Finished Duke Nukem Forever, and boy, did it bring back a lot of memories.

Currently playing Old World Blues, the third and latest DLC for Fallout: New Vegas.

I also picked up The Witcher 2 a few weeks ago but it doesn't seem to like my video card as it is constantly freezing. No cash to shell out for a new one right now so it will have to wait, and I'm not in a hurry as I found the mouse controls very annoying and a step down from the original game.

Still excited for Skyrim, Gears 3, and LOTR:WitN.

I don't know how much longer I can wait for Uncharted 3. I mean, I'm excited for LotR: WitN and of course AC: Revelations, but I think Naughty Dog has really outdone themselves on the Uncharted series. I remember thinking "how can they possibly top Uncharted 1?" and they did it with a Game of the Year. Now everyone's saying "how can they top Uncharted 2?" and I think the answer to that question is going to be something really, really awesome.

I need to start playing again, last game I was playing was Red Dead Redemption.

I can't wait for the next AC game and CoD:MW3.

So many games to play, so little time to play them!!

[quote=""BladeCollector""] CoD:MW3.
[/quote]

Bleh. No thanks.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Bleh. No thanks. [/quote]


Thats okay... more for me!

Lol you shouldn't have a hard time finding people to play Call of Duty!

Grand theft auto liberty city episodes!

Yes yes. Not exactly the newest title around...but I'm enjoying it. A really good excuse to revisit LIBERTY CITY!!

My constant addiction for sure is Lord of the Rings Online. I just purchased the new Isengard/Rohan e xp ansion and it launched just recently. This is my main stress reliever after a long day at work because there really is no need for save points or whatever. I can just blow off some steam 30 min to 3 hours if I have it.

When the wife is out I do bust out the playstation and crank the surround sound with Assassin's Creed Brotherhood both online and single player. I have owned God of War III for over a year and still haven't touched it so I should probably get on that ASAP.

To hell with all other games, I'm waiting for Skyrim =D =D

Have you guys seen the gameplay trailers? Omg omg omg =D

You and I both, Darlak.

I'm still disappointed that they took away character creation choice though. I think that was a step in the wrong direction for an RPG series.

Wooo wooo woooo! Skyrim! Same here. It's going to be amazing.


But... they took away character creation?? I thought when I heard that way back, it meant that you cannot choose the race of the main character this time, but I watched a recent video and indeed you can, so I sort of forgot all about that So is there just like, one fixed model per race now??

Taking away character creation from an RPG kinda takes away one of the main points of an RPG, right? Designing your own character? Why would they do that?

Because as games shift away from the PC and onto consoles more and more, developers feel the need to dumb things down to simplify them more for the average player.

There is a perception in the gaming industry that console game players are more into quick action, lighter content (as in story and complexity,) and more immediate self-gratification. Then there's the issue of controls: a control pad can only do so much vs. a mouse and keyboard, which cuts down on interface complexity and options, as well eliminating many of the menus, submenus, and reams of stat and equipment pages that RPG PC games used to be known for.

The unfortunate side-effect of this is that the true RPG genre is dying a slow death on the PC and the console versions of said games are resembling quickie adventure games more and more than RPGs.

I submit for your review, examples of how this is happening as it becomes very evident in the differences between sequels in certain games : Dragon Age vs. Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect vs. Mass Effect 2. If you've played these games, you know what I'm talking about. The next one to suffer will be Oblivion vs. Skyrim. Not the same type of RPG game, not by a long shot.

Bottom line is, console sales have far outstripped PCs in recent years as PCs have lost a lot of ground as gaming machines due to cost. Developers see this and start to code for a console first, the PC second. It used to be that some PC titles were never ported to console; now it's the other way around. Because they feel console games need to be simpler and more accessible, this is what we are getting.

Sed, it might be that they recanted on their character creation issue after players complained, but I'm not sure what the status of that is at the moment. If you can choose your race, and I'm praying they've changed their mind on that, then I hope it's not just one pre-made character model.

If I'm going to play a game named "Conan the Barbarian" then I e xp ect to play the titular hero, but if I'm playing an RPG, then I e xp ect some choice in being who I want to be, and that includes, race, class, and skill-set.

Exaaactly.

It's a shocker to me that they'd even think to neglect a huge detail like that, being Bethesda in the first place, whose RPGs have been THE MOST detailed on the market. I want these games to build up, not slim down. Crossing my fingers they changed their minds... character creation with me takes forever, but I love doing it. I remember when I first got Fallout, all I did for the first two hours was create my character. And I made him look like Viggo from the Road.

