GasBandit
Staff member
Actually, yes. I can tell you're improving. You're much faster and controlled than you were previously. Gouranga!
GasBandit
Staff member
Turns out the Xmas event in KF2 has TWO new levels, and they got Garey Busey to be the VA for Santa. One level is a mall, and plays like normal, and the other is Santa's Workshop, which is a TF2-style cart escort. I've got all the difficult objectives out of the way, and all I have left to do is kill 2500 zeds and 25 bosses (and I'm about 1/5th the way through that).
So, if anybody wants in on this action, lemme know
So, if anybody wants in on this action, lemme know
figmentPez
Staff member
Update: Later dungeons introduce what I think are infinitely respawning enemies. At least, portals open and spew out enemies, and there does not seem to be any end to the portals continuing to spawn, even if you close the portal... Which isn't easy, because the enemies coming out of the portals can all randomly teleport you around the map.
This game really went downhill in the late game. I could handle the grey slimes that respawn if you don't slide across the puddle they leave behind; that's usually just a matter of planning. I started to get annoyed at the flying fish that come in pairs that you have to defeat both at the same time. I honestly have no idea how you're supposed to kill those fish as an archer, but okay. However, I just don't get what strategy you're supposed to take when swarms of powerful enemies pour out of portals, and teleport you randomly around the map while hitting you for significant amounts of damage.
I ended up just trying to find the stairs to the next level as fast as possible, and hoping to get lucky against the boss. I finished the story, but there's not much incentive for me to try to finish all the levels with each class. Maybe I'm missing something, but this game devolved into serious bullshit.
GasBandit
Staff member
Started playing Sins of a Solar Empire again last night. I really like the game, but I stopped playing it for a long time because it was one of Pauline and my favorites to play together in co-op. Thus, the 5+ year hiatus has caused me to be all rusty as hell and have to re-learn how to play in a lot of ways. But I'm catching on again. It's still kind of bittersweet, though, but much like I did with L4D and Borderlands, I'm sure I'll power through it.
It's starting to really show its age, though, especially in those portraits, heh. The Pirates bidding interface looks like an early access title's placeholder for assets/UI that isn't done yet. Heh.
It's starting to really show its age, though, especially in those portraits, heh. The Pirates bidding interface looks like an early access title's placeholder for assets/UI that isn't done yet. Heh.
Dave
Staff member
There was a streamer that does PUBG at a very high level. He was planning on doing team-ups with his subscribers. I was slated to do Friday night with him and now he's waiting for the weekend. I may not get a slot now. I still might, but it's a lot less of a chance. I subbed specifically because he does this.
I was there to witness this moment of glory. It was pretty frickin sweet.
figmentPez
Staff member
I was wrong. There are a limited number of portals, it's just that 3 or so portals can spawn a LOT of bullshit. Turns out that heal-on-kill weapons kinda pale in comparison to bonus-AOE weapons when it comes to staying alive. There just don't seem to be a lot of gear combinations that are actually viable for the end dungeons.
Oh, and there are class specific weapons and armor. They just suck, really bad. Which would you rather have: armor that lets you swap places with an enemy when you teleport, or armor that gives you extra health and heals you every time you smash a pot? Getting high(er health up)on (smashing a) pot is available to all the classes. Haven't found the pot head armor? Well, would you rather be able to infinitely spam an ability that drains your life in order to stun your enemies, or would you like extra health and retaliation AOE when enemies hit you? Maybe we should talk weapons, would you rather be able to mind control a single enemy using an expensive ability, or have every attack you do cause AOE fire damage? (Again, massive AOE is available to all classes. Crappy bonus abilities are class specific.)
So, discovering that gear loadout is really important made me realize the late game wasn't as random and rushy as I thought it was. However, it also makes the classes feel less distinct, since it really becomes about boosting fire damage and healing with pot(s).
Still, getting to the endgame is fun, (and there may be other builds that work). So I can't give Sproggiwood a strong recommendation, but it still gets my thumbs up overall, for being a cute game that works well for at least a half-dozen hours of fun.
GasBandit
Staff member
Oh man... if you thought Banished was a bleak and unforgiving city simulator, you should take a gander at Frostpunk. Set in the literal end of the world, where the temperature STARTS at 20 degrees below zero C, and falls about 10 degrees every week after that, you are tasked with being the leader of the last (to your knowledge) human city on earth, desperately huddled in a barely-sheltered canyon around a massive coal power generator. There's never enough of anything to go around, and you have to constantly make tough decisions and juggle resources to keep hope high and discontent low. Your doom is all but assured, but how long will you last? I've only played 3 games, but so far my record is 32 days - and much to my consternation, I had to basically institute a totalitarian regime to even make THAT work.
Still, every time I play it, I get a little bit better and we live a little bit longer....
Still, every time I play it, I get a little bit better and we live a little bit longer....
I've seen playthroughs of this where people never go morally greyer than Guard Posts or Faith meetings. It's doable, but not in every scenario. I've yet to see anyone evacuate Winterholm with a fully assembled dreadnaught. The biggest thing? You need to decide if you need help keeping order or keeping hope. From what I've seen, Hope is usually the way to go.
Regardless, I find Frostpunk to be uplifting in the same way I find This War of Mine uplifting, which shouldn't be surprising because they are both done by the same team. I'm hoping we get even more DLC beyond the upcoming Free Builder mode.
Sounds like that anime Island from last season.
Is it fun, though? I have it on my wishlist but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.
GasBandit
Staff member
It is, but very much in a dwarf fortress kind of way.
I haven't even tried the Winterholm scenario yet, I'm still working on the first one.
