Now Gaming: ... Created 13 years ago2010-12-11 02:04:50 UTC by AJ

Oooh. Ok.

Apparently multiplayer has been made much more stable, not to mention a bunch more additions and changes, like trading with NPC villagers.

You can LAN eachother's singleplayers now.

I didn't find it more stable AT ALL. Now that single player runs on an internal server, the game can't keep up with itself. Very often the game freezes (the game, not the executable) as if waiting for the server to say what will happen next. Just as often I find myself breaking a number of blocks, realising none of them dropped its corresponding item, and after a few seconds freeze, most of those blocks reappear and I am teleported back to a previous position facing a different direction. At the worst times, I had to perform actions (breaking or placing blocks) 3 or 4 times.

There is also plenty of sound stuttering, or the sounds of the last 10-15 blocks placed/broken and the last 20 steps all playing at the same time several seconds later than they should have. This becomes especially bad when there is a creeper around because with these freezes, the only warning I get is the fuse sound at the same time as the explosion sound, hopefully with a one second freeze to realise I am about to be blown up. Followed, of course, by the actual explosion.

So yeah, the update wasn't a good experience for everyone.

As for the new features, I haven't seen them all yet but they seem pretty interesting.

What I will give them is that the Nether is now as playable as everything else. Used to be pretty unplayable before. Haven't tested the End, but it used to be even more unplayable than the Nether despite being smaller.

Very often the game freezes (the game, not the executable) as if waiting for the server to say what will happen next.

I've played a couple of hours, and didn't notice this happening. May I dare say you have an older PC?

[EDIT] If we use Hamachi, can we start LAN servers an play together?

I guess you'd have to try. Hamachi is supposed to work like a LAN, right?

It creates a virtual LAN, and I used it in the past to play with friends. I hosted the server, and it worked, at least in Europe. I think this will simplify even more the way of connecting.

Yes, it does create a VPN, but not all programs detect it directly as LAN. Depends a bit on network settings.

And yes, I do have an oldish computer.

I can vouch for Hamachi too, used it to "LAN" some Unreal Tournament a few times.

It would be funny to see if it works, being able to visit someones singleplayer from elsewhere on the planet would be pretty cool.

Just tried it. Doesn't really work. Damn it. Still have to start the dedicated server(it works with hamachi). Fortunately copying a singleplayer world to the minecraft server is easy.
I guess it only works in real LAN.

Dang. I can confirm it works in real LAN, my bro and I tested it when the patch launched. You don't need to set anything up or detect anything, the game does it automatically when you hit multiplayer. It doesn't work if one of the players is in offline mode though, you both do need to be connected to the interned (DRM, OMG IM BEING OPPRESSED!).

I guess people can always just share their singleplayer world file online like they've been doing the whole time but it would still be a nice feature. Maybe in the future.

Even if it is not detected as it would be in a "real" LAN, the player on the other end of the Hamachi VPN can connect to your Hamachi IP and it will work.

What I meant is that Hamachi is not always automatically detected as LAN, even if configured (in Windows at least) as a primary network adapter.

Hamachi does not detect (and/or make use of) the multicast address used by Minecraft but aside from that, it works perfectly.

Yes, i can confirm Hamachi works fine with Minecraft, just make sure you allow incoming connections for Hamachi in your Windows firewall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0MkkHANVQw&feature=youtu.be Cut to 30 seconds in. With one million players I suppose this was going to happen sooner or later. I'm just glad it got filmed.

A multiplayer mod for Just Cause 2 has reportedly just hosted a beta weekend in which over 1,100 people were in-game, on the same server, at the same time.

Why?

In all seriousness, though, that's really cool amazing that a mod for a singleplayer game could get that many players all playing together in a single server.

So I broke my rule of never paying to play a game and started playing The Secret World. Anyone else playing it as I need a buddy to kill big stuff withs!

Sleeping Dogs anyone? To be honest, I'm not really fond of stuff like GTA, but this one is very, very cool.

I played the demo of it last night. Seems Ok.

WOW, just read NPC Village and saw this was particular page was MC, guys, you know the hamachi glitch for unlimited ppl? Dont post it, but also, if you want to join my server/vise versa and play, that will be cool!

Network group: Minecraft_JG12
Pass: None (no sec)
its case sensitive, more more groups to join too!

Ghost129er

Been playing DayZ recently. I've started to get a hang of it and even managed to find myself an M249 SAW, which I'm now scared of losing lol. Who else here plays it?

I play it a lot. I usually play with a friend, who plays as a sniper, while I take care of the CQC with my M4A3
We never kill unless we have to, but people keep shooting at us, so what choice do we have? I'm in love with DayZ

Ha, I'm hopelessly stuck to it too. Can't wait till the standalone comes out. The only real downside is that I don't have anyone to play it with, seeing as none of my friends have it.

