Octopus Overlords

Decided to play Grim Dawn, got a little burned out on FO4. It's a very good DungeonSiege / Diablo type game, but the way inventory works can be improved. You can apply "components" to your stuff without need of a forge or blacksmith, but the components are accumulated in "pieces" (i.e. partial components), to be automatically assembled when you accumulated enough pieces. I like the fact you can open portal anywhere to go to a merchant, but merchant selection seriously sucks. And there seems to be a bit too many different types of damages that I went to my default: decide to keep stuff on gold value, but even then, it gets difficult as there are some high level magical items (not rare) vs. lower level rare items that seem to be not that different. What's more, I'm playing blade master (melee class) some of the abilities doesn't quite seem to apply... What's this option "nightblade" class that I have? Sorta ninja thing?

Man, sometimes I'm my worst enemy. Last night in bed I figured that since I'm only really playing Ghost Recon Breakpoint on Uplay+ I might as well just cancel my Uplay+ subscription and buy GRB on sale, using my Uplay reward points to get an extra 20% off plus there is a holiday coupon code for 20% off as well. I zoomed into my room today, spend the 100 Uplay Reward points to get the 20% coupon, good for three months, and then discovered it didn't cover new releases, of which GRB is considered one . And the 20% off code for the holiday sale on Uplay only applies to purchases over $50. And then it occurs to me that I can just buy Breakpoint on Epic and use my $10 coupon there . And then it occurs to me that maybe I might just want to keep my Uplay+ subscription and tool around with some of their older games after all

Eventually I've decided to take a few days and think about things

I grabbed The Division 2 for $5. It was $45 off and I used my $10 coupon on it too. It played like crap on my system in beta but I figure its worth $5. Besides one day Ill have a better video card somehow. I think its the 950 2 gig slowing it down and making it choppy.

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Sun Dec 22, 2019 6:30 pm Decided to play Grim Dawn, got a little burned out on FO4. It's a very good DungeonSiege / Diablo type game, but the way inventory works can be improved. You can apply "components" to your stuff without need of a forge or blacksmith, but the components are accumulated in "pieces" (i.e. partial components), to be automatically assembled when you accumulated enough pieces. I like the fact you can open portal anywhere to go to a merchant, but merchant selection seriously sucks. And there seems to be a bit too many different types of damages that I went to my default: decide to keep stuff on gold value, but even then, it gets difficult as there are some high level magical items (not rare) vs. lower level rare items that seem to be not that different. What's more, I'm playing blade master (melee class) some of the abilities doesn't quite seem to apply... What's this option "nightblade" class that I have? Sorta ninja thing?

you will be happy if you invest in damage resistance of any kind and any sort of health regeneration skills or gear. Some of that fights flat out suck if can't mitigate damage or regen health in a hurry as the potions only go so far. In the beginning color of gear almost always trumps perceived value and if you are playing on beginning difficulty gear only really begins to matter once the blues start dropping. My best build by far is a shield using tank who can also throw the shield for offense- hitting multiple bad guys at once.

Bough and played Darksiders:Genesis for about an hour. Seemed interesting but not enough to really hold my interest. May come back to it and the ability to instantly switch to different characters is interesting but it may just be too fast for my aging fast twitch hands.

Grim Dawn is okay in that the enemies do die in a pretty spectacular fashion, if you got the right moves. I typically go with melee (blademaster / soldier) and I am putting all my points into "soldier" skill tree, and now I can weed out mobs with force wave that sends lesser enemies flying.

But the main problem is the crafting system seems to be complex for complexity's sake. There are exotic ingredients that you have to synthesize at a "forgemaster" (or blacksmith, the terminology is inconsistent) with other ingredients, and the ingredients don't arrive together, but in pieces as you loot (EX: 3/4 "cold steel" fragments). So eventually you end up with 1/3 of your main storage littered with complete and incomplete ingredients, having no idea which is important and which isn't.

Each piece of equipment can be "enhanced" with one of the ingredients, which adds a bonus, obviously. But you don't learn the "formula" to create more exotic ones... You either have to loot them or buy them. THEN you can go to the forgemaster with a lot of the currency (iron ingots) and ingredients to actually make them. And since you don't know which ones are needed, you end up keeping EVERYTHING.

If you have exotic weapon or ingredient, you can reclaim either (but not both) by going to DIFFERENT smithy to disassemble the item.

The regular mobs can't kill me now, unless I am careless and got hit with damage-over-time hits and forgot the heal. The bosses are a little harder, as they basically have like 10X-20X my HP and I have to whittle them down over time, while they keep summoning more minions.

