Penny Arcade - Comic - Infinite And Infinitesimal

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Penny Arcade - Comic - Infinite And Infinitesimal

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

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Nemrex

I often find their one-panels to be the best.

This is no exception.

GiTarin

I was reminded of this tweet.

Very nice .

Xehalus

now we know why aliens aren't around much

Kagera

That's quite a few bulbous sacks.

Also regardless of the quality of No Man's Sky I sure do like watching Markiplier play it for some reason.

KalTorak

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

TalonSE

KalTorak wrote: »

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

Same although ironically the engine could be used to create my dream Star Trek game. They could just use the basic ST: Voyager plot, your ship is stranded on the other side of the galaxy and you're trying to make your way back to Federation space while exploring and encountering new alien civilizations on your way home. Throw in a bunch of randomly generated subplots based on actual Trek episodes for mission content so it's not just pointless planetary exploration and you'd have something interesting. Ah well, maybe some day that dream will become a reality.

Tofystedeth

Kagera wrote: »

That's quite a few bulbous sacks.

I'm kind of surprised Tycho isn't more excited
https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/09/19/in-the-love-nest-of-harakki

Maybe if the neck were more slender...

Kagera

KalTorak wrote: »

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

Remember Spore? Well this is Minecraft meets Spore if it learned nothing from those games.

Translucia

multitudinous

https://youtu.be/gV6oSjsG7o4

Tube

I played Spore recently and it was a lot better than NMS in a lot of ways. There's nothing in NMS that's as cool as making your own moop

Namrok

Kagera wrote: »

KalTorak wrote: »

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

Remember Spore? Well this is Minecraft meets Spore if it learned nothing from those games.

Minus all the expressive qualities of Minecraft.

I think that is No Man's Sky greatest sin. It's somehow less than the sum of it's parts.

It has some space flight sim aspects... but they are so watered down as to be non-existent in terms of what a space sim person would be looking for. You ship is a glorified autopiloting space taxi with a variable sized trunk. There is no meaningful economy or trading.

It has some survival aspects... but resources are so plentiful there is no challenge, and it in fact only adds to the tedium. Not unlike how every time I start a new minecraft world, I eventually turn off the survival mode aspects once I've thoroughly ensconced myself in an impenetrable fortress with unlimited industry and farming. Once you've conquered the challenge of survival, there is no point in leaving it on. Especially without an escalating challenge. No Man's Sky seems to lack a lot of that challenge almost from the get go. Think of your first night in Minecraft vs your first night in No Man's Sky.

It has some first person shooter mechanics... but once again without any of the nuance that makes an FPS fun! It's an FPS in so far as you technically possess a gun, and can technically kill something. But it lacks any of the urgency, resource management, situational awareness or threat assessment that goes into making an FPS an engaging and fun experience.

And it's creative aspect is utterly bankrupt. There is no building, I've heard conflicting things about the permanence of whatever changes you make. And whatever you do, even if purely destructive, is unable to be shared with anyone else.

I'm honestly baffled at how far they missed the mark on what makes the individual components of this game actually fun. They seemed to wrapped up in the technical amazingness of all their procedural generation, the actual game they built using it was an afterthought.

I should note, I haven't played the game yet. These are just the criticisms I've internalized from people who have, and filtered through my own lense of what makes games work. I'm still morbidly curious about trying it, but not at a going rate of $60. That's insane. Especially when the market rate for an Early Access Survival Game, which this most clearly is, ranges around $20-30.

Tube

So I hated, hated this and then kept playing anyway because there's a deep sadness that lives within me. Once you have a bunch of upgraded inventory space and mod out your mining laser the game becomes relaxing and kind of fun. If they patch the game so that's the starting position rather than something you grind for, I think people will have a much better first impression.

Eseell

Tycho's anaconda don't want none if you don't got chitinous plates, hon.

Hahnsoo1

Tube wrote: »

So I hated, hated this and then kept playing anyway because there's a deep sadness that lives within me.

Not to laugh at other people's sadness, but this turn of phrase filled me with mirth, and I could instantly relate to it.

sus4n

Like Jerry, I too became enthralled by the draw of alien words. Shame it appears that I tapped that well on the second planet with 469. I guess I'm fine with it though since I don't have to do that part of the game anymore.

edit: The game feels like the scanning logbook out of Metroid Prime (even the exosuit voice sounds similar). This might sound negative but I don't mean it that way - I like that aspect of the game. I also ground out my inventory space early so I think I'm actually in a good position to explore further.

Rius

Tube wrote: »

So I hated, hated this and then kept playing anyway because there's a deep sadness that lives within me. Once you have a bunch of upgraded inventory space and mod out your mining laser the game becomes relaxing and kind of fun. If they patch the game so that's the starting position rather than something you grind for, I think people will have a much better first impression.

We still love you, Tube

Hahnsoo1

sus4n wrote: »

Like Jerry, I too became enthralled by the draw of alien words. Shame it appears that I tapped that well on the second planet with 469. I guess I'm fine with it though since I don't have to do that part of the game anymore.

edit: The game feels like the scanning logbook out of Metroid Prime (even the exosuit voice sounds similar). This might sound negative but I don't mean it that way - I like that aspect of the game. I also ground out my inventory space early so I think I'm actually in a good position to explore further.

