Video Games: The long wait until Fall games come out

[Werthead]

There's alot of people in other industries too and yet you don't see the same kind of shit going on.

I think the number of death threats Justin Bieber gets on Twitter daily belies this. The response to GRRM taking five years to writing a book (I haven't heard of direct death threats but plenty of, "I hope he dies soon so writer X can take over the series,") was also extreme. The above example with Lindelof. George Lucas retiring because of people constantly ripping into him.

There's a lot of arseholes out there. They may seem to be more prevalent in the gaming industry, but coverage of the gaming industry has moved very prominently online, even moreso than music or film or other things have. But there are dickheads in every genre and every medium.

[Ser Rodrigo Belmonte]

Hey guys what are your opinions on Alpha Protocol? Ive heard the dialogue system and story are great,while gameplay is broken. Since itsby Obsidian im willing to try it if its decent gameplay.

[Galactus]

Broken isn't quite the right word, "uninspired" and "lacklustre" are better ones. But the way the entire game reacts to what you do makes it worth it.

[Inigima]

I disagree, I think his description is pretty accurate. It's a neat game but stealth can completely break it.

[Sad King Billy]

ambitious dialogue/choice & consequence system, level design linear (though you can choose which missions you take, the missions themselves are a corridor with the occasional sideroom), stealth is OP while the gunplay is dull and boring.

If you go in for the choice & consequence, it's great. If you go in expecting great combat/stealth gameplay ... not really.

I wouldn't say that it's actively frustrating, it's just very boring.

[Werthead]

I can't even get Alpha Protocol to work. Will try again at some point, as I love Obsidian's games, even the really borked ones.

[Werthead]

Playing the Brigmore Witches DLC for Dishonored. Very good so far:

I especially liked breaking into Coldridge Prison and finding the complete chaos left over from Corvo's escape :) Also some interesting stuff about there being consequences even if Corvo ghosts through a level, such as in this case the guard who helped you in the original game being lined up against the wall to be shot (though I managed to save him and he did a runner).

[Jon AS]

I disagree, I think his description is pretty accurate. It's a neat game but stealth can completely break it.

Yeah, both the stealth and cover systems are broken in different ways. Stealth is overpowered (to the point where you can turn invisible and murder a room full of people without them noticing anything) while cover is usually less useful than just crouching behind stuff (unless you're blind-firing the pistol, which is another broken thing in the game).

[Kouran]

So it's really superior to EU3?

Yes for a whole host of reasons.

[Sad King Billy]

Yeah, both the stealth and cover systems are broken in different ways. Stealth is overpowered (to the point where you can turn invisible and murder a room full of people without them noticing anything) while cover is usually less useful than just crouching behind stuff (unless you're blind-firing the pistol, which is another broken thing in the game).

On the positive side, the russian endboss is one of the most hilariously awesome bossfights I've ever seen, both the main villain and his second-in-command are great villians - you really want to punch that smug asshole in the face and the other guy's very ... interesting - and everyone in the game can be turned into either an ally or an enemy. Well, except for the nameless npc guards that roam the various levels, maybe one or two named npcs.

[Centrist Simon Steele]

I've always heard Bioware has this amazing dialogue, but that is exactly another problem with Mass Effect 3. I was lying down for a nap yesterday and listening as my son started his first playthrough, and I was listening to the dialogue and this exchange came across:

"Lieutenant Commander."

"Admiral Anderson."

"Lieutenant Commander?"

"Commander Shepard!?"

"Not Commander anymore, Lieutenant Commander."

Shepard and Anderson leave scene leaving Ashley and Vega alone.

"Lieutenant."

"You know the Commander, Lieutenant Commander?"

"I used to."

I mean that's amazing, right?

[Commodore]

love these, Blanka is a Troll part 4

[WinterKing]

Yes for a whole host of reasons.

Better than CK2?

[Werthead]

I've always heard Bioware has this amazing dialogue

Did you? They've usually been effective, but I can't remember anyone calling them amazing. I think most Troika and Obsidian RPGs are much better-written than most BioWare ones, for starters.

[Clueless Northman]

Did you? They've usually been effective, but I can't remember anyone calling them amazing. I think most Troika and Obsidian RPGs are much better-written than most BioWare ones, for starters.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnt5klXxYt1qmoi2co1_400.jpg

[Tony Soprano]

Better than CK2?

