Random Thoughts & Topics

[KingPK]

Their original deal ended on Dec. 31, this is an extension of that.

Last year's game was surprisingly good, but I didn't think they would keep it going since it's a money loser every year.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Stop bothering me, He-Man!

 

[AnonymousBroccoli]

I should really finish Spec Ops: The Line before I completely abandon it, forget what happened, and have to re-start it several months/years down the line, and then not finish it then either.

I'm just a little beyond the (one of the?) big "oh god why

" moment. It really was quick dickish of developer Yager to

Spoiler

make a section somewhat reminiscent of the fun Call of Duty 4 mission "Death from Above" (link), and then be all like "You fuckin' monster, you suck".

In the sections right after that, the lead character is giving commands and calling out shit during a gameplay battle... and Nolan North is pissed, boy.

 

[AnonymousBroccoli]

I ordered a copy of Windows 8 OEM recently, and it finally came in the mail today. That's a Dec 27 order, Jan 12 arrival. :\ In any case, this is my IM chat with a friend while dealing with the packaging:

(1:16:00 AM) Broccoli: That kinda sucks.
(1:16:13 AM) Broccoli: Last time I got an OEM copy of Windows, it came in a solid DVD case.
(1:17:01 AM) Broccoli: I got a plastic prison thing for Windows 8.
(1:17:20 AM) Broccoli: I was wondering why they sent it in a big box for two DVD cases.
(1:20:04 AM) Broccoli: Oh fer fuck's sakes.
(1:20:18 AM) Broccoli: They tease you with little easy tabs at the top, thinking it'll just open.
(1:20:28 AM) Broccoli: But then it's sealed in true plastic prison style.
(1:22:20 AM) Broccoli: And then I risk my body cutting a slit that doesn't even let me in.

(1:26:48 AM) Person: Lmao
(1:27:45 AM) Person: I think I know what you're talking about. The plastic case things come in that you usually have to cut with scissors awkwardly and then pray you don't slice your fingers off pulling it apart. Ill never understand that shit.
(1:30:12 AM) Broccoli: http://i.imgur.com/BqHnZ.jpg
(1:30:14 AM) Broccoli: Like that.
(1:32:37 AM) Person: Yeah fuck those
(1:32:48 AM) Broccoli: Just put it IN A BOX.
(1:33:03 AM) Person: Lol
(1:33:09 AM) Broccoli: Except in a case like this, you can kind of understand.
(1:33:17 AM) Person: Or the ones that actually have the edges that open
(1:33:18 AM) Broccoli: Having something that's pretty much tamper-proof.
(1:37:32 AM) Broccoli: OK, that's a little excessive.
(1:37:39 AM) Broccoli: It's sealed in the plastic prison.
(1:37:45 AM) Broccoli: It's sealed in an over envelope.
(1:37:56 AM) Broccoli: Then the disc is sealed in its own little envelope.
(1:38:09 AM) Broccoli: Where I have to stick something sharp inside to break the seal, right next to the disc. :|
(1:39:58 AM) Broccoli: I'm not sure if I can even read that licence key. o_o
(1:40:26 AM) Broccoli: I might have to take a macro photo of it, and blow it up on-screen.

The licences for the Win8 preview versions are supposed to expire on the 15th, so I kind of have to hop to it here—get shit backed up, and then install this. And maybe SSD firmware while I'm at it. Gwah. (Scratch that. The new one's still up-to-date. The ol' Patriot Pyro on the old machine needs updating, though.)

 

[NoCalMike]

Found this an interesting read

http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/31932/chasing-cicada-exploring-darkest-corridors-internet

 

[Damaramu]

Ok I beat Mass Effect 3.
Which game should I play next?
Choices are:

-finish Skyward Sword (for some reason it feels tedious, probably the motion controls)

-get all the DLC for Skyrim

-get all the DLC for New Vegas and restart

-Kingdoms of Alamur (i've heard good and bad and i've heard it's repetitive)

-Witcher 2

-DL the first Assassin's Creed and play the whole series (i've never played one)

-Buy a new game?

 

[KingPK]

Check out Far Cry 3. Plenty of stuff to do aside from the main story.

 

[Damaramu]

I've never played the others. Do I have to to get the story?

 

[Conspiracy_Victim]

Ok I beat Mass Effect 3.
Which game should I play next?
Choices are:

-finish Skyward Sword (for some reason it feels tedious, probably the motion controls)

-get all the DLC for Skyrim

-get all the DLC for New Vegas and restart

-Kingdoms of Alamur (i've heard good and bad and i've heard it's repetitive)

-Witcher 2

-DL the first Assassin's Creed and play the whole series (i've never played one)

-Buy a new game?

Find something to do for 3 weeks (Skyrim and the DLC should work). At that point Dead Space 3 is out. Get it. Shoot things. Enjoy.

 

[vivisectvi]

Borderlands 2

 

[Damaramu]

Borderlands 2

I have a very addictive personality, are you trying to kill me or end my social life?

 

[bps21]

I liked the new Hitman game.

 

[vivisectvi]

Heads up - Moved the Nintendo/Zelda talk to the Nintendo Chatter thread.

 

[Mazto]

If you already own Kingdom of Amalur go ahead and play it. If it starts to feel repetitive just go reset your skillset and play a different style. I dropped over fifty hours in it and never got bored with it.

 

[Damaramu]

Well I went a different route. I traded in a few games (including Skyward Sword, fuck you again Nintendo) and got like $105 for it so I bought all 5 Assassin's Creed games. I've never played any of them.

 

[oldskool]

Play the first one until you get sick of it and then jump to the next one. First one is an exercise in frustration, everything becomes a bigger and bigger chore the deeper into the game you get.

