clyde

Maybe we should use this thread to post games-writing that we found worthwhile. I'm sure such a thread exists here, but... idk seems like a good solution.

It's a bit slower. It feels to me like a lot of the users moved to the Slack channel and Slack fulfills most of what folks wanted from the forum. It is different though.

I've fallen out of using gaming news sites. I feel like I get enough general information about what is available from checking Twitter, ResetEra, and listening to the Beastcast. If I get curious about something in particular I'll search it out and that is usually the only time I'll read something on Polygon or Kotaku or Rock Paper Shotgun or PC Gamer or whatever. If I just want to browse through games-writing I'll check what's up on Critical Distance. https://www.critical-distance.com/

Anyone playing/played Vampyr? I was interested in playing it when I heard some folks taking about how you essentially choose which friendly NPCs to suck dry, but it wasn't until it came out on GamePass that I gave it a try. I'm currently level 13 or so and I've come across 3 of the NPC hubs. Right now I'm headed to a church to confess my sins as far as the main story mission goes. Vampyr is the Bioware game I've wanted for a long time. The sense of consequence is really setting it off for me. At first I didn't understand the pacing of the game or the main systems of providing medical treatment, sucking NPCs dry to level up, and moving the story forward. The freedom that is allowed to the player was pretty confusing for me. I'm playing on hard (which seems like a must) and I am still not sure if I am supposed to have wandered into some of the areas I have wandered into by underleveling myself and just letting monsters fight vigilantes. But now that I have embraced a few NPCs and the story is moving again after I got bugged out of a main quest for a long time, I'm getting it and this game is a gem. As far as the combat goes, I like playing under leveled in this and at first the combat seemed too simplistic and awkward. It is still awkward, but I actually really enjoy using a stake and a hatchet. In facte I just looked at the aggressive abilities that I haven't unlocked (I use the mist one) and I was like "I don't want to fuck with my flow." I imagine that if I was to play with a two handed weapon or a pistol it would be much different. The targeting system is still frustrating for me, but I've enjoyed my crowd-control methods and farming blood from one enemy so I can use it on another around the corner. I also run around the mobs when I can (which I think adds to the atmosphere). The only big problem I have (with the exception of targeting being clumsy for me) is that on the Xbox the loading times after death are excruciating. But I just check Discord on my phone. Spoilers regarding finishing the blackmail in WhiteChapel mission: additional spoilers if you want details about how I finished that mission:

Vampyr is available on the Xbox One gamepass as well. That is how I've been playing it. I started playing Outer WildsWilds though. One I figure out how to make everything alright in the solar-system, I'll go back to Vampyr.

Anyone seen Butterfly's Tongue? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly's_Tongue Why does Moncho yell "Proboscis!" at the end of the movie? Also here is a content warning for anyone interested in watching the movie.

I now have a reliable workflow for creating really nice 3D photos for viewing on the GearVR that only cost $3 if you have a GearVR and a computer. I can make a guide if anyone wants to be able to do this.

Think of the most graphically intensive game you want to play (based on what you listed, it may be Skyrim) and look up the Steam page for it. Look for the recommended specs of that game. As you shop for computers, keep those specs in mind. https://store.steampowered.com/app/489830/The_Elder_Scrolls_V_Skyrim_Special_Edition/

Nothing about the recent announcements seems like a reasonable upgrade to me, but there are people I know who have been on the fence for years and one hang-up seems to be removed per new device announced. I think they are just going to keep plucking away until on of these devices becomes the xmas-present of the year. I've been keeping my eye on 3D180 cameras. A few new ones came recently. I think I'll still wait another decade for some $300 8k 6dof camera, but I'm glad to see more cameras coming out for $450 right now (3d180 5.7k no 3dof).

It's common for me to drop off a game after trying it initially and then coming back to it much later and it being my jam. I think what I want from games fluctuates and that initial part where I try it out is used as a reference for when I want something like it. Kayne and Lynch 2 is a great example of this. At first I was like "no". Then later I played all the way through it and loved it because I wanted something like that. I think that's what happened, I might have a false memory. Then of course there are games I have yet to get into. I guess I should name one of those. ... I haven't gotten into Yakuza yet, but I tried it out for a bit. The entire thing seems arbitrary and daunting even though I'm curious about it due to so many recommendations and my interest in the setting.

Strategy game Tactics game Action game Idle game

I see. So going for a science-win in Civilization would be a strategy. I wonder what is smaller scale than tactic. Like if it goes strategy>tactic>[...]

Kinda enjoying thinking about whether or not a strategy game could exist without the ability of one player to coordinate multiple units. I don't think so. I think that the "strategy" that is being referenced is the unified efforts of multiple pieces by one player. But what if you developed some sort of decision-making system for multiple players who all control one piece? For instance if you had a game of Chess with 16 players per team and players could on one team could ping their next planned move; that would be somewhat similar to Apex Legends and possibly a strategy-game.

