Two Point Hospital....

Things I'd only seen over my wife's shoulder as she powers through levels like a machine, have now become reality in my gameplay. Like the feared Duckworth-upon-Bilge and zombie epidemics.

As well as the comical 8-bitten illness which needs the Resolution Lab to 'resolve'.

Duckworth-upon-Bilge, probably the most troublesome hospital to work with. Mainly because of the lack of income. This level is described as  "If we can meet the Ministry's targets we'll receive some of the County's healthcare budget, but we won't receive income from any diagnosis, treatment or retail. This could be interesting..." Those targets seem easy enough, especially starting off with 250k cash. It all goes downhill from there pretty fast. Early decisions can compound lack of cash into mistakes.
This may be the first level I have to start from scratch again rather than revert from as save. I'll plow on a bit further.

Uuuuuuuuhtubez....

Thanks for that :)

A Casual Carebear

Hitman 2....

Hitman 2 but not Hitman 2 when it's the Legacy content. I've been pottering away with Hitman 2's version of Paris. One element of the legacy system is that there are less escalations. But a newer system to reward you for completing legacy content. Rewards for doing less in the first game. Or maybe best to call it streamlined. Paris has one base map escalation and 1 escalation for the Patient Zero campaign addition to Paris (Corky the clown). At least as far as my free legacy version can see. That's way down on what the first game had.

I've been enjoying my time by doing the assassinations, feats and other challenges in Paris.

Just as I've caught myself leaning back into maybe buying the second game I find other reasons that cast doubt again. Maybe it's experience with the first game but I've found H1 maps a lot easier in the H2 version. Specifically the A.I. It does react differently. In a more stupid way. If you decide to go postal on a map you could funnel the npc masses into a kill zone; And you can still do that in H2. The difference in H2 is that they enter that funnel and don't hone in on your position as the H1 versions did. At least in the first game it seemed like the npc's knew you were in a corner due to the 20 bodies piled up.... H2 has each npc react like they are the first into the room regardless of the pile.

A Casual Carebear

That aside there is a lot to like with the game with it's changes and updates to the older content. It makes me want to see the newer content. I'd still be annoyed as a completionist that I have to do some things again. But it might be worth it.

And even if they will re-release the game and the elusive targets in a year or so I still have time to mull things over.

BF 1....

The new theme in BF1's weekly favoured map rotation is all about "Tanks and Trenches". 

I don't mind being in tanks or trenches, so it should be enjoyable enough.

So far I've joined matches right at the end. I don't mind getting wins like that. But it's not a 'real' (or fully enjoyable) way to get wins. Participation is the fun.

A Casual Carebear

No Man's SKy....

Improvements on improvements.

Update 1.75 "Visions", looks interesting.

HelloGamesTube

Planet Coaster....

Planet Coaster, in my view has always been a game that allowed players to be massively obsessive about the most minute detail of a park. Maybe a little too much. Down to the slightest detail of a cobblestone that can barley be seen my the human eye.

The latest update, Thememaker's Toolkit,  will send players who obsess over the minutia off the deep-end. It's this type of update to a game that extents it's existence well into the future. I'm glad I backed away from all of it when I did.

Everspace....

While my recent visit to Everspace was only good in showing how rusty I am at the game. The recent Patch 1.3.3 update adds some nice quality improvements.

Mini Metro...

A nice surprise update was downloaded for me on Steam today! Creative mode lets you take any existing maps and build your metro.

BF 1....

The latest theme of promoted matchmaking for BF1 is all based on larger maps with hilly terrain.

The hills are indeed alive, with the screams from both sides as they get strafed and exploded  by large numbers of planes, blimps, small tanks, large tanks and horses etc. It's something to behold, why battlefield is worthy of the name. The scale is large, with lots of skirmish's happening around the main engagement of forces. Land and air. It's easy to be both overwhelmed on all sides or spawn and be miles away from the enemy.

As a player who identifies more with the marksman medic class, the hill theme sounds like it should be ideal times; But I've spent longer as an assault in these matches. Not a bad thing, variety an all, but its getting me killed more than if I was doing my longer distance shots.

A Casual Carebear

At least this won't last forever.... The next theme could be a game changer....

Star Trek Online....

Today saw me get the last voucher for the  (simulated) Battle of the Binary Stars reputation rewards. The fourth was all I needed after getting the 10 voucher pack from the store. Free zen for a free pack = a time saver option. 

For me the main reward to get was the Beacon of  Kahless. A reward that I can reclaim with all my characters. Beacon's of Kahless for everyone!

I've built up a nice collection of shared reclaimable items over the years. The beacon is a nice addition.

With the Task Force rep done a post event rep reward pack is available for each subsequent voucher I 'hand in'. Always a nice touch. 

BF1....

I don't usually t-bag, but when I do, I return t-bag.

A Casual Carebear

Hitman 2....

Taking more of a wander around the H2's version of the Paris map has me doing a few of the challenges. I've unlocked a good few bits but still lack the basic lockpick; I'm not sure if that's because I've not bought the game (Mastery level 2 unlock in Miami)...

A Casual Carebear

BF 1....

A match that ends in loss is not always a defeat. I can live a with a good game result.

A Casual Carebear

Surviving Mars....

So many games so little time. A game I've sadly neglected a little after I got it has a great new update.

One thing I really like about Paradox Interactive games is that they include free items and quality of life changes to patch the game that also goes along with the DLC.

That's a trend with a few other developers that I hope grows.

I might make a bit of time to get into it again. Then again that's what I said last time.

Paradox Interactive

Hitman 2....

