General Gaming News and Discussion

Tasty The Treat · Sunday at 6:35 PM

Anyone else generally find it hard to enjoy online gaming these days? I used to have fun with it back in the 360 era, just hanging out chatting with people as we played games and didn't take them too seriously. Seems like now a days there is no real socializing anymore, everyone either does private group chat with their friends or doesn't chat at all, and it's been like this for a long time. That and everyone seems to be wanting to play all sweaty now as well, like everyone is trying to be some pro gamer or some shit, going online is like always having to deal with some frantic pace serious sweatlord business shit.

Feels like I'm just too old for this shit. I never cared about my prowess at video games and I have no interest in obsessing over some competitive game just to keep up. It used to be fun to just connect with randoms and chill but that just doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

Daidraco · Sunday at 6:58 PM

Tasty The Treat said:
Anyone else generally find it hard to enjoy online gaming these days? I used to have fun with it back in the 360 era, just hanging out chatting with people as we played games and didn't take them too seriously. Seems like now a days there is no real socializing anymore, everyone either does private group chat with their friends or doesn't chat at all, and it's been like this for a long time. That and everyone seems to be wanting to play all sweaty now as well, like everyone is trying to be some pro gamer or some shit, going online is like always having to deal with some frantic pace serious sweatlord business shit.

Feels like I'm just too old for this shit. I never cared about my prowess at video games and I have no interest in obsessing over some competitive game just to keep up. It used to be fun to just connect with randoms and chill but that just doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

Its more in line with the games you play and the people you join up with in those games. Like .. I just dont really connect to people that are my pops age. Theyre fine, but that seemed like all I was talking to when I was playing Pantheon for example.

R.E.P.O. is an example of a game where.. its just fucking socially fun to play. Not just this game, but the entire group of games that are low budget, voice comm, indy dev, type shits. Among Us was like one of the earliest ones I knew about myself, that seemed to start this trend as far as I know. Ive just met some incredibly funny people while playing these. Like there was a dude playing REPO the other day sitting there talking to us in the middle of his Gym. He pushed the fucking cart off the edge because some random bitch, and we could hear her over the comms, started talking to him about exercises. We all guessed she was fat, and he fucking confirmed it. Hilarious shit.

You're talking about back in the 360 "era" and Xbox Live had people your age, living a very similar experience to you in life. Now you cant even really talk shit in 100% jokingly way without some tool bag getting all bent out of shape and reporting you on that platform. You cant really join a guild in an MMO anymore without being in the "clique" some kind of way.

That is one of the few cons about joining the FOH guild in a new popular game. You dont end up meeting anyone new that will introduce you to more new people. In FOH, if you've been around long enough (speaking in general) - you meet back up with someone you usually group with in online games because they have an acceptable skill level in your mind, and when a group is needed - you pull from the guild of other people you've grouped with in the past. But you also got to keep in mind, its even more likely that you'll find yourself around a new guild of some dull ass people that cant play video games worth a single fuck and also want you to attend "guild meetings" and all that bullshit.

Malakriss · Sunday at 7:06 PM

Leveling experience in multiplayer games needs to be in a communal zone for random chat to happen. The chat channel needs to be area-wide and not specific to one instance if people move in and out as well, if the game story or quests have cutscenes it prevents people from seeing or responding so it becomes intermittent. Also if the CS comes down hard on chat rules it pushes people into private channels and voice chats.

Furry · Sunday at 7:50 PM

Tasty The Treat said:
Anyone else generally find it hard to enjoy online gaming these days? I used to have fun with it back in the 360 era, just hanging out chatting with people as we played games and didn't take them too seriously. Seems like now a days there is no real socializing anymore, everyone either does private group chat with their friends or doesn't chat at all, and it's been like this for a long time. That and everyone seems to be wanting to play all sweaty now as well, like everyone is trying to be some pro gamer or some shit, going online is like always having to deal with some frantic pace serious sweatlord business shit.

Feels like I'm just too old for this shit. I never cared about my prowess at video games and I have no interest in obsessing over some competitive game just to keep up. It used to be fun to just connect with randoms and chill but that just doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

Every online game has always been like that.

