Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

(Gaming discussion not related to Shenmue)

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Thief » Thu May 28, 2015 4:18 am

:roll:

a "demo" i've put 11 hours into and still haven't finished
User avatar
Thief
LAMEWAD
Machine Gun Fist
 
Joined: December 2010

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Kenny » Thu May 28, 2015 4:23 am

The most epic and ambitious demo of all time.
User avatar
Kenny
is Gwenpool™
Shenmue III
 
Joined: November 2004
Location: Somewhere
PSN: JamesTeeZappa
XBL: KennyNOL
Nintendo FC: FUCK THE WII-U
Steam: kenny_nol
Favorite title: What's Shenmue
Currently playing: Contest of Champions iOS

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby JMan » Thu May 28, 2015 4:57 am

Just finished uni last week for good and haven't played anything in months so thought I'd grab the classic Tomb Raider games on Steam. I remember liking The Last Revelation on the Dreamcast and playing the others on PC about 10 years ago. The reboot really impressed me (one of the better new releases I've played in a while along with Deus Ex 3 and Mass Effect) so I suddenly got curious to see how the classics compared after all this time.

I cant believe how boring those games have become. Maybe things will improve when I get to TR4 which used to be my favourite but so far TR1-3 have bored me to tears. I think TR1 is probably the strongest in what I've played so far but TR2 put me straight to sleep - really don't understand the 'best in the series' claims with that one. Its also funny how TR2 sports two actual tomb levels (as did Angel of Darkness) and has far too much action (action that was bashed in the reboot) yet is heralded regardless as the magnum opus of the series. :roll:

Anyone experienced something similar? Going back to a series you remember at least being decent only to find that its...well, shit?
User avatar
JMan
Master of the Three Blades
Master of the Three Blades
 
Joined: September 2014
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby south carmain » Thu May 28, 2015 6:11 am

^ yeah same happened to me with shenmue. It doesn't even have any tombs...
User avatar
south carmain
Comrade of the motherland
"Keep Friends"
 
Joined: February 2012
Favorite title: Shenmue IIx
Currently playing: okami hd

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Peter » Thu May 28, 2015 6:29 am

The Last Revelation is my favourite. Dreamcast version too with the updated graphics because I downloaded the PSone version and couldn't get over the difference in quality. Just the environments really worked for me. From Cambodia, to Alexandria. Oh and of course, Egypt with its mythology and locations. Strangely I always thought little things impressed me, like the green and red skies in the City of the Dead and Egypt respectfully. Also, the sound effects of wind and crumbling rocks etc, always had me on edge the entire time. Even when I still play it today. Once I finish Shenmue II, I will be giving it another go. Oddly for some reason, it's a summer game for me, and I've no idea why.

Peter has received a thanks from: OL
User avatar
Peter
Shenmue Dojo Owner
Shenmue III
 
Joined: February 2004
Location: Belfast
PSN: TheGasmeter
Favorite title: Shenmue II
Currently playing: Shenmue 2x

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby JMan » Thu May 28, 2015 8:45 am

I liked it because it was by far the most tomb focussed of the series save for a short train ride and a wander around a market. The lighting improvements also made the tombs all the more creepy, them being a lot darker and you having to scavenge flares just to see your way through.

I hope with this newer series we get a game that again focusses all on Egypt, that would be pretty cool.

JMan has received a thanks from: OL
User avatar
JMan
Master of the Three Blades
Master of the Three Blades
 
Joined: September 2014
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Fri May 29, 2015 11:19 pm

JMan wrote:I cant believe how boring those games have become.


They haven't "become" anything. The games stay exactly the same as they ever were. We're the ones that change. If you're not enjoying them now, it's not because the games are shit (they were fine back in the day), it's just because your preferences and ideas of what makes a game "good" have altered. Give it twenty years, and we might eventually be remarking about how shitty Red Dead Redemption or something is.
That being said, I'm not sure who's been telling you that TR2 is the best in the series, but that's kind of a silly sentiment to me. Personal preferences and all that, sure, but TR2 was pretty obviously kind of a hastily-churned-out sequel after the first game was so popular, and it shows. I agree with Peter though, The Last Revelation was easily the best. Been meaning to replay it actually.

OL has received a thanks from: sand4fish
User avatar
OL
Yo jes hummilated yoursef
Shenmue III
 
Joined: May 2003

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Kenny » Fri May 29, 2015 11:34 pm

The controls were always shit though. Tank controls in a survival horror game is fine because of the fixed camera angle and the fact the limited mobility actually makes the game scarier. It serves a purpose.

Tank controls on an action/adventure game? Disastrous. I like the current Tomb Raider games more even though they take like 5 minutes to finish compared to the older ones because they intentionally don't hold your hand. The puzzles actually required some thinking.
User avatar
Kenny
is Gwenpool™
Shenmue III
 
Joined: November 2004
Location: Somewhere
PSN: JamesTeeZappa
XBL: KennyNOL
Nintendo FC: FUCK THE WII-U
Steam: kenny_nol
Favorite title: What's Shenmue
Currently playing: Contest of Champions iOS

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby OL » Fri May 29, 2015 11:53 pm

See, but you're looking at it with a modern perspective, having experienced analog movement in the intervening years. That's my point. Back then, most reviews might've stated that the controls take getting used to, sure, but there wasn't much else to weigh it against, so they weren't thought of as poor. In its time, the controls weren't "shitty" at all. They were actually really progressive, and help get us further to the more user-friendly stuff we play now.

