Little things that annoy the hell out of you

[Ed Oscuro]

Adventure games survive in a more recognizable form in many HOGs (Hidden Object Games), which are everywhere (I fool around with them occasionally). Crazy puzzle logic still exists, and so do item hunts. The way HOGs work, it tends to be much clearer what you need to do in order to get through puzzles since you typically find a needed item in a HOG "by magic," instead of having to guess, and beyond that I haven't seen games implementing exceptionally difficult puzzles or twists of logic, mostly variations on "find / use the widget here".

Visual novels seem more a natural outgrowth of the text adventure. I wouldn't say that there is obvious inspiration moving from one to the other worldwide, as adventure games' heyday was inbetween the ages of text and VNs, but it seems that in Japan the progression was fairly straightforward from text adventures to visual novels.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Early game for me in RL is quite fast paced and fun, and looks like this. Basically I play it like a fast paced arcade action platformer with some planning elements (grab as much gold as possible before death, note the location of the area transitions passages since they contain health that can extend the run, etc.)

Does this work for New Game+ effectively? Because I've read that if haven't levelled up appropriately and speed on ahead it can seriously fuck up game balance (regular mobs taking 8+ hits, everything killing in one hit). It seems like this also means you miss out on a large part of the game, the item and class progression, if you play this way. Basically, pick your poison - either the game forces you to play it as a low level run, likely missing out on a whole bunch of the available abilities in the game in the process due to the requirement for gold investments, or it's a grinder's paradise where it's a constant cycle of grinding for money to die and invest even more money. This doesn't sound like fun platformer design to me.

At least in Megaman games for instance you could play for no death/no damage/speedruns without feeling like you miss out on using half the potential abilities in the game by doing so.

[Squire Grooktook]

Except the mechanics when you start out are paint-drying level boring. I've watched low death speedruns - you have no dash, no doublejump, no MP whatsoever,

No dash or double jump in a low death run is false. You can easily get dash or double jump after your first death if you play halfway decently (and the rng doesn't screw you over, of course), as the treasure chests that contain them can spawn in the very first area of the castle (and everywhere else) on the very first life. MP is only really for "bombing" certain hard sections. Or if you're the all powerful spellblade, otherwise you'll never have enough even if you grind to pump it.

I actually really, really like the controls, basic move set, and fighting style in RL. It feels like Iga's smooth Metroidvania control's, but with a slightly faster move speed, more random reflex attacks to dodge, and perhaps best of all, the ability to move while attacking (THANK ALL THAT IS HOLY).

Does this work for New Game+ effectively? ...Basically, pick your poison - either the game forces you to play it as a low level run, likely missing out on a whole bunch of the available abilities...

There are hardly any abilities in the game to miss. The few extra powers you can unlock (the mobility runes, spellblade) can be unlocked around mid-game or earlier even on a low level run. Those are the only things that can be counted as "abilities", otherwise there are no additional spells or weapons to get, just stat upgrades. The Jump and Slash you have at the beginning are your bread and butter the whole way through, whether you grind or not. You're best off thinking of it like an arcade action platformer focused on mastering a single set of mechanics.

I've never bothered with New Game+. It's a fun dash through, but I've never taken it seriously due to how much of a clusterfuck it is. The difficulty and patterns you dodge in the base loop feel perfect to me, so I don't see much point in it. Then again, I've never had any interest in Mushi Ultra either.

[Mischief Maker]

If there's one thing Brutal Legend taught me, it's that you can take all the narrative and humor of an adventure game, transplant it into a superior genre, and nothing is lost.

[Xyga]

Brown Recluse spider invasion now confirmed in my area (southern France).

First two victims taken care of in nearby hospitals.

And I just found one 'fresh' dead that fell from a sheet while I was hanging up laundry (meaning it was there, alive, when I was busy stuffing the washing machine).

...

No. Fuck NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!

I live there, I am arachnophobic, I don't want that, nonononononononono please nuke the area from orbit, I don't care. TT

[emphatic]

^Holy crap, Brown Recluse are nasty. :/

[brentsg]

Brown Recluse spider invasion now confirmed in my area (southern France).

First two victims taken care of in nearby hospitals.

And I just found one 'fresh' dead that fell from a sheet while I was hanging up laundry (meaning it was there, alive, when I was busy stuffing the washing machine).

