socrossblog

Five for Friday: 10/31

The Rad Race

Fallout 3 came out last tuesday, and it's been hard for me to think about much else ever since.  Since the advance copy I got did not have the Live component, I had to start all over once I got the launch version so I could scoop up some achievements to bolster my gamerscore.  Right now I've just finished the Arefu missions, and I'm trying to help Moira write her book.  I'm holding off on checking the radio station for my father until I gain some levels and complete some more quests.  Although the combat system is more RPG than FPS, after getting used to it I'm really having a blast!

 

Trick or Treat, Warhammer Style

Warhammer Online launched its "Witching Night" Halloween event this week - it's full of new items like masks and capes, new public quests and ghosts of the fallen wandering the countryside.  As much as I liked the World of Warcraft zombie apocalypse, I have to admit that this event beats it.  First, players that don't want to participate don't have to (unlike WoW) and second the content seems richer and more compelling to me.  The even runs until November 5th, so if you're on the Drifting Castle server this weekend and see a handsome witch hunter named Socross, stop and say hi :D

NVNoob = Me

I've been checking out all sorts of gaming forums and blogs for a while now as part of my job.  This week rudedog of fpsadmin.com fame was kind enough to introduce me to the gang at nvnews.net - a bunch of rabid gamers and nVidia fans whose community just turned 10 this year!  They were extremely receptive and helpful, so if you're up for a hearty discussion on hardware (mostly nVidia based, but not exclusively) then head on over and tell them the nvnoob sent ya.  Also, if setting up servers for FPS games is your thing, definitely hit up fpsadmin.com - thanks rudedog!

FPS AFK

Sometimes I just need an FPS fix, but I don't have my gaming rig handy (like...when I'm at work...on my work laptop...umm...working hard...yeah).  Phosphor is a free, browser-based FPS that doesn't need an expensive graphics card to play.  Sure, you play against bots, but the graphics are decent, the challenge level is good and you won't have to listen to an angry German kid scream into his headset.

Gaming o' Lanterns

Chris Paladino over on the Xbox side sent me a link to a really cool Fable 2 Pumpkin.  Knowing there had to be more of this squash phenomena, I made the rounds on my normal gaming sites and it was Kotaku FTW.  My hat's off to whoever had the talent and the time to make these - I'm sure it wasn't easy!  When I try to make a jack-o-lantern, even nearby pumpkins can't help but judge.  Happy Halloween!

Desktop Tower Defense Challenge!

I've been playing this game for a year now, and I still come back to it - if you haven't tried it you're missing out!  Play a medium mode game, and submit your score to the "socrossblog" group.  Go on, you know you want to!

*Edit: The embedded player won't allow you to post high scores....so play it here! :D

My War Against the Word "Interesting"

I've been designing games for a while - mainly board and card games.  I've been into those types of games since I was 12 and first learned how to play Dungeons & Dragons.  Back in those days, my mom wouldn't let me play D&D, so I had to try other games.  In my home town, there weren't any game stores I had access to, so I had to make do with Battletech. 

My first real experience playing Battletech was one of the defining moments in my game design career.  I was at a friend's house for their regular Battletech night, and they were teaching me how to play.  It pretty much went something like this...

Fallout 3: First Impressions

I've had Fallout 3 in my hands since friday (thanks Wolf!) but now that it's out I'm finally allowed to post about it...

Have you played it yet?  What do you think?

Five for Friday: 10/24

 

I love my job!

The guys from Relic and THQ came down yesterday for some face time with the Games for Windows marketing team, and thanks to Heidi, I got to sit in on it as well.  For those of you who don't know, Dawn of War is the RTS adaptation of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game.

Dawn of War II is set to come out early next year, so the Relic guys came to show us the current build.  I started playing Warhammer 40K when I was 14, so I could barely contain my excitement as they loaded the game...

The game looks awesome - the graphics, sound and animations really bring the miniatures of the 40K world to life.  When I was playing 40K back in the 80's, this is how I always imagined the battles would look. I was also excited to find out that they took building out of the campaign mode!  The last thing I want to do in the grim darkness of the far future is build a freakin barracks.  I don't want to build barracks, I want to blow them up! 

