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What games are you playing currently?

No I just finished the highway mission. I don't understand why the gameplay has to be so difficult

I don't even remember that part, but if you think that part is difficult, you'll be frustrated with the glass maze. There's also a transformer puzzle that is also pretty annoying. Which leads me to say, that I feel the entire game is a fairly sadistic excersize, and the entire studio's output hasn't evolved all that much in terms of gameplay.
 
I run a 5th ed game. Used to DM 2nd in high school. If it were up to me I’d combine the best parts of each.

Yeah, I was talking about that very thing with someone on an RPG site. Basically hybridizing 2E and 5E and taking some of the best stuff from both. Somewhere between the two is about the perfect system.
 
Yeah, I was talking about that very thing with someone on an RPG site. Basically hybridizing 2E and 5E and taking some of the best stuff from both. Somewhere between the two is about the perfect system.

2nd had a lot of bad rules like race level limits and class restrictions nobody used anyway and a few things overcomplicated.

5th ed fixes most of those issues but I think it has a problem with the skill system that there’s too little difference between being good and bad at something. Studying medicine for years makes you 10% more likely to stop someone from bleeding to death. And a bodybuilder is only 20% more likely to force open a door than me.

And little things here and there like grappling being nerfed.
 
I don't even remember that part, but if you think that part is difficult, you'll be frustrated with the glass maze. There's also a transformer puzzle that is also pretty annoying. Which leads me to say, that I feel the entire game is a fairly sadistic excersize, and the entire studio's output hasn't evolved all that much in terms of gameplay.
I tried Heavy Rain years ago, back when we still had an small, tube TV, and I finally gave up because the stuff that popped up around the characters telling what the buttons do was so small I had trouble making it out. We eventually upgraded to a bigger 1080p HD TV, and I have thought about giving it another go now that I could probably see better, but haven't actually gotten it again.
 
I tried Heavy Rain years ago, back when we still had an small, tube TV, and I finally gave up because the stuff that popped up around the characters telling what the buttons do was so small I had trouble making it out.

Yeah, now that you mention it, I remember having trouble with it as well. And it's an issue I feel has only grown worse with games in general as resolutions become larger. Some games thankfully allow you to change the font and UI sizes to accommodate smaller screens, but I really wish the industry as a whole would pay more attention to it when designing their games.

I've often found I've had to get up from where I'm sitting to get closer in order to see something properly, and sometimes it's key info.
 
Im now in the middle of DNA Sequence aka Chapter 5 or 6 of Assassins Creed Brotherhood.

those Leonardo war machine sidequests do they change anything in the game or can i skip them? I managed to complete a Leonardo war machine sidequest which was easy to do where I was on the wagon one.

the whole Banker stuff was annoying to do in my opinion
 
2nd had a lot of bad rules like race level limits and class restrictions nobody used anyway and a few things overcomplicated.

5th ed fixes most of those issues but I think it has a problem with the skill system that there’s too little difference between being good and bad at something. Studying medicine for years makes you 10% more likely to stop someone from bleeding to death. And a bodybuilder is only 20% more likely to force open a door than me.

And little things here and there like grappling being nerfed.

Yeah.

The biggest thing I'd probably take from 2E to adapt to 5E is the monster manual, generally speaking. So many of the monsters in 5E have been nerfed, in terms of their special abilities and such, that they're really toothless. Things in 2E, like ghosts that can age you decades, undead with level drain, instant petrification on a failed save against medusae / basilisks, etc. You really had to stop and think in 2E before charging in where angels feared to tread. In 5E, a vampire like Strahd can drain your stats but you get it all back after a long rest. No need to be afraid of him anymore! Losing 2 Experience Levels per hit, though- that was something to be avoided at all costs!

Spells are another thing. "Charm Person" in 2E could results in a person being under the spell's effect for WEEKS. In 5E, probably in an effort to keep everyone in the game, most effects like this are 'save to end the effect' at the end of every 6 SECOND round! With that sort of non-utility, a lot of spells have become worthless. I get the desire of the designers to keep the players full up round all of the time, but it frankly kills the threat and makes the game toothless.

