What're you playing Multiplayer?

[Mochan]

Just wanted to ask what people here are playing with their buddies, and if anyone here actually games with each other over the net. Oh, aside from NWN, hehehe. Do people here still play Ghost Recon or is it all Battlefield? Anyone doing MMORPGs, or playing Unreal Tourney, or what?

[Hieremias]

I've never gamed with any of these guys online. But I have and play UT2004, I'd be up for a match if you're interested. I threw the challenge to Aku a while ago but he hasn't accepted yet. :)

[Suicides-by-Steve]

In about another month, it's going to be Guild Wars... For now though, I still fart around on Adventure Island... probably more than is healthy, but at least my wife is there, playing just as much! ;)

[Renzatic Gear]

I'm probably gonna be playing Guild Wars...it's like the new Dungeon Siege but with more cool.

[Mochan]

Hieremias, I'll take you up on that once I buy UT2k4, get a new computer table and input device (my left hand has been suffering severe strain due to bad ergonomics) and practice like mad for a month so I won't look like a fool trying to fight you. :)

[Mochan]

I also intend to get Guildwars so I might see you two there sometime.

[Hieremias]

Hieremias, I'll take you up on that once I buy UT2k4, get a new computer table and input device (my left hand has been suffering severe strain due to bad ergonomics) and practice like mad for a month so I won't look like a fool trying to fight you. :)
Well, I'm not exactly a great player. Ask Renzatic, he wiped the floor with me when the UT2004 demo came out. Now, I have improved since then, and I'm far better in Onslaught that Deathmatch simply because Onslaught is centered on vehicles. On foot I'm pretty useless, in a Manta I'm wicked dangerous. :)

A new input device? Dude, that's bad, you're too young to be getting carpal tunnel already. What were you using before? Anyway, once you've gotten things sorted out let me know. Don't worry about practicing too much.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

I'm probably gonna be playing Guild Wars...it's like the new Dungeon Siege but with more cool.

Cool- we'll have to see if we can actually breach that mountin range we tried to reach that one night during the beta (I think over the course of 8 hours we only opened up about an inch on the map towards the mountains). Huge map that is. I should have loads of fun opening it up. Speaking of, I've not joined since then... I want the game to be more of a surprise when the game officially launches. I showed my wife it last night, and she'll be aboard too. I may be picking up a new comp before Mothers' Day now... We'll need if for GW.

[Renzatic Gear]

Have you checked out the newest screenshots for the game yet? It looks like they've finally got some interiors for us to play in.

As far as UT2k4 goes, it's been so long since I've played it that I probably suck now. But I might fire it up again here in the near future to see how I do. ;)

[Mochan]

I used to be a force to be reckoned with in FPS shooters, although I was always a FAR better player in games like Rogue Spear and even Counter Strike as opposed to Quake-style gameplay (which I was always bad to mediocre at). From what I can tell, UT is Quake-style so I probably won't be racking up kills there.

That was before my, um, "injury" and these days I have far more trouble killing people mostly just due to lack of practice (I don't quite get to play as much anymore, thus less practice, due to finger and wrist fatigue).

I don't think I'm getting carpal tunnel. I did some research into it and it says CTS is linked to the finger musles growing out of symmetry, and it causes sharp pains down your hand and forearm. This is supposedly a constant pain.

I have no such problems, my problem is probably just overstraining due to a weird position. I'm currently using, well, a keyboard and a mouse. The problem is that the table I'm using it on has little room for the keyboard and even less (actually zero) room for my arm to rest on so I end up having to contort my hand position for starters, and second supporting it with my own muscles rather than the table.

This ends up causing undue strain I believe. One of these days I should get a doctor to take a look at it just to see what exactly is going on.

However I did have issues with my left middle finger before. THis was a weird one, once while playing CS, due to the WASD position needing to keep your middle finger constantly unaligned with the rest of your fingers, it developed a sharp pain for a brief moment which jolted me enough to get me killed.

Well afterwards it went away but it sort of throbs whenever I get into the WASD position and from thereon prolonged playing resulted in a soft pain. I quite playing after that for several months and nowadays I don't get that problem anymore. But I do get strain problems with my left hand, my hands can't hold the WASD position for extended periods any longer without feeling very tired.

This, compounded with the wrist problem, have told me it's time to get a new computer table and, if possible a new input device.

