tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22651222496171745932024-02-06T18:13:23.091-08:00Adventures In Game DesignThe journal of an aspiring game designer and his journey through the industryAvengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-32913343795632782612010-01-17T13:13:00.000-08:002010-01-17T13:17:11.754-08:00End of Line?<div style="text-align: justify;">The combination of crunch and a new romantic relationship pushed the blog to a far back burner from which hasn't ever returned. I'm still not sure what I want to do with this. I like talking about my random game musings as much as the next avid gamer, but considering how much I do of that in my personal and professional time already, writing about it hasn't seemed like a hugely important issue. Plus, since I am now back to working on another as yet unannounced title, there's not much I can really say about my work. Anyway, for now this will serve as a semi-annual check-in, and I'll see what I want to do about this site in the future.<br /><br />Stay Tuned!</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-7639848391152362212009-06-14T20:31:00.000-07:002009-06-14T20:37:06.771-07:00Still Nothing<div style="text-align: justify;">Sorry for the dearth of posts, just not a lot of free time with the work crunch. I picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">Prototype </span>and got to play it just a little bit Friday night. Pretty cool, Alex (<span style="font-style: italic;">Prototype</span>) feels much more super-powered than Cole (<span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous</span>) did, in my opinion. I think Infamous is clearly a more polished, better produced game, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Prototype </span>may actually be more <span style="font-style: italic;">fun</span>. Still, I've only played <span style="font-style: italic;">Prototype</span> for about an hour, so I'll withhold judgment until I've gotten a bit further into it, which may be a while at this rate. Anyway, that's it for now. Hopefully more in the future. Later!<br /><br />Oh, by the way, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time won Gamespot's E3 award for best platformer, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/special_feature/e3-2009-editors-choice/genres/index.html?page=4">check it out</a>!</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-45124444902249890952009-06-13T14:04:00.000-07:002009-06-13T14:06:02.285-07:00Working WeekendWeekend crunch doesn't leave me a lot of time to post, but here's a little morsel of game for you to tide yourself over. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fastgames.com/littlewheel.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Little Wheel" src="http://www.fastgames.com/images/littlewheel.jpg"><br>Play This Game</a>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-49556027727423625062009-06-12T00:17:00.001-07:002009-06-12T00:18:03.514-07:00Late One<div style="text-align: justify;">I actually got home about an hour ago, but that's still a pretty long day. Anyway, it's bedtime...</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-39778568487490010362009-06-10T22:25:00.000-07:002009-06-10T22:26:41.606-07:00Sleepy Time<div style="text-align: justify;">Just got home. Got an early appointment tomorrow morning (not work related), which means I need to go to bed pretty much right now. G'night!</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-31380580411976081472009-06-09T21:33:00.000-07:002009-06-09T21:34:50.442-07:00Work Night<div style="text-align: justify;">Another long night at work. Nothing new to report. I read a chapter of Game of Thrones last night and then went straight to bed. I imagine I will do something similar tonight. Later!</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-31304552043220797082009-06-08T20:17:00.000-07:002009-06-08T20:19:42.145-07:00Admiral Crunch?<div style="text-align: justify;">Well, crunch "officially" started today so it's going to be a busy...well it's going to be busy for a while. I'm at work waiting for a build right now, and this is probably the first of many similar posts. May be a while before I can post anything major. See you on the other side!</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-63058646003853224372009-06-07T20:51:00.000-07:002009-06-07T21:37:51.519-07:00What I'm Playing - 6.7.09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aW2LpIzxi6dszTmfL-IiQ-vD-jT_2ZdRniIH1J616SCZxF2zIqljK6iP-RR0WJF7AE8a5dq7_vDHE0GnUwuIV_IGGELroYfZHSnw7nrYsrhzQddHCSk8qt-e6vP7cEXu4WiSi2HAN90B/s1600-h/Fallout3_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aW2LpIzxi6dszTmfL-IiQ-vD-jT_2ZdRniIH1J616SCZxF2zIqljK6iP-RR0WJF7AE8a5dq7_vDHE0GnUwuIV_IGGELroYfZHSnw7nrYsrhzQddHCSk8qt-e6vP7cEXu4WiSi2HAN90B/s400/Fallout3_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344811350619466386" border="0" /></a>Ah, this weekend was just too short, but aren't they always? E3 messed with work a bunch this week as a number of people were out either attending the conference or working it. As such, the hammer on our upcoming deadline didn't drop last week nearly as hard as I thought it might. Nevertheless, the deadline hasn't changed and there's still a lot of work to accomplish between then and now so I imagine things are going to get more busy as I expected. All that being said, I got to play a fair bit this week, so here's what I'm working on:<br /><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Infamous </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">(PS3)</span> - I played a fair bit of this this week, and just managed to finish it sometime yesterday (playing through the "Hero" storyline). Overall, I'd say the game is quite good, though it may be just a touch overrated in my opinion. I think it was a fun game with an interesting story, but there are a few things that hold it back from being truly great. I feel that Cole's power set is relatively mundane (most of them being electric versions of common weapons such as an automatic pistol, sniper rifle, grenade, and rocket launcher) and the sandbox setting of the game is wasted on very linear setups and repetitive side missions. That being said, there are a number of things the game does very well. The combat is always exciting and dazzling to watch, and moving is incredibly enjoyable. Grinding along power lines, riding atop elevated trains, and gliding through the air all feels incredibly kinetic and satisfying. In contrast to the side missions, the story missions are fun, imaginative, and do a good job of conveying the story, which is an interesting superhero origin story. As far as superhero games go I think I would rate it very highly in that it really makes you feel like a superhero running through the city, but as a sandbox, open-world game I just think it doesn't measure up to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed playing it, and will probably play through the evil plot line at some point, but I feel like the game could have been so much more.<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Red Faction: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guerrilla</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (PS3)</span> - I played a bunch of this in the middle of the week and I have loved it. I stayed up way later than I intended several nights in a row just trying to do one more side mission or take out one more high priority target. In my opinion, this game really gets what sandbox games should be about: freedom of approach. The game is all about giving you an objective and letting you decide how to accomplish it. The missions support multiple strategies for the player to employ and avoids missions with only one right "answer." I also tried out the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">multiplayer</span> a bit and found it to be enjoyable, though it doesn't do anything incredibly original. