[STEAM] Thread 3 - Rise of the Classy Crabs

AnteCantelope

Sniper Elite V2 was decent but not really great. The shooting and the XRay stuff is good, and made it definitely worth my time, but the AI is pretty bad and the level design is meh.

The maps are fairly linear, which I dislike but it's not really a point against it. The problem though is that most of the game has one path for you to advance down, and enemies will attack you up that same path. I rarely used landmines or tripmines because enemies never flank you, because there's no way for them to flank you when there's only one path in the map.

The AI is pretty annoying. The two problems I have with it are that it's basically omniscient, and that they have no really good tactics to counter you. On one map in particular I shot a guy from 280m, crouching in the corner of a window, and before his body hit the ground the others with him were returning fire. They shouldn't have been able to spot me that easily, and they shouldn't be able to react that quickly. Then, once you have their attention, they can't do much except take potshots and run around aimlessly. They do tend to move towards you, sure, but there are so many times I saw guys firing SMGs at me from 200m or more, and it just seems so silly. If they could do covering fire and leapfrog towards me, pick better cover that doesn't leave their heads visible, that sort of thing, I think it would be much better.

Enemy snipers can see you as soon as there's a direct line between you and them, so counter sniping is just ducking in and out of cover till you figure out where they are, and let your health regenerate while you're looking. On one level I was lying down, crawling up to an open area, looking in a window where I knew an enemy sniper was. He was casually strolling around between windows, not looking down a scope or anything, not at all alerted to my presence, about 180m away, and still managed to hit me less than a second after I poked my head out. I watched him shoulder his rifle and fire before I could even look down my scope. It's just omniscience to a silly degree, and it really simplifies the tactics available to you. Every time you encounter enemy snipers the winning tactic is "Expose yourself, let them shoot you, regenerating health when needed, until you figure out where they are".

I'd also like if more of the levels were wide open and more snipery, as opposed to the "sneak into an enemy base" missions that don't really fit the whole sniper thing at all.

My favourite parts where the levels with loud noises that could mask your shots, it was so much more interesting to try to clear an area without being noticed because once you've been spotted, every encounter plays out the same way, staying hidden keeps things different.

Basically I'm saying buy it for cheap. I definitely feel it was worth the time investment, because I had a lot of fun lining up double headshots and trying to shoot a sniper through his scope (I'm not sure if it can be done, every time I think I got it the replay was too brief or from a bad angle so I couldn't tell), but try not to spend too much money on it.

Tofystedeth

Vegan wrote: »

subedii wrote: »

CorriganX wrote: »

SpaceChem is an easy game to play (and I use that to mean interact with), but if you're not the kind of person this style of game appeals to you'll probably bounce right off of it.

Yeah dude, I would not put SpaceChem in front of somebody's mom. But hey, I don't know, maybe she's super computer science mom, I don't know.

I gifted SpaceChem to my old programming professor the other week. He installed it just about a week ago and has already put in 19 hours. I need to start playing it again so he has more times to compare cause he's blown way past me.

AnteCantelope

I really need to give SpaceChem another go. There was a puzzle really early, basically still part of the tutorial, that I just couldn't figure out. I think I'm missing something as basic as rotating the blocks in tetris, because I was looking at it thinking there was literally no way to solve the problem, which really isn't a feeling I should get on a puzzle about 20 minutes in.

Gigazombie Cybermage

Man, Arkham City isn't optimized well at all. Normally I can run around 60FPS on very high, but it picks the weirdest times to start microstuttering, like indoors where things should normally run better than outside with all the snow, and during cutscenes it can get annoying too. Any tweaks or fixes? What's that amd optimization thing it installed?

Antithesis

Grimrock had me so well, until I needed to go back three levels to find a rock.

Grr.

**IT'S BEEN FORTY MINUTES I WILL CHOP A ROCK FROM THE WALLS IF I NEED ONE

PatboyX

Gigazombie Cybermage wrote: »

Man, Arkham City isn't optimized well at all. Normally I can run around 60FPS on very high, but it picks the weirdest times to start microstuttering, like indoors where things should normally run better than outside with all the snow, and during cutscenes it can get annoying too. Any tweaks or fixes? What's that amd optimization thing it installed?

