If there's one thing I don't like it's how badly the AI zombies and soldiers are with handling eachother. Set a group of clickers on a group of humans? Chances are the two groups just start chasing eachother in literal circles for several minutes while you wait behind cover for anything to happen.
Yeah. I just left lol. Kept on waiting and was like "the longer I sit here the bigger chance I get spotted - I'mma' just head out..."
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
Jesus, is the world ever gonna get over it’s nostalgia boner for cassette tapes and vinyl records?
Also I really hate how there are sometimes not clear divides between areas. I missed exploring some parts of Seattle because I didn't realize I was locking myself out of the more open areas by going down a certain drop or through some doors. Generally they aren't *too* bad about this for the most part, but there were a few times it's frustrating. I also really dislike that their save system doesn't just save you where you are, but rather at very arbitrary points. Like @Chance above, I had to reload around 30 minutes of gameplay because I realized that something I picked up wasn't in my inventory anymore due to me reloading the wrong checkpoint (I reloaded the encounter and not the checkpoint, failing to remember it wouldn't keep any collectibles and items progress).
i think we played too much uncharted back in the day
it always bugged me when the game would save mid-encounter, often in a situation you don't feel like you were actually in or properly earned your way to. i think it started around uncharted 3? or maybe TLOU. to be honest, one of the best things about survival (and grounded) difficulty was that it won't save mid-encounter, so you gotta properly play a battle through. that might be less a thing in these huge open areas though
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
edited June 2020
Yeah I once got locked in a checkpoint where I died within a second of the game loading in the first Uncharted. LotU2 actually learns from this - spawning enemies that were close to you further away (and often reducing their alert level).
The pacing of this game feels absolutely spot on thus far. I'm only on "Seattle Day 2" so I'm sure that could change at any moment but, for now, nothing has anything really felt extraneous or sloppy. The story beats are hitting where they need to. The acting and the facial capture is so good that even if it wasn't I might not even notice.
I think it's a bit slow, but I also think that pays off in story investment. I worry that slowness will make subsequent playthroughs soggy, but I zipped through the three hours I had to after reloading in less than a third of the time, so...
Might be okay.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Also I really hate how there are sometimes not clear divides between areas.
Ah. Isn't it wonderful how we hate the same things? I'm constantly guarding myself against this lol.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
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AegeriTiny wee bacteriumsPlateau of LengRegistered Userregular
A lot of the pacing issues people have start with the second half. I feel this is a very justified complaint given the games structure. I am not sure if it could be easily improved though.
This thing has Kojima-scale narrative stuff between its combat gameplay segments. Like definitely 90 minute stretches of walking-while-talking, cutscene, exploring a nice narrative environment, cutscene, more walking while talking, cutscene, omfg crazy-ass combat. Repeat.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Gaming industry: a character in a video game can't remove an article of clothing. It never looks right - like when 3d characters kiss. We should abandon this pursuit.
Naughty Dog: (holds up the Abby/Owen scene like Baby Simba in the opening of Lion King)
Gaming industry: (is struck blind)
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Look, that shirt scene is pretty good, but I'm still thinking about those sleeping bag physics from when Abby is introduced...
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
I just started Day 2 and I don't find the pacing off. Then again, I think I'm the only one who doesn't automatically kill everything in sight or try to sneak pass 90 miles of enemies. A lot of times I'm running if the odds isn't in my favor and running seems to be a valid choice a lot of times.
A lot of the pacing issues people have start with the second half. I feel this is a very justified complaint given the games structure. I am not sure if it could be easily improved though.
I'm not sure "pacing" is the best term to describe the issue. Though I agree there's no easy fix.
By bottling so much tension at the midpoint, and then pushing the player through an ever-escalating sequence of set-pieces in search of some resolution for that tension, it's not surprising that many folks are exhausted by the process. And I'm sure that's intended, for better or worse.
