You know, I happen to spend time thinking about what I am going to talk about, and rarely how to start this whole thing off. My pup would rather have scratches over letting me devote some attention to my blog. Cannot blame him really, spent all day at work, and could take him for a walk, as it was raining today. He doesn't like walking in the rain. No walks for him.
Anyways, away from that story, and on to another one. I decided to bring up a topic that I like to have in my games....story. Story is one of, if not, the most important thing in a game. It brings you the setting, the history, and even fleshes out your characters more. It gives the game life. For me, it is the most engaging part of the game. If there is no story worth following, then there better be some damned good game play in there.
The story behind a game is pretty much what the game is about. In retrospect, I think I will have to tackle this subject over the long term, with a few parts to it, looking at RPG and other games, and how story drives the games of different genres, perhaps a view on story in RPG Vs JRPG. (Japanese Role Playing Game, for the uninitiated). Then looking at the Protagonist and Antagonist, their own stories, and how they impact the games own story.
So it shall be!! I will begin tomorrow.
I hope, all things considered.
Until then, happy gaming.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
In Requiem
As time moves on, another passing in the MMO world to talk about. The curtain falls on Sony Online Entertainment space mess, "Star Wars Galaxies", as they announced last week that the servers would be shutting down in December of this year. Some people are crying 'foul' while others think...about time. One girl has gone as far as to make a youtube video. decrying this fact, going so far as to tell SOE, SWG, Bioware, and SWTOR to go and fuck themselves (sorry kiddies). I guess i can sympathize with her, to a degree. Nothing sucks (or hurts) more than spending years, building a community and relationships within that community within a game, only to have it cut off. Everything you have strived for mean nothing. Gone....poof....vapourized with the flip of a switch.
I say, good riddance. That being said, I never played the game. In fact, it was the SOE tag that made me turn around and walk away. I think Lucas Arts made the right choice in not renewing the contract with SOE. In my mind, while SOE is one of the biggest companies out there, they have without a doubt, pretty much destroyed anything they have put to market. I think that EQ and EQ2 are the two game that they have not completely screwed up. I am sure they have done some work that leaves a foul, foul taste in their players mouths, but nothing that they havent fixed. One does not totally screw up their flagship game(s). Like Blizzard.....oops.
Lets take a walk down SOE memory lane, starting with EQ, when they started down a story path that left many, and I mean many players wondering "WTF?", with their expac 'Gates of Discord". This content was so unpopular, that people kept playing the "Planes of Power" content with alts. Moving beyond that, some people kept wondering why there were more aliens within their fantasy genre. Plausible, but very silly in my eyes. Moving on, with Planetside, a game I truly enjoyed. Three factions, all player based, total PVP. Fast, frantic, action packed, FUN! Of course, that was beta, as once the game went live, many changes happened. Changes that made the game frustrating, lopsided, and not worth playing. Such is the SOE way. Lets take a look at one of their more recent offerings with DCUniverse Online. This game launched with tremendous amounts of potential. There is the issue, launched with potential. The game was released with a max level of 30, and not much of an end game in sight. People hit that cap, and raided enough to get their top tier armor sets well within the first month, if not few weeks. The replay content of the game is there, with different power sets, abilities and mentor characters. However, I found it hard to bring a 3rd character to max level. The combat was fun, intuitive, and different enough from other games. The story was good, not great, but good.
Another driving factor for me stopping was SOE itself, as an entity. All the forum threads asking for updates, content, complaints were locked down faster than.......I dont know. I cannot think of a joke to insert here.
The apparent disdain SOE hold for their player and fan base blows me away. This is something that has not changed from the days of Everquest, and I mean the early days, before kunark. SOE seems to hold the mantra of "this is our game, and you will play it our way" very near and dear.
Looking back at SWG, their first update, the Combat Upgrade ( I think, dont recall) drove players away en masse. In fact, it took divine intervention from Lucas Arts in order to bring about the New Game Experience, which sadly to say, caused yet another mass exodus of players from the game. Sometime after (2007 or so) LucasArts withdrew their creative contract from SOE, no longer allowing them to create new content for the game. It was revealed shortly there after that Bioware was awarded the contract, and was creating a new Star Wars MMO,
Perhaps, this will herald changes coming to SOE, perhaps they will take their products and fan base more seriously. After all, they have been losing players to other companies and games for years now. They have a chance now to take a look at things, and perhaps change their model, and start backing up their games.
