What are you currently playing?

[hanselthecaretaker]

I heard part of the online problem has to do with gold bars being a thing you can buy with real cash while in-game the amount you get from doing stuff is pretty low....I don't know if that's still a big problem or not.

It’s still a grind to get gold or cash online, but it doesn’t help with progression in any meaningful way since better gear is tied to XP and leveling. It mostly means you get the access to things like pursuits and cosmetics sooner but with no competitive advantage since it doesn’t help at all with completing them. I think weapons, clothing, camp gear, etc. are still way too expensive, but the whole game is designed for the long haul. I only ever bought gold through a special offer in the beginning where they gave 4x the normal value, but I think progress through the game lands at a similar pace to $ accrued to use on stuff. Just not “all” the stuff. My online character certainly isn’t hurting, but the game dangles the carrot well enough that it’s a nice dopamine hit getting a new outfit or camp upgrade.

 

[Gergar12]

Out of interest, which ones (at least of note)? I keep wanting to play Skyrim, but keep losing interest. I do like having multiple followers, and maybe a flying one in particular, (amongst a zillion others).

For your sake, and my sake I am not telling you. But there is a certain website with... animations that you may want to check out whose initials are totally not LL. Also lots of pirated mods, and mod made from pirated data from other games.

Also nexus mods. And yes I have the flying mod as well, and around 20 followers.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Diablo III: Eternal Collection

Is there a way to change the language on PS4? Console is set to English and plays EVERYTHING in English but will only play this one game in Spanish no matter how many times I download and re-download the thing.

 

[Gordon_4]

Star Fox for the SNES.

The game's...okay. Really, there's no comparison, Star Fox 64 is better in every way. It's better than Command, but being kicked in the balls is better than Command. Game's pretty tough though. Beat Route 2 last night. Route 3...ulp.

I replayed that on a SNES Mini last year. Christ, it’s practically just wireframes with no textures - still had a hoot but yeah, Lylat Wars/Star Fox 64 was the infinitely better game.

 

[Thaluikhain]

For your sake, and my sake I am not telling you. But there is a certain website with... animations that you may want to check out whose initials are totally not LL. Also lots of pirated mods, and mod made from pirated data from other games.

Also nexus mods. And yes I have the flying mod as well, and around 20 followers.

Ah, yes, there are some...interesting and creative looking mods there. Also, several people who said they were going to do a centaur mod and gave up halfway through.

Do you get problems with followers getting in your way, or occasionally hitting them by mistake? I get that a bit, and I only usually have about 5. Considering leaving extra followers near vampire entry points in some towns.

 

[gorfias]

Fun to see how my PS3 stacks up today. I just loaded Mass Effect 2 on it. Surprisingly good looking (I also have this on a decent powerful PC version that does look and play a bit better).

 

[Agema]

Well I am gonna disappoint you by saying I got as far as like the 4th Act of the game (There are 7 of them with a bunch of levels each) and for some reason....I just couldn't get into it.

I don't know why but there was something about it overall that I didn't make me want to finish it to the end. I just stopped at the level where I was being escorted by a tank.

The one sure thing I can say about this game is that it kinda feels "Jank", specifically the weapon animations just doesn't feel well. And the undead/monster type enemies felt way too Damage Spongy. Like I had to unload whole clips of my MP40 to finish them off.

I vaguely remember that. But the MP40 is a pretty low damage weapon and the skeletons are tough. Early on you have to MP40 them a bit, but it's often worth finding better ways and weapons to down them.

I think RtCW was also around the peak of the PC FPS. Once FPSs became joint console/PC developments, I think they kinda went to shit a little. The controls were off somehow: there was something about CS:S, Far Cry and the like where you could snap headshots off, that reaction near-pixel aim, but somehow something just seemed wrong about the joint console/PC ones. Aim seemed slower and less precise: not even setting the sensitivity higher made it feel right. The other thing consoles ruined is that in that era they couldn't handle large maps like PCs could. Play Deus Ex, Far Cry you get maps where you can snipe a guy from... a very, very, very long way away. Play Deus Ex 2 or Crysis 2, I doubt you ever see anything more than 100m away and usually much less: you wonder what the point of a sniper rifle even is if that's the maximum range the game allows. Small, miserable, cramped maps that make you feel you're in a shrunken replica of a real world: luxury apartments so small it would embarrass a slum-dweller; a bit of city map that's just three modest-length streets and two corners. They got better again, but my enthusiasm for FPS had withered over those years of mediocrity. Now I'm just way out of practice, and older so my reflexes are well-declined anyway.

