Blues Forum Lounge (Home of All Things OT) - Part 2018

[bleedblue1223]

For those of you who game, stay away from Fallout 76. That **** is a scam at any price-point.

It's a shame that AAA developers are releasing half-baked games. It feel like the entire industry is trying to ring every single cent out of the consumer. Micro transactions in $60 games. Games being released with the bare minimum, with the next five $20 expansions planned. Loot box systems are finally being called what they should be called, gambling. Finally, some governments are stepping in to the benefit of society. A lot of kids are growing up with gambling addictions directly because of the gaming industry, these last 5+ years. Enjoy what you want to enjoy, but i recommend parents stay informed about what their kid is playing. Games where multiplayer is involved, tend to be the shadiest when it comes to manipulation.

The gaming industry would've been better off raising the price of games to $70 and cite and increased cost to make the games as the reason, instead of trying to increase money through micro-transactions. In the beginning, people were ok with it because most don't buy micro transactions and the whales simply game the companies the additional revenue. What it's lead to, is recycled content, drip-fed DLC, and bare boned releases. Sports games used to always be glorified roster updates, but they would at least have some new features to their franchise modes, but now all the dev time goes to the ultimate teams.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

The saddest thing about the gaming industry is that a large enough portion of the consumers will praise gaming devs for "moving in the right direction" when they fix the game and install QoL updates that should've been there on launch.

 

[bleedblue1223]

The saddest thing about the gaming industry is that a large enough portion of the consumers will praise gaming devs for "moving in the right direction" when they fix the game and install QoL updates that should've been there on launch.

Battlefront 2 is an example. While improvements have been made, it's still a complete bug fest, but since expectations were so low for the devs for so long, we've finally just accepted the bugs and we're simply satisfied with decent communication. I know it's a tough business with crazy hours, but I think most also realize that most of the complaints are with the corporate suits, and not the actual devs working on the game.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Battlefront 2 is an example. While improvements have been made, it's still a complete bug fest, but since expectations were so low for the devs for so long, we've finally just accepted the bugs and we're simply satisfied with decent communication. I know it's a tough business with crazy hours, but I think most also realize that most of the complaints are with the corporate suits, and not the actual devs working on the game.

While I would imagine that most of the issues in games are due to suits, I do feel that a fair number of devs have a large disconnect between their vision of the game and how a majority of the player base. Too many games have devs ignoring feedback from the beta tests. Especially recently with Fallout 76 and the current WoW expansion. I think these sorts of disconnects are worse than the problems caused by the suits as it affects games on a fundamental level much more than fixable bugs and avoidable microtransactions.

 

[bleedblue1223]

While I would imagine that most of the issues in games are due to suits, I do feel that a fair number of devs have a large disconnect between their vision of the game and how a majority of the player base. Too many games have devs ignoring feedback from the beta tests. Especially recently with Fallout 76 and the current WoW expansion. I think these sorts of disconnects are worse than the problems caused by the suits as it affects games on a fundamental level much more than fixable bugs and avoidable microtransactions.

I think there are devs that are definitely disconnected, and some of them fall into the political trap believing that a bulk of the gamers are "toxic". I think a good portion of the devs feel like they have to tow the company line, and the companies are just throwing them to the wolves, I think this was the case in the diablo disaster. The companies tell the devs to try and put a nice spin on selling micro transactions or mobile games.

 

[Xanadude]

It's all about the money. Publishers know that having a well-known IP is a cash cow, regardless of if there's negative press.

Battlefront 2 got totally blasted in the media for predatory microtransactions, but Timmy the 11 year old doesn't care, he just wants to frag stormtroopers, and Timmy's dad more than likely doesn't know the first thing about modern games, so doesn't care/know either. So EA still makes a massive profit, as enough rubes will shell out the cash for the full game to break even and the whales will generate a monster profit for the company. Battlefront last year, FO76 this year, next year it'll be something else.

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's all about the money. Publishers know that having a well-known IP is a cash cow, regardless of if there's negative press.

