What game are you wasting time on?

[Quilty]

I just finished Myst (and not using a walkthrough at all). What a fucking awesome game!

Off to get Riven from GOG.

You are one patient man. For me, just walking up and down my bedroom, rearranging things and pushing the buttons on my old VCR is more fun than playing those games, while the gameplay is similarly exhilarating.

 

[Jaesun]

So what were your (more detailed) impressions?

The sheer fact all of the puzzles were 100% logical. I would play a couple of hours a day and get stuck, so I would just shut it off and think about it for a while. An example was the fucking turn on the lights in that one room in the area with a lighthouse. When I finally figured out the lighthouse and the room with the compass with 36 buttons were connected, I then ran around looking for a clue, and they provided a gigantic one, provided you understand the concept of 360 degrees of a circle. That puzzle was fucking awesome, and I felt so proud after I figured it out. :D

The roller coaster maze was way to fucking long and annoying, but 2 sheets of paper later I finally mapped out that thing.

What I loved is you are suddenly plopped down in a world and told fucking nothing (but the first clue on a piece of paper). And then you are stuck going FFFFUUUUU! And have to figure all this stuff out yourself. I really enjoy that feeling and atmosphere.

I'm now hooked on this series and am getting the rest of them (III, IV,V) from Amazon. You can get them for pretty cheep. Unfortunately the fucking GOG version of Riven gives a virus warning when attempting to install it, and this has been reported but GOG haven't responded yet. I may just install it on a Win 98 VMWare Player machine and run it there with no worries.

I really cannot believe I put this series off until now. Really kicking myself in the ass now for not playing it sooner.

 

[Gragt]

Ah! I replayed Myst not long ago and was amazed at how well it holds up today. I solved all the puzzles very fast again, not because I remembered the solution (last time I played it was 15 years ago and I forgot almost all about them) but because I remembered the logic.

The roller coaster maze was way to fucking long and annoying, but 2 sheets of paper later I finally mapped out that thing.

That's one way to do it. The other is to listen to the sounds the contraption makes because they indicate the direction to take.

In other news, I finish all regular Oblivion quests. I only have left the Knights of the Nine plugin, a few of the daedric shrine quests, the main quest and Shivering Isles. My level of sanity is steadily draining but my mental resistances are also increasing at the same time. I should be able to get out of there alive.

 

[Sceptic]

That puzzle was fucking awesome

Stoneship is (aside from the main island) my favorite age precisely because of this. Everything about the ship is great actually - the puzzle on Myst Island with the constellations was also pretty cool.

The roller coaster maze was way to fucking long and annoying, but 2 sheets of paper later I finally mapped out that thing.

THAT'S WHY I TOLD YOU TO LISTEN!
You are doubly not excused if you'd already done Mechanical Age, as they're the same sounds.

OK, I admit I don't like the maze even with sounds. Which is a shame because the rest of Selenitic Age is pretty cool. Also, I don't remember if realMyst let you carry more than one page, but in the original you had to go through it twice if you did it early on and didn't yet know what was going on with the brothers (or if you just wanted to listen to both monologues).

What I loved is you are suddenly plopped down in a world and told fucking nothing (but the first clue on a piece of paper). And then you are stuck going FFFFUUUUU! And have to figure all this stuff out yourself. I really enjoy that feeling and atmosphere.

This is really what the game's about, and why I find it superior to all the sequels. The manual was extremely minimalistic too, and told you NOTHING that wasn't "left click to use, menu at the top".

I really cannot believe I put this series off until now. Really kicking myself in the ass now for not playing it sooner.

Eh, it's never too late. Glad you're enjoying it.

In other news, I finish all regular Oblivion quests. I only have left the Knights of the Nine plugin, a few of the daedric shrine quests, the main quest and Shivering Isles. My level of sanity is steadily draining but my mental resistances are also increasing at the same time. I should be able to get out of there alive.

