Gaming: Who does it? How's VR? Any retro-gamers? Any game developers on here?

[WilliamSmith]

I like the retro themes other posters have put in this thread, but now for VR:

I got an Oculus Quest last week. I was busy with other stuff so have only had a few hours to mess with it and mostly downloaded games on a slow metered connection without time to play much yet, but I think VR fighting might be a new secret weapon in my battle against the conspiracy of certain American women to force me to drink too much alcohol. (They don't actually want to shrink my muscles because they like them, but you know how women are, they can't think rationally because all they ever think about is sensual indulgence, pleasure, and sex, sex sex, so with their one-track minds focused on these things they overlook how if they're always making me drink while indulging their exotic whims then when they're not around on other nights, it can lead to problems in me maintaining myself... unless I get creative by finding interesting pro-muscle solutions at night like... VR!)

If you're already messed with VR headsets you know what it's like, but must say I'm impressed as a first-time user: It's a trip to actually define a VR boundary in a physical space but be able to look around 360 degrees and see the virtual world move around you, and have your movement tracked with the headset and handheld controllers...

I got this flying game "Rush":
I copied it at the time mark where you can see how the flying game looks, but imagine this as actually being inside it in 3d (or else it'd just look like an OK older generation ps1-2 era game):
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znmVCXMRKM8&t=69s[/youtube]
Edit: Can't get this turkey to embed but if you watch this and skip 1:11 in to the flying part you can see what I mean.
You can control the flight and movement with either your head (turning or tilting), or moving your arms around, LOL.

[WilliamSmith]

More on VR:
My old friends are being homos and won't train with me, so I still don't have a sparring partner right now, but on top of my Century BOB, I got Thrill of the Fight, as well as some demos of more "cinematic" boxing games where you still get into some physical action.

Thrill of the Fight is the one that actually gets good press from real boxers and MMA fighters. (It's not like it can train you for real, but it's not worthless either, and at minimum it's a good workout.)



Oh, here's those Buff Dudes guys, I remember seeing them when I was lifting myself back into good condition after I almost died 10+ years ago, LOL:
They're a bit older now but talking best VR games for getting in shape.
The Gorn game they played in the start of this video just looks gross to me, but I like Thrill of the Fight that they start playing at about 5:05 in....



Looks like they liked the game too, and gave a thumbs-up to the whole VR experience.

[WilliamSmith]

I got this too: Blade and Sorcery Nomad...
The 2020's era music they use these days is just completely f***ing garbage, yet the game still looks potentially promising. I'm hoping you can wander around in this nicely rendered fantasy-RPG setting and engage in combat with foes who actually deserve to be fought... I strongly dislike games that pit you against people/creatures that don't even deserve to be harmed. I had to kill a big nasty snake with a gun today, as it happens, but even that made me feel guilty on some level even though I had little choice...
@Lucas88 and @Pixel--Dude have you ever tried this VR combat stuff before? I wasn't into GTA or other sandbox violence with a controller in my hand, but have to admit full-3D vr fighting is enjoyable in these problematic times where my male friends are being wussy homos who won't spar with me...

[Pixel--Dude]

I got this too: Blade and Sorcery Nomad...
The 2020's era music they use these days is just completely f***ing garbage, yet the game still looks potentially promising. I'm hoping you can wander around in this nicely rendered fantasy-RPG setting and engage in combat with foes who actually deserve to be fought... I strongly dislike games that pit you against people/creatures that don't even deserve to be harmed. I had to kill a big nasty snake with a gun today, as it happens, but even that made me feel guilty on some level even though I had little choice...
@Lucas88 and @Pixel--Dude have you ever tried this VR combat stuff before? I wasn't into GTA or other sandbox violence with a controller in my hand, but have to admit full-3D vr fighting is enjoyable in these problematic times where my male friends are being wussy homos who won't spar with me...

Yes. I have played a boxing simulator and a bar fight simulator. They are good games and a fun way to practice shadow boxing. Though I tend to get headaches playing VR.

[WilliamSmith]

Yes. I have played a boxing simulator and a bar fight simulator. They are good games and a fun way to practice shadow boxing. Though I tend to get headaches playing VR.

