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[schuey7]

So I got Mad Max,Just Cause 3, Life is Strange complete season,Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments and Rocket League for a total of 2571rupees which works out to 39usd . I have to say I was horrified when the Indian steam store switched over from usd to inr but if the prices stay so low then I have no problems with it.

 

[lashman]

Why everyone is wrong about the Witcher 3's combat

The Witcher 3 is an excellent RPG, but its combat system has come under fire from many people for being too easy, too difficult, too clumsy, too lightweight. These people are wrong. I've been interested in sword-fighting both real and virtual for some time, and three years ago I took up historical longsword training in order to better understand the mechanics of it. In my view, CDProjekt has created a fascinating blend of authentic and fictional swordplay, one which rethinks several recently established frameworks for melee combat, resulting in a coherent fighting style specific to the needs of your character.

Before we go into the Witcher 3 specifically, it's worth briefly going over the difficulties that melee combat poses when recreated in a game. From a developer perspective, sword-fighting is one of the hardest things to represent virtually. It's is an inherently chaotic, analogue action, where every strike, every clash of blades, can happen at a different speed or a different angle. Gaming, on the other hand, is a digital form where specific button presses demand exact responses. You click, you swing. You press X, you block.

I don't want to go into too much detail about this here, but the short version is that the two are not at all compatible. Consequently, any attempt to represent sword-fighting in games is immediately intriguing, and the Witcher is a particularly interesting case because of how the combat has evolved since the first game. Over the course of the series, CD Projekt have experimented with different systems, and gradually built toward an engaging and authentically based fighting style. They've consulted with experts who have studied Western martial arts extensively in order to better grasp how swords and sword-fighting work, and rebuilt the combat each time in a continuing process to figure out the best way to portray swordplay in-game.

To answer the obvious question this raises, no, The Witcher 3 does not provide a realistic representation of swordfighting. There are lots of reasons for this. To start with, it's impossible to depict a realistic sword style when fighting against creatures that don't exist. In addition, no matter how good a swordsman you are, fighting a coordinated group of opponents will almost certainly end up with you dead. Hence the moment you try to portray this, you instantly have to make concessions to realism. Lastly, while I like a lot of what the combat does, one criticism that does stand up is that it is unnecessarily flashy, with lots of impressive but impractical pirouetting.

That said, there are some authentic touches that help ground the combat. For example, an enemy holding a shield is very difficult to defeat using just your sword. You need to either wait for them to attack and counter it to create an opening, or use your Signs to otherwise disorient or disable them. Similarly, you can't use your sword to block a strike from an opponent wielding a poleaxe, which is sensible because it's a poleaxe.

Most of all, what I like about the Witcher 3's representation of swords is it recognises that they are sharp. One of the weirdest accusations I've heard directed towards Wild Hunt's combat was that it is lightweight. Swords aren't heavy. They don't need to be. A good longsword weighs around three to four pounds, and the length of the blade generates an incredible amount of leverage when swung. Consider how easy it is to slice carrots with a sharp kitchen knife, and then add a three-foot pivot to the handle. Yeah.

The Witcher 3 is one of the only games to successfully communicate this lightness, this efficiency. Not simply in its grislier moments, but in how Geralt moves lightly on his feet and wields his blade with such ease. It isn't like a big club he uses to bludgeon opponents with, as you might see in Skyrim or a lot of JRPGs. It's more like an extension of his arm, easy to hold, to adjust, and to strike with. Sword-fighting is all about skill, not strength, and Geralt epitomises this notion when he fights.

That said, there's more to virtual sword-fighting that how the art is represented by the developers. Equally important is how engaging it is from the player's perspective. As already mentioned, reducing the nuances of swordplay to a sequence of button presses is tough, and The Witcher 3's combat isn't just about swords. Geralt also uses signs, bombs, potions, blade oils, and secondary weapons like the crossbow to gain an advantage over his adversaries.

That's a lot of moving parts. But importantly, all of these have varying effects on different enemy types. A large part of the Witcher combat style is adjusting to whatever opponent you're facing, exploiting vulnerabilities through combinations of oils, potions and bombs. It's true that on easier difficulties you can bypass a lot of this, and casually hack your way through the combat. But that's the point of easy mode - to let players enjoy a game without requiring enormous skill or knowledge to do so. On harder difficulties, you need to prepare for fights accordingly, to learn the weaknesses of the monsters you face, and ensure you have a good stock of bombs and potions available at all times.

