[Soldier Boy]

Also playing FFXVI Mock. I'm loving the style and the combat (though it's a TOUCH too easy) and tbh I quite like the return to a more linear style, FFXV was a fun experiment with an open world but it didn't really work.

My main criticism unfortunately is that they've pushed the engine too hard or - at least - they seem hesitant to tone down the graphics enough for performance mode. Have the glitzy "fidelity mode" at 30fps, sure... but this is a fast paced action game. The performance mode needs to hit a solid 60fps, and there's no reason for it not to, they just need to turn off a few more bells and whistles to get that framerate up consistently.

It's a shame. Much as with FFXV (which also had frame rate problems on its core platforms) I just feel like this is going to be an overall better game on high-spec gaming PC, and when they release an inevitable PS6 upgrade patch in 5+ years.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

Also playing FFXVI Mock. I'm loving the style and the combat (though it's a TOUCH too easy) and tbh I quite like the return to a more linear style, FFXV was a fun experiment with an open world but it didn't really work.

My main criticism unfortunately is that they've pushed the engine too hard or - at least - they seem hesitant to tone down the graphics enough for performance mode. Have the glitzy "fidelity mode" at 30fps, sure... but this is a fast paced action game. The performance mode needs to hit a solid 60fps, and there's no reason for it not to, they just need to turn off a few more bells and whistles to get that framerate up consistently.

It's a shame. Much as with FFXV (which also had frame rate problems on its core platforms) I just feel like this is going to be an overall better game on high-spec gaming PC, and when they release an inevitable PS6 upgrade patch in 5+ years.

The problem with Final Fantasy is that Square Enix tends to make the Games feel like they're a generation ahead of where they actually are, that's why I think they'll always struggle to hit 60fps on Consoles, because the Consoles aren't powerful enough for the Game imo.

Fair enough if you found the Game easy, I'm terrible at Souls-like and DMC mechanics, so as you can tell I didn't have a great time of it in terms of technical skill.

I'm glad that you enjoyed the Game though, I really enjoyed it.

I'm in a bit of an RPG mood at the moment though as I've started playing Shin Megami Tensei V, which was made by the company that makes the Persona Games.

My warning to anyone though is don't expect Shin Megami Tensei V to be like Persona on a few things.

1. It's tone is darker.

2. The combat is more difficult than Persona's combat to master.

3. The story in SMT V is similar to SMT: Lucifer's Call/Nocturne in being more subtle storytelling in an Apocalyptic world.

I've beat the Drake Hydra boss before I was done for the night.

Tbh I am liking the Game so far, I feel like the combat is just as good as Lucifer's Call imo, and I do like the story so far, the only niggle that I have with the Game is the larger scale environment is a bit plain I feel.

But besides that I think it's been a good start.

[Soldier Boy]

That's fair I guess - I wouldn't say the combat is soulslike but it does have DMC elements and I played DMC5 to death. Interestingly, Clives main look is (quite clearly) Dante-inspired IMO. The colour scheme, the leather trousers... .

The dodge/counter window is huge though compared to games like that which is why I think it can be considered a bit easier.

I did play SMT Nocturne on the PS2 many years back, I can't say I got into the franchise much after that. Funnily enough, speaking of Dante, I think he made a cameo/crossover in Nocturne?

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

That's fair I guess - I wouldn't say the combat is soulslike but it does have DMC elements and I played DMC5 to death. Interestingly, Clives main look is (quite clearly) Dante-inspired IMO. The colour scheme, the leather trousers... .

The dodge/counter window is huge though compared to games like that which is why I think it can be considered a bit easier.

I did play SMT Nocturne on the PS2 many years back, I can't say I got into the franchise much after that. Funnily enough, speaking of Dante, I think he made a cameo/crossover in Nocturne?

Oh I could definitely see the inspiration of Dante in Clive's look.

And tbf SMT isn't for everyone, I get that.

And yes Dante is a boss fight in Nocturne, although I think that the Remastered version on the Switch doesn't have the cameo in the base Game, and instead you have to buy it as DLC.

[Zizu]

Does anyone know if people play UnReal Tournament or Quake 3 multiplayer online ??


I keep getting flashbacks of the dats I spenr hours blasting strangers online - fabulous games !!

I’ve got a PC running windows 10 ..

