New release: Dark Reign 2
Edit: Uh, and it’s only $5.99, which makes it cheaper than the first Dark Reign. Now why is that?
It’s reasons like this I went to 32 bit. A lot of game installers wouldn’t even work on 64 bit Windows. I just snagged Heretic II, and it works brilliantly.
Dark Reign 2 doesn’t have an expansion?
Why is Space Rangers 2 Reboot better than Space Rangers 2?
It’s not “better than”, it just adds more awesomeness to an already awesome game. The official site states:
5 new text quests!
27 new maps for planetary battles!
10 new maps for hyperspace battles.
New government tasks.
New equipment and unique hull designs, including three super spaceships.
New game modes: step-by-step progress through text quests and planetary battles.
Expanded interface of ship’s hold and information center.
More than 50 new governmental tasks of different types.
New unique equipment.
Galaxy search system improved.
I have a GoGish question regarding their RPG collection.
If my primary interest in RPGs is exploring and seeing the sights, which of the RPGs they have available would be good choices to look into?
Don’t you have a shiny new PC? Do you want my surplus Steam copy of Gothic3?
Yeah, the Gothic series (either Gothic 1 or Gothic 2 Gold) is the best bet if you want loads of exploration in your RPGs.
The first two games are a bit more dated… and probably aren’t that great for exploration unless you’re also willing to take on the general difficulty. They have fantastic worlds… which are very hostile.
And not exactly an RPG, but Outcast has a great exploratory element too.
I do have a shiny new PC, yes! I’ve been doing that ‘revisiting old games with everything maxed out’ thing while also scratching a more recent RPG itch.
They do need some unofficial patches, tweaks and mods to be at all playable, but once that’s done they’re very enjoyable games. I’m just finishing up Gothic 1 and apart from the control scheme invented by Satan himself, it’s a joy to play. Stable, 60fps, better textures, better draw distance &c.
- Still damn hard, though. But the control scheme is by far the most trying aspect of the game, and you will get almost-used to it eventually.
Paul_cze
3855
The control scheme can be customized in menu to standard WSAD + mouse layout. Then the only thing remaining unintuitive is the inventory, which is truly bad (but fixed in G2).
That’s technically true. But it’s not that simple. The big problem with G1 is that the way you interface with the game is completely mad. You can re-bind the keys so you strafe on A & D, but you can’t actually strafe in the game. You can sort of stagger-flail-reel sideways, in increments. Same thing for interacting with stuff: you can re-bind the “use” key, but doing so doesn’t make it a “use” it. It just includes it in the deranged combo of pointless & annoying key presses you have to execute to interact with whatever you’re attempting to interact with.
It’s a theme, really: you can only do stuff in the game in the weirdest, most pointlessly over-complicated manner imaginable, and even then you’ll only get maybe half the result in-game you were expecting. If you’re lucky.
But like I said, you can almost get used to it. By which I mean you can grow proficient with it, but it will always feel really, really wrong. A great pity in an otherwise deeply engrossing game.
Paul_cze
3857
When you use mouse, the “use” function is done by pressing left mouse button and “W” - for example when you want to pick up something. Personally I do not find it that bad (although in G2, only left mouse button is necessary). Strafing is weird, but also improved in G2.
I got used to the controls after about an hour, then it was ok. The only pain is really the inventory, that just plain sucks.
I like the combat in G1 and G2, how you swing your sword according to which direction button you press (W,A,D) and speed.
I’ll make my usual G1 interface comment - it’s fine if you play keyboard only, including the inventory. You can even switch to keyboard-only just for trading etc.
If you’re doing the retro thing you might as well do it properly.
Yeah… Remember this was all the way back in 2001 when mice were this not the least bit new thing, and games had only just been supporting them for ages :p
In fact, G1 was released right around the same time as Severance:BoD, a game that was at least a little bit famous for both having great controls and vaguely Beat 'Em Up-like third person fantasy combat. In other words: the exact same stuff as G1, only not made of finely distilled fail & suck.
The Gothics were actually intended for consoles and only ended up on PC because they couldn’t make them work on the hardware of the time. I’m reasonably sure mouse was an afterthought for them.
New releases:
Pinball Gold Pack (contains Pinball Dreams 1 and 2, Pinball Fantasies, Pinball Mania, and Pinball Illusions)
Total Annihilation Kingdoms + Expansion
