f13.net

I played it a few years ago, but I never got what was so good about it. Bad? Not at all. But somehow deserving of a cult following? Not really. Some parts are really obnoxious.

Not everything should have it's own thread I suppose.

Very true.  Is this mostly for Game News that's too niche for the general rabble?  Want to get a handle on the intent before I begin to do my "thing".

Personally I'd love to have a "useless gaming conversation" thread to just throw random news into that maybe doesn't need it's own thread, or to talk about stuff that might not fit into the "what are you playing" thread.  Sort of like what noisegrid was like, but without having to go to a different site, and deal with all the tag stuff.

I played it a few years ago, but I never got what was so good about it. Bad? Not at all. But somehow deserving of a cult following? Not really. Some parts are really obnoxious.

Fable 3 launches in three weeks and I appear to be the only person who cares. I went in to Gamestop to get a preorder, asked for the deluxe version. The lady looked at me and said that they haven't been able to take preorders for the deluxe version for over a month. So she processes a preorder for the normal version.

I'm a little confused by all of this, until I look at the reciept and realize she thought I asked for the Fallout deluxe version. I explain to her that I asked for Fable - "Oh, that game. Oh yea, you can get a deluxe preorder on that one, no problem". I believe she then rolled her eyes slightly.

When I was at PAX, the average wait to play a hands-on demo of any given game was 30 mins to 2 hours. I walked up to where they had Fable 3 running, looked around and asked someone "where's the lineup for Fable 3"? He advised me that he was the line. Five minutes later I was playing the game.

Oh well, at least I'll enjoy it.

Fable 3 launches in three weeks and I appear to be the only person who cares.

Fable 3 launches in three weeks and I appear to be the only person who cares.

It's been so long between fable 1 and 2, and now they're releasing 3 shortly after. I can hardly imagine this game having a that much improved gameplay, look or different functions for that matter. I'll wait till it's released and get some reviews and gameplay vids before actually buying.

But with Fallout: NV.. it's Obsidian.  The chances of it requiring 200% more system than advertised and being a buggy shitpile are pretty high, especially with an engine that's somewhat of a pig already.  I'll be waiting at least a week if not more on New Vegas, despite my love for everything Fallout.

I am not to be trusted to comment since I liked Too Human.

This is random, but does anyone know anything about Borderlands DLC?  I haven't bought any of it, and I'm gonna wait for a Steam sale (I know there was one recently, so it might be a while) either way, but I just reinstalled the game on a lark and am having fun with it again, so was wondering if any of the DLC adds a lot.

Looks like Gran Turismo 5 got delayed again.   :heartbreak:

(http://i51.tinypic.com/9j0z9x.jpg)

Sweet Jesus, a Professor Layton/Ace Attorney crossover game is in the works (http://layton-vs-gyakuten.jp/).

I've played through the first three (well I haven't really finished the 2nd one yet).

In terms of gameplay I liked The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned the best. Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot I used mostly just for the bank slots, though hacking your character with an editor is actually easier and more efficient than traveling back and forth to the bank. The Secret Armory of General Knoxx has the best loot but is fundamentally broken unless you can put in long play time sessions because there's only one respawn spot and travel distances are extremely long and tedious. Island of Dr. Ned actually has the same single respawn spot issue (apparently it's a limitation with the DLC code on the consoles) but it has a proper "hub and spoke" design with much shorter travel distances.

Both Island and Riot have seriously fucked up copy protection schemes. It literally took me hours to figure out how to get those two DLCs installed properly. Armory does not have that issue.

Looks like Gran Turismo 5 got delayed again.   :heartbreak:

I read the descriptions on the Borderlands DLC and it sounds as if one of them is some arena style multiplayer content.

I'll be on Fable 3 like stink on shit. 

This is random, but does anyone know anything about Borderlands DLC?  I haven't bought any of it, and I'm gonna wait for a Steam sale (I know there was one recently, so it might be a while) either way, but I just reinstalled the game on a lark and am having fun with it again, so was wondering if any of the DLC adds a lot.

Borderlands DLC adds SecuROM and a five installation limit.  On Steam I can't find a way to install Borderlands without also installing all the DLC I purchased, so now I can't even play the base game anymore.

Like Molyneaux' promises, than?

With all these HD remakes, has there been any mention of either a Jak or Ratchet HD collection for PS3?

Molyneaux over promises?  Sure.  But Fable II was still actually pretty good.  Black and White was actually kinda fun.  Etc... etc...

Being disappointed by all the promises assumes that I listen to them in the first place. 

Sims 3 expansion tomorrow! I'm excited!  :drillf:

This one is basically the Sims 3 version of Hot Date with a bit of Superstar thrown in. It sounds like it's a lot more THE SIMS than the last two expansions (I liked them fine but it felt like the devs had forgotten why people play the goddamn Sims in the first place. Hint: It's not for doing quests or essentially grinding faction.) so I am hoping I can find a copy tomorrow at our Target. I hate EA's downloader like poison, otherwise I'd get it that way. Oh well!

Sims 3 expansion tomorrow! I'm excited!  :drillf:

I keep waiting patiently for this genre to die.  It just won't.   :oh_i_see:

After an hour or so of messing around with the pro keys, I think I might finally be able to make the leap to not totally sucking. Roundabout is ridiculous though. Damn you, Rick Wakeman!

Wait....do you have a Pro guitar?  If so, how?

Hurray! :drillf: Don't keep tabs on Sims at all, I just play until I burn out with each expansion.

As good a place as any -

Target's buy 2 get 1 free started today.

Picked up Fallout: New Vegas, Fable 3 and Dead Rising 2 for $120.

Funny, those were just the 3 games I was thinking of picking up at Target today!  Are you me, but like a day in the future?  And if so, what do we think about DR2 so far?  You'll remember that we had complaints about the last one.

FYI:
Amazon buy 3 for the price of 2 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html//ref=bt_atcg_mine_mm?ie=UTF8&plgroup=1&docId=1000626371&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=0RM9Y6XS688QG472G9B6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1278774282&pf_rd_i=409566)


Larger selection than target, and better prices anyways, also - PC games in there.

