OT: Video Games/Computers/Gadgets/Gizmos

[crkone]

So yeah, do I need to play the first death stranding to have any clue about what’s going on in the 2nd one? Probably, right? Kojima games are weird and confusing enough already.

I’d read the two wikis and play the second for what sounds like much, much more fun gameplay. Kojima’s stories have been total nonsense for 25 years.

There is something that happens early on in the second game that may hit less if you don't play the first but there is a recap at the beginning.

I'd say the story is overall insane, but mostly makes sense by the end for the most part. The second game is insanely fun. Even more so if you let yourself get into the story (if you can). The most infuriating part is probably

Spoiler:

the companion pointing everything out.

[MikeIsGood]

Lies of P is probably the Soulslike I've always been most interested in from a distance. With the difficulty options they introduced, I finally picked it up on Steam sale. Enjoying it so far. I love that there's an actual story and not just some vague one-liners you need to try and decipher. And the setting is unbeatable. Weapon system also seems cool, though not far enough along to make a strong statement.

[tydett]

Back to spending hours running packages to made up being using the most nonsensical routes and physics known to mankind for the next few weeks.

[Matches Malone]

Read on Twitter

[MikeIsGood]

Read on Twitter

I want to be excited - my favorite sports gaming memory is probably with College Hoops 2k6 - but it's EA. And I've generally hated sports games for the past decade.

I'm glad someone is giving it a shot, though.

[Matches Malone]

Read on Twitter

I want to be excited - my favorite sports gaming memory is probably with College Hoops 2k6 - but it's EA. And I've generally hated sports games for the past decade.

I'm glad someone is giving it a shot, though.

Yeah, I don't have much hope but 2k basketball games are getting pretty stale now, so good to see some competition enter. The early 2000's NBA Live games from EA used to be pretty fun, albeit more arcade-like. I used to always play as Desmond Mason in the dunk contest in NBA Live '05.

[machu46]

Extremely excited to have college basketball back, but I've played every NBA Live attempt they've made over the years...they haven't shown an ability to make a playable game in like 20 years much less a competent game.

They have stolen some folks from 2K so hopefully they get it right, but even the last Live attempt the gameplay was designed by the old 2K gameplay czar and it was still god awful.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[jschligs]

I didn't hate NCAA March Madness 2010 by EA (CBB 2k8 was awesome). But agreed on 2k being stale as hell. Always welcome new games but won't jump to buy this at launch.

Anyone remember NBA Inside Drive 2002 on Xbox? I freaking loved that game.

[Matches Malone]

Anyone remember NBA Inside Drive 2002 on Xbox? I freaking loved that game.

I loved that series. Gameplay was kind of wonky but there was just something about it. Also loved how the players always had cool labels next to their name for their abilities like a star for the all-stars, or lightning bolt for speedsters.

They also had an MLB version called inside pitch that was kind of fun for a bit.

[humanrefutation]

They need to bring back NBA Ballers.

[machu46]

2K is now teasing their own College Hoops comeback and THAT I would be extremely excited for.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[MrHoneycutt]

Any other Linux aficionados around here?

[MikeIsGood]

As long as we're...reminiscing...about old school basketball games, it's hard to beat the GOAT soundtrack of NBA Street vol 2.

Watch on YouTube

Ok well apparently linking a playlist is impossible because RealGM keeps forcing it into embedding when it sees it's YT. You smart folks will figure it out.

[ReasonablySober]

I dumped so many quarters into this one at the local YMCA.

Watch on YouTube

[Sauce Boss]

Bucks doing a bunch of moves got me back on the forum. Dropping in to say I’m excited to get Final Fantasy Tactics in September because I’ve never played it before. Huge win for a big TTRPG fan.

[PintSizedBox10]

Finally got around to Death Stranding after hearing the second one is pretty dang good. I've only made it through the prologue but my initial reaction to the game is a massive WTF??? The first hour is almost entirely cutscenes of weirdness.

[MikeIsGood]

Inside the 'Dragon Age' Debacle That Gutted EA's Bioware Studio

Summary from Reddit:
- The Dragon Age team knew the pivot to live service would be a terrible decision--one they disagreed with but were forced into by EA.
- The Marvel-esque quippy dialogue was the idiotic idea of Matt Goldman, once art director, who took over as creative director when Laidlaw left.
- Despite being forced to retool their game, a chunk of their team was sent to bail out Anthem.
- Getting to switch back to single-player didn't come with needed development time.
- Bioware was told to "aim for as wide a market as possible" for the final game in a decades-long series. Absolutely stupid.
- The game did not originally have major choices (it sounds like it didn't have choices at all), but these were (noticeably) shoehorned in within the last year after playtesters rightfully asked where the meaningful decisions were that the series was known for.
- The very Mass Effect-like suicide mission ending felt that way because... it was designed by the Mass Effect team brought over to help finish the game. This was despite the fact the DA team were told they didn't have the budget to make big choices like that.

This is especially sad.

"One day in October 2017, Laidlaw summoned his colleagues into a conference room and pulled out a few pricey bottles of whisky. The next Dragon Age sequel, he told the room, would also be pivoting to an online, live-service game — a decision from above that he disagreed with. He was resigning from the studio. The assembled staff stayed late through the night, drinking and reminiscing about the franchise they loved."

I'm glad I never played it (and won't be), but it sucks it turned out this way. Completely wasted game world.

[MikeIsGood]

Soooo Microsoft laid off 9000 from their global VG staff and shuttered a whole bunch of studios and games :\

[mattg]

I'll buy a college hoops game no matter what, but 2K is literally so many levels above EA at college hoops games that I hope they make one too. I still play College Hoops 2K8 from time to time. The Legacy Mode (franchise/association equivalent) in those games is the best out of any sports video game ever IMO, including modern games. The system of starting small and building programs with the inherent 4-5 year continuous roster turnover and only a 12-15 man roster to recruit/develop creates the best game play feedback loop that actually encourages you to play out the full 40 year simulation and doesn't go off the rails or become a full time job to get through a single season. Doesn't have the College Football legacy mode issue of being exceedingly time-consuming and tedious to curate your roster just by how huge it is.

Fingers crossed.

[jschligs]

Soooo Microsoft laid off 9000 from their global VG staff and shuttered a whole bunch of studios and games :\

Greed rules over all. My buddy was a MSFT/Activision employee for a few years and was sacked out of nowhere.