Recommended Posts

Looking good. It's not picking up a couple of items on my profile, but I assume that's an issue on Valve's end.

Looks to be, debug mode is only showing 4 items listed.

Valve are seriously overhauling the API right now, so expect things to randomly appear/disappear or become unavailable.

Either way, back to work.

Again, missing the point. I stopped playing TF2 once I saw the road Valve was going to take with the hats. It's not about what they are charging for, it's about that they even started it up in the first place.

As American Dad so well put it...

So essentially you stopped playing a game that is fun just because a company found a way to make some side money that in no way effects the game play and no way effects you? Brilliant.

So essentially you stopped playing a game that is fun just because a company found a way to make some side money that in no way effects the game play and no way effects you? Brilliant.

yeah, retarded right? over something that only affects them if they want it to.

So essentially you stopped playing a game that is fun just because a company found a way to make some side money that in no way effects the game play and no way effects you? Brilliant.

No, other reasons as well, like computer not scaling with updates. But it is something I just dislike and frown upon. I have my reasons. Why do you seem to take my stance so seriously? Understanding doesn't mean you agree or forgive.

Oh, and hats do affect gameplay when they are required to complete a set, a set that gives you bonuses and advantages.

No, other reasons as well, like computer not scaling with updates. But it is something I just dislike and frown upon. I have my reasons. Why do you seem to take my stance so seriously? Understanding doesn't mean you agree or forgive.

Oh, and hats do affect gameplay when they are required to complete a set, a set that gives you bonuses and advantages.

I take stance because others are complaining about the same thing you are and deliberately dragging the rating of this game down because a company is simply doing what a company is designed to do, make money. To top it off, they are not taking the cheap route of making money by selling items that give people an advantage, just appearance. Also The sets in TF2 can also be completed without spending money, just may take a little longer. To rag a game about something that does not effect anything but appearance seems idiotic and to deliberately drag a games ratings down is childish.

I take stance because others are complaining about the same thing you are and deliberately dragging the rating of this game down because a company is simply doing what a company is designed to do, make money. To top it off, they are not taking the cheap route of making money by selling items that give people an advantage, just appearance. Also The sets in TF2 can also be completed without spending money, just may take a little longer. To rag a game about something that does not effect anything but appearance seems idiotic and to deliberately drag a games ratings down is childish.

as (bolded items above) as ranting about someones opinion and calling names? calm down and don't take things personally. You are bordering on the lines of breaking the forum rules ( which I don't want to see happen to anyone) and starting an argument out of feelings and opinion. Ya gotta learn to control yourself to have a discussion/debate, if you want to even be taken partly seriously.

You're now being purposefully misleading. Instead of saying "I've played it on my roommate's console," you're saying "I could have a roommate that has the game, you don't know!" If you did have one, you would have stated as much. There's no reason to lie through omitting information. If you haven't played it, you haven't played it. I'm not judging you for that. I'm merely making a statement of you referring to the quality of a game you have essentially admitted to having not played.

You're attempting to compare the playtime of a primarily multiplayer game to a primarily singleplayer game. Left 4 Dead 2 had a specific form of gameplay that catered to multiple playthroughs. I'm not sure what you can expect Valve to do with a form of gameplay that can't be randomly generated as a game such as Left 4 Dead 2. Did you complain when Half-Life 2 was released and it didn't cater to the multiple playthroughs as multiplayer games of the time did? Furthermore, I'm not comparing PCs to consoles. I'm comparing one Valve game to another. You brought up Half-Life 2, which I (correctly) assumed was you referring to The Orange Box, which is much different than the original release of Half-Life 2.

If you expect every single Valve game to be released to have the quantity of content that The Orange Box did, you're going to be disappointed at every Valve release. I'm not sure how you can expect that of them or any other game developer. I'm still not seeing where any of this "half-ass" stuff you claimed Valve is a culprit of comes in.

My roommate and friends do own the game..... Not only have I played it I watched for hours as I raided in WoW. You brought up L4D2 not me, and in comparing Portal to other single player games it comes up mostly lacking in gameplay hours. I stand by my stance this is not a full priced game. Having beaten Half Life 2 I would have paid $50 for that game. The story and everything about it fell worth while. Not to mention it has the source engine which allows for tons of great free mods and this has to be taken into account as content. I'm not expecting every game to be on the content level of The Orange but I expect to get more then the short amount of time out of a single player campaign that they offer. Hell Battlefield 3 will most likely have a longer one and that's a mutilplayer focused game.

