What are you playing now?

[Blarghagh]

Last time, Keyrock was almost done with Steamworld Dig and BruceVC just started really enjoying Jade Empire.

 

*waves hand* You can go about your business.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Well, for the first time in my life I've joined a season in an ACRPG. In this case, it's D3 Reaper of Souls, and I picked the Crusader, since that is the class that I've played the least. You get to start from scratch, your stash is empty, including gold, and it's tiny again. All your achievements are gone. But most of them are still there and available to be earned as seasonal achievements - plus there are a few unique to the season challenge. I had three legendary drops before level 15, and most of them were excellent. My reflection so far: It's a great way to get a true replay out of the game, instead of that meta-game-y stash.

[Guest Slinky]

Well, for the first time in my life I've joined a season in an ACRPG. In this case, it's D3 Reaper of Souls, and I picked the Crusader, since that is the class that I've played the least. You get to start from scratch, your stash is empty, including gold, and it's tiny again. All your achievements are gone. But most of them are still there and available to be earned as seasonal achievements - plus there are a few unique to the season challenge. I had three legendary drops before level 15, and most of them were excellent. My reflection so far: It's a great way to get a true replay out of the game, instead of that meta-game-y stash.

 

I don't understand. Is this season thingy some sort of "reset" button if it takes even the achievements? Why use that instead of just starting a new game?

[IndiraLightfoot]

Heh, I am almost as clueless as you! From what I understand, apart from getting some unique achievements, you'll get to keep a few unique legendaries, plus some item designs for crafting (transmogs) when the season's over.

[Wrath of Dagon]

I started playing Jade Empire this weekend and I'm loving it. This type of game just reinforces why RPG are my favourite genre, I like the choices and the excitement around exploration of a foreign world. And Jade Empire isn't even a open world RPG which is generally my real preference. Plus its exciting the subtle insinuations at Romance that I'm slowly building with my party members. Oh and I'm enjoying the combat, I like the martial arts aspect of the game

It's a good game, but I wonder if you'll notice a drop off in quality after a certain point.

[Hurlshort]

So I've delved into this online Madden thing where you have cards and take challenges.  It's interesting, but I still don't like playing other people.  Lag in a football game is not fun.

[Undecaf]

Getting used to the PC controls of Hogs of War which GOG was kind enough to add in their catalogue. Just as fun a game so far as it was 14 years ago.

[Hurlshort]

So I've delved into this online Madden thing where you have cards and take challenges.  It's interesting, but I still don't like playing other people.  Lag in a football game is not fun.

 

Hey, I won a game!  Of course the kid ragequit after I picked off a pass, but I still got credit for the win.  I am now 1-2 in online play.  There are a lot of decent solo challenges though, so I don't even need to play against people if I don't want to.

[Keyrock]

I finished Steamworld Dig.  The game wound up being longer than I expected.  It took me a smidge over 8 hours to finish the game.  I'm sure it could be speedrun in a quarter of that time.  Still, 8 hours isn't bad for a $10 game, there have been plenty of full price $60 games shorter than that.  I liked the game a lot, they did a great bit with a couple really simple mechanics.  The game could have benefited from a few mini-bosses (there's just the one boss at the very end) and I certainly wouldn't have minded if it was longer.  Maybe these things will be addressed in a sequel, the game certainly left that door open with the ending.  If they do make a sequel, I'll certainly buy it.

[IndiraLightfoot]

 

Well, for the first time in my life I've joined a season in an ACRPG. In this case, it's D3 Reaper of Souls, and I picked the Crusader, since that is the class that I've played the least. You get to start from scratch, your stash is empty, including gold, and it's tiny again. All your achievements are gone. But most of them are still there and available to be earned as seasonal achievements - plus there are a few unique to the season challenge. I had three legendary drops before level 15, and most of them were excellent. My reflection so far: It's a great way to get a true replay out of the game, instead of that meta-game-y stash.

 

I don't understand. Is this season thingy some sort of "reset" button if it takes even the achievements? Why use that instead of just starting a new game?

 

Slinky: I know a bit more now. For instance, achievements that I hadn't got in ordinary D3 RoS are still ticking. I recently got one that was not seasonal at all. So, the seasonal ones are smacked right on top of the standard ones. In addition, there are ladders for fast tier runs in the Greater Rifts, for instance.

