Oh, that. Well... isn't UK pretty much almost always screwed with prices? Not that I do not feel for them, but screams of 'BULLSHIT' for the price differences is kind of a common occurrence at this point, isn't it?
Oh, that. Well... isn't UK pretty much almost always screwed with prices? Not that I do not feel for them, but screams of 'BULLSHIT' for the price differences is kind of a common occurrence at this point, isn't it?
Well the EU is always screwed. The UK gets good prices most of the time.
And if it's $9.99 the "standard" is that it's 9.99€. Not 12.49€...
Oh, that. Well... isn't UK pretty much almost always screwed with prices? Not that I do not feel for them, but screams of 'BULLSHIT' for the price differences is kind of a common occurrence at this point, isn't it?
Technically, yeah. It's never a straight conversion, but I don't tend to complain unless there's no conversion at all - 9.99 in both dollars and pounds, for example. And even then all you get is a little (grr) from me these days.
But this... this was just bullshit. There is no logical reason for the UK, or indeed Europe, to be charged more than the US. If there was no conversion, that'd be lazy, but understandable. This required someone to actually convert the price, and they did it badly.
Still not sure why I'm so pissed off? Well, if £11.24 converted to dollars is $17.44, then just think of it the other way round. $9.99 converts to... £6.44. Which is almost HALF what we're actually made to pay.
Like I said, bullshit.
And ketzer... Jesus. I didn't realize EA hated Europe so much.
I think EA is run by corporate who don't really understand how the video game industry works, and are just blindly guessing everything based on knowledge from entirerly different industries they used to work in.
I think EA is run by corporate who don't really understand how the video game industry works, and are just blindly guessing everything based on knowledge from entirerly different industries they used to work in.
They are just doing what they did way back when games were only sold in retail stores because comparing prices was not as easy back then and the import postage would ruin the money you save anyway.
Today's Daily Deal is SOL: Exodus, a Space Sim I know nothing about. £3.74 / $4.99.
Two weekend deals. First is Napoleon: Total War. It's free-to-play all wekeend, and the price is down to
£7.49 / $9.99. None of the DLC is reduced though, so the Peninsular Campaign is the same price as the game.
Other deal is Cities XL 2012. Half price at £7.50 / $10. Oddly exact there.
Those games are all amazing. Except the one with the cooking mini game (not this one)
If you want to start the series this is the game to choose because it is the remade version of the first game.
I'd have bought it if it weren't first person. NOT a fan of those.
Today's Daily Deal is Worms Crazy Golf, a game that combines some of my favourite things - Crazy Golf and explosions! Woo! £1.57 / $2.49. No other Worms game is on offer though, sadly.
Well, there's no point in killing you because that won't make you play it now, would it? It's on GoG. Technically it's first person gameplay, although it switches to third person during conversations and cutscenes.
One of the coolest features in the game is that everything's happening in real time. You've got three days, I think, to solve the mystery, and every character has his own goals, time table (what and when he's doing), and the game is VERY non-linear with several different endings.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of first-person adventure games, but The Last Express is just too damn awesome to miss just because of that.
The real-time thing puts me off as well. I like being able to play adventure games at my own pace, without being timed. I know all about the game, it just doesn't interest me. Everybody cool with that, or shall I just get me coat?
The real-time thing puts me off as well. I like being able to play adventure games at my own pace, without being timed. I know all about the game, it just doesn't interest me. Everybody cool with that, or shall I just get me coat?
Ha! Jokes on you! I've been eating bullets in increasing quantities so that I could build up an immunity! Top that!
Today's Daily Deal is Driver: San Francisco, which I HIGHLY recommend, especially at £4.99 / $7.49.
There's also a deluxe edition for £6.24 / $8.74 with a few more cars and missions. Your call.
Also, Counter-Strike: Source is on offer. £4.76 / $6.80 for the next few days. No idea why.
Ha! Jokes on you! I've been eating bullets in increasing quantities so that I could build up an immunity! Top that!
Jeez, I'm not going to shoot you. Why would I? Because you don't want to play The Last Express? I said I'm cool with that. I just like sitting with my shotgun. Way to be over-defensive, man.
