That pre-heavensward part lasts so long when all you want to do is make an Astrologian
This isn't an exaggeration. The pre-Stormblood stuff is at least interesting and the post-Stormblood content moves the story forward.
The end of it was great, the first 75% was just aaaaahhhhhhh
I just bought Heavensward/Stormblood. I’m hoping my exp bar is turned back on 
After this $&@%#!! hockey is over of course. /cry
After this $&@%#!! hockey is over of course. /cry
I am queued in a very long, long wait for Castrum Meridianum with one other dps lol.
figmentPez
Staff member
Dreamfall Chapters , this is a bad game. Specifically, the game mechanics are pretty damn terrible, even as adventure games go. The art style is pretty, the voice acting has some nice highlights, and the world is interesting. The plot is a mess, and the writing is all over the map, but what really kills this game as an experience is the terrible gameplay.
I'm not even sure how to explain it without going on for longer than I'm willing to type. It's wildly inconsistent, and makes bizarre choices in what is done automatically, and what the player has to do. I just got through a sequence that was basically a cut scene, but it made me repeatedly press LB to row the boat I was in. I couldn't even steer the boat, and it jump cut to me being out of the boat when the conversation was over!
The UI changes unpredictably. At one point I failed a quest because the UI option I was expecting had been moved in the middle of doing a repetitive task. The game randomly changes what it requires of the player. Sometimes just walking up to characters having a conversation will interrupt them, other times you'll actually have to interact to speak up, and this matters in the game's choices.
Also, this game really loves killing off characters. Way too much. Seems the only way they could think to spell out "Your actions will have consequences" was to kill off characters every time you do something the game disapproves of.
The writing, oh god, the writing. Sometimes it's nice, most of the time it's kinda enjoyably cheesy. Then there are the times they kill a good joke by repeatedly shoving it in the players face. "We need to go to the bar, it's called the Cock.. er, the Rooster and Kitten. It's got a sign with a happy cat riding on a, er, proud rooster. It's a cute illustration of a pussy, I mean a kitten, because the bar is the Rooster and Kitten. It used to be called the Cock and... OH, does that mean what I think it means? Because that's.... Let's have an awkward silence while we agree to only call it the Rooster and Kitten, except when we forget and start to call it the Cock and... ooops! for the sixth time. DO YOU GET IT? IT'S A DOUBLE ENTENDRE! Is the joke dead yet?"
I wanted to like this game, I did. The Longest Journey was good. Dreamfall managed to be ejoyable, despite putting clunky combat in an inventory puzzle adventure game. Dreamfall Chapters is just a mess. A pretty, sometimes funny, occasionally moving mess. It's good qualities do not outweigh it's faults. It's a bad game because it just can't decide on what it wants it's game mechanics to be.
I'm not even sure how to explain it without going on for longer than I'm willing to type. It's wildly inconsistent, and makes bizarre choices in what is done automatically, and what the player has to do. I just got through a sequence that was basically a cut scene, but it made me repeatedly press LB to row the boat I was in. I couldn't even steer the boat, and it jump cut to me being out of the boat when the conversation was over!
The UI changes unpredictably. At one point I failed a quest because the UI option I was expecting had been moved in the middle of doing a repetitive task. The game randomly changes what it requires of the player. Sometimes just walking up to characters having a conversation will interrupt them, other times you'll actually have to interact to speak up, and this matters in the game's choices.
Also, this game really loves killing off characters. Way too much. Seems the only way they could think to spell out "Your actions will have consequences" was to kill off characters every time you do something the game disapproves of.
The writing, oh god, the writing. Sometimes it's nice, most of the time it's kinda enjoyably cheesy. Then there are the times they kill a good joke by repeatedly shoving it in the players face. "We need to go to the bar, it's called the Cock.. er, the Rooster and Kitten. It's got a sign with a happy cat riding on a, er, proud rooster. It's a cute illustration of a pussy, I mean a kitten, because the bar is the Rooster and Kitten. It used to be called the Cock and... OH, does that mean what I think it means? Because that's.... Let's have an awkward silence while we agree to only call it the Rooster and Kitten, except when we forget and start to call it the Cock and... ooops! for the sixth time. DO YOU GET IT? IT'S A DOUBLE ENTENDRE! Is the joke dead yet?"