Fogel · Sunday at 8:11 PM

Harshaw said:
Looks pretty interesting.

I'll only play this if the bosses scream "DO NOT REDEEM HEALTH POT!!!!" at me when I get low life

LordxMugen · Sunday at 8:43 PM

Tasty The Treat said:
Anyone else generally find it hard to enjoy online gaming these days? I used to have fun with it back in the 360 era, just hanging out chatting with people as we played games and didn't take them too seriously. Seems like now a days there is no real socializing anymore, everyone either does private group chat with their friends or doesn't chat at all, and it's been like this for a long time. That and everyone seems to be wanting to play all sweaty now as well, like everyone is trying to be some pro gamer or some shit, going online is like always having to deal with some frantic pace serious sweatlord business shit.

Feels like I'm just too old for this shit. I never cared about my prowess at video games and I have no interest in obsessing over some competitive game just to keep up. It used to be fun to just connect with randoms and chill but that just doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

"eSports" and the death of server based lobbies that were replaced with "Trust me bro" ranked matches instead. Also because the internet became mainstream, it was summarily targeted by corporations and sanitized, because thin skinned people who never played a game in their lives may get their fee fees hurt and never buy the latest horse armor DLC or gambling sports pack and we cant have that.

If you want to go back to "the good ol days" of playing with people who enjoyed online gaming and be casual with, then gaming on older systems like Xbox with Insignia or getting in touch with older communities that still play but in a similar less serious matter is the way to go. obviously its smaller and less populated due to age, but those games tend to be more fun and what i expect from playing online.

Its either that or you just live in Deep Rock Galactic forever.

Zindan · Monday at 9:05 AM

Something funny happens in this video that was unexpected, but absolutely intentional:

Kirun · Monday at 9:58 AM

LordxMugen said:
Also because the internet became mainstream, it was summarily targeted by corporations and sanitized, because thin skinned people who never played a game in their lives may get their fee fees hurt and never buy the latest horse armor DLC or gambling sports pack and we cant have that.

It's really mostly this. Corporations getting involved as "internet cops" was really the death knell of communities self-policing asshats amongst their communities.

Once Big Corp got involved, you started seeing chats disappear, voice chat being team/group only or not at all, word censors, shadowbans, etc.

Harshaw · Monday at 1:48 PM

Harshaw · Monday at 1:50 PM

Saw this right after.

Malakriss · Monday at 1:54 PM

That's a procedural complaint, which they absolutely should make. But they aren't saying it shouldn't be done they are saying the company needs to be more professional about it than modders slapping in an AI voice swap.

INTHEMIDSTOFLIONS · Monday at 1:57 PM

Tasty The Treat said:
Anyone else generally find it hard to enjoy online gaming these days? I used to have fun with it back in the 360 era, just hanging out chatting with people as we played games and didn't take them too seriously. Seems like now a days there is no real socializing anymore, everyone either does private group chat with their friends or doesn't chat at all, and it's been like this for a long time. That and everyone seems to be wanting to play all sweaty now as well, like everyone is trying to be some pro gamer or some shit, going online is like always having to deal with some frantic pace serious sweatlord business shit.

Feels like I'm just too old for this shit. I never cared about my prowess at video games and I have no interest in obsessing over some competitive game just to keep up. It used to be fun to just connect with randoms and chill but that just doesn't seem to be possible anymore.

I do not play anything online now-a-days with strangers. Ill play helldivers 2 with my brother and a headset, but thats the only online multiplayer I play. I just have no interest in talking to strangers over the phone/headset while gaming.

Wombat · Monday at 1:58 PM

James Earl Jones sold his 'voice rights' to Disney before he died, and presumably Epic got access to that library as part of their content licensing.

I guess SAG/AFTRA is saying that if Epic is a Union production house, then all voice actors, not just _human_ voice actors, have to go through SAG/AFTRA contracts. As always, Unions are about monopolistically protecting their members, but I'm not sure why Epic just doesn't stop being a Union studio. Losing the occasional voice acting by The Rock (or whomever) matters?