Aren't there four separate alien languages with hundreds of words apiece?

sus4n

Hahnsoo1 wrote: »

Aren't there four separate alien languages with hundreds of words apiece?

OH! Didn't realise that there was more than one race. Looks like I only maxed out the Vy’keen

Unknown

This content has been removed.

Kagera

Namrok wrote: »

Kagera wrote: »

KalTorak wrote: »

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

Remember Spore? Well this is Minecraft meets Spore if it learned nothing from those games.

Minus all the expressive qualities of Minecraft.

I think that is No Man's Sky greatest sin. It's somehow less than the sum of it's parts.

It has some space flight sim aspects... but they are so watered down as to be non-existent in terms of what a space sim person would be looking for. You ship is a glorified autopiloting space taxi with a variable sized trunk. There is no meaningful economy or trading.

It has some survival aspects... but resources are so plentiful there is no challenge, and it in fact only adds to the tedium. Not unlike how every time I start a new minecraft world, I eventually turn off the survival mode aspects once I've thoroughly ensconced myself in an impenetrable fortress with unlimited industry and farming. Once you've conquered the challenge of survival, there is no point in leaving it on. Especially without an escalating challenge. No Man's Sky seems to lack a lot of that challenge almost from the get go. Think of your first night in Minecraft vs your first night in No Man's Sky.

It has some first person shooter mechanics... but once again without any of the nuance that makes an FPS fun! It's an FPS in so far as you technically possess a gun, and can technically kill something. But it lacks any of the urgency, resource management, situational awareness or threat assessment that goes into making an FPS an engaging and fun experience.

And it's creative aspect is utterly bankrupt. There is no building, I've heard conflicting things about the permanence of whatever changes you make. And whatever you do, even if purely destructive, is unable to be shared with anyone else.

I'm honestly baffled at how far they missed the mark on what makes the individual components of this game actually fun. They seemed to wrapped up in the technical amazingness of all their procedural generation, the actual game they built using it was an afterthought.

I should note, I haven't played the game yet. These are just the criticisms I've internalized from people who have, and filtered through my own lense of what makes games work. I'm still morbidly curious about trying it, but not at a going rate of $60. That's insane. Especially when the market rate for an Early Access Survival Game, which this most clearly is, ranges around $20-30.

You said it a lot more eloquently than I did. Props.

Enlong

The news post gives a pretty measured and, I think, fair assessment of the game.

cB557

Gvzbgul wrote: »

MichaelLC

TalonSE wrote: »

KalTorak wrote: »

this was pretty much my impression of NMS after hearing about it, and why I didn't understand (and still don't) the hype.

Same although ironically the engine could be used to create my dream Star Trek game. They could just use the basic ST: Voyager plot, your ship is stranded on the other side of the galaxy and you're trying to make your way back to Federation space while exploring and encountering new alien civilizations on your way home. Throw in a bunch of randomly generated subplots based on actual Trek episodes for mission content so it's not just pointless planetary exploration and you'd have something interesting. Ah well, maybe some day that dream will become a reality.

Could add multiplayer and hold X button to enter decontamination shower.

Yes, I know that was on Enterprise

.

Rhesus Positive

Tube wrote: »

I played Spore recently and it was a lot better than NMS in a lot of ways. There's nothing in NMS that's as cool as making your own moop

When I played Spore, I made my own mop

The mopfolk had dustpan vehicles and toilet-themed architecture

Caulk Bite 6

GiTarin wrote: »

I was reminded of this tweet.

Very nice .

Video is removed, anyone know what it was?

RatherDashing89

I like NMS a lot so far, though I've mainly been mining (metaphorically more than literally) my second planet for content so far and I may well quit after traveling to another if it's too similar. I know there's other, and maybe even better, wanderlust games out there, but the atmosphere and mild progression in this one make it my perfect relaxing grind, for now anyway. I do entirely get why people don't like it, of course. But what I don't get are the comparisons to Spore. I don't really feel like the Pokemon Snap portion of the game is really its core. It seems like a little thing to do along the side. So yeah, the creatures may be uninspired and not especially animated, but they're just window dressing, like the rocks and mineral formations. I don't really see how NMS bears any real similarity to Spore to warrant a comparison.

Tube

I should maybe write up a comparison. There's a lot of spore stuff in this.

RatherDashing89

I guess I may be in the dark because I didn't make it past stage two in Spore. I don't think I'd like NMS as much if I were playing as the monsters though. (Seriously, the animals in NMS really do suck)

Tube

Notably the goals of both games are word for word the same.

RatherDashing89

I interpreted the goal in NMS to be pretty tangential, to be honest. That may just be my way of looking at the game. Spore just seemed to remind me a lot more of Civilization (lite)--I never saw it as a free roaming exploration game. But like I said, I lost interest in the second stage. Again, I won't knock anyone for not liking a game whose primary draw is atmosphere rather than actual gameplay. But since that is, to me, the main feature of NMS, Spore seems extremely different as atmosphere seems to have taken a backseat.

GiTarin

Caulk Bite 6 wrote: »

GiTarin wrote: »

I was reminded of this tweet.

Very nice .

Video is removed, anyone know what it was?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYNriatnYkE

Ownership of the video is unclear by the way, the author of the tweet I originally linked claims to have found it on 4chan.