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ROSS'S GAME DUNGEON: NORMALITY
Erasmus Roterodamnsus replied to Ross Scott's topic in Ross's Game Dungeon
Better a Kilroy than a Killjoy Knutson. The K's not silent, you can use Google Translate to Auto-detect name languages for accurate pronunciation. -
I'm really enjoying this one. It's certainly not what I expected and probably not what many others would either, so I'll share some details of my experience. It is a real time action RPG, but it's 90% strategy, 10% reflex. The controls are like classic Asteroids where your ship rotates independent of its momentum, and no matter how maneuverable you make your ship you will wind up trading blows at some point. This ship customization is really fun though. Any shipyard where you can get a new ship will have a huge selection of basic equipment, the cost of equipment is only a tiny fraction of the ship itself, and you can try anything. This isn't one of those simulations where you can build your ship, launch it, and die because you forgot to divert enough energy to life support or something. Every equipment combination at least works, and when you run into a problem like energy drain or weapons overheating you shift stuff around until you like it. Even the smallest ships have at least two guns and dozens of equipment loadouts. Also, you can hire mercenary escorts immediately upon starting the game and begin building a customizable fleet within an hour of playing. I don't know where fleets cap out but at the time of writing I can have up to 20 ships that are at least as good as the player-controlled ship you start with. I was expecting something like Diablo in space, but there are no trivial enemy encounters (unless you are returning to low level sectors where it can be quite satisfying to crush everything that flies). It's more like the Divinity Original Sin series where every enemy encounter takes at least some thought, and in many cases it's better to just flee. Enemies fly the same ships you can, and as you get familiar with different weapons you can draw inspiration for ship loadouts from the enemies that are doing things you wish your ships could do. The piloting and space exploration are also not what I was expecting but I find them very enjoyable. Each sector is a rectangular map covered in a fog of war that you fly through to uncover points of interest. For the most part there is no risk of collision (you can collide with enemy ships in combat, and ships can be configured as flying battering rams that smash enemy ships to pieces). There are no labyrinths or space dungeons or anything that requires tricky piloting, and most of the sectors are cookie cutter although there is a lot of visual variety which I find keeps things interesting. For the most part flying around is a very relaxing experience where you just take your hands off the controls and look around. However, your missions (or just plain trying to find a place to unload your cargo and get upgrades) require you to go from sector to sector, and that is where the exploration gets pretty fun. Some sectors are connected through warp gates you can use freely, others require you to use limited resources to make warp jumps with your ship. Using the star chart to plot your course, searching sectors for the warp gates and stations you need, and occasionally make emergency jumps to get out of danger and going off course all lead to the sorts of discoveries and adventures that take what would otherwise be a rather monotonous part of the game and keep it fresh and exciting. The story is very bare bones, does not take itself seriously, and from what I've seen can be ignored entirely. I like the setting though. Human society has been recently subjugated by an alien empire, and you are flying around space looking for opportunities in the ensuing lawlessness.
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thank for sharing
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Wow, this is the very first Game Dungeon where I've fully played through the game before! (not counting Sonic Heroes, because c'mon that's too easy) I first learned of this game via Yahtzee and Gabriel's LP of it (where they were a LOT LESS KIND to it than Ross), and I think if anything stuck out to me during it, was the music. Not necessarily in the "wow its so good way" more so in a "I think I want to learn more" way. This, and idle curiousity probably, led to me buying it on GOG (which included the soundtrack). And then buying the US CD on eBay impulsively. So, I have a lot of things to I want to say. Some of probably said in YouTube comments already, but hey, here its more easily seen. 1. The Music. Ross, I think you kinda made a mistake picking the MT-32 as the music device here. See, while Normality does support it, when I did some poking around I found it to be pretty unoptimized. The instruments it picks are pretty good and I wouldn't say it sounds bad, but as you heard, there are obviously glitches that occur, there's weird sound balancing, and most if not all songs actually have notes that are completely outside the MT-32's range; you literally have to change what MIDI channels the MT-32 uses to hear them. I will hold this game up as an example of a game that supports both General MIDI and the MT-32 where the MT-32 was obviously nearing the end of its life and got the short end. In my opinion, the best music option would probably be a Roland Sound Canvas 55, but no one to my knowledge has done any recordings of it. And in case anyone's wondering, the GOG OST uses the AdLib version that's converted from the MIDI. I was actually planning on doing a full General MIDI recording of the soundtrack and providing the recorded MIDI files from DOSBox (to maybe use with a RSC-55 in the future), and also doing a MT-32 recording with adjusted recorded MIDI files to try and get it to its best spot. With a forum post here