>>23221

It's been mainsteam since forever / The Internet Was Never Good.

The internet hasn't made the world worse, it has just made the world transparent. There have always been approximately the same number of arseholes and idiots, but now they have unfettered access to a global audience. As any teacher or nightclub bouncer knows, it only takes a few idiots to spoil things for everyone else.

The only cure is a return to elitism and snobbishness. This place is only halfway tolerable because it has a small user base and trigger-happy mods who will happily ban people simply for being thick or lazy. Social media has an open door policy, but we need more online communities that are run like a gentlemen's club, with membership criteria and strict rules of decorum.

>>23223
> we need more online communities that are run like a gentlemen's club, with membership criteria and strict rules of decorum

We have them, they're called fucking subreddits.

>>23219
Now that the site has Huel money (shoutout to Bill Burr), you'd expect that the staff writers could rustle up better threads than this.

>>23223

The problem is the ease of access. Make internet dialup again and the number of twitter contributors typing "<politician> is bad because <popular comedian joke> LOL" goes down tenfold. Mass anything is bad, the internet is just the worst example of it.

I noticed that Telltale was having a Steam sale and was like, what?

But after looking it up, it seems a holding company that purchased the assets to Telltale is relaunching it on a smaller scale. Positive news, although of course it could go either way from here on:

https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/28/20835854/telltale-games-return-walking-dead-lcg-entertainment

Some former employees have been a bit scathing for some reason, but it doesn't sound justified:

https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/29/20838817/telltale-games-return-aftermath-employees-interview

>>23041

They're being offered contracts with terms that are shit even for the game industry, where they'll be independent contractors and not entitled to any workplace benefits or a modicum of job security.

>>23043
>contracts with terms that are shit even for the game industry
Citation please?

>>23044

Literally in the link two posts up:

>Ottilie said that some workers from the original Telltale Games will be offered freelance roles, with full-time positions possible in the future.

I'd be a bit insulted if the company I worked for shut down, someone else bought the corpse then offered me temporary, day to day work. It's not a great offer.

>>23045
No it isn't, but that doesn't make it "shit even for the game industry".

Does your telly not have a composite video input? It'd seem to make more sense to just use that.

>>22840

The coloured cables, you mean? As long as they haven't been removed in the most recent generation of flat screens... Even searching on specs websites hasn't made this entirely clear.

It's not my television so I can't check physically, unfortunately.

They do specific ones aimed at the retro gamer. So long as you get one of those I don't think you can go far wrong, they usually also do stuff like compensate for frame delay, which is apparently a thing because analogue TVs at the time worked differently with the frame rate. You might have mixed results with a general purpose one.

When I was into retro games a few years ago the thing to get was called a Framemeister, but I'd imagine it has all moved on a bit now.

>>22841
The model you specified does have a composite video input.

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/televisions/xf9005-series/specifications

I'm going to start this by saying that it's going to look like absolute arse unless you pay a lot of money. It looking blurry and shitty might all be part of the fun, but if you're interested in why your childhood memories are going to look like a smudgy mess on that TV then read on, I guess.

Converting old analogue signals to HD digital ones is just massively more difficult than you'd imagine. Upscaling a DVD to make it look "ok" on a 4K set requires a lot of post-processing, and the end result isn't ever great. All modern sets that have analogue inputs are tuned to this use case - they will process the fuck out of composite video in an attempt to make DVD/TV look passable.

Unfortunately, this means that the situation is significantly worse for retro games. The aforementioned post-processing tends to add hundreds of milliseconds of latency, which makes anything other than turn-based games pretty much unplayable. This can sometimes be fixed to some degree by enabling "game mode" on the TV, and that may be good enough if you're just messing around and don't care how things look. It doesn't address the issue of scan conversion and upscaling, i.e. how to take a ~320x240 analogue signal and turn it into a 3840x2160 digital signal, in 16ms or less. The Framemeister >>22842 mentioned does a good job of upscaling, and the OSSC is also great, but neither of these are the kind of thing you'd give as a gift.

To make matters worse, an un-modded N64 doesn't output anything better than s-video, and that TV doesn't seem to have anything other than composite. That'll be composite "240p", and most consumer sets make a right fucking mess of upscaling this. Early 3D games get a particularly hard time of this as the aliasing (jaggies on polygon edges) tend to be much more noticeable than in 2D art.

>I'm aware I'll need something like an A/V to HDMI converter
There are no cheap composite to HDMI converters that are worth buying; they are simply the same chip (very likely worse, in fact) that's in that Sony TV.

