What Video Games Are You Currently Playing

  On 12/31/2019 at 7:13 PM, ManjuShri said:

Aye, however aside from graphic and modern standards of gameplay, the first rises above the second in terms of 'choices and consequence', one of the main defining features of what cRPGs are, (and is here the main disparity lies in terms of oldschool/PnP folk and newschool lies)

Yeah. I'm sure that is the case. That said, I just might be the type to enjoy these RPG-lite experiences too.

No slight meant, Witcher 3 & DLC was dank af.

Steam Awards 2019 are in. TBH I was disappointed that Void Bastards and No Man's Sky didn't get nominated for Outstanding Visual Style and Labor of Love respectively. But then again they tend to have a smaller niche in player base compared to the games that did receive nomination.

Steam Award GOTY 2019 goes to:
 

Just got the platinum for Control. Interesting game. A lot I still don't understand.

Going to start Death Stranding next.

Just grabbed red dead redemption 2, couple hours in. So far it's awesome, really beautiful graphics as well.

  On 1/2/2020 at 6:37 AM, StephenG said:

Just grabbed red dead redemption 2, couple hours in. So far it's awesome, really beautiful graphics as well.

its a huge, huge game..cranked the setting to max and it looks like a dream. Enjoy!!

the online is kinda fun too

I'm still debating whether to buy a new high-performance PC for gaming this year. I can afford one now, but the question is whether it's a wise decision given that my 2013 Lenovo laptop still does the job for most occasions. It has been showing its age in light of the latest AAA games though. But I prefer indies these days anyway.

Maybe I'll buy a Switch Lite. Cost-wise it's much lower risk by comparison.

  On 1/2/2020 at 6:31 PM, ambergonk said:

I'm still debating whether to buy a new high-performance PC for gaming this year. I can afford one now, but the question is whether it's a wise decision given that my 2013 Lenovo laptop still does the job for most occasions. It has been showing its age in light of the latest AAA games though. But I prefer indies these days anyway.

Maybe I'll buy a Switch Lite. Cost-wise it's much lower risk by comparison.

I bought a high-performance PC back in 2016. I definitely used it, but only played a handful of games that absolutely needed it. Maybe like 1 or 2 a year, all of them for their single player campaigns. Then 2 or 3 years later it's out of date and probably costs $200 to build what was a $1100 PC. I'm of the opinion now that if you know you will be playing lots of high end games as they come out that will pwn your pc even if the graphic settings are all on low, then it's worth it. Otherwise why not just wait a few years and get it on the cheap later on.

 I personally don't mind waiting a few years to play a game.  I feel like there are so many good games from the 90s/00s/early and mid 10s that I don't really need an expensive PC if I'm willing to just wait a while. Only game I'm interested in currently that probably needs a high end computer is Cyberpunk 2077. Probably won't play it for 2 or 3 years though.

Still playing Witcher 2. Got some mods working. https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher2/mods/871
 

The usual criticism I've read about this game starts to make sense. The combat is quite bad. almost impossible at points. You find yourself doing absolutely no damage at Bosses and yet you can't purchase better gear. I had to switch to Easy difficulty to make some progress, and also because I don't think the combat system is even the reason for playing this game. Also the missions are starting to feel like chores and sometimes I wonder where the fun is. 
That said, I still sort of like this game. It has the same Witcher vibe that the 3rd game has and the story is sort of interesting. The stupid combat system and sudden deaths just really grind my gears at times.

The mods do help a bit.

Grip: Combat Racing

  On 1/3/2020 at 9:55 AM, Brisbot said:

I bought a high-performance PC back in 2016. I definitely used it, but only played a handful of games that absolutely needed it. Maybe like 1 or 2 a year, all of them for their single player campaigns. Then 2 or 3 years later it's out of date and probably costs $200 to build what was a $1100 PC. I'm of the opinion now that if you know you will be playing lots of high end games as they come out that will pwn your pc even if the graphic settings are all on low, then it's worth it. Otherwise why not just wait a few years and get it on the cheap later on.