Oh god, why are you doing this to yourself?
Also, are you SURE you did all the quests? Do you want me to check UESP to make sure you didn't skip any? You do know there's a few that don't appear in the journal right?

 

[Thrasher]

Also, there is a severe penalty for missing any quests.

 

[Gragt]

Oh god, why are you doing this to yourself?

I'm not so sure myself. Probably because I felt like completing the damn thing since I bought it at release. Serves me right for believing the hype back then. I think of it as some sort of catharsis.

Also, are you SURE you did all the quests? Do you want me to check UESP to make sure you didn't skip any? You do know there's a few that don't appear in the journal right?

Already did, baby

 

[Jaesun]

The roller coaster maze was way to fucking long and annoying, but 2 sheets of paper later I finally mapped out that thing.

THAT'S WHY I TOLD YOU TO LISTEN!
You are doubly not excused if you'd already done Mechanical Age, as they're the same sounds.

I did the Mechanical Age LAST. And heh I never correlated the sounds to being clues to what direction to take :slap forehead:. I then understood them when I got to the Mechanical Age. I just am used to Old Skool™ Mapping on a piece of paper. And it's embarrassing how fucking long it took me to find those damn controls to rotate the bulding in the Mechanical Age. I was running around and looking everywhere screaming where the fuck are they!!! Then I saw that middle button and wondered WHY it has a time on it before it closes the elevator. :slap forehead:

Also, I don't remember if realMyst let you carry more than one page, but in the original you had to go through it twice if you did it early on and didn't yet know what was going on with the brothers (or if you just wanted to listen to both monologues).

realMyst is just like the original. You can carry only 1 sheet.

Rivan so far is really fucking pretty, and the little ride on that... rail thing across the water was fun. If only it was in the 3D like realMyst, I'd be cumming in my pants. But I'm used to slide show type adventure games, so it's not a problem. Are the rest of the series (III, IV and V) also slide show like?

Now I just have to figure out what the fuck I am supposed to be doing, other than find Catherine. And there's no damn piece of paper giving me a hint for my first clue! I guess I should read that book that guy gave me. Might have something important in it. :D

 

[Sceptic]

Already did, baby

:/ I was joking. Really.
Please don't tell me you're going to do every single dungeon now...

I did the Mechanical Age LAST. And heh I never correlated the sounds to being clues to what direction to take :slap forehead:.

Ah, in this case you may be excused. I didn't realize it until I noticed I wasn't getting any sound in some places, but always the same sound in a particular spot regardless of which direction I was coming from, etc. Initially I just thought "follow the sound" but then picked up on the orientation. It was one of those "A-HA!" moments.

And it's embarrassing how fucking long it took me to find those damn controls to rotate the bulding in the Mechanical Age.

Heh, same happened to me at first. Of course once I figured this out the rest of Mechanical was super-easy because I already knew the sound-direction link from Selenitic so I didn't even need to play with the simulation before doing the real rotation.

If only it was in the 3D like realMyst, I'd be cumming in my pants.

Oh you wouldn't be the only one!

Are the rest of the series (III, IV and V) also slide show like?

3 and 4 use a variant of 2's engine. You advance one step at a time, and everything's pre-rendered, but it's pre-rendered in 360 degrees so you can "look around" in real time, if you see what I mean. 5 uses the same engine as realMyst (Plasma Engine, IIRC). Have you thought about trying the Uru game too? I never did, but IIRC they take place between 3 and 4 chronologically.

Now I just have to figure out what the fuck I am supposed to be doing

Are you starting to sense a pattern?

 

[Gragt]

Please don't tell me you're going to do every single dungeon now...

Maybe if I really had sex with my sister and cousin but I'm not that crazy. I only went to the dungeons required to do a quest. They all look the same and bring more or less the same kind of (insignificant) reward. And in a couple of instances I used the console to give me an item I couldn't be arsed to hunt down, like the special wine or the 100 nirnroots. Kind of exceptional for me to cheat, and the only other time it happened was when I decided to go god-mode to finish Bloodrayne. I remember that when I told that to a good friend, he looked at me and said: "If you had to do that to finish that game, it must be really shitty".

