doe's turn the game into something special.
+ Tons more guns, ammo types, armours and items
+ Tons of new mutants (some are scary as hell)
+ Fixed campaign levels that let you keep on playing after you "complete" the game.
+ Numerous tweaks and fixes all over the place, which make the game better and much more atmospheric.
Give it a whirl if you have not tried it! It's still bastard hard in some places, but its nice to play a game that genuinely challenges you for a change =)
Fucking Game.
#2781 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/28 09:10:53
i LOVE stalker but the god damn thing never runs for long before crashing. it's just evil. :(
Isn't Oblivion Lost
#2782 posted by megaman [94.221.96.90] on 2009/07/28 16:30:36
the mod that made me die at the first few dog thingies at the first armor place because i fired about 50 shots at them and only got 3 down because they were so tough and seemed to respawn? I think it was. Never even started it again after that experience.
#2783 posted by negke [88.70.253.156] on 2009/07/28 20:29:37
I didn't find OL much harder than vanilla Stalker to be honest. Sure you're not confusing it with the Invasion mod or some other of those?
Dark Salvation
#2784 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2009/07/28 20:39:26
Looks like a well achieved Q3 porting ... At least very evil-ish and satanic !!! Hell, it sounds frightening !
http://www.darksalvation.com/trail...
Hmm
#2785 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/07/30 01:08:56
Isn't that the one with the appalling animations/models/level design?
#2786 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/07/30 01:58:15
what struck me as funny is that the trailer has some clips with some seriously BAD particle effects. i can't even tell what it is supposed to be. you see these big blobs spawn in without fading or growing-- they just pop in, fly upward and then pop out (again, no fading or anything, just *pop*). if they couldn't even be assed to get rid of that or at least make it look 50% less shitty, what does that say about the quality of the rest of the pack? :P
Hey Now
#2787 posted by grahf [76.104.21.196] on 2009/07/30 17:26:54
I like the textures.... And it's single player quake3, right? That hasn't been attempted as far as I know since... The Dark Conjunction (shudder).
Those Are Shitty Emissions.
#2788 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/07/30 18:11:41
Yes, they smell bad and are dirty and since they're shown in the promo video they're shitty public emissions.
Looks like a design weak team - if particle fx are weak then don't use them. Q3 has a very nice shader system that could replace all those particle attempts with much nicer looking stuff.
Although they also have one shifter texture in there that's just round red circles.
What Grahf Said.
#2789 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/02 00:02:15
Dawn Of War 2
#2790 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/08/02 01:26:29
Who wants game??
I Didn't Buy It
#2791 posted by ijed [190.20.97.164] on 2009/08/02 01:31:36
My $ limit is exceeded for the month.
Good thing really, There's alot of other games I need to play.
And going through Soulstorm with the Sisters of Battle isn't easy, so that's still got some mileage in it.
DoW2
#2792 posted by Bal [90.2.44.67] on 2009/08/02 10:56:12
Haven't played mp since I bought it yet (played the beta a bit) but yeah sure, I'll give it a go if some people are interested.
!!
#2793 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/08/04 21:55:01
New L4D campaign coming from Valve "Crash Course" that fills the gap between No Mercy and Death Toll. Sounds pretty cool, can't wait for it.
Pah
#2794 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/08/04 22:28:19
My sisters of battle save game is corrupt.
Lovely.
New L4D campaign? :D
More L4D
#2795 posted by Bal [82.124.27.60] on 2009/08/04 23:48:26
Sounds good to me :
http://www.destructoid.com/exclusi...
Ff Doom3
#2796 posted by [Kona] [118.93.56.98] on 2009/08/05 13:26:38
Well I've never actually played it, but watching these L4D videos, I'm really not impressed by this game. Looks like Serious Sam style gameplay but without the awesome level design from SS2.
Well anyway, i'm just posting about FraggingFree, the doom3 roe mod? Any of you guys played it? I just played through it all over the last few days. Fkn hell, what a professional mod. To be honest the level design shits all over id's levels, and the new monsters (albeit some already released previously) and weapons shit all over ROE. Just a shame it's WAY too insanely fkn hard. If it weren't so hard, and maybe a smidgen longer with less spawning monsters in the same areas over and over, this could easily be a second official mission pack.
Still, the best (albeit short) experience I've had with Doom3 mods/maps is still Shamblers Castle :)
#2797 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/08/05 14:07:13
Kona
Play it. If you like zombie movies, you'll love it.
#2798 posted by Spirit [213.39.219.191] on 2009/08/06 17:32:21
http://ged.ax.pl/~tomkh/exp_en.htm...
A great simple HARD game where you have to sneak past security cameras.
Peole Who Prefer Doom 1/2 To Doom 3
#2799 posted by RickyT23 [86.136.54.59] on 2009/08/07 13:50:06
check this out:
http://doom3.filefront.com/file/do...
Looks Bad
#2800 posted by negke [88.70.55.55] on 2009/08/07 13:59:05
Try this one instead: http://doom3.filefront.com/file/;6...
I'd also like to give Zhunter a try next time I install Doom 3.
New Rage screenshots: http://www.psu.com/forums/showthre...
If Those Arent Renders
#2801 posted by nitin [124.148.144.116] on 2009/08/08 03:21:26
holy fuck!
All Of Our Friends Are Dead By Amon26
#2802 posted by meTch [64.148.36.28] on 2009/08/10 15:42:48
http://www.tigsource.com/articles/...
it's fun trust me, he told me about it just last night/early morning
I Played This Earlier And It Was Fun But Very Short (like 5 Corridors)
#2803 posted by Spirit [213.39.196.90] on 2009/08/16 18:03:41
http://spmapcorner.blogspot.com/20...
The Space Game
#2804 posted by ijed [190.20.107.1] on 2009/08/18 03:36:50
http://www.casualcollective.com/#g...
Ijed:
#2805 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/08/18 07:15:53
as seen in post #2744 :)
actually it seems like that website doesn't save your stats when you quit. the same game is on Kongregate and that site usually saves it:
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Ca...
Ah Missed The Post
#2806 posted by ijed [190.20.107.1] on 2009/08/18 14:02:29
Site saves fine for me though - across three machines.
Stalker Oblivion Lost
#2807 posted by megaman [94.221.122.195] on 2009/08/20 01:06:26
tried it again.
Seems like i ran into some sort of issue last time -- i know there were several ghost-like dogs/wolves protecting the first 'perfected suit', that were basically unstoppable. They're gone now, and everything seems to work fine. Doesn't seem to be any harder than normal stalker so far, if you don't count some insta-deaths by anomalies etc.
Oh
#2808 posted by megaman [94.221.122.195] on 2009/08/20 01:18:01
and the wildlife seems much less aggressive.
I Thought It Rocked
#2809 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.52.182] on 2009/08/20 02:34:19
infact im gonna install it again because its 1:30am and im naughty
Wolfenstein
#2810 posted by negke [88.70.71.145] on 2009/08/20 12:13:43
Certainly not demanding historical correctness from such a game, but seeing a bunch of 1990+ D-Mark bills on a table made me laugh.
Im Gonna Buy Wolfenstein For Sure
#2811 posted by RickyT23 [86.136.54.59] on 2009/08/20 12:33:02
A FPS!!!! A proper one!! I've read a lot of comments on the net about the graphics being shit. But they dont look shit to me, IDTech4 is pretty sweet graphics IMO. Im more interested in just playing the game anyway!
Wolfenstein Rocks.
#2812 posted by biff_debris. [24.158.194.52] on 2009/08/22 01:33:38
A copious amount of fun to be had, just love to go kill them Natzis. Now, all we need is an SDK...
When...
#2813 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/22 12:30:38
...is WOFLMAO out?
#2814 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/08/22 17:18:09
It's out.
Oh, I See.
#2815 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/22 18:56:18
Is it any good? It looks good.
Wolfenstein...
#2816 posted by Mike Woodham [86.177.190.92] on 2009/08/22 21:11:35
Come on, spill the beans someone: buy or not buy?
~15% In
#2817 posted by negke [88.70.52.24] on 2009/08/22 21:33:53
It's pretty much a remake of RTCW with better graphics. Many familar locations (thematically) and similar gameplay. There's some mild non-linearity, you can move through a maze-like town and take missions. The hidden items, gold and documents, are actually helpful this time, as they let you buy weapon upgrades at blackmarket vendors. Then there's some magic medallion which is reminiscent of other games (Prey's spirit walk comes to mind).
I guess if you enjoyed RTCW, you'll like this one too, but don't expect the reinvention of the wheel or anything.
Wow
#2818 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/08/22 21:34:08
either there's a lot of trickery or they've reworked how idtech4 does lighting cause wolfenstein looks really good compared to q4/d3.
Well...
#2819 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/23 12:18:14
...that sounds alright to me. I liked RTCW, solid fun shooter.
How does it run compared to D3/Q4??
Im Enjoying The Game
#2820 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.52.182] on 2009/08/23 15:24:43
Its got pretty staple action. Then theres "The Veil" which combines the parralel dimension of Prey with the slow-down-time element of FEAR.
The weapons feel good, and you get to upgrade them!
Er, what Negke said basically.
The graphics looks fine - nothing too flash for 2009, but well designed none-the-less.
The feel of the game is pretty much "Scripted action shooter, no non-sense gameplay, movie style". Would be suitable for 12-14 y/o boys :DDD
#2821 posted by negke [85.176.85.20] on 2009/08/23 16:31:10
How does it run compared to D3/Q4??
Very good. I could run it in full detail without performance drops. Though I could imagine machines not meeting the requirements may choke (however slightly) in some areas, for instance the underground base. I'd say if you could run Q4 smoothly, you should be able to play this one, too.
Nice.
#2822 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/23 19:25:16
Q4 was fine for me IIRC. That'll keep me entertained now the nights are drawing in a bit.
OK, 51% In Now Apparently!
#2823 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.52.182] on 2009/08/24 05:02:18
I'm actually enjoying this game (Wolfenstein) more and more as I play it through. TBH the fact that the "press" (IGN etc) are giving it 70 - 80 percent I think is rubbish. This game is pretty good!
I personally would have it atleast mid eighties for a score.
It takes IdTech4 and uses it to the max! Just because its not as graphically rich as say crysis or Far Cry 2 doesnt meen its no good - I would say that the design of this game is superior to those games in every way.
What the game does which other IdTech4 games havent done is non-linearity. I mean its not quite Fallout 3 here, but you really can pick your missions, find other secret missions and side missions. There are also loads of secret stashes of gold and "tombes" which are used to upgrade your weapons and "veil powers" respectively. And once you have upgraded, if you gont like it you can actually down-grade your weapon and get your gold back!
The combat is more than sufficient. Im playing on hard(bring 'em on) difficulty, and it as expected - fairly intense in places. Certainly keeping me entertained. I can definately see myself trying again on very hard (the hardest) setting, and trying to find all of the secrets.
The environments are varied, and some of the level design is excellent. Anyone get to "the Farm" yet? Without spoiling the game for anyone, there is a fantastic map around that point of the game.....
What astounds me about it is as you are exploring the central hub of the game, you keep finding door after door, secret opening after secret opening, passages, secret routes across the rooftops and suchlike. Very rich in exploration.
Overall I would say this is an excellent game, well worth a shot! :D
Sounds Good
#2824 posted by nitin [124.168.31.214] on 2009/08/24 11:17:19
But
#2825 posted by megaman [94.221.122.161] on 2009/08/24 12:27:36
70-80 is pretty good :)
Yeah
#2826 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/08/24 15:40:25
0-30% should be bad. But the gaming press can't hear you say it because they're busy with that publisher cock.
Well It Makes More Sense For Them To Market
#2827 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.52.182] on 2009/08/24 16:33:51
"Hardware intensive" products. You end up with people buying new cards just so, for example, they can see DirectX 10.1 on about 1 game.
Or a completely linear game like Warhead that requires uber-powerful GPU's etc.
Its a conspiracy of marketing!
Ricky
#2828 posted by negke [88.70.56.96] on 2009/08/24 17:49:54
Can you send me a savegame from right after the hospital mission?
Dunno
#2829 posted by RickyT23 [86.136.54.59] on 2009/08/24 22:01:58
Ill try in a wee while :)
Check Your Mail
#2830 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.52.182] on 2009/08/25 01:43:00
Stalker Oblivion Lost 2.2
#2831 posted by megaman [94.221.122.161] on 2009/08/25 01:45:38
hm, so, i need the key from borov for the lab (the two part key thingie, no idea), but he isn't there :(
Any idea what to do?
This Guy
#2832 posted by megaman [94.221.122.161] on 2009/08/25 01:48:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_...
2D Boy
#2833 posted by ijed [190.20.92.165] on 2009/08/26 04:49:46
Is a fucking genius. Fourth time I've been back to WoG, which is pretty much a record for me and modern games.
It's A Big
#2834 posted by ijed [190.20.92.165] on 2009/08/26 04:50:49
Perfectly orchestrated flash game, and well worth the time spent.
New Wolf Vs Rtcw
#2835 posted by grahf [74.127.73.102] on 2009/08/26 09:13:34
So while y'all have been playing the new wolf, I decided to dust off ye olde rtcw and have a spin. And I was wondering, how does the difficulty compare between old wolf and new wolf? Because dealing with lopers and uber soldats is a bitch.
Also, I think that the "Veil" might be based on the "Vril," which is a sort-of real occult concept associated with nazi conspiracy theories.
Those Lopers Were Fuckers!
#2836 posted by nitin [124.168.31.214] on 2009/08/26 12:10:43
Annoying
#2837 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/08/26 16:48:46
When they could electrocute you from underneath.
WOFL.
#2838 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/26 19:05:03
The head bob is absolutely vile, it feels like you're playing in mud, the weirdo random effects are cool, the city looks bland at first but is cool, and Caroline Becker would properly get her udders munched on.
Ricky & negke, so far, up to entering Dig, it's a piece of piss on Normal skill. Does the difficulty increase a lot or should I restart on Hard as it's a bit "meh" at the moment. If there was quick-saving I'd have done so already but I'm a bit worried about facing some stupid bit where I have to replay the same 15 minutes from the last checkpoint until my eyes prolapse....
Gets Better
#2839 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.86.70] on 2009/08/26 20:50:59
Im playing on hard. I died often in a couple of places, but mostly its been plain sailing. I think I'll re-play on the hardest setting when I've finished.
Gets Better??
#2840 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/26 21:20:41
Ummm. Gets a lot harder? Or more interesting?
Hmmm.
Both
#2841 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.86.70] on 2009/08/26 21:31:38
Hmmm Again.
#2842 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/26 21:34:06
Someone gimme quicksave hack and no headbob hack plzkthxbai.
#2843 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/08/26 21:58:33
you can't quicksave in wolf?
Nope.
#2844 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/26 22:06:23
That's my main concern. I want a bit more of a challenge, the gamestyle seems to suit it, but I just know there will be a few situations that you have to replay over and over to get right, and that will blow cock w/out quicksaving.
80%
#2845 posted by negke [88.70.49.102] on 2009/08/26 22:09:37
No, it's autosave only. Not a big deal, usually there're enough save spots around. I never had to replay large chunks.
The headbob is nice, rEaLiSm! Besides, it potentially makes low framerates less obvious.
I also definitely recommend playing on hard - it's still not overly or frustratingly difficult, especially with all the weapon and veil upgrades. The only areas that might be tricky - in the sense that they possibly require a few attemps - are the scripted horde/arena fights, but there's only a couple of them.
Crysis Warhead
#2846 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/08/27 14:31:47
Been enjoying this game a fair bit, definately worth the 29,90 eur price.
The original Crysis had bored me to tears within the first 30-45 minutes, but Warhead seems a fair bit more action-packed. Some people have been complaining that Warhead is too short, but I am not sure if this is a really valid complaint: I think I am starting to close in to the end of the game and I am at roughly 9-10 hours of playtime so far, if I actually went to properly explore every place I've been to, I would easily add 2-3 hours on top of this.
The game engine seems to have received a slight tune-up in comparison to the original Crysis: I am playing the game on a C2D E6600 2,4 Ghz, 4gb ram, 8800GTS, Win7 system and I am able to achieve very playable framerates at 1680x1050 with some half of the settings at 5/5 and the other half at 4/5. This is obviously without AA, because enabling high amounts of AA will utterly rape any rig except something like i7 920 with a GTX295. However, the game definately does look good:
This is from my rig/settings:
http://jago.pp.fi/images/games/cry...
http://jago.pp.fi/images/games/cry...
The game also ships with an MP component as well as an editor capable of making full-fledged SP or MP maps. The MP component (called Crysis Wars) is a mixed bag: some of the maps are pretty bland and generally crap, while some other maps are really great fun.
The New Operation Flashpoint
#2847 posted by megaman [94.221.127.192] on 2009/08/27 15:39:47
looks quite good. But it's console only. Fail, i say.
Wolf
#2848 posted by negke [88.70.232.27] on 2009/08/27 20:31:49
Yes, an enjoyable game after all. The final fight was a bit annoying, though. Unfortunately, I never really got to appreciate the heavier weapons fully until the last mission. Probably because with all the upgrades, the MPs are so accurate even at long distance. Focusing on upgrading them would be something for another play-through some other time.
New Wolfy
#2849 posted by spy [95.56.27.178] on 2009/08/27 20:48:47
its pretty shame, but my old pc refuses to run this game
Baby Gurl
#2850 posted by alyssa [71.202.63.225] on 2009/08/28 02:13:53
hey wat is diz 4 hey im wur mommy bithes
Now That's Spam
#2851 posted by ijed [190.20.94.235] on 2009/08/28 04:51:25
Hey, Baby. Who's Your Mommy?
#2852 posted by R.P.G. [96.255.198.62] on 2009/08/28 07:21:29
I need to try that line next time I'm in the bar.
Wofl Again.
#2853 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/08/28 23:51:57
Restarted on Hard, played until completing Dig then Warehouse. I've got used to the pukebob now (although it is shit, as is FOV 45 or whatever the fuck you're forced to play in) and am rather enjoying it. Fun gameplay, good style, the Veil certain adds something - I think it looks great when you do it in the town. I like the hub base and the exploratory feel so far. Also runs well so far. Unlike your bloody character.
Tower To Heaven
#2854 posted by Black Dog [58.7.200.208] on 2009/08/31 20:42:28
A short, simple and rather difficult and well made platformer. Clean 3 colour pixel graphics, neat music, made me say "fuck!" out loud an awful lot. Worth a try.
http://askiisoft.com/
I Think
#2855 posted by megaman [94.221.117.69] on 2009/08/31 22:55:52
download is http://www.askiisoft.com/download....
Wooooooo0oooooofl Again #2.
#2856 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/09/01 22:56:01
41% in. It's really good. Great blend of style, action, and lots of neat but not overwhelming enhancements. Caverns map is one of the coolest indoor maps I've played in a long time, and it ran really smoothly. Only real flaw is the movement feel / headbob, although a greater variety of enemy would be good.
Completed It On Hard
#2857 posted by RickyT23 [86.26.86.70] on 2009/09/03 03:22:45
'Parrently some guy called "Matt Breit" got credited for additional help or something, and some guy called "Tim Elek" worked on it too.
I for one enjoyed it, and will probably re-play it some time, on the hardest skill.
Pretty tricky (for me) on hard at the end.
...
#2858 posted by stevenaaus [122.108.179.170] on 2009/09/04 15:09:34
Postal 2 for linux via download. Worthit ?
http://store03.prostores.com/servl...
:D
#2859 posted by DaZ [80.41.145.71] on 2009/09/07 14:30:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMN...
#2860 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/09/07 15:14:31
Looks neat. Are we running a pool on how long it takes until it gets shut down? :)
Wolfenstein Review
#2861 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/09/09 20:28:28
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
Okay.
#2862 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/09/09 21:08:00
Some of his other reviews were a lot more cutting, but that is total fucking genius, a work of reviewing art. Very very good :D
Man I Love Yahtzee
#2863 posted by starbuck [83.67.33.83] on 2009/09/10 14:29:18
one of the only websites I check every week without fail. The DNF anti-review is one of the best things of all the things.
Same
#2864 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/09/10 15:03:55
But that one was something extra special.
Mount & Blade
#2865 posted by DaZ [80.41.185.219] on 2009/09/11 02:03:54
Found this for a tenner with free delivery on Play.com and after being totally sucked into the demo there was no choice!
its fantastic fun, simple to pick up and play but deep enough to hold your interest, plus the amount of user mods for it is insane (not that I've tried any of them yet).
if you have never heard of the thing before, its basicly a sandbox medieval conquest game. You start out with a horse and a sword and can basicly do whatever you want after that, you can loot and pillage villages, form your own private army or go work for any of the kingdoms in the game.
The mechanics are similar in a way to the Might & Magic games, you have the standard "god" view, looking down onto the landscape, where you can trek your avatar anywhere you want, visit a few towns/castles etc and find a mission or two, at the same time the enemy kingdoms avatars are doing exactly the same thing. There are also wandering bands of mercenaries, looters, deserters that make for nice experience for new players.
The best part of it all is when you go into a fight, and you take direct control of your avatar and fight the enemy, with your entire army next to you. its just epic, and fantastic fun.
Somehow it all runs at 60+ fps even on my oldish rig, though it certainly isn't a looker the graphics are definitely good enough. Even fights with 50+ units on each side run at 60fps!
The demo is on steam, go check it out!
Flash Game: "Figure 8"
#2866 posted by metlslime [98.248.107.212] on 2009/09/11 10:14:01
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
ride your bicycle through a giant sheet of paper filled with diagrams. Gets harder the farther you go. (there is an end, evetually.)
Grim Fandango
#2867 posted by Drew [76.68.239.151] on 2009/09/12 08:24:05
Anyone know where it can be downloaded?
Hmm
#2868 posted by nonentity [87.194.146.225] on 2009/09/12 13:24:39
You mean legally or illegally?
Legally I'm not sure, but I'd check steam, they have loads of Lucas Arts shiz nao (not on my own machine atm so can't login and check if this is the case), failing that try amazon or ebay.
Illegally I would be hesitant to link to any warez sites, let alone directly to a download link, but I'm sure if you're looking for a place to acquire backups of software you've lost the discs for then this article would probably be a good place to start; http://torrentfreak.com/25-great-p... (RIJ nazi funded, profiteering, arrogant arse wipes (Raped In Jail in case you were wondering))
L4D Custom Campaigns
#2869 posted by [85.176.83.67] on 2009/09/15 16:30:01
Anyone tried one of them? Are they any good?
Like http://www.l4dmaps.com/details.php... or http://l4dmaps.com/details.php?fil...
Where is the #tf campaign?
So Um
#2870 posted by Drew [70.51.22.57] on 2009/09/19 02:17:25
pretty sure I already asked this and then forgot, but does anyone know where I could download or order a real copy of grim fandango?
Steam
#2871 posted by DaZ [80.41.185.219] on 2009/09/19 10:02:48
"unreal Deal" - 16eur On STEAM
#2872 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/09/19 11:29:15
"unreal deal" for 16eur on steam: Unreal Gold, UT99: GOTY, UT2004, UT3
Oh And
#2873 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/09/19 11:30:04
Unreal2 too but noone gives a shit about that one
#2874 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/09/19 14:38:11
Actually I didn't give a shit about any of them but I bought it anyway.
Tales Of Monkey Island
#2875 posted by Spirit [213.39.156.198] on 2009/09/19 16:59:18
You can get Tales of Monkey Island for "free" (e-mail address) today: http://www.telltalegames.com/playl...
Well
#2876 posted by Drew [76.67.136.126] on 2009/09/19 19:48:31
I'm pretty sure Grim Fandango isn't on steam...
whatever, I'll figure it out.
Icycle
#2877 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/09/24 05:11:32
a flash platformer with a cool art style, and some quality learn-by-dying gameplay:
http://www.dampgnat.com/icycle
(it is finishable, i finished it)
Will Check That One Tommorow
#2878 posted by ijed [190.20.72.211] on 2009/09/24 06:44:21
I've been wasting time with this:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
Icycle
#2879 posted by pjw [71.90.34.95] on 2009/09/25 04:08:18
Getting a 403?
Pjw:
#2880 posted by metlslime [98.248.107.212] on 2009/09/25 10:26:42
seems to be getting slashdotted/metafiltered/something last few days. I couldn't get in on two days ago, but yesterday it worked. Might have to come back later.
By The Way
#2881 posted by ijed [190.20.114.140] on 2009/09/25 14:03:44
I didn't big that link up enough:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
It's a shift style game but much better with a decent story, artwork and sound. Gameplay is the fairly standard puzzle / platformer, but hits the spot for the frustration to I'll just finish this level balence.
The user made levels are surprisingly good as well.
#2882 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/09/26 08:51:14
have there been any good action rpg games lately? something played from third person and not a diablo click-fest? sp, ofc.
Necros...
#2883 posted by Bal [90.2.97.101] on 2009/09/26 10:39:24
Fallout3 maybe?
Risen is coming out next week (that's from the guys who made the Gothic games), wonder how that will turn out.
#2884 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/09/26 12:19:22
Seriously, Fallout 3. Best RPG to come out in years.
Necros
#2885 posted by spy [92.46.3.132] on 2009/09/26 14:17:17
pirates of the caribbean(by bethesda), is very good rpg game,
#2886 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/09/26 19:34:38
i wasn't very impressed with fallout 3. i just really hate the oblivion engine but i knew what i was getting into when i got it-- i just really wanted it for the post-ap theme.
i'll keep an eye out for risen, but i don't know if i'll be able to find pirates of the caribbean.
#2887 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/09/26 20:15:14
I really liked Mass Effect. It had this cool 80s dark sci fi vibe. The music was bad ass. The story is also pretty good, and promises to weave a fairly complex tale when the 2nd and 3rd ones come out.
Mass Effect
#2888 posted by DaZ [80.41.159.71] on 2009/09/27 09:49:45
was indeed very good! I would recommend it in a heartbeat if you have enjoyed any of Bioware's other games.
I still recommend Mount & Blade to anyone with a pulse, it might not be a fully fledged rpg, but its close enough, and the battles are just epic =)
#2889 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/09/27 10:10:52
i've played ME, and yeah, it was quite good. :)
i see mount and blade has a trial version, so i'll take a look :)
#2890 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/09/27 23:37:41
played a bit of mount and blade. it's ok, i guess, although i tend to like to play magic characters, it's still nice to see a game with no magic at all.
my beef with the game is that it's generic, but that's to be expected with a sandbox game. it's also pretty hard. that or i'm doing it wrong.
i took a quest to train up some dudes in a village. unfortunately, all the villagers i trained got killed in the ensuing battle and the village was sacked.
after that, i ran into a roaming group of dudes who kicked my ass and took me prisoner.
so after loosing my horse and some of my stuff, i did some crappy courier quests for a bit of dough and picked up a fast horse and a spear which seems to work a lot better than the axe i started with. it's still pretty hard to connect with enemies though.
Hard At The Start
#2891 posted by DaZ [80.41.159.71] on 2009/09/29 04:09:50
it is quite hard to start out in the game, the best advice I could give it put 2 or 3 points into leadership on your main character as fast as you can, so that you can get an average size army together, even if it is composed of villagers with butter-knives!
Once you have the numbers, the packs of bandits and deserters will stop attacking you, and will actually start running from you on the world map, this allows you to pick your battles and give you the edge.
Also, its worth finding some hero characters pretty quick. Check taverns in all the major cities, these characters level up like your character does, and you can equip them and assign skill points in the same way also.
You will want to find a good doctor hero, with points in the 3 "healing" skills. Another nice hero to find (or sculpt an existing hero to fit) is a trainer, if you have a hero with the training skill (higher is better!) then they will train anyone in your army and they will gain experience every day even if you don't engage in combat.
Siege Defence
#2892 posted by DaZ [80.41.159.71] on 2009/09/29 04:19:04
is my favourite part of Mount&Blade! At the weekend I had to defend my castle against 800 Nord scumbags, with only 179 defenders.
It was a shooting gallery, my 85 max level Rhodok Sharpshooters took out most of the nords before they got to the top of the ladders, and then my Spearmen impaled anyone that dared reach the top =)
There was a brief period of panic when a Nord Lord appeared at the top of the wall in full plate and managed to carve a small hole through the spearmen defending it, thereby letting a small stream of Nord troops into the castle. They proceeded to take names from a fair few of my sharpshooters before my spearmen cleared them up.
At the end of the day, a raiding party of 8 Nord Lords was sent packing, and I kept my shiny castle for another day!
#2893 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/09/29 09:57:32
yeah, i got the hang of it a little more. after i got about 20 guys with me i was pretty much left alone except for sea pirates everywhere on the coast areas.
i just dont think the game is for me though. the more guys i get, the less the battles are about me. eventually, i'd just let my guys attack and run around on my horse charging larger packs of enemies going after my guys to break them up a bit.
also, speaking of heroes, i picked up a doctor type and to my annoyance, i couldn't tell her to stay out of fights, so she'd end up knocked out after almost all the fights. :P if a party member is going to be a stat bag, give me the option to leave it on the side. :P
Hmmm.
#2894 posted by Shambler [94.172.168.122] on 2009/10/02 12:04:50
Mount and Gayde looks kinda interesting from the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTU... , might have to trial the trial.
Its Probably Not For Everyone
#2895 posted by DaZ [80.41.159.71] on 2009/10/02 14:59:29
But I love it, its just *fun* to play.
The great thing about the trial is that its the full game, the only restriction is that you can only play until your character gets to level 8, then if you decide the buy the game you can just enter the key and keep playing with the same character.
If You Like Knytt And Games
#2896 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.58] on 2009/10/03 14:25:32
you must play http://www.knyttlevels.com/levels/...
Knytt Stories That Is
#2897 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.58] on 2009/10/03 14:25:43
Risen
#2898 posted by Bal [82.124.156.154] on 2009/10/06 20:11:42
If you enjoyed the Gothic games, it's more of the same (without any of the bugs of Gothic3, haven't had a single crash or stupid gameplay bug yet).
Oldschool combat and gameplay that isn't for everyone I guess, but great exploration, and very beautiful in it's own way. The characters are kind of bland, but the weather effects, day cycle, and general atmosphere feel really nice.
I recommend.
#2899 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/10/10 02:55:31
Just finished Wolfenstein, and well, I think the best part was seeing Lunaran's name in the credits. Plus some other names of people I've heard about. The game itself wasn't disappointing, because I sort of expected it not to be really good, and it met my expectations. I would probably recommend FEAR 2 over this, if you had to choose a decent-but-not-amazing supernatural CoD clone.
Guess This Looks Interesting
#2900 posted by meTch [69.183.59.39] on 2009/10/12 21:28:14
borderlandsthegame.com
Guess This Looks Inter... Oh Shoot
#2901 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/10/12 23:13:07
http://www.leadandgold.com/
Woot!
#2902 posted by DaZ [80.41.159.71] on 2009/10/13 18:54:47
If you liked the freespace games, have a look at this http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
DaZ
#2903 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2009/10/13 18:56:39
Looks interesting... though...
Yeah, Looks Nice
#2904 posted by megaman [94.221.114.31] on 2009/10/13 20:14:09
#2905 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/10/13 20:49:46
wow, that looks great!
after freespace 2 came out, it felt like space combat games just dried up. the only thing i remember was the x games (x2 and x3 were after freespace, i think) but they were a little weird because although the game was heavily focused on combat, the ui didn't provide the tools to really make it enjoyable like the freespace games did.
this naumachia though looks to have a very nice interface and a responsive feel (as much as you can tell from a video).
#2906 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/10/13 20:57:52
The world feels very real in those videos. Nicely done. A lot of space games have a sort of detached sense to them but that feels great...
Ooh
#2907 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2009/10/13 23:06:16
very nice. Overall art style is hot. HUD/cockpit computer design gave me a semi.
#2908 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/10/20 09:41:00
My current evercrack:
http://jago.pp.fi/images/games/aio...
http://jago.pp.fi/images/games/aio...
#2909 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/10/20 10:10:39
how do you like it so far? what are the boss fights like?
Risen.
#2910 posted by Shambler [146.191.228.22] on 2009/10/20 13:16:23
Thanks for the tip, Baldur. Reading the reviews....convincing world....pretty graphics....lots of exploration....shoddy combat. So basically it is the real Gothic 4 then, with less bugs. Well that suits me fine, I can get it and kiss goodbye to the winter months.
#2911 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/10/20 15:07:18
How much better is Oblivion than Risen?
Zwiffle...
#2912 posted by Bal [90.2.106.72] on 2009/10/20 19:27:49
What? Risen is better than Oblivion... :)
All Gothic games were better than Oblivion actually, and I liked Oblivion.
#2913 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/10/20 21:26:06
oblivion has a really generic feel to it.
risen (only going on the demo here) has a more 'intricate' feel to it (as did all the gothic games). the environment is very detailed and stuff feels a lot more hand-placed than oblivion did.
oblivion had some cool spots, but for the most part, it looked pretty similar. (the oblivion mods that add in modified areas look amazing though, but i'm judging the game itself, not the mods)
risen combat is kind of annoying though. i was never a fan of the gothic combat either though and prefer the more mobile/non-animation-constricted combat of oblivion.
Plants Vs Zombies
#2914 posted by stevenaaus [110.20.36.53] on 2009/10/21 12:26:00
I third that motion 8>
The array of corny zombie and plant characters is a hoot : Zombie pole vaulters, those that burrow underground spin around and head in the wrong direction, and all sorts of exploding plants. Lots of corny head popping action.
It might actually be more fun to watch than play though. Site has videos and a demo.
http://www.popcap.com/extras/pvz/
Painkiller : Resurrection
#2915 posted by DaZ [80.41.155.35] on 2009/10/21 14:43:02
Demo is out http://www.gamershell.com/news_858...
Not tried it yet myself as my net connection is slooooooow
Born Robotic
#2916 posted by neg [88.70.240.23] on 2009/10/22 15:17:59
Bal, play Machinarium. So cute and awesome puzzles.
Hmm
#2917 posted by nonentity [86.175.201.81] on 2009/10/22 15:24:43
Indeed, 'tis most excellent
Peniskiller: Gayerection.
#2918 posted by Shambler [146.191.228.22] on 2009/10/22 17:54:12
Looks as thrilling and revolutionary as the others. But hey, I'd be up for playing it coop!
Neg, Machinarium.
#2919 posted by Bal [83.204.197.22] on 2009/10/22 19:48:22
Yeah I've bought the game, and played the demo, just haven't found the time to play through it yet, but I'm really looking forward to it.
Oh And By The Way...
#2920 posted by Bal [83.204.197.22] on 2009/10/22 19:49:37
Eufloria is out on steam (previously called Dyson) it's this weird minimalistic asteroid conquering RTS, and it's made by Borsato, the q1 mapper, so go buy it.
Oh And...
#2921 posted by Bal [83.204.197.22] on 2009/10/22 23:47:58
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_8...
#2922 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/10/23 00:03:43
Saw it.
Loved it.
Licked it.
...
Is That In Game Footage?
#2923 posted by nitin [124.99.231.164] on 2009/10/23 03:39:21
surely not, because it looks very awesome.
Nope
#2924 posted by ijed [190.20.126.65] on 2009/10/23 04:20:07
Prerendered.
The specials are looking good - that video shows the Spitter, Charger and Jockey, but it'd be nice to see another for the heavy (Tank / Witch) class.
The Charger apparantly is downgraded so as not to be part of that group, which begs the question.
Robot Adventure Game
#2925 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/10/23 19:35:52
http://machinarium.net/demo/
Hmm
#2926 posted by nonentity [86.175.201.81] on 2009/10/24 14:54:09
http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
But good linkage
I Don't Read
#2927 posted by ijed [190.20.98.171] on 2009/10/24 15:42:50
Just respam.
Play it anyway. I'm broke but just bought it.
#2928 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2009/10/24 19:03:18
nice demo, beautiful artwork. Great character to the animations. Looks like an awesome childrens picture book.
Really Worth The $10
#2929 posted by ijed [190.20.85.67] on 2009/10/25 16:58:41
Although I lost half my weekend to it.
Anjea
#2930 posted by anjela [85.246.16.193] on 2009/10/25 17:03:23
fdguktdtinv crukjvcdxrmk ghmgdrtytjkgyujnb vgcfhbnjkjngtdfnyntgtynynmnmngtcvy...
Hmm
#2931 posted by nonentity [86.175.201.81] on 2009/10/25 19:46:08
Played the demo and the last couple of puzzles at a friend's (from the bomb defuse onwards). Absolutely beautiful game, waiting 'til I have some spare dollar to buy it, like said it's made by 7 self funded indie developers, can't really steal that shit even using the 'moral'* justifications of piracy.
*Disclaimer: I'm using apostrophes to highlight a lack of commentary on the validity of such arguments, merely stating their existence (the old 'men in suits getting the majority of the money due to owning the distribution/production' shit). I don't wish to start _another_ piracy flame session.
#2932 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2009/10/25 21:03:30
"I don't wish to start _another_ piracy flame session."
Then don't bring it up. It's intellectually dishonest to get to state your opinion on something and then say you don't want to start a discussion.
Too Late
#2933 posted by RickyT23 [82.12.238.142] on 2009/10/25 21:50:27
Willem
#2934 posted by megaman [94.221.121.90] on 2009/10/26 00:18:09
to be precise, he wasn't bringing it up. He was just using it to emphasize the greatness of it by describing his emotions/thoughts. That's about the same as if one of us others says "it's so worth the $$". That doesn't really bring up the question if capitalism is right unless you look at it funny for a while ;-)
#2935 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/10/26 12:44:20
If you have to include a disclaimer, you're already over the line. :)
OK I Got A Pure Hard On For This:
#2936 posted by RickyT23 [86.151.228.238] on 2009/10/29 17:18:27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHp...
Is till think Colonial Marines is a better concept, but I must admit this looks goooood
TF2 $2.49
#2937 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/10/29 20:26:33
If you wanted TF2 but were too broke to get it before, now's your chance as it is only $2.49 for a limited time.
http://www.teamfortress.com/post.p...
Torchlight
#2938 posted by Mr Fribbles [59.167.199.179] on 2009/10/30 02:56:21
Kill 'em and take their stuff.
Ricky
#2939 posted by DaZ [80.41.147.139] on 2009/10/30 03:25:20
hell yes, the trailer reminds me so much of the original AvP game that rebellion did. That was such a fantastic game!
Really looking forward to this!
Torclight
#2940 posted by Vigil [89.27.18.174] on 2009/10/30 08:59:50
Diablo with modded graphics. Even the town music is "heavily inspired" by the Tristram theme.
Still loving it.
Vigil
#2941 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.59.242] on 2009/10/30 09:26:42
http://www.shacknews.com/featureda...
Torchlight
#2942 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2009/10/30 09:57:14
Loot! Make sure to play on very-hard, cause normal is way too easy... So addictive.
Argh
#2943 posted by Spirit [80.171.20.165] on 2009/10/30 23:14:09
If Torchlight gets released in a sexy box it will be the first game since fucking S.T.A.Lhas encountered a problem I will buy. It is a bit too WoWish for my taste, I would like a proper inventory, diablo-ish character screen and icons for the spells(?). The font is kinda hard to read (at least in 800x600). And sometimes there is just a bit much effects. I prefer high detail "epic" like Diablo but well played just 2 hours non-stop.
Spirit
#2944 posted by Bal [83.204.190.151] on 2009/10/31 12:47:59
What do you mean by proper inventory? YOu mean where objects take up various space?
I'm happy they ditched that, I hated playing tetris with my items in diablo2, and diablo 3 has gone with the 1-slot-per-item technique too if you check the videos.
#2945 posted by onetruepurple [89.75.203.25] on 2009/10/31 13:00:05
diablo 3 has gone with the 1-slot-per-item technique too if you check the videos
AFAIK they ditched that and went back to tetris.
Inventory Snake
#2946 posted by Preach [94.192.82.29] on 2009/10/31 13:31:07
It is possible to retain the idea of items taking different space within an inventory without having to worry about tetris.
The simplest, but not very practical way, is just to make the inventory 1-dimensional. That way all packings are optimal, and there is nothing to worry about. Nobody really wants to have to scroll down a very tall inventory which is only one box wide though, so a better interface to that inventory would be needed
The idea I just had was to take that 1 dimensional representation of the inventory, and then just have it snake up and down the screen. That way you can render the whole thing in a square area, but the areas that items occupy sometimes bend around corners.
You might have to work a little harder to display icons for the items within their space, which could be tall and thin, or irregularly shaped at a corner. Perhaps a tileable texture which conveys item type would fill the space in background. Then an icon could float to fit in the tallest continuous space the item occupies. Since you're always guaranteed ceil(item_size/2) height, even on a corner, you could still have that icon as fixed height.
#2947 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.53] on 2009/10/31 13:33:41
Yeah, I like actually seeing the items in the inventory. The 1 slot just makes it harder to see what is what. :)
I forgot to say that Normal mode is really really easy. I guess I should have started harder but now I don't want to start again.
Spirit
#2948 posted by Bal [83.204.190.151] on 2009/10/31 17:18:39
Very hard is alot funner yeah, normal was boring. =\
Preach, well, you can always go for a weight system otherwise... but I like that even less I think.
I Think The Weight System In Stalker
#2949 posted by megaman [94.221.123.176] on 2009/10/31 18:41:08
worked very well.
Felipe
#2950 posted by felipe [200.165.169.143] on 2009/11/02 04:01:15
felipe
Felipe
#2951 posted by felipe [200.165.169.143] on 2009/11/02 04:01:22
felipe
Felipe
#2952 posted by JPL [213.30.181.94] on 2009/11/02 07:55:08
... nice try... so please now post what you really meant :P
Shambler
#2953 posted by Shambler [212.183.134.128] on 2009/11/04 13:26:33
shambler
Disassemble The Radio!
#2954 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/11/05 02:50:25
It's a flash game fairly similar to "escape the room" type flash puzzle games, but now you're trying to disassemble a radio:
http://gam.ebb.jp/kaitai1.html
That Was Fun.
#2955 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/11/05 05:46:32
I liked that the one part wasn't a hard fail. That would have pissed me off...
#2956 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/05 06:08:53
yeah, i got a little annoyed for a bit then figured it out. :P
Stuck
#2957 posted by sock [92.249.164.198] on 2009/11/05 07:54:41
Did not make any sense to me, the dismantle radio puzzle, turned the various dials and nothing happened, no visual clues about what is going on. I usually dismantle stuff with a screwdriver! :P
Got It
#2958 posted by sock [92.249.164.198] on 2009/11/05 12:30:33
ok that was cool, but what confused me was the wording, the icon in the top right said 'back' which really mean't, turn the radio around and look at the back. The word back usually means go backwards in a menu or an option. Oh well ...
Risen
#2959 posted by negke [88.70.239.28] on 2009/11/05 14:34:09
It's basically Gothic 2 with better graphics. And since I'm a G1/2 fanboy, I totally enjoyed the hell out of this game. Awesome atmosphere, I had a great time.
There's a demo, too.
Risen
#2960 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2009/11/05 17:17:27
What negke said, I approve.
Torchlight Demo
#2961 posted by DaZ [80.41.142.97] on 2009/11/06 04:59:52
Just spent about 2 or 3 hours playing this through to the end, and its a great little game!
Its pure Diablo, with a new lick of (very colourful) paint. It brings back some fond memories for me of slashing through Diablo 2.
+ Runs great even on my shitbag of a pc, I could even turn on AA!
+ Doesn't pretend to be anything more than a clickfest dungeon crawler, and thats cool with me.
+ The dog is a great idea, you can send it back to town with all your vendor trash and it will sell it all for you, so you can carry on killing things :)
- Voice "acting" is appallingly bad! Kinda made me laugh though.
- As others said, its easy as pie even on normal skill, I should have played on hard. PLAY ON HARD!
- I cared less about the quests in this game than I do in WoW. Half the time I would just be content to kill things, and when a quest item popped up it was just a nice perk :P
Very tempted to buy the full version of this, I think I'll try out the other 2 classes 1st though, the mage was good fun however!
Errrr
#2962 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/06 10:06:47
isn't this exactly like what fate was? what happens when you clone a clone of a game? o.0
Well...
#2963 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2009/11/06 10:42:47
It just makes another fun game?
Most of the Torchlight guys are the original developers of Diablo1 from Blizzard North, so they can do whatever they want with this type of game as far as I'm concerned.
I'm almost done playing through on Very Hard with an Alchemist, and I've had a blast, just good old hack-n-slash fun, if you like Diablo like games it's definitely worth it (cheap too).
Yeah
#2964 posted by ijed [190.20.112.178] on 2009/11/06 10:56:39
The pet sounds like a carbon copy from Fate - sending it to sell stuff, transforming it with fish.
Although
#2965 posted by ijed [190.20.112.178] on 2009/11/06 10:58:13
Doesn't seem as soulless as Fate was, doesn't tempt me enough to waste any of my precious free time.
Man...
#2966 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.83.148] on 2009/11/06 11:22:09
I feel so ripped off. The most recent necros map I played was so similar to the previous necros map I played. I mean I liked the last one and I really like this one too, but fuck, the style and setting and other things are so similar it's almost like it's made by the same guy or something.
I know I've been wanting a new necros map for years and I've been grumbling about how no other maps come close to how awesome that last one was but come on, I mean this new one is so cheap it might as well be free so if I'm paying that much surely I shouldn't get exactly what I want and expect?
Oh
#2967 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2009/11/06 11:45:52
About Fate yeah, the lead designer on Torchlight was the designer of Fate, so those similarities aren't so surprising either.
Well...
#2968 posted by Shambler [212.183.134.129] on 2009/11/06 11:46:56
THe last Fribbles map sucked anyway.
What was the last Fribbles map BTW??
Also, Risen, see my post in L4D2 thread.
Didn't Know That
#2969 posted by ijed [190.20.112.178] on 2009/11/06 12:11:58
Re: 2966
#2970 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/06 20:49:38
um... what? you are comparing a commercial, separate game, to maps designed to be played all in the same game that are free?
that argument might have been valid if if this was fate2 i suppose, and even there it would be a stretch.
Re: 2970
#2971 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.83.148] on 2009/11/06 23:38:03
Just making the point that the similarities are not surprising given the heritage of the developers, and their intentions... and it's precisely what the target audience wants anyway.
#2972 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/07 03:16:01
my initial reaction was *because* it was designed by the same team. (hence why i mentioned fate and not diablo).
meh, i guess fate just wasn't very visible and so no one remembers it while everyone remembers the last doom or quake game.
Nah
#2973 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.67.195] on 2009/11/07 03:37:46
I remember Fate well... even though I only played it for a very short time. (ijed hit it on the head, it was just a bit soulless..)
Torchlight is the good version of Fate, for sure.
p.s. sorry necros, that wasn't really directed at you by the way, just kinda sick of the silly comments in general about how Torchlight is a "rip off" of Diablo/2/Fate. (Mostly elsewhere, not here).
Wake Up The Box
#2974 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/11/12 01:15:44
Simple 2D-block-physics flash puzzle game, doesn't take to long to finish, good variety of puzzles.
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Ev...
Risen
#2975 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.135] on 2009/11/14 00:58:09
From the depths choadliness. Just tried the demo briefly. It is more Gothic 3/4 than Gothic3/4. It's bloody identical except a little bit prettier and a lot murkier. Hmmm. I like what happens if you try to go out to see at the start.
One thing I really liked about G3 was the 3 very distinct areas, and the 3 distinct races, especially the Orcs. Not sure if Risen is going to deliver in that way??
Machinarium
#2976 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/11/14 02:42:32
This was mentioned a while back in this thread, and after trying the demo, I ponied up the $20 for the full version, and got around to finishing it last night.
This is certainly one of the best (and maybe THE best) puzzle game I've ever played. It has great depth and fun from simple gameplay mechanics, an excellent variety of puzzles and thinking challenges, humor, emotion, fantastic sound and music, and one of the coolest art styles I've seen in a while.
Some parts took me a bit of pondering to get through, but I managed to beat the whole thing with no hints and no online poking about, and I'm mildly proud of that, because parts of it were pretty challenging.
If anyone is on the fence on this after trying the demo, the full game is better, and I highly recommend it.
http://machinarium.net/demo/
Machinarium
#2977 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/11/14 02:53:37
Yep, it's great.
No Brainer Buy
#2978 posted by ijed [190.20.101.142] on 2009/11/14 03:12:43
Unf.
#2979 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.135] on 2009/11/14 11:09:38
I had to use a walkthrough to get through the demo, although that is partly because I didn't know the game mechanics.
Lovely style, but puzzle games leave me cold.
Shambler
#2980 posted by Bal [90.2.41.82] on 2009/11/14 11:17:34
Risen, no the game area is smaller than Gothic 3, but it's alot more focused, there's always stuff to do. It's the only thing Gothic 3 has over it really.
Dragon Age: Origins
#2981 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/11/14 16:31:05
So, yay or nay? The game is apparently great, but how is the editor? Are we likely to see a fuckton of usermade highquality content for DAO as there was for NWN?
DA:O
#2982 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/11/14 18:23:12
I'm on the fence about it, only because there's a sales pitch for DLC built into the game universe itself, which leaves kind of an off-putting taste in my mouth...
I hope that's just sort of fucked up, and not actually showing "the future of marketing!" or some shit. :(
Also: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/...
Painkiller Choadrrection.
#2983 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.135] on 2009/11/14 18:41:46
Uhuh. Exactly more Painkiller, no more and no less.
The soul collecting / demon mechanism still rocks though.
Torchlight
#2984 posted by DaZ [80.41.177.255] on 2009/11/14 19:16:57
I've sank about 8 hours into it so far
+ No frills action rpg, run around and kill hordes of stuff, pick up loot, carry on.
+ The dog/cat companion is great, he helps you kill stuff and you can load him up with items to run off and sell for you so you can carry on killing things and taking their stuff(tm).
+ Meaty spells and abilities, everything feels very powerful, when you shoot beams of fire at people you can feel it burning them =)
- Story is quite dull, no real interest in it for me.
- Quests feel tacked on as an afterthought, usually I pick them up and forget about them, then when I get a "quest complete" message im pleasantly surprised :)
- The game is starting a feel like a bit of an xp grind. The motivation for going out and clearing a dungeon is to get xp and loot, and thats about it. There are no real high end goals beyond that. Perhaps if you could collect some sort of tokens from rare enemies to buy better gear it would be an added incentive to carry on playing. But as it stands its quite shallow in the end.
- No multiplayer/online play. Aparently they are making a free-to-play MMO which could work out very nicely, but I do notice the absence of multiplayer here.
If you liked Diablo / Titan Quest / etc.. you will probably love this :) its good fun and you cant go wrong for this budget price!
Dragon Age: Origins
#2985 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/11/15 16:32:32
OK, I broke down and bought this yesterday and played for a few hours. Verdict: if you liked Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, you need to get this NOW.
#2986 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2009/11/15 16:35:55
EVERYONE STOP TEMPTING ME YOU FUCKERS
Because I CAN'T get it now, I don't have enough time to get another epic, massive RPG. I have too many games to beat as it is. I have too much stuff to do. I just don't have the god damn time for an awesome BioWare RPG. SO GET OUT OF MY HEAD AND STOP TEMPTING ME YOU GOD DAMN SUCCUBI OF VIDEOGAMES
Have A Beer Instead
#2987 posted by ijed [190.20.73.93] on 2009/11/15 17:32:45
Ghg
#2988 posted by sazad [116.193.174.161] on 2009/11/17 09:48:09
7u
Zwiffle
#2989 posted by DaZ [80.41.134.189] on 2009/11/17 18:17:24
Why does he tease me so? =)
About Dragon Age Performance
#2990 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/11/18 10:19:20
I don't get it, I was looking at some benchmarks, and with my current CPU (an old 2,4 Ghz E6600) and a 5870, the benchmarks say Dragon Age is supposed to be heavily CPU-bound and run at ~26 fps. Thing is, 5870 is retardedly strong and MY gpu is an old 8800gts, yet my computer runs the game at 30+ fps at 1680x1050 everything on HIGH, I am yet to see a single slowdown anywhere. This was a really pleasant surprise.
On a sidenote, I am 8h 44min into the game and I am merely at 9% complete. And I am not even doing EVERY quest (I am going to leave that for the 2nd playthrough). Really puts into perspective the fucking ripofs the game market is full of, where a game is being sold for 60euro and the entire fucking thing lasts for like 8-10 hours total.
#2991 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/18 10:34:23
your comments bode well for me. i've been thinking of picking this up lately, but i've heard some goofy stuff about it like how DLC is built into the game itself such that NPCs will actually tell you to go buy DLC so you can do their quest or something.
can you put down some more comments when you've got furthur in please? :)
Regarding The DLC
#2992 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/11/18 10:48:48
I've heard some complaints that a few NPCs kind of "break immersion" by suggesting you obtain "premium content" to continue. I wouldn't know, I got the Deluxe version which already includes all the DLC. Deluxe edition was a mere 5 euro more than the bare game on STEAM and the 2 included quest areas offer roughly 4 hours worth of content, so it was a no-brainer.
Jago:
#2993 posted by bear [83.233.52.208] on 2009/11/18 12:33:58
Really puts into perspective the fucking ripofs the game market is full of, where a game is being sold for 60euro and the entire fucking thing lasts for like 8-10 hours total.
If a game is worth it's money or not is hardly price divided by play time! Any potential rip-off factor has far more to do with the vast majority of games being uninteresting dribble :P
Hmm
#2994 posted by nonentity [81.155.121.169] on 2009/11/18 12:41:25
Anyone playing League of Legends? (dota clone by the people who made dota. 'tis good fun. and free. kinda.)
All The Games I Like
#2995 posted by megaman [94.221.102.245] on 2009/11/18 14:01:33
have huge playtimes. Partly because of replay value, of course.
Hehe
#2996 posted by DaZ [80.41.134.189] on 2009/11/18 14:18:18
funny how people complain about playtime, when Quake was released and people made the quake done quick videos, no-one complained about price/playtime then =)
I do think that MW2 is overpriced, but not because its short, because its more expensive than everything else :) Its an obvious moneygrab by the publisher.
I've not played it yet, but if its anything like modern warfare 1 it will be fantastic, MW1 is also very short, but I've replayed it more times than I've replayed half-life 2 because its just so damn fun.
Also, I like commas, a lot!
#2997 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/11/18 14:24:04
For me, if I get 6-8 hours out of a game and those hours are fun, I got my money's worth. I don't want 40-80 hour epic conquests anymore - I don't have the time. :)
And it's just not feasible these days, honestly. Content takes too long to create and unless you're going to do a sandbox game it's very difficult to create endless reams of content like in the old days without crunching for years on end.
Willem
#2998 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/11/18 14:33:19
And it's just not feasible these days, honestly.
Yet, somehow, Bioware and Bethesda seem to be able to do this consistently ;)
#2999 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.15] on 2009/11/18 14:34:34
It took me a month to first play through Quake. I had to look up and ask about both bosses. Probably around 20-30 hours in total.
#3000 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/11/18 14:47:25
"Yet, somehow, Bioware and Bethesda seem to be able to do this consistently ;)"
Yeah. Sandbox and/or highly repetitive environments. Those factors make it possible. :)
#3001 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2009/11/18 14:48:11
What I'm saying is that you can't have stuff like the levels in Gears of War 2 last for 40 hours of gameplay. There's just not enough man power to create unique stuff that will occupy the player for that long.
#3002 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/11/18 18:59:01
I SAID STOP!! FFS I JUST SPENT $170 ON MY CAT'S TRIP TO THE VET I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR DRAGON AGE! OR THE TIME! STOP SEDUCING ME!!
*seduces Zwiffle And His Cat*
#3003 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/11/19 00:39:55
yeah that new painkiller expansion sure got awful reviews. could it really be that bad?
i'm not keen on huge games either, i don't have time for 30 hours+. 10 hours is fine. once i get to the 10 hour mark i find myself looking at the level list just to see how many levels are left. it becomes a drag.
did someone say fallout3 is like 200 hours long? FUCK THAT! give me quake 20 times over. there's too many games out there to waste that amount of time on a single game, running through the same environments over and over again.
Solution
#3004 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/11/19 01:31:10
Don't play long games that are a drag, play long games that are fun.
Dragon Age
#3005 posted by Vigil [89.27.18.174] on 2009/11/19 11:10:35
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
#3006 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/20 21:29:52
to put off getting dragon age, i started playing quake4 again.
i like it a lot more now than when i played it the first time, for some reason.
the whole first segment (from the start up to when the mcc lands) is great. gameplay is fluid and continuous. radio chatter really conveys the sense that the war is more than just you. my favourite parts are when you're backtracking through an area but from a different path (you're on these catwalk things) and then some new guys are charging in through the original path through the area and they get ambushed by strogg, but the strogg don't see you.
it was really satisfying to blow them away and feel like you're helping someone else out even though they're just npcs.
Machinarium
#3007 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/24 04:48:25
if anyone's interested, apparently, they released some of the music in the game: http://machinarium.net/blog/data/b...
Excellent
#3008 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/11/25 03:22:56
Thanks for the link!
Hmm
#3009 posted by nonentity [87.113.187.110] on 2009/11/25 11:51:40
Apparently you can get the .mp3s out of the game files anyway, all those .001 and .000 etc files are just .zips iirc. There's a post about it somewhere on the steam forums...
So, Has Anyone Tried This Demo Yet?
#3010 posted by Spirit [213.39.196.217] on 2009/11/25 14:29:13
http://www.mangledeye.com/
Spirit.
#3011 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.52] on 2009/11/25 16:07:03
I shall "take one for the team". There's no pretending it's going to be anything other tha dreadful, is there??
Shit...
#3012 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.52] on 2009/11/25 17:00:45
There's no pretending it's going to be anything other tha dreadful, is there??
...I woefully overestimated that, then.
It is beyond dreadful. A proper low-quality Q3A mod, real Cranky Steve territory. Not even worth reading these last 3 posts about it let alone considering following links to the game.
We Demand Pictures
#3013 posted by megaman [94.221.119.167] on 2009/11/25 18:45:16
Follow The Link
#3014 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/11/25 18:46:51
Seems a shame, since there's obviously alot of work gone into it.
http://www.darksalvation.com/scree...
#3015 posted by Spirit [213.39.196.217] on 2009/11/25 19:13:05
We flamed those screenshots earlier (or maybe in #tf), still I gotta play it some time.
I Remember
#3016 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/11/25 19:24:59
Mostly bad VFX and neon complaints.
Hmm
#3017 posted by nonentity [87.113.187.110] on 2009/11/25 20:12:27
Saying we flamed it isn't really going to help is it? ;p
(But yeh, we ripped those shots on here a while back. Can't see it playing any better...)
Yep
#3018 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/25 21:14:11
http://celephais.net/board/view_th...
So
#3019 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/11/25 21:18:38
The word shitty came up three times then.
No
#3020 posted by megaman [94.221.119.167] on 2009/11/25 23:10:40
i meant non staged/promo pics, of course. to see all the badness.
Dark Salvation
#3021 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/11/26 08:24:31
how far did you get shambler? i got to the first crystal, and then what? there's nowhere to go, am i missing something? haha lame so far. the intro was fkn shit, wtf was happening? and no save in the demo - not impressed. pretty cool textures and style though so i'm willing to give the full game a try if i can pirate a copy of it :D
Well...
#3022 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.52] on 2009/11/26 10:47:32
You press the button down below by the grate, this opens the door above. You then go into a lurid red box room with some lava and moving platforms. Lose some health to the lava because it's indistinguishable from the floor, then jump down onto a rock below with some health on it. Realise there's no way to get back up to the moving platforms, quit, and uninstall in disgust.
Good
#3023 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/11/26 12:49:56
Walkthrough.
#3024 posted by Spirit [213.39.187.134] on 2009/11/26 15:30:22
I think they pirated some textures too, someone said that. The voices are awful, lame Prey (etc) ripoff. Is it normal that I see no viewmodels? I use Wine...
#3025 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/11/26 23:05:22
I think they pirated some textures too, someone said that
i'm reminded of that limbo of the lost game... was it ever explained how on earth so many assets from other (very popular) games made it in there? it just seems unfathomable that no one noticed.
Recent Games
#3026 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/12/01 11:51:14
Okay finally had some time to play a few games recently, for the first time since February. I gave Machinarium a shot. I got stuck about 1/3 in, trying to use the oil thingy to get the dogs attention so I could catch him. Looked cool, but the puzzles are too hard for a dumass like me.
Dark Salvation demo. Gave up after the second room, the red one where you have to jump across the moving platforms, hit a button to open the door, then run back before the door closes. Does it get any more 90s than this? Pretty lame for a demo, which should feature some of the best parts of the game if you want people to buy it. Instead they have moving platform puzzles with no monsters. wtf.
And I played COD and COD:UO. Reviews below...
Call Of Duty (2003)
#3027 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/12/01 11:51:53
Released 1.5 years after Medal Of Honor and on the same engine and almost the same settings, it's easy to draw comparisons between the two. Most players seem to prefer Call Of Duty, and I agree, but only by a small margin.
In fact, they could almost be the same epic long game, there's not much difference. The level design is good, but not particularly fantastic. The levels are fairly standard fare; either cross-country with some average looking greenery, or destroyed towns. The highlight is the final level and the level which takes place at a dam that you have to sabotage. Ultimately, the level design is an improvement over Medal of Honor, as there were no downright boring levels as MOH had.
The gameplay is all enjoyable, again the same as you would expect from this genre. High speed guns mixed with plenty of sniping means you won't get sick of the gameplay. What makes COD unique is that 90% of the game your fighting alongside computer controlled teammates. Fortunately, they're not complete morons and don't get in your way. They also don't take over the game and leave you with nothing to kill. It stills feels like your playing your own mission, but with a little help and company here and there. It was certainly a unique and satisfying feature.
The major problem with COD was it's length. I played the entire game within a day; in two sittings, and could easily have done in one sitting. This is a very short game, perhaps around seven hours. For a full game, this just doesn't cut it. I complained about MOH being so short, but this COD is much shorter. At least there is an addon pack which I'll be playing next.
So overall, Call Of Duty was a blast. Good level design, fun gameplay, not overly difficult or frustrating in any way. It's certainly the best WW2 based game thus far, despite the short length.
Call Of Duty: United Offensive (2004)
#3028 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/12/01 11:52:46
Released a year after the original game, comes Grey Matter's expansion pack for the hugely popular Call Of Duty. And in most ways, it improved on what Infinity Ward did with the full game.
For a start, United Offensive, while being fairly short for even an expansion pack, was still almost as long as the full game. I estimated UO to be about 5-6 hours, with the full Call Of Duty game being 7-8. And that was my main criticism of Call Of Duty, that it being too short.
The other area Grey Matter have improved upon, despite still using the same engine and game, is level design. The levels in UO are a smidgen more impressive this time round. They feel more epic, especially examples like the lighthouse level. The only let down was the final Russian leg of UO looked exactly the same as the original game. They could easily have seamlessly integrated into part of the full game's Russian leg.
The other major difference between COD and COD:UO is the gameplay. UO features much more frantic action, with hordes of enemies running you down. Some of the battles just feel MUCH bigger. And in the process, hard as well. In some cases a little too hard. The sniper rifles with zoom features weren't used much in UO and you'll really miss them. At least in my run through I never picked them up much, if at all. Instead I stuck with the same few guns throughout the entire pack, which did get a little numbing by the end.
COD:UO is an improvement over COD. Slightly more epic levels and gameplay, a decent length when compared to the original game. But very much more of the same, just slightly better.
Right Thread This Time
#3029 posted by [Kona] [118.93.63.73] on 2009/12/01 12:01:44
Looking forward to what's next on my list for 2004 games I missed... Farcry, Medal of Honor 2, Painkiller, Chronicles of Riddick, Halflife2. Might play Riddick next I think... high expectations on this one :)
Kona
#3030 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2009/12/01 12:28:49
Pick up Crysis Warhead and Dragon Age.
Kona
#3031 posted by nitin [210.84.11.177] on 2009/12/01 14:03:02
far cry and riddick are great, havent played HL@ yet. Which would make us the only 2 gamers alive who havent :)
And painkiller is fun too. Dont forget to check out Dark Messiah out of the older games too.
Left 4 Dead 2
#3032 posted by ijed [190.20.110.95] on 2009/12/01 20:25:28
Continuity
#3033 posted by metlslime [64.175.155.252] on 2009/12/02 23:42:02
Somewhat clever platformer that requires you to re-arrange the sections of a level so that you can create a route to the goal.
http://web.student.chalmers.se/gro...
I finished it, my least favorite were the samey-looking maze levels, but even then they were pretty well designed. My favorite were the more wide-open levels.
Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have any level numbers, so it's hard to discuss individual levels. When you get to the really hard 8-screen maze, that's the last level.
You Know....
#3034 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/03 00:52:37
this kind of thing could possibly be built in doom3... shit, after i beat this thing, i may give it a shot :x
Just To Expand On Previous Post Now That I'm Taking A Break
#3035 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/03 01:07:57
i made a map that was essentially the cube movie, with automatic script driven cube movements. i guess the only real limitation is you wouldn't get the sort of 'birds eye view' you get when you swap between slide mode and platformer mode. any puzzles done in a 3d way would have to be simpler, i'd guess, and you'd only be able to control the section you were currently in (it'd be complex to be able to control other sections with the current implementation of the guis and gui scripts)
the alternative would be to keep the automatic section movement scripts and let guis control the paths they would take (ie: you can switch the automatic movement from going left to going right instead)
Continuationity
#3036 posted by Preach [94.192.82.29] on 2009/12/03 02:11:37
What I liked:
• The core concept makes for a good puzzle with varied scenarios.
• The musical transition between the two modes is a lovely bit of polish
What I disliked:
• The way the tiles were in bordered, rounded rectangles. Pleasant visually in itself, but the result is that the played character can't transition smoothly from tile to tile, instead there is an obvious jump from tile to tile. This seems like something that should be more important to the game than the visual choices made.
• The actual platforming is very boring, and doesn't contribute to puzzle solving at all. I spent all the time in that mode just willing the character to go faster so I could get on with the good bit.
What would I suggest adding to it:
• Some kind of additional factor to challenge the player.
A time limit in the platforming parts might make that seem more exciting, and possibly the clock could even continue running in the puzzle mode. The problem with extending time pressure to both modes is that mistakes in the puzzle mode are easier and more costly in time spent, so perhaps not.
Another factor which could make levels more difficult would be to limit the number of visits you could make to the "puzzle" mode. So in maps with many tiles, you would need to join as many as possible before returning to platforming. Might demand more forethought in the puzzle solving, but also makes it possible to get stuck, which I don't think can happen at the moment...
ps: still stuck on the last level, wrote this stuff on level 15, my opinions did not change much
What I Would Have Liked:
#3037 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/12/03 02:50:24
These sorts of puzzles cry out for the ability to "optimize" your solution. If the game kept track of your # of screens visited (each repeat visit counts), then you could try to find the ideal solution.
I think that this scoring system would be more beneficial to a time-based system, since the ideal time requires first finding the ideal route (from above), and then once that interesting problem is solved, all that remains is flawlessly pressing keys on the keyboard. The physics and choices when manevering in this world are not interesting enough to make optimizing your character movements sound like fun to me.
Actually, what would be really cool is seeing a faint line trace the entire route you took, so you can watch the spaghetti areas where you got lost or caught in a loop.
It Needs More
#3038 posted by sock [92.249.164.198] on 2009/12/03 12:39:32
to the game than just puzzle block shifting. I liked the first couple of levels because you get the whole shifting pieces around but after that, just the same old thing over and over. It feels like a good start but 30 levels without any new direction is too much.
One game mechanic I did like was you can fall through tiles, stop fall, shift blocks and carry on falling. Also the art style looked temporary to me, especially as it was not obvious which tiles linked together, should of used a pattern or symbol on the edges to show which tiles matched together.
Tile Borders
#3039 posted by Preach [94.192.82.29] on 2009/12/03 12:52:45
If I was making it, I would have made the tiles meet edge to edge, with a transparent green border between them if they match, and a solid red if they didn't (or you were at the edge of the map). It would make some of the manoeuvres around edges of tiles easier to manage at least, and as a bonus makes it explicit that the tiles match.
Interesting Experiment
#3040 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2009/12/03 13:08:26
Nice to see new stuff like this.
#3041 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2009/12/03 22:30:18
I didn't mind that it was difficult to tell which borders matched, but i really only needed two or three levels where that was the main challenge, rather than 50% of the levels. The open levels where it was more about figuring out what jumps were possible were more my taste.
The problem, which you see especially in the 3x3 grid levels, is that sliding block puzzles are kind of tedious, and with a grid that large you do a lot of sliding (especially with trial and error.) 4x4 would have been intolerable.
Agreed
#3042 posted by Preach [94.192.82.29] on 2009/12/04 00:26:29
Particularly irritating in the last level where in many cases you couldn't work out by eye which blocks did connect, so you had to shuffle them all around the 3x3 square, and then if they didn't, try out another. On earlier levels, it was quite satisfying to work backwards through a chain of tiles. "The key is there, and you can only get to it from the right...that tile is the only one that connects it from the left...I need to drop down on it....so I want to move to this tile!".
But I agree that the best puzzles were the ones where you had to make big leaps of faith, switching tiles in mid jump etc. Can you do that thing like in portal where you reach terminal velocity by lining up the portals vertically - constantly falling between two tiles? Imagine if you could rotate the tiles and do portal-style flinging!
Continuity
#3043 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/12/04 04:00:13
I played through the first eight (ten? dunno...) levels and sort of enjoyed it, but it got old kind of quickly and I wasn't really having enough fun to continue. Seemed pretty easy, but granted, it was early-on.
I've been playing Protector III for the last few nights, and finally finished it last night. It's similar to many tower-defense type games, but with quite a bit more depth and continuity than some (and some of the levels are quite difficult). Very addictive!! (At least it was for me.)
http://www.kongregate.com/games/un...
It *will* remember your progress, so no need to do it all in one go (assuming you were that crazy anyway--it took me quite a few hours to finish it...)
TD
#3044 posted by ijed [190.20.113.37] on 2009/12/04 20:00:38
Games are like crack.
Thanks for posting :D
That One Sure Sucked Me In...
#3045 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/12/05 20:07:15
Although difficulty seems odd and inconsistent. Some of the "medium" difficulty maps took me a lot of work to figure out, and some "hard" maps I got on the first try. And I beat the final uber-map on the first try too. Go figure...
#3046 posted by [88.70.236.172] on 2009/12/11 16:28:39
Anyone tried Battlefield Heros yet?
#3047 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/12/11 17:25:02
I heard they were switching payment models to really suck customers dry with those microtransactions but other than that it was fun.
Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay REVIEW
#3048 posted by [Kona] [118.92.171.198] on 2009/12/13 12:15:53
After so many positive reviews I was really looking for to Butcher Bay. Typically the big-sceen to computer-screen, film to game adaption doesn't work very well. So it's easy to assume it would have been a flop. But in fact it was a very favourably received underdog.
Nevertheless, it was with it's flaws; but perhaps my expectations were too high. Comparing the graphics to other 2004 releases like Doom 3, it wasn't quite as flash. The level design the majority of the time was good, but nothing really stood out. There were few fantastic set pieces. However, there weren't supposed to be. The game takes place entirely in a prison, mostly underground. You fight from the typical bland prison on the surface, to underground caverns, more high secure prisons, guards quarters and more. However, it is slightly disappointing that the entire game takes place in one prison. We never really get a huge variety in gaming environments. Overall, however, the design and graphics definitely live up to 2004 standards.
The gameplay was mostly good, depending on your gameplay preferences. Personally, I'm not one for the Thief style of gameplay. That is, sneaking around in shadows avoiding enemies. I'm also not one for having to complete tedious little tasks to proceed further into the game. EFBB features far too much of this. What I come for is pure action, and probably only 50% of the game features this. The tasks are boring, especially since the parts of the game that require tasks are some of the more bland looking areas.
What action we do get in EFBB, you get limited with just a few different weapons, and probably less than ten enemies to use them on, all with rather poor AI. Not a lot of variety, but it still throws up a decent challenge and fun on the most part.
The other problem wih EFBB is it's short campaign. Although I'm starting to get used to this after Call Of Duty and it's mission pack were both equally as short. Are games becoming shorter because of the extended detail gamers require in every facet of the game? I finished EFBB within one day. In three sittings to be exact, but I could have done it in one sitting.
On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd want another five hours trapsing around Butcher Bay anyway. It would have to at least introduce a new environment.
So overall, despite this sound like a negative review, the game actually was very good. Exceptional design and graphics, although not quite up to Doom 3, not far off it! And decent gameplay when you actually get to fight. Very much recommended. I only regret I didn't play the enhanced version released with Dark Athena.
PS. the game was a nightmare to setup and featured two game stopping crashes. It required an Open GL fix and latest EU patch, along with someone elses save games for me to continue.
Iji - Very Good
#3049 posted by Ankh [88.199.103.6] on 2009/12/13 12:22:55
http://www.remar.se/daniel/iji.php
#3050 posted by [Kona] [118.92.171.198] on 2009/12/13 12:23:40
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault is up next on my list. I hope it looks better than the first Call of Duty. Screenies look better anyway.
BTW anyone played Overlord 2 yet? The graphics look so cute!!!
Kona
#3051 posted by nitin [124.168.48.170] on 2009/12/13 12:30:09
I think it looked about the same, but its still fun.
I was a big fan of riddick, probably because it was different to your regular FPS at the time and parts of it just looked damn cool.
Err, Kona
#3052 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.7.233] on 2009/12/13 13:46:33
You should read your reviews before posting them - you often start a paragraph by stating something, then spend the remainder of the paragraph contradicting that statement. Example:
"The gameplay was mostly good" ... " The tasks are boring" ... "What action we do get in EFBB, you get limited with just a few different weapons, and probably less than ten enemies to use them on, all with rather poor AI"
Or above that "Comparing the graphics to other 2004 releases like Doom 3, it wasn't quite as flash" vs "Overall, however, the design and graphics definitely live up to 2004 standards".
What is it? Was it not as flash as other 2004 games, or did it indeed live up to those standards? Maybe my English isn't good enough, but I can't make out what you are trying to say with that review.
#3053 posted by [Kona] [118.92.171.198] on 2009/12/13 22:42:39
haha i know dude i was contradicting myself a bit. what i meant was it wasn't as good as doom3, and maybe halflife2 and thief3. but it was better than everything other than those 3 i think (not that i played everything).
the reason why i do these reviews is actually so that in 10 years when i decide to play these games again, i'll know what to expect, so they tend to talk about all the negative stuff even when something is 'mostly good'.
oh and i can't be bothered proofreading it anyway
Hehe
#3054 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.7.233] on 2009/12/14 00:53:14
Alright. Now we can discuss why you think that Doom 3 and Half Life 2 are in the same league - I'd say that HL2 > D3!
Graphically?
#3055 posted by megaman [94.221.100.242] on 2009/12/14 01:32:37
please.
Hmm
#3056 posted by nonentity [86.149.12.192] on 2009/12/14 01:44:54
Because graphics are the main criteria for judging games...
But That Is The Aspect That He Was Comparing
#3057 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2009/12/14 01:47:43
#3058 posted by [Kona] [118.92.171.198] on 2009/12/14 03:15:28
yeah for me graphics are easily the most important thing. i find it weird how all these top reviewers like gamespot and ign never even mention "level design" and architecture and stuff like that. and all their screenshots never feature the actual level design - it's always some stupid action shot.
but anyway, i can't argue hl2 vs doom3 because i'm yet to play hl2. doom3 had great potential, the engine is a winner (i'm guessing better than hl2's engine), but ruined by the corridor style levels. in terms of detailing, doom3 had WAY more detail in it's design than Riddick did. and the lighting was better. i'm assuming in terms of level design that hl2 > d3, won't know for sure till i play it.
I Envy You Kona
#3059 posted by ijed [190.20.118.249] on 2009/12/14 11:40:11
Go and play HL2.
The Orange Box
#3060 posted by ijed [190.20.118.249] on 2009/12/14 11:40:40
Valve Complete Pack!
#3061 posted by RickyT23 [86.137.237.173] on 2009/12/14 12:06:27
HL2 Ep2 was pretty awesome, amd the best of the three parts IMO. Ep1 has some awesome bits, as does HL2. We dont go to Ravenholm.
Neither topped Half Life 1, just for epicness and the setting (the grand-canyon backdrop in HL1 really added to the feeling of scale, and immersion).
Whe is that Black Mesa mod coming out for HL2?
But no - I think that Doom3 was good for graphics, but the gameplay does suck compared to Half Life 2.
He's Not The Only One
#3062 posted by nitin [124.168.14.190] on 2009/12/14 13:16:43
saving it for the christmas break myself.
#3063 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/14 20:01:58
Doom3's gameplay didn't suck, exactly. it only sucked because there was no variation in it.
it's not like the gameplay couldn't handle something like the grand canyon map from HL1, but that no one on the d3 team made one. :S
It Was Good Fast Paced
#3064 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.53.24] on 2009/12/14 22:56:58
Harcore shootin'! Like the original prequels in that respect. One of my favourite games.
But the Half Life series had a more involved story aimed at a more mature audience, more puzzle solving and exploration, much more varied gameplay on the whole. Better AI/combat too.
Two different things altogether really. Although they do have many parrallels. A bit like whiskey and beer :D
Or Whisky
#3065 posted by ijed [190.20.124.133] on 2009/12/15 00:26:44
And shandy, with a cool cube of advanced light ice floating in the shandy.
What Was Fast Paced?
#3066 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.24.114] on 2009/12/15 00:32:51
Doom 3? Surely, you are joking?
Yeah
#3067 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/15 01:27:45
i wasn't sure if that was a joke or not. if it's not, then we didn't play the same doom3 :P
Doom3
#3068 posted by [Kona] [118.92.171.198] on 2009/12/15 10:07:48
yeah there wasn't enough variation in gameplay, but the biggest issue for me was the running speed. made the game way too fkn slow. any d3 mods i now play with it increased a bit. much more fun. although i've played them all now anyway. shamblers castle is a must play for d3!
actually i'm not saving up hl2 for xmas... i'll probably play it in a couple years, haha. once i've had a run of a few bad games and need something good, it'll be time for hl2. how can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?
#3069 posted by Drew [132.205.163.222] on 2009/12/15 16:36:03
Doom 3 was so frustrating for me.
So much untapped potential.
I hated those squid armed dudes, and there were like 2 cacodemons in the whole game.
also, the expansion pack was shit.
The Expansion Was Better
#3070 posted by ijed [190.20.71.40] on 2009/12/15 21:45:14
And had no squid arms in the first.
The cacodemons were a joke though. Literally funny.
100% programmer game design; drunk on technology that nobody really gives a flying fuck about.
So much potential in that leaked beta . . .
#3071 posted by megaman [94.221.101.26] on 2009/12/15 22:00:45
But the Half Life series had a more involved story aimed at a more mature audience
That's probably why there's scientist father figures and large breasted women with robot pets at the center of it. Serious drama, guys!
#3072 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.40] on 2009/12/15 22:10:14
If HL2 had more boobs I'd probably give in to Steam. After all my room moisture would go up several degrees so a little more steam would not hurt.
#3073 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2009/12/15 22:32:02
Wait, exactly WHO in Halflife had big boobs? Because I certainly missed that character.
Yeah
#3074 posted by ijed [190.20.71.40] on 2009/12/15 22:36:21
I deleted a post because I thought it was the whisky talking.
I realise it's the whisky still talking now and I was just being a pussy:
Alyx' arse was nicer than her tits.
Unless
#3075 posted by ijed [190.20.71.40] on 2009/12/15 22:37:31
You're talking about the traitor bitch in a white poloneck I felt like smacking with the crowbar even before I knew she was a traitor.
#3076 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2009/12/15 23:35:58
That's probably why there's scientist father figures and large breasted women with robot pets at the center of it. Serious drama, guys!
Holy shit my dad is a scientist too, how unrealistic!
Also, good job on also picking on one of the least sexualised female characters in mainstream video games. That stupid Alyx and her big tits! So big they went all the way back round to being small.
I guess you never played Doom 3. This is the plot of Doom 3. Drink every time there's a cliche. Wait, actually, punch yourself in the balls.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x...
Thanks Starbuck
#3077 posted by ijed [190.20.71.40] on 2009/12/16 17:14:55
My balls are now the size of melons and I have to bathe them in ice.
Re: D3 Intro
#3078 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/16 20:58:10
i remember being seriously impressed when the camera moved away from the monitor and you could see that the gui was part of the game world.
it wasn't just the unified lighting that was cool about doom3. i know in-game guis are old hat nowadays, but i still think it's pretty awesome.
Yeah
#3079 posted by DaZ [80.41.151.203] on 2009/12/17 11:40:16
I think the doom 3 engine still does the best in-game GUI's, at least I have not seen anything better in any other competing engines.
#3080 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2009/12/17 19:42:59
to be fair, i seriously hate that delay where your gun has to come back up after you leave a gui. if there's a gui in your LoS when you're fighting something and your crosshair passes over it, you get locked out of firing for a second or so...
#3081 posted by schbirid [194.95.77.44] on 2009/12/18 11:16:01
Great great fun: http://armorgames.com/play/3614/cr...
I got weird looks because I laughed so much.
Small Worlds
#3082 posted by erc [94.122.151.87] on 2009/12/18 16:45:17
Try this one if you have half an hour to spare:
http://jayisgames.com/cgdc6/?gameI...
Both Of Those Were Excellent.
#3083 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2009/12/19 06:43:29
I played through both of them just now and enjoyed every minute. Nice finds! The second one is especially cool--pixel abstraction as art...
I played through this the other night, and had a lot of fun (although my patience wore thin on the bonus levels):
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Th...
#3084 posted by Spirit [213.39.129.161] on 2009/12/25 20:41:31
Very cool idea: http://giantsparrow.com/games/swan...
#3085 posted by Zwiffle [70.92.141.255] on 2009/12/26 06:17:41
I remember someone linking this. I didn't like it, because it became incredibly boring and hurt my eyes.
<- Runic
#3086 posted by starbuck [92.237.128.247] on 2009/12/27 00:13:26
Torchlight is only $5 / £3.74 today on Steam! Just bought it and 2 other games for less than 7 quid. I'm a happy boy, merry christmas valve!
Torchlight
#3087 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2009/12/27 01:45:05
For 20 euro it was a really solid purchase.
For 10 euro it was a steal.
For 5 euro you have to be retarded to not buy it.
^^
#3088 posted by DaZ [80.41.141.125] on 2009/12/28 00:53:39
This.
I play it sparingly and its surprisingly good if you enjoy the Diablo style gameplay.
Yeah
#3089 posted by ijed [190.20.107.23] on 2009/12/29 05:07:07
I just wasted 14 hours on it. I played Fate as well a few years ago, and this is a serious evolution.
Annoying how all the dungeons are one still though, apart from the Hatch quests. Would have been nice to have the metamap a bit more developed.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (2005) REVIEW
#3090 posted by [Kona] [118.93.51.118] on 2009/12/30 04:43:46
Lockdown certainly wasn't next on my list of games to play, but I'm yet to play a tactical shooter, or any of the Tom Clancy titles. So, I was curious about what kind of games they actually are.
Lockdown is a tactical shooter; which I always assumed would require a lot of tactics rather than run-and-shoot gameplay. I don't know if this was just a bad example of a tactical shooter or not, but it just seemed like another realistic shooter to me. There were no tactics to speak of, apart from pressing the space bar every so often to get your team mates to catch up. The main difference in gameplay between other shooters, is that you get a limited amount of ammo on each mission, so you need to make your hits count. Anything below 20% accuracy and you'll end up running out and have to resort to the useless handgun (thankfully I never had to).
For me, this means constantly pearing around corners with my zoom scope and sniping enemies in the face. There's not much running into the room guns-first, because a couple hits and your dead. It's much more meticulous and strategic in the way you shoot enemies. Unfortunately, the enemy AI was useless. You can quite easily snipe out a room of enemies from the door frame without them even shooting at you. And when they do, they'll often then just run off.
Your team mates AI is decent - they don't get in your way and certainly don't rush in. They usually only ended up with a few kills each after each mission, compared to my 60-80 kills. So your still a one-man-army, with just your friends along as company you might as well say. Just the way I like it.
Hostage AI was a problem though. On one level they refused to move at all and I had to restart. They also had a tendency to stupidly run ahead of you right into enemy fire.
Another problem were the weapons. You get to pick from around fifteen weapons which one you want to go on the mission with. Yes, you only get one. I played with the same rapid fire rifle with scope for the entire game. With such a limit on ammo, I saw no point in using a machine gun, and shotguns would be far too short range. It would be nice to have had a couple guns to switch between. On the other hand, it did take some focus off looking for ammo and health during the levels.
The graphics of the game looked good. The textures and lighting were consistently great. The levels were well designed in most areas, with just some of the design looking a little bland. Nevertheless, this is supposed to be realistic, so real buildings aren't necessarily laced with intricate detail. Despite the realism achieved in the design, it still looks very good most of the time; helped along by the good textures and lighting.
Overall, Lockdown really isn't that different from your other realistic shooters. The only tactic is your approach in hitting your enemy in the head before he sees you. Therefore I enjoyed all several hours of Lockdown.
Tom Clancy Games
#3091 posted by [Kona] [118.93.51.118] on 2009/12/30 04:50:20
So yeah, with Rainbow Six Vegas 1+2 on Unreal Engine 3, that outta look real fkn good. Look forward to them.
What's the gameplay in the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series like? Any tactics or pretty similar to Lockdown? PS... I don't want tactics at all. The less I have to think during a game, the better. I do enough thinking for work.
I did get a couple from the Splinter Cell series, but the trailers/reviews look a little too much like Thief (ala creeping around in fkn shadows) which, unless the design is fantastic like Thief 3 was, then it's not worth trudging through.
I've Enjoyed The Splinter Cells So Far
#3092 posted by nitin [210.84.0.54] on 2009/12/30 05:03:10
mix of stealth and action really.
Splintercell
#3093 posted by megaman [87.245.12.163] on 2009/12/30 17:34:18
rainbox six was tactical/strategic because you had to lay waypoints for your other teams before you played the missions.
Physics Game
#3094 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2009/12/31 18:00:33
http://www.flashphysicsgames.com/f...
Medal Of Honor Airborne
#3095 posted by nitin [203.217.81.91] on 2010/01/02 04:52:58
easily the worst in the series (that I have played anyway). For a start, its very short, there's 6 maps that are admittedly gigantic and very open but I'm sure better players than me could knock this off in 4-5 hours (it took me double that).
Secondly, its ridiculously frustrating, you will be trotting along merrily with full health and some sniper will take you out instantly or you will get ripped to shreds by someone with a heavy machinegun. I died a lot. Now the game does have a reasonable quicksave system that is checkpoint orientated and any objectives you complete stay completed upon death, but it repopulates enemies to keep it challenging. The problem is a lot of those repopulated enemies ensure that you pretty much have to play most the map again even though some objectives have been completed as otherwise they ambush you. So it gets annoying very quickly.
As for the looks, I wasnt that impressed in that department either. There's a shift to the UE3 engine and while the maps are gigantic, very open ended, and very detailed, they are not memorable at all and look pretty generic.
Overall, maybe 6/10.
Painkiller Review
#3096 posted by [Kona] [118.93.51.118] on 2010/01/07 03:55:53
Painkiller is a game where you either love it, or hate it. Developed by a new studio from Poland, People Can Fly, Painkiller is one hell of a debut. I'm reviewing both Painkiller and the expansion pack Battle Out Of Hell, which is basically more of the original game.
It features the same kind of gameplay as Serious Sam, but it looks a lot better than not only 2001's Serious Sam, but also 2005's Serious Sam II. Although not by much, as Serious Sam II was a spectacular looking game.
The difference is Painkiller is much darker with levels taking place in cemeteries, cathedrals, asylums, castles, palaces, monasteries, an orphanase and even a very twisted and unique version of hell. In fact the entire game takes place in Purgatory (though why there is a funpark or Leningrad in purgatory I don't understand).
This is where Painkiller really shines; the levels look fantastic. Released early 2004, Painkiller hails above just about everything from 2004 and previous. With the exception of perhaps Farcry and Halflife II (neither of which I've played so I can't confirm), Painkiller is the best looking first person shooter up until 2005. This mostly comes down to a great looking engine, great gaming effects and flawless textures. The set-peices and architecture is all fantastic, however the game is let down slightly by its lack of vertical gameplay. The same problem Serious Sam had, the levels are all too flat. There's very little vertical variation (apart from the insanely vertical climb that was Stone Pit in the mission pack). Which means all the gameplay is in huge flat areas.
The other major flaw in the gameplay is it's focus on checkpoint type gameplay. You enter a room, a door behind you appears out of nowhere trapping you in, and you fight through hordes of enemies until the doors open. Enter the next area and the same tactic applies. The entire game runs like this, and it becomes one mindless battle after another.
Fortunately, after battling through way too many realistic shooters lately, I was eager for some high-paced gaming action. But this can get old after a while. It also doesn't help that just about every enemy in the game requires 1-2 hits from the shotty and seems like the same enemy as the last just with a slightly different close-range weapon or projectile. There's very little enemy variation. Even so, there's more variation here compared to a realistic shooter that features the same human enemies throughout the entire game.
The models all look great. While some are a little silly (puking or burping at you as an attack), they aren't as cartoony and out of place as Serious Sam's enemies.
There were plenty of great weapons to use, absolutely tonnes of ammo for them all. The game on normal difficulty really wasn't that hard at all, but does force you to replay at higher difficulties in order to unlock the secret levels (bad idea People Can fly!). Alternatively you can download Powermad and unlock them anyway, but all three hidden levels were pretty short. The BOOH hidden level was just a poor boss fight.
A lot of players won't like the repetitive arena style horde combat, but I enjoyed it. With fantastic design which is completely different on every single level (there are 24 in Painkiller and 10 in BOOH) makes Painkiller one of my favourite games. Pity about the sequels...
#3097 posted by [Kona] [118.93.51.118] on 2010/01/07 04:00:27
Think I'll hold off on playing Far Cry next as I've got a few duds on my list to play for a while...
Although Republic Commando got a decent IGN score, in the video reviews I've looked at the game design look like ass.
Apart from Quake 4 and Prey, the fps games from 2005 and 2006 all look a bit average.
Star Wars - Republic Commando (2005) - 79%
Vietcong 2 (2005) - 60%
Project: Snowblind (2005) - 7.7
Second Sight (2005) - 71%
Area 51 (2005) - 6.9
Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005)
Pariah (2005) - 6.3
Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005) - 84%
King Kong
#3098 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2010/01/07 04:02:45
was quite fun actually. Not a fps though.
And if you have low expectations, Unreal 2 is quite fun too. Mostly.
#3099 posted by [Kona] [118.93.51.118] on 2010/01/07 06:46:05
yeah i played unreal 2 when it came out (one of the only games i played between 2002-2007). i actually thought it was pretty good, couldn't really understand all the bad press it got.
what's next on your list nitin? you seem to be playing catchup like me.
Still Have HL2 Plus Eps 1 And 2
#3100 posted by nitin [210.84.12.6] on 2010/01/07 09:14:59
and then CoD 4. That's all I have left I think before I can go restocking :)
oh and Splinter Cell - Double Agent.
Modern Warfare 2
#3101 posted by DaZ [80.41.149.119] on 2010/01/11 19:14:06
Picked this up last week on pc. If your in the UK, then know that Tesco is selling it for £30 not the stupid price of £40 almost everywhere else...
Single Player Mode : I loved it, much better than the 1st Modern Warfare, which I also enjoyed very much. Dunno what all the fuss is about the airport level, I thought it was very well done and setup the story excellently! Some of the set pieces are jaw dropping and is great fun all the way through.
I love how Infinity ward manages to sneak in some sets from popular war movies all over the place, a few that I noticed were the alcatraz shower room from The Rock, The insurgent desert base from Iron Man, and the suburban street with a crashed plane in it from the War of the Worlds remake. Im sure there are others but I cant recall them at this time.
It is short though, It took me around 6-7 hours to complete the game, and that was usually pausing to take in the sights and sounds of each set piece.
Special mention must go to the music which was done by Hanz Zimmer (gladiator, black hawk down etc), its epic. wtb OST!
Multiplayer : I've been addicted since I first loaded it up to "take a brief look" which ended up as a huge 6 hour marathon =) Its brilliant fun running around shooting people in team deathmatch, and unlocking all the different attachments and camo patterns for the various guns (of which there are tons!).
The new killstreaks and deathstreaks are great too, my favourites are the placeable minigun turret and pilotable ac-130 gunship.
A lot of complaining was made about the lack of dedicated servers and the matchmaking system. Honestly the matchmaking system is actually very good, not perfect and has a few niggles attached to it, but it does all the hard work for you and gets you into a game in less than 10 seconds usually. A few problems do arise from having the multiplayer p2p based, such as if the host has a crap connection things can get a little laggy, but the game will pause and find a better host if this is serious.
Special Ops Mode : This is 2-player coop mode on specially designed maps, I haven't actually played any in 2-player mode yet, but in single player mode they are short but fun maps that award you more stars the better you do, with more stars you unlock more and more chapters and maps, etc etc. Looking forward to playing them in 2 player!
MW2
#3102 posted by negke [88.70.241.23] on 2010/01/12 13:20:41
It's ok for a COD game, I guess. Looks great and impressive motion capturing. In the long shot, gameplay seems kind of dull, though. On rails and stuff. The airport mission wasn't such a big deal really - how is shooting civilians more disturbing than killing hundreds of armed enemies?
Lol at the Russians. Always waging wars...
Ouch, My Head...
#3103 posted by Bal [90.2.40.68] on 2010/01/13 21:06:53
http://firstpersontetris.com/
#3104 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/01/13 21:09:59
Jesus christ that is intense
So Intense
#3105 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/01/13 21:52:07
It's 'ACCOUNT SUSPENDED'
Dangerous
#3106 posted by Drew [65.92.132.223] on 2010/01/14 01:19:22
Holy fuck - 2 rounds, instant headache.
Heh
#3107 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2010/01/14 01:40:33
i didn't even get that far. it's incredibly disorienting.
Hmmm.
#3108 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.194] on 2010/01/14 10:04:12
I tried a bit. Seemed perfectly fine. Kept giving me shit pieces tho, and I got bored.
#3109 posted by meTch [69.183.43.244] on 2010/01/14 11:44:02
actually it felt a bit easier than regualer, but then i also got shit pieces and bored:/
Managed To Enter
#3110 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/01/14 13:29:22
It's just tetris . . . I got bored as well by level 2.
JUST Tetris?
#3111 posted by Drew [132.205.218.16] on 2010/01/15 00:27:18
Played night vision mode, it's pretty cool, and less headachening.
...Although my vision is blurred as fuck right now.
Well
#3112 posted by ijed [190.20.85.68] on 2010/01/15 02:05:50
A very nice version of Tetris.
Star Wars: Republic Commando REVIEW
#3113 posted by [Kona] [118.92.166.15] on 2010/01/15 05:53:13
Another game down for the holidays, this one relatively a mystery to me. My little expectations were pointing towards another bland Star Wars game with the same old setting, mixed in with more of this 'tactical strategy' I explored in Rainbow Six.
The game ended up, in fact, being quite a good looking shooter with enjoyable gameplay; but not without its flaws.
The highest points for SWRC go to the level design. You battle through three episodes - Geonosis, Assault Ship and Kashyyyk. I won't pretend to be familiar with these places, or the entire Star Wars story for that matter, as I'm definitely not a Star Wars fan (and yes I've seen all six).
Geonosis is some desert world, while the Assault Ship episode all takes place within a ship that you must regain control of, and is ultimately the dullest of the episodes. Kashyyyk is a world inhabited by Wookies, as you attempt to rescue a Wookie leader. The highlights were the rooms built out of huge wooden trees. It wasn't as good as Serious Sam II's attempt on the giant tree village, but everything still looked good as there was a decent mix of outdoor terrain and indoors.
Design was packed with detail and the Unreal Engine 2 was put to good use. The only niggle with design is that some of the levels and rooms became a little repetitive. Overall it reminded me of Halo. Similar design settings; only looking much, much better.
The gameplay was a mixed bag. Overall it was fun with your three team members improving the experience. They weren't stupid, but certainly lacked the skill of a multiplayer bot. They worked best when placed behind a structure and instructed to use grenades or the sniper rifle.
The tactics with your soldiers were all fairly easy. Tell them to charge in, hold back, open a door, sit behind something and snipe. When they die you or another soldier can revive them, and when your own player dies you can also be revived. I found this to be much more enjoyable than having to reload. Your ultimate death comes when you're all killed and there's no one left to revive any of the team. A lot of the enemies in SWRC can take some firepower, so you definitely need all of your team members.
Unfortunately the gameplay can be frustrating at times. There's one particular enemy that flies overhead which is far too hard and can take your entire team out in 30 seconds, while some of the other enemies such as the Super Droid or Spider Boss become a real bore as your all blasting away for an eternity. The Droids, which are weak and hopeless, end up being the most enjoyable enemy. But overall most of them aren't that fun to fight and there's not a huge variety in enemies as it is. What is there, has fairly average AI.
A few times the gameplay suddenly got extremely difficult with just too much thrown at you at once alongside endless replicating machines which you need to shut down. This is the other major problem with gameplay. Throughout the game your tasked with turning off these endlessly enemy-spawning replicators. It takes 20 seconds to shut one down, and after doing it 50 times it just gets mind-numbing. I can understand their inclusion to spice up gameplay a little, but in the end they became tedious and annoying.
The final problem which spoiled gameplay, was the abysmal collection of weapons. You get the Quake2-cloned blaster, a machine gun which annoyingly shoots sideways and takes quite a few levels before you get used to it. The sniper rifle aka Quake 2 railgun which never has enough ammo. Your fourth weapon is a grenade launcher I think; but I'm unsure since I only used it a couple of times due to it only carrying four grenades at once and not wanting to waste them. The fifth weapon varies depending on what episode your in. The shotgun in episode 2 is decent, but all your alternatives in the final episode are junk. Even worse, the final level didn't seem to have ammo for any of the weapons I had.
If a mod was created that removed most of the replicators and gave us much improved weapons and perhaps tweaked some of the monsters, then STRC would become a great game. As it is, it's just a good game; thumbs up but little re-playability. But since I was expecting much worse, I'm fairly satisfied.
VVVVVV
#3114 posted by Spirit [194.95.77.44] on 2010/01/15 11:08:54
is annoying.
I Liked It...
#3115 posted by metlslime [98.248.107.212] on 2010/01/15 11:34:24
but then, i like Mega Man 2.
I Love Megaman...
#3116 posted by Drew [65.92.132.223] on 2010/01/15 23:48:34
pretty much any megaman game on NES or SNES.
#3117 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/01/16 00:00:49
MegaMan 10 wooo!!!
Just recently beat Mega Man 9 (within the last month or so?) and I'm so ready for MM10!
I Liked
#3118 posted by ijed [190.20.96.137] on 2010/01/16 01:55:57
Megaman ZX on the DS, apart from the fact it turned my hands into crippled little claws.
#3119 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/01/16 03:26:08
lol Yeah the ZX games were fucking tough. Apparently Capcom is releasing a MMZero collection in Japan soon. Want.
Flash Game "Greyscale"
#3120 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2010/01/16 05:22:37
bland art and the performance is slow, but the puzzles are kind of clever:
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Ko...
Completed !
#3121 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/01/16 11:01:40
The 20 levels are good ;) Nice find !
#3122 posted by necros [99.227.133.158] on 2010/01/16 22:54:59
anyone been watching Brink? the setting looks pretty cool and the 'smart' movement thing looks quite interesting.
Link?
#3123 posted by megaman [94.221.106.21] on 2010/01/17 01:18:43
#3124 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/01/17 07:59:33
I am highly anticipating Brink - I hope the multiplayer will be as fun as I think it will be. I'm not sure about the Smart system, not because it doesn't look good, but because I'm not sure how necessary it is. I think it's mainly for console players, and well, I will not be playing it on console.
#3125 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/01/17 12:20:07
I think the smart system is there to allow you to navigate the environment with ease and coolness, not necessarily specifically for console players. I mean, wtf, console games have had jump and duck buttons forever.
That said, it will take a very careful implementation to make it work. I don't want to go vaulting over something when I meant to get into cover and other situations like that.
Smart Systems
#3126 posted by sock [78.131.32.151] on 2010/01/17 14:04:08
have been in games for years, what about the cover system in GoW anyone! I remember Crysis being littered with AI smart objects (how I hated placing the damn things everywhere and then testing them), to jump over walls, special cover / best facing direction, retreat/backup positions and even idle stuff like pissing or smoking! Personally I dont see this as anything new, just very good marketing hype.
Er
#3127 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.6.171] on 2010/01/17 21:30:09
trigger_monsterjump anyone?
Yep
#3128 posted by ijed [190.20.113.246] on 2010/01/17 21:49:25
Internally it's the same stuff we've all been doing for years.
It's like the 'AI Director' from L4D - entity randomisation I first worked with in Lazarus Q2, so a good few years ago now.
Granted they've improved it a bit with route randomisation as well, though It'dve been nice if there were more than 2-3 distinct routes in the game.
Never heard of Brink - I go to google.
Brink
#3129 posted by [Kona] [118.92.166.15] on 2010/01/17 23:04:34
yeah brink looks pretty sweet! almost too intense. i hope there's a good linear single player campaign though, not just a bunch of bots thrown into an arena.
Well
#3130 posted by ijed [190.20.113.246] on 2010/01/17 23:30:07
It looks pretty nice - seems that L4D has opened up the coop FPS side.
Not a WOW player so that whole stage passed me by really.
#3131 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/01/18 02:28:07
If Brink works out the way I kind of hope it will, it might replace TF2 as my go-to FPS. But then it does have coop, but it can't really compete with zombies imo, so L4D2 will still be my go-to coop game.
Torchlight
#3132 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/01/18 18:47:20
Okay so I wasn't really expecting much besides a Diablo clone, and I was right. But it's a lot more fun than I anticipated. They added a lot of fun features, like being able to load up your pet with gear and then sending them back to town to sell it while you continue to battle it out in the dungeon. That was pretty cool.
A lot of stuff seems to have been streamlined, and there is simply tons of loot. Very fast, light on story, lots of different angles to the game to keep it fresh. But yeah, basically I would think of this as Diablo 2.5.
Steam Preorder Deal
#3133 posted by negke [88.70.82.87] on 2010/01/20 15:39:53
Bioshock 2 Four Pack anyone?
TEMPTING
#3134 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/01/20 16:28:18
I WANT, YET I HAVEN'T FINISHED THE 5 MILLION GAMES I ALREADY NEED TO PLAY. YES I KNOW I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS.
But Wait...
#3135 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.25] on 2010/01/20 18:07:18
<cardo> Bl1tz, wanna go start a games dev company called cockfuck productions?
<Vigil> Assfuck Gangbang Interactive
<cardo> teet juice designs
<ShambIer> how about Shitcunt Software Ltd?
<cardo> these are all pretty amazing
<cardo> Lucid Labia games
<ShambIer> I Fucking Take It Up The Shitter Daily Until It Bleeds
<ShambIer> + Software Interactive (tm)
<cardo> oh right.. was wondering where u were going with that
<ShambIer> it's a catchy name for many things
<@rebb> will you be making chess simulators ?
<ShambIer> ROFL!!!
<cardo> yeh
<ShambIer> rebb is teh winnar
<cardo> the ingeneuity will be in the piece designs
<@rebb> Dildo Chess
<ShambIer> which will be life size models of CZG's darkest fantasies
<ShambIer> made all too real in glorious 3D
<cardo> giant cock to gaping chasm 4
#3136 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/01/20 18:15:13
Yeah, that's about how I remember IRC. Looks to be every bit as valuable today as the day I stopped logging in.
Well
#3137 posted by Blitz [98.232.102.255] on 2010/01/20 19:03:24
You know I think the public would be pretty eager to buy anything from a company called Assfuck Gangbang Interactive
#3138 posted by gb [89.27.191.37] on 2010/01/20 20:57:38
Where is the horse and the rider... where is the horn that was blowing.
Mass Effect 2 Voice Cast
#3139 posted by DaZ [78.145.142.230] on 2010/01/21 20:07:28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B_...
Some impressive names! Adam Baldwin! Now I have to buy this game =)
#3140 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/01/21 20:59:10
NO STOP
YOU GUYS ALREADY GOT ME TO BUY DRAGON AGE AND I STILL HAVEN'T BEATEN IT DON'T MAKE ME BUY MASS EFFECT 2 PLEEEAASSSEEEE
A Rant
#3141 posted by ijed [190.20.73.240] on 2010/01/22 01:55:20
I've finally figured it out - I don't like games without endings. I'm there playing Torchlight or Sins of a Solar Empire or Spore building more and more shit, trying to stave off the suspicion that I'm completely wasting my time and stopped enjoying the game days or weeks earlier.
Replay value is fine, but don't ask me to make stuff inside your game unless it something to do with game externals.
Thing is I know I have to keep playing Torchlight for a while now because I was stupid enough to buy it even though I already got bored of fate and by the dev's own admission they only repackaged old concepts to get enough money to make a Torchlight MMO.
Next time something comes along promising endless worlds or user created content (only complete idiots will think that of any use - I want to lay good levels designed for fun play thank you) I'm going to smile and nod and beat it to a pulp with a half brick.
When did infinite = enjoyable.
Lay = Play
#3142 posted by ijed [190.20.73.240] on 2010/01/22 01:56:48
. . . and should have . . .
Rock on with the errors.
#3143 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/01/22 15:10:30
Not a fan of Quake then, huh?
Lol
#3144 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/01/22 15:30:09
I think he has you there, ijed.
#3145 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/01/22 15:32:12
Quake does end though - totals and time screen.
Once you've chopped your way out of Shub's guts going back and doing it again is up to you.
There's no 'play from the start again and you get slightly better stuff' lure.
Didn't Explain Well
#3146 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/01/22 15:33:49
it's the lures I don't like.
I'll happily play L4D2 until, well, they release L4D3 because I'm playing it for fun, not grinding for loot or XP.
#3147 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/01/22 17:02:19
Well that just seems like you don't find loot or XP fun; Others do. SO essentially you just don't like RPGs? Or at least RPGs that don't really have a definite ending?
Well
#3148 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/01/22 17:16:45
I'd put Spore or Sins in the same category. You build stuff. Next time you might see a slightly different permutation of the environment / situation so you are lured into playing again.
Until after X playthroughs you can't be bothered anymore and finally drop the game, feeling like a dunce for having bought it and wasted your time.
But that's me.
One these sorts of systems will finally live up to the complexity that they need to be for me to find this type of design entertaining.
So I guess I'm complaining about a few different things, but stuff being made as 'endless' in whatever way is the closest I can put my finger on.
I Agree
#3149 posted by Drew [65.92.21.130] on 2010/01/23 00:14:47
I'm having the same problem with torch light.
It was also a huge problem for me with plants vs zombies - once you finish the challenges there is the zen garden, and that big tree etc - but nothing to ACCOMPLISH.
...Still an awesome game considering I paid like, what, five dollars?
Borderlands
#3150 posted by quakis [95.148.239.219] on 2010/01/23 15:28:53
Wrote a review, for those who may be interested. Haven't reviewed a game in a while, but plan to do them a little more often than before.
http://taw.duke4.net/2010/01/game-...
Classic Games Online
#3151 posted by negke [88.70.69.173] on 2010/01/23 18:43:08
This is pretty cool. All kinds of classic 80s/90s games on multiple platforms. Requires Java.
DOS: http://dosdose.com
C64: http://c64s.com
NES: http://nintendo8.com
Gameboy: http://gbemul.com
Sega MS: http://mastersystem8.com
Bleh
#3152 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/01/24 14:13:49
Does not work well under firefox, need to use IE... bah, too old games
Psychonauts For £1
#3153 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2010/01/26 20:49:21
Absolutely sick deal, you can get Psychonauts for a quid on steam right now, go go go!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
I lost my copy, can't wait to finish it finally...
Thx Starbuck!
#3154 posted by generic [67.233.141.82] on 2010/01/27 01:02:54
I have been wanting to play this game for a while!
Same
#3155 posted by ijed [190.20.97.8] on 2010/01/27 02:27:24
thanks for the nudge - downloading.
Ahaha
#3156 posted by Drew [65.92.21.130] on 2010/01/27 05:13:32
I was just about to say something about this.
Mass Effect 2
#3157 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/02/03 19:32:51
It's out, #tf is going crazy over it, and yet there's nothing here.
In short, it feels like enjoying a very good meal, only your chair isn't as comfortable as you'd like, and it keeps reminding you of it every once in a while.
If you rebind your keys, the tutorial and tips aren't changed, the key for springting and taking cover is stupidly combined, there's no way to access your journal or codex directly.
Other than that, pretty much everything is improved from the first game. Combat is overhauled now so cover actually matters, combining different powers with shooting is a valid way to play, the graphics and the environments are a hundred times more interesting, and there seems to be much more unique content. I suppose they're still using the Unreal engine, but this time around they're actually utiziling its features. The only problem really is the somewhat clunky character animation, especially after seeing Modern Warfare and Steam games in action. Mordin the commando/scientist/doctor is among the funniest Bioware characters since HK in Knights of the Old Republic.
Michael Hogan, Martin Sheen and Michael Dorn were the voices I immediately recognized.
I just have too much damn palladium.
#3158 posted by RickyT23 [82.20.47.17] on 2010/02/03 20:35:06
springting and taking cover is stupidly combined
Like Gears of War then?
Mass Effect bored me when I played it. There was this one bit where my squad all got into a really big elevator and it showed the whole trip down the shaft (lol) then when I got to the bottom and opened the door I got a loading screen. Very bad.
Aliens Vs Predator Demo
#3159 posted by DaZ [78.147.208.172] on 2010/02/04 05:06:23
(yes, the new one!)
Multiplayer demo, you can be any of the 3 races and play deathmatch on 1 map.
I had such high hopes for this, but alas I am very sad to report that it is return of the fucking console shooter port.
- Movement is wooden, feels like you are sliding along the floor rather than walking/running.
- Someone can run up behind you, press "e" and instakill you, there is nothing you can do about this. Yes you read that right - there really is an "I WIN!" button in this game.
- The predator starts off with his wristblades, and thats it. Your other weapons are scattered around the level as pickups. This felt wrong to me =) Its the same as marine, you start with a pulse rifle and pickup other weapons as you find them, this is more acceptable.
- The level, is a corridor maze... There is 1 central room and then...Corridors! And the old fps staple.. Crates!
- It uses the same sort of match-making as modern warfare 2. Also, it took 15 minutes (no lie) of "searching for game..." before I actually got into one.
+ Textures and models are ace, especially the alien hive textures.
+ Marine motion tracker & pulse rifle feel very good.
+ It runs at 30-60fps, even on my oldman pc. I guess this is the 1 thing I can thank the PS3/360 for =)
I'll give the single-player demo a whirl for sure if there is one, but multiplayer is a joke.
I am very sad now :(
AVP2
#3160 posted by Bal [90.2.32.70] on 2010/02/04 07:59:52
Awww man, I was really looking forward to the multiplayer... =(
Will check it out this evening.
:(
#3161 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.6] on 2010/02/04 12:01:20
AVP (not AVP2, That Was An Old Game)
#3162 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/02/04 13:26:07
I just tried the demo, and I dont think I hate it as much as DaZ.
The graphics are very nice indeed, it runs pretty good on this mid-level PC (9800GT), the level is a bit more than room - corridor - room. There are storgae rooms, office type lab bits, large atrium areas and cool hive bits. There are vehicles and stuff, there are crates too but they look smart.
The movement - well I tried the Marine, and it's no worse than Doom 3 or the first half of Quake 4.
The predator starts off with his wristblades, and thats it. Your other weapons are scattered around the level as pickups. This felt wrong to me =)
I must admit that I only played for 5 mins (heh) and in that time I got killed by a Predator atleast three times just because he was cloaked and killed me with the wristblades.
Cant wait to get home from work and try this on my home PC with the volume a bit louder ;)
Dunno - I think that it felt pretty good, very atmospheric. And the animations are also sweet :)
(I'm probably bias, but I dont feel like Im being dishonest, whatever)
#3163 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/02/04 13:27:25
The predator starts off with his wristblades, and thats it. Your other weapons are scattered around the level as pickups. This felt wrong to me =)
The above paragraph was meant to be in white in the previous post, I was quoting from Daz's post.
RoboKill 2
#3164 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2010/02/04 23:36:12
Cool top-down shooter, kind of like SmashTV with inventory management and more nonlinearity.
http://www.rocksolidarcade.com/sta...
Avp2 Deathmatch
#3165 posted by negke [88.70.243.107] on 2010/02/05 00:21:31
Heh, it's so messy. Nobody knows how it works and it's basically 'press all buttons at once and hope for the best'. It's also laggy as hell and might take ages to find a server. SP demo plz.
Avp3 Actually
#3166 posted by [88.70.243.107] on 2010/02/05 00:24:27
Fuck off game/movie industry for their new 'sequels without numbers' paradigm. As if we didn't know the same shit has been done years ago...
AVP Demo
#3167 posted by Bal [90.44.35.20] on 2010/02/05 08:02:29
I actually kind of like it, refreshing to have some alternate gameplay to just shooting. Playing the alien and predator is pretty fun, you have to read the keyboard binds to understand all you can do, like jumping up to high places etc.
My main problem is the laggy servers cause of silly p2p multiplayer (fixed in full game apparently), and the super clunky UI in the menus (thank you consoles).
I got lucky finding servers, never waited so much, probably have negke, rebb and RickyT to thank for that, as having a few initial players with you must help getting the game started faster.
Looking forward to the full game.
PS: negke is just jealous cause I beat him three times in a row.
That's Right
#3168 posted by negke [88.70.58.243] on 2010/02/05 11:09:52
As we all know, when it comes to MP games, Bal is all Shodan and hax.
RoboKill1
#3169 posted by ijed [190.20.115.118] on 2010/02/05 12:06:07
Was great as well. Buying the game unlocked around 25% more content, which is a nice business approach (freemium) and one worth supporting.
Avp3 / Fuck Off Steam And Sega
#3170 posted by negke [88.70.52.218] on 2010/02/06 13:44:01
Btw. Steam has removed the demo from all German accounts (stealthily as always). Now there's some confusion in various forums whether it'll be even possible to activate and play the full game (retail import or gift) from here. I was under the impression that MP was tied to the Steam network, so that would make it suck even more.
We'll see how turns out. If they fuck German customers over once again, I'll happily warez the game for the short SP part.
#3171 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/02/06 19:25:53
why would they remove the game only from german accounts??
Same Reason As
#3172 posted by ijed [190.20.67.2] on 2010/02/06 19:58:44
Why there's no riot police uncommon infected in the German version of L4D2 - also why the achievement 'kill one of each special infected' doesn't include them.
Oversensorship, but not as bad as Australia.
#3173 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/02/06 20:37:22
I thought Germany banned Wolfenstein because it was such a horrible piece of shit, but it was just because they failed to remove some Swastikas :(
Hooray
#3174 posted by Spirit [213.39.156.84] on 2010/02/06 21:28:27
for Friction who gifted me Half-Life 2. Yes, I installed Steam (in Wine...). :(
Also, haha. Once there is a censorship/control mechanism, you can be assured that it will be used against you sooner or later.
I Think I Heard
#3175 posted by DaZ [78.151.89.20] on 2010/02/06 21:47:01
that the game was refused classification in Germany and banned, so steam will not let German players download/play it.
Sega/Rebellion also said (I think) that they will not be making a toned down version for Germany.
:( sucks
I Hate Ti Say It But
#3176 posted by RickyT23 [82.9.17.74] on 2010/02/06 23:00:57
They are incouraging piracy. I mean people will just go in search of a "cracked" copy, who cant play it because its banned in there country
#3177 posted by Spirit [213.39.156.84] on 2010/02/06 23:47:36
After trying to place a bucket on Barney's head, peeking at Alyx' butt and getting driven over by a train with my fat bbox, I just have been levitated against a ceiling and crushed from the weight of the world. Well, one bug in the 10 maps I played in these 45 minutes is not too bad.
I played this far several times already so it was very boring and annoying not to be able to skip the damn scripted sequences. So my grumpyness is over the top. I am looking forward to playing more.
Is it me or is the "action music" not really fitting the theme?
#3178 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/02/07 02:17:10
You never played HL2?
He Isnt The Only One
#3179 posted by nitin [124.168.14.177] on 2010/02/07 07:55:09
meant to play it over christmas but computer broke down. Pushed back to Easter now.
What DaZ Said
#3180 posted by negke [88.70.61.74] on 2010/02/07 11:01:00
I just wonder why Steam doesn't add a proper age verification system to allow people to buy such games. Probably a gray area still, but then again, it's not so much different from imports (which are legal). Hell, they're losing so much money as they now can't charge exaggerated Euro prices from a not-so-small de.market.
I think a gifted copy will still work (like L4D2). Though a few people mentioned that, in the case of Saint's Row 2, it actually didn't.
Spirit: Cut back on the Steam/Valve hater attitude and you'll be able to appreciate the game more. ;) Well, and once you're through the canal section... The Ravenholm and the uprising bits are pretty cool.
In This Case.
#3181 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.5] on 2010/02/07 12:41:50
+1 vote for piracy.
+2 votes for trying to change the stupid german rules, but that's a bit harder for the average gamer.
P.S.
#3182 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.5] on 2010/02/07 12:43:01
Woflmaostein was a really cool game.
+3
#3183 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/02/07 12:48:41
for control mechanisms like steam :)
It's A Good Service
#3184 posted by ijed [190.20.78.102] on 2010/02/07 13:43:50
If they've figured out how to sell good games for a measly $2 US then they're awesome.
That we have to put up with bullshit enforced upon them by whatever country we happen to be then the blame isn't difficult to direct.
For example a friend bought Psychonaughts but the credit card charge was more than the cost of the game.
I remember when they brought Steam to the Russian market (link please) and basically said 'there's only alot of piracy there because they can't get hold of the game legally'.
#3185 posted by Spirit [80.171.1.110] on 2010/02/08 14:36:56
That boatcarwhatever sequence was painful. Please tell me there are no more vehicle sections or at least none as stupid as this one. The physics puzzles feel very forced, out of place in a "realistic" game. Grenades love to bounce from corners that are not in their way.
Gorgeous textures and brushwork.
#3186 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/02/08 15:01:24
Spirit: Agreed. Especially about the physics puzzles. But do remember: in 2004 physics was a "new" thing.
#3187 posted by neg [88.70.235.199] on 2010/02/08 15:02:16
There's an equally long car sequence later on, but it's slightly better than the hovercraft one.
See here for reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slR...
Have To Say
#3188 posted by Drew [132.205.217.175] on 2010/02/08 17:16:21
I just played the boat part again and I thought it was awesome.
what was it that bothered you so much ( other than the lame floating barrel puzzle)?
#3189 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/02/08 19:20:50
i like the boat section, especially how the sun slowly goes down as you play so that it's nighttime when you reach the base.
also, the section half way through where you escape into these leaky tunnels and the chopper flies away. the whole chopper chase is very loud but that one section with the physics puzzle is really really quite and moody. very cool audio contrast.
it's not a subtle effect, but i love it every time it's done in a game.
Bioshock 2
#3190 posted by neg [88.70.61.28] on 2010/02/10 15:40:59
Tank!
L4D2
#3191 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/02/10 15:46:18
Hacked Rochelle:
"Tank!!!! Tank!!!! TatatatataTank! Tank Tank Tank Tank TANK!!!!"
TAAAANK!
#3192 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/02/10 18:11:53
http://www.halolz.com/wp-content/u...
In That Situation.
#3193 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.242] on 2010/02/10 23:12:51
I would shoot the gas canister *clever*
Achievement Unlocked
#3194 posted by ijed [190.20.89.17] on 2010/02/11 02:12:20
More Hl2
#3195 posted by Spirit [213.39.174.193] on 2010/02/11 21:20:57
Finally got through the whole awful car stuff. Reminded me of the bad things in GTA:SA. The locked animation when exiting the car is ugly, consoleritis for crosshair centering?
Zombies and the other stuff in Ravenholm were utterly disgusting. The parts with the shaking rain gutters somewhat comedic. Felt like Painkiller there.
Oh, another broken road tanker! Oh, more broken cars! Oh, another abandoned building with enemies in it! Oh, I am on a bridge and pressing a button. Oh, another gunship. I was expecting it earlier because there was that rocket chest.
I died out of nowhere after avoiding the train on the bridge by simply driving backwards into safety. Before I managed to get the car sideways between railing and train, I had 6hp left but the game killed me. Fuck it! I also died once because I was adventurous enough to attempt a dive into the water, well, midair fade to black.
So far HL2 seems like a Halo to me. Is it really the age or is it just a not-so-great game after all. I found it extremely boring and without any immersion so far. Super random encounters with enemies in a big empty landscape. Oh, tunnel, "loading"!
No clue why I am driving around there, I think I am trying to find someone. Or I am running away.
#3196 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/02/11 21:25:48
"No clue why I am driving around there, I think I am trying to find someone. Or I am running away."
Maybe you're not enjoying it because you're not paying attention?
#3197 posted by Spirit [213.39.174.193] on 2010/02/11 21:28:04
Ah, I forgot that the game crashed hard right after the Ravenholm church and that I had to use a cheat to unlock the next chapter. Savegames were corrupt and the alternative was to replay Ravenholm. So I missed why I am in the car. Now that I come to think about it, well, that's why I have no clue.
#3198 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/02/11 21:28:51
Overall I felt HL2 was a decent game but I thought it was incredibly over hyped and over rated. My main complaint was the very gimmicky and often-copied Gravity Gun. I did not find it very appealing tbh - all the driving stuff was sort of meh to me too.
Loved Ravenholm though, that bit was awesome.
On A Separate Note
#3199 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/02/11 21:30:02
StarCraft 2 beta supposedly launches towards the end of the month. Anyone else excited?? Even remotely in the niblets?
Isn't There An HL2 Thread? :)
#3200 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2010/02/11 21:54:08
I thought it was a fun, gimmicky FPS. Every chapter featured some gameplay gimmick, several of these built on previous ones (e.g. hovercraft -> dune buggy.) I thought this was nice, kept things interesting. I also liked most of the locales, especially the prison level and some of the industrial stuff.
The game has flaws and some maps are kind of weak, but overall i never got bored.
Only Thing That Annoyed Me
#3201 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/02/11 22:02:11
Was the super gravity gun and all the levels featured.
Big anticlimax.
#3202 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/02/11 22:05:00
super gravity gun as the end to hl2: let down
super gravity gun as the into to ep1: surprisingly fun.
not sure if it's just because i already understood how it worked by that point in ep1, but it seemed more satisfying to progress from the super gravity gun to normal weapons than the other way around.
Yeah
#3203 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/02/11 22:27:54
Going from complex gameplay to simple felt wrong - from simple to complex much better.
Simple as in the range of options available.
More Hl2
#3204 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.190] on 2010/02/12 19:26:48
~~~ for megaman ~~~
I managed to get through the car sequence and to some buddies. Right there we got ambushed by dropships. Are those invincible? I shot 3 rockets in one and it did not crash. Then I got killed by some clipping bug on the lighthouse (where I had to rocket down a gunship for the 3rd(?) time in the last 30 game minutes.
Then came the part where I must not touch the sand because antlions will spawn (with screen shake and a grumbling sound!). I got through the first part alright but then felt down in that little area where the houses are. A fuckton of antlions spawned and hit me from everywhere while I was trying to cover my ass and run into a building. These things feel like slowdown-mechanisms more than anything (right now). I then hit the button and that stomping thing was enabled. Ok, that is kinda cool, earlier I thought those things were generators. I assumed the beach was safe now and was killed by antlions that spawned as soon as I stepped onto the sand.
That uber-antlion fight was stupid. I ran from it, got bumped into the back, then realised someone else was shooting at it. So I ran closer to the gunner and the thing followed me. Then it got stuck and did not attack me anymore, sheepishly loosing health and finally dying (its animations reminded me of the Droles in Quoth, no way to tell if it is dying right now or not).
Ok, so now I can attract and "command" antlions. Ooook, that's gonna show the enemy. I guess there will be some puzzle where I have to use them. Might be that I played too many "next gen" shooters in the meantime, but those enemies with their glowing headlights and no faces feel really stupid and clichee.
One thing I have to mention is that the cliffside and also that part on the bridge earlier really impressed my vertigo sense (?). That rarely happens in games but always feels kinda cool. Like "Oh my god, I'm gonna fall down!!" I am not sure how much of it is plain uneasyness and unfamiliarity with the controls/movement. Or even dreading loading times (which seems a good thing as it makes me dive into the game some more).
Now I am at that Nova Prospect beach where the enemy built silly short-range bunkers. I mean wtf, are they there as antlion shooting range or what. The guns are very uneffective (or the enemy guys have 5 layers of fat...) so what are they doing there. The antlions proved to be very useless and more of a distraction here. It felt like there were new ones randomly spawned for me. I approached the next loading trigger (I can smell those) and let it rest for now.
The crossbow is a lot less fun than the one in HL1. (The arrow looks like a lava stick?) The projectile is affected by gravity like a czg, you cannot even shoot straight for 100m and it flies very slow too.
Weapon changing takes ages. I should see if there is at least a cvar to make switching instant. Oh, kudos to Valve to keep the good id order of "mouse up -> previous and mouse down -> next".
#3205 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.190] on 2010/02/12 19:29:01
Today's session was much more fun. Feels like a FPS now. Open and a bit like Titan Quest though (tree, hill, grass, enemy horde, crates, goto 10). I hope there will be good old close combat, restricted indoors short-story driven gaming later.
I Absolutely Fucking Loved HL2
#3206 posted by rj [86.0.165.149] on 2010/02/14 13:25:02
all of it. there wasn't a single part that didn't work for me. but then that probably had something to do with it being the only fps of last decade i actually played so i don't really have anything to compare it with :)
if i HAD to pick one criticism i'd share with you spirit it would be the sand generator type machines. they seemed to have no purpose; i too assumed they would activate some sort of electricity current that would stop any nearby antlions from rising; felt quite miffed when they didn't.
but i get the feeling the crashing/random death bugs you've experienced have dented your enjoyment of it to the point where every negative aspect seems worse than what it would have been :P
#3207 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.156] on 2010/02/14 14:08:15
Haha yes. I've been super negative about the game right from the damn speedboat sequence onwards.
Yesterday I went through Nova Prospect. Used godmode at the "defend 4 entrances with 3 turrets that get constantly knocked over" moment after dying 10 times.
A lot of the gameplay was waiting for a shitload of antlions to run and die. I took a turret with me as long as I could, that was kinda nice.
Could someone fill me in on the story. Why was the black guy in that combine thing?
That "plot twist" with the woman in white was totally unpredictable... I expected her to betray "us" right after her first sentences in the game. Bah, silly clichee.
Got crushed by the moving castle... err citadel because I got stuck in debris. And then I spent a long time to stack crates in the high elevator shaft (where dog falls down later) just to fall into the loading screen and not damaging me at all.
Puzzles feel awfully gimmicky, just out of place in a world that tries to hard to seem realistic.
Also the "that old puzzle but this time with this marginal difference" parts (disabling the force fields by taking out the plug, shooting the plug, throwing a grenade around (fucking stupid physics btw)) are bleh.
It crashed again (corrupting the savegame) so I need to build up some motivation. How much of the game is left, I just got the squad?
PS: The one death I described earlie (being levitated and crushed) actually was one of those things that hang on ceilings. There is no visual hint that it grabbed you nor a sound, pfff.
#3208 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/02/14 18:40:38
"Could someone fill me in on the story. Why was the black guy in that combine thing? "
I ... don't want to be insulting here but you've asked several highly obvious questions about the story so far in this thread. Are you watching the cut scenes and listening to what people say? I get the impression that while they're talking, you're over in the corner jumping around or something.
Pack It Up Pack It In
#3209 posted by ijed [190.20.124.162] on 2010/02/14 19:25:32
C'mon it's a great song, can't blame anyone.
#3210 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/02/14 20:47:16
spirit, you seem to be experiencing an inordinate amount of bugs and crashes... my first play through, i think the game crashed once after a particularly long play session (probably due to memory fragmentation, i didn't have much ram in those days) and maybe got stuck once or twice (and then i just noclipped quickly to get unstuck).
it's hard for me to take your posts seriously because it seems like you're just making shit up. :P
#3211 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.156] on 2010/02/14 21:21:05
I am using Wine (Windows "emulation" on Linux). So it's not Valve's fault I guess.
Errr.
#3212 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.136] on 2010/02/14 22:57:33
Spirit. You got pwnd by a barnacle. You really suck.
3208
#3213 posted by Drew [70.49.71.231] on 2010/02/15 00:36:30
lol
Uhm Spirit
#3214 posted by negke [88.70.49.165] on 2010/02/15 09:41:13
The barnacle has a clearly visible tentacle and it does sucking sounds when it grabs you. If you didn't see/hear them, you probably might want to consider not playing HL2 through Wine.
Or.
#3215 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.136] on 2010/02/15 10:51:17
Stop wining ;)
Actually
#3216 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/02/16 12:02:11
i played it on windows and agree with a lot of spirit's comments.
Command And Conquer
#3217 posted by negke [88.70.225.175] on 2010/02/17 20:51:22
After C&C 1 and 2, EA has now released Tiberian Sun as freeware. Nice move.
http://www.commandandconquer.com/c...
Well
#3218 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/02/17 22:54:01
No StarCraft 2 Beta for me -.-
Woah!
#3219 posted by Drew [132.205.216.205] on 2010/02/18 02:35:36
nostalgia.
thanks negke
UT3 Linux
#3220 posted by gb [89.27.240.52] on 2010/02/18 14:58:00
recent thread from Gentoo forums:
So it's been a couple of years after Epic promised a Linux port. They still maintain one is coming.
My question is, why TF are they lying? It's not coming and hasn't been coming.
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic...
The natives are getting restless.
#3221 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/02/18 15:36:21
All 12 of them? :)
#3222 posted by gb [89.27.240.52] on 2010/02/18 15:53:08
Yeah, the others are busy playing ETQW.
I think the moaning is because it's seen as vapourware. When id says there will be a Linux port, there usually is one, otherwise they don't say so.
So
#3223 posted by negke [88.70.71.208] on 2010/02/20 10:05:39
Avp3 SP - how is it? Worth the 27 bucks or wait a few months?
Also
#3224 posted by negke [88.70.71.208] on 2010/02/20 10:15:54
GG Ubisoft for heralding a new era of fucking with regular customers for zero gain. Ass ass in screed indeed. What's next? requiring people who bought the game to go to the nearest game store to be able to play it there...?
#3225 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.72] on 2010/02/21 10:30:06
Finished HL2 the other day. Can't be arsed to write much more. The NPCs were stupid and annoying, saying "sorry" and blocking you all the time. The zickzacking part before that fancy house with the generators felt oh so artificial. Striders seemed only to go down if I shot them, not the NPCs. Elevator up the citadel was kinda cool. Long train ride inside not. Nor the "wait for the elevator and defend that place" sequence. Beardy guy's omnipresence such a silly 1984/THX1138/etc clichee.
Ending is a kick in the balls.
The best moment was when Judith and Eli sat there (after the Doctor escaped, again, what a fucking bad clichee scene...) giving each other bedroom eyes until Eli looked at me with an apologethic "fuck off, i know she is desperate but i am too" face.
Anyways, thanks to Friction for gifting me the game. If anyone wants the Steam account just raise your hand.
The episodes are just more of the like, is that correct?
Forgot My Verdict
#3226 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.72] on 2010/02/21 10:41:50
You ain't missing anything if you never played HL2. Unless you like b-stories, 5 enemy types, lots of ingame "cutscenes", boats, cars, boats, scripted sequences and an anti-climax ending.
#3227 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/02/21 11:41:15
"Striders seemed only to go down if I shot them, not the NPCs."
That's kind of the point. You're playing the game, not watching it. :)
Spirit.
#3228 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.243] on 2010/02/21 12:00:51
You were the only person who had never played HL2, and probably the only person who didn't like it ;).
HL2
#3229 posted by DaZ [78.149.124.212] on 2010/02/21 16:09:34
For me works the same as a great film, whenever I play it, it still after all this time holds my interest and is still fun. Quake is the only other game that has been able to do this for me, so that is my 2p =)
#3230 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/02/21 16:45:16
Yeah, Half-Life 2 is one of my favorite games of all time. People who don't like it confuse me.
HL2...
#3231 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/02/21 17:18:22
... was very innovative at its time... and for sure it a very good game...
However, like "old" games, it is deprecated compared to new ones... though... aren't we playing/mapping/discussing a very old game here ?
#3232 posted by gb [89.27.197.28] on 2010/02/21 17:40:08
never played it.
HL2
#3233 posted by ijed [190.20.125.168] on 2010/02/21 20:38:01
Is a good game. You can only even describe it as 'average' if you only play excellent, top notch games.
Ones graded on a real 0-100 scale and not a games journalism one of 60-100.
Also
#3234 posted by Drew [70.49.71.231] on 2010/02/21 21:25:15
I think the criticism of B movie storyline is a bit problematic.
I mean, I feel like it's pretty difficult to have a very popular, 3d ACTION SHOOTER without incorporating ACTION movie style aspects. Which shooter games can you think of with stories that are NOT heavily influenced by the stereotypical action/sci fi cliches? I actually feel like the HL universe is giving into many of these in the later episodes to a greater degree than previously, but I also think that most of that has to do with the fact that a resolution is actually being formulated. I think I've said before that I just hope it doesn't end up like Xfiles/Lost etc. - shows that kept things very intersting using tension and ambiguity and open endedness, but kind of turned brittle and ridiculous by the end, IMHO.
Even if the series does give in to sci fi stereotypes, I think that those cliches have worth. Many things that seem cliche or corny etc started off as cocnepts original and effective to inspire way too many imitators, which kill the idea by regurgitating it without enough new being added.
The difference is that first person video games can allow you to experience those moments in a more direct and intimate fashion than many movies. I think this is the kernel that makes them more involving...
someone finish that thought for me - I have to go...
Also the game came out a pretty long time ago. SO some of the things that it "redid" first have been made into cliches all over again. I have to say that I've been replaying it myself, and DOOM 3, as well. And I think HL2 has aged WAY better!
#3235 posted by gb [89.27.232.130] on 2010/02/22 00:57:44
Spirit / other Linux users, how well does Steam / HL2 / L4D etc run under Wine? I have had mixed experiences... so I haven't really been eager to install that. I'm probably not a very avid gamer these days. I try to manage my time, too :-P
Besides, I'm in Germany, and I hear Steam is very cooperative with the German ministry of censorship.
#3236 posted by negke [88.70.69.94] on 2010/02/22 10:38:46
Apparently there's a good number of people who successfully play L4D with Wine. At least according to some statements I've read. Then again, considering how many glitches Spirit seems to have had in HL2, which is the same engine, it might be tricky on some machines.
As for the censorship. A large number of games aren't available to German users in the Steam store (IP block) and some that are, like L4D for example, only come in cut versions (no gore etc) if bought over Steam. However, in most cases games or keys bought in other regions can be gifted/registered at a German account and give you a fully functional uncut version. So if you know someone from abroad or simply buy a retail from amazon uk, everything's fine.
#3237 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.42] on 2010/02/22 11:23:38
http://appdb.winehq.org/
For me HL2 crashed almost as often as I was killed if you count kaputte savegames that crash too. Apart from that it was alright. Severe slowdowns sometimes.
Using Steam is a huge pain in the ass.
Probably Redudant Question
#3238 posted by negke [88.70.239.226] on 2010/02/22 11:41:38
Steam did install all the game updates, didn't it?
Portal
#3239 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2010/03/02 10:55:44
Shit is going down.
http://store.steampowered.com/news...
"Changed radio transmission frequency to comply with federal and state spectrum management regulations"
Started people going crazy on the forums, recap :
-Portal gets surprise update yesterday afternoon
-People see new mystery achievement
-People play and see the radio in the beginning room now has a green light
-Carry it around and notice it makes strange broadcast interference noises in certain places
-Locate and place all 26 of these mystery radios for achievement
-Smart people yank wav files out of game content folders and run them through steganography programs
-Produces 26 weird cryptic image files in a numbered sequence
-Some dude runs the number string through an md5 hash translator and gets a landline number
-Internet traces it to Kirkland, WA (near Valve HQ)
-People find out its not a phone/fax line but a data line hosting a BBS and telnet it
-Use a clue from one of the files to figure out the BBS user/password login info
-End up with a bunch of weird ASCII artwork
-We're trying to figure out wtf it means
I love Valve.
!
#3240 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/03/02 13:15:52
Mirror's Edge
#3241 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/03 18:52:13
Cool game with some fantastic level design in places and mediocre in others, the main problem being that some areas just didn't seem 'up to snuff' compared to others. Some of the jumping puzzles just didn't work the way I thought and I had to try them again and again to get the right spacing/timing while others that seemed really tough were very easy.
Story was wonky, not very exciting, cliche, didn't feel like I did anything and not really sure what happened at the end. Did the bad guy get his or what? Still unclear to me, but it's my understanding Mirror's Edge was planned as a trilogy - correct? Also the cartoon cutscenes were balls, didn't really fit in imo. Dante's Inferno also had bad cartoon cutscenes but much worse. Why do they these things to games?
Gameplay was fun for the most part. Running and jumping on stuff is fun. The combat was sparse thankfully but got really tedious when they introduced the all-melee fights. Not sure exactly why, though, it didn't seem to fit. Also felt like they straddled the fence on the actual shooting - felt too light that they probably shouldn't have included it imo, just added more running away/disarming type stuff. Faith doesn't seem the shooty type.
Visuals were great - awesome 'impression' of a city instead of it being an actual city. I don't care what dictator is running things, a city is not going to be all bright color-coded sterile hallways and rooftops. Still though, fucking amazing style that I'm sure would've been great to play with had there been a level editor (is there one?) Also some of the layouts were top notch and very Quakey imo. Having a sterile metropolis means you can do all kinds of weird spirey things and twisty layouts and still be believable to a degree. Top notch for the most part.
Good length too - I felt it was a bit short but only by about maybe half an hour. The story progression kind of went limp after a while (you rescue your sister, watch a cut scene, then whoa she's kidnapped again (WHAT THE EFF?) so a longer length maybe would've meant another impotent rescue plot and ANOTHER kidnapping plot afterward, sooooooo I'll let it slide.
Cool game, worth the $6 I paid for it during the Steam sale.
#3242 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/03 18:57:12
Actually looking into it you can hack the UT3 editor to work with Mirror's Edge, but I'm unsure what's all involved. Might give it a spin.
Mirror's Edge
#3243 posted by Bal [83.204.222.65] on 2010/03/03 19:50:21
Yeah I think it's still one of the best looking games around.
I really don't understand why they had those shitty 2D cartoons spread throughout the game, the 3D is so gorgeous, they should have just stuck to that.
What Bal Said
#3244 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2010/03/03 21:19:43
the 2d is seriously balls, the 3d is beautiful.
More Portal
#3245 posted by Bal [83.204.222.65] on 2010/03/04 00:10:48
Valve has changed the ending to Portal, mega spoiler ahead :
http://www.xfire.com/video/2393cf/
Woo!
Eh
#3246 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/04 00:16:03
Not that great an ending imo.
#3247 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/03/04 09:14:23
it's disappointing they resorted to ret-conning the ending.
Bah...
#3248 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2010/03/04 09:40:38
I don't really see the trouble, it's not like they changed anything, they just added a bit on.
They could have as easily just added it to the start of whatever comes next and it wouldn't have bothered anyone, but this works nicely as a teaser. I think it's smart.
Aliens Vs Predator
#3249 posted by negke [88.70.240.144] on 2010/03/04 11:39:22
Oh well, it's quite an okay game (SP) - I enjoyed it. Needless to say, it suffers from the obvious flaws most modern FPS have: MSD. Visually great, even though I could 'only' play it on DirectX 9. Cool finishing moves.
A game like this would benefit from at least some nonlinearity in its map design. After all, what's more scary than seemingly being lost in a dark base while chased by aliens? There are six maps in total which you play through in different ways and directions, and with slight changes, depending on the species. While it was done well, they could have done more here. I wished the campaigns were longer, especially the Alien campaign which was very cool. Considering this fact and the overall playtime, I wonder why it has such a huge filesize.
Good controls, although the melee combat takes some practice. I thought the Predator weapons are a bit of a let-down: I hardly every used the proximity mines; the spear feels silly because it doesn't have to be picked up again after a throw.
Story-wise it was nothing special and the way it was told, the audio diary collectables in particular, was kind of lame for the most part. I'm tired of being guided through a game over a radio. Also, ffs why Tenenbaum again..?
The marine AI is stupid and poorly done. You can kill one unnoticed while others stand right next to him. They don't even become alerted when they discover fallen buddies.
I haven't tried MP yet. Have to mentally prepare for being smashed by Bal.
Mirror's Edge Editor And Mapping
#3250 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/03/04 12:13:44
The thing about mapping for Mirror's Edge is that the lighting utility used on the maps to give them the distinctive HDR look is not shipped with the game, so you CAN map for it, but you will have real trouble matching the style of the original game.
Apparently though, some people have managed to cook up some custom shaders that make custom maps look very close to how they are supposed to look when processed by the proprietary lighting tool.
Another gotcha is actually playing custom content in Mirror's Edge. There is no actual menu to select and play any custom usermade content, so what actually has to be done is this:
1) Backup a timetrial map of your chosing
2) Save your map under the same name as the timetrial map, essentially replacing it
3) Launch the game and load the timetrial map via the menu, which now will obviously launch your map instead.
So....
#3251 posted by metlslime [69.181.147.51] on 2010/03/04 12:24:16
it's like doom mapping all over again :)
Zwiffle
#3252 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/03/04 17:10:54
Cool game, worth the $6 I paid for it during the Steam sale.
you're awesome, thank you.
AVP3
#3253 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/03/04 17:24:37
OK, I was looking forwards to this game since pretty much when it was announced (although I actually got very worried for a while because I figured it meant that they had scrapped Colonial Marines).
I agree with all of Negkes observations pretty much. I have only played through the Marine episode, and I did that in two sittings (!).
I must admit though that the marine episode was great fun, mainly because of the quality of the maps and overall immersion, and the A.I. of the aliens, which was very good indeed, you could tell it was the sme crew that made the original AvP PC game about 10 years ago (fuck has it really been that long!?). Aliens use the darkness to there advantage, even when it is the AI, they will scirt across dark patches on the cieling and then come up behind you. They dont make much noise, only deep growling, the weird elephant-pig sound they make when they get shot in Aliens, the other sounds being very subtle. So yeah - make sure you have a clean pair of trousers handy! There are also parts when you get attacked by many aliens at once which is very retro-doom style gameplay, you really get a cool sense of awesomeness as they are closing in on you from all angles........
Scripted sequences worked well for me, and although the voice acting could possibly have been better (I read someone complaining about that somewhere) I felt that it was very engaging nonetheless. The weapons felt good - just like the movie Aliens.
I also like the hive environment because of the way the aliens would hide in the walls and you wouldnt see them until they began to move - some walls had so much detail on that you wouldnt spot them until they had spotted you. Also there are some parts in the walls which look like an alien is sitting there, and when you get closer you see it is just a part of the hive. Very gigeresque :)
But yeah - im a bit of an aliens fanboi.....
What
#3254 posted by nitin [124.168.34.216] on 2010/03/04 23:05:04
sort of rig do oyu need for this game?
I've been hanging out for a new aliens game.
Crisis 2
#3255 posted by DaZ [89.242.45.100] on 2010/03/05 02:04:05
http://www.bluesnews.com/screensho...
Definitely time so start saving for that pc upgrade =)
Daz, Crysis 2
#3256 posted by Bal [81.249.33.84] on 2010/03/05 07:57:48
Maybe not, as they are aiming for a console release this time. The PC version will probably still be quite scalable, but it should run on most modern machines.
#3257 posted by negke [88.70.62.233] on 2010/03/05 12:27:00
nitin: Min specs: 3.4 ghz, 1 gb ram, 256mb DX9 card.
Ricky: I thought the Aliens were too slow. Unlike in the other games, they didn't really dash towards you, but rather circle you, attack, then retreat a few steps. Much like a cat toying with a mouse (in this sense, the remark by the scientist in the Alien tutorial fits). A clear concession to the console players. Another one is the facehugger grab if you have more than 1/3 health. In the game's predecessors, once a facehugger jumped at you, you were done for; here, they aren't much of a threat.
This doesn't mean there were no difficult situations, though.
Out Of My League
#3258 posted by nitin [124.168.34.14] on 2010/03/05 12:50:13
if thats min specs. Although I have a 9800GTX, might cover for lack of cpu power somewhat.
Nitin / AvP3 Sysreqs
#3259 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/03/05 12:57:19
==========================
Intel Processor - Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz
AMD Processor - Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4800+
Nvidia Graphics Card - Geforce 8800 GTS
ATI Graphics Card - Radeon HD 2900 XT 512MB
RAM Memory - 2 GB
Hard Disk Space - 10 GB
Direct X - 9
==========================
Blindly staring at a CPU clockrate doesn't work these days, as a modern 2,66 Ghz i5 CPU or similar will be more than twice as fast as an old 3 Ghz Pentium 4.
Just Cause 2 Demo
#3260 posted by DaZ [92.29.41.47] on 2010/03/05 16:30:26
Its on steam.
It does suffer from some consolitis in the control scheme, but really that is the only downer I can think of right now. This game is *FUN*
Its been a very long time since I laughed with glee as I caused absolutely ridiculous amounts of destruction in a game... I guess this is kinda like gta3 on steroids mixed with far cry & Indiana Jones (!?), if that makes any sense.
You are basicly a vigilante guy with lots of guns, a parachute and a high tech long range lasso that can grapple onto just about anything, helicopters, cars, buildings, people, anything. You can also use this grapple to stick objects and enemies to other objects, with hilarious results. For instance you can tether an enemy to a gas canister, then shoot the canister making it fly away with the guy still attached =)
The demo gives you a complete sandbox area of the game a few miles wide and has a 30 minute time limit before you have to start from the beginning again, but what a fun 30 minutes it is!
The demo, and the game, require directx 10 so its Vista/Windows 7 only, no XP support. It looks gorgeous but requires a fairly decent pc to run it with everything on.
Give it a try!
Tag
#3261 posted by Bal [90.2.108.95] on 2010/03/09 23:21:21
Some student game, apparently a few of the guys were picked up by Valve to work on Portal2, not so surprising considering the gameplay they have. Fun little FPS puzzle game.
https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&a...
Still No Deus Ex Successor In The Works
#3262 posted by Spirit [213.39.203.231] on 2010/03/12 09:46:17
Human Revolution runs on a proprietary engine and is played from a first-person perspective, though it pops into third-person for certain attacks and taking cover.
#3263 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/12 16:50:42
I am so hyped for Brink
http://kotaku.com/5491753/new-brin...
#3264 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2010/03/12 17:17:37
aww that looks awesome.
I've been loving their in-game videos too - they really look to have made a lot of original decisions with the gameplay, and completely thought through every aspect of the game.
I was reading a feature on the sound design in Brink, and the lead audio dude was talking about the shotgun sound, and how he'd been tweaking it his whole career - 10 years or so. He was talking about using samples of lions roaring for the blast sound, because the animalistic quality gave an innate fear response. Just an example - I just love it when people take things that seriously.
This post was flagged as spam.
#3265 posted by a spammer [125.70.56.224] on 2010/03/15 08:17:23
Nice Ruse, #3265
#3266 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/15 10:17:47
Speaking of R.U.S.E (or Ruse), open beta is available on Steam. World War II RTS game with... ruses, a focus on strategy instead of tactics, and plenty of factions. Even lets you play as Italians and French.
Mass Effect 2
#3267 posted by DaZ [89.241.147.210] on 2010/03/15 11:50:35
(Trying to avoid spoilers as best as I can!)
I completed this late last week, but held off
posting about it until now to try and be a little more objective about the game. With that said though, I'm going to start off by saying that this is easily the best game I have played in the last 3 years or so!
Where to start... The most important part of any rpg game for me are the characters and the story, and ME2 nails both of these things perfectly. It is engaging from the very first moment you start the game, and only gets better the further in you progress. The game revolves around you being hired by some shady characters to stop a new threat to the galaxy that no-one else appears to be lifting a finger to stop. You spend most of the game searching the galaxy for a crack team of people to lead on a suicide mission to stop this new threat. Finding these people, persuading them to join you and then gaining their trust forms most of the game content.
The missions you undertake with these characters are the highlight of the game, every single one has a deep and rounded story surrounding them, and your actions can make or break them in very real ways.
Combat is handled much better than the original game also, it feels more like gears of war than elder scrolls, with an over the shoulder camera, cover system and gratuitous violence. Different enemies have different defences that require different tactics to take down, some enemies have shielding while others simply have heavy armour, some have both, and your squads abilities may not work against enemies who have a certain type of defence active.
Some things are a bit annoying though, for example the planet scanning minigame (scan planets to find minerals that you can use to research new tech) gets boring very fast, and must be done to fully upgrade your equipment.
I suppose I should mention that the game is gorgeous to look at =) I can't be sure but it feels like a heavily modified UE3. Special mention must go to the cinematic effects for conversations and cutscenes, things like depth of field and film grain are used excellently to give everything a cinematic quality. The character models and especially the animations are fantastic in every regard. Even the lens flares are the best I have ever seen in a game =)
I find myself thinking of battlestar galactica as a good analogy, in the trailers you see all the action and space combat and the show looks cool, but you end up appreciating the character stories and plot developments so much more. For me at least I really felt attached to the characters by the end of the game, and I actually gave a shit what happened to them, they weren't some dumb game characters any more.
There is so much more to this game, but I cant be arsed to write any more, suffice to say that I recommend it to everyone that reads this post. This is a fantastic galaxy to get lost in!
It's Very Dark
#3268 posted by Spirit [213.39.169.245] on 2010/03/15 12:42:31
I am playing Thief 2 now and love it. Halfway through the second mission at the moment.
Bad Company 2
#3269 posted by DaZ [92.24.68.47] on 2010/03/15 15:45:33
I see a few people on steam have this, how is it? Worth getting???
Also, how scalable in the engine? Can you turn stuff off to make it run smooth on an older pc? I have a 2ghz athlon X2 with a nvidia 9600gt and I'm doubting I will be able to get a decent framerate out of it!
Thief 2
#3270 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.25] on 2010/03/18 18:23:54
Finished through the third (or was it still the second) mission. So much fun to find secrets and loot. Next is the mission where I enter the city watch. Yikes!
MW2
#3271 posted by sock [88.110.205.148] on 2010/03/18 19:38:28
Jesus! Who's stupid idea was it that when you are hurt your screen is covered in blood so you cannot see to take cover and the freakin indicator of which way enemy fire is coming at you is red as well!?! grrrr >:(
#3272 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/03/18 20:52:26
it looks awesome though.
Retarded
#3273 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/03/18 21:54:17
damage indicators that actually make it near-impossible to fight back along with "realistic headbobbing" are some of the stupidest things in games these days. I don't know about you folks, but when I run down the hall, my head isn't doing any owl-like movements.
Hmm
#3274 posted by nonentity [94.116.101.135] on 2010/03/18 22:38:28
Mine does.
But then I am generally listening to tunes while walking...
Spirit
#3275 posted by quakis [95.148.245.206] on 2010/03/19 00:45:34
When you're done with Thief 2, be sure to check out the quality fan missions out there!
The Most Retarded
#3276 posted by ijed [190.20.98.208] on 2010/03/19 04:41:28
Is motion blur. 'It's more realistic' they cry. 'It's a fucking game' the rest of us say.
Engine programmers drunk on how awesome they are.
#3277 posted by metlslime [173.11.92.50] on 2010/03/19 04:55:33
just buy a crappy LCD... instant motion blur at no cost to framerate!
Let's Not Forget
#3278 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/19 10:08:57
Depth of field. Or... let's entirely forget how the eye works.
Quakis
#3279 posted by Spirit [213.39.146.125] on 2010/03/19 12:12:35
Guess who's custom map reviews made me install the game in the first place.
Spirit
#3280 posted by quakis [95.148.242.173] on 2010/03/20 00:46:29
That's nice to know they encouraged you to do that. If you do plan to play custom maps, you'll need something like DarkLoader/GarretLoader (no unzipping the FM files) if you don't already know. TTLG forums should have all the info you need to run FMs - I plan to type up simple guides on my site one day.
I've been neglecting my site lately though... plan to get back to it. Have more Thief/Quake reviews to do afterall.
Metro 2033
#3281 posted by negke [88.70.51.133] on 2010/03/21 00:53:46
What a disappointment! I expected something like Stalker, but it's actually just another stupid and ugly console game.
Thematically, it feels like the Fallout 3 subway tunnels + DC ruins but without the freedom. Hardly any game I've played exhibits MSD better than this one, as nothing about it stands out in any way - it felt pointless and uninteresting with mostly unspectacular and confined levels, linear and boring scripted gameplay, average graphics, and few light quicktime events. I couldn't care less about the story - a nuclear apocalypse with four types of mutants vs. communists vs. Nazis vs. bandits, and in the end everything blows up... or something. Often there aren't even smooth level transitions.
Gameplay allows for brute or stealth approaches, but it doesn't really matter in the end. Did someone say it was to have RPG elements? Sure.. if the ability to buy weapons and ammo constitutes an RPG already.
A couple of nice gimmicks, like the watch (gasmask timer) showing the actual system time :P, or a section where you have to carry a child on your shoulders which slows down your view/movement.
Apparently it's based on a novel? Lots of wasted potential then.
Bottom line: a fairly bad game and a waste of time in my view. Not recommended.
AvP3
#3282 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/03/21 13:02:54
The SDK needs to come out.
Unless all the excuses we've been seeing so far are just that, excuses and the real reason for not releasing the SDK is that the publisher would likely no longer be capable to charge stupid amounts of money for DLC.
#3283 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/03/21 23:32:04
"Is motion blur. 'It's more realistic' they cry. 'It's a fucking game' the rest of us say.
Engine programmers drunk on how awesome they are."
"Depth of field. Or... let's entirely forget how the eye works."
Seriously, why work on graphics technology at all? You guys are fucking retarded. :) If you don't want that stuff you have an option - keep playing Quake.
Dont To Personal Taste I Guess.
#3284 posted by DaZ [78.147.169.32] on 2010/03/21 23:39:49
I felt the motion blur in Crysis was awesome, its the best ive seen in a game to date.
Mass Effect 2 uses DoF to its advantage also, it really enhances the presentation of the story cutscenes and the dialogue camera angles.
Honestly, I think DoF in games is mimicking the DoF of camera lenses rather than the human eye.
Its quite exciting really, graphics technology is getting to the point where if you squint it does look real. Its things like animation and floating objects that give it away, rather than the graphics themselves being nowhere near realistic.
I remember watching a video of some game on youtube a few months ago, and as the video quality was 480 maximum, it hid some of the giveaway details and it really did look real, it was some racing game I forget which one. I think that was the first time I genuinely thought to myself "that looks totally real" when looking at game footage.
Err, this kind of meandered off topic :P
#3285 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/03/21 23:42:35
And as an aid to those who want to go off on these ridiculous rants in the future ... it's the artists who ask for all of that stuff, not the engine programmers. Blame them. :)
#3286 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/03/21 23:43:41
yeah, motion blur and DoF and other stuff of that nature is more about simulating a real camera as opposed to an eyeball which isn't a bad thing by any means. besides, motion blur goes a long way towards hiding lower framerates.
i really liked the DoF effects in crysis and farcry 2.
With Us
#3287 posted by ijed [190.20.102.120] on 2010/03/22 01:03:45
It's the coders who introduce it. The artists work constantly to marginalise the effects since the coders don't want to remove them.
Spose it depends on the quality of the effect. Or maybe I'm just retarded.
#3288 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/03/22 01:10:45
I like motion blur on tf2, don't know why. Sometimes I'll just zig the camera around as fast as I can to look at it. Seriously.
DoF is ... okay I guess because it's supposed to make the game feel more cinematic, but yeah doesn't really mimic the human eye.
I like a lot of graphical innovations in games, but it's really how the stuff is used. Some examples of just rampant over-use of features ... well, nm.
DOF
#3289 posted by Bal [90.44.98.181] on 2010/03/22 07:57:57
I think DOF is ok when used sparingly. It can be quite useful to simulate somekind of atmospheric haziness in the distance, or coupled with distance fog to get some nice silhouettes against the sky.
#3290 posted by quakis [95.148.245.223] on 2010/03/22 08:01:03
I feel the DoF in Dead Space worked really well, especially during cutscenes.
#3291 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/22 10:41:02
Mass Effect 2 uses DoF to its advantage also, it really enhances the presentation of the story cutscenes and the dialogue camera angles.
Honestly, I think DoF in games is mimicking the DoF of camera lenses rather than the human eye.
And when it's used in cutscenes, it works brilliantly, because that's exactly where we're used to seeing such effects. When there's a barrel of a gun stuck in the middle of your screen and your eyes wander around, it feels wrong and distracting.
Seriously, why work on graphics technology at all? You guys are fucking retarded. :) If you don't want that stuff you have an option - keep playing Quake.
Oh I forgot, criticism is bad. All that time and money could've been spent on improving better aspects of the game. For example.
Nom
#3292 posted by DaZ [78.147.188.137] on 2010/03/22 12:31:29
When there's a barrel of a gun stuck in the middle of your screen and your eyes wander around, it feels wrong and distracting.
100% agree, it certainly has its place. I assume your talking about Crysis & to an extent Stalker : Clear sky, which are both at fault here. At the end of the day its down to common fucking sense, which is seems some developers leave behind.
All that time and money could've been spent on improving better aspects of the game. For example.
I don't agree with this, I think that having cutting edge visuals is a very important part of the game. It helps with immersion, characterisation, and stops the player thinking "lol this looks like ass" when they start it up for the first time (always a plus!).
