Thursday 31 October 2019

Oíche Shamhna Shona Daoibh! Happy Halloween!

Battlefield 1....

A lot of changes for the weekly theme. It's actually been changing weekly. This last week saw ground combat in Apocalypse for some intense combined arms action(which has been a lot of fun). Then the air only combat in Air Assault. I prefer to having my feet planted on the ground but I still had fun in a match or two. The 'bad' thing is that there are really only one or two servers with players doing alternative ground pounding. The 'really bad' thing about that is that server are a distilled, super concentrated meat grinder of coordinated clans. Talk about getting stomped on! But like still some good action to be had:

Wednesday 30 October 2019

Dawn of Man....


Dawn of Man is a great game. One that's been steadily updated but which I've not been able to give any real meaningful time towards recently. I've dipped back in to check out patches as they were released(here and here); But so many games, so little time. Gamer 'first world problems'.

The latest additions have been detailed(like the Fauna content update) and I'd like to get some serious time into the game. Time will tell.

Tuesday 29 October 2019

Ghost Recon Breakpoint....

Reading back over some of my previous posts in the last week; I see what could be described as narky pessimism. Not to be a downer but sometimes things suck and a blogger blogs. Some things suck at the same time and a blogger blogs even more... So with that said another bit of game news brought my narky disappointment to the boil. Waffle incoming:


What I expected from 'the next' Ghost Recon game was to take Wildlands and improve on all the community had said; Along with what had been learnt in-house and work in new elements. What was revealed was not what I expected at all. From the get go I was disappointed by almost everything they listed as a feature or game mechanic. I was even more disappointed when I was in the closed Beta. The second Beta showed improvements on elements over the first; But the game was still a long way derived from Wildlands. As a big Wildlands fan I saw nothing to bring me into the next game.

For my part I think I loved Wildlands so much because it had the 3 A.I. team-members. That fact alone brought back gameplay memories and nostalgia from my Hidden and Dangerous day's (more the second game than the first). Wildlands was the first game since H&D2 that I could play and be tactical with an NPC team in real-time. Big key feature like that was removed from Breakpoint. No wonder I was put off.

Which leads me onto the latest news re 'a plan' from Ubi taking the game forward. After the first closed Beta one big thing to come from it was to 'bring back the A.I team'. As they said:

"4. AI Teammates

We announced at E3 2019 that AI Teammates would come back to Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and they will. Ghost Recon Breakpoint was designed from the ground up to be enjoyed in co-op up to four players, and as an innovative pure solo experience. As such, adding back AI Teammates to the game is a major undertaking that will still require time. We will update you as we progress towards their release."

So the game was multiplayer focused. And they will be 'fixing' it?! To put it politely I don't think they can do it justice. Given the in game A.I. NPC's are bullet sponges and the 'human' enemy NPC's were dumb as a rock. The need for a detailed A.I. system for companions is going to be an even greater challenge to implement than they say.

The game as a product isn't worth it, the work needed to make it better seems like a massive waste of time, energy, money. I don't think Ubi can work a No Man's Sky wand over this product.

If they took everything they learned, every thing they knew, everything that was developed from the first game; Mixed it all in the pot for the next with some new ingredients and came out with Breakpoint..... Well the decision makers have greater issues then they realise.

I'm really dumbstruck by the way they went from Wildlands to Breakpoint. I can't fathom the rationalisation of steps needed to f**k it up that bad.

I'm sure Beta feedback was a shock to them. Instead taking a step back and realising what they had and spend longer to 'fix'/redevelop it they; They weaked what they could for immediate use and doubled down. They released it and are going to work on it after the fact; Like a reworked Frankenstein monster till it 'works'. I fear for players on what that will end up getting. For those that stick it out.

The more I hear about Breakpoint the more frustrated I get at their decisions and thought processes.
Even more compounded by Ubi having a good community group with a keen ear to the ground of what players want, what they like and what they needed for the future.

And we get Breakoint..... Really!!! Lesser Destiny Breakpoint 1.0!! Raids!?!

Once bitten twice shy....

Eve Online....

Another waffling rant(it's been a while)......

