L31mr0d - In the Well!

Mr E

Time to start hitting the forum regulars to see what makes them tick!

L31mr0d - you're up (and you get to pick a victim candidate next week!)

1. Earliest memory of gaming?
2. Longest time spent on a game?
3. If you could stop time in terms of gaming gernerations, what would it be?
4. Recommend 1 game to a person who has never played computer games (PC or console) that will instantly get them to understand what it's all about.
5. What is the best gaming system in your opinion?
6. What do you think of the introduction of 'achievements' / 'trophies'?
7. Can you go back and play through old games without them (or would you buy them from the arcade store now just for the glowing feeling when you hear that sound)?
8. What are your top 5 games at the moment (can be all-time or currently playing)?
9. What system do you currently do most of your gaming on and why?
10. What's the worst game you've ever played that you seen through to completion?

Older ITW threads - Retr0gamer | Mr E

Mr E

I should also point out that:

This thread is only for L31mr0d to answer questions.
Anyone else who answers them will be publicly ridiculed!

BlitzKrieg

11. What games do you think you could beat retrogamer at?

12. How badly?

Retr0gamer

I'm pretty sure he's already kicked my ass at SFIV, sure everyone at the meets has

My questions:

1. Sonic or Mario (think I know the answer to that)

2. You're love of all things Sonic, including the crap games. Care to explain?

3. JRPG or western RPG.

4. Any favourite videogame composers and soundtracks? Keep it to non licensed soundtracks.

DARK-KNIGHT

what games this year are you most looking forward to?

im goin to the next street fighter meet! feel like im missing out:(

Kinetic^

Retr0gamer wrote: »

2. You're love of all things Sonic, including the crap games. Care to explain?

Does that include Sonic Spinball? :eek:

BlitzKrieg

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Does that include Sonic Spinball? :eek:

compared to sonic the hedgehog (360/ps3) sonic spinball is a diamond turd. (this coming from another huge sonic fan.)

Overheal

Is choosing 1337 5P43K for a user name something youve lived to regret?

L31mr0d

Mr E wrote: »

1. Earliest memory of gaming?

I'm not really sure which was first... It was either playing Burning Rubber on my first console, an Amstrad GX4000, or Californian Games on my Atari Lynx.

I played a lot of games over at friends houses also, staying up till 7am playing Pang, Bubble Bobble and The New Zealand Story over at a friends house then getting the plug for the Commodore Amiga yanked out of the wall by his parents is definitely an early memory I have of gaming.

Mr E wrote: »

2. Longest time spent on a game?

I don't usually like long games, I prefer a 10 hour max single player campaign and then if the gameplay was good there'd hopefully be multiplayer to keep me interested. Not usually a fan of long SIM's, RPG's or RTS's.

However, I remember ploughing endless hours into Theme Park on the Megadrive until I found the "Zarkon" cheat and then it ruined it for me.

But I'd say it has to be Demon's Souls which I'm still investing time in. I've notched up around 70 hours at this stage.

Mr E wrote: »

3. If you could stop time in terms of gaming gernerations, what would it be?

I'd say this question is going to get old fast :P like the others, it has to be the 16-bit era. In fact, I wish games had progressed with pixels instead of polygons.

I used to love pixel art, especially the isometric kind, and can only imagine the quality of sprites we'd have now if technology hadn't of advanced to allow for true 3D games. Stuff like this for example:

http://www.pixeldam.net/project.asp?id=634

I still go back and play X-Com: Enemy Unknown and dream whilst playing the isometric levels what a HD resolution pixel version of the game now would look like.

Mr E wrote: »

4. Recommend 1 game to a person who has never played computer games (PC or console) that will instantly get them to understand what it's all about.

It's a tough one... I'd have to go with Flower, purely for it's simplicity, look and innovation. I will usually show it to my non-gaming friends when they come over who still think consoles are for children and party games.

I guess it shows them that games are not all about killing and counting frags, but that they are about changing your mood and emotions, immersing you in another world or environment and can be as deep and meaningful as any piece of art, film or music.

Mr E wrote: »

5. What is the best gaming system in your opinion?

The PC. It will eventually be the PS3, 360 and Wii, and whatever consoles may come, the PC will become those also. It absorbs consoles via emulation and also has it's own independent, exclusive games.

It's infinitely expandable, upgradable and malleable. It's perfect for indie gamers and large game devs also. It also encourages community interest and development.

