On Friday, November 24, 2023 at 9:46:57 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:24:20 -0700, PW
> <iamnotusing...@notinuse.com> wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:29:14 -0700, "rms"
> ><rsqui...@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:
> >
> >>Also getting STAR WARS™: Squadrons, $2 now!
> >>https://store.steampowered.com/app/1222730/STAR_WARS_Squadrons/
> >>
> >>rms
> >
> >*--
> >
> >Holy cow! I spent almost full price on that about a month ago.
> >
> >Was liking it, but I think it crashed or locked up or something. I
> >read about all the problems with this game but thought it would run on
> >my pc without a problem.
> I got it on HumbleChoice a few years ago, and - IIRC - it was a
> freebie on Amazon a few months back.
>
> But I was extremely disappointed with the game itself. Sure, it was
> very pretty but the gameplay was far more arcade than than I hoped
> for. It was much closer to "Rogue Squadron 3D" than "TIE Fighter".
> It's small, cluttered arenas and generous damage modelling made it
> much faster paced than the more sim-like experience I expected... and
> wanted.

That should've been my type of game but it just wasn't, especially since
I loved Rogue Squadron 3D when I played it a couple months ago.
Reading my old monthly review of it was very short, I'll just copy it here:

"The characters are rather cardboard, Rogue Galaxy Outlaw has that far
better. The controls and combat both feel pretty clunky. I'm just not
feeling it."

- Justisaur

On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:18:48 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>That should've been my type of game but it just wasn't, especially since
>I loved Rogue Squadron 3D when I played it a couple months ago.
>Reading my old monthly review of it was very short, I'll just copy it here:
>
>"The characters are rather cardboard, Rogue Galaxy Outlaw has that far
>better. The controls and combat both feel pretty clunky. I'm just not
>feeling it."

"Rogue Squadron 3D" wasn't too bad. I mean, it was no "TIE Fighter",
but few games are. ;-) You could tell how hampered it was by the
developers need to cater to the N64's limitations, but it was a fun
game in short bursts. The visuals - especially the spaceship models -
were very impressive for the day (they still hold up surprisingly well
today).

On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 15:25:37 -0700, PW
<iamnotusingonewithAgent@notinuse.com> wrote:

>Wrong one! Jedi Survivor! Phew!
>
>I think I really liked the squadrons one and need to get back to it.

I haven't played "Survivor" yet. I very much enjoyed its predecessor
("Fallen Order") but - beyond "Survivor" being a Star Wars game,
there's little of it I've seen that makes me want to rush out and grab
it. I get a lot of 'kitchen-sinking' vibe off the game where the
developers, feeling the need to 'improve' the sequel over the
original, are throwing 'everything and the kitchen sink' into the
gameplay without any real thought as to how it affects the overall
balance and feel of the game.

Sure, eventually I'll play it and probably even get some enjoyment out
of it too (it's Star Wars after all, I'm sort of obligated), but I
don't think it'll be my favorite of the franchise.

On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 09:09:03 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:18:48 -0800 (PST), Justisaur
><justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>That should've been my type of game but it just wasn't, especially since
>>I loved Rogue Squadron 3D when I played it a couple months ago.
>>Reading my old monthly review of it was very short, I'll just copy it here:
>>
>>"The characters are rather cardboard, Rogue Galaxy Outlaw has that far
>>better. The controls and combat both feel pretty clunky. I'm just not
>>feeling it."
>
>
>"Rogue Squadron 3D" wasn't too bad. I mean, it was no "TIE Fighter",
>but few games are. ;-) You could tell how hampered it was by the
>developers need to cater to the N64's limitations, but it was a fun
>game in short bursts. The visuals - especially the spaceship models -
>were very impressive for the day (they still hold up surprisingly well
>today).
>
I have it through GOG, but bought it on release because it was a launch
promo for my Diamond Monster Fusion PCI card.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/283

RS-3D was featured on the Monster Fusion box cover. On the Fusion, with
Diamond's drivers, Rogue Squadron ran buggy af with all sorts of video
artifacts until I installed the 3dfx reference drivers. WTG, Diamond!
Remember, this game was literally on the box. "Rogue Squadron 3D!" *

On modern hardware, RS-3D has this weird bug where the default chase cam
just gets farther and farther away until your craft is nearly a dot on
the screen. You have to manage that with one of the function keys IIRC. I
always meant to try dgVoodoo2's Glide emulation to see if it helped, but
haven't got around to it yet.

