Any gamers around here?

[Cavebear]

I dislike Steam, yet it is what I use.  I still prefer using a disk.  That way, I can play whatever game I want without waiting for the game to download.  I don't have to worry about the Steam cloud with all my games on it drying up--or going out of business--or some other mishap that would wipe that cloud out.  But finding game disks anymore is next to impossible--and aren't there companies that don't even publish them??  Anyway, I use Steam.

Am not aware of GoG--what is it and why use it and Steam together?

At the risk of sounding REALLY stupid, can you download the game?  Have you checked for purchasable disks?  I agree that having the disks is safest.  In fact, my game computer isn't even on line.  Civ2 only runs on Windows 95 or 98.  I wouldn't DARE be online with that.

[Blackleaf]

So I finally bought XCOM2 (at a retailer of my choice) and found out that the Earth has been conquered by aliens, despite my exemplary defense in XCOM 1.

I will now spend the next week creating custom soldiers of friends and family and tv characters.

Be sure to capture the youthfulness in my green skin, and the righteous fury in my red eyes. And don't forget the muscles with which to crush alien heads between my thighs.

[Blackleaf]

At the risk of sounding REALLY stupid, can you download the game?  Have you checked for purchasable disks?  I agree that having the disks is safest.  In fact, my game computer isn't even on line.  Civ2 only runs on Windows 95 or 98.  I wouldn't DARE be online with that.

When you download a game from Steam or a similar service, the game goes through that service to launch. For example, I got the Elder Scrolls Anthology, with every mainline Elder Scrolls game on physical disks. While Arena and Daggerfall launch via emulators (since they're so old), Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim all go through Steam to launch. Kind of annoying, since I didn't even buy them from Steam, but that's just how it is. I don't believe there is any way around it.

[Cavebear]

When you download a game from Steam or a similar service, the game goes through that service to launch. For example, I got the Elder Scrolls Anthology, with every mainline Elder Scrolls game on physical disks. While Arena and Daggerfall launch via emulators (since they're so old), Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim all go through Steam to launch. Kind of annoying, since I didn't even buy them from Steam, but that's just how it is. I don't believe there is any way around it.

I played Civ V on Steam, but it was so annoying (the game not the service) I gave it up.  Bought an old Windows computer just to play Civ2.  But I still have some old games that would work on it.  I would love to Win at Dirk the Daring (DragonsLair?) someday.

[Hydra009]

When you download a game from Steam or a similar service, the game goes through that service to launch. For example, I got the Elder Scrolls Anthology, with every mainline Elder Scrolls game on physical disks. While Arena and Daggerfall launch via emulators (since they're so old), Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim all go through Steam to launch. Kind of annoying, since I didn't even buy them from Steam, but that's just how it is. I don't believe there is any way around it.

Games downloaded through Steam are launched through Steam.  However, there is an offline mode should Steam servers go dark.

[Hydra009]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvDx5o1h9Wo

I just downloaded MLP soldiers to XCOM2.  The fun has been doubled!

[Blackleaf]

Games downloaded through Steam are launched through Steam.  However, there is an offline mode should Steam servers go dark.

Assuming the game in question doesn't have DRM... I brought my computer with me to play Sonic Mania with friends and family, didn't have Wi-fi access. I tried playing in offline mode, but the DRM wouldn't have it. Had to go online to prove the game I paid for was actually mine. Fortunately, I believe Sonic Mania has since had its DRM removed, but it took them a couple years. Damn DRM was also the reason the PC version was delayed an extra two weeks, because the developers were given a last minute mandate to put in the anti-piracy software. Took a whole two hours for the DRM to be cracked.

[Sal1981]

This aged well: (it's in 4 parts)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_rCbrbzYLw



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEvY3AcaQTA



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn8WVQcH6Yc



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB_j8PnWxFc


Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw has a talk from January 2009 about what makes a good game, and his experience as critiquing video games as art. The first 2 parts have his talk, the 3rd and 4th are Q&A.

[Hydra009]

In XCOM2, I made a soldier in my likeness and he went on his first mission.  A sectoid attempted a psychic attack on him, which succeeded.  He panicked, and in his panic, he shot the Sectoid dead, which broke its psychic attack.  So nicknamed him "witchhunter".

[Mike Cl]

At the risk of sounding REALLY stupid, can you download the game?  Have you checked for purchasable disks?  I agree that having the disks is safest.  In fact, my game computer isn't even on line.  Civ2 only runs on Windows 95 or 98.  I wouldn't DARE be online with that.

Which game are you referring to??

[Blackleaf]

Apparently, Minecraft is trending again. It's surpassing even Fortnite, which is one of the most annoyingly popular games in history. This coincides with Pewdiepie on YouTube, finally giving in to fans demanding he play Minecraft. Just goes to show how much power YouTube has over video game trends.

[Hydra009]

Just goes to show how much power YouTube has over video game trends.

It really does have tremendous power.  Youtube drives what's trending and therefore what's trendy.  Almost every video game I've ever bought was only after I watched several gameplay videos on youtube.

[Mike Cl]

It really does have tremendous power.  Youtube drives what's trending and therefore what's trendy.  Almost every video game I've ever bought was only after I watched several gameplay videos on youtube.

Yeah--me, too.

[Sal1981]

I might go back to Minecraft (Java version), there's a server I'm part of with its own Discord server that recently got very active again.

I'll go check it out and how it does now.


EDIT: except for a server crash some time ago, where spawn chunks got wiped, everything is still there. I remember being quite decked out, with a mending, unbreaking 3 elytra and most of the mending diamond armor, but I don't know what to build other than some castleish building.

[trdsf]

Friend of mine has decided I should play The Sims 4, so she's bought me the base set and had me wishlist the add-on stuff I want so she can get me a bundle every two weeks.

So far I've spent most of my time in build mode, making Wright-inspired bachelor pads and Brutalist mansions and the houses I grew up in, and have started researching how to add original content... I was almost surprised to remember there was actually a game attached.  :)