What are you playing now?

[Diogo Ribeiro]

If GTA4 is "Once Upon a Time in America".

 

I know you said "if", but is GTA4 really that good to merit such a comparison? Have yet to play that one too, so...

[Kaftan Barlast]

GTA4 has more story than 95% of games out there so its good enough to compare, due to lack of competition.

 

 

 

..and Diablo 3 looks like theyve NWN'd the characters, cartoonishyl large weapons etc. yuck.

Edited December 25, 2008 by Kaftan Barlast

[Morgoth]

GTA 4 is an great achievement in games history. The technology, the humour, the characters.... It all comes together so well. It's one of the best games I've played for a very long time.

[Diogo Ribeiro]

..and Diablo 3 looks like theyve NWN'd the characters, cartoonishyl large weapons etc. yuck.

 

Cartoonishly large weapons is a recurring theme in nearly all fantasy games that try to cater to male adolescent fantasies. NWN wasn't really setting trends in that regard; it was just another sheep. Besides, Diablo 2 was not different in this regard; the art style was laden with improbable attire and weapons as well.

[Llyranor]

GTA4 has an Oscar-worthy script!!!111!11

[Hurlshort]

If GTA4 is "Once Upon a Time in America".

 

I know you said "if", but is GTA4 really that good to merit such a comparison? Have yet to play that one too, so...

 

I don't put Once Upon a Time in America all that high on my all-time list. It's a great movie, definitely fits the epic mold, but I didn't compare GTA4 to The Godfather for a reason.

[karka]

Karoshi Factory.

 

http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2008/08/fre...aroshi_fac.html

[Calax]

GTA 4 is an great achievement in games history. The technology, the humour, the characters.... It all comes together so well. It's one of the best games I've played for a very long time.

I liked the tech for GTA4, but I was frustrated that the game didn't have the more heavy mocking of society, I mean there was some but for me most of the humor was stupid stuff. I don't play GTA to have a serious storyline, I play it to have fun. I haven't tried saint's row yet but I think I'll like it better than GTA4.

[Nightshape]

The art direction for Diablo 3 is hardly ****ty, just look at what they've done in terms of 2d art, but some of the color choices could be a bit subdued. In contrast, the Diablo 2 was way too gray for anyone's tastes.

 

And as far as hack'n'slash goes, the Diablo series is the crown jewel of the genre. Just look at games like Revenant and Prince of Qin for failed art direction and design.

 

... It's not exactly 2D... Regardless, the art direction is consistant, but it's a horrible look that I personally cannot abide, I also think WoW look dreadful... So *shruggs* it's mostly a matter of opinion.

[Dark_Raven]

F3 with some nice overkill mods. Found one that brings in the Gauss rifle. Does 400+ damage. A little too overkill even for me. I dropped it. I liked the Pulse Rifle mod. When that does a kill hit, it blasts their carcass several feet away. Awesome.

[Maria Caliban]

It's just that Diablo in the past has always gritty, Diablo III has very very different art direction.

 

I played Diablo II. In fact, I was playing it less than two months ago. People overstate just how

[I want teh kotor 3]

I never said they were any good... They both suck, but the art direction for Diablo III is s***

 

Diablo 3 needs to be more depressing.

 

GTA4 has an Oscar-worthy script!!!111!11

 

No.

[Calax]

The art direction for Diablo 3 is hardly ****ty, just look at what they've done in terms of 2d art, but some of the color choices could be a bit subdued. In contrast, the Diablo 2 was way too gray for anyone's tastes.

 

And as far as hack'n'slash goes, the Diablo series is the crown jewel of the genre. Just look at games like Revenant and Prince of Qin for failed art direction and design.

 

... It's not exactly 2D... Regardless, the art direction is consistant, but it's a horrible look that I personally cannot abide, I also think WoW look dreadful... So *shruggs* it's mostly a matter of opinion.

WoW looks cartoony because thats the only way they could get it to keep running on systems that were not "tricked out" games. It's probably what keeps people playing because even with new expansions they don't really have to upgrade to keep going.

[Morgoth]

The art direction for Diablo 3 is hardly ****ty, just look at what they've done in terms of 2d art, but some of the color choices could be a bit subdued. In contrast, the Diablo 2 was way too gray for anyone's tastes.

 

And as far as hack'n'slash goes, the Diablo series is the crown jewel of the genre. Just look at games like Revenant and Prince of Qin for failed art direction and design.

 

... It's not exactly 2D... Regardless, the art direction is consistant, but it's a horrible look that I personally cannot abide, I also think WoW look dreadful... So *shruggs* it's mostly a matter of opinion.

WoW looks cartoony because thats the only way they could get it to keep running on systems that were not "tricked out" games. It's probably what keeps people playing because even with new expansions they don't really have to upgrade to keep going.

That's also what Bio does with SWTOR: Making the style somewhat cartoony. It's a great way to prevent fast aging, but not everyone likes it, obviously.

[Hell Kitty]

I think the whole "WoW gayness" is totally overblown, and even more ridiculous than what would expect from, say, the 'average' Fallout fanatic. It boggles the mind that on certain gaming communities you have people pinning for the medium to become art, but in others, when an artist or studio decides to create something akin to a personal art style that connects all of their works (World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2, Warcraft 3, Diablo 3) it becomes objectionable. That's why I enjoy id's take on artistic direction even if I don't appreciate most of their games. It may often be excessively brooding and gothic but it's consistent. Unlike other contemporary games where you go "oh, it uses Unreal tech as an engine", you look at an id game and usually recognize it by looking at the artwork alone.