Getting an N64 to look anything other than absolute shite on a modern set is really pretty hard. I'll almost always go with the original hardware for nostalgia purposes, but for N64, I'll go for an emulator-loaded laptop every time (not least because of the framerate increases).

>>22796

>but at the same time you shouldn't moan about having LGBT culture 'rubbed in your face' simply because it exists (as a lad did above).

Whilst that is true, sometimes it purposefully is. I usually consider that something to do with the insecurity of the person who insists on the rubbing in their own identity more than anything whenever I've seen it. Kind of like how American Atheists seem to revel in an adversarial to Christian position.Among groups like the fet scene there is definitely regularly the obnoxious righteousness that goes with that kind of psychological insecurity, where the stance of indifferance isn't good enough for people.

>>22796

Indeed, but I think in general it's easy to read things as an attack on LGBT stuff when in reality it is just somebody saying that's not really their thing. Which, as we've agreed on, is fine. The phrase he used was "rubbed in his face" but I didn't take that as a moan at LGBT people, just a general way of expressing it was like having a bit too much mayonnaise on his chips for his liking.

>>22795

Of course, but not everything has to be for everyone. It's just as valid for a straight bloke to go "no thanks, it's a bit gay for me" as it is for a gay lass to go "nah, it's not gay enough for me". Generally though I think if people are placing so much weight in their sexuality and how it defines them as a person, I feel they would be able to make bigger gains by putting their self-esteem in healthier things, than by the token gesture of having a game call them xe.

You don't hear me complaining that furries are under-represented. We still have to make the yiff mods ourselves damnit.

>>22791
I've avoided getting involved with this why can't we just talk about our RP adventures and Ventrue being best? and I don't know your LGBT resistance HQ but I used to frequent a gay-bar every month or so because I had gay friends. It was awkward at first but eventually I made friends with the other regulars and we got drunk and had a laugh as friends do.

This sounds more like the place you're going to is just full of dickheads who base their identity on being the other or you've not gotten to know anyone and therefore unconsciously see them as the other. I'd hazard the latter but there's always one person writing in the guardian. I mean, you're presumably a lovely couple so how is that different to any other bar? If you went with your boyfriend what would be different?

That said it's neither here nor there. We're talking about a game whose plot centres on an underground society of vampires and blood-magic. Although the franchise has a complicated relationship with sex it is generally assumed that vampires lack a sexual impulse and gender norms are irrelevant when you're a blood-thirsty predator. Pronoun choices are by extension irrelevant but there's absolutely no reason to tout it in this day and age unless they're going to make it a core part of the plot (which would ruin it) or otherwise use it to try and cover a bad game (the typical option).

>>22799

That's mostly why it feels disingenuous, which was my point. Neither of us are the type to talk to strangers, so why are we there exactly when we could be anti-social in any pub we like?

It's because she doesn't want to feel like she's sold out by taking the dick.

>>22799

>We're talking about a game whose plot centres on an underground society of vampires and blood-magic. Although the franchise has a complicated relationship with sex it is generally assumed that vampires lack a sexual impulse and gender norms are irrelevant when you're a blood-thirsty predator. Pronoun choices are by extension irrelevant but there's absolutely no reason to tout it in this day and age unless they're going to make it a core part of the plot (which would ruin it) or otherwise use it to try and cover a bad game (the typical option).

From what I remember of Masquerade, a young vampire has been dead for 25-50 years and usually several hundred, some of them living for thousands, slow to adapt to society as they become more reclusive, and becoming consumed by their bestial nature they hardly seem the sort to be on the cutting edge of progressive. They also referred to the ruler of the city as 'the prince' regardless of sex because such concepts were irrelevant to them.

Nope. Nope. As soon as I heard his voice, I stopped the video. Not watching that.

>>22293

Good for you, it is badly delivered meandering tedious crap.

I thought it was a very well made review of an existential masterpiece of a game.

I've watched a lot of Kim Justice videos in the past and they've always been very good, not seen that one mind.

I'll just leave this here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i62K01nSla4

>>22385
Duuuh nuuuh nuh - duhnuhnuhnuhnuh, nuhnuhnuh

>>22386
Mah nà mah nà, di-dee bi-dee-di.

So we're just letting the Irish post here now?

did he really believe trump was trying to kill him? i really couldn't pay attention to him anymore with all his anti trump shite.

(A good day to you Sir!)

>>22344
Danny Dyer's let himself go.

I have fond memories of the Minecraft server.

>>22531

I ran the first one we had, I enjoyed that too. I was going to mention it but I thought people would't be into that sort of thing anymore.

>>22532
Minecraft or human interaction? I have minecraft on PC, haven't played it in ages. I've been playing Warframe a bit though, it's a decent multiplayer game.

