@Ghost said in General Video Game Thread:
going away like Ion Storm did
Oh, geez, that takes me back; that whole mess went down while I was still in the games industry. When the infamous "Stormy Weather" newspaper article came out, the group who had defected from Ion Storm en masse to start their own company were actually at my company's office at the time, being trained on technology of ours they were licensing.
The whole situation with Ion Storm was... uh, interesting.
@Jaded Oh, yes. The narration for that episode was immediately and quite clearly either Maurice LaMarche or someone doing a very credible imitation of him.
Writing a fanfic (yeah, okay, so I write fanfic of a French parkour superhero romance cartoon; everyone needs a side hobby) and posting the first chapter, only to immediately start getting comments posted on it like "It is too early for me to be crying like this" or "thanks, this broke me".
Yesgood... I will drink the readers' tears and let their anguish nourish my soul.
@Testament said in General Video Game Thread:
However, I will take my own opinion with a grain of salt because I'm a die hard defender of Mass Effect 1 and I'm under no illusions what a mess in terms of controls, combat, UI, and camera control that game is.
I mean, you will get zero argument from me here. As a former game developer, I can list dozens of things that should've probably been done differently in that trilogy, especially the first game! Yet my closet is literally filled with clothing emblazoned with the N7 insignia: 4 different hoodies, 2 jackets, a t-shirt, a scarf... (I admit I may have a slight problem.)
Conversely, I think I own one piece of Dragon Age-related clothing.
I enjoy the DA games greatly, but there's little question which BioWare franchise truly owns my heart.
@Testament said in General Video Game Thread:
The reality is, to me at least, is that BioWare's quality started to go down the moment they were forcibly married to using Frostbite.
I strongly suspect that there are a number of parts of Inquisition that would have been better if the team hadn't been fighting with their own tools throughout the development process. I am absolutely certain that Andromeda's problems were greatly exacerbated by forcing the engine onto a team who were both unfamiliar with Frostbite (and sectioned off in a different office, unable to learn from the painful experiences of the DAI team) and who didn't receive the same sort of support from the Frostbite dev team at DICE.
And there is absolutely no freaking reason that anyone should've played origami with that engine to try and squeeze it into a shape suitable to build anything remotely like what Anthem is now, much less what they originally planned for it to be.
I mean, aside from the fact that by all accounts writing code to match Frostbite's design is a literal circle of hell? And the fact that Frostbite's renderer apparently does not deal efficiently with third person POV, for several reasons?
Frostbite's design also supposedly pretty much demands heavy occlusion, especially if you use complex lighting. In DA:I they could use chunks of landscape to cut the view short—hills, cliffs, etc.—and it worked fairly well. But Andromeda had these big maps where you'd drive the Nomad around atop hills and see all the terrain around you; that isn't Frostbite's friend. Meanwhile, Anthem evidently takes one of the most complex lighting systems possible with the engine, and then lets you freaking fly. There are places on the map, especially right by Tarsis Falls, where you can see for miles; I have very little doubt situations like that contributed to why day one Anthem could consume all your memory and then crash in some situations.
I will give Frostbite credit: it is great for enterprising players when it comes to doing custom screenshot artwork; it's one of the easier engines to hook into and alter the camera position/angle, change the current lighting and/or fog state, manually adust the FoV settings, turn the landscape and shadow details up stupid high, etc. Many of my favorite screenshots I've posted on my screenshot blog over the years are from DA:I, where I'd freeze the game and then lovingly tweak things until the atmosphere felt just right. You can do just absolutely amazing screenshot work in Frostbite.
But despite how much I enjoy the way Frostbite can be manipulated for artistic ends, I do rather believe the engine should be put out of its misery for non-FPS games. (Or maybe put out of the developers' misery?)
So, yeah, I am certain BioWare could have done better on all three of those games if they had not been struggling against their own tools and had instead been allowed to use what they were already familiar with (i.e., Unreal).
But while I am sure DA:I would've been more like what we were used to from BioWare in many ways, I think that Andromeda and Anthem would still have been fairly troubled games even had they been built on an engine that was not the software incarnation of a medieval torture device. Yes, they probably would've both been more solid games technically, but I think they'd still have been rushed and flawed. Because, by all accounts, neither game had a consistent vision—or even a coherent design plan—until fairly late in their respective development cycles.
So I'm not sure the engine itself really is one of the worst problems; I suspect if the only thing changed was the technology used, we still would've probably seen a decline—albeit maybe starting a couple of years after Inquisition—and I suspect that's on BioWare's current management and leadership team.
Which, sadly, we can't really blame Frostbite for.
@Testament — while not everyone seemed to like the shift to open world in Inquisition, the main storyline got generally good reviews, (especially from the people who didn't like that DA2's storyline was built around stakes whose scope was more personal than global). And I'd argue that the game launched a lot more smoothly than any BioWare game has since.
Not everyone liked it, no, but that's true of a lot of games. But Inquisition came down the off-ramp of the development freeway actually still looking like a car. Whereas Andromeda came down with one side panel missing and half the car just unpainted primer, and Anthem had a flat tire, no brakes, and was actually on fire.