Anyway, only the main quest and the Shivering Isles part left now.

 

[Jaesun]

Are the rest of the series (III, IV and V) also slide show like?

3 and 4 use a variant of 2's engine. You advance one step at a time, and everything's pre-rendered, but it's pre-rendered in 360 degrees so you can "look around" in real time, if you see what I mean. 5 uses the same engine as realMyst (Plasma Engine, IIRC).

ok good to hear. Most of the Cheops games use this (and I love most all of the games thay have done), and I like that.

Have you thought about trying the Uru game too? I never did, but IIRC they take place between 3 and 4 chronologically.

No, because I assumed it was Yet Another Shitty MMOG. Is it actually a Single Player Game?

Now I just have to figure out what the fuck I am supposed to be doing

Are you starting to sense a pattern?

Yep, and THIS is the main reason I love it. If you can't take the heat.... get out of the kitchen. Figure this shit out bitch! No fucking quest compass or hand-holding!

 

[BLOBERT]

BROS I JUST FINISHED PHANTASIE THREE NOW I AM PLAYING BATMAN FAG ASYLMU I ABSOLUTLEY HAT IT BUT IU MUST KEEP PLAYING IT THAT IS WHAT NEW GEN GAMES MAKE YOU DO I AM SO MAD I COULD BE PLAYING ULTIMA OR SOMETHING BUT THE SHEEPLE MAKE ME PLAY THJIS

I BOUGHT DARK MESSIAH OF FAG AND MAGIC TODAY TEN DOLLARS FOR THE FAGBOX VERSION

 

[Jaesun]

Riven, on the other hand, is a much much less "hint-giver" Myst game, which can be both great and frustrating at the same time.

Yeah I've discovered it is VERY light on hint's. In fact, almost non existent. And the puzzles are a tad... way more fucking complicated.

Anyways I'll figure it out.... some day. Made it into that gold dome thing so far.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Other than Nocturne, I'm replaying DS Castlevania games. Done with the normal mode of Dawn of Sorrow, started a Julius mode playthrough (Pa-ba, pa-ba, PA-BA! Pa-ba, pa-ba, PA-BA!).

 

[Trash]

Decided to try and maintain a bit of my sanity so I took a break from CK. Started up Medal of Honor. Game felt underwhelming with mediocre missions and unresponsive controlls. Did enjoy a few of the special forces missions but was waiting for the big bang. Color me surprised when suddenly after doing just another straightforward assault mission the credits roll. Playtime 4 hours at best. To add insult to injury the credits end with a small video which has a more promising start to a mission than anything the game offered. Utterly underwhelming.

 

[deshields538]

Been playing Killing Floor much more again since it got an update last week. I still play Red Orchestra and M&B: Warband regularly as well.

Aside from that I'm waiting for the release of the next DoW2 expansion and Civ 5 to go down in price.

 

[Sceptic]

Anyway, only the main quest and the Shivering Isles part left now.

Did you finish the KOTN quests already? what did you think?

And good luck with the MQ, it's probably the shittiest part of the game. Especially if you're OCD like me and do ALL the city helping missions (though in my defense I didn't do ANY random gates).

No, because I assumed it was Yet Another Shitty MMOG. Is it actually a Single Player Game?

I thought it was multi too at first and skipped it, but apparently it does have an SP component. Not sure how good it is though.

Yep, and THIS is the main reason I love it. If you can't take the heat.... get out of the kitchen. Figure this shit out bitch! No fucking quest compass or hand-holding!

Feels good doesn't it?

Though... don't feel too bad if you get hopelessly stuck in Riven. You wouldn't be the first!

 

[Jack]

Been playing Killing Floor much more again since it got an update last week.

Same here


I've also been replaying Max Payne and Gothic.
Max Payne still looks great, and Gothic is still a fresh game.
If it gets continued praise I might try out New Vegas when it is released.


