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[Sinatar]

Is King's Bounty any good?

Yes it's brilliant and huge.

 

[BobJustBob]

Is King's Bounty any good?

Ever play HOMM? It's like that but good.

 

[shintoki]

I actually finally played the entirety of Doom 1 just the other year. It held up damn near flawlessly. The gunplay was perfect, the level design was top-tier, and it was an absolute blast to play through. I finished it in less than a week.

I played it back in April for the first time. The most impressive part of the game was how nearly every level felt expansive at first, but after an episode. Suddenly it all just clicked. The levels weren't the mazes or massive ones I initially thought they were. Just cleverly design. My times went from like 15-20 minutes, to under 10. Even on ones that were first tries. You started to figure out where the secrets were, weapons, etc.

 

[maniac-kun]

Why is Skyrim showing up as ValveTestapp2409329032 in my library ._.

 

[AEREC]

Why is Skyrim showing up as ValveTestapp2409329032 in my library ._.

Because it was just added to steam...im sure it will be fixed shortly.

 

[RealMeat]

I wonder if this will revive Quake 4's multiplayer at all. Maybe I should dig out my disks.

 

[MurkyZebra2417]

Ever play HOMM? It's like that but good.

Stupid post.

King's Bounty is awesome though, buy it.

 

[Danne-Danger]

Ever play HOMM? It's like that but good.

you sonovabitch

 

[Stallion Free]

I played it back in April for the first time. The most impressive part of the game was how nearly every level felt expansive at first, but after an episode. Suddenly it all just clicked. The levels weren't the mazes or massive ones I initially thought they were. Just cleverly design. My times went from like 15-20 minutes, to under 10. Even on ones that were first tries. You started to figure out where the secrets were, weapons, etc.

I love how the levels are almost metroid esque at times, finding hidden areas to get weapons much earlier in episodes than you would just running through.

 

[Marsipolami]

OH MY GOD, SKYRIM IS UP ON STEAM.

The littlest of things.

 

[jediyoshi]

Dammit Steam, why must you list release dates as when they became available on Steam instead of actual release dates.

 

[Chesskid1]

is there a vid of the quake rocket in action? i heard it has sound effects and i basically just want to hear/see it in action.

 

[nincompoop]

I bought King's Bounty a while back on Gamersgate but I just started playing it a few days ago. It's missing the entire strategic planning/development/resource management aspect of the HOMM series, but it still manages to retain the addictive oh-god-i've-been-sitting-in-front-of-my-computer-screen-for-five-hours-why-can't-i-stop-playing-this quality thanks to the elegant battle system and hero development.

 

[TheFightingFish]

Ever play HOMM? It's like that but good.

Everyone else loves it, so it's become sort of my duty to try to warn folks off of it. It's really charming, but an incredibly tedious game in my mind.

Lemme just dig up my post from the last LTTP thread.

I've pretty much cleared the first continent and I'm honestly feeling a little sick of the game right now. Which is quite the turnaround from the start of the game, where I was getting really into it.

My complaint would be that while battles do have some strategic depth, they all tend to play out in pretty much the same fashion given the troops that you have in your army. Especially when trying to clear one specific section I feel like I'm just fighting the same battle 20 times over and over again. Then, given the way armies work, if I want to keep my army in tip-top shape I have to keep running back to bases to load up on more troops every so many battles which just ends up feeling like busy work to me.

Given the part about running back to bases above that takes away the incentive to try battles that are around equal level with my army (since that just means that I'll have to refill my army faster) so I end up running about and fighting troops that are weaker than me. Thus the challenge becomes more about keeping losses down during blowouts as much as possible as opposed to fighting more challenging tactical battles.

As I said, I was enjoying it quite a bit at the start. Maybe I just need to let it sit for a while before I come back to it. Also it would be nice if I could unlock more areas, right now most stuff in the Freedom Isles seems overleveled to my army, but I'm pretty sick of most of the main starting areas.