Things to ditch from 2E: any mechanic that makes rolling 'lower' the key to success- having to roll low sometimes and high sometimes is a PITA. The old saving throw system. Most (if not all) of the race / class restrictions. XP awards based on treasure hauled- one of the worst mechanics ever and probably responsible for more 'Monty Haul' games than all other factors combined. The antiquated non-proficiency slot system- 5E's skills are a much better, more versatile mechanic.

Other 'keeper' mechanics from 5E: Ascending AC, DC's for skill checks, etc. All good stuff. So is Advantage / Disadvantage, although it's broken in a couple places. Skills. Backgrounds.

Weapon proficiencies: there is a compromise between 5E /2E in there, in the form of 'group' proficiencies, maybe like in the Complete Fighter's splat book from 2E. The 5E rules on weapons group are too simplistic, but again, it probably appeals to the newer player base.

I'm still torn on 'bounded accuracy' stuff. 5E gives you ever more stuff to keep track of in terms of class features/feats, it seems, without your character actually seeming to get much better at anything. Monsters and players have way too many hit points, and combat takes too long to resolve. In 2E, a 4-5 HD monster still usually goes down in 2-3 rounds, when it's going toe to toe with the party.

There's a kickstarter that just ended for a product called 'Level Up, Advanced 5E.' I backed it, and it is a system that basically takes 5E, stays 100% compatible with it, and tackles some of the issues while making it a little more granular. Haven't played it yet, but will certainly give it a whirl here in the near future.

In the meantime, however, after playing 5E for several years, I'm forced to admit that in many ways, running home to 2E has been a huge breath of fresh air.
 
I started Life is Strange: True Colors last night.
It‘s on sale for the first time on Steam and I took the plunge.
I love it.
Got as far as the working in the bar scene where I get to know some of the other characters better.
Alex‘ power is fascinating and frightening at the same time.
The acting is great, and not just the voice acting.
The character‘s whole body language and mimics are beautifully done and feel natural and real.
 
Yeah, now that you mention it, I remember having trouble with it as well. And it's an issue I feel has only grown worse with games in general as resolutions become larger. Some games thankfully allow you to change the font and UI sizes to accommodate smaller screens, but I really wish the industry as a whole would pay more attention to it when designing their games.

I've often found I've had to get up from where I'm sitting to get closer in order to see something properly, and sometimes it's key info.
Yeah, the TV I play on is 42" and I have trouble seeing the writing in some games, I think they must assume everyone has a 60'' or something.
 
Me & my friends are going back to Star Wars: The Old Republic (from the start). I'm looking forward to it.
 
Various games im playing the rest of this month, December and rest of early 2022

Playstation 3
-Assassins Creed Brotherhood
-Assassins Creed Revelations

Nintendo 3DS
-Zelda Ocarina

Nintendo Switch Lite
-Tales of Vesperia
-Bravely Default II
-Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
-Mega Man X Legacy 2. going to play Mega Man X 6, 7 and 8 for the first time

X Box One
-Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

Playstation 4
-God of War
-Final Fantasy XV
 
I'm still playing a ton of Forza Horizon 5 (Series X). I also started playing Life is Strange: True Colors (PS5) earlier today.
 
I don't even remember that part, but if you think that part is difficult, you'll be frustrated with the glass maze. There's also a transformer puzzle that is also pretty annoying. Which leads me to say, that I feel the entire game is a fairly sadistic excersize, and the entire studio's output hasn't evolved all that much in terms of gameplay.

I just finished that mission last night, you weren't kidding. It is just terrible!
But except for the stupid gameplay and everything with Ethan, I like the game
 
I just finished that mission last night, you weren't kidding. It is just terrible!
But except for the stupid gameplay and everything with Ethan, I like the game

Yeah, the story itself is fine, but it's the gameplay design that is terrible. It's not just that the puzzles are terrible, but their whole design and their approach feel terribly dated, increasing the frustration. I don't even remember how many times I had to restart the glass maze, for instance. There were plenty of moments throughout the game that made me ask myself why I was subjecting myself to it. Feels like the gameplay was designed by a sadist.
 
Gave on on Doom Eternal on level 9 of 13. Even on easy I just kept getting my ass kicked and it wasn't fun anymore. Ended up buying Billy and the Clonosaurus: Evolution 2 after all. Like 60 hours into it. Went smooth until the last chaos mission and then that took me three days of playing. On the first challenge now.
 
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