So the game devolves into a basic loop: explore, load up on loot, portal back to town, unload loot and keep good stuff, refit, back through portal to continue exploring. Same as any of the Diablo clones. And the choosing what to unload and what to keep end up taking almost as much time as the actual exploring and bashing/looting. *sigh*

Jaddison wrote: ↑Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:34 am you will be happy if you invest in damage resistance of any kind and any sort of health regeneration skills or gear. Some of that fights flat out suck if can't mitigate damage or regen health in a hurry as the potions only go so far. In the beginning color of gear almost always trumps perceived value and if you are playing on beginning difficulty gear only really begins to matter once the blues start dropping. My best build by far is a shield using tank who can also throw the shield for offense- hitting multiple bad guys at once.

Agreed. I've managed to equip my L31 Blademaster with only green (rare) and blue (epic) gear, took me a while. Regen is a priority, as trying to quaff a potion in battle doesn't always work. Shield bash and force wave are glorious as they send lesser enemies flying.

Some of you might be getting time off for the holidays, but for us American Truck Simulator drivers, there is work to be done!

I should really play that one day.

Still playing Grim Dawn. Made it through the tunnels and undercity and finally back out into the sunshine... AFTER being killed once by a giant troll in the underground lair. The guy has a stun and damage-over-time hit and didn't get away in time. Went back and switched to my ranged weapon and plinked him from afar, and whittled him to death and out the exit... Only to be told that I had to go clear ANOTHER dungeon to help the refugees through.

MS email says they are offering 3 months of Games Pass for $1...new subs only.

Got a holiday email from Green Man Gaming. It includes this:

In 2020, we're committed to living up to our own name - look out for the announcement of a sustainability partnership with one of the worlds most prominent governing bodies.

The hell does that mean? Like the U.N.?

Green Peace.

Japanese Whaling Fisherman Hunters. Sneak up on them in the night and stop the whale slaughter by removing the problem. Get free boats once problem removed.

Slitherine to debut new PC game "Starship Troopers - Terran Command" in 2020

Slitherine LTD, the world’s leading publisher of digital wargames and strategy games, in collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products, announced today “Starship Troopers - Terran Command”, a real time strategy game based on TriStar Pictures’s iconic 1997 movie to be released for PC in 2020.

The bosses in Grim Dawn are... messy. EVERYONE of them feel like "the Butcher" in original Diablo... THey are so massively over-HP'ed to the point of ridiculous, and I'm playing in NORMAL mode. The boss was like 100000 hps (FWIW, I have like 4000) and the only way to survive is to hit and move, hit and move, never stop. The bosses basically cast spells that "boil you in place". So you need stuff to break hold/freeze/slow etc while you hit and move. It just doesn't change...

Is there a good, current election simulator game on the market?

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:52 am Is there a good, current election simulator game on the market?

Hmm, Democracy 3 is kind of an election simulator. And there is The Political Machine 2016, although out of date. Whether there will be a 2020 version I don't know.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:25 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:52 am Is there a good, current election simulator game on the market?

Hmm, Democracy 3 is kind of an election simulator.

As long as you pay attention to your constituents.

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:48 am The bosses in Grim Dawn are... messy. EVERYONE of them feel like "the Butcher" in original Diablo... THey are so massively over-HP'ed to the point of ridiculous, and I'm playing in NORMAL mode. The boss was like 100000 hps (FWIW, I have like 4000) and the only way to survive is to hit and move, hit and move, never stop. The bosses basically cast spells that "boil you in place". So you need stuff to break hold/freeze/slow etc while you hit and move. It just doesn't change...

Which one? The very final one? All bosses are stick and move unless you build uber tank like I have now and even then it is potion chugging. The final boss of the base game is quite the fight with all the extra spawns.

Deus Ex at 15 years. This is from 2014 I think as DE is now 20 years old this year. Still a good video.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:48 am

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:25 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:52 am Is there a good, current election simulator game on the market?

Hmm, Democracy 3 is kind of an election simulator.

As long as you pay attention to your constituents.

I'd forgotten about that post . That was a hard game to win an election using some countries, seems you can't please all the people all the time.

The developer is hard at work on Democracy 4 and I'll probably be getting that upon release.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:25 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:52 am Is there a good, current election simulator game on the market?

Whether there will be a 2020 version I don't know.

Supposedly to be released in March.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:35 pm Supposedly to be released in March.