Sure it suffers from piracy but PC gaming will always live, because people will always have a PC in some form.

Mr E wrote: »

6. What do you think of the introduction of 'achievements' / 'trophies'?

It's a love/hate relationship with me. Sometimes I like the trophies available in games, and they do add life after the game is complete, but then more often than not pointless grind trophies are included.

Most recently a really irritating trophy I got was in Pixeljunk Monsters, the one where you have to walk over a tree and for it to give you 15 coins and a blue orb... there was no skill needed for this, just a battle of attrition. To get it you had to reload a level over and over and hope that randomly one of the trees would give you this trophy... as it was completely based on the games pseudo-random generator, this could happen on your first try or never. I eventually got it.

But, whereas the majority of other trophies in the game forced you to rethink how to approach a level this one forced you to grind like a machine. Why they include trophies like this I don't know, as, more often than not, they detract from enjoying the game.

Mr E wrote: »

7. Can you go back and play through old games without them (or would you buy them from the arcade store now just for the glowing feeling when you hear that sound)?

Yes, definitely. Trophies are an added bonus to new games, but don't affect old games in the least for me. Sure, sometimes on the PS3 I wish they'd retroactively give games trophies, but it won't stop me from playing it again.

That being said, I never bother finding 100% of the collectables in games without trophies.

Mr E wrote: »

8. What are your top 5 games at the moment (can be all-time or currently playing)?

A while back, I started adding games to a list in work as I remembered them. I found I'd always remember a game and what I thought of it or how I wanted to play it then forget about it. To stop this from happening I started adding games, as I remembered them, or read about them to a list. It's far from complete, but a nice distraction for a few minutes in work some days. Here it is:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p5OCA3pyovhe8G0PbFshifQ&single=true&gid=0&output=html

So from it these are my top 5 currently:

Half life 2
UFO: Enemy Unknown
Street Fighter 4
flower
Crysis: Warhead

Mr E wrote: »

9. What system do you currently do most of your gaming on and why?

PS3, mainly because of Street Fighter 4 and Demon's Souls and my rental subscription with gamesenders.ie. Haven't really played anything on the PC in a while, but I've now moved over to playing Street Fighter 4 on the PC and hope to start the new Call of Juarez in the next few days.

Mr E wrote: »

10. What's the worst game you've ever played that you seen through to completion?

God, there are loads...I became a bit of a completist there for a while with games and even if the game got horrible reviews and I didn't like it after the first few hours I'd still see it through to completion. A few times this payed off as the last act of a few of them where pretty decent.

I know retr0 wants me to say "Legendary", but the ending chapter wasn't that bad. The same can be said for "Turning Point: Fall of Liberty", "Blacksite: Area 51", "Turok" and "Timeshift"... all bad games that had pretty solid gaming in the last few hours.

I'd say the award would have to go to "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" the game... absolutely atrocious.

Here's what I wrote about it just after I completed it:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055112091

L31mr0d

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

11. What games do you think you could beat retrogamer at?

12. How badly?

Probably CS 1.5, MoH:AA, UT or Quake 3... only because I know retr0 isn't a big FPS fan and I have probably 100's of hours of practice in those games. I haven't played them in a while but I know all of their maps like the back of my hand.

oh and definitely Flatout 2, I played that game for months and got to the point where I was winning or in the top 3 of every race I played online.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'm pretty sure he's already kicked my ass at SFIV, sure everyone at the meets has

funnily enough we've never played. At the meets you are usually on the 360 side and I'm on the PS3 side. Got to fix that at the next meetup.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

My questions:

1. Sonic or Mario (think I know the answer to that)

Sonic... 3 reasons

1. He can really move
2. Hes got an attitude
3. He's the fastest thing alive

nah, I've never completed a Mario game (my secret shame) so I can't honestly give an opinion either way.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

2. You're love of all things Sonic, including the crap games. Care to explain?

Well I've only played the original 4, Spinball (I don't really consider it a true sonic game), the advance games and then Unleashed. I haven't played any of the ones in between. Unleashed is the first 3D sonic I've played.