The variable nature of Witcher combat is also represented when a fight begins. Counters work differently depending on whether you're fighting a human or a monster, and you can't rely on blocking with your sword if a ten-foot-high Fiend charges at you. The game could explain these subtle changes a little better than it does, but there's always an inherent logic to them. There's no point fighting a pack of wolves in the same way you'd fight a man wielding a club, so the game adjusts accordingly, and if you try to block a strike from a monster that would easily shatter all the bones in your arm, well, the game is going to punish you for it.

Blocking isn't a huge part of Geralt's style anyway. Most enemies you fight attack in groups and don't use weapons, so the game places a greater emphasis on avoiding attacks entirely. To that end, Wild Hunt provides you with two evasive manoeuvres, a short-range sidestep, and a longer-range roll. Mastering these two moves is crucial to getting the most out of the game's combat. The sidestep is best used to create an opening from which to attack, while the roll is for getting out of dodge fast, when multiple enemies close in for the kill.

These moves allow CD Projekt to recreate some of the natural chaos of melee combat. Wild Hunt's combat lacks a predictable rhythm, and though games like Arkham Asylum might have taught you otherwise, believe me when I say this is a good thing. Enemies attacking in numbers actually take advantage of those numbers from time to time, striking as soon as they get close rather than waiting until everyone else has taken their turn. This is why the roll is so important. Springing Geralt a good distance from his opponents, it helps to spread them out, lending him more time to pick off individuals. The lack of a Batman style rhythm makes the combat more difficult to grasp, but it's also more satisfying when you emerge victorious, because you need to pay attention to where opponents are and what they are doing, rather than simply responding to the beats the game lays down.

Games are still a long way from perfecting melee combat. But they are getting better, and we are seeing certain approaches taking root, like Batman's crowd control or Dark Souls' roll-or-die. Yet the most exciting thing is there is no established formula yet. Developers are still experimenting with ideas, and more importantly, thinking about how to create a system that best fits their game, rather than how to implement an existing system into their game. And what's most satisfying about the Witcher 3's combat is that it is unique to Geralt. It's more than a cut-and-paste, hack 'n' slash minigame intended to split up the talky bits. It's a specific style designed to cater for a broad range of purposes, one that blends Sapkowski's fiction with the logic of swordplay to create something you won't see anywhere else.

 

[Hektor]

Why everyone is wrong about the Witcher 3's combat

The hyperbole that keeps on giving.

 

[taku]

Most likely my last batch of keys. Happy holidays, peeps!

Instructions for participants:
I am giving away 17 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 (taku, 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.

Rules for this Giveaway:
- This giveaway is a raffle. The winners will be selected by random draw 3 hours after the draw was created. Any games not claimed after that point will be given away first come first serve.



Tetrobot and Co. Steam -- MB-324AA1F326D4D40A - Taken by OmarYusaf. 1 entrants total.
Victoria II -- MB-AD77347A118E6900 - Taken by Human_me. 4 entrants total.
Viking: Battle for Asgard -- MB-6C425CA0A1CA5ED6 - Taken by MaxVarEmreis. 7 entrants total.
Zoo Park -- MB-51240ABEB93BE927 - Taken by Allan Holdsworth. 3 entrants total.
Talisman Prologue -- MB-4E3C4ACF52D848FE - Taken by titch. 1 entrants total.
Teslagrad -- MB-6073E0298D7683CA - Taken by Blizniak. 5 entrants total.
Talisman: Digital Edition -- MB-4CD190EC3F097662 - Taken by UltraJay. 1 entrants total.
Trine 2: Complete Story -- MB-697EB0634466CD08 - Taken by Qurupeke. 2 entrants total.
Talisman: Digital Edition: Gambler Character Packs -- MB-FC00157EFF5B9E76
VVVVVV -- MB-58270B31DB6E54DF - Taken by Yomidi. 2 entrants total.
Titan Attacks! -- MB-2B7F8F2B79E76307 - Taken by trailmix16. 2 entrants total.
War of the Roses: Kingmaker -- MB-B2BB793808D6FFA3 - Taken by novaGT. 1 entrants total.
The Blue Flamingo -- MB-EA9893EFA3877EDE - Taken by Abomination. 2 entrants total.
UnEpic -- MB-D2FB28AFA3423D56 - Taken by Red Hood. 9 entrants total.
The Inner World -- MB-59696ED0E005202F - Taken by Natty1. 1 entrants total.
Tulpa -- MB-D7C5073E982DE447 - Taken by Loptous. 1 entrants total.
Talisman: Digital Edition: Martyr Character Packs -- MB-8C9BC16D21C6BEE1 - Taken by gar3. 1 entrants total.

