Borderlands
Lock, Load, & Face the Madness
Get ready for the mind blowing insanity! Play as one of four trigger-happy mercenaries and take out everything that stands in your way!
With its addictive action, frantic first-person shooter combat, massive arsenal of weaponry, RPG elements and four-player co-op*, Borderlands is a breakthrough experience that challenges all the conventions of modern shooters. Borderlands places you in the role of a mercenary on the lawless and desolate planet of Pandora, hell-bent on finding a legendary stockpile of powerful alien technology known as The Vault.
Lock, Load, & Face the Madness
Get ready for the mind blowing insanity! Play as one of four trigger-happy mercenaries and take out everything that stands in your way!
With its addictive action, frantic first-person shooter combat, massive arsenal of weaponry, RPG elements and four-player co-op*, Borderlands is a breakthrough experience that challenges all the conventions of modern shooters. Borderlands places you in the role of a mercenary on the lawless and desolate planet of Pandora, hell-bent on finding a legendary stockpile of powerful alien technology known as The Vault.
It's interesting to see video games being adapted as movies, sometimes with success and... Read All I found some fresh news from the production of the Borderlands movie that I'd thought I'd share. They've cast Ariana Greenblatt to play Tiny Tina. Ariana played young Gamore in Avengers: Infinity War. The article also reveals (possibly not new news) other cast members including "Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, and Jack Black lending his voice to Claptrap." I think this seems interesting. I wonder how Jack Black will sound as Claptrap. There's currently no news of when the movie will be released, but at least we know it's in production.
It's interesting to see video games being adapted as movies, sometimes with success and other times with failure. I remember something I read recently about this and how movie makers have seen that video games have become a dominant leader in entertainment. What I read mentioned how, many years ago, movies would buy the rights to video game characters and such, but did not stick to the IP and instead took their own "creative" path. I'd say Super Mario Bros. (the 1993 movie) is a prime example of this. What I read stated that movie makers saw Sonic the Hedgehog as a success and have seen the value of video games. That movie did veer off of what we knows as Sonic the Hedgehog a bit, but it probably wasn't as off course as the Super Mario Bros. movie. In fact, there will be a Sonic the Hedgehog sequel and it may already be in production. If you watched that movie's end-credits scene, you'll notice that Tails will be joining Sonic in the sequel (and rightly so, I think). Monster Hunter is another recent video game that was adapted into a move, but from what I read it seemed to have flopped, although the movie itself most certainly showed the possibility of a sequel.
Let me know what you think about this announcement. Is Borderlands something you're looking forward to seeing? What do you think about how more video games are being adapted into movies?
If you want to read the full article you can find it here: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-movie-casts-avengers-infinity-wars-ariana-greenblatt-as-tiny-tina/1100-6488253/?utm_source=gamefaqs&utm_medium=partner&utm_content=news_module&utm_campaign=homepage
I know this might not be a popular opinion but I think the first Borderlands game is the best in the series(I have yet to play Borderlands 3). And now that the original Borderlands was remastered with a ton of updates and quality of life improvements (auto pickup, etc) it really is the best looter shooter around. 2K took this remastered version and... Read All 2K Games dropped a raft of games on Switch recently with Bioshock The Collection, The Borderlands Legendary Collection and X-Com 2. Last week I happily opened The Borderlands Legendary Collection on Father's Day and was able to play it enough to note that's it's another solid Switch port worthy of the games strong legacy.
I know this might not be a popular opinion but I think the first Borderlands game is the best in the series(I have yet to play Borderlands 3). And now that the original Borderlands was remastered with a ton of updates and quality of life improvements (auto pickup, etc) it really is the best looter shooter around. 2K took this remastered version and perfectly ported it to Switch such that I honestly can't tell if they had to compromise anything in the way of visuals or gameplay.
If you are interested in buying the physical version of Borderlands on Switch there is something to keep in mind. 2K was able to put the original Borderlands on the game cart but if you want to play Borderlands 2 and the Pre-Sequel there is an included code to download them. As someone that enjoys buying a physical copy and loaning it to friends this is a bummer but on the other hand, there is no cart switching required to play Borderlands 2 or the Pre-Sequel. Plus if you just wanted to play those two games, one could buy the game snag the codes and loan out the game cart to someone that has yet to play the original.
Earlier on I picked up The Bioshock Collection and 2K put a bit of each game on the cart and required complete downloads of all with the game cart. I appreciate that they included a sample of all three games I think I prefer what they did with The Borderlands Legendary Collection.
Borderlands is already a classic game and it's good to see it continue to be relevant and come to an even wider audience on Switch. If you have Borderlands remastered on PC already and prefer that platform i'd recommend playing it that way but if you have a Switch and have yet to try it out this is a great way to do that.
