What video game are you playing?

[wizards8507]

Glad you're enjoying it. I'm farming for a few choice epics to round out my build at level 80 before restarting on a higher difficulty setting.

What sort of level do you achieve naturally through the main campaign? Trying to decide how strategic I need to be on my skills.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

What sort of level do you achieve naturally through the main campaign? Trying to decide how strategic I need to be on my skills.

The main storyline ends in Act III, with Act IV being a different sort of "end game" that can be enjoyed for many hours. Most people are level 40-45 when they enter Act IV, so that's how many skill points you should count on having. Here are the upgrades I'd recommend, with important ones bolded:

COMBAT

• Execution - Grim Resolve: Helpful mostly because it prevents you from losing Might when taking damage.
• Perfect Counter - Mighty Reversal: Might is always useful; killing grunts is not hard.
• Critical Strike - Elven Precision: Rewards you for not button-mashing. Just make sure you're only pressing once for each sword swing and you'll get a bunch of extra crits.
• Ground Finisher - Wraith Shield: Whenever you knock a captain down, a Ground Finisher is usually the most effective way to damage him, and Wraith Shield keeps grunts off you during the animation. Though Fury is a better option if you can isolate the captain.
• Brutal Aggression - Ceaseless Might: Quickly building Might and dumping it on priority targets like captains is crucial to your success. Ceaseless Might basically cuts the Might cost of all your executions in half, which is incredibly powerful.
• Retaliation - Adamant: Extra life. Helpful when things get hairy.

PREDATOR

• Elven Agility - Spectral Dash: Once you pick up a certain late-game cloak (Mask of the Undying), Spectral Dash becomes amazing. But before then, neither of these potential upgrades are particularly useful. I used Silent Runner, but haven't missed it at all since switching away.
• Brutalize - Unyielding Ferocity: Better than Reckless Hate, though still not very useful.
• Poison Tendril - Contagion: Not very useful.
• Wraith Chain - Shadow Blade: Once you've got a high level ring, the amount of focus you have allows you to stealth kill up to four grunts at once. Shadow Blade bumps that up to 5.
• Deadly Spectre - Spirit Drain: Sometimes useful if you're running Dominate. Otherwise both upgrade options suck.
• Death Threat - Vow of Violence: Only because I rarely shame enemy captains.

As you can see, the Predator tree kinda sucks. There's only one powerful ability, and it requires a certain piece of legendary gear to enable it.

RANGED

• Detonate - Bursting Arrow: Sometimes useful to clear out a bunch of grunts gathered around a fire.
• Freeze Pin - Deep Freeze: Useful for taking one captain out of a fight for an extended period while you focus on another one.
• Bird of Prey - Talon Strike: Sometime useful for dealing AoE damage to a bunch of grunts while falling, but very situational.
• Mighty Shot - Freeze Storm: Frost effects provide the most damage against a captain assuming you can follow it up with an Ice Storm combo. But this is one ability where you'll probably want all three upgrades eventually, because Mighty Shot is one of the best ways to dump Might on a captain that's immune to executions, and you'll want access to whatever element he's weak to.
• Shadow Strike - Shadow Strike Pull: Allows you to pull captains to you (and away from their bodyguards) so you can safely 1 v 1 them. Though all three of these upgrades are very useful in different situations. Chain of Shadows can allow you to Shadow Strike a captain multiple times off a single focus bar (great against those who are immune to executions, though there have to be other targets nearby to bounce off of), and Shadow Dominate is helpful for quickly catching up to a broken captain who's running away.

WRAITH

• Brace of Daggers - Rain of Blades: I only use this ability on Ghuls, which are not very common.
• Elven Light - Winter's Breath: Same analysis as Mighty Shot above, just better AoE and worse single-target damage. You'll likely want all three of these at some point.
• Ice Storm - Frostbite: Guarantees a crit at the end of every Ice Storm combo. With Critical Strike - Elven Precision, you'll get multiple crits during the combo if you time your button presses correctly. Makes Ice Storm combos your most damaging single-target ability, especially once you start increasing your critical strike damage through gear.
• Consume - Chain of Souls: Can be helpful for Domination-focused builds, but I've found that it's rarely worth spending Might to dominate grunts.
• Treasure Hunter - Discerning Eye/ Prospector: Both of these are crucial. If you're farming captains for gear, you should always have the former equipped. And if you're farming treasure orcs for gems, you should always have the latter equipped. If you have to limit yourself to one, go for Prospector, because epic and legendary gear can be rerolled for better modifiers, but each roll requires a perfect gem, so you'll need a LOT of gems if you ever want to optimize your gear.

