RMWeb Gamer's Lounge.

[The Fatadder]

Rather looking forward to this one, have never played Mass Effect (though have played pretty much everything else BioWare have made.). I figured it worth holding fire for the improvements rather than playing on EA Play already.   Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to end up on Gamepass /EA play

[Classsix T]

2 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Rather looking forward to this one, have never played Mass Effect (though have played pretty much everything else BioWare have made.). I figured it worth holding fire for the improvements rather than playing on EA Play already.   Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to end up on Gamepass /EA play

I do hope you enjoy it. I'm well aware my own passion for it isn't necessarily transferable, but I guess if Dragon Age for example at least gave you some joy Mass Effect may well do too.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

Christ, I must be old.

Did I awake at the dawn of a new day, casually dismissing the 'phone calendar reminder that this day ushered in a step-change upgrade of a game fundamental to my essential being, as a player of games or crucially, my existence as an empathic human being? 

 

No, I had a 1pm with an "independant finacial advisor" that recommended (at my own behest) consolidation of my fiscal post employment welfare.

Bollox! Commander Shepard doesn't recommend any sodding financial services on the Citidel!

 

(disclaimer, I didn't have a calendar reminder, but I'm cheesed off today was more about pension funds than biotic strikes and shotguns in faces. Like I'm getting ancient, Anderson if you will. Sigh. 

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

Ha!

https://kotaku.com/town-in-england-installs-super-mario-pipes-residents-n-1846909860

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

Played a little of Mass Effect legendary edition. So far the changes seem to be relatively minor even in the first game. It looks a little better and plays a little better but it's still close to the original. The improved looks are AFAICT new textures but no model changes or additional objects. The supposed better new Mako handling turns out to be terrible (it's camera relative, so moves in the direction you're trying to look in - yuck!) Fortunately you can turn it off on the PC. The added boost helps get it up some of those hills though.

 

[big jim]

On 17/05/2021 at 18:46, Classsix T said:

Ha!

https://kotaku.com/town-in-england-installs-super-mario-pipes-residents-n-1846909860

 

C6T. 

being as it’s the Black Country it should be super mari-yam

 

 

 

 

[Classsix T]

1 hour ago, Reorte said:

Played a little of Mass Effect legendary edition. So far the changes seem to be relatively minor even in the first game. It looks a little better and plays a little better but it's still close to the original. The improved looks are AFAICT new textures but no model changes or additional objects. The supposed better new Mako handling turns out to be terrible (it's camera relative, so moves in the direction you're trying to look in - yuck!) Fortunately you can turn it off on the PC. The added boost helps get it up some of those hills though.

 

I've held off posting about LE:ME1 because, well I played it originally on  PS3, so have no idea if the visual improvements would garner agreement for those who've played with all the PC version's modded bells and whistles already. I love the upgrades in character skins, Tali looks gorgeous!

Haven't yet found the Mako awful/acceptable options. But have only landed once, Thresher Maws still a bastard.

 

Doing ME1 much the same as I did first time on PS3, BroShep/mainly Paragon/no planned relationship. I'll use that as a basis for character transfer to a playthrough with more "interesting" options.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

A bit more time spent on LE:ME1.

In a way I've found it quite charming that some of the gameplay bugs have carried over from the original version, it being an occasional janky sod. So far I've had Shepard get caught up in the scenery, and get stuck in a crouched stance.

The game got confused which planet I landed on once, transporting me back to the one I just left.

An enemy NPC landed in an inaccessible part of the map but his demise wasn't critical to mission success, put there by biotic powers. (However those same biotic powers saved Shepard later when trapped in by an Alliance Marine's greatest nemesis, furniture. If there hadn't been a biotic on the squad, game over!)

 

Oddly Legendary Edition on PS4 has received two patches, since release, of not inconsiderable size. In fact the patches alone might have contained close to as much data than the entire trilogy ever had on PS3. Progress.

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

One thing I hadn't remembered was how quickly Shepard gets fatigued. I thought I was quite overweight and unfit, but it turns out I've probably got the physical ability to be a Spectre too!

 

[Classsix T]

Happy Birthday Sonic, 30 next month apparently!

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

A question for those that have done multiple playthroughs of Mass Effect.

 

If you already know who you're going to 'lose' on Virmire, does it consciously affect the gear/attributes that you assign to that teammate?

 

I can barely bring myself to look Kaiden in the eye on the Normandy, lest he asks why Ashley is getting all the cool stuff...the letter to his next of kin is already written.

 

C6T. 

[Guest]

57 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

If you already know who

I can barely bring myself to look Kaiden in the eye on the Normandy, lest he asks why Ashley is getting all the cool stuff...the letter to his next of kin is already written.

I feel sorry for Kaidan’s voice actor. Hours and hours of dialog recorded for half of ME1 and all of 2&3.

Does anyone let him live?

[Classsix T]

Yep.

 

Though at the same time, my gnashing of teeth each time I'm unsuccessful in securing a PS5 through accepted commercial channels, like you know, a vendor web page, is probably keeping the neighbours up.

 

I've got the money, Sony, ffs just sell me the thing directly.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

5 minutes ago, 30801 said:

I feel sorry for Kaidan’s voice actor. Hours and hours of dialog recorded for half of ME1 and all of 2&3.

Does anyone let him live?

He's a dullard f'sure, but I suppose if you really don't like space racist Chief Williams, then Mr Alenko is getting the gig?

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

8 minutes ago, 30801 said:

I feel sorry for Kaidan’s voice actor. Hours and hours of dialog recorded for half of ME1 and all of 2&3.

