The Miscellaneous PC & vidya Games Thread

[Solmyr]

How similar/different is it to Stellaris?

[crazy canuck]

Similarity is it is a large scale intergalactic 4x

But this has a very different feel to it.  Where Stellaris requires you to move units around (for example the building ships) much of that is automated but if you feel the need for that level of micro you could do it.  But there is no reason to do it.

I am just digging into it but it seems like there is a lot more going on. 

[Syt]

DasTactic had a series of good tutorials when the Universe edition of Distant Worlds 1 came out (and later for Shadow Empire). I had a look, and while it's not a video series but rather one large chunk, he does have a tutorial up for DW2. He also uploaded a pre-release let's play, and some of his live streams.

[Syt]

Still plonking away at Elden Ring here and there. The lack of guidance in the world and using the map to see if something cool might be hidden somewhere reminds me of exploration in Morrowind. And as mentioned I love running into FromSoftware tropes/traps where you approach a situation and think, "Yeah ... I see what you're doing here." Nice when you're right, but occasionally they still blindside me or add a little twist.

The messages from other players are often quite useful (like in one case where I was struggling someone left a message to try a certain thing, which really helped me out). But just as often you get the always funny "Try tongue but hole" and of course trolls promising you treasure if you jump off a cliff - all time honored traditions. (my favorite cooperative dumb joke is one I came across in Dark Souls 2 first, in a long passage, a series of player notes in a long row along the lines of: "Behold message and then: message ahead." Next message: "Message ahead." Next: "Be wary of message." Etc.)

Made my first attempt at entering the first castle yesterday - yeah, that will need some trying things out. Which is one of the more fun bits: running into situations, unsure how to deal with them (usually dying) and then figuring out what approach works best for you (very much like the movie Edge of Tomorrow). The best FromSoft games give you a variety of tools to toy around with multiple solutions and offer a number of ways to overcome challenges (different playstyles, alternate routes, switching up gear, using consumables/items).

This game does it quite well so far where I'm starting to take on some enemies that gave me troubles at first with more confidence - better gear and stats is one part of it, but just getting better is another: learning enemy move patterns, how you can bait out attacks so you get an opening, when it is safe to strike and when it isn't.

And occasionally the game throws you into the deep end where you're glad to paddle back out, panicked (players might know what CHESTnut I refer to but knowing that the game also tells you: you'll be back later and it will be easier, because you have better weapons and equipment, and you'll have become a better player by then.

It's not easy staying away from spoilers, though. I've blocked a bunch of keywords on Twitter and avoid any YouTube videos, but it's not always easy.

But as usual, this meme applies:

[FunkMonk]

Yeah Elden Ring really reminds me of traditional open-world Elder Scrolls games. Nothing near Morrowind's/Skyrim's interactivity, but the vastness of the world and the exploration is certainly comparable. And of course, the combat is much, much more interesting than Elder Scrolls games.

[celedhring]

New witcher game announced.

https://twitter.com/Marcin360

I can't get to the linked page though, I guess traffic is taking it down.

EDIT: Finally got in, yeah, it seems they're kicking off a new saga (so I assume Geralt-less, the signet doesn't look like the wolf school one). Scant details, though.

[Savonarola]

A friend of mine is going to graduate school for game design.  His first group project was UNICYCLE SAMURAI!




Wat-cha!

[11B4V]

Apparently another Witcher game in the works.

[FunkMonk]

Anyone have a Steam Deck or are on the wait list for one?

[Josquius]

Anyone have a Steam Deck or are on the wait list for one?

They do look very tempting for sure. Though given my lack of time at the moment and many year wait for a switch, again hit by lack of time, I'll probably wait a few years before getting one.

[FunkMonk]

Anyone have a Steam Deck or are on the wait list for one?

They do look very tempting for sure. Though given my lack of time at the moment and many year wait for a switch, again hit by lack of time, I'll probably wait a few years before getting one.

Yeah, that is my angle too. It looks promising though.

[Josquius]

So. FIFA.

Not games I've been into since the mega drive era. Attempts at playing modern iterations just confuse me. I can't get the hang of it at all. And all that loot box and gambling stuff they use to mine money from kids....

Nonetheless they're mega sellers with the annual iterations raking in bazillions.

Seems however EA has lost the FIFA license. This is big. They've had it for nearly 30 years with at least a new game every year off the back of it.
I have big fingers crossed that somebody else will swoop in and snatch up the license leading to actual innovation in the football game genre.
Oh how I miss the mega drive days when there were a dozen different variations on how to do a football game.

[Grey Fox]

They did not lose it tho. FIFA asks for $1 billion for every WC cycle. EA, wisely, declined.

[Josquius]

I had a bunch of vouchers expiring soon and no other things that immediately needed buying so I finally did it and bought a switch.
Shiny.

[FunkMonk]

I had a bunch of vouchers expiring soon and no other things that immediately needed buying so I finally did it and bought a switch.
Shiny.

Yeah that thing is great for parents

I'll be on the couch playing Zelda while the little one stumbles around in the living room and I can quickly put the Switch into sleep mode if I need to attend to her. Games are solid too (Breath of the Wild and Hades  )