What video games have you been playing? ΚΔ (24)? More like ΚΔ,Ζ,ΤΞΕ!

[Arakhor]

I tried the Purity perk (massive damage all-round) and decided that that was a bad idea. I should probably give Warrior a go too, now that you mention it.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Started playing Prison Architect. Right now I'm in the tutorial mode. Also just hit winter in my main Stardew Valley save. I'm going to try moving my shed and coop into the central island on my Riverside farm to see if it helps with my recurring issue of cows eating grass faster than I can plant it. Even growing wheat constantly through summer and fall I keep having to go to Marnie's.

 

[PhroX]

I've been making paperclips in the new Stellaris expansion. It's an interesting challenge to never miss a quota..

 

[Kyriakos]

More They are Billions.

It's just such a cozy game. Acid rain outside, zombies droning into machine guns, life goes on.

 

[Bonyduck Campersang]

'Playing' FIFA 14 career mode. That's to say, I just sign and sell players and simulate the matches. FIFA 14 gameplay on PC certainly hasn't aged well, and I don't have the time to play every game in a season.

Managing Real Madrid as Alfredo Torretta (fictional entity (Torretta, not Real)). Cristiano Ronaldo drops a bombshell in the first month; says he's unhappy and wants to leave. Torretta thinks no big deal, he'll get better when we start winning games. No major transfers, Real Madrid are set with a star-studded squad, with Benzema, Modric, di Maria, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira and of course CR7. First few games are disappointing as Real record losses, but pick up in November and are flying high by the transfer window (though 2nd in the league). First day of new year, another bombshell: Ronaldo has been sold by the club. Distraught, Torretta manages to snag a replacement in Osvaldo, but he's only here until we get CR7 back. Rest of the season goes on, Real reach the cup final and the UCL final, and challenging for the league championship. Atletico are top, Barca second, Real third and any of them can win it. Drama as the penultimate game is Real vs Barca. A tense match goes Barca's way. One game later we learn that Barca's win over Real had given them the 3 points they need to pip them to the title by 1 point. Even worse, if Real had won the game they would have been the champions. Torretta and his men put away their heartbreak as they prepare for the cup final. It is against Barca. A tight game, but Barca wins 1-0. No matter, at least we have the UCL. Torretta looks up the opponents: it's Barca again! A third clasico in 30 days! Another tight affair but Barca end up winning 1-0. So that's it. Barcelona win a historic treble, with all three titles being clinched against their eternal rivals. Hardly the most auspicious debut season for Torretta.

Surprisingly, the Real board decide to stick with him. Next season and Torretta (to the presumed disappointment of the players) is still around. With renewed confidence from the board's backing, Torretta asserts himself. Isco and Modric are promoted to the starting lineup replacing Xabi Alonso and Khedira as the formation is changed to a more offensive one. Torretta contacts Chelsea to sign back CR7, they agree, but Ronaldo hangs up the phone, citing 'history between [him] and the club' (what history? ). So Torretta signs Bale from Spurs. Real's youth scouting program has been successful so far with a bunch of up-and-coming talents loaned off elsewhere. A few auxiliary signings, Khedira is sold and Torretta's team is good to go. Disaster strikes early as di Maria is injured again. (He was injured twice in the previous season). Bale's time to shine as he comes clutch on a number of important occasions. Benzema though is disappointing as he barely nicks any goals. Ozil and Modric, though, have a great season, with Ozil playing in almost every position ahead of the halfway line to cover up for an epidemic of injuries that plague the team the entire season. Real are knocked out of the cup and the UCL, with only the league to play for as they try to play catch-up with Barca. Late in the season di Maria returns from injury, makes a cameo, then goes out injured again. Torretta's fury is beyond boiling point. The season ends, Barca don't get their treble, but they win the league, and Real are trophyless again.

