Steam Weekend Deal Thread

[BigJonno]

I always feel like I'm missing something with adventure games. Not my thing.
I usually end up getting stuck and after an hour of clicking everything and combining everything with everything else I give up and either quit or get a walkthrough if the story is at least worth experiencing.
It would help if the puzzles actually made sense in the real world. Monkey Island is the worst for puzzles that make no sense at all. I mean, how are you supposed to figure it out if it doesn't make sense?

I'll see your Monkey Island and raise you a Discworld for adventure games with puzzles that don't make sense.

[Spectre-7]

Wasn't it Gabriel Knight that held the trophy for most convoluted puzzles? I seem to recall hearing about a sequence where you had to put tape on a hole in a fence, then scare a cat so it bolts through the hole, in order to get its fur to make a fake mustache.

[Hawkzombie]

I own the discs to TLJ, but the fact it's on GoG for 10 bucks WITH Sanitarium...How could I pass it up?

And today I'm more than likely gonna fix my computer, so I'll have something to play it on too!

[Spigot]

Hmm. I tried to purchase the Santiarium/TLJ pack but after putting my CC info in and everything and doing the Verified By Visa stuff, it popped me to my account 'shelf' on GoG with neither game showing up there. Strange. I've even tried to repurchase them but nada. We'll see if GoG can figure out if I've bought the games or not.

[crazyD]

I always thought Monkey Island was pretty sensible, especially for an adventure game of it's era. Later LucasArts games are better with this, though.

[crazyD]

crazyD's Top 4 Common Adventure Game Flaws
In descending order of terribleness.

1. Allowing the player to get stuck without the ability to progress.
2. Causing the player to die or lose progress as a result of experimenting.
3. Not giving the player a clear idea of what their next overall goal is.
4. Not having logical solutions to puzzles.

To clarify on #3, this does not need to be overly specific, but the player should have a general idea of what they should be accomplishing. I find this to be the most common flaw in adventure games I play, as I generally avoid games that feature flaws 1 and 2. The last one is in a distant 4th, because if I have a clear idea of what my goal is, the solution to the specific problem is generally not so hard to find.

[jpublic]

Actually, the game on GoG calling me right now is Aquanox. I loved those games.

[Savok]

KQ5 let you solve puzzles the wrong way, screwing you in the future. That's the biggest sin to me.

[tacitus]

Hmm. I tried to purchase the Santiarium/TLJ pack but after putting my CC info in and everything and doing the Verified By Visa stuff, it popped me to my account 'shelf' on GoG with neither game showing up there. Strange. I've even tried to repurchase them but nada. We'll see if GoG can figure out if I've bought the games or not.
They are actually pretty responsive - if you haven't already send them an email, do.

[Banacek]

KQ5 let you solve puzzles the wrong way, screwing you in the future. That's the biggest sin to me.

Agreed. That is the cardinal sin when it comes to adventure games. The other is what crazyD mentioned, the completely random puzzles that have no baring to the game and no reference in which to someone could hope to solve them logically (a.k.a. Gabriel Knight 3 syndrome).

[Arphahat]

I'll add that another annoying part of some adventure games is to do something non-traditional, or make a solution part of something that you have been trained to ignore in adventure games. A specific thing that comes to mind is when something in the foreground, something that looks like it should just be decorative filler, is something that is critical to solving the puzzle.

[MagGnome]

I pointed this out in the Adventure Game thread already, but I'll more or less re-post it here:

Some adventure games allow you to get stuck or have extremely convoluted puzzles. However, I would like to point out that this is simply bad game design and not a flaw with the genre itself. Every single genre has dozens of examples of bad game design, wherein you can get stuck, die unfairly, or be confronted with a task that is either too difficult or even nearly impossible to complete. I think it's unfair that the adventure genre gets saddled with this reputation, when every single genre is littered with similar examples of poor design and frustrating gameplay.

[kyrieee]

I don't play adventure games but I picked up TLJ. Dunno about Sanitarium

[Spigot]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, of you like point & click adventures, get Sanitarium!

[kyrieee]

Hmm, I don't think this is my type of game

Long expositions about totally nonsensical things, lots of cutscenes and weird gameplay. I'm going to play it some more but can someone who likes the game explain what the appeal is?

[crazyD]

I pointed this out in the Adventure Game thread already, but I'll more or less re-post it here:

Some adventure games allow you to get stuck or have extremely convoluted puzzles. However, I would like to point out that this is simply bad game design and not a flaw with the genre itself. Every single genre has dozens of examples of bad game design, wherein you can get stuck, die unfairly, or be confronted with a task that is either too difficult or even nearly impossible to complete. I think it's unfair that the adventure genre gets saddled with this reputation, when every single genre is littered with similar examples of poor design and frustrating gameplay.

I definitely agree. I could make a list of common bad design flaws in just about any genre.

[MagGnome]

Hmm, I don't think this is my type of game

Long expositions about totally nonsensical things, lots of cutscenes and weird gameplay. I'm going to play it some more but can someone who likes the game explain what the appeal is?

I'm drawn to adventure games by the humor, the epic storylines, and the fun, memorable characters. Not all adventure games share these qualities, of course, but they have them more than any other genre, IMHO.

[Wolvie]

Has anyone checked out Saira (http://store.steampowered.com/app/48900/)? It looks like a pacifist StarFlight, with puzzles and photography gameplay elements. For $8.99 I am very interested. If any of you have tried it and have impressions, I would love to hear them.

[Savok]

Oh I am so fucking buying that.

[MagGnome]

I saw that a few days ago. It looks interesting, but I have way too much on my plate as it is.

[Wolvie]

Oh I am so fucking buying that.

Please, please, PLEASE let me know how that plays. I am ready to buy it myself. Any good word on this game and I will nab it post haste.

[Savok]

It reminds me a lot of Another World only far less brutal, the space aspect is mostly about getting from one puzzle area to another, so far anyway. Controls are slightly off putting, maybe if I plug a gamepad in... still. At $5 I'd say buy it or I stab you, $9 if you're into - so far - very mellow platforming with slightly annoying music.

[Hawkzombie]

I'm definitely interested in this game as well.

[Savok]

Well that quickly got quite cruel.

[Hawkzombie]

Well that quickly got quite cruel.

LOL what happened?

[Savok]

Mellow platforming became frantic platforming with a time limit and having to plot your own route turning on these things in order.

[Spigot]

There we go. Got Sanitarium & TLJ properly ordered on GoG. Sure, I have the discs, but it's $10 for both in digital format. I can't pass that up.

[MagGnome]

I hate time limits and the like in games, so thanks for saving me some money, Savok.

I picked up TLJ and Sanitarium. I already own the former on disc, but having a copy on GOG will be nice. Woohoo! :)

[Spigot]

Fire up Sanitarium STAT! I want you to enjoy the wonder of insanity :)

[Hawkzombie]

There we go. Got Sanitarium & TLJ properly ordered on GoG. Sure, I have the discs, but it's $10 for both in digital format. I can't pass that up.

I bit down as well. I've got the discs to TLJ, but the convenience(and the extras) were worth it. And I've been meaning to play Sanitarium forever.

[Savok]

I hate time limits and the like in games, so thanks for saving me some money, Savok.
It's not a time limit in the classic sense, more like a checkpoint race you'd get in most sandbox games. Only the checkpoints are quite far apart and you get to work out how to get to them quickly by yourself... not that they add time though.

[Ghostbear]

Does the GoG version of TLJ give it widescreen support?

[Hawkzombie]

Huh, good question. I bought it but I haven't DLed it yet :p

[MagGnome]

Fire up Sanitarium STAT! I want you to enjoy the wonder of insanity :)

I'll fire it up as soon as I get through the rest of my backlog. Expect my impressions in 2042.


Does the GoG version of TLJ give it widescreen support?


I downloaded it, but I haven't installed it yet. I'll try to do so later and see.

[Panthera]

I doubt it would add widescreen. You may be able to find a fan patch somewhere.

[Savok]

Would some of the scenes even have the art for widescreen anyway?

[blair]

The new sale is Left 4 Dead 2, for 25 bucks (atleast on my side of the pond). I might need to get this..

[MagGnome]

Would some of the scenes even have the art for widescreen anyway?

That's a good point. The game is almost entirely pre-rendered, so I doubt that changing resolutions would be possible, beyond what was originally included.