Any ideas ??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Soldier Boy]

I would imagine they do on private servers Zizu but these would be very niche games at this point. By which I mean, the people still playing them will be RIDICULOUSLY good at them.

If you think you can compete though, why not? My *guess* would be that they're probably run as virtual LAN parties on host servers, and Reddit is the most likely place to find the communities for them (and they probably organise on Discord).

[James]

Quake 3 still has an active category on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/directory/game...ena/videos/all

I read that Epic Games shutdown the official Unreal Tournament servers recently.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

I would imagine they do on private servers Zizu but these would be very niche games at this point. By which I mean, the people still playing them will be RIDICULOUSLY good at them.

If you think you can compete though, why not? My *guess* would be that they're probably run as virtual LAN parties on host servers, and Reddit is the most likely place to find the communities for them (and they probably organise on Discord).

Thank you !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by James

Quake 3 still has an active category on Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/directory/game...ena/videos/all

I read that Epic Games shutdown the official Unreal Tournament servers recently.

Thank you !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Mystic Mock]

Good luck Zizu.

I hope that you're having fun.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mock

Good luck Zizu.

I hope that you're having fun.

I may try to get something sorted using Steam on the PC .. something called Quake Live has been recommended


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Soldier Boy]

We used to do Quake on LAN in my Uni house, good fun with friends especially when you can hear the shouting from down the hall .

Battlefield 2 was another house-favourite.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

We used to do Quake on LAN in my Uni house, good fun with friends especially when you can hear the shouting from down the hall .

Battlefield 2 was another house-favourite.

I started on Doom then Quake , Quake 2 , Quake 3 Arena plus Unreal Tournament …

Moved into Counter Strike , Counter Strike 2 & Offensive.. them discovered the wonder of the amazing Call of Duty Series

I think Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament were jointly the most FUN !!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[bitontheslide]

I relented and bought Hogwarts legacy recently (half price deal) and it really is very good

[Soldier Boy]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I relented and bought Hogwarts legacy recently (half price deal) and it really is very good

My wife's played through that, she's completed the story but going for 100% completion as we speak. Probably at about 90%.

I've been watching the storyline and doing the tougher bits of combat .

Overall I think it's great gameplay is good, story is enjoyable. If I have any criticism it would be that I wish there was more... School... Outside of the "big storyline". I think it would have been fun to do a couple of "years" of normal school with more. Classes/minigames/smaller quests for the first half of the game, more development of NPCs and "friends", and then have it dive into the "bigger" plot maybe 50% into the game (Ranrok starts his nonsense, character discovers the ancient magic talent, etc).

Would all have felt a bit higher stakes and also would have been truer to the "pacing" of the Harry Potter books and movies (first half is school dramz, second half is voldemort dramz).

Other than that I really enjoyed (watching) the game.

Oh... Also the broom controls are horrible. HORRIBLE. I'm convinced the reason there's no Quidditch is because they're well aware it would be absolutely bloody impossible without totally overhauling the flying.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by The Slim Reaper

That's a well known rule, I'm afraid. Platinum equals a new game that just magically appears on your system after begging mom. I don't make the rules, they have always existed.

If he's a potter fan he'll definitely enjoy it. I don't know anything about that world, but enjoyed the sh1t out of it. I'd definitely recommend the game.

He got this for having a great end.of year report. Have hardly heard a peep from him since they broke up....he is loving it.

[Mystic Mock]

I've started playing the first Judgment Game.

Thankfully it already plays better than Yakuza: Like A Dragon (tbh it couldn't get much worse) and I'm only in the first chapter at the moment so things like the characters and story I'll probably form more of an opinion on as I go along, so for now I'm reserving judgment (pun intended) in those areas for now.

The one thing I really have enjoyed on my first day playing the Game was the Coffee tasting friendship minigame, it's a lot more fun than it sounds on paper, but I really enjoyed that part as it felt random and eccentric like side stories in this franchise are supposed to feel imo, hopefully they can keep that going.

[The Slim Reaper]

I have to rant about this, and hopefully provide some bemusement at the state of gaming.

NBA 2k24 was released last Friday. It's the game I play more than any other, especially the online aspect (I used to play on the number 3 ranked team in Europe for 2k15, but now I'm mostly a casual).

