Gorth

Ok guys, I think that is about enough of that... or I'll have to find the proverbial straight-jackets. I'm not going to close the thread, because the original question about availability is a valid one, but I do ask that people put a lid on the insults. Preferably voluntarily.

This years Ig Nobel Awards Not going to cut and paste all the paragraphs and entries, but there are some quite amusing ones amongst them.

I bought VMBL on a 25% off. Not an earth shattering discount, but I figured a download backup for my increasingly old and scratched optical media wouldn't be a bad idea. Since I could spend $15 on something I already had, I figured I could also spend $15 on something I'm likely never going to play and got Tomb Raider for the same price (at 75% off). You never know if you are going to change your mind in some distant future.

Ok, I think I might just hang on to them then. It's not like there is an expiry date on them. I shipped out all the non-bound stuff to "younger" toons. My trooper is now level 48, heading for 49 (and really need to gets his gear upgraded before going into a flashpoint again). Finished chapter 2 for the guy. Seems like there is a pattern there, get the 5th companion and lose one of the old ones. Then go do something before you can get old companion back. Fortunately for both my bounty hunter and my trooper, it wasn't anyone I missed particularly much (Torian being a bit redundant for a BH) and Aric guarding the ship for most of the journey of my trooper so far. I liked him in the beginning, but once Tanno Vik is by far my favourite trooper companion. Let's see what the 5th and final guy brings to the table.

A cute little three-pack. I think evolution hates hedgehog mothers. Just imagine giving birth to those...

Looks like I might have a use for my complimentary xp boosts for my level 55 guy after all. He may not get any xp, but he still contributes "xp" to the legacy. Might as well use them then, as I'm not holding my breath for any imminent expansions that raises the level cap. My Commando is now level 47 and getting busy leveling up to 50 (just for kicks, so I can complete the various republic space missions, need photon torpedoes for that).

Sounds like Twilight in 50 shades of grey...

Really? How come? It's not as good as the original, but still about bazillion times better than legends which was boring as hell badly made shooter. Haven't still tried underworld even though I have owned it for years. Not going to touch the new QTE Raider unless I get it for free, maybe not even then. Anniversary did streamline pretty badly my favourite level of TR (Tomb of Tihocan), but I thought the game otherwise was fun and atmospheric. I was the opposite. I found it completely lacked in atmosphere. Large levels meant to be explored were reduced to corridors and badly implemented combat was implemented for combat sakes and contrived boss battles added for boss battles sake (to ensure that it was completely cliche and formulaic), not because it made any sense. I think I mostly resent it because the original was an exploration game and anniversary a mediocre corridor shooter with tiny, cramped levels (and don't get me started on QTE's, at least the original had some nice FMV's for it's time, even if they look naive by 2013 standards). Never made it to the "Atlantis" levels, uninstalled it in disgust 2/3 of the way through and completed a game of the original instead. Just *so* much more fun, low polygon gfx included.

I need to catch up on these when I get home. Saw the first one yesterday night, looking forward to watch the next video or two today

The original Tomb Raider game fits your description minus the crafting, you had to scavenge for ammo instead, but at least you had to explore to find those hidden ammo caches Probably why I found the games from III and onwards disappointing compared to the original. Turned into bad 3rd person shooters instead of exploration games (don't get me started on TR - Anniversary, it was so bad I found it offensive).

When I bought a lamp for using when painting Warhammer miniatures, I found what I was looking for at a beauty salon equipment wholesaler of all things. It's a looking glass with a fluorescent ring shaped "bulb" underneath (providing lights from all directions on the subject you are holding under the looking glass). Might not be what you are looking for, but it sure is darn handy for painting small stuff and needing daylight light conditions

Awesome Just remember to keep if "PG" and "PC"

Too much games being played... (who am I kidding) Episodic thread has a new release here

Start of old thread End of old thread Playing a bit of SWTor and following Allan's Amnesia let's play (playing by proxy? ) Wouldn't mind a big budget WH40K Inquisitor based MMO. Probably never going to happen though. Smaller scale and f2p seems to be the future for this kind of game, if somebody wants to establish themselves 9and survive).