I've been looking to get the Microsoft Strategic Commander, looks extremely cool and exactly what I want, but it seems Microsoft has discontinued the product.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Have you checked out the newest screenshots for the game yet? It looks like they've finally got some interiors for us to play in.


Yeah, true, but I can't tell for sure if it's a LARGE interior, or a tight, cramped dungeon. I'm certain that the current iteration of the engine is incapable of rendering small indoor environments. Hope I'm wrong however. It would be a shame not being able to enter a single-dwelling home, or an Inn for example. :(

[Renzatic Gear]

If it can render big enviroments then it can render small easily...it's just a matter of the developers wanting to put em in the game. Sadly, it doesn't seem like they do.

It's a huge shame, I'd love to be able to explore little houses and caves along the open road.

[Mochan]

Why would it be incapable of rendering small interiors?

[E.T.]

I've been looking to get the Microsoft Strategic Commander, looks extremely cool and exactly what I want, but it seems Microsoft has discontinued the product.

Hey Mochan,
There is a NEW unit, in box on eBay @ the moment for $18.
Item number: 5163459017

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Why would it be incapable of rendering small interiors?

I'm not saying it is... but like some games that are only limited to drawing smaller outdoor areas (for whatever reasons- RAM limitations etc.), I'm supposing that the reverse may be opposite here. For any number of reasons. Reasons such as Camera clipping or control issues. If they have it implemented, then why did we see nothing of it in the Beta? The indoor environments that I did hear of... where GIANT, cavernous rooms, with the ceiling so high up to make small dungeon corridors virtually non-existant.

Taken from an extensive (http://www.gwrage.com/fftotal.php) interview:

"Anyway, the caves have the look and feel that you're asking about, that of a dungeon or other explorable interior area, and while it is true that the mission map as a whole is not entirely inside, this significant map feature do provide that indoors experience.

The last time I asked about areas and levels, I understood that we probably will not have entire missions in an interior setting for Chapter I of Guild Wars. But we will have areas, such as the ice caves, that present an interior setting as part of a mission. It may well be that we will see extensive interior settings in a subsequent chapter of Guild Wars."

I don't think it's possible personally, for technical reasons... whatever they may be.

[BaneNWN]

Guild Wars sounds intersting and from the screenshots ive seen id say its a good possibility ill be picking it up.Played Neverwinters nights alot for over a year and this looks like a breath of fresh air,even know NWN has endless mods after a while you feel like you have played them all.Im not saying NWN is a bad game its probably my 2nd fav game of all time but i need something new and looks like GW might be what im looking for, and i refuse to pay to play.I just dont agree with paying 50$ for a game then pay 14$ a month to play it.If there going to do something like that they should just sell the game for 5 $ then add a monthley fee.Since GW is free to play ill deffinetly be getting it seems how everyone seems to think highly of it.Ive come to these boards a long time and any advice ive ever gotten from here ive never been dissapointed so i trust you on this one.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

BaneNWN just a question regarding NWN- have you ever played on a Persistant World server, where your character is saved server-side? It's probably the best example of the way NWN can be played online. The single-player modules can get repetitive, but again, it depends entirely on the quality. Good to see that I'm not the only one who has decided to take a stand on the refusing to pay aspect of gaming. Like I said before, once we all start paying for that, what will be paying for next... patches and new maps? No thanks. See you in Guild Wars!

http://www.guildwars.com/images/JPG/gwscreens/gwscreen059-page.jpg

[Renzatic Gear]

Looking at that shot you can tell that it's made by some of the guys from World of Warcraft. It looks awesome.

Oh yeah, I'm trying to get a beta key for the 18th, but so far none of the sites have put up registration yet.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Hmm, I have a key... or did I already give you... Oh damn, I gave it to a friend of mine that he played for all of an hour... what a waste! Sorry man, if I had it, I would have given it to you. I'm thinking I'm going to play myself again though... for a couple reasons. A) I want the old lady to see what the game looks and plays like, and B) Apparently the devs are handing out bonuses to those who make it pretty far into the game, as well as GM'd events... Either way though... I can't wait for this title. It should suck me in for quite a while.

PS- I'll give it to you regardless, maybe the game didn't process the key since it was used less than an hour...

[Renzatic Gear]

Either that or I'll end up using your friends account.

Stop by ICQ later on tonight, I usually pop in on occasion but you're never there anymore.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

Don't have it installed- I'll either PM it to you, or email it.

