Nightshape

C might be the next one I learn; got any book recommendations? If you're starting out in C/C++ give C++ a go. I found it to be quite good, and I was particularly impressed with how it covered concepts like pointers. Once you've got the language down, C++ for games programmers is a very good book.

Need more info...

So you think your opinion is worth more because of your job? How conceited can one get? Please, tell us, how long have you worked in this field to gain this awesome knowledge that none of us plebeians can touch? Ten years? 20? I think you're a ****ing programmer with less than 5 years in the industry. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not interested in taking art advice from you. *sigh*, I take it that this has bothered you? I am for the most part looking at technical facts - I'm sorry if you don't like that, but I'm certainly NOT an artist. Sure, I'm critical - I've held the same view point about AP since its release. Its a visual nightmare, I'm aware that there could be a personal preference for the look in a said game, but that doesn't change the fact that even I a "****ing programmer", can see that it is lacking in a technical sense... Funny that. Just for the record, when I'm being all "it sucks, but I can't be arsed to explain why", its because its time consuming explaining everything, and I'm not actually fishing for an argument, because for me there isn't an argument to be had - I've looked at it, I've obviously noticed something badly done, hell I may have even talked to an artist or two about it. I'm sorry if you find it conceited, its never how I intend to come off... I can see how you could get that opinion of me though, but I'll forgive you for it. My comments are mostly critisims revolving around technical areas. Anything else I deferred to a conversation Art Director/Technical Artists/Environment Artists/Creative Directors etc... I have spoken with about AP. Yep, I spoke about the game because I was blown away by the assualt of yellow in the early levels, and how that clashed with the HUD - That's a bit of a no, no, aparently. Now I can't help the fact AP has spangley textures, the DXT compression is essencially causing artifacts within the textures, it can be a tough problem but it always exists to some extent when you compress textures. I'm pointing that out as a flaw, there are ways to solve it, but in all honesty, it doesn't seem that the AP even tried to solve the issue, it proud to be spangley and it don't care who see it. All I am saying is that this effects the final result. Now do you really want me to start talking about how DXT compression works because I really don't see any point? Lets just say its bit related, and some colour channels have more bits than others. Also, one of the major flaws I think that they actually made is with the opening sequences of the game, I don't know why they chose to go with such narrow colour bandings, but if you look closely, you've a very small colour range within the games levels, I don't have the game with me at the moment, and I don't know what exactly was the driving force behind taking this approach - its oddly consistant, and it isn't the only place where this is applied (this doesn't appear everywhere)... But the early levels are the best example. The pre-baked lighting as a result mostly looks weird, simply put there just aren't enough colours present. Perhaps some people out there like this, it certainly appears to be so. I don't think its good it smells and looks cheap to me, but at the end of the day... You're allowed to like what you like, but that doesn't make it "technically" good. I don't see an arguement, because it is a fact that the texture compression is poorly executed. It is a fact that some of the environments have tight colour ranges. These are just facts, now, I think that's bad because I find it bad in a professional sense, if the look appeals to and pleases you, so be it, but the facts are against you.

.... Arguings lost here, no?... Well, I'll still enjoy the art in my entirly "unprofessional" way. It's pointless to argue because there is no arguement to be had. You can like it all you want... Hell you can love it and think its the best looking game ever, but it simply isn't... Are we really going to go down the road of taking a few screenshots and ripping them apart? This is without the fact you've got compression artifacts ontop of compression artifacts because you're using bloody jpg's. As the game itself is played in motion it's all that really matters. I suppose you're a terminal fanboi, so lets not argue?

I liked the art direction Yellow isn't an art direction, yellow is just plain s***. Seriously, AP was BUTT ugly, and the Art Direction looked like something a programmer had come up with. NOT GOOD! It kinda improved as the game went along though, it was still bloody awful. Did we really play the same game? Because Yellow sure as hell wasn't used everywhere. Yes we did, and between the awful compression, colour clashes, colour clashing with the HUD, blandness, crappy pre-baked lighting etc... Well lets just say it was BAD. This is sadly not even subjective as my thoughts on this are actually based upon my professional analysis, and conversations with actual existing art directors on said topics. The theory about what they were trying to do was good, the implementation was awful... Guess it was down to budget, but hey, you be happy with your love of the mediocrity that is AP's art direction. I don't even think the Obsidian guys would come out and say that it was stella art direction, I bet they were happy to ship the game, and they did the best job they could, but that doesn't change the fact there were clearly mistakes in art on that project.

No, only the attractive one (which was ruined anyway since claudia black has more of a mom-voice than a hawt voice) Why must you always be wrong about everything Kaftan *sigh*.

