General Commentary & Chat Thread

[Flinn]

moved some posts from the TGC commentary.. STOP spamming that thread, curse you!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Akar]

You can't make me, Flinn!*



*you totally could make me but please don't

[Flinn]

Typical Italian. Always trolling around. Thanks, dude.

As per the rules, repping a correct guess is only optional, but if rep is requested to be given on behalf of someone who cannot, I'll gladly do the honors

[Sir Adrian]

Now that you mention it, I cannot rep myself. Could you please do the honors

[Flinn]

point me to where it is due and I'll gladly do *poetic mode off

[Flinn]

There has been a recent issue in the "Guess the game from the cutscene" which required some moderation action; while this is bad per sé and should be avoided at any cost (gents, these are simple games, we are here to enjoy and spend some time in happiness.. getting salty about it's really not the case I'd say), I'd also like to remind the players what the rules are.

All the games included in the Total Guess Competition have the same set of rules

- One person posts a picture/question/riddle with any details the poster feels are necessary.
- Everyone else tries to guess the picture/question posted or solve the riddle, whilst providing some details about their guess.
- The person who guessed correctly then posts their own picture/question/riddle within 24 hours.
- It is customary, though not an obligation, that the person who guessed correctly gets reputation from the original poster of the picture/question/riddle (or from another player/Gaming Staff if the OP cannot).
- Anybody can take the turn if a picture/question/riddle isn't posted within 24 hours or if the person who guessed the last picture/question/riddle says that anybody can take his turn.
- People are supposed to play fairly and to respect the other players and to do their best to ensure that the game keeps flowing. Blatant cheating, lack of respect, lack of input and so on and on might lead to the disqualification of the offending player for that round, this at the exclusive discretion of other players and/or Gaming Staff

Bolding is mine; I wish to remember everybody that the purpose of the games is to play them and make them move on, which means that when a guess is objectively hard, new hints are expected and due, in order to make the guess easier and give the other players the opportunity to get it right and take the next turn.
Also, respect is always due.

As per a possible intervention of Gaming Hex, if the majority of the players believe that one player is not respecting the rules, they can call for them, but in any case any possible action is always at the sole discretion of the Gaming Hex in charge (in this case, me ).

Have nice games gents

[Akar]

People are supposed to play fairly and to respect the other players and to do their best to ensure that the game keeps flowing. Blatant cheating, lack of respect, lack of input and so on and on might lead to the disqualification of the offending player for that round, this at the exclusive discretion of other players and/or Gaming Staff

I was gonna say I didn't remember writing this when I made the threads and didn't sound like me *at all* and then I saw you had edited my post. That will explain it

[Flinn]

I was gonna say I didn't remember writing this when I made the threads and didn't sound like me *at all* and then I saw you had edited my post. That will explain it

you agreed with that though

That seems fine

I'm watching you, lad!

[Akar]

All agreements are temporary and susceptible to unilateral and retroactive renegotiation.

[Sir Adrian]

Flinn has altered the deal, pary he does not alter it further.

[Flinn]

All agreements are temporary and susceptible to unilateral and retroactive renegotiation.

that's true, but only for me

Flinn has altered the deal, pary he does not alter it further.

I have unlimited powers, deal with it

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

Flinn is totally misunderstood:

[Ishan]

I remember when playing tomb raider chronicles. For months I struggled on the same level trying to figure out how to progress, it was the first TR game I played. Back then the games where challenging without any hints or signs or minimap flashes. Internet was slow didn't have detailed guides or playthroughs. So it was a completely different experience.
Nowadays I feel game is too easy with exceptions like Dark Souls where you would occasionally want to kill yourself.

[Flinn]

I agree, at the time they were difficult, challenging experiences; today either they are a walk in the park or they are impossible

[Septentrionalis]

I agree, at the time they were difficult, challenging experiences; today either they are a walk in the park or they are impossible

Yes, and there are also different kinds of difficulty, some of which are more enfuriating than others. Of the good kind I remember some big boss fights in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons games in which you really had to think outside the box and make clever use of buffs and such to finally come out victorious.

Then there are the totally annoying ones. Like the kind where you already know exactly what you should do but then have to press some buttons at the right millisecond several times or fail. No real discovery and using your brain, just mindless grinding over and over again. And the puzzles (thanks LucasArts) where there is no hint or explanation, but you just have to "use" some randon inventory item on a random object that gets you forward. Now I worked up a good rage just reminiscing them.

