What are you playing now

[BruceVC]

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

[Humanoid]

Those aren't romance missions, they're parenting missions.

[mkreku]

Doesn't exactly salvage them from sounding like ****.

[melkathi]

 

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

 

 

Nope he doesn't.

Planescape: Torment

Arcanum of Steampunk and Magik Obscura

Vampire: Bloodlines

 

To name a few.

 

An engaging story does not need active romantic pursuits for the protagonist to engage in. Romance does not make writing engaging or good just by being present. Good writing is what makes writing good.

Ideally, if the romantic arcs were well written and did not take away resources from other aspects of the game, then, if they weren't forced down people's throats, one could make an argument that it is always better to have more options. But it is not better to play a game with crap on the side just for having crap on the side over one that doesn't have that. After all, most of us here enjoy a good steak, none of us though would ask for the cow to crap next to the plate. (yeah I know, terrible analogy. Just pretend it was said by Al Pacino or someone else who can get away with saying anything in a movie.)

[Drowsy Emperor]

Some of you may remember my clashes with Steelseries support over my 6GV2 mechanical keyboard and issues I had with it. The story has an epilogue now - I got a brand new SS Apex keyboard in the mail today. They couldn't send me replacement keycaps and I couldn't send them my board so they gave me a new one. Mind you I was persistent and rude at some point (mainly because they were sending me a lot of automated responses with questions I'd already answered) but the bottom line is this:

 

Steelseries replaced my out of warranty 6gv2 (that is still functional) with a brand new 90$ keyboard. They went well above what I was asking and what is reasonable to expect and they are to be commended for it.

[melkathi]

The story has an epilogue now

 

But does it have (alien) romance options?

[Bartimaeus]

Some of you may remember my clashes with Steelseries support over my 6GV2 mechanical keyboard and issues I had with it. The story has an epilogue now - I got a brand new SS Apex keyboard in the mail today. They couldn't send me replacement keycaps and I couldn't send them my board so they gave me a new one. Mind you I was persistent and rude at some point (mainly because they were sending me a lot of automated responses with questions I'd already answered) but the bottom line is this:

 

Steelseries replaced my out of warranty 6gv2 (that is still functional) with a brand new 90$ keyboard. They went well above what I was asking and what is reasonable to expect and they are to be commended for it.

 

Why couldn't you send yours in? No ready replacement? Did they ask that you send in the old one after the new one arrived, out of curiosity?

[marelooke]

I finished up Legend of Grimrock, took me 31 hours according to Steam (though I occasionally left the game running while not playing, so it's probably less). I ended up missing two secrets (found all the treasures and armor sets though). All in all it was an enjoyable trip, something I frankly hadn't expected when I set my first steps in the game world.

 

The final boss was...interesting, but also a rather frustrating affair, I might at one point replay the game to grab a few of the achievements I've missed out on (and get those two last secrets, I already went through most of the levels twice, argh) though I can imagine not bothering beating the final boss twice, I'm also not confident I'd make it past some of the more frustrating timed puzzles a second time around (they're optional, but if my goal is to grab all secrets...).

 

 

In other news, in Warframe I finally managed to grab an Alert Mission for the last bit of the Vauban Warframe I needed. Yay!

As for my status in that game in general I'm Mastery Rank 12 currently and I've obtained all but two Steam achievements that aren't tied to mastery rank (only missing the 1000 hacks and 3 fist weapons to rank 30 ones currently)

[BruceVC]

 

 

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

 

 

Nope he doesn't.

Planescape: Torment

Arcanum of Steampunk and Magik Obscura

Vampire: Bloodlines

 

To name a few.

 

An engaging story does not need active romantic pursuits for the protagonist to engage in. Romance does not make writing engaging or good just by being present. Good writing is what makes writing good.

Ideally, if the romantic arcs were well written and did not take away resources from other aspects of the game, then, if they weren't forced down people's throats, one could make an argument that it is always better to have more options. But it is not better to play a game with crap on the side just for having crap on the side over one that doesn't have that. After all, most of us here enjoy a good steak, none of us though would ask for the cow to crap next to the plate. (yeah I know, terrible analogy. Just pretend it was said by Al Pacino or someone else who can get away with saying anything in a movie.)

 

 

I didn't explain my point properly. I'm not saying you have to have Romance to have an engaging RPG ( but I do think it enhances and makes party interaction more significant ) I am saying if an RPG offers optional Romance its better to partake of them than to ignore them

 

[BruceVC]

I finished up Legend of Grimrock, took me 31 hours according to Steam (though I occasionally left the game running while not playing, so it's probably less). I ended up missing two secrets (found all the treasures and armor sets though). All in all it was an enjoyable trip, something I frankly hadn't expected when I set my first steps in the game world.

