1. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    Film Review: The Visit (2015)

    I feel I should add one more thing here. I've seen a few reviews that say this movie isn't scary. If you're looking for a thrill ride, then yes, this is not a particularly scary movie. But if you allow yourself to embrace the concepts of what's happening as opposed to what flashes on the screen, I believe this tale is more horror than a fair number of mukty films to come out in recent years. Night has an understanding of what horror is, and it definitely isn't monster, zombies, or jump scares. It's about telling a story which disturbs us, and on many levels this film can disturb.
    Posted September 21st, 2015 at 11:51 PM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  2. Old Comment
    Spinosaurus's Avatar

    Godzilla influences in Pokemon

    Garbodor is Totoro
    Spoiler:
    Posted October 4th, 2014 at 5:14 AM by Spinosaurus Spinosaurus is offline
  3. Old Comment
    Sydian's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    Aw, I'm so glad you're such a nerd to write this. ;) Most of us challengers are pretty nerdy anyway. None of you reading this better deny it, you know you are!
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 11:22 AM by Sydian Sydian is offline
  4. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    For the record, a Portal Roguelike would be amazing and it needs to happen! Especially since all the resources in Portal are free for people to use in other, non commercial games. You could easily convert the textures into tiles to be used and even have GLaDOS talk to you in the game!
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 10:02 AM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  5. Old Comment
    Oryx's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by silver-wind View Comment
    this was very interesting to read :)
    I'm into game-making too, and let me tell you- while "randomly generated map" sounds amazing, in practice, it really ruins your game. first, the maps won't be esthetic. a computer cannot create a map that's even close to a human-made map. it'll simply look and feel random. it's like the difference between drawing, and spilling paint on a page. maps in games can give an atmosphere. some loactions are linked to the plot, so you need to design them yourself. otherwise, there's no story, no atmosphere, no creativity involved. you can't even place people in the map that advance the plot, cause what if they end up surrounded with rocks, or inside a blocked area? you end up with a simple plot like: go kill the evil dragon. I guess it's a game genre that people do enjoy, but.. it's not the kind of game I'd like to create. if I wanted to randomly throw paint on a page, I'd go be a modern artist. I heard they make millions ;)
    I'm not sure it's fair to say it "really ruins your game" just because you don't like the kinds of games it creates. You give up dungeons that are designed to create a certain atmosphere every time you go through them for dungeons that are drastically different each time you play, bringing in a different kind of gamer - I don't replay games but I do reply roguelikes because it's never the same game.

    Also to claim randomly generated maps means there's "no creativity" and that it's impossible to put a story in a roguelike is just...wrong. I mean, look at Portal, a non-randomly generated game. The story of the game consists of 95% someone speaking to you over the PA system. If that was a randomly generated game, the only places that would have to be hand-designed would be the "last level" and the final fight. The rest could all be randomly generated and not change the story at all. This ignores the obvious programming ways around the issues you raise - make certain checkpoints with story points, make parts outside the dungeon in the game (Persona 3 for example), design characters with space around them automatically...just because you can't come up with a way to solve a problem doesn't mean people who make games of that genre are using no creativity.

    tl;dr: things aren't bad just because you don't like them dude
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 9:58 AM by Oryx Oryx is offline
  6. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by silver-wind View Comment
    I'm into game-making too, and let me tell you- while "randomly generated map" sounds amazing, in practice, it really ruins your game. first, the maps won't be esthetic. a computer cannot create a map that's even close to a human-made map. it'll simply look and feel random. it's like the difference between drawing, and spilling paint on a page. maps in games can give an atmosphere. some loactions are linked to the plot, so you need to design them yourself. otherwise, there's no story, no atmosphere, no creativity involved. you can't even place people in the map that advance the plot, cause what if they end up surrounded with rocks, or inside a blocked area? you end up with a simple plot like: go kill the evil dragon. I guess it's a game genre that people do enjoy, but.. it's not the kind of game I'd like to create. if I wanted to randomly throw paint on a page, I'd go be a modern artist. I heard they make millions ;)
    While I agree that mappers can give games a certain quality, there are some super high quality random world generators out there. One of the best examples I know would be Minecraft. Every new world feels unique. And if you look at the way Brogue creates it's Dungeon, it actually feels like it has a lot of character. As time goes on Procedurally Generated Content gets better and better. There's even a group out there studying the creation of AI that can actually make games that way. Whole games. I mean small ones, but still. I don't think there will ever be a time where procedural content takes over completely, but I think that it does have its place, and its own level of quality based on who made the game. Torchlight is a good example of where PGC and pre-built content come together. The world is random, but each piece of the dungeon was pre-made and then pieced together. The Binding of Isaac also does this, and it works really well. Games like ADOM, feature a LOT of story elements, regardless of randomly generated dungeons as well. While it's not for everyone, don't discount a person's creativity just because they use a random map generator.
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 8:58 AM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  7. Old Comment
    Griffinbane's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    I thought the password code for PMD still allows you to rescue other people? It doesn't?
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 6:39 AM by Griffinbane Griffinbane is offline
  8. Old Comment
    Xaldin's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    OH WAIT
    PMD Is like that rogue game isn't it?! *mind blown*

    this was an interesting read.