Eve, Eve, Eve Online.... Always an ongoing conundrum regarding it's longterm development direction. As much to the dev's as to the playerbase from what I've always seen. Grand designs, but projects that lapse over time and implementation. Don't get me started on the Mystery Code....But I do wonder what they will 'do' for a 20th year anniversary, if I'm thinking about it shouldn't they?
That's not to say they haven't improved the game(graphics, 64bit client, in game UI in so many ways).

Over time I'm glad that the bulk of my characters, the old Omega's are still 99.9% ready to restart if I chose to. My dedicated Alphas(and old trial characters) on the other hand have been chopped and changed a lot, mainly around skills and game mechanic access(level 4 missions no longer available). So with the conventions and fan fests I always keep an eye out for changes. Thankfully my playstyle is very base line so not much gets altered/out of whack for me. For the most part the quality of life changes benefit me more than most.

Eve Vegas has been on this last week and as usual was as overboard as ever. The atmosphere (attendees and devs) always seem (to me at least) like a type of drunk overbearing blokish clique(PvP leetist jocks maybe). Laughing and backslapping so hard it even hurts to watch. Each to their own. Where is CCP at non self run/promoted events? Time perhaps to stop playing to the hardcore home crowd echo chamber? So much grandstanding to the few instead of thinking of the larger audience/playerbase. They lost me a long time ago. I'm only looking for the game information that effects me. There was a sneak peek of the road-map ahead and I foresee PvP. Surprise, golf clap, surprise. Time will tell but anything with 'explosive rewards' generally means it's the PvE players doing the exploding and the PvP players scooping the remains(rewards).

A game of 4 quarters...
I think this week's 'Halloween event' with the 100% drop rate(full ship fit and cargo contents) is a scratch on that surface. Great incentive to not undock. It did make me giggle when an Eve economic youtuber talked about the large increase in contract asset/materials movement pre-event. Every large and small hauler will be a target regardless.

Still amazes me that CCP know the vast majority of their games players are not PvP focused, yet they always hammer on about PvP. Silent majority eh.

I might just stick with an out of the way Alpha and potter away with some lower level missions for fun(plinking).

Monday 28 October 2019

WoW Classic....


While nostalgia is a good thing and retrospectives can make a gamer want to go back to a game(or a version of it) with visions of the past via rose tinted glasses. I've changed my mind about getting into WoW classic.


I was there back in the day. I've had my experiences and enjoyed myself. I wouldn't change it. It was special to me and not just because it was my first MMO. Going back to it now, so many years later expecting only 'the good' is unrealistic thinking. The old game mechanics are there but it's not a new thing. The playerbase has seen and done so much since vanilla that brings previous WoW baggage (mentalities/leetism) to classic now. It's not going to be the same playerbase in classic as it was at the originals time. That changes things as much as the mechanics. For better and worse. The longer classic is out the more like the original the games player-base will be imho(End game Vanilla was about raiding gear but the greater the gear the longer the grind for it. That's why there was also those that did PvP. An easier grind and active all the time. Either way there was a roadblock, an end to gaining gear. No expansions meant ti was also worthwhile spending (the slower grind) time to gear up alts. But that's all a very long term thing).

I fear that where I was once a noob in a forest sat in awe of the game, that now, I'll be an older bitter veteran eyeing everything with disdain; Mumbling about the past and how 'this isn't it'.


This isn't to knock players who are hitting up classic wow because vanilla was before their time, or who want to relive the past as much as possible. Taking away my nostalgia and I'm left wondering what I'd be looking for in it as a gaming experience. A more meaningful MMO filled with a world larger than the player? Where the adventure is a more true grounded experience? Sounds good but in all honesty I'm kind of past that. Even if I can get my head around the nostalgia to get into it, WoW is as WoW has always been; A grind. I've had my WoW vanilla days and I've had my WoW day's overall. I've not played the last expansion. Really didn't do anything with the previous one to that. Besides it can only be original and unseen once. If I go to Darkshore I'll know where things and quests are. The original wonder for me can't happen again. What is seen cannot be unseen.


WoW classic is a form of time travel. Great for those that were never there. But for me who was; Why travel back to the past to relive something I already recall as great, in order to 'just' relive old mechanics.

