[Music... must go on...]

I'm sorry, I'm addicted.

 

[The "Cool" Images Thread]

 

Alls I gots to say.

 

[Experience Point Mechanics - Fighting Enemies]

I've thought since the start that it was a good alternative to things like The Elder Scrolls, in which the vast majority of quests were worthless; most were just simple excuses to get you to go to those 12 cave entrances that you passed on your way to the next main quest objective. The rewards were rarely even worth mentioning; usually just a pittance of money or a random piece of enchanted equipment (which you could savescum to re-roll and try to get a better enchantment/more expensive item to sell.)

[BIG HEAD mode is in]

I don't get it. The entire point of big head mode from the start (I think Goldeneye, since it was a console game with stick aiming rather than mouse aiming,) was to make it easier to get headshots in FPS games.

 

Unless, of course, there is a system of individual body part damage in PoE I missed.

[of goblins and orcs..]

Using genuine orcs and goblins is ok - they're as much part of the fantasy-mythology as are angels, trolls, or wyverns. Using stuff that clearly behaves and feels like orcs and goblins but pretends to be an original creature (about every usually-evil race of usually-minions) is rubbish.

Orcs are an invention of Tolkien. Please actually learn something about what you're saying before saying it. I'm a kind person so I don't want you to have to experience the taste of your own foot. They have no place in any mythology.

 

Goblins don't even qualify as being on the level of "myth." They're more on the level of "**** medieval parents told their kids would happen to them if they misbehaved." Wyvern is just a fancy name for dragons. Angels are an order of magnitude above all those other creatures due to their presence in Abrahamic religions, which are globally dominant and have billions of adherents.

 

All that said, it's always better to try to come up with your own concept of an original creature/race than to just brain-puke out all the stuff you read in high school. Maybe change some minor details for the sake of plausible deniability/avoid accusations of your dwarves being an arguably racist caricature of Jews.

[What are you playing now?]

"Wasteland 2, or Give Every PC Blunt and Bludgeon Everyone You Meet" at long last. I dabbled in the beta build, kind of irritated that they actually removed portraits and customization options.

 

I know it's not a big deal that the character models look like ass (in the bad way,) but I can't shake the irksome feeling I get from seeing character models in the character menus that would have looked cutting-edge in 2000 or so. I guess the great concept art aroused my expectations too much.

 

Anyway, the UI changes are skewing toward good. And no radiation protection off the bat.

 

 

Buy a PS4.

Hopk up your PS2.

Boot up Suikoden V

???

Profit?

Suikoden has been dead to me since 3. Even among awful JRPGs that one stood out considering the quality of its predecessors. I tried 4 and that was just like 5/10 mediocrity (which is beneath "worth playing" in gaming parlance.)

[Overflowing with money.]

I do apologise for double posting:

 

I'd also like to see a detailed system of crime and punishment, with consequences varying from paying substantial weregild, seizure of property and titles, to maybe even indentured servitude somewhat like young Cuchulain.

It's kind of odd to combine a fancy-pants archaic German word for "price" with a misinterpretation of the Celtic (note: not Germanic,) mythological figure Sétanta's voluntary entry into service (until such a time as he could pay to replace the hound,) in order to repay the debt of killing Culaan's hound (in self-defense, the entire matter being the fault of Conchobar,) by his own volition.

 

If you'll excuse me, I've got to sate my Irish blood with some Whisky, lest someone say the word "work."

[Game looks great, but...]

After watching some of the gameplay videos, I have mixed feelings about the graphical presentation.

 

First: The UI looks awesome! And it catches that Infinity engine vibe just fine. I also love how big the letters on the dialogue box are. The handful of tweaks (like the character select buttons in the looting window) that had been done over the IWD UI are well thought-out. Trade window is a little aged in terms of user comfort, but it catches the classic feel just fine.

 

However, I have a lot of concerns about the general game graphics, especially the textures. The backgrounds vary from being extremely detailed (I love some of the floor tiles on the temple), to totally blurry (the earth parts in the first area). I guess the paintover job is already done on the starting area? I feel that the IWD 2 backgrounds looked a lot more crisp and sharp compared to the first videos of PoE... I hope it's just the movie resolution fooling me.

