Shagger

I bet big Tim will still pay himself a massive bonus as a result of this when he could have not laid off quite so many people. Gaming industry executives are the worst.

According to Google, "Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a medical condition in which there is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body sends and/or receives signals, rather than a structural disease process such as multiple sclerosis or stroke", but that obviously doesn't clarify what it like for the individual and those close to them what it's like to live with. I know she picked the wrong day to test you, but you're both going through something very difficult, so my advice is try to be patient with her.

Once Again, sorry for your loss. We're here if you need us.

Always happy to see another Horizon fan.

I enjoy both kinds of games. But I do tend to prefer Single-player story games, or co-op games that can add story to them.
Horizon Zero Dawn & Forbidden West are my two favorite story-based games.

I've never trusted 3rd party controllers, simply because they have never lasted. Within a month to two months it was trashcan filler. But after reading this, I would be willing to try it if I was to decide to get a third party. One nitpicky thing, is that to me it looks more like the PS5 controller than the PS4 controller. But that may just be me.
It is really interesting to hear someone speaking positively about third party anything. That said, I can't say much else because, while I have seen a few things about it, I haven't used it. So I'm not allowed an opinion on performance. I've never owned a monkey, so I can't comment on their behaviour. Same thing.
Either way, great review.

I feel that what @Reality vs Adventure has described is muscle memory and getting to know game controls. As for weather gaming can help with memory issues, I can see it, but I don't know for sure. And even if if does, I doubt it's a better alternative to reading and metal exercise. 

Thanks.
I hope my family sees justice. They had no right to stop her treatment.
Dialysis is vital for someone with renal failure. And my mum packed her things and left the hospice, to come home. So one day, nurses came one after the other and overdosed her on either fentanyl or tranquillisers.
Then by not draining the excess fluid in her body that had been gathering up, this stupid negligence caused her stomach to swell up, and then the bodily toxins would have kicked in. And I'm sure that malpractice would have worsened her abdominal aortic aneurysm. 

So sorry to hear about that. Our thoughts are with you.

Sadly, I lost my mother on the 9th. My family are going to file a lawsuit. The paramedics who attended to her at home stated that nurses had overdosed her on drugs. The NHS in the UK is just an utter disgrace now, and so not trustworthy.
To make matters worse, the buggers are harassing my sister at the home, seemingly to retrieve a log book with a record of her medication because they know they messed up, big style.
Unfortunately, as my mother lay in hospital, she couldn't receive dialysis again. She was also frail and unresponsive. They also signed her off from dialysis too, which she never agreed to, but the staff from the hospice intervened. My uncle and siblings attended to pay their respects.
The 9th was also my sister's birthday. I have two sisters with the same birthday, but they were born in separate years. So, yeah. That certainly sucked.
The funeral is planned for next week. Going to be a celebration of the life of the most wonderful person in my world, with an obituary, music and no black clothes allowed. Mum was a person of colour, after all. She wasn't a fan of dreary things.
But yeah. It's sad how you cannot even depend on these health specialists.
Rest in peace, mum. ❤️

Great news for everyone who has been waiting to play RDR 2 (one of the best RPGs ever) but couldn't due to it's high price. Currently, there's a flat 67% discount on Steam!
Don't miss this opportunity. We never know when we'll get such a good offer again.
Item: Red Dead Redemption 2
Sale Price: $19.79
Website where the deal can be claimed (Steam): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1174180/Red_Dead_Redemption_2/
The deal is currently live an ends on September 21, 2023.
 
Moderator Edit: Hyperlink removed and replace with the plain link to the Steam Storage in question. Please bear in mind that Hyperlinks are not permitted on this sub-forums as is stated in the Rules and Guidelines for this Sub-Forum.

Welcome to VGR Reverie! Feels great to see you here! 😄

Building meaningful connections through online gaming is a testament to the power of digital communities. These friendships, forged in the realm of virtual battles and shared victories, can be just as genuine as those in the physical world. In some cases, they transcend the online sphere, with individuals cherishing bonds that last for years. While online friends may not be physically present, they offer camaraderie, laughter, and shared experiences. It's not unusual to have your gaming buddies become your confidants, despite never meeting them in person. However, as the post rightly mentions, the dynamics can vary greatly from person to person. It's also worth noting that friendships formed in physical spaces, like college, can easily extend to the virtual realm, reinforcing the idea that genuine connections can thrive in both online and offline settings. Ultimately, the value of these friendships lies in the shared moments and meaningful interactions, regardless of their origin.

