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[Arthea]

You guys don't wanna talk about it? You'll have to!

Best Game nominees according to BAFTA

ALIEN: ISOLATION Development Team - Creative Assembly/SEGA
DESTINY Development Team – Bungie/Activision
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION Development Team – BioWare/Electronic Arts
MARIO KART 8 Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR Development Team - Monolith Productions/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
MONUMENT VALLEY Development Team – ustwo Games/ustwo Studio

Hey! Mass Effect 1 has all three!

Spoiler

I agree on Mass Effect 2&3, though

well... I'll give you that, grudgingly, mind you (><)

 

[PetriP-TNT]

You guys don't wanna talk about it? You'll have to!

Best Game nominees according to BAFTA

ALIEN: ISOLATION Development Team - Creative Assembly/SEGA
DESTINY Development Team – Bungie/Activision
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION Development Team – BioWare/Electronic Arts
MARIO KART 8 Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR Development Team - Monolith Productions/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
MONUMENT VALLEY Development Team – ustwo Games/ustwo Studio



well... I'll give you that, grudgingly, mind you (><)

Winner is MIDDLE-EARTH: DESTINY OF INQUISTION

 

[Deques]

alright i'm downloading this game for the seventeenth time

i don't expect this one to last more than the last, but lords knows i try

i feel like a ton of these updates are too high level oriented for me, i just want to shoot stuff with maybe a bit of difficulty and like hostage control. that's all i ever wanted

Infamy levels are high level content, if you haven't leveled once in Infamy level then it's not worth bothering if you don't want to aim for that.

 

[Tizoc]

So Strength of Sword is on Kickstarter to expand it and get it on PC/Steam.
You can get a copy for $10 by pledging here
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1145990096/strength-of-the-sword-ultimate?ref=hero_thanks#

Come on everyone, help Jase get that +1!

 

[Dr Dogg]

Eurogamer has dropped review scores

Thoughts?

Well I've never been a fan of scoring reviews, even more so when they are leaning more on subjective opinion based on the reviewers experience. Than and the days of EG awarding 8 out of 10's, their most popular score by fucking miles, is dead

Though I wonder if this is more like a jumping on the bandwagon from a few outlets rather than an actual means to improve the criticism and subsequent discussion around reviews. From the article you linked their reasoning is sound but games haven't changed in such a way or in fact any time recently that you couldn't just drop the score. To be fair reviews are what have changed to the greater extent where the focus is more on the reviewers experience specifically with the game but more on a cultural slant than one where they assess the technical merits and mechanics of a game which were easier to score to a grading system.

Of course when you boil it all down even the Yes, No, Maybe/Not Yet system is just a 3 point scale. EG are trying something a little different where they will have Recommend, Essential and Avoid with not every title getting one of those but again this has issues. Unless you take the review as this is the reviewers take on this title which may or may not align with your own views then you have to read it with an open mind. So let's say Simon Parkin really hate's AssCreed Victory and slaps an Avoid on it that still leaves the question of why which the review itself should explain. So that begs another question, if the review text can tell us why we should avoid it, what the reviewer liked about it or didn't like about it then why does it need a brief summary or one word stamp? Eurogamer talk about scores being a reductive way to sum up a review and then do it again with 3 one word stamps. Reviews should never be about the score or award but the reasons why the reviewer came to the conclusion. Someone saying 'Well Kotaku said Yes' or 'Eurogamer said Avoid' gives me next to no information why which I'd rather be pointed in the direction of their review. Fingers crossed this changes some people's mentality when discussing reviews who only cite the score or one word outcome and continues the discussion (not fucking likely judging from review threads here).

Then again I buy any old shit and AAA, homogenised, lowest common denominator type stuff is still my bag alongside mid tier, indie darlings or crow funded titles.

5/10

EDIT: Jokes aside, I feel that no matter what they adopt ultimately, it is still their personal opinion that may or may not gel with some consumers tastes.

Hahaha bastard!

Yeah exactly one man's junk is another man's treasure though I don't feel the need to go on to the interwebs and say my junk is a 10 out of 10 (well I did that 1 time).

 

[Milamber]

Well I've never been a fan of scoring reviews, even more so when they are leaning more on subjective opinion based on the reviewers experience. Than and the days of EG awarding 8 out of 10's, their most popular score by fucking miles, is dead

Though I wonder if this is more like a jumping on the bandwagon from a few outlets rather than an actual means to improve the criticism and subsequent discussion around reviews. From the article you linked their reasoning is sound but games haven't changed in such a way or in fact any time recently that you couldn't just drop the score. To be fair reviews are what have changed to the greater extent where the focus is more on the reviewers experience specifically with the game but more on a cultural slant than one where they assess the technical merits and mechanics of a game which were easier to score to a grading system.

