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Nearly 100 hours in to Tropico 4, I finally finished both campaigns.

One of the best sim-city style games ever made.

Beat a campaign of 'endless space' as cravers (I was fighting horatio). I feel like a noob for not even realizing the freaking tech trees options I was researching for the longest time without a quick little zoom in to find out. I wish I had known that sooner. 4X strategy is just a little weird with that.

It's so weird that without my opponent calling for a cease fire and giving me money and territory to not attack him i would've lost the game. It's funny because in many ways I was out-maneuvered and esp. the first time I used all the money he gave and the new territory to re-build to attack him again. Not to mention being in cold war allows you to attack somebody in neither area of your influence so i could just attack his outposts that have yet to turn into colonies as well as his ships stationed outside his influence zones and totally be ok doing it.

I'm wondering who I should play as next. The rock dudes sounded interesting but I'm unsure. Perhaps the sophons deserve a play or the sheridans or whatever they were called.

 Swastakowey wrote:
Zomboid has multiplayer now?

I played it about 3-4 years ago when it was super basic. I cooked soup and killed my wife in the ensuing fire, I then wandered into the street but the fire attracted zombies and I git pushed back into the house.

I burned alive being eaten by zombies that day... That was the day I knew it would be a great game in the future.

Is it worth waiting for it to get better?

Its improved since it first came out, but I wouldn't say buy it just yet as you'll soon find yourself without anything to do. Well I mean the game's about surviving, but the devs haven't added in enough in depth features to keep my own interest beyond a few playthroughs. Its a good game as it is at the moment, but it could do with more base building options, the ability to use generators, vehicles, and well just more ways of surviving. That and the map's still about a third of the size its planned to be, and well even though its already pretty big (there's three towns at the moment), an actual city (with sixteen story plus floors) plus Fort Knox itself are due to be implemented at some point.

And yeah, there is a multiplayer mode available. With the latest patch spawning issues are being sorted out, though its up to the server owners whether they want to use them or not. At the moment its the case that if a server's up for more than a day then players will probably manage to clear out an entire town of zombies without too much trouble. So as a result servers are reset every twenty four hours or so, making base building a bit redundant. Zombies respawn at the moment already, just in small numbers, whereas the devs are trying to sort out a way of having them turn up in hordes for players to take care of (the problem is that they can't have zombies wandering about in packs off screen as it takes up too much CPU, rather they just spawn in ones or two as you enter an area). I'd say if you're looking to play online host a server with your friends rather than going on one of the public ones. Least then you won't be wandering around for half an hour searching hundreds of zombie corpses for some sort of viable weapon ("oh look a pen! I am your god now!"), or heaven forbid a piece of food.

Ah, and yeah, if you're find with just trying to survive for a few nights the game is decent right now. Once you make it past your first month or so and are pretty established then you might be wanting more content though. If you're methodical then you'll clear out an entire town of loot in no time, and then well, what're you going to do? The game then becomes a farming simulator pretty much. That's why I'm hankering for cars to be implemented just so the player doesn't have to walk for a few hours along a highway to reach the next town. Come to think of it though, it would be pretty cool to camp out on the roof of a skyscraper with a farm and all (I'm picturing the rooftop farms from the comic DMZ here). That and it'd be an interesting experience to pop a wheel or have your engine overheat whilst driving between towns, only to hear a rustling in the trees, or catch a wandering horde (after the map is initially loaded zombies only spawn on Highways to simulate them wandering in from other areas, so the roads can become a death trap).

...Right, anyway I'm off on a tangent here. Oh, and another thing to wait for is Radios. They're planned to work as a way to tell players about crap that's occurrence outside their control. "This is The Governor, the water supply to Knox Country will be shut off within five days", or "This is the US Army, we will be conducting a live fire operation in this area via attack helicopters. Citizens are advised to stay in doors" *bomb dropped on safehouse.

Hmmm, yea I may wait then. The worst thing, for me, in any game, is it getting too easy. If a game can remain hard without boringly leveling up my enemies (weak orc, ork, strong ork, big orc etc) then it makes me happy.

If they manage to fix the zombie issue and keep the options good for long term, then i'll get back into it. Long term options are what sounds like is needed.