I think that's a great idea. They do something very similar to that over on JoyFreak whare the editor's articles get posted as topics. The problem over there is that one of those editors (who shall remain nameless) basically abuses the system and uses thier "articles" to peddle affiliate links, some of which are really shady.
 
However, I am in support of this. I hope @DC can work that in in some automatic way, but in the meantime it might take either myself or @The Blackangel to update a sticky thread for it.

What if we had open discussion on VGR news articles? Or somehow just have VGR news headlines in the Video Game Discussions section under Gaming News. A headline and link under Gaming News would be cool. That way we can always be reminded we have someone dedicating time to write news articles on VGR. 

Welcome to VGR. We're very happy to have you here. What MMO's are you playing at the moment?

My husband and I met and what brought us together partially was our enjoyment of games. We enjoy playing video games together and enjoy discussing games. We don't really have arguments over it or anything. Towards the very beginning of our relationship and he lost his job during COVID he played games and didn't communicate with me for a week, it almost ended there. Discovered he was just upset and down on himself, after he realized I was not going to be put off like that we haven't dealt with that again. Obviously we worked out since we still decided to get married lol. 
In my previous relationships I preferred if they were gamers because I wanted to have that hobby as something we both could be doing. 

Hey there, 
I'm Reverie! I'm 31 and I enjoy video games. Kingdom Hearts is what got me started, but I enjoy FPS and MMORPG's now a days. Looking forward to getting to know you all in the community! 🙂

How Final Fight was made

The story behind the creation of "Final Fight" involved a team of developers who faced many obstacles and made creative decisions that shaped the iconic game it is known today. The narrative behind this process reveals the inspirations, influences and challenges the developers faced in creating one of the most remarkable games in the beat-'em-up genre.
After the release of "Forgotten Worlds" in 1988, Capcom began its search for the next project. It was in this context that the conception of a new side-scrolling action game began to materialize. The team wanted an immersive and exciting experience for players. In that sense, Yoshiki Okamoto, the director and mind behind "Final Fight", found inspiration in the emerging arcade scene.

The "beat-'em-up" genre was on the rise at the time, with titles such as "Double Dragon II: The Revenge" gaining prominence. Okamoto decided to create his own interpretation of this style of play. Drawing on many elements of double dragon such as setting, story and gameplay.
It is worth remembering that Capcom planned to release the sequel to its Fighting game Street Fighter, but due to the scarcity of rom chips in the world, it focused on creating Final Fight.
In this context, the idea of  "Final Fight" arose. The team conceived an action game packed with action and distinct elements. However, due to memory constraints, developers had to get creative in optimizing available resources. The conception of urban scenarios, inspired by works such as "Streets of Fire", directed by Walter Hill, began to take shape.

The choice of Capcom's CPS-1 board represented a turning point. Equipped with a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 processor and the ability to display 4096 colors simultaneously, this card played a key role in the creation of "Final Fight".
The CPS-1 stood out not only for its power, but also for its modular approach that facilitated component replacement, optimizing costs and streamlining game development.

 
The Creative Process and Collaboration
The game's development team has worked tirelessly to create endearing characters and immersive environments. Okamoto and his team were very inspired by the movie "Streets of Fire", to mold characters like Cody Travers, in the creation of scenarios, names of enemies and etc . Creating these elements involved full collaboration between team members.
Initially, Ryu and Ken, from "Street Fighter", were considered as protagonists. However, player feedback and the quest for originality prompted a creative revamp. 
 
 
The "Hugeand Awesome" Approach
 
One of the central approaches in conceiving "Final Fight" was the notion of "huge and incredible". The team recognized that visually imposing characters were endearing to players. This led to the creation of characters larger than the standard for side-scrolling games at the time, allowing them to stand out on screen despite memory limitations.
The fictional city of Metro City was meticulously crafted, blending 1980s urban aesthetics with elements of the cyberpunk genre, resulting in an immersive environment that has captivated players around the world.

