Self-imposed game handicaps

[Cerys]

My newest Skyrim character is a man in his pants, called Man in Pants.  No armour, no weapons, just jewellery and magic.

[mook]

have you modded the game, or do you have to go through that interminable carriage ride every time you play a new game?

[Cerys]

Interminable carriage ride.  i take the time looking around to see if there are any hidden wossnames.

[Hangthebuggers]

Interminable carriage ride.  i take the time looking around to see if there are any hidden wossnames.

Cerys I think you'd love the alternative start mod on the PC which just cuts out the whole beginning and allows you to pick a starting career somewhere else on the map. Also the frostbite (?) mod which forces your character to also rely on and fires and heat and such to survive, with it being especially bleak in the windswept northern bays. Really adds a nice new dimension to it. Especially when you foolishly fall into ice fucking cold water when running away from someone.

[Twed]

I wish I could get over this idea that mods are cheating, and take away from the purity of any self-imposed challenge. It's so backwards, but I can't shake it. I feel this need to care about the canonical versions of games. Ridiculous. I'm ridiculous.

[Still Not George]

Cerys I think you'd love the alternative start mod on the PC which just cuts out the whole beginning and allows you to pick a starting career somewhere else on the map. Also the frostbite (?) mod which forces your character to also rely on and fires and heat and such to survive, with it being especially bleak in the windswept northern bays. Really adds a nice new dimension to it. Especially when you foolishly fall into ice fucking cold water when running away from someone.

She doesn't play mods, because apparently she hates all that is good and noble in the world.

(I prefer Random Alternate Start btw. "Aaaaand Im in a mine this time.")

[Cerys]

I don't play mods because it means having to connect the PC up to the television and that's just too much effort.

[Cerys]

One thing I can't help noticing about Man in Pants is how quickly he moves, even when sneaking.  I didn't realise how much armour affects movement in the game.

[mook]

you need to get a modded version. playing skyrim as man in pants with just that jabbawock staff(can't remember if that's the right name, it was the one that either worked in your favour or against you) would be right up your street.


edit... wabbajack

[Bhazor]

I don't even fucking know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_3749377317&feature=iv&src_vid=F-FBYTV-1BQ&v=kpk2tdsPh0A#t=10m38s

Super Mario 64 no A presses.

[Hangthebuggers]

I wish I could get over this idea that mods are cheating, and take away from the purity of any self-imposed challenge. It's so backwards, but I can't shake it. I feel this need to care about the canonical versions of games. Ridiculous. I'm ridiculous.

Well not every mod is game-breaking. Quite often the modder has to address balance issues and sometimes even lore and such. For instance the Skyrim 'frost' mod makes the game trickier but doesn't change anything from the game, besides adding the elemental aspects of freezing your cock off.

I just adds tents and fires and such, which adds a little character to a game that's set in the colder regions.

[Cerys]

you need to get a modded version. playing skyrim as man in pants with just that jabbawock staff(can't remember if that's the right name, it was the one that either worked in your favour or against you) would be right up your street.


edit... wabbajack

I may try that in the future.  For now he wields nothing but his own magic.  He doesn't even loot weapons and armour, unless the armour has a decent enchantment he can learn.  As a result it takes ages to amass wealth.

[Cerys]

Bump.

My FF7 materia-free playthrough is going pretty well.  I left it for ages after getting pissed off with the dual boss in the lift down from the Shinra building, but finally went back to it with a vengeance.  I'm now on Disc Two, and about to beat up Ultima Weapon.  I've been able to do all this with the aid of Aeris's healing limit break, and after her loss replacing her with Yuffie as the party healer.  The only downside of this is the fact that Yuffie only has one healing limit break, so I've got her stuck on her level one limit breaks.  I've completed her Wutai pagoda quest, although the prize for that is materia, which I just threw away.

Actually, I say 'materia free' - I had to use the Chocobo Lure once to get across the marsh, but apart from that there's been no materia use at all.

[Famous Mortimer]

I know the game offers you the achievement for it so it's not really the same thing, but getting "Foxiest of the Hounds" on the last two Deus Ex games was pretty good stuff. Doing it without using any powers is a bit trickier, though, but it's do-able (doing the thing where you drop a fire extinguisher and fall on top of it, so you don't have to use the drop-power, was a satisfying skill to use.

[Thursday]

Bump.