[diablopath]

The new sale is Left 4 Dead 2, for 25 bucks (atleast on my side of the pond). I might need to get this..

$75 for a 4-pack. About $19 a person.

I need two more people...

[J Arcane]

I'd be in for it if I weren't broke. I've got an auction that sold yesterday, but I'm still waiting for the asshole to actually pay me.

$20 is the perfect price for a L4D game. That's what I bought #1 with.

[Hawkzombie]

I'd be in as well, if I hadn't of bought my video card...figures this would happen now :p....When I actually have something to PLAY it on.

[BreakerX]

I swore up and down that I wouldn't buy L4D2 because I felt it was too short of a time frame between the first and the sequel. I finally buckled. I might as well just direct deposit my pay checks to my Steam account.

[MagGnome]

I'm thinking about picking it up as well.

I wasn't going to, but a certain someone has been bugging me to do so. :p

[J Arcane]

I've said from the beginning I'd probably consider buying it once it hit $20 or less. That's what L4D1 was worth, and L4D1.5 certainly wasn't worth anymore than the first game.

[Hotcod]

I've said from the beginning I'd probably consider buying it once it hit $20 or less. That's what L4D1 was worth, and L4D1.5 certainly wasn't worth anymore than the first game.

ya, it's around the price I said I'd think about picking it up for. Still i've got no money and there's other stuff I want more so I think I'll wait on an even bigger sale on it at some point. Which will come.

[IIntrude]

I just bought Lead and Gold for the 13dollar deal. It's gotta be worth that price I would hope. I am a sucker for western games.

[Spectre-7]

I just bought Lead and Gold for the 13dollar deal. It's gotta be worth that price I would hope. I am a sucker for western games.

I'm a sucker for Westerns too, and it's well worth it, IMO. The game has a thread (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=16424) with a buttload of information, if you're looking for opinions or whatever else.

[Lithium Flower]

I am actually interested in the Fourpack myself. I know H.Bogard is in with me. If we can find two more people, we could jump on the bandwagon at < 20 USD.

[BLeeP]

Am I the only one who can't access Steam right now? I go to open it and it says it's updating and then says service isn't available right now and shuts off.

[Wolvie]

I've said from the beginning I'd probably consider buying it once it hit $20 or less. That's what L4D1 was worth, and L4D1.5 certainly wasn't worth anymore than the first game.

I bought L4D2 for around $30 threough Gamefly. I regret it, because I just don't play it. I wish I had waited till it hit $20 status, or lower before I bit.

[aVaKus]

I'm thinking about picking it up as well.

I wasn't going to, but a certain someone has been bugging me to do so. :p

You know you want it. :p

[Spigot]

I've got L4D2... I have even been playing the odd pick-up game of TF2 with the CoG crew lately. I might just be in the right frame of mind to play some shooty-bang games with people if more of you get the game :)

[J Arcane]

I bought L4D2 for around $30 threough Gamefly. I regret it, because I just don't play it. I wish I had waited till it hit $20 status, or lower before I bit.
They're fun games, but at the end of the day, they're effectively multiplayer only games (especially L4D2) with a rather short-lived amount of content.

$20 if you've got some friends to play them with is a decent deal, but even then, TF2's the same price and somehow that seems to hold up better.

[Savok]

Why did they feed the AI in L4D2 led paint chips anyway? L4D1 AI was great, not too good but not useless either.

[LarsenNET]

Torchlight (http://store.steampowered.com/app/41500/) is $5.00 which is 75% off.

Yawn, this was on sale a bunch toward the end of the year.

[Suave Peanut]

I think most of us should have that by now.

If you don't, then what's wrong with you!?

[Khrymsyn]

I think most of us should have that by now.
If you don't, then what's wrong with you!?

I don't know!

Truthfully, only reason I haven't picked this up is lack of Multi. Part I loved most about Diablo was running around with some friends. Well, that and I was having a hard time getting past the WoW/Cartoony style. For some reason I like that style in TF2, but not so much in my dungeon crawler. Is it really a good enough game to overlook those two points?

[crazyD]

I think most of us should have that by now.

If you don't, then what's wrong with you!?

Kind of regret grabbing it, but not too much since I got it for so cheap. Just not my thing.

[Suave Peanut]

Is it really a good enough game to overlook those two points?

I think you could get $5 worth of fun out of it by yourself. I have, many times over.

[SilentScreams]

Torchlight was a steal at full price. There's really no reason not to buy it at $5.

[crazyD]

Torchlight was a steal at full price. There's really no reason not to buy it at $5.

Unless you are not a fan of the genre.

[Hawkzombie]

Unless you are not a fan of the genre.

Still no excuse :p

And if you're not a fan of the genre, why did you buy it? lol

[crazyD]

Still no excuse :p

And if you're not a fan of the genre, why did you buy it? lol

Because I heard so many great things around here that I thought it was one of those games that is so great it rises above the genre and can be enjoyable to a wider group of people. Didn't find that to be the case.

Also, it was just $5, not much of a risk.

[Hawkzombie]

Because I heard so many great things around here that I thought it was one of those games that is so great it rises above the genre and can be enjoyable to a wider group of people. Didn't find that to be the case.

Also, it was just $5, not much of a risk.

Eh, fair enough. I think what was so great about it was that it didn't try to be more than what it was. It was a straight up entry to the genre, and left it at that. Reminded a lot of people of earlier titles (Diablo especially) without a lot of the crap that seemed to be tacked onto games in the genre over the years.

Well, to me at least.

[SilentScreams]

Hawk pretty much nailed it. It's nothing revolutionary, but the devs knew the type of game they wanted to create and they succeeded. It's typical of it's genre, but it's a very polished and fun entry. It's still not the Diablo-killer I've been waiting for, but it's the closest anyone has come.

[MagGnome]

Torchlight is a fantastic game. Some of the most fun I had gaming in 2009.

I missed the L4D2 deal by a couple of hours. They really need to keep the mid-week sale going until the end of the day on Thursday. Sorry Avakus. :(

I know it's not Steam, but Impulse has two fantastic deals up this weekend:

Divine Divinity (http://www.impulsedriven.com/divdivinity) for $2.48! This is an amazing game, IMHO. It's sort of like a mix of Diablo and an old-school RPG.

The Witcher (http://www.impulsedriven.com/twee) for $9.99. Enough said.

[J Arcane]

Impulse can choke on a dick. After the complete catastrophe that was last night's simple attempt to download my newly purchased Demigod resulted in a total corruption of my C. Drive and a resultant unplanned wipe an reinstall, I'm not sure I want it on my machine ever again.

I'v e had nothing but annoyances with Impulse, and frankly I don't see where Brad gets off posturing about how consumer friendly they are, when their gateway is a piece of shit like that.

[Vigil80]

Holy crap, J. Hard to imagine how that even happened. Glad it didn't do that when I bought Demigod.

[MagGnome]

That's the first time I've heard about that sort of problem with Impulse. Obviously it's far from the norm.

I've had nothing but good luck with them, and I actually get much faster downloads on Impulse than I do on Steam.

Those are great deals for Divine Divinity and The Witcher, both of which are excellent games. No offense to J, but I hope people don't pass on them just because he had shitty luck. :p

[Savok]

I've had no problems at all with Impulse other then it can take ages to check for game updates, that's... damn dude.

[CappinCanuck]

Holy crap, J. Hard to imagine how that even happened. Glad it didn't do that when I bought Demigod.

That's the first time I've heard about that sort of problem with Impulse. Obviously it's far from the norm.

I've had nothing but good luck with them, and I actually get much faster downloads on Impulse than I do on Steam.

Those are great deals for Divine Divinity and The Witcher, both of which are excellent games. No offense to J, but I hope people don't pass on them just because he had shitty luck. :p

I've had no problems at all with Impulse other then it can take ages to check for game updates, that's... damn dude.

I dunno J. I find it very hard to believe that Impulse alone would be responsible for that.

[Acidpoptart]

Question with those that got Divinity: how well does it hold up? Still fun and fairly easy to get into?

I know $2.50 is cheap, but thats the mentality that is provided me with a huge back log of games to play haha...

[Arphahat]

Question with those that got Divinity: how well does it hold up? Still fun and fairly easy to get into?

I know $2.50 is cheap, but thats the mentality that is provided me with a huge back log of games to play haha...

I've only played for a little bit, but I think it would be worth at least $2.50 worth of fun. I wrote a mini-review of it in my game-a-day journal (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showpost.php?p=495866&postcount=51).

