Vidya Games Thread

[PleaseCheckYourReceipts]

So Bethesda, in their infinite wisdom, actually responded to the top-rated negative review on Steam of Starfield

Spoiler: The Top-Rated Negative Review

Spoiler: Bethesda's Response

I can't decide what's the most hilarious thing about this:

• the fact that Bethesda actually responded
• they responded with something that reads like it was written by ChatGPT or an Indian demanding you to "do the needful"
• the fact that the guy that reviewed the game put 40 more fucking hours into it after he wrote such a damning review

It reads a bit like an ESL ChatGPT. It's wild.

The guy putting 40 more hours in isn't surprising. There's people that have put 1000s into Fallout 76. Some game types just fill an itch for some gamers, even if they're bad. Gin exists and is still widely consumed. Or American Light Beer. Doesn't have to be a good product to fill a "want".

>gets absolutely monstrous PC
>ends up just emulating games from the PS2 and Gamecube

The first time I saw someone pay for a top of the line system to play Minesweeper, I knew there were going to be some real oddities with computer purchases. But you can legitimately upgrade your system to play an emulator better. So there's at least something there, lol.

 

[God's Strongest Dragoon]

The guy putting 40 more hours in isn't surprising. There's people that have put 1000s into Fallout 76. Some game types just fill an itch for some gamers, even if they're bad. Gin exists and is still widely consumed. Or American Light Beer. Doesn't have to be a good product to fill a "want".

I think that mainly speaks to the power of the Bethesda formula. The formula they build their games around is fundamentally addicting. Meanwhile there's everything else that makes up a game like quest design, gameplay, UI, storylines, hiding load screens, music, pacing, AI, the game engine, quality assurance/control, level design, visual aesthetics, and map design. All of that is done mostly horribly and is just one huge mess. But at least the foundation is really strong. Granted the foundation is built on sand (the game engine) and will give way at any second but man, their initial formula is just absurdly strong.

I lost track the amount of streamers that admitted they didn't like the game, they shit on it relentlessly, and yet they're still going for another 10 hours into that game. Their opinion of the game hasn't changed but there's something there that just sunk its hooks in people.

 

[Punished Anime Discusser]

There's people that have put 1000s into Fallout 76.

It's not 1000, but I have probably around 300-400 between BethesdaNET (rest in piss you fucking piece of shit), and Steam. Before Wastelanders came out, it was the Bethesda formula completely distilled to the parts that weren't horrible. The map is fun to explore, it uses somewhat improved Fallout 4 weapons/animations so it feels OK to shoot stuff, upgrading your character was fun because of the new perk system that lets you fuck around with any perks as long as you have enough SPECIAL to equip it, and these days you can change out your SPECIAL too so you can play whatever build you want if you get bored. Then Wastelanders came out, and it got a surprisingly good set of story quests, for a Bethesda game, where one of the human factions isn't comically evil and both sides are understandable. People also really worry over the MMO aspect, but everyone in the game is nice as shit and works together instead of trying to nig you in an alleyway like most other survival games.

Of course it has problems like the P2W subscription, the pretty phoned in content updates after the Brotherhood of Steel stuff, questionable balance, some Gamebryo jank, etc..

 

[Thomas Talus]

I think that mainly speaks to the power of the Bethesda formula. The formula they build their games around is fundamentally addicting. Meanwhile there's everything else that makes up a game like quest design, gameplay, UI, storylines, hiding load screens, music, pacing, AI, the game engine, quality assurance/control, level design, visual aesthetics, and map design. All of that is done mostly horribly and is just one huge mess. But at least the foundation is really strong. Granted the foundation is built on sand (the game engine) and will give way at any second but man, their initial formula is just absurdly strong.

I lost track the amount of streamers that admitted they didn't like the game, they shit on it relentlessly, and yet they're still going for another 10 hours into that game. Their opinion of the game hasn't changed but there's something there that just sunk its hooks in people.

There is absolutely a compulsive drive that Generic Bethesda Game feeds into like nothing else that keeps you going through all the broken quest triggers, janky physics, and floaty speed-strafing enemies. I think it has a lot to do with exploration and looting.

 

[Superduper Samurai]

The degenerates finally having an outlet to shove in "lore friendly" tactishit weapons and skintight titty jumpsuits will extend Starfield's relevancy for eons

 

[CalciumAnimal]

There is absolutely a compulsive drive that Generic Bethesda Game feeds into like nothing else that keeps you going through all the broken quest triggers, janky physics, and floaty speed-strafing enemies. I think it has a lot to do with exploration and looting.