[Akar]

I remember when playing tomb raider chronicles. For months I struggled on the same level trying to figure out how to progress, it was the first TR game I played. Back then the games where challenging without any hints or signs or minimap flashes.

That's all just bad game design. None of that is making what's actually important (gameplay) harder, it's just making the game confusing and frustrating.

[Flinn]

Moved few posts from the Guess the game from the screen, feel free to keep discussing here, thanks

Yes, and there are also different kinds of difficulty, some of which are more enfuriating than others. Of the good kind I remember some big boss fights in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons games in which you really had to think outside the box and make clever use of buffs and such to finally come out victorious.

So true, I particularly hate the way difficulty in managed in FPS, all that they do is to increase the number of shots you need to kill enemy and at the same time decrease the number of shot taken before dying. Nothing else changes (position of enemies, availability of weapons/ammo, etc).

[Septentrionalis]

So true, I particularly hate the way difficulty in managed in FPS, all that they do is to increase the number of shots you need to kill enemy and at the same time decrease the number of shot taken before dying. Nothing else changes (position of enemies, availability of weapons/ammo, etc).

Oh, that too. Didn't think of it, but I agree. Overall, FPS games often suffer from a lack of immersion because of that energy bar school of injury modeling.

In some of them, just trying to avoid enemy fire works in your disadvantage (they are shooting at you while you are not shooting back) and you will do better by just firing and not worrying about getting shot at. I really miss those nerve-wrecking moments in Operation Flashpoint in which a single rifle shot from an unseen enemy will put an end to your half-an-hour gameplay of carefully trying to get behind enemy lines. Of course I understand that there needs to be less serious shooters for relaxing and and letting some steam out.

One of my disappointments was how Fallout 4, that should not be a FPS in the first place, was made into one. And a bad one at that. One tries to enjoy the beautiful scenery and post-nuclear atmosphere, but all the time something engages you. And there is nothing really to do in a combat except standing, facing the enemy and shooting each other, hoping and mostly knowing that they will run out of health before you do. And the way enemies spawn identically in set places. Like I avoid going near that one car wreck so I don't have to kill the guy jumping from behind it for the 17th time.

Edit: thanks for keeping the contest threads clean.

[Sar1n]

One of my disappointments was how Fallout 4, that should not be a FPS in the first place, was made into one. And a bad one at that. One tries to enjoy the beautiful scenery and post-nuclear atmosphere, but all the time something engages you. And there is nothing really to do in a combat except standing, facing the enemy and shooting each other, hoping and mostly knowing that they will run out of health before you do. And the way enemies spawn identically in set places. Like I avoid going near that one car wreck so I don't have to kill the guy jumping from behind it for the 17th time.

Edit: thanks for keeping the contest threads clean.

Yeah, when it came to combat, F3 and following were a disappointment. Shallow, and pretty much just a matter of having enough stats, weapon and consumables for the fight. No skill involved.

I wish they made the combat system at least on par with Mass Effect.

[Septentrionalis]

Yeah, when it came to combat, F3 and following were a disappointment. Shallow, and pretty much just a matter of having enough stats, weapon and consumables for the fight. No skill involved.

I wish they made the combat system at least on par with Mass Effect.

I am curious. How did you (or anyone else reading this) feel about the frequency of combat in the game and the selection of enemies? To me, it kills immersion that there is a super mutant or some insanely dangerous enemy lurking around every corner. It makes me ask how could any of these societies, travel, and commerce work if the shortest of routes in between human settlements is crawling with enemies of all sorts.

In general, I would wish games to have less of everything. Fewer high-powered enemies, fewer overpowered weapons lying around, etc. A game in which running into a group of raiders would be a dangerous situation, and a game in which getting your hands on something powerful actually feels special. As if you have been lucky to find something grand. Fallout 4 is a prime example of how way too early in the game nothing feels like anything anymore, because there is too much of everything. And the character gets too powerful. Oh, a behemoth. Well, I have this shotgun that magically makes ordinary shotgun shells take care of it with just a few blasts. On to the next boring and inconsequential encounter that no doubt happens sooner than I would hope.

I should try Mass Effect, if you say that it has a good combat system.