What games are you playing now?

[danutz_plusplus]

Are you playing it completely vanilla? I'd recommend a basic mod like the Zone Reclamation Project. The vanilla game with nothing but the official patches is still quite buggy for a lot of people.

Yeah, I was playing it staight out of the box. It's been very stable and had absolutely no issues. Even runs solidly at 3840x1600 which is shocking. The UI is fine, all good.
I might look into that mod, if it's not too complicated to setup.

About those timed quests, it seems that even if you fail them they appear back at the quest giver after some time. At least the two I failed did. So that's good.

I'm having a very solid time with it. And it can't really be nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses, since I never got any deep into it originally.
Or had any particular passion for the game originally, except for liking the setting, the film and the book it is loosely based on.

 

[JDR13]

I'm having a very solid time with it. And it can't really be nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses, since I never got any deep into it originally.
Or had any particular passion for the game originally, except for liking the setting, the film and the book it is loosely based on.

It's a great game that holds up well imo. The visuals are a little dated, but once you get past that it's very immersive. I love the atmosphere.

I'm going to try to play through all three games prior to Stalker 2. Of course with my backlog who knows if that will actually happen...

 

[Carnifex]

Oh yeah, one of the banes of my gaming existence are timed quests. The explorer in me never wants to feel rushed.

 

[Vaelith]

I just finished Dragon's Dogma 2 today, clocking at 118 hours. There was still plenty more to do, but I "accidentally" set the "finale" in motion, so I rolled with it. The game story is much deeper than I anticipated, and I loved how Pawns do matter, it helps a lot to relate with them and treat them as more than mere combat drones.I went through pretty much every class, but ended as a Sorceress, as they get insanely powerful in the late game.

There is a New Game+ mode that I'm very tempted to play to find everything I couldn't in my first playthrough, but Geneforge is also calling, I've been pushing it back, and I really want to try it, so I'll do that first, and keep New Game+ as a backup!

All in all, best fun I've had in a long time with an ARPG, the ending music and credits were tear-inducing, and unless there's something unexpected and surprising coming out, it's the clear #1 for RPG of the year.

As a side note, I ended the game with 12,000 Rift Crystals and nothing to do with them other than buy cosmetic glasses, all through normal play and while spending them at every opportunity I felt I needed to (basically allowed me to be very picky about what Pawn I wanted to hire in Rifts to fit my preferences).

Very much looking forward to the DLC, hopefully, it will be designed similarly to Bitterblack Island, at least in principle.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

Are all the bandit raids in Stalker: SoC scripted or just randomly generated? I defended one particular base, in Garbage, and helped Bas and his mates against the bandits.
And then I did a couple of rounds selling all the weapons I had gathered, and when I returned to that camp the dude was dead. I though he was a more important NPC than I guess he was.
Or are all NPCs allowable to die in this game? I know I had a quest to kill some stalker, and he just died off-screen, seemingly killed by some random bandit. I would assume important NPCs can't die at least until your thread is done with them?

Another weird thing about the game, I cannot for the life of me hit enemies if I aim down sight. Ignoring the fact that the weapon then takes up almost all of my visibility, but I also constantly miss. Just shooting from the hip, on the other hand, and placing the center of the crosshairs on their head very frequently easily takes them out.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I rescued Mole and killed all the army people near the Agroprom Industrial (or whatever it's called). I even explored and cleared the nearby underground base of bandits, and found my first invisible cthulhu monster.

But I might be slowly losing patience. The shooting is just so annoying a lot of the time. Enemies seem to land pot-shots from afar. I'm constantly aiming down sights and missing.
You would not believe the amount of quicksaving and loading I'm doing. Does the aiming improve at all? Is there a progression to increasing your aim for the character? Or is it going to be like this all the way?
The AKM (the full one, not the half one) seems to fair a bit better, especially at close range. But I still have difficulty hitting at far ranges.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

Yeah, seems I've been wasting time trying to conserve ammo and only sparingly used the more decent weapons I found. Well, no more.
I'm using my silenced pistol and the viper and akm as often as I like. And I can definitely see a difference in aiming performance.

Damn, this game looks pretty solid for an almost 20 year old game. The lighting is actually decent, especially during lightning storms. As can be seen.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2515896799011667404/84A056BD9304FF5EAE410BB0DE68BC8233D98F27/?imw=5000&imh=5000&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

 

[Vaelith]

I'm now 10ish hours into Geneforge 1 - Mutagen, playing as an Agent and honestly, enjoying it a lot. I've been sporadically jumping back into DD2 just to run around and kill some big monsters now and then just because that game has me addicted to its aesthetics and combat, but in general, Geneforge is being a great treat despite its dated visuals.

 

[Carnifex]

Well, I ran into a foe in Wildsilver that's currently unbeatable, so I moved over to Fell Seal, and realized that I still have a save there that won't require me to do everything all over, so that's a relief, yet I wasn't feeling the urge to do the expansion yet. Then I glanced at Grimrock two, realized it's been way too long since I played this one, fired it up and I'm hooked all over again! Set your branches and bone clubs to stun!

 

[soola]

Still chipping away at Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition. Gameplay loop has gotten a little stale but I’ll probably at least wrap up the main storyline.