I think I got the f13 ref link right? Admin want to edit it?

GOG just added Baldur's Gate 2 Complete.  This pretty completes the collection of Bioware/Black Isle AD&D stuff on GOG since Icewind Dale II complete and NWN: Diamond were also added in recent weeks.

Oh wow. Is it mod-able at all? Some of my discs are rather questionable at this point, and back-ups would be SNAZZY.

From what I've glanced at on the GOG Baldur's Gate forum, it looks like you can mod both Baldur's Gate games.  I also have Torment and all the BG and IWD stuff on disc, but I'm tempted to pick these up on GOG so I don't have to go through the trouble of digging these games out whenever I feel like playing them.  I'll probably wait a while and see if they have any sort of holiday deals this year though.

Why can I not obtain Diablo via Battle.net?

I came across this via Sirlin.net, and it struck me as f13-ey, so here you go:

Shoryuken.com: Keiji Inafune Talks to 4Gamer About Leaving Capcom and his Feelings on the Japanese Games Industry

http://shoryuken.com/content/keiji-inafune-talks-4gamer-about-leaving-capcom-his-feelings-japanese-games-industry-2293/

It is long.  It is also, for some reason, entirely in italics.  :ye_gods:  Despite this, it's a good read.

Isn't Catherine supposed to be out sometime in spring of 2011? I am so goddamn stroked about that game.

...he retired and now sits around playing games all day while I work.

My dad's into black ops. Something very wrong when he got into gaming when he retired and now sits around playing games all day while I work. Very, very wrong.

I'm trying to improve his taste in games, but he's all about the console FPS. Got hooked with Halo.

My dad is still pretty sure games are garbage.  This is fine because I still think he's a selfish ass.

L4D2 prolly. That would get his FPS on while letting you shoot things with him.

The PS3 hack doesn't matter til you can run PS2 games, which may happen but is unlikely. Blu-Rays cost way too much, and downloading the ISOs is just dumb. So, uh, no one mentioned it because it's non-news to anyone that isn't a hacker.

I feel a new kinship with the group.

(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/85916/bombed_nintendo.jpg)

I don't know - I found the entire thing somewhat fascinating, particularly the revelation that Sony seeded the keys with a static value, making it (relatively) easy for the fail0verflow group & Geohot to derive them mathematically.  The implications of pretty much anyone being able to sign and run code in the not-too-distant future are also of interest to me, as I'd love to see an XBMC-type conversion in a fairly inexpensive device with a easily replaceable hard drive, network connectivity, HDMI and a BD drive.

The PS3 hack doesn't matter til you can run PS2 games, which may happen but is unlikely. Blu-Rays cost way too much, and downloading the ISOs is just dumb. So, uh, no one mentioned it because it's non-news to anyone that isn't a hacker.

Late last month, Nintendo posted a notice to its Website, warning that the forthcoming 3DS handset could cause children "under the age of six" to experience "a potential impact on the growth" on their eyes. Clearly this was not the most effective way to tout the 3D-capable successor to the Nintendo DS, which has traditionally been very popular among younger users.

I'm going to be much happier in five or ten years when every new game released can stop being compared to WoW.

"Diablo III?  It's kinda like Diablo II + WoW!"

"Rifts?  It's kinda like a WoW but Less/More/Better/Worse!"

ARRRRGGGGHH!!

http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/709706/Battlefield-3-To-Be-Officially-Announced-At-GDC-2011.html

Battlefield 3, weeeee.

I hear it's going to be kind of like WoW.

Please, for the love of god, no.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12313

Nintendo's 3DS launches in the U.S. on March 27th, for $249.99.  European launch is two days earlier for £229.99.

Face Raiders. Another built-in diversion. Take a picture of yourself or your (un)loved ones and shoot them up as you twist 360 degrees in an AR-esque shooter. It won't shake the "tech demo" vibe either, but given its free in-bundle status, we can't complain. Also helps that we spent the entire time blasting away Nilay's face, only have "boss Nilay" grow an afro upon defeat.

Steeldiver. Actually one of the more interesting launch titles, since it makes use of the 3DS's gyroscope. You turn your body to locate ships through a periscope, and then you fire upon them. One of the better-looking 3D games, for sure, although the effect isn't used for anything -- it's just there.

Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. Both games boast impressive graphics, and even 3D mode was well done -- we don't think it really added anything, but it certainly didn't distract. The games themselves were smart, fleshed-out recreations of their respective console equivalents, and the touch screen options were large enough that we could use our fingernails just fine for quickly changing weapons / activating super combos.

Madden NFL. We can't explain why, but the 3D effect here was just jarring. We couldn't seem to focus no matter how we twisted and adjusted the system, our eyes ever-suffering.

Holy crap Steam coming to the PS3. If you buy the PS3 version of portal they are including the PC/Mac version as an activation. Also the save games on your PS3 will be stored in the steam cloud so you can play a save from PS3 on PC or vice versa.

Chat and multiplayer will also be cross platform  :awesome_for_real:

Just saw on steam that Deadspace 2 is 60 bucks.  Holy shit!

Just saw on steam that Deadspace 2 is 60 bucks.  Holy shit!

Oh, and in other news:

Random website on the internet says that Sony is thinking about adding PC-style serials to PS3 games in lieu of their security being busted wide open. (http://www.thinq.co.uk/2011/1/21/sony-rumoured-be-adding-serial-keys-ps3/)

Just saw on steam that Deadspace 2 is 60 bucks.  Holy shit!

Which of course would have the "side benefit" of closing the used market hole which loses them about a billion times more money than any pirated games market.

One of the many reasons I’m proud to work for D2D is the on-going commitment to better serve our customers and followers. Trust me if you could be a fly on the wall during our many brain-storming sessions you’ll walk away satisfied in knowing we take all your feedback to heart. So, I proudly announce our newest feature, Direct2Drive’s rentals. Starting today you can rent select titles for $5.00 that gets you 5 hours of play time. If you decide you want to keep the game, the $5.00 initial investment will be applied to the final purchase of the game. It’s that simple!

To start things off we have a few games for you to choose from Silent Hill: Homecoming, Grid, and Divinity 2.

