What game are you currently playing?
- Thread starter Antimatter
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m7600
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I'm still playing Subnautica. I haven't achieved my goal of killing a Reaper Leviathan yet, but I'm working on it. I found the Prawn Suit and I went looking for a Reaper. There's one at the entrance of the Aurora. As expected, he attacked me, but I was ready. Here's a screenshot of me using the Drill Arm to rearrange his face. That yellow stuff is his blood:
After that, he swam away, and I can't find him anywhere. But he's out there, hiding somewhere, because he knows that the roles have changed. I'm the hunter now, and he's the prey.
After that, he swam away, and I can't find him anywhere. But he's out there, hiding somewhere, because he knows that the roles have changed. I'm the hunter now, and he's the prey.
m7600
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Finally, I killed one. It wasn't easy. The hunt lasted about 2 in-game days. At night, there was almost no visibility, so I basically had to wander around in the darkness waiting for the creature to attack me. But the Prawn Suit is extremely tough, every time the Reaper grabbed me, I used the Drill Arm to screw up his face. Then, as he swam away, I exited the Suit and I repaired it. Rinse and repeat. I also used the Grappling Arm to catch him, so that when he tried to swim around me, he would carry me and I continued to attack him. Here he is, dead, upside down:
Quite the beast. The only problem is that these creatures don't respawn, and there's only 25 Reaper Leviathans in the entire game (now there's 24 in my session...). I don't want to kill the other ones. One of them had to die because I needed to teach them a lesson for destroying my Seamoth submarine. But I'll leave the other ones alone. In fact, following a YouTube video that I saw, I'm going to build an Observatory for watching them in their natural habitat, equipped with everything from a living quarters to a cafeteria. A small conservation effort on my part for taking the life of one of them.
Quite the beast. The only problem is that these creatures don't respawn, and there's only 25 Reaper Leviathans in the entire game (now there's 24 in my session...). I don't want to kill the other ones. One of them had to die because I needed to teach them a lesson for destroying my Seamoth submarine. But I'll leave the other ones alone. In fact, following a YouTube video that I saw, I'm going to build an Observatory for watching them in their natural habitat, equipped with everything from a living quarters to a cafeteria. A small conservation effort on my part for taking the life of one of them.
Alesia_BH
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I’m still playing Street Fighter 6 and I’m still getting better. Since O_Bruce was so impressed with that JP video, I thought I’d share my first victory over a Master ranked JP.
(Don’t worry everyone. I’ll be back to BG soon, lol. I’m just having fun with a side hobby, not switching genres.)
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Impressive, Alesia! I watched the video, it's cool you persisted and continued to evolve. In that video, there was a neat moment where you stopped losing and just ruled.
WarChiefZeke
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I always go back to Dark Sun: Shattered Lands and its sequel. I love the world of Dark Sun and those games have the most enjoyable interpretation of 2e, especially since that world has all sorts of interesting quirks like innate psionics.
I think Borys is easily the most powerful magic user in any DnD setting.
I think Borys is easily the most powerful magic user in any DnD setting.
Alesia_BH
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Thanks, Antimatter! Now that I have the basics down, I’m learning the matchups. I’m starting with Guile, since he’s the most fun to beat with my character.
I’m making progress with that. Tonight I won three consecutive sets against Guiles, high Platinum, Diamond and Master respectively. If I can reach a comparable level of proficiency against other characters, I’ll be where I’d like to be.
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Butters
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Will you also be getting into the new BG3?
m7600
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If that's how you want to torture yourself, you should check out the Ravenloft fighting game, if you haven't already. It's one of the worst video games ever made, by far...
Fandraxx
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If I can find the time for it, I plan too. At this point, I feel like I've seen/heard so much through osmosis that I've effectively played it
That game is pretty cheap on reseller marketplaces and it has crossed my mind to buy it. Not sure I'm ready for that degree of torture.
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I'd say no amount of videos watched/gossip listened would be equal to you actually playing BG3 and experiencing combat decisions yourself, character interaction, and just exploring the world. But no pressure. 
Chronicler
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I'm playing unmodded Final Fantasy 1 for the first time in ages, since I got those Pixel Remasters a while ago.
Having a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how good the base game is before even touching any mods.
Notably, I'd previously only played the GBA version start to finish, and that uses Mana Points like later Final Fantasy games. This one brings us back to the Dnd style Spell charges those early instalments had.
So, in the version I'm most familiar with, I just kind of have a pool of magic that can be used for any spell, where here I'll be able to cast let's say 3 level 3 spells per day, and those charges can't be used on level 2 or 4 spells. Changes a lot about how you play and what spells you choose to learn.
