Zero Punctuation: Quantum Conundrum

[VladG]

Not sure why Yahtzee rags so much first person platformers. I had absolutely no issue with my positioning or jumping. If anything I felt the platforming to be very accurate and easy in QQ.

Same goes for Mirror's Edge.

 

[FEichinger]

If a game - released to the public, not as some kind of beta, demo, preview, mid-development thing etc. - doesn't have a UI to change basic settings, this means the developer did not want them to be changed. Arguing that "you can change them through config files" is bullshit. Yes, it works, but that definitely isn't how it's supposed to be - and that's the issue Yahtzee addressed.

 

[Mydnyght]

All I got out of that video is this:
Yahtzee doesn't give half a fuck that he finally reviewed a game whose title starts with Q and that the Zero Punctuation Alphabet is now complete.

 

[Balkan]

IF I say that Spec ops The line is like a third person shootter Silent hill , will that intrigue you ?

I doubt it. A tird person shooter Silen Hill sound like kind of a terrible idea.

Then you havent played the game
It has some of the subtle elements of sh like envioremental story telling and hints of madness . Its not survival horror .

 

[Flunk]

I think some clarity needs to brought to this "pc games hardware" thing.

Having adequate hardware is very important, to a point. It is only up to the makers of the game to ensure that it plays adequately on the minimum requirements they set out. If it doesn't play adequately on the minimum requirements, then it's the developers fault. That's why those requirements exist.

Not having graphics setting on an Unreal-engined game is just lazy on the developer's part as the engine supports a lot of different settings that they would just have to write menu options for with very little effort.

P.S. I do know how to edit Unreal scripting files but I won't begrudge anyone who can't, there really isn't any reason why we should have to do that.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

Here is the c-- he is poster number .

Prepare the flamethrowers

I'm sorry, but am I the only one that thinks the kid had a perfectly reasonable response and Yahtzee simply made him sound like some elitest PC gaming ****?

Here's a break down of the actual post;

TBH, you're not a long time PC gamer if you can't edit a config file nor if you believe that the 'dawn of the 3d gaming era' used menus to change settings - so please change that to reflect the truth

The OP had a bit of a smarmy attitude and claimed to be a long time PC gamer, the person referenced by Yahtzee responded in kind.

PC games did not always have menu settings. Even those that did had far more hidden setting only accessible via config files. It is a very reasonable assumption that if you've been playing games on a PC for significant portion of time, at one point you've edited a config file (especially if you were gaming in the 90s/early 2ks). It'd be similar to assuming that someone who claims to "have spent a lot of time around cars" would know how to change their own oil; it's not always going to be the case, but it probably should be.

The game uses the unreal 3 engine, most of the things in your list (FOV, Vsync and so on) can be changed by editing the config file for the game.

This is actually helpful, is it not? He has responded to the OP to inform him that the settings he complained about can in fact be changed.

Many of other things really aren't serious are they? This is no graphic and cpu hungry title at all. With the best will in the world, if you don't have a computer that can play this title smoothly on the defaults, you must have a computer from the dawn of 3d gaming

PC gamers need a gaming PC. Not a triple-SLI, nitrogen cooled, plutonium powered Pineapple systems 74, but at the least a reasonably fast dual core and reasonable fast graphics card.

This statement is the opposite of what Yahtzee claimed, 'anyone that doesn't have access to a top-range PC blah blah blah'. It's clearly stated, you don't need a top range PC, but you do need a gaming PC. Any gaming PC bought in the past 5 years or so should be able to handle the Unreal Engine 3 because it's been around even longer...

The game runs fine without needing lowered resolutions and so on on the recommended hardware. There's a bit of level loading and exit / entry doors to each puzzle, but it's nothing gameplay breaking (and it's far less significant than Portal 2's constant level loading interruptions)

That's all this game needs. But, with the best will in the world, if your computer cannot play this title, I cannot see how you can be a PC gamer? I can't imagine what games you can be playing.

As for the fov and vsync and so on, google should help you find details of changing UT3 config settings - generally speaking the defaults are in E:\Steam\steamapps\common\Quantum Conundrum\Engine\Config (where E: is the drive you have steam installed on) although UT3 games install configs in C:\Users\blah\Documents\My Games\UnrealEngine3 too, where blah is your user account - that said, there are a few of them detailed already in other threads in this forum, perhaps others will appear.

And he ends his post with info the is genuinely helpful.

 

[MarsProbe]

I wanted to quote the post by the user that thought they were first, then go back to make a posthumous edit on finding out they were beaten to the punch, as it made me laugh almost as much as this review.

Good one, Yahtzee!

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I don't know what's funnier. That he called some random Steam guy a **** or that he doesn't know how to edit an ini file of a UT3 engine based game.

 

[girzwald]

Here is the c-- he is poster number
Prepare the flamethrowers

I'm sorry, but am I the only one that thinks the kid had a perfectly reasonable response and Yahtzee simply made him sound like some elitest PC gaming ****?