@Pixel--Dude

What boxing sim was it, out of curiosity?

Thrill of the Fight is the one that's actually known for being solid on actually conveying some practical boxing skill and gets good ratings from real boxers and MMA fighters, but some of the others look pretty cool.
"Creed" or something that takes a more cinematic approach and is based on the guy who was once played by Carl Weathers when I was a little lad in the 80's watching Rocky Films is another, but I got that demo and haven't played yet.

I think I know what you mean about that bar fight simulator, but I forgot the exact name. (I think Drunkn Bar Fight ? )
I don't like this kind of thing because I only want my passionate violence to be unleashed on 100% deserving bad guys even if it's pure fantasy, and I also only want it to be on somewhat worthy and willing opponents (unless they're pure aggressors and invaders and consequently have it coming.) So I guess I'm slightly more puritanical about kicking ass than those who think violent mayhem against random creatures is supposedly fine just because it's supposedly only fantasy.

As for the head-aches:
The somewhat heavy Oculus Quest headset does make me feel a bit weird, but have to say I'm into it and the ability to unleash combat aggression on 100% bad guys (skeleton warriors, 100% willing boxing ring participants, pirates, savage hostile orcs, etc) and then do more practical force training using heavy bags and my Century Bob is pretty fuckin' great, since my old brothers are being homos and won't train with me. (Though one of them might be coming round, but meanwhile VR is better than nothing!!)

[Pixel--Dude]

Yes. I have played a boxing simulator and a bar fight simulator. They are good games and a fun way to practice shadow boxing. Though I tend to get headaches playing VR.

@Pixel--Dude

What boxing sim was it, out of curiosity?

Thrill of the Fight is the one that's actually known for being solid on actually conveying some practical boxing skill and gets good ratings from real boxers and MMA fighters, but some of the others look pretty cool.
"Creed" or something that takes a more cinematic approach and is based on the guy who was once played by Carl Weathers when I was a little lad in the 80's watching Rocky Films is another, but I got that demo and haven't played yet.

I think I know what you mean about that bar fight simulator, but I forgot the exact name. (I think Drunkn Bar Fight ? )
I don't like this kind of thing because I only want my passionate violence to be unleashed on 100% deserving bad guys even if it's pure fantasy, and I also only want it to be on somewhat worthy and willing opponents (unless they're pure aggressors and invaders and consequently have it coming.) So I guess I'm slightly more puritanical about kicking ass than those who think violent mayhem against random creatures is supposedly fine just because it's supposedly only fantasy.

As for the head-aches:
The somewhat heavy Oculus Quest headset does make me feel a bit weird, but have to say I'm into it and the ability to unleash combat aggression on 100% bad guys (skeleton warriors, 100% willing boxing ring participants, pirates, savage hostile orcs, etc) and then do more practical force training using heavy bags and my Century Bob is pretty fuckin' great, since my old brothers are being homos and won't train with me. (Though one of them might be coming round, but meanwhile VR is better than nothing!!)

I'm sorry, but I can't remember the name of the boxing simulator. Pretty sure the other one is drunken bar fight. Hahaha. Stupid game. Let us know what you think when you've had a crack at the boxing one. I imagine they are all the same.

Have you played Skyrim on VR? I've just modded it up so it is like a horror game instead of a fantasy RPG. It's brought a new challenge to the game and made it so the land is full of monsters that attack towns and cities. I'm even getting hunted by the four horseman of the apocalypse hahaha.

The occulus doesn't look as bad as the PlayStation VR. It used to do my crust in with all the wires and set up time. In the end the set up time wasn't worth the fun we got playing it. I imagine with occulus you don't have that issue.

[Lucas88]

The somewhat heavy Oculus Quest headset does make me feel a bit weird, but have to say I'm into it and the ability to unleash combat aggression on 100% bad guys (skeleton warriors, 100% willing boxing ring participants, pirates, savage hostile orcs, etc) and then do more practical force training using heavy bags and my Century Bob is pretty fuckin' great, since my old brothers are being homos and won't train with me. (Though one of them might be coming round, but meanwhile VR is better than nothing!!)

