What video games have you been playing V: the return of the subtitle

[gay_Aleks]

To be fair, the way civilians are trained is a bit disturbing. As we watch the little bar fill up, are we seeing a family being created? Are we taking a father away from his life to chop wood as he's under enemy fire, or a mother to repair a fort while an aircraft's shooting over?

Short answer: probably no

Long answer: train more heavy cavalry brah

 

[Takhisis]

Heavy cavalry? Culverin Elephants FTW.

Hey, maybe I should install RoN on the XP rig or try it on WINE…

 

[gay_Aleks]

You know, maybe I should play with the Indians for a change. Sounds like a fun nation, especially with the +3 City Radius.

 

[Takhisis]

And they have War Elephants!

 

[Commodore]

You can't actually do that; you need Defcon 1 in order to launch nukes.

Hmm, I could have sworn I've launched on the first turn before. Of course it's been years since I fired the game up, so I could definitely be mistaken.

EDIT: I'm more of a Rise of Legends guy anyway. Why play with real-life nations and units when you can have a Da Vinci-themed steampunk army?

 

[gay_Aleks]

because in comparison to the original RoN it's a mockery of an RTS?

 

[Commodore]

because in comparison to the original RoN it's a mockery of an RTS?

See, now we can't be friends. Rise of Legends was awesome.

 

[gay_Aleks]

I'd concede it's good, but not awesome and definitely not better than the original game

 

[Commodore]

I'd concede it's good, but not awesome and definitely not better than the original game

Rise of Nations is definitely a more "complete" RTS experience, but I felt Rise of Legends played much smoother and had a much better campaign.

 

[Takhisis]

If you can't be friends with Tolni then I might have to write you off my Christmas present list.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Apparently Far Cry Primal uses the same map as FC4

 

[Ajidica]

Apparently Far Cry Primal uses the same map as FC4

If true, that brings Ubisoft's level of laziness to a whole new level. I'm fine with them reusing audio and basic art assets, but at least make a new map.

 

[Spidernova]

I've been trying to play dark souls, and I guess the game is as hard as everyone says. The first NPC I run into tells me I need to go up to retrieve half of a bell, and then when I go up the stairs I get killed in three hits by skeletons. If I go down the well, I get killed by unhittable ghosts.
I guess action games just aren't my thing.

 

[azzaman333]

If true, that brings Ubisoft's level of laziness to a whole new level. I'm fine with them reusing audio and basic art assets, but at least make a new map.

Given how long it took for people to realise it was the same map, I'm happy to say they put enough effort into it.

 

[Zack]

I've been trying to play dark souls, and I guess the game is as hard as everyone says. The first NPC I run into tells me I need to go up to retrieve half of a bell, and then when I go up the stairs I get killed in three hits by skeletons. If I go down the well, I get killed by unhittable ghosts.
I guess action games just aren't my thing.

You're probably going the wrong way, I remember doing that. I never got very far into Dark Souls, but not because it was too difficult. I'll list the reasons below, though in the past voicing my complaints hasn't stopped fanboys from telling me I'm objectively wrong and obviously only dislike the game because I'm terrible.

- You can't even pause the game? Really? Or quick-save?

- No map, directions, quests, objectives, nothing. What am I supposed to do and where am I supposed to go?

- Barely lost the boss battle? Have fun beating the same 100 predictable trash mobs you killed five minutes ago before you can try it again.

- I thought this was an RPG, but there's no story (not a bad story... no story)? Or role-playing?

- Is there at least a manual that explains some of these game mechanics?

I will never understood why the game and series has such a rabid fanbase. I don't get it. People rave about how the game "doesn't hold your hand", but Dark Souls takes that to such an extreme that it's a detriment. The combat mechanics are solid (with a controller). Don't particularly care for anything else in the game. It's also one of the worst PC ports ever, though it's not too horrendous with dsfix.

 

[Zkribbler]

I bought Political Machine 2016 today. I & Joe Biden teamed up to trounce Rubio/Kasich, 405 electoral votes to 1**. Okay, it was my first game so I was playing on easy.

All hail, President Zkribbler!

For my second game, I increased difficulty to about the 9th level, which is still beginner.

