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Author Topic: Useless gaming news & chatter  (Read 1340848 times)
Malakili
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Reply #315 on: May 09, 2011, 11:46:46 AM


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.
stu
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Reply #316 on: May 09, 2011, 12:08:34 PM

I think what he's saying is that because Valve's fate is tied so closely to the Steam community, they want to have a constant release of content (like what the TF2 devs pump out). He says they get more consistent quality from shorter dev cycles, which is fine with me. If your company takes forever to pump out games, why not look for ways to release content in blocks? 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.

edit: plus, games on Steam are always moderately priced. It's not like PSN, where items never drop from full price unless you pay it forward with a Plus sub. I mean, they even make you pay for avatars on there. ugghgh
« Last Edit: May 09, 2011, 12:13:44 PM by stu »

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Sky
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Reply #317 on: May 09, 2011, 12:22:50 PM

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?

And there's definitely an angle they'll mine more in the future with steam, already being able to link over youtube stuff from within steam. I mean...I'm not on facebook but I'm on steam!
Malakili
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Reply #318 on: May 09, 2011, 12:34:48 PM

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.


Is Half Life even their key franchise anymore?  I bet people younger than 18-20 don't even know what it is, on average.  Hell, even when the original Counter Strike was popular there were tons of people who had no idea what Half Life was, and that was a mod for HL for years before it was stand alone.
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Reply #319 on: May 09, 2011, 01:24:14 PM

Pretty sure their key franchise is Counter-Strike.

Also I noticed that gog.com has decided to ignore its customers' geo-location... just in time for the Witcher 2 release.

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Reply #320 on: May 09, 2011, 01:35:10 PM


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.

I can understand the concept inside the framework of games like Portal, TF2, LFD2 and Counterstrike. You start with a small game which is in itself a platform and a service, then you expand within. So you add a constant stream of small additions, which keeps people interested, but you avoid hassle at the front end by making smaller games. You can expand the definition of the game with new modes, for example challenge maps in Portal 2. I agree though, I don't see clearly how this works for a story-based single-player game. Perhaps in the fullness of time Valve will just move away from that. Frankly, other than Half-Life, all their other games fall into the 'Games as a service' model much better: Dota2, TF2, Alien Swarm, LFD2, CS. None of these are particularly story based in a way that cannot be addressed with the addition of a new map. The only way I could see it working for a story-based game would be in the context of some hub-based game where the stream of content is akin to DLC that you get in hour-long chunks or so. This wouldn't seem on the face of things to support a good narrative though.

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Reply #321 on: May 09, 2011, 05:57:28 PM

I would say they are taking the notion that if you know your world well enough, story will come out in the atmosphere and environment rather than through cut scenes. Like the messages on walls in L4D or Portal. By placing emphasis on settings, you get more flexibility in the long run. They may have hamstrung themselves with HL because the story has to keep escalating in quality in order to provide a meaningful experience with each new iteration.



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Reply #322 on: May 10, 2011, 11:39:56 AM

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?
Look at mass effect 2 DLC as an example of gradual releases for a single player game to keep people interested in the wider story/universe.
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Reply #323 on: May 10, 2011, 12:44:58 PM

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?

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Sky
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Reply #324 on: May 10, 2011, 12:45:07 PM

Excellent example! Hadn't thought of it.

I also didn't consider Gabe has a front row seat for what's selling on Steam and loves statistics.
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Reply #325 on: May 10, 2011, 01:14:55 PM

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

Valve did an entire comic to answer that question.   awesome, for real

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Reply #326 on: May 10, 2011, 02:31:55 PM

That comic is terrible.
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Reply #327 on: May 10, 2011, 02:45:02 PM

New challenger for worst game ever? Thor: God of Thunder Review .  Would have been much better if Kevin Van Ord took a shot at this..

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Reply #328 on: May 10, 2011, 06:32:14 PM


Might just be Half-Life 3 instead. I think by "moved beyond" he means "it was an utter failure in execution".

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Reply #329 on: May 10, 2011, 07:21:27 PM

The Mass Effect DLC is a great example.