I also wanted to note that I played Borderlands on Switch co-op with a friend recently and if your Switch is online it requires you friends account to be connected to a Switch online account. This makes some sense as Borderlands co-op can interact with public online as well but it was a major hassle to figure out how to get around this. To get around Switch Borderlands requirement for a friend account to link online you simply turn wifi off on your Switch. It's a strange hack but it worked and hope it helps anyone that runs into that problem.
Wow, you haven't played Borderlands 3? Well, I think you'll like it once you do play it. I thought it was the best of them all. Although, the prequel wasn't really bad, but it I seem to recall that it was significantly shorter. I can't seem to recall Borderlands 2 very well. I didn't think the first game was all that impressive, but I seem to remember my appeal for the series grew w/ each newer game in the series. I have the GOTY Enhanced version on Steam, I think it's pretty much the same as what you're talking about. I just don't think I've played that version of the game yet. I have Borderlands 4 on my wish list. It debuted on Steam at 50% off and is now 55% off there or elsewhere, but I have my eyes set on something else. Still, it's good to know that the Switch got another good port. I've only played the game once and I did so as Roland. What about you?
Greg I'm not sure you're talking about the right games here. Borderlands 4 hasn't even been announced or discussed yet, Borderlands 3 just released recently. So when you say BL3 is you're favorite, maybe you're talking about 2?
LOL Yeah, I got a little ahead of myself some how. Now it all makes sense. Thanks for the correction. I haven't played BL3 yet either and it did debut at 50% off on Steam and is still on sale, I believe.
I should have read Travis comment sooner I just bought Borderlands 4 on Steam. And yeah, so far it's way better than the original Borderlands. I think the coolest feature is that they brought back every class playable in one game.
The Ninja cats are a fun addition.
😍
I love Borderlands and had fun playing it on the PS3 and hopefully the Switch version is faithful to these games. As they don't require the most cutting edge of hardware... Read All There were a lot of games announced for Switch in the latest Nintendo direct and I wanted to highlight that 2K games is bringing some essential classics such as The Bioshock Collection, Borderlands Legendary Collection: includes Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and The XCom 2 Collection to the Switch on May 29th. The good news is these versions will come with a physical game releases but they are so large that they couldn't include everything on the 16 gig game cart.
I love Borderlands and had fun playing it on the PS3 and hopefully the Switch version is faithful to these games. As they don't require the most cutting edge of hardware hopefully they hold up well and I'm looking forward to the Digital Foundry reviews to see more.
Anything else interest you in the latest Nintendo Direct?
From Kotaku:
"According to a press release from 2K Games BioShock: The Collection will come on a 16GB cartridge that only contains the “opening acts” of each of the three games with the rest needing to be downloaded. They don’t say just how big that download will be. On PS4 it’s about 60GB.
XCOM 2, meanwhile, comes on an 8GB cartridge that will only have the first two missions in the game installed. To get the rest you’ll need to download up to 24GB more.
Finally, the Borderlands Legendary Collection will require an additional 41.6GB download to fully play. For reference, the Switch only comes with 32GB of internal storage."
https://2k.com/en-US/blog/borderlands-legendary-collection/
https://kotaku.com/bioshock-borderlands-and-xcom-are-coming-to-switch-1842507828
Panzer Dragoon Remake (got it ordered) and Animal Crossing.
I'm gonna clip out some new features that Gearbox brought to Borderlands to make it easy to see all the new stuff:
"* A Borderlands 2-style mini-map, which you can toggle on and off, has been added to complement the original compass
* Substantial improvements... Read All Borderlands is one of the best shooters I've ever played. The story, loot and gameplay are fantastic and started a new wave of looter-shooters that continued with Borderlands 2, Destiny and The Division. I was elated to learn that Gearbox was going to release a new 4K remaster of the original Borderlands and the best part is that Gearbox has added new features and quality of life enhancements making it even better.
I'm gonna clip out some new features that Gearbox brought to Borderlands to make it easy to see all the new stuff:
"* A Borderlands 2-style mini-map, which you can toggle on and off, has been added to complement the original compass
* Substantial improvements to the inventory system—such as allowing you to “lock” weapons or mark them as “junk”—simplify item management
* Items like ammo, money, and health now auto-pick up from the ground
* Rewards Ready: With the addition of the SHiFT player rewards program, you can now use Golden Keys to unlock special in-game items and rewards. Returning SHiFT users who’ve played Borderlands 2 or The Pre-Sequel on PC will receive 75 free Golden Keys, as well as two randomly selected all-new weapons, for their first newly-created Vault Hunter.
* Added Firepower: A new set of six named, custom-skinned Legendary weapons make the base game’s arsenal even deeper. Beat bosses or gather Golden Keys for a chance to collect ‘em all.