Having a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how good the base game is before even touching any mods.
Notably, I'd previously only played the GBA version start to finish, and that uses Mana Points like later Final Fantasy games. This one brings us back to the Dnd style Spell charges those early instalments had.
So, in the version I'm most familiar with, I just kind of have a pool of magic that can be used for any spell, where here I'll be able to cast let's say 3 level 3 spells per day, and those charges can't be used on level 2 or 4 spells. Changes a lot about how you play and what spells you choose to learn.
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Just finished PKM after three solid tries and maybe ~5 years Started a char on WOTR with the intention to try and beat it this time, so right now I am playing Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous. Wish me luck! The odds of me quitting are very low, hah. (I'm not a fan of Owlcat's game philosphy and design)
Started a char on WOTR with the intention to try and beat it this time, so right now I am playing Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous. Wish me luck! The odds of me quitting are very low, hah. (I'm not a fan of Owlcat's game philosphy and design)
BelgarathMTH
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Okay, so I recently got into a huge Star Wars mood, and into watching "Rebels" so I can better appreciate the new "Ashoka" series. I started watching Episode One, and almost immediately realized, "Oh, this whole series is a direct continuation of Rebels. I should go watch that first so I can appreciate this better."
Anyway, I started replaying the MMO "Star Wars: The Old Republic" as a companion experience. And that got me into the idea of replaying "Knights of the Old Republic" 1 and 2. Getting back into Kotor for the first time in years immediately made me fall in love with Carth again from his first scene. (My Lord, that man is attractive, in so many ways!).
So, I decided to play as female, since that's something I haven't done in a very long time. In my youth, I finished BG2 for the first time as a female sorceress using Kirstie Alley for my custom portrait, because I immediately fell in love with Anomen, and in Kotor as a female consular, because I immediately fell in love with Carth.
In those days, you had to play female if you wanted to play being in love or even "lust" with a male companion. (I'm now thinking about trying "Dragon Age: Origins" again to see if I can fall in love with Alistair again and maybe become the Queen of Ferelden for the low, low price of having him sleep with Morrigan to spawn a who-knows-what devil baby so we can both survive and get married with him as King. That idea brings me a youthful giddy joy, for some reason.)
So, a question about BG3. I am still very hesitant to ever buy or play it, because of many things I'm reading that repulse me about the story. I've gone ahead and spoiled myself on the main plot. Apparently, I can't even play Act 3 unless I choose between one of two totally-unacceptable-to-lawful-good me choices. They all involve sacrificing somebody. Out of the choices I spoiled myself with, the only one of them any character representing me would choose, male or female, would be to sacrifice myself. Yet, that ends the game at the end of Act Two. I find that pretty bad game-writing, if it's true. Does Larian just insist that everyone who plays their games be "Gray" or downright "Evil" if they want to play the whole game?
In DA:O, you can choose to sacrifice yourself, but that's the true end of the game, at the very end of the game. Why in the world would Larian write a similar choice but lock an entire act of the game behind making the selfish choice instead of the self-sacrificing choice?
The reason I'm even remotely interested is because of my phase I'm going through where I'm feeling nostalgic about Bioware-style romances with cute men. From what I've heard, I can be male in BG3, and the romances can be M-M and make sense. Yet, in youth, the one I would have been most attracted to would have been Astarion, and he's a vampire. I mean, yikes. In maturity, I would never even give that kind of monster a chance. (Although, in youth, I was enamored for a time with Anne Rice novels, and would have been more open to it in those days.)
In part, I'm glad that game designers are recognizing their significant LGBTQ+ audiences and making efforts to adjust romance writing to accommodate that. But, my core essence still screams out against "edgy", "gray", "deconstruction of heroic archetypes" et al in modern popular culture.
I'm interested in having friends here try to sell me on trying BG3. If spoiler discussions are an issue, maybe just pm me if you want to engage. I'm past the point of caring even a little about BG3 spoilers, since I had already completely written off the game as something I would never want to play. Only a wisp of wondering if any of the male romances might bring me any nostalgic youthful joy makes me write to ask.
Anyway, I started replaying the MMO "Star Wars: The Old Republic" as a companion experience. And that got me into the idea of replaying "Knights of the Old Republic" 1 and 2. Getting back into Kotor for the first time in years immediately made me fall in love with Carth again from his first scene. (My Lord, that man is attractive, in so many ways!).
