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Dec 13
Out of the Digital Darkness
Greetings Gamers,
Well it's been a while. Time to see if this machine still runs or not. After a few days of tweaking, changing fluids, and rebuilding, RPGX seems like it just might be ready to come back into the light. And for that I am very happy. Many of you have stayed members and been active on the forums, you guys are the ones that keep the dream of RPGX alive. For that I am very grateful and happy to have you around. Give yourselves a pat on the back - you freaking earned it.
So now that I have gotten things sorted out, it's time to return tot he gaming scene in full force. With Christmas right around the corner I beginning to get geared up for a new year of gaming. It means a new start (and with Christmas only weeks away) it mean that I will have new games to play and talk about.
Finally, I think I have gotten the gamer blogs sorted out. (You're reading one right now.) They really are neat little add-ons to the RPGX site and I'm very happy that they might work. Everyone should feel free to activate theirs and use them to jot down their thoughts and ideas on gaming. Blogs are more than just tools for starting discussions (we have the forums for that) but a way to have a more interactive drawn out point to make. While there is a character limit on standard forum posts (a big one, but it's there) there are no limitations on blog posts. It's also a way to get your ideas published in a more mainstream format that will allow your topics to be posted to the main page for all visitors (not just members) to see. While we are no longer in the news business (per say) we are still a team of gamers dedicated to improving the gaming experience - keep that in mind when you are writing and you should be within the spirit of the site. Blogs are for articles, walk-throughs, Pen/Paper Character Bios, Open Source Rules you are working on... You name it. Blogs in the past have been hard and cumbersome to find, but now they can be navigated to via home page, the top of the board, or through the members section. If you start a blog, you will have to contact a moderator to be added to the list.
Another great new vehicle of gaming destruction I have added tot he RPGX lineup... the integration of the clan idea. During our little sabbatical I ran a little side experiment "Multi-Game Clan" on a third party website called "Digital Darkness." While this did not go according to my original plan, the Clan itself saw some very promising success until I shut the project down to regroup and rethink my strategy. The conclusion that I cam to was integrating the clan into the RPGX community by making the clan a sub group within the site. The result is what you have now - The RPGX Multi-Game Clan. Finally us "pro" gamers can put our money where our mouth is - Less talk and more rock is my motto. While still technically part of the same site and same forums, RPGX Clan members have a few special areas and toys set aside just for them. And for those of you who aren't PC console gamers, but are interested in what we're up to; Leaderboards and events are public - It's like keeping up with your favorite baseball team. You don't get out there and pitch for them, but you can still watch he games and check the scores. Brilliant if you ask me. As part of the clan addition I'm proud to say that we are adding 4 new servers to the mix. 3 Game servers and one for Voice Chat. (Right now the old voice chat is down, but it's coming back strong.)
Role-Playing you ask? Yeah, I'm writing. In fact some of you may already be following along on my latest Vampire game. It's something like I haven't done before. It will be a P&P style game played on weekends, but during the week will have an online element mixed in. Players who do not live locally will still have a way to interact with the characters and effect the story in minor ways. I have not been this excited about one of my own games in a while. It could be the best chronicle ever (or the worst.)
Work on the RPGX system has pretty much stopped. As I get older I really no longer feel the need to make a system. So much out there works so well, why screw with it? At the time when I started, so little represented what I wanted to do, now days systems are pretty complete and take little adaptation to make work. While this might sound sad at first; consider this; Now I am free to write nothing but pure source material. Rules work was never my biggest strong point - writing epic plots for stories; that's what I do, Now I can do that. Starting with some minor one shots set in a couple of different universes (stuff rolling around in my head) eventually I will work up to some city guides for Chaos Theory, Character books, and a Conspiracy Guide...
Last but not least, how are we celebrating? Well, don't be dense. We're having a LAN party to kick it all off. For the first time in a while RPGX is having an all out video-game bash. A little Unreal2k4 and Starcraft should get is in the mood for some online play for the year. So tell your friends, tell your grandma, and sign up to play with us. We're back baby, because nothing keeps this gamer down for long.
Feb 14
Retro Active: Review, Harvey Birdman
So I have been playing through some of my unopened gifts of the past. At the top of the stack of un-played PS2 games I found my copy of Harvey Birdman: Attourney at Law. While I am a huge fan of the show, I also know how licensed games go especially on last gen systems. I have to say though, I really wish I had opened this game up sooner. While it hasn't topped my chart of best games ever, I did find myself actually wanting to play the whole game through and wanting to stay up late to do it.
