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91

Gaming / Re: 2022 The Backloggening

« Last post by vladgd on April 23, 2022, 11:06:16 PM »

7. Astro's Playroom



So Tuesday I get an email from sony saying "yo Wednesday, 2pm EST show up and buy a console". Which was like great, it worked. Throw them my email to buy a console, and roughly 3 weeks later they got consoles. Show up, wait, get put randomly in queue, wait more, get selected...try and buy the thing as fast as possible while trying to not make any errors in my information. AND...I got lucky, paid for the fast shipping because...these things don't grow on trees and I'd like it now, so it shows up Friday.

Cool, get the thing situated in the entertainment center and get things set up, go to transfer my ps4 saves/account stuff over. QUICK AND EASY That started at 5pm, "finished" at 11pm...alright. Pay $10 to make my Gran Turismo 7 the ps5 version, start the download...uhh...it's Saturday right now and the download should finish in the next 45 minutes...I ain't got the fastest internet and GT7 is a hundred gig game, but like...it'd be done yesterday if it was steam download speeds...at least the ps5 can download things in rest mode, which the ps4 and switch can't seem to do, so that's cool at least.

But my new toy! I've nothing to do with it! The heck is this game on my console? Well figured I'd mess around with it to test the new "Dual Sense" controller.

I thought this was just a tech demo for the controller, which it is...but it's a lot more fleshed out than it has any right being. Finished all the levels and got all the collectables, it's a pretty cool little mario ish thing. The new Dual Sense controller is actually really cool, the haptics feel fantastic. The mic sounds a thousand times better than the 20's era radio sound of the ps4 controller. And the triggers will give force feedback depending on the game, and they can take a good bit of force to depress. Even if using on pc with games that take no advantage of the features, it's somehow more comfortable than my previous favorite controller...the ps4 controller. The thing doesn't really look very attractive, but it makes using my switch pro controller feel like a significant downgrade in comparison.

The game...the game...it's cute. It's controller tech demo, but also PlayStation museum filled with cameos from crash bandicoot, to parappa the rapper, to death stranding, to more obscure stuff like vib ribbon. I know it's free, and if I wasn't waiting for GT7 to download I wouldn't even bother trying it. But it's a surprisingly good time, I wouldn't mind shelling $10-15 to play a small fun little platformer thing.  I was never a fan of the ps3 era (never owned a ps3, only played one like...twice, hated the controller, wasn't interested in little big planet, uncharted, killzone, whatever), and ps4 had Knack...which you couldn't pay me to care at all about that showing off the new console, but this feels charming to me. I like it.

Good job Sony, this was more than any controller tech demo had any right to be.

*edit*

GT7 on Dual Sense is crazy. The ps4 version looks great, and you can easily see the road in wet conditions, but on ps5 the wet spots are like photorealistic. AND THE CONTROLLER PICKS UP RUNNING THROUGH PUDDLES, the force feedback was already elite enough on ps4 to where I noticed how good it was, but this is next level. Mind you the ps4 version runs fantastic and looks fantastic, so the upgrade isn't THAT much better, but in the spots you see it, it shows. Dual Sense ain't replacing a DD wheel, but it is nice for those who (rightfully) aren't willing to invest in a wheel.

*edit*

I don't know how I just noticed this but outside of game the triggers have no force feedback so feel like ps4 triggers more or less. But in game when the force feedback is on, I actually notice the break trigger is a bit more stiff than the accelerator...

I didn't even buy a ps5 thinking about the controller one bit, but this thing is the coolest console controller I have experienced since my first time using an n64 analog stick.

92

Gaming / Re: 2022 The Backloggening

« Last post by vladgd on April 18, 2022, 09:53:31 PM »

Yknow what would have made swtor a truly great game? IF THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT AN MMORPG. I used to be a big fan of the genre, and I'll admit there's still something about it to this day that draws me to it. But like you think about playing an mmorpg, and remember that 90% of it is just boring, or "podcast" gameplay. To this day I still like classic WoW, but like even that is still...90% boring with the majority of the appeal being nostalgia anymore. I enjoyed my time with them re releasing classic, but being a solved game, you can't really get the same experience twice. Too many people taking the game too seriously, second job all over again. I did download elder scrolls online, and I think what that game is doing is great...but, literally under 30 minutes into playing the game, I can see all the ways they design the game to keep you playing, and not in the fun way. I didn't want to play skyrim a 5th time, and that game isn't going to scratch my itch unfortunately. I think the mmo genre and the fps genre to me are more or less "that's neat, but I ain't going to play it" for a majority of them. There's exceptions like WoW classic (but not tbc..even though I enjoyed tbc), and DOOM!, but I think my tastes have changed.

