What are you playing now?

[Blarghagh]

The game dedicated to discussing your daily experiences in the videogames you are currently playing.

 

Last posts from the previous thread:

 

 

I'm such a hypocrite! Usually I despise cinematics taking the place of gameplay, and deciding ones actions for the player, however playing Soul Reaver 2 I am quite happy to sit back and watch the cinematics unfold and the labyrinthine plot coalesce. In part it is because of the voice acting, superlative, distinct and so nuanced, but what else is there to this saga that elevates it beyond other games where I sit grinding my teeth waiting for the cinematic to end so I can interact with the game?

 

I think this is quite worthy of discussion, what is the place of cinematics? I used to think that they should only ever serve as rewards for ones in game actions, dramatic reinforcement if you will for ones choices, to update the player via flashbacks or whatever, and never decide the outcome as I detest becoming an idiot in cutscene. Far too often a cutscene will break the games internal consistency, suddenly what you have been doing all game long is overthrown and your previous actions are for nought, they are like a slap in the face to interactivity and far too railroaded. So I wonder what is the optimal method of use?

 

 

 

I'm such a hypocrite! Usually I despise cinematics taking the place of gameplay, and deciding ones actions for the player, however playing Soul Reaver 2 I am quite happy to sit back and watch the cinematics unfold and the labyrinthine plot coalesce. In part it is because of the voice acting, superlative, distinct and so nuanced, but what else is there to this saga that elevates it beyond other games where I sit grinding my teeth waiting for the cinematic to end so I can interact with the game?

 

I think this is quite worthy of discussion, what is the place of cinematics? I used to think that they should only ever serve as rewards for ones in game actions, dramatic reinforcement if you will for ones choices, to update the player via flashbacks or whatever, and never decide the outcome as I detest becoming an idiot in cutscene. Far too often a cutscene will break the games internal consistency, suddenly what you have been doing all game long is overthrown and your previous actions are for nought, they are like a slap in the face to interactivity and far too railroaded. So I wonder what is the optimal method of use?

the place of cinematics in a game depends on the type of game. in a game like soul reaver they are fine. in a game like the witcher they would totaly defeat the purpose of the game if they were everywhere.

i was reading a manga about a new artist in a game development studio and her (mis)adventures as she learns the ropes of the job and it had a really interesting bit of info on the game they were working on. an npc had to die while the hero escorted her from one town to the next but they did not do it through a cutscene, instead they had a combat encounter on the way where enemies would spawn endlesly until the npc died in battle. so, while the story said "she dies here", they left the player with the illusion that if he tries hard enough he may be able to save her (without knowing that the enemies will keep spawning until the npc dies)

 

 

[GhostofAnakin]

Playing through the thieves guild questline in Skyrim.  I think a big problem with it is the characters are so meh.  Maybe if they were fleshed out more, it would be more interesting.  As it is, I feel like all I'm doing is going from point A to point B without actually becoming involved in the story.

[Keyrock]

I'm playing more Road to Gehenna.  I've finished every basic puzzle in all 4 hub worlds and I've gotten 6 stars so far.  There are 10 more stars for me to collect in the 4 hub worlds and there may be more elsewhere, plus somewhere there have to be some sigils to collect, though I've yet to see any.  I keep hoping they introduce a new mechanic or two, but that has yet to happen.  Maybe during the end game portion?

[redneckdevil]

Right now this is my games I'm going back and forth between.

Witcher 3

Shadowrun returns

Shadowrun dragonfall

Killing floor 2

Jazzpunk

[Rosbjerg]

Sid's Alpha Centauri with a Pirate playthrough (they are so OP).. And CK2 with horselord dlc and After The End mod (post apoc America).

But I would maim several family members for a new Alpha Centauri game.. Considering becoming a billionaire just to make it myself

[melkathi]

But I would maim several family members for a new Alpha Centauri game.. Considering becoming a billionaire just to make it myself

 

Good, since I already am going to become a billionaire to make Alpha Protocol 2. It is good to know someone else is taking care of Alpha Centauri.

[Malcador]

FM2015, half way through season and Kuban is sitting 4th, managed to beat CSKA once too, woot. Had a want-away DM though, so I may be boned.

[marelooke]

Playing through the thieves guild questline in Skyrim.  I think a big problem with it is the characters are so meh.  Maybe if they were fleshed out more, it would be more interesting.  As it is, I feel like all I'm doing is going from point A to point B without actually becoming involved in the story.

 

The best questlines in Skyrim are the Dark Brotherhood one and the ghost woman imo (she has more character than most Skyrim NPCs combined imho, though that might not be saying too much...), I just wish they hadn't made starting all the guild questlines so insanely "in your face".

 

 

Now playing quite a bit of Defiance. I think I need to watch some episodes of the series to get a better grasp on the setting though.

Edited August 11, 2015 by marelooke

[Keyrock]

A lot more Road to Gehenna.  I feel I'm getting close to the end, so I'm putting most of my effort into finishing the game and shuffling everything else to the back burner.  I've solved every regular puzzle in every hub world, every star puzzle, I found the "secret" world, and I solved one of the sigil puzzles so far.  6 more sigil puzzles to go and then end game, I guess. 

[Hassat Hunter]

The "card farming game"... decidedly more time-consuming since Steam's 2 hour rule came into effect.

