Video Games...Discuss Them

[Dukefrukem]

Wow duke, I'm kinda shocked. As someone who came to FF late, I would say X is a great jumping off point. Easy to get on board with. Because of X, it was easy for me to fall in love with 9, 8, and 7. 7 is amazeballs, but its really old school at this point. It was better for someone like me who didn't know the series, to get an understanding of the dynamics via X and then work backwards.

I hated Blitzball so much. So so so so much.

But I admit, I'm not the one to ask where to start in the franchise if you're coming in cold. It's been a long gradual evolution for me. And quite frankly, I haven't been all that impressed with the most recent releases.

[Ezee E]

What's the one with the jawa looking guy?

I remember going into a library and fighting against a big book. I had played for hours that day, and this was a small little task, so didn't seem like a big deal. Fucking book wiped me out. I think I was in the third disc. Never finished...

[Morris Schæffer]

Final Fantasy VIII is my attempt at enjoying these games. I must have gotten halfway through when I gave up. I must say, I found it quite spectacular, but it is possible the unskippable special move sequences began to take its toll.
Furthermore, the more dynamic RPG battles of Mass Effect and The Division are far more my thing.

[Skitch]

I hated Blitzball so much. So so so so much.

But I admit, I'm not the one to ask where to start in the franchise if you're coming in cold. It's been a long gradual evolution for me. And quite frankly, I haven't been all that impressed with the most recent releases.

Yeah, blitzball wasn't good but they all have some stupid games in them.

I haven't been able to wrap my brain around the new fighting methods since X. As a late comer to RPGs in general, I NEED that time of turn-based to figure out what the hell to do. I played a few hours of XII and got frustrated. XIII has been on my shelf for years and I haven't popped it in.

[Dukefrukem]

What's the one with the jawa looking guy?

I remember going into a library and fighting against a big book. I had played for hours that day, and this was a small little task, so didn't seem like a big deal. Fucking book wiped me out. I think I was in the third disc. Never finished...

hahahah that's FF9

[Dukefrukem]

Yeah, blitzball wasn't good but they all have some stupid games in them.

I haven't been able to wrap my brain around the new fighting methods since X. As a late comer to RPGs in general, I NEED that time of turn-based to figure out what the hell to do. I played a few hours of XII and got frustrated. XIII has been on my shelf for years and I haven't popped it in.

I'm in this boat too. There was something special about turn based fighting. Hearing Lightning clop around in an open world is exhausting, annoying and unfun when you can see the enemies you are about to fight....

[D_Davis]

FF9 is so good. I'd way rather have a remake of that than of 7.

I remember buying the original on the NES the day it came out here. My buddy and I spent he better part of a year playing it. Still remember that giant fold out map with all the enemies printed on the other side.

[Dukefrukem]

OMG the fold out map!

[Ezee E]

I think I played through a few discs of VII and VIII too, but can't really remember a thing about it.

[megladon8]

I always thought XII looked beautiful.

And I own XV but played about an hour before the Bloodborne DLC finished downloading and I dropped it like...something...that gets dropped?

I think part of my resistance to the series (aside from quitting VII due to frustration as mentioned earlier) is that I've always been under the impression they were all connected and told some grand, weaving, convoluted story that I could never penetrate.

I didn't know until very recently that it's actually the opposite - while there are a few recording characters and themes (and winks for long time fans) the games are almost all stand alone.

[D_Davis]

FFXII is pretty cool. Neat world.

Tactics is probably the one I would recommend the most today. That game is fantastic.

[Watashi]

IX > X > VII > VI > IV > VIII >>>>>> XIII

Haven't played XII or XV though I've been mildly curious about them.

[Watashi]

I would love to see a proper sequel to Tactics.

[megladon8]

Finished Darksiders and jumped right into Darksiders 2.

Forgot how ouch of a tonal shift the second one is.

The first is eoic, cartoonish action. Number 2 is almost somber in tone. I love it.

[Idioteque Stalker]

With WB doing some shit DLC and microtransactions, plus many reviews pointing out that it doesn't really do anything new, it feels to me like maybe Shadow of War isn't going to be the big hit the first one was. Not affecting me, for the record. I'm so pumped to play this evening.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Shadow of War is awesome so far. I'm getting to know my nemeses really well since I'm playing on hard mode. It pretty much forces you to exploit their weaknesses and mind their strengths, even if you're otherwise good at the game.

Just now entered the second region--an epic level orc named Bagga the Survivor (named because he survived me before but now has metal strips keeping his brains in his head) has actually followed me from one distinct map to another. "You'd think I'd let you get away so easily," he said. "Think again!"

A major difference so far from the first game is that "good guys" have ranks too. This one human sergeant I saved showed up during an otherwise hopeless last stand and in turn saved my sorry ass. Didn't feel like deus ex machina at all--it was just an awesome development that had me cheering.

[Dukefrukem]

[bac0n]

Some of the reviews have really piqued my interest in Shadow of War. Then I started to wondering: will I be able to understand what's going on without having first played Shadow of Mordor?

Then I started wondering: why the hell don't I just play Shadow of Mordor? The GotY edition is on Amazon for 25 bucks.

Then I started to wondering: where are my pants?

[Dukefrukem]

Fuck Meg.

EA is shutting down its Visceral Games....

[Skitch]

What the hell did Meg do?

Buy a comma!

[Dukefrukem]

I'll take commas for $500.

[Morris Schæffer]

Fuck Meg.

EA is shutting down its Visceral Games....

Does that necessarily imply that franchise is dead?

[Dukefrukem]

Does that necessarily imply that franchise is dead?

Yes. Unless someone buys the rights from them. This is the worst news I've heard in gaming in a long time on multiple reasons. Put it this way:

In EA's statement, they are literally saying they are halting production on all single player immersive games and focusing on "games as a service". This means every game they decide to develop will be based around the Destiny platform. Expect tons of DLC, loot creates and micro-transactions.

Put it this way, the lead on the Uncharted series left Naughty Dog to develop the single player action Star Waars game for EA. This news cancels the game. That's how little faith they are putting in their ROI after 3 years of development! EA is saying games like Uncharted will still exist in first party areas like Sony, but Sony will chalk those games up as loss as they all focus on this games a service model. The development times are too expensive and market analysis believe that $60 games (which has only risen $10 in 20 years) isn't enough to sustain the development costs and they don't believe the market would accept games that cost more than $60 a pop. So that leaves 2 options: Cut development costs. Or find another revenue model.

The sad truth is there will be three times of AAA games moving forward: Destiny, GTA and Battlefield.

It's time for indie developers to step up... big time.

[D_Davis]

Activision was just granted a patent that helps facilitate the sell of microtransactions in games through the practice of matchmaking people in multi-player games who have more stuff, better character skills, with players who have less stuff to entice those who have less stuff to buy the things they see the other players with.

To read the patent, go to:

https://www.pat2pdf.org

Abstract
A system and method is provided that drives microtransactions in multiplayer video games. The system may include a microtransaction arrange matches to influence game-related purchases. For instance, the system may match a more expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player. A junior player may wish to emulate the marquee player by obtaining weapons or other items used by the marquee player.

Search for Patent No. 9789406

This, coupled with EA's push away from single player, towards all games being services, and Shadow of War's loot boxes and upselling in game menus is quickly killing any love for the hobby I had left.

[megladon8]

So video games are dead.

Glad I got onto the tabletop gaming wagon in time.