Thanks to the guys at Relic and THQ - your presentation was the highlight of my week!

 

Mmmm...Curry

India-based Games2Win has just launched Game Curry, a new search engine just for flash games.  It's still in beta (or as their site declares, "still cooking!"), but if you want to get your mind off of work while still looking like you're doing work, check 'em out.

 

 

The Rebel Alliance

PCGA President Randy Stude had some stern comments this week in regards to Lucasarts refusing to release Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on PCs.  Lucasarts has stated that they would not be able to accommodate the endless variety of PC setups, while still maintaining their desired gaming experience. 

Mr. Stude fired back:

"In the last several years there have been at least 100 million PCs sold that have the capabilities or better of an Xbox 360. It's ridiculous to say that there's not enough audience for that game potentially and that it falls into this enthusiast extreme category when ported over to the PC. That's an uneducated response.

"...my personal opinion is if they're making games for the Wii, Xbox and PS3 they're scaling their experience to meet all three of those platforms. They're good on the Wii, better on the Xbox 360 and the best on the PS3. There's no argument that they could give not to be able to support good better and best on the PC."

I'd like to tip my hat to Mr. Stude, thanks for standing up for us!

 

Oldies but Goodies

I'm jazzed about Fallout 3, but it just keeps getting better - GoG has just went into open beta.  This site is full of classic PC titles for bargain prices, like Fallout 1 and 2 for $6 each - less than the price of a cup of coffee.  In Seattle, anyway.

 

ROM of the Dead

World of Warcraft players were treated to a preview of the upcoming expansion Wrath of the Lich King in the form of a zombie plague.  I'm sure it's a direct result of my post about Quarantine...that's right folks, I'm just that influential.  All week long players have been fighting zombies, eating brains and infecting their hapless raid mates.  While a significant portion of the player base has expressed some irritation over the change, I for one think it's brilliant - it was quite literally the first time I actually thought "maybe I should play that game after all!"

Left 4 Dead and System Requirements

I read today that Valve recently revised the system reqs for Left 4 Dead - now you only need 128mb of video card memory, although you still need that hefty 3 GHz processor.  While that's certainly good news for those of use who are excited about this game, it got me thinking again about a touchy subject: system requirements.

Say what you will about piracy or DRM, but system requirements are, in my opinion, the biggest threat to the future of PC gaming.  PC's are in upwards of 85% of American homes, while only 45% have console systems.  So why do console game sales continually kick PC game sales to the curb?  While I'm sure there are many reasons, one simple fact remains: if I buy a console game, I am 100% assured that it will work in my console.  Buying a PC game requires consumers to scrutinize the box, and compare the list of requirements found there to a list in their head of what their computer can do.  If they are buying that game for a friend or loved one, they won't even know that much.  It's no wonder that many people choose to forego that process altogether!

So what can be done about this?  I think the system needs to be simplified drastically.  We need to help consumers feel more confident about their PC game purchase.  We need to help the moms, granddads and spouses buy games as gifts and feel good about it.

One possible solution lies within Windows Vista - the Performance Information Tool.  This handy little app rates your system in five key areas, all on a scale of 1-6.  Perhaps these numbers should find their way onto the game boxes, in addition to (though not replacing) the normal system requirements.  The idea isn't new - it's been floated around the Games for Windows offices in the past - but maybe it's time to revisit it.

Games will be on PC's as long as people own PC's.  But to cement the PC as a gaming platform, we need to help the consumers help us. 

<addicting>Warhammer Online</addicting>

Well, I was up until the wee hours of the morning last night.  Partly because I'm fighting off a new plague (or maybe a zombie rabies virus) but mostly due to Warhammer Online.

Now I'm going to say something shocking: I've never played Settlers of Catan.  I've been a game designer for 7 years, and I've been playing games since I was a wee lad, but I've never sat down to play Settlers of Catan.  I've always been afraid to admit that, since most people who hear it freak out - like I've just admitted to a crime or something.  Perhaps it's a gamer's right of passage, or some sort of strange initiation ritual, but it's been my secret shame for almost a decade and it feels good to finally get that out. 