I think that's it for my mini rant. Would be cool if there was less mmorpg, more traditional rpg with maybe a couch co-op or online co-op option? Didn't divinity do that? Another game on my ToDo list whenever I get to it.

6. Star Wars Episode I: Racer



So I was watching some youtubes, and seen this game...5 minutes into the video I said to myself "don't care if it's a barebones no effort port, TAKE MY $15!" ...and like 3 hours later I beat it...again...sorta?

I "beat" this game before, but it goes on the list because KID ME CHEATED! There's one stage called "The Abyss" that I remember being horseshit impossible. I somehow got a cheat working where the game went autopilot and won first on that stage.

...So like, I beat the tournament mode, all stages first place, without cheating this time.

Not really a racing guy till recently, but this was one of 3...racing games I enjoyed a lot as a kid. This game, Diddy Kong Racing, and F-Zero GX. I remember this game being stupid hard, even harder than F-Zero and beating it...well all of the other levels, was a big accomplishment for kid me. Even playing the game on the N64 years after the fact, the "rly fast rly hard" aspects of the game stayed in tact.

This port is straight up easy. The Abyss still kinda horseshit, but taking the 2 parts actually slow makes it not that bad. Doing some reading, I guess a lot of stuff works off FPS and higher FPS gives you more traction or something? Not to mention 60fps smooth as butter with a modern controller, I think those two things along make wrangling the sheer speed of this game a lot more manageable. Play the same thing on a real n64 with that horrible controller...not so easy.

This game still holds up. The port kinda sucks, online multiplayer would be cool...any kind of graphics update to make it not look like an n64 game would be cool...but as is the core game is still fast and fun. Tournament mode you win money to upgrade your pod, there's pit droids you can buy, a junk yard to buy cheaper but damaged parts(that pit droids can fix after the next race at the expense of doing said race with lower stats on a certain part), it's a cool little mode with some soft rpg features. Good roster of riders to choose from, 27 tracks...and that's more or less it. Not a massive game, but it's a good time. Not a great port, but for the price of a few steaks? Still a good value to me. Having finished tournament mode I may max out all my stats and keep the game on the switch to do time trials on every so often. It's a good pick up and play for a few races type of game.

Port was no effort but still functional, game still super fun, recommended!

*edit*

54 second hotlap on Abyss, what a way to take on a childhood nightmare but to turn the tables and get some good laps on the sucker. STILL PRETTY BULLSHIT LEVEL, imagine a race track where if you make a mistake on turn 1 or 2, you fall to the lower track which is 30 seconds slower...one mistake on any lap means last place baby!

93

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by Spectere on April 14, 2022, 02:56:51 AM »

Beginning of the month there was actually series x consoles on amazon for like...28 hours. I was tempted to snagging one, but the only exclusives I want to play is...the next elder scrolls game, and that won't be out for a while. Playstation I'll have GT, final fantasy 7 (figured since I now plan on buying a ps5, pointless to spend time on the ps4 version I only spent 2 hours on), more death stranding because I'd totally play it again, and street fighter 6 whenever that hits. Still hard to tell myself no to a new console when I am in the market for one. I did sign up on the playstation website to drop me an email when they feel like selling me a console, so maybe they'll drop me a line in a few...months...

Well, for what it's worth, you'll be able to play the Series X stuff on PC. It seems like Sony jumped on the timed exclusive train with regards to PC for some games at least, but there's definitely more reason for most people to get a PS5 than a Series console.

I'm honestly surprised that Microsoft hasn't partnered up with Steam to make the Series S/X (and, hell, why not the Xbox One as well?) a Steam Link. It feels like it would be a match made in heaven.

It's a lot, the more I play the more I think I have to adjust stuff. Now my arms are getting tired from how far the wheel is...but it feels about the same distance as my daily driver. I do typically drive with my right hand on 5 o clock position, resting my arm on the center console thingy. So maybe I just got weak arms, but even then in high traffic or bad weather I am 10 and 2 and I don't notice fatigue driving.