Unfortunately even some companies are not immune to policy changes from within. People come and go, and focuses tend to shift. From Elder Scrolls: Arena all the way through to Skyrim, it would be interesting to see how many, if any of the original design team is even at Bethesda any more. Not only that, there's always the suit-and-cigar guys behind the scenes that make all the big decisions that the developing teams have to obey, no matter how wrong or out of touch they think these guys may be. They are the ones signing the pay cheques, sadly.

Well, I haven't played Mass Effect 2 or Dragon Age 2, but I can see what you mean. Sad, really. The only thing anyone wants to play anymore is run-and-gun garbage like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 867 or whatever they're on by now (and still haven't changed the game engine).

I really wouldn't worry, as it is after all Bethesda who's making this game, and Bethesda's games over the last years has been the very definition of RPG's.

I know for a fact that all the races from the previous games are available as playable races, from one of the gameplay trailers. Todd Howard also talked about how they focused on making NPC's much more varied and believable, so I can only assume that they will allow for proper character creation. Todd Howard is still the genious he's always been, and he's still at the helm. Skyrim will probably be better than Oblivion in many, if not all ways.

Val, it's true what you're saying about games moving more and more over to other platforms, but I don't think that's a main concern for Bethesda, as both Morrowind and Oblivion have been enormous hits on the PC, more so than on consoles, simply because of the modding community. No other game ever made has anywhere near as many mods as Oblivion and Morrowind, because their both some of the most critically acclaimed games ever made, and they're also the easiest to mod. So why buy oblivion for the xbox or ps3, when you can buy it for the pc and literally get a whole new alternate world you can modify and add to as you see fit?

Todd Howard also said that they took a ton of ideas for Skyrim from the Morrowind and Oblivion modding community, so the game is bound to be better, really.

It's also impossible to compare Dragon age with Oblivion. Why? They're two different games, with two different studios, both with different goals and intensions. The guys behind dragon age wants ****loads of cash, as is evident by them spewing forth dragon age 2 right after the first game came out. I haven't played dragon age 2 myself, but if it's true what you're saying about how they "mainstreamed" the game Val, then that only strengthens that theory. Bethesda, however, wants to make the best game in the world. For the fourth time. While making ****loads of cash. And the only way they can accomplish that, is by bettering what is already there, not simplifying it all to make a quick action-filled adventure game.

If by chance, I am wrong, and Todd Howard has been assassinated, and then having microsoft taking over Bethesda, I wouldn't despair either. Two months after the game is released there'll be a mod which allows for infinite possibilites for character customization.

Anyways, where did you hear about this Val? Is it just a rumour or an official statement? A link would be great =)

EDIT: On a side note there will be children in the game for the first time, lol.

[quote=""Darlak""]I know for a fact that all the races from the previous games are available as playable races, from one of the gameplay trailers. [/quote]


Yeah, but what we're talking about is customizing the features from there. I don't want some lame cat-man with a fixed model.

[quote=""Darlak""]On a side note there will be children in the game for the first time, lol.[/quote]


I hope you can actually kill them. It was disappointing not being able to shoot the Sheriff of Megaton's son in Fallout 3. I even used a Fatboy on him.

I know what we were talking about Sed, I was merely confirming what you said about races. As for the children, nope, they definately won't be killable. But in the likely event that a Skyrim construction set is released, it can be "fixed" with just a few clicks =P

I'll be getting it for 360

I would be, but that's taking the blu-ray player role as of late.

PC all the way for Skyrim. Like Darlak said, modding is what makes this series so outstanding. You're misssing half the e xp erience of TES without the modding community.

Darlak, I wish I could provide a link but unfortunately I can't remember where I read the article. It was a couple of months back, and the guy played a beta of the game and wrote a preliminary review of sorts, focusing mainly on game mechanics as he was not allowed to reveal much about the plot. One of his major gripes was the aforementioned removal of character creation choices, most namely race. He also mentioned that the way to learn and improve skills was changed from Oblivion and not in a way that he thought was a step forward. I believe he mentioned that the reason the developers gave for removing race choice was that you were supposed to be locked into the role of the game's protagonist, and thus, a game about the province of Skyrim where you play some specific hero of that land would probably not make much sense if you opted to create an Argonian or Khajiit character, for example. Within that context, the removal makes sense, but it is a huge step backwards for an RPG series and game, because it takes away a lot of your freedom. I don't see how they can put that choice back into the game without major alterations to the story, but I'm hoping Sed is right and it was done.

This is exactly what they did with Dragon Age 2 vs. the first game. In Dragon Age, you could select your race and social status, as well as class and skills. In the sequel, they removed all choices but class because they decided to shoehorn you into the role of a specific character around whom they built the entire plot of the game. On the one hand it allows them to tell a much richer and intimate story, but on the other hand it removes a ton of freedom for the player, and you're getting the exact same events, cutscenes, and story as everyone else playing this game because they all have the same character.