(I really enjoy Anthem, but I am under no illusions about the state of the game on day one.)
@Testament — Every person I know in my old industry who works (or has worked) at a studio under EA loathes the Frostbite engine with a passion usually reserved for those you've sworn lifelong vengeance against; it's not a degree of emotion one generally sees with regards to development tools.
Coincidentally, no one I know who works at a studio under EA works on FPS games.
ETA: That said, I think the tales of mismanagement and the inability to lock down some pretty core bits of the game's design until way too late in development put the lion's share of the blame on BioWare this time. Frostbite sure as heck didn't help the situation, though.
@Kanye-Qwest said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:
@Ganymede my bank regularly sends me emails that say "did you really mean to tip 40% of your bill?" Yes. How many times do I need to confirm this. Waitressing as a teenager and bartending as a young adult was an illuminating experience.
That honestly strikes me as incredibly obnoxious of your bank; the whole business seems wildly unproductive whether or not they keep repeating it. It comes across almost like reverse tip-shaming: "Why did you tip so much? Are you sure you want to do this? Shouldn't you keep more of your money?" I mean, do people working service industry jobs honestly need smaller tips than the fairly miniscule amount they already get on average?
Just... yikes.
@surreality Thanks. I like to think she might at least be reunited somewhere with the friends who went before her, the ones I know she missed fiercely.
And I think maybe when I finish the book I'm currently reading, I'll go pick up one of her books to re-read. Just as a way to hear her voice one more time, if nothing else.
This evening my writing mentor—and friend—passed away.
I've known her for fifteen years and I don't have the words for how much her friendship and encouragement has meant to me in that time. She brought me into a social circle of speculative fiction writers and fans that has meant a lot to me over the years. She was a wonderful woman with a big heart, dozens of friends, and hundreds of anecdotes to share.
It honestly wasn't that long ago that she was abruptly diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 pancreatic cancer. They originally gave her maybe 9 months. Then after another exam, they revised it down to about two months. It's been maybe two and a half weeks since that diagnosis; things went very quickly.
I take some comfort in the fact that she finished her final book perhaps two weeks ago; she'd been working on it for several years, and I know it meant a lot to her to see it completed.
Still, it doesn't feel a fair trade for her.
Fuck cancer.
@Tinuviel said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:
@Thenomain said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:
When is customer service good?
In the context of being/working in customer service, there are occasions when you have truly exceptional customer interactions.
Honestly, my rule of thumb is "whatever is going wrong, it is not the fault of the person you are talking to." The interaction may not always be exceptional, but it should at the very least always be polite. (And even if it is their fault, assuming it's someone else's and acting accordingly will usually be a better path to resolution.)
I mean, if the delivery driver forgot part of your order, don't stand there and yell at them as though you're sure it's their fault; maybe it is, but someone else might have entered your order wrong, the person packing the order might have left something out, etc. If it's the driver's fault they probably feel bad enough already for the mistake, and if it wasn't their fault, being shouted at for someone else's mistake which they had no part in will not improve their night. Nor will it incline them favorably towards helping you solve the situation.
(And if they offer to go back and get the missing thing for you, always good to up the tip a bit to make up for the extra gas they used on that round trip!)
@Testament said in RL things I love:
So, Book 8 of The Expanse, Tiamat's Wrath was released yesterday and I've been devouring it. I've been waiting for this book since December and I can finally figure how this whole story is going to end in Book 9.
Goddamn, it's so fucking good.
No spoilers! Due to work I'm only halfway through! 
Though I'm also very much enjoying it. I'm impressed by the way the end game dominos have been so carefully placed so long ago... I mean, we're getting payoff in book 8 for stuff set up back in book 4!
@wahoo said in RL things I love:
And I never want to watch it again.
First, congratulations! Is this The Long Dig or something else? (I am, uh, very behind on Twitter things and social media in general.)
Second, I so remember that feeling from my days in the video game industry. More than once we would finally finish a game, ship it, and then be like "Okay, that's done; let's install it and never start that game up again. (Or at least not for the next year or two, unless we have to patch the darn thing.)" To this day, I have still never played the release build of No One Lives Forever.
@PuppyBreath said in RL Anger:
My job wasn't paying me what we agreed I'd be paid, so I started applying to another job (didn't actually end up finishing the application process - it was on indeed) and was up front about the fact that I plan on moving this summer so I'm looking for something temporary, and they called my current job to tell them I'm moving and got me fired. So I'm unemployed again with only my last shitty paycheck in the bank.
As someone who (as head of one of our software sub-divisions at work) has to deal with interviews and hiring decisions... pardon my language, but that is some seriously unprofessional bullshit.
I generally won't even call the most recent reference on a resumé unless a candidate has expressly told me they are either no longer at that job, or that they've already informed folks there of an intent to leave. Screwing up their current employment with no heads-up to them is terrible, and 10x worse if you aren't actually going to hire them.
All the scowls for whoever pulled that.