I wanted to like this game, I did. The Longest Journey was good. Dreamfall managed to be ejoyable, despite putting clunky combat in an inventory puzzle adventure game. Dreamfall Chapters is just a mess. A pretty, sometimes funny, occasionally moving mess. It's good qualities do not outweigh it's faults. It's a bad game because it just can't decide on what it wants it's game mechanics to be.
GasBandit
Staff member
The Killing Floor 2 "Cyber Revolt" event has been having some issues where people could not access the item server. It reminds me of they heyday of TF2. But apart from that, it's fun as always. I'm 3 bosses away (12/15) from completing the final challenge task to get my his-and-hers cyberpunk outfits. Haven't gotten any glowy gun skins yet, but got my fingers crossed.
It really is convenient to have your own server to switch between the various game modes at will, I will say, though
Also, in endless mode with Snuffles and a Rando last night, I discovered that a level 25 berserker with a Field Medic's AR and the Static Shocker fist weapons works pretty well.
It really is convenient to have your own server to switch between the various game modes at will, I will say, though
Also, in endless mode with Snuffles and a Rando last night, I discovered that a level 25 berserker with a Field Medic's AR and the Static Shocker fist weapons works pretty well.
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Evoland 1 & 2
Decided to install these on a whim.
I'd played the first before, but could never beat the final boss. This time I did. And like last time, I found the game flawed but charming. The mix of Final Fantasy random battles and top-view Zelda gameplay don't really mesh. And once the game fully "evolves," it kind of fizzles out on the idea by the end. The final boss or area should've continued the theme, but really, once you evolve to to the highest graphics and such, that's pretty much it. The story isn't interesting and the game itself takes maybe 4 hours to complete. Fun idea, but not much to it.
The sequel, though, lives up to the potential. Rather than opening chests, allowing the game to suddenly upgrade or evolve, they weave it into the story. Heavily influenced by Chrono Trigger, you travel to different eras. And depending on the era, the graphics are appropriately up or downgraded. The story is surprisingly engaging, the gameplay is good, if basic, and there are tons of mini-games along the way that mix up the gameplay.
Haven't beaten it yet, but I'm really enjoying it.
Decided to install these on a whim.
I'd played the first before, but could never beat the final boss. This time I did. And like last time, I found the game flawed but charming. The mix of Final Fantasy random battles and top-view Zelda gameplay don't really mesh. And once the game fully "evolves," it kind of fizzles out on the idea by the end. The final boss or area should've continued the theme, but really, once you evolve to to the highest graphics and such, that's pretty much it. The story isn't interesting and the game itself takes maybe 4 hours to complete. Fun idea, but not much to it.
The sequel, though, lives up to the potential. Rather than opening chests, allowing the game to suddenly upgrade or evolve, they weave it into the story. Heavily influenced by Chrono Trigger, you travel to different eras. And depending on the era, the graphics are appropriately up or downgraded. The story is surprisingly engaging, the gameplay is good, if basic, and there are tons of mini-games along the way that mix up the gameplay.
Haven't beaten it yet, but I'm really enjoying it.
That was the worst dungeon. We did well, but there were cutscenes that I couldn’t skip every few seconds it felt like and a few dudes were sour that duty roulette got them there.
One guy even asked to get booted and there was much complaining about the two of us stuck in a scene.
Thankfully our healer came back and showed me where to go after the first big cutscene and they waited after that. Or god, maybe they were forced to watch too.
It was rough.
One guy even asked to get booted and there was much complaining about the two of us stuck in a scene.
Thankfully our healer came back and showed me where to go after the first big cutscene and they waited after that. Or god, maybe they were forced to watch too.
It was rough.