So what type of game is this? Well it's an FMV puzzle of all things. 5 in total (5 trials.) There's not much in the way of mechanics as the whole game is simple point and click. The game can be finished in about 2 hours if you are familiar with the show. If not it may take a day. Also there is a ton of extra content to be explored and unlocked. The graphics quality is top notch considering it's clips from the cartoon. Also all the actual voice actors have lended their talents to the game including my favorite, Lewis Black.
The Good: If your a fan of HB or anything playing on adult swim you will get some enjoyment out of this game. There are plenty of inside jokes, great one liners, and awesome animations. Also some of the puzzles are pretty challenging and will really get you trying to figure out the totally BS cases. You also get to play Harvey Birdman as he goes to jail for practicing license without his Law Degree.
The Bad: The game is very short. Only 5 cases make for a quick evening. There are special features, but with a lack of ways to play through the cases the replay value of the game is relatively low.
The Ugly: While the puzzles are interesting and get you thinking, they can also be frustrating. Many of the hints in the game are subtle or non existent, breaking the whole game down to trial (by click) and error. In some cases the only way that you will beat some of the puzzles is to just click everything on the screen (causing you to lose a few times) until you find something that works.
Tips: When going through a trial always "press" the witness on every statement before doing anything else. You do not lose crests for it and it will often unlock important clues for what evidence to present to the court. Also, when a character asks Harvey a stupid question, always exhaust the two stupid answers first. Each dumb response will unlock a funny clip for viewing later.
Feb 07
Old-School Puzzle Contest
This month marks the beginning of the new RPGX crossword puzzle contest. Each month we will test your gamer knowledge and offer you tantalizing prizes and swag. If you think you got what it takes post your answers. But, be 100% correct or you get nothing (not to mention you might be giving away answers to someone else.) This month we're giving away a copy of: Age of Empires III for the PC.
Across
1. Swampland Bad Ass "William."
6. Pole Positions first of two gear settings.
7. Dan Forden's battle cry.
8. The Square Soft Legacy (Acronym.)
11. GIEKO's CIA twin.
12. Ryu and Kens orange haired rival.
14. Real life Top Gear turbo boost.
15. Green light message on Mario Kart.
17. The first Second Edition PNPRPG.
19. Created the first 64 bit home console.
20. Capcom claims the X-Men were children of it.
22. First movie franchise game flop.
23. American Famcom
25. Atari = 4, Nintendo =8, Genesis = 16
26. Mario was this unless he ate a shroom.
Down
1. Sunsoft's only cash cow franchise .
2. Brought Americans Metal Gear 2
3. His blob wreaked havoc on the NES
4. If this runs out you will lose the game.
5. Buttons added to the SNES controller other than the "R" shoulder button.
9. This chip made Star Fox possible.
13. SOCOM is endorsed by them.
16. A tie in any Madden game will get you this.
18. Skate or _____
21. Your console must be this before you can play.
24. Initials of the first SNES Metroid game.
Secret Code Word
What game company name appears on this crossword and did not have a clue?
Feb 01
Game Review: Crossfire Beta
I was privileged enough to receive my invite of the Crossfire open beta. ( http://crossfire.subagames.com/movies.aspx ) Initially I was excited when I started reading about it because it looked so much like one of my favorite FPS games "Combat Arms." Immediately I knew that maybe my expectations were a little high. My download took an hour, I assumed it was due to traffic on their server so I set my computer to scan for viruses while I had some downtime. This should have been the end of my hassle...
Getting the game to run on my system was quite a task. After pulling my hair out for a little over an hour just trying to get the app to not trigger my virus scanner anymore it started popping up windows errors without fail. I never actually got it to stop doing that so I just moved the last error message out of the way and started my game. From what I can tell the errors are nothing more than Vista64 hating the game. I don't know why, but it just does.
So on to the game. If I wasn't already frustrated this game pushed me right over the edge. The game featured 6 servers and without even giving me a chance to read anything on my homepage I was bombarded with micro transaction options. It's a freaking BETA! WtF could you be offering me? In game credit. Now I'm not against micro-transactions in a game, but come on. You don't even have the full version available.
So after I purchase my character and get into a game I finally have a chance to play the game (This is almost three hours since I wanted to start the thing in the first place.) All this build up. All this great music in the menus and what do I get. A slap in the face. Lets start with...