It's a AAA release which costs £70 for the basic game. I bought the most expensive version for £129.99 because you get NBA league pass (All NBA games to watch) included which works out cheaper than me buying it separately for the year.

When you start, you get a 60 ovr player, which is basically useless for both single player and online, so you need to max him to an 85, and then you have to play the game to unlock levels 86-99.

There is virtual currency in this game, and it costs around 280k to get him to that level.

A pack of 200k vc costs £44.99
A pack of 450k vc costs £89.99

*New this year*
700k vc costs 129.99

To grind this player without buying VC would take around 300hrs of single player gameplay and way, way longer if you tried to do it online, because no one would play on a team with a 60 ovr.

So you're now instantly trapped into buying the vc.

It get's worse, way worse.

So I buy the £450k vc pack. I haven't dunked the ball or shot a jumpshot in anger yet, and I'm already £219.98 into it.

Everything you do in-game requires the purchase of animations, and there are around 20 animation slots that you need to fill up. These aren't too bad generally, only costing around 250 vc each, which obviously mounts up, but it's not terrible.

*This is where it gets worse*

So once you've maxed your attributes to 85, you then need to grind your badges.

So attributes on their own are ok, but to make them work at full capacity you need to grind. Want to dunk the ball better? You'd better grind, want to shoot the ball better? you'd better grind. Want to shoot the ball from further away? You've guessed it. etc, These badges are essential.

Badges are 4 levels - bronze, silver, gold, and hall of fame, and they take time to grind out to max, but you do it as you're playing single player or online.

This year, they've introduced badge regression. SO if you're playing online with bad teammates and don't get to rep[eat the actions in every game that it took to earn them, the badges go down. Which is a killer, because in online you're never going to get that opportunity, even on a team with the best players in the world, because it's impossible.

So 2k has a solution for us.

The game is broken up into 9 seasons across the year, and every season is 40 levels, and you earn this only by competing online.

So then, in order to stop badges regressing, the level 40 reward, is a blocker that you can only put on to one badge, so you can earn 9 in total across the year, which is most of the badges you wouldn't want your player to drop levels or lose.

To grind level 40 online takes around 300 hours, and the seasons last about 6 weeks (50hrs per week - quick maffs). However, good guy 2k have also implemented a level skip system, which means you can spend an extra £70 every 6 weeks to skip the online grind and hit level 40 instantly, just to get these badge stoppers.

There is so much more heinous stuff going on with this game, like single items of clothing for your player costing up to 50k vc for a single t=shirt, but you can also get cheapo stuff for 300vc

You also need to buy boosts if you're competing online because everyone else does, and not buying immediately puts you at a disadvantage. A minimum you would need to spend on boosts evey online game would bve 1800 vc, the maximum you earn per game online is around 400vc, so that maths doesn't work out and requires the purchasing of more vc throughout the year just to buy boosts.

Anyway, that's it, I'm done.

This will be my last year buying this sh1t, and I fear for GTA 6, because it's the same company .

Apologies if parts of this don't make sense, because no way I'm re-reading all that.

[bitontheslide]

i delete any game that requires in app purchases to make it in any way playable

[The Slim Reaper]

It's had virtual currency since 2013, but in 2k17, it would cost around 1/3rd of what it cost now, and just two short years ago, it would cost around half. That's heinous, but the fact the game undoes any grinding you've done, if you stop grinding, and then sells you a solution to prevent the regression, is the most sinister aspect, and what that means for GTA 6.

[Soldier Boy]

Over £200 on one game is madness ...

[The Slim Reaper]

And it's all wasted, because I'm not playing this heap of sh1t.

Should have bought it for x-box, then I could have at least got a refund.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by The Slim Reaper

I have to rant about this, and hopefully provide some bemusement at the state of gaming.

NBA 2k24 was released last Friday. It's the game I play more than any other, especially the online aspect (I used to play on the number 3 ranked team in Europe for 2k15, but now I'm mostly a casual).

It's a AAA release which costs £70 for the basic game. I bought the most expensive version for £129.99 because you get NBA league pass (All NBA games to watch) included which works out cheaper than me buying it separately for the year.

When you start, you get a 60 ovr player, which is basically useless for both single player and online, so you need to max him to an 85, and then you have to play the game to unlock levels 86-99.

There is virtual currency in this game, and it costs around 280k to get him to that level.