In particular is suffers when compared to HOMM when you have to compete against mobile AI or human opponents. Since these opponents are also moving around the map and sucking up all the good treasure and XP you have an inventive to be smart and fast. With King's Bounty that incentive is removed so you don't really have a reason to challenge harder battles other than just wanting to do it and being tired of clearing out all the repetitive trash mobs.

I expect this to be lost with all the QuakeCon stuff. But how is Divine Wind? I'm playing a long HTTT game right now for the first time and I'm loving it. But I see mixed reviews for DW online. Should I grab it? Or just stick to HTTT? Also is there a way to keep Steam from installing it? When I purchased HTTT it autoupdated and destroyed my vanilla EU3 save games, I don't want to do that again.

 

[Gvaz]

Is King's Bounty any good?

 

[Palette Swap]

I played it back in April for the first time. The most impressive part of the game was how nearly every level felt expansive at first, but after an episode. Suddenly it all just clicked. The levels weren't the mazes or massive ones I initially thought they were. Just cleverly design. My times went from like 15-20 minutes, to under 10. Even on ones that were first tries. You started to figure out where the secrets were, weapons, etc.

I read an interesting argument somewhere a few years ago about Doom I and II.

Whoever wrote it developed the notion that the levels in these games were pure gaming, in the sense that they were designed without any kind of fictive functional pretense. They are "pure" gaming levels, with not a drop of "hey this should look an office space" or "we need to put trucks here because this is obviously a parking lot".
Instead, it's built around the purpose of raw shooting fun.

This is actually quite rare in shooters, where realism and fiction often take over. Doom is all about finding keys, killing demons and avenging the rabbit.

 

[e_i]

$20 for Quake 4? It's more than 5 years old!

 

[nincompoop]

Everyone else loves it, so it's become sort of my duty to try to warn folks off of it. It's really charming, but an incredibly tedious game in my mind.

Lemme just dig up my post from the last LTTP thread.



In particular is suffers when compared to HOMM when you have to compete against mobile AI or human opponents. Since these opponents are also moving around the map and sucking up all the good treasure and XP you have an inventive to be smart and fast. With King's Bounty that incentive is removed so you don't really have a reason to challenge harder battles other than just wanting to do it and being tired of clearing out all the repetitive trash mobs.

I expect this to be lost with all the QuakeCon stuff. But how is Divine Wind? I'm playing a long HTTT game right now for the first time and I'm loving it. But I see mixed reviews for DW online. Should I grab it? Or just stick to HTTT? Also is there a way to keep Steam from installing it? When I purchased HTTT it autoupdated and destroyed my vanilla EU3 save games, I don't want to do that again.

If you have to refill your army after every "evenly matched" battle then your tactics must not be very effective. What class did you play as?

 

[StuBurns]

I've got a little question, I decided to install TF2, but for some reason it stopped downloading before it was done, then I restarted and it didn't start downloading again, and I double clicked it and it worked.

Was Steam lying about it's downloadness? Am I playing some dodgy half content version that will die if I press the wrong button? I've been having some strange graphical issue with the UI so I think it's fucked.

 

[Palette Swap]

I've got a little question, I decided to install TF2, but for some reason it stopped downloading before it was done, then I restarted and it didn't start downloading again, and I double clicked it and it worked.

Was Steam lying about it's downloadness? Am I playing some dodgy half content version that will die if I press the wrong button? I've been having some strange graphical issue with the UI so I think it's fucked.

If it wasn't a Source game, I'd say there's no chance Steam would let you launch an incomplete game, but these might work differently.
The best solution is probably to verify the integrity of your game files?

 

[nexen]

Doom is all about finding keys, killing demons and avenging the rabbit.

Doom II is about avenging the rabbit. Doom I was a cutting exposition on man's inhumanity to fireball throwing Wookiees.