I don't really love all things Sonic, I just think Unleashed has been given a bum rap. I wish Sonic fans on here would at least complete it and then explain their reasons for disliking it. I finally convinced a friend in work to complete it recently after giving up on it early into the game (he only did so because he was able to pick it up for $10 in the US) and he now loves it.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

3. JRPG or western RPG.

Not really into either, so I'd be on the fence. I guess I'd have to say WRPG as I did like Morrowind. I'd also consider Demon's Souls, even though it's Japanese, a WRPG in style. That being said, I will be playing the new FF when it's released.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

4. Any favourite videogame composers and soundtracks? Keep it to non licensed soundtracks.

That's a tough one. I still love the soundtracks for F-Zero and Sonic 2. In fact I have the level songs from those games in mp3 format. I'll usually throw 1 or 2 of them into a playlist when I'm making 1.

raycaulwell wrote: »

what games this year are you most looking forward to?

I guess nothing really. Looking forward to Schafers Brutal Legend. I guess because games either keep getting pushed back in release dates or don't live up to the hype that I only really get excited about a game when the release date is final and the early reviews are positive.

Overheal wrote: »

Is choosing 1337 5P43K for a user name something youve lived to regret?

lol... I literally shed a tear laughing... yes, yes I have I'd change it but I couldn't be bothered at this stage. I think I actually tried registering my name as this when I signed up to this site, but wasn't allowed to use it

(_31|\/||20|)

I could change it, but it doesn't bother me that much now. Plus I like having a different username here, I tend to use leimrod for most sites I sign up to.

Menengroth™

L31mr0d wrote: »

I've never completed a Mario game

gtfo.

Kinetic^

L31mr0d wrote: »

I've never completed a Mario game (my secret shame) so I can't honestly give an opinion either way.

I've not completed too many of them, about 4/5. Mario 64 was probably the easiest, finished it in about 2 days with all the stars. New Super Mario Bros was easy too. Get cracking!

L31mr0d

Menengroth™ wrote: »

gtfo.

Never owned a NES or SNES and none of my friends growing up owned one either. I've only really tried playing the originals as roms and even then I give up on them before they are completed.

I'll finish them eventually. I have all of them on my netbook so I'll make an effort to complete at least one of them on the next long flight I take.

Kinetic^

Which game from either the master system or Mega Drive to be re-made and given an online gaming presence?

Retr0gamer

Hardest game you've beaten?

kaimera

daddy or chips?

single player or multiplayer gaming?
- for y?

L31mr0d

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Which game from either the master system or Mega Drive to be re-made and given an online gaming presence?

Alex Kidd in Miracle World... online rock-paper-scissors.... pure epic pwnage would be had.

Actually I'd like to see a HD sprite version of "Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96" released. Would be excellent online. We used to play that over the network in college using emulators.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Hardest game you've beaten?

Most recently Ninja Gaiden Sigma... there was just so many areas in that game where I literally shouted "Why would they put that in the game?" at the screen.

That being said, I remember spending a good while trying to complete Scrapyard Dog on the Atari Lynx. The end boss wasn't amazingly hard, but it was the fact that they made you fight every previous boss you'd already fought in the game before you could fight him. Usually by the time I finally reached him I'd be on my last life with little health. There where also no continues which meant I had to fight him without taking any damage.

kaimera wrote: »

daddy or chips?

chips

kaimera wrote: »

single player or multiplayer gaming?
- for y?

it's a case of apples and oranges tbh. I'd say put those hands together and give us more co-op games, with great single player campaigns that can be shared. Why there isn't more co-op orientated games I don't know. Like L4D... it's a great multiplayer game but also a great co-op experience.

I love single player campaigns, but I think they are made a lot better when the highs and lows of the gameplay and the twists and turns in the plot are shared for the first time with another person. When I was a kid I played most of my games with a friend sat beside me, and we'd pass the controller either after a life is lost or a level is completed.

Another good example is the unique multiplayer implementation in Demon's Souls. They have managed to maintain the atmosphere of being alone whilst allowing you to have other people online help you in your quest. It truly is an evolution in online interaction. You equally feel as much that you are isolated in this world whilst also feeling you are walking a path crowded with other players completing the same trials.

So 12 months ago I would of said SP all the way, but L4D, Crysis: Wars, Demon's Souls and Street Fighter 4 make me say MP and coop all the way.

noodler

What is your favourite game trailer ever? Its a weird question but there are some trailers over the years thast just really make you want a game.

Also, in a similar vein, what game have you most anticipated ever? And was it a letdown?

Jazzy

Q3 or UT99 ?
Q1 or Duke3D ?
Starcraft or Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 ?

