What [not shmup] game are you playing now?

[Lander]

Compatibility levels, eh... Did DoomScript ever end up happening? The Hexen-derived ACS system was still cutting-edge last time I had a serious crack at modding Doom.

I imagine the medium must have advanced some since then, since we're now seeing crazy shit like Selaco coming out of GZDoom.

[vol.2]

looking into the WAD page, -complevel 21 means this extension to what's supported by MBF
and lower down there is the list of supported ports

of those listed, I'd probably use DSDA-Doom or GZDoom if I gave it a go

Ok thanks. It looks like it requires a port with Windows era features, so I can't play these maps in DOS. That's okay; hopefully I can just lower the resolution and play it in 640x480. Doom is something I only like to play on PC monitor. There's something about it that doesn't look right on an LCD.

[null1024]

Compatibility levels, eh... Did DoomScript ever end up happening? The Hexen-derived ACS system was still cutting-edge last time I had a serious crack at modding Doom.

I imagine the medium must have advanced some since then, since we're now seeing crazy shit like Selaco coming out of GZDoom.

Yep. It's ZScript now. GZDoom has had a ton of features for a while.
Personally, when I mess around with Doom mapping, I just go 100% vanilla, including limits.

[Blackfielding]

The last video game I dabbled in wasn’t some epic saga but a neat little browser game called “Snake Color Brake” that I stumbled upon at https://snakecolorbrake.com. Now, don’t let the simplicity fool you; this game’s got layers. You’re controlling a snake made of colored balls, and your mission is to smash through blocks by matching the snake’s color with them. It starts off nice and easy, but soon, the screen’s filling up with blocks, and your reflexes are put to the test. It’s all about strategy, quick thinking, and a bit of luck as you try to survive as long as possible while climbing that global leaderboard. The colorful graphics and seamless gameplay make it a joy to play, even if just for a few minutes. It’s one of those games that’s perfect for killing time, whether you’re on a break or just need a quick distraction from your day. No downloads, no sign-ups, just pure, unfiltered fun right in your browser. It’s a nice reminder that sometimes, the simplest games can offer the most addictive experiences, pulling you in for just one more round before you know it.

[Daytime Waitress]

Compatibility levels, eh... Did DoomScript ever end up happening? The Hexen-derived ACS system was still cutting-edge last time I had a serious crack at modding Doom.

I imagine the medium must have advanced some since then, since we're now seeing crazy shit like Selaco coming out of GZDoom.

Short answer, very yes.
The Eternity Engine sourceport is also capable of putting out its own brand of "how is any of this possible?".

[Lander]

Yep. It's ZScript now. GZDoom has had a ton of features for a while.
Personally, when I mess around with Doom mapping, I just go 100% vanilla, including limits.

Well, if it's good enough for Romero!

I was always on the core gameplay modding side of things - DECORATE, custom weapons, new and unusual ways to play through MAP01-MAP32.
My crowning achievement was probably an ice shard cannon that used frozen enemy gibs as ammo - fun novelty, but poor design in retrospect, since it pushed the player toward total weapon monogamy!

Short answer, very yes.
The Eternity Engine sourceport is also capable of putting out its own brand of "how is any of this possible?".

Impressive! I remember when Doomsday was the port-du-jour for crazy nonstandardized features; portals, custom UI, and all that - there was a nifty 'weapon grab bag' mod for it that replaced regular pickups with randomized shop terminals that had a ridiculous amount of variants on the standard guns. Though we always ended up back at GZDoom or Skulltag for elaborate stuff like Ultimate Torment 'n Torture, good times.

Heartland looks awesome - it's got that John Carpenter urban warfare vibe that Duke 3D did so well. Easy to forget that Doom was once a strictly 2D game, seeing all the room-over-room and moving sector stuff.

[vol.2]

Jazz Jackrabbit. Wow I can't believe I never got around to playing this before. So much fun. It moves so fast and it's so tempting to explore the levels. Lots of repeat value and strategerizing to be had.

[Steven]

I randomly decided to start playing Chrono Ark again this morning. This morning in this case means at 0200 when I should have been sleeping.

I... kind of forgot how to play this game. Also never got used to the changes made in the balance pass between the final beta version and the official release, which does not help.

[evil_ash_xero]

I got back to Stellar Blade, after a long hiatus. I'm trying to decide on going to the "point of no return" before I collect some of
the outfits I want. Seems more tedious than I'd like.

[To Far Away Times]

I’ve been on a Zelda kick recently, trying to finish all the games in the series.

