What game are you wasting time on?

[NecroLord]

Just finished Q2: The Reckoning, and it was mostly a waste of time. It ends abruptly when it looks like it might finally get more interesting, and it's generally very short. Hopefully Ground Zero and Call of the Machine are better, they at least introduce some more new enemies instead of reskins with new weapons. The gekk were pretty boring, and overused. Even the new weapons of The Reckoning were underwhelming, and the ripper might've been better if it used its own ammo instead of cells. Too many other weapons already use those, and so does the energy shield which is stupidly overpowered in the 2023 remaster.

Power Shield always was OP.
Get ready, Ground Zero is harder than both the base game and The Reckoning.
Personally, I like it, though there are some who consider it a "filler" expansion, and there is some truth to that, but I still think it's an alright expansion.

 

[Semiurge]

Just finished Q2: The Reckoning, and it was mostly a waste of time. It ends abruptly when it looks like it might finally get more interesting, and it's generally very short. Hopefully Ground Zero and Call of the Machine are better, they at least introduce some more new enemies instead of reskins with new weapons. The gekk were pretty boring, and overused. Even the new weapons of The Reckoning were underwhelming, and the ripper might've been better if it used its own ammo instead of cells. Too many other weapons already use those, and so does the energy shield which is stupidly overpowered in the 2023 remaster.

Power Shield always was OP.
Get ready, Ground Zero is harder than both the base game and The Reckoning.
Personally, I like it, though there are some who consider it a "filler" expansion, and there is some truth to that, but I still think it's an alright expansion.

I played the first level of GZ a bit, on Nightmare as usual, and it seems pretty good even though I've never liked the mine-themed levels. I noticed that the sticky grenades make the same beep as in that Q1 expansion. A nice callback.

 

[NecroLord]

Just finished Q2: The Reckoning, and it was mostly a waste of time. It ends abruptly when it looks like it might finally get more interesting, and it's generally very short. Hopefully Ground Zero and Call of the Machine are better, they at least introduce some more new enemies instead of reskins with new weapons. The gekk were pretty boring, and overused. Even the new weapons of The Reckoning were underwhelming, and the ripper might've been better if it used its own ammo instead of cells. Too many other weapons already use those, and so does the energy shield which is stupidly overpowered in the 2023 remaster.

Power Shield always was OP.
Get ready, Ground Zero is harder than both the base game and The Reckoning.
Personally, I like it, though there are some who consider it a "filler" expansion, and there is some truth to that, but I still think it's an alright expansion.

I played the first level of GZ a bit, on Nightmare as usual, and it seems pretty good even though I've never liked the mine-themed levels. I noticed that the sticky grenades make the same beep as in that Q1 expansion. A nice callback.

There's also the Nailgun.

 

[NecroLord]

I'm juggling between Quake: Dissolution of Eternity and my one true love - DOOM!
Also going to do a Doom 2 run, then maybe some megawads.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Picked up Smythe and Sebastian. I dunno about either of them, really.
Smythe isn't really built for melee even though he's specced in melee because he only has 6 strength.
He also has an annoying habit of knocking himself out during combat through spell spam. I get that I should give him fatigue restorers and potions, but it's still annoying, especially, especially when the AI just spams attacks.

Seb is ok statwise, but his starting gear is odd. Despite being a gunslinger he starts with an electric axe and a shield and he doesn't even have enough strength to one hand the axe. Since the axe deals so much damage and since you can't control what your followers use in Arcanum (which is an annoying mechanic, I don't know why Troika thought that would be a good idea), you basically have to confiscate his equipment and give him only a gun so he actually uses it. I gave him Bronwyck's gun because I thought it would fit him. I don't know if I'll be able to give him tesla weapons though.

Also went on a crafting binge and got a bunch of manuals. Found a pyrotechnic axe schematic in one of the shops and gave that to Magnus. Also made some electro-plate only to find that no one can actually use it because the only human sized technologist is Seb and he doesn't really need it because I'm using him as a gunner. Turns out there are small basic plate variants. The more you know.
What's odd that is I can't sell it to anyone. You'd think the armourer in Tarant would want some power armour (seriously, it looks a little like Midwestern BOS armour to me). Is there a tech weapon merchant I have to use for that sort of gear or something? The gun merchant doesn't want silenced revolvers either.

 

[NecroLord]

Picked up Smythe and Sebastian. I dunno about either of them, really.
Smythe isn't really built for melee even though he's specced in melee because he only has 6 strength.
He also has an annoying habit of knocking himself out during combat through spell spam. I get that I should give him fatigue restorers and potions, but it's still annoying, especially, especially when the AI just spams attacks.

Seb is ok statwise, but his starting gear is odd. Despite being a gunslinger he starts with an electric axe and a shield and he doesn't even have enough strength to one hand the axe. Since the axe deals so much damage and since you can't control what your followers use in Arcanum (which is an annoying mechanic, I don't know why Troika thought that would be a good idea), you basically have to confiscate his equipment and give him only a gun so he actually uses it. I gave him Bronwyck's gun because I thought it would fit him. I don't know if I'll be able to give him tesla weapons though.

Also went on a crafting binge and got a bunch of manuals. Found a pyrotechnic axe schematic in one of the shops and gave that to Magnus. Also made some electro-plate only to find that no one can actually use it because the only human sized technologist is Seb and he doesn't really need it because I'm using him as a gunner. Turns out there are small basic plate variants. The more you know.
What's odd that is I can't sell it to anyone. You'd think the armourer in Tarant would want some power armour (seriously, it looks a little like Midwestern BOS armour to me). Is there a tech weapon merchant I have to use for that sort of gear or something? The gun merchant doesn't want silenced revolvers either.