The degenerates finally having an outlet to shove in "lore friendly" tactishit weapons and skintight titty jumpsuits will extend Starfield's relevancy for eons

The thing is they are functionally shitty games but they are also FUN games launching myself into the infinite void in new vegas is still a treasured memory because i laughed my ass off not like the typical fun you get from playing a satisfying game or responsive controls that's honestly dime a dozen and your spoiled for choice.

No other studio nails what eurojank is in a non eurojank game buggy and broken messes that activate your brain cells every few minutes with something the game forces you to engage with.

As long as their games stay this quality i can't really complain because it really is unique among triple A studios.

 

[Kalion]

Only took two years.

 

[MrProcessor]

6 left.... will I ever get all of the Eldens?

 

[CalciumAnimal]

View attachment 50099
6 left.... will I ever get all of the Eldens?

bitches status:none.

 

[Kyouko]

Let's see if Blizzard can go 2 for 2 for games on Steam with "Overwhelmingly Negative". Even trying to get that Halloween season boost by releasing it mid October on Steam.

"B-but season 2 fixes the game!! there were 2 streams that explain the changes!!"

anything Blizzard puts out is met with criticism nowadays, it's hard to discern when it's in a good state and when it is not. However, Diablo 4 was designed for casuals, completely missing the target market by wanting CASUALS to INVEST TIME in the game which obviously they won't do, the average casual just wants to play free to play titles in the long run, and this game somehow has to hold up for 5-7 years while having the $70 price tag with the only incentive of having a battle pass as an "endgame"

anbribaboo

and I didn't even mention the yearly expansions they have planned for this shit

 

[Thomas Talus]

The impression I get is that Diablo landed so poorly that nothing short of a combo rework/business model change, delivered on a timetable that is not actually feasible, could let it remain in the public consciousness, never mind be a success. People are annoyed with Starfield's issues, but they are playing and talking about it. They aren't talking about Diablo at all.

 

[Kyouko]

kinda deviating but...
very few games have the title of "still holds up to today's graphics after X amount of years"
I believe Cyberpunk is one of them, it's simply impressive, feels like it's going to age like wine now with the update and the DLC

 

[MrProcessor]

"B-but season 2 fixes the game!! there were 2 streams that explain the changes!!"

anything Blizzard puts out is met with criticism nowadays, it's hard to discern when it's in a good state and when it is not. However, Diablo 4 was designed for casuals, completely missing the target market by wanting CASUALS to INVEST TIME in the game which obviously they won't do, the average casual just wants to play free to play titles in the long run, and this game somehow has to hold up for 5-7 years while having the $70 price tag with the only incentive of having a battle pass as an "endgame"

anbribaboo

and I didn't even mention the yearly expansions they have planned for this shit

If they wanted casuals, they should have made this game:



Since it was supposed to be a Diablo game, they could have replaced the fruits with demons. They'd have made a fortune! Well, I guess there's always Diablo 5.

 

[God's Strongest Dragoon]

kinda deviating but...
very few games have the title of "still holds up to today's graphics after X amount of years"
I believe Cyberpunk is one of them, it's simply impressive, feels like it's going to age like wine now with the update and the DLC

View attachment 50122

It was already visually impressive when it released. The update now makes it even more apparent now that Nvidia let them be the testing ground of all that new tech with DLSS 3.5.

 

[CalciumAnimal]

kinda deviating but...
very few games have the title of "still holds up to today's graphics after X amount of years"
I believe Cyberpunk is one of them, it's simply impressive, feels like it's going to age like wine now with the update and the DLC

View attachment 50122

If we take Wticher into account that's 4/4 games (and yes i am forgiving them for the cyberpunk overhyping) that will age well due to consideration of the setting.

Glad that we have two major examples of why fixing a broken game is better then just throwing it to the wolves now.

 

[God's Strongest Dragoon]

If we take Wticher into account that's 4/4 games (and yes i am forgiving them for the cyberpunk overhyping) that will age well due to consideration of the setting.

Glad that we have two major examples of why fixing a broken game is better then just throwing it to the wolves now.

A major problem in development was that they kept showing shit and then never actually added it, so there was all these features that were missing and it pissed people off at launch. There was a bunch of small things missing like using Mantis Blades to latch onto walls, a train system, and a thermal blade. The lack of a train system is actually really embarrassing because it's a major part of the plot, as it's in Edgerunners where David meets Lucy and it's where the trailer for Phantom Liberty takes place.