So what does this have to do with Warhammer Online, you ask?  Well, get ready for another shocker: I've never played an MMORPG.  And in some circles, the reaction I get upon admitting that is very reminiscent of my Settlers problem.  I know, they are teh awesome and all that, but I have a specific mental affliction that has prevented me from playing MMO's up until now: Endcredititis.

Endcredititis afflicts at least 12 Americans a year.  It manifests itself when the patient acquires a new game - the patient begins to play the game nonstop, in an obsessive attempt to finish it.  I can't stop playing until I see the end credits.  Not all games trigger it, but when it happens, I rarely do anything else for the week or so that it usually takes (or three days in the case of Full Spectrum Warrior.)

So now you see my conundrum with online roleplaying - those games simply NEVER END.  So while I've dabbled here and there, I've always shied away from them in the past.  Plus...well, WoW has always been a bit cartoony for my taste.  There.  I said it.

Enter Warhammer Online.  Now I've been a Warhammer fan since my high school days, playing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Rogue Trader.  So when Warhammer Online came out, I knew I could hold off no longer. 

Last night I found myself in the small village of Grimmenhagen, as the intrepid witch hunter Socross (creative, no?)  Before I knew it, I was battling the chaos hordes, pilfering graves for lucky hammers and convincing farmers and soldiers to take up arms against their enemies - and it was a freakin' blast! 

First, the game is absolutely gorgeous.  I really felt transported to the Warhammer World as I explored the villages, ruins, farmhouses and catacombs.  On several occasions I stopped to admire the scenery.  It's pretty clear that the devs worked closely with the guys at Games Workshop to makes sure that the game not only felt like Warhammer, but lived and breathed it.

Second, the game play was a lot of fun.  I was reminded of the GTA series as I led my character throughout the land on various quests, getting a little better as I completed each one.  It was a bit confusing (especially at first) but the interface did its best to answer my noob questions. 

So I will add my own .02 to all the glowing reviews out there for this game (well, more like my $15 a month, but hey) it is really worth picking up, and if you happen to have a cool witch hunter hat and were thinking "it would be awesome if this were out of my life!" well, I'd be glad to help you out with that.

Quarantine

I likes me some zombies - Left 4 Dead is at the top of my "take a day off when this comes out" list - so once I found out it had zombies (or at least, zombie-like monsters)I figured I'd take my lovely lady out to see Quarantine last weekend.  I haven't seen a good zombie flick since Dawn of the Dead (or maybe 28 weeks later) so I was definitely excited to check this one out.  Plus, my girl was due for a romantic evening of survival horror.

It was shot like The Blair Witch Project - in that the cameraman is also a character in the story.  Sure, it sets you up for some bumpy action, but overall I really liked the camera use (sorry, SpoonyOne.)  There have been a few movies to use this convention, but Quarantine used a couple of cool tricks, like bashing a zombie to death with the camera itself....sweeeeeet.

Overall, it was a blast.  The only thing that bugged me was their use of fast zombies - I'm generally a fan of the slower hordes as opposed to the ravening packs of crazed cannibals.  Even a mixture of the two is more acceptable, like the Ravenholm level of Half Life 2.  Rotting flesh and Olympic sprinting just don't go hand-in-hand for me.  Simon Pegg said it best, "death is not an energy drink." 

So I have to give Quarantine a thumbs-up - and if you still don't have enough zombie horror in your life, here's a list of Zombie-related activities to get you ready for Halloween:

1. Watch Shaun of the Dead
2. Read World War Z
3. Play the Zombie Infection Simulator
4. Get some trade paperbacks of The Walking Dead (seriously, check these out!)
5. Work on your zombie walk and groan
6. Watch the Left 4 Dead trailer:

Goos Gone Wild

It's nice to find a five dollar bill in your jeans when you're sorting your laundry.  Or some candy in your cupboard that you forgot about.  It feels like someone got you a present, even if that someone was you. 

