StaceyPowers

I’ve heard people say that Mass Effect is a lot like Dragon Age in space, but to me the games actually seem pretty different. For those who have played both, do you like one series more than the other, or about the same?

Anyone have any tips for success with archery in Skyrim, especially with a controller that is overly sensitive?

@Micky Singh mentioned preferring six hour gaming sessions without breaks even for food (I could never do that). How often does everyone here take a break to get up, stretch your legs, get food, use the bathroom, etc. when gaming?

After having multiple DualShock 3s die on me within a brief time period, I bought some aftermarket controllers which feature poor (and very annoying) sensitivity, but at least seem to be lasting a lot longer. For me, that tradeoff is worth it to save money/reduce hassle, but would it be for you? What matters more to you in a controller, performance or longevity?

Have you preferred the same basic types and genres of games your whole life, or have your preferences changed dramatically? When I was in high school, I only ever played multiplayer games, usually MMOs, but as an adult, I almost exclusively play single player games.

BioShock Infinite. I expected to really like it, but at the time, I didn't believe anything would impress me as much as TLOU, and it did. Like a year and a half or two years later, I am still completely obsessed with it.

Given that Fallout NV OWB features the best “house” with all sorts of amazing perks once you complete it, it seems like it is in one’s best interest to complete it as early as possible in a playthrough of the game. But being as it is pretty tough, it seems hard to jump in earlier than the recommended lvl. What is the lowest level you have completed it at? @DylanC @kingpotato

What are your preferred guns to use in Fallout games? My favorite in NV is definitely the hunting rifle—but it seems more powerful than the one in Fallout 3, and I never really found a favorite gun in that game.

What is the minimum length of time you need to really enjoy a session of gaming? If I am playing an arena FPS game, a single 20 minute round can be satisfying (and about all my disabled body can handle on PC anyway). But for most other types of games, especially on console, I’d say I need a minimum of an hour to really immerse myself in a gaming session.

Are there any characters in games you suspect you are supposed to like, but you absolutely hate? For me, it is Delphine and Esbern in Skyrim, because they want to kill Paarthurnax.

What is your preferred combat style for your followers in games like Fallout or Skyrim? Whether I am a ranged or melee combatant, I always seem to prefer ranged fighters who don’t get in my way and are less likely to get themselves killed.

Good to know! I hadn't tried it in the base game yet!

When you are playing games where you are allowed to choose what you wear, how often do you change your outfits or armor, and do you do so for functional or aesthetic reasons, or both? Sometimes in Skyrim I play around with random outfits for aesthetic reasons at home, but when I head out in that or any other game, I almost always wear the same armor. Usually I choose armor in any game which is lightweight, reasonably high in stats, and aesthetically tolerable, and once I find one I like, I keep it forever, and only replace it if something superior comes along in terms of both function and appearance. I also tend to favour faction-specific armor in some cases—like in Skyrim, I always wear the armor you get from the Forsworn quest, because I like the Forsworn.

I literally never bothered with melee fighting in Fallout even after years of play until Old World Blues. I was forced to try it because of lack of ammo plus enemies that are in-your-face all the time—and I am shocked to realize it actually has a purpose, lol. Three hits and a nightstalker goes down, and I have almost no points in it. I just figured I’d make this post in case anyone else, like me, just ignored melee skills in Fallout because they thought, “Why would I do that when I have guns?” It is way more efficient for some types of enemies.

Am I missing something about this location in Old World Blues in Fallout New Vegas? Is there no door to walk in? Is there only the terminal to check out?

I noticed while I was doing some research the other day that I am finding more articles in major news outlets and psychology sites which talk about the benefits of playing video games. In the past, when I would look up video games and psychology, I’d usually find endless articles about video game addiction. But since COVID, I have been seeing articles talking about how multiplayer gaming helps us stay socially connected, and how gaming is helping people restore a sense of calm and control in a scary world. Has anyone else noticed this shift? I really hope that after COVID, psychologists continue to acknowledge—and maybe study—more of these positive effects of playing video games. I also hope (but do not expect) that this whole thing will help people without disabilities maybe get some insights into what it is like to be disabled. A lot of us who report positive psychological effects from playing games are disabled, and exist “partly quarantined” all of the time, simply because we can’t get out and do the things other people enjoy. I hope that during COVID, abled persons will learn more about what being homebound is like and why games can be extra-important for those of us who are disabled.

In another thread, @22_22 mentioned that while he has learned cool things from video games, he tends to use them as an escapism outlet rather than deliberating trying to learn things. This made me curious to what extent most of us here prefer games for escapism vs games to help us confront our RL problems? I would say I use games primarily for escapism, a way to try to get out of my own head and stop thinking about my life for a few hours at a time. But I like playing games that give me valuable insights or ideas that I can bring back to RL with me and which somehow improve life outside the game as well. Like, video games help me get out of my own head and escape, but when I deal with real life problems, sometimes I find myself asking, “What would Joel do? What would Ellie do? What would Leliana do? What would Booker do?” etc., and it helps.

Playing BioShock: Infinite and researching various historical and religious references in it has legit helped me form a better understanding of the religious and sociological factors that form the roots of America. In turn, that has helped me to understand current political polarization and how it has moved over time from a slow burn to a simmer (and perhaps soon a boil). Has anyone else found that playing a particular game has helped you understand current events either now, or at some point in the past?

I have everything I need to craft a rune I want in Dragon Age: Inquisition. I have a blank runestone and 9 arcane horror hearts (more than required, I think). But for some reason, the option to craft the rune remains unavailable. Does anyone know what is going wrong? I am on PS3, and I have Skyhold, Dagna, etc.

I've seen it on so many recommendation lists for strong narratives, thus why I picked it up :)

Who here longs for more advanced crafting systems in games like Elder Scrolls or Fallout that would allow you to fully customize the functionality and appearance of your items, more along the lines of the level of customization you get in a game like Second Life? I could really get into that—I just want it in my single player RPGs.

For games like Fallout or Skyrim which allow you (with the appropriate DLCs and quests completed) to alter the appearance of your character after creating them, how often do you do so? I never modify anything but the hair, but I do that pretty often.

I just started Spec-Ops: The Line, on the regular level of difficulty. Anyone have any useful advice for combat, etc?

I pretty much live on the internet and have since high school, so to me there isn’t much of a change in my day to day routine to be honest. I’m like, “What is this going out thing everyone misses so much?” =D

@Dead2009 I'd love to hear how this game is if you find time to follow up on this (and tag me, please). I just found out about this game the other week, and it sounds potentially amazing ^_^