figmentPez
Staff member
Count me in as another US user who has to wait for threads to load after clicking the link. Just tried opening the Pokemon Go thread, it took ~9 seconds from clicking the link to having anything on the page load.
GasBandit
Staff member
Aaaand now that I've said that, I just had 5 straight pages that took 15-30 seconds to load, each. Wonder if the host is monkeying with it to see what the cause is.
figmentPez
Staff member
Seems likely, since just before I could make my post above, I had several pages fail to load at all.
Thread load times seem to be down to a little over 6 seconds on average now. For me, that is.
--Patrick
*hides tcgplayer order*
I don't know what you're talking about.
..............
So far this is a fun deck. We're playing Commander format, and I've made a drudge deck centered around:
There Came an Echo
Got this for free via a giveaway on Twitter.
I...didn't like it. I love the concept of a voice command game, but this one didn't do it for me. I had to repeat commands multiple times before anyone responded (fiddled with settings but it didn't help).
I don't usually have the patience for strategy games. I enjoyed X-Com, but this was too much. Too many commands to remember, too many enemies coming all at once. Too much going on at a time. I got overwhelmed and quit the game early in.
There are also far too many cutscenes that only tried my patience. As I've said about other games, I want to actually PLAY a game, not watch it. And the story wasn't interesting enough to hold my interest. It doesn't help that the writing was mediocore at best. Great voice acting, though.
I think this is a good idea in theory, but making it a complicated strategy game with multiple commands and moving around units is too much for something like this. Something simpler, especially with only one unit/character would've been much more manageable.
Highlight for me was introducing myself. Someone told me to say hi, Sam. So I said "Hi Sam" and the game recognized the joke. More of things like that would've been fun.
Also, I think having the game be fully voice controlled would've have been better (and maybe more accessible for people with disabilities). Moving around the map AND keep track of the action AND do voice commands all at once was too much. A single, focused screen instead.
I will say, I didn't full on hate the game. I'm just disappointed because the idea alone has a LOT of potential. I think the problem is there's still no reliable voice recognition software. Largely because everyone sounds different and little pronunciation ticks.
Got this for free via a giveaway on Twitter.
I...didn't like it. I love the concept of a voice command game, but this one didn't do it for me. I had to repeat commands multiple times before anyone responded (fiddled with settings but it didn't help).
I don't usually have the patience for strategy games. I enjoyed X-Com, but this was too much. Too many commands to remember, too many enemies coming all at once. Too much going on at a time. I got overwhelmed and quit the game early in.
There are also far too many cutscenes that only tried my patience. As I've said about other games, I want to actually PLAY a game, not watch it. And the story wasn't interesting enough to hold my interest. It doesn't help that the writing was mediocore at best. Great voice acting, though.
I think this is a good idea in theory, but making it a complicated strategy game with multiple commands and moving around units is too much for something like this. Something simpler, especially with only one unit/character would've been much more manageable.
Highlight for me was introducing myself. Someone told me to say hi, Sam. So I said "Hi Sam" and the game recognized the joke. More of things like that would've been fun.
Also, I think having the game be fully voice controlled would've have been better (and maybe more accessible for people with disabilities). Moving around the map AND keep track of the action AND do voice commands all at once was too much. A single, focused screen instead.
I will say, I didn't full on hate the game. I'm just disappointed because the idea alone has a LOT of potential. I think the problem is there's still no reliable voice recognition software. Largely because everyone sounds different and little pronunciation ticks.
Darkest Dungeon....I just got my ass handed to me on my very first Veteran (level3) outing. The Collector nearly finished me, and I ended up running away. Then I ran into the Shambler. Yeah, no. Did not end well.
I quite like the game, but it really plays contrary to my usual play style - I always want to keep everyone alive, and I'm a save scummer in nearly every game that allows it (if it's about skill - I don't abuse it to trivialize gambling, usually).
It makes me horribly scared to do anything. I dare not go on level 3 quests even if half my heroes are level 3 and 4. I have no clue how I'm supposed to survive a level 6 quest if I ever go on one. Sheesh.
I quite like the game, but it really plays contrary to my usual play style - I always want to keep everyone alive, and I'm a save scummer in nearly every game that allows it (if it's about skill - I don't abuse it to trivialize gambling, usually).
It makes me horribly scared to do anything. I dare not go on level 3 quests even if half my heroes are level 3 and 4. I have no clue how I'm supposed to survive a level 6 quest if I ever go on one. Sheesh.
GasBandit
Staff member
I never go on level 3 quests until the entire team is level 4. Also I never, EVER fight the shambler if I can help it
The collector can be handled if you know what you're doing, but he's still a large inconvenience.By the same token, I don't do any level 5 missions until I have a full party of level 6.
The only level 6 mission are the endgame missions. You will lose people. And even the ones that make it back will refuse to go back... to the mansion... after what they've seen.