That's how I felt today as I was checking out antisocialfatman's youtube channel, and one of his recent reviews was for a game called World of Goo.  I was only about a minute into his review before I had searched for the game, bought it and installed it - it's quite simply the best $20 I've spent in a long time (or $15 if you count the fiver I found in my jeans).  It's pretty clear that the gang over at 2D Boy had a blast putting this one together, as it's full of quirky quotes and jokes, and even a reference to Zuma. 

In this game you use little goo balls to build various structures, all in an effort to help the remaining goo balls to get to the suction pipe at the end of the level. (yep, the 12-year-old in my head laughed at that sentence too.)  Some goo balls have special abilities, and each level presents a new challenge on how to use them.  It reminds me of the Lemmings games, but it's by no means a copy.  The cartoony graphics, funny signs and bouncy physics all combine for a very addictive game - so buy yourself a present, you've worked hard all week!*

(thanks to antisocialfatman - your reviews rock!)

*even if you haven't worked hard all week, go ahead and buy it.  But you owe me one. 

Indiecade, Indie Gaming and Old Ladies at Graveyards.

Noel and I headed out to Bellevue today to check out Indiecade.  At first it was a little hard to find, but luckily Noel had beat me there as his compass-fu was stronger than mine.

We got inside, and I was a bit surprised.  I hadn't thought too much about what it would be like, but as I entered the room it looked like a computer game class for toddlers - all the computers were on tables no more than two feet tall, with tiny stools set up in front of them.  For those of you who don't know, I'm 6'7" and weigh in at 280, so I felt like a giant as I strode up to my first game to try it out.

Indiecade is more like an art exhibition than a gaming festival.  This isn't a bad thing, not by a long shot, but it wasn't quite what I expected.  The room had about twenty folks in it, and basically you could go up to any available computer and check out a game.  Sometimes a designer or developer would give a talk about their game and everyone would crowd around for the presentation, but for the most part we were allowed to explore on our own.

My first game was called "levelHead" and used a plastic cube in front of a webcam to control the game.  You tilt the cube, and on the screen it looks like there is a room inside the cube with a little man.  Tilting the cube makes him move, and your eventual goal is to get him out of the house.  It was neat to watch, but I can't say it was super-compelling.  I filed it away in the "there's something to this idea, but this game isn't quite there yet" category. 

I played a lot more games before heading out, here are a few of the highlights:

The Misadventures of PT Winterbottom: The style of this game was a lot of fun - it was like playing an old silent movie.  The game play itself reminded me a lot of Chronotron.  You had a single-screen map to navigate, and by using multiple instances of yourself, you overcame the map and escaped.  It had some neat twists on the groundwork Chronotron laid, such as being able to climb on top of your past instances, and using your umbrella to swat obstacles and float across gaps.  Overall an enjoyable game.

The weirdness award has to go to The Graveyard.  In this game you play as an old lady standing in a graveyard.  *Spoiler Alert* - Here's my walkthrough.  Use the arrow keys (the up arrow, mostly) to slowly, painfully, walk her to the bench in front of the chapel.  Be sure to pause along the way, lest her bad ankle slow her down.  Once there, use the left or right keys to rotate her around.  She'll sit down once she's facing the camera.  This starts the only boss fight in the game - the fight verses the bench.  It's a tricky one, turns out all you have to do to beat it is stand back up.  Once you've done this, you unlock the next level, which is the same as the first, except now you walk out of the graveyard! 

As I was playing through this, I thought I could hear the laughter of the designer somewhere in the room...or in the back of my mind.  The website bills it as "more an explorable painting than a game" which would have been nice to know before I tried it.  Call me simple, but I just couldn't get on board with this one.

My lasting impression of the show was that most of these games were called games for lack of a better term.  "Interactive art" would be more accurate.  I think it's important that designers in this medium come up with a better identity, because I think their work is important.  It's just hard for me to experience it if I've got my "gamer" hat on while I'm playing it.