Tale

Finally getting progress done in the office and we're going to lose someone. Increased workload for everyone and we're going to fall behind again. Will she be replaced, doubtful.

I might play it tonight. I suckered myself into also picking up the Darkness 2. I hear it's only 5 hours long. While that sucks, it means I might knock that game out first, then hit Amalur.

The three trees have different kind of shields. The mage one is a rune or something. Looks like magic.

Good luck, Mr. Chapman.

Would you be happy to know that the meter has changed several times? The most recently being in 1975, where it was based on the speed of light. Prior to that it was something like the wavelength of light from a krypton-86 lamp. Which was apparently asymmetric, hence the problem. And before that it was a particular metal bar.

Plot required stupidity two ways. The Collectors should have just blown the Normandy 2 up. It worked rather well the first time, why change? This feels unsporting. Mass Effect has some plot problems. Whether it's plot holes, everyone being idiots when convenient, or the regular "this bleep doesn't make any sense." Not to be hyperbolic, but it's like picking on the infirm. We all know it can't fight back. Poor little guy. Still, Bioware should be able to do better.

Is that even reasonable to do? Find a reviewer with similar tastes? Maybe you'll find X reviewer at Y website. But he's not even reviewing Z game that you're curious about, that's off on another reviewer at the publication. What then? We're a far cry from movie reviews where it seems like every major release you can find Ebert's take on it. Though Sterling seems to pop his head up every single time I hear about a game. A good review should explain what a game does and if it does those things well. I think they do it fairly well, but sometimes it often still lacks sufficient detail. Sometimes they accentuate the negative, despite ending positively. Leaving the reader to wonder where the positive came from. My biggest complaint is when they gloss over entire features of the game because they're writing for the target audience that knows all about it, but I'm looking to break into the series or genre. Maybe not their fault.

The new one is not even out yet, save for a demo. So playing 10 missions into it seems unlikely. Which makes Chris' response kind of funny.

If you're playing with friendly fire on, don't even bother with Qara. And be prepared to deal with bad pathfinding. Party members getting hung up on doors, taking the long way around to the backdoor instead of the door right in front, or getting stuck randomly on little items. And just occasionally getting distracted. I think that's all the big stuff to watch out for. Can't help you with build advice, I've only ever played a Warlock and Warlock/Rogue in the game. And the Warlock was an immensely useful class. Especially with Doom shape against the nightwalkers later on.

You're talking about the original game, right?

Simplest in setting explanation is that it's a different Animus. And for Altair in Revelations, it's like a double animus. Seeing Ezio see Altair.

I didn't really like how being a Spectre wasn't really a big deal. I mean, the characters would comment on what a big deal it is, but throughout the game it doesn't really do anything. There are places you're still restricted from going, and people still seem to second-guess everything you do/say. I'm a Spectre, damn it. Where's my respect, man?! Respect? I'm surprised they're not shot on sight by 9/10th the galaxy. "Oh, you mean like Saren?" Ummm.... "Or that one Asari who blew up the office building?" Well... "I heard that there was this other Turian Spectre that got into a fight with a Justicar because she wouldn't let him shoot civilians." About that... "And that human Spectre everyone's in love with, I hear he abandoned the Citadel right before Saren attacked it." I wouldn't know. It's a classy group.

I was just glad ME2 focused less on being a Spectre. The entire concept is too stupid to justify. So glossing over it was one of the big improvements of ME2 in my mind.

ME3 will doubtfully be any better. I think I'm getting sold on it by what I hear new about the mechanics, though. I'm coming around. Multiple evolutions of powers and enemies with various roles sounds like it could be fun.

I just read up on an alternate theory of the universe that's called plasmacology. It was only slightly more intelligible than Time Cube.

I seem unable to find an option to change the number of posts per thread page. I'll miss that.

The only major coverage it seemed to get was about the fact that it has a different design for the protagonist in Japan and the US. A big bulky man looking for his daughter for US. And a skinnier guy looking for his sister (maybe) for Japan.

I'm not sure that anyone is saying he should he should lose for those choices. I can't remember a game with C&C that forced you to lose the game based on previous decisions. Maybe some old Sierra adventure games. Or Hitchhiker's. One would expect the C&C to determine a few quests you get. What allies and enemies you have. Not lock you into an outcome. I think I may have fallen in with the hatedom. But I'm trying to keep perspective. I loved ME2, but the plot was a meaningless tangent, with sidequests that were mostly family issues. It had really good shooting mechanics. My fear with ME3 is that the plot will be even weaker, with less interesting sidequests, but the shooting mechanics will be barely changed. Because I don't see what room for improvement it has in the shooting.

I have it preordered on Steam. I probably can't justify it too deeply, but I'm rather excited for this game. I'm not sure if it'll be awesome, but I'm comfortable in the belief that it'll be rather good.

There's a little viral game going around based on SCP-087. If you really want to find it, Google will be your friend. Gave it a try and was jumping at shadows by floor 30.

I have a few giveaways here. Not running a contest, just shoot me a PM and I'll sort it out by whim. 1) Cogs 2) Deus Ex (original) 3) 2 x The Ship 4) Frozenbyte Collection (Trine and both Shadowgrounds games)

Aren't you an engine programmer? I mean there could be a hint of bias. Like if I was asked about lazy slackabouts. I think they're great and hold society together.

I didn't know who she was, either. She's on some IGN podcast that gets shown on XBox Live. Some (weasel words, whee) are suggesting she was selected as a token geek culture girl. I'm skeptical on that because, with you and I as evidence, I think she's a bit obscure in that regard.

Vega and the Chobot lookalike really make it hard for me to maintain my skepticism that they're aiming for a particularly odd demographic. Who am I kidding, I can justify anything.

I was informed they fixed the difficulty spike on the first boss of space pirates and zombies has been fixed. Killed it after two tries, having done too many to count before. Now I have my first huge ship, whee.