What are you playing?

If you want a game that is a lot more sedate, with no time pressure at all, but is still engaging, you might try Hot Dogs, Horseshoes, and Handgrenades



Basically it's more of a realism sandbox. Lots of guns, lots of galleries, all painstakingly made to work as realistically as possible.

And here's an anti-recommendation: Stay away from VRChat. Unless you use it to make a private room to talk to people you already know.
Similar to VRChat, I've found I hate Rec Room. I like the idea, a sandbox featuring user made environments and games, but it's full of children. Lots and lots of children. I hate children.
 
If you want a game that is a lot more sedate, with no time pressure at all, but is still engaging, you might try Hot Dogs, Horseshoes, and Handgrenades



Basically it's more of a realism sandbox. Lots of guns, lots of galleries, all painstakingly made to work as realistically as possible.

And here's an anti-recommendation: Stay away from VRChat. Unless you use it to make a private room to talk to people you already know.
Yeah, I'd LIKE to try some kind of VR Chat style program, but everything I've heard, they're filled with kids. And yeah, no.

Honestly, that Hot Dogs, Horsehoes, and Hand Grenades doesn't really appeal to me. But I'm also not really one for guns.

And dammit Dave, yes, I will get Gorn at some point! :p
 
So I finished my first run of XCOM 2. Strictly speaking it's my second run, I decided to restart halfway through on an easier difficulty level because the game was kicking my ass, and I found out I'd built my base very nonoptimally, and I felt like I'd prioritized the wrong research and constructions. So I started over to put what I'd learned to better use. I managed to finish the storyline. I also did the two main DLCs, which allowed me to send a giant robot to punch a snake monster to death.

All in all, it's a very good game, and a worthy sequel to the first game. I generally came to appreciate most of the changes, even the mission timers. The expanded customization options meant I could tweak my amazon brigade to my liking. Oh, and maps are apparently procedurally generated now, which is nice because I could memorize map layouts in the first game so that I basically already knew where I was going to position everybody.

If I had to pick some things I didn't like, the Alien Hunters DLC is pretty bullshit for newer players, because you're facing a very difficult enemy who can move after every move you make. This means it gets six to twelve times as many moves as other enemies. The end battle was also a nasty difficulty spike in a game that's already plenty difficult. And having to scrounge for resources in the early game while things are gradually falling apart all over the world could get pretty stressful.

Anyway, now on to the expansion.
 

figmentPez

Staff member
I've been playing Fallout 4. It's a lot like Fallout 3 in tone. The fine points of the mechanics are different, but it also feels very familiar. I'm enjoying but holy crap the UI is a steaming pile.

The settlement UI is the fucking worst. Why do I have to track down settlers and assign them to harvesting food? Why isn't that automatic? Even if the game wants to make it manual just have a job board. Make it a buildable object. Some wood and plastic and bam: a central interface for seeing how many settlers you've got, and what jobs they're assigned to. But no, I've got to hunt down unassigned settlers and tell them to do shit. (I'm pretty sure in a real wastleland scenario the working settlers would beat the tar out of any newbie who didn't work, but...)

This is why I waited for the game to hit $10 before buying it. Bethesda doesn't deserve my paying anywhere near full price for half-finished work. I get that they've made a ton of content, but I'd have enjoyed a smaller world with a finished interface than vast swaths of repeated bugginess.
 
I've been playing Fallout 4. It's a lot like Fallout 3 in tone. The fine points of the mechanics are different, but it also feels very familiar. I'm enjoying but holy crap the UI is a steaming pile.

The settlement UI is the fucking worst. Why do I have to track down settlers and assign them to harvesting food? Why isn't that automatic? Even if the game wants to make it manual just have a job board. Make it a buildable object. Some wood and plastic and bam: a central interface for seeing how many settlers you've got, and what jobs they're assigned to. But no, I've got to hunt down unassigned settlers and tell them to do shit. (I'm pretty sure in a real wastleland scenario the working settlers would beat the tar out of any newbie who didn't work, but...)

This is why I waited for the game to hit $10 before buying it. Bethesda doesn't deserve my paying anywhere near full price for half-finished work. I get that they've made a ton of content, but I'd have enjoyed a smaller world with a finished interface than vast swaths of repeated bugginess.
Fallout 4 is great fun, but I basically skipped all of the settlement stuff that I could.
 
