Tag Archives: video games

Jan 16 2010
Games, Technology

Xbox Live vs PC

This is really more about the paid online service that comes with the Xbox and specifically, how it works with one game.

Specifically, in this case, Borderlands.

In order to start a multiplayer game of Borderlands on the PC.  I had to remember my GameSpy account.  And that was a pain.  Then there was something that I had to do on my end, either placing my game machine temporarily in the DMZ or port forwarding.  Then there was the bit where I had to double check windows firewall rules and it still didn’t work.  Eventually we figured it was the GameSpy network itself, because a couple of hours later, it was working.

I know it’s not the same, but the ability to send an invite in game and then just have the other person pop in is worth the $50 a year to me.  When I want to start playing a game with my friends, I don’t necessarily want to spend a half hour troubleshooting connectivity issues before we even get started. That’s what makes the xbox live work so well is the drop in and drop out functionality.  When you send an invite, it’s the same method for each and every game you play.  You hit the jewel, see if your friend is online and send the invitation.  They accept it.

I remember when that half hour troubleshooting was the first part of playing video games with your friends.  The half hour was spent was setting up the computers and configuring them to use the same network.  Additionally, they were all in the same room you were playing in.  None of this headset stuff, you just yelled at them for camping the spawn.

Or better yet, actually walked over and threatened bodily harm.

Ah, the good old days.

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Jan 06 2010
Games

Borderlands

I did enjoy Diablo and Diablo II.  I think I enjoyed them to the point where I actually wore out a mouse from clicking, which was probably the worst part of the Diablo titles.

On the other hand, I picked up Torchlight which is basically Diablo, right down to the Soundtrack, much more streamlined, and not as annoying.

But, I’m going to talk about Borderlands now, and the references to Diablo aren’t completely apparent until I talk about guns and equipment.

Borderlands has four classes, 50 levels, and about 87 bazillion guns.  The equipment is procedurally generated, so there’s no real set list of equipment, merely modifiers for elemental types of damage, manufacturer, type of gun, magazine size, burst fire rate, melee damage bonuses—the list goes on, but you can see how you would end up with lots and lots of different guns.

Borderlands is so much fun that I have beat it.  And gone back to play it again on the harder difficulty.  I have 90% of the Achievements for it for the Xbox 360 version, including the ones for the Zombie Island DLC.  That almost never happens.  I’m also playing it again on the PC with some friends who only got the PC version.  So it’s kind of embarrassing how much I’ve been playing this game.

It does not have the most critical acclaim for the best story, nor game mechanics, nor the graphics.  What it does have is solid, fun, and engaging gameplay.  It’s well put together.  To be honest, I think they could have gone back and actually touched the main character’s back stories a lot more.  It’s just that once the main storyline starts, it’s just a rollercoaster ride because you finish quests quickly, and often.

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Dec 29 2009
Games

Dragon Age: Origins

I have this on again, off again relationship with any game that features the Role Playing Game genre.

While I do like the stories, it’s quite often that I’ll get about 14 hours in before I find that I’m no longer engaged, and the gameplay isn’t enough for me to continue.

This has happened to me across all platforms and all varying types of RPGs.  It’s happened with Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Chrono Cross, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, The Legend Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Final Fantasy VIII through XII*, Brave Story, Rune Factory: Frontier, Persona 3, Baldur’s Gate, Oblivion,Fable II, The Witcher, Shadow Hearts, and whatever top rated, critically acclaimed or friend recommended game with the RPG acronym as one of its genre descriptors you want to add to the list, it’s probably on there as well. Continue reading →

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Mar 17 2009
1 Comment
Games

The Stupidly Fantastic Idea Open Letter to Electronic Arts

Dear EA (and other developers),

I was having dinner with a friend of mine and we were discussing how much fun we have playing Rock Band (Lots of fun!) with the Rock Band Stage Kit (Lots more fun!).

While I was on the subject of Dead Space, he suggested that EA should support it as another peripheral.

Please, for the love of all that is awesome:  Make this happen.

Granted, this is a small, niche audience.  But it is an audience that craves more use out of their Rock Band Stage Kit than just being a stage kit.  I’m not saying put it into every game.  I’m not sure that Tiger Woods Golf is the type of title that needs this sort of enhancement, but just consider it for a couple of other games.

Imagine, if you will, Dead Space with on demand strobe lighting and smoke.  Or lighting effects that match the action on screen.  Red alerts on screen, red hues in your family room, and not just from your television.  That much more immersion from a title that’s already pretty engaging.

Burnout Paradise could have smoking tires.  Not all the time, of course.  But I think that a red, yellow, green countdown would make the race starts much more exciting.

The upcoming Dante’s Inferno is easy.  I’m just guessing here, of course at possible stage scenarios, but use the stage kit LEDs for lighting effects.  Cool blue lights while walking over traitors trapped in the ice.  Got lightning in any stage?  A single strobe light flash would be fantastic for setting that mood.

The possibilities are pretty open.  As long as it’s not overdone, the lighting effects could definitely enhance the dramatic effects of a scene, similar to how creative lighting is used on stage.  Sure, it’s gimmicky, but it’s additional value to a piece of hardware that I and many others have already purchased.

Sincerely,

Someone who bought the Stage Kit and is looking for additional reasons to keep it connected all the time.

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Feb 12 2009
Games

But I need to know right now!

If you ever really, really need to know when a video game is going to be released.

No, if you really need to know.  Head over to VGReleases.com.  They will know.

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