I dunno about the Fanatec wheels, but it definitely takes a bit more force to turn the wheel on my dad's G923 than it does on my Civic (in addition to having to fight through the force feedback). I think that's just a side effect of how those wheels are made. It definitely gives you a workout.

Biggest impediment is the way I am playing GT. I am a power gamer a lot of the time and path of least resistance, get all the things the most efficient way possible...and that is unfortunately the opposite of "getting better at wheel" when I am using pad to gradually cut my times a good 4 minutes faster per run AND making an attempt to learn manual transmission while doing so(no clutch, just paddles or X and Square buttons on pad). After either A I get tired of farming for cash, or B they nerf the method soon I can try and figure out how to learn the game efficiently.

Ah yeah, I know that feeling. It's hard to commit to a different control style when you're at a certain level of mastery with a different one, especially when you're in a situation where there's an easy, and undoubtedly temporary, method for farming.

VIDEO REPLY BECAUSE yknow showing > telling

Yooo, thanks! The one I was looking for was the "maximum steering angle." Gotta say, their config tool looks a lot more pleasant to use than the Logitech one.

Meh, I'll probably just save up for one of the Fanatec wheels. I've always loved me some racers, and it seems like every time I stop by my parents' place I wind up spending at least an hour placing racing sims on my dad's rig.

Trying moving wheel away from my couch changes things. Not better...but I think a lot of my issues were adjusting the settings on the wheel and in game, AND my sitting position. Will have to figure out a better setup in this living room that is also portable enough to put away.

That's the nice part about having a full on sim rig. Much easier to find a comfortable position, and much harder to stow the damn thing.

94

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by vladgd on April 13, 2022, 04:38:11 PM »

The only reason I ended up getting my Series X is because they had some program where you could effectively reserve a console if you used a special financing option that covered both the system and two years of GamePass Ultimate. It was slightly more than the combined cost of both (I think it was like $40 more?), but 1) it's still way cheaper than buying it from a scumbag scalper, 2) I would upgraded to GamePass Ultimate anyway (I was already a GamePass PC subscriber), and 3) you can unlock dev mode and install RetroArch, and it's one of the most powerful off-the-shelf emulation boxes money can buy.

Beginning of the month there was actually series x consoles on amazon for like...28 hours. I was tempted to snagging one, but the only exclusives I want to play is...the next elder scrolls game, and that won't be out for a while. Playstation I'll have GT, final fantasy 7 (figured since I now plan on buying a ps5, pointless to spend time on the ps4 version I only spent 2 hours on), more death stranding because I'd totally play it again, and street fighter 6 whenever that hits. Still hard to tell myself no to a new console when I am in the market for one. I did sign up on the playstation website to drop me an email when they feel like selling me a console, so maybe they'll drop me a line in a few...months...

Oh no, you're definitely not alone. There's a pretty big adjustment period with any dedicated controller, but I think steering wheels are probably one of the most extreme cases of that. I think the only thing that's easier with the wheel is shifting with a clutch (Forza lets you do that with a gamepad, but it never felt right to me).

You pretty much have to work up to a point where the wheel becomes second nature, to the point where its primary advantages over the gamepad win out. It's not at all surprising that wheels give you more granular control over the vehicle, but one thing that they don't have is input dampening (except in Horizon, apparently, which is another good reason to avoid that game). Racing games apply a bunch of input filtering on gamepads in order to prevent rapid thumb movements from causing the controls to spaz out. That's good because it makes them actually playable (and prevents pad players from having a turning speed advantage in competitive games) but it does allow wheel players to make faster steering corrections. When you get to that level your times will probably improve over your old pad times.

It's a lot, the more I play the more I think I have to adjust stuff. Now my arms are getting tired from how far the wheel is...but it feels about the same distance as my daily driver. I do typically drive with my right hand on 5 o clock position, resting my arm on the center console thingy. So maybe I just got weak arms, but even then in high traffic or bad weather I am 10 and 2 and I don't notice fatigue driving. There is a huge advantage in steering, but also it's harder because the force feedback does make precise movements a bit more challenging to pull off. As well as big sweeps of the wheel are just more demanding in general. PRACTICE PRACTICE, in the end it'll be faster.