Time will tell, as it is shown, the Force is not with SOE.
As always, Happy gaming.
I say, good riddance. That being said, I never played the game. In fact, it was the SOE tag that made me turn around and walk away. I think Lucas Arts made the right choice in not renewing the contract with SOE. In my mind, while SOE is one of the biggest companies out there, they have without a doubt, pretty much destroyed anything they have put to market. I think that EQ and EQ2 are the two game that they have not completely screwed up. I am sure they have done some work that leaves a foul, foul taste in their players mouths, but nothing that they havent fixed. One does not totally screw up their flagship game(s). Like Blizzard.....oops.
Lets take a walk down SOE memory lane, starting with EQ, when they started down a story path that left many, and I mean many players wondering "WTF?", with their expac 'Gates of Discord". This content was so unpopular, that people kept playing the "Planes of Power" content with alts. Moving beyond that, some people kept wondering why there were more aliens within their fantasy genre. Plausible, but very silly in my eyes. Moving on, with Planetside, a game I truly enjoyed. Three factions, all player based, total PVP. Fast, frantic, action packed, FUN! Of course, that was beta, as once the game went live, many changes happened. Changes that made the game frustrating, lopsided, and not worth playing. Such is the SOE way. Lets take a look at one of their more recent offerings with DCUniverse Online. This game launched with tremendous amounts of potential. There is the issue, launched with potential. The game was released with a max level of 30, and not much of an end game in sight. People hit that cap, and raided enough to get their top tier armor sets well within the first month, if not few weeks. The replay content of the game is there, with different power sets, abilities and mentor characters. However, I found it hard to bring a 3rd character to max level. The combat was fun, intuitive, and different enough from other games. The story was good, not great, but good.
Another driving factor for me stopping was SOE itself, as an entity. All the forum threads asking for updates, content, complaints were locked down faster than.......I dont know. I cannot think of a joke to insert here.
The apparent disdain SOE hold for their player and fan base blows me away. This is something that has not changed from the days of Everquest, and I mean the early days, before kunark. SOE seems to hold the mantra of "this is our game, and you will play it our way" very near and dear.
Looking back at SWG, their first update, the Combat Upgrade ( I think, dont recall) drove players away en masse. In fact, it took divine intervention from Lucas Arts in order to bring about the New Game Experience, which sadly to say, caused yet another mass exodus of players from the game. Sometime after (2007 or so) LucasArts withdrew their creative contract from SOE, no longer allowing them to create new content for the game. It was revealed shortly there after that Bioware was awarded the contract, and was creating a new Star Wars MMO,
Perhaps, this will herald changes coming to SOE, perhaps they will take their products and fan base more seriously. After all, they have been losing players to other companies and games for years now. They have a chance now to take a look at things, and perhaps change their model, and start backing up their games.
Time will tell, as it is shown, the Force is not with SOE.
As always, Happy gaming.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Best in show....part duexin' it again
Now that I have had a chance to clear the old noggin out, I can carry on with this article.
I think the point I am trying to make is that the credibility of a site or journalist that goes ahead and makes a 'trailer' a nomination for best of (insert your fave expo here), is shot all to hell..... in fact, it was eaten by a cat and crapped out, into mud. And stepped on. And dragged through more crap. And dropped into a sewer.
I think both gametrailers.com and G4TV have some issues. Taking money for a nomination or a best in show award, or taking 'first hands on' or anything like a favour, to me, just......sigh.
/anger off
To me, a person who is making a living on reporting, or being a journalist, should maintain a level of integrity and remain impartial. Unbiased. Non-partisan. Just give me the facts. Dont bother with your opinion, its tainted.
gametrailers.com - up yours, seriously....you people, are a bunch of asses,.
G4TV - Adam Sessler....drop the gushing fanboi act! Someone replace him....maybe bring back Olivia Munn to the show....Sara Underwood full time host?
Moragn Webb -...........umm....spanking?
Happy Morganing....er..spank.....er...gaming...
PS - I know that this article didnt make a whole deal of sense. For some reason, I had a hard time putting this one down into words. Its nothing to do with anger, its just having to decide what is worse, the fact they did it, and have done, and will continue to do it, or the fact that they have been caught doing it, and will flaunt it in front of people who are fans, and will continue to do so.... there by destroying any credibility they might have had.
