What game are you wasting time on?

[Comte]

I've tried starting PoE as a sort of soft launch into my planned classic CRPGthon in the near future but it just didn't captivate me yet and these recent comments I've been reading about how boring it is aren't very encouraging. I don't think it's a very good sign that I bothered with reading a total of two of those random NPC backstories before I just started immediately skipping those bits, and I'm not even out of the first proper town yet.

I did the sanitarium last night it was some of the most boring shit I have read in tbe entire game. And I was like "what the hell am I doing here?" its so boring. The combat is boring. I don't care about any of the characters. The soul plot is totally soulless.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I was talking about Beneath a Steel Sky with a friend recently, and realised that I remember absolutely nothing about this game apart from the character of the fat guy in a furcoat, which felt strange to me because though I played it only once, I believe it was fairly recently that I did. So I figured I might as well replay it.

Boy, I sure as hell understand now why I couldn't remember anything. It's because BASS is just thoroughly mediocre. In fact, the way it's so completely unexceptional is almost like an achievement in itself. Some memories came back to me as I was playing it too - namely, that the first time around I was also so unimpressed by it.

I'll never understand how it became the cult classic it is today. The puzzles are shit, the plot is barely there and barely cohesive, the characterisation is quite awful. I can hardly even cite its art as something particularly advantageous compared to a few other games of the era, though I guess it looks more 'photorealistic' than the cartoony standard of the time, so maybe it's that.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I haven't played it since sometime in the mid-1990s. I remember a few more bits than you do, but overall I agree with you.

I remember the intro and starting area (which was featured in a free demo, which is how I got introduced to the game in the first place) being very atmospheric and giving a good idea of a dystopian society, but shortly after that break Foster finds himself being a gopher for dull people in a dull environment. The mood is publicly executed in the town square at that point. It wasn't until Foster is exploring the underground towards the end that I felt something from the game that echoed the starting area.

I haven't seen a reason to replay it in all the years since, and IMO there aren't enough things 'standing out' about it for me to bother.

 

[Fowyr]

Beneath a Steel Sky had some good humor, but I can't remember anything now after just 5 or 8 years. It was pretty short, on the other hand, so maybe that's why. I can remember hiding behind open steel door on the balcony and some sort of funny robot.

 

[Machocruz]

though I guess it looks more 'photorealistic' than the cartoony standard of the time, so maybe it's that.

Not a criticism or challenge, but very interesting to me how other people think in terms of visual art, especially the concept of photorealism. To me what they were even attempting with the art style of this game has not even the intention of even a hint of a progression towards photorealism, which is actually a very specific position on the spectrum of realism. I know it's used casually as a synonym for "realistic" or "very realistic," and I wonder why people don't just use those words, but I'm a big old pedant and artfag, so.
I was once triggered by someone calling the drawings in a black and white line art comic page "photorealistic." My brain couldn't process the relationship, so I had to slumber for two days.

 

[eXalted]

Couldn't get into PoE when it was released.

Installed it later and I was so hooked up. Completed it.

Now I installed it again. Gonna try a barbarian build.

 

[v1rus]

Quite captivated by KOTOR 2. I realized knowing some story details beforehand gave me motivation to begin investing in my party. I intend on going proper evil dark side with whatever characters I care about turned as well (not looking at you, Bao-Dur). I've got the cut content restoration mod, a mod to add late game force abilities and mods for smarter AI and increased difficulty. So far, turning it to the highest difficulty it provides (outside the 'hardcore' variant of the mod) only just seems to provide an okay challenge, enough so that I need to properly prepare for bigger ambushes, but I'll keep playing before I make the judgement whether to try bumping it up further.

Bao-Dur is the biggest bro of 'em all bro. Try and turn him, its prolly the most satisfying.

OTOH, theres a huge problem with the fact that their voice remains the same. So Bao-Dur dark jedi going full Darth Maul iridonian tattoos is still going to talk with the same super calm voice.

Still, dont underestimate Bao-Dur, general.