What would you all have in mind to spunk some time on?

As most have said, the Xbox controller is a great way to go, there's native support in most games and it works well on Windows for obvious reasons.

That being said I'm sure a PlayStation controller works too. What I'm trying to say is go for one of the controllers that a company spend millions designing and developing as the sole control input for their console, instead of a MadCatz abomination.

PS4 controllers are actually quite lovely, but I got mine for naff all so that's obviously a factor, and of course you need a bit of third party software to trick games into thinking it's an Xbox one. However, in terms of the hardware itself, I'd say it's the tops.

>>22516

It's a lovely controller but I think the voodoo science I have to do to make it work changes every fortnight or so.

>>22511
The D-pad really can be an issue. It works fine movement controls even if it feels a little spongy, but some games initially designed for Sony consoles, RPGs in particular, use the D-pad like an extra set of four buttons instead. This works reasonably ok since they are physically separated making it easy to hit one direction only. Trying to do the same with an XBox controller, on the other hand, can be pretty torturous if fast and precise actions need to be done using that control scheme.

>>22527
If the d-pad is a concern then a 360 controller is a bad choice. Solid otherwise, though, and should be pretty cheap.

If you play platform games or other games that use the d-pad extensively then a PS4 DualShock 4 or an Xbox One controller are the clear winners, IMO. Their d-pads are tighter than any of the classic controllers were even back when they were new, and even if you've got an old PS2/Saturn/SNES pad knocking around, chances are it's a bit knackered.

The Xbox One controller hooks into Windows using xinput, which is the de facto standard for pad support in PC games, the DS4 used to require fiddly third-party software to emulate this though Steam apparently now does a good job of supporting it natively. DS4s come with a rechargeable battery inside, but the battery life is pretty feeble.

>>22512
The Steam controller is an interesting design and I don't regret buying one, but I found that it landed in a no man's land between a pointing device and a gamepad, while not being especially competent at either. I've mostly used it for turn-based games where its accuracy isn't such an issue.

I finally played this game and am now bumping the shit out of this thread.

The bit when the narrator offers you a 3rd choice and displays a leader board got me hard. I am Stanley.

Quite soon into the game I realised it's tellintg me to get out, to live. It made it hard to continue playing, but thats the point, right? Now I have to decide if I wantb to go out and build a life or continue this. I wish it wasn't so .. but resisting gets me nowhere.

I don't think I've learned the lesson intended. I'm still pushing buttons. Though, part of me thinks it's impossible not to. Maybe that's the point? I'll have to play it some more if I want to understand but I feel like I shouldn't; like it doesn't want to be played.

Fuck, the other day I was offered an opportunity I've been asking for for a long time and my reaction was to resist in fear. I didn't engage with what may have made me happy. It's stuff like this that really gets me; refusing that opportunity then days later this game addresses that. I know this is self fulfilling prophecy, that the meaning is applied, but I still feel it.

>>22219

The picture you posted made me vomit from pretension.

Also the binge eating I did earlier helped.

>>22220
It's the closest thing I have as supplement to my text. I could have gone with other irrelevant but more pleasing images but this is the first I actually considered.

>>21020

I quite liked it.

Played it once, enjoyed it , uninstalled it.

I should play it again. I had a lot of IRL progress this year, and it might be fun to see it with a different pair of eyes.

>>22220
I quite like the picture. I find most 'internet culture' to just be sycophantic pandering to people's insecure narcissism, that makes me vomit, sigh, and dispair on a continuous loop. So I agree with the message. But then I obviously hate people and think I know better than them what is best for them. So I might be a bit of a nob.

>>22089
Do you have the first clue about anything you are talking about? No I haven't bothered to use Debian or Ubuntu because RPMs are used by Centos. And maybe if you're a manager who spends more time writing fspecs than actual code finding the shift key might be a challenge but for a developer it's a well-learned action.

>>22103
I agree with you, I think DS2 is definitely the best of the Souls series. I enjoyed the wide variety of locations, even if the geography made very little sense compared to 1 and 3. The DLC was great too, and the enhanced version's changes to enemy placements did a good job of keeping the game feeling fresh.

>>22109
Before I played it I'd heard a lot of shit talking about the scenery not making sense, but with one exception (that elevator) it seems fine to me, if a bit uninspired at times. Again, though, my spatial awareness is terrible, so maybe for people who aren't so useless it's really annoying.

