So, what're you playing?

[Signe]

Maybe he's the first one to tell us.  Someone has to be the first.

[Segoris]

So how is there 100% no chance that is true? I'm not saying it is Dwarf Fortress itself, or that it is an exact clone, but there are more similar mechanics to DF than any other game.

I do think that DF (again, from what I'm reading of it - again, I have not played DF so am trusting their Wiki for mechanics and general comments about the UI) has a lot more mechanics that I would like in Towns (Dwarves going berserk if they're unhappy, working slower when they don't drink beer, etc) but this is generally considered a knock off of (or when trying to be nice "inspired by") Dwarf Fortress.

[Ingmar]

You were missing "...with 1/100th of the complexity and interesting shit", that's all.

[Sjofn]

I've been playing GW2 for no good reason. No good reason at all. But I finally got some of my characters to level cap, where I promptly have abandoned them because max level gearing up gives me a headache (to be fair to GW2, I am supremely lazy about this in all MMOs) and I have no reason to do it since no one plays any more. 

[Segoris]

You were missing "...with 1/100th of the complexity and interesting shit", that's all.

Right then, feel free to enlighten MrHat of the minute details left out from the usage of a broad categorization that is generally used and accepted for the game in question.

[Rasix]

You said something inaccurate on the internet. We're contractually obligated to correct you. Towns might be "based on", "similar to", "inspired by", but there's not a chance "it's DF".

Look, we all want awesome graphical DF.  It just hasn't happened.  It may at some point, but whomever tries it has a very, very deep rabbit hole to go down. You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot at the altar of general appeal or you'll just end up with some sort Sims meets "Bullfrog makes a town builder" game.

edit: fixed.. sorry 

[Trippy]

You said something inaccurate on the internet.   We're contractually obligated to correct you.   Towns might be "based on", "similar to", "inspired by", but there's not a chance "it's DF".

Look, we all want awesome graphical DF.  It just hasn't happened.  It may at some point, but whomever tries it has a very, very deep rabbit hole to go down.   You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot at the altar of general appeal or you'll just end up with some sort Sims meets "Bullfrog makes a town builder" game.

OMG fix your space bar.

[Rasix]

You just noticed that I double space? I'm not sure that's a habit that I can break.

[Paelos]

Why the hell do people do that? Is it taught? I've never considered it in my lifetime.

[Ingmar]

Anyone who learned actual typing - at a typewriter - does it for the most part. That's how it was always taught. I managed to break the habit myself but it isn't easy.

[Trippy]

You just noticed that I double space? I'm not sure that's a habit that I can break.

No you are fucking triple spacing. I already gave up on trying to get people to stop double spacing.

[Paelos]

at a typewriter

Ah, well then I've never used a real one, so that makes sense.

[Sjofn]

I never took an Official Typing Class but we were also told to DOUBLE SPACE AFTER A PERIOD OMG for when we typed up our term papers and shit. And we were using computers for that by high school. 

[Arinon]

Taught to double space in a "Keyboarding" class in high school during the mid 90's.  On a computer.  Doubt I could break that habit either.  Periods demand more respect than commas anyway.  Commas are bitches.

[Sjofn]

You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot at the altar of general appeal or you'll just end up with some sort Sims meets "Bullfrog makes a town builder" game.

By the way I would play the shit out of The Sims Meets Bullfrog Makes a Town Builder. 

[Segoris]

You said something inaccurate on the internet. We're contractually obligated to correct you. Towns might be "based on", "similar to", "inspired by", but there's not a chance "it's DF".

Look, we all want awesome graphical DF.  It just hasn't happened.  It may at some point, but whomever tries it has a very, very deep rabbit hole to go down. You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot at the altar of general appeal or you'll just end up with some sort Sims meets "Bullfrog makes a town builder" game.

edit: fixed.. sorry  

While your description of "Sims meets Bullfrog makes a town builder game" seems MUCH better, I don't care about some awesome graphical DF, I did care about answering a question (which I did). This was done when I forwarded the best summary that is generally used and accepted, and is not inaccurate due to Towns obviously having derived from DF by sharing tons of mechanics and ideas.

Is "derive" the first description of knockoff? No, but it is an acceptable one.

Now, can we go back to discussing what people are playing? Or should I grab some Bengay for all you old typewriter people?

[Segoris]

You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot at the altar of general appeal or you'll just end up with some sort Sims meets "Bullfrog makes a town builder" game.

By the way I would play the shit out of The Sims Meets Bullfrog Makes a Town Builder. 

You probably would like this, look up a tutorial video or something

[Sjofn]

I might!

[Ceryse]

Been replaying the classic jrpgs after the Steam section thread about FF7 got me all nostalgic. Made a huge error in my order of playthroughs, though; I started with Chrono Trigger before hitting FF6, FF4 and then to the lesser ones like Breath of Fire and Lufia.

