Smug City

I'm basking in the satisfied feeling of self-control as I have managed to keep myself from jumping onto a couple of recent releases that seem to be mostly a bust (for the moment at least).  It's so rare that I get to experience these feelings as I am the biggest sucker for hype and nifty, musically enhanced advertisements.  But I resisted the lure and now I can sit back and feel content that I've learned from my past mistakes and now share my scattered words of wisdom with others.

Wisdom #1--Iffith it Soundeth Unbelieveable-ith--don't believe-ith ith... (Don't Fall for the Hype!)

For the past year or so I had been keeping a side-eye on No Man's Sky.  Not hardcore tracking every Tweet or press release or new video, but just reading any articles that popped up describing the game.  On the surface it sounded like something that was going to be downright revolutionary.  Buuuuuut....there was always this part of me that was really skeptical.  How could anyone really find the time to make 18 quintillion unique planets?  Procedural generation sounds neato, but the reality is that it's still the same box no matter how many pretty colors you slap onto it.  For me, not jumping into this one was a great choice.  

Steam reviews seem very mixed between negative and positive reviews--many of the negative reviews are those who feel they were led to believe that certain things would be in the game that weren't.  I've been trying to ignore those and find the ones that talk more about the gameplay itself and it seems like many find the game very grindy and repetitive.  However, about 50% of the reviews seem to be positive with many people genuinely enjoying the game.  There's a chance I might still grab No Man's Sky in the future, but it's definitely going to be at a deeply discounted sale price.

One of the old pre-order ads from Steam.
Early release with pre-orders?  Ugh.

Wisdom #2--Don'teth Pre-Ordereth.

I am extremely guilty of not following this piece of my own wisdom.  If there's a game I really want my thinking is that I should just pre-order and get whatever ridiculous perk is being offered because I'm going to buy it anyway.  Ugh...so weak-willed despite the fact that I know I will almost always be disappointed.  Unfortunately it has become almost commonplace for big games to be released in a very poor state.  I watched from afar this week as the reviews for Deus Ex:  Mankind Divided started popping up on Steam.  And, lo and behold, there were several things that people were upset about--poor optimization, frequent freezes/crashes, and generally just the usual day one crap that seems to have become so standard.  It's really sad that this has become so standard in video gaming--when else would people accept a product that was faulty at release?

The reality of pre-ordering is that the developers already have your money so they don't feel that same pressure to deliver a product that is going to be perfect on day one.  Sucks for gamers.  On the other hand it has become almost completely unacceptable for developers to delay releasing something.  The backlash from pushing release dates back is nuts!  I would much rather have a developer push a release date back and have a playable, fun product on the very first day.  Being patient would save so many headaches.

(On a complete side-related note it seems like many people are upset about the inclusion of microtransactions in the single player campaign of DE:MD and day 1 DLC that seems at best shady and at worst very, very money grubby.)

Wisdom #3--Pre-loading is a load of crap-eth.

It...never...works.  NEVER!  There's the fake excitement of thinking--"oooh this is downloaded, I can pop right into the game the second it's officially out!."  It's a lie!  Don't fall for it!  What's going to happen is that you're going to spend a few hours downloading a bunch of encrypted files.  Then, on release day when you're feeling happy about your preparedness you're going to spend another few hours watching as those files are slowly, slowly decrypted.  Just wait and download after it's released.

So sayeth me.  Amen.  We'll see how long it takes before I break my own words o' wisdom--I'm guessing not long. ;)

My Dirty Gaming Secret

I have been feeling a bit ashamed of my gaming choices of late.  Not because they are dirty--perverts!  But because one of my recent mainstays is a game that most serious "gamers" would scoff at and decry.  Doesn't everyone have that one game that they feel just a little embarrassed to be playing?  World of Warcraft makes you feel like a huge nerd or you secretly enjoy those weird Japanese games (you know the ones I'm talking about....).  For me the big skeleton in my gaming closet is The Sims 4.  The shame!

As much as I am loathe to admit, I have played every single Sims game since the original came out.  Some people might be thinking..."why?"  There is something about shaping the lives of my little electronic minions that is enjoyable.  I can think up a fictional scenario and then watch it come to fruition through my guiding actions (which occasionally make a Sim pee their pants--yes, I have that power).  It's a bit like playing house or playing God or some weird combination of the two.

One of the gorgeous homes created in The Sims 4.
The homes I build look like the drawing of a kindergartner.

I grabbed The Sims 4 when it first came out in 2014 but didn't spend very much time playing it and actually ended up uninstalling.  Two weeks ago I decided that I should revisit it and see if/why my earlier actions were warranted.  It's true that the game hasn't changed much over it's four new reiterations, but I was immediately sucked back in.  The building tools have evolved to allow players the ability to create gorgeously detailed homes with curves, angles, swimming pools (with ladders!), balconies, fountains...and a plethora of other options.  The houses I create are generally boxy and ugly but are mostly functional.

But who cares about the building tools!  Everyone knows that the best part of The Sims is actually creating a new Sim.  The Sims 4 has given players the ability to shape and mold their Sim into virtually any vision they want.  Want to create a family of green skinned alien people?  Totally possible.  Want a family to only dress up in clown costumes?  That's weird, but it's your world.  As you pick outfits, design makeup, and create your ideal Sim you then get to the best part--playing with genetics.  At the click of a few buttons you can combine the looks of two Sims to create the offspring of your creations.  It's fun to punch that little random button and see all the possibilities.

