dthree's Blog - 2old2play

TOCA, I mean GRID demo

Only got about an hour with it, and with the controller only�no wheel. So far it's looking REALLY nice. The damage physics are going to create a new style of gameplay: don't crash. Smack a wall with any bit of force and your car will be steering towards that side if your suspension parts were damaged. To top that off, the damage effects are speed sensitive; the amount of countersteer you need to use to offset a damaged suspension differs based on your speed. This is on top of some of the most realistic driving physics to date. It is much less "floaty" than Forza 2. My only nitpick is that the realism of the driving physics goes away when you drop a wheel off the track or even get into a tangle in a corner. I know that they are trying to create a fair game balance so that you can't just bounce off other cars to make your corners at higher-than-possible speeds or run through the grass to beat times, but the way they "punish" you for making a mistake is not realistic at all. I autocross cars, I watch racing in person and on tv a lot. Cars just don't do instant 180s when dropping a wheel off the track. Its so surprising when it happens because the on-track physics are very convincing, I just don't expect it. I had this same complaint with TOCA, but this time they have added instant-180 punishment to on-track scuffles too; physics be damned. An example: I was making a tight right-hander on the europe track when i turned my NOSE into another car, so of course is was perfectly natural for my rear end to step out the OPPOSITE direction, slide exactly 180°, and come to an abrupt stop facing directly against the track direction. Note that I had not applied the brakes AT ALL during this maneuver. Watching the replay, it was like an invisible hand had pushed the car around, almost comical how it defied physics. I'll probably end up buying the game despite this, because I really want to like it. TOCA was great fun and the best online racer before Forza. I'll just remember 2 rules: stay on the track at all times and don't touch any other cars!

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GTA snore

I may not be the only one in the universe that finds a certain lack of excitement for GTA4, but it sure seems like it.

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Once more off into the breech...of timmies

Had to get in some COD4 online just to make sure I knew at a basic level what the hell goes on in there before I join the other curmudgeons in battle. Also wanted to level up A LITTLE, having not played it online at all yet. Team play was punishingly unfun. Not because I suck, but either teammates would just babble incessantly, or just push WAY out of the realm of trashtalking into outright meanspirited insults. For example, after getting hung up on a notched wall by a door trying to go out, I inadvertently delayed another teammates exit by 2 seconds. You would have thought my ineptness killed his dog. End of that game in the lobby, I'm the worst player on the team. Ha, big surprise there. I'm level 2! Obviously I'm bad I JUST STARTED PLAYING! Well apparently, high-level players expect everyone to be an expert out of the gate as one of them basically blames me for the team loss: "killswitch, why don't you just kill yourself?"

Another team game, some prepubscent hip-hop fan badly raps through the ENTIRE GAME. Everyone else must have had him on mute or something. I get killed twice looking through the menus for a mute function. No one else talks. 2nd game with MC timmie and he is a little more quiet until a small issue pops up. Went something like this:

MC: killswitch, stop breathing
MC: killswitch, stop breathing
MC: killswitch, stop breathing
MC: killswitch, stop breathing
(fair enough, I adjust my mic so its not triggered by breathing)
ME: OK, fixed
MC: Are you gay?
ME: What?
MC: You sound gay.
ME: You sound 12.
MC: you admit your gay?
ME: No I didn't.
MC: you sound gay.
ME: Just stfu and play.
MC: Killswitch, How old are you?
MC: Killswitch, How old are you?
MC: Killswitch, How old are you?
MC: Killswitch, How old are you?
Other player: he's old enough to be your dad.
ME: Thats right, now stfu.
Etc.
At this point, I have to get away from MC timmie and I figure I shouldn't be dragging teams down so I go into free-for-all mode. Nothing builds up confidence better than getting your ass kicked by players 40 levels above you.

Can't wait to play this with you guys instead.

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Joined a Clan

Seems like such a timmie thing in essence, but you gotta love the enthusiasm of the clans here, and the names! "Pension Plan Commandos", "Low Rollers", "Coffin Dodgers", and my personal favorite "Strategic Insomniacs". How could I resist the opportunity to play with cool people like this. Knowing I have no fountainhead of free time, I had to go with the Curmudgen Grudge. Now we'll see what happens when a clan game gets in the way of my kid's R6V2 time. "Oops, son. Sorry I accidentally downgraded your account to silver. I'll fix that right away...next week."

