Nonek

I'm unsure what exactly you're desirous of Sheikh, is it different skull shapes (Negroid or Mongoloid rather than Caucasoid) or more fantastical elements you are requesting?

Indeed, Severance was years ahead of its time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egad_InYl6I Think i'll pop into GOG and download it tomorrow myself, thank you for the reminder gentlemen.

I had not heard of this, I was aware of the Viking warrior class' vanity, with the importance they placed on fine clothing, armrings and other jewellery and decorated combs for their hair, but I hadn't read of braiding being a cultural element amongst them. Most illuminating. One imagines though that even these stout fellows who bathed more regularly than Christian men, were sometimes irritated by their long locks. After all their sweat stained and lice infested gambesons must have been quite odorous on the campaign trail, and their hair similarly filthy and infested compared to our modern day cleanliness. I imagine that with the Aventail helm they often wore it might become frequently caught as well, though the far more common basinet might benefit from the padding. Edit: For a full visored helm however i'd still say that extra heat is a consideration, during the midst of combat when ones breathing is frantic and desperate heat will of course be a consideration, and it is well known that medieval knights would keep their visors up until the very moment of combat for this and vision reasons. Add long hair under the arming cap, coif and helm itself and I imagine that it becomes fairly stifling. Of course vanity must still be rightfully considered though.

I don't know what you're talking about. It's fine, but it's not all that different from any other interview I've read on the pro sites. I swear, this weird antagonism people have towards something that's ultimately just another branch of entertainment journalism... Having worked in print journalism as a lad i'm somewhat biased Ffordesoon, but apart from poor working practices and lack of objectivity, I simply believe that most game journalism is not fit for purpose. They are now on the whole merely indie PR firms, and do not exercise the necessary amount of criticism that one would expect of a journalist serving the public. However this is a personal opinion, and as I pointed out somewhat biased, feel free to think differently. The editorials of the Codex are on the whole equal if not superior to most professional sites, as well as taking a far different view from the mainstream press' urge to streamline and feature strip under the umbrella term of innovation, and thus I regard them quite highly as a counterpoint to the steady degeneration of the medium. That said I have not the mettle to venture onto their forums for any extended period of time, i'm fairly sure i'd never recover from the trauma.

Once again the RPG Codex's editorials humiliate the professional "game journalists," absolutely splendid article chaps.

If you hide your make up in a dark enough spot I assume no one will find it. Edit: Sorry, couldn't resist.

I doubt there'd have been many spoiled nobleman at that time, they'd have had to keep their hand in as military service was a part of feudal obligation, and generally a wise precaution in the cut-throat world of medieval politics. Add to that trial by combat was a legitimate method of solving judicial cases, and it would seem to be extremely unwise to let oneself be untrained in battle. Certainly throughout modern history the brunt of warfare in English history has taken the highest toll on the gentry, though that was also because if one couldn't afford a commision, then courageous actions were a legitimate alternative. That said I imagine that kings who are renowned as peaceful and saintly might have worn such locks, as they had strong right hands such as William Marshall to stand at their side.

Or the two agents with Ms Hand.

I figure for practicality's sake, someone with long hair would probably tie/braid it (just something to keep it from getting snagged in nooks and crannies), or at least wear some cloth cap/wrap thing under the helmet (if they're wearing a helmet). I'm curious how this was handled, though, in actual history/record. Probably shorn. Heat in a helmet is allready quite stifling with the arming cap or coif and that's without extra hair, add to that the lice and filth in a battle camp, the fact that bathing wasn't a fashionable thing and no sane opponent would look at long hair as anything but a useful handhold. I think most sensible knights would favour something like the Roundhead or Norman bowl haircut for these reasons.

So is anybody else thinking that agent Ward in AoS is Coulson's sleeper cell inside Hydra, and that this is his gambit to infiltrate that organisation. The way that he pulls Ward aside upon witnessing Hudsons arrest, then shares a significant look with him as he departs with the prisoner and Ms Hand makes me a little suspicious. Also Ward watching the blood flowing from Ms Hand's...hand makes me believe he might have delivered a none fatal shot and be worrying over whether she will bleed out. Probably too ambitious for mainstream television but Whedon might pull something like that off, and i'd be extremely impressed.

Historically marriage was less about social pressures and more about economy. Transfer of property has always been absolutely vital in making the wealth of families. Modern times simply reversed the cost/benefit ratio of marriage. Today you are more likely to lose property in a divorce than gain anything substantial. And unlike in the past rising children costs a fortune but produces little benefits. The only thing that awaits us in the future are state-run reproduction programs. I agree on the financial aspect, both in terms of marriage being a costly affair, divorce even more so and children being an extremely unwise investment. Half an hour of joy and eighteen years of misery as they say. However I think there are other factors to consider: The urge to do what's right for a young man who trusts his paramour with birth control, though this was more of an issue in my youth than now. The urge to partake of the only form of immortality we know that works, that being reproduction. The societal ideal of the perfect mate and life that we still see trumpeted in every form of media, wherein the bachelor or spinster are treated as the outsider to be disdained and shunned. Etcetera.

I assume rest spots are still actually in game, but are simply not flagged as such and are more organically presented as safe areas, where one can use the aforementioned Camp Supplies. Which I think personally is probably a very smart move to mollify players who are upset about the percieved limiting of freedom.

