What game are you playing now?

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Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

Time to fess up, who caved for Starcraft II?

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*raises hand*

I've only completed a few missions but my first impressions are that the storyline appears to be your fairly typical hunt for McGuffins to make the SuperWeapon to smash the HordeOfAlienLocusts, with your ordinary cliches of jaded hero, obvious love interest, geeky scientist and old friend who'll betray you ( but probably redeem himself through a noble sacrifice later on).

I hope I'm wrong and they'll actually do something interesting with the story but I'm not holding my breath.

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Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

Time to fess up, who caved for Starcraft II?
I don't think I'll pick it up unless I find it dirt cheap in a few months, I never finished the orginal starcraft storyline, and they spilt this one into 3 parts, which means automatic battlechest sooner or later.

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I'm not picking it up now, but I expect I will after the first big post-release patch, or maybe the second. I am concerned though, that the single-player campaign *which is what I'm interested in, since competitive RTS play requires quicker thinking and clicking than I've ever been capable of* doesn't cater enough to my preferred play-style to make it worth it, though.

I've got it. Only played the first couple missions so far, but the story doesn't seem too engrossing. A shame, really. The first game was the only RTS I've ever played that had a good story, and I was hoping for more of the same quality this time around.

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Originally Posted by LittleFuzzy

I am concerned though, that the single-player campaign *which is what I'm interested in, since competitive RTS play requires quicker thinking and clicking than I've ever been capable of* doesn't cater enough to my preferred play-style to make it worth it, though.

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I kinda know what you mean. I'm a really defensive player and I like taking my time in missions, the campaign missions often have time constraints that force you to be offensive right from the start. It does make things more challenging though and at least it's more than just "achieve objective <x> within <y> minutes"

I'm having fun with the gameplay, I just think the story is too shallow at the moment.

Yes, I'm also a Turtle - but the mission designs are quite nice. One mission, for example, has the low ground filling up with Lava every 5 minutes, which makes mining a bit more exciting than it should be (the mineral deposits are only found on low ground).
Another mission has a day/night cycle - with hordes of zomb... uh, Zerg-infested colonists swarming you at night and you trying to burn down the nests at day.

In essence, even if they did not quite write an epic story, the gameplay is really, really solid.

By the way: They already had lain the foundations to the story with the Brood War addon, so the "Invaders from beyond" wasn't really a surprise.

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Originally Posted by Ziggy Stardust

I borrowed Anno 1404 from a mate.

I don't like RTS much, but so far, this one isn't too shabby. It's mostly RTManagement, but I'm fine with that. I kind of prefer building empires over <select all> <attack enemy>, <select all><attack other enemy>

Although he told me there was some kind of military and naval fighting, but it was minor.

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Anno is IMO more like a medieval SimCity with war components than a RTS. It's similar to some of the Settlers.

I am throught with Assasins Creek II, I am not sure if I download the extra missions.
I also played the Tales of Monkey Island through. That was very entertaining. I think I will buy those special editions of MI I&II

I wonder if I really should give up my social life and buy Starcraft II

I liked Anno a lot. It's a strategy game that's played in real-time, but I wouldn't call it an RTS - that implies some things about it that aren't true. Same for games like EU3 or Victoria.

I had a butt load of currency in Guild Wars, so I created a Guild (The World Forgotten [TWF]), Cape (pic), and bought a Hall (Isle of the Dead).

http://imgur.com/aUVGo.jpg


Not into PvP at all, so the social aspect of this game is still new to me. Looks like if anyone wants to join I'll need your name so I can send you an invite.

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Originally Posted by earthJoker

Anno is IMO more like a medieval SimCity with war components than a RTS. It's similar to some of the Settlers.

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Originally Posted by Wraith

I liked Anno a lot. It's a strategy game that's played in real-time, but I wouldn't call it an RTS - that implies some things about it that aren't true. Same for games like EU3 or Victoria.

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When I posted that I only just had fiddled around a bit. Went into sandbox mode just to see what's what and it has been consuming hours and hours of my time. Managing the resources, supply and traderoutes actually is really fun. Then I went back top campaign mode and realized that's the wrong order. "Lets get some citizens". "Now we're going to teach you to make tools"

Does the campaign get more interesting than this or should I abandon it altogether?

I never got past maybe the second campaign mission. The custom games are better.

Played most of the campaign. It's ok - but involves a lot of war-making.

not tried the sandbox mode so can't compare.

Might have to get it out again, not played in a while.

Well looks like I've been mostly wrong about the Starcraft 2 plot. There is more to it than a hunt for a superweapon and the Protoss missions introduced a few plot twists

Spoiler:

I liked the cameo from the Overmind, it was always one of my favourite characters. The cameo from Tassadar wasn't as welcome though; Tassadar is dead and he should stay dead.

So that's good at least

Still working my way through it, but the SC2 plot has gotten better, even if it still isn't exactly enthralling. Khen's right about the missions though - they've been varied and interesting enough to keep me going at it. I'll probably start giving multiplayer a shot soon.

edit: Has! has gotten better. Damn typo completely changed the meaning of what I wrote.

Baldur's Gate 2, lost count how many times now.
Still exemplifies all the greatest aspects of what modern RPGs should contain.

Will I ever stop playing Mass Effect 2?

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Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

I had a butt load of currency in Guild Wars, so I created a Guild (The World Forgotten [TWF]), Cape (pic), and bought a Hall (Isle of the Dead).


