Topics

76

General Gaming - The Arcade / Space Hulk - Video Game

« on: July 27, 2013, 07:11:17 PM »

Here we are lads and lasses, for those among us who liked the recent X-COM: Enemy Unknown or even the destructible interiors of Frozen Synapse we have: Space Hulk.

Space Hulk (Games Workshop) is a spin off boardgame from Warhammer: 40 000 in which the player controls a team of Space Marine Terminators (big guys in heavy red armour with more guns than an M1 Abrams tank). Pitted against these angels of death are the Genestealers, aliens who are actually very much the like one from the 70's film, Alien. All this is set aboard a large, seemingly derelict spaceship called a Space Hulk with creaking corridors and the echoing halls one might expect. In this game the team of Space Marines are trying to wipe out the Genestealers before they can get to an inhabited planet to cause devastation and ruin, as per usual.

Having only viewed the video on the website linked and a recording made by a journalist my opinion should count for very little. Having said that despite being a huge fan of the Warhammer setting I think this game looks rather lackluster. There are an advertised 12 missions (wow, 12? That must take...almost 3 hours to complete) and I can't see a huge amount of variation between any of the ones shown. The game does offer a good looking, clear UI and the models are very well done albiet with slight clipping if a pack of Genestealers appears, but which game doesn't?

There is multiplayer whereby one team plays as the Genestealers, trying to trap and surround the Marines while not being shot into a million pieces in gory hi-def. Given that the 'stealer side is relying on traps and timing, there is probably a bit of waiting around until some unwitting cybergoon steps onto the wrong square. All in all I'd imagine it's a fun affair for fans of the genre, fans of Blood Bowl released by Cyanide will not be dissappointed.

I would be fine with the flaws and I bet that at least a few of them will be fixed prior to or shortly after release however for it's price tag of £22.99 on Steam I think it's bad value for money.

All in all 6/10.

http://www.spacehulk-game.com/

EDIT: Hugely repetitive and keeps the bad things about Space Hulk without adding and cool new features. Wouldn't reccomend.

77

General Gaming - The Arcade / Pillars of Eternity

« on: July 22, 2013, 05:36:41 PM »

For anyone that hasn't heard the good people at Obsidian are creating what is looking like an absolute gem of a game.

Based on DnD (Or maybe ADnD, idk tbh) and looking like it plays very similar to gaming legend Baldurs Gate we have this: http://eternity.obsidian.net/. My one particular pet loathing of Baldurs Gate was how enemies would gleefully run past my full plate armoured champion with a sword so big it literally-couldn't-fit-through-any-normal-sized-doorway and instagib my academic, magic rune reading, smooth talking face class. This game adresses that with a very cool looking 'zone of control' mechanic whereby to run past said tin can champion you would risk a swipe from his colossal compensation item.

I have but one problem with this game. Why for the love of dragons did they create a 'monk' class?

Regardless, I'd urge any fan of Baldurs Gate, Knights of the Old Republic (or any of the older bioware titles actually) to check it out and see what they think.

Rob

78

History, Science, and Interesting Information - The Great Library / Human heights over time

« on: July 15, 2013, 11:53:11 PM »

People have grown a lot taller since ye olde days of pirates, I'm by no means any sort of voice on this but from what I've read/heard, people are genetically developing to grow taller and live longer. By 2400 it's predicted that the predeterminded lifespan will be roughly 130 years I think, no links as this is from memory.

Split from a discussion over whether 5'6" Edward Teach was a "giant" for his time or not, in the badass figures thread - JB

79

Tabletop Games - The Game Room / Tactics or possibly strategy...

« on: June 03, 2013, 12:03:36 PM »

Any killer tactics you wish to share, GW games or otherwise, reinvent the wheel or give us a twist on your variation of the classics!

80

Discussion and Debate - The Philosopher's Plaza / Woolwich Attack

« on: May 22, 2013, 07:20:02 PM »

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/401720/Soldier-BEHEADED-and-two-men-shot-in-London-TERROR-ATTACK

This is just disgusting.

81

The Great Forum - Rome II Discussion / Release date revealed, which faction are you most looking forward to playing?

« on: May 13, 2013, 10:20:04 PM »

Anyone else pre order a copy of RTW2? You get 3 (more) Greek factions to play as if you do: Sparta, Athens and Epirus. Release date has been revealed as 3rd Sept, I can't wait.

This means that in the end I get 12 playable factions from the start? Given how they said there would be 8 playable factions I'm pretty pleased with this result, even if over a third of them are Greek. So, which factions do you like the look of the most? For me, it's the Iceni they look so much better than the Britons from RTW1. Plus I always love playing as barbs

82

General Chatter - The Boozer / Go watch this, then come back!

« on: May 09, 2013, 04:01:10 AM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZfyIRnPPrc&list=PL2EE1DFBE93657F95&index=1

I love this series, found it today and watched it all

More suggestions of webseries very much welcome here! Dead Gentleman is something I've just been made aware of and will subsequently check out.

EDIT: Back the kickstarter for season 3 so I can find out what happens next!

