Toss in the vanilla versions for me.

Kidding. I am still able to go back to vanilla though.

If you and others who grew up gaming on PC instead spent most of the 2000s playing linear games on Playstation and Playstation 2, with only GTA for open-world gaming, suddenly getting presented with Oblivion and its huge open world, and non-forced gameplay... I still remember that transition, even though it happened (for me) over 12 years ago. Mods are just icing on the for me.

I started gaming in late 2000 with American McGee's Alice and played linear shooters (No One Lives Forever, Half-Life, Unreal, ect) for the next two years until Morrowind came out (except for the countless hours Shelly Mars dragged me into one bar after another to play Pong in the 70's). So it kind of sounds like my experience is similar to yours. In my case, I was so new to video games I didn't know the difference between a shooter and a roleplaying game. I only bought Morrowind because the graphics looked pretty on Amazon's website, lol.

I didn't realize what an "open world" was until I played Neverwinter Nights, which came out a month later. That game is linear (as Bioware games tend to be) and chopped up into disconnected maps. It was only after going back to Morrowind that I realized how open and free Vvardenfell was. I think that's when I truly fell in love with Morrowind...and Bethesda's design philosophy in general.

Totally on Renee’s page here.

My less good, human half started console gaming with the Sega Master System, then graduated to PS1. GTA III was the first experience of a free roam world with at least some verisimilitude to real life. Prior there was the original Tomb Raider which was the first proper 3D game featuring a little latitude to go off track…complete with a farting butler .

So, upon braving a recommendation to try Oblivion…Other half was blown away. No mods of course, and we finished with Sony after PS3, specifically because it couldn't handle Beths big games too well. I was developed and character played in Skyrim on X360 until mods were made available and that kicked us over to XB1S with a good likeness.

Had our chosen platform been PC all along, the sudden shock of being dropped into TES4 would have had much less impact. We’d have probably been making mods by now.

I want to make a big stand alone island quest mod…Think I’ll call it Falsteeth.

Adella

By the way, Adella, you are no longer banned at Beth.net.

SimCity 3000


Started another business area in the original part of the city, to the right of the big river dividing the map. This business area is surrounding a big park constellation and is easily accessable via bus, train and subway. I'm very much closing in on the sea now. Next session I will probably add a big residential area to complement this new business district.

Oddity of the day; my sports arena that I built ages ago has vanished! I don't know why it's gone! And I now yet again get constant messages that my Sims want it but I can't find it in the awards option where it should be.

Here I sit reading of everyone's revelations in the 2000's and I'm thinking of my game world awakening in the '90s when I first played Daggerfall. Up to that point in time I had never experienced a game world so big, so open, and so free flowing. Only thing lacking was to see ones self walk around in the visual garden. That eye opening experience came at a cost of bigness with Morrowind. Dang, I feel old.

Nice. I'll have to see if there are any Alice videos, because I don't think I've ever seen that one. I also remember my first time playing Pong. I was an adult party (my parents dragged us kids to) and was maybe 9 or 10. Being able to play a game on television blew us all away, can you imagine?

But I also forgot to mention another dimension to my tale here. I was at a party some time in 2002, and the party itself was sort of 'eh'. However, somebody who lived there fired up his Xbox (which was new at the time) and began playing this game. The game he played had a whole bunch of fog in it, and it seemed like it went on damn-near forever. I was used to playing games which had a lot of 'Levels", such as Tomb Raider. You beat one level, you move on to the next, and so on.

Only thing is, this game with all the fog did not seem to have any levels. No cut scenes, no "worlds" separated by character progression. The character on the TV screen kept running and running, it seemed like the world had no end. Whatever this game was, I had to have it, of course.

Knowing how I am, I would definitely have asked "what's the game you're playing?" And his answer (The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind) would have been too complicated for me to remember. Maybe I wrote it down. More likely, I just assumed this game with all the fog would be on Playstation. I could just buy it for Playstation...