Of course when you boil it all down even the Yes, No, Maybe/Not Yet system is just a 3 point scale. EG are trying something a little different where they will have Recommend, Essential and Avoid with not every title getting one of those but again this has issues. Unless you take the review as this is the reviewers take on this title which may or may not align with your own views then you have to read it with an open mind. So let's say Simon Parkin really hate's AssCreed Victory and slaps an Avoid on it that still leaves the question of why which the review itself should explain. So that begs the question, if the review text can tell us why we should avoid it, what the reviewer liked about it or didn't like about it then why does it need a brief summary or one word stamp? The fact Eurogamer talk about scores being a reductive way to sum up a review and then do it again with 3 one word stamps. Reviews should never be about the score or award but the reasons why the reviewer came to the conclusion. Someone saying 'Well Kotaku said Yes' or 'Eurogamer said Avoid' gives me next to no information why which I'd rather be pointed in the direction of their review. Fingers crossed this changes some peoples mentalities when discussing reviews and only site the score or one word outcome and continues the discussion (not fucking likely judging from review threads here).

Then again I buy any old shit and AAA, homogenised, lowest common denominator type stuff is still my bag alongside mid tier, indie darlings or crow funded titles.

5/10

EDIT: Jokes aside, I feel that no matter what they adopt ultimately, it is still their personal opinion that may or may not gel with some consumers tastes.

 

[Turfster]

You guys don't wanna talk about it? You'll have to!

Best Game nominees according to BAFTA

Well, at least one of those was made by British people!

 

[Nzyme32]

Not sure it makes a difference but good for them?

Scores aren't the problem. They never really were.

Considering there are plenty of people in the other thread that have already changed "essential, recommended, and not recommended" to "10/9, 8/6, >5" or "buy, buy but not yet, and don't buy", you can be fairly sure many people are going to do the same nonsense with reviews as they did before, because they rather not read it and come to their own understanding of the reviewers opinion.

 

[Maniac]

Oh, so Steve's working on Dota? Don't know if people will be happy about this or not

Who?

 

[wetflame]

I played a little of Jazzpunk the other week, that's a pretty fun silly game. There's just enough nonsense to make it funny, while not going too far with it. I enjoyed it. Might actually tear myself away from Isaac a little more to complete it. Wouldn't that be a novelty.

 

[ashecitism]

Who?

Former creative director/writer of the Saints Row series. There was a lot os cynicism and snark when he joined Valve.

"great, now he's going to make hats"
"he's going to make nothing now"
"he better not touch HL"
etc

 

[Dr Dogg]

Considering there are plenty of people in the other thread that have already changed "essential, recommended, and not recommended" to "10/9, 8/6, >5" or "buy, buy but not yet, and don't buy", you can be fairly sure many people are going to do the same nonsense with reviews as they did before, because they rather not read it and come to their own understanding of the reviewers opinion.

Hey when you've preordered the GameStop Exclusive Limited to 1 Geralt's Left Bollock Edition of The Witcher III for $1,000 and months before anything other than a teaser trailer has come out you need something to justify your blind purchase.

The bigger news should be EG have stopped excepting publisher copies and will only use retail bought copies for reviews and review multiplayer games when they are out.

 

[Atraveller]

10/10

Horrible.

 

[Parsnip]

It's nice that you can unlock missions. I was under the impression that chests were the only reward.

It's just too bad that the missions are what they are. I mean I get that it would have been even more foolish of them to lock actual significant content behind the companion app, but it would have been nice if there had been just a little more effort on making that stuff, even like a bit of recorded dialogue or something.

Something. Anything.

 

[Dr Dogg]

The final AC Unity Companion mission (well set of mission but this is the bestest westest one) has you stealing an item... which turns out to be a guard patrolling a back alley which you can either steal it from him or stab him up and then loot him. Bish, bash, bosh done it 5 seconds or less, well that's not counting the 36 hour timer for that mission on the companion app or the subsequent month it took me to get it to unlock by playing the other 8 missions before. The real kick in the teeth is that when you find out the reward requires you to piss about in Helix Rifts, even after going through that whole ordeal.