Metro City also served as the setting for the game "Captain Commando" in the future.
Mike Haggar, a former wrestler turned mayor, is galvanized into action when his daughter, Jessica, is kidnapped by the Mad Gear gang. Her courage propels him to rescue her and cleanse the city of corruption.
Cody Travers, Jessica's boyfriend, joins the mission to rescue Haggar, bringing his street-fighting techniques and knife skills.
Guy, a martial arts master and friend of Cody's, also joins the fight, adding a strategic dimension to the team.
Cinematic influences are noticeable, with characters inspired by figures such as Jean-Claude Van Damme. The soundtrack also pays homage to the band Guns N' Roses.
The game not only attracted attention for its continue screen, but also contained curious references. The antagonist gang, Mad Gear Gang, originated from Capcom's racing game "Led Storm", released in 1987.
Members of this gang were named after musicians such as Slash and Axl (Guns N' Roses), Simons (Kiss), Abigail (King Diamond), Sodom (German band of the same name), Roxy (Roxy Music), Damnd (The Damned ), Billy (Billy Idol), Sid (Sex Pistols) and Poison (homonymous band).
Braving the streets of Metro City, players encounter the formidable stage boss Hugo Andore, inspired by fighter André the Giant.

Levels
The game features six levels each with a distinct theme such as The Slums, The Park\Subway, The West Side, The Industrial Area, The Bay Area, Uptown. Each level is filled with enemies that players need to defeat in order to progress.

Technical and Creative Challenges
 
The team faced numerous technical and creative obstacles throughout development. The scarcity of memory required optimizations in graphics and animations to fit the available space. Haggar's or Andore's walking animations only show their legs moving, rather than also including their arms, as well as Guy taking up less memory space when walking than when neutral.
Several characters such as Poison and Elgado have had their attack and walking animations reduced. Some sounds were eliminated and intros between stages were also left out.
Additionally, the team faced time and resource constraints. With only four pixel artists working on the game, there was pressure to create high-quality graphics within the limitations. Techniques such as cropping and pasting images were employed to optimize memory usage and create visually striking characters.

Conclusion and Legacy
The development of "Final Fight" was a journey marked by creativity, innovation and overcoming technical challenges. The team managed to create a game that would become a classic, with memorable characters, engaging gameplay and a unique atmosphere. The choices made during development shaped the game and contributed to its enduring legacy in video game history.
The Impact of "Final Fight"
In addition to conquering arcades, "Final Fight" left an indelible mark on video game culture. Its traditional fighting style, memorable characters, and atmospheric urban environments influenced a number of subsequent games. Additionally, the game served as a source of inspiration for future developers looking to create exciting beat-'em-up experiences.
In short, "Final Fight" is a testament to the power of creativity, team collaboration and the ability to overcome challenges to create something truly special. Its impact lives on in the gaming industry to this day, and its legacy lives on through gamers who still appreciate its classic mechanics and intense action.
When any arcade that had one of these machines was released, several players commented on its difficulty and large sprites, in addition to having a great soundtrack. The game was so famous that when a version was released for the Super Nintendo, it forced Sega to launch a beat 'em up in weight on the mega drive, which led to the creation of Streets of Rage, but that's a topic for another video.
imagefinalfight.jfif

Honestly, there's too little here to really generate much to say. I will say that I am a little concerned with the way this game looks. There's a difference between retro and dated, and this digital FMV stuff from the late 90's into the 2000's I'd definitely describe as dated because back then it was never a stylistic choice, that was thier best attempt to make a game look realistic. It's not the same thing as, let's say, pixel graphics because even though it was a style through necessity as the tech was limited, it was style none the less. The last few seconds in particular with the girl struggling with her lighter really do look like shit.

