metadigital

I hope you can swim. (Mein Gott, what temperature would the water be? -- Given average salination, might be as cold as -1.8

I have used Kyle reece as well. Strange, I never used Sarah Conner (or some phonetic equivalent) ... mental note to self, next time play as Zera Kon'R.

Don't tell me, you were raised in one of the guilt-centric religions (like Judaism and Roman Catholicism)!

My favourite, as disclosed in a recently derailed thread ( ), is the original Deus Ex. First Point: no elves or orcs, and magic is limited to medpacks. An interesting near-future intra-apocalyptic scenario, ripe with intrigue and -- eventually -- overwelming interlaced conspiracies. Although the narrative is quite linear (which was addressed in the sequel), the tactics used to complete each "level" or geographic section are quite flexible, and there are three different ways to complete the game. For example, for my last play-through I didn't kill any third-parties who had no idea they were being used by a secret agency, prefering to tranquilize them instead. I especially like the technique -- used later to great effect in Max Payne 2, as well -- where the PC is introduced to a new area whilst the NPCs are friendly, and subsequently has to battle back through the area under fire. Gameplay is simple, but not simplistic; guns and munitions help the PC adopt either a full-frontal "tank", or a subterfuge "thief" attitude, or some hybrid. Weapons can have improvements added like damage, accuracy, ammo capacity and range mods, and a silencer and scope. There is a basic "levelling up" feature, whereby completing plot advancements gains proportional points for use in any aspect of a dozen different skills. The skills are ranked from untrained to mastery in four levels, and effect aspects like toxic waste resistence and rifle or pistol accuracy & damage. There is also the opportunity to add bio-modification nanites of different and sometimes mutually exclusive powers; e.g. silent running or powerful leaping are two options for the leg biomod. There are four levels of biomod power, as well, which either increase the effects or reduce the power consumption. (Some biomods are passive, like the ocular headlamps.) I also found the plot interesting, as I had read a lot about the various groups mentioned in the narrative before I had even heard of Deus Ex. Regardless, the plot is compelling and certainly contains all the necessary accoutrements for a rip-roaring tale. The pacing is sublime; the PC is only given powerful biomods later in the narrative, after experiencing how difficult a given task is without, and then again -- in a step-wise fashion -- with more dangerous enemies and scenarios to test the new biomods. I can't recommend this game highly enough, the only negative point I can bring myself to mention is the very long and involved plot is a little too linear to replay continuously (just continually, with a short break :cool: ). And it is also all true. Trust no-one. :ph34r:

Is it now meta? Is it?!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You sound like you have some thoughts on the matter ... I mean unless you are talking about tossing salads ... Because, iIrc, Juhani was a romance option for the PC in K1. I would say that Bioware forgot to remove this option for female PCs, so there we have it. (Similar error and scenario in the first Star Trek Elite Force game, which was subsequently rectified in the next Elite Force game ... which is interesting in and of itself, because there is quite a bit of homosexual innuendo in Star Trek TNG, anyway.)

What a bunch of wimps. "

What about a Call of Cthullhu game, as (I believe) there is not as much combat, and more exploration and detective work. Would CoC work better over IRC ?

Yup... it's strange that Bastila wouldn't make an appearance if you say Revan is a LSF though. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Maybe Revan scratched her eyes out after they fought over Carth's affections.

Mr T famously player "Clubber Lang" in Rocky III, the mean dude who fights his way to the lead contender and takes Rocky's belt so that Sylvester's character can regain "The Eye of the Tiger" and win his title back. He was also the butt of Eddie Murphy's humour in his early stand-up career, where Mr Murphy insinuated that MR T was not particularly bright and that the Jedi Mind Trick would work stupendously well on him. (He also made fun of his over-the-top machismo, suggesting he may indeed be batting for the other team. Illustrated particularly well, iIdssm, with superb sound effects borrowed from Rocky III.)

It's funny that physics hasn't found many barriers, many absolutes; absolute zero, the temperature at which no further energy may be extracted (−273.15

WTF!!?!!? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think -- if I understand the reference correctly -- that the poster is ridiculing you for attempting to act out the role-playing parts of the game.

I don't know if I'd inflict that name on a real person, and make them suffer the daily beatings at school. Maximus is just very close, lexicographically speaking, to the actual English word "maximum", hence my regard for its (uber-ness) stature. (I like words.) You would need to be quite a sadist to call a boy that ... Is he Butch? "

Join the bursting-at-the-seams club. (Groucho was right. )

How about games from twenty years ago? Try playing Planetside on a PS2.

Leaving aside the Freudian connotations for one moment ( " ), I was merely suggesting that Maxine Power was a cooler name than Maxwell Power. (Although Maximus is uber.)

No. Presumably cut content. (Either that or deliberate red herring.)

The engine was actually quite a blast when it first appeared: the turn based with pause in third person "almost first-person follow cam". I have no real problem with the engine, per se, except that all the buggy implementation is corrected (can you say "PC combat action queues" with me, boys and girls?). I miss the overhead shot; in my ideal engine I would like to see an "infinite" zoom, so I can take an overhead shot and zoom into the serrated edge of a flesh wound or the purple of a contusion ...

To what end? I mean, what's the purpose of this new attack? Is it any better than Force Push? Or Force Lightning? Nah, I'd prefer the effort spent in other areas ... like plot and character development "

The only response I can give you is one I heard in my travels, a long, long time ago (and it was a long, long way from where I am now ...) that I believe sums up religious zeal to those that have an internal frame of reference centred on strict moral codes like the golden rule (do unto others only what you would have them do unto you): To those that know, no explanation is necessary; to those that don't, no explanation is possible. I envy them their fervent faith; I dispair at their seeming lack of vision. Still, at the end of the troubled times, it will be due in no small part to the extremists shaping the world of our times, so there is everything to play for. I often wonder what would happen if world hunger were eradicated; what would happen to the West if all the trade protections were removed ... a true "free market". Chaos! And not good, either. There would just be another conflict, with the newly disposessed taking up armed struggle ... But I am digressing.

ROFL Don't be alarmed. You will hear a continuous klaxon whilst there is a heightened state of danger. Don't be alarmed.

I personally haven't played it, but I know some business acquaintences used it as an ice-breaker to "get to know" their venture capitalist backers ... turned into an all-nighter and much was learned by all concerned ...

Was there not even a synopsis of the state of development? A hint as to how well the game is progressing, if it is on target or anything at all?

Proving once again that it is better to give than receive ...