GasBandit
Staff member
I did indeed discover that my "Pulverizer" sledgehammer is chambered for 12 gauge shotgun shells. However, I think the Static Shocker made for a more effective "backup" weapon when I had to switch away from the Medic AR. The electric damage of the heavy attack de-rages Scrakes, and makes them easier to deal with.
I don't like Sekiro. Wait, sorry, I don't like the bosses in Sekiro. I like the stealthy Tenchu levels and I enjoy the game letting you retreat and try a different angle...until it's a boss. Then it's play our fucking way or die. Or, more, play our fucking way and die anyway you fucking idiot. Then it's the JOY of clearing all the fucking adds the boss is always flanked by over and over and over and over again. These add clears are a billion times less fun than the longest of boss runs in the Souls games.
I’ve also noticed this trend. A lot of boss challenges these days aren’t as much about “dodge the boss attack” or “shoot the flashing spot” as they are about “guess the secret weakness of the boss,” where beating that boss with any normal attack/weapon is hella difficult though technically possible, BUT if you have the Enchanted Ice Spear, you can freeze him in the waterfall and defeat him in one shot. It’s like What’s My Line, only TO THE DEATH.
—Patrick
Clara Bjergsen is one of the original sims from the Get Together pack. In this latest game of mine, her husband, Bjorn, is long since dead of old age. Her children are dead of old age. Her grandchildren are beginning to die of old age. Yet she lingers on. Is the leader of the Upper Crusts party to some ancient forbidden knowledge, or is she merely a vampire? Come morning I shall find out. Then I'll MCCC her out of her misery.
YOU invited me to the club, you old bat. You called the gathering to your house. Cooking is part of the deal. So don't act all pissy when I start making a gourmet meal for everyone on your stove.
YOU invited me to the club, you old bat. You called the gathering to your house. Cooking is part of the deal. So don't act all pissy when I start making a gourmet meal for everyone on your stove.
I'm not sure what the alternative is in a Souls-style game: if you install a secret, sneaky, easier way to handle a boss (such as knocking Iron Golem or Dragonrider off their platforms) then it becomes the default method of approaching those bosses, meaning there is basically no reason for the devs to give the boss a moveset or to even put a boss in. As it is, the devs know that something like 1/3rd of players will never beat the first/second boss of a Souls game because you can't just power them like you could in other games... hell, 3/4ths of players didn't FINISH Dark Souls III and it's one of the easier titles. But there really isn't an incentive for the devs to make things easier; each title already sells millions so it's apparent the public at large has accepted the challenge level.
There is a reason "Git Gud" has become default advice in the Souls community; it's because once you've reached a certain point, your ability to play the game is the only thing that determines whether you advance. There are no tricks or the tricks that people could give that would ruin all future challenges. I get why some people aren't okay with that and I don't think their point is without merit... making the game easier would increase the amount of people who get to actually experience the game. But I'm not sure what the point would be without the blistering challenge.
To their credit, From Software has been explicit about weaknesses for bosses in Sekiro. You get told over and over, by multiple sources, what these weaknesses are (especially in the case of the chained up ogre).
There is a reason "Git Gud" has become default advice in the Souls community; it's because once you've reached a certain point, your ability to play the game is the only thing that determines whether you advance. There are no tricks or the tricks that people could give that would ruin all future challenges. I get why some people aren't okay with that and I don't think their point is without merit... making the game easier would increase the amount of people who get to actually experience the game. But I'm not sure what the point would be without the blistering challenge.
To their credit, From Software has been explicit about weaknesses for bosses in Sekiro. You get told over and over, by multiple sources, what these weaknesses are (especially in the case of the chained up ogre).
I finished the main story
I went with a FC group and some others and they were cool with all the cutscene waiting. It made the whole thing way better. All 1,000 cutscenes every ten steps. Seriously.
I then watched a gigantic one.
And then?
More main quests it would seem??
I went with a FC group and some others and they were cool with all the cutscene waiting. It made the whole thing way better. All 1,000 cutscenes every ten steps. Seriously.