    The power of imagination has made the very challenges on this forum today,and I thank this community for that. :)
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 4:03 AM by Xaldin Xaldin is offline
  9. Old Comment
    silver-wind's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    this was very interesting to read :)
    I'm into game-making too, and let me tell you- while "randomly generated map" sounds amazing, in practice, it really ruins your game. first, the maps won't be esthetic. a computer cannot create a map that's even close to a human-made map. it'll simply look and feel random. it's like the difference between drawing, and spilling paint on a page. maps in games can give an atmosphere. some loactions are linked to the plot, so you need to design them yourself. otherwise, there's no story, no atmosphere, no creativity involved. you can't even place people in the map that advance the plot, cause what if they end up surrounded with rocks, or inside a blocked area? you end up with a simple plot like: go kill the evil dragon. I guess it's a game genre that people do enjoy, but.. it's not the kind of game I'd like to create. if I wanted to randomly throw paint on a page, I'd go be a modern artist. I heard they make millions ;)
    Posted September 4th, 2014 at 12:18 AM by silver-wind silver-wind is offline
  10. Old Comment
    Rewy's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    I personally love the PMD Explorers of the Sky. Sadly nowadays you can't be rescued from the dungeons anymore if you get stuck and what not, but they're still great fun. And really different on the story line part.
    Posted September 3rd, 2014 at 10:23 PM by Rewy Rewy is offline
  11. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    I've never actually played the PMD games myself, but I've heard that the most recent one, Gates to Infinity, is really lack luster. Probably one of the DS ones would be best.
    Posted September 3rd, 2014 at 9:40 PM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  12. Old Comment
    jdthebud's Avatar

    Challenges and Their Relation to Games

    You have inspired me to try PMD, which I have never played before. Which one is the best?
    Posted September 3rd, 2014 at 9:35 PM by jdthebud jdthebud is offline
  13. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    And so begins the worst week of my college career

    It's the worst week of college for me because I'm having to move right when finals are about to happen and I have projects to do. It's eating valuable time. The events involving the family friend are merely what led to it.
    Posted June 8th, 2014 at 1:18 PM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  14. Old Comment
    Nick's Avatar

    And so begins the worst week of my college career

    This is the worse week of your college career because your family friend isn't paying your bills anymore? I don't know if I'm reading that right.
    Posted June 6th, 2014 at 6:23 PM by Nick Nick is offline
  15. Old Comment
    Necrum's Avatar

    And so begins the worst week of my college career

    Internet isn't my issue. Stress is. All I wanted was to come home and relax for a while before I had to work all weekend. And I wanted to work in a setting I was used to. But now I have to waste one day of work to move into my Grandma's place, and I have to work the rest of my weekend over there.
    Posted June 6th, 2014 at 12:14 PM by Necrum Necrum is offline
  16. Old Comment
    Sydian's Avatar

    And so begins the worst week of my college career

    Oh no! :( I'm sorry to hear that, Necrum. I used to go to McDonald's and use their wifi during the school day when I needed something done since I didn't live close. Or if your school library is open, you could try that...unless your school wifi is terrible.
    Posted June 6th, 2014 at 12:10 PM by Sydian Sydian is offline
  17. Old Comment
    Oryx's Avatar

    And so begins the worst week of my college career

    Where you do live? In the US everything is starting to get Wi-Fi enabled so you can go somewhere like a Starbucks or McDonald's and work.
    Posted June 6th, 2014 at 10:34 AM by Oryx Oryx is offline
  18. Old Comment

    Delicious Crystal Nuzlocke Stream!

    Spoilers, he beat Morty and has no deaths so far :D And he made Whitney rather anti-climactic.
    Posted March 8th, 2014 at 12:02 PM by Pendraflare Pendraflare is offline
  19. Old Comment
    Sydian's Avatar

    Delicious Crystal Nuzlocke Stream!

    This sounds yummy and is making me hungry.
    Posted March 8th, 2014 at 9:22 AM by Sydian Sydian is offline
  20. Old Comment

    Delicious Crystal Nuzlocke Stream!

    Come watch me make fun of him relentlessly in the chat!
    Posted March 8th, 2014 at 9:18 AM by luke luke is offline