Starting with Chrono Trigger just made the others harder to play.. it makes them all look so.. ordinary and poor.

[Yegolev]

I assumed double spacing added to readability in the same way that capitalization does.  I mean that neither is technically necessary to parsing the message and represent extra keypresses.  In summary, I find the enforcement of English rules on F13 to be inconsistent.  Also, yes, taught to do it.

Mostly I'm still on Path of Exile.  Either they bumped up drops or I've been extra lucky lately.

[Kail]

While your description of "Sims meets Bullfrog makes a town builder game" seems MUCH better, I don't care about some awesome graphical DF, I did care about answering a question (which I did). This was done when I forwarded the best summary that is generally used and accepted, and is not inaccurate due to Towns obviously having derived from DF by sharing tons of mechanics and ideas.

Yeah, I've heard lots of people call games like Towns and Gnomoria "Dwarf Fortress Clones" or knockoffs even if they don't feature an inventory system that has different damage calculations based on what type of fiber was used to make the character's shoelaces or anything.  I can't personally vouch for the accuracy of it, though, since it invariably crashes about five minutes after I load it so I haven't even been able to rush through the tutorial.  I have been playing a lot of Gnomoria, though, and really liking that game.  Hopefully it'll get some more meat on it over time, but even now, it's pretty fun to play, if not anywhere near DF's level of complexity.

I think I must have clicked on a bundle in a drunken haze during Gog's last sale, because I now have like half a dozen games I don't know anything about.  I appear to own the entire series(serieses?) of Eschalon, Avernum, Geneforge, and Avadon, anyone have any experience with them?  Is there one I should start with/avoid?

I've also been trying for like the tenth time to play through Planescape: Torment.  I don't know why I always suck so hard at every infinity engine game, everything just flat out kicks my ass.  Spent like three hours yesterday in a randomly generated dungeon before I finally broke out the paper and pencil to draw a map, it's been forever since I had to do that    Making some real progress this time, hopefully I'll be able to finally beat it.

Finished a 100% clear of the Gog version of Hotline Miami and immediately thought "I should get this on Steam so I can get trading cards and achievements!"  I think I need some kind of electrical shock based aversion therapy.

Grabbed Dust: an Elysian Tale because teh graphics, but the game doesn't support non-Xbox controllers, and it feels awkward as hell using J and K for attack and strong attack.  Also grabbed some game called "Space Colony" which is basically a sort of Sims/Startopia hybrid, having fun with it so far but damn, some of the missions are frustrating.

Also finished solving Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Silver Earring.  I feel compelled to play through the entire series now.

[Rasix]

Been replaying the classic jrpgs after the Steam section thread about FF7 got me all nostalgic. Made a huge error in my order of playthroughs, though; I started with Chrono Trigger before hitting FF6, FF4 and then to the lesser ones like Breath of Fire and Lufia.

Starting with Chrono Trigger just made the others harder to play.. it makes them all look so.. ordinary and poor.

Little bit of a different experience with me. Loved Chrono Trigger as a kid, but I just can't get into any attempt to play it again. However, I also tend to stall out on FF6, but that's just because I've played it so many times and there's a few dungeons in the World of Ruin that I hate.

Borderlands 2 and LoL arams are about all I'm doing. Some odd crap on the iPhone, but I've kind of been going away from that as all of the games I have on their are tedius and grindy. On a similar note, going to probably start playing SWTOR, TSW or GW2 again.  

Yeah, I've heard lots of people call games like Towns and Gnomoria "Dwarf Fortress Clones" or knockoffs even if they don't feature an inventory system that has different damage calculations based on what type of fiber was used to make the character's shoelaces or anything.  I can't personally vouch for the accuracy of it, though, since it invariably crashes about five minutes after I load it so I haven't even been able to rush through the tutorial.  I have been playing a lot of Gnomoria, though, and really liking that game.  Hopefully it'll get some more meat on it over time, but even now, it's pretty fun to play, if not anywhere near DF's level of complexity.

Must resist urge for more semantic arguments.. eh,  clones" works.    I have hopes for Prison Architect and Stonehearth (although that looks like it's going in a bit different direction).  I really hate gnomes though.

[Nayr]

Doing another run of Mass Effect 3 right now.

Probably do a replay of Fallout New Vegas after I'm done. The new Red Star fanfilm has spurred me to want to do another.

[rk47]

Sleeping Dogs:
So far so good. Except the sandbox content is a little thin. I was very annoyed when the stores won't let me buy clothes just because of arbitrary level requirement. And looking at the clothing store selection tiny selection (4-5 piece per store) makes me sad after revisiting Saints Row 3 over the weekend. I didn't buy a single DLC on SR3 and it offered 20x more clothing.

[Quinton]

Finally decided to play beyond the first 30ish minutes of Final Fantasy VI (via SNES9X, "FFIII" SNES ROM, using a gamepad), since it seems to be universally applauded as the best of the classic Final Fantasy games.