* Badder Boss Battle: In direct response to fan feedback, the campaign’s final boss encounter has been adjusted to be more engaging, challenging, and rewarding.
* Cosmetic Customization: For the first time, you will be able to customize your Vault Hunter beyond simply selecting a color scheme. Each of the four available characters has five brand new cosmetic heads unlocked and equippable right from the start of the game."
After the new Borderlands released for free to everyone that had the original on Steam, I installed it and transferred over my original Borderlands characters. I decided to start fresh with a new character and I'm glad I did because I forgot how great the start of Borderlands is. Right away the Borderlands 2 style mini-map and auto-pickup of items is just what Doctor Zed ordered and makes the game feel so much better. Truth be told the original mechanics weren't bad, but these enhancements just make the game that much nicer. There is also a huge golden key chest in the middle of town and with 75 keys to start, you have a lot of options for some great weapon finds. That said, I don't typically use the golden keys as I've found they make the game a bit too easy, that said they are here now which is a nice addition. Gearbox is also tweeting golden keys for Borderlands often so if you want more, you can get them.
The 4K visuals are stunning and the new build of the game makes Borderlands feel like a brand new game. The addition of character skins is also really neat and already I've customized my character a bit to make the game a bit more fun. It's not something I found essential in Borderlands 2 but it's a nice way to look a bit different to friends in multiplayer.
Whenever I came back to Borderlands on PC I never felt like that version gave the game the credit it deserved and it seemed like more attention was put into the PS3 and XBox 360 versions. Borderlands 2 changed this as the PC version was first class and now, the original Borderlands is just as incredible. And frankly with all the Epic store exclusive business, maybe returning to the original adventure through is the best choice?
https://steamcommunity.com/games/8980/announcements/detail/1767008477036180317
The Borderlands 4K remaster is a bit... Read All We are living in the age of the video game re-release where a game company or publisher takes an older game, maybe not even that old and dusts it off, upgrades the textures and makes it easier to play on modern systems. As a huge fan of retro games I think it's great so many games are becoming easier to play. Recently Gearbox had a huge PAX East presentation and two bits of news were that Borderlands and Borderlands 2 The Handsome Collection are getting 4K remasters. If you own Borderlands on Steam this new version will be applied to your existing version for free and if you have the Handsome Collection it's also a free upgrade.
The Borderlands 4K remaster is a bit more than a graphical overhaul, with the included new features it's a lot like a new Borderlands game. According to PCGamer:
"As well as a minimap in the style of Borderlands 2 which you can switch on or off, the inventory system will be simplified, and you'll automatically pick up items found on the ground like ammo and health.
There are more fundamental tweaks to the game, too. The game's final boss has been altered for a tougher, more rewarding challenge, and to make it a more "engaging" encounter—we'll have to give that a try before we know exactly what impact that makes.
The SHiFT player rewards are also coming to the game—anyone who's played Borderlands 2 or The Pre-Sequel on PC will get 75 free Golden Keys, as well as two random new weapons when they create a new Vault Hunter. Six new legendary weapons have been added to the game, too, which you can unlock by hoovering up Golden Keys or by defeating bosses. More customization options are being added for player characters, too, with five swappable sets of head gear for your Vault Hunter available at the start. "
The original Borderlands on PC has always been a bit shaky, and I can't wait for this new version to give it the love it deserves. I found the loot drops and story to be more my style in the original Borderlands and I can't wait to jump back in to the fresh new version to see how well it translates.
https://www.pcgamer.com/borderlands-game-of-the-year-edition-is-coming-to-pc
As of less than 20 hours into the game, it seems ok. It has humor, challenge, and fun. I’m getting more used to it, my character is growing, and I’m feeling more comfortable with it. It seemed a... Read All I became aware of Borderlands 2 because a friend told me he was playing it on his Xbox. There was a free weekend of it on Steam and I tried out it then, but not for very long. While first-person shooter games are very popular, I tend to stay away from them, with a few exceptions. I missed out on the Borderlands 2 Cheerful Ghost event. Every seemed to have a good time with that. Someone else mentioned it to me and I decided to buy the trilogy during a recent seasonal Steam sale.
As of less than 20 hours into the game, it seems ok. It has humor, challenge, and fun. I’m getting more used to it, my character is growing, and I’m feeling more comfortable with it. It seemed a bit challenging in a few areas, but then I started to max out my inventory with health kits. I also overlooked my special (F key) ability at first, but I found it to be helpful when I’m surrounded. I decided to be a soldier.
There seems to be plenty of areas and quests. I think some of the most fun I’ve had so far is in the vehicle, especially running over creatures and enemies for easy XP.