...

No. Fuck NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!

I live there, I am arachnophobic, I don't want that, nonononononononono please nuke the area from orbit, I don't care. TT

Keep clutter off the floor. Get rid of any cardboard boxes in storage, replace with rubbermaid containers or similar. Put down a lot of glue traps. Get used to shaking out clothing and blankets, etc before using them. Have a professional treat and spray, mostly to eliminate the spiders' food. Pesticides aren't all that effective against the spiders themselves, but obviously will kill them if sprayed directly.

Be patient and vigilant mostly.. I had an infestation several years back, where I could go to my finished basement in the middle of the night and usually see some when I flipped on the lights.

Regarding the glue traps, I put so many in strategic locations that I numbered and dated them. I had a spreadsheet detailing the location of each. I then checked them regularly and used the date and location sheet to keep track of what I caught and where. Obviously, replace traps as needed. You should wind up with a good sense of where they are living, and also where food is available to them. You can target these areas with treatment, but the traps are nice because they monitor and eliminate.

You also may determine that you don't have a problem other then the occasional visitor. Either way you will feel better knowing that you are doing something proactive.

[Xyga]

^ I certainly hope it was just an 'occasional visitor' case, but thinking I may have spent the last two nights sleeping with it around my bed is just giving me repeated heart attacks.
If I ever see another one I'll try some cockroach traps and take notes as you suggest (obviously no store sells spider traps here)

We're not used to that around here, but lately we've seen the arrival of the Asian Hornet, Tiger Mosquito, and now that little horror...definitely those consecutive warmer summers and the recent heat wave are helping those species with invading new territories.
Some individuals were reported seen here and there years ago but not even one bite was reported, and definitely no infestation. Things could change...

Now I'm thinking I've received a package from the US recently, and the box stayed in that same room since then... wait ... Ed ! what have you done !?

[brentsg]

These work well and are very small. The picture here is actually 3 traps that weren't separated.

They also have an optional strip of adhesive on the bottom that can be used to keep them from moving around. Easily small enough to hide and not be a nuisance.

http://www.amazon.com/Trapper-Insect-Gr ... B002Y6JHES

edit: The little holes let you see if anything is in there.

[system11]

Ants.

Woken up while taking a snooze this afternoon, girlfriend in a panic.

Downstairs, flying ants and normal ants are all over an area of the house near the front door. best guess is the downpour we has this afternoon blocked their next exit so they came up through the house instead. Annoying since we'd only had the front of the house sprayed for ants nests a few weeks ago.

[Ed Oscuro]

#liftplay

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petiti ... es-america (only 99,642 signatures to go!)

Now I'm thinking I've received a package from the US recently, and the box stayed in that same room since then... wait ... Ed ! what have you done !?

We actually do get a lot of little visitors here - but harmless ones
I wouldn't want to mess with poisonous spiders, but most spiders are harmless. A week ago I went to grab a fairly large spider, hiding next to some wood molding about four feet off the ground, inside a handkerchief to put outside. When I looked he was gone, didn't see him move, didn't see him on the ground or on nearby furniture, just poof. Spiders are little ninjas

Anyhow, I don't think it's likely I shipped anything - that box was not on the floor and was sealed up all the time, and the shipping box was fresh from the Post Office, of course, but I will continue to make sure I keep stuff stored away in bins. I will make sure to check carefully in the future.

It's funny, my first copy of Dracula X68000 had some spindly Japanese spider that had gotten in behind the plastic shell and died, probably a very long time ago.

[BrianC]

I agree partially about Adventure games, but I enjoyed a few of the Lucasarts games. I haven't played enough of Sierra games for an opinion, though I have a couple. I first read about that Gabriel Knight 3 puzzle on HG101, if I remember correctly. Sounds like something that would be more at home in DoTT, not something I would expect in a dark and serious game. DoTT had some over the top puzzles, but those at least made sense within the game's universe. I think one of the biggest problems with many Adventure games is the lack of replay value, but the same is true of a lot of puzzle based games.

[brentsg]

Ants.

Woken up while taking a snooze this afternoon, girlfriend in a panic.

