Random Game Thoughts Thread October 16-22

[Colif]

Unfortunately for them, if the original poster is still around, we're going to know what they're doing.

Its much easier on forums where there are more active users, easier to be missed. I have had them copy me on a number of occasions, read thread and think... this seems familiar.
Often they don't even leave the thread they copied from.

With the constant chance of storms on all the weekends this month, reminds me of when I used to play WOW and everynight, just as the raid was about to start, a storm would show up and I would have to stop playing or risk repairing PC if I was unlucky. I often just sat out but it started to make me hate summer as it brings storms and forces me to stop using PC.

Its just as well I can resist playing the games I could play now.

 

[Zloth]

So, on a completely different gaming front, I got the updated rules for the Star Fleet Battles board game. I was missing quite a few rules about fighters, fast patrol ships, and X-ships. Now I can geek out and read those for a while. I haven't been able to play the game with anyone for decades, but I still have fun simply reading the rules and thinking about the implications.

 

[Brian Boru]

Interesting Game Maker's Toolkit 15m video about game design:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJZyPdYIbZI

 

[SleepingDog]

So, on a completely different gaming front, I got the updated rules for the Star Fleet Battles board game. I was missing quite a few rules about fighters, fast patrol ships, and X-ships. Now I can geek out and read those for a while. I haven't been able to play the game with anyone for decades, but I still have fun simply reading the rules and thinking about the implications.

I thought I was the only one that did this. My game is Runequest from the 1980s. Do exactly the same but also think about scenarios/ adventures in my head.

 

[Brian Boru]

Continuing TBP exploration voyage, tried Axes and Acres.

"single-player strategy game designed to create exciting decisions every turn. The rules are easy to learn, but every turn can be played out in many different ways in order to farm, build and survive"

Not for me, but looks a really nice single player builder and has 88% positive on Steam.

 

[Colif]

How big you think the target audience is of people who buy watches and want a Mario Kart watch?

And are willing to pay $USD 25000 for it?

 

[mainer]

Most of you have probably already seen this, as we're probably all Steam members, but there is an Arkane Studios sale until 10/24/2022, @ 25-80% off.

Arkane Studios Sale

Save up to 75%* and complete your game library with award-winning Arkane Studios titles

store.steampowered.com

Of special note, is one of Arkane's first game, Arx Fatalis, a very old-school game in the vein of Ultima Underworld. I played it from the boxed version about 20 years ago, and it's great fun if you're into that kind of game. I have no idea how it runs on today's PCs, but it might be worth a look, especially for only $1.99.

Arx Fatalis on Steam

This critically acclaimed first-person RPG from Arkane Studios takes the player on an amazing journey into the fantasy world of Arx. Arx is wrought with turmoil, brought to the brink of destruction by a violent war.

store.steampowered.com

 

[Sore But Whole]

How big you think the target audience is of people who buy watches and want a Mario Kart watch?
And are willing to pay $USD 25000 for it?

Not very big at all, but I would definitely rock it. I love watches (don't really care either way about Mario anymore). However, I will not spend $25K on a watch. LOL

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Shall I or shan't I buy Resident Evil VIII? I tried 7 but it was too scary for me. People seem to say 8 is a lot more action oriented and that would appeal a lot more. I prefer to be able to shoot the things that are scaring me.

Its €30 on Steam right now, a bit much to take a punt on but nothing else is appealing to me at the moment.

Other option sign up to Gamepass again and play Plague Tale. Really liked the first one, but I feel like shooting stuff

 

[SleepingDog]

Of special note, is one of Arkane's first game, Arx Fatalis, a very old-school game in the vein of Ultima Underworld. I played it from the boxed version about 20 years ago, and it's great fun if you're into that kind of game. I have no idea how it runs on today's PCs, but it might be worth a look, especially for only $1.99.

Arx Fatalis on Steam

This critically acclaimed first-person RPG from Arkane Studios takes the player on an amazing journey into the fantasy world of Arx. Arx is wrought with turmoil, brought to the brink of destruction by a violent war.

store.steampowered.com

GOG (in the UK) are also selling Arx Fatalis for £1.19 - they usually make sure that the games work on modern PC or give you your money back (there may be a time limit). Though some users had some problems getting it to work.

It's unusual in that it has an innovative gesture-based spellcasting system using the mouse - I found it too hard but I have an attention span of a very young child so don't let that put you off.

