[deathfun]

I saved scum through my first playthrough on XCOM
Because why not

[Klaustrophobia]

about to start bioshock infinite.


something that has been bugging me recently:  why does every game assume it's the first one you've ever installed, and automatically re-install direct X?  it doesn't ever ask if you have it installed, it doesn't check to see, it just installs it.  presumably overwriting the install already there.  and i get to stare at the screen for 5-10 minutes while it thinks.

[Mongoose]

I'm pretty sure that the DirectX installer doesn't actually go through the whole installation process if it sees your existing copy is up-to-date, and that it's just confirming as much when that window pops up.

[Klaustrophobia]

well it takes a really damn long time to do it then. 

[Patriot]

Never takes longer than 10 seconds for me, oddly enough.

[The E]

about to start bioshock infinite.


something that has been bugging me recently:  why does every game assume it's the first one you've ever installed, and automatically re-install direct X?  it doesn't ever ask if you have it installed, it doesn't check to see, it just installs it.  presumably overwriting the install already there.  and i get to stare at the screen for 5-10 minutes while it thinks.

The reason for this is MS' licensing, and their refusal to treat DirectX as part of the OS for updating purposes.

That means that every DX game has to ship the version of DirectX it's built to run on (There are several versions of DX9c, all slightly different), and run the installer to make sure that everything is in place. The installer itself does several things, it checks all DX files for integrity as well as copying and registering the new dlls (if any). This will take time (Less when using SSDs).

It's just part of the price you have to pay to be part of the PC GAMING MASTER RACE. If you want to just play games, come on over to the console side.

[Black_Yoshi1230]

Been playing Ys I (the Steam Chronicles version)... grrr... the freaking Final Boss pisses me off. (I get more salt rubbed in because even the PSP Chronicles version made me its ***** on that part. And it took me about fifteen times to get it right, all out of blind luck.)

Also, FTL: Faster Than Light. I learned something today: never make me a captain/controlling essence of a starship. (Frequently, my Flight Officer gets killed first, which means I'm doing it wrong. The longest run I managed had the Shield Operator dead before the jump that blew up my ship.)

[Sarafan]

Playing Panzer Corps Grand Campaign DLCs, stukas and artillery for everyone!

[NGTM-1R]

T-80U.

At least until the Super Etenard headshot descends upon them.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Monster Life was introduced in MapleSEA earlier this week, and I've been playing it to bits. Time sink in a time sink indeed.

[NGTM-1R]

My X-COM install has been screwed up. I am currently scared out of my wits I'm going to lose the LP game or possibly need to reformat my hard drive entirely.

[The E]

Surely that's overkill, yeah? Shouldn't using Steam's "check integrity" function un-screw the install?

[NGTM-1R]

Surely that's overkill, yeah? Shouldn't using Steam's "check integrity" function un-screw the install?

That's a good theory, what concerns me is A: that function often deletes local content and B: reasons the install could be screwed up encompass a complete failure of my AV program and malicious code having snuck in.

[The E]

I've never seen it delete savefiles and such though. Also, isn't that something steam cloud is supposed to take care of? Unless you've done some .ini modding (in which case you'd just have to save that thing somewhere), everything should be fine.

[deathfun]

Find your savefiles and copy paste them somewhere

That'd solve that

[Patriot]

having a serious ball in level 4 german planes in Historical Battle with WarThunder

[Klaustrophobia]

just finished bioshock infinite. 


...... eh.  the story really wasn't that good.  it tried way too hard at being all trippy and inception-y.  didn't execute particularly well.  overall, less fun to play than the previous two. 

[MP-Ryan]

just finished bioshock infinite. 


...... eh.  the story really wasn't that good.  it tried way too hard at being all trippy and inception-y.  didn't execute particularly well.  overall, less fun to play than the previous two.

I think you need to play it again.  There are a lot of layers to the narrative that are easily missed in the first playthrough, and it seems that you missed some.

And generally-speaking, I found the gameplay quite a bit more interesting than the first two games.  The addition of a third dimension of movement, a helpful companion, and the variety of the vigor combinations - not to mention the challenge added by making do with the weapons you find and find ammo for - made it definitely more challenging.  I think there were some missed opportunities with the 'tear' mechanic, but the gameplay as pretty strong (although perhaps not the best genre to tell this particular story).

[MP-Ryan]

I am currently alternating between Bastion and Thief 2, both of which are excellent and engaging.

Except - Bastion, why the **** do you ALSO have the terrible autosave mechanic?  FFS, DEVELOPERS, SOME OF US HAVE LIVES OUTSIDE OF GAMING AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO QUIT WITHOUT LOSING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS BETWEEN SESSIONS!  The reason we've always had hard saves is because it made sense.  Quit trying to reinvent the goddamned wheel.

Here's a thought:  a few games now have a system where you can freely quicksave outside of combat.  That works - no save-scumming within combat, but you don't have to replay 20 minutes of no-combat choices (these are RPGs, after all) because you screwed up a combat section.

Aspiring HLP game developers, take note.

[MatthTheGeek]

Quit trying to reinvent the goddamned wheel.

You've obviously never tried to code a game. It's muuuch harder to code a save system when the conditions of the save are not known.