I then watched a gigantic one.
And then?
More main quests it would seem??
I know which one you're talking about. It was the last dungeon of the base game. Luckily I had a group with some guild members and the rest were all there for the first time.
They don't do cutscenes like that afterwards
I hated that god damn dungeon so much.
The problem is it isn't a Souls game. The levels and gameplay styles are not Soulsy at all. You get the openness to explore these big levels and tackle so much stuff from so many angles, then you're funneled into these incredibly hard rhythm challenges of bosses that require 10+ minutes of add clears before you can even attempt them. These bosses would be insanely rewarding if it were possible to beat them once, since clearing the adds and getting them feels good...the first time. The 23rd time clearing adds around the boss is the worst experience I've had in a From Soft game and I've played the Ringed City.
Heh, Jim Sterling just put up a video saying the same shit I am. The best line is, "You have to have fun while getting gud." I too am not.
Yes. When I finally do "git gud," I want to feel like I finally achieved something spectacular, not like I merely survived until the end of my punishment.
--Patrick
I decided to check out the free week of Elder Scrolls online.
Evidently I had joined the beta in 2014, and didn't even remember. So I have a fun little non-combat monkey pet that follows me around, as a consequence. Feels weird to be a level 1 noob with a 5 year old visible achievement following me around, all the while remembering absolutely nothing about this game.
Evidently I had joined the beta in 2014, and didn't even remember. So I have a fun little non-combat monkey pet that follows me around, as a consequence. Feels weird to be a level 1 noob with a 5 year old visible achievement following me around, all the while remembering absolutely nothing about this game.
Warhammer Total War II: Came back to this again. Still my favorite total war game ever. Finally got around to playing through a Vampire Coasts campaign and a High Elve campaign. One more turn syndrome indeed. I'll probably do a Mortal Empires game at some point after this exam is done.
Elite Dangerous + Elite Dangerous: Horizons: My brother was itching to play this so he bought me a copy and I put down for a HOTAS joystick. Initial impressions are pretty good, but I can't fly for shit. He's already put some time in it, and he wants to deck out a freighter and let me crew it. I haven't played a good sim since Freelancer and X-wing/TIE fighter, so I'm looking forward to putting some time into this.
Final Fantasy XIV: Also my brother's suggestion. I was prepared to be bored to tears, but I'm actually having a lot of fun. Already about level 30 on my Pugilist. An MMO addiction is probably the last thing I need, but here we are. I appreciate how easy it is to get things done on my own if I need to. Say hi to Jun Jun Li. Guess who was in the room during character creation.
Elite Dangerous + Elite Dangerous: Horizons: My brother was itching to play this so he bought me a copy and I put down for a HOTAS joystick. Initial impressions are pretty good, but I can't fly for shit. He's already put some time in it, and he wants to deck out a freighter and let me crew it. I haven't played a good sim since Freelancer and X-wing/TIE fighter, so I'm looking forward to putting some time into this.
Final Fantasy XIV: Also my brother's suggestion. I was prepared to be bored to tears, but I'm actually having a lot of fun. Already about level 30 on my Pugilist. An MMO addiction is probably the last thing I need, but here we are. I appreciate how easy it is to get things done on my own if I need to. Say hi to Jun Jun Li. Guess who was in the room during character creation.
@Terrik I would say that as far as MMOs go, FF14 is pretty casual? You have stuff you CAN do every day, but nothing you feel like you NEED to do every day except for maybe Leveling Roulette if you want to get another job up fast. It's not like WoW where you feel like you're not making progress if you're not raiding constantly.
PUG/MNK is fun, but prepare to cry constantly when your dumb ass tank makes you lose Quicksilver stacks because he won't fucking pull.
PUG/MNK is fun, but prepare to cry constantly when your dumb ass tank makes you lose Quicksilver stacks because he won't fucking pull.
Terrik being a monk is so fitting.