I could just buy it for Playstation..... and it was never on Playstation. Now do you get it?? I actually yearned for that game. I basically spent the rest of the 2000s looking for that awesome game with all the fog, not knowing it was on Xbox only! (or PC)! :facepalm:

Adella, mirocu, macole, all of your tales area also fun to read..

I've played McGee's Alice - it was really hard! I got constantly sliced up by those card guards... Anyway, I much prefer Alice: Madness Returns. It's the Realm of Sheogorath all over again.

I started gaming when I bought my first computer in the early 90s. Doom Shareware was the first computer game I owned. Though I had played other games like Wolfenstein, Sim City, Pirates, and Wing Commander 1 on other people's computers before that.

I played a lot of linear shooters back then. The various Dooms and their sequel games like Hexen, Heretic, Quake, etc... I loved No One Lives Forever for its tongue in cheek style. Flight Sims were huge back then. But aside from X-Wing and Tie Fighter, those never interested me much. The first Diablo was a big deal for me, as it was one of my first fantasy games. Finally I loved the original Tomb Raider.

In the 2000s I was playing a lot of the first Rome Total War game. It is the game that introduced me to modding, since it was so darn easy in that game. All the various configuration files were simple text files, so anyone could edit them. I created a massive partial conversion mod called Amazon Total War, in which I created 4 separate Amazon factions in different parts of the world, which with their own unique units and play styles. I still go back and play ATW today.

From there I went to Oblivion. That was my first truly open world game. And I loved the freedom of just ignoring the main quest, going anywhere I wanted to, and doing whatever I felt like. Modding it was not as easy as RTW. But I eventually figured it out. Eventually those became the key components of the games I love most. An open world and modding.

I adored American McGee's Alice, but I couldn't make myself finish Alice: Madness Returns. Two things put me off: checkpoints and jumping puzzles. I simply cannot stand games that do not allow me to make my own saves. I don't know why developers continue to do that. I refuse to even buy a game with checkpoints anymore.

I'm not a fan of jumping puzzles either. The original game had them, but it displayed feet icons that told us when a jump would be successful. That made jumping puzzles a bit less less aggravating to me.

And when jumping puzzles are combined with checkpoints, I end up repeating chunks of the game over and over and over and over until I memorize exactly what the developers expect me to do. I feel like I'm in the movie "Groundhog's Day"...and that just isn't fun to me.

I did like the atmosphere of the early levels, though.

What with being old... my first gaming experiences were on an Apple IIe (which I still have). Wizardry, Zork, The Bard's Tale....

When I switched over to a 386 PC, I became hooked on the SSI library of games (many of the "Gold Box" Dungeon & Dragons ones, for example). Moved on to Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, as well as a fair number of strategy/war games.

But Daggerfall was an epiphany. A game where you were not forced onto "this path, and this path ONLY), but could "do, or do not" as you chose. Yes, it had its flaws- but it was such a breakthrough in game design... and so, when Morrowind was released, I bought it immediately, and was thrilled with the improvements. Every gamer has a "sweet spot", I suppose, and Morrowind was it for me. I do not "hate" Oblivion or Skyrim- I find some outstanding improvements (again) in each of them. The distinctive "counties" in Oblivion- the variety of quest lines, the ability to be moral (or not), and again- the openness. I am one who found the Skyrim main quest(s)... disappointing. If I was a modder (and I imagine some have done these things- or something similar)- I would allow the player to select an "A Plague on Both Your Houses" choice between the Stormcloaks and the Imperials and also to tell the Blades (such as they are) "I am the heir of the Empire- so ya'll can take a flying leap at a rolling wagon wheel."

Um’ What?

Unbanned?

It was indefinite = eternity plus twice around the galaxy by peddle cycle

Ok….sweetie…I shall pop in

Thanks for the heads up
(Was it you? Did you champion me <chuckles>)

Adella

The games you mention do bring back some memories, that's for sure. Played Star Trek and a game similar to Zork back in the mid to late '70s on an IBM 370 mainframe. Amazing how much things have changed since then.