Graphics, are a joke. The game resembles quake 2. It's not even on par with the original Counter Strike. I can handle bad graphics (I play Combat Arms) but this was a joke. We can do better than this. With the other games that are out there we at least deserve a graphic engine with intelligible characters. I could barely tell what was happening. The lack of resolution control is very disappointing. I think the game plays in 800x600.
Controls... WOW. I would rather play pole position. At least the car moves when I push the button. The controls are so laggy that I was actually able to win more battles using a knife than the gun. Mainly because it takes so long to line anything up that I had a dead run on my opponent. While it was amusing to do that, it sucks bad. Controls are configurable, but not by much. I use a 2000dpi mouse and I still could not get targeting to function right.
Sound - Oddly sound is good. Not much to say except that I plan to rip the MP3 files from the folder to Combat Arms, rename and use them instead of the CA music.
Game play. See controls. This game is abysmal.
I'm giving this game 1 star. I would give it 0, but the weapon customization seems a little better than norm. Granted you cant actually benefit from it because the game is so crappy, but the ideas presented and the way it's presented could get better companies in on the action. Also, I like the music. I hate bagging on something that someone has worked so hard on, but if something isn't fun it just isn't fun.
Feb 01
PC Gear for Gamers
Each year developers come out with new and twisted way to "improve your gaming experience." In short this is just a way to say: If you suck at gaming maybe you need to try our product. I kind of view this stuff as premium art supplies. They really only become dangerous in the hands of someone that knows what they are doing. If you suck at FPS game (like I do) buying a 4000dpi mouse probably isn't going to help you a whole lot until you get better at using the 2000dpi mouse you already have. 2008 saw some great and strange additions to the world of PC gaming peripherals and hardware. But, in many cases I still prefer some of my tried and true hardware over their new baby brothers. Here's my picks and suggestions for the ultimate pc gamer guide.
Keyboards
Lets face it. You can't type. The only buttons you really care about are W,A,S, and D. That's fine. But you still want something that lights up, makes sandwiches and has a slew of macro buttons that you will never use.
Saitek Cyborg - By far the most bang for your buck. Running at a cool $74.99 this keyboard has all the features of an FPS and MMO styled keyboard. Users can customize the colors of each individual section of the board, make on the fly adjustments, and it even features 12 macro keys (6 on each side) for inventory items. Another cool perk is the stainless steel coated gaming keys.
Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard Revision 2 - The most expensive of the gaming keyboards. Considered the king of them all. The G15 features a digital back lit readout of in-game data on the keyboards dashboard. This keyboard allows you to dump your in-game HUD to maximize your field of vision. The board features 6 macro keys and some powerful software for creating your own macro commands. However it's the most expensive in this line up running you a cool $89.99
Wolf King - Timber Wolf Ultimate USB Gaming Keyboard - The good: This keyboard has everything you could want. It has the readouts, it has the gaming module design on the side, coated keys, great feel, awesome response time and a great price. The bad: Good luck fitting this on your desk. If your like me and you play with a keyboard tray or don't have a whole lot of desk space in your office you may not enjoy this pick. I barely got the box through my front door. Okay not really, but it IS big and ugly. However, if you do have room, this keyboard may actually change the way you play. It rounds out the bunch at $39.99
Mice
This is a subject of debate among the members of RPGX. One mans crap is another mans gold and so fourth. When it comes to gaming mice only one brand and one line has my vote, and that's Logitech.
MX518 - This is it. The breaking point. You finally have played enough games that you want a specialized mouse. This is the entry level mouse of all hardcore gamers. It's what I cut my teeth on and what you should too. Running at a smooth 1600dpi this mouse can hang with the big boys. All the standard macro buttons of the MX series AND on the fly sensitivity adjustments. After this I could never go back. Runs at about $52.99
G5 - Next in our lineup of ultimate killing machines. The g5 can dish out allot of punishment. This mouse has all the features of the MX 518 with a few upgrades. This mouse can crank out a cool 2000dpi, the grip is improved, the cord is made of braided fabric for less desk snagging, sensitivity controls are improved and fitted with an led indicator letting you know what level you are on with a glance, the addition of a "tilt" scroll wheel adding more buttons to map, and the body features a set of customizable weights that change the feel of the whole experience. With all this customization you cannot go wrong. This mouse is going to run you about $72.99
Razer Lachesis - The only mouse by this company I would ever recommend. This mouse DOES NOT have all the features of the mid level mouse. BUT it has one thing that no other mouse does... it runs at 4000dpi. If you have the chops to play at that speed, you probably don't need allot of the other goodies that the G5 offers. Look here for pro gaming with sensitivity controls. (Requires Drivers.) $79.99
Joysticks
This year I finally did it. I purchased anew joystick to replace my old sidewinder. Now I don't play allot of flight sims. But what I do play (BF2, Front Line Fuel of War) needs a certain level of control when I hop into a jet. These have been the best joystick experiences by far.