I see Direct2Drive is offering PC game "rentals" now.  $5 for 5 hours...


I have no problems with digital purchases even virtual goods, but for some reason I can't get my head around rentals.  Maybe it's the fact that you can pick up full games for $5 on steam. 

Or just buy it on steam sale. The interim time can also kill any buzz interest and save you the time playing it.

Which of course would have the "side benefit" of closing the used market hole which loses them about a billion times more money than any pirated games market.

That random Sims Medieval (http://www.ea.com/the-sims-medieval?sourceid=brand_wk_sims-medieval_broad_62_sims-medieval_home_google) game is coming out in March apparently.

Sims 3 is also on Steam now, which irks me. I would love to have it on Steam, but even though it's super on sale ($90 for everything, so the base game + three expansions + their two stupid stuff packs, which is actually pretty good all things considered), I don't want it on Steam so bad I'd pay that much. :(

At the same time, due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing's Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011.  The company also will stop development on True Crime: Hong Kong™.  These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world's best interactive entertainment experiences.

There are some pretty good third party fixes for SR2 to run with recent performance on the PC. I was able to get it running without a hitch.

I've always been of the opinion that if I game isn't worth owning, it isn't worth playing.

I'll be in my bunk.

This thread is channeling Neogaf.

I don't see how that comment adds to the gameplay.

Links?

Anyone else interested in Jane Jensen's Gray Matter? The local gaming mag (Pelit) had a review in this month's issue, and they loved it. It's supposed to be out Feb 25th.

This covered every single issue I experienced, including bugged quests: Saints Row 2 PC FAQ - Steam (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1715922)

As a general rule SR2 runs better windowed. I run all my games windowed so I probably experienced less performance issues than most people do.


Edit: having an SSD goes a long way toward making it run well too due to SR2 not prefetching data from the disk.

This covered every single issue I experienced, including bugged quests: Saints Row 2 PC FAQ - Steam (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1715922)

The speedup bug is something that is an inherent problem with Windows 7, though in rare cases it has been reported to happen on Vista. The speedup happens with CPUs that do not run at exactly 3.2Ghz frequency (the Xbox 360 cpu speed.) The further your cpu is away from 3.2Ghz (both higher and lower) the faster it will run.

I still have the first one on my HD waiting for me to play past the first 15 minutes. Obviously it needs company.

The Drakensang followup (prequel, I guess) just kicked out it's US release on Steam, for those that like their eurojank rpgs (at least, I think I'm talking to more than Sky here).

http://store.steampowered.com/app/33770/

The Drakensang followup (prequel, I guess) just kicked out it's US release on Steam, for those that like their eurojank rpgs (at least, I think I'm talking to more than Sky here).

http://store.steampowered.com/app/33770/

It's made by a German dev and has a German publisher, but is only available in the US.  :uhrr:

I can't remember the full details, but I could have sworn the German release came out around a year ago.  The localization was massively delayed, and I think the dev house (Radon Labs) was closed in the process, with the localization team promising the game would still ship.  There's supposed to be a third game in the series due out yet, by some other dev house, but it looks like the rights have been passed around a few times now.

Andorra is a major territory?

Computer game addiction can also spiral into violence as after playing violent games, they may turn their fantasy games into reality

I liked Twisted Metal a lot, but do I need to buy/play a fifth one?  After the first one and Black, I feel like I'm done.

I learned today of An Apology for Roger Ebert by Brian Moriarty (http://www.ludix.com/moriarty/apology.html).

Good stuff.

Oh, Stardock. Thanks for reminding me why I don't own GalCiv2.

Just got an email that I can buy it ON SALE for 30% off the ULTIMATE EDITION!!!!

$28 for a 5 year old game who's last expansion was released 3 years ago. Srsly, FOAD.

Why, Kael, WHY?

Oh, Stardock. Thanks for reminding me why I don't own GalCiv2.

Just got an email that I can buy it ON SALE for 30% off the ULTIMATE EDITION!!!!

$28 for a 5 year old game who's last expansion was released 3 years ago. Srsly, FOAD.

Why, Kael, WHY?

I learned today of An Apology for Roger Ebert by Brian Moriarty (http://www.ludix.com/moriarty/apology.html).

Good stuff.

CD Projekt revealed that The Witcher 2 will utilize SecuROM copy-protection for its retail release, deciding it was the least intrusive way to protect its content from piracy. Though they are aware some gamers will groan at the decision to use SecuROM, CD Projekt noted that the game will allow for "unlimited installations on an unlimited number of computers" and allow "play on up to five computers at once." The game requires an internet connection for the game's initial activation. According to the presentation, this will ensure that The Witcher 2 cannot be played before the game's May 17 release.

The Witcher 2 will also be available on digital distribution platforms, including DRM-free on Good Old Games (GOG.com).

Although the game will include a serial code for activation, users that purchase the game on GOG.com will not require the code to play the game. The GOG.com release will come completely unlocked; however, a code will be included for users that wish to download future DLC--which requires the serial key to access the content.  I don't even really give a shit about Securom that much, but they way they went about this just seems kinda stupid.  No solid word yet on whether or not the Steam version will have Securom.

Beginning May 10, users that have pre-purchased The Witcher 2 on GOG.com will have the ability to pre-load 90% of the final game. Good Old Games will be the only digital distribution platform that will feature a pre-load for the game.

Unlike the original game in the series, The Witcher 2 will not see any censorship between regions. Each region will feature the same story and gameplay. Additionally, the sequel features up to sixteen different endings. During the conference, CD Projekt issued a challenge to players of The Witcher 2: the first person to unlock all sixteen endings (and prove it with a save file), will be awarded a special t-shirt.

Yeah, what complete douchebags allowing unlimited installs on unlimited machines and five simultaneous playable installs. I know I need to be playing it on at least a dozen computers at the same time.

I file it under "really annoying read" personally. I've never understood why people are always trying to start this debate around games with no narrative. "Is M.U.L.E. art?" is a much harder question to answer than (for example) "Is Red Dead Redemption art?", especially when you're comparing it to a different art form that is almost entirely narrative.

It'll pk ur flax.

Nice reference. :oh_i_see:

First!

