View Topic

Well there isn't much to say about me.

I guess something interesting is that I'm highly interested in law and politics.
Something a bit more interesting would be that I've always been interested in programming, and the first time I actually created a program/'game' I was in 5th or 6th grade, in BYOND's DM...although it was just text, although I stopped programming for a bit and restarted a little while later(about 7th grade) and attempted to learn Java to make Minecraft Mods.

Ick, Java...I've never seen a Java application that wasn't clunky in some way.

Something you may not know is that I enjoy designing things around the house, like room layouts or imagining things to make my back-yard look need. If I ever had the money, I'd love to build an attached greenhouse, because I've really gotten into the idea of indoor gardening, too.

I'm way too lazy to ever be that creative.

There's only two reasons I love the Sims games: Creating your character, and creating your house.

I would always use cheats so that I could have all of the stuff for both, and then I'd have fun with it.  While I don't really show that love in real life, I do love the idea of creating a sort of "dream house" and love designing it.  My house would always have a living room, at least 2 bedrooms (one being a master bedroom), an entertainment room for video games and computer stuff, a studio for music stuff and for writing, two bathrooms, and of course a fully equipped kitchen area and backyard with a beautiful garden.

But the Sims is so expensive...between the main game and the DLC you have hundreds of dollars invested in each version of the Sims. I have the first Sims from back when it came out, everything from the second Sims from where they gave it away on Origins, and the base Sims 3 from a Humble Bundle sale. What's your favourite Sims?

One thing that I don't think I've ever mentioned is that since my illness a few years ago I'm pretty sensitive to bright lights. The lighting is low and dim in my room, and being in bright lights...like overhead office lights...makes me feel drained by the end of the day.

But the Sims is so expensive...between the main game and the DLC you have hundreds of dollars invested in each version of the Sims. I have the first Sims from back when it came out, everything from the second Sims from where they gave it away on Origins, and the base Sims 3 from a Humble Bundle sale. What's your favourite Sims?

One thing that I don't think I've ever mentioned is that since my illness a few years ago I'm pretty sensitive to bright lights. The lighting is low and dim in my room, and being in bright lights...like overhead office lights...makes me feel drained by the end of the day.

True, I'm kind of bad in the sense that I'll torrent things occasionally, though.  Though I haven't touched the Sims since it won't work properly on my computer...both because of the lack of optimum specs, and because the Sims games don't run well on Linux in general.

I haven't played through the entire Sims 3 set, but I did like how it was upgraded compared to 2.  That being said, however, I did enjoy Sims 2 quite a bit...but Sims 3 would have to be my favorite.  And I'm still looking forward to playing 4 eventually.

Oh you bad pirate boy.

One thing I don't like about The Sims 2 is how fragmented it all felt. It seemed like everything you did required a different map, and they took a good amount of time to load even on my decent gaming computer. I only have the base 3, but I like how everything's on one map, and you can watch them go from the house to the park or to the school...it just seemed much more streamlined. I've read The Sims 4 is even better in that regard, but it will be years before I try that out.

Unless I become a bad pirate boy too.

Oh you bad pirate boy.

One thing I don't like about The Sims 2 is how fragmented it all felt. It seemed like everything you did required a different map, and they took a good amount of time to load even on my decent gaming computer. I only have the base 3, but I like how everything's on one map, and you can watch them go from the house to the park or to the school...it just seemed much more streamlined. I've read The Sims 4 is even better in that regard, but it will be years before I try that out.

Unless I become a bad pirate boy too.

I think that just comes down to the hardware at the time versus now.  I do agree that it felt fragmented since it had to close and load every time you went to a new neighborhood...especially, as you said, compared to 3 where it's all preloaded or loads as you go.

The consoles were worse though, for both games, actually.  I don't completely recall with 3, but with 2 you were stuck with just one area, and couldn't visit other nearby houses.  Once you met the goals for that area, you loaded into a new one, and so on.  You also were limited on how much you could build, because the more you built, the more likely it would be that things would catch on fire (and you had a meter to pretty much tell you if you were getting to that point).  And I shouldn't even say "the more likely."  Because if it touched the fire-hazard zone on the meter, then something (or multiple things) WOULD catch on fire.

So if the PC felt restricted, the console versions felt even more so.  Again, I don't remember how it is for 3, though I do know that Pets had the same restricted feel to it...so I can only imagine the base game was the same.  I never understood why they had to release the console versions of 3 the way they did, nor why they didn't offer any of the expansions as DLC.  I could understand why it wasn't done with 2, since the consoles in that time didn't do DLC...but there's no excuse for them not to do it for 3.

