Gizmo

This has happened a few times in the past (that I remember), but not often... and I must admit that I'm a little curious as well, since I was not on the threads when they went down. More than once, I was tempted to ask Matt directly ~but then remembered I've got a life.... Time is better spent finishing my FO3 mods.

Interplay needs new management ~and if there are real stock holders, could they not demand it? I don't think they can wrangle it [Fallout] back this way, and I'm not sure I'd want them to have it... but I am sorry that they sold it to begin with. Dialog and interactivity aside... for base gameplay & visuals, I'd just prefer a post apocalyptic Dawn of War style game... Where the Vault Dweller is depicted much as your DOW commander unit is. A game where the player commands the PC and he obeys to the best of his current ability; NPC's could strictly obey (if paramilitary or trained), and if not... be more or less loose cannons (that depend highly on the PC's Charisma to control). ~Bethesda will never deliver such a game; They focus to admirable extreme on the minutia of the Fallout setting, and throw the gameplay of the series all to hell in a misguided attempt to create a post apoc FPP simulator. As for actual combat, Yes , I would greatly prefer an improved TB solution that mirrors the originals (and in so doing, seeks to provide the same intents, aspects, and thrill that drew me to the series in the first place). While I love FPP games [shooters, RPG's] Games like Mirror's Edge, Arx Fatalis, Stalker... I'd never accept that style of gameplay in a Fallout title, and I'd never be in the a mood to play Fallout and a shooter at the same time. [Writing aside,] This is why Fallout 3 fell so short of the bar for me; Its a beautiful and very impressive game with a more realized setting than Troika would have ever achieved, but it is also IMO not the point of the game ~but in Bethesda's [hive] mind... it clearly is. I never had so much fun in FO3 as when I making this simple video... (until the combat started) *For instance... (as someone who couldn't stand shooting rottweilers in Quake,) I don't want or need to see close up gunfights with dogs, or burning faces and dismemberment in FPP ~but in high TPP the feeling is more detached and it lets you appreciate the events from a (well from a literally different perspective, though that's not quite my meaning). Fallout never had the Player personally commit those critical chest bursting minigun hits. It was always the PC, using the PC's skill with a weapon as the determining factor; It was played always from the sidelines as an observer. Part of the humor was the graphic deaths depicted in blocky 229 color sprites ~not that I'd advocate a return to 2d/ISO & sprites. I'd not object to others playing FPP, but I was honestly shocked that a Fallout branded sequel did not let you play it in a manner akin to the originals (when it was trivially possible to do so; and can almost be done with console commands). *Also... No I'm not referring to the TB combat of the originals (That was possible, but not trivial).

Brutal Legend is one that Ive watched, for a long time; Definitely one I would buy sight unseen. It really seems like a game I'd like a lot ~but they'll have to make a PC port of it to get my money. (Maybe in three years or so ~maybe never ). Giants ~(heck any early game by PlanetMoon), was incredibly awesome.

When you think about it... wouldn't the parts you are trying to fix, most likely be the parts damaged on the 2nd weapon as well? ~Like a minigun for example... Those chew up barrels every 100,000 rounds ~less @ higher RPM, yet finding another minigun is most likely finding another spent barrel, and other weapons like sledgehammers and baseball bats can't be fixed for having a duplicate. IMO guns other than the minigun, should not degrade so fast.Melee weapons sure (but have them degrade for being used to block, or hitting landscape objects ~You can't damage a maul no matter how many people you hit with it).

Thank you very much for the link.

I think repair is certainly useful... A "science boy" build would really be helped [i think], if the game world had things that were props and set-pieces to most (like the crashed virtibird in FO2 ~for example), but were actually fixable if you had the skill. Consider the PC going into a wrecked pawnshop somewhere, mostly junk (maybe a First Aid kit), and old junk lining the walls (that just looks pretty), yet the PC with high Repair (and maybe the robotics Perk), could perhaps see the option to repair an old ABC Warrior (to use a dread reference), and that bot could become a party NPC (with hitponts affected by the PC's skill at repair, and stats affected, by or 'optimized' by the PC's skill at science). This hypothetical example would allow the 90 pound weakling (geek) "Science Boy" to be able to recruit a 1000 pound war machine do his fighting, and be something that he had to repair or risk losing.