 

[Lettuce]

So I got Mad Max,Just Cause 3, Life is Strange complete season,Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments and Rocket League for a total of 2571rupees which works out to 39usd . I have to say I was horrified when the Indian steam store switched over from usd to inr but if the prices stay so low then I have no problems with it.

So are you using a VPN to purchase from the Indian store, can this be done why a normal PayPal account or do you also have to setup another account?

 

[schuey7]

So are you using a VPN to purchase from the Indian store, can this be done why a normal PayPal account or do you also have to setup another account?

Nope, I live in India.

 

[derExperte]

Is Kerbal Space Program as good as it looks or should I wait a bit longer and get it at a greater discount? It looks like it might scaratch that cities skylines get-lost-for-hours itch I crave, but I don't know.

You could do what I do and that's watching other people play instead of buying the game. http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/kerbal-project-beast-part-01/2300-10890/ (3 parts until now)

 

[Kurt Russell]

So are you using a VPN to purchase from the Indian store, can this be done why a normal PayPal account or do you also have to setup another account?

Using a VPN to purchase from another Steam store region gets people banned.

 

[JaseC]

So are you using a VPN to purchase from the Indian store, can this be done why a normal PayPal account or do you also have to setup another account?

Using a VPN to engage in cross-region purchasing/activate region-locked gifts is likely to result in your account being restricted (Valve stopped banning/suspending accounts roughly three years ago).

 

[Lettuce]

Nope, I live in India.

Using a VPN to engage in cross-region purchasing/activate region-locked gifts is likely to result in your account being restricted (Valve stopped banning/suspending accounts roughly three years ago).

Using a VPN to purchase from another Steam store region gets people banned.

Ah ok, thanks.

 

[zkylon]

terraria's kind of cool lol

 

[Tizoc]

GAF,

Tell me the difference between FF XIII, FF XIII-2, and Lightning Returns.

Also, what type of character/level up system do those games have?

Also, does Zesteria have customization or level up?

In FF13 as you defeat enemies you get CP, which is used to gain abilities, passive abilities and stats.
FF13 is pretty dry outside of having a combat system, it's story is mediocre and there is NOTHING else to do in the game outside of Battles.

 

[wazoo]

the evil within is so clunky, not sure if it's because of technical reasons like inability to disable v-sync or whatever, but their last game (vanquish) controls much much better at 30fps

game certainly feels better at higher framerate but with my card that's not possible

someone will need to modbot me a 970 gtx

you can maybe disable vsync.

google swapinterval command line

 

[Durante]

GAF,

Tell me the difference between FF XIII, FF XIII-2, and Lightning Returns.

FFXIII is an extremely linear story-focused JRPG with a traditional party and very little to do outside of battles. It's also the most consistently beautiful game in the series.

FFXIII-2 is the opposite in many ways, it's very non-linear (well, for a JRPG), with tons of sidequests, and various gameplay elements like puzzles etc. It gives you 2 fixed characters and has a monster taming system where you can use different monsters as the 3rd party member.

LR (which I only just started playing) is very different yet again. It seems just as non-linear as FFXIII-2, with even larger individual areas and more sidequests if anything. It also has a time system which is intriguing. It focuses on a single character (the titular Lightning of course), with a FFX-2 like dressup system (a lot more developed though), and a very neat (so far) triple-ATB action battle system.

LR is the best PC port of the 3.

It's funny really, not only are they all part of the same series, they are even part of the same sub-series, but I think there are more substantial differences between these games than most long-running series have during their lifespan.

 

[wazoo]

.

It's funny really, not only are they all part of the same series, they are even part of the same sub-series, but I think there are more substantial differences between these games than most long-running series have during their lifespan.

it is probably related to the bipolarization of SE catalog around FF and DQ. in past generations, these games would have been released under different names other than FF.