Last week I finished Skyward Sword and today I finished Majora’s Mask.

1) Skyward Sword was pretty cool. I was a big fan of the combat. It’s very involved, probably the best combat in the series. Atleast in the Switch port, it’s neither too hand holdy or too cryptic, and I never once got stuck or needed to use a guide. Puzzle solutions felt like they happened organically, something I’m sure took a lot of work to get just right. Dungeons were well designed. But unfortunately the game does have its share of filler and repetitive areas. It’s a real solid ~20 hour Zelda game stretched out to 30+ hours. A good game, but not quite great due to the filler.

2) Majora’s Mask - I got this game as a kid, and although I could finish Ocarina of Time without too much issue, Majora’s Mask was way too cryptic and frustrating. I ended up dropping it during the third dungeon. I decided to try again some 20 years later using the 3DS port/remake. The 3DS improvements help a ton with reducing some of the frustrating elements. Majora’s Mask had a rushed development, and it shows with how some things aren’t explained as well as they should be and the developers wanted the player to make some pretty big leaps in logic at times. The Zora area in particular has some real rough patches. I did have to refer to a guide a few times, which soured the experience a little. I also didn’t love the 3 day system. But I don’t want to sound too negative. The game saves some of its best moments for last and ends on a really strong note. The atmosphere, vibes, and story are all immaculate. The Stone Temple is one of the best dungeons in the whole series. The ending sequence is also fantastic and surprising. But every way Majora’s Mask’s gameplay diverges from Ocarina of Time tends to make the gameplay worse. I think more highly of it than I did before, but I think this one is somewhere between a low and mid tier Zelda game. It’s a game I want to love but the gameplay holds it back.

[it290]

I got back to Stellar Blade, after a long hiatus. I'm trying to decide on going to the "point of no return" before I collect some of
the outfits I want. Seems more tedious than I'd like.

The outfit collecting is a real drag in this game. The core gameplay is fun, but it's padded out with so much grindy filler between the missions, fishing, pop cans, etc.

[Wooph]

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast on PC has had its online functionality restored recently. I've been having a lot of fun with the online races.

The mod that accomplishes this, plus some other fixes, can be found here.
https://github.com/emoose/OutRun2006Twe ... /README.md

[evil_ash_xero]

I got back to Stellar Blade, after a long hiatus. I'm trying to decide on going to the "point of no return" before I collect some of
the outfits I want. Seems more tedious than I'd like.

The outfit collecting is a real drag in this game. The core gameplay is fun, but it's padded out with so much grindy filler between the missions, fishing, pop cans, etc.

I'm probably gonna skip a lot of it.

[Air Master Burst]

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast on PC has had its online functionality restored recently. I've been having a lot of fun with the online races.

The mod that accomplishes this, plus some other fixes, can be found here.
https://github.com/emoose/OutRun2006Twe ... /README.md

HYPE! Thanks for the heads up!

[Lander]

Cor, sounds like that OutRun patch got some pretty tasty upgrades alongside the netcode - that'll be making the rounds again soon no doubt

[To Far Away Times]

I forgot how good Wind Waker is, atleast before the Triforce treasure hunt. That was where I dropped the game back in the day since that section was obviously just padding the runtime. I'm playing the HD version now, which apparently improves that portion of the game.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast on PC has had its online functionality restored recently

Neat, I'll have to try setting it up!

1) Skyward Sword was pretty cool. I was a big fan of the combat. It’s very involved, probably the best combat in the series.

What control scheme do you prefer, using motion controls? The Switch version also allows the use of the right stick for attacks instead of motion control it seems. I have the game but haven't really dabbled in it yet.

[XoPachi]

Control stick sword swinging is -extremely- delayed. But it's only the sword swinging which makes me think there was a specific reason they did it, like some kind of buffer.

[Steven]

Got the new farming game Fields of Mistria the other day. I was going to (finally) get Stardew Valley but ended up with this instead somehow. It's in early access now and not finished, but it's pretty great so far even if you can't get married or ride horses, the latter of which is a somewhat unfortunate absence, as the map is rather large. Horses are in the game already, but you can't ride them. Apparently there is only about one year of stuff to do in the game right now and I'm already 25% of the way through the first year (currently summer day 2), so I hope that I will want to either restart or pick it up again once I am done with all of the stuff that's currently in the game. It's good enough so far that I foresee no problems with restarting or resuming once I do everything, but who knows.