Do you play Quakelive? what do you think the future is for these type of free online games on the PC? between QL and Heroes of Newerth (free DotA) and battlefield heroes are we seeing the rebirth of the PC as a games platform?

Professey Chin

Has any game made you break the console/computer/controller?
Why if so?

Overheal

Blowjob or New Release Game - a week before its launch.

Chumpski

On the spreadsheet, fantastic idea, great way of remembering all the games youve played and want to play!

Your a big game player, needless to say for every demon souls or streetfighter 4, theres been a 100 pirates of the caribbean at worlds end. Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes getting in involved in games development or modding games?

What studio/team would you most like to work at past or present?

What studio/team would you most like to grab hold of and say wtf are you doing!, you can do x, and x and x much better this way?

L31mr0d

noodler wrote: »

What is your favourite game trailer ever? Its a weird question but there are some trailers over the years thast just really make you want a game.

Well I think there's three that I can remember. There's this one for Gears of War that we all know:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccWrbGEFgI8

This one for Prince of Persia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asF5sIDQ9eY

Then the more recent trailer for "The last Guardian"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4E0e-ZCn14

noodler wrote: »

Also, in a similar vein, what game have you most anticipated ever? And was it a letdown?

Crysis... it single handedly got me interested in learning how to build, mod and overclock PC's ever since I seen this early dev screenshot years ago.

The game on a whole was a disappointment. Graphically and gameplay wise it's a tour de force, but the plot really was lacking and the ending that just fizzled out was a true let down. That being said I loved the first 50% of Crysis, loved Crysis: Warhead and still play Crysis: Wars as I think the gameplay and suit powers add an interesting dynamic to it.

It's also still the showcase game I power up when friends are over and ask to see why the PC is better than consoles. Years on it still is the best looking game out there, which is also a disappointment as I'd hoped it would of been bettered numerous times since it's release

Jazzy wrote: »

Q3 or UT99 ?
Q1 or Duke3D ?
Starcraft or Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 ?

Do you play Quakelive? what do you think the future is for these type of free online games on the PC? between QL and Heroes of Newerth (free DotA) and battlefield heroes are we seeing the rebirth of the PC as a games platform?

1. UT99... I like Q3, but love UT99.

2. Has to be Quake

3. Haven't got that much practice in with Starcraft but I loved Red Alert 2, so being biased I'll say RA2

4. I think free multiplayer games are the future, with money being made on optional upgrades or in game advertising. I haven't played Quakelive but have played Battlefield Heroes. Personally though I have little interest in it now myself, but can see it taking off if these models proves successful.

Couple this model with the likes of onlive and we might see some pretty decent looking games being released for free.

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Has any game made you break the console/computer/controller?
Why if so?

Well I broke 2 Saturn D-pads snoring my way through the trials and challenges in SFIV pulling off Zangiefs Ultras, Supers and grabs. I could of just used his lariat but it was just too mind numbing.

I also broke a dualshock 3 playing Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Those Ghost Fish really pissed me off. They bite onto you then hold you in place allowing more Ghost Fish to bite you until you are dead.

Overheal wrote: »

Blowjob or New Release Game - a week before its launch.

hmm... tough one but I'll go with the New Release. However if you put those options together... :P

Chumpski wrote: »

Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes getting in involved in games development or modding games?

Actually not really, I know how games are made and it's hard work for the majority. I like eating cheese burgers but I wouldn't like to work in an abattoir

I tried my hand at making levels for CS1.5 and it was a pain in the neck.

Chumpski wrote: »

What studio/team would you most like to work at past or present?

Well if I had to choose there's Valve. Would love to work with those guys for a month. They seem to have a real love of games. Games made by gamers who listen to the people who play their games. Sounds too good to be true. If I was to work with them it would probably be on the concept art end of things

Chumpski wrote: »

What studio/team would you most like to grab hold of and say wtf are you doing!, you can do x, and x and x much better this way?

Well the Sonic Team, as much as I do love Unleashed, I know the fans and reviews would of been much kinder to it and it would of made more money had they released just the day Sonic stages, maybe as a downloadable game off of PSN or Live!

Also I'd like to just smack Hideo Kojima upside the head and ask him seriously "WTF?"... of course it wouldn't be that short, I'd smack him, then tie him to a chair and make him listen to me say "WTF?" really slowly over a period of 2 hours to give him a sense of how it felt playing MGS4

Kinetic^

L31mr0d wrote: »

Alex Kidd in Miracle World... online rock-paper-scissors.... pure epic pwnage would be had.

