What games are you playing?

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeh shadow of mordor is a good but a bit repetitive Mad Max was basically Shadow of Mordor with cars.

Yeah, I gave up on mad max just after I unlocked the final zone.
I was just like "Right....so I have to do all the same **** i've just done, again...? Nah"

It's like WB (they made them, right?) really want to make games with a massive map but can't think of enough story/side quests to fill them so just copy and paste everything a handful of times and call it a day.
It's weird, though, cause Farcry has a similar thing of "do the same **** to every base to make it yours" but I found those far less grindy.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Far cry has more of a narrative really.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Valve do **** all these days. Im long, long past viewing them as a developer. A Gabe AMA is basically a shareholder call to the customers which is unusual but getting your hopes up would be ridiculous. Thats fine by me; Steam is great but nothing relevant to new games is happening.

Incoming HL3 announcement: well that's outcome bias.

Never happen though

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't really see them as a developer anymore, either, but if they were to make HL3 I think they'd be more than capable of doing it.

I don't understand how people can say they are "over" what is probably the most universally acclaimed series in gaming?!

Do you not remember how mind-blowing HL2 was upon release?

Can you name a single bad game that Valve have released?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I don't really see them as a developer anymore, either, but if they were to make HL3 I think they'd be more than capable of doing it.

I don't understand how people can say they are "over" what is probably the most universally acclaimed series in gaming?!

Do you not remember how mind-blowing HL2 was upon release?

Can you name a single bad game that Valve have released?

No, but I can scarcely remember the last time they released a bloody game. Seems like wasted talent and given the level of sheer dross that's put on the market these days I view that as inexcusable

 

[ratsapprentice]

So you think it's a waste that they haven't released a game, so you don't want them to do HL3?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Guess we're missing each other's point. HL3 is vapourware as far as I can see - would be overjoyed if they made it, however.

The fact that they never make anything short of exceptional games yet choose to focus on the commerciality of Steam to the exclusion of all creativity (and whilst all other devs - barring perhaps Blizzard - with significant financial clout rely almost wholly on annual iterative ***les and other such tried and tested formulas for sales alone) is what frustrates me.

I can't accept that they are so beholden to shareholders that they cannot make a game every couple of years. Steam must make a fortune.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Oh yeah, I agree.

I'm not one of the people who constantly tracks them to see if they're making HL3, as soon as anyone has anything close to a confirmation that they're doing it, it'll be the biggest story in the industry.

I share your frustrations. The reason for their lack of output normally gets put down to their unorthodox internal structure.
There's certainly no lack of resources.

 

[Car]

I finally got the Mini NES on Friday (late Christmas present as it was sold out) and felt good enough to give it a go today (stupid cold), but I'm not sure what to make of the games. Obviously, Super Mario Bros. is as good as it used to be, but I don't really get the hang of games I never played back then. Well, I didn't even ask for the Mini NES, so I can't complain.

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.pcgamer.com/gabe-newell-valve-is-using-source-2-for-unannounced-products/

Confirms that they are currently working on at least one "fully fledged" single player game, and doesn't rule out returning to the HL universe.

As long as they are actually channeling their resources into games development, then I'm happy. I think they've done about as much as they can to earn people's trust in that department.

On a different note - why can't developers get their saving systems worked out?
The best situation is allowing proper quick-saves at any point in the game. If for some reason you don't want to do that, then you must implement a working autosave/checkpoint system.
Aside from difficulty bottlenecks (boss-battles), one of the most common causes of me abandoning a game is an improperly implemented checkpoint system that forces me into an extremely tedious gameplay loop.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Agreed but he was a bit vague about it (as always) and it sounds like a VR-only ***le.

Dark Souls, that's why.

....the exception rather than the rule.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'm not convinced they'll make a VR-only ***le, I think they'll sooner make a Linux only ***le than VR.

That loop is fundamental to DS, and as you say... it's exceptional in that regard.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

God Dark Souls is so annoying.

Great games but pushes your patience to the limit.

Bloodbourne best of the bunch as an actually game IMO.

 

[ratsapprentice]

The difficulty is fundamental to the atmosphere of the game though, if you could blast through the enemies there wouldn't be the same adrenaline rush when you confront enemies.

It's supposed to be maddening.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

The difficulty is fundamental to the atmosphere of the game though, if you could blast through the enemies there wouldn't be the same adrenaline rush when you confront enemies.