 

[shintoki]

I read an interesting argument somewhere a few years ago about Doom I and II.

Whoever wrote it developed the notion that the levels in these games were pure gaming, in the sense that they were designed without any kind of fictive functional pretense. They are "pure" gaming levels, with not a drop of "hey this should look an office space" or "we need to put trucks here because this is obviously a parking lot".
Instead, it's built around the purpose of raw shooting fun.

This is actually quite rare in shooters, where realism and fiction often take over. Doom is all about finding keys, killing demons and avenging the rabbit.

The levels are designed as an enemy themselves. They are a puzzle that need to be solved. There is normally a pattern to them, and the better you get at solving the puzzle. The quicker it becomes.

Modern level design is more just scenery if I had to call it something. Events take place while you progress through it. They wanted to focus on encounters and events over level design.

I love how the levels are almost metroid esque at times, finding hidden areas to get weapons much earlier in episodes than you would just running through.

The levels are just as important, if not more than the encounters. Maybe it was the limited AI or functionality at the time. But it feels very similar to what was lost between the SNES era and PS1. That catchy design. Games are more complicated than ever now(Well, maybe they peaked a bit in the PS2 era), but they just don't feel it. Heh.


Anyways, my opinion on for someone to played Doom for the first time in 2011. It was definitely worth it. My only experience prior was basically getting pissy at the first level or calculator games. I kept thinking it was outdated and annoyed they didn't have the Y-axis. Once I got pass that, it was never a complaint again.

 

[TheFightingFish]

If you have to refill your army after every "evenly matched" battle then your tactics must not be very effective. What class did you play as?

Certainly not after every battle. But each area has like 30-40 of the dang things (with stupidly similar unit types and numbers) the drain is pretty heavy. Ask yourself, for a single player game with no time limits, unlike HOMM, what is the point at all of making you physically walk back to a specific base to refill a unit type? It's just busy work, plain and simple and at this point in life I don't have a ton of time for games that don't value my time.

 

[O.DOGG]

Man, how can Quake 4 be $20?

 

[StuBurns]

If it wasn't a Source game, I'd say there's no chance Steam would let you launch an incomplete game, but these might work differently.
The best solution is probably to verify the integrity of your game files?

Thanks, it says it's fine, I guess it was just some strange Steam download indication issue.

 

[Princess Skittles]

Man, how can Quake 4 be $20?

Activision?

 

[derFeef]

".... now owns ValveTestApp72859."

Haha

 

[Jo-El]

Hmm.. I guess I'll pick up New Vegas if it gets a bit cheaper.

 

[Stallion Free]

Activision?

It's currently publsihed by Bethesda Zenimax. Id retained the rights to the series.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Rage pre-ordered.

 

[StuBurns]

It's currently publsihed by Bethesda Zenimax. Id retained the rights to the series.

And although id had the IP rights, Bethesda presumably had to purchase the publishering rights of the specific game to do this, I can understand it opening at a higher price.

 

[Snuggles]

Goddamn, I bought so many games in the sale, but instead of playing them I'm pushing into my 50th and 60th hour of Terraria and Bloodlines. I should just delete my entire library except for those two games so I don't have to feel guilty.

 

[Flunkie]

Can you craft the new TF2 rocky lawn chair?

 

[Echoplx]

$90 for a game that is guaranteed to be a buggy POS on release? No thanks, Bethesda.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

That avatar on his Steam account is actually a picture of his wallet committing suicide.

sogood.gif

 

[shintoki]

Goddamn, I bought so many games in the sale, but instead of playing them I'm pushing into my 50th and 60th hour of Terraria and Bloodlines. I should just delete my entire library except for those two games so I don't have to feel guilty.

I've come to the conculsion, as long as I wait for the games to hit that 75% mark, 5-10$. I'm okay with a massive backlog. While just sticking more hours into MOBA games, and slowly working on one or two others. Like I'm about 6 hours in ME right now.

