Whatcha been playing lately?

[I'm Murrin]

I tried The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, which is basically a walking sim with some interesting puzzles, but I got to a bit that I didn't really like (it stepped a bit too far into horror) so I've put it aside.

I'm now on The Witness, which is very pretty and has puzzles that are keeping me engaged, but it's kind of dull, since there's almost no music, no story, no characters, no guidance, just a big open map and a lot of puzzles. If they'd even just put a bit of voice acting as you explore it'd be a huge improvement. And I get that they want you to figure everything out yourself, but I don't think it'd spoil the game to have some written instructions when it introduces a new concept, even if it was just vague hints. Literally the only words in the entire game, written or spoken, are some lengthy philosophical quotations that play when you find an audio tape in some hidden little corners (I've only found two so far, so they're not filling the silence).

I wish there was something to occupy the rest of my mind while I figured out the puzzles.

[Skyweir]

Totally agree with you Murrin! I love puzzles but add a little vitality, a little encouragement with a bit of music at least. But then that whole repetitive few bars thing doesn't do it for me either.

Real first world problems eh?

[I'm Murrin]

I've been playing Nier (the original PS3 game), and I really like it. It's clunky and has awful grindy quests and a lot of running through big empty zones to get to the actual content, but the story is really well done and it's interesting to see the seeds of the far superior Nier Automata sown here.

I'm currently on path B, which is a repeat of the second half of the game with additional scenes and dialogue added, and while those are good, it's nothing compared to what the changes in playable characters and complete new plot in the various parts of Automata were like. I've even heard it's not worth playing for ending C&D because it's just the exact same game as B, with extra scenes on the ending.

After I've finished this, I have Drakengard 3 lined up. It's a prequel to the Drakengard games, which I haven't played, but it's technically part of the same series as Nier, and was released in between the two Nier games. From what I understand it's the first one that really goes for the "each playthrough is drastically different" thing, with the story changing on each repeat. But I also hear it maybe tries a bit too hard to be edgy, and it looks very fanservice-y with the costumes (which all these games do to some extent). Guess I'll find out soon.

[Avatar]

Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Pretty impressed actually. Nearly didn't get it because it's 1st person only, but damn, have put an easy 30-40 hours in over the weekend and enjoying it.

I hear it ends a bit abruptly, but apparently there will be 2 more "chapters."

--A

[Avatar]

Pretty much all I did on holiday was play this. Finished a main story-line playthrough, but felt like the main story-line was rushing me a bit, also wanted to update it with the new patch, but didn't want to break my playthrough.

Finished the main story, then updated and started a new game, slower and more considered.

Easy 120+ hours so far.

--A

[I'm Murrin]

I've recently played Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, which was a really good "walking sim"-style game with great music and story, but a few performance issues. And I also played Braid, a great puzzle platformer that uses time manipulation in a bunch of different ways as its main mechanic.

[Avatar]

Back to Conan Exiles for now, since they've officially launched and are out of early access.

Great game, but not much story involved if you do single player. (Also needs a mod to be able to play offline, (even in single player) but that's not an issue.)

Waiting for some of the mods I like to be updated to launch version compatibility.

--A

[I'm Murrin]

Since I last posted I've given up on Drakengard 3 (it's frustrating to play, boring, and too difficult) and just watched all the cutscenes on youtube instead.
I've also played The Stanley Parable (enjoyed it, really fun little multiple-ending "walking sim" type game), Little Nightmares (decent puzzle platformer, great atmosphere and creature design), and Life is Strange: Before the Storm, which is almost as good as the original, although maybe felt a bit slow.

[Avatar]

Messing around in Just Cause 3, basically an excuse to just blow everything to hell.

Also started Elex, a new RPG by Piranha Bytes / THQ, very much in the mould of Gothic and Risen. Looks good, but as is typical with Piranha Bytes, gameplay can be a bit frustrating.

--A

[I'm Murrin]

I'm halfway through the original Uncharted on PS3. I really hate playing shooters with a controller (how the hell are you supposed to aim quickly and accurately with those sticks?), so it's not going all that great.

[Avatar]

Haha, not a big FPS fan in general, but agreed, never been able to play one on a console.

--A

[Lazy Luke]

I was enjoying a game called Fahrenheit. Which I'm guessing is easier using controller pads (for paddling), or twin sticks. But once the Simon controls popped up, I was bamboozled. I should probably need to reset the keyboard keys to suit the game for PC.

Also wanted to play Dead Space. And, Anno 1404. (Looking forward to playing Anno 2070). However, both games need to be registered online and I cant get my PC (winXp) to run an appropriate browser. Equally bamboozled.

Have also been trying to play, Fallout 3. But I've found the onscreen moviement hurts my eyes, causing headaches and sicklyness. I'm sure when I get acclimatized to the gaming and more of the storyline, it will become totally addictive.

[Skyweir]

Lazy this is where you need Av .. hes is our resident, well one of them, turns out there are heaps of them on this board IT specialist. '

Im sure hed be more than happy to come to your aid ..

[Avatar]

Haha, only one of those I've played myself is Fallout 3. (Although, Fallout New Vegas (the next one) is, in my opinion, a better game.)

As for the motion issue, don't know if anything can be done. (Are you playing in 1st Person or 3rd Person? If 1st, try 3rd.) If you can acclimatise, great. But some people never can. (Also means you probably won't be able to play VR games.)

What browser are you running? XP should be able to run Firefox...

--A

[Lazy Luke]

I tried Firefox v.3.13.4. Or something like that. Which was supposed to be the right browser for WinXp (sp3). It wouldn't run. Can't remember the command box script.
Anyway, I just need to cycle across town to some techies I know who can sort me out.

I think I'm just technically disorganized recently.
Was very excited about the design and construction of a guitar/usb/soundcard mini-amplifier. Mini, because the design uses miniature components stacked in a 3D construct, ie, mounting some component directly onto the jack sockets and potentiometers. However, my component box is a disaster area. No matter how organized I make it it just keeps getting mixed up. And no matter how carefully I build the mini circuit boards, they always seems to collapse into disaster at the finishing stage.
But I'll keep at it, and I'll figure it out eventually, one way or another!

Oops, off topic!

[Skyweir]

wow .. youre a lot savvier than me thats for sure. Good job .. yeah keep at it. I wouldnt have a clue how to build a circuit board

[Lazy Luke]

Lots and lots of trial and error. I think that's why I like city building games. They're a lot like component layout architecture.

[Skyweir]

Also knowhow LOL .. lots and lots of know how.

Not matter how many times I gave it a crack, not knowing what Im doing would be my downfall ..

Cool .. that sounds fun. So like WoW, Civilisation and Age of Empire, SIMS type games

[Lazy Luke]

Well to be honest, I have been distracted and lazy, I guess.
Each circuit - there are four amplifier stages plus a soundcard and output usb port - needs a technical write up. With one graph plotting the tone control response curve. <phew>

Of course one other way to build complicated 3D circuitry is to layout all the components into a set of complimentary patterns. To understand what I mean, in the movie Automata (Antonio Banderas), the robots set all the component parts on a table top into an intricate circular pattern, in readiness to piece together their brainchild. All very artistic, and all very logical.

Now, that's a game I can play!

[Avatar]

Haha, yeah, way beyond my level.

Also, not really a sound / music person.

--A