I think the point I am trying to make is that the credibility of a site or journalist that goes ahead and makes a 'trailer' a nomination for best of (insert your fave expo here), is shot all to hell..... in fact, it was eaten by a cat and crapped out, into mud. And stepped on. And dragged through more crap. And dropped into a sewer.
I think both gametrailers.com and G4TV have some issues. Taking money for a nomination or a best in show award, or taking 'first hands on' or anything like a favour, to me, just......sigh.
/anger off
To me, a person who is making a living on reporting, or being a journalist, should maintain a level of integrity and remain impartial. Unbiased. Non-partisan. Just give me the facts. Dont bother with your opinion, its tainted.
gametrailers.com - up yours, seriously....you people, are a bunch of asses,.
G4TV - Adam Sessler....drop the gushing fanboi act! Someone replace him....maybe bring back Olivia Munn to the show....Sara Underwood full time host?
Moragn Webb -...........umm....spanking?
Happy Morganing....er..spank.....er...gaming...
PS - I know that this article didnt make a whole deal of sense. For some reason, I had a hard time putting this one down into words. Its nothing to do with anger, its just having to decide what is worse, the fact they did it, and have done, and will continue to do it, or the fact that they have been caught doing it, and will flaunt it in front of people who are fans, and will continue to do so.... there by destroying any credibility they might have had.
Best in Show?
Two and a half weeks after E3, and the accolades keep coming out. Recently gametrailer.com announced their award for Best First Person Shooter in E3. Amongst the nominees, was a small title called "Halo 4". Yes, this game, the fourth game in the series, and the first in the next trilogy, was a nominee for top FPS in E3! Thrills and spills, rejoice and cheer!
/sarcasm off
Halo 4 was a reveal trailer. One minute long or so long, cinematic. No hands on game play.
This, was enough, to garner the game a Best in E3 nomination. Something wrong with this, something, very wrong. One would think to garner one of these awards, a game should have, oh I don't know, actual hands on game play? I am guessing that there are no guide lines for judging and nominating a title for those? G4TV also added a game as their Best @ E3 (overall) as Bioshock : Infinite. This game had a 'gameplay trailer' on hand, but again, no actual hands on. (This is running on second hand info, and I am working to confirm this, so hang tight, and I will correct myself, but I will hold onto my opinions). For those that do not know what a 'gameplay' trailer is, it is a short video showcasing the game, using in game graphics and game play engine.
That is not the same as giving people the actual game play in order to judge what it is that they going to gush over.
So, I know that Game Journalism is still relatively new to the scene. However, it is no longer in its infancy, it has been around long enough. Game Journalists should no longer be influenced by jingling keys and shiny things. These people should be smart enough, and have a little bit of integrity. With the current batch of gaming sites and reviews, and even TV stations and shows, one can see that there is obvious, or less obvious pandering. Did Microsoft go to gametrailers.com and say "Give us a nomination, and get some exclusives!"? Same thing with Bioshock Infinite, did the publisher / developer head over to the cronies from X-Play and say the same thing? This is something that should make gamers somewhat mad.
It won't though, as everyone has their favourite game / dev / site that can do no wrong.
Time to move on and grow up journalists. Time to move beyond the childish behavior and grow some integrity.
I am going to call it here, and continue later on.
Happy selling out!
/sarcasm off
Halo 4 was a reveal trailer. One minute long or so long, cinematic. No hands on game play.
This, was enough, to garner the game a Best in E3 nomination. Something wrong with this, something, very wrong. One would think to garner one of these awards, a game should have, oh I don't know, actual hands on game play? I am guessing that there are no guide lines for judging and nominating a title for those? G4TV also added a game as their Best @ E3 (overall) as Bioshock : Infinite. This game had a 'gameplay trailer' on hand, but again, no actual hands on. (This is running on second hand info, and I am working to confirm this, so hang tight, and I will correct myself, but I will hold onto my opinions). For those that do not know what a 'gameplay' trailer is, it is a short video showcasing the game, using in game graphics and game play engine.
That is not the same as giving people the actual game play in order to judge what it is that they going to gush over.
