What are you playing?

[tpa-pr]

At the moment my poison of choice is Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Based on my limited knowledge of the older Assassin's Creed games, this is an "Assassin's Creed" game is name only. But it's actually a really fun sandbox to mess around in. The combat is pretty simplistic but satisfying, there is plenty of content to do (arena fights, faction war, mercenary hunts, piracy and sailing etc) and I am a sucker for Ancient Greece and Rome.

It's also a gorgeous game. Not to toot my card's horn again but i'm getting a butter smooth 144fps everywhere. Actually to the game's credit, my gaming laptop with its 6500M is able to get 60fps on high at 1080p too. It seems incredibly well optimized!

 

[lexluthermiester]

C&C3 is best played with OG disc without patches if you play through campaign, because patches only to balance multiplayer but unbalanced the computer in campaign. Especially Kane's Wrath.

I did not know this! Time to reinstall without patches.. Thank you good sir!!

 

[AusWolf]

I did not know this! Time to reinstall without patches.. Thank you good sir!!

I didn't either. Unfortunately, the disk version is off the table with Linux. I'll have a go with the Steam version, though - still better than nothing.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Unfortunately, the disk version is off the table with Linux.

Why is that?

 

[Princess Garnet]

C&C3 is best played with OG disc without patches if you play through campaign, because patches only to balance multiplayer but unbalanced the computer in campaign. Especially Kane's Wrath.

I'm going off memory here and don't remember the specifics, but one of the campaign missions in particular is especially effected, because you get a crane instead of a construction yard, and one of the patches made changes to what the crane could build. Originally I think the crane could build almost anything the construction yard could, and later it had many of its options removed for balance reasons.

Some of the balance changes were good; I recall it being far easier to cheese and amass economy originally for example, but some of the campaign was probably made with the original balance in mind. Other than that one particular mission, I don't recall having any serious issues with it after the changes.

 

[Apocalypsee]

I'm going off memory here and don't remember the specifics, but one of the campaign missions in particular is especially effected, because you get a crane instead of a construction yard, and one of the patches made changes to what the crane could build. Originally I think the crane could build almost anything the construction yard could, and later it had many of its options removed for balance reasons.

Some of the balance changes were good; I recall it being far easier to cheese and amass economy originally for example, but some of the campaign was probably made with the original balance in mind. Other than that one particular mission, I don't recall having any serious issues with it after the changes.

That's the one, most of other missions were kinda OK until you play it on hard or brutal. Nod Sarajevo is one of the missions affected by this where you need to get saboteur inside but GDI easily overwhelm everything. Unit buff/nerf upsets the balance because some missions only allow certain units to be 'main fighting units'

 

[lexluthermiester]

I didn't either. Unfortunately, the disk version is off the table with Linux. I'll have a go with the Steam version, though - still better than nothing.

I'm going off memory here and don't remember the specifics, but one of the campaign missions in particular is especially effected, because you get a crane instead of a construction yard, and one of the patches made changes to what the crane could build. Originally I think the crane could build almost anything the construction yard could, and later it had many of its options removed for balance reasons.

Some of the balance changes were good; I recall it being far easier to cheese and amass economy originally for example, but some of the campaign was probably made with the original balance in mind. Other than that one particular mission, I don't recall having any serious issues with it after the changes.

I looked this up elsewhere and it seems quite a number of unsavory changes were made from the original release, changes that are not justified. So yeah, Thank You both for that info! I think I might replay for the hell of it.

OK until you play it on hard or brutal.

Which is what I do, so yeah..

 

[Hyderz]

Man how do you survive... -70 in frost punk... ive only got 1.3k of coal and 3 automatons collect coals.....
but the steam engines chews up so much

 

[Ruru]

Totally forgot that I bought Diablo II Resurrected one of those times I've been drunk. Let's play and I hope that it's as addictive as the classic D2 LoD was 20 years ago.

 

[AusWolf]

Why is that?

I don't think the installer is gonna run. Couldn't hurt to try, though.

 

[AleXXX666]

Got a relatively old game - Metro 2033 (no redux BS, original). Start was interesting. Will continue a bit definitely.

 

[AusWolf]

Got a relatively old game - Metro 2033 (no redux BS, original). Start was interesting. Will continue a bit definitely.

Redux is a nice visual upgrade that brings the themes of 2033 and Last Light together, but it's a fine game anyway.

 

[de.das.dude]

Got a relatively old game - Metro 2033 (no redux BS, original). Start was interesting. Will continue a bit definitely.

i think this was free on EPIC or something recently. defintely a nice game.

 

[Apocalypsee]

Redux is a nice visual upgrade that brings the themes of 2033 and Last Light together, but it's a fine game anyway.

Just my opinion, OG Metro2033 looks better than Redux, just like OG Crysis vs remastered. Why? Because the OG game engine was made FOR PC, it was less post processed than later game engine that was made with consoles in mind. Hard for me to say, but there is distinct visual difference. It's just sharper.