That's cool. I hope that they do improve the gameplay, I think I remember that on the 2016 version it was a bit simplistic.

Jaddison wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:54 am

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:48 am The bosses in Grim Dawn are... messy. EVERYONE of them feel like "the Butcher" in original Diablo... THey are so massively over-HP'ed to the point of ridiculous, and I'm playing in NORMAL mode. The boss was like 100000 hps (FWIW, I have like 4000) and the only way to survive is to hit and move, hit and move, never stop. The bosses basically cast spells that "boil you in place". So you need stuff to break hold/freeze/slow etc while you hit and move. It just doesn't change...

Which one? The very final one? All bosses are stick and move unless you build uber tank like I have now and even then it is potion chugging. The final boss of the base game is quite the fight with all the extra spawns.

I'm half-way. I just cleared out "Herald of the Flame" and it summons minions left and right. I've also saw the Swarm Queen do the same thing: two-stage fight. Oh, and killed Karroz.

My build so far is pure soldier, with three favorite weapons: shield w/ one-hand mace, two-handed axe, and two-handed-cannon. Most of fighting is done with shield/mace as my shield bash / force wave knocks smaller minions dead. When I see large and more powerful critters or bosses, I go two-handed axe and just start whacking hard and kill them fast. For enemies best engaged at a distance, there's always the hand-cannon.

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:00 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:35 pm Supposedly to be released in March.

That's cool. I hope that they do improve the gameplay, I think I remember that on the 2016 version it was a bit simplistic.

I'd ideally like one that's as realistic as practical, with a wide assortment of potential candidates (plus build-your-own) and variable world events. There used to be such a game (President Elect, maybe?) way back when, but I don't think I've seen one like that in recent memory. Must not be much profit potential in a game that only has an active life of a year or so.

Here's a browser game I might look into later on.

Isgrimnur wrote:

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sun Dec 08, 2019 7:21 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sun Dec 08, 2019 1:23 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:10 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2019 10:55 pm Finally finished the Company of Heroes Normandy campaign. It only took me seven years.

Causeway from Tales of Valor down. I hadn't really researched the expansions to know that it would be a short series of missions.

Tiger Ace done. One more ToV to do before moving to Opposing Forces.

Falaise Pocket complete. ToV is done.

Operation Market Garden down, only Liberation of Caen to go before CoH1 is done.

Caen is liberated and the 1st Panzer Division is on the run. Those King Tigers were one-shotting my tanks in the final mission.

Okay, I'm in the final stretch (final act) and right now, it's frustrating as ****.

Basically, I need to get into the antechamber to stop the cultists from summoning C'thon God. I had to go through a C'thon portal.

Once through the C'thon the portal, I cannot town-portal my way back out. The only way out is through, or take a one-way portal back out some distance away.

Through a little struggle, I cleared all the mini-bosses, and even the local boss, without dying even once. Good.

Then the gate opened... and used my one single "skeleton key". I may be able to build more, but they take some VERY exotic ingredients.

Any way, walked through, saw the boss. Walked up to him, whacked him, was about to walk away, when he one-shotted me. I wasn't kidding. One hit. Blink, and I'm resurrected all the way back at Fort Ikon. WTF...

Clearly, I've stumbled into a portion of the map I wasn't meant to venture into just yet. *sigh*

I don't think that is the final act as the final act doesn't require a skeleton key and you can portal back to right before entering the final boss chamber- as i died many times in my first encounter with final boss.

The skeleton key place is at the end of one dungeon and it is indeed hard and the final boss is a bastard as he regens after you whittle him down to 0 the first time but this is a completely optional area and not required to complete the adventure. Have you made it to Homestead yet and then beyond that to the castle?

Challenge Dungeons

I wasted one skeleton key also. Then read up on them and realized that they were a waste of time for me (as well as likely not being any fun, or point).

TheMix wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:10 pm Challenge Dungeons

I wasted one skeleton key also. Then read up on them and realized that they were a waste of time for me (as well as likely not being any fun, or point).

I have made it through the skeleton key dungeon twice now but only after I figured out how to build my regenerating tank. Lots of XP down there but once you get through it once it isn't worth a second trip. Same with the area you need dynamite to get into before you get to the first big town....the one where you have to go through the tunnel. That area is tough but worth it- once.

I’ve been enjoying rogue-likes lately (Dead Cells, Children of Morta, etc), so I have Risk of Rain 2 a shot. Fun game, but has a fairly major issue.