I hope Brad reads this.

You glorious bastard.

I fired up Dead Space today (PC) and remembered how much the mousing in menus sucks.  I mean, it's maddening and I can generally put up with some shit-ass-crap control schemes.  I'm thinking abut what my options are.  There is the obvious copout of purchasing it on a console, but that's sending the wrong message and would also make my ass pucker due to buying a game twice again.  Maybe there are some modifications I can do to the PC versions.  All I know is that I want to play it now and I don't have much time to waste on making it tolerable.

There is the obvious copout of purchasing it on a console, but that's sending the wrong message and would also make my ass pucker due to buying a game twice again.  Maybe there are some modifications I can do to the PC versions.  All I know is that I want to play it now and I don't have much time to waste on making it tolerable.

Have you tried using a gamepad? Kinda destroys the mouse for aiming thing the pc has going for it, but at least you wouldn't have to buy it again.

Anyone heard anything about Brink?  It looked pretty generic to me but then I heard the people who made Enemy Territory are making it and that piqued my interest.

Is there an ini file you can tweak?  In the past there have been games with a horribly slow mouse in menus that I could fix by changing a few constants.

I believe that's the shooter that has parkour.  Basically CoD meets Mirror's Edge?   Looked pretty cool when I watched some vids of it.

It's not that it's slow, it's that it doesn't start moving when I move the mouse and it keeps gliding after I stop the mouse.

Yeah, it sounds pretty neat in theory, but I'm feeling pretty good on shooters.  Maybe I'll just wait to hear some buzz after release.

If I had to wager it's going to be another PoS forgettable built in mouse acceleration performance issue laden FPS ala bulletstorm, homefront and so on. Petulant dev talk doesn't fill me with much faith either. Would be nice if I was wrong though, haven't had a decent shooter since TF2, BC2 was pretty close though.

I believe that's the shooter that has parkour.  Basically CoD meets Mirror's Edge?

Wolfenstein, or Quake Wars?

Oh, was this the game where the devs weren't going to allow headshot kills because they don't think it's fun for the players or some-such nonsense?

If I had to wager it's going to be another PoS forgettable built in mouse acceleration performance issue laden FPS ala bulletstorm, homefront and so on. Petulant dev talk doesn't fill me with much faith either. Would be nice if I was wrong though, haven't had a decent shooter since TF2, BC2 was pretty close though.

I don't think it's going to be that bad because it's at least been mostly touted as a multiplayer game.  A lot of the stuff I saw led me to believe they are still fairly PC centric as well.   That of course doesn't mean it will be any good though.

I also had the mouse control issue in dead space one. It's caused from not being able to turn off vsync. I managed to make it tolerable by dropping the res by quite a bit.

Sounds like software mouse.  You need to look for an option to force it to hardware.

Google says I'm stuck with it.  Google also says "use a gamepad" and I just might do that.

I'm getting the idea that Black Ops is a good game.  Someone tell me that's bullshit.

    What is Valve up to these days?

    With the addition of STEAM to the PSN is Valve planning on shifting development focus to consoles or are you going to remain developing games primarily for the PC?

    How does Valve plan on differentiating the game from the very popular "League of Legends"?

    How do micro transactions affect the future of Valve's business model?

    Do you still plan on making single player games? (dispelling a rumor)

    Do you ever get a chance to play games for fun anymore? If so, what games are you playing?

    Do you plan on deviating from SOURCE or do you plan on indefinitely updating the current engine?

    What games in the last decade do you believe have improved the gaming industry?

    Will Chell from Portal and Gordon Freeman from HL be meeting?

    Why are some of your most famous protagonists silent? How do you feel this affects the games as a whole?

    What advice would you give to somebody aspiring to get into the gaming industry?

    I read that you collect knives. How many knives do you own? What do you like about them?

    What was your favorite game to work on?

What did you see that led you to believe it was going to be PC centric? I remember DICE foaming at the mouth about how they were PC developers first and then I fire up to single player and find the mouse controls nearly unusable, no performance scaling and updates that disappear so that they can "focus on Battlefield 3, this time we're for reals".

Gabe Newell: We've moved beyond the episodic model (http://www.develop-online.net/news/37625/Newell-Weve-moved-beyond-the-episodic-model)

So... no HL2:Ep3?  :sad:

I guess the problem they've run into is they don't have a way to tie their crown jewel IP into that format and are using Portal 2 as a test bed.

Whether there is or not, I feel like this "Games as a service" model isn't something I like the sound of too much.  Sounds like microtransactions.  I guess we've been going more and more that way for years, so it shouldn't surprise me.

It only works for games like TF2. Unless he's implying that Valve is abandoning story-based games. I mean, what would a hat or gun update do for HL3?

I keep wondering who has left all that graffiti in the Aperture Enrichment center, and how did they determine where to put those arrows? 

Gabe Newell: We've moved beyond the episodic model (http://www.develop-online.net/news/37625/Newell-Weve-moved-beyond-the-episodic-model)

So... no HL2:Ep3?  :sad:

The Mass Effect DLC is a great example.

The problem that I see with letting the story seep out as a player discovers the world is that some of it comes across as a bit too obvious and ham-handed.  I keep wondering who has left all that graffiti in the Aperture Enrichment center, and how did they determine where to put those arrows?  Obviously the arrows are there to lead the player on, and this is an extreme version of letting the world tell the story.  Another one is the smear on the wall in Dead Space that tells you to shoot off their limbs; this always has a Castle Aaaaarrghh feel to it.  That tactic didn't seem to work out for the other fellow, but he had time to write this on a wall?

Valve did an entire comic to answer that question. (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/comic/)   :awesome_for_real:

I went to a GDC presentation about this sort of thing. Basically you have graffiti and audio logs and...well that's basically it. In one or two games it's effective but it's reaching the point of generic cliche. I remember playing Fatal Frame and at that time the audio tapes you found were really cool, now I roll my eyes when a new game advertises the incredible immersion of discovering audio logs.

Looks like the Wii is $150 now and Twilight Princess is $20 (overpriced).  Another kick-Sony-while-he's-down or business-as-usual?