 

[AusWolf]

Just my opinion, OG Metro2033 looks better than Redux, just like OG Crysis vs remastered. Why? Because the OG game engine was made FOR PC, it was less post processed than later game engine that was made with consoles in mind. Hard for me to say, but there is distinct visual difference. It's just sharper.

I just like the way Redux merges the design of 2033 with that of Last Light for a smoother transition between the two games, but each to their own.

 

[Vayra86]

DERAIL VALLEY WITH PASSENGERS ERMAGARGH


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That looks and sounds like its truly at risk of becoming exciting at some point! No offense intended I can see the charm in it, I just lack patience

enter the drama.... NOT!

i don't care about lgbtiBBQ, whatever claims about bioware being done because of that game

ofc my favorite is DA:O and awakening ... but i loved DA2 and DA:I ...

so: Veilguard, is good ... imho. I enjoy the gameplay, the storytelling and a lot of thing about it ... (i also enjoy the fact that i got it as a gift from a friend and i only added the 20chf for the deluxe ed digital upgrade even tho it only add cosmetics ) ok it diverge a lot from the other DA i reckon, but i am fine with it.

the graphic are good, Arlathan forest look awesome
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"but character look like cr@p" and "the character creator sucks!"
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oh yeah? i'm not seeing the same game they see?
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oh ... yeah ... in single player i usually do a female character at first that's one of my weakness (started with a preset from the Nexus ) tbf she look like the Auri replacer i use in Skyrim for the "Song of the Green"
but i confess i prefer the elves from Veilguard (unpopular opinion i guess judging by the reviews )
and Warrior class, a true sight to see, fighting with a shield and sword feel impactful, tho the 2 handed hammer or axe really make her shine, what, bows & arrows? Magic? dual sword or daggers? nah elf warrior rocks!

4.7hrs in it, yeah i like it


And Varric look, well ... he look Varric enough.
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Well to credit the haters... the visual design isn't bad, but my god what a blurfest and why is everyone putting paint in random places? If you squint a little bit you might think you're visiting a psychedelic techno festival, and everyone is on shrooms. Its like fashion for 10 year olds. Gender barely even comes into play with the fifteen layers of varnish the characters use for make up in the morning. Fashion Age. Or put differently, its a bit like Asian Waifu culture and Dragon Age had a baby - or a miscarriage.

Man how do you survive... -70 in frost punk... ive only got 1.3k of coal and 3 automatons collect coals.....
but the steam engines chews up so much

Research! The efficiency upgrades are an absolute must, or you will come up short. Upgrade your mines and additional buildings to place on top of them ASAP. You can get some perpetual sources of resources that way, also, coal is the least efficient material. Oil generates more heat per unit; and Steam never runs dry. Also, you can upgrade your Generator to work more efficiently and to choose what you burn first, those are essential upgrades too. Additionally, on the heat usage side of the coin, you can and should get any research that reduces heat expense on housing, because if you combine that with efficient placement (each district getting 3 neighbours with 3 adjacent spaces each) you can get zero-heating cost housing. You can also use housing to heat up food districts and vice versa, which is great.

Another way to approach the issue is stockpiling more, and having more of an 'on-and-off' economy where you shut down your production facilities during low temperature periods, and live off your stockpile. Stockpiles are also fantastic ways to free up workforce - the workforce they use is easily offset by the reduced workforce required for adjacent, matching districts. Always place stockpiles with factory and mining districts adjacent to them.

The research paths that the nonstandard factions offer, are also always the go-to research options, they offer the efficiency bumps you need to afford some later upgrades without falling short of resources.

EDIT: @Hyderz just came to mind- Squalor and Disease are presented in the game as problems, but they really are 'resources', as in, you can deal with a low amount of disease and squalor continuously and have no issues in the city. Use that fact to balance out the two when you build upgrades, because those generally increase one or both of these traits. It gets too high? Add a single hospital. Researched lots of stuff that adds to disease? Focus on disease reducing research elsewhere, etc.

 

[Ruru]

Just my opinion, OG Metro2033 looks better than Redux, just like OG Crysis vs remastered. Why? Because the OG game engine was made FOR PC, it was less post processed than later game engine that was made with consoles in mind. Hard for me to say, but there is distinct visual difference. It's just sharper.

Though OC Crysis' engine is ass on modern hardware since it uses only two cores AFAIK.

I liked the remastered on PC and had nothing to complain personally.

 

[de.das.dude]

That looks and sounds like its truly at risk of becoming exciting at some point! No offense intended I can see the charm in it, I just lack patience

you can always save and load. i just derailed 4 coaches and blew up my steam engine

 

[Shou Miko]

At the moment my poison of choice is Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Based on my limited knowledge of the older Assassin's Creed games, this is an "Assassin's Creed" game is name only. But it's actually a really fun sandbox to mess around in. The combat is pretty simplistic but satisfying, there is plenty of content to do (arena fights, faction war, mercenary hunts, piracy and sailing etc) and I am a sucker for Ancient Greece and Rome.

