Resistance is futile! Friday has arrived!

[Darkspire]

I can't say I'm starting a new Finish thread (no doubt that'll be January), but I can say that after 27 hours I finally finished the new Tomb Raider reboot, which I fondly call Tomb Raider: The Harrowing or Tomb Raider: I Spit On Your Grave or perhaps Tomb Raider: Prepare To Die Edition.

I realize the Crystal Dynamics team (who designed the previous modern TR trilogy, without finishing the sequel promised by Underworld if I recall correctly) worked really really really really hard on this game, and it shows, but it's also brutally grimdark as all hell. Which wouldn't be so bad except (1) this is supposed to be Tomb Raider, and (2) I could also call it Lara Croft and the Numerous Epic Failures of Lara Croft.  :P

Still I finished it, and promptly deleted it from my HD.

It isn't Tomb Raider, it is a young Lara Croft before  she became the Tomb Raider that we all know, that was the point, it follows the traumatic experiences that shaped her into what she is now, I never did like the stuck up a mountain with the plane crash as it was with the original, this reboot I thought worked really well and gave a much more realistic gaming experience of her beginnings than the previous titles, I have been a fan since '96 and as good as most of the others were (well most) this was the best so far, you just have to look at it from the way it was intended. Very much along the same lines as Oliver Queen in the TV show Arrow.

Darkspire

[-budd-]

flashpoint campaigns ....really digging this title.

[Martok]

Father-in-law and his lady are visiting this weekend so I dunno how much gaming I'll get in, but...

Hopefully I will get a chance to try Fallen Enchantress for the first time since the big patch.

...this sounds like a great idea, if I get a chance. 8)

I'm wavering on this

I can't help myself. It's Martok's fault!  ;D

It usually is.  :P 

[Toonces]

No gaming tonight, but I'm going to log some time in FSX tomorrow.  I bought a couple of nice Embraer jets that I'm learning how to fly.

[bob48]

Last night I managed a couple of scenario's from Desert Heat, but, recent discussions in another thread has rekindled my enthusiasm for CoH, so I may well do some SoS firefights today.

[JasonPratt]

I can't say I'm starting a new Finish thread (no doubt that'll be January), but I can say that after 27 hours I finally finished the new Tomb Raider reboot, which I fondly call Tomb Raider: The Harrowing or Tomb Raider: I Spit On Your Grave or perhaps Tomb Raider: Prepare To Die Edition.

I realize the Crystal Dynamics team (who designed the previous modern TR trilogy, without finishing the sequel promised by Underworld if I recall correctly) worked really really really really hard on this game, and it shows, but it's also brutally grimdark as all hell. Which wouldn't be so bad except (1) this is supposed to be Tomb Raider, and (2) I could also call it Lara Croft and the Numerous Epic Failures of Lara Croft.  :P

Still I finished it, and promptly deleted it from my HD.

It isn't Tomb Raider, it is a young Lara Croft before  she became the Tomb Raider that we all know, that was the point, it follows the traumatic experiences that shaped her into what she is now, I never did like the stuck up a mountain with the plane crash as it was with the original, this reboot I thought worked really well and gave a much more realistic gaming experience of her beginnings than the previous titles, I have been a fan since '96 and as good as most of the others were (well most) this was the best so far, you just have to look at it from the way it was intended. Very much along the same lines as Oliver Queen in the TV show Arrow.

Darkspire

When I say "this is supposed to be Tomb Raider" I mean there are certain attitudes involved in the gameplay and characterization. (And no, not necessarily the two most famous 'attitudes'. ;) )

Is it realistic and effective as a story on its own merits? Sure. Does it lead to "Tomb Raider"? Only in the most superficial ways: this game could have been about literally anyone else instead of Lara Croft. The comparison to Green Arrow is very apt: this would be a great origin story for Green Arrow (or for a female Ollie Queen), because that's where the story points the character. The archaeology aspects could have been removed at practically no difference, too: she's so oblivious to her own field of supposed expertise that it takes her literally 95% of the story (maybe even more like 98% -- I think she's standing in front of Himiko's statue in the temple surrounded by the other subsequent statues) to figure out what's going on with Himiko and why Sam would be important to that. She doesn't even make partially correct guesses before then!  ::) :P ::) :P ::) :P

Also, as I mentioned in another thread a few weeks ago when (as it happened) I was around half done, the story doesn't reward effort narratively. Part of the point of playing previous games is that Lara manages to get things done (and then has to do more things until she gets them done). Lara constantly fails over and over in this game; which makes sense within its own story context, but doesn't feel like a TR game to me and hampered my ability to care about proceeding. Sure Lara would have to keep going, but I'm playing a game (albeit a brutally uncomfortable grimdark one). I kept flashing back to Spec Ops: The Line! (A comparison that Yahtzee at Zero Punctuation also made, come to think of it...) There are reasons beyond the topically obvious (they're tombs) that the practically random scattered tomb sidequests felt to a lot of people, myself included, like the most TR-ish parts of the game: she manages to accomplish something without epic failure along the way. Without those (and with her whimpering "I hate tombs" after crawling out of a bloody abattoir! -- yeah, I can see why you would, in that case) it would barely be Tomb Raider aside from her name and occupation. (Ditto the equally plot-meaningless archaeological knicknacks she finds for xp. The journals were good, admittedly, but not specifically connected to her as the character of Lara Croft.)