[CappinCanuck]

Question with those that got Divinity: how well does it hold up? Still fun and fairly easy to get into?

I know $2.50 is cheap, but thats the mentality that is provided me with a huge back log of games to play haha...

I was of the same mind. I finally just decided to let the nostalgia live on :P It would certainly be ruined by a playthrough this many years later.

[tacitus]

I'v e had nothing but annoyances with Impulse, and frankly I don't see where Brad gets off posturing about how consumer friendly they are, when their gateway is a piece of shit like that.
Sorry about you hard drive ... I too find it unlikely that impulse was the sole contributor to the disaster.

Anyway I have pretty much have come to the same conclusion that Brad's warbling about consumer rights is BS. I consistently find his site annoying; last time I looked seriously it was missing even simple things like a FAQ discussing things such what the hell happened to "anywhere" and a non-confusing description of goo. He is primarily a businessman and clearly he was doing his consumer bill of rights or whatever exclusively to attract business.

I save my digital download dollars for steam (for newer stuff) and gog (for older stuff).

[MagGnome]

Question with those that got Divinity: how well does it hold up? Still fun and fairly easy to get into?

I know $2.50 is cheap, but thats the mentality that is provided me with a huge back log of games to play haha...

I have it on disc, but it's been at least a few years since I played it.

That said, I would imagine that the game holds up quite well. It looks better than Diablo II, for example. If you're able to go back and play Diablo 2 (and who isn't?) then you should still enjoy Divinity.

Keep in mind that the first dungeon of the game is pretty boring, but after that it's a lot of fun and quite epic. For $2.50 you really can't go wrong.

Be sure to share your impressions with us if you pick it up!

[Satertek]

Quake 1-3 sale going on. Only 50% off, and the entire ID pack was about this same price during the Christmas sale, so it's a bit hard to get excited over.

Wonder why Quake 4 isn't on Steam. What licensing issues would prevent it? It's developed by ID and Raven and published by Activision just like Q3 (minus Raven, but the Heretic series is Raven and they're on it).

[MagGnome]

Is the ID pack even on sale?

AI Wars and the expansion/sequel are on sale for 50% off each. I've heard they are quite fun, so check them out!

[J Arcane]

There's supposed to be a Quake pack going on sale sometime in April, there was a news release about it somewhere. Thought it was sort of weird to announce a sale in advance, but if it gets me a cheap copy of Quake Wars I'll be all over it.

[Satertek]

There's supposed to be a Quake pack going on sale sometime in April, there was a news release about it somewhere. Thought it was sort of weird to announce a sale in advance, but if it gets me a cheap copy of Quake Wars I'll be all over it.

It's already started, and includes neither Quake 4 nor Quake Wars.

I've already got the others from the ID Superpack (and actually have Q4 and QW...but a cheap copy on Steam can't hurt)

[Lance Uppercut]

Quake IV wasn't that great, tbh.

[Panthera]

Quake IV wasn't that great, tbh.

It's still worth a playthrough, in my opinion. The shooting is painfully ordinary, but it has some of the most unsettling and terrifying scenes I've ever seen in a video game.

[LarsenNET]

Borderlands (http://store.steampowered.com/app/8980/) is the weekend deal. 50% off puts it at $24.99 or a 4 pack for $74.98.

Anyone interested in going in on a 4 pack?

[Savok]

$40 for me, $120 for the 4 pack. You stay classy 2k!

[Arphahat]

I might be game for the 4 pack. And, Savok, I'm sure that if one of us buy it, you could reimburse us.

[Savok]

I already have it, back when they sold it for the same price as the US here. Just venting.

[Arphahat]

Although, now that I think of it, how much longer before I can buy the "Game of the Year" edition with all the DLC included for $30?

[Spigot]

I'd be tempted to go in for the 4 pack. I have it on 360 but would love to play it on the PC. Though I'm also thinking I might wait for the winter after they do a GOTY release.

[Troggles]

If you guys buy it, add me as a friend on Steam. I still want to play this with a good group of 4.

[Hawkzombie]

I've heard they at least fixed some of the matchmaking issues....but I haven't touched it since I bought it and spent half a day trying to get MP to work.

[nabokovfan87]

I'd be tempted to go in for the 4 pack. I have it on 360 but would love to play it on the PC. Though I'm also thinking I might wait for the winter after they do a GOTY release.

Just bought it, didn't dip on the dlc because I assume there will be some sort of a dlc bundle.

add me if you want to hit up some co-op

[Satertek]

If anyone wants to go for a 4-pack, I'm in.

[SilentScreams]

The matchmaking issues weren't really a big deal anyway, as you could get around them by just playing the game through GameRanger or a similar program.

[MagGnome]

I'm tempted, but I think I'll wait for a GOTY release, like I did with FO3.

[Spigot]

I love the Alpha Protocol listing on Steam right now.

Not only do they have the 360 screens up there (which worries me that this will be a direct port that references the 360 controller instead of the M/KB set-up native to most PCs), but they still have an old trailer up that says, "Coming October 2009".

Oh Sega... Can *I* have a job in your marketing department? I mean, I won't charge any more than you're charging the monkeys you have working there and I am sure that my ideas can't be any worse (or any more non-existant) than what you currently have going on there!

At least you get a free copy of Space Siege... but I don't think I'm that interested in that game either...

[MagGnome]

The best part comes when the game turns out mediocre and everyone blames the publisher once again. Of course it could all be the publisher's fault, but how many incomplete/buggy games does Obsidian have to release before people start putting some of the blame on them? Troika didn't get this stellar treatment, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of the same people used to work there.

[crazyD]

The best part comes when the game turns out mediocre and everyone blames the publisher once again. Of course it could all be the publisher's fault, but how many incomplete/buggy games does Obsidian have to release before people start putting some of the blame on them? Troika didn't get this stellar treatment, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of the same people used to work there.

I don't think that's fair. Obsidian puts out some games with amazing ideas behind them, but have a history of being on rushed schedules from their publishers. I wouldn't call their games mediocre at all, just rushed.

[Spigot]

I'm with the crazy one for once. I'm not saying that Obsidian isn't partly responsible for some of the issues with their games but they seem to have a curse on them to have their games shipped before they are done.

I am hoping that Alpha Protocol turns out to be good, if not great, but botched marketing and what at this point looks like a cut & paste PC port aside, they have had mire than enough time to work on the game. If it is bad, I'm definately going to hold them rather than Sega at fault.

[CappinCanuck]

I've heard they at least fixed some of the matchmaking issues....but I haven't touched it since I bought it and spent half a day trying to get MP to work.

Mine worked perfectly as soon as I opened the ports for the game :). They patched that out a few weeks later so you don't have to manually open any ports. So feel free to jump back in.

[Hawkzombie]

Mine worked perfectly as soon as I opened the ports for the game :). They patched that out a few weeks later so you don't have to manually open any ports. So feel free to jump back in.

Yeah, it took me 2 hrs after I opened the ports to get it working :p

[SilentScreams]

I can't screw around with ports anyway. Something to do with not being able to get a static IP? I don't really get it.

And yet I was playing Borderlands multiplayer on day 1. GameRanger is your friend. :)

[MagGnome]

I don't think that's fair. Obsidian puts out some games with amazing ideas behind them, but have a history of being on rushed schedules from their publishers. I wouldn't call their games mediocre at all, just rushed.

Mediocre was a bad choice of words. Still, Obsidian has been absolved by gamers every time they've released a rushed or incomplete title. I just wonder how long this goodwill will last.

[CappinCanuck]

Yeah, it took me 2 hrs after I opened the ports to get it working :p

I still blame you :)

[Spigot]

Mediocre was a bad choice of words. Still, Obsidian has been absolved by gamers every time they've released a rushed or incomplete title. I just wonder how long this goodwill will last.Well, like I said, I'm willing to see how Alpha Protocol does when it comes out but if it is broken/incomplete/janky beyond measure, well, they have had more than enough time to finish it up this time around. The old excuses won't work if it's a flop.

[Lithium Flower]

What I love about Obsidian is the type of story they create. Their games don't really have the technical polish that Bioware deliver and they get unlucky like with Kotor 2, but their writing/story has a certain depth and subtlety that stays with you long after the ending credits have rolled.

I'll love them forever for putting out Mask of the Betrayer. I absolute love how they approach stories that have taken place after the grand, sweeping adventure that turns ordinary people into heroes and then take that hero and transform him into an ordinary man again.