Stalker : SOC for example would have been a much worse game if they had not pushed the visuals as much as they did. The experience of exploring through all those ruined buildings with the lightning flashing in from outside, and rain pouring through holes is simply unmatched in anything that has come after it (including its sequels).
I Play Games For Gameplay
#3293 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/03/22 12:57:51
Graphics that support it are great, but most of the time the player doesn't know the difference between graphical feature X or Y - unless they've spent a lot of cash on a fancy new graphics card and need to justify the expense.
I'm not making any friends here am I?
#3294 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 13:10:13
"It's the coders who introduce it. The artists work constantly to marginalise the effects since the coders don't want to remove them. "
Doesn't that seem counter productive? Are you trying to make ugly looking games?
#3295 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 13:11:01
"All that time and money could've been spent on improving better aspects of the game. For example."
Graphics programmers don't work on AI or gameplay code ... what else do you think they're going to be spending time on if not visual effects and better frame rate?
#3296 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 13:12:36
"I Play Games For Gameplay"
Yes, yes, we all do. However, good gameplay doesn't have to look like a game from 1997 does it?
WEll Amongst All Of The
#3297 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.107] on 2010/03/22 14:37:31
shit slinging and point scoring going on here there is a valid argument on both sides.
I personally am up for all of the eyecandy in the world times a million and I am prepared to pay for a system to actually be able to run it.
But a game which uses all of these things to succesfully assimilate a good style has to incorporate these technologies in a balanced fashion. They have to run optimally as well as be present and deliver a visually pleasing/functional effect.
STALKER CS/CoP both use DoF a lot, but it doesnt look realistic, it just looks fuzzy and blurry. I personally would prefer a more subtle realistic effect. However running such an effect at an opptimal speed would probably require a rediculous amount of horsepower.
So what do the developers do? Do they remove the effect altogether? or do they leave it in and try and find the balance the best they can?
Worrying about who is more responsible from within the ranks and departments of a development studio is just silly and a completely unrealistic perspective to talk about from the average consumer's point of view.
#3298 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 14:42:13
Often times these effects aren't used in the pursuit of realism (which is a mistake that many people make) but instead they are used to achieve a look that the art director is looking for. Most games are highly stylized and very few are actually going for "real world realism".
Terse Replies
#3299 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/22 15:00:57
100% agree, it certainly has its place. I assume your talking about Crysis & to an extent Stalker : Clear sky, which are both at fault here. At the end of the day its down to common fucking sense, which is seems some developers leave behind.
Modern Warfares, really. Never played Stalker, only seen Crysis in action, and only for about five minutes. There are options to turn off most of the extra visual effects, so everybody's happy, I suppose.
I don't agree with this, I think that having cutting edge visuals is a very important part of the game. It helps with immersion, characterisation, and stops the player thinking "lol this looks like ass" when they start it up for the first time (always a plus!).
Cutting edge visual effects does not equal distracting and annoying visual effects. See also Willem's point about bad art direction.
Graphics programmers don't work on AI or gameplay code ... what else do you think they're going to be spending time on if not visual effects and better frame rate?
What else can the money be spent on if not graphics programmers?
Yes, yes, we all do. However, good gameplay doesn't have to look like a game from 1997 does it?
I'll get me coat.
Exactly - Sort Of
#3300 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/03/22 15:02:05
Im not questioning your correctness in any way when I say that the average consumer's opinion of what style looks good is entirely their own opinion, and cannot be argued as right or wrong because it is a reflection as much of themself as it is of the art they are critiquing.
If someone on a forum starts critiscising a visual effect which they see in games and then broadly critiscising a whole sector of a whole industry then I guess it is safe to assume that they didnt like the styles that they saw in place.
Should an artist give a fuck about one person's opinion? Fuck NO! That's what art is all about.
The person doesnt get to have any influence over future creations but in turn simply has the choice to not play the game, or avoid the studio, or even avoid the publisher or whatever.
I think that depth of field is good in cutscenes but it must be carried out with diligance in an in-game situation so as not to mess with the player's ability to perform well in the game (can see the enemies which are far away/close because they are too blurry for example).
I mean if on a turret or something, with enemies appearing an a certain place, at a certain range then fine. If the effect works when the player chooses to look down the barrel of their weapon, but can lower the weapon and shoot with no depth of field - also fine..... etc
#3301 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 15:20:58
"What else can the money be spent on if not graphics programmers? "
Companies not investing in keeping up with current technology are really shooting long odds at being successful.
People can talk about Quake all they want (in relation to the "gameplay over graphics" dribble) but that game was absolutely cutting edge when it came out. The graphics were off the chart amazing and the graphics technology was beyond what anyone had ever seen.
"I'll get me coat."
Hey, you may like games from 1997 and, honestly, you're in luck because there are tons of them! Knock yourself out.
But to expect modern day companies to still produce games at that graphical level is ludicrous.
Hmmh
#3302 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/22 15:57:42
I think we're pretty much discussing entirely different points by now.
#3303 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 16:05:19
Sorry. Please re-state your point so I can respond appropriately.
Willem
#3304 posted by rj [86.0.165.149] on 2010/03/22 16:06:49
But to expect modern day companies to still produce games at that graphical level is ludicrous.
this seems to be a wild, fabricated assumption of yours purely based on your knowledge of people's game preferences here. you're the only person who actually brought quake into the argument :|
/me Nails A Lens-flare To Willem's Forehead
#3305 posted by Spirit [213.39.169.214] on 2010/03/22 16:11:14
#3306 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 16:19:28
"this seems to be a wild, fabricated assumption of yours purely based on your knowledge of people's game preferences here. you're the only person who actually brought quake into the argument :|"
Then it's unclear what people want. They don't want new visual effects but they also don't want old style graphics? They don't want progress but also want progress? So what do they want?
Ironically
#3307 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/03/22 16:24:07
Willem, the "damage feedback" in UT3 is one of the worst offenders ever in this department. I had to manually edit some .INI files to disable it.
Any kind of competitive online play with it enabled is completely impossible. As soon as you start getting hit by the Linkgun or Minigun, your view goes so red and so shaky, fighting back is a near-impossibility.
This did work in GoW (althought IMO it should've been a bit toned down there as well), but in UT3 it was absurdly overdone.
#3308 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 16:29:30
That doesn't seem to be what's being discussed. That could have been done with 1997 tech - all it requires is alpha blending. It might be a bad design decision but it's not related to the messages I'm getting from this thread.
#3309 posted by rj [86.0.165.149] on 2010/03/22 17:09:26
They don't want new visual effects but they also don't want old style graphics?
the messages i'm getting relate to specific graphical features that adversely affect gameplay or enjoyment (more because of shoddy implementation rather than by design), not graphical advances as a whole.
then there is obviously the matter of subjectivity. everyone likes games to look good, but not everyone has the same opinion of what looks good and what doesn't (case in point: motion blur), and it seems you're calling people 'fucking retarded' for having differing personal tastes...
#3310 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/22 17:19:23
My understanding of the argument is : "Many new advancements in graphical technologies are used poorly and thus should not be developed."
If this is basically the case (I'm probably leaving out details) then it's false, because even if you develop some really obscure graphics tech, if it can be applied in a cool way then it's good. Maybe not worth the cost on the GPU to render it if it's really expensive, but the point is how the tech is used really.
#3311 posted by RickyT23 [217.42.132.38] on 2010/03/22 17:19:37
I dont think its so much that they dont want new visual effects as much as they dont want new visual effects which they dont like.
So let them turn them off where possible!
Or dont, screw 'em.
#3312 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 17:22:12
"then there is obviously the matter of subjectivity. everyone likes games to look good, but not everyone has the same opinion of what looks good and what doesn't (case in point: motion blur), and it seems you're calling people 'fucking retarded' for having differing personal tastes..."
Really? That "fucking retarded" can be regarded as hyperbole, something this board normally excels in. Now it's an issue? Please.
Zwiffle;
#3313 posted by rj [86.0.165.149] on 2010/03/22 17:43:45
yeah agreed pretty much. development & implementation probably need distinguishing more..
Willem
#3314 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/03/22 18:30:42
Well it seems you're perfectly set to defend your corner - it's not a discussion but an argument since you have no intention of changing your thinking.
My original point was that games don't need to look incredible in order for people to like them.
A lot of companies get caught up in a technology race, always wanting the best graphics, which seems kind of pointless really.
I'd say there is a reasonable lower limit of graphical fidelity, but the eye candy effects for me (and I'd guess for most others) are just fluff, additional to the game.
No big deal if left out.
Looking at reviews the graphics are factored in as 1 piece of the total score, amongst 4-5 others. When they mention 'has graphical feature X' it tends to sum up months of work in a single sentence, since there's not a lot interesting to say about said feature.
Each to their own though.
Some responses:
Doesn't that seem counter productive? Are you trying to make ugly looking games?
Yes it does. But I work in a team and it takes time to convince people that other ways can be better. As long as the game doesn't look like utter shit or completely out of date I couldn't care how it looks. That's not my concern.
Then it's unclear what people want.
If there was an easy answer to that we'd all be millionaires.
Yes, yes, we all do. However, good gameplay doesn't have to look like a game from 1997 does it?
Minimum level of graphic quality Vs. cosmetic graphical features again.
#3315 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 18:46:24
"Well it seems you're perfectly set to defend your corner - it's not a discussion but an argument since you have no intention of changing your thinking."
I take some offense to this if only because it's pretty clear that you won't be changing your mind either. You are hard locked into your argument.
"I'd say there is a reasonable lower limit of graphical fidelity, but the eye candy effects for me (and I'd guess for most others) are just fluff, additional to the game."
This the divide, I guess. They are not always fluff and often provide feedback and immersion to players. That they are sometimes done poorly doesn't mean they aren't useful.
To Sum Up.
#3316 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.185] on 2010/03/22 19:47:07
Fancy shit is cool if you use it well and sucks if you don't.
#3317 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 19:58:48
If that's the summary, then some of you people need to get way better at wording your complaints. :)
Come On
#3318 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/03/22 20:26:11
I did change my stance from 'all that stuff is shit' to 'most of that stuff is shit'.
----
I distrust immersion in relation to graphical effects because there's no way that graphical effects can heighten immersion beyond a certain point.
At the end of the day it's some guy sat in an armchair playing the game with a controller.
If you're going for pure immersion then Wii / Natal motion control, lawnmower man helmets and Tron leotards are the future.
Feedback is different though and where such effects can be great. I forget the game it was, but it gave the player a buzzing sound in their speakers and motion blur over the entire screen when a grenade went off nearby. That was great.
#3319 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/22 20:41:57
I think most modern war games do that. I know Battlefield : Bad Company does and I THINK Modern Warfare 2 did ... can't remember now.
I Spose
#3320 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/03/22 20:45:18
I'm wanting special graphical effects to be used for special game play events.
I don't resent having pretty stuff to look at, but unless they reinforce the interaction then they belong more animation than games.
#3321 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.145] on 2010/03/22 22:12:34
I'm wanting special graphical effects to be used for special game play events.
Red Orchestra the multiplayer WW2 FPS does this pretty well. Machinegun fire actually suppresses players, as in you get loud sound effects as the bullets whiz by, and your screen gets blurry. It's harder to do anything, so you're more likely to keep yourself in cover, i.e. suppressed.
Visual effects with an actual, nice gameplay function. Who would've though?
Heh
#3322 posted by DaZ [78.149.234.77] on 2010/03/22 22:52:16
I was playing bad company 2 at a friends yesterday, and the audio effect when something explodes near you is truly fantastic. Rather than some horrid high pitched wailing sound that kills your ears (hello stalker, hl2, etc) they decided to transform the audio to sound like the record volume is way to high, what you get is this awesome KAWOOOOSH and what can only be described as some distorted Roland TB303 acid line as the explosive goes off.
I actually enjoyed getting blown up in that game, just so I could hear it again =)
#3323 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/03/22 22:58:32
played modern warfare 2 on a friend's ps3. we played coop missions and aside from sucking because i couldn't aim, i thought it looked amazing and it was a lot of fun.
my favourite is the mission where one of you is in a helicopter equiped with a minigun with explosive ammo and you have to escort the other guy who is on the ground getting swarmed by tons of guys. ^_^
Hmm
#3324 posted by nonentity [94.116.101.135] on 2010/03/22 23:25:22
I like the covert snow one a lot. It's just really good fun coordinating/timing your sniper take downs and dropping a group of 4 enemies in 1 1/2 seconds
Argh Argh Aarrrggh
#3325 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.221] on 2010/03/23 10:45:03
http://angryhosting-east.mirror.wa...
That's from the Cave Story WiiWare port which, according to http://forums.somethingawful.com/s... they fucked up.
See How Aweful The Sounds Are
#3326 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/03/23 11:24:12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwt...
Actually
#3327 posted by negke [88.70.253.33] on 2010/03/23 11:49:06
The sounds are kind of cool. Only missing some industrial beats.
Masonna
#3328 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/03/23 14:31:10
is kind of cool and missing some industrial beats.
L4D2
#3329 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/03/23 22:01:01
Apparently on sale for $30 on steam this week, and also some info about new game modes coming along with The Passing
http://kotaku.com/5500325/left-4-d...
38 Posts
#3330 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/03/24 05:36:17
and its all just a misunderstanding...
thanks for the heads up zwif, I might get that.
L4D2
#3331 posted by negke [88.70.250.187] on 2010/03/24 12:14:09
It's actually $25 until Thursday. A good deal for those who don't have it yet, but deep in their heart know they want it (cough* Drew, Mac guys ;)).
I hope this means the release of The Passing is due soon. At first they said March, now it's "spring".
#3332 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/03/24 12:52:27
"and its all just a misunderstanding... "
It's also a lesson in that people need to start using less hyperbole and just say what they mean. If you start out with an extreme position, it's inevitably going to cause confusion.
Negke
#3333 posted by Drew [132.205.224.25] on 2010/03/24 19:19:58
not gonna happen, haha!
my computer is like 2 steps above a scientific calculator.
besides, I spend too much time as it is fucking around with quake - any more distractions and I might as well just drop out.
Run, Jesus, Run
#3334 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/03/28 22:38:47
not sure if this goes here or the religion thread:
http://www.molleindustria.org/runj...
Hahaha
#3335 posted by Drew [65.92.161.252] on 2010/03/29 00:19:58
YES!
That's The Best Game
#3336 posted by ijed [190.20.81.218] on 2010/03/29 01:30:44
I've played in years.
I Can Get 8 Apostles
#3337 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.107] on 2010/03/29 02:30:53
#3338 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/03/29 02:55:35
I got 10
12
#3339 posted by ijed [190.20.81.218] on 2010/03/29 03:02:51
I think you have to walk on the water perfectly, though there's no feedback from it.
Does Anyone... ?
#3340 posted by quakis [95.148.244.110] on 2010/03/29 14:58:07
...have, or can grab me any screenshots from the PS2/PC game, Shadows of Memories? Preferably a minimum size of 800x600. I'd like them for a review (and credit will be given) but I don't want to use stuff from sites like Mobygames with watermarks or have the tools to do so (I have the PS2 version)
Thanks.
Quakis
#3341 posted by negke [88.70.62.251] on 2010/03/29 18:54:06
Isn't there a PS2 emulator you could try? Should work for screenshots.
That Would Work!
#3342 posted by Drew [132.205.225.227] on 2010/03/29 19:02:22
although it does sound like a lot of work for a few screenshots, if someone on func already has the game installed.
I'd help you out, but I don't have it, and I don't know which emulators would be good, since like you, I own a ps2.
good luck though!
#3343 posted by quakis [95.148.244.110] on 2010/03/29 19:58:04
Didn't think about emulation, I'll look into it. It will deffinitely be more useful if I need other PS2 screenshots at a later date. Thanks.
#3344 posted by quakis [95.148.244.110] on 2010/03/29 21:46:34
...scratch that. Too much fussing around to get it working. I really don't have the time trying to figure it all out. =/
Metro 2033
#3345 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.107] on 2010/04/06 04:45:22
Spooge, spooge and spooge some more.
I totally like this game a lot. Havent finished it yet, but so far it has been awesome. I find the graphics to be ground breaking. The DirectX 11 advanced features include "advanced DOF" and "tesselation". I have turned the advanced DOF off mainly because it comes with a serious performance hit and totally brings my 5850 to its knees, even when overclocked. Which is rediculous really. I think I would need two GTX480s to run this game maxed out.
The game still has DOF effects. Just less exaggerated.
The lighting is awesome, with ambient occlusion on parralax mapped textures and all other bells and whistles. The underground parts are very well done, just an awesome style - everything looks old, rustly and broken, the sound effects are scary, the AI is fast and really ugly (ugly as in scary-looking), some very freakish monsters ranging from mutated rats and dogs and stuff to wierd semi-humanoid things, some with wings. One level has "lurkers" - with their own network of tunnels interweaved with the players hull. Fast little buggers - you often cant get a shot and have to watch them run back into their hole, knowing that they will soon be back to try and get you again.
The most impressive effect is the motion blur applied to only things which are moving - much more realistic than the Crysis style "motion blur which is applied to everything like you are stoned out on mushrooms or something". This effect combined with the speed of the monsters makes for quite a startling introduction to the game.
I found it so far often scary, and sometimes frustrating. There was one particular occasion where I died about 20 times trying to get past a guardpost and mobile turret on an underground railway (the Metro I guess - duh) manned by Nazis. Wasnt really expecting to meet Nazis when I bought the game. I eventually managed to get past the post without using quicksave (dont know if the game has quicksave, havent had to use it AT ALL).
The game uses frequent checkpoints throughout all of the levels, with a menu-accessible load point at the start of every level. So if you realy get stuck you can just load a couple of minutes back.
I havent had much problems though, dieing hasnt been a problem really excepty for the area with the Nazis. I hit this nasty combat bottleneck at the top of this staircase.....
The game is very much scripted and on a rail, not really an RPG at all, though you can collect currency (in the form of military grade ammo) which can be saved up to buy guns or ammo. Stock non-currency ammo can also be exchanged for currency-grade ammo too, so if you are frugel with your cuirrency you can afford to buy some pretty neat gus at a couple of points in the game. Thats about as far as the RPG elements go, though. Which is fair enough really considering that this is the game for a novel, with you playing the lead character. There are plenty of quick time events and scripted sequences, but im enjoying the story, and the combat is scary and immersive.
Overall I would say that this is one of the most realistic-looking games I have ever played, one of the most system hungry and definately one of the most cinematic.
Modern Warfare 2 Free STEAM Weekend
#3346 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/04/09 12:31:35
Tried a few matches via the Steam free weekend thing and boy am I glad I persuaded myself to not spend any money on this when it originally came out, the game is worth perhaps 30$, but 60$, are you serious? 50$ during a Steam sale, the sale price still being more expensive than Bad Company 2 normal price??
The game looks cool and runs very fast on my rig, the various aerial vehicles and stuff are pretty ace too, but what the hell is up with this retarded CS style gameplay? Even in QuakeWorld, that is notorious for it's very fast combat and movement speed, you have a reasonable chance of fighting back and/or escaping an enemy. The game heavily favors campers and you die within 0.5 seconds from basically any weapon, so the only thing that matters is who opens fire first. What retard thought this was a good formula for gameplay?
Combined with milking for DLC, no dedicated servers and no modding, this is a definite no-buy for me.
?
#3347 posted by spy [92.46.14.252] on 2010/04/09 13:12:11
whatta fuch is DOF?
Depth Of Field
#3348 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.23.190] on 2010/04/09 13:55:21
Makes far awar stuff EVEN MORE blurry.
Jago
#3349 posted by Bal [194.2.155.16] on 2010/04/09 16:40:49
It's sad, but people LIKE this kind of gameplay (one shot-one kill). Try to avoid Hardcore servers (most are unfortunatly), it's a tad better when you actually have time to fight back... still, I'm happy I didn't buy it.
MW2
#3350 posted by negke [88.70.238.86] on 2010/04/09 16:48:53
Not even worth $30 in my view. I didn't care for the MP, but the SP part was fairly disappointing. For the hype and the exaggerated price anyway.
Modern Warfare 1
#3351 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/04/09 17:02:41
Was ok, wasn't as 'intense' as I was led to believe even though there were some cool ideas in there. MWF2 (MW2 is Mech Warrior 2, not Modern WarFare 2) does not interest me in the least. I bought Bad Company 2 though, because it was on sale for $20 and I've heard good things, but I was not impressed with it at all, and it's supposed to be considered a MWF2 killer or something.
Zwiff
#3352 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.23.190] on 2010/04/09 17:41:21
Do I recall you were complaining about Metro 2033? I finished it now and it was a bit short really, but not that short.
#3353 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/04/09 18:09:52
I don't think it was me, but I was probably in #tf when someone else was complaining about it. Shambler maybe?
Negke I Think
#3354 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/04/09 21:42:20
More On MW2
#3355 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/04/11 21:45:48
OK, after spending 5+ hours playing the multiplayer trial, I actually have take back most of the negative things I've said.
It's problems are that it's way too spammy (though seemingly less so in the Hardcore gametypes) and I still dont like the weapons too much and having the publisher have the capability to effectively pull the plug on the multiplayer portion of the game is retarded. Those thing aside, the game is extremely polished and well done. It also runs very very well and the game types are fun.
Is it worth a 60 euro normal price purchase for me? Nope. Is it worth the 51 euro weekend sale price? Undecided, leaning towards "probably still not". However, I looked around and managed to find a local finnish online gamestore selling the PC version for 38 euro. THAT was a buy.
Beat Mass Effect 2
#3356 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/04/11 23:35:16
Good game. Totally had me hooked, spent like ~18-20 hours on it this weekend and beat it in under 30 hours total. Probably not going to do a 2nd play through, Friction agrees it's a good time.
You can't seduce every member of your crew though and have a huge inter-species orgy. So it doesn't get a perfect score from me. :(
I Tried Mass Effect 1 Recently
#3357 posted by negke [88.70.55.0] on 2010/04/12 12:06:07
But it ran so extremely poorly (bad port apparently) that it was pretty much unplayable for me. It also seemed to be a game in the same vein as SW:KOTOR, which I didn't enjoy, so I quit and uninstalled ME quickly.
Ice-Pick Lodge Games
#3358 posted by negke [88.70.55.0] on 2010/04/12 12:48:33
Pathologic: Semi-RPG that takes place in a worn-down town that is plagued by a mysterious virus to which you have to find a cure. I thought the game would offer a nice bleak atmosphere and a certain degree of strangeness. Unfortunately, it didn't grab me at all. The graphics are dated, but the actual problem is the lack of variety - most houses look alike and the inside of every single shop uses the same mesh (and shopkeeper npc). What really put me off, though, were the dialogues. The first mission has you investigate a series of murders and naturally involves talking to witnesses and related npcs. However, the dialogue options as well as the npcs' replies are so weird and sometimes seem only vaguely related. It almost seems as if you're listening (reading actually, for it's not fully vocalized) to a conversation where every other sentence is missing or something.
In consequence, the game didn't generate any desire to continue playing after some two hours.
The Void: This is a sort-of adventure game (actually, it doesn't really fit clearly into a single category) with an interesting premise. You die and end up in the Void, some sort of limbo where everything depends on colors. You interact with the world through it, by drawing gylphs on the screen (think Black & White), and use it as health by filling your hearts with it. There are different colors and each one has a special property, e.g. azure makes you faster, crimson stronger, gold makes donating color to objects or npcs cost less, and so on. It has to be collected from the levels, can be grown on trees and harvested in mines.
Then there are the Sisters which you have to resurrect by donating certain colors so they help you, and their evil counterparts, the Keepers or Guardians, cenobite-like creatures roaming the Void. First you have to fulfill a couple of tasks to be accepted by the Keepers and eventually have to choose a side, join the Sisters and fight the Keepers or vice versa.
The game is kind of strange, and pretty hard. It seems to require you to restart a couple of times until you've figured out how it works. For example, at one point I needed to donate color to a Sister, but since I was out of gold, it was impossible to give her enough of the color she needed, but I couldn't get more gold, either, because all my trees were empty. Didn't want to restart and replay a good two hours, so I cheated.
In the end, even though the game is oddly compelling in a way, I lost interest. It wasn't always clear enough what I had to do (and how). I would have loved to fight one of the Keepers, as they look pretty cool.
It seems I'm turning into Spd when it comes to games... :)
#3359 posted by Trinca [194.65.24.228] on 2010/04/13 14:56:46
How do you girls have so many time to play games?
Go study and get job lazy bitches :)
#3360 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/04/13 15:05:39
You didn't say anything about getting a girl friend :D That's who we have so much time to play.
#3361 posted by Trinca [194.65.24.228] on 2010/04/13 15:07:43
that a true thing... my "boss" ops wife... is always comand me :(
Hahaha
#3362 posted by Drew [174.89.243.142] on 2010/04/13 16:03:51
bitch.
#3363 posted by [Kona] [203.173.148.125] on 2010/04/14 04:17:00
i know aye, ya bunch of slackers. with work & gf, i don't even have time to play a single q1 map, let alone an entire game. i'm getting behind again :(
Nice
#3364 posted by Drew [65.92.133.163] on 2010/04/14 04:49:24
Yet More On MW2
#3365 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/04/14 19:45:36
The opening of the "On their own accord" mission is so epic it quite easily ranks as one of my top moments in gaming. Watch in fullscreen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DR...
Speaking Of MW2
#3366 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/04/14 20:13:54
I beat the single player of Bad Company 2 yesterday (on easy mode mind you.)
The good: Absolutely the most gorgeous environments I've ever seen. Simply breath taking, ginormous maps filled with foliage and awesome terrain, this game engine should be used for the next Elder Scrolls game. Seriously, the best I've seen in a game.
The bad: Lots of stuff - dust is so prevalent in the game it frequently blocks off the rest of the environment because it's so thick. You end up not being able to see to the enemies who are shooting at you even though they can apparently see you through the dust crystal clear. And those enemies are really accurate, which is annoying. Also, the game is really over the top. And well I could go on, but it's not really bad, it's just that the game was hyped up to be amazing, and it's on. Multiplayer also not my cup of tea, but I admit I haven't spent too much time on it. If you like the Quake Wars style of multiplayer, there you go.
Jago
#3367 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.189] on 2010/04/14 20:16:43
Seems like Quake 4.
Jago
#3368 posted by DaZ [84.13.46.17] on 2010/04/15 01:18:13
Yeah that part is great, the guy in that video kinda rushed through it all though, when I was playing I kinda took my time coming out of the bunker at the beginning and music just started to swell as I saw the broken monument, it was perfect timing =)
Theres another frankly awesome opening scene later on, but I won't ruin it =)
A Question On MW1
#3369 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/04/15 22:41:53
Having just recently purchased and played through Modern Warfare 2, I decided to go back and buy MW1 as well, it's downloading on Steam right now. Since MW1 has an SDK out, are there any good custom singleplayer maps worth checking out once I've finished the SP campaign?
#3370 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/04/15 22:55:51
None that I'm aware of. I heard there are a lot of mp stuff though.
SP
#3371 posted by DaZ [92.29.135.249] on 2010/04/16 01:38:55
I haven't heard of any single player maps at all, which is strange if the editor is out :o
Alan Wake Seemed Promising But
#3372 posted by Spirit [194.95.77.42] on 2010/04/16 13:03:16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vml...
Jago will love it.
I Won't
#3373 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/04/16 13:23:51
I won't love it because I won't be getting Alan Wake. I am not going to buy a 360 when I already have a PS3.
COD4: MW And MW2
#3374 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/04/17 23:10:51
Having now played through the SP campaigns of both (first MW2, then MW1) as well as having played multiplayer of both as well, I thought I'd comment and compare the games. First of all, both games are definately worth playing and you should own at least one of them, which one however, depends on your personal taste for things.
System requirements for both are surprisingly light: a 3-4 year old rig should have no problems running MW1 completely maxed out and a 1-2 year old rig can absolutely run a maxed out MW2.
Singleplayer-wise, both games overall, offer an EXTREMELY polished gaming experience. The developer must've spent really retarded amount of manhours making things look and feel just right, my hat goes off to these guys. MW1 definately has a more believable story and MW2's story has a few large holes in it and is generally rather crazy, as someone else put it pretty well: "24 post-season4 crazy".
Both games follow a similar formula of: some heavy action missions, some stealth/sniping missions and sometimes you get to use some really heavy fucking guns. While generally, I am a big hater of these things in other games and usually consider them an unneeded gimmick, the occasional gun/vehicle parts in the MW games are fun, done right and contribute to the overall immersion in the game world.
Some of the oldtimers probably know that I am a big sucker for games that offer a "cinematic experience" with strong atmosphere and build-up of emotions during gameplay. In this regard, MW2 wins over MW1. I had to look up the names of individual people who had worked on several set pieces of MW2, because to put it all together so well is nothing short of genius. Yes, some of these moments were actually kind of cheap if you go deep into analyzing them, but they WORKED, worked well and that's what matters.
Multiplayer-wise, it's again a question of preference. The problems of MW2 related to the lack of dedicated servers are well documented. Most of the time it works very well, but if several games in a row the host leaves the game and you have to wait 15-20 seconds until the game moves to another host (and sometimes fail) it can get rather frustrating. Additionally, giving the publisher an actual killswitch capability to completely turn off the multiplayer portion of the game IS retarded. You can find Quake servers and players today, over 14 years since the game's release and will probably continue to be able to do so in another 6. Do you really think Activision will be keeping up the Matchmaking service for MW2 for 20 years? Who are you kidding, it probably will be gone in 10. The original XBOX Live was shut down just a few days ago, it was 9 years old. You will no longer be able to play any XBOX1 games online ever gain. MW1 has dedicated servers so it's not going to dissapear anytime soon (or ever).
On another hand, MW1 uses Punkbuster for it's cheater protection, which while probably works alright for most people, causes a lot of hassle for others. Over the years it has evolved to be really picky regarding what software running in the background it considers a cheat, resulting in you sometimes getting kicked from servers for no obvious reason. Again, this doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it can be rather annoying.
Comparing multiplayer gameplay, MW2 offers a more arcade style of gameplay compared to MW1. There is more running, more big bangs and more grenade/etc spam. MW2 also offers a more varied set of different gameplay modes. MW1 on another hand, since it has an SDK available (yes, it's COD4Radiant actually) offers custom maps, obviously giving the player more choice in this regard.
If you've read this far, you definately have way too much free time on your hands, I definately did, since I actually wrote this :)
Good Review - Very Agreable
#3375 posted by RickyT23 [86.29.122.18] on 2010/04/18 03:55:35
play Metro 2033 then....
Tomb Raider 2: Dagger Of Xian
#3376 posted by gb [89.27.226.229] on 2010/04/19 00:15:50
People keep saying this particular level, the Opera House, was pretty scary, or that the whole game has a pretty threatening atmosphere. I actually agree. You're conceptually in Venice here, but it's not really Venice. The sky is black. The windows are black. Actually, the windows seem to be painted on, which means this isn't Venice at all. It is some dark, fake, ultraviolent scary place that is largely inexplicable. The ambient sounds are frightening. The opera house is apparently abandoned, and doesn't really resemble any opera house that you've ever seen, except in nightmares. Also, in this old engine, there is a sort of fog-of-war effect where everything beyond your visual range just fades to black. This was especially nasty in some of the underwater levels, where you have to swim long distances (the levels are rather big for such an old game), and the water around you faded to black - you couldn't see the surface.
There is also often this feeling that you're all alone - there are no NPCs, which you would expect in a city like Venice, there are only pretty brutal enemies. They are thugs, but they seem totally mindless. They attack you without any sign of alertness, they are like mindless killers. Not many of them, though, so for a lot of the game, you *are* all alone in places that aren't what they seem. Pretty deadly traps, too, and nasty death animations.
Lots of diving involved, too, so there is always the fear of drowning in those dark, watery areas.
There is also inexplicable stuff like breakaway floors that just float in the middle of nowhere, a whole level where you travel through a sunken ship (and the ceiling is the floor), and a lot more of this sort of stuff. Just weird.
I found it quite stunning back then, and still do. Just hit upon this video walkthrough of the Opera House on 'tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BR...
I already posted the famous multi-trap gauntlet from the same game (Great Wall level) elsewhere. Here it is again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_d...
By the way, I never knew the great wall had T-Rexes. T-Rexes stomping towards you out of the darkness of some gigantic dark cave, wanting to kill you. Tromp, tromp, tromp! I thought there were only little spiders there!! I want my money back! These pants were expensive!
The darkness...
And this is "The Deck", one of the sunken ship levels... and again, it looks not really like a sunken ship. More like large parts of a ship in some incredible cave. The fog of war thing is pretty visible here. Hey, that guy has a flame thrower... burn, Lara, burn. Crumple, whimper, suffer, die. She dies in pretty horrible ways - no simple falling over yelling. There must be a dozen or more death animations. You actually hear bones breaking when she falls, you watch her suffocate while drowning, and a number of other unpleasant things. Not here, luckily.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2md...
The whole game is pretty great, it involves this rather moody, at times downright weird level design, the often seemingly fragile surroundings that strangely contrast with the gloomy feel, quite a lot of shooting for a TR game, vehicles (boat and snowmobile), ominous monks that turn on you with their kung-fu crap should you be stupid enough to hurt them, and a really rather large dragon.
The challenge mainly comes from the fear of falling, and fear of drowning. Plus the traps, and the enemies. The main thing about this game is the oppressive atmosphere, though. The lighting is primitive in a way that creates an almost eerie effect. Plus the ubiquitous darkness.
There is even a sort of void level, The Floating Islands. You have to jump across screaming green blocks floating in blackness to get from one floating temple to another, while some statues come to life and attack you. Yeah, right. Why are there floating cages in China? What were they smoking?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj8...
The game ends (if you found the secret level, which is reached by beating the "end" level on a timer) by Lara shooting the player for watching her in the shower. "Don't you think you've seen enough?" *BLAM* A protagonist who shoots the player, breaking the magical bond of immersion because she wants to take a shower. Yeah. What's not to love?
One more thought about the level names. There is stuff like "40 Fathoms". Hmm, that sounds like a lot of water... and if you know diving in TR, with the constant fear of drowning, and the sheer darkness, and the pretty nasty sight of your in-game avatar suffocating and struggling against the inevitable because YOU messed up again, player! ... this alone is enough to make you feel uneasy. 40 fathoms of darkness... and sharks... and rusty wreckage full of dark tunnels. Shudder.
A game chock full of weirdness. And dying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzM...
I Agree
#3377 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/04/19 10:36:46
with how you describe the atmosphere. That's pretty much how it felt to me. I don't agree that it's a good game though ;-)
#3378 posted by Spirit [213.39.174.64] on 2010/04/24 13:45:12
http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/... from http://www.escapistmagazine.com/ar...
#3379 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/04/30 21:59:58
Bulletstorm looks fun
http://kotaku.com/5528376/first-bu...
#3380 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/04/30 23:45:39
if they have the same artists as they did for painkiller, i'm sure the looks will be top-notch. now, if they only hire at least 1 level designer...
What Both You Guys Said.
#3381 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.134] on 2010/05/03 11:37:20
Rebuilding A Level
#3382 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/05/03 16:05:30
http://www.nitrome.com/games/tinyc...
#3383 posted by Spirit [213.39.225.79] on 2010/05/03 17:43:10
Nice abstract design! http://i.imgur.com/yuVe2.png
#3384 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/05/03 17:52:32
Amazing.
Unfortunately
#3385 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/05/03 18:18:48
Those won't load for me =/
So
#3386 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/05/03 18:18:51
You're using a broken browser then?
#3387 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/05/03 18:22:56
Chrome. I see a bunch of grey squares. What's supposed to be happening?
Hm
#3388 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/05/03 18:41:54
I'm using Chrome as well and no problems. Latest flash etc?
It's a single-screen platformer where the level gets modified as you progress through it (no screen change), lasting about 5 minutes to play through.
Some neat little ideas, but the controls are a bit naff.
So
#3389 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/05/03 23:54:58
Direct2Drive.com is in their 4th week of their month long gaming sale-a-bonanza, and this week looks pretty good. Mass Effect 1 + 2 bundle for $35, Aion for $25 (any good, Jago?), Fallout 3 for $15, etc.
Nice little sweep of games. Anyone know if Sacred 2 or Divinity 2 are worth their sale price? Or Civ 4 Complete Collection for $10?
Fuck, whatever, I'll probably get em anyway.
#3390 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/05/04 00:29:10
sacred 2 is fun for mindless killing. there's a story, but you really don't need to pay attention to enjoy the game.
there are a lot of ways to develop each class, so there's a lot of replayability.
Tiny Castle
#3391 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2010/05/04 16:51:56
Worked for me, pretty good fun, I evicted the fuck out of that bitch.
Minus a million points for the bit where you have to hit the globes in order, covering the whole length of the level only to have pressed them in the wrong order. Also, there is not way of telling what the correct order is.
Yeah
#3392 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/05/04 17:25:35
That was crap. I wanted to hit stuff while moving as well.
Good idea though.
Globe Puzzle...
#3393 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/05/04 19:28:53
I didn't like it much either. In retrospect i realized your worst case (if you're clever about which order you attempt to hit the globes) is to have to make the trip down and back up 3 times (if you keep guessing wrong) but still, i agree that that was a bit too tedious.
Bumper List Of Flash Games
#3394 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/05/04 20:08:07
http://www.nitrome.com/games/rusty...
http://www.nitrome.com/games/final...
http://www.casualcollective.com/#g...
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
http://armorgames.com/play/1871/to...
http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/n-game...
http://www.foddy.net/Athletics.htm...
http://www.foddy.net/Evacuation.ht...
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/b...
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/b...
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/c...
http://www.blitzgamer.com/play/str...
http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/...
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/d...
http://www.flasharcadegamessite.co...
http://www.feedthehead.net/
http://www.playauditorium.com/
http://armorgames.com/play/2675/ph...
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/m...
http://armorgames.com/play/2153/ae...
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/la...
http://fantasticcontraption.com/
http://www.eyezmaze.com/eyezblog_e...
Some of these have already been posted here.
#3395 posted by Spirit [213.39.223.51] on 2010/05/04 21:48:46
Awesome pay what you want offer:
http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/05/Th...
Aion
#3396 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/05/04 22:05:21
Zwiffle: Aion is great for the first 26-27 levels, until it turns into a grindfest of an epic proportions, which gets progressively worse with each level. NCSoft also has non-existing "customer support" whose sole reason for being there seems to be to insult the remaining paying customers.
That Pay What You Want Offer
#3397 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/05/05 10:19:25
to be precise, you can't pay less than $0.01. Or negative amounts of money, for that matter.
Of course, that also means you NEED an account at one of their pay thingies, which are mostly evil or very US centric (or is theresome way to let amazon.de handle the transaction?). What am I gonna doooooo!?
Cry A River Of Tears?
#3398 posted by starbuck [212.159.117.218] on 2010/05/05 11:06:22
<- I'd Rather Laugh A River Of Tears
#3399 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/05/05 11:47:37
Or You Could Turf A Shiver Of Fears.
#3400 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.26] on 2010/05/05 13:40:54
I bought it.
For megaman: http://www.wolfire.com/1/humble/jo...
#3401 posted by gb [89.27.202.43] on 2010/05/05 15:33:17
> grindfest of an epic proportions, which gets progressively worse with each level
isn't that why you play these games?
Is it true that Aion uses the Cryengine?
#3402 posted by Spirit [213.39.158.26] on 2010/05/05 16:16:52
If my scraping is correct the pack is currently doing $135 per minute. That's 8000 dollars per hour. Pretty good for some "old" indie games, eh?
Gb
#3403 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/05/05 18:31:21
isn't that why you play these games?
No, a well-made MMO masks the grind with a lot of things and makes it as subtle as possible.
Is it true that Aion uses the Cryengine?
Yes.
Achron
#3404 posted by bear [62.220.165.159] on 2010/05/10 10:12:31
Since I'm pretty much a non-gamer these days and not been too much into RTS I guess I won't play it in the end - but it does seem to be a game with some interesting concepts!
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news...
Phenomen 32
#3405 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/05/11 16:29:09
http://www.jonas-kyratzes.net/2010...
First impression: nice atmosphere, way too hard. For me, anyways ;-) died maybe 20 times in the first 3 levels.
The Humble Indie Bundle
#3406 posted by negke [88.70.83.158] on 2010/05/12 20:01:48
Nice one, way to go. Five games for one dollar! (nah, I payed more) Though wtf at the $1000+ donations.
Manufactoria
#3407 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/05/22 12:00:20
http://jayisgames.com/games/manufa...
I'm Normally Pretty Good At Games Like That...
#3408 posted by pjw [75.128.249.127] on 2010/05/23 03:47:24
...but that one just confuses the fuck out of me. I think there's something in the branching/coding explanation/instructions that I'm just not understanding.
Manufactoria: Good Nerdy Fun
#3409 posted by BlackDog [58.7.63.30] on 2010/05/23 14:53:00
The interface is abysmal, but the game is pretty engrossing once you get into it. I've done all but the last two rows.
Got stuck on Androids for a while, but eventually found three solutions (one extremely slow, one flaky hack, and one that's actually good).
Mamano Sweeper
#3410 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/06/05 03:02:31
minesweeper RGB hybrid --
http://www.hojamaka.com/game/mamon...
Each "mine" is actually an enemy level 1-5. When you start, you can safely kill only level 1 enemies; if you click on a higher-level enemy, you will take damage. After killing some enemies, you level up and can kill level 2 enemies, etc.
Normal minesweeper controls, and press A or D to flag a square.
Very Nice!
#3411 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/06/05 10:28:45
Liked it. I was still confused for a couple of minutes, despite your description, due to general stupidity. All round a nice twist on the old formula.
Quite Nice
#3412 posted by megaman [88.134.172.72] on 2010/06/05 12:50:02
but I don't know if I like the monster metapher so much.
Anyone Try Hydorah Yet?
#3413 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/06/08 19:33:11
http://www.locomalito.com/juegos_h... (it's a win32 exe, not flash)
It's an old-school side scrolling shooter, a la Gradius and R-Type.
The website seems to be hosed right now, but i played it a little last night, it's pretty nice. I've only beaten the first level so far.
Though, i wish i had a gamepad, arrow keys don't work well for twitchy 2D games for me, for some reason.
#3414 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/06/08 20:25:03
couldn't open the page, A mandatory extension policy in the request is not accepted by the server for this resource. ?
Oh Ha
#3415 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/06/08 20:25:36
i guess the site is still down, like you said in your post one line below where i stopped reading to make my own post. -_-
Shit
#3416 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/06/09 14:58:36
Well that Hydrorah game is pretty unforgiving. 3 attempts, got partway through the second level by my last try. I never really played these sorts of games a lot though.
Shit
#3417 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/06/09 14:58:36
Well that Hydrorah game is pretty unforgiving. 3 attempts, got partway through the second level by my last try. I never really played these sorts of games a lot though.
Shit
#3418 posted by SleepwalkR [141.23.20.26] on 2010/06/09 15:06:17
Well that Hydrorah game is pretty unforgiving. 3 attempts, got partway through the second level by my last try. I never really played these sorts of games a lot though.
Oops, Double Posting Like A Retard
#3419 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/06/09 15:06:33
Is there an equivalent thread for console games hiding somewhere? 'The Console Gaming Thread' seems suspiciously short. I want to talk about Uncharted 2!
This Used To Be The 'all Games' Thread
#3420 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/06/09 20:49:43
shambler split off console games a while ago, so it's shorter because it's not as old.
I kind of wonder if we should merge them though, the categories are not that distinct (since there's things like flash games, iphone games, etc.) Plus games often get released on both console and PC.
I Vote Merge
#3421 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/06/09 21:21:08
Last post in the console games thread was by ijed on 2009/09/04! Perhaps if the general 'Other Games Thread' was on the front page most of the time there'd be a bit more console chat.
Although I sold my xbox last week :P
Hmm
#3422 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/06/09 22:49:40
++Merge
Alien Breed Impact
#3423 posted by negke [88.70.244.55] on 2010/06/16 10:14:00
I have fond memories of the original games on the Amiga. Good fun, especially in coop mode.
However, the new remake feels like sort of a let-down. It's very similar to Shadowgrounds in terms of looks (slightly better maybe) and gameplay. I don't mind the aliens aren't Giger-style, but there's something else missing. Despite the explosions and rubble the first level seemed sterile, no real atmosphere and generic combat. I got lost, too. The first mission is a massive switch hunt all through the level and wasn't always clear to me where to go next (despite the radar marker). To top it off, the controls are absolutely terrible (with keyboard/mouse anyway).
Not a great game, though not totally bad, either. I guess the fact that I played SG semi-recently added to my disappointment in a way. Multiplayer should be good, on Steam and all.
(This kind of got me a little concerned about that Syndicate remake. Hope at least that lives up to my expectations)
This post was flagged as spam.
#3424 posted by a spammer [66.79.164.114] on 2010/06/17 04:10:28
This post was flagged as spam.
#3425 posted by a spammer [66.79.164.114] on 2010/06/17 04:12:45
Wow...
#3426 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/06/17 05:25:01
spam with a human touch...
This post was flagged as spam.
#3427 posted by a spammer [220.178.103.66] on 2010/06/17 11:19:01
This post was flagged as spam.
#3428 posted by a spammer [220.178.103.66] on 2010/06/17 11:20:59
Spammers...
#3429 posted by JPL [82.227.228.57] on 2010/06/17 12:05:51
... should be eradicated from Earth's surface...
Hmm
#3430 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/06/17 13:47:26
metl, maybe the machines are just starting to learn...
Fault Line....
#3431 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/06/19 08:53:30
http://www.nitrome.com/games/fault...
Cool platformer with a unique game mechanic where you can fold the level in order to traverse it Vaguely related to portal, but in no way derivative of it.
Transformice...
#3432 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/06/21 10:39:59
multiplayer mouse insanity with bad physics and no cooperation, which makes it moar fun.
http://transformice.com/en/Chargeu...
I Vote.
#3433 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.74] on 2010/06/21 15:15:46
To split off "In-browser" games into a seperate thread :D
Nitrome's
#3434 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/06/21 15:21:59
A great website. Try Rustyard and IceBreaker as well.
#3435 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.142] on 2010/06/21 17:26:23
Only if we DOS, Windows, DirectX9/10/11, Linux, Mac, Gameboy, Xbox, PS3, Wee, shambler is a moron threads too.
Splitting the consoles from this was a stupid idea in the first place.
This post was flagged as spam.
#3436 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 08:44:21
This post was flagged as spam.
#3437 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 08:47:25
This post was flagged as spam.
#3438 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 08:51:17
This post was flagged as spam.
#3439 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 08:54:32
This post was flagged as spam.
#3440 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 09:01:41
Maybe We Should Move Spam To Its Own Thread....
#3441 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/06/22 09:04:35
This post was flagged as spam.
#3442 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.110] on 2010/06/22 09:07:09
The Arms Race Continues...
#3443 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/06/22 10:16:26
The Arms Race Continues...
#3444 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/06/22 10:17:21
I Vote...
#3445 posted by JPL [82.227.228.57] on 2010/06/22 11:12:52
... for a permanent spam thread :P
I Vote...
#3446 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.74] on 2010/06/22 12:38:18
...for splitting spirit off into his own seperate thread, that no-one else can read.
I Vote
#3447 posted by Vigil [89.27.21.189] on 2010/06/22 12:54:17
Banning Shambler and Spirit into a single thread so they can't post anywhere else, and coming back six months later to see which one's still alive.
That Reminds Me
#3448 posted by SleepwalkR [141.23.31.51] on 2010/06/22 14:00:47
We thought about implementing a very funny ban feature for the Cube boards, which basically muted a user. He could write and post and use the board like normal, but noone but them would be able to see their postings. I think we eventually decided against it, but I would have loved to see it in action.
What Would Be The Fun
#3449 posted by nitin [124.168.31.179] on 2010/06/22 14:46:55
you wouldnt know how actively someone's bought into your fraud...
I Would
#3450 posted by SleepwalkR [141.23.31.51] on 2010/06/22 15:27:27
Cause admins see everything ;-)
Ghosting
#3451 posted by Spirit [80.171.96.38] on 2010/06/22 19:11:03
Reddit and other sites do it. Huge pain in the ass if you fall into the bucket while being actually innocent.
[spam]
#3452 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/06/22 21:56:11
[post flagged as spam]
Hmm
#3453 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/06/22 21:58:43
Transformice got linked on Kotaku.
Transformice is down.
Tried it before it died tho and seemed pretty fun/crazy/troll'd
!
#3454 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/06/24 20:58:09
http://store.steampowered.com/sub/...
Best TF2 Map Evah.
#3455 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/06/25 09:56:54
http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/06/24/...
Mixing Cats And Bees...
#3456 posted by JPL [82.227.228.57] on 2010/06/25 10:37:11
.. either the map author is a Doom3 fan, or it is czg :P
Hm
#3457 posted by ijed [190.20.99.216] on 2010/06/26 01:24:38
EXTRA COPIES ARE NOT GIVEN IN MOST CASES. ONLY TITLES PURCHASED IN SPECIAL PROMOTIONS AS OUTLINED BELOW ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GIFTABLE EXTRA COPIES.
Sorry for asking Steam. It seems I am only a lowly customer, and the big DLC load that you feel necessary to deposit in my anus is what befits my status.
Does anyone else here prefer Impulse?
Or basically another other downloadable platform.
Since when has treating your customers like shit been a marketing strategy.
Sorry for posting this here. But getting onto the steam support forum shite is incredibly complicated. For good reason it seems.
I just had to vent.
Valve, Steam
#3458 posted by ijed [190.20.99.216] on 2010/06/26 01:40:12
It was a beautiful dream,
But now they've gone all Microsoft on me.
Steam
#3459 posted by Bal [81.249.37.219] on 2010/06/26 11:16:14
What did you buy a pack thinking you could gift the games you already had to other people? Apparently only Valve games do that, cause other publishers refuse.
I <3 Steam, so much good cheap games on it these days.
#3460 posted by Willem [24.163.61.78] on 2010/06/26 11:29:52
Yeah, Valve can't control what limitations other publishers put on their games. They can only do what they're allowed to do.
According To THQ
#3461 posted by ijed [190.20.75.28] on 2010/06/26 13:12:37
They do. Either way it's not a big deal, just irritating.
Hm
#3462 posted by ijed [190.20.75.28] on 2010/06/26 14:02:47
In any case I'm buying licenses. What happened to the additional ones?
If I'd bought the games in physical form then I'd expect to have the additional copies in hand.
'Sorry sir but I can see from the sales history that you've already bought this game, so I can't give you this extra copy - company policy'.
Reading the terms and conditions its down to Steam - they can, but don't want to apart from for Valve games.
Maybe I'm being naive.
Steam
#3463 posted by Bal [81.249.37.219] on 2010/06/26 14:10:06
I quite agree that there should at least be a clearer warning when buying duplicates, that you aren't getting any extra copies.
It's unfortunate they don't do it for all games, but to be honest, I'm not really surprised. Games are cheap enough on Steam already in my opinion, you can pretty much always wait a few months and get games at 50% off and stuff (except for a few specific publishers *cough*activision*cough*).
Yeah
#3464 posted by ijed [190.20.75.28] on 2010/06/26 15:10:09
I paid $50 for 19 games. I can't really complain too much.
#3465 posted by gb [89.27.210.6] on 2010/06/26 18:00:32
Companies are behaving like dicks. It needs to stop.
It wouldn't hurt if they were reigned in just a bit. Not fully socialized, but reigned in a bit. Meaning, slightly more rights for the consumer, and a couple slaps on the wrist of companies.
It's coming though. Slowly, but it is coming.
Let's start by giving every consumer the right to make up to 5 copies of something he bought, for personal, noncommercial use. Customers must also naturally have the right to resell their DVDs or whatever. This should naturally also go for electronic media, ie games on Steam. This must be enforced politically.
Finally, copy protection has to go; it is ridiculous that I can't legally watch a DVD on Linux, even after I paid for it. It is unjustified if something I bought is still somehow controlled by someone else. That is against the idea of the free market.
Naturally, it must be legally ensured that I am the sole owner of a DVD I bought. Not the copyright, but the right to do with this DVD what I want, ie sell it, make a normal amount of copies for personal uses, install those on my own computers etc.
We need to go back to a reasonable, relaxed, normal look at these things. And if someone thinks I'm a socialist or whatever, I beg your pardon, it is the companies who are acting like commies by taking away my freedom.
Monopolies are evil, mmkay. Trying to establish control over something that you have just *sold* is crazy.
In effect, they'd like you to give them money, but not get any say in what you do with the product you just bought.
#3466 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/06/26 20:35:16
so it's half a year later and i haven't played dragon age yet.
can anyone who has chime in now that the dust has settled? is it worth playing and how does it hold up to other rpgs like neverwinter nights?
Dragon Age
#3467 posted by Bal [81.249.37.219] on 2010/06/27 00:04:06
I really couldn't get into it. I played a few hours, but there was just too much boring bla-bla, I didn't care for the characters at all, and the combat was uninteresting.
Lots of people love it though, so who knows. I much prefererd Mass Effect 2 myself.
#3468 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/06/27 02:46:59
ME2 completely failed to make me want to play it and when dragon age finally came out, i had lost interest in it. :P
still, i've been replaying nwn1 and now on nwn2. i'm just in a fantasy mood lately, for some reason. :)
i remember reading one review of dragon age that was positively gushing all over the place. i think some of the spittle got on my keyboard. the author went so far as to say it was a modern day baldur's gate. nearly all the reviews i've read have been like this, so either this game is insanely good beyond realistic expectancies or everyone's a fanboy/girl. :P
Well...
#3469 posted by Bal [83.204.216.110] on 2010/06/27 10:11:47
It might be for you then, cause I never really liked Baldur's Gate either. :)
Haha
#3470 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/06/27 19:53:30
well, thanks anyway. :)
Fuck Windows Live
#3471 posted by ijed [190.20.80.81] on 2010/06/28 04:10:15
Just when I didn't have enough DRM. Now I remember why I didn't buy DOW2 when it came out.
#3472 posted by Zwiffle [70.92.141.255] on 2010/06/29 01:00:55
Loved both ME2 (beat it in a weekend basically) and Dragon Age, but yeah the combat in Dragon Age got stale and repetitive really quickly. ME2 had the bonus of being a shooter as well as rpg, but it took me about 2x as long to beat Dragon Age as it did to beat ME2. Enjoyed both of them quite a bit, but both were pretty different from each other.
What Zwiffle Said
#3473 posted by DaZ [92.26.166.235] on 2010/06/29 01:19:47
Except I have not completed Dragon Age yet, where-as ive beaten mass effect twice and am on my 3rd play through atm! ME2 just suits my tastes better than DA, but Dragon age certainly has its epic moments.
I'm really looking forwards to bioware's MMO :o
Dead Space
#3474 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/06/29 05:01:49
(I played the xbox version but since people have already talked about it in here, posting here.)
So I just finished Dead Space. Game clock time: about 11.5 hours (I don't think this includes the times where I died.) It's a pretty cool game overall, with solid core mechanics, and while it's certainly full of horror and sci-fi game cliches as Lunaran complained previously, I think the good execution (and the fact that it's actually fun) makes up for that.
Pros:
* Suspense is good, the tensest rooms/hallways were the ones where nothing actually happens because there's always a sense that something could happen. They set up early on for example, that a certain type of ventilation panel is often a place where monsters bust through. And then they put these panels in practically every room, so you are always nervous around them. I don't think i was ever really "shocked" by an attack, but since the NPCs are dangerous I was certainly nervous about being attacked.
* Combat works well, it's survival horror so you don't have a lot of ammo, the enemies are generally pretty lethal, and the damage system gives you something tactical to do while you're shooting at enemies -- since limbs (and occasionally other body parts) are the vulnerable bits, you spend your time trying to take careful, effective shots rather than just unloading into the guy's chest. Kind of like going for a headshot in most games, but with more variety. And the limbs are always moving in weird ways. Enemies that lose limbs keep coming but with alternate animations.
* Flashlight on gun, so you can actually see what you're shooting (and can't see when you're reloading, for extra tension)
* No on-screen UI; all UI was integrated into the world (ammo count on gun, player health displayed on character's suit, etc.)
* Zero-g gameplay is cool, you can't fly, so instead you leap from walkable surface to walkable surface (your magnetic boots grab on when you land) The maze-like layouts they create for some of these areas is pretty cool. And nice and disorienting.
* "Stasis" and "telekinesis" powers were used well, they build some nice puzzles and environmental obstacles around them, plus they are integrated into combat well.
* Boss fights were well-built and challenging, but not frustrating (there were only like 2 or 3, but they worked.)
* Enemy design was good, they're all pretty different in terms of appearance and function. And some of them are pretty creepy.
* Great environment art execution, really does a good job of creating the standard scifi/horror setting with a high level of detail and polish (mostly.)
* Sound/music was pretty cinematic and effective.
Cons:
* Too many NPCs sending me on constant small errands. I'd like fewer objectives that take longer to complete. Later in the game it gets better, though.
* A couple of annoying sections where you have to shoot asteroids and other stuff using a giant space canon. Not really bad, but didn't feel like it fit into the game that well, and it wasn't easy. I think if you put something that different into a game, you should make it sort of easy since it doesn't use the standard game skillset.
* Store mechanic where you buy ammo/health at specific kiosks throughout the game -- while it works as a game mechanic, it doesn't really fit the fiction of "i'm the last one alive in a disaster area." But it did serve the goal of giving the player a chance to get what resources they need.
* The storyline didn't really connect with me; they had plenty of twists and revelations, but for some reason i didn't get into the main emotional hook of the game, which was supposed to be the main character trying to locate his girlfriend among the few survivors of the ship.
* Weapons -- there were only a few weapons that really felt good, most of the others felt kind of weak. Of course it's survival horror, but in fact the plasma cutter (the starting pistol) was one of the good weapons because you could tell how to be effective with it. It was the "bigger" weapons like the pulse rifle which just felt ineffective and useless. Probably due to player expectations about how devastating those weapons should be.
* Text logs and some other UI was pretty much unreadable on my SDTV. I guess developers just assume that all xbox owners have an HDTV? Humbug!
Humbug
#3475 posted by drew [98.124.27.175] on 2010/06/30 16:27:44
just got this game, started to play on my shitty tiny 10 year old tv. just got into it and i'm liking it a lot so far, but yeah, i have to get REALLY close to the screen to read anything.
:(
#3476 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/02 15:25:15
Project Offset has been canceled.
http://kotaku.com/5577979/intels-p...
Now we'll never get to play with its editor.
Dragon Age Again
#3477 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/07/06 22:15:14
was 40 cdn at the local futureshop so i decided to grab it. this is like the first new game i've played in ages. since like bioshock i think.
i was preparing myself to have to deal with activations or whatever the heck they do these days, but i didn't have to do any of them. aside from putting in the serial code at install and having the cd in the drive to play and when the cd thing starts to piss me off, it should be easy to fix that later.
i've only played a few hours so far-- just enough to get through the 'origins' aka prologue for the mage class (i picked a human).
i think by far the best thing about this game is the third person 'exploration mode' camera is actually good and useful. i can't imagine how people played nwn2 in 3rd person and i hated how mechanical the movement felt in kotor.
i guess it would be best to say the camera and movement feel a lot like WoW. which really means the camera moves around quickly and precisely and movement is almost as responsive as quake. you don't strafe around, of course; when you press back, you character turns and runs towards the camera which neatly avoids having to have a super complex animation system and works very well. (my mage isn't a slipgater, afterall).
i'm sure everyone is aware that bioware finally ditched the dungeons and dragons system in favour of a more action oriented magic system. movement takes a larger role now which makes it feel a lot cooler. so far, i have yet to see any of the subtle spells have any effect (i took one that supposedly imposes penalties to a target for attacking and such, but i still seem to get hit anyway). aside from that spell, i took the obvious frost spell that can freeze or slow down attackers and a life drain spell for direct damage and healing. the cooldowns a rather long though, and there's no spell to spam whilst waiting for better spells to become available. resorting to the auto-attack 'staff bolts' are weak but i think some of these problems will go away when i get some party members that need to be healed and more damage spells that can be fit into a rotation to make sure there's always one available.
as far as i can tell, levels come fairly often and new spells come at 2 per level. the game alludes to unlocking two specialist classes (i guess like prestige classes in nwn) at level 7 and 14, so assuming you can get a decent amount of levels over 14, that's a lot of spells. i'm concerned i might run out of quickslot buttons (my warlock on WoW made use of nearly every key on my keyboard for all it's spells and i had to manually click some of them too) but we'll see.
as for the story and rpg stuff, the origin segment gave me one choice and made it so i had to do other quests anyway, but it's a prologue so i can't really fault it too much. i can honestly say i was surprised at the ending of it though, i really wasn't expecting it, which is a pleasant change for most story based games where you see stuff coming from a mile away and plot hints are delivered with a sledge hammer.
anyway, i'll probably post more about this later when i've played some of the proper game.
Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault Review
#3478 posted by [Kona] [203.109.218.167] on 2010/07/07 03:45:45
First game i've played in six months, and to be honest the realistic war shooters are starting to get repetitive, and I'm only up to Medal Of Honor 2 so far!
The problem is that it felt just like Vietcong, with improved graphics having been released 1.5 years later, but with fewer set pieces. Much of MODPA felt like extremely linear corridors of jungle. Move from one little village with a few huts thrown in, through some tight jungle paths to the next village. The graphics, of course, were better than its predecessar MOD:Allied Assault and the mission packs, but with the repetitive design and lack of memorable levels, it doesn't stand out as a great looking game to buy against other releases in 2004.
Having said that, the Tarawa Beach sections (which probably made up 1/4 of the game), were definitely the highlight in atmosphere. They were a big improvement on the intense but bland Omaha Beach sections of MODAA.
The sad thing is, however, that the average design is still MODPA's strong point, because the gameplay was full of flaws. At the forefront, for me, were the atrocious weapons. Of course you can only handle two at a time, and normally you don't get much of a selection. There are a few good weapons in the game, but you rarely get to use them because unless your enemies are carrying the same weapon, you'll soon run out of ammo. What I was left with for the majority of the game were slow reloading, slow firing and extrememly inaccurate broomsticks. The rifle, for instance; there's a one second pause between firing, and a three second pause while reloading. You can point the thing perfectly at an opponents head, and still somehow miss. You can stand almost point blank and fire one into his chest... watch him stumble, then get back up again like nothing happened. There's no such thing as a headshot in MODPA, because the weapons are just too unreliable to even attempt it.
Gameplay is also very unbalanced in terms of difficulty. In playing on medium (although i'm well above medium in skill) I normally don't have much trouble getting through a game. But at times some of the fights were ridiculous, and forced god mode. The turret machine gunners are far too difficult to kill without being mowed down by bullets within seconds of revealing yourself. And no matter how well hidden you were, they always seem to find you almost instantly. There's a few times where you've got 2/3 machine gunners at once. Problem is your guns are hopeless at long range and you can't even see the enemy manning the gun to even aim at him. He could be standing on either side of the gun.
Tarawa Beach, as well, was far too difficult with poor weaponry and not enough ammo. In one jungle scene, your given a sniper riple (for the only time in the entire game) with one bullet to take out four enemies hiding high up in trees. I'd already run out of bullets with my other gun, so what's a man to do? God mode, noclipping up to the tree top and bashing them with my gun was the only solution. Let's not forget the section where your forced to man a plane, supposedly whilst drunk since the handling of the plane is rubbish. They inverted the up/down of the mouse aiming for the plane section, so when you finally return to two legs, your aiming ability is corrupted as your moving the mouse down to look up! This entire plane section was painstakingly frustrating and boring, and should never have made the cut in a first person shooter.
So my overall thoughts; average design and average gameplay, thanks to some inconsistencies in difficult and useless weapons, makes MODPA a far inferior game to the original. I hope MOD: Airborne makes up for it in 2007, but from what I've heard already, I might have to wait till the fourth MOD in 2010 for a good game again.
#3479 posted by [Kona] [203.109.218.167] on 2010/07/07 03:47:13
Medal of Honor 4 looks pretty good though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v6...
Supposed to be released Oct 2010
PA
#3480 posted by nitin [210.84.55.4] on 2010/07/07 04:55:46
I only liked the jungle bits myself. Airborne is even suckier btw, way too ridiculous gameplay wise and uninspired design.
I preferrred COD2 to both these.
Oldschool Condensed?
#3481 posted by negke [88.70.238.87] on 2010/07/08 20:38:41
http://supermariobroscrossover.com...
EYE.
#3482 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.227] on 2010/07/15 18:39:07
Bit like a cheapo Deus Ex. Doesn't look too bad in trailers. English translation is appalling tho.
Zing!
#3483 posted by DaZ [78.147.99.75] on 2010/07/16 22:18:40
http://store.steampowered.com/news...
Roll on Monday :)
#3484 posted by negke [88.70.48.4] on 2010/07/19 23:10:30
Apparently everyone and their mother are trying to get this at the moment, so the dl rate is pretty bad.
If the game is fun, let's get some coop games going.
Hehe
#3485 posted by DaZ [92.26.167.253] on 2010/07/19 23:40:44
Yeah, 47k/sec for the win :P
Looks fun though, screenshots and vids remind me a lot of Shadowgrounds which is awesome!
Prototype
#3486 posted by negke [88.70.243.227] on 2010/07/20 23:52:31
Fairly unoriginal story (biological weapon experiment gone wrong, you're the virus mutant overdude), but a fun game after all. Sort of a cross between Oni and Mirror's Edge, with DBZ- and Matrix-like physics bending. Awesome gore.
The game basically consists of jumping and runing through a sandbox Manhattan on a constant kill frenzy, leaving an insane bodycount behind (after each mission you get a statistic about civilian/military/infected losses and destructions costs). Lots of combos and upgrades which can be bought with the EP points gained from free-roam wreaking havoc, story missions of average quality, and timed events like speedrunning, gliding, combat scenarios, and collectibles. Fast gameplay with smooth movement/navigation.
Not the greatest and most sophisticated game in the world, but a fun blast nevertheless. Well worth the $15 (Steam summer sale).
#3487 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/07/21 00:00:11
I don't care if it's a japanese anime looking arcade game, I want to play this on PC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiQ...
Hmm
#3488 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/07/21 00:28:08
Darkspore looks cool. Half diablo, half spore and with L4D's director.
Yeah
#3489 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/07/21 00:45:06
I was just noticing that. Does look interesting.
Hmm
#3490 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/07/21 01:02:30
Needs more than 2 players tho.
Speaking of which, Alien Swarm; 'sup?
Alien Swarm
#3491 posted by negke [88.70.56.205] on 2010/07/22 00:36:13
Quite nice for a free game. Too bad it only has a single campaign so far. So, go mappers!
Fairly easy with a 3+ team. The parasites in the fourth level are evil, though. Probably pretty challenging on hard skill and above.
Alien Swarm Mapping
#3492 posted by DaZ [78.147.99.17] on 2010/07/22 13:46:51
As an fyi, if people have not looked into it.
It uses a tile based mapping system whereby you create a seperate map for each tile and then you can either snap them all together yourself or use the games in-built map generator. Looks very easy to do, and you can use the pre-existing "official" tiles you simply generate your own new map if you are getting bored with the single campaign.
More info : http://developer.valvesoftware.com...
#3493 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/07/22 15:15:15
You can also mix and match. You can stamp the prefabs together and when you're basically happy, open the merged map in Hammer and customize the hell out of it.
#3494 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/07/22 19:25:10
i've actually been thinking of trying to make a map this way... built a couple of corridors, corners and outer walls for rooms that all snap together.
you could make something pretty big that way at the risk of it being boring, i guess...
#3495 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/07/22 19:32:00
I actually tried that with Left for Dead 2 since Hammer supports instances. I made a bunch of standard sized rooms and hallways and tried to piece together an office building. It kinda worked but I got itchy to customize it very quickly after I started and it sort of fell apart. But I think the idea is sound...
Modular Mapping
#3496 posted by Preach [77.98.129.22] on 2010/07/22 19:38:56
I made something like that for quake years ago - it requires a custom engine like dp so that statically* rotated bsp objects work. It was posted at qexpo
http://qexpo.quakedev.com/booth.ph...
The way it works is that a single bsp file contains a 'set' of tiles. Each tile is an individual bsp entity with entry points marked in the entity's fields. The progs then generates maps from these tiles each time you load the map. It obviously doesn't create the most exciting maps known to man, but I think the caverns map actually looks quite good.
Anyway, I'm sure I've posted about it before, but you know how it is when you did something first...
*ie SOLID_BSP entities which have an angle set, but no avelocity.
Oh Well
#3497 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/07/22 19:50:03
automating it would be cool too, but i just meant like make a bunch of func_groups and CnP them yourself.
as willem said, i think the hardest part would be resisting the urge to start customizing at least until you're done. :P
Prototype
#3498 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/07/23 01:09:48
watched a few prototype gameplay videos on youtube. looks like you start in a street then randomly walk down more streets back and forth until all the innocent people are dead. absolutely no linearity, variance in gameplay or even a point. am i wrong?
people were raving on about this game, but seeing it in actual it looks crap.
You're Pretty Much Right
#3499 posted by negke [88.70.251.237] on 2010/07/23 12:17:13
Almost feels like they created the environment and then just tacked on a few missions and game modes. But it's still fun - I enjoyed indulging in an excessive killing spree.
Quake
#3500 posted by Willem [24.199.192.130] on 2010/07/23 13:48:31
Watched a few Quake gameplay videos on YouTube. Looks like you start in a hallway and then randomly run down other hallways and go through rooms shooting monsters and finding keys with no variance or point whatsoever. Am I wrong?
(sorry, had to be done)
Yes You're Wrong
#3501 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/23 15:05:59
Sometimes you find secrets.
Yes, You're Wrong (bis)
#3502 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/07/23 19:48:42
Sometimes you die also :P
Wrong,
#3503 posted by meTch [99.61.109.162] on 2010/07/23 22:53:29
The point is to have fun while randomly running down hallways to shoot monsters and find keys [and find secrets, health, ammo, places to walk where you're not supposed to and go 'he he he' at the author of the map because you're/you've doing/found something that they did not intend for you to do/find].
#3504 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/29 02:36:48
So who wants to be my StarCraft 2 friend? I would if I were you.
Hehe
#3505 posted by DaZ [78.147.174.163] on 2010/07/29 04:24:37
feel free to add me if fancy a few games, I am a total starcraft scrub though :)
name : bughunt
character code : 292
#3506 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/29 04:35:55
What is this character code shiz?
name: zwiffle
and I swear I thought yours was "bigcunt" at first.
#3507 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/29 06:54:54
character code 650
Starcraft2
#3508 posted by Bal [81.249.103.14] on 2010/07/29 08:01:56
name : Bal
code : 384
Probably can't add Zwiffle cause he's not on EU server though.
Ahh
#3509 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.248] on 2010/07/29 15:51:09
thats a bigcunt :(
I'll happily let you kick my arse though Bal =)
Starcraft 2 Quick 1st Thoughts
#3510 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.248] on 2010/07/30 00:38:35
I've got to around half way in the single player campaign (I think) and I've dabbled a little in the multiplayer so I guess its time to offer some 1st impressions.
On the single player:
They really pushed the boat out here, each and every mission has a unique mechanic involved in it that forces you to play differently and use different tactics. New units and explained a drip-fed into your pool as you complete missions and you have plenty of time to experiment and practice with them.
Also, the between mission story elements came as a complete surprise to me. I think the best example I can think of to explain it would be the planet surface "point and click" interface of Freelancer. You can click on items and characters in the environment and get a cutscene or some funny news broadcast on the tv or whatever. You can also research unit upgrades, hire mercenary forces to fight for you and further enhance specific units in the armoury. Its also polished to high heaven, very impressed!
On Multiplayer : Now I am a total starcraft scrub, I have no idea about build orders, micro/macro management or actions per minute, so I expected to get well and truly pasted in multiplayer, but Blizzard added a really great system whereby you play 5 "performance analysing" matches and then the game will put you in a bracket of other players with the same skill level as you. From what I can tell it works very, very well. When you learn to play better and start beating everyone in your bracket the game will move you up to the next bracket, and so on. Great stuff.
Other shizzle : The interface and menu's are fucking fantastic, really. "Challenge missions" to improve your multiplayer skills. When you load the game up, you only need to click twice to start a multiplayer game, its really streamlined. It also runs fairly well on my shitpile of a pc, which I am very thankful for :)
So, err. Yeah I guess I'm liking it so far.
SC2
#3511 posted by Bal [83.204.196.70] on 2010/07/30 07:49:15
Yeah, it's nice, I've obviously played the beta quite a bit already, we should up for some coop later Daz, I could teach you some tricks. :D
The singleplayer is really well made, but what the hell, the characters and story is like the ultimate cliche in science fiction, it hurts to hear the dialogue sometimes. Fortunatly it's beautifully made.
Heh
#3512 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.85] on 2010/07/30 14:50:56
Yeah that would be nice, I finished my placement matches and got seeded right at the bottom of the copper league :P
I agree about the dialogue, some of it is pretty cringe worthy, but the characters are pure Blizzard cliché's in a bottle like all their other other games :)
#3513 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/30 15:10:04
Missions : yeah, they're fun and interesting. Just played the train-robbing one last night, it was pretty tough, just barely made it. I played it the wrong way (like a base-building mission) and so I got 0 of the achievements. I'm currently in Plat, but should def. be in Diamond, just gotta work my way there I guess.
Zwiffle
#3514 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/07/30 15:47:00
Yeah I think you can't be placed in Diamond directly after the placement matches.
I haven't done them myselves, too busy with the solo stuff, but if it's anything like the beta I should end up in Plat league I think.
#3515 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/07/30 15:49:25
Oh yeah. I was able to befriend a BugHunt and saw him online, but when I said howdy there was no reply, so I'm sure whether it was Daz or not.
Zwiffle
#3516 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/07/30 16:08:52
I can't add you to my friends, so it's doubtful.
How do you befriend someone without his code anyways?
#3517 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/07/30 18:50:10
FACEBOOK
Zwiffle
#3518 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.85] on 2010/07/30 20:40:34
Don't recall seeing any messages from you :(
I thought USA & Europe players were separated anyhow?
#3519 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/07/30 20:57:46
Well I thought so too, until I saw I had Bughunt as a friend, and then I was confuzzled.
Heh
#3520 posted by [88.70.51.137] on 2010/08/02 15:05:28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaF...
LOL
#3521 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.66] on 2010/08/02 15:48:58
Looks infuriating!
So...
#3522 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.66] on 2010/08/02 17:08:03
Thought I might give SC2 a go. Looks kinda fun from the videos I watched of it.
Just one small question....
WHY THE CUNTING BOLLOX AM I EXPECTED TO PAY 45 FUCKING QUID TO DOWNLOAD IT FROM THE FUCKING BATTLENET SITE WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANY FUCKING SHIPPING, BOX, ART, SHOP PROFIT ETC ETC COSTS SHOULDN'T IT BE CUNTING CHEAPER OR WHAT, DO THEY WANT ME TO GIVE THEM THE MONEY OR JUST THINK THEY'RE A BUNCH OF GREEDY CUNTS AND FUCK THE WHOLE THING OFF???
45 fucking quid!! In the age of digital distribution!! Fucking comedy ha-de-fucking-ha. Where's a bricks and mortar shop then??
Shamb
#3523 posted by DaZ [78.147.169.8] on 2010/08/02 17:33:52
If you have a friend or workmate or whatever that has brought the game, it comes with 2 10-day trial keys that give you access to the entire game, worth a look perhaps.
Also, I picked up my copy for £35 in Tesco of all places :)
Here:
#3524 posted by RickyT23 [81.156.237.207] on 2010/08/02 17:40:42
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-l...
You can get it for £34.91 :)
Cunts.
#3525 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.93] on 2010/08/02 18:02:28
Yeah but I want to try it now before my ADD interest wanes. Wish I'd known about Tesco though.
Paid for the fucking thing, and it's been shit ever since then.
1. Terrible download speeds.
2. Completely raped the rest of my connection forcing a restart.
3. On restarting, it wouldn't let me continue the download as it was an invalid account.
4. Support link was broken and the page didn't exist.
Fucking GG Blizzard, what a bunch of cunts.
Hmm
#3526 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/02 18:02:49
Robert Kotick loves you and in no way wishes to sell your children into slavery.
It Gets Better.
#3527 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.93] on 2010/08/02 18:05:46
Called their billing and account support to cancel my account and download.
"Sorry due to high number of callers all our operators are busy and we cannot accept any more callers into the queue, please try again later".
I hope everyone in this company dies a miserable and painful death very soon.
#3528 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/02 18:34:21
Bler I could have given you a trial code so you could try before you buy. Also, yeah, the Blizzard downloader is full of shit, you're likely better off just buying a boxed copy.
Also, the game is $60 in US, because Activision knows that people will buy a PC game for $60 when it's MW2 or SC2 or WoW or whatever other franchise they depend on.
Still Onto Cunt Support.
#3529 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.93] on 2010/08/02 18:45:59
Finally got through. Estimated 15 min wait time is up to 23 mins and counting CUNTS CUNTS CUNTS.
CUNTS
#3530 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.93] on 2010/08/02 18:53:06
29 mins then cut off.
Try This.
#3531 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.93] on 2010/08/02 18:59:29
I have been attempting to download and play Starcraft 2. Due to the extremely slow download speeds and how badly the Battlenet downloader interferes with my connection, I need to cancel my account and get a refund - I *may* then purchase a physical copy of SC2. I am attempting to contact Blizzard on the phone support number. After numerous attempts where I couldn't even get in the call queue, I got in a queue with a 15 min waiting time. After 29 mins, the phone cut off and I was not able to speak to someone.
Please cancel my account and refund my SC2 order (order number *******) immediately, and then call me immediately on 0********* to confirm this. When this happens then I may consider purchasing Blizzard products in future.
Try
#3532 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.191] on 2010/08/02 19:35:20
I am a Shambler and there are huge cojones beneath my fur!
Now, imagine you want to play your legit copy of SC2 20 years from now.
Shambler
#3533 posted by SleepwalkR [78.52.102.153] on 2010/08/02 20:07:39
I hope you get your money back, but only after more assraping from Blizzard, which you can then relate here! ;-)
#3534 posted by gb [89.27.247.251] on 2010/08/02 20:14:21
In 20 years, you have to appear in person, are chained to a console controller and filmed the whole time while a Blizzard paramedic stands by in case you starve or dehydrate (except in the US).
Hmm
#3535 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/02 22:47:47
are chained to a console controller
Microsoft want a word.
Hmm
#3536 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/02 22:48:42
Also, is there not a torrent or some such for the SC2 installer that would mean you could circumvent the ridiculously bad blizzard downloader?
Hmm
#3537 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/02 22:52:49
In fact, I believe the warez release by RELOADED is actually the legit installer but with cracked patches/.exe to avoid registration/battle.net.
Altho I may be wrong, I care not for RTS
#3538 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/02 22:56:40
I know a guy who plays it cracked/free/whatever. So it's possible I'm sure.
#3539 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.191] on 2010/08/02 22:56:43
Razor1911 said their release would work like a legit copy if you enter a legit key, at least that's how I understand it.
P.S. Owners of legit game keys may use our keytro in just the same way in order to prolong their offline activation period indefinitely
Reloaded is nuked for borked singleplayer.
Lol
#3540 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.66] on 2010/08/03 02:44:30
Hooray for Steam!
Except for the fact that they didnt get Starcraft 2.
Hooray for Amazon!
You Know What Really Annoys Me.
#3541 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.36] on 2010/08/03 14:19:09
Fucking Daz, getting the game from fucking Tesco, for fucking £32, which is fucking cheaper than fucking Amazon. I bet they fucking stock it for £3fucking2 in the Morrisons 2 fucking minutes walk away, I could have got it and some fucking Scotch Eggs n stuff too.
Hmm
#3542 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/03 17:02:21
Scotch Eggs? Man, that shit is wrong.
Also Daz Said He Got It For £35, Not £32
#3543 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.66] on 2010/08/03 19:29:01
So if you get it from Amazon, then you win by price by £0.09p
On other notes, I waited for Borderlands to drop in price, and started playing that recently. First impressions are that its pretty good, no-nonsense shootin' action. Also I wasnt sure what I was going to think of the gfx, but it actually works better than I had expected! Very addictive. Maybe one day MW2 will drop to <£10'000'000'000.00p per copy, and I'll try that aswell!
I Feel For You Smabler...
#3544 posted by DaZ [78.147.98.131] on 2010/08/03 20:23:00
hugs! =)
Calm Down
#3545 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/08/03 21:31:41
Scotch Eggs remain within your reach. Always a calming thought.
The above solution mentioned by Spirit seems the best idea.
Or, Better.
#3546 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.36] on 2010/08/03 23:36:02
Keep fighting for a refund, fuck the game off, buy £35 worth of Scotch Eggs WINNER.
#3547 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/03 23:42:21
or maybe just £35 worth of Scotch to help you relax. ;)
My New Computer
#3548 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/08/04 03:45:18
Where's the PC rig thread, I thought there was one? Well i'm not creating a new one, but this is kind of related (since its a rig to play other pc games).
So I'm looking at getting the following:
· Intel Core i7 930 2.80GHz CPU
· Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R Motherboard (1366)
· 4GB Corsair CMX4GX3M2A1600C8 DDR3-1600 Memory Kit
· 1TB Western Digital WD1002FAEX SATA3
· Sapphire HD5850 PCIE 1GB DDR5
· 2nd video card: GeForce 8800GT
· 600w Vantec ION2 Plus Modular ATX2.3 Power Supply
· Microsoft Windows 7
Looking at about $2300NZD ($1600US). Can't really afford much more than that. Thoughts and suggestions???
#3549 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/08/04 03:55:15
What is the purpose of the 2nd video card? I hope you're not planning on trying to have both your HD5850 and 8800GT in at the same time!
Kona
#3550 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.49.139] on 2010/08/04 06:32:27
Sounds like a great setup, the only thing I'd really want to mention is the RAM - that CPU and motherboard supports triple channel RAM so to get the most out of it you'll want a kit with 3 DIMMs, 6gb is probably the best option (2+2+2).
You'll also want to be sure that power supply will be adequete, particularly if you intend to have multiple drives and video cards either now or later. (It may very well be, I don't know, but it'd be worth hitting one of those online calculators to see if you can get an idea of the power draw you'll expect to see with that.)
I'm also curious about the 2nd video card, are you intending to have more than 2 monitors?
Sweet
#3551 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/08/04 09:22:49
Got 2 pci slots, so might as well fill em both? I figured they'd both combine to help with gaming... or does it not work like that? If you only have 2 for a second monitor, then I won't bother.
I thought 6gb ram might be an overkill, but if you think it's much better then i'll go with that.
Calculated out at 430w, so I guess the 600w will be okay, just.
Kona
#3552 posted by RickyT23 [81.156.237.207] on 2010/08/04 10:38:18
Thats almost exactly the same rig as I would buy!
Have you got a nice Air cooler? For overclocking your CPU to >4Ghz??? Should be fairly easy with that motherboard.
I wouldnt bother with the 8800. I tried putting one in my rig as a dedicated PhysX card, but it was really just a pain in the neck to get the drivers working properly, and then it turned out that for the game I wanted to use the PhysX stuff, it was impossible to use both cards (Metro 2033).
The Radeon 5850 is a seriously speedy card, I would know, I have one!!! I was thinking of buying another, but since all of the games I play run maxed out, there would really be no point.
RAM thing: The socket 1366 motherboards are deigned for using DDR3 RAM in TRIPLE CHANNEL mode, which means you're gonna need 3 DIMMS instead of two. I would buy a nice 6Gb kit (3x2Gb) instead of crippling the motherboard by forcing it to work in dual-channel mode.
:D
Kona
#3553 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/08/04 15:43:14
The thing about 2 video cards working in tandem is that they should both be the same card - and they definitely should both be either Nvidia or ATI, but not cross-brand baloney (balogna gives me a spelling error, weird.) The HD5850 is pretty rock solid, so you shouldn't need 2, but if you plan on getting a 2nd one, make sure your mobo supports Crossfire, and you might want to double/triple check that you'll have the space in your case to support both cards.
Yeah.
#3554 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.142.183] on 2010/08/04 16:20:59
The 5850 will slaughter anything released now and even within the next couple of years I'd imagine. As Zwiffle says, if you're doing any kind of Crossfire or SLI thing with multiple cards, they must be the same make and model and almost everybody says it's usually better to get the best single card you can afford anyway.
Almost all video cards come with dual DVI or at the very least a 2nd VGA connector. In other words any card you could buy would support 2 monitors anyway. You only need more cards if you want to do some kind of whacky triple or quadruple monitor setup.
#3555 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/04 18:46:48
if that's the case, i'd most definitely drop the the extra video card in favour of more ram. i've found with 3gb of ram, i'm quite often running low and need to step down game settings. remember that w7 is a modern os and requires a lot of memory to function.
with 6g, you'd probably be set on ram for a good long while.
Hehe
#3556 posted by DaZ [78.147.175.242] on 2010/08/04 20:48:06
Yeah, don't get stuck in the hole I am in atm, 2 ram slots on my motherboard died (its 5 years old) so now im running win7 on 1gb of memory :P
To be fair, stuff still works, but it can take an age to do things. Go for the 6b matched set of sticks, there are some nice deals around from the top manufacturers!
Sweet
#3557 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/08/05 00:39:00
sweet, thanks guys! definitely won't bother with 2 video cards then, and i'll get the triple memory pack.
i'm always behind in gaming anyway - it'll probably be another few years before i actually catch up and start playing the 2010 releases, by which time this one will be ancient.
i can finally play hl2 and quake4 maxed out though yay
You Can Play
#3558 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.66] on 2010/08/05 02:55:44
Crysis Warhead maxed out too.
Also the Radeon 5850 overclocks really well, infact the Catalyst Control Center that comes with the ATI drivers allows you to raise the core clock speed a bit, out of the box.
You can use "AMD GPU Clock Tool", (a different free util) to really overclock them. And they can take like 15-20% without breaking a sweat.
Also:
Borderlands is really very very cool. Far too addictive, and a lot more playable than I thought it was gonna be. The way that Co-op play works is really cool too - basically you just "invite" friends to join your singleplayer mission. All XP earned and items picked up whilst playing in your game, they get to keep. Character development works really well here too, seems to be endless leveling up. Even the AI is good.
Back To PC Games...
#3559 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.134] on 2010/08/06 19:51:23
Rather than the hardware thread http://www.celephais.net/board/vie...
...and my saga of trying play (or actually now avoid) other PC games continues:
Blizzard non-customer non-support:
Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, we will be unable to provide you with a refund for your StarCraft II license.
Any queries, please contact:
Legal Department
Blizzard Entertainment Europe
Billing Support
TSA 60 001
78143 Velizy Villacoublay Cedex
France
Shambler:
That is not acceptable. I have not taken possession of the game (I only
managed to download 200 meg before finding the Battlenet Downloader utterly
intolerable). I paid the full price for the game before finding out it was
unsuitable to get it via Battlenet. I do not expect to have to jump through
hoops and be writing to people in France to have a perfectly normal action
of returning a game and getting a refund.
Given that Blizzard is very familiar with online gaming, there must be some
simple way to delete my account, cancel my download (and prevent any
attempts to re-download it via that purchase) and refund my money.
If whomever this email reaches is unable to deal with this issue, please
pass it on to your superior and get them to call me on 0********** or
0*********. I expect to receive proper customer service from Customer
Service, and my chance of being a Blizzard customer ever again (including
buying a physical copy of SC2 as I had previously intended) depends on that.
Is there any other area of a media purchase industry that takes this attitude to refunds?? If so, I haven't encountered it in my life previously.
#3560 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/06 21:12:14
Prostitution, maybe. But then you probably never ask for refunds from your prostitute.
Downloadable Content
#3561 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/08/06 21:12:52
Isn't regulated at all, so a lot of the time the providers will just shit on the customer if it suits them. It usually does.
I can condense what their reply was into something more honest:
'This is our policy so fuck off, you're not getting anything. If you think you're big and clever enough try fighting with our legal team in France.'
I suspect the phone number will have you jump through more hoops until you can find an English speaker who will basically reword the above and invite you to declare a civil action (whilst making a slam dunk action).
I had a similar experience with Steam recently.
Nice.
#3562 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.134] on 2010/08/06 22:00:25
I might make a huge and previously highly undesirable break from tradition, and make my next downloadable content something I don't actually pay for....
Bah
#3563 posted by DaZ [78.147.160.77] on 2010/08/07 01:07:56
That's a shame Shamb :( I've never used the blizzard downloader for anything besides WoW patches so I can't really comment on it.
is it not possible to leave the download running overnight or something while you are not using the pc? if it works the same as the WoW patcher you should be able to stop and start the download process without having to start from the beginning again every time.
You Have To Wonder
#3564 posted by ijed [190.22.2.95] on 2010/08/07 03:19:05
Are the execs either idiots, or is the intention to criminalise and alienate their customer base.
Stupid question.
#3565 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/07 03:43:44
i think i'll stick to circular plastic discs for now. o.o
Dazbler.
#3566 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.61] on 2010/08/07 12:30:26
Well....consistent with the quality of my experience trying to get this game, when I stop the downloader and restart it, it claims it can't continue as the download is not authorised, and I have to go to the Battlenet site to log in (or rather discover that obviously I'm still logged in so the fuckign download IS authorised) and start from there, albeit at the same place (200meg / 7gig before I gave up).
Anyway due to how appalling there customer service is (I think I was trying to get this sorted for 2 hours on Tue evening), there is no way in hell I want the game, I want my money back. Where's my money mother fucker??
IF I'd phoned up customer service, got in a queue for 10 mins, and they'd sorted out it as you'd expect any decent company to do, then I'd have gone out and bought the game on disc that evening....
"LOL" Tattooed On Your Bollocks
#3567 posted by nex [78.54.79.77] on 2010/08/07 13:01:38
StarCrud 2, is it?
Borderlands
#3568 posted by negke [88.70.251.192] on 2010/08/07 18:55:11
More like Bordomlands. The graphic style is cool but the game lacks atmosphere. It's like driving through samey liveless wastelands levels doing seemingly pointless quests for random NPCs and killing the same few types of respawning enemies over and over. There's no point to exploration either, because all there is to find are lockers and caches with money, ammo, or one of the hundreds of different weapons with small differences in stats that have you stop all the time to compare them to the ones you're carrying. Every now and then there's an annoying boss fight, too.
I kept playing because I always hoped there would come something interesting at some point. Haven't tried coop yet - Ricky ignored my chat requests...
Negke
#3569 posted by Zwiffle [70.92.141.255] on 2010/08/08 01:37:41
I agree with you about borderlands EXCEPT for the graphic style being cool. I am vehemently against it - the style is quite and ugly and imo definitely a step back from their more realistic style they had before.
Borderlands
#3570 posted by Bal [83.204.222.47] on 2010/08/08 11:48:56
I think the style is cool, at least they're trying something different. Some of the env work looks quite nice.
As for the game itself, it's ok. It's much better when playing with 3 friends obviously. I like picking up random loot, but there's not enough diversity, like in Diablo, where it works better because of all the different armor pieces etc.
Adding To Ijed's Pile Of Flash Games
#3571 posted by onetruepurple [89.77.120.196] on 2010/08/08 22:38:59
Don't Look Back. The gameplay is pretty run-of-the-mill platforming (enjoyable still) but the atmosphere is excellent.
I think metl posted it a few hundred posts ago(?) but it's good enough to be reiterated.
Posted.
#3572 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.162] on 2010/08/09 12:39:32
My letter to Blizzard today. Hmmm.
You know if their customer support weren't so fucking useless, I'd be playing a bought physical copy already.
Yeah, We Know
#3573 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.148.83] on 2010/08/09 13:20:14
by now.
Unreal 1 Dx10 Engine
#3574 posted by DaZ [78.147.97.154] on 2010/08/09 15:43:43
Bluesnews gave the heads up on a new DX10 renderer for the original Unreal engine and its games, I re-installed Deus Ex to give it a try and its fantastic.
Its completely faithful to the look of the original Unreal engine, no mucking around with new shaders or anything like that, it does support things like HDR but you can turn if off if you don't want it. You can also use AA and AF etc and it works flawlessly (with deus ex at least).
Obviously as its DX10, you need windows Vista or Win7. It fully supports Deus Ex, Unreal 1, Unreal Tournament, and Rune so far.
Page with info : http://www.kentie.net/article/d3d1...
Download : http://www.kentie.net/article/d3d1...
You also need the very latest version of direct X, linky : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads...
And you also need some visual c++ runtimes 2010 update, linky : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads...
I had forgotten how awesome DX was, im really enjoying playing through it again :)
#3575 posted by gb [89.27.241.166] on 2010/08/09 19:42:49
There's also an inofficial patch 227, with new renderers, lots of fixes, Linux and OpenGL support:
http://www.oldunreal.com/oldunreal...
#3576 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/09 20:02:39
thanks for the heads up on deus ex. man what a great game... probably give it a run through now. :)
Shambler
#3577 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.66] on 2010/08/09 21:51:51
You have a license, so why dont you stop whining and just "aquire" a copy via a torrent or something?
#3578 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.228] on 2010/08/09 22:05:22
Because that is not allowed.
For Unreal And UT
#3579 posted by nitin [124.148.142.168] on 2010/08/10 00:15:21
for those without dx9, there are unofficial d3d and opengl renderers available that are quite an improvement performance and feature wise.
Oops
#3580 posted by nitin [124.148.142.168] on 2010/08/10 00:15:48
I meant 'for those with dx9 only...'
Hmm
#3581 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/12 22:52:30
So... Does Rage on the iPhone go in here or the console thread?
The Iphone Is Not A Console
#3582 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/12 22:58:50
But it probably doesn't go in here. So let's all not talk about it.
Hmm
#3583 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/12 23:03:16
No, you're right, let's not. It's not that impressive anyway.
Did
#3584 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.233] on 2010/08/13 16:28:12
someone mention Bioshock Infinite?? The trailer looks cool. I like the way they are doing it as a spiritual sequel to Bioshock (which I still haven't played, waiting to upgrade first).
Hmm
#3585 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 16:29:49
Yeh, I think I forgot to mention it on here, but it looks awesome. An actual BioShock sequel rather than the farmed-out cash-in that was BioShock 2.
Bioshock: Infinite
#3586 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/13 16:33:08
I am so going to preorder as soon as it is available. Bioshock is one of my favorite 'new' franchises, just simply fantastic. I would very much like to petition them for inclusion of level editor with this game, it's a fucking shame neither Bioshock nor Bioshock 2 had one.
Do want.
Hmm
#3587 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 17:46:55
Oh, and could a mod please change the name of this thread to 'other games' please. It just seems to make sense.
No.
#3588 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.233] on 2010/08/13 17:47:24
Balls to consoles.
Hmm
#3589 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 17:48:27
God dammit Sham. That was a scary fast response.
And DO IT!
Not Feelin You On That One Either My Hard Raving Amigo
#3590 posted by RickyT23 [86.23.98.66] on 2010/08/13 17:51:44
Rage = PC game.
Bioshock = PC game.
3500 posts in its not worth changing the name of the thread. Just my 10 english pennies.
#3591 posted by Spirit [80.171.127.123] on 2010/08/13 17:55:02
It was for all systems until Shambler decided to split.
Hmm
#3592 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 18:27:18
Deus Ex 3 gameplay; http://kotaku.com/5612092/your-fir...
The hell is he dragging the body with at 0:47?
But other than that, I'm fully hyped about this game. About time there was a proper sequel.
Yeah
#3593 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/13 18:41:52
Deus Ex 3 looks sweet. Like the yellow color scheme, but hope they don't use it everywhere in the game.
Yeah.
#3594 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.233] on 2010/08/13 18:42:47
Yuh.
Yeah
#3595 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.161] on 2010/08/13 20:27:03
I does look very neat indeed, im replaying Deus Ex 1 at the moment and loving every minute of it, I just hope this 3rd one will be better than the lol-fest that was DX2. I heard its possible to complete dx3 without killing anyone (though you wouldnt know it from that trailer) and the story and characters seem decent enough.
A with Shambler, I need one hell of a pc upgrade before I even think about getting it though!
Deux Ex
#3596 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/13 21:29:12
I purchased Deus Ex with the intention of enjoying some old school awesome that I missed out on, but unfortunately the program doesn't seem to want to work with my dx11 vid card and 64 bit system. I am not happy with that.
Any one got an answer/work around?
Hmm
#3597 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 21:57:10
Wasn't there some post about a new unreal engine build a few days ago? Would that solve the problem?
Nonentity
#3598 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.161] on 2010/08/13 22:16:16
http://www.kentie.net/article/d3d1...
Works fine on my x64 system
Ta
#3599 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/08/13 22:18:23
I will check that out this weekend.
Stalker 2
#3600 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.161] on 2010/08/13 23:13:16
Offical sequel was just announced. GSC plans for a multiplatform release which I am sceptical of, but w00t all the same :)
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/113116/...
RAGE Release Date
#3601 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.161] on 2010/08/13 23:25:57
September 13th!
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/113117/...
Hmm
#3602 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/13 23:40:30
September 13th 2011 tho
Rage Iphone Sept 13 2012
#3603 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/13 23:43:03
nt
Hmm
#3604 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/14 00:04:40
Quiet you. Apart from anything else, Carmack said there would be a iPhone game using Rage tech/universe out before Rage. Then iRage would be out at some point after console/PC release.
Also, the 13/9/11 is the US date apparently. EU has to wait 2 days; http://cdn.cloudfiles.mosso.com/c7...
Bastids.
IN YOUR FACE BLIZZARD.
#3605 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.196] on 2010/08/15 22:33:26
14 Aug 2010
Velizy Villac FR
Debit Card Refund - Battle.Net Starc 44.99
Now off to buy 45 quids worth of curry and fuck that SC2 shit....
#3606 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/08/16 01:26:54
make sure to let them know when you get the sc2 torrent :D
Any Modern SP Games Worth Mapping For?
#3607 posted by huh [92.100.126.55] on 2010/08/16 09:53:45
Any modern SP games worth mapping for?
So How Did You Get It?
#3608 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/08/16 10:50:10
did you threaten to moan and bitch about them on the internets?
Persistence.
#3609 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.196] on 2010/08/16 11:08:12
Errr that's all.
Shambler
#3610 posted by nitin [202.161.17.215] on 2010/08/16 13:35:39
come on, spill the tactics.
Srsly.
#3611 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.27] on 2010/08/16 14:09:32
I just kept emailing them, telling them it wasn't acceptable and I expected better customer service, and I wrote a letter to their French dept as suggested - although I got an email saying they'd refund me before that letter would have arrived, AFAIK.
Duke Reboot
#3612 posted by Drew [65.92.22.74] on 2010/08/16 20:43:38
Anyone know how much truth there is to this?
http://www.omega-level.net/2010/08...
Can't Say There's Any Evidence
#3613 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/16 21:53:33
I heard rumors about the same thing, except replace Gearbox by Epic, Valve or id. All I can say is that it's a rumor. Would be great if it were true though.
Portal 2 <3
#3614 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/08/18 17:23:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRx...
Gimme.
Yub
#3615 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/18 18:24:08
Do want.
Want
#3616 posted by SleepwalkR [85.177.90.207] on 2010/08/18 20:08:27
indeed.
Portal 2
#3617 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/08/18 20:53:28
... wow... looks impressive !
Torchlight 2 Has Co Op
#3618 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/18 21:15:54
I'm sure I'm not the only Torchlight 'fan' (okay, it's not my favorite game but it is a good bit of fun) and I'm sure it'll tide Diablo fans over until D3 comes out.
http://kotaku.com/5615698/torchlig...
Mhh (I Is Drunk And Eating McDonald's. Filth) ((see, New Topic))
#3619 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/20 01:14:45
http://kotaku.com/5616662/dooms-wa...
Oof
#3620 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/08/20 02:16:33
:(
Just Say No
#3621 posted by meTch [99.58.207.218] on 2010/08/20 02:40:41
keep the faith ... or keep losing it because it is DOOM (it's meant to be a cold war joke not a religious one)
Hail Satan
#3622 posted by Drew [216.168.120.223] on 2010/08/20 06:42:46
Oh Wow
#3623 posted by onetruepurple [89.77.120.196] on 2010/08/20 11:03:40
I read the few last posts and had the mental image of Doom4 being about a religious war with the Taliban fighting Cyberdemons
#3624 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/21 04:31:34
is there a way to do the unreal->UT combo without actually owning UT, just Unreal?
Necros
#3625 posted by nitin [220.235.80.162] on 2010/08/21 04:48:39
what do you mean?
#3626 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/21 06:06:17
there's a way to run unreal with the UT engine, but the guides i've seen always say you need to have UT installed first.
but you end up copying all the Unreal files over anyway.
i have the Unreal cd but don't own UT, so i was wondering if there was a way to, instead of copying Unreal content into UT, to copy the UT engine to Unreal (assuming i could find an upload with just the UT engine of course).
i only ask because i've tried to play unreal again with the DX10 renderer plugin, but there's like this really weird mouse lag that makes the game unplayable. i was hoping the UT engine fixed that, since it was more recent.
Necros
#3627 posted by nitin [220.235.80.162] on 2010/08/21 07:15:38
If you get this:
http://www.oldunreal.com/oldunreal...
Effectively you have the UT equivalent renderers (well actually they are improved UT renderers but same thing). IS this what you are after?
Yes!
#3628 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/21 08:27:03
and it also fixes the mouse lag! thanks! ^_^
The Opengl
#3629 posted by nitin [220.235.80.162] on 2010/08/21 08:35:59
works best for me but the d3d is also much approved.
Deus Ex
#3630 posted by DaZ [78.147.106.52] on 2010/08/22 02:09:43
Argh I had forgotten just how fucking awesome this game is!
After all these years, it still has one of the most intelligent plot-lines I've seen in a game, its not scared of being complex and the characters are all very nice shades of grey as opposed to the typical "good guy - bad guy, or guy with a chip on his shoulder" you find in pretty much every modern game.
I'm on the final level/mission right now if I remember correctly, and I really don't know who I want to help/trust. A lot of games that give you this sort of choice at the end are very binary, to be the good guy help A, to be the bad guy help B, etc. All the choices I have discovered so far are,again, very grey in that regard, and it really comes down to what your own personal views are.
I'm hoping that the game won't fall into some horrid contrived ending where it doesn't really matter what you decide to do, its been so long since I played it I really can't remember. (No Spoilers!!)
#3631 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/08/22 08:18:16
horrid contrived ending
nope :)
Deus Ex.
#3632 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.244] on 2010/08/22 10:57:33
Daz is correct. One of the very few games that lived up to what it promised.
This post was flagged as spam.
#3633 posted by a spammer [205.209.142.173] on 2010/08/24 03:22:17
I'm Sold
#3634 posted by DaZ [78.147.153.216] on 2010/08/24 04:25:17
Right
#3635 posted by Vigil [213.243.145.129] on 2010/08/24 09:02:34
Staff position is full of unpaid overtime and job insecurity? As opposed to freelancing?
StarCraft 2, still great.
One Button Arthur
#3636 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2010/08/25 10:33:43
http://armorgames.com/play/6700/on...
One Button Car Game
#3637 posted by negke [88.70.55.144] on 2010/08/25 11:14:47
http://www.kot-in-action.com/blog/...
Bulletstorm.
#3638 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.110] on 2010/08/28 11:30:21
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/113597/...
Enviroments and scenes look amazing. Gameplay looks moronic but kinda fun. Seems to be running at about 0.5 FPS in that clip though.
Hmm
#3639 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/08/28 17:56:48
I just can't get excited about it. Looks pretty damn stupid tbh. Yeh, great, it's pretty, but so's everything these days. And the gameplay/style/that horrible voice over all screams AWESOME/HUGE MONSTER/LOWEST FUCKING DENOMINATOR.
Wake me when Deus Ex 3 comes out.
FFXIV
#3640 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/08/31 17:18:22
The FFXIV "Open Beta"/demo is coming out soon (not today as originally scheduled due to bugs.) Anyone else interested in FFXIV besides myself? I'm unsure, I've heard bad things about the beta but I'd at least like to give it a try.
Minecraft
#3641 posted by DaZ [78.147.111.2] on 2010/09/01 02:01:28
Fuck, there goes my entire week!
All I See Is Blocks
#3642 posted by DaZ [78.147.108.88] on 2010/09/02 23:43:15
Minecraft is awesome, let me show you! :)
yes bad graphics are bad, but they have a certain charm to them.
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
My little house, that I made by cutting down trees and mining rocks. I also dug up some sand and smelted it into glass to make the windows. I had to gather some more wood and some coal to make the torches.
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
The beginnings of Castle Daz! Lots of mining was done to come up with the rock to make the walls. Its snowing here so everything is white, but you can gather the snow and throw it at things! :P
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
My house from the outside. The large watch tower at the top is so that I can fire my bow at enemies on the outside. There is a large chest full of arrows at the top just in case I run out :)
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
My castle from the top of the cliff behind it. Lots of torches around so I don't get any enemies spawning inside it at night!
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
I was digging down fairly deep below my castle when I found this underground stream, I mined through a block and suddenly all this water came into my tunnel and I nearly drowned :P You can re-direct the flow of water by building blocks around it.
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
Crafting a new mining pick, to create items you have to "draw" the item you want using the correct materials in the crafting square. There are absolutely tons of crafting recipes and you have to discover them for yourself.
#3643 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/03 00:25:18
that looks wild o.0
Gameplay And Other Bits
#3644 posted by DaZ [78.147.108.88] on 2010/09/03 01:05:53
So its basicly a sandbox building game, you start the game with nothing and go from there. There is a full day-night cycle and at night in areas that are not illuminated by torches (or lava) enemies can spawn and kill you.
You get resources by destroying certain block types to gain there raw materials, and then craft those materials into usable items.
The deeper you mine, the better materials you will find, for instance diamond can only be found at the very bottom of the world but is the best crafting material. You can make for instance a diamond mining pick that will last for a very long time and destroy rock blocks very fast.
There are all sorts of ways you can interact with the world also, for instance by harvesting tree leaves you have a chance for a tree sapling to drop. if you plant this sapling in an area with water and sunlight a new tree will grow there eventually and you can keep your wood resources near infinite by doing this. You can also create fields and grow your own food to regain health, or simply kill animals and take there meat and cook it to regain health that way.
The high level materials can be gained by combining different low level materials. for example to make glass you need to collect sand blocks with your spade, then smelt the sand into glass using your furnace (made with stone blocks). You have to harvest wood to place into the furnace first so that there is something to create heat to smelt the sand.
Bleh, im totally addicted! :)
Finally a warning, if you suffer from any kind of ocd you might want to skip this one!
Is This The Same Game
#3645 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/03 01:23:04
there was another block-based game where you could build your own structures and choose textures (and dig holes-- it even had a fluid engine where if you dug a tunnel and hit water, it would fill up).
that game didn't have any gameplay mechanics though, no monsters or resource management.
Also
#3646 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/03 01:24:02
roller coster video on minecraft site looks like fun
Curse My Bad Luck, And Poor Choice Of Building Materials
#3647 posted by DaZ [78.147.108.88] on 2010/09/03 03:19:35
So I was mining in the cliff above my house, my house made of wood, when I happened upon a steam of lava.
Hilarity ensues...
http://daz.quaddicted.com/images/t...
and Necros, I believe the 1st version of minecraft was simply a building simulator with no inventory management or crafting or enemies. The new alpha versions have all that good stuff :)
So I Checked It Out...
#3648 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/03 03:28:36
it's an alpha... and it costs 10€.
it's a sad day when someone charges you to beta-- alphatest their game.
Hah - Lava'd
#3649 posted by ijed [190.22.81.119] on 2010/09/03 04:32:01
It looks great though, despite the Valve style pay to playtest thing. Do you get access to all subsequent versions?
Daz, did you rebuild on top of the smoking ruins?
Yeah
#3650 posted by DaZ [78.147.108.88] on 2010/09/03 04:51:43
if you pay for it now its only 10 euro's. It will be 20 once its finished. You do get access to all updates + expansions for free if you get it now.
I did manage to eventually put the fires out by running to my well with about 8 buckets and filling them with water. The trouble was that I had to stem the flow of lava first :P eventually most of the wooden walls were gone and I had a nice layer of snow on my stone floor :P all is rebuilt now and I managed to swipe some buckets of lava for my next home addition, a moat of lava! :)
Doom3 RoE
#3651 posted by JPL [82.227.228.57] on 2010/09/03 09:10:46
Tested it last night, it's been a long time I was looking for playing it...
More comments to come when I'll have finished the game :)
Minecraft
#3652 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/09/03 09:51:09
Yeah I bought it a while back (should play again for the new stuff, but I'm afraid of wasting too much time with it again).
It's fun, I made a really high tower of solitude, once it was done I just stood at the top with my pile of useless gold, not knowing what to do more. :)
Looking forward to some kind of multiplayer with this mode.
Hmm
#3653 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/09/03 18:21:23
So... either it's really being made/finished by Gearbox or it's an amazingly good joke.
Either way hilarious.
#3654 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/03 23:41:49
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/201...
Shit... now I need to hurry up with rubicon 2 or else DNF might come out first!
Yeah
#3655 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/09/03 23:55:26
Not surprised about DNF, and I can't say I'm all that excited about it anymore. I'll get it, I'll play it, but the hype is just too far gone for me.
Rubicon 2, on the other hand ... I would like teaser pics please :)
Agreed
#3656 posted by Drew [65.92.134.160] on 2010/09/04 05:26:38
(at least about rubicon 2).
please?
#3657 posted by Spirit [80.171.84.66] on 2010/09/04 15:15:13
posting this as a reminder to myself to play it some day:
http://decay.half-lifecreations.co...
#3658 posted by [201.58.240.56] on 2010/09/05 03:40:08
sad
This post was flagged as spam.
#3659 posted by a spammer [66.79.164.110] on 2010/09/06 04:47:24
#3660 posted by mwh [202.124.96.158] on 2010/09/06 06:46:53
Random -- the text is from the times of india.
Amnesia
#3661 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.57] on 2010/09/07 23:45:49
I tried the demo today.. I need to go to the shops tomorrow to pick up some new pants :P
Its great, and a pretty natural evolution from the Penumbra games.
..Don't...stand...in the water
DNF,
#3662 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.225] on 2010/09/08 13:07:21
GG Gearbox really. Reckon they'll get a half-decent shooter out of it.
So-called "Quantum Chess"
#3663 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/09 05:59:22
interesting anyway: http://research.cs.queensu.ca/Para...
1. Pieces randomly choose their type when you click on them once, then you click again to move (or if no legal moves are available, your turn is over.)
2. once a piece type is determined, it won't go back to a question mark until it lands on a black square.
3. you have to actually capture the king to win, rather than just mating.
It's Kind Of Interesting
#3664 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/09 06:25:46
but totally missing the point of chess.
VVVVVV Now Only $5
#3665 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/09 06:41:45
http://thelettervsixtim.es/
Posted previously, but it was $15 which is pretty outlandish for a (nice) flash game. $5 seems reasonable.
(Also on Steam apparently)
VVVVVV
#3666 posted by Bal [81.249.102.150] on 2010/09/09 07:58:37
It's super hard!
But fun. :)
Rofl
#3667 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/09/09 11:42:22
The computer always gets the right pieces and all i get are peasants.
Maybe it would be intersting if there were specific rules that decide what piece you get.
Hmm
#3668 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/09/09 16:31:23
The world is not entirely evile;
http://kotaku.com/5633629/minecraf...
"Give Up Robot"
#3669 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/10 01:51:56
good twitch platformer with a grappling hook. I've only made it to level 43 so far:
http://armorgames.com/play/6586/gi...
Hmm
#3670 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/09/10 02:50:11
Yeh, tis cool, very GlaDOS on acid vibe to it, altho the jump response is slightly annoying at time (you have to release all keys to jump again, so I kept running off ledges).
And strangely played it, returned to post and found I'd got to exactly the same point. I think it's 'cos that run left/right on the elevator through a death maze in level 42 is so taxing that a break is needed.
Give Up Robot
#3671 posted by Bal [194.2.155.253] on 2010/09/10 11:15:49
Nice game, reached the last level (50), it's hard.
Also finished VVVVVV yesterday, fun game, but hardcore as well.
Starcraft 2 Mapping
#3672 posted by Jago [84.249.95.211] on 2010/09/10 22:28:44
So, can anyone recommend any other tutorial sites for SC2 editor besides SC2Mapster?
Hmm
#3673 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/09/10 23:03:44
NYARGH!
Got to level 50. Brain melted before I managed to complete it.
I can do the first (easy bit). I can land the hookshot onto the spinner from the right point to land on the dissolving platforms. I can even re-hook onto the 1x1 moving block.
Then I swing face first into the top or bottom of the (first of three) pixel perfect gates. Every. Single. Time.
Also, pretty things; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YH...
The interviewer is piss annoying and there's too much of his face, but what you can see of the game itself looks interesting. Metroid/Ikaruga gameplay combined with a Tron/SotC fusion aethestic.
Bastion looks very lovely too, altho I may have already mentioned this...
#3674 posted by meTch [99.51.245.130] on 2010/09/11 00:28:48
the interviewer does not now how to talk into a microphone, he's popping his p's and all the other shit that annoys the hell out of people, the jerk.
Jago
#3675 posted by DaZ [78.147.167.75] on 2010/09/11 02:45:25
http://www.youtube.com/user/Ahnari...
He does commentaries mainly but is also a fairly well known sc2 mapper. He had 2 videos currently detailing the basics of the editor (which you probably wont need to watch, it really is the basics) but will release more very soon detailing the script editors and etc etc, recommended :)
SciFi Construction Game
#3676 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/16 17:42:07
http://knucklecracker.com/
Needs 2d Artist
#3677 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/09/16 17:46:34
Eversion
#3678 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.97.102] on 2010/09/18 19:35:16
Nobody listed this yet?
http://zarat.us/tra/offline-games/...
A cutesy platformer with a few dark secrets.
Half Life2
#3679 posted by Mike Woodham [86.161.94.27] on 2010/09/19 11:12:41
After not having played any games for a very long time, I found I had a long forgoten Steam account with HL2 available. I have just spent 19 hours playing it again and what great fun.
Fortunately, I have the memory of a goldfish so remebered very little of it - it was just like playing a new game.
Think I might try a few more; not sure I want to play Quake anymore.
Hmm
#3680 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/09/19 14:48:12
Get yourself the orange box too if you enjoyed HL2, more of the game/story, plus portal/tf2...
#3681 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/09/19 19:21:39
Get yourself the orange box too if you enjoyed HL2, more of the game/story, plus portal/tf2...
Seconding this. Portal is incredible. I just replayed it again (+ advanced levels) in preparation for testing a buddy's beta level, got re-hooked and am now making my way through the "least-portals" challenges. Sooo cool.
Fortunately, I have the memory of a goldfish so remebered very little of it - it was just like playing a new game.
Hahaha, this is me. I can replay a game from a few years back, and it's almost like playing something new sometimes. Hooray, early onset of senility.
#3682 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/19 20:16:35
Hahaha, this is me. I can replay a game from a few years back, and it's almost like playing something new sometimes. Hooray, early onset of senility.
me too, but i find there are some games that i can replay and other i just can't.
for example, i got back into deus ex easily, but got bored of unreal.
Unreal IS Boring
#3683 posted by generic [67.233.206.50] on 2010/09/20 01:44:19
It's been a real chore for me to finish it...and I still have to play the expansion pack. Joy!
Bioschok Scripted Event Trailer.
#3684 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.228] on 2010/09/22 10:35:34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyH...
7 minutes of completely linear on-rails (literally) interactive movie scripted events, 1 minute of actual gameplay.
Still, the setting looks awesome.
Yep
#3685 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/09/22 11:00:03
i was about to write something similar regarding the amount of gameplay. It's actually 30 secs at 3:30 and a minute or so (if you are generous regarding what's actually gameplay) after 6:00
Yeah...
#3686 posted by Bal [83.204.253.151] on 2010/09/22 11:38:36
They had the same thing for Bioshock 1, and it still turned out not too linear.
The game isn't coming out before 2012, so I'm guessing this is more of an intentions mockup.
Dammnnnn
#3687 posted by starbuck [217.41.45.253] on 2010/09/22 13:37:50
looks good. As does Elizabeth, boner.
+1 To Wanting To Bone Elizabeth
#3688 posted by RickyT23 [86.142.195.34] on 2010/09/22 14:15:30
Woot
#3689 posted by Vondur [195.218.191.171] on 2010/09/22 14:25:38
can't wait for it
Agreed
#3690 posted by Drew [70.53.220.22] on 2010/09/23 04:39:17
I actually just finished bioshock (on xbox - sorry shambler)last night, and just watched the trailer for infinite this morning.
Push
#3691 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/23 04:52:41
Flash platformer where your mouse cursor can distort the play field in order to progress.
http://www.casualcollective.com/#g...
Gothic 4 Demo
#3692 posted by negke [88.70.69.19] on 2010/09/24 00:14:18
Mixed feelings. Graphics are good, even though the trees could have been higher quality (I recommend disabling the vegetation fading option). Performance seems okay on my mid-range machine - not entirely smooth on max settings, but definitely playable. On the other hand, there's not much going on and there are no huge areas in the demo, so I'm not sure.
Hard to tell if the gameplay holds true to the Gothic series. The demo doesn't show that much. Though, admittedly, with 1-2 hours its playtime is surprisingly long for a demo these days.
My initial impression (and fear) is that the game is quite consolized. For example, it's impossible to climb or jump over certain stuff, you can't swim in water (=death), there's 'safety clipping' and I think I read somewhere that there isn't going to be a huge open world but several levels, which the demo island would support. Having just played through The Witcher, this would be quite a disappointment.
Combat isn't too original apparently. Not as dull as G3, but still pretty much button-mashing. The skilling system seems to be different from the predecessors - basic skills don't require teachers anymore.
Another thing I that think is unnecessarily reducing immersion is a fade-to-black effect every time you start a conversation.
Shambler fap potential: ~3.5/5
I'm still going to get the full game, but... dunno. Nothing beats G1 and 2 (which I've also replayed recently). Risen 2 is in the works, too.
Minecraft
#3693 posted by than [180.146.62.13] on 2010/09/24 15:30:41
I've been playing this a bit too after a friend at work suggested we try playing it together. It's absolutely the most addictive thing I ever touched (except my penis... but that's not a pc game) and I have already sunk hours and hours into first playing it single player and experiencing the survival aspect, and now multi player, and getting more time to build stuff. I'm still playing in survival, so I need to mine the materials I build with, but there is currently a bug that makes everything invincible, so I needn't worry about monsters attacking at night.
Anyway, I'm kind of surprised more people here aren't talking about it, since it seems like exactly the kind of game that would get mappers hooked. The graphics and feel of the lighting are even a little like Quake.
Yeah
#3694 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/24 16:19:44
I{m looking to make an office server for it.
It{s stupidly addictive. I clicked on an empty save game by accident and ended up playing in a brand new world for a good half hour.
Now for the showing off:
I{ve got a tower of despair which floats free of the terrain, being accessed via bridge and gets wider the higher up it goes. It{s got about fifteen rooms, and is getting close to the clouds. It has an obsidian obelisk, loads of glass windows and a wall of gold over the double doors. It has an escape tunnel to my mining camp (an underground tower) and a causeway to my beachside cabana of doom.
Oh
#3695 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/24 16:21:35
And my tower has an amphitheater, overlooking the obelisk.
#3696 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/09/24 20:23:20
Anyway, I'm kind of surprised more people here aren't talking about it, since it seems like exactly the kind of game that would get mappers hooked.
I think actually, mappers already have an (arguably better) outlet for their world-building impulses, so they might be less excited by it. As soon as i started building something serious I stopped and thought, "hmm, this would be easier in radiant."
Minecraft
#3697 posted by Bal [82.124.152.180] on 2010/09/26 01:05:43
I like the survival and mining/crafting aspect more than the building. I mean, I like the building too, but it wouldn't be enough to hook me (and wasn't the first time I tried a few months back, in multiplaer).
I have a flying tower as well, I access it with a ladder, and to leave it I have a waterfall coming from my interior pool that reaches all the way to the bottom (alternativelly, I've discovered that just jumping off info the water, few hundred meters below works fine too :).
I'm looking forward to him adding more gameplay. Monsters, special dungeons etc. I already found a few special rooms with spawning zombies, and chests, that was nice.
I stoped playing though, cause Civilisation V is out...
Oh Wow
#3698 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/09/26 01:49:01
civ 5 looks amazing and i like some of the gameplay changes they've made like forcing only 1 unit per tile instead of being able to infinitely stack them.
sounds like it'll simulate how armies can eat the land dry or something.
#3699 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/09/26 02:08:54
Civ 5 is awesome. Want to try mp with some dudes. Anyone up for mp?
Special Rooms
#3700 posted by ijed [190.22.103.195] on 2010/09/26 05:48:04
Haven't found any yet - though I saw a minepedia entry describing them.
Interior pool? Damn, that beats me then. Can you swim up the waterfall as well?
Ijed, Zwiffle, Necros
#3701 posted by Bal [83.204.129.122] on 2010/09/26 11:00:48
Yeah I only found 2 special rooms in my playtime, usually while wandering around natural mines, sometimes you'll hear the noise of many zombies, try to dig around towards the noise and you may find one (the ones I found were always totally closed in otherwise, so you have to dig to get in).
And no unfortunatly I can't swim up the waterfall, I could but it's so slow, and my tower is so high that it would take 10 minutes.
I also have a glass tower of lava along my tower, so I can see it from far away even during the night.
Maybe I'll try some CivV MP later. Seems kind of long though, not sure if it's the kind of game I like multiplayer. Can you save the game to continue later?
And yeah it's a great game, the one army per hex rule is a good change.
Yeah
#3702 posted by ijed [190.22.100.222] on 2010/09/26 20:23:26
I stole your idea about the water lifts - they look very cool but it's faster to walk up (breathing would be a problem as well).
An indoor pool got me thinking about an indoor farm though - hydroponic.
Not least because I finally found a secret room (about ten minutes after reading your post) with two chests and a spider-spawner. The chests had bread and wheat and stuff in them. Very frustrating that I fell into lava about three minutes later and lost it all, including the 'mossy cobblestone' the room had been made out of.
But, I finally figured out how to remove lava with water, and I suspect that I can make one of these obsidian factories, although to date trying to pick up lava I've only managed to incinerate myself.
Need more diamond to make some decent tools as well...
Aha
#3703 posted by ijed [190.22.100.222] on 2010/09/26 20:27:00
And, I finally broke through the cloud layer - just building the walls now. Wonder if the clouds will still appear, just clipping through the tower like a floating carpet.
Should probably be making a speedmap.
Special Rooms
#3704 posted by ijed [190.22.100.222] on 2010/09/26 20:38:58
Hopefully they mean the start of a proper dungeon generator - that'd be cool.
For the next new enemies the slimes sound good, almost like multi-part Shoggoth'.
Disaster
#3705 posted by ijed [190.22.47.69] on 2010/09/28 03:17:22
So I tried Obsidian farming.
Unfortunately I tried it inside the tower, where the floors at least were made of wood - burnt the lot.
I think it must have been sparks from the lava since the thing was inside a stone trough.
Then the water from my hydroponic farm got everywhere.
http://www.4shared.com/photo/EiRik...
The white thing is a cloud.
The other 'day' I found a creeper inside the tower as well, that knocked all the pictures off the walls. Must remember to close the doors. And put doors on the water lifts, just in case.
Haha
#3706 posted by DaZ [92.26.160.32] on 2010/09/28 03:33:09
awesome :)
My latest travels involve a boat! I made a little port with a jetty and a couple of boats and have been sailing up and down the coast and jumping down every hole I found along the way.
What a fantastic little game!
Ijed
#3707 posted by Bal [83.204.152.103] on 2010/09/28 08:40:33
Heh, you're story reminds me this :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnj...
The fireplace in my home is surrounded by rocks, was really careful when making it (same for my glass tower of lava, which pools down to the glass ceiling of my main room, procuring some nice lighting).
Hahah
#3708 posted by ijed [190.22.47.69] on 2010/09/28 13:56:34
That cheers me up, as I lay my stone floors :)
I've got a tower of lava as well, which joins my moat of lava - great for frying the bad guys.
#3709 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/09/28 15:36:14
lol that was pretty hilarious Bal.
Haha
#3710 posted by DaZ [78.147.110.71] on 2010/09/28 17:15:25
Yeah, I've been there :)
Read All This Minecraft Chat
#3711 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/09/28 23:50:20
and I was all FINE I'll buy it. Err, it's quite addictive, it somehow appears to be nighttime now.
My achievements are pretty lame so far though. I created a glorious small wooden shed with one window. I created a retarded cobblestone house that zombies like to hang out in. Took me about 3 hours to spot the iron ore. Got repeatedly killed by what appears to be a small Optimus Prime carrying a crossbow. I dominate the sheep though. And pigs.
Wasn't loving it at the start though, due to installing/server/launcher woes, general lack of explanation of how you do fucking anything, and graphics being so basic you have to guess what things are. Is that a pile of string? A table? Fuck it's attacking me.
I look forward to wasting many more hours of my prime years on this though. I love the feeling of feeling (almost) safe in your house with all your torches at night, venturing in from the danger of the dark, with possibly useful objects and large stone blocks in your backpack.
P.S. Someone get Aardappel to port it to Cube please. Thanks.
#3712 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/09/29 00:46:26
can't say i'm ever going to install this game, but that video was pretty fkn funny.
The Video
#3713 posted by ijed [190.22.47.69] on 2010/09/29 02:27:13
All that stuff he had in his house must have taken ages to get hold of - I've been playing for quite a while and have only one book block.
Kona, if you enjoy having free time then for the love of god don't install it.
We've just started our office server, downside being that humans can't receive damage. Apparently that's in the works for some time this week though.
More Minecraft
#3714 posted by Bal [90.2.107.6] on 2010/09/29 10:28:41
You think all that stuff in the mouse must have taken time?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGk...
So He Built A Computer?
#3715 posted by ijed [190.22.83.236] on 2010/09/29 13:43:34
And... what mouse ;)
Was that done with the level editor? Must have been.
Heh
#3716 posted by DaZ [92.26.173.117] on 2010/09/29 15:51:44
Pretty cool some of the things people are making!
Not sure if pigs grazing in the middle of your computer chip is a good thing, lol
Blow Shit Up!
#3717 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/29 17:10:40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqK...
Bah
#3718 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/29 17:12:24
That video doesn't show the crater it leaves at the point of impact - its about the size of the first house you make.
Uh Turpile Post
#3719 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/09/29 17:13:29
Yes it does.
Malice TC
#3720 posted by Ether [2.121.228.105] on 2010/09/30 12:47:17
Greetings folks!
Pardon me if this is the inappropriate thread to raise such speculation, however from my eye it had no suitable home in the others. I've just finished ripping and tearing through Ratloop's Malice TC for Quake, an exceptional addon in my eye without getting into an extensive analysis of why this is so.
The question I wish to raise is did the development team neglect to include a source kit to allow users to create their own levels, or did they simply not want others to do so? As I must say the only diminishing factor for me was the length of Malice.
I wish it were more extensive! And it is a shame no custom maps were made for it.
#3721 posted by negke [88.70.58.203] on 2010/10/01 22:14:48
Ether: They put a devkit on the long-defunct Malice website. Here is the file: http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/...
Spirit: Have you played Half-Life Decay yet? If not, let's try to play it together. Thing is, it appears to be a a sort of coop mod (straight port from the PS2 version or something); playing in SP is stupid because one has to control both characters - there is no AI control. Or at least so it seems.
HL2DM New Map Released: Dm_stripclub
#3722 posted by QMD [70.49.54.54] on 2010/10/02 09:44:06
Welcome to CITY514, sister of city17.
After a good lunch at your favorite restaurant on the main, you
and your friends decide to cross the street and have a beer at
the stripclub. You can easily see the mood of the staff that aren't
satisfied to work there by hearing what they're saying. Feel all
the action of a real stripclub by yourself! Oh by the way, if you
see Nancy can you say hi to her for me? ;)
get it here:
http://www.fpsbanana.com/maps/1460...
ENJOY!
QMD
QMD I Literally Love You
#3723 posted by czg [83.255.52.54] on 2010/10/02 10:25:12
#3724 posted by Vigil [89.27.42.215] on 2010/10/03 00:50:06
Map rating : for anyone, no nudity content (seriously)
That kind of ruins it, now doesn't it?
L4D/L4D2 On The Cheap
#3725 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/10/05 22:43:31
Sacrifice related
http://kotaku.com/5656397/the-sacr...
Asaki I'm looking at you, but you're not looking back, because you don't visit func.
Definitely
#3726 posted by negke [88.70.57.249] on 2010/10/06 13:46:05
L4D bundle - both games for 10 bucks. Can't get any better than that.
Unreally
#3727 posted by generic [67.233.197.34] on 2010/10/07 00:46:15
I finally finished Unreal -- kind of long and meh, if you ask me -- and was wondering if I should even bother with the Return to Na Pali mission pack.
Also, I have been playing Rune lately and am totally digging it :)
If Oyu Didnt Like Unreal
#3728 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/10/07 02:11:05
RTNP is not going to change your mind.
Hmm
#3729 posted by DaZ [78.147.160.87] on 2010/10/07 02:11:42
If I remember right, the expansion was a bit poo?
There are some very high quality custom map packs/episodes out there that are probably better!
No Its Not Poo
#3730 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/10/07 02:12:39
but it is basically more of the same.
Generic
#3731 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/10/07 02:13:24
do you have UT or Unreal only? If UT, I can suggest a couple of mapppacks.
Unreal Gold Only
#3732 posted by generic [67.233.197.34] on 2010/10/07 13:27:52
No UT :(
So, what mappacks/episodes are good for Unreal?
I'll Have To Check Through My Backup Drive
#3733 posted by nitin [124.148.168.36] on 2010/10/07 13:51:25
but Tower of Shrakitha comes to mind as does Tim Jervis' Illhaven
Generic
#3734 posted by erc [195.174.19.175] on 2010/10/09 17:53:22
Here are my recommendations:
Attacked
The Elder
Hexephet
Illhaven Saga
The Landing
Liberation of Na Pali
One Day
Shamu Quest
Shinigami Level Pack 1
Spantobi: Unexpected Threat
Tarmation: The Tiradium Sublimation
Tarmation 2: A Rude Awakening
The Tower of Shrakith'a
Valley of Alshar
You can find all of the above (with reviews) at unrealsp.org. I'm not sure if you would like them or not as you've stated that you didn't enjoy the original much, but still...
About Unreal SP
#3735 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/10/09 19:12:39
Is it possible to play these maps with Unreal Tournament ? Or do I need something "different" like Quake vs Quake 2 (note I am not really an Unreal expert :P) ?
Beeep
#3736 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/10/09 19:13:42
Should gave real post #3731 and "3732 before posting... though... :(
Cheers, Erc!
#3737 posted by generic [67.233.197.34] on 2010/10/09 20:36:43
I will still have a look, even if the original didn't thrill me.
Hexephet
#3738 posted by Drew [70.53.226.39] on 2010/10/10 01:19:51
that one is awesome.
Yeah
#3739 posted by nitin [124.148.168.36] on 2010/10/10 02:38:59
Hexephet and One Day are both great packs too.
JPL, you can play most of these in UT with the Oldskool mod but some of them are Unreal only due to some coding issues (I think Liberation of Na Pali is one of those).
But if you have UT and want to try some good mappacks :
Operation Na Pali
7 Bullets
Xidia Gold
Ortican
Project Zephon
Project Xenome
Nitin
#3740 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2010/10/10 22:34:30
Thanks a lot for the information: I'll try this as soon as possible :D
#3741 posted by nitin [124.148.168.36] on 2010/10/11 00:01:36
http://www.unrealsp.org
if you want reviews and download links.
Robot Wants [Thing]
#3742 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/10/11 02:40:26
It's interesting to see the progression in these games:
Robot Wants Kitty is practically a proof of concept with its bare-bones artwork and a relatively small game world, but establishes the basic "metroidvania" game progression.
http://jayisgames.com/games/robot-...
Robot Wants Puppy makes the art a little better, adds bosses, more interesting enemies, and a really cool kitten-based combat system. The only weak part is the over-reliance on keys, i think -- the whole point of this genre is using abilities rather than locked doors to gate the player.
http://jayisgames.com/games/robot-...
Robot Wants Fishy really brings the polish; the world design is more interesting, the art is better, tbe bosses are better. Introduce health points (in this case a shield good for one hit) and upgradeable items.
http://jayisgames.com/games/robot-...
The last in the series, Robot Wants Ice Cream is on the verge of getting away from the roots a bit, but is still solid if you like the previous games. There's a crazy amount of pickups in this game since everything gets upgraded multiple times, and they probably should have been color coded, but it's still good. Now you have three hit points and can aquire energy tanks to power your special abilities. Progression requires more thought and exploration than before, but not in a bad way.
http://jayisgames.com/games/robot-...
"really Cool Kitten-based Combat System"
#3743 posted by mwh [202.124.96.158] on 2010/10/11 03:31:42
is an awesome phrase
This post was flagged as spam.
#3744 posted by a spammer [202.133.49.59] on 2010/10/11 08:53:09
Arcania - Gothic 4
#3745 posted by negke [88.70.236.189] on 2010/10/16 14:37:40
Mixed feelings. By itself, it's not a bad game. Polished, bug-free, (mostly) nice graphics and some cool-looking areas. However, as a sequel to the Gothic series I'm afraid it is.
It was a obviously developed as a console game, and should work very well there (minus the reduced graphic detail maybe). As a PC game, it falls short on many levels - it ultimately ends up being a linear action game with watered-down RPG elements. Everything that was great or unique about its predecessors is neglected or left out, for example skill upgrades, alchemy and forging don't require trainers and workshops, friendly NPCs can't be attacked and the AI doesn't infight, you can steal everything and nobody cares, no sleeping, heavily simplified magic system etc. Exploration is hardly possible in the more or less confined 'levels' (seamless transition between the areas but blocked until the corresponding point in the main quest line). Needless to say, it's impossible to climb or jump up larger rocks and other structures. There are some semi-hidden chests here and there, and a few optional console-style "Find 30 hiddem items" quests, but that's it. At least it's possible to turn off the radar and quest markers.
Relatively low number of side quests, though this makes sense given the small scale of the areas.
Combat isn't very sophisticated and it's easy, even on hard difficulty (which I played on). Ok, to be fair, I used the Inferno spell a lot, especially in the samey dungeons later on.
The story is kind of silly. Felt somewhat random, not as epic as in the other games. They could have filled the holes a little better. One does meet all the main characters and all the monsters from the Gothic universe, but in the end, I think this game would have been better off as a standalone RPG. That way, the bar wouldn't have been so high and people probably less critical.
Bottom line, a good game (mainly for non-PC platforms), but a bad sequel. I did enjoy the ~22 hours (except for the two hours I wasted running around confused and clueless in the city before and during that asshole quest where one has to find stuff to destroy the magic barrier :P), but still I have to lower my inital SFP rating to ~2-2.5 / 5
Yeah...
#3746 posted by Bal [83.204.193.209] on 2010/10/16 15:03:56
I agree with most of that negke.
Suprisingly the first area (around the tavern) felt the most interesting to explore, then as you go things seem to be more and more linear, and I had very little interest in exploring.
Also, what the hell is up with the teleporter stones that only work in pairs? That was stupid.
It almost feels like you could take the island, open it up completely, and make a new game out of it, that would be more faithful to the Gothic series.
Risen was more of a Gothic4 in my opinion really.
This post was flagged as spam.
#3747 posted by a spammer [205.209.142.14] on 2010/10/22 11:33:08
Necronomicon Card Game
#3748 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/10/22 21:33:13
http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/n...
CoD: MW2 (360)
#3749 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/10/24 01:01:58
Not on the PC, but I play MW2, L4D 1/2, Bioshock 2, Nazi Zombies, Borderlands, &c on Xbox live when I have time. Gamertag is BetterThanUNIX.
Sorry for going off topic.
Boom Tish
#3750 posted by rj [86.0.165.149] on 2010/10/24 01:03:42
http://www.celephais.net/board/vie...
Doh!
#3751 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/10/24 03:29:35
#3752 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/10/25 17:27:22
Anyone try any of these yet?
http://www.ripten.com/2010/10/24/f...
They all look pretty obvious I'm not quite sure why Obsidian didn't already to these for the game?
Vietcong 2 (2005) Review
#3753 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/10/26 03:31:04
While I enjoyed the original Vietcong, released in 2003, the follow-up two years later was very lacklustre. It almost felt more like an expansion pack than a sequel.
The graphics were exactly the same and hadn't upgraded at all in two years. This definitely wasn't helped by the majority of the game being set in urban environments and towns. What made the original so great was it's lush jungle atmosphere, but that's missing here until the last 1/4 of the game.
The game is split into two parts (in theory), which a US campaign which is all urban based, followed by a VC campaign where your now a Vietnamese Soldier. Unfortunately the VC campain only takes a couple of hours, while the US campaign is around 5-6 hours. It all adds up to a well under 10 hour game, which feels like the developed pushed it out in an unfinished state.
The final battle at the end of the VC campaign was just another battle, no epic finale at all. The game just suddenly ends. I wouldn't be surprised if the VC campaign was supposed to be much longer but, for whatever reason, it was never finished.
Gameplay is similar to the original Vietcong except this time you have limited saves and some of the enemies can be very frustrating. There are countless times you'll see the enemies' head sticking out behind something, but your hopeless weapons just aren't capable of an accurate headshot. He'll hop up and somehow you still can't hit him. Your spray of bullets seem to be so inaccurate. The best line of attack is to sprint up to your targets or flank around and catch them face-to-face rather than trying to pick them off from a distance.
Overall, graphics that are dated for late 2005, ho-hum level designs and unpolished gameplay make Vietcong 2 are very average game. Perhaps it's a good thing that it's so short; that way you can play through it all on a rainy Sunday.
This post was flagged as spam.
#3754 posted by a spammer [66.79.163.156] on 2010/10/26 09:37:09
Looks Cool:
#3755 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.235.109] on 2010/10/26 19:49:55
http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/10/26/...
Doom 3 Hexen Mod
#3756 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/10/26 20:59:10
that's been in development for years. those guys are doom heroes for how much they've done.
Ha!
#3757 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/10/26 22:16:15
Yeah, I'm looking forward to that mod. Was on the team for a while until I got hired at HH cuz I ran out of time and the team sort of fell apart, which I've been told was not the first time it happened. They had a sort of weird set up on how to do things, so ... hope it actually gets released.
New Vegas!!!!
#3758 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.235.109] on 2010/10/27 03:30:18
98% downloaded :) :) :)
Been waiting for 8 hours for this to download :(
220KB/s is too slow. Looking forwards to seeing what the new shooting style is like (you can now look down the barrel of your weapons, yay!).
N-ewww Vegas
#3759 posted by negke [88.70.73.150] on 2010/10/27 20:31:44
It has ironsights. Now that you mentioned it, I realize FO3 didn't have them.
I haven't reached New Vegas yet, but I'm close. The game is pretty much like FO3 in terms of everything. Especially in the field of BROWN and LACK OF CONTRAST. Samey ugly wastelands. Some enemies are harder, giant radscorpions and deathclaws in particular. I guess this is where the new crafting/ammo creating system comes in handy, though I haven't bothered with it yet.
Typical FO3-style quests; the faction standing seems to be more sensitive now, which is probably a good thing.
If you liked the original, you'll enjoy this one, too. It's basically an addon, albeit large (and priced like a full game). I found that I could always only play it for some two at a time before getting too bored, and sometimes skipped through whole dialogues just to get the quests not caring about the story.
*two Hours
#3760 posted by [88.70.73.150] on 2010/10/27 20:33:06
Sky Serpents
#3761 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2010/10/28 06:34:08
Decent adaptation of the Shadow of the Colossus concept to a 2d platforming engine. Kill giant sky serpents while climing around on them and hopefully not falling off.
http://www.nitrome.com/games/skyse...
I Don't Get It
#3762 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/10/28 14:30:56
Cool Arcade Game
#3763 posted by JPL [82.227.228.57] on 2010/10/28 17:18:53
Mmmmmmm Shiny!
#3764 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2010/10/28 17:57:19
http://dmytry.pandromeda.com/games...
anyone tried it?
Project: Snowblind (2005) REVIEW
#3765 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/10/29 01:54:41
Project: Snowblind was originally supposed to be the third Deus Ex game. However since Deus Ex 2 didn't do well enough commercially, Project: Snowblind became it's own universe.
You play the role of a soldier who, after being injured in war, is surgically enhanced with a number of pointless powers.
One of the biggest problems with this game, that I found, is that I struggled to get my head around all the powers, weapons, alternate fires and general rubbish used to improve your assault. Give me a shotgun and machine gun and i'll be happy. And that's basically how I played the game, switching to the plasma gun and lightning gun (don't know what the actual names were but they're very similar to Quake 3) later in the game. It boggles the mind how a console gamer could come to grips with all the shortcuts for this game when I strugged to remember everything on the keyboard.
You also have a railgun and rocket launcher, both of which I chose to save for boss battles. In the end, there was only one boss battle a few levels from the finish. The actual final two levels were difficult overall for the only reason that you have such limited ammo (and I never realised the vehicles have insanely destructive guns). In fact throughout the entire game ammo is very tight, probably because I was sticking too much to the same weapons.
Project: Snowblind has no difficulty settings, a fairly big flaw and from what I recall the first action shooter I've played without them. Nevertheless, the game was fairly good at getting the difficulty just right. It's hard at times, but often it's because you don't have ammo for the right weapon. I probably died several times during the game, half of which I was able to resurrect myself using an item acquired for this purpose (there's plenty littered around).
The other major flaw in the game is no quicksaving. Instead in most levels you get 1-2 checkpoints; which are basically rooms with a computer where you can save progress. It wasn't until the last 1/3 of the game that I realised you could return to the checkpoint and resave again. It's a silly and pointless idea, they should have either done quicksaving or automatic (magic) checkpoints.
The enemies are all fairly similar, just carrying different weapons or shielding. There are some robots which take a bit of firepower and dish out a lot of damage, but they're slow and can easily be bought down by keeping cover.
The design of the game is fairly average for a 2005 release, although it was only February 2005 that it went gold. It was also intended for Xbox and PS2, so this may explain some of the average looks. But i'd expect better. None of the levels are fairly big, there are very few set pieces and instead of lot of corridor-room-corridor designs. Doom3's corridors look a lot better than Project: Snowblind's corridors.
The game was criticised for being too short, but coming off a 6-8 hour walk in Vietcong 2, Project: Snowblind isn't too bad. Perhaps just under the 10 hours.
Crystal Dynamics aren't known for their first person shooter PC action games, so it's a good start. Pity they've done nothing since except overflow the market with Lara Croft games.
Second Sight?
#3766 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/10/29 01:58:06
By the way what's Second Sight like? Are the graphics complete shit? I'm thinking of playing it next.
Also curious about Bet On Soldier: Blood Sport (also 2005). Otherwise my list of next games to play run like this:
Second Sight (2005) - 70%
Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005) - 76%
Area 51 (2005) - 78%
Peter Jackson's King Kong - 78%
Quake 4 (2005) - 81%
Call of Duty 2 - 87%
Resident Evil 4 (3rd person) - 76%
F.E.A.R. - 89%
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (2005) - 88%
FEAR Has Good Fun Gameplay
#3767 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.235.109] on 2010/10/29 03:46:53
Atmospheric too. Good AI.
R.E. 4 is meant to be good but I haven't played it.
I Disagree About FEAR
#3768 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/10/29 04:18:48
Felt it was pretty stale and uneventful.
RE4 was pretty good though, provided you can stand quick time events.
Boring Minecraft Vid With The Explosion At The End Kind Of Thing
#3769 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/10/29 21:39:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPl...
Hah
#3770 posted by ijed [190.22.110.152] on 2010/10/30 01:39:51
Not as good as the burning house, but the tediousness of the explanation makes it.
So I Got Steam,
#3771 posted by meTch [99.33.197.226] on 2010/10/30 03:52:27
So I could play Garry's Mod and Left4Dead2 but I've been running into a problem; when I go to start either of these games it shows the loading screen (in l4d2's case it shows the Valve and introduction movies before the load screen) sits for a bit (my guess is it's loading at this point) but then the screen flashes and the game goes away, no errors, nothing running on the backhand. So naturally I; FFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-'ed
and looked for a fix, I checked the Steam forums in various places but found them to be a clutter of whining, bitching, questions with obvious answers, and questions on trivial things, but most of all- to be pages of no value or help to me.
At this point I have tried the following quick cures to no avail; restarting, using 'verify integrity of game cache' under properties -local files, de-fragmenting and optimizing drive (least my computer feels more sound).
Also, I receive a window when trying to run L4D2 abut having an "unknown video card" which I have this profoundly strong feeling that this is not good, and as i can't upgrade at the moment I'm trying to suffice with what I have.
So now I'm asking here for help, because I've noticed some if not most of you use steam and play these games (at least L4D2) and have encounterd various problems.
[ps ur smartes peoples on internets :}]
What's Your Video Card?
#3772 posted by ericw [206.75.128.68] on 2010/10/30 05:26:07
It sounds like a drivers problem if the games crash after the loading video.. are your drivers up to date? L4D2 should run on pretty old cards - I played L4D1 on an ATI 9600.
The Mac Integration
#3773 posted by ijed [190.22.91.171] on 2010/10/30 06:33:08
Completely donald ducked the game. The steam forums are next to useless, but sounds like Eric has the fix with updating the drivers if not then complain on the forum all the same, sooner or later it should be fixed.
Recently in Vs games we've all ended up on the infected side, watching the bots cowering in the safe room.
Like batman and robin with another robin instead of batman.
I Got
#3774 posted by meTch [99.33.197.226] on 2010/10/30 16:56:04
Mobile Intel 965 express chipset family
the drivers are up to date
I know it's total tripe
Ok I Got Garry's Mod To Run
#3775 posted by meTch [99.101.189.104] on 2010/11/01 03:54:04
had to wade through shit to find that i needed to start the game with these command line arguments;
-autoconfig -safe -dxlevel 80
i'm not sure which one did it but w/e, l4d2 still dos net work but shits to that i got garry's mod
Osmos
#3776 posted by Ankh [192.100.112.210] on 2010/11/09 13:46:34
Very nice game. Simple ideas - great result!
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/puzzle/...
http://www.hemispheregames.com/osm...
Osmos Is Definitely A Fun Title...
#3777 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/11/09 18:11:19
... and some of the stages can get tough, at least for me. The levels where everything is static and large are neat figuring out how to outgrow everything else, though probably the easiest ones out of the lot.
Black Ops
#3778 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/11/09 18:58:33
Anyone have it ? I'm getting mine for PC, but hasn't been shipped yet (grr!) so no telling when I'll end up getting it.
Cool easter egg games though ... http://kotaku.com/5685349/how-to-u...
Played A Few Hours Just Then
#3779 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/11/10 01:14:55
not really my type of game, but the campaign is spectacle to the max and it's generally very cinematic and exciting, and HOLY SHIT I'M DRIVING A CAR NOW oh okay i've jumped out and stabbed a russian in the tit AND NOW I'M ON A BIKE and i've got to shoot down a nuke? With a crossbow? THE PRESIDENT IS ON FIRE!! What the fuck is happening? I think I've been double crossed. By myself?
Whoever wrote this game deserves some camomile and a nice sit down.
LOL.
#3780 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.3] on 2010/11/10 10:08:17
Best review for ages.
Cute Game About Balls
#3781 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/11/10 16:20:18
http://balldroppings.com/js/?1
Func Helpline
#3782 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.58] on 2010/11/10 17:02:17
How can I tell my best buddy that I don't want to "experience" Black Ops? I don't like this hyped-up war celebration and rails hordes gameplay.
I already don't play Starcraft II with him. Partially because I would not buy it with all its DRM. But also because I just don't care about it. I'd play some older games (Red Alert, Dawn of War, Dark Reign) any day though.
#3783 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/11/10 17:06:03
You could say "I don't want to play that game." but, you know, in German.
I've Got A Mate Who Swears That CODMW2
#3784 posted by RickyT23 [81.157.17.189] on 2010/11/10 17:41:32
Is THE real game for REAL gamers, he says it's totally realistic and that no other game comes close. (He also says that his favourite tactic is to find a hole in the clipping hull so that he can shoot other players from outside the map - very realistic eh?
I say that he is a sheep, following a herd of marketing victims. I swear I would buy those games if they didnt cost £40. I would play the SP campaign then shelve them for evar. BFBC2 is apparently inferior to MW2 according to this freind of mine. He says he knows this, even though he admits he has never played the game!
Now This Looks Like Some Serious Fun!
#3785 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2010/11/10 18:02:02
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Duty
#3786 posted by jt_ [216.55.112.130] on 2010/11/11 17:36:26
Is definitely not the end-all-be-all of games, but for console fps mp I'm having trouble finding anything as good. The only other mp games I really play on the 360 is tf2, borderlands and some bioshock 2. On the tere are a ton of fps mp games that can competently compete with it for my attention.
Last Sentence
#3787 posted by jt_ [216.55.112.130] on 2010/11/11 17:38:38
is supposed to start with 'on the pc there'. Still not completely used to the droid's sw keyboard.
FO New Vegas
#3788 posted by negke [88.70.233.93] on 2010/11/13 09:50:04
Pro tip: Don't do all the side quests before even entering The Strip. Better to be one step before the end instead of having to do all the additional main quests after having lost interest.
Lol
#3789 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/11/13 17:34:26
I'm at level 20 and I've done a bunch of quests, and I haven't been into the strip yet :S
Perpetuum
#3790 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/11/17 22:26:39
Is this like the new EVE Online? Anyone heard about this? Coming out November 25th, so ...
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
COD Black Ops
#3791 posted by negke [88.70.60.110] on 2010/11/17 23:37:37
Fucking bleh. So unbelievably stupid and not even fun.
Negke
#3792 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/11/17 23:46:57
Did you get it for PC? Gotta play zombie mode with me, biff and pushplay!
COD Games
#3793 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/11/18 00:22:36
Overhyped, overpriced and buggy. The multiplayer elements of the games (since COD3 and 4 certainly) is supposed to be the best part, but people who win all of the time use cheats and exploits (errors in the clipping hull which allow people to sit outside the visible space and shoot people who are inside the map).
I would have probably bought MW2 if it wasn't £40 ($60 US). £30 should be enough!!!
Just Cause 2
#3794 posted by Drew [65.92.134.235] on 2010/11/18 04:23:20
fun but absolutely devouring my school projects.
Pro
just fucking around blowing shit up and zip lining away is awesome.
Cons
repetitive when it comes to missions/ cut scenes.
Cannot kill hookers.
COD Games
#3795 posted by Jago [194.86.38.38] on 2010/11/18 10:19:24
Haven't played the older COD games, but:
COD: MW - good singleplayer, absolutely spectacular multiplayer
COD: MW2 - better singleplayer than MW1, way worse multiplayer than MW1
As for Black Ops, I am going to wait and see how the game turns out once they release a few more patches for it and once the price drops down a bit.
Just Cause 2
#3796 posted by DaZ [78.147.162.120] on 2010/11/18 13:11:12
I had so much fun with this =) its almost scary how great this game is!
That grapple hook provides endless hilarity! if you have not tried this game out, go and snag it!
#3797 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/11/18 13:24:58
Cannot kill hookers.
Pro, con or nuetral?
#3798 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/11/18 18:03:29
neutral, i can brutally murder hookers any day of the week, why would I want to do it in a game? Gamers don't want the daily grind, they want true escapism. I've raped 3 dozen times this week, and now you want me do do it in my spare time, when i'm supposed to be unwinding? It's complete bullshit.
But
#3799 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/11/18 18:11:26
Games allow you a bigger wardrobe and you don't feel self-conscious whilst murdering the hooker with a massive Mexican hat on.
#3800 posted by starbuck [92.236.80.129] on 2010/11/18 20:35:05
hat-wearing simulation games are really where the future of the medium is headed IMO. TF2 is making some great advances at the moment, really groundbreaking stuff!
Is There
#3801 posted by spy [88.204.223.40] on 2010/11/20 15:13:07
some way to activate console in wolf-2009
or there is not console at all?
Rune
#3802 posted by generic [67.233.204.162] on 2010/11/21 15:57:05
Just recently finished it and like it a lot more than I did Unreal -- even with its boring start levels. Overall, I really enjoyed the different environments, assorted weaponry and rune powers, and odd touches like eating lizards for health and riding flying beetles. The change to godhood seemed a little tacked on but, all in all, it was a very satisfying romp.
Play it now!
#3803 posted by Spirit [80.171.83.74] on 2010/11/21 18:45:55
I am playing Rune every now and then. Unfortunately the Linux version is pretty buggy and things are sometimes vanishing (like entities in Quake ;) ).
Apart from that it is quite fun. The underwater levels with the crabs were really annoying though.
Now I am stuck at some castle thing with a broken bridge over lava and a rope just outside my jumping range. No idea how to progress.
Starbuck
#3804 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/11/27 00:01:21
I was wondering what the fuck was going on. Maybe pants simulation next week?
Nehrim
#3805 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/11/27 18:28:57
...is an amazing TC for Oblivion. I just started playing last night and am thoroughly impressed. I'm still in the first semi-tutorial area so am not allowed to roam as I please quite yet, but I'm having more fun than I did with stock Oblivion.
(I thought it had been mentioned here, but I did a search and couldn't find anything?)
To quote from another forum:
What is Nehrim?
Nehrim is a total conversion modification for TES: Oblivion made by a group of hardcore Germans that have gained fame by making high quality mods and TCs for Morrowind and Fallout 3. They've gotten better over time and Nehrim is quite possibly the peak of their abilities right now. It is literally a whole new game for you to explore and play - for free.
How does it work into Oblivion?
It doesn't. It's a total conversion. When you install it, you will be required to have an install of Oblivion on your computer and it will steal whatever it needs from your installation to its own installation. This game is an entirely new world that has nothing to do with The Elder Scrolls universe, Oblivion, or anything else for that matter. It has its own lore and backgrounds
Why should I download and play it?
What makes Nehrim special is that the dev team packed the game world with so much detail and content that you couldn't possibly be bored no matter what direction you pick to walk in.
This means that those copy n' paste dungeons with little to no life that were in the original Oblivion are gone and replaced with hand crafted shit. Everywhere. And it's gorgeous. These guys are good and have incredibly high standards of polish to their mods and Nehrim's the peak of that. 4 years of development, bitches!
They somehow managed to shove 56 German professional voice actors into a studio and had the goddamned patience to lip synch it all afterwards. I don't speak German, but it sure sounds good to my English ears!
The game's level mechanics are static and not leveled like Oblivion's. Everything in the game is hand crafted and placed from the equipment to the monsters to the trees. There are zones in the game where you should be and zones where you shouldn't be based on your level, but the game won't stop you from going there anyway for the most part. If you're level 15 in a level 3 area, you'll destroy everything. If you're level 3 in a level 15 area you'll get bent over and raped.
Make sure you follow the install instructions, especially if you have Steam, or shit will blow up.
Torrent: http://www.sureai.de/download/nehr...
Download links: http://www.nehrim.de/dataEV.html
Pics and more info: http://www.nehrim.de/
#3806 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/11/27 19:49:31
that sounds really cool. i haven't played oblivion in years for all the things that are supposed to be fixed in this TC... i'll see about taking this for a spin on the weekend. :)
thanks
One More Caveat...
#3807 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/11/27 21:09:06
The prologue bit (before you reach the abbey) has some inviso-walls and (slightly lame at times) kill triggers to keep you from wandering in the wrong direction once you exit the initial underground area. Supposedly that goes away once you're allowed to play as you will, and isn't really representative of the rest of the game.
#3808 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/11/27 21:15:47
i don't think that'll bother me too much.
tbh, i felt oblivion could have used a little more railroading. i just hope that the game's quests will point me to the next higher level area when appropriate like WoW since this TC uses static levels instead of leveled lists like the original oblivion.
#3809 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/11/28 00:44:26
They tell you a suggested level range as you're entering a new area (e.g. 7-14) and you may need to play more or less cautiously, depending on where you currently fall in that range.
Quick Update
#3810 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/11/28 08:13:43
I spent a while tonight screwing around in a 7-14 area, even though I'm just level 4, and it was doable, even though I had to be very careful, and cheese things a few times (e.g. beat three tough bandits by running backwards down the road constantly healing myself while taking the occasional swing at whoever was in the lead). Apparently it's safer to travel during the day and stick to the roads...
Nehrim
#3811 posted by DaZ [78.147.159.44] on 2010/11/28 10:18:15
Screenshots look great! Can I be bothered to re-install oblivion though :P
#3812 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/11/28 19:37:44
only played an hour or so last night. very high quality everything.
the voice acting really is good and it's really too bad i can't understand what they are saying and have to read subtitles. it's professional level stuff.
Steam Sales And Gift Packs
#3813 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2010/11/29 20:02:43
Hey, there are some pretty good steam sales going on.
Anyone recommend Metro 2033 for $10?
Also, anyone interested in a Lead and Gold gift pack for $20? (10 copies of the game! Wowowowowowo!) I have no idea if its fun or not.
#3814 posted by negke [88.70.251.187] on 2010/11/29 20:12:41
I wouldn't recommend Metro 2033 even if it was down to $1...
But yeah, some good sales indeed. The indie game packs were especially cool, but I resisted the temptation, because I'm sure in the end I wouldn't play all of them anyway, or only briefly...
Metro 2033
#3815 posted by Bal [90.2.103.13] on 2010/11/29 22:27:23
I thought it was a nice fairly linear shooter, worth $10 in my opinion.
Yeah
#3816 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/11/29 23:31:26
Metro 2033 - I enjoyed it, the gfx are good, loads of scripting. Good atmosphere, you will enjoy the firstrun for sure. The monsters are pretty cool. But it doesn't have much replayability
Lol - Just Saw The Codemasters Racing Pack
#3817 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/11/29 23:47:12
On Steam - there are four items, it says "Individual price - £32.00, package price £49.99"
oops
Fail
#3818 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/11/29 23:47:23
Well...