Hateyou · Monday at 2:05 PM

Wombat said:
James Earl Jones sold his 'voice rights' to Disney before he died, and presumably Epic got access to that library as part of their content licensing.

I guess SAG/AFTRA is saying that if Epic is a Union production house, then all voice actors, not just _human_ voice actors, have to go through SAG/AFTRA contracts. As always, Unions are about monopolistically protecting their members, but I'm not sure why Epic just doesn't stop being a Union studio. Losing the occasional voice acting by The Rock (or whomever) matters?

Unions are about money and flexing their powers. They don’t give a fuck about their members.

Tasty The Treat · Monday at 7:18 PM

Daidraco said:
Its more in line with the games you play and the people you join up with in those games. Like .. I just dont really connect to people that are my pops age. Theyre fine, but that seemed like all I was talking to when I was playing Pantheon for example.

R.E.P.O. is an example of a game where.. its just fucking socially fun to play. Not just this game, but the entire group of games that are low budget, voice comm, indy dev, type shits. Among Us was like one of the earliest ones I knew about myself, that seemed to start this trend as far as I know. Ive just met some incredibly funny people while playing these. Like there was a dude playing REPO the other day sitting there talking to us in the middle of his Gym. He pushed the fucking cart off the edge because some random bitch, and we could hear her over the comms, started talking to him about exercises. We all guessed she was fat, and he fucking confirmed it. Hilarious shit.

You're talking about back in the 360 "era" and Xbox Live had people your age, living a very similar experience to you in life. Now you cant even really talk shit in 100% jokingly way without some tool bag getting all bent out of shape and reporting you on that platform. You cant really join a guild in an MMO anymore without being in the "clique" some kind of way.

That is one of the few cons about joining the FOH guild in a new popular game. You dont end up meeting anyone new that will introduce you to more new people. In FOH, if you've been around long enough (speaking in general) - you meet back up with someone you usually group with in online games because they have an acceptable skill level in your mind, and when a group is needed - you pull from the guild of other people you've grouped with in the past. But you also got to keep in mind, its even more likely that you'll find yourself around a new guild of some dull ass people that cant play video games worth a single fuck and also want you to attend "guild meetings" and all that bullshit.

Yeah for me trying to get involved in any online groups these days is just too much effort and time commitment for what it is. A part of what I liked about the old 360 era Xbox live was how I could just jump into any game and instantly connect with a lobby full of fun people to hang out with for a while. That sort of quick ease of connectivity with others has been completely lost in today's online scene especially on consoles where lobbies have basically completely disappeared and nobody cares to chat or play casually with the same group of people.

LordxMugen said:
"eSports" and the death of server based lobbies that were replaced with "Trust me bro" ranked matches instead. Also because the internet became mainstream, it was summarily targeted by corporations and sanitized, because thin skinned people who never played a game in their lives may get their fee fees hurt and never buy the latest horse armor DLC or gambling sports pack and we cant have that.

If you want to go back to "the good ol days" of playing with people who enjoyed online gaming and be casual with, then gaming on older systems like Xbox with Insignia or getting in touch with older communities that still play but in a similar less serious matter is the way to go. obviously its smaller and less populated due to age, but those games tend to be more fun and what i expect from playing online.

Its either that or you just live in Deep Rock Galactic forever.

Yup, the "MLG eSports" and streamer scene definitely made online gaming really sweaty in general. Back in the day it was like yeah, you could have been playing all sweaty if you liked but it was the sort of thing you had to go out of your way for, really trying to compete with the best. Now it's like you got all the masses trying to become "pro gamers" or streamers or something so they are always going all-out and couldn't care less to connect with people in the game because they are already trying to be tied in with some other social media platform and attract "followers."

I just felt a need to bring this up because I will still try to play some games online from time to time and every time I do it feels like I am just reminded by how today's online scene just really has nothing to offer me over sticking to single player or bots. If you aren't trying to be some streamer or "pro gamer" and don't enjoy sweaty serious business gaming I just don't see the appeal at all anymore.

That said on rare occasions I will try to get some old game online and see if anyone is actually still playing it, and the type of people who play old games online tend to be far more chill and the type of people you could actually connect with. That or what remains of the online has been taken over by cheaters and sweat-bots. Seems to be a roll of the dice really.