 

[Gergar12]

Ah, yes, there are some...interesting and creative looking mods there. Also, several people who said they were going to do a centaur mod and gave up halfway through.

Do you get problems with followers getting in your way, or occasionally hitting them by mistake? I get that a bit, and I only usually have about 5. Considering leaving extra followers near vampire entry points in some towns.

I don't use all my followers all at once, I will take one, or two of them.

 

[Dalisclock]

It’s still a grind to get gold or cash online, but it doesn’t help with progression in any meaningful way since better gear is tied to XP and leveling. It mostly means you get the access to things like pursuits and cosmetics sooner but with no competitive advantage since it doesn’t help at all with completing them. I think weapons, clothing, camp gear, etc. are still way too expensive, but the whole game is designed for the long haul. I only ever bought gold through a special offer in the beginning where they gave 4x the normal value, but I think progress through the game lands at a similar pace to $ accrued to use on stuff. Just not “all” the stuff. My online character certainly isn’t hurting, but the game dangles the carrot well enough that it’s a nice dopamine hit getting a new outfit or camp upgrade.

That's good to know. I'm glad it's not pay to win, at least. You just have to worry about griefers(but that's online for you). At least it (probably) doesn't have a laser cannon satellite so people can murder you without fear of retribution.

And I guess a recent patch broke the game, where the maps were super empty and nothing was spawning(except a bald guy).

 

[Samtemdo8]

I vaguely remember that. But the MP40 is a pretty low damage weapon and the skeletons are tough. Early on you have to MP40 them a bit, but it's often worth finding better ways and weapons to down them.

I think RtCW was also around the peak of the PC FPS. Once FPSs became joint console/PC developments, I think they kinda went to shit a little. The controls were off somehow: there was something about CS:S, Far Cry and the like where you could snap headshots off, that reaction near-pixel aim, but somehow something just seemed wrong about the joint console/PC ones. Aim seemed slower and less precise: not even setting the sensitivity higher made it feel right. The other thing consoles ruined is that in that era they couldn't handle large maps like PCs could. Play Deus Ex, Far Cry you get maps where you can snipe a guy from... a very, very, very long way away. Play Deus Ex 2 or Crysis 2, I doubt you ever see anything more than 100m away and usually much less: you wonder what the point of a sniper rifle even is if that's the maximum range the game allows. Small, miserable, cramped maps that make you feel you're in a shrunken replica of a real world: luxury apartments so small it would embarrass a slum-dweller; a bit of city map that's just three modest-length streets and two corners. They got better again, but my enthusiasm for FPS had withered over those years of mediocrity. Now I'm just way out of practice, and older so my reflexes are well-declined anyway.

I've been playing Serious Sam 2 in the mean time, I might try to beat Return to Castle Wolfenstein later.

But holy shit Serious Sam 2 is just.....dumb.

Like the story is so dumb I am just skipping all the cutscenes because that's how dumb it is that I don't even care. The humor isn't even funny at all.

Gameplay wise though I do enjoy the far more whacky level design, I especially love that level where your the size of an ant where everything mundane is giant.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

That's good to know. I'm glad it's not pay to win, at least. You just have to worry about griefers(but that's online for you). At least it (probably) doesn't have a laser cannon satellite so people can murder you without fear of retribution.

And I guess a recent patch broke the game, where the maps were super empty and nothing was spawning(except a bald guy).

There’s actually a couple different modes that help with that. At camp you can enable passive mode so people don’t bother you there, and for the general gameplay there’s a defensive mode to minimize hostility. I only bother with the camp one though. You can also parley a hostile player to be either removed from the situation temporarily (ie moves across the map someplace) or press charges to increase their bounty value and likelihood other players intervening for you. I’ve put *checks profile* 238 hours into the online mode and can count on both hands the times I’ve had a problem with griefers. Even then I chose to engage half the time - at least once I had some levels under my belt- because it was a nice challenge.