#3819 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/01 21:37:40
now i'm replaying oblivion. -_-
Don't Worry
#3820 posted by negke [88.70.249.217] on 2010/12/01 22:08:20
You'll get bored soon enough. Remember the repetitive oblivion gate levels that from a certain point on you finish by speedrunning straight to the crystal?
Fallout 3
#3821 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/01 22:56:13
Just bought it on steam. So far I've talked a lot. Hope it gets better, fast.
Super Meat Boy...
#3822 posted by Bal [90.2.106.200] on 2010/12/01 23:30:06
is awesome, get it!
Not for the weak though, hardcore platforming action.
Also, play with a pad.
Fallout 3 Gets Better
#3823 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.70.224] on 2010/12/02 00:51:50
gradually. Just stick with it man. By the midway point its pretty engrossing.
Hmm
#3824 posted by nonentity [188.223.82.21] on 2010/12/02 01:02:21
So far I've talked a lot. Hope it gets better
...
?
#3825 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/02 08:02:28
now i'm replaying oblivion. -_-
Why? I'm having more fun with Nehrim than I remember having with Oblivion, by far.
Just hit level seven and am farting around in...Elohim(sp?), the really big city, and regularly getting in way over my head in crypts and sewers, etc. and having to run for it. Nothing is awesome like getting attacked by a swarm of 20 or 30 little, tiny, midget (child?) skeletons.
I'm probably going to head back to a lower-level area once I complete the one quest I have in this city. It's just too high-difficulty for me currently.
Oh, and I just bought what I *think* is a forever-lit torch; there's no tooltip or anything, but "Eterna Torch" seems pretty obvious (and pretty cool).
#3826 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/02 08:17:44
well, it started out initially to just test out performance.
for some reason, nehrim runs really really poorly. i can maintain ~60 fps in oblivion with distant *everything and max view range, but nehrim just chugs along at 10 or sometimes even less fps.
what kind of machine do you have, pjw? i'm running on a core2duo 6300 which is pretty old these days, 3gb ram and a gefore gts 250.
i guess it's more along the lines that i'd like to play nehrim, but oblivion will do instead.
#3827 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/03 04:11:04
I'm running 64-bit Win7 on an Intel i5 2.66 with 8 gigs of ram and a geforce 9800. There are places it chugs slightly, but I haven't had any significant problems (other than two lock-ups and pretty common crashes on exit, which I get with Oblivion too).
Apparently there's one forest that's pretty bad, and most people have to turn off distant land while they're in there (no biggie, since you can't see it anyway).
Maybe just try turning down your settings and making sure shadows are simple/off, no self-shadow, all that good stuff? You really are missing out... :(
#3828 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/03 07:22:50
yeah, i've since noticed there are additional settings only available in the launcher that don't appear in the game. so i've got it running a little better now but the game looks fairly shitty. it's still pretty decent-- this is oblivion after all, but yeah, i have no shadows on (except canopy shadows, because with that off, forests look retarded).
it's really a great TC. all the areas look great with hand placed stuff. you know those oblivion mods that modify boring areas and make them much fancier and unique, it feels like that for most of the areas in nehrim.
one of the things i've noticed though is that the TC hurts by not having some kind of ui system to show mob levels.
yeah, the first instinct is to cry out 'it's intrusive and unrealistic!' but think about it for a minute:
if you stumble onto a bear in the wilderness (heh.. yeah ok...) you'd be able to gauge it's relative strength by how large it is and how fast it seems to be moving.
in WoW, for example, most mobs of the same type all look the same. they might be slightly bigger or darker, but that's it. telling me 'this mob is level 15' gets around the graphical limitation to give me information i should be able to figure out.
but in oblivion, you have generic looking mobs of varying strengths with no way of knowing their power until you fight them. sure, you might learn 'diseased wolf' is weaker than 'rabid wolf' but the mob text only shows up when it's about 2 feet away from you.
as a sort of band-aid, they included this ranged spell that will pop up a little dialog box telling me the level and hp of the mob i hit. but it's a rather clunky mechanic to use.
but ok, i can understand that the oblivion engine has absolutely no way to display mob level in an easy way.
which i guess brings me to the actual thing i'd have prefered: simply marking down the level range of each zone on the map.
it'd look ugly, but it would have simplified things a lot more and let me plan out where i was going to go. for now, i have to stumble into a zone and only then read the zone text.
so far, i haven't found a map mod with visible level ranges so i'm still stumbling around. :P
but yeah, aside from those minor problems, the TC is still awesome. :)
Alchemia
#3829 posted by negke [88.70.69.162] on 2010/12/03 16:35:41
Flash adventure game, seems a bit like Samorost.
http://www.alchemiagame.com
#3830 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/04 06:14:05
which i guess brings me to the actual thing i'd have prefered: simply marking down the level range of each zone on the map.
but...my immersion!!1!
(Yeah, agreed, that would probably work better than the semi-trial-and-error approach.)
Warsoup
#3831 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/12/06 23:39:34
I am intrigued.
http://kotaku.com/5707505/i-would-...
#3832 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/07 01:46:59
StarCraft crossed with Halo
Seeing that Halo is shit, so is WarSoup.
#3833 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/07 05:36:00
"we're going for a minimalist design approach" = we suck at design so our game will look shit.
i don't see anything in common with halo in that game (which is a good thing anyway since halo is rubbish), they're obviously just trying to get attention by making that claim.
#3834 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/07 14:29:51
How does minimalism suck?
#3835 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.73] on 2010/12/07 15:33:02
Who said that?
I can read minds and Kona meant that they are going for a plain color minimal style because they are incapable of doing "better" textures.
The game looks pretty bad in every aspect though. Zwiffle, stop reading Kotaku already.
#3836 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/12/07 16:51:39
Nah the concept looks cool. RTS + FPS is always an intriguing concept.
#3837 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/07 21:11:20
Well they said it in their trailer.
Minimalism can be good in other media, such as graphic design or art. In games though, you'd have to have fantastic architecture to pull it off. Like Nunuk's Geometry Competition where you can only use 10 textures.
In the case of this game though, there was no architecture, just flat walls and some blocky terrain. I liked the GUI though.
Assoup.
#3838 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.227] on 2010/12/07 21:49:03
FPS + RTS can be awesome = BZ2
That looks like ass though. Sub-Minecraft GFX.
Minimalism
#3839 posted by Bal [83.204.221.191] on 2010/12/07 23:12:08
I disagree, you could say Mirror's Edge and Portal go with a minimalist approach to environement art, and those are both great looking games.
Not every game has to be Gears of War.
Gears Of War
#3840 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.208.239] on 2010/12/07 23:13:09
Doesn't look so great IMO. Very durgy colours. And flat lighting.
Quick King Kong Review
#3841 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/08 04:58:39
Usually video games released to coincide with a movie release are very average. However in this case, Peter Jackson's King Kong from 2005 is a fairly good action game.
I say fairly good instead of great due to one major problem in the game - playing as Kong. While most reviewers liked that you could play as King Kong, I cringed everytime I was forced to attempt to control the beast. Playing from third person perspective, the controls for Kong are terrible. Especially in cramped quarters, the camera angle will suddenly jump from behind Kong to in front of him, meaning you have to press the backwards key instead of forwards. On top of this, fighting other giant beasts as Kong is nothing but a chore in mashing the keyboard as fast as you can hoping he'll actually do something. Then when he's grabbed a beast to perform his fatality, you've got to pound on the 'grab' key as fast as you can to kill it. Terrible.
Fortunately, playing as Kong only takes up about 20% of the game. The rest is played as Jack as he repeatedly tries to get his love interest back. But that's not perfect either because you only get one gun at a time and limited amounts of ammo. At times your forced to play with spears that you find. Sure it makes the gameplay frantic and intense, but I'd rather take a leisurely stroll through paradise and admire the scenery without having to spear giant dinosaurs.
The best thing about Peter Jackson's King Kong, and it's saving grace, is the level design. Although the engine looks slightly dated with pixelated 2D vegatation, the actual level design is great. Almost all of the game takes place on the island (apart from two awful city levels at the end) and there is enough variety in the texturing and scenery that it never gets old. The highlight for me was climbing up to the highest peak of the island, where Kong was sleeping. Atmospheric effects such as the lighting and fog look excellent and capture the creepy, mysterious fantasy island from the movie perfectly.
So while the gameplay was slightly held back with some annoying challenges, in particular playing as Kong, the atmosphere and design of the fantasy island made up for it for me.
Add cheats for unlimited ammo and a level skip for every Kong level, and this is a very good game.
#3842 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/08 05:07:27
Maybe i'll take a break from action shooters and try a pretty adventure puzzle game.
Anyone played The Whispered World? Looks cute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWf...
From Memory
#3843 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/12/08 05:07:55
I had a blast playing as Kong.
Agree with the level design comments though, I remember it beign very good.
Actually Having
#3844 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/12/08 05:12:57
reread my comments from before, I seemed to have the complete opposite take on controls and camera use :)
#3845 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/08 05:48:13
Haha I know, I read your comments on it yesterday Nitin. Both IGN and Gamespot didn't seem to have too much of a problem either. One of them said the camera was a bit clunky, the other said they loved playing as Kong and wished there was more. Different strokes I guess...
Kona
#3846 posted by negke [88.70.88.145] on 2010/12/08 09:57:23
I played TWW. It's a nicely drawn adventure game. The English voice of the protagonist is a little annoying, though (compared to the German original). The puzzles are mostly fairly easy and the playing field limited (several levels so to speak), just like many modern adventures. There are some logic puzzles, too. Some of which I found to be quite annoying. I stopped playing when reaching a certain one where I had to rearrange a mosaic by moving the pieces around using the one free spot in-between in order to form a crest.
I'm surprised there aren't more comic-style adventures these days. They seem easy enough to make with the proper artists. MI3 was cool, too. I mean now that the initially interfering OMG 3D! era is over.
So A Bit Late As Usual
#3847 posted by nitin [124.168.202.237] on 2010/12/08 12:05:44
but just got myself Witcher enhanced edition, Crysis, Crysis Warhead and Stalker - Shadow of Cehrnobyl for $AU30.
Bring on christmas holidays.
Nitin
#3848 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/08 13:45:07
Good move. Crysis and Warhead are GREAT games! Regardless of what anyone says, they are a real blast, certainly on the firstruns. STALKER SOC is great too, really gritty and atmospheric.
The witcher - well I didnt play that one (yet), so I cant comment, but I have heard some good comments from other people about it :)
The Witcher Is A Heck Alot Of Fun
#3849 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/08 15:14:09
and worth your time. 'nuff said ;)
The Witcher
#3850 posted by negke [88.70.227.148] on 2010/12/08 18:21:58
It's an enjoyable game by and large, but I thought it also dragged on quite a bit at times. And I found its semi-linearity unncessary, maybe even a bit of an an immersion killer. You can't revisit previous regions (not an open world), and there are silly console-like barriers in the levels to make them feel larger, like small fences or rocks you can't jump over and are forced to run all the way around them. At what were they thinking when making that totally retarded mouseclick combat system?
@retarded Mouseclick Combat System
#3851 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/08 19:33:09
I never had a problem with it myself, at least, it sure feels more involved than simply mashing the attack key until an enemy is down. If you rush the next attack, you'll only break the combo and risk getting yourself hurt. And I liked that aspect since it works great with multiple opponents circled around you. It's not perfect, but it works for me.
Yeah
#3852 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/08 21:52:26
i like the sword combat system in witcher.
it's similar to gothic 2 which, incidentally, i found far superior to gothic 3.
you've got to time your attacks and in the heat of battle, this is what makes it a challenge. i wish more games would do this instead of just favouring button mashing.
also, i like that there are the different styles of attack for different types of monsters. it's not a very deep system, but it does make it a little more interesting.
i never finished this game as i borrowed it off a friend but i've been thinking of picking up the enhanced edition for myself.
my only gripe is that the over the shoulder camera is sometimes a little strange... usually it doesn't bob much but sometimes (randomly?) the camera will start to bob alot which is distracting. i think there's a mod out there that gets rid of that though, which would be great. why would you put view bob on a !3RD! person camera? 0.o
Well
#3853 posted by negke [88.70.227.148] on 2010/12/08 23:21:01
It's basically like a quick time event: click the mouse at the right moment. In this sense, it's indeed better than Gothic 3 which is just click the mouse as fast or as consistently as possible (or at least hit the enemy before he can). Gothic 2 is different insofar as it allows for some variation (left, right, up) as well as blocking.
The ideal combat mode would require the player to both attack and block the enemy on the right side (dynamically), e.g. strike left when the enemy is blocking to the right, and counter his attacks accordingly.
And While We're At It
#3854 posted by negke [88.70.227.148] on 2010/12/08 23:25:32
Has anyone tried Two Worlds 2, yet? I thought the first one was too flawed in comparison to other RPGs to be enjoyable, but maybe they've fixed the most glaring shortcommings.
Ricky
#3855 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2010/12/09 02:58:33
yeah that's what I figured, 4 games for under $AU30 is a steal and I remembered readin positive comments about them too.
Might also finally fit in HL2 plus eps 1 and 2 in the holidays too :)
Dead Space
#3856 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/09 16:52:37
Controls can be a bit clumsy, but apart from that I love this game. Good level design, very immersive, magic button which tells you which way to go is useful.
I dunno, the game is meat and potatos. The monsters are quite scary, the graphics are good, there are some good puzzles. The music is good. The guns feel good, and you can upgrade them. If you try hard to explore you find more useful stuff, things like that add to the experience.
For me the game is like Resident Evil but with less bull.
Nitin
#3857 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/09 16:56:54
One thing about STALKER - I would recommend installing the Oblivion Lost mod. You dont need to install it, but it does improve the game a lot, without altering the feel of it too much. There are some things which the dev team removed just before release (which are still in the game data files!) like monsters, and O.L. puts them back in, basically. And it makes the guns more accurate, and whenever there is a "blowout" O.L. makes the effects a l00t cooler ;)
Doom 3
#3858 posted by jt_ [174.252.249.44] on 2010/12/09 18:00:47
I just bougt the id super pack on steam, which comes with doom 3. Anyone know of any good mods besides the dark mod and the new hexen mod?
#3859 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/09 21:16:32
jt make sure you get the shamblers castle:
http://www.doomwadstation.com/doom...
Ricky
#3860 posted by nitin [124.168.202.237] on 2010/12/09 23:37:17
noted, will look into it.
I'm Playing System Shock 1
#3861 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/12/10 00:52:29
for the first time, and I'm loving it! Absolutely awesome game, almost as good as the second part. I recommend installing the mouselook patch though.
"almost As Good As The Second Part"
#3862 posted by negke [88.70.242.180] on 2010/12/10 01:53:47
Better actually, imo.
Where'd You Get
#3863 posted by drew [132.205.55.142] on 2010/12/10 02:22:50
SS1
Kona
#3864 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/10 02:39:39
Almost forgot about that one. Downloading now.
#3865 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/10 03:25:43
There are, surprisingly, quite a number of really high quality doom3 packs. Not necessarily mods, but just level packs and episodes.
Can't remember which ones (I played probably a good 50 releases for d3). Check here for some:
http://doom3.filefront.com/files/D...
#3866 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/10 04:00:56
i don't think it's that surprising actually. the colossal amount of work required must weed out all but the most diehard mappers/modders.
it sure weeded me out. ^_^;
#3867 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/10 07:04:07
Yeah it must have aye. I mean there's some shitters in the bunch, but I would have thought Doom3 mapping would be fkn hard. And yet there's probably a good 20 high quality releases.
Perhaps it's the opposite and the great engine and ability to build a box room then throw in all sorts of prefabs makes it quite easy to map for. One thing I did notice - 95% of custom map releases follow the exact same indoor lab bullshit of Doom3. No one much branched out to other themes.
Necros does that mean you scrapped your d3 map? You bastard I was looking forward to that!
Same Indoor Lab Bullshit
#3868 posted by negke [88.70.68.21] on 2010/12/10 09:41:48
That's because the game's resources allow for nothing else. If you were to make something entirely different, you'd also have to be a good texture artist and a proficient modeller. And I take it the number of available custom texture sets is limited - not least because everything other than base style looks odd at best in that engine.
P.s.
#3869 posted by negke [88.70.68.21] on 2010/12/10 09:42:42
necros is one hell of a scrapper...
Drew
#3870 posted by negke [88.70.68.21] on 2010/12/10 09:46:08
http://www.systemshock.org/index.p...
So
#3871 posted by nitin [124.148.162.213] on 2010/12/10 11:40:01
is Stalker SOC meant to run like total shit or is there some performance tweak I cant find?
GTX465 that's had no issues with anything else so far, including CoD MW1 and 2, but maybe this is a real resource hog?
#3872 posted by negke [88.70.53.63] on 2010/12/10 12:11:13
Did you install all of the gazillion of official patches?
This is probably a driver conflict. SOC ran fine on my old card, but I could never get the addon to work. It was always slow and unstable. No problems on the new card. Perhaps there's an older driver version or some hotfix/workaround that can make it work for you.
It's On The Latest Patch
#3873 posted by nitin [124.148.162.213] on 2010/12/10 12:14:57
1.0005 or something.
Will look into drivers, havent had to so far for anything else.
Witcher runs fine on max, will install Crysis/Warhead tomorrow to see how that fares.
Try This (float 32 Mod Thingy)
#3874 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/10 12:17:38
http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/action/s...
Useful if it works for you. Also make sure you patch STALKER.
Also CoD MW1 And 2
#3875 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/10 12:20:06
Are idtech4. Is that not basically true? They run good on old systems. I mean they are well made games, but they dont have bump-mapping or super hi-res textures or anything.
You should be able to run Crysis on very high with a GTX465, or Crysis Warhead on Enthusiast settings, and get 30fps :)
Cod MW 1 And 2
#3876 posted by negke [88.70.53.63] on 2010/12/10 12:47:29
Definitely not idtech4.
Thanks Ricky
#3877 posted by nitin [124.148.162.213] on 2010/12/10 13:03:03
will look at it again tomorrow. But will install Crysis first to see what performance I get there.
Witcher runs great though.
Apparently IWEngne
#3878 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2010/12/10 13:30:37
Started out as idTech3! (after some more reading), but by now it is very heavily modified, to the point where it is a seperate engine in its own right.
Supposedly
#3879 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/12/10 15:03:56
IW's engine is alright, but when Treyarch gets it for their games they tend to butcher things and break things that used to work, and just turn it into an awful series of unfortunate events. Makes me nervous when Treyarch releases 'tools' for Blops (whatever that means.)
Yeah
#3880 posted by ericw [206.75.128.68] on 2010/12/11 00:26:36
MW1/MW2 run great on my crappy nvidia 7600GT. Sadly, blops performance sucks on my system, not worth playing until I upgrade.
It's Not Really Worth Playing Imho
#3881 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/11 01:48:57
Bullets don't kill people. Just play mw2 or a real FPS like q3,nexuiz/xonotic, oa, aa, &c.
Negke
#3882 posted by Drew [174.89.241.138] on 2010/12/11 17:53:58
thanks, you are a good person, deep down.
#3883 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/14 01:36:14
Just attempted to play Second Sight (2004). It's a third person game, although you have a first person view as well, but none of controls work from first person, which is retarded.
I got to the third level and decided it was too crap to continue with. First game I've ever quit so early. The level design was from the 90s, the gameplay was slow and annoying. Too much fucking around just to fire your gun. Let alone fucking around with all your stupid psychic abilities. Movement was butchered.
And what's worse is the constant alarms that go off as soon as a scientist sees you.
Pass. Area 51 next I think, if I can install it.
#3884 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.58] on 2010/12/14 20:00:45
http://www.humblebundle.com/ numero 2
Interesting
#3885 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/15 01:17:13
Now for the money to transfer from paypal...
Quake 4 Review
#3886 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/16 03:06:48
Even the free downloadable version of Area 51 (with advertising) failed to install. Guess i'll have to torrent it. In the meantime, I played Quake 4...
With Quake and Quake 2 being my two favourite games of all time, and will unlikely ever be beaten, it would be hard for me not to have high hopes for Quake 4. It didn't make much difference that id Software had dropped the job into the talented Raven Software's mits. Heretic, Hexen, Soldier of Fortune, Star Trek Voyager and all their sequels; these were all solid, professional and, most importantly, fun games. So Raven taking over the Quake duties is almost as good as id doing it themselves. And as it turned out, Quake 4 felt like a superior game to Doom 3.
While Doom 3 took place almost entirely inside tight futuristic bases, unfortunately Quake 4 didn't try to re-invent the wheel here and is almost exactly the same. The only difference is there are more outdoor areas and the level design is a little better. Everything is easier to see, there's much more variety in design, although it's still only the 'base' style, so expecting Painkiller level of variety will leave disappointed. While there aren't huge awe-inspiring set-pieces, it's all solidly good looking. Sadly, the id Tech 4 engine just doesn't seem capable of doing huge, sprawling areas. So Raven are stuck with a corridor crawl similar to Doom 3.
Having said that there are some big outdoors areas, but they are lacking in detail. The three biggest levels are the vehicle-based ones. And these copped a lot of flack from players suggesting they ruin the game. As it turned out, only 3 in 33 levels are vehicle based, and one of them is only several minutes long. In all, a maximum of 10% of the game would be vehicle based.
While the engine is restricted, the way it does lighting looks fantastic, especially when your team-mates have their flashlights on and they're cast all over the inner depths darkened base. So it's a shame there have been very few games using id Tech 4, just Prey, Quake Wars and Wolfenstein following.
Gameplay in Quake 4 was all solid. The enemies had plenty of variety and all looked fantastic. It's just disappointing that they weren't more closely related to Quake 2. The Berserker, Gunner and a few others were there, but not recognisable from Quake 2. Different attacks, speeds and difficulty means they're basically new enemies. Iron Maiden was a little more obvious, but again apart from being female, could be a completely different enemy. Arguably the more fearsome of Quake 2, the Gladiator, makes a return in Quake 4. But he's quite different; slower with a railgun that seems easier to avoid. So while there weren't many similarities, in some respects and homage aside, it's probably a good thing because the Quake 2 enemies were very basic in their attacks compared to Quake 4. This isn't 1998 anymore.
Most of the weapons make a return. The Machine Gun is much better, there's no Double Shotgun but the Single Shotgun packs enough of a punch to play almost the entire game through just with these two weapons. The Hyper Blaster, now your fourth weapons, is a good switch up as it packs a punch but also has plenty of ammo. Grenade Launcher, Railgun, Lightning Gun are all very similar to Quake 2. The Rocket Launcher is a little faster but requires reloading, meaning I didn't use it much. The new gun is the Nailgun, which is very fast paced but I didn't find it to be particularly effective compared to the Machine Gun/Shotgun combination.
I played on medium difficulty and it was fairly spot on. The first half of the game was fairly easy and it was a long time before I died, but the second half steadily got tougher with some great boss battles to finish the game off.
So overall I really liked Quake 4. It did feel like another Raven game; very similar in level design to their others, but that's a minor criticism because all their games look good. And with id Tech 4, great! While it doesn't live up to the groundbreaking prequels, it's great to have a solid, fun, return to Stroggos. With slightly better level design and much more fast-paced gameplay, I preferred it over Doom 3.
Quake 4 Mods?
#3887 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/16 03:08:58
BTW any good quake4 single players maps/mods out there? I've got:
cold_steel
q2base
q4spubilitus
Use_Destruction-1.2
strombine
None of them look too promising though. Certainly doesn't have the community Doom 3 got.
PULSAR Was Working On Something
#3888 posted by Drew [65.94.247.228] on 2010/12/16 04:39:53
don't know if that ever came about though.
#3889 posted by gb [89.27.210.71] on 2010/12/16 16:10:14
Ubilitus is pretty good, I recently played it.
q2base, is it that thing where you can play through q2's first map in q4? I recommend playing q2 instead.
doom3 has quite a few large caliber mods going, yeah... with q4, people seem to have focused on the multiplayer, which failed, ironically.
#3890 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/16 19:05:07
just idle musing... but it always seems like SP/MP seems to divide the playerbase creating content with the result that you just get less of each.
Thanks
#3891 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/17 03:23:50
...for the extensive review, [Kona]--it was fun to read.
Q4 was the first game I worked on at Raven, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Quake 4
#3892 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/17 11:00:39
It's probably the idtech4 game I enjoyed the most compared to the other two I've played (Doom3 & Prey)
#3893 posted by [89.27.210.71] on 2010/12/17 11:05:48
Sadly, the id Tech 4 engine just doesn't seem capable of doing huge, sprawling areas.
ETQW.
Corridor shooters aren't inherently bad. A well done corridor shooter can still be a nice game.
As it turned out, only 3 in 33 levels are vehicle based, and one of them is only several minutes long. In all, a maximum of 10% of the game would be vehicle based.
I think the main problem is that these disrupt the flow of the classic FPS parts of the game. It's like, "OK player, I want you to drive a hovertank now, and you will comply". That kills the flow.
Pretty sure it's more levels with vehicles as well, if you count the rail shooting vehicle levels (vehicle MG while you're being chauffeured around).
The Rocket Launcher is a little faster but requires reloading, meaning I didn't use it much.
True, although the game is overall slower than q2, and you get an upgrade that lets you shoot three rockets in a row, or something like that. Matter of taste I guess.
The new gun is the Nailgun, which is very fast paced but I didn't find it to be particularly effective compared to the Machine Gun/Shotgun combination.
I found the nailgun's alternate fire mode very useful against flying enemies, like Heavy Hovertanks. Also used it against normal tanks and maidens when I was low on health.
The game has grown on me since I first played it, especially for a lack of other 'solid' id-style FPS games to play. It seems that FPS which are merely 'solid' get sneered at for being not creative enough, but they turn out being hard to top.
Concerning the level design, yes it is super linear, which isn't the worst thing for a pure shooter, but upon closer inspection the levels try to impress with a large scale, but details cluster around the most likely route the player is going to take... and I would have liked a lot more items scattered around the many empty corners. Doom 3 does the latter thing very well. You're always rewarded for going off track in Doom 3, not so much in Q4.
I do like the enemies and weapons in Q4 for the most part, especially the tacticals with their variety of gear are nice.
My main objection is that the mandatory vehicle lessons, rail shooting and pointlessly running around on a spaceship kills the flow of the game. The best stretches are those where you're mostly alone and where the gameplay is classic corridor crawling, like the stretch from the medical labs across the dispersal and waste processing stuff.
I liked the walker mission, btw. A walker is somehow more FPS-like than a tank. I wish there were more walkers scattered around the game, but optional. As it is, it's a one trick pony that the player has to grudgingly use, instead of a cool addon that players can use whenever they feel like it. The walker could have featured in a boss battle, a la 'Alien'.
ok, enough text.
I Enjoyed Q4 A Lot
#3894 posted by DaZ [92.24.169.39] on 2010/12/17 14:30:31
but every time I saw an outdoor area with a vehicle I wanted to throw myself out my window, they were bad :(
The indoor shooty stuff was excellent though, and I will never forget being turned into a Strogg, that was really well done :)
Rant
#3895 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/12/17 15:18:07
Vehicle sections and cooperative multiplayer are killing shooters. Every fucking modern game has to have them, no matter the cost.
The cost usually being gameplay.
I don't want to play with shitty AI that tries to be clever - the best they can do is stay the fuck out of the way and let me play the game. I don't want complex shit; there are plenty of RTS games where I can get that.
Who mandated that all shooters have to be like fucking Halo?
Uh
#3896 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2010/12/17 15:19:20
So yeah, 200 A bugs, 300 B's and god knows how many C's.
#3897 posted by gb [89.27.197.65] on 2010/12/17 16:37:09
Mandatory vehicle section == le sigh.
Optional vehicle == cool bonus feature.
#3898 posted by gb [89.27.197.65] on 2010/12/17 16:39:23
I don't want to play with shitty AI that tries to be clever - the best they can do is stay the fuck out of the way and let me play the game. I don't want complex shit; there are plenty of RTS games where I can get that.
And this, too.
#3899 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/17 22:07:00
It's because of tards like PC Gamer that give it a 70% just because it isn't different enough. They demand shitty Halo vehicles, and teammates (halflife might have been the cause of that thanks to Barney), and all sorts of other RTS or RPG crap when all I want is a fun shooter. Thank god it didn't have bullet time.
I actually quite like linear games. I don't get lost then and know i'm always on the correct path. I'm yet to play a real sandbox game... the thought of veering off course and ending up 10mins in the wrong direction scares me. But yeah Q4 was VERY linear. They could have had a little more exploration.
Actually some outdoor terrain levels would have been nice too, there were some nice ones in Q2 and the mission packs (beginning of The Reckoning was cool).
Do You Like Roguelike?
#3900 posted by ijed [190.22.22.213] on 2010/12/17 22:53:09
http://www.qcfdesign.com/?cat=20
Uh Huh, Huh Huh ...He Said "Rim"
#3901 posted by Kinn [86.156.165.10] on 2010/12/17 23:46:42
From the "How the fuck did I miss this?" files: I just learned Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is coming out in november '11. Teaser trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGM...
Now, I'm one of Oblivion's biggest fans, having sunk at least 500 hours into it (seriously), so you can imagine the amount of frosty white spooge clinging to my monitor and keyboard after I heard this news.
I'm aware of Oblivion's faults. The levelling system is illogical, counter-intuitive, and just plain shite. The melee combat is about as deep as a spilled drink. The character animation is some of the worst I've seen in a commercial title. None of that stopped me from coming back to the game time and time again like the abused little whore that I am.
#3902 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/18 00:28:02
i'm replaying oblivion now too which meant i was very excited when i heard about skyrim. :o
i actually started by playing nehrim, but frankly, i prefer the completely unstructured gameplay of oblivion more.
so yeah, here's hoping skyrim will have decent animation and more fluid player movement. (movement in oblivion is like a preview camera in a 3d editor).
Kinn
#3903 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/18 01:45:30
You should try Nehrim (see my post 3805). It's really pretty amazing, and I'm actually enjoying it more than I did Oblivion...
Re: Skyrim, if they just fix the horrid world-levels-with-you horseshit from Oblivion, I'll be satisfied.
If they add back in some of the variation and downright weirdness in the world that was present in Morrowind, make the lockpicking and persuade mini-games a bit less braindead and more challenging, and add back in a few things that they removed (e.g. mark/recall, levitation, greater armor/weapon variety, etc.) then I'll actually be excited.
On Morrowind
#3904 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2010/12/18 02:10:01
looking back, i seem to remember i liked morrowind a lot more than oblivion. i'm sure some of that is because it was the first time i had ever played such an open ended game, but it's more than just that.
morrowind's world felt much more mysterious for some reason and the ruins you could explore (dwemer and daedric) seemed cooler and more distictive.
there was also the fact that for most of the game, you never have to travel east of the red mountain, so there was this feeling of awe that you hadn't even explored that area yet.
oblivion has ayleid, caves and forts and only the ayleid ruins are fun to explore for me. they usually have some small amount of button pushing and sometimes even puzzles. they also tend to loop back in clever ways. caves tend to feel like long slogs and forts just look very boring with a few exceptions. also, a lot of parts of the map seem to be unused (or nearly so). the mountainous area in the north east and southwestern forests are very sparsely populated with dungeons.
as for lock picking, i thought it was fairly well done, but i disliked how the game paused while you did it. it would be unreasonable for the gameworld to continue though, because the lockpicking minigame does take a while to do.
as a compromise, a lockpicking minigame that is shorter so it can work in realtime would be much appreciated. i didn't really like morrowind's RNG lockpicking. it was realtime, but as braindead as oblivion's persuasion system.
Elder Scrolls
#3905 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/18 02:40:45
Also interested in Skyrim here. I pretty much like all of the Elder Scrolls main titles so far, from Arena to Oblivion. They each have their own pros/cons but I like them for what they are. I only wish Daggerfall didn't seem so unfinished.
Skyrim is definitely up there in my waiting list.
Hm
#3906 posted by ijed [190.22.120.228] on 2010/12/18 16:17:12
Yeah, the rating of any game is supposed to go from 0% to 100%, not 60 to 100.
At the same time its very frustrating when someone reviews your game who doesn't like gametype X in question - if you've made a golf game and the reviewer wants to play an RPG then you'll get a bad score.
Basically 99.9% of the gaming press is worthless as an informative tool, word of mouth being much better. Or word of forum etc.
I hear what you're saying with lineal games, but the best games always give the impression of nonlinearity, even if they're stuck on the rails - HL2 for example.
Nobody tried the roguelike?
I Tried Desktop Dungeon
#3907 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/12/18 17:30:49
at work for about 3 minutes.
I went through the tutorial, or at least the first level, and then I got killed by a level 9 goat.
Stuff
#3908 posted by Kinn [86.156.165.10] on 2010/12/18 18:41:41
pjw - Yeah that Nehrim thing looks interesting. I may have to check it out sometime.
Worth noting also, for all the fun I had with Oblivion, I really didn't like Fallout 3 much at all. I played it and completed the main quest (which took a shamefully short amount of time), and had absolutely no desire to play any more of it. I think it was mostly to do with the setting - I found the ubiquitous grey barren wasteland just boring visually, and I'm no fan of 1950's chic either. Also, I thought "VATS" took all the tension and excitement out of combat, and you soon learn that shooting manually isn't really an option either (way too ineffective).
Fallout 3
#3909 posted by Bal [83.204.223.103] on 2010/12/18 21:06:12
I really liked Fallout 3, and I probablgy prefer New Vegas over Oblivion. The writing is alot more interesting, and there's generally more stuff to do.
I very rarely used VATS, even while playing on the hardest difficulty.
Really looking forward to Skyrim.
Heh
#3910 posted by [190.22.120.228] on 2010/12/19 04:40:31
You're supposed to die on the goat.
I'm bored of it now, it lacks texture to be a great game. It's not bad though.
Fallout
#3911 posted by [190.22.120.228] on 2010/12/19 04:47:44
Sooner or later.
Super Meat Boy
#3912 posted by negke [88.70.49.112] on 2010/12/20 22:18:20
Bal is right. It's cool. But it hurts the fingers...
Area 51 (2005) Review
#3913 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/21 05:14:21
Having just played through Quake 4, which was released six months after Area 51 in 2005, it'll be easy to draw comparisons in that both themes are modern base.
Quake 4 received it's share of undue criticism, with an aggregate score of 81% on gamerankings.com. Area 51, meanwhile, scored an aggregate of 78% so only marginally behind, but both IGN and Gamespot both rated Area 51 as better than Quake 4.
Nevertheless, it seems to be a fairly obscure title on the PC despite many positive reviews. I asy obscure, because it was eventually released for free (with advertising). But that version crashed on install for me, and I couldn't find a second-hand version to purchase. Even then it took two torrent versions before I finally got a working copy.
The PS2 version was thought to be the best FPS ever at the time, although that's not saying much. This led me to go in expecting a gem of a game. Unfortunately, my expectations were not met.
From the design perspective; both the power of the engine and the level design, Quake 4 eats Area 51 for breakfast. Some of the earlier Area 51 levels look quite bland. Since the entire game takes place in an under Area 51, I guess the designers were trying to maintain some realism in the design. With realism comes bland, futuristic walls and textures. Later in the game levels start to get more variety with the peak being the alien world and UFO ships. However, while the engine is capable of something great, the level design doesn't ever reach awe-inspiring. Good, but not great.
The mess of a story was a bit hard to understand. Near the end of the game I wasn't sure if I was still in Area 51, the alien world, or who the bad guy even was! David Duchovny's monotone mumbling didn't help at all. He really should stick to acting. And Marilyn Manson was a waste of money; I could have voiced the characters better. At the end of the day, you won't be playing Area 51 for it's story anyway. Your playing for the action...
Action which was fairly fun and fast all the way through. The dual-weilding of weapons is fantastic and doubles your fire-power. Having two shotguns go off in quick succession, blowing your enemies away, was a great feeling. However when your down to just one weapon at a time, they feel a bit weak. Unfortunately, it took me most of the game before I realised that the BBG, a powerful gun in it's own right, is self-regenerating.
Along with this, you get the half-man/half-mutant idea also done in Quake 4, where you can transform into mutant and use it's abilities. Every kill you make while in mutant-mode gives you health back. Area 51 definitely does this idea better than Quake 4 and makes it mean something with the gameplay. In Quake 4 you wouldn't know the difference.
Provided you don't overuse the BBG, Area 51 is still quite a challenging game.
Now to the cons: the biggest problem with Area 51 is, firstly, no quicksave. You're forced to use 1-3 checkpoints through each level. Fortunately they're usually in useful places so you don't have to do much replaying, but I still loathe the idea of no quicksave in a fast paced FPS. Perhaps developers think if your forced to replay much of the game then it'll extend the overall playtime. Even so, it's still only barely a 10 hour game.
And secondly, the game would come to a crashing halt at the end of almost every level for me (with a total of 18 levels). With no quicksave, i'd have to replay from the previous checkpoint only for it to crash again. I was forced to use someone elses saved games in order to load each level. However it wasn't such a big deal compared to most games, because your ammo and health in Area 51 are often 100% anyway.
So overall, Area 51 is definitely a decent game to play alongside the best of 2005. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking.
Bal
#3914 posted by negke [88.70.71.162] on 2010/12/22 15:25:27
How do the SMB leaderboards work? Or how to make sense of them - 0, 100, 101 and so on. And why are you so good.
And why did MS drop gameport support in Win7...
Singularity
#3915 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/22 15:40:09
Managed to get my hands on this on Steam when it finally became available to UK/EU and finished it last night. Keeping it brief, it was an amazing and enjoyable game. It's like it took many elements from various other games and combined them into a solid title, while having its own distinguished feel. Combat felt right and the visuals have a nice presentation.
Still need to gather my thoughts however, considered giving it a full review while I'm still inspired for it. Hmm.
Negke
#3916 posted by Bal [90.44.34.188] on 2010/12/22 20:23:14
I have no idea how that leaderboard works, it doesn't show up like that in-game...
Ultima Underworld
#3917 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/12/22 22:01:56
is it as good as System Shock?
Errrr
#3918 posted by negke [88.70.51.167] on 2010/12/22 23:06:31
Need for Speed - is it as good as Tetris?
It's The Same Engine, Isn't It?
#3919 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/12/23 00:11:16
Oh No
#3920 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2010/12/23 00:24:34
it isn't. but the same team?
Thinking Of Picking Up
#3921 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2010/12/23 02:29:23
Bioshock 1
Just Cause 2
Left for Dead 2
Half Life 2 Episode Two
from the Steam Sale later tongiht, any other recommendations for good bargains?
#3922 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2010/12/23 03:59:13
What do you not have?
Just Cause 2 is similar to Red Faction: Guerilla, which is a ton of fun if you have the physics card to support it (or good dx10 card.) I would say if you are interested and it's ~$10 or less then pick it up!
Zwiffle
#3923 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/12/23 07:38:47
I dont have too much from 2005 onwards.
Will look into Red Faction.
But Only
#3924 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2010/12/23 07:39:09
looking for $10 or less games at the moment.
COD4: Modern Warfare
#3925 posted by ericw [161.184.107.29] on 2010/12/23 09:07:42
for $15 looks like one of the better specials today, even if you're just interested in the SP. It's short but ultra polished and really fun IMHO.
Got That
#3926 posted by nitin [124.149.83.198] on 2010/12/23 10:22:53
actually I'll list post 2005 games I have :
The Witcher EE
Call of Duty MW
Call of Duty MW2
Call of Duty WoW
Crysis
Crysis Warhead
Stalker SoC
Question: If I get L4D2, is there any point in getting L4D1?
Nitin.
#3927 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.82] on 2010/12/23 12:02:20
I prefer L4D2 - more weapons, better effects, much better gore. But if you like the game and want more then get L4D1 too. They are both great.
Ijed
#3928 posted by [190.22.52.30] on 2010/12/23 12:09:18
There's a pack of both games I think - you lose money buying L4D1 alone now.
Well reccomend it as well, you also get a lot of additional content in the form of free DLC and the game is maintained - very polished gameplay.
#3929 posted by negke [88.70.244.141] on 2010/12/23 12:11:38
If it's on sale for $5, grab it. The question whether to get both became more valid when they ported the first L4D campaign to L4D2, so the first game is kind of reduced to three individual campaigns.
Also be sure not to get the Low Violence versions if you're buying from Australia!!!
They're 9.99 Each
#3930 posted by nitin [124.149.83.198] on 2010/12/23 12:19:14
at the moment. Grabbed 2, will consider grabbing 1 before sale ends.
negke, cant seem to avoid the low-violence versions for Aus (no R rating for games) but have googled a couple of hacks which supposedly work.
Ugh, That Sucks
#3931 posted by negke [88.70.244.141] on 2010/12/23 12:23:48
You need to have someone gift it to you. Hope the hacks work.
And Approach Someone Here To Be Invited To Func_group
#3932 posted by negke [88.70.244.141] on 2010/12/23 12:25:07
I Wouldn't Bother With Red Faction: Guerilla
#3933 posted by RickyT23 [82.26.158.151] on 2010/12/23 15:45:28
Not a very good game IMO. Very poor plot, game dynamics are "blow up a building and grab these random pieces of metal as 'salvage'".
I think they were aiming at 9-11 y/o boys with that game.
#3934 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/12/23 16:11:27
The main game I haven't played, that's true. But just running around demolishing shit is a blast.
Mirror's Edge
#3935 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2010/12/23 18:28:24
Installed, played and completed today. Fun game, lovely art and level design and good parkour mechanics. I also loved sliding along the floor to pick up a gun and firing it an enemy during the later stages, really made gunfights more interesting.
Though three specicif spots really annoyed the hell out of me as they didn't seem to 'work' as intended. Example, during the last segment of the Jack-knife level. There were three pipes I had to jump between, but Faith would never jump for the last one as she should do causing a painful death. Did this everytime, and only got lucky when she decided to 'glitch' onto the bottom and managed to climb up. The other two problem areas were also similar unresponsive situations, one I succeeded by screwing up with a double 180 key tap. Ironic.
#3936 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2010/12/23 19:06:17
Mass Effects 1 + 2 on sale on Steam for $10.00 each. If you haven't picked these up, pick them up, they are amazing. I beat Mass Effect 2 basically in a weekend, this game was so damn good. Remember it is fundamentally an RPG and secondarily a shooter, but man were these games good.
Reduced Violence.
#3937 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.82] on 2010/12/23 19:36:46
That sucks, a lot. The violence and gore in L4D2 is very good, proper 18-rated zombie carnage. Hope the hacks work.
Zwifflet
#3938 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2010/12/24 01:48:56
thanks for that, will grab those when I get home. They must have gone up on sale today.
Alan Wake
#3939 posted by Drew [75.154.91.105] on 2010/12/25 05:30:25
anybody played? decent?
Missed Out On Mass Effect 1 And 2
#3940 posted by nitin [124.149.83.198] on 2010/12/26 01:14:59
for $9.99 each (a;though you cant still get 1 for that price).
But picked up Batman Arkhan Asylum today.for $7.50.
#3941 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/28 05:43:33
Tried to play Resident Evil 4. Needs a tonne of mods to make it decent on PC, including mouse support. But there was no way of customising the mouse buttons (I use mouse buttons for forward and back), so I won't be playing this fuckin game.
Such simple things to fuck up on.
Probably
#3942 posted by nitin [124.148.186.102] on 2010/12/28 12:17:03
halfway through The Witcher and great game really.
Only gripes so far:
Combat system seems a bit shit at first but you get used to it and its no less daft than others I've seen in the genre, in fact the varying combat styles and different skill moves work quite well in large group combats.
It does feel a little easy though, playing on medium but dont seem to die or feel threatened all that often.
Everything else: first rate.
Wow.
#3943 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2010/12/28 21:56:13
I use mouse buttons for forward and back
I thought I was the only person in the world who does this. Every time someone finds out (or, God forbid, tries to do something in-game while my config is running), they look at me like I just declared my love for eating dirt, or that I regularly speak with aliens or whatever craziness...
#3944 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.81] on 2010/12/28 22:02:51
Weirdo. Next you'll be saying you use an uninverted mouse...
#3945 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/28 23:37:23
I can't think of anything else that works better than the mouse buttons for forward/back. I think Shambler does it that way too.
Just playing through Brothers In Arms Road to Hill 30. Fuck this game is ass. I'll still finish it I guess...
#3946 posted by negke [88.70.53.245] on 2010/12/29 00:01:31
I used to have a similar config myself. But at some point I got tired of always having to customize the controls when starting a new game, so I switched to the default one. Haven't regreted it a single moment ever since.
I Play With An An Uninverted Mouse
#3947 posted by nitin [124.148.186.102] on 2010/12/29 02:23:29
inverted feels weird.
But mouse buttons for movement is crazy!
If I'm Not Flying A Plane
#3948 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/29 03:14:01
There's no need for inverted movement controls.
Im Of Half-Life 1 Generation
#3949 posted by RickyT23 [82.26.158.151] on 2010/12/29 04:24:41
I was never really into Quakeworld or Netquake, and when I played Quake before HL1 I would have used the arrow keys for movement etc. But the Half-Life 1 tutorial, that's how I learned my current style of playing.
Brothers In Arms: Road To Hill 30 REVIEW
#3950 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/29 04:39:57
No one here probably cares about a review for a crappy 2005 game, but I make a point of mini-reviewing every game I play, just for my own record.
Now that i've played this, I guess Aliens: Colonial Marines isn't going to be my kind of game either when it's released next year. Oh well.
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 REVIEW
This is probably the least enjoyable first person shooter i've played since Halo. Which isn't something I would have expected coming from a studio like Gearbox Software; although they were involved in the PC version of Halo. However their Half-Life expansion packs were both excellent.
I'm probably biased, because what I really want is one-man-army style gameplay. I don't really want to have to use strategic war tactics with my teammates in order to defeat the enemy.
The idea in BIA is to have one team firing on the enemy while you (and another team) flank them to catch them off guard. This gets boring pretty quick, and in the end I just got tired of having to use these tactics. Unfortunately if you don't, it's a very difficult game. Even on easy skill setting you can't play the entire game as you would any other first person shooter. The enemy will mow you down with bullets in no time.
The other problem is that there's no quicksave. Now a few checkpoints per level aren't too bad in some shooters. But when you have a realistic shooter where a few shots could kill you and there's no way to replenish your health, it's very frustrating to have to go back several minutes to a previous checkpoint. What's worse is your health meter is useless. Eventually after a certain amount of shots it'll go red, then after a certain amount more you'll die. It should have been an exact progressive meter, not an inconsistent colour change.
To add to the frustration your teammates are quite useless. On a few levels they managed to get themselves killed by mortar attacks within minutes of the level starting. If I didn't micro-manage them, they'd walk directly into a machine gun and be dead in seconds.
Gearbox made the weapons more realistic than standard shooters. That means you can be standing point-blank in front of your enemy and still somehow miss them. The aiming is designed to be imperfect. I simply found it frustrating rather than a good realistic feature.
And finally we come to the level design and graphics which, again, are a big let down. The levels are all very flat, decorated with bland buildings/houses and fields. The textures are all uninspiring and drab. The only memorable parts of the game were defending a couple of good looking churches.
Overall, the design is not up to the standards of Call of Duty or Medal of Honor, while the gameplay was a nice try for something different, but for me it got frustrating by the end.
Kona
#3951 posted by RickyT23 [82.26.158.151] on 2010/12/29 04:44:27
Have you played FEAR? If not, I think you would like it ;)
#3952 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2010/12/29 05:19:48
Not yet Ricky... my playlist for the remaining 2005 games looks like this:
Battlefield 2
Call of Duty 2
F.E.A.R.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
So it's not far away :) Then I can move on to about a dozen 2006 games I missed, which, apart from maybe Gears Of War, all look ho hum. I guess 2006 was a bad year for PC shooters.
#3953 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.81] on 2010/12/29 11:39:10
Gears of War 1 is, imo, pretty bleh.
Gears of War 2 improves on it a lot. More varied enemies, more weapons (and the weapons that were already in are tweaked) and more imaginative locations etc. Real shame it's not on the PC, and that it is clearly still designed to be played in coop. Single player the game is twice as hard and quite infuriating in places.
It is also still horrifically embarressing to play though... the stylisation and dialogue are so cringeworthy.
Simple rule: You can't have a meaningful story about war and death, and have chainsaws. It just doesn't work.
Keyboard
#3954 posted by megaman [87.245.34.110] on 2010/12/29 12:24:45
i learned on Descent, where you need two more movement keys easily accessible (and space feels shitty for anything but single pressees), so my setup was wasd but shifted to the right so that my thumb could rest on the alt key (usually ijkl). Switched to 8uio for more keys a few years ago, though...
Portal
#3955 posted by rj [82.13.31.251] on 2010/12/29 21:47:59
finally played through it today. loved it. pretty much knew what to expect from the gameplay but it was the narrative that impressed me the most.. from the dark humour, sarcasm and mind games to the eventual descent into madness, GLaDOS was a fantastically developed character, and the end credits were just plain awesome
the only letdown was that i was hoping it would tie in with the HL2 story a little more closely and provide more insight into aperture sciences and what happened with the borealis. it's a completely different game though at the end of the day so i probably shouldn't have expected too much... although i did notice the aperture vs. black mesa slideshow projecting in one of the conference rooms, which was a nice touch
Just Bought The Valve Complete Pack On Steam
#3956 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/30 01:18:26
Plus Bioshock 1 & 2. I've played through the Bioshocks, Portal, and the Left 4 Deads on the 360. So many games to play..
Forgot To Mention
#3957 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2010/12/30 01:20:44
Hopefully cs:s/q3 will replace CoD:BO for me in terms of a mp fps I play regularly, I'm really starting to hate duty.
#3958 posted by meTch [99.33.194.107] on 2010/12/30 01:54:31
play Garry's mod and do anything you want.
For Negke
#3959 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.134] on 2010/12/31 14:52:25
http://pouet.net/prod.php?which=56...
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
#3960 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/01 09:11:53
Installed Battlefield 2. Turns out it's single player is just capture the flag style botmatches. Fuck that.
So I played through Chaos Theory instead. Review: I am, first and foremost, a fan of action-oriented shooters. Not stealth. However I can tolerate it. I played through Thief 3: Deadly Shadows, and it was one of the most memorable games I've ever played. The Chronicles of Riddick also had it's fair share of stealth. Just as long as there's a good story and atmospheric design to go with the game, then I can tolerate stealth.
Now Thief 3 definitely had an enthralling story and it's graphics, with great level designs and lighting, were excellent. Which meant I could put up with the sometimes frustrating gameplay.
Chaos Theory, on the other hand, was weak the in the storyline and the design sometimes looked a bit bland. However the actual stealth gameplay was a fair bit more enjoyable. Probably 90% of the enemies I ended up taking out; by means of strangling them unconcious, hitting them in the head or a gun shot. So it meant I wasn't going back and forth creeping around enemies. The actual gunfights in Chaos Theory were frustrating though. If you only have one enemy to hit then you have no problems, but taking on two or three is a problem because your weapons are very useless. Same enemies seem to take quite a lot of bullets before they finally die, and you simply don't have that many bullets to begin with. I guess it's designed this way so that you use your guns as little as possible. However I would have preferred more accurate weapons, but perhaps less ammunition.
In the graphics area, Chaos Theory's lighting looks great. There's high contrast throughout and some great lighting effects. But you would expect this from a stealth game where shadows are an important element. The level design, however, could have been better. For most of the game it looked decent, but considering you move at snails pace and there's only ten levels, which are all fairly small, they could have focused on a lot more detail or set pieces. I mean they do all look good, but I could have designed these levels all single-handedly in six months. Ubisoft is one of the biggest game studios in the world. They had a dozen level designers working on the game. So, I'd expect the level design to be amazing, not just decent.
The story is supposedly a big part of the game as your chasing terrorists in a plot to launch Korea and USA to war. However it was convoluted, boring and confusing. The story fell flat. The only positive here was the often amusing humour of the main character.
So what is the best thing about Chaos Theory? The soundtrack, composed by Amon Tobin.
Overall Chaos Theory has no replay value for me. By the end of the game, which was a good ten hours, I was getting bored with it. Not helped by having to repeat the entire last level after because a killed one of the enemies, not realising I needed him for a retinal scan. The game has a few of these gameplay bugs that should have been ironed out in testing. Another time a scripted sequence never triggered, meaning I was completely stuck.
If you like stealth games though, it's fairly enjoyable.
@Kona
#3961 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/01/01 15:55:03
You mention enjoying Thief 3, ever played the first two? Not going to get in any 'superior' debates, just wondering out of interest is all.
Spirit
#3962 posted by negke [88.70.228.135] on 2011/01/01 16:58:35
^__^
Perfect inspiration for the new quaddicted theme!
#3963 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/01 23:47:24
Nah quakis, I tried to play the first one when it first came out. Didn't like the gameplay much. I found the gameplay in Thief 3 a little frustrating as well, there's just a little too much shadow crawling. It'd be better if you could more successfully take enemies out like you could in Splinter Cell. But I loved the level design and story of T3, which is what made it memorable to me. The older 2 wouldn't look as good, so I wouldn't go back to them now. There needs to be more games in the style of T3, instead of realistic settings all the time.
#3964 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/01/02 00:36:45
First two Thief games are probably the most immersive and enjoyable games I've played so far. Such a rich setting with so much background and detail, the non-linear(ish) approach in each mission. Some few years ago when I almost finished up Thief 2, I was getting upset that this will be pretty much it, until I discovered all the fan missions that have been released (and continue to).
As for Thief 3? I absolutely cannot say anything about it (besides clunky movement) since the game crashes too often to get a good session out it, which kinda sucks as I want to actually play through it.
Steam Sale
#3965 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/05 03:42:26
proved good. Also picked up Batman:AA and Far Cry 2. Now need time to play all these, Wich is about 70% complete I think.
As for L4D2, managed to get hack around Low Violence but only for Single Player, not online play :(
Boondog
#3966 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/01/05 03:48:58
Feels a lot like PC puzzle/platform games from the 90s to me.
http://jayisgames.com/games/boondo...
Metlslime
#3967 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2011/01/05 07:56:27
it sucks
Nitin
#3968 posted by negke [88.70.74.226] on 2011/01/05 10:48:41
What's your Steam name OR poke someone to get you into the Func Steam group so we can get some L4D2 games going.
Negke
#3969 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/05 13:34:28
it's nitin77.
I havent played it yet though so total newbie :)
Name Not Found
#3970 posted by negke [88.70.224.191] on 2011/01/05 18:14:22
Just play through each campaign in SP, that should be enough to get into it. Then you're basically ready to shoot Shambler in the back or vice versa.
Nitin
#3971 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.253.110] on 2011/01/05 19:58:14
Is it n_gul-something ;) ?
L4D is frantic. Just get on a server and start playing.
Rules:
Dont shoot eachother. You can vote abusers off.
People dont mind a couple of accidents though....
Stick together. If someone goes off on their own for example, a person should try and keep close to them, 2 by 2 if you see what I mean, but really you are better off as a unit of 4.
Right Mouse Button to push zombies back (when trying to reload for example) is invaluable, and used all of the time. It will also get special infected off of a person sometimes.
Set a Tank special infected on fire where possible.
Conserve health - when you are going to die (get knocked over too many times) the screen will go black and white. This is a good time to use medikits if they are sparse. Even if it means hobbling around slowly for a while. If you know you are gonna get owned by zombies then save the health.
Dont startle the witches unless you know you can kill them. Which you dont. Keep the flashlights off.
If a witch is in a bottleneck area then go past her one at a time. If she startsn to sound more agited then wait for her to calm down before the next person.
I think I added you. Send me an invite for a L4D2 game if I'm online, if im not busy I still play that game, love it!
Func Steam Group?
#3972 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/06 00:21:04
searching for func returns garbage. Link?
Steam name: BetterThanUNIX.
Negke
#3973 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/06 03:13:04
steam name is nitin77, alternatively email is n_gulati at hotmail dot com (which seems to be how ricky found it).
Ah
#3974 posted by negke [88.70.61.170] on 2011/01/06 10:10:13
You haven't set up your Steam profile yet, that's why the search didn't give any results.
I Didn't?
#3975 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/06 16:15:46
Thought I did. Looking at it now and there's not much to set up, unless I'm missing something.
No, Nitin
#3976 posted by negke [88.70.70.172] on 2011/01/07 10:54:54
Nehrim
#3977 posted by negke [88.70.70.172] on 2011/01/07 11:24:29
After 30 hours of playing, a few comments:
Like the others said, this is really impressive. The world is huge, the design excellent and very detailed, the voice acting superb. The fact they hired professional voice actors already accounts for a lot. I can understand how (if) you keep from playing it through as it must be annoying to play such a game with subtitles only. I haven't played any Oblivion mods before, but I did play many Gothic1/2 mods - which were good, sometimes great, but none of them had such a high level of quality as Nehrim.
I like how they beefed up some of Oblivion's core systems, like for example how you now get Learn points when leveling up (or reading certain skill books) and can use them to advance your skills at certain teachers, like in Gothic. However, it's very expensive.
There are also plants that grant permanent boni, and spell runes to discover, which teach you powerful spells without requiring a teacher (and gold).
A problem, or at least a little downside, is that there seem to be only few quests in relation to the huge size of the world. In Oblivion, you can enter a new village or town and be sure to find at least one side quest. In Nehrim, there are good side quests too, but it seems to focus more on the (apparently long) main quest. So often you pass through settlements which are nice to look at, but don't offer any interaction apart from merchants. And, related to that and the size of the map, you often have to travel enormous distances from the start of your quest to the destination and back. It doesn't help that quick travel is disabled - though I agree it makes sense. You can teleport to certain locations of you find someone who can teach you the corresponding spell, but even then it still requires a teleportation crystal (which you can buy or find), so you can't teleport at your leasure unless you're rich and well-stocked.
I'm not sure if the fact that I chose to play with a Half-Aetherna affects the gameplay in this sense and results in a reduced number of side quest offerings - as that race is disliked or despised by many humans and they often don't want to talk to me. Can any of you other verify? I assume, however, this is not the case and they would just give another reply to other races while still not offering any more interaction. In Oblivion, regular NPCs could at least be talked to for generic information.
While most of the environments are impressive, more individual and unique than in Oblivion with its many duplicate levels, some feel too stretched-out. For instance, the underground journey to the dwarven city, as cool as it was, became tedious after a while. Not because there were so many enemies, but because they were fairly strong and the way was so long.
As a result of this, huge size vs. seemingly low number of side quests, it feels like I'm beginning to lose interest (already started to noclip around), so I'm going to focus on the main quest now.
#3978 posted by negke [88.70.70.172] on 2011/01/07 11:33:02
And yes, all the additional details and more open outside environments have a huge impact on the performance, indeed. The Oblivion engine never scaled well, but in Nehrim it's sometimes extreme. I had to switch back to XP as on Win7 some areas just slowed the game down to a crawl (on high settings anyway). So it might not be much fun if your machine specs are only just above Oblivion's standard requirements.
Nehrim
#3979 posted by Bal [81.249.97.206] on 2011/01/07 20:08:38
Yeah I've been playing it too (same, around 30 hours in), and I agree with most of what you say.
All in all it's a great mod, I highly recommend it for fans of Elder Scrolls and Gothic games, and also, don't be put off by the very boring, linear and slow introduction, once you're out in the world you can really go wherever you want.
I hated the the lack of fast travel at first, but it does make sense, and I'm rich now, so cash to buy teleport crystals is no longer a problem (the easiest way to become rich, like in Oblivion, is to make lots of potions, and sell them).
Yeah it does feel strange to enter a village, and no one will have some silly side-quest for you to do, that's a bit disappointing.
But the dungeons are diverse enough that just exploring them for loot is nice, better than in Oblivion where everything feels the same.
Finished Witcher
#3980 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/08 04:17:03
really liked this, cant wait for Witcher 2.
I hope the sequel has a bit more monster variety though. Witch 1 had plenty but more big cool creatures are needed :)
Also played Modern Warfare 1 for about 2 sittings, maybe 6 hours in total. I think I'm upto the last level, ridiculously short game although its probably because its exteremely polished. But FFS, the first 3 levels or so ar every annoying considering you cant do anything but what you're meant to do and only in one way. Thankfully, once they drop you in more normal levels, you have freedom to roam and kill your enemies as you please, not some scripted one way bullshit.
Arcania
#3981 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/08 23:17:04
supposed to be gothic4? how did i miss that? :S
is that any good? maybe a little more stable and efficient than gothic3?
Not As Good As G3
#3982 posted by negke [88.70.75.245] on 2011/01/08 23:47:08
Bal and I posted comments about it here.
Arcania...
#3983 posted by Bal [83.204.134.165] on 2011/01/09 00:45:14
Is skipable really, get Risen instead if you want more Gothic in my opinion (or play Nehrim :).
Nehrim
#3984 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/09 01:58:47
i'm clearly the exception here because after playing nehrim for a few hours, i went back and played oblivion for about 2 or 3 weeks. :P :P
but thanks for the tip re: risen. :)
2 Years Of Games To Catch Up On...mostly
#3985 posted by DaZ [78.147.103.44] on 2011/01/09 04:09:34
So I splashed out on a new pc for Christmas and am buying a bunch of games that would not run well on my old rig at all, I just wanted to check in with your guys that I'm not missing anything awesome!
Just Cause 2
Mass effect 2
Dragon Age : origins
Dead Space
Star craft 2
Assassins Creed
Modern Warfare 2
That's what I've played so far, ones I'm not too sure about:
Bad Company 2
Fallout 3 / Vegas
Assassins Creed 2
Witcher
Anything I missed that needs to be checked out? I'm not too into strategy or racing games!
#3986 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/09 04:44:08
Bad Company 2 was like a Modern Warfare game - some of the levels were huge and breath taking though. Really over the top action/story, etc
Fo3/Vegas are good if you like ugly open world RPGs with a lot of exploration and content.
AC2 is like AC1 with a bit more stuff from what I understand - I hated AC1 so I skipped it other than what I've heard from people at work.
Witcher I heard was good, weird combat though.
Rogue Trooper (2006) Review
#3987 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/09 06:10:16
Rogue Trooper is one of the lesser-known shooters of 2006. Although it was third-person, this is still your typical action shooter. And when your in cramped spaces the camera reverts almost to first-person anyway.
So your setting is nothing new; the galactic other-worlds which look remarkably like earth, as seen in everything from Unreal II to Halo. There are 12 levels which take you from bases, more bases, mountains, cities. There are, unfortunately, two 'rails' levels, but they aren't as bad as some games.
The design and graphics are a little average for 2006. I've seen much better. There's nothing breathtaking here, but having said that it's not poor either. The design is simply adequate. Linear, lacking detail, but enough variety and decent enough to keep you satisfied throughout the game.
The gameplay is a mixed bag. Rebellion tried to do things differently here by giving you a live 'shop' you can purchase from at any time during gameplay. So there's not ammo or health scattered around the levels. Instead your have to find scrap, which somehow is turned into cash which you can use to purchase ammo, health, upgrades to your weapons. It's not exactly realistic, but neither is a pumped blue-skinned trooper with demon eyes as your main character. The problem with this system is that your forced to search for scrap in order to purchase enough ammo and health to stay alive. You can't complete a level, especially in the later stages, without purchasing. It also breaks up the flow of the game when your forced to purchase more health right in the middle of a firefight when your near death. Ultimately, I threw on an unlimited ammo cheat (and stuck to the weaker weapons throughout the game) so I didn't have to bother with the constant 'search for scrap... purchase ammo' rubbish.
Ultimately the gameplay is a good challenge. Enemies are all the same, but weapons are fairly decent and the game never gets frustrating or too easy. Again, just like the design, the game is just getting by at being fun, but nothing memorable. The only problem with gameplay is often you'll be firing at enemies and for whatever odd reason, they just won't die. Not because they're invincible, but because apparently your not in a position where you can shoot them. When you've got an enemy well within sight, your crosshairs go red. But many times you can clearly see you've got them in sight, there are little obstacles, and yet the crosshairs won't go red and therefore you can pile hundreds of bullets into their heads and they won't die. One minor niggle in an otherwise fairly decent game.
Decent because you don't go in expecting greatness with a game based on a 2000AD comic (sorry folks but Judge Dredd is horrid) from a studio that hasn't released anything worth playing since 1999's Aliens vs Predator.
Action Games 2009/2010
#3988 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/09 06:16:44
BTW Daz, here's my list of 2009/2010 games to play. I haven't played any yet (still working on 2005 so it'll be a few years before I even get to these ones). The score is an accumulative score from www.gamerankings.com, so it's fairly accurate. Also note I really only play single player actions/shooters.
2010==============================...
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 - ???
Oddbox (pc port unreleased)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior - 54% (by City Interactive)
James Bond 007: Blood Stone - 62%
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (3rd person) - 63%
Aliens vs. Predator (2010) - 68%
Lost Planet 2 (3rd person) - 68%
The Ball - 73%
Medal of Honor - 75%
Transformers: War for Cybertron - 75%
Dead Rising 2 - 75% (action/survivor horror)
Mafia II - 76%
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands - 78%
Singularity - 78%
Call of Duty: Black Ops - 79%
Metro 2033 - 81%
Darksiders - 82%
Assassin's Creed II - 83%
Just Cause 2 - 85%
Bioshock2 - 87%
Amnesia: The Dark Descent [Puzzle/Survival/Horror] - 88%
Mass Effect 2 - 95% (action rpg)
2009==============================...
Code of Honor 3: Desperate Measures (by City Interactive) - ???
Painkiller: Resurrection [Standalone Expansion Pack] - ???
ShellShock 2: Blood Trails - 41%
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition - (3rd person) - 61%
NecroVisioN - 64%
Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason - 69%
Section 8 - 70%
Killing Floor - 72%
Shattered Horizon 73%
Wolfenstein - 74%
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising - 75%
Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood - 79%
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin - 79%
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (3rd person) - 79%
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (3rd person) - 80%
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena - 81%
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat - 82%
Borderlands 82%
Red Faction: Guerrilla (3rd person) - 85%
Resident Evil 5 (3rd person) - 86%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - 87%
Left 4 Dead 2 - 89%
Batman: Arkham Asylum (3rd person) - 93%
Daz
#3989 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/09 06:17:34
see above, I really enjoyed Witcher.
You may as well get CoD: World at War and Crysis/Warhead too.
And Yeah
#3990 posted by nitin [203.217.72.238] on 2011/01/09 06:19:08
Arkhan Asylum seems to be a good arcade sort of game and I also forgot Bioshock 2.
The Ball Vs Black Ops
#3991 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/09 07:35:56
How does black ops get a higher score than the ball? Black ops was bleh on the 360, nothing new. At all. Treyarch also royally destroyed mp. At leaat the ball was different.
#3992 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/09 09:12:03
Because Call of Duty is a big fanboy franchise like Halo, regardless of whether it's an actually immersive, well designed game. According to reviewers, Call of Duty Modern Warfare is the 2nd best fps of 2009, behind LFD2. I think most of the review sites just copy whatever score the big guns gave it.
Daz
#3993 posted by Shambler [92.236.254.233] on 2011/01/09 11:07:26
Yay, get SC2, IIRC you were crap at DOW so I could do with more n00bs around me level :D
Kona
#3994 posted by negke [88.70.53.166] on 2011/01/09 12:15:54
That's quite a list. Almost makes it seem like work.
Smabbles
#3995 posted by DaZ [78.147.107.124] on 2011/01/09 16:01:29
I already have SC2! I got it from Tesco remember =)
friend me - darren.weekes@gmail.com
I got to low silver league before I stopped playing, but I would be up for some games!
Thanks for that list Kona, I will start working my way through it!
Daz.
#3996 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.82] on 2011/01/09 16:51:42
Oh yeah lol.
It won't let me type in an email address as I've got gaybook disabled. Gimme your name / id instead yo.
Shambler 946
Erm
#3997 posted by DaZ [78.147.99.215] on 2011/01/09 18:31:04
Bughunt:292 (I think its 292!)
Nehrim Continued
#3998 posted by negke [88.70.248.171] on 2011/01/09 21:44:55
Just finished the game. Truly epic stuff! I've never played user-generated content of such an incredibly (and consistently) high quality. This could easily be a commercial addon. Sure, there are a few glitches, and the fairly frequent crashes were a bit annoying, but it was bearable after all.
I contanstly wet my pants with all the detailed and well-thought areas, castles, dungeons. Some of them alone already warrant giving this a try. There are not only medieval-themed environments like in Oblivion, but also otherwordly and plainly weird ones.
The story is quite cool once it picks up. Surpringly philosophical. As I've already said earlier, nicely varied quests. I liked how they make proper use of the physics. For instance, in quite a few cases you have to manually drag objects around instead of the usual pickup->autoinsert behavior the game normally has. Or stack crates to reach higher ground and so forth.
It has a few puzzles (none too difficult, which I wasn't unhappy about), stealth moments, timed events. So the developers definitely tried to expand the scope of the original game. And successfully so, for the most part.
I also loved how they put little details here and there, be it corpses or skeletons and corresponding items placed in such a way that the player can imagine what those persons were doing or how they lived/died, or notes and diaries, and other 'personal' stuff. There are many new books like about the story of the world and all, like in Oblivion. I didn't read them, but the effort put into this is admirable
The design of caverns, dungeons and temples make exploration now actually rewarding, as each of them has at least one special item or nice location (vista), or even enemy, to discover; unlike Oblivion that didn't only ues the small number of underground levels a dozen times over, but also had most of them only contain useless junk for loot.
Finally there are many easter eggs and little nods (not only the developers' mugshots on the wanted posters). I discovered Sven's secret electro danceclub, a Cube tribute, and even the SureAI bunker with its Killer-Chicken. :D
Took me a good 50 hours. If one was to explore the map exhaustively for every dungeon and special item, i.e. do the Kinn, it would certainly add another 10 hours of gameplay. So basically like a full game.
Anyway, excellent stuff - one could even go so far as to call it a monumental effort by this small team. Highly recommended if you're into Oblivion. Btw. I'm not being paid for this. ;)
#3999 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/09 23:26:06
geez, i feel i should give this another chance. :S it felt really hard when i played it though...
like i had no money and stuff was kicking my ass. :P maybe it was cause i played as a rogue character. if i made a regular fighter it would probably be easier.
#4000 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/10 02:49:30
Four thousandth!
Necros
#4001 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/01/10 06:42:26
Two things:
a) Make sure that you're in an area that's right for your level--the game gives you a suggested range, and can be tough at times (especially at the beginning), even if you stay within suggested areas.
b) Don't be afraid to turn the difficulty down. I played with it set at 25 for a while, when things got kind of tough, and I think I only have it back up to the 40-ish range now. Like negke said, it's just a fantastic game to explore and enjoy, and you shouldn't let difficulty issues stand in the way of that.
There are many new books like about the story of the world and all, like in Oblivion. I didn't read them, but the effort put into this is admirable
Some of the books I've read have been really, really astonishingly good, considering that this is a fan effort, and that they had to be translated from the German. I'm amazed.
If I can remember, the next time I play I'll see if I can pick out an especially good one and grab a few screenies or something.
#4002 posted by negke [88.70.62.177] on 2011/01/10 10:39:44
I played on standard difficulty. Never occurred to me I could have just lowered it a little... :S
Yeah, that's what I meant by slow start. I started to enjoy it more once I got reasonably powerful in combat and especially magic.
c) Don't make the same 'mistake' as I did and hoard potions and scrolls thinking they're too valuable and might come in handy later. Use them right away. There are so many of them lying around everywhere. I ended up having a shitload of them in my inventory and only realized they would have made my life much easier when I didn't need them anymore. Magic gems, too. Likewise, I only got to appreciate alchemy towards the end.
Also use the skill trainers early on. The higher your character level, the more expensive each training point becomes. But they can make for more solid start.
I think what helped me a lot was that I found a fairly powerful weapon early on. There's some good stuff in the dungeons.
The headhunter quests are good for money. But I think the real deal is, as usual, collecting all kinds of junk and loot (weapons and armor in particular) and load them off at merchants.
#4003 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/01/10 11:13:49
You guys are really tempting me to play Nehrim earlier than I plan to. I'm trying to hold off though so I can catch up on some neglected games; especially on Steam - what's the use in buying games during previous sales if I don't even play them? ;_;
Brothers In Arms: Earned In Blood REVIEW
#4004 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/10 23:21:16
Just a quick extra review of the sequel, Earned In Blood. Released just six months later, this really should have been as a cheaper addon pack or downloadable content. There is nothing new, no upgrades to design or gameplay.
Some of the levels are perhaps slightly better looking, but they're still the same bland, horizontal designs from part one. The gameplay, unfortunately, is much harder this time around.
Again with no way to regenerate your health or quicksave, the only way to play this game is meticulously, slowly and reloading from checkpoints a lot. It's very difficult even when you use the flanking idea behind the game because unfortunately your teammates' AI is hopeless a lot of the time. The weapons are all still just as inaccurate as part one, adding to the frustration.
Below average graphics and gameplay that's unbalanced make this a very skippable game.
Dead Space 1st Impressions
#4005 posted by DaZ [78.147.170.19] on 2011/01/11 03:49:55
Better late than never =)
I've just started chapter 3 (so no spoilers please!) and from what I can tell this is doom 3 in 3rd person, but with a much more engrossing storyline and less corny dialogue.
The environments are pure sci-fi spaceship pornography and look fantastic, and special mention must go to the ambient sounds and general sound effects, just as in doom 3, they are fantastic and really add to the creepy vibe.
Gameplay seems to tick all of the boxes of doom 3 also, and unfortunately that also means monsters spawning out of "closets" and appearing behind you. The idea of shooting off body parts for a faster kill is novel and fairly enjoyable however.
Where it differs from doom 3 is in the quasi-rpg system it employs with your inventory, you have to pick up med kits and ammo are use them sparingly, as well as collect money and new item schematics that you can create and purchase in the various shops strewn about the maps. You can also find items that allow you to upgrade your space suit and weapons.
Controls (for the pc version at least) feel very clunky, special mention goes to the awful mouse look speed, even with it set to max the screen crawls along when you swing the mouse across the pad :P I imagine a gamepad works better but I have not tried it.
Overall though I am enjoying it so far, the sexy as hell environments and creepy atmosphere are keeping me going nicely :)
F.E.A.R. Review
#4006 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/14 02:37:04
Monolith has been responsible for some good underrated games. NOLF and its sequel are two of the most underrated first-person shooters in my opinion. I skipped their previous shooter, Contact J.A.C.K. due to below average reviews, but F.E.A.R. is another great release from the Washington based studio.
F.E.A.R. was met with a fairly positive reception, suprising consider the industries' criticism of games that bring nothing new to the table. And indeed F.E.A.R. really doesn't bring anything new. In fact, for pure single-player focused first-person shooters (which excuses Splinter Cel and Battlefield 2), F.E.A.R. is the top rated of 2005. Ahead of Call Of Duty and even Quake 4. But it's not without it's issues.
The biggest issue is the lack of finesse in the level design. Now the Lithtech engine, developed in-studio by Monolith, is a great engine. In fact the version of the engine (Jupiter EX) used in F.E.A.R. is still being used in shooters in 2011. The problem with F.E.A.R. is that it failed miserably on using the engines potential. Sure, they made good use of lighting as this is a definite strong point in the game. Although not as amazing looking as Doom 3, Quake 4 or Splinter Cell; it's not far off. Where F.E.A.R. lacks is, firstly in the texturing. Textures are plain, drab and dominantly grey throughout the game. Follow this up with abysmal level design. Constantly throughout the game you'll be walking through plain four-brush corridors with a scattering of prefabs such as barrells and pipes. Follow this up with a room, then another corridor or two leading to the next room. All the while looking horribly unfinished in the detailing department. There are no complex angles, no extravagent architecture. This is level design 101, to the point where you could take just about any level in the game, for instance one of the far too many office levels, put some drab brown wood textures in there, and suddenly it's a warehouse complex.
As mentioned each room has a couple of routes to get in and out. The upside is enemies can also use either route to attack, so it's sets up for good gameplay. However it gets repetitive very fast and confusing because it sometimes feels very maze-like.
Where F.E.A.R. excels is in it's gameplay. We deal with human opponents almost exclusively. Some take more damage than others, some have different weapons. But the AI is all the same; and that is fairly good. Not perfect, but good enough to provide a decent and fun challenge. I played the game on medium and it's fairly perfect. I always had plenty of shotgun ammo, plenty of health packs in reserve, which is how I like it. The weapons all felt great. The shotgun and machine gun are your main weapons, with enough space to carry only one other weapon which alternates depending on what you find in each level. It was slightly disappointing that you can only carry three weapons, but that's a minor niggle as the shotgun is great fun.
There could have been a few different enemies. Sure you have turrets, both ceiling-mounted and flying; both of which were very annoying and didn't enhance gameplay at all. Some kind of ghost also makes an appearance occasionally, but these are far too underwhelming. Some sort of challenging ninja enemy, complete with invisibility and very fast manoeuvres makes very few appearances, unfortunately.
The story, which I won't go in to, had a fairly solid premise. Unfortunately there was little storytelling and very few cut scenes throughout the game. Most of the backstory was told through laptops which were too long and boring to sit and listen to throughout the game. Monolith should have put a lot more effort into telling their story.
Overall, F.E.A.R. is a fun romp for around 10 hours, with a successful engine but sadly let down by old skool level design which may have been great for a late-90's/early-2000's game, but in 2005 looks too bland compared to the level of detail of, for instance, Doom 3.
Amnesia - The Dark Descent
#4007 posted by negke [88.70.52.64] on 2011/01/14 22:35:35
Phew, finished it without strokes or nightmares. A genuinely creepy game. And that through fairly simple means. Most importantly the lack of weapons. Like I said somewhere else, a game can have the scariest-looking monsters, but it leaves me absolutely unaffected if I have anything to defend myself. So I had quite a few adrenaline rushes here. There aren't too many monster encounters after all (and only a single type), but it's all about the anticipation - and that's most effective here. If you encounter one, you have to run or hide - and hope it doesn't spot you.
Needless to say the darkness plays an important rule, too. A nice touch is that your eyes adapt to the darkness after a moment, but it's imparative to light candles and torches, or use your lantern, in most levels in order to keep your sanity.
The reaction of the player character to prolonged exposure to darkness or scary situations does the rest. I found it really adds to the tension if you hear him shiver and the heart rate go up, and so on. Also what some people might consider cheap scares, like sudden frightful sound effects, or a gush of wind blowing a door open or some candles out.
The puzzles are okay. Mostly adventure-grade stuff of finding and combining items. Nothing to difficult or overly confusing. Nice though because they make for an uneasy feeling as one has to spend more time in such eerie areas.
Story is a bit so-an-so. Does the job, has good elements but also somewhat questionable ones. Classic reverse telling, through scattered diary entries and flashbacks; it felt appropriate at times and not so much at others. There are three endings, though I wouldn't have known about it if I hadn't read it somewhere.
The Horror Etc
#4008 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.82] on 2011/01/15 01:12:05
Thief was always a fantastic game for horror. You're already tense and used to hiding due to the stealth mechanics. When they introduce monsters, it ratchets up a notch perfectly. A human is scary, a zombie that you know is immune to half your gear and will only be stunned by the other half is terrifying :p
The Cradle in Thief 3 is mentioned often but it does deserve the acclaim it gets. I usually don't find games scary, in fact most horror games are hilarious (hi resident evil) As a result from what I've seen of Amnesia I'll probably give it a go.
#4009 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/15 04:06:05
Yeah The Cradle was one of the scariest parts to a game i've played. A bit repetitive but the going back in time thing was very well done.
#4010 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/15 04:52:11
Phew, finished it without strokes or nightmares.
this sentence alone makes me interested. sadly, well done horror games creep me the fuck out and i usually can never get to the end. i barely finished doom3 and that had predictable scares.
yes. i'm a wuss. :P
Don't Bother
#4011 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.41.110] on 2011/01/15 07:42:36
with Amnesia then. It is genuinely scary if you play it the way it is supposed to be played (alone, in a dark room, with headphones on). I haven't finished it myself (yet), but what I have played was excellent because it is scary as shit, yet it is not too hard. Usually scary games are also very hard, but Amnesia has a very good balance (for me).
#4012 posted by negke [88.70.62.153] on 2011/01/15 09:47:59
SleepwalkR: Indeed. The actual challenge is not to chicken out. ;)
Something I forgot to mention. I liked how the game has you interact with the physics more than usual. What I mean is you don't simply click doors and drawers open, but you basically have to hold them and do the proper motion with the mouse (swing or pull). And you can't easily pick up heavier objects. Some stuff can be carried around in your hand; with other things, like bed frames or big stones, you have to grab them and use the movement keys to slowly and awkwardly drag them. Imagine being threatened by a monster and in panic trying to move a heavy bed in front of a door to keep the monster from entering.
#4013 posted by negke [88.70.62.153] on 2011/01/15 10:10:45
Or like in Dead Space where you have to shake the mouse in order to free from a monster's stranglehold. Or in some GTA game where armwrestling requires you to do the same. Not to mention the countless classic games, e.g. sports-type, that require button-mashing. It's kind of stupid and back then it annoyed me, but if you think about it, the idea isn't so bad. It can make for a more interactive experience.
I think someone posted an article about this, but I can't remember where is was.
Riddick - Dark Athena
#4014 posted by nitin [124.168.96.231] on 2011/01/16 03:41:58
any good? Currently $5 at Steam.
Nitin
#4015 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/16 04:23:21
I've had that game for I don't know how many years.
You reminded me that I had it.
#4016 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/16 06:46:38
Something I forgot to mention. I liked how the game has you interact with the physics more than usual. What I mean is you don't simply click doors and drawers open, but you basically have to hold them and do the proper motion with the mouse (swing or pull). And you can't easily pick up heavier objects. Some stuff can be carried around in your hand; with other things, like bed frames or big stones, you have to grab them and use the movement keys to slowly and awkwardly drag them. Imagine being threatened by a monster and in panic trying to move a heavy bed in front of a door to keep the monster from entering.
i like mechanics like this. i remember playing fahrenheit/indigo had this great mechanic for dialog trees.
normally, you get like a list of 2 to 5 things you can say and the game just pauses while you pick what you want. you can spend a minute thinking about it. but in fahrenheit there was a timer of about 5 to 10 seconds depending on difficulty but also how quickly the other character was supposed to answer... and if you answer slowly, the other characters would pick up on it. on top of that, you had to make a semi complex mouse movement which, when you're being drilled by a cop can be pretty difficult. it actually made navigating dialog trees tense.
Zwiffle
#4017 posted by nitin [124.168.96.231] on 2011/01/16 08:59:19
it only came out in 2009! Unless you're talking about Riddick - Butcher Bay which I highly recommend.
#4018 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/16 15:58:46
Nope, according to direct2drive I bought it on 9.14.09 but I just forgot I had it.
I apparently also have STALKER.
Pariah (2005) Review
#4019 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/17 05:48:58
Wow, another sci-fi first person shooter. Having just completed Rogue Trooper and talking about how similar it is to every other sci-fi shooter from Halo to Unreal 2, Pariah is identical again.
According to the story you're transporting an infected prisoner when your shot down by scavengers into a wasteland that was once Earth. If this game is supposed to take place in wastelands, then the designers failed miserably. Instead we have a mix of outdoor terrain and enemy bases. The Unreal Engine 2.5 looks like it's starting to date in Pariah; there are other games with much better graphics. The level design is a real mix; the indoor areas are often nicely detailed, high-tech and look quite good. The terrain is also fairly decent looking, but doesn't have anywhere near the crisp detail of Far Cry. However some of the bigger buildings can feel quite blocky, especially from the outside.
The gameplay is a little weaker than the design. Unfortunately it's another checkpoint system game so no quicksaves. I didn't have to replay too much of the game because of this, but it does force me to play very carefully. The two end battles were too difficult and long considering you have no quicksave. As were the on-rails sections which included a couple of vehicle levels and train levels; all of which were terrible. Perhaps it was my configuration, but the vehicles were steered using the mouselook instead of left/right keys. So if you want to go left, move your mouse left. This meant trying to shoot enemies from the vehicle was extremely difficult, and forget about attempting reverse.
The first train level just seemed to go on forever; repetitive wouldn't be a strong enough word. While the other had you completing a massive jump, which I failed the first two times because I didn't use the quickrun key, only to find the game didn't bother to add a checkpoint before this jump so I ended up playing half of this level 3-4 times over. Once was already too much.
Your enemies aren't too bad, they do provide a bit of challenge and fun. They are, naturally, all the same humans. Little variation apart from a slightly different human model/skin and different weapons and health. What spoilt the gameplay a little were the poor weapons. The shotgun was useless, the machine gun seemed to spray bullets all over the place and lacked power. Your also have a plasma gun which you're forced to use quite a lot since most of the ammo pickups are for this gun. It's not a fun gun... the firing is slow and at an annoying angle which takes some getting used to.
I guess it should be said that I liked this game enough to play it almost all in one sitting (just one coffee and cake break). That being said, it must have only been a 5-6 hour game. Overall, average gameplay and design/environments that we've all seen before; only pick up this game if you really love the sci-fi/base theme.
Digital Extremes' next release, Warpath, was originally a sequel to Pariah hence many similarities. But due to Pariah being a commercial flop, it was turned into a different game. However it was an even bigger flop than Pariah.
About Halfway Through
#4020 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/01/17 06:33:59
Batman: Arkham Asylum, which is really kind of like an old school action/adventure/puzzle arcade game with modern day graphics and scale.
Loving it so far.
I Loved It
#4021 posted by starbuck [71.230.18.218] on 2011/01/17 06:53:36
one of the few games I've bothered to try and 100%
Yeah
#4022 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/17 07:14:50
I went back once I got to the final boss to find all the secrets in the game.
It was great, but the combat got repetitive and the bosses felt kind of lame, but every thing else was ace.
Bosses
#4023 posted by nitin [203.217.82.218] on 2011/01/17 10:43:04
I have to say so far I've liked the boss combats in this because each one is different and most of them are not frustrating at all.
Chronicles Of Riddick
#4024 posted by negke [88.70.54.132] on 2011/01/17 23:25:20
First impression of both games: ugly & boring shit.
I Liked
#4025 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/01/18 01:26:10
BB and I ended up picking up DA so will post comments when I eventually get to it.
Finished Batman though, turned out to be shorter than I thought. Final boss was indeed a bit lame but now I'm going back to get all the secrets and try out the challenge modes. Excellent fun!
This Is Sort Of Different....
#4026 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/01/18 04:05:29
http://peanutgallerygames.com/game...
pOnd, a one-button zen relaxation game that celebrates the simple beauty of the natural world. Enjoy the pleasant sights and sounds and breathe in nature as you journey deep into the woods.
It's only a few minutes long, and kind of a different experience.
If you try it, please don't spoil any of the fine details in this thread; let people really sink into the game and notice them on their own.
Heh
#4027 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.19.73] on 2011/01/18 04:21:14
Very clever! Kinda makes me wanna make a turtlemap.......
Hmm
#4028 posted by nitin [202.161.17.161] on 2011/01/19 14:18:14
I reckon the version of Riddick Butcher Bay that comes with Dark Athena looks shitter than the original version.
#4029 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/19 22:25:59
Nice looking game, but too much boring stealth in it for me. And the stealth wasn't done that well.
I know it was considered a underrated classic, but I just thought it was a decent game, but maybe not as good as some had made it out to be.
I Remember That Game
#4030 posted by RickyT23 [86.27.19.73] on 2011/01/19 22:30:53
It was the best looking game before Doom 3 got released. The combat/gameplay was (for the time) linear, safe and fulfilling. It had cool mechs at the end (oops, spoiler apology) and the gimmick of a fighting arena was memorable, and a welcome change in tempo. My 2c.
Escape From Butcher Bay
#4031 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2011/01/20 18:15:04
Think I've written this before but anyway... mediocre action, mediocre hand-to-hand combat, mediocre stealth but mixed in just the right way and presented well enough to offer a really good overall experience.
#4030 - #4031
#4032 posted by Shambler [85.232.218.156] on 2011/01/20 18:44:54
I agree. I liked it. It wasn't amazing but it worked well, looked good, and had the right feel for the setting.
Playing Bioshock Now
#4033 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/01/21 02:15:05
completely different to what I thought it would be (which was a shooter). The gameplay vibe is like Undying though (a game which I cant run on W7 unfortunately).
Bioshock Is Great!
#4034 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2011/01/21 10:37:33
Are you killing all the little sisters, or setting them free?
Spóileur
#4035 posted by negke [88.70.76.234] on 2011/01/21 10:39:29
Either do one or the other consequently, as you'll only get the Good ending if you free every single one of them.
Not That Farin Yet
#4036 posted by nitin [202.161.17.161] on 2011/01/21 13:18:29
have only seen them so far.
Is It On Steam?
#4037 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/01/21 14:49:06
I wanted to buy it a while ago and it had vanished.
Yes, it is on Steam. But I'm poor so will continue playing RMQ instead.
#4038 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/21 22:40:12
isn't there a 'medium' ending for when you only kill some of them?
Ok So Far I'm Saving Them
#4039 posted by nitin [202.161.17.161] on 2011/01/22 04:16:59
any tips against the Big Daddies?
#4040 posted by negke [88.70.89.224] on 2011/01/22 10:33:40
nitin: Armor-piercing bullets or grenades. Electro plasmid helps too.
necros: Yes, but it's basically the Bad ending with a slightly different text.
Call Of Duty 2 (2005) Review
#4041 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/22 10:35:43
Call of Duty 2 is, at the time of it's release in October 2003, the best war shooter to date. It's not quite the best shooter of 2005. Quake 4 is my pick with F.E.A.R. slightly ahead as well. But being third best of the year in a shooter sub-genre dominated by bland level design and repetitive gameplay, is a good accomplishment.
Call Of Duty 2 proves that the realistic level design required for war shooters doesn't have to be ugly and uninspiring. It's miles ahead of 2005's other contenders including Vietcong 2 and Brothers In Arms. While the original Call Of Duty was okay in the design department, particularly for 2003, it wasn't amazing. Call Of Duty 2 doesn't look amazing either, but it's the consitency that counts. There's variety in design from Moscow and Stalingrad, Egypt, Libya, Germany and even the expected Omaha beach raid. The highlight for me was running up a giant French hill with mortars and machine gunners mowing you down from above.
So overall, the design and levels were consistently sprawled with debris, destroyed houses; everything to make them look like they've been part of a war. And importantly, there's plenty of vertical movement instead of huge flat levels.
Having said that the design looked good throughout, it was the gameplay that is COD3's main feature. You can only carry two weapons at a time, although once you have an automatic that's all you need. There's no healthbar and in fact no health pickups at all. Instead, at least in medium difficulty, it takes around 4-5 shots to kill you. If you get shot once or twice, you can duck down and your health will regenerate in a few seconds. It ends up being a great way to manage health as you'll still die plenty but also have many close calls where your on the verge of death but manage to somehow find cover and survive. Unfortunately the game uses checkpoints instead of quicksave, but there's several per level, all at good saving points.
Enemies are all the same, just with different weapons. However machine gunners, tanks and other vehicles help to break up the action. You also have plenty of objectives per level, from clearing out buildings, disabling tanks, destroying obects. The game is only several hours long but never gets dull. The action is constantly full-on and intense.
Singularity
#4042 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/25 07:15:05
Played on medium difficulty, Steam says I beat it in 6 hours, so the campaign is retardedly short. I guess I would boil it down to :
Think Wolfenstein with more linear, traditional levels, trying to emulate Half-Life somewhat but fails ultimately. Story is nonsensical really (but what time travel paradox story isn't?) The powers you get are binary and boring. The weapons are kind of dull feeling, but the Grenade Launcher weapon has a cool alternate mode, it launches a controllable grenade that you can roll around at will like you're controlling a balled up Samus. The Seeker is okay, very gimmicky but fun for a bit.
Monster design is generally very good, they look fuckin rad, but the combat is just boring. There was one monster they used (by my count) a total of twice, which is a shame, it was one of the best looking monsters in the game. Seriously, try to find some art of this game, Raven's art team rocks.
Level design was detailed, but very corridory and ultimately stale. Apparently Russians SUCK at building dependable stair cases because EVERY FUCKING STAIR CASE IS BROKEN in this game. I don't know how many times they use the 'oh no stair case to lower area is broken, I guess you're trapped once you walk off the edge' trick in the game.
Soooo ummmmm I would say it's similar to Fear 2 - stale design, pretty graphics. Highly polished but unoriginal. 6 hour campaign with many flaws in game design, but plays very well in those few areas where the game just 'clicks.' I would avoid it unless you can get it for $10-$20 or so? Otherwise there are better games out there.
Sin Episode 1: Emergence
#4043 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/25 12:00:00
First 2/3rds were pretty good, felt like the old 1998 game, with updated graphics, but still not really up to 2006 standards. Level design was a bit bland. It felt more like a really good Halflife mod.
Unfortunately the last 3rd was utter shit. Level design turned to custard and the gameplay was pretty much impossible without reloading 10 times for every second enemy (the ones with chainguns). The enemies are far more powerful than you are, and have instant hit. I had to god mode it, and even then the ammo was spread thin.
Apparently some patch fixes the difficulty a little, not that I could find a downloadable version - it's only available through steam.
It would have been nice if there were a full Sin 2 instead of these episodes. Sure it'd be a financial flop and the reviewers would rubbish it for being too old skool, but I like old skool. But I think the guys are Ritual themselves may have been too old skool to do a successful game. Hence why they never did another sin episode and they all moved on to other companies.
Monday Night Combat
#4044 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/25 14:34:30
Anyone get it yet? I have to wait for paypal. :(
Haha Yeah
#4045 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/25 22:08:43
those god damn chaingunners. it was mostly those guys alone that brought the game down for me. still, i would have bought for additional episodes. it was still fun, despite the difficulty problems.
#4046 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/01/25 23:04:19
vids of it look terrible, in terms of level design.
Magicka
#4047 posted by DaZ [92.24.171.89] on 2011/01/26 00:16:43
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
This is brilliant =) Real shame there is no multiplayer in the demo! You basicly have a "recipe book" of spell effects that you can choose up to 5 of at any time to create a spell to use. Shield & Earth makes a row of mountains in front of you, but if you use Shield + Earth + Fire you get Volcanoes! There must be thousands of different combinations you can do, I keep finding new ones all the time =)
Give it a shot, its only 260mb!
#4048 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/26 01:28:15
that magic system sounds very cool. i'd love to see it more often. iirc, arx fatalis had a system like this. it was even more involved because you had to 'draw' the spell out on the screen to cast it.
So Did
#4049 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/01/26 13:24:05
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.
Tried to get a emulator for it but none work apparently because of the various insanity interface tricks - deleting saved game, flies crawling on screen etc.
Good Lovecraft styled RPG with a lot of different content and rock paper scissors style.
I Started Playing That
#4050 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/26 14:16:43
A while ago, stopped about 30 minutes -60 minutes in. I should pick that up again, but I'm afraid after 3 years I won't remember what's going on.
#4051 posted by gb [89.27.240.198] on 2011/01/26 22:55:50
Apparently Russians SUCK at building dependable stair cases because EVERY FUCKING STAIR CASE IS BROKEN in this game.
Hahaha, awesome.
Thanks for the review, I was interested in this game. Was. I can live with corridor shooters being corridor-y, but they have to be good at what they do (ie killing monsters).
Tf2 Server
#4052 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/27 02:56:19
I posted in general abuse the other day about my new tf2 server*. It now has sourcemod running on it, so you can vote for maps and whatnot. It's set up for 8v8 atm, i still have to see how the server it's running on handles the load.
*the ip is 208.111.39.111.
#4053 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/01/27 03:58:31
I'd be up for some #tf TF2, server added to favorites.
#4054 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/28 14:23:57
Alright, we'll have to figure out when a good time.to play is.
On another note, I bought monday night combat, garry's mod, greed corp, and dead space yesterday.
QuakeLive
#4055 posted by negke [88.70.250.169] on 2011/01/29 00:26:59
Oi, let's have some quality duels again.
Wat
#4056 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/01/29 00:41:36
We have a tf2 server up. C'mon #tf TF2!
But if we don't have enough people I'll QuakeLIVE with you.
Team Fortress Tuesday
#4057 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/29 02:58:28
I'll be available on tuesdays at 21:00 EST for tf2. Other days there's no gaurantee I'll be able to play. If i'm on and anyone wants to play, just invite me and head over to where ever you are.
playing right now, btw.
Finished Bioshock
#4058 posted by nitin [124.168.122.189] on 2011/01/30 10:22:35
pretty good game but the strong thematic concept actually made it a bit repetitive in terms of both gameplay and visuals after a while.
Was wishing for cooler set piece designs and different enemies after about 2/3 of the way through.
QL
#4059 posted by negke [88.70.249.84] on 2011/01/31 21:52:44
Only just realized how many improperly aligned textures the maps have, floor trims in particular. Yeah, it sounds aspie, but still pretty lame how they don't even care for keeping a constant level of visual quality which wouldn't have been hard to maintain. The former custom maps are affected in particular. Sure, blah, gameplay++...
Also, they ported many arenas from ra3map1 - except for the best one of the map. I never understood why that whole map was so popular after all. Probably because most players were too lazy or dumb (no, "pro") to switch. Some of the later maps were much better.
'best' Doom Src Port
#4060 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/01/31 22:09:12
So what's the 'best' doom src port? I've seen some with silly things like md2/3 support, but are there any that stay 'true' to doom? Sorry if I'm being too vague.
#4061 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/01/31 22:21:41
prboom/glboom are very faithful.
If you want a crosshair, mouselook, auto-run etc, use zdoom or gzdoom.
jdoom can be stripped of all that model/texture junk but it can't run larger maps from stuff like Speed of Doom or Plutonia 2.
I use zdoom myself, and prboom for viewing demos :)
#4062 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/31 22:26:26
i use zdoom. it can be set to look exactly like the original but at the same time giving you proper mouse look and with tons of engine extensions. it's also very popular so almost all custom maps that have extra extensions are either designed for zdoom or have been fixed up to run in it.
#4063 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/01/31 23:37:16
I use zdoom when I play Doom engine games. Also, JDuke I think it's called if you have a hankering for Duke3D updated engine.
#4064 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/01/31 23:38:14
Yeah zdoom is great at keeping the old look and feel but adding some nice creature comforts :)
#4065 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/31 23:47:59
the nice thing about zdoom is it plays other games too: heretic and hexen as well as strife.
I Use Zdoom Too
#4066 posted by negke [88.70.86.209] on 2011/01/31 23:48:12
Though in some respect it's really the DP of Doom. And there're debates on how "faithful" and how good a standard port it is (just like, or even more so than with DP). It has a few compatibility issues/differences which alter the game experience in some cases, like infinitely tall actors (or rather the lack thereof) and other things.
I guess it's okay to use as long as a map's text file doesn't explicitly state it as incompatible.
Append
#4067 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/31 23:48:25
i was just agreeing with zwiffle. :)
#4068 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/01/31 23:50:03
about zdoom vs DP...
when i started thinking about it, i couldn't really explain why i prefer zdoom over more faithful doom ports and why i prefer fitzquake over DP.
#4069 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/02/01 00:57:49
Have you played much of Strife Necros? I completed it a while back. It's got a weird proto-Deus Ex feel to me :p
Technically jDoom plays Hexen and Heretic too. In fact I believe the guy originally made the engine for heretic.
#4070 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/01 01:29:39
i totally loved strife when it first came out. it had a lot of depth for that era. a good story and consistent quality throughout. it still was easy to get lost as almost all games were in that day, though.
still, it's one of the games i go back to every once in a while. i still like it. :)
#4071 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/02/01 02:44:53
Yeah I'll probably play it again, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, even though it is so primitive. The main thing I remember is the first town having that nice 'you're an outcast watch what you do' vibe, and then somewhat later on when you find that Robot libuary thing. The sound in that room is awesome :D
I also enjoyed the limit stealth stuff, wish it was more developed :E
#4072 posted by gb [89.27.223.213] on 2011/02/01 08:29:50
I use prboom, it has mouse look and openGL rendering by the way. Nice fast simple port with a lot of optional funkiness. ZDoom felt too sluggish to me. Tries to be everything all at once.
There are good Hexen and Heretic ports here:
http://hhexen.sourceforge.net/
Awesome 33kHz sound pack for Doom:
http://perkristian.net/game_doom-s...
Also Finished Bioshock (and Crysis)
#4073 posted by gb [89.27.223.213] on 2011/02/01 09:30:13
Bioshock - It didn't sit well with me in the beginning, especially the combat. Grew on me though.
Very well designed game, I enjoy this type of deep game, but I still think that the combat suffered. There are some good enemies like the spider splicers, but the weapons - core of any FPS - just feel underpowered / not satisfying to use in the end. I like the tommy gun though.
And Bioshock is a pretty standard corridor shooter FPS when it comes down to it, rather comparable to Doom 3 in fact, and the layouts aren't really that innovative. Still, it is OK as a corridor shooter, gameplay wise. I like the whole random crap they added to it, like vending machines, security bots and the plasmids, of which I ended up using only a few (Incinerate tends to get the job done vs splicers).
I wish it had a convincing shotgun though. There is a lack of ammo as well that must be compensated for by using plasmids (again Incinerate burns splicer health away quickly). I underused plasmids in the beginning and thus had a pretty hard time.
More varied enemies later on would have been nice, instead they just really ramped up the health of the common splicer to the point where they just wouldn't die unless you constantly used napalm etc. on them.
Underwhelmed by the whole Big Daddy / Little Sister thing. I rescued all of them, golden boy that I am. :-/
It looks like I have to play BS 2 now.
------
Yesterday I also finished Crysis:
Technically awesome game, as everybody and their dog knows, fantastic jungle environments, awesome alien ship zero-G environment, crappy final level that is an aircraft carrier where you're constantly ordered to go from A to B and back pointlessly.
Gameplay wise...
I loved Far Cry. FC is really without a doubt a motherfucker of an FPS game. It is half jungle island, and half doomlike indoor bunker shooting. With monsters, I might add.
Now here they took Far Cry, removed the bunker indoor aspect, changed the monsters to aliens, and gave the player a "nanosuit" that turns you invisible etc. so it gets a lot easier to sneak up on people than it was in FC. That's really the main thing the suit does, although there is a strength mode so developers can toss idiotic little challenges at you, and a speed mode. Golly.
Whereas the protagonist of Far Cry took an anarchistic "Die Hard" underdog approach to the game, in Crysis you're a US special forces guy in a special forces scifi suit and among a hitech scifi war of the US against the North Koreans, obviously. Crysis takes itself a lot more seriously than Far Cry did. It is much more of a scifi war simulation.
It's somewhat stale, even though they pile on tanks and aircraft for you to drive (the latter is not optional, and sucks balls).
Then the game starts to shine when the aliens are introduced. Their lair is an awesome experience, and the bastards are fun to fight, so for a moment it turns into more of a cool shooter game instead of a predator headshot fest - but sadly, it's over too soon. There's just one level where you really get to fight a lot of aliens - not counting the final carrier level, which is just prescripted stalinist level design nonsense that has you running around like a lab rat pressing buttons.
So, the game shines in certain moments, but sadly it's not allowed to go down that route. Killing aliens with a shotgun was the most fun I had in Crysis - only time I used that weapon, too. Kinda sad, except for the legions of console kids who love headshotting people while cloaked - more power to them.
Awfully cliched writing and voice acting btw (military squad antics).
I much preferred the anarchistic underdog approach of Far Cry to the routined warfare of Crysis. It looks sooooo pretty though.
Enviro Bear 2000
#4074 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2011/02/01 11:19:57
http://forums.tigsource.com/index....
is quite awesome, but annoying after a while :D
Bioshock
#4075 posted by nitin [202.161.22.128] on 2011/02/01 13:10:56
I found I pretty much stuck to wrench + electric bolt for most the game except where enemies were immune to lightning and Big Daddies. For the latter, I almost exclusively used grenades and heat seeking RPGs.
So yeah, I also found that the game did not encourage using of different weapons/plasmid combos.
What did you think of the design gb? Like I said above, very strong conceptually but like the gameplay, it did get repetitive because of that strong concept.
I Think You're Drunk
#4076 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/01 15:47:23
Because I used all kinds of different ammo and weapsons in bioshock, even more so in bioshock 2.
@Doom Ports
#4077 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/02/01 20:08:15
Also use ZDoom. Check out the Chocolate Doom port, it might be what you're after which seems to stick closely to classic Doom.
New Eyemaze Game...
#4078 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/02/01 23:49:49
"Grow Cannon" -- http://www.eyezmaze.com/eyezblog_e...
Crysis (and Dead Space)
#4079 posted by DaZ [78.147.105.52] on 2011/02/02 03:10:04
I replayed it after I got my new pc, and the part where you are driving the tank and the mountain on the horizon starts falling apart, revealing the alien structure left my jaw on the floor. It's probably the most visually impressive scene I've seen in a game, the sense of scale is absolutely spot on.
I totally agree about the alien levels, it starts off fantastically with that zero-G mission and then descends into linear scripted arsecracks for the rest of the game. A real shame as I was enjoying it immensely until that point.
Dead Space! Loved it! I had kind of written it off as a Doom 3 clone with some quirks but overall I enjoyed it very much. The boss fights in particular were fantastic, no confusion or frustration involved, which is pretty rare when you are talking about boss fights if you ask me =)
Again this is another sexy, sexy game. Visual presentation is pretty much flawless throughout and it ran at 60fps on my 9600gt =) I strongly recommend it! Sequel just released too, will pick it up for sure.
+1 To Dead Space Being Awesome
#4080 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.132.79] on 2011/02/02 04:17:09
Semi non-linear, claustrophobia, find stuff and upgrade yourself, scary monsters.
#4081 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/02/02 08:56:38
lemme know what you guys think about the sequel...
You Didn't
#4082 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2011/02/02 09:47:53
work on it?
#4083 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/02/02 09:51:57
i did.
Cool, Will Definitely Check It Out Then
#4084 posted by megaman [91.66.119.75] on 2011/02/02 10:17:55
Matthias Worch Worked On It Too
#4085 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/02/02 11:34:04
I think?
Are We Talking About
#4086 posted by nitin [202.161.22.128] on 2011/02/02 11:49:40
Dead Space 2 or Bioshock 2?
I'm guessing the former?
Or Is It
#4087 posted by nitin [202.161.22.128] on 2011/02/02 11:58:14
Rubicon 2?
Bioshock
#4088 posted by gb [89.27.220.203] on 2011/02/02 14:10:50
What did you think of the design gb? Like I said above, very strong conceptually but like the gameplay, it did get repetitive because of that strong concept.
Well, there are some things that stick out, like the fisheries/docks level and the smuggler level, and also the Hephaestus core level I guess (which almost reminded me of Quake 2 or something like that).
The Apollo Square level is also different from the rest (and pretty oppressive, like some areas of Berlin right after the reunification, ie grey, ruined, worn down and riddled with bullet holes in all its massiveness), so there is some diversity.
It's just I tended to spend a lot of time in levels like Fort Frolic which does the art deco shop front thing to the extreme.
There are also sub-levels like the tavern, the wine cellar, the aviary (sp?), and the entire Arcadia thing that are pretty unique...
Crysis tank mission: Yeah, that was pretty nice and the area is indeed sandbox like (not all of them are), best thing about it was I could choose how much tank driving I wanted to do and when I wanted to continue on foot. Good use of vehicles (why oh why is the later flying mission not optional). Crumbling mountain - that was massive, yeah :-D
The mine level is also good, so is the village one.
#4089 posted by gb [89.27.220.203] on 2011/02/02 14:12:31
*apiary
#4090 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/02/02 21:40:41
dead space 2. And yeah, Matthias worked on it too.
Next Time You See Him
#4091 posted by negke [88.70.54.34] on 2011/02/02 23:07:43
Tell him to finish/release his Q1SP. If necessary, add "goddamn" and "FFS".
Epic Games + EA New Shooter Out Now!
#4092 posted by DaZ [78.147.150.90] on 2011/02/03 00:13:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbT...
So...Good!
#4093 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/03 00:31:34
Looks more fun than the new mp maps for black ops. Srsly. The only reason to buy the map pack is the new zombie map, that is awesome.
#4094 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/03 01:26:49
i laughed aloud watching that. thanks for the link. :)
4091
#4095 posted by Drew [174.89.235.54] on 2011/02/03 16:00:40
yes. seriously, those screenshots looked awesome.
Also, cannot wait to play dead space 2, my balls are hurting just thinking about it. Soon, very soon.
Bullet Storm
#4096 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/02/03 16:04:14
The bullets do no damage and the most effective weapon is your foot.
And, on the Ps3 at least, the reload and fire triggers seem inverted. I was constantly getting into place and then reloading frantically on the enemy.
It seems a curious design for the an FPS - making the shooting feel, well, weak.
#4097 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/02/03 16:14:34
It doesn't have jumping. I mean...huh
Ijed
#4098 posted by jt_ [174.252.241.61] on 2011/02/03 17:54:25
That wasn't my experience on the 360. I only played through the demo with the first gun, still need to try out the pistol thing and chain gun. Overall I liked it though. The only thing that was weird about it was that there's no jumping like zqf said and the animation for looking down the sight was incredibly fast.
Yeah Bulletstorm
#4099 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/02/03 18:00:54
I liked the demo, the lack of jumping was off putting but 'if you don't need it, don't add it in.'
I did like the game-play, it was pretty wacky and innovative. I plan on getting it when I have some extra $$ and game-play bandwidth. I desperately home it comes with a level editor. DO WANT LEVEL EDITOR.
I Dunno
#4100 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/02/03 19:13:18
Maybe it just wasn't Quakey enough.
#4101 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/02/03 21:30:44
Felt to me like the lack of jumping was because Gears has made them so lazy about keeping the player within the corridor of gameplay :P I did enjoy Gears 2 but it has plenty of moments where you can't move across a stupid two foot high wall which feels rather frustrating.
Really though imo just means there will be a lack of possible variety in geometry and gameplay generally :E
Can't judge the gameplay via a gamepad though, just led to frustration when trying to land trick shots.
Re: 4092
#4102 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/02/05 15:07:22
I was laughing really hard at that, until I realised that it was done by the guys behind SUPER MANLY AND REAL GEARS OF WAAAAAAARRRRR
Gears Of Brood
#4103 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/02/05 15:48:21
Yea, coming from the Studio that brought you Dom's wife and 'oh dear he's wearing a helmet, bet he's got a long future' they can't really call out CoD :E
It's like James Cameron calling out Roland Emmerich for making films that are too overwrought.
Sure They Can
#4104 posted by jt_ [174.252.244.136] on 2011/02/05 18:57:24
The call of duty games used to be good, before reyarch and iw went apeshit over mp, and killed the sp experience. Now instead of having good sp, they have shitty sp and shitty mp. Gears had alright sp and meh mp (lol ima shoot u while hiding behind dis wall lol).
Hmm
#4105 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.44] on 2011/02/05 23:24:26
I don't really agree. I really enjoyed GoW and CoD4 / MW2 single player. Very polished and fun. Sure they have some preposterous scenario's in them but most "action" games and films do.
I saw a bunch of rage about the whole EMP thing in MW2 and how it was so unrealistic, but that part of the game was awesome to play! Running down streets dodging falling helicopters and planes was pretty epic in my opinion, I think people just need to relax and have fun with games like this, they take them way to seriously :)
Now if Deux Ex Human Revolution turns out to have a bunch of this completely crazy stuff in it, sure it will be dumb and crappy because Deus Ex is a completely differnt kind of game where you are meant to really care about the characters and the world, and when something completely dumb happens its jarring as hell. Not so much in call of duty!
I Didn't Mean The Scenarios
#4106 posted by jt_ [174.252.226.17] on 2011/02/05 23:34:16
Just the gameplay in general was crap, imo.
Dead Space 2 1st Impressions
#4107 posted by Drew [174.89.235.54] on 2011/02/06 04:01:12
Played the 1st 2 episodes, so just getting started, if the game length is similar to that of the 1st.
I really appreciate the silent protagonist ala HL and Dead Space 1, so I'm not entirely sure I'm sold on Isaac having a personality. So far though it's been fine - he doesn't have too many one liners, and he's fairly low key. Generally not a big deal, although it occaisionally irks me.
Girlfriend/delusions - These seem somewhat meh to me - the instances I've experienced are somewhat random, and not very scary or spooky compared to the necromorphs, or even the more subtle treatment offfered in the first game. Still early though, and I think it could pan out easily into something great...
Gameplay - still very early. But so far, it has been great! the variety of combats, enemies and random semi boss fights and setpieces have been rad, and I have a feeling that it's going to get much more intense! Generally finding the scariness level to be less than I remember experiencing with the original, but that is largely due to more comfort with necromorphs etc - it still makes me very uncomfortable in parts, in a good way.
Looks wise, this game is amazing so far. The environments are so detailed, and the few setpieces I've run into have been really cool, especially the 15 minutes leading up to the end of episode 2.
I don't know, I suck at reviews, hahaha!
But yeah, loving it, having a good time with the new telikinesis abilities, and finding the flow to be pretty consistently great. worth every penny.
So
#4108 posted by Drew [132.205.152.204] on 2011/02/06 22:09:33
firstly,
my first two points above sound somewhat negative, which is pretty misleading. I guess they would just be concerns - not even criticisms, really.
Isaac remains unintrusive and yet more fleshed out, and his more developed characteristics, including his delusions, are becoming more interesting as the game goes on.
I'm further along now, and much more is being introduced, it just gets better and better - I love this game! might be the best looking game I've ever played, definitely the best looking that comes to mind! I feel like the first little bit, though not bad by any means, is less awesome than the sections I've been (slowly, hesitantly) working my way through the last while. My girlfriend cannot be in the same room while I play it now - nightmares.
Dead Space 2
#4109 posted by Bal [83.204.134.25] on 2011/02/07 08:07:10
Yeah good solid game so far, I'm at around chapter 7, and really enjoying it. Very happy the changed the zero-g gameplay, floating around in space is quite fun.
I'm almost dissapointed that most of the marketing on it is about how gory and violent it is, those things aren't what make it a good game.
It's so silly to have to stomp on corpses to get items, if you keep bashing space he'll go into a stomping frenzy and start saying "FUCK!" etc, makes me laugh.
Zero G
#4110 posted by Drew [174.89.235.54] on 2011/02/07 15:37:27
agreed, that's one area that is unequivocally better all around. I just finished playing what I suppose, at this point, is the main Zero-G setpiece, and it is underscoring the 'best looking game' thing for me.
There have been a couple areas where I felt like the game didn't quite do it for me, though, settings wise.
An article in The Mirror said something about parts feeling like 'bioshock in space' and while on the one hand that's reductive, I think I get where he's coming from.
Eg in bioshock, I felt like the gardens area with the markets etc was pretty interesting - it made sense that it was there - but it seemed a bit off, and thematically, it just felt a little bit too much like a novelty, an attempt to diversify the environment at the expense of some cohesion. Maybe that's just me?... I felt somewhat similar about a small portion of this game, though it was quite brief.
I agree that the gore and violence is less what this one is about compared to the 1st - it's definitely less of a survival horror and more of an actiony shooter thing (technical term, don't worry about it). Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Seems like the marketing worked though, hahaha!
Yeah...
#4111 posted by Bal [83.204.134.25] on 2011/02/07 20:25:04
I definitely got a bioshock vibe in a few areas, especially the shops as you mentioned, and the school. Also the area with the bird cages, where you hear/read voice captions of some dead guy, that felt very bioshock-ish.
That's not a bad thing though.
Hmm
#4112 posted by nitin [202.161.22.128] on 2011/02/07 22:12:45
looks like I should have picked up Dead Space in the steam sale then. The screenshots didnt inspire me at the time.
Super Meat Boy
#4113 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/07 22:55:27
I love the game so far; I've only played the first fourteen levels, but the controls suck. I'm buying a wireless xbox controller for my laptop later. Also, I can't wait for the level editor to come out. ^.^
Super Meat Boy
#4114 posted by Bal [90.2.111.45] on 2011/02/11 08:05:08
Yeah this game MUST be played with a game pad.
#4115 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/11 14:21:17
I just bought a xbox controller for my laptop. :p
Call Of Cthulhu (2006) Review
#4116 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/13 23:54:06
Headfirst Productions created this game and then started a couple of sequels before going into liquidation and closing down. So Call Of Cthulhu is the only game we'll ever see from them, which is a shame because this showed a lot of professionalism for a first title.
It's by no means perfect, the gameplay is quite flawed. But where Call Of Cthulhu shines (metaphorically, certainly not literally!) is in it's atmosphere and environments. The engine is decent but obviously won't give id tech or unreal engine a for their money. The level designs are adequate with just enough detail. But the atmosphere itself is very well realised for the Lovecraft universe. The journey takes you through the town of Innsmouth, represented in dark, claustrophobia complete with sea monsters and dangerous cultist. You'll sneak and fight your way through buildings, factories and a refinery before the game takes a turn and places you on a coast guard ship, completed with a massive attack from the giant Dagon.
You wash up Devil's Reef and end the game in an epic but unfortunately confusing chapter through underground (and underwater) caves and temples.
So the game and story feel like a Lovecraft creation. They fit well, as does the constant reminder of otherworldy creatures stalking you.
Where Call Of Cthulhu fails is it's gameplay. And at least for me, it failed miserably. I was hoping for something more action and fun. The first half of the game is spent in stealth mode. But the stealth is unsophisticated and holds nothing on the Thief or Splinter Cell series'. You eventually get some weapons and play the rest of the game with a mix of stealth and firepower. Unfortunately the enemies pack a punch and can hurt your health quite quickly. Combine this with unlimited spawns in some instances and very limited health/ammo and Call Of Cthulhu is a challenging game. That alone is fine; that's how Headfirst Productions intended it. But then comes the biggest issue - this is a challenging stealth based game with NO QUICKSAVE! Instead you get poorly placed checkpoints. A number of times you'll be forced to play long periods multiple times due to difficult encounters or even badly placed instant death traps.
While this game make look a few years dated in 2006, it's atmosphere is pulled off well. But it could have been an infinitely more popular game, in my opinion, if they took a more action-oriented approach and ditched the stealth completely by the second or third level. Add in a proper quicksave, some better weapons and some puzzles that were a bit clearer.
As it is now, the only reason to play this game is for the dark atmosphere and interesting story, and that's not enough.
Battlefield Heroes
#4117 posted by negke [88.70.245.68] on 2011/02/14 00:01:46
You know, that free comic WW2 multiplayer browser game.
It's a bit weird. Or at least I don't get it. There seem to be two objectives: either one team has to capture all control points in a level, or frag the enemies often enough, to win. There are three player classes, soldiers, commandos and gunners - each with special abilities. A bit like TF soldiers, spies, and, well, vehicle guys I guess. Most levels feature vehicles such as jeeps, tanks and planes, in which several people can ride.
You get XP points from kills and completing objectives, Hero Points which you use to upgrade your character's skills, and so-called Valor Points which can be used to buy stuff like weapons, equipment and eyecandy in the store. Downside is, those bought items only last for one or three days. Unlimited access can only be gained through buying them with BF points which have to be purchased with actual money ('premium' feature, expensive).
Not a game that I would play for a longer period of time, but might be fun every now and then with familiar people. If you want to give it a try, add me to your friends list. Let's be lame noobs together!
Dead Space 2
#4118 posted by Vondur [195.218.191.171] on 2011/02/14 08:57:48
Just finished this game. Took me solid 9:30 to complete it. Smooth gameplay and shiny visuals. Awesome game. I even have an urge to replay it on another difficulty and with other weapons.
I decided to finish Dead Space 1, cuz I didn't finish it. And met the reason why I stopped playing it. Mouse controls. They feel totally different from DS2: mouse movement is with some delay and with some acceleration/deceleration, which makes character controlling much slower. Especially in aim mode, mouse becomes even slower... What's up with that? Anyone know how to fix mouse there? I'd love to make it as responsive as in DS2.
#4119 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/02/14 09:28:48
The slow response with the mouse is a major thing that ticked me off in the first Dead Space. Felt like syrup sometimes and trying to be accurate was tricky. Interesting to note that it works better in the sequel.
Negke
#4120 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/02/14 09:31:09
IIRC, each team has 500 or whatever tickets. When someone dies, his team loses a ticket. Tickets also automatically decrease when one team holds more control points than the other.
Vondur
#4121 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/14 21:45:09
Make sure vsync is off, other than that there's not much you can do (i had problems with that too).
Vondur
#4122 posted by sikkpin [76.120.193.33] on 2011/02/15 02:16:16
Another thing that should help, in the "settings.txt" file (with XP it's located in: "username\Local Settings\Application Data\Electronic Arts\Dead Space", I don't know about Vista/Win7, though), you can set the value of "Control.MouseSensitivity&quo... greater than "1.00000000"
Team Fortress Tuesday
#4123 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/15 17:14:15
I'll be on 21.00-2.00 est
Thanks For The Help With Ds1 Guys
#4124 posted by Vondur [195.218.191.171] on 2011/02/16 09:07:34
will try it
Hi Czg
#4125 posted by Spirit [80.171.52.252] on 2011/02/16 13:55:08
This looks like a nice different FPS http://freegamer.blogspot.com/2011...
Looks Cool
#4126 posted by czg [213.132.100.2] on 2011/02/16 14:02:57
#4127 posted by Spirit [80.171.52.252] on 2011/02/16 14:12:30
It also plays very nicely. Shame development went into hibernation.
Dead Island
#4128 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/02/16 20:02:48
http://ie.ign.com/videos/2011/02/1...
I think that looks pretty awesome.
Don't Know How The Game Will Be
#4129 posted by Drew [65.92.21.49] on 2011/02/16 20:44:52
but that trailer is pretty fucking cool
#4130 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/16 21:30:29
Yeah it does look cool. Fortunately not just a L4D clone, it's more a melee based survival/horror with rpg thrown in.
Been in development for 5-6 years, but is apparently coming in 2011. And they've stopped development on Chrome 2 and Warhound, so I guess the entire team at Techland is working on this now (and Call of Juarez 3).
#4131 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/16 21:32:06
I'm looking forward to Alice 2
http://au.ign.com/videos/2011/02/1...
I Need To Play Alice
#4132 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/17 00:00:09
D:
Along with about 12 other games I've bought and never finished...
Batman: ARGHam Asylum
#4133 posted by negke [88.70.242.34] on 2011/02/17 00:19:51
Quite average. Feels like something's missing.
It's polished and looks good (despite the inherited UT3 ugliness), some areas even have great architecture. Gameplay is acceptable, I guess, but not really my cup of tea. Melee with frequent grapple/platformer bits - kind of gets old quickly.
I'm seven hours in and have only completed one third of it (unless the hidden items and Riddler puzzles count towards that too)... usually I complain if games are too short. Now I'm sighing because I'm not further.
#4134 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/02/17 00:29:57
I loved Arkham Asylum - the combat was a bit stale yeah, felt too much like that really bad Prince of Persia game. The exploration and story though I loved - really top notch. Character design was cool, and the Scarecrow bits were awesome.
If they can improve the combat + bosses for Arkham City I will be delighted, but I think negke will feel the game is 5x as long :( (because it is.)
#4135 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/17 01:32:55
Tried to play Lost Planet: Colonies. Can't bind any key that isn't a number or letter, ie comma, full stop, forward slash. How the fuck can I play this game without comma and full stop for side stepping? What a total load of shit and complete fuck up from Capcom. Total favouritism towards evil consoles. Glad I torrented it instead of wasting my money buying it.
Yeah Loved Arkham Asylum Too
#4136 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/02/17 01:48:22
loved the bosses excpet the last one.
Oh and negke, the percent completed is misleading, it includes all serets etc.
The Secrets Are Worth It Though
#4137 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/02/17 03:32:06
SO much fun finding them all! And the extras from each secret are pretty additive to the experience.
Another Nice Nitrome Flash Game
#4138 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/02/17 20:49:06
http://nitrome.com/games/canary/
Ubersoldier (2006) Review
#4139 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/17 23:57:56
It actually took a fair bit of effort to find this game. No second hand version, the Ubersoldier website is dead. Even two pirated versions wouldn't work. I eventually merged the two pirated versions into one working game; albeit with a bug in that the last two levels had no textures. Getting the game to run in fullscreen mode also took some playing around.
Now to the game itself; it was developed by a Russian developer named Burut. They would normally be enough to stear well clear of this game. But I persevered - the screenshots looked good. The reviewers had panned the game based on no multiplayer, poor voice acting and high system requirements.
Yes the voice acting is poor, very poor! But some poor voice acting is hardly going to ruin an entire game. If it looks good and is fun to play, voice acting is pretty low on the list of what makes a classic gaming experience.
Lack of multiplayer. Does every single game in existence require multiplayer? I for one haven't played a game online since around 1997. Multiplayer does nothing for me.
The system requirements for Ubersoldier do seem quite high. The loading times between levels are about ten seconds; too high in my opinion. However any moderately priced computer after 2007 should run the game without any noticeable slowdown or drop in framerates. It's really just the load times that take a while.
This game is slightly underrated and should have got a better rep, because the gameplay and design is all pretty good. The weapons are standard WWII fare, but at least feel powerful and mow down enemies quick enough. Your enemies are all the same, just with different weapons. Some can really pack a punch and drop you fast, however every second enemy drops a 10% healthkit. So while there are some tough fights, the abundance of ammo and health mean once you've made it through the tough ones the pressure is over as your restock.
This isn't to say you can run in, guns blasting. You still need to carefully duck around corners to pick enemies off one-by-one. Overall the game play is fun, although a little repetitive. Certainly no different from all your other war shooters.
The gaming engine and level design are both up to the par for 2006. The level design is, of course, better than FEAR. Certainly not amazing or awe-inspiring, but varied enough with just enough detail to make each level look decent.
This is just your standard shooter. The settings are different from the realism depicted in Call of Duty and Brothers In Arms. It almost feels more like a modern sci-fi game rather than 1940s Germany. But if you need to play every generic first person shooter, as long as it's fun and looks decent, then pick up Ubersoldier from the bargain bin.
#4140 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/18 00:29:04
The loading times between levels are about ten seconds
holy crap, dude... i remember playing some games where it'd take almost a minute to load a level. 10 seconds is fast. like greased lightning. travelling through a really conductive material.
Yeah
#4141 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/02/18 01:16:59
there's still games now that take more than 10 sec to load levels.
Like Any Game Based On Source
#4142 posted by jt_ [174.252.229.231] on 2011/02/18 01:47:38
They all have horrid loading times.
Still Games?
#4143 posted by ijed [190.22.32.147] on 2011/02/18 02:08:31
The majority have shitty loading times since programming is always the busiest department since they're the most expensive in wages.
Theres a scale for games - made for love and made for money, those too far on the money side of the scale will always have shitty loading times and badly polished gameplay.
10 seconds is good I reckon.
Kona, what got you to hunt that game down?
And yeah, fuck multiplayer. It a big lump of dev that should go into the core. Unfortunately its also a mandatory bullet point, like vehicle sections or RPG elements - irrespective of the game you're making.
A change to indie...
Though I Suspect Source
#4144 posted by ijed [190.22.32.147] on 2011/02/18 02:12:41
Is a problem based on inherent architecture. The system is most likely full of odds and sods originally made for other games.
#4145 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/18 03:14:26
Well, I haven't played any game beyond mid-2006. My rig, which was a pretty expensive one in mid-2007, loads most games pretty quickly. Probably won't with the latest games.
But yeah 10secs isn't too bad, but what made it annoying was that's for quicksaves as well. Usually a game has a long initial loading of a level, but once it's running if you do quicksaves it's very quick (within a few secs). Whereas in Ubersoldier there didn't seem to be any caching so it's like your loading the entire level again from scratch for everyone quicksave.
ijed... I wanted to hunt Ubersoldier down because looking at all the other releases in 2006, there's fuck all in the way of generic pure shooters. Here's my to play list for 2006:
Dark Messiah (action rpg) - 74%
F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point (2006) - 75%
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (2006) - 80%
Hitman: Blood Money - 82% (Stealth)
Condemned: Criminal Origins - 82% (survival horror)
Prey (2006) - 83%
Rainbow Six: Vegas (2006) - 84%
Gears of War (3rd person) - 87%
Prey and FEAR are the only mindless first person shooters from what I can tell. And Gears of War if you count third person, but the PC port of that is rare so I imagine it'll be a bad port.
Think I'll play Dark Messiah next. The last fantasy I played was Enclave from 2002, and that was awesome. There needs to be more mindless fantasy's instead of 200 hour RPGs.
Yeah
#4146 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/18 04:30:48
i've noticed that about saving in some games.
some games get away with like sub 5mb files. i've even seen some sub 1mb.
and then there's some that save like a 30-40mb file and take, as you said, 10 seconds or so to do it.
which on the surface, doesn't really make sense. there's obviously something going on that makes it take that long, but i have no idea what. :\
New Rage Trailer
#4147 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/18 04:40:03
It's amazing.
Ijed:
#4148 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/02/18 04:52:22
great game, i love how they start with a basic mechanic and introduce something new in each level. Hopefully they will ramp up the complexity and mix different elements more and more in the later levels. (only on level 9 so far.)
They Do
#4149 posted by ijed [190.22.32.147] on 2011/02/18 11:10:22
it seems theres new mechanics all the time and they keep riffing on the old ones as well. Meaning it just gets more and more difficult.
Kona: Souns like a history of games thing. Over ten seconds for a quicksave means theres nothing going into RAM, it is reloading everything ie broken.
Repost
#4150 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.242] on 2011/02/18 13:06:03
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
Higher res, no age filter, and cos Bal said it was "meh" :P
#4151 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/18 20:42:30
"Theres a scale for games - made for love and made for money, those too far on the money side of the scale will always have shitty loading times and badly polished gameplay. "
So a load time over 10 seconds = the team didn't give a shit what they were making? :P
#4152 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.200] on 2011/02/19 00:20:24
I am 3 hours into chrono-trigger. What a great game! Really glad I gave it a chance with the boring beginning.
It Takes Sustained
#4153 posted by ijed [190.22.122.63] on 2011/02/19 00:30:50
Effort to make a game, if your heart's not in it then its a lacklustre result.
Making the game load properly, have a decent frontend, be bug free and without flaws in the gameplay logic are all things that happen when the team is motivated, and pride motivates better than cash.
#4154 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/19 03:15:09
I'm merely doubting that long load times = shit design, or shit game, or uninterested coders :p
Technical issues can just be unavoidable, no matter how much people try. It's unfair to say that a technical problem shows some kind of character weakness in the team that made it. I'd leave that judgement down to uninspiring gameplay.
Crysis has its fair share of bugs (the physics mainly) and pretty long load times. But I wouldn't say that Crytek didn't inject creativity and love into the game.
Actually the further back you go the more examples pop up. I don't know whether this shows that technical standards are getting better or that I just don't like modern games as much.
But as an example: Thief 1 and 2. *awful* UIs, kinda buggy in places, dodgy engine. But Looking Glass weren't a team you could call money driven :P
ZQF - You Are A Dark Horse
#4155 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/02/19 05:32:53
What is your games design background again?
Yes
#4156 posted by ijed [190.22.122.63] on 2011/02/19 12:02:46
Sometimes its just bad luck, or bad management - 'that sounds like a great way to make a game! It's not, we tried it. Do it anyway.'
And the endless tug of war between producers, IP holders and dev teams.
Being inexperienced as well affects things - though I place less credence in this since it just means they weren't putting in the extra hours to get it right.
Spose what I was trying to say is that a lack of overall care usually tells a lot about the dev team more than anything else.
Free Copy Of Portal
#4157 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/19 14:31:07
I have a copy of portal that I got when i preordered portal 2, and since i already own another copy, i can give the new one away.
So, who wants it?
Eh
#4158 posted by DaZ [2.96.233.124] on 2011/02/19 14:36:35
You can't really measure load times as a sign of quality, you just can't.
I could go out and buy a SSD today, and suddenly any shit game is good cos it loads in 3 seconds? Really?
Crysis is a great example, it takes a buttload of time to load, but I would say Crytek poured their souls into it like they do with all their titles, there's just a lot of stuff to load for each map.
If a game takes forever to load a map for no conceivable reason then sure something is wrong, but you would have to go on a case by case basis, I don't think blanket statements work here or are fair.
I'll Take It
#4159 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/20 01:54:29
if no one else wants it. Not sure its my type of game but free is free :)
#4160 posted by jt_ [174.252.230.32] on 2011/02/20 04:00:55
What's your steam name?
Jt
#4161 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/20 04:05:31
n_gulati should be it.
Portal
#4162 posted by Bal [83.204.133.228] on 2011/02/20 11:37:25
I can't believe some of you haven't played it... You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Nitin
#4163 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/20 15:22:09
steam wants your email address >.>
Sorry Here It Is
#4164 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/20 22:15:46
n_gulati at hotmail dot com.
Sent
#4165 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/20 22:32:24
#4166 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/02/20 23:20:42
I haven't played Portal (or HL2 for that matter).
Portal looks like ugly box rooms. I'll give it a shot one day though.
Strictly Speaking,
#4167 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/20 23:39:10
yes, portal is ugly box rooms. that said, it's somewhat necessary for the puzzles and it's a consistent theme of the game.
You're An Ugly Box Room
#4168 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/20 23:41:11
:p
The test chambers are boxxy, but it's the puzzles and GLaDOS' personality that really make portal a fun game.
Portal
#4169 posted by Bal [83.204.133.228] on 2011/02/21 00:25:47
The rooms are boxy, but I wouldn't say the are ugly. It's minimalist and fits with the rest of the game, they are believable, nothing ever seemed ugly to me as I played it.
Portal 2 looks gorgeous.
#4170 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/21 00:49:36
Portal is a beautiful game :)
Thank Jt
#4171 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/02/21 01:21:58
much appreciated. I might finally play it. Although I still havent played HL 2, and sleepy gifted me that years ago :)
Portal2
#4172 posted by ijed [190.22.22.202] on 2011/02/21 01:48:39
Is a massive temptation.
Portal1 is well worth the effort, it last about an hour and is very well realised.
Daz
#4173 posted by ijed [190.22.22.202] on 2011/02/21 01:50:03
Yeah I know, I was being more general in the statement. Good games generally have a level of polish to them that bad games don't - and thats on art/design/tech.
Half-life 2
#4174 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.202] on 2011/02/21 08:58:00
is a massive disappointment.
Portal is nice!
Quick One
#4175 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/21 12:51:50
Tomb Raider: Underworld.
Yay or Nay?
Yay!
#4176 posted by czg [213.132.100.2] on 2011/02/21 12:52:07
That Was Quick
#4177 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/21 12:52:40
17 seconds. And you dont even have a computer!
#4178 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/21 13:54:28
In modern Tomb Raider games does Lara still control like she's a fucking tractor? :p
No She's Like A Slinky Kitten Now.
#4179 posted by czg [213.132.100.2] on 2011/02/21 14:02:57
Underworld is pretty cool, though be warned the flame effects in the first level for some reason brings my framerate to a slow crawl. This is weird because it is literally just some small corridors, whereas later it renders huge, open, magnificent, gorgeous vistas without a hitch. Just so you know and don't dismiss it on the first level.
Actually Tomb Raider Anniversary is my favourite of the reboots, because it has that same great underemphasis on combat as the original did.
Currently On Steam For 7.49
#4180 posted by nitin [220.235.43.69] on 2011/02/21 14:12:48
will pick it up.
thanks czg.
What Did You Find Disappointing
#4181 posted by Drew [98.124.1.222] on 2011/02/22 03:31:56
about HL2?
Drew
#4182 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/02/22 09:14:08
http://www.celephais.net/board/vie...
each to their own though, i absolutely love it
Right. So A Pretty Detailed List Of Things
#4183 posted by Drew [184.197.156.220] on 2011/02/23 04:52:51
and me asking then as well. hahaha.
I loved it when I played it, feel pretty good about it now. Liked episode 1 quite a bit, enjoyed episode 2 less for some reason I forget, and dislike the way the story is going.
Prefer HL1.
#4184 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/23 05:08:18
and dislike the way the story is going.
yes, i feel this way too. i really do not like the direction that ep2 hints at (nor ep2 in a general sense).
hl2 for me was always about urban maps. for me, the parts that i enjoyed the least in hl2/ep1/ep2 were the maps that were NOT city17.
hl2 starts with city17 followed by a very cool extended chase sequence as you exit the city. you stumble on all these great locales-- post-ap shanty towns in drainage canals, rebel outposts, just plain abandoned areas you know no one's visited in years... all these great urban areas like out of an urban exploration blog.
i guess that's why i liked ep1 so much-- it's entirely in city17.
ep2 seemed like the beginning of an downward spiral as city17 is wiped off the map.
some cool parts in the mill/mine, but then we get boring caves. then we get a bit more factory type stuff, then the long drive through hillsides and the final battle takes place in kind of boring looking mountainous region.
ep2 ends and seems to point us to the antarctic or whatever where that ship is. so it looks like, either ep3 will have us spend a bit of time out in the country before we somehow get to that ship, or we'll just be teleported there and spend the entire episode there. which... i dunno, isn't really all that appealing to me.
I'll
#4185 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/02/23 13:15:47
Be disappointed if theres another wanky super weapon ending to round it off.
Lots of environments stick out for me - city17 (metro right at the start especially), prison, beach / coastal, sandlion beach road and so on.
The best bits were probably the industrial sections though.
And Yes
#4186 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/02/23 13:16:17
Caves were uninspired.
#4187 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/23 13:57:41
I thought Episode 2 lacked 'filler'. It felt like short set pieces bolted together with not enough simple run and gun to rattle through
yeah I think filler is a very good thing :E
Also those ant-lion caves were seriously too long, and Alyx just got irritating. EVERY time the player does something, she stops just short of kissing your pecker. Enough with the NPC 'OMG you're AMAZING!!' shit, I'm not four.
Oh and the car was way better than the buggy but then they don't let you enjoy it. In Highway 17 you had stretches you could bomb down, areas to explore at your leisure etc. In Ep2, alyx + the tighter design + that stupid beeping supplies thing meant you couldn't just chill out in the same way, you're constantly getting little pokes from the game to stop, go this way etc (yeah I know you can ignore it but I just wish it wasn't there).
...I loved episode 1 for the fact it didn't do a lot of this stuff. The hospital section for example was a fantastic bit of simple combat fun :E
#4188 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/02/23 19:01:43
i did actually prefer ep2 to ep1 but i can agree about the lack of filler. and to some extent the antlion caves, which got a little tiresome after a while. but the finale was probably the most fun i've had playing any shooter game ever, and i generally loved the forest/mountain settings throughout, especially the setpieces like the falling bridge, that massive wide shot of a destroyed city 17 or when you see the armies advancing to white forest in the distance. loved the vortigaunt/gman twists in the story too and looking forward to where things are headed
ep1 was good but it pretty much felt like 'more of the same' and i was kinda relieved to finally escape the city at the end; any more and it would have dragged a bit
i have a feeling ep3 (if it ever comes) is going to be much bigger. i am so booking a few days off work and queuing outside GAME at midnight XD
i was never a *massive* fan of HL1... still liked it but could never see why such a huge fuss was made about it. tried replaying it after HL2 and found the gameplay much more frustrating in several places. and the story felt kind of random until this site helped tie it in. never got round to checking out opposing force or blue shift though, annoyingly as i have as part of the generation pack but have lost my cd key :(
#4189 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/23 22:40:03
Oh and the car was way better than the buggy but then they don't let you enjoy it. In Highway 17 you had stretches you could bomb down, areas to explore at your leisure etc. In Ep2, alyx + the tighter design + that stupid beeping supplies thing meant you couldn't just chill out in the same way, you're constantly getting little pokes from the game to stop, go this way etc (yeah I know you can ignore it but I just wish it wasn't there).
YES. that's it, right on. it was too... i can't believe i'm saying this about a shooter, but too fast paced. i would have preferred a more leisurely pacing with some more optional areas to drive around and just explore.
the coastal driving section in hl was one of my favourite parts of the game.
i just love that concept that you're driving along this long road and stumbling on abandoned house after abandoned house.
i could totally play a unit where it's just driving from one encounter to another and maybe you pick up some gas here, or a part to fix your vehicle there, and each stop has some kind of sad or disturbing story to it. totally like a 'slice of life' of like mad max 2 or something.
if anyone remembers when i posted those venice hl2 shots... i was really hoping to do just that, but i'm just not very proficient at WC3.3 and also hl2 scripting is kind of goofy. :P
ep1 was good but it pretty much felt like 'more of the same' and i was kinda relieved to finally escape the city at the end; any more and it would have dragged a bit
i guess i'm just a huge sucker for post-ap settings. i love run down, destroyed city stuff. and not just freshly wrecked stuff like in a ww2 game. i could have an ep1 that was twice the length.
one part of ep1 that stands out for me, really in just capturing the whole atmosphere, was that tiny area right after going up the rickety lift after being mobbed by tons of zombies.
it's this dusty room with junk strewn all over the floor and the crank for the door is broken.
#4190 posted by Drew [70.53.224.153] on 2011/02/23 23:18:15
gman/vort aspect of the story was one of the parts that bothered me most.
things could definitely go in a bad, tacky direction. X-files style, where the attempts to tie up some of the ambiguity (which made the show) really are lame/gay/unsatisfying.
#4191 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.193] on 2011/02/23 23:29:39
Necros: I am somewhat hoping that rage might be like that.
HL2 Was Great.
#4192 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.242] on 2011/02/23 23:31:54
However I am finding Crysis to be even better. Great graphics, even better gameplay.
#4193 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/24 00:12:24
I am somewhat hoping that rage might be like that.
yeah, all the promo stuff i've seen of it definitely points in that direction.
but.... it's iD. they are fully capable of fucking it up. :P
i was very happy when i heard they were ditching that 'dark' game.
Heh
#4194 posted by ijed [190.22.114.110] on 2011/02/24 00:13:13
I just remembered the Gnome achievement, and how the fucking thing had no friction with the car - so every time you turned it'd go flying out the door, even during the helicopter chase.
Insult to injury, the gnome fell out of the shuttle at the end somehow so didn't get the achievement. Refused to go back to a quicksave as well :I
People Care About Achievements?
#4195 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/24 00:30:09
Not Normal People
#4196 posted by ijed [190.22.114.110] on 2011/02/24 00:38:39
Sure theres an applied insult in there but cant be arsed.
Implied Even
#4197 posted by ijed [190.22.114.110] on 2011/02/24 00:39:51
You bellend.
#4198 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/24 01:10:08
"However I am finding Crysis to be even better. Great graphics, even better gameplay."
Once you're fighting the aliens it gets pretty damn boring. But fighting the human enemies is great fun. I probably replayed all of those missions five odd times just fucking about approaching them in different ways.
Skyrim Trailer
#4199 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/02/25 03:11:14
This looks pretty damn impressive...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSR...
Yes It Does.
#4200 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/25 03:19:19
I should probably play oblivion.
#4201 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/25 03:22:34
wow, their new terrain engine looks crazy good. anyone else catch that floating terrain? :D
i only hope all of the terrain looks as hand-crafted as those quick shots.
I Think Ther Are Using IdTech5
#4202 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2011/02/25 11:11:05
Anyone else care to speculate? Would make sense with the merger with id Software. And the GFX look awesome, soooo...... 2+2= ?
Nah..
#4203 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/02/25 11:49:30
They said it wasn't iDTech 5, apparently it's a new internal Bethesda engine called Creation.
I Can Buy And Rename Stuff Also
#4204 posted by meTch [99.58.205.164] on 2011/02/25 13:36:59
and call it something else...
ps- it's 5
#4205 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/25 15:10:38
Bsps don't look like a good idea with that kind of level design. I wonder how they render the world. Hmmmm.
Bulletstorm
#4206 posted by negke [88.70.78.30] on 2011/02/26 02:25:34
More like Bullshitstorm.
Visually it's great. The theme is a nice weird blend of familiar environments and sci-fi/other planet stuff. There are good designs in the levels, although they're also somewhat busy visually. Models and effects look cool, too.
The skillshot system is fun and makes for some novelty. Unfortuantely, that's about it already. Apart from these things, it's just another stupid consolified game that reduces the player to almost spaz-grade. In other words, extremely linear and scripted with no freedom whatsoever.
I was annoyed how blatantly it was even done. Everything is clipped off - but not in a subtle way; it seems it was done by a retard. You can't fall off ledges - in many cases you can't even go near them! Invisible walls everywhere, placed generously far from the actual objects they need to clip off. Even bushes and spaces between crates.
And of course all the in-your-face stuff like interaction hints, autosaves, quicktime-like parts, semi-autoaim etc.
Leash and skillshots are fun, but more often than not the fights are very much geared towards certain tricks and tactics.
The story is silly and there's a number of "what did just happen?" events, the dialogue is super-dumb, but no one expects much from such a game anyway, so that's okay.
At any rate, playing this makes the COD4 mock teaser appear in a different light. When I watched it, it seemed to imply COD is another boring linear shooter (which it is), whereas Bulletstorm was some sort of badass oldschool shooter that doesn't take itself as seriously. However, while the latter is true, the game is actually pretty much exactly the same as COD4, only with a different theme and a bit more comicy with the skillshot gore (which isn't a good thing).
So, bottom line: not recommended unless you're one of those hopeless console FPS players, or find the game in a cheap sale somewhere.
[I complain about linearity every time, but case I haven't mentioned it elsewhere: of course I don't expect totally nonlinear games. But ffs it's not so hard to make linear games FEEL a little less linear by adding a couple of additional rooms and corridors and, I don't know, balconies maybe, on the route from A to B. I guess, a good example for that is Bioshock.
Often the levels in such games look they would easily support a bit more freedom. Lots of wasted potential.]
#4207 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/26 02:33:28
heh wow, i had semi-high hopes for this one. :\
maybe brink will still be good.
I Wish I Couldn't Agree With You
#4208 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/26 02:37:42
But you're right. I'm still finishing the game, though.
To Be Fair
#4209 posted by negke [88.70.78.30] on 2011/02/26 03:01:21
It's not a bad game as such. Polished and well presented. But I'm disappointed because it's different from what I expected and/since it follows a common trend of game design I dislike.
#4210 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/26 03:16:14
well, like you said, the goofy 'demo' sort of painted a different picture.
North Face
#4211 posted by nitin [124.148.165.14] on 2011/02/26 03:55:24
insane mountain climbing film set in pre-wwII germany. Crazy stuff and I'm amazed at how the pulled off the visuals, did not look like much CGI at all.
Wrong Thread Sorry
#4212 posted by nitin [124.148.165.14] on 2011/02/26 03:58:26
Just Finished BS
#4213 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/26 05:50:58
And that's exactly what the ending was. Every game that uses the unreal engine doesn't need to be a damn trilogy.
Imo, bulletstorm was mediocre, at best.
#4214 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/02/26 06:29:18
Bummer, I also had high hopes for this one. I figured even though Epic was publishing it, since it was developed by someone else it might at least be good. I am a sad gamer :( But at least I can spend that $60 on my student loans. Hurray debt!
Bulletstorm
#4215 posted by Bal [90.2.105.139] on 2011/02/26 12:45:45
Yeah I had really high hopes for it at first, but my expectations kept dropping at each new silly marketing commericals and gameplay trailers that were released...
Went from "instant pre-order" to "meh, maybe when it's on sale on Steam", and considering what I've been hearing, I'm happy I decied not to pick it up right away...
I Didn't Like It
#4216 posted by ijed [190.22.79.112] on 2011/02/26 13:07:49
From the demo. Bad level design added to the mix?
Didn't really follow it or build up any hopes though. Saw the video, which was retarded since they were obviously making fun of console games in general (including themselves!) and wasting money on poor viral marketing rather than making the game better.
The mechanics just weren't sharp enough, for me.
Coming from People Can Fly it should have been better. Seems the publisher transition wasn't kind.
Also, just realised the acronym for it is 'BS' - so they can spend all that on a marketing campaign and nobody in marketing held up a hand on that one?
Ijed
#4217 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/02/26 14:24:48
you'd be suprised how out of touch most devs and publishers are
#4218 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/02/26 15:28:20
Yeah after playing the demo the marketing angle that it's bucking so many trends in modern shooters is pretty laughable. Felt just like Gears but in first person. The only reason you can't jump is because they are incredibly lazy about how they'll guide the player and such, and remove any chance of more variety (even Painkiller had elements of exploration via secret hunting etc).
Also I was hoping for more avoiding damage via maneuverability, but it seemed more about hiding behind a wall and sucking your thumb like CoD.
If it's different in the full game, then christ, bad demo guys.
Bulletstorm And Upcoming Titles In General
#4219 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/02/26 16:26:56
Never followed the game myself, had some minor interest as it was nearing release, but nothing more than a 'could be interesting?' thought. My attention was more so grabbed from Duty Calls, but from what I read above... what a way to shoot yourself in the foot. Still might check the demo out just to see for myself.
I'm rather cynical concerning upcoming games, rarely ever follow them and jump on the hype train. At least then when a title blows my mind it really does. STALKER and Dead Space come to mind having no prior knowledge except from an excerpt or two about how 'good' they were. Whim purchases.
Saw the Skyrim official trailer, and I've been following TES so far I might as well keep my eyes open for the sequels. After Morrowind and Oblivion, I even hunted down copies of Arena/Daggerfall and enjoy them just as much. Not holding my breath for Skyrim either though, I'll find out how it fares once released and check the comments.
I've simply grown tired of hype and high expectations, because it usually results in disappointment. The only game I can consider 'looking forward to' is The Witcher 2 and that's only because I immensely enjoyed the first.
tl;dr version: blaargh.
Wow
#4220 posted by ijed [190.22.79.112] on 2011/02/26 16:27:44
You're like some linguistic ninja, you little Scamp.
Point Taken
#4221 posted by ijed [190.22.79.112] on 2011/02/26 16:29:16
But I probably won't be entrenching myself more into the Q1 hobby community.
#4222 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/26 20:27:54
looking back at the parody demo now, it's almost like the joke was on the player base.
Borderlands
#4223 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/27 02:03:48
has anyone played this purely in SP? is it good?
from what i've read, it's rpg stats + shooting, so i'm thinking, similar to fallout3?
price has dropped for this so i was wondering if it's worth getting.
I Liked It.
#4224 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/27 02:12:56
Weapons have random stats and whatnot, there's supposed to be over thirteen million combinations.
Pretty Sure
#4225 posted by Drew [70.53.224.153] on 2011/02/27 02:19:00
someone did an in-depth review of it on here, and felt it was super repetetive. could be mistaken though.
#4226 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/27 02:23:58
thanks for letting me know. quakis wrote the review, at 3150. :)
Its The Painkiller Of Modern RPGs
#4227 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/02/27 02:31:31
Kinda sucks. Overhyped by fox. The main problem with it IMHO is that it grow old very fast. You get to a silly level once and you're done. And a soon as you get into a multiplayer game, it impacts on your status in the singleplayer world. The whole thing is based upon behavours of environments as you progress, the guns are like stats sheets with randomised values and according randomised appearences. It gets to be too clinical. I had fun with it for a couple of weeks maybe :D
#4228 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/02/27 02:50:19
I play borderlands in singleplayer for about 20 (?) minutes before dropping it. Ugly, boring as shit, lame game play, awkward feeling. I heard it might be better in coop, but I haven't tried it to find out. But then, I would probably just play L4D2 in coop if I were going to coop a game anyway.
Is It Really Ugly?
#4229 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/02/27 03:51:57
I played a bit on a friend's xbox a while ago, thought the art design was good.
It's Not Ugly
#4230 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/02/27 05:22:47
Although, what is and isn't ugly is highly subjective.
#4231 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/02/27 07:23:44
I was actually really excited about Borderlands from previews and whatnot and then they revealed their new art style - and I immediately lost interest in it. It still sold well enough to warrant a look, but what I saw I did not like at all.
Though I have a particular disdain for cell shading in most everything.
Played It Recently
#4232 posted by DaZ [78.147.152.167] on 2011/02/27 13:29:51
the vanilla game with no dlc, quite fun if your having a drought of games to play. It IS fairly repetitive but the shooting mechanics are solid and some of the rarer beefier weapons are very satisfying to use (im looking at you, revolver with a chance to cause explosions!).
I imagine its a lot more fun in coop, but the single player kept me interested long enough to finish it :)
VVVVVV Review
#4233 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/02/27 13:48:22
I might as well post about this one I uploaded a few days back for those interested;
http://taw.duke4.net/2011/02/game-...
Terry Cavanagh Is Great
#4234 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/02/27 13:54:02
VVVVVV is awesome, Don't Look Back and Judith are also inspiring.
Borderlands
#4235 posted by Bal [83.204.190.102] on 2011/02/27 17:47:35
I liked it, kind of felt like a Diablo FPS almost, and the visuals were nice and refreshing, but yeah, best played in coop of course.
And yeah VVVVVV is awesome.
Call Of Pripyat Music Expansion
#4236 posted by megaman [88.66.30.154] on 2011/02/27 18:25:43
http://www.moddb.com/games/stalker...
Mmm
#4237 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/02/27 20:02:21
borderlands sounds like my kind of game, i think. :)
even if it only lasts a few weeks, that's worth the current price (30 CDN).
All Went To Do Is Get Laid And Have Sex
#4238 posted by darcymoar [24.77.213.64] on 2011/02/27 22:53:58
i went to were grils lather school jackets and tell them to call me at this number 8579142.
Best Post Ever
#4239 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/02/27 23:22:38
Two Of The Top Google Hits
#4240 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/02/28 05:56:04
are a lawyer and a Catholic church.
Go figure.
Borderlands
#4241 posted by Blitz [66.235.7.200] on 2011/03/01 05:58:57
Borderlands was a blast, one of the few games in the past couple of years that I really spent the time to explore every nook of every level. It's fun both SP and coop, give it another shot Zwiffle. The beginning *is* kind of slow and boring but it picks up.
Crysis 2 Demo
#4242 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.19] on 2011/03/01 11:02:57
Anyone else having trouble creating an account so they can..you know, PLAY THE FRIKKIN' GAME? =)
its been stuck on the "creating account" message for 10 minutes now and there is no way to cancel it, w00t Crytek :P
I'm In.
#4243 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/01 16:34:31
Apparently "bollox" and "bollox@bollox.com" were taken. So I'm bollox01 ;)
Lol
#4244 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.19] on 2011/03/01 17:09:09
Yeah, got in myself a few minutes ago.
I like it! Its modern warfare 2 with super powers thrown in =)
Everything feels really beefy, which is great. Suit powers are actually useful and I found that I was using all of the available modes and moves. The ground stomp thing is hilarious if you can get one off in a group of enemies.
It suffers from slight consolitis however, the fov feels very narrow, and the "Press start to continue" message when you first get to the menu is a little disconcerting =) I had to up the mouse speed a fair way also, but the game itself is fine.
Only other annoyance I had was that the graphics options menu is a complete joke. You have 3 preset options, "Gamer", "Advanced" and "Hardcore". There are no slider bars or drop down menu's for various effects, frankly from Crytek I expected there to be a buttload of graphics options... :P
Saying that though, I threw it on Hardcore and the game ran at a steady 60fps, and it doe's look very pretty.
All in all, colour me impressed by these first impressions. However they do need to add more graphics customization options!
Oh, Yeah
#4245 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.19] on 2011/03/01 17:09:37
MAXIMUMclsm is my username =)
Unf.
#4246 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/01 19:15:51
Returning to a previous Crytek game, Crysis keeps crashing on what presumably is the final section, when the Admiral nukes the island, it always crashes during that cutscene. Have just upgraded to V1.2 and it does the same...
#4247 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/03/01 19:43:12
s'okay the last few levels are shite anyway :p
Errrr.
#4248 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/01 20:31:54
Actually apart from the boss combat I thought they were pretty cool...
Fixed, was a DX10 problem.
Magicka Expansion
#4249 posted by DaZ [92.26.163.19] on 2011/03/01 21:56:26
Prepare you greatest double-take neck jerk manoeuvre!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs2...
Get Your Robes Ready!
#4250 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/01 23:29:43
wow, that's just odd as hell!
Sugar Sugar
#4251 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/02 00:15:56
Interesting pixel-physics puzzle game:
http://jayisgames.com/games/sugar-...
Will The Sequel Be Called
#4252 posted by bear [90.233.167.159] on 2011/03/02 17:13:01
Honey Honey?
And A Bit Lame
#4253 posted by bear [90.233.167.159] on 2011/03/02 17:29:19
in too many levels you have to sit around just waiting too much and maybe it would be good if you were forced to think more carefully by somehow punishing the player for letting the wrong color pixel in the wrong cup.
Yeah
#4254 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/02 18:07:27
A limit on ink and having an eraser would have been better I think.
#4255 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/02 19:36:14
not having an eraser made it more challenging I thought -- some of the later puzzles require some thinking about which order to fill the cups (since filling one cup might require blocking off another one.)
There was one level I found annoying, might have been the last one, where the level spirals around and you have a single grain of sugar. Even when you understand the concept you have to repeat it way too many times to complete the level.
Would be interesting to see a "best time" feature on some of the levels, I could see ways i could have been more efficient but wasn't motivated to replay them. A time to beat might have helped.
What Annoyed Me Was
#4256 posted by bear [90.233.167.159] on 2011/03/02 20:56:13
that the thinking part was usually very quick and then waiting for the cups to fill was very slow, it didn't feel very Zen to me just annoying. Maybe a fast-forward button would work ok.
#4257 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.175.224.155] on 2011/03/02 20:58:33
Liked the idea. I also liked the fact you couldn't really out right fail it, you could just keep going at it until you finished it. Was a lot more relaxing for that.
But it should have had a score element, so you could aim to do it perfectly if you wanted.
Was Decent Enough
#4258 posted by Drew [132.205.103.19] on 2011/03/02 21:19:42
for me to randomly play over half the game upon clicking the link.
How Many Levels Are There?
