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STEAM | July 2014-2 In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming

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Not open for further replies.
ModBot

ModBot

Not a mod, just a bot.
Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, I am giving away 15 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).

ModBot Basics:
- This giveaway has a manual blocklist. The giver has identified members who abuse giveaways and restricted them from participating.
- 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:
- If you are a lurker you are not eligible for this giveaway. You need five or more posts in either the current Steam thread or the previous one to be eligible
- This is a free for all! You can enter for multiple games on the list below. Send an individual PM for each game you'd like to win.
- 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.


MbmDY6z.png

Mystery Game #9 -- MB-3A9711E982AE74BF - Taken by PriitV. 16 entrants total.
Mystery Game #8 -- MB-402628935FB18409 - Taken by masterkajo. 2 entrants total.
Mystery Game #3 -- MB-DC0981FCA60B2B6C - Taken by ItsGeeMcGee. 2 entrants total.
Mystery Game #2 -- MB-F7FA7AF13B3627CE - Taken by MMBosstones86. 3 entrants total.
Mystery Game #1 -- MB-9B67C086DCFAB58E - Taken by KevMan1815. 5 entrants total.
Mystery Game #14 -- MB-973E120335B7BCF5 - Taken by Leg-End. 4 entrants total.
Mystery Game #7 -- MB-F3C8917D04EEB1D2 - Taken by marrec. 9 entrants total.
Mystery Game #6 -- MB-A4619A1912D5A9AB - Taken by Servizio. 3 entrants total.
Mystery Game #5 -- MB-B0A93F3EBFB12D0D - Taken by ev0. 5 entrants total.
Mystery Game #4 -- MB-EB5563903CDD34C6 - Taken by wagamer. 8 entrants total.
Mystery Game #12 -- MB-873C9ADD71F96CE4 - Taken by arts&crafts. 7 entrants total.
Mystery Game #11 -- MB-318E4600E3B8123E - Taken by The-Bean. 7 entrants total.
Mystery Game #13 -- MB-CAAC9D6FFD10346C - Taken by Armoured Priest. 2 entrants total.
Mystery Game #10 -- MB-487A99D7E99D4322 - Taken by GodVegeta. 1 entrants total.
Mystery Game #15 -- MB-B3B9E39287F8EE96 - Taken by bobnowhere. 2 entrants total.


t1404921169z1.png
 
A

Arthea

Member
Milamber said:
Offhand, I'd say my steam game completion average is about 2-3 a year.
Click to expand...

you are slacking!
steam says my average completion rate increased back to 25%.
I know it's a lie, in reality it's closer to 10%, but still a nice thing to look upon

don't you play all those VNs at all?
 
A

afternoon delight

Member
velociraptor said:
I've completed all the Bioshock games on Hard mode and I personally felt like most of the enemies were actually bullet sponges :
Click to expand...
As dearly as I hold Bioshock to my heart, I feel this is true. I love the shotgun but why bother when measly machine gun rounds to the brain do so much more damage :(

Is Bioshock 2 a good game? So many conflicted responses have made me wary to play past the first. I won't touch Infinite by the way.
 
Y

Yrael

Member
ModBot said:
Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, I am giving away 15 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).

ModBot Basics:
- This giveaway has a manual blocklist. The giver has identified members who abuse giveaways and restricted them from participating.
- 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:
- If you are a lurker you are not eligible for this giveaway. You need five or more posts in either the current Steam thread or the previous one to be eligible
- This is a free for all! You can enter for multiple games on the list below. Send an individual PM for each game you'd like to win.
- 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.


MbmDY6z.png


t1404921169z1.png
Click to expand...

...who wants to bet these are all Bad Rats? :p
 
S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
I'm working on a new way for ModBot to detect steam game names to make the game art and HOT tag detection a little better. Since this seems like a fairly generalized problem, I thought I'd share my process here.

Currently, ModBot uses the Steam search function to search for the exact name you've entered. If it finds no results, you're SOL. If it finds more than one result, it attempts to figure out which is the best result by removing punctuation, converting everything to lower case, and trying to find the closest match between the possible results. This is not bad, but it also requires a lot of searches to go out to Steam unnecessarily, and it's not super fast, and there are a few issues.