after all was said and done. But, that was yet another project that I put on the back burner. Maybe after I wrap up my Gex music work. Or maybe someone else can do it before me. Also, just for the record even Ross's MT-32's notes in this video sounded very off, or at least different even compared to what I hear using MUNT with Normality. That could just be down to me sticking to DOSBox and him using a 98 VM. (Also for the record (again), I'm not sure a Windows mode exists for this game. My US manual does mention that its "preset to run in two different modes" but it could just be referring to running it with Win95 in the background? Or in a window? I have no clue) 2. US vs UK The reason why I'm even saying "US version" is because when this game was brought over from the UK, it got a completely new dub for the US, where famously Kent was voiced by Corey Feldman. The GOG version is the original UK dub, which created some confusion and disppointment for fans of the US dub. Hence me buying the US version... tho immediately after I learned that there is an fan-made tool that will mod the GOG version to have the US dub and it even adds some quality of life additions. Oops. https://github.com/Twombs/Normality-Voices-Selection Admittedly, I only played with the US voices because a) I had heard Yahtzee and Gab play the UK dub and wanted to make my playthrough as different as possible, b) Corey's performance was so over the top and stupidly 90s I found it kinda amusing, and c) I already had the US CD shipped to my house, might as well make the most of it. Definitely very much down to personal opinion which one someone would prefer these days. Also apparently, if you buy this game on Zoom, you get the option of both voices. https://www.zoom-platform.com/product/normality 3. Multiple Paths (this is definitely mentioned in the YouTube comments already) My impression of the gameplay was actually that it was slightly above average for 90s adventure games, and that's probably because puzzles have multiple solutions. You don't have to use the screwdriver to free the mouse, the Sharkpoon also does that. And the scissors on the carpet. You don't actually have to throw shit on the technician, you can also just grab a clumb of dirt from outside. Or, take an plastic card and scrap the lump of beans off your wall and throw that. And if foggy memory serves, there might be an example in the sewers which may avoid the guitar getting trashed one time less (like one area is optional) but don't quote me on that. In addition, it has a major branching path: you don't have to get caught and sent to the brainwashing jail. That only happens if you destroy all the evidence against you; if even one piece of evidence is left, they can still charge you and they don't figure out who you really are. You then go to a different section of the prision where you're interviewed on TV and have to avoid surveillance. I went with that option since the Yahtzee LP went with the brainwashing jail option. Now, of course I said slightly above average. There are still times I had to use a guide and there was still plenty of "dagnabit" moments. I just give it credit for not requiring me to scrap the beans off the wall and for letting me just grab some dirt off the ground. Refreshingly straightforward. 4. Q&A. This is all off the top of my head, but I think I can answer some of the questions Ross had concerning the plot. "Why does hosing down the machinary with a fire exthinguisher let me ride the conveyer belt?" I think its implied that it clogs up/deactivates the functions that would have killed you otherwise riding on the conveyer belt? To be honest, I could just be making that off the top of my head and they don't actually say that. "Are the fake people next to Heather cutouts or dead bodies?" Cutouts. Either you can go to that room later in the game (though you have no need to) or you can move around in that room by doing some debug teleportation codes to see that. "Why did the bouncer run away when you showed him the rat?" He mentions in the conversation with him he's very afraid of rats. "Why did getting all the mind control gizmos destroy the brainwashing jail?" Something about it overloading the jail and causing an eternal feedback loop, since that jail is where the thoughts the gizmos take pass through, and the gizmos were absorbing the thoughts in that jail? Honestly that could be another thing the game just doesn't say and I'm just coming up with a theory. "Why did the guards run out of the hallway when you turned off the lights?" They're afraid of the dark. "What happens when the thoughts go into the Mood Magnet?" I believe the thoughts that are considered deviant are locked away for future reference and archiving, to determine what the deviant thoughts exactly are and why they happen (I believe its said that they use people like Kent to find new deviant thoughts), while the "normal" thoughts are either deleted or sent back. That's what I'm assuming from Saul's statement of "stores it for later inspection". ...Okay, despite how it looks, I'm not trying to defend this story. I put the gameplay slightly above average for your typical adventure game, but I put the story below average. Great Opportunities missed, there's still stuff that really could have gone into more detail, and the overal execution of basically everything could have been done so much better with better characterization and more thought. I just had answers so I said them. And since I'm determined to share everything I know about this game in one fell swoop, for one last tibit, the FMV cutscenes were animated via motion-capture (if you couldn't tell) and gained some fame at the time for doing so at the time, being featured on a UK TV show Bad Influence.
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I hate coconut. I can only eat it absolutely fresh, anything else makes me vomit, even if it's a very minor ingredient.