#4259 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/03/03 00:08:56
i'm stuck on 19 :(
#4260 posted by megaman [88.66.2.38] on 2011/03/03 03:38:40
The waiting is quite putting me off that game :(
It's so tedious to do the right stuff :(
Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic (2006) REVIEW
#4261 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/04 07:58:13
It's been a while since i've been able to play a fantasy-based action game, first person in particular. It's a welcome change from all the war and sci-fi shooters of 2005/2006.
Now typically i'll play a game in a few sittings over just as many days. However, 85% of the way through Dark Messiah the power went and everything around me hit the floor. An earthquake hit of epic proportions, causing upwards of 15 billion in damage and, tragically, hundreds of lives lost in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
My computer survived and it was 1.5 weeks before I resumed the game (I had no power for a week), by which time I'd started to forget the first part. Nonetheless it is a fairly lengthy game; none of this 5-7 hours rubbish some of the top developers have been spitting in our laps. Dark Messiah is at least 10 hours long.
The highlight of the game is the level design, as you'd expect with it's setting. Villages, mountains, temples... it's all standard fantasy but it looks fantastic.
Unfortunately the game is let down by it's gameplay. You're forced to use a more strategic approach at times by kicking enemies into spikes, fire or off cliffs. This is clumsy and frustrating, but taking on enemies in a swordfight is just as bad. Often enemies will wipe half your health off in one swoop, while you try to do a silly combo-move and completely miss through no fault of your own. Most fights you need to pull off a combo in order to kill an enemy because simply hitting the attack key repeatedly is took weak and you'll die after a few enemies. Ultimately, having to hold keys and use other keys to pull of these combos is annoying and slows down the action. Most enemies have slightly too much health and should go down quicker. There are a number of enemies in the game that just aren't worth fighting, such as zombies who have huge amounts of health and are very lethal. You're better off running past them and a game should never promote skipping action because it's too hard.
Having said that, the last 1/4 of the game is an exception as you FINALLY get given some decent weaponry. Either that or it took most of the game to master the combat effectively.
The RPG elements are strong, as you'll need to do many upgrades throughout the game and you can go various ways; strength, magic, archery, stealth. I chose the strength route and barely used the spells throughout until the last few levels. The spells were mostly uninspiring projectile attacks and easy to miss the enemy anyway.
For the explorer, there are plenty of secrets and health throughout the levels, but i'm not a big secret area scourer. Nonetheless I saved plenty of health vials which ultimately went unused as the final battle was easier than expected. The game might have been slightly more fun had I used the health vials more freely or if it was automatically added to your health instead or letting you horde it.
Overall Dark Messiah is a great looking game, but the gameplay is for the more experienced players. Some of the enemies could have done with some tweaking to make the game more action-packed instead of a reload rampage. Still, it's great to get an action-oriented fantasy game as there are very few around.
Kona
#4262 posted by nitin [124.149.84.103] on 2011/03/04 09:14:58
didnt realise you were a Christchurcher, everything ok? The footage looked horrible.
Give Up Robot 2
#4263 posted by Bal [83.204.223.98] on 2011/03/04 20:15:55
(don't think it's been posted?) First one was great, second one is also quite good :
http://games.adultswim.com/give-up...
BIT.TRIP.RUNNER
#4264 posted by Bal [83.204.223.98] on 2011/03/04 20:18:03
If you like rhythm games, BIT.TRIP.RUNNER is pretty awesome, very cool minimalistic visuals and music. It's pretty friggin hard though, be warned.
(it's around 7 euros on Steam.)
#4265 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/04 22:03:20
Yeah for me it's back to normal Nitin. Got a bit of an insurance claim to sort though. But the city is a bit fucked. CBD could be closed for almost a year, and they're still finding bodies almost 2 weeks later. At least on the east side of town you won't find a street anywhere that hasn't been effected, either by liquifaction or cracking.
That's Crazy
#4266 posted by nitin [124.149.84.103] on 2011/03/05 00:47:52
how for out of Christchurch are you then? Sounds like a reasonable distance out of the main city.
#4267 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/05 03:16:33
Well the epicentre was Lyttelton and i'm about halfway between town and Lyttelton I guess, so I was a lot closer to it. The problem with the main city and why it got his so much harder is all the old buildings that aren't earthquake proof. I doubt there's any churches in Christchurch that weren't damaged.
That and the few blocks around where I live must have better grounding and are fairly modern homes (inside 20 yrs old) so my house didn't get very damaged compared to other houses that were much further away from the epicentre.
Are you in NZ nitin?
No
#4268 posted by SleepwalkR [85.179.157.92] on 2011/03/05 07:04:43
I read that Christchurch has had it worse because the earthquake's waves were reflected on some mountain which caused interferences below the city. Those interferences meant that in certain spots, waves would add and become huge where in other spots, waves would cancel each other out.
At least that's the theory why the town was damaged more than in the last quake, even though the last quake was nominally much stronger (Richter scale is logarithmic).
Kona
#4269 posted by nitin [124.149.84.103] on 2011/03/05 07:34:56
no I'm in Melbourne (Aus) but have been seeing it a lot on the news.
Spacechem
#4270 posted by Vondur [195.218.191.171] on 2011/03/05 08:31:33
Since this game got to the steam finally, it took my attention and i loved it instantly after playing the demo.
What an amazing game! It's not your typical puzzle where u move blocks or whatnot, which gets boring after 1st level. This one is some sort of chemical simulator with a lot of ways to solve the puzzles, and puzzles are really mindbending. It could take a day to solve something, and I just started it and playing on moderately easy levels.
But what a joy I'm experiencing when finally I come with solution how to synth certain molecula! I feel like a real engineer at this moment :)
Also, i like graphics of the game, it's minimal and clean and good for the eye. The music is also a great supporter for the game, proper ambient is always welcome.
Highly recommended for the nerds around :)
Starcraft2
#4271 posted by PuLSaR [95.29.126.136] on 2011/03/05 19:30:58
bought it yesterday. it's amazing. this game is easting all my time
Bulletstorm
#4272 posted by than [182.164.31.11] on 2011/03/06 08:37:10
I haven't been playing many games lately, but because a friend recommended Bulletstorm, and partially because I loved Painkiller, I decided to buy it on Steam.
First of all, I felt like smashing my fist through my pc screen after discovering that despite being a game I bought on Steam, it requires the awful Games For Windows Live to run. Why on earth EA or Valve think it's acceptable to use two different services just to play the single player portion of one game is beyond me, but I was so pissed off I ended up firing off an email to Gabe Newell (which I doubt he will reply to, but it felt good to take action!)
The game itself was, in short, a little dissapointing. Whilst it has great graphics and extremely extravagant set pieces, the weapons and action didn't really feel quite as good as I had expected. It seemed that despite progression being generally quite easy, I was doing a lot of killing with a machine gun from long range, which was not really all that much fun. Later on in the game, I was rewarded with a few nice weapons, such as the awesome drill gun, but aside from a few of the secondary charge shot modes, the other weapons didn't really feel as meaty as I remember the guns in Painkiller feeling. It really seemed like I had to pummel most enemies for quite a while before they went down, unless I knocked them into some dangerous environmental trap - which generally rewarded me with the satisfaction of instant death and desctruction I so expected of this game.
However, For the last third of the game, there are a lot of mutants running around that can only be killed by shooting glowing red parts on their body. When you kill them this way, they instantly gib into a big red cloud of gore, leaving a huge splatter on the environment. This was fun. These guys were also extremely easy to kill using the drill gun that appears on one of the later missions. In fact, any occasion where making an enemy explode, melt, evaporate or become impaled was a ton of fun, but somehow it seemed that I spent a lot of time walking around very pretty (but empty) environments or trying to snipe enemies with a machine gun because it was the best weapon for the job if I wanted to stay alive.
The game's skill shot system was a cool idea, but I didn't really have much fun with it, and I didn't like how all the skill shots seemed to be set in stone - you can't really create your own combinations that the game will recognise. Every skill shot you get is like a micro achievement; Although you get it every time you kill any enemy in a prescribed manner, not just the first time. Using points you get from performing skill shots, you can buy ammo and weapon upgrades from pods scattered around the environment. It was kind of weird to be able to go to what is basically a shop and buy ammo during a battle, but this aspect of the system was ok in practice, and I didn't feel it was getting in the way.
One thing I noticed about the levels is that there are a huge number of massive, extremely cool looking and detailed areas that are basically unused for gameplay purposes. There is a lot of story in the game, and many areas where you just walk around listening to the (admittedly entertaining) banter between your character and the other three main characters who accompany you through the game. I was quite surprised by this because I had expected little to no story. Although the story is very simple, it worked to immerse me more into the world and connect me to the main characters, because by the end of the game, I hated the main villain, General Serrano, about as much as he did.
SPOILER ALERT!
This is where the game lost me though. The ending is hugely fucking annoying. You want so badly to kill this piece of shit general and the game nearly gives you the chance, but then something EXTREMELY irritating and predictable happens in a cutscene where you have no control, whilst you are left screaming at the main character, telling him to do the job properly and kill the motherfucker by firing 50 bullets into his face, only to have him ignore your requests and later regret his lack of thoroughness on the next level and in the final cutscene. Sequel? Fuck you. I'm not paying another $50 just to do what I should have been able to do at the end of the first game.
END SPOILER
I still haven't played the challenge mode or multiplayer, but the single payer was decent but somewhat lacking in the level of destruction I was hoping for. The ending was bullshit.
Was It Just Me
#4273 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/06 15:00:10
Or did the bots who accompany you kill absolutely nothing the entire game? That's what it felt like for me. I dontwremember them killing a single damn mutant.
@ Kona.
#4274 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/06 22:17:38
Is that Littleton on the south side over the Port Hills?
#4275 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/06 22:49:44
Yep Sham
Condemned: Criminal Origins (2006) REVIEW
#4276 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/07 03:32:59
Released for consoles in 2005 and for the PC in 2006, Condemned: Criminal Origins is the next game from Monolith following F.E.A.R. Now Monolith has made some good games; Blood was good for it's time, No One Lives Forever and the sequel were underrated classics. But unfortunately it seems their designers are still stuck in the old skool style of level design. The problem that hindered F.E.A.R.; it's bland boxy level design, returns with Condemned. In fact, the level design in both games could quite easily swap places and you wouldn't know the difference. F.E.A.R. had slightly more open levels to account for fast shooting enemies, while Condemned's is more condensed and cramped. However it's still the same room with two corridors connecting to the next room. It's maze-like, repetitive and is almost a series of box rooms littered with debris. It certainly doesn't feature the kind of detail you'd get from Doom 3.
There's really nothing in this game that stands out as looking great. Perhaps the final level taking place in a decayed apple orchard at night was a highlight, but it still lacked detail and was extremely linear. It sounds better than it was.
Basically Monolith followed the same pattern as F.E.A.R. in creating a game with supernatural flashbacks throughout; the scares are all the same. In fact, you could almost say this is the same game just with a different story and melee combat instead of guns.
So while F.E.A.R. lost brownie points in the design section, it made them up with it's fun gameplay. The same can not be said for Condemned, which is melee based combat using random weapons such as crowbars, 2x4's, axes. Now I've played good melee based games; Heretic II and Rune got it right. Condemned swings but misses, because it's too basic. The game comes down to a block-swing-step back process, or if you're taser is charged, which almost always is, then it's taser-swing-run back to wait for taser to recharge. It's just not that fun. There should have been some combos or powerhits of some kind. I complained about the combos in Dark Messiah, but at least it had them. Their drawback was the awkward key presses in trying to perform them. Condemned's gameplay is just too simple and becomes repetitive very fast.
Which leaves the storyline; which is flawed just like the rest of the game. The main premise is cliched but acceptable; a serial killer takes your gun and kills some cops which you are blamed for so on the run you go to capture him. As it turns out, he's been killing other serial killers. But then some whole supernatural plot comes into it with civillians turning insane, birds brains exploding, odd flashbacks and mysterious creatures popping in and out of existence (one of which you fight at the end). By the end of the game NONE of this is explained! Admittedly it does all get explained in the sequel but it just leaves the first game confusing.
If you loved F.E.A.R., not minding the average level design and love survival horror games then Condemned: Criminal Origins is worth playing the once. Otherwise, it's a skippable title.
Crysis 2 Demo Fov
#4277 posted by DaZ [78.147.154.202] on 2011/03/08 03:04:28
Here's a handy little config ui to edit your gfx settings in the Crysis 2 demo, it's only really useful for editing the fov.
http://forums.steampowered.com/for...
Dragon Age 2 Pc Hi-res Texture Pack
#4278 posted by DaZ [78.147.154.202] on 2011/03/08 03:20:30
Bioware released a high-resolution texture pack for the pc version of DA2, which is released, err in a matter of hours I guess :)
http://social.bioware.com/page/da2...
Seen a few screenshots and the jump in environment texture quality is very noticeable, well worth it! But they recommend a gfx card with 1gb of memory on it.
GRAW1
#4279 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/08 05:52:39
Tried to play Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter1. Gosh Grin just dont' have a fkn clue do they. It's a great looking game, but no quicksave and rare checkpoints in what is already quite a hard game, even on easy, means it is completely unplayable unless your absolutely desperate for a FPS. I quit after 1 level.
It's no wonder they declared bankruptcy. Next.
Two Worlds II
#4280 posted by negke [88.70.53.192] on 2011/03/08 11:30:47
Enjoyable. An average degree of consolization, but about on par with The Witcher. The positive thing is that unlike Witcher, the 'levels' are larger and often more open. Some nicely designed environments (especially the island in chapter 2 is awesome, with medieval Chinese temples/buildings in the jungle and a dark twisted canyon like the Barrens from Morrowind). Others are more average, but overall the game looks good.
Controls are somewhat dodgy in parts. Still okay. Horse controls are shit though.
The looting system is a bit ambiguous as you can only pick up everything the enemy had. This means you can run over a fallen group and quickly tab space to get it, which is nice, but on the other had it will also clutter your inventory with all kinds of useless items like weak weapons which you then have to disassemble or put down individually (or sell).
Too much action (too many monsters) in parts which got tedious after a while - especially the swamps which reminded me strongly of their counterparts in Witcher = shitloads of zombies spawning all the time.
Combat is mostly button mashing and using special attacks. At least that's what I found to be most effective. It's also possible to block and do effective counterattacks.
I'm a bit ashamed to admit I didn't understand the magic system so I played the game as an oldschool warrior. It's not so hard in theory - one has to create spells by stacking cards of several classes and effects, and it's possible to experiment with the combinations in order to create the best spell for each situation. But I somehow didn't get the hang of it immediately and then lost interest as my other skills became more developed.
While not required, one can approach each battle in the optimal way by varying weapons and spells according to the enemies. Many of them have certain weaknesses to some attacks and are resistant to others (e.g. blades vs blunt weapons).
Progression is linear insofar as the parts of the world only unlock when the player reaches a new chapter in the main quest line. Basically a bunch of islands that become accessible by teleporters. Exploration is somewhat limited but possible, at least in the first two chapters of five. Some smaller sections of the islands become accessible with some of the side quests of which there are fairly many in relation to the main quest and suitably varied. Some side quests also introduce new enemies.
It's easy to get lost in the side quests at first and kind of forget what the story or the purpose of your main mission was. It picks up after a while. Or maybe because I just refrained from taking more side quests from the bullentin boards.
At one point I bought a boat and sailed to one of the remote islands around the main ones only to find what looked to me like a tribe of nasty canibal-like people (regular enemies in a later section) which chased me off again and I had to leave my boat behind, heh. Later found out there's nothing there to be found, except XP if you kill them. But still a nice detail.
Bottom line: I'd say if you liked the Witcher (for this game seems to be most apt for comparison), you'll likely enjoy this one too.
It feels like it does the compromise between console and PC better than most of the other games in this genre. Playtime: 20-23 hours, up to 30 with full exploration/100%ing.
#4281 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.145] on 2011/03/10 10:33:53
new teaser for Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l--...
Gameplay video coming tomorrow.
Hawken
#4282 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2011/03/10 13:56:51
http://www.hawkengame.com/blog/med...
#4283 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/10 14:15:43
Yeah that looks pretty good. Hope it controls like an FPS not like a Mech game.
Hawken
#4284 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/10 14:44:43
Looks friggin awesome, giant robots jumping around shooting rockets! woooo! :D
Hawken.
#4285 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/10 14:46:33
Looks very stylish indeed. Would be interested to see how the gameplay / content pans out. Not so keen on the restricted cockpit view though.
Wow
#4286 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2011/03/10 14:47:05
Nice find. Seriously check out the graphics of Hawken for real:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm7...
Fuck me those grpahics are awesome (spooged all over Hawken's bosom)
Bullet Storm
#4287 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/10 16:55:43
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
Yeah
#4288 posted by DaZ [2.96.225.83] on 2011/03/10 17:45:51
Loving the environments for sure.
Zwiffle:
#4289 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2011/03/10 18:34:33
I'm sure it will only work with the Steel Batallion controller: http://operatorchan.org/vg/arch/sr...
#4290 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.120] on 2011/03/10 19:09:07
Remarkable. Yahtzee's opinion is exactly what I concluded from playing the demo :E
An oldschool shooter forced through a mangle of modern shooters and being at least partially compromised because of it.
Hawken...
#4291 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/10 20:33:36
interesting environment art... the consistently random construction of all the buildings makes me wonder if they auto-generated the buildings from a bunch of prefab parts. Either way it's an cool style.
#4292 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/03/10 20:38:53
It's an AWESOME style ;)
Far Cry 2
#4293 posted by nitin [203.214.45.73] on 2011/03/10 23:33:05
just started this, why is this even the same franchise? completely different game. to early to tell if its good.
Dwarf Complete...
#4294 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/11 00:02:40
Decent Zelda-like dungeon game from the Eye Maze guy. Some clever puzzles.
http://jayisgames.com/games/dwarf-...
FC2
#4295 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/11 00:11:14
AFAIK, devs and pubs split, pubs got franchise name and tried to milk it as best they could.
FC2
#4296 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/11 15:09:44
Again. From Wiki:
Far Cry 2 has been officially released by Ubisoft, although it was not developed by Crytek, but by Ubisoft's Montreal studio
Far Cry 2 (commonly abbreviated as FC2) is an open-ended first-person shooter developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. Crytek, the developers of the original game, were not involved in the development of Far Cry 2.
Ubisoft has marketed Far Cry 2 as the true sequel to Far Cry, however the sequel has very few noticeable similarities to the original game. Instead, it features completely new characters and setting, as well as a new style of gameplay...
Various factions and vehicles are featured; enemies include human mercenaries, but sci-fi creatures such as the Trigens from Far Cry are not featured.[12] Furthermore, the player's feral abilities introduced in Far Cry Instincts and its expansions do not return in Far Cry 2.
Far Cry 2 abandons the science fiction aspects of its predecessor in favor of a more realistic setting.
The protagonist of previous Far Cry games, Jack Carver, is not featured in this game.
Ubisoft has developed a new engine specifically for Far Cry 2, called Dunia...
The Dunia engine was built specifically for Far Cry 2 by Ubisoft Montreal development team.
Only 2 or 3 percent of the original CryEngine code is re-used, according to Michiel Verheijdt, Senior Product Manager for Ubisoft Netherlands.
So, as is blindingly obvious, it has slightly less than FUCK ALL to do with Far Cry, and just makes Ubisoft look like a bunch of dicks for trying to cash in on the franchise, whilst Crytek go ahead and make the true FC2 and do a much better job of it.
Well So Far Its A Pretty Game
#4297 posted by nitin [124.148.176.156] on 2011/03/11 15:34:05
not sure if like the looks of the gameplay though.
The Montreal Team
#4298 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/11 15:48:39
Probably had a pretty nice game built, until the publishers came along and said 'scrap 50% of what you've done and slap the FC2 name on it'.
Well...
#4299 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/11 15:49:10
I think the gameplay looks pretty cool actually, more interesting than some random call-of-duty copy anyways. Kinda feels like Tribes a bit, what with all the jetpacking around.
Oh Wait
#4300 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/11 15:49:48
Nevermind, I thought we were still talking about Hawken. :D
Farcry 2
#4301 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/11 15:52:52
It isn't such a bad game in my opinion, great fun as a sandbox where you just mess around with the AI behavior. But yeah, it's nothing like Farcry.
Gross
#4302 posted by affine [70.244.100.29] on 2011/03/11 17:10:48
I really didn't like FC2, really one bit at all. There seems to be some serious streaming issues with content, and I lag noticeably bad when sprinting or driving through the world (it occurs every few seconds.) Changing settings does not help at all, and my computer specs blow consoles out of the water.
As far as the story, it's pretty damn lame. You start off with Malaria, yeah! The sprint distance seems like less than five meters. The whole system on finding diamonds is so borked, I ran around for a few minutes when trying to find the first one. I didn't understand anything in the game.
What's worse is the fact it is an open ended game with no quick saving. This wouldn't be as frustrating, if the game didn't crash after about an hour of playing it.
2/10 stars for FC2. Classic example of how game studios are at least eleven times better at making games than publishers. I didn't give it just one star because I bought it in a Steam pack for $3, so I had suspicion of the quality.
Crysis 2, on the other hand, seems quite promising. I'm not a big fan of invisibility being totally ruined with the addition of thermal vision. Hopefully there will be some way to hide your heat signature, at least for the most part.
#4303 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/03/11 17:30:43
I liked FC2 quite a bit for what it was - I didn't have streaming problems (even on my older PC) and I thought the combat was a lot of fun if not a bit frustrating at times when I couldn't make out the shapes in dark shadows.
My main complaints were that driving everywhere got stale pretty fast, and that the voice acting was bad (as someone pointed out, I can't remember who, it was probably for compression reasons.)
The weapons felt great though, some of the best feeling weapons in any game I've ever played, from the sounds to the damage to reloading, even to them breaking in the middle of a god damn fire fight - they just felt great.
The diamonds thing was basically a hot/cold game, I found a bunch of them but didn't have much incentive to find all of them. The story wasn't really all that bad, it didn't have the CoD kind of crazy conspiracy spin to it, it felt much more grounded. Basically - gun smugglers are bad, mercs are bad, and both help to destroy stability and innocent lives. Felt much more grounded than CoD games, despite being an action flick style game.
FC2
#4304 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/11 17:32:44
I thought it was ok, was pretty fun for the random AI shenanigans, and the companions could be quite silly.
Uh Oh
#4305 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/12 01:55:50
http://kotaku.com/#!5781226/the-ne...
#4306 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/12 05:50:56
It'll still be Human Head developing the game, with just Zenimax taking over publishing rights. I'd imagine it mustn't be too far from gold... the first game took 4-5yrs once Human Head took over and Prey 2 has been under development for probably 4 yrs now. Human Head has nothing else in development, so one can only assume they've been working on it since 2006. I just hope they don't put off the release with all those other shooters coming in 2011 from Bethesda.
Actually, Here's A Prey Review
#4307 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/12 05:52:14
Prey began it's long development life in 1995, a decade before it's final release. Just as they did with Duke Nukem Forever, 3D Realms stumbled around changing development teams and the game but, ultimately, weren't able to build a game engine to support the portal technology.
The idea was to have portals (ie teleporters) that can be opened and closed throughout the game. 3D Realms spent a number of years on the engine before it was finally put on hold, indefinitely, in 1999. Which was a great shame as the videos, screenshots and E3 presentations released in 1997/98 had many fans excited, including me.
Prey was one of those games that I long awaited, just like Duke Nukem Forever. Unfortunately they both became vaporware. It wasn't until 2002 that the project was resumed, although not announced officially. However this time round 3D Realms retired the idea of using their own engine and started again using idTech 4, with the game actually being created by Human Head Studios, authors of the classic third-person Rune. And in 2006 Prey was finally released.
Ironic that eventually outsourcing Duke Nukem Forever to Gearbox Software was the only way 3D Realms' other, more famous vaporware game would ever get released as well.
Back to Prey, somehow through this mess of a development timeline, Prey turned out to be a great game. It didn't feature design that was new as both Doom 3 and Quake 4, the only two other games to have used idTech4 up to 2006, featured very similar sci-fi themes. Doom 3 was slightly darker, Quake 4 was slightly more military themed. Prey took the theme in more of an alien, surreal direction, but ultimately sci-fi is sci-fi. However it looks just as good as Doom 3 and Quake 4 ever did, so it's another great looking entry into the shooter market. The entire game takes place within a huge living sphere floating in space. But most of the level design is based around human-sized rooms and corridors.
There are some much bigger open areas which you can fly around in using your little spacesuit. Unfortunately, just like every other shooter that forces the obligatory on-rails/vehicle levels, these flying levels are far too common. After the first couple of levels featuring flying I was hoping that would be the end of it. I was sadly wrong. They're not frustrating, in fact the flying mechanics were fairly solid. But I hated Descent, so I was always going to sigh when Prey takes me off my feet.
Prey also features portals, as per the original idea of the game from the 1990's. However portals are nothing new come 2006. Sure they can open and close and it's a good way to insert more enemies into the action, but they're not a big selling point.
What is a lot more unique is the change of gravity. Using special pathways you can literally walk vertically around the four walls of a room. You can reverse the gravity of a room just by shooting a trigger. On top of this you have spirit walk, where you can leave your body as a spirit and still interact with the environment. These are some intriguing, fresh features that form the basis for many puzzles throughout Prey. Do I like puzzles? No, not at all. So the constant gravity changes and puzzle solving didn't really have me jumping with excitement. In fact the brightly lit gravity pathways did get a little ugly and repetitive as the game wore on.
The actual action in the game was all solid. The weapons are slightly different to your standard shooter stock, so it made for some interesting gameplay. The game should have been quite a difficult game, however a unique approach was made regarding dying. Instead of relying on quicksaves or checkpoints, you instead enter a short shooting game which after 20 seconds returns you to where you died with your health returned. This means you can't really die in Prey. Quicksaving is completely unnecessary and sometimes there's little point to avoid losing health. You might as well just die and get your health replenished. The boss battles in particular become a complete joke when you keep respawning and the boss still has the same health. I can understand the idea behind it; they wanted to remove replaying large sections and constant quicksaves/quickloads, but they made it far too easy to not try at all in the game. There's no incentive to not dying, other than your own ego.
However with it being an easy game, it's also replayable as you can jump into any part of the game and have a blast (providing it's not a flying level!). There's no lengthy storytelling or slow parts to the gameplay.
Prey is certainly not a perfect game; the flying and puzzles get old, the regenerating (no dying) system was a mistake, but the action is solid and design great throughout. Possibly the best shooter of 2006.
Rage Weapons
#4308 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/03/12 10:24:22
http://uk.ign.com/videos/2011/03/0...
Also This Is Red Faction Weapons/gameplay
#4309 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/03/12 10:29:02
http://uk.ign.com/videos/2011/03/0...
What a crock of poo!!!
Also
#4310 posted by RickyT23 [86.25.13.241] on 2011/03/12 10:32:06
I really enjoyed Prey but I played it through once or twice then became bored with it. It had LOADs of stuff in it which was awesome:
Portals
Cool physics/gravity
Shrink the player and put them on a mini-planet
Boss fights!!!
A plot (sortof)
Spirit-walking
Puzzles
Reasonable (for the time) AI
'Cause it was IdTech4 it ran smooth!
All of what Kona said really.
Rage.
#4311 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/12 12:13:32
Looks good. Weapons look kinda boring but hey it's a good looking grimey shooter.
Prey
#4312 posted by gb [89.27.221.251] on 2011/03/12 16:07:41
good game.
There was a boredom factor for me as well though. Maybe it was just too linear. Not much choice for the player; you're pretty much led from A to B and that's it. If you replay it, you're again led from A to B in the same manner.
I like the leech gun, that was a pretty cool concept.
Would have liked a lot more of the Native American stuff and more character development. There was a series of spiritual tests announced, but they never came. The death game became boring fast; I prefer checkpoints with optional quickloading.
A lot of cool scenes in the game like the school bus. It didn't always come together very well; it felt like cool bits strung together instead of a cohesive theme.
Wtf were those little girls doing in there. Their backstory was totally lost on me. It was like "you're swarmed by creepy little girls now because the designer fancied it" and next level, the little girls were gone again. What the...
It also suffered from darkness like Doom3 and Quake 4.
Plus, I didn't like Jen. I'm supposed to save a girlfriend who just screams all the time? :-/
They should have given Jen a gun and allowed the player to play as her for a while, exploring a different area of the sphere.
Rage
#4313 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/12 22:08:02
Weapons look very underwhelming, shotgun in particular. I hope that's only SOME of the weapons.
Jen
#4314 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/12 22:12:02
Yeah Jen has got to be the ugliest princess that needs saving in any game ever. Her head was far too wide for the face. Even Princess Toadstool is hotter. I'd rather have screwed the mutant mother bitch at the end, at least she had her tits out already.
#4315 posted by Spirit [80.171.83.234] on 2011/03/13 14:53:04
elastomania for sailors: http://bloboats.blobtrox.net/
Got Borderlands A Couple Of Days Ago Btw.
#4316 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/13 19:29:36
quite enjoyable so far.
movement is about on par with modern shooters, fairly slow. it's the unreal engine so movement and direction changes are crisp and responsive. for some reason, you can jump about 3 meters in the air. alien planet so low gravity? i dunno, it's weird but actually necessary because most places where you are required to jump are quite far. this also means that there's a LOT of clipping going on to stop you from leaving the map.
fov is very small, but you can change it back to 90.
visual are gorgeous. it's not crysis 2, but it's not trying to be. it's like madmax with world of warcraft art style. if the character models had solid coloured textures, you might mistake them for team fortress 2.
pretty repetitive with enemies though. there's bandits and animals somewhat like fiends and birds.
there are many variations of bandits though, and each type is quite distinctive and much more than just a reskin. you rarely have to look at the name of the mob to tell what kind it is.
append: i just remembered there were these worms that you had to shoot in the eye to kill and the second area i just entered had these slug things that remind me of the film "Tremors". so maybe things are looking up for monster variety.
as far as i can tell, the core gameplay is identical for all 4 player characters. you can use any gun you want, contrary to what the instruction booklet and character descriptions imply. the only thing is some of the talents you pick up later via talent points (1 per level after level 5) only boost certain weapon types, but it's not like you can't use any weapon if you wanted to.
as for the 'role playing' aspect, it's really just 'stat buiding' ala diablo. it's even less than that, really.
you get the aforementioned talent points to spend but there are no traditional rpg stats like str, dex and con. there's a simple 'learn by doing' system for the weapons. the more kills you get with a certain weapon, the more you go up in weapon skill levels and you start to accrue tiny bonuses like +2% damage or +5% reduced reload time or somesuch.
finally, each character only gets a single special ability.
hunter gets a pet bird that you can send out to beat on guys. it's effective, but goofy. i'm not a huge fan of 'pets'. i like to kill my own stuff.
soldier gets a turret you can plop down that also can give you ammo and does a decent job of killing stuff. this guy feels like he was built specifically for coop and so feels somewhat... i dunno, out of sorts in solo.
'siren' (talk about unhelpful class name) spawns an explosion then turns invisible and then spawns another explosion when reappearing. this is more useful than it sounds. you can use the explosions to knock out groups of enemies more accurately than grenades and also very helpful for running away if stumble on some mob 10 levels higher than you.
berserker is... well, you punch stuff insanely hard and you heal and become invulnerable. i didn't use this guy very long. i hate meleeing in a shooter and this kind of thing is boring to me.
so yeah, the differentiation between the classes is a lot more subtle than their visual differentiation.
anyway, will see how it goes in the second area...
Iirc
#4317 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/13 20:49:48
Certain classes did better with different guns. Soldiers did good with automatics, sirens did good with snipers (? maybe), etc. I may be talking out of my rear, though. Check the wiki.
Also, i wouldn't say the art style is like WoW, at all really, their both cartoony, but it pretty much ends there. I forget what the name of the art style used in borderlands is, i know warsow uses the same style, though.
Cel Shading
#4318 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/03/13 21:06:00
#4319 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/13 21:08:15
you need to look at the textures and the way they are made. you'll see the similarities with wow's texture art.
the game could have worked just as well without the comic book black outline effect. the textures are that strong.
and yeah, like i said, you can use any gun, but some classes' talents only boost one damage type (for example, soldier has one that boosts only shotguns).
siren's talents are more generalized as many boost her actual ability, and others boost elemental procs (+fire, +acid, +electricity) which are present on all types of weapons.
I Need To Play Borderlands Some More
#4320 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/13 21:46:55
I bought the zombie island and mad moxxie dlc and haven't even played them yet. :(
#4321 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/13 22:12:50
If we can get some coop going on I might join in. I didn't like the sp at all but maybe coop is better.
I Have It On The 360 :/
#4322 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/13 23:20:20
Coop was a lot more fun.
Unreal Engine 4 Tech Demo?
#4323 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/14 04:58:27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttx...
Looks hell fucking awesome
Wtf
#4324 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/14 05:02:54
That was incredible. Maybe a decent game will be made with this version?
Tech Guy At Work Went To The GDC Talk
#4325 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/14 05:26:39
And came back saying that the demo was real time ... but it was basically running on a super computer. You wouldn't get that on the average computer today, and you wouldn't be able to get that on XBox360 or PS3, but possibly next gen consoles.
#4326 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/14 07:00:24
Maybe that will be a new game. They said it hasn't gone past a tech demo, but Gears of war was originally just a tech demo and then turned into a full game.
Yeah the system they ran it on had 3 GTX580's... ffs. However if you started a game now, it wouldn't be ready for a couple years anyway, by which time GTX580's will be cheap. And they did say it'd be fine on just 1 GTX580.
I wouldn't mind if that was their next game, at least it's better than realistic war shooters.
Far Cry 2
#4327 posted by nitin [124.148.176.156] on 2011/03/14 07:14:37
son yeah its enjoyable in a sandbox kind of way (not my thing generally) but it gets pretty repetitive too IMHO. Although the plains of Africa look great, I would love for a change of environment sometime soon.
Looks A Lot Like Unreal Engine 3 Tech To Me ;)
#4328 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/14 08:55:58
I like the ending, I hope he got pwnd.
#4329 posted by gb [89.27.208.4] on 2011/03/14 14:06:20
nice lighting and fog and sweat, but it looks like just another game where you headshot people and fight giant robots to me.
I think the detailed violence in some recent games (Crysis 2 breaking necks, anyone) is really a bit over the top. Games do not get automatically better when guts drop on the floor, brains hit the wall or jaws are ripped off. It's pretty cheap actually.
Apart from that, gameplay plz?
And if there was a jab at Brink in there, I'm just going to say I'm 300% more likely to buy Brink.
UE3
#4330 posted by DaZ [78.147.159.33] on 2011/03/14 14:14:22
Yeah if I remember right this video was to show off the new dx11 support in UE3, and I believe they have added the dx11 effects into UDK now also, although I could be mistaken.
Sure doe's look great though, lol about the 3x GTX 580's however... Maybe in another 5-6 years we will see games that actually look like that, its not like id or crytek are making gpu-melting engines any more :P
Heh - I Like Gore And Violence In Computergames
#4331 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.217.189] on 2011/03/14 14:20:06
I'll be honest. I love the way that Doom baddies turn into mush. I dont think Quake ever managed to succesfully reproduce that. What I dont like is over-large QTE-style anims which take too long (AVP anyone?)
#4332 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.120] on 2011/03/14 15:52:17
Violence is satisfying, but when you get to God of War levels, you have to start feeling your hobby is just a bit fucked up :P
I Think
#4333 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/14 17:57:45
It has to be the end of a range.
A Quake example: Gibbing is rarely seen and can be difficult to do since you're not supposed to be quadrocketing shamblers or rocketing grunts. So its 'rare' that you see the bits and pieces fly although theres still the standard death sequence.
With cutom maps and veteran players who save their rockets for this sort of thing this doesn't make much of a difference - gibbing has become frequent.
My point is that gibbing isn't constant. You can barely go a single fight without some monster losing its organs in GoW. Which completely takes the satisfaction out of it.
It's not the goreporn I like, but achieving something. If thats tied into splattering a monster across the wall then so be it.
Gore.
#4334 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.253] on 2011/03/14 18:27:21
Interesting one. Has to fit the subject matter, theme, atmosphere and tone of the game IMO.
L4D2 is the goriest game I've played and it is pretty bloody gory - blood, limbs, innards and hacked up corpses fly everywhere. It's grim but great, cos it's zombies, so it feels appropriate. Worth it's 18 rating tho.
Funnily enough, playing Bioshock recently, I found Ryan's death scene in that, although much much less gory, to be far more traumatic due to the way it was presented. One of the harshest things I've seen in a game.
#4335 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/14 18:34:40
nice lighting and fog and sweat, but it looks like just another game where you headshot people and fight giant robots to me.
What about the innovative cigarette-butt-enrages-enemies aggro management mechanic? It works on guys with helmets, and giant robots!
#4336 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.120] on 2011/03/14 19:22:08
Looked like it would be a cool game right up to the point where he showed 'teh super powers lol'
oooh dark stealthy potential Deus Ex type... oh no, just beating shit up, oh well.
But why am I complaining about a tech demo
Dragon Age 2
#4337 posted by DaZ [78.147.159.33] on 2011/03/14 23:37:39
About 25ish hours into it at the moment, really enjoying it so far.
it's definitely more hack n slash compared to the first one, you can literally kill about 8 enemies with 1 move if you get the right positioning and timing. All classes and abilities are meaty as hell, the combat in general is awesome, much better than the original.
Story etc is good too, I was worried that having the game centered on 1 city would make it repetitive and to some extent that is true, but there is a lot of diversity in how you interact with various organisations and people in the city, that it stays fresh. I can already see im going to replay the game at least twice just to see what happens when you align with different people.
Some things do stick out however, all of the dungeon levels seem to be made of a very small amount of tile sets and get repetitive fairly quickly, from a visual standpoint.
Reading a few internet forums you would think that this was the worst game ever though, I don't really understand that, I'm having a real blast here and its definitely on an even footing with the original in terms of quality. I would say the demo doesn't help much as it showed a fairly bland portion of the game (ie, the beginning). It doe's take a while to get going and get you immersed into the world, but by the end of the first year I was hooked :)
From a performance standpoint, im running in dx11 on high settings with 4x antiailasing on a gtx460 and its a smooth 60fps for 90% of the time, dropping to perhaps 40 or so in the really hectic battles, perfectly fine in my book, though I have heard people having trouble in dx11 mode with freezes and poor frame rates.
So basicly, internet is over-reacting imo, this is a great game and I'm looking forward to replaying it many times probably!
The Internet, Over-reacting?!
#4338 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/15 01:16:03
Never!
F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate (2007) REVIEW
#4339 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/16 05:14:31
I was unable to play the first F.E.A.R. expansion pack because my version of F.E.A.R. refuses to update, and the pack won't run unless it's an updated version. So it's a throwaway. However the second expansion pack for F.E.A.R., strangely titled Perseus Mandate, runs standalone so I could play it. That's not necessarily a good thing though. Clearly, I got the booby prize because Perseus Mandate received below average reviews, deservedly so.
There's very little story and what is there doesn't make much sense and gives you no reason to care at all about what's happening. This is action, pure and simple. And in this respect the action is just as good as the original game with some tough new enemies. But it is a fair bit more difficult, especially the last level. Not impossible by any means, but while I rarely used the bullettime feature in F.E.A.R., this time you need it for basically every single firefight. If not every single enemy even. So you do have to play much more meticulously and carefully. I did constantly have maximum health packs in my arsenal for almost all of the game, even at the end, so it's not frustratingly hard.
Where Perseus Mandate falls down, and I mean falls hard, is in it's presentation. Now the level design in F.E.A.R. was bland, boxy and very uninspiring. But Perseus Mandate takes this to a new level; this sort of design should never have gone past the 90's. Here we have box rooms littered with debris, box corridors littered with debris, large bland areas that look like they're only at the layout/concept stage. I don't understand how level designers this slack can be hired to work on a retail game. Even I, single handedly, could have made all the levels throughout this entire game at a much higher standard than what was released. What were these designers doing between F.E.A.R. being released in 2005 and this ugly box game in 2007. So, unfortunately, the game won't live up to 2007 standards at all. And the engine is looking dated with average models and lighting.
The game is still fun all the way through, but that's because Monolith already built a great set of enemies and gameplay structure. TimeGate haven't done much but fill their bland levels with this fun gameplay. Not really worth it unless you don't care what games look like, and sadly looking at the top review sites that make no mention of how bad these levels look, that's probably a large percentage of players.
@[Kona]
#4340 posted by sikkpin [76.120.193.33] on 2011/03/16 18:55:24
I was never able to patch F.E.A.R. with the installer either but you can open the installer with 7-zip and extract the files and patch it that way. It's a little confusing as there are duplicate files but I think I just used the larger of the duplicates and it worked fine and allowed EP to install.
#4341 posted by Blitz [66.235.7.200] on 2011/03/17 06:44:32
I don't understand how level designers this slack can be hired to work on a retail game
*waves*
Glad you thought it was fun at least :)
I will not argue that Perseus Mandate looks pretty bland in terms of the levels' art. I still think it has some of the funnest combat of any game I've made levels for.
While I don't want to make excuses for a bad looking game, there are reasons why it looks bad beyond just lack of talent or effort. The majority of good Quake SP maps probably have a longer development cycle than this entire game. :)
#4342 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/17 10:34:34
Yeah totally Blitz... there's a number of reasons why the levels could have looked bland, it's definitely not always the level designers fault if they're simply not given the necessary amount of time to spend on the game. In fact 5-6 level designers surely wouldn't all be lacking. Or have an art director that doesn't value quality and detailed build and thinks all you need to do is fill it with prefabs. I mean, look at the amount of top review site that never make any mention of level design... they don't seem to differentiate between level design and the 'graphics'.
There was some decent looking stuff in Perseus... it definitely wasn't as mazey as the original game. But what I preferred were the underground bits, the part with the old underground subway (was it a subway? can't remember now), actually any section that wasn't warehouse or buildings like FEAR. The spooky bits were decent.
What other games have you worked on Blitz?
#4343 posted by gb [46.142.51.96] on 2011/03/17 17:36:56
> I mean, look at the amount of top review site that never make any mention of level design... they don't seem to differentiate between level design and the 'graphics'.
This.
Well...
#4344 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/17 18:25:55
at most companies the level designer doesn't do environment art anyway -- that's a separate job. Not sure how monolith did it but something to consider when saying the "level design looked bland."
Yes
#4345 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/17 19:07:47
An art director does not manage level designers.
#4346 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/17 23:35:02
I couldn't remember what they call the lead level designer. maybe just lead level designer?
Darksiders
#4347 posted by nitin [124.168.200.68] on 2011/03/18 06:44:02
yay or nay?
#4348 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/18 13:57:03
I got it on sale for $20 or so. Still haven't played it. SO I can't help you. Dunno why I'm even typing this.
Because You Suck
#4349 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/18 14:27:40
Gibbles
#4350 posted by Kinn [86.153.224.11] on 2011/03/19 00:34:34
My point is that gibbing isn't constant. You can barely go a single fight without some monster losing its organs in GoW. Which completely takes the satisfaction out of it.
Freaky, I was thinking about this very thing today. One of the things I like about Quake's gibletudinality is the fact that it almost feels like a sort of skill-based finishing move - i.e. you can't gib corpses - that would completely cheapen the whole experience; you have to hit a live monster with just the right amount of damage at the right time to get those crisp, chunky treats. I mean, the feeling of gibbing a Hellknight with the double-barrelled shotgun is a wonderful, precious thing for me.
Yeah
#4351 posted by ijed [190.22.6.191] on 2011/03/19 01:22:14
It also stops you from picking up anything the enemy drops on death as a downside. Managing to gib a Shambler is awesome.
#4352 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/19 01:23:08
i often find myself setting up opportunities to gib. 3 rockets will kill a fiend, but 2 rockets, some shells and one more rocket is just particle spray fun!
#4353 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/19 01:36:46
yeah... it's easy to gib grunts with the SSG, i find the skill is in making sure you don't gib, therefore get the backpack :)
But a game where you got extra bonus for gibbing would be cool, and create a nice incentive across all enemies to do the more "skillful" death.
#4354 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.112] on 2011/03/19 02:29:50
It also stops you from picking up anything the enemy drops on death as a downside.
Find that annoy tbh. Given that a lot of Quake maps (especially on skill 2) try to be really tight with ammo, it makes accidentally gibbing something rather annoying.
Same goes for Doom's random health chances. It screws up ammo balance, so whilst it might be neat for atmosphere, mechanically it isn't so great.
#4355 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/19 03:26:30
yeah, the damage in doom is REALLY random. like... 5 - 60 damage random. :P
#4356 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.112] on 2011/03/19 04:58:43
Yeah it's pretty insane. Clip from a projectile can be bugger all to insane :(
But even small differences can be infuriating. If you vary health or damage just slightly then try to have a highly tuned bit of combat you get screwed over, because neither you nor the player can 100% rely on time/shots taken to kill something, which throws things off. You could say random is more exciting or tense but in this case it just means you've no idea if a given area would even be possible.
Speaking of randomness in games, ever played the original Robotron? That game is a text book example of being an insanely hard unpredictable bitch. But in a good way most of the time :P
#4357 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/19 05:01:58
wait, are you talking about player weapons? iirc, they are pretty consistent. the RL has some random element to it, but shotguns and such always seemed to take the same number of shots to kill things.
#4358 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.112] on 2011/03/19 05:36:24
Either really, but in doom it's mainly incoming damage, but your own weapons can be somewhat random too, though happily not nearly as much :)
Zwiffle
#4359 posted by nitin [124.168.200.68] on 2011/03/19 08:23:37
you do suck. It's $10 on Steam so I would like you to play it now and tell me please. Now.
#4360 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/19 13:57:27
For $10 I'm sure it's a good deal.
Bulletstorm
#4361 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/19 20:23:10
Bloody fantastic game. Thoroughly enjoyed it. My biggest complaints were :
1.) The bad clipping all over the place. As previously said, it sucks running into an invisible wall or something. Felt they could have/should have done a better job with that.
2.) Ishi is a dick. I hated him more than Sarrano. Such a jerk, how come I got stuck with him instead of either of the other start guys?
Other than that, I didn't find it bad that I could gib people easily, because for me the hard part was getting the trick shots. Gibbing in Quake became trick shots in Bulletstorm. There were several I didn't get in my playthrough of the sp.
Felt some enemies weren't used enough (the giant mutant dudes you push towards some enviro hazard) and the mutated spider things were used ... for like 5 minutes.
Weapons + alt fire were pretty refreshing from the normal weapons imo. Some of them are kind of normal, but the rest are fairly innovative and change up the normal weapon progression pistol -> shotgun -> machine gun -> grenade -> rocket or whatever. They feel pretty good.
All in all, totally worth the $49 I got it for from the D2D sale. Maybe worth $60, depends on the mp which I haven't played. Would really like to see a UDK for it though, please please please!
Bleh
#4362 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/19 22:08:21
I still don't get while trick shots were a finite set. It would have been a lot more fun if i could use the chain grenade gun on somethings feet, use the whip to throw him in air, hit him with the harpoon thingy and the watch him explode. The only problem would be naming that kind of stuff, but the names don't really matter; just give me the points. :p
Also, as said before, it was *way* too linear. I should have waited until the price went down to buy it.
#4363 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/19 22:34:26
Yeah the linearity was kind of a let down too - I really wanted to explore some of the skyboxes. Like when you're going up the dam, and you see this beach area that leads into cliffs, I just wanted to go down there and explore. It could have greatly benefited from more exploration similar to BioShock - add some secrets here and there that I can look for.
Also, while I didn't miss the jump function the more I played, it did feel awkward in places where you would think you can just drop down but instead you have to press R or something similar.
Just Played The First Few Levels Of Gears Of War
#4364 posted by nitin [124.168.200.68] on 2011/03/20 06:23:27
looks like a lot of fun to me. Way more enjoyable than Far Cry 2 which I might have to put on the back burner.
Homefront
#4365 posted by megaman [88.66.22.161] on 2011/03/20 12:41:22
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Damnit
#4366 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/03/20 13:36:49
Darksiders
#4367 posted by DaZ [78.147.147.180] on 2011/03/20 18:03:11
its £5 on steam until the end of the day, and its fantastic!
Which End Of "fantastic" Are We Talking About?
#4368 posted by negke [88.70.237.153] on 2011/03/20 18:13:00
Thanks
#4369 posted by nitin [124.168.200.68] on 2011/03/20 22:09:00
picking it up.
#4370 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/03/20 22:58:02
I should have waited until the price went down to buy it.
i've been doing this exclusively now and i've been enjoying games a lot more in general.
i don't exactly know why, but i just don't feel that games are worth 60$ anymore.
i'm not sure if that's just me being stingy (which it might) or if it's because i don't find games in general that much fun anymore (which also could be it).
take borderlands for example,
while i enjoy it overall, there are some things about it that would probably annoy me a great deal but at 15$, i find that i can ignore it and just focus on the good stuff.
#4371 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.24] on 2011/03/21 01:14:38
i just don't feel that games are worth 60$ anymore.
I kinda feel the same. I have a feeling that although they might be technically feature packed, no mods or custom content is a real killer. That and I feel that the more realistic theme and visuals games go for these days mean that they are less open for custom content anyway.
Possibly I'm just getting older and more annoying. :E
No Game Is Worth $60
#4372 posted by negke [88.70.88.136] on 2011/03/21 01:32:52
Especially not the stupid bullshit they try to sell that's actually the same games we've been playing for years only with slightly different paint; only difference is the hype and brand names which makes for the prices.
In the end, the only games that are really worth the money are RPGs, or generally games with a long playtime.
/rant
Have You All Tried Quake?
#4373 posted by ijed [190.22.48.69] on 2011/03/21 01:59:34
It's stupidly cheap and has lots of free DLC.
TBH
#4374 posted by ijed [190.22.48.69] on 2011/03/21 02:02:40
I don't pay for games at all any more. Very rarely I'll pick something up if I know I'll be playing it a lot, but always as part of a bundle or discount price.
No, I don't pirate stuff either. It's just that modern games, on the whole, are shit.
Recently I've been playing Quake, Zsnes and Desktop Dungeons. Granted, Zsnes (does this count as piracy still?) is very hit and miss and it does get kind of sad to have the rose tinted spectacles smashed, but its still fun.
Need to get myself a snes gamepad though.
I'm Also Waiting For Price Drops
#4375 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/03/21 02:07:47
havent paid more than $10 for a game in a while.
To be honest, I dont have that much playing time anyway so by the time I would eventually play something, it would have been out long enough for a price drop. Therefore, silly to buy it when it first comes out in my circusmtances.
Hitman: Blood Money
#4376 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/21 02:13:40
There's too many average games to pay $60. They aren't worth it. Take Hitman: Blood Money.
Started playing this yesterday, i've just passed the 4th level and it's crashed and since it won't do saved games if you restart the game, it means I have to play the whole level again. I don't think so.
Anyway it's supposed to be a stealth game but I put it on rookie (so I could have unlimited quicksaves) and played it as a shooter. Unfortunately that means shooting someone, then hiding in a corner as 90% of the enemies in the level all come running for you. Then the rest of the level is wandering around doing some stupid task, usually assassinating someone who's hiding or, in some cases once your cover is blown, completely fucking disappears meaning you have to play the entire level again.
The game looks good so far, but the gameplay sucks ass, big time. Thank god I torrented it instead of paying, because it's not really worth my precious time in finishing it.
#4377 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.24] on 2011/03/21 02:18:43
...So you're saying that a stealth game has shitty gameplay if you play it like a shooter?
I would probably say the same thing about Thief.
#4378 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/21 02:41:45
It'd be hard to play Thief as a normal shooter, you'd get your ass handed to you. But in Hitman your given the option of going stealth or just going in shooter mode. Now I wouldn't mind if I was forced to do stealth, but don't give me the option to go in shooting everything in sight, when it's so poorly done. If you did restrict yourself to stealth ONLY in Hitman, then it might be okay.
It has other problems too, like reloading or saving the game takes several clicks through menu's, having to slowly load profiles everytime you start, the death sequence takes 30 seconds which you can't even escape out of and have to sit through it, the mouse aiming is strange - it's actually hard to aim at someone in this game, the sensitive is weird, like gradual or something. Oh and the walk speed is ludicrously slow.
Thief and Splinter Cell are great stealth games. Even Call of Cthulhu had it's moment. But Hitman is a miss imo.
So, Zwiffle
#4379 posted by negke [88.70.79.76] on 2011/03/21 11:35:56
Tell us about Prey 2.
#4380 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/21 13:15:15
Well, it's a sequel to a game called "Prey" and it should be out sometime in 2012.
A 3D Game
#4381 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/03/21 16:04:54
http://games.adultswim.com/cardboa...
Batman Arkham Asylum GOTY
#4382 posted by DaZ [78.147.100.32] on 2011/03/23 01:51:36
£3.75 on steam right now!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
#4383 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.71] on 2011/03/23 02:28:19
What are the controls like on the PC version? Just fps controls?
Cause on a console the whole hold-run thing was fucking horrible.
Don't Know
#4384 posted by DaZ [78.147.100.32] on 2011/03/23 02:37:26
it's still downloading :P
But for the same price as a pint of beer, I won't really be complaining if it's like that ;)
Controls
#4385 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/03/23 02:38:33
seemed fine to me. Dont remember any real issues with running.
#4386 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.71] on 2011/03/23 02:47:11
ye as you say, that cheap might as well :p
#4387 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/03/23 03:55:17
That game was AMAZING fun. Such a good game. The controls were fine - everything about that game oozed quality. Def a must buy for this cheap.
Meh Etc...
#4388 posted by DaZ [78.147.100.32] on 2011/03/23 05:57:22
So its loaded with Securom and games for windows live, sigh.
I can't even play it because securom says my steam-provided game key is invalid, and a quick browse on the forums seems to show that many others have the same issue.
Securom, punishing the innocent, 1 game at a time :P
#4389 posted by gb [46.142.24.210] on 2011/03/23 23:36:44
In Prey 2, a source close to the game tells Kotaku, players will take on the role of a federal air marshal who is aboard the commercial airliner seen crashing in the spaceship early on in the original game. Prey 2 takes place during the same time frame as the original, but with this different perspective, we're told.
Prey:Warhead?
Who makes these choices?
Source: http://www.doom3world.org/phpbb2/v...
Idiots.
#4390 posted by ijed [190.22.117.202] on 2011/03/23 23:57:55
Well
#4391 posted by ijed [190.22.117.202] on 2011/03/23 23:59:03
They call it 'high level thinking' which means not considering the outcomes of any of the decisions you make.
~_~
#4392 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/03/24 00:16:20
Prey
#4393 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/24 01:01:06
Hmmm but the first game already setup the plot/location for the sequel. They're just going to completely ignore that? Idiots.
Anyway here's another review... i'm only 5 yrs behind in gaming now, so my reviews might start being a bit more interesting :P
Infernal (2007) Review
#4394 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/03/24 01:02:04
So i'm moving on to the 2007 releases. I've skipped 2006's Gears Of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas - I'll play them on my new computer. So, starting at the bottom of 2007's shooters was Hour Of Victory. Installed okay, but upon loading there's no menu. Probably a good thing anyway as the game got awful reviews.
So next on my list is Infernal from Metropolis Software, a game developer i've never heard of and who was bought out by CD Projekt (The Witcher) a year later. So I guess this is their one and only title.
Now Infernal received fairly average to harsh reviews with an aggregate of 60% on GameRankings.com. However, it was actually a pretty decent game so if this is an indication of the 'worst' of 2007, with 19 other action games on my list that ranked higher, then 2007 is shaping up to the best year for PC action games ever (up until 2007 of course).
Where Infernal received flak was it's short length, repetitive gameplay and not pushing the boundaries. Honestly, those 19 shooters that ranked higher - did they all push the boundaries of gaming? I seriously doubt it. I'll quite happily take a solid, good looking game with fun gameplay that does nothing to evolve gaming. I might have played this type of game a dozen times already, but that's the kind of game I enjoy.
Infernal's level design is good, but often it just feels like you're in a huge room with a maze of small walls and walkways to navigate through. Sure it's better than the corridor-room-corridor of F.E.A.R., but there's still massive room for improvement. We do get a bit a variety in the levels; there five missions going through a monastery, refinery, steelworks, a massive ship and the mountain-based satellite centre.
Now what hides the lacking level design is the great looking engine. Everything has a glossed over feeling and the lighting in particular is very well done.
The gameplay is a little weaker and took some criticism from critics, but it was still fun all the way through. Infernal leans more towards the higher difficulty rather than being an easy game. You can tap your movement keys twice to do an invisible roll to avoid fire, and without this the game would be very difficult. It's an addition that sped up gameplay a lot and is well done.
What slows the game down to a halt is the way you have to hold Enter to strip your dead enemies of health and ammo. It takes a few seconds each time, which you need to do on probably 75% of the dead bodies in this game. It ends up being a strategy of killing everything, then slowly raping the dead bodies of health/ammo for a couple of minutes before moving to the next section. It absolutely kills the flow of action in the game.
On top of that, the game is perhaps in the 5-7 hour zone. It's NOT a long game. I won't go into the story as it's the typical cliched rubbish with a hot chick teaming up with you. Same of the one liners were good though.
Overall Infernal is a good game and certainly worth playing. It won't be the best of 2007, but certainly deserves better than a 6 out of 10.
R.I.C.K.Y - Call Of Cumbria
#4395 posted by negke [88.70.93.179] on 2011/03/24 01:08:46
Decided to give it another go, this time with the "Complete" mod (graphical overhaul, bug fixes, other stuff). Looks a whole lot better than the original game, but hell if you don't have a fast machine...
Originally I wanted to play SoC, inspired by all the recent tragic events and a macabre sense of end times nostalgia, but then (as always) remembered certain 'workout' situations from the game, like the entire first level and the garbage bandits, which put me off a little. So it's the third installment now, which last time I lost interest in upon reaching the city. Probably missed the best part of it.
Anyway, bottom line, if anyone's about to replay Stalker, be sure to give the Complete mods a try.
FEAR
#4396 posted by negke [88.70.93.179] on 2011/03/24 01:28:12
Oh, and I've finally played FEAR - mostly for cultural capital, not actual interest. A very boring game, no idea why I even bothered to finish it. I didn't care about the story, and the 'horror' elements were lame to say the least. Like people in this thread mentioned, the game lacks variation. The levels are very monotone in style and the enemies/encounters don't offer anying special, either.
The level design issn't all as bad as people in this thread claimed, though - but yeah, it does lack variation and unique setpieces, and indeed feels unnecessarily mazey and corridory in many places. However, I liked how most maps have a slightly nonlinear route to the goal, even though the gameplay doesn't faciliate stealh approaches or anything. On the other hand, I can see how this must have been annoying for many people as the potential for getting lost is definitely there, especially considering how samey everything looks.
Will You Be Able To Die In Prey 2?
#4397 posted by Kinn [193.119.19.210] on 2011/03/24 13:47:42
Because the lack of any risk, challenge or consequence to anything you did in the game was a pretty big blight on the original, I felt.
#4398 posted by gb [46.142.0.90] on 2011/03/25 01:17:49
I'd be surprised if they did that again.
Crysis 2
#4399 posted by DaZ [2.96.225.130] on 2011/03/27 18:54:28
Where to start, I guess the obvious thing to say is that its awesome and that you should buy it ;) Also, for those wondering about performance, I could run the game on my gtx460 at the "extreme" setting and had no problems.
The single player is great fun, there are a few key differences from Crysis however, the most plainly obvious for me was that there isn't so much exploration any more. In Crysis you could explore the map in any direction but only certain areas had any actual gameplay in them. In Crysis 2 you are directed through the maps in a linear fashion but each area provides many different routes and ways to get through it.
In each area the game just lets you tackle it however you wish, and gives you a bunch of toys to play with. Cars can be kicked at things and off ledges, explosive barrels can be hurled, and just about any solid object can be moved around as you see fit. It's a playground of carnage and its fantastic :)
Guns! They all feel great to use, really meaty and the customization from the first game is still there to modify your weapons on the fly. A new feature is the ability to customize your actual nanosuit with upgrades also, such as bullet deflection, threat tracers, proximity alarms, reduced energy usage for modes and an awesome "air stomp" that will take out multiple enemies if you aim it right ;)
Story is serviceable for the most part, there are a few WTF moments but its mostly enjoyable, and its presented very very well, always from first person. There is some slight retconning from the first game but nothing major. A few characters from the first game seem to have gone missing without any explanation however :P
The one thing that is kind of a letdown however is the enemy AI, far too many times they will remain stationary and not attack, or get stuck in some sort of animation loop bugginess. It also has the ability to amaze however, some of the alien enemies will jump from floor to wall to ledge to another wall then slam you in the face and its very very impressive indeed.
I've been playing the MP also, not really enough to offer a decent opinion but I'm liking it so far, its very similar to call of duty but with added nansuit powers to mix up the gameplay a bit.
One final thing I'll add, I really love the sense of movement the new cryengine manages to convey with its motion blur. 99% of games I've seen motion blur in seem to apply it to the entire screen no matter what is moving and what isn't. In Crysis 2 motion blur is applied to objects relative to their movement speed as viewed by your player camera. The effect is fantastic and really sells the visuals.
Screenshots (Could be spoilery! You have been warned!) http://steamcommunity.com/id/darre...
Yeah
#4400 posted by negke [88.70.48.102] on 2011/03/27 19:11:42
One of the best-looking games as of late. The engine feels a bit like an updated version of UT3, but without the restriction to brown and blurry.
Performance is great indeed. Though unfortunately it's still pretty much unplayable for me thanks to the random system lockups. Hope there'll be an update soon that addresses this issue.
It's a bit unfortunate the game itself turned out to be this consolized, though on the other hand this was to be expected. At least it's not CoD-level. Also quite easy (even on Hard), enemies go down quickly and the assault rifles have an insane accuracy. Perhaps difficulty romps up later on.
Downloading At 256KB/s
#4401 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.169.218] on 2011/03/27 19:29:35
snooze
Hmm
#4402 posted by negke [88.70.60.251] on 2011/03/27 20:37:16
It seems the lockups don't occur if I set the game to match the desktop resolution and run it in windowed mode.
#4403 posted by negke [88.70.56.7] on 2011/03/27 22:53:11
Well, it did allow me to play through the bridge and the lab rat map in one go, but then it crashed in the next map.
The graphics card is new, but there must be an incompatibility issue with some other component. Possibly the PSU - it does suffice spec-wise (780W, 4 +12V rails with 20A each), but it might be faulty still. Using it, I had the MB and my former 9600 GT die just like that. Fucking hardware geek shit.
I should probably file a support ticket with Nvidia.
This
#4404 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/03/28 03:26:22
99% of games I've seen motion blur in seem to apply it to the entire screen no matter what is moving and what isn't.
I've noticed this in some of the games I am now trying (ie post 2007) and it annoys the hell out of me. What a crap feature.
#4405 posted by gb [46.142.7.98] on 2011/03/28 08:45:02
Crysis 2... only played the multiplayer so far and there were a number of things that turned me off. I don't like the intense motion blur for example. I also don't like the "consoleness" of it compared to the original Crysis.
From what I've seen, they took the same approach as in Warhead, ie simplifying and linearizing, and updated the engine (with Crytek, "updating the engine" means "dusting the competition" needless to say). I guess the singleplayer will still be good though, it's Crytek and they have a bunch of super talented people there. It would surprise me if it sucked.
I'm not finished with the original Crysis yet (meaning I very actively make stuff for it) and so I'm fine with not playing C2 right now. I'm sure Crytek's level designers can't do much wrong though and the weapons etc. were already beefy in the first game.
Sounds like Cryengine is still full of bugs though.
And Also
#4406 posted by gb [46.142.7.98] on 2011/03/28 08:47:02
there is no word from Crytek about the Sandbox editor yet, only that they want to do something like UDK.
I hope it doesn't become "pay to map".
C2 Mp
#4407 posted by DaZ [92.26.162.114] on 2011/03/28 13:31:10
It doe's have quite a few bugs unfortunately at the moment, which can make it very frustrating to actually find a game!
Sometimes a lobby will fill to capacity but the match will not start, forcing everyone to find a new game server. There is quite a lot of disconnection happening (to me at least), and the server browser is a bit meh (wtf, no refresh??!).
That said, once you manage to actually find a decent server that will launch games and won't kick you, the gameplay is pretty fun. my pro tip : armour mode takes a second or so to become fully active, so if you hit the armour key *after* you start getting shot it's probably too late ;)
In fact thats probably my only gripe with the MP. Were all wearing these super nanosuits but still it only takes 2 or 3 decent hits to drop us, or 1 headshot it seems :P armour mode helps a lot but like I mentioned you basicly need to be in that mode all the time and its terrible as a reactive ability.
Gb, try playing with "r_MotionBlurShutterSpeed&quo... console variable, might be able to tone it down a bit for mp.
Metl!
#4408 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.195] on 2011/03/28 13:57:31
GIRP
#4409 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/03/28 20:13:21
rock-climing game, it's like playing twister on your keyboard. I just played a couple times, haven't gotten past 4.8m:
http://www.foddy.net/GIRP.html
(from the makers of QWOP)
So Many Islands
#4410 posted by DaZ [92.26.162.114] on 2011/03/28 23:12:43
The over view shot reminds of the "islands" map from Far Cry, where there were 5 or 6 small to medium sized islands on the map and each one had a small objective on it, you were spawned on a boat and basicly told "there are 5 things you need to do, go do them however you want".
Definitely my favourite FC map from the retail game. The Assault level from Crysis follows a similar formula but isn't as open.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, it looks fun from a gameplay perspective :)
Crysis 2
#4411 posted by RickyT23 [86.31.169.218] on 2011/03/29 04:11:15
OK I've put about 8 hours in and I can say that I'm getting a feel for it.
Crysis 2 is a very pretty game. It lacks some of the pizzaz of Crysis and Crysis warhead in some areas, mainly on relief mapping on textures from what I can tell. But the finesse of the visuals is still there, in a way it is better. The animations of some of the aliens is jaw dropping, as are some of the set pieces.
The gameplay doesn't actually feel particularly like a console port at all, I found the game to run very smooth and the controls have been responsive. Unlike fallout 3 or Assasins Creed for example. The main giveaway is the lack of any quicksave that I can find. This means that the game runs on a checkpoint system. There is some degree of open-endedness apparently, usually alternative routes become apparent. The checkpoint system can be annoying, but most of the sections are quite fun to play. I went for the middle tier of difficulty.
The AI is generally OK, it could be a little harder, but some of the behavioural stuff the AI does is cool nonetheless, and the animations and the way the motion blur works together quite nicely IMO. Y one criticism is that all of the human AI seems to have the same voice, which is a bit annoying.
The score is a bit annoying aswell, but sometimes it is cool. There is a lot of big spectacular orchestral movie score music, and sometimes I think this is too much and detracts from the atmosphere of the game. You can turn it down/off though....
I found a utility which allows you to adjust all of the graphics options in a similar way to the original Crysis but the presets all look fine I guess.
I think Im gonna play again for a while now.....
Metl
#4412 posted by Bal [83.204.128.207] on 2011/03/29 07:45:06
Hah, awesome, I'm a huge fan of QWOP (played it so much with collegues) this one looks great as well, reached 7m!
Nice...
#4413 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/03/29 09:00:32
i managed to get to 15 or 17 m in my last attempt... it's actually not as hard as QWOP in that regard... you can actually make discernable progress in a few tries.
#4414 posted by gb [46.142.52.199] on 2011/03/29 10:06:25
I'm wanting to reinstall Far Cry for a while now, in a way it's more entertaining than the Crysis series. More anarchistic and less americanized ("Go! Go! Go!").
63m
#4415 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/03/29 10:27:42
then i hit what seemed like a dead end, and it was too late to go back down and take the other route (water was too high.) the seagull is a bastard.
Gunpoint
#4416 posted by Bal [90.2.39.145] on 2011/03/30 00:26:25
This game looks pretty funny :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TM...
Not As Funny As This Game
#4417 posted by DaZ [92.26.171.183] on 2011/03/30 01:48:35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mj...
Hawken
#4418 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/31 11:37:01
More gameplay :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udE...
Looks great
Mmm.
#4419 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.44] on 2011/03/31 15:11:37
DM gameplay looks suitable MEH, but the style and enviroments still look ace. Definitely interested.
Mmm...
#4420 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/03/31 15:31:00
I think the gameplay looks fun, feels a bit like tribes, lots of jumping around and stuff, I like.
That
#4421 posted by megaman [217.229.129.3] on 2011/03/31 17:05:31
looks fucking awesome.
I really, really hope they're NOT using insta-hit weapons but simulate ultra fast (but not insta!) projectiles. Would fit the feeling well, I think.
Looks Cool
#4422 posted by RickyT23 [86.29.253.254] on 2011/03/31 17:45:44
The deathprint "you killed blahblahblah" looks just like the UT3 one. Same font.
Well, It Was Made With Udk.
#4423 posted by jt_ [174.252.235.23] on 2011/03/31 17:48:12
There's the udk logo at the end.
#4424 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/01 21:35:26
there's a LOT of detail in that map... i wonder how many people they have working on that.
with the focus on detail these days, i'm surprised we don't see more computer generated greebles.
Necros
#4425 posted by Bal [90.2.99.84] on 2011/04/01 21:53:32
There isn't so much specific detail, it's all pretty modular, and there are barely any normal maps at all, which makes things so much faster to make.
And to answer the question, 9 people total, 9 months.
#4426 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/02 00:08:25
9 people for 9 months on what exactly? just that map, or the entire game?
game looks okay. not sure if i will like the flying part of it. the level looks a bit repetitive especially in it's colour scheme. there's not much contrast in both lighting and textures. still, lots of nice details :)
Kona
#4427 posted by Bal [90.2.99.84] on 2011/04/02 00:11:10
Well, 9 months on at least all that's in that video (obviously UDK is the base though), they seem to have more stuff done though.
Space Is Key
#4428 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/02 04:44:14
Not sure if metl already linked this little game, seems he would have already found and beat it:
http://armorgames.com/play/10912/s...
Also, digging the music.
Cool
#4429 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/04/02 09:19:32
but a keyboard space-bar destroyer ;)
Achievements
#4430 posted by negke [88.70.53.237] on 2011/04/02 10:58:50
http://armorgames.com/play/2893/ac...
A game for Bal...
It Sucks...
#4431 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/04/02 21:09:36
#4432 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.198] on 2011/04/05 23:06:21
Chron-trigger was great so far but now it turned into a boss fight after boss fight chore. I guess I am near thyroid end but then I thought so for quite a while already. Currently just regained the epoch and entered the ocean city with it. No spoilers please, I am just randomly sharing my frustration since that's hip.
Oh Autocomplete...
#4433 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.198] on 2011/04/05 23:07:27
Lol
#4434 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/06 05:07:31
:)
#4435 posted by mwh [120.136.5.9] on 2011/04/06 06:20:58
So
#4436 posted by nitin [124.168.116.155] on 2011/04/06 16:10:09
Aliens vs Predator. Yay or Nay?
$9.99 on Steam.
Im Enjoyed The SP Campaign
#4437 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/06 16:17:40
And the GFX are good. The Alien AI is just as good as the AI from AvP (original), if not better. Some of the 'story' is a bit lame, and some of it is just plain dumb. But for a couple of days worth of fun, $10 is a good price! My 2c.
#4438 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/04/06 16:19:25
I bought AvP, played it for about 15 minutes, and never picked it up again. I would say avoid it, but if there's a demo go ahead and try it.
Thanks Guys
#4439 posted by nitin [124.168.116.155] on 2011/04/06 16:46:15
will mull it over.
NAWNCO
#4440 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/04/12 00:07:42
Puzzle game where you need to figure out how to play, and how to win:
http://ded.increpare.com/~locus/na...
Once you win, see if you can figure out an efficient strategy for winning.
That Was Fun!
#4441 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/04/12 03:56:09
Looks like there are a shitload of other games and misc. apps on the author's page here: http://www.increpare.com/
Both BioShocks $5 Each On Steam Today
#4442 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/04/12 21:16:26
If you don't have these games, $5 is super worth it. These are probably my favorite 'modern' FPS games. They are fantastic.
Fml
#4443 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/12 21:26:12
I bought both of those about 2 months ago for $40~ together iirc. >.<
Say
#4444 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.184] on 2011/04/12 21:56:23
Is there any singleplayer FPS that has maps like Quake has? Semi- but definitely non-realistic abstract maps with hints at reality but overall making no sense at all. Following no realistic themes (Quake 2, Painkiller do that for example), no story to speak of. Environments that are just gameplay.
Doom?
#4445 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/04/12 22:02:08
Argh
#4446 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.184] on 2011/04/12 22:16:54
I forgot to add "extensive(?) 3D" to that. Also, post Quake.
#4447 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/04/12 22:31:38
Maybe Painkiller/Dreamkiller or whatever. Serious Sam perhaps?
Spirit
#4448 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/12 22:46:38
Wolfenstein remake boss-levels
Painkiller
#4449 posted by DaZ [2.96.226.145] on 2011/04/12 23:23:50
?
#4450 posted by gb [46.142.59.72] on 2011/04/12 23:45:53
Prey?
Painkiller.
#4451 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/12 23:47:59
Also, err. Ummm.
Fuck knows. There might be more. Some of the 3PS / Fantasy stuff is more like that. FAKK2, Enclave, that sort of shizzle.
Hmm
#4452 posted by nitin [124.148.166.24] on 2011/04/13 01:02:28
are of you UK folk able to please buy Bioshock 2 as a gift it for me?
Can paypal funds over later. On Steam (AU), it's $12.49 which isnt much but hey if I cant get if for $5 why not.
Profile name - n_gulati
Did You Play Portal Yet?
#4453 posted by jt_ [174.252.227.144] on 2011/04/13 01:40:06
Seems Like It's $5 In US Too
#4454 posted by nitin [124.148.166.24] on 2011/04/13 01:53:45
so request open to US people too.
And no havent played Portal yet. Still making my way through Far Cry 2.
#4455 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/13 01:56:25
nitin If you add me to your flist then I will gladly give you the gift of BioShock 2.
Nitin
#4456 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/13 02:09:36
Cardo has your copy. Please ask him for it.
Spirit
#4457 posted by Kinn [86.180.64.219] on 2011/04/13 02:27:40
Is there any singleplayer FPS that has maps like Quake has? Semi- but definitely non-realistic abstract maps with hints at reality but overall making no sense at all. Following no realistic themes (Quake 2, Painkiller do that for example), no story to speak of. Environments that are just gameplay.
Well, in terms of combat they do things very differently to your typical FPS, but I'm rather fond of the Metroid Prime games. MP3 was built for the Wii; MP1 and MP2 were made for Gamecube but now have slightly updated versions available on the Wii.
It's all about the environment with these games, to the point that combat often gets completely sidelined to make way for long stretches of first-person platform/puzzle gameplay in really bleak/tranquil/crazy alien environments. Because they are wierd and alien, the environments are generally pretty abstract. They are also pretty hardcore games mostly because of quite a few grindingly frustrating "brick wall" boss combats, but if you can stomach those without throwing your console out the window you will be rewarded with some pretty cool and unique shooter/platformer/puzzler gameplay. There's nothing else really like those games to be honest.
I still think MP1 is the best, and certainly has the most atmospheric and remote feeling; a real sense of being completely isolated on a forgotten alien world.
Zwiffle
#4458 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/04/13 04:50:01
will do it when I get home from work. Please tell me where to send the money.
Thanks heaps!
#4459 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/13 05:01:01
No monies necessary.
#4460 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.207] on 2011/04/13 09:29:05
I mentioned painkiller as an example that is not what I am looking for. First of all it is very 2D, secondly the levels follow distinct themes and iirc are rather realistic and last but not least the combat is horde stupidity. The same applies to serious sam (maybe not the second one? That one felt more like a console rails shooter when I played the demo.)
Portal is not a fps. It is a first person puzzle game.
some third person games are really more like it. I thought of tomb raider too (hey gb!) but that game has realistically themed levels. Alice is more like it (actually seeing the new Alice's gameplay made me think of this question). I look for fps though.
prey I tried the demo once and it turned me off. isn't the rest of the game some quake2/4/doom3ish alien environments?
will check out the new wolfenstein!
playing metroid x(?) on the gba was an amazing experience. abstraction and gameplay-oriented layout is obvious though as it is a 2d platformer. unfortunately I got stuck at some stupid boss fight and lost interest. Quake and games like metroid have a lot of similarities (which many people overlook) and one could make great fresh Quake thing if orienting on metroid's game design patterns. talking about 2d here but from what I heard/saw so far of the 3d ones they managed to transport them well. gotta try playing them or at least watch play videos. this really could be more like Quake. probably still following an overall theme though. thanks!
Fakk2
#4461 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/04/13 09:43:17
might be suitable spirit. Levels are themed to an extent but themese vary enough arbitrarily.
And Zwiffle
#4462 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/04/13 09:43:40
you're a champ!
Yay <3
#4463 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/13 09:52:53
#func_qmap cross-continental gay gaming love in!
Also. The new WOFLMAOSTein was cool but not arbitrary. I think it is well worth playing, lots of nice details. Enemies get a bit boring but that's all really.
I need to look at my games box later...
Humble Bundle 3
#4464 posted by negke [88.70.82.169] on 2011/04/13 10:33:12
http://www.humblebundle.com/
Nitin Was This You?
#4465 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/13 14:31:33
http://i.imgur.com/7vF2Z.png
Errr
#4466 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/13 14:32:35
Meant to link this
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/com...
Playing Bioshock In Win7
#4467 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/13 15:01:28
Is a PITA. First, run in compatibility mode for vista (the sp1/sp2 versions didn't work for me), and make sure stereo mixing is enable if you have a mic (it's funny because bioshock doesn't use a.fucking mic).
Preload Portal 2
#4468 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/13 17:17:39
DAnyone who has preordered Portal 2 can now preload it :D
Hehe
#4469 posted by nitin [124.148.166.24] on 2011/04/13 17:17:40
unfortunately not. But we get shafted quite often (eg content locked L4D2).
jt,
I ran Bioshock 1 fine on windows 7 without any dicking around.
Jt_
#4470 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/13 19:12:06
I suffered the exact same problem with you on Bioshock. Same solutions too. Bioshock 2 installed and runs perfectly though, so they must have learned something.......
Bioshock Froze...
#4471 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/13 19:18:41
And deleted my save game data, i was only at the Medical Pavilion, but that was enough for me to uninstall it and install bioshock 2. Now, I'm experiencing the wonders of Games for Windows Live. I'm at my third sequential update. This is retarded.
GfWL
#4472 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/13 20:06:54
Sucks
Once you have your account and client set up properly, it's not too bad (apart from being completely unnecessary) - I remember having real problems getting it working for GTA4 when I first got that. Same thing - seems to just update and fail over and over. I think the solution was to un-install Game for Windows Live and then go onto the microsoft website and download the latest client. Although with GTA4 I had to fuck around with VCC and .Net Framework redistributables too..............
Steam Extra Copies
#4473 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/16 02:57:10
I have extra copies of TF2, Amnesia, Audio Surf and Super Meat Boy if anyone would like a copy on Steam.
Alpha Prime (2007) Review
#4474 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/16 04:59:41
Alpha Prime, developed by European studio Black Element Software with their own engine, is another of the lower ranked 2007 action titles with a 59% aggregate. However in some ways that's quite a generous score.
I'll start with what's good about Alpha Prime; the looks. Both the engine and level design look good, well up to 2007 standards. It's your typical corridor shooter with very few outdoor areas, but there's plenty of details and nicely built indoor areas, akin to Doom 3 and Quake 4.
The story received some criticism, but I thought it actually wasn't that bad. How it was told was the problem, as there's no cinematics so everything is told over radio. Which brings me to the first major issue; the sound. On Vista and Windows 7 the sound does not work correctly. Apparently a patch is supposed to fix it, and putting the sound on low quality improves thing, but it's still very buggy. Most of the talking throughout the game doesn't work, you simply don't hear it and instead have to rely on reading the subtitles. There are likely to be many other sounds throughout the game which I never heard because of this glitch. Apparently it has something to do with the game not supporting Direct X 10.
What ruins Alpha Prime completely is the gameplay. There's not enough ammo, there's not enough health. The enemies are all hitscan so if you jump out in the open you'll go from 100% health to dead in about 3 seconds. Now this would be okay if you want to play the game more carefully like you would a war shooter. However the weapons aren't built for that! The shotgun is useless at almost any range, the machine gun has too much recoil and sprays bullets all over the place. The flamethrower is useless unless your a few metres away from the enemy. The sniper rifle is the only effective weapon, but there's little ammo for it.
Even with an unlimited ammo cheat, the game is still too hard on normal and it turns into a save/reload chore.
I played through to the end as the level design was decent, but the gameplay is too frustrating to be any fun at all and not worth the budget price of a few dollars.
Zwif
#4475 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.34] on 2011/04/16 11:08:36
I wouldn't mind taking a look at Amnesia!
Zwiffle
#4476 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/04/16 14:00:41
I wouldn't mind taking a look at Super Meat Boy myself, especially after finishing VVVVVV some while ago. Another difficult platformer game could is always a fun challenge.
Dead Space 2
#4477 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/16 15:04:40
Is scary. D:
#4478 posted by [79.119.178.252] on 2011/04/16 15:09:16
:))
#4479 posted by [79.119.178.252] on 2011/04/16 15:09:17
:))
Sorry
#4480 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/16 16:02:03
All I have left is TF2, which, if you don't have it, you really should.
Holy Shit
#4481 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/16 22:32:05
Battlefield 3 is looking incredible. Probably not my kind of game, but Frostbite 2 looks to be a beast. The quick shots at the end of the trailer look especially badass.
http://vimeo.com/22333934
1080p 60fps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zw...
720p
Should Probably Have Mentioned
#4482 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/16 22:32:40
it's a 12 minute gameplay trailer
Man
#4483 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/16 22:39:03
that does look good. seems like a ton of voice acting too.
wish we could see more interesting shooters though. i'm so tired of war games. i just don't understand how they keep selling.
What You Both Said.
#4484 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/16 22:50:08
Graphics and environments look awesomely well done. Style of game and stuff looks as boring as usual.
#4485 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/17 05:34:21
Yeah the graphics are awesome, the battles are quite epic. Love the building falling down at the end. Shame it'll be way too hard with no quicksave and bullshit tactics to get in the way. Although in that demo there was no ordering of teammates, and he seemed to be fuckin invincible with the amount of times he got shot. maybe battlefield is becoming more like your normal fps.
Hmmm
#4486 posted by DaZ [78.147.144.188] on 2011/04/17 11:29:48
Maybe this will be the first battlefield game with a passable single player portion?
Though it doe's look quite bland in places, that melee fight with an enemy, is that just a cut-scene or do you have a say in what happens?
But really, who cares about the single player in a Battlefield game? :)
#4487 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/04/17 13:15:44
Say in what happens? I'm guessing if you mess up you'll start over at the last checkpoint to do it until you succeed. There's only ever one way to play these games. BF:BC2's SP is plagued with invisible walls and 'you're leaving the combat zone'. Boring experience.
Degrading Weapons
#4488 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/17 14:33:33
so what are people's thoughts on this mechanic. I have to say I think it has great potential (probably the only Far Cry 2 mechanic I'm enjoying), adds a bit of unpredictability into the mix, yet something you (or the mapper) can control to an extent.
Of course it needs visible degradation to be fair.
#4489 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/17 14:44:43
I disliked weapons that broke. It gave me incentive to get the higher quality weapons, but every single time that a weapon I used broke in a gun fight, I was a severe disadvantage through no fault of my own. And it really sucks that if you're far from somewhere to buy a gun, in the middle of a mission, you're stuck with other shitty guns that are likely to break too. It was very frustrating imo.
Ugh
#4490 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.201] on 2011/04/17 15:10:45
You are reminding me of STALKER.
Degredation
#4491 posted by DaZ [78.147.144.188] on 2011/04/17 16:30:01
I think the idea is good, but its implementation into games has been rather poor thus far.
Stalker is a great example, your weapon will just suddenly stop working and you are pretty much boned at that point. What if your weapon perhaps lost rate of fire as the condition got worse, bullets travel less quickly and do less damage with lack of repair. Maybe you have no way to repair your weapon before a fight, but you would know before the fight happened that your weapon will be less effective and could plan accordingly.
Complete weapon failure should only happen when the weapon is completely fucked!
#4492 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/17 16:42:35
Yeah maybe a warning or something - 'weapon degredation: minimal damage' etc would be better than just having a weapon break apart in your hands.
Yeah
#4493 posted by DaZ [78.147.144.188] on 2011/04/17 16:45:28
perhaps something like the damage HUD in the mechwarrior games, where parts of the mech would turn from green through orange to red and black when they fell off :)
Just something visual that you can check to see the condition of your equipment and any negative side effects from the lack of repair would be very welcome. Right now its like you are playing a lottery every time you fire your weapon when its below 100%.
In FC2
#4494 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/18 00:40:20
it jams a few times (ie need to press reload a few times to unjam) and visibly gets worn down.
So when it eventually stops working, its not that much of a surprise.
#4495 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/18 01:11:51
weapon degradation didn't bother me at all in FC2. in fact, i liked it as it gets the whole scavenger vibe going and you sort of get into a routine where you regularly go swap out your guns at the shop.
stalker bothered me. mostly because unique weapons degraded. you'd get the uber rifle of awesomeness and then it'd be gone with no way to replace it except with an inferior normal gun.
thankfully, there's a mod that removes weapon degradation from uniques. mind, i wouldn't have cared if you could repair your gun. i mean, we're playing a character who spends weeks at a time out in the wilds and apparently never heard of cleaning out firearms??
as long as there's a good warning that the thing is going to fail, i don't mind very much. it's when the weapon just disintegrates in your hands and you're left holding little dust piles that it's dumb.
#4496 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/04/18 02:33:41
STALKER never bothered me much, though honestly speaking I barely noticed it at all.
System Shock 2's however added a lot to the tension, especially if you're not well versed in firearms and repairing. Didn't mind it here much either since otherwise, it would feel like I can shoot without a care in the world besides ammo. Would lose that survival aspect and tension.
Generally speaking, it works if it fits. Wouldn't be fun to have paper quality guns in something like Quake or such for example. Horror shooters work though, or things like FC2 and Fallout (haven't played the former) because of the scavenging aspects.
Is It Realistic?
#4497 posted by megaman [178.6.253.192] on 2011/04/18 12:16:40
How fast does a gun degrade in reality?
I think the stalker mechanic is actually nice, because it encourages hunting for better gear. And as i remember the special guns weren't that much better than their normal variants, were they?
Maybe a mechanic that simulates dirt/water/humidity for on the weapons would make much more sense.
Yes
#4498 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.148.83] on 2011/04/18 12:20:57
weapons do not degrade to the point of not working if you keep them clean and dry. To avoid random malfunctions which are frustrating for the player, the game would have to include a "clean and dry weapon" action so that the weapon remains usable during fights. But that sounds like a chore. We already have to reload, now we also have to maintain the weapon? Why not also add actions for "take a piss / shit", "eat", "drink" etc. to keep the character's health?
It's a shit idea if you think about it. But then, most realism enhancing concepts are shit in games.
Like
#4499 posted by megaman [178.6.253.192] on 2011/04/18 12:26:56
Your gun collects dusts over time when walking, more when swimming, when lying down in mud, etc. That in itself is not bad and can just be cleaned, but if you shoot while dirty, your weapon degrades.
Might make sense in a game like stalker.
Weapons Degradation
#4500 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/04/18 12:27:03
I think it can be ok in more RPG-ish type games, like I didn't mind it at all in Fallout 3. You obviously need some kind of system to repair them, or to slow down the damage.
No, Bal
#4501 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.148.83] on 2011/04/18 13:26:44
It's shit. But of course the french welcome any excuse for surrendering in a fight. ;-)
Lol
#4502 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/18 14:23:36
o/ \o
Cant Beat That Post
#4503 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/18 16:15:04
but like Necros, I enjoyed this mechanic the way Far Cry 2 implemented it. But it's not for faced paced action shooters. Although, again, creatively used, it forces players into weapons they wouldn't otherwise use which could be an interesting tactic even in a quake map.
Okay
#4504 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.148.83] on 2011/04/18 16:57:25
Forcing players to choose underused weapons is an interesting side effect. But in Quake, you can do that by intentionally leaving weapons out or giving them to the player late in the map. Guns & Ammo for Quake 2 was a DM map that forced the player to use the Chaingun and Railgun, and it was a ton of fun!
Degradation, Not So Much.
#4505 posted by Maric [75.192.145.137] on 2011/04/18 18:20:23
Aside from my personal opinion, which is that guns in games in which you're supposed to be some sort of world-saving-super-soldier/fighter... should be reliable, consistent and accurate...period.
My real world experience (purely anecdotal and by no means, approaching or pretending to be knowledgeable on a professional level) is that most games get guns mostly wrong. I have an M1 30 cal. that traveled through terrible times in terrible places in the Pacific theater as well as a 30-06 Mauser action LR that spent a load of time in the wilds of Eastern Europe, it too went through harsh times. Both were carried by the same man who to my utter surprise passed them on to me.
I've used both weapons extensively for hunting, sport and varmint shooting over the past 30 years in all kinds of climates and conditions (make that 20 years, ammo has been way too costly for those two the last 10 years)and they are terrifyingly accurate. I wouldn't even claim to be much of a shooter but when I put the sights on a target within a reasonable distance and have reasonable muscle/breathing control, that target gets hit practically every time. I define "reasonable distance" as about 100 yards with iron sights. Most action in modern games that I've played is closer up than that.
This topic is why I've generally hated/disliked the Brothers In Arms games and most others of that ilk. One other recent worst or the worst example would be the two Resistance games, rubber-band and or water guns have more consistency and accuracy than those designed into the games (hyperbole much?). I couldn't believe they were from the same folks that made the bounty of amazing weapons in all of the Ratchet & Clank games.
Don't get me started on bullet-sponge enemies, I'm looking at you Gears games.
Re: Weapon Degradation
#4506 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/18 19:20:02
sleep: you seem like you're posting under the impression we're talking about quake? i don't think anyone here is suggesting we should have weapon degradation in any kind of all out action shooter.
but i really do think that it adds stuff to rpg games especially.
quakis mentioned SS2 and i agree that it's really awesome in there. i think the guns degraded a little too fast, but when i modded the gameplay, i only ever decreased the rate by a small amount.
it's part of the game-- finding a maintenance module so you can prolong the life of your gun for a few more shots or playing the repair minigame when a monster could stumble around the corner and attack you while you're still trying to fix your gun.
another thing about it is you don't get too attached to your guns. take stalker-- you basically just toss a gun when it stops working and i think that's ok. the availability of guns is very high unless you're in one of the mutant labs (and even then, soldiers always show up after you beat the mutants so you replenish your guns and ammo from them).
i think weapon degradation adds a lot to the right kinds of games. i'd say it's down to testing to see if it is good or not, really.
nothing added more to the tension in FC2 than hiding in some bushes or a busted building while i knew there were 3 or 4 guys searching for me, and i look at my gun model and it's all beaten down and scrathed. 'shit, will my gun hold out long enough to get those last guys?!'
Alright
#4507 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.55.32] on 2011/04/18 22:30:45
Those games are a different beast I guess. I thought you were talking about action shooters. So I take it all back. Except what I said about the French ;-).
Prey 2
#4508 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/19 04:29:36
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
It's gone full Blade Runner on us. Boner.
#4509 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/19 04:31:33
Boners for everyone!
Skyrim Looks And Sounds Like Its Gonna Be Great Here:
#4510 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/19 04:41:05
http://uk.ign.com/videos/2011/04/1...
RAAEEEEEGG!
#4511 posted by DaZ [89.243.14.133] on 2011/04/19 04:42:59
Some footage of a full level from Rage, can't believe I missed this :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XG...
Hmmm
#4512 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/19 04:51:05
I'd take a 10 hour corridor shooter over a 200 hour RPG any day. Looks like I won't care much for Prey 2 :(
If That's Your Thing
#4513 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/19 05:26:52
Rage is looking a lot better in that video than the gun showcase one we saw before. The environments look rather nice too.
Agreed
#4514 posted by Drew [65.94.67.133] on 2011/04/19 06:04:27
I feel as though I'll be totally happy with that.
Prey2
#4515 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/19 09:43:08
Sounds cool to me. Much better than more Prey, I think the reviewer has that spot on. I also think the old D3 engine will suit that sort of atmosphere and gameplay well, rather than hampering it.
Rage
Looks great, really liking the atmosphere and style and stuff, and some proper monsters as well. Weapons are still meh but that trailer has me more than convinced.
Jesus
#4516 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/19 12:25:20
never played any Elder Scrolls game but Skyrim looks amazing!
And Rage
#4517 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/19 12:31:02
looks excellent concept art wise and I dig the player speed which is faster than usual for a modern shooter.
Gears Of War (2006) Review
#4518 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/19 13:36:50
After almost a decade Epic Games finally created a new franchise to add to Unreal. Unfortunately, it only lasted one game before they moved exclusively to the Xbox, but I'm glad we got at least one single-player game in Gears of War. Obviously Unreal was a classic, but Unreal II was critically disappointing, so Epic really had to create something special, in my opinion, to live up to their grand reputation. Did they suceed? Probably not, but try telling that to the Xbox crowd.
This seems to be becoming a common trend in each game I review - it looks good. In this case, fantastic. As to be expected from Unreal Engine 3, the environments are chocka full of detail with backgrounds of epic proportions. Too many games turn into claustraphobic corridor crawls missing any kind of grand, imposing environment. Not true with Gears of War, as there are some massive looking levels. This is, of course, just part of scenery because the very linear path you follow is quite tight and small. There's very little exploration or wandering off course. Basically Gears does share those simularities with corridor shooters, but at least you've got some large scale eye candy around you. In fact, while this is a sci-fi shooter, the level design felt almost fantasy-like much of the time. Fantasy-Sci Fi perhaps? The one negative of the art and design is that everything is very dull and BROWN. Where's the colour in this world?
Now there are some other nitpicks with this game, some of which are more personal that general. No quicksaving is present; always a bad thing. Only two main weapons at a time, a nasty gremlin copied from Halo I assume, which developers really need to stop doing because I hate having to play through a game with the same couple of weapons. Sure I could pick up another weapon, but why bother if they're not as good or only suit certain situations? Instead I equipped myself with a machine gun and a... machine gun. Oh such variety! There's also almost no story. Sure you've got your mission, you've got regular team-mates who spit some quick funny lines. But what is this war and who am I fighting? There's no backstory at all. Would it really have been too hard to make a two minute intro on what the hell this game is about, like a lead up to how this war first begun? It wasn't until I finished the game and Wiki'd the plots to the sequels that I realised it wasn't supposed to be earth!
The difficulty was just right for me on casual, as I don't need too much of a challenge. Only a few instances did I have to reload the same checkpoint more than twice. However for the less skilled players, there needs to be an easy difficulty. Some could say this game is a little difficult.
The gameplay throughout Gears was consistently fun with enough variety in battles and bosses. In fact some of these enemies I really liked, especially the Boomer and Beserker. It's been a long time since I came upon a semi-boss I hated so much as the Beserker. However I think the lack of quicksave contributes towards that feeling, as I know if she gets me I have to start all over. And while that means you really fear her, it's also damn frustrating when you do have to start the battle again.
So, 2006 comes down to Prey vs Gears of War for action shooter of the year. And I've got to give it to Gears because, while it doesn't do anything new, Prey's antigravity and portal ideas became ugly and irritating after a while. Gears at heart is just another action-shooter, like I said with nothing new, but it does it to a very high standard with great looking design and fun gameplay.
It's a shame Epic decided to shit on the PC crowd and go make Xbox only sequels, especially considering it's the PC crwod that made them what they are today.
Portal 2
#4519 posted by negke [188.96.134.155] on 2011/04/19 13:59:30
Hey, any Brit care to gift me the game (I'd payal the money in advance)? I pre-ordered it from Amazon uk, but costs 1 EUR!!!!!!! more and I'd only receive it in two weeks.
Ill Do It
#4520 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.199.157] on 2011/04/19 15:55:27
No worries ;)
my normal email is my paypal.....
This Was A Triumph
#4521 posted by negke [188.96.134.155] on 2011/04/19 16:28:31
Thanks a bunch!
#4522 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/19 20:27:13
agree on the prey2 change. when i think back on the idtech4 games, i have fond memories of d3 scaring the shit out of me and the clean polished look of q4 with more varied locales.
prey... i have absolutely no feelings for at all. there was just nothing all that interesting about it beyond gimmicks (portals, gravity change and spirit walk).
a new direction is a good idea because more of the same would have sucked.
skyrim and rage.. holy shit. daz, that video you linked shows rage off MUCH better. obviously heavily scripted for the purpose of the demo, it still looks fantastic. i only hope all the maps look as good as that deadcity one. looks like a slightly roomier kowloon.
couldn't really seem to work up to giving a shit about 'shouts' or dragons in the skyrim video, but that's never really been what elder scrolls games are about anyway-- i just want to go and explore that world because it looks awesome. :)
#4523 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/19 23:56:54
rage looks a bit overexposed and dull/grey to me. level design looks awesome though. good to see it's more standard shooter. i can't be bothered with driving crap.
#4524 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/20 02:11:13
i just hope getting in and out of the vehicle will be very fast.
i hope you basically just disappear/reappear or at most do a hl2 'camera moves into position' thing.
a thing that drove (heh) me crazy in borderlands is the extended entry/exit animation. you can't move at all during, nor can you cancel midway.
hl2 doesn't bother me at all, even though it has an 'animation' (with the camera) because you can start driving before the 'animation' is complete.
so yeah, comes back to the age all 'responsiveness' thing.
Vehicles.
#4525 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/20 10:15:44
Was a daft idea in the first place really. ID just trying to shoehorn something different in to show they can do different stuff.
BUT it has potential to be absolutely fine. Will it revolutionise the game and elevate it from a good/great shooter into a cutting edge example of game design?? Of course not. Could it be a fun addition that adds some variety and scenic/action interest just like HL2/FC/Crysis?? Very probably.
Overexposed, blah! How many people were moaning that D3 was too dark??
#4526 posted by Spirit [80.171.143.77] on 2011/04/20 10:16:23
The vehicles in Rage have aircontrol and a stabilising boost. Sounds good!
Okay So What FPS-ish Games Do We Have To Be Excited About??
#4527 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/20 10:22:07
Rage (looks cool)
Duke Nukem Forever (should be fine)
Bioshock Infinite (looks cool)
Prey 2 (sounds good)
Deus Ex 3 (maybe)
Battlefield 3 (boring but pretty)
Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (pretty timesink)
Any others?
Portal 2
#4528 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/04/20 10:50:30
This game is awesome, despite the aging Source engine, the levels look great and the designs are very refreshing.
The writing is really funny, wasn't expecting I'd laugh so much playing this, I'm loving it.
Best singleplayer I've played in a long time for now, looking forward to trying out COOP this weekend.
I'm a bit sad they removed the challenges, loved those in Portal one, wouldn't be suprised if they were released later on as a probable (free) DLC.
I also wish there were less loading screens between sections (it's ok with the elevators, less so when you're actually walking down a hallway), even though the loading is very quick, it kinda breaks up the pacing sometimes, feels like this should have dissapeared from games by now. Again, this is probably a syndrome of the aging Source engine.
Oh And By The Way
#4529 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/04/20 10:55:18
<3 Valve <3
Since I got the Golden Potato, Valve gifted me ALL THEIR GAMES, and for the ones I already had (90% of them pretty much, heh), I got a giftable copy of the game instead (including even Portal 2).
No one can say Valve doesn't treat it's fans well. :D
DNF
#4530 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/20 11:10:10
Alice 2, Rage and DNF for me. DNF well at the top of the list. It'll probably disappoint a little, and just be a typical sci-fi shooter, but it's the memories i'll have of the original Duke 3D, and getting to see the old monsters and guns again at 2011 quality that has me excited. It's not just a fun shooter, it's homage to one of the first great fps'. At least I hope it will be.
Bal
#4531 posted by negke [188.96.132.73] on 2011/04/20 11:31:49
How did you get the Golden Potato - by excessively playing all games on the Potato Snack list?
Negke
#4532 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/04/20 12:10:01
By getting all the potatoes yeah, it wasn't always easy, but most of them are quick to get. I admit there are a few times when it felt a bit like a grind, but I mostly had fun. Most of those games are at least ok (and some are quite good), and it was just fun jumping around the ARG wiki site and IRC to figure out the easiest and fastest ways to get the potatoes, felt like a treasure hunt.
Alice 2
#4533 posted by nitin [124.168.219.104] on 2011/04/20 13:22:55
yeah pumped for this, really liked 1.
Overexposed
#4534 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/20 14:06:49
It's funny some think Rage is overexposed, while carmack posts "Sometimes I want to put window tint on the artists and designerâ€™s monitors to get them to build brighter levels" on his twitter.
Portal 2 Coop
#4535 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/20 14:12:13
So who wants to coop with me? :p
Im Stuck @ Work
#4536 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.199.157] on 2011/04/20 14:45:27
For another 3 hours, then I have marching orders for another hour (dog), then some procrastinating for another hour, but after that im game :D Murderer.
Batman
#4537 posted by DaZ [78.147.174.65] on 2011/04/20 16:10:05
arkham asylum.
How about this then! Took me a while to get to it, but dammmmn I'm having a blast with it so far!
I didn't even know it was a free roaming game, and was very pleasantly surprised when I finished the intensive treatment "tutorial level" and it threw me onto Arkham Island.
I picked it up on a steam midweek madness sale for £3.75, but its definitely worth the full price entry fee if you missed that sale!
Coming from Darksiders (also excellent!) to this, I guess I have a thing for modern platformers that I never knew about :) Any other games in the vein as these two that I should check out?
Dont Know
#4538 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.199.157] on 2011/04/20 16:30:51
But I picked up GTA4 + the expansions in the sale last week.
Been playing The Lost and Damned stuff. I have to say that so far it is a lot more entertaining than the GTA4 plot. There just seems to be much more racing around shooting stuff, and the characters and plot are a lot darker. And there have been no stupid nonsense missions yet either. Even the first couple of missions have a lot of action in them.
#4539 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/04/20 16:54:41
Daz AA rocks. AC should be plenty amazing - it's supposed to be 5x as big or thereabouts and you start off with the gadgets you got from AA. It's on my radar.
Alice2
#4540 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/04/20 19:57:55
Looks like it uses the Alice1 engine >:(
Ricky
#4541 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/20 22:42:57
Is murderer your steam account name or something else?
Its A Portal 2 Reference.
#4542 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/21 05:02:51
GLADOS is taunting the player. I just got over excited is all, it wasn't aimed at you.
Hehe
#4543 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/21 06:00:05
Ricky
#4544 posted by negke [88.70.50.199] on 2011/04/21 08:27:03
Have you played Portal 1? I could imagine P2's story and maybe a few of the initial puzzle to be a bit confusing for those who don't know the background.
Well I Started Playing Portal 2 Yesterday
#4545 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.199.157] on 2011/04/21 12:36:13
And I went to bed this morning at aroun 3 or 4am, and it was the beginning of chapter 8, so no major problems here. I have to say that the game is exqusite.
And Yeah
#4546 posted by RickyT23 [86.138.199.157] on 2011/04/21 12:37:48
I played P1 but I never quite finished it..... I had it on the Orange Box on the 360, and I got so far into it then I got stuck. Then I stopped playing it and never finished it.
Im finding the sequel is more fun due to less confusion and also having a couple of 'freinds' to talk to......
That Rage Video
#4547 posted by Kinn [193.119.19.210] on 2011/04/21 14:10:04
Hmmmm...I was expecting more from that to be honest. With the exception of the Doom 3 tentacle guy (lol wut) - id have only really shown combat against piss-weak melee attackers that run suicidally at the player in a straight line, and usually die before getting within 20m of him.
It would be the equivalent of pimping Elder Scrolls V by only releasing videos of the player beating off slightly over-grown rats in sewers, and nothing else.
Beating Off Slightly Overgrown Rats
#4548 posted by jt_ [174.252.227.68] on 2011/04/22 01:32:24
Sounds messy.
It's Worth It
#4549 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/22 03:18:32
#4550 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/22 07:04:08
Sounds like something you'd do in daikatana
Portal 2
#4551 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/04/22 16:25:18
Perfect 10?
Pretty Much
#4552 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/22 16:33:32
I still haven't finished it yet, classes have ben getting in the way. It's a lot longer than portal, even with just the single player campaign. Cave Johnson is my hero.
Zwiffle:
#4553 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/22 17:12:57
I think so. I also haven't finished it yet tho.....
Interesting
#4554 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/22 18:08:05
Michael Abrash is the first person listed in the credits.
Portal 2 SDK
#4555 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/04/22 18:14:04
http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthre...
Finished It!
#4556 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/22 21:17:56
Great game - good ending. Loved it. Was a little short, either that or im very clever.......
#4557 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/04/22 21:42:10
I'm suprised there's no portal 2 thread yet...
I Don't Think It Was Short
#4558 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/22 22:09:59
I have nine hours played on steam. It's a puzzle game, not an rpg. You're not going to get 25 hours or more play time out of it. I need to play the coop campaign, anyone else want to?
#4559 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/04/22 22:16:10
I got a little over 8 hours from the SP alone, still need to do coop and I'm anxious for the actual SDK to be released.
I Got 9 Hours From It
#4560 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/22 22:20:34
Thats how long I've played it for. Finished the SP campaign.
9 Hours Is A Bit Short For A £30 Game
#4561 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/22 22:21:10
IMO
But You've Only Played Half The Game
#4562 posted by DaZ [78.147.161.199] on 2011/04/22 22:29:45
:)
True I Havent Touched The Co-op Game
#4563 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/04/22 23:50:01
Looking forwards to it TBH.
I Re-played Portal Last Night
#4564 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/23 04:12:07
an hour and a half, tops? I didn't remember the puzzles that well AND I'm an idiot.
I haven't played Portal 2 yet, but doesn't 9 hours sound like an appropriate length for that sort of game? I can't see it being something that would benefit from a more-than 10 hour playtime.
Multiple Replies
#4565 posted by Lardarse [62.31.162.25] on 2011/04/23 07:27:35
Ricky: Yes, I think that 9 hours is a bit short for a £30 game. My first playthrough took me less than 8, though, and the 10% pre-order discount isn't enough to make up for that.
Daz: Not convinced that the co-op game really counts towards game length. Yet to try it, though, as the person I'll be playing with hasn't finished single player yet.
starbuck: Hour and a half??? Took me 2:20 on my 3rd playthrough, so you must either know some sick speed tricks, or got your timing wrong...
It Took Me 12 Hours
#4566 posted by negke [88.70.57.69] on 2011/04/23 10:11:46
But I also went for the achievements and replayed certains bits (and sometimes the wrong ones). It's definitely and conceivable longer than P1, though 1.5 hours seems too extremely fast. This game is also nicely varied with old and new test chnmbers and different industrial bits inbetween. Plus it still looks very good even on the aging Source engine; some quite epic scenes or areas.
I agree the writing is great and the puzzles much fun. Some had me stumped for a while but when seemed actually easy after I had figured them out. Nice secrets and extra puzzles, e.g. the rat-man's dens and the chamber monitors. Too bad discovering all the dens wasn't an achievement - sometimes a 1/12 counter would have given me extra satisfaction in a trigger_secret way.
The Borealis dock is a nice little hint at the HL series and of course the few implicit and explicit Black Mesa references. The year prints on the old test chambers felt a bit 'off' maybe (although they were also nice to establish a sense of historic/scientific development or something, along with the modernization of the equipment) - is it really supposed to mean they had a portal gun back in the 50s? Or at least 70s?
It's Entirely Possible
#4567 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/04/23 10:20:25
i guessed my time wrong. Short though. Very short. But pretty much the right length for what it was.
How Long Is The Coop Campaign?
#4568 posted by negke [88.70.56.127] on 2011/04/23 12:44:11
As Long As Rhe Sp Campaign
#4569 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/23 14:05:35
I think.
Portal 2
#4570 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/04/23 17:09:16
I got through the SP portion of the game in about 8 hours at my regular pace and was entirely satisfied with the experience.
L4d2 Addon Campaigns
#4571 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/04/25 15:26:32
So I'm downloading l4d2 campaigns, are there any i should take special intrest in? Right now i have Satan's Little Helper, Overkill, Haunted Forest, Precinct 84, Tour of Terror, I Hate Mountains, Dead Series, and Open Road.
A Happy Game For Happy People
#4572 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/04/25 15:51:18
Soul Brother
L4d2 Maps
#4573 posted by DaZ [78.147.153.101] on 2011/04/25 20:11:08
Dead before dawn 2
dam it
levillage 3
deathaboard 2
helms deep reborn (hilarious survival map)
Dead before dawn 2 is particularly awesome, you'll probably recognise the setting from a certain film remake ;)
#4574 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/25 21:09:39
helms deep reborn haha, is it really helms deep? kind of makes me want to get the l4d series! but i know i'd only play it a few times on single player. :P
Yeah
#4575 posted by DaZ [78.147.153.101] on 2011/04/25 21:27:37
its a full size helms deep, you start on the long wall down one side, and zombies just stream at you from the horizon :) There are a few miniguns and pickups along the wall to help. Eventually the wall explodes and you eventually fall back into the keep and fight there for a bit.
Very entertaining stuff :)
Far Cry (2004) Review
#4576 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/28 05:24:09
First off, this is a review of an enhanced version of Far Cry with the 64bit patch applied. This gives better textures and graphics, apparently. It's also played using a quicksave mod, so there's no replaying checkpoints over and over again.
Now, I'm not sure how good this game would have looked unpatched on a 2004 spec computer, as there's no way you could run it at maximum settings. However on a brand new 2011 spec computer built specifically for gaming, this game can run happily with maximum quality and resolution. There was one point in the game, in front of a boat in one of the first levels, where it ground to an almost complete halt. Not sure why it did it there, but the rest of the game ran smoothly.
Now Far Cry was a hugely popular game from a brand new gaming studio, Crytek, based in Germany. It's not often that a new startup releases a game of this quality using their own engine. It's a fairly amazing feat, especially compared to most of the games Germany puts out.
However as amazing as Far Cry looks for a 2004 release, I do have to bring it back to earth as there are other weaknesses in this game. But I'll talk about the graphics first. Now Far Cry is the first so-called sandbox game i've played. Games like Call of Duty, Medal of Honr and Vietcong had some sandbox elements where you weren't stuck on an absolutely obvious linear path, but even Far Cry isn't as open as I was expecting. There's still 20 levels which you can only play one at a time. You can't decide to return to the island from the first level at the end of the game. And many of these levels are quite linear, especially the indoor ones. There's a few where you can pick a path across an island, but your destination is always the same. Of course this is kind of a good thing for me, because I don't mind some linearity so I know where I'm supposed to be going.
The outdoor levels all look amazing. No game I've played up until 2004 (and for a couple years following Far Cry) comes close to the huge scale and tropical beauty of Far Cry. No other shooter comes close to the awe-inspring scenic scenes, as you climb a mountain and can look back at the ocean and cliffs you just climbed. It's truely epic.
Funcs Character Count Is Screwed.
#4577 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/28 05:25:06
Unfortunately this quality isn't carried through to the indoor levels. Ships, catacomb, factories, bases... everything indoor sets the par back to average. In fact every time an indoor level interrupted my enjoyment, all I could think about was getting back to the lush jungle in, hopefully, the next level. The indoors are just plain, lacking detail and you really see that the CryEngine doesn't come close to id Tech 4 or Unreal Engine 2+ at close-up visual eye candy. What it does well is huge sprawling levels. But everything does look a little cartoony and unrealistic, not helped by the average CryEngine lighting.
What Far Cry also fails at is a story. You're thrust into a game after an epileptic low quality intro apparently trying to save an oddly clothed women with some random person helping you on the phone. Perhaps I was supposed to read the readme to get an idea of the plot, but as you start the game you have no idea who you're supposed to be or why your trying to save the girl. And none of that really changes throughout the game. Ultimately, the story is an afterthought.
Other weaknesses are the models. The Trigen look like they came from a 90's shooters, even the human models look average.
Now, I played Far Cry on medium difficulty with a quicksave, which in same cases I used enough to make it worthwhile. I imagine this game, in it's later stages, would have become very frustrating with limited checkpoints. A couple times my quicksave corrupted and I had to use checkpoints. One of which took me back almost 10 minutes of gameplay. So playing this game with checkpoints, I repeat, would have been painful. In particular the last level where you'll get obliterated in a couple of seonds by enemies which are too far away for you to shoot if you have the wrong weapons (which I did). So I threw god mode on, ran out into the open where I could actually see the enemy because once they get too far away the engine doesn't render the characters even though they're still shooting at you, which itself is another major flaw in the game. And with god mode on slaughtered everyone as quick as possible and kept notice of how many times I would have died without god mode (a handy feature of this particular cheat). 130 times was the answer, which is ridiculous with no quick save.
So overall the last couple of levels were very poorly done, but overall the gameplay was all standard realistic shooter type action. Not too difficult, in fact quite easy for the first half of the game. Apart from driving sections because Crytek failed miserably at providing a usuable vehicle.
So for 2004, Far Cry is one of the best games and renders non-linear outdoor areas like no other game before it. It's worth playing just for this. In all other aspects (gameplay, indoor levels, story), it's just another shooter.
#4578 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/28 05:41:20
yeah agree with this.
the quality of the game always seemed to take a nose dive when you went indoors. also, i recall getting frustrated very early on about not being able to save and got THAT fixed really quickly.
my favourite map is the one where you have to blow up 3 or 4 islands but you're basically just dropped into the ocean on a little rubber dingy and told: do it.
it really showed off the whole non-linear aspect and is probably the reason why i remember that particular one out of the whole game 6 years later.
the ending is totally stupid though. that bit where you sort of get chased through this goofy open terrain where everything is on fire and then that huge open silo type place was just insanely hard.
#4579 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/04/28 09:10:18
Yeah the level with 4 little islands is easily the best. I don't know why they didn't have more levels like this one.
#4580 posted by [91.53.207.176] on 2011/04/28 13:21:29
I like the indoors in Far Cry, gameplay wise, although they remind me more of Tomb Raider (or a number of console games' indoor parts) than Quake. I wish Crysis had more indoor type stuff actually.
It's no Doom 3, true. Brushwork in the Cryengine games is extremely limited, the Solid tool is really crude compared to something like Radiant. But the indoor layouts were between OK and enjoyable. "Bunker" might be my favourite level, actually. "Treehouse" was great, as well as "Rebellion".
Lights are super expensive in Cryengine for some reason, more so than in Doom 3. I guess it was really built for sunlight and atmospheric effects etc. instead of proper indoor lighting.
Vehicles I found adequate.
I like the main character because he is not a super soldier, but a boat rental guy in a Hawaiian shirt with a Die Hard attitude (that was his yacht they blew up in the intro, I find that quite humourous actually). I want more Jack Carver games.
Then again, I seem to have a different taste sometimes.
#4581 posted by gb [91.53.207.176] on 2011/04/28 13:22:31
that was me btw. Got error 42 and copy pasted around it.
Gb
#4582 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/04/28 13:50:43
http://www.celephais.net/board/acc...
Re: Hawaiian Shirt Guy
#4583 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/04/28 18:37:32
i loved this aspect of the game. it felt like you were john maclain die hardin' it up. really badass. like playing riddick.
Portal 2 Coop
#4584 posted by negke [188.96.131.254] on 2011/05/01 10:09:56
Anyone up for it? Preferably one who hasn't finished the coop campaign yet (as apparently most people in func_group already have).
I also wouldn't mind some L4D again...
necros, are you on Steam btw? Or do you only play WoW.
Portal 2 Coop
#4585 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.205] on 2011/05/01 10:19:28
I'd like to try but haven't got time until later this week. My special copy is supposed work.
I'm Down For Some Coop
#4586 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/05/01 14:08:48
BetterThanUNIX on steam.
Me Too...
#4587 posted by generic [67.233.206.144] on 2011/05/01 14:35:47
#4588 posted by gb [46.142.30.26] on 2011/05/01 17:16:43
I have an account, I'm just too lazy to log in when it's not required.
Portal 2 On Sale For Like $20 Off
#4589 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/01 19:35:45
http://kotaku.com/#!5797474/portal...
GO GET IT
Far Cry
#4590 posted by megaman [88.66.2.233] on 2011/05/01 21:08:04
also, it was obvious they weren't even taking themselves serious with the story or the setting or the characters. And i think the cartoony look to the models and lighting is done on purpose and plays well with that. Your playing a douchebag on this cliché tropical island with random bad guys and 08/15 monsters running around.
Also, I really really liked the gameplay :o just the accuracy of some enemies was annoying when they were a few miles away (sniper, rocket ships, etc)
Yeah
#4591 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/01 22:06:57
i'm on steam, but i don't have any of the games you guys are playing like l4d/2 or portal2. the email i use for steam is my old email necros at rogers dot com.
i haven't played wow in a couple of years though. stopped a few months after wotlk and cataclysm didn't manage to convince me to start paying again.
StarCraft 2 Win Stats
#4592 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/05/02 18:41:20
For those of you complaining that zerg is hard to use, I have some news for you.
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/com...
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/com...
They are the weakest race according to these stats. So maybe that's not news, since we all knew this anyway.
#4593 posted by gb [46.142.1.89] on 2011/05/02 18:47:40
Maybe they did a typical fear-driven over-nerf on them. "Oh no, people always complained about zerg, let's nerf them a little more just to make sure".
-> over-nerf.
#4594 posted by gb [46.142.1.89] on 2011/05/02 18:49:04
I think I will have to get SC2, though. Or at least reinstall SC1. I feel like zergling rushing.
Fat Chance
#4595 posted by negke [88.70.67.221] on 2011/05/02 22:27:25
Couldn't make it yesterday, but I'll be out of internet from tomorrow on. At least for a couple of days until I've decided which of the UMTS dongle prepaid deals I'll let myself being ripped off by.
Errr, And Now In Proper English:
#4596 posted by negke [88.70.67.221] on 2011/05/02 22:28:46
Fuck.
Heh, You Said Dongle
#4597 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.200] on 2011/05/03 08:02:10
Enjoy your life!
Dragon Age 1
#4598 posted by nitin [124.170.6.147] on 2011/05/03 13:09:11
yay or nay?
#4599 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/03 14:57:28
I say yay. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite its flaws. If you like a strong story driven game and exploring/uncovering a pretty huge world you'll probably like it too. Be warned, that combat can get stale near the end, since they essentially just start throwing larger and larger numbers of fodder your way instead of spicing up the combat, and some classes (mage *cough*) are totally broken at later levels as well.
Took me ~60 hours to get through the game on just ONE class, there are like 6 different openings to play based on what race/sex you pick iirc, so there's a bit of replayability there as well.
60 Hrs
#4600 posted by nitin [124.170.6.147] on 2011/05/03 15:24:01
geesh, dont know if I need something that long!
How's combat?
#4601 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/03 15:39:12
Ever played Baldur's Gate? Similar to that. It's mostly a top-down style micro-management semi-turnbased affair. Combat happens real time among all your characters, which you control simultaneously, but you can pause combat at any time with spacebar to issue commands or assess the situation. I myself paused a LOT to make sure my rogues were in the right places for back stabbing and that my warrior guy was taking the damage and that my mage was casting the right spells. I think you can configure their behaviors to what you like, but I find that cumbersome.
It's more strategic on your end, but on the enemies' part they just have a ton of weaker bad guys to slay, and every once in a while they'll throw in a giant ogre monster or an enemy mage or something.
#4602 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/03 19:42:12
Ever played Baldur's Gate? Similar to that.
except only in a general sense.
the classes play a lot more like MMO games, which, i firmly believe, is a good thing here.
I myself paused a LOT to make sure my rogues were in the right places for back stabbing and that my warrior guy was taking the damage and that my mage was casting the right spells. I think you can configure their behaviors to what you like, but I find that cumbersome.
one of the best things about this game is the AI. more specifically, the way you control the AI. you don't just tell yours guys to attack or stand still. you set up priority systems for how they should behave.
so, for example:
for your mages, you can tell them to heal your tank when his health falls below 50% for the first order. then the next order can be to heal anyone else when they fall below 30%. then the third can be to just autoattack whatever you are attacking.
so it would check order1 first, then 2, then 3.
then for your tank, you can tell them to use area effect taunt skill when surrounded by more than 2 enemies, to attack the one with the lowest health, and so on and so forth.
the only thing that really requires player input is rogues for backstabbing. sadly, the AI does not control positioning at all. once you move them into position, they're fine, but if the mob moves, you'll have to reposition them.
for mages, you can usually just leave them to the AI almost entirely, and just switch to them every once in a while when you need to use a heavy nuke or a CC spell. warriors can basically be left alone unless you're trying to do something very specific.
it's the rogues that require the most baby sitting.
the one problem with it is that you get more 'command slots' by spending skill points to get them, but i feel this is not right. you shouldn't have to spend in-game skill points to influence the gameplay mechanics.
thankfully, there's a simple mod that unlocks the AI command points and gives even more 'if checks'.
uh, so yeah, i guess i'm firmly in the 'yay' category. :P
#4603 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/05/04 10:58:01
Tried to play Soldier of Fortune Payback, despite the bad reviews. It wouldn't install on my old computer, but new computer installs fine. Framerate is probably under 5, but the patch fixes that. What the patch doesn't fix is the void which is supposed to be a sky, strange textures and my bullets going right through enemies as if they're invisible.
What a fkn piece of shit. Should of torrented it instead of buying it.
Dragon Age
#4604 posted by nitin [124.170.6.147] on 2011/05/04 14:09:31
tell you what, for the time deprived, that sounds far too daunting to commit to. I might pass I think.
Dragon Age 2
#4605 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/05/04 14:12:47
Check metacritic's user ratings for dragon age 2. The critics are all 82% aggregate or something, the users (of which there's 1000's of reviews/votes) are like all 0 and 1's out of 10. It's complete shit apparently.
#4606 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/04 14:26:43
I'm not too far into Dragon Age 2, but so far I like it. They gave it the Mass Effect 2 treatment, in such that they streamlined the game quite a bit. You level up all your characters, but you only really outfit Hawke. Combat is a lot faster and more actionish, which is a big change from the first one. I mean they really just kind of throw 20-30 guys at you for combat. Be prepared to have 1 or 2 healers in your party.
The visual style is also a lot different from the first one. I think it looks refreshing, but I can see how people might not like it.
The biggest complaint I've seen is that the dungeons are repetitive and recycled. I have not yet experienced this, as I'm only maybe 6 hours or so into the game.
So far I don't think it's a bad game, a lot of the changes make sense to me. The story is alright too. I have yet to encounter the 'meat' of the game because I've been busy with other things. I definitely don't think 0s or 1s are warranted, and are probably just fanboys who are upset with the changes.
Metacritic
#4607 posted by DaZ [78.147.110.213] on 2011/05/04 15:04:53
Imo is a totally overrated and shitty way to see if a game is good.
User ratings in particular can just be gang fucked by the minority but very vocal entitled pc gamers.
It happened to dragon age 2. It happened to portal 2 at release because it had that "don't turn off your console" message when you saved or something. I wouldn't give the user ratings much credit at all to be honest.
Really, if I want to know if a game is good, I'll just ask about it right here :)
More Rage Footage
#4608 posted by DaZ [92.26.166.232] on 2011/05/05 17:55:29
another level preview from Rage : http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Nice doors :)
Also, I Lol'd
#4609 posted by DaZ [92.26.166.232] on 2011/05/05 17:59:04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R-...
#4610 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/05/05 18:37:59
Rage looks good. I mean, that gameplay doesn't look revolutionary, but it looks reaaaaaally good imo. I love when the guy comes up and kicks the turret away. Cool stuff.
#4611 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/05 22:37:34
that looks really cool. i like that you can carry around gadgets that are more than just ammo or health kits. the remote control car is a bit gimicky, but the turret and spider machine look fun to use.
Huh
#4612 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/05 23:03:12
ME2 is 10$ atm on steam. (ME1 is 5$). wasn't really interested in the sequel but for that low price i feel tempted...
also, if anyone else was hesistating...
#4613 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/05/05 23:08:52
I love Mass Effect, both of em. They are seriously awesome games. If you like losing yourself in a sci-fi space opera universe with BioWare's typical emphasis on story and character development, these games are really awesome.
The first game is way more complicated than the 2nd one, but the 2nd one's streamlined character development allows you to get back to playing much more quickly. I was able to beat the 2nd one in about 30 hours by bulldogging through the game.
Those prices are fantastic - really worth it.
Yeah,
#4614 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/05/05 23:21:01
I get the impression Rage will work. Still think the weapon models look awful but it looks a solid shooter.
#4615 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/06 00:09:51
i went ahead and got it. 10$, even if i only play half of the game i won't feel bad.
still, i really like the whole level up stuff, weighing the choice between a bunch of abilities and stuff. i liked being in the level up screen for a minute or two. :P
Done And Done
#4616 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/06 00:11:46
I hope this isnt a 100 hr investment though :)
#4617 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/05/06 00:21:58
Over both games you could probably spend 100 hours if you get everything, but really both games can be beaten fairly quickly for open worldish RPGs.
Games Are Currently Being Downloaded
#4618 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/05/06 03:06:13
for once they didnt shaft us with the prices in Aus.
Graphics look decent from screenies, what engine is this? A game specific one or some variation on Id or Unreal tech?
#4619 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/06 04:12:55
for dragon age? or are you talking about mass effect?
dragon age is a new (or heavily modified version of the nwn2) engine.
mass effect is the newest unreal tech.
On Second Thought
#4620 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/06 04:15:46
i'm pretty sure dragon age is an all new engine.
I Was Talking About ME 1 And 2
#4621 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/06 15:24:04
Crysis And Crysis Warhead
#4622 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/07 02:01:23
going for $7.50 combined on Steam if you havent got them yet.
#4623 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/07 02:12:58
wow, i didn't even know there was a third deus ex coming out until i saw the add in the steam start up thing. -_- i'm so out of touch with the game industry these days!
Necros.
#4624 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/05/07 20:16:56
Welcome to the 3rd millenium.
Mass Effect 2
#4625 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 02:22:09
holy fuck the fov is small. how does anyone play this thing???
Only Checked Out The First Level
#4626 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/09 02:25:18
and it is off putting but I hope more of it is actual gameplay and less cinematics.
Finally Picked Up Dead Space Too
#4627 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/09 02:25:41
need to clear my gaming calendar again.
#4628 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 02:57:11
yeah, the intro cinematic is stupidly long.
and then you play for 5 seconds, and the game laughs at you and makes you watch MORE cinematics.
it's just... i dunno. is this because it's made for consoles? what the heck happened to bioware.
#4629 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 04:11:05
after some dicking around, you can fix fov to non-stupid values but it really fucks up in-game cinematics (the cinematics don't reset the fov from the user setting) so you get like zoomed out cinematics and sometimes there's some kind of near-clipping on the camera. so yeah... you need to make another keybind to reset to default fov, which you need to hit before starting conversations.
but that does nothing for conversations that are triggered automatically.
it's just sad that bioware somehow managed to fuck this up.
oh, and the best part is that the .ini file you need to edit to add keybinds and such is essentially encrypted. so you have to use a user made program to 'fix' the ini or the game crashes.
honestly man... who sits there and thinks of this shit.
Honestly Man... Who Sits There And Thinks Of This Shit.
#4630 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.11] on 2011/05/09 11:25:04
That's a pretty fair response to some of the moronic decisions in various games (fixed bad fov, no key-remapping, limited graphics settings, no quicksaves, etc etc) that are so utterly and completely in your motherfucking face blindingly obvious to everyone that the mind just boggles how any developer could possibly consider it a valid (let alone good) idea to hamper their customers in such a way.
You Forgot
#4631 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/09 11:33:09
non-skippable cutscenes
Heh
#4632 posted by DaZ [78.147.166.105] on 2011/05/09 12:47:53
I'll concede that there are too many cutscenes in the first area of ME2, but stick with it - it's one of the best games of the last 5 or 6 years in my opinion :)
Necros, wow I had never even noticed the fov, and I've finished the game 3 times.
Also, on a different topic. Anyone else pre-ordered / will buy Brink when its released? With the drop-in drop-out single player could be a laugh to group up for some manshoots.
Brink
#4633 posted by Bal [217.109.75.97] on 2011/05/09 14:27:36
I've got it preloaded on steam already, looking forward to shooting people in a couple days.
#4634 posted by Zwiffle [184.60.27.118] on 2011/05/09 16:21:54
I want it, but I can't justify getting it right at the moment. I am jealous :(
#4635 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 20:55:41
Necros, wow I had never even noticed the fov, and I've finished the game 3 times.
the default non-action fov seems to be 70, which is bearable. it's the 'gun mode' fov that's the worst. and it's usually where you're concentrating the most on the screen. the fov seems to shrink to maybe 55 or 60 in 'gun mode' and then when you 'aim' it shrinks further to 40ish.
i can only play ME2 in short 1/2 to 1 hour intervals... the super low FOV (especially when you're in 'gun mode') gives me headaches. :(
so yeah, it's not just me being a dick, this kind of thing actually prevents me from playing.
i may have to accept broken cinematic cameras in order to get to the end of this.
i was on the fence with getting dragon age 2, but this is the kind of shit that makes me stay away from modern games. :(
also, this is the third game where you can't skip the company splash videos (the others being Borderlands and Bioshock).
this is like the new thing now where you have to go and delete the intro videos.
oh but it gets better. you know those loading screen videos? pretty nice right? keep you entertained while the next map loads? guess what-- if the loading finishes before the video is done, you have to wait for the end of the video! if you delete the loading videos, you can usually speed up loading times by a lot (for small maps like the normandy).
fucking ridiculous. i'm sure some guy on the team worked real hard to minimize loading times, and then some other asshole put in the forced loading videos. XD
Fov
#4636 posted by DaZ [78.147.166.105] on 2011/05/09 21:59:32
I guess i'm either blind or lucky because I never seem to notice fov in games unless I read somewhere that it is very low in that particular title in which case I will look for it :)
For instance, I got about 30 hours clocked in bad company 2 multiplayer before I read on some website that the default fov is 55 or something, I increased it and it feels a lot better now! Would have been left at the default value without even thinking about it if I had not read that article :P
#4637 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 22:15:36
I guess i'm either blind or lucky because I never seem to notice fov in games unless I read somewhere that it is very low in that particular title in which case I will look for it :)
not ragging on you or anything, but obviously this is why companies get away with it. :(
that and it's probably a lot less obvious on a tv screen sitting a couple of meters away.
the thing that's just weird about it all is that normally low FOV is used to speed up framerate. but the unreal 3 engine is insanely fast. it's not like this kind of thing is needed.
#4638 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/05/09 22:57:39
The last time a low FOV actually bothered me so much was in Borderlands which actually made me feel sick and get headaches after playing it. I had no idea that BF:BC2's was as low as 55 though, I honestly barely even noticed it since I've played for hours at a time and not get bothered by it...
#4639 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/09 23:05:05
except in borderlands, you can just bind a key to change FOV and, while the engine will sometimes reset it to default (when you get out of the cars), it doesn't fuck anything up.
i just bound the fov setting to my move forward key, the as soon as i walked, it would switch back.
but ME2 is the opposite: the fov sticks no matter what. i would be perfectly fine if the fov reset to default after a cinematic. :\
Cont.
#4640 posted by DaZ [78.147.166.105] on 2011/05/09 23:28:34
I did actually notice the fov in borderlands, it felt extremely low but I was too lazy to fix it :P
Quakis, I believe the fov in bc2 (and Crysis 2) is based on "vertical fov" rather than horizontal, so 55 isn't actually as low as it sounds, but still low enough to distract for sure. There is actually a website you can go to that will do the math to convert a desired horizontal fov into the needed vertical fov number. Have to google it though I can't find the link atm :P
Also, for BRINK people, http://thebrink.tv/ is going live in approx 1hr 30 mins from this post and will be shoutcasting brink tournament games for most the evening im guessing, so if you want to see what the game is like on pc you might find it interesting!
Question About Crysis
#4641 posted by nitin [124.149.87.245] on 2011/05/10 15:06:37
cos I cant seem to find a straight answer.
32 bit vs 64 bit, any noticeable differences?
Not Really
#4642 posted by DaZ [78.147.153.107] on 2011/05/10 15:20:27
Brink Reviews
#4643 posted by Zwiffle [66.170.5.18] on 2011/05/10 16:56:33
Seem unfavorable. Can anyone attest?
http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbo...
Yeah, yeah, metacritic, I know. I was expecting more around like 80-85% average, but 72% seems surprisingly low.
Nitin
#4644 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/05/10 19:10:45
I think that the 64bit does have a further detail distance or something, but not so you'd notice. The 32bit version was proven to be faster than the 64bit version, so I use 32 :)
Official Portal 2 Authoring Tools
#4645 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/05/11 15:43:55
Are out now. :D
Zwiffle:
#4646 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/05/12 01:14:36
I didn't play it, but the entire TF2 competitive community before it came out was all 'OMG this is going to be amazing, TF2 is dead now' and then a day after it came out all said in unison 'wow this is total shit, back to TF2'.
#4647 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/12 01:48:32
Just wait until Brink introduces HATS.
Just.
You.
Wait.
Moar Hats
#4648 posted by jt_ [174.252.242.233] on 2011/05/12 02:11:55
MOAR
More On ME2
#4649 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/05/12 02:26:49
i've realized something interesting.
often, the term RPG is abused in that a game is mostly just about stats. leveling up and assigning stat points, getting new weapons and armor for more stats...
ME2 has gone in the opposite direction. they've pretty much removed stats.
i guess this makes it more a true RPG than say Diablo, but then again, we're mostly left with a shooter with dialog trees.
i guess it's more action-packed this way, but i'm not sure i like the super dumbed down RPGs direction.
Serious Sam HD
#4650 posted by nitin [203.202.43.54] on 2011/05/13 04:31:37
is it much of an improvement/upgrade over the standard version? Currently $7.49 at Steam for 1 and 2.
Try The Demo First,
#4651 posted by negke [89.204.153.134] on 2011/05/13 08:19:59
then realize the games are actually pretty stupid and not nearly as fun as they were when playing them the first time back then.
Nah I Still Find Them Fun
#4652 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/05/13 08:57:16
so unless they have changed gameplay in the HD version, I'm still up for it provided the upgrade is actually worth it
#4653 posted by Spirit [80.171.127.213] on 2011/05/13 16:37:16
Can't believe I never posted about this:
http://www.frogatto.com/
Frogatto & Friends is an old-school 2D platformer game, starring a certain quixotic frog. It's a big adventure with all the classic fun - you fight monsters, collect coins, talk to people, and buy new stuff.
It is free and open-source and of fantastic quality.
#4654 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.5] on 2011/05/14 11:23:59
Played 2 hours of Portal 2 coop yesterday and am super disappointed. Boring puzzles, no story to think of, loading extra double plus. Part of the frustation surely was playing on half a tv screen (left/right, ugh) and with a ps3 controller. But still, even more disappointing than the sp game for me so far, maybe because it is just more of the bad aspects.
#4655 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.5] on 2011/05/14 11:34:26
I should add that it sure is a very good game but the icing is missing for me.
Yeah, Whatever
#4656 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/05/14 14:03:35
I think you're the only person who found the puzzles boring. You must Ã¼ber smrt or something.
Split Screen Portal 2?
#4657 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/05/14 14:58:41
Yeah, I hate anything split screened. Try it the right way next time, k?
Did You At Least Spoil The Game For Your Friend?
#4658 posted by negke [89.204.153.166] on 2011/05/14 15:12:08
Please Post In Portal 2 Thread!
#4659 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/05/14 17:41:33
I'm just downloading the game now, no spoilers please!
#4660 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/05/15 03:23:58
Frogatto owns btw
Shameless Spoiler :P
#4661 posted by ShadoW [89.72.150.119] on 2011/05/15 17:33:27
Hey guys. I was working on Steel Storm game for last few months, and now at last it's released. It's old-school top-down view shooter, made with Darkplaces engine. Some pictures of the maps I've made for it:
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
http://shadowsdomain.files.wordpre...
More on my blog:
http://shadowsdomain.wordpress.com...
Steel Storm at Steam :) :
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
I Liked Steelstorm
#4662 posted by jt_ [174.252.227.159] on 2011/05/15 18:02:59
Haven't played it in a while. I preordered episode 2 a long time ago. Maybe i'll finish it this week. :p
#4663 posted by negke [89.204.137.132] on 2011/05/15 20:18:44
I played the first episode (demo?) a while ago. The levels looked cool. The gameplay was okay but it kind of got stale after some time. I died in the presumably last level after foolishly testing if it was possible to jump/fall down the cliff, and then didn't feel like restarting from the beginning. It's a nice little indie game, but doesn't interest me enough to pay for it. Originally I thought it was a classic spaceship shooter taking place in the air, not only just above ground.
Brink 1st Impressions
#4664 posted by DaZ [2.96.228.241] on 2011/05/15 21:43:18
After about 9 hours played.
It really is a team based game, moreso than any other shooter I can think of, if you go running off you are just going to die over and over and over until you learn to stick with your team mates!
Maps are gorgeous! Some real nice architecture and very clean lines. Presentation in general is A+. Special mention to the sound too, really really nice.
Gameplay on pub servers can be mixed, if you get a server full of Call of duty players then it will suck bad. The game really shines when you actually work as a team and if you can find a server with players than lean to teamplay then favourite it quickly :)
I would say if you and a few friends want to try brink then go for it, if you play together and coordinate its a fantastic shooter, if you buy it just for yourself or dont know anyone else that plays you might walk away bitter.
Parkour stuff is pretty neat and works well. Smart button is not cruise control for cool as people were worried about that. You navigate faster by pressing smart key at the right time, holding it down works but you will navigate slower.
League Of Legends
#4665 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/05/16 03:37:35
Anyone else play this? It's a DotA based game (made by the creators of the original DotA for warcraft 3 iirc). I forgot how much i liked this gameplay.
#4666 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/05/16 08:06:31
I play LoL. It's very fun, but like any DotA game it's stupidly frustrating how easy the game can snowball into one team's favour. I also hate the random idiots who make up it's community so much that I basically never play it except with my normal crew of friends who all got into it together.
#4667 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.211] on 2011/05/16 08:06:52
at least it's free!
Scampie Summed Up The Original Dota Pretty Well
#4668 posted by megaman [88.64.189.60] on 2011/05/16 11:23:57
Hmm
#4669 posted by nonentity [86.138.37.163] on 2011/05/16 16:01:15
I bounce between HoN and LoL tbh. Really hope Valve does a good job taking the best bits of both (LoL's meta game/better ui/slight reduction in agi/ad carry reliance vs HoN's item design/couriers/greater risk&reward/denying) and creates a sick game out of it. And doesn't just use all the DotA champs like HoN.
But yeh, as Scamp says, you're kinda forced to play it with a set group of people (or at least 2 or 3 you know) due to the ability for 1 person to ruin a game, both in terms of balance and with the gutter level communication prevalant in both communities.
HoN?
#4670 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/05/16 16:20:15
What's HoN?
#4671 posted by Spirit [82.113.106.207] on 2011/05/16 16:24:28
Heroes of Newerth
Han Solo's Brother
#4672 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/05/16 21:54:32
He works in a bar collecting glasses.
Crysis For Dead
#4673 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.8] on 2011/05/18 17:12:53
http://www.shacknews.com/article/6...
Can't really complain can you?? Will be interesting to see how they make it scary given it mostly looks fairly bright.
So
#4674 posted by nitin [124.170.9.238] on 2011/05/22 05:54:50
if you buy a game like Quake or Half Life on steam, I take it you lost the cd tracks. Or do the steam versions still allow for that somehow?
Shambler
#4675 posted by JPL [77.192.112.91] on 2011/05/22 11:08:40
Wow, this trailer is purely awesome !
I Was Wondering The Same Thing The Other Day, Nitin
#4676 posted by Drew [65.94.246.63] on 2011/05/23 00:46:59
I think you just lose them...
Nitin
#4677 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2011/05/23 11:58:35
I can at least confirm that Quake via Steam does not include the soundtrack.
Shame
#4678 posted by nitin [124.170.9.238] on 2011/05/23 12:10:24
as the soundtracks for both games are a huge part of the experience.
Oh
#4679 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/05/23 21:56:22
I should probably listen to them then.
DOOM 3
#4680 posted by Drew [65.94.246.63] on 2011/05/23 23:00:19
re-installed and am enjoying very much so far - but really surprised by the occaisonally clunky framerates on my computer, which runs other, newer games just fine.
Any good levels/mods etc to download, besides duct tape? There is that quake one, right? That looks pretty awesome.
More.
#4681 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.8] on 2011/05/24 00:34:40
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
So, Left 4 Far Crysis 2 really. Sold! Don't like the look of the wobbly movement tho.
Doom3
#4682 posted by gb [46.142.16.216] on 2011/05/24 01:54:00
Resurrection of Evil is about the best set of addon levels for D3. Try these also:
http://www.bja-design.de/lostfacil...
http://www.bja-design.de/genetic.h...
http://doom3.filefront.com/file/Om...
There's more good stuff in the Filefront D3 section.
Dead Island
#4683 posted by megaman [88.64.186.87] on 2011/05/24 11:00:55
don't call it gameplay trailer if there's a cut every five seconds. That way you can't get a good impression of the gameplay at all.
COD...7
#4684 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.8] on 2011/05/24 16:02:42
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
Looks a bit subtle and understated.
2D Point & Click Adventures
#4685 posted by negke [89.204.137.134] on 2011/05/25 14:15:27
There are numerous nice amateur P6C adventures based on AGS. Well worth checking out - there's a list on adventuregamestudio.co.uk.
Apart from Yahtzee's John DeFoe series I posted about some time ago, I can for instance recommend The Infinity String (medium length, scifi setting), The Apprentice 1 and 2 (short, medieval/fantasy), and A Tale Of Two Kingdoms (medium, medieval/fantasy). ATOTK is especially cool because there are optional side quests, many puzzles have multiple solutions and there are several endings depending on how you solved them, all of which fairly unusual for an adventure game.
Awesome
#4686 posted by Drew [65.94.246.63] on 2011/05/25 23:48:36
Love this kind of stuff, thanks for the reccomendaiton negke
So That's Where You've Been
#4687 posted by ijed [190.22.56.63] on 2011/05/26 03:48:23
That African Semi-sandbox FPS Game...
#4688 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.8] on 2011/05/26 21:08:59
...that is definitely not a sequel to Far Cry in any shape nor form especially not developers, engine, spirit, characters, protagonist, enemies, weapons, settings, theme or goddamn anything.
Anyway, I like the following things about it:
+ Looks great in almost all ways.
+ Setting (including characters and scenery) is refreshing.
+ Atmosphere is strong and holistic and enhances setting (including music and weather).
+ Gameplay works adequately well.
+ Plentiful gameplay touches (vehicles, collisions, buddy rescues, wound healing, diamond finding, weapon degradation) enhance the gameplay rather than detract.
+ Blowing things up is very cool.
Things I don't like:
- Too many Caucasians.
- Can't take multiple missions at once.
- Takes a while to get places.
- Too much jungle not enough desert.
- Fighting enemies in foliage is annoying.
- Despite being Africa it's not bloody bright enough.
- I keep forgetting to save.
Overall I'm really rather liking it. The pros are all stronger than the cons.
This
#4689 posted by nitin [203.202.43.53] on 2011/05/27 09:15:30
"Can't take multiple missions at once."
This is one of my main gripes (85% done), apart from the missions being repetitive as well.
As for saving, same here, althought he buddy rescues address that issue most of the time.
WTF Is Frozen Synapse
#4690 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/05/27 18:21:31
I wish it had better graphics, but this looks pretty bad ass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jJ...
Hmm
#4691 posted by nonentity [81.155.121.182] on 2011/05/28 16:11:51
Yeh, does look really nice zwiff. 2for1 price deal atm too...
Ahh Looks Really Good
#4692 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/05/29 04:13:06
that's a tempting purchase
Hmm
#4693 posted by nonentity [81.155.121.182] on 2011/05/29 14:02:32
Frozen Synapse
Spent an instructive hour or 3 playing it last night having gone halves on it with a friend (ingenius sales scheme they've got going, means it's a very reasonable price but they sell 2 at a time. Although, it does mean you always have someone to play your first few multiplayer games with, generally useful for learning the game).
Thoroughly enjoying it. The multiplayer is highly strategic, both in light and dark modes (light = always see your opponent's men, dark = gotta have LoS), in light mode is surprisingly chess like, in that you're having to plan your moves several turns in advance as well as predict all your opponents since it lacks the element of surprise. Dark mode is tense, action packed and surprisingly fast for a turn based game (each game generally only lasting half a dozen turns before everyone is dead) and has some beautifully gripping moments (my personal favourite being when both my opponent and I had a shotgunner crouched either side of a box without line of sight of the other, leading to a game of guess work as to which way (if at all) they were moving to try and get the drop without being blasted in order to win the match).
Singleplayer, I'm only a handful of missions in (5th or 6th iirc), but so far there's a good variety of different mission types (I've only played elimination multiplayer, but I believe a lot of these are variantions of the other multiplayer modes, which bodes well) and the procedurally generated levels means that replays of the same mission continue to require planning and thought, rather than just memorising patrol patterns. Oh, and the plot is very nicely done, little cheesey at times, but mostly well written and with lots of detail to immerse yourself in.
Yeh, it's good. If you like strategy, especially smaller, squad sized strategy then I thoroughly reccommend it. Just make sure you have a friend to split the two copies with (all giftable on steam, so I'm sure y'all can work something out if needed).
Yes
#4694 posted by DaZ [92.24.168.111] on 2011/05/29 21:39:29
It looks very interesting will pick it up for sure. Also, the soundtrack is fantastic! Reminds me of Deus Ex and UT'99!
#4695 posted by Spirit [80.171.127.45] on 2011/05/29 22:16:03
Email notifcations mean the game can effectively be "played by email"
Nice!
Shame they do not have a proper Linux version.
?
#4696 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/05/29 23:58:07
UT'99!
It reminded me much more of UT2004, personally. Especially the "The Plan" track sounds like taken straight from some ut2004 typical snow-themed bombing run map.
(Now to play the game itself...)
Old Adventures
#4697 posted by megaman [88.66.8.141] on 2011/05/30 22:53:26
Played Apprentice 1 (deluxe)
Very well made, nice characters and humour, too bad I was only able to solve about half the puzzles myself. They're very far fetched, albeit logical. And of course there's one of those fucking door timing tricks in there... and it's even harder to guess / react properly than usually. I had to look twice in the guide: first for skimming over it to see that there's a door trick needed and then again after failing to get it right even with knowing the basic trick :(
Was a fun little game nonetheless, and very nice graphics/sound/voice
Aliens : Colonial Marines
#4698 posted by DaZ [78.147.163.254] on 2011/06/02 00:30:44
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNu...
fuuuuuuuuuuuu! Today is a good day :)
Haha
#4699 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/06/02 01:33:45
try not to feint. Still no gameplay footage though?
Nope :(
#4700 posted by DaZ [78.147.163.254] on 2011/06/02 02:06:21
But my mind is imagining something akin to AvP 1999 crossed with l4d and is having nerdgasm's :)
#4701 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/02 04:21:54
Hmmm that's possibly the worst trailer i've ever seen. It's a video of msdos and a logo.
That being said, i'm sure it's going to be an awesome game!!!
Jericho
#4702 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/02 05:03:17
Tried to play Clive Barker's Jericho. Only got a little over 1/4 in before it came to a game stopping halt, with no way of skipping levels. So that's the end of that.
Gameplay was repetitive, switching characters was awkward to do a a lottery on the who the hell you select and when you selected them you've got no idea which of the FIVE attack keys works for them. Running around reviving cunts because their AI is shit is boring.
Design and engine looked decent, as did the story, but very linear and no wow-factor set pieces, as usual.
Oh and poor checkpoints and no ability to set mouse buttons is a console joke. I did it anyway through the config file (and it worked) but then screwed up some of the other keys and mini-games (which themselves were beyond stupid).
Clive Barker should have actually played this fucking game, because it's arse compared to Undying.
#4703 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/02 06:29:26
yeah, i didn't really enjoy that game much either. it looks really cool but plays poorly.
ai is poor and, as you said, you spend most of the time reviving team mates. there are a fair amount of monsters that require you to shoot 'weak spots'. and the ai is basically incapable of doing so, so it's basically you alone vs a group of monsters. very frustrating.
you pass through some areas that might look cool, but they are nowhere near as impressive as painkiller, a game that was released 3 years earlier and used only dx8 (iirc??). the mapping is just very dull.
Hawken...
#4704 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/02 12:04:17
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
....will be a multiplayer game only.
Cool, thanks for saving me £20 and plenty of time (including time I'd have spent watching the rest of the trailer).
#4705 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/06/02 12:22:46
With a team of what, nine guys I think, doing SP would be a very bad idea given the standard they've set themselves.
Hmm
#4706 posted by nonentity [86.136.226.27] on 2011/06/02 12:23:10
So... perfectly timed for my getting a new machine. The definitely not leaked by the producers, not in anyway an extended demo that has increased demand for the game. Terrible piracy, not amazing viral publicisity/massive pre-order booster that's going to get someone a bonus.
OH MY GOD IT'S AMAZING! I admit nothing. But oh my god it's amazing. Proper successor. All the MSD stuff people were worried about works really well (the augemented reality style outlines, the health regen) and avoids falling into the CoD action movie style. So much choice is bewildering and much save/load/replay inducing. Beautifully involving, intriquing characters, well done dialogue system, brilliantly in depth upgrade/experience system, jaw dropping and varied animator's demo reel, slick and non-cumbersome cover system, incredibly well implemented non-linearity. I could go on, but I want to explore every nook and corner of the first hub. Again. This time with different abilities.
Definitely don't suggest you play it. Or pre-order it today (I did do that).
DOOM
#4707 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/02 19:08:09
Negke, you don't have the link to the newer Doom map you did on your quaddicted site, do you?
Tales Of Monkey Island Complete Pack For $12
#4708 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/02 20:53:32
Worth it?
#4709 posted by negke [89.204.153.199] on 2011/06/02 21:17:06
Drew: If you're refering to the one I posted screenshots of a long time ago - that one never got finished.
Zwiffle: I'd say wait until it drops to 6-8.
Hmm
#4710 posted by nonentity [86.136.229.52] on 2011/06/02 23:19:25
Easily worth it zwiff.
Nonentity
#4711 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/06/03 00:54:39
what game were you talking about in #4706? Hawken? I am probably out of the loop.
#4711
#4712 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/03 01:45:35
Bal determined nntt was talking about the Deus Ex leak. That's the only thing that makes sense in the context.
Hmm
#4713 posted by nonentity [86.136.229.52] on 2011/06/03 04:16:36
Bal is right.
Hmm
#4714 posted by nonentity [86.136.229.52] on 2011/06/03 04:19:02
And by leak, it's the press demo that was sent out to all the journalists last month, so the first 15-20% of the game (rather than a full leak) and various clues point to it coming direct from Eidos/Squnix
Prey 2 Trailer + DNF Demo
#4715 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/03 17:38:27
Trailer http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
DNF Demo - Yeah it's pretty fun, I take issue with a couple of the changes like your melee isn't your boot anymore, and you only carry two weapons at a time. You hold down E to pick up a weapon, which I guess is standard for console shooters but feels cumbersome on PC. Pretty much every weapon is in the demo - pistol, shottie, ripper, rpg, shrink ray, devastator, and in place of freeze ray there's a rail gun. They feel alright, the explosions are toned down a LOT from DN3D. So the RPG won't kill you in one hit at close range it feels like.
There was a weird depth of field thing going on, either that or I'm just super blind. I will have to change that. The levels in the demo were pretty fun overall, a bit slower than Duke 3D with a lot of the modern fps changes (regen health, if you like/hate that thing, it didn't bother me much since it just lets you keep pace without getting 'stuck' because of low health.)
If they release an SDK this could be a pretty spectacular game. Seems worth $50, I'll be holding off due to overwhelming # of games I already have to play though.
Negke
#4716 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/03 17:45:17
oh.
Hmm
#4717 posted by nonentity [86.136.229.52] on 2011/06/03 18:15:23
Between that and the Tomb Raider trailer, it's been a day for pre-rendered advertising. Very cool pre-rendered advertising, but still, would love some gameplay footage.
Not tried the DNF demo (no BL2/D4E pre-orders), but I was quite looking forward to it based on what I'd seen, nice antidote to the more serious modern shooters. Although the weapon carry limits worrys me (I actually quite like regenerative health, it makes as much sense as health packs and is more _fun_ (assuming it's not OTT))
Hmm
#4718 posted by nonentity [86.136.229.52] on 2011/06/03 18:17:03
Oh, and ever since I read a preview a while back, really like the concept of Prey 2. If it's implemented/designed well could be a great game (ofc, I'm a sucker for blade runner style future cities and hunting down contract targets).
Rage Trailer
#4719 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/03 19:30:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ui...
LOL I love the Quayola Quayons! Favorite part of the trailer, which is saying something, as it rocked imo.
#4720 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/03 20:17:42
i just noticed that rage seems to have the same weird 'tunnel vision' black faded corners that mass effect has... wtf is up with that? is it some kind of console thing? bad enough we're running at lower FOVs now, but we're also dimming out the corners?
like playing the game with horse blinders.
Rage
#4721 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.156] on 2011/06/03 22:40:29
Trailer was great :) I'm starting to really look forward to it.
I've noticed the darkened edges in a lot of shooters recently, most notable in l4d2 developer commentaries they said they added it as it forces the players vision to the center of the screen where the action is.
Tbh I wouldn't have noticed it in that Rage trailer had you not pointed it out, so I guess that means it's doing it's job ;)
#4722 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/03 23:03:05
Other thoughts on DNF demo
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
He actually makes a lot of valid points. Some things I didn't know from my playthrough - like someone mentioned you run out of breath after running for 3 seconds. That does seem kind of lame. If there is an SDK, I expect maps that force health kits, infinite run, etc.
Rage Trailer
#4723 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/04 00:28:25
Quayola Quayons :D nice little tribute to the king
#4724 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/04 00:44:27
as it forces the players vision to the center of the screen where the action is.
oh jesus.
well, if the engine is modifiable, i'll be removing that shit... -_-
#4725 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/04 02:16:31
Rage trailer looks awesome. Although there's a lot of fucking around changing weapon type. Supposedly that's more because it was a weapons showcase rather than normal gameplay.
DNF... only 2 weapons at once? FUCKING COCKS. That means i'll be carrying a shotgun and machine gun throughout the entire game and there's no point playing with any other weapon.
#4726 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/04 02:34:32
Apparently no one at work liked the DNF demo, but we showcased on XBox. The XBox apparently has shit controls, like it was hard to aim and whatnot. I didn't have any problems like that on the PC with my good old mouse.
They also had poor AI, the pig cops would just run up to the player and stand in front of Duke. I didn't have that problem on PC, but then again I was able to aim at the fuckers and take them out pretty quickly.
It looks like that although I accept the faults in the game, other people are less forgiving.
#4727 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/04 03:10:52
why the fuck don't they market mice for consoles??
you could totally hold the controller in one hand and mouse with the other.
they have friggen guitars and drumkits but no mice.
DNF Demo Take 2
#4728 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/04 06:07:41
Hmm playing the demo again with a more critical eye, I think DNF is probably not all that good. That's based just off this demo, which admittedly is pretty bad and may not be indicative of the whole game.
The depth of field is very obnoxious in this game. It makes the majority of what's on screen look blurry. At first I thought I was just going more blind than I already am, but no, Duke apparently needs to get prescription sunglasses.
The AI is in fact pretty bad. I just didn't notice because I killed the enemies quickly, but they are very basic and don't show any signs of intelligence that I can tell. This might be okay, but at least pig cops in Duke3d would go prone every once in a while. These pig-men (they can't be called pigcops, because really they're just pig men in blue, ripped pants) just run at you guns blazing. Sometimes they're stationed at a chaingun, but that's more of a scripting thing than an AI thing I think.
The other enemies are some weird bug things, which are annoying to shoot and I think are meant to take the place of the ooze monsters. They are pretty shit. They are not fun, they are just 'filler' enemies as far as I can tell. They are accompanied by baby octabrains, which ... also suck, and are also there just for fodder. Very lame.
The last enemy is a gun ship, which drops off some pig cops on a ledge, then when you kill those it comes in a shoots you. This is the most telling part of the demo. You HAVE to hide from this thing behind cover, darting out to lock on with your RPG, then duck back into cover. You can't strafe to avoid rockets like a pro, you can't use anything else but the RPG. This fight is fucking SHIT BORING SHIT. If you run out of ammo you go back to the conveniently (?) placed ammo crate, stock up, then shoot some more. It's also very generic looking. If you don't hide behind cover, you will not win. This is not the Duke I knew. I think the Rock, Paper, Shotgun article got it right when they said Duke is a wimp, because he kind of is in this one.
OH yeah, when you kill it, the wing falls and makes a ramp up the small ledge, so you can now progress. Pretty ho-hum kind of stuff.
Sooooo yeah, I think I was hit by nostalgia early on when I first played the demo, hearing that sweet Duke theme song just brought back fond memories. I told Vondur it would probably be okay as a $50 purchase, but really based off the demo with a critical eye, it probably isn't. $20 maybe, but not $50.
Necros - Mouse Idea
#4729 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/04 07:28:22
never thought of that but it would be fucking wonderful. I love shooters but hardly play any on consoles for that reason.
Lol
#4730 posted by negke [89.204.153.138] on 2011/06/04 09:36:21
Wonderful? I think instead of supplying mice for consoles so people could play FPS better, it would be a more logic step to stop making FPS games for consoles. Plus they wouldn't have to be so dumbed down then.
The DC actually had a mouse and a keyboard. I got the latter when I bought mine on ebay. Don't know what the big deal behind those. Quake 3 could be played with it and I guess that unbalanced many online matches. And there are some weird typing games ("Typing of the Dead", a zombie spelling/typing trainer or something similarly wtf).