I really like that all of the regular stores are always open, even if the shopkeeper isn't there. I think this might be the first time I've ever seen the "take what you want and leave your cash on the counter" thing in a game and it's both brilliant and exceptionally convenient.

The closest thing I have to a complaint, aside from the game being unfinished, is that it's kind of annoying to keep your farm clean because weeds and trees grow super quickly. There was a tree at the beach area that I cut down only to return a day later to find it fully regrown somehow. I only cut it down to get wood while walking home from fishing, but I'm glad it came back so quickly because the next day was day 1 of summer and it had coconuts to harvest.

Fishing might also be a better way to get money than farming, which might be a somewhat odd problem, but I haven't really tested it that much.

[To Far Away Times]

1) Skyward Sword was pretty cool. I was a big fan of the combat. It’s very involved, probably the best combat in the series.

What control scheme do you prefer, using motion controls? The Switch version also allows the use of the right stick for attacks instead of motion control it seems. I have the game but haven't really dabbled in it yet.

I played the Switch version with the right stick.

I also played an in store demo of the Wii version back in the day with motion controls and it’s really good that way too. Really can’t go wrong either way.

[XoPachi]

Went back to my Saturn perusing. I do not like this Shinrei game at all. The feel of it is just absolutely aggravating and monotonous. Jesus Christ, it had me gnashing my fucking teeth and I had to just shut it off. Feels like something is constantly fighting against me. Like I'm playing wrong or as if my controller is unresponsive. But I went to watch someone play and it was neither.
The level design was great. It's just how the game is played is not fun for me.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

Taromaru is very similar to Alien Soldier or Street Fighter 2010 in that it has very idiosyncratic movement and attack options; you have to get used to them and learn what is appropriate when or the game is going to feel like you're tripping over yourself. It is sort of abrasive at first, in the sense that you acutely feel like you're missing out on something when you start it up and fumble around, but it is also an easier game than either of those two and ultimately not that punishing.

My two biggest pieces of advice are, make heavy use of the guard - you can do it basically whenever and it's an incredibly strong defensive option - and try to get the rhythm down for when to use charged capture attacks so you can keep a puppet enemy around to self-destruct whenever you need it. Puppet enemies don't contribute much on their own, but their self-destruct acts as a screen-clearing bomb and can immediately resolve any annoying zako situation.

[Lander]

Aw faaack, I still need to finish that Taromaru ST it's just the thing for a situation like this, but needs converting from overengineered SQL into BBCode so I can get it posted! Might not be obsessively perfect as-is, but it's certainly complete enough to help ease the game's steep on-ramp.

I'd have sorted it tonight, but it transpires that doofus over here accidentally nuked the database control scripts along with his home directory some months ago, so will have to do a little engineering. Thankfully, all the content (and enormous stockpile of imgur GIFs) appear to be intact.

So consider this post my self-notice to get it done!

In the meantime, I can but echo Ilpalazzo; the game has a weird curve to it since most of the systems don't follow conventional action game logic, but it's well worth persisting until you get past the initial disconnect - it's all the more interesting for it.

I'd stick to Taro at first, since his full-charge chain lightning is a handy answer to many problems the game will throw at you.

Beyond that, my two big tips are:
A. There are few (if any) situations where it's beneficial to fall back on rapid-fire mashing versus carefully-timed max charge shots. As a corrolary, evasion and spacing are paramount.
B. Managing the reticle is critical, since you can't attack until it settles on an enemy. Quickly swapping directions to keep it close is a handy technique for retaining control, since that makes it easier to hit the most critical targets.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I played the Switch version with the right stick. Really can’t go wrong either way.

Good to know, thanks guys. I generally prefer no motion controls in my game, so if it's playable with just the stick without too much compromise and jank I'll likely do that.

[Lander]

I do not like this Shinrei game at all.

Here's that ST. If this doesn't bring you around on it, nothing will

[To Far Away Times]

I've been playing some Mario and Zelda games. My goal is to complete every mainline game in both series.

Over the last few weeks I've completed the following games:

Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - This one starts so strong and loses so much momentum in the second half. The first three dungeons or so and the pacing between them are well done. But the second half drop off is bigger than even games like Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. After the third dungeon, the game starts notifying you of many simultaneous objectives that have to be completed in a very specific order, without dropping any hints as to what that order might be. I spent hours looking for the Korok guy, only to find out he hadn't spawned yet because I needed to do something else first. Even though the game said I needed to go to his location and find him. So frustrating. And the triforce hunt, while improved in the HD version, is still among the lowest points in any Nintendo made game and is a total slog. I'd give it a very uneven 5/10.

Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - This one has some of the best vibes and atmosphere in the whole series. I initially dropped it because I got stuck and because it recycled so many assets from Ocarina of Time. But some 20+ years removed from when I last played it, it felt fresh. There's a few things in the progression that don't work quite right, where I got stuck when I probably shouldn't have. But as an early 3D game, that's forgivable. When the game is cooking, it's quite good. The ending sequence is very cool and memorable. A solid 8/10.

Super Mario Bros 2 (USA) - The worst mainline Mario game is definitely Mario 2, it's just a matter of if it's the entirely different Japanese one or the American one. The jump and movement physics feel disgusting in this. I was missing routine jumps the entire time. It does play better when you learn not to use the run button, but it never feels right. You also fight Birdo as a stage end boss like 20 times in this. (Though they tried to add some variety to the fights.) It also gets quite difficult at the end, but I found a couple places where it was trivial to farm 99 lives (Anywhere that spawns enemies and there's a couple blocks nearby), so I never had to worry about losing progress. The Mario series does borrow quite a bit from this game going forward, but gameplay wise, I'm glad they left this one in the past. 3/10.

New Super Mario Bros 2 - The worst of the NSMB games, this one also came out at a really bad time. We had recently gotten NSMB Wii and we were still a year away from the announcement of Mario 3D World. The last thing anyone wanted was another retread of NSMB taking the place of something with a bit more effort put into it. What's here is mechanically solid, but presentation wise it is completely uninspiring. 6/10

New Super Luigi Bros U - A DLC/expansion for NSMB U, this game is really quite good. NSMB U (the original Mario one), is far and away the best NSMB game. They fixed almost all the flaws with visuals and music, and the gameplay is great. Realistically, this is about the best a game on the NSMB template can get. The Luigi expansion has a different approach to level design. Levels are on a 100 second timer, and secrets are less hidden but in more challenging spots to reach. It's also a good bit more difficult that the regular NSMB games. I had a lot of fun with this one. I think I might actually like this more than the Mario version. 8/10.

[Arino]

I thought Super Mario USA was quite good as a platformer iirc but I haven't played it in a very long time.
Totally agree with everything else you wrote about these Mario games.

Unfortunately the Zelda games don't click with me. At least not yet.

[Lander]

I'm quite fond of the western SMB2, Doki Doki Panic reskin though it may be. Might be the one I have the most time in, all told - didn't actually own the traditional games until much later.

Nostalgia aside I think it has a lot to like, mainly in the style and tone department. Inheriting weird shit like Phanto (Ninty's first foray into traumatizing young children, if I'm not mistaken - before they really nailed the art with SM64!), the eagle doors, adorable veggies, and subspace, gives it an interesting feel. Particularly since the Mario identity was still early and malleable at that point.

Trouble is, it just doesn't play like Mario. Certainly not now, at any rate!

[Steven]

Just under 25 hours into Fields of Mistria now. Somewhere around the 20-hour mark is when it starts to become very apparent that the game isn't finished yet; ran out of floors to explore in the mine, ran out of quests to rebuild the town even though half of the town isn't rebuilt yet, ran out of better equipment to get, ran out of events for the girl I plan to marry and got her to the current max affection value (but marriage isn't in this build of the game anyway) and so on.

Still, it's been good so far. My current largest complaint is inventory management, which is a pain. You have to buy or make a bunch of chests to store your crap, as they have limited capacity. I've so far been too lazy to go check all 12 of my chests to pull stuff out and reorganize it to better sort everything, but it's gotten to the point where I might have to do it. What a pain... otherwise it's been great.

[Arino]

I'm quite fond of the western SMB2, Doki Doki Panic reskin though it may be. Might be the one I have the most time in, all told - didn't actually own the traditional games until much later.

Nostalgia aside I think it has a lot to like, mainly in the style and tone department. Inheriting weird shit like Phanto (Ninty's first foray into traumatizing young children, if I'm not mistaken - before they really nailed the art with SM64!), the eagle doors, adorable veggies, and subspace, gives it an interesting feel. Particularly since the Mario identity was still early and malleable at that point.

Trouble is, it just doesn't play like Mario. Certainly not now, at any rate!

Yeah - Nostalgia NOT aside, Super Mario USA was pretty amazing actually back then. Getting so many flashbacks right now.
Last time I played through the game was on GBA about 10 years ago and I still enjoyed it a lot.