It's supposed to be maddening.

Ohh I'm not complaining I love DS.

Trying to keep calm as a boss is at low health making sure not to rush it.

 

[j'nuh]

Been addicted to Stardew Valley.

http://www.pcgamer.com/gabe-newell-valve-is-using-source-2-for-unannounced-products/

Confirms that they are currently working on at least one "fully fledged" single player game, and doesn't rule out returning to the HL universe.

As long as they are actually channeling their resources into games development, then I'm happy. I think they've done about as much as they can to earn people's trust in that department.

On a different note - why can't developers get their saving systems worked out?
The best situation is allowing proper quick-saves at any point in the game. If for some reason you don't want to do that, then you must implement a working autosave/checkpoint system.
Aside from difficulty bottlenecks (boss-battles), one of the most common causes of me abandoning a game is an improperly implemented checkpoint system that forces me into an extremely tedious gameplay loop.

The problem with HL3 is the idea of legacy that comes with it. HL/HL2 were iconic games that pushed the boundaries of gaming technology in their time. e.g. HL2 manipulated physics in a way that no other game did in its day. If Valve want to retain that legacy for pushing boundaries, it needs to innovate with HL3, but I'm not sure what scope there is to do that right now. It could be released as the first truly great VR game, but I'm not sure how close we are to that happening.

That's not to say HL/HL2 do not hold up as games; aside from being innovative, they have good game mechanics and good storytelling. The issue is that if HL3 is to live up to its predecessors without trying to innovate, it would need to have exceptional storytelling and mechanics. They would need to make something to rival The Last Of Us.

The difficulty is fundamental to the atmosphere of the game though, if you could blast through the enemies there wouldn't be the same adrenaline rush when you confront enemies.

It's supposed to be maddening.

I can forgive its difficulty, what put me off was the learning curve. I think it should have given some taste of success to get you to the point of knowing the mechanics well, then released you in the deep end.

A truly great learning curve is often hard to find though. On the flipside, almost as bad is when games become too easy when you are used to the mechanics. I had 20 enjoyable hours of Shadow of Mordor until all the challenge in the game was sucked out of it. I only played a couple of hours after that.

 

[ratsapprentice]

No chance of releasing a properly engaging FPS in VR until we start getting close to Matrix type technology, IMO.
For one thing, it's just too fast for people to physically keep up with. First person experiences are going to be severely constrained for a long time; the FP games released will reflect that.

Not sure about the need for "storytelling". It needs rock solid mechanics/controls and a good atmosphere/aesthetic - the story plays second fiddle to that, IMO.
I have no doubts Valve can put out an FPS with near perfect mechanics - it's always been the strongpoint of their games.

That's why HL/2 are so replayable - because they do all the fundamentals of FPS near to perfectly. Physics manipulation is not exciting, in and of itself in 2017 - the novelty isn't there anymore; yet HL2 is still phenomenal.

It's also why people still play CS in all it's guises... because the mechanics and aesthetics are excellent. Unsurpassed, in many people's minds.


I think the brutal learning cliff in DS is absolutely necessary. It's what makes it feel like you're playing the videogame equivalent of the videotape from Ringu.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sleeping Dogs is only £3.99 on the PS4 store at the moment, highly highly recommend it.
Its a pretty decent sale they're running, I just picked it up myself, and Dragonball Xenoverse (for, I think, £13, compared to the £25 it is used in Game). Missed out on it when it originally came out so looking forward to playing it.


Currently playing through Mafia 3 and really loving it. Killer sound track as well.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Playing a game called Quern - Undying Thoughts.

Really cool so far, it's a Myst-like (I guess that's a thing now? Mystvania?)

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Sleeping Dogs is only £3.99 on the PS4 store at the moment, highly highly recommend it.
Its a pretty decent sale they're running, I just picked it up myself, and Dragonball Xenoverse (for, I think, £13, compared to the £25 it is used in Game). Missed out on it when it originally came out so looking forward to playing it.


Currently playing through Mafia 3 and really loving it. Killer sound track as well.

I'm nearly finished and I must say sleeping dogs had been so much fun. Like GTA but with loads of little features that make it unique and really enjoyable.

I'm stuck with what to play when I finish that though. There's not too many 360 games out there now I haven't played.