Biggest impediment is the way I am playing GT. I am a power gamer a lot of the time and path of least resistance, get all the things the most efficient way possible...and that is unfortunately the opposite of "getting better at wheel" when I am using pad to gradually cut my times a good 4 minutes faster per run AND making an attempt to learn manual transmission while doing so(no clutch, just paddles or X and Square buttons on pad). After either A I get tired of farming for cash, or B they nerf the method soon I can try and figure out how to learn the game efficiently.

- There have been cases where the Performance Points (PP) do not calculate correctly if the maximum output of the engine is adjusted with a Power Restrictor, or if extreme settings or specific operations are performed on a Fully Customisable Transmission.

They didn't patch it in yesterdays update, but it's a known issue...at least it's an issue this time, and not just arbitrarily saying fuck you swipe your credit card this time. The reason I am playing manual in the first place is the gearing to get the car below 600pp basically makes gear 1, 2, and 3 worthless, and on automatic transmission it's really difficult to get to 4th gear if you slow down enough to kick it into third. With manual you can just...yknow, stay in 4th gear.

Oh, one more wheel question: I'm not sure if you tried playing any Windows racers with it, but do the Fanatec drivers let you adjust angle limitations? The wheels on Formula 1 cars, for example, have as much of a turning radius as normal cars. My dad's G923 lets you adjust that. It obviously doesn't limit the physical range, but it makes it so that if you turn the wheel, say, 180 degrees, it counts as a full turn.

VIDEO REPLY BECAUSE yknow showing > telling

*edit*

Trying moving wheel away from my couch changes things. Not better...but I think a lot of my issues were adjusting the settings on the wheel and in game, AND my sitting position. Will have to figure out a better setup in this living room that is also portable enough to put away.

95

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by Spectere on April 12, 2022, 05:52:10 PM »

There's a...bug? Probably, that takes the dodge tomahawk x which is a 1200 or something PP car, and you can mess with the gear ratio to a point where it knocks it down to 560. You then take this car which has stupid speed and grip into the wtc600 race on tokyo expressway. 12 laps, ~500,000cr payout, ~850,000cr with clean race bonus (even ramming walls and bumping other cars, for whatever reason I ALWAYS get clean race bonus). It's just too damn good not to do.

Heh. To be fair, this has been a problem since the dawn of time with GT due to the sheer number of variables at play. The main difference is that since GT5 they've been able to actually patch this stuff.

I'm not sure it's ever been quite that out of whack (though I distinctly recall GT3 having some very, uh, interesting quirks), but I haven't really looked into it in any sort of real detail.

Not sure if it's like this where you live, but I've noticed in a few stores there isn't even a section they'd stock playstation consoles. Like there's switches behind glasses, the xbox section usually has mostly nothing or a single series S console, and the playstation section...isn't there? Like you can buy games and controllers, but not even a section they'd stock a console.

I'm not sure if this is still the case, but a few months ago that was the case for both the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles at my local Best Buy. Both the PS5 and XBS/XBX systems were perpetually out of stock to the point where they reallocated the shelf space to things that actually exist. I think they've been having a slightly easier time with the Switch, since there was still shelf space for it, albeit no consoles up for sale. Considering the Switch came out in 2016 that's still kind of impressive IMO.

The only reason I ended up getting my Series X is because they had some program where you could effectively reserve a console if you used a special financing option that covered both the system and two years of GamePass Ultimate. It was slightly more than the combined cost of both (I think it was like $40 more?), but 1) it's still way cheaper than buying it from a scumbag scalper, 2) I would upgraded to GamePass Ultimate anyway (I was already a GamePass PC subscriber), and 3) you can unlock dev mode and install RetroArch, and it's one of the most powerful off-the-shelf emulation boxes money can buy.

AANNNDDDD a few notes on the wheel. Messing with settings is making things easier, looking up the fanatec recommended settings makes steering easier, but they see the force feedback toned down, which also makes things easier but less immersive. Will need to do more googling and experimenting with settings, would like a balance between immersion and improving my skill. With some of the grinding I've been doing on GT I have been going back and forth between the wheel and controller. The wheel can be physically fatiguing, and my times on pad still blow the pants off my  wheel times. I am improving enough to actually play the game instead of crash everywhere, but it'll be some time before im actually confident with the thing.

Being a bit discouraged, I have noticed I am not alone. Going from pad to wheel is like "way more fun, more immersive, but god damn is it hard and my times are worse".