So, I know that Game Journalism is still relatively new to the scene. However, it is no longer in its infancy, it has been around long enough. Game Journalists should no longer be influenced by jingling keys and shiny things. These people should be smart enough, and have a little bit of integrity. With the current batch of gaming sites and reviews, and even TV stations and shows, one can see that there is obvious, or less obvious pandering. Did Microsoft go to gametrailers.com and say "Give us a nomination, and get some exclusives!"? Same thing with Bioshock Infinite, did the publisher / developer head over to the cronies from X-Play and say the same thing? This is something that should make gamers somewhat mad.
It won't though, as everyone has their favourite game / dev / site that can do no wrong.
Time to move on and grow up journalists. Time to move beyond the childish behavior and grow some integrity.
I am going to call it here, and continue later on.
Happy selling out!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Cata Kill Count Climbs
Hows that for alliteration?
I had previously stated I would like to do a highlights and wrap up of E3 2011, however, I appear to have dropped the ball on that one. Pity, there was a fair bit at E3 that bears mentioning. Like the fact that I may actually buy a Nintendo console. YEAH, I know! The Wii U. No more kiddie games for nintendo! How about that shit? Killer piece of hardware they displayed there, kudos to you, Nintendo, you have become...relevant once again. I look forward to this unit. Also, Sony, and the PSVita, their new handheld, with...get this, a reasonable launch price. Wi-Fi unit...$249.99 (I think) and 3G and Wi-Fi....$299.99. Looks like I am spending some money in the coming year or so. Giggity!
Now, onto my oh so clever titular material. Most of you know, that up until Feb 2011, I was an avid WoW fan and player. However, since December 7, 2010, my...favourite(?) past time was becoming....lets just say....no longer a fun place or fun thing to do. To me, there just seemed to be a lack of....new. Shiny. Something that would make me want to keep going in the game. Enough of me complaining about a game and company that no longer cares about content, and cares only about cash, and how to pad their already fat wallets and bank accounts. This is after they pay their bills. The situation hit home to me over the last couple of days, as it appears that the guild I was in, has pretty much ceased to be, in game for the most part. The guild tag is still there, and so is the website. But the people are not logging in. From what I am gathering, the new content to come, The Firelands, in patch 4.2, Blizzards "yay more raids" patch, is geared and focused pretty much at the high-end, top-tier raiding guilds. So, a full content patch, aimed solely at the top 1% - 2% of the WoW gaming community. Hardly seems worth it for a casual raiding guild to hang around.
To top that off, there was a report that Blizzard is working on End Game Content aimed at the solo players and low end raiding guilds.When this content is due out is not known at this point, but I think it is too late for that. This is only one thing in a long list of things that Blizzard has done to anger or alienate players and fans.Being there for the solo and low end raiders is something that they should have considered a long time ago, even after acknowledging the disparity in end game activities a looong time ago. I would not be surprised to see them losing more active accounts in this last quarter as well, perhaps the same number, or more than the reported 600,000 in the last quarter.
With games like Rift out, with more going for it right now than WoW has to offer, I would not be shocked to see their subs rise. Also with games like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Guild Wars 2 on the horizon, I think Blizzard and their aging World of WarCraft are in for a rough ride. Perhaps this is just a sign, a harbinger if you will, that points to a reveal of Blizzards next game, "Project Titan" more than likely will be....shown in some form at Blizz-fan-faire-con-thingy.
Time will only tell in this matter. Do I want to see Blizz fail, and fall flat on their asses for not dealing with the player base as a whole, and for treating them as self-entitled whining snot-nosed brats. Do I think that they should be working on real content instead of "OOh...shiny new mount" in the pet store? At some point, they will have to start treating the players as paying customers, and not idiots. On the flip side, players will have to stop acting like idiots, and...and.....nope, just stop acting like idiots. I could say the players need to take a look at what they are doing, how much money is going into BLizzard for these pets, AND their monthly subs as well. Start demanding better content from Blizzard, stop buying into their stupid pets (unless its a charity thing, in which case, I support it), and in the end, cancel your sub if you feel strongly about it.
I did!
Anyways, to the folks of the guild Reverence, of the Greymane Server, /salute. You were a fun group to run with, and I wish you all find happiness and enjoyment in what ever game, hobby or pastime you find next. God Bless!
(if for some reason you wind up in SWTOR, look us up at the Ebonchain) Shameless plug, get over it
As always, happy gaming!!