I haven't played ME yet, but the downside to that sort of thing is Alan Wake syndrome, where they deliberately left out the ending to the game/story in order to sell it to you as separate DLC. And while not the most expensive, at 560msp a pop, not on the cheap side, either. A pretty good reason to skip that particular game. (For me, anyway).


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Margalis
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Reply #330 on: May 11, 2011, 12:35:44 AM

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?

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.

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Reply #331 on: May 11, 2011, 05:15:11 AM

has reached

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Yegolev
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Reply #332 on: May 11, 2011, 01:48:41 PM


Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
Yegolev
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Reply #333 on: May 11, 2011, 01:51:20 PM

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?

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.

I agree completely on this.  To me this was stale after System Shock 2.  I made fun of it, but HL2 at least had NPCs for you to talk to instead of recordings.  It's one of those issues that every designer knows about but so far no one has devised a good replacement for.  When someone does, it will be like the Chronicles of Riddick health system all over again.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
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Azazel
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Reply #334 on: May 11, 2011, 04:13:59 PM

What was that? Regenerating health?

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Yegolev
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Reply #335 on: May 12, 2011, 09:06:27 AM

Yes, in the primal form it was regenerating health as long as you didn't lose an entire "block" of health.  I believe this led not only to immediate clones but also to the modern day implementation of full regeneration if you can just hide behind a tree for a bit.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
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Reply #336 on: May 18, 2011, 01:10:02 PM

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

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MisterNoisy
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Reply #337 on: May 18, 2011, 01:37:52 PM

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

I think it's just the response to flagging Wii sales combined with the fact that they're due to show a new home console this E3.

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Yegolev
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Reply #338 on: May 18, 2011, 09:52:14 PM

You are probably right, I'm just not giving much thought to this new console.  I expect very little.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
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Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
Malakili
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Reply #339 on: May 21, 2011, 09:37:36 PM

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.
Hawkbit
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Reply #340 on: May 21, 2011, 10:08:52 PM

I've owned about six pairs in 10 years, ranging from $15 to $120.  I'm back to using a $20 simple cheap headset because all the upper end ones have janky stuff going on. 

My Steel Series had a short boom that I had to pull forward with one hand to talk loud enough for folks to hear me.  I wasn't impressed with the design, either.  It was large, heavy and got sweaty.  ymmv.
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Reply #341 on: May 21, 2011, 10:32:15 PM

The logitech sets I've had generally work nicely, though the one I have cuts out in one of the ears sometimes. I think it's because it has a rather long cord which is prone to getting stuck under the wheels of my chair.

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Sjofn
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Reply #342 on: May 21, 2011, 11:40:46 PM

I like logitech too, for whatever that may be worth.

Next Sims 3 expansion is apparently out at the end of the month. Sounds like the devs went "oooohhhh riiiiiight, it's a sandbox game" and mostly focused on beefing up more social stuff for the Sims in the ages that aren't young adult/adult. I know I'm the only one who cares, but goddammit, I need to say it somewhere.

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Reply #343 on: May 22, 2011, 12:13:03 AM

Yeah, this one looks like one whose features I won't wind up avoiding nearly entirely (hello to you Late Night and your stupid elevators) after a week.

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Reply #344 on: May 22, 2011, 05:15:41 PM

The elevators are pretty shitty, yeah. I built a bunch of my own nightclubs and crap for my other neighborhoods and ditched the new one because of them. Most of the rest of Late Night I liked though, although trying to be a band seems pretty buggy too.

I still miss having weather, though. :((((((((

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Hawkbit
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Reply #345 on: May 25, 2011, 05:21:36 AM

Caught this from Kotaku, got a giggle.

Quote
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.
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Reply #346 on: May 27, 2011, 06:25:19 AM

Hawkbit
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Reply #347 on: May 27, 2011, 07:55:36 AM

Nightblade
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Reply #348 on: May 27, 2011, 08:34:33 AM

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.

For the mic, you can buy a zalman mic that clips on to the headset's single wire. http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Microphone-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306510805&sr=8-1 I use this, great range and clarity.
Sky
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Reply #349 on: May 27, 2011, 09:34:52 AM

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.
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