GrogHeads Forum

Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: trek on February 05, 2024, 02:58:42 PM

Title: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: trek on February 05, 2024, 02:58:42 PM
Demos available:

HOMEWORLD 3

HEADQUARTERS: World War II (Turn-Based Tactical Game from Slitherine)

RATTEN Reich (COH-like with Rat Characters)

RENAISSANCE KINGDOM WARS
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: W8taminute on February 05, 2024, 03:50:03 PM
Totally forgot about this.  Thanks for the FYI!
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Gusington on February 05, 2024, 03:50:17 PM
^I also just downloaded the Millenia demo.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 05, 2024, 04:40:12 PM
Homeworld 3 is glorious.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: CJReich46 on February 05, 2024, 05:05:59 PM
I dl'd Millennia demo, but passing on HW 3 due to my specs are just too dang low.  :buck2:

I kind of expected it.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: steve58 on February 05, 2024, 05:10:37 PM
Millenia looks like another Civ clone?
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Gusington on February 05, 2024, 05:43:39 PM
Downloading Homeworld 3 demo now. Dammit all to hell.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Destraex on February 05, 2024, 09:43:27 PM
It kinda pees me off a homeworld 3 demo is available. Because spoilers. How does one have a story based experience from start to finish without knowing what will happen and what is in the content?
Advertisement and marketing is such a curse for these kind of games in the age of social media.
No doubt before I can even buy the game I will now be bombarded from all sides with a gazillion details I cannot acroll past fast rnough to stop my brain imbibing detail. I will now be forced to play the demo and wait for release. A little like I am forced to do with each episode of the mighty eighth

Keep in mind that most people can be extrapolate fairly easily from small details and even broad strokes that may be given. I guess I should just give up on wanting the old excitement I used to get from a totally new experience that hits your unprepared state and gives you that adrenaline rush of learning and wonder for the first time.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Grim.Reaper on February 06, 2024, 05:51:24 AM
Typically drm part of a game doesn't really impact my buying decision, but noticed that homeworld 3 is using denuvo, which that alone doesn't usually bother me.  But don't think I ever saw activation limits associated with it.  In this case, what does it mean?  Does it mean I can only reinstall 24 times across 5 different pcs?  I install and uninstall games all the time, although not sure if I have ever done 24 times over the life of the time I played it but really would hate to be limited especially if something I might play for years.  Maybe just not understanding what it means.

Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper
5 different PCs per 24h machine activation limit

Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Gusington on February 06, 2024, 07:14:33 AM
Hmm I dunno either - I also uninstall and reinstall willy-nilly regularly.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Destraex on February 06, 2024, 07:20:17 AM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on February 06, 2024, 05:51:24 AMTypically drm part of a game doesn't really impact my buying decision, but noticed that homeworld 3 is using denuvo, which that alone doesn't usually bother me.  But don't think I ever saw activation limits associated with it.  In this case, what does it mean?  Does it mean I can only reinstall 24 times across 5 different pcs?  I install and uninstall games all the time, although not sure if I have ever done 24 times over the life of the time I played it but really would hate to be limited especially if something I might play for years.  Maybe just not understanding what it means.

Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper
5 different PCs per 24h machine activation limit



Yeah I don't mind Denuvo, but some people say it adds a lot of cpu load to games and constantly runs. You always see people complain about it, but from what I have seen a lot of those are characters that are more likely to be annoyed that games have protection at all.
As for the activation limit 5 PCs in 24hrs for a single license seems fine and indicates to me they must still be having real trouble with game rippers.
What does make me laugh though is that the devs are hippy free love types that do a 4 day week... I would not expect this from them but gearbox as the publisher would and I guess that is their role.

Just an FYI... I felt I had no choice but to join the hype and this was my first impression for HW3

[spoiler]
Some things in the DEMO are off, but the game is looking "ok" rather than amazing.
I notice already that some things are dumbed down. Harvesters for instance are capable of endlessly filling themselves like they are all harvest controllers... yet they are really 3 harvesters with a small harvest (resource) controller. This means it's less of a decision to make or devote resources to collection. It simply works well from the get go.

Also noticed we have a lot of really silly abilities that seem console like. Get ready on that spam button. Every 30 seconds go back to your squad and press the power up button again?? I don't think I could hate anything more in a classic RTS like this. Win via unnecessary micro.