The most notable missing feature was their heavy emphasis on it being an RPG with choices in the story. While a lot of quests in the game do in fact have choices that matter and change how the story plays out, none of them compare to that first intro section that involves the lead up to the Arasaka heist, as it is far more complex and branching than anything else in the game. That's not to say the quest sucks but it just shows how much effort was put into that intro and then they dialed it back because they realized "wow, this is a lot of fucking work for one quest". There's some quests that come close later on but those are usually super major story missions they could take the time to develop. It's why they dropped the "RPG" label from the game's twitter bio during the lead up to the launch and replaced it with "Action".

It's very much a harsh lesson of "don't show shit until you're confident that what you show to the public is actually going to be in the game".

 

[CalciumAnimal]

A major problem in development was that they kept showing shit and then never actually added it, so there was all these features that were missing and it pissed people off at launch. There was a bunch of small things missing like using Mantis Blades to latch onto walls, a train system, and a thermal blade. The lack of a train system is actually really embarrassing because it's a major part of the plot, as it's in Edgerunners where David meets Lucy and it's where the trailer for Phantom Liberty takes place.

The most notable missing feature was their heavy emphasis on it being an RPG with choices in the story. While a lot of quests in the game do in fact have choices that matter and change how the story plays out, none of them compare to that first intro section that involves the lead up to the Arasaka heist, as it is far more complex and branching than anything else in the game. That's not to say the quest sucks but it just shows how much effort was put into that intro and then they dialed it back because they realized "wow, this is a lot of fucking work for one quest". There's some quests that come close later on but those are usually super major story missions they could take the time to develop. It's why they dropped the "RPG" label from the game's twitter bio during the lead up to the launch and replaced it with "Action".

It's very much a harsh lesson of "don't show shit until you're confident that what you show to the public is actually going to be in the game".

Yeah they over hyped shit to the moon got stupid and ambitious then took government money and got even more ambitious.

We will see how far they are willing to go to make amends and how many features they promised in the first place will be implemented I do not mind things like the trainsystem being missing (though obviously its better to put it in) but stuff like unlimited cyberware and cops taking a bagel break while you go on a spree annoyed.

What I personally want and won't get is a city level heist simulator with cyberware and drugs (payday if you need an example) but unless someone pays overkill/starbreeze a shit ton of money *shrug*

 

[Kyouko]

It was already visually impressive when it released. The update now makes it even more apparent now that Nvidia let them be the testing ground of all that new tech with DLSS 3.5.

Ngl it kinda makes me worry because they will develop in Unreal Engine from now on, I hope Witcher 4 maintains the visually impressive aspect setting up a steppingstone for the future games made in a standard engine, but the engine has its downsides with the excessive amount of particle effects crap

 

[Punished Anime Discusser]

We will see how far they are willing to go to make amends and how many features they promised in the first place will be implemented I do not mind things like the trainsystem being missing (though obviously its better to put it in) but stuff like unlimited cyberware and cops taking a bagel break while you go on a spree annoyed.

Jokes on you, with Phantom Liberty and 2.0 out, they're done making big updates for the game, and are working on a sequel.

 

[PleaseCheckYourReceipts]

The degenerates finally having an outlet to shove in "lore friendly" tactishit weapons and skintight titty jumpsuits will extend Starfield's relevancy for eons

I fully expect there to be full conversion mods into every major Sci-fi universe. It'll be fun to watch play out.

kinda deviating but...
very few games have the title of "still holds up to today's graphics after X amount of years"
I believe Cyberpunk is one of them, it's simply impressive, feels like it's going to age like wine now with the update and the DLC

View attachment 50122

They've been actively developing & releasing new visual tech upgrades. That'll keep it in the benchmarking space like Crysis for a good solid 3+ years more. Not many games are going to get the monetary investment into their engines in the same was, as well, for a while. So it's going to just be a staple. It also has a massive user base.

It was already visually impressive when it released. The update now makes it even more apparent now that Nvidia let them be the testing ground of all that new tech with DLSS 3.5.

CDPR is also testing for their next game. The new lighting engines are going to be integral to all of the major games starting development right now for 2027-2030 releases. The next console cycle should have fully mature RT units and we might see a fully offloaded global illumination systems. So everything they're up to makes sense, from that stand point.