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Posts posted by StaceyPowers
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Following up on @killamch89 's thread here: https://www.vgr.com/forum/topic/3524-most-interesting-video-game-protagonist/
Who are some of the most interesting video game antagonists?
I would go with Zachary Hale Comstock in Bioshock Infinite, but saying why would be a spoiler.
I also have enjoyed some of the antagonists in Dragon Age. I've only finished playing through Origins and the DLCs so far, but I found Loghain a well-developed and interesting character, and also the Architect in Awakening. Notably, they're both Well Intentioned Extremists, so I suppose I find those sorts of characters compelling.
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Booker DeWitt, but it's hard to explain anything about "why" without massive spoilers for anyone who hasn't played Bioshock Infinite.
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We usually talk console games here, but does anyone want to reminisce about old PC games they loved? The games I remember most fondly are Myst and Return to Zork. Oh, and Heaven and Earth.
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18 hours ago, killamch89 said:
and having to deal with random fights/events etc
True! Sometimes I can't be bothered with that either.
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17 hours ago, Matt Morgans said:
I think Dragon Age Inquisition does a fantastic job as well - perhaps the best in my opinion for a game where you don't play a pre-determined character.
That's very exciting. I just finished my first playthrough of Origins and the DLCs, and am about to start DA II.
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Follow-up question: What video games have the best character development?
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4 minutes ago, Matt Morgans said:
Hmmm. I actually don't have a very high opinion of Bethesda's writing and quest design; I feel that they tend to shine in open world design, but are often quite shallow when it comes to story. (Certainly when compared to games like Dragon Age Inquisition, The Witcher 3, or even Assassin's Creed Odyssey, more recently.) Some of the quests from Shivering Isles were particularly good, at least for their entertainment factor, and I did enjoy Skyrim's Dragonborn DLC main storyline, though definitely from nostalgia for Morrowind's Bloodmoon DLC to some extent. In truth, I wish Bethesda would put more time and effort into their story-telling - I can only hope that they do so for Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6!
I feel the exact same way about the issue - exactly why I asked :) By the way, I really enjoy your articles, so it's great to see you here on the forum!
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In huge open world games where fast traveling is an option, how often do you do it, and do you have any “rules” for allowing yourself?
Normally, I try to avoid fast traveling unless it’s to help me get around some kind of a glitch, or because I forgot to do something back in a previous location (i.e. buy something before I left). The rest of the time, I try to walk or use in-game transit options.
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How often do you read or collect materials associated with your favorite games, i.e. novels written to fill in the blanks for a particular franchise? Any particularly good books or comics you’ve read that enhanced your appreciation for a certain game?
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Favorite TV show during the 90s? (if that applies to you)
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8 minutes ago, Katri Marcell said:
Glad to be back!!
Next question coming right back, what was your favorite childhood toy other than video games?
Do books count as a toy? lol.
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39 minutes ago, killamch89 said:
I usually don't really touch aftermarket controllers because of the compatibility issues that come along with it. I know you want to save a few bucks but the best advice would be to buy a brand new controller OEM from eBay or Amazon. They usually have auctions for these kinds of items and you can get extremely lucky and get one for an extremely reasonable price.
I've mostly hesitated to buy a new Dualshock 3 just because of how quickly mine have died on me, but I've never owned one that wasn't used before. What type of lifetime is typical?
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On 1/25/2019 at 12:17 PM, Katri Marcell said:
Have you experienced discrimination as a girl into video games at any point?
Nope, not even while playing MMOs. Having played male and female characters, I didn't find that my experience was all that different. There were different social expectations, but nobody complained when I didn't fit their preconceptions in either case. It's IRL that I usually deal with discrimination, but it usually hasn't been because of my sex.
Good to see you around again :)
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Favorite quests in any Bethesda games you play?
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Anyone ever deal with annoying dragon spawn related glitches in Skyrim? Literally every time I try to fast travel or walk to Karthwasten, I encounter two dragons simultaneously. There is no getting around it.
On that note, does anyone have bugs with Bend Will? When I use it, it works initially, but the dragon almost always turns hostile again a few minutes later. I then have to fight it or Bend Will again. This can go on an indefinite loop before it finally decides to fly off somewhere else. -
This could be an issue with eye strain, or it could have something to do with posture/muscle tension/cervicogenic issues.
Where do you typically feel the pain?
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What are some of the best and worst aftermarket controllers you have used for any system?
I’ve had two DualShock 3s die on me within a relatively short time period (both were used when I got them). I have a couple of aftermarket controllers right now. One of them is a bit buggy with connecting after shutting itself off during inactivity, while the other is pretty much okay. But the sensitivity on both is ridiculously high.
Would love any suggestions if anyone has found anything good.
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15 hours ago, Cleopatra92 said:
What did you dislike about Origins' menus?