PS Tried it a few minutes ago and it worked for me without any problems on Windows 10.

 

[Pifanjr]

https://www.pcgamer.com/this-early-access-space-4x-smartly-reinvents-the-genres-early-game/

Why would you mess with the best part of a 4X game?

It does seem like the game has some interesting mechanics, but I'm not convinced the early game was the part that needed reinventing.

 

[Zloth]

And are willing to pay $USD 25000 for it?

I wouldn't even pay $2.50 for it.

Of special note, is one of Arkane's first game, Arx Fatalis, a very old-school game in the vein of Ultima Underworld. I played it from the boxed version about 20 years ago, and it's great fun if you're into that kind of game. I have no idea how it runs on today's PCs, but it might be worth a look, especially for only $1.99.

I tried playing it eons ago when it first came out. I was having fun with it, but I was playing a mage and read somewhere that mages are just about impossible to win with because of how the final part of the game works. I'm pretty sure that either wasn't true at all or got fixed later, but it was enough to put me off the game and I never got back to it.

I gave it a second try a couple of years ago. The graphics are, obviously, really sad but the game is pretty fun. It's also HARD! I eventually gave up just because of the difficulty. I should have dialed it down.

Why would you mess with the best part of a 4X game?

Given that I like to spread everyone out in 4Xs to maximize the exploration before battles, this probably isn't my kind of 4X game, but it is very good to see people pushing out new ideas.

 

[Brian Boru]

nothing else is appealing to me at the moment

I ask all PCGs—Patient Compassionate Gamers—to join me in a minute's silence in sympathy with the heathen horde who don't have anything worthy of replay.

Why would you mess with the best part of a 4X game?

I agree wholeheartedly! The ideal 4X needs to open up new lands periodically, so that early game fabulosity—shut it, it is a word… now—gets repeated for most of the game.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I ask all PCGs—Patient Compassionate Gamers—to join me in a minute's silence in sympathy with the heathen horde who don't have anything worthy of replay.

Hey! I'm still playing Battle Brothers, no point mentioning it in here now as nothing new to say. I like to have an action game on the go as well. If anything its paralysis of choice. I should probably just finish off Doom Eternal but I need to get over a little bump to get into it again.

https://www.pcgamer.com/this-early-access-space-4x-smartly-reinvents-the-genres-early-game/

Why would you mess with the best part of a 4X game?

It does seem like the game has some interesting mechanics, but I'm not convinced the early game was the part that needed reinventing.

Its the time when I have the most fun as well in 4X, because for me the way I play means that by the time borders are all clearly defined its usually fairly easy to see which victory condition is going to be most viable. Then its just going through the motions to get there. I think thats true in Civ 1,2,4, and Gal Civ 1 and 2. I also think in Endless Space 2 although I havent played a huge amount of it.

Its a totally different angle to approach the issue, even if its not actually an issue to most people, its just a feature of the genre I suppose? I havent played any more recent 4x games like Humankind, Old World or even Civ 6 so I'm not sure if any other ways to spice up the late game have worked or not. They avoid the problem of a stale late game by not having an early game, which sounds novel in theory. Doesnt sound like they have convinced you guys though, so maybe it wont sell.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm not sure if any other ways to spice up the late game have worked or not

It's not so much that the late game is bad as such, just that the early game in a good 4X is very very good.

2 of my fav ways to play Civ4 are intended to introduce more early-game play into the mid game:
1. Terra map, where everyone starts in the Old World, and the New World lies out there undiscovered until ocean sailing tech around the middle of the game.
2. Islands map with high sea level and 6 big islands—max poss in custom game—but only 5 players. Again, island 6 is only discoverable after ocean sailing.

Doesnt sound like they have convinced you guys though, so maybe it wont sell

Depends how they market it, there is also a market of players who love to wage war all the time in 4X and for whom economy, culture etc are distractions.

 

[Pifanjr]

It's not so much that the late game is bad as such, just that the early game in a good 4X is very very good.

Exactly. The rest of the 4X gameplay is fun too, but the exploration phase is just the most fun part.

So I wouldn't want to write off a game that removes the exploration phase if it promises to make the rest of the gameplay more interesting. It does sound like they've added a bunch of interesting mechanics.