Epilogue Spoiler
Certainly a part of Ellie's drive for revenge is not "simply" about Joel's death, but about how it deprived her of the chance to forgive Joel for his actions, and so some facet of her trauma can never be resolved. Which I feel parallels that player-experience described above.
The thing that most impresses me is Naughty Dog having the guts to go with the story that they told. They knew it would be divisive and not universally accepted, but they went with it.
XBL: Bizazedo
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
Jesus, is the world ever gonna get over it’s nostalgia boner for cassette tapes and vinyl records?
Vinyl records are just about the best way that one can listen to music - so I hope not.
It's of particular aesthetic silliness in this case due to the fragility of Cassette Tapes and Vinyl. A quick google tells me the expected "lifespan" of a Cassette's magnetic tape is ~30 years. In the year 2037, 24 years after the Outbreak, there really shouldn't be any functional tapes.
Still in Seattle Day 1, but I really been enjoying it so far. It defiantely feels like the culmination of everything ND has done so far. I think the gameplay itself has greatly been improved from the first one. Characters feel much better to control and the scenarios seem to be better.
I really like Ellie and Diana's interactions, nice little levity through the adventure..though I'm waiting for it all turn bad.
I'm playing in moderate right now but might bump it up. I been getting tons of resources and have been able to stealth my way through every encounter so far.
Jesus, is the world ever gonna get over it’s nostalgia boner for cassette tapes and vinyl records?
Vinyl records are just about the best way that one can listen to music - so I hope not.
It's of particular aesthetic silliness in this case due to the fragility of Cassette Tapes and Vinyl. A quick google tells me the expected "lifespan" of a Cassette's magnetic tape is ~30 years. In the year 2037, 24 years after the Outbreak, there really shouldn't be any functional tapes.
I know this is off topic but it is blatantly and objectively untrue that vinyl provides the best listening experience. You, as a person, may enjoy it the most. But it is the lowest quality and least faithful version of any of the modern ways to listen to music.
End of day 1 stuff
Those damn trip mines were incredibly well placed. I died twice to them not looking where I was going. I don't really see the point of shamblers. They are pretty easy to sneak past, but whenever you see one there is always an action that is going to generate a lot of noise. So you basically have to kill them, but you can't do it through melee. I guess they are a good way to drain your ammo, but it seems kind of forced.
Jesus, is the world ever gonna get over it’s nostalgia boner for cassette tapes and vinyl records?
Vinyl records are just about the best way that one can listen to music - so I hope not.
It's of particular aesthetic silliness in this case due to the fragility of Cassette Tapes and Vinyl. A quick google tells me the expected "lifespan" of a Cassette's magnetic tape is ~30 years. In the year 2037, 24 years after the Outbreak, there really shouldn't be any functional tapes.
I know this is off topic but it is blatantly and objectively untrue that vinyl provides the best listening experience. You, as a person, may enjoy it the most. But it is the lowest quality and least faithful version of any of the modern ways to listen to music.
End of day 1 stuff
Those damn trip mines were incredibly well placed. I died twice to them not looking where I was going. I don't really see the point of shamblers. They are pretty easy to sneak past, but whenever you see one there is always an action that is going to generate a lot of noise. So you basically have to kill them, but you can't do it through melee. I guess they are a good way to drain your ammo, but it seems kind of forced.
I'm not sure that's true? Outside of things like audio absent any compression, etc - I'm pretty sure vinyl is still one of the best ways to appreciate audio fidelity.
TLOU2 gameplay - Does anyone else find that the camera movement is a little sluggish in controlling your character? I find myself walking backwards a bunch because of it. It's not a big deal at - just looks a bit funny.
Jesus, is the world ever gonna get over it’s nostalgia boner for cassette tapes and vinyl records?
Vinyl records are just about the best way that one can listen to music - so I hope not.
It's of particular aesthetic silliness in this case due to the fragility of Cassette Tapes and Vinyl. A quick google tells me the expected "lifespan" of a Cassette's magnetic tape is ~30 years. In the year 2037, 24 years after the Outbreak, there really shouldn't be any functional tapes.
