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

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Alklha

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Sep 7, 2011
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I used to enjoy video games until I started boardgaming. I find video games to have too little mental stimulation now, and many have too linear of plotting. Nothing beats a good strategy game pitting yourself against smart human opponents. I've yet to find an AI that can be as creative and unpredictable as a sharp human opponent. Being a bit of an introvert, its a good way to keep more face to face interaction too. I watch my son, and most of his 'socializing' is done with the headset during gaming. Its not the same thing.
Google's DeepMind is that. The only information it was given was the basic rules of games and it was self taught from there, so from a chess perspective the moves can be pretty outlandish for how we typically play. 25 years ago we were at a point where these computers couldn't really understand the concept of gaining a long term advantage from short term losses, to now where DeepMind will happily start sacrficing 3 or 4 pieces because it knows that in 8 moves it will be able to control the board.
 

Stupendous Yappi

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Google's DeepMind is that. The only information it was given was the basic rules of games and it was self taught from there, so from a chess perspective the moves can be pretty outlandish for how we typically play. 25 years ago we were at a point where these computers couldn't really understand the concept of gaining a long term advantage from short term losses, to now where DeepMind will happily start sacrficing 3 or 4 pieces because it knows that in 8 moves it will be able to control the board.
I used to play a LOT of chess, and am actually familiar with this history. I was referring more to the computer games available to a consumer. The AIs are never as interesting as what a human opponent does. Maybe the technology is available for better, but I imagine the computing power is prohibitive.
 

Falco Lombardi

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Nov 17, 2011
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I literally cannot get enough of Spider-Man for the PS4. I’ve always been of a Legend of Zelda fanatic (Skyward Sword is the best video game of all time IMO) but man Spidey is what a super hero game should be. It’s like the Arkham games but improved upon and obviously less dark being a Spider-Man game as opposed to Batman
 

TheDizee

Trade Jordan Kyrou ASAP | ALWAYS RIGHT
Apr 5, 2014
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Resident Evil 1, 2 and Outbreak
Socom 1 and 2
Metal Gear Solid 1-3
Dark Souls 1
Bloodborne
Conker's Bad Fur Day
World of Warcraft (Vanilla only, games a turd since)
Everquest Online Adventures
Uncharted 2
Final Fantasy 10

Gaming has been a joke since this new generation started outside of a few games like witcher3, bloodborne and re2 remake.
 
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hey we won a cup
Feb 16, 2017
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Resident Evil 1, 2 and Outbreak
Socom 1 and 2
Metal Gear Solid 1-3
Dark Souls 1
Bloodborne
Conker's Bad Fur Day
World of Warcraft (Vanilla only, games a turd since)
Everquest Online Adventures
Uncharted 2
Final Fantasy 10

Gaming has been a joke since this new generation started outside of a few games like witcher3, bloodborne and re2 remake.
Yoooo Bad Fur Day >>>>>

Still play it from time to time haha.
 

TheDizee

Trade Jordan Kyrou ASAP | ALWAYS RIGHT
Apr 5, 2014
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ya OOT gets too much praise for being the best n64 game. its a good game sure but conker is way better.
 

Jim ODonnell

Registered User
Dec 20, 2018
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Resident Evil 1, 2 and Outbreak
Socom 1 and 2
Metal Gear Solid 1-3
Dark Souls 1
Bloodborne
Conker's Bad Fur Day
World of Warcraft (Vanilla only, games a turd since)
Everquest Online Adventures
Uncharted 2
Final Fantasy 10

Gaming has been a joke since this new generation started outside of a few games like witcher3, bloodborne and re2 remake.

LA Noire
Red Dead 1 + 2
Detroit Become Human
Heavy Rain

I don't play any of these games, but I watch my kids play them and I think all these are a cut above the games I played as a kid . . . the storylines are pretty complex and the games seem well produced.
 
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Klank Loves You

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Feb 21, 2015
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LA Noire
Red Dead 1 + 2
Detroit Become Human
Heavy Rain

I don't play any of these games, but I watch my kids play them and I think all these are a cut above the games I played as a kid . . . the storylines are pretty complex and the games seem well produced.
It depends. Most of the isometric RPGs that came out in the 90's had better storylines. The problem actually comes from voice-acting. It costs way too much to monetarily, time-wise, and in data to voice act branching stories. That's one example, but having hundreds of people working on the same piece of art has it's own problems.

