Gaming irks

[randombs]

I was specifically talking about single player games that need an online connection for some reason. I expect servers for online games to disappear. Does anyone know if there are already single player games that need an online connection purely for authentication purposes?

As for online games, I used to think that XBL would let me play any XBL-enabled game online for as long as the XBL service was running. I thought that was one cool thing about having MS manage the servers instead of individual companies. Maybe I read that was how it would work.

[Darwock]

Yes, Soul Calibur Lost Swords was one of those. Purely single player, despite being a vs fighter. The online elements were nothing that needed a real time online connection, just monthly changes to bonus items etc.

Then again it was also a wait-to-play/pay-to-play game, so not entirely normal in any case.

[randombs]

Ah, thanks. I didn't know what that was and assumed it was an online mode in a regular SC game.

[Asura]

Yes, Soul Calibur Lost Swords was one of those. Purely single player, despite being a vs fighter. The online elements were nothing that needed a real time online connection, just monthly changes to bonus items etc.

Then again it was also a wait-to-play/pay-to-play game, so not entirely normal in any case.

Wasn't it also crap, though? And very like Soul Calibur V underneath all that?

[Darwock]

It was basically the single player component of Soul Calibur V, which didn't have a satisfactory single player component of its own.

Regardless of your opinions on it, people invested time (and money) in it. I had built up a pretty decent character. Can't play it anymore. Although happily I never paid a penny into the microtransactions.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, how good it was isn't massively relevant. You might be that one guy who loved it and you don't know that when you get into a game. We are now at the mercy of so many factors when it comes to simply being able to play a game in the future. And that might be the very near future and that's a problem - we don't know. All the examples in the recent posts show that. It is already happening. It has already happened.

[randombs]

Wasn't it also crap, though? And very like Soul Calibur V underneath all that?

One man's crap is another man's wedding scene from Salo

[kryss]

*watches that reference fly way over his head*

[Asura]

Yeah, I get what you all mean. I just see red whenever Soul Calibur IV and V are involved. I'm still bitter about them.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, I can understand that. IV was when I declared myself out. I miss the Soul Calibur of old.

[Dogg Thang]

My reduced tolerance for combat in games is now directly affecting my enjoyment of the medium. I played Firewatch and totally loved it. Put on Deus Ex Human Something, which I've had for ages and always wanted to play because I totally love anything cyberpunk. Really liked it until it became a stealth shooter a few minutes in. And then I just wanted to get to the walking around and cut scene bits. Not the fault of the game at all - that's the game it is. I just now find combat in games the least interesting part, which is obviously not compatible with so many games having combat at their core.

I want Dead Space without the monsters. Deus Ex without the guns. The Last of Us without the Pac-Man and Pirates. And I'm very aware that most probably don't.

Still, hopefully the success of something like Firewatch will lead to more.

[Family Fry]

If you haven't already checked them out I would highly recommend Soma, Everyone's gone to the rapture, vanishing of Ethan Carter, Oxenfree and life is strange. I'm glad there are more and more developers taking the option of leading with story/dialogue based games.
I really have enjoyed al of those games more than the usual ubi/ea big publisher titles.

[Dogg Thang]

Cool. I'll check out the ones available to me (haven't got a PS4). Thanks for the recommendations.

[shaffy_oppa]

I completely get where you're coming from. Sometimes it's just nice to pick out a game with no combat and get completely sucked in by the story telling and exploration. I'm glad there's a bigger choice these days.

[Family Fry]

Cool. I'll check out the ones available to me (haven't got a PS4). Thanks for the recommendations.

No worries.
They are all available on PC except Everyone's gone to the Rapture, although an image did appear on steam database.