 

[Anthony Soprano]

Do all game purchases count toward your Steam level? If so, will buying a bunch of .99 cent games increase my level or will that be insignificant?

Finally, any recommendations for heavily discounted games under ten bucks?

 

[Kurt Russell]

Do all game purchases count toward your Steam level? If so, will buying a bunch of .99 cent games increase my level or will that be insignificant?

Finally, any recommendations for heavily discounted games under ten bucks?

It's insignificant. Buying cheap cards and crafting badges would be easier.

About the recommendation: Door Kickers is currently 3.99, lowest it's been so far. It's a realtime with pause tactics game similar to the planning section in early Rainbow Six games.
Trine 3 is 5.49, should be a good game for that price (there were some issues with its launch, since Frozenbyte ran out of money and couldn't add everything they wanted, but at that price I'd say it's probably worth it anyway)
The Ys games are 70% off, and they are all good.

 

[JaseC]

Do all game purchases count toward your Steam level? If so, will buying a bunch of .99 cent games increase my level or will that be insignificant?

Yes, but it's a mere 1 XP per title. Purchase price isn't a factor.

 

[Anthony Soprano]

Yes, but it's a mere 1 XP per title. Purchase price isn't a factor.

It's insignificant. Buying cheap cards and crafting badges would be easier.

Thank you both. For that matter, are there any sites that will sort for you the cheapest craftable card sets currently on the market?

 

[Kurt Russell]

Thank you both. For that matter, are there any sites that will sort for you the cheapest craftable card sets currently on the market?

http://ehsankia.com/steam/cards/

It's not always right, but it's useful.

 

[Anthony Soprano]

http://ehsankia.com/steam/cards/

It's not always right, but it's useful.

Do I sort by booster % or card average? I don't understand booster % - I thought all card sets give you 100XP each or something.

 

[someguyinahat]

Montezuma's Revenge on Boxing Day. Worst. Christmas present. Ever.

Then I open up the present from my aunt and uncle that they gave me last night...and it's probably the last thing anyone wants to see after heavy stomach sickness:

Bailey's Fucking Irish Cream.

Oh, right, uh Steam sales. My queue sure does love throwing those Milennium games at me. first 5 (skip) then 4 (skip) then 3 (seriously, guys, take a hint.) Also, if I'm feeling better I'll do a mystery giveaway of "games I've enjoyed' in thanks for the fun year and the giveaways you've given me.

 

[TheAutomator]

nvidia, STOP being a dick

 

[Durante]

nvidia, STOP being a dick

Holy crap, people will never stop regurgitating that tessellation bullshit.

Why are people who make youtube videos about technology almost exclusively full of shit?
Ah, right, because that generates views, and views are money.

 

[Volimar]

lol Discovery Queue, you so crazy.

AKIBA'S TRIP: Undead ＆ Undressed

In Tokyo’s popular ”Electric Town” district, Akihabara, vampires called “Synthisters” walk among us. You must identify and dispose of them the only way you know how – by engaging them in hand-to-hand combat in order to strip them of their clothes so their bodies melt away in the sunlight.

 

[Anteater]

you can maybe disable vsync.

google swapinterval command line

oo thanks

using +r_swapinterval 0 and disabling desktop composition (not sure if it's necessary) took out the vsync

 

[Demise]

Mates, I need a little push regarding gta v and mgs v, sales are not enough, the games are still a bit expensive for me, do anyone have some codes to share by pm ? I'll be grateful.

 

[UltraJay]

it is probably related to the bipolarization of SE catalog around FF and DQ. in past generations, these games would have been released under different names other than FF.

It's more than just that. SE needed to make some money back after spending an inordinate amount of money making the engine for XIII.

They... don't do that anymore. At least not for their biggest, prettiest games.

 

[TheAutomator]

Holy crap, people will never stop regurgitating that tessellation bullshit.

Why are people who make youtube videos about technology almost exclusively full of shit?
Ah, right, because that generates views, and views are money.

One is gouging as much money as possible, the other is providing free tools and not introducing debilitating "next gen effects", so forgive me for being cynical.

 

[someguyinahat]

lol Discovery Queue, you so crazy.

AKIBA'S TRIP: Undead ＆ Undressed

Well, it's slightly more believable than photosynthetic skin...

