StaceyPowers

When I was younger, I didn't understand why anyone would ever buy a console. Our home PC worked great for gaming and did everything else. I felt like it saved money and physical space. Then I got older, computers changed, games evolved, etc. Now I have a laptop which is cheap, but doesn't even have a real video card. I play games on a PS3, and I realize it has some benefits. I like being able to play using my TV screen, I prefer the controller (it's more ergonomic), and it gives my computer a break, probably extending its lifespan. I'm guessing by the nature of this forum that most of you are console gamers, but overall, are you happier that way? Or do some of you still prefer PC?

I want to play that. Do I need to play the other Bioshock games first, or are they all pretty independent of each other?

Quick technical question here. When I load Dragon Age: Origins, sometimes it goes really fast through the screen where it says "Checking Save Data," but other times it hangs on it for like several whole minutes. Does anyone here happen to know why this happens and how I can stop it from happening?

I haven’t completed all the quests in Skyrim, but I’m pretty sure I’ve done like 90% of them (though I haven’t played Dawnguard yet). I love open world games, but they tend to leave a lot of loose ends. Here are some quest lines which I wish were in Skyrim: “The Reach will be ours again!” Of all the quests in the entire game, the Forsworn Conspiracy was the one that came the closest to impacting me on emotional level. I really, really wanted to give the Reach back to the Forsworn. I was super excited to start a revolution, and really let down when I realized the Forsworn I’d helped out could only walk around saying “The Reach will be ours again” indefinitely (really annoying how all the other Forsworn stay hostile too). Fix Windhelm. After the Civil War quest line is completed, there should be a way to start gathering resources and making repairs to this run-down city. If you side with the Imperials, there should also be a way to start fixing the economic and racial disparities in the city. Fix Winterhold. Same basic issue. I’m the Dragonborn. Why can’t I do something about the wreck this town became after half of it fell into the sea or whatever? I really like the College, but Winterhold itself is so useless. “Riften is my great beast to slay.” Mjoll says something like this. I like the Thieves Guild, but Mjoll is one of the more developed characters in the game, and there’s no way to resolve her storyline with wanting to bring order to Riften. It’d be cool if you could choose to side with her and clean up Riften. Not a “quest” per se, but I wish Skyrim let you donate as much money to homeless people as you wanted, and that if you donated a lot, they would get better clothes, a place to live, etc. I wish you could patron all the orphans too. I can save the world from Alduin, but I can’t save it from poverty? What gives? I have way more gold than I need. What quests would you add to Skyrim if you could?

What are some of your favorite songs in video games? I'll share Leliana's song in Dragon Age: Origins: Share your favorites!

Do you enjoy puzzles in video games? Obviously I know a lot of people do, considering there are whole games which are puzzle-based. I've enjoyed puzzle-based games myself, though not too often. I liked Myst way back in the mists of time, but most of the time these days I just seem to find puzzles in video games frustrating and tedious. Actually, they were often tedious and frustrating in Myst as well. It just makes me wonder if anyone finds them relaxing or exciting. For my part, I'm far more likely to want to rage-quit over a puzzle I can't grasp than a boss I can't defeat. Those computer puzzles in Fallout games drive me crazy for example. I'm stubborn though, so I will try repeatedly to hack a terminal until I get it. But it makes me angry the whole time.

What in your opinion are some of the most beautiful game worlds in existence? I’m not necessarily talking about the quality of graphics here—more the aesthetic design of the world, both in terms of nature and architecture. In terms of modern games, I love both Skyrim and Dragon Age. In terms of classic games, I still think Myst and Riven (PC games) are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen.

All Bethesda games I've tried.

Yeah, you can :) My potions skill just isn't high enough yet. At least I finally found a merchant who sells flasks.

Thanks so much for taking the time to type all of this out. That confirms what I was thinking about leveling Alistair wrong (I was distributing his points way too evenly). Funny you haven't figured out Leliana either. One thing I haven't figured out--do merchants restock? If I buy all of a merchant's injury kits, will he restock later, or are they gone forever? I'm on PS3, btw.

I don't know why I forgot to mention the Misty Grove from the quest where you get the Sanguine Rose.

Why can't I picture this? Was I just not paying attention to stuff going on in the background?

A friend sold me his PS3 for cheap with a bunch of games last year, and since then, I’ve fallen in love with my PS3 games. The thing is, I have zero extra space where I live, so I can’t really buy a PS4 unless I was willing to give up my PS3 and 1-live without a lot of games I enjoy, and 2-spend more money buying remasters of those which are available. I’ve opted not to do this.But that means I can’t play any PS4-only titles for the indefinite future. Does anyone not find the lack of backwards compatibility in PS4 maddening? I really, really hope they change this with PS5. But what are the odds they will? I think they have to if they want to stay competitive with Microsoft. What do you all think? For those of you who bought a PS4 and got rid of your PS3, what games do you miss the most? Are you happy with your decision, or do you sometimes regret it? If PS5 isn’t backwards compatible, will you still buy it?

