In the world of gaming who are you? What do you want to be? A strong brutish bulk of a man crushing skulls and ripping throats? A soft-skinned maiden frolicking through the meadows? Why is it so hard for MMORPG's to give us the choice? Just because I am wearing heavy armor should I be the one taking all the damage? Sure it makes sense but our skills shouldn't define what we are, we should.
ArenaNet sees this, they pluck this little thought out of the huge scheme of things and plop it right into Guild Wars 2. They say, "Here, be what you want." They don't hand you a pre-written character biography as same as the next guys. They aren't telling you how to play your character. You get to make the decisions, choose your destiny. Why should I have to attack those orcs? Maybe they are just having a rough day. What If I want to just run by and maybe drop by later? Why can't other games clue in to this idea of choice. One of the most marvelous ideas ever created, or thought of.
Choice is what defines us, we are independent creatures at heart. We make our own decisions in the real world so why not in a fantasy reality? Guild Wars 2 isn't pre-cooking your meal and packaging it up for you pre-made to toss in the microwave. They give you the ingredients and the know how then saying "Go for it, do what you want." Sure maybe you mix a few wrong spices and it turns out terribly. Next time around you correct what you have done wrong learning from last time.
If we approach a centaur encampment and all rush the center dying then we should rethink. Instead of having a static set of skills and charging into battle thinking "I have to mash the buttons faster," Why not just be given the choice to mix things up. Maybe since the centaurs are closer together a flamethrower kit could be handy to quickly hit a bunch of them together. Then maybe in the next part of the encampment they are stationary archers spread out. Maybe the ranger can switch to a longbow because he can stand still instead of having to dodging melee. These are our choices. These are given to us.
ArenaNet has taken a deep breath and thought hard. What do the players want? What is missing in all these games? They have found it, and it is beautiful. The power of choice feels good, so good.
Ramble complete, good day!
Monday 30 May 2011
Sunday 29 May 2011
Surprises All Dried Up
It seems to me the surprise is gone. Of course I am not the one for surprises, I would always pester my parents before christmas because I couldn't bare waiting. I would want to know immediately what I was getting. It was quite funny because as I became a teenager mostly I wanted to know because it was fear of getting something I wouldn't like, this is sort of my feelings toward Guild Wars 2. At the moment mostly everyone has stabbed at the Mesmer becoming the returning profession. I really don't know like everyone else. But, that being said, I don't think it will be the Mesmer. I mean everything points to it but something tells me ArenaNet has something up their sleeve. I do not know. If it is the Mesmer I am wrong and life continues.
The point where we hit a speed bump is the excitement. The build up towards a profession release. If ArenaNet were to just release all the professions at once there would be no excitement. They are Hype-Masters keeping us all glued in our seats. We speculate and guess at each profession. Now as the final profession is coming closer and release too I think I will miss that excitement. All the hype of ripping apart every new interview or article. Shredding it for all of its credible information is so thrilling. I think ArenaNet has nailed down how to keep their fans hooked until release. There will be no lack of excitement this summer as ArenaNet has already stated for huge plans at the upcoming conventions. To go PAX in Seattle would be a dream come true for me. Hopefully around that time in summer I might have saved up enough to head out there. Of course if I had my N I would be planning on driving there already! But of course, I had to be born in December. Meh, life goes on...
Ramble complete, good day!
The point where we hit a speed bump is the excitement. The build up towards a profession release. If ArenaNet were to just release all the professions at once there would be no excitement. They are Hype-Masters keeping us all glued in our seats. We speculate and guess at each profession. Now as the final profession is coming closer and release too I think I will miss that excitement. All the hype of ripping apart every new interview or article. Shredding it for all of its credible information is so thrilling. I think ArenaNet has nailed down how to keep their fans hooked until release. There will be no lack of excitement this summer as ArenaNet has already stated for huge plans at the upcoming conventions. To go PAX in Seattle would be a dream come true for me. Hopefully around that time in summer I might have saved up enough to head out there. Of course if I had my N I would be planning on driving there already! But of course, I had to be born in December. Meh, life goes on...
Ramble complete, good day!