I just defeated Mothrakk. That was definitely a tough fight. I had to use a vehicle and alternate between gunner and driver seats. The gunner seat gave me more room to aim, but then I had to jump back in the driver seat to avoid being bombed by Mothrakk.
This isn’t meant to be a review, that may come later. This may just be the beginning.
I wanted to point out the music, though. The very beginning music reminds me of Diablo 3, which is cool. I also heard music that reminds me of StarCraft. So as far as music, this game sounds much like a Blizzard game, to me. As for game play, it seems similar to Fallout 3, NV, or 4.
It's good that you are starting with Borderlands because firstly, it's great and secondly Borderlands 2 adds some mechanics that make it a bit harder to come back and enjoy the first game. Nothing major, but nice quality of life improvements that make Borderlands 2 that much better for it. Personally I enjoy the gameplay focus on the first game over the story and dialog focus on the second. The story is pretty engaging and funny the first time but becomes less so the more times you go through the game. I really hope Borderlands 3 does something that allows you to play the game without dialog or something.
That said, the original Borderlands is a really contained game that provides a nice length campaign that, to me, never felt overlong. I play it mostly on the PS3 and the game shined on that system but still holds up very well on PC. I've always dreamed they'd bring the Mac port to Steam and also port it to Linux but that doesn't seem to likely at this point.
Anyways, glad you are enjoying the game and I look forward to more of your thoughts on it.
Yeah what Jon says is absolutely true. Overall, I remember the first game more fondly. It had more charm somehow. It was rough around the edges but I liked that. The setting, overall, is more appealing.
But Borderlands 2 ramps up the polish, a better written story, more humor (perhaps too much at times), an incredibly charismatic villain, and most importantly tons of balance and mechanics changes that really make it better. Weapon skill leveling is gone, perks are in. Gunplay feels more impactful.
Borderlands 2 is the better game, definitely, but it misses some piece of magic from the first game that I can't quite quantify.
As for the first game, when is the best time to access those areas? I'm level 27 or 28 now, I have 27 backpack slots. There seems to be plenty to do, Claptrap keeps telling me someone somewhere wants to talk to me or there are new missions available. I'm still just getting around, I just recently got the ability to teleport with that one station.
By "those areas" I assume you're talking about DLC missions? Each mission should tell you what level it's geared toward, and the DLC ones will reset every few levels if you ignore them. So, there's really no wrong time once you reach the first threshold for them. Each one has a different initial level target I think. It's been a while so I can't remember.
I'd play the DLC after you are done with the main game campaign. You can do it whenever, but I believe the DLC story wise happens after the main storyline.
That's a good point. For the most part it doesn't matter but there's one key part of one DLC that wouldn't make a lot of sense if you haven't gotten to a certain point in the main game.
That's vague as hell, but I don't want to spoil things.
After asking my question here, I decided to Google it hours later and what I read is what Jon said, play them after the main story.
As for Borderlands 2 and the prequel, what order do you suggest for those games? I believe a friend told me I should play the prequel before the 2nd game as that's how the story flows, but I was thinking that I might just go by what was released first (B2).
That's like saying you should watch the Star Wars prequels before the original trilogy!
Definitely go in release order. The Pre-Sequel kinda assumes you know things that happened in BL2 in a sense. It actually takes place *after* BL2 in a sense, since there are characters from BL2 telling the story. You'll spoil plot points in BL2 by playing The Pre-Sequel first.
Borderlands => Borderlands DLC => Borderlands 2 => Borderlands The Pre-Sequel.
That said, I still have yet to play the Borderlands DLC, finish up Borderlands 2(I am very close) and then the Pre-Sequel. I have games for ages.
LOL @ Travis. Why wouldn't you? Hahaha. Well, I did play Wolfenstein The Old Blood before I played The New Order and I think it was fine.
One of the reasons I thought about playing the BL trilogy by going by which was released first, was because I imagine various game mechanics are different or improved upon in the newest version (the Pre-Sequel).
Thanks for the input and helping me choose a path.
I'm 30 hours in, feeling a bit more comfortable, happy with some guns, not so happy with others. I tend to use a shotgun or sniper rifle, hardly anything else other than grenades, which I use to give me health.
I'm still learning the game. Claptrap keeps telling me about new missions via a notice board or person. But, I bounce around so much that I hardly get to know any areas or the people in them. I'm also not sure about Class Mods, particularly what I should be using. I haven't quite learned all of the benefits some of them provide and some of those seem to be for co-op play.
I found those people and notification boards I needed to see for more missions. After finishing a bunch of missions, I completed the "first playthrough." Now I'm working on Dr. Ned's DLC. I also looked up info about "class mods" and went with Commando.
Cool! What did you think of completing the base game? What did you think of the ending?