</fangirlism>

[Savok]

KOTOR2 is fantastic, really is underrated. They always do things which no one else really thinks of or explores.

That said Alpha Protocol doesn't look... good, by any measure. Maybe they'll surprise me.

[Xerxes]

Mediocre was a bad choice of words. Still, Obsidian has been absolved by gamers every time they've released a rushed or incomplete title. I just wonder how long this goodwill will last.

I think it's the pedigree. Most gamers really don't want to put them down, because you know deep down these guys are supposed to be capable of awesome things. And there has been a string of titles from them that all don't taste horrible, but they aren't polished, and we all know it was rushed worked. Parts of the story is missing can't really have been planned.

As far as their goodwill goes, I think Alpha Protocol and Fallout: New Vegas is where the buck will probably stop. I'm holding out hope that both will hit there mark. Sega has seemingly been very patient and pushed the game back nearly a year. Odd, cause Sega has been rubbing the wrong way as a publisher lately. Then Bethesda I know will be more than accommodating. They had to be to even let the old boys take another crack at the franchise.

In the end, I'm hoping they'll be able to hold there head up high and walk on their own two feet by the end of the year.

Also unlike a few people around CoG, I think AP looks pretty nice.

Spigot, is awesome. Sega's marketing department is balls.

[J Arcane]

If Obsidian fucks up New Vegas, they will burn in the fires of hell for all eternity.

FO3 is probably the single best reboot of a classic series in the history of gaming. They've got big bloody shoes to fill, and a lucrative franchise to further.

[Xerxes]

If Obsidian fucks up New Vegas, they will burn in the fires of hell for all eternity.

FO3 is probably the single best reboot of a classic series in the history of gaming. They've got big bloody shoes to fill, and a lucrative franchise to further.

It's kind of funny but I know what you're saying. But it's like you tell them they have to fill these excellent shoes, in their head it's probably like "What the but those use to be our shoes remember?" :o

[J Arcane]

It's kind of funny but I know what you're saying. But it's like you tell them they have to fill these excellent shoes, in their head it's probably like "What the but those use to be our shoes remember?" :o
They used to be some of their shoes. As subsequent studios and projects have proven, the original Fallouts Black Isle produced were a product of all of those guys together. Apart, they've failed to live up to that standard at every occasion. It took a totally different studio to finally make a game worthy of the originals. That says something.

If they ever got a studio together that actually had ALL of the old BIS team, maybe they might recapture some of that magic, but I really doubt it. Sad as it is, sometimes it's just the right place and time and people, and you get magic. Such is the way of creative endeavor.

[crazyD]

Mediocre was a bad choice of words. Still, Obsidian has been absolved by gamers every time they've released a rushed or incomplete title. I just wonder how long this goodwill will last.

It's the ideas, though. They release the seeds of something amazing, and it can totally be seen through the dying remains. Even if I wasn't a fan of the games they released, I'd still respect what they try to do.

If Obsidian fucks up New Vegas, they will burn in the fires of hell for all eternity.

FO3 is probably the single best reboot of a classic series in the history of gaming. They've got big bloody shoes to fill, and a lucrative franchise to further.

I very much disagree. I think Fallout has a fucking ton to improve off of #3. Obsidian's not the only company that needs to figure out polish.

[Xerxes]

They used to be some of their shoes. As subsequent studios and projects have proven, the original Fallouts Black Isle produced were a product of all of those guys together. Apart, they've failed to live up to that standard at every occasion. It took a totally different studio to finally make a game worthy of the originals. That says something.

If they ever got a studio together that actually had ALL of the old BIS team, maybe they might recapture some of that magic, but I really doubt it. Sad as it is, sometimes it's just the right place and time and people, and you get magic. Such is the way of creative endeavor.

Facts are facts. They've released some shit that shouldn't be getting a pass. Partly because they are from established franchises and but mainly who they are.

I think if Obsidian wasn't who they were, they'd of dismantled by now instead of just chugging along as Bioware's lackey. Like you say it's not the full BIS but I sincerely hope by the end of the year those guy will be able to pump their fists in the sky and yell "We're back!"

[Savok]

Yeah Fallout 3 lived to legacy, but only just. It wasn't Oblivion with guns as feared, but it wasn't quite the Fallout of old either.

[SilentScreams]

I agree with the majority here. I like Obsidian, but everything they have produced so far has been lacking in one way or another.

KOTOR 2 was fun gameplay wise, but the story was nowhere near as good as the first game.
NWN 2 was just unpolished and I never felt comfortable with the controls, especially the camera. The story was also crap.

I don't think they can fuck up Fallout: New Vegas because all they really have to do is copy Fallout 3 and add in a few frills like the weapon modification and the ability to command party members. All most people want is more Fallout 3. Of course, given their track record, there's every chance that the story will suck. I hope they make it so that small calibre guns can't take people's heads off with headshots...that was always a pet peeve of mine.

[Lance Uppercut]

Modern Warfare 2 has a free multiplayer weekend (http://store.steampowered.com/news/3674/).

Too little, too late, I say. Especially when the price is still $10 more than the average PC game, and most PC gamers have moved on to BC2.

[crazyD]

KOTOR 2 was fun gameplay wise, but the story was nowhere near as good as the first game.

Whaaaat. KOTOR 2 had a much more interesting story than the original. It just didn't have an ending.

[LarsenNET]

I wish KOTOR 2 was on steam, I never got to play it. Same for NWN2.

I refuse to buy them on disc.

[Hawkzombie]

Whaaaat. KOTOR 2 had a much more interesting story than the original. It just didn't have an ending.

Stories usually have an end, so I think his statement still stands :p

[Dukefrukem]

Modern Warfare 2 has a free multiplayer weekend (http://store.steampowered.com/news/3674/).

Too little, too late, I say. Especially when the price is still $10 more than the average PC game, and most PC gamers have moved on to BC2.

I might install this... but definitely no purchase for me. No way $60 for a PC game.

[Savok]

KOTOR2 shits all over KOTOR's story, even with its "we ran out of time to show you everything properly, so here's a bunch of exposition" ending.

[SilentScreams]

I don't know. I enjoyed the story in KOTOR, and the twist at the end caught me out, which rarely happens.
KOTOR 2 was interesting sure, but I think the ending is an integral part of any story.

[Bad Wolf]

I'm in the KoTOR 2 camp.

A story does have an ending but what savok is trying to say is that even without a proper ending, KoTOR 2's story is miles ahead of KoTOR 1.

KoTOR 1 is a rehash of every Bioware game ever made as they do with ALL their games. Bioware are one of my favourite studios but their stories always have the same basic plot. If you were blown away by KoTOR 1's story, you haven't really played other Bioware games have you?

KoTOR 2 is more of a thinking man's story. Its more cerebral. It is a subtle, dark & personal story. Whereas KoTOR 1 on the other hand just has the one twist that comes at around the 75% mark, typical of all bioware games. Take that out and it is a very simple 'super-jedi is going to save/destroy the universe'.

[Spigot]

Are you talking as a Bioware fan having played KoTOR 1 recently or as someone who played it when it was released. I mean, Bioware's ouvre at that point was basically Icewind Dale and the two Baldur's Gate games. Plus it was a fantastic Star Wars story when we were being bombarded with the prequels.

If you play KoTOR 1 now after having played most of their games to date, then yes, it isn't nearly as special because you see the formula.

I do prefer the nebulous take on all things Forcey in KoTOR 2 and didn't think that it was that much of a train wreck.

[Lithium Flower]

Precisely. I thoroughly enjoyed Kotor 1. I reveled in the sheer grandeur of being so bad-ass that they had to wipe my memory, but not only did I overcome something so drastic, but became even greater as a result.

Yet, in Kotor 2, just like in Mask of the Betrayer, although the action that takes place is relatively minor and low-key compared to the epic scale of the earlier iteration - the sheer magnitude of the implications and the density of the issues under consideration dwarfs everything that has occurred earlier.

In Kotor 1, you are an extremely powerful sith lord, you are robbed of your memory and are then drawn into a struggle against a stupidly vast and epic invasion. Armies are pitted against each other upon interstellar battlefields and it's all very big and grand.

But basically, its just a huge war/invasion. A microscopic event when seen against the immensity of the cosmic backdrop.

