Paradox Interactive - Acquires Harebrained Schemes

Originally Posted by Archangel
Then you should cross off Paradox owned HBS right now as Battletech already is not DRM free. You need to be logged into Paradox servers with Paradox account to access some of the backer features.
You can be sure this trend will continue.

This is fake news. You really only need to be logged in to play multiplayer.

No; you need to be logged in to get the widgets for backers. They are minor widgets but one can see how this will be extended with things like new robots models. These widgets apply to single player.
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My understanding is this is sort of like the license thing one of the EA products had but I could be mistaken.

Originally Posted by wolfing
This is fake news. You really only need to be logged in to play multiplayer.

Originally Posted by ChatMiauleur
CK2 is fully supported, 6 years after launch.

As expected since it is still in developpment. The issue of support matters once the product is out of developpment.

CK2 does not need any DLC to be played at the last level of patch.

Paradox products are usually about expansion. Usually about land expansion. CK2 is set apart as originally, the core expansion is dynasty.

Yet players play it as if it was about land expansion.
This leads to make mechanics redundant and good results are achieved by using only like 40 per cent of mechanics. Only a shallow knowledge of mechanics is required to perform properly.

It helps to tell that DLCs absence is weightless, players do not tap all the mechanics.

It is a fiction to claim that Paradox could somehow command all the permutations that could be between DLCs: they design with the full package in mind, what happens with partial absence of DLCs is left to the discretion of a player.
Which is helped by players who play the land expansion angle.

CK2 does not need any subscription.

Tricky. They somewhat need a subscription like a paradox account in order to unlock stuff like the ironman mode and the achievements associated to it.

Through that subscription, paradox farms and mine data.

Originally Posted by ChienAboyeur
Tricky. They somewhat need a subscription like a paradox account in order to unlock stuff like the ironman mode and the achievements associated to it.

Through that subscription, paradox farms and mine data.

You don't need a Paradox account to get achievements, they're just normal Steam achievements. Same for playing ironman, what are you going on about? There's no requirement whatsoever to have a PDX account.

Try actually playing the game yourself?

What Ironman? Game didn't have ironman when I played it few weeks back. But I never made a PDX account and never logged on

You really have to be logged into servers to get some kick starter benefits, even if you're playing the single player version?? If that is true, it would be beyond disappointing for me, to the point that I might consider not even playing the bloody thing. That is just awful news =xxx

The backers widgets are minor (skins) but yes. We shall see if this models extend to content DLC.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
You really have to be logged into servers to get some kick starter benefits, even if you're playing the single player version?? If that is true, it would be beyond disappointing for me, to the point that I might consider not even playing the bloody thing. That is just awful news =xxx

Originally Posted by wiretripped
You don't need a Paradox account to get achievements, they're just normal Steam achievements. Same for playing ironman, what are you going on about? There's no requirement whatsoever to have a PDX account.

Try actually playing the game yourself?

Chien playing a game himself? Does that ever happen? I've never seen him writing anything about a game based on his own playing experience, it's always based on watching other people play.

I'm not sure I can imagine anything more boring than watching someone else playing a video game. That's just beyond me.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I'm not sure I can imagine anything more boring than watching someone else playing a video game. That's just beyond me.

I said the same, until I started doing it myself, it's actually cool.

I can understand watching E-sports can be fun if you're into it, my brothers do but I personally prefer watching football if I want sports. But I realize the difference probably isn't that big really, we sit on our lazy asses watching someone else play far better than we ever could either way…

I don't really see the fun in watching others playing RPG's though, that's way beyond my humble understanding. Same for Grand Strategy. And those happen to me my prefered genres.

Back on topic, I really can't see these news as neither good nor bad. Yet. If HBS gains more funding through it and can make even greater games than they've already delivered? Good. If they start churning out meaningless DLC's or developing games that I no longer enjoy? Bad. Time will tell which option wins.

Yikes….sounds like one of the Harebrained Schemes developers had to fire himself because he was harassing fellow employees. Maybe those owners saw some writing on the wall after all, lol.

Vaguely I think there was rumours of this previously. Also I suspect he was given a choice to either resign or suffer the consequences and chose this route as the least evil. I don't consider this a negative to HBS (as carnifex implies) as there are shitty people everywhere and at every company. This does not imply I think it is ok but as long as management deals with it effectively and doesn't try to sweep it under the rug at the expense of the victim I'm fine with it and unless we learn something later that is contradictory it sounds like management dealt with it when they became aware of the issue.