A pack of 200k vc costs £44.99
A pack of 450k vc costs £89.99

*New this year*
700k vc costs 129.99

To grind this player without buying VC would take around 300hrs of single player gameplay and way, way longer if you tried to do it online, because no one would play on a team with a 60 ovr.

So you're now instantly trapped into buying the vc.

It get's worse, way worse.

So I buy the £450k vc pack. I haven't dunked the ball or shot a jumpshot in anger yet, and I'm already £219.98 into it.

Everything you do in-game requires the purchase of animations, and there are around 20 animation slots that you need to fill up. These aren't too bad generally, only costing around 250 vc each, which obviously mounts up, but it's not terrible.

*This is where it gets worse*

So once you've maxed your attributes to 85, you then need to grind your badges.

So attributes on their own are ok, but to make them work at full capacity you need to grind. Want to dunk the ball better? You'd better grind, want to shoot the ball better? you'd better grind. Want to shoot the ball from further away? You've guessed it. etc, These badges are essential.

Badges are 4 levels - bronze, silver, gold, and hall of fame, and they take time to grind out to max, but you do it as you're playing single player or online.

This year, they've introduced badge regression. SO if you're playing online with bad teammates and don't get to rep[eat the actions in every game that it took to earn them, the badges go down. Which is a killer, because in online you're never going to get that opportunity, even on a team with the best players in the world, because it's impossible.

So 2k has a solution for us.

The game is broken up into 9 seasons across the year, and every season is 40 levels, and you earn this only by competing online.

So then, in order to stop badges regressing, the level 40 reward, is a blocker that you can only put on to one badge, so you can earn 9 in total across the year, which is most of the badges you wouldn't want your player to drop levels or lose.

To grind level 40 online takes around 300 hours, and the seasons last about 6 weeks (50hrs per week - quick maffs). However, good guy 2k have also implemented a level skip system, which means you can spend an extra £70 every 6 weeks to skip the online grind and hit level 40 instantly, just to get these badge stoppers.

There is so much more heinous stuff going on with this game, like single items of clothing for your player costing up to 50k vc for a single t=shirt, but you can also get cheapo stuff for 300vc

You also need to buy boosts if you're competing online because everyone else does, and not buying immediately puts you at a disadvantage. A minimum you would need to spend on boosts evey online game would bve 1800 vc, the maximum you earn per game online is around 400vc, so that maths doesn't work out and requires the purchasing of more vc throughout the year just to buy boosts.

Anyway, that's it, I'm done.

This will be my last year buying this sh1t, and I fear for GTA 6, because it's the same company .

Apologies if parts of this don't make sense, because no way I'm re-reading all that.

I always find it a shame that when potentially fun Games get ruined with stuff like this.

It's like they think millions of people buying the Game isn't enough to make a profit, which is just insane.

[Mystic Mock]

Me and my Brother have been playing a few Games off of Nintendo Online (or whatever it's called) we've been a bit busy today, so haven't played them as much.

But here's the Games that we've tried out.

1. Super Soccer - A hidden gem on the platform if you're into Football/Soccer Games imo. You just have to be prepared that the difficulty is much, much harsher than your average FIFA or PES Game. The matches though are really fun in an arcadey sort of way.

2. The original Star Fox - Again really challenging, but also really fun, there's quite a few levels/scenarios to play around with as well which isn't shabby.

3. The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Seasons - My Brother is better at this Game than I am, but I still appreciate just how well crafted the Dungeons are in this Game, especially for an old Game Boy Color Game.

4. Mario Party 2 - A fun Game overall, the minigames and boards were definitely creative for their time, and tbf they're probably better than some of the modern Mario Party Games imo. The only thing Mario Party 2 could've improved on was having more playable characters.

5. Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64 Game) - I've only played a little bit of this Game, but I liked what I've played so far.

6. Mario Golf - This Game was okay imo, the biggest improvement this particular Game could've made was to not make the putting feel like it's random luck to putt the ball in the hole, rather than skill.

7. Sin & Punishment - A weird storyline, corny voice acting that Makes the original RE1 look like a AAA Movie, and bizarre level design sometimes, but it all works for this Game imo, it just suits Sin & Punishment to be this strange.

[david77]

FIFA 23 has launched and oh boy has it landed amongst the most popular PlayStation games , which is still my fav