What are you playing now?

[BBP]

That post was from 2008, Tawm...

[Tawmis]

Well I finished MOE recently.

And you remained sane enough after such a horrendous experience to remember your log in and post this distressing news?! Amazing.

Playing MOE surely can't be as horrendous as an encounter with Bel-Shamharoth, the Soul Sucker.

It can be. It is.

[Tawmis]

That post was from 2008, Tawm...

Yeah ... I have no idea how I did that...

[Datadog]

I was wondering where that quote came from.

Every year or so, I try to get into a different classic franchise to see what I'm missing out on. A couple years ago, I discovered "Saint's Row", and last year I fell in love with "Borderlands". This year, I decided to give "Hitman" a go.

On a recommendation, I started with the fourth game, "Blood Money", and finished it last week. Besides a few unavoidable gunfights towards the end, the entire game can be optionally played like an adventure game, where you can focus on exploration and puzzle-solving to carry out assassinations instead of shooting everyone. It reminded me of "Last Express" how I could let levels play out in real-time to see where everyone goes, and then restart the level so I can run ahead to lay down the groundwork of my plan.

I may not get into the rest of the series (it was the story that turned me off), but the gameplay mechanics and level design were well worth trying it out once.

[Datadog]

Just wrapped up "A Golden Wake" by Fransisco Gonzales! I went into this game completely blind and was expecting a 1920's murder mystery (possibly set at a wake). I was surprised to find it's a character piece set against the Florida land boom, and most of the NPCs are real-life people from history. No murder mystery or epic quest; just a very grounded life story of a man trying to succeed in a developing world, and the moral ambiguity that challenges him over the years. It's an incredibly unique experience for an adventure game - possibly one of my favourites - and very well-researched to boot. I personally recommend it.

[Tawmis]

I am currently playing KQ6 slowly - trying to do the long route - and man, have I forgot a lot to this game. I've already messed up a number of times - so the video is going to require quite a bit of edits - otherwise it's a longer version of the long version.

[Collector]

man, have I forgot a lot to this game.

I envy you.

[Tawmis]

man, have I forgot a lot to this game.

I envy you.

Heh - I think this is because it was your favorite (KQ game - possibly Sierra game). For me, most of KQ4 was committed to memory, because that was my favorite KQ game.

[MusicallyInspired]

I just played KQ5 (EGA) again the other night after a long time of leaving those games be. Went through it straight without dying. Did miss a couple points, though.

Envy is in the house.

Currently I'm torn between watching Troels's and Josh's Colonel's Bequest run and playing it myself first. I beat it once years and years and years ago while following a walkthrough as a kid (which means I remember almost nothing about the puzzles, which is good) but I do remember how it ends.

[Tawmis]

I just played KQ5 (EGA) again the other night after a long time of leaving those games be. Went through it straight without dying. Did miss a couple points, though.

I think it's pretty difficult to die in KQ5...

The only tough spots are the desert (surprised you didn't die there, at least once!)... and the spells at the end (which isn't too difficult).

Other than that there's only a few places where you can die that I know of (inside the one tavern, if you walk up to those guys... and the yeti...)

[Rath Darkblade]

You forgot one:

Beating your head against a wall after listening once too often to Cedric giving you pointless warnings - and meanwhile, whatever Cedric is warning you about is about to kill you.

[Tawmis]

You forgot one:

Beating your head against a wall after listening once too often to Cedric giving you pointless warnings - and meanwhile, whatever Cedric is warning you about is about to kill you.

Yes. But there's no Restore from that one.

[Semi-Happy Partygoer]

I recently finished my second playthrough of realMyst, having first completed it about six years ago. I also have the Masterpiece Edition, but my computer isn't powerful enough to run it efficiently. I'd forgotten a lot of the solutions, which made it all a bit fresher. I've never attempted Riven but may do so now.

[Tawmis]

I recently finished my second playthrough of realMyst, having first completed it about six years ago. I also have the Masterpiece Edition, but my computer isn't powerful enough to run it efficiently. I'd forgotten a lot of the solutions, which made it all a bit fresher. I've never attempted Riven but may do so now.

I loved the Myst series. I enjoyed Riven - but near the end got stuck.
Don't think I ever beat it - but I did get all of the Myst series on GoG when they became available also.
So one day, on my list of a trillion things I want to do, I may revisit Myst.

[MusicallyInspired]

I think it's pretty difficult to die in KQ5...

I'm going to go ahead and assume you're being sarcastic.

Unless you're talking about an experienced player, then it's not too easy to die.

The only tough spots are the desert (surprised you didn't die there, at least once!)...

I've pretty much got the desert mapped out in my head. All the important places are 5 spaces within reach of each other at all times.

Other than that there's only a few places where you can die that I know of (inside the one tavern, if you walk up to those guys... and the yeti...)

Ok let's start at the beginning:

-Death by snake bite
-Death by falling in river (x3 screens to the south)
-Death by bees
-Death by bear
-Death by witch
-Death by scorpion
-Death by desert
-Death by bandits (x3: at the mountainside, at the camp, in the bandits' tent)
-Trapped in treasure hold
-Dying in dark forest for not having the items you need to escape (x2, spider death on bottom-right screen, tentacle death on top-left screen)
-Death in inn if not helped rat
-Death by freezing
-Death by hunger
-Death by grappling branch instead of rock with rope
-Death by falling off numerous ledges
-Death by stepping on wrong ledge on snowy mountains
-Death by not using sled
-Death by wolves for not playing harp
-Death by Yeti
-Death by hatchling if not helped Eagle
-Death by hole in boat
-Death by sea monster
-Death by Harpies for not playing harp
-Death by falling at Mordack's island (numerous ledges)
-Death by statue laser eyes
-Death by Mordack (for a MYRIAD of reasons, causing any disturbances at all like playing the organ, the cat seeing you, etc)
-Death in the prison (if haven't helped Cassima)
-Death by Mordack if not charged wand
-Death by Mordack if not helped Cedric
-Death by choosing wrong spells or not using spells in time (x6 I think)

That's all I can think of atm.

I recently finished my second playthrough of realMyst, having first completed it about six years ago. I also have the Masterpiece Edition, but my computer isn't powerful enough to run it efficiently. I'd forgotten a lot of the solutions, which made it all a bit fresher. I've never attempted Riven but may do so now.

I loved realMyst. I saw it on the shelf once in a store years back but didn't have the money to pick it up. Luckily I acquired it later on (though, without the box), and again via GOG. I actually greatly prefer the original realMyst to the realMyst Masterpiece Edition. In the original every location has a day/night cycle. In the Masterpiece Edition only a couple places have a day/night cycle. I used to love just wandering around and experiencing the atmosphere at Stoneship and Myst island. Especially Stoneship in the rain with the rushing waters (looked incredible) or up at the peak where the telescope is. I used to listen to that very sparse music while looking off in the distance at the lightning flashes and seeing smaller islands. The water obviously looks better in Masterpiece Edition, but it doesn't have the same feel. The Masterpiece Edition really loses some of that charm.

I saw a screenshot from the Cyan team during Obduction's development that showed the Myst island remade again with the Unreal engine and it looks even better. They teased at another release if certain conditions were met or something. I'd love to have it. Obduction looks fantastic.

Also, love Riven. My favourite Myst. What a masterpiece. Love everything about it. Everything. Also really looking forward to the officially-sanctioned fan remake of Riven, "The Starry Expanse Project". Looking really good.

Also, who's going to be getting one of those nifty LED panel linking books from the new Myst 25th Anniversary Kickstarter tier? I really want one but I just moved and my wife is just getting a new job and we won't have the cash. My sister is getting one, though.