 

[ashecitism]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=989201

lol

 

[Knurek]

I need to finish Cognition and the Blackwell games myself. If you by any chances haven't played the Room yet (sorry if you did, I don't remember), I suggest it a lot and then some, it's great.

Word of advice, do not enable the developer's commentary for Cognition.
It's very, very long (2-3 times the actual gameplay), very weirdly paced (10 seconds of gameplay, 5 minutes long commentary node, 10 seconds of gameplay, 10 minute of commentary), and doesn't really say all that much (other than various variations of 'there was a puzzle here, but due to time/money we had to cut it').
The poodle pictures were nice, but definitely not worth your time.
Oh, and the studio CEO has a very thick Eastern European accent (repeatedly says 'poosel' instead of 'puzzle') and there are no subtitles for the commentary.
Have fun.

 

[snoopeasystreet]

Did a reformat on my pc and now none of my steam games are launching. All I see is "Installing Microsoft Direct X for Windows" and then nothing. All my drivers are up to date and I've redownloaded the games instead of moving folders or anything so I'm not sure what's up. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[wilflare]

Anyone knows if PS+ just for a Vita would be good?

yes and just download those PS4 PS+ games too - you'll never know when you get a PS4 (or someone surprises you with one)

no NepNep foil drops

 

[derExperte]

Anyone knows if PS+ just for a Vita would be good?

No since you missed all the good big games already.

 

[PandaPedinte]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=989201

lol

Time to jump on the unrealistic train hoping it's a clue that HL3 is going to be formerly announced soon.

 

[Parsnip]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=989201

lol

 

[Grief.exe]

So Strength of Sword is on Kickstarter to expand it and get it on PC/Steam.
You can get a copy for $10 by pledging here
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1145990096/strength-of-the-sword-ultimate?ref=hero_thanks#

Come on everyone, help Jase get that +1!

That looks really good actually.

 

[MMBosstones86]

Tempting....

 

[Casimir]

As much as I adore the standard mIRC client, are there any better alternatives?

 

[tebunker]

Considering there are plenty of people in the other thread that have already changed "essential, recommended, and not recommended" to "10/9, 8/6, >5" or "buy, buy but not yet, and don't buy", you can be fairly sure many people are going to do the same nonsense with reviews as they did before, because they rather not read it and come to their own understanding of the reviewers opinion.

Exactly and that is one of the root causes that people fail to point towards.

It's not on euro gamer or any website or magazine to fight this war. It's up to consumers and that is going to be difficult because it changing behavior is not easy.

Also the idea of taking away "power" from meta rotor again lies directly with consumers. There is nothing inherently wrong with review aggregators, they provide a service and convenience. However that also tends to assist people in laziness. Taking out review scores isn't going to stop consumers from doing what they do.

Providing different forms of content or alternative review types or methods can change that behavior. You can never escape people being upset because they don't agree with your analysis, but you can change the way you deliver your message and content so that the emphasis is no longer on the final verdict.

 

[milena87]

You guys don't wanna talk about it? You'll have to!

Best Game nominees according to BAFTA

ALIEN: ISOLATION Development Team - Creative Assembly/SEGA
DESTINY Development Team &#8211; Bungie/Activision
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION Development Team &#8211; BioWare/Electronic Arts
MARIO KART 8 Development Team &#8211; Nintendo/Nintendo
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR Development Team - Monolith Productions/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
MONUMENT VALLEY Development Team &#8211; ustwo Games/ustwo Studio

Well, I wasn't expecting Bayonetta 2 to get nominated, but at least it's nice to see Mario Kart 8 in there.

Never heard of Monument Valley, so it's probably a mobile game.

Destiny... why?

Dragon Age Inquisition apparently captivated a lot of people, but I certainly don't agree that it was top 6 material. I consider the game good and I enjoyed playing it, but some of the decisions made by the devs were really disappointing (combat, enormous amount of fetch quests, crafting). If only there were more RPGs with real-time-with-pause party-based combat :/

Haven't played Alien Isolation yet. I have it and my brother really liked it, though. I can understand the nomination, especially considering it's the BAFTA and the game was developed in England.

Mordor puzzles me. A lot of people say it's fun, but I watch the videos online and I just don't get it. But I'll play it when it'll eventually reach 5-7&#8364;.

well... I'll give you that, grudgingly, mind you (><)

 

[Stallion Free]

I average less than one spam friend request a month #blessed

 

[derExperte]

I need new GeForce Experience with Screenshot support drivers are already good enough

He, since installing the new driver GFEx crashes right after opening. I even did a complete reinstall using Display Driver Uninstaller, still the same and I'm not the only one. Nvidia's on a roll lately.