In a way, I expected it to be longer, yet I didn't really know what to expect. It has it's challenges and fun. I didn't complete all of the challenges, I only looked at that screen once, I think. I'm not sure if I found all the Claptraps, but I think my backpack has about 36 slots. Also, I only completed it once with Roland, the soldier, so there is definitely more to do other than the DLC.
I wasn't expecting the storyline to end the way it did, so I was surprised.
Ah, I forgot about finding claptraps to get backpack upgrades. I kinda like that more than spending that secondary currency on them in BL2.
Have any of you gone through the game more than once? What classes or characters did you choose?
Not all the way through, no. But I tried all of them for a few hours but Lilith was my jam.
I beat the game with Lilith too. Roland was also pretty fun.
I beat the game with Roland and Mordicai. Played a bit as Lilith and Brick. Roland is by far my favorite character in the first Borderlands. You can set yourself up to basically have unlimited ammo and grenades. :P
Nice! I was waiting for you to join us in this post, Tim. :)
So, I tried out the 2nd DLC, Mad Moxxi's Underdome and I don't think I'm going to complete it. I tried and found it to be a bit too difficult and the battles were too long. It seemed like it'd take forever just to beat one of the three arenas. I can imagine that it could be better with friends. So, I'm working on the 3rd DLC now.
Also, at least 2 or 3 of my friends have told me that the Pre-Sequel is their favorite. Some of them still recommend playing it before BL2.
@Tim, what class mod did you go with for Roland?
Moxxi's DLC is a very different kind of expansion since it's just an arena. It's fun but not like the others.
Oh wow, the visual difference between the first two games is..."wow!" BL2 looks wonderful! I played it before, or at least during a free weekend, but I only spent a couple of hours in it. I like that I've now played the first game and have moved to the second, because I know things and see recognizable things in the world. I chose Zero when I played it years ago, but this time I went with Axton because I got used to the first game with Roland, a similar character.
I might go back to Borderlands eventually, but I think for now I'm going to move on to BL2. I left Moxxi's Underdome and Crawmerax unfinished.
I guess by Crawmerax you mean the General Knoxx DLC? If so, yeah you got the best ones done. Although I was getting quite annoyed with Claptrap by the end of the Robot Revolution DLC, I still enjoyed it. Zombie Island is the best I think.
Yeah, I think that's where Crawmerax is. I read that it's hard even with 4 people. I got kind of tired of driving all around back and forth in the General Knoxx DLC. I thought Robot Revolution and Zombie Island were good, though. I turned in hundreds of Clapcomponents, but at the end decided to not continue that cycle, I was ready to move on.
BL2 seems to be better many ways, but not necessarily all. I liked having the markers on the compass instead of just the mini-map. I don't think I've run into any med kits that you can buy, store, and use later. I'm still quite impressed at the visual upgrade from BL to BL2.
I think I ended up kinda cheesing Crawmerax. It doesn't give you good enough loot to punish yourself with it unless you're on your second (or higher) playthrough.
It's been awhile, so I don't remember the specifics about my class mod I preferred with Roland. I just remember it had team ammo regen.
For BL2 I play Salvador or Gaige.
For Salvador I invest heavily in the rampage skill tree. I'm all about being able to spend as much time gunzerking as possible! I stick to class mods that give team ammo regen plus whatever the best skill bonuses I can find.
For Gaige I went down the Little Big Trouble tree, which gives a bunch of fun bonuses to electric damage weapons, as well as some fun stuff like sending out an electric shock-wave every time you reload or causing an electric AoE when you score a critical hit. Early on I just look for whatever mod gives the best stat bonuses. Once I get interspersed Outburst, I look for a mod that gives me a bonus for that.
Gaige's skill tree is tons of fun to experiment with. It looks like you put way more thought into it than I do! :)
Also Greg, your header image broke!
That's cool, thanks for sharing, Tim!
Travis, it looks like my image on the post is fine.
Weird. I wonder what's breaking it on my end!
Occasionally the avatar images break for some reason(not sure why though). All of them are simple links back to whatever service the person selected.
I meant the post's embed image. It was gone for me for an hour or so but then it was fine.
http://steamcommunity.com/games/8980/announcements/detail/175956536787509775 The original Borderlands was one of my most beloved games of the last few years so it's awesome to see it get some useful updates. It seems Gearbox pushed an update to Steam to get rid of the SecuRom DRM from the base game and all DLC. They also created a tool that grants you the Steam copy if you purchased the PC version outside Steam.
http://steamcommunity.com/games/8980/announcements/detail/175956536787509775
...Allows owners of the game a free Steam copy. Thought they were handing out Steam codes to everyone for a second there ;)!
Ha yeah, that would be awesome. I kind of want them to hand out Steam keys for people with PS3 and XBox 360 copies, but... Not everyone is Valve and this isn't Portal 2.