It's also a gorgeous game. Not to toot my card's horn again but i'm getting a butter smooth 144fps everywhere. Actually to the game's credit, my gaming laptop with its 6500M is able to get 60fps on high at 1080p too. It seems incredibly well optimized!

View attachment 370449
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It's a good game been through it 2-3 times.

I see an 8, but not a 9 to follow!? What is this!?

*sad noises*

Anyway, I'm starting Life is Strange Double Exposure. You weren't kidding about the demands.

The performance isn't my biggest qualm though; the ghosting from the anti-aliasing is! This is horrid, especially during moments where you're not walking around and when it's panning a conversation or something. I dropped it from cinematic to either low or high and it seems it might be improved, but I'm not sure yet (need to see more "cutscene"), so I'll experiment with it going forward. I'm open to suggestions on settings from those familiar with them otherwise.

There was also some aggressive blur in the (not so far) distance, and raising secondary resolution to 100% seems to have got rid of that. This does make it more performance demanding though.

But the game really does look great, and it keeps some of the same style the first one had. I'm just happy to be Max again (her voice is a bit of an adjustment but she is older), so I hope the story is good. I heard it's not as good as the first and I'm actually okay with that because the first would be hard to top, I just want it to be "not bad" and I heard mixed things about later chapters.

Now I want coffee...

I really want this game but I haven't justified buying the deluxe version yet plus I need a bed in the second room because winter is coming and sleeping on my ikea sofa doesn't cut it anymore been doing in it for the past 2 years since the wall in the bedroom and kitchen in my apartment ain't keeping the heat in and when it gets below 0c it's cold.

Maybe later this month or next month I might end up buying Life is Strange Double Exposure been waiting on it since I heard about it.
I am a fan of the Life is Strange series and I enjoyed True Colors a lot.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

@tpa-pr

I put over 200hrs into a playthrough of Odyssey back in 2018. I spent hours just goofing off starting fights in Athens, then battling all 5 mercs, the soldiers, and civilians; total chaos. Between the game demands and Denuvo DRM cancer, my 4770K at 4.5GHz couldn't keep things smooth with all of that going on. Took a Ryzen 2600 to mostly eliminate the frame pacing issues in the heaviest fights.

 

[Ruru]

I really want this game but I haven't justified buying the deluxe version yet plus I need a bed in the second room because winter is coming and sleeping on my ikea sofa doesn't cut it anymore been doing in it for the past 2 years since the wall in the bedroom and kitchen in my apartment ain't keeping the heat in and when it gets below 0c it's cold.

Maybe later this month or next month I might end up buying Life is Strange Double Exposure been waiting on it since I heard about it.
I am a fan of the Life is Strange series and I enjoyed True Colors a lot.

I went with the ultimate edition and every cent well spent.

True Colors was also good and you can never have too much of Steph.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I don't think the installer is gonna run. Couldn't hurt to try, though.

If you have them, give it a try. But yeah, Steam will likely be much easier.

 

[Apocalypsee]

Continuing Red Alert 2 on my retro gaming PC. Every time I play using CRT I just love the crisp image quality it produces despite this is low end typically office PC CRT. I just found out my CRT is actually 17 inch not 15 inch lol, it can run 1280x1024 but at flickering 60Hz, 1280x960 fared slightly better at 72Hzv (which for me borderline for playing games near flicker free) but I run at 1024x768 85Hz mostly, because my Radeon 9100 don't have much grunt running at anything higher. This mission is a bastard I don't know why AI so clever on my PC, when I see speedrun on YouTube their AI is dumb AF, oh wait they play on easy

 

[Frick]

Continuing Red Alert 2 on my retro gaming PC. Every time I play using CRT I just love the crisp image quality it produces despite this is low end typically office PC CRT. I just found out my CRT is actually 17 inch not 15 inch lol, it can run 1280x1024 but at flickering 60Hz, 1280x960 fared slightly better at 72Hzv (which for me borderline for playing games near flicker free) but I run at 1024x768 85Hz mostly, because my Radeon 9100 don't have much grunt running at anything higher. This mission is a bastard I don't know why AI so clever on my PC, when I see speedrun on YouTube their AI is dumb AF, oh wait they play on easy

View attachment 370493

1152x864 was the sweet spot for me on them 17"ers.

 

[Mindweaver]

I'm playing Batman: Arkham Shadow on the Quest 3. OMG it's really good. I was worried it wouldn't feel like a Rocksteady Arkham game, but wow it really does do it justice (pun intended.. lol). The last quarter of this year is crazy. I'll be playing Metro Awakening today as well. I'M BATMAN!