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5 Second review of the Halo 3 beta

Crackdown is actually a pretty cool game.

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60 second review of the forza 2 demo

Being a PS2 ex-pat, I have been looking for something to quench my Gran Turismo thirst. I've heard a lot of good things about Forza 2 (and a lot of hype) and was hoping that it could do the trick. After playing the demo for a couple of hours, here I found that F2 may be a good GT replacment. On the good side, the game looks great, the car selection is nice, and the cars are very drivable with the 360 controller. (I haven't invested in a 360 wheel yet) I really like the how the racing line hint system is dynamic and changes (color to indicate braking) based on actual car speed. The telemetry stuff is facinating to watch during replay, although turning it on while racing might be a bit distracting. On the bad side, the AI drivers are really bad sports. They WILL run you off the track to stay on their line, they will tap your car in a turn and set your car off balance, sometimes to their own detriment, and the block position ruthlessly. The worst part about this has to do with the penalty system. If you hit someone, you get a penalty (time subtracted from your lap time) but if someone hits you, you ALSO get a penalty! WTF? Not only that but often when someone hits you, the car's balance is offset and you are likely to stick 2 wheels in the grass for a few seconds as a result. Guess what, more penalty time. Cheap. Another problem (IMHO) is the "magnetic" grass. Everytime I get near the edge of the track, it seems like the grass pulls my car towards it, and don't dare drop a wheel in the grass breifly or the magnet gets stronger, pulling your whole car into it before you know it. This made me so nervous that I was afraid to take a line that would put me near any track edge without a curb. It messed my line up so bad on the last turn that I still never really got that one right. I hope that perhaps other tracks are less sensitive to this problem or maybe a wheel will give me more precise control so it's less of an issue. Still, i think this one will go on my gamefly queue, and perhaps I'll be wheel shopping before I know it.

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OK, I suck a bit less now

Finished GoW on casual. I only had to look up strategies 2 or 3 times and only 1 of them was really helpful. Best thing about it is my kid is afraid to play the game. Thats fine with me, I'll have GoW, he can have Halo 2. Now I'm working on misc acheivements and another run through on hardcore!

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I apparently suck at GoW

I just got this game and I'm embarrased to say its kickin my ass. I'm not stranger to shooters, although I was trained on the mouse and WASD of FPS, so from the start I'm uncomfortable using a controller. I either that or I need more practice on the A-button mechanics, which often send me running around in directions I'm not intending to go. Usually into death. I haven't even thought about online--I'm sure that would be hilarious for my opponents. I was an origina UT junkie so I really want to like this game, but if I can't get over feeling like I'm always running around like a chicked with it's head cut off, I probably never will. Any suggestions?

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2o2p.com 3.0 "alpha"?

Kudos to the designers and programmers of the new site. Everything looks great and it's amazing that got so much done over one weekend. Its really modest to call this an alpha; I've seen professionally produced sites that don't look as good or work as well on release, let alone alpha or beta.

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Finally...

Broke 1000 with my GS. Yeah, I know its pathetic, but I haven't had the 360 very long and I don't get that much time to play so I gotta celebrate the small milestones. Thanks to Double Agent for pushing me over the edge.

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Hi, my name is d3, and my son...is a Timmie.

I didn't want to admit it, but I have seen the signs and cannot live the lie any more. He may try to deny it, but its as plain as the pimple on the nose on his face. He is often rude and demanding on the headset to his teammates, celebrates accidental kills with boasts of superior skills, and somehow manages to annoy me even when I am not playing and he is. Worst of all, he's starting to beat me in games i play more than him. (but not GHII, luckily) Well, he will find out the negative consequences of pwning his dad: I control the $, I control the internet access, and most importantly, I control bedtime. HA!

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I'm . . . old

Hi everyone. Guess this is the place I belong now that I find playing online a punishing, annoying experience with all the youngins shrill voices and crude blather. Looking forward to finding people for great games and other fun. I'll post about memorable or not-so-memorable games here.

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