OL has received a thanks from: sand4fish
User avatar
OL
Yo jes hummilated yoursef
Shenmue III
 
Joined: May 2003

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby sand4fish » Sat May 30, 2015 12:19 am

By the way OL, I mean to tell you I enjoyed your YouTube channel. You got a pretty good voice. I liked specially your Time Crisis series history. It's such an overlooked gem. Have you had the chance to play the newest one? It has a dual pedal mechanic. I got to play it briefly but the ability to change cover at will to shoot the enemy's weak spot felt awesome!
User avatar
sand4fish
"After Burner...Great!"
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: November 2013
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Raithos » Sat May 30, 2015 12:32 am

I don't think tank controls were progressive in any way really, slow and tedious if anything. There are tons of games that had better control schemes back on the PS1. I never had an analog PS1 control either, so any and all games I played on the console were with the OG control and its D-Pad. And I totally agree they were pretty shitty even back in the 90's. Compare the controls of RE1-3 to pretty much any other game and it blows my mind that someone decided that was the best they could do. Don't get me wrong, they aren't difficult to play with and are perfectly functional, but that doesn't take away how unnatural the movement felt.
User avatar
Raithos
The Octopath Traveler
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: July 2013
Location: Jehuty
Favorite title: What's Shenmue

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby sand4fish » Sat May 30, 2015 12:48 am

Raithos wrote: I don't think tank controls were progressive in any way really, slow and tedious if anything. There are tons of games that had better control schemes back on the PS1. I never had an analog PS1 control either, so any and all games I played on the console were with the OG control and its D-Pad. And I totally agree they were pretty shitty even back in the 90's. Compare the controls of RE1-3 to pretty much any other game and it blows my mind that someone decided that was the best they could do. Don't get me wrong, they aren't difficult to play with and are perfectly functional, but that doesn't take away how unnatural the movement felt.


Maybe if you take into consideration that the 32-bit era was pretty much 3D console gaming at its birth, you would give them more credit. The transition from 2D platform to 3D "free roaming" was a gigantic leap, though a rough one. Everything was experimental, being creative in dealing with limited technology and still making a masterpiece out of it. I miss those times actually, as every game today is turning out to be a free-roaming action-rpg.
User avatar
sand4fish
"After Burner...Great!"
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: November 2013
Favorite title: Shenmue

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Kenny » Sat May 30, 2015 1:39 am

Hell no, I always thought they were shit.

I remember getting headaches trying to get Lara to climb and maneuver during a fight when I had the TRII demo for PC many years back. The term I might've used back then for them was "sucky", now I update it with the more appropriate word "shit".

I'm able to tolerate them somewhat now, but not for very long. At least I don't get headaches anymore.

Kenny has received 2 thanks from: MiTT3NZ, Raithos
User avatar
Kenny
is Gwenpool™
Shenmue III
 
Joined: November 2004
Location: Somewhere
PSN: JamesTeeZappa
XBL: KennyNOL
Nintendo FC: FUCK THE WII-U
Steam: kenny_nol
Favorite title: What's Shenmue
Currently playing: Contest of Champions iOS

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Thief » Sat May 30, 2015 2:43 am

I just beat Claire A Leon B Resident Evil 2 with my brother yesterday. I recall one particular moment where I thought the tank controls significantly enhanced the experience. There was a part, somewhere in the lab, where a zombie came around the corner and was about to grab me. My first instinct was to press down on the d-pad to try and get away... but what that did was make Claire backup really slowly while the zombie was also slowly coming towards her. The whole time the zombie was about six inches away from her face, ready to grab at any time, and the whole couple of seconds were tense as all fuck... before I came to my senses and blew it away with a shotgun. With pretty much any other control scheme, that would not have happened. It's more of a slow/methodically/tense scare-- and I love it.

The only other game I've played (to my knowledge) that's used tank controls (and wasn't survival horror) was Onimusha... but I thought they worked fine in those games. I don't have much memory of the original Tomb Raider games other than distinctly remembering that I thought they were shit. I don't know if they actually are, since it's been years since I've played them, but my 12 year old self thought they were shit -- so you can take his testimony if you'd like.

Anyway, we started Resident Evil 3 today... and I love this game so far. It's been a long long time since I've played it and it's the Resident Evil I remember the least about. We chose Hard mode since there is no Normal mode (maybe Normal Mode was just labeled as hard?), and the Nemesis has been creating some really tense moments. Plus the dodge mechanic and gun-powder mixing is pretty interesting. So far really digging it.

EDIT:

Did Shenmue have tank controls? :lol: I guess it did -- haven't properly played through Shenmue since 2010.... need to get on that.
User avatar
Thief
LAMEWAD
Machine Gun Fist
 
Joined: December 2010

Re: Random Gaming Thoughts (Read OP Before Posting)

Postby Raithos » Sat May 30, 2015 4:20 am

Thief wrote:
Did Shenmue have tank controls? :lol: I guess it did -- haven't properly played through Shenmue since 2010.... need to get on that.


Yeah but just for the moving around and talking to people, which was no big deal. When your actions counted the tank controls disappeared and it became virtua fighter on steroids lol. Responsive and precise.
User avatar
Raithos
The Octopath Traveler
"After Burner...Great!"
 
Joined: July 2013
Location: Jehuty
Favorite title: What's Shenmue

PreviousNext

Return to General Gaming

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Majestic-12 [Bot] and 1 guest

Powered by phpBB © 2000-
ShenmueDojo.net