Still, a Steam copy from any PC version is pretty nice.
The article states that the Granting Tool works with retail discs. Will it work with non-Steam digital copies? Some people commenting are saying you have to have the disc in the drive when using the tool.
I am not sure. That said, if you had the retail PC disc I guess you pass it around to your friends for a free copy each?
I downloaded the tool to convert to Steam, but I can't get any further in the process because the first step is to verify your disk, but I assume it also requires you to put in a product code later? But it may be so long into the game's life that they don't really mind if you share it with your friends.
At any rate, scrypt, yeah it seems like you have to have the game disk. Maybe, if it does key verification later, you can use someone else's disk with your key? Who knows...
FINAL COMMENT in this chain, sorry for spamming up the place: based on comments on that Steam topic, it does seem that it requires a key after verifying the disk.
Ah. That's good to know. So they have some kind of Gearbox key they verify and then hand out a Steam copy if it all works right. :godmode:
So it seems. It's apparently getting hammered right now though, some people are reporting some issues connecting.
Most retail disc games (all, that I'm aware of...) come with a CD key for registration. I would assume if the tool requires the disc, it would then verify the CD Key, as a two-step proof of ownership. Just glad they moved away from SecuRom!
I am glad too, that's why I posted it mainly. I have less of a problem with DRM is the companies remove it at some point. There is a slight usecase for DRM around launch I guess and if they strip it away at some point, it makes the whole concept of it less stupid.
Here's something to think about. When the Witcher 2 released, the version that showed up on The Pirate Bay wasn't the DRM-free version from gog.com that would have been trivial to pirate, it was the Steam version with the SecuROM cracked out. People in that scene were just used to doing it that way. That's how trivial it is to crack. DRM only screws with paying customers who want to play fair, having to have the disc in to play, or in some cases having to keep a constant internet connection to the publisher's servers. But if you have to have DRM, Steamworks DRM is the least obtrusive of all of them I've seen. You just have to have Steam open and occasionally connect it to the internet. I suppose Origin is the same way.
I agree with you and, for sure, history and is on your side here. It's just that if DRM has a purpose it's only in the run up to the game launch and a bit thereafter. Certainly it isn't useful during a big ass Steam sale where the game costs $5 or in the games 5th year of life.
I guess I am just trying to strike a middle ground somewhere so publishers can feel better and DRM gets removed in some known period.
Excellent point. Another something to think about (or speculate over, as the case may be): Concerning the implementation of DRM, do you think most companies are worried about losing profits, or annoyed that someone is getting something for nothing? Put another way, if all the people that pirate games (or any digital content) lived on some remote island with amazing satellite broadband, but TSA level shipping restrictions, would anyone really care if their product was pirated? Would digital piracy even be an issue at that point?
Lost profits) Yes, I think that's the point entirely, with games at least. I think DRM is made to stop people from simply copying files to a friends computer so they can play it for free.
Remote island) Piracy wouldn't be as popular in terms of downloads but in countries with bad internet they have dealers on the street selling DVD's and such. Like life, piracy finds a way.
My point is that pirates will pirate, they won't purchase. As long as they don't sell what they pirate, and the people that purchase content legitimately continue to do so, what harm does piracy do? Transformers 4 grossed $300M worldwide in its first three days. I'll take a presumptuous guess and say that it was pirated at least 100,000 times, which is likely a low figure. If someone steals something from a stockpile of infinite supply, what does it matter if a handful consistently go missing?
> My point is that pirates will pirate, they won't purchase.
That's not entirely true. Netflix won over a lot of pirates because there was finally a better product than piracy. Many people chose to pirate the first Assassin's Creed game on PC because of the draconian DRM. Plus it isn't unheard of to pirate a game as a demo and buy it later, but that example is the exception rather than the rule.
I'll amend my hyperbolic statement, and say instead that pirates don't want to purchase. I wasn't thinking so much of the people that dabble in blue moon piracy, as DRM isn't built for these people. Netflix streaming service hasn't offered much in the way of new content in years, and I'll bet that most of those pirates that "converted" are really just ripping Netflix discs as they come in the mail.
Free to Play is an excellent solution to piracy (maybe the only pure solution, as it is essentially legalized piracy), although it doesn't always seem applicable. How would Wolfenstein: New Order work as a Free to Play game? And this is what I was vaguely and sloppily coming around to: Could there be more room to innovate in the Free to Play model? Do you think we might see a big game, like Uncharted 4 or Half-Life 3, released in some F2P hybrid?
> My point is that pirates will pirate, they won't purchase.