Dungeon leader: Alright, here's the gameplan. Everyone needs to spread out into this area and watch for the bosses aoe before aggroing the adds.
Monk: I'm gonna punch it in the face
dungeon leader: That's not the plan, you have to wait to attack until
Monk: I'm gonna punch it
Dungeon leader: You're not listening, we need to...
Monk: I already punched it.
Boss: RAWR!
Dungeon leader: Alright, here's the gameplan. Everyone needs to spread out into this area and watch for the bosses aoe before aggroing the adds.
Monk: I'm gonna punch it in the face
dungeon leader: That's not the plan, you have to wait to attack until
Monk: I'm gonna punch it
Dungeon leader: You're not listening, we need to...
Monk: I already punched it.
Boss: RAWR!
Have been playing Elder Scrolls Online.
Discovered that sometime over the last few years they changed the system so that you scale up to mobs level, and all mobs are set to CP 160. This essentially means that until you max level and start getting higher gear (CP 160+--you don't scale down, only up), every mob you fight will essentially be equally difficult. That wandering monster-cow-thing you fought outside of town at level 1? Just as difficult at level 49.
This was kind of weird to get used to...when I first started playing, there was no indicator of whether a monster was below, at, or above my level. I had no idea what I could safely fight. It was googling this conundrum that educated me on ESO's mob scaling.
I have a couple of feelings about it.
Pros: You can go anywhere and do any quest. When I first started playing, I struggled with that fear of taking quests that took me to new areas, because I didn't know if they'd be above my pay grade. That makes the game very story driven. You take on quests, and complete them and can pay attention to the story and lore of them without grinding for levels.
Cons: Not much sense of accomplishment at the lower levels. The difference in your experience between levels 1-10 in WoW is dramatic. I'm level 11 on ESO, and I really don't feel like my character is any more powerful than he was at level 1. I have a couple of more powers than I had, but they don't really make the fights any easier. Also, it takes away much of the fear of running into random mobs I may have never seen before. Unless it's a boss-type mob with special tactics (which I did run into once), they're just differently shaped polygons all with a relatively equal chance of killing me.
I dunno. I haven't decided if I like the pros enough to outweigh the cons enough to pay for it when the free trial is up in 3 days.
Discovered that sometime over the last few years they changed the system so that you scale up to mobs level, and all mobs are set to CP 160. This essentially means that until you max level and start getting higher gear (CP 160+--you don't scale down, only up), every mob you fight will essentially be equally difficult. That wandering monster-cow-thing you fought outside of town at level 1? Just as difficult at level 49.
This was kind of weird to get used to...when I first started playing, there was no indicator of whether a monster was below, at, or above my level. I had no idea what I could safely fight. It was googling this conundrum that educated me on ESO's mob scaling.
I have a couple of feelings about it.
Pros: You can go anywhere and do any quest. When I first started playing, I struggled with that fear of taking quests that took me to new areas, because I didn't know if they'd be above my pay grade. That makes the game very story driven. You take on quests, and complete them and can pay attention to the story and lore of them without grinding for levels.
Cons: Not much sense of accomplishment at the lower levels. The difference in your experience between levels 1-10 in WoW is dramatic. I'm level 11 on ESO, and I really don't feel like my character is any more powerful than he was at level 1. I have a couple of more powers than I had, but they don't really make the fights any easier. Also, it takes away much of the fear of running into random mobs I may have never seen before. Unless it's a boss-type mob with special tactics (which I did run into once), they're just differently shaped polygons all with a relatively equal chance of killing me.
I dunno. I haven't decided if I like the pros enough to outweigh the cons enough to pay for it when the free trial is up in 3 days.
And I’ll get lost because the 100th cutscene I couldn’t skip was too long lol
However, my cat lady will look fierce doing so.
"Time's up, let's do this! TEEEERRRRRIIIIIKKKKK... MMMMMJJJEEENNNKKIIIINNNNSSSSSS!!"
Halforums House has me interested in playing Sims again. But where in Heaven's sake do I own it?!