EDIT:

 

[thursday]

Have you thought about trying the Uru game too? I never did, but IIRC they take place between 3 and 4 chronologically.

No, because I assumed it was Yet Another Shitty MMOG. Is it actually a Single Player Game?

The mmo part of the game was secondary, and it has withered away after dying and being necro'd three or four times. Lots of people hate on it because it has a few puzzles that would have worked well with two people playing, but their redesign for one player has left them plain retarded. I actually enjoyed Uru more than Myst III and V, though it might have just been because I was a grafix whore at the time and spooged at it being a new Myst game in 3D. Very nice sound/music as well.

For me, URU had a more archaeological feel than any of the other Mysts, which I appreciated. There really isn't much of a story past learning about the D'Ni culture and civilization. If you try the expansions, don't waste time with To D'Ni (the first one) past exploring Ae'gura, the giant D'Ni cave city beneath New Mexico that was meant to be the hub of Uru Online. It's pretty much just a giant fetch quest. Path of the Shell is worth your time, but be warned: it's puzzles are IMO the most evil in the series.

 

[Jaesun]

OK thanks for the info thursday!

Though... don't feel too bad if you get hopelessly stuck in Riven. You wouldn't be the first!

Yeah. This game is a tad brutal. I did give in 2 times so far:

1. I spent HOURS fucking with that temple that you can rotate. I figured everything out but could not open that one last locked door. I finally said fine, apparently I am the stupidest fucking moron in the world for not figuring this out! I read just 1 paragraph and I then learned you will discover how to open that later. It didn't spoil anything for me, but confirmed that this game, just keep exploring and exploring.

2. That motherfucking vent that you climb UP into to get to the lab (with the motor switched off). FFFFUUUU! I had to consult a walkthrough to learn that, as to me, that just made no sense.

I DID look online for the Riven number system, as I felt totally when I found the schoolroom all by my damn self with the sub, then they pulled that OH HAI! NOW WE ARE GOING TO USE NUMBERS HIGHER THAN TEN! HAHA! AND WE WONT EVEN GIVE YOU A HINT! HAHA! from the Journal in that lab for the access code. I basically said FUCK YOU CYAN! And found a picture on google search, but figured how to enter them correctly on my own.

I now am in the room where there are the stone animals, and I IMMEDIALY then knew those 4 damn round things are the clue for this, but I didn't pay attention to them (as I had not visited the school yet, I didn't know what the symbol meant). Since I know the number system, I'll just back-track and try to figure them out.

Over all, still enjoying it. It's a bit hair ripping as I noted above, but still fun, Well worth the 6$ on GOG.

 

[Sceptic]

For me, URU had a more archaeological feel than any of the other Mysts, which I appreciated. There really isn't much of a story past learning about the D'Ni culture and civilization. If you try the expansions, don't waste time with To D'Ni (the first one) past exploring Ae'gura, the giant D'Ni cave city beneath New Mexico that was meant to be the hub of Uru Online. It's pretty much just a giant fetch quest. Path of the Shell is worth your time, but be warned: it's puzzles are IMO the most evil in the series.

Thanks for the info. If GOG have Uru I'll get it next time I'm shopping for games, it seems pretty good. Does it fall between 3 and 4 story-wise? (yeah I know, asking about story in Myst...)

1. I spent HOURS fucking with that temple that you can rotate.

I was going to tell you that there are a LOT of things that you can only do later on. The star fissure being right next to your starting point should've been a clue

Over all, still enjoying it. It's a bit hair ripping as I noted above, but still fun

I consider the game inferior to Myst due to too much hair-ripping, though we may simply not be the target audience: it was clearly made for people who thought Myst was piss-easy. Exile is a little more fair, though I thought it didn't quite have the same atmosphere as Riven. But yeah, definitely worth the GOG price; I bought Riven (and Myst before it) for full price at the time and never regretted the decision.

 

[thursday]

Thanks for the info. If GOG have Uru I'll get it next time I'm shopping for games, it seems pretty good. Does it fall between 3 and 4 story-wise? (yeah I know, asking about story in Myst...)

