The gaming diary

[two_scoop_steve]

played some rock band last night with my family.

[Silent Scythe]

Still working on Izuna 2 and Final Fantasy IV, almost done with Izuna already just a dungeon or two away. I manage to find the poster that was sent with it  now I learned that there were a few different posters you could get. I'll pick up the other ones if the chance were to arise but for now I'll just be glad I got what I got.

Still counting down the days for Soul Calibur 4 too, I cant wait!!!

[logical123]

Arkanoid DS is a fag

fag = fun ass game, and also (!).... The soundtrack is quite good.   

[Feechy]

Played some more Civ Rev, got a Domination victory as the Japanese against the Chinese on King. I was going for a Technology victory but Mao randomly attacked me. Also, started another game as the Spanish on King, looking for a Cultural win.

[Kimoosabi]

Been playing Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fate on the DS, I quite like it. A lot more accessible than the Gamecube one.

[phoenix1967]

Played Civ Rev as the Germans again on Emporer. This time I made it to the Modern Era before getting out-Teched by Egypt. If I would've shifted strategy earlier I might have been able to get an Econ win.

[Sirgin]

Played some more GT4...tried the Rally events for the first time. The ones on tarmac are quite fun to do, although you sometimes get a 5 second penalty when the other car bumps into you

The dirt & snow tracks are a different story, though. Even though I win them, I never have the feeling I'm in control of the car. I always get the feeling that I'm trying to manouver a bar of soap around the track, instead of a car. If only the rally races could be like Colin Mcrea instead of what they are 

[James]

After 21 hours and 40 minutes, I won a game of Civilization 3 as the Romans. If I had managed to get more resources as soon as they showed up on the map I would have had a much more powerful army earlier on. But instead I faffed about trying to be peaceful instead of invading countries to take their resources. I would have continued the game after the end but I had to go out and didn't save it. It was getting painful for the last few turns because I was having to move loads and loads of units around the map while trying to work out what the cities could do for another couple of turns.

Played some more GT4...tried the Rally events for the first time. The ones on tarmac are quite fun to do, although you sometimes get a 5 second penalty when the other car bumps into you

The dirt & snow tracks are a different story, though. Even though I win them, I never have the feeling I'm in control of the car. I always get the feeling that I'm trying to manouver a bar of soap around the track, instead of a car. If only the rally races could be like Colin Mcrea instead of what they are 

I felt Gran Turismo 4 was generally like that, mainly because of the controls. Racing games need some kind of analogue throttle and brake. That's why I like racing games on the Xbox 360. They seem a lot more responsive using the triggers to fine tune the throttle through a corner.

[logical123]

If you have a pressure sensitive ps2 controller, which most are, then you can fine tune the throttle and brake. That is one of the reasons that I like it so much more than 1 & 2.

[James]

If you have a pressure sensitive ps2 controller, which most are, then you can fine tune the throttle and brake. That is one of the reasons that I like it so much more than 1 & 2.

Not really. Whenever I watch the bars that show how much pressure is on the throttle and brake it seems they're always either off, halfway, or full. The pressure zone is so small, it becomes very hard to "fine tune" it.

I used to think Gran Turismo 4 was the pinnacle of racing simulators but then I used an Xbox controller with its triggers and realised the controls I had been missing out on..

[Sirgin]

I used to think Gran Turismo 4 was the pinnacle of racing simulators

Don't get me wrong, I'm having much fun with the game, my only complaint is that the Dirt & Snow races are not at all realistic. I wonder why Polyphony doesn't realise this themselves. Maybe they'll straighten it out in GT5.

[phoenix1967]

After 21 hours and 40 minutes, I won a game of Civilization 3 as the Romans. If I had managed to get more resources as soon as they showed up on the map I would have had a much more powerful army earlier on. But instead I faffed about trying to be peaceful instead of invading countries to take their resources. I would have continued the game after the end but I had to go out and didn't save it. It was getting painful for the last few turns because I was having to move loads and loads of units around the map while trying to work out what the cities could do for another couple of turns.

James, have you tried Civ Revolution yet? You can usually complete a full game in about 4 hours or so, depending on how often you go into combat.

Speaking as someone that's never played a Civ game before, it's got a lot of depth and strategy to it, without being overwhelming. It plays out like a combination of Risk (Castle Risk especially), Axis and Allies, MULE, and Settlers of Catan. And since it was specifically designed for the console, the interface is amazingly user-friendly.

[James]

James, have you tried Civ Revolution yet? You can usually complete a full game in about 4 hours or so, depending on how often you go into combat.

Speaking as someone that's never played a Civ game before, it's got a lot of depth and strategy to it, without being overwhelming. It plays out like a combination of Risk (Castle Risk especially), Axis and Allies, MULE, and Settlers of Catan. And since it was specifically designed for the console, the interface is amazingly user-friendly.

I downloaded the demo over a week ago but never got round to playing it. I've got other things to be playing, though.

[phoenix1967]

^Ok. I'm looking forward to your thoughts as a Civ player when you get around to it, though.

[Tan]

I used to think Gran Turismo 4 was the pinnacle of racing simulators

Don't get me wrong, I'm having much fun with the game, my only complaint is that the Dirt & Snow races are not at all realistic. I wonder why Polyphony doesn't realise this themselves. Maybe they'll straighten it out in GT5.

I find the loose gravel and dirt races in Colin McRae Dirt to be a lot less realistic than the previous games as well. More like a mix of CM 2005 and say Rallisport Challenge 2. Still I found it odd that there were no snow or ice stages in that game. Strange playing a game that still takes it's cues from the WRC that doesn't have any Swedish stages among it's tracks.

Though I will say in it's day I enjoyed the dirt stages in GT2, GT4 is alright when I play it but I never reach for it when I want to do some rallying.

Speaking of soap on a track, try Sega Rally Revo, I didn't keep that one on the shelf for very long.

Anyways, I picked up a CIB copy of Zelda Oracle of Ages and am playing that one again. Also playing Super Battletank and Foreman for Real both for the Game Gear.