LadyBernkastel

And now they're being hit with a class action lawsuit for violating labor laws.

Best leak since chorus kids.

I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Aesthetic is a huge factor for me. I can't enjoy a game if I don't like the artstyle. This is part of why I've never really understood the appeal of NES-era games. It needs to feel accessible but not to the point that it feels like there's no depth. I don't have the time or patience to play a game that isn't interested in giving me an understanding of the mechanics, but if I don't have anything to learn after the game begins, it'll just get boring fast. I also prefer games that aren't just repetitive mission after repetitive mission. Multiplayer games get a pass because every match is different, but for single player games, I want a sense of adventure. Games where you have to grind missions for items in particular can fuck off.

I still play tf2 whenever I get incredibly bored.

Eggs on burgers are wonderful, and I'll hear nothing else.

ikrwth

When humanity eventually dies off, what, if anything, will take our place?

I'm still in shock that Valve didn't do a god damn thing for their ten year milestone. I fail to see why they go on pretending like they still want to support TF2.

I think it's clear Valve don't have any methodology. This is the company that has a habit of taking years on years to complete a game because they make huge changes mid development.

I'm curious as to why you say this. Even in the games that do it relatively well, such as Overwatch, I'd still only call the practice mostly harmless. It doesn't add anything of value to any game it's in. Even when discussing server costs for multiplayer games, if games without lootboxes can get by just selling skins directly, I fail to see why these other games can't. At it's worst, it's downright predatory. At least in the days of hiding on-disc content behind dlc packs, you knew what you're getting yourself into. You pay an upfront fee for a specific amount of content. A lootbox system is never added because it adds something to the game; it's added because some suits looked at the mobile market and said "you know, I bet we could get some of that."

If it ever happens, I don't think it'll ever be the ESRB that does it. The ESRB was created for the purpose of placating parents worried about little Jimmy playing a game with violence or sex in it. They give non-gaming parents an easy label that they can use to determine if a game is appropriate for their child. I don't see them ever making a decision that would affect the bottom line of developers. Especially when America has a proud history of children gambling. What is Chuck E Cheese's other than a glorified casino where children gamble their parents money in exchange for overpriced prizes at the ticket booth? No, the bigger issue is that people generally don't seem to consider it gambling unless the reward is actual money. You're not gonna see anyone get up in arms over Chuck E Cheese's because "tickets" aren't real money, so it's not really gambling. With loot boxes, it's probably worse, because a lot of the old men, whose ears you'd have to get to get this done, don't even realize that these virtual items have gained a certain monetary value.

I mean, wouldn't TF2 itself be considered best case scenario? TF2 was good when it released. The problem isn't the Valve can't meet the hype; it's the Valve can't meet the hype with their current priorities. They've stopped being the innovators and are now just another follower. Which I can't say I blame them. If they want to continue support for TF2, turning it into Overwatch probably seems like a great idea. Focusing on DOTA 2 when League of Legends is still the most played PC game in the world is probably good for Gaben's wallet. And now that two other companies have managed to turn their franchises into a card game, Artifact is probably a smart business choice. But of all of those, the most innovative thing they've done with them is the fact that Artifact isn't going to be just another Magic clone.

Honestly, I blame MOBAs and Overwatch for that one. If there's anything that the success of these games say, it's that people don't want a customizable experience anymore. Even the server browser in Overwatch doesn't add the level of customization that older games offered. PC gaming is slowly killing one of its biggest strengths, and Valve is hardly the first one to do it.

At this point, I'd respect Valve a lot more if they officially ended support for TF2 and left it for the community. It's a ten year old game. No one's going to blame them for having moved on. Most games don't even reach this milestone. But I don't have enough confidence in Valve's ability to balance this clusterfuck of a game to justify waiting this long.

I can join too.

I don't know what the fuck is going on in Idaho but . . .

I was just in the middle of Harvey. I feel for you in Irma's path.

For when you want to play another class?

We all know I'm the rightful leader.

They live on in our hearts.

Probably better to ask me again six months from now, but I'm usually okay with it.