 

[jediyoshi]

$90 for a game that is guaranteed to be a buggy POS on release? No thanks, Bethesda.

Oh you, Internet.

 

[Chesskid1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5PrrV4SsgQ

quake rocket launcher in TF2 (thanks to the guy who posted it in TF2 community thread)

 

[Echoplx]

Oh you, Internet.

Oh you, regional pricing.

We all know it's going to be horrible at release, not only with bugs but with their usual design flaws.

 

[BobJustBob]

In particular is suffers when compared to HOMM when you have to compete against mobile AI or human opponents. Since these opponents are also moving around the map and sucking up all the good treasure and XP you have an inventive to be smart and fast. With King's Bounty that incentive is removed so you don't really have a reason to challenge harder battles other than just wanting to do it and being tired of clearing out all the repetitive trash mobs.

That's why I like it. The scenario design in HOMM turned every map into a situation where five turns in an AI hero ten levels higher than me would steamroll my castle, because I hadn't tried and failed enough yet to know how to optimize my every move. HOMM felt frustrating and cheap whereas KB lets you go at your own pace.

 

[MNC]

Awesome, was looking forward to a skyrim prepurchase kind of thing. But no discount?

 

[DTKT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5PrrV4SsgQ

quake rocket launcher in TF2 (thanks to the guy who posted it in TF2 community thread)

Is it always centered or is that an option?

 

[Rufus]

Awesome, was looking forward to a skyrim prepurchase kind of thing. But no discount?

My understanding is that this is the discounted price, looking at the QuakeCon promo page.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

quake rocket launcher in TF2 (thanks to the guy who posted it in TF2 community thread)

OMG, want so much...

 

[RealMeat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5PrrV4SsgQ

quake rocket launcher in TF2 (thanks to the guy who posted it in TF2 community thread)

I kind of wish it didn't animate.

 

[Snuggles]

I've come to the conculsion, as long as I wait for the games to hit that 75% mark, 5-10$. I'm okay with a massive backlog. While just sticking more hours into MOBA games, and slowly working on one or two others. Like I'm about 6 hours in ME right now.

Yeah, most of the games I bought were around that price range. I'm sure that I'll get around to playing them eventually, but getting started is always the hardest part.

 

[svegis]

Is it always centered or is that an option?

From what I've understood(don't have it myself) it's always centered. A sidetracking idea I have is that I'm quite sure that someone will make a skin for that, to put it on the side like usual weapons. But that won't work on all servers...

 

[Benedict]

From Eurogamer regarding the deals during the quakecon days:

Other deals active during QuakeCon on Steam are active for 24 hours apiece. Today (Thursday 4th August) you can get the Doom and Quake Pack for $29.99 – every Doom and Quake game, including Quake 4. Pre-ordering Rage today knocks the price down to $19.99 for the D&Q Pack.

Tomorrow, Friday 5th August, you can get the Elder Scrolls Pack (Morrowind and Oblivion Game of the Year Editions) for $19.99, or $9.99 if you pre-order Skyrim.

Saturday 6th August marks the start of a Brink free-play weekend, where you can also buy the game with 50 per cent off for $24.99. Then on Sunday 7th August, there's a Fallout sale – Fallout 3: Game of the Year will be $9.99, New Vegas will be $19.99, and there will be DLC discounts too.

Finally, id said that if Rage received 100,000 Likes on Facebook, it would give away the Rage iOS titles for free for a week.

Phew! Finally, it's also a free premium content weekend for browser-based shooter Quake Live.

-----------

Wonder what the individual prices for Oblivion GOTY and Fallout Nv DLC will be?

Edit:
Link to article: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-04-id-announces-huge-steam-discounts

 

[Flunkie]

Wow, Brink really does suck.

 

[HiddenAway]

Runespell patch should be available on Steam from tomorrow

http://twitter.com/#!/runespell/status/99202118577172480