Torretta thinks 'this is the end' and goes fishing in the off-season. So he is deeply surprised when he receives an email from the directors telling him they've decided to stick with him again (couldn't find someone else, huh?). So Torretta cuts his fishing trip and dashes back to Madrid to prepare for the 15/16 season. Even cockier than before, Torretta asserts himself even more. Still fuming at di Maria he sells him off before he can get injured again. Eden Hazard is signed and announced with a glitzy reveal. In a bold move Nuri Shahin is also sold (to Man City) as Real have an embarrasment of riches in midfield, with Isco, Ozil and Modric in the starting 11, a gracefully aging Xabi Alonso and a young and energetic Carlos Henrique Casemiro (yes, the game calls him by his first name) in the subs. Third time lcuky for Torretta as Real win the league at last, on the way recording their greatest-so-far victory of the Torretta era (6-0 against Deportivo) but also their greatest loss (though not really embarrassing) (1-3 against Barca). Real are knocked out of the UCL and the cup again, but the team and the board are stoked about their first trophy in a long (by Real's standards) time. Torretta gets to stay.

Real's preparations are underway for the 16-17 season. Torretta contacts Ronaldo again, but is once more rebuffed. No big deal. Enjoy your misery at Chelsea, Ronny boy. In defence Pepe and Nacho are sold off, and a surprising name is signed to replace Carvajal - the Northern Irish full back Joe Dudgeon, with a 85 rating edging him over Carvajal's 83. Otherwise Real retain their squad, with more youth signings padding the spaces (after three seasons Torretta knows just how commonplace and devastating injuries are at Real). Jese Rodriguez and Morata are two of Real's own who will be expected to compete with each other to prove a worthy successor to Benzema. The season kicks off, with various ups and downs, and terrible injuries. On the bright side everyone gets to play as each and every player in Real's extensive squad chips in to cover up for injuries, down to the teenaged Sultan Al Dosari and Lucian Iorga. Jese and Morata, in particular, shine out by putting in some heroic performances when Benzema gets hauled off. Real are knocked out of the cup and the UCL again, but manage to lift the league title for the second consecutive time.

At this point I left off playing anymore. All this happened months ago in the real world. But a few days ago I came back to the save.

Due to a stupid clerical error Jese is sold off to PSG. However Torretta decides that Real don't need to change anything this time around. Casillas and Carvajal are aging, but we reckon that they can go on for this season at least, they'll be replaced next year. So the season kicks off. Real are humiliated in the Super Cup against Barcelona, and lose their first two league games. However we rally in a UCL match against some minor team, then start climbing up from 11th in the league until we reach the 5th. Next two games are against Atletico and Barca - 2nd and 1st respectively in the league. Wins against them will bring us all the way up to the top. Real crush Atletico 3-0, but lose against Barca again. Real win 4-0 against Liverpool, and win big in the cup, but their decline in the league has begun. After a series of senseless 1-1 draws against teams which we absolutely should have crushed Real are now in 6th, 5 points off a place in Europe. Meanwhile Ramos got injured after the first two games of the campaign, then returned to play in a 3-0 victory against Barca in the cup, got immediately injured, then returned a while ago only to get injured for a further 4 months. Benzema is injured, with Morata playing in his stead while Samu Castillejo (an unsung hero of the previous two campaigns) is playing in Hazard's place. At the back Carvajal and Varane have been getting carded almost every single game, so Maicon and the young English talent Martin Brisley have been filling in. Dudgeon now has a 87 rating, and has played everywhere in the back this season from LB to CB to RB, and looks to be shaping to be the greatest talent from Northern
Ireland since George Best. Our hopes for a third consecutive La Liga seem to be dashed in the water, and it looks like just qualifying for the UCL would be achievement enough for Real this season. It's not over yet, though as half the season remains to be played.

