What games are you playing now?

Originally Posted by Menigal
The lore's a mess, too. Post-Morrowind lore's all been a bit lacking, but here it's got books and references from after the time the game's set in.

Since I discovered a copy of The Lusty Argonian Maid during my fist visit of the ESO-era Shivering Isles, I'm pretty sure Sheogorath distributed the books from the future in Tamriel (and that he'll take them all back home with him sometime later) .

Originally Posted by Jaz
Since I discovered a copy of The Lusty Argonian Maid during my fist visit of the ESO-era Shivering Isles, I'm pretty sure Sheogorath distributed the books from the future in Tamriel (and that he'll take them all back home with him sometime later) .

Sheogorath (the proper old one, not the chaotic crazy fishmalk one) is my head-canon fix for a lot of TES weirdness. All of the weirdness of Oblivion, for example, is because he drove the PC insane, which also explains why they disappeared instead of taking over the Empire, the general map weirdness, thieves in daedric armor, and so on. It makes more sense than the official version.

I'm just poking around Daggerfall now, which doesn't feel nearly as cool as it should. The fact that the cities seem to have gotten even more laggy since the last time I played really doesn't help.

Originally Posted by azarhal
I'm currently playing Legend of Heroes: Trail in the Sky. Who would have thoughts that this ~12 years old game (first released in 2004, although the PC version is probably based on the PS3 remaster of 2011) would take me away from Dragon's Dogma and Mass Effect 2. Well it did.

I haven't had that much fun questing in a while. I'm back to suffering from "just one more quest, OMG, it's already 11pm!" syndrome. Looking at it, game developers (everywhere, this is a JRPG) forgot how to make RPGs at some point, because this is the format to follow.

Amazing story pace so far (not drowned in side quests, not lost following the trail of the main quest either). No "you are our Savior" trope in sight, crime solving and defending villagers from monsters is what I'm doing. Most side quests have substantial content, if they don't they get completed just by following the main quest. The isometric voiceless cutscenes with emotions and animations are very cool. I wish more games went this way instead of voicing everything. Also the games keep track of what you are doing, I had multiple instance where NPCs referred to optional things I did, I don't often see this anymore.

Downside: this being a old console games, maps are very smalls, but loading is basically instant on PC so it's not that bad. The problem is every time you load a map monsters respawns…most of them are easy to avoid though.

Yeah it is a lot of fun. A pity the combat system is so limited And there is no custom character development

Finished Grimrock. I love that game - great length and a good challenge, and the atmosphere is awesome. I'm not really an achievement collector, but I'm now only a handful away from the full set… I'm thinking of having another go on hard mode with the automap turned off! I imagine that will be a less pleasant experince. I still haven't found all the secrets yet either. Ahh sounds like the kind of playthrough I'll never actually finish, but I might give it a go…

The whole experience has made me really want a LoG 3. I checked in on the Almost Human website and it doesn't sound like anything is in the works though (yet….)

@Carnifex, thanks for the greater description, but I'm still somewhat in the dark, it's a game that hasn't seen much attention from anyone so I apologise for attempting to over-grill you. I'll look forward to your final descriptors when you've finished it.

@Wolfing, what's Rise of Venice like? I bought it on disk for £2.49 but the graphics wont run properly on my old computer, it nearly works but the screen just constantly flashes at me like it's struggling to settle down. Is it worth keeping for when I buy a comp with more RAM or should I take it back for a refund (it claims on the box it only requires a comp with 2GB Ram)?

Originally Posted by lackblogger
@Wolfing, what's Rise of Venice like? I bought it on disk for £2.49 but the graphics wont run properly on my old computer, it nearly works but the screen just constantly flashes at me like it's struggling to settle down. Is it worth keeping for when I buy a comp with more RAM or should I take it back for a refund (it claims on the box it only requires a comp with 2GB Ram)?

I'm liking it so far. I'm playing the campaign right now.
The very first part of the game is basically trading, you start in Venice and need to buy trading licenses in other cities to dock there. You buy cheap and sell expensive.
Then when you have enough money and ships, you start forming automatic convoys to do most of the trading for you, and you start concentrating more on production, and then politics.
There are also battles against pirates, which can be fun I suppose, but if you don't care about that you can let them auto-resolve (it's what I do unless I want to capture some ships).

Originally Posted by Menigal
I'm just poking around Daggerfall now, which doesn't feel nearly as cool as it should. The fact that the cities seem to have gotten even more laggy since the last time I played really doesn't help.

Oh, I like Daggerfall B.L.G.*! Though I kinda miss the holes in the ground that will let you fall through the world **, and I still don't like that you can't buy ships and houses.

The lag depends a lot on when you play, at least on the Euro server. While weekend afternoons and evenings tend to be pretty laggy, all is quiet in the mornings (or on weekday evenings).


_____________________
*Before Lysandus' Ghost
** the ones the Dwemer fell through in my head canon.

The lag was pretty awful on the NA ESO server yesterday. So after a little, I went back to FO4.