Ah, then we don't have to worry at all. What he's been playing, if he's been playing it at all, must've been a very early beta version. The game will feature all races, and the skill system haven't changed. It's only been given a new cooler skill menu. Which seems MORE complex to me btw. Three skills has been removed though, Athletics, Acrobatics, and one of the magic schools, mysticism I believe. Athletics and Acrobatics to make the game more realistic as running at the speed of sound or jumping to the moon isn't all that realistic, and the magic school simply because spells related with it fits just as well into the other schools.

There's also "dragon shouts", some new skils, or spells, if you will, that does lots of stuff, in addition to the old skills. This could've been what the beta guy thought was the skills or whatever. Anyways just look up the gameplay trailers on youtube, and I can assure you, you'll change your mind. Skyrim will follow in the steps of the other games, with Bethesda's motto "be who you want, do what you want" mattering just as much here as with their other games.

When it comes to the consoles taking over and what not (new doomsday theory?), Todd Howard said "if install base really mattered, we'd all make board games, because there are a lot of tables." Bethesda makes games for PCs, and always have, then they convert them for consoles.

Oh, and the dark brotherhood will return as a playable faction! =D


Sed and Flame, I understand that you prefer your consoles and stuff, but in this case, you REALLY should get Skyrim for the PC. Trust me. I played Oblivion for a year and a half, just modding it and playing throuhg it again and again. It really gets so much better.

Yep. My PC is for artwork and writing, and my consoles are for games. I'm not spending the ridiculous amount of money and energy upgrading my system every four months to suit the latest gaming needs for a PC, and can't be bothered to worry about how the graphics look sub-par due to not having the best of the best guts in my computer. And in five years, I'll still be able to play my console game. Guess what? On my current PC I cannot play any of the games I used to play back when they were new: Raven Shield, Battlefield 1942, Vietnam, Battle for Middle Earth, etc. None of them run. And I certainly don't want to go through that again.

As for modding, Bethesda's games offer way more than I could ever make use of in the first place, so I need not complicate the e xp erience with any of that. I'll take the game as it is and enjoy the peace of mind with the best set graphics designed for my console of choice, free to play as long as I own that console for years and years to come, and watch it all on an HD TV as opposed to my computer monitor. And as Flame said, there will be add-ons to get either through PSN or Live.

Besides, the first time I played Morrowind was on the Xbox. Then PS3 for Oblivion. Even if I could run the game, I doubt I'd get it for my PC.

Darlak, I was always going to get Skyrim no matter what, as my loyalty to this series transcends even a change like that, but I'm encouraged by what you're saying and I'll hope for the best. Games often change a lot as they are developed and playtested, and I'm pretty sure that this guy that reviewed it wasn't lying (it was an official article on a gaming website, with screenshots and interviews,) but the early reactions might I've been negative enough that they opted to put race choice back in. At any rate, based on your words, I'm looking forward to it even more now.

Sed and Flame, I totally get what you're saying, and you guys just illustrated perfectly for us why PC gaming is dying and consoles are taking over. Not saying there's anything wrong with your approach, just that money spent is very important to us, and having to upgrade your PC every year just to keep up takes its toll, whereas a console remains constant for years. I myself, a loyal PC gamer, have nearly given up because there is very little justification for the money spent these days, with $800 video cards and game titles disappearing. I will have to upgrade mine for Skyrim, but I think it will be the last time. Bethesda is pretty good with releasing DLCs for the consoles, but it's all the neat little tweaks and improvements that the mod community makes for these games on the PC that I know I would miss terribly.

I feel the same way for PC gaming... all about the cost issue. I spend more money on my consoles and laptops not on PCs for gaming. My current PC is like 5 years old... works perfectly good for typing papers and school work and thats about it.

I tried to play Star Trek Online but it was super blurry and not worth the effort. I gave up after a few days, which was disappointing to say the least because I waited 3-4 years for that game to come out. I'd like to play the Old Republic game, but I again dont have a way to play an MMO game on PC. It made me so mad that they were leaving the console for the KOTOR games, they were one of my favorite game series and I was looking forward to KOTOR 3.

For me, working and schooling in computer and electrical engineering, I find myself constantly upgrading my computer anyways to run different programs for the industry like Matlab, Solid works, ect. So in my case, I just slap an extra few dollars into a video card for gaming and I am good to go!

Thank you, Sony, for providing me with yet another reason for not buying your console. Wow... will there be no end to their arrogance and screw-you attitude to the very people that line their pockets with money?