I know this is off topic but it is blatantly and objectively untrue that vinyl provides the best listening experience. You, as a person, may enjoy it the most. But it is the lowest quality and least faithful version of any of the modern ways to listen to music.
End of day 1 stuff
Those damn trip mines were incredibly well placed. I died twice to them not looking where I was going. I don't really see the point of shamblers. They are pretty easy to sneak past, but whenever you see one there is always an action that is going to generate a lot of noise. So you basically have to kill them, but you can't do it through melee. I guess they are a good way to drain your ammo, but it seems kind of forced.
If that's the section I'm thinking of there were tons of bottles and bricks around to toss at the wires.
You never had to fire a shot.
Chance on
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
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GoodKingJayIIIThey wanna get mygold on the ceilingRegistered Userregular
I’m watching an LP right now, I’m very early on so this is not a spoiler more of a question about a character and some of the weirder criticism about the game.
Was there some thing about how Dina could not be as physically strong as she is because she is a woman? I feel like I read something about that somewhere. Is that based on... anything in the game?
At a certain level of shitty quality, it's good and right to proclaim it shitty. But when wine is that shitty they tend to just brand it cooking wine, which you shouldn't cook with anyway. For the most part, wine is drinkable and this song is boppin' and I don't need to hear that it would be better on vinyl or FLAC or if it had been given more time to breathe.
I do feel there's room to say "the fact that a cassette has survived is inauthentic, in a game that prizes itself on authenticity!", but can I say it's impossible for one to survive in whatever conditions?
Heck no. And it tends to be important for a story moment - and in TLOU2 that's more forgivable than TLOU1, with its tighter narrative. TloU2, so far, is kinda' like a YA novel, compared to TLOU1's more prestige status.
But again, not finished yet.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
I’m watching an LP right now, I’m very early on so this is not a spoiler more of a question about a character and some of the weirder criticism about the game.
Was there some thing about how Dina could not be as physically strong as she is because she is a woman? I feel like I read something about that somewhere. Is that based on... anything in the game?
This is probably not referring to Dina, but
to Abby. A lot of the really dumb criticism is coming from people mad about Abby's character and her actions and also how can she possibly be that strong and be a lady?! it's very silly.
I'm like halfway through Abby's story and near as I can tell Owen dumped her after she wouldn't put out at the museum, knocked up Mel, banged Abby on the side anyway when he was on the run from Isaac and was all "haha we don't need to tell Mel, right?"
Owen's a dink. He's nice right into your pants.
Chance on
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
I'm like halfway through Abby's story and near as I can tell Owen dumped her after she wouldn't put out at the museum, knocked up Mel, banged Abby on the side anyway when he was on the run from Isaac and was all "haha we don't need to tell Mel, right?"
Owen's a dink.
What? No, Abby and
him just separated I assume because of her focus on finding Joel. It's basically a mirror of Dina and Ellie's relationship though not taken to the same extreme. The game makes it pretty clear that Owen still loves Abby and not actually Mel, and the pregnancy was accidental. That is why Mel is such a dick with Abby, because she ultimately wants Owen and knows his loyalty is divided. He feels obligated to Mel, but he loves Abby, and Abby was too focused on her revenge and getting pumped up for revenge, whereas Owen was the opposite. He wants revenge because Abby wants it as far as I can tell, but he isn't built like her. He wants to get on a boat and find something to aspire to, he doesn't want to fight pointless wars and slaughter people. Abby is idealistic about the Firefly's, Owen is the one who says that they killed innocent people and did bad things even if they were trying to do good. He doesn't sugarcoat the bad things he has had to do, but he does feel bad about it.
He only had sex with Abby, again as far as I can tell, that one time like 1 day before the end of the game where he was at his most despondent and he and Abby actually had a real talk in forever. After that he wanted to be with her. It's pretty clear that he is not into Mel, he planned to leave her behind to go to Santa Barbara. Partly for her own protection, but partly because he did not want to be with her and didn't want to be a father in this world either.