Thursday 26 May 2011
250 Years
If you take our civilization 2011 and minus 250 you get 1761. Go back to 1761 and we had what? Forts and small civilizations. We had horses and no technology whatsoever. In 250 fifty years we have advance so much it is ridiculous. And yet for a fantasy world we see a simple turret or landmine out of place. A small LED light possibly. The world of Tyria is a evolving place. Some have stuck with medieval methods while others have chosen to evolve. Like the Charr, and in real world modern day citizens. For example the Natives did not change but the English and others inhabiting America, USA etc. did. 250 years is a bloody long time to advance. If ArenaNet made Guild Wars 2 actually advance the way we did Tyria would have planes, trains and automobiles. They would be at a similar position as us. I am just glad they decided to keep medieval roots in the game but throw in a much needed splash of technology. The Engineers to me seem like the pioneers of Tyria, the Albert Einsteins. They are the ones driving change.
Who knows, maybe in Guild Wars 3 we will be flying around on hoverboards shooting nukes out of our fingers.
Ramble complete, good day!
Who knows, maybe in Guild Wars 3 we will be flying around on hoverboards shooting nukes out of our fingers.
Ramble complete, good day!
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Terraria
A game full of adventure, yet so short. I feel stuck now, this game is such an enjoyable experience and yet after 37 hours I feel like I have done it all. The amount of updates will most likely not keep me hooked with new content. I understand now that they will be doing bug fixes and getting settled. Obviously the 200,000 sales has hit them in some way. You cannot just walk that off, it takes some getting used to. The developers definitely deserve it for making a unique game that stands out in a market of Minecraft copycats. It manages to defy the odds and hold true to its own style.
For that the Developers deserve credit. Now I just wish updates were more frequent but I know they will not. The game is an adventure game, once you have the best items there isn't not much else to do. I think that is where Minecraft has exceeded so well, I can easily just start up a fresh game and play for hours. I will not get bored too often. Even the infrequent updates don't bother me because there are so many things I can build. It is amazing because I never feel that my town or house is completely finished. Each new world starts a fresh character where as Terraria it is carried over. This could be one of its weaknesses. Sure I could start up a new character but the annoying painstaking process to obtain all those items does not seem fun to repeat. In Minecraft it isn't overly difficult but at the same time it is. That may not make sense but I think Notch has found a perfect balance. He has perfected all aspects of a great game. An amazing exploration, building and monster fighting game. Now each update is just slowly boosting its re-playability. For each new redstone gadget and mob he adds the game gets so much better. Even know with a fairly smaller item base that could be so much better it is amazing. I can just see in between now and the full release all the stuff to be added.
Over the summer it will most likely die down as people go off on vacation, including Mojang. So over the summer updates will probably be less frequent. Finally as summers comes to a close they will pick up dramatically until November 11th. From there the sky is the limit. Notch will continue and I am glad, for Minecraft will never be finished.
It will continue until all is done. Which I hope is never.
Ramble complete, good day!
For that the Developers deserve credit. Now I just wish updates were more frequent but I know they will not. The game is an adventure game, once you have the best items there isn't not much else to do. I think that is where Minecraft has exceeded so well, I can easily just start up a fresh game and play for hours. I will not get bored too often. Even the infrequent updates don't bother me because there are so many things I can build. It is amazing because I never feel that my town or house is completely finished. Each new world starts a fresh character where as Terraria it is carried over. This could be one of its weaknesses. Sure I could start up a new character but the annoying painstaking process to obtain all those items does not seem fun to repeat. In Minecraft it isn't overly difficult but at the same time it is. That may not make sense but I think Notch has found a perfect balance. He has perfected all aspects of a great game. An amazing exploration, building and monster fighting game. Now each update is just slowly boosting its re-playability. For each new redstone gadget and mob he adds the game gets so much better. Even know with a fairly smaller item base that could be so much better it is amazing. I can just see in between now and the full release all the stuff to be added.
Over the summer it will most likely die down as people go off on vacation, including Mojang. So over the summer updates will probably be less frequent. Finally as summers comes to a close they will pick up dramatically until November 11th. From there the sky is the limit. Notch will continue and I am glad, for Minecraft will never be finished.