Logitech Attack 3 - This stick is going to run you about $25.00 It has all the features you would expect from a budget stick and can perform admirably in BF2. The lack of Rutter (twist) is a little disappointing. But, after everything is said and done, this is a solid and comfortable stick.
Saitek X52 Flight System - In my opinion this is the end of all joystick setups. While you may be able to find something out there crafted from an F16 dashboard, it doesn't help me get into the feel of driving a mech then jumping in a jet. If you want a generic stick that offers EVERYTHING. Here's where you get off. There are too many functions to list and all you need to know is that everything works smooth. I love the speed controls and yes there is a Rutter function. The missile button cap is annoying sometimes, but it's so cool that you never want to take it off. For the price you can't beat it. $89.88 - Also the fact that Wal-Mart carries it is very convenient.
Dec 22
Review: Combat Arms
When I was initially contacted by Nexon about trying out their new game Combat in Arms I was a little skeptical. I have played my fair share of so-called “free” download games. Many were seedy pieces of spy ware aimed at destroying everything I loved on my computer. Very few of these low-budget free games have ever shined above the rest or offered any shred of entertainment value. But. Once in a while there is always an exception to the rule.
While I can't yet vouch that the program has not filled up the various “sectors” of my computer with mal-ware yet, I can tell you that the game itself is in fact free AND fun to play. It's almost an oxy moron: Free fun... It certainly doesn't seem plausible, but in this case it is.
Combat in Arms is a free to play FPS game. At it's core it feels like a graphically challenged BF2 meets Unreal Tournament Classic. As I watched the trailers and gasped at the horrible graphics that I was going to be subjected to, I quickly lowered my expectations quite a bit. But when I was done with the process of signing up for a Nexon account and installing the game, suddenly I was rewarded from the heavens. I'm not sure what I did this week to deserve such a nice treat, but I'm damned glad I did it.
The horrible graphics that I was afraid of were not as based as what I would have thought. After loading the game it turned out that while the graphics are not as beautiful as Crysis, they are no slouch either. Everything is rendered in a smooth style polygon format, blocky in some areas but textured nicely. If I had to guess I would say it was rendered using either the original Half-Life engine or the original Unreal engine. [After talking to the developer it turns out that it was an in-house engine developed off of half-life.] SO while chunky, it is nothing less of well put together and in no way detracting. The levels I played were well designed. Plenty of places for hiding, moving up high and climbing. No interactive environments, but plenty of cover to duck behind.
The main attraction of the game is actually quite nifty. Full character customization. All the body shapes are roughly the same, but you can pick your characters face. As for gear you have little choices to start. As you play through the game you earn XP and GP. GP is used to spend on new equipment. This can be better armor, changing the looks of your cammo, accessories, weapons, and weapon upgrades. I was surprised at the large number of upgrades available for your weapon. Silencers, scopes, and even mounts. The weapon upgrading works much like Army of Two in the style that upgrades are purchased individually and attached one at a time. Also, apart from the store, there is a “black market” section of the game in which players can trade and sell weapons, upgrades, and armor among each other. A nice little idea if you ask me.
The game has all the typical game modes you have come to expect from multi player FPS: Death Match, Team Death Match, Last Man Standing, Capture the Flag, as well as a few other I haven't tried yet. All the games I played auto balanced – and load in a pre-game lobby before play.
The controls are familiar. Weapons change with the number key, chat with enter, move with WASD, and reload with R. I didn't read the FAQ, and most players won't have to. Within a few minutes anybody who has played an FPS before should be able to figure the controls out fairly quickly. I have not yet found a way to customize the scheme, but I'm sure it exists. Even if not, there's not allot I would change.
