... is going pretty well so far. There have been some server instability issues, but in a completely unexpected move, Richard Garriot (designer/producer of TR) chatted with people IN GAME (in chat) about them and what they were doing to fix.
That really impressed me.
The game play is surprisingly fast and fun, even though it is still an MMO. There are no "headshots" a`la FPS style games, but there is enough battlefield tactics to still feel pseudo-FPS.
The class system is reminiscent of SWG in that you choose how to level up as you go along. And I really liked that system, so I was happy to see it here.
Pleased enough, I pre-ordered.
I will probably post a more comprehensive view post-launch. I don't like reviewing pre-launch games. I find that to be a violation of the gamer/company trust with an open beta offering.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Meme: Ten Fictional Characters
Taken from Chris at 2 Guys (see side bar for URL), here's the next cool meme. (And be sure to read his too)
First, select your ten fictional characters (from any medium) by whichever method you like best. Then answer the questions below.
1 - Samus Aran, Metroid
2 - Neo, Matrix
3 - Gandalf, Lord of the Rings
4 - Minsc, Baldur's Gate Series
5 - Rogue, X-Men
6 - Alicia, Valkyrie Profile 2
7 - Hermione, Harry Potter Series
8 - The Iron Mage, Ptolus
9 - Jean-Luc Picard, USS Enterprise
10 - John Preston, Equilibrium
1. Divide the list up by even and odd. Which group of five would make a better Five Man Band (like a Power Rangers team)? Who would you slot in each position: Leader, Lancer (second-in-command), Big Guy, Smart Guy, The Chick? If you think the team would be improved by swapping one character between the even and odd groups, which ones would you switch?
(I'm going to assume this means don't reorder them, split them left right, left right, etc)
Group 1
- Neo, Matrix
- Minsc, Baldur's Gate Series
- Alicia, Valkyrie Profile 2
- The Iron Mage, Ptolus
- John Preston, Equilibrium
Group 2
- Samus Aran, Metroid
- Gandalf, Lord of the Rings
- Rogue, X-Men
- Hermione, Harry Potter Series
- Jean-Luc Picard, USS Enterprise
Better 5 man band? Power - group 1 - smarts - group 2
G1: Leader: Preston; 2nd: Neo; Biggun: Minsc; Smart: Iron Mage; Chick: Alicia (at age 18)
G2: Leader: Gandalf; 2nd: Picard; Biggun: Samus Aran; Smart: Hermione; Chick: Rogue
Swap: Preston <--> Picard
2. Gender-swap 2, 8 & 10. Which character would have the most change in their story arc? Which the least? Would any of these characters have to have a complete personality change to be believable as the opposite sex?
Neo Most Change. Iron Mage no change at all. None would have to have a complete personalty redux to be believable.
3. Compare the matchups of 1 & 8 and 5 & 9. (Ignore canon sexual preferences for the moment.) Which couple would be more compatible? Which couple would be more plausible to people from either principal's home culture?
Hm so that means Samus + Iron Mage and Rogue + Jean-Luc Picard. Wow, both are hetero matches.
More compatible - Samus pairing, fo sho. Home culture, same.
The Samus and Iron Mage matchup would kick some major ass. Wow.
4. Your team is 3, 4 & 9. The mission consists of a social challenge, a mental challenge and a physical challenge. Which team member do you assign to each challenge?
So, I get Gandalf, Minsc and Jean-Luc.
Hell yeah. Bring it on! Wow the challenges are a bit too perfect for this group. Do I have to spell them out? Really??
OK, Social - Jean-Luc -- Mental - Gandalf -- Physical - Minsc. (No bars a berserker raging, hamster wielding ranger can't bend nor break)
5. 7 becomes 1's boss for a week in some plausible fashion. How's their working relationship?
Hermione gets to boss Samus??
Samus - gone on day one - Hermoine panics - Samus comes back on day seven with fully upraded suit, a few power houses in body bags and a Margarita. Hermione lectures, Samus rolls in to a sphere and ignores.
6. 2 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity. As far as anyone other than 2 or 6 is concerned, they've always been there. What role would 2 be presumed to have had in 6's story, and could they fit in without going wonky?