The new system will do this:
- First, I store the name, appid, and price of every single game on Steam by screen scraping Steam's search results one by one.
- I store the name in the following format:
- If there is a / in the name, take only what's before the /
- Replace all Roman numerals (XIV) with Arabic numerals (14)
- Convert game name to all lower case
- Replace the text string "two" with "2"
- Remove any of the following text from game names:
- Game names starting with "a " or containing the word "a"
- "a post nuclear role playing game"
- "the "
- "of "
- "and "
- "deluxe edition", "complete", "collector's edition", "ultimate edition", "gold edition", "game of the year edition", "extended edition"
- "tom clancy's", "sid meier's"​
- If there's a ": " in the game name, store the full name and also store the portion behind the : as an "alternate name"
- Strip all non alphanumeric characters remaining, including spaces, so the result looks like "splintercellblacklist"​
- Store all of the full names
- Store alternate names only when they do not conflict with full names or overlap with other alternate names (for example, series that have a bunch of subtitle games like Hitman: Blood Money versus Hitman: Absolution clearly can't guess what you mean if you just type Hitman)

When you submit a game, it will do the same conversion on what you've submitted and check against the local database to get the information. Only if it doesn't find a hit will it send the search out to Steam, and then it'll use the old system.

I'll be rolling it out over the next day or two.

Newblade said:
I've just entered and got it, but it seems unfair. PM'd you the code.
Click to expand...

You really don't need to feel obligated to do this. I'm not sure why ModBot didn't get TSI's entry, but you don't need to second-guess the system.
 
B

billmcdougal

Member
ItsGeeMcGee said:
well, everyone has to "win" Bad Rats sometime.
Click to expand...

I've been on Steam since preloading Half Life 2 and I have managed to avoid Bad Rats. I am however a sucker for these mystery giveaways (or anything mystery), and will absolutely redeem it if I get it, of course.

I honestly kind of want to see what all of the fuss is about :p
 
A

alr1ght

bish gets all the credit :)
Modbot should cycle the Mystery Game url between Bad Rats, Secrets of the Magic Crystals, and Witcher 3.

Also, there's a bug in the new PM from modbot. It says to PM the giver with their name highlighted, but it doesn't include the neogaf.com prefix (member.php?username=user), so it shows a 404.
 
S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
alr1ght said:
Modbot should cycle the Mystery Game url between Bad Rats, Secrets of the Magic Crystals, and Witcher 3.
Click to expand...

I wish people gave out Secret of the Magic Crystals.

alr1ght said:
Also, there's a bug in the new PM from modbot. It says to PM the giver with their name highlighted, but it doesn't include the neogaf.com prefix (member.php?username=user), so it shows a 404.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I fixed that this morning, thanks for pointing it out. I thought URL tags allowed for relative links, not just absolute links, but they don't.
 
T

toddhunter

Member
Sendou said:
It's great but it's inferior to both The Walking Dead Season 1 and 2. I just can't bring myself to care about the characters in The Wolf Among Us quite the same way. The last episode was a weak way to end the season. Basically the season peaks with the first episode and steadily goes worse with each episode.

I still liked it and can recommend it but it's quite not what I hoped for.
Click to expand...

Thanks, will keep that in mind.

Super Lemonade Factory keys are up on indiegamestand for those interested. It is also a playfire reward for today.
 
K

Krusenstern

Banned
Alright, this is the last game I'll be giving away this year. No more stuff from me anymore. Saving for GTA V, graphics card upgrade and PS4+Bloodborne next year.

ModBot said:
Instructions for participants:
I am giving away a Steam key. 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 containing the game you want to enter for.

ModBot Basics:
- I really appreciate thank you messages, but please send them to me (Krusenstern, 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:
- You must have given away a game through ModBot to become eligible for this giveaway.
- If you are a lurker you are not eligible for this giveaway. You need five or more posts in either the current Steam thread or the previous one to be eligible
- If you won a game from ModBot in the last day, you are not eligible for this giveaway.
- This giveaway is a raffle. The winners will be selected by random draw 24 hours after the draw was created. Any games not claimed after that point will be given away first come first serve.


t1cxE6r.gif
The Witcher 3 -- MB-3DE253606D3DE100 - Taken by Snakethesniper. 147 entrants total.


t1404997247z1.png
Click to expand...
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
Dusk Golem said:
Rhaknar successfully got me in the mood to want to do a horror game write-up, I've decided to finally put down my complicated opinions and impressions of Alone in the Dark (2008).

header_292x136.jpg


Alone in the Dark is a 2008 action survival-horror game, and fifth game in the Alone in the Dark series. It is also one of the most profound and fascinating examples I have ever played of something akin to a glorious train-wreck.

There's a story here, I'm sure of it. There are definitely cutscenes with unforgettable hammy acting and dialogue, with such excellent writing and voicing execution like "I don't have your stone, and FUCK you anyway," or, "I'm the FUCK-ING UNIVERSE!!" However, I couldn't rightfully tell you it without looking up a synopsis. I guess New York is in trouble, so there's that.

Alone in the Dark is daring, different, and truly there is no other game quite like it. In this game, you'll find yourself doing everything from racing a car through Central Park as giant bats tear your car apart as you drive it, only to form themselves into a literal giant bat tornado.You will learn the importance of tape with a surprisingly complex crafting system that existed long before Minecraft. You'll drive a forklift through a cave and pick up rocks and bridges. You'll literally be shat out by a giant worm.