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">multiplayer</span> has backpacks that give the game a sort of lite class system (each player can only wear one backpack at a time, which confers some special power) and there are an assortment of different game types including standard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">deathmatch</span>, capture the flag, siege (an attackers vs. defenders game), and destruction (sort of like VIP, where the VIP scores for the team by breaking stuff). All in all the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">multiplayer</span> is fun and seems to leverage the game's destruction engine very well, so I'll probably try playing with it a bit more in the future, but my focus is on the single-player <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">experience</span>.<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Fallout 3</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (PC)</span> - After finishing <span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous </span>yesterday, I was feeling a bit overloaded with sandbox games for the time being so I was looking for something more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">RPG</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ish</span>, and here's where I ended up. I picked up <span style="font-style: italic;">Broken Steel</span> largely for the level cap increase, but also because I heard it cleans up what was an otherwise unfortunate ending. Unfortunately, it seems to preclude me from actually seeing that ending, but maybe I'll YouTube it once I finish the game. <span style="font-style: italic;">Fallout 3</span> was probably my game of the year last year, and it's still great to wander around the wasteland. I think the game really captures the closest thing to actual role-playing in digital form. It's all about really creating a character in that world and then acting them out. Whether you're a scavenger with a heart of gold, an evil assassin with a chip on your shoulder, or a no-nonsense <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">merc</span> out to make a quick cap, the game allows you to be whoever you want to be and do what you want to do. I find the most fun for me comes from imagining up characters I could create and what they're journey through the wasteland might look like. Everything in the game really seems to react to you as a character and the decisions that you make. For example, in my most recent play session, this one guy hired my to kill some other people and take keys from them. I found out that the keys apparently led to something awesome, so I went back and told him I was keeping the keys. He got mad and attacked me so I was forced to kill him. Unfortunately, my overzealous ally also opened fire and happened to kill an innocent bystander in the process. When I came back to that location a bit later, I talked to a character who was very close to that bystander and who was now mourning the loss of her dear friend, trying to figure out what to do with her life. I felt really bad about that, which was a unique and special experience. I'm sure there's more I could say, but let's just say I'm really enjoying my time with <span style="font-style: italic;">Fallout 3</span>, even after 50+ hours, now that's impressive!</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Well that's pretty much it for now. I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">planning </span>to go to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">DMV</span> tomorrow morning to finally take my written driving exam and get my CA license, so I need to study my driver handbook and get to bed. That is, if I can exist the alluring calls of my games long enough to study. If not, there's always next week! Later!<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-73385577699912558012009-06-05T21:03:00.001-07:002009-06-06T10:26:09.799-07:00Movie MarathonOff to a <span style="font-style: italic;">Back to the Future</span> and salsa (the food not the dance) night with some friends from church. Have a good night!Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-32104476417897166342009-06-04T19:36:00.001-07:002009-06-05T15:15:30.459-07:00E3 2009 - Reactions<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlSi00nSptkKXT8fJ72vo7hApx8Des3RZVt3sgUoxqTCGbYLG1KMXeP5fI0FYOVJ2an5aJCFumOBmhhyphenhyphencEnTrpIDKcgVJ5vgRPwxtheO_zY9a5YiYSqEZkq6JWWrjV0UVsm1RuN4ieiNj/s1600-h/E3_2009_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlSi00nSptkKXT8fJ72vo7hApx8Des3RZVt3sgUoxqTCGbYLG1KMXeP5fI0FYOVJ2an5aJCFumOBmhhyphenhyphencEnTrpIDKcgVJ5vgRPwxtheO_zY9a5YiYSqEZkq6JWWrjV0UVsm1RuN4ieiNj/s400/E3_2009_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343681593633441474" border="0" /></a>E3 was a blast, but I am very tired, though mostly my eyes more than anything. I have a great deal of respect for the media members that attend the conference from early morning until late at night for three days straight. Serious props to you all. I only attended about 6 hours of the conference, but I tried to make the most of it, so here's what I saw/played (in no particular order, other than my memories):<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Batman: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Arkham</span> Asylum</span> - This game seems pretty cool. I played through the demo grappling onto roof fixtures and silently taking down random goons inside the Asylum, before the Joker unleashed some sort of mutant giant on me (thus ending the demo). The mechanics seem fun, though there wasn't <span style="font-style: italic;">a lot</span> to do in the demo so I hope the game has a bit more variety or it could end up getting repetitive very quickly.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Splinter Cell: Conviction</span> - No playable demo, but there was a live stage demonstration. The game definitely seems like a good time, and the execution mechanic seems to add significantly to Sam Fischer's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">badass</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ness</span>. If you saw the demo at the Microsoft Press Conference (or was it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ubisoft's</span>?), it was basically the same thing, with some minor, almost random variations. Seeing the game in action makes me want to go back and play <span style="font-style: italic;">SC: Double Agent</span> which I never got even close to finishing.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Super Mario Bros. Wii </span>- I didn't expect to like this nearly as much as I did. I mean, Mario with 4 players? Really? It doesn't seem like an amazing idea, but in the end it's a lot of fun. Mostly I think because of the competitive co-op aspect of it. On the one hand, players are trying to help each other because if everyone dies, everyone loses. On the other hand, <span style="font-style: italic;">you </span>want to be the one to pick up all the coins and power-ups and have the most lives at the end of the level, so you might "accidentally" throw a friend or two into a pit or two. For whatever reason, it works and it's fun. Nintendo clearly knows what they're doing, but I suppose I should know that already :).<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">M.A.G.