Downstairs, flying ants and normal ants are all over an area of the house near the front door. best guess is the downpour we has this afternoon blocked their next exit so they came up through the house instead. Annoying since we'd only had the front of the house sprayed for ants nests a few weeks ago.

They relocate nests to dry ground during heavy rain. I had a gang of them going up my house carrying their eggs, apparently to make a new one in my attic or something. I have woods right behind my house, so I should be able to contribute to any bug related annoyances.

[Stompp]

Sat down to play some DS tonight (it's been a while) and usually the first credit goes pretty smoothly (still working on a 1CC). Did a few credits and nothing worked. Played like a schmuck and wiped royally *sighs* Sometimes it just feels as if I should give up on this and get another hobby

[Mischief Maker]

Let's play narration in general, but ESPECIALLY when they waste time reading out loud the text I'M STARING AT!

[SuperGrafx]

Going to Chipotle and having the family man in front of me place an order for his entire clan.

[BrianC]

Let's play narration in general, but ESPECIALLY when they waste time reading out loud the text I'M STARING AT!

It's especially annoying when I can't find any footage of a game other than let's play or when the voice drowns out the music from the game. Just let me see and hear the game! It's also harder to find specific footage of a Japanese version of some games (I like to see if the games are different) when half of the videos use both the US and JP titles.

[trap15]

Bay Area drivers.

[Lord Satori]

My college website is ridiculously hard to navigate. The only thing I can really find is the list of classes, which is the only reason I've been able to register for the past few semesters. But I can't for the life of me figure out where the hell the degree requirements are. I found it once like a year ago, but I've never been able to find it since. My dad wants me to stop taking random classes and go for a degree, but it's not like I wouldn't if I knew what in the hell I'm supposed to take.

[Ed Oscuro]

Set up an advising appointment and talk to the department chair / head (the person who signs off on your degree award).

[null1024]

Might have said this before, but fuck people who fill the compactor and don't run it.
All you do is press a button. Done!

or, almost as bad -- loading the compactor badly: either leaving gigantic slabs of cardboard to jam everything above it from entering the crush zone, or people putting garbage in the cardboard compactor

My college website is ridiculously hard to navigate. The only thing I can really find is the list of classes, which is the only reason I've been able to register for the past few semesters. But I can't for the life of me figure out where the hell the degree requirements are. I found it once like a year ago, but I've never been able to find it since. My dad wants me to stop taking random classes and go for a degree, but it's not like I wouldn't if I knew what in the hell I'm supposed to take.

Why haven't you talked to your adviser yet?

[Ed Oscuro]

Note: Advisers (that's probably another term for what I was looking for) and the advising office (which has its own advisers) can be two different things. If you know what department you're going to pursue a degree in, you should talk to that department's advisor / head / etc., as their ability to sign off on your degree might mean they can give you better recommendations on what to take than the advising office can; they can sometimes even waive requirements towards a degree based on what you've already done. But you should also talk to people at the advising office.

[CStarFlare]

That feeling you get when you've been friends with someone for a long time but finally get around to adding them on facebook and find out they've liked Michelle Bachmann and Stand With Phil Robertson.

[blackoak]

That feeling you get when you've been friends with someone for a long time but finally get around to adding them on facebook and find out they've liked Michelle Bachmann and Stand With Phil Robertson.

haha, yeah. I quit social media several years back because it was making me hate all my friends and acquaintances.

[Lord Satori]

I never joined in the first place due to that very reason. That and I knew I'd never be able to stop myself from spewing all sorts of stuff without thinking.

[Mischief Maker]

I feel sorry for Michelle Bachmann. She's married to a gay man and apparently she married him young, so if she hasn't stepped out on him she may very well have never felt what it's like to feel a man's desire. Sarah Palin is just as much a dolt, but her husband seems straight, which is why she lacks Bachmann's crazy eyes.

Fuck equality, straight men should support gay rights for our love of straight women, so less of them get sacrificed by their nutty right-wing parents for the sake of some coward's denial.

[Stompp]

Glasses Can't use headphones without getting a headache.

[Xan]

So I wound up buying two different 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapters and on both of them the coloring on the plugs looks to be reversed... wtf?

[BulletMagnet]

When Green Man Gaming's site is moving stupidly slow...and then your checkout expires because it took too long.

[Ed Oscuro]

eating raw tomatoes after fish