 

[DrVenkman PhD]

Well I went a different route. I traded in a few games (including Skyward Sword, fuck you again Nintendo) and got like $105 for it so I bought all 5 Assassin's Creed games. I've never played any of them.

It took me awhile but I finally understand the "Damaramu thing going on with X" meme.

 

[BUTT]

But Skyward Sword really is boring as fucking hell. I hate what Aonuma has done to the Zelda series, turning into a linear succession of puzzles and fetch quests.

 

[vivisectvi]

So apparently Atari filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy today

 

[KingPK]

Don't they do that every five years or so until someone buys the assets?

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

But Skyward Sword really is boring as fucking hell. I hate what Aonuma has done to the Zelda series, turning into a linear succession of puzzles and fetch quests.

Exactly this. God, I wanted to like this SO much! I'm about 4 hours into the game, and haven't touched it in over a year.

 

[Kageho]

Pretty much. KingPK. I think its Atari in name only. Again.

Also in shocking news. Project X Zone by Namco Bandai is getting a North American release.

Yes, I checked. Today is not April First. I also checked outside and the only thing flying is snow, not pigs.

Guess I need to buy a 3DS again. I need to support this. If I do, maybe we'll get Super Robot Wars! ...okay, that's true dreaming, but I can dream big can't I?

 

[vivisectvi]

No, apparently its everything, including the name. So rights to titles like Pong, Asteroids, etc are up for grabs.

 

[Kageho]

Wow... I don't know what to say.

Yes I do. Happy death Atari!

 

[AnonymousBroccoli]

I think I'm approaching the end of Spec Ops: The Line. A lot of people at reddit were fawning over it, especially when it was $5-ish at Amazon. I think Yahtzee gave it his game of the year.

There certainly have been some high points, but overall, it's not exactly blowing me away. Its gameplay hasn't been lauded as anything spectacular, and it's pretty much living up to that. It was praised for its story, which so far is good enough, I suppose. I haven't exactly followed the motives for everyone involved super well, and having taken a break for a few weeks and jumping back in didn't help much. Things have been getting a little weird, so we'll see how it ends up.

 

[Conspiracy_Victim]

I think I'm approaching the end of Spec Ops: The Line. A lot of people at reddit were fawning over it, especially when it was $5-ish at Amazon. I think Yahtzee gave it his game of the year.

There certainly have been some high points, but overall, it's not exactly blowing me away. Its gameplay hasn't been lauded as anything spectacular, and it's pretty much living up to that. It was praised for its story, which so far is good enough, I suppose. I haven't exactly followed the motives for everyone involved super well, and having taken a break for a few weeks and jumping back in didn't help much. Things have been getting a little weird, so we'll see how it ends up.

Everything I've read about the game has made it sound pretty pretentious and hypocritical. "Let's make a shooter that talks about how bad shooters are! Games are not meant to be escapist, you psychopath! Violence is bad! Don't enjoy our game! But don't forget to pay the $60 for it!"

 

[tekcop]

I care exactly not at all about the story in a military shooter. Mediocre gameplay means mediocre game.

 

[AnonymousBroccoli]

I think I'm approaching the end of Spec Ops: The Line. A lot of people at reddit were fawning over it, especially when it was $5-ish at Amazon. I think Yahtzee gave it his game of the year.

There certainly have been some high points, but overall, it's not exactly blowing me away. Its gameplay hasn't been lauded as anything spectacular, and it's pretty much living up to that. It was praised for its story, which so far is good enough, I suppose. I haven't exactly followed the motives for everyone involved super well, and having taken a break for a few weeks and jumping back in didn't help much. Things have been getting a little weird, so we'll see how it ends up.

Everything I've read about the game has made it sound pretty pretentious and hypocritical. "Let's make a shooter that talks about how bad shooters are! Games are not meant to be escapist, you psychopath! Violence is bad! Don't enjoy our game! But don't forget to pay the $60 for it!"

Last night, I had a load screen that went something along the lines of: "To kill for yourself is murder. To kill for your government is heroic. To kill for entertainment is harmless." I'm not sure what to think about that.

I don't really play shooters much, and they're generally not "realistic" military shooters if so; the only one coming to mind that I finished was Call of Duty 4. So I can't speak much to how most games of this type do their stories. I would say that I enjoyed CoD4 more on all fronts. Though that game's 5+ years old by now, so for all I know Spec Ops is the best thing in the genre to come out since then.

Also... "Mediocre gameplay means mediocre game." I think I would typically agree. Except The Walking Dead is my favourite game in a long time, and it wasn't a stellar example of anything except story-telling.

 

[vivisectvi]

Joystiq: The THQ auction has resulted in the company's assets being distributed among several publishers.
Developer Volition and the Saints Row franchise, along with the Metro license, have been purchased by Dead Island publisher Deep Silver.
Relic Games (Warhammer 40K, Company of Heroes) has gone to Sega.
The South Park game and THQ Montreal have been purchased by Ubisoft.
Take-Two Interactive has purchased Evolve.
Vigil and other unnamed THQ properties not included in the sale will "remain part of the chapter 11 case," and THQ will look for buyers. According to a letter sent to employees, "If you are an employee of an entity that is not included in the sale, we regret that your position will end."

Update: DDinvesting reports THQ auction results:
$500k Homefront (Crytek)
$26M for Relic (Sega)
$2.5M for THQ Montreal (Ubisoft)
$3.2M for South Park (Ubisoft)
$11M for Evolve (Take-Two)
$22.3M for Volition (Koch Media)
$5.8M for Metro (Koch Media)

 

[oldskool]

Second-biggest bid for Volition was just over $5mil by Ubisoft, so Koch really wanted it.