I find it really astonishing how much better the short premium modules that came with the Diamond Edition of Neverwinter Nights are than the actual campaign. I played through Kingmaker and I'm playing Shadowguard right now and the pacing are far superior. I will probably go back and finish the main campaign eventually but I think modules are really what NWN is all about.


EDIT: Just finished Shadowguard and wow. It's a cliffhanger and apparently the module had no sequels. So that kind of sucked...

Ugh. IDK if I'd like the timed conversation idea... I already bought the game ages ago though for like 5 bucks I think so I'll obviously eventually play it but I like to be able to think out what I'm going to say/do.

I think the idea behind the timed conversations is that, because you have to react fairly quickly, the choice you make more accurately reflects your personal reaction to the conversation as opposed to how you want your avatar to react after some consideration of the implications.  It seems like a nice idea in theory (to me, anyway), but you're still choosing between the same three personality types (suave, professional, and ruthless, or something along those lines) each time, so you can still play through the game with a specific character type in mind, which kind of defeats the purpose to me but isn't really any worse than any other game that focuses on decision making like that.  Granted, I didn't get far enough in the game to have to make any really important, game-altering decisions, but I think those are situations where timed decision making is actually preferable.  The Witcher 2 had a couple of moments like that.  I liked that.

In other news some friends and I stopped in a gamestop the other day after attempting to kill ourselves with terrible food and I picked up Deadly Premonition, which I know Salt World is fond of, and DUH, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT RULES.  I bought it expecting to enjoy it ironically, like in a so-bad-its-good way, and that's how it was for the first couple of hours, but that's not a fair assessment because it seems very self-aware (but not to the point of LOOK AT HOW WACKY THIS GAME IS) and just so SINCERE and charming and lord knows I can't say that about most video games.  The only parts I really dislike are the Silent Hill rip-off segments.  I even like driving around, but I'm one of those guys who liked the sailing in Wind Waker so maybe that is not a huge surprise.  The whole thing also reminds me a lot of Dreamcast era games, which is really cool for me, although I can't really express WHY it reminds me of them.  I don't know.  The game is cool and I like it.

It seems like a nice idea in theory (to me, anyway), but you're still choosing between the same three personality types (suave, professional, and ruthless, or something along those lines) each time, so you can still play through the game with a specific character type in mind, which kind of defeats the purpose to me but isn't really any worse than any other game that focuses on decision making like that.

In what I have played so far(finished the first major area, probably gonna start over though since I got the bug that makes it so I can't use any of my abilities...), I don't think that's true. Sure you can just be Suave the whole time or something, but to actually accomplish things in the game you have to judge what choice is the best response to a person, depending on their attitude and what is happening at the time. Not to mention, making people dislike you can apparently have positive effects as well. ...idk that's just one of the parts of the game I've really liked(so far), as oppose to, says, ME where I just picked paragon 90% of the time and called it a day.

In what I have played so far(finished the first major area, probably gonna start over though since I got the bug that makes it so I can't use any of my abilities...), I don't think that's true. Sure you can just be Suave the whole time or something, but to actually accomplish things in the game you have to judge what choice is the best response to a person, depending on their attitude and what is happening at the time. Not to mention, making people dislike you can apparently have positive effects as well. ...idk that's just one of the parts of the game I've really liked(so far), as oppose to, says, ME where I just picked paragon 90% of the time and called it a day.

Yeah, that's a good point.  I probably shouldn't talk too much about this game because I haven't played enough of it to give it a fair assessment.  I think I'm kind of at a point where I need someone to convince me it's worth playing through before I pick it up again.  I mean, it's no Deadly Premonition.

I haven't played the one you're talking about but I know hundley liked it (I think) and if you two think highly enough of it I might check it out.

Thats the thing I didn't/don't like about ME or most convo choice games. You either end up being cheesy hero or an unbelievable asshole. And unbelievable asshole is boring to me because it kind of ruins the game. I liked what they did with ME2 though I think it was easier to be a likable asshole but still not refined. Likable asshole is def the way to go.
 
If I remember correctly new vegas was pretty good in that way too where there was no classification and if you wanted to be a smartass prick you could do it and actually be funny and entertaining. I really liked some of the choices with new vegas.

is psychonauts good? it looks like jersey devil except probably not unplayable beyond the second level

edit: nvm just read your post at the top of the page. I'm gonna play it next

I found Neverwinter Nights Diamond Edition at a used bookstore for 5 dollars. I have spent most of my free time in the past 3 days playing it. I think the game is really fun, but the story is completely mediocre. I look forward to trying out some modules once I've played through the main campaign. I might even try to make one.

