Makes me want to play Victoria again. I think the AI in these games just gets worse with every new product.
Makes me want to play Victoria again. I think the AI in these games just gets worse with every new product.
Hope is the denial of reality
I played a lot of Skyrim, too much really, I made it to level 50 and as my character stood there in his hand-crafted Dragon armour with outrageous Enchantments (plus spare dragon armour with alternative outrageous enchantments) and I marvelled at what I had achieved... I suddenly hated what I had become.
A pathetic potion-brewing, armour-making, weapon-wroughting, quest-completing fool that felt vain pride at the reaching of level 50 in a stupid bloody game...
...clearly I would need to reach level 100 before allowing myself such pride.
Such is Life...
all I've done so far is collect brooms and pick flowers....
I'm not very good at staying on task in open world games it seems.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Don't be ashamed of your petty beginnings OG, I chose the same grubby method of raising funds.
You have to start small and work your way up - at the very beginning I was grabbing anything that I was allowed to (not stealing) and selling it to the less fussy merchants - I really do mean anything too - books, plates, goblets, ingredients, hats, shoes, buckets (actually no buckets). All the shit nobody wants to call the guards on you for. Yes this was tedious but it got me money which got me better weapons and armour to go out and "kill some shit" preferably one with a bounty (the Jarl's Steward is useful for bounties as are the inns).
Spoiler:
I like the game, my wife hates it - I think she started to refer to Skyrim as "That bitch" about a week ago...
As a general rule I am not a day to day "gamer" largely due to the lack of games that interest me and my complete inability to use or even wish to use a console of any description (the controls just fucking piss me off) but there have been a few games over the years that were a complete and utter waste of my time (meaning I liked them and got hooked).
Curiously if I reflect on the games that sucked me in and made me a paler, more fatigued version of myself there is no obvious genre that takes my preference...
Some of the games I wasted too much time on:
Starcraft (& Brood War): I loved this game, from the noise the SCV's made as they buzzed around collecting, building and repairing to the sight of a squadron of Cloaked Wraith's taking out a Protoss/Zerg/Terran base and everything in between. I tried to get into the multiplayer side of the game but it lacked patient build-up of he single player game (getting zerg rushed and owned got old real fast). I was not really addicted to Starcraft but I did spend a lot of time playing and replaying the game.
Counter Strike: Source - This is still the only online multi-player game I have ever played more than a few times - At my deepest point of addiction I was ranked in the top 10 on a dozen or more servers and No 1 on most of the Assault Map servers, yes I was mostly a lame-arse terrorist camper on that map but I made up for it by almost exclusively using a Scout/Deagle kit) I don't how long I was a CSS addict for but it was too long...
Independence War 1 & 2 - The game that bought me to Infogrames (then Atari then here) was a masterpiece in my eyes, I had played the game Elite as a pimply teenager which had all the elements of a great space sim with really shitty monochrome wire frame graphics. I-War was more linear than Elite but it made up for it with shear fucking awesomeness. This is where Dreadnaught got his name btw...
Half Life 1 & 2 - I know this series was huge so I wouldn't be the only person that played it but I did in-fact play all of them (Half Life, Half Life Blue Shift, Half Life Opposing Force, Half Life 2, Half Life 2 Episode 1 & 2, Half Life Source). Other than Counter Strike: Source I didn't really get into the multiplayer stuff (DM, CTF etc). I really "got" the atmosphere of the HL series, looking back I wonder if the 70's & 80's "B" grade horror/sci-fi movies I saw as a kid set me up to enjoy this game.
Diablo II (& LOD) - Fucking killed my mouse clicking the shit out of everything in this game but I kept going back for more and again I didn't find any enjoyment in playing online.
There are other games of course but I reckon these ones stole more of my life than any others - I know I've forgotten a few too.
Such is Life...
I have started collecting followers in Breezehome. It's geting a bit crowed, but it's nice to hear them greeting me every time I get home.
Like OG, I can't really be arsed by the main quest. Some of the side quests are really fun. Just finished the Mage-quest one and that had lots of memorable moments. Next stop, whack the teacher and become a dark brother.