 

The final boss was...interesting, but also a rather frustrating affair, I might at one point replay the game to grab a few of the achievements I've missed out on (and get those two last secrets, I already went through most of the levels twice, argh) though I can imagine not bothering beating the final boss twice, I'm also not confident I'd make it past some of the more frustrating timed puzzles a second time around (they're optional, but if my goal is to grab all secrets...).

 

 

In other news, in Warframe I finally managed to grab an Alert Mission for the last bit of the Vauban Warframe I needed. Yay!

As for my status in that game in general I'm Mastery Rank 12 currently and I've obtained all but two Steam achievements that aren't tied to mastery rank (only missing the 1000 hacks and 3 fist weapons to rank 30 ones currently)

 

I am about to play Legends of Grimrock, I have even bought a graph map book so I can make my own maps of each level, like I use to do  when I use to DM in AD&D.

[marelooke]

 

I finished up Legend of Grimrock, took me 31 hours according to Steam (though I occasionally left the game running while not playing, so it's probably less). I ended up missing two secrets (found all the treasures and armor sets though). All in all it was an enjoyable trip, something I frankly hadn't expected when I set my first steps in the game world.

 

The final boss was...interesting, but also a rather frustrating affair, I might at one point replay the game to grab a few of the achievements I've missed out on (and get those two last secrets, I already went through most of the levels twice, argh) though I can imagine not bothering beating the final boss twice, I'm also not confident I'd make it past some of the more frustrating timed puzzles a second time around (they're optional, but if my goal is to grab all secrets...).

 

 

In other news, in Warframe I finally managed to grab an Alert Mission for the last bit of the Vauban Warframe I needed. Yay!

As for my status in that game in general I'm Mastery Rank 12 currently and I've obtained all but two Steam achievements that aren't tied to mastery rank (only missing the 1000 hacks and 3 fist weapons to rank 30 ones currently)

 

I am about to play Legends of Grimrock, I have even bought a graph map book so I can make my own maps of each level, like I use to do  when I use to DM in AD&D.

 

Cool, be sure to keep us posted! I just went with the automap (and the default party) as knowing my drawing skills I'd have gotten lost 4 steps out of the starting room

[BruceVC]

 

 

I finished up Legend of Grimrock, took me 31 hours according to Steam (though I occasionally left the game running while not playing, so it's probably less). I ended up missing two secrets (found all the treasures and armor sets though). All in all it was an enjoyable trip, something I frankly hadn't expected when I set my first steps in the game world.

 

The final boss was...interesting, but also a rather frustrating affair, I might at one point replay the game to grab a few of the achievements I've missed out on (and get those two last secrets, I already went through most of the levels twice, argh) though I can imagine not bothering beating the final boss twice, I'm also not confident I'd make it past some of the more frustrating timed puzzles a second time around (they're optional, but if my goal is to grab all secrets...).

 

 

In other news, in Warframe I finally managed to grab an Alert Mission for the last bit of the Vauban Warframe I needed. Yay!

As for my status in that game in general I'm Mastery Rank 12 currently and I've obtained all but two Steam achievements that aren't tied to mastery rank (only missing the 1000 hacks and 3 fist weapons to rank 30 ones currently)

 

I am about to play Legends of Grimrock, I have even bought a graph map book so I can make my own maps of each level, like I use to do  when I use to DM in AD&D.

 

Cool, be sure to keep us posted! I just went with the automap (and the default party) as knowing my drawing skills I'd have gotten lost 4 steps out of the starting room

 

 

Oh wait, I didn't realize there was an automap. I only bought the graph book because I was under the impression there was no proper map. How is the automap, do you think if I use my own map it will be advantageous or rather use the automap ( I am also lacking in drawing skills  )

[Woldan]

Downloaded the Ayrton Senna content for Gran Turismo 6, got the Lotus 97T '85 F1 car. It sounds gorgeous, its beautiful, a BLAST to drive with 540 kilograms, 1000+ hp and an ungodly amount of down force. Driving it with a steering wheel, pedals, clutch and manual H-pattern shifting feels extremely real. Heh, GT6 can be fun after all. 

 

 

 

[Bartimaeus]

 

 

 

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

 

 

Nope he doesn't.

Planescape: Torment

Arcanum of Steampunk and Magik Obscura

Vampire: Bloodlines

 

To name a few.

 

An engaging story does not need active romantic pursuits for the protagonist to engage in. Romance does not make writing engaging or good just by being present. Good writing is what makes writing good.