 

And then, there's the character models. They look great in the isometric perspective, but in the inventory and character creation, they just don't match the graphical quality of the UI. I don't think the 3D models should be shown in both menues. Why not just show a sketch-like drawing of an adventurer in the background with icons of the equipments in the specific positions?

 

In the character creation screen, I guess such a preview is unavoidable if we want to select colors, but at least a little downscaling couldn't hurt... you could possibly make the windows a bit larger (like the description window) and reduce the space for the preview picture. It's not the perfect solution, but having the character that big in the character creation menu really reveals the low texture resolution of characters in PoE.

Obviously they're sitting on the Gold product for another year, right? I mean, they wouldn't release a complete game when it's complete when they could just hemorrhage money into the pockets of employees with no work to do. Right? You're right. Of course you're right. Your logic is impeccable. The game is clearly complete and not subject to change, even though beta access for backers isn't even available. Beta is the same as gold, after all, as you well know. If a 3:4 isometric perspective game doesn't have 4096x4096 textures they're obviously cutting corners and cheating people like you who... didn't back the game.

[Origin Sales]

It's something that can be painted either way, I could reel off the same Steam 'features' and label them an intrusive attempt to gain control over every aspect of your gaming life. Because that's what Steam is designed to do. Make Steam the default for everything and everyone.

 

Now some people are perfectly fine with that, and that's there prerogative. But then people were fine with Microsoft's bundling tricks and other moves to ensure lock-in as well.

 

The series of Kickstarter game developers misreading their backers' stance on choice of distribution is an easy illustration of the position Steam has wrangled themselves into, the de-facto default. Broken Sword 5 is the latest case, there's a fight just erupted over the decision to only ship Steam copies of the physical boxed games, which to a large extent rather defeats the purpose of a physical copy. But they're far from the first, and won't be the last to make that same misjudgement. Shadowrun, Banner Saga, Tex Murphy, Divinity - all have had issues with their launches related to assuming a universal desire for Steam (yes there are nuances in each case relating to contracts or unexpected technical hurdles, but the big picture adds up). This is the damage caused by Steam's ubiquity.

Steam's only flaw, in my experience, is the lack of returns/refunds. I seriously haven't had technical or moral issues with it in at least 4 years. If Origin were up to the task of competing that would be great, but EA isn't, because it's EA. Valve isn't dominant because it's the only game in town, it's dominant because they're the best by any stretch. GOG is fine for a bunch of polacks in someone's basement, and all, but it's still just a bunch of polacks selling old games from someone's basement.

[The Official Romance Thread]

Tuna fish. That's what I have to say on the subject right now. If you don't like it, go drink some mercury.

[of goblins and orcs..]

Hi all,

 

I just realized orcs, goblins and halflings weren't going to be part of this game. While I don't necessarily criticize this design decision, I was wondering what would you lose by adding them at least at character creation?

Any semblance of creativity or respectability. Discussion over. Full stop.

 

Orcs, goblins and halflings can stay in their putrid, stagnant little plot in Tolkien-ripoff history. Obsidian can do better and they are doing better.

 

GODLYKE 4 LYFE! WESTSIDE!

[What you having for dinner tonight?]

Smoked Salmon (Chinook, best kind, I dare you to come up with a better species,) corn (on cob,) a Widmer heffe or two.

[Marines test new beach assault vehicle]

Helicopters: Still probably a better choice than goofy boats that cost American taxpayers ludicrous amounts of money.

 

Fun fact: Helicopters can fly at low enough altitudes to evade radar detection. THANKS DOD. I'M SURE THAT JOINT-STRIKE FIGHTER WILL TOTALLY BE WORTH IT IN THE END. What could be more convenient than having a bunch of psuedo-VTOLs on aircraft carriers which have done a bang-up job of launching and landing regular jets for half a century? (Mad props for your continuing competence, U.S. Navy.)

 

Seriously, spend some goddamn money on a space elevator and we'll own space, America. Not that you dimwits in congress would understand that, because Christ. You know how much Space is worth? A hell of a lot more than a beach in arabia or whatever, that's how much.

[Co-op]

I also played all the possible RPGs in co-op with my friends..too bad it's not going to be implemented...well maybe next time

RISE FROM YOUR GRA-oh, everybody relevant knows what I'm referencing at this point, no reason to bother.