I created Fascist Benito Zkribbler and teamed up with The Donald to take on Clinton-Webb. We slipped behind at first but came back to win a 320-218 vote in the electoral college. My issues were of course, fighting ISIS, securing the boarder, the war on terror and a strong military. Although I myself want to repeal Obamacare I never saw it as a popular issue anywhere, and so I didn't campaign on it.

I got trounced in the popular vote, probably because I made no effort in California or NY. My main steak through the heart was flipping Illinois, and then gathering up Midwest. For reasons that elude me, Hillary was strong in Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Missouri, albeit I was able to coax all but Louisiana back to me.

All hail, President Zkribbler!

 

[Senethro]

I've been trying to play dark souls, and I guess the game is as hard as everyone says. The first NPC I run into tells me I need to go up to retrieve half of a bell, and then when I go up the stairs I get killed in three hits by skeletons. If I go down the well, I get killed by unhittable ghosts.
I guess action games just aren't my thing.

What class did you take? The Sorceror packs enough power to shoot down all the low level nasties until you find your feet, though you'll have to explore a whole bunch throughout the game to keep yourself in new spells and to find trainers.
The Warrior begins with a shield with 100% physical protection, so he is a good option for a nice simple "block and punish" playstyle.

The place you're in is Firelink Shrine and forms a sort of hub for much of the game. That NPC you met generally has good ideas and advice for your current situation, though he rambles a whole bunch. Father Bowlcut in the ruined church sells priest spells. There is a secret area in the ruins that holds a mace and a holy talisman (used for casting Priest spells) if you look hard enough.

There are actually three exits from Firelink Shrine. The ghost place is New Londo and is a high level, endgame area. But at the elevators exit there are a few things of interest including a blacksmith NPC and an estoc (sort of a rapier on steroids) stashed in one of the clay jars.

Behind the church ruins is a Graveyard and the entrance to the Catacombs, a mid-level area. The Graveyard is Not A Nice Place but does have some decent loot if you're fast with your hands and feet.

The aqueduct is what you want. Yes, the hollow soldiers on it kill you in three hits, but thats the norm until you find metal armor and invest in some health. They're good training dummies for learning the combat system. Block and punish works great. Baiting out a long move, then stepping around them and back stabbing is cheeky and effective. Practice dodging under their strikes if you want. When you're a cursed immortal you can afford to take your time and make all the mistakes you can think of.

 

[Senethro]

- You can't even pause the game? Really? Or quick-save?

The series has always been this weird dropin multiplayer hybrid. You can't pause but it is continually saving your position (small flame icon top right). You can exit any time and you'll resume at the last place prior to combat with stable ground.

- No map, directions, quests, objectives, nothing. What am I supposed to do and where am I supposed to go?

Spidernova worked this out. Talk to the NPCs

- Barely lost the boss battle? Have fun beating the same 100 predictable trash mobs you killed five minutes ago before you can try it again.

This is the Dark Souls experience. Try not to let it choke you when the boss's health dips below 10%. That would be unfortunate.

- I thought this was an RPG, but there's no story (not a bad story... no story)? Or role-playing?

In the early game the story IS being a cursed chump dropped into confusing circumstances. The games tend to be plot light/setting heavy with a great deal of history having already happened. You need to bother some NPCs and go digging to find out whats going on.

- Is there at least a manual that explains some of these game mechanics?

Not really, but this is the best wiki
http://darksouls.wikidot.com/

I will never understood why the game and series has such a rabid fanbase. I don't get it. People rave about how the game "doesn't hold your hand", but Dark Souls takes that to such an extreme that it's a detriment. The combat mechanics are solid (with a controller). Don't particularly care for anything else in the game. It's also one of the worst PC ports ever, though it's not too horrendous with dsfix.

Because at the time of its release it was the second genuinely new thing to have come along in years, the first being minecraft. Genre stagnation at the time was strangling everything.

Then along comes this strange thing where all the systems are mysterious, but gives us the tools to learn from each other. Whether its through aggressive PvP, Co-op, messages, or those ghosts cryptically acting out a players last moments there will be someone who has solved your problem or understood a system better than you. You need to look and learn.

 

[Lohrenswald]

It's not now?

 

[Senethro]

It's not now?

Not to the same degree. Kickstarter and early access releases have made more genres commercially viable, or at least got some few gems released among the dross.