Spoiler meet the squad :

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January transfer window comes and goes, but Real make no changes to their squad. Fabio Coentrao, Morata and Martin Brisley were expected to be loaned off to get some playing time, but it's clear that for this campaign Real will need everyone at their disposal. Sure enough there is a crisis at the back, with even youth academy graduate Markus Kunst being promoted to the staring XI. Real are cruising in their group in the UCL, as progressing nicely through the Copa del Rey. In the league however, Real are struggling, winning some games and perplexingly drawing a lot others. I've never seen so many 1-1 draws in my life. But midway Real gather steam. A dominant victory sees them reach the Cup final for only the second time in Toretta's reign (remember we lost it to Barcelona in the first season). This time Real's opponent is Villarreal, who should be easy to beat. Meanwhile in the UCL, two late goals by Bale help Real see off Man Utd in a dramatic Ro16 second leg match. Next opponent is AC Milan. First leg is 0-0, second leg AC Milan score twice, and hold on to knock Real out of the UCL once more. Torretta is furious. He rages at his team in press conferences, tearing into them for their lack of motivation and commitment. Tough love seems to work as Real start stringing victories together in the league. Now having displaced Valencia at 4th, with a 3rd position within reaching distance, Torretta relaxes his tone and returns to usual mild-mannered encouraging self. Real play Valenica, and fall to a shock defeat. Torretta perseveres, but next two games see Real end up 1-1 each. Torretta tries his bullying tactics again, but the spell is broken. Real record even more 1-1 draws, with a shock 2-2 draw just to break the monotony. Meanwhile Valencia are struggling to get victories too, but are just doing barely enough to keep above Real. However a series of losses (including one to Barcelona) mean Real can take the advantage. Real play Barca, and considering the difference in points between them, play very well, but end up losing 2-1 by a killing blow late in the game. Next game is against some Spanish team - Torretta sees La Liga as just Real, Atletico, Barca, Valenica and some Spanish teams - and Real fall to a shocking 2-0 loss. Torretta receives a warning email. Valencia celebrate as they put some distance between themselves and Real. Crisis at the back as 2 defenders are injured and two (Carvajal and Dudgeon) can't seem to get enough of getting red-carded. Real try to go on, but a defeatist malaise has taken grip of the team. More 1-1 draws. Real then play Villarreal in the cup final, their one chance of silverware this season and their one chance of saving something from this nightmare. Real, hitherto so dominant in the cup, lose 2-0. Fans boo the bus as it returns from the stadium. Real go on pushing in La Liga, but in the end day their doom is confirmed. Agonisingly, despite Real's struggles, Valencia beat them to 4th by a mere 2 points! And Barcelona end the season 22 points above Real - a historic record, and an embarrassing one for Real. But that doesn't matter, what matters is that Real Madrid will be competing in the second-rate Europa League next season. The season ends. There is no great shock when Real reveal that Torretta has been sacked (my first time ever in a FIFA run!).

Desolate, yet all undaunted, and hoping for a chance to redeem himself, Torretta takes up the mantle elsewhere; AS Monaco, swimming in cash yet short on trophies, are looking for someone to lead them to knocking PSG off their perch. Will Torretta be the man?

 

[EgonSpengler]