[Starwars]

Playing Deus Ex Human Revolution: Director's Cut.

 

It's alright so far I guess. Few new minor things added. Really miss the golden filter overall, thought it enhanced the game's style and atmosphere. Plus, those cutscenes look even more jarring now where the filter is still in fulle effect. Also having some more visual bugs here and there which I didn't have with the original.

 

I've played the first boss-fight and that was a nice change. But overall not anything to get excited about IMO. It's a shame that the boss still behaves pretty much the same, still has access to unlimited grenades and stuff like that.

 

Really enjoy this game overall though, it's excellent. 

[Guest Slinky]

Slinky: I know a bit more now. For instance, achievements that I hadn't got in ordinary D3 RoS are still ticking. I recently got one that was not seasonal at all. So, the seasonal ones are smacked right on top of the standard ones. In addition, there are ladders for fast tier runs in the Greater Rifts, for instance.

 

Right, I get it now. It's a way to get extra stuff and achievements and lets the player compete with others. Sounds like something that fits like a glove in ARPG game.

 

 

Playing Deus Ex Human Revolution: Director's Cut.

 

Really miss the golden filter overall, thought it enhanced the game's style and atmosphere.

 

Same, noticed immediately how bland the game looked without it. I understand some didn't like it but removing it altogether? Option to put it on/off would have been much better.

[Raithe]

Still idling along on some more Dragon Age 2.

 

I don't know if it's just because it's been so long since I first played it, or if I'm more forgiving now, but the re-use of maps isn't bothering me as much as it did when I first played it back when...

[melkathi]

Honestly, the re-use of maps was the least of the game's problems.

[Starwars]

I tried replaying it a while back. I'm not as rabidly against it as some people, but I don't know... A while into the game it just gets horrendously boring to play in my opinion. The re-using of maps is a part of that, so is the "surprise!" encounters and more.

[Tale]

Finished Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, onto BGII: EE.

 

Like my recent play of PS:T, that was my first playthrough without cheating. Feels pretty good, but I still say some of the fights are cheap as heck, like the demon fight at the end of ToTSC and the Greater Werewolf fight. I like the idea that fights should be reasonably achievable on the first attempt. It's an immersion/RP perspective, my characters don't have the benefit of learning from reloads, why should I? But they work as trial/error fights and were nonetheless enjoyable.

 

Sarevok was far more manageable than I remembered. I was playing around with fighting him and just sent Khalid into the room. Well, Semaj was cloudkilling his own people, so a confused Khalid managed to kill both him and Tazok by himself. I figured I could do better than that if everyone was in the room. A couple of early cloudkills of my own and Angelo was never seen. Sarevok was badly wounded before he even showed up and with a sensible sacrifice of Khalid, the demi-god was downed before Semaj could TK himself and Tazok.

[Amentep]

Beat the expansion for DIABLO III.  Overall I thought it was well done, a lot longer than I figured it'd be.

 

Now starting over with my Witch Doctor, a character I'd played a bit with previously but never followed through with.

[Oerwinde]

Booted up Divinity:Original Sin last night. Trying to figure out which way out of Cyseal wont result in me controlling a party of corpses. Since everything is higher level than me.

[Volourn]

," but I still say some of the fights are cheap as heck, like the demon fight at the end of ToTSC and the Greater Werewolf fight. I like the idea that fights should be reasonably achievable on the first attempt. It's an immersion/RP perspective, my characters don't have the benefit of learning from reloads, why should I? But they work as trial/error fights and were nonetheless enjoyable."

 

How are either of these cheap? The demon is 100% fair and the only legit criticism of the greater werewolf one is the way transitions work. And, both fights are beatable first time.

[GhostofAnakin]

Still on my second play through of Risen 3.

 

I'm debating whether or not to get an XBox One.  What's making it difficult for me is the fact every game I want or am looking forward to is still being released on the 360.  I'm going to need some really, really good XBox One exclusives to push me over the edge.

[Tale]

," but I still say some of the fights are cheap as heck, like the demon fight at the end of ToTSC and the Greater Werewolf fight. I like the idea that fights should be reasonably achievable on the first attempt. It's an immersion/RP perspective, my characters don't have the benefit of learning from reloads, why should I? But they work as trial/error fights and were nonetheless enjoyable."

