What are you playing?

[Cybernetic pig]

Oh yeah, the harm spell, ridiculously OP that. Ylsides are scary if you refuse to use it though.

I believe you but....

See I beat ylsides one on one without it, by using the armor spell/bless. It took longer, and drained more mana but it was doable. All the other offensive magic was useless, as even 3 stacked up was not enough to kill one dude, and most runes are too hard to cast during combat for me.

Incinerate, Mass Incenerate, Fireball, Slow time, Speed, those ones are good offensive spells, though the last two being indirectly offensive.

It is a poor maze in that case, especially combined with the automapping but even without it it's not a hard level to navigate.

I like it that level. Could be bigger and better but I love every level. Atmospheric, immersive, varied from one another, hidden secrets, all that good stuff.

I would not mind an Arx2. It might even be a game that could get a modern reimagining without sucking horribly.

I'm not so sure after Dishonoured.
Also, Arx is way too niche, too hardcore, some of the toughest puzzles in a game, magic casting that doesn't require simply pressing a button, Inventory that doesn't pause time, have to eat, no handholding....I doubt they'd even consider it, but if they did and it lived up, I'd be very happy.

However, I doubt there will ever be a game like this again unless it come from the indie market, but I see no Looking Glass-style immersive sims there at all. In due time, after growth, maybe.

[AEmer]

@Bobby:

Dead Island is kindof a horribad game, but it is the most f'in fun in coop. I'm playing the sequel with a team of 4, and we still have an amazing time with it. It's so god damned silly, but you get so many good times out of it.

@Hassat:

Easy is a good way to play xcom. Personally, normal -> iron man game mode is the most enjoyable for an intense hardcore gaming experience, but you should probably not expect to beat it on the first go. Classic iron man is... well, it absolutely has that moment where you break the back of the game and you 'win', but depending on how badass you are, that moment can come very late. I've had to restart a game where I had a god damned colonel sniper because I made 1 mistake with my best squad.. That's probably around 10 hours in.

Still, this is probably as close as you get to the old punishing xcom experience.

Impossible game mode is - well, was, the last I played - just silly. Don't bother with it, it's made for masochists. I could probably play impossible -> iron man for 200 hours and not beat it.

[Jaedar]

Impossible game mode is - well, was, the last I played - just silly. Don't bother with it, it's made for masochists. I could probably play impossible -> iron man for 200 hours and not beat it.

Impossible is for people who don't mind playing in an incredibly slow and tedious way.
For a good and entertaining video series on how it looks, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9zJE9Go ... tc2DfC8x3D

Easy is a good way to play xcom.

Maybe.

You know, I have recently started beleiving that 'Classic' was originally 'normal'. The AI is shackled below classic, and the computer also fudges the dice for you if it thinks you're losing. For this reason(and the atrocious plod of insanity), I think Classic is the only way to play neuxcom.

But the best is to get the old X-com imo. It's actually aged really well I think, aside from presentation(ui design and ofcourse it has no tutorial). It really doesn't feel like a 20 year old game.

Incinerate, Mass Incenerate, Fireball, Slow time, Speed, those ones are good offensive spells, though the last two being indirectly offensive.

All the fire spells got really useless lategame. Incinierate does ok damage, but it has a huge delay and is melee range. Fireball is awesome for most of the game but got completely useless against Ylsides.

[bobby 55]

@Bobby:

Dead Island is kindof a horribad game, but it is the most f'in fun in coop. I'm playing the sequel with a team of 4, and we still have an amazing time with it. It's so god damned silly, but you get so many good times out of it.

I guess it's another game that could have been awesome with a few changes. I had a blast in co-op, and singleplay is diverting enough. It's a buggy game, I've tried to create an high voltage mod with three different characters and every time I exit the work-bench the weapon I've tried to mod has vanished.

[AEmer]

Honestly... I feel like almost the entire team knew they were making the game version of 'planet terror', but somewhere inside that team was a few designers who thought they were making a serious almost artistic game. So it's not awesome all the way through, it's just....weird.

The bugs in the game are hilarious in most instances. The fastest way to move in water? Jump sideways. The fastest way to carry a huge gasoline pump? Pick it up and throw it high into the air....repeatedly. Same thing with massive chain fences and chain guns. Just hurl them and go pick them up.

The physics system is amazing. When you get a modded Kanabo as Sam B, the zombies will start going into orbit as you hit them. It's also a good time to have yourself a little grenade fight with your friends because of how ridiculous it is. And it never gets old that in the beginning, the most efficient way to beat zombies involves kicking the shit out of them for 10-15 seconds till they die. That's a lot of hardcore hooligan kicking.

I'd say all of the derp is part of what makes the game amazing for us, but at the same time...yeah. A few changes would have helped a whole lot.

[bobby 55]

There are some weird events, such as killing zombies that spectre like "reach" through a locked door.

I'm playing Sam B in a new game+ and managed to find the green skull. The developer's craft it gives up should be in every game with zombies...the Home-run Baseball bat. It's sooo satisfying launching one of those suckers into orbit with it, well nearly.

[AEmer]

So, I watched that XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Ironman Impossible video series you linked Jaedar.

