LadyCrimson

My main complaint about day/night cycles in games is that they are always too short. I know, you don't want a game-day to actually be real-time 24 hours. But days/nights that last 10 minutes are just ... silly. I don't care if they're scaled relative to the size of the game forest you're marching around in - I still find it irritating to see the sun rise then I march around the forest for 10-15 minutes, and suddenly it's dark. I can (and do) live with it, but ... yeah, it's always annoyed me. Not that this is helpful to your nice topic post. I'm just griping.

We buy parts and put them together. My current PC was about $800 + $200 for a new LCD monitor (my first one of those...) when I put it together a few years ago. Since then I've added more RAM and a very expensive video card, but neither of those things was a "must have" upgrade in order to play any games...I did it because I felt like it. I suspect this PC will last at least a few more years before games I'm personally interested in will start to make me think about upgrading again. But yes, prices and methods are going to vary from place to place/country to country, and whether you buy prebuilt or build your own. All of that. In my opinion, PC gaming rigs are always going to cost more than a console (assuming you only buy one console) but it's nowhere near as huge a gap as some make it out to be, in terms of cost per year (original set-up cost, game costs, whatever other possible peripheral costs).

The occasional pop culture reference as humor/homage/easter egg is fine. Too many and it becomes intrusive. Unless, of course, utter silliness is one of the points of the game (Borderlands, Death Spank). I tend to prefer references in a game that refer more to the game's genre history, however, more than actual "real world" pop references. eg, easter egg reference to another IE game or rpg's in general, vs. a reference to Monty Python's spam sketch or Star Wars meme.

I'm not super informed, no, and I admit that. But I've certainly had periodic times where I think to myself "maybe consoles might appeal to me now" and thus go out and do some research on them and what games are available. eg, I've seen the giant lists of console game titles, look through them, read reviews, look at YouTube vids if any...and so far, nothing sparks my interest. I wasn't saying all console games are sports/shooters ... I did mention FF, I believe. But those types of RPG's don't appear to be my thing. It's true that if I gave them a chance, there's always that small chance I'd change my mind. But people buy stuff based on research and knowing what their own personal likes/dislikes are, and on that, consoles still aren't interesting. For me personally, there's also the issue that I just don't like controllers. I've tried. Played BL2 with controller for months. Tried FNV with one even. It works. I still don't like them. I've repeatedly thought my husband might like a console, however, since he pretty much defines the "sit on the couch/likes controllers" stereotype of gamer, heh, and I think there might be more console games he'd like vs. PC games that cater to kb/mouse, but he still refuses to consider one because he likes the tech control of PC gaming. *shrug* We did buy the original NES back in the day, which, outside of Snake Rattle n Roll, basically ended up as a paperweight. (edit: I also don't like platformers. Even on the PC. Never have.)

Fishing can definitely be a relaxing/meditative activity, even if you're crawling along a muddy streambank looking for the perfect spots all day (vs. sitting in a boat or fly-fishing). Whatever way one fishes, something about it is just peaceful/fun. Shame I don't actually like eating fish. We caught this monstrous catfish once, brought it home in a huge cooler, cooked it up w/some friends and ate it. It was ok, but...yeah, not a fish person. Woke up late, watched some BBC comedy while eating leftover pizza. Surfed the 'net. Currently thinking "what now?" .... being the weekend, I could just nap on the couch repeatedly, but I'm in the mood for something more. Perhaps a visit to the geek-palace known as Fry's.

The definition in most dictionaries (and most "social culture" reference) of romance is romantic love (love affair, keeping "romance" alive re: marriage/love relationships) - something more than pure sex/one night stands/convenient physical gratification - but not necessarily "true love" or "love that = marriage".... you can have a torrid, very sexual love affair that lasts for weeks/months, with emotional stuff coming into play, but where both partners are aware they wouldn't/won't make a good long-term, stable, relationship, even if they wish it was so. Therefore, I see the word "romance" and I think "romantic love." I think a better poll definition would have been "how do you define love?" - love as a single word having a much broader definition (family, friendship, pets, material things).

Perhaps because some of us don't feel like we're missing any "good games?" Shooters aren't generally my thing, and neither are sports games. I've had no interest in the FF series or the other RPG's I've seen for consoles. Console exclusives are rare-ish and most of the time they aren't even games I care about in the first place. All my favorite games and genres are ones that (still) don't/wouldn't work well on consoles. All the little independent games I'm interested in are for PC. I can think of one console exclusive game in all these years that I was slightly interested in, and that was Red Dead Redemption. One "maybe" game isn't enough for me to spend $400+ just to play it. I'd get more use/function from spending $400 on a new camera lens. So why should I waste money, even if I have the money to waste, on something that will end up sitting on a shelf unused? Just because one has money to "throw around" doesn't mean one necessarily throws it around indiscriminately when there's no personal benefit/gain. And I've seen plenty of console "elitists" just as much as I see PC "elitists" - neither platform consists of a group that is exempt from such attitudes. Seems silly to me either way. I like red apples, someone else likes golden apples. They're both apples. Just play.

I remember playing the original Descent many moons ago. Hubs and I would both get all turned around and "lost" because of the directional stuff. It was great fun tho. But I think we both got too dizzy half the time... Never finished it.

So far, consoles still haven't been making enough games that make me want to spend the money to have one. Once in a great while there's a console-only game I might be mildly interested in, but that's a once in a blue moon exception. I'd buy/maintain a PC regardless, and hubs just tosses together PC's to attach to the big TV when he wants it, so for me ... not much incentive/reason to double-up.