Any entertainment medium can be used to shape our experiences beyond the screen, but gaming is even more engaging and leaves an acute personal connection. If games are independent of government control as it is now, then story telling allows us to have so much creative freedom and there really are no limits. If gaming was under government control like Russia's new gaming initiative, then it no doubt will be used as propaganda to influence minds for dangerous purposes. Or under religious control, your stories will get even more limited. Great story telling arises from creative freedom and that is what allows our imaginations run wild, intriguing us, exhilarating us, a story and fantasy for everyone from all walks of life instead of seclusion. That is the fundamentals of great story telling. Simply having that creative freedom. 
I recently got done playing Mortal Kombat 10 and 11 which is on the extreme end of story telling in games because it is narrative driven. I really enjoyed it; made me a fan. It helped me appreciate all the many characters, good and villain, and the setting, action, visuals, abilities of each character, lore. If MK wasn't narrative driven and was an open world with little story, would it have had as great an impact? Or better? I don't know!!!!! 😁 Just asking.
I love it when games jump to a cut scene. That is what some open worlds tend to lack. One of the best open worlds I've played that is story driven and plenty of cut scenes is Cyberpunk 2077. I've never played anything quite like it in other open worlds. It's extremely immersive, great story including great side quests. It's blown my mind away. It reaches so much inside our very souls, our emotions...the way they put it all together is a standard that open worlds should try to match. Witcher 3 was another they had some excellent cut scenes and side quests. And would you look at that, both made by CD Projekt RED. I didn't even do that on purpose. GTA 5 was excellent too. That game is unique in itself being able to play as 3 different characters, and really appreciating each one of them, even though they were criminals. But the character development made you like them regardless. How can that be? How can you like a criminal? Well, we all did! 😎 
Then you have The Last of Us series. It was a story that if not done right, would have looked like an ordinary apocalypse. But it was told in a brilliant way, capturing your emotions and drawing out tears if you got any. And that is why the game has had tremendous success. I feel like we may be drifting away from this kind of story telling do to developers putting more effort into trying to make every game have an online multiplayer, when instead they could concentrate on better stories. But that is another topic. That is basically taking your creative freedom for granted. 
How does story telling shape our experiences beyond the screen? I'm not sure. We get emotional and fantasy satisfaction of a great story. We get to engage in critical thought and ethical situations. I remember playing The Walking Dead by Telltale Games and that really had an impact on me. Such a dramatic story, and it made me really look at the depth of character in people and ask myself: what if I was stuck in an apocalypse with this person or that person? What would they be like? Even Detroit Become Human made me question: what if...What if AI became that advanced? Would I discriminate? Would I have a relationship with one? Would I be able to recognize their plea for equality? I mean, critical thinking like that is the same as: do animals have feelings when they go to the slaughterhouse to be tortured for food? Do all animals have a higher consciousness with feelings? Yes, of course they fucking do. But some people don't believe that or simply don't care. So the game Detroit Become Human I believe can enhance people's cognitive ability to develop sympathy. I believe this is important to be reminded of our abilities to sympathize, or else you get actual humans being broken apart and thrown into a heap of metal (or bodies). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

@Shortie 
 
I've merged these two topics together as I feel that the topics are similar enough that were is no need to have two separate threads for responses. People can easily say that they've played the new season of Fortnite and share thier thoughts on it within the same post.
 
I've also move the thread to the "Video Games" sub-forum as this is about a specific game instead of gaming in a more general sense.

I know there was no ill intent here, so don't worry about it. We're glad to have you here.

First off, welcome to VGR.
 
The short answer is, it's pretty much essential.
 
The storytelling elements of a video game are no less important than they are in a movie or TV these days. True, video game are more than that with gameplay elements such as tests of reflexes, strategy, teamwork and so on, but a poor storytelling experience can easily nullify all that. I'm temoted to say that because of that active element and direct connection you have through the gameplay, that games may have more potential than a movie or TV show.
 
Of course there are game with no active storytelling elements like competitive online games, but very often even those have lore, characters and things to learn about the worlds they are set in.
 
I'm not gonna say a game needs a good story to matter (Although I will say that about single player games), but exploring and discovering new worlds and following, or even role playing, the characters through those works is my favourite thing about games. 

In that case, they really do need to take some cues from Saints Row. You customised and collected vehicles and then called somebody to bring that vehicle to you whenever and wherever you wanted. Even Farcry 5 had a similar mechanic, so there really in no excuse Rockstar.