It will continue until all is done. Which I hope is never.
Ramble complete, good day!
Thursday 19 May 2011
Guild Wars 2 Engineer
I knew it, and I called it. Yeah everyone says that but I did, I came up with the name engineer back when the ranger had no guns and I figured a gun class would be. Why add guns to a game with no class specified for it? The engineer is a grenade lobbing technical master of explosions. If I wasn't already hooked to the thief this would be my profession on release. Everything about it is just so explosive. I feel like every second I could just be blowing the shit out of everything left, right and center.
I wonder how the Roleplayers will take this. They might think this kind of advanced explosive warfare shouldn't be at the time where Guild Wars 2 takes place but I think it fits in. Even if the Charr have only developed most of it I think it would still be present. I am just glad they didn't add lock on missile launcher turrets, that would be a little crazy. I think this is a welcome addition to Guild Wars 2.
My one worry is just a general over inflation of this class. Like we saw with the races, the Charr. I think the problem is it just such an intense action packed profession. I can sense no lack of Charr Engineers on release. But still all in all I have to congratulate ArenaNet. They have broken the mold and created a mix of amazing professions that will work together like peanut butter and jam. Now we just have one more to slot into place. Speculation on this points to Mesmer but I am unsure. It seems like the most logical choice but you never know. ArenaNet seems to have multiple tricks up their sleeves. Keeps us hungry I guess.
Ramble complete, good day!
I wonder how the Roleplayers will take this. They might think this kind of advanced explosive warfare shouldn't be at the time where Guild Wars 2 takes place but I think it fits in. Even if the Charr have only developed most of it I think it would still be present. I am just glad they didn't add lock on missile launcher turrets, that would be a little crazy. I think this is a welcome addition to Guild Wars 2.
My one worry is just a general over inflation of this class. Like we saw with the races, the Charr. I think the problem is it just such an intense action packed profession. I can sense no lack of Charr Engineers on release. But still all in all I have to congratulate ArenaNet. They have broken the mold and created a mix of amazing professions that will work together like peanut butter and jam. Now we just have one more to slot into place. Speculation on this points to Mesmer but I am unsure. It seems like the most logical choice but you never know. ArenaNet seems to have multiple tricks up their sleeves. Keeps us hungry I guess.
Ramble complete, good day!
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Terraria Awesomecosity
Now to start, I am a huge Minecraft fan. This game is definitely not its replacement. More of a adventuring game to keep my appetite wet until more updates from Notch. With that said, Terraria is epic.
A smooth mix of action and combat plus the 2D arcade style makes for one hell of a trip. So far with a friend we have only gone down about 1500 feet and still the adventure is never amiss. I think the difficulty is challenging and with losing only money on death it is welcomed gladly. The pool of monsters add variety to the game something Minecraft cannot compete with (yet).
Minecraft for now is my 3D build epic things and have little wolfies kind of game (which all 20 are named!). And the latter Terraria is to become my futuristic adventuring game. If only a blend of Minecraft's 3D sandbox elements and Terraria's amazing adventuring components were mixed. Some unique items in Minecraft would be so great and I think that is where Terraria exceeds.
All in all I guess both games have their pros and cons. Terraria seems to have a smaller group of devoted developers which is handy. A 2D game also (to me) seems to be easier to provide updates? I am not entirely sure but assuming that more frequent updates would be awesome. By no means am I complaining about Minecraft's time period for updates. I think at the moment a lot of things are piling in and updates aren't their highest priority. That being said more would be nice, just throwing it out there. Need those pistons, my trap temple of doom must be finished!
Ramble complete, good day!
A smooth mix of action and combat plus the 2D arcade style makes for one hell of a trip. So far with a friend we have only gone down about 1500 feet and still the adventure is never amiss. I think the difficulty is challenging and with losing only money on death it is welcomed gladly. The pool of monsters add variety to the game something Minecraft cannot compete with (yet).
Minecraft for now is my 3D build epic things and have little wolfies kind of game (which all 20 are named!). And the latter Terraria is to become my futuristic adventuring game. If only a blend of Minecraft's 3D sandbox elements and Terraria's amazing adventuring components were mixed. Some unique items in Minecraft would be so great and I think that is where Terraria exceeds.