Random numbers can be a pain in the rear. When reverse engineering level 53 prototype aim armour mods (66's) for my main guy, I only succeeded to get artifact quality result on the 21st. That was a lot of expensive material wasted I've since learned to make all level 53 mods and armours in all qualities, but the rest was considerably less ornery about giving results. So, always on the lookout for a good bargain on Beryllius on the GTN (and keeping my own guys with critical chances looking for rich/bountiful missions across all toons). As for the ongoing discussion, not sure what the fuzz is about the expansion being given away. The only titles I made effort in getting were the bounty hunter ones... for adding to my bounty hunter. Yes, games lose value fast. Most software does. That's why you can now (sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not) pay through the nose for upgrades and annual "maintenance" fees (another way of putting thumbscrews on customers). Makes sense if sale of expansion has dwindled to insignificance to throw in as marketing tool. Heck, I still think the Pret-a-Hutt (Dr. Something) was worth the pre-order, just for having a level up station at hand when far away from home. Not going to edit my previous post, but I think I called my level 35 for a marauder, he's actually a juggernaut. I just play him as a well armoured dps. Edit: (yes, the irony of it) Speaking of random numbers, did 6 henchmen yesterday. Having not met DX-3 before, I got him 5 times out of 6. Random indeed. Now I just need to find T'Rubba and take him down twice (dead and alive). Then there are still a few kingpins to go.

The only "Roman" games I've really liked so far is Europa Universalis - Rome (I'm a bit of a Paradox fanboy), nefore that, there were two old games, 'Annals of Rome' for C64 and 'Centurion' for the Commodore Amiga. If they would just ditch the RTS part, I might actually give this game a shot.

You get to practice a bit when you get your first converter at level 25, but you only really need that one for the last few of the standard missions. Anyway, bounty hunter week is back and my toons are all over the galaxy maxing out my weekly reputation limit. Was fortunate enough that my marauder (level 35) found a guild member at level 55 who didn't mind giving a hand with kingpins (even in some of the remote places on the maps). Key is to *not* group together before triggering the kingpin (because he scales to the highest level of the group. A group of say level 27, 22 and 19 just take an example, would be royally screwed). Solo them with a high level backup that isn't grouped with you or, very unlikely, find somebody in your level range at the same time with the same kingpin mission (yeah right).

A bit of nostalgia from a time where the 80'es were the real 80'es and not forgotten pages in history books (ELO - Don't bring me down) http://youtu.be/QFZGXvGGcfw

Yes, he can't do an Eternity 'let's play' before he finishes this one

That worked a treat. Two more attempts and I almost got all the bonuses too. Fire one torpedo at bridge, then firing off the EMP on the first pass not only takes out most of the destroyer turrets, but almost destroys the nearby frigate. A single additional missile salvo takes it out completely and leave a large open space for you to get an (besides unopposed by enemy fire) unobstructed view of the bridge for the second torpedo on the return pass. Still needed a second try though, as the bombers takes a lot of firepower to get down. Got 49 in my first attempt, but with plenty of health to spare, so in second attempt, I decided to diss safety and go in guns blazing. A lot less health left, but got all the little buggers I needed (helped by a timely second EMP blast that hit in the right spot amongst them this time). Yay, 3 down, 3 to go

I'll give that a shot (or two as you say) when I get home from work today I used the EMP to great effect in the basic missions, popping it first and second time in mine fields, saving a lot of pew-pew'ing pesky mines.

Yeah, I know (got all the grade 7 stuff, finally using the bucket load of fleet commendations and credits I had amassed). It's really a matter of "practicing" and learning the course so to speak. Once you find the maximum spots to use your electronic countermeasures and EMP's, it gets a bit better. Things I learned this time through was to take out the starboard batteries on the destroyer, since I had to pass next to them twice and got hammered by incoming fire both times. It becomes a balancing act between reducing incoming fire and taking out frigates until you find the sweet spot. Like the first 2 I managed, once you get familiar with it, you can do it easier each time bar the freak accident/mistake. Main thing I still need to learn for this particular mission is to conserve my missiles and use them to maximum effect (i.e. when to use blasters, when to use missiles).

I had am math teacher at university that was so boring it was like an elemental force. I suggesting naming one of the empty slots in the periodic table after him and call it 'Tedium'. Very heavy stuff.

On an unrelated note Made 4 attempts at the next heroic space mission in SWTor (defend the station type thing)... 3 objectives, torpedoing the destroyer bridge, destroy 3 frigates and down 50 bombers. First one was a trial run, got me blasted out of the sky with minutes to spare. Second run, I missed one of the frigates, only blowing up 2 of 3 (you have 4 to chose from, so I made a mistake in spreading my missiles too thin) Third run, I only got 49 out of 50 bombers (wasting too many missiles on the frigates) Fourth run, I got them all, but died with 30 seconds left (and then you don't get credited with a win) Arghhh!... Infuriating >_

Rising through the ranks... well done (and congratulations)