Monte Carlo

I don't understand why, when their distribution model is so lean and there is no physical content... why are their games so expensive on Steam?

The concept art stinks, I mean it's really bad. The DA concept art was good, and generally I liked DAs art direction for what it was. @ Vol, yes lots of folks will buy it anyway. I'm not sure this time, however, I will. DA:Awakenings will probably be the end of the road for me. As CRPGs have turned a page I've found myself playing more RTS and strategy games. I don't even miss CRPGs that much, TBH. If I feel the need I re-boot an old BG2 game or give NWN2 another spin. It's not all bad news, as the wheel will turn and old-skool gaming models, more sand-boxy and free-form will return and gamers will be freed from the yoke of Fantasy Novel tyranny once more Am looking forward, a great deal, to Diablo 2 (looking forward to seeing y'all on battle.net) and even Dungeon Siege 3... the cup is definitely half-full! Cheers MC

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Heresy like this needs to be expunged with sword and flame.

I think you miss my point, Grom. Like I say, they need to get off the pot. If story-focussed, linear, pre-defined character driven games is their schtick then declare it. Don't bang on about choice and reactivity because we ain't buying it. Balance depends on where you're standing on the see-saw I suppose... but you can try. It's difficult to make a perfect souffle, write an elegant short story, find a partner with whom you can dance a classic tango... all of these things are tough and people succeed. Given the success and talent at Bioware I'm sure they can do it but they need to tame David Gaider and remind him he's writing for a game, they ain't building a game for his writing. I quite like the man, from what I've seen and on the few occasions I've conversed with him, but he seems to forget his place in the fermament now and then. Like on a movie, 'he's just the writer.'

Do I try Steam? The copy of the Sniper game is sitting there. Looking forlorn. Do I dare go there? Open this scary Pandora's Box of digital scariness? I am scared and alone in this. Help.

Bio keep on trying to do new things with the CRPG genre and I applaud them for it. But they need to crap or get off the pot: do they want to make games that allow the player to enjoy themselves the way they want or do they want to lock them into Gaider's narrative with a few decisions centred on what equipment you buy or NPC girlfriend you choose? It doesn't have to be a sandbox game. It doesn't have to be an interactive electronic novel. A bit like the porridge in the fairy tale, it is possible to get it just right.

I got 51 wpm on that test, I'm quite pleased.

I think the legalisation of marijuana is a plot by snack food companies.

I am fond of both the Cloggies and the Spanish for reasons too numerous to post here. So who do I support? Am genuinely struggling. Obviously, my country has fought bitter wars (and won, naturally) against both but it was a long time ago and they were perfectly logical conflicts over which it is difficult to bear a grudge. Phil the psychic octopus favours Spain so I might have to go against this smug mind-flayer and support the Netherlands. But it's difficult to get passionate about it, like I say I really am fond of both nations.

Alternatively, we could go Chinese and execute dealers. Personally, a sliding scale depending on the narcotic works for me. A kilo of Coke - firing squad. A 1/4 kilo of Crack. Ditto. Anything more than five kilos of puff. Hang 'em. Then you legalize personal use, y'know, a plant or two on the balcony of your apartment. Anything else = death. Sorry to be all wishy-washy about it but you must admit it's a point of view.

Or, even worse, drooling fanbois.

I haven't played mass effect 1 or 2 so I don't know what you are talking about, but having an alternative dialogue system isn't the end of the world. And I'm very conservative (small 'c') when it comes to CRPG stuff.

It sounds to cool for skool, sod the lack of functionality. It says "not only can I touch type, but amidst the economic turmoil around me I can afford a frippery such as this." Srsly, light a Monte Cristo, fill a goldfish bowl with cognac and congratulate yourself on an awesome purchase.

Actually, I'd like to see a ten-year romance cycle for the player character: Years 1-2: Oh, baby, my nubile elf romance NPC-stress, love that jiggle-tech! (makes mad passionate love) Years 2-3: We're married, I hate your 8000 year old mother, we still make mad passionate love but only at the weekends in the most expensive tavern in Lothering :: sigh :: Years 4-8: Kids. Bloody kids. I'm spending more time at the dungeon, the food fairy won't feed those brats and keep you in new wizard robes, and yes I've cleaned the horse this morning. Years 9-10: That new rogue chick I've been adventuring with, I'm sorry, it just happened after we found the secret door and she was wearing that leather armour, the stuff with the thigh boots? I know she's ten years younger than you darling, but I've been wondering about where our marriage was going for a while and, y'know, she really understands me... whaddya mean you get the keep, both my war dogs and 75% of the gold? WTF!

How would you know that if you've never used it? Actually the most recent version is smooth as silk for me, I never notice when it is running. No slow-downs, even with my weak internet connection. Via the power of my mind.

Er, the language filter on this board is bizarre. D1ck isn't a really naughty word, after all what if my first name was Richard?

^ Yes, i'm planning on seeing it, the review I read was by someone who clearly (a) doesn't like sci-fi, (b) hadn't seen the other movies and © was a ****. Why do movie reviewers review genres they clearly hate? FFS, if you sent me to review something like Twilight then their is only one feasible outcome.

Dragon Age was more emo than wearing black eye-shadow and sulking in your bedroom.

I'm glad this person has left. There's only room for one malignant narcissist on this forum and that's me.

The Expendables was made when sly Stallone found a massive chunk of Win Ore in his garden. He coated it in cheese and then carved a movie from it. And, verily, the action movie fans were happy and grateful.

Welcome to the internet, sparky.

They get my grudging respect for trying something new with the ten-year story-arc... but it feels, again, too much like Bio deus ex machina design style. The writers love what they're doing so much they just want to wrap you up in it so you can love it as much. For me, there's a sort of infuriating vanity in there. And Grom is right, a soppy emo vampire CRPG is only a matter of time for Bio. They would be the perfect dev for such a game, seriously.

^ Even more ways for them to dump NPCs on you when all you really want to do is kill them.

And, none of us would mind the Biowarian obsession with story-telling if they were outstandingly good at it. But they're not.