January transfer window comes and goes, but Real make no changes to their squad. Fabio Coentrao, Morata and Martin Brisley were expected to be loaned off to get some playing time, but it's clear that for this campaign Real will need everyone at their disposal. Sure enough there is a crisis at the back, with even youth academy graduate Markus Kunst being promoted to the staring XI. Real are cruising in their group in the UCL, as progressing nicely through the Copa del Rey. In the league however, Real are struggling, winning some games and perplexingly drawing a lot others. I've never seen so many 1-1 draws in my life. But midway Real gather steam. A dominant victory sees them reach the Cup final for only the second time in Toretta's reign (remember we lost it to Barcelona in the first season). This time Real's opponent is Villarreal, who should be easy to beat. Meanwhile in the UCL, two late goals by Bale help Real see off Man Utd in a dramatic Ro16 second leg match. Next opponent is AC Milan. First leg is 0-0, second leg AC Milan score twice, and hold on to knock Real out of the UCL once more. Torretta is furious. He rages at his team in press conferences, tearing into them for their lack of motivation and commitment. Tough love seems to work as Real start stringing victories together in the league. Now having displaced Valencia at 4th, with a 3rd position within reaching distance, Torretta relaxes his tone and returns to usual mild-mannered encouraging self. Real play Valenica, and fall to a shock defeat. Torretta perseveres, but next two games see Real end up 1-1 each. Torretta tries his bullying tactics again, but the spell is broken. Real record even more 1-1 draws, with a shock 2-2 draw just to break the monotony. Meanwhile Valencia are struggling to get victories too, but are just doing barely enough to keep above Real. However a series of losses (including one to Barcelona) mean Real can take the advantage. Real play Barca, and considering the difference in points between them, play very well, but end up losing 2-1 by a killing blow late in the game. Next game is against some Spanish team - Torretta sees La Liga as just Real, Atletico, Barca, Valenica and some Spanish teams - and Real fall to a shocking 2-0 loss. Torretta receives a warning email. Valencia celebrate as they put some distance between themselves and Real. Crisis at the back as 2 defenders are injured and two (Carvajal and Dudgeon) can't seem to get enough of getting red-carded. Real try to go on, but a defeatist malaise has taken grip of the team. More 1-1 draws. Real then play Villarreal in the cup final, their one chance of silverware this season and their one chance of saving something from this nightmare. Real, hitherto so dominant in the cup, lose 2-0. Fans boo the bus as it returns from the stadium. Real go on pushing in La Liga, but in the end day their doom is confirmed. Agonisingly, despite Real's struggles, Valencia beat them to 4th by a mere 2 points! And Barcelona end the season 22 points above Real - a historic record, and an embarrassing one for Real. But that doesn't matter, what matters is that Real Madrid will be competing in the second-rate Europa League next season. The season ends. There is no great shock when Real reveal that Torretta has been sacked (my first time ever in a FIFA run!).

Desolate, yet all undaunted, and hoping for a chance to redeem himself, Torretta takes up the mantle elsewhere; AS Monaco, swimming in cash yet short on trophies, are looking for someone to lead them to knocking PSG off their perch. Will Torretta be the man?

I always appreciate games in which the player can actually lose. The Long Dark will be introducing an optional method for avoiding that game's 'perma-death' endings, and while it'll be optional, I can't help feeling a little disappointed. It almost doesn't matter how they implement it, the game will be losing one of its defining characteristics. The games where you 'die' and just respawn elsewhere with some of your gear missing are genuinely deflating, to me. The best games have some way of inflicting a real defeat on you without the game ending (e.g. without you 'dying' in-game, but having to start over in a way that feels both meaningful and not artificial).

 

[Sommerswerd]

I always appreciate games in which the player can actually lose. The Long Dark will be introducing an optional method for avoiding that game's 'perma-death' endings, and while it'll be optional, I can't help feeling a little disappointed. It almost doesn't matter how they implement it, the game will be losing one of its defining characteristics. The games where you 'die' and just respawn elsewhere with some of your gear missing are genuinely deflating, to me. The best games have some way of inflicting a real defeat on you without the game ending (e.g. without you 'dying' in-game, but having to start over in a way that feels both meaningful and not artificial).

That's one of the things that makes Frost Punk exciting... when you lose... you lose... no respawn and try again... you just get deposed and exiled to go wander the frozen wastes until your inevitable grisly death. You can still reload to a scumsave though .

The stakes in The Long Dark are higher, because there is no reload. if you eff-up you lost... game over, that's it. Try again next time.

The ironic thing is... that the early-game in TLD is the best part... so even though its a big blow to the ego/psyche when you lose... and pretty stressful/heart-racing when you are in those death-facing situations... starting over is nowhere near as much of a bummer as it might seem. I like starting over... especially since the loot spawns are random and the animal locations are also somewhat random... you get a different experience every time, despite the map being the same.

 

[Sommerswerd]

On a related note... Legendary difficulty in Total War: Three Kingdoms has been more fun, because it does not allow scumsaves. You only get one save, it happens automatically and overwrites all prior saves, so you are stuck with your progress and results, win or lose, when it comes to battles, characters, trades, items, agreements, wars etc.