 

It's Wind Waker syndrome all over again. Quite likely the best Zelda in the series - charming, inventive, and quite likely the only Zelda title to capture Myamoto's idea of childlike wonder and wanderlust that influenced the games - but for the average gamer it comes across as "kiddy". Which is why we returned to the series with Twilight Princess which was pure vanilla in terms of artistic direction. It's also why some people look at Introversion's games and can't help getting past the "it's retro looking so it's crap" mentality.

 

Videogames are only considered art insofar as the audience's tastes are pandered to.

 

Amen sista!

 

As for GTA4, the story wouldn't be so bad if it didn't completely contradict the gameplay. Constant whining about having little money, despite the fat bank account, and the moral dilemma of killing a few select people when you otherwise have no problem killing hundreds.

[Morgoth]

If Wind Waker wouldn't look so sucky I'd maybe give it a chance. Twilight Princess looks better, but it has "Princess" in the title so I refuse to play that out of pure principle.

[Nightshape]

The art direction for Diablo 3 is hardly ****ty, just look at what they've done in terms of 2d art, but some of the color choices could be a bit subdued. In contrast, the Diablo 2 was way too gray for anyone's tastes.

 

And as far as hack'n'slash goes, the Diablo series is the crown jewel of the genre. Just look at games like Revenant and Prince of Qin for failed art direction and design.

 

... It's not exactly 2D... Regardless, the art direction is consistant, but it's a horrible look that I personally cannot abide, I also think WoW look dreadful... So *shruggs* it's mostly a matter of opinion.

WoW looks cartoony because thats the only way they could get it to keep running on systems that were not "tricked out" games. It's probably what keeps people playing because even with new expansions they don't really have to upgrade to keep going.

 

I was aware of this anyway.

[~Di]

I'm not a huge fan of any of the IE games, but Icewind Dale was the IE game I enjoyed the most and the one that has stayed with me longest.

 

Otoh, IWD 2 was apparently the game that killed any interest I have in ever playing a D&D crpg again.

 

Its odd how I could find the first game pretty compelling and the second rather tedious and in places downright painful. The "clear mob from room/rest/clear mob from next room/rest wash rinse repeat" gameplay wasn't a whole lotta fun when repeated ad infinitum, and it seemed far more pronounced in IWD2 than it was in IWD.

 

I do agree with Gromnir that Targos was a good start, but similiar to Lionheart, everything went downhill fast from that point on.

 

Me too! I loved IWD1... the music made me swoon, and instantly transported me to that cold, bleak world. Every time I played IWD1 I got a tingle when I heard that theme song lilting through my tiny speakers. I spent ages developing each of my "perfect" parties, and just never got tired of creating new ones and new games.

 

Then came IWD2. I was sooo excited, and the port of Targos was so amazing I was just in heaven. But halfway through the game, I was literally bored by the tedium, unimpressed by the locals, and frankly sick to death of the story. I finished it... but barely, and never played it again, whereas I must have played IWD1 a dozen times over the years.

 

I still can't quite put my finger on why I reacted to the two games so differently. *shrug* Just one of those things, I suppose.

 

Anyway, I'm currently replaying Mass Effect. For all its flaws, I like this game... and I love "yaaa-hooo'ing" over rocky terraine in my Mako! Love that cheeky little vehicle.

Edited December 27, 2008 by ~Di

[Rhomal]

oblivion with the OOO mod

I'm also a fan. It's surprisingly entertaining to get soundly defeated and end up fleeing for your life.

 

I'm playing Re-install Windows And Hope It's Not So Crash-Happy This Time.

 

My suggestion remove all startup apps except for virus protection (modern apps love to add start up applets which in the end are pointless and cause issues. If you see more then 6 icons near your time there's a issue) and do NOT use Symantic suites, and use the latest drivers. Hope that helps.

[I want teh kotor 3]

If Wind Waker wouldn't look so sucky I'd maybe give it a chance. Twilight Princess looks better, but it has "Princess" in the title so I refuse to play that out of pure principle.

 

Then... what's the point of having a GCN/Wii if you're not playing the good games?

[SteveThaiBinh]

oblivion with the OOO mod

I'm also a fan. It's surprisingly entertaining to get soundly defeated and end up fleeing for your life.

 

I'm playing Re-install Windows And Hope It's Not So Crash-Happy This Time.

 

My suggestion remove all startup apps except for virus protection (modern apps love to add start up applets which in the end are pointless and cause issues. If you see more then 6 icons near your time there's a issue) and do NOT use Symantic suites, and use the latest drivers. Hope that helps.

Thanks. Alas, it's started crashing as I've been installing Windows clean, so I think either there's a fault with my Windows disk or there's a hardware problem. I've taken it to the shop to be checked.

[Morgoth]

Playing Abe's Exoddus. It's hilariously fun.

[CoM_Solaufein]

Fallout 3, starting over from scratch. Had to replace my hard drive and reinstall everything.

[Theseus]

If Wind Waker wouldn't look so sucky I'd maybe give it a chance. Twilight Princess looks better, but it has "Princess" in the title so I refuse to play that out of pure principle.

lol your funny.

 

I thought Wind Waker was the best Zelda since it came out.

 

Also the game 13 was an awesome game that not to many gave a chance. It was voice acted by David Duchovany. It ran beautifully on my computer for how nice it looked because the cell shader style it used like that in Wind Waker.

 

No One Lives FOrever Series rocks too! woot woot!

[Shryke]

managed to arrive in Egypt in my game of Titan Quest

 

starting to ponder what liberties will be taken with Egyptian mythology now

 

after all, i've already killed Nessus, Polyphemus, Medusa and her 2 sisters, the Minotaur, etc etc