Ok, if we are going that far back... I can't claim the 70s - except very late 70s - but I can claim playing Space Invaders on some huge computer (via a text terminal) at my mother's place of work starting from 1979. I seemed to have beaten all her colleagues as well. They also played chess against that same computer and against each other (via the computer), but I wasn't very good at chess. Space Invaders on the other hand! And ping pong! Oh yeah! It was all in the name of scientific research! Into something, I'm sure.

PS. Later, in early 2000s, when I was choosing a mobile phone, I came across one that had Space Invaders on it. For real! And in COLOUR!! That's it, I was sold.

Ha ha me too! I just watched the whole first video. A guy here named Lopov was playing Truck Simulator for awhile and he posted a bunch of videos, but I had no idea there is also a train simulator as well.

mirocu, your SimCity stories are entertaining, as well.

I finally connected the city with the harbor!

Close-up of new neighbourhood

This has been in the works for some time and I'm glad I got there now! As you can see I have lots of trees, partly because I think it looks nice but more importantly they help greatly to reduce air pollution. Still can't get the stadium back however. Don't know why it's gone. I certainly didn't demolish it and the area where it was is still "zoned".



Thanks, Renee

Crow, your city is very pretty. Can I live there?


I was homeless (by choice) in Portland Oregon in the year 2000 for about 6 months. Long story. I lived in a van, I'd actually drive around the city and spend the night in a variety of parking lots and campsites. But I also had a lot of friends in those days, so I was constantly staying at other peoples' houses, especially if they went away on vacation or whatever.

This is going to sound silly, but after trying the original Tomb Raider at a friend's place, that actually made me decide to rejoin society again. I could not believe how big those worlds were. Last real videogame I had played was a Nintendo side-scroller maybe 10 years before, in '89 or '90. In comparison, going through that first tomb in Peru blew me away. Being homeless, I had saved a good amount of money since I wasn't paying rent. So I bought Tomb Raider and also a brand-new Playstation *bam*, just like that. I think I spent a real-time month just doing that first tomb, looking everywhere carefully for secrets, wondering about the 'people' who built this elaborate tomb. Other than doing flips in the air and avoiding traps, I felt like I was an actual archaeologist!

so yeah, Lara Croft saved me from one of the weirdest, maybe stupidest, phases of my life!

Wow, look at you with your life experiences!

I loved Tomb Raider since the focus was on exploration, puzzles, and acrobatics. There was some combat, but it was not really the center piece of the game. It was a nice change for me after so many shooters and action-rpg type games. The later games got more invested in the combat, which is what caused me to quickly lose interest in them.

Yeah, it was a life experience, that's for sure! Looking back, I think I was definitely a bit nuts. But maybe I should start a thread about being homeless. Maybe some others here have been in that predicament, either by choice or by circumstance.

But on topic, you are right. It wasn't just about the combat, or the pwnage, in fact any sort of enemies were sort of rare, if I remember correctly. Tomb Raider really was more than just a videogame, it was like a huge work of art, right? That being said, TR2 did have a more aggro feel to it. A lot of people didn't like Tomb Raider 2, because it didn't go into as many tombs, and it was also more about combat. But I enjoyed it as well.

You should do that. If you do, I'll contribute.

Tomb Raider sure is a classic one. Never played any of them but I do remember when Lara first hit the scene.


Forgot to say this when it happened but a few weeks ago I found a small secret area in Duke Nukem 3D. This is big because I've been playing saved games for like 20 years so I have found most hidden things. But this one was actually found by an enemy, not by me!
I was doing my thing; running around attracting enemies to my location and then hid in a small compartment with the hologram outside. I do this because it amuses me to hear the aliens kill each other whilst shooting at the hologram. Not really an infighting as in Doom but close enough
Anyway, as I emerged from my spot and killed off the last alien, I saw an opening in the wall I have never seen before. And as I had been hiding away not doing anything, the secret door was opened by one of the aliens.

The area itself was quite small and didn't have much worthy of mentioning, but it was still cool to find another secret after all this time playing!

I've heard of Duke Nukem forever. Don't think I've ever seen what it's all about. Everything's on You Tube though.