All my older contacts from back in the day are not playing classic either for one reason or another.
I'm not saying I wouldn't meet new people or join in on new guilds doing group content and 'having fun'. Thinking about classic now leads me down the road of 'I could do that in any MMO'. These day's that's me in Star Trek Online or Eve Online with the added bonus of not needing to pay. Different strokes for different folks.


If I experience old content and see with a broader more experienced eye that it really wasn't as good as I thought it was...... Well I don't want to pay to ruin my nostalgic retrospective memories.


Maybe I'll change or have my mind changed again in the future.....

Sunday 27 October 2019

The Outer Worlds....


Given the amount of Youtubers doing extensive walkthrough/lets play's and reviews of the game I'm not sure how much I can add that's 'new'. Here's my tuppence worth....

The Outer Worlds, another Epic store exclusive. While I'd usually be playing this on PC(Steam), I've free access to it via XBox Ultimate. It's the first game that I've seen and wanted to play with access to Ultimate. I'm not sure I want to really spend a huge amount of time with it on XBox but for now it's free and I can dip my toe. As much as I want this game on PC I'll not use Epic. That's a whole other story, suffice to say I don't like being shoehorned by a retailer.

It's a game that has a lot of crossover in looks, mechanics, theme's. It brings a lot together and does it really well.

On planets the game looks a lot like No Man's Sky. The plants and animals, the noise you make as you walk/sneak through the grass. As well as the colours, very smooth and pastel looking.

(screenshot from Steam)
Marauders, the generic bad guys, as game bad guys go have never looked so good in bright pink. A lot like 'The Pack' in Fallout 4's Nuka expansion.

(screenshot from Steam)
Once you get into larger settlements or ships the game and characters get a look and 'feel' a lot more like Bioshock. Bowler hats and steampunk machinery but with parts that are a dash of Fallout 4's aesthetic as well. It's a melding that works well. So familiar yet different.

(screenshot from Steam)
The companions system is a lot like how you get companions in Fallout 4 but with the even more in depth mechanics(imho) like those of Knights of the Old Republic(1&2). I'm ok with that.

The weapons feel impactful and are a enjoyable to use/shoot and I don't even mind the weapon degradation system 'a la System Shock 2'. I'm ok with that as well.

I've barely scratched the surface and I've a need to play more. I'm not keen doing first person shooters with a joypad. In saying that I've felt better controlling this game on XBox than other FPS's I've played. I just wish I had the game on Steam. Maybe a years delay is a good thing. The game will be well established with additions and patches etc. No doubt it'll have a Steam launch promo price.

Plenty of time to clear other games till then.

Only a peek of my gameplay but with so much content already out there there's not that much I can show that hasn't been done multiple times elsewhere.

Friday 25 October 2019

Hitman 2....

I got a chance to do the latest Elusive Target, 'The Serial Killer' is an actual Hitman 2 elusive target on Whittleton Creek.

It's not a hard target to find or poison; Even with my sloppy methods.

Here's my walkabout, target follow and story learning, followed with my target take-down.

STO....

No surprise to see so many Jem'Hadar out and about with the new Jem'Hadar additions added to the lifetime sub.


I claimed mine as well. Dominion ships are usually a subtle pink/purple but with the pink vanity shield on it's super pink; And still a good looking ship.


Being back on the character, he does show the signs of neglect mainly via the inventory. Still, I spent a bit of time clearing things up.

I also noticed that I'd never claimed the temporal agent account bonus's. Doing a /played I saw the character was just shy of the 20 hours needed.


A bit of ship/inventory faffing about and some uniform alterations filled in the time.


Not a bad revisit but the ship needs a lot more work to make it practical. I'll have to see about that and try a TFO or two. Just to say I used the ship.

I can't see this character receiving much attention. The more I dig the more work I see is needed. Then I realise how much time I've really put into my main and then I go back to him.

Hitman 2....


Hitman 2 is a great game. The legacy pack as well. It's 'just' that it can be so frustrating at times when things get 'glitchy'. I was super happy to read the notes and see the info on emetics and NPC's.


I'm not sure if that's good or bad timing.

