On Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:27:34 -0600, "rms"
<rsquiresMOO@MOOflashMOO.net> wrote:

Well, the yearly summer sale has begun.

I'll point out one: Half-Life Alyx is $24. For all you non-VR peeps,
there is now a mod to play on a flat screen!! >https://nitter.net/HL_Alyx_NoVR/status/1674477306717282324
(I've not tried this mod myself, but did enjoy the VR version on release).

I saw that one too. I gotta admit, I was tempted, but...


While "Alyx" is probably one of the best VR games available, at its
current price I'd have a hard time paying that much for it even if I
HAD a VR headset. "Alyx" is not a very long game, and what there is of
it is fairly linear. It's not quite 'tech demo', but it does seem more
like something designed to sell the Index VR headset than create a
fulfilling game experience all on its own.

And without the VR? It's just a short game; something that should
maybe /start/ at $24 USD rather than that being its sale price.


Then again, when it comes to "Half Life", I'm pretty much over the
franchise. I'll happily talk about how innovative the original was,
and how competently made the sequel and its add-ons were... but
episode 2 came out in 2007. It was disappointing that we never got a
conclusive ending to Freeman's story, but you know what? At this point
I don't really care anymore. The attraction of the franchise has long
faded. Valve waited too long, and I've slipped the hook. There's way
too many other good games in my backlog for me to really care about
the "Half Life" franchise anymore.

Still, if you're really jonesin' for a "Half Life" fix, "Black Mesa"
is $5 USD. And you get a full-length game for that price. (it works in
VR too ;-)


Black Mesa
https://store.steampowered.com/app/362890/Black_Mesa/

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

* here's a starting point if you're a cheapskate... erm, FRUGAL like me. >https://store.steampowered.com/search/?sort_by=_ASC&maxprice=5&category1=998&supportedlang=english

Important tip: Be sure to check the bundle price if you are buying a
game in a series, or DLC. There is often an additional discount, especially
if you own part of the bundle already.

rms

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Well, the yearly summer sale has begun.

I'll point out one: Half-Life Alyx is $24. For all you non-VR peeps,
there is now a mod to play on a flat screen!! https://nitter.net/HL_Alyx_NoVR/status/1674477306717282324
(I've not tried this mod myself, but did enjoy the VR version on release).

rms

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Well, the yearly summer sale has begun. So has the yearly bitching
about the sale. You can't have the one without the other. ;-)

Not that I really have any complaints about the sale; it's fine. If
you've been waiting for a game to drop in price, now might be the time
to look. It won't be significantly cheaper than any other time - long
gone are the days when you could get a terrific deal on a seasonal
Steam sale - but odds are, if one game on your wishlist isn't cheap
enough for you yet, another will be.

And there are a number of good deals to be had, if you look past the
big name games. "Undertale" is going for $3USD; "Titanfall 2" for less
than a fiver; both deserve a place in your library.* Think of it as an opportunity to pick up some of those games you've heard good things
about but were unsure if they were for you. Well, now they're cheap
enough for you to take a chance on 'em.

Plus, that backlog of games you have? Well, I didn't want to mention
it, but it's been looking pretty skimpy recently. You really need to
grab another dozen or so games... just to be safe. ;-)

Me, I grabbed some more games. Because of course I did; it's what I
do. A bunch of "Truck Simulator" DLC, a few oldies lingering on the
wishlist there; you know how it goes. It's easy; you should try it!

Or don't. Be stodgy and boring and wise with your money, if that's
your thing.

Me, I'm goin' shoppin'! ;-)




* here's a starting point if you're a cheapskate... erm, FRUGAL like
me. https://store.steampowered.com/search/?sort_by=_ASC&maxprice=5&category1=998&supportedlang=english

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:
<snip>

Still, if you're really jonesin' for a "Half Life" fix, "Black Mesa"
is $5 USD. And you get a full-length game for that price. (it works in
VR too ;-)

I was unaware this remake even existed, thanks for this.
Counting conversion and tax, still a steal at $6.71 CDN.

Still have my original box set of the halflife/op force/blue shift
bundle - played it a few years back but the graphics are distractingly
long in the tooth so this remake should be fun.

Especially in the Xen levels which apparently got improved.

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thu, 29 Jun 2023 16:20:20 -0400, Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

Well, the yearly summer sale has begun. So has the yearly bitching
about the sale. You can't have the one without the other. ;-)

Not that I really have any complaints about the sale; it's fine. If
you've been waiting for a game to drop in price, now might be the time
to look. It won't be significantly cheaper than any other time - long
gone are the days when you could get a terrific deal on a seasonal
Steam sale - but odds are, if one game on your wishlist isn't cheap
enough for you yet, another will be.