</span></span> - I actually waited in line about 30 min. to play this demo and I was just wholly underwhelmed. The game seems more like a technical demo than an actual game. While getting a 256-player battle functioning and largely lag-free (which it was) is a significant achievement, the game itself is somewhat wanting. It basically plays like a <span style="font-style: italic;">Battlefield</span>-style game, except without the combined arms of vehicles that make those games so much fun. Also, the map we played seemed designed to keep groups of players working on their own specific objectives, but what that boils down to is a bunch of 16 on 16 skirmishes, which seems to kind of defeat the purpose of a massive battlefield. I personally prefer smaller engagements anyhow, and the core <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">gameplay</span> itself just didn't seem to offer anything original beyond the large player number, which I guess was lost on me.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">God of War III</span> - Didn't play the demo (the line was <span style="font-style: italic;">way </span>too long), but I watched it for a bit. I loved <span style="font-style: italic;">God of War</span>. I loved <span style="font-style: italic;">God of War II</span>. I have every faith that I will love <span style="font-style: italic;">God of War III</span>. Seeing <span style="font-style: italic;">God of War III</span>'s slick combo-driven combat and brutal finishing moves in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">HD</span> was a sight to behold though. Can't wait for this to come out...really, I can't...</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Uncharted 2</span> - I didn't get a chance to try out this demo but I watched it for a fair bit, and I now have <span style="font-style: italic;">another </span>beta key which I think brings my total to three. The game looks to be in great shape, the visuals look really nice, and it looks like they've refined the half-action, half-exploration <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">gameplay</span> even further. I am really looking forward to this release, and I may even download the Beta! I should probably also buy a copy of Uncharted (I played through Rick's before)...</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Dragon Age: Origins</span> - I got to sit in on a demo session, which didn't really do a whole lot for me one way of another. They showed the main character talking to other characters (well-acted and animated, mind you), including a fortunately abbreviated love scene, and then showed a relatively fast battle with a dragon (which was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">admittedly</span> cool looking). The HUD was off during the battle, so it wasn't clear exactly what the demonstrator was doing, but it looked cool and ended with a fantastic finish. I was, and still am, excited for this game, and I have complete faith in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Bioware's</span> ability to make an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">RPG</span>, the demo didn't really change that much at all. I am curious about how it will work on consoles (and how it will run), but unfortunately only fancy media people got to play with the hands-on console demo.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Mass Effect 2</span> - This demo was sweet. I love <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect</span>. I want to play it again...right now. The demo lasted about 20 min. and looked at dialogue, combat, and how it all relates to the first game (and potentially the <span style="font-style: italic;">next </span>game). Apparently, you will be able to import over your save from the original <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect</span> and the game will use your character and the choices he/she made to define parts of your experience in <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect 2</span>. You can also play without doing this, but it's not clear what impact that will have on the story as a whole. The team seems to be improving the depth of the game's systems overall. The dialogue feels even more integrated and cinematic and the combat seems even more action-oriented than before. It would seem that if you <span style="font-style: italic;">liked Mass Effect</span>, you'll <span style="font-style: italic;">love Mass Effect 2</span>.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Split Second</span> - I don't really like most racing games, but this game was a real surprise. It seems like what you would get if you combined <span style="font-style: italic;">Burnout</span>, an action movie, and a kart racing game, where the weapons you pick up are actually built into the track. While racing, you build up a special meter by drifting, drafting, and overtaking other cars, and when the meter reaches certain levels it can be used to activate special powers at different points in the map. Usually these powers cause something to explode fantastically and take a number of your competitors with it, but other times you can use a fully loaded bar to alter the layout of the track, which actually changes the race (and also explodes fantastically and make takeout other drivers). The game seems all about over-the-top action, no better represented than the end of my first race where I raced under a flaming 747 as it crashed onto the runway in front of me. It's crazy over-the-top, and crazy fun. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">framerate's</span> a little lower than I'd like, but hopefully they can tighten that up before it ships.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Fat Princess</span> - This game seems deceptively strategic and awesome. It's like a full-blown strategic, class-based, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">multiplayer</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">CTF</span>-style game, packed into an excessively cute and over-the-top violent package. Both teams are trying to steal the other team's princess while trying to fatten their own to prevent the theft. At the same time, the teams can harvest trees in order to earn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">resources for</span> their team, which can be used by other players to upgrade their character to the different classes (warrior, archer, priest, etc.). The game seems really straightforward and approachable, while still having the strategic depth and teamwork that more hardcore gamers are looking for. I'll definitely being paying closer attention to this title as it gets closer to launch.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Battlefield: Bad Company 2</span> - I actually ended up playing this demo while I was waiting for the next <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect 2</span> demo to start, and I ended finding myself quite enjoying it. I am a big fan of the Battlefield formula and the original <span style="font-style: italic;">Bad Company</span> was no exception. I looks like they've polished up the engine and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">gameplay</span> somewhat, while keeping the game true to its predecessor. All I can say is I had a great deal of fun with the demo, and I'll be sure to check it out when it comes out later this year.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Final Fantasy: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Dissidia</span> </span>- I had zero expectations when I played this, I didn't even know what it was. Apparently, it's a clever little fighting game for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">PSP</span> that pits classic Final Fantasy characters against one another in mortal combat. I'm not sure if there's any intention for a greater story behind it, but the reason I call it clever is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">gameplay</span>. It's the exact kind of fighting game I like: simple. The special attacks are all pulled off by pressing a direction in combination with a button (think <span style="font-style: italic;">Smash Bros.