Video Game thread II: Super Scumbo Bros

[Rachel D.]

Oh and for what it's worth... it's a whole new game engine. That means one or two things. One is that they're getting rid of a lot of the problems from the previous engine (such as when you pick something up everything scatters across the room).

But the other thing that means is a whole new book of bugs, I guess. Lets hope this time round they've done a swell job at making the game engine relatively bug proof.

Yeah, the game is going to be so huge and complex that I will be very surprised -- and impressed -- if there are no bugs or just plain mistakes that will need fixing later. And I can't wait to find out!

I've been playing Morrowind this summer and that game still amazes me; I've had it since 2003 and I still find things that I've never seen or done before. Of course, there was a break in that time span for a couple of years after it melted our old Xbox and before they made the backwards compatibility file for the 360. But still, that game has staying power.

 

[RavenBlue]

Skyrim

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Yeah, the game is going to be so huge and complex that I will be very surprised -- and impressed -- if there are no bugs or just plain mistakes that will need fixing later. And I can't wait to find out!

I've been playing Morrowind this summer and that game still amazes me; I've had it since 2003 and I still find things that I've never seen or done before. Of course, there was a break in that time span for a couple of years after it melted our old Xbox and before they made the backwards compatibility file for the 360. But still, that game has staying power.

As does Oblivion itself. I think that's something that both Fallout 3 and New Vegas lacked. If you put theme aside and compare the two, (Elder Scrolls vs. Fallout), the Elder Scrolls world is so much more vast and the game can truly never be fully covered. With Fallout, it's similar, but I believe that game has more of a replay value as opposed to playing under the same save.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I started playing New Vegas briefly again yesterday afternoon for an hour or so. Was having fun, then the game froze. Good to see they fixed all the bugs...

Good to know. I encountered one bug where the screen went black then to static then back to the game in the space of 5 seconds - it was like I switched inputs on my tv for a moment - very bizzare.

 

[u2popmofo]

^ It's actually $149.99 in US dollars.

Yes, and the normal game is $60. I was implying that you're paying $90 for cheap swag items probably worth no more than $20.

I've been playing Morrowind this summer and that game still amazes me; I've had it since 2003 and I still find things that I've never seen or done before. Of course, there was a break in that time span for a couple of years after it melted our old Xbox and before they made the backwards compatibility file for the 360. But still, that game has staying power.

Even though I liiked Oblivion a great deal at the time, if I had to decide between the two, I'd definitely go with Morrowind. That game did huge open world before it was really even a thing. Such a cool game.

Plus, no scaled leveling.

I think that's something that both Fallout 3 and New Vegas lacked.

I don't really feel that way, I think it more has to do with how the games were designed. There's plenty to find and see in the Fallout games that are not story related. With fast travel, most people unfortunately skip over all of it though. One of the negative sides of making it so you really only ever have to walk somewhere once. You only see what's near the path you first took there.

Good to know. I encountered one bug where the screen went black then to static then back to the game in the space of 5 seconds - it was like I switched inputs on my tv for a moment - very bizzare.

It's frozen a couple more times now, but luckily my saves have been fine, and I haven't had to do much over at all. I played quite a bit yesterday, having more fun playing it now than I did when it first came out, strangely. I think they sorta screwed up on how they opened the game, Fallout 3 really sucked you in right from the beginning, New Vegas takes hours and hours and hours before you feel the same.

Still haven't entered the Vegas strip yet, and I've been able to for ages.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Well yeah, Fallout still has that ever expansive 'you can't finish me' aspect to it. Just take a look at the knowledge written into the game. There's a whole new universe in there. There are hundreds of virtual computer logs filled with countless ours of reading, and there's so much more to the game than anyone can fathom other than the game developers themselves.

But what I'm saying is that there was a much stronger structure in Oblivion's 'side mission' aspect. In Fallout, you can easily find them all yourself being that Fallout is a post-apocalyptic world and whatnot. It's hard to find people, and it's hard to find missions. The non-storyline/non-achievement/unmarked quests are limited whereas in Oblivion I feel that they're vast.

The same can't be said for New Vegas I guess - a game that I've yet to really explore unmarked/extra material in. But certainly in Fallout 3.

 

[u2popmofo]

But what I'm saying is that there was a much stronger structure in Oblivion's 'side mission' aspect. In Fallout, you can easily find them all yourself being that Fallout is a post-apocalyptic world and whatnot. It's hard to find people, and it's hard to find missions. The non-storyline/non-achievement/unmarked quests are limited whereas in Oblivion I feel that they're vast.

I still disagree, but may still not entirely understand what you're trying to say.

FYI, you can pre-order the 360 version of Skyrim for $55 on Amazon right now (comes with the fancy cloth map for preordering).

Amazon.com: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Pc: Video Games

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I think I'm just gonna pre-order at GameStop. I can pick it up the day of, and I can pre-order for $5 and pay it off as I please.

 

[u2popmofo]

You don't pay a dime with Amazon for the preorder, and it's delivered the day of release.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Oh... interesting bargaining chips on the table now.

 

[u2popmofo]

Yeah, they don't charge your card until the order ships. You can cancel the preorder at any time. It's also guaranteed on the promotions, so if the price lowers or they add stuff to make it more enticing after you preorder, you automatically get the best deal, regardless of what the deal was when you preordered.

