OldBoy

i do have instant on set. so it won't mess with game/file if do that? oh so it still will be in that exact state until i power on next day? that would be cool and ever since i saw that feature in trailers for system i always wanted to try. i guess since i usually only play one game at time i didn't think of it, but rn i would like to keep 2 in that state and just want to make sure it doesn't f**k with file or corrupt and i lose my progress. that's what i fear. thanks.

OldBoy

I figured out and I like. I have RE8 and Scarlet Nexus in suspension at pause points. Shut off for little bit, came back and was right where I left off. I likey. Tomorrow will be test though. Long over nighty…

Decker

Games With Gold for July. I kinda wanted that Rock of Ages III game at least.

milo bloom

Oh, Midway Arcade looks nice. I've about given up on being able to properly play modern AAA titles, but I still love all the old classics.

The Questyen

What does this mean?

Music

Nice, a rare month where I don't own any of the games.

Decker

Funny you say that, because most of us own Conker via the Rare Replay Collection, at least on Game Pass.

Music

Dammit Decker, I own that Rare Replay Collection... but I thought that only had Bad Fur Day in it...

But now I see that this one is a graphically improved but censored version of Bad Fur day... bah!

OldBoy

Censored? Really? That’s the heart of the 1st. I don’t get it.

milo bloom

I’m a little older and don’t have the time to put into the games they deserve. And my reflexes were never great so they’re less so now.

Adam Tyner

I get what you’re saying, but weirdly, I feel like modern games are less demanding than classics in a lot of ways. I definitely have caveats in mind when I say that — not counting competitive-type multiplayer, roguelikes, Soulsbournes, etc., and certainly modern games have more complicated controls and require more time be sunk into them.

But they’re more generous with checkpoints, less likely to penalize you if you die in other ways (no life counter, ammo restocks, continued XP increases, yadda yadda), auto-regenerating shields / health, and more likely to tell you where to go / what you need to do.

I remember when one of my neighbors rented Mega Man 3, and I was almost heartbroken when I beat the whole thing in one sitting, feeling like it wouldn’t feel as special to buy the sequel to my favorite game since it was so absurdly easy. I replayed it on the 3DS five or six years ago and got my ass handed to me endlessly. But nearly all of the modern games I play, I can finish on the default difficulty without too much trouble.

RichC2

Yep, barring the Soulsbourne (+ Sekiro, and a few "inspired by" titles like Nioh) and Roguelike (especially Returnal, that fuckass), games are easier to play these days than they were three generations ago (awkward controls are mostly a thing of the past too and there's lots of handholding.)

The Questyen

That's why I was trying to clarify because I found it to be an odd statement. I'm 43 years old and games in general have never been easier (not that I'm complaining) especially AAA games with multiple difficulty and accessibility options. Other than games that are intentionally meant to be frustratingly hard like "Souls" games which are a very small percentage of gaming in general.

milo bloom

I never got into the Mega Man games back in the day, so when I had the opportunity to play one of the collections on Xbox I got pissed off right away at how hard it was. I get the idea of a challenge, but I also don't get the idea of creating this world and then restricting how many people can play it.
I preferred the Mario games for that reason I suppose, they ramped up the difficulty so you could learn the game and moves as you went and you still had amazing worlds to explore.

fujishig

Games today are probably a bit easier (with some outliers) but also a lot longer, so I get the time/skill thing as a combination.

Like most RPGs or RPG-like games are easy enough if you overlevel, but there is so much grinding. And then you come to the true skill games of the modern day, which are mostly stuff like multiplayer FPS/strategy games, and you realize real quick why the pro gamers are over the hill by the time they're 30. And even for those you have to devote a ton of time memorizing maps and such, it's not just pick up and play.

Deftones

Interesting read about theft of $10 million of Xbox gift cards: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2...r-businessweek

fujishig

I wonder if that's at least partly how places like cdkeys get so many codes to sell at a discount.

tonyc3742

Fascinating article.
And the "it's not real money!" is an interesting (ie, totally crazy and hypocritical) defense when he was selling them for bitcoin.

Yeah, I've wondered that too. I've bought codes from what I thought were legitimate resellers, but I really don't know how they could be legitimate. But it's not like they're not all that hidden or hard to find, so if it were illegal or illicit, you'd think someone would crack down on them. There's legitimate retailers that are slightly discounted like the warehouse clubs from whom I've bought as well.

Speaking of which - Costco.com has a bundle for 790 that includes XSX, 3 month GPU, the Seagate card, and MLB Show 21. You're not really saving anything, it's like getting the game (which is on GP) for 25 bucks which could maybe be sold or traded for 20-30. Their bundle with an extra controller which actually is a bit of a savings is OOS. (Both assuming you want the Seagate card.)

Decker

I would probably buy a XSX for retail and would like the bundle with the extra controller from Costco. But I don't need one enough to pay for a game I don't want and an expensive card I can do without.
I am a little surprised that I still can't buy one - - this console shortage doesn't get near the press that the PS5 shortage does, but I think it's just as scarce a commodity.

fujishig

I think it's pretty common knowledge that both consoles are hard to come by, just that PS5 is the more popular one.

Dan

I've heard that cdkeys will only deal with legitimate providers (however that works...) but this guy was selling on other markets that had far less strict rules.

Fascinating article, though. And an absurd defense but it's only about one step removed from the excuses people use for pirating music/movie/games anyway, so

OldBoy

What are the next big titles coming out very soon for Xbox?

Decker

#Xbox6in6

Twitter

OldBoy

Eh, only Infinite did something and who knows when that’ll be out if delayed or whatever…

Adam Tyner

”Big” is subjective, but for July and August…? Flight Simulator, Psychonauts 2, and Madden 22.

Summer months tend to be slow all around, with things picking up in September.

My go-to list of upcoming games is the one on Wikipedia.