I've been playing Fallout 4. It's a lot like Fallout 3 in tone. The fine points of the mechanics are different, but it also feels very familiar. I'm enjoying but holy crap the UI is a steaming pile.

The settlement UI is the fucking worst. Why do I have to track down settlers and assign them to harvesting food? Why isn't that automatic? Even if the game wants to make it manual just have a job board. Make it a buildable object. Some wood and plastic and bam: a central interface for seeing how many settlers you've got, and what jobs they're assigned to. But no, I've got to hunt down unassigned settlers and tell them to do shit. (I'm pretty sure in a real wastleland scenario the working settlers would beat the tar out of any newbie who didn't work, but...)

This is why I waited for the game to hit $10 before buying it. Bethesda doesn't deserve my paying anywhere near full price for half-finished work. I get that they've made a ton of content, but I'd have enjoyed a smaller world with a finished interface than vast swaths of repeated bugginess.
If you've got the Vault-Tec DLC, you can build a terminal called the Vault-Tec Population Management System that does what you're describing. Basically, it allows you to see an overview of your settlers' employment status, and you can assign settlers to open jobs at the terminal instead of chasing them down to assign them manually.
 
... I actually find building up the settlements for defense and trade to be the most fun part of Fallout 4 by far and I kinda feel the same about doing it in 76 too.
 
... I actually find building up the settlements for defense and trade to be the most fun part of Fallout 4 by far and I kinda feel the same about doing it in 76 too.
Yeah I like the settlement building in FO4, but I realize that I'm biased because I like playing games where I build stuff (Dwarf Fortress, Subnautica, Prison Architect, etc). I fully empathize with people complaining about the settlement system because that's probably not what they play a Fallout game for.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
So you got me interested in playing this... and I'm trying... but I'm having a hard time seeing what the allure is. I tried starting as a nurse because I thought first aid might come in handy, but without any kind of carpentry or electronics or stuff, there's just so much that is obviously needed to survive that I can't do. Maybe it's meant to be multiplayer with people covering roles? Help me out here, what am I missing?
Alright, I tried multiplayer.

The only thing worse than Project Zomboid is trying to play Project Zomboid multiplayer. In single player, at least there's resources to be pillaged and use, and maybe you can survive (but boy is it tedious and slow). Multiplayer, good luck even finding a can opener or anything but the least useful of makeshift weapons. And of course, the entire multiplayer community is full of "this isn't difficult enough" sweaty tryhards so the servers are all configured such a way that you are CONSTANTLY being followed by 20+ zombies who saw you from offscreen at maximum zoom... and even if you do manage to shake them long enough to find a safe place to shack up... you won't be sleeping through the night like in single player. Nope. You have to put up with standing in the dark (because it's WAY too fuckin dangerous to go out scavenging at night) getting progressively hungrier because, like minecraft, sleeping doesn't work unless everybody on the server goes to sleep (and that's even assuming the server has sleeping enabled). SO I HOPE YOU LIKE STANDING AROUND FOR HOURS.

This game is an exercise in masochistic tedium and I have serious questions about the mental health of anyone who willingly engages in it. The controls are balls, the camera is balls, the interface is complete and utter balls, it's the worst time I've had since 7 days to die and that's saying something.
 
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Over in the Oculus thread I mention I am playing Boneworks, and it is amazing. It's what if half-life was about the matrix and played in VR, and it's the most immersive vr game I've ever played. To the point that it's the first time I've ever experienced VR sickness, feeling nausea and dizziness after returning to the real world. Kinda like feeling uneasy on solid land after being on a boat for awhile.
 
GORN!!

Had to type it like that because goddamn, this is a heckeva game. It's clunky as hell, but there's an awkward beauty in that clunkiness.

In some ways, I kinda wish it was more detailed in its gore. Like if I hit a guy over the top of the head with a mace, they should have their skull caved in, not decapitated. And I hate, hate, HAAAAAAATE using bow and arrows.

But it has that same visceralness like Thrill of the Fight.

I didn't like the way the movement was set up (holding down B and "skiing" forward? Ugh). And I had a little bit of motion sickness when I switched it to just regular movement, but I kinda got the hang of that.
 