In a financial meeting, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada said the company was working on a big MMO in addition to Final Fantasy XIV. "I think we will reveal it sometime this year," said Wada.

Anyone have any advice on a nice gaming headset?  I think mine is starting to die, so I want to shop around a bit before they bite it completely.  I've heard good things about Steel Series, but it might be more than I want/need.

HD555 Sennheiser headphones - Superior quality at a great price. Great durability too. I once threw them onto the floor in a fit of rage last year and they still work perfectly. http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD555-Professional-Headphones-Channeling/dp/B0001FTVDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306510772&sr=8-1 I bought them for 169 but Im seeing them for 84.99 now. Fantastic product.

That's an interesting idea. I have a decent pair of cheap Sennheisers (hd280) for monitoring my mixer, a clip-on mic would be great for those. On the other hand, I like to keep the headphones for voice and have the game sound through the speakers.

How do you even do that? I would be interested to know if it's even possible.

Interesting...is it easy to swap back-and-forth between routing everything to the USB headset, and routing only the voice to it? I think I would like to do this at time, but often I simply want everything to come through the headphones.

Anyone have any advice on a nice gaming headset?  I think mine is starting to die, so I want to shop around a bit before they bite it completely.  I've heard good things about Steel Series, but it might be more than I want/need.

11 Million player deaths in Just Cause 2 mapped. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEoxaGkNcrg&feature=player_embedded#at=59)

all the loot and xp is only saved in the host's game.

Didn't enjoy the Dungeon Siege 3 demo at all. It's basically a console style ARPG. Awful to play with kb+m.

No, because I own consoles.  If I didn't I'd be inclined to own a PC Gamepad, but I don't so I didn't.

Don't Xbox pads work with PCs? 

I've tried doing that.  Mapping the controls for a certain game was an exercise in futility.

Not really sure where to put this so maybe someone will find it here:  Fallout 1 and 2 are on sale at gog.com for 3 bucks a piece right now.

He explains: “The ‘90s generation of gamers all love Xcom and we own the IP, so we thought OK, what do we do with it? Every studio we had wanted to do it and each one had its own spin on it. But the problem was that turn-based strategy games were no longer the hottest thing on planet Earth. But this is not just a commercial thing – strategy games are just not contemporary.

“I use the example of music artists. Look at someone old school like Ray Charles, if he would make music today it would still be Ray Charles but he would probably do it more in the style of Kanye West. Bringing Ray Charles back is all fine and good, but it just needs to move on, although the core essence will still be the same."

He explains: “The ‘90s generation of gamers all love Xcom and we own the IP, so we thought OK, what do we do with it? Every studio we had wanted to do it and each one had its own spin on it. But the problem was that turn-based strategy games were no longer the hottest thing on planet Earth. But this is not just a commercial thing – strategy games are just not contemporary.

“I use the example of-.

Are you thinking of Divinity 2?

Game developers (for the most part) aren't business people.  They don't strategically think ahead like that.

In the PC Market the best selling games (not counting sequals) are dominated by strategy and role-playing. On the consoles, they are FPS, racing, and sports.

Is that true though?  I don't know how it relates to overall sales, but in the top 10 of played Steam games 7 are shooters.  The others being Civ 5 (Strategy), Terraria (RPG? I don't really know how to define it), and Football Manager 2011 which I guess is a sim?

I guess my point is, if you are going to pitch reviving the XCOM series, I don't really feel like TBS is going to seem like the first option.  Even something which got across the board great reviews like Frozen Synapse isn't even on the top 100 on Steam right now.

And my point is if you gauge your business success by whether or not you dominate the sales charts, you're a fucking moron.

While that's certainly nice, what happened to making a good profit on a solid game?

 Turn based strategy isn't going to bring home the bacon, especially not if you intend to release on consoles.  

So don't release it to consoles.   Release it to handhelds/PCs where turn based = making bank.   The real problem here is they think the IP is worth something separated from it's gameplay.   Nobody is going to go into this FPS thinking they are going to get a nostalgia kick.   At least when they fucked over Fallout it still had appeal due to the story/lore/whatever.

Not sure if this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZkkIW9rKrM) has been posted yet, but it reveals some more info about the map sectors, the merc recruitment system, and the UI in general. Oh yeah, and the merc portraits are every bit as horrible as expected.

(http://i56.tinypic.com/2qmnu6b.jpg) (http://i56.tinypic.com/ezes5z.jpg)

The above is SO MUCH better than the original isn't it?

(http://files.myopera.com/Leevi/albums/676053/JA2-Buns.jpg)

Just build Alpha Centauri 2. Anyone.

Just build Alpha Centauri 2. Anyone.

Just build Alpha Centauri 2. Anyone.

Yes please. In Real Time with 3 playable huamn factions with perfect rushes, micro and macro rewarding plus battle-net style of hosting.  :grin:

I don't know how long I'll be using this ass of a computer, so does anyone have suggestions of Steam games which are not graphically intensive yet fun?  Besides Peggle and Puzzle Quest?  Something neckbeardy is fine, too, although I prefer more of a neckgoatee-grade experience until I can get a better job.

I don't know how long I'll be using this ass of a computer, so does anyone have suggestions of Steam games which are not graphically intensive yet fun?  Besides Peggle and Puzzle Quest?  Something neckbeardy is fine, too, although I prefer more of a neckgoatee-grade experience until I can get a better job.

I don't know how long I'll be using this ass of a computer, so does anyone have suggestions of Steam games which are not graphically intensive yet fun?  Besides Peggle and Puzzle Quest?  Something neckbeardy is fine, too, although I prefer more of a neckgoatee-grade experience until I can get a better job.

Do you like the Paradox Europa Universalis-style games? They play well on terrible machines.

It's a relatively new laptop.  In fact, I can run LotRO at mid-level, AKA What Is So Awesome About This Game's Graphics I Don't Get It level.  One big factor is they keyboard having a retarded layout.  Example: SHIFT+NumPad . to Delete, and Fn+SHIFT+Left Arrow for Home.  I never realized I used End and Home so much.

Most laptops accept USB keyboards. :oh_i_see:

Has anyone mentioned Euclideon yet?