In Kotor 2, you're a nameless exile, in the aftermath of a devastating war yet your struggle and the decisions you make have implications that are no longer about a single moment in the expanse of history but promise to affect the very fabric of the Force, of the universe. The stakes are HUGE!

And yet, the physical conflict is trivial compared to the armies we've faced before. It's much more personal. Only a handful of people at odds among themselves.

I think it's Kreia who says [paraphrased] 'the true battle for the soul does take place in fields of dust and sand but in the hearts of men'.

[SilentScreams]

I played KOTOR to completion within 3 days of release, so it's possible I'm remembering it fondly and that today it wouldn't hold up. At the time it was a great game and story. The universal acclaim that it got is testament to that even if most people here seem to have turned on it over the years.
But the fact of the matter is I'm not playing it now, so I have to judge it based on when I played it, and KOTOR was better for it's time than KOTOR 2 was in my opinion.

[Savok]

KOTOR holds up fine, it's still great, it's just the formula is obvious these days.

KOTOR2 though, it's very subtle (for a videogame), you really have to be paying attention to understand what makes it great.

[jpublic]

So, uh, CoD:MW2 is on for 15% off at $51.

Worth it? Especially considering I only play SP?

[CappinCanuck]

So, uh, CoD:MW2 is on for 15% off at $51.

Worth it? Especially considering I only play SP?

Doubt it. MP is probably a significant part of the fun. I'm sure their SP is a bit better than BFBC2s, but not enough even near sticker price. Both of these titles are MP heavy, you'd probably kick yourself if you pay anything more than $20 for SP alone.

[crazyD]

Definitely not. I didn't find the single player to be impressive at all, and you can beat it in one sitting. And more than $50 for a PC game is a shit "deal".

[LarsenNET]

So, uh, CoD:MW2 is on for 15% off at $51.

Worth it? Especially considering I only play SP?

The SP is only a few hours maybe 6-8 at most. You could simply download it for free this weekend and finish it.

[jpublic]

I think the weekend download is MP only, yes?

[Spigot]

So, uh, CoD:MW2 is on for 15% off at $51.

Worth it? Especially considering I only play SP?HELL NO!

Go to the store, rent it for $5-8 and beat it in an evening's play session. I think it clocked in at about 5-6 hours for me when I rented the PS3 version.

And while it is a cool set-piece showcase, the actual storyline is just... gah...

[crazyD]

Can't rent a PC game, Spigs.

[Spigot]

Can't rent a PC game, Spigs.I meant go rent the console version.

It would be criminal to pay more than about $15 for MW2 if you're just playing the SP side of things.

I remember a store back in the late 90's that used to rent PC games. It was awesome.

[Spectre-7]

Precisely. I thoroughly enjoyed Kotor 1. I reveled in the sheer grandeur of being so bad-ass that they had to wipe my memory, but not only did I overcome something so drastic, but became even greater as a result.

Yet, in Kotor 2, just like in Mask of the Betrayer, although the action that takes place is relatively minor and low-key compared to the epic scale of the earlier iteration - the sheer magnitude of the implications and the density of the issues under consideration dwarfs everything that has occurred earlier.

In Kotor 1, you are an extremely powerful sith lord, you are robbed of your memory and are then drawn into a struggle against a stupidly vast and epic invasion. Armies are pitted against each other upon interstellar battlefields and it's all very big and grand.

Hello!? Spoilers! Jesus fucking christ... some people haven't played the game yet, ya know. Might as well skip this one now.
Just messin' with ya. :smiley:

[J Arcane]

Hello!? Spoilers! Jesus fucking christ... some people haven't played the game yet, ya know. Might as well skip this one now.
Just messin' with ya. :smiley:
True story, I figured out the twist in KOTOR1 within like, 5 minutes of playing the game. The only prompting I received was that there was a twist, and given the property it's based on, once you know that the answer was pretty obvious.

[BigJonno]

If the KotORs were two similar songs by the same band, number one would be the one with a really cool intro that makes it memorable. The second one is still better in numerous ways, but the first just sticks in your mind more.

[Bad Wolf]

Are you talking as a Bioware fan having played KoTOR 1 recently or as someone who played it when it was released. I mean, Bioware's ouvre at that point was basically Icewind Dale and the two Baldur's Gate games. Plus it was a fantastic Star Wars story when we were being bombarded with the prequels.

If you play KoTOR 1 now after having played most of their games to date, then yes, it isn't nearly as special because you see the formula.

I do prefer the nebulous take on all things Forcey in KoTOR 2 and didn't think that it was that much of a train wreck.


I played it when it first came out. Icewind Dale was a Black Isle Studio series not Bioware.

Neverwinters Nights was released just a year before KoTOR 1. The OC of Neverwinter Nights is identical to KoTOR 1 story-wise (if you take out the Revan twist). I had only recently played NWN when KoTOR 1 first came out and i played it. Thus i was not as blown away as others may have been, being a longtime Bioware and BIS/Obsidian fan.

[Savok]

The OC of NWN is possibly the most boring RPG ever.

[Bad Wolf]

The OC of NWN is possibly the most boring RPG ever.

Exactly. Which further solidifies the argument that KoTOR 2's story is much better. It is like comparing a good dark mystery novel to a generic action movie.

Though i will agree with Spigot. KoTOR 1 is way better than anything else Star Wars was linked to at the time, including the movies.

[Savok]

I think companions really saved KOTOR. Henchmen in NWN were afterthoughts, they did fuckall from a story perspective. Though I will maintain Linu La'neral is one of the best characters ever in a RPG and I may want to marry her.

As the one shining light she actually kept me going through some of the most emotionless gameplay I've ever experienced. Then I worked out I could just read her dialogue in the module editor, so to hell with the playing part.

[Bad Wolf]

Indeed. KoTOR was where Bioware perfected the party-members/companions/henchmen system. It was pretty much dead in the OC of NWN.

[J Arcane]

I really enjoyed the OC as a basic D&D hack and slasher the first time through, but I never, ever want to play it again. The tedium of combing those huge maps for all the loot scattered pointlessly about gets old, and without it you won't get enough to keep up.

Now, Hordes, that was fucking fun as hell. I've played through the second chapter of that one more times than I can count.

[Bad Wolf]

Hordes Of the Underdark is probably the best expansion pack made for any game ever.

[SilentScreams]

Heh, I think I played Hordes once as a Cleric. About half an hour in, I ran into a Blue Dragon and got slaughtered. I don't think I went back again.
I finished the other expension though. Shadows of Undrentide.

[Cerebus]

Hello!? Spoilers! Jesus fucking christ... some people haven't played the game yet, ya know. Might as well skip this one now.
Just messin' with ya. :smiley:

KOTOR is 7 years old and KOTOR 2 is 5. People shouldn't have to use spoiler tags for games that old.

We should totally put a poll up to vote on a gamer "statute of limitations" on spoilers tags.

[Spectre-7]

KOTOR is 7 years old and KOTOR 2 is 5. People shouldn't have to use spoiler tags for games that old.

We should totally put a poll up to vote on a gamer "statute of limitations" on spoilers tags.

Go back and highlight the post, man.

[Cerebus]

Go back and highlight the post, man.

Ha ha, I see what you did there. Still, statute of limitations, sound idea no?

[Spectre-7]

Ha ha, I see what you did there. Still, statute of limitations, sound idea no?

I wouldn't worry too much about it, honestly. We run into precious few spoiler-moaning situations, and I think it's 'cause folks around these parts are just surprisingly considerate. And yeah, on a 7 year old game, I'd never worry about it... in fact, I thought KOTOR was just old enough for the complaint to seem thoroughly ridiculous. :)

[Hawkzombie]

HK-47 comes back?!?!?

FUCK YOU ALL!

[Dukefrukem]

look at me! I'm play Modern Warfare 2 for free!

[Spigot]

look at me! I'm play Modern Warfare 2 for free!It's just the MP side of things though, right?

[Hotcod]

It's just the MP side of things though, right?

well ya given you can finish the SP 10 times over in the free time they are giving ;)

[Savok]

Hordes Of the Underdark is probably the best expansion pack made for any game ever.
You're all high, Hordes is one of the worst RPGs I've ever played, easily the ever out of Bioware.

[Spigot]

well ya given you can finish the SP 10 times over in the free time they are giving ;)

Just 10 times? You're not trying hard enough :)

[Dukefrukem]

not sure if anyone knew this, but if you actually install and play the free MP side of MW2, they offer you the game for $51

[crazyD]

Isn't that what they are charging through Steam regardless?