- Earlier
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ROSS'S GAME DUNGEON: NORMALITY
Steve the Pocket replied to Ross Scott's topic in Ross's Game Dungeon
Paul's picture looks familiar to me too. The one detail I'm picturing being different in my head is that his mustache is downturned in the exact shape of a crescent moon, or that "boomerang" PS3 controller. And then later in the video for some reason my mind wandered to the webcomic Leftover Soup and I started seeing the character drawn in that artist's style, particularly in its early phase. I think we're witnessing a Mandela Effect spreading in real time. -
Twas the Night before Christmas Not a creature was stirring, not even Bane The flight plan was filed with the agency with care CIA knowing the hostages wouldn’t all reach there The prisoners were kneeling with bags on their heads With visions of sleighbells and crashing sleds And CIA in his polo, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap When out on the clouds there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the seat to see what was the matter. Away to the aisle I flew like a flash, Tore open the seatbelt and turned in a dash After shouting and shooting, and questions of Bane One interrupted Wilson, with self-satisfied disdain When, what, from under a hood should appear, But a man, with a mask, and soon it was clear Bigger than average, but still under detain, I knew in a moment it must have been Bane More rapid than eagles CIA’s surprise came, And he pointed, and shouted, and called him by name “Bane?” he gasped, with shock and surprise As he realised his flightplan hadn’t included this guise How vital was the mask, CIA began to wonder When it would soon sink in he had made such a blunder Pain would occur, although the target unclear Until Bane interjected with CIA’s biggest fear For when told he was a big guy, Bane responded with glee That CIA feeling glum is how it would be Then it was revealed that the capture was intended And CIA’s flight plane would need to be amended But then from behind, another plane appeared in the distance with Bane adding that he needed Pavel’s assistance CIA’s dismissal of Bane’s success because his source of dreaded distress The plan was to crash, with all on board Presents and all, with Bane’s freedom restored So Bane sprang from his seat, to his team gave a shout, And down they all slid into his masterplanned rout But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he rose out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
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At 20:09 the ball is called a space hopper, very similar to the one in Monkey Dust from 2003. The hopper is sentient in the series too. The only problem is that the game is from 1996 :/
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A very Merry Christmas indeed! Also, the guy reminds me of the professor from Nyet 3. Still watching the episode, one of the better ones from the last years. Seems a lot closer to the older Game Dungeons in style and choice of game.
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Merry Game Dungeon! This is a blog post. To read the original post, please click here »
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Merry Game Dungeon!
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Here's the December videochat, nothing too important this time. The next Game Dungeon episode coming soon, FM afterwards, possibly more SKG news coming next month, the rest is just the usual rambling, there was more discussion on AI this time. This is a blog post. To read the original post, please click here »
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Here's the December videochat, nothing too important this time. The next Game Dungeon episode coming soon, FM afterwards, possibly more SKG news coming next month, the rest is just the usual rambling, there was more discussion on AI this time.
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Games that you are happy made it into the Game List
kerdios replied to DuendeInexistente's topic in Gaming in general
I'm glad dwarven realms made it in, I would also like Defcon Zero to make it into it as it is a title that is trying to resuscitate the RTS genre https://store.steampowered.com/app/2923140/Defcon_Zero_Frontlines_of_Tomorrow/ -
Well, it's no longer available on Steam.
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Limited of course, but a decent time for a single playthrough, or a second thinner one.
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The closest thing we'll get to They Hunger: Lost Souls (barring the leak). The atmosphere was that palpable for me. Like They Hunger, you begin wrecked in a small mysterious town at night, seemingly devoid of life, until you discover... what else? I really took a liking to the level design with the minor puzzles for pacing, and many small hidden areas that reward exploration. It's less linear than Half-Life, there are often multiple pathways to take to get to your destination, but never to the point of frustration, just thoughtful navigation. The minor negatives are it losing the punch of its atmosphere closer to the end, and being stuck in the darkness with a dead flashlight, being forced to repeatedly press f to get any kind of light.
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I saw a video of a guy playing this game. The brief snippets I saw were enough to get me interested in the franchise as I wasn't familiar with the original comic or the movies. That and I'm a sucker for turn-of-the-millenium 3D dreamlike cyberpunk map design. The Messiah Game Dungeon is one of my all time favorites simply for how disorientating and hostile the game and premise is, it's like a fucked up dream, I love it.
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"Games as a service is fraud" Russian dub
mrglanet replied to mrglanet's topic in Russian (Русский язык)
Got some feedback! Looks like it's making an impact!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUAX0gnZ3Nw&lc=UgwAkPs1MPAEgbrEle94AaABAg -
Ask questions or topics to discuss here for the next videochat with viewers at 6:00pm UTC on December 20th on twitch.tv/rossbroadcast. The current plan is to have a New Game Dungeon out not long afterwards (before Christmas). This is a blog post. To read the original post, please click here »
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Ask questions or topics to discuss here for the next videochat with viewers at 6:00pm UTC on December 20th on twitch.tv/rossbroadcast. The current plan is to have a New Game Dungeon out not long afterwards (before Christmas).
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HELLO YOU HAVE A SAVEGAME STORAGE.BIN ME HAVE THIS GAME
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All racial crime statistics are wrong
Deep Dive Devin replied to BTGBullseye's topic in Serious Topic Discussion
It is extremely likely that accursed farms forum user BTGBullseye is making a post falsely equating the bogus crime statistics he believes in with more-accurate reports from less-biased sources as a deflection from the fact that he is constantly signaling support for a consistently more criminally-violent political affiliation -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZpwjiLUe8I&pp=0gcJCSkKAYcqIYzv It is extremely likely that all crime statistics regarding political affiliation are skewed for the exact same reason, incorrect/wrong data going into the statistics from the very start.
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Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
Kuros_Overkill replied to Generic-User's topic in Ross's Game List
If you are looking for more skyrim to hold you over until ES6, check this out. It's darker, pseudo - post - apocalyptic, but still fantasy (swords and magic) I haven't finished act 1 yet, sounds like the game does fall off after act 1, so buyer be ware, but I've been enjoying it so far.