You then have to wait for when the shipment arrives though, which can be a pain sometimes based on your schedule. There was a gigantic distribution error for a huge area of the US with LA Noire from Amazon as well. NSW and I both ended up getting it a day or so late. That's the only time I've ever had one not show up on time though.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

hmm that actually sounds pretty familiar. Now that I recall, I preordered The 25th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Benefit Concert on DVD and they slashed the price and they did that reduction thing for me as well.

I'll make my decision when I finalize my schedule. I might actually do a midnight release pickup instead because it looks like I wont have classes on Tuesday and I'd likely do what I did with New Vegas and just play until 8 a.m.

If I do end up with class on Tuesday, I'll probably do Amazon. Sounds good though, thanks.

 

[mobvok]

‪Wheatley Puppet‬‏ - YouTube

 

[Rachel D.]

Look! Argonians don't look goofy anymore!

I'm so happy! They looked good in Morrowind and then looked so dumb in Oblivion with their football-shaped heads. Now they're gonna look like Velociraptors. I'm so relieved and a little unreasonably excited. Now gimme the game so I can make my own Argonian and sneak around and shoot bandits through the head with arrows and steal things! I love doing that.

 

[Canadiens1131]

"mesa Jar Jar Binks, mesa gonna be your bestes friennnnnnnd"

 

[LuckyNumber7]

It looks aweeeesome!

I just put my pre order down for bth MW3 and Skyrim. Exciting!

 

[Jive Turkey]

I think I might skip Modern Warfare 3 this time. Unless of course it gets awesome reviews, but I havent played Black Ops in a long time. The multiplayer maps didn't feel very inspired. The maps in general have been on a downward path since the first Modern Warfare where they were nearly perfect. The single player in Black Ops was a mess and a chore to get through. I just hope Battlefield 3 lives up to expectations

 

[LuckyNumber7]

MW2 for me was perfect.

Although I think you're unfairly passing an opinion on MW3. Treyarch =/= Infinity Ward. The only game to judge MW3 on is MW2, not Black Ops.

 

[nielsgov]

And Black Ops is a lot better than MW2...

 

[Jive Turkey]

MW2 for me was perfect.

Although I think you're unfairly passing an opinion on MW3. Treyarch =/= Infinity Ward. The only game to judge MW3 on is MW2, not Black Ops.

Are they even the same company anymore though? I thought almost all of the IW people left

 

[Jive Turkey]

And Black Ops is a lot better than MW2...

I couldn't disagree more. The maps on Black Ops were horrible.

 

[nielsgov]

I was just teasing anyway. I don't have any problems with the maps on Black Ops but I haven't played COD 4 so I can't compare.

I was also just talking about the game in general. I find it more enjoyable than its predecessor, less frustrating.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I know a lot of people hated them, but I kinda liked the killstreaks in MW2

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Are they even the same company anymore though? I thought almost all of the IW people left

Yes and no. It was the lead developers, if I'm not mistaken, who were fired. The regulars who produce the game are still there. Just someone different pulling the strings. Something tells me that MW3 will either be exactly like MW2 with different maps (to play it safe) or vastly different (under new control).

But the main point is that Treyarch is full of awful ideas and Treyarch has no say in how MW3 comes out.

I couldn't disagree more. The maps on Black Ops were horrible.

God awful. And the mechanics of the game were ever so slightly worse than MW2 to make it even worse.

I know a lot of people hated them, but I kinda liked the killstreaks in MW2

I loved them. I suspect it's the people who were bad and couldn't get them down who hated them (and the same people that can kill you in a total crapshoot in Black Ops).

 

[Jive Turkey]

And the frame rate for Black Ops was horrid too. That's the first thing I noticed. The Modern Warfares are so silky smooth. Like a caterpillar's cocoon or a freshly shaven baby bottom

 

[u2popmofo]

From what I've read, the PS3 version of Black Ops was a complete mess. Too bad, I far prefer both World and War and Black Ops to either of the Modern Warfares multiplayer wise. Thought the campaign was a hundred times better than Modern Warfare 2 as well. Honestly, Modern Warfare 2 is probably the most disappointing game for me personally of this generation. An awful pile of trash in every single regard. Campaign, multiplayer, annoying poorly thought out spec ops mode, etc. All were the worst crap Infninity Ward ever created. Sorta glad the company is a compete shell now, they completely lost the plot at the end. Such a far cry from how great the original game Call of Duty was on PC.

And yeah, saying that "infinity Ward" is making this game is a complete joke as well. Everyone who mattered is gone, and there are essentially 3 different development groups working on different aspects of this one. I'll buy it, but I'm expecting the exact same game we've received for the last 4 iterations of the franchise. Survival mode will hopefully be fun at least.

At least Battlefield will seem like a legitimate "new game".

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Like I said before... it'll likely be either something that falls apart because of all of the different workers on the project or it will be exactly what MW2 was, just updated with new campaign, spec ops, and multiplayer maps. If it's the latter, we're in for a treat.

I don't understand your utter distaste for MW2, but I think most people would disagree with you there and say that Infinity Ward's installments in the series have always been more popular. Although I admit, I was a much bigger fan of Call of Duty 3 as opposed to Call of Duty 2.

 

[u2popmofo]

Anyone picking up Deus Ex next week?

 

[bono_man2002]

Just picked up Mass Effect 2. It was dirt cheap, don't really know much about the series.

Something to tide me over till NHL 12.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Just picked up Mass Effect 2. It was dirt cheap, don't really know much about the series.

Something to tide me over till NHL 12.

You'll love it.

Play as Female Shepard (ToriShep?).