83

General Chatter - The Boozer / Movie Survival tecniques

« on: May 02, 2013, 01:52:42 AM »

I found this and thought it was funny.

http://screenrant.com/how-to-avoid-death-by-horror-movie-monster/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_35246

Any more tips, please post. You never know when this could save your life

84

History, Science, and Interesting Information - The Great Library / Jungian based typology test

« on: May 01, 2013, 09:36:46 PM »

I find these really cool, maybe someone else does; if you'd like to post your scores I would be interested in the results, though I suspect they'll be largely similar.

This type of test created primarily by Dr.s Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Meyers has been used to categorize different ways of thinking depending on a mix of concious and subconcious priorities. There are 72 statements and you answer if in general you are more or less disposed towards them. From this there are ways to categorize how you are most likely to think about and approach different situations and therefore try to get a reading on what vocation among other things would be most suited to your personality style. Links below, second one is a rundown of what each type means.

Types are broken down into a four letter acronym each with 2 different possiblities per letter for a total of 16 types.

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/you/personalitytype.aspx

I take one of these tests whenever I find them just out of curiosity. I score INTP usually, though on this one I scored INTJ. This site is annoying in it's use of capitalizing words out of place although they seem to know what they're talking about.

85

General Gaming - The Arcade / Cyberpunk 2077

« on: April 22, 2013, 10:43:58 PM »

This game, brought to you by the beautiful men and women at CD Projeckt Red that gave us the dashing womanizer Geralt of Rivia unleash a new RPG Cyberpunk 2077 http://cyberpunk.net/. Looks absolutely phenomenal, even the trailer is epic. As is the soundtrack that goes with it. If there is only one game you buy next year(or year after./shrug), make sure it's this

Rob

86

Stories and AARs / Writings by Rob

« on: April 18, 2013, 08:11:22 AM »

As you'll be able to tell, I'm not a writer; but here it is anyway.

Big Boss Oomanstompa sat atop his boar watching the carnage that was unfolding. Thousands of greenskins littered the battlefield; things were not going as he had planned. A Doom Diver sailed overhead and crashed into the back of a giant he tamed years ago. The beast was irked by this and turned around to see what had caused his newfound headache, stomping both the militia he was fighting and the orcs in the melee. Spying the catapult, he frowned and lumbered towards it, squishing anything in his path.

“NO! Not dat way ya dumb git!” Oomanstompa roared “Deese tall oomies are stompy I’ll give ‘em dat, but only wen dere stompin da enemy” As the greenskin army was crumbling around him he had a rare moment of cunning and an unpleasant grin etched itself upon his face. ‘Oi, arrer gobbos!’ he shouted, making himself heard even above the din of battle, “Shoot da giant”.  The diminutive greenskins shuffled, trying to pretend they didn’t hear the obviously suicidal order they had just been given. “Shoot it in da face now or I’ll come over dere and take yer ‘eads off meself!”
“Err, Big Boss…Wat’s yer plan ere? We’s want da giant to stomp the oomies not our gobbos…Wud be funny though” the Big’Un chuckled to himself. The Boss ignored him, throwing the goblins a look which brought them to a newfound conclusion that this would be one of the rare occasions where shooting a giant in the face might be their best chance to live.

Bigoomie felt a flurry of pinpricks in his shoulder, these distractions were making him hungry. While this was nothing new (since everything made him hungry) he still decided to see who was causing this interruption of whatever he was doing. The culprit? Some things that were almost too small to eat, 'They'll do' Bigoomie thought and decided to walk over to them.

Oomanstompa smiled, the giant had turned around and was now heading towards the goblins; and therefore closer to the Averland lines. “Now’ he said ‘Now we’s getting’ sumwer”. The goblins ran screaming towards a unit of halberdiers, not usual goblin tactics to run towards an enemy but this time was special. A thirty foot tall gargantuan was chasing them and they soon found themselves with a choice of being eaten or being stabbed and chopped by the Men of the Empire. ”Right, now we’re talkin” said Oomanstompa as he kicked his boar into gear ‘WAAAAGH!’ he bellowed with his unit of boar boys echoing his cry. Just as he was about to crash into the Knights Panther that were slaughtering wolf riders, the splintered remains of a chariot beside them, he had the misfortune to see his hard work come undone as a cannonball took the giant's head off. The giant came crashing to the floor, flattening the remaining halberdiers and the few goblins that were left. ‘Zog it’ the Boss mumbled ‘Get anovva wun!’

87

General Gaming - The Arcade / Shadowrun Returns

« on: April 18, 2013, 07:34:44 AM »

Hey guys.

This is a game started on the back of a kickstarter project, it's nearly done (to be released in june) and it looks absolutely awesome for fans of the Shadowrun series or of any sort of RPG I would imagine. This game might not have graphics (or budget) like any AAA title but the depth and the story behind it should be spectacular. Google it to find out more, just thought some of you might be interested.

Rob

Edit:typo.

88

Discussion and Debate - The Philosopher's Plaza / Why all the hate on smokers?

« on: April 09, 2013, 10:25:30 PM »

Ok, to start off I'm a smoker, have been since I was 16 (now 20) and I get unbelievable amounts of abuse because of it, given how small an effect it has.

From family and friends I can understand they might want me to quit for health reasons but strangers in the street will make comments and it's completely rude. It really feels like a weird form of prejudice where I'm ostracised for a liefstyle choice. Ok if you don't want to smoke yourself, ok if you want me to smoke in designated areas, but stop with all the hating it's getting ridiculous.

Discuss. Or don't, suit yourselves.