GasBandit
Staff member
Ok, I managed to beat the first scenario, but I had to monkey with the difficulty settings. I left all of them at the default level except the rate at which the temperature gets worse, I slid that down one notch.
And even with that handicap, I had to go full despotic regime, execute dissidents, the whole NEIN yards. All I can say in my defense was that at its worst, the fucking weather got to NEGATIVE 150 DEGREES C. All efforts to heat homes, gather (or even COOK) food, harvest wood or steel, all ground to a halt and there was nothing we could do but shiver in the dark as people died by the dozens where they huddled, desperate to share every drop of body heat.
We started with 80 people, population got up over 300 at one point by finding survivors and refugees, but by the time the world-ending storm had had its way with us, we were back down to about 120-150, and half of those had had limbs amputated because of frostbite.
And I really don't see what I could have done to do any better.
And even with that handicap, I had to go full despotic regime, execute dissidents, the whole NEIN yards. All I can say in my defense was that at its worst, the fucking weather got to NEGATIVE 150 DEGREES C. All efforts to heat homes, gather (or even COOK) food, harvest wood or steel, all ground to a halt and there was nothing we could do but shiver in the dark as people died by the dozens where they huddled, desperate to share every drop of body heat.
We started with 80 people, population got up over 300 at one point by finding survivors and refugees, but by the time the world-ending storm had had its way with us, we were back down to about 120-150, and half of those had had limbs amputated because of frostbite.
And I really don't see what I could have done to do any better.
You got about 5 and a half hours?
End total: 693 people out of a possible 720 survived, through Faith, without crossing the line.
They have runs of the other scenarios too but you might want to give those a try before watching them.
Caught Nier:Automata in a steam sale and am barely into it. In the first hour however, they have the nature of self thrown in your face via uploading your memories before you "died", however your companion DIDN'T, so he's "himself" from like a half-hour before that, and I've also already encountered a Ship of Theseus thing with a different NPC. Hitting you pretty hard on the head with this stuff right away, so it'll be interesting where that goes later.
Pretty fun though so far, though more difficult than I expected right out of the gate.
Pretty fun though so far, though more difficult than I expected right out of the gate.
I kind of gave up on Nier because I sucked at it. I'll probably end up trying again at some point, or just watching someone else play.
GasBandit
Staff member
Frostpunk:
I haven't watched the five hour video Ashburner posted yet, but after some practice by way of beating the second and third scenarios, I went back to try the main story again. This time I was able to beat it without going full totalitarianism, and even managed to keep more than 300 people alive. But the epilogue still tried to guilt trip me for having a prison. Dude. There was crime. WTF was I supposed to do, make the penalty for every misdemeanor the de-facto-death-sentence of banishment? At least the prisoners were kept fucking warm and fed.
I haven't watched the five hour video Ashburner posted yet, but after some practice by way of beating the second and third scenarios, I went back to try the main story again. This time I was able to beat it without going full totalitarianism, and even managed to keep more than 300 people alive. But the epilogue still tried to guilt trip me for having a prison. Dude. There was crime. WTF was I supposed to do, make the penalty for every misdemeanor the de-facto-death-sentence of banishment? At least the prisoners were kept fucking warm and fed.
GasBandit
Staff member
Vermintide 2:
So it turns out there's a secret 4th level in the Back to Ubersreik DLC that you unlock by doing ridiculously complicated tasks in the first three levels. Tonight I managed to complete those tasks, and unlock the level. Snuffles and I did our best at that 4th level but it is REALLY hard. It's like a ridiculously difficult horde mode, where we are constantly attacked by ever-increasing numbers of enemies. We tried several times, but there's one part where it literally hits us with 15 full blown Chaos Warriors simultaneously (in addition to the constant stream of trashmobs), and only once did we ever make it through that, and it was immediately followed up by a Bile Troll and a bunch of other special mobs that finished us off. It's really difficult, but it's a lot of fun.
So it turns out there's a secret 4th level in the Back to Ubersreik DLC that you unlock by doing ridiculously complicated tasks in the first three levels. Tonight I managed to complete those tasks, and unlock the level. Snuffles and I did our best at that 4th level but it is REALLY hard. It's like a ridiculously difficult horde mode, where we are constantly attacked by ever-increasing numbers of enemies. We tried several times, but there's one part where it literally hits us with 15 full blown Chaos Warriors simultaneously (in addition to the constant stream of trashmobs), and only once did we ever make it through that, and it was immediately followed up by a Bile Troll and a bunch of other special mobs that finished us off. It's really difficult, but it's a lot of fun.
Dave
Staff member
Played PUBG with my daughter and her boyfriend last night. Sam & I were driving one vehicle and Edgar & Tbro were in another. we got separated and Sam & I came under fire. We ditched into a closed location to make a stand. Sam went into a different building for some reason (she's new at the game and it was a BAD time to split up). She started taking fire so I ran to her building and set up position around a corner. The first mother fucker that poked his head around the corner as going to get smoked.
Funny thing about PUBG. When you are scoped in, the names of your teammates don't show when they poke their heads around the corner...
RIP Sam.
Funny thing about PUBG. When you are scoped in, the names of your teammates don't show when they poke their heads around the corner...
RIP Sam.
GasBandit
Staff member
Last night Snuffles and I FINALLY beat Fortunes of War, the ultra ridiculously difficult wave/horde mode secret level of the new Vermintide 2 DLC.
It was nuckin futs.
To be honest I fucked up a LOT in that mission that time, more so than on previous runs where we failed. I'm astonished we won. I think we used our bombs better this time, and had better bots, and that made the difference.
It was nuckin futs.
To be honest I fucked up a LOT in that mission that time, more so than on previous runs where we failed. I'm astonished we won. I think we used our bombs better this time, and had better bots, and that made the difference.
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