RS-3D is a very fun experience but clearly no simulator. It's an off
rails arcade game. The maps were small though, so being off rails was
nbd. Comparing it to X-Wing and/or Tie Fighter is apples to oranges.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

- - - -
* As a footnote, the Monster Fusion was my first 3d accelerator card. I
specifically went with Diamond because of their reputation. I also bought
it because it didn't require a passthrough from a second video card. It
met my space limitations in the case. As a consequence, I ran Unreal and
UltraHLE in single texture mode.

Shortly after my purchase, Diamond released and pushed their new Nvidia
lineup hard. Nvidia was a rising star at the time and had a full OpenGL
ICD, whereas 3dfx still only had the Quake mini-GL driver. The 3dfx
Banshee card was probably only produced out of contractual obligation and
Diamond abandoned their commitment to the drivers. So they built the
Fusion and didn't support it. I can remember my letters to support and
eventually management about them releasing a card and then immediately
abandoning it to favor their Nvidia lineup. I think the 3dfx buyout and
announcement of no 3rd party cards occurred shortly thereafter. I don't
know if the chicken or egg came first.

On 11/24/23 16:15, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:58:34 -0600, candycanearter07 <no@thanks.net>
> wrote:
>
>> On 11/24/23 07:49, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
>>> On Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:26:36 -0600, candycanearter07 <no@thanks.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 11/23/23 08:44, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:42:21 -0600, candycanearter07 <no@thanks.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> My wish list is more of a mess than my library.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best way I've found to use the wishlist:
>>>>>
>>>>> - Add everything you're interested in
>>>>> - Ignore the email notifications of sales
>>>>> - When feeling like buying a new game, cruise the wishlist looking for
>>>>> deep discounts (70% off or more)
>>>>> - Once every couple of years go through it to remove anything that
>>>>> you're sure you'll never want
>>>>
>>>> Interesting, I'll try that.
>>>
>>> Another trick I do sometimes is the "unauthorized demo" technique :).
>>> Basically buying something off the wishlist just to see if it even
>>> belongs there, playing for a half hour or less to see if it's what I'd
>>> hoped it would be, then rapidly refunding it if I'm not completely
>>> drawn in by it. Then even if I'm not maybe putting it back on the
>>> wishlist for a potentially future, more deeply discounted purchase.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I've done that a couple times. Problem is that you're left with a
>> unplayable game in your library that redirects to the store page.
>
> ?? Not at all, just uninstall it.

Well I feel stupid now.
--
user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:46:10 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>
>On modern hardware, RS-3D has this weird bug where the default chase cam
>just gets farther and farther away until your craft is nearly a dot on
>the screen. You have to manage that with one of the function keys IIRC. I
>always meant to try dgVoodoo2's Glide emulation to see if it helped, but
>haven't got around to it yet.

Heh. I avoid all these problems by simply playing it on native,
period-accurate hardware. My Voodoo3 handles it fine, no glitches
whatsoever. ;-)

But I get that might not be a solution for everybody.

On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:58:23 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:20:51 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
>wrote:

>>I have my eye on a game called Islands of Caliph. It is on sale for
>>only $7.99 -- I really like indie RPGs so maybe I will pick it up...
>>maybe not, I have other games yet to be played.

>I'm not sure I'll be grabbing this one on this sale... but it's
>definitely getting added to the wishlist. ;-)

My self-assured resolution, incidentally, lasted all of forty-eight
hours before it crumbled. In my defense, "Islands of Caliph" has
interesting visuals /AND/ it was on sale; how could I possibly be
expected to resist that combination?

I also grabbed "Project: Zomboid" and "Chernobylite" while I was at
it.

Not to mention a bunch of games on GOG (a collection of DOS-era Artech
Entertainment simulation games).

The Number grows, sisters and brothers. Oh, how It grows! ;-)

On 11/25/2023 9:30 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:58:23 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:20:51 -0500, Mike S. <Mike_S@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>
>
>>> I have my eye on a game called Islands of Caliph. It is on sale for
>>> only $7.99 -- I really like indie RPGs so maybe I will pick it up...
>>> maybe not, I have other games yet to be played.
>
>
>> I'm not sure I'll be grabbing this one on this sale... but it's
>> definitely getting added to the wishlist. ;-)
>
>
> My self-assured resolution, incidentally, lasted all of forty-eight
> hours before it crumbled. In my defense, "Islands of Caliph" has
> interesting visuals /AND/ it was on sale; how could I possibly be
> expected to resist that combination?
>
> I also grabbed "Project: Zomboid" and "Chernobylite" while I was at
> it.
>
> Not to mention a bunch of games on GOG (a collection of DOS-era Artech
> Entertainment simulation games).
>
> The Number grows, sisters and brothers. Oh, how It grows! ;-)
>
Halalulah!