Oh you bad pirate boy.

One thing I don't like about The Sims 2 is how fragmented it all felt. It seemed like everything you did required a different map, and they took a good amount of time to load even on my decent gaming computer. I only have the base 3, but I like how everything's on one map, and you can watch them go from the house to the park or to the school...it just seemed much more streamlined. I've read The Sims 4 is even better in that regard, but it will be years before I try that out.

Unless I become a bad pirate boy too.

I think that just comes down to the hardware at the time versus now.  I do agree that it felt fragmented since it had to close and load every time you went to a new neighborhood...especially, as you said, compared to 3 where it's all preloaded or loads as you go.

The consoles were worse though, for both games, actually.  I don't completely recall with 3, but with 2 you were stuck with just one area, and couldn't visit other nearby houses.  Once you met the goals for that area, you loaded into a new one, and so on.  You also were limited on how much you could build, because the more you built, the more likely it would be that things would catch on fire (and you had a meter to pretty much tell you if you were getting to that point).  And I shouldn't even say "the more likely."  Because if it touched the fire-hazard zone on the meter, then something (or multiple things) WOULD catch on fire.

So if the PC felt restricted, the console versions felt even more so.  Again, I don't remember how it is for 3, though I do know that Pets had the same restricted feel to it...so I can only imagine the base game was the same.  I never understood why they had to release the console versions of 3 the way they did, nor why they didn't offer any of the expansions as DLC.  I could understand why it wasn't done with 2, since the consoles in that time didn't do DLC...but there's no excuse for them not to do it for 3.

ACTUALLY the PS2 could have done DLC or something like it IIRC...

The Sims 3 was first released in 2009, around the time DLC first started to become a thing with PCs. It's possible that EA hadn't latched onto that trend yet, especially since they hadn't finalized a web store yet.

What kills me is how expensive The Sims 3 expansions still are even on sale. Most expansions are still $20 full price, which is more than I will pay for a full game, much less a content pack. And with all the other content packs there are...

What kills me is how expensive The Sims 3 expansions still are even on sale. Most expansions are still $20 full price, which is more than I will pay for a full game, much less a content pack. And with all the other content packs there are...

That doesn't surprise me.  Have you seen how much Pokemon Platinum/Diamond/Pearl run for?  Last I saw, they run for about $34.99 on Gamestop, and those were the first Pokemon games released on the DS, with $39.99 being the price of a brand new game on a handheld.

Popular games retain a hefty price tag.

I don't mind paying $20 for an expansion if it has enough content in it.    Dragon Age Origins: Awakening is an example, since the extra content adds another 4+ hours of gameplay time unless you try for a speed run.

But I also hate games that completely rely on the expansions to function as a decent game.  Expansions should add new stuff to the gameplay beyond the main game...not fill in the blanks that the main game purposely left there.

Diablo 3 Reaper of Souls, Dragon Age Origins Awakening/Witch Hunt/Leliana's Song/etc..., Skyrim Dawnguard/Dragonborn, and a few others are examples of good expansions.  Reaper of Souls especially because it not only adds content after you beat the game, but it corrects many of the menu errors and glitches of the main game...much like how Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen added bonus content as well as tweaked many of the settings.

But Dark Arisen was horrible example compared to Reaper of Souls because it wasn't an expansion.   People who owned the original Dragon's Dogma literally would have to buy an entirely new copy of Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, which contained both the expansion and the game.  To put the extra hurt on gamers, Dragon's Dogma and Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen cost equal...so players who dished out $59.99 for the original Dragon's Dogma would have to dish out an additional $59.99 for Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen just so they could touch the more refined menu and added content.

Console users didn't have the option of buying Diablo III: Reaper of Souls as a DLC...but Blizzard at least sold the Ultimate Evil edition for $20 less than they sold the main game (unless you bought it on the PS4/Xbox1 since they don't offer the base game, but offer the Ultimate Evil Edition for $59.99).  So while it was still a rip for console users who already owned the base game, it wasn't a complete rip like Dragon's Dogma was.

I actually never bought Diablo III...I just don't see how they can improve on Diablo II, which was a wonderful game that was essentially the entire aRPG genre for years. The many complaints I've heard about it and lack of LAN play didn't endear it to me either. An excellent alternative is Path of Exile, which is truer to Diablo II, has better support with multiple players and parties, and is free to boot. Torchlight II is a great alternative as well. It's graphics are a smidge more cartoonish, but its development team is a mixture of people who were involved in Diablo II and Fate.

But I digress.