 

[Grauken]

Playing through Shining in the Darkness. Damn does this game have a high encounter rate. I actually play it while listening to podcasts, feels almost meditative

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Gonna try a barbarian build

Good man

 

[Darth Roxor]

I know it's used casually as a synonym for "realistic" or "very realistic," and I wonder why people don't just use those words, but I'm a big old pedant and artfag, so.

yeah that was p dumb on reflection

result of poasting at 10 pm i suppose

I remember the intro and starting area (which was featured in a free demo, which is how I got introduced to the game in the first place) being very atmospheric and giving a good idea of a dystopian society

Yeah, that is true actually. It's also one of the reasons why the game feels so weird - it just can't settle on what it's trying to show. Is it an atmospheric dystopia or a comedic spoof of it? Because first you have the intro with Evil Cops dropping nukes on innocent folks after abducting you, then you're feeding a fat guy's cat and giving a travel office clerk a biker's magazine, after which you're putting a dog on a trampoline to launch it into a pond, then suddenly you get eaten by a munster hiding in forgotten subway tunnels leading to an underground bunker featuring a gargantuan super-computer-brain-abomination and finally upload your robot assistant's circuit board into a "rubber-man" android you name "Ken". Come on.

 

[HansDampf]

Manifold Garden
Last year I found this short puzzle demo Fragments of Euclid. You go through doors/portals to reappear on a wall or the ceiling, and gravity changes accordingly. Looked pretty cool and I was wondering if someone could turn this into a full puzzle game. Manifold Garden seemed to be almost exactly what I was looking for. It has been in development since 2012, so it has probably nothing to do with FoE. But it's similar in concept, inspired by games like Antichamber, with impossible 3D spaces, changing gravity, and cube on button puzzles. It was released a few weeks ago (on EGS because money) and got generally positive review scores, so far. So I tried it, and... it's boring!
The visuals are stunning with the infinitely repeating geometry and sometimes a few portal tricks. Those wear off quickly though, and what remains are shallow puzzles that are way too easy and often tedious. I finished it only because it's so short, just a few hours. The puzzles work best when they are confined to smaller spaces. But even then they tend to repeat the same ideas without exploring them any further. And as the game progresses you are more often faced with gigantic areas where the majority of the time is spent looking for all the available puzzle elements. Lots of walking and falling instead of thinking. And you will still be solving the same puzzles, just on a larger scale, no surprises.
The gravity mechanic also has an annoying restriction. You can only change gravity when you are facing a wall (and only to that direction). This is never used in puzzles as part of the challenge, like having to figure out which path to follow to get to a certain direction or to avoid an unwanted direction. All it leads to is even more walking, and you can't flip gravity 180 degrees.
I suppose it isn't easy to create interesting puzzles for this type of game without them becoming too confusing. But surely you can come up with something after 7 years of development? Meh.

 

[flyingjohn]

Playing through Shining in the Darkness. Damn does this game have a high encounter rate. I actually play it while listening to podcasts, feels almost meditative

What mapping tool are you using?

 

[Dedup]

Nioh is one of the PS Plus games November so I decided to give that a try. I had tried Demon Souls and Dark Souls previously but neither game really held my interest. While Nioh certainly has a similar formula, I find that I'm enjoying the combat a bit more than the other Souls games. I'm still only in the beginning part so we'll see if it can keep my interest.

I also decided to start a game of Pathfinder: Kingmaker. I had played the game before but I got distracted by something else around the time the last couple of DLCs were released and never finished it. Recently, I heard about the turn-based mod and decided to try it out along with a camera mod. I goofed around a bit in the dungeon mode last night and was a bit surprised at how much better the game feels with the mods in. It was late so I never actually started playing the main game but will probably start tonight.

 

[Sranchammer]

Started up KCD but uninstalled after I was railroaded into playing a heterosexual.

Seriously?

 

[Grauken]

Playing through Shining in the Darkness. Damn does this game have a high encounter rate. I actually play it while listening to podcasts, feels almost meditative

What mapping tool are you using?