--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.

On 22/11/2023 15:45, Zaghadka wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Nov 2023 18:51:08 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
>> And what about you? Are you going to overspend on unnecessary
>> purchases to feed the rapacious demands of our capitalistic overlords?
>> If so, which games are you considering?
>
> I just picked up The Talos Principle II for around $30. Pretty good deal,
> and the right price point for me.
>
> ...and I'm assuming it won't be as brutal as Gehennon was. Not that I
> couldn't solve the puzzles, but the level of complexity became a chore.
>

I picked it up on release after loving TP:1 and really enjoying it so
far. It builds on the story telling of 1 and I was pleased about that as
I also found RtG more like a job than a game.

On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 19:54:52 +0000, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, JAB
wrote:

>On 22/11/2023 15:45, Zaghadka wrote:
>> On Tue, 21 Nov 2023 18:51:08 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
>> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>>
>>> And what about you? Are you going to overspend on unnecessary
>>> purchases to feed the rapacious demands of our capitalistic overlords?
>>> If so, which games are you considering?
>>
>> I just picked up The Talos Principle II for around $30. Pretty good deal,
>> and the right price point for me.
>>
>> ...and I'm assuming it won't be as brutal as Gehennon was. Not that I
>> couldn't solve the puzzles, but the level of complexity became a chore.
>>
>
>I picked it up on release after loving TP:1 and really enjoying it so
>far. It builds on the story telling of 1 and I was pleased about that as
>I also found RtG more like a job than a game.

Good. I bought it sight unseen and was worried they would RtG the thing.

Looking forward to more story. That was what really hooked me on it.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

>
>A new Steam sale has begun. I think it's for Black Friday, that
>'Merkin Celebration of consumerism that has overwhelmed its actual
>national holiday of Thanksgiving.* But I'm as unable to escape the
>lure of cheap goods as the next person. So the question is not IF but
>WHAT... as in what to buy?
I haven't been able to find steam cards in a while so my balance was
basically non existence, and yet I still managed one.

STALKER: clear skies - the only game in the franchise I had not played,
snagged for under $3.

I have read before that it's the shortest of the 3 games, but hey, still
value for $3. I can finally have closure of a sort.

Xocyll

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:

>On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:46:10 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>
>>On modern hardware, RS-3D has this weird bug where the default chase cam
>>just gets farther and farther away until your craft is nearly a dot on
>>the screen. You have to manage that with one of the function keys IIRC. I
>>always meant to try dgVoodoo2's Glide emulation to see if it helped, but
>>haven't got around to it yet.
>
>Heh. I avoid all these problems by simply playing it on native,
>period-accurate hardware. My Voodoo3 handles it fine, no glitches
>whatsoever. ;-)

A 2000, or better?

I still have my boxed v32k
Ahh packratism, it's like being a hoarder, without the newspapers and
rat feces.

Xocyll

This one is easy for me. Absolutely nothing and I won't even look at it
so I don't pick up some 'bargains' that I'll never end up playing!

On 25/11/2023 22:30, Zaghadka wrote:
>> I picked it up on release after loving TP:1 and really enjoying it so
>> far. It builds on the story telling of 1 and I was pleased about that as
>> I also found RtG more like a job than a game.

> Good. I bought it sight unseen and was worried they would RtG the thing.
>
> Looking forward to more story. That was what really hooked me on it.

The story I do like and this time it feels more integral to the game and
also more fleshed out. Don't worry no spoilers here but there's NPC's!

One thing that did take me a bit of getting used to is the world itself
is also a lot bigger so much so you even get a compass in-case you get lost.

The puzzles themselves, the feel easier that TP:1 (the tools you have,
have been changed) but that is probably down to I understand how to
approach the game which for me is start at an end point and work out
what I need to achieve to get there.

One negative is that they've gone to UE5 so to see it in its full
splender requires a PC with a bit more ommph than you may expect given
the genre. I just turned it down to medium settings and then tweaked a
few individual settings to a higher quality. Of course that still
doesn't stop some people on Steam complaining it's unacceptable that
they can't run the game on ultra on a potato.