[Mochan]

There's another Beta this 18th? Can't anyone join in like before? I applied for a day off on the 18th so it might be a good opportunity to join up.

[Suicides-by-Steve]

You need to prepay for the game (5 bucks down generally) to get a passkey to join the Betas after the first, original, free weekend. In the pre-order box, you get a key for yourself, and a special one-time Invite a Friend Key.

[Renzatic Gear]

I thought that was only if you preordered online. If that's the case I might just run down to EB and plunk down my cash for it.

[BaneNWN]

BaneNWN just a question regarding NWN- have you ever played on a Persistant World server, where your character is saved server-side? It's probably the best example of the way NWN can be played online. The single-player modules can get repetitive, but again, it depends entirely on the quality. Good to see that I'm not the only one who has decided to take a stand on the refusing to pay aspect of gaming. Like I said before, once we all start paying for that, what will be paying for next... patches and new maps? No thanks. See you in Guild Wars!

http://www.guildwars.com/images/JPG/gwscreens/gwscreen059-page.jpg
SBS yes i have played many PW servers ,and i think the reason i got burned out on it after a year or so is because i played servers where you could get your charecters up to level 20 in a day or 2 and level 40 in less then a week.I honestly had like 40 charecters at level 20 in the year or more i played online.I guess i just got sick of starting over and over with new charecters so often and going to the same place hours on end to level up.


Believe me when i say this that NWN is overall the most enjoyable RPG ive ever played.There has never been an rpg that i could play over a year without getting bored with it.NWN held my interest and you need to realize that i not only just played it i played every single day for a year a minimum of 4 hours a day .heck sometimes id play 12-16 hours straight heh.I know i could go back to NWN just for now i want a break and want to try something alil different.I forgot to mention the main reason i wouldnt pay to play is eventually they will charge a rediculous price of 50$ a month and you know it will happen eventually.This years going rate might be 14$ next year i wouldnt be suprized to see it go up to 18-20 $ a month and they will try to legitimize excuses to bump up the price every year, and theres no way in heck im going to pay the price of a new game every month to play its crazy if you ask me.

[DBS]

I have been tempted with Wow but have yet to pluck down the cash. I been involved in mmrpgs before and after the initial fun I really burned out on the system. It is not so much the monthly fee as it was minimal and if I enjoy something I do not mind spending cash on it but the gameplay for the most part in mmrpg's is lacking. They all have the similar formula and require huge amounts of playtime to even get to a level where you can actually have some fun. Gothic 2, Morrowind, NWN etc have giving me more fun. Guild Wars might be one I actually buy....

[Renzatic Gear]

That isn't the case with WoW. The game is designed for you to cap out within a month or two so you can enjoy the high end game without having to grind your way through. Grinding in general isn't necessary, unlike the other MMO's where you have to fight monsters over and over again for hours on end just to level up.

It also rewards people that don't play it 24/7. If you log out for around 8 hours or dont' play for a couple of days, you get about 2 to 4 hours of double experience points when you come back. That way people that don't play as much can still keep up with their friends...it's a fairly well designed system.

[DBS]

Interesting...guess they thought through what ruins most mmrpgs. I am tempted if I only did not own and have so many game to complete. I know I am behind the times but I recently got into CS-Source and never played CS before. I am addicted to it for the time being. I put down CoDUO online to improve in CS. I seem to be a few years behind everyone now with broadband I am having fun again. Although I see most my other games are sitting.....

[Hieremias]

Interesting...guess they thought through what ruins most mmrpgs. I am tempted if I only did not own and have so many game to complete. I know I am behind the times but I recently got into CS-Source and never played CS before. I am addicted to it for the time being. I put down CoDUO online to improve in CS. I seem to be a few years behind everyone now with broadband I am having fun again. Although I see most my other games are sitting.....
DBS, have you seen the documentary Super Size Me? If not, go watch it. Now mentally replace every mention of McDonald's or fatty food with Counter-Strike. Now imagine what'll happen to you. You won't gain weight or pickle your liver or have lack of energy or destroy your sex life (well, those all might happen, but they're secondary effects). But you will lose all taste for GOOD games, you'll be unhealthily addicted to electronic entertainment's equivalent of junk food. I should know, I've been there.

Pretty soon DBS you'll be screaming that we're all gay n00bs and you'll wish you could TK us when we make you mad. Don't do it, man! Resist!