</span>), that's it. The game seems more about picking the right attacks at the right times, and blocking effectively (again a simple, single button press). I do have a concern that a fighting game on a handheld misses out on one of the genre's strongest points - local <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">multiplayer</span>, but we'll see what they do with that. I can't say I am going to pick it up, but I'll certainly keep an eye on it.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Well I know I saw a lot more, but those were the highlights. Attending my first E3 as a professional game developer was definitely a memorable experience. The conference certainly has its share of "oddities" (like models dressed like game characters or a guy walking around in power armor), but in the end it is an epic spectacle of gaming that really shines a light on all of interactive entertainment, and I'm glad it's back. Now, I need to go ice my eyeballs...<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-7429007523791834342009-06-04T11:18:00.001-07:002009-06-04T11:18:54.428-07:00Going to E3 Today!More news to follow...Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-6824682021296188472009-06-03T21:06:00.000-07:002009-06-03T21:36:15.060-07:00Red Faction: Guerrilla - First Impressions<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoMOIeEAXkgfN1yL3wbxdM_iXwv3ri5HjtrnqKSD1yi58TK3nz3UQAuNDW-fshSxTveoRKUdAYW1uXUTE6-vbGFszwydiZ8JIpVay42HZJ4iINLs3i37uY8kdbX5RF-8rIEA1duC8w5p0/s1600-h/rfguerilla1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoMOIeEAXkgfN1yL3wbxdM_iXwv3ri5HjtrnqKSD1yi58TK3nz3UQAuNDW-fshSxTveoRKUdAYW1uXUTE6-vbGFszwydiZ8JIpVay42HZJ4iINLs3i37uY8kdbX5RF-8rIEA1duC8w5p0/s400/rfguerilla1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343325908349263490" border="0" /></a>So, I didn't post anything yesterday, partly because I've been very tired lately, and partly because I spent the night (more of it than I should have) engrossed in Volition's newest title <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Faction: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guerrilla</span></span>. In short, I have to say the game is a blast (quite literally, I suppose). If you like blowing stuff up or watching buildings crumble, just go pick it up, you won't be disappointed. Otherwise, I suppose you can read on, though I will try to keep this brief (so I can get back to liberating Mars myself).<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The game clearly is cut from the same cloth as Volition's previous <span style="font-style: italic;">Saint's Row</span> titles with a number of side missions (called "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">guerrilla</span> actions") and optional destruction targets alongside the game's main storyline. In addition, red faction members will also occasionally call you with optional missions like attacking and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">EDF</span> (the bad guys) convoy or protecting a red faction camp from an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">EDF</span> assault. My favorite part about all the missions (main and side) is that they are very open-ended about <span style="font-style: italic;">how </span>you do them, which is my favorite thing in a sandbox game. You'll often be tasked with taking out or protecting a target but exactly how you do it is up to you. I also appreciate the "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">guerrilla</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ness</span>" of the game, which I wasn't really expecting. When you start taking up arms against the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">EDF</span> and start blowing up their stuff they take notice and quick. Enemy reinforcements are fast and numerous which really encourages well-planned, hit-and-run tactics (or at least fast improvisation). Kudos to the team for making me feel (and play) like a real freedom fighter. Very cool.<br /><br />My favorite example of this is a mission where I had to save a group or miners <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">under EDF</span> house arrest. To start, I broke into the building (through the front door in this case), shot the guards, and untied the hostages. Looking out the front window I could see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">EDF</span> troops making their way through the front door and more reinforcements on the way, so I threw a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">det</span> charge on the back wall and blew it open and we all jumped down from there (the second floor) and ran out to my vehicle which was parked a little bit away near the road. We were able to mostly avoid the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">EDF</span> troops that had surrounded the building, and the whole thing felt very clever, cool, and organic.<br /><br />I only have a couple complaints right now. The first is that the story doesn't seem particularly long. I can't say for certain how long the game is, but there don't seem to be that many storyline missions, and liberating a whole sector doesn't seem to be the ordeal I would expect it to be. I've only liberated one thus far (which I think was mostly like a prolonged tutorial), so I may be jumping the gun, but I hope the rest of the sectors are far more difficult to liberate, otherwise I think it kind of kills some of the immersion.<br /><br />The other minor, though frustrating point is that random <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">guerrillas</span> can't get in my vehicle. Once you rally enough support, if you engage the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">EDF</span> you will gather random colonists who will fight with you. I want to be able to gather them and take them on a sort of improvised raid on the larger destruction targets the game has to offer. Unfortunately, they just won't get in whatever I am driving, so I have to start the raid by myself and just hope some of my friends decide to show up. It's a minor thing, but I would have much preferred to see something similar to the "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">homie</span>" system from <span style="font-style: italic;">Saint's Row 2</span>, where my loyal allies will stay with me until I release them or they die.<br /><br />All in all I am really enjoying the game, and it kept me up far later than I should have allowed it. If you haven't checked it out already you should at least download the demo on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">XBL</span> or the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">PSN</span>.<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-26620735004079092042009-06-03T16:02:00.001-07:002009-06-03T16:08:47.925-07:00RCF: ACiT Stage Show on GamespotCheck it out!<br /><br /><embed id="mymovie" flashvars="playerMode=embedded&movieAspect=4.3&flavor=EmbeddedPlayerVersion&skin=http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/cne_flash/production/media_player/proteus/one/skins/gamespot.png&paramsURI=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamespot.com%2Fpages%2Fvideo_player%2Fxml.php%3Fid%3D6211068%26mode%3Dembedded%26width%3D432%26height%3D362%2F" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" name="mymovie" style="" src="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/cne_flash/production/media_player/proteus/one/proteus2.