Tony Hawk HD. Bought it because I haven't played one in a long, long time and because it was so cheap. It's essentially a mashed-up reboot of the first two games in the Unreal engine, with planned DLC rebooting the rest of the series.

It took a few minutes to get used to not being able to do things added later in the series like reverts into manuals, double and triple fliptricks, stuff like that. It's true to the first two games gameplay wise. Only seven levels, a mix of the first two games and a new one I think. A mix of skaters from the first two plus some new ones as well.

For eight dollars or whatever it cost, if you used to enjoy the series this is good nostalgic fun.

Don't get me wrong it has its problems. No video settings, like, at all. No button labels for the controller in the menus, at all, so you need to figure them out by guessing. I accidentally bought stats and stuff just trying to figure out what did what. Maybe it's the price and maybe its my fanboyism but the shortcomings don't ruin the experience IMO.

I'm playing Diablo 3, Torchlight 2, Planetside 2, Guild Wars 2 and Minecraft (Tekkit) at the moment. So many games, so little time...

EDIT: And Dota 2

Bought myself Max Payne 3 on Thursday, downloaded by Friday and blasted away the weekend for finally finishing it on Sunday afternoon.

Bloody good game.

Took a break from DayZ and bought Mass Effect 3.
I played the other two and I loved them, mostly for the story, the gameplay was average. I feel the same about this game.
I hear the ending sucks but at least the ride has been fun so far

Faster Than Light manages to be simultaneously one of the best games I've ever played and also one of the most frustrating. So much of it is random which often leaves you feeling like the odds are simply too stacked against you. It needs some sort of intelligent AI director ala L4D so that you don't end up getting two INSANELY difficult fights right after one another.

I hear the ending sucks but at least the ride has been fun so far

Don't let other peoples' opinions make you pre-judge it. It's way better than a lot of people said. There is no perfect happy ending and a lot of people can't handle the maturity of the writing. It couldn't have ended any other way without being horrifically cheesy.

Don't let other peoples' opinions make you pre-judge it.

You know me better than that Archie

After all, I bought Far Cry 2. Turns out you guys were right, it was shit.

LOL

Yeah, I bought it for a few dollars during the last summer sale. I figured "well it uses the Crysis engine, so it must look decent and people seemed to like it when it came out on consoles...

Nope. Played it one time. The game's version of CryEngine 1 is seriously gimped. It looks like garbage.

It definitely did not use the CryEngine. Crytek and Ubisoft are at each others' throats over the 'Cry' series, with one going Crysis and the other keeping the Far Cry IP.

Also I actually thought Far Cry 2 looked amazing. It was just a pile of shit to play for more than, oh, 30 mins (or about as long as it takes to no longer be wowed by the fire physics).

That explains why it looked like a garbage version of Cryengine. Was Cryengine an upgraded version of Farcry's engine? Why would they use an older version of the engine?

Game politics is stupid.

I thought the ending to Mass Effect 3 was rancid pile of fecal matter. I have no problem with gloomy endings but I can't stand plotholes. I won't go further into it in case some other members want to experience it unspoiled.

Was Cryengine an upgraded version of Farcry's engine? Why would they use an older version of the engine?

I'm confused with what you're asking...
Far Cry 1 used the first iteration of the CryEngine. After its release, Crytek and Ubisoft had a falling out and both went their separate ways, but due to legal shenanigans Ubisoft kept the Far Cry IP, but importantly Crytek kept the CryEngine.

Subsequently, Crysis was released on CryEngine 2 by Crytek. Crysis 2, on CryEngine 3.

Meanwhile Ubisoft made Far Cry 2 using the Dunia engine which, while sharing some traits of the original Cry Engine, cannot really be compared to it anymore.
Incidentally, Far Cry 3 uses the Dunia 2 engine.

Far Cry 2's world looked a lot nicer than Crysis' imo, and the post processing was excellent. Still a shitty game :3

I have no problem with gloomy endings but I can't stand plotholes.

I get what you're saying, but have you played the extended ending? It fills in a lot of gaps. Also, how could they really answer every question after 3 remarkably open-ended games in which any number of major characters can die? They couldn't realistically make separate endings based on every single decision the player has made over three games. It's just not possible with a publisher like EA pushing deadlines.

Incidentally, Far Cry 3 looks shit and Crysis 3 looks boring.

I get what you're saying, but have you played the extended ending? It fills in a lot of gaps. Also, how could they really answer every question after 3 remarkably open-ended games in which any number of major characters can die? They couldn't realistically make separate endings based on every single decision the player has made over three games. It's just not possible with a publisher like EA pushing deadlines.