Crow, I would advise against playing Tomb Raider, just because you seem more the type who likes an easygoing game, nowadays. TR is very engaging in some ways, but it can also be very frustrating at times! Like, 'break your mouse' sort of frustrating.


Cool, then I will write it up this weekend. You know, I think it will be sort of therapeutic in a way. And also entertaining, for those who have never done it. I mean, for me, I saw it sort of like an every day adventure.

/ ot

Yeah I'm not as hardcore a gamer anymore. You might say I'm a casual


I could recommend Duke Nukem 3D for the sheer fun of blasting aliens away with the GEP gun - sorry, the RPG. Just remember cornholio

I'm happy to report that DTG's just-started Steam Sale has not one TS2021 DLC I'm interested in. On the other hand, I broke down and purchased Matrix Trains K-Type British Railways All-Steel Pullman third-class coaches, pack No2 off a third-party site. I've had my eye on it for some time. At roughly $8.40US it causes no great financial hardship, and complements the K-Type Pullman first-class pack I've owned for some time.

Friday morning ADDENDUM:
This morning my Copyright Claimed went public. As suspected, I've yet to hear from the claimer about my filed dispute. In all probability, the Claim will run its course (90days????), then be stealthily removed by YouTube due to claimer inaction on the dispute. Be that as it may, here's the video:

(video) TS2021, ep09: Weardale & Teesdale, Bishop Auchland to Darlington - LNER Peppercorn K1 (video)

I'm playing Demon's Tilt on the PC.

Gah!

On a lark, I entered a recent TS2021 screen capture in an ongoing Dovetail (makers/publishers of Train Simulator) Official Forum's 'Third-Party Screenshot Competition'. Its theme: "THE SUN, e.g. Sunset / Sunrise / Sunlight Reflections etc." Thing is, I don't want to win, especially as winners must choose the next competition's theme, and select that competition's winner. I want no part of either of those burdens.

I consider my submitted capture decent but not outstanding. Plus, I submitted it near participation cutoff. These two factor 'should' keep me safe.

Except, I am surprised to see that I've now garnered five points. Only one person is ahead, at six. Two or tied with me. I'm prolly okay. But it's not a given.

For what its worth, here's the capture in question:

(image) TS2021 Caledornian Railway class-439 (third-party steam loco, a fave of mine) traveling Great North of Scotland Railway (Steam Workshop Route) in hazy early morning sunlight (image)

In other gaming news, I drove and captured an hour-and-half TS2021 passenger run that will eventually be broken into two YT episodes. I also captured a revisited to one of my TpF1 routes. Drove some TS2021 QuickDrives too. No gaming yet today. Can't get in the mood for it.

Final Fantasy XIV.

I have an awesome character and she's the bestest. I'll get screenshots up later.

I've not contributed to this or any other gaming related thread in nearly a month. Why? I'm not gaming. Why? This is a rare (for me) period during which RL activities allow little time to game. I don't expect this to change any time soon. Not for some weeks. Sad thing is, several of the matters I'm devoting my time to exist due to screw-ups (not all mine). If not for those, I might be back to my normal vegetative self by mid next week, depending on what I learn at a referral appointment my Primary Care Manager made for me.

Been messing around in TS2021 again. Caledonia Works just published a free update to a loco I own. Almost wish I hadn't bothered to update. For the life of me, I can't stop the loco from constantly losing pressure, except when the regulated is closed all the way off. Even then, pressure rebuilds at a snails pace, too slow to make a difference during runs. It's a loco I drive very seldom, so not a lease breaker in the short term.

Captured a relatively short TS2021 drive powered by another Caledonia Works loco, the Great Eastern Railway T26 Class 2-4-0 steam loco with tender. Managed to capture the run and create an uploadable render of it all in one day! It's at times a bit choppy during pans, and as always a few 'typos' escaped notice until too late. It just finishe YT processing and is now published. Here's the link:

(video) TS2021 ep11: Epping Ongar Railway, CW T26 passenger excursion (video)

Currently still playing world of warcraft despite ongoing... Stuff.