If you’ve seen more than a couple of my posts around here, you probably know that I’m obsessed with The Last of Us. There are a hundred reasons I could give, but probably the main one is that it’s a strong character-driven narrative, and it was easy for me to feel like I was walking in Joel’s and Ellie’s shoes. I got really attached to them, and even though it’s been months since I finished the game, I still think about it at some point of the day on most days. Does anyone have any other recommendations for other character-driven video games with compelling storylines like The Last of Us?

That's why I like that in Skyrim, you can switch back and forth at will, and even circle around your character to admire your gear.

Does anyone here have any tips to offer for combat in Dragon Age: Origins? This is my first play through. I'm playing a fighter class character (which I already regret; I’m totally going to play a mage next time), and for the life of me, I cannot seem to get the hang of group tactics. No matter what I do with the settings, it seems like Alistair is constantly getting himself killed (I think I screwed up distributing his stats from the beginning). I can’t figure out what to do with Leliana, beyond getting her to open chests, and every member of my party seems to have 2-3 injuries at any given time. I open the radial control in the middle of fighting to pause it constantly, but it’s like I still can’t issue orders fast enough. And is it just me, or is there a massive difference between “Casual” and “Normal?” Seriously, it’s like they’re missing 2-3 difficulty tiers. Casual is absurdly easy, and Normal is like “hard” on any other game.

Pretty broad question here. Which video games have the best combat experience? What makes you enjoy them? What do you look for in combat? Customization? Tactical game play? Intuitive controls? For my part, The Last of Us leads the pack. Usually I’m more of a run ‘n gun type rather than a stealth player, and I liked that it pulled me out of my comfort zone and forced me to become patient and strategic. I always felt like every challenge I was facing came down largely to tactics and depended only a little on luck. In a lot of other games, I feel like that situation is reversed, and whether I’m successful hinges mostly on my luck (either because there is only a minor tactical element, or the tactics are simply beyond my capabilities to master).

I don’t think this post needs much of an intro—we all know that MMOs are a huge industry trend, and that single player games are becoming less popular. From a developer standpoint, it makes sense to focus efforts on MMOs—they can easily be monetized for long-term profits. We’re seeing a similar trend with FPS games. Most are focused on arena-style multiplayer combat now, with less and less emphasis on single player campaigns. So, is single player gaming going away? I don’t think it’s ever going to be extinct, but I am concerned we’re going to see relatively few AAA single player games going forward. I actually strongly preferred multiplayer gaming for most of my life, but I’ve come to really enjoy single player games for “getting away from it all” in a pressure-free environment with zero social aspect. If they become a thing of the past, I’ll be really sad to see that. What do y’all foresee in the future for single player gaming?

How does everyone here feel about first person versus third person gaming? For most of my life, first person gaming was pretty much what I was used to. Maybe that’s because I’ve leaned heavily toward FPS games. In any case, I’ve always found it comfortable, intuitive, and immersive. Then I finally got a PS3 (after years of playing nothing but my super old PC games), and I discovered that the vast majority of new games are in third person. Ugh. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say one of the reasons I play Bethesda’s open world games so addictively is because they can be played in first person. Third person gaming not only makes me feel emotionally removed from the action, but whenever I turn, it feels like the world is “spinning” around me in a dizzying way. During combat, I struggle to remain oriented and see what’s going on. I read an explanation once which asserted that some games are in third person because the developers want you to stay a little detached, so that you can feel more comfortable carrying out tasks you might not otherwise. The third person vantage point is a reminder that the character’s motives are driving the action. That does make sense to me. That fits for example with The Last of Us, where all the decisions are Joel’s to make, not the player’s. Then again, The Last of Us also handled third person much better than a lot of other games I’ve played. In combat and while sneaking around obstacles, the camera angle would be close enough to Joel’s actual vantage that I’d sometimes forget I wasn’t playing in first person. As a result, combat was easier and more immersive. I still have a strong preference for first person, but I don’t think third person is going to stop dominating gaming anytime soon. What do you all think?

I was heartbroken when I realized I couldn't join my friend in Elder Scrolls Online because of the lack of crossplay 😞

I call them 'Get me a bucket" quests =D

That's the appeal of the marshes for me. I like them at night with the northern lights too, and the mist glowing. It's eerie, but also really peaceful. At least when a giant isn't trying to murder my poor chickens.

I’ve seen plenty of debates over the merits and drawbacks of open world and linear game formats. I was wondering what you guys and gals prefer? For my part, I lean toward open world games because I like the freedom to follow my curiosity, explore, discover surprises, and transport myself to a different world. It’s relaxing, and the perfect way to unwind before bedtime each night. That being said, it seems a lot harder to craft a compelling narrative within an open world format. To construct a large universe with open possibilities, developers are forced to spread their efforts pretty thin. The result is a lot of loose ends, plot threads that can never be pursued, and so on. So it’s harder for me to become emotionally invested, and when I do, I often end up disappointed when I realize I can’t pursue any sort of closure for a particular story or character. So I think for me the answer is, “It depends on what I’m trying to experience,” but still narrowly leaning toward open world games.

What upcoming video games are y’all most excited to play? For me, it’s The Last of Us: Part II.

That's me as well!