I recall some time ago, Obsidian put up replacements for all of the Kotor2 cinimatics in higher resolutions for those that wanted them... Does anyone know if the files are still available? I'm reinstalling the game and cannot find the DVD that I made of those files.

Homeworld: Imperial Battle Turanic Raiders History of the Kadesh Best Credit theme ever (better than Torment's credit theme) GroundControl: The Wrath theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEOm1FTwVM0...feature=related Human Space Pod theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0FWoK60_8...feature=related Sacrifice: The Ethereal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6O6eKEa0kI...feature=related Battle 2 Persephone Normal James Normal Losing C&C Generals: GLA themes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdfxq-raJU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcgntUHGj0E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5R0uE4xGeM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t18ZedtqoJ8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIJ7XJUGTJM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqaLMupPYOA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSlxBq1KLPk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2p9Lckj3pc Outcast: Oriental Spirit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvXDYUbGTHI Main theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6My91_062cU Startopia: Whats in this room? Press Any Key http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qp7NJEgUQ Myth 2: Bonus track (Limbs, Heads and Smoking Craters) Last Battle Into the Breach There's more I would post, but I had to leave...

I see no difference between one game or another ~except complexity... but even a game of Hide & Seek can be made complex, and there are those that have it down to an art. Games of the cro-magnon, and all young things that play, are usually prelude to life lessons... Alas it is the same in the 21'st century... All the kids drive like they learned how by playing GTA. *I would also say that [computer] games these days are leaning well away from abstraction, and going for limited realism as the norm (which is unfortunate IMO). While I'd certainly agree that modern computer games are far more complex internally... the fact is most modern games are hardly complex at all in their expectations of the player. *As a joking aside...just compare Fallout to Fallout 3.

I was in a coffee shop a couple of days ago, and there were these 4'x'4' canvases covered edge to edge with brown paper, shaped like letters, and spelling out the song lyrics to "Big Chief". ~Art? Planescape was art in the same way that a mechanical gold watch (perhaps with filigree patterns on the inside gears) is art. *Even if no one but the watch maker ever sees it. Art = skill; old world trade crafts are sometimes referred to as arts. In Fantasy literature, the wizards trade is "the art" (also called the dark arts). A work of art is always a work of skill ~but works of skill are not always works of art. Personally I don't hold random abstract paintings as art, (random is not skill), but I would not say that abstract art can't be the product of skill ~those that are count as art in my book. Planescape tickles the mind in a artful way, and I'm sure its deliberate ~So Planescape will always be art to me.

Westwood was known for their unique custom installers. I can't find it on Youtube, but the first bit of this clip with the balcony IS the installer. Man! "Lands of Lore" is one title that I'd really really like Obsidian or Bethesda to pick up.

It did, didn't it... but I'm not Jeff nor connected to his company, just a fan of good work ~from studios large and small. I wasn't accusing you and I wouldn't care even if you were Jeff himself(whoever Jeff is). It just sounded like a long well-crafted love letter Maybe I should try the demo... Not to worry, I didn't take it that way. Jeff is Jeff Vogel. I don't know him, but I know of him... and he's had his own game company since 1994 (near abouts). He's peculiar in that he writes MAC games and later ports them to Windows. From what I understand, he does most if not all the code himself, and his wife does most of the graphics. (that at least is how it was... I dunno if that's changed in recent years). He does seem to buy graphics (asset) libraries for some of the stuff in his games. What I like about the system is the way the Stats and Skills affect the PC, and that (like Fallout in some ways), his system is well linked to the combat system (which is turn based). If you ever played any of SSI's Gold box games you'll be right at home ~but these are not based on D&D. [No... this is not an even sneakier well crafted sales pitch ~but it would be if he wrote it.]

It did, didn't it... but I'm not Jeff nor connected to his company, just a fan of good work ~from studios large and small.