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="432" height="362"></embed>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-43933838908133830632009-06-01T21:42:00.000-07:002009-06-01T21:51:35.186-07:00Forests are FULL of trees<div style="text-align: justify;">Yeah, so that's a kind of silly (ok, very silly) post title, but I do think it captures a lot of what's going through my mind right now. I spent most of today reviewing my levels and trying to capture and prioritize all the things I need to do for our impending deadline. While, I think I've only captured the basic stuff for now, it's certainly not a short or straightforward list. While I think attending E3 would be fun, I'm kind of glad I am not going so I can use the extra time (with less people around) to try and get caught up. <br /><br />All that being said, it doesn't really explain the post title which only occured to me as I was driving home. Before the end of this year, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time</span> will be on store shelves, with my name and my work inside it, entertaining hundreds of thousands of games out there. That thought just brought a smile to my face. I mean the Guildhall gave me plenty of projects and experience, experience that I don't think could be much closer to the professional reality I am in now, but they never gave me this: an actual game. A game that is going to be played by millions of people. <br /><br />It's just a really exciting thought, and one that it's very easy to lose sight of on a daily basis I think. Sometimes it's hard to remember what it's like to see what you are working on for the first time. Sometime it's <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> hard. Anyway, I just thought I would share that. Now I am going to try and wind down for the evening. I haven't been sleeping well for whatever reason over the past couple weeks, so I spent most of today pretty tired. I am hoping that I can force myself to go to sleep earlier and get some real rest. Here's hoping...<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-33656956426079717302009-05-31T19:59:00.000-07:002009-05-31T20:28:27.501-07:00What I'm Playing - 5.31.09<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRAgL_CKSgDJD0DfX2OmCHRCnkqzlxluyIVhOpYzbGf6MBqT5oh-Fivz_wTEgdztW9a42oRtBSkE0FZT4eXjBLsRk0U4p0lT26i6u0VO3159s1ri7TXtiw_Sh2plondZd7NP4fCjbfGyd/s1600-h/inFamous1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRAgL_CKSgDJD0DfX2OmCHRCnkqzlxluyIVhOpYzbGf6MBqT5oh-Fivz_wTEgdztW9a42oRtBSkE0FZT4eXjBLsRk0U4p0lT26i6u0VO3159s1ri7TXtiw_Sh2plondZd7NP4fCjbfGyd/s400/inFamous1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342195839973824002" border="0" /></a>As my weekend draws to a close, I daresay I really have made the most of it...at least from a relaxation standpoint. I avoided pretty much all things productive over the weekend and managed to keep my time squarely focused on playing games, watching TV and movies, and sleeping. I've also resolved to begin daily posts on the blog again, even if the posts have to be incredibly brief as my available free time trends toward zero. We'll see how my resolution holds over the coming weeks. So here's what I've been playing, mostly over the past few days:<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Infamous</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (PS3)</span> - I've been having a blast playing this game. I am a little more than halfway through the game (52% according to my save) and I have to say it's a great, if somewhat repetitive experience. Repetition aside, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">gameplay</span> itself is compelling and enjoyable. Whether you are deftly climbing up the side of a building, grinding along power lines, or hurling lighting bolts and electric missiles at a giant trash <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">golem</span>, the game never fails to be exciting to play and dazzling to watch. The game seems to have the most in common with <span style="font-style: italic;">Crackdown</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Assassin's Creed</span>, inheriting an unfortunate level of repetition with the latter. While all the main story quests are engaging and exciting, the same cannot be said for all the side missions. Some are great fun, while others leave something to be desired (though opinions may differ on which missions belong to which group), unfortunately the variety is lacking so you will often play the same mission multiple times with in a relatively short span of game time. That being said, the side missions are not required to advance, but some more variety or engaging mission design would have been appreciated. Still, I think the game compares quite favorably with <span style="font-style: italic;">Assassin's Creed</span> in this regard as almost all the missions are more fun than those from AC, plus you're a lightning bolt wielding superhero. So you've got that going for you...In the end I'd say it's a great game that's a real joy to play, but it tastes best in smaller doses where the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">repetition</span> is less apparent.<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Fable 2</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (X360)</span> - To be honest, I haven't played too much of this this week. I got a bunch of new quests some new areas to explore, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot else for my character to gain at this point. I own an incredible portion of the kingdom, I have yet to find anything that improves weapon or clothing selection, and I've maxed out pretty much every ability I'm interested in. Also, while I like the idea that your skills affect your appearance in theory, in practice I would like my character to be skilled with melee weapons without having to look like a circus strongman, especially considering my character is a woman. Another system I wish had a bit more depth (like maybe your skills give you more freedom in <span style="font-style: italic;">customizing </span>your appearance) but I discussed that at length in my last post. It's still fun to run around Albion and see what there is to see, I just wish it didn't feel like my character was already <span style="font-style: italic;">finished</span>. Maybe I'll find a cool <span style="font-style: italic;">and </span>useful legendary weapon and all will be forgiven. Or maybe some legendary clothes that make me look super sweet. Where are those I ask?<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Gears of War 2</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (X360)</span> - Played this with Rick for a few hours over the weekend sort of on a whim, and we finished my first <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">playthrough</span> (Rick had already beaten the game prior). The ending boss battle is just silly (I smell something that was cut), but on the whole, Gears is loads of fun to play especially co-op. Working with a sibling or best friend to take out a horde of alien mutants all while shouting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">psuedo</span>-military chatter (and trash talk) back and forth, is an experience not to be missed. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gears of War 2</span> maybe a bit on the short side, but it's filled with non-stop action and some seriously memorable moments, so I still give it a very high recommendation to any 360 owners.</li></ul>That's it for now, hopefully I'll have had a chance to play some more before this time next week!Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-32691344611698773512009-05-30T23:07:00.000-07:002009-05-30T23:38:15.716-07:00My Last Weekend<div style="text-align: justify;">So, I guess I haven't been doing a great job of the whole "write more on the blog" thing. I'll see what I can do about that...