Neo inserted in to Valk-world. Neo would have been presumed to be a messenger from the gods with the ability to dodge arrows at the speed of light - or something. And Neo would never fit in. Ever.
7. 3 and 5 get three wishes. The catch is that they have to agree on all three wishes before they get the benefits of any of them. What three wishes would they make?
Gandalf and Rogue's three wishes...
Evil eradicated
Underpriveledged to become priveledged
Instantaneous Travel
8. 1 and 2 are brainwashed by a one-time artifact that works even on people immune to mind control to attack and kill 4. They keep their normal personality, skills and competence level, except any Code vs. Killing has been turned off. Can 4 survive? How?
CORRECTION:
This morning I realized I should have written that they were out to kill Minsc, not Rogue.
I like the old response too, so I am keeping it in, but grayed out.
As for Samus and Neo killing Minsc. Minsc is a good fighter but with no super powers up his sleeve, he's a bit toast. Sorry Minsc.
Samus and Neo are out to kill Rogue.
This is a game of Stratego. By herself, Rogue would be normally toast... Unless she got the first strike. Steal the powers of either and then it's game over for the other. (Kill the first person in the process too.)
9. 6, 7, 9 & 10 must help an orphanage full of small and depressed children have a merry Christmas. Who does what, knowing that at the very least the kids will be expecting a visit from Santa?
Alicia, Hermione, Jean-Luc and Preston?
Jean-Luc will avoid actually being at the whole event. He hates being around kids, but he does like helping kids. So he will be sure to beam down some presents and a holo-emitter for the Santa. Hell, make it two holo emitters and throw some elves in too.
I guess he could cover food too.
Alicia will fit right in witi the kids. She might be something like 16, but she's 8 at heart.
Hermione will try to explain how everything works, including magic, until her audience wanes, at which time, she will will simply resort to trying to look comfortable while sitting in the corner - alone.
Preston will make sure that no one threatens the event. Period.
10. 3 and 8 are challenged to circumnavigate the Earth in eighty days or less, using only forms of transportation invented before 1900. Can they do it, or will they be fatally distracted by sidequests or their own personality conflicts?
Gandalf and the Iron Mage... Both rely on magic and are from Medieval Era times. Let's just assume they don't get that I-Win button.
They'd still pull it off easy. I mean, Gandalf can ride on horses fast as the wind, talk to animals and has an uncanny knowledge of geography. (Being a celestial helps with that I guess)
The Iron Mage is very task focused. It wouldn't matter if he had to bribe, convince or otherwise force people to listen to him. He'd get it done.
First, select your ten fictional characters (from any medium) by whichever method you like best. Then answer the questions below.
1 - Samus Aran, Metroid
2 - Neo, Matrix
3 - Gandalf, Lord of the Rings
4 - Minsc, Baldur's Gate Series
5 - Rogue, X-Men
6 - Alicia, Valkyrie Profile 2
7 - Hermione, Harry Potter Series
8 - The Iron Mage, Ptolus
9 - Jean-Luc Picard, USS Enterprise
10 - John Preston, Equilibrium
1. Divide the list up by even and odd. Which group of five would make a better Five Man Band (like a Power Rangers team)? Who would you slot in each position: Leader, Lancer (second-in-command), Big Guy, Smart Guy, The Chick? If you think the team would be improved by swapping one character between the even and odd groups, which ones would you switch?
(I'm going to assume this means don't reorder them, split them left right, left right, etc)
Group 1
- Neo, Matrix
- Minsc, Baldur's Gate Series
- Alicia, Valkyrie Profile 2
- The Iron Mage, Ptolus
- John Preston, Equilibrium
Group 2
- Samus Aran, Metroid
- Gandalf, Lord of the Rings
- Rogue, X-Men
- Hermione, Harry Potter Series
- Jean-Luc Picard, USS Enterprise
Better 5 man band? Power - group 1 - smarts - group 2
G1: Leader: Preston; 2nd: Neo; Biggun: Minsc; Smart: Iron Mage; Chick: Alicia (at age 18)
G2: Leader: Gandalf; 2nd: Picard; Biggun: Samus Aran; Smart: Hermione; Chick: Rogue
Swap: Preston <--> Picard
2. Gender-swap 2, 8 & 10. Which character would have the most change in their story arc? Which the least? Would any of these characters have to have a complete personality change to be believable as the opposite sex?