I think that scrypt is right for some people. I know this guy that was an avowed pirate, he bragged how little he bought and pirated a ton of content. He lauded that he bought stuff he loved, but I didn't really buy that from him, he wasn't terribly trustworthy as a person anyway. Not saying all pirates are bad people, but he seemed to have the value of "I don't pay for stuff and am happy about it." He had money to buy it, he just didn't want to and was happy to stick it to someone. Games, movies, whatever.
Netflix does offer new films in rotation. I just recently watched The Master, World War Z, Oldboy(Spike Lee remake), Machete Kills, Pain and Gain & Don Juan. Maybe not all triple A movies, but I wanted to see them all and was happy I didn't have to rent. That said, I love films but don't need to see each triple A movie release, waiting or never is fine for me.
I hear from many people that they rip discs from Netflix and Redbox too, that seems to be really common. I think that shows that digital movie pricing is a bit high for some, and i'd tend to agree. I think the only digital pricing that seems to have come to a norm are some ebooks, music and indie games. Everything else needs to catch up to a better model.
Free to play seems to work for multi-player competitive games, but perhaps, not a ton else. Well, Candy Crush works too I guess. That said, Wolf: New Order wouldn't work well in F2P and it doesn't need to because, if memory serves, it sold pretty well.
I hope we don't see games like Half-Life 3 come F2P because it doesn't make a ton of sense to and they'd make enough money through normal sales anyway. Will Valve make more money over time from DoTA 2 than Portal 2? I think so but I hope they still make non F2P games, because I honestly play more of them anyway.
Ugh, you watched the Spike Lee remake? I've heard it's at best OK if you haven't seen the original, and atrocious if you have.
Also, Half-Life 3 could be free-to-play if they gave Gordon tons of hats to wear. It seems to have worked for TF2.
The Oldboy remake was fine but the original one was much better.
I've heard good things about the original Oldboy. I haven't seen either, though. All consumed with Guardians of the Galaxy coming out this Friday, which, I read on the internet somewhere, will be better than both Oldboys combined.
Say that Gabe sends out a memo to Team Half-Life, stating that he wants the third iteration to be Free to Play. Half Life is a universe serious in tone, and you don't want to throw gimmicks at it to monetize it, and no way in hell will there be ad placement. Beyond the typical Free to Play structures we've seen, how could you go about monetizing a "free" experience, without cheating the player or the story? I apologize if I just keep repeating the same thing in different words. It's fascinating to think about it, and each time I post a comment I feel like I'm close to progressing the conversation with an actual idea, but then I get trapped in my head, thinking about what I'm thinking about, and that turns into a desire for cinnamon rolls, and then I lose the thought.
I'll have something later, I promise!
Well, now *I* have a desire for cinnamon rolls, so thanks. :)
There is a place here called Ginger Browns and they make amazing cinnamon rolls. Not gooey, or overly cinnamony, but dense and rich and chewy and you pretty much die after eating one. It's ridiculous.
On the one hand, more Borderlands! And we finally get to go to the moon base that everyone has been wanting for years now.
On the other hand, it isn't being developed by Gearbox. In the past we've seen good and bad things come from franchises that get games passed around like this, so I'll hold out hope for good things. It's still staying inside 2K, and Randy Pitchford loves the way 2K Australia is handling it, so I'm choosing to trust them until I'm proven otherwise.
The game takes place between Borderlands 1 and 2, and you'll play as familiar characters from the franchise, including Claptrap. Yes, Claptrap is a... Read All I have mixed feelings about Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
On the one hand, more Borderlands! And we finally get to go to the moon base that everyone has been wanting for years now.
On the other hand, it isn't being developed by Gearbox. In the past we've seen good and bad things come from franchises that get games passed around like this, so I'll hold out hope for good things. It's still staying inside 2K, and Randy Pitchford loves the way 2K Australia is handling it, so I'm choosing to trust them until I'm proven otherwise.
The game takes place between Borderlands 1 and 2, and you'll play as familiar characters from the franchise, including Claptrap. Yes, Claptrap is a playable character. The four new characters fight alongside Handsome Jack as he gains power.
It's running on the Borderlands 2 engine, and from the screenshots it looks very similar, which isn't a bad thing. Borderlands 2 was quite a beautiful game.
Destructoid has a ton more here: http://www.destructoid.com/borderlands-the-pre-sequel-takes-the-shooter-looter-to-the-moon-272973.phtml
Video explaining the game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smFJaRWwvRs
Like you I have some doubts too. That said, all they need to do it make it awesome and I guess the formula is pretty well established. The game could suck but if the mechanics are right, it should still be a fun game.
Odd thing, they are only releasing on ps3, 360 and PC. My thought it this might just be using the BL2 tech and skipping by the PS4 and XBox One? Odd to see a release not target them.
I saw something else (and I thought it was in this article but apparently not) that the reason they're targeting the previous generation is the install base. It would be expensive to add new platforms and not as much reward.
