Kevin's Watch

The dragons all level up with you as you go, while a lot of other stuff tends to get its level fixed at a certain point - for dungeons often the level is chosen when you first get a quest, or first enter the place. As a result if you're travelling around picking up lots of stuff and levelling a lot you'll tend to find a lot of dungeons end up low level for you, while the dragons stay at similar difficulty.

I find that as I gain abilities, it offers me more ways to kill things, such that even though creatures level with me I'm still becoming more powerful than they are.

As an example, the shout that allows you to dash forward... when I got that, it completely changed combat for me. I'd been focusing on both two-handed weapons (with my favorite being the sword), and destruction magic for range. Now, however, I don't even need the destruction magic, as there are very few instances where I'm out of range.

Just finished KQIII - Redux yesterday, and busy playing Vega Strike again, open source "Elite-like" space sim that's curiously addictive...

--A

1) Diablo 3 - been dipping in and out, slowly progressing through normal. I really have no intention of levelling to 60 and running through Nightmare/Hell/Inferno, it's just too much of a grind, so I'm playing it once for the story.

2) Just downloaded Quantum Conundrum because it looks fun. Will report back.

3) Also looking at other games I have thought about but hadn't played when they were new, so far thinking of Mirror's Edge, Beyond Good & Evil, and kinda wishing Ico was on PC. I do have a PS2, but it just doesn't seem right buying a physical copy of a game these days.

I'm not as much playing as going through the character creation

A new game in the Mallory's (though Frostheart suggests moving it to the Gallery, since it has more to do with portrayals than games.), modelling the Chrons characters with game character creation, like in the TES games (Oblivion, Skyrim), Sims etc. kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22365

Here's how the First of the Search turned out

Quantum Conundrum: Fun, challenging, inventive puzzle game that owes one hell of a lot to Portal.

The creative lead left Valve during Portal development to go start her own thing. What she ended up making is this - a first-person puzzle platformer with a reality-warping device as its gimmick, with the only characters being the player and a disembodied voice providing humorous commentary (though it falls a bit flat, it's not the most sophisticated writing)...

The game's look, the language and style of humour makes it seem like it's a childrens' game, but the actual gameplay and puzzles are top notch.

I'm most of the way through the second section atm...

As of late, I've found myself playing the new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (I've played CS:S in the past, but not a lot) with a friend of mine, as well as a bit of Crusader Kings 2, which is a fantastic grand strategy game; I'd say it's better than the Total War series too, even if you can't go into the battles themselves.

On a side-note, are any of you KWers on Steam? if so, is there a Kevin's Watch group around, that I can join?

Madden - my Saints just won the Super Bowl. reloading in the offseason right now.

after proving both Jamarcus Russell and Vernon Gholston could be useful to a winning team.

Major Isoor wrote:As of late, I've found myself playing the new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (I've played CS:S in the past, but not a lot) with a friend of mine, as well as a bit of Crusader Kings 2, which is a fantastic grand strategy game; I'd say it's better than the Total War series too, even if you can't go into the battles themselves.

On a side-note, are any of you KWers on Steam? if so, is there a Kevin's Watch group around, that I can join?

I believe so, but I don't think we've ever tried to exchange details and play together. I'm on Steam myself, but I don't play multiplayer games.

I'll probably get Rock Band Blitz tonight, but mainly for a $15 track pack for Rock Band 3.

Major Isoor wrote:I'd say it's better than the Total War series too...

Blasphemy!

--A

Avatar wrote:

Major Isoor wrote:I'd say it's better than the Total War series too...

Blasphemy!

--A

Pah! Although I do like the tactical side of the Total War games, I just can't bear to go back to them now, after playing Paradox games (most notably Hearts of Iron and Crusader Kings II) that have a much deeper strategic layer with much more in-depth diplomacy and intrigue - plus you need to have a valid reason/casus belli (or a fabricated one) to go to war with another country, else you'll take a hefty diplomacy hit, as everyone may start thinking that you're nothing but a warmonger. (which generally isn't far from the truth, eh? ) Plus in their games you need to have a specific 'wargoal', like taking back a territory that your nation rightfully owns, etc., which you will hopefully force them to concede defeat and hand it over to you. (as opposed to the TW all-out wargoal-less wars, which I now don't really like)

...heh, and sorry about the wall of text, there! Although the Paradox grand-strategy games really are good, and worth getting on Steam, especially when discounted! (although if anyone does go for a Hearts of Iron game - WW2 period - go for Darkest Hour and not HoI3. DH is generally seen as being the better game, plus it has a WW1 scenario)

julie bought me a stack of used sports games - for variety of players.

nba
nfl
ncaa football
hockey!!!

Major Isoor wrote:

Avatar wrote:

Major Isoor wrote:I'd say it's better than the Total War series too...

Blasphemy!

--A

Pah! Although I do like the tactical side of the Total War games, I just can't bear to go back to them now, after playing Paradox games (most notably Hearts of Iron and Crusader Kings II) that have a much deeper strategic layer with much more in-depth diplomacy and intrigue...

..heh, and sorry about the wall of text, there!

Hahaha, that's nothing.

I will admit that the strategic side of TW is not as deep or effective as it could be. However, for me it is made up for by the joy of watching my hidden light foot volley into a French column, or my battlefield ninja carve through 150 spearmen.

And the last game has improved the diplomacy / intrigue. (Somewhat.) Diplomatic victory is also possible if you want it.

These games ruined all RT and turn-based strategy games for me. But hey, maybe I'll try one of the ones you suggested.

Anyway, to return to my reason for being in this thread, I'm sorta playing X3: Terran Conflict (with a few mods), and Spore Reloaded.

--A

Avatar wrote:These games ruined all RT and turn-based strategy games for me.

And here I thought it was Pantheon which did that...

Finally got Portal 2, and loving it, but have been mostly too sick to find time when I'm not sleeping to play it.

Almost a year later, I started getting back into Skyrim to finish off the two main storylines, and played a bit of Beyond Good and Evil again (I only really did the first mission when I got it).

Hitman: Absolution and Assassin's Creed III.

--A

I've just started getting back into Civ V. After playing about 50 hours when it came out and realising it was shallow and crap I stopped playing for ages.

I have now bought Gods & Kings when it was on sale and it's become the new "Game I play with my buddies" in place of Civ 4!

I don't even think I managed a whole campaign of Civ4. Playing it just made me long for Total War.

--A