The downsides of the game I can see is: Overcrowding. There is a very large list of servers. While it wasn't hard to find one to jump into, I did notice a large number of them were hitting their max. I wasn't on during prime time, so I can imagine how hard it might be to jump in a match with allot of people playing. Additionally, I did notice a little bit of lag and that was in a room with only 4 players. It's impossible to tell if it's the game or the other players, but with a free game like this I'm sure there are no filters that kick players for high pings. Finally, there was no training. While the game was quickly picked up by me – the average player might get lost in all the jargon. Navigation is a little harsh for beginners. A better starting room with instructions or even some training maps could have been useful.
All in all, it seems like a great and solid game. I had great joy in splattering my enemies and listening to the crappy impersonations of the UT announcer applaud my efforts. (Yes he said “Head Shot and Multi Kill” but he sounded like Marc Summers when he did it.) Low learning curve, good design, and best of all free. Check it out and maybe in 30 minutes you too will by accusing me of using hacks when the announcer screams... “Head Shot!”
*Edit - Further play through with even more players, the game does suffer from some lag. While a bit of a downer it nothing worse than anything else I have ever played. Further more the game suffers from some broken graphics bugs. Some of the game issue I'm running into are taking away from the fun of the game. I'm also noticing that the general community are a bunch of whiny teens. While the game is still great (and I still give it a recommendation, I have to pull a star from it.
Dec 21
PS2 Games That STILL Kicked Ass In 2008
Wow what a year! With everything that happened on all the next gen consoles it was easy to forget that the PS2 was still going strong. More than half the games that came out on the PS3 and Xbox360 were also released on thier more graphically challenged bretheren. To help out those who might have missed something, here is my list of games worth checking out. So dust off those PS2's, get out those RCA jacks and lets take a trip through the best PS2 games of 2008!
1) God Of War II - continues that thrilling and bloody tale of Kratos, the mortal warrior who challenged the war god Ares for his throne. He succeeded, but his journey does not end there. In God Of War II he rules over war, far more ruthless than Ares ever was. To end his continued torment, Kratos must journey to the far reaches of the earth and defeat untold horrors and alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. God of War II sets an epic stage for a devastating mythological war to end all wars.
2)Guilty Gear XX - The newest incarnation of the popular fighting game franchise, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, returns with its trademark high-resolution graphics along with an entirely returned fighting system, new stages, new characters, graphics, voices and the ability to create matches between old and new characters in the Generations Mode. New backgrounds, character voices and an introductory animation have been added for a fresh Guilty Gear experience Hone your fighting skills in 5 different modes - Arcade, Medal of Millionaire, Versus, Survival and Training.
3)Tomb Raider: Anniversary - retraces Lara Croft's original genre-defining adventure, as she pursues the legendary Scion artifact. New graphics, technology and physics bring Lara's adventure up-to-date and offers gamers a completely new game play experience. Re-imagined, Anniversary delivers a dynamic fluidly and fast Lara Croft, massive environments of stunning visuals, intense combat and game pacing, and an enhanced and clarified original story. Enter into strange, undiscovered lands and solve their deepest, darkest mysteries, open doors to new realms, uncover great rewards and unearth secrets to Lara's past.
4)Odin Sphere - Players enact the story of their world's end. A great kingdom named Valentine was brought apart by natural disaster and internal strife. As war broke out, the once-great nation became a wasteland. As a demon lord named Odin schemes to conquer it, a far-off sorcerer plans to use ancient magic that will bring an apocalypse. As the nations struggle for control, the world steadily slips unknowingly toward its demise, ancient prophecies are ready to be fulfilled -- unless a young princess named Gwendolyn can stop the bloody feud between nations and fight for unity.
5)Grim Grimoire - is the story of young Lillet Blan, a student at the Tower of Silver Star. She lives in a world where science is replaced by magic - where youngsters attend wizardry schools to learn the art of magic. Only the most gifted get into the prestigious Tower of Silver Star. When Lillet was away, a horrible event occurred - everyone in the school was killed. Now Lillet Blan must investigate the magical tower to uncover what occurred during the 5 days she was gone.
6)Rogue Galaxy - is great fantasy role-playing where you follow a planet-hopping rogue for battle and adventure. At the far edge of the galaxy on the desert planet Rosa, a young man named Jaster dreams of journeying through space. He is recruited to join the crew of space pirate Dorgengoa in a race to find a legendary planet that holds the key to the greatest of treasures -- eternal life. Players follow Rogue as he planet-hops around space, visiting a number of planets, each with their own unique ecosystem populated by various unusual creatures. Play successfully to earn hunter coins that upgrade a player's hunter license and open up additional challenges Over 8 hours of high-quality cut-scenes and cinematics.
