Tigranes

Bump, because I am now totally addicted to Gothic 3. I actually played through the release date monstrosity with a minimum-requierments computer, which meant everything ran at 10fps with stutters, and the DRM froze the game for 5 seconds every 1 minute to check for CD. Together with the dreaded stunlock animals bug (where they hit you as fast as a machine gun once they get one hit and you just die), I think it took me nearly a month just to do the first 3 towns... then I gave up. With the final version of the community patch this game is awesome. It's basically Oblivion, but better - no level scaling, more interesting quest design, more gritty art style, more interesting main plot, challenging. Of course, I'm pretty useless at this kind of third person melee combat, so I've had to resort to cheese (high ground + bows) for more than one fight, but loading times aren't too bad now. I've done most of the first region (human kingdom) now and at level 30 or so - and for most of this time I only had one spell, Summon Animals. I thought it would summon an animal ally, and enemies get a lot easier when they're not attacking you, but it turns out the spell makes nearby animals attack the target (nice translation). But it turned out to be an awesomely useful spell - lure some strong animals like shadowbeasts near your target and then cast, and watch the mayhem, or just have a pack of animals duke it out against each other. For those of you who've played (that is, mkreku), any spells I should be investing in? I've completely ignored Smithing, I've mainly built up fighting and hunting to 200 and just enough thieving to be able to pick locks. I still have about 75 ancient knowledge from bookshelves and tablets, though.

I have **** internet indeed, but not dial-up, it can handle other stuff fine. So questions arise: 1) Why does a matchmaker / game starter service need so much more bandwidth than, say, a flash website? Why is it, in fact, even slower than or about as slow as loading youtube? 2) Why does it take the same time on a good computer even when in offline mode (and, soemtimes, tries to connect anyway?) 3) Why does it freeze and take ages to toggle between online/offline? On folders, maybe I'm wrong, but it didn't let me choose where to install ETW. Maybe a one-off. In fact, maybe all of my Steam problems are a one-off. It's certainly hard to believe that it could be so popular yet so crap.

Steam takes 3 years to load even offline, longer if you have bad internet, it has problems with multiple instances, it takes 2 years to quit, it forces you to install games inside its own folders. It's not as bad as ubisoft, but only marginally.

Oh, true.

Actually, if a game is popular enough, then pirates will continue to crack improved versions. Supply & Demand (even though it's free, I know). I like the Paradox method where you just play, but if you register the key to their website to your login, you can download patches.

You realise that is ten years old? While some of the comments there are still valid, it might be much more worthwhile to discuss and support the indie gaming scene by purchasing indie games and talking about them... there's somethiing already there to be grown and supported.

1) Even though it might be okay for some videos, downloading gameplay vids and playing them is not an accurate way to determine how full game text will look in your TV, as Amentep says. Especially depending on what you did decode/encode-wise, etc. 2) What Pidesco says, re. SD font. 3) If you really really really want to be sure, just wait for people to buy it and then google. Devs have already given assurance that it's tested for SDTV. You putting a gameplay vid on doesn't really change this either way, because of 1).

Curious, so you've got the student drawing it in morning break, but once you get a tablet, does that mean you'll be doing the drawing? Or you'll take it to said student and do it in morning break still?

- Origins: Korean Citizen + Origins: US Citizen - Nearly Exhaustive Knowledge of LOTR Setting + Ability to Get Up Early That's about it.

As someone who actually did some research on this, this is simply a popular misconception. Without getting into too much detail, in the end, it was only a very small minority, even within the most extremist communities like Codex & NMA, that actually said any FO3 that is not TB, Iso & Tim Cain = failure. In the end Bethesda had a genuine go at making a Fallout true to the franchise; and the major reasons for which they received fan criticisms of 'not being a real Fallout' was lore inconsistencies, dialogue style and perceived failures of the VATS system. Not that it wasn't isometric, yadda, yadda. And why was that? In the end, when people played Fallout 3, they remembered something that not everyone mgiht have recognised after years of arguing and nostalgia: what made Fallout 'Fallout' was, primarily, its quirky setting. And if some old fans didn't enjoy FO3, it's because they kept getting moments of 'WTF' in the setting. Now, with XCOM, sure there's the setting, but it seems to me that the core of XCOM, the main point of it, is its unique gameplay that is a mix of research, TB combat, squad building, etc. I'm sure that some forms of it will return in the new game, but that's why I think this one has even less of a shot at being a real sequel than FO3.

Yeah, it's not great yet, but a lot of webcomics start with very very bad art. Main thing is, if they keep going for say 50 pages they start getting better in all areas. Back & Forward buttons are a must, but other than that, the site itself is fine. Clean, simple, works, not filled with useless crap.

Dear God, an Aussie! Everyone hide, your Indians are in danger!

What you're wanting is a business reason, a reason that would go over in their board meeting. There isn't one, its almost guaranteed to attract more attention and sales. That's why everyone's into pillaging old franchises these days. Doesn't mean I'm going to say "oh that's fine, of course they got to earn as much money as they can".

Hey, avatar of gruff guy with facial hair, avatar of gruff guy with facial hair. Because it is a new franchise. Sticking on the name is cynical and pointless.

Another way of saying "please pay our stupid local prices and wait for localisation", I guess?

Some good debate, I only have a history textbook level of knowledge so it's good to read. Exactly what kind? Interested to know. I mean, anything more than obvious stuff with trade relations, and missile positioning?

Oh, I see. Well, I'm hoping it eventually gets to a point where there are consequences; i.e. getting caught blatantly means the rest of the level changes for you, people are on the alert, some paths are closed to you while others open up.

Except we get it 4 days earlier, remember? We'll be the ones needing to get the word out. I'll probably cave in and just get the retail version on the day. I don't like online activation but I don't think it's bad enough to deserve a boycott, it's fairly reasonable compared to most other DRM, and I definitely prefer it to the bloat/lagfest that is Steam (for me, anyway). Just so I can give you people first impressions...

Sounds like you are looking for a MMO or Diablo-type game? Veteran mode lets you play a new game with a new character but with additional skills, and characters in the game will refer to the fact that you're a hardened veteran, giving a difrernet experience.

Fair enough. It *is* quite revealing just how many senators can comfortably put their name down on such an explicitly worded remonstration. You wonder just how much will change in the region under Obama. Without a careful review, but just from memory of media bulletins, it feels as if the post-Arafat period has simply been things getting worse and worse but not being paid enough attention.

But why not just make it a new franchise? There's no difference.

Uniloc was also used in another Sega-published game, Football Manager 2009. It had a 5-machine installation limit, and from memory, needed online activation with a key upon installation - but afterwards required nothing, no CD in drive, to play. Oh, and if you uninstall, you get an activation back. Seems like a pretty reasonable deal.

Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while... ...uh, why would you link to a pic that is so small you can't read anything it says?

Staves do suck, yes, but you can get by without any melee combat at all. It's just a bit more annoying.

Exactly. There's really no point here. These guys make good FPSes, they want to make another one. Great! Would be weird if they went "oh we're making a TBS now". But this makes even less sense than, say, a Fallout FPS. You wanna make a shooter with super mutants and pip boys and whatever? OK, some people might not like it but at least you have a reason for it. There's no reason here other than "maybe this will give us a bit more street cred & marketing". Of course they deserve derision and mockery. btw, slowtrain: if you want to tell me why I'm wrong that's cool, I'm not blind to the possibility. But so far I just see a sarcastic trivialisation, so I don't really have a response yet.