I've only played EU IV for about an hour, so I don't think I've experienced all the additions and changes from EU III, but I can still say Crusader Kings II is just plain better. It doesn't have such a steep learning curve, and it's a lot more immersive.

But I'd say EU is more " realistic " and historically accurate. I've never experienced an HRE blob take over Spain and North Africa while playing EU, but that's happened a bunch of times in CK II.

[Sad King Billy]

I've only played EU IV for about an hour, so I don't think I've experienced all the additions and changes from EU III, but I can still say Crusader Kings II is just plain better. It doesn't have such a steep learning curve, and it's a lot more immersive.

But I'd say EU is more " realistic " and historically accurate. I've never experienced an HRE blob take over Spain and North Africa while playing EU, but that's happened a bunch of times in CK II.

Different strokes for different folks. EU4 encourages more systems-oriented gameplay, CK2 has more immersive elements. CK2 is playing a feudal/relationship game (with your neighbours, vassals) and focusses on the feudal lords. In EU4 you are "the state".

[Merentha]

Broken isn't quite the right word, "uninspired" and "lacklustre" are better ones. But the way the entire game reacts to what you do makes it worth it.

Pretty much this. It, unlike a lot of Obsidian's games, actually deserves its reputation for being buggy. Its combat is janky at best, and you're probably best off going for the incredibly overpowered combination of stealth and pistols and breezing through/avoiding combat (though Mike-as-shotgun-hobo is a remarkably fun run) to get to the real meat of the game: the goddamned dialogue. Seriously, its incredible how many times I've played through it and how different it actually is. I always love how AP threads online are usually filled with "wait, you can DO that? Holy shit!" Case in point, Sad King Billy mentioned a russian endboss: I never fought him on my first two runs. In fact, its not that I never fought him, I didn't know that I could fight him.

Unless you're talking about Brayko. I'm talking about Surkov and possibly Championchik

. Other examples are pretty much spoilers everywhere, but basically, if you do play AP: Look up NOTHING, and don't reload your game to try to get better outcomes.

[Fez]

I've always heard Bioware has this amazing dialogue, but that is exactly another problem with Mass Effect 3. I was lying down for a nap yesterday and listening as my son started his first playthrough, and I was listening to the dialogue and this exchange came across:

Compared to most video games, I'd say that yeah, Bioware does have pretty amazing dialog. They aren't Black Isle, but nothing is anymore. However, that's only for the most part, the first 90 minutes or so of ME3 have some incredibly cringe-worthy lines (thinking of you, speech to the Defense Committee).

[Sad King Billy]

Pretty much this. It, unlike a lot of Obsidian's games, actually deserves its reputation for being buggy. Its combat is janky at best, and you're probably best off going for the incredibly overpowered combination of stealth and pistols and breezing through/avoiding combat (though Mike-as-shotgun-hobo is a remarkably fun run) to get to the real meat of the game: the goddamned dialogue. Seriously, its incredible how many times I've played through it and how different it actually is. I always love how AP threads online are usually filled with "wait, you can DO that? Holy shit!" Case in point, Sad King Billy mentioned a russian endboss: I never fought him on my first two runs. In fact, its not that I never fought him, I didn't know that I could fight him.

Unless you're talking about Brayko. I'm talking about Surkov and possibly Championchik

. Other examples are pretty much spoilers everywhere, but basically, if you do play AP: Look up NOTHING, and don't reload your game to try to get better outcomes.

I was talking about those spoilers, actually. Anyway. I once saw a let's play of the game where the player went through the game with 2 characters simultaneously: one was a "nice" guy who made friends with (almost) everyone he could and did nonlethal whenever possible; the other was a mass-murdering psychopath. The difference in npc reactions were amazing to witness side by side.

Unfortunately, that brings into focus another problem the game has: to appreciate the length to which the game responds to your decisions in the game, you really need to play through it twice, making different decisions. If you do decide to pick it up, do yourself a favour: play it on the easiest difficulty.

I actually blindly stumbled into that hidden mission on my first playthrough. When I played the game a second time, I was very confused as to why I couldn't stay in Moscow and get championchick his gold medal in dying. On the other hand, my first playthrough Marburg decided to leg it before I could kill the son of a bitch. Nothing was more satisfying to get Parker to kill Marburg for me. :mine is an evil laugh:.