Even though I only possess the base game, I have found that the number of possibilities--career and aspiration wise--create a wide enough range of skills and outcomes to keep me entertained.  My Sims are dishwashers, secret agents, astronauts, athletes,...they like to paint, fish, collect, make friends, or just be alone.

So, I've been having fun populating my little electronic world.  Don't judge.  I do have a few gripes though.  In The Sims 4 your Sims are fully autonomous--they make their own decisions and live their own lives when you aren't controlling them.  They make new friends, take new lovers (Vivian, you slut!), and age up all on their own.  I didn't realize this until I found that the Sims in one of my first new households were all ghosts after I hadn't played them in awhile.  If you're like me and don't like this feature you can turn off the full autonomy and the aging up of unplayed households in the options menu.

My biggest gripe is with the blatant amount of moneymaking DLC that is popped out for The Sims games.  There is DLC for new careers, for outdoor adventures, for the perfect patio, for parties, for new outfits, for fancy household items, and the list goes on and on.  You could easily spend hundreds on all the myriad add-ons!  It's a little ridiculous.

One of the bright spots that I haven't really utilized is the community gallery feature.  Players can download Sims, rooms, homes, community buildings and any of the other in-game features from a huge library created by others.  It's very cool and humbling to see what others have created.

I'm going to keep playing The Sims 4 even if I am a little embarrassed to admit it.  There are careers to master and genetics to manipulate in my little virtual world.

Grab Bag

Lately I really can't decide what I want to play.  I'm not playing anything new but aimlessly bouncing between random games that I didn't do justice to on the first go-round.  As a result of this unsettled play I'm just going to write some random thoughts about the games I have been playing or thinking about.

1.) No Man's Sky--Hype or Hyper-tastic space game?
Unless you've been totally out of the gaming loop you know that the highly anticipated and much delayed No Man's Sky was released on consoles (and delayed but soon to be released on PC).  The concept of the game sounds pretty amazing--almost limitless procedurally generated planets to explore.  What gamer wouldn't jump at the chance to have that at their fingertips?  Well...me, for one.  I have this really deep gut feeling that this infinite universe will be nothing but a beautifully empty repetitive grindfest that will get old really fast.  I've always leaned towards games with a strong story so I won't be buying into the hype.  It's just not for me.  I hope it turns out well for those who have been anxiously awaiting it's release.

2.) Fallout 4--A love/hate relationship.
Even though I have complained about how I didn't have great feelings about Fallout 4, it has still found a way to pull me back in.  The reality is that I can always find something new to do in the massive world of the Commonwealth.  Currently I'm on a quest to find all the bobbleheads--I only need two more!  I'm also enjoying the faction change to the Brotherhood of Steel.  Sure, they are a bunch of highly armored jerkfaces, but they have a cool airship.

This go-round I decided to ditch Dogmeat (sorry boy) and travel with Piper.  I swear if she complains about how something smells one more time...she's going to get a hot shishkebab to the face.  There is one person who is considerably less annoying, Preston Garvey.  The changes to make him request your help to sort out this or that random settler who got themselves kidnapped over and over is no longer an issue.

Sigh...I've gotta find those last stupid bobbleheads.  (And no, I won't look up a guide...yet.)

3.) The Witcher 3--Toussaintastic.
I love, love, love The Witcher 3 and am now really sad that I have finished the last piece of DLC for it.  If you haven't picked up Blood and Wine yet or are skeptical about it--don't be.  Unlike the DLC for Fallout 4 (which has horribly negative reviews on Steam), this DLC is meaty and full of content that will extend Geralt's adventures for many, many hours.  If you haven't bought any of the DLC you can wait for the upcoming Game of the Year Edition which should offer the complete adventure.

Toussaint offers the chance to play a more traditional type of hero and to play even more gwent.  Geralt gets the chance to be a noble knight, to rescue a princess, and to live in his own personal castle.  There is much monster slaying along the way and plenty of new locations to explore.

I'm actually thinking of starting up another game on the highest difficulty setting.  It would be my fourth or fifth game...yeah, I really enjoy Witchering.

4.) Mass Effect 3--Garrus + Shepard for life.
Almost every summer I find myself returning to the Mass Effect universe.  I have managed to play a Shepard who has had a romantic relationship with almost every option in the game.  The one big one that I had skipped up until now was Garrus.  What was I thinking?  Garrus is absolutely the best romantic option for Shep.  Go back and play that relationship from ME2 onward and tell me that you don't love it.

I think that part of the reason I avoided it was because there was just something really weird about the alien/human dynamic.  Plus, Turians are kind of weird looking.  But, as a character, Garrus has always been one of my favorites.  He's tough and has a sense of honor, but he is also flawed.  He gets frustrated with all the Turian rule following  and is kind of awkward.  That awkwardness is definitely endearing--the early stages of the Garrus/Shep relationship involve much worry about how it all is supposed to work...awkward talks about vids and figuring things out.

The one thing that really sold me on the Garrus/Shep relationship happens in the Citadel DLC in ME3.  As you enjoy spending time with your crewmates Garrus invites you to hang out at the casino on the Silversun Strip.  In the non-romantic options you find Shep trying to set Garrus up with a lovely lady Turian.  Forget that option even exists!  Now you find yourself in the bar and the music changes to a tango (I think.....) and Garrus sweeps Shepard onto the dancefloor where he reveals that he has been taking dance lessons.  It's completely silly to see two fairly serious characters dancing a tango in the middle of a space crisis--but it's totally worth it.  In all the time that the game and DLC have been out I can't believe that I missed this genuinely awesome relationship.

Now, to just hope that Mass Effect:  Andromeda is able to reproduce all those awesome characters and moments.  Fingers crossed.