BruceVC

It's why I usually wait 2 years to buy the Ultimate Edition with everything included at a heavily discounted price. If it doesn't have everything, I don't buy it. I'm obviously not the target audience and corporations don't care about one lost sale (having worked for multi-nationals in the past). And it's probably why I haven't bought a BioWare games since DA:O, only because they billed it as a spiritual successor to the BG series. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. Prior to DA:O was NWN. I think FO:NV Ultimate Edition was the last game I bought which had everything. I guess as you get older you realise you don't need to have the game on Day 1 as your priorities often change. Maybe not for everyone, but it has for me. Hiro it upsets me when you dismiss your personal importance to multi-billion dollar corporations. You matter Hiro...you matter. You just need to believe !!!!

This is interesting but I can't see Iraq being carved up with the Kurds getting there own state or the marginalized Sunnis getting the same. I am finding the political dynamics of the ISIS crisis very interesting and some new bits of information have come to my attention, these include The ISIS fighters also consist of alienated powerful Iraqi tribal Sunni's who don't actually want an independent ISIS state but more recognition in the Maliki government The USA can definitely assist through airstrikes but then they are indirectly assisting Assad is Syria as he is also grappling with ISIS and this is something the USA understandably doesn't want to do Its makes a weird but refreshing change to see the USA and Iran collaborating on what to do to prevent ISIS from completely destabilizing Iraq Whatever the end result I think Maliki has done an abysmal job in managing the country since the USA pulled out. He has failed to properly incorporate the powerful but small Sunni minority in his new government so I expect to see changes in his policies going forward if he wants to ensure economic and political stability in for Iraq

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/135500-Ubisoft-CEO-Says-Company-Will-Work-to-Extend-Diversity So it looks like Ubisoft will be paying more attention to inclusivity in the future You see guys all this discussion, criticism and awareness about Ubisoft did have a positive outcome

I agree, PC should look better than the PS4 so I am very excited

Reminds me, I'll have to dig out the last post counts and share them.... Another thing, remember those stupid popularity threads? All the nominees pm'ing everyone to vote for him or her. I must have sent DOZENS of pm's promising special favors if they'd vote for me. LOL!

Woldan why don't you ask her out for dinner and get to know her better?

Guys you seriously have to take a look at this and see how much better GTA V looks on PS4 than PS3 http://www.destructoid.com/grand-theft-auto-v-on-ps4-looks-amazing-next-to-ps3-version-276685.phtml

Well, for me at least, it was mostly the sense of kinship with people who had the same interest. To really get a good understanding you have to know I grew up in a really small town in Oklahoma (My highschool graduating class was 27 kids.) So while most of my friends were hunting, fishing or driving trucks around in mud, I wanted to slay dragons and look at elven boobs (Well I was a teenager.) I found the forums after Baldur's Gate came out, so some time after 98 I can't exactly remmeber when but I was maybe 15-16 at the time. I always had friends in highschool but the forums were really a place I could just be my goofy nerdy self without fear of judgement. I bought my first webcam and started using MIRC just so I could chat with the people from those boards. While we all shared a love of gaming and typically DnD we just talked about stuff regular people talked about. We had fun hangouts where we could act silly together, we had a hottub to relax in. I had my first embarassing internet crush (Ravenskya where are you!) I never really got too into politics and there was no such thing as social justice back then. It was mostly just a space for me to have friends and goof off. I tried my best to avoid drama on the boards, and there was some real **** back then too. I think what made it special was it was a much smaller place, so if you were a regular "everybody knows your name." I sort of started to grow apart from the forums and internet life when I got into college. I had less free time for it and was able to find people close to me with whom I shared interests (plus you know, real boobs.) So they demanded more and more of my time and with other personal stuff going on I just faded away. Thanks for sharing, that's another personal and interesting post around the gregarious nature of the BIS forums

All of the above! But in their proper forums for the most part. I must be honest and say that I tended to hang out in wwot 95% of the time, and TMC (toms music corner). Fun and games. LOL. We had your typical topics and questionaires... but we also had several inns and a psych ward (Dalla's psychward iirc) and some rps going on. We had our battles, but you're right, we ARE fond of each other. I think what it comes down to is we are family. Each and every one. I love these people, even the ones I don't!!! Someone else could probably tell you more about the other forums though. Thanks GM, that's very sincere and informative response

Both very funny answers, but seriously what did you use to talk about ?