So far the only "tweak" I've found is to turn off DX11.

SteevL

Ninja Snarl P wrote: »

farbekrieg wrote: »

KafkaAU wrote: »

I bought ME1 and ME2 for 6.90$ each on steam about a year back. As the dude mentioned though, you then have to shell out $texas for the DLC if you are so inclined.

still quite worth the money for the base game, and you can watch youtube videos of the dlcs if you want to see what you are missing. if you only plan to play through once the base game should be plenty

I've never purchased any of the DLC (no inclination towards that whatsoever), but there's plenty of game there for sub-$7. Plenty plenty.

Agreed, although I have heard that Lair of the Shadow Broker is pretty important. I plan on picking that one up eventually. I need to replay ME2 anyway; I was pretty unhappy with who died at the end of my game.

madnessnewb

Antithesis wrote: »

Grimrock had me so well, until I needed to go back three levels to find a rock.

Grr.

**IT'S BEEN FORTY MINUTES I WILL CHOP A ROCK FROM THE WALLS IF I NEED ONE

Ha This game looks good but I'm worried that maybe it's a bit too oldschool for me...

anoffday

AnteCantelope wrote: »

Sniper Elite V2 was decent but not really great. The shooting and the XRay stuff is good, and made it definitely worth my time, but the AI is pretty bad and the level design is meh.

The maps are fairly linear, which I dislike but it's not really a point against it. The problem though is that most of the game has one path for you to advance down, and enemies will attack you up that same path. I rarely used landmines or tripmines because enemies never flank you, because there's no way for them to flank you when there's only one path in the map.

The AI is pretty annoying. The two problems I have with it are that it's basically omniscient, and that they have no really good tactics to counter you. On one map in particular I shot a guy from 280m, crouching in the corner of a window, and before his body hit the ground the others with him were returning fire. They shouldn't have been able to spot me that easily, and they shouldn't be able to react that quickly. Then, once you have their attention, they can't do much except take potshots and run around aimlessly. They do tend to move towards you, sure, but there are so many times I saw guys firing SMGs at me from 200m or more, and it just seems so silly. If they could do covering fire and leapfrog towards me, pick better cover that doesn't leave their heads visible, that sort of thing, I think it would be much better.

Enemy snipers can see you as soon as there's a direct line between you and them, so counter sniping is just ducking in and out of cover till you figure out where they are, and let your health regenerate while you're looking. On one level I was lying down, crawling up to an open area, looking in a window where I knew an enemy sniper was. He was casually strolling around between windows, not looking down a scope or anything, not at all alerted to my presence, about 180m away, and still managed to hit me less than a second after I poked my head out. I watched him shoulder his rifle and fire before I could even look down my scope. It's just omniscience to a silly degree, and it really simplifies the tactics available to you. Every time you encounter enemy snipers the winning tactic is "Expose yourself, let them shoot you, regenerating health when needed, until you figure out where they are".

I'd also like if more of the levels were wide open and more snipery, as opposed to the "sneak into an enemy base" missions that don't really fit the whole sniper thing at all.

My favourite parts where the levels with loud noises that could mask your shots, it was so much more interesting to try to clear an area without being noticed because once you've been spotted, every encounter plays out the same way, staying hidden keeps things different.

Basically I'm saying buy it for cheap. I definitely feel it was worth the time investment, because I had a lot of fun lining up double headshots and trying to shoot a sniper through his scope (I'm not sure if it can be done, every time I think I got it the replay was too brief or from a bad angle so I couldn't tell), but try not to spend too much money on it.

As much as I love the game, I agree with most of this. I spent 30 bucks on it, which is the most I've spent on a game in a long time, but still feel like I got my moneys worth and I'm still not done with it. So I wouldn't say wait until it's real cheap. I don't know if that 30 dollar deal is still going on, but it's def. worth that. The AI is pretty stupid though. I actually have a screenshot on my profile where I'm zooming in on like 5 dead nazis. I shot one guy. Another guy comes over to check out. I shoot him. Another guy comes over to check it out. I shoot him. Another guy comes over. etc. etc. I also agree that, so far anyway, my favorite levels are where I can mask my shots with the other sounds.

cpugeek13

madnessnewb wrote: »

Antithesis wrote: »

Grimrock had me so well, until I needed to go back three levels to find a rock.

