N'Al

Rubbish. You just don't have any answers to my questions. I've answered your questions plenty enough.

Part underlined for emphasis: This was exactly what some people were saying at the start of the thread, though. Having an opinion on the rationale behind a certain scoring system is one thing, attacking a reviewer's score because it doesn't tie in with your (general you, not you personally) rationale is entirely another. Let me ask you this, though: Are you honestly, honestly telling me that you are so incensed by reviewers using a 10-point scale (where 10 is 'only' the top score, not the 'perfect' one) that you have to actually "object" to it? Also, can you show me 1 example of a reviewing site (for anything, not just games; music, books, movies, travel destinations, etc.) that doesn't use this scale? Do you object to those as well? How do you think a scale more to your liking would be any better to the system in place now? There are a LOT of things wrong with the (games) reviewing system nowadays. Too much publisher interference (Kane & Lynch, anyone?), general lack of journalistic writing skills, etc. Giving games a 10/10 isn't one of them, though. Clearly none. No matter how often this is repeated to people here by myself and/or others, they insist on attacking reviewers over giving games 10/10 ratings, spouting 'no game is perfect' as a reason, moreover. Your personal insults are tedious and boring, and add absolutely nothing to this discussion. Whatever though, you go man. Fight the good fight.

No, I would ignore it, because whether or not a game has b00bies is not relevant to my finding enjoyment in a game (which may or may not be a complete lie ). However, what I would NOT do is go around claiming the reviewer said it's the perfect game, when all he's saying is that the game has b00bies. I'm not convinced that everyone truly has understood, to be honest. I mean, why have this discussion again when it should have been done and dusted in the Oblivion thread that mentioned the Eurogamer review, for example? At least the discussion does seem to have moved on somewhat, as you said, but I think I'll reserve judgment once I've seen more of it down the line. For my part, I think the criteria are perfectly valid/reliable/logical, as anything else would just make a complete mockery of having a 10-point scale in the first place. That doesn't even make sense.

Seriously, what is wrong with half the people in this thread!?! It really isn't a particularly difficult concept to grasp. Most (major) reviewing sites give you a definition of the rating scale they use in their reviews on their site; IGN's happens to be one of many where a 10/10 is not a 'perfect' score, merely the top one available (an important distinction that half of you are unable or, worse, unwilling to accept). The reviewers then base their scores on precisely their own definitions. As such, IGN giving GTA IV a 10/10 is perfectly valid. You CANNOT then just come along and apply your own interpretation of what you think a 10/10 should mean to their scores; your interpretation is simply irrelevant. Well, I guess you can, since half of you have been doing so for the last 6 (!) pages, but it just makes you look like an ass. Considering that Hurlshot, Spider et al. have drawn your attention to this already (on page 1, no less!) makes it doubly so. You guys were pulling the same stunt when Eurogamer gave Oblivion a 10/10. You were wrong then, you are wrong now. I honestly believed that humans have the capacity to learn, but you guys make a good case for why they might not. Mega-fail.

That is probably because Amon Tobin, the guy who did the soundtrack, generally makes good music: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...aifrxq9hldse~T2

I've had a go at the demo for this (although I've only played the tutorials so far). Really enjoyed it; definite purchase for me, although with the massive backlog of games I've got atm I think I'll wait till there's a double-pack which includes the expansion. As for what the game is: 4X + RTS (http://www.sinsofasolarempire.com/)

Pidesco wins the thread.

I suggest you read the rest of the thread, but thanks anyway.

I must, mustn't I.

Nah, just not very careful.

And so the story ends... Icasaracht is slain, Icewind Dale can live in peace again. And only 5 out of my 6 man team lost their lives in the process...

Truer words were never spoken.

Well, my new copy of HoW (GBP 2.50 on ebay, bargain!) arrived today, and everything seems to be working fine. Excellent!

Yeah, tried all that; to no avail, unfortunately. And my dental hygiene products are going to remain just that - dental hygiene products - as well. Ah well, ebay. Not that this won't be the 3rd copy of HoW I'll be buying...

So, I finally managed to complete TotL and got back to Lonelywood with the help of the ring. Unfortunately... errors down the line. Everytime I now try and enter the Barbarian camp the loading screen gets about half-way, then the screen just goes black and crashes on me completely. Damn. Tried Tigranes' trick below as well, but no luck. Ah well, I guess it's toothpaste time, and if that doesn't work ebay.