It’s a big part of why I’ve played it so much; the community just seems to have a different mindset.

Spoiler: A few examples -

I’m focusing on completing the compendium from the story more now since I got all the online trophies, but still like to go on here and there. It’s similar to the SoulsBorne style of online during free roam, where it mostly plays like the offline aside from the less elaborate scripting with interactions between NPCs, and you’re essentially a mute. I don’t play with a headset either; most people just use emotes. Biggest problem is being at the mercy of the Rockstar server gods. I’ve only gotten booted maybe twice as much as I’ve had an issue with griefers though, so not too bad.

I haven’t played it since the broken update got rolled back. I had a 14 day streak for gold bonuses the day it happened so it was disappointing to lose that but I’ll probably go back on soon to make some more headway with the latest outlaw pass. It’s 40 gold but pays for itself and then some if you complete it. Every level gives a variety of perks so it’s that dang carrot again.

Oh and that bald guy...yeah he’s creepy.

 

[Dalisclock]

I've been playing Serious Sam 2 in the mean time, I might try to beat Return to Castle Wolfenstein later.

But holy shit Serious Sam 2 is just.....dumb.

Like the story is so dumb I am just skipping all the cutscenes because that's how dumb it is that I don't even care. The humor isn't even funny at all.

Gameplay wise though I do enjoy the far more whacky level design, I especially love that level where your the size of an ant where everything mundane is giant.

Dumb in general or dumb in comparison to the other SS games? Because none of them are exactly Hugo winning quality.

I mean, the 3rd game made a joke about "Mooning the Earth", followed by Mental dropping the Moon on the Earth.

 

[Samtemdo8]

Dumb in general or dumb in comparison to the other SS games? Because none of them are exactly Hugo winning quality.

I mean, the 3rd game made a joke about "Mooning the Earth", followed by Mental dropping the Moon on the Earth.

Dumb as in I don't give a fuck about any of the characters not Sam in the cutscenes because they are ugly gremlin racist stereotypes.

 

[BrawlMan]

Dumb as in I don't give a fuck about any of the characters not Sam in the cutscenes because they are ugly gremlin racist stereotypes.

Even Crowteam hates SS2. 2K forced them to make it "funny" and "humorous" . Still does not excuse the racists stereotypes. Despite that, SS2 has better gameplay and varied levels compared to 3. Crowteam went too far in trying to make the game Serious. What did not help was that SS3: BFE was originally going to be a possible Doom 4, and a military shooter at one point. The contract for both supposed game fell through and Crowteam still own the assets so a lot was reused for BFE. Crotwteam said for SS4: Planet Badass (which is another fucking prequel!) said they'll make it a bit more colorful than 3, while actually not making the same mistakes from 3.

Beat survival mode on Normal with Lucia in SFV. Love that character. I also played Phantom Breaker, but I do not think I will ever bother with that game again. The game I am playing is a "retro 8 bit" brawler that plays like Guardian Heroes (unlike that game, you only get two planes, similar to Panzer Bandit), but nowhere near as fun. The game drags and the combat just does not work for me. How did I even finish this on 360. I have the Switch version; the one I am currently playing, but I feel no need to continue. I am probably going to delete it. If you want a 2D/RPG Brawler, there are better options: Guardian Heroes; always the best. Code of Princess, the spiritual successor on 3DS & Switch (with combat revamped and modified in the latter version), or Panzer Bandit (hope you like emulator or importing a Japanese PS1 game).

 

[Dalisclock]

Dumb as in I don't give a fuck about any of the characters not Sam in the cutscenes because they are ugly gremlin racist stereotypes.

Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad. Admittedly I skipped Serious Sam 2 because I heard it wasn't nearly as good as he first. I did go back for BFE, which started rocky before finally getting back in the groove at a certain point.

 

[Samtemdo8]

Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad. Admittedly I skipped Serious Sam 2 because I heard it wasn't nearly as good as he first. I did go back for BFE, which started rocky before finally getting back in the groove at a certain point.