Finished
#4731 posted by nitin [203.214.38.81] on 2011/06/04 09:41:23
Far Cry 2 finally, took longer than expected because I had to take breaks due to the repetitive nature. Good fun but needed more variety.
Portal is next.
Mice
#4732 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/06/04 12:38:42
I wish this thing had taken off :E
I could deal with playing with reduced keyboard space as long as you have a fecking mouse :(
Rage.
#4733 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/04 12:53:52
WTF were they playing with keyboard only via a cordless keyboard in a different fucking building??
Looks okay tho, exploding bodies are cool.
Typing Of The Dead
#4734 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/04 13:52:42
I actually really like the idea of that.
Until You Play It
#4735 posted by negke [89.204.153.131] on 2011/06/04 14:02:25
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_T...
"The word is stonger than the sword" taken too seriously...
Zqf
#4736 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/04 19:09:07
yeah, basically the sort of thing i was thinking about there.
just a portable pad you can sit on your lap or the coffee table or whatever.
they're porting most of these games to pc anyway, so mouse support is going to be in there from the start. for things like xbox, where (i think?) you can plug in any usb device, it should just be there as an option by default!
you should be able to use your regular mouse even, no need for anything special.
IBomber Defence
#4737 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.177] on 2011/06/04 20:49:05
In Steam, cost me £3.15, great fun. Reminds me of Command & Conquer old-school.
Shadowrun
#4738 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/05 01:48:46
Tried to play Shadowrun, some multiplayer based (but with single player bot matches) fps from 2007. Played 2 maps and decided i'd rather go take a shit then play it again.
Gameplay was crap, the game looked crap, don't know what the critics/reviewers are on about saying it looks good. It looks shit. Quake3 looked better. Next (which I believe is going to be Hellgate: London... my first attempt at an RPG).
Hg:l
#4739 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/05 01:52:41
Was crap, btw. The company that started it was bought not too long ago and the new peeps are trying to fix it so it's not so much suck, though.
Nonsense.
#4740 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/05 02:14:39
hgl is fine. there's a memory leak bug that was never fixed, iirc. if you have a lot of ram it probably won't bother you though. i have only 3gb and i never had any problems when i played it again, although i did when i only had 1gb.
i do recommend you take a look at the aforementioned peeps's work on the SP mod. basically adds in some missing stuff from multiplayer and other improvements.
Hg:l
#4741 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/05 03:04:04
Well ultimately it doesn't matter, because it appears to be yet another game where you can't remap the mouse buttons. I've never used WASD & i'm not going to start now. Don't know why these developers just assume everyone on earth uses WASD and is fine with the mouse buttons being set to whatever they think they should be (shoot in this case).
What?
#4742 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/05 04:47:30
you can change movement keys to whatever you want, and you can change the button to shoot to whatever you want.
just go in the controls menu.
you can also drag/drop any ability into the mouse 1/2 buttons to use, and remove shoot completely, if your class doesn't use it much. (evokers/summoners tend to rely mostly on their powers, and rarely need to shoot except to break crates or to finish off a mob).
#4743 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/05 08:28:29
Are we both talking about Hellgate London here? There' no shoot in the controls menu, supposedly because it can't be changed, and when I click on any other function and try to rebind it, clicking mouse buttons 1 or 2 does nothing, it won't accept it. Only mouse button 3 and the scroller it accepts, and all keyboard keys.
Unless they fixed it in an update, but I doubt it...
Finished
#4744 posted by nitin [203.214.38.81] on 2011/06/05 15:04:13
Portal.
Good game but design was a little too basic for my liking. And a bit short.
But good original game.
#4745 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/05 20:03:13
well, you should always update your games, regardless. that's just good practice.
anyway, i was wrong about shoot though, sorry. you can't change mouse 1 and 2, those are always action buttons. you can bind jump to mouse 4 or 5 (if you have a mouse with the extra buttons on the side) if you want a mouse button for jump, otherwise, spacebar is a decent one (and what i use).
you can bind your active slots to whatever you want though. for example, my active slots 1-6 are bound to number 1 - 6, slot7 and slot8 are mouse4 and mouse 5, slot9 and 10 are q and e. etc...
and if you want to assign a skill/spell to your mouse1/2, just click and drag the icon (ingame) in your skill menu onto the icon on the left and right sides of the screen.
for example, my evoker has mouse1 as spectral lash and mouse2 as firestorm because they're both spells that need to be aimed while being held down.
other spells like arcane shield, which are one shots, i assign to keyboard keys.
Also,
#4746 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/05 20:05:13
unless you are finding the game really hard, i recommend putting elite mode on. the game is too easy on normal mode.
Elite Mode Being The Proper Way To Play
#4747 posted by ijed [190.22.32.107] on 2011/06/06 03:41:53
That smells like producer fear.
?
#4748 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/06 03:45:18
i dunno, i just figured it was to stop newbies from getting destroyed, but it's not like elite mode is a huge leap in difficulty either.
there's more modes after you beat the game (nightmare i think?) where it is pretty nuts though.
isn't this par for these kinds of games? to get you to replay and all that. sort of the same as achievements 'oh, you beat the game, so now you can play it again, only harder. :D'
Well,
#4749 posted by ijed [190.22.32.107] on 2011/06/06 04:03:43
I meant where the prototypes of games are usually much more hardcore than what gets released, and then things get simplified, a lot in the case of consoles.
It's not so much upping the difficulty level, but rather changing the basic game rules.
The one we're doing now is a top down shooter with some melee, and, indeed, unlocks a harder difficulty once you complete the game on hard.
This reminds me of the 'realsim' mode in L4D - where some features of the first concept survived, like the witch killing in a single hit.
Granted the zombie health is stupid in that mode though.
#4750 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/06 04:18:32
ah ok. and yeah, that sounds like a possibility. the game is fairly tame on normal difficulty. you only encounter the more interesting monsters on elite. you also get better loot though, which makes it totally worth playing on the harder difficulty.
Question
#4751 posted by nitin [203.214.38.81] on 2011/06/06 12:33:46
how many people finished Portal in one sitting? Just curious, I did but only because I was fooled as to how long Test Chamber 19 was :)
I Did
#4752 posted by PuLSaR [93.81.165.182] on 2011/06/06 13:33:07
~8 hours
Nitin
#4753 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/06 14:22:53
The first time i finished portal it took me about 6 hours, the last time i finished it it took about 3.5 hours.
Steam
#4754 posted by nitin [203.214.38.81] on 2011/06/06 15:03:37
says 3 Hours for me all up. It felt longer though, I would have guessed 4.5-5.
How long is Portal 2 comparably?
Oh
#4755 posted by nitin [203.214.38.81] on 2011/06/06 15:04:09
and thanks again for gifting it jt.
Portal 2
#4756 posted by jt_ [174.252.240.242] on 2011/06/06 16:47:11
Is a lot longer. Took me about 8 hours for the first play through, just in single player, i haven't finished coop yet. Definitely worth the $44.99 i paid for it.
Yeah
#4757 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/06 16:52:16
haven't played coop - Negke and I keep not being on at the same time to do so - but SP alone is, in my opinion, worth the money. It isn't as long as many other SP campaigns, but is of consistently high quality. I loved it dearly.
replay of portal took me about 3 hrs, last time. But I've played it 3 times now...
You Should Check Your Friends List More Often
#4758 posted by negke [89.204.137.128] on 2011/06/06 19:27:35
I asked a few people about p2coop but it hasn't worked out yet. I didn't want to pry and annoy them with frequent chat inquiries. If anyone wants to play this (not the whole coop campaign in one go, just a few levels/chapters at a time), message me if you see me online.
Time zones are a problem. Usually the only way for us/US to play is when it's evening my time and around noon or early afternoon yours.
Prey 2 Gameplay
#4759 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/07 05:23:12
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/...
You're Right
#4760 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/07 06:49:45
I'll be on line tomorrow around noon, EST time zone, if you want to get started
Clive Barker's Jericho Review (2007)
#4761 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/07 08:02:31
I initially started playing this game, got to episode 2 (out of 5) and hit a game-ending bug. Up until that point it had been a confusing, challenging mess. After a short break trying a couple of other games, both of which I quit even sooner than Jericho, I decided to return and give it another shot (having found a fix for the bug) because too many games lately i'm having to not finish due to major glitches. And i'm glad I did resume - it actually turned out to be a very refreshing and memorable game.
Now I remember Clive Barker's first game; Undying, fondly. Sure it's really only his name and story attached, he isn't actually directing any of the gameplay since he doesn't even play games. But it had a great, spooky setting and was a really chilling game. Not to mention under-rated by the critics. So Jericho comes along six years later, again with average reviews with a 61% aggregate. Great looking screenshots so perhaps this one is under-rated as well? No. What it does well, it does very well, but it falls flat in too many other areas, which i'll cover below.
Firstly what makes Jericho very unique is that you can play with any of six characters throughout the game whenever you want - all of which have their own weapons and abilities (powers). And it's even part of the story that you're playing through the soul of a dead soldier that is able to possess the other characters. So it's not just an explained part of the game. The problem here is that swapping between characters is very messy.
On top of that you have five attack keys (two for weapons, one melee and two for your supernatural abilities). Only the supernatural abilities are added as the game goes on. So every time you switch to a character you're having to remember what their attacks are. You'll get halfway through the game before you start to figure out who your preferred characters are. For me it was Delgado with the chaingun, Black with her sniper rifle and Church with her sword. Once you do, things start to get a bit easier. Nevertheless the characters are all worthy of some use throughout the game and are quite well-balanced. If I were to play through again I'd probably try to use some of the other characters more as well, as they all have interesting attacks.
And then there's the storyline, a very unique plot in which you travel through time to stop The FirstBorn, a creature God created prior to Adam and Eve that wants to escape from it's hell and destroy mankind. Fairly epic and well told throughout the game, only to abruptly end in one of the weakest game endings ever. Very odd considering Clive Barker is the writer. I can only assume it was left this way to leave room for a sequel, which will probably never happen now.
Jericho Cont.
#4762 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/07 08:02:42
The atmosphere in Jericho is very unique because you get to play through some very unique settings such a Sumeria and the Tower of Babel, Rome 38AD, The Crusaders 1213AD. The other two episodes that start the game are Al-Khali, which appears to be some old middle eastern setting and WWII. And it's these first two episodes that let the game down slightly as they' look nowhere near as good as the last three episodes. The engine itself is standard 2007 with all the bells and whistles you'd expect. Playing on a 2011 spec gaming PC, everything was happy to be on full without any framerate drop. Now the problem with the level design is that it's very, very linear. You're on a tight path throughout the entire game, with no deviation, and this path itself just feels like one open outdoor corridor scattered with rocks and barricades after another. The outdoor areas get repetitive very quickly. The game also suffers a similar fate as Gears Of War; there's just not enough colour. Everything is very desaturated and drab. However there are some good set pieces every now and again, and despite the extreme linearity and drab colour palette, their is always plenty of detail on screen. You won't find bland cube rooms here like F.E.A.R. had. With the engines lighting abilities, the game does look quite good.
The difficulty level is the main issue. Too often you're madly running to each team-mate reviving them after they died for whatever stupid reason. Their AI is abysmal. In some situations you need to shoot enemies, usually mini-bosses, in certain places to kill them. Your team-mates just don't understand this concept, nor do they try to retreat to avoid explosions. I eventually threw on the 'fast health regeneration' cheat, which made the game much easier (too easy in fact as I only died 4-5 times after that), but replaying from checkpoints over and over again because of useless team-mates is not my idea of fun.
Furthermore, there's no easy way to reconfigure the mouse buttons without hacking the config file. Which in turn, for me, broke my movement keys in relation to these little mini-games, where you have to press one of the movement keys in a certain order to proceed. Without any keys responding, I had to skip past each and everyone of those mini-games. And most of them were terrible anyway.
So overall we have a memorable storyline and setting, great set of different characters you can play with and a decent looking game. The linearity is extreme, but the difficulty level and having to replay from checkpoints ruins the game. It's only saving grace is putting a cheat on, pumping up the difficulty slightly and we've got a much better game.
I Always Looked At Jericho And Thought Of Buying It
#4763 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/07 10:17:21
But I never did, mainly cause of the reviews being so mediocre.
#4764 posted by negke [89.204.137.139] on 2011/06/07 12:43:36
Drew: Cool, I'll try to be there. Though we'll have to see if it works - my internet speed is limited to 7k/s until Saturday. :(
#4765 posted by negke [89.204.137.139] on 2011/06/07 12:45:57
Ricky: There's a demo. Gave it a try back then and it totally put me off. I think it was there that I really became aware (and got to hate) forced quicktime events.
Negke
#4766 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/07 17:15:33
make it 12.30
More Prey 2 Gameplay
#4767 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/08 18:11:45
http://www.g4tv.com/videos/53434/P...
Flash Game Roundup
#4768 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/06/08 19:54:49
Some of the better flash games I've played in the last couple months:
Realm of the Mad God -- a stripped-down MMO roguelike where you pretty much just shoot monsters and collect loot. Unlock player classes as you play. Free except you can spend real money to buy perks (I never have, and never will.)
Soul Brother -- a nice puzzle-platformer where your ghost can inhabit different bodies (each with different capabilities) to get past obstacles.
Lesbian Spider Queens of Mars -- a pitch-perfect retro arcade game. Also has a sort of Flesh Gordon/Barbarella vibe.
Upbot Goes Up -- a solid puzzle game with some challenging levels. I have beaten them all except #31.
Upbot Goes Up
#4769 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/08 20:30:05
WOW this game is slightly addicting. This is a fantastic puzzle game!
Soul Brother
#4770 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/08 20:33:46
is great.
Stars!
#4771 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/08 20:46:07
did any of you guys ever play this game back in the 90s?
it had like no graphics beyond a few little icons and ran as a windowed application in win3.1
very deep and complex 4x game. had hours of fun on that thing.
Good For A Laugh
#4772 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.244] on 2011/06/09 17:41:16
Need for speed : the run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a4...
I have such fond memories of the original need for speed underground, to see the series reduced to that is just..well... :(
#4773 posted by gb [46.142.7.176] on 2011/06/09 18:22:09
NFS:U rocked!
Torchlight 2 Woo!
#4774 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/09 20:55:19
http://pc.ign.com/articles/117/117...
#4775 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/09 21:17:40
soooo... quicktime event driven completely linear gta ripoff? wut?
what happened to racing for money and upgrading your car and such. i loved that in nfs underground.
Dust 514
#4776 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/10 00:08:10
This sounds absolutely astounding. WHY NO PC???
http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/...
E3 2011
#4777 posted by DaZ [78.147.103.110] on 2011/06/10 06:16:07
Lets do this dance!
What impressed you from the show this year?
My top picks would have to be battlefield 3 and Skyrim, with an honourable mention of Dust 514, ccp are batshit crazy to try something like that but it sounds very, very interesting!
"WHY NO PC" qft zwiffle, I was sad :(
Nothing
#4778 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/10 06:46:28
There wasn't even a mw3 mp trailer.
Ahh Yes, Mw3
#4779 posted by DaZ [78.147.103.110] on 2011/06/10 07:31:41
can't say I was so impressed by the single player portion they showed. After seeing New York beautifully realised in Crysis 2, mw3 looks absolutely terrible in comparison.
Waiting for some multiplayer details too I guess!
#4780 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/10 08:38:39
the concept of dust 514 is awesome. i love that it affects their other mmo as well.
DaZ
#4781 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/10 16:27:52
Yeah, the sp footage was less than thrilling. Although, I'd be willing to conjecture that 90% of the people who play duty could not care less about it's sp. :p
Space Marine
#4782 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/10 20:03:53
Looks pretty promising http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLH...
Being down on the battlefield in warhammer 40k universe sounds right up my alley.
Ooh Yeah
#4783 posted by DaZ [78.147.103.110] on 2011/06/10 20:17:18
I had totally forgotten about that one, reminds me of darksiders!
Space Marine.
#4784 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/10 21:02:46
Graphics look so-so.
Coloured lighting effects look like ass.
3rd person perspective looks awful and pointlessly detrimental.
Gameplay looks quite decent tho.
Space Marines
#4785 posted by Blitz [66.235.7.200] on 2011/06/11 04:05:56
sock is working on that, I have faith : )
Hmm
#4786 posted by nonentity [86.151.120.222] on 2011/06/11 05:33:47
Good:
Arkham City.
Battlefield 3.
Bioshock Infinite.
From Dust.
Prey 2.
Bad:
Tomb Raider (I really hope that that was just the intro/tutorial level and not entirely indicative of the overall game. I want this to be good).
Mass Effect 3.
NFS: The Run.
MW3.
Stuff I liked the trailer for but not sure how much I'll like the game (or 'Ugly' for sake of consistency):
Farcry 3 (have I ever told you the definition of insanity?).
Brothers in Arms 4.
Special award for 'wtf is the point and how/why is it even being made':
Halo 4.
I also really liked that game with original IP. You know. That one.
#4787 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/11 05:36:09
what's wrong with me3?
Bioshock Infinite
#4788 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/11 06:36:40
Forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me.
Half Life 2
#4789 posted by nitin [124.170.26.64] on 2011/06/11 09:01:29
Finally getting around to this, about 1/3 of the way in I think.
Nice game but way too much driving/boating till now.
TimeShift (2007) Review
#4790 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/11 11:04:09
If I counted all the times every game I've ever played has crashed, it still wouldn't add up to Timeshift's. This thing crashed probably every 2-3 minutes. It wasn't a game stopping crash, more a graphics crash and it would spit me to the desktop. But the game would still run so I'd just have to alt-tab back in.
During installation it gave me errors that my drivers are out of date and need updating. My drivers are approximately five years newer than this game, so there's no way they're out of date. What it really wants is for me to backdate my drivers to probably something from 2007 for it to be compatible. That's not happening; so I'm forced to play with the desktop popping up every few minutes.
That being said, the fact that I still persevered and finished this game while thoroughly enjoying it, must mean even more than normal. Indeed TimeShift could be considered slightly under-rated when you look at it's many mixed and average reviews. What I'd compare it to most is F.E.A.R. Sure it's missing the dark horror scares and a story, but the gameplay is very similar. While in F.E.A.R. you're forced to use bullet-time constantly during combat, TimeShift takes bullet-time one step further and turns it into proper time control. You can slow time down, completely pause time or, at some points during the game, reverse time - which is very, very cool. To balance things out from being too easy, your ability requires recharging so you can't just use it constantly. But you do need it all through the game in order to survive. The gameplay is fun and well-balanced, although the enemies and weapons could have done with some more variety.
On the other side of board, the 'looks' of the game hold up well. And this respect it completely demoralises F.E.A.R. The art direction, textures, level design all look great. The engine is well up to 2007 standards; not the best around, but adequate enough. There's also enough variety in settings that it never becomes repetitive. You battle through the usual military sci-fi settings with a bit of snow and outdoor areas thrown it, capped on either end by a city setting. All good looking with the occasional set-piece.
Overall a good looking game, decent gameplay. It's just a shame it runs so poorly with it's constant crashing.
Timeshift Was Very Cool IMHO
#4791 posted by nitin [124.170.26.64] on 2011/06/11 12:05:30
and I dont remember too many crashes. Patched up kona?
So, Duke4E
#4792 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/11 12:29:29
Has anybody tried it? I hear it's pretty crap.
It Does Look Awful
#4793 posted by DaZ [92.26.166.23] on 2011/06/11 13:09:34
wait for it to hit the bargain bins :)
Hmm
#4794 posted by nonentity [86.151.120.222] on 2011/06/11 13:15:44
My main issue with ME3 is that it appears to be a Halo game.
"We fight or we die! That's the plan".
Timeshift.
#4795 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/11 13:52:27
Good game. No crashes. Boring enemy but good gameplay with meaty-feeling weapons IIRC.
DNF
#4796 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/11 15:45:44
S'okay - I've been playing it. It's actually kinda cool and fun. It has great environmental effects.
Timeshift & BF:BC2
#4797 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/11 17:21:31
Timeshift was a decent, solid game. Had no issues with crashing though. I played it during xmas last year, it had been sitting on my shelf for years and decided to give it a spin after Singularity. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite some of the quirks here and there.
Talking about crashing, anyone here getting problems with BF:BC2? It get several random crashes whether its hangs the PC and need to reboot, or it'll CTD without any errors. Othertimes during gameplay the performance will drop considerably out of nowhere. (And I even have everyone on low just to get optimal results during MP...) I checked the official forums and it seems there are many who also suffer from this.
As a result I probably won't even bother with BF3 if this isn't looked at, doesn't guarantee BF3 will perform any better...
Hmm
#4798 posted by DaZ [92.26.166.23] on 2011/06/11 17:55:14
Could be an overheating issue perhaps, with sudden degradation of performance could be a symptom of a hardware piece throttling itself to avoid exploding :) Could explain the system hangs etc also.
Tomb Raider
#4799 posted by gb [46.142.10.125] on 2011/06/11 20:54:14
Lots of screaming. However, the game could be good. It's... novel.
TR's gameplay mechanics are solid gold at the core (no pun intended), but it doesn't always shine :-/
The only "new" TR game I'd totally recommend is Anniversary. But then that's a remake.
Lose the quicktime events though, Crystal. And I fucking hope I can BIND JUMP TO A MOUSE BUTTON THIS TIME. YOU KNOW THAT THING THEY HAVE ON PCs.
#4800 posted by gb [46.142.10.125] on 2011/06/11 21:57:51
Also, fuck publishers that wreck games. Ahem.
#4801 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/11 21:59:35
seems like the whole trend of bigger teams for fancier graphics and such just means publishers get more weight when it comes to design decisions. :(
#4802 posted by gb [46.142.10.125] on 2011/06/11 22:09:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIW...
Err
#4803 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/12 18:16:18
so how does one play Lost Coast? Finished HL2, but that doesnt seem to unlock anything.
#4804 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/12 18:18:21
You add it form your steam Library tab. Half-Life 2: Lost Coast.
What Zwiff Said
#4805 posted by DaZ [2.96.238.78] on 2011/06/12 18:30:55
It's its own seperate game on steam.
After That
#4806 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/12 18:36:16
download Mission Improbable from Planetphillip.com
Couple Weeks Ago
#4807 posted by spy [92.46.21.73] on 2011/06/12 18:38:14
started amnesia -the dark descent, so far its impressive
Alice
#4808 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/13 02:06:54
Comes out on june 14 (in north america)! Not sure if i want it in the pc or 360.
Cant Download It
#4809 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/13 03:26:04
I must be an idiot, can find the page etc but nowhere can I see a link do download/purchase/add.
Drew, thanks for the tip.
And By Download
#4810 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/13 03:29:26
I mean torrent :p. I was just informed by a friend that alice: madness returns comes with a code to download the first game on whatever platform you buy it for. Nifty. I'm getting it for thw 360, i don't have the hd space for the game.
Also
#4811 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/13 03:30:55
HL2 custom map recommendations?
Minerva and the one drew mentioned are in the queue.
Nitin
#4812 posted by DaZ [2.96.238.78] on 2011/06/13 05:52:30
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
Minerva series is by far my favourite hl2 sp release.
Research & Development is also fantastic but is far more puzzle and environment themed.
Daz
#4813 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/13 05:57:10
yeah I can get to that page but how do I add it??
Downloaded a heap of HL2, Doom 3, Quake 4 and Crysis custom stuff. Will see how they turn out.
I Wouldn't Worry Too Much About Lost Coast
#4814 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/13 06:38:40
it's quite short, and while it's a nice little coffee break sized map, it's not nearly as fun/impressive as you might think.
Also
#4815 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/13 06:39:07
let me know what D3 stuff you play and what's good
#4816 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/13 08:19:39
nitin: lost coast isn't just showing up in your 'all games' list? it's free and comes with hl2, so it should already be on the list and you should just be able to click and install it.
for me, it's right under ep2.
i don't think you can download it outside of steam.
Drew
#4817 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/13 08:20:27
there've been at least a couple of good doom3 releases here on func. check the news archive for them.
Necros
#4818 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/13 08:48:35
no it's not. I just have HL2, Ep 1 and Ep2 showing.
Yeah
#4819 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/13 17:18:46
GB reccomened some as well. still haven't finished - I just have hoarder tendencies.
@ Nitin (HL2 Maps)
#4820 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/13 19:56:56
You could try the stuff in this list as a reference;
http://www.runthinkshootlive.com/
Thanks!
#4821 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/13 22:02:45
i haven't seen some of those and they look great!
Alice
#4822 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/14 07:54:42
Pretty good so far. Very nice set pieces, lots of secrets, but almost completely linear.
So Was The Original Though
#4823 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/06/14 09:21:18
Quakis
#4824 posted by nitin [124.148.180.34] on 2011/06/14 13:27:05
yeah I found that and have downloaded almost all of the maps/packs listed there. Hopefully the standards are high.
#4825 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/14 18:49:47
played human error last night.
very cool concept and storytelling.
new assets (npc models, voice acting(!), props). usually fairly high quality. some are slightly goofy though.
mapping is so so. some areas had very poor performance (this is source engine which usually has no problems running on my machine, so it seemed like they forgot to vis the map or something) and some areas are pretty mazelike.
i also think they based this map on a real place, so there are a lot of really long corridors that lead to dead ends (where all the doors are locked) which just makes things more confusing.
i'll play some more tonight. thanks again for that link!
Painkiller: Overdose (2007) Review
#4826 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/15 03:01:04
This was originally intended to be an unnofficial fan-made mod for Painkiller. And it that respect, it's pretty amazing. That was until DreamCatcher allowed the developers to turn it into a full stand-alone game. If that meant sequel then in that respect, it's doesn't live up to sequel expectations - considering the content it's still just an addon - a double-sized expansion pack.
It's still the same engine and same gameplay - nothing has really changed since the first game. Many of the same enemies make a return, along with some new ones, some new weapons and 16 new levels.
The only big problem with Overdose is that the gameplay isn't very balanced. For instance you get to the third (final) episode, and the first two levels are probably the easiest in the entire game. Then the next level is the hardest in the entire Painkiller franchise (in my opinion) minus boss levels. The first couple of episodes you would often be forced to switch to whatever weapon has enough ammo, then when that's out switch to whatever you have left! In other words ammo is in short supply. Of course I never ran out, but I was also often forced to use weapons I didn't really like. And the weapons are another problem in Overdose; they're all fairly average. The Bonegun (Shotgun) and Crossbow are great, but the rest are not very inspiring to use. The weapons are all very similar in damage, rather than the old-skool style of shooters where you get more powerful weapons as you go.
There are lots of new enemies, in fact almost every level has a new enemy set, much like the original. And this of course is fantastic that they can not only create 16 completely unique settings most with their own set of enemies. However, the enemies actual attacks are all fairly similar. Many of them probably have the same attack, just with a new model. 90% can be taken down in two or less shots with the Bonegun. Which makes them fairly repetitive.
The engine might be a few years old now, but because each level is nicely detailed and so creative, the game ends up looking good and (only just) up to 2007 standards. Let's just say the engine has aged as poorly as, say, 2004's F.E.A.R.. There's a lot of imagination put into Overdose and the level design is almost up to the same high standards as the original - which is a decent feat considering this was originally just a mod.
End of the day, however, this isn't a mod anymore. It's marketed and priced as a full game. And as a full game it does nothing different to the original. The gameplay is slightly more unbalanced, the enemies are repetitive and the level design isn't quite as good as the original. I was always a big fan of the original
It's only worth playing if you can find it cheap, and don't go in expecting a true sequel. Two expansions packs down - two to go - at least DreamCatcher really supports it's community!
Kona
#4827 posted by megaman [88.64.183.117] on 2011/06/16 10:08:34
i like your reviews, but one thing bugs me:
You seem to be using the term "quality level design" as an equivalent to "polished visual geometry", which is really, really wrong, imho.
If somebody else reads this and starts using the term that way... Evil EA bosses will never even have the chance to understand what level design is and will start using it as a marketing term instead. Please, at least refer to the visual qualities of level design, if not switching terminology completely.
Thanks for the nice reviews!
Megaman
#4828 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/16 12:39:55
Glad you enjoy the reviews! Eventually I'll have reviewed just about every decent FPS from around 2003 and up. I actually put them all on my website... direct link here http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
And yep when I refer to 'level design' i'm talking about the visual geometry, which I suppose to those mainstream critics their 'level design' means something different. My reviews certainly aren't supposed to be compared to 'pro' reviews - I actually do them for myself, so that when I decide to play an old-skool game in 20 years time, I can read my reviews and know exactly what was wrong with each one.
Megaman
#4829 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/06/16 13:51:19
Kona...
#4830 posted by the silent [80.17.142.66] on 2011/06/16 16:49:39
...If you liked Overdose, I suggest you play Supernatural. It is a standalone conversion custom made up of a mix of Overdose and Resurrection levels and weapons. It's so much better than the originals. I played it to death last winter and imo it takes Overdose levels where they really belong.
Lots of secrets (one of the really fun things of Painkiller) are added, Tarot cards conditions are a bit more balanced and hard (not too much) and the majority of levels are VERY atmospheric, if a little bit straightforward(but hey, open level design seems to be dead in 2011, right?).
I'd love to have some opinions from people hanging around here on this mod...
Level Design
#4831 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/16 19:31:41
don't know about mainstream critics, but the term refers to the more technical aspects of making levels-- monster placement, layout and flow and sometimes small amounts of scripting. it has little to do with visuals at all.
Drew
#4832 posted by negke [89.204.137.141] on 2011/06/16 21:31:13
I miss you!!! *sob*
It's Tough
#4833 posted by Drew [98.124.27.247] on 2011/06/17 04:18:38
real life shit got really real the other day - co-worker's dad died in a car crash, so had to pull a double shift. Then some other shit... soon Negke - we'll make this happen, and it will be glorious.
The Silent
#4834 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/17 04:25:47
So are the levels exactly the same as in Overdose/Resurrection just played differently, ie different monster placement and order? Or have they actually changed the design of them?
#4835 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/17 04:31:15
So who creates the geometry, structures, architecture in a video game level if it's not the level designer? I understand that artists do the texturing and will draw up certain set pieces, but it's still the level designer that ultimately builds the structures in the level, isn't it?
#4836 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/17 05:05:57
not really. at least, not in the games you're playing, so AAA or at least near that level. it's very compartmentalized.
from what i understand, the old school doom/quake mapper who does everything except making textures (and as far back as doom/quake days, they did their own textures too) doesn't exist anymore.
when you've got a team of a hundred+, you'd rather higher a guy who's downright awesome at textures than someone who's average at everything i guess.
min-maxing in a corporate setting. :P
Kona
#4837 posted by Bal [83.204.130.118] on 2011/06/17 07:52:45
In most companies, you have level designers who take care mostly of the gameplay aspects of the levels, layout, item placement, scripting sometimes, etc. Then you have level artists, who actually build the visuals and structures, most of the time using pre-made assets made by environment/prop artists.
These three jobs kind of overlap weirdly and/or blend together depending on the company, but yeah nowadays it's rare for level designers to actually do much visual creation.
Kona.
#4838 posted by the silent [79.20.175.194] on 2011/06/17 07:56:01
Yes, same architecture, new gameplay.
That means new Tarot conditions, monster placement, loads of secrets and some minor route change. With the weapons being a mix of PK, OD and Hellgun Mod.
More Here
#4839 posted by the silent [79.20.175.194] on 2011/06/17 07:58:11
http://pkzone.org/2010/11/painkill...
#4840 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/17 08:38:48
I saw your comments on there too silent hehe. Sounds cool, although i should probably get Resurrection and play through that first, then play Supernatural :)
;)
#4841 posted by the silent [80.17.142.66] on 2011/06/17 08:44:52
I loved it.
Well, not all of the time, but imo it's well worth playing.
And I even started writing a walkthrough with some annotations about some serious design flaws you encounter ingame, when/if you get to playing it and want to share some thoughts, drop me a mail. I'd be interested in knowing what you think, given your mapping experience.
Me, I just installed resurrection+redemption. Don't have high hopes, but I'm diving in tonight.
Hmm
#4842 posted by nonentity [81.158.249.245] on 2011/06/17 15:20:53
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Hope!
Hooray!
#4843 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/17 15:24:47
Wow
#4844 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/17 16:09:00
I can't believe they said that.
#4845 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/17 16:50:12
I am coordinating with Frik to apply pressure to people at id to make that happen.
#4846 posted by Berntsen [158.38.86.242] on 2011/06/17 16:54:19
That could be pretty sweet, although I'm not holding my breath just yet. Here's hoping that if they do go forward with this though, that they also bring back a touch of old-school gameplay.
Fanboys Will Hate It Anyway
#4847 posted by negke [89.204.153.196] on 2011/06/17 17:03:40
If it ever happens, it'll be like Quake 4 is to Quake 2. And it'll be linear and scripted and with a story and dumb NPCs. And fiends will have ears and shamblers mullets and there won't be tarbabies and no secret areas and no wizmet1_2.
#4848 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/17 17:17:15
That's all fine, as long as there are tools released with it.
Why, you ask? Well, that's a stupid question.
Dungeon Siege 3 Preorder On Steam
#4849 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/17 17:23:34
If you preorder you get Dungeon Siege 1 and 2 as well - is this a good deal? Would anyone else spend $50 for all 3 Dungeon Sieges, or is my obsessive-compulsive gaming traits taking over?
Is Quake V An Other PC Game?
#4850 posted by scar3crow [131.107.0.116] on 2011/06/17 19:10:13
Carmack seems up for it
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
I Should
#4851 posted by scar3crow [131.107.0.116] on 2011/06/17 19:10:44
Read the bottom before I post!
If It's Not
#4852 posted by jt_ [174.252.194.116] on 2011/06/17 19:19:40
I don't give a fuck about it.
I Hope They Don't
#4853 posted by SleepwalkR [92.231.226.211] on 2011/06/17 21:12:05
instead, I hope they come up with something original and exciting for a change. Come on, revisiting the Quake world can only be a disappointment for hardcore fans like us. Look at what they have done with Doom!
#4854 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/06/17 21:22:58
Release Rage and it's SDK god damn it... looks like there might be some fun enemies and weaponry in that thing, and damn I want a fucking current gen FPS that is also fun to map for (or even has tools to begin with) :p
#4855 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2011/06/17 21:58:48
id has long ceased to be a company where another Quake could be done well. Don't get excited, it'll just be a cash grab that will rape your memory of a good game.
Probably As Always
#4856 posted by negke [89.204.153.229] on 2011/06/17 22:03:08
Interesting new tech, with an alibi game around it.
Hmm
#4857 posted by nonentity [81.129.152.167] on 2011/06/17 22:49:19
I think Rage looks pretty cool tbh, albeit not entirely original. It is at least original IP for iD. And will (I assume) have an SDK. Unlike Deus Ex 3 :(
And I dunno. I like the idea of a more modern update of the Quake universe. I know, gameplay wise it won't be Quake (that'd be more painkiller than any iD game you're ever going to see), too much publisher control and market awareness to release something like that. But a scripted, storied version of Q1 with pretty graphics. I'd still take that over yet more modern/near future/WW2 warfare or yet-another-dystopia (and I like post apocalyptic dystopia).
Just remember. It won't be Quake. But it might be something good.
This Will Never Happen
#4858 posted by starbuck [108.74.160.78] on 2011/06/18 00:13:49
but I'd like to see them take Quake in a more Call-of-Cthulhu direction.
You're Shitting Me
#4859 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/18 00:36:42
Why would you want that? There's already 4 call of duties, another one on the way (looking forward to that, actually), and then there's battlefield and socom, which are both duty-esque. What would duty-ifying quake bring? Quickscoping shamblers? That kind of sounds fun but i think you get my point.
Um, He Said Call Of Cthulhu
#4860 posted by Text_Fish [82.46.88.121] on 2011/06/18 00:48:18
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_C...
Haha
#4861 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/18 01:01:39
Call of Cthulhu: Modern Warfare...
I Can't Read, Apparently
#4862 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/18 01:30:06
This Is Id Software Remember
#4863 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/18 02:01:51
It will be violent. And cool. I predict that it will remain authentic. The fighting will be old-school. God I want something like STALKER but with better voice-acting and more scope. And cooler combat (passes out....)****/* (hic)
Better Voice Acting Than
#4864 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/18 02:28:43
I SAID COME IN. DON'T STAND THERE.
but quake5 is so far into the future, it's not even worth worrying about right now.
and rage looks like it'll be pretty cool at least.
Indeed
#4865 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/18 02:40:16
Rage will be at least cool and/or somehow nifty. The vids online at least show that some of the weapons don't suck, and imo the enemies were pretty cool.
Call Of Cthulhu: Blackest Ops
#4866 posted by scar3crow [98.246.139.182] on 2011/06/18 03:48:47
Soap, bring down that chopper!
Soap, get the c4!
Soap, hold still while I open the door for you!
Soap, grasp the unfathomable reaches of your futility in the wake of what lies between the feeble mind and ever dying stars!
Soap, escort the VIP!
That aside, I am moderately interested in Rage, the weapon selection looks rather satisfying (mind-control bolts + self-gibbing and turrets).
Haha
#4867 posted by DaZ [2.96.227.169] on 2011/06/18 05:10:59
+1 internets for Scarecrow :)
While I certainly hold no hope that Quake 5 would play like the Quake we all know and love, I am certainly interested to see the environments and general aesthetic re-imagined with modern technology. I think something like ziggurat vertigo in a state of the art engine with some crazy local gravity physics would be an awesome level.
Shamblers with actual fur! ;)
Rage is actually looking better and better with each level playthrough they release. The Wellspring level playthrough was the one that got me really excited for it in particular, the movement and weapons have that signature id feel to them, meaty and with real weight.
Has anyone seen or heard anything about the editor for Rage? Is it the same deal as in doom 3 where the editor is within the game itself? What about working with megatextures?
#4868 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/18 08:19:58
Has anyone seen or heard anything about the editor for Rage? Is it the same deal as in doom 3 where the editor is within the game itself? What about working with megatextures?
i recall seeing a video of this in action.
essentially it's the same as d3-- the engine is the editor.
megatexture was i think basically just painted on in the editor, so like you'd look at the terrain, pick your brush and go.
also, you could import bitmaps to paint a repeating pattern or something?
#4869 posted by Text_Fish [82.46.88.121] on 2011/06/18 10:03:22
It will be violent. And cool. I predict that it will remain authentic. The fighting will be old-school. God I want something like STALKER but with better voice-acting and more scope. And cooler combat (passes out....)****/* (hic)
If their remake of Quake 1 contains any human voices I will personally throttle everybody at ID.
#4870 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/18 13:09:55
Is Brandon James still working at id? If so, there's still hope for a properly Quake Q5.
What would duty-ifying quake bring? Quickscoping shamblers?
I have a hunch that Doom 4 will be more or less this.
#4871 posted by spy [92.46.4.227] on 2011/06/18 13:17:02
Is Brandon James still working at id? If so, there's still hope for a properly Quake Q5.
nope , afaik he's at splash damage or human head whatever
...
#4872 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/18 13:21:34
That question came 11 years too late.
2011 Is Pretty Great For Pc Games
#4873 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/18 16:45:40
I'm buying way more this year than usual:
Portal 2
Terraria
Skyrim
Torchlight 2
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Duke Nukem Forever (ok, so it's not awesome, but whatever)
Alice
Rage
Minecraft (bought alpha last year, but out of beta this year)
Bioshock Infinity (also 11.11.11?)
Normally it seems I only have one or two titles to look forward to and also end up buying a bunch of stuff that I kind of sorta wanted in the end of year sales, but there's a lot I'm buying at full price this year.
They also aren't all pc games, but it seems like the definitive version of all games will be pc at least.
I Know I Won’t Be Happy Unless They Bring Back Shamblers
#4874 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/18 18:47:34
Indeed.
I'd be happy with them trying to revisit Quake in some form. Sure it wouldn't be as good as a true remake of Quake, but I liked Doom3 and I liked Quake2 and aside from the ultra-linearity I thought the latter was a pretty good Q2 remake.
Dunno How I Missed That...
#4875 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/19 04:44:15
A Quake 1 reboot would be amazing even if it wasn't as good as the original game. I'm sure we'd all love to see what today's id could make of Quake's Lovecraftian world with their current tech. Just thinking about how it could look gives me a boner and makes me want to do some mapping.
I just hope to God that whatever they do, it doesn't become too heavily inspired by modern shooters with all their pseudo-realistic bullshit (slow movement, 2 weapon limit... story)
Forgot To Add
#4876 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/19 04:48:10
"and ultra scripted tunnel levels with rigid objectives" to list of things I hope id do not do with any potential Quake reboot. Hopefully Rage is going to demonstrate id's skill in nonlinearity (fingers crossed) and Doom 4 is going to show off their ability to take the gameplay back to the old skool (I heard they wanted to make it less of a horror and more of a shooter, but that was ages ago and I'm sure they probably changed their mind a hundred times since then.)
Call Of Duty - World At War
#4877 posted by nitin [203.214.40.95] on 2011/06/19 06:26:33
just finished this, pretty impressive really. Some of the setpieces are jawdropping. And for a WW2 shooter, I liked the feel.
Got some strange lag in some levels, no idea why as he rest of the game ran smoothly.
I Spose
#4878 posted by ijed [190.22.70.195] on 2011/06/19 07:21:40
I'm optimistic about a remade Quake1.
Not sure why though since the id of today seems to put little emphasis on design, or have the general chaos that existed in 1996 when Quake1 formed.
It'd be nice to be surprised, but I have bad memories of what was done with the rather nice Doom3 engine and initial concepts.
Quake Reboot
#4879 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/19 07:35:14
Sounded like they're were just talking about it and nothing was firm, so it could be 10 years before they decide to do a remake. Or maybe they'll decide there's more money in Rage 2 instead.
Even if the gameplay isn't like Quake, I'd just love to see the gothic, medival lovecraftian worlds in a modern engine. It'd no doubt look fkn awesome.
And making Quake more story-driven I don't think would be a bad thing. Mindcrime's movie was great.
#4880 posted by Legolas Thranduilion [4.136.24.153] on 2011/06/19 07:43:40
Le Sigh.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-imag...
Absolutely...
#4881 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/19 07:48:54
this: "Even if the gameplay isn't like Quake, I'd just love to see the gothic, medival lovecraftian worlds in a modern engine. It'd no doubt look fkn awesome."
If they could bring that bleak feel of the Lovecraftian universe as well as bringing to life some of the insane creatures Lovecraft imagined I don't think I would be too upset if the gameplay wasn't 100% authentic.
Having said that, I would like it if the game had a story that was coop compatible and didn't add too many contrivances that stop you having fun (speed running, rocket jumping etc.). It would be really great if the main game was coop compatible. Then again, Rage is doing separate coop missions based on the main game levels I think - maybe that would be fine, but I am longing to play Quake coop again.
Alice: Madness Returns
#4882 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/19 14:11:09
Just bought this and played it for about an hour and a half.
So far I'm loving the absolutely gorgeous artwork throughout the game. It might not have arse-mapping and parallax gonad tessellation, but the artwork is sumptuous - particularly the environments, which are incredibly alive with detail and colour.
The gameplay seems pretty much like the original game, but with more modern sensibilities such as enemy targeting and extremely forgiving platforming (triple jump with floating.) I quite like how easy it is so far.
POSSIBLE SPOILER
Currently I've managed to reach the first eye-pot enemy, but I don't know how I am meant to defeat him. I can dodge his attacks and hit him forever, but I don't know what I'm meant to do to beat him. Surely I don't have to just keep clicking left mouse and hitting shift for 30 minutes?
Than
#4883 posted by nitin [203.214.40.95] on 2011/06/19 14:16:19
good to hear, have been looking forward to it.
Than
#4884 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/19 15:01:07
You need to hit him in the eye with the pepper grinder. Just aim+shoot and circle strafe around him. When he goes into his pain animations hit him with the vorpal knife. Shouldn't take long.
Hmm
#4885 posted by nonentity [81.129.152.167] on 2011/06/19 15:34:57
Yeh, shoot and then stab. Then fight 3 of them and a giant baby head monster and various smaller slimes at once (combat starts getting a bit trickier from that point on basically, you'll quickly develop a love/hate attitude to the targetting system).
And yes. It looks wonderful. Even the 'weaker' bits like the starter areas to each chapter are pretty. Oh, and without spoiling too much, the in between chapter bits are a very nice touch. Will discuss more, but waiting till I actually finish it and letting the Q1 remake chat die down a little first.
Also, special mention to Alice's hair. Just sit on a steam vent and watch it...
Yeah
#4886 posted by ijed [190.22.70.195] on 2011/06/19 15:56:18
It does look very nice, and the gameplay seems to be a nice evolution over the original.
Also
#4887 posted by jt_ [24.11.39.160] on 2011/06/19 16:02:33
Don't forget about the bombs. Enemies are attracted to them. Then can be pretty useful.
Ummm.
#4888 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/19 16:06:11
<@Sundaybler> so
<@Sundaybler> alice
<@Sundaybler> no shadows
<@Sundaybler> uber low-res textures
<@Sundaybler> wtf is that all about?
Lolwut
#4889 posted by jt_ [174.252.226.171] on 2011/06/19 16:58:25
There's shadows, and even on the 360 th textures aren't Ã¼ber low, though they can look like that for a second while they're being loaded.
#4890 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/19 21:54:29
hehe, the descriptions of the monsters and weapons make me want to play. :D
Dunno Why I Was Being Such A Tard
#4891 posted by than [180.144.105.161] on 2011/06/20 16:15:56
but I wasn't even using the pepper grinder up until Vondur told me how useful it is for taking out the eyepots. I'd basically forgotten about it. Also, the eyepot seemed to be taking damage so I assumed it was a boss or something.
I've now gotten up to the part where the Mad Hatter is back up and running again, but my PC has been playing up lately and I couldn't get it started today, so I haven't played any further. I'm guessing it's quite short.
There are some quite relentless combats in the factory levels. I quite enjoyed that. Lots of platforming and nice interesting paths around the levels instead of just A-B make it feel like a game from 10 years ago, gameplay-wise. That's no bad thing though :)
Overlord/Overlord II
#4892 posted by nitin [124.148.186.121] on 2011/06/21 00:26:08
worth getting?
Yes
#4893 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/21 12:34:44
Humorous games. The first Overlord has a lot of variety concerning the locations you visit and offers a puzzle/strategy-like feel to the different scenarios. There's also several optional areas to visit and makes the world feel more open which is missing from Overlord 2. The second game mostly focuses more on the action side, which can get a bit tiresome when fighting against the Empire. Didn't have as much fun with it as the first but it's still a good game.
Far Cry 2 Again
#4894 posted by megaman [88.66.4.71] on 2011/06/21 22:56:09
sort of a mini review for cardo:
22:37 megmn: cardo imho fc2 is pretty shitty
cardo: how so?
22:39 megmn: cardo the generated missions are so generic
22:40 megmn: cardo and there's not much else there
megmn: even though there ARE a few mildly interesting locations on the map, they're just all the same regarding gameplay/setting
megmn: cardo like, you come to the cool location but there's nothing there but the same random buddies that you meet around every corner
megmn: and everything else on the map is boring
megmn: cardo it's totally NOT like stalker, where it's simply aawesome to discover new areas
22:44 cardo: i never played stalker either
megmn: cardo and everything in the gamedesign puts emphasis on the genericity of it
megmn: like the weapon decay
megmn: you cannot find a good weapon
megmn: you have to do generic missions for the weapons dealer and then buy them
cardo: and that's good or bad?
megmn: cars are totally generic
22:45 megmn: they are around everywhere, so you just don't really bother
megmn: i think there's a cool looking buggy in a few places, but ultimately it's not any different
megmn: etc
rebb: you also get attacked by at least one jeep-patrol on every mission
megmn: yep
megmn: all convoys are exactly the same all the time
22:46 megmn: there are outposts at every 2nd corner which repopulate after a while, and all are basically the same
megmn: then there are generic save houses that are also the same
22:47 megmn: sometimes they are in a cool location, but it doesn't matter, because once you cleaned up the three guys at a house, there never will be any other enemies there (so leveldesign really doesn't matter)
megmn: also, level design from a gameplay pov is meh
megmn: it basically feels like diablo at lvl 80
22:48 megmn: you've seen everything, you always do the same shit
megmn: but contrary to diablo, there are no rewards as far as i can see
Crysis 2 Dx11
#4895 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.130] on 2011/06/22 09:42:10
http://www.mycrysis.com/dx11#
Download links don't work yet, but shit son it looks pretty :)
Also
#4896 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.130] on 2011/06/22 09:45:54
22:44 cardo: i never played stalker either
Cardo! WTF!
Don't know what else to say... :P
I grabbed fc2 when it was on sale on steam, played about 8 hours then got pretty bored. I basicly agree with Megaman, by far the most irritating thing for me was that whenever you got a mission, the objective always seemed to be on the other side of the fucking map. It's the most ham fisted and annoying way to get you to travel I have ever seen.
Blacksite: Area 51 (2007) Review
#4897 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/22 10:37:49
Last year I played 2005's Area 51 by Midway Studios. It was a decent effort for 2005 which led to expectations for Blacksite that it could only be even better. Strangely, despite the title this isn't related to the first game at all. It's a complete standalone title and mostly a different setting. Not for the better and expectations were not met.
Firstly the game runs Unreal Engine 3, so it's going to be hard to make a game that doesn't look good. For sure it looks good - levels are occassionally well-detailed, although sometimes it can get bland. Textures and art is average and there aren't very many set-pieces. The layout is very linear. The main pro is that the settings are a little different to a lot of recent shooters - you spend a lot of time in the American desert where Area 51 is located. Large canyons and roads, deserted caravan parks and a massive Area 51 base. The highlight of the game for me was battling a giant octopus-like creature on top of a bridge while your helicopter circles around it with you firing furiously to take it out. Other helicopters are doing the same. I normally hate on-rails levels, but this was very epic, possibly the best on-rails battle to date. Of course once you get to control vehicles it's the normal bad-handling rubbish.
So overall the game is helped a lot by the Unreal Engine 3 and some of the different settings, but overall from a purely artistic viewpoint, it looks pretty average for 2007.
Gameplay is where Blacksite really struggles though. You only get two weapons at once, of which there's only really one weapon you'll use throughout the entire game because the rest are rubbish (apart from the mandatory rocket launcher battles); and that's your standard machine gun. You'll also spend most of your time zooming in and attempting headshots, because there's no quicksave and checkpoints don't appear very often. I only actually died in the game a few times on the middle difficulty (which they call hard). Even the final episode of three levels I didn't die at all. The final boss is possibly the easiest final boss in the history of shooters. What I'm getting at is that Blacksite is a fairly easy game. This isn't helped by enemies that just stand around getting shot at, which will be by you not your team-mates since their AI is just as bad.
Just one main weapon, checkpoints and only 4-5 different regular enemies (not including bosses) make this a game you won't be playing for it's gameplay. Nor will you play it for it's visuals unless you're running out of shooters.
Perhaps in this respect the very short length of around six hours is a good thing.
Rating: 6.5/10
Fkn GTX560
#4898 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/22 10:44:26
No mention of 'level design' this time :D
Turns out the constant freezing of Timeshift wasn't the game, because Blacksite did exactly the same thing. It's the old "display driver has stopped responding and has recovered" error message that happens every couple mins, something which 1000's of other have had issues with and it could be just about anything causing it. Any of you guys had this error before?
Spent a day trying to solve it then eventually took my GTX560 out (which is only a few months old) and put my old 8800GT in and the problem went away - no more crashing on those games. So I guess my card is faulty. Gonna take it back tomorrow and demand at worst, a new one, and at best something that ISN'T Nvidia. Probably the Radeon 6870 would be the equivalent.
The 6950 Is More Of An Equivalent
#4899 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/22 10:48:51
I've had a lot of luck with the Radeon cards lately, for once on the performance scale AMD and NVidia are totally evenly matched.
Far CRy 2.
#4900 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/22 11:14:27
45% through, really enjoying it. Megman is entirely correct about it's repetitiveness and Daz is entirely correct about tedious travelling across the map.
But it's still a good game...
The atmosphere is good and the graphics especially at sunrise and sunset are great. The setting is strong and quite different to other FPSs I've played. The combat is decent and well balanced. The way vehicles and stuff work is functional. I like little touches like being able to look at the map and look behind when you're driving and really fuck your driving up ;). Blowing things up is great fun too.
Agree
#4901 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.130] on 2011/06/22 11:27:26
The combat IS fun, I like the fires etc and the explosions feel really good, it's just there is way to much "filler" between them. There really is no reason to go and explore the world because there is really only 5 things you will find.
- Checkpoint guarded by dudes.
- Dude in a vehicle.
- Assassinate some dude mission.
- Unlock new weapons mission.
- Diamonds!
While that sounds reasonable, it feels very very predictable after a while. Every time I see another vehicle on the road, I KNOW it will attack me if I get to close, every time I approach a checkpoint I KNOW it will have a few angry dudes there. There is just no variation at all.
I think if there were friendly checkpoints or friendly vehicle drivers that would help a good deal, certainly break up the encounters better.
I do love the bolt action sniper rifle they have in there, it feels very satisfying to use!
Daz.
#4902 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/22 12:16:54
True.
I think more variety in enemies / NPCs would definitely work better with the atmosphere. The "this is a covert mission so our dudes will attack you too" is a pretty lame excuse for the world being full of hostiles. Wandering into friendly bases or established conflicts would be much better.
Far Cry 2 Is A Flawed Diamond Alright.
#4903 posted by Text_Fish [82.46.88.121] on 2011/06/22 15:20:45
But it's the flaws that make diamonds sparkle.
Sorry, that was a bit gay. But it's true. I can spend hours hapilly bouncing around Far Cry 2 in a jeep from one repetitive mission to the other. Some people find the relentlessly hostile AI tiresome and unrealistic, but I find it adds to a constant feeling of tension in the world. On top of that, I might get paralysed by malaria or have one of my weapons jam on me during a firefight, but it's oh-so-satisfying to survive something like that!
It's a game of mini-games really, but the player has to be imaginative enough to find them. I always enjoy sniping a guy from 100 yards away and then see if I can sprint after him and finish him off with the machette before he can equip his pistol. It's also pretty fun to sneak right in to the center of a large shanty town and then unleash hell to see how long you can last.
That's just the nature of sandbox games really. If you want something different around every corner you need to play something more on a rail like Biocock or Gears of Poor.
I Disagree
#4904 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.130] on 2011/06/22 15:47:58
I think games like Stalker and the elder scrolls series do open world much better than fc2. Stalker in particular as you never know what your going to find around the next corner, even if you've been to an area 100 times before, the 101st time there could be a bloodsucker hiding in a mundane corner that rips your face off when you least expect it. Or a gang of stalkers fighting off a wave of mutants that you never saw happen before. It's random and unpredictable and that is what makes it work.
I guess that is the key thing that fc2 is lacking, the unpredictable and random element of it's open world. The checkpoints are always in the same place, guarded by the same npc's. Nothing ever changes. Even something as simple as enemy patrols wandering from village to village would spice it up some, as you would never be sure when or where you would encounter them. Add friendly patrols also and perhaps some sort of war for territory and it starts to get a lot more interesting!
Maybe it's a limitation of the console hardware, keeping track of all these different elements in an open world certainly isn't cheap on the hardware side I would imagine. Maybe Far cry 3 will improve things in this regard, who knows :)
I Found Stalker A Bit "meh".
#4905 posted by Text_Fish [82.46.88.121] on 2011/06/22 16:03:13
I bought it in a Steam sale a couple of years back but I got bored after an hour and haven't touched it since. Maybe it's just one of those slow burners that you have to play for a while to get in to it, but the early weapons were unsatisfying and there wasn't a beautiful landscape to hold my attention in the meantime. I'll give it another try sometime.
As for Elder Scrolls, Morrowind is probably my all time favourite sandbox game because it does break the mould in terms of variety. Then they made Oblivion and it all felt a bit too LOTR for my tastes.
I guess the other major SandBox game to mention would be GTA, of which I had the most fun in GTA 3 because once again you had to make your own fun. These days it's all about pretend girlfriends and horribly scripted set pieces. Dull dull dull.
It's Another Flawed Diamond :)
#4906 posted by DaZ [78.147.155.130] on 2011/06/22 16:58:18
Accessibility and pacing are two of the numerous faults that stalker had. It's a curious game for me as the combat when you get right down to it is fairly boring, you basicly hide behind a wall and peek out and shoot the guy looking at you. Or just run backwards while shooting wildly and hoping for the best against mutants :)
Where it scores its biggest win though is the exploration and atmosphere, and the random unscripted elements. I swear I've never been so thoroughly absorbed into a game like I am with stalker, when its dark and storming, and i'm creeping around some barren russian facility with no idea what I'm going to find around the corner. it's pure gaming gold to me :)
Not to mention that abandoned industrial buildings are like architectural pornography to me, I'm sure that helps it's case ;) But I guess not everyone feels the same way.
GTA and Just Cause 2 (I guess) go about the open world differently I think as they give you a lot of tools to play with and make your own fun, as you said. That's probably another area where far cry 2 falls short perhaps, but I guess it wasn't the focus of the game to create a playground. Starting fire's that set off chain reactions around enemy camps is always fun though :)
Makes we wonder if the strong focus on story, setting and companions in Fc2 hurt it's open world design somewhat. It's hard to give the player some fun toys to play with when your dealing with some fairy serious and current topics regarding Africa.
Areed
#4907 posted by negke [89.204.153.224] on 2011/06/22 17:27:42
Usually I'm not a fan of realism shooter and slow gameplay where you crouch around, run from cover to cover and aim with iron sights, but it Stalker I totally enjoyed it. The atmosphere and the desolate style are great. It even let me not care about the glitches.
FC2... already forgot about it. But what you say sounds about right. Good looks, but generic gameplay that fun in the beginning but gets tedious after a while. I probably posted about it somewhere in this thread.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
#4908 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/22 17:50:15
The first game (shadow of chernobyl) is even better if you install the oblivion lost mod. It just nicely tweaks a lot of things like the gun-handling, and fices a lot of the broken story stuff that was in the game.
I loved all three of the Stalker games. It is a game which I often think about playing over and over (though I never do) just because I am convinced that there was a lot of stuff and exploring which I didnt manage to do the first time round.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
#4909 posted by PuLSaR [93.81.207.10] on 2011/06/22 19:43:09
had a mixed feeling about that one. on the one side there's fantastic atmosphere and sense of place, those abandoned industrial buildings made me want to explore them because i just enjoyed wandering thru them. and nights were very moody. but on the other hand the gameplay was not my cup of tea. combat is slow and hard, quests (apart from the main line) were boring and repetitive, so after 1/3 of the game i focused on the main quest only.
i'm sure the game has found a plenty of true fans.
#4910 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/23 10:26:07
Solved my game freezing issues by turning my GTX560 clock speed from it's factory 900 to 800. Thanks Gigabyte.
#4911 posted by negke [89.204.153.169] on 2011/06/23 10:30:25
How did you do that exactly? Might solve my 460 freezing issues too.
You Can Use
#4912 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/23 10:37:01
AMD GPU Clock Tool to set graphics cards clocks.
#4913 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/23 13:03:12
I used Evga Precision - it does memory, shader and fan speed as well which is handy.
Homefront $25 On Steam
#4914 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/23 20:27:23
Good? Worth $25? Yes? No?
Team Fortress 2
#4915 posted by Bal [90.44.96.56] on 2011/06/24 07:55:59
The best multiplayer hat simulator of all time, is completely free to play now on Steam. Those silly ignorant fools who have never gotten around to playing it should do so now.
Oh And
#4916 posted by Bal [90.44.96.56] on 2011/06/24 08:03:13
Meet the Medic
http://www.teamfortress.com/uberup...
Could Be Called
#4917 posted by negke [89.204.153.166] on 2011/06/24 14:17:56
Teen Fortress too
Not Really
#4918 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/06/24 15:20:25
#4919 posted by negke [89.204.137.234] on 2011/06/24 18:44:48
I thought with all kiddies who play it, especially now that it's free....
Okay, admittedly I haven't played it for ages, so no idea really.
Re: GPU Clock Speed
#4920 posted by negke [89.204.137.234] on 2011/06/24 18:48:37
Thanks for the tips. I appears lowering it a little does solve the issues with Crysis 2. Will have to play for a bit to be sure. Anyone got some savegames so I don't have to start from the beginnging? DAZ??? I think I got as far as that research facility with the big 'aquarium window' in the hall.
Sure
#4921 posted by DaZ [78.147.105.102] on 2011/06/24 21:13:22
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33279452/S...
I think these are the right files, put them in C:\Users\**name**\Saved Games\Crysis2\SaveGames
Not sure what level that was so ive got savegames for all levels :)
Thanks!
#4922 posted by negke [89.204.137.234] on 2011/06/24 22:35:27
Got em.
Nothing From Me, Sorry.
#4923 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/25 01:54:54
i finished on for entar's terrain mapping thingy, but i just don't have any energy for another one.
Oops
#4924 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/25 02:01:27
wrong thread. i was responding to neg's sm pack.
Right Then
#4925 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/06/25 02:03:31
So who wants to play some TF2???
208.111.39.111
#4926 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/06/25 02:55:53
I'm raping who's ever on my server.
Karoshi Suicide Salaryman
#4927 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/06/25 04:01:06
http://armorgames.com/play/2407/ka...
Puzzle platformer with some clever puzzles, that escalate in unexpected ways.
#4928 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.119] on 2011/06/25 14:03:32
Just finished Duke Nukem 3D. What a fantastic diverse and fun game. I love how in pretty much each level you blow up shortcuts all throughout the map. And the subtle jokes like a pig cop standing besides a pack of donuts. The sounds and effects give a great feeling of power.
The "suck it down" lines from those flying fatties felt out of place, no other monster talked iirc.
Duke3D
#4929 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/25 15:33:38
Or DNF?
Didn't You Play DNF? Should Be Obvious That I Meant What I Wrote.
#4930 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.119] on 2011/06/25 16:26:35
Er..... No.
#4931 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/25 17:06:32
Gee I Wonder
#4932 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/06/25 17:08:53
diverse and fun game
subtle jokes
Haha
#4933 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/25 17:09:59
What a biggot.
Aside From The Review Comments
#4934 posted by rj [86.0.166.158] on 2011/06/25 17:46:47
i thought it was obvious based on the facts that (1) it wasn't posted in the DNF thread and (2) he wrote 'Duke Nukem 3D'
Also Because It's Spirit
#4935 posted by megaman [88.64.177.139] on 2011/06/26 18:01:23
Have you seen him playing a newish game?
Kona
#4936 posted by negke [89.204.153.204] on 2011/06/27 10:34:53
You're my hero. Lowering the clock speed to 580 I could play Crysis 2 without any freezes. I wonder what this means - a glitch in the card, insufficient or unbalanced PSU, some incompatibility?
I Think It Means AMD's Cards
#4937 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/27 10:59:15
Are better :)
Right
#4938 posted by negke [89.204.153.230] on 2011/06/27 11:39:31
It's always the brand one does NOT currently have.
Lol - TBH
#4939 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.175.149] on 2011/06/27 11:59:29
Im talking rubbish. The NVidia Cards have more stable drivers, and in a lot of games they give more stable framerates. For example on Crysis my 5850 gives avg. 28-29 fps, and a GTX 460 will give 24-25 fps, but the NVidia card will only deviate by +/- 2-3 fps, whereas the Radeon card will sometimes go as low as 19, but it will go higher sometimes too, like 32-33 fps. So the NVidia card give a more stable framerate (and a more fluid gaming experience) even though it has slightly less raw power.
The Radeon 6-series and the NVidia 5-series are very close performance wise, which is maybe why NVidia have been a little over zealous with the clock speeds.
Negke
#4940 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/27 12:19:20
Yeah it's weird aye... my card shouldn't be overclocked, i've never done anything with it. But on Timeshift and Blacksite it would start freezing after 10mins and Crysis in about 30secs even on medium settings. I tried tonnes of things to try and fix it that people had mentioned (of course no one mentioned clock speed) and was on the verge of taking the card back to the shop, then as a quick last resort turned the clock speed down 100 and it completely fixed everything. Crysis on very high without any problems at all. Why a card should be a complete piece of freezing shit at factory clock speed then run perfectly by lowering it 10% I don't know. They must have just had it too high, but then the temp was fine on it even at slow fan speed. My PSU is new and 700w so should be plenty.
In older games, even Far Cry, it doesn't freeze at all. But then I can get my old card an 8800GT and it's able to run Timeshift/Blacksite without any freezing when the 560 can't at factory speeds.
Oh and Crysis with max settings and natural mod looks pretty fkn sweet! Shame about the gameplay. I'll do a review in a day or 2 once i'm finished.
Crysis (2007) Review Part 1
#4941 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/29 04:03:03
Ah Crysis, my beautiful shiny brand new toy which, doesn't work very well. At it's release regarded as the best graphics in a game ever. For this review I should state the I played Crysis (for the first time) with everything set to Very High and with the Natural Mod added for that extra eye candy. So this is Crysis at it's very optimum.
Firstly I'm not sure how much of a difference the Natural Mod makes. But loading the first level without it looked good, then reloading with Natural Mod looked absolutely awful. All colour was gone, there was little contrast and it was quite hard to see. However the first level starts at night and, apparently, Natural Mod works best during day. I'm sure it does, because once the day finally shone bright ten minutes later it indeed looked fantastic.
But enough about the Natural Mod. Being that it's only been a few months since my first playthrough of FarCry, I'll be heavily comparing the two. Sure they're three years of development time apart, but Crysis could quite easily be considered FarCry2. The settings and gameplay are the same.
FarCry took outdoor design to whole new level. The island paradise setting was fantastic. But FarCry had it's flaws. The first of which was that for a game famous for it's beautiful scenery, there were far too many bland, ugly indoor levels. The outdoors levels were more memorable because there simply weren't enough. Crysis fixes this problem with only 2 out of 11 levels taking place indoors. The first of which, Core, is the inside of an alien mountain where a spanner is thrown in the works by making it zero gravity. And the indoor areas are quite huge anyway. The other is Reckoning, the final level on a ship with it's claustrophobic corridors. But at least it also has an epic battle on the deck. Ignore the brief but painful flying level Ascension and you've got 8 sprawling, unique, scenic adventures around this huge island.
Beaches, jungles, a military port, a mining complex (with just a little indoor action), snowy winter lands; it all combines to make one fantastic gaming setting. The problem is there are fewer set pieces here that in FarCry. Or fewer moments of awe. What I believe is the cause is that Crysis is much flatter than FarCry. There's not enough height to the game. In the predecessor there were moments where you'd be standing mountaintop gazing upon valleys and beaches below. The rope bridge, the hand glider, the lighthouse. Crysis just doesn't have this. Sure there's a few scenes such as Awakening, where a giant distant mountain is falling apart before your eyes. Or Assault where you're looking out across a bay to an enemy base under assault. Sure the graphics in Crysis are a big step up from FarCry, but these moments of awe, the truly memorable levels are lacking. Instead there's a lot of flat battles from village to village.
But that's only one small nitpick on a game that looks utterly amazing. This engine is capable of breathtaking scale as well as extraordinary detail on every piece of plant life.
Crytek have sensibly added quicksave to Crysis, another bad decision in FarCry. And the one thing that nearly ruined FarCry for me was the difficulty by the end of the game. Crysis isn't so bad. It does still have issues with it's final battle as it can be very frustrating when projectiles are constantly raining down on you and you can't even see where it's all coming from. But that's more an issue of a certain enemy in the game, the aliens, which I'll get into next.
Gameplay. And this is what I'm talking about when I say my shiny new toy doesn't work very well. This isn't the kind of game like Painkiller: Overdose or Timeshift where you can run through blasting those Korean bastards back to... Korea (Koreans are your human enemy in Crysis). Crysis is strategic. Typical gameplay scenario: creep around in the bushes until you get close enough to the next enemy village. Draw their attention, perhaps spray a few bullets then run like hell back to some cover and wait for said enemy to wander over. Kill a couple, then sprint further away to more cover before you're ass up in blood. Crysis human enemies take you down VERY fast, and you're usually outnumbered. It's not so much a hugely difficult game, you've just got to play very carefully and strategically. Sorry Crytek, but that just isn't that fun. And to poke a stick further into the wound, you're weapons are lackluster. The machine guns, even with zoom scope pointing directly at a Koreans head, are extremely unreliable at doing a proper headshot. No headshots in a strategy game? Bad call.
Crysis (2007) Review Part 2
#4942 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/29 04:03:49
The shotgun is decent, but not always useful since these are outdoor levels. Apart from handguns and rocket launchers saved for blowing up vehicles and 'copters, that's really all you get for fighting humans - both ridiculously bound to the same god damn key of which you can only carry two weapons at a time! You get to some cooler weapons later on such as the minigun, gauss gun (a big ass shotgun) and the infinite ammo alien weapon - but again they're all bound to the same key so you have to get rid of your fall back weapons the shotty and machine gun.
Now to the alien section of the game. I know this review is getting long, but it's an important game in the history shooters so I want to go in-depth. The Core takes you to an alien base built within the mountain and earth. It looks amazing. In fact it's the creepiest, most unique alien level I think i've ever played. Then the aliens turn up and ruin it. They look good - large floating octopus type aliens. But their attacks can be a little annoying. I do give Crytek props for changing it up though. It was a great twist to the game to give it some variety and differentiate from all the other realistic war shooters ala MOH and COD... neither of which come close the visual feast of Crysis. The snow level that came next was brilliant, and scary. However fighting octo-aliens inside a cramped battleship was not good. And the octo-alien is what i'm talking about in the last battle as I'm trying to concentrate on shooting the fat mothership while these bastard aliens just keep shooting at me and I can barely follow them in the sky since they move so fast.
Nevertheless, I'm glad the aliens did make their presence known because it did make the game more memorable; both from a storyline and gameplay perspective because another few levels of insane-strategy play against human enemies would not have won me over. Still, it's a love hate thing with the aliens for most players.
Okay so let's wrap this up. Crysis is a fantastic looking game. The Crytek engine is one of the best around, and certainly the best i've seen at doing outdoor scenery. There are players around who think this games' graphics are overrated. But for 2007, at least with everything maxed out, Crysis looks at the top of it's game. It's a shame that, just like FarCry, the gameplay isn't as polished. Inaccurate weapons and weapons limits, tough enemies and average aliens combine to make this a game that you won't be playing for it's gameplay. No, this is a game for the players that eat up beautiful environments and graphics. At least for a while because Crysis is quite a short game. I'm one of those players, so for me Crysis is a great game.
Rating: 8.5/10
#4943 posted by gb [46.142.35.234] on 2011/06/29 07:26:09
Absolutely wrong. Gameplay is the highlight of Crysis.
You don't have to play it sneaky; this is just the first impression that you get. Once you get more used to the game, and to the suit powers, you can go all out and absolutely annihilate enemies. You can fight groups of aliens out in the open with a shotgun. You can mow down an entire group with a vehicle mounted MG. You can cloak in the middle of your enemies. This is something that only comes with time though.
The assault rifles aren't inaccurate at all; you just have to go prone and/or use strength mode. Did you try the sleep darts?
The aliens are awesome IMO, as are the scenes where you have to defend some point against a horde of them. Intense stuff.
You can't play this like Quake, but it is one hell of a great shooter game.
Rest assured though that my first impression was the same as yours; I thought it was a stealth game because I found myself using the cloak mode so much. But it really isn't that kind of game.
I agree about the 3D-ness of Far Cry and that it's lacking in Crysis. It is pretty flat, true.
Give it a replay in a couple months.
Gb
#4944 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/29 08:39:14
The main power I used with the suit was speed. Didn't find the rest anywhere near as useful. The shield was okay but you end up too damn slow. The invisibility thing I actually didn't use all that much. Maybe 5 times the whole time. Speed was awesome though. I didn't use strength much as I figured it only related to fist fights not weapons. Or does it actually make all weapons more powerful? That's cool if it does!
I didn't go prone much either, but i'll try that more if it makes the weapons more accurate. I didn't find them accurate otherwise, I don't know many times I repeatedly shot cunts in the head only to find them still standing. I eventually ditched the submachine gun to return to the FY-71 because the recoil was so bad.
But anyway I've got all the custom maps and mods to play through next, so I'll get more used to it. Playing Crysis through once isn't really enough to know everything about the gameplay - it's a pretty short game.
#4945 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/06/29 09:28:02
Wow almost all 6 pages of Crysis mods on moddb.com are dead.
Any good Crysis single players maps or mods out there to play?
Crysis Maps
#4946 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/29 12:51:45
I'd recommened checking out www.crymod.com for such stuff, but their downloads section is no longer up right now (updating) Might be worth browsing the forums.
If you like adventure/puzzle, The Call of the Fireflies mod isn't bad. Wrote a review for it here. The Worry of Newport is another, Moddb
Crysis 2
#4947 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.233.0] on 2011/06/29 13:01:19
I found Crysis 2 had refined a lot of the gameplay stuff, they made the suit-powers easier to maximise their use aswell. And I installed the DirectX11 patch and Hires texture patch (both official patches) yesterday, and there are still crusty stains in my pants. Like W0W!
So have either of you guys played Crysis Warhead yet? I find Warhead to be better than Crysis because of better graphics and more intense battles. And Psycho is a little more charsimatic than Nomad.
Cryxxx
#4948 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/29 13:35:48
Far Cry - excellent
Crysis - more excellent
Crysis Warhead - installed but not started
Crysis 2 - waiting for price to come down
On A Related Note
#4949 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.80] on 2011/06/29 17:09:46
The crysis 2 sandbox editor is being released today, which is why Crymod.com is down for maintenance I think.
\o/
Crisis In My Crysis
#4950 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.80] on 2011/06/29 17:13:34
I enjoyed Warhead but it did feel like a much more "standard" fps, it lacked a lot of the grandeur and open feel of Crysis. A few of the levels felt downright linear in my opinion, and some of the turret sections were tedious. It doe's have some great moments though, the frozen sea area was very cool.
I'm on my 5th (!) playthrough of Crysis 2 now that the dx11 stuff is out, this game is like crack, it's so fucking good!
Cryengine 3 Sandbox
#4951 posted by DaZ [92.26.174.80] on 2011/06/29 18:29:40
http://www.mycrysis.com/download/C...
The site is getting hammered so just use that link :)
Duke3D
#4952 posted by negke [89.204.153.226] on 2011/06/29 18:49:25
I replayed this per Spirit's recommendation. Last time was 15 years ago and I didn't really like it then. This time around I totally enjoyed it, however, and agree with his verdict.
The levels are not very large, but there's lots of potential for exploration and nonlinear progression. Often the way to proceed is not immediately clear, but then you find a way by blowing up a wall or using the jetpack. This was probably all intented but it made me feel smart.
Most of the levels have an insane number of secrets, both marked (=with message/stats, sometimes up to 10) and unmarked, and the way you can create shortcuts and make the map more interconnected by blowing stuff up is pretty cool. Apparently there's TNT in the flame extinguishers.
I now see how this game allows for lots of excellent custom maps.
#4953 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/06/29 22:22:57
I now see how this game allows for lots of excellent custom maps
The best thing about mapping for Duke3D though is the varied and diverse texture set, and the insane number of ways in which you can use them, then throw in some palette changes and spritework. Best vanilla assets I've worked with so far.
#4954 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/06/30 02:24:03
and on top of that, building basic areas is simple like doom. just trace some lines out and boom you've got all kinds of shaped rooms and corridors.
Hmm
#4955 posted by nonentity [81.129.154.154] on 2011/06/30 06:50:52
Including ones that break the laws of physics. Or at least utilise more dimensions than the usual 3.
New Rage Video
#4956 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/30 20:18:42
/hard-on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2US...
Also
#4957 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/30 20:34:20
Steam Summer Sale starts today.
/hard-on
http://store.steampowered.com/
Thanks For The Heads Up
#4958 posted by negke [89.204.137.192] on 2011/06/30 20:51:28
Though as usual the Euro prices/discounts are unfair compared to the other currencies and for Germans many games are unavailable.
I'd love to get the id Super Pack this time. And I'm so going to approach someone of you for another 'gift' deal... ;)
Rage.
#4959 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.173] on 2011/06/30 21:03:22
Am excited, will buy.
M2
#4960 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/06/30 21:13:45
definately
Yes
#4961 posted by DaZ [92.26.170.205] on 2011/06/30 22:28:51
I'll step aboard this bandwagon! ;)
Torchlight 2
#4962 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/06/30 22:43:31
And also the commentator guy looks remarkably like czg.
http://www.gamespot.com/shows/now-...
czg are you him???
So If I Get Oblivion
#4963 posted by nitin [124.148.156.23] on 2011/07/01 00:07:01
how many hours down the drain am I looking at?
#4964 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/01 00:31:07
Several hundred maybe? Depends on if you actually beat it and explore.You can beat the main quest pretty easily, but everything else is going to take you quite a while.
#4965 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/01 04:32:49
I've been wondering the same thing nitin. I don't want to play it if it's 200 hours - I get sick of a game after 10 hours normally.
#4966 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/07/01 04:44:39
This game is a lot of fun exploring. There's a ton of stuff to do. It's not like the same thing for 20 hours - there really is a huge variety of things to do in the game.
Hmm
#4967 posted by nonentity [81.129.154.154] on 2011/07/01 04:54:04
Floating ! on people's heads :(
Oblivion
#4968 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/01 06:10:02
it really depends on what kind of gamer you are. if you stick to the main quest, i think it's over in a few hours. 10 maybe? if you do a few side quests, it can stretch to 15-20ish.
it's only if you start downloading mods and really exploring the entire map that you start to look at 50-100+ hours.
otoh, some of the best moments in the game for me was while exploring. sometimes without even a quest as a goal. just bought the fastest horse and started in a direction. :P
also, there's this great zombie mod that simulates a zombie apocalypse, complete with towns slowly becoming infected and spreading to other towns. the cool thing is that no matter what happens, you can just reset the mod and have everything back to normal when you get bored of it, without loosing your game.
Ok
#4969 posted by nitin [124.168.96.53] on 2011/07/01 13:22:25
I think I'll play it causally and if I like it, we will see :)
Am I correct in remembering a couple of recommended mods?
Nitin
#4970 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/07/01 14:12:16
Reddit has this thread
http://www.reddit.com/r/oblivion/c...
Oblivion
#4971 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/07/01 15:57:48
necros, I played it 100 hours without any mods (except for a few UI enhancements), I must be weird. :)
By The Way...
#4972 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/07/01 15:58:01
Can't wait for Skyrim!
You ARE Weird.
#4973 posted by negke [89.204.137.133] on 2011/07/01 16:37:38
So is Kinn. But yes, a game like Oblivion takes time, especially if you explore every inch of. This is weird, because there are many duplicate areas (dungeons, caverns, Oblivion realms) that become boring to visit after a while.
An excellent and highly recommendable mod that was posted here some time ago is Nehrim.
I haven't followed Skyrim or watched any trailers, but I'm up for it too. Also, Risen 2 is due at the end of the year.
Yeah...
#4974 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/07/01 16:51:48
Nehrim was nice, and I'm really looking forward to Risen 2, yar! Especially after the disappointment that was Gothic 4.
Apparently This Happened
#4975 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/01 21:02:16
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
I think I will be purchasing Crysis 2 if it goes on sale ...
Sandbox 3
#4976 posted by DaZ [78.147.151.153] on 2011/07/01 22:02:50
I've been messing with it and its very very similar to sandbox2 for the first crysis.
A nice thing Crytek did is include the maps for most (if not all) the single player, so you can see how they made it. Very handy!
Zwiffle
#4977 posted by Bal [83.204.218.254] on 2011/07/01 23:39:31
Stand alone version is still supposed to come out in August.
Canadian McGee's Alice
#4978 posted by negke [89.204.153.141] on 2011/07/02 21:46:18
Out of extreme boredom I'm replaying this, as my copy of Madness Returns hasn't arrived yet. The levels are pretty crude, the Q3 engine obviously wasn't used to its fullest potential. Then again, okay 11 years ago and target specs... The chess castle levels, however, are awesome. Love the theme/style. I so hope I'll get to do my ever-imagined b/w abstract map some time...
Fear 2 & Reborn DLC
#4979 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/07/03 01:23:14
Finally got around to playing this and I enjoyed them immensely. Game generally 'feels' so right and smooth both visually and with combat, just like it did during Singularity for me. The mech sections were neat and I loved how you're not exactly forced to use it. One hatred I have for games is forced vehicle and turret sections. Unfortunately, this has a couple of turret segments, but they're very spread out. What makes these annoying (on Hard) is the inability to defend yourself other than being quick, kinda gets old repeating this segment several times just to get through it. I'd prefer them to be optional. As for the levels, I adored the first location with all the modern architecture and design going on. There tends to be a lot of underground stuff, ruined cities areas and levels which drag out a specific theme for some time - but I didn't exactly get bored either. The DLC isn't too bad, more of the same in a few different locations and also remained a good romp.
Now I'm tempted to grab Fear 3.
#4980 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/07/03 07:02:18
I thought Alice was Q2-based.
Nope
#4981 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/07/03 07:47:52
Based on the fakk heavy metal engine.
Hmm
#4982 posted by nonentity [81.155.122.85] on 2011/07/03 08:12:42
Is the FAKK engine anything like the Q3 engine?
Yeah...
#4983 posted by Bal [83.204.157.103] on 2011/07/03 10:48:17
The FAKK engine IS the Q3 engine.
#4984 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/03 19:54:55
fakk is q3 but also has extra stuff, i think for model animation. i think it used md4 skeletal animation that was present in q3a, but not used.
#4985 posted by sikkpin [76.120.193.33] on 2011/07/03 20:03:23
Yeah, FAKK was Q3A + ÜberTools
http://www.ritualistic.com/content...
#4986 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/04 02:36:17
Speaking of q3 engined games, did anyone ever buy the full version of Dark Salvation? http://www.darksalvation.com/index...
I remember the demo being shit, but it might be an ok game.
Looks Like It's Free
#4987 posted by erc [195.174.19.188] on 2011/07/04 12:05:38
http://www.darksalvation.com/order...
#4988 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/04 12:26:18
wow it is too. 6 months ago they were still charging for the digital version. guess no one was buying it. looks like i'll play it at some stage then :)
Dark Salvation
#4989 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/05 08:29:22
Downloaded it and found the first level is the same as the old demo, which was too hard to finish. You need to bunnyhop to get through the first door in time, then in the next room a misplaced jump send you back to the start of the level because there's no quicksave or autosave, and back to the fucked up bunnyhop room. Both rooms of which looked like utter shit. I'd have thought they would have fixed this after the demo.
I wonder if anyone on earth has actually completed this game, apart from the guys who made it.
Just played Call of the Fireflies for Crysis which had cool puzzles. Proper puzzles like those = good. Bunnyhopping onto platforms = shit.
If the first level is this bad, and the intro was the worst i've ever seen, then this is probably the shittiest FPS ever made. Despite the cool gothic look.
My Thoughts Exactly-
#4990 posted by erc [195.174.19.188] on 2011/07/05 09:51:43
Gameplay is seriously problematic. Not worth the time.
#4991 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/05 19:26:42
if there was a save, it sounds like it would have been at least decent...
Oblivion
#4992 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/07/06 10:52:44
Hopefully another nice full mod in the vein of Nehrim :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoT...
Hopefully for them (and me :D) they can release it before Skyrim.
#4993 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/06 17:10:20
Oh nice there will be an English version!! Not only do I need to play Nehrim but I also need to FINISH Oblivion, and also play through Morrowind.
#4994 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/07/06 18:24:43
That looks nice! And I haven't even got around to Nehrim yet which I've been planning to. Brings back the feeling of Morrowind to Oblivion, especially with the Dwemer ruins. I should reinstall Oblivion ASAP. Keeping my eyes on this.
Where Is
#4995 posted by Drew [98.124.27.104] on 2011/07/06 19:22:39
the best place to dl Q2SP maps? Like Spogsp, for example.
#4996 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/06 19:44:08
and also play through Morrowind.
even to this day, i still have better memories of morrowind than oblivion.
Q2SP
#4997 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/07 06:55:04
Drew, I'd visit http://tenfourmaps.telefragged.com...
Can't think of anywhere else that still lists Q2.
Or even try my site on this page: http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
This has a list of most Q2SP maps worth playing, but the links could be outdated now.
Need Working Links
#4998 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/07 07:33:46
not on my real comp now but pretty sure the 104 ones are non funcitonal?
Drew
#4999 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/07/07 08:41:11
use 10-4 for reiews, this might help for downloads.
http://www.gamers.org/pub/idgames2...
For Example
#5000 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/07/07 08:42:58
spogsp1 is in the spog directory.
Question
#5001 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/07 17:18:18
I downloaded R1Q2 because the regular engine does not work on windows 7, apparently. It seems that it's sp only though. Am I wrong there? Any reccomendations for alternative engines? What is the fitzquake of Q2?
And for that matter, what is the fitz of Hexen 2?
#5002 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.136] on 2011/07/07 17:26:12
http://www.yamagi.org/quake2/
Thanks
#5003 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/07 17:28:18
R1Q2 sourceport has sp, I'm just a dink I guess.
Drew
#5004 posted by erc [195.174.17.156] on 2011/07/07 17:56:44
Try Hammer of Thyrion for Hexen II, it's near-perfect.
New Rage Video..thing
#5005 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.99] on 2011/07/07 18:49:59
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1H...
Lots of new footage, especially of environments. I'm getting quite excited now :) Some of those areas looks drop dead gorgeous
#5006 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/07 18:53:53
Yeah I saw that, October can't come soon enough. But I'm sure I won't have beaten the SHIT FUCK TON of games I need to play atm, but Rage really is on my top 5 list right now. Only a month before Skyrim...
Rage Vid
#5007 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/07 23:49:23
looks awesome. i like the rocks
Installed The Files For Hammer Of Thyrion,
#5008 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/08 02:19:32
but, like the vanilla variant, it is not working with vista... probably just my computer skills again.
anyone know if you can make steam automatically launch a sourceport instead of vanilla? It's much nicer than having a desktop brimming with icons.
Yarr
#5009 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.99] on 2011/07/08 03:20:00
Steam -> library -> add game (bottom corner) -> add non steam game
Right
#5010 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/08 04:13:02
duh
Planetside 2
#5011 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.99] on 2011/07/08 05:41:56
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBC...
YARR!
#5012 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/07/08 06:23:37
Dunno, doesn't look all that exciting and I didn't play Planetside 1. =/
Heh
#5013 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.99] on 2011/07/08 07:58:39
I'm probably thinking back to Planetside with the rose tinted spectacles of +4 nostalgia ;)
But it was really quite something back in the day, like battlefield only with hundreds per side. If SOE don't balls up this sequel it could be something quite special!
Just Bought
#5014 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/08 13:27:35
Darksiders. Looks like fun.
Also Picked Up Entire
#5015 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/08 14:13:49
Stalker series.
Now to find the time...
They Are!
#5016 posted by DaZ [78.147.157.126] on 2011/07/08 16:51:31
I would recommend an xbox pad for darksiders however, the combat feels a lot better when using a pad to control it (one of the few games I feel comfortable saying that about!).
To be fair I only used the kb controls for a few minutes so maybe they are not so bad :)
Have fun with stalker :), SOC is awesome, clear sky not so much, and COP is awesome also. I think the first one is my favourite, so many good moments I remember having, one of the most atmospheric games I have ever played.
#5017 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/08 17:05:25
Yeah so Planetside 2 seems to be a direct remake of Planetside with some new mechanics to fix broken things from the first one like generated missions.
Bioshock Infinite
#5018 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2011/07/09 00:35:45
Looks like it might be a diversion from the general meh-ness of games/first person shooters:
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/08/...
While I'm not a 100% sold on the art style it still seems a lot more interesting than all the generic stuff being pumped out.
(oh, and that rage stuff looked pretty nice too)
Daz
#5019 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/09 01:57:58
yeah I have a gamepad I've been meaning to try but havent yet found a game I preferred it on. Will give it a go.
Cold Stream (Beta)
#5020 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/07/10 05:12:13
Just played through the Cold Stream beta campaign in l4d2, and it was pretty damn good for the most part. HDR was very nice in some spots. The last level was kinda bleh, mostly because the bots weren't doing much, the nav mesh probably isn't done or something.
There should be a l4d icon.
So Why Do All The Stalkers
#5021 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/10 07:30:31
run like dogs??
The gfx look good but not that good compared to other games which run fine.
Alpha Protocol
#5022 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/07/10 18:55:26
It's been out for a while, but I'm finally getting around to playing this, and it's really pretty fantastic, and I'm sad that it got shitty enough reviews that it looks like there's not going to be a sequel.
You're "the new guy" at the titular ultra-secret government agency, and you're first sent to Saudi Arabia to investigate stolen missiles, and then, when that's resolved, sort of, you have three safehouses in Taipei, Rome, and Moscow from which you can take a number of missions in any order you wish as you progress through the game, level up skills, and try to get to the truth behind a fairly complex plot and and broad cast of trustworthy (or not-so) individuals.
Good stuff:
-various ways to approach gameplay, depending on your specializations. Great feeling of progression as you increase your skills.
-various plot twists and aspects of the game that you may or may not ever even see with one playthrough, depending on the choices you make.
-very good VO (for games anyway), and an interesting dialogue system wherein you select the general "tone" of your response and see how it plays out.
-combat is fun and generally pretty forgiving, if not groundbreaking.
-the levels look good (UE3).
Not-So-Good Stuff:
-pretty iffy UI; you can tell this was made for a console first. (Which actually makes a few of the mini-games significantly easier on PC). Speaking of poor conversions...
-quite poor job of handling keybindings and suchlike, to the point where if a key does multiple things, it will sometimes only rebind *some* of those things, and you have to figure out what proper (default) key to use on others. There's even one tutorial where you are specifically told what (WRONG) keys to use. I had to go look up online what the right ones were. :( If you're going to play on PC, be prepared to get really pissed at the hacking minigame until you figure out wtf.
Highly recommended. I haven't finished it yet, but I probably will today/tonight.
L4d
#5023 posted by Drew [216.168.120.219] on 2011/07/11 13:11:17
finally got l4d and l4d2. playing through, SP style since everyone else out there has beaten it a billion times and is on to difficult mode by now, I'm sure. only two campaigns in, but I think I'm fully addicted.So far I've completely avoided all witches because I'm absolutely terrified of what dealing with them might entail. no spoilers please - just sayin.
The only thing is that the bots seem a little too good at times for me. And NEVER use explosives, ever.
Pikced Up Borderlands
#5024 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/11 13:49:25
and the two latest PoP games too. I'm now officially a games hoarder!
Nitin
#5025 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/07/11 15:24:29
lol amateur
#5026 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/11 18:32:06
i liked borderlands. :) i didn't bother with all those addons, but the main game is quite fun.
Stalker
#5027 posted by gb [46.142.35.133] on 2011/07/12 14:22:36
I grabbed S.T.A.L.K.E.R. off the bargain rack on a whim. So far I'm somewhat under impressed, I got the idea that everybody hyped this game so much, but it really isn't very interesting.
The atmosphere is sort of nice, but right now bandits are respawning all over the map, faster than I can loot their corpses, and I just run out of ammo. Apparently it's not possible to "clear out" a level, which diminishes the feeling of achievement. I don't like the bleeding/bandage crap either. Nor the fact that you have to eat in this game. Clicking on a sausage is neither very fun nor very engrossing. And having to use the inventory screen to equip another weapon is just horrible (say you're under fire and run out of ammo, do you want to fuss around with the inventory while they take pot shots at you?). Same for the carrying limit and the fact you simply cannot move when you're burdened. How are you gonna move the loot to the trader when you can't carry it?
I also forget to save, and in this game you have to save all the time. Can't stand shooters without checkpoints anymore, all the manual saving breaks the immersion for me.
NPCs are faceless and forgettable. So are most of the "quests". You help an NPC by giving him a medpack, he becomes your friend, and a minute later he lets himself be killed by bandits (NPC AI is pretty bad, the stalkers just sit there and let themselves be shot).
The radioactivity feels like a gimmick. Hey, you have to drink vodka to cross the next 5 meters of the map! OK...
Some gaudy items in the game as well, just like in RE4. Dog's tail? All right... it tells me that some of those things can be used to create anti-radiation medicine, but I apparently can't do that myself. Or at least I haven't found out how. Just atmosphere?
The overall production value seems to be on an indie developer level. The weapon animations suck. The UI is seriously flawed (the inventory, argh...) The NPC dialogues are largely uninteresting. "Flawed brilliance"? Maybe... it's hard to trace the brilliance, though. Somewhat reminescent of Mount & Blade in that respect, only M&B was less flawed and more brilliant.
I might continue to dabble in it, but I'll also be honest and say I found even Bioshock more entertaining, despite its entire gimmicky linear art-deco adventure-ness.
Gb
#5028 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/07/12 14:36:22
http://www.moddb.com/mods/stalker-...
I enjoyed vanilla STALKER, but there are problems. I mean the game isn't Quake or Painkiller. It's gritty, realistic and unforgiving. BUT it get's irritating.
Install Oblivion Lost Mod! Just try it, it's great. It 'fixes' STALKER.
That Version ^^
#5029 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/07/12 14:58:59
Was chuggy on my Radeon card, because of the ridiculously hi-res textures. This version might be better:
http://stalker.filefront.com/file/...
There Is A Huge Debate
#5030 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/07/12 15:01:02
That publishers shouldn't release games in an un-finished state, I know this. I was really annoyed when Stalker Clear Sky came out because it was full of CTDs and even BSODs and was aloms unplayable.
But the Oblivion Lost mod is nonetheless good :)
Stalker
#5031 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/07/12 16:16:50
I feel Stalker is one of those kind of games, if you can't get immersed in the world then you probably won\t enjoy it nearly as much. I love the game (vanilla) and a while back replayed some with the Oblivion Lost mod. Very atmospheric and tense. The feeling of hiding out in an abandoned complex during night or a blowout, then suddenly I can hear a creature or bandits taking shelter. Whether or not I should fight. Managing my ammo, food and other supplies. Or even hanging out by the fire with other NPCs while one plays his guitar, and minutes later we all get attacked and fighting alongside them. It honestly all felt like a big survival adventure where everything is out to get me. It's that kind of game I can immerse myself and just play it how I see fit. And because its unpredictable what happens and how many places change, it's worth going back for other loot and possibly getting mauled by a Bloodsucker since these places are never always left empty.
I have yet to play CS and CoP though.
All This Stalker Talk
#5032 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/12 16:27:23
and no one answered my question :)
Is it just my system or does this game (in all its iterations) run like balls?
#5033 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/07/12 16:36:38
Stalker is a wierd one. I played it first time back on a (burning out) Radeon 9800 and ran perfectly fine. Upon upgrading my card, it ran like garbage and crashed everytime I stepped outdoors at the start. It wasn't until I got an extra gig of ram would it run well again. So I couldn't really say, perhaps the latter...
Nitin - What Is Your Spec?
#5034 posted by RickyT23 [86.140.233.0] on 2011/07/12 17:09:04
STALKER Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat will run slow if you set all or even most of the graphics options to maximum. Clear Sky was one of the first DX10.1 (one of the only infact) games, and CoP was one of the first DX11 games. But IIRC all of the games will downscal to a DirectX 8 level. So try lowering some settings.
And what are your specs?
#5035 posted by gb [46.142.35.133] on 2011/07/12 18:24:54
I'll try that mod.
Gb
#5036 posted by megaman [88.64.183.173] on 2011/07/12 22:19:33
you're trying to force the game into patterns (quake, diablo, etc.) you know. You won't have any fun that way.
Also stalker is a game that needs to be explored (e.g. dog feet).
#5037 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/12 22:29:51
it's not super fast like source, for example, but source is a lot simpler engine.
on a 1.8ghz cpu + nvidia gts250 it runs great, but obviously that's overkill for what the game SHOULD run at.
that said, when i first played it with recommended specs, it ran fairly poorly and i had to set it to basically run in dx8 mode.
it's still one of my all time favourite games. the atmosphere and feelings it invokes are good enough that i can pardon the miserable ai, stupid voice acting, retarded excuses for quests and occasional crashes.
playing morrowind again actually, and i've found the lack of any voice acting does not bother me one bit.
#5038 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/07/13 02:52:37
Haven't tried Stalker, but the discussion is reminding me of Thief 3. I forgave the dodgy game structure, small levels and buggy feel for the fantastic atmosphere, which I very rarely do Assassin's Creed is an example where the gameplay just pissed me off too much. Really tried to like that sucker but no. Perhaps it's better on the PC...
#5039 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/13 07:48:06
is it weird that http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file... makes me want to play oblivion again? :P
i'll have to sort of nehrim's installation because it seems to interfere with oblivion...
Necros
#5040 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/07/13 10:23:29
Hah, that looks like an awesome mod, I'll resist reinstalling Oblivion to try it though.
Kind of reminds me of Recettear, a jap style RPG where you manage an item shop selling items to adventurers
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
Ricky
#5041 posted by nitin [124.168.124.82] on 2011/07/13 15:31:30
AMD Phenom II X4 965, 3.4 GHz with 4gb ram and gtx 465.
Not super fast but can play most games at 1920*1080 at max settings including Crysis. What settings in particular should I turn down?
Stalking...
#5042 posted by DaZ [78.147.161.69] on 2011/07/13 17:28:01
All the stalker games generally don't run as well as you might expect from your pc, I guess some things about the engine are a little rough around the edges :)
In Clear Sky and COP they have an option to enable SSAO, turn that off and you've instantly saved yourself about 10-15fps for an almost unnoticeable visual quality loss.
After that, the 2nd most draining thing is the fully dynamic lighting, though it's a real shame to turn this off as it provides so much atmosphere (lightning w000000). Iirc there is a "dynamic lighting distance" slider so try messing with that instead.
Give this a read too http://www.tweakguides.com/ClearSk...
COP uses the same graphics technology as ClearSky so this should apply to that game also, apart from the new dx11 stuff in COP ofc :)
SSAO
#5043 posted by DaZ [78.147.161.69] on 2011/07/13 17:30:24
http://www.tweakguides.com/images/...
just fyi :) The visual difference is not noticeable in gameplay and it can really kill fps especially on older cards.
New Rage Vid
#5044 posted by DaZ [78.147.162.208] on 2011/07/14 17:10:26
I think this one is about guns.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STZ...
#5045 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/14 18:38:04
Chubbies on all of my penises.
#5046 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/07/14 19:56:28
wait what? rage is coming out this year? I assumed it would come out in some indeterminate future... maybe i need a new PC.
#5047 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/07/14 21:02:54
I thought it was out October 4th, 2011, but the date on the video was October 7th, 2011. Either way, yeah, it's coming out roughly a month before Skyrim.
#5048 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/15 03:18:05
Rage is looking more like a corridor shooter in that video. Where's the wow factor?
If Tim's favourite weapon is a boomerang style blade, that's not saying much for the other weapons.
Or
#5049 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/07/15 04:41:08
its not saying much about Tim.
Resident Evil 4 (PC Version...)
#5050 posted by gb [46.142.42.177] on 2011/07/15 16:04:10
Went back to another of my forever-unfinished games.
This time I knew what to expect, so used a gamepad from the start (no mouse support Capcom?!). Still, my PSX-style controller doesn't support all functions of the original gamecube one. Oh well. No analog support either.
Anyway, on to the actual game. I remember being underimpressed with this when I first played it (probably due to the PC port issues and the slightly crappy combat controls). However, after reading some FAQs I can make better use of the game's combat system now (like leg shots and kicking). It's actually enjoyable after all.
Combat and enemy design are the highlights. Good "gun feeling". Aiming is still too slow and cumbersome - Leon takes ages to turn left and right. I feel that as far as 3rd person combat is concerned, the latest Tomb Raider games offer a lot better aiming and shooting while moving (impossible in RE4). However, RE has the edge in enemy design and the locational damage system.
It's debateable if locational damage really adds much to a 3rd person game with sucky aiming, though.
Inventory is OK since it actually pauses the game and the overall number of items in the game is thankfully limited. Matter of practice. UI is also OK.
The quicktime events are really, really crappy, especially in the PC version. It's sometimes unclear which buttons are which.
The whole escort type gameplay is well done; interaction with the escorted character is well thought out. She is pretty annoying, though; her excessive screaming "Heeeeelp!" is reminescent of Jen from Prey, another damsel in distress that I found highly annoying. The sequence where you control the weaponless Ashley was just superfluous in my opinion (let's not talk about the slider puzzle - that was horrible). Who wants to control a defenseless 15 year old girl in a game that is otherwise about brutal combat? Every time she got abducted, I welcomed it because it let me concentrate on combat. At least once she was out of hearing distance. There are not many sounds more irritating than a woman's high-pitched screams for "heeeelp". Don't they realize that it really doesn't help?
The game looks, in part, shitty on PC (low-res textures and UI, very ugly and generally almost non-existant menu system). Overall the atmosphere and especially the enemy design mostly makes up for it though. A slightly "meh" experience, but the gameplay and storytelling keeps it together.
The environment design was enjoyable in the village part. Unfortunately, the castle that I've almost finished was mostly a linear corridor shooter with pillared walls and flat floors and ceilings. Almost simplistic. The hedge labyrinth that you're supposedly "never leaving alive" is ridiculously simple. Admittedly, labyrinths usually aren't good for gameplay. The sewer with the insect creatures was surprisingly short. The castle also really suffers from low-res textures and cookie-cutter corridor design.
The NPCs are pretty good in this game, even Ashley (apart from the "Heeeelp, Leon!" part). I look forward to playing Ada (and killing Saddler).
Let's hope it gets better again.
U.S. House Of Representatives
#5051 posted by Cuffie Dr Dre Beats [66.197.237.85] on 2011/07/26 09:41:58
The NPCs are pretty good in this game, even Ashley (apart from the "Heeeelp, Leon!" part). I look forward to playing Ada (and killing Saddler).
Nice!
#5052 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.56] on 2011/07/27 11:54:24
Soon there will be a Quake Injector(tm) like tool for Source maps (mostly HL and HL2 I presume) from planetphillip.com
http://www.planetphillip.com/posts...
#5053 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.56] on 2011/07/27 11:56:34
This makes me wonder if and how well the Injector works with a Steam installation of Quake. Can anybody share that information?
Hm
#5054 posted by megaman [94.221.121.43] on 2011/07/27 16:25:00
they don't even mention injector :(
Sorry
#5055 posted by planetphillip [83.213.169.9] on 2011/07/27 16:58:00
@MegaMan, That's because I didn't know about Injector until after I started working on the MapTap idea.
/me Slaps Megaman
#5056 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.56] on 2011/07/27 17:44:20
The idea really is nothing special or unique at all. ;)
I wish more games had tools like this, especially Doom.
#5057 posted by gb [46.142.39.251] on 2011/07/28 08:58:13
I'm sure some maps are not Half-Life enough.
Spirit:
#5058 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2011/07/28 10:02:16
The steam installation of Quake is literally the same as any other installation, it's just in steam's directory (on windows, C:\Program Files\ Steam\ steamapps\ common\ quake\) rather than wherever else one might put it. I don't use Quake injector (sorry), but I would assume as long as the end user specifies the directory Quake is in in Quake injector, there wouldn't be any problem.
Nice, Thanks Scamps!
#5059 posted by Spirit [89.204.139.201] on 2011/07/28 11:46:19
gb:
Well, Black Mesa Source surely is. :-)
By the way, I have not seen any input from you on my question about mod categories. Why not do something useful instead of whining?
Nice, Thanks Scamps!
#5060 posted by Spirit [89.204.139.201] on 2011/07/28 11:47:20
gb:
Well, Black Mesa Source surely is. :-)
By the way, I have not seen any input from you on my question about mod categories. Why not do something useful instead of whining?
Agree About Doom
#5061 posted by Drew [98.124.27.145] on 2011/07/28 20:06:10
100%
Gap Monsters...
#5062 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/07/29 05:54:52
Flash puzzle games that plays with the figure/ground ambiguity.
http://jayisgames.com/games/gap-mo...
Wow!
#5063 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/07/29 06:13:29
That's really mind bending. Also, the music is terribly addictive.
Welp.
#5064 posted by pjw [96.42.24.247] on 2011/07/30 06:27:14
There went a couple of hours.
I got to the end with four skips left (having used one).
Pretty cool.
Soldier Of Fortune: Payback (2007)
#5065 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/07/31 02:24:25
The third Soldier of Fortune game was developed by Cauldron, instead of Raven Software who did the previous two. The original 2000 game was great; a purely fun action-packed shooter. The sequel in 2002 was still a good game, though not quite as good as the first. So why hand the game over to Cauldron? Well the surprise sleeper Chaser from 2003 was a good, long game developed by Cauldron using their own engine. This same engine is used in Payback, a game released four years after Chaser, so they must have made some hefty upgrades to the engine.
Ironically, that's the only redeeming factor for Payback - the fact that the game doesn't look too bad. The engine has all the usual bells and whistles you'd expect to 'pretty' it up. Of course, what game post-2007 doesn't at least have decent looking graphics. There's actually only 14 levels in this game, most of which aren't even big. You could probably rush through the entire game in a couple hours. For me it would have been about five hours game time, which is very poor. However each level is a new setting, from jungle and cliff settings, farming villages, middle eastern outposts, even a hotel brothel before finishing in an awfully designed car parking garage and nightclub. Some levels look poor, but others are fairly well polished. In particular the outdoor jungle levels. Unfortunately, the game doesn't hold a bean to Crysis, released the same month. Their outdoor capabilities and size, level of detail and realism are not even comparable. Payback doesn't look bad at all, but it's only average for 2007.
And that's the highlight. The low point of Payback is just about everything else. Poor checkpoints with no quicksave, jumpy controls and unrealistic movement, especially when firing weapons. Inconsistent difficulty where often you'll breeze through a level, only for some enemy to suddenly take a potshot from out of nowhere and drop you instantly without any chance of survival. There were a few times when I had to take on the same enemy several times over because he'd blow my head off within a micro-second of eye contact.
The boss fights, which are all too common, are simply the same enemy you face throughout the entire game just with insane amounts of health added on. The standard fare enemy are all the same, just with a different weapon and model. They unrealistically drop dead with a mere fraction of bullet spray in their general direction. Their heads pop like balloons and limbs just fall over the floor. There's no sense of power or enjoyment when your weakest gun unrealistically mows through an opponent like that. Blowing off limbs used to be fun, back Payback has lost that somehow. Then you get the sniper scope weapons which only hit enemies 50% of the time. The rest the bullet just vanishes and misses it's target, despite pointing clearly at the enemies eyeball.
The biggest problem with Payback was the insane bug where enemies are invisible to bullets. Yes, the bullets just go straight through them as if they're not there. This happens with probably 15% of the enemies in this game... by the time you realise it's another invincible enemy you're dead and replaying from the last checkpoint. This time in god mode or you have no chance of moving forward. It quite often happens with enemies that are on higher ground to you. But it's a ridiculous bug that ruins the already bad gameplay.
Overall okay visuals for 2007 but the levels are small, extremely linear with clipping all around you. The screenshots make the game look better than it actually is. Then again, it's hard to judge any games' visuals as that great after you play Crysis.
The gameplay is easy for most of the game until you get hit by a pot shot, but the invincible enemies bug ruins this one. Not really worth the playtime or money, but at least it doesn't go for too long.
Rating: 5.0/10
Still Half The Pints?
#5066 posted by megaman [88.66.10.53] on 2011/07/31 11:10:47
Hard Reset
#5067 posted by DaZ [78.147.175.146] on 2011/07/31 22:34:53
http://youtu.be/r7b_GEDlH9c
Could be interesting, the developer says they are going after a "doom, quake, painkiller" style shooter.
Could Be Interesting
#5068 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/07/31 22:38:06
#5069 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/07/31 22:40:01
could be cool i guess? not much to see in those half second clips in between the bleeding guy.
since the trend these days is to remake old games, i really wouldn't mind seeing a straight up simple shooter but i don't know if i would really enjoy more painkiller gameplay as even that was worse than doom slaughter maps. so yeah, more doom/quake, less painkiller.
otoh, if they mean they're making the maps LOOK like painkiller, than i'm totally behind that!
Moist
#5070 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/08/01 01:06:29
Hard Reset is a futuristic first-person shooter that isn’t afraid to buck the trends of its modern-day counterparts. This PC exclusive harks back to a time when exploration was necessary and regenerating health was a luxury.
I think I just understood where the name "Hard Reset" comes from...
#5071 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.88.81] on 2011/08/01 01:31:39
If it actually allows you to avoid damage via fast movement and has level design beyond Serious Sam's basic arenas or PK's corridors then it could be interesting.
Without that it doesn't have the essence of old iD shooters. Wait for demo I guess :)
#5072 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/08/01 01:47:11
I'm keeping my eyes on this if what they say is true.
Hard Reset
#5073 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/01 02:45:27
looks cool, though i'm not a huge fan of futuristic sci-fi with disco lights everywhere.
EYE
#5074 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/08/01 09:47:03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrK...
Looks also cool :D
EYE
#5075 posted by DaZ [78.147.175.146] on 2011/08/01 10:50:37
Yeah, i'm waiting to hear what people say about it before I dive in on that one, I heard from a few sources that it's quite buggy atm (sadface) but that patches are incoming.
Did anyone pick this up? Thoughts? :D
Hard Penis.
#5076 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.252] on 2011/08/01 17:42:25
Needs more screenshake and flashing lights. I can just about see what is going on in a couple of frames.
JapsEYE.
#5077 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.252] on 2011/08/01 17:45:35
Looks like a combination of the blandest bits of Deus Ex Human Consolisation and Bulletshitstorm, remade in a modded HL1 engine.
EYE
#5078 posted by Bal [83.204.134.45] on 2011/08/01 20:19:03
Demo should be incoming soon, will wait for that first, looks pretty weirdo otherwise... Shambler describes it well. :D
My Thoughts Exactly
#5079 posted by megaman [88.64.176.44] on 2011/08/01 23:43:55
Goo
#5080 posted by stevenaaus [114.73.119.88] on 2011/08/04 12:41:24
fuck off world of goo
Haha... it gets pretty infuriating, but when you beat the fucker it's ok again. I'm up to the epilogue trying to build an f-ing impossible bridge. Game's got lots of style.
Quakecon 2011 Steam Pack
#5081 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/04 19:43:10
$70.00
http://store.steampowered.com/sub/...
Too bad I already own ... nearly everything in that pack.
#5082 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/04 19:55:14
hehe yeah, but that reminds me... has any one tried brink out? as it as good as it seemed way back when it was previewed?
#5083 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/04 20:02:29
Seemed very underwhelming at work, all the talk I've heard seems to echo that.
#5084 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/04 20:09:27
wow, that's disappointing. :( hype videos and such looked like a lot of fun.
New Rage Trailer
#5085 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/04 21:43:56
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFE...
#5086 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/04 23:31:16
i wonder... will this actually be a proper game from id this time? trailers seem to indicate it's more than just a tech demo this time!
between this and skyrim, Q4 is gonna be packed!
I Hope I Can Quick Scope In Rage
#5087 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/05 02:11:14
Call Of Cthulu
#5088 posted by Drew [76.75.125.184] on 2011/08/05 03:58:13
any good?
Yes
#5089 posted by ijed [216.241.20.2] on 2011/08/05 14:44:31
But buggy as fuck. It's a rushed console port.
The game itself is very good, lots of atmosphere and generally cool stuff going on, for a fan of Lovecraft.
One particular bug is when you're running away from (something) and depending on your graphics settings, you running speed may be 50% of the normal - resulting in death on every attempt.
Over bugs come in the form of AI glitches when sneaking through innsmouth - even though that sequence in itself is great.
Not quite better than Amnesia or Eternal Darkness, but worth a look.
The Stanley Parable
#5090 posted by Bal [90.2.44.14] on 2011/08/05 23:20:20
http://www.moddb.com/mods/the-stan...
A HL2 mod, interesting experiment, worth giving a try. Not reading anything about it before playing helps appreciate it I'm sure, so don't.
#5091 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/05 23:46:07
will check out the hl2 mod later!
in the meanwhile.. it only took about 6x as much ram as the minimum requirements ask for and many many community patch interations, but gothic3 runs perfectly at highest settings on 6gb ram + nvidia gts250 1gb.
maybe i can finally beat this damn game. i've had it lying around collecting dust for years, because i've never been able to actually run the damn thing. -_-
Playing Crysis On Full
#5092 posted by nitin [124.170.27.242] on 2011/08/07 17:42:15
at 1920*1080 with 16xAA and 16xFSAA. Bloody hell this looks amazing!!
And so far its tremendous fun too. Could easily be one of the best games ever if it keeps up.
#5093 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/08 09:02:12
Yeah I've been playing a lot of Crysis mods and maps lately, working my way through them all, and there's some really good ones. In some ways a lot of them have better gameplay that the actual game. Either that or I'm just getting used to it more.
Re Call of Cthulhu - read my review drew. On my website or in the archives of this thread.
@Kona
#5094 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/08/08 12:52:13
Any recommendations for maps?
Crysis.
#5095 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.252] on 2011/08/08 13:34:17
Is badass. The way the suit allows you to play is totally cool.
I Just Think
#5096 posted by nitin [124.170.27.242] on 2011/08/08 13:44:23
the way it lets you switch between stealth and action modes, without forcing it on you and leaving it completely in your hands, is very very cool.
Agree
#5097 posted by DaZ [78.147.157.64] on 2011/08/08 15:54:46
Crysis is cool, the warhead standalone expansion is pretty badass also. Though it doe's feature some annoying turret sections. Worth sticking with it though.
Crysis 2 did the suit powers much better imo, so much easier to use and you can do things like use stealth and speed at the same time, though it drains your energy much faster as a trade-off. I never really understood the complaint that C2 dumbed down the suit powers, if anything they are better than ever and each mode is always useful in every situation.
Dead Island Win?
#5098 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/08 19:21:39
http://i.imgur.com/0qEN4.jpg
Digital Download Win?
#5099 posted by bear [83.250.35.120] on 2011/08/08 20:32:04
no crap included.
Lol Dead Island Fo Sho Mo Fo
#5100 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/08/08 22:40:28
Crysis For Quakis
#5101 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/09 03:36:02
i'm only about 1/3 through the ones i downloaded (about 4gb worth).
try these ones, the brackets are rating out of 5. 4 and above is definitely worth playing, 3.5 is so-so. you'll have to look on filefront or moddb for them though.
theharbour [4]
fcfort [4.5] (can't destroy AAA guns at end?)
crysissingleplayerpanama [3.5] (no ending)
coldmountain [4]
2011_04_29_Oasis [3.5-4]
CallOfTheFireflies_v2 [4]
2011_05_21_Uncharted_SC [3.5] (got majorly lost)
vulcanassaultv2 [3.5]
Why Is 3.5 So-so?
#5102 posted by nitin [124.170.27.242] on 2011/08/09 14:13:31
3.5 should be very good IMHO.
#5103 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/09 21:48:26
i guess it depends on if you define 1 as utter crap or 1 as average. :P
#5104 posted by nitin [180.149.192.133] on 2011/08/10 02:52:11
1 should be crap, 2 below average, 3 good, 4 excellent and 5 amazing. 0.5 increments to add further adjectives :)
#5105 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.109] on 2011/08/10 03:09:43
I quite like reviews that don't bother with some score at all but just give it in words. It's not hard to say 'crap'. :p
A rating is good to get an overall average opinion, but anything more than the five star system is pretty meaningless.
Yeah Maybe My Ratings Are A Bit Flawed
#5106 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/10 04:31:19
I rate 2.5 as average. So anything below that is deleted.
5 = amazing
4 and 4.5 = great, definitely worth keeping.
3.5 = just good. playable just the once unless you're really bored, or at had a flaw which prevented it from getting a 4 (ie no ending or getting lost).
2.5 to 3 = average so it's debatable whether you'd play a level on that score. not worth keeping.
2 = crap. not worth finishing.
1 = utter crap. rare, i've never rated anything that low because i'm not silly enough to download it in the first place, let alone keep it.
Zqf
#5107 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/08/10 08:47:01
agree but if you have ratings, they should mean something. Part of the problem with most commercial game reviews, I dont think I've seen anything scored less than 80!
kona, yeah I thought thats what you meant but describing 3.5 as so-so gives the impression that its not really worth bothering with.
anyway, enough semantics from me.
#5108 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.236] on 2011/08/10 09:02:49
The new Deux Ex will have in-game advertising. Deux Ex. In-game advertising. Oh dear.
Dino Run Multiplayer
#5109 posted by humbug [81.132.160.222] on 2011/08/11 23:30:17
how do u become a moderator im desptrate for the colours thx:)
Frozen Synapse Demo
#5110 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/12 02:03:36
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
I'm totally hooked :D Will definitely pick this up!
DaZ
#5111 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/12 02:19:51
Gift me your 2nd copy? :)
CS GO
#5112 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/12 21:02:11
http://eseanews.com/index.php?s=ne...
Valve's CoD? Based on this report, it sounds like it will give CoD/BF3 a run for their money.
What's
#5113 posted by ijed [190.22.23.132] on 2011/08/13 16:41:08
A really good RTS at the moment. Hopefully without too many tech requirements.
Got DOW2 and can run that on min spec.
#5114 posted by ijed [190.22.23.132] on 2011/08/13 17:01:51
...bought The Witcher instead.
Starcraft 2?
#5115 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/13 17:35:50
:o
#5116 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/13 18:09:56
Age of Empires Online comes out on the 16th - free to play with some caveats. Micro transactions to unlock some restricted civ gear, certain gameplay modes, etc etc, but at least it's free to try out.
Age of Empires is one of the best RTS brands out there, btw. Not as pro-gamery as SC or SC2, but still a very solid RTS.
I Like The Witcher.
#5117 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/13 18:13:30
got the EE version a week ago off GoG for 10$.
RTS...
#5118 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/13 22:22:29
I've heard StarCraft 2 is quite good...
Can run it on a cheap laptop on min settings with no problems.
Far Cry 2.
#5119 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/13 22:26:38
Finished it. Ending was pretty good especially since I managed to jump out of the penultimate "boss" "arena" and not fight any of the mercs.
Good game overall. Graphics setting atmosphere gameplay mechanics and all the extras all very good. Let down by being too repetitive, too long travelling across map, and too few friendly npcs outside towns. If it was tightened up it could have been a classic.
Next on the list: Dead Space 2, Crysis Warhead, Bulletstorm.
Next to buy: Crysis 2, Alice 2, Singularity. Maybe Bioshock 2 or AVP3. But then Rage will interfere with all of that.
#5120 posted by gb [46.142.42.252] on 2011/08/13 23:27:16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCW...
Same feeling as being a Star Wars fan watching the prequels. Sometimes you wanna get up and scream, and you wanna curse and you want your entrance back, but you will still watch them. And you will grudgingly buy the special edition DVD set. That's how I felt playing this.
Meh
#5121 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/13 23:48:51
whenever I try and get back into fc2, I take a mission and look at the map, see its on the other side of the fucking world and just quit :P
Which is a shame, because the shooting and stuff is really fun.
I Never Got Into Tomb Raider
#5122 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/13 23:54:47
I played the demo of the first one, and that was it :P
I always thought it was just an excuse for gamer pervs with watch some t&a, if I want to watch t&a I'll go to cardo's house. Only recently I've been getting into platformers/adventure games more (arkham asylum, darksiders, etc) so might look back at some TR games, anyone got recommendations for the best one of the series?
Scampie
#5123 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/14 00:00:17
Skip bulletstorm, it's complete shit.
DaZ
#5124 posted by gb [46.142.42.252] on 2011/08/14 00:20:37
short breakdown:
TR1-TR4 are all good, but keyboard-only controls and really dated graphics. Challenge comes mainly from lining up for jumps on a block-based terrain and puzzles/traps.
TR: Legend was the relaunch by a different dev with WASD controls, nice looks, and sort of a James Bond movie feeling.
TR: Anniversary was a (very good IMO) remake of TR1. Pretty challenging platformer.
TR: Underworld is like a cross of the last 2.
I'd get any of the last three unless you're hardcore. Don't dismiss them as all tits, they're actually good games if you can get past that.
#5125 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [81.141.94.109] on 2011/08/14 00:46:48
Very glad the only series I'm condemned as a fanboy to buy are Doom and Quake. And they barely release any games so it's quite easy :p
Dead Space 2.
#5126 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/14 00:51:34
Started playing this cos my geek gamer girl told me to. She's too scared to play it herself.
Anyway. It's Doom3 bit with horrible control feel and perspective. Kinda. Okay the setting and the monsters and omg scariness are really well done. It's very stylish. But I wish more of the challenge came from errr scary monsters and less from wrestling with the annoying inconsistent and generally counterintuitive controls. Mandatory aim mode, no jump, no crouch, some things you can do in aim mode, some things you can't, non-bindable weapon switching blah blah. It's like they tried to make it scary by being a bugger to control, which they don't really need to as the rest of it works really well...
Up to Part 3 so far anyway...
Dead Space
#5127 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/14 01:04:27
Really fond memories of the original, for me it did dark sci-fi way better than doom 3. I never really had any issues with the first one but I haven't played the 2nd yet, need to pick it up!
But im reserving all my gaming time for DX:HR (not long now!) my god that game looks fucking amazing!
Starcraft2
#5128 posted by PuLSaR [95.29.126.216] on 2011/08/14 01:10:50
is a very good game imo. i was playing it every day for about 3 months. tho i haven't finished the single player campaign because most of time i just play 2x2 or 4x4 on battlenet. my only complaint is that battlenet is separated by regions and if you want to play in another region you have to buy a game (account) of that region.
Almost Finished Crysis
#5129 posted by nitin [124.148.161.8] on 2011/08/14 04:19:05
the alien levels are awesome.
Pulsar.
#5130 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/14 10:52:46
Get on #tf, plenty of us on there annoy the rest of the channel by wittering on about it all the time.
Hide - Indie Horror Fps
#5131 posted by megaman [88.66.12.219] on 2011/08/14 11:30:11
http://www.superfriendshipclub.com...
#5132 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.72] on 2011/08/14 12:26:48
Is my mouse not working or are you looking straight up?
Is sound broken or is it supposed to crack and pop?
ARE MY EYES BROKEN? Nah, just kidding.
DOTA2 Screenshots
#5133 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/14 18:08:20
2 leaked
http://i.imgur.com/pDSSw.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/30k3r5g.jpg
Looks nice at least :)
#5134 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/14 19:23:20
There's a bit more actually, like 5
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/com...
Aha
#5135 posted by DaZ [78.147.172.167] on 2011/08/14 19:43:48
Missed that one :)
Looks very tf2 in art style. Maybe they have even given each hero their own character traits like tf2, tf2 makes me laugh out loud most of the time when I die, I can imagine that is only a plus in a genre like moba where serious ragequits are the norm :P
Metro 2033
#5136 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/14 21:07:13
Very solid game. One of the brownest/greyest FPS I've ever played, but it's appropriate given the post-apocalyptic Russian snow scape/metro scape. Enough variety in game play so that it doesn't get boring, and some very intense scripted scenes and game play moments. It's not perfect by any means, but it's a very solid FPS with some genuinely tense moments, fairly compelling story and intriguing level design in most spots.
One negative is that it's frickin hard. I played normal, but ended up retrying many of the levels over and over because I just wasn't doing something right. Ammo is a premium in this game, I frequently found myself very low on ammo, sometimes resorting to melee when I had to. I'm not sure if that's really a negative, since it upped the tension a whole lot, which probably helped the atmosphere. Gas mask/filter management is something that also adds to the tension. Your mask can break on the surface or you can run out of filters, either one is deadly. Your flashlight loses juice the more you use it so you have to take the time to charge it in between, or even during fights.
Looking forward to Last Light now that I've played through Metro 2033.
Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six: Vegas REVIEW
#5137 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/17 06:06:06
I've been putting off playing Rainbox Six: Vegas for quite a while. These sorts of realistic tactical shooters just don't win me over. They all feature the same weapons - basically a machine gun. The enemies are all the same with similar health levels and drop with a headshot. The levels are always realistic real life settings. Still, Vegas somehow has an aggregate score of 84% of Game Rankings, slightly below what is arguably 2006's action game of the year Gears of War. The latter deserved that title, Vegas doesn't.
I can't say much about the gameplay beyond what I said above. There are various weapons in this game; all act and feel exactly the same. Sure you can put on a silencer or change the rate of fire. Sure you can use a shotgun instead. But the most effective is rapid fire with a sniper scope. You have several different versions of the same gun in this game. They're supposed to be completely different guns, they look different and have specific names. I'm not a gun expert but they just didn't feel any different at all. You'll also never run out of ammo as every single enemy drops almost full ammo.
The enemies, like above, are all exactly the same. As you progress some of them have slightly more armour, but it didn't make much difference to the difficulty. The first level plays exactly the same as the last level. That's not to say that there aren't any challenging situations in this game. The enemies have pretty decent AI and use cover a lot, as well as flanking you. They also take you down fast, so if you walk out into the open and have missed an enemy, you'll likely die.
There were a few frustrating sections in fact, made frustrating because of no quicksave. Most of the game was fine but there were 4-5 times where I had to replay from a checkpoint at least a few times, which was very annoying. One scene in particular where your team mate hacks a computer while a dozen enemies attack from both directions. It took me 4-5 attempts ON GOD MODE to complete. It's the only time I needed god mode, so the rest of the game is balanced well enough. There is a lack of any kind of end battle though. You beat the main antagonist with ease then expect a helicopter fight (how original) only for everything to suddenly end with "to be continued".
There were some unique features in the game that I really liked. The ability to 'snake cam' under doors to see what's on the other side, then assign your team mates to throw a grenade in while you attack from another entrance. This was effective and fun! As was when you're blinded by a smoke grenade and have to revert to infrared. Your team mates are adequate and useful at times clearing rooms out and usually not getting in the way.
The plot is simple and boring; hunt down the terrorists who have attacked Las Vegas and finish them off at the Nevada Dam before they launch a bomb. I don't know who I was playing as or anything about my team mates. Then at the end one of my team mates turns out to be the bad guy. I'm assuming he was a team mate because he had on the same military clothing, but beyond that it could have been any random character. Story scores a C at best.
Tom Clancy's Rainbox Six: Vegas REVIEW Continued
#5138 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/17 06:06:30
Now Vegas should look good; it used Unreal Engine 3.0. The only other game in 2006 that uses Unreal Engine 3 was Gear of War, which looked MUCH better than Vegas. Tweaking the game to look better wasn't an option, apart from blurring, shadows and something about long range rendering which put the game to an unplayable crawl in large areas. For some reason, the textures look really bad, like they were only limited colour gifs. They were very grainy instead of smooth. Perhaps the lighting had something to do with this, as it was very dull and lacked contrast. At one point I was supposed to be in a pitch dark room, but it was still only 70% black. In hindsight perhaps turning the brightness down may have helped, but this was the default setting so why should I have to change it? The entire game, a bit like Gears of War, looks very muddy and desaturated. Almost like the lighting creates a dirty fog over everything. It certainly isn't crisp and clear like Crysis.
The levels also never acheived greatness. There were a few neat set peices such as looking out across Las Vegas on top of a casino tower, Dante's Casino which is still under construction and the Nevada Dam at the end. Some of the casino's look really cool and life like, but overall there's a lot of corridor-room-corridor-room. And with weak texturing and lighting, Vegas isn't a great looking game.
That's about how you can sum up Vegas; good but not great. In some ways it's replayable because everything is professional enough. It's clear it's not built by an indy studio on a budget with major bugs. But the gameplay is the same old Rainbox Six tactical shooter with no variety, an empty storyline and the levels don't look too different to your local casino; perhaps with a slight architectural upgrade.
Rating: 7.0/10
#5139 posted by Vigil [91.152.94.211] on 2011/08/17 11:55:23
In hindsight perhaps turning the brightness down may have helped, but this was the default setting so why should I have to change it?
Seriously?
I think in the gun porn genre Vegas was pretty enjoyable. I remember liking it when playing it, but can't really recall what happened during the game, or what I enjoyed.
Torchlight
#5140 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/17 15:08:02
Anyone else play this? I plan on picking it up on steam to hold me over until diablo 3.
Torchlight
#5141 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/17 15:21:44
It's a great game imo. I'm looking forward more to Torchlight 2 than Diablo 3.
#5142 posted by Spirit [80.171.29.144] on 2011/08/17 15:22:57
I found it like junk food. Tasty at first but ultimately you do not end up satisfied.
#5143 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/08/17 16:41:31
I had fun with the game at first, but I got very bored with it quickly - as I did with Borderlands I was playing around the same time, perhaps even more so - and it then felt like a chore to get through. Filtering through an inventory full of items every five minutes trying to pick out what is worth keeping or selling got tiresome fast too. It wasn't the game for me.
Torchlight
#5144 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/08/17 17:51:25
Was a nice game, but yeah the loot didn't feel quite right for some reason, still felt Diablo2 and Titan Quest were better.
Still really looking forward to Torchlight 2 though.
Kinda Enjoyed What I Played
#5145 posted by starbuck [76.126.47.82] on 2011/08/18 02:28:30
....but I agree that perhaps the loot system was off - I usually get really into just trawling dungeons looking for some awesome item, but in Torchlight for some reason I just didn't care. Gave up before I got too far unfortunately.
Anyone Tried This?
#5146 posted by megaman [88.66.33.253] on 2011/08/18 10:52:21
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
11.11.11
#5147 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/08/18 11:23:05
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...
Bastion
#5148 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/08/18 11:57:33
I'm really liking it so far, the gameplay is nice and smooth (best with a gamepad in my opinion), the atmosphere, visuals and music are great.
There are quite a few weapons to unlock and upgrade, with challenges etc.
The story is told by a narrator as you play, which is pretty weird, but works quite nicely (and the guy has a great voice).
Re: Skyrim
#5149 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/18 20:10:31
i think this game will be great, but personally, i wouldn't mind a less epic story line. playing as the great saviour in morrowind and oblivion is actually getting kind of boring. :P
it'd be cool to be more of a local hero or something. don't really know how to express this, actually. a hero, just not the hero of the entire world.
Sortof
#5150 posted by megaman [88.66.33.253] on 2011/08/19 01:24:24
like in fallout 2.
Torchlight
#5151 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/19 04:08:22
I'm really liking it so far. I chose to play a berserker, and have a dog for my pet. trying to find this library had been daunting though.
Spoooooooooge!!!
#5152 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/08/19 15:55:00
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/im...
#5153 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/19 16:25:41
Zombie's Doom 3 map is coming along nicely then :)
#5154 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/20 02:00:22
fuck that's look scary
#5155 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/20 02:07:11
like in fallout 2.
pretty much. or even fallout1.
sure, your mission is important to vault 13, but it was a local problem and no one else really gives a shit.
but in oblivion... you're going around closing oblivion gates and kicking a huge demon's ass... but sure, i'll swim around in the lake and kill some fish for you, old random guy.
skyrim just looks like more of the same. one guy facing insanely powerful evil guys and coming out on top. like every other rpg these days, it seems.
which just makes it weird when, for example, a shop keeper is charging you top price for gear so you can go save his ass fighting the big bad about to blow up his shop.
#5156 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/20 02:11:42
"Hey dude, I'm gonna go save the world! Give me that shit free!"
"Yeah okay, sure you are you ol' wino, go back to smoking your hash."
#5157 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/08/20 02:56:02
"Yo yeah, I'm like, the chosen one and shit, and I'm gonna like, totally beat down this demon guy but, err, could you lend me a sword? Oh, and you'll need to give me a few months to train up."
Oh Shit !
#5158 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/08/20 20:06:35
Aliens are always funny to defeat... I played the first Alien on Ps in 2D, and it was already great... I can't wait to play this game...
Wait.. I will certainly have to upgrade my computer... :(
#5159 posted by Spirit [82.113.98.129] on 2011/08/23 00:03:16
http://www.grimdawn.com/ looks awesome!
Wow
#5160 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/23 00:11:32
Diablo 3 certainly is coming along isn't it? Wait... Grim who?
#5161 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/23 01:27:19
i wish there were more hellgate games... like, diablo gameplay, just in 3d.
Space Marine
#5162 posted by DaZ [89.243.15.155] on 2011/08/23 14:28:26
played the demo last night, holy fuckballs it's amazing! Very, very satisfying combat - meaty as hell! And the executions and footstomp just fill me with glee every time I use them.
Fucking brilliant.
Should also mention, Relic did a great job with the pc version, supports like 6 different aspect ratio's, you can disable the windows key (heh) and lots of control options (you can disable mouse smoothing etc).
#5163 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/23 16:08:03
So I want Space Marine for some #tf coop fun - who all is getting it on PC and who is getting it on Xbox? I would prefer PC I would think, but if enough people get it on Xbox then I may have to get it for that.
Space Marine...
#5164 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/08/23 16:08:39
I thought there was no coop?
#5165 posted by Spirit [89.204.155.169] on 2011/08/23 23:27:35
oh crap! www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtal... (deus ex h r)
spoiler warning for the comments.
Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007) Review P1
#5166 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/24 08:27:03
Sorry Lara, but i'm going to rip you a new asshole. Through a review of course, rather than literally. Perhaps i'm just the wrong sort of gamer to be playing jumping puzzle games. Perhaps I should stick to shooters only. But I played it, so I'm going to review it.
Anniversary is the eighth game in the franchise, hot off the heels of Tomb Raider: Legend, both developed by Crystal Dynamics who have taken over the franchise. They went on to release another Tomb Raider game in 2008, then Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light which is more action-oriented than puzzle and our now working on a complete reboot of the franchise with 2012's Tomb Raider, yet to be released.
All previous games up until 2006 were developed by Core Design. I played one of the early ones, I'm pretty sure the original Tomb Raider 1 from 1996 or it's sequel. I don't think I ever finished it, so it can't have been a great game, but I do remember some awesome looking scenes.
Anniversary is a remake of Tomb Raider 1. Same story, same levels but obviously beefed up, same puzzles. You can definitely tell too, because the cliched 90's style of gameplay is present, such as find the key to open the door. Numerous levels in Anniversary have you trekking around hunting for, in essence, keys to continue your merry way. It's not ground-breaking material here, and i'm surprised the franchise doesn't get a harder time on it's simple old school puzzles.
What makes Anniversary and probably the entire Tomb Raider series fun, is the scaling and jumping your way through the levels. Getting to great heights and backflipping over to an almost hidden crevice behind you, all way above the ground. It's all very cool. Cool, but not exactly realistic. For instance in the third episode you spend three huge levels getting through this obstacle course to get the artifact, then Lara simply strolls out of the room through it's back exit, which doesn't even have a door, to her motorbike waiting 20 metres away. Why didn't she go that way in the first place? Who made all these strange obstacle courses and how exactly are the bad guys getting through them? It's all a little unrealistic.
The levels all look pretty good. Critics suggested Legend looked much better, which is a shame. Sequels should get better as technology progresses, but it is still the same engine. Sometimes it does feel like corridor-room-corridor, but the settings help to make the environments look great; Peru, Greece, Egypt and the Lost Island. All typical Tomb Raider themes. However it doesn't have much grand outdoor beauty or detail. In comparison to Crysis and it's outdoor scenery, Anniversary looks years older. In fact King Kong wow'ed me more than this game. The Crystal Dynamics engine definitely isn't the best looking from 2007, but it does cut the mustard at least.
Now to what really irked me off with Anniversary, if the above wasn't enough already; four things.
Tomb Raider Anniversary (2007) Review P2
#5167 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/24 08:27:47
Firstly the combat system. It's rubbish. Fighting animals is not fun at all. They constantly knock you over and you're swearing at Lara to get the hell up so you can attempt to resume the fight. You can shoot blindly, hold a key to auto-aim, which is unreliable at best, or go into shooting mode where it zooms in on Lara and you get a target, but you can't move. It's terrible! Just give me a normal target, none of this auto-aim bull. Lara also moves extremely slowly. I was forced to use a high speed cheat to speed her movements up. Especially when you're having to repeat puzzles over and over again. I also put god-mode on too, because after the first episode I was WAY over the awful combat and just wanted to focus on the jumping.
Which brings me to number two; frustration factor with some of the jumping puzzles. 90% of the game is fine, but there's just a few jumping parts where it doesn't seem to work well, especially using the grapple hook. One such jump with a grapple I probably repeated 30-40 times before I finally managed it. Another I tried a good 20 times before I managed to fluke it. It's not fun getting through 15 jumps only to miss the last one and repeat all over again.
Number three; checkpoints. This game features the most idiotic checkpoint system I've ever encountered. If you run over a checkpoint spot you've previously been to, it'll save overtop of your existing checkpoint. To explain how this is a bad thing take the T-Rex level as an example. I'm at the pit unsure how to proceed so I backtrack incase I missed something, suddenly falling down a slope and back into the T-Rex arena, which I'd already completed previously. And a new checkpoint saves, overwriting my last one. Now I have to spend ten minutes climbing out of the arena all over again just to get back to the top of the slope where I previously was. However, you can do manual saves at checkpoints. It doesn't save your currently location, just the previous checkpoint again. I was doing this regularly so I decided to go back to my previous manual save, which just happened to be right at the beginning of the T-Rex fight. Checkpoint. What?! Another checkpoint just got saved overtop of my previous one? Now I have to fight the T-Rex all over again and climb out of the arena because of this terrible checkpoint system. Which brings me to the last point...
The boss fights. There's four of them and in order to complete them you need to do bullet time. Bullet time is supposedly easy, you get the enemy infuriated and when they charge at you simply press a movement key and roll at the same time. I probably tried this over 100 times, not once EVER did it work. I have no idea why not, others seem to do it with ease, but it just wouldn't work when I tried it. It meant the first two boss fights weren't possible without cheats. The last two, in the final level of the game, weren't possible at all, even with cheats. Ridiculous.
So overall what did I think of Tomb Raider Anniversary? Well the levels all looked pretty good. Not groundbreaking and won't be on any best-of lists in 2007 for it's design, but good enough. And while the puzzles and jumping dynamics were good for most of the game, there were some really frustrating points, not helped by terrible boss battles and no quick-save. Not to be forgotten rubbish fight scenes. I wouldn't play any other Tomb Raider games unless I knew it was going to look utterly amazing, so Legend and Underworld off my list. I don't like to be frustrated, hence a low score for Lara, and some vaseline.
Rating: 5.0/10
#5168 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/24 08:30:29
I better get back to the shooting games, it's what I enjoy. Call of Juarez next I think :)
#5169 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.88] on 2011/08/24 09:42:48
Oh save yourself the frustration. I played some Call of Juarez demo recently and it was a horrible experience.
Space Marine You Say??
#5170 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/24 11:02:48
Count me in on PC coop.
Demo
#5171 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/24 12:00:35
Not available in my region. GG Steam.
Call Of Juarez
#5172 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/24 13:06:13
Oh bugger. Well it can't be worse than fucking tomb raider jumping shit so i'll give it a go and review it even if I give up. I'm not once to quit easily though.
Shambler
#5173 posted by DaZ [89.243.15.155] on 2011/08/24 15:17:21
steam://install/55410
gogo
Kkkk.
#5174 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/24 17:18:33
Hmmm.
#5175 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/24 19:02:29
After nuff dicking around including having to disable NVidia AA just so it would run, I gave it a brief whirl.
Well. You can fully rebind controls and it doesn't control like complete dick. That is quite a welcome surprise. There is some partial dickness from clunky running and consolisedly out-of-control melee. The over-the-shoulder 3rd person is as pointless as ever, in fact 3rd person at all in this spoils both the control and immersion, but whatever it's tolerable.
It definitely does what it says and no more. In some ways I could take it or leave it.....BUT then again, it's got bomb squigs (so cute!), the jump pack stomp attack is awesome, and the prospect of coop, well yeah count me in for that ;)
Space Marine
#5176 posted by Bal [83.204.195.199] on 2011/08/24 19:57:23
Still not sure there is any coop, no word of it on the steam page (normally it has a small COOP button the side when there is).
Ugg.q
#5177 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/24 20:27:23
Well which twat said coop then?? Huh??
Space Marine
#5178 posted by PuLSaR [93.81.81.200] on 2011/08/24 20:38:20
i heard that they would release a coop version for pc after the release or someting like that
#5179 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/24 21:02:17
http://www.shacknews.com/article/6...
Tf2
#5180 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/24 22:43:33
NEW HATS!
Quantum Conundrum
#5181 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/25 19:41:57
Looks like Portal. Like, a ripoff, not necessarily thematically.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/63309...
Hmm...
#5182 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/08/25 20:02:48
the designer of portal ripped off her own ideas for her latest game?
That Is To Say
#5183 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/25 21:38:59
Took Portal, applied a fresh coat of paint, sold as different game. You can see the game play looks pretty much untouched - the portal mechanic replaced with dimension-shifting, but the same puzzle solving things of place crate on button, open door, planes that objects can't go through, lasers that power other objects, etc.
In other words, it's Portal, sans portals.
#5184 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/25 21:41:45
i guess, but that's what most games are anyway?
all of id's games are basically the exact same shooter, with even the same types of guns.
but at least with the puzzle solving genre, it's pretty much unexplored, so it'll feel a lot more fresh.
#5185 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/25 22:04:09
I don't know, the game play doesn't seem to expand outside of Portal territory. Slowing down time is nothing new or particularly innovative, fluffy world just means you can pick up heavy things.
Portals though were pretty mind bending and very adaptable.
This doesn't seem like a bad game, just like a watered down version of Portal.
i guess, but that's what most games are anyway?
Sure, but Doom 2 wasn't called "Hell Quest" and sold as a different game. This is just too similar to Portal in core game design. It seems like one of those Chinese games that blatantly copies a successful game and sells it off as their own.
(stir)
#5186 posted by ijed [200.72.211.127] on 2011/08/25 23:38:23
remember, you haven't played it yet...
#5187 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/25 23:42:10
Well, duh.
2 Cents On The Portal Thing
#5188 posted by starbuck [76.126.47.82] on 2011/08/26 02:49:40
A few years ago, I was part of the Dare to be Digital competition, in which students are locked in a room for 8 weeks and told to make a game.
We based our game on one mechanic - a gun that could give objects magnetic charge. Shoot one robot with positive charge, and another with negative charge and they'd swoop towards each other and explode in the middle. some posters from the game that explain the gameplay and a screenshot
We decided it was to be a first-person action-puzzle game, and began the design process. Now, after early testing, it turned out solving puzzles in three dimensions is difficult and confusing. It needs to be extremely clear what you can interact with and how. In game terms this means that the non-interactable game environment has to be fairly nondescript, and the interesting stuff has to stand out. In Portal, this meant pristine lab environments, color coding the portals, drawing lines from buttons to doors, and so on. It's a real abstraction of an environment to suit the gameplay, and it's extremely functional.
When we came to develop our visual style, we realised that the 1950s aesthetic we were planned needed to be scaled back. There's no room for potted plants, secretaries desks and typewriters in the areas where the physical gameplay is occurring (although, like portal 2, you can put them in areas without puzzles), and when gameplay gets serious, you can't have distracting colours and patterns covering the walls. We decided that if a static object was to be magnetizable, it'd be bright yellow and chrome. These objects needed to be everywhere, so they became the fans and vents of the ventilation system. Part of the gameplay involved combining objects of the same size to make a bigger object, so these sizes were also colour coded (small = purple, medium = green, large = orange).
We also found that our expansive multi-stage puzzles fell apart in practise unless they were rigidly compartmentalized. Thus, we started putting in doors that blocked progress until each puzzle section was completed. The environment needed to become arbitrary, homogenous, it was the only way that these odd environment elements made sense. Where portal had decided on a famously-meta interpretation of a lab environment, we went for a factory on security lockdown, and hoped the player would suspend their disbelief.
The moral of the story is - by the end of the day we had something that on a surface level shared many similarities to Portal, despite arriving at each design decision from first principles. It's a testament to the design of their game. To share a familiar quote "Perfection in design is not achieved when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove." and that's why Portal 1 is held in such high esteem.
When we were nearing the end of our development, we realised the similarities of our game, and had to make a strange decision. Would we take steps to distance ourselves from Portal, knowing that it meant taking the 'wrong' decision in gameplay terms? We seriously considered moving the game to 3rd-person even though it would make it harder to solve some of the puzzles. The magnetic charge was shown by objects glowing red or blue, as that's what we and players expected - but portal had blue and orange portals. Should we change it to glowing white and black? We decided not to, and I'm glad we didn't, and although we went on to win the audience vote, we perhaps deservedly had our share of criticism for the similarities.
In conclusion, I'd defend the developer of this game, because a lot of the re-trodden ground is likely done so because it is the 'right' choice in response to a gameplay problem. There may be creative solutions out there to avoid similarities, and perhaps it's worth looking for them, of course. It's certainly the case that producing a first-person action puzzler funnels you down a certain path, where the similarities are much more peculiar than the similarities when making a Gears/CoD clone.
I also bristle at your suggestion, Zwiffle, that gameplay is "untouched" when the Portal developer swapped out the core mechanic. You have to design completely new gameplay, and a completely new set of puzzles! It's not easy to create a satisfying puzzle dynamic with a nice difficulty curve in the FPS environment, and if she succeeds in making a compelling game with her new mechanic, then it wasn't easy, it's a great achievement.
#5189 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/26 04:15:02
thanks for posting that, starbuck. i love reading about the design process like that. very interesting!
#5190 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/26 05:28:08
You have to design completely new gameplay, and a completely new set of puzzles!
That's kind of what I'm getting at.
#5191 posted by starbuck [76.126.47.82] on 2011/08/26 05:52:34
you misunderstand me - I just don't like the reaction that this stuff is there because of easiness or laziness. I'm saying that regardless, she STILL HAS TO create a whole game's worth of puzzles, with a difficulty arc and all that hard stuff. I don't disagree that she's borrowing from her back-catalogue of mechanics, but as my lengthy novel asserted, some of these tropes are very natural and useful for this form of game, and a lot of the design decisions seem almost inevitable.
Oh
#5192 posted by starbuck [76.126.47.82] on 2011/08/26 05:52:49
and thanks necros!
More Rage Stuff
#5193 posted by DaZ [78.147.173.20] on 2011/08/26 06:08:49
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxa...
CounterStrike : GOGOGO
#5194 posted by DaZ [78.147.173.20] on 2011/08/26 06:18:18
aka the new cs from valve going into beta somewhen
http://uk.ign.com/videos/2011/08/2...
Kona; TR Anniversary
#5195 posted by gb [46.142.30.216] on 2011/08/26 06:34:30
Actually Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a very good remake of one of the absolutely best ever classic games of all time, the original Tomb Raider.
It features modern FPS-like controls and flawlessly working 3rd person camera, very nimble platforming, the classic 90s feeling of being isolated in another world, uncompromising difficulty, and at times awe inspiring level design, all the while respecting the original and its mechanics. This is why you have oldschool puzzles, traps and key finding, and it's just doing its job as a remake.
The grappling hook is an absolutely awesome addition to the game. It creates entirely new challenges for the player and adds variation to old ones. And this is what Tomb Raider is about, actually: brutal, murderous challenges, acrobatics and traps. It was too hard? It is supposed to be hard. TRA will absolutely make you want to smash your monitor at times. In this, it is true to the originals, which is its damn job as a remake.
Lara moves slowly? Perhaps, but it's not really an FPS, and the enemies are very fast, especially lions, panthers and the like, and they are trying to grab and tackle you. Yes, lions run faster than Lara. This is simply part of the challenge. Once you get the controls down, combat is actually very fun. You do have to use the grapple in some boss fights, this is a staple carried over from Legend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSX...
The over-the-shoulder free-aiming mode isn't for combat, it is for puzzles, hence why you can't move. There is that puzzle where you have to shoot lights on and off to make constellations, and the shootable ropes that make the statue fall down in Croft Manor or the bridges that reveal secret grapple points when demolished.
Not looking like Crysis? Well, TRA is largely an indoor game, since it's a remake of a 1996 title. Tomb Raiders are generally indoor games. It is rubbish that Legend looks better. Underworld looks better, though it's noticeably still the same engine.
TRA is indeed the hardest of the "new" TR titles; in this way, it's just an uncompromising remake of the old ones. If failing to do a grapple run 20 times makes you hate it so much you never come back, then TR isn't for you. It's a common trait of the franchise, and it's why hardcore fans love it. Why would you want an easy platformer. The multiple wallrun thing in the great pyramid level is indeed fucking hard, yes. And the timers are generally short in the game. But it's totally beatable without cheating just by using the game's standard controls and Lara's possible moves to their full extent. People are doing it for sport on youtube, so it must be doable. It's also the second to last level, so it should be OK to be difficult.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXj...
I don't know what you did with the T-rex checkpoint - the checkpoints in this game always worked brilliantly for me. Probably bad luck.
You didn't mention the awesome secrets, which at times are much, much harder to get than some of the grapple-wallruns and are actually unique archaeological artifacts.
As for the traps - they're simple but effective. Simple elements like crushers and rotating blades create the challenge, you can't get more hardcore than that. The grapple adds an additional timing element.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2t...
I guess it's the same as many things - you like it, or you don't. It's not a bad game at all though; as a remake, it is just perfect. If the game it's remaking wasn't up your alley in the first place, you can't really blame the remake.
Cursing at the monitor is expected and socially acceptable when playing Tomb Raider. Early on, you could impale Lara or kill her off in a myriad of ways to vent your frustration, sadly this has been restricted and the most painful deaths were removed due to political correctness I guess :-)
I Think Kona
#5196 posted by nitin [180.149.192.133] on 2011/08/26 07:25:59
was expecting a shooter from a puzzle game. his post almost says as much :)
Apparently You Can Play Starbuck's Game There
#5197 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.148] on 2011/08/26 10:15:59
but that registration put me off
http://www.daretobedigital.com/Fre...
Starbuck
#5198 posted by megaman [80.171.0.182] on 2011/08/26 10:55:53
Although your core argument still holds, it increases my gut feeling that puzzle games suck. ;-)
TR Anniversary
#5199 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/26 11:19:23
Nah I wasn't expecting a shooter, I'd played the original so knew it was jumping puzzles. I think I was just hoping the combat might have improved from the original, but for players that liked that it was quite hard then it'll be fine.
And for players that like doing this over and over until they get it right, they won't find the game as frustrating as I did. I can understand that plenty of players won't mind it - afterall before the quicksave came along in gaming, games were all about repeating it over and over again. I'm just one of the ones that hates doing things any more than twice.
Re grapple hook, yeah that was a great addition. The grapple puzzles were quite cool, although they were some of the harder ones actually (the 2 puzzles I had trouble with were both wall run grapple ones).
Re secrets. I'm not a secrets person, I never bother with them. Just wanted to get through the damn game tbh lol.
I didn't mention in my review, but by the end of the game I was really quite over it. It's one game that after 8 hours I'd had enough. I watched the last 10mins of gameplay that I missed on youtube and thought, I really can't be bothered with those boss fights. Back to shooters yay :D
And yeah it is mostly indoors so they couldn't really have too many big vast Crysis'ish outdoors areas. But they could have made it a bit more epic I guess. The scenes that WERE outdoors looked pretty bland compared to Crysis.
I guess I will give Underworld a shot though, especially if the puzzles are so cunty and it looks better. I'd probably slag it off when I review it though haha. But I'm sure plenty of ppl will disagree with my review above, it's a fairly popular franchise so i'm probably a smaller minority of those who didn't like it much.
#5200 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [188.220.248.12] on 2011/08/26 12:49:57
I'm not defending TR anniversary. I can't I've not played it.
Buuuuut you are comparing the graphics of a game originally designed for the PSP and PS2 to a game that is considered the benchmark of PC melting graphical detail.
Starbuck
#5201 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/26 14:15:37
I didn't misunderstand you, I think perhaps I didn't clarify myself that well. I don't think it was laziness - I think Portal was a successful design that she probably either felt she could improve upon or provide a quality variation of it.
But, I just don't think this is it. Portal was interesting not because you picked up blocks and set them down, but because Portals were mind bending. What I've seen from QC is very underwhelming. You still pick up and put down blocks, but nothing in the game is mind bending *yet*. It seems to me to be a step back from Portal.
Again, not that it's going to be a bad game, but it just isn't nearly as interesting or innovative as Portal was, and doesn't seem to want to differentiate itself at all/that much.
Is There A Place For Deals Like This?
#5202 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/26 14:18:47
I guess not everyone keeps up with video game deals, so I thought I would post this.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.ph...
#5203 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/08/26 19:19:37
thanks for the link, zwif. yeah, i don't usually keep up with games. i will drop in to the steam store every once in a while, but rarely try to stay up to date consistently, so i appreciate these heads-up on good deals. :)
ZQF
#5204 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/27 00:15:41
That's why it gets compared to Crysis, because up till 2007 Crysis is the benchmark of graphical awesome. I'll probably compare most games' graphics to it if they attempt outdoors.
And why not? They're released both in 2007 for probably the same price. Crystal Dynamics just didn't make an awesome enough engine to clean up Crytek's. Sure it's probably a shitload better performing, but 4-5 years on I have no problems running either game maxed out.
What Came Out In 2008 That
#5205 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/08/27 05:10:08
looked better than Crysis? I think Metro took the crown last year.
#5206 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/27 06:57:34
Don't know, haven't played anything beyond 2007. I'm hoping Far Cry 2 or Crysis Warhead might have looked even better?
So in the last 5 years, is Metro the only game that looks better than Crysis? Fuck I hope not.
Mm
#5207 posted by Bal [83.204.193.132] on 2011/08/27 11:04:02
It really depends what you mean by "looks better" Crysis excels at doing realistic outdoors, but otherwise the designs in it are pretty bland in my opinion.
To me Mirror's Edge looks better than Crysis, because I feel design is more important than just trying to reach realistic quality graphics (which is fine really).
I'd even still say Team Fortress 2 looks better than Crysis, and even Portal 2 at some points, despite that engine being super dated.
Yeah - Sorry - I Class Warhead As An Expansion For Crysis
#5208 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/08/27 14:15:46
But yeah - Crysis really held the benchmark for 'sexy graphics engine' for a long time because I guess in layman's terms developers didnt want to use the new tech because it didn't run so good on consoles.
As for the styling and art of level design and games design in general in other games - yeah, there are a bunch of games with sexy graphics just because the designers and artists have done a really good job, even with an older engine. What I men about Metro is that it runs worse than Crysis cause of the rediculous level of detail. Metro was probably the first game which came out running slower than crysis.
I think the STALKER games have pretty advanced graphics engines and you need a hefty rig to run them maxed out.
What Does
#5209 posted by ijed [190.22.30.6] on 2011/08/27 19:16:57
Mind-bending mean?
#5210 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/27 20:56:29
It means thinking in ways you wouldn't normally think, or thinking of something you thought impossible as possible.
I Understand
#5211 posted by ijed [186.107.152.161] on 2011/08/27 23:48:54
The distinction you're trying to make, but I see lots of reactions to games based off too-little information to form a complete opinion - not necessarily what I think you're doing.
My point of view comes from the developer side as opposed to the player side, and I think it's bit unfair to judge a game based on a preview.
I'd assume a designer who came up with Portal probably wouldn't just rehash it without the portals.
In my experience such a designer wouldn't have gotten to a position of being able to make Portal in the first place.
#5212 posted by Spirit [80.171.7.181] on 2011/08/29 09:28:18
Random selection of Ludum Dare #21 games being played. NSFW commentary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVC...
Call Of Juarez (2007) Review
#5213 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/30 08:34:53
A lot of players seem to be torn on Call Of Juarez - some think it's great while many hate it. GameRankings had it at 75% aggregate from critics which is a pretty decent score, so I went in thinking the game might be a dud. Critics are often wrong. In this case though, Call Of Juarez is quite a decent game. It has some flaws which everyone agrees on, but it's something a little different in a shooter genre over saturated with sci-fi and war themes.
It's been a long time since I played something western themed. Probably Gunman Chronicles from 2000, which started life as a Half-Life mod. That itself was a good, under-rated game. There was another western themed shooter released a few years before Call Of Juarez, but it didn't get a good reception.
What makes this game good and enjoyable is the fact that it's fresh and different. Sci-fi, war, fantasy, realistic cities; they've all been done over and over again. But this western theme is a rarity and in this case it actually looks pretty good. The engine and graphics are passable and capable of some very large outdoor areas, which look good. Not at a Crysis level of detail and beauty, but pretty enough. It only starts to struggle when you look across the plains or get in areas quite high so you can far distances - the mountains end up looking extremely plain and under-detailed. Also at times some of the terrain can be a too blocky and unrealistic looking, but that's fairly minor. The game doesn't ALWAYS look good. While the beginning takes place around a little western town and lots of thick bush, you then move to a more open landscape with hills and mineshafts, and it looks bad. Really bad. I guess this engine can't do night time scenes well, but the levels look poorly design with hardly any detail and bland hills everywhere. It's ugly. But the game picks up again as you return to daytime settings.
The story is a highlight of Call Of Juarez. You play as two characters, alternating for each of the 15 levels (or episodes). The first is a boy named Billy on the run after being blamed for the murder of his parents, the second is a former outlaw turned reverend named Ray who's on the boys trail to bring him to justice. So the game switches between the Billy who is faster and more agile to the gun slinging bloodthirsty Reverend Ray. Ray's levels are all great - you can play with two guns at once, usually pistols in left and right hands and can fire them both at the same time. Then you get rifles and shotguns at your disposal. Ammunition and health are plentiful but the game is still a good blast as enemies can take you down quickly if they're carrying good weapons. You need to make shots accurate and it's very satisfying when you headshots. Without a headshot you can shoot an enemy up to several times before you get a deadly hit.
Unfortunately, Billy's stealth levels aren't nearly as fun, and the game got a hounding in reviews because of this. It's a little surprising because Thief and Splinter Cell were so popular, even Chronicles of Riddick which started off with stealth then went to action in the second half. So why does everyone rubbish Call Of Juarez's stealth sections so much? They were boring as hell, but most stealth games are to me so it's nothing new. Billy does get to do some gun slinging or bow & arrow killing-fun, but it's mostly about creeping around or climbing things for him.