All in all I guess both games have their pros and cons. Terraria seems to have a smaller group of devoted developers which is handy. A 2D game also (to me) seems to be easier to provide updates? I am not entirely sure but assuming that more frequent updates would be awesome. By no means am I complaining about Minecraft's time period for updates. I think at the moment a lot of things are piling in and updates aren't their highest priority. That being said more would be nice, just throwing it out there. Need those pistons, my trap temple of doom must be finished!
Ramble complete, good day!
Sunday 15 May 2011
Terraria
Gonna grab Terraria tomorrow or tonight depending on release. Sucks that I am in school tomorrow but maybe the release will coincide with my computer animation class. I don't do anything in that class anyways. I guess with a month of school left and two of our biggest projects I should pick it up. Well anyways, Terraria looks like a pretty big game. I have this feeling in my gut the developers are about to feel the same as Notch. Money shouldn't be hard for them to come by with their release in the next couple hours. Hopefully they can get it out in time for people to be satisfied and not complain to much. Already seen that on some forums "inb4 release at 11:59 tomorrow" and stuff like that. Well the developers are probably eager to see how it fares so a release should be upon us soon :P
Ramble complete, good day!
Ramble complete, good day!
Playstation Network Back Online Here in Canada!
Just set my password after 24 days and boy does it feel good. Finally, I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing all the hate will stop and recovery can begin. But of course, for us it is virtually over. We can play online now, trophies and communicate with friends. For Sony though, it is still a constant battle. Now they must hit that deadline of May 31st for a full system restore and fortify their security. I really hope nothing like this ever happens again or it could be the final blow for Sony. I am glad now that people can stop bitching and whining about "I'm gonna buy and xbox" and that Sony are such terrible people. A lot of company go through hardships and hopefully this will help give Sony a kick it needs to get moving. Maybe no there will be no more BS and this magnificent company can run for us the players.
I am just glad to be able to stick with Sony through these times. I seem to be some of the many loyal fans squashing any xbox revolt, and I am glad. After all, Sony started gaming for me.
Well I am relieved, and one last word. I am grateful for Sony pushing through this time of distress and coming out on top. Hopefully this can continue, Sony will never die.
Ramble complete, good day!
I am just glad to be able to stick with Sony through these times. I seem to be some of the many loyal fans squashing any xbox revolt, and I am glad. After all, Sony started gaming for me.
Well I am relieved, and one last word. I am grateful for Sony pushing through this time of distress and coming out on top. Hopefully this can continue, Sony will never die.
Ramble complete, good day!
Monday 9 May 2011
WvWvW idea
Posted this on the Guild Wars 2 forums, reposting here as this was my post and might as well.
It seems ArenaNet has still been thinking about a way to restrict world switching to prevent players jumping to the winning world. They also want to make it so switching worlds would be convenient to meet up with friends.
I see a balance that needs to be found and I have an idea.
Switching to a world whilst a WvWvW week or whatever is underplace should provide restrictions on the players involvement in PvP and not directly on switching servers.
For example, if I am on the world "coconut" and my friend who had recently started playing accidentally created a character on the world "banana," we would run into a problem. If the WvWvW was undergoing and the world "banana" was winning it could be hard to get into that world. What if instead of preventing that person from switching to the world "banana" but instead they just are restricted from joining the WvWvW and play for the world "banana." This would allow the player to play with their friend in PvE but not allow players to jump to winning teams.
Then if the first player wanted to PvP they would have to switch to the world "coconut" to partake. This would allow players to PvE with their friends at all times whilst eliminating any manipulation in PvP.
Now finally (bear with me :P) the WvWvW week would end on tuesday lets say. But the first player on "coconut" couldn't play that day but he wanted to switch his WvWvW world to "banana" there should be an option to do that. For example "when the next WvWvW ends I want to participate on the world [drop down menu select 'banana']" This way it eliminates the players having to actually be on a world they wanted to be on for WvWvW.
TL;DR Switching worlds during WvWvW allows PvE to continue but PvP is restricted for the world switched to. An option to select which world you would like to partake in WvWvW when the week for WvWvW ends.