Also not very familiar with stealth tactics so I picked up Shadow Tactics during the Spring Sale and am having fun with it to take a break from BG1.

 

[Redglyph]

Shadow Tactics is very fun, though I switched to another game before finishing it. It can be a little frustrating with timed combos, sometimes.

 

[SveNitoR]

Still chipping away at Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition. Gameplay loop has gotten a little stale but I’ll probably at least wrap up the main storyline.

Also not very familiar with stealth tactics so I picked up Shadow Tactics during the Spring Sale and am having fun with it to take a break from BG1.

Last spring and summer, before starting BG3 I played through BG1 enhanced, Siege of Dragonspear, and then the original campaign of BG2 enhanced. Started Throne of Bhaal, but got tired of it. The games still are great, though some things are annoying and unintuitive.

 

[Drithius]

Still chipping away at Baldur’s Gate Enhanced Edition. Gameplay loop has gotten a little stale but I’ll probably at least wrap up the main storyline.

Also not very familiar with stealth tactics so I picked up Shadow Tactics during the Spring Sale and am having fun with it to take a break from BG1.

Are you using any mods? I played BG1 earlier this year with several mods, notably things from Weasel Mods, and I absolutely loved my re-experience

 

[soola]

Are you using any mods? I played BG1 earlier this year with several mods, notably things from Weasel Mods, and I absolutely loved my re-experience

It’s my first play-through of BG1. Long ago I played BG2 but never got around to BG1. The thing that keeps me going I think is pure BG2 nostalgia which has wore off a bit. I’m in Baldur’s Gate though so I might as well wrap it up.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I've reached the 100 rads bar in Rostok, in Stalker. I'm also doing caravan back and forwards to move my stuff from the chest near the first trader. A bit of a pain in the ass, but also kind of fun and immersive.

The weapon aiming though is still a mix of cool and ridiculous. Sometimes there really is no explanation for it. Maybe.
In the mission to steal some military documents (that I later handed over to the barkeep at the 100 rads bar), I snuck into the base and tried to climb on of the guard towers and kill the guard.
It took a bunch of tries, to climb the ladder and take out the guard. And I just could not do it with my silenced pistol. I'd shoot all 8 rounds in the magazine at his head, and they either all miss or he just won't die.
Tried it 3-5 times and I could not take him out before he starts firing back and triggers the base alarm. So I killed him with my knife.

 

[Redglyph]

I've reached the 100 rads bar in Rostok, in Stalker.

I've always hated moving in hazardous environments, in games (IRL, I just don't care ). I remember that's the one thing I could never get used to in this game.

Anyway, now you don't need a torch in the dark any more, I guess.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

I've always hated moving in hazardous environments, in games (IRL, I just don't care ). I remember that's the one thing I could never get used to in this game.

Anyway, now you don't need a torch in the dark any more, I guess.

Hm, not sure I get what you're referring to, about the torch.

Just had my first CTD in about 10-12h of play. Pretty stable, for a game this rough.
I was in the process of moving my last things from the previous chest, to the one in the 100 rads bar.

As annoying as this process is, I'm actually in favor of no fast travel and no controlling of time. This way I'm forced to move, be it night or day.
And the roaming bandits, while they do annoy, they also give a little randomness to the world. I really enjoy the map.

And having looked at the rest of the future locations, I have to say they look good.
And we're even going to go to the actual Chernobyl power plant? That's what the northern-most location seemed to suggest. It seems I have quite a big game to explore. And then 2 more games. Chunky.

On the main story, I'm surprised the barkeep just handed me a stalker suit. To buy outright that's around 30k rubles.
I've been buying weapons here and there, since I got a lot of money, but the most expensive weapon was 20k. Is the area I'm going for the X18 lab papers that dangerous that I get such a high end suit?
Speaking of, that's one thing I definitely am mixed about. The non-repairable suits and weapons (although I hear you get to repair suits later, in some fashion).
This causes me to never know if I should use it or keep in the stash for later. Annoying.

 

[Redglyph]

Hm, not sure I get what you're referring to, about the torch.

Just a silly joke. You were irradiated enough to shine in the dark.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

Just a silly joke. You were irradiated enough to shine in the dark.

Lol, yeah. I'm constantly gulping down vodka and antirad pills when I'm straying into such areas.
I have to say the radiation mechanic is much easier to manage than in Fallout 1.

 

[purpleblob]

I've finally managed to get to Act 4 in Rogue Trader after many a restart. From here will be all new experience for me so let's see how it goes (bit nervous as many players noted quality of the game drops sharply in Act 4 & 5).

Also playing Dragon's Dogma 2 in parallel. I sunk in almost 30 hours, on my way to next big city following the main storyline. Its such a strange experience - there are a lot I complain about (mainly the terrible console UI, playing inventory tetris & performance - fps drop in main city etc) but I kept coming back - it was becoming an unhealthy addiction until now. On the way to Battahl's been freaking insane especially because I decided to change my Arisen and Pawn's vocation now of all time. I got my ass kicked solidly and had to backtrack to nearest town to change my vocation back. Kinda salty atm and taking a break