Oh no, you're definitely not alone. There's a pretty big adjustment period with any dedicated controller, but I think steering wheels are probably one of the most extreme cases of that. I think the only thing that's easier with the wheel is shifting with a clutch (Forza lets you do that with a gamepad, but it never felt right to me).

You pretty much have to work up to a point where the wheel becomes second nature, to the point where its primary advantages over the gamepad win out. It's not at all surprising that wheels give you more granular control over the vehicle, but one thing that they don't have is input dampening (except in Horizon, apparently, which is another good reason to avoid that game). Racing games apply a bunch of input filtering on gamepads in order to prevent rapid thumb movements from causing the controls to spaz out. That's good because it makes them actually playable (and prevents pad players from having a turning speed advantage in competitive games) but it does allow wheel players to make faster steering corrections. When you get to that level your times will probably improve over your old pad times.

Oh, one more wheel question: I'm not sure if you tried playing any Windows racers with it, but do the Fanatec drivers let you adjust angle limitations? The wheels on Formula 1 cars, for example, have as much of a turning radius as normal cars. My dad's G923 lets you adjust that. It obviously doesn't limit the physical range, but it makes it so that if you turn the wheel, say, 180 degrees, it counts as a full turn.

96

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by vladgd on April 11, 2022, 09:09:59 PM »

Then again, GT7 is actually out and FM8 kinda isn't. But I have a copy of FM7, which is still hella fun?

Tough call. Easy for me since the last xbox I bought was the 360. I'm almost 80 hours in on GT7 so I think regardless of it's problems, it's a good enough game where I am still playing it. One thing to mention, since GT7 is a "live service" game, it makes you play differently than a normal game.

There's a...bug? Probably, that takes the dodge tomahawk x which is a 1200 or something PP car, and you can mess with the gear ratio to a point where it knocks it down to 560. You then take this car which has stupid speed and grip into the wtc600 race on tokyo expressway. 12 laps, ~500,000cr payout, ~850,000cr with clean race bonus (even ramming walls and bumping other cars, for whatever reason I ALWAYS get clean race bonus). It's just too damn good not to do.

How is this a problem? Well it makes me feel like doing this race non fucking stop because I know goddamn well it's getting nerfed on Thursday. AND I GET IT, it's too good, I wouldn't complain. BUT time is ticking, knowing they have taken things away means this will not exist very soon, so if I have time to race, I feel like I have to race. Kinda sucks. There's other races that are less efficient (although quite good, this race is busted) it just feels like those can wait until this gets nerfed, because likely those'll stay, and this one won't.

tl;dr

You wanna play old game that ain't changing for shit, or new game that changes several times a month?

I don't know anyone who owns a PS5, yet I know two other people that own the Series X. I'm not sure if Microsoft's just not selling as many units or if they're just legitimately doing a better job with the whole manufacturing thing.

On one hand I could probably do without it, but on the other hand the new Patchet & Clank game looks incredibly fun, and despite my mixed feelings of the FF7 Remake so far I would like to see more of it.

Not sure if it's like this where you live, but I've noticed in a few stores there isn't even a section they'd stock playstation consoles. Like there's switches behind glasses, the xbox section usually has mostly nothing or a single series S console, and the playstation section...isn't there? Like you can buy games and controllers, but not even a section they'd stock a console. I noticed this at a target today and found it kind of strange...although I understand not wanting to waste space for something that isn't going to be there. It's like looking for bigfoot or something. Like why stock ps5 games and controllers but not even have an empty section for ps5's? HEY YO WE SELL NINTENDO SWITCH GAMES AND CONTROLLERS BUT NO NINTENDO SWITCH! Child me would have issues believing it.

AANNNDDDD a few notes on the wheel. Messing with settings is making things easier, looking up the fanatec recommended settings makes steering easier, but they see the force feedback toned down, which also makes things easier but less immersive. Will need to do more googling and experimenting with settings, would like a balance between immersion and improving my skill. With some of the grinding I've been doing on GT I have been going back and forth between the wheel and controller. The wheel can be physically fatiguing, and my times on pad still blow the pants off my  wheel times. I am improving enough to actually play the game instead of crash everywhere, but it'll be some time before im actually confident with the thing.

Being a bit discouraged, I have noticed I am not alone. Going from pad to wheel is like "way more fun, more immersive, but god damn is it hard and my times are worse".