I had previously stated I would like to do a highlights and wrap up of E3 2011, however, I appear to have dropped the ball on that one. Pity, there was a fair bit at E3 that bears mentioning. Like the fact that I may actually buy a Nintendo console. YEAH, I know! The Wii U. No more kiddie games for nintendo! How about that shit? Killer piece of hardware they displayed there, kudos to you, Nintendo, you have become...relevant once again. I look forward to this unit. Also, Sony, and the PSVita, their new handheld, with...get this, a reasonable launch price. Wi-Fi unit...$249.99 (I think) and 3G and Wi-Fi....$299.99. Looks like I am spending some money in the coming year or so. Giggity!
Now, onto my oh so clever titular material. Most of you know, that up until Feb 2011, I was an avid WoW fan and player. However, since December 7, 2010, my...favourite(?) past time was becoming....lets just say....no longer a fun place or fun thing to do. To me, there just seemed to be a lack of....new. Shiny. Something that would make me want to keep going in the game. Enough of me complaining about a game and company that no longer cares about content, and cares only about cash, and how to pad their already fat wallets and bank accounts. This is after they pay their bills. The situation hit home to me over the last couple of days, as it appears that the guild I was in, has pretty much ceased to be, in game for the most part. The guild tag is still there, and so is the website. But the people are not logging in. From what I am gathering, the new content to come, The Firelands, in patch 4.2, Blizzards "yay more raids" patch, is geared and focused pretty much at the high-end, top-tier raiding guilds. So, a full content patch, aimed solely at the top 1% - 2% of the WoW gaming community. Hardly seems worth it for a casual raiding guild to hang around.
To top that off, there was a report that Blizzard is working on End Game Content aimed at the solo players and low end raiding guilds.When this content is due out is not known at this point, but I think it is too late for that. This is only one thing in a long list of things that Blizzard has done to anger or alienate players and fans.Being there for the solo and low end raiders is something that they should have considered a long time ago, even after acknowledging the disparity in end game activities a looong time ago. I would not be surprised to see them losing more active accounts in this last quarter as well, perhaps the same number, or more than the reported 600,000 in the last quarter.
With games like Rift out, with more going for it right now than WoW has to offer, I would not be shocked to see their subs rise. Also with games like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Guild Wars 2 on the horizon, I think Blizzard and their aging World of WarCraft are in for a rough ride. Perhaps this is just a sign, a harbinger if you will, that points to a reveal of Blizzards next game, "Project Titan" more than likely will be....shown in some form at Blizz-fan-faire-con-thingy.
Time will only tell in this matter. Do I want to see Blizz fail, and fall flat on their asses for not dealing with the player base as a whole, and for treating them as self-entitled whining snot-nosed brats. Do I think that they should be working on real content instead of "OOh...shiny new mount" in the pet store? At some point, they will have to start treating the players as paying customers, and not idiots. On the flip side, players will have to stop acting like idiots, and...and.....nope, just stop acting like idiots. I could say the players need to take a look at what they are doing, how much money is going into BLizzard for these pets, AND their monthly subs as well. Start demanding better content from Blizzard, stop buying into their stupid pets (unless its a charity thing, in which case, I support it), and in the end, cancel your sub if you feel strongly about it.
I did!
Anyways, to the folks of the guild Reverence, of the Greymane Server, /salute. You were a fun group to run with, and I wish you all find happiness and enjoyment in what ever game, hobby or pastime you find next. God Bless!
(if for some reason you wind up in SWTOR, look us up at the Ebonchain) Shameless plug, get over it
As always, happy gaming!!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
E3
Well, so far, ......
I think Microsoft has had the worst Press Conference out of the lot. And I happen to think it was decent. Too much of a focus on the Kinect, but meh. Too much info to go into now. What I am going to do, is perhaps wait until it is all over, and then recap the highlights.
Until then....
Happy gaming.
I think Microsoft has had the worst Press Conference out of the lot. And I happen to think it was decent. Too much of a focus on the Kinect, but meh. Too much info to go into now. What I am going to do, is perhaps wait until it is all over, and then recap the highlights.
Until then....
Happy gaming.
Monday, June 6, 2011
E3
E3 begins today @1200pm Pacific. While I am working during E3, I will do my best to highlights every day.
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