The number of times this game drops you into an area where you are trapped because you can't get back out the way you came in, but there is miraculously *one* way out that works is starting to get kind of ridiculous.
Yeah it's like a beautiful hallway with a ton of open rooms, and you wanna check them all, but one of the doors may lock you out of the hallway forever.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
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GoodKingJayIIIThey wanna get mygold on the ceilingRegistered Userregular
I’m watching an LP right now, I’m very early on so this is not a spoiler more of a question about a character and some of the weirder criticism about the game.
Was there some thing about how Dina could not be as physically strong as she is because she is a woman? I feel like I read something about that somewhere. Is that based on... anything in the game?
This is probably not referring to Dina, but
to Abby. A lot of the really dumb criticism is coming from people mad about Abby's character and her actions and also how can she possibly be that strong and be a lady?! it's very silly.
Thanks for clarifying. I haven’t seen anything that would make me think this, but I’m guessing the complaint is as stupid as it sounds.
The only thing that bums me out about Abby's body is
We meet her when she's full-on buff-ass soldier lady, but then we flash back to her before Joel liberated her dad from his mortal coil and she was clearly not into weights, yet. Did her transformation result from her obsession with being capable when she tracked Joel down, or is it merely a result of her being pretty damned good at being a WLF?
I was honestly hoping for a workout montage where she explains to someone why she wants to be so strong, and then the 80s rock kicks in and we see a bunch of small improvements, almost gives up, keeps at it because she won't back down! And then she finally wraps a measuring tape around one bicep, looks at the number and smiles smugly to herself.
I still hope that scene's coming.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
The only thing that bums me out about Abby's body is
We meet her when she's full-on buff-ass soldier lady, but then we flash back to her before Joel liberated her dad from his mortal coil and she was clearly not into weights, yet. Did her transformation result from her obsession with being capable when she tracked Joel down, or is it merely a result of her being pretty damned good at being a WLF?
I was honestly hoping for a workout montage where she explains to someone why she wants to be so strong, and then the 80s rock kicks in and we see a bunch of small improvements, almost gives up, keeps at it because she won't back down! And then she finally wraps a measuring tape around one bicep, looks at the number and smiles smugly to herself.
I still hope that scene's coming.
"Tracking Practice" Spoiler
Uhhh, Abby is jacked as fucked for what appears to be a ~15 year old girl. I think it's safe to say that she's cultivated a particular image her whole life, one that also fostered some doubts about the truth of Owen's attraction due to still lingering cultural ideas regarding the feminine "ideal". That she's been ensconced within militaristic environs (first the Fireflies, then WLF) has possibly "protected" her from enduring the sort of verbal dehumanizing that happens later, but I believe we're supposed to presume it has been happening to some degree.
I legit didn't see her as jacked in the flashback. Weeird.
I dunno. There was a part of me that wondered if Owen liked her because she was the big boss's daughter, but I think they both like each other honestly. As for all the abuses we haven't seen, while there's certainly an argument to be made that "ahem, Mr. Druckmann, there appears to be a lack of authenticity in my soup," I'm kind of okay with less awful traumatic shit in this game.
Like at where I am, Lev and his sister are both still alive. And I keep on thinking of the brothers in the first game and how that turned out.
But I also feel like this game has pulled a lot of punches and really doesn't make as big an impact as regularly as the first, so I'm starting to think that the kids and Dina might all survive.
Poor Jessie. Went out like a Game of Thrones cast-off.
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
I legit didn't see her as jacked in the flashback. Weeird.
I dunno. There was a part of me that wondered if Owen liked her because she was the big boss's daughter, but I think they both like each other honestly. As for all the abuses we haven't seen, while there's certainly an argument to be made that "ahem, Mr. Druckmann, there appears to be a lack of authenticity in my soup," I'm kind of okay with less awful traumatic shit in this game.
Like at where I am, Lev and his sister are both still alive. And I keep on thinking of the brothers in the first game and how that turned out.
