Deep Rock Galactic

GWJ Conference Call Episode 733

Games: Deep Rock Galactic Update, Partisans 1941, VR: Quest 2, I Expect You to Die, Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition, Baldur's Gate 3, Solasta: Crown of the Magister.

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Amanda, Allen, Cory, and Rich talk about what makes modern multiplayer games scary.

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Comments

00:06:48 Deep Rock Galactic
00:09:56 Partisans 1941
00:15:10 Oculus Quest 2
00:35:16 Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition
00:38:53 Baldur's Gate 3
00:46:20 Solasta: Crown of the Magister
00:50:20 What Makes Modern Multiplayer Games Scary?
01:14:07 Your Emails

Unpredictability is definitely a big part of being scary. Once monsters become a known quantity in a game they are much less intimidating. Shymlark and I have played through The Forest and after a while you get to know the monsters capabilities and have weapons to deal with them (which also dilutes the tension.) The caves in the game were very scary for a good long time with limited light and great sound effects: sudden flights of bats, humanoids giggling in the darkness or something big moving about in a chamber you haven't yet reached.

My scariest multiplayer experience of recent times was Shymlark and I climbing a very tall radio tower in Dying Light. It was in broad daylight but the sounds of the wind that intensified as you got higher and the slight sway added to the camera worked brilliantly to make us feel like we were perilously high. Occasionally, whimpering and complaining at the unnecessary cruelty of it all, we'd haul ourselves up onto ledges so narrow you didn't dare look down to see what you were standing on or half standing on. Almost at the top there was a very short jump out onto a rounded object beyond the body of the tower. That made my knees go weak.

Now I can't stop picturing NSFW avatars walking through the door.

Thanks for the tip about Virtual Desktop allowing wireless VR to the Quest 2 from SteamVR/Oculus. It's made my Quest even more awesome than before! Also, shout out to VivePort, with their "Netflix for VR" subscription model which added even more games to my library. The Room played flawlessly, and I'm looking forward to digging deeper into their library for games I wouldn't otherwise look twice at if I had to pay for them all individually.

You don't even need to use Virtual Desktop for VR games, though. Playing MTG Arena in VR was as close to the LGS experience as I've had all year. Guess it's time to build back up my collection.

Is there a post somewhere that explains the step by steps to get all that stuff set up the way Allen and Cory were talking about for the Quest 2?

EbonyPegasus wrote:

Is there a post somewhere that explains the step by steps to get all that stuff set up the way Allen and Cory were talking about for the Quest 2?

Recommend starting here.

Here is the link to the thread of the week: Relaxing, meditative, or chill games thread. What helps you unwind?

I think it's time I finally try one of those Truck Simulators...

"Holy sh*t! What the f*ck is going on?" is the one true state of Blaseball fandom.

Also, Seattle Garages fans released a new full length album and it f'ing slaps!

aragul wrote:

Here is the link to the thread of the week: Relaxing, meditative, or chill games thread. What helps you unwind?

I think it's time I finally try one of those Truck Simulators...

Oops! Thanks for that - updated the main post