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  1. #1

    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    Saboteur is in the running for some early game of the year awards.

    Most embarrassing stereotypes. Doesn't matter what nationality the character is supposed to be it's all bad. If the Irish main character were any more stereotyped he'd be dressed in green and advertising Lucky Charms on St. Patrick's Day.

    Most cringe-worthy accents. I thought the Italian guy was French, the French sound like refugees from 'Allo Allo', the Irish is 100% cheap Guinness advert, and the British one sounds like heaven knows what. Oh, and the Germans. Just ... the Germans. Ugh!

    The achievement confetti award for handing out over 1/5 of its awards in under 2 hours of opening tutorial gameplay.

    The face/palm award for daftest story set up. The opening shows a random French chappy walking up to the player character, whom he has never met before, and asking him if he wants to blow up Nazis. In the middle of a busy club. Which is full of gestapo and German officers.

    The 'second place' award for releasing after a title which does similar things but better. Climbing, free missions, and massive living cities with historical flavour were done better by Assassin's Creed II.

    The "Whoops!" award for clumsy controls. I didn't actually want to dive off that 7 storey building. Or punch that soldier. Or run over those civilians. Or lob that grenade at my feet. But I did want to throw that guard off the tower (and didn't manage to) and stealth kill that other guard (and didn't manage to)

    Best use of colour. Occupied zones are black and white with rare splashes of colour for things like swastika banners. Areas where liberty is starting to return are in full colour.


    Heh. Most players say that the first couple of hours are by far the worst. I can say that the game's improving now that it's opening up and the barrage of dire cutscenes is easing up.

    I also played the Bayonetta demo today. That wins the 'staring in stunned incomprehension at the screen' award hands down, and takes silver and bronze too! Insanity is entirely inadequate to describe it; it reaches new heights of Japanese crazy-game and then builds a skyscraper on them, stands at the very top, and stretches onto tip-toes.
    Frogbeastegg's Guide to Total War: Shogun II. Please note that the guide is not up-to-date for the latest patch.


  2. #2
    Camel Lord Senior Member Capture The Flag Champion Martok's Avatar
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    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    Note to self: Avoid Saboteur.


    Quote Originally Posted by frogbeastegg View Post
    I also played the Bayonetta demo today. That wins the 'staring in stunned incomprehension at the screen' award hands down, and takes silver and bronze too! Insanity is entirely inadequate to describe it; it reaches new heights of Japanese crazy-game and then builds a skyscraper on them, stands at the very top, and stretches onto tip-toes.


    If it wasn't so (relatively) lengthy, I would incorporate that entire quote into my sig. Truly, a brilliantly hilarious metaphor.



    As for myself, I'm still playing Armada 2526 when I can.

    It's been a decent 4x space strategy game so far, if a bit "cold". The overall mechanics and (especially) AI are solid, but the various alien races are a little thin on flavor and personality. Gameplay-wise, the combat remains the main weak point for me -- numbers seem to be more important than tactics, and the battle timer is just way too short (and cannot be modded to be longer, to my dismay). Colony and fleet management is fairly easy & straightforward, however, and the UI is intuitive enough that one can pick up how to do things relatively quickly.

    One of the biggest (and most pleasant) surprises is that engaging in diplomacy is usually a worthwhile endeavor; similarly, the strategic AI is easily among the best I've ever seen in a strategy game. It's not the "best" as in "able to conquer the world" per se, but as in "human-like". The computer-controlled races aren't overly myopic (for instance, they're generally smart enough to know that just because you have a lightly-defended colony close to their borders, it doesn't mean it's a good idea to attack it), plus they seem to have a pretty good sense of their strategic situation (e.g., if they're clearly losing a war, they won't stubbornly fight on for no good reason -- they *will* sue for peace....and they'll be quick about it, too).


    So thus far, my experience continues to be generally positive. Another patch is due to be released soon, probably/hopefully in the next week or two, and is supposed to fix/improve a number of things, including the automation of moving population between colonies (the micromanaging of which, currently, can admittedly be something of a chore). I don't know that Armada would make my all-time favorites list -- at least not yet -- but I definitely don't regret spending my money on it.
    "MTW is not a game, it's a way of life." -- drone

  3. #3
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
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    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    I was playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. but I got to Pripyat and well, quit. It's too irritating and frustrating to be any fun.