This brings me to a major problem in the version I had of this game; the rope climbing is extremely buggy. There was once section where I needed to use my whip as a rope to climb a tree. Due to some bug in the game this wouldn't work at all. It just wouldn't allow me to attach my whip to the tree. I was completely stuck and it was a game ender, without getting a level unlock cheat so I could skip to the next level. Sadly this was probably the longest level in the game. Furthermore the updates wouldn't work so I couldn't apply any fixes.
There's also a DirectX 10 upgrade which improves the game, but this wouldn't work for me as it's only available for US versions of the game. But everything still looks fine even without the upgrade.
So overall I think Call Of Juarez is worthy of a play through the once, at least for it's action parts. Even though the stealthy, jumping Billy sections are a bit of a drag. The game looks good, the action is fun, it's not in the elite shooters of 2007, but for a bargain bin price I'd recommend it.
Bulletstorm & Windows Live.
#5214 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/08/30 21:23:04
Copy of email I sent to Microsoft and EA...
I recently bought the Bulletstorm game. After I installed it and attempted to play it, I had the following problems:
1. I was given no option to play just single player and was forced to sign into Windows Live DESPITE the first screen saying a Live account was needed for multi player (not single player).
2. Despite Windows Live obviously being somehow fundamental to this game, the game did not pick up that I was already signed in to Windows Live via Messenger, thus forcing a tedious signing in process:
3. It took me a few goes to recall my password, each time I had to wait for it to "download profile" and then return to the start, rather than simply informing me of an invalid password when I typed it.
4. Despite ticking the "log in automatically" tickbox, this was NOT applied so I had to retype my details every log in time, of which there were many:
5. After finally signing in, I was forced to apply an auto-update. After this downloaded, I was told to exit the game to apply it, BUT there was no option to exit the game (only the same start screen about logging in) so I had to Ctrl-Alt-Delete to close it.
6. After the Windows Live update applied (with no pop-up indicating it was complete) I had to restart the game, go through the unskippable splash screens AGAIN and sign in AGAIN.
7. After this the update was VERY slow to apply in game (several minutes). Then I was forced to exit the game via Ctrl-Alt-Delete (again no proper exit option).
8. After the update installing in Windows and having to restart for the 3rd time and log in AGAIN, I was forced to create another profile on the XBox site. Firstly I don't own and will never own an XBox, and secondly this profile sign in came with marketing email options pre-selected. Given all I was trying to do was to play a game I had just purchased, having to avoid getting spam advertising email as part of the whole tedious rigmarole was not welcome.
9. After creating this account (which didn't give any obvious confirmation I'd created it) and thankfully not having to restart a 4th time, I then had to log in / download profile yet again. This meant that a game I bought in 2 minutes, installed in 5 minutes, and should have been able to start playing in 30 seconds, took me 30 minutes to get started.
10. Finally there was no email contact for PC Games with Windows Live on the Xbox Live site nor the main Microsoft site, and the staff on the XBox Live phone support tried to get me to discuss the problem rather than just telling me the email address.
In response I want to know the following things:
> Why was I forced to sign in to Windows Live for single player??
> Why, if Windows Live was ""necessary"", was there no integration with my current Messenger sign in??
> Why was the signing in / password validation process so slow and cumbersome??
> Why were there no options to exit when I was told to??
> Why was the whole process made so bloody long-winded for a paying customer to play the game they've just purchased??
#5215 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.90.74] on 2011/08/30 21:45:34
Ah was fun getting Windows Live working with Dirt 2. Same issue. You have to spend ages loading the game up, watch all their unskippable intro shit, make it update and quit again, MULTIPLE TIMES to fully update it. No single download for microsoft no sir.
And after all this shit it still doesn't save your progress remotely, so when I switched PCs I forgot to copy an up to date save and thus lost about 15 hours of progress.
Thankfully doing it all before meant Arkham Asylum wasn't such a pain in the arse.
I Told You Not To Play It.
#5216 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/08/30 22:10:01
Well Look At That ...
#5217 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/08/31 00:49:00
http://kotaku.com/5835867/prize-wi...
GJ Drev
#5218 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/08/31 01:30:34
30mins is a pretty normal install time for me once you've found all the patches to apply and then found actual working no-dvd cracks without getting a cunting virus. i never use steam though. that microsoft signing in process is ridiculous though.
#5219 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/08/31 02:27:01
Steam has been good to me, automatic updates, no hassles etc. Only thing that bothers me is the checking and reinstalling of DirectX components every time a new game is installed. Although they explained this a few mths ago, there surely is a betetr option around.
Windlows Live, which I've only had to use for Arkham Asylum, is a pain. AFAIK, it only saves games per user id and has no other function in SP.
#5220 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/31 02:36:12
Windows LIVE needs to be murdered in the most horrific way possible. Possibly involving bees.
Hang On
#5221 posted by ijed [190.22.115.115] on 2011/08/31 02:50:47
On one of the live screens you can just scroll down and select an option 'play without logging in'.
The screen itself doesn't look scrollable, and the windows people don't make any mention of which one it is or how to access it, although they allude to its existence.
Figured it out with DOW2.
I Solved The Windows Live Problem
#5222 posted by starbuck [76.126.47.82] on 2011/08/31 05:29:59
by getting a mac. Now just have to solve the no-games-to-play problem. Zwiffle please elaborate on your bees-based murder method, sounds quite pleasant.
#5223 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/08/31 06:05:29
It's not supposed to, it's meant to sound quite unpleasant. :(
Actually Ijed's Right
#5224 posted by nitin [180.149.192.133] on 2011/08/31 06:14:14
I think thats what I had to eventually do for Batman AA.
#5225 posted by Spirit [80.171.127.168] on 2011/08/31 10:10:08
The worst of annoying DRM shall happen to Zwiffle for keeping reading and linking to the fucking Gawker media websites.
I Miss When Survival Horrors...
#5226 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/08/31 14:03:21
... were survival horrors :(
#5227 posted by Micki! [195.249.89.116] on 2011/08/31 18:00:59
Last game i recall being true survival horror must be Call of Cthulhu: Dark corners of the Earth, Penumbra series and Amnesia...
I want to say Dead Space 1 and 2, but those have significantly more action in them, to be considered pure survival horror games...
Are there any obscure examples out there that should be known ..?
Finished Bulletstorm.
#5228 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/01 21:26:08
Did what it said on the tin. Fun gameplay, good weapons, pretty enviroments. Well, as Yahtzee so aptly put it - pretty skyboxes. Probably the least immersive game I've ever played, what with the neanderthal dialogue, pre-school plot, uber-on-rails-interactive-cartoon progress, lack of jumping, clipped everything. But the controls and weapons and gore and explosions and kicking the shit out of enemy, as juvenile as it was, was pretty good fun (especially with the stupid dickskill notifications turned off). Very limited as a game, but good to dip into for a bit of easy action.
#5229 posted by Spirit [80.171.81.17] on 2011/09/04 11:23:00
http://deadcyborg.com/
Splinter Cell Double Agent (2006)
#5230 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/05 03:49:46
Tried to give Splinter Cell Double Agent a shot. Mouse buttons can't be bound unless through the confusing config files, which then somehow breaks almost all my config even though I only changed 4 keys. I can't even quit the game without ctrl-alt-del. The loading takes forever, i'm forced to put up with a crappy low quality video every time the menu comes up, and the whole menu GUI looks like shit as well. And on top of that the first 30secs of the game looks like ugly shit and far too dark.
I'm skipping this crap game, it's already wasted an hour of my life.
Kona
#5231 posted by nitin [180.149.192.133] on 2011/09/05 05:56:38
see my post, I played it all the way through and found it to be very disappointing.
Conviction looks more action packed (but also more consoley) though.
#5232 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/06 00:02:57
Couldn't see your post on Double Agent, nitin. But anyway I'm now playing MOH Airborne instead, and put it on easy difficulty since you said you died alot and I have no inclination at all to play from checkpoints with repopulated enemies. The checkpoints are way too far apart!
Agree with what you said about it so far, 2 levels completed. I guess i'm 1/3 done already!
I'll probably give conviction a try - surely they would have fixed the key config issues by then.
Hmm
#5233 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/09/06 02:13:41
must not have posted my comments on Double Agent here. Anyway, found it to be a very annoying game with subpar level design.
#5234 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/09/06 22:13:45
Reviewed a Minecraft mod, The Aether, for anyone interested. http://taw.duke4.net/2011/09/minec...
#5235 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/07 01:22:38
looks like minecraft has a new shading system? surprisingly, it makes a huge difference, even though it's still just cubes. very cool.
#5236 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2011/09/07 02:03:04
yeah, they seem to have added some sort of ambient occlusion system, i've been seeing it in screenshots for a while now. (still not playing it myself)
#5237 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/09/07 03:04:12
... and 1.8 is going to have a newer lighting system, better day and night transitions and coloured lights.
Medal Of Honor: Airborne Review
#5238 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/07 03:21:51
Medal of Honor: Airborne is the pefect example of a game that could have been great, but was left stumbling over it's own feet in an unfinished product. I can only assume it's because Activision's Call Of Duty was jumping ahead of them in the WWII shooter market. The last MOH effort in 2004, Pacific Assault, was an average game and since then Activision released a successful Call Of Duty 2 in 2006 and was set to release Call Of Duty 3 in time for the 2007 christmas.
So EA release Airborne; their third PC game in the franchise, a game that really needed another year of development in my opinion. Only then it'd be competing against the likes of Far Cry 2, Mass Effect, Left 4 Dead 2 and another Call Of Duty title. Airborne is what happens when you make something half-assed. In my opinion EA LA shouldn't be given the MOH franchise to develop in future. Pacific Assault was a disappointment and too short. The original MOH was created by 2015 Inc, not EA. And what happened to 2015? Most went on to create a new studio named Infinity Ward, developers of the Call Of Duty franchise. That being said, EA actually started this game in 2004, giving them three years to make it. How on earth they could have spent three years creating six levels is beyond me. Perhaps they only had a single level designer and the rest were there to make coffee? Has building a single level evolved so much that it takes around 10 level designers six months to create a single level?
Enough about the politics and developmento of modern games, because I really don't know, and on to what is bad about Airborne from a gamers perspective. The most prominent problem being that the game is only about five hours long. As I said above, only six levels and while they are large, there should be twice that many for a full priced game. There are some epic moments, this is Unreal Engine 3 afterall. The final level is a great finale on a huge war tower full of AA's and the like to destroy. Walk to the partly destroyed outer-edges of the tower you can look out over a bomb-ravaged city. It's absolutely epic and probably one of the best levels of 2007 for any action game. Although the inside of the tower doesn't look all that good at all.
The other levels look almost as great too, but they are all very similar looking European towns full of debris and destruction. And none of them can catch that imposing feeling you get from the tower; of being just small dot in a huge city. Some of the levels aren't really as big as they really appear when you're parachuting down either.
Overall I'd give the design an 8/10. The job was half-done with UE3, but the levels all look good and are well constructed.
Medal Of Honor: Airborne Review Cont
#5239 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/07 03:22:59
There's no story whatsoever. All I can tell you is the players name is Travis (spelt Travers because that's cooler) and it's WWII. There are cutscenes before each mission explaining the objectives, which are both boring and skippable.
The combat also needed work. The weapons just don't feel right. You can put a few shots into an enemy and he stays there as if he wasn't even hit. Couple more and suddenly he dies. It feels as if my first few shots went right through him. Headshots are difficult to achieve because the movement is jerky and the recoil on guns just throws you upwards and it takes a second to even realise what you're aiming at. What I mean by jerky is if you've got someone down your sights, you move slightly to the left and it jumps a foot. There's not a smooth transition, so there's times where an enemy will be impossible to shoot (unless you physically move the player) because the sights jump from one side of him to the other! It feels like stop-motion animation; not good at all EA.
If I'm firing at close-range at an opponent, it shouldn't take several shots before he suddenly just drops, without any proper death animation or blood. Many times you'll shoot him again because you're not actually sure if he's dead or not.
The guns have a weak fire-rate, they sound weak, and none of them were really enjoyable to use. The shotgun is maybe the exception, but who uses a close range shotgun for long range combat?
The enemies themselves were just standard humans with different guns and average AI. Nothing new here, but even then they could be fun if the weapons had been tweaked properly.
There is one big thumbs up for Airborne that I absolutely loved - jumping from the airplane! Each level I had to demand the girlfriend to watch me jump on the big screen because it's just SO DAMN COOL! She's not interested in the slightest, but I had to show someone! It was brilliant.
However, the checkpoint system was sketchy as hell. Provided you don't die much you'll be fine (and as such I played on easy as I hate checkpoints), or if you die just after a checkpoint. In Airborne you go back to the last checkpoint of objectives, so if you've completed 5 of 10 objectives then you'll still have those completed. You return to the parachuting-in mode (which makes no sense at all from a realistic viewpoint) but you can almost land right where you died. The problem is the map gets partly re-populated and you seem to restart with the weapons you started the level with, or at least you lose all you're ammo. I didn't die enough times to figure it out, but for instance I died in the tower level and parachuted back down with many enemies re-spawned. Only this time I'm given my original two weapons back with barely any ammo in them, instead of having the machine gun I previously had with full ammo in it. Why on earth would you restart a checkpoint but lose your ammo and have the enemies respawn?! Who the hell makes these decisions at EA LA?
Oh well, this game could have been the best MOH yet. It need the checkpoint system fixed (quicksaves anyone?), the weapons properly tweaked, at least some sort of story rather than random missions, and most importantly MORE LEVELS! As it is, it feels like an expansion pack to a bigger game. It feels like a series of objective-based deathmatches with little point.
I still liked it; perhaps I've been a bit harsh on the game because of all the games in I've played from 2007 so far, this is one of the few I'd actually play a second time. It just could have been much better with a bit more work.
Rating: 7.0/10
Dead Space 2 (possible Spoilers Yo!)
#5240 posted by DaZ [78.147.171.89] on 2011/09/07 14:36:37
Finally got around to playing this badboy. Just finished the Ishimura section, so far so awesome!
I really must point out that the environments are beautiful, like the first one in the series this is sci-fi pornography at it's best. There is so much detail absolutely everywhere, I've stopped playing at times and just smiled at the screen almost in disbelief at what I was seeing. That doe's not happen often! :)
As a sequel its more refinement rather than innovation, everything just feels/looks/sounds better than before. There are no new mechanics (that I've seen just yet) but the original mechanics have been polished up and enhanced, so you now have total freedom to fly around in zero-G sections, and I've seem some gameplay involving thrusters that you can attach to things and fire off to move them around.
Curious decision to remake Isaac into a fully voiced character, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, it doesn't get in the way at all, its just different :) I suppose it's easier to show his mental state when you can hear him getting six shades of fucked up. I think so far the other characters have been quite weak, and in general im feeling slightly more disconnected from the story than in the first game, the station commander for example, I have no idea what he wants or what his motivations are, I just know he doesn't like me very much.
I thought the intro was worse than the first game also, it didn't really set the scene too well, which is perhaps why i'm feeling disconnected. The Dead Space 1 intro was fantastic, it introduced all the crew, the Ishimura and setup the story very nicely whilst looking awesome. I can't even really remember what happened in the intro for DS2, I remember running through some corridors with a straight jacket on, not having a clue wtf was going on :)
So to round this thing off, DS2 is great and you should get it :) And if you haven't played DS1 you should get that also.
Hard Reset
#5241 posted by Mike Woodham [86.177.187.167] on 2011/09/11 00:57:41
Having not played any FPS games for a couple of years (including Quake), I have just done 15 minutes of Hard Reset. Great architecture, Blade Runner all over, yet gameplay just like Quake or Quake2: monsters, blow things up, secret areas etc, and nothing complicated (yet!). I might play some more tomorrow.
Hard Reset
#5242 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/11 03:35:35
Yeah trailer looked kinda good. I don't like the futuristic sci-fi setting much, but it looked good in Hard Reset. Funny they only announced the game a couple months before it's release I think... talk about bad marketing.
Hard Reset Demo
#5243 posted by Mike Woodham [86.177.187.167] on 2011/09/11 15:48:44
That's a sod, 17 minutes was all there was. Will it encourage me to spend £20 on Steam...?
Hard COCK.
#5244 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/11 18:13:50
Thanks for the heads up, downloading now. Wasn't super=impressed with the trailer, huge weapons and too much fancy lighting, but will be keen to give it a try.
Uhhh.
#5245 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/11 19:30:12
How many of those 17 minutes are waiting for the stupid menu system to dick around back and forth with it's "novelty wears off and boredom sets in in about 30 seconds" graphic????
Hard Cheese.
#5246 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/11 20:02:43
So it's like a 2006 era Daikatana meets Blade Runner, with naff hints of Bulletstorm. Uh huh. Kinda fun tho. The city above you is rather cool.
Czg's Dark Secret Revealed...
#5247 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2011/09/12 12:40:31
...and it was Syndicate as everyone thought.
At least I assume our Norwegian friend has mapped for it.
Syndicate
#5248 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/12 13:44:25
That'll be awesome seeing what CZG can do a modern game. Can't wait for that one.
#5249 posted by czg [213.132.100.2] on 2011/09/12 14:09:03
lol as if individual efforts have any place in a production like this.
The coop will own tho...
Czg
#5250 posted by DaZ [92.24.168.42] on 2011/09/12 16:39:55
fucking adjustable fov in the pc version ffs! ;)
Screens look interesting, hoping you can level city blocks like in syndicate wars <3
#5251 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/13 01:15:36
czg just tell the other "artists" to piss off, and that you're making the levels from start to finish. I won't have it any other way :D
#5252 posted by Spirit [80.171.28.28] on 2011/09/13 09:00:40
"Populous 4: The Hand" Details Leak from Swedish Gaming Magazine
Syndickate
#5253 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/13 10:26:09
Through DART 6 bio-chip technology implanted in their head, players can slow down time and breach the digital world around them to take down their foes using a variety of upgradable hacking mechanics. Syndicate’s blend of fast-paced, futuristic, action shooter settings and story combined with innovative chip breach gameplay instantly immerses players in a unique digital world.
Unique eh. So nothing like the Veil in Wolfenstein nor the time gimmicks in Timeshift and Singularity. I bet the atmosphere and setting is worlds away from Deus Ex too. Yup screams UNIQUE out of every orifice to me.
Still it's existence as an FPS shooter seems to annoy some fanbois, so I might buy it for that alone.
#5254 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/13 13:01:28
Populous becomes a first person shooter?! WTF? Why bother even wasting the Populous franchise name, just call it something different ffs. I never liked the Populous games, and if I saw the name "populous" in a video game store I'll completely overlook it thinking it's another god game. Next they'll be making a Need 4 Speed war shooter.
Dark Sector Review
#5255 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/13 13:15:25
Digital Extremes is well known for it's hand in the Unreal franchise, particularly the multiplayer games Unreal Tournament. By 2005 they developed their own new IP; Pariah, which was an average game at best. Warpath followed a year later and I didn't have the heart to play it since Pariah was a skippable title and Warpath was critically received as even worse.
So it's not a far stretch to assume their next IP; Dark Sector, might fail as well. It's an early-2008 game although it didn't get a PC port until 2009. Fortunately Digital Extremes have developed their own engine for Dark Sector instead of re-using the aging Unreal Engine 2.5, or at least aging in their hands.
The engine, named Evolution, does a pretty good job of making the game look appealing. My only complaint is that they went way overboard on the post-processing and visual effects. The amount of blurring on anything that isn't direcly in the centre of the screen and up close, is ridiculous. But the lighting all looks good. It looks about what you'd expect for a 2007/2008 gaming engine with all the visual effects hammed up to the max. Very, very similar looking to Infernal.
The art is also satisfying with tonnes of details on the textures throughout the game. Most of the levels look solidly good all throughout the game; there's nothing dull here. But there's also nothing awe-inspiring. The levels are all tight and claustraphoic, with a slow walking speed so you don't really notice that between each level load there's really only a few rooms sometimes. It's a corridor crawler basically, although with plenty of outdoor areas as well, they're still very linear and tight with random, unrealistic barriers used for cover everyone. There's no treking off the beaten path for exploration in Dark Sector, so expect linearity at it's hardcore.
The gameplay is where Dark Sector fails for me. Crystal Dynamics introduced a variety of unique features into the game, most notable the spinning blade you launch at enemies while holding a handgun in your left hand. So you can shoot and blade at the same time, which is great for a while. The first half of the game has you up against humans with guns; nothing different to every other shooter, but at least it's fun. Then a little past halfway they change into the infected, which are basically Doom 3 Imp's that fire yellow or blue crap at you. Two good shots from this fast projectile stuff and your dead. The health is regenerating but once the screen goes red it's several painstaking seconds before your health has returned to normal. Furthermore the infected are launched at you in spawns of 3, 4, 5 at a time and as soon as they're dead more keep spawning. As you get further into the game and different types of monsters are introduced, they have more and more health to the point where you need to hit one four or five times with the blade to kill it. Four or five times?! I might as well be using saucer than a hardcore three-edged blade!
This all wouldn't be so bad if there were quicksaves, but of course Crystal Dynamics doesn't care about PC standards, they're all about consoles, so you'll be replaying many of the checkpoints two or three times till you get through. It feels like sometimes getting through a fight is more luck than skill in Dark Sector. If you just happen to run the wrong way and there's an infected imp spoofing you, and you miss the powerhit, then you won't get away because the damn player moves too slowly.
It's a lot easier if you're able to use your guns and blade 50/50, but there's not quite enough ammo for that, so you'll spend a lot of time hiding behind cover picking things off slowly. Most of the game isn't too bad, but it's just some scenes where you have monsters spawning over and over again and it can get quite overwhelming in the later stages.
What they need to do to fix it was make the blade FAR more powerful. Sure you can do a more lethal hit if you hold the blade key down and release it at the perfect time, but it's hard to get the timing right so you'll only get the powerhit 40-50% of the time. The blade should have been an awesome weapon of destruction ripping through enemies. Along with a faster player and perhaps less reliance on the Gear Of War-ripoff cover gameplay and a faster regenerating health system, and Dark Sector would have been a much more enjoyable game. Either that or include a damn difficulty selection instead of just one difficulty.
And the boss battles were some of the worst I've ever played without any quicksaving or checkpoints during the battles - they're hardly worth wasting your time on without putting a cheat on to get through it.
Overall a good looking game, despite there not being anything too epic, but the gameplay could have been a lot more fun but just became monotonous and annoying by the last quarter of the game.
Rating: 6.0/10
Populous 4.
#5256 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.61] on 2011/09/13 13:41:07
Kona becomes someone without an irony meter?! WTF? Why bother even wasting time going on SomethingAwful, just stick to a serious gaming news site ffs.
#5257 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2011/09/13 13:56:50
Still it's existence as an FPS shooter seems to annoy some fanbois, so I might buy it for that alone.
You won't be so smug when Quake is remade as a third person cover based gears knock off.
Okay Fallout worked very well as an FPS, but a more strategic game with the squad elements and stuff of Syndicate? I dunno... too many games are getting sucked through either being first person or third person shooters.
I love shooters, but I don't want quite the volume of them that we now have :E
#5258 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/14 01:59:50
OH haha was that a joke? I thought it might have been but it wasn't april! Didn't notice what site I was on. What a douche! lol
#5259 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/09/14 09:18:11
With the changes made with Fallout, X-COM and Syndicate in FPS over the years, even I almost fell for it.
Not that I found Fallout 3 bad. I've enjoyed it and the game surpassed my expectations. Never played the first Fallout until the third got announced and that was an interesting experience.
XCOM just looks underwhelming. Never played the UFO Defense either until sometime before this new game's announcement. And I love the hell out of it. Very atmospheric and the turned-based strategy aspects are refreshing, including all the management and taking care of your troops while out on the field.
Syndicate? I have fond memories of Syndicate Wars on the PSX many years ago, despite being terrible at the game. But another FPS?
#5260 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/09/14 20:20:29
Why bother even wasting time going on SomethingAwful, just stick to a serious gaming news site ffs.
Is this sarcasm?
Because, well...
Portal Is Free Now?
#5261 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/09/18 21:12:43
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
John Woo's Stranglehold Review
#5262 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/20 09:39:46
First I'll cover John Woo, acclaimed Hong Kong action movie director who is behind Stranglehold. Now I've seen most of his top movies; Hard Boiled, The Killer, Bullet In The Head, Police Story, and his western movies Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off. I like a good action movie or a good crime/drama, but none of his movies have been very memorable for me. In fact I can barely remember a thing about Hard Boiled, and it's only been a couple years since I saw it! Stranglehold is the video game sequel to Hard Boiled. I'm not sure that it really features much of the plot, it's really just the same guy (Tequila, voiced/played by Chow Yun-Fat) in a completely different story.
The story in Stranglehold follows Tequila as he tries to get his long lost love and child back from a gang, who are using them to blackmail another gang. So Tequila sides with both gangs at some stage in order to get his family back. The story is okay - plenty of action movie cliches and rather predictable, but at least there is a story going on with cut-scenes throughout. I would have hoped the game would have featured something a little more interesting coming from John Woo; I could have thought up this plot in five minutes, but a game with a good story is rare. But the player model looks just like Chow Yun-Fat, which is great.
The gameplay in Stranglehold is straight-up action mixed with Timeshift and Max Payne. Bullet-time is important and used constantly during battle. There is a cover system, but it's not necessary, thank god, but jumping is missing. You also have special abilities which build up over time as you kill bad guys - simple health boosts, precise slow motion sniping, a fury mode where you can't be hurt and don't lose ammo and a spinning attack. They were good little features, in particular the sniping and fury were very helpful during boss fights. But I ended up using the health boost the most.
Weapons are all okay. You have only two weapon slots so I mostly stuck with the few machine guns and pistols. You do go through ammo quick and have to switch weapons often, but there are plenty around. Only the shotgun I didn't like - it was a bit useless unless at very close range. Overall the combat was fun and quite constant. Sometimes it felt a bit Painkiller-esque as you seem to enter one arena and have a set number of spawning enemies before you can continue to the next arena, but other parts of the game were more flowing so Midway didn't overdo the arena feel. Nor did they make the common mistake of endless spawns until the player moves forward - I really hate games that do that.
Stranglehold does feature a checkpoint system, so marks down for that as always. But it's not so bad here as the game won't have you dying over and over. I played on the lowest skill setting because I hate checkpoint replays, so I only died several times during the game at the most (mostly boss fights), but it wasn't stupidly easy either. There was still some challenge and strategic gameplay involved. The final level was suitably tough.
Stranglehold uses Unreal Engine 3.0, so it's no surprise that the game looks good. Unfortunately Midway really struggle with the structure of the levels from an aesthetic viewpoint, instead relying on lots of debris and detail instead of fantastic open levels. The levels are often very small and tight. When I got to the Slums level it started out with a great looking scene over a run-down city, but before I knew it the level had turned into trekking through tiny rooms, sewers and corridors. You also get to play through a museum, a penthouse building, a massive restaurant, even the Hong Kong marketplace, but while they all look really good, they're also quite small. Only the Tai O island opens up a little, filled with wooden huts and walkways through the island bays.
Strangehold may not do islands as pretty as Crysis or restaurants and casinos as impressive as Rainbow 6, but there's nothing to really complain about with the design.
The only major bug forced me to change the resolution every time I started the game or I'd just get a black screen. A minor annoyance though since I completed the game almost in a single sitting.
Usually after playing a game I know exactly what it did wrong and what to complain about. But in Stranglehold, to be honest, there's nothing really that bad here. It's just a good, action-packed game to add to the collection. Decent design, fun gameplay. Perhaps it's only big flaw is it's very short length and only seven levels.
Rating: 7.5/10
John Woo's Stranglehold Review
#5263 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/20 09:39:47
First I'll cover John Woo, acclaimed Hong Kong action movie director who is behind Stranglehold. Now I've seen most of his top movies; Hard Boiled, The Killer, Bullet In The Head, Police Story, and his western movies Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off. I like a good action movie or a good crime/drama, but none of his movies have been very memorable for me. In fact I can barely remember a thing about Hard Boiled, and it's only been a couple years since I saw it! Stranglehold is the video game sequel to Hard Boiled. I'm not sure that it really features much of the plot, it's really just the same guy (Tequila, voiced/played by Chow Yun-Fat) in a completely different story.
The story in Stranglehold follows Tequila as he tries to get his long lost love and child back from a gang, who are using them to blackmail another gang. So Tequila sides with both gangs at some stage in order to get his family back. The story is okay - plenty of action movie cliches and rather predictable, but at least there is a story going on with cut-scenes throughout. I would have hoped the game would have featured something a little more interesting coming from John Woo; I could have thought up this plot in five minutes, but a game with a good story is rare. But the player model looks just like Chow Yun-Fat, which is great.
The gameplay in Stranglehold is straight-up action mixed with Timeshift and Max Payne. Bullet-time is important and used constantly during battle. There is a cover system, but it's not necessary, thank god, but jumping is missing. You also have special abilities which build up over time as you kill bad guys - simple health boosts, precise slow motion sniping, a fury mode where you can't be hurt and don't lose ammo and a spinning attack. They were good little features, in particular the sniping and fury were very helpful during boss fights. But I ended up using the health boost the most.
Weapons are all okay. You have only two weapon slots so I mostly stuck with the few machine guns and pistols. You do go through ammo quick and have to switch weapons often, but there are plenty around. Only the shotgun I didn't like - it was a bit useless unless at very close range. Overall the combat was fun and quite constant. Sometimes it felt a bit Painkiller-esque as you seem to enter one arena and have a set number of spawning enemies before you can continue to the next arena, but other parts of the game were more flowing so Midway didn't overdo the arena feel. Nor did they make the common mistake of endless spawns until the player moves forward - I really hate games that do that.
Stranglehold does feature a checkpoint system, so marks down for that as always. But it's not so bad here as the game won't have you dying over and over. I played on the lowest skill setting because I hate checkpoint replays, so I only died several times during the game at the most (mostly boss fights), but it wasn't stupidly easy either. There was still some challenge and strategic gameplay involved. The final level was suitably tough.
Stranglehold uses Unreal Engine 3.0, so it's no surprise that the game looks good. Unfortunately Midway really struggle with the structure of the levels from an aesthetic viewpoint, instead relying on lots of debris and detail instead of fantastic open levels. The levels are often very small and tight. When I got to the Slums level it started out with a great looking scene over a run-down city, but before I knew it the level had turned into trekking through tiny rooms, sewers and corridors. You also get to play through a museum, a penthouse building, a massive restaurant, even the Hong Kong marketplace, but while they all look really good, they're also quite small. Only the Tai O island opens up a little, filled with wooden huts and walkways through the island bays.
Strangehold may not do islands as pretty as Crysis or restaurants and casinos as impressive as Rainbow 6, but there's nothing to really complain about with the design.
The only major bug forced me to change the resolution every time I started the game or I'd just get a black screen. A minor annoyance though since I completed the game almost in a single sitting.
Usually after playing a game I know exactly what it did wrong and what to complain about. But in Stranglehold, to be honest, there's nothing really that bad here. It's just a good, action-packed game to add to the collection. Decent design, fun gameplay. Perhaps it's only big flaw is it's very short length and only seven levels.
Rating: 7.5/10
#5264 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.116] on 2011/09/22 18:02:32
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
.../how-diablo-iiis-drm- Will- Affect -you
#5265 posted by Spirit [80.171.53.116] on 2011/09/22 18:03:07
#5266 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.159] on 2011/09/22 20:19:04
diablo 3's drm already affected me and i wont buy it. where i live, internet is kind of weird. while the connections are stable, the problem lies on summer. strong winds and thunderstorms make it into a nice place to live, sure, but in turn the power goes out for hours.
whenever i see the shadows of the glowing eye of the universe standing besides the weak, shimmering toe nails of humanity, i wonder why, and only why, i haven't yet seen with my own two ears out of my rotten teeth.
p.s - i'll probably buy diablo3 anyway, but i dont know, a game with always online drm doesnt deserve any sales.
the end
#5267 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.159] on 2011/09/22 20:22:20
i forgot to say, i'm actually way more exited about torchlight 2 than diablo3. and when i wrote that i'll buy d3, i mean in battlechest form. like i did with diablo2 and the original starcraft [which i dont like at all! hehe].
the end 2
Ok
#5268 posted by SleepwalkR [92.231.225.78] on 2011/09/22 20:26:56
But wtf was that in the second paragraph?!
#5269 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/22 20:55:03
Sleepwalkr it was obviously a haiku.
Clap With Your Ears, For They Will Smiley At Thy Reflection
#5270 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.159] on 2011/09/22 21:25:08
as zwiffle said, its a haiku. not gibberish, since those are my childhood memories. so be brave little ones. be brave *cries
anyway, do you guys know of a not so great but not so bad, but crappy games? the past few months i played You Are Empty which was loads of fun, but not a game i'd recommend to people. but i really liked.
i'm also playing through boiling point which is insanely awesome. but buggy. but awesome.
should i just keep going with these titles and try the other ones like vivisector, maybe ubersoldier and such?
Haha
#5271 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/22 21:33:46
yeah, was gonna say, the second part of your post is wild, man. shimmering toe nails of humanity, indeed! :P
i've never been super interested in top down dungeon crawlers. i might have picked up the game for fun, but the drm stuff is a major turnoff.
while i'm sure i'm in the minority, there are going to be other lost sales like mine.
and you just know some haxor is going to get it running flawlessly in SP mode without an internet connection in a week or so. :P
#5272 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/22 21:42:01
Diablo3 to me is not exciting in the least. Torchlight 2 looks like a blast to play though. Even comes with an editor and whatnot. And it will be like $20-$30 iirc. I will gladly give those guys my money.
Wait What?
#5273 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/22 21:43:49
you can edit maps? that sounds awesome!
#5274 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/22 21:50:15
You can also edit your own items so you can make whatever you want, if I recall correctly on that aspect too.
Meh
#5275 posted by Bal [83.204.155.54] on 2011/09/22 21:54:53
I'll buy and play both, as well as Grim Dawn.
Torchlight was nice, but it was no Diablo 2 really.
No It Wasn't
#5276 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/22 22:39:24
It was a smaller team, a new franchise, an indy dev, and cost significantly less than Diablo 2 did when it came out. Not nearly as ground breaking obv, coming out years after Diablo2, but I still think it was quite innovative and stream lined a lot of things. The only problems it had were no MP and was a bit easy, which I think TL2 fixes.
When Is Tl2 Coming Out?
#5277 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/09/23 00:28:56
Cause it's going to be overshadowed by d3 if it isn't coming out soon.
#5278 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.159] on 2011/09/23 02:14:07
runic said this year, but i don't think they ever gave a solid release date, or even hinted at one, except that [i think] they said something like "pretty sure it will be out this year". i hope so, the game looks wicked, and i want it now.
and Bal reminded me of Grim Dawn! i had completely forgotten about that one. will buy the normal edition once i stop being such a cheap bitch. :)
Nakasuhito
#5279 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/23 02:15:46
Yeah I try to get the obscure European/russian shooters as well. Ubersoldier is actually worth playing, I reviewed it here: http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
I couldn't get a working version of Ubersoldier 2, but it actually looks a lot worse than the first one. Different developers too, which might explain why. It was originally a completely different game, then I think IC or some publisher came along and renamed it Ubersoldier 2 to get more sales.
I skipped You Are Empty - mainly because I couldn't find a version of it. Were the graphics good? Skipped Boiling Point and Vivisector - they're probably getting too old now. Vids of Boiling Point make the graphics look pre-2000s. Anything pre 2007 that isn't mainstream, probably looks like arse.
You should try Red Ocean (2007), it looks okay in vids but I haven't got it yet. Can't find a version to buy, but it's floating around on the file storage sites. Search google for Red Ocean full. Actually, I might play this in the next week if the pirated versions work :P
You could also try The Stalin Subway: Red Veil (2008). And, I've made a list of City Interactive shooters, with their ranking on gamerankings.com and comments on whether to get it. Most of their games use the Chrome (Call of Juarez) or Lithtech (Fear) engines, so they can't be that bad... They use a lot of shadows to hide a lack of detail.
I made comments on which ones I was going to get, the first being SAS. Haven't played any yet.
Code of Honor: The French Foreign Legion (2007) - 41.5% (Chrome engine) (skip, bad graphics)
Battlestrike: Force Of Resistance (2008) - 50% (Chrome engine) (skip, bad graphics)
Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island (2008) - 34% (Lithtech engine) (skip, bad scores)
Sniper - Art of Victory (2008) - 37% (Chrome) (skip, bad gameplay)
SAS: Secure Tomorrow (2008) - 57% (GET, Lithtech)
The Royal Marines Commando (2008) - ? (Lithtech) (unsure, can't find any reviews)
Operation Thunderstorm (2008) - ? (Lithtech) (unsure, can't find any reviews)
Armed Forces Corp. (2009) - ? (Lithtech) (skip, no reviews but apparently bad graphics)
Battlestrike: Force of Resistance 2 / Battlestrike: Shadow of Stalingrad (2009) - ? (Lithtech) (skip, dark and bad graphics)
Code of Honor 3: Desperate Measures (2009) - ? (Lithtech) (GET)
Alcatraz (2010) - ? (unsure, graphics look bad)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior (2010) - 56% (GET)
Terrorist Takedown 3 (2010) - ? (GET)
Also you could probably try Warpath (2005), the sequel to Pariah, which was actually a bit shit but might be worth playing if your desperate. It's Chrome again I think. I skipped it. Oh and check my website above there's reviews from other games in 2006/2007 you might have missed.
Red Ocean (2007) Review
#5280 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/23 11:51:26
Well I've already downloaded, played and reviewed Red Ocean...
Red Ocean is as close to a Quake 2 mission pack with an enhanced graphics engine as you are going to get in 2007. I liken it to a mission pack because that's really all this game is, or feels like. It's seven levels long, so Red Ocean will only take about five hours. I played through the entire game in a single sitting.
The levels are basically corridors and rooms of various sizes, all of which looks pretty similar. There's no outdoors, no non-linear exploration, no set-pieces. It's just cookie cutter old skool game design from the late 90's. It's hard to tell what the engine is capable of, because the levels are so short and cramped. There's a few expected post-processing effects such as blurring and the lighting is okay, but nothing that special that doesn't exist in any other top shooter for the few years before Red Ocean's 2007 release.
The gameplay is also very old skool with similar enemies just with different guns. There are some positives about old skool though - quicksaving for one, but you also get to carry and use a full arsenal of weapons. I used every single weapon in the game quite often, and they're all fairly fun to use. Sure they have their problems; they're quite slow and even the machine guns fire rounds too slow, almost as if they're projectile weapons. But I was still quite satisfied to get to use all the weapons, instead of so many modern games limiting you to carrying a couple of weapons at a time - which of course you only ever carry the most useful ones. And the shotgun in Red Ocean is actually really fun to use!
The enemy A.I. is thick as shit. Half-Life had better A.I. than this ten years ago. But the enemy fire can do some damage quite quickly, so the game is challenging at times. The problem with the difficulty progression is that the first level is probably the hardest of all when you've only got the useless handgun. Once you have a full range of weapons halfway through the game things start to get a little easier.
One thing I really have to criticise is that selling point of this game; namely the water, is non-existant. There's maybe two sections in the entire game where you go underwater, which only last for thirty seconds. That's it. The rest of the game is completely dry. The artists and designers couldn't even design some underwater ocean views in this supposedly underwater military complex. At least they could have thrown in a window with an underwater skybox behind it! As it is, the base could be in the Nevada desert or anywhere on earth. It would still be the same ugly corridor crawler.
Red Ocean is not really a game you'd expect to pay money for in 2007. It's only mission pack length and the gameplay and level design belongs in the 90's and early 2000's. Having said that, I quite enjoy going back and playing the old custom missions for Quake II, and this is basically what Red Ocean is; just with a slightly better engine and no Strogg. If you can track down a free version online (it's not hard with a google search), it's only a 215mb download (cut scenes not included though) so give it a shot if your bored and with an open mind you might actually enjoy it. I did! If you're against piracy, then skip it, it's not worth paying anything for.
Rating: 4.5/10
Kona
#5281 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.178.98] on 2011/09/27 19:39:16
thanks for the list. i knew some of these from when i was looking for other games. will try to get them later, as they are quite cheap on amazon [through people that sell on amazon that is], at least the ones that are on sale.
you are empty looks like a game from 2004 or maybe 2002. it looks good to me, so i don't mind it. though some of the enemies are quite ridiculous looking.
then there are a few moments like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9G...
the voice is not in sync, but it doesnt bother me though. yet the more the dude talks, the more weird it gets. its all just gibberish! :D
the levels have a lot of little details and are nicely made too. no shaders or anything, so if the dudes wanted a bump on the walls, then it was done by hand.
the movement is slow, running only adds like 10% more speed to the movement. and if you fall from the second floor to the first floor, you die.
the physics sometimes can behave in weird ways. i remember bumping into a table and the objects slowly flew into the ceiling never to be seen again [something similar happened on the demo of chernobyl terrorist attack, but with dead bodies but it ended with the game crashing]
the game is linear as hell, but i found it fun to play through. and the levels are varied so its not so repetetive i think. and it feels like you are actually going from one place to another.
maybe i'm being too nice to it. one thing though, the game has some weird graphical bugs when i tried to play it again on my new pc. i played it on my old one and it played without issues, but on win7 64bit the floors & ceilings are displayed as black glitchy textures and sometimes objects blink like crazy. i dont know if its the ati drivers or maybe windows itself. i wish my notebook could handle it though, but it runs it at 2fps :(
when i played the game on my old pc though, the game felt solid without any weirdness. the aiming was weird as its expected on these games, but nothing really bad i thought. i had no slowdowns or crashes. except for the floating objects thing, no glitches that i remember, well except trying to play it now :(
some others games i found that i dont know if you heard of. never tried these, and i have never seen them anywhere to buy online, except for gamersgate.com:
they're alive!
xenus 2: white gold [sequel to boiling point, looks to be much better than the first one. open world action rpg madness].
the precursors [weird, funky sci-fi game, similar to xenus in a way i guess]
chernobyl terrorist attack [its from january this year, but the demo gave was enough to say no to it]. only seen it on amazon's downloadable game service for $19usd. but there is a demo and that was all i needed.
instinct [uses the same engine used on you are empty, so it might have the same issues on win7 or with a ati card, whichever is causing the problems]. sellers through amazon sell it very cheap, and the local supermakerket had it for like $8usd. i never saw it again.
its funny how the supermarket has lots of rare pc games, and a massive shelf for them, yet the big electronic stores have a small stand with lots of popcap styled games crap.
since this is becoming too big of a reply i'll stop.
Forgot To Say That...
#5282 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.178.98] on 2011/09/28 00:14:39
...the gameplay on you are empty is as basic as it gets. shoot dudes, get key, open door, do some simple platforming [walking on catwalks type of stuff] kill dudes, enter room, listen dude talk, kill more dudes, etc.
but i'm really interested in getting a gamersgate account and buying xenus2, precursors & they're alive. if i had the money to spend & they were cheap, i would go for it! :)
#5283 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/28 03:04:00
Actually hadn't heard of They're Alive, Instinct or Chernobyl Terrorist Attack. Apparently they're all garbage, but Chernobyl MIGHT be okay. I'm adding it to my list anyway. Speaking of which, here's my list of games to play, most of which i'll eventually review as well :D
http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
Despite it's size, it's not exhaustive. There's still stuff missing, in particular probably some good hack n slash and rpg's. It's almost all 3rd or 1st person action games on this list, order set by gamerankings.com's aggregate scores for each game. 2011 definitely isn't complete - I've just put on the big popular releases so far. I'm still working on playing through my 2007 list - which i've almost finished hence why I left 2007 off. Reviews are all on my site anyway for the 2007 games. Playing Stalker now which i'll probably finish today and review.
#5284 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/28 03:45:59
reading your reviews and that list made me realize... i'm not really considered a gamer any more.
makes me a little sad. :(
Gameboy Style Flash Game
#5285 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/09/28 20:09:46
http://onemorelevel.com/game/cat_a...
Grid movement, the lot.
This post was flagged as spam.
#5286 posted by a spammer [59.58.155.7] on 2011/09/29 11:31:16
This post was flagged as spam.
#5287 posted by a spammer [59.58.155.7] on 2011/09/29 11:32:23
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...
#5288 posted by Spirit [80.171.81.80] on 2011/09/29 11:33:08
and here we got a bot probing different hotlink mechanisms, interesting
This post was flagged as spam.
#5289 posted by a spammer [59.58.155.7] on 2011/09/29 11:33:08
#5290 posted by Spirit [80.171.81.80] on 2011/09/29 11:34:30
oh wow, it rapidly noticed what scheme works and whammo!
This post was flagged as spam.
#5291 posted by a spammer [59.58.155.7] on 2011/09/29 11:35:01
Stalker: SOC Review
#5292 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/29 12:04:32
Here's my review of Stalker:SOC: http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
It's quite long so I won't post it here, but some of you may be interested in reading it. Don't read if you loved Stalker though, because I clearly didn't. In fact it fucked me off more than any other game I can think of, even more than Tomb Raider. Could of been great, but too many things needed fixing, even after the patches and Stalker Complete 2009.
Kona
#5293 posted by negke [89.204.153.134] on 2011/09/29 13:58:18
There certainly are many bugs and shortcomings, but beneath that it's still a unique game.
Your review sounds to me like you were playing it somewhat wrong and you also based your verdict on some aspects introduced by the Complete mod (e.g. darker night, food, possibly gun/enemy accuracy and weight). I mean wrong in terms of maybe not patiently enough - "stalking" enemies pays off here, or even sneaking past them, a perfectly valid tactic in this game, which you criticized however; skipping sidequests where you could have gotten money or valuable items.
There are very good weapons to be found or bought, so there's really no need to use the weak ones until the end. I'm actually surprised you seemed to have missed them entirely, or if not, at least failed to get deal with the ammo situation. In the beginning the game is fairly hard with the poor pistols and shotguns, but as soon as one gets a rifle dropping enemies is much more bearable. All the Monolith soldiers have badass ones and some of zombified stalkers you meet in the bunkers, too.
Does the Complete mod remove the timelimit/blowout in the outide NPP level? Because that one sure was annoying in the original game.
The weight limit is proper RPG/realism element. Clearly annoying if you have to drop stuff, but there's still plenty of room for a few good guns. Though I think your not having found the right ones possibly added to your frustration with the limit space (due to the need to carry more weak ones).
Finally, while the game is certainly sandboxy, I don't really agree to the term "true sandbox", because not only is the game world made up of seperate (albeit interconnected) levels, it's also, as you wrote yourself, linearized by the fact that certain areas/levels are not accessible right away. Debatable, I guess.
Go play Oblivion!
Syndicate Trailer
#5294 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/29 17:28:53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eww...
Looks like Deus Ex-ish mixed with Fear style melee combat.
Cool Deals For Rad Dudes
#5295 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/09/29 21:40:32
That could be you!
The Humble Frozen Synapse Bundle
Pay whatever you want and get Frozen Synapse, a intense orgy of tactics and shooting dudes. I was completely convinced by the video review by TotalBiscuit, which is weird as he's a ginormous nonce. Pay over the average (around $4) and you get the Frozenbyte Bundle included free also, which contains Trine and some other shit.
http://www.humblebundle.com/
The Binding of Isaac
A neat roguelike-like by one of the Super Meat Boy dudes.
Here is a review: Rock Paper Shotgun
Here it is on an online game purchasing service: Steam
How much does it cost? A wallet-blumpkining $5 (or £3.59 )
Kona
#5296 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.170] on 2011/09/29 22:09:42
The text is really, really small :(
Still your website looks great, loads of pics etc, but that text is really, really small.. Thank god for zoom ;)
Negke
#5297 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/09/29 22:36:17
I didn't find the stealth or sneaking past people really worked. Enemies would randomly spot me, and even at night in pitch dark with the flashlight off they'd see me, although maybe Complete 2009 mod had something to do with that. But I didn't really treat it like a survival/horror, which is what it's supposed to be. What exactly does that mean in Stalker though anyway - really slow, meticulous combat?
The timelimit on the NPP level was still there. Although I just sprinted through it and only killed several enemies, and got there in half the time. I did take a dozen quickloads though, and a couple feeds as I kept running out of energy as I hadn't eaten.
I'm yet to play a proper RPG, but the RPG elements, in theory, were finein Stalker so maybe I can play some now. Might go back to Oblivion, but it might be getting a bit dated, but Fallout 3 is a definite play.
#5298 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/30 03:01:04
just got done playing oblivion yet again. as long as you can pick up a mod that replaces the absolutely terrible npc faces that come with the original game, it still looks quite good, considering it's age.
i've played it maybe 6 or 7 times now (not always completing it) and i still find new dungeons, which is what call bang for your buck. o.0
i wonder if skyrim can cram as much content as oblivion...
#5299 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/09/30 03:29:17
I think they said they had like 300 hours of gameplay in there, give or take a 100. After a while, they just lost count. But something like 100 unique dungeons to explore, on top of the overworld (or underneath I guess.) So my guess is probably.
#5300 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/09/30 05:08:30
oh wow, that sounds great. honestly, i haven't been paying all that much attention to it other than what i read here, so i guess i wasn't expecting much.
but yeah, that sounds like it'll be a lot of fun, and something you can come back to later.
Binding Of Isaac
#5301 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/09/30 14:12:20
I saw this the other day, and am buying it right now because of this line:
The only problem I have with The Binding Of Isaac right now is that I’m still discovering things and I don’t want that to end.
Binding Of Isaac
#5302 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/09/30 14:24:58
Is pretty nice, very weird, and hard. Soundtrack is great.
#5303 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/30 16:25:13
http://imgur.com/r/gaming/SgZkf
Is That Your Picture Zwiffle?
#5304 posted by RickyT23 [86.139.14.31] on 2011/09/30 17:33:58
Looks totally awesome.
#5305 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/30 19:23:12
I wish I could do art like that.
Aliens Colonial Marines
#5306 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/09/30 21:26:59
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EO...
You know what would make this video a lot better? If Randy Pitchford would shut the fuck up.
Oh Yes...
#5307 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2011/09/30 21:34:54
.. the demo is great...
#5308 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/01 00:02:17
Looks pretty awesome, but definitely nowhere near as good as that last Rage gameplay vid. I hope they're going to do something about the blood splatter, it looks 2D.
Looks Great
#5309 posted by DaZ [92.26.172.141] on 2011/10/01 10:30:17
But looking at Gearbox' track record with pc releases, this will be some locked at 55 fov, console ported mess :(
Which makes me really sad because I've been itching for this game for a long time.
Colonial Marines.
#5310 posted by Shambler [86.16.219.193] on 2011/10/01 13:36:14
Looks repulsively consolized but that might be the ghastly uber-slow controlling of a console controller. Mmmm look left and right OR up and down but not both at once.
Have Actually Played Binding Of Isaac Now
#5311 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/02 02:19:29
Bloody great and addictive. Have started way too many games, my god is it hard.
Binding
#5312 posted by ijed [186.107.130.39] on 2011/10/02 23:54:59
Yes, it is. I played it for a few hours whilst in a null state and din't get bored.
Then I thought afterwards 'meh I just paid for a flash game with a stupid difficulty spike in the middle' then I played it again and realised the randomisation had been working against me and got a lot of ranged attack powerups like triple shot, multi shot and so on.
In any case, stock piling for the later levels is very difficult (and have you learned the tarot yet?) but I notice steam just updated the game...
Well worth the price.
And if you missed this then you should play it as well:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/v...
Yes, I know I linked it before. But coming across little Steven confirmed my suspicion.
Evil Bastards
#5313 posted by ijed [186.107.130.39] on 2011/10/03 00:04:08
The update has new configurations of items.
So if the orginal randomisation base was 100x100 I don't want to know what it is now. Because that's probably the time in seconds I'll lose to it.
I Really Like The Randomness And Uncertainty
#5314 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/03 02:37:19
and I always take the mystery pills.
Definitely so much luck involved in how difficult your game ends up... I've had some crazy fortunate draws - maxing out damage and speed by the 2nd level, or getting the cat head that gives you 9 lives. I balance that out by not knowing what the fuck i'm doing though - i didn't understand the room where you exchange HP for items for a while, and ended up with one heart (one!) but 9 lives in the bank. How useful.
Only fought mom once so far, and lost with her at 5% health or something. Stupid mom.
That Fuckign Cat
#5315 posted by ijed [186.107.130.39] on 2011/10/03 02:42:45
I thought it was great, until I realised I was stripping myself of health for picking it up - it makes peeps and that big pile of meat boss very difficult.
Peeps is the most annoying though.
And cupids arrow has to be the best upgrade, especially against the worm boss.
What's your new email, your uni one is down - congratulations in order :) ?
#5316 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/03 11:11:08
I don't think I ever got Cupid's Arrow! What does that do?
Haha, well it's a over a year since I graduated, so maybe keep the cork in the champagne for now! A back-dated thank-you for the congratulations though!
Email is now:
jonmiles1 AT gmail.com
#5317 posted by Spirit [80.171.95.189] on 2011/10/03 11:29:23
It makes you fall in love. It is a most wondrous precious feeling that makes you feel alive. Every living day will be a blessing. Warm sunshine in the early morning will be but a imitation of her glistening hair. A tweeting nightingale just outside your window will remind you of her luscious voice. Her eyes like twinkling stars, her sunspots like the milkyway in the beautiful dark night sky in the desert. You will feel like you could lift the whole earth with your massive raging boner.
The Binding Of Ijed
#5318 posted by negke [82.113.99.170] on 2011/10/03 12:45:54
Pretty hard indeed. I've yet to figure out what the items do and how to switch them (no rtfm). Seems like a fun game, but then again, could've been cheaper.
Anyone played Trauma?
#5319 posted by negke [82.113.99.170] on 2011/10/03 12:52:39
Does the game save the progress after completing each level (basement, caves...) or not at all?
Lol
#5320 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/03 12:54:06
thanks Spirit, that clears everything up!
negke: If it goes in your inventory then it has some always-on effect, some affect stats, one poisons enemies that touch you, and at least a couple summon little flying dudes that shoot things for you. If it's in the action slot then you have to press space, but it's usually easy to see what that does. Tarot cards are mysterious and you have to remember what they do, pills are always random. No RTFM required, I think you're supposed to not know what the fuck is going on most of the time.
Oh And No
#5321 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/03 12:54:57
not at all. If you die at a high level the best recourse I've found has been to cry myself to sleep.
I See
#5322 posted by negke [82.113.99.170] on 2011/10/03 13:00:40
But how to switch the items in the action slot if you have more than one?
You Can't!
#5323 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/03 14:02:32
The action item can only be swapped by finding a new one on the floor, there's no inventory management.
I Spoil You Negke
#5324 posted by ijed [190.22.84.173] on 2011/10/03 18:13:13
Hierophant - 2 blue hearts
Hermit - warp to shop
Death - kill everything or do damage to bosses
Devil - power up shot damage for single room
Moon - teleport to the hidden room in the dungeon
Magician - Make shots homing for one room
Lovers - 2 red hearts
Fool - random teleport
Tower - spam bombs (that explode) everywhere in the room
Judgement - spawn a key, bomb and a heart
Temperance - Spawn a blood bank (hearts for cash)
Chariot - teleport...
Wheel of fortune - spawn a gambling machine
Hanged man - fly for one room
Strength - +1 heart, bump stats
I'm missing a load that I can't remember.
Also, bomb the machines - makes them drop a random amount of stuff.
For the little kid who wants money, you should always pay up, since he tends to give you stuff that'd be very expensive otherwise like the compass and map.
If an item's price in the shop is red then thats a special low price.
Cupid's arrow goes through enemies to hit those behind.
To kill mom I think the best strategy is stay next to the door and fire sideways, moving when the foot comes down.
If you kill a boss without taking damage then a devil room will open, where you can trade heart containers for very strong powerups. It is possible to kill yourself by trading in all your hearts.
Every dungeon has a single hidden room which is accessed by bombs, usually. It tends to contain cash.
Arcades are great, but only waste your health or cash if you've got a surplus. The best is just to bomb all three machines (including the guy) and collect all the stuff that's dropped.
Some Of That Stuff
#5325 posted by ijed [190.22.113.144] on 2011/10/04 01:35:38
Is off -
the chariot gives you unicorn ramming power.
The fool returns you to the start room.
Not getting hit by a boss doesn't open the door to the devil's room - not sure what is the mechanic there.
UT3 Review (of Single Player Only)
#5326 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/04 07:36:07
I played the original 1999 Unreal Tournament plenty, although only ever against bots, and enjoyed it a lot. The weapons were all very fun, levels looked great. However lacking a proper single player mode I skipped it's sequels UT2003 and UT2004, before returning to UT3 released in 2007.
UT3 was advertised as having a proper single player mode, much more than it's predecessors. Unfortunately the single player mode is really just a series of bot matches; covering typical deathmatch, Capture The Flag and Warfare gameplay modes.
I played on the lower difficulty levels to avoid much replay. This made the deathmatches laughably easy - even the 1 on 1 final battle I won 20-4 on my first play through. But it's the deathmatches I enjoy most, and often it's team-based 4 on 4, for instance. However I was playing on lower difficulties, so they should have been fairly easy.
The Capture The Flag levels were quite often easy, but there were a few where vehicles are involved that were a bit of a challenge, and then one huge levels in particular (Sandstorm) that was extremely difficult. But overall the CTF levels aren't very exciting. I find myself just running like hell in most of them, trying to avoid detection. Only twice in the entire game did a team-mate manage to capture a flag. They're completely useless. In most cases I was better off continuing to the enemies' zone and just stand around waiting for my team-mate to inevitably drop the flag so I could take over the run.
But it's the Warfare levels that throw the game completely out of balance. In these levels you have stations that you take control of in order, until you get to the enemies main station and destroy it. The opposing side is trying to do the same to you. Some of these levels were very easy, completing them in just a couple of minutes. But then there were others that were really, really difficult. It seemed to depend too much on whether or not your team-mates were being imbeciles. The Torlan Warfare level, which was number 15 out of 41, for me, was by far the hardest level in the entire game. My team-mates just seemed to dick around and do nothing. Even when taking over all stations, I couldn't even GET to the final station to even attempt to destroy it, while my team-mates were plonking around at the start still. A bonus card (which do a few things like reducing the opponents enemy count) was a necessity on this one. Then on the other hand you get to the penultimate level, Warfare again, and it's done in under five minutes.
So what I'm getting at is that the levels are wildly out of balance, with some that are too easy and the odd one that's too hard for where it's placed in the list. And that's all this game really is - a list of levels one after another, some of which are poorly repeated. There's a story going on about some war and the character you're playing wants revenge on the cliche hot chick who nearly killed him. But the story is a boring and didn't enhance the experience much at all.
The weapons are all the standard Unreal ones; all very fun to use.
UT3 uses, obviously, Unreal Engine 3. It looks great as expected with some awesome looking backgrounds and setpieces. There's a tonne of variety in the different settings including temples, space stations, market gardens and many outdoors levels. I guess it's hard base a proper single player game around so many different settings, but I really wish more developers would put this much variety and fantastic looking environments into their games. Either that or perhaps Epic should make a proper, non-console biased, single player game like the original Unreal.
That being said, the looks are fairly identical to Gears Of War. The character models might as well have been pulled directly from GOW, while the textures and environments all have that similar muddy colour palette and blurry post processing effects. If you didn't really like the looks of GOW, you better skip UT3.
The final hurdle in UT3 to mention, from a single player perspective, is that the game isn't very long. Assuming almost every level you complete successfully on your first try, you'll be through it in five hours.
I'm going to judge this as a single player experience, as I don't play online, and as such because it's all bot play it does probably warrant replays so you can get a better look at some of the levels. However, it is JUST bot play, which gets repetitive fast. On top of that some of the levels (CTF and Warfare) I didn't enjoy that much. In fact I cringed every time a Warfare level came up. UT3 might look fantastic, but it's not a proper single player experience, so not really recommended.
UT3 Mods
#5327 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/04 07:36:55
Do you guys know of any good single player mods out there? There's a fkn shitload of mods, so I guess i'll go through them to figure out what is fun for single player, even if it's against bots.
Arent Youtube Videos
#5328 posted by nitin [124.168.97.90] on 2011/10/04 12:18:38
the best reviews these days?
Negke Found This
#5329 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/10/04 16:01:39
To replace my crappy list of Binding items and their effects:
http://ninjanerdstech.com/2011/09/...
Update To That UT3 Review
#5330 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/05 12:17:33
I've just noclipped/flown through all the non-campaign levels and Titan Pack levels, and realised just how good UT3 looks. In fact, I'll go so far as to say it's the best looking game ever made up until November 2007 (excusing Bioshock and COD4 as I'm yet to play them).
It's quite disappointing that a game that looks this good was wasted on multiplayer only with no proper single player.
#5331 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.17.114.249] on 2011/10/05 15:25:27
imo UT3 uses too much post processing to add colour leading to everything looking washed out. You turn the PP down and it looks very gray.
Skies are jaw drawing though. :E
Super Meat Boy, Now With Combat
#5332 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/10/06 16:51:54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQx...
#5333 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2011/10/06 17:20:53
looks cool
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#5334 posted by a spammer [59.58.153.29] on 2011/10/07 04:03:23
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#5335 posted by a spammer [59.58.153.29] on 2011/10/07 04:04:06
This post was flagged as spam.
#5336 posted by a spammer [59.58.153.29] on 2011/10/07 04:04:58
Guys
#5337 posted by spy [92.47.188.80] on 2011/10/08 17:19:02
so what do you think about 'amnesia - the dark descent' i started to play it in may and still couldn't finish
Ctrl+f The Thread
#5338 posted by negke [89.204.153.137] on 2011/10/08 17:29:49
So scary one is reluctant to even start it up.
#5339 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/10/08 17:38:37
Loved Amnesia, one of the few horror games that felt tense, especially when being chased. Very atmospheric too. Had a good experience with it.
#5340 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/10/08 17:50:47
So scary one is reluctant to even start it up.
yeah, i was actually talked out of playing because of that. :S
Heh
#5341 posted by DaZ [78.147.111.124] on 2011/10/08 17:56:27
There are some hilarious youtube videos of people freaking the fuck out over that game, it really does seem to get under your skin!
#5342 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/10/08 21:33:29
yeah, i've seen some. the youtube videos of the game even managed to put me on edge.
seriously, you have to really enjoy being flat out terrified to play a game like that. o.o
#5343 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/08 22:43:30
fuck yeah that sounds awesome. i love a really scary horror that makes me have trouble sleeping cos i'm scared still lol. hopefully amnesia has that effect. on the other hand, I thought the 1st episode of penumbra was a bit average and not scary at all.
#5344 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/08 23:01:27
Dino Run SE is free right now. Dumb but fun.
http://www.pixeljam.com/dinorunse/
It's A Great Game
#5345 posted by ijed [190.22.51.30] on 2011/10/10 05:05:57
Although the vfx were a bit rough.
The DLC is also good, and disturbing in a slightly different way.
#5346 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.14] on 2011/10/13 15:42:48
Get some eye, ear, brain and taste bleach ready before viewing this footage of Cave Story 3D: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRr...
It is higher resolution and 3D thus better.
Mirrors Edge
#5347 posted by DaZ [92.26.171.133] on 2011/10/13 16:02:22
Just finished it
Visuals : A+, the game looks fantastic, loved the use of different primary colours in environments. Lighting in particular is extremely high quality, using very high resolution lightmaps and radiosity, it really makes the levels come alive. It's what kept me playing really, to see the next environment!
Gameplay : The running and jumping stuff is excellent, reminded me of Brink's parkour system but it feels better here, some areas were a little frustrating to figure out how to get through them but the game never relies on precision jumping and movement too heavily which is a good thing from my perspective. There were a couple of areas where it was tough to get the character to do the correct jump however and failing this usually led to my death by falling. Lucky the checkpoints are fairly well placed.
The combat is where it gets quite frustrating however, there are lots of melee moves you can do to take out enemies, or disarm them and use their weapons. But it never gets above mediocre. The guns feel pretty bad overall and these combat areas are the worst parts of the game, luckily they are not the main focus.
Really enjoyed it overall, would recommend it if you haven't tried it out yet.
Screenshots - http://steamcommunity.com/id/darre...
Syndicate
#5348 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/10/13 17:36:04
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Spirit
#5349 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/13 18:08:47
agreed on Cave Story... they really did themselves no favours by showing the comparison shots - the 2d art was so much clearer and the environments were much more understandable.
I guess they've done the market research, but I would have thought that the Cave Story license would have been best served by keeping things as they were - the only people that know it are people that sought out pseudo-8bit indie platformers in the internet.
Also
#5350 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/13 18:10:53
btw you linked to a Die Antwoord video, here's the Cave Story trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uas...
Syndicate.
#5351 posted by Shambler [86.16.219.193] on 2011/10/13 18:27:44
<Chillingbler> so
<Chillingbler> syndicate
<Chillingbler> childish rip-off of deus ex in box rooms
<Chillingbler> although again playing on a console controller is so utterly slow and awful you really can't tell
Could be fun though. The outside bit looked pretty and combat could be fun on a PC.
Starbuck: Ooops, Embarassing...
#5352 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.14] on 2011/10/13 18:30:28
Cave Story 3D
#5353 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/10/13 19:25:41
Although it looks better in motion compared to screenshots, the game loses its visual charm by turning it into 3D like that. Could you imagine VVVVVV given a similar treatment? I feel it's part of the experience, not just something being there. It also had more atmosphere in general and I loved that about it, especially the latter Labrynth sections. Not keen on the new Egg Corridor soundtrack either, especially the beginning.
Syndicate
#5354 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/13 23:27:49
Looks okay. The rooms look a bit Half-Life1'ish and boxy, but outdoors looked okay.
Having to disable forcefields on enemies (those flying things) before I can shoot them will be a pain, and all those icons cluttering up the screen in the middle of a firefight will annoy me. I'll still play it though.
This post was flagged as spam.
#5355 posted by a spammer [59.60.121.143] on 2011/10/16 18:43:10
This post was flagged as spam.
#5356 posted by a spammer [59.60.121.143] on 2011/10/16 18:44:31
This post was flagged as spam.
#5357 posted by a spammer [59.60.121.143] on 2011/10/16 18:45:05
This post was flagged as spam.
#5358 posted by a spammer [59.60.121.143] on 2011/10/16 18:45:39
Kane & Lynch
#5359 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/19 06:49:43
Here's my Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (2007) Review
http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
6.0/10 if you can't be bothered reading it.
Doom 4 Rumors...
#5360 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/10/21 12:32:30
Rumors are going around that Doom4 might be having some trouble because of Rage's poor launch... Hope this isn't true.
http://kotaku.com/5851953/doom-4-i...
You Too Bal, Fuck Gawker!
#5361 posted by Spirit [80.171.145.113] on 2011/10/21 13:01:00
Smells
#5362 posted by ijed [190.22.31.245] on 2011/10/21 13:54:25
Of bull to me.
"Company wide meetings" don't decide anything - it's not a democracy. They're only to inform the staff of what management wants them to know.
"Poor Reviews" also don't mean a thing, it's sales and market research that decide what a company does.
Doom4 was on a shaky peg the moment it was put on the "back burner" - that is production speak for "a few dead weights are keeping it ticking over until we have something better for them to do".
Sales for Rage won't be clear for months, and I doubt how well it does, or doesn't has anything to do with if Doom4 gets made.
Rage is a new IP, Doom known to every gamer alive already.
Going To
#5363 posted by ijed [190.22.31.245] on 2011/10/21 13:56:54
Stare into my coffee and make a prediction -
Doom4 will be made under a modified Rage engine.
@ Ijed, I Fucking Hope So ...
#5364 posted by Ron [86.80.123.127] on 2011/10/21 14:00:43
... otherwise it will take another 7 years to come out !
Besides, what's not to like about the RAGE engine ? OK, it needed a bit of patching, but it wors great now, doesn't it ?
LOOKS Great, I Meant ...
#5365 posted by Ron [86.80.123.127] on 2011/10/21 14:01:37
Oh No
#5366 posted by Ron [86.80.123.127] on 2011/10/21 14:04:16
I meant, WORKS great ...
Fucking hell, I think I'm gonna hit the bar a bit early today ...
Well.
#5367 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.74] on 2011/10/21 14:06:10
I would prefer Rage2 to Doom4, but equally I would be interested to see what they would do with Doom4 in terms of fixing a few nagging issues with Doom3 (slow pace, monster closets, dark and permanently indoors).
Wehl
#5368 posted by ijed [190.22.31.245] on 2011/10/21 14:44:19
From what I hear they were forced to rush the release of Rage, which is why it had to be patched a few times at the start. That said, due dates are never a surprise, so the team isn't blameless.
How about Doom4 being more like Doom2 than Doom3? That seems like a logical step under the Rage engine.
And Therefore
#5369 posted by ijed [190.22.31.245] on 2011/10/21 14:45:08
About as likely to happen as a rain of frogs.
I Remember Reading
#5370 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/21 14:51:14
that was the direction they were going (Re: the Doom2 thing). Certainly hope so. Seems like a great engine for a stylised, handpainted look, something a bit more fun than straight-up id techno-realistic too-many-pipes-on-this-panel affair. Mix that with some classic Doom / Painkiller gameplay, run-n-gun, horde combat and you've got a bloody great time IMO.
#5371 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/10/21 15:01:51
Carmack, 2008:
One of the things that I come to in my limited contributions to the whole Doom 4 design process is, it has to still be you beating down the bad guys. It has to be a triumph of heavy weaponry over demonic forces in some way, and you have to be blowing demons all to hell around you, and it's a more positive side of things there.
Brad Hawkins (voice actor), 2009:
I do know we are dealing with a post war/post apocalyptic event that civilians and military are fighting for their survival.
Spirit, 2011:
Fuck Gawker!
I'd say the future is looking pretty bright.
More Chat On This
#5372 posted by starbuck [92.236.81.250] on 2011/10/21 15:06:31
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Also, someone linked their concept video of what it could look like, looks pretty fucking amazing if you ask me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sQ...
#5373 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/10/21 16:58:47
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/...
Opinions Requested
#5374 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/10/21 21:45:34
Galactic Civilization 2 Ultimate Edition and Impulse - anyone here play this game, and if so, is Impulse any good? It's gamestop's Steam competitor, and it's $20 on that platform. I really want it, not sure if it's worth dealing with Impulse though. I might just pay for it then download a torrent so I don't have a guilty conscience. Only other place I saw it was a boxed copy on Amazon for like $70 after s&h (which might be worth it if it comes with an awesome manual.)
Impulse
#5375 posted by ijed [186.107.136.109] on 2011/10/21 22:24:27
Is pretty good - I always found it more stable than Steam and more user friendly.
Just a shame it doesn't get the big releases as much.
Bal
#5376 posted by negke [89.204.137.172] on 2011/10/24 16:27:29
As expected the Arcania addon is shit. It's like the last part of the main game, where you had to endure constant battles with little story, except even worse as there's neither nice.environments nor good combat.
So after hack'n'slaying through hordes of creatures in unimaginative caves, dungeons and ruins for rougly an hour, I got bored and uninstalled.
This addon is a very lame attempt at cashing in some more (especially if you followed the lawsuit revolving around it) and another nail in the coffin of the Gothic series. Pretty much like Forsaken Gods. Poor bastards who paid for this.
Negke
#5377 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2011/10/24 17:35:13
Right, as expected, thanks for the heads up.
Hope Risen 2 is good!
Okay Can We Have A List Please.
#5378 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/24 18:29:29
Forthcoming / future FPS / 3PS action games to look forward to:
So far we've got:
Bioshock Infinite
Prey 2
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Mass Effect 3
Syndicate
The Darkness 2
Far Cry 3
http://www.tothegame.com/gamebrows... does not show any more of note....hmmm....
(Skyrim and Risen 2 if you are Bal, HOTS if you are a SC2 whore)
Far Cry 3 Eh?
#5379 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.129] on 2011/10/24 18:34:17
I didn't know they were making that. By the looks of the shots, it looks really amazing, and might actually be a sequel to Far Cry (unlike Far Cry 2, which was a completely unrelated game).
Errr,
#5380 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/24 18:35:37
No it's not, it's a sequel-ish to FC2, from the looks of things. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaG...
Okay.
#5381 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/24 18:44:05
Daz added Dishonored, that has potential.
Heh
#5382 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.129] on 2011/10/24 18:54:20
I just looked at the screen shots and saw tropical island with a white guy with a Hawaiian shirt, and thought "that looks like FC".
Admin
#5383 posted by GMadmin [175.142.50.45] on 2011/10/25 06:13:21
hahaha
Gears OF War?????
#5384 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/25 20:35:46
Waiting for Deus Ex Human Choadalution to arrive, so I fancied some simple shooter action and felt it was time to give GOW1 another go, having got vaguely used to horrible consolised over the shoulder cover system bollox in the space marine demo. It is an....interesting experience.
Pros:
+ It looks pretty cool for the time, still looks good today.
+ The squad system works pretty well.
+ Flanking enemies is quite fun.
Cons:
- Everything is in a shade of grey.
- Squad members are generally stupid and go down easily.
- You can revive them but can't be revived yourself.
- The checkpoints are sometimes too spaced and there is no manual save.
- Some checkpoints are right as unskippable cutscenes start, forcing tedious reviews.
- Unskippable intro clips/logos.
- Far too many cutscenes, all the bloody time and spoiling immersion.
- The characters and dialogue are completely awful.
- There is no context for how it starts.
- The health indicator is in possibly the worst position ever, right where it gets completely obscured by gunfire and right where you're trying to look through the hud.
- The enemy look almost identical to your squad members (and have little character regardless).
- The gameplay is super-repetitive.
- The cover fighting is very artificial with concrete shit everywhere.
- The shotgun is completely useless given the gameplay when you get it.
- Running controls are awful: lag before running, change in perspective, awful lack of turning, awful headbob.
- Can't vault/mantle obstacles without going into cover first.
Basically it's striking me as a clear and objective bad game. How was it ever popular again??
#5385 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2011/10/25 21:09:06
You forgot to mention the number of sequences which are designed around having two players, which in single player practically mock you via the pathetic partner AI.
Chainsaw Gun
#5386 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/10/25 21:10:24
I love Epic, but I can't stand their design at all. Gears of War is a disgustingly horrible game. It's just terrible design wrapped in ugly looking meat-robots.
Shambler
#5387 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.129] on 2011/10/25 22:27:01
I love you.
That is going on my Facebook page.
#5388 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/25 23:10:53
I liked GOW1, pity they went cuntsoles only for the sequels. Didn't like the cover system bullshit and concrete blocks everywhere, but the game looked great for 2006, despite grey and brown everywhere.
That titan or whatever it's called boss is a CUNT.
Further...
#5389 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/25 23:20:36
- Both your squad and the enemy models have irritatingly juvenile proportions.
- Picking up items is slow and tedious.
- The blood is daft cartoonised nonsense.
GoW
#5390 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2011/10/26 02:03:07
havent played it yet but isnt one of the lighting options really important to how it looks? Ie without it, the game looks monotonal and drab and very different if you turn it on?
Also, finally finished Episode One, more of the same really, not as epic as the original game but very enjoyable nonetheless.
#5391 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/10/26 08:06:59
I just played Portal for the 1st time. First 18 levels I felt were a bit uninspired... left me wondering why this game is one of the most popular of all time, but the last level is awesome and makes it a great mini-game - although the puzzles are never really that difficult throughout. Pretty cool though.
Nitin
#5392 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/26 10:55:51
I've tried Vivid and Intense post-processing, it still looks monotonal.
Shambler
#5393 posted by nitin [124.148.177.184] on 2011/10/26 14:25:01
that's the one, I wonder what you would say if you turned it off :)
I Turned It Off.
#5394 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/26 21:26:06
I.e. I turned the whole game off, uninstalled it and binned the CD. Not out of frustration or anger, just the simple purging of shit :D
Shambler
#5395 posted by sikkpin [68.57.55.21] on 2011/10/27 00:25:40
It's too bad you uninstalled it as I was going to recommend you open a map in the editor and see how bad GoW really looks without color correction.
Steam Sale
#5396 posted by Drew [173.176.48.105] on 2011/10/28 06:25:12
what should I get? I'm thinking 2 5 dollar games. Not sure I can actually handle Amnesia. Thinking Bioshock 2... is it embarassing to consider Terraria? seems like it would be an INCREDIBLE time waster.
#5397 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/10/28 06:32:18
Bioshock 2 is great, I bought a 4 pack for like $15 and just gave them out to people because it was a great game imo.
I only ended up with Dead Island because it was the only game I wanted that I didn't have.
#5398 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/10/28 06:39:09
i'm trying to play amnesia right now.
a couple of hours in so far, but had to stop after a pretty close run in with a monster. sound effects in this game are really really well done. unbelievably atmospheric game.
So Its Just A Horror Survival Game Only
#5399 posted by nitin [180.149.192.134] on 2011/10/28 08:03:46
not an action horror?
TF2 Update
#5400 posted by Bal [90.44.98.171] on 2011/10/28 08:05:48
http://www.teamfortress.com/
Unfortunatly I won't be here this weekend to play it. :(
This post was flagged as spam.
#5401 posted by a spammer [59.60.123.184] on 2011/10/28 09:48:24
Nitin
#5402 posted by negke [89.204.137.139] on 2011/10/28 11:27:19
Horror adventure seems more fitting. There's no action or survival gameplay except for occasional fleeing or hiding from monters. The rest is puzzles and exploration.
Thanks
#5403 posted by nitin [124.148.178.205] on 2011/10/28 14:25:15
doesnt really sound like my thing.
Terraria
#5404 posted by DaZ [78.147.154.116] on 2011/10/28 15:31:43
is great fun, cant go wrong for less cost than a pint of beer :)
Dead Island
#5405 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.117.195] on 2011/10/28 16:01:58
is not available in Germany. Can someone buy it and gift it to me? I'd paypal the money right away.
#5406 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/10/28 16:13:26
Yeah I can when I get home unless someone does before then.
Cool
#5407 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.117.195] on 2011/10/28 16:51:15
Thanks. Do you need a steam id or can you just look me up in the func group?
You Need A Steam ID
#5408 posted by RickyT23 [86.133.251.60] on 2011/10/28 17:27:51
To buy or sell games, on steam. :S
Ok Then
#5409 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.117.195] on 2011/10/28 17:48:44
kduske
From Duske Till Dawne
#5410 posted by negke [78.54.92.106] on 2011/10/28 18:51:01
I hated the lifeguard guy, annoying voice/acting. Make sure not to let your weapons degrade below 50%.
Gemini Rue
#5411 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/10/28 23:07:18
Completed this today. Anyone who likes adventure games should take a look at this. I recommend it.
This post was flagged as spam.
#5412 posted by a spammer [220.161.101.73] on 2011/10/29 05:42:52
#5413 posted by ericw [142.179.129.40] on 2011/10/29 09:18:14
thanks for the suggestion quakis, that looks up my alley
Origin Spying On You?
#5414 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/10/29 17:44:41
<@rebb> hm wonder if this works http://bf3blog.com/forum/topic/how...
Deus Ex Human Revolution.
#5415 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/10/30 10:20:14
I emailed before and didn't get a reply. I'm just checking before I leave feedback. This is what was advertised beneath the product:
1 of: Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Limited Edition (PC DVD) (New)
Seller note: EXPRESS DELIVERY IN 48 HOURS , SAME DAY SHIPPING GUARANTEE ( « less )
I ordered the item on 21st October. I got a dispatch email on 26th October - not same day shipping.
At the time of emailing (29th October) the item still hasn't arrived - not 48 hour delivery.
I've had friends send me parcels from London and arrive the next morning. So I'm not sure why this delivery has taken so long.
FUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuUCK.
Finished Half Life 2 Episode 2
#5416 posted by nitin [124.148.178.205] on 2011/11/01 04:54:02
I know some people preferred EP 1, but I thought it was exceptional. Set pieces like the opening level when the portal causes the train/bridge to collapse were amazing! Some very nice fights too.
Valve have a very good grasp on what makes FPSs tick IMHO.
Dungeon Defenders
#5417 posted by DaZ [92.26.162.112] on 2011/11/01 20:48:38
Is pretty awesome!
It boils down to a tower defence game mixed with 3d person action combat. There are 2 phases to the gameplay, you start a wave in build mode and can setup defences and upgrade your towers using mana as a currency (which is spawned in finite amounts from chests and can also be picked up from killed enemies). Then once you are happy with your setup you start the combat phase where trains of mobs try to reach various nodes on the map and destroy the crystals located there. In the combat phase you still have complete control of your character and can attack enemies and repair/upgrade and place new towers as you gain mana.
There are 4 classes all with different towers and attacks/special abilities. They combo together really nicely and the game supports up to 4 players at the same time.
It also gets brutally difficult on the harder game modes, there is a lot of strategy involved in setting up a good defence and protecting your crystals. It's all around well made fun, theres a demo available on steam so check it out :D
#5418 posted by sikkpin [68.57.55.21] on 2011/11/02 16:09:27
I figured you guys here would get a kick out of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Z...
(I couldn't find a better thread to post this in so I'm sorry that it's off-topic)
GTA V
#5419 posted by Zwiffle [71.86.226.202] on 2011/11/02 17:14:37
Well, while the trailer doesn't really get me pumped up for a new GTA (maybe I'm jaded) it looks a lot more enjoyable than GTA4.
http://kotaku.com/5855541/grand-th...
Seems pretty colorful, similar to Vice City/San Andreas, which I enjoy more than the drab GTA 4.
#5418.
#5420 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.79] on 2011/11/02 20:50:27
Awesome, totally obvious, but still funny, I like the second part.
GTAV
#5421 posted by Drew [132.205.103.37] on 2011/11/03 00:36:50
I've never finished one of those games, tbh, but they are super fun. Probably my favourite game to borrow from a friend and play when really fucked up.
#5422 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/03 04:50:12
That quake video is hilarious :D And all so true.
BF3 Terrafusion Platoon
#5423 posted by DaZ [78.147.151.75] on 2011/11/03 12:48:46
http://battlelog.battlefield.com/b...
if you have the game, apply and I'll accept all you guys :)
Logo is a bit lol, if anyone can come up with something better feel free!
#5424 posted by Name [178.70.215.190] on 2011/11/04 05:29:48
That quake video is rather sad
SAS: Secure Tomorrow (2008)
#5425 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/07 05:35:10
SAS: Secure Tomorrow is the first City Interactive title I've decided to try, having received mixed (but not bad) reviews from Gamespot and IGN. Not sure what game they were playing, but SAS was barely worth the $10 I paid for it.
The game is so short you'll be done in under 3 hours. You start in a prison, followed by a building complex then a snowy base in Greenland. In most games, that would be three levels but City Interactive spreads it out across 10 levels. It's basically just F.E.A.R. inspired room-corridor-room design. Even the outdoor snow levels are just a series of medium sized outdoor areas connected by snowy passageways (corridors). There's no great detail, no setpieces whatsover or even mildly interesting environment backgrounds. Compared to other 2008 games, SAS will be a big let-down, as it looks about as good as games released five years ago. In fact if this was released in 2003/2004 it would have been quite popular, apart from the length.
The engine is a little better than the art, being the Jupiter EX from Lithtech that powered F.E.A.R. and Condemned. But by 2008 this engine is a few years old and hasn't aged well.
Ultimately if you liked the look of F.E.A.R., then SAS is more of the same. Just a little worse.
The gameplay has you fighting terrorists with two comrades. Unfortunately they are a beefy source of frustration, constantly getting in your way. They run into rooms gung hoe because they're invicible, but they're also really bad shots and often will just stand around not shooting and often facing towards you while there's enemies RIGHT BEHIND THEM. Perhaps it's a good thing, otherwise they'd complete the entire game for you.
You get some variety with plenty of weapons, although they're all very similar machine guns, but all fairly fun. The enemies have mixed AI, sometimes retreating to cover. But overall it's quite an easy game. I probably only died a few times on medium difficulty, mostly due to being reckless. Sometimes you need to be careful and lean around corners using cover, while you can also run into a room blasting. It's the kind of gameplay I enjoy.
So overall, below average design and extremely short length, but it's generally kind of fun. If you can find it for under $10 and have absolutely nothing else to play, then it's perhaps worth a few hours of your time.
Rating: 4.5/10
Stealth Bastard
#5426 posted by Bal [90.2.43.231] on 2011/11/07 22:38:34
Nice little stealth platformer, fun music and graphics as well, and free!
http://www.stealthbastard.com/#abo...
Conflict: Denied Ops (2008) Review
#5427 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/09 06:06:58
http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
6.0/10.
Now that I'm up to 2008 (saving 2007s Bioshock and COD4 for later) I'm reviewing some more less popular and obscure stuff. Next up will probably be The Precursors.
Modern Warfare 3
#5428 posted by Jago [194.86.38.41] on 2011/11/09 14:33:07
Dedicated servers that might as well not exist because you can't gain any exp/unlocks when playing on them (you have to use P2P matchmaking)?
Locked down fov 65? In an FPS? On PC? Is this a joke?
Fuck Modern Warfare
#5429 posted by RickyT23 [86.133.253.113] on 2011/11/09 15:20:22
They probably have a re-hashed version of the COD3 engine still. Which I thought was idTech4, (remember this from when CODBLOPS came out) but apparently it stems from idTech 3 (!).
Get with the now, COD. But yeah, that aside - 65?!?!?! That's like looking at life through a tiny hole in a box that you wear on your head.
#5430 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/11/09 15:39:30
To be fair, the dedicated servers allow you to play how you want. Once you unlock everything, who cares? You can still play with friends or play on a server with regular people like you can in TF2.
And the fov doesn't need to be that wide, the maps are fucking tiny. Especially after playing BF3, in which Caspian Border could probably fit all the MW3 maps inside of it.
Now I'm not trying to defend it, but I don't think those are terribly important issues.
#5431 posted by Spirit [89.204.154.11] on 2011/11/09 16:05:21
You keep buying it, they keep making it.
Operation Thunderstorm (2008) Review
#5432 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/11 07:14:13
City Interactive is a budget shooter warehouse of a developer. Their 2008 lineup includes Operation Thunderstorm, SAS: Secure Tomorrow, Battlestrike: Force Of Resistance, Code of Honor 2, Sniper - Art of Victory and The Royal Marines Commando. I've already reviewed SAS and I'll be playing Royal Marines next. The others I'm skipping; the quality is variable.
Operation Thunderstorm started badly. To sum it up in one sentence and punchline, this game would have been good... if it was RELEASED IN THE 1990's! Although as the game progressed (quickly) some of the levels get better than the first couple. But the graphics here aren't great. As crappy as SAS looked with it's 2004 F.E.A.R. engine, this game is actually a little worse, although it's using the same engine. It's cramped, nothing but endless corridors and small winding rooms and at times is quite maze-like, saved only by it's small on-screen map and forward arrow highlight where to go.
But ignoring the bad graphics, I actually had a lot of fun in this game. The enemies are all the same, even the two bosses appear to be just normal enemies with a different skin. They go down quick. Once you get a few good guns and start walking around with your scope out, it's a blast. A great, old skool shooter feel with no story, just picking off enemies over and over.
You can't expect perfection with a game that's only 2gb installed, and it's over in well under three hours. City Interactive should probably just give this game out for free now as a digital download to garner attention for their future titles, but if you can find a copy to download then it's probably more fun than wasting two hours watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster. It's not really worth any money though.
Rating: 4.5/10
#5433 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/11 07:18:05
I tried hard to get The Precursors, but all online versions seem to be the same infected install that just brings up a black screen and nothing else. Shame, it looked like it had potential. Anyone got the precusors.exe file? That's the one that seems to be infected.
IndieRoyale
#5434 posted by negke [78.54.81.145] on 2011/11/11 11:00:38
Might have been mentioned already. You all know The Humble Bundle, but there's also Indie Royale, another place for cheap indie game bundles that offers a new pack every fortnight.
Article About MW3.
#5435 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.7] on 2011/11/16 00:44:51
No interest in the game but skimmed through this and it seemed vaguely interesting
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technolo...
I Bought
#5436 posted by ijed [190.22.52.170] on 2011/11/16 11:36:11
The Indie Royale pack and was underwhelmed. The Ben there Dan that series is good if you hadn't played it and night sky is interesting, but the others kind of meh.
That's the problem with looking out for new games all the time, when these bundles come out you've already played their best games ad infinitum.
Voxatron by the way lacks a game design. Nice engine.
MW3
#5437 posted by ijed [190.22.52.170] on 2011/11/16 11:39:58
Gaming press realises people don't like to be fed juicy wholesome chuds?
Whinging about something being terrible is a hobby for many repressed internetters though.
Heh
#5438 posted by ijed [190.22.52.170] on 2011/11/16 11:41:45
The comments are more informative than the article...
Legendary (2008) Review
#5439 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/20 01:26:45
I'm initially going to review the first five episodes of this game, ignoring the last episode. I'll get to that later. Legendary was a game I was really looking forward to in 2008 from Spark Unlimited. Then reviews came; IGN a 2.5/10, Gamespot 3.5/10, Eurogamer 2/10. The game was completely rubbished and, as such, barely sold. How could this happen when the graphics and monsters all looked so great in the promo material? Clearly, Spark hadn't paid the top review sites enough for positive reviews because this is the single most under-rated game I've ever played. In fact until the final episode I was looking at scoring it at least a 7/10. Same as what I recently scored STALKER, although I enjoyed Legendary much more.
Legendary isn't revolutionary. It's an old skool shooter, with no unique bells and whistles. You do get type of special ability in your arm (named Animus) that you can use anytime to push enemies away or heal yourself. You charge it up by collecting monsters' souls. And it's a great little idea, but not really enough to get brownie points. Spark needed to give upgrades during the game and have this arm do a bit more. Most of the gameplay is spent with two weapons, mostly machine guns that get more powerful through the game and a shotgun. They're both very effective and great to play with - Spark were spot on with the weapons, and there's tonnes of ammo through the game. Probably too much.
There aren't a lot of monsters in this game, it really could have done with some more, but all those that are used are good. Werewolves and humans are the most common, with werewolves really fun to fight. There are also Minotaurs and Griffins that look fantastic, but aren't in the game enough times sadly. They do take a lot to take down so perhaps Spark considered them more mini-bosses. But I would have had them in the game a little more often with less health.
Their behind the scenes videos of bosses and monsters look amazing, such as Golem, a giant beast as tall as a building completely made up of cars and debris lifted all around you. Or the Kraken, a huge water monster with tentacles sprawling into the sky. And they were both really impressive once you go up against them.
IGN complained that the monsters are all random, although they clearly didn't pay any attention to the story because it's all explained. Besides, Painkiller and Serious Sam had completely random enemies and didn't take themselves too seriously. Legendary does take itself a bit more seriously and features quite an interesting storyline.
The game begins with Pandora's Box being opened and Griffin's attacking New York. You're on foot running through the debris and chaos as people and cars are lifted all around you. Then the giant Golem appears. It's an absolutely epic beginning to a game, one of the best starts I've played. It felt like your latest cgi-rich blockbuster. After mulling around in the underground of Ney York, which was quite creepy, the third episode takes you to an English Cathedral with an old town built around as you join your team-mates in trying to reach a hidden laboratory. Then you return to the British Headquarters as it's under attack from Griffins and Werewolves, before returning to New York. All the levels look great and you can tell it's the Unreal Engine 3 with it's heavy post processing and dirty colours. I've played much worse looking UE3 based games.
85% of the way through this game and I simply cannot understand why this game got panned. The gameplay is fun, the story is interesting, the graphics and settings all look great. The typical problems of no quicksave exist, but this is a console focused game so typical console-crap is to be expected. It does have mouse movement issues, being very jumpy. So jumpy in fact the game gave me motion sickness a while after I turned it off. But nothing major - it's a simple shooter that does nothing new but provides a fun experience.
THEN, you get to episode six and it falls apart. The Kraken boss, right before episode six, I tried so many damn times and was a very frustrating trial and error boss. Cheats are needed. Then right as episode six starts I get constant floods of yellow light and can't see a thing when I use my ability or get struck by a werewolf. I play on with god mode enabled and make damn sure not to get hit by anything. Then the final level has an elevator that you fall through on the PC version. And it's not just a bug some people get - EVERY PC version has this bug. No patch. Game cannot be finished. There is an easy workaround in the config settings, but that's not the point. Clearly Spark didn't bother to do a single playthrough of this game on the PC, and a really simply patch would have fixed it.
Overall, I'd probably give the game 7.5 without the final episode bugs.
Rating: 7.5 without bugs, otherwise 6.0/10
#5440 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/20 07:25:17
And a review of The Royal Marines Commando (2008) http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
Pretty shit, 4.5/10.
Kona
#5441 posted by RickyT23 [90.220.150.150] on 2011/11/20 14:59:16
Your reviews and website are very professional-looking, but if I was to give one piece of constructive criticism, it would be to increase the size of the font you use for your body text. It's soooo tiny!! I had to (OMG) zoom in! ;)
Ricky
#5442 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/20 21:21:02
Oh yep, will do
Legendary
#5443 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.71.188.94] on 2011/11/23 04:46:06
Then reviews came; IGN a 2.5/10, Gamespot 3.5/10, Eurogamer 2/10
WOW really? I have to go check myself.
The game must be unplayable ugly buggy turd from an unknown developer from Poland to score anything below 5.
#5444 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/23 08:47:24
You would think so. I didn't read Gamespot or Eurogamers reviews, but the IGN one just said it was generic and average, did nothing new, but wasn't particularly buggy. So the rating is completely random. The problem with those big sites is 1 person does the review. They need to have multiple opinions because clearly that 1 person shouldn't be playing old skool shooters and reviewing them.
#5445 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/23 08:48:18
You would think so. I didn't read Gamespot or Eurogamers reviews, but the IGN one just said it was generic and average, did nothing new, but wasn't particularly buggy. So the rating is completely random. The problem with those big sites is 1 person does the review. They need to have multiple opinions because clearly that 1 person shouldn't be playing old skool shooters and reviewing them.
#5446 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/11/23 08:52:37
You would think so. I didn't read Gamespot or Eurogamers reviews, but the IGN one just said it was generic and average, did nothing new, but wasn't particularly buggy. So the rating is completely random. The problem with those big sites is 1 person does the review. They need to have multiple opinions because clearly that 1 person shouldn't be playing old skool shooters and reviewing them.
#5447 posted by SleepwalkR [92.231.106.231] on 2011/11/23 08:56:55
You would think so. I didn't read Gamespot or Eurogamers reviews, but the IGN one just said it was generic and average, did nothing new, but wasn't particularly buggy. So the rating is completely random. The problem with those big sites is 1 person does the review. They need to have multiple opinions because clearly that 1 person shouldn't be playing old skool shooters and reviewing them.
The Reviews Came
#5448 posted by megaman [79.227.153.33] on 2011/11/23 09:11:52
they want their shrimp back!
#5449 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/11/23 11:18:36
You wouldn't think so. I read the Gamespot and Eurogamers reviews, and the IGN one just said it was awesome and groundbreaking, did everything new, but was completely buggy. So the rating is bang on. The brilliance of those big sites is lots of people do the reviews. They don't need to have solo opinions because clearly that review group should be playing nu-skool shooters and reviewing them.
Lol @ Ijed
#5450 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2011/11/23 12:50:41
:D
#5451 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2011/11/23 14:46:42
Starcraft 2 is $30 until November 28th from the Blizzard Store if anyone is interested and doesn't have it.
#5452 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/01 07:16:17
For anyone interested, I did two more reviews for Secret Service (4.5/10): http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
and Turning Point: Fall Of Liberty (6.5/10): http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
Am probably gonna play History Civil War and Brothers in Arms - Hells Highway next. Both i'm expecting to suck shit.
#5453 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/04 04:05:08
Shit am I the only one that reads this read?
Reviewed Brother's In Arms: Hell's Highway
http://www.electricescape.com/ethe...
6.5/10
Everyone Else Is Busy Skyrimming
#5454 posted by negke [31.18.177.156] on 2011/12/04 05:36:35
Which has an average playtime of 150 hours.
#5455 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/12/04 05:47:16
yeah, for most games, price is the barrier for me, but i haven't gotten skyrim because my productivity will plummet into negative values and i'll probably somehow start undoing things i've accomplished. :P
#5456 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/12/04 20:05:33
I recently got my hands on Terraria because it was super cheap on Steam and... well, nuff said. Goodbye productivity.
At A Distance
#5457 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2011/12/08 19:19:42
by Terry Cavanagh
Ubersoldier & Drm
#5458 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.164.82] on 2011/12/12 04:53:58
i bought ubersoldier [the first one] from amazon [$3! free shipping too] and i got it last saturday.
so i installed it on my desktop [win7.64bit] and everything seemed to go ok until i was asked to restart. so i did and then i got a windows system restore screen. which was very strange.
so once i did get to windows, the ubersoldier folder was empty!
so i installed the game on my netbook [winxp] and again, no issues. restarted and nothing bad happened, but this time i cant activate. i'm asked to put the disc on the drive and activate it online, and after 2 or 3 minutes i get a error screen.
i can input a key, but there is no serial key on the manual [the screen says it should be on one of the discs, but nothing].
so i did some deep cleaning on my desktop and my notebook [from any left other drm junk] and now i'm going to download it from whatever site i can if it on.
apart from bioshock, this is the worst problem i had with drm. not even games for windows gave me any issues. the bioshock problem was similar, couldn't activate it or verify on the first try, but the second time it worked.
i'm not mad i lost $3, btu i'm kinda annoyed now i have to get it the illegal way to play it. all for a cheap game that might end up being crappy & buggy. :)
And Like Always, I Forgot To Say
#5459 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.164.82] on 2011/12/12 04:54:59
that this is why we should have drm free games! seriously, online activations are the most evil shit ever created by publishers.
Crusader + Descent
#5460 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/12/14 08:49:45
Bought the two Crusader titles during the sales on gog.com! I already own them with the collection big box, but this way was less hassle to install them again. And they're fun games aside from the clunky controls.
Also grabbed Descent 1 & 2 from there, first time giving those a spin. Literally. Can get disorientating since I'm not used to that amount of movement. I did get annoyed with Descent 2 though once booting it up, with it's obnoxiously loud metal track suddenly being pierced through my ears while I was on my headset at the time... can't even turn the volume for it down in the settings :/
Get Out Of Here STALKER
#5461 posted by gb [46.142.47.51] on 2011/12/14 12:48:10
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
I agree with this so much. I had only discovered STALKER semi-recently, but it is one of the best games I ever played, and it tops all FPS I ever played, too.
I especially agree about the cultural observations. Crappy games get made mainly because their designers have no cultural background to draw from, and this is part of the reason why STALKER was so good. It drew from a strong background.
#5462 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/12/14 17:09:46
yeah, GoG is pretty awesome because they provide all the stuff like dosbox or whatever haxoring is needed to run the game right from the download.
also, i'll probably remember "get out of here, stalker" until the day i die. :P
it's really really unfortunate stalker had some many technical issues at launch as well as being constantly pushed back on it's release date.
otoh, i'd say this is a good example of game, who's dev team overreached, and managed to make something truly interesting out of it despite the problems.
#5463 posted by gb [46.142.21.149] on 2011/12/14 22:30:54
There are (community) patches which make all three games run pretty much bug-free, even Clear Sky.
Descent
#5464 posted by megaman [79.219.111.92] on 2011/12/15 08:56:05
I'm pretty sure you can turn down the volume in the settings. Did you try the faithful new Engine d2x-rebirth?
@megaman
#5465 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2011/12/15 14:42:27
I actually tried those engines recently and they work like a charm. The music volume wouldn't decrease at all when running through dosbox (gog's setup) but the music is different here compared to what I hear when using the port, perhaps MIDI, which is much nicer. I'm guessing the gog setup uses CD audio? From what I've heard, I honestly don't like it, too obnoxiously loud and heavy for my tastes.
#5466 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/12/15 19:40:39
for descent 2, it's preferable as there are only 4 midi songs for the whole game (not counting intro and credits). :(
shame too, cause the midi music is really good.
Kona
#5467 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.70.202.160] on 2011/12/17 20:15:31
Since you are on a mission to play mediocre or underrated shooters, have you tried Damnation? Its another game that looked interesting in previews, but got completely trashed by the reviews and gamer public.
Xenus 2/ White Gold
#5468 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/18 09:40:31
Ok here's a review of White Gold: War in Paradise (aka Xenus II), which is an open-world action/rpg.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
It was pretty good for the first 10 hours, but I got bored after that. 5.5/10. Probably worth playing for those into RPGs.
Lightmill: Yep I know the one you mean. It actually looked pretty good in youtube videos. I haven't played it... i'm still working on 2008 games and it's released in 2009. But I'm definitely gonna play it next year sometime.
Rant Rewind
#5469 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2011/12/19 18:11:37
Reviews by the big websites are completely pointless. The major part of their income is ad revenue, so if a game doesn't have adverts with them, then its not in their interest to give it a favourable review.
Peer reviews (like Kona's) are great, and moreover trusted by everyone. It's why viral marketing keeps on coming back - nobody trusts the standard channels.
Just reading Masters of Doom, and how shareware came about. Basically faith was placed in the end users, whereas today the only thing a publisher wants to put into an end user is some kind of money tap.
Steam Gift!
#5470 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2011/12/21 22:53:15
I have a copy of The Ball that I can gift on steam, does anyone want it, or maybe even have something to trade for it?
Vegas 2
#5471 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/22 10:27:25
Review for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Shit: Vegas 2
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
6.5/10. Score says it all, it's an average looking game with identical gameplay to the first.
Steam Sale Games
#5472 posted by DaZ [92.24.169.51] on 2011/12/27 23:05:38
Picked up many, many games over the steam sale peroid:
1) Hard Reset. It's a old skool fps design with modern graphics. Looks amazing and runs at a very high framerate even on my nvidia 460 on high details. Very fun gameplay but didn't really like the enemy designs. Also the weapon special effects make it very hard to see what is actually happening most of the time. Damage feedback was also quite weak, if something scratches you for 1hp damage you feel like you've taken a nuke to the face :) Finding secrets gives you more currency to spend on weapon and armour upgrades. Worth picking up if its on sale again imo, but dont pay more than £10 for it.
2) Renegade Ops. This is amazing! Hilarious cheesey characters and cutscenes, looks sexy as hell (same engine as Just Cause 2 iirc) and controls and responsive. Be warned that it plays best on a 360 pad, I've not tried it with kb/mouse. Really fun twinstick shooter gameplay, many explosions! Supports coop also, cant recommend this enough.
3) Portal 2. Excellent, just finished the coop with a friend and it was even better than the single player campaign. Recommended!
4) Metro 2033, can't remember if I already made a post about this, but its fantastic. Similar to Stalker in some respects (mainly atmosphere and visuals) but has much more focused linear fps gameplay. Collecting high quality bullets acts as currency to buy better guns, or you can shoot the hq ammo for more damage. Has some annoying sections (mainly stealth bits) but worth sticking with it for the most part. Atmosphere is top notch!
#5473 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/28 01:18:43
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
The Precursors review. Sci-fi RPG/FPS from 2009. Not as good as White Gold and just ends suddenly.
5/10
I ended up finishing White Gold though, and put the score up to 6.5/10. Quite a cool game.
I'm playing History Channel's Civil War now. It sucks.
#5474 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2011/12/28 10:57:08
Well that sucked arse. Review of The History Channel: Civil War - Secret Missions
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
4/10.
Hard Reset
#5475 posted by PuLSaR [87.241.229.122] on 2011/12/29 06:22:45
Enjoyed that one. Nice cyberpunk theme, cool weapons, fast gameplay. But it was a little too short imo. It's good to see that old school shooters still exist in 2011.
#5476 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.40] on 2011/12/30 19:09:48
In between coding, odd games of Civ 5 and getting nicely drunk I'm currently undertaking a masochistic session of playing any old shooter I can get my hands on. Feel like writing some stuff on all of them but not sure if I can be arsed.
Played so far (in no particular order):
> The classic Raven games (apart from heretic 2)
> Kingpin
> Star Trek: Elite Force
> Blood
> Redneck Rampage
> Strife
> Exumed (or Powerslave, lawl) for about three minutes, it's controls are crippled, all you need to know.
Still to play:
> Chasm
> Blood 2
> No One Lives for Ever 1 and 2
> Witchhaven (possibly, not sure if I'll bother)
currently playing:
After an afternoon of fiddling to get the damn thing to not crash with every level load...... Daikatana :p
Please point out any games I haven't mentioned apart from the obvious shit like Wolf or Duke. Although I have played the Duke Carribean add on... ooh yeah.
#5477 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.40] on 2011/12/30 19:11:16
Apparently I forgot Forever is one word... oh well *hic*
Well..
#5478 posted by erc [46.196.216.186] on 2011/12/30 20:19:20
You can also go for AvP Classic, Clive Barker's Undying, RtCW, Serious Sam, Shogo: MAD, SoF I/II and The Wheel of Time.
Games Madafakas
#5479 posted by nakasuhito [75.169.62.216] on 2011/12/30 20:56:01
wheel of time is a great game, though i reached a later level that had no "ammo" and i was stuck without any way to defeat the enemies. the game has [or had, its been too long since i played it] amazing levels. funky scenery and the maps are just fun as hell too. i never cared for the books it was based on, but i loved the game back then.
chasm</bold> is a game i only bought because the demo [first level of the game] had this room at the very start with an open window, and a piece of paper on a table was moving because of the wind! i played a few levels and its a weird mix of wolf3d [how the engine is, in a way. more like rott i guess] and quake [art style]. dont know what else to say about it. these dudes made cryostasis, which i really like.
witchaven games are weird. i played the first one and i got stuck on map 11 or map 12 i think. you sometimes get spells to open locked doors, and i used them all and i couldnt find a key to open a certain door to progress. but its not a horrible game, its just boring. the movement, jumping, fighting is weird. but i remember not being able to play more than one level a day or so. the game itself is too boring if you play it for to long, but fun enough if you go at it in small chunks. its been too long since i played this one, so it might just be a horrible game. my brother has both games and he says the second one is better, but i never played it.
techwar is another capstone game, and while i never played it, my brother showed me the game a bunch of times and it looked crappy. but some maps had interesting details. it look stupid enough to play it through until it either crashed or it becomes boring.
i remember having lots of fun with a game called Last Rites. the gameplay was very doomy. was about some special forces dudes going into a city and killing zombies and stuff. i think the game came out in 1998? i dont have it anymore, but i once tried downloading it and i lost the link, but its out there and if i remember right, its not that bad. its bad, but fun. or maybe just plain bad.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/...
dark forces was fun too. never played the sequels, or have any interest in them [or even star wars], but the first one had some interesting levels. though a lot of times i would be running through the maps finding what to do next.
another lucasart game is outlaws. fun game, but if you play it too much it gets boring. nice cutscenes though :)
there's also a game called Erradicator, that was first and third person. i believe you could change the view to whatever you want, but i might be wrong. i only played the demo back in 1997, and don't remember much other than it had slopes. and it looked funky.
and cybermage! but i never played it. always wanted to try it. looks like a funky 90's fps with a cyberpunk setting. and maybe some rpg stuff? looks like a straight action game in youtube videos.
cyclones is a raven game. i have it. never finished it, but it has funky stuff like using keypads with menus to open doors and stuff... i think, its been too long. but i remember the aiming being weird. like you can move the cursor independent from the character's movement. or something weird like that.
and if you want to play wolf3d, i say go with spear of destiny. better levels and more insane that the first.
that's all i can think of right now.
Boldness
#5480 posted by nakasuhito [75.169.62.216] on 2011/12/30 20:57:34
seeing how using bold came out wrong, i think that tells me its time to sleep :D
#5481 posted by necros [99.227.131.204] on 2011/12/30 21:25:48
i love strife even now. it's great with zdoom so you can get mouse look and higher res.
I Am Almost Bald Irl So I Will It Down Here
#5482 posted by Spirit [89.204.130.36] on 2011/12/31 00:52:46
if you can, then play the coop campaigns of NOLF. best coop experience ever.
ZealousQuakeFan
#5483 posted by Scragbait [174.89.17.132] on 2011/12/31 01:17:09
Before you play too many dull games, lay System Shock 2. It's a sci-fi survival horror RPG/FPS and it is really deep and very moody. It is complex like Deus-Ex but a lot harder. Resources need to be managed well and you need to think about your upgrades. It has a great story and is bizarre. I consider it to be in my top 10 of truly great games. You might want to read the readme to edit a file to disable respawn - I did that.
I gave up on several in your list - still have the original CDs and manuals. Yech. Another FPS I bailed on was Marine Sharpshooter. Another title that was good but hard and I stopped at a rescue mission because it was too hard is Vietcong. I also have the VC expansion called Fist Alpha. Never even loaded it.
#5484 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.40] on 2011/12/31 01:22:38
I've played SS2 multiple times, even managed to get the coop working once which was fantastic. Still one of the best games ever even if it hasn't aged so well graphically.
Yeah I didn't add I've already played through the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight games.
Undying I'd totally forgotten about, man that game was fun. I know I've got the CD somewhere too! Guh. Shogo I know a friend of mine quite likes, should give that a poke too.
@Necros - yeah Strife is cool. Feels a bit like a proto-Deus Ex imo...way before it's time, which is a great shame. It would be a fun game to expand on, adding better stealth elements and evening out the rather dodgy weapon design.
Oh and make the maps less confusing :(
#5485 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.40] on 2011/12/31 01:26:38
I think I'm going to end up splitting this lot into 'justly forgotten' and 'should be remembered' lists :p
PS I'm onto the second episode of Daikatana, and I can't stop giggling. This game is like someone wanted to make a 'how not to make a professional FPS' example that's fifty times bigger than it should be.
Everything from the weapons to the levels to feel and general design decisions are just so appalling I'm getting quite a lot of fun out of it. It's like a Mystery Science Theater episode in game form.
From Meory
#5486 posted by nitin [124.168.94.208] on 2011/12/31 01:33:59
eps 2 and 3 of Daikatana were good werent they?
Another vote for Undying and WoT, both of which I'm pissed about since I ant run them on win7.
Undying
#5487 posted by ijed [190.22.35.215] on 2011/12/31 01:37:47
Was great.
Also
#5488 posted by nakasuhito [75.169.62.216] on 2011/12/31 01:51:18
the bethesda terminator games ruled too. i had massive amounts of fun with the future shock demo and later with the full version as well.
if no one wants to read my wall of text, these are the games i mentioned
chasm [only if curious]
tekwar [for the lolz?]
wheel of time [i say play it]
dark forces
outlaws [play 1 or 2 levels a day, too much too boring]
witchaven [only if curious]
cyclones [weird aiming but fun]
erradicator
cybermage [never played it, but looks funky]
last rites [doomy zombies with friendly bots]
I Heard Doom2 Is Pretty Good...
#5489 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.70.196.10] on 2011/12/31 09:31:22
Seriously, 2,5d shooters era was the best. There are no past-Quake games that are as good as Doom, Blood or Duke as a plain no-bullshit FPS.
Anything of late (and not so late) that claims to be 'old-school' shooter is a primitivised fps with dull flat arenas for levels that looks like a step backwards from Doom of 93. I guess Wolf3d is their standard for old-school.
Yeah.
#5490 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.18] on 2011/12/31 12:18:42
WOT & Undying.
#5491 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.71] on 2011/12/31 18:38:34
eps 2 and 3 of Daikatana were good werent they
Well so far in ep2 the architecture and scale got more interesting but the actual layouts turned into Hexen 2... so not really. Also so far the only well implemented weapon is the discus, and the monsters are pretty hilarious. For all the talk of quantity of different monsters, Romero seemed to forget that Doom/Quake have a huge degree of variety in attack forms/health/speed.
Only reenforces my feeling that it's a good job he didn't get his way with Quake, because if this is the kind of mess we'd have ended up with when his 'design is law' runs riot, holy shit. Okay the iD team might have implemented it with actual bite rather than making everything in the game feel soggy and bland but the overall...urgh.
imo iD are very good at making an FPS that *feels* right, much more so than Epic or other devs. Even as much as I dislike Doom 3, it still feels solid and weighty. Rage was the same. It's quite remarkable how crisp and solid Quake feels compared to other shooters of the time, and other than the graphics is the main reason I think the game was so great, and has aged so well.
The only game in this huge group that I actually kept going back into to replay is Blood. Very flawed game but also really great fun. Much better than Duke 3D :)
#5492 posted by necros [99.227.132.108] on 2011/12/31 18:43:27
i'm sure i've romanticized this a bit, but i've always felt the early iD team was as good as they were because of the conflict between carmack's focused and methodical personality and romero's nearly random and crazy ideas.
but maybe it was in spite of that. :P
Postal 2
#5493 posted by negke [31.18.169.100] on 2011/12/31 18:50:13
Hm
#5494 posted by spy [92.47.193.56] on 2011/12/31 18:58:40
everyone's bushing the blood 2 ? saying its kinda shitty and all that jizm , but i found its pretty spectacular .
Bashing
#5495 posted by spy [92.47.193.56] on 2011/12/31 19:37:34
Rochard
#5496 posted by nitin [124.168.66.2] on 2012/01/01 02:21:21
yay or nay?
Postal 2...
#5497 posted by quaketree [76.14.73.169] on 2012/01/01 03:28:17
Was fun at first but it got too repetitious and predictable after awhile. It did have its moments though.
Portal 2
#5498 posted by ijed [190.22.101.182] on 2012/01/01 16:02:27
Needed to leave the facility. It's odd that they didn't do that.
Interputed
#5499 posted by ijed [190.22.101.182] on 2012/01/01 16:15:29
Glados is the facility, it wouldn't have been Portal without her, but thats where the "2" comes in.
It feels like they copped out.
Cool Spelling Htere
#5500 posted by ijed [190.22.101.182] on 2012/01/01 16:15:54
#5501 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/01/02 08:36:30
Anything around post-2003 isn't really old skool, imo. If it looks and feels old skool, then it's just a bit shit.
Undying just gets in there. It's long and unique, has a story... it's a game i'll still remember in 30 years time. Definitely must-play.
Blood I played through maybe 1/4 of it and decided it was shit and deleted it forever.
WOT is a good looking game... though I think it went a bit down in quality in the second half
Daikatana was bad enough after a few levels - that got deleted.
Gunman Chronicles I liked... it was a Halflife mod but released as a full standalone game.
Definitely play SOF1/2, NOLF1/2 and RTCW - they're all classics.
There's also FAKK2, Alice, Rune if you want include third person.
Old To The New
#5502 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.70.200.187] on 2012/01/02 11:57:10
Speaking of 3rd person action btw, remember that melee action\hack&slash game Blade of Darkness with awfully bland environments and pretty cool fighting system and hardcore difficulty? Probably not, because it wasn't any successful...
Now PS3 hit Dark\Demos Souls is pretty much a remake of it, it even inherited dull looks of the original ;)
Yes Of Course.
#5503 posted by Shambler [92.22.16.132] on 2012/01/02 22:10:14
Who doesn't remember Blade Of Darkness?? Fairly good summary, the fighting system was great even though it was bloody hard. Good lighting compensated for the average environments. I liked it a lot once I got used to it.
Oh Yeah, Oldschool Fps' Baby
#5504 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/03 09:30:41
Have to pop in here...gotta agree on the awesomeness of 2.5d shooters
Coming back on the mention of Cybermage : played it ages ago - controls are a little funky, disregard the first sewer level. But once your used to the controls and past the first level your in for a good time. Its a comic book adaptation with the author involved in the game creation.
Blood, all time favorite, there are still some very good levels/episodes being released.
Bit More About Cybermage
#5505 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/03 09:36:05
http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/cyb...
Ye Gods
#5506 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/03 21:26:28
Kona... "Blood I played through maybe 1/4 of it and decided it was shit and deleted it forever.
*flame*flame*flame*
You did not decide it was "shit", you didn't like it, the game sure is not "shit"! It shits all over you rather.
Yeah, there :P
#5507 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/03 21:30:10
On another note, anyone else grab Section8:prejudice in the steam sale ?
I am surprised this game got so little attention post release...gfwl maybe, but its a pretty good tribes/quake wars hybrid thingy, beats the pants off BF3 for me.
Blood Was A Classic
#5508 posted by RickyT23 [2.223.172.220] on 2012/01/04 02:05:11
But it would feel very dated now fo sho. Maybe on account of it being so old!
#5509 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/04 22:38:11
True, the worst being the build engine mouse control, bmouse.exe helps a bit but yeah...whatever happened to transfusion ?
Q.U.B.E Trailer
#5510 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2012/01/05 12:20:54
I just discovered it: looks like a nice puzzle game..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...
Dawn Of War II : Retribution
#5511 posted by nitin [124.170.45.217] on 2012/01/06 00:43:20
$7.49
http://www.greenmangaming.co.uk/ga...
#5512 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/01/06 08:23:56
Review of Turok (2008)
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
I really enjoyed it! 8/10.
Turok
#5513 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/06 14:02:46
"Everything seems murky and drab, with fog drenched over everything." God yeah the Turok series has always had a thing, nay, a fetish with fog :P In fairness for performance reasons but now it probably just has to be there to "be" Turok.
Serious Sam 3
#5514 posted by than [180.146.56.55] on 2012/01/08 06:19:42
This will be a fairly short review of the past two hours that I just wasted playing Serious Sam 3.
Take everything that was good about Serious Sam, throw it away and release. That's how Serious Sam 3 was made.
When the most fun thing about your game is the sound the protagonist makes when pulling the head of a common spider enemy then you know you are doing something wrong. When your players spend more time wandering around and getting lost in your maze-like levels than they do fighting enemies, then you know that you probably need to making a few changes here and there.
We kept thinking it was going to get better, but it didn't. Maybe it does 3 hours in? 4 hours in? Not worth any more of my time to find out.
And since when was Serious Sam about story? Why the fuck are there cutscenes?
Shit.
Than
#5515 posted by Bal [83.204.155.180] on 2012/01/08 10:06:59
Yeah the start is really meh, it does get better 3 or 4 hours in actually, but even then it's still not as good as the previous entries. :(
Haven't finished it, but there were a few pretty cool fights.
All the dust smoke that appears when you shoot at stuff is annoying cause it blocks the view so much.
Also the new enemies soldiers with hitscan weapons suck, especially considering they aren't brightly colored like the other monsters so they blend into the environment and are hard to spot.
Killes
#5516 posted by ericw [142.179.129.40] on 2012/01/13 00:27:17
Thanks for posting that review of cybermage, it looks really crazy from those screenshot. Also, that cyberpunkreview.com site is pretty intense :) I've got some film recommendations from them that look exciting (Ghost in the Shell)
#5517 posted by Spirit [89.204.139.222] on 2012/01/13 09:39:08
you are in for a treat! I can also recommend Patlabor. akira is way to fucked up and weird for my taste.
Having Recently Seen Akira
#5518 posted by nitin [124.168.119.108] on 2012/01/13 13:07:10
It is seriously special.
#5519 posted by necros [99.227.132.108] on 2012/01/13 18:17:33
FFS DWARF FORTRESS.
Heh
#5520 posted by Spirit [80.171.159.42] on 2012/01/14 11:15:39
http://thyfleshrenewed.com/how-kne...
KDIZD
#5521 posted by negke [31.18.178.13] on 2012/01/14 11:34:18
They got a shitload of criticism and arguments all the way through the dev process and after the release, compared to which the negative reactions to RMQ seem mild. But, indeed, there are quite a few similarities between the two. And naturally, in Doom there are strong "newschool" and "oldschool" factions which clash when it comes to the question of what the game can be vs. what it should be.
I enjoyed KDIZD, but I can see where the critics are coming from. The levels are indeed often a little over-reinterpreted and -expanded, and the large number of new monsters as well as the unnecessarily high difficulty can easily put players off. Yeah, the mod has some serious skill balancing issues, because the guy who finished the levels gameplay-wise is a hardcore player who didn't put enough consideration on properly implementing difficulty settings.
#5522 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.70.219.61] on 2012/01/14 15:02:10
“To Exit, You Will Need the Red Key, Blue Key, Silver Key,
Lavender Key, and Seafoam Green Key…"
Is that a joke?
#5523 posted by negke [31.18.178.13] on 2012/01/14 15:31:30
There are indeed several occasions where you need to find all six keys to proceed or exit the level.
No Bunny Key?
#5524 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/01/16 21:09:12
Just Replayed Enclave
#5525 posted by nitin [124.170.49.96] on 2012/01/19 09:47:36
this game needs a sequel!
Nitin:
#5526 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2012/01/19 12:43:40
Not entirely sure but I think the rights might be stuck in limbo after the publisher went bankrupt during development of the sequel.
Didn't know that any info was released but apparently this piece of concept art was:
http://www.gamespot.com/enclave-ii...
That Concept Art Is Teh Sex.
#5527 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.104] on 2012/01/19 14:57:14
Also didn't you make Enclave, bear?
This Guy Is Responsible For The Sex:
#5528 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2012/01/19 16:08:26
http://www.johnliberto.com/
I did all of Enclave by myself! ...or rather I started to work at Starbreeze when they were wrapping it up and played around with the content a bit but never contributed to the game.
Colourful Places Built On Darkplaces?
#5529 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2012/01/19 16:24:09
http://www.retroblazer.com/
#5529 - That's Fucking Awesome
#5530 posted by starbuck [94.194.57.126] on 2012/01/19 17:04:53
Gameplay perfectly matches the visuals. Mad satisfying weapon impacts on the bad dudes.
Love the textures and the general colour scheme, and they nailed the retro-doom-neon style, very coherent, in a crazy sort of way.
There's some good money to be made with this I reckon.
Herp...
#5531 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.104] on 2012/01/19 17:56:12
http://www.celephais.net/board/vie...
...derp?
Dark Souls
#5532 posted by Drew [132.205.103.71] on 2012/01/19 18:11:07
anyone played? It looks so good, but I'm not even an RPG guy, and almost borderline-casual, so I'm worried it will just be too much for me.
How Can Concept Art Like That
#5533 posted by nitin [124.170.49.96] on 2012/01/20 13:00:38
be in limbo :(
Dark Souls
#5534 posted by sock [96.49.154.150] on 2012/01/24 23:03:45
@Drew, I played non stop for 2 months before Christmas. It is the only game I have destroyed a PS3 controller out of frustration because of how the game treats you. If you can imagine every possible cheap, retro game trick imaginable, the game has them all and then even more! Every level is harder than the last, there is no easy part.
It is a game that punishes the player for being in the wrong place, taking on too many mobs and not playing carefully. (running through the levels are bad). It also has a lot of permanent consequences to your actions which can truly fuck with your save game, which you only have 1 per character.
Once you treat every encounter with caution, then the game is easier to understand. All mobs have set patterns, it is just a matter of time to learn them all and exploit their weaknesses. The environment is equally as dangerous as the mobs, plenty of places to fall and die and plenty of invisible stuff (you need to discover the pain yourself)
Some boss fights are horrible one shot mechanics, that if you are in the wrong place, you die. Most bosses have a trick and some even have defined waves and patterns. My personal favourite was the spider boss but the variety and style is amazing and you even get AI help on most of them (if you want, your choice)
The RPG elements are really strong with the usual overdoes of stats, levels and even special guilds you can join. There is also the chance that some idiot will invade your game and try to kill you while you are fighting mobs (totally sucks but some people love it). You can also get people to help you with bosses which is awesome. (co-op at its best)
I have completed the game twice and eventually stopped on my third play through once I got all the weapons and items. There is a really cool crafting system that exists but I highly recommend you check out the wiki because mistakes in crafting can cost you dearly.
Even thou it has so many negative components it really shines on its combat depth and richness of its environments. It is not a game for the fainthearted and extremely frustrating to play without the help of the wiki.
Wow
#5535 posted by Drew [65.92.237.212] on 2012/01/24 23:49:15
thanks for that in-depth response! Definitely giving me a push to get this apparently amazing/horrible game!
Wow
#5536 posted by Drew [65.92.237.212] on 2012/01/24 23:49:18
thanks for that in-depth response! Definitely giving me a push to get this apparently amazing/horrible game!
Derp
#5537 posted by Drew [65.92.237.212] on 2012/01/24 23:49:32
Wow
#5538 posted by Shambler [85.56.23.7] on 2012/01/25 09:37:59
thanks for that in-depth response! Definitely giving me a push to avoid it like the fucking plague. Sounds awful.
Dark Souls
#5539 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/01/25 09:40:46
I wish so much it'd get a PC port. :(
#5540 posted by Ghd Fladjern Tilbud [178.70.204.164] on 2012/01/25 10:33:56
I should add that Dark\Demon Souls games are only for the people who absolutely love repetition and replaying same parts for n-th time.
I'm quite surprised our most-casual-quaker Sock loves them :)
Not sure why you'd want a PC port, the game doesn't need mouse or better resolution and there wouldn't be mod tools for it either.
#5541 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/01/25 10:57:51
Long review for a long game: Saints Row 2 from 2008
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
6.5/10. Fun but a bit ugly.
Ghd Fladjern Tilbud
#5542 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/01/25 16:05:03
Just because I don't have a PS3 and can't be bothered to get one.
PC Version May Happen ...
#5543 posted by sock [96.49.154.150] on 2012/01/25 19:31:58
PC petition : http://kotaku.com/5875833/the-dark...
Dark Souls can certainly have repetition if you die a lot because death can screw with your progress badly. In fact the previous title "Demons Souls' was worse! It did not have checkpoint (bonfires) and if you died you came back with half health!
The game is about using the death mechanic to make you understand your actions better, living with the consequences of what you do in game, about planning your strategies better and probably the number one reason the rush of beating the odds and being triumphant over hordes of enemies without dying!
The game hits all the right buttons for me, medieval environment, melee weapons, magic system, deep combat mechanics, RPG elements, crafting system and very clever level design.
A friend from work recommended the previous game to me and I was hooked on Demons Souls for a long time (200+ hrs) and have probably spent the same amount of time in Dark Souls as well. I even added a ton of stuff to the latest game wiki because I wanted to pay back for all the help it gave me in the past.
I would highly recommend anyone who likes a challenge to try the game, just don't expect it to be forgiving or give you an easy time. It has hard rules to learn and probably some of the best boss fights.
There are certainly dark sides to the game and most of it centers around the multiplayer aspects. Let me tell you a funny story ...
Me and a couple of friends got together one evening to fight a boss in Demons Souls. It was the Tower Knight which is very tough to solo as a melee class. (I have solo'd the boss once but it was a bitch of a fight) If you are interested - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyO... You also have to fight past a tons of enemies just to get to the boss without dying!
Co-op works like if the host of the game dies, everyone dies and the host has to be in human form which means other players can invade your co-op game! We were about half way through the pre-boss mob fights when we got invaded. Some guy shows up in crazy crafted gear and a special spear. Surprise, surprise he kills us all really easily.
We were just learning the game and had not done very much crafting or collecting of items at this point so it was really one sided. The kicker was we lost all our souls (game money) and could not even repair our gear! Need souls to repair stuff. Our gear was broken because the invader had a specially crafted spear that degrades all items gradually to zero per hit.
Our co-op fun ended quickly that night and we had to go back to earlier parts of the game to collect resources. Eventually we got past the boss and carried on, but it highlights how much punishment death can mean in the game.
#5544 posted by Killes [178.25.167.113] on 2012/01/26 10:58:16
Sock do you like latex ?
Doom3
#5545 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.64] on 2012/01/27 05:21:03
with the source port out, has a port or maybe a patch been made to run it on widescreen or something? i believe there was a config file mama one could do, but i'm lazy. LAZY!
i thought i asked here, did some google search and i got stuff about the original dooms instead.
#5546 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/01/27 05:34:08
Since Quake 3 had custom resolution vars I'd be amazed if Doom 3 didn't o.O
#5547 posted by necros [99.227.132.108] on 2012/01/27 05:49:05
i'm sure i've seen people post widescreen shots on doom3world... anyway, they'll definitely know.
Ghragaga9sfgh
#5548 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.174.64] on 2012/01/27 09:45:44
i did something like this a year or two ago, maybe from the same website
http://www.widescreengaming.net/wi...
but the problem i had was that the game would reset itself everytime i started it. so i was hoping someone had already made a patch to just have it normal.
the problem is that my desktop monitor always stretches non-widescreen stuff, and i have to change that manually with the montiro's menu settings, its not something i can do by going to the graphic cards settings. its crap like that.
just thought someone here might have known though. :)
Aliens Colonial Marines
#5549 posted by RickyT23 [2.223.172.220] on 2012/01/28 16:13:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfO...
According to this trailer, they are taking their time with this one :)
Which is prob a good thing...
Wow...
#5550 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2012/01/28 18:41:18
... it looks more to be a movie rather than a game.. impressive !
Im Currently
#5551 posted by Jack [72.205.243.204] on 2012/01/28 22:29:22
play New 1000 AD. Its a turn based strategy text based game
http://www.new1000ad.com
#5552 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/01/31 05:31:28
Frontlines: Fuel of War review
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
A yawnable and done-to-death already kind of game, how many times in games do I have to invade some middle eastern shithole? 6.5/10.
Might review Rise of the Argonauts next, something different.
#5553 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/02/06 07:36:21
And Tomb Raider Underworld review
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
7.5/10
#5554 posted by Spirit [89.204.138.22] on 2012/02/10 15:46:33
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/43...
very interesting post on changes in diablo 3. oh if only that game was not drmd to such disgusting levels. remember how you could "spawn" install diablo 1?
#5555 posted by Spirit [89.204.138.22] on 2012/02/10 15:49:12
be interesting I mean the reasoning for those changes. the identifying for example I really like.
Hawken Beta
#5556 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/02/13 01:12:02
So there is a hawken closed beta, you can sign up for it at http://playhawken.com. It looks like I need to get three people to sign up so they will 'reserve my callsign.' Use this link if you want to sign up please.
#5557 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/02/14 03:41:05
Reviewed Rise of the Argonauts (2008)
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
5.5/10. Could have been good but they fudged the PC port. Nice little story and design.
#5558 posted by Spirit [80.171.27.4] on 2012/02/14 11:47:10
Cube World looks fun http://wollay.blogspot.com/
Dear Esther
#5559 posted by DaZ [92.26.172.21] on 2012/02/17 01:01:37
if you were interested in this but didn't want to shell out the cash (ie, like me) then this video of the game is probably what you are after. 45 minutes long, no annoying commentary etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU...
Fuck me, its beautiful.
Beautiful Esther
#5560 posted by sock [96.49.154.150] on 2012/02/17 03:28:41
A very beautiful experience for sure, but I wish they would have done something different with the huge blobs of text! Maybe smaller blocks, fading between sections, some thought on how to present the text on the screen so it feels more gradual. Besides the subtitle nitpick the journey is amazing and I loved the use of the strong saturated lighting in the caves, gorgeous!
#5561 posted by necros [99.227.132.108] on 2012/02/17 05:06:27
i remember playing this for free? it didn't have all those high-res textures though, but it was still very cool.
the youtube video isn't a full appreciation of the mod either as the story kind of changes a bit depending on what you do in the map, iirc.
Sock
#5562 posted by Bal [83.204.196.222] on 2012/02/17 08:10:24
Why didn't you just disable the subtitles? That's what I did.
Hey
#5563 posted by Drew [98.124.14.195] on 2012/02/18 18:32:25
What was the name of that doom wad which had levels by quake mappers? Biff, Lun... some others
Qboard Doom 2 SP Wad
#5564 posted by negke [31.18.178.13] on 2012/02/18 18:57:25
http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/i...
Thanks!
#5565 posted by Drew [98.124.14.195] on 2012/02/18 19:05:24
This post was flagged as spam.
#5566 posted by a spammer [2.96.96.19] on 2012/02/19 23:54:17
#5567 posted by Spirit [80.171.97.237] on 2012/02/29 10:38:28
That leaked Doom 4 stuff: http://www.mediafire.com/download.... (the 4 music tracks from earlier)
http://www.mediafire.com/download.... (176 images)
Does not look like classic Doom at all but another game with NPCs and all that crap. RemakeDoom?
#5568 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/02/29 14:29:55
Man, I love id but I think they're done. They stopped evolving around Quake2 and it's just getting dismal now. I hope that's not Doom4. I hope.
#5569 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/02/29 14:30:28
To be clear, programming and tech wise they are still on top of their game. Carmack is the man.
Design wise, they're a burned out husk.
I Dunno
#5570 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 15:09:43
I'd rather Doom 4: Hell on Earth (as the leak suggests) than another space dungeon.
What I Mean By That Is
#5571 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 15:24:15
A destroyed, demon-invaded Earth seems better than a dreary space base, but what I really want is a vast, otherworldly gothic hellscape. If Doom 4 doesn't spend a significant amount of time in "proper" hell, I will be annoyed. And I hope the new vision of Hell is better than that silly mess of randomly stacked bricks we got in Doom 3.
Burn't Out Husk ...
#5572 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/02/29 16:45:20
@Willem, if ID are a burnt out husk for design, who nowadays is evolving?
This question is also for everyone, who are the design masters? Which companies are doing new stuff with FPS design that is evolving? Who are creating 'must-play' FPS games?
RFactor Car Sim
#5573 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.129.250] on 2012/02/29 17:00:18
every existing car, every existing track, lets play online
icq/qip 259689233
Sock
#5574 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 17:09:25
if ID are a burnt out husk for design, who nowadays is evolving?
Well, in the world of shooters, Valve tends to innovate in some significant way with each new game of theirs (not counting sequels). That's about it, off the top of my head.
That's not to say other companies aren't also making awesome shooters, but I've never played one outside of a valve game that's made me say "wow, that's an important step for the genre!"
Kinn
#5575 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/02/29 17:47:26
I did not mean this question as a flame war/troll thing, it was a genuine question to everyone. I have seen two people in the last couple of weeks refer to ID as 'lost' on design, but they did not say why?
I think the hardest part of any shooter nowadays is pacing, trying to vary what people do and how they interact with the story and environment. I do agree that Valve are amazing for this reason. I think it is because they want to tell a story with their game, it is not about the tech.
#5576 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 18:16:09
I did not mean this question as a flame war/troll thing
That's cool, I know you didn't - I was just implying that my reply might have been a bit trolly, with my seeming disregard for anything non-valve.
Tbh, I think publishers carry a lot of the blame because CoD is so irritatingly successful that "make it like CoD" seems to be something of a mantra amongst the suits, stifling a lot of potential innovation in a straitjacket of boring Coddiness.
This Reminds Me
#5577 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 18:38:16
I should probably play Rage at some point - though judging by Willem's comment, I assume it's pretty underwhelming?
Rage Is Solid.
#5578 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/02/29 19:23:56
It's weird. The shooting sections are, naturally, awesome. The bits in between are a little lacking. The vehicular combat is good. The game just lacks loads of RPG stuff. The LD is visually amazing, and the gameplay is tight. But it doesn't give you the 'OMG THIS IS COOL' effect, only the visuals.
Definitely worth playing though.
As for id's design going downhill, well I disagree. I mean trying to think of the last years best games:
Skyrim
BFBC2 and BF3
Both titles don't really bring anything new either.
#5579 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/02/29 21:20:52
The Authority.
The Resistance.
The Wasteland.
I rest my case in the chest cavity of this burnt out husk.
#5580 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 21:27:18
BFBC2 and BF3
http://i.imgur.com/yeWyy.gif
#5581 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/02/29 21:56:10
Well, if you were in a post apocalyptic wasteland, would you call the authority ... The Conglomeration of Despair, or something? Short and to the point, makes sense, from the point of view of the people who inhabit the wasteland. Not that I'm defending id's 'creativity' or lack thereof, but something should be said for 'consistency' in the Rage universe.
#5582 posted by Spirit [80.171.97.237] on 2012/02/29 21:58:15
Gnorffliam
Prödelburg
The Katapootakut
Il Indriamentolente
Kinn: Rage is worth playing for the looks alone. Gameplay is modern FPS style as is the level design. Story is neglible, characters bland (awesome models though).
#5583 posted by necros [99.227.132.108] on 2012/02/29 22:00:23
games are still too young, and growth from tech is still insanely fast.
if ever the point is reached where there are no more meaningful improvements in graphics, than maybe the industry can finally settle down and get back to making games.
the graphical quality of AAA titles needs to be attainable at low cost in order for gameplay quality to go up. right now, it just costs too much to make a AAA game such that no one (beyond the designers i guess) is willing to make anything interesting. it's the same kind of thing with why we keep getting film reboots-- the investor dudes would rather put their money on a film when they can see how the original did than on some completely unknown quantity.
ie: "Make it like CoD".
Sod The Names
#5584 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/02/29 22:05:03
What's the gameplay like? To be honest, the evil faction in a game could be called "Alan Titchmarsh's Band of Merry Haberdashers" and I wouldn't give two hoots if the game was otherwise good.
RAEG!
#5585 posted by DaZ [78.147.169.64] on 2012/02/29 22:31:47
The main problem I had with Rage was that the environments were so static, there is essentially zero interaction with the environment barring the odd door or two.
While the visuals are seriously impressive, the interaction is seriously antiquated, Half-Life 2 laughs and takes a sly piss on Rage in this regard, and it hurts the game imo.
As a straight up shooter, Rage is great! Controls are slick and responsive and the combat is meaty and satisfying. The engineering stuff was a nice quirk and for the most part is very useful.
If I carry on with the half-life 2 comparison, the Authority is basicly the Combine but less cool and nefarious. The lack of engaging story also hurts here also, I just wanted to fight more dudes and when a cutscene or driving section happened I just wanted it to end :)
Kinn
#5586 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/01 04:43:42
U played them? MP that is. Fucking fun games.
RAGE
#5587 posted by Drew [216.252.77.99] on 2012/03/01 08:36:56
has some really nice shooter elements in super static environments, with fun weapons and ammo types that actually are fun to fiddle with, generally.
Racing is meh - super easy, except for the derby type shit, which is sort of a pain/randomish it seemed to me.
Story is as blah as explained above. Not that it matters.
carrying the HL2 comparison further, Authority HQ is like the end of HL2 but even more of a letdown.
Definitely worth it, but I'd have preferred an undiluted, concise, derivative shooter - something it could have been.
have to agree now that I think of it with Daz - the HL2 driving is so much better and immersive despite being much older tech etc.
Another thing that got my goat was how often you'd warp from place to place. the sense of continuity - of sheer unmediated embodiment - which HL2 achieves is not present here. along with the not fully formed, fractured story and not fully formed, fractured gameplay modes this not fully formed, fractured sense of embodying a character lets the game down.
play this instead
http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/?...
Doom4 Shots.
#5588 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.140] on 2012/03/01 12:20:59
A lot of generic dross in there but the actual proper in-game shots look cool. Looks very much like Doom3 meets RAGE meets a bit of HL2. Semi-apocalpytic Earth under seige from Doom demons?? Sounds ace to me :)
#5589 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/01 12:50:18
For some reason I was under the impression they would make game with more oldschool gameplay. However, this would probably require or benefit from a more comicy style of enemies, which in turn would need more comicy environments, unlike the 'realistic' high quality stuff in the shots.
Probably best not to expect too much. Rage was fun, but it wasn't really that much fun to make me want another game in that style.
RAGE.
#5590 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.140] on 2012/03/01 13:26:06
I really liked it. Controls were good, gameplay was fun, graphics were excellent as was the atmosphere in many places. I'd happily have more RAGE....if it included Doom monsters ;)
#5591 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/01 13:32:37
"What's the gameplay like? To be honest, the evil faction in a game could be called "Alan Titchmarsh's Band of Merry Haberdashers" and I wouldn't give two hoots if the game was otherwise good."
Yeah, it's sort of a top down problem. If they can't even be bothered to come up with decent names for factions, what are the chances the rest of the game is good? Think it over.
Maybe They Know Names Don't Actually Matter Much.
#5592 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.140] on 2012/03/01 13:40:19
Just like RemakeQuake, the name is as irrelevant as the views of people who take the names too seriously.
#5593 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.127] on 2012/03/01 13:45:41
Willem, that was a pathetic trolling attempt, you can do better, you know that!
What I Mean Is
#5594 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/01 14:05:09
Fast movement speed and dodging projectiles as opposed to cover-based hitscan combat.
A "realistic" Doom
#5595 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/03/01 19:11:20
The leaked stuff clearly shows a push for a rather realistic style, with the characters properly proportioned and wisely steering well clear of the silly big-boots-and-tiny-heads space marines cliche.
What this means for the demons though, I have no idea. I have to admit i kinda hated the cheesy cyborg components on monsters in doom 3 (it didn't matter in classic doom because the suspenson of disbelief was so much higher). I can only assume the idea was that the demons had somehow possessed and "demonised" UAC technology to explain these cyborg bits.
If the demons do use or are combined with some sort of machinery/technology, I hope it's of an eldritch style that looks like it was forged in the fires of Hell, and not just like some bloody plasma gun fresh off a Mixom production line.
Projecting the Doom 3 idea to the "current-day-ish" tone implied in the shots, I guess the equivalent would be seeing an Imp strutting about with an AK47, at which point I think I'll nod sagely, turn the xbox off, put the disc back in its box, and go outside or something.
To be honest I have no idea what point I am trying to make with this post. It's quite the turd really, as posts go.
Ricky
#5596 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/03/01 19:26:03
U played them? MP that is. Fucking fun games.
A little. I appreciate that "best game" is subjective. Personally I wouldn't put a battlefield game in the top ten of a list of new releases I'd play in a given month*, let alone a year.
* I should mention that I only play at most one, possibly two new games a month.
Doom4 Shots
#5597 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/02 03:51:15
Is Danny Trejo a character in Doom4, or are they just modelling one of the characters off of him. Can't be a coincidence to look that similar.
I'm a bit disappointed. Lighting looks like shit, but maybe it's not lit properly yet. But why in the blue hell does id think we need another earth city under attack game? We have millions of them already. I do hope at least a good portion of the game is in hell or something similar or gothicy. Enough with the post-apocalyptic stuff, id just fkn did it with Rage. Maybe they're re-using tonnes of assets? If it speeds up the long development cycle Rage took, then that'll be fine.
Agree With Kona
#5598 posted by quakis [81.111.135.140] on 2012/03/02 13:05:32
about the post-apocalyptic stuff in general. Too many of these city ruin/wasteland/shanty themes lately, I've personally got sick of seeing them since they get visually stale after a while, seeing rubble here, rubble there, broken building here, more rubble here. Been avoiding such games for a while.
Agree With Willem And Kona
#5599 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2012/03/02 17:21:21
Rage seemed like it suffered from design-by-committee. "The Authority" is a name everyone can agree on. It sucks, but it gets the job done. You say: come up with a better name? Well the point is that something more unique isn't going to make you go "WOW what a great name", but something with character means at least someone is directing the ship. At least someone who has a say in the matter might have a strong opinion or vision in how the game should be.
I'm generalising of course. Holden Caulfield could have been called Jack Strongfists and Catcher in the Rye could probably have survived it. Rage however has an overall sense of blandness that makes "The Authority" seem symptomatic of a bigger problem.
Perhaps it's a criticism of Tim Willits as creative director. To be honest, I never thought of id as creative geniuses, they were just in love with games.
In Doom and Quake, you can see them taking chances, doing what excited them. So they liked listening to metal, playing D&D, watching Aliens films, reading Lovecraft? It's all in there. Like playing pranks? "Well now you have to defeat me, John Romero!"
Maybe it's that Tim Willits is just a sensible guy. Rock solid level designer, but never with the ability to go full wildcard (and sometimes full retard) as did Romero or Tom Hall. Maybe its that they used to be young guns full of passion and now they're middle aged men who have to worry about market penetration and 9 figure development costs.
Great. Now I've made myself sad.
Heh
#5600 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/02 18:40:54
Agree with most of that.
There's a pretty good paralell here though - The Authority Vs The Combine.
A ton of thought goes into Valve's games as Kinn says, and its this love of their craft that is making them money hand over fist.
The mark of a good game is when you can tell the developers had fun making it.
That
#5601 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.116.100] on 2012/03/02 19:58:05
Maybe its that they used to be young guns full of passion and now they're middle aged men who have to worry about market penetration and 9 figure development costs.
Id Sez
#5602 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/02 21:14:53
Those images have nothing to do with what you're gonna see in Doom4. When we officially show things you'll see awesome
#5603 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/03 09:10:07
Reviewed Quantum of Solace (2008)http://www.etherealhell.com/...
6.5/10 typical average-ness. Next.
RAGE DLC ?
#5604 posted by Ron [86.80.123.127] on 2012/03/03 10:41:21
I thought they were going to release downloadable content for the game. Or was that just the boring sewer monsters thingy ?
Good post, Starbuck #5599.
#5605 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/04 11:28:40
"Maybe They Know Names Don't Actually Matter Much."
It's indicative of the care and skill of the designers. If they can't (or won't) come up with creative names for the factions in their games, how deeply thought out is the rest of it?
It's one of the tools you can use to measure how much the designers actually cared.
Gears has the Locust. Half-Life has the Combine. Good names help to cement your world and get the player to buy into it.
You can't argue that id didn't try because every dev video they released had at least 2 people telling the camera how awesome the story was and how deep the world went. They cared. They just couldn't do it.
Names Are Vital
#5606 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/05 17:56:22
For the reasons Willem states.
Why bother thinking up cool enemies or balancing them properly if you can't be bothered to name them.
Naming things gives them a narrative. Without that they're cardboard cutouts.
I'd say the individually they definitely could do it, but as a corporate entity they couldn't.
Seems to sumup what everyone thinks of id nowadays.
Hurr Durr Derp Derp
#5607 posted by Spirit [80.171.145.222] on 2012/03/05 18:15:16
Have you played Doom or Quake by any chance?
#5608 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/05 18:33:24
Meaning what, Spirit? You point is either that the names were bad then too (which I don't agree with) or that a 15+ year old game is a good benchmark of how a modern game should behave (which I also don't agree with).
Or something else?
To Play Devil's Advocate
#5609 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.190] on 2012/03/05 19:50:14
I'm going to suggest that coming up with interesting/evocative/unique names for things in a video game is not rocket science. I'm sure a QA intern could generate a page full of names more interesting than "The Authority" if they were asked.
So what's my point? My point is that if you've got the nouse to bang out a half-decent game (which id have) then I'm pretty sure they're capable of coming up with a semi-interesting name for a baddie if they wanted to.
Ergo, the assumption that the blandness of the names somehow reflects upon the quality of the gameplay design, is a flawed one.
There must be some deliberate reason for the bland names. Perhaps a nod to a sort of schlocky good guy/bad guy Wild West sort of vibe? Where keeping labels simple is part of the charm? Why call someone "The Bollock Mulcher" when you can call him "Bob" and let his bollock-mulching actions speak for him?
They Never
#5610 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/05 20:01:49
Convened the 'naming of things and places' meeting.
This is comitee design at its worst - I bet the design team had tons of backstory, names and so on that was never approved.
It was left effectively blank because production don't care about story (in an FPS at least), they care about milestones.
It'd be nice / generous to believe it was a sly poke at video games conventions, but given the context of the game... nah.
Spirit, try and think before posting your retarded flamebait. Are you suggesting that Quake and Doom weren't evocative narratives?
I don't mean text printed on a screen (even though they had that as well) but interesting stories, starting with the names.
As simple as some of it was, I don't think anyone on this board didn't have their imagination captured by what was presented in Q1 at the very least.
#5611 posted by Spirit [80.171.145.222] on 2012/03/05 20:19:18
I don't know, maybe I am too detached from how the industry works. But I do not see how the story/setting relates too much to the gameplay.
ijed: I was suggesting that id games are not necessarily too focused on the story or names. On the other hand Doom 3 and Quake 4 their last games so I might have been a bit blind.
I absolutely agree that Rage was hurt by the bad narrative. But there are many games where the gameplay is shit but the story nice and vice-versa so I think any "if that one aspect was terrible then you can see how the rest must be shit" is just wrong.
#5612 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/05 20:43:22
"I don't know, maybe I am too detached from how the industry works. But I do not see how the story/setting relates too much to the gameplay."
Immersion in the game world? That directly affects my enjoyment of a game. Rage doesn't draw me in because I'm confronted with "The Authority" and "The Resistance", and I'm immediately reminded that, "Oh, right, nobody gave a shit about the world".
1000 Amps
#5613 posted by Bal [83.204.130.121] on 2012/03/05 20:45:50
You guys should get this game, it's great and it doesn't have any stupid names in it!
Awesome little puzzle-platformer, one of the best I've played in a while.
Oh And...
#5614 posted by Bal [83.204.130.121] on 2012/03/05 20:46:13
Guess I should link to the game...
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
"oh, Right, Nobody Gave A Shit About The World"
#5615 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2012/03/06 02:38:03
All this chat reminded me of this semi-controversial Gamasutra interview with Todd H. and Andy Chang, titled "Creative Intent"
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feat...
Controversial because many people thought the interviewer was being rude and asking questions he shouldn't. Obviously that's bollocks and the interview is really quite tame. At least he holds the guys lightly to some of the shit they say, and tries to find out if there was any thought behind their creative decisions.
Re: the world: no, it doesn't look like they really thought about that. In fact, while i think they answered the broader gameplay questions okay, Todd and Andy didn't really represent a game with a real artistic direction or intent. It's apocalyptic because the tech can do it. It's orange because pop culture / why not. The bandits make sculptures and art because I don't know. These baddies have a British accent because gosh that's cool.
Eeehhh
#5616 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2012/03/06 02:41:43
Because I feel bad about sounding so negative, just it's a shame because there's some really awesome creative work in the game, for example some of the character designs are fantastic imo. Clearly there were people working on Rage who were passionate and hold degrees in kicking ass, but overall the end result didn't reflect that.
Immersion.
#5617 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.140] on 2012/03/06 10:31:00
Dead City in RAGE was more immersive than anything in any previous ID game.
Maybe
#5618 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/06 12:49:41
It sounds like I'm advocating RPG features in all games, or dialog trees or whatever - not at all.
All devs care about their work, even when in a company that doesn't, and there's always a ton of backstories and thought that goes into each game, just almost none of it that those in charge want to let out of the door.
As the big companies turn their focus from AAA to smaller games, episodic content and so on it'd be nice if the creative stranglehold was loosened a bit as well.
And
#5619 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/06 12:53:51
Telling the story through the game is what I was driving at before - immersion.
'Collect 10 goblin pelts' tells me a story about dev laziness / managerial dictatorship, not the world.
Just playing through Bioshock for the first time now, and the theme is precise and well conceived. Everything in the world feels like it belongs there.
#5620 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/06 16:02:29
"Dead City in RAGE was more immersive than anything in any previous ID game."
Dead City was definitely cool! It also has a proper name and was built up as a scary place in the game before you went. Immersion doesn't just happen, people. :)
#5621 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/07 05:54:11
Dead City is a proper name? :P
#5622 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/07 06:30:19
City 17! Gordon! Dog! With names so bland, it's obvious that Valve didn't give a shit about Half Life 2!
#5623 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/07 11:24:09
Never mind. I forgot how obstinate this board can be. Fuck.
I apologize for questioning the almighty id.
#5624 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/03/07 11:41:14
Gordon!
It's definitely a lot less bland than, say, Jack, though. When I see that name pop up too often as the main protagonist's name in games (or even film), I just feel sad that they couldn't just flip through a baby name book or do a simple google search to find a more interesting alternative.
Ps
#5625 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/03/07 11:42:23
Whether you were kidding or serious, it's still something I just had to mention regarding this subject...
Willem
#5626 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/07 11:47:35
Indeed. You fit in well here.
"The City"
#5627 posted by ijed [190.22.100.88] on 2012/03/07 11:53:19
How about that. Immersive enough?
Srsly
#5628 posted by ijed [190.22.100.88] on 2012/03/07 11:54:05
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/...
Re: Rage + Willem
#5629 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/07 13:31:08
I take your point about the realism/immersion factor being a little lacking because of lame ass naming of stuff. And the incoherency of the travel element.
But (IMO) the environments and AI were great! I just mean that the 'shooting sections' seemed fast and fun to play. The guns felt good.
#5630 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/07 13:37:43
"Indeed. You fit in well here."
Right. Look, I see now in hindsight that arguing this sort of thing on a message board filled with people who love and adore a 16 year old shooter was probably a mistake. In that design context, yes, names and world cohesion and that sort of thing are basically irrelevant. I get that now, sorry.
Ricky's post sums it up. World was pretty and guns felt good. That's the benchmark, OK.
We Just Don't Get It
#5631 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/07 14:16:17
But the thing is, on the other hand, if you intend on finding alledged immersion-breakers such as names and start looking around, you can find them everywhere in one way or another.
You do have a point - but it doesn't exclude the possibility that other people may be well immersed regardless of such things, maybe even appreciate the simple, to-the-point hooks that such stereotype names suggest.
Look At It This Way Willem
#5632 posted by RickyT23 [81.132.88.129] on 2012/03/07 14:29:25
From a personal viewpoint, I enjoyed Rage about as much as I enjoyed Duke Nukem Forever.
Spent 15-20 hours on them roughly.
Skyrim - 130hrs
Battlefeild Bad Company 2 - 200hrs or something.
Left 4 Dead - 150hrs maybe.
UT3 - played that quite a lot too I guess.
GOW (1) - must have spent 60 or 70 hours on that on the 360 when it came out.
But yeah - world was pretty and guns felt good, like Quake (very incoherent immersion but great graphics and gameplay), and Doom (for it's time) - great graphics and gameplay, but not much of a backstory either.
Not to say that the fact that the stories were lacking is a good thing, it isn't, but did I enjoy them - YES!
Metro 2033 is another example. It had all three factors - great graphics, good gameplay and a very cohesive and immersive backstory/theme. But did I play it loads? NO! not really. I dunno, it just seemed a little stressful and dingy.
I fully agree with you about Rage on most levels. TBH the English wasteland punk enemies from Rage were just downright terrible! Fake English accents yelling 'Wankahh!' at me all the time. Felt good to shoot the annoying little bastards in the face, just to shut them up.
But the visuals in Rage were great. Just not when you were up-close. Then they looked pixelated.
I hope Doom 4 is better. From the look of some of those leaked screenshots, it possibly could be. But hopefully they wont fill the game with annoying cockney enemies that yell 'Wankahh!' all the time.
I'd rather go and play dynamic, squad based games of the uber-pretty BFBC2. Now that is fun. And immersive. And the backstory kinda sucks (WWIII - ruskies v yanks). But it's really fun.
Willem
#5633 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/07 15:26:46
Yeah, it's sort of a top down problem. If they can't even be bothered to come up with decent names for factions, what are the chances the rest of the game is good? Think it over.
I take issue with the logic that 'bland names = designers don't care.' That's just shitty logic. Feel however you want about Rage, I don't think anyone here gives a shit about that, but that kind of thinking just doesn't make sense.
The names may not be interesting (perhaps they were interesting to id) but imo they fit the wasteland extremely well. They are short, to the point, and they accurately describe the faction in question. Sure, that may be less interesting, but it better fits in with a wasteland scenario. When someone says 'the Authority' you can get a pretty good idea right away about who they are - that kind of thing fits in well in a place where danger is around every corner.
So if the names are uninteresting, fine, I'm not arguing that, I'm arguing against your terrible, terrible logic.
Wankah!!
#5634 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.140] on 2012/03/07 15:38:00
Another highlight of the game for me personally.
#5635 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/11 00:58:13
Reviewed Call of Duty 4. Pretty cool game, but a bit overrated with all the "game of the year" awards. Crysis was better.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
8.5/10
#5636 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/03/11 02:05:30
Cod4 was developed by infinity ward, not treyarch.
#5637 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/03/11 02:07:20
The best shooter since L4D2 is Serious Sam 3.
#5638 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/11 02:38:50
Oh yes, forgot to change the developer from the last review I did (Quantum of Solace). Cheers JT.
Names
#5639 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.88.171] on 2012/03/11 06:21:59
Shrek racing game, our speed boost pickup was called ROCKET PANTS.
The publisher took it upon themselves to rename it to "fairy dust".
I Think We All
#5640 posted by ijed [190.22.69.70] on 2012/03/11 21:09:39
Know where the awesome is there.
But hey, the industry got rid of distributors quite efficiently, it shouldn't take long to bin the large publishing firms that cause this committee design shite.
The indy and garage developers are taking a non-marginal slice of the pie, and growing, as quickly as the big boys are laying off 00's of staff.
Mass Effect 3
#5641 posted by Ron [86.80.123.127] on 2012/03/12 10:40:46
I've just finished this.
What a bad game.
I can not remember ever having played a game in which I did not die once. Well, I did one time when I went too far from the objective. The game decided to kill me, out of the blue. I actually tried it again and got killed the same way. All the fights are more or less the same. Get behind something and shoot at the bad guys from behind there. There is absolutely no need to upgrade your weapons, the normal pistol could get you true the whole game.
At one time I was supposed to activate 2, ehm, things in the map. There were lots of enemies around. I just ignored them and pushed the buttons and that triggered a cutscene.
If you look at the game stripped to the core basics, you are left with mostly random shooting bits in very very simple made maps.
The maps look nice (decent anyway...), but you can only walk as far as the invisible walls allow you to. The playable part of the maps are so bad that they wouldn't even be rated on Quaddicted. Often it's just hallways surrounded by inaccessible map areas.
The sidemissions are the dumbest thing I've ever seen in games. You walk in the Citadel and overhear people talking about stuff they want. That stuff you can get from doing planet scanning, a part of the game most doable after smoking some cannabis sativa. If you already did all the planet scanning thing, you don't have to search for anything anymore and just collect your reward from the people with the red squares around there head.
And then there is the interaction part. Maybe it's got something to do with my being Dutch and not having a degree in English, but it looks very much open to interpretation. I can't recall a specific moment in 3, but I've got one from 2: At one point an alien spoke to me about a spider queen I released in the 1st game. One of the options was to say: "Tell her to be good". I choose that one. I thought it was a nice thing to say but my character made it into a warning !
And then there is the love aspect in the game. I chose to save the games being a faithful and a not cheating partner to the blue girl. Sure, she was nice to me for the pre-endgame battle, but before that she used to greet me by saying "Shepard", or "Nice to see you". That's fucking love for you ...
And then there is the ending. It is so mindbogglingly stupid that I regret not only playing part 3, but the whole series.