If anything, I can say it was ahead of its time. For a 2008 game, it tried things that would later on become parts of much more successful and bigger games, and gaming elements that have become popularized. Climbing segments with things crumbling apart ala' Uncharted before Uncharted. The after-mentioned crafting item system the game features. First-person 'experience' walking simulator sections. This game was ahead of the curveball on what would be hip several years from the time it released.

It just pulled off most of them pretty poorly.

ss_563c5ffe8b1904af2f000cc02ad6b4df2e90a396.600x338.jpg


Honestly, the task of things you'll be doing before this game is up is ridiculous. The developers clearly had huge ambitions, but didn't have the time or budget to polish off its ideas. So what you have is a game that controls a bit weirdly, suffers from some hilarious glitches, and somehow tries to wrap up every ridiculous thing that happens into some sort of logical story. Sometimes the game wants to be an atmospheric horror game, other times it wants to be an action game, others a surrealistic platformer, or why not take a moment to take part in a firefighter simulator?

The game even went ahead of itself and made it into an episodic gameplay experience. Split into episodes, the game will literally let you play almost any episode or part of an episode from the very beginning of the game. At any time you are free to skip ahead (or go backwards) in the games storyline... With one exception. You have to complete all the episodes (and partake in one quest involving burning roots in an open-world hub world of Central Park) to play the last episode. I can only think the reason they did this is because they realized a few parts of their game were needlessly difficult, usually because of controls.

This game also has a Soundtrack that it honestly does not deserve, but adds so much to the experience. You'll be listening to over-the-top child orchestras and epic tunes as you drive in a collapsing New York in a taxi that controls like butter. And most of the soundtrack keeps this epic, mysterious tone full of orchestra songs and some just excellent pieces of music that make it feel like the game is telling some deep epic, when most of the time you'll probably have no idea what's going on. The music just adds to the glorious train wreck that this game is.

If you're like me, you'll be playing this and telling yourself that this is a terrible game, and just exclaim out at some new element that baffles on why they decided to go with THIS direction on something, but all the same you'll find yourself both curious, and even excited on what may be around the next bend.

The game isn't all bad, it has interesting ideas, sections, and I would even say the game has some good fun to be had, but it is plagued with problems, and just goes so hilariously and over the top off the rails its almost awe-inspiring. Its problems are somewhat front-loaded, so if you can bear through some sort of dull beginning sections, the game has several loaded guns of things to experience ahead for you, and if you can get past the beginning, you are almost certain to enjoy the crazy ride this game provides.

ss_3bf361027bba91fe041acc92fa9f1709a14e6c46.600x338.jpg


If someone ever asked me to point them in the direction of the purest B-horror game ever, I would point them to this game. It is the hammiest, corniest, most over-the-top horror game I've ever played. It is ridiculous from start to finish, and it is for this reason I'd recommend this.

Know though the PC version suffers from some problems, mainly some people have trouble running it. Solutions to get around, but still. And the 'best version' of the game is actually on PS3, as it contains an additional chapter and fixes several problems and inputted some better controls.

Still, if you want a B-Horror game, look no further than Alone in the Dark.
Click to expand...

This was a nice entertaining write-up. Thanks. I'm almost tempted to go find a copy of the PS3 version now.
 
M

MikeDown

Banned
I still need to finish a single game that I have bought during the sale. I'm pretty far in serious sam, but I have been going back and forth between MGR:R and Banner Saga.
 
P

pahamrick

Member
Krusenstern said:
Alright, this is the last game I'll be giving away this year. No more stuff from me anymore. Saving for GTA V, graphics card upgrade and PS4+Bloodborne next year.
Click to expand...

Enter for mystery game giveaway then see this. Well, shit. First time I keep my fingers crossed I don't win. Awesome giveaway.
 
J

JakeD

Member
if you bought Super Lemonade Factory when it was a daily deal on indiegamestand back in november, you now have a steam key
 
V

velociraptor

Junior Member
Tizoc said:
This is what passes for 'Hard mode' in the minds of AAA game devs: Enemies are bullet sponges.
Click to expand...
Yep. It's a shame really. I think very few games actually do 'Hard' mode right. Killzone 2 is a good example of this. Enemies didn't really take much more bullets but you certainly had to be more careful as a player. Splinter Cell Blacklist also does 'Hard mode' right.
 
M

MakeshiftChef

Member
Stumpokapow said:
I wish people gave out Secret of the Magic Crystals.
Click to expand...

I'd totally enter a modbot giveaway of the Secret of the Magic Crystals. :D

By the way SteamGAF, in case anyone isn't aware... Divinity Original Sin is a good game and you should totally buy it straightaway and start playing it immediately. I just wish I could get more time to actually play it.
 