Grr.

**IT'S BEEN FORTY MINUTES I WILL CHOP A ROCK FROM THE WALLS IF I NEED ONE

Ha This game looks good but I'm worried that maybe it's a bit too oldschool for me...

Grimrock is great, but man, those fucking spiders. I know its sad, but I honestly don't think I can get any further without some kind of anti-spider mod.

Vi Monks

anoffday wrote: »

AnteCantelope wrote: »

Sniper Elite V2 was decent but not really great. The shooting and the XRay stuff is good, and made it definitely worth my time, but the AI is pretty bad and the level design is meh.

The maps are fairly linear, which I dislike but it's not really a point against it. The problem though is that most of the game has one path for you to advance down, and enemies will attack you up that same path. I rarely used landmines or tripmines because enemies never flank you, because there's no way for them to flank you when there's only one path in the map.

The AI is pretty annoying. The two problems I have with it are that it's basically omniscient, and that they have no really good tactics to counter you. On one map in particular I shot a guy from 280m, crouching in the corner of a window, and before his body hit the ground the others with him were returning fire. They shouldn't have been able to spot me that easily, and they shouldn't be able to react that quickly. Then, once you have their attention, they can't do much except take potshots and run around aimlessly. They do tend to move towards you, sure, but there are so many times I saw guys firing SMGs at me from 200m or more, and it just seems so silly. If they could do covering fire and leapfrog towards me, pick better cover that doesn't leave their heads visible, that sort of thing, I think it would be much better.

Enemy snipers can see you as soon as there's a direct line between you and them, so counter sniping is just ducking in and out of cover till you figure out where they are, and let your health regenerate while you're looking. On one level I was lying down, crawling up to an open area, looking in a window where I knew an enemy sniper was. He was casually strolling around between windows, not looking down a scope or anything, not at all alerted to my presence, about 180m away, and still managed to hit me less than a second after I poked my head out. I watched him shoulder his rifle and fire before I could even look down my scope. It's just omniscience to a silly degree, and it really simplifies the tactics available to you. Every time you encounter enemy snipers the winning tactic is "Expose yourself, let them shoot you, regenerating health when needed, until you figure out where they are".

I'd also like if more of the levels were wide open and more snipery, as opposed to the "sneak into an enemy base" missions that don't really fit the whole sniper thing at all.

My favourite parts where the levels with loud noises that could mask your shots, it was so much more interesting to try to clear an area without being noticed because once you've been spotted, every encounter plays out the same way, staying hidden keeps things different.

Basically I'm saying buy it for cheap. I definitely feel it was worth the time investment, because I had a lot of fun lining up double headshots and trying to shoot a sniper through his scope (I'm not sure if it can be done, every time I think I got it the replay was too brief or from a bad angle so I couldn't tell), but try not to spend too much money on it.

As much as I love the game, I agree with most of this. I spent 30 bucks on it, which is the most I've spent on a game in a long time, but still feel like I got my moneys worth and I'm still not done with it. So I wouldn't say wait until it's real cheap. I don't know if that 30 dollar deal is still going on, but it's def. worth that. The AI is pretty stupid though. I actually have a screenshot on my profile where I'm zooming in on like 5 dead nazis. I shot one guy. Another guy comes over to check out. I shoot him. Another guy comes over to check it out. I shoot him. Another guy comes over. etc. etc. I also agree that, so far anyway, my favorite levels are where I can mask my shots with the other sounds.

I agree 100% with these guys. Game is fun (I'm only halfway through or so), but it definitely has AI issues. The sniping mechanics are good fun (and save the game, in my opinion). The rest of it is pretty lackluster. But it all wraps up to a fairly fun game.

kal

SteevL wrote: »

Ninja Snarl P wrote: »

farbekrieg wrote: »

KafkaAU wrote: »

I bought ME1 and ME2 for 6.90$ each on steam about a year back. As the dude mentioned though, you then have to shell out $texas for the DLC if you are so inclined.

still quite worth the money for the base game, and you can watch youtube videos of the dlcs if you want to see what you are missing. if you only plan to play through once the base game should be plenty

I've never purchased any of the DLC (no inclination towards that whatsoever), but there's plenty of game there for sub-$7. Plenty plenty.

