shinymcshine

Sometimes these RPGs need a 'do-over' mini-rewind option for when the game engine does something weird - or unintended.

I'm not talking avoiding deliberate consequences - but things like; when you're examining an inventory then accidentally click to pick-up / steal; or attack rather than talk to an NPC; or if you have your whole party 'sneak' and set off traps when you thought you'd  just selected your rogue etc.

So kind of controller based faff things - which wouldn't really occur in a TTRPG but are caused by the interface - as otherwise you just end up having to spam save just in case.

Nah @DisturbedSwan slapped me down in the GTA VI thread for suggesting we'd be anticipating next gen announcements in 2025, saying that 2028 was more likely (based on the legal papers).

I'm just wrapping up the 3rd of 5 areas to explore, so based on 70 hrs so far, it'll probably be a few weeks more before I'll be ready for BG3.

Sadly, now around 70 hrs, and the game has started to become a bit less stable and now prone to the occasional crash (to dashboard) or freezing up.

Fortunately it auto saves at the start of each battle, and I've been playing with the free save option (save whenever you want) - so it's just a bit irritating (as only tend to lose 5-10 mins of progress) rather than catastrophic.

Nice one - it's downloading now !!!

Okay I'll be the dum dum here.....

At what stage do I link this to my Xbox account - is that through the VPN stage , and do I have to also change the region of my Xbox account too ???

So, I had an armoured pony (RIP) as unless you train someone to control it to just uses its own AI on the battlefield - and TBH I didn't even particularly realise it was in any peril until the battle was won, and I'd moved on, then noticed it wasn't around in the next fight, and I'd a pony body in my inventory to bury 😞

Now in an area fraught with plague and mosquitoes.

This game is certainly hitting top marks for me.

I'll be quite interested to see what they've done with the Underdark and Drow - as WotC made an announcement back in 2020 about removing racist stereotypes from D&D (and Drow were notably mentioned).

https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/23/21300653/dungeons-dragons-racial-stereotypes-wizards-of-the-coast-drow-orcs-curse-of-strahd

Just takes a few minutes from signing up to dragging through your info 

Here's what I've got (noting I only started Wartales about 3 weeks ago ...)

Found a couple of gladiator arenas, where you have to pick a squad of 4 to battle through 4 fights (with a small opportunity to fix armour or heal between fights) but I'm struggling to progress beyond fight 2. 

They're optional so might be something for the later game.

Also now got a couple of epic weapons (from the tombs) and an armoured war pony (which fights in the battles).

40+ hrs in and opened up another area, and found another tomb (yet to explore). 

The battles continue to evolve and remain fair but challenging.

So BG3 (on Xbox) will have to wait, I'm still having loads of fun with this game !

13 hours ago, Metroid66 said:

I don't really want to see another pushable block for the rest of my gaming life.

What about if it was a forklift truck & crates..... 😉

What I'd really like is for it to go back to the strategy & tactics of DA:O as each sequel stripped away the turn based (action/pause) dynamics of the combat, where DA:I felt a bit too much like it was trying to be an offline MMORPG.

Hopefully they'll take notice of what has made DOS and BG popular and add more of those elements back into the game.

Also, by 2025 do you think we'll have already had any firm announcements about the next gen (given current gen will be then be hitting 5 yrs old)?

So a bit like GTA V it might come out as the last hurrah on current systems (PS5/Xbox X (S?)), with impending update/re-release to follow 

Honestly - this is what the last couple of console generations have come to - a trailer for a future trailer showing zero gameplay, for a game  that's likely at least another 18 months away.

FFS.

I don't really care how it looks, if it's not coming out until 2025 then I'm not bothered about getting hyped up about it anytime soon.

Completed the Tomb in Tiltren - was a nice change of pace, with an additional combat dynamic, puzzles and the need to recruit another crew member (certain profession required).

The other thing with digital streaming (and okay, it's slightly off topic) is where content is modified - like when they delete certain scenes/episodes as they contain what is now considered offensive or inappropriate material (rather than just flagging it and letting the viewer make a choice) - or they've made changes to a soundtrack as they don't want to relicense the original music.

Nope didn't happen at all for me - don't get me wrong, I got some nice things every Christmas but my parents never had enough money for games consoles etc* - all my gaming has been self bought (or in later years, as a present from my missus).

*my older brother got a 48k Spectrum once, noting as his birthday is in Nov and mine in Jan anything super expensive like that was always a joint birthday/ Christmas present.

Playstation users are to lose all access to bought content from Discovery TV as it leaves the PS Store.

"As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library,"

Whilst in this instance I imagine it's a bit niche, it doesn't bode well for the consumer in terms of any form of digital 'ownership' (albeit was probably buried deep in font 4 of a 10000 word set of T&C's when you 'bought' it).

I wonder if this'll start to affect games in the future too (in particular where there seems here to be no right to redownload/watch anything once its removed from the store and its deleted from your library).

I think game licencing is somewhat different that movies/TV, but where studios are being bought then it's not implausible.

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2023/12/playstation-users-set-to-lose-hundreds-of-tv-shows-they-paid-for

Now I've just found a Tomb - which is pretty different in its approach once you get inside !

Fantastic.

My present company size is 10 (8 + 2 ponies) - I think the only limitation you have is the cost of wages & food - but 8 seems a good manageable size (esp. on the battlefield).

And now there's an arena, and wandering (but benign) elite bosses, and animal companions.....

There's a couple of good guides on the Steam page - esp. to explain a few of the things that the tutorial doesn't.

Hitting about 20 hrs having 'completed' the first area, and now progressing in another.

Not much more I can add to this (I love the way you can trade with other wandering groups on the road)- but time flies by when I'm playing it.

If you're on the fence, then it's Vandal Hearts mixed with FF Tactics/ Disgaea in a brutal medieval setting, with free world exploration - but I know for some people the graphics will make their eyes weep.....

£150 for a LE controller - well if you like a brew.....

£150 Yorkshire Tea Controller

I lost a party member today - couldn't get to them in time, but it was one of the 2 cutthroats that I had, and it felt that the party wasn't that well balanced (even though they had different skill sets).

I thought about reload, but instead just rolled into the village and recruited a spear user (impale damage and double damage if they attach from a couple of paces back). I had to buy & sell a bit of kit in order to equip them, and retrain their secondary skill (as it was the cook I'd lost) but things feel good with them now.

I really like this game.