    Gripes:

    • Armour gets destroyed so easily and it just becomes useless. Expensive to replace or repair (with repair mod)
    • Can't carry much stuff, unless you mod the game.
    • Weapons get destroyed too quickly, annoying in regards to stuff like the Vintar or unique items, if they are damaged GAH! Repair mods fix this somewhat.
    • Getting stupid quests upon entering an area, no I do not want to clear out the bandit camp, I'm just travelling from Agroprom to the Bar. I don't care for your Garbage quest!
    • Red Forest. Getting there is tedious and by the time I'm there my armour is damaged, so I'm susceptible to radiation, of which there is ridiculous amounts and I lose health and theres no quick command for anti-rads so I have to scroll through my inventory to reduce rads, then I get attacked and I'm in my inventory screen and I can't fight back so my armour gets destroyed and the cycle continues.
    • Pripyat is so badly designed it's irratating. Snipers everywhere. Monolith guys everywhere. Trying to explore is no fun.


    Otherwise it's an awesome and thrilling game. Mods for reducing/removing damage for armour/weapons would be good, I'll have a search for them and then if I find one I'll go back to it.
    Last edited by naut; 01-11-2010 at 09:40.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

  4. #4
    Poll Smoker Senior Member CountArach's Avatar
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    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    Playing HistWar: Les Grognards Demo II (Only available to those who pre-ordered...)... a vast improvement on the bug-ridden first demo and this looks like it could be an awesome game.
    Rest in Peace TosaInu, the Org will be your legacy
    Quote Originally Posted by Leon Blum - For All Mankind
    Nothing established by violence and maintained by force, nothing that degrades humanity and is based on contempt for human personality, can endure.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
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    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    Quote Originally Posted by Psychonaut View Post
    Mods for reducing/removing damage for armour/weapons would be good, I'll have a search for them and then if I find one I'll go back to it.
    After finding mods to reduce armour damage and add back the missing weapon add-ons I have finally finished the game.

    The final level is awesome. Such a well designed level, almost perfect, could have been a little longer, but regardless awesome fun. Good plot, good balance, good atmosphere. It's a real pity that the developers didn't have more time to do what they wanted - add more creatures, expand the zone (3-4 more areas that were started but not finished), add vehicles, etc. I've seen 3 of the 7 endings now, I might try see the other 4.

    Top game. I hear the third of the series is also good. Any truth to that?
    Last edited by naut; 01-12-2010 at 07:58.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

  6. #6

    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    I have started my long-planned replay of Baldur's Gate. I'm playing the game with the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion, the last patch, and no mods or tweaks. The game's displaying black boxes around certain sprites and animated elements so I've quit in search of a fix for that; otherwise I intend to keep the game pure.

    I'm playing a pure mage, and the game's a lot easier than I remember. Sure the puny level 1 characters die if someone sneezes at them, but with a bit of planing it's usually possible to rope in friendly help for the tougher fights. I let the Friendly Arms Inn guards take most of the damage from the infamous Stairs Assassin while my party stood back and plinked away with ranged weapons.

    Bayonetta and Baldur's Gate ... talk about an odd pair.
    Frogbeastegg's Guide to Total War: Shogun II. Please note that the guide is not up-to-date for the latest patch.


  7. #7
    Senior Member Senior Member naut's Avatar
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    Default Re: The "What are you playing?" topic.

    Quote Originally Posted by frogbeastegg View Post
    Bayonetta and Baldur's Gate ... talk about an odd pair.


    Bayonetta is strange, (although I admit I've only played it in passing at a friends). BG a traditional RPG. Indeed an odd pairing.
    Last edited by naut; 01-23-2010 at 16:05.
    #Hillary4prism

    BD:TW

    Some piously affirm: "The truth is such and such. I know! I see!"
    And hold that everything depends upon having the “right” religion.
    But when one really knows, one has no need of religion. - Mahavyuha Sutra

    Freedom necessarily involves risk. - Alan Watts

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