 

I suggest everyone who thinks adding 2 hours of filler is good game design to try out this game to see it's... well... not.

[melkathi]

What is the 2 hour rule?

[Rosbjerg]

What is the 2 hour rule?

Refund.. Generally can't refund a game with more than 2 hours played. Guess some games are taking advantage of that.

[Hassat Hunter]

Pretty much that... and to avoid people abusing it you now need 2 hours of gametime before the first card can drop, even for games you own 2 years or so. Definitely makes it a lot longer to gather cards for games I hate so much I don't want to play them for that time duration so just have them running in the background.

[melkathi]

thanks. Explains why it takes ages to get cards

[Hurlshort]

thanks. Explains why it takes ages to get cards

 

Great, now I'm never going to get my 6-8 cents per card!

[Keyrock]

I finished The Talos Principle: Road to Gehenna.  My only real disappointment with it is that it never introduced any new mechanics.  Beyond that, it was more The Talos Principle, and The Talos Principle was excellent, so that's not a bad thing.

[mkreku]

I've been playing the odd resurrected version of Outcast, Outcast 1.1.

 

I remember I played it close to when it was released in 1999, but the computer I was playing it on was way too weak for the game to run well, making combat near impossible to enjoy. Well, my computer is strong enough now..

 

It holds up surprisingly well for a 16 year old game. It has some quirks (you need to activate an object in your inventory to save your game, for example), but mostly it feels surprisingly modern. It also holds up quite well graphically. It uses voxels so it has a very distinct aesthetic, but it's colourful, detailed and at times quite pretty.

 

 

 

There are no quest markers, no quest arrows, no name tags on NPC's, only a notebook that keeps track of your quests for you. It's up to you to remember where things are in the world. Quite tricky at times. But I'm enjoying it. The story is well-written and the dialogue is great so I'm actually interested in seeing what happens next.

 

...

 

Which reminds me, I've also been playing Shadowrun: Dragonfall a little. It's also well-written, but that's about the only good thing I have to say about that game. I don't think I've ever played a more stiff, rigid game in my life. The maps have like three points of interest max (tiny maps too, with no alternate routes), there's nothing interactive anywhere, you never find any equipment (it's being dished out by the developer at set intervals), your dialogue options don't matter 90% of the time, it has the ****tiest turn based combat ever (it's a miss simulator, ie. anything below 96% accuracy and you will always miss one of your two-three shots per round) and it's sooooo sloooooooooooooooow.

 

I honestly have no idea how this game was so well reviewed as it was. Oh, and the setting.. machineguns, magic and dragons? Really?

[Hurlshort]

Dude, you had me until you dissed the Shadowrun setting.  Talk to the hand.

 

[ManifestedISO]

 

The best questlines in Skyrim are the Dark Brotherhood one and the ghost woman

 

Which ghost woman ... the one with the ghost husband? Anyway, agreed, the assassin quests are pure pazaak. 

[GhostofAnakin]

 

Playing through the thieves guild questline in Skyrim.  I think a big problem with it is the characters are so meh.  Maybe if they were fleshed out more, it would be more interesting.  As it is, I feel like all I'm doing is going from point A to point B without actually becoming involved in the story.

 

The best questlines in Skyrim are the Dark Brotherhood one and the ghost woman imo (she has more character than most Skyrim NPCs combined imho, though that might not be saying too much...), I just wish they hadn't made starting all the guild questlines so insanely "in your face".

 

 

Now playing quite a bit of Defiance. I think I need to watch some episodes of the series to get a better grasp on the setting though.

 

 

I haven't gotten around to the Brotherhood questline yet.  It's been a while so I'm a bit rusty, but I think it begins after killing that old lady at the foster child home.  That quest is currently in my queue of unfinished quests.

[melkathi]

 

Now playing quite a bit of Defiance. I think I need to watch some episodes of the series to get a better grasp on the setting though.

 

 

 

After the pilot the TV series took a nosedive when it comes to writing quality. It only picked back up in season 3.

If you need anything though, let me know. On PC EU I am EGO 4000+ on PC US just 1000something.

[Oerwinde]

Dragon Age Inquisition updated last night and broke my savegames. Looks like 80 hours of progress lost.

[Oner]

 

 

Now playing quite a bit of Defiance. I think I need to watch some episodes of the series to get a better grasp on the setting though.

 

 

 

After the pilot the TV series took a nosedive when it comes to writing quality. It only picked back up in season 3.

If you need anything though, let me know. On PC EU I am EGO 4000+ on PC US just 1000something.

 

Wait, Season 3 is already out?

[BruceVC]

Dragon Age Inquisition updated last night and broke my savegames. Looks like 80 hours of progress lost.

Oh my hat, that must be the most annoying thing to happen when playing a game. I dont think I could start a game again under those circumstances as I would be too frustrated. Why don't you go to BSN and see if this is a known issue...hopefully someone has a solution?

[Oerwinde]

I think it has something to do with the mods I was using. I turned off automatic updates so it doesn't happen again. Hopefully when the repair finishes I can try loading a different save.

 

Edit: Finished the repair, game crashed to desktop before getting to the menu. Downloaded new version of mod manager, did a new merge, worked and loaded my game. 3 hour ordeal resulted in success, now I can go to bed knowing I can play tomorrow.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Oerwinde