I'm just curious as someone who prefers how that game controlled over the later installments. But I do play on PC so that could be a part of it if you played it on console.
I'm on PS3. I think it's just that there are so darn many screens, and I never remember which order they are in, so I always go the most convoluted way around to reach the quest list, etc. And a lot of screens (i.e. herbalism) I had to look up online how to find.
I haven't started Dragon Age 2 yet, I just finished Awakening. I've heard that the menus get even more annoying ... I can't wait, lol. -
15 hours ago, Cleopatra92 said:
I felt like all of Skyrim's dungeons were pretty easy. I did hate the elementary school puzzles where you'd have to match the animal pictures on the pillars to pictures on the wall though lol.
New Vegas definitely has the more confusing vaults compared to 3. My least favorite is that vault in NV that was overrun by plants. I get turned around in there all of the time lol. Something about the plants everywhere just makes me confused as to what direction I'm even going in.
I actually liked that vault, lol, but it was a bit mazelike. And yes, I hate those animal puzzles. Having to search dark corners to find the combinations isn't really puzzle-solving, just ... being frustrated by dark corners.
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Which games do you feel have the best and worst menu systems?
I like the minimalism of the menus in The Las of Us a lot, but I do find them less than intuitive in some ways.
The worst menus I’ve dealt with so far are the convoluted ones in Dragon Age: Origins. I am used to them by now, but the initial learning curve was ridiculously steep for me.
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As someone who is a bit executive function-challenged, one of the things that gets me killed repeatedly in video games is when I switch from game A to game B, and I keep pressing the controls for game A in game B.
Anyway, which games do you all feel have the most intuitive controls? And which annoy you by totally reversing things on you?
Personally, I like the defaults for Skyrim and Fallout with the triangle for jump, the X for use, the square for drop, etc. I've noticed similar controls in other games. But now and again I pick up a game where things are completely switched around, and it drives me crazy.
On that note, I love how The Last of Us continually reminds you of what buttons to push, but does so in a subtle, unobtrusive way.
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What games have combat systems which irritate you? This could be for any reason--maybe they are overly simplistic, ridiculously convoluted, or just downright unintuitive.
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I game with someone who routinely becomes frustrated with the occasionally maze-like nature of dungeons in Skyrim, and will frequently give up on them and their associated quests entirely.
I can’t say I find most of Skyrim’s dungeons problematic, but I did detest Shroud Hearth Barrow for trapping me inside with an obnoxious puzzle. I also find Fallout’s vaults quite tedious in terms of layout—there is no orderly path through them. That being said, the only one that drove me utterly insane is the irradiated vault connected to the Hard Luck Blues quest, which I still haven’t finished.
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1 hour ago, Cleopatra92 said:
As far as the game itself goes, the Empire is much more fun and satisfying to side with. The Stormcloaks are annoying and sound like idiots a lot of the time. And I love dressing up in the Empire's armor much more lol. And General Tullius is a great character imo.
However, I think when I think about the lore overall, Skyrim is screwed either way. It really comes down to if they want to go down with the ship (the Empire) or try to swim out in the ocean on their own and drown (the Stormcloaks).
I felt like it was quite clear that the Aldmeri Dominion is poised to take over as it stands. The Empire was clearly too weak to defeat them before, and outlawing the god that your entire empire was based on and founded by was something that crippled it even more. I would imagine that if we knew more of what was happening outside of Skyrim after Talos was outlawed, that Skyrim wouldn't be the only province that was upset by this. Any province run primarily by humans should be extremely concerned by this.
All that being said, I think it sounds more like the Nords to try to swim in the ocean all on their lonesome lol. I feel like the canon ending will be the Stormcloaks winning, but we'll have to wait a while to see for sure.
Excellent analysis. I agree with pretty much everything you said here. Good point too about the Nords being likely to swim out on their own to drown. You may be right.
Most Interesting Video Game Protagonist
in Gaming Forum
Posted · Edited by StaceyPowers
Okay, MASSIVE SPOILERS FOLLOW.
Booker DeWitt is a fascinating protagonist because it turns out that he's also the game's antagonist, Comstock. His self from a parallel universe is the enemy he is battling through the entire game.
But what makes this particularly interesting is that there is a deep logic to the situation. Booker's past involved him doing some horrible things and being exposed to some terrible situations (incidentally based on real world events). He was deeply traumatized by this, and in the other universe, he coped with the monstrous things he had done by going all out and embracing that monstrosity.
So in a surprisingly literal way, Booker is battling his own psychological and spiritual demons through the game. Through the grace of his daughter and the force of his own will, he makes a choice at the end of the game to erase all possible futures as Comstock. Considering the evil within him was momentous enough to almost destroy the multiverse, the fact that he managed to beat it speaks volumes to his ultimate goodness.