Neo Most Change. Iron Mage no change at all. None would have to have a complete personalty redux to be believable.
3. Compare the matchups of 1 & 8 and 5 & 9. (Ignore canon sexual preferences for the moment.) Which couple would be more compatible? Which couple would be more plausible to people from either principal's home culture?
Hm so that means Samus + Iron Mage and Rogue + Jean-Luc Picard. Wow, both are hetero matches.
More compatible - Samus pairing, fo sho. Home culture, same.
The Samus and Iron Mage matchup would kick some major ass. Wow.
4. Your team is 3, 4 & 9. The mission consists of a social challenge, a mental challenge and a physical challenge. Which team member do you assign to each challenge?
So, I get Gandalf, Minsc and Jean-Luc.
Hell yeah. Bring it on! Wow the challenges are a bit too perfect for this group. Do I have to spell them out? Really??
OK, Social - Jean-Luc -- Mental - Gandalf -- Physical - Minsc. (No bars a berserker raging, hamster wielding ranger can't bend nor break)
5. 7 becomes 1's boss for a week in some plausible fashion. How's their working relationship?
Hermione gets to boss Samus??
Samus - gone on day one - Hermoine panics - Samus comes back on day seven with fully upraded suit, a few power houses in body bags and a Margarita. Hermione lectures, Samus rolls in to a sphere and ignores.
6. 2 finds him/her/itself inserted into 6's continuity. As far as anyone other than 2 or 6 is concerned, they've always been there. What role would 2 be presumed to have had in 6's story, and could they fit in without going wonky?
Neo inserted in to Valk-world. Neo would have been presumed to be a messenger from the gods with the ability to dodge arrows at the speed of light - or something. And Neo would never fit in. Ever.
7. 3 and 5 get three wishes. The catch is that they have to agree on all three wishes before they get the benefits of any of them. What three wishes would they make?
Gandalf and Rogue's three wishes...
Evil eradicated
Underpriveledged to become priveledged
Instantaneous Travel
8. 1 and 2 are brainwashed by a one-time artifact that works even on people immune to mind control to attack and kill 4. They keep their normal personality, skills and competence level, except any Code vs. Killing has been turned off. Can 4 survive? How?
CORRECTION:
This morning I realized I should have written that they were out to kill Minsc, not Rogue.
I like the old response too, so I am keeping it in, but grayed out.
As for Samus and Neo killing Minsc. Minsc is a good fighter but with no super powers up his sleeve, he's a bit toast. Sorry Minsc.
Samus and Neo are out to kill Rogue.
This is a game of Stratego. By herself, Rogue would be normally toast... Unless she got the first strike. Steal the powers of either and then it's game over for the other. (Kill the first person in the process too.)
9. 6, 7, 9 & 10 must help an orphanage full of small and depressed children have a merry Christmas. Who does what, knowing that at the very least the kids will be expecting a visit from Santa?
Alicia, Hermione, Jean-Luc and Preston?
Jean-Luc will avoid actually being at the whole event. He hates being around kids, but he does like helping kids. So he will be sure to beam down some presents and a holo-emitter for the Santa. Hell, make it two holo emitters and throw some elves in too.
I guess he could cover food too.
Alicia will fit right in witi the kids. She might be something like 16, but she's 8 at heart.
Hermione will try to explain how everything works, including magic, until her audience wanes, at which time, she will will simply resort to trying to look comfortable while sitting in the corner - alone.
Preston will make sure that no one threatens the event. Period.
10. 3 and 8 are challenged to circumnavigate the Earth in eighty days or less, using only forms of transportation invented before 1900. Can they do it, or will they be fatally distracted by sidequests or their own personality conflicts?