 

[TheLetdown]

You guys don't wanna talk about it? You'll have to!

Best Game nominees according to BAFTA

ALIEN: ISOLATION Development Team - Creative Assembly/SEGA
DESTINY Development Team – Bungie/Activision
DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION Development Team – BioWare/Electronic Arts
MARIO KART 8 Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo
MIDDLE-EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR Development Team - Monolith Productions/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
MONUMENT VALLEY Development Team – ustwo Games/ustwo Studio

Pulling for Monument Valley on this one. Of course, it has no chance, but I'm fairly sure it's my personal GOTY.

And good God does Inquisition drop off a cliff. I'm limping my way to finishing the game at this point; I just have no interest. It also doesn't help that I'm completely OP at this point.

 

[abracadaver]

Any idea which game will be added to the Star Wars bundle?

 

[Pupo]

Tempting....

What about this? =d

Btw sup guys

 

[Messiah]

What about this? =d

Btw sup guys

Just couldn't resist <_<

 

[freshVeggie]

I played a little of Jazzpunk the other week, that's a pretty fun silly game. There's just enough nonsense to make it funny, while not going too far with it. I enjoyed it. Might actually tear myself away from Isaac a little more to complete it. Wouldn't that be a novelty.

Wow. You have almost 100 hours clocked in a Isaac
I only saw very few videos and watched Grief's stream a bit but just from watching I couldn't see how the game offers so much longevity?
Btw you're avi looks like a crossbreed between human female and dog :/

 

[milena87]

And good God does Inquisition drop off a cliff. I'm limping my way to finishing the game at this point; I just have no interest.

Yeah, the ending (as in the entire final arc of the game, not just the last mission) was another disappointment. It was so anti-climatic and strangely paced.
A really far cry from the awesomeness that is Mass Effect 1 post Virmire and Dragon Age Origin's ending.

 

[Vazra]

Do you guys know how I add my Dolphin and PCSX games to my Steam library?

Dolphin OT explains this.

 

[derExperte]

Two new Pinball FX2 tables got announced, one is based on Castlestorm: http://blog.zenstudios.com/?p=5076

 

[freshVeggie]

Probably too late but

10 February - Steam Client Beta Update - February 9th
General
Fixed some cases where games you have access to via family sharing would show up in recent library lists unexpectedly
Fixed rare crash on exit
Fixed updating Workshop items available to friends-only
Fixed login error with Steam Guard and remembered password


Big Picture
Fixed a rare crash when using scroll bars
Fixed a rare crash trying to load zero byte image content
Fixed a rare crash when playing video

Update - we have released an update to this client at 9:30pm PST to address a web view issue

 

[wetflame]

Wow. You have almost 100 hours clocked in a Isaac
I only saw very few videos and watched Grief's stream a bit but just from watching I couldn't see how the game offers so much longevity?
Btw you're avi looks like a crossbreed between human female and dog :/

Yeah, that's what it is. It's Pizza Dog from Hawkeye:

Combined with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl:

I change up my avatar to reflect whatever I'm into at the moment. I usually do a bunch of comic book characters but I've had a few variations:

Yeah I've played a fair chunk of Isaac but I'm nowhere near the amount that a few people get to. I'm solidly working my way through but I doubt I'll be fully beating the game for a while yet. I'm enjoying it though! The fun comes from the random nature of the game, unlocking new items and characters, new levels and bosses, and getting different combinations of items that either work out awesome or turn out super crappy and then trying to beat the game with what you get given. It's really good fun.

 

[Pupo]

Just couldn't resist <_<

Haha it's ok =d

Spoiler

Kotori <3

 

[Casimir]

Any idea which game will be added to the Star Wars bundle?

I would assume the Jedi Knight series. I doubt that the Lego Star Wars games will be added.

What about this? =d

Btw sup guys

hey pupo!

 

[Dr Dogg]

Giant Bomb's Darkest Dungeon Quick Look Unfinished is really testing my resolve in going over my 5-a-year (even if Alex pronouncing respite res-spit caused my skin to crawl).

 

[MMBosstones86]

Yeah, the ending (as in the entire final arc of the game, not just the last mission) was another disappointment. It was so anti-climatic and strangely paced.
A really far cry from the awesomeness that is Mass Effect 1 post Virmire and Dragon Age Origin's ending.

my GOTY and I can agree with that. The end section was pretty...meh.