Add on the recent additions of micro-transactions. I would recommend you look at the Gold Bar rate in Red Dead Redemption 2. I dont know if it's changed since release, but "predatory" is a word i would use to describe it. Anyone with kids should be aware of what games they are playing, and how much those games rely on microtransactions and/or lootboxes. Kids are kids. They make bad choices. They see that their best-friend has the newest dance on Fortnite, and is jealous enough to sneak out his dad's credit card. It's only 5 bucks, he wont notice. That's how it starts. The AAA gaming industry is currently built on kids with gambling addictions. Your son can't help themselves from wanting that newest skin, so he can show it off when he post's his wins to social media. Winning is winning, but winning with style is better. Then throw in loot boxes. A lot of these games, you can buy what exactly you want. You have to buy the lootboxes, and hope it's a winner. If i were a parent, i would be far more worried about these predatory practices, than any story or message the game coveys through it's plot or gameplay.
 
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It depends. Most of the isometric RPGs that came out in the 90's had better storylines. The problem actually comes from voice-acting. It costs way too much to monetarily, time-wise, and in data to voice act branching stories. That's one example, but having hundreds of people working on the same piece of art has it's own problems.

Add on the recent additions of micro-transactions. I would recommend you look at the Gold Bar rate in Red Dead Redemption 2. I dont know if it's changed since release, but "predatory" is a word i would use to describe it. Anyone with kids should be aware of what games they are playing, and how much those games rely on microtransactions and/or lootboxes. Kids are kids. They make bad choices. They see that their best-friend has the newest dance on Fortnite, and is jealous enough to sneak out his dad's credit card. It's only 5 bucks, he wont notice. That's how it starts. The AAA gaming industry is currently built on kids with gambling addictions. Your son can't help themselves from wanting that newest skin, so he can show it off when he post's his wins to social media. Winning is winning, but winning with style is better. Then throw in loot boxes. A lot of these games, you can buy what exactly you want. You have to buy the lootboxes, and hope it's a winner. If i were a parent, i would be far more worried about these predatory practices, than any story or message the game coveys through it's plot or gameplay.
No question the video game industry has some of the most scummy practices of any business. They have filed patents on systems designed to make people more likely to purchase these micro-transactions. For instance, Activision filed a patent(but claimed they never actually implemented the system which I don't believe for a second) on a matchmaking system that would put people in a lobby with a high skilled player who had purchased the micro-transaction version of that player's favorite weapon type. If a player really enjoyed using a sniper in Call of Duty, the system would make it more likely that they end up in a lobby with someone who is very good at the game and has the paid sniper to make it seem like that player got that advantage because of the purchase(and not simply because he was a good player to begin with) and make the person feel like it is more necessary to buy the sniper themselves. That's straight up psychological manipulation, and while it's not illegal, it sure as f*** is unethical. There are so many other things wrong with the gaming industry that it would take a lifetime to write about them all.
 

Majorityof1

Registered User
Mar 6, 2014
8,261
6,796
Central Florida
It depends. Most of the isometric RPGs that came out in the 90's had better storylines. The problem actually comes from voice-acting. It costs way too much to monetarily, time-wise, and in data to voice act branching stories. That's one example, but having hundreds of people working on the same piece of art has it's own problems.

Add on the recent additions of micro-transactions. I would recommend you look at the Gold Bar rate in Red Dead Redemption 2. I dont know if it's changed since release, but "predatory" is a word i would use to describe it. Anyone with kids should be aware of what games they are playing, and how much those games rely on microtransactions and/or lootboxes. Kids are kids. They make bad choices. They see that their best-friend has the newest dance on Fortnite, and is jealous enough to sneak out his dad's credit card. It's only 5 bucks, he wont notice. That's how it starts. The AAA gaming industry is currently built on kids with gambling addictions. Your son can't help themselves from wanting that newest skin, so he can show it off when he post's his wins to social media. Winning is winning, but winning with style is better. Then throw in loot boxes. A lot of these games, you can buy what exactly you want. You have to buy the lootboxes, and hope it's a winner. If i were a parent, i would be far more worried about these predatory practices, than any story or message the game coveys through it's plot or gameplay.

I totally disagree. Stories in games are far better now, at least the good games. Gaming is much bigger and games make more money so the cost of VO isn't prohibitive. Detroit: Become Human has a ton of branching pathways and is 100% voice acted. Same goes for a ton of other games. Until Dawn had a ton of branching paths and was 100% voice acted with known celebraties, including Oscar nominated Rami Malik.