There's no substitute for real combat training, my good dude. Your buddies might be too p***y to spar with you but I'm sure that you could find a good Muay Thai gym in Portland where you can do some real sparring with expert instructors and real students of the game.

Besides, we better take advantage of the relative normality that we have now before the (((WHO))) declare another lockdown for another phase of the scamdemic. What next? Another new variant? Monkeypox? f**k those assholes! We better get fighting fit while we can!

[WilliamSmith]

The somewhat heavy Oculus Quest headset does make me feel a bit weird, but have to say I'm into it and the ability to unleash combat aggression on 100% bad guys (skeleton warriors, 100% willing boxing ring participants, pirates, savage hostile orcs, etc) and then do more practical force training using heavy bags and my Century Bob is pretty fuckin' great, since my old brothers are being homos and won't train with me. (Though one of them might be coming round, but meanwhile VR is better than nothing!!)

There's no substitute for real combat training, my good dude. Your buddies might be too p***y to spar with you but I'm sure that you could find a good Muay Thai gym in Portland where you can do some real sparring with expert instructors and real students of the game.

Besides, we better take advantage of the relative normality that we have now before the (((WHO))) declare another lockdown for another phase of the scamdemic. What next? Another new variant? Monkeypox? f**k those assholes! Be better get fighting fit while we can!

Oh yeah, definitely 100% true! I am not under the delusion VR is actually a substitute. (Fortunately I did do enough MMA before I know the value of sparring partners and practice.)
I am just happy about the VR combat specifically because my "bros" are being homos who won't train at all right now (though one may be on the verge of changing his mind and we're discussing it but he's busy with his career for a bit longer), so VR Thrill of the Fight boxing is just a "better than nothing" fix to enjoy as an inadequate compromise along with the heavy bag.
At bare minimum VR is great for cardio workouts though, as well as fun.

What I said about unleashed aggression in VR gaming is still fun though, addressing the entertainment side only (off the subject of how Blade and Sorcery admittedly isn't going to turn me into an actual sword fighter, LOL): I don't really like sitting there in front of a gaming console doing violent gaming because it somehow makes me self-consciously aware of myself sitting there like a lump of dough while adolescent fantasies of violent combat play out on the screen, but actually being in full 3d VR in a medieval dungeon environment or something and striking the head off a hostile red-eyed skeleton warrior and watching it's head bounce off against a stone wall and then roll along the ground is pretty damned entertaining.
The current state of VR raises the "suspension of disbelief" level to where I actually am way closer to feeling like enemies actually are attacking me (gun play is fun in it too), and while the visceral satisfaction is not of course the same as actual sparring practice, it's orders of magnitude more convincing than just sitting there with a controller or PC keyboard watching the action on a flat screen.

Things have come a long way from when John Carmack and ID pioneered their pseudo-3d raycasting 3d games like Catacomb 3d, Wolfenstein, Doom, Heretic, and Hexen. I actually love the retro look and feel of some of the fantasy themed ones even more in some ways than modern fancy 3d rendered graphics, but the VR 360 degree real immersion does impress me.
Here's Catacomb 3d which I believe Carmack said was such a head rush to people totally unaccustomed to 3d way back in the day that one of the test-players actually got his brain confused and fell out of his chair.
There was also the thing you'd see inexperienced players do where they get so into the action they involuntarily through up their hands in the direction they're trying to make the on-screen sprite move to avoid falling down a pit in an original NES era or other console game.

[galii]

Some guys here are of philosophical nature. For that there is the game Disco Elysium. Did anybody try it? For some it might be a bit lefty though. I listened to a few youtubers about it.


I am getting a bit into gaming after 30 years. I started with some zombi killing on the smart phone. I am afraid I might waste too much time. I also started playing chess to mitigate game addiction before it even started.

[WilliamSmith]

"E Irizarry R&B Singer" post_id=374584 time=1657672486 user_id=9029]
OKay Okay so since @WanderingProtagonist wants to bring up DataEast's Bad Dudes Vs. Ninja game,

Remember ISPEC (pronounced Ice Pick) games "Green Beret" (bootleg version of Rush N' Attack - made like an anagram of Russian Attack)

@E Irizarry R&B Singer
Took me a little while, but I found it!
Rush'n Attack, originally released in Japan and Europe as Green Beret (グリーンベレー Gurīn Berē) very badass!
That's the 1980s for you, when American men were still men, even in 8-bit video games!