> Steam: nope
> GOG: nope
> DVDs: only Sims 1 and 2
> GamersGate: only Sims 3
> Origin: nope
> Direct2Drive: nope
> Humble Bundle: nope
...huh. Either I've misplaced my cope of 4, or I've never owned it digitally. I know I have a Sims DVD at my parents' place, but I thought that was 3, not 4, and I doubt they would know where to look.
Let's have a look if it's available somewhere...Base game, €11, that's OK....Digital Deluxe edition, €22...Pack 1, €22...Pack 2, €21...Get Famous, €35...4 seasons, €19....Parenthood, €19....pack 4, €20...Pack 6, €22...Pack 3, €25....
Yeah, ok, each of those contains several smaller expansions or stuff packs (and bought separately they're way more expensive), and all of these are *discount codes* from cdkeys.com which isn't even exactly the most solid seller. I know this is a game that makes money off of selling eternal packs, but holy shit. I can easily spend €200 on discounted packs and not have everything! Yeah, no. I guess I'll go play something else.
> Steam: nope
> GOG: nope
> DVDs: only Sims 1 and 2
> GamersGate: only Sims 3
> Origin: nope
> Direct2Drive: nope
> Humble Bundle: nope
...huh. Either I've misplaced my cope of 4, or I've never owned it digitally. I know I have a Sims DVD at my parents' place, but I thought that was 3, not 4, and I doubt they would know where to look.
Let's have a look if it's available somewhere...Base game, €11, that's OK....Digital Deluxe edition, €22...Pack 1, €22...Pack 2, €21...Get Famous, €35...4 seasons, €19....Parenthood, €19....pack 4, €20...Pack 6, €22...Pack 3, €25....
Yeah, ok, each of those contains several smaller expansions or stuff packs (and bought separately they're way more expensive), and all of these are *discount codes* from cdkeys.com which isn't even exactly the most solid seller. I know this is a game that makes money off of selling eternal packs, but holy shit. I can easily spend €200 on discounted packs and not have everything! Yeah, no. I guess I'll go play something else.
Guess I'll be re-installing The Sims, the Original Game, once I've bought myself a new DVD player since my doesn't work anymore
GasBandit
Staff member
Spent a lot of time this weekend playing Grim Dawn (which is why HH4 only got 4 updates this weekend instead of 7 like last weekend ). Got to level 35, which I understand is not even mid game. Yep, it's a Diablo clone, and yep, it feels a LOT like Path of Exile, and yep it lifts its story RIGHT out of Divinity: Original Sin (now with extra grimdark), but somehow it's engaging and fun even if it doesn't really do anything new. I can see myself losing long blocks of time to this.
It's possible to play multiplayer, but I learned the hard way before that I probably don't wanna play this multiplayer because I like to stop and read notes and bask in lore and ambiance and exhaust every conversation tree and enjoy the experience, but when you add more people into the mix it's all GO GO GO KILL LOOT LET'S GO WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG COME ON HURRY UP GO GO KILL GO KILL GO KILL and next thing I know I'm killing something and I don't know the reason why other than exp and loot and it just takes me RIGHT OUT of the experience and I lose interest.
). Got to level 35, which I understand is not even mid game. Yep, it's a Diablo clone, and yep, it feels a LOT like Path of Exile, and yep it lifts its story RIGHT out of Divinity: Original Sin (now with extra grimdark), but somehow it's engaging and fun even if it doesn't really do anything new. I can see myself losing long blocks of time to this. It's possible to play multiplayer, but I learned the hard way before that I probably don't wanna play this multiplayer because I like to stop and read notes and bask in lore and ambiance and exhaust every conversation tree and enjoy the experience, but when you add more people into the mix it's all GO GO GO KILL LOOT LET'S GO WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG COME ON HURRY UP GO GO KILL GO KILL GO KILL and next thing I know I'm killing something and I don't know the reason why other than exp and loot and it just takes me RIGHT OUT of the experience and I lose interest.