I'd love to try it, but it'll have to wait until I've gone through the backlog. Which will have to wait until I actually get to play on our desktop computer again. I've been trying to fill the void with mobile gaming, but without much success so far.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

The narrative part seems interesting to me, there's a base building game called Per Aspera that came out a while ago that does something that sounds sort of similar. People said the problem then becomes replayability, if a narrative has to play out then it might become samey to play mulitple times, which is obviously something people expect from 4x or base building games. I guess you could avoid that by also having a sandbox mode, but that part of the game has to stand on its own in that case.

Anyway like Zloth said I like it when people try different things so I'll keep an eye on this one too.

 

[Brian Boru]

Spent a nice ~5 hours in Gone Home, an interesting walk about a big empty house. I finished the game, but didn't get any Steam achievements—as far as I can see, I didn't earn any of them, so there's obviously more secrets to fish out than I found.

I notice one achievement is for finishing the game in 1 minute—yes, 60 seconds!—so don't complain it's too long

It's atmospheric and there's a nice set of stories for the various characters which gradually reveal as you ferret out various notes etc—one character is voiced very well. ETA: Game has non-sexual LGBTQ+ content.

I won't go back in now to hunt for extras, but I rate it 75% personal value, so there's a good chance I'll replay some future year.

75/100

 

[Brian Boru]

Four Kings One War

Just did a quick flick into this freebie. A bit rough around the edges, but could be very interesting to play—I'm not in the humor to continue at the moment, as this would require serious brain usage to get to grips with.

It's a chess game, but with 4 sets of pieces rather than the usual 2. You have the 8x8 board, plus 3x8 rows along each side to accommodate the 4 armies. You can rotate and tilt the board.

I played just a few moves against the AI. I controlled 2 adjacent armies and could move 2 pieces each turn—and each Knight gets an extra move, ie 2 hops.

Nice idea for sure, if you're a chesser, worth a look indeed since it's free.

65/100

 

[Zloth]

It's not so much that the late game is bad as such, just that the early game in a good 4X is very very good.

For me, it often is the end game being bad.

You can see it on those power graphs. My empire and one or two others will start climbing fast. If I don't come out on top, then I've lost and I'll quit. If I do come out on top, though, the other empires' steep rise becomes a steep decline and it's clear I've won - but the computer doesn't quit. I have to play on and on before the PC acknowledges the inevitable. Sometimes I'll just declare victory and quit, but that doesn't give achievements or get recorded in any sort of meta game.

 

[SleepingDog]

Spent a nice ~5 hours in Gone Home, an interesting walk about a big empty house. I finished the game, but didn't get any Steam achievements—as far as I can see, I didn't earn any of them, so there's obviously more secrets to fish out than I found.

I notice one achievement is for finishing the game in 1 minute—yes, 60 seconds!—so don't complain it's too long

It's atmospheric and there's a nice set of stories for the various characters which gradually reveal as you ferret out various notes etc—one character is voiced very well.

I won't go back in now to hunt for extras, but I rate it 75% personal value, so there's a good chance I'll replay some future year.

75/100

I agree with what you say. It's a mystery which you solve by putting the clues and messages together to work out what happened. There are no fights, QTE's etc just a story to be unravelled.

75% seems reasonable [Mod edit: rest removed].

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

I remember liking Gone Home quite a bit. Havent played any walking sims for a while, but I remember like The Beginners Guide and The Town of Light as well. Did those type games go out of fashion or have I just not come across them recently?

I really liked The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and What Remains of Edith Finch but there was a little more game to those two than Gone Home I think.

 

[WoodenSaucer]

Other option sign up to Gamepass again and play Plague Tale. Really liked the first one, but I feel like shooting stuff

Another option: Sign up for Game Pass, play Halo: Infinite, then play A Plague Tale.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

Another option: Sign up for Game Pass, play Halo: Infinite, then play A Plague Tale.

Good call, I forgot about Halo Infinite. For now I started playing Doom Eternal again, and I'm quite near the end so I'll rip and tear until its done and move over there after maybe.

 

[Pifanjr]

For me, it often is the end game being bad.

You can see it on those power graphs. My empire and one or two others will start climbing fast. If I don't come out on top, then I've lost and I'll quit. If I do come out on top, though, the other empires' steep rise becomes a steep decline and it's clear I've won - but the computer doesn't quit. I have to play on and on before the PC acknowledges the inevitable. Sometimes I'll just declare victory and quit, but that doesn't give achievements or get recorded in any sort of meta game.

That sounds like you just set the turn limit too high.