[Lucas88]

Command & Conquer was always my favorite real-time strategy game. I first played the Red Alert games (especially Aftermath and Counterstrike, which were released for the PS1 under the title C&C Red Alert: Retaliation) and then the original Tiberium Dawn when I was a little kiddy still in primary school. Those early games from the 90s were by far the best generation of C&C.

Here is a video of the final mission in the NOD campaign of Tiberium Dawn (the player's style is really strategic and the video is a very good introduction to C&C for anybody who might be curious about the game ):



Look at the Obelisk Guard Tower (fires lasers) that is built around the 3:15 mark. Those things used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid!


Now here is another video of the final mission of the Soviet campaign of Red Alert: Aftermath (Stu is a very skilled speedrunner who shows us how it's done! ):



The Soviets have Tesla weapons that fire electricity, big fat Mammoth tanks, and missile subs.


Anybody here a fan of Command & Conquer?

@Pixel--Dude @WanderingProtagonist @Natural Born Cynic @galii

If so, which C&C games did you like the most?

I always thought that Red Alert (including Aftermath and Counterstrike) had the best gameplay with smoother physics, more advanced units and some of the most unique missions while C&C Tiberium Dawn had cooler factions (GDI vs. NOD), a far more interesting backstory, and better aesthetics (music, voiceovers and the game's overall look).

GDI in Tiberium Dawn is a good faction but the Allies in Red Alert are just boring. The Brotherhood of NOD is pure baddass!





Nostalgia!

[MrMan]

I've spent too much of my life playing video games, especially as a child playing Atari 2600 games, then as a teen playing Atari computer games. As an adult, I would play flash games, like this one where you can play different kind of warriors, like a ninja or a middle eastern guy with a turban and take over the cities of an imaginary world or 'Colony' back when flash was up.

But it seems too much to have it be such a big part of one's life that one thinks of oneself as a 'gamer' or a 'retro-gamer.' There is too much other stuff to do. If I could take back some of that video game time, especially which I excused to myself as stress relief in my adult years...

[galii]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1zraPn29dU
Alex Jones Made A Video Game

[Lucas88]

I've spent too much of my life playing video games, especially as a child playing Atari 2600 games, then as a teen playing Atari computer games. As an adult, I would play flash games, like this one where you can play different kind of warriors, like a ninja or a middle eastern guy with a turban and take over the cities of an imaginary world or 'Colony' back when flash was up.

But it seems too much to have it be such a big part of one's life that one thinks of oneself as a 'gamer' or a 'retro-gamer.' There is too much other stuff to do. If I could take back some of that video game time, especially which I excused to myself as stress relief in my adult years...

Playing videogames in moderation provides enjoyable moments of relaxation to take one away from the stress of everyday life. I'm not a "gamer". There is about a handful of game franchises that I really love. I play a game from one of those franchises once in a while. I never excessively play videogames or allow them to become an addiction.

I prefer to occupy my time with MMA training, fitness, reading, and other edifying things, but every few months or so I go through one of the old GTA games, the Command & Conquer campaigns, or Streets of Rage. So I get back into gaming for a few days or a week and then put the console or gaming laptop away and don't touch it again for a while. I think that this is a healthy approach.

I also appreciate old-school games as an artistic medium in their own right. They often have unique aesthetics, brilliant soundtracks, iconic characters, captivating storylines, and well-developed worlds.

[IraqVet2003]

I'm a person who has a Playstation 4 (PS4) game console. The type of video games I like playing the most are racing/driving simulation games such as Grand Turismo 7, Test Drive Unlimited, or Need for Speed Remastered. This is because I really love the exotic cars (Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc.) and locations that are featured in these games. Also, I love playing the Ace Combat series with the sleek fighter planes both real and imagined such as the F-16, F-22, Rafale, Su-35, etc. As for the retro games, I do enjoy playing the classic arcade ones like Galaga and Pac-Man.