Overall, if you like TP:1 you're probably going to enjoy this as well.

On Sun, 26 Nov 2023 04:41:07 -0500, Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> wrote:

>Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the
>entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
>say:
>
>>On Sat, 25 Nov 2023 08:46:10 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>On modern hardware, RS-3D has this weird bug where the default chase cam
>>>just gets farther and farther away until your craft is nearly a dot on
>>>the screen. You have to manage that with one of the function keys IIRC. I
>>>always meant to try dgVoodoo2's Glide emulation to see if it helped, but
>>>haven't got around to it yet.
>>
>>Heh. I avoid all these problems by simply playing it on native,
>>period-accurate hardware. My Voodoo3 handles it fine, no glitches
>>whatsoever. ;-)

>A 2000, or better?

>I still have my boxed v32k

A mere Voodoo3 2000. I'd have gone for a V3 3000, except a) it wasn't
available anywhere, b) the price difference was significant, and c)
there wasn't a huge difference in performance. So I settled with the
Voodoo3 2000, and it was... fine. The performance was excellent, but I
recall being disappointed by the 16-bit color limitation pretty
quickly. On the other hand, I really liked having 3DFX capability
without needing a seperate 2D card. ;-)

It was my primary GPU until 2001, until I upgraded to a GeForce 2 MX.
It then sat in the cupboard for two decades, until I finally rebuilt
my Windows98 PC.

On 22/11/2023 19:15, Mike S. wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:32:51 -0000 (UTC), "Mark P. Nelson"
> <markpnelson@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
>> In case you missed it, there's a free demo.
>
> I noticed, maybe Spalls didn't.
>
> Personally I am not a fan of demos. Some screenshots to see the
> graphics, the type of game it is, the Steam reviews and maybe a
> youtube video showing gameplay is all I need.

I'm kinda a fan of demos mostly because quite a few of the games I look
at are doing something slightly different and they are the games were
reviews aren't always helpful as they tend to attract people who are big
fans and just looking at screen shots etc. doesn't really tell whether
I'll like it.

As an example, Roadwarden. It's gets very good reviews and I liked the
look of it but wasn't sure whether I would actually like it. Within less
than an hour of playing the demo I went back to Steam and bought it.

Some other examples of games I wish had a demo, Dredge, Stray and Dave
the Diver. For other games where I know the genre/devs I don't really
care whether a game has one.

On Monday, November 27, 2023 at 2:47:45 AM UTC-8, JAB wrote:
> On 22/11/2023 19:15, Mike S. wrote:
> > On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:32:51 -0000 (UTC), "Mark P. Nelson"
> > <markp...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> >
> >> In case you missed it, there's a free demo.
> >
> > I noticed, maybe Spalls didn't.
> >
> > Personally I am not a fan of demos. Some screenshots to see the
> > graphics, the type of game it is, the Steam reviews and maybe a
> > youtube video showing gameplay is all I need.
>
> I'm kinda a fan of demos mostly because quite a few of the games I look
> at are doing something slightly different and they are the games were
> reviews aren't always helpful as they tend to attract people who are big
> fans and just looking at screen shots etc. doesn't really tell whether
> I'll like it.
>
> As an example, Roadwarden. It's gets very good reviews and I liked the
> look of it but wasn't sure whether I would actually like it. Within less
> than an hour of playing the demo I went back to Steam and bought it.
>
> Some other examples of games I wish had a demo, Dredge, Stray and Dave
> the Diver. For other games where I know the genre/devs I don't really
> care whether a game has one.

I'm not even sure it helps much anymore as it seems newly released games
of late (BG3 at least) are polished enough in the early games where demos
take place, but are an unfinished mess later.

I do remember when untitled goose game came out it initially looked fun,
and I almost bought it, but then I saw some short play videos where I realized
I would hate it due to the obtuse puzzles and difficult controls.

I think play videos are the demos of today, though it's sometimes hard to tell
if you would actually like something if you aren't playing it.