MOUNTED

• Caragor Rider - Bestial Rage: Meh.
• Graug Rider - Devouring Force: Graugs are the most useful beasts for assaulting fortesses (they break down gates super quickly) and killing captains, and this ability is helpful for keeping your mount alive long enough to finish off your target.
• Call Mount - Graug Call: See above.
• Shadow Mount - Pack Master: Meh.
• Dragon Rider - Scales of Iron: Drakes die quickly without this upgrade.

STORY

• Drain - Dominate: Very useful during Acts I - III, but much less so in Act IV. You'll likely switch to one of the other two then depending on whether you find yourself needing health or elf-shot more frequently.
• Spectral Glaive - Deadly Striker: Talion's best option for AoE damage without using Might. Also great single target damage against captains that are knocked down.
• Elven Rage - Freezing Burst: See above re Mighty Shot and Elven Light.
• Shadow Strider - Hammer of Eregion: Great for facilitating Ice Storm combos. Just be careful about vaulting captains that are enraged by frost. Will be swapped for Waters of Lorien once you get Mask of the Undying.
• Call Followers - Bodyguard: Make sure you assign one good Orc-killing captain as your bodyguard in each region. You can call him in to help take out an enemy captain who has inconvenient immunities (Ranged, Executions and Frost are the most annoying to deal with), and there's also a good chance he'll swoop in to instantly save you from execution by an enemy orc.
• Dominate Captain - Enrage Followers: All of these options are terrible, this one being the least so. I never use it because Wrath is much better saved for Talion's use against individual captains.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Downloaded the SNES and NES add on's for the Nintendo Switch and never felt older playing those games with a 10 and 4 year old! Pilotwings was a hit though!

This is what I'm here for. haha. I can't stand gaming, but I like to reminisce about the good old days. I'm actually considering the Switch for this very reason. If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

 

[wizards8507]

Need a recommendation for a decent gaming headset that I'll use primarily for work meetings. I've been using the Microsoft Xbox One headset for four years but it broke on me. I'm thinking Arctis 3/5/7?

If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

Nintendo Switch Online is $35 per year for a family membership.

 

[IrishLion]

Need a recommendation for a decent gaming headset that I'll use primarily for work meetings. I've been using the Microsoft Xbox One headset for four years but it broke on me.

If you're open to a PS4 headset rather than Xbone, I'd give my Sony Gold wireless headset rave reviews.

Sound quality is outstanding, you can use two different dials to mix chat/game/music volume to your preferred levels, and not dealing with a cord is actually a nice luxury.

Good value combining quality, price point, and wireless capability on both the console and PC/Mac.

 

[bkess8]

.

 

[bkess8]

This is what I'm here for. haha. I can't stand gaming, but I like to reminisce about the good old days. I'm actually considering the Switch for this very reason. If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

You sign up for the Nintendo account. I forget how much it is yearly but I think its worth it. My kids get free content throughout the year and I get the classics I want. Money well spent IMO.

UPDATE:
Family subscription is $35 a year. Individual is $20 a year or $4 for one month or $8 for 3 months.
Everything you need to know nintendo switch online/

 

[greyhammer90]

This is what I'm here for. haha. I can't stand gaming, but I like to reminisce about the good old days. I'm actually considering the Switch for this very reason. If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

Buying a switch as a retro console is a big waste of money IMO. Buying a full price console plus doing an online subscription is a big rip off if all you want to do is play old NES and SNES games.

If that is all you are looking for, a good portion of the ones worth playing are available on the mini-systems. Or you could use almost any PC or a Raspberry Pi to get every NES and SNES game almost instantly if you're willing to fly the jolly roger.

 

[ACamp1900]

This is what I'm here for. haha. I can't stand gaming, but I like to reminisce about the good old days. I'm actually considering the Switch for this very reason. If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

I have the nes games,... it’s cool but limited. If you really want to get in it I’d suggest a hacked PlayStation classic. Some of those things are loaded,... mine has almost every Atari, every nes, every snes, and hundreds of arcade and other system games. All the nes games have game genie hacks in them. It’s awesome.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

This is what I'm here for. haha. I can't stand gaming, but I like to reminisce about the good old days. I'm actually considering the Switch for this very reason. If I buy one, how do I get the old games? What's the cost?

Buying a switch as a retro console is a big waste of money IMO. Buying a full price console plus doing an online subscription is a big rip off if all you want to do is play old NES and SNES games.