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Yeah I have. It's an improvement but it still doesn't address some fundamental problems with the ending. Introducing a new character in the last 10 minutes of the game for example. I also have a problem with the new ending they added, it's cheap and pointless.

I'm gonna blame EA

Ah, I had just assumed it used the same engine. I knew FarCry was the first version of the engine, and Crysis was the second, so I just assumed farcry 2 being released at a similar time used the second iteration as well. That explains things a bit.

But yeah, I was never able to enjoy the game either.

Just finished Mass Effect 3 (don't worry, no spoilers). Holy shit. I made so many poor choices. Makes me want to replay everything from scratch just to fix everything.

One thing that pissed me off was the damned Banshees. It was an interesting enemy, but too damned overpowered. It was a sufficient challenge to face off one single Banshee in hardcore mode, but two at the same time plus a bunch of other enemies shooting at you while you try to dodge those things? Come on, it was bloody impossible. I had to temporary drop the difficulty from hardcore to narrative just to get rid of them.

Also, I liked the ending, even though it didn't contain as much as I wanted it to. I haven't tried the extended ending yet, but I will, soon.

Back into Drawception...

Damnit.

I am trying to avoid Drawception but I have started playing Skyrim again. Not the normal way though. Got some mods in there which made food, drink and sleep essential and I am playing as a homeless non-beggar.

Read all about it.

The maiden voyage of the TWHL ship Worm is sadly not under pleasant circumstances. The federation lies in tatters and The Worm has in its memory banks information required to thwart the rebellion threatening our way of life.In order to reach the fleet, however, the ship must pass through nine star systems in-tact. To do so, the finest crew has been appointed: Pebs, Strider and Ant. Never has the Federation seen a finer group of men. Well, Ant is a man. Strider and Pebs are members of the Engi - a race who pride themselves on their repair skill, but who fall sadly short in combat.After our first Faster Than Light (FTL) jump, we arrive at a small refuelling outpost being hounded by an automated rebel scout. We should make light work of this. Ant takes over the weapons systems providing a cooldown time decrease between shots. Pebs heads straight to the shield generator and works tirelessly to restore shields in the event that they get disabled and Strider mans the cockpit (he loves cockpits) and provides an evasion bonus as well as actually allowing the ship to make FTL jumps.After a short battle, the refuelling outpost is saved and they reward us with some scrap which is immediately spent on part one of a two-part shield upgrade.
Two FTL jumps later and the ship is hailed by a slaver.Aside from the fact that a crew so small couldn’t afford to lose a member, we owe it to slaves everywhere to kick their arses and as such charge weapons. This fight will be considerably tougher than the automated scout.Utilising an ingenious combo of Ion Blasts from the ship’s main gun to down their shields and quick laser strikes from an anti-ship drone, we quickly start disabling their systems, starting with their oxygen. It doesn't take long before they feel the clutch of death at their throats and offer surrender – their lives in exchange for one of their slaves joining our crew.Seems like a good idea and Nathan, a Mantis (great in combat, low repair skill) is assigned to our Engine room to provide a further evasion bonus.
After another couple of FTL jumps and a few more pirates destroyed we finally have enough scrap to afford part 2 of the shield upgrade and buy it immediately. Unfortunately it doesn’t have any effect because it isn’t powered yet… That will require more scrap.
But that will have to wait! A distress call lights up our screens!Upon arriving we find a lab in flames. We have to react quickly – either dock in a shuttle in an attempt to put out the fire (potentially risking the health of our crew) or dock The Worm and try to evacuate the scientists (potentially risking the ship.)I decide to dock the ship to evacuate the lab. Unfortunately it explodes as we’re doing so and we take some hefty hull damage which we can’t afford to repair. Piss.Nearing the beacon that will allow us to jump to the second star system, several more pirates and rebels fall victim to our Ion and drone one-two punch giving us enough scrap to activate the shield upgrade and also upgrade the engines.On the penultimate beacon in this system we come up against a fully armed rebel fighter with a mean missile launcher and burst laser weapon which tears through our shields.One of their number also teleports into our shield generator and begins to attack Pebs. Fortunately this is exactly what Nathan was brought onto the crew for and he uses his patented Mantis-fu to make quick work of the intruder.Simultaneously a direct missile attack from their ship ignites a fire in one of The Worm’s hallways. Rather than risking the crew, I open a nearby airlock and vent all the oxygen in that side of the ship to extinguish the fire.The day is won, and with roughly 65% hull integrity, The Worm arrives proudly at the exit beacon, crew unscathed.Find out what happens in Sector 2 soon.

I wronged Archie in a game of Worms and because of that I'm due to die in part 2. My voyage on board The Worm was nice while it lasted!