Alright, I tried multiplayer.

The only thing worse than Project Zomboid is trying to play Project Zomboid multiplayer. In single player, at least there's resources to be pillaged and use, and maybe you can survive (but boy is it tedious and slow). Multiplayer, good luck even finding a can opener or anything but the least useful of makeshift weapons. And of course, the entire multiplayer community is full of "this isn't difficult enough" sweaty tryhards so the servers are all configured such a way that you are CONSTANTLY being followed by 20+ zombies who saw you from offscreen at maximum zoom... and even if you do manage to shake them long enough to find a safe place to shack up... you won't be sleeping through the night like in single player. Nope. You have to put up with standing in the dark (because it's WAY too fuckin dangerous to go out scavenging at night) getting progressively hungrier because, like minecraft, sleeping doesn't work unless everybody on the server goes to sleep (and that's even assuming the server has sleeping enabled). SO I HOPE YOU LIKE STANDING AROUND FOR HOURS.

This game is an exercise in masochistic tedium and I have serious questions about the mental health of anyone who willingly engages in it. The controls are balls, the camera is balls, the interface is complete and utter balls, it's the worst time I've had since 7 days to die and that's saying something.
Ooof. Did you try the beta version?
I do understand your missgivings, but i play it only on singleplayer and I do enjoy my time. One does have to up the XP multiplier though unless one wants to grind for days.
 
GORN!!

Had to type it like that because goddamn, this is a heckeva game. It's clunky as hell, but there's an awkward beauty in that clunkiness.

In some ways, I kinda wish it was more detailed in its gore. Like if I hit a guy over the top of the head with a mace, they should have their skull caved in, not decapitated. And I hate, hate, HAAAAAAATE using bow and arrows.

But it has that same visceralness like Thrill of the Fight.

I didn't like the way the movement was set up (holding down B and "skiing" forward? Ugh). And I had a little bit of motion sickness when I switched it to just regular movement, but I kinda got the hang of that.
Huh, I hadn't heard anything about this game yet. If only someone here had ever suggested or praised it.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
Ooof. Did you try the beta version?
I do understand your missgivings, but i play it only on singleplayer and I do enjoy my time. One does have to up the XP multiplier though unless one wants to grind for days.
That might be the key. I was playing on default settings.
 

GasBandit

Staff member
I didn't like the way the movement was set up (holding down B and "skiing" forward? Ugh). And I had a little bit of motion sickness when I switched it to just regular movement, but I kinda got the hang of that.
I discovered via Gorn and Subnautica that, in VR, for me at least, the key to not getting motion sick is to make sure that you only "ski" directly forward or backwards to/from where you are facing. No sidestepping with the controller, and (in the case of Subnautica) DEFINITELY no "rising" or "descending" by controller. Forward and back only, That's the key. That was the tactic that allowed me to get the global high score in the Killing Floor: Incursion VR game, which took 2 hours and 24 minutes on endless mode, before they abolished the leaderboard.
 
Huh, I hadn't heard anything about this game yet. If only someone here had ever suggested or praised it.
You know, I seem to recall SOMEONE on this board going on about it. Can't remember who. Started with a D, maybe? Donald? Daniel? Declan? Dawson? Diego? Something like that.
 
I also posted this in the oculus thread, but for anyone not following that one, here's the trailer for Boneworks. It really does feel like a modern Half-Life game in how it tries to redefine the space.

 
That might be the key. I was playing on default settings.
Also,please,if you havent, play the IWBUMS version. It is the most up to date version. I can understand that it is very laborous and a grind fest. But it is something I like. It is not for everyone and thats ok.
 

figmentPez

Staff member
If you've got the Vault-Tec DLC, you can build a terminal called the Vault-Tec Population Management System that does what you're describing. Basically, it allows you to see an overview of your settlers' employment status, and you can assign settlers to open jobs at the terminal instead of chasing them down to assign them manually.
That's helpful, but still terrible UI.

I'm enjoying FO4 a lot, despite the flaws. Investigating a murder mystery at a hotel full of crazy robots is fun, and looting containers makes me happy. There's things I wish were better, but overall it's a good experience.
 