Gandalf and the Iron Mage... Both rely on magic and are from Medieval Era times. Let's just assume they don't get that I-Win button.
They'd still pull it off easy. I mean, Gandalf can ride on horses fast as the wind, talk to animals and has an uncanny knowledge of geography. (Being a celestial helps with that I guess)
The Iron Mage is very task focused. It wouldn't matter if he had to bribe, convince or otherwise force people to listen to him. He'd get it done.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Women Video Gamers
We need more!!!
So imagine my pleasure at running across an AP news video highlighting that women are being targeted for video game advertisements.
Well it's about time! I mean seriously - the lack of women who can "talk shop" with us video game playing males is disappointing to say the least. Now, I'm sure that some areas have their share, but I suspect that the norm is the traditional "Oh you play video games .... check please!" response.
Pink consoles - go for it! Fitness programs - great!
I'm not sure what the deal is with the paper rock scissors thing though. Is that an insult to their intelligence?? I hope not. I mean really, what kind of sick twisted advertising campaign would that be?
(Note to self, time to go Googling for this ad.)
But at any rate, I really look forward to the days when talking about video games involves an approximately balanced number of people of either gender.
And for the record - my daughter likes video games. =)
So imagine my pleasure at running across an AP news video highlighting that women are being targeted for video game advertisements.
Well it's about time! I mean seriously - the lack of women who can "talk shop" with us video game playing males is disappointing to say the least. Now, I'm sure that some areas have their share, but I suspect that the norm is the traditional "Oh you play video games .... check please!" response.
Pink consoles - go for it! Fitness programs - great!
I'm not sure what the deal is with the paper rock scissors thing though. Is that an insult to their intelligence?? I hope not. I mean really, what kind of sick twisted advertising campaign would that be?
(Note to self, time to go Googling for this ad.)
But at any rate, I really look forward to the days when talking about video games involves an approximately balanced number of people of either gender.
And for the record - my daughter likes video games. =)
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
They finally got to Mii
About the Wii itself:
I like the concept, but some of it needs improvement. You see, I got one last Friday and have already beaten Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
My biggest problem is that the controller movement is relative movement. I would really like to play a game like Metroid and point at the screen to aim. Or if I can't do that, point my controller around like her gun arm and have that mimic in-game. But if you make such a large motion, the Wii has a hernia and you go out of scope for the sensor and then lots of crying .. or I mean dying. Or something.
As it is, you more or less "tilt" the controller and that does the in game aiming etc. This is not a problem with Metroid, it's a problem with the Wii.
In Zelda, the box says "Swing your controller and Link swings his sword!" Now, that sounds like all kinds of cool, no?
Until you get in the game and realize "swing" means "rattle" and that if you actually DO swing your controller arm, you go off-screen (which the game buzzes you for) and it doesn't register a swing at all.
I hope that some second gen input devices will at least widen the field of view and/or solve these issues.
Now, that said, the Wii does have some nice features. The input method in other ways is quite unique. I really liked the switch puzzles in Metroid, where you rotate your Wii-mote (the controller pad) and the switches in game rotate with it. That sort of thing.
WiiConnect24 is an online service where you can download games. The NES and SNES titles cost 5 to 8 dollars each. That's really handy. =)
The Mii concept needs some polish. They look ridiculous and I don't see any self-respecting game really using them seriously. Metroid has a "bonus" mode that lets you put your Mii on Samus's spaceship's dash as a bobble-head. Looks like they feel it's silly too. =)
About Zelda:
Disappointed. The controller issue I described is part of it. I really want to swing my sword arm and have my swing mirrored in game. Angle, speed, all of it. That would be cool.
But even outside the controller issues, what is with making the series a kiddie game? I feel like I have to lower myself to Zelda's level as a gamer. I want a mature Zelda. You know, those of us who actually remember spending countless hours inside castles, breaking blocks, dodging enemies, to save the princess? Not throwing chickens, shooting slingshots at spiders and tumbling through grass.
WindWaker was a step in the right direction. Too bad they reverted to N64-Zelda style.
Ugh.
About Metroid:
Awesome. Totally awesome.