Like the game itself, the story is a departure from the themes of the main series and is more ambient than in any of the Mysts (if such a thing is possible). Most of the "story" revolves around the rediscovery of the D'Ni civilization by a small group of people at the beginning of the 21st century and (another thread) the somewhat uninteresting Bahro. Atrus, Sirrus, and Achenar don't make appearances, but Yeesha plays a prominent role as a kind of narrator (only through recordings, journals, etc., though, as the game takes place long after any of the games in the main series, I think). I remember her being less annoyingly mystical/hippy in Uru than she was in 5, but that may just be because I was younger at the time and less annoyed by such things.

 

[Excommunicator]

Sacrifice (first time evar, started 2nd playthrough right after the 1st one).
So, yeah - I think it's fucking great.
Best RTS since Starcraft lol

Awesome Game. Played through at least 6 times, one for each god and once or twice for custom spellbooks *That* is the kind of replayability I want to see in games :D I would have loved to see Sacrifice spawn a whole new sub-genre with its hybrid gameplay, but instead we are stuck with regurgitated crap. The creativity and overall production values in the game are really something to aspire to I think. It's depressing to think it was so unpopular with the masses that we will probably never again see something like it

SM is probably shorter in number of missions than AoW2 but each mission is bigger and longer itself, so overall I found I spent more time playing SM than I did AoE2.

I found the AoW2 maps lasted soooo long. Longer than entire games like Modern Warfare 2 and Dawn of War Not that that is a bad thing though. Still have to try out the Shadow Magic addon, sounds like it's worth it from the comments here


And am playing Mount & Blade Mods (Sword of Damocles and Prophecy of Pendor mostly). They (and all of M&B) are pretty repetitive but it is good fun combat for short play sessions I find. Besides there are few games that offer the same kind of experience as M&B

 

[Gragt]

Did you finish the KOTN quests already? what did you think?

Nothing exceptional and the whole "ancient evil is coming back and you must quest for ancient relics to defeat it" is dessicated at this point, but it was fun. The hunt for the relics was nice, though the dungeon crawls in Oblivion are more tedious than enjoyable, mainly due to the terrible combat and samey dungeons. The assault on the bad guy's fortress was a bit of a change thanks to the presence of the other knights. I also remember the speech of one of the knights when you win the battle and cheesy doesn't start to describe it.

And good luck with the MQ, it's probably the shittiest part of the game. Especially if you're OCD like me and do ALL the city helping missions (though in my defense I didn't do ANY random gates).

MQ is indeed past redemption. It is so dull and cheesy it is unreasonable. I did the Bruma allies quests, mostly ignoring any enemies, jumping around obstacles and straight for the sigil stone — the roll movement you gain as an acrobatics perk did help.

Only SI left now.

 

[Murk]

I found the AoW2 maps lasted soooo long. Longer than entire games like Modern Warfare 2 and Dawn of War Not that that is a bad thing though. Still have to try out the Shadow Magic addon, sounds like it's worth it from the comments here

Oh my, yes, yes much better. It also returned one of my favourite features from AoW-1, unit descriptions in flavor text.

 

[Data4]

So I'm playing MOH at the moment, and I'm so goddamned pissed off right now. Parts of the game are cool, but I've gotten a newfound appreciation for the whole popamole thing.

Goddamned popamole piece of...

But what pisses me off the most? Being dragged by my dick through the missions. I'm really hating this squad shit. I need a good FPS where it's just me, my decisions, my strategy, and my pacing. I hate being told to shoot "over there, by that rock" when there's a god damn hillside full of rocks. I hate being told to "follow me, Deuce!" when it seems like the spacebar-to-climb mechanic works on only one specific part of the path.

But fuck me, I'm going to plod through this piece of shit til the end. Mafia 2, with all its problems, is a much better game. Don't know why I put that on hold for MOH, but I'll have a much better appreciation for it when I resume.