Monte Carlo

Tis a shame you don't have capital punishment for treason. I'd hang this guy. Slowly.

Yes, but better.

Path of Exile really is an incredible piece of work. The social / MP model has some MMO-type ideas (Raids etc) and the crafting / item model is a fresh twist on the stuff we loved about old Diablo. The power-ups and skills are an interesting matrix of items / modal and passive skills and flasks. Flasks are like health / mana potions that have different effects and re-charge the more monsters you kill.... again a fresh twist on life globes. All in all I'd say this was a keeper. If I worked at Blizzard and saw this I'd hang my head in shame, it really is that much fun. It deserves support, folks on this forum will like it I'm sure.

Path of Exile. OK, I've only played a bit of it. I paid a US$10 beta key. For a game that is what D3 should have been. It's like a load of thoughtful gamers not obsessed with money-grubbing designed it. Massive (and I mean freaking massive) skill trees allowing all sorts of theory-crafting madness Nice but not OTT graphics, water effects are nice Some interesting classes (Ranger, Duelist, Witch, Templar, Shadow and Reaver) Great enemies (got attacked by a mob of hungry cannibals who pelted me with rocks and fire bombs Bizzaro crafting / rune system where runes give you different skills (a bit like D&D feats) in your equipment but instead these runes level up too. So you can train runes and swap them between your equipment Trading in the first area involves barter, your character is on a wrecked prison ship so no gold, no merchants Music isn't bad Multiplayer on choice of two servers, it is populated no probs getting a game I have one beef at the moment and that's the awful mini-map, but it's still in beta and I'll be giving feedback. So, if you're after a Diablo fix (and this *is* a clone) but with a game that feels like an older-skool ARPG (esp. D2 these guys are clearly D2 fans) then this might be for you. Recommended.

Have decided to get behind and support Path of Exile, a small indie Diablo-clone from New Zealand (it must get cold and lonely down there). Am downloading it now, will let you know what I think but it looks purdy. Open Beta begins in August. https://www.pathofexile.com/

We already knew that. Somebody who doesn't even know a well known game like L4D2 has an offline portion obviously can't be trusted with the prestigious "Gamer" tag. Nah nah nah. You are brilliant. Seriously. I am glad you are my virtual sort-of-but-not-quite friend.

I am a Gaemer, which is different.

Am clearly not a gamer, as I don't like R* games at all. I don't know what I am if I'm, not a gamer, though. Steam shows me putting in the hours an' all.

Hmm thanks for that. I thought it would be a fun MP game but I like to be able to play SP too. I might get Modern Warfare to see what all the fuss is about.

You need to move into a Sorority House with lots of rich, hot chicks. Seriously, it has to be worth thinking about.

BG1. My mighty Chaotic Neutral Barbarian is now level 5 and reaving up and down the Sword Coast. Am about to disband my core group of whiny Jaheira and her useless husband for Shar-Teel and Branwen.

Is Left for Dead 2 any good? Never played the first one. It's silly-cheap.

It needs some coke, ice and a slice of lime. This looks a bit too Gaming-as-Excel-Spreadsheet for my plebian tastes.

Just saw dumb-ass comedy 21 Jump Street. It was actually very funny. Johnny Depp's cameo was cool and Ice Cube just shouts and swears for a change. Channing Tatum is quite happy to send himself up, and pulls of the gag nicely, but FFS Jonah Hill looks double-spooky now he's lost all that weight. It reminded me of any number of High School comedies with a dollop of Hot Fuzz.

Again, there are so many schools of thought on this. One (which I don't follow, but can see the sense of) is to put the moFo away for three months. Then come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. I edit as I go along, some people think it's crazy but it works for me. At the end I then do a final edit (like games, books are never actually finished). I re-read actively and get very choosy about every word. Is it necessary? I then (ruthlessly) apply the "show don't tell" rule to every chapter. I make plotting spreadsheets and timelines. I revise characters armed with the knowledge that I know what happens at the end. An agent will employ professional readers to comb your script. They are looking at plot, structure, grammar and commercial nous. They are utterly freaking unforgiving. Getting as far as getting a reader rip up your script for arse-paper is an achievement, let alone give you a 'ready to present' rating (I got that once). PM me and I will give you an email to send me the first three chapters.

Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money.

* pulls up chair* Are there tunnels?

The Expendables 2 trailer has Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in a Smart car. It looks great.

Baldur's Gate 1 in BGT. Jesus I forgot what a munchkin I am... modern games are so freaking easy. I've had my arse kicked getting to level three with my barbarian. Kagain the dwarf was gibbed by a wolf and Jahiera dies every other round. Khalid's morale snaps every other battle. The corroded metal means that our weapons break frequently and our armoury of magical items consists of a +1 dagger and a +1 quarterstaff. An undead thingie in Ulcaster is unbeatable. It's great! Bring back games like this!

...and I just realised that, FFS, Chuck Norris is in it. This is an almost religious action-movie moment.

The Expendables 2 video game looks so bad it's good, a sort of Diablo with assault rifles and helis. The franchise (of which I am an unashamed fan) is perfect for video games IMO. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/07/10/a-crews-missile-to-the-face-the-expendables-2/

I am finally going to install BG1 & 2 and BGTWeiDU and mod the hell out of it and play a mega non-stop level 1-50+ BG marathon.