7)Art Of Fighting Anthology brings together all 3 of the popular Art Of Fighting games, for epic one-on-one fighting action. Face off against the world's best martial artists in best two out of three matches. Use punches, kick and Super Attacks to take out colorful and dangerous opponents. While doing this, you'll also open up the story of crooked cops and bloodthirsty killers that sets the stage for the later "Fatal Fury" games.
Dec 20
Developer's Journal: RPGX System
I mainly decided to start writing on this project due to the overwhelming response I received on the site regarding the popularity of Development Journals. This onE will be an update and outline of the inner workings of the RPGX system and what you can come to expect from it in the very near future.
For starters, many of you might be wondering; “What exactly is the RPGX system?” Well to put it simply, it's a sires of published tools, that when used together, will help [pen and paper style] gamers [and GM's] build custom game worlds. Even easier, it's “generic” Role-Playing System. To be honest I hate to use the term [Generic] because it's so much more than that. While the core system itself will allow you to create your own game with it, custom built settings and genre's will also be available.
I have gotten allot of questions about why I don't actually just use GURPS, D20, The Storyteller System, or any of the other systems out there to create what I'm doing. Well, even though the open license agreement make it possible for me to do something like that, I just have never felt that any of those systems were comprehensive enough to cover what I was trying to accomplish. The idea that'd going to be driving the system itself is: While easy to learn and use, the system will allow for ANY level of realism that the Game Master desires for their game. What does that mean? It means that if the GM wants an action packed battle game with massive amounts of damage and amazing fanciful things happening he can have that. But, on the flip side of that coin, if the GM desires a more realistic game in which bullets cause instant death; there is room for that type of game as well as everything in between.
The system is actually in place. While the core book is not yet written down, it exists as a comprehensive set of notes that I have been adding to for the passed 3 years. The rules are there, but they just need to be translated into a material form for the reader. As of this moment all that we really have is a character sheet that is one step passed prototype. Sort of pre-alpha if you will.
The first thing to be done is alpha testing. A, play through based on the notes and rules that we already know. As we play through the games we are making we can begin to assess how the book should be put together. Right now the most important part of the game is happening: Character Creation. While I can't release allot of details at this point about the system, I can say that the process can be done as quickly or as detailed as the player/GM wants it to be. Characters can be rolled at random for quick battles or a player could tweak their stats for hours at a time creating the exact vision of the character in their head. One of the most beautiful things to me about the system is the rules will allow a seamless transition between starting idea to fleshed out character. What I have always hated about every system is the limitations that are imposed by the game itself [rather than the GM.] Limiting what can be in your campaign should be the responsibility of the person telling the story and the setting, not the core rules. One thing that I will admit that could seem like a negative in the whole project is that the game is designed with the idea that the GM is willing to take on the responsibility of saying “yes” and “no” to their players.
The rules are designed to work with a square grid tile system (similar to D20.) But will be a throwback to RP's of the early days, in that, many GM's will decide that the maps are not needed. The combat rules are straight forward and fast allowing for quick calculations and results. While other games do this, the RPGX system can keep up this kind of speed and unhindered game play without sacrificing any of the realism that the GM might have wanted in their game. While the combat is realistic and streamlined [one of our best features in the system] it's only secondary to the focus of what we are trying to build. The system itself is actually focused on the Role-Playing aspect of gaming; rewarding players for good role playing and “doing what their character would have done.” Advancement is not measured by how many things were killed that night.
The advancement system is open world based meaning, characters “spend” xp to advance their characters power level. Skills can be bought individually and are not barred by classes or races. (However the GM may feel that the story or setting may dictate what a character can increase at any given moment.) But, this just takes us back to the idea of the GM holding the responsibility for their own story/plot/game. However for players who like a more quicker “class based” approach to character leveling, concept packages are available as an option. Often buying these concept packages yield extra “bonus” skill points, but cap off at a certain point.
The RPGX system isn't just a P&P idea. It's also a viable rule system of physics for computer gaming as well. Much like how Bioware uses a bastardized version of D20 to run KotOR, and Neverwinter Nights; The RPGX System is already being used as a guidline for some of the MODS and games that our own development team are building for some of our multilayer on line games.