Jawmuncher

Jawmuncher

Member
Dusk Golem said:
Rhaknar successfully got me in the mood to want to do a horror game write-up, I've decided to finally put down my complicated opinions and impressions of Alone in the Dark (2008).

header_292x136.jpg


Alone in the Dark is a 2008 action survival-horror game, and fifth game in the Alone in the Dark series. It is also one of the most profound and fascinating examples I have ever played of something akin to a glorious train-wreck.

There's a story here, I'm sure of it. There are definitely cutscenes with unforgettable hammy acting and dialogue, with such excellent writing and voicing execution like "I don't have your stone, and FUCK you anyway," or, "I'm the FUCK-ING UNIVERSE!!" However, I couldn't rightfully tell you it without looking up a synopsis. I guess New York is in trouble, so there's that.

Alone in the Dark is daring, different, and truly there is no other game quite like it. In this game, you'll find yourself doing everything from racing a car through Central Park as giant bats tear your car apart as you drive it, only to form themselves into a literal giant bat tornado.You will learn the importance of tape with a surprisingly complex crafting system that existed long before Minecraft. You'll drive a forklift through a cave and pick up rocks and bridges. You'll literally be shat out by a giant worm.

If anything, I can say it was ahead of its time. For a 2008 game, it tried things that would later on become parts of much more successful and bigger games, and gaming elements that have become popularized. Climbing segments with things crumbling apart ala' Uncharted before Uncharted. The after-mentioned crafting item system the game features. First-person 'experience' walking simulator sections. This game was ahead of the curveball on what would be hip several years from the time it released.

It just pulled off most of them pretty poorly.

ss_563c5ffe8b1904af2f000cc02ad6b4df2e90a396.600x338.jpg


Honestly, the task of things you'll be doing before this game is up is ridiculous. The developers clearly had huge ambitions, but didn't have the time or budget to polish off its ideas. So what you have is a game that controls a bit weirdly, suffers from some hilarious glitches, and somehow tries to wrap up every ridiculous thing that happens into some sort of logical story. Sometimes the game wants to be an atmospheric horror game, other times it wants to be an action game, others a surrealistic platformer, or why not take a moment to take part in a firefighter simulator?

The game even went ahead of itself and made it into an episodic gameplay experience. Split into episodes, the game will literally let you play almost any episode or part of an episode from the very beginning of the game. At any time you are free to skip ahead (or go backwards) in the games storyline... With one exception. You have to complete all the episodes (and partake in one quest involving burning roots in an open-world hub world of Central Park) to play the last episode. I can only think the reason they did this is because they realized a few parts of their game were needlessly difficult, usually because of controls.

This game also has a Soundtrack that it honestly does not deserve, but adds so much to the experience. You'll be listening to over-the-top child orchestras and epic tunes as you drive in a collapsing New York in a taxi that controls like butter. And most of the soundtrack keeps this epic, mysterious tone full of orchestra songs and some just excellent pieces of music that make it feel like the game is telling some deep epic, when most of the time you'll probably have no idea what's going on. The music just adds to the glorious train wreck that this game is.

If you're like me, you'll be playing this and telling yourself that this is a terrible game, and just exclaim out at some new element that baffles on why they decided to go with THIS direction on something, but all the same you'll find yourself both curious, and even excited on what may be around the next bend.

The game isn't all bad, it has interesting ideas, sections, and I would even say the game has some good fun to be had, but it is plagued with problems, and just goes so hilariously and over the top off the rails its almost awe-inspiring. Its problems are somewhat front-loaded, so if you can bear through some sort of dull beginning sections, the game has several loaded guns of things to experience ahead for you, and if you can get past the beginning, you are almost certain to enjoy the crazy ride this game provides.

ss_3bf361027bba91fe041acc92fa9f1709a14e6c46.600x338.jpg


If someone ever asked me to point them in the direction of the purest B-horror game ever, I would point them to this game. It is the hammiest, corniest, most over-the-top horror game I've ever played. It is ridiculous from start to finish, and it is for this reason I'd recommend this.

Know though the PC version suffers from some problems, mainly some people have trouble running it. Solutions to get around, but still. And the 'best version' of the game is actually on PS3, as it contains an additional chapter and fixes several problems and inputted some better controls.

Still, if you want a B-Horror game, look no further than Alone in the Dark.
Click to expand...

Played the inferno edition ages ago on PS3 and loved it. As you said it's a B-Horror game but there was so much unique to it that even with some of the poor implementation. I couldn't help but love it. Shame the PC version never got the inferno updates or else I would have bought it again.
 
K

Krusenstern

Banned
I still have a The Witcher Enhanced Edition key for GOG that seems to be valid. Who here doesn't own it already and really, really wants to play it?
 
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