If you complete ignore the cutscenes and the plot and focus purely on gameplay Sam 2 isn't too bad.

 

[Dalisclock]

If you complete ignore the cutscenes and the plot and focus purely on gameplay Sam 2 isn't too bad.

This is where I make the joke about Serious Sam having a plot beyond "Kill all the aliens" also "Something Something Time Travel". I know there's a bunch of flavor text in the database but none of it really seems to mean much.

Also, I'm not sure if I'm annoyed that SS4 is going to be another prequel or just don't care at this point. OTOH, I would like the see the series head towards some kind of conclusion and not "and here's something that happened before the time travel shenanigans of the first game" but OTOH, the plot is such an excuse I don't know if I can really bring myself to care.

 

[Hawki]

So, I'm plouging through the Star Fox games now, or at least, the ones I haven't played. Which has led me to Star Fox Zero. Took the plunge to finally set up my WiiU (got it secondhand years ago) and dive in. So how do I feel?


Actually, that's not entirely true, but it does convey my sense of apathy. Because the game feels so...hollow.

It's the second time the Star Fox series has been rebooted, and it does nothing new with its premise. It might be my imagination, with nostalgia and all that, but it feels like a lot of the characters have lost a lot of their personality - Falco's less of an asshole, Slippy's less of a screwup, etc. It's really just a rehash of Star Fox 64, which was already a rehash of Star Fox SNES, but unlike 64, Zero doesn't do anything to justify its existence from a narrative standpoint. And fine, okay, narrative's never been the main focus of this IP, how about the gameplay? How do the controls hold up? Well, TBH, when I'm flying in the Arwing, it handles like a dream. Controls are intuitive, responsive. and while I have to adjust my aim sometimes, I can re-center the reticle with the press of a button. Unfortunately, the game insists on putting you outside the Arwing. Sometimes in the walker, sometimes in the Gyrowing. The former is tedious. The latter is insanely boring. Just flying through tunnels and lowering some stupid robot to do stupid things. Zoness goes from being one of the highest paced missions in 64 to a snoozefest, because I'm flying some stupid helicopter around when I'd rather be in my Arwing. Zero makes the same mistakes as Assault does, but somehow does it even worse. Yes, being on foot in Assault was still more enjoyable than the Gyrowing.

Anyway, I'll plough through it, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, Nintendo has no idea what to do with this IP.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

Just finished Act 1 of Ghost of Tsushima, after taking a while to clean up all the sidequests I could beforehand. There's some pretty interesting stuff going on in that game, and like Sekiro the combat is fun and skillful enough that it hasn't felt 'samey' despite objectively not having that much variation to it. I'm pretty invested in the story as well, and actually making pretty frequent use of the photo mode, which I've never done in a game before.

tl;dr really enjoying it so far and looking forward to what the northern half of the map has.

 

[Dalisclock]

Finished chapter 3 of RDR. That was quite a finale.

The assault on the plantation house was nicely done, and leaving Catherine Braithwaite to watch her house burn after her family had been gunned down is arguably worse then killing her. Not that she didn't deserve it.

So as far as I can tell from chapter 3, Dutch has a "Plan" and it goes something like this.



1.Roll into town and set up camp.
2. Find out both families hate each other and one of them may be sitting on a bunch of civil war gold. It's unkown which one has the gold, if either of them do.
3a..Antagonize the Braithwaite by attacking their operations while pretending to be the friends of the other family.
3b. Antagonize the Grays by attacking their operations by pretending to be the friends of the other family.
4.???????
5. Gold!!!!!!
6. Ride away with both sides none the wiser.


As you can see, there are literally no problems with this plan. NO PROBLEMS!

And it certainly wouldn't result in both sides figuring out that the new group of outsiders coincides with the recent attacks against both their operations and thus coming down HARD. It's kind of justified that Dutch underestimates both families due to his low opinion of Southerners, despite having no evidence to back up his and Hoseas belief that they're "Stupid Hillbillies". It doesn't change the fact his "Plan" is poorly thought out and relies on both sides being unrealistically stupid, despite any and all evidence to the contrary.