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Good games for Covid Times / Remote Work

Monolith

Prophet
Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Messages
1,290
Location
München
Hi,

what are the best *good* games that you can have run in parallel / the background next to working from home?

Those games need to have the following characteristics:
- Don't grab your attention
- Allow for quick sprints of action (thinking TB combat or good automated pause system)
- Can be paused any time
- ideally there's progress taking place without any necessary monitoring
- Not too much reading as getting your attention dragged away frequently kills any mood good writing creates (it works the other way around, as badly written e-mails suddenly become bearable)

Battle Brothers is a strong candidate here. I had many passive but mandatory meetings sweetened by the grunts of crushed Orcs and the moaning of the undead. But there's only so much Battle Brothers you can play, even though the high frustration it causes can make for interesting meetings after all.

Civilization seems like a good candidate, but with older versions the turns fly by too quickly and in Civ 6 too much keeps on happening that you need to keep track of. Other than being shit, that is. Tried some Anno games, and people died of hunger or some other catastrophe I didn't keep in check. New X-Com and Xenonauts worked well for a time, but the later combat missions require too much keeping track of enemy whereabouts, potential risks and I just made too many stupid decisions. Not good on Ironman.

Mind you, good was put in bold, so no browser games / multiplayer / japshit / smartphone apps / console games other than retro stuff (with the latter I solely mean SNES).
 

Falksi

Arcane
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
10,538
Location
Nottingham
Hard West. Fucking brilliant game, and easy to dib in & out of (I play it throughout the working day often)

Most X-Com games too.
 

NJClaw

OoOoOoOoOoh
Patron
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
7,513
Location
Pronouns: rusts/rusty
Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture
Darkest Dungeon is an obvious choice, but you probably already know it. DLCs are good, but the game is perfectly playable even without them.

Guild of Dungeoneering is fun for a while, but it's very short (you can experience everything the game has to offer in around 15 hours). The worst part is its price: 15€ (around 25€ if you buy DLCs) is outrageous.

Dicey Dungeons is probably a bit better, since it offers a bit more content (in the form of increasingly harder challenges). But keep in mind that, like Guild of Dungeoneering, it's a very dumb game (still good enough to give it a try, in my opinion).

Slay the Spire is a nice time-sink, and very well worth 20€. Honestly, any card game would meet almost all your requirements, so, if you already played Slay the Spire, any one of its clones would suffice.

Otherwise you could go for any 2d platformer, like Super Mario Bros for the Game Boy Color or Rayman Origins.
 

Monolith

Prophet
Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Messages
1,290
Location
München
Thanks for the input so far. Will start a list tomorrow.

One addition from me - FTL is quite good in that department, as well as Into the Breach and Pathway.
 

Monolith

Prophet
Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Messages
1,290
Location
München
Kinda stopped playing NEO Scavanger once I got it for Android. It's my go to game whenever I'm travelling. Jeez, I do tend to categorize games based on playability in different life situations.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
4,099
Location
Chicago, IL, Kwa
If we're allowing emulation any of the Fire Emblem games are quite easy to dip in and out of. Ditto Etrian Odysseys.

Edit: Also the Professor Layton games if you're into that sort of thing.
 

Mexi

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
6,811
Crusader Kings: 2, but that shit is addictive.
This is dangerous.
Could've probably graduated summa cum laude or some shit, but man, I fucked up playing this game during my undergraduate. Seriously, got super addicted.
Yeah, it's a fun game to play, but fml, I can attest that it is the most addictive game I've ever fucking played.
 

Catacombs

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
5,928
Crusader Kings: 2, but that shit is addictive.
This is dangerous.
Could've probably graduated summa cum laude or some shit, but man, I fucked up playing this game during my undergraduate. Seriously, got super addicted.
Yeah, it's a fun game to play, but fml, I can attest that it is the most addictive game I've ever fucking played.
Hah! Wow. Do you still play it?
 

Mexi

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
6,811
Crusader Kings: 2, but that shit is addictive.
This is dangerous.
Could've probably graduated summa cum laude or some shit, but man, I fucked up playing this game during my undergraduate. Seriously, got super addicted.
Yeah, it's a fun game to play, but fml, I can attest that it is the most addictive game I've ever fucking played.
Hah! Wow. Do you still play it?
Dude, I got a 4.0 during my masters and am holding a 4.0 right now. Fucking NO!
 

curds

Magister
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
1,098
Knights of the Chalice.
Pool of Radiance.
Temple of Elemental Evil.

Diablo and Diablo II are real time of course, but you can pause any time, there is very little reading, and they’re great to play in short bursts.
 

Lagi

Savant
Joined
Jul 19, 2015
Messages
726
Location
Desert
you can try idle games *
in real time you will automatically gather resources, then spend them after considering your options... and then you are forced to go back to work (unless you really want to click).


* yes, they are all cancer (even Longing), and you will soon realize gaming make no sens, and its waste of life.
 

soulburner

Cipher
Joined
Sep 21, 2013
Messages
809
Quake + official expansions + Arcane Dimensions. I also found IWD2 very pleasant during work, but I stopped playing after I couldn't solve some riddle when being constantly interrupted by phone calls.
 

AdamReith

Magister
Patron
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
2,109
Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is.
Total war games are good for this I find, continue your campaign until you've had your fill of battles and then chow down on some work until you feel like returning.
 

Mexi

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
6,811
Total war games are good for this I find, continue your campaign until you've had your fill of battles and then chow down on some work until you feel like returning.
It's not as addictive as CK too. I was playing it a lot when I was writing my thesis. That and Alpha Centauri. I remember trying to conquer the whole map in the time limit as Venice. Anyways, Alpha Centauri is another one that is good to play while you are doing something. The turn system is great for that.
 

Catacombs

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
5,928
Anyways, Alpha Centauri is another one that is good to play while you are doing something. The turn system is great for that.
Agreed. I wish I could play more, but the way I got the game working on my Mac requires taking up my entire screen; not ideal for switching between working and gaming :lol:
 

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