But to me, the main fun of the game is wandering around the countryside and stumbling upon ruins. Never had any money problems, you just cook up a load of potions and sell them to that alchemy woman. And I only did that to buy a house, haven't had any use for money after that. I just used weapons and apparel I found. And being a mage saves you from having to collect all that armour crap. I could run around in my undies and still kick dragon butt.
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London
I'm curious how much of the exploring and random events are somewhat scripted. When I first started, within minutes I saw some lady shooting at a cat, so I chased the cat (just cause), and that damn thing brought me right into the camp of 3 figures who immediately wanted me dead. I survived that, but I never did find the damn cat.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
THQ is selling Saints Row The 3rd for $30. Includes the preorder pack and a season pass. All 3 parts activate on Steam.
Thats a crazy good price that was a GOTY contender, but I don't know if I can justify buying right now cause I just got Skyrim.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
Amazon and Steam are both selling Dead Space 2 for $5.
If you have one of the Amazon codes, that makes Dead Space 2 free, except the Amazon keys only activate on Origin.
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
I was looking at Anno 2070 but I think I'll pass after reading about the latest draconian DRM version, Ubisoft inflicted on it.
Not only does it have this "online"-feature so that you can use all aspects of the game only if online, they also included Tages. Which limits installations of the game to 3. Those installations are tied to a very specific hardware configuration snapshot of your PC, so if, for example, you change your graphics card, you can kiss one of those installations good-bye.
There's also no manual or automatic revoking of the installation. If you hit the limit, for whatever reason, you're supposed to call Ubisoft and ask for a grant of new installations. However, when the site Guru3D hit that limit (because they wanted to benchmark the game, hence replacing the video cards several times...) they only succeeded in getting new installs when BlueByte (the developer) intervened at Ubisoft...
... only reinforces my previous opinion that I'll give Ubisoft's offerings a wide berth. Even if that means forgoing a possible "Beyond Good and Evil" sequel.
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
Hey gamer-types: I haven't ever spent much money or time on games, but I'm thinking about starting up one or two PC games in the nearish future. I haven't played much in college or grad school, other than the occasional famous RTS and some multiplayer time wasters like LoL. I was hoping to get some recommendations for good turn-based strategy games; I haven't played any since the 90s and I understand there are some good ones out there. The game doesn't need to be new (in fact, if it's relatively cheap, even better), and my computer has decent but not amazing specs (Intel i5 dual core 2.3 GHz, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GT 540M, running Win7).
My TBS experience is limited, and I can't make heads or tails of the reviews, but I've gotten a bit tired of all of the micro necessary for modern RTS games. Any related genres are also welcome - for example, I really enjoyed construction and management games back in the 90s (a la SC2k). Anything that involves balancing lots of factors and optimization is great; anything requiring significant skill (e.g. FPS or RTT games) is likely wasted on me. I understand many of you play these kinds of games, so I thought here would be a good place for recommendations. I have neither time nor money for a comprehensive review of the genre; I'm just interested in the highlights. Thoughts?
No time to really get into it right now.
Good turn-based game that spring to mind: Civilisation IV (I trust you are familiar with the mechanics of that one), Hearts of Iron II.
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London
Even though these aren't strictly RTS, have a look at Victoria 2, Europa Universalis 3: Chronicles, and the upcoming Crusader Kings 2. Paradox's website should have plenty about any of them. They each certainly require you to balance a lot of factors and optimize, and are far more realistic than just about any turn-based strategy game. I used to play the likes of Civilization and Ages of Empire, but they're incredibly backward compared to Victoria and EU3.
Hope is the denial of reality
I'll second the suggestion for Paradox's stable of games. They're not TBS, but they might as well be. I'd suggest starting with EU3. That one's got plenty of depth for you to play with without drowning in it.
Dominions 3
In the future, the Berlin wall will be a mile high, and made of steel. You too will be made to crawl, to lick children's blood from jackboots. There will be no creativity, only productivity. Instead of love there will be fear and distrust, instead of surrender there will be submission. Contact will be replaced with isolation, and joy with shame. Hope will cease to exist as a concept. The Earth will be covered with steel and concrete. There will be an electronic policeman in every head. Your children will be born in chains, live only to serve, and die in anguish and ignorance.