I'm still playing Wildermyth - now months later. Some of the stories have begun to repeat, but hasn't made me enjoy the game any less. My Legacy is growing with a number of heroes that are Legendary- far from the local legends they started after surviving their first campaigns. The developers are still adding content and making changes here and there with a small roadmap for upcoming things. I love the humour, the class systems, the variety of monsters and the 'omg i'm running out of time to save the world' feeling I get in some of the chapters. I started a 5 chapter story last weekend that ended in chapter 4 last night because I made some poor strategic decisions at the start and got overrun as time got away from me.

My only complaints:
- the Hunter Class being (or feeling?) way more effective as a ranged archer more-so than a rogue assassin type which doesn't quite have the same 'umph'.
- I find there is a certain build with the warrior that is the goto: reach weapon, first strike (called paladin) when an enemy walks into weapon range. Combo'd with abilities that up your number of reactions, and then another ability that increases range... your warrior just cuts through almost anything. This is good however, as at higher difficulty you'd be overwhelmed by enemies if you didn't - but I find that means it's a must build for all the warriors and a lot of weapons I just never use.

If you're up for something different - it's on steam. Gives me OgreBattle, FFTactics'ish vibes and I love them vibes.
 
So, I got sucked back into eve. I'm not even playing missions or shooting ships like I used to.

I realized that just before I left, I did a lot of grinding to get enough reputation to max out my research agents. These guys passively create a few research points every day which you can convert to datacores. Datacores can be used to turn T1 item blueprints into T2 item blueprints, which sell for so much more profit. So, I flew to each of them and used their 10 years worth of built up research points to buy thousands and thousands of datacores. It only takes a couple of data cores to convert a blueprint. I'm not ever going to run out. lol

So, I'm constantly (about once a week) performing big T2 conversion jobs. Then I've been sitting in the main trade hub, setting market orders to buy products at low prices, and cranking out T2 ammo (which, as a consumable, is always in demand).

Selling about a half-million missiles per day, and making enough profit to slowly but steadily upgrade my fleet. Additionally, I have 6 colonies on planets cranking out rocket fuel, so that's one less material I have to spend much on, increasing profit margins.

I recently reached the threshold where I could buy a very nice T2 blockade runner ship (which can cloak without speed or warp penalties) which are pretty much untouchable in high and low security space. The only danger to a BR is if you are sloppy or if you go to null-sec (where warp bubbles are allowed that stop the use of warp).

With the BR, I've started taking courier missions on the side where I shuttle stuff around for people who are too afraid to do it themselves, for a tidy fee.
 
started playing the Storyteller demo Steam. It's kind of neat! I like the fact that there are multiple ways to 'win' each level/story. It's a nice relaxing and creative puzzle solving game. I'll probably get it when it drops.
 
I managed to beat the War of the Chosen expansion for XCOM 2 too. Albeit with even more save-scumming than the base game, because the expansion kicks up the difficulty another notch. Seriously, the Warlock is so bullshit. I was playing on the second-lowest difficulty level and I was tempted to lower it several times. But ultimately I prevailed, and successfully punched an alien psionic monster in the face with a giant robot.

And now, because playing XCOM has apparently unlocked my masochistic side, I decided to try a playthrough on the highest difficulty level. First try, I lost 3 out of my 4 troops in the opening level, with the 4th guy hanging on with 1 health left. So I reloaded the level and save-scummed until I managed to get all 4 of them to survive. And then in pretty much the 3th or 4th battle (there are a couple of plot-related battles prior to that, with some scripting, so basically this was the first battle where I was really in control of everything) I found myself fighting pretty much every enemy on the map at once, with all of them surrounding my four poor troopers, which means all of them have no cover in at least two directions. That's where I saved and closed down the game.

Even with save-scumming I'm not sure how I'm going to win this battle.
 
I'd really recommend taking a deep dive on the Steam Workshop and trying out some of the gameplay-altering mods rather than trying to slog through a run on the highest difficulty of the basic game. There are full overhauls of the character classes, gear, psionics, MECs, enemy AI, enemy unit types, and basically anything else you can think of as discrete packages that you can use to fine-tune the experience in - IMO, at least - a much more interesting way than doing a Long War run in the first XCOM.

I just started a new run and I've giant pile of mods running. It's basically a totally different experience with new challenges that don't just amount to more enemies and bigger health pools.
 
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