TheBookNerd

I play games on a laptop, and I'm a Game Pass subscriber. Right now I'm using a DualSense for my gamepad of choice.

I wanted to check out Flight Simulator. I'm not an airplane guy, don't have a HOTAS, etc. Just curious. I downloaded the game, started it up and made a random flight plan. When it dropped me in to the plane I immediately realized I was at a disadvantage, as the game assumes you are playing on a full-sized PC keyboard...

It suggested I use CTRL + NUM Del to release the parking brake. I have no numpad because I'm on a laptop.

The game did recognize my gamepad, and upon Googling my options I realized that Y+B releases the parking brake. Unfortunately, I guess the DualSense is set up differently because what should have been the Y+B were not recognized...

All of this to say I spent another twenty minutes or so trying to figure out how to customize inputs/key bindings. And that whole system is just unintelligible. I found the 'toggle parking brake' input, but when I tried to click different button options to set them as inputs, nothing happened.

My real question, I guess: Are there any pre-set/pre-loaded controller options for laptops that I could just download and add to the game? Or would I really have to go in to the key bindings and reassign every, single control option so that it works on my laptop? Because if that's the case then I'll just uninstall the game. I'm not that interested.

The last AC game I played to any great extent was Brotherhood, which I loved. I played it on 360.

Last year I purchased a decent gaming laptop, and I bought Valhalla when it came out a while back. I've sunk nearly 80 hours in to it. As I'm looking at wrapping it up, I'm thinking about the next game. I really enjoy open world, "medium difficulty" combat (Not really button mashing but also a little less involved than like a Souls game...) and the specific assassination mechanic in AC games is kind of a hook for me...

So, in researching the AC games that I missed, there seems to be a lot of love for AC: Origins. I'm wondering if that should be my next game... Or is there another open-world game that is pretty and fun and worth 80 hours on PC? Would appreciate y'all's thoughts...

Can anyone recommend a game like TAB but that doesn't end (unless you die)? I like the concept. But I'd like my game to continue in a persistent way rather than each time I fire it up having to start from scratch. Thanks.

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. I did play State of Decay (the first one) and enjoyed it. I think right now my time is more limited and I also play less frequently.

To the question from vhdblood re: what am I actually trying to find... Aside from everything I mentioned before (base building, crafting, materials collection, survival and a perpetual world) I need something that is more at the strategy level, preferably--like, not a first-person game ideally. And something that I can jump in and out of fairly easily. For example, "They Are Billions" would be ideal if it never ended (and if it was a bit easier!).

Y'all have already given me lots of ideas, so thanks for all of that. In the event that any more come to mind, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks, guys!

Bear with me here... But when Fortnite was originally announced like six or seven years ago, it seemed like the perfect game for me: base-building, crafting, persistent world, persistent enemy threats, single-player or co-op as you choose. The idea of building your base to survive ongoing attacks--even some that may occur while you are away--was very exciting. I couldn't wait!

Of course, we all know what Fortnite ultimately turned out to be. I did dabble in Save The World mode a bit, but even that was far from what I initially was so excited about.

In recent months I've combed Steam, the Epic Games Store, GiantBomb (of course) and other sites, as well as polling my friends. I've tried games like RimWorld, No Man's Sky, They Are Billions, Minecraft, Terreria, even Fallout: 76... Nothing really scratches that itch. First-person games feel slow because of the "literal" way you have to navigate the world. Top-down strategy games make me feel removed or don't have a level of graphic fidelity I'm looking for...

So does anyone have any suggestions for other games that would scratch this itch? Am I just being too picky? Is there a secret game out there I don't know about?? Help appreciated.

-MP

@bane: Isn't Subnautica all underwater? That just seems odd to me. Is movement a problem? What about the size of the world?

@stantongrouse: Thanks, grouse. Does Astroneer have any kind of combat? Also, I've been with Steam a long time and have a good library built up. Just haven't had a modern gaming PC for a loooooooong time. So the library is outdated.

I have a hankering for a base building/exploration game. I'm getting a new PC for my birthday with all the trimmings. Prefer playing solo. Which of these titles would y'all recommend?

So, I should have phrased my original post differently... I had expressed an interest in the Vita for its Remote Play feature, and then someone gave it to me for Christmas. So I didn't shop around and give it deep, reflective, critical thought. It's a nice gift, and I'd like to get the most out of it.

I do use the Remote Play feature, and I enjoy it a great deal--but only in my own home. I have yet to get it to work outside of my home, anywhere. Yes, I have seen the YouTube videos, forum posts, help posts, etc. explaining how to get it to work outside the home. But it just doesn't work. So, the only time I can use Remote Play is at home...which is fine if I'm fighting someone for the television. But why not just play on the PS4 and my television? But that's beside the point...

I could apologize for my preferences and try to make everyone understand them...but I won't. I don't like brief games or games that are small in scope. I prefer high-quality production value. I like to sink hundreds of hours in to one game. Typically I play fantasy role-playing games. I have put a lot of time in to Dragon Age: Inquisition already. I also play first-person shooters (Destiny, of course) and adventure games. I don't really care for JRPGs. So there you go. I realize many people like many of those kinds of games and spend lots of hours making them. And I'm not saying that they're horrible or dumb or unjustified or Hitler. I just don't enjoy them.

I really like Rogue Legacy and Don't Starve; I've played them on other platforms and downloaded them on the Vita. I've got Minecraft on there, too. I have Persona 4 Golden and Dragon's Crown, but neither has really clicked with me...but I'll keep trying.

So there you go. Could just be a futile effort. But I do appreciate all of your input and feedback. I'll give some of these a try. Thanks.

I got the Vita for Remote Play, but that's not really working out the way I wanted.

So are there any good game recommendations out there. Specifically, I enjoy playing role-playing games with strong loot and crafting systems. I'm not too big on indie stuff, which I understand the Vita has a lot of.

Thanks,
Book