 I personally don't mind waiting a few years to play a game.  I feel like there are so many good games from the 90s/00s/early and mid 10s that I don't really need an expensive PC if I'm willing to just wait a while. Only game I'm interested in currently that probably needs a high end computer is Cyberpunk 2077. Probably won't play it for 2 or 3 years though.

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Yeah it's becoming more evident that older games are more popular anyway. The AAA titans seem increasingly on-board with pushing the live service bullshit, which Bethesda have effectively killed the Fallout franchise with. Even the next Bioshock game might be going that route from what I've heard. 
And I was curious about The Outer Worlds until just last night, after I caught wind of a video review on its mediocrity compared to Obsidian's previous titles, especially Fallout: New Vegas.

Regardless, video games will continue to be a mental diversion for me from the downward spiral that the world seems to be on course with. Plus it's f-ing freezing outside lately where I live.

The Call of Duty series has been a joke for a long time now, but I figured I would give Modern Warfare a shot. I played the shit out of that trilogy years ago. I could never get into the Black Ops series, save BO II, and feel like I wasted my money on BO4 (no grenades in a standard loadout? wtf?). I prefer a 'back to basics' style FPS so hopefully they deliver on this one.

  On 1/3/2020 at 7:09 PM, ambergonk said:

Yeah it's becoming more evident that older games are more popular anyway. The AAA titans seem increasingly on-board with pushing the live service bullshit, which Bethesda have effectively killed the Fallout franchise with. Even the next Bioshock game might be going that route from what I've heard. 
And I was curious about The Outer Worlds until just last night, after I caught wind of a video review on its mediocrity compared to Obsidian's previous titles, especially Fallout: New Vegas.

Regardless, video games will continue to be a mental diversion for me from the downward spiral that the world seems to be on course with. Plus it's f-ing freezing outside lately where I live.

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I've been seeing people talk about another video games crash of some kind due to all the BS associated with various games from the past few years. IDK if it will happen, but people certainly think it will. Hopefully something happens to where the industry becomes interesting again. These days it feels like I only ever see some BS associated with MTX or lootboxes or too many DLCS for too much, etc.

  On 1/3/2020 at 8:14 PM, Brisbot said:

I've been seeing people talk about another video games crash of some kind due to all the BS associated with various games from the past few years. IDK if it will happen, but people certainly think it will. Hopefully something happens to where the industry becomes interesting again. These days it feels like I only ever see some BS associated with MTX or lootboxes or too many DLCS for too much, etc.

Nah - you have far too many people playing shit like Candy Crush mindlessly that it's become part of the culture now.

  On 1/3/2020 at 8:14 PM, Brisbot said:

I've been seeing people talk about another video games crash of some kind due to all the BS associated with various games from the past few years. IDK if it will happen, but people certainly think it will. Hopefully something happens to where the industry becomes interesting again. These days it feels like I only ever see some BS associated with MTX or lootboxes or too many DLCS for too much, etc.

With mobile games especially microtransactions are pretty much a given. I'm guilty of falling into the trap myself, but have become more cautious lately.

There is still hope for the game industry though. Way I see it, where much of the AAA falters, indie developers are proliferating at an unprecedented rate and filling the vacuum, as they are the ones actually spearheading innovation. Same with mod teams on existing well-known titles like classic Doom, Fallout 4, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R..

  On 1/3/2020 at 9:57 PM, Joyrex said:

Nah - you have far too many people playing shit like Candy Crush mindlessly that it's become part of the culture now.

When I say video game crash I was actually thinking not a monetary crash but a quality/innovation crash leading to disinterest. Should have elaborated. I doubt a monetary crash will happen, I think more people are playing video games now than ever if the definition of a video game is inclusive of those dumb phone games and not just AAA titles.

For the past like 7 years I've been looking forward to maybe one AAA title every year or two.

  On 1/3/2020 at 9:59 PM, ambergonk said:

With mobile games especially microtransactions are pretty much a given. I'm guilty of falling into the trap myself, but have become more cautious lately.