I'm actually on the fence with this one. Has anyone tried it?
EDIT: I'll answer my own question, having tried the demo. It's by the guy who made Jolly Rover, isn't as funny as I first thought (though that's not to say it's not entertaining) and has an interesting gimmick - you can switch between normal human and werewolf. It's not a bad puzzle game by any means.
Also, thinking about using images (like above) from now on. Good idea? Bad? Thoughts?
If you don't already own this, hand in your gamer card. NOW. Or just buy this. It's £1.49 / $2.49.
Midweek Madness is the Men of War series. There's so many I can't be bothered to list them all, but they're all 75% off. Even the one released in April. Must not have been selling well or something.
If you don't already own this, hand in your gamer card. NOW. Or just buy this. It's £1.49 / $2.49.
Seriously. This is a top notch adventure game with multiple ways to play through it. About 1/4 in you are given a choice to either play with fighting and minor puzzles, all puzzles and (close to) no fighting or a well balance of it. IT all ties back to one point towards the end but this really makes the game worth at least 3 playthroughs.
How do I change the renderer for Indy? The Steam version of the game doesn't work with ScummVM, and I don't know what "Launch Options" to add to change it from within Steam.
I want it to use normal2x or normal3x (I like it pixelly, like it was originally)
How do I change the renderer for Indy? The Steam version of the game doesn't work with ScummVM, and I don't know what "Launch Options" to add to change it from within Steam.
I want it to use normal2x or normal3x (I like it pixelly, like it was originally)
I used LAAExtract to get the Steam versions to work with ScummVM a while ago, so that I could play the games in the LucasArts Adventure Pack on my phone. Worked like a charm. Of course if you don't have Python installed already it's a bit more hassle. If you're on Windows, Cygwin might be the easiest way to get Python.
ALT-ENTER : switches the game [between] fullscreen [and windowed]
Now here's the big one: In windowed mode, right-click on the blue bar above the game. there you can
-set the game to fullscreen
-turn on/off smooth graphics
-turn on/off the correct aspect ratio
-tell it to never switch resolution.
If you turn "Correct Aspect Ratio" off, the game's original aspect ratio is 640x400. This is a 16:10 resolution, so if you turn "Never Switch Resolutions" on and have a 16:10 monitor, the game fills the screen.
EDIT: Come to think of it... many other SCUMM games (like SOMI and MI2) are originally 640x400. Unfortunately, ScummVM fits it into a 4:3 box. I wish there was a way to change that.
EDIT AGAIN: There is a way. Download the latest ScummVM daily build, and set the "graphics mode" to "OpenGL Conserve" (make sure "Aspect Ratio Correction" is unchecked for said games.)
Yeah, but then the game's squished together. Do you watch 4:3 movies or TV shows that way as well? It always annoys me to see those broadheads on other people's TVs...
Ah well, the older Scumm games mostly look okay that way.
Stretched (in ScummVM)
Original Ratio
(not cleaned up)
Remember how I said before that I had to clean up that image a bit? This is why.
EDIT: Apparently this also applies to LeChuck's Revenge (it was developed in 640x400 res.)
So, while you're at it, decide here:
Stretched (in ScummVM)
Original Ratio
and here:
Stretched (in ScummVM)
Original Ratio
These characters do not look squashed to me
And I always make sure that games, movies and TV shows appear on my TV in their correct aspect ratio. My brother in law doesn't care and it drives me mad.
But in this case you obviously don't care what the correct aspect ratio is. ;-)
The pixels are SUPPOSED to be rectangular - because games that were produced at 320x200 pixels back then had a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2 (or 0.83, whichever way you want to look at it) to be full screen when display on a 4:3 screen (and there weren't really any widescreen monitors back then - 640x480 was the usual screen res). Sure, if you'd just scale it up to a height of 240 pixels in Photoshop you'd get artifacts, but remember, back then there were no LCD or TFT panels - it was CRT, so instead of a fixed pixel resolution the screens were able to change to an exact screen resolution without interpolation necessary (by spreading out the cathode rays, basically).