 

[freshVeggie]

Yeah, that's what it is. It's Pizza Dog from Hawkeye:

Combined with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl:
I change up my avatar to reflect whatever I'm into at the moment. I usually do a bunch of comic book characters but I've had a few variations:

The avengers look kinda different in that screen. Is that a fan-comic? Cool that you're into comics. I am very interested in the space superpower aspect and characters like Galactus and in X-Men, F4, Thor etc but it is so complicated and daunting that I don't even know where to begin and what in which order to read. It is so complicated for a newcomer.

 

[Chance Hale]

Played Evolve for 8 hours and at no point was I bored which speaks well for a multiplayer game which I normally play for an hour and leave. The three monsters play so differently that it's fun to switch it up on a group(people usually stay in the lobby after a match)

Plus it's so gorgeous to look at which makes sense given it's a Cryengine game but the art style and fauna/creature design really stands out. Best 7 dollar purchase I've ever made!

 

[Lomax]

So Strength of Sword is on Kickstarter to expand it and get it on PC/Steam.
You can get a copy for $10 by pledging here
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1145990096/strength-of-the-sword-ultimate?ref=hero_thanks#

Come on everyone, help Jase get that +1!

That looks really good actually.

Looks really good, the pitch is great, I was actually seriously considering supporting it... and then I see the $100k goal which is basically "port it to everything" and lose all faith in their actual ability to manage the project and use the funds appropriately, especially if it gets huge. Will definitely keep an eye out for the finished project though.

 

[Fuu]

Some stuff.

Instructions for participants:
I am giving away 4 Steam keys. To enter this giveaway, send a PM to ModBot with any subject line. In the body, copy and paste the entire line from the message below that corresponds to the game you want. (if you include more than one game, you will be blocked from entering). Confused? Watch this GIF tutorial or ask for help.

ModBot Basics:
- I really appreciate thank you messages, but please send them to me (Fuu, not ModBot!) via PM instead of in thread.
- Do not trade keys you win off-site to enrich yourself. Don't try to claim games you have no interest in collecting or playing. Don't claim games to give them to friends off-site.
- If the key is already taken you will not receive a reply. Replies may take a minute or two.


Finding Teddy -- MB-936993FCE2C1F3F9 - Taken by Darth Kupi
Velvet assassin -- MB-FB54732D16120E77 - Taken by Loptous
PID -- MB-CEEAB138573128CF - Taken by sensoft04
Magicka -- MB-97B43BFD5AD15053 - Taken by schwupp

 

[wetflame]

The avengers look kinda different in that screen. Is that a fan-comic? Cool that you're into comics. I am very interested in the space superpower aspect and characters like Galactus and in X-Men, F4, Thor etc but it is so complicated and daunting that I don't even know where to begin and what in which order to read. It is so complicated for a newcomer.

It's a real Marvel comic, the art style is just different than the usual. It's a more fun, wacky sort of comic and the art style is a big part of that. It's part of the reason I enjoy Marvel comics, they don't necessarily stick to a similar "house style" between books so you get a much more varied range of art in the books. You can check out a preview of the first issue here if you like.

I used to know very little about comics (outside of the stuff I knew from movies and cartoons etc) but I've gradually been picking up a bunch. There's a Comics thread in Community if you want to hang out in there and pick up recommendations. I started reading superhero comics with the Marvel Now relaunch of a lot of books, I'd definitely look into a few of the books and see what you like the look of. Maybe start with some of your favourite characters and see what's out there. What sort of thing interests you? If you're not so keen on superheroes or don't want to worry about catching up on storylines there's a bunch of stuff out there which is worth picking up, maybe grab some graphic novels or trades (collected issues) of comic books at your library to see if any of those interest you? Anyway, I should stop talking about comics and start talking about Steam. How about them games, eh? Oh, who am I kidding.

 

[Chance Hale]

Sandman is a great series, any fan should pick up the Absolute Editions. Recently picked up Volume 5 and Absolute Death finally!

The particle effects in Lords of the Fallen are really neat, imagine that's the Nvidia "turbulence"?

 

[wetflame]

Sandman is a great series, any fan should pick up the Absolute Editions. Recently picked up Volume 5 and Absolute Death finally!

I'm jealous. I really need to get those Absolute Editions. Sandman is incredible.