Here's a break down of the actual post;

TBH, you're not a long time PC gamer if you can't edit a config file nor if you believe that the 'dawn of the 3d gaming era' used menus to change settings - so please change that to reflect the truth

The OP had a bit of a smarmy attitude and claimed to be a long time PC gamer, the person referenced by Yahtzee responded in kind.

PC games did not always have menu settings. Even those that did had far more hidden setting only accessible via config files. It is a very reasonable assumption that if you've been playing games on a PC for significant portion of time, at one point you've edited a config file (especially if you were gaming in the 90s/early 2ks). It'd be similar to assuming that someone who claims to "have spent a lot of time around cars" would know how to change their own oil; it's not always going to be the case, but it probably should be.

The game uses the unreal 3 engine, most of the things in your list (FOV, Vsync and so on) can be changed by editing the config file for the game.

This is actually helpful, is it not? He has responded to the OP to inform him that the settings he complained about can in fact be changed.

Many of other things really aren't serious are they? This is no graphic and cpu hungry title at all. With the best will in the world, if you don't have a computer that can play this title smoothly on the defaults, you must have a computer from the dawn of 3d gaming

PC gamers need a gaming PC. Not a triple-SLI, nitrogen cooled, plutonium powered Pineapple systems 74, but at the least a reasonably fast dual core and reasonable fast graphics card.

This statement is the opposite of what Yahtzee claimed, 'anyone that doesn't have access to a top-range PC blah blah blah'. It's clearly stated, you don't need a top range PC, but you do need a gaming PC. Any gaming PC bought in the past 5 years or so should be able to handle the Unreal Engine 3 because it's been around even longer...

The game runs fine without needing lowered resolutions and so on on the recommended hardware. There's a bit of level loading and exit / entry doors to each puzzle, but it's nothing gameplay breaking (and it's far less significant than Portal 2's constant level loading interruptions)

That's all this game needs. But, with the best will in the world, if your computer cannot play this title, I cannot see how you can be a PC gamer? I can't imagine what games you can be playing.

As for the fov and vsync and so on, google should help you find details of changing UT3 config settings - generally speaking the defaults are in E:\Steam\steamapps\common\Quantum Conundrum\Engine\Config (where E: is the drive you have steam installed on) although UT3 games install configs in C:\Users\blah\Documents\My Games\UnrealEngine3 too, where blah is your user account - that said, there are a few of them detailed already in other threads in this forum, perhaps others will appear.

And he ends his post with info the is genuinely helpful.

He may end his post with something somewhat helpful, but he doesn't say how to do it he basically says keep looking cause I'm not going to tell you. But even considering that, he was a **** the entire time. The dude must live in his mothers basement if he thinks everyone knows how, or does manually edit files for their games on a regular basis.

 

[Calibanbutcher]

what!?!? guys come on, that ending was really out of place. its like using the good ole line "F-- me", "F-- you"

WTF yathzee, no amount of forum teenagy insult should remotely transpire into the paid work of a professional journalist. especially that you have access to such a wide audience, its like promoting a pissing snotty attitude when someone takes a poke at your ego.

I know it accounts only for a few seconds in there but that "smooth" finish really hurts the review and makes for a lasting impression.

I visit this site for its reviews and gaming news in general. i tend to like your reviews and have been enjoying them for a long time. But with reviews like this one, my opinion is that i worry where you are taking your brand when you equally promote a form of negative elitism similar to what the anonymous guy on steam got fired upon for as i understand. its one thing to take a whack at a product, a game or even a company and its quite another to use your podium to take a whack at an individual which, we know now, can be traced back and identified.

I know that if i don't like it, i can just go elsewhere, but the point of my comment today is to point out how from a reader's perspective, this specific review has, not lacked in quality, but lacked in "edits".

ItÄs a JOKE. He overexaggerated something in order for it to become FUNNY.
If you don''t like the joke, fine, but it's still a joke.

The joke he made, was that it's quite common for PC gamers to display a certain elitism. He chose to convey this by taking a single representative of the PC gaming community, who was not singled out, since he wasn't named, explaining to us, what said individual had done and then calling this representative of all PC-elitists names.

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

 

[Lucem712]

You know, this reminds me of when some Linux users mock newbies for being unable to use the Terminal. Sure, the terminal is a fantastic tool and can make tasks much easier (Especially once you memorize the commands) but it shouldn't be required.

Linux OSes should have a GUI option, and so should PC games. Because you can really damage things if you don't know what the hell you are doin'.

 

[Racecarlock]

When yahtzee said he didn't like it I nearly got lockjaw. I guess I'm avoiding this game, then. It looked like the exact thing he would like, too. Then again, yahtzee is the toughest critic in the world, so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. I was not expecting him to hate it though. I mean, wow. The gameplay videos looked so good too.

 

[Realitycrash]

"I would be honored to be called a ♥♥♥♥ by Yahtzee" - from Steam Forums.