But I also feel like this game has pulled a lot of punches and really doesn't make as big an impact as regularly as the first, so I'm starting to think that the kids and Dina might all survive.
Poor Jessie. Went out like a Game of Thrones cast-off.
In the later flashback in the aquarium,
she isn't buff but she has slightly bigger arms, and will later mention she benched 185 that day, so she's definitely taken an interest in getting stronger. Whether that is just something she's drawn to or she wants the power to fight Joel, or both, is not explained.
I legit didn't see her as jacked in the flashback. Weeird.
I dunno. There was a part of me that wondered if Owen liked her because she was the big boss's daughter, but I think they both like each other honestly. As for all the abuses we haven't seen, while there's certainly an argument to be made that "ahem, Mr. Druckmann, there appears to be a lack of authenticity in my soup," I'm kind of okay with less awful traumatic shit in this game.
Like at where I am, Lev and his sister are both still alive. And I keep on thinking of the brothers in the first game and how that turned out.
But I also feel like this game has pulled a lot of punches and really doesn't make as big an impact as regularly as the first, so I'm starting to think that the kids and Dina might all survive.
Poor Jessie. Went out like a Game of Thrones cast-off.
In the later flashback in the aquarium,
she isn't buff but she has slightly bigger arms, and will later mention she benched 185 that day, so she's definitely taken an interest in getting stronger. Whether that is just something she's drawn to or she wants the power to fight Joel, or both, is not explained.
Yes,
one year after The Miller Massacre - which says revenge was her goal, to me. She's pumping iron while staring at a picture of Joel with the eyes cut out.
Owen's off to the side, holding a picnic basket. "But Aaaa-beeeee!"
"Later, Owen! One one three... one one four... one one five..."
Owen sighs, sulks "we're never gonna' kill that guy" under his breath and walks out of frame, revealing who peering though that door? MEL! (Dun dun dunnn!) And she's got plans!
Next week, on Sexy Teens of the Post Apocalypse...
'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Posts
Yeah. I just left lol. Kept on waiting and was like "the longer I sit here the bigger chance I get spotted - I'mma' just head out..."
i think we played too much uncharted back in the day
it always bugged me when the game would save mid-encounter, often in a situation you don't feel like you were actually in or properly earned your way to. i think it started around uncharted 3? or maybe TLOU. to be honest, one of the best things about survival (and grounded) difficulty was that it won't save mid-encounter, so you gotta properly play a battle through. that might be less a thing in these huge open areas though
I think it's a bit slow, but I also think that pays off in story investment. I worry that slowness will make subsequent playthroughs soggy, but I zipped through the three hours I had to after reloading in less than a third of the time, so...
Might be okay.
Ah. Isn't it wonderful how we hate the same things? I'm constantly guarding myself against this lol.
I see multiple ways out of an area and have to think “Now which of these is a regular door and which of these is a cutscene door.”
Naughty Dog: (holds up the Abby/Owen scene like Baby Simba in the opening of Lion King)
Gaming industry: (is struck blind)
Vinyl records are just about the best way that one can listen to music - so I hope not.
I'm not sure "pacing" is the best term to describe the issue. Though I agree there's no easy fix.
By bottling so much tension at the midpoint, and then pushing the player through an ever-escalating sequence of set-pieces in search of some resolution for that tension, it's not surprising that many folks are exhausted by the process. And I'm sure that's intended, for better or worse.
Epilogue Spoiler
Stupid job makin' me work...
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
It's of particular aesthetic silliness in this case due to the fragility of Cassette Tapes and Vinyl. A quick google tells me the expected "lifespan" of a Cassette's magnetic tape is ~30 years. In the year 2037, 24 years after the Outbreak, there really shouldn't be any functional tapes.
I really like Ellie and Diana's interactions, nice little levity through the adventure..though I'm waiting for it all turn bad.
I'm playing in moderate right now but might bump it up. I been getting tons of resources and have been able to stealth my way through every encounter so far.