Ideally, if the romantic arcs were well written and did not take away resources from other aspects of the game, then, if they weren't forced down people's throats, one could make an argument that it is always better to have more options. But it is not better to play a game with crap on the side just for having crap on the side over one that doesn't have that. After all, most of us here enjoy a good steak, none of us though would ask for the cow to crap next to the plate. (yeah I know, terrible analogy. Just pretend it was said by Al Pacino or someone else who can get away with saying anything in a movie.)

 

 

I didn't explain my point properly. I'm not saying you have to have Romance to have an engaging RPG ( but I do think it enhances and makes party interaction more significant ) I am saying if an RPG offers optional Romance its better to partake of them than to ignore them

 

 

 

Not if said romance is written as they are in most games where they're present today and it consequently completely breaks the experience for you. Or...if you're the type of person to project yourself as your character, and find the idea of being romantically involved with whatever choices the devs have pre-written out for you when you already find merely being "friends" with them to be a chore to be an unpleasant one. ...Or if you find the entire experience inorganic to begin with and would rather not bother with it at all. I'd say I'd fit somewhat in all three categories, and these are just the reasons I can think of right now.

 

For me, I find that the best character relationships - whether they be friendships or romances - are those between other characters that do not include your own. However, even these seem to generally be done shockingly poorly when regarding a long term relationship, (say, game long). It's just a delight when they're not.   

Edited June 4, 2014 by Bartimaeus

[Malcador]

 

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

 

 

Not really.  Hardly my first run through ME2 and the romances when I bothered to try them didn't add much to it.  I think I'll bump off Jack and Jacob and Legion, should make the ME3 game a little bit different.

[marelooke]

 

 

I am about to play Legends of Grimrock, I have even bought a graph map book so I can make my own maps of each level, like I use to do  when I use to DM in AD&D.

Cool, be sure to keep us posted! I just went with the automap (and the default party) as knowing my drawing skills I'd have gotten lost 4 steps out of the starting room

 

 

Oh wait, I didn't realize there was an automap. I only bought the graph book because I was under the impression there was no proper map. How is the automap, do you think if I use my own map it will be advantageous or rather use the automap ( I am also lacking in drawing skills  )

 

Well, there's an oldschool mode that doesn't have the automap so I figured you were going for that

 

The automap was more than adequate for me, the only thing I'd have liked was a way to put different types of markers on the map so it would be easier to see at a glance what was where without having to always read the notes. Especially when marking where teleporters go that might have been helpful (though frankly, the maps never get so complex that it became a major annoyance_

 

On thing I wish I'd done was writing down how many secrets I found from each level, so I'd have been able to figure out where I missed the two I missed.

[WDeranged]

Finished the first episode of The Wolf Among Us and really enjoyed it, I've no problem with point and click adventures evolving this way but if I had to be critical I'd say it needs more object puzzles.  Otherwise Skyrim proves that it's still capable of keeping me up way too late, after 600 gameplay hours since the game came out I'm still finding dozens of locations I've never entered 

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

Some of you may remember my clashes with Steelseries support over my 6GV2 mechanical keyboard and issues I had with it. The story has an epilogue now - I got a brand new SS Apex keyboard in the mail today. They couldn't send me replacement keycaps and I couldn't send them my board so they gave me a new one. Mind you I was persistent and rude at some point (mainly because they were sending me a lot of automated responses with questions I'd already answered) but the bottom line is this:

 

Steelseries replaced my out of warranty 6gv2 (that is still functional) with a brand new 90$ keyboard. They went well above what I was asking and what is reasonable to expect and they are to be commended for it.

 

Why couldn't you send yours in? No ready replacement? Did they ask that you send in the old one after the new one arrived, out of curiosity?

 

 

They asked me to send them my old one first, but I explained that shipping and customs would cost me almost as much as a new board. I asked them to send me some keycaps, but they probably have none in stock. So they just gave me another keyboard

[Bartimaeus]

 

 

Some of you may remember my clashes with Steelseries support over my 6GV2 mechanical keyboard and issues I had with it. The story has an epilogue now - I got a brand new SS Apex keyboard in the mail today. They couldn't send me replacement keycaps and I couldn't send them my board so they gave me a new one. Mind you I was persistent and rude at some point (mainly because they were sending me a lot of automated responses with questions I'd already answered) but the bottom line is this:

 

Steelseries replaced my out of warranty 6gv2 (that is still functional) with a brand new 90$ keyboard. They went well above what I was asking and what is reasonable to expect and they are to be commended for it.

 

Why couldn't you send yours in? No ready replacement? Did they ask that you send in the old one after the new one arrived, out of curiosity?