Still, some of these premises remind me of the old "nudie cutie" movies where guidelines were set down as to when nudity is acceptable in a movie, and the porn makers followed it to the letter.

 

[PLASTICA-MAN]

Holy crap, people will never stop regurgitating that tessellation bullshit.

Why are people who make youtube videos about technology almost exclusively full of shit?
Ah, right, because that generates views, and views are money.

He can't even pronounce Ageia correctly.

 

[CecilRousso]

Why everyone is wrong about the Witcher 3's combat

Interesting article. It does put some perspective on the combat. My only real problem with it, was when you in the main quest path was put in positions where there were no time to recover and prepare again. But I thought it worked in the open world and in witcher contracts.

I also love how most people commenting that article just want to ignore everything said about it, because they have their fixed idea about it already.

 

[TheAutomator]

He can't even pronounce Ageia correctly.

Compelling argument.

 

[Durante]

One is gouging as much money as possible, the other is providing free tools and not introducing debilitating "next gen effects", so forgive me for being cynical.

You do know that the entire tesselation story is just regurgiated bullshit, right?

I mean, I could start deconstructing all of these "technical" arguments, but I'm honestly tired of it at this point. The internet seems to have settled on the Nvidia=evil, AMD=saviour narrative, so that's what it's going to be, regardless of accuracy or reality.

 

[Kiru]

Since about 2 days I was at 999 games:

Today I received this wonderful gift, lol (I'll forgive the mix up with another fellow gaffer ):

Everyone needs anime babs in their life.

 

[Boss Doggie]

How's Beyond Earth with Rising Tide?

 

[Knurek]

Since about 2 days I was at 999 games:

Today I received this wonderful gift, lol (I'll forgive the mix up with another fellow gaffer ):

Everyone needs anime babs in their life.

Why couldn't the games have online multi...
I mean, I wouldn't have to play anything else on Steam.

 

[wazoo]

One is gouging as much money as possible, the other is providing free tools and not introducing debilitating "next gen effects", so forgive me for being cynical.

what do you mean by debilitating ? have you seen evidence of IQ dropping after usage ?

 

[PaulLFC]

Are there any must-play games that aren't available on Steam?

It seems even with how large Steam is as a platform, every now and again a good game will pop up that's only being sold through the developer's website. Minecraft is an obvious one, and I also bought Rimworld which isn't yet on Steam.

Are there any others I should be looking at which are only available outside Steam? I figure this time of year is probably a good time given potential sales.

 

[Kiru]

GooCubelets 1 & 2 for free:
https://gleam.io/yttwb/goobundle

 

[someguyinahat]

Are there any must-play games that aren't available on Steam?

Nethack.

Treasure Adventure Game.

Some of the old Infocom text adventures, like the Zork series or the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

An argument can be made for Minecraft.

(I'm assuming you meant PC games, so we shouldn't mention console exclusives.)

 

[Nabs]

Nethack.

Treasure Adventure Game.

Some of the old Infocom text adventures, like the Zork series or the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

An argument can be made for Minecraft.

(I'm assuming you meant PC games, so we shouldn't mention console exclusives.)

so good.

 

[PLASTICA-MAN]

GooCubelets 1 & 2 for free:
https://gleam.io/yttwb/goobundle

Haha it was already over as sson as it started lol !

 

[TheAutomator]

what do you mean by debilitating ? have you seen evidence of IQ dropping after usage ?

My system slows down to a crawl turning on nvidia's exclusive special effects. "Max settings" my ass.

 

[Qurupeke]

Is Steins;Gate still coming on Steam?

 

[Phinor]

My system slows down to a crawl turning on nvidia's exclusive special effects. "Max settings" my ass.

So does mine and I have an Nvidia card (GTX 970). The more "special" the effect, the worse it is even with Nvidia hardware. I have to turn all the hair crap and stuff like that off to have playable framerate.

 

[Ban Puncher]

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas Happy Holiday.

I had a lovely festive dinner with my family.

 

[Durante]

Are there any must-play games that aren't available on Steam?

Planescape: Torment

"Max settings" my ass.

At least I can agree with you on one thing.

I wish everyone would read and fully comprehend that thread.

 

[Se7enSword]

Is Steins;Gate still coming on Steam?

There is no confirmation as yet.

 

[Qurupeke]

There is no confirmation as yet.