Ah yes the rumours I was thinking of was the recent news bit on stardock - different company.

Originally Posted by TomRon
I can understand watching E-sports can be fun if you're into it, my brothers do but I personally prefer watching football if I want sports. But I realize the difference probably isn't that big really, we sit on our lazy asses watching someone else play far better than we ever could either way…

I don't really see the fun in watching others playing RPG's though, that's way beyond my humble understanding. Same for Grand Strategy. And those happen to me my prefered genres.

See, I watch people streaming games for the following reasons:
1- It's a game style I don't like playing but it's fun to watch, for example I don't play 'rogue-like' games or games like Dark Souls because I hate dying and having to redo content. But I don't mind if someone else likes to suffer through it, I laugh when they die, yes I'm a horrible person.
2- The streamer is a fun person to watch. Similar to how people watch Conan even if they don't care about his guests, I watch some streamers play games I don't care about.
3- I want to learn how to play a complex game (like the Paradox Strategy Games), best way for me is to watch someone play it at least to give me an idea of what's important and what's not.
4- I'm looking to improve my game so I can watch people who are good at it to see what I'm doing wrong.

In the case of RPGs I only watch when I have finished the game or am not interested in playing the game.

Stories people are ready to tell themselves.

CK2 is six years old, and posts were made about it since that date.

As a reminder, watching streamers is the result of this site complaining about reports from personal experience as not being enough.

The circularity is remarkable

Report from personal experience: not meaning, too singular, horizon must be enlarged

Report from watching streamers: not meaning, not personal

Report from watching streamers and personal experience: not meaning, for any reason.

Type of people who usually end carrying out genocides in order to escape the consequences of the situation they've pushed for.

Originally Posted by TomRon
Chien playing a game himself? Does that ever happen? I've never seen him writing anything about a game based on his own playing experience, it's always based on watching other people play.

Stupendous case of selective reading and selective memory.

It was stated many times that PoE, Tyranny, the dwarves are all playable real time with pause (in opposition to the slideshow named PwRT)
Source: personal experience as it can not be streamers or players on this site who play PwRT.

After spending so much time denying RTwP, not even remembering the case made about PoE, Tyranny, the Dwarves, that is nothing short from brilliant.

Originally Posted by wolfing
I said the same, until I started doing it myself, it's actually cool.

Especially when the products are designed to cater to the needs of streamers.

Kind of products this site has a big taste for.

The whole harassment fiasco sounds like it was going on for years, starting back when the Shadowrun games were in development. That is simply outrageous, that it was allowed to persist in the company for so long. Now, when the bosses were aware of it seems to be unknown right now, but to me this speaks volumes about the management style that must have been in place at the time.

You're assuming it was reported or widely known by management. Is this the case ?

Originally Posted by Carnifex
The whole harassment fiasco sounds like it was going on for years, starting back when the Shadowrun games were in development. That is simply outrageous, that it was allowed to persist in the company for so long. Now, when the bosses were aware of it seems to be unknown right now, but to me this speaks volumes about the management style that must have been in place at the time.

Certainly if the harassed people didn't report this behaviour, some of the responsibility is theirs. However, the ultimate blame lies with the aggressor, and I find it impossible to believe that only the aggressor and victims were aware of all this happening. Possible, but highly unlikely.

Originally Posted by ChienAboyeur
Stupendous case of selective reading and selective memory.

It was stated many times that PoE, Tyranny, the dwarves are all playable real time with pause (in opposition to the slideshow named PwRT)
Source: personal experience as it can not be streamers or players on this site who play PwRT.

After spending so much time denying RTwP, not even remembering the case made about PoE, Tyranny, the Dwarves, that is nothing short from brilliant.

Wait what? It wasn't my intention to criticise you. I actually thought you didn't play games yourself but preferred watching streamers, because over all these years on the Watch I can't remember ever seeing you post anything starting with "I think" or "My experience with the game" etc. I don't see what our different opinions on RTwP has to do with it? I assumed you based your opinions on watching streamers.

Anyway, if I offended you in any way I apologise.