<br /><br />That being said, it's become clear to me that things are going to get very busy for me very soon. We're closing in on a very important milestone at work and it's clear that there's a lot of work still left to be done. As such, this may be my last full weekend for quite some time, at least the next few weeks if not months. It's not something I'm really upset about, just part of the job really. I do love my weekends though, so I've been trying to make the most of it while I have the chance. I've been playing a lot of <span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable II</span> and otherwise just enjoying the day. <br /><br />I also got some boardgames in the mail this week which is super exciting. I haven't bought any boardgames in a while and I love checking out the new rules and nuances of the games (yes, I am <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>nerdy). I got the new Cosmic Encounter, Small World, Dominion, and a couple of decks for Blue Moon. I've only had the chance to briefly try out Dominion and lunch on Friday, but we had to cut the game short. Dominion seems really solid, pretty straightforward, but with loads of subtle, interesting nuances, and a lot of replayability. I've only looked over the rules of the other two but they seem great as well (Cosmic Encounter is already one of my favorites from a previous version). I look forward to trying them all out at my Tuesday night game night, whenever we have the time to meet.<br /><br />That's pretty much it. Just keeping on keeping on and sort of bracing myself for the coming storm. I honestly don't think it will be that bad, but I've never actually been part of a professional studio in full-on crunch mode so I suppose I am a little anxious to see how bad it can really be, though I don't imagine it can really compare to the Guildhall. Or at least I hope not. At the very least, I look at the other Ratchet & Clank games and remember how awesome they are, and that makes everything feel much more worthwhile. Sometimes when we're really in the thick of it, it's easy to lose sight of what we're working toward, so it's nice to see those games and remember them as a player, not just a developer.<br /><br />Alright, well, I've got a little more weekend to enjoy, so I better get back to it...<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-29570536813706492272009-05-26T13:26:00.000-07:002009-05-26T13:27:05.333-07:00Full Moon Show - Season Premiere!<a href="http://podcast.insomniacgames.com/podcasts/fullmoonshow_37.mp3">http://podcast.insomniacgames.com/podcasts/fullmoonshow_37.mp3</a><br /><br />Season premiere of Insomniac's developer podcast, enjoy!Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-7400381105061498462009-05-25T19:57:00.000-07:002009-05-31T20:34:57.137-07:00What I'm Playing - 5.25.09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3AYlG5bZtoF3gE76LkQuH8nPZnFUoURfdAIKuz0TjsgfYcDELu-3I8s96on5JRQQjEIIDkkml3zkfZ3B1nzJ35B4B-8PSZxUgxeY9lH9sTOLx8oChUbQphIwrorylEzFtEgbMywrRAY-/s1600-h/Fable2_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3AYlG5bZtoF3gE76LkQuH8nPZnFUoURfdAIKuz0TjsgfYcDELu-3I8s96on5JRQQjEIIDkkml3zkfZ3B1nzJ35B4B-8PSZxUgxeY9lH9sTOLx8oChUbQphIwrorylEzFtEgbMywrRAY-/s400/Fable2_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342197536166451970" border="0" /></a>Well, I had planned for this to be a weekly post, but I had <span style="font-style: italic;">also</span> planned for there to be other post in between. This last week was just kind of stressful (except for these last few days of delicious vacation), so I guess I've been spending most of my time at home just trying to relax. Anyway, here's what's going on videogame-wise:<br /><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">KoTOR II: The Sith Lords</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (PC)</span> - I actually just finished the game on Friday, or I should say the game ended, though I didn't feel I was directly responsible for it's conclusion. The game has a number of strong parts, but I think it will overall stand in my head as a pale shadow of its predecessor. Maybe that's just the unfortunate postion of a sequel to a critically acclaimed game, especially when that sequel gets rushed out the door before it's truly ready. There are several parts in the game that I truly enjoyed (like getting embroiled in the mystery and intrigue of a civil war brewing on one of the planets), but I think that the unfortunately lacking conclusion diminishes the entire game as a whole. Events in the game felt like they were building to something great before it all just stopped without any great explanation or resolution. It's no <span style="font-style: italic;">Soul Reaver</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">PsiOps</span>, or <span style="font-style: italic;">Halo 2</span> on this point, but it's still an unsatisfying conclusion. Too bad really. Still I am glad to have played it and enjoyed a great deal of my adventure.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Fable II</span> (X360)</span> - After finishing KoTOR 2, I had some overwhelming desire to play this game, and I'm not really sure why. My best guess is all the ads for the new DLC that were litered across my 360's dashboard, but whatever the reason, I've been playing it like crazy and loving it. When the game originally came out, I was neck deep in thesis work so I didn't really have the chance to play it nearly as much as I would have liked before. The game is not without it's flaws for certain, but there's just something fun about being in the world of Albion. There's a great sense of freedom to explore and just really do whatever you want. Often, I would get busy just taking odd jobs and trying to expand my real estate holdings without really moving the main quest forward at all. Other times I'd be exploring every nook and cranny looking for cool, secret areas or "phat loots." It's one of those addicitive expereinces where you keep have one "last" thing to do and before you know it it's 3 AM. As I said, the game has it's shortcomings, which mostly amount to every part of the game (combat, character development, story, etc.) being too shallow. I love the amount of freedom that <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable II</span> just gives me to live in the world and really play a role, I just wish the expereince had deeper levels for me to explore. Still, I've been playing it almost non-stop since Friday (except for a few Memorial Day BBQs) and it's still managed to keep my interest, so I suppose I can't complain too much.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Saint's Row 2</span> (PS3)</span> - I still am playing this only intermittently, but it's great for just kicking back and having fun. There are a remarkable number of varied things to do in any given play session. Similar to Fable II, it supports a lot of player freedom and allows me to just get in and have a good time without having to worry too much about what I <span style="font-style: italic;">should </span>be doing. The story may be a bit weaker for it, but that really not what I'm playing it for, so that's fine with me.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">I am also eagerly anticipating the release of <span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Red Faction: Guerilla</span> over the next couple weeks. Both had really strong demos, in my opinion, and I am really looking forward to what both games seem to bring to the open-world genre (is that a genre?). Of course, given all the <span style="font-style: italic;">Fable II</span> and<span style="font-style: italic;"> Saint's Row 2</span> I've been playing lately, I'll definitely have to pace myself and maybe throw an RPG or a strategy game in there somewhere :).