It is sort of sad when I say this, but I have been almost exclusively plaing Minecraft Factions. Sort of a cross between Minecraft and something like "Civilizations" where you build up your area, defend it, work towards newer tech/items (OK, a higher level sword may not be "tech", but you can actually make things with electrical circuits), and then go and try to take over the world. Our "clan" has been at or near the top of the leaderboard on the server we play on for many weeks and to date only one other group has ever found us, but they were not able to get past our defenses. We aren't totaly ruthless though. We have allies too that we help out. Sure, we are basically funding smaler grunt "factions" to go be annoying to the other big ones, and then bring back intel such as their coordinates so that we can find them and raid them.

For some reason it is a lot of fun. Since each faction's stronghold is designed by them, they are all different and all requiring different ways to break in and raid them. So there is a lot of creative thinking required while in the "hot seat" while attacking. So many other variables and dimensions to the game.

The biggest problem is that it really requires DAILY participation to get/stay ahead. Our faction is decent sized, but not everyone plays every day (I certainly don't) but if we ever went a day with none of us playing, we would see ourselves start failing just due to missing out on even peaceful tasks (mining gold/diamonds for example).

Sounds cool nick. Is that a computer game or console? I saw the regular mine craft in the Xbox 360 arcade store...

I've been getting into mass effect 3 multiplayer. Enjoying unlocking weapons, characters, weapon mods, and equipment. If I didn't have to wake up in 6 hours I'd still be playing...

Sounds cool nick. Is that a computer game or console? I saw the regular mine craft in the Xbox 360 arcade store...

I've been getting into mass effect 3 multiplayer. Enjoying unlocking weapons, characters, weapon mods, and equipment. If I didn't have to wake up in 6 hours I'd still be playing...

I am playing on a PC. I know that it is more flexible with servers and mods that the console versions.

I am getting more and more addicted to Dark Souls. The game is extremely challenging and frustrating at times, but also very rewarding.

The game reminds me more of an "old school" role playing game in the sense that it does not hold your hand through every little mission and objective.

I like that souls must be used to level up, buy equipment, or enhance equipement. This really makes you think through the best strategy for using your aqcuired souls.

Mass effect 3 is great as well, but I have found myself favoring dark souls the last several days.

David, I recently started playing Dark Souls again after stopping in March (I got stuck on a boss fight I couldn't get past). Well, still can't get past them, but I am determined this time. There is a nice prize after the fight which will greatly benefit future exploring.

I agree with you, the game does not hold your hand. As frustrating and demanding as it can be, there is a certain sense of satisfaction in getting past rough areas and or bosses. And it extremely thrilling to open up and explore a new area--and risky too, since you might find yourself in some hot water knowing that if you die you'll have to go right back to that spot to retrieve all your precious souls.

I played a little more Skyrim. I've forgotten a lot of what I was doing, so it's going to take time to get my bearings and figure out what I was wanting to accomplish before I stopped playing. The audio is still a ton of fun: the Shouts, the wind whipping around me on the mountains, the dragons flying overhead and then landing with such satisfying impact.... Yes.

One of these days I should learn how to enjoy multiplayer games again so I can have people over to enjoy my system with me.

I put in skyrim several weeks back and had the same "What the hell was I in the middle of doing" moment. Once I got my bearings, I played for an hour or two and completed a few quests. I haven't plyed it since, but still hope to get back to it someday. I never sunk the time into skyrim like i did dagger fall, morrow wind, or oblivion.


I planned on doing some painting on the exterior of my house this weekend, but some rain ruined my plans so I had to resort to playing mass effect 3...

Ahh the good ol' days.
I remember the original Everquest before they turned it into child's play. If you died, you reappeared "naked" (clothed but without all your armor, weapons, gear etc.) at the last place you "bound your soul". If you forgot to do that close to where you were adventuring a the time, it could mean a 10 minute to a 2 hour run across the massive world to retrieve your corpse in order to get your gear back. Sometimes you had to make a frantic run through zones that were way to tough for you, with or without gear, often resulting in yet another corpse that you had to run back to. Things like a locked door meant begging a rogue player to pick the lock to open it for you.

There were alternatives, like buying or begging a teleport from a Druid or Wizard to get you a bit closer or convincing a Necromancer to summon your corpse. If it was down deep in a dungeon, a self retrieval could be impossible, in which case someone powerful enough, or a whole team of players, would have to drag the corpse back up to the entrance so you could retrieve your gear.

It was brutal by today's gaming standards, but somehow I miss the thrills it gave. Death had real penalties and some of our most hysterical gaming nights were ones spent organizing "corpse runs".

Anyone else play Deus Ex: Human Revolution? I've completed it twice (in it's entirety i.e. all side quests etc.), and am 3/4 of the way through my third playthrough. This game really should've been game of the year last year; it's just awesome. Skyrim is a great game. I can play the hell outta it (I've logged 495 hrs on Steam), but Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a mulifaceted game that's truly gripping. I highly suggest you play it if you haven't already.

The soundtrack by Michael McCann is also REALLY good. Here's the main theme.