 

 

They asked me to send them my old one first, but I explained that shipping and customs would cost me almost as much as a new board. I asked them to send me some keycaps, but they probably have none in stock. So they just gave me another keyboard

 

 

That's...pretty exceptional. Some companies are more of the opinion that if they aren't making the product in question anymore, you're not really entitled to warranty service anymore. So that's pretty cool.

[Keyrock]

I finished the first act, killing Warden Kreig, then moved on to the act 2 area in Grim Dawn.  I'm probably a quarter of the way into the lands west of Devil's Crossing now and left off after finding the Conley Gang hideout (damn work breaking up my gaming).  My Witchblade character is up to lev 25.  The combination of Soldier and Occultist is working out beautifully.  I'm a lot more heavily into Soldier than Occultist and am heavily invested in Physique, making my character very much a tank.  From Occultist I put a little bit into the raven pet.  The raven does very meager damage, but it does heal me every once in a while, which is nice.  I have some points into Solael's Witchfire, which gives my weapon a bit more pop (adding chaos damage).  By far my biggest investment in Occultist went into Curse of Frailty.  I have that skill maxed out now and it's wonderful as it makes all enemies within a rather large radius significantly slower, weaker, and less resistant to physical damage, making the skill work both as an offensive and defensive boon for my character.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Keyrock

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

 

 

Some of you may remember my clashes with Steelseries support over my 6GV2 mechanical keyboard and issues I had with it. The story has an epilogue now - I got a brand new SS Apex keyboard in the mail today. They couldn't send me replacement keycaps and I couldn't send them my board so they gave me a new one. Mind you I was persistent and rude at some point (mainly because they were sending me a lot of automated responses with questions I'd already answered) but the bottom line is this:

 

Steelseries replaced my out of warranty 6gv2 (that is still functional) with a brand new 90$ keyboard. They went well above what I was asking and what is reasonable to expect and they are to be commended for it.

 

Why couldn't you send yours in? No ready replacement? Did they ask that you send in the old one after the new one arrived, out of curiosity?

 

 

They asked me to send them my old one first, but I explained that shipping and customs would cost me almost as much as a new board. I asked them to send me some keycaps, but they probably have none in stock. So they just gave me another keyboard

 

 

That's...pretty exceptional. Some companies are more of the opinion that if they aren't making the product in question anymore, you're not really entitled to warranty service anymore. So that's pretty cool.

 

 

Actually I think they're still making 6GV2. I don't know why they sent me APEX (they're completely different, 6GV2 is entry level bare bone mechanical, APEX is standard rubber dome but with a ton of extra keys and backlighting that you can customize) instead but the price must have been a factor since both keyboards cost roughly the same.

 

But yes, they took my word on it all - all I had to offer them as proof was my keyboard's serial number. 

[Amentep]

Ended up restarting FE:A and again had trouble getting seals from secret sellers. I think it must have something to do with the date the game is started and/or the date of birth of the main character.

[GhostofAnakin]

Broke down and picked up Watch Dogs.  Only played a bit of it, but I can already tell I'm going to hate the driving portions of the game.  Cars handle like a tank around corners.  They make driving in Grand Theft Auto seem like the most fluid and realistic racing game ever made.

[Nepenthe]

Mostly Madden25, did some pretty major shakeups in my Ultimate Team yesterday and managed to shut out the computer in the first solo challenge I played.. So it seems to have paid off.

 

Also, slowly getting sucked into Watch Dogs, so that's probably what's mostly on the menu for the rest of the week.

[Mamoulian War]

 

 

 

On to ME2, I think I might just bail knowing Daddy Issue Missions await.

 

Malc you have to admit its always better playing an  RPG where you can explore the various Romance arcs?

 

 

Nope he doesn't.

Planescape: Torment

Arcanum of Steampunk and Magik Obscura

Vampire: Bloodlines

 

To name a few.

 

An engaging story does not need active romantic pursuits for the protagonist to engage in. Romance does not make writing engaging or good just by being present. Good writing is what makes writing good.

Ideally, if the romantic arcs were well written and did not take away resources from other aspects of the game, then, if they weren't forced down people's throats, one could make an argument that it is always better to have more options. But it is not better to play a game with crap on the side just for having crap on the side over one that doesn't have that. After all, most of us here enjoy a good steak, none of us though would ask for the cow to crap next to the plate. (yeah I know, terrible analogy. Just pretend it was said by Al Pacino or someone else who can get away with saying anything in a movie.)

 

 

I didn't explain my point properly. I'm not saying you have to have Romance to have an engaging RPG ( but I do think it enhances and makes party interaction more significant ) I am saying if an RPG offers optional Romance its better to partake of them than to ignore them

 

 

 

Let's try another analogy... Would you in real life take part in "optional" romance with someone who is not attractive for you or would you rather ignore it?