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    1. Do you own a VR headset?

      I recently got my significant other into Eurotruck Simulator 2 and was given the go-ahead to purchase a VR headset so that we can better experience the various sim games out there. Unfortunately,...

      I recently got my significant other into Eurotruck Simulator 2 and was given the go-ahead to purchase a VR headset so that we can better experience the various sim games out there. Unfortunately, the complete Valve Index package is back-ordered about 8 weeks so it will be a while before I can take the plunge and buy one.

      Was just curious though if anyone here also has a VR headset and what their experience has been with it. I had a 1st generation Oculus Rift a long time ago but ended up selling it since I felt the software wasn't there (2016) and I could really only play the seated experiences with a 360 controller so I felt I was behind the curve even on my 1st purchase.

      Some prompts to help spur discussion, but feel free to share what you would like to share:

      • How often do you play on your headset?
      • What games/experiences would you recommend?
      • What games/experiences do you not recommend?
      • What headset do you own/have you tried any others?
      • Are there any accessories or peripherals that are worth checking out?
      13 votes
    2. Turning my tabletop game into a real video game

      So, I am a filmmaker by trade. I understand scripting, pacing, etc. I also have been doing a lot of tabletop design, running a campaign for years with continuity, recurring characters that I...

      So, I am a filmmaker by trade. I understand scripting, pacing, etc. I also have been doing a lot of tabletop design, running a campaign for years with continuity, recurring characters that I design from the ground-up (excluding the rule system, so just all the dungeons, NPCs, plot devices, etc).

      With covid, film production has really slowed down and I have some time on my hands, so I thought about trying my hand at video game making, something I have honestly toyed with for decades, but never did too much of. I did have a brief window in the 00s when I had RPG Maker and I made some demos that my friends enjoyed, but that's about it.

      So, given that my programing knowledge is super limited (I took a few Java classes over a decade ago and used to do HTML in the 90s), my graphics making abilities are near non-existent (I'm good at motion graphics, but not pixel design or 3D graphics), but I have what I think is a good plot, characters and game design, what should be my first steps in trying to make this a reality? What engine should I use? I have no problem buying, for a couple bucks here and there, other people's art and what not. Ideally, probably make a 16-bit esque RPG, like FFIV, Earthbound, etc. but perhaps with more of a BioWare, "choices matter" type dialog/questing system.

      I don't expect to set the world on fire, but I do want to make what would be considered a decent looking first effort from a one man novice that, if nothing else, would be a fun experience for me to make and something fun to give my players as a gift (as we are reaching the end of the story of our campaign). And maybe, why not, something I could release for the broader public if the core is good and it's worth me hiring a few more people to help me polish it. Maybe it won't. As a filmmaker, I know how bad first films are, and a lot of times they are just learning experiences that you keep on a hard drive locked away somewhere. So, trying to be realistic while excited.

      Appreciate advice.

      14 votes
    3. What was the first game you ever loved?

      I'm interested in hearing about the first game you ever loved and, more importantly, what it was that made you feel that way. Don't just give me the game title, but tell me the whole love story!...

      I'm interested in hearing about the first game you ever loved and, more importantly, what it was that made you feel that way. Don't just give me the game title, but tell me the whole love story!

      If more than one game fits the bill, that's fine too. I'd love to hear about all of them.

      23 votes
    4. What are some beautiful/brilliant/inventive games that were panned by critics?

      In your opinion, what is a game/what are some games that were inventive/unique/original or just otherwise superb that you feel didn't receive the praise it deserved? Personally, I feel that the...

      In your opinion, what is a game/what are some games that were inventive/unique/original or just otherwise superb that you feel didn't receive the praise it deserved?

      Personally, I feel that the Scribblenauts series (Mainly the first two) are amazingly imaginative games that I don't hear talked about often. I feel that this is perhaps due to its being on the DS, a platform that was sort of mired in shovelware. I hadn't ever seen a game quite as painstakingly made as this one. The developers clearly had fun thinking of all the different ways to solve their puzzles. The soundtrack is also unexpectedly wonderful, and is very reminiscent (imo) of Katamari Damacy

      Edit: I suppose mediocre popular reception would have been a better way to say it instead if critical reception

      22 votes
    5. Tildes Game Giveaway Thread, August 2020

      Important: This will be a noisy thread. If you do not wish to see it in your feed, please use the "Ignore" feature to hide it! Gifters Post your available games, the platform and method of...

      Important: This will be a noisy thread. If you do not wish to see it in your feed, please use the "Ignore" feature to hide it!


      Gifters

      Post your available games, the platform and method of delivery, rules for your giveaways (e.g. first-come first-serve, random draw, etc.), and any additional info or requirements. Feel free to get creative!

      Giftees

      Request giveaways according to the gifter's guidelines!

      Rules

      Anyone can choose to be a gifter, giftee, or both! Giveaway rules are set by individual gifters, but there are handful of guidelines everyone should follow:

      1. No grey market keys! Only giveaway games from reputable sources. If you're not sure what this means, please ask.
      2. Requests for games should be done in the thread, but if the gift is a key, those should be delivered by PMs only. Please don't post keys publicly, even obfuscated ones.
      32 votes
    6. If you had to teach a class on an element of gaming, which games would you put on your syllabus?

      Here's the task: pretend you're a professor! You have to do the following: Choose a focus for your class on gaming (with a snazzy title if you like) Choose the games that you, as a professor, will...

      Here's the task: pretend you're a professor! You have to do the following:

      • Choose a focus for your class on gaming (with a snazzy title if you like)
      • Choose the games that you, as a professor, will have your class dive into in order to convey key concepts
      • Explain why each game you chose ties into your overarching exploration

      Your class can have any focus, broad or specific: level design in first-person shooters; the history of pixel art; the psychology of non-linear narratives; the use of sound effects in mid-2000 platformers; the limitations of turn-based systems in tabletop strategy games, etc. Anything goes, and any forms of gaming are valid!

      After choosing your specific focus, choose games that you would put on your syllabus as a sort of "required playing" for students, and talk about why you've chosen each item and what it brings to the table. If you decide to choose, say, NetHack and The Binding of Isaac for your class on "Roguelikes, Roguelites, and the Fallacy of the Berlin Interpretation", discuss how those particular games illustrate some of the key concepts you want to convey to your learners.

      While I'm intending this to be serious and straightforward, I also like the idea of people having fun with it, so feel free to come up with some less serious or more entertaining classes. I'd love to see the outline for course that explored, say, the history of exploding barrels or an investigation of taste levels in the fashion of JRPG outfits.

      19 votes
    7. Tell me a story about a game you're playing

      This is different from the what have you been playing thread, which is more of an objective reporting of what we've been doing. I instead want to hear a story about your gameplay. Tell me about a...

      This is different from the what have you been playing thread, which is more of an objective reporting of what we've been doing. I instead want to hear a story about your gameplay. Tell me about a discovery you made, the journey of one of your characters, an achievement you're working towards, a funny mishap, a close match, a puzzle that you got stuck on, a realization you had as a player, a glitch that ruined a save, etc.

      It can be about anything noteworthy, interesting, exciting, funny, disappointing -- whatever you think makes for a good story. Also, while I'm intending for this to be mostly current -- for games we're playing right now -- feel free to share a great story from times past if you like.

      10 votes