Battlefront 2 got totally blasted in the media for predatory microtransactions, but Timmy the 11 year old doesn't care, he just wants to frag stormtroopers, and Timmy's dad more than likely doesn't know the first thing about modern games, so doesn't care/know either. So EA still makes a massive profit, as enough rubes will shell out the cash for the full game to break even and the whales will generate a monster profit for the company. Battlefront last year, FO76 this year, next year it'll be something else.

This is the problem though. Battlefront removed all those issues prior to going live, so it should be more of a positive example. The issue is in a lot of games, not just a select few. The selective outrage means that companies will just roll the dice and hope their game isn't targeted.

 

[Xanadude]

This is the problem though. Battlefront removed all those issues prior to going live, so it should be more of a positive example. The issue is in a lot of games, not just a select few. The selective outrage means that companies will just roll the dice and hope their game isn't targeted.

Very true. I was just thinking of the biggest furor in recent memory...until people stop buying these kinds of games, we're going to see this ad infinitum.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I think there are devs that are definitely disconnected, and some of them fall into the political trap believing that a bulk of the gamers are "toxic". I think a good portion of the devs feel like they have to tow the company line, and the companies are just throwing them to the wolves, I think this was the case in the diablo disaster. The companies tell the devs to try and put a nice spin on selling micro transactions or mobile games.

The Diablo disaster was entirely on the decision to not even show a hype video. They had a video of some sort to tease the next PC project, but corporate decided to cut that and leave a mobile game announcement for an IP that has been PC only up to this point as the capstone of their Blizzcon presentation. They didn't even need to put anything in the video besides Diablo 4, just like Bethesda's ES6 teaser, and people would've been satisfied.

The issue with the devs is the problematic game systems that they make and their refusal to change these systems. With WoW, two of the biggest systems for BfA, island expeditions and warfronts, completely flopped in terms replayability, and yet the devs don't feel there are issues with these systems given that they haven't addressed it in any manner for a time frame for fixing. They also released multiple classes that were near unplayable and promised reworks in the first big patch, yet most of the reworking is simply tuning numbers, which could easily be hotfixed rather than put on hold for 4 months, instead of actually fixing what is broken.

 

[Celtic Note]

For those of you who game, stay away from Fallout 76. That **** is a scam at any price-point.

...It feel like the entire industry is trying to ring every single cent out of the consumer. ..

Isn’t that every industry these days? If the good old days were “the customer is always right” and “quality reigns supreme”, then the message today is “extract every red cent from the customer at all costs” and “customers are bloodbags for our consumption”.

 

[David Dennison]

1 step closer to MLS.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Small rant. As I have started into notecards for my May exam, I have noticed that whenever I have a word that ends with 'ng' I constantly screw up writing it. I end up with 'n' and then the downward loop of the 'g' attached instead of two separate letters, and then I have to bust out the correction tape.

And you wouldn't think there are that many words that end with 'ng' [especially once you taking out words that end with say -ing], but I'm shocked at how many times I've had to write those two letters and immediately correct it.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Legion is the best thing on TV right now. Convince me I'm wrong.

(I'll give high marks to Better Call Saul as well.)

But I just discovered Legion (on FX) after recording the first season repeats from 3am showings. Excellent acting, writing. Brilliant visuals. Compelling story, with a slow burn, and the good kind of scifi that feels like its actually challenging you to think about the world a bit, not just a soap opera with special effects. But I don't hear anyone talking about the show. Totally under the radar.

 

[Majorityof1]

Legion is the best thing on TV right now. Convince me I'm wrong.

(I'll give high marks to Better Call Saul as well.)

But I just discovered Legion (on FX) after recording the first season repeats from 3am showings. Excellent acting, writing. Brilliant visuals. Compelling story, with a slow burn, and the good kind of scifi that feels like its actually challenging you to think about the world a bit, not just a soap opera with special effects. But I don't hear anyone talking about the show. Totally under the radar.

I really liked the first season but I struggled with the second. I couldn't find time/inclination to sit down and give it the attention it deserved. I'll watch it eventually. It gets a little too weird for me at times. I like weird but it goes really far with weird.

 

[Thallis]

For those of you who game, stay away from Fallout 76. That **** is a scam at any price-point.

