OT: Video Games/Computers/Gadgets/Gizmos

[MikeIsGood]

Haven't talked about how much I love BG3 in a few days, so here I am. Still in a/Act 1. Taking my time with things, picking up everything, trying out different scenarios for the Hell of it. Finally decided to spend gold last night and I'm curious to see how much a +1 or +2 to AC here and there will actually help me (I'm guessing quite a bit).

I try to sleep at camp as little as possible, so toggle through all the available party members until they are all tapped.

Loving what little I've seen of the Underdark. Will push to Act 2 over the weekend.

Oh nice, that's an interesting approach. I have admittedly been pretty liberal with camp usage. I have an absurd number of camp resources, so it feels infinite to refresh. From the RP perspective, I don't let myself camp in places that don't make sense, though.

Haven't had time to game much at all this week, but will have ample time this weekend. I'm diverting attention to PoE for a bit, though, to check out the new league. Don't know how much I care about the league mechanic, but jacked to play Sanctum again. Considered going for my tried-and-true shockwave totem build, which was great during Sanctum league and for the mechanic, but I think I was convinced to revisit my boy the Trickster and try Frost Blades for the first time in 3-4 years. Though it's more melee range, which was not good for the Sanctum mechanic originally, defenses actually mean something for Sanctum now and Trickster is far tankier than Hierophant. If it sucks, I'll see what shakes out in the meta from the new gems and re-roll.

[GoldenAntlers]

I feel like I'm so outdated on PoE that Im just waiting on PoE 2.

My camp setup is pretty solid. I picked up a ton of chests and basically setup a magic shop in the back corner where the ruined building is at. Maybe I can figure out how to upload a screenshot later.

Not sure how everyone uses their travelers chest, but mine is full of every scroll/potion/grenade/and magical item that I own in case I need anything on the fly. Everything else is stored in my makeshift house.

[ReasonablySober]

I haven't gotten a new work computer in a while. I've been using an i5 2015 iMac. I've bugged my boss for at least a year about a new machine but I must have caught him on a good day this week. I asked him again he told me to give him options. I gave him one and it was a M2 Pro Mac Mini 19/12 core with 32 GB of ram and one TB of space. Only took 15 minutes to go from him, to purchasing, and have a receipt. Arrives Friday. Psyched.

This **** is fast. After all the requisite productivity and work apps were installed, I installed BG3.

[Henchman24]

This **** is fast. After all the requisite productivity and work apps were installed, I installed BG3.

I thought I read that the native Mac client wasn't going to be released yet? Or are you running through Steam?

[ReasonablySober]

This **** is fast. After all the requisite productivity and work apps were installed, I installed BG3.

I thought I read that the native Mac client wasn't going to be released yet? Or are you running through Steam?

Running it on Steam. Didn't know until after I'd started it that this wasn't the actual version and it was Patch 9. Not a huge deal since it sounds like they're aiming for a September release, but still annoying.

That said, don't think I've ever played a computer game with the highest graphical settings across the board and it handled it with ease. That was neat.

[Henchman24]

That said, don't think I've ever played a computer game with the highest graphical settings across the board and it handled it with ease. That was neat.

That's great news... now to decide Mac vs PS5...

[MikeIsGood]

If it runs well on a Mac, I'd highly recommend playing there just for easier M&K usage. I'm sure Larian will make it work just fine with a controller, but it is indeed a complex game. Keyboard is such a huge help.

[ReasonablySober]

If it runs well on a Mac, I'd highly recommend playing there just for easier M&K usage. I'm sure Larian will make it work just fine with a controller, but it is indeed a complex game. Keyboard is such a huge help.

Should I bother spending time on the character creator if it sounds like I'm just gonna have to start everything over again next month?

[MikeIsGood]

If it runs well on a Mac, I'd highly recommend playing there just for easier M&K usage. I'm sure Larian will make it work just fine with a controller, but it is indeed a complex game. Keyboard is such a huge help.

Should I bother spending time on the character creator if it sounds like I'm just gonna have to start everything over again next month?

No. If you're planning to jump in and play some now: 1) absolutely nothing carries over, and 2) a ton changes in 1.0.

[ReasonablySober]

If it runs well on a Mac, I'd highly recommend playing there just for easier M&K usage. I'm sure Larian will make it work just fine with a controller, but it is indeed a complex game. Keyboard is such a huge help.

Should I bother spending time on the character creator if it sounds like I'm just gonna have to start everything over again next month?

