Recent posts

#1

Computer Gaming / Re: What’s Happening in the Ga...

Last post by al_infierno - Today at 05:28:31 PM

Microsoft closed several more studios, including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks.  Arkane Austin was behind the huge blunder that was Redfall so it makes sense, but Tango is just baffling.  Hi-Fi Rush was highly acclaimed by critics and lauded as a success by MS leadership, and they were also behind the Evil Within series which is fairly popular.

https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-closes-redfall-developer-arkane-austin-hifi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-and-more-in-devastating-cuts-at-bethesda

And apparently they're still not done.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-08/xbox-studio-closures-microsoft-plans-more-cost-cutting-measures-after-layoffs

To be honest, I just don't see why anybody would bother trying to break into the games industry at this point.  It's clearly in the midst of a massive implosion, and if folks with decades of experience are getting laid off left and right, what hope is there for someone trying to get their foot in the door?

#2

Current Events / Re: Israel

Last post by JasonPratt - Today at 04:48:10 PM

Israel now controls the border crossing into Egypt at Rafah.

Forces are prepping for the final push south into the 'joint' area of Rafah (I mean where Gaza, Egypt, and Israel meet, I don't know the proper local name), where the final local Hamas forces are holed up with their remaining hostages and human shields.

Also, forces are prepping for a ground invasion into Lebanon!  Might as well take the opportunity to make a clean sweep! -- although I don't know what the operational goals would be (other than opportunity body counts against Hez.)

#3

Tabletop AARs / Re: Scorpion and Wyvern 1870

Last post by MengJiao - Today at 03:52:20 PM

So what do you think of the rules?  I am kind of interested in finding something like Yaquinto's old Ironclads...a game I truly enjoyed. GMT's Iron and Oak left me a little cold.

The guns and armor seem to work reasonably well and have a more satisfying level of detail for penetration and damage and so on than in Oak and Iron.

  Things went south pretty fast for the Confederates, possibly because the French had six shots to four even though
the Confederates had eight guns (but in four turret groups).  By about 15 minutes into the battle, Mississippi had taken 3 critical hits and ended up with very suppressed crew and an out-of-control fire.  North Carolina headed into the midst of the French to draw fire while Joan went into a tight turn in hopes of ramming North Carolina.

  The ramming didn't happen and NC and Mississippi were escaping sort of (though with turrets unable to shoot aft that might not have gone well no matter what) when -- yes, you guessed it -- NC's magazine exploded (equivalent to a + 20 hit on zero armor)...that's a lot of dice rolling so I gave up.

  I guess that explains why Scorpion's task was to be a harbor ship in Bermuda until 1900, when she was sunk for target practice, raised and then sank finally and for good while on her way to Boston to be scrapped in 1901.

#4

Tabletop AARs / Re: Sail and Steam: 1870

Last post by MengJiao - Today at 03:39:24 PM

Historically, the French armored corvette Thetis did some reconnaissance of the German coast during the Franco-Prussian war.  In this Scenario, a fast German Ironclad tries to run down the somewhat sluggish Thetis.  The French Ironclad Ocean (of End of the Samurai fame) intervenes.

In ten minutes of steaming and firing, a few things happen: mostly at ranges of around seven or eight hundred yards, most shots miss.  One French 10-inch rifled breech-loader blows up but one French 10.8-inch shot penetrates the German Ironclad in the main battery amidships.  A big explosion and fire results: a gun battery of 8.2-inch Krupps is wrecked and the armor blown away with significant hull damage and crew suppression.
Which is a surprise, though I guess the 8.2 Krupps was always an ill-fated caliber:

Ill-fated maybe, but these ships have pretty bad turning radiuses and Carl was able to escape while Ocean was trying to get back around and attack again.

#5

Computer Gaming / Re: Kerbal Space Program 2

Last post by Jarhead0331 - Today at 02:32:00 PM

Apparently, work continues despite the layoffs...for now.

#6

Computer Gaming / Re: Field of Glory: Kingdoms d...

Last post by Father Ted - Today at 01:11:58 PM

Day one pickup...please don't suck!

Same

#7

Computer Gaming / Re: Gunner, HEAT, PC (new tank...

Last post by Jarhead0331 - Today at 12:11:02 PM

Thought this discussion between the developer of Gunner, HEAT, PC! and Ssnake from eSim Games of Steel Beasts fame might be of some interest to some of you...

#8

Tabletop AARs / Re: Scorpion and Wyvern 1870

Last post by MengJiao - Today at 12:07:57 PM

So what do you think of the rules?  I am kind of interested in finding something like Yaquinto's old Ironclads...a game I truly enjoyed. GMT's Iron and Oak left me a little cold.

   Yep.  Oak and Iron was curiously unexciting.  However, I've approached the business of ironclads from a different angle this time around and I might have been more tolerant of Oak and Iron...but what's past is past.  The thing is until the last year or so I've never liked miniatures much.  But then I started tinkering with the idea of dioramas for book trailers.  On impulse, I got some nice 1:600 ships...and the thing is, ironclads are pretty good in the miniature realm (slow, short range, absurd things like ramming and spar torpedoes etc.).
Okay so, for me, what is cool about the sail and steam system is the very nice ship "cards" and the 1:1200 printable models.
The rules are crude but effective and if you have the time and space and tolerance for miniatures (paper ones -- I do glue them to cardstock, I guess I could print them on cardstock but gluing seems to be my thing with little boats)
oh and LOTS of 10-sided dice...the rules seem okay and pretty simple.
The guns and armor seem to work reasonably well and have a more satisfying level of detail for penetration and damage and so on than in Oak and Iron.

#9

Computer Gaming / Re: Kingmakers

Last post by Rayfer - Today at 09:16:46 AM

Holy $hit this looks fun. It reminds me of the plot from a Turtledove novel. Travel back to medieval times...with a pickup truck and an AK!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2109770/Kingmakers/?queue=1

The Steam trailer is insanely great.

#10

Tabletop AARs / Re: Scorpion and Wyvern 1870

Last post by ArizonaTank - Today at 08:57:49 AM

So what do you think of the rules?  I am kind of interested in finding something like Yaquinto's old Ironclads...a game I truly enjoyed. GMT's Iron and Oak left me a little cold.