So, I decided to play as female, since that's something I haven't done in a very long time. In my youth, I finished BG2 for the first time as a female sorceress using Kirstie Alley for my custom portrait, because I immediately fell in love with Anomen, and in Kotor as a female consular, because I immediately fell in love with Carth.
In those days, you had to play female if you wanted to play being in love or even "lust" with a male companion. (I'm now thinking about trying "Dragon Age: Origins" again to see if I can fall in love with Alistair again and maybe become the Queen of Ferelden for the low, low price of having him sleep with Morrigan to spawn a who-knows-what devil baby so we can both survive and get married with him as King. That idea brings me a youthful giddy joy, for some reason.)
So, a question about BG3. I am still very hesitant to ever buy or play it, because of many things I'm reading that repulse me about the story. I've gone ahead and spoiled myself on the main plot. Apparently, I can't even play Act 3 unless I choose between one of two totally-unacceptable-to-lawful-good me choices. They all involve sacrificing somebody. Out of the choices I spoiled myself with, the only one of them any character representing me would choose, male or female, would be to sacrifice myself. Yet, that ends the game at the end of Act Two. I find that pretty bad game-writing, if it's true. Does Larian just insist that everyone who plays their games be "Gray" or downright "Evil" if they want to play the whole game?
In DA:O, you can choose to sacrifice yourself, but that's the true end of the game, at the very end of the game. Why in the world would Larian write a similar choice but lock an entire act of the game behind making the selfish choice instead of the self-sacrificing choice?
The reason I'm even remotely interested is because of my phase I'm going through where I'm feeling nostalgic about Bioware-style romances with cute men. From what I've heard, I can be male in BG3, and the romances can be M-M and make sense. Yet, in youth, the one I would have been most attracted to would have been Astarion, and he's a vampire. I mean, yikes. In maturity, I would never even give that kind of monster a chance. (Although, in youth, I was enamored for a time with Anne Rice novels, and would have been more open to it in those days.)
In part, I'm glad that game designers are recognizing their significant LGBTQ+ audiences and making efforts to adjust romance writing to accommodate that. But, my core essence still screams out against "edgy", "gray", "deconstruction of heroic archetypes" et al in modern popular culture.
I'm interested in having friends here try to sell me on trying BG3. If spoiler discussions are an issue, maybe just pm me if you want to engage. I'm past the point of caring even a little about BG3 spoilers, since I had already completely written off the game as something I would never want to play. Only a wisp of wondering if any of the male romances might bring me any nostalgic youthful joy makes me write to ask.
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@BelgarathMTH I can tell you that. It's entirely possible that depending of the game choices you will reach the point you will need to sacrifice someone or yourself, or that some of your companions will die, because how you handled their stories. But I can also tell you, that's entirely possible that you won't need to sacrifice anyone, including yourself. I have played a good sorcerer and I didn't have to sacrifice anyone. I good as good of an ending as I think was possible (although I wouldn't be surprised if "better" outcomes are even possible). This game gives you a lot of freedom on your choices, letting you shape the story however you like and each game can look differently (I know, because I started a second run and it already feels different).
Also, you can align with some of the baddies, but you can kill them all as well, as my sorcerer did.
Astarion is a tragic character, who grown on me each minute I played. He is phenomenally voice-acted and both me and @Antimatter have changed our minds about him during the game. What sucks about Astarion, though, is that his personal quest suffered by the infamous cut content and feels like it would be much more. It was still entertaining, but you can feel it was cut for whatever reason Larian had to cut the Upper City.
Now, as for recommending the game, hell yeah! Even knowing, how you generally play the games and what do you expect of them, I can totally recommend it. Yes, it's tone is darker than in BG1 and BG2, less heroic and more personal, that's all true. But it's not true what some people write, that it can't be played by totally good-aligned characters, without being forced to do evil things along the way. I played such a character and I always managed go stary a good guy and didn't even had to sacrifice myself or anyone. I didn't turn into a squid or anything either. Some companion endings were truly touching, even if they didn't stay with main char after the game ending.
I was never good at persuading someone to play my beloved games, (I know, I'm trying to persuade my friends to play Red Dead Redemption 2 without luck), so I'll most probably fail here too, but I think you can totally enjoy the game as a fighting with an evil crusade, which is something I think you prefer. But most importantly, you can play however you want.
Also, you can align with some of the baddies, but you can kill them all as well, as my sorcerer did.
Astarion is a tragic character, who grown on me each minute I played. He is phenomenally voice-acted and both me and @Antimatter have changed our minds about him during the game. What sucks about Astarion, though, is that his personal quest suffered by the infamous cut content and feels like it would be much more. It was still entertaining, but you can feel it was cut for whatever reason Larian had to cut the Upper City.