 

How are either of these cheap? The demon is 100% fair and the only legit criticism of the greater werewolf one is the way transitions work. And, both fights are beatable first time.

It's unreasonable to expect anyone to be prepared for the Greater Werewolf fight at first shot without reading up on it. It regenerates too fast and is immune to anything but a small dagger from a previous room and a sword from the next one. Unless you've b0een stocking up on missile wands or explore connected rooms in the middle of fights, you won't have the DPS to outdo his regeneration. People will be lucky to even realize it's regenerating before they've wasted a good portion of their attack spells.

 

The demon's a bit better, but if you let him respawn even once, it's pretty much over. And there's not much reason to realize he will do that.

[Keyrock]

Back to Neverwinter Nights for me.  I figured out who the hill giant chief's head was for.  There's a cave nearby, on the same map screen, with a green dragon in it.  The hill giant chief wants the eggs of the dragon and the dragon wants the hill giant chief's head.  Since I had already killed the hill giant chief, the choice was simple, I gave the head to the dragon...  Then I killed the dragon, because that's how I roll...  also, for balance (I had to think up some bogus druid excuse).  Really though, it was because the dragon was being a really condescending prick to me, as dragons tend to be, so I had to show him what was up.  I took a dragon egg with me.  I doubt it serves any purpose now that the hill giant chief is dead, but, you never know.  Also, if nothing else, it will make one heck of an omelette.

[Volourn]

L0L @ Keyrock. I was gonna reply but too much funny.

 

Tale" All that si completely fair. The greater werewolf should not be a pushover. So what if it regens or is is resistant to many weapons. I mean the game gives multiple clues that the weapons (like the dagger) are going to be useful since by the ship you know it is werewolves/shapechangers youa re fighting. Not to mention the different spells that can be sued to make that battle easy. Haste for you slow for the baddies is just one start.

 

How it over if you elet him respawn even once? beides it's a demon. It should  be hard to beat. Adventuring is a dangerous business. Both of these fights are definitely beatable on the first try but certainly not easy if you go in sloppily.

[Hiro Protagonist II]

 

It's unreasonable to expect anyone to be prepared for the Greater Werewolf fight at first shot without reading up on it. It regenerates too fast and is immune to anything but a small dagger from a previous room and a sword from the next one. Unless you've b0een stocking up on missile wands or explore connected rooms in the middle of fights, you won't have the DPS to outdo his regeneration. People will be lucky to even realize it's regenerating before they've wasted a good portion of their attack spells.

 

The demon's a bit better, but if you let him respawn even once, it's pretty much over. And there's not much reason to realize he will do that.

 

There are weapons that can kill Karoug. A couple of Bastard Sword +1/+3 v Shapeshifters are in the game and the second one is in Ulgoth's Beard. Adding a second sword to the game with the expansion and placing it in Ulgoths Beard is basically saying, you need this sword. I did find it odd that there was a second sword since I already had it for one of my characters, but realised it might be useful against werewolves later on. Even if you didn't find the second one in Ulgoths Beard by raiding one of the houses, you should have picked up the first one earlier in the game (Cloakwood or Baldur's Gate City depending on who you sided with in Cloakwood). The name of the bastard sword gives you a hint it'll probably be effective against werewolves since it has a bonus against shapeshifters.

 

But yeah, having both bastard swords and the dagger with three of your characters might be a low chance if someone didn't connect the dots. I found the fight hard when I first played it but still able to overcome it. Fortunately I had all three weapons. I'm a bit of a hoarder and like to have my front line melee characters with an assortment of weapons including a couple of different swords to use for different encounters. eg. A Fighter will have two swords, another weapon and bow in their weapon slots as well as their shield and maybe another weapon in their inventory.

[IndiraLightfoot]

In a matter of minutes I finally get to play BGEE on Steam. After some quibbling with Beamdog about their installer getting stuck in AV-filters and crash issues, they still refused to let me trade in my Beamdog key for a Steam one, so I bit the bullet an bought a Steam copy. It's one of my all time favourite games, after all, and kudos to Beamdog for keeping it updated.

All this PoE beta has whet my appetite for it, and that font size option, plus quick loot, was enough to get me juices flowing once more.