I've been having a wander around the Hitman legacy maps. Overall Hitman 2 would seem to need a few more patches. I've experienced a few crashes and some very odd physics. But even the fist game had that kind of thing.

Overall there isn't all that much difference between the Hitman 1 and Hitman 2 variations. Besides the new u.i. and game enhancements. On the new normal mode I've played a few guards and NPC's have been moved or removed. I found it easier to do the legacy maps.

Some civilians are still wearing the John Wick 2 ballistic inlay on their cloth's.
The clip below shows a lot, like a civilian taking a lot of shots to the chest and getting up. Again it's the kind of thing that happened in the first game but it's more apparent in the second. Or at least if feel like it is.

Overall the first game feel like it's a lot less forgiving than the second. Even when you go full rambo on a map the H2 legacy version feel so much less dangerous. Whereas in the first game you were still looking over your shoulder.

I'm still not 100% sold on the getting the game. I can already experience the new game via the legacy pack and that's nice. That's still a lot of content. But I've already experienced a moment on loading up the game where I closed it straight away. I've done it all before.

Are the new H2 enhanced versions of H1 good. Yes. Do I prefer H1 over it. Yes.

I'm conflicted.

It's not like there isn't going to be a Hitman 2 Game of the Year edition, including a catch-up of elusive targets. So why not wait? If it's worth playing it'll age like wine..... right.

Eve Online....

This weekend see's double training speed and free SP on login after downtime....

Almost like an incentive....

CCP has always fought to be as far away from daily rewards/incentives...
They never found a way to do it their way.....

How quaint, they are doing a weekend special/reward now....

https://www.eveonline.com/article/pi8tr9/eve-online-onslaught-celebration-double-training-weekend

A ui splash screen, a mystery(mystery code triggered alert) box with a ribbon, looking like a Christmas present with an aura around it which when claimed moves the box to your redeem items section; Which you click and drag to whatever character you want it to go to.

I didn't even have to log a character in, just visit the selection screen.

So it's just about an incentive to get me to log into Eve, claim the free SP, apply the free SP "gift" to a character and log off.

Next account.....

STO....

The latest Discovery based element of Star Trek Online is a task force "dungeon" for five players based on the "battle of the binary stars".

Haven help me it uses voice clips from the series or at least voice actors using the same phonetic style of "Klingon" used in Disco land. They are not real Klingons................................ Did I mention I dislike the Discovery series, that it's an abomination and should be cleansed from the face of the planet..... 

Anyway, if you like it fair enough, enjoy the series box-set.

The task force is a standard affair, destroy waves of ships and rescue federation escape pods; destroy waves of ships and survive long enough for the 'battle simulation' to collect enough data and end. Bla Bla Bla. It's something that can be sleep walked through.

The game battle does a good job of recreating the TV show scenes.... Or so I'm told....

The background scene does look cool.

Doing the task force gains you marks as well as a voucher/token. 14 of which can be handed in towards a reputation project. 

The rewards for completing the project are 50k dilithium, 500 fleet marks and 250 marks of your choice. There is also the "Beacon of Kahless". Which is a nice reward, on use it removes all threat unless you are a tank (using threat etc.) and also calls in 4 ships to fight for you for 45 seconds.

There is a shortcut pack that gives 10 vouchers and a tech upgrade for 800 Zen.

I'm tempted to take the shortcut. The torch is a reward worth having.

Free is free....

More freebies from Humble Bundle:

https://www.humblebundle.com/store/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion

STO....

Looking forward to it :)

Q's Winter Wonderland, the most magical and terrifying place of them all, will arrive on all three platforms on December 4th. More details to come! pic.twitter.com/g7WAalcUAL

— Star Trek Online (@trekonlinegame) November 15, 2018

Hitman 2....

I noticed something strange on my Steam wishlist page, a Hitman 2 Install button. Yes despite all my mumbling about the game it was still on my wishlist.  I've not bought the game but there it was, an install button. So I clicked on it, it said thanks for buying the game, I still haven't bought the game and it installed. 

It seems like a similar Hitman 1 demo install version, the training area from Hitman 1. 

The thing is it also included the unlocked first game's content; missions all available to play, along with the Requiem pack content, "Legacy GOTY" pack content inc. the Patient Zero (mini) campaign and suits.

So it recognised I had the first game and some other purchased content. I was puzzled, H2 seemed to have more than what should have been unlocked.... maybe? It says I own the GOTY legacy DLC but not the normal legacy DLC.... Maybe I should just shut up and accept it without complaint....

Once in the game a few more items were unlocked. A silver suitcase, gold coins from the elusive targets and the black winter suit. I guess the coins are from the elusive targets.

Twitter has solved why I got two of those items:

My original gripe persists. I just wish there was recognition carried over from the previous game with regard to the challenges.

Even with more crossover, more recognition of purchased items; It's still a kick in the guts to not have Hitman 1's completed challenges recognised and carried over. How hard could it have been to even match each steam achievement from H2 against H1 content. Even if there were new ones etc... 

Done it twice now!

So, having played the game's "enhanced" Paris map a bit I have to say that I agree with what I said previously. It's a good game, great to have the enhancements. It's like a remastered version but here now instead of 6 years down the line.

....But....

In one hand I have Hitman 2, a great game with so much good content; And in the other I have my anger, frustration and stubborn intransigence.

I don't know if I can talk myself down. All those hours of gameplay ranging from enjoyment to frustration (challenges) may be stopping me from more enjoyment and frustrations in both redoing the old and moving on to the new content....

My personality, game style with this type of game/content is as a completionist.

If the challenges had recognition and crossover I'd have pre-ordered it month's ago... 

I need to mull this over some more....

A Casual Carebear