There is still hope for the game industry though. Way I see it, where much of the AAA falters, indie developers are proliferating at an unprecedented rate and filling the vacuum, as they are the ones actually spearheading innovation. Same with mod teams on existing well-known titles like classic Doom, Fallout 4, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R..

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Oh yeah, I definitely play more indie stuff and classic stuff than AAA titles these days, by a long shot. That's part of the reason I don't see to get a high end computer anymore. I actually just got done playing a total conversion mod called "The Nameless Mod" for the original Deus Ex and also have been playing the Project Brutality mod for the original Doom. If you like those titles I can't recommend them enough.

In terms of innovation I feel like VR is where it's at now with games like Boneworks. VR finally doesn't need a high end computer to work - works on my mid-tier laptop well and I can play basically every game I've bought for it.

  On 1/4/2020 at 1:29 AM, Brisbot said:

When I say video game crash I was actually thinking not a monetary crash but a quality/innovation crash leading to disinterest. Should have elaborated. I doubt a monetary crash will happen, I think more people are playing video games now than ever if the definition of a video game is inclusive of those dumb phone games and not just AAA titles.

For the past like 7 years I've been looking forward to maybe one AAA title every year or two.

 

Oh yeah, I definitely play more indie stuff and classic stuff than AAA titles these days, by a long shot. That's part of the reason I don't see to get a high end computer anymore. I actually just got done playing a total conversion mod called "The Nameless Mod" for the original Deus Ex and also have been playing the Project Brutality mod for the original Doom. If you like those titles I can't recommend them enough.

In terms of innovation I feel like VR is where it's at now with games like Boneworks. VR finally doesn't need a high end computer to work - works on my mid-tier laptop well and I can play basically every game I've bought for it.

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I remember playing the DX: Nihilum mod for the original Deus Ex back in 2013. Project Brutality is nuts. I like Slayer's Rampage too.

Isn't Boneworks a Source engine game? Maybe all I'm missing is a VR set in order to play.

Boneworks = Unity engine

  On 1/4/2020 at 4:10 AM, ambergonk said:

I remember playing the DX: Nihilum mod for the original Deus Ex back in 2013. Project Brutality is nuts. I like Slayer's Rampage too.

Isn't Boneworks a Source engine game? Maybe all I'm missing is a VR set in order to play.

I've played that one too a while back, and I'd say The Nameless Mod is even better. Honestly it is like getting an official expansion for Deus Ex 1, and even surpasses it at a few points. TNM has two campaigns that branch out at about the 1 hour mark. Each of them are about 15 hours long, so it's made for two playthrus minimum. Basically you pick between two factions, one being good and the other evil. 

Kinda like being able to pick between staying with UNATCO or leaving them in the original, instead of being forced to leave them.

And yeah Boneworks is Unity (like everything else it seems, lol). After Half Life: Alyx comes out I think is when it'll become worth it to buy VR as you no longer need $1500-$2000 to get a decent setup going, and there are a few AAA games out for VR, including dozens of excellent smaller/indie ones.

Man, Unity seems versatile af. That's what games like The Long Dark, Escape From Tarkov, and Void Bastards were developed on. I considered learning it myself at some point, but idk how steep of a learning curve it would be for beginners.

Couldn't resist, had to reinstall Witcher 3.

New Game + and a couple of mods to make the inventory a bit more easier to handle.

edit: nvm, misread a post. also just apparently needed to be at the top of the page again.

about 25 hrs into death stranding. still playing pub/tekken

cod mw is okay but the only mode worth playing is gunfight which is really fun

The campaign for COD:MW is pretty short. I finished it in 2 nights and I was playing on the hardest level setting.

There are some genuinely good moments coupled with some genuinely annoying segments. Multiplayer is alright, but I'm annoyed by the horrid UI and season pass bullshit pop ups that are constantly in the way. I think I may be too old and don't have the drive to give a shit about being good at this one.