I'm playing DA:I and Dragon's Dogma. DD is not my cup of tea normally, so I'm just messing with it based on the high praise from Brumbek. The skill trees are very sparse, but you can mix and match classes so it should be fun. DA:I has a very dull main quest, but I really enjoy exploring the various regions.

I've just started playing Icewind Dale. Was loving it, but it's very quickly grinding me down with how much combat there is.

I'm in the Vale of Shadows, and was wondering if it changes much afterwards? (I.e. Does it become more balanced with RPG/story aspects, and are the dungeons all as long winded as the Vale of Shadows?)

Originally Posted by Falksi
I've just started playing Icewind Dale. Was loving it, but it's very quickly grinding me down with how much combat there is.

I'm in the Vale of Shadows, and was wondering if it changes much afterwards? (I.e. Does it become more balanced with RPG/story aspects, and are the dungeons all as long winded as the Vale of Shadows?)

In my opinion no as the Icewind Dale games are more focused on combat, and dungeon exploring compared to the Baldur's series which focus more on story.

So it all depends on what you as a gamer like more combat or story.

Originally Posted by Falksi
I've just started playing Icewind Dale. Was loving it, but it's very quickly grinding me down with how much combat there is.

I'm in the Vale of Shadows, and was wondering if it changes much afterwards? (I.e. Does it become more balanced with RPG/story aspects, and are the dungeons all as long winded as the Vale of Shadows?)

From what I remember, the Vale of Shadows is the most boring one, but Icewind Dale is a dungeon crawler at its core. Each chapter focus on a specific one with some background story, a reason to go there and a few side quests. I have fond memories of the Severed Hand (chapter 3) though.

Thanks chaps. Is Icewind Dale 2 the same?

I really want to persist, but it's just mob after mob after mob!

Severed Hand was pretty good, if difficult. Mysterious, too.

Originally Posted by Falksi
Thanks chaps. Is Icewind Dale 2 the same?

I really want to persist, but it's just mob after mob after mob!

Unfortunately yes as Icewind Dale II's game-play is more focused on combat.

The game is designed as an action-oriented alternative to other Infinity Engine games, with less emphasis on exploration and story. It uses a real-time adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Third Edition ruleset. The Infinity Engine was extensively modified to comply with the Third Edition, but the team was forced to remove certain rules because of the engine's outdated nature. It was the final game to be developed using the Infinity Engine.

You do have optional side quests like Icewind Dale though. If anyone can find the old interview links Josh Sawyer explained why he made both games this way.

Originally Posted by Falksi
Thanks chaps. Is Icewind Dale 2 the same?

I really want to persist, but it's just mob after mob after mob!

You must have missed the traps….although, I think traps galor is in later dungeons.

Icewind Dale 2 has less dungeons, but not less combat (everywhere you go is basically invaded, lol). It's 3.0e instead of 2e AD&D too.

edit:
beaten by Couch.

IWD is not played for the story, lol. What on earth gave you that expectation? It's about atmosphere, combat and encountering some of the most interesting creatures you'll ever find in RPGs. Don't forget to take a minute to just stand around in the Vale of Shadows to take in the cold windswept peaks and then listen when you set off for the crunching of the snow beneath your feet.

Vale of Shadows is the beginner area, skeletons mostly, but really starts to crank up once you go down into the final crypt for that level. If you're not good at combat then at that point you'll either quit and say it's boring or you'll understand what it's all about.

Originally Posted by lackblogger
IWD is not played for the story, lol. What on earth gave you that expectation? It's about atmosphere, combat and encountering some of the most interesting creatures you'll ever find in RPGs. Don't forget to take a minute to just stand around in the Vale of Shadows to take in the cold windswept peaks and then listen when you set off for the crunching of the snow beneath your feet.





Vale of Shadows is the beginner area, skeletons mostly, but really starts to crank up once you go down into the final crypt for that level. If you're not good at combat then at that point you'll either quit and say it's boring or you'll understand what it's all about.

I'm only on the second level of TVOS it and it feels waaaay too long already! Just not enough roleplaying to break it up. The combats fairly easy really, that's one of the reasons why I'm finding it boring.

Originally Posted by Falksi
I'm only on the second level of TVOS it and it feels waaaay too long already! Just not enough roleplaying to break it up. The combats fairly easy really, that's one of the reasons why I'm finding it boring.

Hang in there is all I can say. Since when do RPGs come out the blocks on all cylinders? There is some interesting stories and tidbits along the way, it's just not the focus. Go to the end of Vale of Shadows and take the challenge on, then quit if you don't like the challenge, but don't quit on the opening skeletons, lol.

Edit: I also have no idea which version you're playing nor what difficulty setting, I can only speak the version I played/own.

Love Icewind Dale. But perhaps you're just not in the mood for a dungeon crawler? As others have stated, each chapter is a mystery unto itself; if you're not absorbing the atmosphere with a smile on your face as you unravel the mystery, perhaps the game isn't for you.

I still look back fondly on the incredible story that gradually revealed itself in the Severed Hand.