What video games are you currently playing?

I've been reading about EVE Online for the past day and a half. Apparently there was a huge battle between two of the largest factions, which may lead to all-out war. All of the analysis going on over at Reddit is absolutely fascinating. It's got me seriously considering joining up; the only thing that's stopping me right now is the monthly subscription fee.

On the one hand, it does seem like something I'd enjoy. On the other hand, I've avoided games that require me to keep paying for them on principle. And if I do take to it, it has the potential to eat up staggering amounts of my time. I'm not sure I need yet another demand on my time.

Decisions, decisions.

 

I remember doing a trial period. I was all like, "Wow...I really shouldn't play this game." That was before I got sucked into WoW. I suppose it was going to be one or the other.

 

This is typical of MMOs.

BTW, can't wait for Elder Scrolls Online! And new SimCity! w00t.

 

There is (or was, it may have been taken down) footage of the new Simcity tutorial on Youtube. Some playtester leaked it.

I'm so disappointed. Always online? No subways? No save/load? It's not really Simcity at all.

 

Go back to your DOS machine. Or is it a Commodore 64?

 

Very funny, but based on what I'm seeing and hearing I suspect that the Simcity franchise peaked at Simcity 4. It's a shame; they could have made it something truly fantastic. Fix the pathfinding issues SC4 was plagued with, update the management interfaces, perhaps work on a more robust tutorial (teaching you how to play was never a great strength of the franchise). I would've loved to have seen more transportation options. Instead we're getting a new version with less options and more restrictions. Remind me again why I need to be online to play a single player game?

A big part of what made Simcity what it is is that it encouraged experimentation. Save/load. Get your city stable. Save the game. Try something new. City goes bankrupt. Reload your save. Send in Godzilla. Reload your save. Build a highway. Build a bus network. It encouraged you to tinker and try new things. Now if you accidentally trash your city, it's just gone. Dozens, potentially hundreds of hours of work down the drain. It's going to take the heart out of the game, is my honest suspicion.

Simcity could have been the game that finally pushed me onto Origin, and I doubt I'm alone on that one. EA got a lot of hate for how they debuted the system, and the way they're managing old beloved franchises is not helping their case.

 

I was off most of last week, and I played WAY too much Civ V.

Like three games on Epic all the way through and now most of the way through my second game on Standard.

 

I played a bunch over break on Quick. Even Quick seems slow compared to the fastest speed in Civ IV with the addition of the city-states.

 

Damn Civ V... I want my life back. (Though I do take regular vacations to Tropico.)

Honestly though, I've been playing Rocksmith on PC lately after buying that version for $15 on Steam. Best thing ever. Now I can play it all I want in my office with the door closed and headphones on and not disturb the Missus.

It sounds like maybe the simulator is becoming too realistic for you.

 

I also didn't like the simplified infrastructure in the new Simcity. Power and water are automatically transported anywhere there's a road. Realistic, hmm? I didn't know asphalt was conductive.

And in other news, I just signed up for the free trial for Eve Online. I got a referral, so I can play for free for 21 days before committing.

This may be the worst decision I've ever made. We'll see how I feel a few months from now.

 

The second worst decision you could make is getting me to join you in some capacity if you go ahead with it.

 

I've downloaded 5 GB of the 6.4 GB client. If I weren't stuck on internet from 2003, I'd be playing by now.

Let's see how the 21 day trial goes first. If I decide it's something I actually want to continue with, then I'll consider the possibility of corrupting you.

 

It's quite dangerous really. EVE is substantially different from WoW in that the former is a sandbox while the latter is a theme park. The theme-parkness of WoW is what ultimately bored me in the end. Entering the world of EVE will be an interesting experience to compare it to.

 

I gotta say--I love that my middle school kids ask what I'm playing. SO CUTE.

 

My SO is always throwing her kids for epic loops when she casually demonstrates her video game knowledge (not to mention other knowledge of pop culture).

 

This is it. I'm playing the EVE Online tutorial as I write this.

So goes my social life.