Picked up a copy of Receiver by Wolfire games for free because I bought the Overgrowth alpha.

For an FPS, this shit is complicated.

Also added my second post to Beggar Bob

The TWHL ship Worm has arrived safely in sector two, emerging from a nauseating FTL jump into a gassy nebula. Nebulas, while indefinably sexual have the added effect of disrupting sensors – both internal and external. As a result, we can only monitor rooms that currently contain crewmembers.What an excellent opportunity to remind you of the crew roles! In the pilot’s seat we have Strider – an Engi with synthetic origins expertly skilled in repairing ship systems. Manning the guns is Ant, the ship’s only human crewman. He’s providing a cooldown reduction between shots. At the shield generator, keeping the shields up is Pebs, another Engi. Both him and Strider speak with a ridiculous Australian accent for some reason. Must be an Engi thing. Finally we have Nathan, a freed slave Mantis, skilled in hand-to-mandible combat and currently providing an evasion bonus in the engine room.
A benefit of the nebula is that as well as blocking our own sensors, it also hides us from the approaching fleet of rebels constantly chasing us, hindering their progress. However, we can’t stay here indefinitely! We have a mission to accomplish! Time to FTL the FTL out of here!
First jump in sector 2 brings the Worm up against a Rebel Rigger, typically used for mining. It’s barely armed, but does have the exact same class of attack drone we’ve been using so far to outsmart our enemies. If they manage to bring down our shields, the attack drone will cause havoc!Fortunately it’s only sector 2, and for some reason ships this side of the galaxy are a bit rubbish so they quickly surrender, offering their best security officer as a bargaining chip. Pipaluk the Mantis joins us! We may have to change the dinner menu now that there are two Mantises (Mantii?) to cater for.They also provide us with a Breach missile launcher – it does very little damage to hull integrity, but causes small fractures that vent oxygen from the enemy ship. Missiles also completely disregard shields which only protect against energy weapons. Always pleasant!
After just one more jump it looks like we might have opportunity to test it! A well-armed bully of a ship is claiming the jump beacon as their own and demand tribute to pass.I think not! Breach missile awaaaaay! A direct hit on their weapons systems render them useless, and a quick couple of blasts from our patented attack drone finishes them off. The scrap gained allows us to purchase an engine upgrade, increasing our chance to dodge incoming attacks.The next jump brings us up against a fairly standard scenario – an unmanned drone attacking a friendly station. The Worm intervenes, of course, but oh my goodness! We’ve come up against a stealth ship and can’t target it until its stealth drive runs out of power!Conveniently, to afford a stealth drive they traded off having shields, and they’re space dust just seconds after uncloaking. The station we just saved compensates our effort with a kickass Hull Smasher laser.It pretty much does what it says on the tin – massive hull damage, very little system damage. Unfortunately it has massive power requirements as well as needing an overall weapons system upgrade to use which we won’t be able to afford for some time.
For the first time in ages, our next jump doesn’t lead to combat! Instead a small independent trader has set up shop above an uninhabited planet.Their wares are a bit rubbish, but I sell the breach missile launcher for more scrap and use it to fully repair our hull.
The rest of the system is fairly uneventful until the penultimate jump where we stumble across a heavily armed rebel fighter class ship. Curiously they hail us and offer their services to delay the approaching rebel fleet. What nonsense, charge weapons!And so we arrive at the system’s final jump beacon just ahead of the approaching wave of the enemy fleet.With weapons systems upgraded enough to use the new Hull Laser (albeit still unpowered) and a fully repaired hull, things are looking bright for sector 3!Also Strider didn’t die for some reason.

Nice entry.

I've always wanted to give Receiver a go since I saw it. Thanks for reminding me of it's existence Urby.

Getting carried away by DoD 3.1b...

Just preordered Overgrowth and got Receiver.
I'm downloading Receiver now, I'll have to get the Overgrowth Alpha tomorrow at Uni.

Sat down last night and played Spec Ops: The Line in one sitting. It took 5 hours or so and I was up late, but it was the perfect way to play. By the end of the game, I was tired, stressed and feeling just a bit numb and mindfucked.

Despite the sub-par gameplay mechanics, the story really hit hard in places and some less-than-appealing images are uncomfortably burned into my brain. By the end of it, I felt just as shit as the main character, but still couldn't bring myself to put it down.

I would have enjoyed it more if it had a solid shooting system. Guns felt light with no kick and AI was passable without making me rage too often. It was nice to not have loading screen between chapters, except when you die, then you feel like you're waiting forever (30-60 second loading screens on the PS3).

Spec Ops: The Line. If I never play this game again, it will be too soon. But I'm glad I did.

Also, WarZ on the 15th October! Yay! I love DayZ but I can't stand the engine. I'm looking forward to next week.