Yeah, I can think of decent ways of dealing with the collector, but really, my party wasn't wonderfully balanced. Not enough to cause real issues in standard fights, but bosses, even mini-bosses, clearly show weaknesses. Nobody with stun and very limited bleed, only minor healing. Live and learn. Two of my heroes survived (among them the level 2 Antiquarian who went along for the ride, oddly enough. Level 4 Dismas died, though...I never go on level 3 quests until the entire team is level 4. Also I never, EVER fight the shambler if I can help it
By the same token, I don't do any level 5 missions until I have a full party of level 6.
The only level 6 mission are the endgame missions. You will lose people. And even the ones that make it back will refuse to go back... to the mansion... after what they've seen.
GasBandit
Staff member
Blood soaks the soil, feeding the evil therein. Another life wasted in pursuit of glory and gold...
I was replaying the Borderlands Presequel over the weekend. I pulled Excalibastard out of its stone at, like, 9th level and being the uberpowerful weapon it ought to be, I used it pretty much exclusively until, just before teleporting up to Helios, Moxxi gave me a laser gun that fires chain lightning. Also uberpowerful, I only needed it to handle everything . . . and since these 2 weapons let me fight well above my weight class I was too low-level to use anything the enemies were dropping, anyway.
Anyway, now I'm heading into the vault and everything - absolutely everything - I'm fighting has a skull next to its name, the mission log is telling me my task is impossible, and I'm scrounging for laser batteries and grenades after taking down nearly every foe.
. . . I kinda wish leveling wasn't a thing in games.
Anyway, now I'm heading into the vault and everything - absolutely everything - I'm fighting has a skull next to its name, the mission log is telling me my task is impossible, and I'm scrounging for laser batteries and grenades after taking down nearly every foe.
. . . I kinda wish leveling wasn't a thing in games.
I haven’t played this in forever! Too much Pokémon lol.I never go on level 3 quests until the entire team is level 4. Also I never, EVER fight the shambler if I can help it
By the same token, I don't do any level 5 missions until I have a full party of level 6.
The only level 6 mission are the endgame missions. You will lose people. And even the ones that make it back will refuse to go back... to the mansion... after what they've seen.
I love the idea of the game, but omg some of my heroes were stressing ME out and I can’t spend a week drinking at a tavern to unwind
I prefer the idea that the game is more of a “gauge your level of sociopathy” test, where the better you do in the game, the less I would probably want you as my boss.I love the idea of the game, but omg some of my heroes were stressing ME out and I can’t spend a week drinking at a tavern to unwind
—Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
Hey, I did VERY well, and I barely lost anybody!
Well, a few here and there, but...
figmentPez
Staff member
American Patriotism the Game!
I really liked 15, one of the best in the series I would say. But the strength of the story is in the relationships between the four characters
You know that scene in ST:TNG with Wesley’s psych test at the academy? It’s like that. It only reveals, it does not judge.Hey, I did VERY well, and I barely lost anybody!
“J-I-N-G-O and Jingo was it’s name-o!”
I’ll bet the commercials with the singing kids are adorable*.
—Patrick
*terrifying
The story? Yes
GasBandit
Staff member
Alright, I know I got my own thread for this, but here's an Empyrion post! 
Empyrion Alpha 8 just hit stable branch, and it's a doozie. Planets are bigger, fancier, there's been a graphics/texture improvement, repair-to-template is now a thing, and a jillion other great changes.
Furthermore, I am now running OUR OWN SERVER (as you have no doubt noticed in my signature lately), and it's up and running the latest Alpha 8 version, so we've got a place to play free from the whims of admins we don't know. It's got lots of planets of various flavors, and plenty of room to play in both PvE and PvP areas.
So, if you've ever thought "You know, I like multiplayer survival games (or minecraft), but they need more guns, aliens, and space ships" then there's never been a better time to get into Empyrion and shiver in the cold of an uncaring universe with your fellow HFers while you all hide from an alien troop patrol that wants to laser you a new asshole, and fantasize your revenge in the form of blasting them to pieces when you get your spaceship finished!
Empyrion Alpha 8 just hit stable branch, and it's a doozie. Planets are bigger, fancier, there's been a graphics/texture improvement, repair-to-template is now a thing, and a jillion other great changes.
Furthermore, I am now running OUR OWN SERVER (as you have no doubt noticed in my signature lately), and it's up and running the latest Alpha 8 version, so we've got a place to play free from the whims of admins we don't know. It's got lots of planets of various flavors, and plenty of room to play in both PvE and PvP areas.
So, if you've ever thought "You know, I like multiplayer survival games (or minecraft), but they need more guns, aliens, and space ships" then there's never been a better time to get into Empyrion and shiver in the cold of an uncaring universe with your fellow HFers while you all hide from an alien troop patrol that wants to laser you a new asshole, and fantasize your revenge in the form of blasting them to pieces when you get your spaceship finished!
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhh... <runs screaming>Alright, I know I got my own thread for this, but here's an Empyrion post!
—Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
Finished Vampyre doing a No Feeding run. If you can get past the clunky combat, this is a real gem of a game with a strong story and lots of interesting characters. Definitely hope we get a sequel.
Jump in blind, or watch/read a short recap of 2.
Two is great, you should play it just for that.