My roommate and friends do own the game..... Not only have I played it I watched for hours as I raided in WoW. You brought up L4D2 not me, and in comparing Portal to other single player games it comes up mostly lacking in gameplay hours. I stand by my stance this is not a full priced game. Having beaten Half Life 2 I would have paid $50 for that game. The story and everything about it fell worth while. Not to mention it has the source engine which allows for tons of great free mods and this has to be taken into account as content. I'm not expecting every game to be on the content level of The Orange but I expect to get more then the short amount of time out of a single player campaign that they offer. Hell Battlefield 3 will most likely have a longer one and that's a mutilplayer focused game.

Discuss the storyline with me if you've played it, but please use spoiler tags for the others. What didn't you like about it? This is the first time you've said you've played the game, but you haven't mentioned what you don't like about it so far, other than to say you feel it's half-assed and doesn't have much content. What do you feel is half-assed, and how much of the content have you played? You're more than entitled to your opinion, but so far you've basically only said it's half-assed and haven't explained why, which is why I'm curious what you think is half-assed about it, because I don't understand what you're saying is problematic besides the length.

Discuss the storyline with me if you've played it, but please use spoiler tags for the others. What didn't you like about it? This is the first time you've said you've played the game, but you haven't mentioned what you don't like about it so far, other than to say you feel it's half-assed and doesn't have much content. What do you feel is half-assed, and how much of the content have you played? You're more than entitled to your opinion, but so far you've basically only said it's half-assed and haven't explained why, which is why I'm curious what you think is half-assed about it, because I don't understand what you're saying is problematic besides the length.

The story is fun the two AI's fighting and some of the back story of the place but it just did not feel as engrossing as Half Life

and as a big RPG fan I expect a lot from story. Even CoD4's campaign was good enough for me, I felt that story was great and well worth the play through. There are only so many times i can do puzzles with portals and not get bored. (just in case)

Even that pain stuff that changes how a surface reacts doesn't do enough for me

Sure something like ME2 is the same thing through out the whole game but the story keeps me hooked.

The story is fun the two AI's fighting and some of the back story of the place but it just did not feel as engrossing as Half Life

and as a big RPG fan I expect a lot from story. Even CoD4's campaign was good enough for me, I felt that story was great and well worth the play through. There are only so many times i can do puzzles with portals and not get bored. (just in case)

Even that pain stuff that changes how a surface reacts doesn't do enough for me

Sure something like ME2 is the same thing through out the whole game but the story keeps me hooked.

The story really is hardly about two AI's fighting -- it's more about revenge and the Aperature storyline. It involves GLaDOS seeking revenge on you for killing her by putting you through more test chambers, and she even remarks about how she's going to do this for the rest of your life as payback. Then there's Wheatley, who wants to escape the place before eventually going power hungry, and he and GLaDOS then go back-and-forth with amusing commentary about how Wheatley's a moron -- the dumbest in a line of morons who were programmed to be morons, in fact, and Wheatley even demonstrates this with the puzzles he gives you (and the puzzles he steals). Along the way you learn a lot about GLaDOS as well as the history of Aperature, which is by far one of the coolest backstories I've ever seen displayed in a game. So to say it's just about two AI's fighting (and that's only in the second half of the game) is a drastic oversimplification of things. I'd argue it's more engrossing than Half-Life (which is my favorite first-person shooter, so I'm not knocking it), but obviously that's just personal preference.

I'm not sure what you mean about so many times you can do puzzles with portals. In this game, portals aren't nearly as big of a roleplayer as they were in the original, and in many of the tests they're only used in supplemental fashion to the other aspects of the puzzles. Or do you mean puzzle gameplay in general can get stale after a while?

The story really is hardly about two AI's fighting -- it's more about revenge and the Aperature storyline. It involves GLaDOS seeking revenge on you for killing her by putting you through more test chambers, and she even remarks about how she's going to do this for the rest of your life as payback. Then there's Wheatley, who wants to escape the place before eventually going power hungry, and he and GLaDOS then go back-and-forth with amusing commentary about how Wheatley's a moron -- the dumbest in a line of morons who were programmed to be morons, in fact, and Wheatley even demonstrates this with the puzzles he gives you (and the puzzles he steals). Along the way you learn a lot about GLaDOS as well as the history of Aperature, which is by far one of the coolest backstories I've ever seen displayed in a game. So to say it's just about two AI's fighting (and that's only in the second half of the game) is a drastic oversimplification of things. I'd argue it's more engrossing than Half-Life (which is my favorite first-person shooter, so I'm not knocking it), but obviously that's just personal preference.

I'm not sure what you mean about so many times you can do puzzles with portals. In this game, portals aren't nearly as big of a roleplayer as they were in the original, and in many of the tests they're only used in supplemental fashion to the other aspects of the puzzles. Or do you mean puzzle gameplay in general can get stale after a while?