It's actually a really clever way of playing. I understand why some might find it tedious, but it manages to find depth in the gameplay where I thought there wasn't any. I'll be honest: I beat Ironman Classic mostly by being an excellent base commander. I'm pretty good with my guys, but eh...I have nothing on that guy. He's making everything happen by anticipating what his opponent can do, which is really very clever.

So I've taken up trying to do my own Ironman Impossible now...just to see if there's something to learn.

[Cybernetic pig]

just silly. it's made for masochists.

So I've taken up trying to do my own Ironman Impossible now....just to see if there's something to learn.

I've learnt something about you....that you're either prejudicial or a masochist
Just teasing. The former we all are from time to time.

[Jaedar]

So I've taken up trying to do my own Ironman Impossible now...just to see if there's something to learn.

Good for you

[AEmer]

It's less like prejudice, more like stupidity

See, I had tried it 5 or so times. The fact is, I really honestly did not realize that the maps, AI and patterns overall form a game which can methodically be beat.

Some of the maps are pretty much a death sentence for most of your squad if you encounter it with the wrong composition, but I've gotten much more of a handle on plenty of them. I think if I wuss out and use the tutorial to get a free heavy and satelite, I'll be able to beat impossible. It'll be a little bit tricky, but honestly, after watching those videoes I've realized that there is a lot of strategies you can use to improve your chances in the early game and taken together the game kindof...opens up.

As an aside, you start thinking in creative patterns that, really, turn the maps into logic puzzles, kindof. Playing on classic iron man was a rush because the stakes were higher and the game wasn't trivial. Playing on impossible makes it so every victory reinforces a feeling that you're really, really clever. Don't know how long it'll last, but that's the gist of it: It's something else that makes the game rewarding on that difficulty level.

[Cybernetic pig]

It's less like prejudice, more like stupidity

See, I had tried it 5 or so times. The fact is, I really honestly did not realize that the maps, AI and patterns overall form a game which can methodically be beat.

You should play GMDX (my Deus Ex mod) on Hardcore when you are done. Whilst it is a lot harder there is still plenty room for failure. Each mistake in XCOM iron man impossible is potentially dire. You'll find GMDX hardcore refreshing yet satisfactory after XCOM Iron man impossible

[AEmer]

Maybe I should, but I probably won't

I recently got the new DX in the directors cut version. I'm looking forward to playing that...

But really, the old one again?...eh. Even with a massive mod, I don't think so. Too much stuff I remember how to do. It's like I have a walkthrough on the inside of my head. Even if there was a mod which mixed things up, that would just confuse me I think =P Besides, realistic was pretty much a perfect fit for me on my 3rd and 4th playthroughs. I'm not sure the game has anything left to show me anymore.

[Cybernetic pig]

I'm not sure the game has anything left to show me anymore.

I'm not sure the game has anything left to show me anymore.

The feature list speaks for me: http://www.moddb.com/mods/gmdx/features ... s-features
As do reviews and feedback.

This is my favourite: "CyberP I just want to say thank you to you and everyone else who was involved with this mod. This is deus ex on a whole new level it brings back that game I love so much and best of all I can really enjoy it on my alienware. Thanks again."

I may not have made a good impression on here but my mod is more than my redemption.
You may recall YeomanTheCastle was calling for my banishment from here yet he gave it a chance, was impressed with the mod and gave it 9/10 and a written review.
We improved Deus Ex (the greatest game of all time, yes?) whilst sticking to the original design principles. See for yourself.

The only time I strayed was for the aesthetics of the save points, which are translucent boxes wrapped with the egg matrix texture. If keeping with the simulation design here then save points would have been integrated with computers, but since computers are already placed in the maps without consideration for such a feature it wouldn't be ideal.
Regardless of this it was totally worth it.

I'm not expecting TNM levels of fame....argh this is pathetic. Others have acknowledged my work, I haven't even had one moderately negative piece of feedback yet, believe it or not. Best keep it that way eh.

[AEmer]

I'm sure you've done a good job with your modification; the fact is, the game engine and maps have just kindof run their course for me.

Even TNM, with brand new maps and a completely different take on how a Deus Ex game might look, had me taking ages before I finally played it.

The fact is, I predominantly play team based multiplayer games at the moment; it takes something special for me to consider a single player game, and it is very rare for me to sink more than 100 hours into a single player game. Deus Ex has eaten up 200 hours of my time at least. I just don't think there's anything left for me at this point.

[Cybernetic pig]

Even TNM, with brand new maps and a completely different take on how a Deus Ex game might look, had me taking ages before I finally played it.

I'm guessing you haven't played 2027, Nihilhum etc either then.

The fact is, I predominantly play team based multiplayer games at the moment; it takes something special for me to consider a single player game,

Really? Singleplayer is where "true" gaming is at in my opinion. Multiplayer is great for competition and community but singleplayer has stronger immersion and story etc.

and it is very rare for me to sink more than 100 hours into a single player game. Deus Ex has eaten up 200 hours of my time at least. I just don't think there's anything left for me at this point.

Right. I apologize that I came on too strong.