There's nothing worse than when an NPC isn't behaving like the mechanics say they should. The Himmapan Horror missions highlight this; Especially with the emetic NPC 'bug'.

Not even the NPC that's scripted to use the toilet, uses the toilet when hit with an emetic.


For me the Himmapan Horror missions have highlighted some of the real glitchy elements that can happen. I've had to do more to get around the game than against the NPC's and the actual challenge. I don't recall the original being like that in the first game.


Thankfully I've been able to force my way through. Plenty of alternative player contracts are out there to try(depending on gear/unlocks etc).



Master Vampire was a high, Himmapan Horror was below par. That's two down, one more to go. Master Scarecrow should be another high. Fingers crossed.

Thursday 24 October 2019

STO....


When the 'time limited global event' Gamma Recruitment was first launched to the game I created a new character for the new in game race. My very own Jem'Hadar. The Jem'Hadar are the Warcraft Death Knights of Star Trek Online. They start at a high level(60) and then choose which faction they side with.


While I played the character through the then 'new' content and enjoyed my time I've never really been back to the character in a meaningful way. Mainly used for the Admiralty system.


Not even to do more with the Gamma recruit transponder unlocks.



Not that he was totally unused, the character still had my attention for a good few month's. Enough to warrant spending some of my free Zen on a sale of the Gamma Vanguard Starter Pack to give him a ship upgrade.


I'm waffling about all this because the Gamma recruit characters are coming back today. Rejoin the Jem'Hadar Recruits! Great for all player accounts. But as I already have a heap of leveled up characters that I don't use, adding another isn't what I really need. Maybe worth it on my Xbox STO account if this is released there. For me what really is of interest with this is the new additions to the Lifetime Subscription. If nothing else it'll give more reason to get back to an underused character, that's always welcome.

On a side note CounterYolo Gaming has done a great video on Ship 'cheap' console alternatives. Which makes me appreciate how little I know with my ship faffing.

Battlefield 1....

Another 'quiet' week for Battlefield 1 shenanigans. The high's of multi-kills and the lows of being the center of attention of a one sided stomping(then again not much fun on being on the other side of that either).

Wednesday 23 October 2019

Hitman 2....


The Master Vampire(Magician) legacy challenge pack was a bit easier to do this time round. Having cleared the entire first game twice (original and legacy) may have something to do with that. Familiarity and contempt. The challenge went the same as previously. I only needed one contract for the target oil drum burn but all else was very doable on the base map. I did the electrocution kill with the new phone unlock, very handy.

STO....

I've seen a lot of well done characters created in STO. Most are themed characters from TV or films. So no surprise to see a lot of Groot's running around the bank. Occasionally you'll see some standouts, like this Dracula.

Yesterday at the ship NPC's I saw Beavis. Kudos.



There was also a green alien in a green baseball outfit that was interesting as well.

Tuesday 22 October 2019

Hitman 2....


The new escalation for Hawk's Bay is pure Halloween fun. I started off being a bit skittish on causing a lot of ruckus but ended up bulldozing each level. I was gratified to see the end level as a knockout or kill all guards nuclear option "make all the guards go to sleep".


Really good to get the Wetsuit; And the batarang doesn't hurt to have either....

Assassin's Creed Odyssey....


Assassin's Creed Odyssey is another game I've had on the 'ol wishlist for a long time. I've kept it there with the caveat of getting it when it's cheaper than the -50% sale it's usually under. But I've been thinking that for a long time as well(I'm never 'happy' with sales).

I've not played much of Origins and as Odyssey is another massive game to play, well I'm not likely to delve into it anytime soon either! So why pay through the nose for something that's going to be cheaper with time. Why get it at all if it's going to be another title gathering virtual dust. Even if Odyssey is screaming out as the better game of the two(better looking, better combat system(or so I'm told)etc). I'm sure if I see it really cheap in the future I might be tempted but for now I'll cut it from my wish-list and try to get more into Origins(again).

Soul Calibur VI....


As good a game as Soul Calibur VI seems to be, as much of a fan of the franchise as I am; I keep looking at the game and being off-put by the amount of DLC, this extra content, season pass and deluxe edition. A year on from it's initial release and I've yet to see the base game at a decent sale price never mind an all inclusive game of the year edition. Waiting is proving to be a pain in the posterior. The longer the wait the more I'm feeling 'meh' about the game and fighting games in general. Maybe in the future I'll see a cheap all bells edition.

