DanJW

Yup, the problem there is not the graphical fidelity but the complete change in artistic direction - from "naturalistic post-apocalyptic modern landscapes with huge disney-themes ruins", to "gloomy cartoon abstracts, some pseudo gothic and scifi elements". The screens look like the most boring levels in Kingdom Hearts games. There goes my interest in this.

I think a lot of fighting games are like this. The Street Fighter series especially is easily accessible, but has it's hardcore elite who take it very seriously. For the most part I've been put off by this massive potential difference in skills levels, but I'm currently being coached in SF4 by my brother. For me Soul Calibur is the most accessible series of this type, with an even smoother learning curve. I know there are lots of older games like this, but I can't think of them right now. Gah!

Oblivion has a few cool statues, (One of which turns out to be important to a long sidequest, in an awesome unexpected reveal. In fact that might have been my favourite moment in the game.) Other games with scary statues: anything by Blizzard (Diablo, WoW etc) I think the Max Payne games, maybe. Resident Evil? Anything that includes old-world style mansions, or pretty much any fantasy RPG. Okami might have some nice ones. Why reference games though? Surely real-world statues will be much richer?

Noooooo! Get well soon. I will miss you. With any luck I will actually have this coming sunday evening off work and so be able to play. Yaaaay! Out of interest, is there anyone else who will be unable to get L4D2 at release, and so still be playing L4D classic? I will be sad and lonely all by myself. #allll byyy my seeeelllllffff etc

I screamed out loud at the end. Awesome.

I am slightly addicted to Charlie the Unicorn CsGYh8AacgY Be sure to watch episodes 2 and 3 as well. They get even better. Screw it I'm just going to post them here too. QFCSXr6qnv4 eaCCkfjPm0o

I highly recommend finding Nebula Award collections, from any particular year that you desire. They are most excellent. Try any second-hand book supplier. I personally own the 1971 collection, which includes the award winning The Queen of Air and Darkness - an excellent tale to be sure. There is also a more recent series of books - the Flying Sorcerers, Wizards of Odd and Knights of Madness, which collect both classic and modern short stories from the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres; all with a slight humorous bent. I cannot commend them to you enough.

I am sad that I will not be able to play the game upon release. See my sad face: SEE IT!

the killer tomato is a trap to stop people using sad face too much, or something, the sad face you are looking for is actually Welcome one and all!

This thread just became so awesome that I almost choked on my toast. Yufster is Roselyn Storyweaver. If anyone wants to be my truefriend, my current truefriend code is ZWAEFCQX.

Yes but but Marek effectively learned American english from Jake, and so sounds just like him in audio. Well i think so anyway. Often when listening to the thumbcast I have to remind myself that Jake and Marek are different people.

Awesome! We should make a guild called WIZZAAAAARDS! All armed with improved mystic blade. I like the fruit-machine name selection. I am making a character now called Daniel Froghammer.

Still some funny bits though!

Alas I have to work tonight, so I connot join you. I have yet to play Crash course all the way through though, so I will be loitering about on Steam during the week should anyone want to play.

ehhhh the whole thing came across as being horribly pre-scripted to me

As the blog How Do I Play Game shows, Half Life 1 is surprisingly challenging for an FPS virgin. HL2 is much more friendly. I also support Portal as a good choice. You might be shooting portals instead of bullets, but all the elements of FPS play are there, and the most important one - movement - is properly stressed. Plus it is nice and mellow.

Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met je vejaardag!

A lot of the spin-offs were done without Gaiman, although he still has authorial control and signs off on that stuff. But the only recent thing I can find mention of is a comic adaptation of the Dream Hunters illustrated novel. Strange actually since Dream Hunters was my introduction to Sandman. The original is illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, box cover artist for the Final Fantasy games. Oh, and that book will make you cry. If you start at the first trade paperback, Preludes and Nocturnes, the inside back cover lists all the books you need to worry about, and divides them neatly between central and spin-offs. But Preludes is really just.. well a prelude to the main series. It relies a lot more on existing DC characters, and as Gaiman himself admits in the introduction, doesn't really find its feet until the final chapter. So don't judge the entire series on that one book - part 2, THe Doll's House is much more representative and engrossing.

Well the Sandman series is completed for good, along with its various spin-off mini-series. There are 10 trade paperbacks in the main run, and I collected them at about one a month. Then some of the spin-offs including the Death books Sam Keith has some lovely moments in the first book, but overall I think Mike Dringenberg is my favourite Sandman artist.

I'm surprised a comic-recommendation thread has got this far without anyone mentioning Sandman. One of the definite must-read series in the comics world; genuinely grown-up and emotionally moving stories. Fans of Neil Gaiman and/or Marvel should also check out 1602. The ending is typical Marvel schlock but I enjoyed the treatment of stock Marvel heroes in this new setting. I'll be picking up the sequels when I can.

Yeah I was thinking about posting on this. One of the most beautiful TV programs ever made.

22 Years later, Rogue Trader has returned! Rab has been looking into it.

Who wants to bet that Jack will be the protagonist, and is presented as a misunderstood hero. The victims will be demons disguised as prostitutes.

Seconded on VtM: Bloodlines. I love that game. I recommend this fan made patch. STALKER is often considered an RPG/FPS hybrid. If superheroes and making fun of superheroes is your thing, then the Freedom Force games come highly recommended, and are cheap on Steam.

Heeeeeeeere's Johnny my new internet connection! I've missed you guys so much. I look forward to disturbing my new neighbours with the screams of dying infected (and dying survivors).