Also scheduled to hit (almost at the same time) as the Core Rules book is the RPGX Live Voice client. An app designed to work with the book to store your characters, stories, notes and maps and actually allow you to play P&P games ONLINE with your gaming group. You will be able to sit in front of your computer and do all the same things you would do on a Saturday game night with your buddies playing your favorite RPG. No more trying to play in chat rooms and on forums. Live, streaming gaming with tools all working in real time.
See you at the next update.
Dec 20
Review: Left 4 Dead
Review: Left 4 Dead
Being the sucker that I am for zombie films, comics, and (you guessed it) games; I'm sure that you all could have guessed that as soon as the smell of rotting flesh came withing “smelling distance?” I would be picking up Left 4 Dead. Unfortunately, being the editor of RPGX doesn't exactly pay much, so I had to wait a week before I could scrounge up the bread to start the head shot fest.
The game is produced and put together by Valve. If you have played anything Valve then you already know the quality of what we are talking about here. Initially when I saw the screens for this game during beta, the graphics actually didn't look as appealing as I would have liked. However, I knew that the game was running the HL2 Engine so I reserved judgment for the play through. Once loaded, the game looks great. A few artifacts here and there, but nothing that I cannot easily overlook. The one thing I don't like about the HL2 engine is the smoothness that everything seems to have. At times I do feel like I'm still staring at polygons of the old days, but at other times I can barely tell. I have always had a very love hate relationship with the engine, but in this case not only does the style actual “suit” the game, it improves upon earlier ideas with genre significantly.
The opening movie for the game is simply... breathtaking. The only downside to it, there aren't more. The game is set up as 5 different scenarios that take you through the course of 5 different movie clichés . The opening movie gives you a little bit of lead way into the first scenario, but the rest of the “plot” (I use the word loosely) is left up to the players imagination. About the movie, I really would have liked to see an opening sequence like this for every scenario that's started, but I guess you can't have everything.
I mentioned before that there really is no plot or story line that is followed. To some that might sound like a bad thing, but this is a game based on clichés, and once you get playing you will discover that you actually already know the plot. The game runs four characters all with different personalities. There is no difference in playing any one of them, so pick the one you think looks cool. I don't want to spoil it, but the flavor dialogue that goes on between the four of them during the game is priceless.
The game has a single player mode, but there's no point to it. It's exactly like co-op and if you have an Internet connection you're always going to find a full lobby to join. I tested the single player, and the AI is decent. But, nothing will ever substitute for the feeling you get playing with 3 other humans.
Each scenario is spine tingling and challenging enough for any skill level. Easy is... easy, and so on. The difficulties are well represented. The scenarios do what they do well. The main feature of the game is the infinite replay value of the game. No attacks, creatures or events are scripted (accept for a few horde triggers like switches, car alarms, and lights.) Zombies are spawned randomly and at different points in the game. Don't fear, they are spawned before you get anywhere near them, but the game IS always different. Your enemies are made up of a few different zombie types.
Your standard zombies don't do much but claw and bite (and sometimes you can catch them napping.) But one big thing I should mention is they are fast as hell. It doesn't take long for a horde of screaming, running, and clawing zombies to have you surrounded as you run out of ammo.
Then, you have hunters; zombies that can leap a good 40 yards and pin you to the ground while they tear you apart.
Smokers are a particularly nasty zombie creature that have tongues that can grab you from about 100 yards and drag you in. If you do not get a shot off in time, it will be up to your friends to kill the creature before you die.
Boomers are fat zombies that explode when you shoot them causing damage equal to a grenade. Also, if the manage to vomit on you, you will be covered in a slime that attracts the zombie horde to attack you (and you will be blinded for a while.) All there is to do is shoot wild and hope that you don't shoot your team.)
Witches are attracted to light and easily bypassed. But if you should piss one off, she will destroy you in a heart beat in a rage filled frenzy. You will know one is around because the sound like children crying.
Finally, the tank. I need not elaborate because it's exactly what it sounds like. A hulking beast that plows through other zombies to get to you, throws environmental objects at you, and takes a hell of allot of ammo to bring down.
Aside from all this co-op madness, the game actually has a vs. mode. Although a little lame, it's kind of fun. It's team based killing. One side plays as survivors and the other side plays as the zombies. Good for a kick, but I'm not starting a zombie clan any time soon.
Pros: This is an awesome game with high replay value that encourages teamwork and super bad-ass ninja gun skills.