Speaking of which, in my current campaign, I've finally managed to get the Lu Bu events to line up and he has been recruited into my faction and named as heir. Even though he isn't as high a level character as when you start in the 194AD campaign/scenario, he is still an absolute beast in battle. It's strange using him without his "Momentum" campaign ability (which re-sets his movement points after battles, essentially allowing him to string out unlimited attacks/battles per turn, as long as there are enemy armies in range to attack).

I'm finding in this difficulty level, I have to constantly disband armies to keep my cash flow positive and only raise the army again once its needed, rather than having multipole standing armies everywhere. The Mandate War is proving to be very difficult, with the Yellow Turbans on the verge of winning. i have no idea what happens if they achieve their victory condition (if the game ends or what), but it is taking all I can muster just to keep them at bay. The AI sucks at fighting them.

 

[reddishrecue]

I've been playing Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, NBA 2k24 and Age of Empires.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 I use either Zero, Taskmaster and Doctor Doom or Zero, Taskmaster and Captain America or Zero, Taskmaster and Wolverine.
NBA 2k24 I've been using the same build with my buddies and get wins. My build is a 3 and D.
Age of Empires I've been playing by myself, and I recently got a win. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose.

 

[Harv]

A few weeks ago, I was playing Axis and Allies Online by Beamdog, but have been taking a break. My results so far has been:
5 "pre-season" ranked Allied games, 3 wins, 2 losses apparently got me into the silver league.
2 or 5 "pre-season" ranked Axis games, 2 wins - need 3 more to get into a league.
2 unranked games with somebody from a facebook group
My shortest game was about 10 minutes, where my opponent apparently ragequit on the first Germany turn.

I took a break, because I was getting distracted. Currently I am playing oldschool original Hearts of Iron. I have a game being posted on another forum as the UK.

 

[Kyriakos]

Any games that are similar to They Are Billions?

 

[PPQ_Purple]

On a related note... Legendary difficulty in Total War: Three Kingdoms has been more fun, because it does not allow scumsaves. You only get one save, it happens automatically and overwrites all prior saves, so you are stuck with your progress and results, win or lose, when it comes to battles, characters, trades, items, agreements, wars etc.

Just having one save with no backups in a game with such a long play time per session as total war titles makes me quiver. What happens if your PC crashes or the save gets corrupted somehow?

 

[EgonSpengler]

The Long Dark: May Developer Diary

Here’s some news about what to expect in Part Five of TALES FROM THE FAR TERRITORY, which we are targeting for the second half of June

Obviously the new region and the third Tale are the highlights, but the mountain lion sounds like it's exactly what I've been looking for: Something to press you to leave a region you've been living in for some time.

The Cougar will work a bit differently than the other predators in the game. Cougars are very territorial, and will get interested in you when you start to spend a lot of time in one region. If you hang around in one region for too long, they will take an interest in the region and occupy it. You’ll then start to encroach on their territory, which is very dangerous! You’ll have plenty of warning before they move in, and plenty of warning once they have occupied a region. What you won’t get is plenty of warning before they attack you, once they are encroaching on your territory (or you on theirs)! So pay attention to the warning signs, move around the world and be prepared with a second Safehouse location in a different region, and you’ll be ok. Eventually, if you stay out of the occupied region for a while, the Cougar will lose interest and leave you alone. There will be a variety of feedback systems to keep you informed of Cougar activities, if you’re paying attention.

The Cougar’s attack is vicious (with its own new Affliction) and can end the game for you, but if you’re fast and lucky you’ll get a chance to counter-attack, and if you’re very lucky, you’ll kill it. Otherwise, it will escape to continue to hunt you down in a region it occupies. If you want to buy yourself more breathing room, you can seek out the Cougar’s den which exists somewhere in the world (a different place each game), and if you destroy the den with Noisemakers, Cougars will leave you alone for a long time. Eventually, though, they will return.

I'll probably take up my 250-day Stalker run when the new DLC is released. I'd still like to get the 500-day and Level-5 Skills achievements, so I kept that run tucked away, even though I haven't played it in months. I'll definitely be activating the mountain lion, but since I'll almost certainly head straight to the new region, I probably won't encounter it very soon. And I like that its den isn't necessarily in the same region as the lion itself. If you decide to go after it, that could be its own epic journey. I assume there'll be some way of tracking the lion back to its den across multiple regions. It would be less fun if you just had to scour every region.