I know this is off topic but it is blatantly and objectively untrue that vinyl provides the best listening experience. You, as a person, may enjoy it the most. But it is the lowest quality and least faithful version of any of the modern ways to listen to music.
End of day 1 stuff
PSN:Furlion
Abby : "...no."
I'm not sure that's true? Outside of things like audio absent any compression, etc - I'm pretty sure vinyl is still one of the best ways to appreciate audio fidelity.
TLOU2 gameplay - Does anyone else find that the camera movement is a little sluggish in controlling your character? I find myself walking backwards a bunch because of it. It's not a big deal at - just looks a bit funny.
If that's the section I'm thinking of there were tons of bottles and bricks around to toss at the wires.
You never had to fire a shot.
Was there some thing about how Dina could not be as physically strong as she is because she is a woman? I feel like I read something about that somewhere. Is that based on... anything in the game?
Discussing audio quality is kind of like wine.
At a certain level of shitty quality, it's good and right to proclaim it shitty. But when wine is that shitty they tend to just brand it cooking wine, which you shouldn't cook with anyway. For the most part, wine is drinkable and this song is boppin' and I don't need to hear that it would be better on vinyl or FLAC or if it had been given more time to breathe.
I do feel there's room to say "the fact that a cassette has survived is inauthentic, in a game that prizes itself on authenticity!", but can I say it's impossible for one to survive in whatever conditions?
Heck no. And it tends to be important for a story moment - and in TLOU2 that's more forgivable than TLOU1, with its tighter narrative. TloU2, so far, is kinda' like a YA novel, compared to TLOU1's more prestige status.
But again, not finished yet.
This is probably not referring to Dina, but
Speaking of
Fuck you, Owen, you're a piece of shit.
Owen's a dink. He's nice right into your pants.
What? No, Abby and
He only had sex with Abby, again as far as I can tell, that one time like 1 day before the end of the game where he was at his most despondent and he and Abby actually had a real talk in forever. After that he wanted to be with her. It's pretty clear that he is not into Mel, he planned to leave her behind to go to Santa Barbara. Partly for her own protection, but partly because he did not want to be with her and didn't want to be a father in this world either.
I feel like you're giving Owen a lot of slack, here. Abby has profound issues, Owen doesn't want to hurt anyone, but he's a douche.
His plan to abandon Pregnant Mel and run away to Santa Barbara did not endear him to me lol
Then he should stop fucking everyone lol
Thanks for clarifying. I haven’t seen anything that would make me think this, but I’m guessing the complaint is as stupid as it sounds.
I was honestly hoping for a workout montage where she explains to someone why she wants to be so strong, and then the 80s rock kicks in and we see a bunch of small improvements, almost gives up, keeps at it because she won't back down! And then she finally wraps a measuring tape around one bicep, looks at the number and smiles smugly to herself.
I still hope that scene's coming.
"Tracking Practice" Spoiler
And sorry, no montage.
I dunno. There was a part of me that wondered if Owen liked her because she was the big boss's daughter, but I think they both like each other honestly. As for all the abuses we haven't seen, while there's certainly an argument to be made that "ahem, Mr. Druckmann, there appears to be a lack of authenticity in my soup," I'm kind of okay with less awful traumatic shit in this game.
Like at where I am, Lev and his sister are both still alive. And I keep on thinking of the brothers in the first game and how that turned out.
But I also feel like this game has pulled a lot of punches and really doesn't make as big an impact as regularly as the first, so I'm starting to think that the kids and Dina might all survive.
Poor Jessie. Went out like a Game of Thrones cast-off.
In the later flashback in the aquarium,
Yes,
Owen's off to the side, holding a picnic basket. "But Aaaa-beeeee!"
"Later, Owen! One one three... one one four... one one five..."
Owen sighs, sulks "we're never gonna' kill that guy" under his breath and walks out of frame, revealing who peering though that door? MEL! (Dun dun dunnn!) And she's got plans!
Next week, on Sexy Teens of the Post Apocalypse...