I have to be honest I am very interested in this thread because you guys all seem genuinely fond of each other and its great to see What did you use to discuss back in the day? What were the pertinent discussions, was it about gaming, social justice issues, politics..the reason I ask is I am fascinated by what was possibly one of the salient reasons for your kinship

That frog is quite cute

In a game there is a huge difference between highlighting the horrors of rape during war and giving your character the ability to rape people because "rape is realistic". Both can be demonstrated differently and only the former would make most people feel uncomfortable This is out of the question. The former will never happen. However I can not believe that the later done right will people not uncomfortable. Of course not everyone but the ones who actually identify with characters and their stories during a game. When these situations occur even in movies it is not about the victim but rather a symbol how bad or terrible the antagonist is. But what if you go the different route and focus on the victim and his struggle and not about the crime itself. Done right could this be very powerful. My bad, I meant to say "only the latter would make people feel uncomfortable"

In a game there is a huge difference between highlighting the horrors of rape during war and giving your character the ability to rape people because "rape is realistic". Both can be demonstrated differently and only the former would make most people feel uncomfortable

Pray tell what does your wardrobe look like now ?

Well I have say that is one of the few really good examples I have heard of how you could incorporate the issue of rape into an RPG without it making most people feel uncomfortable but having an emotional impact. Good post

That list of games is almost exactly what I'll be playing

. Of course fun is also important but if I want to relax I rather play a mindless jump and run or indy game. Story heavy heavy games are great for also showing a different vibe in games. Same goes for movies or TV series. Why do so many people watch stuff like Walking dead or Game of Thrones? Not because it is cool but because they want emotion and literally feel bad. It is part of human nature. I don't think people watch a series like Game of Thrones to feel bad, I don't think that's a valid reason for most people. They watch the series because its an exciting and epic fantasy saga where we become attached to various characters and the story. And we want to see how the various plots develop. These are positive and typical reasons why people generally follow popular genres like fantasy. But I don't get why you would feel bad by watching Game of Thrones?

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/06/17/torment-tides-of-numenera-interview-1/#more-213605 For those that aren't familiar with the some of the important game design decisions around the new Torment game here is the first part of a detailed interview from RPS

am not certain who this is directed at, but we will note that there is valid reasons for including rape and sexual assaults in stories. rape is violent and ugly. other than a handful of extreme twisted persons, and perhaps those who like japanese pr0n manga, people understand that rape is evil. is one o' those few acts that ain't subject to moral relativism. the most depraved and irredeemable villains 'mongst us has had a mother or sister. as such, it takes very little empathy to be understanding that forced sex is a brutal and dehumanizing act. perhaps modern medias has ruined us all a bit. heck, look at crpgs and see that our heroic characters is mass murderers who could stack up their copses high 'nuff to challenge nimrod's tower. thieves and arsonists is as likely to be good guys as bad in our games. but rape is different. rape is evil, and so little is these days. yeah, there is some broken children on this board who might argue for rape as something other than vile and ugly, but do you think it is even remote possible that obsidian developers would follow such a lead? HA! Good Fun! Gromnir what are saying? Do you mean there is no point discussing our utter contempt for topics like including rape in the game because Obsidian will never include them in the game anyway? Oh and in almost cases rape is not about sex but rather a form of power over women, this is directed at anyone who has the absurd idea that rape is about sex

As long as it comes out, I'm okay. My sentiments exactly, I'm not concerned about any delay that the developers feel they need. At least this way we won't hear the famous " we had to release the game in the state its in due to pressures and expectations from Publishers who funded this game so we had no choice"

As kirottu pointed out earlier in this thread, spiders aren't insects! :D Nah, they are all from the same family... critters that need to be squashed Why squish spiders? They're hunters and eat insects -including ones you don't want in your house. You really should take them outside if possible* (and I know sometimes it isn't possible). I'd much rather have some good spiders around the house than a lot of other insects. Pretty much the only bugs that are "squish on sight" to me are the parasitic (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, etc) and roaches inside a house (roaches that don't live in houses are okay). *probably helps there isn't a high population of spiders that can kill or seriously damage humans where I live. I wouldn't touch a spider in Australia without a scientist to confirm what the heck I was dealing with. Yeah, I've started taking spiders outside nowadays. I realize there role in the ecosystem

As kirottu pointed out earlier in this thread, spiders aren't insects! :D Nah, they are all from the same family... critters that need to be squashed

Am I only one that doesn't find any insect cute or attractive on any level? ( Spiders are undoubtedly my worst.. I suffer from a mild form of arachnophobia )

But female gamers didn't have a choice so I don't see the relevance of your post to the modern campaign of gender equality in games? Actually I would argue this should be a social justice consideration, not an issue. More discussion and awareness gets raised this way