If that is all you are looking for, a good portion of the ones worth playing are available on the mini-systems. Or you could use almost any PC or a Raspberry Pi to get every NES and SNES game almost instantly if you're willing to fly the jolly roger.

Unless the prospect of building your own custom console sounds like fun (or if there are some obscure titles that are especially dear to you), the NES mini and the SNES mini are your quickest and most cost-effective options here.

 

[tussin]

Unless the prospect of building your own custom console sounds like fun (or if there are some obscure titles that are especially dear to you), the NES mini and the SNES mini are your quickest and most cost-effective options here.

It's incredibly easy to mod an SNES Mini and add games to it. I did it in 30 min using an only guide and have 150 games on it.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Just beat Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the ol' N64. Talk about nostalgia. Great game, probably my favorite of all time.

Probably take a crack at Goldeneye next.

 

[wizards8507]

Unless the prospect of building your own custom console sounds like fun (or if there are some obscure titles that are especially dear to you), the NES mini and the SNES mini are your quickest and most cost-effective options here.

It's incredibly easy to mod an SNES Mini and add games to it. I did it in 30 min using an only guide and have 150 games on it.

Piracy is for the Poors.

 

[ACamp1900]

Piracy is for the Poors.

I’ve bought those games like five different times in my life,...

 

[greyhammer90]

I’ve bought those games like five different times in my life,...

This.

Besides, its been shown over and over that piracy is not correlated to price. It's correlated to convenience. There's a reason piracy nosedived after Netflix/Spotify/Steam came out. If getting your product illegally is more convenient than just buying it, then you've got a problem. A person who's inclined can download every NES game ever in about 3 minutes, and then they can play those games better than what Nintendo offers on their own platform.

 

[wizards8507]

Somebody tell me what headset to buy.

 

[greyhammer90]

Just beat Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the ol' N64. Talk about nostalgia. Great game, probably my favorite of all time.

Probably take a crack at Goldeneye next.

> Finishes OoT
> Doesn't play Majora's Mask immediately after

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

> Finishes OoT
> Doesn't play Majora's Mask immediately after

TBH it's not the same as OoT for me. Plus i haven't seen that game in years, one of my brothers must have snatched it.

We're all grown ass men and we still don't share well.

 

[wizards8507]

> Finishes OoT
> Doesn't play Majora's Mask immediately after

Have either of these been remade or have plans to be remade? I enjoy going back and playing 32 bit games but N64 doesn't hold up for me.

 

[greyhammer90]

Have either of these been remade or have plans to be remade? I enjoy going back and playing 32 bit games but N64 doesn't hold up for me.

They've been remade on 3DS, unavailable elsewhere.

The OoT remake is pretty good. It's not perfect or anything, but it's a good friendly port that's made the art direction a little too cartoony for my tastes.

The Majora's Mask remake is terrible IMO. Majora's Mask is to Nintendo as the Original Trilogy is to Lucas. The original was a rushed project that was made by cobbling up a bunch of preexisting assets, and the creators were likely flying by the seat of their pants for most of development. The result is one of the greatest games ever made. But, like the OT, there's a good amount of evidence suggesting that Nintendo itself doesn't really understand the appeal or magic that makes it special. The director himself often says that he is embarrassed by the game, and doesn't really like to play it. It's my personal GOAT.

 

[ulukinatme]

I have mixed feelings about Majora's Mask. As a concept I love time travel as a plot device. Back to the Future is one of my favorite trilogies all time, probably very close to the original Star Wars films. I remember watching the original Time Machine around 8 or 9 and being spellbound. Chrono Trigger is still one of my favorite games. Even time travel in Ocarina of Time is well done I thought, it's still one of my favorites and I've replayed it multiple times.

That said, I've never really had the inclination to replay Majora's Mask which is kind of odd to me. I think it's the whole "Kid Link" scenario, it's kind of a deal breaker for me. Ocarina of Time used Kid Link in a way that was almost believable. You're not fighting dragons like Volvagia as a kid, and it's clear that Ganon is beyond your power. Once you pull the Master Sword, Link travels through time and ages to his normal self, able to take on the real monsters of Hyrule. All that's different in Majora's Mask, kid Link is there from start to finish trying to save the world. I dunno, for some reason that concept didn't jive for me, I just remember not caring for a full game with kid Link. Otherwise I don't think I found anything about the game terribly off putting. The 3 day window is absolutely awful at first, but you get used to it. Maybe I need to replay Majora's Mask and see how I feel about it now.