Actually I'd like to see a HD sprite version of "Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96" released. Would be excellent online. We used to play that over the network in college using emulators.

Interesting, I'd be inclined to go for an updated version of Streets of Rage 2. Such an awesome game in co-op. I played the demo of the XLA and it was fun. Get cracking on Mario will ye!

kaimera

A game designed by you.
- give some info! (would it be multi-platform, genre, bit of plot if applicable etc etc)

dont make it tl;dr!

Chumpski

L31mr0d wrote: »

Also I'd like to just smack Hideo Kojima upside the head and ask him seriously "WTF?"... of course it wouldn't be that short, I'd smack him, then tie him to a chair and make him listen to me say "WTF?" really slowly over a period of 2 hours to give him a sense of how it felt playing MGS4

Agree on Kojima and MGS 4. He deserves a good slow torture for that mess. When his games are good though they are unmatchable IMO. Thats why i am thrilled that hes involved in Castlevania Lords of Shadow. The castlevania games are a great candidate for a more mature complex story.

Retr0gamer

Off topic but I'm not sure about Castlevania and a mature kojima storyline, i think it wouldn't work. I'd much prefer if he worked his ZoE 2 magic and gave us something so ridiculous that his OTT cutscenes fit in with the game.

Chumpski

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Off topic but I'm not sure about Castlevania and a mature kojima storyline, i think it wouldn't work. I'd much prefer if he worked his ZoE 2 magic and gave us something so ridiculous that his OTT cutscenes fit in with the game.

Sorry for going off topic as well. Yeah, maybe, we'll have to see how it turns out. I think with some restraint which hopefully the Castlevania team will provide he is very capable of writing a good story and writing some good action set pieces. The problem is when he gets carried away.

For example i always say look at MGS3, a great stealth game set in the cold war in the 1960s. He had some leeway to introduce crazy sci fi elements to the story but not much. He was restricted greatly by the period of the story. What did it have: the shagahod, the cobra unit. Both of which were very enjoyable but a little out there, not too much though. Just crazy enough for some great game moments. Also he was trying to emulate some of the great spy movies of the past so he was tied to a certain formula. Then compare that to MGS4 or even MGS2 where he went completely OTT with nanomachines, Raidan, Old snake.

You could argue that with a fantasy setting he has huge scope for going overboard but i'm hoping he will stick to the formula exploring a castle, fighting fun crazy bosses from time to time. I think he could bring a really interesting take to the storyline from what i've heard of it so far. It seems to be a reboot of the series but maybe i'm wrong?

L31mr0d

kaimera wrote: »

A game designed by you.
- give some info! (would it be multi-platform, genre, bit of plot if applicable etc etc)

dont make it tl;dr!

Take an RTS like Warcraft and mix it with MMORPG elements. Ok, I know you're thinking this has been done, but hold on...

In this game real people, perhaps clan leaders, would play as the Gods. It would be Warcraft the RTS, but in battle each unit will be controlled by an individual person. The God characters set waypoints, selectively give characters Hero status and abilities and build structures.

The purpose of the game would be for the God characters to use their army to increase their owned land and empire in the world, outside of battle it would the individual units purpose to train and increase their level.

It was actually what I envisioned World of Warcraft would be when I first heard of it. When I talked to a friend who was addicted to it early on and he explained it to me, confused, I replied "So where does the actual Crafting of War come in?"... when I heard it was just about Quests and farming and nothing to do with actual large scale battles like the RTS I was sorely disappointed.

I know games in this ilk have been tried before, but I don't think they got the balancing right. I'd love to see a good RTS/(FPS or TPS) hybrid get released

Xyo

Whats your favourite game villain and hero?

L31mr0d

Xyo wrote: »

Whats your favourite game villain and hero?

That's a really hard one actually. For hero I guess Gordon Freeman. He's an every man, a scientist who made a mistake and is trying to pick up the pieces to stop those he loves around him getting hurt or killed. You are constantly reminded though in the series that he is just a man. The end of Ep 2 reaffirmed this.

At no point, unlike the usual overpowered Space Marine games do you feel you are invincible. The game constantly reminds you that you need people to help you and even then your best efforts sometimes just aren't good enough.

For a villian. Of all of the ones I can think of the first one that sent a shiver down my spine has to be Sephiroth... there was just something about the music, his look and how he was introduced in FF7 that made my blood run cold as kid.