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/08/10/euclideon_unlimited_detail_bruce_dell_interview

Wow.

Has anyone mentioned Euclideon yet?

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2011/08/10/euclideon_unlimited_detail_bruce_dell_interview

Wow.

If it stays hard for a week, see a doctor.

Operation Skywatch

Anyone have any idea what it is? I jumped in to a line at 2k's booth at PAX thinking it was regarding Borderlands, only to grilled about my Communist ties, given an ESP test, and being awarded a badge as Citizen 86, Engineer 2nd Class.

No idea what any of it means, but apparently I need to watch the skies...

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html

Sword of the Stars 2 is slated for October in theory, but they've been dead silent on marketing for it.

But maybe I'm the only person who liked Sword of the Stars anyways.

Is there some reason to be excited about Rage? I sort of lost interest in ID when it became pretty obvious the games were just tech demos. And the selling pitch of "groundbreaking" when the features pretty much look like every like any other shooter (OMG vehicles!) released since Halo does not convince. And combining ID with Bethesda the home of half thought out game mechanics doesn't make it any more tempting.

Pretty though. Going to need a video card upgrade before I buy that.

I just read on GAF that people in Japan who got Dark Souls early are having their games invaded by ridiculously overpowered characters from the dev team as punishment. I cannot believe the amount win associated with this game.

No way to verify, and tbh I don't even really know the game being discussed, I just recognize the name from reading this thread.


From the anime board over on IGN, FYI.

Have they talked about what Rage's co-op mode will entail? Like, a full, proper campaign, or the usual "horde-mode" bolted on?

It has become apparent that a lot of people want Dead State and they want it now. So far we’ve been able to accomplish a lot with our small team, but in order to get the game done in a more timely fashion, it’s apparent that we’re going to have to at least start considering some new additions to help us get Dead State to the marketplace.

So, here’s the pitch – are you a modder looking to work on an original title? Are you new to the game industry and looking to get professional credit on your resume? Are you an experienced game developer looking to work on a zombie RPG in your spare time because you’ve always wanted to play one? We are looking for folks like you.

Now, a few things about the project. We have very little funding – work on the project ranges from contribution for credit in the game to payment after the project comes out (for the long-term members of the team). This is not likely to change, so this is NOT a full-time job with a salary, though if the game does well enough (and we like your work) it could lead to paid work on future projects.

We’re not expecting full-time hours – attitude, efficiency, and reliability are key. We’re looking for team members that can complete tasks they’ve agreed to take on within a reasonable amount of time and communicate their progress to the leads. Professional discretion about your work is expected. Working well with the team is a must.   

For programmers:
We are primarily looking for someone with game programming/scripting background. Knowledge of Torque 3D and TorqueScript is highly preferable. You will be working with the Lead Programmer and Project Lead on most of your tasks.

Tools Programmer - Developing tools to make implementation of content easier. GUI work a big plus.

Examples of tool duties:
-Script Editor
-Journal Editor
-Loot Container tool
-Art implementation and lighting tools

Scripting Programmer - The scripting programmer uses the engine's scripting language to create scripts for dialogue (a lot of these), for events/event triggers, time passage, tracking stats, and bark text.

Examples of Scripting:
-Global dialogue flags
-Combat triggers
-Quest update triggers
-Scene triggers
-XP/item rewards

Art:
We do not have any actual art positions right now. If you are an outstanding modeler or texture artist that would like to contribute items to the game for fun and credit, we may make an exception. Note that we already have most common props and textures done already, so you may want to talk to our lead artist about what we are lacking currently.

Design:
We are not looking for additional designers or writers right now.

Sound/Music:
We are not looking for sound/music people at this time. We will update this page if this changes.

If you’re interested in working with us or contributing, please send your qualifications, links to your work, an introduction, and any questions you may have to:

info@DoubleBearProductions.com

We will try get back to you as soon as possible. If you know people who might be a good fit, please send them a link to this thread.

I just moved back to Europe a couple of months ago, and took all my consoles with me.  Have power transformers for both consoles and TVs, so I had everything planned out nicely.  So the other day I turn on my 360 for the first time since the move, and guess what?  Red.  Ring.  Of.  Death.  Son of a biatch.  I suppose it's possible that it didn't like the power coming from the transformer or something odd, but it's probably just a shitty coincidence.

So I went out and had to buy a PAL edition 360.  Happily, 2/3rds of my 360 games were not region coded, so that's cool.  It's also one of the newer 250gb models (I had the old 40g), so that, too, is cool.  What is definitely NOT cool is this fucking Xbox Live & Windows Live bullshit.  As I have never created a Windows Live ID, it appears to be completely impossible to recover my ID.  So, all gamer scores gamer tag and DLC are done and gone.  Didn't have a lot of DLC, but I have spent a bit of money on Rockband songs, and it pisses me off that I may not be able to access it again.  Creating a Windows ID with the same Xbox live info after the fact seems to achieve nothing at all.

Anyone have a clue how I might address this?  Is it possible to transfer everything over from the old harddrive somehow?  Never tried that before, so I don't know how it works.

A sequel to Nier is the obvious assumption, but it really could be anything. All Saito said was that there could be an amazing announcement soon, and then he tagged his tweet with the hashtag #Nier.

"Maybe no one in the real world respects you... but you are like a god to some imaginary characters and a computer program."

How is Morrowind more complex than Oblivion?

How is Morrowind more complex than Oblivion?

Gabe talks a bit about pricing models and f2p. Confirms we're lab rats in a totally awesome experiment.

http://www.geekwire.com/2011/experiments-video-game-economics-valves-gabe-newell

The company’s Steam distribution system, with more than 35 million users, is sometimes called the iTunes store of video games.

Really?  Because I call the iTunes store of video games the App store.

Early last year, as Mr. Pincus began preparing to take Zynga public, he and several other executives decided the company had doled out too many stock rights to certain people in its early days, say people familiar with the matter. The executives chose an unusual solution: They began demanding that certain employees surrender some shares or be fired.

Well, apparently Zynga is holding some of its employees over the fire (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904577018373223480802.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories) for previously given out stock options. 