I will keep an eye out on it.

Eugh, dem hordes. ^^

At the moment I think they need to do something about player characters gaining strength, etc over time. Well that's in the game to an extent with the skills, but something which would allow you not to be a wheezing wreck after killing two zombies would be cool. ...Especially as that means you don't have the energy to run away from the other three behind it. The game's set up so you're nudged to not fight the zombies bar with the odd routine clearing out a house. The ones in the street can only really be handled with a shotgun, and well as the devs say "if you're firing a gun be prepared to deal with three times more zombies than you first expected". It'd be cool that as a late game goal you could kit out a humvee with a ram and go to town running over hordes (...though quickly find out than hitting 100 zombies doesn't do much for the vehicle's durability). I understand the game's aim to be in the style of the old Romero flicks, but I seem to remember some silly scenes like that in those too (even if no matter how many zombies were killed off there was always more). I'd like if the end game was about clearing out an area for you and some NPCs to inhabitant, but I suppose that once you reach that stage the wouldn't be much to do. Considering the devs said the only ending they'll make is for the PC to die, the choices of late game scenarios are a bit limited. It'd be nice if once you found a vehicle you could load it up with supplies and chose to drive off the edge of the map to see a kind of high score system (How many days you survived, zombies killed, the number of NPCs you've made friends with).

Edit:

Heh, and I thought this was funny. That game needs more suicide options. My favourite one? Eating a dozen jars of mayonnaise (one jar makes you feel depressed, a dozen sticks your character into full "let it all end" mode) then jumping off the roof. The next survivors to come across my PC's corpse will probably be confused, though give it a month and they'll be cursing the other guy for eating all the polonaise.



Yeah, Bleach is a type of food in the game. It gives you positive effects, and well the devs had a chuckle at the number of people that thought "hey, that stuff might cure my infection".

Finally picked up Space Hulk. Ah, the memories. I wish they would introduce the Bolter mechanic to the tabletop...aka jam your weapon on a 4+ every shot

Mayonnaise eh? I like the idea of suicide in game because it's a cool way to end the story. Having the only option of waiting to die by Ai (shameful) or quitting annoys me. Sometimes I don't wanna find creative ways to kill myself ha.

mayonnaise is definitely a new way to do it though!

It'd be a nice feature if you could truly eat yourself to death. Just sit their and glut till you have server indigestion and be sick everywhere. ...Ok that doesn't sound like a fun way to go, but it'd be an interesting option. That or just overdose on alcohol. If the only ending they devs are willing to provide is death then why not be creative? Hmn, I wonder if you could take the hand break off of your car, jump out, then sprint ahead of it and lay down on the ground? Ah, yeah, right, might be being a bit too macabre here. Bleach and mayonnaise it is then. Heh, I'll just wait till character's emotions are fully implemented (at the moment for the most part they just serve as fluff, without actually doing anything). When your character says they feel suicidal it'd be cool if they actually did something about it beyond your control (and hell if it gets so ridiculous levels they might well just walk into the middle of a horde with their arms splayed). Oh the possibilities...

Agreed. You have 2 options. Live on (endless) or die. How you do those are up to you. If you choose death just chug the mayonnaise and choose your way out.

Anything from the samurai death to death bashing head in wall then waking up as food for a zombie or putting your head on a bear trap etc.

Optimistic characters live on. The incompetent get killed. The rest die at their own hand to end the suffering.

When NPCs are implemented I'll probably go the route of just assuming my character lived happily ever after and delete the save. Ie I'd build up a little settlement, have all the amenities for them to survive and clear out most of the zombies then think "yeah, there's civilisation restarted. My part's over. Have fun". There'd still be the change for a horde to turn up on their doorstep one day, but its not as if bullets are hard to come by, and well if you have a settlement there's nowhere to run to, so unloading on them's the only option unless you want to lose everything. Hell at the moment I have about 300 shotgun shells just sitting there that'll never be used. the one time I decided to bring a gun along with me it just proved to be a dead weight. Sure you can kill a fair few zombies with those six shells (hmn, though the way they fire they're more like slugs) that're loaded, but then what? What about the twenty other zombies behind those and the bunch that've been drawn to the noise? Straight into the backpack the shotgun went and out came the axe ...before I made a quick exit down some back streets. Now a pickup truck with a .50 cal would be cool, though knowing the devs they'd just love to see the look on your face when the thing runs out of fuel, or you realise that those armour piercing rounds can sure kill a lot of zombies, but those holes in the horde are going to be filled again in no time. Still, pintle mounted .50 cals sitting about your base would be a neat end game goal, even if they do cause more problems than their worth (I have the feeling that guns in that game really are only there for all or nothing situations. One day that fire axe of your's is going to break however...).