My FF7 materia-free playthrough is going pretty well.  I left it for ages after getting pissed off with the dual boss in the lift down from the Shinra building, but finally went back to it with a vengeance.  I'm now on Disc Two, and about to beat up Ultima Weapon.  I've been able to do all this with the aid of Aeris's healing limit break, and after her loss replacing her with Yuffie as the party healer.  The only downside of this is the fact that Yuffie only has one healing limit break, so I've got her stuck on her level one limit breaks.  I've completed her Wutai pagoda quest, although the prize for that is materia, which I just threw away.

Actually, I say 'materia free' - I had to use the Chocobo Lure once to get across the marsh, but apart from that there's been no materia use at all.

Fake run. Start again and next time level up until you're strong enough to beat the Midgar Zolom.

[Cerys]

That's the plan.  Not yet, though.

[Pseudopath]

Or you can use the save glitch.

[Cerys]

Ooh, thanks for that!

[NoSleep]

Actually, I say 'materia free' - I had to use the Chocobo Lure once to get across the marsh, but apart from that there's been no materia use at all.

I started replaying FF7 before xmas and, to my surprise, legged it across the marsh without the help of a chocobo. As it was I decided to leg it back, too, as I wanted to visit the chocobo farm anyway. I did get into trouble with the worm thing at one point (maybe when I was legging it back), but you can use the "run like bloody fuck" trick to leave the fight.

[Cerys]

Duly noted.  I'm on Disc Three now, so not far off finishing - I'll start again some time over the next few months. I suspect, for a true materia-free run.

[magval]

I remember a UK magazine used to have a monthly section devoted to this, but the only one I remember was to get to the main Police Hall in Resident Evil 2 after having sustained enough damage to have your character hobbling, and hobble around the room in a circle seven times, and send in your best time. That you could even do it on the demo disc version was a big selling point.

[Twed]

Duly noted.  I'm on Disc Three now, so not far off finishing - I'll start again some time over the next few months. I suspect, for a true materia-free run.

THANKS NOSLEEP

[JesusAndYourBush]

When playing the Star Wars arcade machine in the college common room, when it said "Use the force, Luke" a friend tried playing that part of the game with his eyes shut.

[Cerys]

Just completed FF7!  I was pleasantly surprised - I expected to die at least once while fighting the last battle sequence, but nope.  No death for me, and Sephiroth became toast rather faster than I've ever managed before without Knights of the Round.  Conclusion - materia-free FF7 is both possible and enjoyable.

[Cerys]

I will now embark of a playthrough of Tomb Raider without killing anything apart from the bosses I have to kill to progress through the game.

[bgmnts]

Games cottoned on to this didn't they with achievements and bonuses for 'Pacifist Runs' and no kills mode and never use a medkit etc.

Stealth games lend heavily to this extra challenge. I used to try and finish the Splinter Cell games without ever being noticed or attacking anyone. Very hard.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution has a LOT of opportunity for these playthroughs too. SO much choice.

[JesusAndYourBush]

Just completed FF7!

Did you waste about 20 hours of gameplay endlessly PISSING ABOUT trying to breed the chocobo's to get that special one that had some special ability that you needed (I forget exactly what) before giving up and later realising you never needed it anyway?

[St_Eddie]

Or you can use the save glitch.

So that's why I was able to run right past the Midgar Zolom, on my last playthrough!  I thought that I'd just got extremely lucky and spent another 30 minutes trying to recreate my incredible feat.

Did you waste about 20 hours of gameplay endlessly PISSING ABOUT trying to breed the chocobo's to get that special one that had some special ability that you needed (I forget exactly what)...

Different coloured chocobo's allow you access to different secrets.  The main aim being a gold chocobo, which will grant you access to the ultimate summon; Knights of the Round (with a ludicrously long and tedious, not to mention unskippable animation, every time that you use it).  With a guide from GameFAQs to hand, it's really not that hard to achieve and even kind of fun.

[Cerys]

It'd be more fun if feeding the little buggers didn't require a tap of the button for each portion of greens.  My thumbs hated me by the end.

Did you waste about 20 hours of gameplay endlessly PISSING ABOUT trying to breed the chocobo's to get that special one that had some special ability that you needed (I forget exactly what) before giving up and later realising you never needed it anyway?

Not this time - materia-free means no chocobo-breeding.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Making the best player take the controller with the slack thumbstick when playing Goldeneye.