A more hands on proof: Why do you think there's an "aspect ratio correction" option in ScummVM? Why would there be anything to "correct" if there was nothing wrong? So, here's what it does:
On the left is the "pixel perfect" version - the one you think is correct. But the correction is "disabled"... weird?! The version on the right has the correction "enabled", stretching the height to 240, so that the image is now 320x240 pixels in size - a 4:3 aspect ratio... just the way it's intended. ScummVM has that option simply because CRT screens from back then allowed for a non-square pixel aspect ratio - something TFT panels can't do, of course.
Luckily on modern FullHD displays the interpolation used to stretch the image isn't too noticable anymore.
£1.49 / $2.49, with a three-pack (one for you, two to gift) being £3.74 / $6.24. DLC's 49 pennies, all currencies.
The (first) Weekend Deal is the Deus Ex series. All three games (and the DLC for Human Revolutions) is 75% off, with the collection of everything being £9.99 / $14.99. Damn good price.
Comments
The exchange current rate is £1 > $1.5516. This means that £11.24 converts to $17.44.
So basically, that's $9.99 in the US and $17.44 in the UK, almost twice the price. Which is quite simply BULLSHIT.
Well that and I know that I'd never play this because I hate the editor.
Well the EU is always screwed. The UK gets good prices most of the time.
And if it's $9.99 the "standard" is that it's 9.99€. Not 12.49€...
Something even better...
and it's 12.49€. Suck it EU customers. Take that huge EA c***. I for one will not.
But this... this was just bullshit. There is no logical reason for the UK, or indeed Europe, to be charged more than the US. If there was no conversion, that'd be lazy, but understandable. This required someone to actually convert the price, and they did it badly.
Still not sure why I'm so pissed off? Well, if £11.24 converted to dollars is $17.44, then just think of it the other way round. $9.99 converts to... £6.44. Which is almost HALF what we're actually made to pay.
Like I said, bullshit.
And ketzer... Jesus. I didn't realize EA hated Europe so much.
They are just doing what they did way back when games were only sold in retail stores because comparing prices was not as easy back then and the import postage would ruin the money you save anyway.
Today's Daily Deal is SOL: Exodus, a Space Sim I know nothing about. £3.74 / $4.99.
Two weekend deals. First is Napoleon: Total War. It's free-to-play all wekeend, and the price is down to
£7.49 / $9.99. None of the DLC is reduced though, so the Peninsular Campaign is the same price as the game.
Other deal is Cities XL 2012. Half price at £7.50 / $10. Oddly exact there.
If you want to start the series this is the game to choose because it is the remade version of the first game.
Today's Daily Deal is Worms Crazy Golf, a game that combines some of my favourite things - Crazy Golf and explosions! Woo! £1.57 / $2.49. No other Worms game is on offer though, sadly.
Even The Last Express?
[Hands in his gamer card]
This expired three years ago!
Time to get to the revival centre for some "re-education"!
... ... ... ... ... ...
Well, there's no point in killing you because that won't make you play it now, would it? It's on GoG. Technically it's first person gameplay, although it switches to third person during conversations and cutscenes.
One of the coolest features in the game is that everything's happening in real time. You've got three days, I think, to solve the mystery, and every character has his own goals, time table (what and when he's doing), and the game is VERY non-linear with several different endings.
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of first-person adventure games, but The Last Express is just too damn awesome to miss just because of that.
Nah, I'm cool, let me just go get my shotgun.
Today's Daily Deal is Driver: San Francisco, which I HIGHLY recommend, especially at £4.99 / $7.49.
There's also a deluxe edition for £6.24 / $8.74 with a few more cars and missions. Your call.
Also, Counter-Strike: Source is on offer. £4.76 / $6.80 for the next few days. No idea why.
Jeez, I'm not going to shoot you. Why would I? Because you don't want to play The Last Express? I said I'm cool with that. I just like sitting with my shotgun. Way to be over-defensive, man.
(god I wish that picture were smaller)
-x-
Today's Daily Deal is:
A funny puzzle game. £2.49 / $3.49.