I love stuff. Can never have enough stuff. Interesting look at the workload split of game creation, thanks.

MegaMind. It was cute. Might watch the new Spiderman this weekend.

The legal date of my birth was apparently the day a few famous actors were born plus numerous warfare/conflict related events and not much else. At least according to the Wikipedia. Kinda boring.

This thread has reached a level of experience well past the norm. eg, post limit. Feel free to make a part2 or something.

Hm. Stonekeep is one of those games I always meant to check out, but never did, because I kept being distracted by other games. Perhaps.

It took a while, but this thread has reached the post limit. Further adventures await a new thread, if anyone wishes to make one.

Can there be existence without ending? asked the forum to the thread. To exist is to end, replied the thread. Post limit.

Rather than edit my last post, I'll make a new post: Melodrama isn't inherently bad and can add to a story, but one issue for me is that I tend to get more impact from facial expression and body language during the dialogue (or lack of dialogue if it's a silent emotive scene) ... a good voice acting job that fits a character is a great thing, don't get me wrong, and I love/admire many a voice actor. But the problem with current games is that with today's shiny graphics, they still can't reproduce human expression/movement to the extent that a live human actor can. Thus the voice-acting has to be something seriously top notch for shown melodrama to work. More often than not, however, it becomes more of a case of uncanny valley on top of overwrought voicework, making the whole scenario feel kinda creepy instead, and I end up laughing. In something like anime/cartoons, it can work a little better because there's no uncanny valley (you don't expect much detailed expression) and you're focused more on just the words and tone. So in the case of P.E., where we won't have VO or full animations anyway, some melodramatic dialogue moments, if done/written well within believable scenarios, could be just fine.

I just got back from being having my heart polished. I like it to have a nice sheen to it. ....yeah, just not into showy displays of dramatic weeping and wailing in entertainment, in most cases. It too often comes close to the "Noooooooo!" type of thing even if there's no actual "Noooo!". I think emotional impact can be made (and has more impact) without such. Example, the film Rob Roy, when Tim Roth is chasing Eric Stotz in the woods. (edit - or other scenes in that film)

I've thought about it, and I'm tired of same ol' "belt slot" ... especially when my character is wearing a dress. But since we can't have everyone's pants falling down, how about changing it up to suspenders? I bet my Rogue would look really awesome in some tight black leather pants with Rainbow Suspenders of Fire and Ice Protection +2! Actually, I like this idea. But I want a "Pied Piper's Flute of Feline Attraction" in the game, where when I equip it in a town, a jaunty little tune will play and I will have a plethora of housecats following me everywhere I go. No, seriously tho, I do like that idea. Gives people one slot for some unique items, whether useful or just humorous, that could be put in the game.

Too lazy to try and spell it in my previous post, too lazy to google the spelling of said word. FF's browser spellcheck feature actually works on that word. I was surprised.

Yeah, my experience has often been that the most interesting topics can occur when the forum pace is slower. But my guess is that it'll pick up pretty heavily again as it gets close to actual release (and after, of course). So enjoy the relative slow period/calm while you can.

*watches video* ...well, without any context behind it (haven't played the game) all I can say is that it looks and sounds like soap opera melodrama. I'm not really hearing the awesome, emotional voice acting. That said, I can understand how, if there's a lot of set-up behind that scene that one is into already, the scene itself might have some impact. But the voice of the woman, for me, actually ruins the scene on its own. Overdone for my tastes. "Emotional impact" is going to vary wildly from person to person, in terms of subject matter, visual and tonal appeal, writing/backstory etc. Not something one can pin down or give examples of "this is the best!" or "this is the worst!". I could make a list of the (very few) times I was highly emotionally impacted by a game, and some might agree, while others would go "oh rly?" But Obsidian is, currently, pretty much the one company that makes/writes RPG characters that I do latch onto very strongly (I am, btw, much more into characters than main plots). So ... that's where my tastes run, I guess..and obviously, it's why I'm here.

I never really understood the need for tons of gear slots (outside of just wanting to play visual dress up, which is sometimes fun on its own)...to me, gameplay wise, tons of spots just means "more slots to put on kewl enchanted magical gear so I can feel more powerful." Which is fine of itself, but then you often may end up with less interesting/less strong enchantments to balance out the fact you can wear so many things. eg, I think one can also make a system that gives that sort of satisfaction (powerful) without needing earrings of seduction, leg warmers of protection, socks of thievery, scarf of charm, overcoat of debauchery, added on top etc. The more complicated the gear/clothing setup becomes, the more likely I'm personally going to eventually become annoyed/weary of thinking about/sorting all that gear when I just want to play the game. That's just me tho. So l'll go with the standard "helm/torso/pants/feet/gloves + 2 rings and 1 necklace" response. A belt or cape slot might be fine too, but I also won't mind if they're not there.

I totally read this in a completely wrong, non-contextual way. I occasionally wonder if the forum blog-feature was active for members, here, if I'd put my ramblings in that, instead. Then I think, nah, this thread is much more fun.

Seen 5 episodes now I think. At this point the flashbacks are almost more interesting than the present timeline, simply because it leaves you wondering what went on there. I don't think he always kills the security guys...probably just disables them off-screen. But if they're shooting at him, then yeah, he kills them or at least maims them a whole lot. Self-defense and all, what are you gonna do. I think it's a tad more "realistic" then how some superheroes seem to be able to magically avoid killing anyone and everything except the one true baddie. And some of those goons, at least, probably know what their bosses are up to....yet don't quit/try to find a new client. That said, I'm sure the aghast "you're just a murderer" angle will be a part of the show's morality subplots again and again.