What are you playing? (games)

[juansolo]

My son introduced me to Fortnite on PS4.

I quickly remembered why I detest online gaming so much! How does anyone have any fun or NOT get discouraged when you last all of 1 minute in the game before being snuck up on and shot/eliminated?

Also, something I found odd was the complete reversal of what I remembered to be the norm when it came to Beta testing. So, apparently Fortnite has a version of the game where you can battle monsters to save the world. This game option is considered "buggy" and you can only have access to it if you PAY for it. Allegedly, after the version is finalized, it will be offered "for free???"

I remember when the Beta versions were free to try and test and then you had to pay for the final version. Why would I pay to play the "buggy" version of the game only to have it available for free later???

Am I missing something here?

Nope, that's pretty much the norm now for large studio produced games (think Ubisoft, Activision, EA and the like). The main reason is because they're huge companies that work on financial years and their main focus is their shareholders. So games get released before they're finished so as to tie in with financial goals, rather than when they're actually finished. Also because they care less about the games, they'll farm out work on the game and cut corners to minimise spend. This results in abominations like Mass Effect Andromeda. Being big businesses, when these games fail, they then just cut the studio that made it, and buy in the next currently successful game studio, bend them to their model, then repeat. It works for at least one sequel because people don't pay attention to the publisher as they should. But before long they all end up the same way.

Add to this, because mobile gaming is now making more money than anything else, they're making these games operate like mobile games. But you usually have to buy them at full price first. So artificial grinds in game to make you want to buy the microtransactions to make the game less grindy. Some of the worst ones give the payer advantages over other players. They basically cease to be games any more and become random number generator based gambling games skinned to look like something else. Hell they've even patented mechanics that are designed to sell microtransactions at the expense of fair gameplay.

Basically it all comes down to money as to what's ruining games right now, and it's been coming a long time. Buggy games became the norm from PCs because it was easy to release games with minimal testing then patch them later. The current generation of consoles, which are essentially low powered PCs allow the same, so the practice has migrated to them. Some games never get patched and rely on modders to fix them, which they do! Skyrim is a perfect example of a game that's bugged to hell, is STILL being released on new platforms without being fixed, yet there's a fan patch for the PC version that fixes hundreds of bugs in it (I'm not exaggerating there).

It's not all doom and gloom though. There are still studios out there that seems to actually want to produce enjoyable, complete and finished games. They're just drowned out by the big players that are popular with the masses, who turn out re-skinned FIFA, Madden, COD, etc every year. There have been some belting games that have been released without any of the above bullshit. Divinity Original Sin II as mentioned above is a perfect example of a game that doesn't take the piss. It was £30, doesn't have game breaking DRM yet still sells (because they haven't taken the piss on price), it doesn't have locked day one content that you have to pay for on top of the purchase price to unlock other parts of the game. It's a complete and finished game. Horizon Zero Dawn was another. A full game! The horror. When they released DLC it was several months later because it wasn't part of the game they'd split off to sell to you, and it was a good amount of extra play time worth the cost also.

Man that also reminds me of another thing that's common now. Releasing a game that's basically a shell, charging £60 for it, then adding content to it to buy afterwards to make it playable. That's actually a thing now. I can't remember whether it was Destiny 1 or Battlefront 1 that did that first... Or indeed releasing a sequel then cutting out parts that were in the original to sell to you as add-ons.

The biggest problem in all this is that it works. People keep paying them the money and as long as they do, games will continue to become more and more like mobile games. Because quite frankly they can make a shit-tonne of money with far less effort. Which is why I don't play online games anymore and only buy games that are devoid of these practices. Hopefully the Battlefront II saga will do something to stop them and maybe even legislate out the totally predatory practices from these games. Until then... Retro gaming is where it's at man. The games industry could fold tomorrow and I wouldn't care. I've got hundreds of old games to play that were actually designed to be fun.

[HamSandwich]

Anybody play Kingdom Come: Deliverance / is it any good?

[selfdestroyer]

Its Far Cry 5 day!

Grabbing it on PC tonight.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Ok gamers! Need some recommendations! 

Looking for a game. Want it to be a shooter. For the PS4. Want to be able to play 2-player split screen. Either in versus or team mode. Fighting against the environment to either eliminate enemies OR accomplish missions.

And.......... GO!

[flanagan0718]

Ok gamers! Need some recommendations! 

Looking for a game. Want it to be a shooter. For the PS4. Want to be able to play 2-player split screen. Either in versus or team mode. Fighting against the environment to either eliminate enemies OR accomplish missions.

And.......... GO!

Overwatch is a cool game

I don't own it but played the demo and played it at a friends house. loads of fun.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Overwatch is a cool game

I don't own it but played the demo and played it at a friends house. loads of fun.

Got that one. There is no non-network co-op gameplay. I want a game where I do NOT have to go online to do some co-op PvE. Prefer split screen. Something I can play with my son and work together going after zombies or bad guys to accomplish a mission.

[selfdestroyer]

Overwatch is a cool game

I don't own it but played the demo and played it at a friends house. loads of fun.

Got that one. There is no non-network co-op gameplay. I want a game where I do NOT have to go online to do some co-op PvE. Prefer split screen. Something I can play with my son and work together going after zombies or bad guys to accomplish a mission.

Take a loot at this place:
http://www.co-optimus.com/games.php

You can filter for split screen and what not.

Cody

[alanp]

https://www.seeedstudio.com/Raspberry-Pi-Acrylic-DIY-Retro-Game-Arcade-Kit-p-2906.html

Paging JuanSolo...

[juansolo]

https://www.seeedstudio.com/Raspberry-Pi-Acrylic-DIY-Retro-Game-Arcade-Kit-p-2906.html

Paging JuanSolo...

I was going to do something like that in a 1550G enclosure. Could easily get it in there.

[selfdestroyer]

I'm like 25 hours in on Far Cry 5 and really enjoying it. The story is not that great but the "open world murder simulator" is in full swing. Its so fun to run around and clear the map off of objectives.. its obsessive.

Cody

[flanagan0718]

I'm like 25 hours in on Far Cry 5 and really enjoying it. The story is not that great but the "open world murder simulator" is in full swing. Its so fun to run around and clear the map off of objectives.. its obsessive.

Cody

I loved Far Cry 4. It was a ton of fun to just run around and get the small missions done. Plus slaughter the bad guys!!!


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[Willybomb]

I really enjoyed Far Cry Primal, actually.  FC3 was pretty good, the Buzzer in FC4 is fun, but FC4 isn't as fun in all honesty.

Currently playing Brutal Legend, and Borderlands - the Pre-sequel.  I'm enjoying going back to older games on my 2 year old (nearly three!) i7 laptop.

[flanagan0718]

Last month PSN had the DLC for bloodbourne on sale. So I'm currently chipping away at that. Thinking of picking up Far Cry Primal at some point.


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[sonnyboy27]

I really like FC3, FC4 was a ton of fun but I liked 3 more. Really want to try 5 when it comes down in price a bit.

Just started playing Fallout 4 though after finishing Bioshock for the first time so I'm gonna be in that game for a good while.

[trailer]

I finally joined the masses and got a PS4. Been playing through the Uncharted trilogy and Crash trilogy. Also been playing a ton of Fortnite and Brawlhala. My name is TRAILERXCORE. Come thrown off a ledge!