If it's any consolation, I enjoyed Majora's Mask way more than Windwaker...gotdamn spend 3/4 of the game sailing...and I hate that art style. I mean I loathe it. Looks like you're watching a cartoon on Nick Jr.

 

[ACamp1900]

Somebody tell me what headset to buy.

I have this, it works fine and it’s dirt cheap:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/turtle...VePvjBx3mqAKLEAQYECABEgKhXfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[greyhammer90]

I have mixed feelings about Majora's Mask. As a concept I love time travel as a plot device. Back to the Future is one of my favorite trilogies all time, probably very close to the original Star Wars films. I remember watching the original Time Machine around 8 or 9 and being spellbound. Chrono Trigger is still one of my favorite games. Even time travel in Ocarina of Time is well done I thought, it's still one of my favorites and I've replayed it multiple times.

That said, I've never really had the inclination to replay Majora's Mask which is kind of odd to me. I think it's the whole "Kid Link" scenario, it's kind of a deal breaker for me. Ocarina of Time used Kid Link in a way that was almost believable. You're not fighting dragons like Volvagia as a kid, and it's clear that Ganon is beyond your power. Once you pull the Master Sword, Link travels through time and ages to his normal self, able to take on the real monsters of Hyrule. All that's different in Majora's Mask, kid Link is there from start to finish trying to save the world. I dunno, for some reason that concept didn't jive for me, I just remember not caring for a full game with kid Link. Otherwise I don't think I found anything about the game terribly off putting. The 3 day window is absolutely awful at first, but you get used to it. Maybe I need to replay Majora's Mask and see how I feel about it now.

If it's any consolation, I enjoyed Majora's Mask way more than Windwaker...gotdamn spend 3/4 of the game sailing...and I hate that art style. I mean I loathe it. Looks like you're watching a cartoon on Nick Jr.

Couple of counterpoints:

The child Link in this scenario is not a child mentally. He's the Hero of Time and a grown man who's saved the world already and has traveled back to the past. It makes sense that he'd be a bit more to deal with than your average tyke. Add in the fact that he is given adult bodies for most of the species he transforms into, and I don't really have a problem with it.

Honestly though, the awkwardness of Majora's Mask works so heavily in its favor that I could write a dissertation on it. The entire feeling the game gives you is similar to where you're in the early stages of a nightmare and you don't question what's going on around you but at the same time your brain knows that something is off. Like you said, playing as kid link without getting the payoff of becoming an adult doesn't feel good. In my opinion, that's the point of a lot of things in that game that people cite to. For a lesser game, that would be a cop-out. The thing that makes this game so unique though, is that it nails making you uncomfortable while also being one of the most fun Zelda games ever. It has tons of items, 4 great dungeons, an absolute TON of side quests and secrets, and is one of the funniest Zelda games from beginning to end. It's emotionally taxing while being a pleasure to play, it's dark without being edgy, and its melancholic without being joyless. It's basically "Existential Dread, The Game", and it's also a Zelda game. One of the best.

Edit: The song that slows down time makes the cycle deadline a non-issue unless you decide to start a temple in evening of the 2nd day, and if you do that I have very little pity for you.

 

[IrishLion]

Viking-themed Assassin's Creed reveal coming today and tomorrow.

Excited for viking-style art and gameplay.

More excited for the potential that they have a section of the game, or DLC content, where you're exploring Valhalla and fighting Norse gods.

The best part of Odyssey was running around Atlantis and equipping badass Isu armor... awesome mashup of Greek style with 'futuristic' aspects.

 

[IrishLion]

Excuse me while I fangirl over a live photoshop stream over here

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What’s happening here? &#55357;&#56384; <a href="https://t.co/HYAtDMZAqz">https://t.co/HYAtDMZAqz</a></p>— Ashraf Ismail (@AshrafAIsmail) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshrafAIsmail/status/1255468158388973568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[ACamp1900]

I had a dream last night that Nintendo announced an open world remake of the original Castlevania,... I woke up so happy. Then I see AC news and it’s back to reality,....

 

[ulukinatme]

I had a dream last night that Nintendo announced an open world remake of the original Castlevania,... I woke up so happy. Then I see AC news and it’s back to reality,....

Castlevania: Breath of the <S>Wild</S> Undead.

Konami, make it happen!

 

[ACamp1900]

Castlevania: Breath of the <S>Wild</S> Undead.

Konami, make it happen!

All. Day.

 

[ulukinatme]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2AFqYeXKK3I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Whiskeyjack]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ih20Tx-fNJs" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>