It is a bit of a missed opportunity that she doesn't have many obstacles. It would be nice if they did something like have all the established characters constantly explaining to her that she can NOT have jedi capabilities because she ain't got the midis; to the point where she is trying to convince herself that they must be right because they know more about it (while levitating shit or whatever). And then Kylo is like "You have the most amazing abilities." But he is just trying to get her to do labor for his problematic agendas. That would be cool imo.

I just figured Luke needed way more training than Rey did. Always looking toward the future he is.

I can see why you would see him as an inconsistent character. TLJ didn't really do a good job expressing why Kylo hates Luke that much. I do get why he

So much was set up in Last Jedi for some awesome Reylo payoffs that could reflect the philosophy of how the Lightside and Darkside relate. Reylo is going to make or break the next movie for me. What I really want is for both-sides-are-to-blame to be addressed and explained away in a convincing manner.

The mandatory story stuff is awful imo.

I'm taking the opportunity to jump into the hype-cycle for Far Cry 5. I've been watching the promotional material and I've decided I'll buy it at release to enjoy the conversation about it. I skipped 4 and Primal and never finished 3, but enjoyed my time on the first island. From what I gather the tone of 5 is going to be rather awkward, but to be honest I'm looking forward to that. There seems to be a lot of designs of the characters, settings, and writing that are are sloppily derived from the more extreme media-versions of U.S. politics circa 1990-today. I'm looking forward to the satire that hits home and criticism of the inevitable poor taste. I expect it to be a lot like GTA5 in this way, but I suspect it will have a slightly different sensibility and I'm looking forward to reacting to that. Mechanically, I'm looking forward to enemy AI's that revive each other and friendly NPC's that lool like they will have agency that is broken in funny ways. I saw that there is an automated driving feature that I'll try for novelty too. The setting looks like it will be pleasant to spend time in, especially with all the simulated wildlife. I am concerned about how I'll handle scenes of torture though. I'm also hoping to try out the co-op mode at some point but I am horrible at scheduling out time for it so I doubt I'll play much of the game that way. I know I'm just listing features of an unreleased game, but I'm excited and having a good time!

I've been playing some of In Death during the free weekend on the Oculus store. If you enjoyed the Budget Cuts demo, then this is worth checking out if for nothing more than the ability to compare and contrast the two. There is more to In Death than is immediately available. I haven't played enough to see if there is a lot of depth to the enemy-types that arrive later or tge fiction of the world, but I did see something introduced after a few deaths that I found intriguing and I'm looking forward to seeing it again in order to try something on it. A quick summury of the game: Procedurally generated modular castle where you navigate through with teleportation projectiles while shooting enemies with arrows. It's roguelite with item stores and a meta-progression system based on achievements. Ultimately it is a shooting-gallery with some stealth. The opportunities for stealth approaches are very lacking though. Still fun and kinda interesting. I think the demo ends tonight at some point.

I find value in the fact that I care so little about the story a third of the way through the game that I read the spoilers without a concern.

Pinball Arcade won't have Bally or Williams tables available for sale after June 30th. https://steamcommunity.com/app/238260/discussions/0/1694920442963087824/?ctp=2#c1694920442963876349

The automaton-grandmother of computer games deserves a thread of it's own, does it not? The gas-station arcade for which I am ever grateful (an obvious labor of love by the owner because I can't imagine it making much money) just got a pinball machine swap. They replaced the Stern Playboy machine with a Williams Junk Yard. The new machine doesn't play strip-poker or sound like it's getting ready to orgasm, but it's alright. By "alright" I mean "A fantastic improvement". I had never heard of or played Junk Yard, but it was fantastic. In my opinion, it requires higher than normal skill, but without easy drains. I play a lot of Zen Pinball 2 on the PS3, Pinball FX2 and Pinball Arcade on the Xbox 360, and Nena pinball-games on my iphone. Frequent play on digital platforms has given me enough familiarity with the terminology and the genre-rules to typically know what I am doing, even on a machine I've never played. It has also allowed me to develop a mental focus during multiballs, and not flinch when doing a dead-flipper pass. But wrapping my palms around those steel corners and shifting my bodyweight in order to successfully nudge a ball headed down the center-drain over to the opposite flipper is SO GREAT! Man I love playing real machines. So it was really cool to play a new one today. I won two free games on my second game and got second place on the leaderboards because I am a wizard. It was really fun. I haven't played many machines that have such a long, open playfield. Every called shot felt like a victory. Looking forward to playing more of it. It was a good day.

It's ultimately a small point about the game, but this article finally nailed something down for me that has always been kinda insulting about the game: https://pixelpoppers.com/2018/04/i-wrote-this-so-youd-know-im-smart-games-criticism-and-the-beginners-guide/

I can see why the reviews are like this. The game is very simple and really fun. At its best moments I feel like a taiko drummer. It's neat to remember that simple can be enough.