97

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by Spectere on April 08, 2022, 10:45:54 PM »

I have video.If you're curious about anything else and I'll see what I can do.

I SAW A KITTY.

And yeah, that's exactly what I was looking for. I kinda doubted it would be one of those setups where the brake pedal would just flop down to the floor with zero pressure, but it's good to know how it works.

Thanks for the vid!

Yeah I'd go with where the majority of your hours will be spent. Gran Turismo vs Forza, with...everything else being pc so at least you can use whatever on that platform.

The problem with me is that I generally like both games equally, haha. I somewhat doubt that the graphics are going to be too different between the Series X and the PS4 Pro (I mean, FM7 is technically an Xbox One game and it still looks fantastic. Racing games just don't seem to age as quickly), but I guess it would still be best to favor the current-gen console? I dunno.

Then again, GT7 is actually out and FM8 kinda isn't. But I have a copy of FM7, which is still hella fun?

Gah.

And good luck to both of us finding a ps5. Shoulda bought one last November when I seen them in person...

I don't know anyone who owns a PS5, yet I know two other people that own the Series X. I'm not sure if Microsoft's just not selling as many units or if they're just legitimately doing a better job with the whole manufacturing thing.

On one hand I could probably do without it, but on the other hand the new Patchet & Clank game looks incredibly fun, and despite my mixed feelings of the FF7 Remake so far I would like to see more of it.

98

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by vladgd on April 08, 2022, 08:29:11 PM »

I'm curious: does the brake pedal have spring tension on it? Like, it doesn't just go to the floor when you press it lightly, does it?

I have video.If you're curious about anything else and I'll see what I can do.

It kind of seems like if I want to get a console-compatible wheel I'm going to have to pick a faction, at least for the time being. Since I've got the SeX I'm probably going to get a wheel that works with that, and after that I might look into getting something that I can hook up to the PS4.

Or maybe a PS5, if those things ever actually come out.

Yeah I'd go with where the majority of your hours will be spent. Gran Turismo vs Forza, with...everything else being pc so at least you can use whatever on that platform.

And good luck to both of us finding a ps5. Shoulda bought one last November when I seen them in person...

99

Random Chat / Re: The Lamest Topic Ever Conceived

« Last post by Spectere on April 08, 2022, 06:15:45 PM »

Pretty sure that watercooler issue I had also fried one of my NVMe drives (partial failure: a handful of cells died, but it was still generally usable). The one closest to the CPU ended up getting so hot that the glue on the Samsung sticker started melting out all over the place. Yikes. Fortunately I didn't lose any data (the OS partition somehow was completely unaffected, and the data partition literally just has Steam games on it, which I could just verify/redownload).

As with before, Falcon Northwest overnighted me a new drive, I dumped my old image onto it, and I've been keeping an eye on the temperatures just in case (they're higher than the other drive, given that this one is right between a 5900X and a 3090, but even with a full system load it still doesn't exceed 60C, which is fine).

Gotta say, it's nice having a single company deal with all of the RMA bullshit for me rather than having to hassle two different companies. I've had less downtime with this arrangement than I would have had with a single outage with parts that I sourced myself.

I also noticed that I neglected to mention anything about the support experience itself. I've never had a company as pleasant to work with as Falcon. They give you plenty of options for replacement, from them sending the parts to you to you sending the rig back to them (on their dime), will happily talk you through replacement if you need assistance, and everything is so unbelievably fast. Like, in both cases I expected to be down for a solid week, but that was far from the case.

Oh, they also use UPS instead of FedEx. Can't help but throw that jab in there.

100

Gaming / Re: Racing Sims

« Last post by Spectere on April 08, 2022, 05:58:45 PM »

Well to be fair Eggman would argue over everything...I had my share of internet nerd arguing with him. Didn't help that I wasn't exactly that mature back then either. I think he was bad mouthing Shadow Complex for not being Super Metroid, and like, it isn't, but doesn't mean it can't still be a great metroidvania (which it IS). Not all games need to be the best ever to be worth playing, and no game is immune from criticism.

Fair enough. I still thought it was pretty goddamned hilarious, though.

Pretty pointless to pledge allegiance to a multi million/billion dollar company who literally doesn't care about you. I do see less of that in our age bracket, so maybe it's an age thing.

