RANDOM VIDEO GAME NEWS - 'NON-FAKE-NEWS EDITION'

[Katphood]

Indie developers are leaving Steam in droves, because Steam with Steam Direct put the term Shovelware to the whole new level. It is even worse than Greenlight. In 11 months, they approved more than 6000 asset flips to their catalogues (that's more than 2005-2015 combined).

 

According to some indie developers, the store is so much saturated, that even the more successful of them in past, are currently struggling to keep afloat and are pursuing other distribution means, most notably Switch.

 

More info (NSFW)

 

 

GabeN reminds me of Richard Grey: he used to be a human but now only god knows what he is.

[ShadySands]

Civ 6 expansion Rise and Fall

 

The first major expansion for Civilization VI, called Rise and Fall, has been unveiled. In addition to nine new leaders and eight new civs, the expansion adds a number of features designed to level out the playing field later in the game. While we there's a lot we still don't know about it, one thing is very clear: Rise and Fall is about comebacks.

 

In an interview, Rise and Fall lead designer Anton Strenger explained the thought process behind the new systems. "I noticed in Civilization VI [vanilla] that it became very powerful to have a large empire, and it became really hard to challenge the civ in the lead." Each of the main additions in Rise and Fall--the Great Ages system, Loyalty, and Governors--seems to work toward improving the base game's perceived pitfalls.

[injurai]

Steam was awesome from 2006-2011, I've found it really started going down hill since then with repeatedly awful decisions.

 

I get making a loot store, hosting f2p games.

 

But the shovel ware situation is nothing but repeated **** ups of the utmost. If Valve wasn't just an entertainment company I'd find it more worthwhile to bitch, but there are real world problems to attend to. No wonder their economics expert left to try to save the EU.

 

Personally I can't give two ****s about a company that built itself on high quality single player content and tossed all their expertise in a hold.

[redneckdevil]

Tbh not to worried about steam anymore since my "must have" games are on GoG now.

Can't even say I'm a customer anymore since I haven't bought a game off steam for quite some while now since I've fully realized the backlog of games I have that I haven't even tried.

To many games out and to many are going for the 40+ mark that I don't have time to invest with the over saturation.

[Lexx]

I couldn't find anything good when browsing the Steam Store already years ago. Gave up on it pretty quickly and solely rely on word of mouth when it comes to buying on Steam. Stuff like Rimworld, etc. I mean.

[Mamoulian War]

And that's what is killing indies on Steam. No ones bothered to go through all the garbage to search for amazing unknown games anymore. So the word of mouth does not have much chance to get generated...

Edited November 29, 2017 by Mamoulian War

[mkreku]

I don't care about the shovelware, good stuff floats up to the surface eventually.

 

But I do agree that Steam feels less than exciting now. New releases are more expensive than ever (much more expensive than boxed retail versions in Sweden), the games keep their initial prices longer (retail is already at half price when several titles are full price on Steam) and the sales seem to be getting worse. That might just be an effect of me already owning all the games I want though.

[Belle Sorciere]

I wish good stuff floated to the surface, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Indie developers are struggling to stay afloat on Steam and really are going elsewhere - Nintendo Switch, and possibly Xbox One. It's hard to describe just how much shovelware is on Steam, but you have situations like this now.

[Katphood]

I don't mind good stuff floating to the surface eventually, I just hate it when games disappear from Steam. Why introduce Descent 1, 2, 3 only to have them removed a year later? I understand that there can be legal issues from time to time but shouldn't a big company such as Valve be able to find a certain solution for such problems? 

 

Neverwinter Nights 2

Wolfenstein 2009 game

The original Prey

and a whole lot more...

 

Worst part is, once these games disappear from the store, the support for them disappears as well, even if you happen to already own them. So if it's a multiplayer game you can pretty much kiss it goodbye or start looking for workaround tactics... 

[Zoraptor]

The studio that made Descent was not being paid (by Interplay, given that it's still run by Herve that's a quelle surprise situation if ever there was one), that's why they were pulled from steam and GOG, though they're back on GOG as of last week; and NWN2 has been on GOG for years.

 

Steam is a minimum effort for maximum return entity, and working out legal problems is not a high return for low effort formula. Same for properly curating a landslide of shovelware or proper support for their games. It's also why they're so keen on the web2.0 stuff, some random providing support for steam games in their spare time is, after all, free. Wouldn't want a few support guys or people actually testing released games to cut into Gabe's billion dollar profits now would we.

[LadyCrimson]

FFXV's "last" ATR was today and ... I didn't think they were ever going to do it, but they are. I liked the original combat system in the main game well enough, personally, but being able to switch between party members and control their actions (using their sets from the chr. dlc's looks like) while in combat will be a game-changer. If it works as well as it looks, it'll likely make combat so much more fun/interesting. Hopefully. Might even make me replay the game again, or at least parts of it. On the other hand, this is becoming more and more of an action-rpg game than anything else. Which is great for those of us that liked the combat but sucks for those that want a lot more in-depth storytelling.