Seems like a bunch of unethical bastards there.  I expect them to get their asses sued off in the very near future.

Hayama joins Rupert Murdoch-owned London studio Bossa, where he will work on the outfit's first 3D social game.

Executive Producer on The Last Guardian, Yoshifusa Hayama, has left Sony. (http://www.shacknews.com/article/71429/the-last-guardian-executive-producer-leaves-sony)  There have also been rumors that Ueda has left Sony as well but is continuing to work on the game as a freelancer.

Oh the Humanity: The Red Cross is investigating whether video games violate war crimes conventions. (http://www.news.com.au/technology/gaming/six-hundred-million-gamers-could-be-war-criminals-red-cross-says/story-e6frfrt9-1226216184190?sv=3c6cc1285b27b79b6399320cf959eafb)

 :uhrr:

Link to bulletin (http://www.rcrcconference.org/docs_upl/en/Daily_Bulletin_3_EN.pdf)

   

Dear Club Nintendo Member,

Thank you again for being an Elite Status Club Nintendo member this past year.

As you may have noticed, we misspelled one of the months on the Year-view Calendar insert, included alongside your 2012 Club Nintendo Calendar Elite Status gift. (It's the month between October and December.)

We're really embarrassed and apologize for this oversight; we always want our rewards and gifts to be special. We would like to offer you a replacement Year-view Calendar insert. In the interest of saving paper, we thought it better to ask if you want a replacement before automatically sending.

Please confirm by January 9th if you would like a replacement and we'll happily send you a new Year-view Calendar insert.

Thanks again for being a member of Club Nintendo.

We appreciate your continued feedback and loyalty.

Happy New Year!

Club Nintendo

Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine

For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory.

And then... it returned. Better than it was before.

Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal... perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah... patience would reveal it all.

As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life.

EDIT: I can't imagine how the hell you would control 6 dudes on iOS, but I guess it could be something like that.

Funny. Just last night, I was talking to a friend of mine about not playing ME3 due to it only being on Origin. I said that the only thing that could possibly get me to buy in to Origin was a good, faithful remake of SimCity, preferably around the SC2K level of complexity.

Well played, EA. Well played.

The original news was that Monster Hunter Portable 3 was listed on Play.com. The subsequent carnival of stupid began when a photoshopped image from 4chan emerged, purporting to show listings for GTA: Vice City Nights, Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, and Tales of Innocence R:


While a quick search of Play.com would quickly reveal that none of these other listings actually existed, somehow Eurogamer seized upon the image. Without any fact checking whatsoever, it quickly became front page news:


Joystiq saw it posted on Eurogamer and, again without any fact checking whatsoever, posted it as confirmed news as well:


In no time at all, the stupidity had gone mainstream:

Even worse is that everyone refers to Eurogamer as the source and they have fantastic words such as these:

"The listing has since been yanked, but Eurogamer was able to capture a screenshot of the page. It suggests the game will carry a €39.99 (about $50) price point." -Gamespot

"Eurogamer was alerted to this by reader el_pollo_diablo, who sent us the image displayed in this story." -Eurogamer

"Sony is hosting the PlayStation Vita Game Heaven on March 9, and we have a feeling that it just might include these titles." -Joystiq

"Eurogamer was alerted to the leak by a reader, posting images of all four games listed on the site. The link to Monster Hunter 3 is still live on Play.com." -IGN

"Perhaps the most interesting news here is an HD version of action-RPG Final Fantasy Type-0, which publisher Square Enix released for PlayStation Portable in Japan last year. Although the chances that we'll see that PSP game in the U.S. or Europe seem fairly slim, an HD remake for PlayStation Vita is far more likely to make its way over here." -Kotaku

smh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2BoI0BH_Q

 :drill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2BoI0BH_Q

 :drill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2BoI0BH_Q

 :drill:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2BoI0BH_Q

 :drill:

https://twitter.com/#!/PHIL_FISH/status/177739081843875840
@CrowTGamer i just won the grand prize at IGF tonight. suck my dick. choke on it.

https://twitter.com/#!/PHIL_FISH/status/177740040393334787
@Grabcocque i think it was a shameful, corrupt joke until i won it, and made it legit. you're welcome.

https://twitter.com/#!/PHIL_FISH/status/177742654518476802
no but seriously, suck my dick.

https://twitter.com/#!/PHIL_FISH/status/177821531479605249
you guys thought i was an egotistical asshole before...

There's nothing exceptional to see here.

Fez, a novel puzzle-platformer in which you shift between 2D perspectives, may not be coming to PC any time soon but the game is significant in a wider sense. Significant because it has been nominated for two prizes at this year’s Independent Games Festival awards when a few vocal critics have argued it really shouldn’t have been.

The controversy is summarised thus: In 2008, Fez won in the Excellence in Visual Arts category at the IGF. It certainly is a lovely looking game, I can personally testify to that. In 2012 it remains unreleased and subsequently re-enters the IGF for that year (and is eventually nominated for both the Technical Excellence award and the Seamus McNally Grand Prize).

I smile at the prospect of indie conspiracy theorists. Four of the people who have worked on Fez were jurors in the 2011 competition – Rich Vreeland, Paul Robertson, Renaud Bédard and Phil Fish himself. To some, they are members of a magic circle – the indie Illuminati. To Phil, they’re a group of friends. He laughs at the idea that there’s anyone somehow pulling the string of the indie scene.

“Yes, I’m good friends with Brandon Boyer and he’s running the IGF but I don’t think he’s gonna let that…you know, he’s not going to be biased towards us. The guy, he takes this very seriously. It’s just, yeah, we’re a bunch of friends but it’s not like because we’re a bunch of friends we’re all secretly helping each other out to trump the even littler – littlest – guys. There’s so many people on TIGSource that feel like they’re being fucked over by the indie elite. There’s no such thing! The fact that indie games has become a scene just pisses me off. Because now there’s all this scene drama and jealousy and enemies…”

Is this going to shorten or lengthen development times?

The more they focus on their graphics, the less fun their games turn out to be.  Their first was still their best, IMO.

Oddly enough, this seems to correlate with a lot of AAA games these days.

