Here's a round-up of the best PC Gamer forum threads from this week
Our favourite space games, the best magic systems, and details about the PC Gaming Show.
This week on the PC Gamer forums, we chatted about our favourite intergalactic adventures, rounded up the best uses of spells and magic in games, and asked the community to share their experiences making games and mods.
It's been a bit of a quiet week on the forums, but there are plenty of trending threads, competitions, and giveaways that are always ticking along nicely. Although they started last year(!) our threads about the troubles of finishing RPGs, the first video games we remember playing, and if real-time strategy can come back from the brink of death are still getting replies as recently as this week.
Our year-long giveaway campaign for the charity SpecialEffect has now rolled into a new month, meaning that another EPOS | SENNHEISER GSP 370 headset will be given away at the end of the month so make sure to swing on by the thread and enter.
Here's what's been happening on the forum this week:
PC Gaming Show
This year's PC Gaming Show is happening this weekend and will feature never-before-seen gameplay footage, announcements from some of gaming's biggest developers, and a showcase of fresh-faced games. The show will run this Saturday, June 13 at 11 AM Pacific with the biggest line up in its six-year history. For a list of all the developers showing games, check out the forum thread and leave a comment saying which one you're most excited for.
While past PC Gaming Shows have been broadcast live, this year's event will be pre-recorded, with hosts Sean "Day9" Plott and Frankie Ward taking to the air from a custom studio we built in LA. But they won't be broadcasting alone: The show will also feature gaming celebrity cameos and a mystery co-host.—SHaines, Community Manager
Here's the thread with the full list.
The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
What are you favourite space games?
Space games are a pillar of PC gaming and with so many to delve into IndecentLouie has asked the forums which ones are the community's favourites. Whether it's exploring the wider reaches of space, managing a giant ship, or meeting weird aliens, there's a space game for everyone. Check out the thread for some great recommendations and then have a look at our own list of the best space games on PC.
In regard to the specifics you're looking for, I think Duskers is the best fit. Have you tried it? No Man's Sky is also really good now after all of the updates, and BattleTech has plenty of ship / squad building elements if you like turn-based tactics.—McStabStab
If you can get the people together, Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator might be interesting. I've been wanting to try it forever, but it's not easy to get enough people together. X4: Foundations might be interesting to look at too. Also a game I've never found the opportunity to play. Googling some other space games brought me to EVERSPACE, which looks very interesting as well.—Pifanjr
What game has the best magic?
For this week's question, Chris asks the community what games have the best use of magic. No one can turn invisible, levitate objects, or zap people with electrifying lighting bolts in real life, so it's down to videogames to make all those happen. Have there been any magic systems that have left you spellbound? Make sure you jump into the thread and leave a comment.
The Witch Doctor of Diablo 3 has my vote for the best magic of any game. Hex the hordes, harvest their souls, and throw a jar of spiders at them. Is a jar of spiders magic? It is if you have an infinite amount of them. Diablo 3 throws lords of hell at you and Witch Doctor says, "I'm going to kill you with these frogs." Now THATS magic.—XoRn
Ultima Series! I ended up in a Software etc. store in the 80's on accident and being an Atari and CollecoVision kid, I never saw what a game with magic was until I saw a demo of Ultima III running. Was the first time I saw a game with real magic with so many options. I was hooked on how you had to make your spells from ingredients and they were finite! You needed more magic missiles, then go find some SA(sulfurous Ash) and BP(Black Pearls).—Hellcinder
Have you ever tried to make a game or not?
Jody's weekend question asks if anyone on the forums has tried making games or mods. A great thing about PC gaming is the number of communities based around game development and this thread is a great opportunity to celebrate that. Unfinished RPG Maker experiments, TF2 cosmetics, and janky game mods, anything and everything counts so make sure you leave a comment in the thread.
I used to be big into making levels for Descent and Descent 2 when I was a kid. You could string them together too, so me and my brother ended up creating an entire campaign out of them. I think we have them stored on floppy disks somewhere and I should still have those, but I don't have any means to use them anymore!—Rensje
Yes!!! I'm part of a networking group for women in games development "Women Making Games" and we started working out how to mod our t-shirts into different games, like Minecraft and Animal Crossing so I learned how to do it in the Sims 4 :) —SWard
Top threads this week
What was the first video game you remember playing?
Can real-time strategy come back from the brink of death?
Your favourite building/management games
What RPG did you FINALLY find time to play?
Rachel had been bouncing around different gaming websites as a freelancer and staff writer for three years before settling at PC Gamer back in 2019. She mainly writes reviews, previews, and features, but on rare occasions will switch it up with news and guides. When she's not taking hundreds of screenshots of the latest indie darling, you can find her nurturing her parsnip empire in Stardew Valley and planning an axolotl uprising in Minecraft. She loves 'stop and smell the roses' games—her proudest gaming moment being the one time she kept her virtual potted plants alive for over a year.
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