Id be happy with that too. Though I have a feeling guns would be made far more useful if you had a vehicle. If you drive away correctly you could lead the horde off somewhere else and just deal with the nearby zombies that hear your car as you get to your destination. Kind of like a zombie hit and run mission. The guns will require more brains.

NPCs will be necessary for the games future if they dont push the multiplayer heavily. There is another game being made much like zomboid but its more settlement focused and has many NPCs. Same concept but similar to the Fallout Brotherhood game in its style of play. If it ever comes out (looked at it last year) then that will be something that will interest me.l

You mean State of Decay, or another game? Personally I prefer playing games with just my PC, as well having to take care of NPCs is a bit of a chore. I'd be more into Survive the Nights whenever that's coming out as it has plenty of things to keep you interested already without having to add in a complex NPC interactions systems. I have a feeling that mounted guns won't be implemented in Project Zomboid as they'd make the game easier like you described. There's not much effort in running and gunning. So even though a person could sit on the back of a pickup truck in real life and spray their gun, that may not be what the devs are going for (the again how accurate is an assault rifle when fired by someone with no experience with one out the back of a truck going 60 mph?).

 Wyrmalla wrote:
You mean State of Decay, or another game? Personally I prefer playing games with just my PC, as well having to take care of NPCs is a bit of a chore. I'd be more into Survive the Nights whenever that's coming out as it has plenty of things to keep you interested already without having to add in a complex NPC interactions systems. I have a feeling that mounted guns won't be implemented in Project Zomboid as they'd make the game easier like you described. There's not much effort in running and gunning. So even though a person could sit on the back of a pickup truck in real life and spray their gun, that may not be what the devs are going for (the again how accurate is an assault rifle when fired by someone with no experience with one out the back of a truck going 60 mph?).

Sounds like its the one, it can get tedious controlling a party but I much prefer being in command of things. I am not a lone wolf. I love team work, well implemented plans and so on. After playing Dayz I no longer feel safe consuming when nobody is there to watch me back. I prefer human players by far though.

I dont think its what they are going for either. The temptation to rush into a store while a guy waits in the car guns blazing only to drive off again sounds like cake walk. But this could be countered by jamming guns and driving conditions etc maybe. It could work if well implemented.

Oh yes it could, but at face value its perhaps not something the devs would be interested in. I mean that it could be a good system, but it would take effort to implement. Cars were originally a "maybe", though with the increasing distance you need to travel they're a future plan. GTA: Project Zomboid is something that's up to modders to implement though. I prefer not having to deal with NPCs as they wind up being a handful to work with most of the time. Multiplayer's fine, but show me a game where there's an NPC that can predict what I want to do before I do it and cover my ass when I am. At least with a person you can give some complex orders (well perhaps not order, otherwise you'll find a spoon jutting out the back of your skull), but an NPC is left with basic things like "shoot your shotgun as loud as possible whenever you see a zombie then alert a horde to us. When I complain lose 60 relationship points and try and kill me". I'm not looking for amazing things from Project Zomboid though as there's already a better game shaping up which has an art style that I'm more into (yeah, Survive the Nights). As long as it gives an interesting experience and holds true to its original aims (a Romero style survival game) I won't complain much. If it doesn't lose itself to the community demanding things the devs don't agree with it should turn into a decent game (which means, for the love of god, quit making requests for necrophilia you nutcases).

Modders are the best things that happen to many games. If the basis is there, modders can enhance that. But you are right, devs dont want the basis, modders cant expand on it (easily). It has potential, but maybe the maybe file is where it will stay.