I'm actually on the fence with this one. Has anyone tried it?
EDIT: I'll answer my own question, having tried the demo. It's by the guy who made Jolly Rover, isn't as funny as I first thought (though that's not to say it's not entertaining) and has an interesting gimmick - you can switch between normal human and werewolf. It's not a bad puzzle game by any means.
Also, thinking about using images (like above) from now on. Good idea? Bad? Thoughts?
If you don't already own this, hand in your gamer card. NOW. Or just buy this. It's £1.49 / $2.49.
Midweek Madness is the Men of War series. There's so many I can't be bothered to list them all, but they're all 75% off. Even the one released in April. Must not have been selling well or something.
Seriously. This is a top notch adventure game with multiple ways to play through it. About 1/4 in you are given a choice to either play with fighting and minor puzzles, all puzzles and (close to) no fighting or a well balance of it. IT all ties back to one point towards the end but this really makes the game worth at least 3 playthroughs.
But who here doesn't know this gem?
I want it to use normal2x or normal3x (I like it pixelly, like it was originally)
I used LAAExtract to get the Steam versions to work with ScummVM a while ago, so that I could play the games in the LucasArts Adventure Pack on my phone. Worked like a charm. Of course if you don't have Python installed already it's a bit more hassle. If you're on Windows, Cygwin might be the easiest way to get Python.
If you turn "Correct Aspect Ratio" off, the game's original aspect ratio is 640x400. This is a 16:10 resolution, so if you turn "Never Switch Resolutions" on and have a 16:10 monitor, the game fills the screen.
EDIT: Come to think of it... many other SCUMM games (like SOMI and MI2) are originally 640x400. Unfortunately, ScummVM fits it into a 4:3 box. I wish there was a way to change that.
EDIT AGAIN: There is a way. Download the latest ScummVM daily build, and set the "graphics mode" to "OpenGL Conserve" (make sure "Aspect Ratio Correction" is unchecked for said games.)
The other Midweek Madness is the afore mentioned pack of Cube. For $9.99 / £6.99 you get:
- BIT.TRIP RUNNER
- Blocks That Matter
- Critical Mass
- EDGE
- Q.U.B.E.
- RUSH
Ah well, the older Scumm games mostly look okay that way.
£3.49 / $4.99.
Mandatory TotalBiscuit WTF is on this game
Icons I made for the Custom Monkey Island Icons thread show it best:
These characters do not look squashed to me
And I always make sure that games, movies and TV shows appear on my TV in their correct aspect ratio. My brother in law doesn't care and it drives me mad.
The pixels are SUPPOSED to be rectangular - because games that were produced at 320x200 pixels back then had a pixel aspect ratio of 1.2 (or 0.83, whichever way you want to look at it) to be full screen when display on a 4:3 screen (and there weren't really any widescreen monitors back then - 640x480 was the usual screen res). Sure, if you'd just scale it up to a height of 240 pixels in Photoshop you'd get artifacts, but remember, back then there were no LCD or TFT panels - it was CRT, so instead of a fixed pixel resolution the screens were able to change to an exact screen resolution without interpolation necessary (by spreading out the cathode rays, basically).
A more hands on proof: Why do you think there's an "aspect ratio correction" option in ScummVM? Why would there be anything to "correct" if there was nothing wrong? So, here's what it does:
On the left is the "pixel perfect" version - the one you think is correct. But the correction is "disabled"... weird?! The version on the right has the correction "enabled", stretching the height to 240, so that the image is now 320x240 pixels in size - a 4:3 aspect ratio... just the way it's intended. ScummVM has that option simply because CRT screens from back then allowed for a non-square pixel aspect ratio - something TFT panels can't do, of course.
Luckily on modern FullHD displays the interpolation used to stretch the image isn't too noticable anymore.
£1.49 / $2.49, with a three-pack (one for you, two to gift) being £3.74 / $6.24. DLC's 49 pennies, all currencies.
The (first) Weekend Deal is the Deus Ex series. All three games (and the DLC for Human Revolutions) is 75% off, with the collection of everything being £9.99 / $14.99. Damn good price.