In conclusion: WARRAAGAHARHRHBLEBELE!  ;D I admit I may play it again someday, but I'm more interested in CD's previous efforts at revision and updating.

[mikeck]

Flashpoint campaigns
Rome 2
AJE Parthian wars
dangerous waters (red storm rising campaign)

Bouncing between coldwar-gone-hot and Ancient Rome. Everything a girl could want

[JudgeDredd]

I forgot the incredible Sid Meyers Ace Patrol

[JasonPratt]

Having successfully run a campaign in Democracy 3, I am preparing to take my chances in The Political Machine 2012 (which is a much sillier and more cynical view of getting elected in the first place).

[W8taminute]

A couple of weeks ago I asked for some advice about F1 2012 and I'm happy to report I did much better in my play session today thanks to you guys.   :)

[JasonPratt]

Well, despite starting with minimal money AND a 50% handicap on starting money (not sure how that works), plus not much ability to raise money (I tried to build my character with traits and deficiencies as close to real life), Condi Rice and I defeated Barack Obama and his chosen running mate, some other guy from Tennessee whom Obama left parked in his giant eco-burning footprint house in my state (for all the fat lot of good it did him -- then again I parked Condi in New York the whole time. All they really do is raise awareness, an inconvenient truth of this game. ;) )

I could have won a bit more handily, but I have a habit in this game of fixating on states I almost certainly have no chance of ever winning, namely California and New York; had I spent more time and effort on the Great Lake swing states I could have picked up a couple more of those for sure -- as it was, I came within a percent of winning Illinois!  ;D

102,165,00 and 276 electorals for me; 98,846,00 and 262 electorals for Obama/Gore. This was despite Obama handily sweeping all the  special interest groups: I built the proper headquarters too late to earn them. Hardly a mandate of the people (less than a three million range between us), but a win is a win.

Oh, and I spent just short of $100 million, mostly trying to win NY and CA.  :P (I planted a lot of financial HQs, and made sure to upgrade them regularly.) Ironically, Obama spent only $60 million.

[Nefaro]

Well, despite starting with minimal money AND a 50% handicap on starting money (not sure how that works), plus not much ability to raise money (I tried to build my character with traits and deficiencies as close to real life), Condi Rice and I defeated Barack Obama and his chosen running mate, some other guy from Tennessee whom Obama left parked in his giant eco-burning footprint house in my state (for all the fat lot of good it did him -- then again I parked Condi in New York the whole time. All they really do is raise awareness, an inconvenient truth of this game. ;) )

I could have won a bit more handily, but I have a habit in this game of fixating on states I almost certainly have no chance of ever winning, namely California and New York; had I spent more time and effort on the Great Lake swing states I could have picked up a couple more of those for sure -- as it was, I came within a percent of winning Illinois!  ;D

102,165,00 and 276 electorals for me; 98,846,00 and 262 electorals for Obama/Gore. This was despite Obama handily sweeping all the  special interest groups: I built the proper headquarters too late to earn them. Hardly a mandate of the people (less than a three million range between us), but a win is a win.

Oh, and I spent just short of $100 million, mostly trying to win NY and CA.  :P (I planted a lot of financial HQs, and made sure to upgrade them regularly.) Ironically, Obama spent only $60 million.

Watch out.  The Gore-acle may have you recounted!  :P

[Bison]

Spent some time this evening playing Planetside 2.  It's a fun game, but is much better if you happen to get a squad that works together.

[Jarhead0331]

Flashpoint campaigns
Rome 2
AJE Parthian wars
dangerous waters (red storm rising campaign)

Bouncing between coldwar-gone-hot and Ancient Rome. Everything a girl could want

How do you feel about Parthian Wars? Is it a must have? Haven't heard much talk about it...

[Nefaro]

Flashpoint campaigns
Rome 2
AJE Parthian wars
dangerous waters (red storm rising campaign)

Bouncing between coldwar-gone-hot and Ancient Rome. Everything a girl could want

How do you feel about Parthian Wars? Is it a must have? Haven't heard much talk about it...

I dunno about others, but I still haven't even finished half the scenarios that come with AJE and BOR.  I still consider Parthian Wars a must-have, but it's not a pressing matter since there is a lot left in the others still. 

I'm probably not the only one in this situation.