- Justisaur

Am 24.11.23 um 11:25 schrieb Werner P.:
> Am 22.11.23 um 00:51 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:
>> A new Steam sale has begun. I think it's for Black Friday, that
>> 'Merkin Celebration of consumerism that has overwhelmed its actual
>> national holiday of Thanksgiving.* But I'm as unable to escape the
>> lure of cheap goods as the next person. So the question is not IF but
>> WHAT... as in what to buy?
> consumerism hit me hard.. by buying the Deck oled version. Problem is I
> wanted to sell off my LCD version, my son said, I am not allowed to sell
> it :-D
> But thats basically all of my just for fun buys until xmas!
> No games for me!
>
And it just arrived yesterday, really neat device.

On 27/11/2023 10:47, JAB wrote:
> On 22/11/2023 19:15, Mike S. wrote:
>> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:32:51 -0000 (UTC), "Mark P. Nelson"
>> <markpnelson@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>>> In case you missed it, there's a free demo.
>>
>> I noticed, maybe Spalls didn't.
>>
>> Personally I am not a fan of demos. Some screenshots to see the
>> graphics, the type of game it is, the Steam reviews and maybe a
>> youtube video showing gameplay is all I need.
>
> I'm kinda a fan of demos mostly because quite a few of the games I look
> at are doing something slightly different and they are the games were
> reviews aren't always helpful as they tend to attract people who are big
> fans and just looking at screen shots etc. doesn't really tell whether
> I'll like it.
>
> As an example, Roadwarden. It's gets very good reviews and I liked the
> look of it but wasn't sure whether I would actually like it. Within less
> than an hour of playing the demo I went back to Steam and bought it.
>
> Some other examples of games I wish had a demo, Dredge, Stray and Dave
> the Diver. For other games where I know the genre/devs I don't really
> care whether a game has one.

As my news server seems to be playing up with losing messages I'll post
this one here for Justisaur.

With something like BG3 I don't think a demo would add anything as you
basically know what type of gameplay your getting unless you've been
living under a rock and the other information can be gained from reviews
and gameplay footage. Cyberpunk falls in a slightly greyer area as I
don't think I'd be a big fan but maybe I would. The problem is I'm not
going to spend £25 to find out and I don't see the Steam refund policy
helping me.

The games I like demos for are those where it may not be clear where the
overall gameplay is for you without actually playing it. Untitled Goose
that you mentioned is a good example for me. I read the reviews,
including gameplay footage, went ahead a bought it and like you didn't
like it. At least it was in the sale.

The last to games I bought (Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew and Talos
Principle 2) both have demos and although they were no help to me as I
could tell what I was getting. For someone unfamiliar with the genres I
can see they add more than just a play video.

On 27/11/2023 10:47, JAB wrote:
> On 22/11/2023 19:15, Mike S. wrote:
>> On Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:32:51 -0000 (UTC), "Mark P. Nelson"
>> <markpnelson@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>>> In case you missed it, there's a free demo.
>>
>> I noticed, maybe Spalls didn't.
>>
>> Personally I am not a fan of demos. Some screenshots to see the
>> graphics, the type of game it is, the Steam reviews and maybe a
>> youtube video showing gameplay is all I need.
>
> I'm kinda a fan of demos mostly because quite a few of the games I look
> at are doing something slightly different and they are the games were
> reviews aren't always helpful as they tend to attract people who are big
> fans and just looking at screen shots etc. doesn't really tell whether
> I'll like it.
>
> As an example, Roadwarden. It's gets very good reviews and I liked the
> look of it but wasn't sure whether I would actually like it. Within less
> than an hour of playing the demo I went back to Steam and bought it.
>
> Some other examples of games I wish had a demo, Dredge, Stray and Dave
> the Diver. For other games where I know the genre/devs I don't really
> care whether a game has one.

As my news server seems to be playing up with losing messages I'll post
this one here for Justisaur.

With something like BG3 I don't think a demo would add anything as you
basically know what type of gameplay your getting unless you've been
living under a rock and the other information can be gained from reviews
and gameplay footage. Cyberpunk falls in a slightly greyer area as I
don't think I'd be a big fan but maybe I would. The problem is I'm not
going to spend £25 to find out and I don't see the Steam refund policy
helping me.

The games I like demos for are those where it may not be clear where the
overall gameplay is for you without actually playing it. Untitled Goose
that you mentioned is a good example for me. I read the reviews,
including gameplay footage, went ahead a bought it and like you didn't
like it. At least it was in the sale.

The last to games I bought (Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew and Talos
Principle 2) both have demos and although they were no help to me as I
could tell what I was getting. For someone unfamiliar with the genres I
can see they add more than just a play video.