But the point I'm trying to make is this:
The game gets stupidly great reviews from almost all the gaming media. One of the best games ever, they dare say. The reviews I've seen on the internet say more about the state of our planet then about Mass Effect's, I'm afraid ...
My score, for what it's worth ...
04/10
I Started Playing ME1 Once
#5642 posted by RickyT23 [81.132.88.129] on 2012/03/12 12:30:57
Got very bored very quickly, and never played it again. But the character you play in the game is annoying, the shooting is *ahem* CRAP, and the LD is frustrating.
So yeah - nice to see an honest review of the game, from someone who shares my opinion of it:)
#5643 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/12 12:57:02
So I'm clear ... by "honest" review you mean "review I agree with"? :)
Nah
#5644 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/12 13:16:16
Most people rave about the series - I wasn't impressed either.
Weak gameplay that's disconnected from any sense of purpose.
I suppose if I didn't know how to read then the story (ie. cutscenes) would have been interesting.
One of the few games I'll never finish.
Nah
#5645 posted by RickyT23 [81.132.88.129] on 2012/03/12 16:08:11
I mean 'honest' as in the reviewer was being honest when he wrote the review.
As opposed to writing a good review because that is what he was paid to do. You know, so that the game sells, all of those people who we're thinking of buying the game read a 'good' review of the game, then they go and buy a copy.
I can't comment on the true validity of the review because I have never played Mass Effect 3, and I probably never will.
Mass Effects 1 + 2
#5646 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/12 16:38:58
I love the first two Mass Effect games. Not for gameplay, but for overall ambience. They did a really good job of making it feel like a scifi universe.
But making gameplay 'fun' has never been what Bioware was about, they were about a big game with lots of story. They are crap at balancing games, they suck at AI, and they tend not to innovate or 'fix' their problems. Even as far back as Kotor, the gameplay wasn't exactly fun, but very generic and tedious. They can't balance games worth crap either, they tend to be either very difficult or very easy, rarely does it feel like a good challenge.
As much as I would like to, I probably won't get Mass Effect 3. :( :( :(
Yeah
#5647 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/12 16:58:24
That was the odd thing for me - you'd think making the interactive part worthwhile would have been the focus.
I was introduced to Bioware on ME1 - I'll probably avoid their other games on general principals.
Seems like they do the types of games I don't like to play. Not any particular genre though - I quite like RPGs.
Mass Effect Backlash
#5648 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/12 17:06:40
I really can't understand the crazy backlash that is going on with fans of Mass Effect. It was never about combat, shooting, scanning or squad tactics. The game was all about story and immersion in the game universe. Why would anyone expect the game play to be ground breaking? Last time I checked, the encounter design was box rooms with cover and dumb AI. You run in, shoot, take cover and eventually kill stuff.
I always thought of ME as something that is trying to push the envelope on story. It wants to make the player care about what they say and do (storywise and some actions). With the introduction of the ship crew emotional involvement I assumed players wanted a space opera.
The fan review reaction to ME reminds me of someone reading a book and then getting upset because the book has no pictures and it should do, because all books have pictures nowadays! ;)
As A Matter Of Fact, I Started ME1 Yesterday
#5649 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/12 17:27:21
I'm not a fan of Bioware-flavored "RPGs", and this one confirms it once again. Too linear and restricted, tedious combat, and I'm not overly impressed with the levels so far. Of course, this is only the first impression after some three hours, maybe it's getting better later on, but I doubt I'm going to play much further. Bioware seems to be a love or hate thing - if you enjoy one game, you'll probably like the others, too; if not, don't bother.
Can't say much about the story, I'm not super excited about it. Is it possible that the stories and twists in each game are quite similar?
I agree about the dialogue options - I hate it when games give you some option and then lets the character say something totally different.
Sock: More like this: a book that's said to be an excellent piece of fine literature which then has silly pictures in it, and people getting upset about it are being told to ignore them (and that it's their own fault they aren't enjoying it if they can't or won't just ignore them).
Re: Sock
#5650 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/12 17:40:07
I don't think anyone expects the gameplay to be ground breaking, just good, which it isn't. It copies Gears of War (which imho had boring shooter mechanics at best) and slaps an RPG-lite leveling system onto it. Now, that's all fine and dandy, but they could've done a better job balancing gameplay or making the combat a little less repetitive. It doesn't have to be revolutionary - say what you will about Rage, but it was very polished and felt great, but wasn't revolutionary by any means. There's really no reason the same couldn't have been done with Mass Effect.
I would say, for the book analogy, that it's more like here's a book, and there's this chapter of the book that's included with the book you bought, but only if you pay extra for that chapter. If I bought the book, shouldn't I get all the chapters already?
#5651 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/12 19:09:58
"I mean 'honest' as in the reviewer was being honest when he wrote the review.
As opposed to writing a good review because that is what he was paid to do. You know, so that the game sells, all of those people who we're thinking of buying the game read a 'good' review of the game, then they go and buy a copy.
I can't comment on the true validity of the review because I have never played Mass Effect 3, and I probably never will."
But ... you have no way of knowing who is being honest and who isn't. Your logic isn't sound on this one.
What leads you to believe that Ron is writing from the heart and, say, IGN is only writing good things because they're being paid to?
Liking Ron's review because it says what you want it to say is fine - but you need to admit it. :)
Dishonoured
#5652 posted by DaZ [2.96.237.9] on 2012/03/12 20:56:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zze...
Has the potential to be fucking epic imo. Arkane Studios (dark messiah might and magic) + Viktor Antonov (hl2 art director) + Harvey Smith (deus ex designer) + Sandbox assassination game set in a steampunk city = wet pants.
Well
#5653 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/12 21:11:27
Why would Ron come on a Quake forum, and Troll ME3, if he did in fact like ME3? That doesn't make sense either. Are you trying to tell me that it would make more sense for Ron to come on a forum and lie about his own opinions? Why would he do that?
I base my assumptions on the following things:
1 - There was a lot of good hype on the mainstream websites about Mass Effect so I went out and bought a copy, only to discover that the game was an excruciatingly tedious and boring game full of characters that we're either ridiculous, un-likeable or both. Having been playing Crysis before hand I was also disappointed by the poor visuals and level design of Mass Effect. I remember in the game there is a part near the beginning where you land an a planet only to discover that the planet looks dull, and you can't travel around it because the whole mission is heavily scripted and completely on a rail. I also noticed that the combat was poor, I was basically encouraged to squat behind walls and crates all of the time. Which is dull.
I also remember in another part of the game, there was a VERY tall elevator shaft, with an elevator inside it. You cannot see out of the elevator once you are inside it. But to use the elevator you have no choice but to watch the entire journey from the corner of the elevator. Well there's three minutes of my life I will never get back.
2 - Ron is claiming that he found similar issues to be present in ME3. The review for ME3 is also good on the mainstream websites.
I don't like watching the TV. I don't like Star Trek. ME is a bit like Star Trek. And playing ME1 for me was on par with watching Star Trek. Which I find to be dull and boring.
IGN, Fox and the teams of directors employed at the studio where Mass Effect and it's sequels we're born are examples of evil capitalist scum, which will kill art and video games in order to make sure that they make the fastest buck.
Ron is some guy who I don't know who posted his opinions on a forum.
I know who I would trust. Neither of them. I would trust my own intuition. The same intuition that made me decide to stop playing GoW2 in the large underground tunnels section because I found it to be dull and boring, and the characters made me feel as though I was insulting my own intelligence by continuing.
And that was one of the last times I played a game on my XBox 360. Though I diverge, for that is another heart warming tale, which I will conserve for another post, some other time.
#5654 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/12 22:01:03
"IGN, Fox and the teams of directors employed at the studio where Mass Effect and it's sequels we're born are examples of evil capitalist scum, which will kill art and video games in order to make sure that they make the fastest buck."
OK, whatever you say. Discussion isn't possible with this sort of hate in the way. Thanks for the reply!
DAZ.
#5655 posted by Shambler [92.22.78.3] on 2012/03/12 22:43:20
Just flicked through that with sound off but from your description and faith in it, I agree. Could be very cool. GFX are a bit Bioshock in graphical quality as well as style, but definitely has potential.
You're Welcome.
#5656 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/12 22:51:44
I know that such strong words are a lot to handle, even for you. How a discussion can continue with all of the curse-words I keep using, god only knows.
Anyway, that's my honest opinion, I can honestly say that I honestly think that IGN are a bunch of dis-honest fuckers who are sat around with their dicks in their hands, feeling all 'important' when actually they are just slaves to a big money making system. I went through a phase of trusting IGN and was disappointed by them many times.
I read their review of the new Star Wars MMO, and in the first couple of paragraphs the reviewer explained how the training element of the game was rubbish, and that the 'battles in space' parts of the game we're also rubbish. Yet the game score was still displayed - 9.5 out of 10.
Then there was all of the hype with Far Cry 2. But that was a very boring and repetitive game to.
Eventually I start to read the website and just think - 'Yeah - you guys are either stupid, or you are taking bribes for some of these scores'.
Fox - OK, well there's a company which totally ruined the Aliens franchise. Nice work Fox, way to go - why not take all of the cool stuff out of Alien movies, and replace it with cheap from-a-can nonsense, slap a PG13 rating on it so that you get the best box-office windfall. Cause that all the fans care about, surely.
#5657 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/12 23:02:37
I get it, Ricky, thanks. Like I said, there's no real discussion to be had if you've already decided that professional reviewers are evil scum bags out for the almighty dollar. I get that. And that's fine, that's your opinion - but it leaves no room for discussion so we're done with this, yes?
#5658 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/12 23:03:41
And this goes without saying but your tastes are running fairly orthogonal to most other gamers I know. Even shooter fans. Mass Effect and Far Cry are well loved in every other circle I run in. So there's that...
Far Cry 1 Was Good :)
#5659 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/12 23:25:04
But yeah - ME series being good - so the official line is that "That's the word on the street". All the hip folks back home really love the ME series. Yeah. Well it's not for me. And I tried to like Far Cry 2, I really did. But it was so repetitive, and the fast travel system was still tedious. By the end I just didn't have the energy for it.
I'm just a random gamer discussing my opinions of the mainstream gaming media. And a mainstream game. And yes, I have a narrow opinion, who doesn't. I know what I like, and I like what I know.
You don't seem to be able to handle my harsh criticisms of said mainstream gaming entities, is that because you have a vested interest in them?
#5660 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/13 00:01:33
Me? I don't care what you say about media outlets or whatever. Rant away. My issue was with your calling one review honest and others not, without having any knowledge of their motivations OR even having played the game yourself.
That's all.
#5661 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/13 02:05:02
Dishonored looks great. Steampunk = awesome. Long as I can just shoot shit up instead of listening through keyholes to random conversations. Lots of whores in it as well, which is always a plus. I'm glad Arkane are doing it, it's about time they did something new - it's been 6 years since their last game Dark Messiah.
#5662 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/03/13 04:17:57
are the rpg elements in ME3 further simplified from ME2? that was one of my major problems with ME2. :(
Heh
#5663 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/03/13 04:19:31
actually, i should probably say stats/class stuff as opposed to RPG.
i like setting up characters and builds. :)
Ricky, Don't Let Willem Troll You :-)
#5664 posted by megaman [79.227.162.28] on 2012/03/13 08:42:21
Willem, we have < q > </ q > tags, would be awesome if you could use them. Searching for the closing " when skimming over posts sucks.
#5665 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/13 10:12:33
If this board used standard tags, I might care. As it is, if I can't remember what to use I don't. :)
#5666 posted by metlslime [67.188.81.46] on 2012/03/13 15:52:20
would <span class="quote"></sp... be standard enough for you?
#5667 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/13 15:58:14
If that's what you believe the standard for message boards is ... sure.
I Guess Willem Is Referring To
#5668 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.216.240] on 2012/03/13 15:59:38
BBCode some sort of standard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBCod...
AS
#5669 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.216.240] on 2012/03/13 15:59:55
some sort of standard
#5670 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/13 16:11:26
Note, I am not using the nerd sense of the word "standard". I'm using it more in the "what most people are used to" sense.
But yes, mirroring BBCode would make the codes more likely to get used.
Also, adding buttons to insert them would help as well.
But this really has nothing to do with PC Games, so...
Lazy Bum.
#5671 posted by Spirit [82.113.121.236] on 2012/03/13 16:43:25
Mass Effect
#5672 posted by Kinn [109.151.152.132] on 2012/03/13 17:51:17
I'm not surprised Mass Effect's combat is getting a bad rap on a Quake board - it's doing things that are quite the opposite to what a hardcore Quake player would find interesting (I'm generalising, but I've heard so many people on this board share the same views about cover-based combat, that I think it's a fair generalisation).
Personally I really liked (nearly loved) Mass Effect 1, as I got an very atmospheric and engrossing space opera. I enjoyed the combat, but I enjoy a very wide range of combat mechanics, so I'm quite easily pleased. Haven't played 2 or 3 yet.
I Dunno
#5673 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/13 20:38:36
I like cover mechanics when they're done well...
The Mass Is Effective?
#5674 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.161.233] on 2012/03/14 23:11:42
is not an rpg at all. i think of it as an action game with lots of dialogue. but the mechanics are a lot like, say the batman games. you get xp, buy points for that skill you like and move on.
dragon age on the other hand, thats an rpg. the first on i mean, haven't played the second one. and while it is linear like mass effect, i really think it was done in a much, much better way.
but i love the mass effect games. i love the atmosphere and the looks of it, funky sci-fi stuff and even cyberpunk sometimes. but i agree, the games are linear and the combat is very simple, cover based stuff. i wish there was more exploration, but strangely i don't mind the linearity of it.
even choices are not really an issue because its something that just happens. i wish it was more like, say the witcher, which i think its the only game that does choices really well.
haven't played the third yet. will wait for a price drop. not enough $$ to buy new games these days.
somehow i feel this post is useless, but i'm posting it anyway. :)
#5675 posted by Spirit [80.171.143.234] on 2012/03/17 11:42:13
I was just having a poop when I realised that naming argument about Rage was full of shit. Remember those movies with the Empire and the Rebellion?
It Absolutely Matters.
#5676 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.88.171] on 2012/03/17 11:54:19
I'm not sure about the Rage argument (I haven't seen it in context), but in general names are super important and will always influence your perception of things. (The degree to which it does, and your awareness of it, will differ between people and scenarios, but it will always colour your perception and there is nothing you can do about it).
If it doesn't matter, why not just name everything in a generic and functional fashion? Who cares, right? Might as well call your items weapon1, weapon2, weapon3, etc. How about your skills? You've unlocked ability 1! Wow. Can't wait till I get ability 4! You were slain by melee1. Oh no. You picked up 5 units of ammo for weapon 6. Yeah!
Gonna go rock the house in coop with RemoteClient4! FUCK YEAH!
Christ I'm Bored.
#5677 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/03/18 03:19:41
'You picked up four 5.56m Jacketed Hollow Point rounds for your M24A SOCOM X-4F Elite ranger 4.4344443434 27n gunwank carbine.'
No the names do matter, but they aren't the big deal being made of them. If the Authority had been introduced properly, had some proper backstory and a build up of threat it would have been a sore point but easily forgotten. The fact they weren't means that the name now stands out, because it's the ONLY thing we know about them.
Half-Life 2 and the Combine had a mystery about it that was interesting, and you encountered a lot of their activities, so the boring name didn't mean anything because it was drowned out by the other stuff.
Given the same company gave us the 'Strogg', I'm not sure I care about basic names in games. At least it allows us to avoid having to read about the shimbogs and their leader flobblewobble's involvement in the yuktuk wars of timblemin-minor against the savage tribe rrr-thuk-rgggrg. Because that's the shit we'd end up with.
#5678 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/18 11:06:29
The Combine is actually a good name. A combine, used in farming, is a great metaphor for what they did to Earth. Someone put some thought into that and it works.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combi...
Also, there's the aliens and humans working together in combination angle.
Mercenaries 2
#5679 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/18 12:35:03
Quick Mercenaries 2 review. Bit of a shit game, 5/10. I was expecting a short, cool, fps. Got an open world, third person RPG/shooter reminiscent of Saints Row 2, only worse.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Combine
#5680 posted by Drew [216.252.64.152] on 2012/03/18 20:56:49
some old propaganda and propaganda posters referred to nazi forces as a giant combine tearing up the earth, if I recall correctly. Art depicted a giant combine with a swastika instead of the rotating blades churning up the countryside.
System Shock
#5681 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/18 22:54:57
Thanks to Spirit, the DICK, I'm kind of replaying it again (the "portable" version). So great. People usually credit SS2, but the first one has more atmosphere imo. Maybe because of the low res textures and sprites. Quite nonlinear and explorative gameplay, even secret doors and areas. And with the pistols you can even rapid-fire like in HL if your trigger/mousefinger allows it. Just cleared the medical deck - didn't remember there were so many reinforcement mutants.
The standard controls take some getting used to, but it can (and should) be set to play like Doom. Spirit: I found out that E enables mouselook. It's a good idea to check out the reference card, although some standard key are remapped in the WASD config.
Ss1 Is Fucking Awesome
#5682 posted by megaman [79.219.101.121] on 2012/03/19 08:52:01
Even in this day and age.
#5683 posted by Spirit [89.204.153.68] on 2012/03/19 08:52:56
that's what you get for not liking deus ex.
thanks!
Dumb/linear/flat Level Design
#5684 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/19 20:44:10
crosspostin' from rub2 thread.
Than said: By the way, this is perhaps warrant for discussion in itself, but are there any modern games that have this kind of level design (or design similar to typical Quake maps)? I can't think of a single game, but I haven't played that many recently; SS3, Duke, Bulletstorm and Rage are about the only shooters I played recently, and none of them had particularly interesting level layouts or vertical maps. Level design seems really dumbed down these days, or has very different objectives at least.
It's a shame but I think the sad truth of the matter is that the majority of the games-buying public nowadays have the attention spans of gnats (can't really say that in a way that doesn't sound snobbish - I appreciate there are a lot of nice people who play games who simply have limited time and just want some quick, easy, turn-your-brain-off action), and the more opportunities you give the player to be off the beaten track, the more likely it is they get lost, confused or whatever - even if only briefly - but it makes them respond less favourably to the game.
Back in the "good old days", gamers I think were a hell of a lot geekier and more patient and more interested in exploring sadistic maze-like levels. These gamers are still around of course; they're us! But sadly us wrinkly grey old farts now make up only a small fraction of the market base, and it's no longer financially viable to make games for us any more.
(normal Kinn disclaimers apply; the above is likely to contain random splatterings of bullshit/hyperbole which you may ignore as appropriate/to taste).
Rose Tinted Glasses
#5685 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/19 21:21:50
Got to disagree, a lot of old games were badly designed and there were not that many to choose from. So we all endured the repetitive nature of 'old' game design. Fighting awkward control scheme's, obtuse UI layouts and getting lost because the designers believed in mind reading are not reasons to celebrate, but simply rose tinted glasses of a time when we were young and did not know otherwise.
Not all new games are shallow in depth or detail and there are plenty to find but everyone man and his dog is making games nowadays and finding stuff is a lot harder. Games nowadays are easier to pick up and play and cater towards certain groups of people better. I am sure there will be some weird backlash to current game design eventually and we will go retro again! :)
My Comment
#5686 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/19 21:32:04
was more about why I think games such as shooters have gone largely from non-linear to linear, rather than from badly-designed to well-designed.
I fully agree that a lot of old games had terrible level design, and even I avoided them. I couldn't stomach more than I think 2 levels of Hexen II, for example.
Hexen 2
#5687 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/19 21:34:14
Was terrible. Simply awful level design imho.
Posted This On #tf Last Night
#5688 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/19 21:39:38
http://i40.tinypic.com/2hydpic.jpg
That Pic Is Great
#5689 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/19 21:57:57
it's funny - i hate getting lost, but I love non-linear level design. My favourite levels in any sort of game are the ones where you have multiple objectives/routes from the start, and you can visit them in any order. Even if the choice of which one to tackle first is not a meaningful choice, I still love the feeling of freedom it gives. I suppose I am exactly the sort of audience for games that give you a map - go wherever the hell you want, but here's a map so you never get lost.
Non-linear = Money++
#5690 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/19 22:12:28
Having multiple paths cost development / testing time which ultimately cost money. I remember working on a certain game and we wanted several paths through a level, it would have been so cool. We were told no because it would have meant extra time for QA to test it, extra time for Art to create additional assets and coders were not happy because it meant a larger file size (DVDs are not endless space apparently!)
Even after all those arguments we were told no from the publisher! Choice is an awesome concept but it costs time and not every developer / publisher can afford it.
I am sure if you speak to any developer about extra routes, choice, non-linear play and most will agree it is awesome but nowadays games are too complex to create / make even without the extra stuff. That is not to say all games are linear, some still exist but they are rare.
#5691 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/19 22:19:07
...Which leads me to a question.
What do people think about the objective arrow system used in games like Oblivion and Skyrim - where you have little direction indicators at the top of the screen telling you where to head, letting the designer just plonk you in any environment and know you won't get lost.
The reason I ask is this: would I be chased into the night with pitchforks and shovels if I was to make a Quake level that was basically "press X buttons in the level lol", but was really non-linear/free-roaming and it used some sort of objective arrow system? (i don't know yet what this would be, whether it's something floating in front of player to appear as if it's on his HUD (yuk), or something a bit more subtle - maybe some sort of texture with arrows on that you find on walls or floors in junctions, but the arrow(s) can change to point in different directions depending on your objective(s)). Is this an awful idea?
#5692 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/19 22:26:48
maybe some sort of texture with arrows on that you find on walls or floors in junctions, but the arrow(s) can change to point in different directions depending on your objective(s))
I think the dm456sp by negke did exactly that, and it was okay (aka not overly coercive (then again how the fuck is an arrow not ever coercive?)).
Yeah
#5693 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/19 22:32:30
i think the issue here is that you only want arrows when the player gets lost, and the player's realisation that he's lost generally comes when he gets to a junction and thinks "which bloody corridor do I go down to get back to the sodding GK door?" If I identified some important junctions and placed dynamic arrows there, I guess it could work.
!
#5694 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/19 22:38:39
dynamic arrows
What if the arrows were written on wheels, and you could actually see some of them hiprotate when you press a button??
#5695 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/03/19 22:38:55
kinn: just try it and see how it goes.
i'd argue it might be better if you could work these "arrows" into the map itself... so like a visible building with something like lightning or flames or something to communicate that that place is important somehow.
Are We There Yet!?!
#5696 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/19 22:44:17
For some reason I did not care about the pacman dot trail in Fable 2 or the markers on the map / compass in Skyrim. I just wanted to get to the location and do what I was suppose to do, fight, find loot and have fun.
If you want to be clever then build your anti-getting-lost system with good art. Like have runes that change to obvious directions after a timer when the player is in an area. I am always disappointed with Quake levels that have arrows pointing somewhere because the design is saying go a different direction.
This is a classic thing to do in SP design btw, player enters area, timer starts, then hints start to appear in the environment or HUD. I would suggest decals and cool shader effects then I remembered it was Q1, but you could be clever with movers or sound.
#5697 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/19 22:51:25
You could also use lights. As the level progresses, you could turn off some fill lights in specific corridors where you don't want the payer to go anymore. Nothing major, but we naturally gravitate towards areas with more light in them so it might be subtle enough to work...
#5698 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/19 22:56:53
@Kinn, I know I probably made you run to the hills with my crazy email about textures but have you decided what art style you are going with? It will ultimately help with your method of trying to give the player directions.
#5699 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/03/19 23:29:45
This is a classic thing to do in SP design btw, player enters area, timer starts, then hints start to appear in the environment or HUD. I would suggest decals and cool shader effects then I remembered it was Q1, but you could be clever with movers or sound.
that's interesting... a progressive hint system.
#5700 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/03/20 00:03:12
I'd put in an arrow or some kind of primitive radar for the UI, as being obvious is a lesser evil to the player getting totally lost. You can still make the directions fairly vague, but just make sure the player has some idea of their progress (ie how many things they have left to collect/activate etc) and general hints on where to go.
I really think Serious Sam 3 has some great levels in it, surprisingly intricate with cool fights, but it really needed Painkiller's arrow to tell you where to go because arenas could be so big with lots of buildings and after fighting for ten minutes you lost track of where you entered and where you were supposed to go.
Also generally as graphics get more detailed I find games are getting less and less effective at pointing out where to go through architectural or lighting cues (though this could also just be that they've stopped trying and just put a UI marker in. I reckon L4D did very well in giving general hints as to where to go through lighting, but not making it too obvious so progress wasn't instant and in fire-fights you could still loose your sense of location.
Rage had some cool levels and some dull ones. The level in the abandoned brewery where you climbed all around the vats and fought mutants climbing up the walls was fun I though :E
#5701 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/03/20 00:04:25
I always think it's a bad sign when you're looking for the way to proceed, find a corridor or jump or something, and find out it's actually a secret :p
Cheers Guys
#5702 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/20 00:04:58
What if the arrows were written on wheels, and you could actually see some of them hiprotate when you press a button??
very cool idea :} I really like this actually.
i'd argue it might be better if you could work these "arrows" into the map itself... so like a visible building with something like lightning or flames or something to communicate that that place is important somehow.
Interesting but the first part of one of my maps has 3 objectives active at once (do in any order) and they are all in indoor locations...
If you want to be clever then build your anti-getting-lost system with good art.
one requirement is that it might need to support multiple objectives e.g. (if you go this way or this way, there's stuff, but not this way). Hmmm...multiple "arrows" pointing down different corridors...
You could also use lights Probably not feasible as all light comes from gothy flames - still could do a "flames go out" setpiece for something though - tbh i can't remember a gothy map that's done that...
@Kinn, I know I probably made you run to the hills with my crazy email about textures but have you decided what art style you are going with?
I haven't recieved any emails...bdwooding - at - gmail.com ?
As for the art style, the whole episode is old and damp and earthy in the good old medieval gothic style. Here's an example of a typical area (please ignore any wip suckiness and lack of texture variation):
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/61424391/Q...
More Dishonoured
#5703 posted by DaZ [78.147.106.178] on 2012/03/20 00:40:21
Some nice screenshots and a video about the art. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Non-linear Design Versus Linear But Interwoven 3d Architecture
#5704 posted by than [182.164.28.33] on 2012/03/20 01:22:52
In my original post I was more bemoaning the lack of really 3d spaces and reuse of area by having routes that loop back multiple times through the same area - something common in Quake maps, but less so in more modern games. Perhaps the best example of underusing the structure of a level I can think of is Bullet Storm. That game had so many epic areas and so much time was obviously spent on the environment art, but the gameplay was little more than walk into room, kill a bunch of shit and proceed to the next room. In addition, the gameplay was very flat - it was a fun game, however.
When you look at Quake levels (even the stock id levels) they are full of verticality and passing again through the same areas from multiple angles. This doesn't seem to be terribly common in more recent games, but there are sometimes levels where you are forced into a small environment (a house, boat etc.) for a prolonged period and thus the environment is better exploited.
Given how much time and resources are spent on decorating areas, it doesn't seem like a great use of those resources to just make one long environment, but better to actually design the level in a way that takes progression back through existing areas in a way that makes sense.
There are a few reasons I can think for avoiding intricately interwoven levels:
*vertical areas are more difficult for console players to handle due to the often reduced field of view and slow speed of rotating the view on a controller.
*it might not make sense in the game's story, whereas a Quake level has no real story and designers tend to just do stuff because it's cool or fun.
*many modern games have a real world setting, which somewhat limits the scope for complex level layouts as designers want to keep their levels feeling realistic and functional.
Anyway, more examples of modern games with interesting level design would be nice.
Kinn:
#5705 posted by than [182.164.28.33] on 2012/03/20 01:27:28
I certainly wouldn't hate you for employing a "find X buttons to open exit" style of design! I remember being impressed a long time ago by a speedmap Lunaran made that has exactly that kind of gameplay. I think it was basically a DM map with lots of grunts and some buttons, but it played well (and looked quite nice considering how quickly it was made.)
My current map is a similar kind of design, but actually the progression is fairly linear at the moment. You have to find 5 sacred tomes and read them and the order is not important, but actually, the design of the level kind of forces the player into a linear route :/ Maybe I should try and free it up a little.
L4D2
#5706 posted by Preach [77.98.165.95] on 2012/03/20 01:37:22
The hard rain campaign in L4D2 is one of the more interesting level designs I've seen in a recent game (although it's not too fresh now and I can't play new releases on this machine). The map is a there and back fetching mission, but two things combine to make it interesting.
Firstly the level floods between going out and coming back, so returning by the original path becomes a slow trudge through water. At the same time different combinations of one-way drops make it so that the shortest route back is quite different to the shortest path forward.* It's all really clever and I recommend you grab a chance to have a look at it.
*The one way drops are also an interesting feature for the versus gameplay, as separating members of the survivor team is often the best way to deal damage on them. The one-way drops give you a chokepoint for your attacks, but they aren't irreversible - which is good for balance. If your teammate is caught in front of a one-way drop you've taken, you can go back and save them by taking the intended route for the other direction's journey. Still, the loop takes time so there's usually a good amount of damage as reward for the play.
Awesome!
#5707 posted by than [182.164.28.33] on 2012/03/20 01:42:15
was wondering the very same thing.
Guess I might check out the latest Wolfenstein and perhaps that other Raven game with the time travel. Are they worth playing?
Sorry
#5708 posted by than [182.164.28.33] on 2012/03/20 02:08:38
I am an idiot
Spirit linked an old post in another thread, I was multitasking and forgot that it was an old post and then replied to it :)
Yes, L4D2 has some cool level design. Hard Rain is very memorable indeed.
Than
#5709 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/20 02:51:34
Perhaps the best example of underusing the structure of a level I can think of is Bullet Storm. That game had so many epic areas and so much time was obviously spent on the environment art, but the gameplay was little more than walk into room, kill a bunch of shit and proceed to the next room. In addition, the gameplay was very flat - it was a fun game, however.
Not played bullstorm but iirc Painkiller was exactly like this (epic impressive environment art dressing up essentially a series of huge box rooms), from the same developer incidently.
The interesting thing with Painkiller is that the developers were clearly Quake fans, with the general feel of the movement, secrets, trick jumping and all that Quakey stuff, yet they decided not to use any of the level design principles that worked so well in Quake. In many ways the game felt to me as if the levels had been built from scratch by artists with absolutely no communication from the designers as to what gameplay was going to take place in them.
There are a few reasons I can think for avoiding intricately interwoven levels
One argument that was presented to me by an artist was that if you have a big open area, the most environmental detail can be focused around the playable space, and built with a certain direction of movement in mind, and the background stuff can be largely optimised as the player won't get close to it. If you take the same large area but you make the playable space occupy a greater % of the overall space (e.g. you allow the room to be traversed in different ways at different times), then the average density of detail required goes right up. Personally I think that decent design can make that a fairly weak argument but it is food for thought.
I remember working on an action platformer a few years back where the lead artist was trying to convince us to use a God of War-style fixed camera so that all they had to worry about was essentially two back walls and a floor :)
We went with a proper "look anywhere" 3rd person camera thankfully.
Than 2
#5710 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/20 03:03:08
I certainly wouldn't hate you for employing a "find X buttons to open exit" style of design!
Cheers! At least I know one person will play it then :}
Maybe I should try and free it up a little.
I think it can make for a more rewarding experience both for the player and the mapper - It's funny, making a level that's very non-linear gives me a wierd sense of nerdy glee, as if I'm crafting a real functional place, rather than piecing together a predictable script. One worry though is that the encounter design could suffer, as I need to accomodate the fact that the player infil points and order in which he encounters monsters is going to be pretty damn unpredictable for the most part...
Kinn
#5711 posted by Drew [216.252.64.152] on 2012/03/20 03:04:38
Fuck yes/ fuck you - looks totally awesome and perfectly detailed/scaled.
Drew
#5712 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/20 03:44:39
Thanks!
Tbh, I didn't intend to pimp this early (as you can tell from the unaligned textures and stuff) :}
#5713 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/03/20 04:40:45
yeah, what were you thinking?!
;)
very atmospheric. looking forward to this :)
Recently
#5714 posted by Bal [83.204.159.50] on 2012/03/20 08:07:09
The new Deus Ex had some good level design, always fairly open with lots of vertical action and choices, obviously a deus ex with linear levels wouldn't really be deus ex though.
Also Bioshock (1&2) both had fairly non-linear levels that felt comparable to some quake levels.
I get bored of over-linear FPS and rarely finish or even play them nowadays...
#5715 posted by Spirit [89.204.130.238] on 2012/03/20 09:18:23
Do players actually notice if light does not have a realistic source? I don't (unless it is a really bright spotlight and the game/map's narrative is realistic.
Kinn: that looks amazing. did I tell you that you and czg should team up? because you and czg should team up. I tell you!
#5716 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/20 10:25:46
I agree modern games would benefit from more (vertical) interconnectivity. It probably depends on the type of game (or its goal), though, e.g. not applicable to or desired in those countless games that are just long series of setpieces.
As for nonlinearity, however, let's face it: people are always quick to criticize modern FPS for their extreme linear design, and rightly so, but as soon as they come across a nonlinear section themselves, even long-time Quake players in a Quake level, it often boils down to getting lost and confused. And then it's all the mapper's fault for not making the right route obvious enough.
Think back when you first played the game, though - didn't feeling lost in those strange and hostile environments actually add to the game experience, the atmosphere? Of course, back then combat skills and FPS mechanics weren't as well-trained as today, so it may be possible that players today are more easily bored and thus have a "decreased willingness" to explore, which could be linked back to the expectations of an average gamer nowadays and the question why modern FPS are what they are.
#5717 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/20 10:36:24
Nice post, negke.
We find that a lot. If we give players choices of routes, they get angry because they don't know which one is the "right" one. If we only give them one route, they complain about lack of exploration. It kinda sucks, to be honest...
#5718 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/20 11:10:27
What I usually do is deliberately take the "wrong" route (if it's clear which one leads on and which one is a dead end) or go in the opposite direction just to have explored everything.
I just thought about situations where the explorable space is restricted by obstacles, closed doors, or clip walls (sometimes areas that actually ARE interconnected), and the worst possible thing a designer can do: a "leaving the mission area" kill/restart trigger. This made an awkwardly appropriate allegory pop up in my head: it's like walking your dog, but pulling him away from stuff as soon as he intends to sniff on them - for the walk is not about his personal enjoyment, the sole purpose is for him to take a dump. So... when that's done you can actually turn around go back home.
Dead Space Nagivation Help
#5719 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.88.171] on 2012/03/20 12:45:02
I only played through Dead Space late last year so it's fairly fresh in my mind. I'm sure it has been discussed here, but it seems relevant to the current discussion, so:
One of the best features of the game was the little help system which would draw a path to the target on the ground. At any point you could press the relevant button and see where to go, but the path would fade out after a few seconds. Since it wasn't "always on" it eliminated one of the major negative aspects of some other navigational aids (i.e. when you're too busy watching the sparkly shit or the HUD arrow to actually look at the environment and soak up the atmosphere).
Of course, what I would often do (and what I'm sure everybody would do!) is press the button to discover the "correct" path, turn around and go in the opposite direction to find all the secrets and explore... then go back to the main route again.
It's not perfect, but it allowed some degree of choice and exploration while still ensuring that the player could never really get lost. A pretty good compromise which allowed for at least a little non-linearity while eliminating potential confusion and frustration. Since it was player activated and temporary you only used it when you needed it, but you could go forth with the confidence that you both know where you're going and that you didn't leave anything behind.
Yeah
#5720 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/20 13:41:46
That was a nice mechanic. The second one sort of took the fun out of it a bit by allowing you to look for different map elements like stores, work benches and so on.
Playing Bioshock2 now - which is a pretty good game (fuck the gaming press!) and has a simialr sort of compass to many games. Combined with the map it allows you to hunt down everything, which I think most players seem to enjoy doing, at least when the core mechanics are fun.
When people say non-linear I get the feeling that they mean not closed in. CZG07b for example is completely linear, with a few offshoots for secrets. It does not feel linear though since you revisit several areas at different heights and coming from different directions.
Compare it with the word examples of corridor design which allows for little to no exploration. And usually has 100's of identical doors, some of which you're allowed to open, some not.
Oh, and clip walls across otherwise open terrain. Those are great.
http://hlcomic.com/index.php?date=...
#5721 posted by necros [142.55.158.25] on 2012/03/20 17:12:03
i was just thinking that i actually hate it more when i choose the RIGHT route because that means i have to backtrack so i can go explore everything. :P
#5722 posted by mh [137.191.242.106] on 2012/03/20 19:01:10
I don't think that being linear and making the route obvious are mutually exclusive. It's possible to do the latter without locking yourself into the former - just look at the id1 maps for a good example. They're littered with little arrows hinting "go this way", when you find a key you're normally dropped to the door that needs it very soon after (it's often on a ledge or ramp above the door, even). You're still free to explore, you can get yourself wonderfully lost as much as you want, but you can always find where you need to be quickly enough.
One Nice Thing
#5723 posted by Kinn [109.158.202.198] on 2012/03/20 19:11:27
about the id levels (eps 1, 2 and 3 at least) are that they are all small enough so that even if you are totally lost, a quick wander will generally always lead you back to somewhere that orientates you. Also, I find each area is pretty good at being distinct and recognisable.
Episode 4 is by far the weakest in this regard as the maps have lots of corridors that kinda look the same.
This
#5724 posted by ijed [190.22.31.69] on 2012/03/21 22:30:11
Is probably old news, but yet another indie roguelike is making fame:
http://spelunkyworld.com/
Been laid up with flu and playing this. Terrible, yet oddly compelling design.
Spelunky's Design Terrible?
#5725 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/21 22:56:34
That must be some flu indeed.
I'll agree some things are unintuitive, or plain out frustrating, but just about everything can be mastered over time. And that's pretty much the point of anything that claims to have roguelike elements, right?
Uh
#5726 posted by ijed [190.22.31.69] on 2012/03/21 23:02:28
I'm a student of games design... when things are unintuitive or frustrating it seems to go against everying I've been learning all this time.
But its a lot of fun, hope they do well with the port.
Ouch
#5727 posted by ijed [190.22.31.69] on 2012/03/21 23:07:25
That bandwagon nearly killed me!
Well...
#5728 posted by Bal [83.204.153.12] on 2012/03/21 23:08:48
Rules are made to be broken, once you know them. Spelunky would be half as interesting if it was more intuitive and user friendly, it's one of the strong points of roguelikes, even recent ones (see Binding of Isaac).
I
#5729 posted by ijed [190.22.31.69] on 2012/03/21 23:26:07
Much preferred The Binding tbh. The design felt like it was on my (the player's) side more. I ended up 100% on that one.
A lot of playtesting has gone into Spelunky, but it seems many things are just, well, broke.
Maybe I haven't played far enough, but why are the shortcut tunnels not on the main screen? I can see the arguments for them off to one side, but none of them doesn't boil down to 'frustrate the player' at its core.
Intuitive and user friendly don't have to be the pariahs of games design.
Granted that most designers that focus on these don't really like the game they're making, and it comes out in how it plays.
There must exist a bridge between Garage and Indie design, just a case of figuring it out.
Not ignoring the Roguelike element, but thats just a description of a format, and one that's inherently friendly to small dev teams since its not necessary to spend all that time building full levels.
Woah
#5730 posted by ijed [190.22.31.69] on 2012/03/21 23:27:55
Antibiotics. Ignore most of the above.
Funny You Should Say 'bandwagon'
#5731 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/22 17:58:38
Because I got into it after Supa recommended it in like 2009.
Hmm
#5732 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/22 18:01:22
Unintuitive was probably the wrong word.
Unpredictable, rather.
Heh
#5733 posted by ijed [190.22.29.159] on 2012/03/23 00:50:24
I get the unpredictable, it's something that goes right through the game. Sometimes a flying rock will hurt you, sometimes not. Sometimes the ledge grab doesn't work on certain ledges, identical to the rest.
There's lots in there where I'm not sure if its bugs, or intended behaviour.
'bomb in a chest' is the worst thing in the game. Or maybe its the control scheme in general.
Even though it sounds like I hate the game it is compelling - I'm still playing it at any rate.
Just don't buy into the argument that roguelike = broken so much. But it depends how 'broken' is quantified.
I suspect they'll struggle on XBLA, although it'd be nice to see them do well.
A Similar One
#5734 posted by ijed [190.22.29.159] on 2012/03/23 00:52:57
I got stuck on for a fair while, and posted before I think:
http://www.desktopdungeons.net/
Games Such As These
#5735 posted by onetruepurple [89.79.96.4] on 2012/03/23 10:33:34
Are a gateway drug into proper roguelikes.
For some odd reason nobody's linked to DoomRL yet.
Huh
#5736 posted by ijed [190.22.29.159] on 2012/03/23 22:06:46
Nice, thanks.
DoomRL
#5737 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/03/25 14:24:39
Been waiting ages for the tiled version of DoomRL.
And it was worth it, it's awesome! :D
Lols
#5738 posted by [78.147.146.107] on 2012/03/27 22:24:31
Hope you weren't looking forward to Assassins Creed 3 on pc -
“We’re definitely supporting PC, we love PC, but I think it’ll be PC with a controller."
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/ubis...
Ahahahahahahahahaha, etc.
Oops
#5739 posted by DaZ [78.147.146.107] on 2012/03/27 22:25:59
^^ was me
#5740 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/27 22:59:27
@Daz, quiet a lot of games play better with controllers plugged into a PC, they were designed and tested that way.
That's The Irony
#5741 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/27 23:13:35
If devs loved PC, they would develop PC games, not port console games.
Uh
#5742 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/27 23:39:29
You mean the same way devs hate unpaid overtime, so don't do it?
TBF
#5743 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/28 03:12:51
I have Asscreed on the PC, and it TOTALLY needs a controller. It's the only game which I have which NEEDS one. The controls are silly. Spacebar makes you run forwards (WTF?!).
Like Crackdown. Ever play that? Almost impossible without a controller I'm sure.
I have a mate who plays Skyrim on his PC with a controller (XBox360), and he loves it.
Maybe One Day
#5744 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.60] on 2012/03/28 03:13:35
I'll get a wired 360 controller and play Assassins Creed 1.
#5745 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/03/28 04:07:33
I played a large chunk of AssCreed 2 on a PS3. It has some of the worse controls I've ever used.
I was quite shocked after the amount of hype that went on and on about it's cool movement system and stuff. I didn't realise it would involve holding three buttons at once and giving up camera control. Yeah, don't let me control the camera right when I need to see where the hell I'm going.
And I so wanted to get into it because the actual atmosphere of wandering around a town is really cool :(
Lets Drive Online
#5746 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.129.250] on 2012/03/28 10:22:13
rFactor car sim, real tracks, real cars, formulas, GTs, 100MB basic game engine, 300MB each car, 50MB per circuit, 1MB program to connect. my favourite ATM are F458 Macau street circuit, F1_2006 Jerez/Korea, GP2_2010 Singapore night street circuit. icq/qip contact 259689233
Controllers
#5747 posted by Kinn [86.166.250.226] on 2012/03/28 14:07:10
I prefer controllers for everything, including FPS's (and I know saying that will make a lot of you back slowly away from me, feeling the walls for an exit whilst making sure not to break eye contact). It's a comfort thing for me.
If FitzQuake had support for the 360 controller, I would be on that shizzle.
#5748 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/28 14:37:13
You're not alone. I love controllers for almost any games on my PC. When games don't support my 360 controller, I sigh in disappointment.
#5749 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/28 16:12:32
I wanted my controller to work when I got Super Meat Boy. That's about it. I don't see how people can play on controllers when a good mouse/keyboard setup is available (especially when it comes to shooter), but then I've been largely a PC gamer since I was 4-5 years old so that may have something to do with it.
#5750 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/28 16:14:06
Decades of mouse and keyboard use have ruined my shoulder/wrist so the less I need to use that combo, the better.
I'll Pwn U All
#5751 posted by RickyT23 [86.172.172.181] on 2012/03/28 16:34:05
with my Rat 7.
#5752 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/03/28 17:47:07
Mouse and keyboard are good for FPS with guns, but for anything else it really depends. For most games playing with a controller is nice, for strategy games and such I like playing with my Wacom tablet when that's supported, much easier on the wrist and more natural.
RSI
#5753 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/28 22:42:55
Same here Willem, I have to take a good weeks break in between playing games so my mouse wrist can recover again. Keyboard one is fine, it's just the damn mouse that fucks it up.
Do controllers not effect RSI as badly as the mouse?
#5754 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/28 22:58:17
They don't for me. Using a mouse is definitely my trigger action. I can use a controller or an art tablet all day, no worries.
#5755 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/29 10:28:34
Maybe try one of those mousepads that have buldge on one side where you put your wrist on?
#5756 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/29 11:17:05
Thanks. Yeah, I've purchased several hundred dollars worth of devices, pads and gadgets over the years. I also get a deep tissue massage once a month. It's a lifetime commitment of maintenance at this point...
It's the kind of thing you can't tell other people to prevent it because they won't listen. The whole, "Sit up straights, arms at 90 degrees, shoulders relaxed, etc" advice sounds horrible but it really would help.
But nobody wants to hear that ... until their wrist/shoulder starts hurting, and then it's too late.
Yeah...
#5757 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/03/29 16:17:13
That kind of stuff is horrible, I stopped using a mouse for work a few years back and it's done so much good to my hands, so now I try to be careful with the rest, but it's not easy.
Out of curiosity, are you in your 30s or 40s Willem?
#5758 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/29 16:48:20
Just turned 42 last week. I've had these issues for several years though...
#5759 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/29 18:07:33
Wow, I thought I was the only old timer around these parts, turned 43 at the beginning of this year. :)
Nope
#5760 posted by mh [137.191.242.106] on 2012/03/29 18:09:03
A few of us in the 40s
!!
#5761 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/29 18:14:10
wtf I swear I was 16 just last week and now I'm 27!! I too am old as fuck. :(
#5762 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/29 18:36:37
You're 27? Oh, that explains why you still love mouse and keyboard so much. >:)
#5763 posted by Zwiffle [97.87.57.94] on 2012/03/29 18:49:16
A couple of the older designers at work use those vertical mice because of their wrist problems, similar to this:
http://img.directindustry.com/imag...
I hope that never happens to me, but I'm already creaky and falling apart.
30
#5764 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/29 19:10:57
And haven't noticed any real aches and pains yet, but 5-10 years ago I could go out partying 10 hours, sleep for fifteen minutes and go into work fresh as a daisy.
Nowadays it takes me a week to recover from a handful of hours party. And no chance 2-3-4 days in a row.
#5765 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/29 19:27:37
Mine kicked in around 37 or so. Just FYI. :)
#5766 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/03/29 19:31:23
The unfortunate thing is, it isn't something where you start to feel something and then you correct it. If you feel it, you've got it, and you're into management mode.
I wish you all luck! But don't kid yourself into thinking that you don't feel anything so you must be OK ... if you're slouching in your chair and all of that other stuff, it's likely just a matter of time.
Sorry to be a wet blanket. :P Just trying to help...
It's not a problem until it is.
Zwiffle, What?
#5767 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/03/29 19:45:59
I thought you were STILL 16.... All the soliciting for nothing!
Fkd Wrist Syndrome
#5768 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/30 02:13:51
I got RSI quite bad several years ago (i'm 32 now) to the point that I had to use a cold flannel on my wrist, but I started using the mouse in my other hand occasionally and just managed it better and it got better again. Tried one of those big flat mouses where you're hold hand sits on it, but it was annoying and slow to use.
Then a few years ago I went self-employed so I don't have to work so hard on the computer. But about 7-12 mnths ago it started getting worse and hasn't improved since. I haven't got the pins and needles at night so much, so I know it can still get much worse than it is now. And it will... probably have to give up gaming in a year or 2, or at least do maybe 1 game a month rather than a few a month.
Willem what do you find works best for it? What kind of mouse do you use/any wrist pad for it?
#5769 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/03/30 02:17:51
Oh by the way I reviewed STALKER Clear Sky. Didn't really enjoy it, it just pissed me off. It seemed to be quite popular on this forum so you guys might not agree. 6/10.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Also tried Silent Hill Homecoming, but it crashed alot, especially when alt-tabbing, the combat absolutely sucked assholes and it wouldn't accept my key config. Trying to change it in the menu only accepted some of the changes. Fucked up console port that I quit not far in.
Next on my list is either Assassins Creed or Devil May Cry 4 :)
#5770 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/30 12:02:01
Kona
I tend to favor the Logitech MX518 mouse - the one that looks bullet riddled. Primarily because it's light and that puts less strain on my hand moving it around but it still feels good button/wheel wise. Wireless mice are right the hell out as the batteries make them instant torture devices.
I don't use pads or gel strips or whatever. Those don't tend to work for me at all. What I found last week, actually, is this hand glove thing:
http://www.amazon.com/Imak-Compute...
And THIS actually seems to work for me. I can rest my wrist on the padded part and it feels pretty good. Doesn't help my shoulder but I'll take what I can get. :)
As I said before, I also get a deep tissue/trigger point massage once a month as a maintenance thing. She works out all the knots in my back/shoulders/neck and tries to reset me for another month.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours but that might be because I've found a maintenance routine that helps keep it under control somewhat.
Good luck!
#5771 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/30 12:02:51
Oh yeah, and if things get really bad I'll wrap my wrist in a cold pack while I watch TV at night. That tends to bring down the inflammation enough that the next day feels better.
I Like These
#5772 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/03/30 13:40:50
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice...
Need to get a new one though...
#5773 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/30 13:57:11
Yeah, I tried one of those but keeping my hand/arm stationary all day actually seems to do more harm than good.
Willem
#5774 posted by SleepwalkR [202.120.31.241] on 2012/03/30 18:04:02
Those gloves are gold. I used them a couple years back when my wrists began to act up. I also bought a trackball and a magic trackpad and cycle between them and the mouse. Haven't had too many problems since then, but then I'm a programmer, so I don't use the mouse too much anyway.
Over The Years
#5775 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/03/30 18:31:38
I have had various problems with the use of the mouse but luckily it never reached the point of no return. As much as sitting up straight and different mouse types help, I found switching around my routine helped the most. I would make it a habit to stretch, use different apps, get up from my desk and walking around, making coffee, etc.
42, 43...
#5776 posted by Mike Woodham [86.174.73.229] on 2012/03/30 22:41:49
...ugh, kids! Eh, Shambler?
Vertical Mouse Ftw
#5777 posted by jt_ [174.232.71.79] on 2012/03/30 22:46:36
#5778 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/31 02:07:05
Tried the vertical mice. They work for awhile but I think my problems are addressed differently. They don't work all that well for me.
#5779 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.188.202] on 2012/03/31 02:26:33
im the other way around. i get cramps with controllers as opposed to keyboard/mouse. specially the xbox one that's asymmetrical compared to the ps3 one. i only have a ps3 at home, but whenever i go to my brother's place and play with it, i get cramps like after 30min or something.
#5780 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/03/31 11:35:21
Cramps. Oh WOE IS YOU. :)
#5781 posted by nakasuhito [174.23.188.202] on 2012/03/31 13:55:28
yes :'(
#5782 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.69] on 2012/04/06 01:21:53
Fallout for zero money at http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/fal... for 2 days
Fallout
#5783 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/04/06 01:32:01
I bought the classic series pack when it was on Steam sale not long ago. Haven't played it back in the day - what a miss! I'm totally enjoying the games. Already played through FO1, and I'm close to beating FO2 (on normal) now. Nice games, I like the theme, the humor and all the little extras the player can discover.
Also good to finally learn some background information on things they picked up in FO3 and NV. Quite faithful to the originals in many areas apparently.
#5784 posted by necros [174.113.119.133] on 2012/04/06 03:42:35
awesome, thanks for posting that. :)
OMGZOR DAIKATANA2 = MMOFPS
#5785 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.132] on 2012/04/06 11:11:53
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...
Or something. I wish him the best of luck. I like his views on FPS gaming style and I hope with the lessons learned from DKT he could make it a great game. GL HF.
Oh Oh Oh...
#5786 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2012/04/06 14:40:27
If it re-uses a Daikatana base, it could turn into something cool. Daikatana concept was really interesting, just a shame it turned to shit too early..
As shambler said + I want to see another Romero FPS !
PoP:The Forgotten Sands
#5787 posted by nitin [124.170.41.177] on 2012/04/08 04:05:37
Still fun, but boy has this series been dumbed down. The first few at least left it upto you to figure out some of the puzzles, not so here, the clue is always staring you right in the face.
Some nice visuals and setpieces though.
Shambler:
#5788 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2012/04/08 08:37:21
maybe it will do as well as his last company that was making an MMO of his design...
http://kotaku.com/5383644/romeros-...
F2P CoD
#5789 posted by Zwiffle [66.191.125.75] on 2012/04/10 19:40:12
Blacklight: Retribution
http://blacklight.perfectworld.com...
Definitely Not Cod
#5790 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/04/11 03:56:01
Unless by cod you mean a fps.
#5791 posted by Blacklight Retribution [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/11 09:24:12
Give it a shot, it is surprisingly good.
Fast like I like it, not one of those plodding crawl'n'headshot from 3 miles pansy-fests.
Proper full paid for game quality. Similar to Neotokyo for HL2 if you tried that, but faster.
Tons of luvely GITS influence, always a plus.
Yeah you have to gain points and levels by playing to unlock new gear (you can easily unlock items for 1 day) or use money to unlock stuff early BUT the basic weapon and gear you are given is very adequate, have no probs reaching top 3 in Kills, Caps for CTF/KOTH/DOM, Assists etc even when server is full of guys having poured in over 60 hours already.
Blacklight Retribution
#5792 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/11 09:24:38
Ooops that was me.
#5793 posted by Zwiffle [66.191.125.75] on 2012/04/11 16:30:55
Only played one game, so far movement feels a bit awkward. There's like a slight delay if you want to change direction or something like that - peculiar. And I don't think the models loaded all the way, the game seemed a tad blurry in spots. Was pretty good though, if a bit laggy.
Hmmm
#5794 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/12 09:57:02
I had none of those probs, for the Lag did you try another master server ?
A funy thing though, not sure if its coming from my PC or the game but some resolutions give slightly less responsive controls (even though it would be a lower res) Try a couple diff 16: 16:10 resoltuions see if it helps.
I can't stand games with laggy mouse/keyboard response, would of noticed, so its def coming from your side.
New "Syndicate"
#5795 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/12 10:09:53
http://www.metropulse.com/news/201...
That, absolutely.
Good Article.
#5796 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.132] on 2012/04/12 10:18:37
Particularly the lost irony of corporation control.
#5797 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/04/12 10:46:40
Reviewed Assassin's Creed. Gave it a 6/10. Great visuals but the combat and gameplay is complete shit. I don't know how this is so popular.
Are the sequels any good?
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
New Syndicate
#5798 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/04/12 10:59:50
It would normally classify as a mediocre generic sci-fi shooter. But the fact that EA's intention was to milk more money from the 'franchise' and being dicks with pathetic attempts at justifying the switch of genres and design goals can only lead to one verdict: the game sucks.
Sure, it had czg's name in the credits, but it also used a Skrillex track, TWICE.
Blacklight
#5799 posted by Zwiffle [66.191.125.75] on 2012/04/12 23:12:10
I turned off VSync (I hate it) and the controls feel better, but movement is still not as clean feeling as I'd like. The controls also don't feel as responsive as I'm used to, a few times I went into iron sights, pressed left mouse to fire and ... nothing happened and I got gunned down. The controls in other games (CoD most notably) feel really good and responsive, but the controls in Blacklight just don't feel as good yet.
It also takes a while for all the assets to stream in appropriately, and a few times I played a match with blurry assets. Respawning can also be jarring if the game is trying to load assets when you spawn, and can slow down the game.
I'm not saying it's a bad game, because it's quite good, and pretty fun overall, but it doesn't feel as polished as CoD or that other one I forget the name of that Friction plays a lot. Battlefield, that's it.
You get tons of unlockables. That's kind of cool, but the problem is that you get a ton of 1-day,2-day,3-day limited items, which kind of sucks because they just go away after a while. You can purchase permanent versions through in-game currency which you accumulate very slowly or you can spend real $$ for "Zen" and just get items that way. The biggest problem is that by level 5 you just have a shit ton of clutter and you're not really sure wtf to do since you have so much useless, time limited stuff in your inventory. I spent a couple minutes buggering about trying to figure out how to customize my avatar, but then gave up because I just can't be arsed. The whole system feels very cluttered and messy atm.
The levels are really bland. They are not as enthralling as Deus Ex's world. That isn't to say they're ugly or anything, they're pretty gorgeous, but they're just dark and generic feeling. They could use better lighting techniques for highlighting important areas and keeping them separate from hazardous ones. There are some paths that I first didn't recognize due to poor lighting, as well as some hazardous drops (that highrise map, for example.)
tldr - The game is fun, it's good, I have a lot of little problems that are mostly nitpicky. Doesn't feel as good or polished as a CoD or Battlefield, but I think it will get there over time.
#5800 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/13 09:12:30
You can purchase permanent versions of the equipment with the ingame experience, no money needed. You failed to see the option to unlock permanently when in the purchase menu.
Think you rig is maybe not up to it ? Streaming of assets lasts 1-2 seconds for me and done, and its a what was good 3 years ago pc. Oh yeah, you did turn off DirectX 11 and all the useless depth of field, blur and whatnot bullcrappery right ? :P
DirectX 11 is a bit broken in the game I think.
I like the maps, the assets very GITS, again are COD and battlefield levels that interesting ? For games based in semi "reality"...
tldr : I think zwiffle is having a few issues, the game is amazingly polished to me - admitted I turned a lot of fluff off.
Oh and I can be bothered to observe and think 30 seconds to figure out an interface which helps...
That Syndicate Article
#5801 posted by bear [217.115.56.186] on 2012/04/13 10:22:44
Oh noes EA is an evil big corporation blah blah no facts just feelings, never mind that syndicate had probably been in development for at least as long as deus ex:hr and so on.
I'm sure it doesn't have the same feeling as the old syndicate but what about talking about the game own it's own.
Haven't seen much discussion about it here (maybe I missed it?).
Syndicate
#5802 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/04/13 10:38:59
It wasn't released on Steam + didn't hear much good about it + there was no PC demo = couldn't be bothered to care, instead of probably buying it on day one just cause czg worked on it.
Killes
#5803 posted by Zwiffle [66.191.125.75] on 2012/04/13 16:33:57
I mentioned that you can get permanent versions, read my post again.
Like I said, it's polished, but just not as polished as CoD or Battlefield. Maps in those games 'feel' like their own levels, whereas in BLR the maps are very generic feeling. They don't really 'identify' well. Even DX:HR's levels were very charismatic and felt vibrant.
Also, the only thing I turned off was VSync, which was responsible for the laggy mouse I was feeling. Everything else stayed on, which is fine. The only real technical problem I have is assets taking a while to load (or maybe the asset itself was just lo-poly and looked bad?) and occasional frame drags when I respawn. Otherwise, the game runs fine.
The interface isn't hard to figure out, that wasn't the problem. THe problem was you just get a lot messy stuff filling up your inventory. It's cluttered and cumbersome to look through. Read my post again.
Guess I'm No Longer A 'True PC Gamer'...
#5804 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/04/14 01:33:52
Because keyboard gaming is starting to drive me nuts these days. Not reliable or responsive enough. When I want to JUMP, I dont want to stand there like a dolt.
/rant
ps; various keyboards, same deal over the years... :(
#5805 posted by Spirit [80.171.159.92] on 2012/04/14 01:36:05
Not sure what you mean. Use mouse2 for jumping.
Yeah
#5806 posted by ijed [190.22.108.33] on 2012/04/14 01:54:59
Sounds like it depends on software/hardware?
Different topic: Rock of Ages.
It's fun, but small. Seems like the multiplayer would be fun.
Could have had some more out there items to place as well. Apparently there's DLC on the horizon.
#5807 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/04/14 03:06:47
Maybe all the keyboards I've used just hate having so many keys pressed at once.
Was getting my butt kicked in boss battles from Ys: Oath in Felghana because of the this. Switched to 360 controller and that has already made a massive difference in the accuracy of movements. Some games are definitely more suited toward controllers.
#5808 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.248.120] on 2012/04/14 10:40:59
Use mouse2 for jumping.
#5809 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/04/15 12:32:29
You're right Zwiffle mea culpa I seem to have skipped a line in your post on the zen/in game currency.
Crysis 3 Officially Announced.
#5810 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.132] on 2012/04/16 18:30:19
Sounds exactly the same as C1 and C2. Looks exactly like a cross between C1 and C2....but fucking cool: http://www.bluesnews.com/screensho...
Whoa
#5811 posted by Kinn [86.129.252.246] on 2012/04/16 21:13:11
now that is how you do post-apocalyptic. Not this dull endless-grey-wasteland bollox.
#5812 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/04/16 23:44:38
yeah, that'd be a nice change from the constant mad max post-ap stuff we've been seeing.
i mean, i like the evile desert wasteland thing, but i think a really beautiful and peaceful (until monsters try to eat you) setting could be awesome.
New Dishonoured Trailer
#5813 posted by DaZ [2.96.236.14] on 2012/04/17 16:50:06
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AB...
Do want.
Fucking Lol
#5814 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/04/17 20:52:53
Fact is, in a game like Spelunky you just can't trust people. The best example came in a two-player game, where a mate responded to the presence of a bat with the immortal words "I'll take care of this." He went to whip it, missed and hit me, got bitten, panicked and dropped a bomb on my stunned body, got bitten again and impaled himself on some spikes as I was blasted to smithereens. On the game over screen, you could see the bat still nipping away at his corpse.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...
Spelunky...
#5815 posted by Bal [83.204.221.140] on 2012/04/17 21:27:39
Which the coop version would come out for PC. :(
Crysis 1 + Crysis 2 =
#5816 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.132] on 2012/04/24 16:51:06
http://www.bluesnews.com/s/131787/...
Exactly more of the same but the setting looks great to me. Gameplay is incomprehensible in the trailer tho.
#5817 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [86.190.185.3] on 2012/04/24 17:00:21
I hope they up the ammo limits after Crysis 2 that was my main annoyance with that game.
They removed your pistol slot and then halved total ammo capacity :(
Shit Trailer
#5818 posted by than [180.147.94.21] on 2012/04/24 17:40:00
but the game sounds like it could be cool if they are going for more of the open jungle type gameplay of the first game but with a slightly less monotonous environment.
#5819 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/04/25 01:27:38
Reviewed Raven Squad from 2008.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Very average shooter, 5.5/10. Probably fuck all people have played it since sites like IGN gave it a 2/10.
@Kona
#5820 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/04/25 08:39:35
On your review list, 'The Precursors' links to the RS: Vegas 2 review.
#5821 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/04/25 13:18:53
cheers mate, just fixed that
[Kona]
#5822 posted by Scragbait [174.88.24.248] on 2012/04/26 00:23:03
Given your appetite for obscure and possibly horrible FPS's, have you played or reviewed Marine Sharpshooter? I bought it on impulse (very rare for me) seven years ago or so. For me this was a $20 case of buyer's remorse as I didn't even tolerate it for more than 2 minutes off the start in a dark camp getting shot by unseen enemies that I was trying to spot over a huge and overly bright HUD. Just curious as to whether or not it ever got any better.
#5823 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/04/26 01:54:12
Possibly horrible, lol. Nah I passed on Marine Sharpshooter. There was a bunch of them actually, I was possibly going to get Marine Sharpshooter 4, but the screenshots looked really bad, even for 2008, and even for me. There's plenty better (but still horrible) Russian shooters to play ahead of it.
I just tried to play Steam Slug, a German shooter that looks very similar to Painkiller gameplay-wise. Except it's all in steam punk 90s style level design. Couldn't re-map the mouse buttons though, and I don't use wasd.
Looks like I'm playing Dreamkiller next
http://www.gamespot.com/dreamkille...
Wow
#5824 posted by megaman [79.219.117.183] on 2012/04/26 08:17:03
the last part of your review makes it sound like a horrible (AND consolified) game!
#5825 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/04/28 07:25:20
And now I've finished Dreamkiller :P
Review http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
5.5/10. Wasn't that bad, but only if you liked Painkiller and want more of it.
This post was flagged as spam.
#5826 posted by a spammer [117.26.225.51] on 2012/04/28 10:37:42
This post was flagged as spam.
#5827 posted by a spammer [117.26.225.51] on 2012/04/28 10:41:06
Wrack - Oldskool Fps
#5828 posted by DaZ [78.147.99.215] on 2012/04/30 18:50:53
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Reminds of RetroBlazer quite a bit.
Wrack
#5829 posted by Text_Fish [94.169.119.204] on 2012/04/30 21:19:48
Looks like it has really REALLY boring level design.
A lot of developers seem to confuse "old-skool" with "crap".
Yeah
#5830 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/04/30 21:53:56
I honestly couldn't watch much of the video. The fight with those large robots after they hit the red button almost put me asleep. I've never seen such a dull shotgun before. The lack of feedback/flnching or such from the mentioned fight and later doesn't exactly help either.
Many people do seem to miss the point with this 'old skool' thing with FPS. Just because the game doesn't play like COD and you run around in various square rooms fighting enemies like in the 90s doesn't mean it's 'like Doom' and going to be fun.
It's the level layouts (and then design) which tend to fall short. :/
I Agree
#5831 posted by DaZ [78.147.99.215] on 2012/04/30 22:03:34
most "old skool shooters" made these days tend to be arena shooters with waves of dumb enemies. The level design is dull and generic typically.
I never really understand why this is, if you look at the real old-skool shooter games, ie. most of the older id games, they are nothing of the sort. Either these developers are incredibly lazy or incredibly uninspired.
Wracked will have it's own level editor on release however, it looks very similar to worldcraft. Just fyi.
#5832 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/01 00:29:55
shit level design, even shitter enemies and combat. cell shading as always looks kind of cool, but it's only hiding a pretty shitty game. that needs a lot more work.
when, for the love of god, are developers going to stop putting fucking spiders in their levels? Daikatana should have permanently ended developers love affair with insects.
#5833 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/01 01:31:56
"Feel" is the hardest thing to nail in a game. They have the basic mechanics - fast movement, guns, enemies, pick ups - but it doesn't have any feel. There's no kick. It's all very sterile and meh...
Meh
#5834 posted by than [180.147.94.21] on 2012/05/01 07:16:50
Looks so bland and not fun. As Willem points out, the weapons seem to lack oomph. The shotgun looked like it was spraying buckshot everywhere but killing enemies regardless of the awful spread. Plus it had a crappy sound (youtube video fault maybe?) and animation.
Daikatana might have had crappy little spiders, but it actually had some fucking awesome weapons. Shotcycler was the best shotgun ever. The RL was pretty nice in dkt too. Don't really remember the other weapons because I deleted the game after a bug with the shitty "AI" "helpers" prevented me from finishing a level.
Also, if you're going to throw 200 crappy mechanical spiders at me, give me some explosives, not a lame sword.
Among us, we could probably make a nice old skool fps, but Quake already exists so I'm not sure there is much point. What was the last really good old skool fps anyone played that isn't Quake?
Quake 2.
#5835 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/01 10:24:02
More Modern
#5836 posted by ijed [190.22.24.204] on 2012/05/01 16:22:55
Painkiller was pretty oldschool.
Also: A lot of developers seem to confuse "old-skool" with "crap".
Yes.
"No, no, it's supposed to be shit, it's oldschool!"
Doom
#5837 posted by ijed [190.22.24.204] on 2012/05/01 16:30:02
Defines old school as a lot of these developers seem to want to emulate. But instead they emulate the dearth of shit Doom clones that came afterwards and nobody wanted.
Final Rant Before I Go Out
#5838 posted by ijed [190.22.24.204] on 2012/05/01 16:36:06
Some modern developers seem to think that oldschool means that they just threw the game together, that they didn't work hard for months on end and impose crunch of themselves (before that term was coined) in order to make a great game.
So they do a half-arsed job without any soul or proper balancing, then slap the name old school on it when all it deserves is 'poor'.
Daz
#5839 posted by nitin [203.158.35.1] on 2012/05/01 16:41:55
Soldier of Fortune 1
#5840 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/05/01 16:45:26
"Oldschool" is used quite freely in certain contexts, as if the term was a definte concept, while in reality it closely relates to feelings of nostalgia, which differ from person to person and over time. If there was a new game that's 100% like Doom, it might still not get the same love and everything, simply because it's judged from a different context (now vs. 17 years in retrospect). I was actually going to make a discussion thread about this topic for some time...
"oldskool" Is Vaguely Defined At Best
#5841 posted by Kinn [109.150.216.209] on 2012/05/01 17:51:11
And I'm not going to attempt to define it because I don't think you can. I think most FPS's stopped being oldskool after Half-Life 1 - suddenly it was all about coherent stories, and a coherent progression through a convincing environment. A lot of the abstract and arcadey elements seemed to vanish. Yeah, you had stuff like Painkiller that ignored all that, but Painkiller sadly forgot to add any interesting gameplay.
#5842 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/05/01 19:57:01
I enjoyed Painkiller, but as a game, Serious Sam is far, far better. Serious Sam doesn't have the level design complexity of Doom or Quake, either, but it does have even greater monster variety and uses that variety well, and becomes it's own game.
Really the level design and variety is a key thing always missed. I think a lot of people, especially in reviews, haven't actually played Doom, or played it years and years ago and don't actually remember what it's really like.
Having said this, comparing the default maps of Doom to Quake's maps or modern user made wads like Scythe or Speed of Doom is pretty amazing. You see how unfocused and tedious a lot of Doom maps were, and how refined the craft has become :)
#5843 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/05/01 20:00:23
PS The idea that 'arena combat' is oldschool is pretty funny really, because that's exactly what a modern shooter level does. Stick you in a fixed area and spawn stuff for you to kill, move to next area, repeat.
DNF
#5844 posted by than [180.147.94.21] on 2012/05/02 03:39:40
DNF felt a little old skool to me, in that the gameplay was not really all that complicated by the awful plot, and it really seemed that it was an anything goes kind of game. Almough many of the levels were super generic, there were a few gems in there such as the one set in the fast food restaurant where you are shrunk down and have to navigate many obstacles for whatever reason...
Then again, due to its ridiculous development, I think DNF also showed the difference between pre and post half-life fps games, since it seemed like they started off as a classic shooter with a few crazy elements, then later toned things down and tried to match what hl and later hl2 had done.
I id make a new Quake, I doubt it will lack a story or obviously linear levels, but I hope id at least look at why we are still making levels for it 16 (argh!) years on.
Bioshock
#5845 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/04 01:32:45
Finally played Bioshock and rated it 9/10. Pretty lenient because the gameplay got a bit shit in the second half of the game.
Review here:
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Looks like Crysis is my game of the year for 2007 now that I've played everything.
Risen 2 DLC
#5846 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/05/05 17:24:43
So apparently the first three "DLC" for Risen 2 are already included in the game --> and can be unlocked by a simple cheat code! While the pirate clothes are usable just like that, Steelbeard's treasure isle and the Stormisle expansion will lack the corresponding dialogue voiceovers, but they're still fully playable with subtitles. The only actual downloadable part is the dialogue files.
On the one hand, this is a case worthy of outrage similiar to the ME3 controversy, but on the other hand it's also quite a lol. I'd like to think PB did it on purpose as a sort of retort to this dick move by Deep Silver. :D
Hm?
#5847 posted by ijed [190.22.60.37] on 2012/05/06 04:40:51
Most DLC's are already inside the game and unlocked when you buy them. It's how games are made. Downloadable Content typically isn't, because games are built in a modular form and the publishers only want to pay once.
Also, making genuine DLC incurs greater costs from Microsoft / Sony.
What?
#5848 posted by Bal [90.2.106.90] on 2012/05/06 11:00:59
DLC = Downloadable Content.
Uh Huh
#5849 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.55.117] on 2012/05/06 11:47:33
Forget the acronym and the orginal meaning of it, Bal. Bonus content (or the majority of it, anyway) for add-on packs and extra 'DLC' is often included with the assets for the original version of the game, as ijed says.
The nerd rage that ensues when gamers get wind of it is always at least vaguely amusing, but it's getting a little tired nowadays due to sheer repetition. I'm always completely astonished that the indignant spankers getting up in arms about it completely ignore the business aspects of it and can only repeat ITS ON THE DISK SO I ALREAdY PAID FOR IT again and again, like a toddler having a tantrum.
Hey Guys
#5850 posted by Tronyn [24.79.203.208] on 2012/05/06 12:03:15
I remember rumours, playing the Quake 1 demo, that the other 3 episodes were unlockable if you just had a certain "hack." Lol, as if the other episodes and extra monsters etc were included in the quake demo - why bloat the demo DL size especially in those days.
That said there is absolutely a psychological difference between "I'll sell you this cookie jar," and "well technically you already have the cookie jar, but I'll sell you a key to get into it." The latter pisses people off, I don't understand how you don't understand that Frib. People's calculation of winning, losing, and especially "having a right" or "getting screwed" are not necessarily rational. Seriously, don't give them data they can't unlock and then offer to sell them the key, it's douchey - sorry for thinking like a caveman about it heh.
#5851 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/06 12:43:24
I know from my experience on Gears that this is not entirely true. Generally, we're working on DLC content after the game ships. Are there recent examples of companies having shipped DLC content on the original game disc?
Tronyn
#5852 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.55.117] on 2012/05/06 12:51:09
I do understand, and you're right from an absolute perspective about the psychology behind it... but seriously, after the initial outrage, why can't people just take a step back and actually think about it?
- Buying the physical disc doesn't mean you 'own' what's on it. You're paying for the advertised content and set of features, and gaining the right to use them only in the ways set out in the EULA. I'm not saying I necessarily approve of these practices, but that's the terms and conditions that we're agreeing to when we purchase the games.
- Further to the above, just because it's on the disc (or in the initial download) doesn't mean you paid for it. The extra content cost extra money to develop, and the developer/publisher wears that cost under the assumption that they can recoup (and hopefully profit) via the 'DLC' fees.
- It costs a lot of money to deploy a patch or update on services such as Xbox Live. Not a trivial amount, either.. it's enough that even the big boys hesitate because the cost could cut heavily into profits or even cause them to lose money. This is why the Xbox version of TF2 didn't get all the free incremental updates that the PC version did, if you recall. For this reason, bundling the extra content on the dics makes a lot of sense.
- Sometimes having the extra content is done in part for the convenience of the users. A recent example was one of the Street Fighter games, where all of the extra characters (which were to be sold as 'DLC' later on) were on the disc in part to allow players to join servers and play against those characters (rather than being locked out of the game entirely, or having to download the content just to get in the game).
- Not everyone has fast/cheap/always on internet.
You don't have to be a developer to understand these things, the average gamer that follows the news could connect the dots (and to their credit, they often do).
Willem:
#5853 posted by Mr Fribbles [118.209.55.117] on 2012/05/06 13:03:04
I think Mass Effect 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken were the big ones causing a kerfuffle recently.
http://au.gamespot.com/news/on-dis...
But
#5854 posted by ijed [190.22.60.37] on 2012/05/06 18:50:45
That was my point, and why I used both DLC and the phrase downloadable content in the same post.
The reality has little to do with the name.
Willem, I work almost exclusively on full DLC games - only done a single disc game and hopefully won't be doing more.
But we usually develop the content paralell to the game, and include it in the same package.
With the advent of freemium and live teams (as in, big publishers are realising they're losing a serious amount of market share), this'll be set to change soon as well.
So
#5855 posted by ijed [186.79.223.98] on 2012/05/06 21:23:26
I bought the latest Indie Royale bundle:
http://www.indieroyale.com/
It's better than the last one, Data Jammers, Weird Worlds and Containment are quite nice. I wasn't so happy with Dungeon Defenders, felt like they were immediately trying to milk me for more cash and I didn't find it too fun either.
Anyway, I'm not just plugging the thing. It seems that Weird Worlds was mainly made by none other than Iikka Keränen.
It's pretty good as well.
If you don't know who that is then first punch yourself in the nose, then check Quaddicted.
Psychonauts
#5856 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/05/09 05:56:38
Just bought the game on steam ($9.99), and now I can't stop playing it. Also purchased Jamestown and Legend of Grimlock. Played those for a short while too.
Psychonauts
#5857 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/09 06:52:07
yeah it looks cute aye. i might go back and play it one day.
legend of grimrock looks a bit shit.
Psychonauts
#5858 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/05/09 14:24:06
Is an excellent game.
The amount of variety and humour in there WITHOUT including BS driving sections or even parts that just feel broken or like a cop out, is amazing.
Yeah
#5859 posted by Drew [216.252.91.65] on 2012/05/09 22:07:25
nice game. much better than brutal legend
Lone Survivor
#5860 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/09 23:13:09
A fantastic little survival horror-ish game by Jasper Byrne. Looks gorgeous and has some of the best audio work I've heard in a video game. Qba'g gnxr vg ng snpr inyhr.
http://www.lonesurvivor.co.uk/
This post was flagged as spam.
#5861 posted by a spammer [78.189.119.117] on 2012/05/11 13:16:21
This post was flagged as spam.
#5862 posted by a spammer [78.189.119.117] on 2012/05/11 13:23:47
Day Z
#5863 posted by DaZ [2.96.231.159] on 2012/05/11 23:09:31
http://gamersushi.com/2012/05/10/e...
I love the idea of this! It's a real shame I don't own Arma2 or I would probably end up playing this mod all night :)
#5864 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/05/13 05:06:51
skyrim is 20$ off this weekend on steam... picked it up finally, but i'm not sure when i'll get to play it. o.o
After You've Finished Amnesia
#5865 posted by negke [31.18.185.232] on 2012/05/13 09:58:38
#5866 posted by Text_Fish [94.169.119.204] on 2012/05/13 10:39:39
I just got Alan Wake from GOG.com. I considered buying it in Steam's midweek madness sale but didn't make up my mind in time, then two days later GoG does an even better price with bonus content and absolutely no DRM! Bargain.
I'm underwhelmed by the gameplay, but it's a beautifully crafted world to "explore". I use the term explore loosely as there doesn't seem to be a lot of freedom. So far I'd give it 6/10, but I've only played for forty minutes or so.
Ugh
#5867 posted by Drew [98.124.8.246] on 2012/05/13 16:07:54
wasn't for me
#5868 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/05/13 16:16:51
fucking steam exposing my cowardice to the world.
COD8 = Near Future?
#5869 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/15 09:52:36
http://www.callofduty.com/uk/en/bl...
Why did no-one tell me this? Looks typical COD garbage from the trailer and I suspect the atmosphere and gameplay will be mostly the utter puerile drivel that COD has become famous for, but the....war machines do look well cool in it....that might even tempt me.
#5870 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/05/15 13:21:12
Finally! Someone has had the vision to do a futuristic war game. I certainly can't recall any first person shooters in recent memory with sci-fi suits and gadgets, or indeed vehicles!
#5871 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2012/05/15 19:55:15
I do like the idea of riding a horse and being strafed by the starship enterprise.
#5872 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/15 23:51:10
Yeah at least they're trying a slightly different setting, and putting horse riding in.
But... "what happens when someone steals the keys?" Seriously? That trailer is pretty fuckin cheesy.
Oh and it shouldn't be called Black Ops. That's just a cash-in.
COD In Cash In Shocker!
#5873 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/16 00:07:53
I just thought the near future thing was a fair bit cooler than modern....warfare.
Guild Wars 2
#5874 posted by DaZ [78.147.102.45] on 2012/05/16 03:44:52
Edited down a bunch of video I captured during the recent stress test for GW2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pul...
The video is pve gameplay using the Guardian class.
The game in short : Fucking amazing :)
FYI
#5875 posted by starbuck [77.99.142.237] on 2012/05/17 18:18:39
You can currently get Duke Nukem for free on your iPhone. Controls are pretty much impossible to use it seems though. Try switching to dual-stick mode if you want half a chance though.
Er
#5876 posted by starbuck [77.99.142.237] on 2012/05/17 18:19:00
Duke Nukem 3D that is
Planetside 2
#5877 posted by DaZ [78.147.146.144] on 2012/05/17 21:00:29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6...
I played a little bit of the original PS back in the day, this sequel looks like it going to blow everything out of the water, wow :)
More Gw2
#5878 posted by DaZ [78.147.146.144] on 2012/05/17 21:56:10
This time the thief http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE7... shooting, and stabbing.
#5879 posted by Spirit [80.171.157.143] on 2012/05/17 22:03:19
Torchlight 2 - Beta Update: Upcoming Weekend Stress Test
http://www.torchlight2game.com/new...
Path of Exile is doing regular open beta weekends apparently. I missed them all so far... :(
http://www.pathofexile.com/
Deus Ex Human Revolution.
#5880 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/18 12:06:44
I'm in the Chinese city and while the sky above is very cool I seem to be wondering around a lot of small streets and box rooms, and my kill count is approx 1 pwnage per half hour of playing. Endless talking and getting lost otherwise.
Does the fun and excitement happen soon??
#5881 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/18 12:33:21
Deus Ex isn't an action game.
Yeah Of Course.
#5882 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/18 17:49:35
I've managed to collect 7 different guns (with modifications) and 3 types of grenade because it isn't an action game.
#5883 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/18 18:00:09
What leads you to believe that Deus Ex is an action game? The presence of guns? Guns are one path through the game but that's the not the point - you have other choices and options. Talking is part of it, sneaking another, hacking another.
If you're expecting thrill-a-second gun play, you made a poor decision.
Bbl
#5884 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.39] on 2012/05/18 18:22:33
reinstalling Deus Ex to make a lethal playthrough.
#5885 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/05/18 19:39:21
The main character in Taxi Driver carries three different guns. Clearly an action film.
Speaking Of Deus Ex
#5886 posted by DaZ [92.26.169.171] on 2012/05/18 22:26:03
It's current on sale at greenmangaming.com for £3.99 and the key they send you can be used on Steam.
http://www.greenmangaming.com/s/gb...
Willem.
#5887 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/21 13:49:23
Really. I never knew that about Deus Ex.
#5888 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/21 15:45:20
That's either sarcasm or an honest admission ... based on your posting history, I'll go with sarcasm and reply : Then quit bitching about it. :)
#5889 posted by Spirit [80.171.128.98] on 2012/05/21 19:38:53
Free russian "2D arcade platformer" to keep an eye on and play as soon as it has been translated: http://iichantra.ru/
With An Awesome Chiptune Soundtrack
#5890 posted by Spirit [80.171.128.98] on 2012/05/21 19:44:36
http://lesser-vibes.com/vibecrc_-_...
This post was flagged as spam.
#5891 posted by a spammer [96.46.249.202] on 2012/05/21 23:40:49
#5892 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/22 00:31:44
But it's still in the action RPG genre right? 1 kill per half hour isn't action.
Dues Ex
#5893 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/22 01:14:19
Is an action a game.
It says so right here:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/...
TBF it has guns and bad guys, and you can run and jump and shoot stuff. Sounds like an action game to me. Just saying.
I mean Crysis is an action game, but you can play through a lot of that using stealth and stealth alone....
Shambler - Did You Find Any Action Yet?
#5894 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/22 02:00:19
I haven't played it yet either :D
So as per usual, I'm talking about shit which I know nothing about r. o. f. l.
Are We Really Arguing About This? :P
#5895 posted by DaZ [2.96.229.152] on 2012/05/22 03:10:19
I think the defining thing about Deus Ex, the thing that makes it fantastic, is that it is whatever game you want it to be.
I'm playing dx:hr again at the moment and I decided to go through as a social/hacking/stealth master this time around, I just got to China without killing anyone and it's been just as fun as my first time through where I was some kind of blood crazed madman :)
Meh.
#5896 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.253] on 2012/05/22 10:02:38
I am trying to be a blood crazed madman. Unless I start shooting police and civilians, there really isn't much option (earlier missions were better, at least there was an option there).
Also I have done turds with more personality than "Jensen".
#5897 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/22 11:10:28
Right. This isn't the game for you.
Deux Ex
#5898 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/05/22 17:13:12
The protagonist of the new Deus Ex puts me the fuck right off.
Havent tried it yet even though there is no greter Cyberpunk fan than I. Why does it have to be a macho moody puurdy groomedy beard shite head, why not something truly cyberpunk - gender bent/less ?
Because thats taking risks and fuck that.
Prolly just gonna replay a jazzed up version of the original Deus Ex instead...when I have time... which is prolly not for quite a long while.
#5899 posted by Text_Fish [94.169.119.204] on 2012/05/22 17:46:31
TBH I don't think any game would benefit from gender bending purely for the sake of taking a risk. Deus Ex has a story to tell (it's quite good -- no novel, but still a lot better than most action RPG's) and it would be derailed if you started throwing in questions about Jensen's sexuality or gender because that drastically effects relationships with other characters. It's only really possible to do that sort of thing in a more sandboxy RPG like Mass Effect, and such a gameplay approach would surely have ruined some of Deus Ex's excellently balanced level design by diluting the developer's sense of focus.
Deus Ex may not tick all of the traditional cyberpunk boxes, but then cyberpunk isn't as "edgy" and "underground" a concept as it once was, so perhaps it's good that people are changing it up a bit.
As for whether Deus Ex is an action game or not ... well ... it's certainly not a point and click adventure. There are moments of explosive action, but it's strengths are its stealth sections imho -- which is also action, of a sort.
/rambling
Demon's Soul's
#5900 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/05/22 19:37:07
It seems the servers are going to shutdown at the end of the month (may 31st 2012) and if you have not tried the game yet, it might be a good time to try before the servers go offline. They have also turned all the worlds to white difficulty which makes the game slightly easier. After playing dark souls I had forgotten how hard the original was, crazy boss fights but an amazing game for melee combat systems.
Does That
#5901 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/05/22 19:41:47
Mean that the game can't be played after the server are offline?
Never tried any of the series tbh, though a lot of people have recommended them.
Demon's Soul's
#5902 posted by sock [24.82.147.76] on 2012/05/22 19:52:37
The game is certainly better with online server elements (co-op, world messages, world status) The game can be played offline, but maybe harder if you don't know what you are doing.
When you connect to the servers the world status (black-grey-white) is reset to the server average which can help with difficulty of the game. It is very easy to end up with pure black world if the player dies a lot. When you kill a boss the world shifts towards white (this is the only event when this happens) Certain places and events only unlock when the world is a certain colour.
If you want to see the game, I highly recommend you try it before May 31st, the worlds are set to white (easier) and there is a lot of players around to co-op with.
Will Try
#5903 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/05/22 20:10:46
to fit it into the schedule...
How Does Deux Ex HR
#5904 posted by nitin [203.217.66.78] on 2012/05/23 14:56:17
run on a few yrs old PC an equipment (GTX 465 if you are wondering)
Nitin
#5905 posted by DaZ [78.147.151.174] on 2012/05/23 16:45:09
I have an i7 3.0ghz and a gtx 460 and I'm running it with everything on max with no issues.
Thanks Daz
#5906 posted by nitin [203.217.66.78] on 2012/05/23 16:47:49
will pick it up.
No Demon Souls For Me
#5907 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/05/23 20:06:22
Because another legendary trilogy I never played is on sale: Thief.
The first 3 games for 15 USD.
$13.49
#5908 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/05/23 20:06:39
And When You're Done With Those
#5909 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/05/23 21:34:37
You have all these to check out!
#5910 posted by Spirit [89.204.137.189] on 2012/05/25 12:28:00
very interesting Podcast about diablo from rogue like people: http://roguelikeradio.blogspot.com...
#5911 posted by Spirit [89.204.137.189] on 2012/05/25 13:53:28
only some small good thoughts actually, overall it was shallow diablo hate by people who did not seem to like them :/
Well
#5912 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/25 14:19:52
I only listened to the start a bit, but none of them have played Diablo 3 at all (just one the beta, and that really doesn't count for much), and most of them haven't played much of the two other games either, so...
Heh....
#5913 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2012/05/25 20:12:47
could you summarize the few good parts for us? :)
Man, I Write Funny
#5914 posted by Spirit [80.171.84.82] on 2012/05/25 20:58:59
The one big thing that was a new consideration for me was that Diablo (at least 2 and 3) have no real goal. Your goal is to +1 your stats. A normal person will not come to a real end/finish. Actually I guess even if you are level 99/60 you do not "win" the game, correct?
And also how death is irrelevant. Made me think how different games handle death/failure differently and how one reacts to it. Eg in a rogue-like it is happening every other hour, no big deal, you probably learned something new; your next play is fresh and unique. In a FPS you reload and you have to replay (renavigate/re-aim) the last X minutes.
In Diablo, if you die, it is usually because you did not +1 enough beforehand. So the solution is to grind/farm (oh god, I am talking like some annoying nerd). (Apart from finding out what immunities/resistances an enemy has in Diablo 1.) To a degree you can learn patterns for some enemies, but handling those is often still bound to your stats. Skill is pretty much irrelevant, it is persistence and time-investment that makes you a good Diablo player.
Earlier when playing I noticed how in Diablo 3, if you focused any monster and hold your left button, you can move the pointer anywhere and it will still be targetting the monster. Even if said monster teleports. Ugh!
#5915 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/05/29 14:56:37
So diablo 3 prettymuch boils down to squishing that mouse button down and waiting for the game to happen/progress? And then for your button subduing you may get an extra reward of a few $ to be made in the auction house...
Diablo 3 seems a funny kind of thing to me, some more business model than game went into it I think...
#5916 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/05/29 14:59:25
or how Diablo3 became the antithesis of what it orignally was/the PC game culture it represented.
No moddability, always online, no lan etc. Does none of that count to what made it the game it was ?
Killes
#5917 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/05/29 15:42:45
Not at all.
Diablo
#5918 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/29 16:50:34
Moddability was never a big thing for Diablo as far as I remember.
And yeah in normal you can pretty much run through really easily, but on the harder difficulties you actually need to play the game.
It's not an amazing game as far as gameplay goes, but it's still ok.
#5919 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/05/30 10:18:02
Yes ok modability no but Blizzard was built on LAN. But this is the same old crap as with starcraft 2 nothing new then.
Good to know there is some gameplay to it then but still, tying in a real money auction house is bound to fuck around with balance and the game spirit, the stakes are changed.
Now heres possibly some good news on the Cyberpunk gaming front : http://www.rpgsite.net/news/1706-t...
Projekt Red doing a Cyberpunk RPG. This could be great :)
#5920 posted by Killes [178.25.238.83] on 2012/05/30 10:19:59
I would add though although modability was not a big thing at the start it definately is now, Median XL, Hellfire etc for Diablo 1 and 2 are well popular mods. And this will never happen with Diablo 3 seeing how tight Blizzard are clenching their anuses around it.
...
#5921 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/30 11:01:13
I totally agree that it's very sad that modding is dying. It's not just Blizzard though, services like Onlive or other game-streaming things are the logical next step, and they will completely kill any kind of modding. :(
For the real money auction house, I hate that kind of stuff. But if they didn't do it, the chinese would do it behind their back and keep all the money. As a company it makes sense that they'd set it up themselves instead.
Hope CD Projekt Reds cyberpunk game is nice yeah. The Witcher worked well because they had a great well written fantasy story to build from, hopefully they have an equivalent for this new universe.
#5922 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.92] on 2012/05/30 11:50:30
does anyone know how to get the dragon tooth in deux ex (1) without using hacking stuff? i am playing as gunslinger and will not pick or hack anything. the glass that protects it is unbreakable. i could not find the computer's login details yet.
#5923 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.92] on 2012/05/30 12:18:18
Ah, kind guesswork. There was a message about mchow's old password being Tai-Fun. I found another message where she stated Tai-Fun and Insurgent being her favourite books. Silly unsafe passwords.
But You're A Gunslinger!
#5924 posted by DaZ [92.24.171.162] on 2012/05/30 12:18:56
:D
To not answer your question though, I have no idea :(
#5925 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/05/30 12:28:27
If the Dragon's Tooth is essentially a light sabre, why does it take up four inventory slots :E
ZQF
#5926 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/30 12:36:12
It doesn't turn off! Kinda tricky to carry around.
#5927 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.92] on 2012/05/30 12:47:45
You would not want it to extend accidentally without having the space for it. Same thing as pants, really.
Anyone Played Limbo?
#5928 posted by nitin [124.168.64.112] on 2012/05/30 13:35:04
on sale via Steam and it looks very interesting.
#5929 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/30 13:42:47
Limbo is excellent. Would highly recommend it...
Limbo
#5930 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/30 14:09:06
Yeah it's a nice little puzzle platformer, not so much to it but I'd recommend it as well.
Cool
#5931 posted by nitin [124.168.64.112] on 2012/05/30 14:10:56
will pick it up.
Btw Willem
#5932 posted by nitin [124.168.64.112] on 2012/05/30 14:11:30
paying through GoW 1 atm, will have some questions for you :)
#5933 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/30 14:31:02
God, that was so long ago ... I'll try and have answers. :)
GOW1.
#5934 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/30 17:45:08
The only answer you need:
My Computer > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Gears Of War > Uninstall
No offence to Willem (who I'm sure did cool stuff that was swamped by the crushing mediocrity of the game overall), but as far as I can remember, it's the only game I've tried and uninstalled after a few hours.
#5935 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/30 18:30:30
Hey, that's cool. There were several million other people who DID enjoy it, so it worked out in the end. ;)
Is That...
#5936 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/30 23:29:51
...more or less people than those who enjoy Britney Spears and Hollyoaks??
Or maybe exactly the same people!
Don't get me wrong, Epic have done some brilliant things with Unreal and UTx and their engines. But GOW1 was truly dire.
Hmmm what the hell is Fortnite all about then??
#5937 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/05/31 00:58:12
I really liked GOW and disappointed they didn't bring the sequels to PC. Sure I'm well and truly over cover-shooters so I wouldn't enjoy the sequels as much. GOW was so popular because everyone wasn't sick of cover-shooting at that point. But GOW was one of the best looking games of the year it was released (2006?).
#5938 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 01:32:10
Shambler
You are indeed a unique and beautiful snowflake. Those millions of gamers? All wrong. :)
#5939 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 01:34:33
In seriousness, if you don't like GoW, that's fine. If you think it's "dire", great. I think you're hilariously wrong. So ain't we both content? :)
Willem
#5940 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 01:36:41
No one is content when you keep using that arrogant smug smile at the end of every single post of yours.
#5941 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 01:40:52
Nobody is ever happy here? Ever notice that? :)
Come On
#5942 posted by nitin at work [180.149.192.139] on 2012/05/31 04:11:26
if Shambler is allowed to give an opinion why is Willem smug for having his own?
So far I'm liking it, nothing groundbreaking but wasnt expecting it to be.
Willem Likes Skrillex :)
#5943 posted by Spirit [89.204.130.136] on 2012/05/31 09:07:12
+1 To Skrillex
#5944 posted by RickyT23 [86.149.172.113] on 2012/05/31 10:48:23
Awesome musician. What's not to like? He's like one of the most versatile and talented producers ever. Anyone who says it's 'just noise' is probably deaf, or a Westlife fan. Fuck Westlife. Fuck them right in the Hay-hole.
#5945 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 11:10:08
Yeah, Skrillex is a'ight.
Dear God.
#5946 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/31 13:18:21
You lot revolt me. Skrillex makes GOW look like....Unreal.
#5947 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 13:29:39
I really hope you have an actual cane that you shake in the air when you say these things. That's what's happening in mind, anyway.
Skrillex Makes GoW Look ... Unreal?
#5948 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/31 14:13:22
Er, riiiiiiiight. Whatever that is supposed to mean.
GoW is probably better than Unreal. I will give it that much. Really - if I had to pick GoW or Unreal I would play GoW. For the gameplay. And the GFX.
For Shambler to listen to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVz...
#5949 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/05/31 14:16:13
Wait wait... are we comparing Unreal to GoW or Unreal Tournament to GoW? These things matter.
He Said Unreal
#5950 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/31 14:18:18
So I was referring to ... 'Unreal'. From 97 or whenever it was.
#5951 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 14:21:48
If anything would get Shambler interested, it would be the song that hooked me:
Skrillex - KILL EVERYBODY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F21...
Yeah - I Hope That Song Was Inspired By GlaDOS
#5952 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/31 14:24:48
Because it was the first thing that sprang to mind when I heard it.
#5953 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/05/31 14:33:25
Wait what...? I thought Skrillex was a large series of tutorials for using synthesisers. ie not something any person actually listens to, unless they're off their face on ecstasy?
Shiiiit
#5954 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/05/31 14:34:08
Every thirty seconds in a given song you can see he found another little knob on his control desk to fiddle with
Ehhh.
#5955 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/31 14:43:52
GOW better gameplay than Unreal?? Have you been smoking dog turd rollies?? GOW hardly had gameplay at all.
As for Skrillex, as someone who has been seriously into dance music for a long time, he is an appalling embarassment to the electric music genre (no his overblown childish screeching is nothing to do with dubstep at all).
Ricky no offence or anything but your taste is in your ass.
#5956 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 15:33:49
Cane in the air, yes?
#5957 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.250] on 2012/05/31 15:40:41
Yeah, what the hell Shambler. What kind of loser are you? Next you will say that you dont like Lady Gaga, Rebecca Black or Game of Thrones even though EVERYONE DOES! Bet you *hate* Jar-Jar Binks too. Stop having an opinion, seriously.
As for dubstep, IM kick Skrillex ass anytime at that! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0D...
#5958 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 15:45:15
He can have an opinion, sure. He just needs to accept that it's about 15 years out of date. :)
And him having an opinion doesn't mean he can't be mocked for said opinion. Especially when it's hilariously wrong.
So We're Down To "Your Opinion Is Wrong :)"?
#5959 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 16:03:05
Ricky
#5960 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 16:07:25
Unreal might be from 1998 but it looked magnificent for that time. I think it was the first PC game that genuinely looked good.
#5961 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 16:22:02
We're down to people are spouting ridiculous crap so they deserve to be trolled.
Oh, and before I forget ... :)
The Truth
#5962 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/31 16:24:58
Any Unreal (except for Unreal 2) > GOW (which isn't as bad as Shamb says, but still).
Music > Skrillex
This is not my opinion, it is the Truth.
You guys should go play some Binding of Isaac Wrath of the Lamb, it's better then all your silly games with'em polygons and such (and its music is awesome).
Heh
#5963 posted by DaZ [78.147.149.49] on 2012/05/31 16:28:54
France : 1 Internet : 0
#5964 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 16:30:08
Binding of Isaac is terrible. There, I said it.
Willem
#5965 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/05/31 16:31:21
You forgot to smiley. :(
#5966 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 17:10:28
Oh shit ... :) Wouldn't want anyone's impotent rage to settle down or anything. :P
#5967 posted by Spirit [89.204.130.98] on 2012/05/31 17:13:17
the truth is that people have different taste, popularity is a measure for popularity and willem is holier-than-you :)
now, back to games?
playing deus ex without using multitools, lockpicks or hacking is fun! it would not nearly as much fun if I could not save and reload quickly.
the plasma gun is pretty useless though, I am currently waiting for the next mg to pick up. just visited the universal constructor and I got 4 augmentation containers in water basins in front me. if I dive down I get killed by electrocution. guess i will have to leave them there.
found a couple of new routes already. and the running and jumping augmentation is great fun.
#5968 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 17:25:43
I like how Spirit always blames me in these things. Was I the one who rudely declared GoW was "dire", which was nothing but a pure troll move? No.
Was I then the one to further troll by declaring that "Willem likes Skrillex"? No. Who was that? Oh wait, it was you!
Nice. Back to games indeed.
:P~~~~~
#5969 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 17:33:58
Anyhoo, if you do have GoW questions nitin I'm happy to answer. Maybe shoot me an email instead of posting here though, if you want to keep the noise ratio down.
#5970 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 17:47:02
now, back to games?
Some 200-odd posts ago I banged the drum for Lone Survivor, and I'll do it again since it very much deserves it.
Watch the trailer, and if it seems like just another zombie game to you, then buy it immediately just to find out how much more there is to it.
The most defining feature aka the soundwork will scare you, then soothe you, and get you pumped for the next round of dark corridors. The soundtrack is very eclectic and not just a bunch of pseudo-NIN droning.
The pixel-plus aesthetic is fantastic, the game looks like a living mosaic, the screenshots don't really do it justice. It's very charming despite (or because) of the 160x120 or whatever the hell low resolution.
And if you don't care about all the other aspects i.e. NPCs, sidequests, keeping your character in good mental shape, then know that there are lots of wretched abominations to deal with... and there's a gun.
Not Trolling At All.
#5971 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/31 18:33:03
Neither was saying Unreal / UTx / Epic engines being brilliant.
Game Of Thrones is great tbh. Sometimes fantasy for the masses (like LOTR films) can be done really well.
Now then. Witcher 2 - watching t'bird play it....is it going to make sense at any point??
#5972 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/05/31 18:42:03
He just needs to accept that it's about 15 years out of date.
Yup all opinions are rendered null and void if they were held by people in the past.
Just so we can be sure about this, at what point in the past do they become invalidated? Is it a year, or a decade, or five minutes? :)
#5973 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 19:08:01
Now THAT is a quality troll people. ZQF has you all beat. Step up your game!
Yeah - OK Shambler. Because I've Never Played Unreal
#5974 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/31 19:48:15
And I've never listened to dance music, or 'real' dubstep.
First of all Gears of War is better than Unreal in many ways - it has better graphics (in real-time), better animation, better engine, bigger, badder maps - it's more immersive. IMO. Which is valid, because it's mine, and it's an opinion. I do not require your validation on that, and any attempts to in-validate my opinion will be ignored because I know who I am, and I know what my opinion is.
Secondly 'dub-step' is a beat, not a style of music. I never said Skrillex was dubstep (though he does have some songs which are dubstep). I like Skrillex's tunes. And so do a lot of other people, though that is irrelevant to me, I only listen to it because I like it. I have listened to most of his tunes, and really like almost all of them. The ironic thing is that Full-flex is probably the most commercial-sounding song he has, and is the one with the most air play AFAIK. It's also one of my least-favourite Skrillex tune.
I frankly couldn't give a flying fuck if Shambler likes Skrillex, I'll wager he hasn't listened to very much of it, because I think that technically and artistically it is superior to a lot of the crap that is going around.
The dude is like 25 years old or something, he has already produced so much [good] music! Started off in a metal band too, BTW. I haven't heard of anyone shake up the world music scene as much as he has since Cobain. I mean everyone has heard of him, or heard some of his tunes. And it seems that people either really like it, or really hate it. Which is a sure sign of amazing music, if I ever heard it.
I think that what he has done is really clever. He plays some very sophiticated-sounding or just generally off-the-wall 'verses' and then powerhouses into his choruses with utter, utter filth. Gets old grannys bopping to really hard music. Which is good. Skrillex is not cheesy, but has subtle humour. People who don't like the sound can atleast admit that it's well-done. I mean srsly - get a life. THAT, my friends, is all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvx...
#5975 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 20:01:11
Ricky ... he doesn't really care. You're typing paragraphs into the abyss, man.
#5976 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.250] on 2012/05/31 20:18:13
Willem: For the record. You seem to enjoy feeling superior to the often critical discussion that this message board features. Since your "I am so much above you" attitude annoys me I troll back. :)
Ricky: You listed things that GoW do better but did not mention anything that defines the game itself. Is it a better game?
---------------------
There is a new Humble bundle and they finally got back to exciting games: Bastion, Amnesia, Psychonauts, Limbo, and Sword & Sworcery
As usual, all on Windows, Linux and Mac.
http://www.humblebundle.com/
Ricky
#5977 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 20:21:40
I heartily recommend Unreal, even those ten+ years later.
Psychonauts, Amnesia Is On Linux Now?
#5978 posted by jt_ [174.232.16.152] on 2012/05/31 20:25:44
Hope I can just download the binary for those, already bought them on steam.
#5979 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2012/05/31 20:38:12
Argument is invalid, Unreal and Gears were both terrible games.
#5980 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.250] on 2012/05/31 20:39:26
jt_: Wait! Apparently they lied and it is just Wine for Limbo at least. I'll post when I know more. Since I already bought it...
#5981 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/05/31 22:41:32
What critical discussion? "Everything sucks" isn't a discussion. It's a lifestyle. :)
OTP
#5982 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/05/31 23:21:30
I did play Unreal back in the day, on a P166MMX :)
I enjoyed it, but I just think that GoW was a deeper richer game. Mainly because in ten years gaming had moved forwards with more technology for richer games.
Ah
#5983 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/05/31 23:23:28
Misread that post then.
Willem
#5984 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/05/31 23:46:11
Correct I didn't read that gibberish. "I think GOW was a deeper richer game" justifies my decision not to.
P.S. HTH nitin :)
#5985 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/05/31 23:50:11
UT had layers like an onion, maaaan...
#5986 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/01 00:04:01
just listened to the few skrillix songs posted in this thread. honestly it doesn't seem that bad to me, although if that's his best songs, it doesn't put my in any hurry to download his albums.
however the songs did seem to have some cool beats and a bit of rhythm going on, which is a lot more than can be said about a lot of rock and metal these days which is just constant noise. they'd probably sound good in a pool bar with not so much dancing going on but just some cool grimey electronic stuff.
#5987 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/06/01 01:21:04
"Yeah, sorry dude ... your music is alright but it's just not good enough for me to download for free."
Sounds About Right
#5988 posted by Drew [216.252.91.20] on 2012/06/01 02:40:28
These days. I do frequent and brutally honest cleanses of my music folder these days.
My opinion:
I think Skrillex is mediocre. I also think the hardcore anti Skrillex stuff is unnecessary as the hardcore fandom. That being said, the only hardcore Skrillex fan I know used to be a hardcore nickelback fan. Perhaps instead of being the Cobain of ...fax machiney dubstep?... He's the chad Kroeger.
Re HIB:
Just started playing bastion now and I am blown away by how much I'm loving it already! Wasn't sure I'd be a fan of the art style but in game it is actually pretty damn charming.
Totally not ready for Dark Descent though. I think I had a small stroke.
These Days
#5989 posted by Drew [216.252.91.20] on 2012/06/01 02:41:24
These days.
#5990 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/01 08:02:58
Lol Willem that's about right
"sorry skrillax your music is ok, but not enough to spend the time in my precious life downloading it for free"
#5991 posted by Willem [174.109.109.171] on 2012/06/01 11:36:25
Does nobody have standards anymore? Is this the sort of trolling that is expected to get responses these days? I mean ... ahh, forget it. If you can't even take a piracy dig and turn it into something respectable ... you all really must be too old to play this game.
#5992 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2012/06/01 12:05:01
For the record Limbo is an incredible game that everyone should play!
Pirating Music
#5993 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/01 12:14:38
Who me? I don't really troll tbh, just speak my mind.
I personally don't believe in paying for music. Not when I've spent 100s of hours creating Quake levels and gave them out for free, so why does some little bitch named Rihanna for example, who's already many times a millionaire, think she deserves $30 of my hard earned money for one of her albums that she's already made millions on, and probably threw together in a few weeks. Do I earn millions of dollars with a few hours work? NO.
I can understand with the smaller bands that haven't made it big, but anyone who's big makes loads of cash for concerts - which I do pay for if they actually ever come to my country - and from people who do buy their music either on itunes or cd.
My money is far more valuable to me than it is to Rihanna so she can buy another pair of $100k shoes to wear once. So why should she have it just because she made some songs? And let's be honest, most of the mainstream artists these days don't write or produce their own music. They get it given to them on a plate. And even if they did, guys like Skrillax prove that it's really not that hard to make music. I'm 100% certain I could make better music than most of what's out there today, with the necessary tools and experience - but that's wasn't my chosen profession. It's really NOT that hard to make music.
Ultimately, most artists don't actually deserve all the money they get just because they made some cool songs. I put just as much effort as they do into my own professional, and I don't charge millions for it. $30 for a cd is a ripoff, and I won't pay that much for any album ever again unless it's someone I really, really respect (Amon Tobin, Boards Of Canada).
So that's my little rant about why I don't pay for music and don't believe I should :D
#5994 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/06/01 12:29:58
with the necessary tools and experience - but that's wasn't my chosen profession. It's really NOT that hard to make music.
Yeah I think the same thing everytime I listen to Jimi Hendrix. Totally unimpressive, just give me ten years of daily practice and bleeding fingers.
Oh, and a life-time of turmoil and family strife to channel into my music.
*Gets The Popcorn*
#5995 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2012/06/01 12:56:39
Also during lunch just now I played some Limbo and god it owns so much.
Perhaps the best industrially-themed game ever made!
#5996 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/01 13:28:17
hehe well not so much Hendrix. I guess there are plenty of artists that have spent years practising on instruments that don't deserve to get pirated.
I'm thinking more computer based production rather than actually playing a musical instrument, because that's actually mostly what I listen to. Electronic genres, hiphop. But much of the top 40 stuff these days isn't a typical band. A producer made their song. Maybe I'm wrong and there's more bands out there in the mainstream.
Jimi Hendrix Is Dead
#5997 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/06/01 13:38:42
He's not going to benefit from any of the money.
If his family didn't sell his rights, then maybe they would? If not it would be the record label that gets rich of that 40 years dead dude ...
#5998 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/06/01 14:01:50
He ain't dead baby he just went home.
I Have Standards!
#5999 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/06/01 14:02:39
Hence why I wouldn't reinstall GOW if someone forced me at gunpoint, would rather listen to 5 minutes of chronic diarrhoea than a Skrillex track, and definitely pay for all the artist music I get because I believe that people deserve payment for the effort they put in to that media.
These Aren't No Hipsters....
#6000 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/06/01 14:45:57
these dudes are Old Skool.
(sorry Thinking Out Loud)
#6001 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/06/01 14:48:38
was just pondering the whole Skrillex v GoW v Unreal v Me v Shambler v Willem BS.
Quite funny really.
Well That Started A Good Flame War
#6002 posted by nitin [124.168.64.112] on 2012/06/01 16:49:39
although it didnt really fan as much as it should have. Maybe you guys have lost your trolling skills.
Meh.
#6003 posted by Shambler [86.31.249.72] on 2012/06/01 17:24:16
Ricky is trolling or just an imbecile.
Willem isn't he's just irate and misguided.
I was just honestly trying to help, Nitin!
#6004 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/06/01 17:27:21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rU...
Guys
#6005 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/06/01 17:30:09
I've had time to play lots of "Other PC Games" while you've been having this silly discussion, I win once again!
#6006 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2012/06/01 17:57:29
Why is "Other PC Games" in quotes anyway? Are they alleged games?
Because
#6007 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/06/01 18:06:41
They're not really PC games, they're all just ports of console games.
Lol "Other PC Games" Is The Subject Of This Thread
#6008 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/06/01 21:32:06
Whilst Skrillex is off topic :S
Omg Look A Pc Game!
#6009 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.204] on 2012/06/02 02:03:47
Starforge. I guess this is what happens when Minecraft has its way with Halo or something? Really interesting looking procedurally generated fps/sandbox thing.
I did vidyuz yo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcc...
#6010 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/06/02 02:51:11
the player pain sound is hilarious. :D
i've been wondering how long it would take until someone made a sandbox randomly generated game. i agree about minecraft, btw. making stuff was fun, but the combat didn't really do it for me.
thanks for that video. :)
#6011 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.38] on 2012/06/02 02:58:42
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lV...
Humble Bundle 5 Update
#6012 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/06/07 19:21:40
Now featuring Braid and Super Meat Boy... hey, don't wander off, yeah those are included in every bundle, but what's also in is the extraordinary Lone Survivor!!
http://www.humblebundle.com/
From The Author
#6013 posted by onetruepurple [91.233.197.107] on 2012/06/07 19:26:39
So the game will be given to everyone who bought HIB V before today as thanks for early adoption, regardless of what they paid - which means close to 400,000 people will already be guaranteed a copy!
http://superflatgames.com/wordpres...
Thanks To Whomever Mentioned Limbo
#6014 posted by SleepwalkR [92.231.233.180] on 2012/06/07 21:25:39
It's an awesome game.
Prince Of Persia
#6015 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/12 04:55:01
Here's a Prince of Persia (2008) review
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
6/10. Shitty combat and jumping, but it's a great looking game.
Ubisofts done some really overated games in 07/08 (Assassin's Creed, Vegas 2). I hope I'm not disappointed by Far Cry 2.
Yeah See My Comment About The Latest PoP Above Too
#6016 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/12 14:33:12
FC2 was cool though, albeit flawed.
Actually No
#6017 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/12 14:33:45
thats a different PoP, havent played that yet.
Gears Of War
#6018 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/12 17:37:50
Willem, how much involvement did you have with the Belly of the Beast levels? IMHO, the first set of levels with real atmosphere and they have a Shadar Logoth vibe to them (strange connection but thats what I felt).
#6019 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/06/12 19:24:32
...and has the guy who designed the controls on the buggy thing in Gears 2 been forbidden from ever designing controls again?
Rune
#6020 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/14 13:59:21
is now available on Steam for a reasonable price.
Getting it cos the original version doesnt work with Win7. Hope WoT makes it someday too.
#6021 posted by Spirit [89.204.153.56] on 2012/06/14 15:09:31
Quake scene tidbit: FrikaC is responsible for this new release. it has some bugfixes and polish from what I know. and the soundtrack is included. you can blame me for it being in ogg vorbis.
Yeah
#6022 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/14 15:21:18
some maps are supposed to be redone to remove dead ends and unintended death spots etc
Lol
#6023 posted by Kinn [86.143.76.228] on 2012/06/14 17:37:46
Just got back from spending five weeks in Vietnam doing serious work stuff (much as I would have liked to have spent that time playing games and arguing about fucking Skrillax and Gears of War).
Actually - on topic, I did play some games over there! Video game shops in Hanoi are hilarious - there are entire streets where every shop is selling pirated games burnt onto discs. It's just how they roll over there. You buy a dodgy chipped console, and pick up a shitload of dodgy games for about a dollar each (I think I bought about 50 of 'em at once) In fact, I don't think it would be possible to buy a legitimate game in Vietnam even if I wanted to. I played Gears of War 2 and 3 that way (split screen) with my mate (can't go online on these hooky consoles) and it was a blast! Shambler you are wrong.
Kinn,.
#6024 posted by Shambler [86.25.165.130] on 2012/06/14 17:43:00
Ur a great big gayer and I hope you caught 'nad rot over there.
Shambler
#6025 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/15 00:23:06
I've only finished 3 out of 5 Acts so far and it is a flawed game, but I've liked it. I will say this, its worth playing just for Act 3, very atmospheric and cool.
Kinn
#6026 posted by Nitin [49.176.35.59] on 2012/06/15 02:41:41
Did you get a chance to go out and about?
#6027 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2012/06/15 08:07:29
Why is "Other PC Games" in quotes anyway? Are they alleged games?
Because when I made this fucking thread it was 'Other Games', and included console games like normal rational designers might discuss.
But then Shambler the Tyrannical Cocklord decided that the glorious PC race was somehow suffering by hearing that people enjoyed anything on 360 or PS3.
Nitin
#6028 posted by Kinn [86.166.45.67] on 2012/06/15 08:34:12
Did you get a chance to go out and about?
Yes absolutely. I saw a lot of Hanoi (which was where I was staying). I friggin love the Old Quarter, and met so many cool people there :) As well as doing some daytrips to areas near Hanoi (ancient villages, Ninh Binh etc.), I also spent an awesome weekend on a boat in Halong Bay. During some downtime I managed to do a bit of flying around and I spent some time in the coastal cities of Hue and Hoi An (Hoi An at night is stunning), and I even flew over to Laos to spend the better part of a week chillaxing in Luang Prabang. Sadly I didn't get to see Saigon or any of the rest of the South, but that's for another time I guess.
In fact I loved the country so much, I'm currently figuring out a way to stay in 'Nam in a more permanent capacity. My partner in this game business thingy I'm doing lives in Hanoi, so it would make sense for us to be in the same place.
Are you from around that neck of the woods?
Consolol
#6029 posted by jt_ [174.232.68.82] on 2012/06/15 23:35:17
Glorious pc gaming master race
Kinn
#6030 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/16 04:27:16
no I'm from Australia but did visit Vietnam and Cambodia for a holiday a few years back so was just curious as to whether you got about or not and what you checked out.
I much preferred Hanoi to Saigon personally, actually most of the north to the south, but that shouldnt stop you from checking it out.
Halong Bay was definitely cool, did you get to see the floating villages? And Kayak in that amazing looking water with all those limestone islands?
If you do go back, I highly recommend a few days up in Sapa, great little place easily accessible by train from Hanoi.
Also, I didnt get to Laos but you should alos go to Cambodia if possible, by boat along the Mekon (6 hrs) from Chau Doc to Phenom Pheng would be my recommendation, beats the bus anyday!
Nitin
#6031 posted by Kinn [86.166.45.67] on 2012/06/16 11:32:50
Yeah, I did kayaking in Halong Bay, under the caves and stuff, and swimming - we got a really basic boat that didn't have a working shower, so in the morning instead of rolling out of bed and onto the deck, I climbed out the window from the bed and just fell into the sea. It was the perfect way to wake up. And yeah, the floating villages were cool, we had dinner in one of them.
I meant to do Sapa, but I was a bit pressed for time at that point, and the 8.5-hour overnight train sounded a bit gruelling. Definately next time though :}
Cambodia and Thailand are definately on my list too.
#6032 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.91.127] on 2012/06/16 19:29:46
Finally finished playing Fear and it's first expansion (I played it a tiny bit way back when but never actually sat down and played the whole thing).
I'm having a really hard time thinking of another game that squanders so much potential, and gives such an intense feeling that the developers didn't truly understand what they were making or for that matter what made it fun.
FEAR
#6033 posted by nitin [203.217.66.159] on 2012/06/17 11:17:09
combat was fun, rest was meh? That's how I remember it anyway.
Kinn,
great story! ALso, the train ride is not bad, except that the carriages are designed for midgets so you dont get much sleep really.
Gears Of War
#6034 posted by nitin [203.217.66.63] on 2012/06/23 10:36:30
finished and I liked it, despite numerous frustrating fights because all the combat in the game is based around the cover mode. I think it would have been better if ti was mixed up a bit with standard shooter combat and cover combat.
Looks wise its obviously quite detailed but apart from Chapter 3, none of it felt memorable. I think its because every nook and cranny and area is equally detailed, lessening the impact of set piece visuals a fair bit.
Risen 2 Demo.
#6035 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.249] on 2012/06/25 10:27:18
Any config files I can edit to allow Mouse1 rebinding?? Or are Pirahana Bytes going deliberately for the "no chance of sale" option??
LA Noire
#6036 posted by nitin [124.148.153.186] on 2012/06/27 00:52:43
$3.74 on Steam.
Spelunky
#6037 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2012/06/27 17:58:59
Coming to XBLA on July 4th.
http://spelunkyworld.com/
Meet The Pyro Is Out!
#6038 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/06/28 00:05:21
#6039 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/06/28 08:32:16
Reviewed 3 of City Interactive's 2009 shooters
Code of Honor 3: Desperate Measures 5.5/10
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Battlestrike: Shadow Of Stalingrad 4/10
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Armed Forces Corp 4/10
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Bit of a chore, but all 3 games only added up to about 6-7 hours of gameplay.
La Noire
#6040 posted by nitin [124.148.153.186] on 2012/07/02 00:33:46
shittest performance ever. Tried a number of different settings but I barely get 5 FPS no matter what.
Nitin
#6041 posted by Blitz [66.235.0.204] on 2012/07/06 07:04:11
What specs? I was tempted to get it the other day on Steam but I hesitated because my machine is about 3 years old now. What are you working with?
Slender
#6042 posted by negke [31.18.178.240] on 2012/07/06 21:39:03
A short free horror game in the vein of Amnesia and Penumbra. You have to find eight manuscript pages scattered throughout a dark forest while being chased by a mysterious man.
The official website http://www.parsecproductions.net is down at the moment, but the download links still work: PC Mac (~55MB)
NECROS, GO PLAY THIS!!!!!!
#6043 posted by negke [31.18.178.240] on 2012/07/06 21:42:10
Teaser video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bs...
NECROS, DON'T WATCH THIS!!!!!!!
#6044 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/06 21:44:33
Not wearing my brown pants atm, so I'll have to take a rain check.
Really?
#6045 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2012/07/06 22:01:27
a mysterious man.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/slen...
Didn't Want To Spoil It For N
#6046 posted by negke [31.18.178.240] on 2012/07/06 22:18:53
The link reminded me I should replay Yahtzee's Chzo series - which is somewhat Lone Survivorish btw.
Cant Sleep Slendreman Will Take Me
#6047 posted by czg [213.112.238.232] on 2012/07/06 22:43:41
nuke it from orbit with fire good sir, fuck the ocaen
Slenderman
#6048 posted by sikkpin [107.4.231.237] on 2012/07/07 02:08:00
Premise sounds a lot like this game, which was actually very cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EL...
Blitz
#6049 posted by nitin [124.149.82.187] on 2012/07/07 04:00:42
GTX 465 and AMD Phenom II X$ 965 3.40 GHz with 4 GB ram.
Like yours, not exactly new but this is the first game I have had this much trouble with. 5 FPS is ridiculous.
Kingdoms Of Amalur Reckoning
#6050 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.171] on 2012/07/09 12:41:38
Anyone got this? And if so, can you check to see if you can rebind keys as follows:
Forward: L Mouse
Backward: R Mouse
Attack 1: #
Attack 2: [
And in general rebind all keys??
Ta, X
Don't Have It Installed
#6051 posted by DaZ [78.147.149.240] on 2012/07/09 14:36:37
and I'm not downloading 11gb of game to check :D But off the top of my head, you can rebind keys. I used a 360 pad though, much easier to play that way!
And Err
#6052 posted by DaZ [78.147.149.240] on 2012/07/09 14:37:47
You know, google and stuff :)
http://gaming.stackexchange.com/qu...
Thanks.
#6053 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.171] on 2012/07/09 14:54:10
I did google, but couldn't find any indication that you could rebind MOUSE keys...
Alice: Madness Returns.
#6054 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.171] on 2012/07/09 21:56:11
+ Alice is cool.
+ The enemies are cool.
+ The environments are cool.
+ The jumping and dodging effects are cool.
+ The shrink mode and hiccuping are cool.
+ The lack of penalty for falling off things is very good.
- The worst example of consolitis I've seen.
- The umbrella bug sucks.
- The controls feel like ass, the mouse speed is fucked randomly changes all the time (maybe something to do with strafing (which is also fucked) but I can't find a consistent cause)
- The aiming mode that removes true 3PS is horrible.
- The focus mode that removes and semblence of a control perspective is even more horrible.
- The auto-saves are sometimes in utterly moronic positions.
- No normal saves.
- The section where you go into a retarded side-on perspective (why? truly awful), run through lots of crushing fist things, then have to fight lots of enemy in a tight space, with the autosave BEFORE the side-scrolling crushing bit is possibly the worst section of gameplay I've encountered in a game.
- Completely on rails with spoonfed progression.
Basically it is a pretty, stylish, shell of a game surrounding a rotten core of terribly- ported, scarcely QA-tested console turd where the charming effects and amusing enemy are drowned in a seething diarrhoeic mass of broken controls, broken autosaves, and general obtuseness.
#6055 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/10 00:13:44
Is Tomb Raider Legends any good? just found it in a random pile of games left behind by an ex-housemate :p
Binary Domain
#6056 posted by nakasuhito [65.130.134.159] on 2012/07/10 02:43:23
its insanely awesome. the game is a straight console port. no mouse pointer on menus, so you either use the wads keys or the arrows to move and choose the options.
steam has a demo, so i say try it. before playing though, there is an option to configure controls & settings. going there is a must because otherwise you'll get xbox controller icons for inputs instead of keyboard ones. you can also get change fov and the keys themselves and etc etc.
the game itself is a third person cover shooter, and its done pretty well. what i really liked is that, while it has those concrete barriers most third person cover games have, this one doesn't have them on every single fucking level. levels are linear, but fun and done well.
i thought the shooting itself felt really good. controls just like gears, spacebar to run & take cover. sometimes its used as a "action" key, though F is more of the use key but whatever. console games are weird as shit.
you can issue commands to your team mates, but its not a must. there are times when they'll comment on something or ask you a question and you'll have to answer and their friendship level will rise or lower depending on how you answered them. if they hate you, giving them the command to give you cover will be ignore and such.
the story is very good. i really liked it. some people say its b-movie good, but i find that kind of a bad comparison. its just a good game. very japanese [made by sega], and its crazy as fuck, and funny, and serious. its one of those games that doesn't take itself too seriously [unlike most western made shooters] so its fun and crazy.
wont go into details about the story because i am too shit to explain it, but watch the trailers and you'll get an idea. i think knowing the basics will be enough. i did that and i found myself getting into it more.
think of it as a a mix of blade runner & battlestar galactica [robots being human like & so on].
there are insane set pieces, and really fun boss fights. while they are the usual "shoot glowing part" i didn't it find it annoying or boring.
there are a few "turret" scenes, not really in a turret, but in a moving car shooting dudes out the window during a chase. even these parts i had fun, usually i hate them or i just want them to be over soon.
i had no issues with it technically, except for a fps drops when i killed a boss and particles everywhere slowed it down to like 5fps, but lasted like 3/5 seconds.
right now its $9.99usd on amazon.com. maybe wait for the steam summer sale to grab it if you live outside the us.
took me around 12 hours to finish it. the length felt just right. not too long, not too short.
i saw this trailer a few months ago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPa... - and i got interested, then tried the demo and i was sold.
i drank three large 32oz coffees so i am hyper as hell right now, hopefully it wont make the text too annoying.
Alice Madness Returns
#6057 posted by negke [31.18.178.240] on 2012/07/10 09:50:16
Also, it's too long.
Food For Thought...
#6058 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/07/10 15:13:46
scarcely QA-tested console turd
I notice testers tend to get a lot of flak for problems still present in games, whether its a bad console port or bugs. What if these people are doing their job, yet the ones in charge are simply not fixing them for whatever reason? (Time/Cost)
Just something that has been on my mind recently.
Well.
#6059 posted by Shambler [146.191.228.22] on 2012/07/10 15:38:48
Obviously the complaint is about the overall combination of the testing, the attention paid to testing feedback, and the fixes made on the basis of that feedback - or lack of any of those aspects.
In this case I presume the PC port wasn't tested at all.
Sorry
#6060 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/07/10 15:50:38
I wasn't pointing fingers at you specifically, it's just a thing I've noticed all over the web and that quote was an excuse to post my thoughts :p
Heh No Probs.
#6061 posted by Shambler [146.191.228.22] on 2012/07/10 16:19:04
It is a fair point. Who knows where the fault lies, all we can do is make a general point and hope those responsible are wracked with guilt and shame.
#6062 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/10 19:05:51
Read a few articles about how a lot of QA departments in studios are treated like complete shit, ie not considered 'proper' employees, kept in seperate buildings and stuff.
In My Experience, One Thing Never Changes
#6063 posted by Kinn [86.168.225.73] on 2012/07/10 23:40:03
and that is: whoever gets blamed for a game's shortcomings, will always pass that blame onto someone else.
Internally, the blame will be energetically punted up and down the chain of command, and sideways into other departments - until it ultimately runs out of momentum and rolls quietly towards the direction of the publishers.
The devs - now with their hands washed of it - get to their feet, pat each other on the backs, and happily start the next project - where they proceed to either make the same mistakes all over again, or a bunch of entirely new mistakes. Often both.
(Whatever the case, it's never QA's fault though).
COD8
#6064 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.171] on 2012/07/11 11:00:24
New trailer at Blues, much less of the futuristic stuff, much more explosions and nonsense.
#6065 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/07/14 05:33:09
Reviewed Darkest Of Days from 2009.
6.5/10, definitely under-rated with a 51% on metacritic.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Max Payne 3
#6066 posted by than [180.146.53.140] on 2012/07/15 21:02:55
Was really looking forward to it, but it turned out to be shit. Seriously, fuck that game. Glad I didn't buy it full price - seems almost everything on Steam gets a 50% discount after 2-3 months on sale, and I'm sick of buying full price. Managed to beat it, but it was a real trial to get through for the following reasons:
Rockstar thought they were making a fucking film. Rockstar are usually pretty good at putting a good story into their games whilst keeping the player in control most of the time. Here I was in control about 30% of the time if you ignore all the time I spent replaying the same sections because I died. Far too many cutscenes, far too many times when the controls are removed from you just to show a little fucking animation when it could have easily been part of the gameplay, and to make matters worse, you can't skip cutscenes half the time, or at least it seems rather inconsistent.
The gameplay is worse than Max Payne 2. I loved Max Payne 2, which felt to me like Remedy had taken the things people didn't like about the first game, and improved them no end, whilst adding layers of polish to everything else too. Rockstar clearly knew the source material well, as the gameplay doesn't stray far from the original, aside from the addition of cover (not very well implemented, however), but the things they removed, such as molotovs and grenades, spoil the game somewhat.
It's the most on-rails game I've played in ages. There is almost no freedom whatsoever. There are locked doors everywhere, and those that aren't usually get locked by some kind of mischievous door locking goblin after you pass through them in a fairly non-subtle way. Other scenes just kill you or your partner the instant you go to some area rockstar didn't want you to go to, which makes the game feel like they put up invisible walls everywhere.
Maybe I'm just super shit, but it's really frustrating. Enemies are constantly popping out from corners you don't expect and chipping away at your health, and death comes quickly even if you are turtling. Dying is annoying because there is almost always some little cutscene at the checkpoint that you must watch before you can get back into the action. If you die a lot, the game restarts you with more painkillers and ammo, which is nice. I wouldn't have finished it if it didn't.
Sometimes enemies die really easily, sometimes they just keep getting up. They definitely go down sooner if you shoot them in the head, but sometimes it seems like they are wearing layered helmets, because they just don't stay down. It feels shit when that happens. Again, could be that I'm just shit.
The game keeps auto selecting the pistol. The pistol is a really useful weapon, but you don't want to use it ALL the time. Usually when you come out of a cutscene, even a small one, the game has switched your weapon to the pistol. If you haven't noticed it can be really bloody annoying. Why they did this I don't know, but it seems like a shit design choice.
Bullet time isn't really any fun any more. Just feels slow and shit. There are some scripted events using bullet time that are kind of cool, but I think I would have been happy just playing normal speed. Bullet time does make the game easier though, so I used it a fair bit in the sections where I was dying a lot.
There is some kind of shitty full screen visual effect going on throughout the entire game that you can't disable. It's a kind of colour shift thing that I guess is meant to emphasise Max's whisky and pain killer addled world. It gets annoying pretty damn quick. The camera work in the cutscenes is often really over the top too.
It seems a bit buggy. Sometimes you can't easily pick up weapons, sometimes shit floats in the air, sometimes bad guys spaz out and sometimes the camera sucks and you can't see where you are aiming because Max blocks the crosshair. It's not too bad I guess, but there were a few things that spoiled my "enjoyment" somewhat.
I already wasted over 10 hours of my life playing the game, so I will stop wasting more on it and wrap up my little mini rant with don't bother unless you are a big Max Payne fan and want to follow the story.
#6067 posted by Spirit [80.171.144.217] on 2012/07/15 22:37:25
http://i.imgur.com/owkkQ.gif
(shut Up, Czgke)
#6068 posted by Spirit [80.171.144.217] on 2012/07/15 22:40:20
I AM a big Max Payne fan and I simply don't consider this related to "my" Max Payne at all.
Than.
#6069 posted by Shambler [86.25.167.171] on 2012/07/16 10:14:52
Sounds like a lot of issues that are oh-too-familiar with modern gaming. Lots of really fucking bloody obvious issues that would have been so easy to fix/avoid/not bloody put in in the first place, but games devs seems to have a habit of deliberately fucking things up when it would actually be easier not to do so.
Autosave points just before lengthy cutscenes = games devs should be ground down into dog food.
#6070 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/16 19:19:56
Autosave points just before lengthy cutscenes
I'm astounded that this still gets done. I mean, people have complained about this kind of thing since the dawn of cutscenes.
Dev Angle
#6071 posted by sock [24.84.102.77] on 2012/07/16 19:42:10
"Autosave points just before lengthy cutscenes"
This is usually done for several reasons :-
* The cinematic devteam want to have a save / spawnpoint close to where the cinematic is for testing and tweaking.
* Often the skip function for cinematic's is never added (or very late in development) because (often) the director wants the players to watch every cinematic. Think about the devs for a minute, they have to watch these things as well, except 100s of times!
* Cinematics cost a lot of time and resources to create and some people feel the players should see them all! Crazy attitude ...
Heh
#6072 posted by DaZ [2.99.125.232] on 2012/07/16 20:46:21
That is a list of why cutscenes should NOT be added to a game imo :)
If players want to skip the cinematics, then the cinematics are either boring or the game has failed to make the player care for the story in any way.
Funny that (imo) some of the best games with the best stories had no cutscenes. Half-Life series etc.
#6073 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/16 22:07:34
Funny that (imo) some of the best games with the best stories had no cutscenes. Half-Life series etc.
Which makes me wonder: if they are so good, why are not most games like this?
#6074 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/07/17 01:09:08
I get annoyed when, after sitting through all the loading logos, I then get the game logo with a "press any key" to get to the menu. WTF is the point of this? I know what game I'm playing, just put the logo on the menu! Which it usually is as well anyway. Then if I want to quit the game I get taken back to "press any key" to get to the menu so I can quit!
It's like turning on your television and you get a "press any button" before you're allowed to watch anything. No one would buy that tv.
#6075 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/17 04:47:03
I then get the game logo with a "press any key" to get to the menu. WTF is the point of this?
Yup, another head scratcher for me. It's just one more extra click for nothing.
There are a lot of bizarre common practice things in games these days. I just don't understand what they accomplish other than mild annoyance.
Press Any Key/start Button
#6076 posted by czg [62.212.102.68] on 2012/07/17 06:03:15
This is a technical requirement from both microsoft and sony. They won't let a game pass certification without it.
Why they want it like that I don't know.
Also; Christ, that is the most insignificant fucking pointless detail ever to whine about.
#6077 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/17 06:45:20
I think that's why it's so annoying. I mean, there's no purpose for it at all and yet it's there.
#6078 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/07/17 08:42:33
Haha yeah but it's just so pointless. At least with a save before a cutscene it's there so they can jam their cutscenes down your throat. It's done for a reason.
Anyway, review of Devil May Cry 4 (which was pretty bad at it's "press any key" and menu design, and overuse of cutscenes). But I enjoyed it 7/10.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Press Any Key
#6079 posted by mh [137.191.242.106] on 2012/07/17 14:55:54
I bet there's a really subtle reason behind that. Like it confirms that the player actually does have a controller connected or something, on account of user testing having shown that this was something people did on a surprisingly frequent basis.
But for crying out loud remove it from the PC version of a game.
Heh
#6080 posted by Kinn [86.168.225.73] on 2012/07/17 16:25:20
A = Time it takes to whinge on an internet forum about the "press any key screen".
B = Time it takes to actually press the fucking key.
Anyone wanna guesstimate what A/B equals?
Rapidly Approaching Infinity
#6081 posted by czg [81.253.73.237] on 2012/07/17 18:19:59
*hugs Kinn*
But Kinn
#6082 posted by rj [82.3.233.25] on 2012/07/17 18:56:29
people enjoy whinging...
#6083 posted by sikkpin [107.4.231.237] on 2012/07/17 19:13:50
I can't believe what I'm reading. Are people here actually defending a useless start screen? Something that serves no purpose in a pc game other than adding another layer between you and the part of the game that you actually play.
And, Kinn, in your equation, B should read like this: B = Time it takes to actually press the fucking key * time it takes for the useless start screen to load * number of times you play the game * number of games you play that have a useless start screen.
#6084 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/17 19:29:36
Are people here actually defending a useless start screen?
If someone complains, someone will defend, I guess. It must be like an internet rule or something.
Necros
#6085 posted by Bal [90.2.45.254] on 2012/07/17 19:44:03
I think you're wrong, that isn't an internet rule at all.
#6086 posted by necros [99.227.156.158] on 2012/07/17 20:29:05
hahaha, touché. :)
#6087 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/17 21:21:07
Ah the days of old Playstation games where loading menus took fucking ages, so those extra title screens were just there to piss you off when you left the room to make a cup of tea or something.
These days, far far more things to whine about than that shit. I just got back to playing some Hard Reset and holy shit you move so fucking slowly. Feels like you're waist deep in water. And you can sprint for about a second at a time (and the speed boost is shit).
Pretty game though.
#6088 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/07/18 02:12:44
Get a trainer that has a sprint cheat ZQF. It might be cheating, but it'll make the game more fun. I can't stand slow walking games.
Cinematics And Skippability
#6089 posted by nitin [124.149.146.70] on 2012/07/18 12:46:01
make it non-skippable first time through if you want players to see the hard work and money, make it skippable for repeat attempts.
And File That Idea...
#6090 posted by Shambler [146.191.228.22] on 2012/07/18 13:46:18
Under "rocket science" or "brain surgery".
Gears Of War
#6091 posted by nitin [124.149.146.70] on 2012/07/18 13:51:34
had this feature, except it seemed to work for some cutscenes but not others. No idea why.
Wait...
#6092 posted by than [180.146.53.140] on 2012/07/19 12:59:36
what if players don't actually give a shit about your fucking story?
I actually liked the Max Payne story (well, it was ok), but in other games I have not given a rat's ass about the story and couldn't skip the cutscenes. I don't give a shit about the work that went into them, I just want to play the game. If there is some important info in the cutscene, then maybe it's ok to stop me from skipping it the first time, but I'm paying to play the game, not watch cutscenes, so any artificial restrictions on skipping cutscenes (non-technical, such as loading in the background) should be removed.
#6093 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/19 13:43:24
I watched a housemate play Devil May Cry 4 once. I say play...
:) :( ): (:
#6094 posted by Spirit [82.113.99.59] on 2012/07/19 14:29:27
scroll up to read how I played hl2 and how their method of story telling is fucking stupid (to me).
La-Mulana
#6095 posted by Bal [92.103.98.224] on 2012/07/19 16:01:49
This an old game that was re-released as a WiiWare title, and now has a proper PC release.
It's an old school metroid-vania style platformer, very hard and unforgiving, it's pretty good. Anyone who likes those type of games should check it out.
http://playism-games.com/games/lam...
RPS review :
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Nightmare House 2 (hl2 Ep2 Required)
#6096 posted by DaZ [78.147.162.95] on 2012/07/19 17:03:02
http://www.moddb.com/mods/nightmar...
This was released in 2010 but I missed it. Holy shit it's good! Very high quality production value, great atmosphere and good pacing. The final confrontation is brilliant.
It'll take you around 3+ hours to finish, I enjoyed every minute.
Thanks
#6097 posted by nitin [124.149.146.70] on 2012/07/20 00:23:54
missed that one.
#6098 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/23 02:55:53
Finished Hard Reset. There is a lot wrong with the game, but it has nugget of awesomeness that you need to learn to tap and then it becomes a really rather unique feeling game. It promotes rapid weapon switching, weapon combos and crowd control over pure dodging or cover use (though it does still have a lot of both).
A bit like Fear in that I could natter endlessly about all the cool stuff the game has as well as really bizarre or annoying design choices. Hard Reset pushes an FPS into even more classic arcade territory, and in fact I think doesn't go far enough.
It also has surprisingly oldschool level design. Though it doesn't place enemies in specific positions so much, it does have linear but interconnected environments that flow around, and you feel like each space has interesting geometry and you get to see each area from multiple angles.
Basically, love it or hate it game in the end. I had to play through it once to realise what weapons were worth buying and using and what to not waste points on (fuck RPG upgrade paths, especially when you limit my choices early on anyway). After that, second play through, ton of fun.
#6099 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/23 02:58:02
PS it's had some free DLC so the game is much longer than it was at release. Someone told me where the original ending was and I got why people complained it was so short cause damn, sudden final boss out of nowhere.
Blacklight Retribution Is Great :)
#6100 posted by RickyT23 [86.149.175.66] on 2012/07/23 16:13:20
Yes
#6101 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2012/07/23 17:09:28
Doom64 EX
#6102 posted by erc [195.174.60.192] on 2012/07/29 20:58:46
Apparently, Samuel 'Kaiser' Villarreal wasn't so happy with his and others' work on the older Doom 64 TC, Absolution, so he went ahead and coded a custom Doom Engine from scratch for emulating the physics of the 64 port as closely as possible. Even though there are still a few graphical glitches here and there, it looks like he accomplished what he had set out to do. Now it's possible to play Midway's Doom II sequel in its entirety in hi-res and with mouselook support. I didn't know that this game was much more than a port - it comes with it's own megawad and uses all new assets, i.e. new sprites, textures, sound, music and all. Starts off a little slow but progressively gets better. The most striking thing is that it has a very different atmosphere than the source game, mostly owing to a bleaker texture set, gloomy colored lighting and the ambient score. I'm halfway through the pack and enjoying it immensely. Definitely recommended.
Get the 'Kex Engine' at from Kaiser's website and find yourself a rom of Doom 64 (which is needed for creating an IWAD from):
http://doom64ex.wordpress.com
Oh, and don't worry about the screenshots on the Media page - you can toggle bilinear filtering off.
#6103 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/07/31 01:38:41
Having a bit of fun perfecting some Hard Reset levels :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ3...
There's Not A Single Scene With Vertical Gameplay In That Video
#6104 posted by megmn [141.3.42.183] on 2012/08/01 13:51:00
#6105 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/08/01 18:26:36
Yup it's definately a problem with the level design. Although it's flow is better it's still very similar to Serious Sam or Painkiller.
You'll get the odd area with some monsters placed on a higher platform sniping at you or something but usually it's just a flat room with obstacles.
It's particularly jarring when you're surrounded by so many tall buildings (or so high up you can't see the ground) but you never look up except to gaze at the skybox.
#6106 posted by Text_Fish [94.169.119.204] on 2012/08/01 20:19:22
I never would have thought it'd be possible to make a game about shooting robots with big guns mind numbingly boring, but the Hard Reset guys really pulled out all the stops to achieve it. Based on the demo, at least -- maybe they're saving the best for last, but I'm not paying to find out.
#6107 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/08/01 20:58:01
Yeah until you get some weapon upgrades the game is pretty bloody tedious, and without the weapons to play with the game is so dull compared to, say, Serious Sam, which is fun when given just a shotgun.
In fact the hardest part of the game on high difficulty is probably level three or so, as it's the combination of tough enemies and few weapon upgrades, which is stupid.
It is a pretty crap video though, but I was having such shit luck trying to record something more interesting as my PC just collapsed with fraps + bigger fights :p
Warsow
#6108 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2012/08/01 23:55:48
Has hit version 1.0.
http://www.warsow.net/
Implying Version Numbers Mean Something
#6109 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2012/08/02 00:15:45
Gonna check it out.
#6110 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/02 04:24:57
I like twitch shooters, but Warsow just looks a little TOO fast to me. Dizzying.
Hard Reset looks okay. Level design looked average. I'd play it still.
Is it just me or is there a major lack of shooters and actions games on the PC so far this year?
I might make a list...
#6111 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/02 10:25:50
Well that was 4 hours wasted lol. I updated my list of games to play:
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Goes by year, worst to best as rated on metacritic.
2012 does indeed look pathetic so far. Even if the number of play-worthy releases doubles, it still won't be close to 2011 amount. Was 2011 the best year for PC gaming?
What's also interesting is the severe lack of first person shooters, and even third person. They're barely coming out now, not helped when critics give great games like Rage an average score. The vast majority of PC games seem to be strategy and adventure. Who the hell plays all these strategy games?
Oh and these are almost all first or third person. I don't play platformers or top down
#6112 posted by ZealousQuakeFan [82.16.80.21] on 2012/08/02 12:20:11
am I seriously seeing another Painkiller game in that list?
Hunted: The Demons Forge
#6113 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.186] on 2012/08/02 20:09:05
Anyone ever play that?
The trailer looks kinda mint.
25% off on Steam. I'm semi-tempted.
#6114 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/03 01:00:31
All these new Painkiller games are really just DLC's and expansion packs. At least the new one is only $10 on Steam. Although I wouldn't pay that, it doesn't look good enough for any money when it's only got 5 levels (and 4000 enemies wtf).
There's a Painkiller remake in progress too. The guys behind Necrovision are making it. Fuck knows why, all the crap Painkiller since the original must have ruined that franchise by now.
#6115 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/06 10:26:24
I loved Fallout 3. 9.5/10.
Here's a review of the game, all DLC's and some worthwhile mods mentioned.
http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
#6116 posted by erc [195.174.60.192] on 2012/08/06 11:34:17
I've just noticed that Rogue Trooper on your review list does not have a release month attached to it. It is April of 2006.
#6117 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/07 00:06:37
Oh yep cheers erc
Giana Sisters Remake
#6118 posted by negke [31.18.178.240] on 2012/08/23 10:40:52
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWx...
http://project-giana.com
Totally kickstarting it.
#6119 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/23 11:10:48
Looks cool. Not really into sonic type platformers though. Too 90s.
But if they did a fps without that twist idea between dark/light - awesome!!!!
Dark Souls
#6120 posted by Jago [91.155.236.58] on 2012/08/28 00:07:51
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/...
It's really pretty crazy just how much better this game can look after you tweak the shit out of it with mods and by butchering the hidden NVIDIA profile settings, compared to the utter mess that is the state of "as shipped by developer".
Project Hell.
#6121 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.99] on 2012/08/28 10:19:11
http://sharpenyouraxes.com/
Dead Island mod turned into a game. Two environment screenshots look very nice. Long way off of course.
#6122 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/08/28 10:41:02
looks awesome. 2 screenshots and a basic blog for a website isn't a huge start, but could be good if it's finished, one day
Public Beta Weekend Again
#6123 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.65] on 2012/09/15 14:29:43
http://www.pathofexile.com/publicw...
Anarchy Online Soundtrack
#6124 posted by mechtech [65.190.42.20] on 2012/09/30 01:12:15
ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/AOSound...
Dishonoured Soon.
#6125 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.59] on 2012/09/30 12:04:39
And this:
http://www.bethblog.com/2012/07/13...
Means I will definitely buy it, for that reason alone.
#6126 posted by Spirit [80.171.155.76] on 2012/09/30 12:29:39
Cause you like Dutch menus? God, that looks painful. I bet it will be just as awkward to use as the Rage one.
Knob.
#6127 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.59] on 2012/09/30 14:50:17
The Nicked My Name
#6128 posted by RickyT23 [94.13.59.186] on 2012/09/30 17:28:15
The Hand That Feeds
Those guys....
Damnation / LOTR / Fallout 3 Mods
#6129 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/10/03 06:49:22
Here's a review of Damnation: http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Not as bad as it's made out, I gave a 6/10.
Bit of chore in the end though.
Anyone played Lord of the Rings: Conquest? I started the first level (training failed because it wouldn't allow me to pass the combo test), seemed to be pretty shitty gameplay where I died three times - the last time being because the enemies wouldn't move through the fucking door and I couldn't kill them due to a weird invisible wall, and suddenly it says I've failed the mission. No checkpoints and having to start the entire level over each time as well, so I guess it's a fucking shitty game. Might try again in god mode, the levels looked pretty cool.
Been playing lots of Fallout 3 mods as well.
Cube and Orion's game definitely worth playing. Lots of crap that doesn't work though. I've still got several more of the top ones to try.
#6130 posted by Spirit [80.171.157.135] on 2012/10/03 23:19:30
I really want to play http://www.nullpointer.co.uk/conte...
#6131 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/10/09 11:02:44
Obviously no one played LOTR Conquest then, lol.
Here's a review of Avatar: http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
Pretty good actually, 7.5/10. Bit easy and a bit boring after 20 hours. Visuals are awesome though (modified CryEngine).
Borderlands 2
#6132 posted by negke [31.18.186.190] on 2012/10/09 20:04:50
Two years back when commenting on BL1 in this thread, I called it Bordomlands and criticized a perceived pointlessness of it all. However, I now realize I had just played it 'wrong'. It's was on singleplayer, but these games are focused on coop and that's where they shine.
I played through the whole of BL2 on coop with le Bal and rebb, rather excessively even, and it was a lot of fun, very enjoyable. It felt like good oldschool FPS action with strong Rage vibe in places, mixed with a crazy WoW-type of looting and item stats mess.
The graphics are cool, fairly crisp and a unique touch to the style, which is important, because otherwise many levels would look like the same old ugly brown from other shooters. Story, characters and humor are cheesy and dumb, but - and that's a major difference between my two BL experiences - on coop it doesn't matter. Most of the time, we didn't even care for any specifics as long as we had stuff to shoot.
I regret not having had a chance to play BL1 the same way - it surely would have left a much different impression. This time, however, it seemed like a right place/right time situation, because it's new and we were all psyched for it. Can't underestimate the value of a good coop team, which wouldn't be possible or be as much fun with random strangers. So GG guys and see you for True Vault Hunter Mode.. ugh :D
Cars
#6133 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.129.250] on 2012/10/10 13:12:12
http://f1classic.your-talk.com/t11...
lets drive online, icq/qip 259689233
DISHONORED??
#6134 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.237] on 2012/10/11 19:50:15
What's the score, bitches??
9,5
#6135 posted by spy [95.56.200.27] on 2012/10/11 19:58:14
Dishonored
#6136 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2012/10/12 11:44:37
Haven't played so much yet, but it's looking really good so far.
But I dunno for you Shambler, if I remember correctly you couldn't get into Deus Ex right? Cause it's a bit similar.
Bal.
#6137 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.237] on 2012/10/12 12:30:25
Yeah of course I got into Deus Ex, I just got a bit bored in Shanghai when there wasn't enough MURDERATION for my chosen gameplay path.
#6138 posted by Spirit [80.171.84.102] on 2012/10/12 15:02:36
You talkin bout Deux Ex: Human Revolution, you callit dat, you twats.
Spirit
#6139 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2012/10/12 17:41:29
I meant Deus Ex in general really. The first and third game are quite different, but the gameplay type is definitely fairly similar.
Shambler, well Dishonored is a bit like that, you can play fairly violent, or go more slowly and stealthy. I haven't come across so much town-type quests stuff like in Shanghai in DXHR thought, feels more like lots of action missions with minimal story development in between, but I've only played ~2 hours.
After 6 Hours
#6140 posted by DaZ [78.147.144.210] on 2012/10/12 18:20:16
Game rocks.
There are tons of people to talk to, books to read, and storyline to uncover, if you want to, or you can just head to the next level and murder everything in your way.
I knew it looked nice from screenshots but holy fuckballs there is some seriously impressive visual design going on here. They absolutely nailed the London look.
The levels are absolutely gigantic too, after 6 hours of play I've only assassinated 1 target, and spent the rest of the time just exploring around the place collecting all the things.
Shit's good.
Downloadered Already.
#6141 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.237] on 2012/10/12 19:57:32
Gonna play at some point.
Dishonored????
#6142 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.237] on 2012/10/15 10:44:07
Hello, Quake 2 called and it wants it's texture resolution back........
Mm
#6143 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2012/10/15 10:55:28
I don't understand all the whining about Dishonored's texture resolution, it looks fine to me (it's not crazy detailed, but it gets the job done).
Is this a bug or something?
Quite Possible A Big.
#6144 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.237] on 2012/10/15 11:18:03
The textures look super-low res....the rest of the gfx are fine, lighting is good etc...
#6145 posted by negke [31.18.186.190] on 2012/10/15 19:54:21
From what I saw of the game, the seemingly lower-res textures look like they're actually part of its style. A slightly surreal semi-realism vibe or something like that.
If it bothers you, see if forcing 16xAF in your nvidia/ATI control panel improves the visuals to your liking.
Doom3 Bfg Edition
#6146 posted by spy [178.88.1.162] on 2012/10/16 20:19:12
much faster game loading , that lost episode gameplay reminds that old classic doom
a bit bright though,
not sure about new pda interface
Xcom Enemy Unknown
#6147 posted by DaZ [78.147.158.202] on 2012/10/22 02:14:39
After beating it on normal and instantly starting a new "Classic Ironman" game (essentially hard difficulty, and only 1 save that is automatically updated whenever you do anything, so no rewinds!) it's very easy to recommend this. I've been utterly hooked since my first play session :)
It's not perfect. There are lots of nagging bugs with things like camera views, geometry popping etc and a lot of the base management menu's suffer from consolitis, but the core turn based strategy gameplay is extremely well put together and the game has that deadly "just one more mission" impulse that has you lose all track of time...
#6148 posted by Spirit [80.171.83.167] on 2012/10/22 10:53:25
Path of Exile act 3 screenshot! http://webcdn.pathofexile.com/gen/...
Can't recommend this highly enough if you felt let down by Diablo 3.
Black Ops
#6149 posted by Jago [194.86.38.41] on 2012/10/24 17:44:39
I really really liked COD: Modern Warfare (in fact I think it's easily one of top3 FPS games ever made), but I have been really dissapointed with MW2 and MW3 (each one while very enjoyable in SP, got progressively worse in MP). This made me steer clear of Black Ops when it originally came out about 2 years ago.
Being curious about Black Ops 2 (coming out in 3 weeks), I finally broke down and bought the original Black Ops on the cheap. Boy am I glad I did.
The single player is standard ridiculously over-the-top crazy COD fare (which I very much love), but goddamn they didn't fuck up the MP in this one! It's actually really really good and lives up to the high standards set by MW1.
Timeless Black Ops Review By Starbuck
#6150 posted by Jago [194.86.38.41] on 2012/10/24 17:46:04
From earlier in this thread:
HOLY SHIT I'M DRIVING A CAR NOW oh okay i've jumped out and stabbed a russian in the tit AND NOW I'M ON A BIKE and i've got to shoot down a nuke? With a crossbow? THE PRESIDENT IS ON FIRE!! What the fuck is happening? I think I've been double crossed. By myself?
No It Doesn't
#6151 posted by jt_ [174.252.225.88] on 2012/10/24 18:03:26
Cod4 was the last decent cod.
The Bit Of Fish I Had From The Chippy Last Thursday
#6152 posted by Kinn [86.129.254.13] on 2012/10/25 14:56:23
Was the last decent cod.
Hahahahhaaaaa!!!
#6153 posted by RickyT23 [86.145.252.40] on 2012/10/25 15:07:05
*slaps table repeatedly*
// Involuntary non-verbal communication from a man sat completely alone.
This post was flagged as spam.
#6154 posted by a spammer [41.44.14.40] on 2012/10/29 09:13:58
Methinks...
#6155 posted by Mike Woodham [87.127.250.2] on 2012/10/30 15:57:23
...if they used a different name maybe they wouldn't get spotted?
(You guessed it, I'm bored)
Cars Sim Screenshots
#6156 posted by Jaromir83 [87.249.129.250] on 2012/10/30 16:53:52
http://f1classic.your-talk.com/t11...
forgot reg last time, login is
petrolhead
secrettoken
pages 24, 25, 26 my screenshots
#6157 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2012/10/31 22:07:03
Cool trailer from Outlast, survival horror
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x3...
#6158 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2012/11/09 10:57:29
What happens to game devs when cocaine fries their brains dead: http://www.theastronauts.com/2012/...
What A Fucking Idiot
#6159 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/11/09 14:19:33
Interesting read though.
Indeed....
#6160 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2012/11/09 15:19:40
.... :P
Game Developer Writes Utter Drivel On A Blog
#6161 posted by Kinn [31.54.196.15] on 2012/11/09 16:53:58
News at 11.
In His Defence
#6162 posted by Kinn [31.54.196.15] on 2012/11/09 17:00:40
I think the point he was trying to make is actually similar to the classic rule of: before you make a game, you need to make a toy; i.e. something that's fun to fuck around with freely, but then you layer the gamey stuff (challenge/goals/contraints etc.) on top of that.
He just forgot to add the second part I think.
Or maybe he just really likes cutscenes. I dunno.
I Like CZG!
#6163 posted by Spirit [80.171.155.84] on 2012/11/09 17:26:30
#6164 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2012/11/09 18:43:02
What he is advocating for is 'interactive stories', which I think is fine in the realm of entertainment media and I'm sure there is a market for who want that sort of thing... just don't try and call it a game if you want to push the gameplay to the side.
#6165 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2012/11/22 22:32:14
Legend of Dungeon
Check this kickstarter shit out. Pixel art rogue-like, but it's got swanky normal-maps and lighting. Looks rad.
#6166 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2012/11/22 23:36:29
http://www.dungeonlegend.com/index...
looks like warcraft icons..?
#6167 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2012/11/22 23:37:19
btw, obviously not what starbuck is talking about, it just caught my eye.
That Does Look Nice
#6168 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/11/23 13:13:25
Here's a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El...
I Hope
#6169 posted by megaman [79.227.170.136] on 2012/11/23 21:04:40
they will turn down the retardedly colored lighting
Kak
#6170 posted by nakasuhito [174.27.229.248] on 2012/11/27 03:25:16
anyone wants a dota2 beta key? i don't care for it, but i got one.
i'll send you an email if you have it written on your account.
Black Snow
#6171 posted by DaZ [78.147.102.174] on 2012/11/28 18:17:55
Is a high quality HL2-EP2 mod that you definitely want to have a look at if you like "The Thing".
Very much a horror puzzle/exploration game, only played about an hour of it and its excellent. Very creepy with tense moments. No combat so far but never say never.
http://www.moddb.com/mods/black-sn...
Dota 2 Madafakaz
#6172 posted by nakasuhito [174.27.236.213] on 2012/11/29 06:08:11
here's the key if anyone wants it. being dota2, you need steam to activate it.
VVQXJ-DIKHN-WF0D2
Dishonoured.
#6173 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.241] on 2012/12/04 17:53:08
The textures still suck asstacularly. But that's about it.....the rest rocks so far.
They've blended what Crysis etc did so well with making gameplay fun, with some of the stuff that worked in Deus Ex (but not so anally retentive) - dump you in a mission with a million paths through it, give you lots of toys to play with (including movement options on the fly) and let you get on with it. It's the polar opposite of the ghastly interactive turd hand-holding military-shouting bore-a-thons of COD - actually allowing a player to PLAY a game and making most of the options fairly natural to do so. Blink is bloody awesome and one of the most fun things in FPS gaming for a long time.