But then, there won't be people flocking to the new platforms without games, so... it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, like Randy Pitchford, I'm not in a hurry to jump onto the next generation yet either.
Interview with Randy about why this isn't Bl3:
http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/09/borderlands-the-pre-sequel-qa-randy-pitchford-on-why-this-isnt-borderlands-3-and-how-he-loves-to-play-on-pc/
@Travis yeah I'm not either. That said, I see almost no value in getting a new console. My PC is just so damn great.
Wait... I mean, a traditional console... I want a Steam Machine.
GABEN FORGIVE!!!
http://www.borderlands2.com/us/skilltree/mechromancer.html
Based on information in the skill tree the Mech you summon is called Deathtrap. Not all the Mecromancer skills effect the Mech, that said some do and they look really cool(these are not all of Deathtrap's abilities):
- Buckup: Deathtrap restores the sheilds of one ally.
- Upshot Robot: While Deathtrap is active, if you or Deathtrap kill an enemy it increases Deathtrap’s Duration and grants both of you a stackable Melee Damage bonus. Bonuses are lost when Deathtrap goes away.
- Explosive Clap: Deathtrap causes an explosion in front of him,... Read All
http://www.borderlands2.com/us/skilltree/mechromancer.html
Based on information in the skill tree the Mech you summon is called Deathtrap. Not all the Mecromancer skills effect the Mech, that said some do and they look really cool(these are not all of Deathtrap's abilities):
- Buckup: Deathtrap restores the sheilds of one ally.
- Upshot Robot: While Deathtrap is active, if you or Deathtrap kill an enemy it increases Deathtrap’s Duration and grants both of you a stackable Melee Damage bonus. Bonuses are lost when Deathtrap goes away.
- Explosive Clap: Deathtrap causes an explosion in front of him, dealing Explosive Damage to all nearby enemies.
- Made of Sterner Stuff: You and Deathtrap gain Damage Reduction against All Damage Types. Additionally, Deathtrap gains bonus Melee Damage
- Make it Sparkle: Shooting Deathtrap with an elemental weapon charges him with that element, causing his melee attacks to deal additional damage of that element.
Update: According to Gearbox Gaige will drop today 10/9 a day earlier than planned, woot:
https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/255540164959559682
The little big trouble tree looks like fun. I usually I don't go for the electric weapons because their damage takes a dive once your target's shield is down. But I like the idea of your electric weapons also setting stuff on FIRE! Mwa ha ha ha!
Yep, that extra ability seems fun. The Mecromancers skill tree is pretty creative, too bad she didn't ship with the normal game.
I need to get Maya to max level fast so I can be done with her when Gaige comes out. This is quickly becoming the most interesting class.
Multiplayer should be fun on day 1. Hundreds of 4-mech parties.
While we're on the topic of classes, does anyone else have zero interest in the commando?
Axton is pretty good. I use him when I play with my friends. The turret is pretty good and this time around its a bit better.
Looks like the Mecromancer is made to be a sort of support class though now, which is pretty cool.
I love playing as axton. His turret is much better than the one in the first borderlands as Jon said. Currently he is my favorite character, that is, until Gaige comes out. I'm really looking forward to trying out her skills.
Hey yall, looks like Gaige will drop later today, or a full day early.
https://twitter.com/DuvalMagic/status/255540164959559682
Woot.
Going through the skill names I'm amazed at the My Little Pony references. 20% Cooler, Evil Enchantress, The Stare, Discord, and Potent as a Pony (sort of) all reference MLP. Kinda cool.
It seems everyone who isn't me is obsessed with MLP ;)
But awesome that she's dropping today! Can't wait.
/me not obsessed with MLP. I liked it when I was a young lad i'll admit. Happily not a Brony. That said, I have no aversion to Bronies.
I play Axton as my solo character. The Turret is fun and really helpful while playing solo. Plus, when 5 points are put into it, one of Axton's first tier abilities gives you a +20% gun damage. That's an awesome tier 1 ability!
And WHAT!? Mecromancer drops today!? That's awesome!
I can't believe they released it early! I am so excited to try her out. I won't be able to till tomorrow though, but still, I'm just extremely happy they released her early.
OK, can I just say... The mechromancer is awesome. That is all.
Yeah she really is. Played her tonight in 3 person game to level 9 and she was awesome. Deathtrap is real fun! He is like a much better version of the turret with melee and ranged attacks. Plus he stays on the battle field pretty long compared to other abilities!
Just tried Maya with 3 people and lockdown is DOPE FLY!
The abilities I had were if you kill something in lockdown you get health regen orbs. Really useful in co-op. I also tinkered with the shoot to heal ability, that was fun but at a low level kind of a bullet waste.
Didn't think the new Siren would be good at all, I really like her quite a bit now.