Ok I did over simplify it but I did not personally play the whole game start to finish. But that is not the type of story I am looking for. Not all puzzle gameplay gets stale for me, Amnesia has me on the edge of my seat every time I play but that's the horror elements at work. Mirrors Edge was fun because I went for the achievement to beat the game without using guns. But still both of these games I paid under $20 for and would never had paid $50 for.

Dissappointing game very repetitive and very much more of the same, the humor was funny till about 1/3rd way in then stephen merchants voice started to really irritate me and i got bored by 2/3rds way in and started noclipping whole levels just to see the end which was the most dissappointing thing about the game.

Dont use warez version.

According to the official Steam Portal 2 forums, many, many people who bought the game are experiencing random crashes too. So don't make assumptions from ignorance (granted you were right in this particular instance, just because someones Portal 2 is crashing doesn't mean they are playing a pirated copy, otherwise why don't you make a Steam account, and bash everyone on the forums who is crashing and tell them that their legit copy is pirated).

Its not ignorance i know many people with legit version including myself who dont have any issues and i know many others who use warez version who were having problems due to a dodgy crack.

And if you look on the official steam forums, there are also many people with the legit version who are having crash issues.

Therefore - Many people with the legit version don't have any problems. Many people with the legit version have crashing issues. Many people with the cracked version have crashing issues. Many people with the cracked version don't have any problems.

That instantly means anyone with crash issues clearly have the cracked version. You know, since many people who bought the game have the same issues and all.