It's a shame that AAA developers are releasing half-baked games. It feel like the entire industry is trying to ring every single cent out of the consumer. Micro transactions in $60 games. Games being released with the bare minimum, with the next five $20 expansions planned. Loot box systems are finally being called what they should be called, gambling. Finally, some governments are stepping in to the benefit of society. A lot of kids are growing up with gambling addictions directly because of the gaming industry, these last 5+ years. Enjoy what you want to enjoy, but i recommend parents stay informed about what their kid is playing. Games where multiplayer is involved, tend to be the shadiest when it comes to manipulation.

I played the beta. I really don't agree. Didn't run into any bugs, and the game itself was interesting enough. I cancelled my pre-order due to the lack of essential PC options like PTT and wanting to wait for sales/mods to be added, but the hate the game is getting is severely overblown by people who haven't actually played the game.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I played the beta. I really don't agree. Didn't run into any bugs, and the game itself was interesting enough. I cancelled my pre-order due to the lack of essential PC options like PTT and wanting to wait for sales/mods to be added, but the hate the game is getting is severely overblown by people who haven't actually played the game.

My son is really liking Fallout 76. He's played all of them, after I gave him Fallout 3 as a gift one year. (Well, no he didn't play the first 2, but I have on PC long ago.)

 

[542365]

Jon Heyman reporting Cards are getting Goldy. I love him, but he’s only signed for one year. We need Carp to keep hitting, Yadi to stay the ageless wonder, Ozuna to improve a bit from last year, the young pitching to improve etc. Seems like a pretty risky move given the holes in the roster. If we can sign him long term it should be great but we could easily lose both Ozuna and Goldy next offseason.

EDIT:Cards make it official. Weaver, Kelly, prospect and comp pick. I’m fine with it even if he walks after this year. We have plenty of young pitching and Carson Kelly has fallen out of favor a bit in the organization.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

We gave up bupkis when you consider it’s Goldy we are getting. I am absolutely thrilled with this trade. Now let’s hope we can get him extended in a four year deal.

 

[KirkOut]

great trade. now fix the damn defense

 

[bleedblue1223]

Have him for just 1 guaranteed year, but we didn't give up much, so who cares. Do we still pursue more upgrades or are we content? Only problem with Goldy, is if we resign him, then we will continue to have a very old core. I hope we still go after Harper, but this probably takes up available funds, especially if we can't dump Fowler.

I just worry that RF will be a disaster of a position for us.

 

[bleedblue1223]

great trade. now fix the damn defense

Where though? Wong, Goldy, Yadi, and Bader are all gold glove caliber guys. DeJong is underrated and frankly very good defensively at SS. That leaves Carp at 3B, Ozuna in LF, and then whatever we do in RF.

 

[KirkOut]

I would consider trading Carp or DeJong, assuming they can acquire or sign a defensively strong SS or 3B. Our left side of the infield just killed us last season

 

[Vladys Gumption]

I’d roll with O’Neill in RF. Let him play and see if he can improve his contact rates. He already plays plus defense and has plus-plus power. If he even remotely puts it together he’s going to be a monster.

Definitely have no interest in moving DeJong either. He’s solid defensively and that bat plays well at short. And that’s before you even consider his contract.

 

[542365]

It’s going to be rough watching Carp throw from third all year. Every throw he makes looks like his arm will come out of the socket. He’s alright over there though, and obviously we need his bat.

I also would roll with O’Neill in right provided he has a decent spring. His contact rate is concerning, so he may just be another Grichuk, but that power is incredibly intriguing and he plays a good right field.

We can’t really rule out a Fowler bounce back either. Last year was far and away his worst season in recent memory. Before last year he had 7 consecutive seasons of above average offensive production. He was only 32 last year so age doesn’t seem like a huge factor. He looked completely lost up there last year, but I don’t think he’s completely done as a player.

I wonder what kind of trade interest Jose Martinez would garner from an AL team. I would love a solid bullpen piece in return for him, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I would consider trading Carp or DeJong, assuming they can acquire or sign a defensively strong SS or 3B. Our left side of the infield just killed us last season

If you want a strong defensive SS, then you keep DeJong.