I liked the art direction Yellow isn't an art direction, yellow is just plain s***. Seriously, AP was BUTT ugly, and the Art Direction looked like something a programmer had come up with. NOT GOOD! It kinda improved as the game went along though, it was still bloody awful.

http://twitter.com/jesawyer Surely not an RPG set in the dune universe... No no, must be something else... Far too obvious.

No.

I'm glad that I'm not the only person who saw AP's graphical flaws as abhorrant. Its the worst art direction I've seen in a game, especially when you consider the HUD That said, I don't actually think its a bad game, you just have to approach it from the perspective of what it is, an RPG, with a really clunky action element - We're talking clueless here. That said I've still enjoyed my time with it, it has some redeaming factors, the problem is that the team obviously used ME as an action model, when really they should have been focused on Splinter Cell, Metal Gear Solid, and such... Well, all I can say for truth is, its better than Damnation, my god, proof that using UE3 doesn't mean it'll end up any good.

I drink, I smoke, I hope for an early death. I do keep my drinking within work hours and only on school nights, I mean geez I don't want a hang over on my day off that'd be idiotic.

Trying to finish up Vanquish when I get the oppertunity. I don't get anywhere near as much time to game as I used to. I've been playing torchlight on hard with hardcore mode on... Good mindless fun.

Yeah, must be something us part time geeks missed... Seriously though, its gold box isn't it. Also, don't remember person from black isle days.

You're still together? That's great! But if you two do decide to get married, we'd all better get a formal announcement! We're on about he Estonian lady right? I asked her BTW, she said no. I believe she's on play through 3 of DA.

Same. C=128 supremacy. Here's a frustrating game I recently remembered playing on it (C=64 game but whatever): Back to work Sawyer... Who let you out of the cage again... I'm telling Feargus.

Yeah, graphically its better... It feels like a different game almost... It's not some auto aim code... The whole experience plays differently. One must say, I hadn't realised how much effort Bioware was putting into the different SKU's until now. Bravo. Exception being DA2 where they pretty much said, screw PC gamers.

WOW ME2 is so different on PC... This is a good thing... Bioware certainly take the platform into consideration, but I'm finding that DA2, and ME2 play better on console... Just feels tighter.

The nostalgia factor is strong for me with these titles, but here's my shot at an objective rundown: M&M 6 is really grindy and features some pretty broken mechanics. The story is transparent (with one significant twist that it shares with every other M&M game) and none of the characters are all too memorable. But it scratches a lot of the retro-CRPG itches-- satisfying ability progression, good loot, lots of diverse environments, and a few interesting puzzles (along with some unfortunate button-hunting puzzles). It was also the first CRPG I played where the Fly spell wasn't an abstraction-- it actually meant soaring majestically over the landscape, which was a huge draw. Flying around, dropping meteor swarms on crowds of enemies is easily the most fun thing you can do in the game. (It's also really overpowered.) M&M 7 is probably a better game, in that it fixed some of the broken mechanics and it presented the player with a good/evil story decision to make (a binary choice, but still better than nothing, and there are some neat consequences built into the choice-- different character abilities open up, and towns aligned with the opposite group will become hostile when you pick a side). It also included one of the best card-based minigames ever. Both titles are available GoG, and I think they're priced the same. But M&M 6 comes with M&Ms 1-5 included. (And M&M 4-5 is worthwhile. When both games are installed, your party can travel between the two settings, and complete a broader over-arching main quest that encompasses both worlds. It's my go-to netbook time-killer.) Best thing about GoG, it really does appeal to the netbook crowd. My GoG collection is fairly large, and yeah... I've actually bought some titles again, despite having them on CD, so I can play them on my Netbook. I just can't believe Eschalon doesn't run too great on it... It's not like there is anything complex going off, shame really... Just poor code. Anyhoo... potatoes.

Ssssshhh stop trolling.

Oh Volo, does playing the fool really make you happy? DA1 was very nice on PC, and poorly ported to console in many respects. The camera alone on PC is literally almost perfect for a game of this style, seriously, some of the best camera design I've seen, it fits a bunch of styles of play with 2 variables. Elegant doesn't seem to do it justice. DA2 sucks on PC, its a console game, it shows, it even plays like a console game. There are some minor interface alterations and thats pretty much it. END OF STORY.

*sigh*

My missus, she says she hates Sci-Fi... So maybe this'll convert her. Wait... what??? When did you get married?? I'm not married, been living with my girlfriend for 6 years mind.

But how does she feel about Space Opera? She hates anything involving space, sci-fi... Anything, serious... We're talking WILL NOT WATCH STAR WARS here!

My missus, she says she hates Sci-Fi... So maybe this'll convert her.