Well.. I for one enjoy most games for the system rather than the light show. [A broad statement and I'm not implying Light show = shinys]; What this means is that I can equally enjoy and apply equal value to a game like Geneforge as well as Portal or the upcoming Dragon Age... (and I do mean equal). Geneforge cost just about

Yeah. *And you are far more likely to find a gem of a game on sale than a movie. Retailers know the value of a video DVD, but are clueless about DVD's with a game on it. (and thrift shops are worse. They usually mark the price on a per disk basis, so Riven DVD edition might cost $3, and the CD edition $15 )

What I meant was, that going to the movies for two hours will (in many places) cost you $20; The game will normally last quite a bit longer, giving you more for your money (though neither are guaranteed to please). The last game I played was Prince of Persia:Sands of Time, for $6; The last movie I went to see was Transformers 2 [iMAX] $14... I'm still playing, enjoying (and yet to finish) the game, while I walked out on the movie 28 minutes in to it (would have been 15, but I still had slushie ) I compare Apples to any fruit as they are all food.

That's twice the time that a movie gives for about the same cost, and the game offers unlimited re-use. [not DVD's, I mean in the theater]

Same here.

Click this link with the utmost care, (and have someone at the ready, to pull you back, or unplug your PC if you refuse to stop playing) http://www.fallingsandgame.com/sand/pyro.html Updated version http://enigmasand.com/pyro2.html

I once found an unlabeled hand drawn map, in a pile of donated books and manila folders [several years ago]... and I realized that it was the layout of the temple in Raaka-tu (no game or disks... just this leaflet tucked in an old assembly programming textbook). The game was a short little real time text adventure, where you break into a guarded temple and collect treasure. Standard stuff... Hidden traps, secret doors, a curious poison candle... You typed where you wanted to go and what you chose to do, and the combat was realtime IIRC

Rott's really cool, (I have the CD version). It had a creepy "carrion-crawler'esque" kind of main boss. (and lots of eastereggs) _______________________ Awright... how about Raaka-tu ~anyone heard of that one? (it may or may not be awesome...but it was interesting.)

Simplified Edition. I remember that one. Rumsfeld reference Just because you aim for the head and hit, does not necessarily imply a direct hit that goes in and out does it? Wouldn't a nicked ear count as a low damage hit to the head? Well, it's Obsidian on the job now, so we can expect alot better writing and game overall. There is no technical reason that the engine need be primarily FPP... There are Gamebryo titles that aren't... Look at ~look at modded. !! Not only that, but Loki fades out occluding geometry ~sort of like Fallout fading the top tiles around the PC. That means FO:NV could be made to do the same.

Not to mention actually ~newspaper and all ; Reminds me of just how lame the modern games can be (Not their fault though; I should say, "can be forced to be" ). Best kind.

I see here that the word "identify" is causing a problem. The part that I bolded in your reply is an almost textbook definition of what it means to identify with someone. To enjoy a game this ability to identify with the character is absolutely essential. Players therefore must identify with Pac Man and the frog in Frogger. If they didn't there would be no game. Imagine that Pac Man and the ghosts looked exactly like the white dots that Pac Man eats. Not only would it be difficult to tell what is what (identity at its most basic), players really wouldn't care what happens to the white dot. That would eliminate all the tension and challenge from the game as players wouldn't even try to eat the dots or avoid the ghosts. One thing that separates Pac Man from being perceived as a simple maze game is the ingenuity of its character design. Pac Man is pretty one dimensional though so it is not difficult for most people to identify with him. When you make an RPG with more complex characters and interactions than in Pac Man it becomes harder to craft a "one size fits all" character that everyone will respond to in the same way. However that need for the player to identify with the character remains. There seem to be three definitions floating in this mix... Identify, as in "having commonalities", Identify as somehow, "substitution", and the new one, Identify as in base recognition ~distinguishing one from another... (I don't think anyone here was using it in that context). One need not identify with a waste bin shaped droid, to enjoy watching one, or playing one in an RPG, but they certainly can try if they wish ~Its just that few games would notice. The part you've emboldened describes an actor's technical ability to act in character (without a script) ~I could as well have substituted 'Writer' and ability to write in character. The original point was about personal actions/reactions that have no bearing on one's own; I mentioned Frogger because it was fun and few if any chose to pretend they were a frog while playing.

Its not the game, its the other players... I don't play random games from a lobby. (The games I had in mind were DOW, C&C, Myth, Homeworld, Ground Control...Dungeonkeeper ) Most of those might even work on dial-up, so the connection is always fine, and the other players just wouldn't quit for losing; and if one loses too much, we might all play coop against multiple CPU armies. When I play MP RTS, its usually 3-way C&C or Dawn of War. We're working on 3-way Cataclysm, but not all of us own it yet.