Also playing FFXIV.

http://imgur.com/47JaidQ

Nice elf, Saki!

Hey there, Taylor Swift

Lol.

The race is called Elezen, but they're basically elves with longer necks and extremities.

They were modelled after a similar race in FF 11 that I think was called elvaan.

After playing some Dungeon Siege (a Nature Mage, no companions, no potions playthrough), I am drawn back to Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. I finished the game with a Sorcerer a couple of months ago and thought I was done playing the game for a while. Almost against my will, I found myself drawn back to the game and starting a Finesse character yesterday (my first). So far I'm enjoying this archetype very much.

My most recent TS2021 loco acquisition, bought from Digital Traction, thanks to a hefty discount:

(image) LNER J70, seen in GER livery, traveling 'Payne & Warrborough' SteamWorkshop route (image)

Of the TS third-party makers I deal with, I find DT the most iffy in quality. I'm happy to say that I am thus far pleased with this purchase. It looks good and drives well, and is surprisingly speedy when not used as a tram. At least it is on more-or-less level track. I've not yet tried it on lengthy steep inclines. And yes, this is a steam locomotive.

Just ended a TS2021 Quick Drive along West Highland Line, with a passenger train pulled by what has become one of my favorite locos, the LNWR "Greater Britain". I own plenty of locos that reach line speed more quickly. It's not a great climber either. But man is it a looker! I simply adore it in its LNWR "Royal Livery" (cream & lavender). It sported that livery only once, for Queen Victoria's Jubilee. Otherwise, they were seen in standard black livery. Not many were made, and they had a limited life; built 1892-1894, scrapped between 1906 and 1907. It has an 'odd' wheel arrangement, not 2-4-2 as it outwardly seems, but 2-2-2-2. Here's an image of it captured during an earlier session:

(image) LNWR "Greater Britain" in Cream & Lavender seen traveling along West Lines of Scotland (image)

I remain in a gaming slump. My only recent gaming-related activity worth mention, to the limited extent it's worth mentioning, is publishing another TS2021 episode on YouTube this morning. I show off Caledonia Works’ LNWR Greater Britain in Lavender & Cream livery, during a short, mostly uphill passenger run from Bernard Castle to Cockfield Fell, on Weardale & Teesdale Network Route. We spend much of our time watching the train from outside the cab, thanks to me finding the Greater Britain in Lavender & Cream enticingly ‘photogenic’.

(video) TS2021 ep10: W&T - LNWR Greater Britain railway excursion (video)

Samesis. I only play snippets of Oblivion and Fallout 3 now and some Duke Nukem 3D where I load up 15+ year old saves and play for a bit.

Played some Stern Star Trek Pinball and learn that those pinball machines tilts aren't as forgiving as Demon's Tilt which makes for a frustrating pinball game when you keep tilting the machine .

Has anyone seen Maneater? You play as a Bull Shark, and go around eating fish and humans. It looks insane.

Played some Star Wars Squadrons on my PC and Xbox Series S. Finally figured out how to target fighters and capital ship sub systems.

Super Castlevania IV! I love this game so much. It has had such a big influence on my life.

Khajiit is going retro!


If I recall correctly, we have a special nerd thread if further discussion is desired


#ShamefulSelfPromotion

Which thread?

Also, since none of the other more modern Castlevanias are available on the Nintendo Switch yet, I decided to pick up Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, the development of which was led by Castlevania producer Koji Igarashi.

The NES Thread!


Don't be fooled; anything retrogaming can go there

So maybe we should have it’s name changed to the “Classic Consoles Thread”, or perhaps the “Retro Gaming Thread”?

Dumped the PC and now playing exclusively on Switch (Lite), currently I'm on Children of Morta which is an Ace Rogue-Lite, Kingdoms of Amalur, and some ACNH.

More than anything at the moment though is Skyrim which once again is taking over my life lol...
...especially as I can now play it wherever I want.

I'm playing Immortals, Splatoon 2 and Gandhi VI .

The Switch is great! Sure it’s not super powerful, but you really can’t argue with being able to play Skyrim on the toilet.