Even awesomer than that. (Spelling Nazis - I know that the word I just typed isn't in the dictionary. You'll live.)
Whew, where do I begin....
This game really stream lines pointless running around. Almost none. Objectives are clear and marked. Pick ups are (eventually) marked on the maps for you.
Each room feels like it flows properly and has purpose.
The maps are beautiful.
But the best is the epic feeling of the fights. You really feel like you are running around, dodging, weaving, and in short, out-gunning your opposition.
Hyper mode is fun.as.hell. It's a whole lot of whup-ass in a neat little package.
Only one boss feels like cheeze. The rest feel more refined.
The music is appropriate and underscores the areas you go through nicely.
The scripted enemy sequences don't really feel so scripted and the feeling that gives is of some large force actually out to stop you. Like it should.
My only disappointment would have to be that I felt the metroids themselves should have been more populous and more deadly (thus scary opponents). But I'll live. Maybe next time.
This game was so much fun, I am restarting it tonight. Few games grab me like that.
I like the concept, but some of it needs improvement. You see, I got one last Friday and have already beaten Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
My biggest problem is that the controller movement is relative movement. I would really like to play a game like Metroid and point at the screen to aim. Or if I can't do that, point my controller around like her gun arm and have that mimic in-game. But if you make such a large motion, the Wii has a hernia and you go out of scope for the sensor and then lots of crying .. or I mean dying. Or something.
As it is, you more or less "tilt" the controller and that does the in game aiming etc. This is not a problem with Metroid, it's a problem with the Wii.
In Zelda, the box says "Swing your controller and Link swings his sword!" Now, that sounds like all kinds of cool, no?
Until you get in the game and realize "swing" means "rattle" and that if you actually DO swing your controller arm, you go off-screen (which the game buzzes you for) and it doesn't register a swing at all.
I hope that some second gen input devices will at least widen the field of view and/or solve these issues.
Now, that said, the Wii does have some nice features. The input method in other ways is quite unique. I really liked the switch puzzles in Metroid, where you rotate your Wii-mote (the controller pad) and the switches in game rotate with it. That sort of thing.
WiiConnect24 is an online service where you can download games. The NES and SNES titles cost 5 to 8 dollars each. That's really handy. =)
The Mii concept needs some polish. They look ridiculous and I don't see any self-respecting game really using them seriously. Metroid has a "bonus" mode that lets you put your Mii on Samus's spaceship's dash as a bobble-head. Looks like they feel it's silly too. =)
About Zelda:
Disappointed. The controller issue I described is part of it. I really want to swing my sword arm and have my swing mirrored in game. Angle, speed, all of it. That would be cool.
But even outside the controller issues, what is with making the series a kiddie game? I feel like I have to lower myself to Zelda's level as a gamer. I want a mature Zelda. You know, those of us who actually remember spending countless hours inside castles, breaking blocks, dodging enemies, to save the princess? Not throwing chickens, shooting slingshots at spiders and tumbling through grass.
WindWaker was a step in the right direction. Too bad they reverted to N64-Zelda style.
Ugh.
About Metroid:
Awesome. Totally awesome.
Even awesomer than that. (Spelling Nazis - I know that the word I just typed isn't in the dictionary. You'll live.)
Whew, where do I begin....
This game really stream lines pointless running around. Almost none. Objectives are clear and marked. Pick ups are (eventually) marked on the maps for you.
Each room feels like it flows properly and has purpose.
The maps are beautiful.
But the best is the epic feeling of the fights. You really feel like you are running around, dodging, weaving, and in short, out-gunning your opposition.
Hyper mode is fun.as.hell. It's a whole lot of whup-ass in a neat little package.
Only one boss feels like cheeze. The rest feel more refined.
The music is appropriate and underscores the areas you go through nicely.
The scripted enemy sequences don't really feel so scripted and the feeling that gives is of some large force actually out to stop you. Like it should.
My only disappointment would have to be that I felt the metroids themselves should have been more populous and more deadly (thus scary opponents). But I'll live. Maybe next time.
This game was so much fun, I am restarting it tonight. Few games grab me like that.
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