You can sell it to the junk vendors in the game.
Those that only sell gear used in crafting.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Yeah I know about the junk vendors, it's just that I was hoping for more profit. I guess that's what max haggling is for.

 

[NecroLord]

Yeah I know about the junk vendors, it's just that I was hoping for more profit. I guess that's what max haggling is for.

I think Expert or Master Haggle allows you to sell all types of items to any merchants, regardless of their type of shop and merchandise.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Apparently max persuasion is funny too. Like, you can have 6 companions + dog and it waives the usual restrictions and at 20 charisma your party members will never leave you. I don't think I'll do that on this character though because even with just 5 followers and dog they just dunk on everyone.

I think I won't increase int anymore. It occurred to me that with int potions I can just reach the cap and quickly apply buffs that way. The potions don't seem to last that long but it should be enough for the few combat encounters that demand I use a lot of buffs.

 

[NecroLord]

Apparently max persuasion is funny too. Like, you can have 6 companions + dog and it waives the usual restrictions and at 20 charisma your party members will never leave you. I don't think I'll do that on this character though because even with just 5 followers and dog they just dunk on everyone.

I think I won't increase int anymore. It occurred to me that with int potions I can just reach the cap and quickly apply buffs that way. The potions don't seem to last that long but it should be enough for the few combat encounters that demand I use a lot of buffs.

Not only that, but at Master Persuasion, characters will join you regardless of alignment, so you can have evil characters like Torian Kel and Geoffry Tarrelond-Ashe in your party if you are a Good character.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Yep, it overrides the usual restrictions. Which is hilariously OP. And at 20 charisma you can commit warcrimes and good characters like Magnus can't do anything about it because they will only leave if you tell them to.

 

[Cael]

As a magic character, there is a ring and an amulet that gives lots of bonuses to Cha and Beauty. Probably the best use of the slots for magic characters (as you won't be using the Charged Rings).

 

[NecroLord]

Late Bloomer I like Skyrim, but you really have to approach it with an open mind.
Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind. Great soundtrack, atmosphere and setting, personally, I always have a hard on for nordic worlds, vikings, frost covered areas, glaciers, mountains, tundras, and so on, and Skyrim manages to scratch my itch in that regard.
Could've been a proper RPG, not merely action/adventure mixed with superficial RPG elements.
Thank Todd for that...
Todd always had a thing for streamlining ever since the success of Morrowind.

 

[jackofshadows]

Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

So something weird happened. I went to Caladon to get the book to go to where Tsen ang / Dark Elf lands are and Virgil just up and left the party when I approached the cemetery. I have no idea where he went. Is that normal? Isn't he supposed to leave after you do the Dark Elves, not before?

 

[Fargus]

Yuh, you'll join him soon enough.

 

[NecroLord]

Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind.

What, mate?

 

[Late Bloomer]

I like Skyrim, but you really have to approach it with an open mind.
Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind. Great soundtrack, atmosphere and setting, personally, I always have a hard on for nordic worlds, vikings, frost covered areas, glaciers, mountains, tundras, and so on, and Skyrim manages to scratch my itch in that regard.
Could've been a proper RPG, not merely action/adventure mixed with superficial RPG elements.
Thank Todd for that...
Todd always had a thing for streamlining ever since the success of Morrowind.

I got a kick out of your quote from the GG thread. The line is rather obscure, which is how I figured you spent some time enjoying Skyrim.

I am actually fond of the vanilla game but I have mostly played with it medium/heavy modded. I always mod to enhance immersion, not to change the core tenets of the game.

Anyhow, cheers to a fellow Skyrim enjoyer.



As for games I am wasting time on,

TCG Card Shop Simulator - It's strangely engaging. Most certainly need to have a bit of the tism to enjoy it though.
Everquest 2 - Been playing on the origin server with some longtime EQ friends. It's quite fun with the slow leveling and group oriented content.
Neverwinter Nights 2 - I play through the series every few years. Having a good time with it yet again.

 

[NecroLord]

Personally, I am opposed to heavy modding, though stuff that fixes bugs and does not dramatically alter the gameplay is always welcome.
I assume you are also using a mod that fixes that damn UI, right?

 

[Late Bloomer]

Personally, I am opposed to heavy modding, though stuff that fixes bugs and does not dramatically alter the gameplay is always welcome.
I assume you are also using a mod that fixes that damn UI, right?

Yeah, the vanilla UI is embarrassingly bad.

 

[jackofshadows]

Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind.

What, mate?

Eh, nothing, except I consider gameplay in those games to be pretty dogshit. Barely played Daggerfall though so maybe I'm wrong about that. Why do you consider Skyrim's gameplay is inferior, anyway?

 

[NecroLord]

Gameplay is severely downgraded from heavyweights like Daggerfall and Morrowind.

What, mate?

Eh, nothing, except I consider gameplay in those games to be pretty dogshit. Barely played Daggerfall though so maybe I'm wrong about that. Why do you consider Skyrim's gameplay is inferior, anyway?

Not too many roleplaying elements.
Attributes, skills, and so on.

 

[Semiurge]

Quake: Dissolution of Eternity

It has an atmosphere unlike any other Quake expansion, and not necessarily in the good sense. It feels like a weird crossover of Quake and Stargate.

 

[jackofshadows]

Not too many roleplaying elements.
Attributes, skills, and so on.

But that's not gameplay. That applies to roleplay system itself.

 

[Valestein]

Been playing one of the best boomer shooters i've played. I can't believe i was sleeping on this for so long.