The downside of this game: There aren't enough scenarios. I can play through the entire game in about 4 hours. While replaying the levels does feel great every time, I sure would like some new levels and objectives. The shortness of the game DOES NOT make it feel any less complete, but it does let me down quite a bit. In spite of this, the game is still very close to the top of my favorite games for the year and fairly high on my list of games EVER. I hope that in the future this game will benefit from the add on of DLC scenarios, weapons, and possibly characters.
Dec 17
DLC: Changing the World?
If you're a veteran PC gamer, you're probably reading this and saying... “WTF?” It's true that DLC (Down-Loadable Content) has been offered for games since the beginning of computer gaming, it is only now with the next generation of consoles that it has become relevant to everyone involved in the gaming hobby.
In the early days, most down loadable content only came in the form of user generated game mods made by fledgling programmers who were big enough fans of the games they were modding to take the time to do it. One of the earliest memories of DLC I can remember were modifications made to Doom that would convert the game to the Star Wars Universe. Of course we all know about Half-Life and the great Mods that were spawned fourth from the loins of it's legion of fans. Modding was so popular in fact that it has spawned countless games. Luckily companies like Valve and Epic were smart enough to actually hire these guys to work on their biggest projects.
Fast forward nearly 14 years. Now even our home consoles can be linked to the Internet, played on line, and of course modded. With each consoles “on line marketplaces” almost every video game released today has some kind of DLC available to help enhance the game and (in theory) give it some extended life. In some cases (as with Rock Band and Rock Band 2) this theory has proven to be very true. In others, not so much. To many this has seemed like the next logical step for console gaming. Too many years did console gamers have to play stagnate versions of the same games, while a computer gamer could play the same exact game, but be presented with new content (sometimes monthly.) Finally, the console gamer has caught up to the PC gamer. Or have they...
One point commonly made now is: “I have been getting DLC on my PC for years without paying a dime. Now I have a console and suddenly I get charged for every download.” Ah, yes. Free market. Some genius at the console headquarters said “Hey these PC gamers are just piggy banks waiting to get tapped... if only we were charging for this stuff. Why... we could be billionaires!” And thus the DLC fairies made it so. While Bobby can download every new level, character, weapons and mod for Unreal Tournament 3 that he can fit on his HDD for absolutely nothing on his PC. Johnny who owns the same game on Play Station 3 has to pay for each of his new maps and game modes. This scenario has brought much arguing among the gaming community on whether or not DLC content is really worth the 3.99 it costs to get it.
Okay so the argument isn't as epic as it sounds. Most will agree; “Yes, it is worth it.” And I happen to agree for the most part. I am huge fan of Rock Band and Rock Band 2. I almost passed up Rock Band 2 completely, but when I found out that all the songs would be forward and backward compatible, I thought it was too good to be true. Before I was introduced into the game I was not a fan of rhythm music games, but I was always fond of the party game. After my first browse through of the DLC I was scrambling for my wallet to purchase “War Pigs and N.I.B.” It's simply a game I cannot put down. Just when I think this game has shown me everything it has to offer, another great song comes out and I have to pick up the microphone or drums. Of course Gears of War 2 is no different. Just this month I was getting bored with the multi-player on this game. Nothing wrong with it, but I needed a change, suddenly I was made aware of the new maps. Simply awesome, it's a whole new game at least for that much longer.
SO all this DLC, it like a miracle... right? Well, sometimes. I am beginning to worry about how our game developers are attacking the idea of creating a good gaming experience. Now that the average consumer is comfortable with paying for content that used to be free, I am noticing a trend with lazy game development. Now it seems like some developers can get away with making less game because they know that they can cash in on expansions later. Rather than seeing astounding games, 2008 saw a huge number of games that were... just interesting “enough.” The game by itself was “okay” but you really can't see what this game has to offer until you also buy the “super deluxe alternate ending and bonus levels.” Folklore was an alright game, but without my extra content I don't think I would have ever played it ever again. (And really the DLC isn't all that great either.) I thought Dead Rising would be the greatest thing to grace my screen, but the game by itself simply could not withstand a second play through had I not been graced with some extra missions to jack around with.
While for many games DLC has enhanced the game play above and beyond what the original creator ever could have imagined. 2008 exposed the pitfall of DLC becoming the crutch on which bad games stand. In 2009, as the economy continues to decline, I wonder how many people will still be willing to pay for DLC just to save the bad investments that they made when choosing a game. My guess is, with less money for consumers to spend: DLC had better be, just that good, or games will have to learn to stand on their own again.
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 10:15 AM Jul 29
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