[Dukefrukem]

Isn't that what they are charging through Steam regardless?

Oh maybe. I dunno. I've never seen it below $60 until i quite the game.

[MagGnome]

No, the game is normally $59.99.

$51 for a "sale" is a joke.

[Khrymsyn]

No, the game is normally $59.99.
$51 for a "sale" is a joke.

$51 on sale is still more than $49.99 brand new for BF:BC2 without a sale.
Yeesh.

[Hawkzombie]

GoG is having an RPG game sale currently.

http://www.gog.com/en/promo/special_rpg/

[SilentScreams]

Pretty decent deal there, although I have Septerra Core and I can't get it to work.

[MagGnome]

Do you have the GOG version? They update the games to run on modern systems.

[SilentScreams]

Yeah I do. I can't remember the exact error, but I tried a few things to get it working and it wouldn't. It's worth noting that I have Windows XP though, so maybe Vista or 7 will be fine.

Edit: I just tried loading it. The error says something about "fatal panic" which just sounds super.

[MagGnome]

Fatal Panic? Yikes! That sounds like a strange game from Japan. :p

Have you checked the GOG forums? There might be a work around there.


Edit - I looked it up myself, and I found this thread that says it's a Quicktime issue. If you read through a few posts there is a solution that seems to work, so you might want to give it a try:

http://www.gog.com/en/forum/septerra_core_legacy_of_the_creator/_amp_quot_fatal_panic_error_amp_quot_at_launch

[Hawkzombie]

This is what I adore about GoG games. Click on the game in your collection, and then click on the other tab, the one with Game Info.

You can then rate the game as well as leave a review, but a little lower are links to forum topics, and all support threads about the game. Simply brilliant. (Mag's link is found in that list for Septerra Core)

[SilentScreams]

Thanks Mags.
Unfortunately it didn't fix it. It now just crashes to desktop without an error message. Admittedly better than having to ctrl+alt+del out of it. :D

All my other experiences with GOG have been first class, so I don't hold one game not working against them.

[Hawkzombie]

Thanks Mags.
Unfortunately it didn't fix it. It now just crashes to desktop without an error message. Admittedly better than having to ctrl+alt+del out of it. :D

All my other experiences with GOG have been first class, so I don't hold one game not working against them.

Did you check any of those other threads and see if the issue is solved in there?

[Satertek]

AvP is $2.

Save $58 by skipping the new piece of crap and buying this instead.

[SilentScreams]

Piece of crap? I really enjoy the new AvP. The multiplayer is excellent.

[kyrieee]

5€ for all the Commando games seems like a good deal

I enjoyed the first one and never played the others. It was hard as hell!

[GigaFuzz]

5€ for all the Commando games seems like a good deal

I enjoyed the first one and never played the others. It was hard as hell!

I love the Commandos games. I own but have never really played Commandos 3, but the rest were excellent. Commandos 2 was a big improvement over the first two, with pretty amazing graphics and animation for the time.

[Hawkzombie]

Piece of crap? I really enjoy the new AvP. The multiplayer is excellent.

I think the problem is some people went in expecting the SP to be this great game. MP in a game like that is really the only reason to play, honestly. At least it wasn't a MW2 issue; most people knew what to expect of SP in AvP...MW2 apparently was a joke.

[J Arcane]

The previous AvP games were legendary for their SP.

So I don't think it's unfair at all to expect something a little less phoned-in.

Even the multiplayer didn't have quite the same sense of suspense for me as the original still manages to this day.

It felt like the Halo version of a game a lot of hardcore PC gamers loved, and that wasn't liable to go over well. Reviews of it have been abysmal, I think GameInformer gave it like a 54.

[Hawkzombie]

The previous AvP games were legendary for their SP.

So I don't think it's unfair at all to expect something a little less phoned-in.

Even the multiplayer didn't have quite the same sense of suspense for me as the original still manages to this day.

It felt like the Halo version of a game a lot of hardcore PC gamers loved, and that wasn't liable to go over well. Reviews of it have been abysmal, I think GameInformer gave it like a 54.

Really? I can only recall being bored with the SP and LOVING the MP in the original AvP.

Ah well, I can't really talk..I've yet to play the new one.

[Panthera]

I only ever played the demos of the original AvP (thanks, PC Gamer!) and never did get to play the full game, so I leapt on this. Goddamn it's hard, but it's still fun to get vertigo climbing around ceilings and eat heads.

[Satertek]

If the MP in the new AvP were any good I was never be able to find out with the absolute crap matchmaking system they had. I tried playing a week after release, a time at which for most games there's a critical mass of players. I found 2 games in an hour with 3 people in the first game and only 2 in the second.

[Smoof]

So the weekend deal is Force Unleashed for $15. Is it worth it? I got Force Unleashed for 360 from Gamefly about two weeks ago, but I haven't yet even turned on my 360 to put it in; primarily because I just flat out don't like gaming on consoles. I'm a PC gamer through and through; so is the extra content and graphics enough to make a compelling purchase on PC for $15?

Amusingly enough, I'd likely be playing it on a 360 controller if I were to buy it.

[Savok]

Well I thought the game was worth full price on the 360, I know a lot of people didn't but if you treat it like a playground for force powers, it's a lot of fun. Do some research for your rig though, sometimes these console ports can be clusterfucks on certain machines.

[Spectre-7]

It's 30 gigs.

[Savok]

Holy fuck.

[H.Bogard]

So the weekend deal is Force Unleashed for $15. Is it worth it? I got Force Unleashed for 360 from Gamefly about two weeks ago, but I haven't yet even turned on my 360 to put it in; primarily because I just flat out don't like gaming on consoles. I'm a PC gamer through and through; so is the extra content and graphics enough to make a compelling purchase on PC for $15?

Amusingly enough, I'd likely be playing it on a 360 controller if I were to buy it.

JoWood did the port.

That is all.

[Xerxes]

JoWood did the port.

That is all.

Hellz yeah?!

[LarsenNET]

The Gamespot review gave it a 5.0. Basically saying the game is good but the port is horrible. No graphics configuration other than resolution and brightness. Also it has frame rate issues with specs that exceed the recommended.

[roboninja]

It's 30 gigs.

JoWood did the port.

That is all.

The Gamespot review gave it a 5.0. Basically saying the game is good but the port is horrible. No graphics configuration other than resolution and brightness. Also it has frame rate issues with specs that exceed the recommended.

I am so glad I read this thread before buying.

[Savok]

Hellz yeah?!
Take Bethesda's rep of terrible code and unstable games, now times that by 100. JoWood games always require community patches.

[MagGnome]

I've heard terrible things about the port.

30GB? Wow...

[Spigot]

Phew. I'm glad you guys ferreted out that info. I loved the story in TFU but there were MANY issues that I had with the game otherwise. I was tempted to grab this version for $15 but not if it's 30 GB and a shoddy port of an already troubled game.

[boratika]

It's 30 gigs.

I...what?!

But it comes on one DVD...

[SilentScreams]

Bethesda have a rep for terrible code? That's news to me.

[J Arcane]

Bethesda have a rep for terrible code? That's news to me.
Fallout 3 was mostly OK until you got to the DLC.

Morrowind had some serious, game breaking bugs like save deletions and hard locking the system, even on the console versions (the original Xbox release actually had to be recalled and replaced with a patched GOTY edition that was STILL broken).

Oblivion wasn't so hot either. A lot of people forgave it's massive system requirements because it was fairly good looking, but it wasn't THAT good looking, and the real problem was hopelessly bad coding and level design that resulted in massive drains on system resources for no good reason at all. Shit like rocks that had 10x the polygons they actually needed, and that whole pointless AI system they promised, that still boiled down to "when they see you, they'll kill you" in the end, but just took 10x the CPU cycles to do it.

This is all setting aside the usual minor bugs and odd behaviors all three of them share, of course.

[Savok]

The game before Morrowind, Daggerfall, couldn't be completed even after two dozen patches (I remember because I had to get the patches off the library computer at school). Hyper, an Aussie gaming mag, once wrote a review on Battlespire, half the review consisted of them trying to install it.

[Spectre-7]

I...what?!

But it comes on one DVD...

I asked my buddy at LucasArts about it, but he was just as mystified as I was. Boggles the mind, doesn't it? AFAIK, the game is only available through digital download, too... seems the dev who ported it just doesn't really get digital download.