Personally I think there will always be a certain percentage who naturally pair bond, and a certain percentage whom are (for wont of a better word) loners, and that what we are seeing in the modern age is a natural extension of this. In previous times we had quite large societal pressures to follow (and we all know mankind generally does,) but now we are simply following our natural urges. Of course there will be individuals who want one state and yet due to various factors, including possibly their own inherent lack of charisma as in the case illustrated in the OP, cannot attain that. But life rarely gives what one wants anyway. I'm split on whether this is a good or bad thing. Many of us will be children of divorce or unhappy marriage, where the participants were quite obviously unprepared, unsuitable or unwanting of such a commitment. Is being reared in such an environment healthy? Still more pertinent is the fact that maybe a reduced birth rate may well be a good thing, for the planet and the race, but that is extremely debatable. Certainly society is changing to accomodate these people, and traditional family units are passing away, but then again in many countries society is in general re-organising itself. I'm not sure of the outcome, all I know is that if i've had to suffer many years of marriage so should everybody else!

No man is an Island. Except when he's in the bath.

Excuse me young Ms, you appear to have three arrows stuck in your shoulder. Edit: Oh and while were conversing I just thought i'd add that belts are traditionally worn around ones trousers, hope this helps.

Thinking on this poor gentlemans plight may I make a small reccommendation? If one wishes for a love interest who responds according to the amount of gifts and pandering one engages in, then Bioware's dating sim aspects would be perfect for him. Rampant protagonist empowerment and ego stroking seem well suited to what the gentleman wants, and the player may force his attentions upon most of the female cast, (or the male if he feels adventurous.) It is probably far cheaper than the alternative as well, though he may have to venture into the BSN to register, but I assume one does not have to interact with the "people" who inhabit that place when registering and downloading content.

I have to wonder after reading the update on Wizard's and Druid's again whether the formulae (spells) that are used in grimoires can be inscribed on other materials, it seems possible if i'm reading this correctly: Perhaps in other cultures spells are inscribed onto staves, or even onto the body of the caster for those who wish for a more Sorceror like arcane protagonist, it seems like it might be possible at least, maybe in the sequel. With appropriate changes to the grimoire changing mechanic of course, attunement, focusing or what have you?

Reached Hong Kong in Deus Ex, a delightful change of pace and very welcome. I am strangely enough not making very much use of my augmentations, except for the light which is hardly an extraordinary piece of equipment, and this leaves me wondering whether the next Deus Ex might feature a choice between augmentation and skills. I for one think it would be quite interesting to play as someone like Sam Carter, the former general and UNATCO quartermaster in his earlier days, using skill and ingenuity rather than mechanical augmentation. I have to wonder whether this would be too much of a stretch from Deus Ex's initial premise however?

Personally i'm hoping for a lot more text descriptions in the game than were present in most of the IE games, with the degeneration of games one can't expect the level of interaction that Ultima boasted, but this can be redressed by making a lot more features linked to textual descriptions. If said text descriptions also involve testing our skills in translating, lore, mythology or what have you then all the better.

Dead Man's Shoes by Shane Meadows, best revenge flick i've ever seen.

Personally i'd ideally like a little more atmospheric frippery, but so long as it performs its function then I am more than happy. I found that IWD2's ui always had me going to the wrong place for some reason, even at Kuldahar I was still making mistakes, however that encouraged hot key use somewhat. I do favour one handed mouse use in general however, as pipe and beverage add very much to my personal pleasure periods.

I'm not dismissing or being negative towards Human Revolution in particular Mr VC, though obviously that is still very much fresh in my mind, but what I see as a degenerate practice. I liked Human Revolution and thought it was a very good spiritual successor to Deus Ex (which is a rare occurrence in and of itself) but I think my claims of too much accessibility and handholding is fair criticism, in the act of catering to the lowest common denominator they have essentially rather robbed their games of (to me) enjoyable aspects, that being exploration, challenge and experimentation. And of course I brazenly defend the right to believe that anybody who cannot understand a door or ladders function should not be left in charge of a PC.

I don't know Nonek but everything you have mentioned that doesn't exist in your version of Deus Ex exists in the latest version I am busy with, you don't think the game will be too hard if you leave out some of those things in a modern game like the latest Deus Ex? You also don't want to ignore practicality with misplaced nostalgia No the game is quite easy, and bear in mind I am a middle aged man without any pretense towards "leet skills," and this is on realistic. Of course I died fairly quickly during the Unatco ambush, but I refused to plan and prepare for that, as it seemed far too meta-gamey. I wouldn't say solid, practical design principles instead of skinner box handholding is misplaced nostalgia though, especially when i'm engaged in direct comparison of the two styles. Edit: Of course personal opinion and whatnot.

I don't believe that there will be any healing potions in Poe but I see your point, personally i'd like an attack of opportunity to be performed if you decide to stop fighting your opponent or maybe an automatic critical hit. Or whatever Poe uses in place of these systems.

Playing the original Deus Ex with the Shifter mod installed and of course the HD textures. I'd forgotten how much accessibility had ruined modern games, here I have no glowing golden marks over important characters heads, no outlining for ladders to tell me what there use is, no quest markers, no mini map, no enemies appearing on a radar, no blatantly more beneficial playstyle and it's fantastic. Every playthrough I discover something new in Deus Ex and I can see why now, this degeneration really needs to be rolled back so that players can explore, experiment and be enchanted by the gameworld, rather than performing in a Skinner box. In a way I find it a little insulting how much handholding modern games partake in, whom exactly is ignorant of a ladder or doors function?