Yeah, probably.  I just thought it was particularly egregious in this case.  Reason being, in the original Far Cry, despite the fact that the game got rave for the graphics, it's actual shooting mechanics were brilliant.  I fired off my fair share of military weapons back when I was in the Army, and they hit it pretty close to the mark.  Subsequent games from Crytek improved the graphics for sure...but the actual shooting mechanics became worse and worse.  Preparing for their console releases, no doubt  :oh_i_see:

They could've just realized that graphics do not make games, and they haven't done so for a long while. We got over a certain level, and anything beyond that, while nice, isn't vital.

Or, I guess that's not really relevant for the younger generation, who for some reason seems to go all ga-ga over graphics still. vOv

FPSs, in my opinion, haven't benefitted from better graphics since possible COD 3.  Or maybe even back to HL2/Far Cry.  Which isn't to say they couldn't still improve, I just think it doesn't matter much anymore at this point.

I would counter that something like FEAR would've totally sucked if not for the graphical portion. Flashlights and environmental effects add a lot to the game, for me. I care more about immersion, though. I'd rather have a really immersive experience with mediocre mechanics (Amnesia) than something that had perfect mechanics but was just a bland setting (Rift, I guess, I don't play shooters anymore).

Atmosphere doesn't have much at all to do with graphical quality.

Atmosphere doesn't have much at all to do with graphical quality.

Regarding the recent Obsidian layoffs and game cancellation I give you what is pretty much the saddest thing:

How can anyone be so crazy as to tie their payment of royalties to a goddamn Metacritic score? That just seems the height of stupid business plans.

Not feeling very positive about the Giant Bomb thing. The fragile ecosystem that allowed for their brand of crazy has been broken and being reattached to the blandest of the bland mainstream sites will not help. 

Not too keen on GB becoming part of CBS, but I'll pretty much just wait and see.

Even weirder is what's happening at (former) Whiskey Media site Tested.com (http://www.tested.com/news/so-whats-happening-with-tested-video/3744/).

we'll see how that pans out.

Depends on how you define quality. There's technical prowess and there's creative leveraging of an engine. Something like FEAR or Amnesia is the latter and what I was talking aboot.

Apparently Obsidian's managed to catch a break, and is now working on a new secret project, according to some digging done by their forumers. Speculation is that an ex-publisher's come to their rescue, so we'll see how that pans out.

How can anyone be so crazy as to tie their payment of royalties to a goddamn Metacritic score? That just seems the height of stupid business plans.

Sega's "extraordinary loss" (caused in part by costs from this restructuring) will see the company's expected profits drop from 38 billion yen ($462 million) to 20 billion yen ($243 million,) with sales revenue dipping about a half-billion dollars. The cancellation of these projects and this reform is estimated to have a 7.1 billion yen ($86.5 million) price tag.

f I were EA, it would be right about now I’d be issuing a memo to all my employees and contracted developers to say, “Hey guys, um, can we all stop doing overtly dumb things for a bit? Cheers, thanks, love EA.” With an internet backlash against the company, part deserved, part self-entitled arsetits leaping on the latest channel for their boundless streams of hate, now was perhaps not the best time for it to be noticed that Command & Conquer Tiberium Alliances has – allegedly – been copying its tanks from Warhammer 40K. (Usually slapping in an “allegedly” is a coward’s way of making an accusation, but you might want to see just how similar they are in the pics below.)

As reported by Eurogamer, and spotted by Reddit, the designs for the new free-to-play C&C game do seem somewhat… borrowed.

Don't worry EA, it's not like Games Workshop's lawyers have a reputation of striking down with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to make money from GW's IPs or anything.

After years of negotiation, the original founders of Stainless recently bought back ALL the rights to Carmageddon. So now it’s back in its rightful home, we’ve embarked on the journey that will reboot the brand, and we want YOU to join us on that journey.

a new Ultima game might be announced, probably the one Paul Barnett has been working on for the past couple years.

If Paul Barnett gets his greasy, sunglass covered fingers on the actual Cyberpunk 2020 IP to make a game, I will rain unholy fire down upon this planet because we will all deserve ANNIHILATION.

MOTHERFUCKER. They are making a cyberpunk game. Is Barnett involved? Please tell me he is not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Barnett_%28video_game_designer%29

Greetings, Heroes of Might and Magic Online!

We're sincerely sorry that Heroes of Might and Magic Online will no longer be in operation, but the CO team is happy to welcome you into the fantasy world of Conquer!

Welp, I'm officially old. I am offended by a videogame for reasons other than "it sucks and I paid money for it".

Far Cry 3's multiplayer is going to have a "mini-game" afterwards where the winning team gets to torture/kill or release the best player from the losing team.

I guess you never played Commando Libya on C64?  :awesome_for_real:

Thirteen years of history. Thirteen years of stories. Thirteen years of Brood War. It’s all led up to this single match. Heo “JangBi” Yeong Moo and Jung “Fantasy” Myung Hoon will face each other in the first and only repeat finals in Starleague history, for the honor of being the last Brood War Starleague champion. Fittingly, this finale will kick off with a revival of the original eSports rivalry: a Legends Match between Lim “BoxeR” Yo Hwan and Hong “YellOw” Jin Ho.

This is so neat  :heart:

"The evolution of PC games" in 2:31, especially through sounds and quick visuals. Quite a trip down the memory lane :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuO-s1kugLs

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena.

I guess they were just sick of people calling them "DotA clones."

This is so neat  :heart:

"The evolution of PC games" in 2:31, especially through sounds and quick visuals. Quite a trip down the memory lane :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuO-s1kugLs

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is now available for pre-order on Steam.  At only 13.50 for the pre-order it was a no brainer for me.  Counter Strike is maybe the shooter I've played more raw hours than any other in my life, and I'd be shocked not to get my money's worth even if I put it down after a month or two this time around.

This is why I posted it in this thread instead of making a new thread for the game itself  :awesome_for_real:

Seriously though, I'm willing to admit to being more or less a fanboy of the series, so the game would have to be disastrous for me not to enjoy it.  Figure I'd post here in case anyone else happened to be interested in pre-ordering, though I realize F13 isn't big into competitive shooter titles.