Not into PvP at all, so the social aspect of this game is still new to me. Looks like if anyone wants to join I'll need your name so I can send you an invite.

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I would join, but my brother used up all the character slots. :bored:

Just started Age of Empires III and its first campaign.

The idea that in the 16th century the Knights of St John left Malta chasing after the Ottoman's who beat them to the New World is leaving me a bit WTF?

You know, I don't think I ever played that one very much. I can't even remember when I bought it now, though.


I had an email suggesting I pre-order Victoria 2 today. I probably will, but I have to say that their "perks" for pre-ordering are kind of lame. I can't picture myself (or anyone else) sitting around listening to a video game soundtrack. The music is designed to be background noise, after all - and it is generally pretty easy to tune out.

I still use the soundtrack from when I preordered the Diablo II expansion through BestBuy. Easy music when I'm doing chores while tuning the kids out, but still have to keep an ear out for them.

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Originally Posted by littlelolligagged

I can't picture myself (or anyone else) sitting around listening to a video game soundtrack. The music is designed to be background noise, after all - and it is generally pretty easy to tune out.

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That's why you should use it as background noise. I listen to the Myst soundtrack as I'm doing homework precisely because it isn't distracting.

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Originally Posted by Dattu

That's why you should use it as background noise. I listen to the Myst soundtrack as I'm doing homework precisely because it isn't distracting.

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I have a quite large collection of classical and chamber music for that.

Besides, I use the Food Network as background noise.

The Victoria 2 soundtrack is all classical. So...more for your collection.

I'm pretty sure I'll pre-order it, even though I still haven't.

This is me making up my mind again. I do that so well.

Well despite my reservations about Starcraft 2's story the end has me interested in what's going to happen next.

So well done Blizzard, you've suckered me into buying two more of your games.

Stopped by Game today and had a look at the Starcraft II box, the pics on the back etc.

Looks just like any other formulaic RTS. Is it? :confused:

Well yeah. If you've played Starcraft before then the new one doesn't have any major new surprises.

Although if you don't update your tactics for the new units and abilities other players will just steamroll right over you.

I'm not sure if the question is if its similar to the original Starcraft, but even if you've not played Starcraft before then is it the same as the bazillion other standard RTS games

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Originally Posted by RandBlade

I'm not sure if the question is if its similar to the original Starcraft, but even if you've not played Starcraft before then is it the same as the bazillion other standard RTS games

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AH, well I can't really answer that question then. I haven't played a large variety of RTS games but the ones I have played have been different enough that I don't know what the 'standard' RTS game is.

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Originally Posted by RandBlade

I'm not sure if the question is if its similar to the original Starcraft, but even if you've not played Starcraft before then is it the same as the bazillion other standard RTS games

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That's kinda selling it short. There's a reason Starcraft has been the benchmark by which all other RTS games have been compared for more than a decade.

Halo Reach forklifts :heart:

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Originally Posted by Wraith

That's kinda selling it short. There's a reason Starcraft has been the benchmark by which all other RTS games have been compared for more than a decade.

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I never played Starcraft when it was new :noob:

Of all Blizzard's games from that era I think Warcraft II pushed the boat out much further than Starcraft did.

:heart: Warcraft II. :up:

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Originally Posted by Wraith

That's kinda selling it short. There's a reason Starcraft has been the benchmark by which all other RTS games have been compared for more than a decade.

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This is a grave injustice towards Age of Empires...

I always loved Age of Empires. Starcraft might have sold better but more people seem to be more familiar with Age of Empires

I'll even stick my neck out for what Total Annihilation did for the RTS genre.

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Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

I'll even stick my neck out for what Total Annihilation did for the RTS genre.

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What'd it do? Nothing it did caught on. We had to wait a decade before any game that was like that came out again. Not trying to speak poorly of it - Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is the best RTS ever made and I'll murder anyone who says otherwise - TA just didn't have any real industry impact.

Didn't TA introduce 3D terrians? The unit variation was also a strong precursor to how Starcraft was divided up. Instead of the AoE idea of the units being relatively identical, the TA units were different all the way down to the most basic units in the Core and Arm, between lasers burst and automatic fire.

edit, from wiki:

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Total Annihilation, released by Cavedog Entertainment in 1997, introduced 3D units and terrain and focused on huge battles that emphasized macromanagement over micromanagement. It featured a streamlined interface that would influence many RTS games in later years.

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Originally Posted by Ominous Gamer

Didn't TA introduce 3D terrians? The unit variation was also a strong precursor to how Starcraft was divided up. Instead of the AoE idea of the units being relatively identical, the TA units were different all the way down to the most basic units in the Core and Arm, between lasers burst and automatic fire.

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TA and Starcraft were contemporaries, so you can't really say they influenced each other. Graphical improvements aren't a very good claim to fame either; and other games had already done 3D terrain mechanics if not the drawing.

The macro vs. micro is something it brought to the table, but as far as I can see, it never really caught on. Everyone preferred to go the Starcraft route right up until SupCom. Then SupCom decided to go the Starcraft route for its own sequel. :mad:

You can maybe say that they had they were the first ones who did queuing right - I don't remember anyone who did it right before them, and a lot of that stuff is standard in the genre now.

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Originally Posted by Wraith

That's kinda selling it short. There's a reason Starcraft has been the benchmark by which all other RTS games have been compared for more than a decade.

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Yes: mass stupidity.

I loved TA.

Starcraft was ok, haven't looked at no 2 yet, maybe later.