Games are not afraid no to tackle difficult subject matter either, beyond the typical save the world plot of older games. With absolutely zero voice acting and antiquated 8-bit graphics, Celeste tells a very cool story because it's in large part about mental illness, especially extreme anxiety and depression. Hellblade deals with Scizophrenia by putting you in control of a Schizophrenic as you hear the voices in your head helping or tormenting you. You don't have a HUD, but instead have to rely on the voices in your head to tell you where enemies are, solve puzzles, etc.

The realism of the graphics and maturity of story helps with the immersion too. There is not a single piece of media (games, movies, books, music) that had me more emotionally invested than the Last of Us, a fully VO'd game that came out 5 1/2 years ago. Near the end of the game, one of the two main characters was potentially in danger. Playing as the other character, I tore through that section with reckless abandon because of the bond that formed in my mind with this fictional character based on the trauma we had experienced together earlier in the game. The rational part of my seasoned video game mind knew there was no ticking clock, no indication of a time limit and I could take my time through the section. I had slowly stealthed through the entire game. I could have gotten the same result doing so now. But the part of my brain that was invested in the story was shouting "I'll kill them, all. Every god damn last one of them will pay if they lay a single finger on...." and had to get there as quickly as possible. That level of investment absolutely could not happen for me with a 90's text based RPG.

Also, while there is a predatory side to games with loot boxes, there is a positive side as well. Look at what Microsoft is doing with adaptive controllers to allow disabled kids the chance to play games and feel normal. That is not a money-maker AT ALL for them, yet they spent an incredible amount to figure out the technology for a relatively small market. Or this Forbes article on how game companies, many of whom rely on micro-transactions, give back to charity.

Games are a ton more expensive to make today, yet they have actually gone down in price when you account for inflation. So companies are absolutely trying to squeeze profit from their customers, and often times it is sleazy. Its not right, but its not inherently evil either. It happens in every business, not just games. Is it worse than facebook using your personal info for targeted advertising to generate more ad revenue? What about recurring gym memberships that are extremely difficult to cancel (websites, magazines, gym memberships)? Games get a bad rap though, but its a lazy narrative that only looks at one side of a multi-faceted situation.
 

PiggySmalls

Oink Oink MF
Mar 7, 2015
6,107
3,516
LA Noire
Red Dead 1 + 2
Detroit Become Human
Heavy Rain

I don't play any of these games, but I watch my kids play them and I think all these are a cut above the games I played as a kid . . . the storylines are pretty complex and the games seem well produced.

I should preface this by saying i'm not a gamer at all nor have I ever been. But I played Red dead 1 when it came out, so when RDR2 came out I got it and absolutely loved the story mode until about 2/3rds the way through. I really thought that after chapter 3 the story line became too linear and the main character could not influence it at all. I would have liked to see more branches to the main line. I can't stand the online mode, at first I enjoyed it, but after getting killed while riding my horse to go hunt like 6 times in 30 minutes. I gave up and haven't played online mode since.

I do really enjoy games where they talk to you and your choices control the story line. Fallout: New Vegas will go down as my favorite game I have ever played.
 
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Ted Hoffman

The other Rick Zombo
Dec 15, 2002
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<----- Name change in effect as of this morning. You all can just call me 'Mud' which is what I wanted, but either (1) usernames have to be longer than 3 characters, or (2) someone in the distant past had that username and it doesn't show up on any check I can do.
 
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Majorityof1

Registered User
Mar 6, 2014
8,261
6,796
Central Florida
What is the difference between revolver and redemption?

Anyone else remember Castle Wolfenstein?

RD Revolver was the first game in the series, released on PS2 Xbox era. It did alright but wasn't a hige succcess. It was more of a linear story based shooter as opposed to an open world game. Redepmption and Redpemtion 2 are open world games more in the vein of Grand Theft Auto only western. The first came out in the PS3, 360 era. Revolver got middling reviews and sold roughly a million copies. Redemption got game of year consideration and sold roughly 15m+ copies.

I 'member Wolfenstein. The series is still going strong after a reboot. The rebooted series is awesome with a cool albeit over the top story and some great level design where you can choose to stealth or blast through. My favorite of the series is the stand alone expansion to the first reboot, Wolfenstein the Old Blood. But the first in the reboot The New Order and the sequel Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus are both worth it if you like linear single player shooters
 
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hey we won a cup
Feb 16, 2017
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Anyone remember the "History Will Be Made" ads? Wish they'd bring them back, even though I guess it could get a little watered down maybe?



This one's not one of the rewind ones, but still one of the best imo. Maybe one day we'll see a Note in one of those interviews..
 
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