*---

Ain't that the truth. Not going to pay $16 for ATS: Texas. I have
all the rest DLC. But for some reason, I did buy AOE3: DE for $6.
Doubt I will play it as I never started the first two :-)

-pw

And there are a number of good deals to be had, if you look past the
big name games. "Undertale" is going for $3USD; "Titanfall 2" for less
than a fiver; both deserve a place in your library.* Think of it as an >opportunity to pick up some of those games you've heard good things
about but were unsure if they were for you. Well, now they're cheap
enough for you to take a chance on 'em.

Plus, that backlog of games you have? Well, I didn't want to mention
it, but it's been looking pretty skimpy recently. You really need to
grab another dozen or so games... just to be safe. ;-)

Me, I grabbed some more games. Because of course I did; it's what I
do. A bunch of "Truck Simulator" DLC, a few oldies lingering on the
wishlist there; you know how it goes. It's easy; you should try it!

Or don't. Be stodgy and boring and wise with your money, if that's
your thing.

Me, I'm goin' shoppin'! ;-)

* here's a starting point if you're a cheapskate... erm, FRUGAL like
me. >https://store.steampowered.com/search/?sort_by=_ASC&maxprice=5&category1=998&supportedlang=english

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 1:20:32 PM UTC-7, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Well, the yearly summer sale has begun. So has the yearly bitching
about the sale. You can't have the one without the other. ;-)

Not that I really have any complaints about the sale; it's fine. If
you've been waiting for a game to drop in price, now might be the time
to look. It won't be significantly cheaper than any other time - long
gone are the days when you could get a terrific deal on a seasonal
Steam sale - but odds are, if one game on your wishlist isn't cheap
enough for you yet, another will be.

And there are a number of good deals to be had, if you look past the
big name games. "Undertale" is going for $3USD; "Titanfall 2" for less
than a fiver; both deserve a place in your library.* Think of it as an opportunity to pick up some of those games you've heard good things
about but were unsure if they were for you. Well, now they're cheap
enough for you to take a chance on 'em.

Plus, that backlog of games you have? Well, I didn't want to mention
it, but it's been looking pretty skimpy recently. You really need to
grab another dozen or so games... just to be safe. ;-)

Me, I grabbed some more games. Because of course I did; it's what I
do. A bunch of "Truck Simulator" DLC, a few oldies lingering on the
wishlist there; you know how it goes. It's easy; you should try it!

Or don't. Be stodgy and boring and wise with your money, if that's
your thing.

Me, I'm goin' shoppin'! ;-)

* here's a starting point if you're a cheapskate... erm, FRUGAL like
me. https://store.steampowered.com/search/?sort_by=_ASC&maxprice=5&category1=998&supportedlang=english

Meh.

Most of what's on my Wishlist is on sale, but nothing has reached
the price I'm willing to pay for it, most I'm slightly above lukewarm
on. A couple that might be close:

Undertale $2.99 (I'll probably buy it as that's chump change.)
Wasteland 3 $7.99 (but $9.99 on sale on Gog, I'd rather pay
the extra $2 to get it there.)

A couple of sub $2 games I might buy like goat sim DLC waste
of space, and flashback. On the other hand with all the free
games, do I need some cheapos that barely look any more
interesting?

- Justisaur

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Fri, 30 Jun 2023 22:16:00 -0700 (PDT), Justisaur
<justisaur@gmail.com> wrote:

A couple of sub $2 games I might buy like goat sim DLC waste
of space, and flashback. On the other hand with all the free
games, do I need some cheapos that barely look any more
interesting?

Does purchasing the game make The Number* go up?

Then yes. Yes you do need them.

It's all about The Number. If you actually get /value/ from the game
itself is almost inconsequential.




----
* The Number is the sacred value that both represents how many games
are in your video-game library, and also your value as a human being.
;-)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Xocyll <Xocyll@gmx.com> looked up from reading the entrails of the porn
spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs say:

Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> looked up from reading the >entrails of the porn spammer to utter "The Augury is good, the signs
say:
<snip>

Still, if you're really jonesin' for a "Half Life" fix, "Black Mesa"
is $5 USD. And you get a full-length game for that price. (it works in
VR too ;-)

I was unaware this remake even existed, thanks for this.
Counting conversion and tax, still a steal at $6.71 CDN.

Apparently I spoke too soon.

Tried it today.

Very dark, crank the brightness to absolute maximum and can still barely
see anything, and apparently the flashlight was made in the 1970s and
provides a dozen candlepower at best.

Quickly ran into an impassible are in Office Complex - literally no
where to go and no way to progress and of course every fucking guide on
the net is for the original half-life, which do not apply since the
remake changed stuff as well as upping the graphics.

$6.71 was vastly more than it was worth since it's unplayable past the beginning.


And how the fuck did they manage to make setting key bindings WORSE than
the 90s?

Xocyll
--
I don't particularly want you to FOAD, myself. You'll be more of
a cautionary example if you'll FO And Get Chronically, Incurably,
Painfully, Progressively, Expensively, Debilitatingly Ill. So
FOAGCIPPEDI. -- Mike Andrews responding to an idiot in asr

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)