After refusing to accept responsibility for being hacked multiple times and having enourmous amounts of customer data compromised and stolen, they now require that in order to use PSN, you sign away your right to sue them in a class action suit, as they are currently embroiled in one due to the aforementioned hacking debacle. Good luck trying the alternative, suing them as an individual, as you put up your pitiful resources against Sony and their millions-backed corporate legal team.

What a joke. Enjoy PSN and argue all you want that it is free while your rights are taken away.

http://www.dailytech.com/Sony+PS3+Updat ... e22765.htm

Looks like the banishment of my PS3 to the blu-ray-only dungeon (aka family living room) has spared me from a lot of this news. If only my favorite game title wasn't on it... but at least I know what I'm getting future releases for *looks at 360*


Also considering buying Red Dead Redemption for the 360 so I can play it more/with friends, but I'd have to level up all over again (AND buy Undead Nightmare again! )

I could argue the games lineup thing, but that's an entirely sujective topic. I just can't believe that Sony would spring this on their customers. I bet they are counting on the unfortunate statistic that 90% of users never read the EULA or Terms of Service.

I played LA Noire last week and now I got in Fight Night Champions from gamefly, apparently my top 3 choices were not available.

Who puts their credit card on Psn?I just sign in with email and password and its done, if someone hacks my account whatever.

Well if you buy anything on PSN, you obviously need to pay for it somehow.

Oh, I guess I have never bought anything from them. That solves it!

(Making my post longer and not making a new one)

I like to wait personally 1-2 years after a PS3 game comes out. You know, why do I have to pay $60 for a brand new game when in a year it will bet $30 and 2 years $15.

I do always buy new though, I don't like buying other peoples problems.

I've been playing Fight Night Champions for the last few days. Its not a bad game, but not one I would have paid 60 bucks for. It was on my Gamefly Q. It was a few down on the list, but I guess they still don't have a Mortal Kombat to send me.

Currently playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution and absolutely loving it.

Got Gears of War 3 on the backburner next, and have preordered LOTR: War in the North and Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Also got Skyrim (for the PC!) on preorder. November is going to be a busy month of gaming for me.

On the not so bright side, my video card purchase is looming, and I'm eyeballing a $500 GeForce 580GTX to replace my venerable 280GTX. Then I can play Witcher 2 and Skyrim as smoothly as silk.

Video cards = the reason I don't play PC games.

I've been playing games from gamefly here and there.

I have CoD MW 3 pre ordered and I will be getting Assassin's Creed as well... which has been standard for the last couple of years to have those games come out back to back weeks, with my birthday in the middle of their release dates! So needless to say, those are some Bday presents to myself.

[quote=""BladeCollector""]Video cards = the reason I don't play PC games.[/quote]

Yeah, well.... you already know where I stand on this, so I won't bore you with another rant but there is a whole other dimension to gaming that you will never know. However, PC gaming is not for everyone's wallet, and I can certainly respect that.

I guess its just, technology on the whole is getting on my nerves. You buy the latest and greatest computer with the best video and graphics cards with all the RAM you can have, etc and 6 months later you can't play the latest games that are coming out. I'd love to play MMOs (other than time commitment) and some PC games, I just can't keep up with the needs.

At least with console games, you know you are good until the next console comes out, which are, nowadays, quite a few years in between.

AC also falls right around my birthday (23rd), so I'll be getting the collector's edition for the third year in the row. Pretty excited for that, and for Uncharted 3. Still undecided on whether or not to go for the collector's edition of that one...

And good picks, Val.

Uncharted 3 = awesome. Gameplay is So smooth, cut scenes are practically like watching a movie, it's just done perfectly. IGN gave it a 10 for good reason. I'm 78% into it at about 7 hours played, and I'm giving it a rest for now. Played too much yesterday, and I want my friend to catch up so we can discuss. But all PS3 owners on here should definitely get it.

I'm waiting for Assassin's Creed: Revelations as well. Although Skyrim comes out first, so hopefully I can make time for both. I'm currently finishing up a run through of Dead Island, which turned out to be a really great game. And just to keep things interesting, I've been trying out a lot of indie and free-to-play games like Sanctum (on steam) and League of Legends.

I just bought Hunted, Aragorn's Quest, and Mass Effect 2 for a total of $38. I am almost 100% synced in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, so I put that aside and started Mass Effect 2. Now I remember why I love Bioware so much!

Yea! I just finished that a few months ago and can't wait for ME3! Looks really good, and they are making a multiplayer option too.

Anyone played war in the north yet?

I got it but haven't played it yet as I am finishing up the first DLC for Deus Ex. Reviews have been very positive though.

I also have Gears of War 3, Dark Souls, and the last DLC for Fallout New Vegas waiting to be played, and Skyrim and AC Revelations are just around the corner. I think my thumbs are going to be sore over the next couple of months.