</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-30128611683089120762009-05-18T22:45:00.000-07:002009-05-31T20:35:33.502-07:00What I'm Playing - 5.18.09<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlYWSsNbumdiqxp_1oyZLY4w5mBqjwN-r7KcEQj76CpFibo_FCTllntuaY-3ic87jpPLWYbHPNtYx-oY7tuNGaYOKFpJD-wEdH_YXC1-JP-01Tu4XNHI7EYqXtenIm2WhYCAJyXXWzotg/s1600-h/Sacred2_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlYWSsNbumdiqxp_1oyZLY4w5mBqjwN-r7KcEQj76CpFibo_FCTllntuaY-3ic87jpPLWYbHPNtYx-oY7tuNGaYOKFpJD-wEdH_YXC1-JP-01Tu4XNHI7EYqXtenIm2WhYCAJyXXWzotg/s400/Sacred2_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342197670044426130" border="0" /></a>Whoops, meant to post this yesterday, but I got busy with, well, not doing this anyhow, and then I ended up staying late at work until just a few moments ago. So, anyway...<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Here's what I've been playing recently:<br /></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Sacred 2</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(X360)</span> - I picked this up over the weekend, and I have to say I am enjoying it even more than I expected to. I love a good dungeon crawler, and on the consoles, the couch co-op they offer are among the best of my co-op gaming experiences. I expected this game to be a good if rough incarnation of the genre, and was pleasantly surprised to find something closer to a great (if rough) incarnation. The story and quests seem pretty simple, but the world is huge, the classes seem suitably varied and highly customizable, and there seems to be plenty of "phat" loots to find, so what more can you really ask for from an dungeon crawler? I know, you <span style="font-style: italic;">could </span>ask for <span style="font-style: italic;">Diablo 3</span>, so would I and we'd probably be right, but it's not really going to make Blizzard work any faster, nor is it going to allow me to play it from the comfort of my couch. I've also been playing it online with my brother a great deal and have found setting up a connection with one another to be pretty seamless. In fact, with how large the world is and how the game handles "parties" it feels more like playing an MMO without all those other people around to bother you :P. It's a good fun, dungeon crawl with seemingly very long legs, so if that's something you are interested in, check it out, just be prepared for some lower than average framerates and lackluster storytelling.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">KoTOR II: The Sith Lords </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">(PC)</span> - Due to the marathon of <span style="font-style: italic;"> </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Sacred 2</span> over the past weekend, I haven't played this too terribly much lately (I don't usually have much time to play during the week), but I am close to finishing the last of initial set of planets, which I believe means I am closing in on the ending. I've been enjoying the game for the most part, though some of the dialogue seems to drag on a bit. Admittedly, this is mostly my own fault since I tend to ask every character everything I possibly can, because I like to get all the background, especially on my allies, but at the same time, if it's been a while since I've been in a good combat scenario I tend to get a bit antsy. I think this is actually where my biggest gripe with the game lies: a significant lack of <span style="font-style: italic;">good </span>combat setups. Oh there's a good deal of combat, but a few lightsaber swings later everyone is dead except for me and my compatriots who have collectively suffered a minor bruise, and this is on the hardest difficulty setting. I have lots of cool powers at my disposal which do make me feel pretty bad-ass, but with no really worthy opponents to use them on the significance is greatly diminished. I recognize that people don't really play RPGs to be challenged, especially when the enemy/experience pool is strictly limited (<span style="font-style: italic;">i.e.</span>, no grinding), but I feel if I am choosing to play on a mode called "difficult" I should lose once in a while, and not just because you force me to use the crappy characters for. Still the story is solid, and being a Jedi is still a cool experience, even if it's an easy one.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Saints Row 2</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(PS3)</span> - I think I only played this once last week, but it kept me up later than intended, so it deserves mentioning. This game may not have the cinematic flare or urban grit of <span style="font-style: italic;">GTA IV</span>, but it makes up for it with moxy and off-the-wall fun. This is the perfect beer-and-pretzels game for you to just pick up and have fun with, without getting too invested. That's not usually my MO, as I prefer to get deeply absorbed in one game at a time, but it can be a refereshing change of pace from some of my more cerebral experiences.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, that's it for now. I am hoping to turn this into a recurring thing, I just hope that when I play the same thing for more than I couple weeks my experiences are different enough to have new and interesting things to say about it...at least <span style="font-style: italic;">new </span>things :). Later, all!<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-70786533878346973362009-05-13T15:54:00.000-07:002009-05-13T15:58:40.428-07:00Infamous comes out with a BANG!...or maybe a ZAP! <br /><br />And technically it hasn't "come out" yet... <br /><br />Anyway, IGN gave it a 9.2 (Outstanding) and the reviewer simply said "<span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous </span>is amazing." Color me excited. Here's a link to the <a href="http://ps3.ign.com/articles/981/981734p1.html">written review</a>.Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-29860622883994414292009-05-12T23:02:00.001-07:002009-05-12T23:03:10.746-07:00Net RootsJoin the Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burbank-CA/Ratchet-Clank-Future-A-Crack-in-Time/75891827057?sid=d9d22415793d2afe64a879ffd6c2346f&ref=search">facebook group</a>!<br /><br />I think we also have a Twitter feed around here somewhere....Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-42349421915201494302009-05-11T21:07:00.000-07:002009-05-11T21:35:45.614-07:00Narrative Density<div style="text-align: justify;">So whenever I talk about games, RPGs in particular, I always to end up talking about what I call narrative density, or in the simplest terms, the ratio of story to gameplay. Now, it's not a strict ratio, as a ratio assumes a certain amount of mutual exclusivity, which I don't mean to imply. Storyline and gameplay can exist at the same time, in fact, I think in the best games they often do. Nevertheless, I come back to the original concept, Narrative Density.<br /><br />The reason I think of this particular concept is because I am currently playing through <span style="font-style: italic;">Knights of the Old Republic 2</span> (which I should say I am quite enjoying), Obsidian Entertainment's first game (at least as Obsidian). Obsidian has since released <span style="font-style: italic;">Neverwinter Nights 2</span> and several expansions, and is now working on the action, spy RPG <span style="font-style: italic;">Alpha Protocol</span>. Why is that important? Well, as you are probably aware <span style="font-style: italic;">Knights of the Old Republic 2</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Neverwinter Nights 2</span> are sequels (duh) to what where originially Bioware games (just drop the 2's and you have the original titles). Bioware games I finished, finished very close to thier original release in fact, in additon to playing all of the official expansions to the original <span style="font-style: italic;">Neverwinter Nights</span>. So why then, have I never managed to finish KOTOR2 or NWN 2 (sorry typing those all out got tiresome quickly) despite repeated attempts?