[nabokovfan87]

honestly I've been waiting for a long time to see this one go on sale. I saw giantbomb.com run it on the pc and it looked good, seemed to control well, nowhere near as shit as the unpatched SW:TFU crap.

Remember, its a pc game, its v1.2 and the big issue is that it had/has a frame limiter on it. I will head home tonight finish downloading and get a short video on the youtubes. Here is the one from GB.com.

http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-swtfu-ultimate-sith-edition/17-1535/

[Xerxes]

It's 30 gigs.

25 Gigs of DRM!

[MagGnome]

Bethesda is infamous for their terrible code. It's really a shame, as their games are quite fun otherwise. Some of the bugs can be a deal breaker though. I got fed up with all of the problems in Morrowind, and Fallout 3 has some pretty big issues as well for a lot of people. I never had problems with Oblivion, but I also haven't played much of it.

[SilentScreams]

I guess I've been lucky in my experiences with Bethesda games then.
Admittedly, Morrowind was the first one I played and it was a long time after release so it had probably been patched up a lot by then. I've never had any problems with Oblivion or Fallout 3 though.

[nabokovfan87]

perhaps it is 22 more gigs of snow texture?

* Star Wars The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition combines the original Star Wars: The Force Unleashed videogame and three new levels to create the definitive ultimate-evil storyline of the events that occurred between the two classic Star Wars movie trilogies.
* Additional content includes two levels set on Coruscant and Tatooine and an all-new bonus level available only in the Ultimate Sith Edition package.
* The Ultimate Sith Edition expands the story of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and re-imagines the Star Wars Saga as if the Secret Apprentice had killed Darth Vader and taken his place at The Emperor¹s side, becoming the most powerful Sith Lord in the universe.
* In the Ultimate Sith Edition, the Emperor sends his new apprentice to the planet Tatooine to dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi -- who has been hiding on the planet ever since the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. During their hunt for the reclusive Jedi, players will also explore the depths of Jabba the Hutt¹s palace and encounter notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett.
* In the game¹s thrilling finale, the Secret Apprentice is sent to the planet Hoth on a crusade to crush the Rebellion once and for all. While on Hoth, players face Luke Skywalker himself while visiting iconic locations seen in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.
* The Ultimate Sith Edition gives gamers a chance to experience the full power of the dark side of the Force. Create devastating attack combos using the Secret Apprentice¹s lightsaber and over-the-top Force powers * Force push, grip, repulse and lighting. Upgrade and master these powers to leave a path of destruction behind you in your quest to rid the Galaxy of the Jedi.
* The Secret Apprentice doesn¹t just defeat his enemies with the Force - he hurls them through walls, smashes them into objects, shocks them with lightning, and even transforms them into Force-charged bombs capable of massive destruction.

[crazyD]

Yeah, I've never played a Bethesda game that I haven't had major, game breaking issues with.

[tacitus]

Yeah, I've never played a Bethesda game that I haven't had major, game breaking issues with.
Yep ... I can't speak to Daggerfall, but it had a simulateous rep for awesomeness combined with buginess. I had significant performance issues Morrowind and Oblivion. Oblivion had random crash/ freezing problems, odd quest issues (mainly corrected by UOP), and the "piece de resistance" bug that would start corrupting a save game at about 200 hours. The really funny thing about this last issue is that if you went on the forums for advice it was always the old gem: "autosaving and quicksaving can cause game corruption." It turns out that a bug in the Shivering Isle expansion caused this problem to accelerate enough so somebody (in the community, I think) figured what the bug was and Bethesda issued a patch.

With FO3, I have had a number crashes/freezes associated with sound drivers and codecs and weird issue with threading and multicore processors. And every patch seem to cause some weird effects - the last being that many mods need you to set your .esp's to masters - using a FO3edit routine. Its sad you can no longer target missiles in VATS (on the PC, that is).

[jpublic]

My name is JPublic, and I'm a Steam-aholic.

[Banacek]

Yeah, I've never played a Bethesda game that I haven't had major, game breaking issues with.

Oblivion and Fallout 3 worked great on the 360, expansions and all.

[H.Bogard]

I got Zombie Driver and AVP Classic. This will sound sad after you consider the fact that I only get one day a week to play games.

[nabokovfan87]

Oblivion and Fallout 3 worked great on the 360, expansions and all.

Your joking... you have to be, sarcasm? SERIOUSLY???

Video of SW:TFU is uploading, here is why fallout 3 is crap, banacek:

HuRPANXfvXo

Here is SW video, just have to wait for processing:

9q6MYfDbzcY

[Hawkzombie]

You do realize he was talking about the console version, right? RIGHT? -_-

360 I only ever experienced 2 issues: Freezing. Both times. PC, I dunno, never played it, but if Oblivion is any litmus test, then I'm sure it's buggy.

[Lithium Flower]

25 GIGS!! Omg. I could kick myself in both shins twice for buying this without reading this thread first. Shit! *cries*

[boratika]

My name is JPublic, and I'm a Steam-aholic.

Mmmm... sweet, sweet steamahol.

[Banacek]

Your joking... you have to be, sarcasm? SERIOUSLY???

Console version, brother. I know the horror stories with the PC versions. I actually have the Fallout 3 GOTY for the PC, but I haven't had a chance to plat it. I'm actually kind of unsure that I want to, with everything I've heard.

[Inspector Fowler]

Does actual Valve stuff ever go on sale? My wife has played the Portal: The First Slice demo five times now and she balks at spending $20 on herself to get the full thing. I know they put everybody else's shiznit on sale all the time but I don't know if Valve ever puts their stuff up for cheap.

[crazyD]

Oblivion and Fallout 3 worked great on the 360, expansions and all.

Yeah, but it takes modding to make Bethesda games great, even if you ignore the bugs.

Does actual Valve stuff ever go on sale? My wife has played the Portal: The First Slice demo five times now and she balks at spending $20 on herself to get the full thing. I know they put everybody else's shiznit on sale all the time but I don't know if Valve ever puts their stuff up for cheap.

Oh yeah, they often put their stuff up for sale. Usually their newer stuff, though. And The Orange Box is still a great deal if you want Portal.

[Lance Uppercut]

Does actual Valve stuff ever go on sale? My wife has played the Portal: The First Slice demo five times now and she balks at spending $20 on herself to get the full thing. I know they put everybody else's shiznit on sale all the time but I don't know if Valve ever puts their stuff up for cheap.

This actually happens a lot. Left 4 Dead 2 was on sale not too long ago, and will probably go on sale again now that the new DLC is coming out next week.

[Savok]

Valve stuff goes on sale all the time, especially the L4D games.

[boratika]

Does actual Valve stuff ever go on sale? My wife has played the Portal: The First Slice demo five times now and she balks at spending $20 on herself to get the full thing. I know they put everybody else's shiznit on sale all the time but I don't know if Valve ever puts their stuff up for cheap.

I have a sneaking suspicion there will probably be a sale on Portal as part of the hype for Portal 2 going.


But yeah, if you hold out, there will be a sale.


Edit: Wait! $20?! That seems excessive. The game's only a few hours long/The Orang Box is $30.

[H.Bogard]

You do realize he was talking about the console version, right? RIGHT? -_-

360 I only ever experienced 2 issues: Freezing. Both times. PC, I dunno, never played it, but if Oblivion is any litmus test, then I'm sure it's buggy.

I don't know about Fallout 3, but the console version of Oblivion had a fucking save-deletion bug. That right there is a royal assfuck from the programming team.

Oh, and... Radiant AI.

That is all.

[Ghostbear]

I didn't have any problems with the PC version of Fallout 3.

[MagGnome]

My name is JPublic, and I'm a Steam-aholic.

All together now everyone:

Hi J! :D

[Lance Uppercut]

I didn't have any problems with the PC version of Fallout 3.

Neither did I. And Oblivion had its problems, but none that I found to be game-breaking.

[Hawkzombie]

Yeah, that's what's terrible about the bugs in Bethseda games :p

Half the people never experience them, or have such minor issues they barely need mentioning. The other half have trouble installing the game, let alone the hoops to jump through to play it. I'm just glad Oblivion finally seems somewhat stable now for me so I can go back if I want, and I had a great time playing FO3 on the 360.

[roboninja]

So, anyone try Beat Hazard? I would normally just take the plunge at $7.49, but something is making me pause.