Aside from that it does exactly what it promises on the tin (of pickled hagfish). Just watch the Youtube videos and play the damn thing.
#6174 posted by [80.171.127.63] on 2012/12/05 10:31:42
http://redrogue.net/
A computer game, a side-scrolling roguelike-like
For Linux, Windows and MacOS.
Virus Free
#6175 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2012/12/05 12:39:44
And quite nice.
DoomRL
#6176 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2012/12/14 21:51:47
Seeing rogues mentionned just wanna bring to attention for anyone that missed it DoomRL is available with puuurdy tiles since Feb this year : http://doom.chaosforge.org/
/me Slaps Killes Around A Bit With The Doom Chainsaw!!
#6177 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2012/12/15 11:28:27
Scampie
#6178 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2012/12/15 18:47:21
.. you are not on #tf, so stop this please !
Dig Up The Corpses
#6179 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2012/12/19 22:09:48
Man this is some old shit :)
Oh man those logs are still around. Hilarious stuff indeed
On topic Hawken is cool, Blacklight Retribution is even better.
Cool stuff all this. No time to play much though.
#6180 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2012/12/19 22:10:30
Meant Blacklight Retribution got even better since launch...
#6181 posted by Spirit [80.171.152.20] on 2012/12/21 11:41:40
Path of Exile act 3 screenshot http://www.pathofexile.com/public/...
Anyone Playing World Of Tanks?
#6182 posted by Ankh [91.233.72.6] on 2012/12/21 11:57:46
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World...
http://worldoftanks.eu/
I like it. It's relaxing.
This post was flagged as spam.
#6183 posted by a spammer [103.247.48.156] on 2012/12/29 08:07:45
Bought Some Games During Christmas Sales
#6184 posted by nitin [203.206.110.240] on 2013/01/01 05:08:12
although who knows when I'll play them.
Mark of the Ninja
Driver San Fransisco
Fallout New Vegas
Darksiders II
The Witcher II
Batman Arkham City
Da Gaems!
#6185 posted by DaZ [78.147.173.110] on 2013/01/01 14:07:54
I just finished Darksiders 2 the other day. I preferred the original in just about every way. It's not a bad game but has a lot of excess baggage and takes forever to get going. It felt like the first 15 hours (!!!?) were the tutorial.
Arkham City is next. Started it the other day and I'm totally hooked. Fantastic so far. I have a few problems with the combat system, mainly because I suck at using gamepads and usually am not quick enough to press buttons (im looking at the pad to see where the buttons are lol) before getting hit :P
Also Picked Up Rage
#6186 posted by nitin [180.149.192.133] on 2013/01/02 02:52:49
started Mark of the Ninja, quite cool and there is nothign really wrong with it but I have rediscovered that stealth games arent really my cup of tea (will be interesting to see how I find Sock's ITS mod).
Love the art style and atmospehere though.
Arkham City
#6187 posted by megaman [87.245.33.222] on 2013/01/02 17:21:23
played it a bit on a friend's ps3. Didn't like it at all, because it's such a new-style xbox-kid game, with sequences, big boobs, no challenge gameplay, dumbed-down controls, etc. Win all fights by pressing just triangle (I heard it gets 'harder' later).
also, ham.
Damn Steam Sales
#6188 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2013/01/02 18:11:55
They will be the death of my newly acquired credit. So far, I've bought Hard Reset, Skyrim + DLC, Serious Sam Gold Pack, Serious Sam 3 BFE, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution + DLC. Hopefully nothing else that's good goes on sale.
Know How You Feel
#6189 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/02 18:33:04
I've got a growing list of games I'll probably never play.
Like it's a service I'm paying for :(
Far Cry 3 Is Fricking Great!!!
#6190 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.40] on 2013/01/03 03:04:50
But sometimes it crashes :(
Seriously great thought 8D
Time For Some Birthday Gamin'
#6191 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/01/03 05:14:23
I just picked up FTL, Hotline Miami, Rage expansion, Home, Awesomenauts, and preordered Company of Heroes2. Got some gaming to do!
Only played FTL so far, I love roguelikes, and this also reminds me of another favorite Strange Adventures in Infinite Space (and it's followup Weird Worlds), which was designed by Iikka Keranen.
CoH2 is what I'm mostly looking forward to (when it comes out). The first was my favorite RTS game for a long time, because it made cover and supply lines relevant again like old turn based wargames. Also, cuz I like cool tank battles.
Far Cry 3, Far Cry 3 - Far Cry 3
#6192 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.40] on 2013/01/03 06:41:12
Seriously this game is really well made, and looks beautiful. The combat is fun, the island is fun to explore. The guns feel good, the RPG elements are well executed. There are loads of different types of animals running around, and they feel like a good challenge to hunt. Flying around on hang gliders is wicked-awesome. I was tearing my hair out for ages because of the random crashing, but I found a great fix that works. So if anyone else is having the problem of CTDs, BSODs or hard-locks, here is a link to the fix (it's dead easy)(The first one):
http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.p...
Dark Souls DLC
#6193 posted by sock [200.82.42.123] on 2013/01/03 12:04:20
A friend of mine told me about the DLC for DS and I bought it for the PS3. I think only this game could get away with hiding the DLC half way through the game and making it unlockable by doing unrelated tasks on opposite sides of the world! It took me ages to complete all of the prerequisites and then actually find the entrance!
The DLC is part of a patch (1.07) which you unlock which is a bit sneaky because I did not want to patch the game. As always the developer has nerfed items to try and balance the MP which is stupid because most MP players know all the tricks (low level runs, item swapping) already.
One interesting idea they have done is take an existing part of the world and create a reason (background story) to go back in time so they can re-use the existing assets! Most of the landscape is taken from the original game but they have added slightly modified new monsters.
The boss fights are crazy hard, especially the first one to even start the DLC content. Luckily the first boss is right next to a bonfire so when you die (20 million times) you don't have far to run back. Some of the later bosses are similar to Demons Souls which is nice because some boss formats do work really. They even allow existing items (Dragon Slumber ring) to work properly and do not mysteriously make them not work because it interferes with some of the boss mechanics.
As always DS really shines with the boss fights and how they set up all the different stages so that each boss feels different. (I know from personal experience that boss fights can often take the same amount of time to create as an actual level!) The way they visually defined all of the different moves so if you are observant you will know what move is coming next, makes the fight satisfying because it feels like you are learning new tricks.
One thing that is such a cool feature of DS is the ability to cut various parts of bosses off (during the fight) and claim them as new weapons. Working out how to do that is often tricky and actually coaxing the boss into certain move types to get access to body area can be frustrating and very difficult.
Overall a nice addition to the DS universe (especially the background story) and the extra items you find are very cool because they can be upgraded to a much higher standard than the original one's.
Scampie
#6194 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/03 14:12:06
Got both Weird Worlds and FTL... they're both like crack, and have stopped me playing other games.
FTL is slightly better than Weird Worlds - I think for the greater sense of purpose.
Both would benefit from expanded missions though.
#6195 posted by [194.95.77.36] on 2013/01/07 15:01:27
http://www.piratehearts.com/blog/g... is a really nice free (of cost) platform in CRT style.
Cocking Bullshit German Pansypants Gore-willies KillingFloor
#6196 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/01/07 19:07:43
I bought Killing Floor (omg yes I payed for a game) ages ago already. Now its unplayable due to bug with German nogore pussyversion which I am bound to my Steam account being Germany localized. Zeds are invisible.
Cock. Wanted to get some Coop action on last W/E
Even without a bug I hate the shit out of no gore versions.
Any other DE residents get around this somehow on Steam ?
Yeah
#6197 posted by Bal [90.2.108.33] on 2013/01/07 20:02:10
Get someone to gift you the non-german version on steam, that works it seems (negke does it).
Hmmm
#6198 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/01/08 02:55:02
This works on my German Steam account ?
Maybe I should create a UK steam account from UK VPN with bollocks UK address.
#6199 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/01/08 20:04:49
A game purchased on a German or Australian IP will be a cut/low violence version (if there is one), even if you install it from elsewhere. If you get a game from another country/IP or as a gift from someone in a non-restricted region, it'll be uncut regardless of which country you're in.
As for Killing Floor, apparently there's a trick you can give a try: open the game's config file in the corresponding Steam folder and add bdevgoreoverride=True in the [Engine.Engine] section.
Cacowards Finally Up, A While Ago Now, You Probly Know
#6200 posted by Drew [199.180.99.220] on 2013/01/09 04:54:22
holy shit THE EYE is so good!
KF
#6201 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/01/14 15:00:17
Awesome thanks Negke the bdevgoreoverride=True works lovely.
Also found a working clot only mutator. Hordes of easy fickle rotten flesh to mow down gleefully!
Spire
#6202 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/01/15 17:33:59
New game from Dustforce guys sounds pretty interesting, sounds like a speedrunning game.
http://hitboxteam.com/mystery-and-...
Sounds Good
#6203 posted by megaman [79.227.184.131] on 2013/01/16 12:18:06
but let's see. I sense failure: The one screenshot they're showing is a box room with no vertical variation :-). Also, "Reach the top of a tower" doesn't seem to be interesting... even to me.
Dunno
#6204 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/01/16 12:33:17
The previous game sure demanded some dexterity to play right, so making something good like this seems up their alley.
And the visual style looks good, a bit of a Zelda Windwaker feel.
Yeah, I Like The Visuals
#6205 posted by megaman [79.227.165.141] on 2013/01/17 10:48:31
so i'd say let's hope it will be a good game :D
Looks Neat
#6206 posted by than [180.146.61.60] on 2013/01/19 04:15:52
I wonder if they will add occulus rift support!
speaking of which, is anyone planning to get one early? They have announced developer versions for people who DIDN'T sponsor the kickstarter will be available to pre-order soon.
http://www.oculusvr.com/
Anyone planning on doing a Quake port? :) :) ;)
How Much Will It Cost?
#6207 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.188.226] on 2013/01/19 09:11:36
Dev Kit Is $300
#6208 posted by than [180.146.61.60] on 2013/01/19 10:12:21
so I guess it will be $300 or less.
Seems fairly reasonable. If they can get it down further I will definitely get one, but even at $300 I'm probably in assuming there is reasonable game support (or if someone does a port of Quake) and it's easy to dev for.
I Still Like Rimming...
#6209 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/19 15:05:08
<Chillaxingbler> dragonborn dlc out next month whoot woot
<Chillaxingbler> new area to explore
Laptop Suitable Games.
#6210 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/20 11:18:25
Hi I need some advice. I want a game to play on my laptop when I'm away from my desktop.
I've got a fairly basic / small laptop and I generally don't like the keyboard / small mouse with it, so I need something that is not too twitchy / super-fine-control based, i.e. probably not a normal action FPS.
I was thinking something like an older RPG or slower strategy game. Not sure what really. Fantasy/sci-fi definitely. No side-scrollers or boring real-world-sims.
Any ideas??
#6211 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/01/20 12:00:51
(Point'n'click) adventures
Fallout 1 & 2
Gothic 1 & 2 (older RPG)
Popcap games :P
Not Sauerbraten, Apparently.
#6212 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.119.179] on 2013/01/20 12:30:37
Legend Of Grimrock If You Turn The Gfx Down
#6213 posted by czg [83.253.12.62] on 2013/01/20 14:56:02
Finished
#6214 posted by nitin [203.206.116.82] on 2013/01/20 15:21:21
Mark of the Ninja, really liked it once I got the hang of the stealth mechanics. Cool story, cool atmosphere and nice non linear gameplay.
Shambler
#6215 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.40] on 2013/01/20 15:27:04
How powerful is the lappy?
Will it run XCom? Have you layed XCom - I liked it, but it's turn-based which makes life easier if you have a slighly less powerful rig I guess....
I'd recommend XCom to anyone who hasn't yet played it.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
#6216 posted by RickyT23 [94.7.222.40] on 2013/01/20 15:27:47
that is.
Zork
#6217 posted by rebb [80.141.105.139] on 2013/01/20 18:04:51
Okay.
#6218 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/20 20:37:03
Fallout 1 & 2 - could have potential.
XCom - similarly, could have potential.
Was wondering about Diablo3, Dungeon Siege (2), or similar?
Grimrock looks like shit. Gothics maybe too control-based.
Computer is i3 2.27GHz / 3 GB Ram / integrated graphics 128 Mb - 1 Gb memory.
Xcom
#6219 posted by DaZ [2.96.239.82] on 2013/01/20 21:34:16
is totally I game I would recommend on a laptop. Its very replayable and would run on a calculator these days.
Torchlight 2 is optimized for laptop use I believe, and is a pretty fun game.
#6220 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/01/20 23:21:22
Ultima 8 is another nice old RPG with easy controls - mouse-only if you want.
Xcom Etc.
#6221 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/21 10:15:03
Willl look into it....Torchlight2 sounds good to me, I remember looking at that.
What else? Ultima8 sounds a bit old? Prefer less mouse usage than more tbh.
Whut About.
#6222 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/21 13:21:18
Diablo 3?
#6223 posted by sock [200.82.42.123] on 2013/01/21 13:51:49
Its online only! (Stupid blizzard)
Go with Torchlight2, at least it works when you want to play it!
Try
#6224 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/21 13:54:12
FTL - not twitchy at all but a solid roguelike space captain thing. http://www.ftlgame.com/
Here's a point and click adventure:
http://www.sizefivegames.com/games...
Give Hotline Miami a try if you've got a mouse.
Grimrock is pretty good actually. Need to see if they've released any new content since I last played.
And there's always minecraft, if building scale models of monuments out of matchsticks is your thing. Sounds like it's become more interesting and adventury in recent times though.
#6225 posted by sock [200.82.42.123] on 2013/01/21 13:59:16
Minecraft can be fun if you set yourself limits to how you play. Like survive 5 nights without building a shelter or simply just keep walking east and see how long you can survive without building shelter or hiding up poles! Obviously if you die, then game over ...
Oh Yeah.
#6226 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/21 14:15:59
Forgot to mention, needs to be offline-compatible.
What are the chances of me being able to install steam on my laptop with the same account and run it offline?? Hmmm??
FTL and Minecraft don't appeal.
Check ...
#6227 posted by Spiney [91.177.163.50] on 2013/01/21 19:41:37
http://www.puppygames.net/
http://www.introversion.co.uk/
and there's always GOG.com ...
Steam should be able to run anything in offline mode. I haven't had any trouble with it anyway.
Well.
#6228 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/21 21:48:36
Downloaded n installed Torchlight 2. Will give it a try later. Thanks for advice homiez
Not For Bler
#6229 posted by Spirit [80.171.98.215] on 2013/01/21 22:42:40
Play Path of Exile's Open Beta on Jan 23.
Path of Exile will enter Open Beta on January 23, 2013. This is also when the last ever character wipe occurs!
Path of Exile is an online Action RPG being developed by Grinding Gear Games in New Zealand. Created by a group of hardcore gamers, Path of Exile was designed with an emphasis on character customisation, a strong item economy and deep game systems. View the new trailer here! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDF... )
The Open Beta version of the game (patch 0.10.0) introduces hundreds of changes including Path of Exile's third act - the City of Sarn. Act III includes 8 new tilesets, 18 completely new monster types and over 90 monster variations. When the Open Beta starts, all characters will be reverted back to level 1 so that it's a fresh playing field. After that point, we will never wipe characters or items again.
In April 2012 we launched a crowdfunding campaign on our website where users can purchase Supporter Packs with prices ranging from $10 to $1000. So far the community has contributed US$2.2m to the development of the game. This support has allowed us to grow our team and to polish Act III to a level we are very proud of. Thank you so much for the generous support!
We'd love to encourage you to join us for the Open Beta of Path of Exile. You've already got an account (the email address is the one that this email was sent to), so just download the game client from www.pathofexile.com and join us on January 23!
Last chance to buy Kiwi Supporter Packs.
The Closed Beta "Kiwi" packs are only available for a few more days!
If you'd like to receive an exclusive Kiwi bird pet, a Closed Beta supporter forum title or the best value option for designing a custom Unique Item, now is your last chance! We're changing how our supporter packs work once we enter Open Beta, and the existing ones are only available until then. We've put together a YouTube video explaining what each pack entitles you to.
We'd like to thank our community for their continued support - it's helping us grow Path of Exile into the game we've always wanted to play ourselves.
Hey Dickfuck.
#6230 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/21 23:15:39
I started looking into Path Of Wanxile and then realised it wasn't out yet.
Well Maybe You Should Have
#6231 posted by Spirit [89.204.138.74] on 2013/01/21 23:34:53
put on your slightly larger glasses.
Okay So...2013
#6232 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/22 12:48:36
What is exciting to look forward to?? Preferably in the FPS/3PS/RPG/RTS genres...
Crysis 3 (?)
Bioshock Infinite
SC2: Heart Of The Swarm
Skyrim: Dragonborn DLC
Dishonoured: unnamed DLCs
Dead Space 3
Tomb Raider reboot???
Googling reveals a lot of turd and not that many others??
Tomb Raider
#6233 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.243.224] on 2013/01/22 15:44:16
I played the last Tomb Raider game and was very pleasantly surprised. It was one of the few games which I finished, and it was great fun. So I'm most excited about the new Tomb Raider game.
Company Of Heroes 2
#6234 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/01/22 16:06:46
Is basically the only game I am excited for in 2013
Well...
#6235 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/22 16:47:50
Real-world warfare games don't count i.e. the glut of Modern Shitefuck: Bolloxfield 4 etc etc....except since COH is RTS then that's fine. I did try the original COH and it seemed okay but I doubt it will drag me away from HOTS...
#6236 posted by gb [46.142.32.25] on 2013/01/22 17:16:07
Old school RPG, fantasy, easy controls, ability to pause anytime during combat and issue orders by pressing Space (BG style):
Drakensang: The Dark Eye. Great game IMO, more fairytale like than grimey and dirty, but well made.
Don't confuse with Drakensang Online which is a MMO. The original Drakensang is a singleplayer RPG in the vein of Baldur's Gate, only in 3D.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (not technically a Tomb Raider title, more a sort of isometric puzzle offshoot that generally got relatively good marks).
Both of those have demos.
2013
#6237 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/01/22 19:22:51
Also coming: Amnesia - A Machine for Pigs, Aliens- Colonial Marines (probably best not to expect much), GTA 5
Off The Top Of My Head
#6238 posted by DaZ [92.19.159.169] on 2013/01/22 19:58:59
Aliens : CM
Survarium
Metro : last light
Bioshock Infinite
Batman Arkham xxx (whatever it will be)
Half-L.. oh who am I kidding.
Aliens:CM will probably end up being very disappointing for me because it looks like a very standard CoD style fps set in the Aliens universe rather than a tactical squad based based fps. We will see I guess. The "press X to survive alien attack" bullshit can fuck right off... meh.
Survarium and Metro are obvious choices. More tasty post-disaster soviet wastelands to explore :) Metro 2033 had its share of issues but it was one hell of an atmospheric game.
Bioshock infinite just looks fun. The combat reminds me of quake quite a lot. Lots of fast movement and broad range of weapons.
I'm hoping for a new Batman game, Arkham city was excellent however I think I enjoyed Asylum slightly more. Hard to say why, probably a better story in the 2nd half.
Half-Li...hahahahahahahah yeah right.
Yeah Did Consider ACM But...
#6239 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/22 22:00:23
...it looked like ass in the trailer.
Ooooh Metro looked cool in the trailer I saw and 2033 sounded pretty good, nice choice.
And Yeah, Bioshock Infinite.
#6240 posted by Shambler [86.25.164.245] on 2013/01/22 22:01:42
Totally reminds me of Quake. It's like Q1.5 almost. I hope Irrational got clearance from iD or have a good anti-plagarism lawyer.
DAFUK???
Machien For Pigs
#6241 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/22 22:03:13
Forgot about that...
This looks to be right up your alley Shambler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq...
Shamber...
#6242 posted by Preach [77.98.165.95] on 2013/01/22 22:22:07
Dunno how to break this to you
but I think your enter key is repeating
Those Fears
#6243 posted by DaZ [92.26.169.25] on 2013/01/24 19:32:37
About Aliens : CM. They are coming true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl7...
That's Like A Joke Video
#6244 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/24 20:01:55
"We're not just fighting for the human race, we're fighting for the title of baddest motherfuckers in the galaxy - that's a fight I intend to win"
The writers probably take Starship Troopers and the Colbert report at face value.
#6245 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/01/25 02:11:01
is it just me or do the graphics look pretty dated in that video? it looks a lot like chronicles of riddick.
Yup
#6246 posted by SleepwalkR [130.149.243.224] on 2013/01/25 10:50:55
Thought the same, necros.
Craptop Games.
#6247 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/01/27 22:54:52
Thanks for the recommendations. Played 6 hours or so of Torchlight 2 on various train journeys this weekend, definitely helped to pass the time. The style of the game definitely suits the laptop (even though I had to turn graphics settings down and my craptop doesn't allow anti-aliasing on it JAGGY YUCK), lots of dicking around with inventories, simple left and right clicking (my tiny mouse is a bit annoying tho), and classicly addictive time-sink RPG bollox. As far as the game goes, it's nothing special, mostly standard stuff (although as an Engineer with a fucking big cannon and a pet bulldog, it does have some character), but good at what it does, and pretty much exactly the sort of thing I was after (albeit a bit cartoony).
#6248 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/01/29 00:17:46
Yeah I thought the graphics looked a bit dated as well. Could be just the low quality trailer and the fact the whole thing is fast paced action scenes. Show some motherfucker scenery from the planet. It better not be all steel corridors.
Gearbox though, so must be good.
Dota 2
#6249 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2013/01/29 22:54:24
it looks like i have five copies of dota 2 to give away, if anyone wants a copy post here, etc etc.
Unf.
#6250 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/01/31 10:39:17
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/b...
Says it all.
Looks
#6251 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/31 15:32:55
Like typical xbox stuff. The graphics are a bit dated, but more than that the animation looks pretty crude..
The aliens in the films move like lightning fast mercury, here they look more like stop motion. The marines as well look pretty wooden.
The formula for the gameplay has been done quite a bit, (in the same series, and by others like Natural Selection)so should be pretty solid.
And Now
#6252 posted by DaZ [92.26.172.142] on 2013/01/31 18:58:34
a good trailer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRj...
:D
#6253 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/01/31 19:01:40
AH HA
#6254 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/01/31 22:09:33
Was just about to post that Daz, damn right, it looks very cool, the whole style and theme is really intriguing. Even tho it looks scripted to fuckery....could just be the trailer tho. Either way....excited.
#6255 posted by Spiney [91.177.104.167] on 2013/02/01 21:45:01
the scriptedness is a major turn off for me also.
I have friends who love that kind of stuff, I just feel like a rat in some experiment. You know, like daily life...
#6256 posted by Spiney [91.177.104.167] on 2013/02/01 21:46:27
( then again, it certainly scores major points for breaking out of the typical FPS rut )
I Don't Know
#6257 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/01 22:14:42
I quite liked the scripted sequence in the first one where that guy challenges to break your conditioning, but you don't.
Nicely illustrated a plot point, and without any quicktime in sight.
This post was flagged as spam.
#6258 posted by a spammer [41.178.148.48] on 2013/02/03 17:52:03
Skyrim 2 Screenshots!!
#6259 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/02/07 11:23:33
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...
...kinda...
/me sets bloom from 250% to 10%
#6260 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/02/07 12:56:57
those were nice... except the sheep look like they were from Hexen2 with some normal maps stuck onto them.
Fuck
#6261 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/07 13:10:40
That's not bloom, that's glare.
Bitchin Bout Witchin
#6262 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2013/02/07 13:11:03
I know it's passe to whine about bloom and lens flare but it's hard to resist in this case. Post processing has finally gone full retard, they've put anamorphic flares on a fantasy setting RPG. That town looks like a fucking Rihanna video.
I'd like to have an opinion on the engine / art assets but I literally can't see either.
#6263 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2013/02/07 13:56:57
my OCD took over and I tried to approximate what those shots might look like if the grading was done by a rational human being...
boat
town
cool pub
Town Still Looks Shit
#6264 posted by nitin [203.206.100.22] on 2013/02/07 14:07:51
but the other two look better.
I quite liked Witcher 1 looks wise, havent seen 2 but this looks too candyesque.
Off Target RTS Article:
#6265 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/02/08 12:51:17
http://www.littletinyfrogs.com/art...
Two fallacies in this:
Firstly confuses graphical design with gameplay design and doesn't distinguish between the two for the main points.
Secondly fails to realise that beyond a certain point graphics are relatively irrelevant in RTSes because you can't play the game zoomed in enough to see them, nor slowly enough to see them. You need a broad viewpoint and quick playing speed to play the game. SC2's graphics are often excellent but there's no time to see their true quality when you're actually playing.
Future of RTS I dunno. Innovative gameplay ideas, strong themes, mixing with other genres.
Hm
#6266 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/08 13:50:14
The article buys in completely with the technology arms race ideals - you splash out on brand new hardware and need games that push the new technology, to justify spending the money in the first place.
I like RTS games a lot, and the more macro format experimented with by Relic in DOW2 was pretty cool. I think they went overboard on the RPG stuff and storytelling - it was nice I suppose, but untenable as a long term venture.
Something like that but more stripped down (no FMV story, RPG mechanics made optional), with a campaign generator and, maybe, an editor, would be the mutts nuts.
#6267 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/02/08 14:18:17
We have done everything we can within 2 GB of memory and 2 cores
That is literally the most ignorant thing I have ever read.
#6268 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2013/02/08 14:43:44
In large-scale RTS, clarity is by far the most important aspect of graphics. Being able to identify a individual unit as realistic is hugely secondary to being able to identify which units are yours, what type they are, and what they're doing. Functionality is far more important to the art style than graphical realism.
For most cases, isometric (blah, axonometric) projection is better than having a vanishing point when most of the action takes place in a 2d plane. Sorry if that seems quaint, but it's true.
Planetary Annihilation is a great example of when a regular 3d perspective is the right choice. The combat is 3d, you can run all the way round a planet and launch bombs from the moon. 2d wouldn't work. Congrats to them on developing such a clear and attractive visual style also.
It really grinds my gears when MORE REALISTIC GRAFIXX and BIGGAR SCOPE AND MORE TANKS are accepted as non-retarded premises for making the best RTS. What interesting tactical depth do you uncover by making a player struggle to spin a thousand plates at once?
...and when will anyone learn that graphical realism should match the realism of the game behaviour and not just be increased because we can? No one complains when Minecraft isn't realistic, because it never oversells the complexity of the game world.
Of course that cube pig is going to act like a fucking idiot, and it's not jarring at all. They can mate (whilst being of undetermined gender) and babies appear, and you can hit them and they turn into pork chops, but if a guard doesn't recognise you in Skyrim and their dialog tree gets repetitive, it sucks because that guard looks 90% like an actual human. We used to hang out bro! Don't you remember when I teabagged that dragon?
Well.
#6269 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/02/08 16:06:23
I do agree with MOAR TANKS!
Or preferably BIGGGER TANKS!
I'm a total gfx whore but RTS is one genre where you can't appreciate MOAR GFX per se....although you can appreciate certain aspects (worlds, themes, art direction)....and there will be aspects of graphic realism that can be appreciated at super-fast-blink-n-you-miss-it speeds...
Ha
#6270 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2013/02/08 16:18:54
I did write that and think... um, MOAR/BIGGAR TANKS sounds pretty sweet actually. To clarify, I mean, commanding a increasingly huge number of units isn't of itself good.
FTL
#6271 posted by starbuck [92.237.129.204] on 2013/02/08 16:34:47
been playing this for a evening or two and it comes with a massive gold star of recommendation from me. I might even award the Captain Janeway hat of general space game achievement.
It's quite like Star Control, if you remember that. You captain a ship with a few crew members, and warp jump from point to point on a little map of a sector until you get to the exit. Graphics are super basic, basically a top down view of your ship, and maybe a top down view of an enemy ship if there's one about.
Sounds pretty lame I'm sure, but the gameplay is balls-out fun. You command your little crewmates to man the shield room, or the weapons room, and when the baddies turn up you can board them with teleporters, or disrupt their shields and target life support. You can breach the hull and send in firebombs that kill the crew, or escape by light jump if you're losing the battle. Tactics so far seem really adaptive, and do a fantastic job of making you think like a real ships captain.
There's a lot of scavenging of scrap and using that to build upgrades to your ship, building new rooms, trading to get new crewmembers and weapons, or robot drones that can repair your ship or board another.
The roguelike element works pretty nicely, as the game is short but very hard. It's a great time to try out different approaches, and luck of the draw of what items you pick up has created a pretty unique set of playthroughs. I suck at this game though, and expect I will for a while.
When I do get a small victory and have lead my ship well though, I feel like an absolute badass. Sometimes I pretend I'm Cap'n Reynolds from Firefly. And then I get an erection. In space no one can hear you cream your pants.
#6272 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/08 16:35:50
We have done everything we can within 2 GB of memory and 2 cores
That is literally the most ignorant thing I have ever read.
I think I've got some sort of waxy mental build up which blocks such internet shit from registering in the forebrain now.
That Colonial Marines Trailer
#6273 posted by Spiney [91.177.0.254] on 2013/02/11 00:21:32
made me think about how awesome a Thunderbirds FPS would be.
I Made A Planetside 2 Short
#6274 posted by DaZ [2.96.239.7] on 2013/02/11 15:33:25
I guess it's a trailer? Anyway SOE added the ability to hide your hud + weapon in the latest patch which makes this game ridiculously filmable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO...
Well I Played The First Couple Of Missions Of Aliens: Colonial Marines
#6275 posted by RickyT23 [86.150.193.20] on 2013/02/12 10:34:58
And I liked it!
It taste like cherry chapstick.
"Ricky Is The Target Audience"
#6276 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/02/12 23:30:49
Seriously, though: No wonder this game gets such poor ratings. The graphics are fairly dated, but that's not even the problem. It's a mediocre military/sci-fi shooter that has Alien models instead of soldiers, typical generic gameplay and a ridiculously bad AI. It would probably pass as one of those games, but it since it takes on the Alien franchise and thus carries a lot of baggage, invoking expectations which it fails to satisfy, it has to be judged on different terms.
The strength of the Alien theme, the idea of facing a superior species, uncompromising and extemely deadly, is reduced to absurdity. Here, they are slow and weak fragbait that you can push away and QTE to death. Or maybe just walk past if the AI decides not to notice you. And what about the acid blood?
Admittedly, the other Alien FPS games, especially the latest AvP, weren't particularly masterpieces either, but this one manages to set the bar to the lowest possible point. I didn't expect much, especially after that dumbass trailer, and was ready to blame it all on contemporary console bollocks/decline of the industry blahetc, but this game doesn't even seem to live 'up' to that standard.
A proper Alien game needs the tension and suspense of being alone in a dark maze-like sci-fi environment under constant pressure; always having to be 200% aware of the surroundings and a single fuckup means instant death. Perhaps something along the lines of a blend between Stalker and Amnesia. Unlikely to happen, though.
Dead Space 3
#6277 posted by negke [31.18.172.250] on 2013/02/12 23:56:03
This one was okay. No improvement over DS2, but not worse, either. It probably could have used more variation in the environments. Apart from that I don't really have any negative impressions or complaints - though neither do I remember any part of it as special or outstanding. Gameplay was fun in parts and mostly routine. The game seems to lack one or more clearly distinguishable or definite 'highlights'. At least it concluded the story (unfortunately still with a backdoor for sequels).
Making some levels optional missions was a good choice considering the overall picture. Those levels reminded me of the side missions in Rage, they consist basically of grinding for loot and a few bits of background story.
Surprisingly long play time overall.
So metl, which levels did you work on? There were a couple of Rubiconish areas!?
Actually
#6278 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/13 02:37:43
I think A:CM is quite good. I found one reviewer that gave it a 4/5. The graphics are a little dated, but the AI is quite good if you put the game on hard, and the level design is decent. Very decent.
I can honestly say that I don't regret paying £30 for it. The graphics in AvP we're a little bit more modern looking. But not by much. But the characters and story in A:CM is better. The voice acting is better too. The musical score is well implemented.
I don't think it's bad at all TBH. I've been enjoying it. I've heard that the 360 version looks bad or is buggy or something. But playing it on the PC here (with Anti Aliasing forced on the GPU which runs nice and smooth too), it seems perfectly OK to me. And the levels are pretty, well designed, crafty in places and BIG.
Maybe I'm biased. I like Aliens.
Who Here Doesn't
#6279 posted by SleepwalkR [92.231.104.16] on 2013/02/13 09:26:53
like Aliens?
Negke:
#6280 posted by metlslime [24.130.203.37] on 2013/02/13 09:43:35
I built prologue and chapters 14-15 start to finish, but i also did the LD block for 10, 11, 12, 16, and parts of 17 & 18, but those levels were handed off to other LDs after that.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
#6281 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/14 14:05:08
http://i.minus.com/i212wUcwcU0eE.g...
Fail cake!
Strangely, Those Guys Are Quite Dangerous
#6282 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/14 20:00:02
I got killed by one at least three times.
:(
Ehhhh...
#6283 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/02/14 20:13:42
I thought the gay Alien was Ricky playing in DM...
#6284 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/02/14 20:45:04
http://gifsound.com/?gif=http%3A%2...
Ha
#6285 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/14 21:16:22
By the way; http://www.indieroyale.com/
SS3 for $6 and a few other indie games thrown in.
SYSTEM SHOCK 3!?!?!
#6286 posted by megaman [79.219.119.106] on 2013/02/14 22:20:01
oh.
Terrible
#6287 posted by sock [181.1.88.179] on 2013/02/14 22:57:11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annot...
I still can't believe that a developer did this, it looks like all the dynamic lights and lots of the decals were removed from the final game. Maybe it was some performance pass because it was a multi-platform release. The demo looks amazing, the final game is worse!
Heh
#6288 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/14 23:21:44
Now there's talk of an 8GB patch. That's crazy - the game is only 6.8GB or something. Still - maybe it will put a bunch of things back in that have apparently been stripped.
I must admit that Sock's video shocked me a little. You don't really notice that stuff but when you see it side by side you realise what you're missing.
It's like they accidentally gave everybody else the WiiU version, and just canned the PC version completely. And now they apparently are cannign the Wii version completely.
#6289 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/02/15 04:58:56
maybe they decided to not to risk falling into the doom3 trap where everyone hated how dark it was. the demo was much darker.
hadley's hope was completely ruined though.
More ALIEnS
#6290 posted by sock [181.1.88.179] on 2013/02/15 11:54:29
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vi...
Interesting Video
#6291 posted by starbuck [92.239.81.184] on 2013/02/15 12:28:09
I would guess it's performance / multi-platform woes. I think it's common to run your tradeshow demos on a beast of a PC and sort out the performance later. The art looks damn good, bring on the next console generation and hopefully the rendering / post-processing will stop letting the side down.
Er
#6292 posted by starbuck [92.239.81.184] on 2013/02/15 12:28:49
that was in response to the comparison video, obvs
Serious Sam 3
#6293 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/15 12:33:39
So I don't play any modern shooters; here's some firsrt impressions.
Too many mechanics, some good most not, diluting each other.
Sprint buttons suck.
The bullet storm style melee insta-kill button is meh. Especially when there's a satisfying weapon (hammer) that does the same job.
Iron sights make it harder to aim.
Enemy design is varied, some are great... but again they threw in a generic shotgun trooper who could be from any game for no particular reason.
The bigger an enemy is the better it's AI needs to be - not the case here :[
Where are the hordes?
Spiders are cool, although the larger version is made pointless by the melee instakill.
Despite all the niggles the game isn't broken, just has rough edges and seems to have lost some of its soul (hordes). Still the core mechanics feel good, and there's plenty of variety in the things to shoot at.
Ok
#6294 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/15 18:10:58
Hordes are back, all is forgiven.
The melee mechanic now makes sense although sprint is still meh.
Dystopian Space Ship Porn
#6295 posted by DaZ [2.96.229.167] on 2013/02/17 07:06:00
aka Dead Space 3.
Only about 2 hours in so far but daaaaamn son dis shit is off da hook yo. Etc etc.
The weapon system is just fucking awesome. Seriously whoever designed that needs to be given the videogame equivalent of an oscar. So many hilarious combinations and I'm sure I'll unlock more as I get further in.
Gameplay wise it's pretty much standard DS so far. Don't think I've seen anything particularly new added there, aside from the weapon system.
It's the constant tense atmosphere that really makes the game shine, it's done so brilliantly just like the other two titles in the series. There are moments of horror but mostly it's a slow burning dread that permeates just about activity in the game. Pressing a button in this game is scary, haha.
So far things seem super easy on normal difficulty. I've got health kits, ammo and stasis packs coming out of my arse and can craft 300x more if needed at the work benches. I think I really should have picked hard! I decided against it as I'm quite slow playing with a 360 pad, but in hindsight I think I would have been just fine. Tip for you lot! :)
Now go map Quake metl :)
Oh Shit
#6296 posted by DaZ [2.96.229.167] on 2013/02/17 12:35:04
Visceral Games just need to make an Aliens 3rd person survival horror game and I'll be in heaven.
#6297 posted by sock [181.1.88.179] on 2013/02/18 02:43:09
http://www.gamefront.com/destiny-n...
studio’s co-founder Jason Jones reasoned that the PC would not be a suitable platform for the first person shooter simply because nobody plays shooters with a mouse and keyboard.
Is the PC FPS market really a thing of the past?
#6298 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/02/18 03:06:25
even if it is, that's still a flimsy reason not to develop for the pc since you can plug any usb controller into one.
What BS
#6299 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/18 03:50:32
Online shooters are evolving, even for the PC.
Look at Blacklight, Planetside and Natural Selection 2. All better than Halo, all modern shooters, all on the PC, all played by skilled players with keyboards and mice. The dude is obviously high on glue. He probably owns an iPhone.....
What...
#6300 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.125] on 2013/02/18 10:36:16
...a fucking bellend. It's demeaning to even consider replying to someone who is so self-evidently wrong, but Far Cry 3, Crysis 2, Rage, Dishonoured, Deus Ex, MW3, BLOPS2, BF3, TF2, Quakelive, etc etc DAFUCK.
So they made Halo shit and dumbed down and consolised, well done. Fucking choads. Mouse and kb is still the proper control system.
#6301 posted by Spirit [80.187.110.100] on 2013/02/18 14:34:44
http://xkcd.com/386/
rage and quakelive are commercial failures. and the others are consolised games anyways.
Subtext: Piracy Kills Revenues In The PC FPS Market
#6302 posted by Spiney [91.177.56.185] on 2013/02/18 17:10:20
Snake Oil Salesman
#6303 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/18 18:11:52
As Spiney suggests, what he's really saying is "we lose money on PC".
But crediting your customers with intelligence is a no-no; they only care about teh awesome, not facts.
Considering he's pitching the comment to XBLA trolls, I spose that's fair enough. Just makes him sound like a high on glue ... self-evidently wrong ... bellend to anyone with even half a brain cell.
Honest Version:
#6304 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/02/18 18:15:10
Jason Jones: "We can't compete in the PC FPS market."
CEO: "You're fired."
Look At Blacklight, Planetside 2 And Natural Selection 2 Y'all
#6305 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/18 21:31:00
Seriously.
Last time I looked those games we're doing pretty well. Fuck controllers!
More Like
#6306 posted by Bungie [178.70.205.153] on 2013/02/19 02:03:09
"no one bought our Halos on PC"
Spirit
#6307 posted by jt_ [68.42.82.10] on 2013/02/19 06:59:39
you're totally right, tf2, fc3, dishonored, bf3, etc are totally consolised.
Battlefield BC2, BF3
#6308 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/02/19 15:50:53
Have console versions, but if you play with a controller on the PC version, you're gonna die.
This One About The Wheel Of Time Game
#6309 posted by spy [178.88.2.86] on 2013/02/21 16:18:40
is there some way to increase the amount of terangreal to carry with you?
For example there are only 30 or something that lavaballs things you can hold to your inventory the same time, picking up additional lavaballs it's a waste of ammo
and the monsters are fecking brutal
#6310 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/02/22 01:28:11
Yeah, I really did not enjoy that game. Unreal bot AI monsters + weak weapons + low health...
Loved the maps, but had to cheat my way through it. :S
Wheel Of Time
#6311 posted by Kinn [86.164.250.110] on 2013/02/22 11:36:42
Heh, the book was so naff and cheesy (I only read the first one), it kind of put me off trying that game.
Wheel Of Time
#6312 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/02/22 12:27:58
The multiplayer on it was super fun though, there was so much fun tricks to do with the different powers, for instance you could throw yourself in lava, and shoot a switch-place thingy in mid flight to take an opponents place, so they'd suddenfly find themselves drowning in lava.
Wish I could play some more of it, was quite original and different from your regular multiplayer FPS.
The single player seemed fairly average though yeah, like the books.
Wheel Of Time.
#6313 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/02/22 13:00:15
Great game, good gameplay, cool environments, cool atmosphere, was really nice to have a proper fantasy "shooter" at the time (still a rare breed).
No problems with the gameplay on normal skill either.
I'm With Shambler
#6314 posted by nitin [203.206.118.140] on 2013/02/26 14:07:17
some of the maps made that game, Shadar Logoth is still one of my favorite settings in a game (think Willem was responsible for it too).
First few maps are a bit meh though from memory.
Gears Story Writing Process
#6315 posted by sock [186.108.77.104] on 2013/02/28 21:27:39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXN...
Lol
#6316 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2013/03/01 04:50:45
what story?
(Cant access the video at work so if the video is not serious, thent touche)
Is This The Story That Makes The Game Fun??
#6317 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/01 11:10:46
LOLOLwhoamIkidding.
No chance of that.
Does look prettier than usual tho. Even tho the marine shuffling screen fuck does make me want to barf my coffee up.
#6318 posted by Spirit [80.187.110.71] on 2013/03/01 12:31:20
angry birds star wars is fucking awesome!
I Saw That
#6319 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/01 13:53:49
The tie fighter (?) bird made me laugh - tap and it starts blasting the scenery with lasers.
I've Been Asking
#6320 posted by spy [95.56.138.196] on 2013/03/01 15:16:45
Willem sometime ago about WOT; he's the man behind that game. Level design is pretty sick. The most inspiring i've seen to any game
#6321 posted by [Kona] [165.228.175.202] on 2013/03/03 11:14:40
yeah the first time I played Shadar Logoth (that's the blue town right) in the demo was awesome. fantastic for it's time and something i'll probably always remember.
it was a few years later I got to play the full game, must have been around 2000/2001, but the levels in the game got a bit blander as it went on. a bit hard too, i had to cheat i think.
SimQueue
#6322 posted by sock [186.108.77.104] on 2013/03/05 11:26:44
Probably best to wait until the game is out for a while - SimCity Day 1
Tomb Raider Guardian Of Light
#6323 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/05 14:28:20
So, got this as a gift from someone with a duplicate.
A lot of fun. Possibly the first game where I preferred using the controller to the keyboard/mouse.
The levels look nice and have good level design, with some nice logic puzzles to solve midst the shooting stuff.
The enemies aren't so great - their AI is pretty weak and they're a bit samey so far, will see if this picks up. The good point here is that (playing on hard) it feels challenging and yet fair. Doing something stupid kills me pretty quickly, but doesn't leave me feeling cheated. So the overall gameplay is pretty good.
The nice thing about the game is that its not trying to be ten different games at once. It's just a straight forward top down shooter/puzzler. There are upgrades and extras, but I haven't bothered with those and don't feel like I need to yet.
The secondary weapons are kind of tacked on as well - I kill almost everything with the spear.
Will have to try the coop mode.
I Really Liked Guardian Of Light
#6324 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/05 17:28:29
It's not exactly groundbreaking, but it's refreshingly unpretentious. You were right, it's just a big dumb shooty shoot knife knife game, and that's fine.
That List ...
#6325 posted by sock [186.108.77.104] on 2013/03/05 19:37:28
I wish this was true, I have been waiting for a very long time.
Yeah
#6326 posted by Bal [90.2.46.230] on 2013/03/05 20:27:41
Looking forward to that, hope they stay true to the Thief gameplay.
It must have been rough for them when the Dishonored marketing started up, and then when it came out, definitely seems like they were going in a similar direction in some aspects of design etc.
Re: 6322
#6327 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/03/06 02:14:51
When is always online crap going to die? :\
When Everyone Bands Together And Stop Buying Those Games!
#6328 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/03/06 02:55:40
i.e; never! :D
#6329 posted by Spiney [91.177.68.192] on 2013/03/09 20:59:29
Maybe when they realize everyone pirates the game just so they don't have to deal with the stupid DRM.
#6330 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/03/09 21:15:41
ha. if anything, that'll just make them squeeze tighter until they've alienated everyone.
#6331 posted by Spiney [91.177.68.192] on 2013/03/09 21:39:26
Well, there's your awnser :P Unfortunately there will always an influx of younger customers who don't know any better. It's kind of depressing really... soon it'll all be old hags complaining about this kind of stuff while the younger generation unknowingly embraces it. Digital distribution is only accelerating the process.
When Is Always Online Crap Going To Die?
#6332 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/10 10:53:35
When companies realise that in this day and age, internet use is a rarity and very few people are connected to it, let alone with permanent cable/broadband/DSL.
Crysis 2 - A Few Hours In.
#6333 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/11 13:46:29
Yup that's "2", I'm behind the times.
Pros:
+ Graphics are good.
+ Cityscape well done, if empty.
+ Gameplay works well as usual in CryX series.
+ Fog / hazy effects particularly good, and enhance atmosphere.
Cons:
- Extremely consolised as follows:
- Linear levels boring.
- Too few options to explore around
- City setting is less interesting than island stuff, less involvment too.
- Suit voice is very annoying.
- Tactical options on HUD are silly handing-it-on-a-plate nonsense.
- Too broken up with cutscenes, intermissions, transmissions, etc.
- Lots of things to pick up and fuck all you can do with them.
- Otherwise limited and haphazard interactions i.e. can only shoot half the lights, can't shoot infected, etc etc.
Hmmm.
That Sounds Like The Opposite Of The Open Endedness On Offer
#6334 posted by nitin [180.149.192.139] on 2013/03/12 00:58:29
in Crysis 1?
#6335 posted by Spiney [91.177.59.78] on 2013/03/12 02:48:46
Crysis 2 was like being trapped in a Michael Bay film. Let's never do that again!
#6336 posted by Spiney [91.177.59.78] on 2013/03/12 02:51:20
The suit specialization mechanic is like the worst gameplay idea ever. I don't get why they build an entire game around such a dull gimmick.
I Thought It Was Relaly Good In Crysis 1
#6337 posted by nitin [180.149.192.139] on 2013/03/12 07:05:23
because you could do whatever you wanted in whichever mode you preferred.
Yup.
#6338 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/12 11:06:39
Definitely a great gameplay mechanic. Even if it becomes a bit easy to rely on cloak.
The suit works almost as well in Crysis2. Power (Speed/Jump) is used automatically by default, Cloak and Armour are toggleable. Armour is a nice effect. Heat-vision also uses suit energy. Doesn't feel quite a slick switching between the 3 main ones but it's still good.
Console Streaming
#6339 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/12 11:21:51
Crysis 2+3 were streamlined for consoles. Easier controls (controller), combined suit powers, smaller levels (memory footprint), less AI (slower processor)
The Metacritic ratings for 2 and 3 are lower, but I think that is partly to do with franchise fatigue. Crytek are quoted as saying they think 3 is their best version. Personally I preferred the raw level design of the first game. One thing that is always consistent with Crysis is that it looks really beautiful.
I Must Be The Rotten Egg In The Basket
#6340 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/03/12 15:53:29
I enjoyed Crysis 2 quite a bit, a solid shooter and had some nice flow during the firefights. And the aliens weren't frustrating to fight against unlike the first Crysis. Sure it's not nearly as open ended as once was, but they still offered a number of choices in the large arenas. Until you find out the cloak makes things way too easy of course! Crysis 2 felt less like a corridor shooter than other titles and the aliens made combat refreshing, since I'm not just shooting humans 99% of the game.
Then again, I don't expect much from the FPS genre anymore these days.
#6341 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/03/12 15:55:29
*other titles outside Crysis
I'm With Quakis
#6342 posted by DaZ [2.99.126.134] on 2013/03/12 18:03:49
I really enjoyed 2 & 3.
If you go in expecting more Crysis 1 (Which of course is reasonable!) then it's probably disappointing. But as a stand alone game I think it is just fine.
Of course there is stuff in there I dislike (most of which Shambler covered) but the moment to moment shooter combat and the way the levels are laid out are quite excellent. There is always a different approach you can try and it's very simple to completely change up your play style in the middle of a firefight.
I personally never really understood all the remarks about the "freedom" the first game allowed you. Sure you could come at a base from any direction, but if you decided to pick a direction and start walking, you very quickly find yourself in an un-authored wilderness with absolutely nothing to do. I agree that some (if not most) areas in C2 funnel you into them from a specific direction at the start but you always have the option to cloak and essentially pick where you want to engage.
I also truly prefer the implementation of the suit in C2, it's effortless to get into the mode that you need and making strength/speed modes automatic is a great idea. While I do miss the super-speed from C1 I think everything else was handled much better.
Crysis 2 Has Better Enemies Than Crysis
#6343 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.182] on 2013/03/12 19:17:33
The Seth 'soldiers' are really cool, IMO they look smarter and scarier than the robotic enemies from Crysis (which looked like the sentinels from the Matrix). And Crysis isn't really less linear than Crysis 2.
Christ Ricky.
#6344 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/12 21:41:11
No offense but you need to think more before offering opinions.
Crysis is a LOT less linear than C2, that's a simple fact. C1 had more open levels with more directions you could play through them and approach targets and objectives. Whether that's a problem or not is a different matter but that's how it is.
More:
+ Aliens are pretty cool and a good challenge.
- Chopping between different locations with no sense of continuity really sucks.
And
#6345 posted by megaman [79.227.137.238] on 2013/03/12 23:42:53
crysis "1" was a bit step down from far cry already.
#6346 posted by Spiney [91.177.59.78] on 2013/03/13 00:19:23
Have to agree with mega, wish they'dd just improved upon Far Cry -- which is also rather so-so at times.
Crysis universe feels really bland to me. Far Cry was outright silly but at least it was somewhat original in it's weird way... etc etc, blah ...
Maybe if you could use a suit power for more than 2 seconds it could be fun. Having to crouch behind a tree waiting for your battery to reload every 10 seconds gets boring fast. It's a bit like having to switch to the flashlight in Doom3 because you can't see shit 50% of the time.
Any more works of art to bash? :P
FC & Crysis.
#6347 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/13 00:27:05
Brilliant games. Rare combinations of looking damn cool and getting the gameplay to work and flow smoothly. Suit energy running low is all part of it.
The Problem With The Suit Powers
#6348 posted by megaman [79.227.137.238] on 2013/03/13 10:11:47
is that it kind of feels like "oh, here, we consolified the game, but you can choose what we consolify!".
Or maybe i'm just really disgusted by the way modern games often make you ridiculously powerful in a shitty, super hero way. I think that's something that's commonly misunderstood: I don't want to be the hero of the game, i want that my decisions/actions make me the hero.
Just let my gameplay actions speak for themselves. In the same way a hardcore quake player rips you apart when you join the server.
And the suit gives you super hero status, for free, for a limited time. Everything i do with it is just because of the free super power. that just feels bad, and nothing like hitting triple air rockets (in q3, because rockets are fucking slow there).
And don't do it in the story, please. I can't stand that shit. That was probably the best thing about max payne, he wasn't the hero in the story. He just did ridiculous things during the gameplay. Of course they fucked it all up because they portrayed him in such a 16-year-old "wow that's a cool guy!" way, but yeah.
Crysis 'is Too' Linear
#6349 posted by RickyT23 [86.149.175.67] on 2013/03/13 12:44:41
WTF are you talking about?!?! Smables?!?!!
Non-Linear:
GTA
T.E.S.
Fallout
Far Cry 2 and 3
Dead Island
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Linear:
Crysis/Warhead
Crysis 2
Crysis 3
Far Cry (1)
I'm sorry to burst your bubble but they are linear as fuck. Some of the areas are pretty big, but the game is certainly linear. You have to complete the objectives in a linear order, you cannot go back to areas you have already been to once you have left an area.
I mean Crysis is no less linear than CoD games for example.
Hogwash.
#6350 posted by Kinn [109.151.248.3] on 2013/03/13 14:56:10
I mean Crysis is no less linear than CoD games for example.
Balderdash. "Linearity" is not a binary property. You have to talk about the granularity-of-the-linearity'ity, and I think everyone can agree that in terms of mission/story-progressionity, Crysis is linear in the sense that CoD is linear, but when you look at lower levels of granular titty - e.g. consider a typical combat setpiece in either of those games - it's obvious that Crysis gives you more options, more space to navigate, just more ways of slicing that particular sausage than CoD does.
I Agree.
#6351 posted by RickyT23 [86.149.175.67] on 2013/03/13 15:25:13
On some level.
But Crysis 2 has massive areas too, that you can approach the objective from multiple angles. I just don't see how Crysis 2 is more linear than Crysis 1.
Crysis...
#6352 posted by Spiney [91.177.59.78] on 2013/03/13 21:13:32
I think the cityscape just throws more vertical walls at you. It compensates with z-axis up to a point. You also can't sneak through bushes all the time which give cover even in a fairly open environment.
Maybe I need to replay the games before being too judgemental. But they're just not my cup of tea I'm afraid. Pretty though, no denying that.
Ricky
#6353 posted by nitin [180.149.192.139] on 2013/03/14 02:55:42
lol. Linear Game is not the same as Linear Gameplay.
#6354 posted by Spiney [91.177.59.78] on 2013/03/14 11:51:44
Nitin has a point, there's different levels of granularity. Having a long corridor with baddies jumping out at you is different from having a square with buildings you can clear in a different order. Likewise you can have linear levels but a non-linear overworld, etc...
What They All Said.
#6355 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/14 12:21:21
C1 you play through the levels in a linear order, but the levels themselves are relatively non-linear.
C2 you play through the levels in a linear order, and the levels themselves are fairly linear (due to small size and city landscape).
Maybe the "massive areas" appear later on in the game though...
Still Mostly Linear.
#6356 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/17 23:52:19
As in most levels have a couple of parallel paths that do pretty much the same thing...
...but also pretty cool too. Definitely ramps up throughout the game, both in the spectacle of the ruined city and the intensity of the gameplay. Some of the alien fights are pretty fucking hard....in the Central Station Walker boss fight I felt anything but a god-like superhuman. As Crysis Of Duty 2 on rails shooter it works pretty damn well indeed.
Also had a great moment when I nearly got jumped by a Seph on a rooftop and got alerted by his shadow from the evening sun and shot the fucker in the face before he buttraped me....don't thnk I've had such a good demonstration of the possible gameplay benefits of a pure graphical enhancement before...
#6357 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/03/18 09:10:19
Some of the alien fights are pretty fucking hard....in the Central Station Walker boss fight I felt anything but a god-like superhuman.
Ugh, that was probably the most frustrating part for me too. Forgot how many times I died there...
#6348 Megaman
#6358 posted by Killes [195.212.29.186] on 2013/03/18 10:33:58
That, exactly that.
There might be a challenge or 2 but I hate games where your super kinda overpowered superhero.
It just feels like a whole setup to offer cheap easy thrills - which are great and probably work well enough if your new to gamers / a young kid but it really makes it feel like a total waste of time playing the game.
No challenge, or artificial moments of simple challenge which boils down to a little timing. Hardly any skill input, just like following a formula to advance to the next "scene".
It has to be wrong if I don't feel like i got any better at the game. To me the fun of playing games is always somehow getting better at it personally - that is what allows to match the increased difficulty coming up, a failure to improve becomes a failure to progress without cheating.
And thats fine, thats what we call a GAME. Games are to be won or lost. Not just won and thats it. OMG that makes me think fuck Prey so hard for its death/respawn system. I puked a little at that.
If you want something else may I suggest a movie ?
And if you cant take the defeat then cheat. Please don't just make all games feel like they are on a constant cheat mode just to not irk some dysfunctional people...
/rant over
Aye.
#6359 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/18 10:36:13
It was a bit too much IMO, compared to elsewhere. The second Walker you fight in a better arena with only 2-3 Seph appearing through the fight, compared to the "fuckloads" in the station. Switching from zoomed in RL to zoomed out machine gun at the same time as switching on and off armour mode to let it recharge enough and dodging while it recharges, jesus.
Also.
#6360 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/18 10:37:51
Just FYI this kinda negates Killes point above, not as an argument but the suit is not OP in the last half of the game.
Play Dark Souls You Fuckers
#6361 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 10:57:28
It's Seriously The Best Game Made In Fucking Ages
#6362 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 11:03:06
Dark Souls
#6363 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/03/18 11:09:28
Agreed, it's quite brilliant, but mgah is it hard.
Dark Souls
#6364 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/18 11:24:05
Its not really hard, try the previous title Demons Souls if you want to play a hard game that constantly punishes you! Dark Souls has lots of new mechanics to forgive mistakes. I still play Dark Souls, I rarely play games much after completing them, but the first half of the game is just so good and the boss battles are awesome.
#6365 posted by Kinn [81.129.126.161] on 2013/03/18 12:10:20
i have both dark souls and demons souls for the PS3 still in their cellophane. Never did get around to playing them. :{
@Kinn
#6366 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/18 12:19:35
Play Demon Souls first, the second game Dark Souls is easier. You should hurry up because part of the enjoyment of the games is the co-op aspect for boss fights and the servers will not be around forever!
<- Grossly Incandescent
#6367 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 13:06:42
Dark Souls is hard, but it is hard in a way that is totally possible to master.
You'll probably get fucked up by a balder knight the first time you meet one, but after a while you handle them easily. Not because you're necessarily stronger, but because you know how they work. Because they'll still fuck you up if you make a mistake.
I haven't played it that much to be honest, just about to go to gaping dragon on my first playthrough, but so far there has been nothing that has been really unfair to me. I lost about 4000 souls right before gargoyles because I got invaded by some prick in a top hat, that's the most unfair thing so far.
I have been watching a Let's Play alongside, so I kinda know what I can expect. I know how the game goes and what I should be doing, and I don't really mind having that "spoiled" for me, because I'm mostly here for one thing:
The level/world design is just A M A Z I N G!
Just stop and look for a moment how Firelink Shrine goes into Undead Burg, how that loops back and forth on itself, how you get up on the ramparts, where the drake bridge connects to the burg (even just the tiny detour on the bridge with the rats is brilliant!) and then to the Parish, and then how the Parish is literally sitting on top of Firelink Shrine...
And how the lower Undead Burg is intertwined with upper, and where the Capra Demon and Depths entrance fits in, and how Darkroot Forest winds around the moonlight butterfly bridge, and the tower with the dead blacksmith butts up against the burg, going to Sen's Fortress and realizing where Anor Londo is and how the entire world is sort of terraced like that...
And all of this just flows together completely naturally and seamless, I could go on and on gushing about the Dark Souls world.
My biggest wish for my "career" is getting to work on something even half so grossly incandescent with excellence as Dark Souls!
#6368 posted by Killes [195.212.29.186] on 2013/03/18 14:03:37
OK I really wanna try Dark Souls now.
Guess i must of passed a Steam sale or 2 for Dark Souls but still.
Hadnt payed too too much attention but the more I look...
Just Make Sure You Use DSFix
#6369 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 14:26:06
http://blog.metaclassofnil.com/?ta...
And Use A Controller, Not Kb+Mouse
#6370 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 14:26:40
Dark Styles
#6371 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/18 14:46:32
The design of the world is good but the actual combat mechanic is what Dark Souls is good for. The way each weapon works and how combat can evolve with different tactics is awesome.
There are plenty of different enemies and they all have key features which makes them deadly if you screw up and make a mistake. The best feature for me is the boss battles because they have phases, good attacks and have unique areas which makes them interesting to fight.
The RPG elements of weapon upgrades, special boss items and stats is fantastic because it gives you so much to play with.
One other key feature, your actions have consequences, the world changes based on what you do and if you are idiot and try to kill everything then your game experience will reflect that play style.
I Accidentally Aggro'd Lautrec Of Carim
#6372 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/18 15:09:19
I'm way underpowered to kill him, so for now Firelink is off limits for me :(
So I Herd U Liek Cutscenz?
#6373 posted by Spiney [91.177.69.6] on 2013/03/18 18:39:21
http://youtu.be/OHhgjKaLHJw
Warframe
#6374 posted by DaZ [78.147.101.12] on 2013/03/18 20:33:45
Just went into Open beta http://www.warframe.com/
It's a fairly old-skool style 3rd person ARPG with randomly generated levels using tilesets.
It's made by Digital Extremes and there is certainly a dose of Unreal Tournament style movement and combat feel while playing the game.
I've been having a blast with this in the last week or so and recommend it very much.
CZG
#6375 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/03/18 21:56:04
You can pay the merchant in the bell tower to remove your sins and it will de-aggro Lautrec.
The first time I played the game I accidentally hit Laurentius too hard when I freed him, so I thought I had to kill him (then I found out about the sin guy after I did the whole playthrough without access to the pyromancy spells).
Oh Cool, Thanks
#6376 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/03/19 07:38:11
Finished Crysis 2...
#6377 posted by Shambler [86.25.166.192] on 2013/03/19 19:23:10
I did enjoy it. By the end, the consolised hand-holding, disjointed progress, gung-ho vocals and tedious immersion-buggering map scenes were annoying me far more than the linearity - but were in turn well compensated for by the gameplay, reasonable diversity, graphics, and spectacle of the city. Sure it is so much COD-like I could feel by brain rotting each time I played it, but as a shooter it's pretty fine and I'm definitely going to get C3.
Continuing with Space Marine...
The clunky controls and utterly on-rails progress (it's like a FPS side-scroller as far as lack of interaction with the cool backgrounds) are still annoying, the visceral combat and excellent level of violence are still good, more so now I've got the Melta too.
#6378 posted by negke [31.18.175.98] on 2013/03/19 19:46:14
Crysis 3... it's kinda like Far Cry 3 on rails. Great graphics, though.
Lool
#6379 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.150] on 2013/03/19 21:04:30
TYS
So I Herd U Liek Dinosurz?
#6380 posted by Spiney [81.241.129.184] on 2013/03/20 12:37:53
http://youtu.be/QKuKKBWnPtE
@sock
#6381 posted by Kinn [81.156.206.151] on 2013/03/20 12:46:09
Play Demon Souls first, the second game Dark Souls is easier. You should hurry up because part of the enjoyment of the games is the co-op aspect for boss fights and the servers will not be around forever!
Hmmm. So the predecessor is even more brutal and unforgiving than the sequel? Mgah.
Is the first game a match for the second in terms of quality? Or will it be a bit like playing a lesser game? I'd be tempted to leap straight into the second game to get the full wow factor.
I guess it's a bit like why I could never really be bothered with Skyrim after playing hundreds of hours of Oblivion. I mean Skyrim was good, but all that time spent in Oblivion completely took the "wow" factor out of Skyrim for me, and I never did play more than a few hours of it :(
Rargh
#6382 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/20 12:47:15
These are painful :)
#6380
#6383 posted by Kinn [81.156.206.151] on 2013/03/20 12:56:46
Heh, lighting is for losers
:smug:
@Kinn
#6384 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/20 13:56:28
The first game "Demon's Souls" is brutal! It certainly not a lesser game but more a rough diamond with raw game mechanics. You will need way more patience to play the first game than the second.
Key differences of first game:
* No checkpoints, no bonfires, if you die then the whole level resets and you are back to the beginning of the level.
* Levels are self contained, no streaming, you teleport to each level.
* When you die your health is halved. You need to use Stone of Ephemeral Eyes (These are rare items) to gain human form.
* Each world has a Tendency scale of white (easy) to black (crazy hard) and plenty of levels of grey in between. When you die this meter goes towards black, so the world gets tougher. Certain events only happen at white or black levels.
Summary: When you die the game gets harder!
* If you attack ANY NPC in the game they are hostile until next game+. There is no way to reset them to be friendly.
* There is a one NPC that has some really cool items and if he dies early it can affect how you upgrade certain weapons.
* It is extremely easy to screw up a whole game and have to rely on game+ to reset events.
* The levels can be occupied with dark shades and they are extremely dangerous and tough.
* Most boss fights in the first game are tough and unforgiving. Plus you often have to fight through a whole level to get to them without dying first. (example - Tower Knight)
If you play the second game first you will dislike the first game because it is tougher and more challenging. I found Dark Souls easier (especially up to Sen's Fortress) but I poured 200+ hours into the first game and think the second game was toned down. (especially after all the patches)
The Online WIKI is a must read for the first game especially if you want to upgrade items.
@Sock
#6385 posted by Kinn [81.156.206.151] on 2013/03/20 16:03:29
Thanks for the info.
So, if I'm reading you right, the game was designed by an insane masochist who was probably locked up in a small dungeon for his entire childhood with nothing but an old Nintendo and a copy of Ghouls 'n' Ghosts.
Hmmm, as much as this sounds like something that I would probably have had a crack at 5 years ago, these days I don't know if I can afford to sink much time into that sort of gaming commitment any more :(
#6386 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2013/03/20 16:20:12
Haha, that's sort of where I land on those games too. Who has that kind of time? :P
Kids
#6387 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/20 16:27:21
Got this image of Willem yellin at em to get off his lawn, rolled up newspaper in fist.
Oh
#6388 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/20 16:28:04
And the unemployed - I did Viewtiful Joe at 100% like that.
#6389 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2013/03/20 16:30:46
I think it's more that as I age, I tolerate frustrating games less and less. I find a lot more fun in romping through Tomb Raider than banging my head against a wall in Dark Souls.
Nothing against that game, it's not my thing anymore.
I'd rather tour content than retry the same encounter over and over.
@Kinn
#6390 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/20 16:31:20
The game is tough, it does not pander to modern gaming conventions and is clearly not designed for everyone. It is extremely easy to forget playing many modern games because they are too busy rushing (on rail shooter) you to the end instead of being a challenge.
Is the game for masochists? Games with high learning curves are rewarding in different ways. There are no safety nets, no easy skill levels, it is designed for players who understand risk and reward strategies. The game unlocks as you learn, what you learn actually matters and Dark Souls is similar but toned down instead.
Yeah
#6391 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/20 16:45:29
I know what you mean. I don't have the patience for losing anymore - I think modern games design has spoiled me.
Not a bad thing necessarily, and there are many casual games which are predicated on constantly losing - temple run + clones, trails, angry birds etc etc.
The problem happens when designers try and avoid killing the player at all. I see this a lot and it always mystifies me. If there's no lose condition then victory is meaningless, and you just made a bowl of porridge, not a game worth playing.
Many games also took advantage of the Game Over to do cool stuff;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnA...
Thoughts
#6392 posted by Kinn [81.156.206.151] on 2013/03/20 16:58:59
I can enjoy an insanely tough game if the design is so good that I want to keep playing it. For something as tough as Demon's Souls, I would say the game would have to be like crack cocaine in order for me to not just get frustrated with it.
To be honest, I can't remember the last game I played like that, but I know I have been in situations where I'm so into a game that the ludicrous difficulty doesn't bother me.
In general, I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. I tend to hate the modern "knife-through-butter" school of game design, where giving the player "an experience" seems to take priority over giving the player any sort of meaningful challenge.
On the other hand, I am so bloody busy in general that I don't get more than a few hours a week of actual "playing games for fun" time, so any game I do pick up probably shouldn't batter me with too many brick wall situtions...
Well
#6393 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/03/20 17:04:33
Dark Souls 2 will be "more straightforward and more understandable" than its predecessor, as a pair of new directors take over the series.
#6394 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/20 17:20:57
If Dark Souls 2 is going to be more straightforward and more understandable then it will be the death of the franchise for me. If I want to play generic stuff I can easily find endless Marine/Soldier games for that. Dark Souls is good because it is a memorable game experience, painful at times but rewarding.
#6395 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2013/03/20 17:26:10
sock
I'll give you that modern games are generally too easy. They are films in disguise, really, with the barest amount of player interaction and thinking they can get away with and still be called a game.
Gears is as guilty of this as any other franchise. I think we hold the players hand way too much...
"More Straightforward And More Understandable"
#6396 posted by negke [31.18.175.98] on 2013/03/20 19:07:46
In other words: QTE.
#6397 posted by Spiney [81.241.129.184] on 2013/03/20 20:50:32
Why did those even became a trend? It boggles my mind.
#6398 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/03/20 20:55:42
Because some devlopers want to make cinematic games, and they don't want to be constrained by their own game systems. QTE allows you to make any old "epic moment" you want, and not worry that there is no system for players doing the activity depicted in the cinematic. Just throw a button prompt halfway through your scripted movie so players think they are still playing a game.
#6399 posted by Willem [199.255.40.36] on 2013/03/20 21:09:49
Right, and most are completely pointless. If you don't hit the button, the game doesn't adapt or change to reflect that result. No, you just get to start watching the cut scene again and try to do it right this time. It's busy work.
#6400 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/03/21 09:03:36
i'm happy with easier games and the way games are now. games that are too hard just piss me off, i don't have time to replay shit over and over because it's too hard.
dark souls sounds off-putting so maybe i'll just put cheats on when i do eventually play it.
Cd Games
#6401 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/21 12:34:40
Like Dragon's Lair started the trend.
Justification of technology, reducing the interactivity of the game as a side effect.
Things like Heavy Rain are sort of justifying the genre I suppose, but I don't have the patience to play it for more than 30 seconds.
#6402 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/21 17:36:26
I'm with the rest of you old-timers RE: having no time for games, and pining for my lost childhood.
For me, difficulty isn't a problem though. I like the idea of rock-hard roguelikes. A massive 30 hour campaign is daunting, but 90 minutes and then either winning or starting a new game isn't. I haven't played Dark/Demon's Souls, but if it's possible to sabotage a playthrough of a full-length game by angering an NPC, then it's not my cup of tea.
Let Me Guess
#6403 posted by Kinn [81.156.206.151] on 2013/03/21 18:33:23
I bet Demon's/Dark Souls also has a "permadeath" option, right?
#6404 posted by rebb [91.35.92.224] on 2013/03/21 19:04:40
Dark Souls currently 50% off on Steam, btw.
Praise the Sun.
Amazing chest ahead.
Death Is Part Of The Gameplay In Dark Souls
#6405 posted by czg [213.112.235.183] on 2013/03/21 20:58:20
Just Looked Up Dark Souls
#6406 posted by nitin [180.149.192.132] on 2013/03/22 03:48:47
bit expensive for me to get right now but screenies seem to support what czg said above re design. Will definitely put it on the list to get.
Potato
#6407 posted by Killes [195.212.29.186] on 2013/03/23 07:53:39
Hmm wondering if I should play Dark Souls on Xbox360 or PC...
PC : graphics better ok. Xbox360 : couch, large screen.
As the game is recommended to be played with gamepad...which I dont really like...
Anyone played it through with mouse keyboard ?
Besides graphics PC has no other extra features right ?
#6408 posted by Killes [195.212.29.186] on 2013/03/23 07:55:39
Nitin, Dark Souls is half price on Steam right now.
#6409 posted by Killes [195.212.29.186] on 2013/03/23 07:58:01
Doh, didnt read up, sorry. Can delete that
Killez
#6410 posted by rebb [91.35.91.130] on 2013/03/23 12:10:46
Mouse and Keyboard is very possible, i finished the game with it ( not started NewGame+ yet ).
You do need a mod to improve the mouse movement and some other things though : http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~petska/
The PC Version has the Artorias of the Abyss DLC ( new areas, enemies, bosses etc ) already included which i believe you have to buy separately on consoles.
Second Life Anyone?
#6411 posted by Fat Controller is still dead [203.79.106.78] on 2013/03/25 05:47:22
Ever since I discovered this shared virtual world I've been into it like Dracula into a throat.
Sure, it hoovers up memory and the graphics are relatively pants compared with modern games, but the people and building tools are quite nice. Sometimes they're sane.
Mind you, I spend more time as a DJ on there than a builder. I've got a project on but the scripting is making me bonkers.
(Here's a pic demonstrating some old building I did a few months ago, as well as referencing the DJ business.)
Yours from the unfashionable end of the Interwebs,
Martien Pontecorvo, Precipitate Flood & Maku Ibn-Selat
The Second I Read "Second Life" I Knew It Was A Spammer :P
#6412 posted by Spiney [81.241.139.66] on 2013/03/25 12:16:03
Spiney Fail
#6413 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/03/25 13:20:46
http://www.quaddicted.com/reviews/...
Lol
#6414 posted by Kinn [86.164.160.164] on 2013/03/25 13:44:35
And in an ironic twist, it turns out that Shambler is a legit viagra salesman.
Not Very Legit...
#6415 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.232] on 2013/03/25 13:52:25
Fair Enough. Besides...
#6416 posted by Kinn [86.164.160.164] on 2013/03/25 14:28:02
Why would we need viagra when quake already makes our dicks harder than damascus steel?
Dead Space 3
#6417 posted by Vondur [80.87.145.18] on 2013/03/25 15:33:30
just finished this lengthy game (17 hrs). at first it was hard to get used to good old xenomorphs again, but after a while the game started to go smooth. very detailed and atmospheric levels, proper no less epic ending and of course curved corridors by metlslime.
recommending this game!
Oops
#6418 posted by Spiney [81.241.139.66] on 2013/03/25 15:47:17
Apologies! I iz teh fail! :C
Space Marine
#6419 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.232] on 2013/03/25 16:07:23
+ Ruined forgeworld background is good
+ All weapons useful, satisfying and characterful (apart from GL)
+ Bomb squigs very cute, Bloodletters very cool
+ Violence is great- lots of blood and flying bodies
+ Very true to 40k universe
+ Intense gameplay, requiring a good mix of aggression and caution.
+ Progress and missions pretty smooth and natural.
- Very clunky controls and running screenshake annoying.
- Utterly on-rails progress (it's like a FPS side-scroller as far as lack of interaction with the cool backgrounds)
- No interaction with anything nearby either.
- Graphics strictly previous generation and quite bland.
- Checkpoints often before cutscenes / a long way before tough fights
- Save points at boss battle so bad I didn't complete the game
- Voices boring and Ork voices grating.
Heh
#6420 posted by DaZ [92.26.175.148] on 2013/03/25 16:15:06
SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE! SHPAACE MURINE! spaaaaace marrrine! SPACE MARINE!
I agree though Shambler. Amazing melee combat all the way through, but aside from that and the 40k licence its a pretty bland 3PS.
Someone Here Worked On It
#6421 posted by ijed [186.37.203.156] on 2013/03/26 00:58:40
I think. The core mechanics look excellent, I saw people running through it at the office.
Tempted to grab a copy, but only just freed myself from Shad'o (indie tower defence, looks like viva pinata, good overall, but then again I have no defence against TD).
...and finished Hotline Miami. At least, saw the credits once and played motorcycle guy's story. Now I just have a load of achievements to grind through.
But for now going to sip my triple distilled jamesons and read.
What was I talking about again?
Lool
#6422 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.150] on 2013/03/26 04:28:03
Metlslime
#6423 posted by Vondur [195.218.191.148] on 2013/03/27 08:20:21
we got an argument here at work regarding dead space, what engine it uses? some people say it uses frostbyte, is it so? i always thought it uses its own. please clear this super important matter :)
Vondur:
#6424 posted by metlslime [50.131.113.141] on 2013/03/27 08:31:52
it does not use frostbite. It uses its own engine which Visceral developed over the years, and goes back at least as far as the first Godfather game.
Battlefield 4
#6425 posted by Spiney [81.241.139.66] on 2013/03/27 11:59:47
looks pretty...
http://youtu.be/U8HVQXkeU8U
BF4
#6426 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/03/27 20:04:06
sure does look good. I didn't like most of the gameplay in BF3 SP though... maybe i should write a full review here.
Battlefield 4 Is Looking Pretty
#6427 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/27 20:34:03
like a pretty girl. What sort of engine tech is going on there?
#6428 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/03/27 20:53:30
engine is frostbite 2
So
#6429 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/27 20:57:09
The same engine as battlefield 3?? Surely they've added some features... lighting in particular looks really impressive.
Starbuck:
#6430 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/03/27 21:03:03
yeah, I'm sure it's been evolved somewhat. Plus if you get more experienced with the same tech you can do better work with it.
#6431 posted by rebb [91.35.123.184] on 2013/03/27 21:15:55
http://t.co/MX4V74eOmP
#6432 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/03/27 22:05:44
heh, i was about to come back here and say that wikipedia says it's actually frostbite 3 :)
RPS Article On The BF4 Preview...
#6433 posted by sikkpin [107.4.231.237] on 2013/03/27 22:11:42
This made me giggle a little.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
What A Load Of Rubbish, But Nice Looking Rubbish!
#6434 posted by sock [186.124.37.216] on 2013/03/27 22:38:17
It's impossible to think anything other than: it's a multiplayer game! Why aren't you showing us that? What is this for?
When metlslime said BF4 has a SP campaign I laughed, no one really cares because it will just play like CoD, but with different graphics. The BF franchise has always been about the MP experience, EA certainly like to shoot themselves in the foot ... "Press E to proceed and cut leg off"
#6435 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/03/28 05:32:23
that looks awesome, epic cinematic sequences.
so is it just bf 3 and 4 that have proper single player? i think i tried to play one of the original ones, bf1 maybe and the sp was shit. just felt like a bot game.
Yep
#6436 posted by JPL [82.227.229.44] on 2013/03/28 09:31:15
BF4 looks indeed awesome: I am just wondering whether SP campaign will really be good or not... and I definitively need a new computer :P
Battlefield Single Player
#6437 posted by DaZ [92.26.175.148] on 2013/03/28 09:57:38
has always been a bit of a joke. I don't know why DICE keep on doing it, it must take so many resources to get the game to look that good and it's all wasted on a single player campaign that no one really cares about. It's battlefield for fucks sake!
BF3 sp was utterly beautiful, and utterly shit. More scripted and on rails than call of duty (if thats actually possible).
At least from what I can tell from that footage there is at least some choice put into bf4 as you can order your squad to suppress the enemy while you flank around. Or tell the helicopter to attack etc.
But really, if they put all this crazy effort they are using for single player into making the multiplayer better then they could probably create something fantastic. Why can't I hold onto the side of buildings while a helicopter explodes below me in MP? Wouldn't experiences like that be worth 1000x more in a multiplayer environment where its totally unscripted?
BFBC2
#6438 posted by RickyT23 [31.53.116.69] on 2013/03/28 10:46:45
Also has a decent single player campaign.
Romero And The FPS Label
#6439 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/28 11:32:20
Only Battlefield game I ever played was 2.
I bought it on Steam for 2 bucks but they gave me an invalid serial number making online play impossible ...
I also found out EA customer support is just as nonexistant as people told me -- classic case of the circular blame-it-on-the-next-guy. Maybe it's better now, at least I hope so.
I only liked the smaller maps anyway. Too much walking around 90% of the time and getting sniped from 10 miles away 10% of the time on the larger maps :'(
Actually I played the first one with some friends back in 2004 or so. But it's so slow. Most of the time spent moving around rather than fighting. I was into UT2004 Onslaught at the time, which is like a night and day difference in those regards.
Guess I prefer MP to be as chaotic and spammy as possible for whatever reason. I'm not even sure If I actually like FPS games as a genre, playing Quake with a good chasecam mod feels just as good to me. To me it's more about hurdling projectiles at each-other and dodging stuff. That's very different from pop and stop kind of games like Counterstrike. So I'm not even sure if the first person perspective is the defining factor here. The ability to dodge weapon fire makes a huge difference. It seems more as if FPS and 3PS should be split into 'projectile shooter' and 'hitscan shooter' or something among those lines. I kind of like to think of it as Romero-fps and post-Romero-fps in historical terms. Altough that might be giving a little too much credit :P
Not that this post should be yet another one of those 'the good old days' kind of things, but I feel like that difference is very fundamental and not recognized enough in mainstream reviews.
BF4.
#6440 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.232] on 2013/03/28 12:27:55
Looks very pretty outside. Destructible stuff looks cool.
Gameplay looked boring and skipped through most of it.
No sale.
Holy Fuck
#6441 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/28 15:44:09
I'm a few hours into Bioshock: Infinite, and have been creaming my pants to an infinite degree. I think... it's my favourite game..? Ever?
Weapons: yes. Powers, yes. Setting, yes. Artwork, yes. Soundtrack, yes. Yes.
Prance Of Pasha: Glands Of Shame
#6442 posted by Spirit [80.171.51.21] on 2013/03/28 18:29:17
How to make Spirit quit a game and delete it after 5 minutes:
* Constantly change camera angles (skipping the axis)
* Have one cutscene animation after each fight
* Have one cutscene animation after for health refresh
* Change camera when the player does some special action (anything that is not just walking)
* Make all those camera changes not ignore/reset the mouse camera control
* Randomly change the angle after aforementioned animations and have the player run into a wall
Bioshock
#6443 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/03/28 18:57:49
Yes.
It is the business.
New UE4 Demo
#6444 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/30 02:24:21
http://youtu.be/dO2rM-l-vdQ
#6445 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/03/30 05:47:52
awesome. design and art looks incredible, but I suppose it doesn't really show much from the engine, apart from size and detail.
#6446 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/30 12:19:16
but I suppose it doesn't really show much from the engine
I dunno, it looks like it's prerendered. No jaggies in sight, great reflections. Motionblur is very convincing. UE4 has an amazing realtime lighting system (voxel cone tracing).
Yes But What Does It Mean For Gameplay?
#6447 posted by Kinn [81.129.200.181] on 2013/03/30 12:32:30
gaaaaammmmeeeepplllaaayyyy.
(seriously tho, if anyone has evidence that the "next generation" of tentpole action games aren't just going to be even shorter, even dumber versions of what we have now, I'm all ears...)
Kinn
#6448 posted by Spirit [80.171.82.11] on 2013/03/30 12:38:29
Close-up quick time events where you see sweat running down the named protagonist's face, blood on his bulky armor and slow motion death cameras that rotate closely around models.
#6449 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/30 13:04:27
We can't sell engines based on gameplay videos. How would that work? Here's an innovative and amazing game idea! It ... comes with the engine?
:)
#6450 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/30 13:05:16
That said, here's a video showing what you can do with the new Kismet system in UE4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...
UE4
#6451 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/03/30 13:06:11
Damn nice looking movie engine there, too bad Unreal Engine won't be used to make games anymore.
:P
UE4
#6452 posted by Kinn [81.129.200.181] on 2013/03/30 13:50:14
We can't sell engines based on gameplay videos. How would that work? Here's an innovative and amazing game idea! It ... comes with the engine?
Completely disagree. As a designer, I want to see what possibilities the new technology provides for player interaction with the world.
I want to see what sort of awesome physics is possible. I want to see new possibilities for dynamic environments and procedurally generated content, to name just a couple of things.
All that demo showed me is improvements in real-time rendering in a cinematic sequence.
That kismet system looked wicked cool tho, for non-programmers to make some game logic I guess.
Kinn
#6453 posted by sock [181.1.30.176] on 2013/03/30 14:49:43
Gameplay does not sell games, visuals and brand names sells games. People love pretty screenshots, full cinematic cut scenes. Obviously there are exceptions like retro/pixel art but they have to still look good (yes there is bad pixel art).
If you make a game which does not have the latest bling or a tried and tested brand name then it will be a huge mountain to climb to get anyone interested. People love shiny stuff!
#6454 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/30 15:08:11
"All that demo showed me is improvements in real-time rendering in a cinematic sequence."
Right, and that's what we're offering you. The potential for top end visuals with a great tools pipeline and a fantastic scripting system in the Kismet/Blueprint features.
The gameplay is up to you.
Fantastic Video
#6455 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/03/30 18:02:15
Spiney said it really. Lighting looks spectacular and everything looks super smooth, no jaggies, no sharp stencil shadows. Looks completely pre-rendered. It's achieving that weird x-factor where I can't work out how it's being rendered. Uncanny valley here we come! There are exciting times afoot with the next-gen consoles round the corner methinks.
Gameplay Does Not Sell Games
#6456 posted by megaman [79.219.127.225] on 2013/03/30 20:42:25
yes it does. The game industry just lost all the customers that actually cared for it years ago?
#6457 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/30 20:43:55
His point is more that sex sells. You can't attract customers with gameplay. You can, however, attract them with great graphics. Then once you have their attention, you can show them your gameplay.
Well
#6458 posted by megaman [79.219.127.225] on 2013/03/30 20:53:31
it totally doesn't work for me that way. I never would watch graphics-/cinematic-only trailers if i wouldn't actually be doing CG for a living.
Gameplay videos actually attract my attention. If there's something E3-like, I watch gameplay videos, as well as the top 5% of the graphics only stuff (but i would never buy those)
#6459 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/30 21:01:16
it totally doesn't work for me that way. I never would watch graphics-/cinematic-only trailers if i wouldn't actually be doing CG for a living.
They would for me if they weren't filled to the brink with Hollywood cliches presented as pubescent power fantasies...
The Thing About Dark Souls
#6460 posted by Jago [84.251.33.133] on 2013/03/30 22:28:36
Besides what has been already said is how fulfilling and rewarding succeeding feels in this game. After finally getting past area XYZ or killing boss ABC, its not like "oh well, okay" like I feel in most other games, it's more like "HOLY FUCKING SHIT YEAH BITCH" and literally almost jumping from joy.
It Doesn't Have To Work For You
#6461 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.191.95] on 2013/03/31 00:27:21
As long as it works for enough other people who care more about eye candy than they do about the graphics. Come on, this is obvious. Also, I think Willem was saying that they're trying to sell their engine more than they're trying to sell their games.
I Totally Get It
#6462 posted by RickyT23 [2.216.134.150] on 2013/03/31 00:55:19
Graphics are important. People chase the next big thing in computer graphics. If you are making a game, then regardless of what you want the gameplay to be like, you want the graphics the be good. You also want the tools to be good. So this video shows that both the graphics and tools for the engine are awesome. Seems like a win-win to me.
#6463 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/31 12:59:01
SleepwalkR
Right now, yes, because we're not promoting a game. :) We're an engine provider as well as a game studio so this demo is to get people interested in licensing the engine. Which everyone should! It only seems right...
In My Usual Polemic Way
#6464 posted by megaman [79.227.190.143] on 2013/03/31 14:01:53
all I see in those videos is a trillion dollar artist budget. I'm not at all familiar with the unreal technology (is it still called that?), but..
Where are the new rendering techniques? Where are the "simple art" test cases that show the pros and cons, where are the performance breakdowns? Where are the awesome features your engine has that nobody else has? Voxel cone tracing maybe? But where are the details of what is actually implemented there? When does it break down? How does it handle near-field? I heard there are problems with that... in the original paper. What about your implementation?
If I would have to make a decision about spending a lot of money on engines, those would be what I want to base my decision on. All I see in most engine videos is more particles, more deferred lights, more post processing, etc., and of course, lots of artists. Those don't come with the engine, I heard =)
Maybe that's my academic view, and that's because I see the papers a long time before an actual product uses that stuff. Maybe managers just buy stuff, because they don't even know what engine vs artist means. Or it isn't even about them, it's about the public that in turn buys everything with unreal engine "because it just has to look as good as the tech video".
oh, and i didn't even watch it, just the graph ui advertisment. :-)
okay, i just did. the glossy reflections look indeed nice, but there does seem to be only one type of glossy material (puddles/wet) that actually uses it. Why's that?
What else is there? Nice volumetric lighting, but not enough time and bad video compression to actually see what the problems with it are. Or how fake it is. Then... there's lots of particles, lights, artist budget :-) How many "VPLs" are actually hand-placed? Model/Animation of the main character with dread locks looks really bad (the joints?!), but I'm not sure if that's just artist fuck-up (but how did it pass QA then, if it was easily fixable? See the problem?) What shadowing there is looks really nice, but some stuff doesn't seem to cast any.
And it's all really pretty.
Oh, And I Forgot All About The Programming Side Of Things.
#6465 posted by megaman [79.227.190.143] on 2013/03/31 14:04:34
what's your code quality, how easy is it to modify stuff, plug my own stuff into it, what abstractions are there... I'd like a video about that =)
#6466 posted by Spirit [80.171.96.234] on 2013/03/31 14:23:37
I expected some nice honest advertisement but that natural and spontaneous infomercial made me cringe. So much bullshit bingo phrases. I swear I was able to do what I want and let the creative energy flow into the code and leverage the intuitive interface and feel unleashed with that FPS creator thing that was advertised in magazines in 1996. You can be a game designer too! But only with this new product. Not any of the competitors. It is so new and innovative!
#6467 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/31 15:11:22
It's a marketing video, yes, but look at what's being shown. That's no bullshit. Shane created all of that stuff entirely on his own and he knows nothing about coding. He's an artist, through and through, and he's making games entirely on his own in UE4.
Megaman
#6468 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/31 15:14:52
They did release some paper last year:
http://eat3d.com/blog/metalliandy/...
Also some walkthrough of the editor and some tech info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOv...
And yes, million dollar art budgets and such. I totally agree. I also tend to get more excited about NPR and innovative art direction nowadays. Nevertheless, impressive stuff.
One thing I wish would get solved once and for all in this generation is transparency.
Willem
#6469 posted by Spiney [91.177.116.26] on 2013/03/31 15:18:27
I hope something is coming out of that Samaritan demo ;) I loved the noir cyberpunk setting.
#6470 posted by slapmap [178.70.211.17] on 2013/03/31 15:45:36
Come on, those "engine ads" are actually aimed at general public to support the brand and make the "build with WHATERVER tech #" a selling point for the gamers. And execs too of course.
Cryengine Flow Graph > Kismet all day btw.
#6471 posted by Willem [108.228.244.211] on 2013/03/31 15:56:18
"Cryengine Flow Graph > Kismet all day btw. "
Have you played with UE4 Kismet/Blueprints yet? It's a LARGE step up from UE3.
Btw
#6472 posted by slapmap [178.70.211.17] on 2013/03/31 16:09:49
what Unreal3 tech games officially have map editor and custom maps support?
#6473 posted by sikkpin [107.4.231.237] on 2013/03/31 16:46:54
GoW and UT3 are the only two I can think of off the top of my head.
U-Engine
#6474 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/03/31 19:24:21
I've always loved the Unreal Editor, the kismet system shown is really impressive. It's great to see that Shane still works at Epic, he seemed to drop off the radar somehow. Remember the days when the guys making the games were really at a kind of celeb status? Not really like that so much these days (except for guys like Carmack or Miyamoto).
#6475 posted by Kinn [86.161.248.120] on 2013/03/31 20:52:51
Remember the days when the guys making the games were really at a kind of celeb status?
Haha, I remember the nineties too. It's great until they try to make you their bitch though, then it all ends in tears.
#6476 posted by Spirit [80.187.110.237] on 2013/03/31 21:50:47
ok that video was nice. the debugger looks amazing.
I Really Dont Get It
#6477 posted by nitin [220.244.163.153] on 2013/04/01 00:50:46
the ad markets exactly what it says (engine) but you guys want it to market something else (game).
That would be when Epic pimps the next GoW or Unreal?? All your where is the gameplay comments would be valid then.
#6478 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/01 02:59:37
I just read the Epic Siggraph 2012 paper. I understood some of those words. Actually really awesome reading though, thanks Spiney.
The voxel cone nonsense seems mad cool. I thought this video by Cyril Crassin (the author of the original paper) does a great job of demonstrating it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...
Why Does Everyone Call That A Paper? :D
#6479 posted by megaman [79.227.189.154] on 2013/04/01 15:32:14
http://maverick.inria.fr/Publicati... this is a paper :-)
Nice slides nonetheless, i didn't know they had a siggraph talk.
#6480 posted by Spiney [91.176.157.19] on 2013/04/01 15:46:12
I thought it was a paper, I might just have remembered wrong :P
It Is Not A Paper...
#6481 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2013/04/01 16:53:10
.. pdf is electronic format, till you print it, then it becomes paper...
/you ignorant !!
Re: Megaman
#6482 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/01 18:09:39
Why? because I'm not a clever man. Why must everyone insist on pointing this out?
The Original Link To The Blog Post That Had The Link
#6483 posted by megaman [79.227.189.154] on 2013/04/01 18:47:29
said paper.
#6484 posted by slap map [178.70.220.39] on 2013/04/01 20:19:51
Wait, what? Out of all the hundreds games that use UE3 only 2 Epics own titles have editor/custom map suport?
Quick google couldn't find much relevant info.
Does it have much to do with everyone selling DLCs instead of letting users make their own mods or what.
#6485 posted by Spiney [91.176.157.19] on 2013/04/01 20:52:49
Yeah, it's kind of depressing...
I know there's workarounds for UDK that work with some titles, but nothing official.
#6486 posted by Willem [199.255.42.39] on 2013/04/02 18:37:29
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_...
Game Engine Looks Amazing.
#6487 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.55] on 2013/04/02 23:28:36
Now make a cyberpunk Skyrim in the video setting, with Crytek-esque gameplay.
Thanks!!!
#6488 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.40] on 2013/04/04 16:56:47
Very cool roguelike with story and stuff: http://teleglitch.com/
Teleglitch Is...
#6489 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/04/04 17:52:47
Awesome! It's like a top-down Doom/Quake with perma-death and crafting!
Definitely recommend playing, I saw it on TIGSource ages ago!
Spirit
#6490 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/04 20:23:26
Thanks for posting that! It is like an amalgamation of all things I love about gaming. You made my day.
And That Makes Me Happy In Return!
#6491 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.40] on 2013/04/04 21:33:13
Unreal Engine 4
#6492 posted by JPL [82.234.167.238] on 2013/04/04 21:34:23
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/...
This one reminds me a lot Lord of The Ring: a mix in between Sauron and Balrog >E
This one is interesting too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO2...
Note that it is not image synthesis, but really Unreal engine 4. Nevertheless, it is precised that the engine run 4 times slower that normal speed, exploiting 100% of GTX680 processing capabilities. Hence, to run the game with its full power, it would need four GTX680 to get a real time playable demo
After small calculation it means "basically" and roughly just 12 Terra Flops a 14 billions of transistors... just a "small" GFX setup
#6493 posted by necros [99.227.223.212] on 2013/04/05 01:29:29
wow, teleglitch ironically has really nice graphics. i really like the visibility system they implemented.
#6494 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.40] on 2013/04/05 12:27:10
One thing for sure, compared to the System Shock and Thief series, Quake is really newbie friendly to install.
Teleglitch
#6495 posted by slapmap [178.70.201.207] on 2013/04/05 14:46:49
Crimsonland rougelike yay!
#6496 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/05 15:14:13
Yeah, I have always liked the .pak system of Quake series (or similarly, .wad format of tech1). Tidy, simple and easy to figure out. I hate those games where thousands of files lay out in the open, in too many damned folders.
#6497 posted by Spirit [80.171.85.40] on 2013/04/05 15:27:03
The melee combat in teleglitch is seriously pissing me off. It is super hard to aim and apparently you have to actually hit the drunk monsters with your 2 pixel end of arm?
#6498 posted by Spiney [81.241.162.177] on 2013/04/05 15:35:00
Aren't PAKs essentially folders that cannot directly be accessed by the OS? The distinction always eluded me somewhat. I've never seen the big win in it to be frank. It's just as messy and complex, just hidden in a custom format.
#6499 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/05 16:50:34
@Spirit: Yeah, melee is near impossible. I think it is not supposed to be used at all. By level 3 monsters are already attacking in swarms, so it is best to form a Trinailgun as soon as possible and use it as the fallback weapon instead of that puny knife (since you can also produce nails by scavenging).
@Spiney: Fair point. It might be a personal thing but I like .pak's better. Besides, you don't have to overwrite original stuff to utilize custom content - that may be the advantage of the system.
#6500 posted by Willem [199.255.42.213] on 2013/04/05 17:05:51
What was great was the day I discovered that the Quake3 PAK files were ZIP format. Blew my mind... You can open them in any standard ZIP file editor.
#6501 posted by Spiney [81.241.162.177] on 2013/04/05 17:10:08
The overwriting can still be done by simply renaming the folder PAK2 etc. But I can certainly see why some people would prefer it. I think the difference is purely psychological.
#6502 posted by metlslime [166.137.209.41] on 2013/04/05 17:25:44
File system access is relatively slow; pak and other such formats allow you to open one file handle with the OS and then just read different chunks out of it.
ROTT 2013.
#6503 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/04/05 17:34:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YP...
Other than the tiny player-to-level scale, this looks like the dog's bollocks.
ROTT 2013
#6504 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/04/05 18:07:06
That looks surprisingly fun.
I love how they kept those floating circular platforms, they make no sense at all in that warehouse level, who would use antigrav platforms where you can just have normal stairs, that's great. :)
ROTT is the first game I mapped for, plenty of fond memories from it.
#6505 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/04/05 18:27:28
i like how you pick out the floating platforms as what's unrealistic. To me that entire level looks like any deathmatch map with industrial-themed textures with arbitrarily placed bridges and jump-pads and i had to go re-watch the video to see that it was even intended to look like a warehouse :)
Spiney
#6506 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/05 19:47:58
Apart from from tidiness and easy managability, having all files in containers speeds up access (no defragmentation) and (de)installation. Copying/moving a large number of individual files takes considerably longer than the same amount of data in few container files.
#6507 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/05 19:50:13
No "fragmentation" obviously.
Metl
#6508 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/04/05 19:54:12
Yeah I agree, I just picked out the floating platforms because they were an important part of the original ROTT (you could only create any kind of vertical gameplay by placing them).
Honestly the level itself (layout, design, etc.) is pretty generic and doesn't look very good as far as deathmatch levels go, those random diagonal bridges made me cringe...
Realistic Textures
#6509 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/05 21:37:10
with 1997 brushwork and layouts is not a good look. It looks like a retexturing project. Gameplay looks nicely oldschool though.
Borderlands 2 Deal
#6510 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/05 22:08:36
Meh. There's a very nice deal on Amazon.com today (and only today): All Borderlands 2 diginal codes are off 67% - unfortunately only available to US customers. If some charitable Americano reads this, go buy me two keys for the BL2 Season Pass, would you ($9.99 each)? I can pay you back in USD or BSP. :>
And while you're at it, go grab the game for yourself, it's a lot of fun in coop.
ROTT.
#6511 posted by Shambler [2.136.53.225] on 2013/04/05 22:58:19
Looks dire in pretty much every way.
#6512 posted by slapmap [78.37.177.189] on 2013/04/05 23:10:22
-fast oldschool gameplay
-$100 mln art budget
choose one
I Think
#6513 posted by Kinn [86.161.248.120] on 2013/04/05 23:18:12
A valid criticism here is that the map layouts do actually look like pimply 1997 box-map arse.
Nothing to do with the "art".
I mean, really - the layout for the first map in that video is about as primitive and ugly as you can get.
#6514 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/04/06 03:09:20
Scale is totally wrong, it looks like a shitty Quake1 engine putting way too many 'realistic' shaders on flat geometry, and even 'old school' gameplay wasn't '1 hit kills constantly'. Not to mention the level design is a shitty gimmick map that were played out even when RotT was new.
Sorry, making an 'old school' game doesn't mean 'make absolute shit'.
#6515 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/04/06 03:11:23
the second map looks far better though.
Negke
#6516 posted by nitin [203.206.97.239] on 2013/04/06 03:38:05
you can buy games from Amazon even if oyu are outside of the US by putting in a fake US delivery address.
As what you are buying is digital, there is no issue with delivery obviously.
Nope
#6517 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/06 09:24:46
Digital items are only purchasable with a US billing address unfortunately.
Negke
#6518 posted by nitin [220.244.163.153] on 2013/04/06 15:21:52
never had that requirement when I bought from Australia, I've always just put in a US shipping address.
Teleglitch
#6519 posted by SleepwalkR [85.178.121.221] on 2013/04/06 15:24:59
Thanks to whoever mentioned it first. I'm enjoying this game a lot.
Nitin
#6520 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/06 15:38:34
Shipping != billing. Those digital items are not available for people outside the US. It even says so on the page. I tried to buy the code myself, but to no avail. Physical items are another thing, they typically work fine.
Or do you mean you registered a credit card with a fake US address?
.pak
#6521 posted by Spiney [91.177.105.165] on 2013/04/06 17:51:47
Those arguments make sense, good reasons for using PAK files then :)
ROTT Looks Awful, Like Nexuiz/Xonotic Or Bad Parts Of Sauerbraten
#6522 posted by Spirit [80.171.159.148] on 2013/04/06 18:22:52
You can also easily patch by simply adding new higher numbered files without having to overwrite older versions (needs more space of course). Quake 3 used that.
In-file filesystems can also be tailored to your needs and do not care about the filesystem they are on. Eg you might be on a case-insensitive filesystem but inside your archive you can be.
You can compress them.
You could encrypt them (half-assed).
Big files still fragment btw.
Back to Teleglitch. The line of sight effect looks great but since I know how it works, I always see how it works and it became super distracting. :(
Teleglitch Chronicles
#6523 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/06 18:35:46
Second try (after first perma-death of course). Currently at the beginning of level 5. Detector comes handy to get ready for the upcoming swarms. Powerlegs make a great difference too. I only wish there was a button for unloading the ammo out of the scavenged weapons.
#6524 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/06 19:30:05
My bad. It seems that picking up any weapon and dropping it back unloads the ammo that comes with it - handy! This little gem of a game gets harder, tenser and more enjoyable as the player progresses deeper into the installation. Great stuff, I don't remember being this thrilled with a PC game in a long time.
Negke
#6525 posted by nitin [220.244.163.153] on 2013/04/07 01:01:42
yes fake US address (using one of those fake web address generators) entered as shipping address works fine for me. If it is not working for you, you could try ticking "billing address same as shipping address" to see if that works maybe.
Transaction goes through fine on my Australian credit card and no issues in downloading it because there is no physical shipping to my fake address.
Google amazon digital downloads outside US, quite a few links on different ways of doing it.
#6526 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/07 17:22:09
Teleglitch is done (the stats screen tells that it took 362mins) ...and so are my nerves. Once you get your hands on experimental, energy-based stuff, you have a fair-chance against the metallic nasties that dominate the later levels. Though the transition is a bit brutal: I barely survived the 7th level. Still, it was worth all the trouble. I could have never imagined that such a lo-fi game would be this atmospheric and heart-pounding. Now, I wonder what are those few remaining items (or weapons) that I haven't figured out how to produce?
From Teleglitch Website
#6527 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/04/08 17:06:14
"We made this game because we were missing the jitters and hardcore fun feeling that we grew to love years ago, playing games like Doom, Quake and various roguelikes. Because stuff like this is so rare nowadays, we decided to make it ourselves, and fill the empty space in our hearts with pixels, blood, zombies, robots and dark corridors."
MOTHERFUCKING FUCK YEAH FUCK ALREADY!!!!
And erc "I could have never imagined that such a lo-fi game would be this atmospheric and heart-pounding."
-You have now learnt tha the "fi" has fuckall to do with atmosphere and excitement.
Absolutely fuck all.
#6528 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/08 19:38:43
I knew that already, growing up with a 2600. I guess my astonishment comes from the fact that I haven't experienced any of the deliberately retro-styled games of this day and age (apart from Cladun on PSP).
#6529 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/04/08 20:38:00
Then you are missing out on a few more gems, if you have time...
#6530 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/08 21:00:22
Sure, I have some to spare. Would love to hear your recommendations.
Of Course You Already Played It But
#6531 posted by Spirit [80.171.164.211] on 2013/04/08 21:16:02
Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story Cave Story
#6532 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/08 21:28:18
No, I haven't. :/ It seems that you can't recommend it enough though. Looks like a Metroidvania, that's a big incentive - thanks, Spirit. Any others? Has anyone tried Lone Survivor, by the way? Looks interesting and stylish. I'm always up for survival horror.
#6533 posted by Spirit [80.171.164.211] on 2013/04/08 21:31:10
If you play it, make sure to not play the later released "+" one. It is like a bad Quake remake/model/sound thing from all what I have seen.
Cave Story is one of the best games I know and it's free! Don't spoil yourself reading, just play it and have fun. Best with a gamepad!
#6534 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/08 21:40:05
Of course, I'll go for the original one -- YAY! A PSP port is available! :)
@erc
#6535 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/04/08 23:35:37
Some neat retro style games that don't cost a penny!
You Have To Win The Game
http://www.piratehearts.com/blog/g...
Maldita Castilla
http://www.locomalito.com/maldita_...
Iikka Keranen Is Making Strange Adventures 3!
#6536 posted by Scampie [72.12.65.92] on 2013/04/09 01:58:32
http://www.kickstarter.com/project...
I loved the previous games, and FTL had some of the same feeling of exploration.
@quakis
#6537 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/09 08:21:02
Many thanks! These two look great too, will try them in the near future. I remember playing 8bit killer from Locomalito guys, that was beautiful.
Erc
#6538 posted by Killes [195.212.29.191] on 2013/04/09 14:28:16
You maybe heard of Hotline Miami. Don't Miss that.
If you feel like some Roguelike I highly recommend DoomRL, thats a Doom based Roguelike, with tiles now.
Pineapple Smash Crew seems like fun, did not get to play it much but what I did was cool.
#6539 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/09 19:08:44
Killes, thanks for the recommendations, another sweet-looking two (Hotline Miami and PSC). I'll give them a try. I've had a round or two in DoomRL, back when it was ASCII based. It surely looks more compelling now.
Erc
#6540 posted by negke [31.18.177.112] on 2013/04/09 19:27:45
Another one worth trying if you haven't: The Binding of Isaac. Quite fun and addictive (ask onetrueijed about it).
I Can Attest
#6541 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/04/09 20:26:59
473 hours and counting. I planned on quitting once I hit the 400.0 mark but old habits die hard.
Hotline Miami
#6542 posted by Drew [216.252.87.162] on 2013/04/10 04:02:43
is veritably amazing. So is Keyboard Drumset Fucking Werewolf, though in a different way.
#6543 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/11 16:33:25
Thanks guys. I'll add The Binding of Isaac and KDFW to my list. I plan on taking the ones with shorter campaigns first. Currently playing Cave Story (for the first time) and replaying Harmony of Dissonance on PSP (through a GBA emulator which works surprisingly perfect). Also had half an hour with Metroid: Zero Mission (via the same emulator).
Heh
#6544 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/04/11 17:23:34
Isaac: 521 Hours, but I stopped playing some time ago.
Indie games not already mentioned;
Weird Worlds is indeed a great space exploration roguelike, it's nice to see they're working on the third version.
Another space explorer roguelike I can recommend is Faster Than Light.
Spelunky - an oldie but a goodie. Platformer roguelike player rape.
Desktop Dungeons - haven't looked at this in quite some time, but a limited space dungeon crawl roguelike where exploration regenerates you.
Cthulhu Saves the World - breath of fire style RPG.
And I'm probably forgetting many more.
Recommending Too Much...
#6545 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/04/11 18:48:34
... can quickly become overwhelming! :D
#6546 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.56] on 2013/04/11 18:58:54
Any idea how simular Metroid: Zero Mission is to Metroid: Fusion? Because I loved that (until some boss that made my emulator crawl).
#6547 posted by czg [213.112.235.183] on 2013/04/11 19:40:58
Metroid Fusion is a lot more linear and directed, until the very end when you get to explore freely for some time.
There is an annoying NPC that you are forced to talk to inbetween setpieces.
Other than that the gameplay is still the same old good stuff, and there are some cool environments.
Thanks Honey, I Will Pirate It
#6548 posted by Spirit [80.171.40.56] on 2013/04/11 20:09:51
xxx
Yeah....
#6549 posted by metlslime [159.153.4.50] on 2013/04/11 20:56:56
i liked zero mission more, fusion forced too much linearity onto the player. But fusion is still pretty good in other respects.
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Trailer
#6550 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/11 23:22:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3L...
FUCKKKK!!! FUCKKK!!! oh my shit!! This is absolutely the best thing I've ever seen, including vaginas and the bugatti veyron.
#6551 posted by Spiney [81.241.139.166] on 2013/04/12 00:55:32
DAT TRAILER!!! OMG!!!
ROFFLMAO
#6552 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.55] on 2013/04/12 01:26:05
That shit is fuuuuuuucked up.
Looks good though. But how come Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon has nothing to do with fucking teenagers and cheesy mexican drug barons? It's like a TC, rather than DLC.....
W00T?!?!?
#6553 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.55] on 2013/04/12 01:49:41
http://teksyndicate.com/news/2013/...
Ahh Fuck
#6554 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/12 01:59:26
hope that doesnt mess up their sales. Really hope they get rewarded for being this wildcard.
Yeah Man
#6555 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.55] on 2013/04/12 02:08:30
I got FC3 on release :)
@ijed
#6556 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/04/12 16:55:02
Many thanks. Those will be added to my 'check out' queue.
Daz Are You Moist Yet??
#6557 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.197] on 2013/04/24 10:55:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAM...
Does look nice :)
Ya
#6558 posted by DaZ [78.147.173.187] on 2013/04/24 15:18:52
Metro 2033 was a flawed but brilliant game with an awesome atmosphere. Very much looking forward to Last Light.
Shame about the stupid DLC nonsense from 4A Games though. They put the "nightmare mode" difficulty behind a DLC pay wall, and considering it's "the way the game was designed to be played" that's a pretty dick move :/
I'm expecting modders to unlock it for everyone pretty fast however :)
#6559 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/04/25 01:01:09
looks awesome. i haven't played any metro's yet though.
#6560 posted by Spiney [91.179.149.226] on 2013/04/25 01:22:48
I haven't played any Metro games either, but that sure looks sweet! And Stalker is on my fav games of all time list.
If You Enjoyed STALKER
#6561 posted by DaZ [78.147.104.75] on 2013/04/25 14:03:46
Then I think you need to play Metro 2033. Very similar atmosphere but a much more directed experience (read : linear levels rather than open world-ish that stalker had).
I Enjoyed STALKER
#6562 posted by negke [31.18.185.105] on 2013/04/25 14:52:59
But I hated Metro 2033.
Mm
#6563 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/04/25 16:08:38
Metro was nice, but after playing Stalker, and reading a bit of the Metro book, it really makes you wish it was a bit more open-ended.
Still better than any silly CoD solo campaign.
Will probably get the new one myself, looks nice.
#6564 posted by skacky [90.0.77.112] on 2013/04/25 17:40:13
Ranger Hardcore is the way to go if you want to tackle Metro 2033 the best possible way. No HUD, scarce resources and bullets hurt like a bitch. I played it like this on my first playthrough and had a blast.
Viking Battle For Asgard
#6565 posted by nitin [220.244.163.153] on 2013/04/30 00:48:48
yay or nay?
Memory Of A Broken Dimension
#6566 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/04/30 09:35:27
this is what a DOS prompt would look like if it were a horror game
http://www.datatragedy.com/wipmoab...
I Can't Play It ...
#6567 posted by Spiney [91.179.151.216] on 2013/04/30 09:49:13
Loading bar fills to 100 percent and then just sits there. Anyone else?
Loads For Me
#6568 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/04/30 16:42:43
But I don't know what it is.
Old School Duke3d DNF
#6569 posted by mechtech [65.190.158.200] on 2013/05/02 05:18:18
If you have a copy of DUKE3D.GRP somewhere in a long forgotten directory on your hard drive. DNF is out.
http://www.moddb.com/mods/duke-nuk...
I'm Getting A Swish PC
#6570 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/05/05 19:28:00
what games are the best for showing it off nowadays? First person to say Crysis 1 gets a pint of nanobots down the japs-eye
#6571 posted by Spiney [91.179.136.104] on 2013/05/05 19:33:46
Battlefield 4, Crysis 3, Witcher 2, Bulletstorm, Metro, Modded Skyrim, Modded GTA4... all different engines
Crysis 1
#6572 posted by Spiney [91.179.136.104] on 2013/05/05 19:56:59
The thing that always bugged me about it was the purely flat ambient light. Made everything look fake. The SSAO just made it worse. There was also plenty of pop-in, weird looking clouds and strange noisy shadow filtering. The skin shading was also really weird looking, it looked like subtly backlit wax from all angles somehow. And all the hard surfaces have this plastic sheen to them. When Doom3 did it everyone complained about it, seems by 2007 everyone just got used to it.
Maybe if the art direction wasn't so bloody generic it could have worked. Crysis 2 was like being locked up inside a Michael Bay flick with the visuals. Latest Crysis really improved in all those areas, tough it all still looks abnormally slick to me.
Meh, screw realism, boring...
Tomb Raider.
#6573 posted by Shambler [81.168.74.2] on 2013/05/05 23:29:46
With TressFX switched on. I get about 0.5 FPS that way, I expect you can do better :)
Tomb Raider.
#6574 posted by Shambler [81.168.74.2] on 2013/05/05 23:30:21
With TressFX switched on. I get about 0.5 FPS that way, I expect you can do better :)
Gamez
#6575 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/05/05 23:52:32
Battlefield 4 isn't out yet... right? I imagine BF 3 would be a good bet though. I think Witcher, Skyrim, modded GTA 4 are all pretty solid choices too.
Hmm, nothing in there really sets my heart on fire though. Blame the current console generation, but PC graphics aren't really moving forward very fast are they??
Meh, Screw Realism, Boring...
#6576 posted by sikkpin [107.4.231.237] on 2013/05/06 01:43:48
What Spiney said...
But if you just want to see photo-realistic pixels patterns in realtime, rthdribl is my choice, until we get photon mapping in realtime.
2D Quake 2
#6577 posted by Spiney [91.179.130.81] on 2013/05/06 15:28:03
http://youtu.be/9k-N49P5N1I
uncludes download link.
my issue with it is that's it's really hard to make up foreground from background
Quite Nice
#6578 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/06 16:19:15
But yeah, it's hard to distinguish what's solid and what's not. The gunshots are hard to see as well, and they made a mistake when going through doors - they shouldn't move where your character is on the screen after going through them.
It's a bit odd as well - it looks like most of the work done was on converting the Q2 assets. Why not just make a game?
Maybe I'm being too cynical.
2D Quake 2
#6579 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/06 20:03:02
Pretty awesome looking! I haven't downloaded but I shall.
#6580 posted by Spiney [91.179.130.81] on 2013/05/07 00:21:11
Judging from the videos the guy is mostly a coder and he generally takes other game stuff to test/show off his engine.
#6581 posted by Spirit [80.171.20.100] on 2013/05/07 19:47:32
http://openxcom.org/index.php/2013...
OpenXCom 0.9 (fully playable)
I hope it is ok to post in this thread as it is available for not only Windows but also MacOS, Linux, OpenBSD, Haiku and some consoles (handheld!).
Tomb Raider 2013
#6582 posted by Rick [75.65.159.61] on 2013/05/08 04:27:04
Well, I bought this during the Steam weekend special at half off. I was expecting to really not like it. I generally find 3rd person games to be awkward and difficult to control. I was right about that, but I ended up actually enjoying most of the game.
The QTE parts of the game can have serious problems on the PC. During QTE "combat" sequences the game often would not respond to the keyboard "button mashing". I also experienced loss of mouse control in several "escape" sequences. I found out that these problems mostly went away by temporarily using lower video settings and turning v-sync off. Unfortunately I didn't find out about this work-around until toward the end of the game.
The environments are very nice. The level design, texturing, etc. are all top notch. The models and animation are some of the best I've seen in a game of this type. For once Lara's chest is actually pretty normal. The storyline was good as were the puzzle parts and overall the game was interesting enough to keep me playing almost non-stop for days and actually continuing all the way to the very end.
I ended up at 91% completion overall (I gave up on trying to find all the exploration type items about halfway through). I played on normal difficulty for almost the entire game.
If it wasn't for the control issues I'd rated it 9 out of 10 stars easy. Even though those issues only occur in a few short parts of the game, it causes a lot of frustration and really detracts from the overall experience.
Just Started Playing Focal Point For HL1
#6583 posted by Drew [216.252.94.147] on 2013/05/08 04:34:31
and its fucking amazing. A bit on the easy side I suppose but fuck is it beautiful and well thought out and expansive. HL was my 1st love and this rekindles the flames and then some. If you have even a passing interest and a copy of HL on your computer, check it out.
Hopefully, unlike me, you'll have the time to absorb it in long sittings, instead of 30 minute chunks. Fuck. not like the old days.
Tomb Raider 2013
#6584 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.172] on 2013/05/08 12:58:23
So far (1/3 the way through), I actually agree with Ricky about this, gasp.
QTEs are utterly irredeemably awful.
Oft-changing and randomly fixed camera perspective is very poor.
Constant switching between controlling Lara and just watching Lara is pointless nonsense.
^^^ all of the above are immersion-breaking bollox.
BUT:
Graphics, lighting, and effects are superb, environments and atmosphere are very good, characters are very well done, Lara in particular is portrayed convincingly, the progression in intriguing, and the actual combat gameplay is fair, slick and pretty good fun (and shows how good the game could have been if they hadn't spoiled it with QTE shite). Like Ricky all of those aspects are strong enough to keep me playing it despite the clear (and deliberate) control flaws.
Rick != RickyT23
#6585 posted by RickyT23 [86.145.251.165] on 2013/05/08 13:01:38
Rick > RickyT23
#6586 posted by RickyT23 [86.145.251.165] on 2013/05/08 13:02:04
(probably)
Rick > RickyT23
#6587 posted by RickyT23 [86.145.251.165] on 2013/05/08 13:02:05
(probably)
Christ.
#6588 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.172] on 2013/05/08 14:20:58
I wondered why he was actually making sense about the game!
Rick = Rick
#6589 posted by Rick [75.65.159.61] on 2013/05/08 17:36:48
Actually, I'm the Rick that made Castle of Oblivion and Well of Wishes and Polygon Base for Quake (I made a few Doom 2 maps also). I'm still working (off and on) to finish a re-make of Well of Wishes.
I think Tomb Raider may end up as Game of the Year. It would be really nice if they'd patch it to fix the QTE "combat" buttons bug and the occasional issues with mouse control.
Some of the escape sequences where you have to run across floors and bridges, which are crumbling and falling away beneath you, are really hard to get past when you can't turn with the mouse.
The annoying QTE and buggy sequences probably only added up to 15 minutes or less of play time, compared to maybe 40 hours total, that's not too much of an issue considering how much I enjoyed the rest of the game.
I think I probably played through too fast. I may wait a few weeks and give it another go. Overall I had a lot of fun. The "Shipwrecked Beach" and "Mountain Village" areas are awesome levels full of tons of exploration.
#6590 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/05/08 23:32:52
Shot from The Witness (the new game from Jonathan Blow of Braid fame)
http://the-witness.net/news/wp-con...
prettyyyy
#6591 posted by starbuck [77.99.186.145] on 2013/05/08 23:36:49
And a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?featu...
Wow. Might be the best looking game I've ever seen.
#6592 posted by Spiney [91.179.130.81] on 2013/05/08 23:43:46
Looks great. Though I think the vegetation looks too different a style to the rest of the scene? Color palette is somewhat garish at times (not unlike braid). But yeah, really good looking for the most part.
Witness
#6593 posted by Cocerello [83.46.158.41] on 2013/05/08 23:51:38
Looks great, and the music makes you want to see the video again.
It's giving me lots of ideas for mapping.
#6594 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/05/10 06:31:22
looks cute. like the music. hope it's on pc.
but I'd rather kill shit than solve maze puzzles.
reminds me of a happier myst.
#6595 posted by Spiney [91.176.178.32] on 2013/05/10 13:28:34
The nice thing about puzzle games is they're easy to make. With Quake you just open radiant and fuck around with triggers and moving stuff. You don't even need player models or a hud.
Shadow Warrior Reboot!!!
#6596 posted by RickyT23 [86.145.251.165] on 2013/05/10 18:27:54
YES!
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...
Look At You Hacker
#6597 posted by erc [46.197.69.124] on 2013/05/10 23:22:17
A decade after my second playthrough, I have beaten System Shock 2 for the third time. I'm glad to say that it is still one of my favourite PC games. I installed Kolya's SS2 Tool which includes map fixes as well as a custom engine (NewDark) that comes with D3D9, supports modern systems, adds a bunch of subtle features and most importantly, works flawlessly. On top of that, top-notch third-party graphical enhancements really made the game shine - seriously, I have never been a fan of so called hi-res textures stuck on top of low-poly maps and haven't used any for Quake to this day, but the ones available for SS2 are much better than any I have seen. The following shots, which are mostly from Deck 5, demonstrate these packages (alongside a hint of bloom):
* SHTUP (object/decal-based textures)
* FourHundred (brush-based textures)
* Vurt's Space Textures (skies -- not shown)
* Vurt's Goo (new models for organics -- not shown)
* Vurt's Water (v5.1 with EnvMap)
* Tacticool (new models for Navy weapons -- two out of five shown)
* Eldron PsiAmp (new model for PsiAmp -- not shown)
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Also used ADaoB, a bug-fixing pack that also rebalances the game mechanics. Didn't installed Rebirth, since I don't think it follows the style as well as the above packs. All of them are definitely recommended, they will make the game run much smoother and look much sharper while staying true to the original feel and look.
Here's a handy link: SS2 Newbie Modding Guide
#6598 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/05/11 01:22:22
Shadow Warrior remake. Cool. Although looking back on gameplay vids now on the original, god it looks awful. Did it have any story? Pretty sure I played it, but don't remember it looking so crap. Funny how those old games look better in your head than in reality. Not sure why they're bothering with a remake, other than a recognizable IP, but how many people that played that oh... 20 years ago, when it wasn't a popular game then, will still be gamers now. Apart from func locals.
System Shock 2
#6599 posted by Rick [75.65.159.61] on 2013/05/11 07:17:41
I just noticed System Shock 2 is on Steam with a one week special price of $6.99
I seem to remember playing it a long time ago but I know I never bought it. Maybe it was a demo or something. I might have to pick it up off Steam.
Not Sure If This Been Mentioned
#6600 posted by spy [95.56.221.88] on 2013/05/11 09:56:02
but
http://www.gamespot.com/news/wolfe...
can't wait to play it
New Wolfenstein
#6601 posted by Spiney [91.176.178.32] on 2013/05/11 14:02:24
Guess they needed something new to show at Quakecon...
It Looks Good
#6602 posted by RickyT23 [2.124.172.55] on 2013/05/11 14:27:06
Cool robotic enemies
Battlestar Galactica : Nazi Edition
#6603 posted by DaZ [2.99.122.225] on 2013/05/11 16:59:40
I enjoyed the 2010(?) Wolfenstein.
I Have No Idea How The Game Will Be
#6604 posted by Drew [216.252.92.203] on 2013/05/12 03:03:21
but that trailer was pretty stupid. and must have cost a tonne - how much does it cost to license that song?
#6605 posted by Spiney [91.176.178.32] on 2013/05/12 08:37:03
Kind of misses the point though: the cost of adverts should be redeemed in higher sales.
That Jonathan Blow Game
#6606 posted by Kinn [109.151.184.193] on 2013/05/13 12:51:40
#6591
After Braid, I'm just gonna shut up and let him take my moneys. However I would have liked to have seen a hint of what the real gameplay is all about in that trailer.
Blow has stated that there is more to the game than these mazes, in response to concerns from players; to Blow, "the point is the magic that happens in the player's mind when he understands the subtle things that the mazes are saying - because the mazes aren't just puzzles, they are lines of communication that aggregate, become more complex and eventually say surprising things".[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_W...
There had better be some substance behind that statement and I hope it's not just a load of pretentious hot air.
Far Cry 3.
#6607 posted by Shambler [86.25.222.172] on 2013/05/14 15:07:25
Tried a bit of this the other day. Seems kinda dull so far.
Far Cry - exploring epic island environment = cool.
Crysis 1 - same island environment BUT a Nanosuit = cool.
Far Cry 2 - exploring African environment with semi-real atmosphere and politics = cool.
Crysis 2 - same Nanosuit BUT with a ruined city environment = cool.
Far Cry 3 - exactly the same island enviroment as FC1 and C1, exactly the same atmosphere and politics as FC2 = boring??
Maybe it gets better but at the first proper fight I couldn't help thinking "I probably spent a total of 50 hours doing EXACTLY this in three previous xxxCRYxxx games".
Maybe it's also bad timing because the whole island vibe and graphics pale into insignificance compared to Tomb Raider... I do like the people's accents though and the main bad guy seems intriguingly demented.
The Binding Of Isaac
#6608 posted by Kinn [109.151.184.193] on 2013/05/15 00:36:43
Just broke the wallet and splashed out on this bad boy.
Liking it in a lot of ways, and although the permadeath is starting to grate, the random levels take the edge of the annoyance just enough to keep me playing.
Could have done without the edgy "faeces and sanitary towels" theme though.
It Needed
#6609 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/15 18:33:14
A save current game feature. Not to break the roguelike permadeath, but just to allow you to pause a game session that can last a few hours once you've unlocked all the extra levels.
Did you get the Wrath of the Lamb expansion with it?
Wrath Of Lamb
#6610 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/16 10:25:25
not yet.
Another thing that annoys me is that it seems to be very poorly coded, with tremendous slowdown issues for what is a simple 2d sprite game. Might be something to do with the fact that it is made in Flash, but I have seen very complex Flash stuff before that doesn't have these problems.
Roguelike XCOM?
#6611 posted by Spiney [91.177.70.128] on 2013/05/16 11:14:12
Haha, seems like a good idea for a mash up.
http://www.moddb.com/games/isomer/
#6612 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/05/16 11:44:39
it seems to be very poorly coded
There are literally moments in the game where items have opposite effects than intended because the coder can't reliably substract by a negative number.
Good on you not getting Wrath yet, its biggest strength is that initial "this is like some crazy bootleg ROM hack" reaction after getting acclimatized with the old game.
#6613 posted by Drew [216.252.64.154] on 2013/05/16 13:49:56
Yeah never really got into Isaac because of the slowdowns. And the theme too, actually (although I would have loved it in 1994).
Crazy Bootleg ROM Hack
#6614 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/16 18:56:55
Definitely.
And yeah, the slowdown is flash... but could have been avoided - other flash games have much more efficient flow.
Roll on HTML5.
Bulletstorm
#6615 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/19 13:48:43
Finally got around to playing this.
(Note - I'm playing it on the Xbox, but if I posted in the "console games" thread, no-one would read it, so I'm posting here.)
Thoughts. Not sure how far through I am (just killed a huge plant monster boss), but I do like the skillshot mechanics and being rewarded for using your environment and whatnot to kill enemies. That stuff's really really great. Spending your points to buy basic ammo is pretty naff though.
Environments look very nice and Unreal Enginey - if I was to nitpick I could say that I think everything is maybe a bit too homogeneously busy and noisy - making it sometimes difficult to figure out what's important and what's not.
I pretty much don't like everything else though.
The worst is the character dialogue - every single line spoken is just about the most obnoxious shit that has ever assaulted my eardrums, and the 14-year old that wrote it needs to stand in the corner for a good long while (for like, say, forever).
It honestly makes Gears of Wars' dialogue sound like Shakespeare.
Environments and encounters are super linear, which incidently is a hilarious "fuck you" to the paying customers that were suckered in by that CoD piss-take video the developers produced before this game was released, as it has exactly the same over-reliance on linearity, invisible walls, on-rails shit, QTEs, and scripted events that CoD does. Most of the time you will find yourself in an insanely detailed and huge environment but one where you are constrained to a ludicrously narrow and linear navigable space.
In short, People Can Fly: Fuck you and the cock you rode in on. (I'm pretty sure that's actually a piece of authentic Bulletstorm dialogue, if not, it's close enough).
Kinn.
#6616 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.209] on 2013/05/19 16:02:15
100% factually correct.
Official Smables Seal Of Approval
#6617 posted by Kinn [109.151.184.193] on 2013/05/19 21:08:01
A flawless victory.
I must say actually that being about 2-3 years behind the times when it comes to playing the latest releases is wonderful because it means I get absolutely fantastic deals on everything.
I just picked up, on Amazon, brand new xbox copies of Bulletstorm, Rage and Deus Ex Human Revolution for £5, £6.60, and £6.75 respectively, which helps because I'm one of those wierd sperglords who feels all icky and crap buying a "used" videogame.
(real)Myst
#6618 posted by mwh [120.136.5.22] on 2013/05/19 23:31:55
Bought this on my wife's ipad for the nostalgia. I'd forgotten that the original game came with a notebook and that you need to use it :-) I'm surprised how much I remember given that I first played it over 18 years ago now (aaaaaaaaa) and haven't replayed it for ... at least 15, I'd think.
I don't like the controls on the ipad much and I couldn't recommend it for any other reason than the nostalgia...
All The Innovation That Mobile Gaming Brings Us!
#6619 posted by megaman [79.219.127.53] on 2013/05/20 13:20:49
Yep
#6620 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/20 15:43:27
I must say actually that being about 2-3 years behind the times when it comes to playing the latest releases is wonderful because it means I get absolutely fantastic deals on everything.
Frozen Synapse On Ipad
#6621 posted by Killes [195.212.29.185] on 2013/05/20 19:44:24
Thats pretty awesome, perfect game for the format if controls are good. Reviews are good for now it seems.
IPad Reviews
#6622 posted by ijed [186.79.239.140] on 2013/05/21 03:05:44
I got a free iPad and am getting the full hit of the apple money machine. Am I right that negative reviews and scores in the App Store aren't even shown?
Not As Long
#6623 posted by mfx [78.55.196.109] on 2013/05/21 03:52:02
as the reach a certian amount, i guess.
Apple is a good present, got rid of it.
Heh
#6624 posted by ijed [186.79.239.140] on 2013/05/21 03:58:08
Frozen synapse. The only bad thing about it is that I was working on a game design just like it :/
Killes
#6625 posted by ijed [190.22.22.241] on 2013/05/21 23:52:32
Seriously thanks for the recommendation, FS is excellent, one of the most compelling games I've played in years.
Well made, intelligent and with very clear win/loss conditions.
And people getting shot.
#6626 posted by Spirit [80.171.155.100] on 2013/05/24 17:08:34
Replaying Within A Deep Forest, such a cute and well-designed game.
I Liked It
#6627 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/24 17:24:51
But it felt like it was missing something to give it more depth.
Not sure what.
Dark Souls (PS3)
#6628 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 02:12:50
After deliberating for an eternity over whether I should start with Dark Souls or Demon's Souls, I eventually settled on the fairly arbitrary choice of Dark Souls.
I've only really started playing it I guess, so all I've seen is the game up to the Taurus Demon in Undead Burg. (I haven't killed him yet).
Too early for me to have much of an opinion of the game yet, but holy shit the levels are awesomely built.
Gameplay wise, just to put things into perspective, the only way I managed to beat the boss in the fucking tutorial level, was to consult an online strategy guide which suggested that I should remove all of my armour and fight the boss naked, which will allow me to move around at a half-decent pace so that I could actually dodge his attacks and get into a position to launch my own.
Years of playing the usual knife-through-butter tripe has not prepared me psychologically for this game :(
I really, really, don't want to have to cheese my way through this game by wiki'ing every little thing - has anyone here played through it normally, you know, just by themselves?
@Kinn
#6629 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/28 02:35:19
*raises hand*
I played DS when it first came out and there was no wiki! I imagine you have patched it which makes even easier! :P
Heh
#6630 posted by DaZ [2.99.127.15] on 2013/05/28 03:27:20
I played until the next boss after Taurus Demon before I gave up. Fighting the standard enemies was quite fun but the bosses had me raging at my screen. Fuck that I play games to have fun :)
I agree though about the level design and visuals, Undead Burg was a beautiful location, the scale is fucking epic.
There Is No Such Thing As Cheesing In Dark Souls
#6631 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/05/28 08:08:40
Just use a guide and a wiki and look at youtubes and don't worry about spoiling yourself, because it's hard enough even WITH those.
Lols
#6632 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 11:33:50
I played DS when it first came out and there was no wiki! I imagine you have patched it which makes even easier! :P
So, if the game was originally an 11/10 on the "fuckshitpissarsebollocks, this is colon-crucifyingly hard" scale, would you say it is about a 10.9/10 after the patch? :P
Fuck that I play games to have fun :)
Yeah, before I played this game, I sort of meditated for a bit and tried to promise myself that no matter how retardedly hard it gets, I will remain calm. In other words, I went in to this game basically saying to myself "I am going to die horribly over and over again, and that's ok". It kind of works - dying doesn't surprise me or bother me anymore. I'm yet to find "the fun" in this game, I think, but at least I am currently at peace with how much I suck at this, which is half the battle I guess. Also, not sure if it's related but irl, I've started developing this strange urge to buy a latex catsuit and ballgag/nipple clamps...
Just use a guide and a wiki and look at youtubes and don't worry about spoiling yourself, because it's hard enough even WITH those.
Ok, this makes me feel slightly better. And also slightly more worried. And a little bit hornier.
#6633 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/28 12:48:52
So, if the game was originally an 11/10 on the "fuckshitpissarsebollocks, this is colon-crucifyingly hard" scale, would you say it is about a 10.9/10 after the patch? :P
When the game first came out it was rushed, there was lots of things broken which made it unnecessarily difficult. For a start the vendors were extremely limited in what they could sell, you had to travel to the right vendor to buy stuff which got annoying because of travel distance. The game is still tough but the rough edges have been smoothed out!
The boss fights are designed to be something that you learn by trial and error and lots of death. It certainly not an ideal way to learn something in game but this is very much the design mentality of the game, "bash head against brick wall until it cracks". You can get help from various NPCs (new thing for DS) or other players and I highly recommend it.
The first boss fight in the game is designed to teach the player one vital strategy, the jump down attack. It certainly could have been setup better but it is something that is useful later on.
DS is certainly not a game for everyone and to be honest, it should not be changed for the masses who like things easier/fun. It is designed to be hard so players can have fun with the extra challenge. When you die from a black knight for the first time, you will remember what they look like and be wary of them next time, encounters in DS are memorable.
If you are looking to walk through the game on rails (aka COD style) then this is certainly not the game to play.
Oh Yeah NPC Summons Are Really Worthwhile For Some Bosses
#6634 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/05/28 13:09:00
Get Solaire to help you when you get to the Parish. You'll know where.
But.
#6635 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/28 13:41:26
Why not include skill settings?
The Skill Setting Is You
#6636 posted by rebb [91.35.90.136] on 2013/05/28 13:50:01
The game ultimately gets easier because you improve as a player, figuring out the systems, weapons, enemies etc.
People are finishing this game without leveling up once, or speedrunning it in under an hour without using glitches.
DS2 will be interesting when it comes out, no Wikis for a ( short ) while ;)
....
#6637 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/28 13:52:02
Dark Lols
#6638 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 16:22:10
When you die from a black knight for the first time, you will remember what they look like and be wary of them next time
Haha, yeah I found that black knight in Undead Burg:
"Oh, this guy looks a bit different to the usual zombi-OH I'M DEAD AGAIN"
Why not include skill settings?
Hah, well there was a story a while back where the "director" of the game was quoted as saying "I am thinking about whether I should prepare another difficulty that everyone can complete".
But then after those comments, the hardcore fanbase went apeshit, moaning that the existence of an easier mode would ruin the artistic integrity of the game or something, and the director guy ended up backtracking over his comments, claiming it was a "mistranslation" or some bollocks.
http://metro.co.uk/2012/09/05/miya...
@Shambler
#6639 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/28 16:31:05
Why not include skill settings?
There is, they are called NG+
If you thought the game was difficult first time through, try 2nd or 3rd time. Bosses do different move combos, everything does more damage and you have to collect more powerful items to survive.
In all seriousness skill levels is a thing of the 90's and most developer hate them because they are something that has to be rushed in at the end (crush time+ anyone) and often difficult to balance because enemies are tweaked up till the game is shipped.
Also On That Note
#6640 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 16:33:59
The developers were also quoted as saying Dark Souls 2 would be "more understandable" and "more accessible" than Dark Souls, but again after a huge fan backlash they backtracked and apologised, assuring them that it would be just as hard as before.
NG+
#6641 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 16:43:35
There is, they are called NG+
That's not really the same thing though - that just means the game gets harder each time you complete it. We're talking about "skill settings" in the old traditional sense.
@Kinn
#6642 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/28 16:48:34
I was being sarcastic! Oh well ... :P
Skill Settings
#6643 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/05/28 16:52:00
Suck when it's just buff/debuff on enemies.
How Quake does it works pretty well IMO.
Sorry, Yeah
#6644 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/28 16:59:29
I was just pointing out that "NG+" meant the thing you went on to describe.
Well.,
#6645 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/28 17:00:59
"But then after those comments, the hardcore fanbase went apeshit, moaning that the existence of an easier mode would ruin the artistic integrity of the game or something"
I'm not quite sure how much of a spectacular fucking bellend you have to be to somehow contrive to have your own gaming experience """ruined"&quo... by the existence of an easier skill setting that you aren't using, but I suspect that level of extreme retardation is right up there with COD fanboiz.
Ignoring such idiocy, I've heard very good things about the design in the game, so surely from a dev's perspective (and anyone with a functioning brain) it would make a lot of sense to put the effort into incorporating some skill settings so normal players would buy and be able to enjoy it, rather than the smug elite of masochistic boredom freaks*??
(* Not saying that sock, czg, etc are those, unless of course they whined to the devs too, in which case, they are)
*than JUST
#6646 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/28 17:01:30
#6647 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/28 17:29:01
I can see where DS is coming from with regards to difficulty, it is a game designed by a different culture. When I went to Tokyo it felt like I was on another planet and the same could be said of DS, its designed for a certain audience and it is not the west. Sure people from the west have played it but the real player base is in Japan and that is how they love their games. Crazy hard difficulties, grinding to get to the right level for area/boss fights and obscure storylines.
Personally I would have never touched the game, I do like games to be accessible and not punishing but I was convinced by a friend at work and it became something to laugh about over coffee breaks. (various ways to die in game) The game is getting easier for sure, DS is easier than Demons Souls and I suspect DS2 will be easier again.
@Shambler, I never write to developers or sign stupid online petitions for games. Having been a developer I respect the way a game is designed and if I don't like something I just don't play it!
Dark Souls
#6648 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/28 22:34:51
Is literally my favourite game of the last decade. It's the only game (other than fez) that I have 100% of the achievements on my 360.
I think some of the boss fights could have been adjusted to be easier (4 kings and O&S can be frustratingly tough). But personally I like the idea of a game whose difficulty is a barrier for achievement farmers and videogame tourists.
Regarding looking online for hints, there is a large community that has surrounded the game because of the games difficulty. I would never have followed players like EpicNameBro or RedRosie if the game was easy. This is uniquely dark souls and I love it.
#6649 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/05/29 04:24:32
All I can say is I hope there's some good trainers for it. Sounds like god mode will be advisable.
And...
#6650 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/29 12:06:33
" But personally I like the idea of a game whose difficulty is a barrier for achievement farmers and videogame tourists."
....what difference does that make to your personal enjoyment of you playing the game??
Difficulty
#6651 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/05/29 12:23:57
It's kind of tricky, Demon Souls does get attention because of it's difficulty, it's what people talk about, it creates stories to share with friends etc. That wouldn't necessarily exist if there was an easy mode that many people would default to after having died 2 or 3 times on normal.
I almost wonder if it would be as popular (even financially) without the difficulty to set it apart from all the other games (of course, the difficulty isn't the only thing it has going for it, many other aspects of the game are quite brilliant, but still).
I do agree that I'd like there to be an easier mode. As much as I love the game, I stopped playing it after a while cause it was taking too much time/deaths, and reading guides and watching youtube vids to figure out how to play a game doesn't really interest me.
Still, great game (from what I've played of it anyways).
Shambs, I Can Answer That
#6652 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/29 12:45:51
....what difference does that make to your personal enjoyment of you playing the game??
"Because we don't want to let muggles into our elite community"
Community As Part Of The Game
#6653 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/29 13:09:54
So, anyway this raises an interesting point, which is that the concept of "you have to learn from the community in order to be able to play this game", seems to have been built in to the design of the game to a certain extent:
The game is littered with user-written graffiti which is supposed to allow players to warn each other of things and share tips, but I only ever seem to comes across useless messages like "yay, I made it!" or "I can't take this any more", or malicious messages like "jump down here", which of course sends you plummeting to your death. It's a very interesting feature, but I'd question whether in practice it is actually effective at fulfilling what it was intended to do.
Ultimately, is a game - that shuts out people who don't want to spend half their time reading strategy guides on the internet - something that really deserves the praise it is getting?
Jump Down Here ...
#6654 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/29 13:39:05
If DS was not difficult then it would have died a long time ago. The high skill level is part of the game, adding an easy mode would kill it. Some people like stuff that is a challenge, this is not some elitist view either.
A friend of mine use to do downhill mountain bike racing, it was nuts. Racing down through woods at high speed, one mistake and it could be fatal. I certainly did not call him an elitist because he rode a bike different to me. Sure you will get people bragging and boasting about how they completed DS but that is part of the draw of the game.
User messages are certainly an interesting idea but most people are jerks when it comes to being helpful in DS and you are better off ignoring them. The idea of people wanting to help others is a noble ideal but I have never found any sign useful.
There are signs put down by the developer and in Demon's Soul's you can vote on the signs which are helpful so they stand out from the background noise. I think you are limited to 5 per game or something like that, otherwise people would spam the world with pointless graffiti.
Probably the most useful thing in Demon's Soul's was seeing the ghosts of other players dying. You could find pools of blood lying around that if you touched them showed how someone died recently. It was really spooky seeing ghosts of players running past you, it felt like all of the player worlds were fractured and bleeding into each other.
#6655 posted by sock [200.82.40.116] on 2013/05/29 13:47:50
Ultimately, is a game - that shuts out people who don't want to spend half their time reading strategy guides on the internet - something that really deserves the praise it is getting?
DS gets attention because it is different, people wanting the game to be like everything else because they find it too hard is selfish. I found super meat boy really hard and frustrating but I certainly don't want it to change because I want an easy mode. Part of the fun of DS is the community involvement with video and wiki information, it feels cool to research strategies and find information about hidden items. Sure there are people who don't have the time to play DS but there are plenty of other games to try.
Conversely.
#6656 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/29 14:04:30
People wanting the game to be too hard because they don't want it to be like everything else is selfish.
> If DS was not difficult then it would have died a long time ago. The high skill level is part of the game, adding an easy mode would kill it.
DS could still BE difficult. But also have an easy option because the difficulty is only part of it... As Le Bal says "many other aspects of the game are quite brilliant".
I do agree with Bal's and your point about the difficulty maintaining interest and longetivity of the game and community. But if the normal uber-difficulty was very clearly highlighted as the real, genuine, true, authentic way to play DS, and there were also skill settings as "tourist" options, that sense of community over the default game could still exist.
Err
#6657 posted by nitin [220.244.163.153] on 2013/05/29 14:30:09
"A friend of mine use to do downhill mountain bike racing, it was nuts. Racing down through woods at high speed, one mistake and it could be fatal. I certainly did not call him an elitist because he rode a bike different to me."
But you could ride a different bike. And if the game is the bike that doesnt make any sense.
Anyway, havent played the game but this discussion does make me want to check it out.
It's Not Like It's Even That Difficult
#6658 posted by czg [212.16.188.76] on 2013/05/29 14:59:39
I play it.
Awww Here Goes...
#6659 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/29 20:15:04
I don't want to go into it too much, but I pretty much agree with EpicNameBro with his reasoning -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDI...
I think some games suffer for catering to different skill levels. Dark Souls would definitely not be as good if it was easy, completing the game (or even getting past a boss or area) yields a huge sense of achievement. It would be very forgettable if it was scalable in the same way as Skyrim, for example.
I have no problem with easy games, not in the least, but Dark Souls had a very tight design goal and it definitely delivered an unforgettable experience (for better or worse depending on your experience).
Just FYI, I don't feel like I am a great player at all. But completing such a tough game (because it only has one difficulty) fills me with joy. I don't feel ashamed to say that it's not for everyone, if that makes me an elitist then so be it.
My Demon's Souls Is Broken
#6660 posted by Kinn [86.162.142.153] on 2013/05/29 20:51:45
Gave up on Dark Souls, and am now playing Demon's Souls instead. 4 hours in and so far (at least) it seems to be much more accessible and more fun than Dark Souls was. I always seem to be making progress and I don't keep dying all the time. Also, I friggin love the hub in Demon's; it means I'm not stuck in the same place all the time.
Moral of the story: learning curves are good things to put in games, yo.
Dark Souls Pro-tip...
#6661 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/29 21:07:32
Go to undead burg first...
It's not entirely obvious where the easiest path is, it's bit of a dick-move it seems but once you are very confident with the game then you can visit harder areas before hitting the intended "start area".
For instance I got butt kicked by the graveyard skellys, and I didn't even get far into the catacombs. But now I usually hit drakes valley before undead burg to collect some nice early goodies, and if I'm feeling fruity I will try the catacombs or blight-town before doing the gargoyle fight.
I found Demon's Souls to be harder than Dark Souls, but I agree that it feels like you're achieving more due to the nature of the hub.
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDI...
#6662 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/29 21:36:50
TL; DW.
> completing the game (or even getting past a boss or area) yields a huge sense of achievement.
Which it would if it was on the default "horrendous" skill, even if other skills were available.
> But completing such a tough game (because it only has one difficulty) fills me with joy.
Ditto. How would the availability of other skills reduce that achievement?
> It would be very forgettable if it was scalable in the same way as Skyrim, for example.
Again, how??
None of this explains how the availability of other skills would change the experience you had on the default skill. And if that bloke did it in 40 minutes of blah, please summarise. Comparably, I play all Quake maps on Hard skill, and often get satisfaction from playing them well and getting through them first time. The fact that Easy and Normal skills exist does not change that enjoyment whatsoever.
Talking of which, less attempts to justify DS, and more maps, please :D
I'm Not Denying
#6663 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/29 21:53:03
that I'm being an elitist in this instance.
There's added value in the achievement if you have managed to complete something that someone else has not. Now I understand you're saying "well you just put up the difficulty if you want it to be harder", but conversely if you buy a game and you can't do it you just bump it down to easy mode and win. You can't do this in Dark Souls and thus the value of completing the game is higher because there is no easy-mode option as a crutch.
Because of the notorious difficulty of the game, that is not simply an option to change at your whim, the game is less forgettable.
I don't need to justify the game, it's perfectly fine if you disagree with me. I'm happy to be labelled as an elitist, I don't want noobs in mah game ;)
Also, Maor Maps
#6664 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/29 21:56:56
you probably wont see me making a map for a while since with my new job and the fact that I'm buggering off to turkey in a weeks time (for 2 weeks) I wont even be near a pc :P
That and I spent so long making that base map that I have mappers block with my blue map (that was already started)...
Fiiiiiiine....
#6665 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/29 21:58:48
Well I thought FESP1 sucked because obviously Hard/Nightmare skill is the only mode to play it on and it's st0000pid that n00bs can cheese through the map on Easy "skill" and ruin the experience for themselves AND me!
(sorry, bored of going round in circles, just gonna take the piss now ;))
P.S.
#6666 posted by Shambler [86.25.220.216] on 2013/05/29 21:59:40
Enjoy Turkey, hope you get blue map motivation back, and post 6666, bitches!
Fesp1
#6667 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/05/29 22:06:19
does indeed suck... worst map ever. I actually made the new revision easier on normal and easy. I should have made the hard version spawn like 30 shamblers in the final room.
Save The Date
#6668 posted by Bal [83.204.152.17] on 2013/06/01 01:42:29
This game is pretty cool, it's about going on a date with your girlfriend, quite experimental, you should seriously all give it a try :
http://paperdino.com/games/save-th...
#6669 posted by Spirit [80.171.1.18] on 2013/06/02 11:48:33
Hotline Miami
What a disappointing game. At first I thought it would be ace, but then it turned out to be just 4 or 5 music tracks, boring story, extremely frustrating "try 1000 times" boss fights. Aiming is hard. A good game I guess but fuck it.
Sacrilege
#6670 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/06/02 14:32:59
Hotline Miami is one of the best games I've played. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and there are like 20-30 tracks (I know, I bought the soundtrack).
The games difficulty is one of the best aspects, also I love the twitch gameplay.
Agree
#6671 posted by onetruepurple [91.240.47.30] on 2013/06/02 14:53:52
Though I do think the bosses are bullshit.
#6672 posted by Spirit [80.171.1.18] on 2013/06/02 15:17:51
I am stuck at the car boss and it is zero fun because I simply die after seconds if I am not immediately crushed by the car.
Maybe there is more music later? So far I had very few songs (great ones though).
Morrowind
#6673 posted by Rick [75.65.159.61] on 2013/06/02 16:02:36
is on Steam special for $6, I'm wondering if it's worth getting even though it's pretty old.
I've already played Fallout3, Oblivion, Skyrim and New Vegas. I played FO3 all the way to the end, but in general have never really enjoyed the main quest line of these games and pretty much just ignore it. I basically just like exploring the world and doing quests.
#6674 posted by necros [99.227.215.224] on 2013/06/02 16:11:46
There's the morrowind graphics extender which gives you a modern far view distance like oblivion.
Morrowind Overhaul
#6675 posted by negke [31.18.179.222] on 2013/06/02 16:38:59
There's a plethora of mods, a real mess if you're not familiar with the nooks and crannies. An excellent (automated) mod package I can recommend is Morrowind Overhaul. I re-played the game with version 2 some time ago. It looks gorgeous, although it also puts quite a bit of strain on the machine the more you max out the visuals. It's not only graphical, I think, but also includes some script fixes.
Spirit: aw, you're like a little puppy. As soons as the level starts, run to the room on the left for cover. You can pick off the enemies from there.
Negke, You Dog
#6676 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.232] on 2013/06/02 18:07:36
I did that and always ran out of ammo. And since I could not hit the molotov guy from there I thought it was a wrong approach.
The Car Boss...
#6677 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/06/02 19:30:53
piece of piss. took me a single go.
Neg is right, you jump to the left and just blast away. The game does have a couple of difficulty spikes, I love the helmet parts.
#6678 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.232] on 2013/06/02 19:45:54
wtf did I buy..
Proteus
Artsy-fartsy critic thing. r_drawflat, cl_*speed 50, sensitivity 0.01 and acceleration. Does not seem to have any gameplay elements. Accessing the menu requires you to hold esc for several seconds to see a "YOUR EYES ARE CLOSING YOU ARE SO IMMERSED" animation but not too long because then it quits right away.
Car Boss
#6679 posted by Drew [216.252.94.56] on 2013/06/02 20:44:12
isn't piece of piss, exactly. Like I seriously doubt most people survive that 1st go.
But far from unbeatable. Just keep at it!
Hotline Miami SPOILERS
#6680 posted by Spirit [80.171.154.232] on 2013/06/02 20:54:19
I did beat it earlier and was pretty pissed that the objective was not killing the molotov guy but just two groups of enemies.
Then I got to the capital sin of gaming, the hospital section where the view spins around and the player character randomly shambles and stops moving. Fuck that. Reminds me of that rmq demo poison(?) part where I got nauseous from the distortion. Blargh...
On the upside, finally new music.
HM
#6681 posted by FifthElephant [82.12.230.210] on 2013/06/02 22:34:17
Killing helmet proved the hardest fight for me, I didn't enjoy it at all (and it took me like a million go's to do).
Everything after that wasn't bad though, thoroughly loved it.
Just To Be Contrarian
#6682 posted by Drew [216.252.90.108] on 2013/06/03 19:52:33
(cuntrarian?)
All in how it's utilized, I'd say - and there are of course a lot of ways to go wrong. Poison effect shit *can*be done well though - eg Yoshi's Island.
Gunpoint Is Out
#6683 posted by ijed [200.73.66.2] on 2013/06/03 20:52:38
http://www.gunpointgame.com/
Lost
#6684 posted by MadFox [84.26.94.131] on 2013/06/06 03:09:33
I know it's sounds weird from a call in the dark from someone who's lost in DeusEx in the Canal-Road and can't pass the automobile accident.
It breaks me up to loose all JCDenton's code and cheat for the next level.
Hmm
#6685 posted by DaZ [78.147.162.175] on 2013/06/06 09:08:59
It depends where you are in the story, at a certain point the story will progress and the automobile accident will clear by itself and you can get past it.
What is your current objective?
Very Cool:
#6686 posted by Shambler [86.25.223.106] on 2013/06/06 10:57:48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dj...
#6687 posted by Spiney [81.242.127.89] on 2013/06/06 11:02:50
There's 2 Versalife missions; in the first you need to obtain a employee pass and go through the main entrance elevator (near the market and lucky money iirc). Once you done that and talked to Tong, etc... the road blocks should be lifted and you can plummet into the sewer entrance in the back of the tunnel.
Been a while since I played so my memory is kinda hazy :P
Oh, and if you finish the game you can always try The Nameless Mod: http://thenamelessmod.com/real/
It's pretty awesome haha.
Other DX1 Mods
#6688 posted by quakis [86.22.126.142] on 2013/06/06 18:29:11
... for those interested.
Project 2027: http://project2027.com/en/#/
Neat mod but can be tough. Plan to review this eventually...
Nihilum: http://www.moddb.com/mods/nihilum
This seems to be a recent release I noticed by chance. Haven't played it yet though.
@DeusEx
#6689 posted by MadFox [84.26.94.131] on 2013/06/07 02:36:37
@DaZ - I kept turning and saving untill my saved games were up.
@spiney - I've talked to Tong, but when I try to return to the Canal-Road, Gordon Quick stands in the way, although I shoot out all my ammu on him.
It looks as a kind of block-up in the game
Fine textures in the mod.
I'm still a MonsterVodoo2 user, makes playing Unreal like games a joy.
Vodoo 2
#6690 posted by Spiney [81.242.117.150] on 2013/06/07 12:09:28
Haha, that's awesome. I used to have a voodoo3 but threw it out, now I kind of regret not having it for building a retro gaming device.
There's also modernized renderers for UE1:
http://www.cwdohnal.com/utglr/
http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv...
Both work well for me, they can give you the glide look under DX and OGL.
Quakis: I'll check those out sometime. Kind of in the mood for giving DX another twirl (happens every once a year or 2 lol).
Spacechem
#6691 posted by Spiney [81.242.117.150] on 2013/06/07 13:58:34
This looks fresh...
http://www.spacechemthegame.com/
Yes
#6692 posted by Bal [92.103.231.26] on 2013/06/07 14:43:25
Spacechem is awesome.
Believe It Or Not...
#6693 posted by Rick [75.65.159.61] on 2013/06/07 16:55:34
I still have the Pentium Pro computer that I bought in 1996 just so I could play Quake. I put a 3Dfx card in it right after I bought it.
I later upgraded to a 3Dfx II, and... I still have the box that the 3Dfx II came in, and... inside that box is the original 3Dfx card.
The Pentium Pro still works fine, I turn it on a couple of times a year just to check. It has a 2.5 GB drive and 32 megs of RAM :)
Spacechem
#6694 posted by ijed [200.28.237.209] on 2013/06/07 18:57:07
Is too clever for me.
Moster Vodoo II
#6695 posted by MadFox [84.26.94.131] on 2013/06/12 10:25:00
The screenshots on kentie.net illustrate the wild feeling VodooII delivered me the Unreal game more than twelve years ago.
The fine ligtning with halo glow, reflections and fog boosted up the game in an outrageous way.
It may be said the clarity of the screen was scattered by the pixel melting, but I still concern it as a great profit.
There have gone long shiftings of directX before those effects were obtainable.
If I had Vista I would try out that GL-score on DND3D and Rune, they look quiet spectulair.
#6696 posted by necros [99.227.215.224] on 2013/06/15 18:29:27
i was thinking of picking up metro last light, but looking at the minimum specs for it has me a little worried...
i'm fine for cpu, ram, etc... but it has the nvidia 250gts listed as minimum.. which is what I have.
anyone here playing the game: what video card are you guys using vs how well does it play?
Dead Space 3.
#6697 posted by Shambler [86.25.221.239] on 2013/06/22 00:09:01
Up to Chapter 5.
The controls are broken as fuck just like in Dead Space 2.
Use overrides aim mode for collecting items and opening doors, but not for using the bench nor control panels.
Any tutorial introducing a new action requires holding aim to use despite almost all actions working with aim toggle on otherwise.
A few random things don't work with aim toggle for no reason.
Quick stasis doesn't work in aim mode despite quick health working.
The mouse feel is horrible and swingy especially in aim mode.
The health bar is obscured most of the time in close combat despite the cruciality of quick health.
Basically one of the main ways I get through combats is focusing a lot on the keyboard and what to press, rather than actually aiming and moving. This is of course the polar opposite of what a natural and transparent control system should be like.
The other issue is that apparently (I read in a few comments on Blues etc) there are loads of resources and ammo and health in the game. So far I have found the resources to be more scarce than pretty much any other game I've played. This is including playing carefully, using stasis a lot, not wasting ammo and hunting in every bloody area I can find. This is the other main way I get through combat, by cheesing the fuck out of it by running away and waiting for stasis to recharge.
But...
It looks great, the detail is excellent, the sci-fi style is done very well, the ship graveyard is splendid, and it's intriguing enough for me to put up with the seemingly deliberate control bullshit and keep playing.
#6698 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/06/22 09:08:13
I'm back playing games again! Haven't actually had time to play anything since last year. Anyway I played COD: World at War and Necrovision. Anyone played Necrovision? I really liked it, the design and art in second half really feels like an id game. Combat was good fun.
Reviewed them both http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere...
(7.5/10)
and http://www.etherealhell.com/ethere... (8/10)
#6699 posted by [Kona] [121.73.104.148] on 2013/06/22 09:24:53
Oh, I tried to play The Witcher too. Turns out you can't remap the mouse buttons and most the keys. Fuck that infuriates me. Same with the sequel I think (anyone tried?).
Anyone looked into the possibility of playing an Xbox or PS with mouse/keyboard? Too many games are coming out for consoles and not PC, I might have to get a console, but I sure as fuck aren't playing without my mouse/kb.
Yeah, Has Been Wondering The Same,
#6700 posted by dooomer [115.234.244.126] on 2013/06/22 12:47:57
though they say it's easy to play FPS with the controller on xbox360, I would surely prefer to take down baddies with mouse and keyboard.

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