@saosmash Just look at it as pre-paying luck debt down to a negative amount, so it'll level out again for some really great thing that'll happen to you soon. (Which, hopefully, will be true.)
Apparently, "Good Hunting" is based on a short story by Ken Liu (whose work I also like), though I didn't know that, and "Beyond the Aquila Rift" was by the excellent Alistair Reynolds.
There's actually a list of what author's work each of the episodes was adapted from.
So, remember how I mentioned the Love, Death, and Robots episode "Shape-Shifters" was based on another story by Marko Kloos (the author of Frontlines), but it was a story that was never published?
Just noticed he decided to publish that one as well, even though he never wrote the series that story was meant to be a prequel for.
@Ganymede said in General Video Game Thread:
Is the Division 2 the same grind that the Division was? Like, that’s sort of how I felt about it, when it came to the hardware you could pick up.
It's a looter-shooter, so, yeah. Some degree of that grind is pretty much a staple of the genre. Both as you level, getting better gear along the way, and then even moreso once you reach endgame.
Grinding for weapon mods or materials or Frame blueprints and components (someday I will get Nova Prime! Someday!) in Warframe. Grinding for exotic weapons in Destiny. Grinding to get the best masterwork or legendary weapons and components (what do I have to do to get a Truth of Tarsis to drop??) in Anthem.
@Ganymede That's fair. And I do really enjoy long-term relationship RP, and how it can affect characters, and have an established relationship with. I will admit I didn't consider that part the "love story"—rather the aftermath—but I can see some people meaning that when they refer to it as the 'love story'. And hey, if it's a sustainable relationship, that's great! Those are the best kinds!
But I do honestly believe many players who are into "love stories" in their RP are focused on the initial romantic arc—the "we love each other" and overcoming the obstacles in order to be together—and not what comes afterwards. And the relationship does not have to be about TS in order to qualify.
@Cobaltasaurus said in Sexuality: IC and OOC:
@Testament said in Sexuality: IC and OOC:
Mostly play straight male characters. Occasionally(very occasionally, infact I can only think of one)will I play a bi female.
Nowadays, I play asexual, mildly sociopathic male characters. Because I just can't give two shits about romance RP or TS anymore. There's very little interesting in it for me anymore. There used to be a time when I loved all the romance stuff.
And now? Zero interest.
This is me lately, too. I have pretty much zero interest in playing out real romantic relationships. I'm fine with playing somewhat flirty characters, or those who use romance to get what they want, but playing out a real love story doesn't really interest me.
Truth be told, playing out the love story itself has rarely been a priority or significant interest to me.
I think a lot of players focus on the love story as the actual story. Which, sadly, means all the enjoyment starts to drain out of the relationship once you reach the 'now we are in love' stage. After all, in romance novels, the book ends when the couple (or group) are together. And while there's nothing wrong with romance novels, they do have an actual clearly defined end, whereas RP on a MU* generally does not. So if what you enjoyed was the love story itself you'll start to get disappointed now that it is status quo, because you've finished the romance novel you were reading.
I am convinced that's the cause of a lot of those "we just don't see eye to eye anymore, he's cold and distant, and I have found solace in the arms of <other character>" situations: not that the player is flighty or flakey, per se, but that they still want the love story itself—whether consciously or unconsciously—and the only way to recapture that story is to start over with someone new. To start reading a new romance novel.
The long-term relationships I've loved playing out the most are where the meat of the story is what happens with the relationship after the love story, where the love story is just the setup, the prologue.
A political marriage where you slowly learn to love each other is great... but it's even better if that relationship forges into a long-term partnership where you can scheme together. Maybe it's a patriarchal society, but the queen consort becomes the silent partner behind closed doors, helping to guide things in secret. How do you make this work? What happens if a political opponent of the king learns about the queen's influence and feels it flies in the face of tradition?
You find your love... and then learn they're a member of a hidden organization that opposes all that you stand for. What do you? Do you try to pull them from that organization's clutches and redeem them? Do you feel betrayed and try to cut all ties? Do you allow them to drag you into the organization? Do you follow your heart or your head?
When you have a surprise wedding with the person you love... what happens next? If you're both nobles and the wedding happened without proper negotiations and contracts, what's the fallout of that? What family does the couple end up in? Does the other family feel slighted? How do you bridge the chasm your love story may have created socially and/or politically?
Those questions are way more interesting to me for long-term RP than the love story of "he's so perfect, and I love him for always", which will always have a defined end-point.
Lucky 13 would.
Honestly, if you liked the Lucky 13 setting, I really do recommend you read Frontlines. The first couple of books of the series at the least; Lucky 13 takes place just after the second book. Military SF with politics, hard choices, camaraderie, and (eventually) a downright awful first contact scenario.
(I would not touch the comic miniseries—Frontlines: Requiem—until you're much further along in the story, though, unless you want a fairly important milestone event around the... fifth, I think? ...book semi-spoiled way in advance. Requiem is a self-contained story like Lucky 13, but the circumstances of the story are spoilers in and of themselves.)
ETA: The first book is Terms of Enlistment. Yes, I will shill this series to people.