This fucking disturbs me. Seriously, the man is trying to express disgust, but someone already claims that they would feel honored if someone of remote fame would recognize them in a video, even if it is clearly negative?
You know, even if this particular post was ironic, there's already several people flooding the topic and saying "Congratz, you were called a **** by Yahtzee", and the sad part is that this person probably WILL feel special and not at all insulted, simply because everyone gives him attention.

Have we forgotten about the internet rule of dealing with trolls?
Never.
Feed.
Them.


So gratz, all of you, you've given the moron exactly what he wanted.

 

[mjc0961]

That whole nonsense of "you should be able to edit an INI file" isn't an excuse anyway. Developers should be putting in a proper options menu so this shit can be edited in game rather than constantly shutting down and launching the game to see if it's finally how you want it. Not putting in a proper options menu in a PC game is just shit developing, no matter how good you are at editing INI files.

The game runs fine without needing lowered resolutions and so on on the recommended hardware. There's a bit of level loading and exit / entry doors to each puzzle, but it's nothing gameplay breaking (and it's far less significant than Portal 2's constant level loading interruptions)

That's all this game needs. But, with the best will in the world, if your computer cannot play this title, I cannot see how you can be a PC gamer? I can't imagine what games you can be playing.

As for the fov and vsync and so on, google should help you find details of changing UT3 config settings - generally speaking the defaults are in E:\Steam\steamapps\common\Quantum Conundrum\Engine\Config (where E: is the drive you have steam installed on) although UT3 games install configs in C:\Users\blah\Documents\My Games\UnrealEngine3 too, where blah is your user account - that said, there are a few of them detailed already in other threads in this forum, perhaps others will appear.

And he ends his post with info the is genuinely helpful.

Except that's not helpful at all. "Here's the file, mess around with it yourself because I'm not going to tell you what settings to change" isn't even REMOTELY helpful.

 

[daxterx2005]

Motion blur...I hate motion blur.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

I want that game!
Oh wait... I've already got it.
And loved it.

 

[Tharwen]

Honestly if you can't run modern games then what HAVE you to play?

Old games...?

Anyway, not all 'modern games' are hard to run. The Humble Bundle alone has given me dozens of games that will run on my laptop.

 

[eniac0]

ItÄs a JOKE. He overexaggerated something in order for it to become FUNNY.
If you don''t like the joke, fine, but it's still a joke.

The joke he made, was that it's quite common for PC gamers to display a certain elitism. He chose to convey this by taking a single representative of the PC gaming community, who was not singled out, since he wasn't named, explaining to us, what said individual had done and then calling this representative of all PC-elitists names.

Jesus tapdancing Christ.

well first off, i dont see the need to involve the name of the lordly bearded man.

second, if it was a joke it was certainly dim enough to hide the usual implied ha ha has. i don't think disguising it as a count makes it any less serious. were i to go about and call you or whomever a member of the fokker family, with references to the movie, would you not get the clue? would you actually take it as a joke?

if in fact it was meant to be a joke im sure he would have found some funny way to use the escapist imp to do something funny. when you use globally-recognized offensive words like "count" in a magazine, you know the impact of using that word, so if you use it, you don't joke with it.

that said, if im the only one that was taken aback by this review, then its fine, ill be the only one to suffer from it and all will be good.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

So, a few years after DICE tried to shamelessly cash in on Portal's success by creating their own first-person non-shooter with a female protagonist and an end-credits song called "Still Alive" (I swear I am not making that up), the creator of Portal decided to return the favor by inserting that game's worst mechanic into her own Portal ripoff? Yeah, that's really showing 'em, Kim.

And if Yahtzee thinks de Lancie was typecast in this game, he should see what the My Little Pony guys did with him.

"I would be honored to be called a ♥♥♥♥ by Yahtzee" - from Steam Forums.

This fucking disturbs me. Seriously, the man is trying to express disgust, but someone already claims that they would feel honored if someone of remote fame would recognize them in a video, even if it is clearly negative?
You know, even if this particular post was ironic, there's already several people flooding the topic and saying "Congratz, you were called a **** by Yahtzee", and the sad part is that this person probably WILL feel special and not at all insulted, simply because everyone gives him attention.

Have we forgotten about the internet rule of dealing with trolls?
Never.
Feed.
Them.


So gratz, all of you, you've given the moron exactly what he wanted.

Not his fault other people decided to track down exactly who he was referring to. (And incidentally I have reported those people; if the Escapist has any decency at all they'll permaban them for it. Not cool, guys.) Honestly he might as well have been addressing any one of hundreds of idiots I've had to deal with on the Internet, and it's about time someone with a big voice in gaming circles publicly called them out for it. Bonus points for it coming from the guy who gave the world the phrase "PC Gaming Master Race" in the first place.

 

[ritchards]

That review was largely how I felt about the game, therefore I approve of this review!