No. If you're planning to jump in and play some now: 1) absolutely nothing carries over, and 2) a ton changes in 1.0.

Great, thanks!

[jschligs]

I haven't gotten a new work computer in a while. I've been using an i5 2015 iMac. I've bugged my boss for at least a year about a new machine but I must have caught him on a good day this week. I asked him again he told me to give him options. I gave him one and it was a M2 Pro Mac Mini 19/12 core with 32 GB of ram and one TB of space. Only took 15 minutes to go from him, to purchasing, and have a receipt. Arrives Friday. Psyched.

This **** is fast. After all the requisite productivity and work apps were installed, I installed BG3.

I’m our companies test dummy for new Macs. I got the 16” MacBook Pro last year with all the bells and whistles. Best part? They don’t really set up any software or security that limits my access to things so I have Steam and Battle.net and all the other things I use to game installed. Love it. Thing runs anything I throw at it.

[ReginaldDwight]

Haven't talked about how much I love BG3 in a few days, so here I am. Still in a/Act 1. Taking my time with things, picking up everything, trying out different scenarios for the Hell of it. Finally decided to spend gold last night and I'm curious to see how much a +1 or +2 to AC here and there will actually help me (I'm guessing quite a bit).

I try to sleep at camp as little as possible, so toggle through all the available party members until they are all tapped.

Loving what little I've seen of the Underdark. Will push to Act 2 over the weekend.

Ive been rolling with the Barbarian Gale and Shadowheart along with my rogue. Still struggle setting up for combat and often start fights on the backfoot instead of with an advantage.

[MikeIsGood]

Pleasantly surprised thus far with the POE league mechanic. Didn't expect to engage at all but am enjoying it. Good basic currency too. I'm not sure there's a ton of staying power as it feels like the exact same thing over and over, but as for now am happy to have it there.

Don't bother til maps, though.

ETA: My lizard brain loves this game so much Playing Trickster again has been so much fun. This is the class I really took to while learning the game, then it had its guts nerfed out, then has been built-back again maybe more interesting than ever. Been a trip to play melee again too (albeit with a skill I'm a bit familiar with). I died 47 times during the campaign I usually die 2-3 times maybe. I just lost this part of my POE brain. But I'm hitting my stride again and starting to kick butt in maps. I may still run SWT yet, but this has been fun.

[BMatt07]

I haven't played the new POE league, but it looked interesting. Wasn't sure how I felt about the mechanic on reveal.

I was looking for stuff to play on Game Pass, and decided to give Fallout 76 a try. I've actually been having a good time with it. Been playing that for the last week or so. Base building has been fun, lots of different public events to try. Still working my way through the main quests.

[ReasonablySober]

I haven't played Red Dead Redemption in what must be ten years. But seeing it surface again this week made me pick it up for the Series X. It looks ABSURDLY good in 4K. I'm kinda shocked.

If you do the same, buy it for Xbox and not PS4/5 or Switch. It's $20 cheaper on Xbox and comes with online play.

I think I'm convinced that if this game came out now it'd win GOTY. It's damn near flawless. Biggest thing is absolutely zero bloat. No skill tree, no leveling system. It's just a really excellent cinematic story with amazing performances and perfect combat. I'll always hate the ending, but

[MikeIsGood]

I haven't played the new POE league, but it looked interesting. Wasn't sure how I felt about the mechanic on reveal.

I was looking for stuff to play on Game Pass, and decided to give Fallout 76 a try. I've actually been having a good time with it. Been playing that for the last week or so. Base building has been fun, lots of different public events to try. Still working my way through the main quests.

Playing something other than SWT for the first time in four leagues, I dropped a reliquery key and ended up with an Astral Projector It feels like the game is scolding me and giving me a sign.

[Ron Swanson]

So looks like NBA 2K24 is really adding a "BattlePass" subscription model. Just awful.

[ReasonablySober]

Anyone here have any experience hacking/cracking/homebrewing their Switch? I'm at that point I think where if I screw it up I'm not gonna be overly heartbroken.

[tydett]

Playing Toxic Rain in PoE and I've never gotten this powerful this quick. Rarely feel endangered, just building survival stuff and running while ballista just boom dudes.

[machu46]

So looks like NBA 2K24 is really adding a "BattlePass" subscription model. Just awful.

It's pretty lame but I guess it just doesn't really phase me personally; I simply won't buy it. It's a ridiculous asking price anyways for a game I'm already going to spend a decent amount of money on.