Does anyone let him live?

I've done both several times. I find him dull and Ashley grating at times (Kaidan improves in 3 IIRC).

 

From a gameplay perspective I'd argue that Kaidan's the more useful character, more useful powers.

 

From a roleplay point of view (not that it actually matters how things play out, but this was my reasoning the first time I played and why he survived my first ever playthrough) I put him on the bomb, being the more technical character, and since the bomb is the mission that's the place I rush back to defend.

[Classsix T]

1 minute ago, Reorte said:

From a gameplay perspective I'd argue that Kaidan's the more useful character, more useful powers.

I'll pick up that gauntlet.

 

Once you have Wrex and Liara, Kaidan’s biotic abilities become a bit meh don't they? As I've already hinted, I'm afraid Mr Alenko is not getting the posh biotic amplifier.

His weapon abilities are middling at best aren't they, assault rifles only?

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

I must admit, I'm delaying the run-in with Benezia as long as possible. I've found that mission bastard hard in past playthroughs.

So I'm doing busy work building up weapons and abilities before engaging with Liara's Mom.

 

Is benifit of hindsight cheating?!

C6T.

[Classsix T]

On 27/05/2021 at 23:40, Classsix T said:

I must admit, I'm delaying the run-in with Benezia as long as possible. I've found that mission bastard hard in past playthroughs.

So I'm doing busy work building up weapons and abilities before engaging with Liara's Mom.

 

Is benifit of hindsight cheating?!

C6T.

Hmm. I now wish I'd started on a harder difficulty setting.

Novaria was something of a breeze, nowhere near as problematic as previously, even the feared Asari Commandos were dispatched with ease. Are there less baddies?

 

Also, having completed all side missions prior to landing on Virmire, I've maxed out the cash and have weapons and gear at level 10.

 

Deffo going to go harder for ME2.

 

C6T.

 

(Although admittedly I am short-cutting my ME1 'dessert' to an extent by using the 30 level attributes system rather than the original 60 level, to speed up the process to the main course of 2 & 3...so yeah, there's that.) 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Classsix T

[Reorte]

I'm some way in to 2 now. The changes are (unsurprisingly) less obvious. Just be a bit careful with it, I've had it crash out a few times (aim + AI hacking seems to crash every time I use it).

 

[Classsix T]

1 hour ago, Reorte said:

I'm some way in to 2 now. The changes are (unsurprisingly) less obvious. Just be a bit careful with it, I've had it crash out a few times (aim + AI hacking seems to crash every time I use it).

 

ME1 used to fall over with frustrating regularity on PS3, usually on the Mass Relay loading screen. Game break glitches aside it's been stable on PS4.

 

2&3 never had any issues so hopefully that's carried over to the newer consoles.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

Twenty minutes added to movie already (checks notes) 1h 44m too long:

https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-movie-restoration-adds-20-minutes-of-1847012394

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

If you ship the day after I get the hardware to play it on, it's all good...

https://kotaku.com/playstation-boss-says-horizon-forbidden-west-in-2021-is-1847018767

...and finished rather than kinda, nearly, patch it later playable would be cool too.

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

Elite: Dangerous's latest update, Odyssey, has come with all sorts of problems and received a pretty negative reaction as a result. Most of the complaints are reasonable (although as usual sometimes blown out of all proportion, but it's fair to say that it shouldn't have been released in the state it was in). But I'm getting very fed up of all the people who are now complaining that space is too black. For heaven's sake! Can't stand the cheesy cartoonish colourful "space" some things go in for, and whilst Elite was never that bad it still had a horribly over-bright Milky Way, and other features barely visible at best to the eye standing out brightly. Now we at least get crescents of planets and moons rather than clear black circles with a lit edge against a grey background.

 

I'd expect it from people who have lived in cities all their lives and got most of their impressions of space from long exposure photos, but some claim to have experience of looking at the sky from dark locations.

 

[Classsix T]

3 hours ago, Reorte said:

Elite: Dangerous's latest update, Odyssey, has come with all sorts of problems and received a pretty negative reaction as a result. Most of the complaints are reasonable (although as usual sometimes blown out of all proportion, but it's fair to say that it shouldn't have been released in the state it was in).

Kotaku's take:

https://kotaku.com/elite-dangerous-ceo-apologizes-for-odysseys-buggy-launc-1846955869

It's difficult to fathom why Frontier thought it prudent to release it in the state it is. As someone not invested in the game further than having it my backlog, it'd be remiss of me to comment further.

I'll go so far though to wonder how/why Hello Games frequently patch No Man's Sky with new shiny toys for a more expansive gaming experience and manage to offer all of the bolt on data gratis.

Different business models undoubtedly, Hello appears to have sold a base code at launch and hopes to sell more games on the back of regular updates. Frontier relying more on pay for DLC income from invested players.

Perhaps Frontier have had a harder time because they're essentially trying to jam more under the bonnet of a game that's getting on a bit?

 

Dovetail literally dumped Train Sim World for new code and did the cross licensing needed for bought bolt ons in-house to transfer to TSW2. Could that have been done by Frontier? 

Either way, Odyssey isn't slated for release as an add on for PS4 (at least) anytime soon, so I guess PC is doing console alpha testing again.

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

This is interesting, a logical step with Smart TV development and probably something Google should have been aiming for with Stadia in the first place (as well as not fubaring the entire pricing structure, obvs):

https://kotaku.com/xbox-wants-to-let-you-play-games-without-a-console-1847071304

 

C6T.