Agreed, although I have heard that Lair of the Shadow Broker is pretty important. I plan on picking that one up eventually. I need to replay ME2 anyway; I was pretty unhappy with who died at the end of my game.

Shadow Broker is the best of the lot and if you're interested in any of the DLC's it's the one to get. Lots of content, probably one the best overall fights in the game and adds a lot of info for every character in the game via stuff you get access to after completing it.

The Kasumi DLC is fun and adds probably one of the best guns in the game and a great character but is in no way really essential.

Arrival is basically a set up DLC for 3 and doesn't effect/add really much of anything in 2 and is only margianally referenced in 3.

TPSou

For those on the fence about Orion: Dino Beatdown, we've put a review up in the site in my sig.

Long story short: It could be great fun with organised matches and people you know, but the game is truly broken. It goes beyond the crashes, there are balance issues and design issues that run pretty deep. After reading some of the things the lead developer has posted I don't think he really has a good grasp of how to polish a game.

HallowedFaith

Chat today:


Fun times.

anoffday

A couple hours left.

testsubject23

I feel it important to note that, while the criticisms regarding Sniper Elite V2 are mostly true, they aren't game-ruiners. At least, not for me - I've been having tons of fun with it.
Yes, the levels are linear, the deployables don't come in nearly as handy as they ought to (I've only really used the grenades), and the AI is either really good at noticing you or really bad at it (with no in-between), but that shouldn't interfere with your ability to enjoy putting bullets into faces. It's still very much worth the price of admission, IMO.

mere_immortal

Nation Red is the daily, any opinions?

Skull2185

testsubject23 wrote: »

I feel it important to note that, while the criticisms regarding Sniper Elite V2 are mostly true, they aren't game-ruiners. At least, not for me - I've been having tons of fun with it.
Yes, the levels are linear, the deployables don't come in nearly as handy as they ought to (I've only really used the grenades), and the AI is either really good at noticing you or really bad at it (with no in-between), but that shouldn't interfere with your ability to enjoy putting bullets into faces. It's still very much worth the price of admission, IMO.

Tripmines, Landmines and even dynamite become way more useful on subsequent playthroughs. Once you know where guys are going to spawn, and where they'll be coming from, you can set up sweet sweet traps.

anoffday

mere_immortal wrote: »

Nation Red is the daily, any opinions?

Online coop barricade sounds pretty fun.

Corpekata

Nation Red is lots of fun. Lots of updates since it's release too. It's definetly a "screw around with some friends" game though. There's not much to the single player, but the MP can be quite fun. Worth a shot at 2 bucks I'd say.

Drake

anoffday wrote: »

mere_immortal wrote: »

Nation Red is the daily, any opinions?

Online coop barricade sounds pretty fun.

Nation Red is a pretty well done top down Zombie horde shooter with a few different modes and a fun perk/leveling system. It has some nice online features, including coop and leaderboards. Don't look at Lepwave's scores though unless you have no problems confronting your inadequacies.

heenato

It's a twin stick shooter. If you like those, Go ahead. The price isn't bad.

IvanIssacs

Drake wrote: »

anoffday wrote: »

mere_immortal wrote: »

Nation Red is the daily, any opinions?

Online coop barricade sounds pretty fun.

Nation Red is a pretty well done top down Zombie horde shooter with a few different modes and a fun perk/leveling system. It has some nice online features, including coop and leaderboards. Don't look at Lepwave's scores though unless you have no problems confronting your inadequacies.

Probably for the best if you just think of Lepwave as a robot. A terminator sent from the future.

Elderlycrawfish

I picked up sniper elite v2 on steam without the benefit of that GG sale and still don't regret it, though the $30 range and sounds about right for most people to grab it at. I've played much worse games at higher prices, and the flaws that were listed above generally don't make the game unplayable or anything (to me).

Mines and trips are also hilarious fun in multi player.

This is definitely something I will be handing out when it hits Daily Deal prices, for sure.

testsubject23

For anyone interested in trying out Nation Red...