 

Ain't none of your Dungeon Sieges or Diabloes up in this house.

['END CONVERSATION' Suggestion]

Tell me about yourself. That won't be awkward in any way.

What can you tell me about this town?

Want to have a sexy time?

Is there a useful vendor of equipment hereabouts?

LATA BITCHEZZZZZ

[Gameplay video: Detailed Response]

Too many words. Did not read. Just waiting for game release. Full stop. I once used a ham radio. Lots of old guys. Not all of them were creepy. Not all.

 

It's funner to go in more or less blind than to suck every little bit of info out of the devs for years.

[Invoking the right to counsel]

Does anyone know if the police can interrogating a suspect after he invoked his right for counsel? I always assumed that anything said after that point can't be used in anyway ( inadmissible in court or leads to fruit from poisons tree)

 

However recently a friend suggested that the idea behind this is to avoid self incrimination, and thus you can keep interrogating the suspect and use that info as long as its not about him. So for example if the suspect said that he murdered someone, you can never use in anyway against him, but you can bring it up in court to eliminate him as suspect in another murder that happened at the same.

 

ny truth to that?

I don't know what ostensible nation-state you live in so there is no answer. I, for one, live in GOD BLESS AMERICA and my cousin is a lawyer so FREE (non-public defender) REPRESENTATION HAWHAWHAW. Rest of you schlubs are on your own.

[Origin Sales]

Hah, it's better than Steam

ohboyherewego.fileformat

 

Anyone remember that time an EA exec said they'd never have sales on Origin because it would deprive devs of well-deserved cashmonies?

[Ongoing discussion of Ukraine]

Reports are coming in from people who have lost family in the crash, and have found their loved ones credit cards and phones have been used after the crash.

 

But I am sure the usual suspects will decry it all as Western propaganda again.

 

This forum really needs a tinfoil hat emote at this rate.

Suspect, singular. Honestly, It'd be nice to get real Russian's input on these things rather than the slavophile equivalent of a North Korea fetishist.

[Origin Sales]

It's kind of telling that the "Origins sales" thread has gone for over a year without surpassing the 2 page mark.

[BIS Boards Reunion Tour]

Ah, people having a go at Sargy for his spelling. It's like 1999 all over again!

Stumbling across this zambambo thread, it's not a matter of spelling so much as tone (like a pro wrestler,) and punctuation (ending every other sentence with more than one period.) Unfortunately (that's a lie, being younger puts me that much closer to cybernetic immortality,) I'm too young to have been around for the golden age to which you are referring.

 

RPing is one thing, ending half your sentence fragments with three or more periods is just incessant.

[What are you playing now?]

Since my weekend starts today I went and drank a bit too much (more than a pint of whiskey,) ended up playing Skyrim and *shudder* enjoying it. With ample mods, of course. Who wouldn't regret a one-night stand with vanilla Skrim?

 

More shameful than alcoholism, I agree.

[The Funny Things Thread.]

[Things you hope are added via mods.]

Nothing. If I haven't played the game I can't comment on its content and thus cannot possibly make a valid judgement as to whether or not mods would improve anything. Unlikely.

 

I know something else I hope gets added: A new enemy/npc type. On a different thread I've been throwing around a race idea about monkey people. I'll put on this more appropriate thread now; expect a long post:

 

Race name: Not sure, open to suggestions.

 

[tl;dr]

 

How they loo

Fighting them and interacting with them and their culture would be awesome. Not to mention they might be realistic to mod into the game since they don't have a home area. They are nomadic and can simply be thrown into existing maps. The main issue would be adding the character models, and thus playing as them would be FAR too much work to be plausible. As enemies and npcs it might be doable, or maybe I'm just bananas. I might even try to add these guys in myself. Only time will tell.

This is wildly premature fanfiction/add my OC (do not steal,) in my eyes.

[What are you playing now?]

Shovel Knight since I got sort of "turn-based RPGs with no compelling story or cast of main characters"-outed with Divinity:OS and Wasteland 2. Feels like I'm playing Megaman 2 for the first time again. Feels good, man. Well, except for the drastically reduced movement speed while charging an attack (at least megaman got to move normal speed with a charged shot.) YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING, COMCEPT, I HAVE FAITH IN YOU.