<br /><br />What I think it all comes down to for me is this concept of narrative density, of how much time I spend talking vs. killing monsters and exploring dungeons. I think, as far as I am concerned, Bioware is at almost exactly the right level of density for me, whereas Obsidian misses the mark, spending far more time than I would like talking and <span style="font-style: italic;">telling </span>me the story than allowing me to experience it for myself. On the flip side, I think modern console RPGs have gone the opposite direction. In an attempt to keep achieveing longer and longer RPG expereiences, titles like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Remnant</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Final Fantasy XII</span> offer up far more in the way of dungeon slogging than they do in story, so much so that occasionally I actually forgot what my overall goal was in the first place.<br /><br />So what does all this mean? Well, I think it's different for each player. Some players may desire to almost read their way through the story, while others may only be interested in the action, and I think there are plenty of games that they would be satisfied with. The really difficult one to please (such as myself) sits right in the middle, desiring a certain mix of story and action, and that mix may vary from person to person. The desire is not so strong that it completely deprives us of joy if our ideal density is not present. As I said, I am greatly enjoying KOTOR2, despite feeling a bit detached in certain 20 mintue conversations, but it is still something I am aware of, and if I am aware of it, I know it's not ideal. Admittedly, I love talking to Kreia, all her dialogue is intriguing and thought-provoking, so kudos to Obsidian for creating a character that actually makes you think, but I don't think I ever felt this way about the original KOTOR, <span style="font-style: italic;">Mass Effect</span>, or even <span style="font-style: italic;">Jade Empire</span>, and it seems worthy of noting.<br /><br />In fact, my favorite game of all time, <span style="font-style: italic;">Chrono Trigger</span>, is remarkably short for an RPG. About 12-15 hours for one playthrough and maybe double that to achieve every ending. It seems as though an RPG of that length today would be chastised by the community at large though it is one of the highest rated games of all time according to <a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/snes/563538-chrono-trigger/index.html">GameRankings</a>. And I guess that is really my point (I know, I wasn't sure I had one either). As games continue to get more and more complex, there also seems to be this push to have more and more content often at the cost of quality (at least within the RPG market, in my opinion). This trend for the most part disturbs me, and I hope that developers are eventually able to overcome it in favor or shorter much more polished expereiences. While I might personally be a bit upset at a 6 hour experience, if all six of those hours were nothing but top-shelf entertainment, it would probably still go down as one of my games of the year (look at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Gears of War</span> series).<br /><br />The truth is from the standpoint of a consumer or a developer we would all rather have a game that's too short, than too long. That's all I'm saying...<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-83218150387042072272009-05-06T22:42:00.000-07:002009-05-06T22:44:55.321-07:00Reading the Past<div style="text-align: justify;">Man, I just read through some of my older stuff, it's interesting to relive those moments in text. Of course, that may be because my memory is so poor it feels more like reading a book than something I wrote.<br /><br />I also noticed I used to write A LOT more like every day...and that was when I was working practically all the time. Maybe I'm just lazy...<br /><br />I'll see about correcting that. :)</div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-34902618832812369152009-05-06T22:13:00.000-07:002009-05-06T22:30:30.808-07:00My 90 Day Reflection<div style="text-align: justify;">So, I haven't posted anything in a while, and even longer since it was anything of consequence (not that I don't consider my love of Chuck important). I've been thinking about it lately and I suppose I have confirmed some of my fears about trying to maintain this dear blog while actually working in the industry. The short story: it's hard.<br /><br />Now I am sure there are a lot of things I could write about, like what I am currently playing (<span style="font-style: italic;">Knights of the Old Republic 2</span>) and what I am the most excited for in the near future (<span style="font-style: italic;">Infamous</span>), but I guess that wasn't exactly what I wanted this blog to be about. I wanted to write about the industry from an insider's view, to talk about how games are actually made, and have some written chronicle of my meteoric rise to the top (or middle as the case may be), but it's proving even harder to do than I expected.<br /><br />When I was in school I could talk about pretty much everything I was doing, the challenge and excitement of it, the big moments and the let downs. It was a good chance for me to reflect on what I was doing, even if my day was just a lazy Saturday that was lazier than it maybe should have been. Still, it was just a chance to think and evaluate what I was doing. The work is still as challenging and exciting as it was in school, probably even moreso now that it's "real," but of course none of it that I can share.<br /><br />What I can say is work is going well, really well. I just had my last starter review, and I don't think it could have gone much better. My manager was extremely complimentary of my work, I feel like I am making real contributions to the project, and I am fitting in great with the team. I am really happy with how things are going here, and I am really excited for all of you to tell me what you think of the game when it ships. That's really as much as I can say, and I hope that's enough.<br /><br />As for what this blog is going to be, that's still up in the air. I suppose I could keep writing about video games in general. I keep thinking up articles I could write like "Why I don't really play multiplayer RTSs" or "The Top 5 places I DON'T want to go in a Star Wars game" (Number one, Nar Shadda...bleh, bo-ring), but I am never really driven to write anything. That's probably just a lazy excuse, but I am still trying to figure out what I want to do with my time, now that I have a life again, and the blog just hasn't rated very highly.<br /><br />It's weird sometimes to be out of the Guildhall. Everyone there was so driven, working very hard toward a very specific goal. It was hard to be sure, grueling in fact, but also it was so focusing. Like you didn't have time or energy to worry about anything else. Now that I am "free" I find that I have a lot more time to think about what I really want my life to be about (other than the job of course). I guess it makes you think.<br /><br />Anyway, I am being exceedingly reflective at the moment, but as I said, that was always kind of the point, at least for me. I hope that my random musings are at least an interesting distraction from time to time, and I'll see what else I can do :).<br /></div>Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265122249617174593.post-71325414478241328142009-04-28T21:20:00.001-07:002009-04-28T21:22:03.933-07:00I <3 ChuckSo I realize it's been a week and I haven't written anything, but I must reiterate my love for Chuck. I just watched the season finale, and it was nothing short of fantastic. It is probably one of my favorite shows of all time. <br /><br />Please don't take it away NBC...<br /><br />Please?Avengerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00620461232323003456noreply@blogger.com1