@FriendBear

I realize that, and you're probably right about it being compensation. The trick is in not making it so obvious. The AI bonuses per se in X:EU don't bother me as much as the discovery auto-moves that result in free flanking, and the magical teleporting when they're still in fog of war. If you throw a battle scanner into a black region, you can sometimes actually see alien mobs blinking from one side of the map to the other. It's ridiculous and unfair, but it's the order of the day when it comes to strategy AI.

@Zevvion

> "It's not any fun on Impossible though."

I agree, at least in the vanilla game.

@FriendBear

The original X-Com was a gem of its day, but it was not superior to X:EU. Rose-tinted spectacles, IMO. The AI in X:EU does cheat relentlessly, though, so can't disagree there.

@PinchySkree Well, the name of the feature is "Gaming Meme HISTORY." As for the so-called annoying head tilt, which I did not take notice of, it's unlikely you are being forced to watch (though I suppose not impossible).

No, Tom, I don't have to "take responsibility" for how others view video games. Despite having tried to parse that claim of yours from multiple angles, I'm still not even sure it's coherent. Games and gamers aren't the problem here. I think the problem is that parents and politicians alike need to grow up and take responsibility for themselves and their kids. I've never given a kid a violent game, so don't put this one on me, dude. I'm amazed you can start off by admitting "there's no proven correlation" between games and real-world violence, but then proceed to sermonize nebulously about my alleged culpability. Your whole article is just politically correct apologia, divorced from reality.

@PS2fweak

'it would've been awesome if they said something like, "Now that's a real fan!"'

Right, and get sued into the next decade. :|

Game publishing is a business. Their "weak" comment was the proper response, likely screened carefully by the legal and PR departments beforehand.

Also, wanting to create games that keep players interested and taking a stance in favor of moderation are not mutually exclusive positions.

@topsemag55

EA is bleeding money, too. They aren't going to save anyone.

@stony4cloud

Yes, lots of people still play the original Guild Wars, myself included.

@ safaridriver Yes, I'm sure BF3 was developed at the behest of the NSA, as a giant focus group session. /sarcasm

@ conpanbear There are frag grenades, flashbangs and molotovs. That might not be a complete list. You get a standard melee punch or shove attack with your gun for close quarters, but I don't think there are any melee weapons.

Meejoe27 said: "Warhammer 100% ripped of starship troopers by Robert A. Heinlein." "Starcraft didn't ripp off 40K anymore than 40K ripped off Tolkein, Heinlein, Cameron or any other writer to come before them. Influenced by is not equal to ripping off."

So did Warhammer "rip off" Heinlein or not? You seem to have adopted two mutually exclusive positions.