On each level, you need to find a teleporter in order to progress. However, due to the random placement of spawns, the teleporter can sometimes spawn partially or mostly inside the environment, where it’s impossible to access. Add in the fact that it looks very similar to the rest of the level, and it can be nearly impossible to find. And if you can’t find it, there’s no way to progress.

I just spent an hour scouring every inch of the third level (on what had been a great run up to that point), and never could find it. I ended up intentionally letting the mobs kill me to finally end the run because it got so frustrating. Including some sort of indicator or making the teleporter stand out a bit more would be extremely helpful.

Fun game, but that feels like a fairly major design flaw.

Zoooooooom in

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 8:21 pm

jztemple2 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:00 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:35 pm Supposedly to be released in March.

That's cool. I hope that they do improve the gameplay, I think I remember that on the 2016 version it was a bit simplistic.

I'd ideally like one that's as realistic as practical, with a wide assortment of potential candidates (plus build-your-own) and variable world events. There used to be such a game (President Elect, maybe?) way back when, but I don't think I've seen one like that in recent memory. Must not be much profit potential in a game that only has an active life of a year or so.

Here's a browser game I might look into later on.

If you're looking for a realistic election simulator, this definitely ain't it. Not even close.

Jaddison wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 3:25 pm

TheMix wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:10 pm Challenge Dungeons

I wasted one skeleton key also. Then read up on them and realized that they were a waste of time for me (as well as likely not being any fun, or point).

I have made it through the skeleton key dungeon twice now but only after I figured out how to build my regenerating tank. Lots of XP down there but once you get through it once it isn't worth a second trip. Same with the area you need dynamite to get into before you get to the first big town....the one where you have to go through the tunnel. That area is tough but worth it- once.

Entered the Steps of Torment, and it was... okay. My fighter has blade arc and more means mobs are pretty easy, add in shield bash and force wave and skeletons don't stand a chance. However, lost my concentration on level 5 and got killed before even meeting the level 5 boss. I've cleared like 80-90% of level 5 already, so it was kinda annoying. Don't really feel like trying again any time soon.

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:06 pm

Jaddison wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 3:25 pm

TheMix wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:10 pm Challenge Dungeons

I wasted one skeleton key also. Then read up on them and realized that they were a waste of time for me (as well as likely not being any fun, or point).

I have made it through the skeleton key dungeon twice now but only after I figured out how to build my regenerating tank. Lots of XP down there but once you get through it once it isn't worth a second trip. Same with the area you need dynamite to get into before you get to the first big town....the one where you have to go through the tunnel. That area is tough but worth it- once.

Entered the Steps of Torment, and it was... okay. My fighter has blade arc and more means mobs are pretty easy, add in shield bash and force wave and skeletons don't stand a chance. However, lost my concentration on level 5 and got killed before even meeting the level 5 boss. I've cleared like 80-90% of level 5 already, so it was kinda annoying. Don't really feel like trying again any time soon.

Just be aware that if you finish base game the difficulty in the expansions ramps up quick.

I was probably ahead of the curve. I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to try the challenge dungeons until L50 or higher. I'm 46 and hit 47 as I hit the 3rd level of the dungeon.

How much of a genius-level move was using binary space partitioning in Doom?

Early in the development of Doom, Carmack realized that the 3D renderer he had written for the game slowed to a crawl when trying to render certain levels. This was unacceptable, because Doom was supposed to be action-packed and frenetic. So Carmack, realizing the problem with his renderer was fundamental enough that he would need to find a better rendering algorithm, starting reading research papers. He eventually implemented a technique called “binary space partitioning,” never before used in a video game, that dramatically sped up the Doom engine.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:28 pm I’ve been enjoying rogue-likes lately (Dead Cells, Children of Morta, etc), so I have Risk of Rain 2 a shot. Fun game, but has a fairly major issue.

On each level, you need to find a teleporter in order to progress. However, due to the random placement of spawns, the teleporter can sometimes spawn partially or mostly inside the environment, where it’s impossible to access. Add in the fact that it looks very similar to the rest of the level, and it can be nearly impossible to find. And if you can’t find it, there’s no way to progress.

I just spent an hour scouring every inch of the third level (on what had been a great run up to that point), and never could find it. I ended up intentionally letting the mobs kill me to finally end the run because it got so frustrating. Including some sort of indicator or making the teleporter stand out a bit more would be extremely helpful.

Fun game, but that feels like a fairly major design flaw.

Happy to report that the issue of teleporters spawning inside the environment has not replicated in any of my 10 subsequent runs.

Risk of Rain 2 is a very fun third-person roguelike that I would strongly recommend.