Now, as for recommending the game, hell yeah! Even knowing, how you generally play the games and what do you expect of them, I can totally recommend it. Yes, it's tone is darker than in BG1 and BG2, less heroic and more personal, that's all true. But it's not true what some people write, that it can't be played by totally good-aligned characters, without being forced to do evil things along the way. I played such a character and I always managed go stary a good guy and didn't even had to sacrifice myself or anyone. I didn't turn into a squid or anything either. Some companion endings were truly touching, even if they didn't stay with main char after the game ending.
I was never good at persuading someone to play my beloved games, (I know, I'm trying to persuade my friends to play Red Dead Redemption 2 without luck), so I'll most probably fail here too, but I think you can totally enjoy the game as a fighting with an evil crusade, which is something I think you prefer. But most importantly, you can play however you want.
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You see, this is the problem with people sharing "truths" online that are not true. There is so much chatter about BG3 that some of its "haters" sometimes go overboard and just plain outright don't tell you exactly everything--might be, because they actually don't know, and just overheard something themselves, or might be intended to paint a bad picture. Maybe you read/watched something from one of them.
Regarding the spoiler episode, no, you don't need to sacrifice--you CAN SAVE everybody if you play it correctly. Someone will tell you that you are actually sacrificing someone, but would you trust them? What if they're wrong? And turns out, they are, you'll be able to save that person. TBH, at that point in the game, you as the player should not trust blindly what that someone says. @Cahir saved everybody, I intend to do that myself as well. Just don't be lazy in the game, go for good options, and you'll manage. That is for Act 3. As for Act 2, I finished it, and don't remember ever needing to sacrifice myself. There might have been a scene, but it was just one of 3 options, and another option that I picked was normal. It wasn't evil, it was a good option that is further built upon in Act 3.
As for Astarion, boy oh boy. I was so against this concept of a character before I actually played the game. I thought he would be the lesser variant of Zevran. I was so wrong. The fact is he's not a vampire. He's a vampire spawn. And he has a tragic and absolutely heartwarming story where you can help him. The story is very LGBTQA+ btw if you play a male character and look at that situation from that angle as well (both Astarion's past, and your own relationship with him). He's a phenomenally written character, one of the best in gaming. Give him a chance. Don't come with this prejudice "vampire=bad". There is much more to Astarion than meets the eye. You'll have to talk to him, to travel with him, to find out his past, and see how he reacts to you. When you actually find out his past, you will understand that his initial mask of being "edgy" with someone he just met (your character) was 100% justified.
To sell you the game, I can just say that BG3 offers an absolutely unprecedented level of reactivity to your decisions. Original BG games, DA:O, anything, really, did never react to you, YOU, the way BG3 does. It will be YOUR story, you will be able to establish and follow your own personality and make all decisions regarding everything. This comes on top of D&D, locations, names, etc - in the core, it's a game about you. And all characters react to you, you can influence and change their personalities.
Yes, you'll be able to have a M&M romance and feel as if he's your best buddy, your romance partner, your life partner. Your relationship will grow and evolve.
And about the "deconstruction of heroic archetypes". There are actually very heroic archetypes in the game and even in your party. The camp will have not only party members but eventually other people who travel with you. Some of them are the most heroic types ever.
BelgarathMTH
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@Antimatter and @Cahir , Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my concerns. I really appreciate it, and I will think about what you've both said.
The source for my spoiler information was this video:
He says he got this impossible "Sophie's Choice" at the end of act two, and that he was totally turned off by it, as would I be. From what you're saying, maybe he made choices that led him there that I wouldn't make, or else he misinterpreted one of the options as being worse than it was. You've implied that maybe the game character who gave him this choice wasn't telling the whole truth, and he doesn't seem to have even considered that.
So, yes, like I said, I'll definitely think about what you both said. Thank you again.
The source for my spoiler information was this video:
He says he got this impossible "Sophie's Choice" at the end of act two, and that he was totally turned off by it, as would I be. From what you're saying, maybe he made choices that led him there that I wouldn't make, or else he misinterpreted one of the options as being worse than it was. You've implied that maybe the game character who gave him this choice wasn't telling the whole truth, and he doesn't seem to have even considered that.
So, yes, like I said, I'll definitely think about what you both said. Thank you again.
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I'll watch the video later and will share my thoughts about it, but seeing Karlach on the screen, it's worth menntioning, Larian gave her some love in recent patches, giving her a proper closure (which I suppose I experienced), which was very emotional, but rewarding and didn't ended with her death (which seemed inevitable before patch).