Graphically it looks ok but not much of a step up from HW remastered.

I HATE the demo's wave mode. I hate tower defence. This wave mode reminded me of something a modder would do. I guess this will be what the campaign is :(

Turrets that can be redeployed any time? Also lazy and easy mode. Turrets are now just ships that need a deploy button.

What's with the individual pilot names and the bored voice actors? No passion at all. \

Ship designs seem pretty meh as well so far. They don't look dangerous at all. They simply look like pebbles in space. Perhaps they are not warships.

Ships move strangely and seem unexcited about their attacks and very robotic.

The game seems "OK", but nothing outstanding so far. I played the tutorial and then one level of the demo and was bored. I am now wondering if any advancement at all over homeworld2 will be evident on launch. So far I have seen it all before, but perhaps better with previous titles.

Another thing. Why bring out a demo? What about all those FIG backers from way back that should be playing the campaign and being wowed collecting ships in each mission? Now they HAVE TO play this demo and see the ships because their is no avoiding the media now. I had been staying away from spoilers and not even reading the homeworld3 news in the lead up to this hoping to avoid the hype so all the surprise and experience came on launch with the campaign.

Not feeling it so far sorry guys.
[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: W8taminute on February 06, 2024, 08:58:12 AM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on February 06, 2024, 05:51:24 AMTypically drm part of a game doesn't really impact my buying decision, but noticed that homeworld 3 is using denuvo, which that alone doesn't usually bother me.  But don't think I ever saw activation limits associated with it.  In this case, what does it mean?  Does it mean I can only reinstall 24 times across 5 different pcs?  I install and uninstall games all the time, although not sure if I have ever done 24 times over the life of the time I played it but really would hate to be limited especially if something I might play for years.  Maybe just not understanding what it means.

Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper
5 different PCs per 24h machine activation limit



Pirates gonna pirate no matter what. 

So why should I as a paying customer be forced and constricted to limited install/re-installs and machine serial numbers for something I legitimately paid for? 

In my eyes they're just using piracacy as an excuse to get you to buy the same game multiple times once the download limit has been reached. 
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: mbar on February 06, 2024, 10:10:03 AM
What about all those agreement screens I had to wade through to install Homeworld 3? Good grief!! I don't think I've clicked through that many agreements in any software before. I felt like I was installing 3 games simultaneously or booting up software for access to the NSA servers.

The pacing during the tutorial was SLOW. Why use BACKSPACE to recenter on the mothership as default? The demo left me underwhelmed.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: Sigwolf on February 06, 2024, 03:12:57 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on February 06, 2024, 08:58:12 AM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on February 06, 2024, 05:51:24 AMTypically drm part of a game doesn't really impact my buying decision, but noticed that homeworld 3 is using denuvo, which that alone doesn't usually bother me.  But don't think I ever saw activation limits associated with it.  In this case, what does it mean?  Does it mean I can only reinstall 24 times across 5 different pcs?  I install and uninstall games all the time, although not sure if I have ever done 24 times over the life of the time I played it but really would hate to be limited especially if something I might play for years.  Maybe just not understanding what it means.

Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper
5 different PCs per 24h machine activation limit



Pirates gonna pirate no matter what. 

So why should I as a paying customer be forced and constricted to limited install/re-installs and machine serial numbers for something I legitimately paid for? 

In my eyes they're just using piracacy as an excuse to get you to buy the same game multiple times once the download limit has been reached. 
I'm fully against developers utilizing Denuvo, and DRM in general, but I do think this is a bit of an over-reaction to this particular implementation.

The way I understand it, you can only install the game on five different computers within any twenty four hour period.  There is absolutely no limit on the total times you can install and uninstall the game on the same machine, and every twenty four hours you get the five machine limit refreshed. 

I can't really imagine a scenario where this would hinder a legitimate user.  The main issue I have with DRM is having a game held hostage to the operational status of a particular activation server, and game performance issues (frame rate drops/stutters) due to poor implementation.
Title: Re: Steam Next Fest Has Started!
Post by: glen55 on February 06, 2024, 05:09:11 PM

[/quote]
Quote from: Gusington on February 05, 2024, 03:50:17 PM^I also just downloaded the Millenia demo.

I'm drooling.

https://www.pcgamesn.com/millennia/demo-steam-next-fest