I strongly dislike AI for those very reasons. But in the Fallout Brotherhood, you actually control the party and I am very sure in the other zombie game I saw, you control the party too. So you properly implement the skills, talents, gear and weapons of your party. Of course it struck me that this is not possible in a non turn base game. So you are right, in zomboid NPC characters will be a hindrance. Their cold calculating brains will not be able to comprehend the larger picture. They simply see zombie and calculate kill which = bad.

If they stay on focus, a great game will come. So yes, no fan requested necrophilia is very much appreciated!

Took a chance

Rebuild 3 "Gangs of Deadville"

Ok so I just won with the 'clockwork sentient machines' (can't remember their name) in 'endless space' (getting a scientific victory).

Other than that I played plenty of 'Wargame: Red Dragon'. I've been playing the soviets for a change and I feel like it's a nice change.

Just finished Dragon Age: Origins. I did the sidequest with that Dwarf girl who wants to study at the Circle.


I apparently started a genocidal campaign by doing that.

Back playing BF4. Forgot how fun it was, some games still throw up real WTF moments. Which ultimately is what makes playing it fun.

Magic the Gathering 2015

Wolfenstein: The New Order. One of the most enjoyable FPS games I have played in a while.

I've been playing a WW1 shooter called Verdun recently; it's still in beta but I'm having loads of fun with it anyway.

Tibbsy wrote:
I've been playing a WW1 shooter called Verdun recently; it's still in beta but I'm having loads of fun with it anyway.

I had fun too. I found an officer with a pistol really kicked butt!

I enjoy the squad based system, but when I was playing, finding a game was hard. Still the case?

Resubbed WoW and haven't logged in.
Replayed ME3 about 75% of the way then decided to replay the entire trilogy, but Mako is getting me down. :(

 Swastakowey wrote:

Tibbsy wrote:
I've been playing a WW1 shooter called Verdun recently; it's still in beta but I'm having loads of fun with it anyway.

I had fun too. I found an officer with a pistol really kicked butt!

I enjoy the squad based system, but when I was playing, finding a game was hard. Still the case?

No, not had a problem with that really.

Was it down to lack of players? Because there's been plenty whenever I've tried it.

Playing as an NCO can be pretty fun. But whenever I do I find I spend more time calling in mortar strikes than I do anything else!

Played an entire game as an NCO once and only fired half-a-dozen shots! Got loads with the mortar though!

Counter strike: Global Offensive with some Insurgency on the side.

Little bit of hearthstone too.

Kinda waiting for something new to come out.

Also, resisting the urge to get a Wii U just for monster hunter.

Tibbsy wrote:

 Swastakowey wrote:

Tibbsy wrote:
I've been playing a WW1 shooter called Verdun recently; it's still in beta but I'm having loads of fun with it anyway.

I had fun too. I found an officer with a pistol really kicked butt!

I enjoy the squad based system, but when I was playing, finding a game was hard. Still the case?

No, not had a problem with that really.

Was it down to lack of players? Because there's been plenty whenever I've tried it.

Playing as an NCO can be pretty fun. But whenever I do I find I spend more time calling in mortar strikes than I do anything else!

Played an entire game as an NCO once and only fired half-a-dozen shots! Got loads with the mortar though!

I was one of THOSE officers, simple gunned men down with my side arm!

Yea I got it a while back now and a lack of players really killed it for me.

Will start playing again soon!

 Swastakowey wrote:


I was one of THOSE officers, simple gunned men down with my side arm!

Yea I got it a while back now and a lack of players really killed it for me.

Will start playing again soon!

PM me your Steam name and we can squad up

Downloaded, and put about three hours into War Thunder. Had tons of fun playing the arcade mode. I did play a couple of the tank missions, and found that to be pretty fun, too.

My only complaint - It takes forever to unlock anything But, even with entry level bi-planes, you can still put up a decent fight.

Levels 2 and three are just slugfests in War Thunder. Rockets, bomber teams, insane cannon and the beaufighters....Lots of fun, which side did you pick mainly? I'm USA, German and UK. I don't like the Russian tree much (Developer favors em) But I enjoy both the US tree and the Germans....