 

But, but ...that action is so sweet!

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by LadyCrimson

[injurai]

Oh hey, it's that feature they advertised as being the essence of the gameplay from the beginning.

 

I have a feeling the only reason we are getting it now, is because this system is the basis for the FF7 remake.

[Mamoulian War]

I wish they would rather implement some sort of ATB. If I want some action, I play Dark Souls or Doom. I always bought FF games for the story and JRPG stuff. FFXV is now everything but JRPG

 

Thankfully, theres is still Atelier, Tales of, Trails of and Neptunia, so I can still unleash some waifus to stomp enemies!

Edited November 29, 2017 by Mamoulian War

[ShadySands]

The year of BattleTech

 

BattleTech, the grandfather of mech combat games, turns 34-years old next year. Since 1984, rights to that universe have traded hands several times, from the original creators at FASA Corporation to the current home with three different developers: Piranha Games, Catalyst Game Labs and Harebrained Schemes.

 

Next year, all three studios will launch new entries of the iconic franchise. For our latest cover story, Polygon talked with each of them, spending nearly a year piecing together four features about the BattleTech universe.

[Mamoulian War]

EA lost $3.1billion in stock so far after Lootbox Gate hit the news. If this does not teach them to treat their customers respectfully, nothing will...

 

[Malcador]

http://www.pcgamer.com/star-citizen-players-can-now-buy-plots-of-land-for-up-to-100

 

Star Citizen selling land.

[LadyCrimson]

I wish they would rather implement some sort of ATB. If I want some action, I play Dark Souls or Doom. I always bought FF games for the story and JRPG stuff. FFXV is now everything but JRPG

 

Thankfully, theres is still Atelier, Tales of, Trails of and Neptunia, so I can still unleash some waifus to stomp enemies!

My problem is I don't like Dark Souls or Doom like action. :/  And I love companion-based real-time rpg combat which is so rare now.

 

Since I have no FF history, I'm just one of those who sees it as a stand-alone game. I've come to realize that my ability to like previous or future installments in a game series (after I've discovered/played whatever one, first) is very low so I just view all games like that now, part of a series or not.  Borderlands 2 surprised me because I thought I'd find it really "meh" or "been there done that" like I usually do when I try a sequel or an older game in a series etc. but cases like that are really rare for me.

 

The whole idea of putting out these kind of features in dribs and drabs and DLC's still annoys me however. But I guess I'm still glad it eventually gets put in. After Ignis DLC/this patch I'll probably put it down after Xmas, for another 4 months, and see what happens again.

[Keyrock]

http://www.pcgamer.com/star-citizen-players-can-now-buy-plots-of-land-for-up-to-100

 

Star Citizen selling land.

This is entering Brooklyn Bridge territory.

[Keyrock]

The first game to give me a legitimate case of Switch Envy

 

 

Please port this to other platforms, Atlus.

 

[LadyCrimson]

^ I don't know the game, but Imma taking that funny/adorable picture with me.

[injurai]

^ I don't know the game, but Imma taking that funny/adorable picture with me.

 

hah, i did the same

[Keyrock]

Keyrock - Come for the occasionally tangentially relevant news posts, stay for the adorable otter pictures.

 

[Lexx]

Just look at these tiny hands.

[Katphood]

Why are you posting those pics in the news thread, that's otter madness! 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mamoulian War]

 

I wish they would rather implement some sort of ATB. If I want some action, I play Dark Souls or Doom. I always bought FF games for the story and JRPG stuff. FFXV is now everything but JRPG

 

Thankfully, theres is still Atelier, Tales of, Trails of and Neptunia, so I can still unleash some waifus to stomp enemies!

My problem is I don't like Dark Souls or Doom like action. :/ And I love companion-based real-time rpg combat which is so rare now.

 

Since I have no FF history, I'm just one of those who sees it as a stand-alone game. I've come to realize that my ability to like previous or future installments in a game series (after I've discovered/played whatever one, first) is very low so I just view all games like that now, part of a series or not. Borderlands 2 surprised me because I thought I'd find it really "meh" or "been there done that" like I usually do when I try a sequel or an older game in a series etc. but cases like that are really rare for me.

 

The whole idea of putting out these kind of features in dribs and drabs and DLC's still annoys me however. But I guess I'm still glad it eventually gets put in. After Ignis DLC/this patch I'll probably put it down after Xmas, for another 4 months, and see what happens again.

I think you might enjoy it even more after XMas, due to the free patch which will allow changing character mid-fight.

 

For me well. I have not played it, and I have bought collector's edition. I am just so sad it went so far away from traditional FF, which I was expecting, that I have simple to no mood to play it at all

Edited November 30, 2017 by Mamoulian War