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...best-tool-for-drawing-classic-rpg-maps.92853/

 

[octavius]

Playing through Shining in the Darkness. Damn does this game have a high encounter rate. I actually play it while listening to podcasts, feels almost meditative

How do you play it?
Emulator? Or is there a Steam only Windows version (it's not on GOG)?

 

[Grauken]

Playing through Shining in the Darkness. Damn does this game have a high encounter rate. I actually play it while listening to podcasts, feels almost meditative

How do you play it?
Emulator? Or is there a Steam only Windows version (it's not on GOG)?

Grid Cartographer uses Libreto cores to emulate various systems, this isn't just a vanity feature, but it helps with making profiles as it allows access to system ram of the supported systems

 

[Puukko]

I think I know my least favorite bit about KOTOR 2 and why I was reading that Nar Shaddaa is a bit rough. These segments where you only have access to a single party member or a limited party are pretty annoying, and it throws so many at you in a row. I can handle them on my PC on the modded highest difficulty, but Mira fighting two dozen bounty hunters with such limited resources? At least it was good exercise for learning how to kite the AI, but I wanted that bit to be over ASAP.

I generally really dislike segments that restrict party options by removing members.

 

[Darth Roxor]

there is not a single star wars game where the nar shaddaa level would not be frustrating - true fact

 

[Valky]

GRIMOIRE

I can confirm that the memes are not just memes, this game is pure incline. I am currently deep within exploring the Mines of MoriaSamhain Underground.

 

[Alienman]

there is not a single star wars game where the nar shaddaa level would not be frustrating - true fact

Star Wars games have programmed me to hate Nar Shaddaa forever.

 

[Average Manatee]

Don't know what you guys have against Nar Shaddaa in DF2JK1

 

[octavius]

Diablo 2, 1.09

My Barbarian just killed Nightmare Diablo. He's equipped with the Rockfleece Field Plate, Gerke's Sanctuary shield and String of Ears sash, giving him Magic Damage Reduced by 32, Damage Reduced by 22, and Damage Reduced by 21%. And also the Amulet that gives 85% Fire Resistance. Diablo hardly made a dent in him; random bosses are more dangerous.
So instead of the typical barbarian with low defense and high offense, he's the other way around, with low attack and damage since I haven't been able to find a really good Whirlwind weapon for him.

 

[Kabas]

Vampire the Mascuerade redemption
I am not sure if the majority of attributes actually do anything apart from being just a requirement to learn certain disciplines.
I heard that people criticized it for being a mediocre dungeon crawler or something and i can kinda see why. These dungeon segments are quite lengthy and you need to deal with the not so smart ai wasting their bloodpool on trash mobs. The latter issue can be somewhat solved by turning off their ability use in options until you reach a somewhat more serious encounter.
Doesn't help that all vampire enemies i encountered so far like to run away when low on health. Sounds cool on paper, but the game has an issue with trying to hit anything that moves even so slighly away from you which drags the encounter and serves only to annoy you.
I kinda like the rage mechanic, it's very easy for your character to go berserk and start sucking their teammates during a tougher encounter. You need to plan around that.
I just started to encounter some enemy variance in the form of nosferatu who like to go invisible. You can only see and hit them from time to time without sense presence active and it's easier for them to start the usual escape routine.
I regretted not trying to get 5 dots in feeding early, you can drain the enemy vampires with this and your characters can barely grab them if you have merely two dots in this.
Speaking of disciplines, i am not sure what my Christof should focus on for i got plenty of options. I am definitely maxing the basic ones like blood strength/dex and celerity. I also got the Animalism tome, not sure to whom i should give it.

 

[Raapys]

Feeding is far too powerful indeed, you can spam it to win almost any encounter. Along with healing, it's basically all you need. The feral claw transformation is perhaps the best of the later disciplines, unless you wanna play mage. But mage is tedious, since you're constantly forced to feed to replenish spent blood anyway. A lot of wasted potential sadly, since almost all disciplines end up being useless with the way the game mechanics and AI work.

The attributes are working, with strength adding to weapon melee damage, dexterity increasing to-hit and dodge chance and stamina adding soak, but I think there were bugs with both the display and mechanics.