The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.
Skyrim
Not sure if Paradox's games are the best suggestion if wiggin is sick of micro-management. They're great games but ones that are much more rewarding the more you get under the hood.
I'd recommend the Total War franchise perhaps?
I've heard of EU3 before, don't know much about it (obviously I've heard of the Civ series and heard some comparisons, but I'm afraid my knowledge of Paradox's games is more cursory). I'll have to give it a shot. One question: these games seem to be based off of historical scenarios to a large extent; will they be annoying in either their adherence or lack thereof to the historical narrative?
Nessie - I've never heard of Dominions 3, is it good or was that smilie there for a reason?
nowandthen - I assume you're joking, but just to be clear, I have no interest in RPGs whatsoever.
Thanks for the suggestions, and keep them coming!
edit: RB, thanks for the thoughts. I'm okay with some amounts of micromanagement if they're not of the stupid variety - i.e. I'm happy to try crafting the best tax code for a given situation provided the interface tools are good enough and I don't have to add the full level of complexity on a first run through the game. My comment on microing was really to do with the greater and greater emphasis on controlling small numbers of units in modern RTS games; I simply have no interest in learning every keyboard shortcut to be able to do X actions per second and effectively beat an opponent. I'd prefer a more cerebral game. That's why I figured something turn-based or similar wouldn't have that same 'gamer skill' level requirements.
That being said, I have seen on reviews that Paradox's games often have a VERY steep learning curve. Will this be an issue for me?
It's...Well. It's interesting. It can devolve into micro-managing hell, hence my smiley. And it's only really worth-while if you play against human opponents. But the usual play style is one turn a day, or one turn three days, or something like that. The game has incredible variety due to the insane amount of different options the game mechanics throw at you, and it looks like an interesting take on the 4X genre. But: it's indie as shit, the game devs themselves have stated they have no idea how certain mechanics work by now due to spaghetti code, and the interface was coded by horned devils. The game was too complex for me to bother to learn, but I spend most of my spare time intoxicated, so this last bit doesn't necessarily apply to you.Originally Posted by wiggin
But if you ever wanted to destroy an empire of illithid led by Lovecraftian horrors from the Void, tag-teaming with a bunch of man eating giants and Aztecs, while playing as an undead Rome, this is the game for you!
In the future, the Berlin wall will be a mile high, and made of steel. You too will be made to crawl, to lick children's blood from jackboots. There will be no creativity, only productivity. Instead of love there will be fear and distrust, instead of surrender there will be submission. Contact will be replaced with isolation, and joy with shame. Hope will cease to exist as a concept. The Earth will be covered with steel and concrete. There will be an electronic policeman in every head. Your children will be born in chains, live only to serve, and die in anguish and ignorance.
The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.
Are there any mainstream games out there that have a worse AI than the Total War series?
The games are far from deterministic, but the outcomes do reflect history somewhat. There are usually a few pre-programmed events for each country that reflect the choices the country really faced at the time (i.e. you can unite Germany or Italy, or get a casus belli on Mexican California with the US), and of course the objective situation of the country limits what you can do (i.e. you can't play Prussia the same way you play Lucca due to your population, ethnic makeup, geography, level of industrialization, neighbors, etc.), but a vast majority of the decisions you face are ahistorical.
Hope is the denial of reality
I'm playing Capitalopoly.
</shameless plug>
The starting scenario adheres closely to history, but after that you're free to diverge as much as you'd like. Like Loki said, there are events drawn from history to reflect the problems/opportunities that countries in that time period faced, but you won't be forced to rigidly adhere to history.
He might also just be answering the original topic of the thread.nowandthen - I assume you're joking, but just to be clear, I have no interest in RPGs whatsoever.