It doesn't help that we're all getting old and cynical at this point. I mean, we all pretty much got punched in the face by a recession right when we reached adulthood. That's enough to cause anyone to become a bit jaded.

I guess the same is true with a bunch of older zoomers now, too, given the economic effects of COVID.

I beat the game, but I swear those "friends" were meant to be insufferable? That said, I do have less tolerance for that stuff now a days, I'm not opposed to skipping dialogue/story anymore if it isn't entertaining "cough" inquisition "cough".

Given the general vibe of the newer Far Cry games, it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

I think I could still tolerate FC3 because you have a ton of shooty shoot time between story segments, but FH5 doesn't let up in the slightest. I should have probably seen it coming given how in your face FH4 was, but FH5 is somehow even worse. The game constantly pauses itself to show you something, there's always someone talking to you on the radio, there's a ton of obnoxious characters. The game will let you up for air for a few moments, then you'll hit some sort of milestone and it'll just plunge you back into the toilet bowl for another swirly.

I mean, I've played the late Xbox/early 360 Need For Speed games (you know, the ones literally modeled after the Fast and Furious) fairly recently and those manage to have a fun edginess to them without making me want to bludgeon myself into unconsciousness with the Duke.

I'm only being slightly hyperbolic. Honest.

I really wish I could change the music in GT7...it isn't horrible, but you have no say over what plays in the menus. AND FRANKLY I DONT WANT MY CAR RACING GAME TO SOUND LIKE A WEDDING, classic stuff is great, but wrong context. Hopefully ps5 version lets me play some chill beats or something, but ps5 is a hoax doesn't exist, what was I talking about?

GT's music selection has always been a little odd, though they did throw some humor in there once in a while, like playing Yello's "Oh Yeah!" when you lose a license challenge in GT4.

I just distinctly remember GT5's opening video. It had this almost anxiety-inducing song, followed by My Chemical Romance's "Planetary (GO!)". I mean, I love MCR and that's a great song (one of the only goodies on Danger Days, sadly), but that just seems like an odd song for a racing game, y'know? Kinda makes me wonder what they had playing on the original JP release.

Wheel Stand 2.0 + Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Pro.

Sexy af.

-having never experienced a FF wheel, this 5nm wheel has more force than my SUV...literally. I mean it makes sense for a car going 100mph to have, but one is my actual SUV, the other is a videogame. It's an experience.

Granted, I've never drove in a car with a racing spec suspension, but driving on a road at 100mph gives you surprisingly little feedback even with a sport-ish suspension.

I imagine the thing would really come alive (and I mean that very literally) in DiRT Rally. I had to grip the G923 tight to be able to overcome the forces in that fucker. Good god, imagine how the 8nm system would feel...yikes.

-the pedals are better than expected, they kinda look cheap, and foam on the break...PRETTY GOOD. Not outstanding, but well built and nice to use.

I'm curious: does the brake pedal have spring tension on it? Like, it doesn't just go to the floor when you press it lightly, does it?

-wheel comes with no screws. all the wheel came with was a few metal brackets you can use to bolt to a stand, but no bolts. wheelstand 2.0 had me covered with the correct bolts/washers/nuts I needed, but ymmv depending on your wheelstand of choice.

To be fair, I think that's pretty standard with higher end sim kit. My dad's G923 only came with mounting hardware for Logitech's included desk mount and my X56 HOTAS didn't come with any mounting hardware (I had to source my own for my 3D printed mount, and my MONSTERTECH mount has its own hardware as well).

I think they probably assumed that any mounting system is going to have its own brackets and such, so there isn't much of a point in including something that the user won't use.

-my gameplay with this thing. I expected to be slightly better than pad off the bat, what I got was I am SIGNIFICANTLY worse on wheel. I might need to dial in a few settings, but it's VERY hard for me to clean lap even an easy course like monza with this thing.

Don't worry, it's not just you. Using a proper setup is definitely more demanding than fiddling around with a controller.

At the end of the day, the extra precision and control more than makes up for it.

GT7 blurb

Thanks for the update!

It kind of seems like if I want to get a console-compatible wheel I'm going to have to pick a faction, at least for the time being. Since I've got the SeX I'm probably going to get a wheel that works with that, and after that I might look into getting something that I can hook up to the PS4.

Or maybe a PS5, if those things ever actually come out.