My point is, the hefty price tag for expansions turned me off the entire Sims series. I wouldn't mind paying up to $10 for an expansion if it's on sale and it has enough of the things that I want, but when I see 10-20 expansions for the same game at that price it makes me throw up my hands and walk away, because I'm never going to be able to get them all unless I pirate them...by the time I do the next version and all its expansions are going to be out. If the model is working for EA, more power to them, but I suspect I'm not alone in that regard.

I actually never bought Diablo III...I just don't see how they can improve on Diablo II, which was a wonderful game that was essentially the entire aRPG genre for years. The many complaints I've heard about it and lack of LAN play didn't endear it to me either. An excellent alternative is Path of Exile, which is truer to Diablo II, has better support with multiple players and parties, and is free to boot. Torchlight II is a great alternative as well. It's graphics are a smidge more cartoonish, but its development team is a mixture of people who were involved in Diablo II and Fate.

Personally I enjoyed Diablo III quite a bit.  I don't believe it really improved on Diablo II as much as it was just as good, but in a different way since the gameplay style is almost completely different.  For example rather than having to spend points to buy skills each level, you're automatically given new skills unlocked, and you can have up to 6 different active skills (including your main attack skill) as well as up to 3 passive skills during gameplay.  The downside is that you can't up your attributes...though I do believe that one isn't completely true, I've never really touched the level cap to know for sure (since I believe you can once you hit near that cap).

I enjoyed Torchlight and haven't played Torchlight II since they don't offer it on consoles, as much as I wish they did.  Fate was an...interesting series to say the least.  I've seen a little Path of Exile gameplay, but have never really gotten too into it myself.

Personally I enjoyed Diablo III quite a bit.  I don't believe it really improved on Diablo II as much as it was just as good, but in a different way since the gameplay style is almost completely different.  For example rather than having to spend points to buy skills each level, you're automatically given new skills unlocked, and you can have up to 6 different active skills (including your main attack skill) as well as up to 3 passive skills during gameplay.  The downside is that you can't up your attributes...though I do believe that one isn't completely true, I've never really touched the level cap to know for sure (since I believe you can once you hit near that cap).

I enjoyed Torchlight and haven't played Torchlight II since they don't offer it on consoles, as much as I wish they did.  Fate was an...interesting series to say the least.  I've seen a little Path of Exile gameplay, but have never really gotten too into it myself.

But that's the thing...I don't want a sequel that's 'almost completely different', especially when the previous version was such a classic. I want a sequel that retains the best of the previous version and builds on top of it. Civilization is an excellent example of a series that's managed to do this time and time again over the last 20 years. I believe that Path of Exile did that and Diablo III did not, and thus I consider it the true spiritual successor to Diablo II.

Fate had quite a few quirks that I'm not sure really belonged, and many of those were adopted in Torchlight. Fishing for items and getting fish that transform pets comes to mind...on the other hand, I like the actual pet system and the ability to send it to down to sell your loot. I appreciate that as someone who used to frustrate my friends in D2 to no end with my need to hoard every item dropped so I could go back to town and sell them. Torchlight II improved on the first with having different areas and Acts and a more evolved storyline, but it's still a little too cartoonish for my taste...and I just prefer Path of Exile's character classes as well.

So a few facts about me. I was born in 31st of July 1996 in Thessaloniki Greece.

I started playing NS about the age of 11-12. and I dropped the game after my lack of knowledge.
I returned about 2 years later. I have played a few MMO's, like Perfect World, Free Realms, World of Warcraft, Allods Online, The Lord of the Rings Online. But for tactic and politics NS is the best thus far.

Well I moved from Greece to Albania in the age of 11, and since then I live here (Tirana, Capital of Albania)
My longest relationship has been 2 years long and it ended up after my gf car accident, where she lost her life. Anyway. My life had its ups and downs. But whose life didn't? I mean, right?

I grew up in a bad neighborhood, the ones that bullying was in each street corner. Thank God, my family always supported me and they still do, even if they yank about it I had many crazy moments, like when some adults tried to give me coccaine in the age of 8 (they were high and had a gun with them) or when I got in a teenage stupid fight. A friend of mine was threatened by a 14 year old, to give all his money away. That guy had a knife with him, so I got in the middle to help my friend and I got a knife scratch on my hand. Its not that clear anymore, but it is there.

Good thing that my gf likes it, so She said she likes my scars. (She's crazy) <3


Also in my life I have worked as a radio producer in Gjirokaster, in Albanias Red Cross Emergency team as their Captain, also in Theater and now I am studying Veterinary Medicine. So if you got pets, I am your guy