Start with EU3. The learning curve is the simplest of the bunch, it has the least micromanagment, and learning it wil give you a great head start for learning any other Paradox game. There is some complexity in EU3, but I don't think the learning curve is really that bad. I think a lot of complaints about it come from the fact that their games are very unlike other games, being neither FPSs nor RTSs. Your knowledge of real-word history, economics, and politics will probably help you out. I really think you'll handle it all well, and enjoy the games greatly. Just don't try to start with something like Victoria - that game will eat you alive.edit: RB, thanks for the thoughts. I'm okay with some amounts of micromanagement if they're not of the stupid variety - i.e. I'm happy to try crafting the best tax code for a given situation provided the interface tools are good enough and I don't have to add the full level of complexity on a first run through the game. My comment on microing was really to do with the greater and greater emphasis on controlling small numbers of units in modern RTS games; I simply have no interest in learning every keyboard shortcut to be able to do X actions per second and effectively beat an opponent. I'd prefer a more cerebral game. That's why I figured something turn-based or similar wouldn't have that same 'gamer skill' level requirements.
That being said, I have seen on reviews that Paradox's games often have a VERY steep learning curve. Will this be an issue for me?
I'm really not as fond of the Total War games as most people seem to be. I like the strategic portions, but the tactical parts become dull and repetitive, and the tactical parts are a huge portion of the game that can't really be skipped without screwing yourself. The AI is terrible, the performance is awful, and the games don't seem to get much support from the developers.
The strategic portion is fun only as long as you don't interact with the computer. The second you do, you realize just how idiotic it is. It either attacks you for no reason (including when it can't hope to win), or lets you wipe it out by misplacing its armies.
Hope is the denial of reality
Used my last $5 amazon credit to pick up Sonic Generations yesterday. Brandy loves sonic and she has been without a new game for a while. Likely need to pick up a cheap USB pad, or sitdown and figure out the PS3 computer driver before she can enjoy it however.
I'm still running around Skyrim. Killed my first dragon, got ice in one hand and fire in the other. Stealing every book I can without getting caught. Gonna need a house soon. Beyond that, no idea what I'm doing. Haven't touch the smithing or mixing tables yet (beyond what the quests tried to teach me so far).
"In a field where an overlooked bug could cost millions, you want people who will speak their minds, even if they’re sometimes obnoxious about it."
If you use both hands to cast the same spell, there's a nice lil perk that makes that deal more damage. Another perk is that both handed-attacks stun an opponent. Very handy to interrupt attacks.
For the mixing stuff tables. Eat one item of your ingredients to identify the first effect. When you've done that mix a lot of random potions and sell them to make easy money.
For a house you need 5000, preferably more so you can furnish it a little.
I could have had class. I could have been a contender.
I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum
Which is what I am
I aim at the stars
But sometimes I hit London
So, I thought I'd have a go at the Kingdom of Amalur demo on EA's Origin.
Turns out that EA is of the solid opinion that our youth protection laws forbid the download of this game during the hours between 0600 and 2300...
... what did their lawyers drink in order to misunderstand our laws so completely and utterly?
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
I looked this up, and German 'youth protection laws' are ...wow.
Anyways, if this is accurate, EA is right, and doing that keeps them in compliance with the newest laws.
Good news, though! I think this puts German gamers in solid competition with Australian ones for the most sympathetic gamer's plight.
WTF?
Well, if they think they're applying to some kind of law, then they should think again:
a) it's of course completely impossible for children to be awake before 0600.
b) schemes like, for example, our new ID card which can be used online to verify age and identity are completely non-existant as well.
c) Also, credit cards are issued to everyone, regardless of age.
Not to mention that even our TV only blocks such content until 2200h... well, it's what I've come to expect of EA: Being complete morons, unable to think for 5 meters of a farm lane.
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
Your criticisms are valid (how often are anti-video games things really sensible anyways?), but nonetheless, it seems that they're just doing it to remain compliant with the law while giving the demo away for free. As much as I enjoy a good EA bashing, I think in this case your ire is misaimed. It does sound like this is a temporary thing, until some sort of web filtering scheme is implemented.
edit: On Kingdom of Amalur, I got the demo myself yesterday. It was very consolish. I wasn't impressed.
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