NWN is a cool game. it'll take ya forever to play through all the campaigns tho...

I know the first NWN had some good user-created content, and the toolset is very easy to use. I made a persistent world server (some of these used to be really fun) when I was 14. obsidian's toolset for NWN2 was pretty bad tho

God I wish I had some money so I could buy LA Noire on steam for 5 bucks. :/

It's no good and you spend way too much time fondling, or, "investigating" the naked bodies of murdered women. Also, it isn't fun. So don't worry about it.

I got indie bundle 5 and vessel. I guess I wanted to see what I was missing in the mainstream indie gaming universe. I didn't know much about any of these games beforehand unless it was something I saw here, so sorry if I'm repeating a popular opinion

vessel (not part of the bundle) is pretty much a tech demo paired with neat graphics. almost everything else about it is drab, though it does do a few neat things with creating inhabitable/immersive environmenments in a 2D space. it also features a partially implemented castlevania/metroid upgrade system, but none of the upgrades really do anything that help you out at all - there aren't any secret places or hidden items that are unreachable without any upgrades, and there's really no reason to backtrack at all. I do kinda feel like this game went under the radar. though it's not particularly good, it's still better than some more popular garbage out there. I played this one first, and I felt it was going to be one of the bigger flops. I was wrong tho

I was never interested in playing super meat boy. its formula pretty clearly ensured its success on teh intarwebz, with its mashup of Adult Swim and newgrounds/Happy Tree Friends style and internet/gamer humor. once I started playing it, I did begin to appreciate the energy and excitement it manages to create out of its sensory experience. but the gameplay doesn't appeal to me, and it's difficult for me to excuse spending hours trying to beat a handful of purposefully onerous levels just for another throwaway cutscene, a dumb peta joke, a worthless unlockable, and Gamer Pride. but if you do find this type of game appealing then you've probably already played it and like it

limbo is an unfortunately dumb game. I dislike the phrase "all style and no substance", but here you could use it effectively. most of the effort appears to have gone into creating a visual aesthetic without contemplation on the experience it creates for the user, or how the gameplay might enhance or detract from that experience. instead, limbo presents a pretty routine platformer that does nothing for the player. going by the trailer, I had expected a dynamic, immersive, and constantly moving environment, something like you see in the short and not actually fun or fast-paced HOTEL scene. in actuality, the environment feels quite static and game-like in all but a few short areas. probably the biggest drawback of the game experience is the dull trial-and-error puzzles it constantly throws in your way, which disrupt any sense of immersion the player might start to feel and usually end in a jarring, awkwardly gruesome death scene that sets you back 5 minutes. there are a few places where the game provides a sort of cinematic thrill, but they are not enough to warrant the overwhelmingly positive reviews this garbage received. I'm careful not to make it out to be worse than it is just because of its critical acclaim, but I gotta say I kind of hate this game

oh yeah, I played a couple hours of Bastion, and it's good so far! like the other games it has a sensory hook (visuals, the narrator), but it actually presents something engaging beyond that. as if this is something special

Psychonauts too. I didn't realize it came out way back in 2006, was for some reason expecting an indie side-scroller with powerups. it's great so far, though a little convoluted at places. it definitely takes a page from Jersey Devil, and dare I say even kingdom hearts....yeah actually it's very similar to both of those games, as 3d platformers with combat and a variety of themed levels set in a sort of halloween/tim burton world. that's not criticism at all

yeah, save for these two games, everything else has seemed really purposeless so far. like why would anyone go out of their way create these games? just to show themselves they can make a passable video game and play business for a lil while? or conscious successors to braid/riding the braid jetstream idk if it's either

i really liked bastion, even though i could've done w/out the narrator gimmick (it's sort of silly and sentimental imo)


from a mechanics standpoint though it's an awesome game.  i love the way it handles greater risk / greater reward by giving you the option to increase difficulty in a granular fashion by selecting different gods.

narrator made the game funny at time but some time could be annoying.

Tales of Monkey Island was on sale at GOG and being a huge Monkey Island fan I felt very behind for not playing it yet. I've played through the first episode so far. It's nice to play one of these games without knowing the solutions to all the puzzles from playing them so many times. The dialogue options seem pretty off as they don't always match what Guybrush says and a lot of the time you get 4 of the same option but worded differently. So far I'd say it's not as good as The Curse of Monkey Island but better than Escape from Monkey Island.

I remember Psychonauts I stopped plaaying it since I was stuck at that Napoleon Bonaparte stage where I can't jump on something a flag or what. Awesome story, characters, and environment. It's really genius.