Misery Mode and Cheating Death are less interesting to me, but I'm sure I'll give each of them a try, just to see what they're about. I'm dubious about the Cheat Death thing, because the perma-death aspect of this game is one of its defining traits, for me.

 

[EgonSpengler]

The Long Dark: Tales From the Far Territory

Stalker, Day 268. I decided to stick my head back into my old Stalker run, just to see where I was and what I was doing. I realized that I hadn't finished mapping out Coastal Highway, and I haven't yet set foot in Crumbling Highway or Desolation Point. My journal says I spent 2 days in Coastal Highway at some point. I must've gone there early in this run, when I was still racing around from place to place looking for essential gear. It's been over a year since I started this run, I can't remember where I started out. Anyway, that's a bunch of stuff I can do before the next DLC drops. Part of my plan for 500 days is to spend at least 30 days in each region, so if I put my feet up in Coastal Highway and Desolation Point for a couple of months, that'll take me well past 300 days. Desolation Point is one of the zones that benefits from the new(-ish) ability to cut fishing holes in the ice, without having to have a hut there. I don't think fishing traps develop your Fishing skill, though, so you'd want to find a spot on the ice where you can build a fire that's protected from the wind.

 

[Birdjaguar]

The Long Dark: Tales From the Far Territory

Stalker, Day 268. I decided to stick my head back into my old Stalker run, just to see where I was and what I was doing. I realized that I hadn't finished mapping out Coastal Highway, and I haven't yet set foot in Crumbling Highway or Desolation Point. My journal says I spent 2 days in Coastal Highway at some point. I must've gone there early in this run, when I was still racing around from place to place looking for essential gear. It's been over a year since I started this run, I can't remember where I started out. Anyway, that's a bunch of stuff I can do before the next DLC drops. Part of my plan for 500 days is to spend at least 30 days in each region, so if I put my feet up in Coastal Highway and Desolation Point for a couple of months, that'll take me well past 300 days. Desolation Point is one of the zones that benefits from the new(-ish) ability to cut fishing holes in the ice, without having to have a hut there. I don't think fishing traps develop your Fishing skill, though, so you'd want to find a spot on the ice where you can build a fire that's protected from the wind.

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you!
"The Cougar’s attack is vicious (with its own new Affliction) and can end the game for you, but if you’re fast and lucky you’ll get a chance to counter-attack, and if you’re very lucky, you’ll kill it. Otherwise, it will escape to continue to hunt you down in a region it occupies. If you want to buy yourself more breathing room, you can seek out the Cougar’s den which exists somewhere in the world (a different place each game), and if you destroy the den with Noisemakers, Cougars will leave you alone for a long time. Eventually, though, they will return."

 

[Sommerswerd]

The Long Dark: May Developer Diary


Obviously the new region and the third Tale are the highlights, but the mountain lion sounds like it's exactly what I've been looking for: Something to press you to leave a region you've been living in for some time.


I'll probably take up my 250-day Stalker run when the new DLC is released. I'd still like to get the 500-day and Level-5 Skills achievements, so I kept that run tucked away, even though I haven't played it in months. I'll definitely be activating the mountain lion, but since I'll almost certainly head straight to the new region, I probably won't encounter it very soon. And I like that its den isn't necessarily in the same region as the lion itself. If you decide to go after it, that could be its own epic journey. I assume there'll be some way of tracking the lion back to its den across multiple regions. It would be less fun if you just had to scour every region.

Misery Mode and Cheating Death are less interesting to me, but I'm sure I'll give each of them a try, just to see what they're about. I'm dubious about the Cheat Death thing, because the perma-death aspect of this game is one of its defining traits, for me.

The Cougar is exactly what I've been wanting in the game... I've been asking for a "Demon-Bear" in survival mode and this seems to be it.