Hahnsoo1

Nation Red is a decent zombie twin-stick shooter. A bit on the arcade-y side of things. They had a free weekend a while back, and I played all that I needed to play of the game in 4 hours, completing most of the modes of the game. It's fun, more fun in co-op, but it's rather unremarkable. It has the distinction of being "not crap" from a huge pile of really crappy twin-stick zombie games.

Corpekata

Going to the dentist in a few hours to get some problem teeth extracted. I may be a in a vicodin haze for the next few days. If you see me playing something like Railroad Simulator, that is why.

SteevL

The screenshots people kept posting in here of Sniper Elite V2 made me want it to be the sniper equivalent of Burnout's crash mode. I know from briefly playing the demo that's not really the case, and I'm honestly not sure how one would go about doing that. I'm still quite interested in the game, but I've really been pulling back on new purchases lately. Diablo 3 is coming...

Drake

Corpekata wrote: »

Going to the dentist in a few hours to get some problem teeth extracted. I may be a in a vicodin haze for the next few days. If you see me playing something like Railroad Simulator, that is why.

You lucky bastard.

Big Classy

SteevL wrote: »

The screenshots people kept posting in here of Sniper Elite V2 made me want it to be the sniper equivalent of Burnout's crash mode. I know from briefly playing the demo that's not really the case, and I'm honestly not sure how one would go about doing that. I'm still quite interested in the game, but I've really been pulling back on new purchases lately. Diablo 3 is coming...

It kinda is, there is a score you're given at the end of each level and the fancier the shot (moving headshot, taking otu both nuts etc) the more points you're given. Last I checked I was leading.

Idx86

Nation Red is a lot of fun, and we need more players! Feels like a Smash TV type experience, but with zombies.

initiatefailure

Drake wrote: »

Corpekata wrote: »

Going to the dentist in a few hours to get some problem teeth extracted. I may be a in a vicodin haze for the next few days. If you see me playing something like Railroad Simulator, that is why.

You lucky bastard.

Man, my doctor must have given me bad vicodin because I don't feel them at all.

Taramoor

Corpekata wrote: »

Going to the dentist in a few hours to get some problem teeth extracted. I may be a in a vicodin haze for the next few days. If you see me playing something like Railroad Simulator, that is why.

Dude! Me too! One of my back molars is so terrible it will cost less to replace it with a titanium screw-in than to fix it. So it's getting yanked.

anoffday

Congrats to @Taramoor You won Costume Quest!

Happy Halloween in May!

DoctorArch

Taramoor wrote: »

Corpekata wrote: »

Going to the dentist in a few hours to get some problem teeth extracted. I may be a in a vicodin haze for the next few days. If you see me playing something like Railroad Simulator, that is why.

Dude! Me too! One of my back molars is so terrible it will cost less to replace it with a titanium screw-in than to fix it. So it's getting yanked.

Last time I was at the dentist they told me I have a "Nordic Jaw" common in people of Nordic/Germanic descent. Basically it means that even after orthodontia the top and bottom teeth continue to impact each other instead of fitting over one another as nature intended. The end result is that the connective tissue holding my teeth in place is continually damaged by the repetitive impacts, thus leading to constant gum recession that will continue no matter how well I take care of my teeth (and boy howdy do I take care of my teeth).

End result, my teeth will eventually fall out through no fault of my own. So titanium screw-in implants for the win! (in ten to twenty years).

I hate Mondays by the way. No Midweek Madness and only a daily to sustain us until Tuesday.

anoffday

Just another reason to hate Mondays.

Sir Carcass

This is my first monday back to work in 3 weeks since my daughter was born

so... tired...

mts

Sir Carcass wrote: »

This is my first monday back to work in 3 weeks since my daughter was born

so... tired...

oh i remember those days weeks. it gets better mostly once sleep becomes regular. i am 7 months in and still exhausted all the time but that is because he gets up early, and i am not a mornign person

thejaxx

How Classy is @SkyTurnsRed ? So much so he gifted me DOTA2!

Thank you Sir!

testsubject23

Sir Carcass wrote: »

This is my first monday back to work in 3 weeks since my daughter was born

so... tired...

Ugh, I feel your pain. I'm about 3 weeks back in, now... it gets easier.