My tolerance for random encounters and often completely opaque hints as to what's next (leading to "talk to every NPC on the map" or "wander around through tons of random encounters) is not what it once was, but I'm having fun overall.

[Ceryse]

Finally decided to play beyond the first 30ish minutes of Final Fantasy VI (via SNES9X, "FFIII" SNES ROM, using a gamepad), since it seems to be universally applauded as the best of the classic Final Fantasy games.

My tolerance for random encounters and often completely opaque hints as to what's next (leading to "talk to every NPC on the map" or "wander around through tons of random encounters) is not what it once was, but I'm having fun overall.

Haha; yeah. In my tour of old SNES jRPGs that was something I came across. My tolerance level for some of the extremely veiled clues as to where to go and the absolutely non-existent hints of areas/things one can do for short periods of time or are only unlocked after x event would have annoyed me to no end except my brain seems to have cataloged all these games as important as I generally remembered most of it and only had to break out a walkthrough a couple times for some of the more opaque side-quest type stuff or hidden items so I didn't have to test the walls of every room in the game like I remember doing when I played these games as a kid.

I wish my mind had decided other stuff was important enough to remember... especially when I was back in school.

[Fabricated]

Finally decided to play beyond the first 30ish minutes of Final Fantasy VI (via SNES9X, "FFIII" SNES ROM, using a gamepad), since it seems to be universally applauded as the best of the classic Final Fantasy games.

My tolerance for random encounters and often completely opaque hints as to what's next (leading to "talk to every NPC on the map" or "wander around through tons of random encounters) is not what it once was, but I'm having fun overall.

It gets better; there's a lot less "okay who do I talk to so the plot moves forward" and you're pretty explicitly told where to go once you're out of the first geographical area and have something resembling a party.

[Flood]

I recall posts being very positive but - holy monkey is XCom Enemy Unknown a fun game.  10 bucks and I got all the DLC.  Best purchase I've made all year.  And I'm downloading Dishonored (plus DLC) right now, 16ish bucks total.  

[Bzalthek]

I finally finished FFIII (Jap) for DS, started on Pokemon Black.  For the computer I've been back in GW2 with a ranger (92% world completion!) and Cube World.  Also, pining for Hex.  The don't call, they don't write. 

[KallDrexx]

I just beat the Walking Dead game.  Holy shit that was good.  I'm usually not one to get emotional for movies or game stories but this one actually had me pretty emotional at the end. 

It also makes me realize why the idea of episodic games is retarded.  There's no way I would have been nearly as invested in the story and my choices if I had played it 12 hours over the span of 6 months rather than 4 days.

[Yegolev]

Coincidentally we also completed TWD this past weekend.  I can't remember much of what I did in the first two episodes, so I agree entirely.  Contemplating the second playthrough.

[KallDrexx]

Coincidentally we also completed TWD this past weekend.  I can't remember much of what I did in the first two episodes, so I agree entirely.  Contemplating the second playthrough.

I contemplated going through an asshole playthrough, but I just figured that would shatter the illusion that my choices matter.

[Lucas]

I purchased TWD a couple days ago and I'm totally engrossed by it 

[Rasix]

I just beat the Walking Dead game.  Holy shit that was good.  I'm usually not one to get emotional for movies or game stories but this one actually had me pretty emotional at the end. 

It also makes me realize why the idea of episodic games is retarded.  There's no way I would have been nearly as invested in the story and my choices if I had played it 12 hours over the span of 6 months rather than 4 days.

Cried twice during the game.    Yah, it's a real emotional ride.  Made me a bit numb for The Last of Us. 

I just won't do episodic games anymore until they're done.  I tried with the Monkey Island reboot and just lost interest waiting for the second one to be released. By the time they were all done, I just didn't feel motivated to play anymore.

Borderlands 2 main quest is starting to get pretty decent towards the end.   There's just so many sidequests now. I feel obliged to do some of them, but I really just kind of want to end it at this point.

[HaemishM]

After finishing Arkham City, I decided to burn through Mass Effect 3 in between a season of Football Manager 2013 and whatever else I feel like playing.

3 hours in and I've barely played 20 minutes. The Tube is strong with this one. Also, Freddie Dudebro's character really annoys me as does Olivia Munn's reporter character. Hers in particular annoys me because it seems she had no aptitude for dialog AT ALL. The cover mechanic makes me want to stab little baby kittens. It's awkward as hell. The level design is truly tube-like and claustrophobic. Yet somehow, I'm very interested in the story with one caveat. Making the Council be complete fucking morons AGAIN and ignoring anything Shepherd says is just pants on head stupid. It stretches credulity entirely too far, then bends it over a stump and treats it like a pretty sow on the horny pigfucking farm. I'm not sure why I have to start all over again with a new crew, picking up crew members along the way. You couldn't take my save file and extrapolate new story with that crew? Seriously? You already track who is dead.