Sociable Soccer....

Sociable Soccer is a frantic and fun game that's had a long development history, a long, slow but steady development(this from last November). I've had it on my steam wish-list for a long time.


It's changed a lot in the last year or so not least with a push to China and a mobile version and has finally reached a form that is pending a release under the Apple Arcade umbrella.

While it was once on my steam wish-list, it's not listed on steam at all any longer. The main site for the game lists a PC release in 2020/21; So still a long-term thing. If it's not on steam then it's probably gone epic(cashflow was always a 'thing' for Sociable Soccer). If it has that means an even longer wait due to exclusivity. One way or the other its either going to be a long time or an even longer time till a proper PC release.

Time to cut it from my list and fill the gap in the soccer soul with something that I can actually get and play(easier said than done with the quality out there atm).

Monday 21 October 2019

Battletech....


The next DLC for Battletech was shown during the week. I think I was disappointed/confused because I thought the next DLC was supposed to be Clan based. Mmmmmmm Clan tech. Anyway the DLC that is coming does look interesting. The new 'Bull Shark' design I'm sure will give the heaviest of heavy mech's a run for their money.


I just hope there's a bit more longevity in the DLC's narrative. I can't believe I'm saying this but there is only so much faffing about in a mech your can do when your doing the same thing over and over....

STO....


Having a look at the charity support bundles I went with for the $5(€4.50) 'bundle', which also included the $1 items. Not out of choice but because the even better deal, the $10 bundle was sold out for a second time!



Pink Vanity Pack

Pink Genetically-Altered Safe Tribble
-Achieve additional Health Regeneration and Maximum Health with this pink, furry friend.

Pink Risian Lunarian Caracal
-This highly sought after non-combat pet has an even temperament and is perfect for life aboard a starship.

Pink Vanity Shield
-Show your support throughout the galaxy by lighting up your ship in the color of Breast Cancer Awareness, with this exclusive Vanity Shield!

Pink Ribbon Badge
-The Alliance has given you special dispensation to replace your rank badge with this show of support for the cause.


Unpacking and claiming the ships leaves me with another cannon build to faff about with. Cannon builds do seem to the the order of the day. Fingers crossed the winter event ship won't be similar.
I think I've got a bit of a handle on cannon based ships but not enough to be really comfortable let alone knowledgeable. For my new Shran class ship I stayed with my previous 'cannon build' bridge officers. Which worked out well for ease of use.


I'm sure there are players out there with knowledge screaming that I'm not using the Pilot specialisation for bridge officers/stations; But what I had on other builds works here, it's not perfect, it's not min/maxed, but it works. Not as well as on my previous cannon builds but well enough.

As for the ship equipment; Well it was all based on what I could scrape up from the bottom of the inventory (usual fit mouse-over in the vid below). Not a good or thought out fit but the best of what was left over, for what it's worth....


The Shran class in action makes me think it looks a lot like a classic 80's Cylon raider.
I really like the ships boost/barrel-roll abilities.


For a cannon build it's great to draw in enemies, boost backwards and blast them with cannons.


As for the ships console ability(Console - Universal - Graviton Displacer). I think it's my new favorite 'super weapon'. Like a DPS'ing hoover in space. A portable tornado.


I claimed the KDF version of the ship, the T6 M'Chla Pilot Bird of Prey on my Klingon aligned (non-used)main. I've not messed about with a fit there and may not but good to have it. Likewise the Shran on my other Federation characters. It might be more apt on one or more but that'll be down to how I perceive a character along a roleplay line rather than the ship being better in a practical way(character using only federation starfleet ships and only phaser tech etc). All my alts are in such a mess.

The Pink vanity shield on the T6 M'Chla looks like it has a nervous system in some sort of x-ray.


I'm no discovery fan but the stats are great in game. The ship in looks reminds me of a death glider from Stargate.

Anyway the fit and first use of the T6 Shran in the Kobayashi Maru event(fit mouse-over was done after the Maru run which is why the mastery shows activity).