Great logic there Jenson...just because you don't personally know anyone with crash issues on a legit copy doesn't mean nobody with crash issues has a legit copy.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • 10 games join Xbox Free Play Days this weekend by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Another Free Play Days offer has just landed, and this one is a unique one. On top of offering 10 games to jump into for Xbox players, all the titles are from a single publisher: No More Robots. The promotion has games like Little Rocket Lab, Spirittea, Descenders Next, Let's Build a Zoo, and much more. Almost every game in the selection does need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential subscription, so keep this in mind when browsing. Many of the titles are Xbox Play Anywhere titles though, so both Xbox console and PC players can jump in. Here's how the announcement blog post described some of the available titles: There is one game that's available to all Xbox players without the need for any subscriptions, which is Descenders. Here are the announced games and the platforms they are available to play on: Little Rocket Lab (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Spirittea (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Soccer Story (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Descenders Next (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Let's Build a Zoo (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Hypnospace Outlaw (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Nowhere Prophet (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) Family Man (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One) Descenders (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC) To easily find the titles on Xbox consoles, first head to the Store, then in the sidebar, find the Home section. In there, open the Subscriptions tab. The Free Play Days collection will show up in this area. This week's Free Play Days promotions will end on Sunday, June 7, at 11:59 pm PT.
    • It STILL has horrid theme support. Hard to look at for me. The white is too bright, and the black too dark. I'm using classic outlook for the Dark Grey theme. It's just right for me.
    • inb4 someone leaves the usual "what an unfortunate name" comment
    • Cuktech 10 Ultra charger review: big display, four ports, 110W total power by Taras Buria Cuktech recently announced a couple of Ultra-branded chargers, including a desktop 300W charger, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. For those who do need that much (or who do not want to spend that much on a charger), Cuktech also offers the 10 Ultra, a traditional wall charger with similar features. Four ports, a big display, and up to 110W of power output. After using it for a few weeks, here are my impressions. Disclaimer: Cuktech provided the review unit without any editorial input or pre-approval. Like the 30 Ultra, the 10 Ultra arrived in a box made of nice cardboard with quality print all over it. Inside, besides the charger, you will find a 240W 6A charger, which, this time, is fully braided. While Cuktech always bundles high-power cables with its chargers and power banks, they are usually regular and unassuming. This time, the cable is much nicer, matching the charger's $59.99 price tag. The charger itself measures 67 x 76 x 33 mm or 2.6 x 3.0 x 1.3 inches and weighs about 250 grams. Considering the charger has four ports and a big display, I would say the compact size is quite impressive, albeit a little hefty. The overall design is similar to other chargers from the manufacturer, minus the chrome Cuktech logo next to the four ports. The Cuktech 10 Ultra has retractable prongs for better portability. Its front side is covered with piano black plastic housing two elements: a capacitive button with backlight and a quite large display for various charging stats. Ports are downward-facing, and I have mixed feelings about such a design. It is not the most convenient when you frequently connect and disconnect cables. It makes you bend over to find the right port to connect, and it is a no-go with outlets mounted closer to the floor. On the bright side, design like this eliminates clutter and sagging, especially when using four cables at once. Plus, you get plenty of space for a big display. Ports include two high-speed USB Type-C ports, one Type-C for less demanding devices, and one classic USB Type-A. The first two ports deliver full 100W, while the third is capped at 45W. As for the Type-A port, its maximum output is 18W. In total, the charger delivers 110W of power, but in my testing, I managed to squeeze 117W when charging two power banks and a tablet. Quite impressive. Type-C1 Type-C2 Type-C3 Type-A Single-port 100W 100W 45W 18W Two ports 80W 20W - - Three ports 65W 20W 20W - Four ports 65W 20W 10W 10W The charger can detect handshake protocols and balance power across all four ports according to each device's needs. As such, power is not limited to the values in the table above. You can have two ports charging at 55W, three ports at 45W + 20W, and more. For some reason, Cuktech is not listing the supported protocols, but a quick test showed that it is compatible with PD3.0, PPS, QC5, DCP, and UFCS. When you connect a compatible device, the charger automatically detects its charging standard and displays it on the screen, for example, Apple 6A or Samsung 3A. Speaking of the screen. The main highlight of the 10 Ultra is its 1.57-inch display with a maximum brightness of 700 nits and 160-degree viewing angles. The display takes up most of the front, and it shows various charging-related information, including total output power, current temperature, power distribution across ports with watts, volts, and amps, a screensaver, and more. You can toggle between the different views by tapping the button, and holding it changes the screen orientation (portrait or horizontal, plus flipped) according to your socket position. The screen is very nice. It is sharp, vivid, and the fonts are easy to read. As for settings, you can change the following: Keep the screen on or off Lock the screen orientation (hold the button to change the screen orientation) Keep the USB Type-A port on Toggle power modes The charger has three power modes: AI: standard mode that automatically allocates power to each connected device. Power Priority: prioritizes power for high-demand devices, such as laptops or power banks. Balanced: splits power evenly across connected devices according to their needs I was skeptical at first, but after testing a few devices in different modes, I can see the benefit of these three modes. The most useful is power priority, which gives the first Type-C port more power. When I was charging a 100W power bank (port 1) alongside a 140W power bank (port 2), Power Priority split the total output about 75-30. Balanced mode, as the name suggests, splits the total output between the two ports more or less equally. As for AI mode, the charger uses its brain to detect which device needs more power. In my testing, it figured out that the 140W power needs a bit more juice. As I said, I expected this to be more of a gimmick, but the three built-in modes turned out quite useful. For example, you can prioritize your laptop while giving other ports a little less power, but still enough to charge at acceptable speeds. Unfortunately, unlike the 30 Ultra, this charger cannot display the battery level of the device being charged. This small feature turned out to be very useful when I was testing the 30 Ultra, as it allowed me to see my phone's battery level without picking it up. Like other Cuktech chargers I tested, the 10 Ultra one proved itself reliable and well-made. It uses Gallium nitride semiconductor technology to reduce the charger's size and improve efficiency. It is also better at dissipating heat, but I have to say that when charging two power banks at 117W total, the charger got hotter than what I would call comfortable (hold it for a few seconds, and you start feeling a burning sensation at your fingertips). However, the built-in thermal indicator remained below the temperature threshold, with the screen reassuring that the device operated at "High performance" (I tested it in a 21 °C / 69 °F room). Overall, the Cuktech 10 Ultra is a solid choice. If you need four ports and you like to nerd out on various stats, it is a very easy recommendation. It will take care of your laptop, phone, tablet, and power bank without breaking a sweat, plus the build, material, and cable quality are top-notch. The mode switcher is handy when charging different devices with different power needs, too. I cannot say a display is a must-have in a charger, especially when it makes you more conscious about where to plug it, but it is a neat addition if you have a socket at your table or bed level, so that you can actually use the display and its features. The more important fact is that despite its size and quality, the display does not make the charger that much more expensive than similarly powerful chargers from competitors. Plus, you can save 10% on the 10 Ultra with a promo code on Amazon. Buy Cuktech 10 Ultra charger - $53.99 on Amazon with a promo code As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Last week I was investigating an issue with contacts and tried using the new Outlook. In the real (Classic) Outlook, you can easily go to any Outlook folder and present it in a Table View, then customize the columns to show/sort any field, which was exactly what I needed. But of course, the new Outlook doesn't have this feature at all. I gave up. Oh, and can we possibly stop claiming the new Outlook has PST support? What it really has is the ability to use the real Outlook in the background to pretend to have PST support. There is no PST support without the real Outlook installed.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Conversation Starter
      mobandz earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Apprentice
      fernan99 went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • One Month Later
      nothanks earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Month Later
      B2Proxy earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Year In
      MadMung0 earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      476
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      247
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      79
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      76
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      60
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!