[nabokovfan87]

I have a sneaking suspicion there will probably be a sale on Portal as part of the hype for Portal 2 going.


But yeah, if you hold out, there will be a sale.


Edit: Wait! $20?! That seems excessive. The game's only a few hours long/The Orang Box is $30.

Its 20 if you buy portal from steam, just like tf2 is 50, maybe 40 now.

Console version, brother. I know the horror stories with the PC versions. I actually have the Fallout 3 GOTY for the PC, but I haven't had a chance to plat it. I'm actually kind of unsure that I want to, with everything I've heard.

Either way it doesn't matter. How many of the expansions were full of bugs and had to be patched to be playable? ALL OF THEM! Fo3 on PS3 was a joke, so many bugs, the 360 had plenty of issues as well.

Does actual Valve stuff ever go on sale? My wife has played the Portal: The First Slice demo five times now and she balks at spending $20 on herself to get the full thing. I know they put everybody else's shiznit on sale all the time but I don't know if Valve ever puts their stuff up for cheap.

DODS and CSS went on sale for first time a few months back. Also, some went on sale during the huge christmas sale.

For those who are wondering to get this game, I have a quad core, win7 x65 and have had 0 issues at all. The FPS is locked, but it does not do shit to this type of game, its a brawler, not an FPS. I will gladly enjoy, and I would recommend it to those whom are intereseted, scroll up check the vid...

Note: menus and videos are at 60 fps.

[Spectre-7]

Its 20 if you buy portal from steam, just like tf2 is 50, maybe 40 now.

TF2 is $20 now, and was $30 when it was released.

[Banacek]

Either way it doesn't matter. How many of the expansions were full of bugs and had to be patched to be playable? ALL OF THEM! Fo3 on PS3 was a joke, so many bugs, the 360 had plenty of issues as well.

I played the game, did every mission, and had a great time. So, for me, I guess it does matter.

[Spigot]

I played the game, did every mission, and had a great time. So, for me, I guess it does matter.I did pretty much EVERY mission in FO3 on the 360 and every piece of DLC (though I still have to finish Broken Steel) and never had it glitch or crap out on me. I might have had one little bug here or there but I can't even remember it so it was obviously not a global issue. Which is kind of the point, I guess.

Now Daggerfall...

[MagGnome]

Valve games go on sale pretty often. The Orange Box, the original Half-Life (for 99 cents one time!), L4D, L4D2, Team Fortress 2, etc. I'm pretty sure that I bought all of them for sale prices.

[aVaKus]

Valve games go on sale pretty often. The Orange Box, the original Half-Life (for 99 cents one time!), L4D, L4D2, Team Fortress 2, etc. I'm pretty sure that I bought all of them for sale prices.

Wait?! You have L4D2 now?

[MagGnome]

Wait?! You have L4D2 now?

Ha, no! I meant to say that I'm pretty sure that I've bought all of the Valve games I own on sale.

Sorry to get your hopes up. :p

[Talanvor]

So, anyone try Beat Hazard? I would normally just take the plunge at $7.49, but something is making me pause.

Oh sweet everything, yes get this! I've been having a blast for the past... hour and a half?! :eek:

I always liked the idea of Audiosurf but the gameplay just never grabbed me, for whatever reason. This, on the other hand, oh man. It's fan-fucking-tastic.

If you have a pad with dual sticks to play this game, USE IT! :D

[MagGnome]

Is it a SCHMUP?

[Savok]

Don't know if its been mentioned, but Trine is $5 again. If you don't own the game at that much you're a bad person.

And fuck now I'm looking at buying Beat Hazard.

[BLeeP]

Don't know if its been mentioned, but Trine is $5 again. If you don't own the game at that much you're a bad person.

And fuck now I'm looking at buying Beat Hazard.

Beat Hazard is quite a bit of fun!

Here are a couple of videos I made:

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[Talanvor]

Is it a SCHMUP?

Sorta, more like Geometry Wars crossed with Audiosurf, if that makes sense.

[Hawkzombie]

So...the bullets only come at certain points of the song? And what did you use to record the video?

[BLeeP]

So...the bullets only come at certain points of the song? And what did you use to record the video?

I think it's easiest to picture your weapon being a visualizer, and it's a lot more active when there's a lot of action going on in the song. There is a benefit to not shooting (Your multiplier increases), so it balances out, IMO.

I used FRAPS to capture the video and Windows Movie Creator 2.6 to convert it. Quick and dirty.

[MagGnome]

That looks like a lot of fun!

I still need to load up some of my music onto my new rig so I can play Audiosurf.

[roboninja]

Good enough for me. Money spent.

Never really got into the gameplay of Audiosurf, but the idea of music affecting the game like that always appealed to me. This looks to be more up my alley.

[Jackel]

Gave this a try after seeing that video and I'm hooked. I can see myself spending hours playing this lol.

[Savok]

Sad over being unable to make GoG work with my Visa card, I went and bought Beat Hazard. See how it goes tomorrow.

[roboninja]

So, both Deus Ex games are $2.50 each. Could not resist.

[JRR006]

It's been ages since I've played Invisible War, and for 2.50... irresistible.

Also picked up Beat Hazard because those videos were awesome, Katslover!

[SilentScreams]

Beat Hazard is kind of fun. I wish the navigation through my music folders was a bit faster though.

Think I'll pick up Invisible War. I was part of the minority that enjoyed it more than Deus Ex.

[Talanvor]

Yes, the music browsing is slow for whatever reason.

Also, I didn't know this, but it's also out on XBLA as an Indie game. The graphics aren't as nice, the game chugs a little in the more intense sections and streaming music is weird (done by album rather than track) but it has one distinct advantage: Local multiplayer.

Edit: Forgot to add, but it's 400 ($5) points on XBLA. So, cheaper too.

[MagGnome]

I bought Deus Ex and Invisible War the last time they were on sale, which wasn't all that long ago (a month or two?) This is the second or third time I've gotten a copy of Deus Ex. Now I just need to play it. :p

Oh, speaking of Deus Ex (and other Unreal engine games), has anyone tried this (http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv/) out?

[Savok]

Beat Hazard is amazing, my quibbles are mostly minor.

Firstly, if there's a game to give you epilepsy it's this. Gaps in music are a nightmare, since your firepower basically dies and oh hi two bosses with instant death lasers. The instant death lasers, not enough warning with the haze of lights. Lastly that damn RSS thing at the bottom of the screen, driving me bloody mad.

[Dukefrukem]

I bought Deus Ex and Invisible War the last time they were on sale, which wasn't all that long ago (a month or two?) This is the second or third time I've gotten a copy of Deus Ex. Now I just need to play it. :p

Oh, speaking of Deus Ex (and other Unreal engine games), has anyone tried this (http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv/) out?

Is that CTF Face??????????????? in DX10???????????

[Satertek]

This is the price it should have been in the Eidos sale but it was bugged. Bought!

[Savok]

Absolute best music for Beat Hazard? The Pillows aka the guys who did the soundtrack to FLCL.

[nabokovfan87]

I bought Deus Ex and Invisible War the last time they were on sale, which wasn't all that long ago (a month or two?) This is the second or third time I've gotten a copy of Deus Ex. Now I just need to play it. :p

Oh, speaking of Deus Ex (and other Unreal engine games), has anyone tried this (http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv/) out?

I will test them if you need to find out, but I will not be home until thursday night, and have to download them (sure the sale will be over by then).

From what I read on the steam forums, they all work just fine, quad cores, no matter, only issue I have heard at all is an xp machine with a dual core might have issues, but they can be fixed.

Bought that beat hazard game, a usb card to get my fightstick working on the pc, cannot wait to give that a try.

[Spigot]

Grr. I just realized that most of the CDs I've ripped to my iTunes folder weren't MP3 format. That said, I am having a dickens of a time getting through Zero Day by MC Frontalot...

[SilentScreams]

Beat Hazard is going to ruin my eyesight I think.

I keep getting right to the end of Disposable Heroes and then dying. I could never get tired of the song, but I know exactly which enemies are coming from where at what part of the song now.

[MagGnome]

I have no doubt that Deus Ex and Invisible War will work fine. I was more curious to know if anyone has tried out that big graphical upgrade for Unreal games that I linked to.

Robert (Trebor) has, and he says that the differences are pretty substantial. It might be worth a look for those playing Deus Ex or any other Unreal 1 engine game that is supported!