Aazrael · Wednesday at 11:27 AM

I see that the newest Mafia game is out soon. How are the older games in the series?

All Mafia Definitive version are 85% off right now. Tempted to get them and do a playthrough of all of them if they are good games. I never really had any of them on my radar before.

Worth playing Mafia 1-3?

spronk · Wednesday at 2:56 PM

yeah i enjoyed all the mafia games, the remasters of the first two are decent and the games aren't crazy long either. mafia 3 is a lot longer and gets bogged down in super, super repetitive fetch quests in the middle (think ubisoft) that will turn a lot of people off, plus the protag is a huge black dude who has racist KKK people on his ass the whole time. its really immersive and interesting being in 60s Louisiana though

both mafia 1 & 2 have very strict driving rules though, like if you speed or hit cars police start chasing you. it can be funny sometimes but annoying most of the time

elidib · 2025-05-22T19:31:03-0400

Don't know where else to post this, so it goes here.

I'm going to make a bold prediction: The next Forza, Need for Speed, or Grand Turismo game will use a gacha system like Genshin Impact except for cars instead of characters.

You will buy packs under certain banners like classic/modern/concept, and the common tier cars will be like Ford, Nissan, Hondas, the epic tier will be like BMW, Audi, Porche, and the sub 1% drops will be legendary cars like Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari.

Obviously higher tiers will have better stats for acceleration and top speed, and collecting duplicates of the same car will let you upgrade the brakes, drift, handling. Upgrading the lower tiers might increase their main stats so that they stay somewhat competitive to the higher tier cars so that casuals and FTP are still on a (barely) level playing field with whales.

You can stuff the banners full of cosmetics as well.

I guess Forza kinda did this with wheelspin, but you could get cars from the base game right? so that was just optional. I'm thinking a game actually built around it.

Pyros · 2025-05-22T20:51:51-0400

elidib said:
Don't know where else to post this, so it goes here.

I'm going to make a bold prediction: The next Forza, Need for Speed, or Grand Turismo game will use a gacha system like Genshin Impact except for cars instead of characters.

You will buy packs under certain banners like classic/modern/concept, and the common tier cars will be like Ford, Nissan, Hondas, the epic tier will be like BMW, Audi, Porche, and the sub 1% drops will be legendary cars like Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari.

Obviously higher tiers will have better stats for acceleration and top speed, and collecting duplicates of the same car will let you upgrade the brakes, drift, handling. Upgrading the lower tiers might increase their main stats so that they stay somewhat competitive to the higher tier cars so that casuals and FTP are still on a (barely) level playing field with whales.

You can stuff the banners full of cosmetics as well.

I guess Forza kinda did this with wheelspin, but you could get cars from the base game right? so that was just optional. I'm thinking a game actually built around it.

I mean maybe they will eventually but not sure why it'd be the next specifically, it's not like this is a new thing. It's not even gacha only, EA has been selling this exact shit in FIFA(now called something else cause they stopped buying the license but their soccer game) for years and makes more money than most gacha companies besides the pokemon one and mihoyo(genshin hsr zz) and maybe a couple of others. If anything it'd be more like that and card games where you open random packs than modern gachas which usually have you pull for specific things(still with odds to lose but you don't just randomly open packs).

I don't know if there's the same market to do this for a car game though. There's also potentially licensing issues, not sure how that works out with monetizing each car and such.

spronk · 2025-05-22T21:19:50-0400

yeah a few car games have already gone through the gacha route like the previous NFS, one of the Ubisoft Crew or whatever games did it too. Forza did it actually with Forza Motorsports 7 in a convoluted way and people HATED it and revolted and they had to patch it out, forza 8 was specifically done to appease the people that hated that shit.

forza horizon 5 just releases paid-only car packs every 6 months or so, you pay $5-10 and you get a few cars that can only be bought with RL money. They will just stick with that system for the next Forza Horizon. Their big thing is the forzathon events, they've never quite got it right in the way they want it to be social hub events and I bet you see a lot of work related to that next game

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