SotFS is a pretty good addition, there was plenty of cynicism about it being a cheap cash-in, re-releasing a game a year after it came out, but these days you can pick it up for next to nothing and it's got a ridiculous amount of content with the DLCs included. I'm in two minds about the DLCs - they're a lot tighter in design, but they're also irritatingly hard in places. I'm also not a huge fan of the increased mob sizes for the reasons previously mentioned, but overall it's got enough improvements that I can't complain. I do love fighting the Pursuer and he pops up all over the shop in SotFS. Fuck fighting the Ancient Dragon, though; nothing makes me feel like a heroic adventurer more than battering a dragon's big toe for ten minutes until it falls over. Honestly don't know what they were thinking with that one. The last boss encounter is kind of so-so as well, especially if you're a melee build.

That all sounds a bit negative, but again, for the moment to moment feel of the game I think DS2 takes it. The combat is great.

>>22110
Bloody hell, forgot why I came here. Anyone got the new DLC for DS3? I've avoided all spoilers but the only character I've got is on NG+++ so I'm getting killed in one or two hits and it's starting to grate on my nerves. Not sure if it's worth starting a new character for right now, might leave it for a year or so when I'm feeling in the mood to return.

>>22111
I was thinking about playing the DLC for DS1 and DS3. Haven't played it though. Honestly, I felt a bit underwhelmed with the game. A lot of repeated stuff from the first one and the end boss felt extremely similar to Gwyn. 3 also felt a lot, easier, I guess. Or maybe I'm jusy used to first one. Everything just flinched all the time, the enemies in DS1 seemed a lot more stoic and rhythm based, DS3 the felt a bit more flimsy.

I've only played through DS1 and DS3, might actually just buy DS2 on PC instead going of some of the comments here. Managed to dodge that one somehow.

>>22143
>See also... The Stanley Parable

I would, but I have to not play the game for another two years.


I've always maintained that there is a sliding scale in story telling between tempo and tone at one end; and detail, and coherence under analysis at the other.

and depending on your medium that bar moves, the more interactive your story is the more plot holes you can have but the 'feel' has to be right. so games and films (games more so than films) can have plot lines that are a complete twaddle and riddled with holes but it doesn't matter as long as they have the right feeling to them you will accept what is happening because keeping that pace going is the most important thing.

Where as a book the devil is in the detail, you can spend 20 pages discussing the subtle and particular nuances of a short conversation, but good pace regularly falls by the wayside.

>>22144

Lore heavy games usually resort to found pieces of text anyway. In Elder Scrolls games you literally pick up and read books.

It's a very optional part of the game these days, though.

>>22144

Relevant Zizekian waffle:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-woNlmVcdjc

Deus Ex. That is all.

>>22147
What's that? Like Deus Vult?

(A good day to you Sir!)

>>21981
Nah, it's a forced mod meme.

>>21985
You assume incorrectly.

>>21986
Yes, the mods on here have been forcing a word salad meme on multiple chans for the past 5 years. Idiot.

>>21981

We'll know soon enough it's her because she'll start linking the britfa to a GCHQ mindwashing program run out of a secret purple shed in one of the many quiet gardens overlooking The Doughnut.

>>21985

Emily is a fucking nutter who we discovered by accident. She subsequently wove britfa.gs into her conspiracy which was very entertaining.

>>22114
She thinks we are life-sciences twats with microchipped penises.

>>21419

Excellent. Any longer playthrough videos?

>I love what mods can do with a game!
I guess Doom is probably the game with the greatest number of mods/user-created levels made for it, they were still going hard over at Doomworld last time I checked in. I couldn't even estimate how many I played back in the 90s/early 00's, and some were really amazingly creative - I think the engine is sort of a sweet spot for user creation, where it's just complicated enough to have a reasonable barrier to entry, but simple enough that you don't need to be a dedicated programmer/modeller/etc to make something really cool.

>>21422

Pretty much this. Especially now we have editors like DoomBuilder- Most other engines simply aren't around long enough for their tools to reach such a level of refinement and ease of use. Stuff like Quake and Unreal Tournament wasn't much more complex in theory, but Doom is still the only game of a reasonable complexity where you can read a tutorial, and start cracking out perfectly decent maps, in the same afternoon.

Even I have managed to make a reasonably impressive set of Doom levels in my time. I could just never figure out how you do stuff like changing the title screen and background music etc in order to make a cohesive pack out of them. If I could have figured that out I was going to put the .wad on my band's last CD release for shits and giggles, each level would have a midi version of a track from the album and then there would be a little text scroll about how a humble roadie saved the tour from hellspawn.

speaking of this particular campaign:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwL0otuwk8E

>>22066
Likely not a coincidence, but Doom started out at id as a potential Aliens-licensed game. Talks broke down with 20th Century Fox over creative freedom; probably for the best.