Anyways kind of like a blog I posted on forums for more feedback.
Ramble complete, good day!
It seems ArenaNet has still been thinking about a way to restrict world switching to prevent players jumping to the winning world. They also want to make it so switching worlds would be convenient to meet up with friends.
I see a balance that needs to be found and I have an idea.
Switching to a world whilst a WvWvW week or whatever is underplace should provide restrictions on the players involvement in PvP and not directly on switching servers.
For example, if I am on the world "coconut" and my friend who had recently started playing accidentally created a character on the world "banana," we would run into a problem. If the WvWvW was undergoing and the world "banana" was winning it could be hard to get into that world. What if instead of preventing that person from switching to the world "banana" but instead they just are restricted from joining the WvWvW and play for the world "banana." This would allow the player to play with their friend in PvE but not allow players to jump to winning teams.
Then if the first player wanted to PvP they would have to switch to the world "coconut" to partake. This would allow players to PvE with their friends at all times whilst eliminating any manipulation in PvP.
Now finally (bear with me :P) the WvWvW week would end on tuesday lets say. But the first player on "coconut" couldn't play that day but he wanted to switch his WvWvW world to "banana" there should be an option to do that. For example "when the next WvWvW ends I want to participate on the world [drop down menu select 'banana']" This way it eliminates the players having to actually be on a world they wanted to be on for WvWvW.
TL;DR Switching worlds during WvWvW allows PvE to continue but PvP is restricted for the world switched to. An option to select which world you would like to partake in WvWvW when the week for WvWvW ends.
Anyways kind of like a blog I posted on forums for more feedback.
Ramble complete, good day!
Saturday 7 May 2011
New Minecraft Video!
We have released another video for our Minecraft video channel. Minecraft Butcher Pete - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IunAbISvg7M&feature=channel_video_title
Go watch it if you like and the rest, subscribe etc.
If you can thanks! I really hope we can get some more views and subscribers as we progress and dish out more videos. If you have any ideas for a video feel free to contact me through the youtube channel, although it will only be for Minecraft :P
Ramble complete, good day!
Go watch it if you like and the rest, subscribe etc.
If you can thanks! I really hope we can get some more views and subscribers as we progress and dish out more videos. If you have any ideas for a video feel free to contact me through the youtube channel, although it will only be for Minecraft :P
Ramble complete, good day!
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Minecraft Pork Party
Tadaa!
Our youtube channel has begun. Soon more videos will come piling in. All random shenanigans related to Minecraft will be here. If you check this blog and want to see check out our first video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf9BiT6seHk&feature=channel_video_title
If so subscribe and such. You know the whole song and dance. Thanks a lot! Really means a lot to us.
Ramble complete, good day!
Our youtube channel has begun. Soon more videos will come piling in. All random shenanigans related to Minecraft will be here. If you check this blog and want to see check out our first video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf9BiT6seHk&feature=channel_video_title
If so subscribe and such. You know the whole song and dance. Thanks a lot! Really means a lot to us.
Ramble complete, good day!
PSN Over Reaction?
Alright, once again more PSN stuff.
I really don't understand what everyones big deal is? The Playstation network has been down for what 7, 8 days? I am sick and tired of every news site talking about how so many people are switching to xbox. Alright that is great but obviously they aren't the people loyal to sony. They are the stupid fanboys jumping to the nearest console available to them that isn't having difficulties. Just because there is a security breach is no reason to jump ship and if so you don't care about a company. I mean Sony is going through a tough time and people really don't seem to give a shit. I wanna play my CoD and Mortal Kombat. Suck it up buttercups, quick bitching about a service that is being worked on around the clock. They are working their asses off to get these games back into your grubby hands. What has our soceity become? Go outside for a few days, get some fresh air. Just because you cannot play Black Ops online for a few days is no need to shit yourself.
I truly thought people had more care in a company before. Unfortunately I was terribly wrong. Too many people don't give a damn about Sony and I am getting really pissed about it. If Sony were to shut their services down it is disappointing that few users would be hurt by it. I know for sure I would, I have stuck with Sony since the beginning. I had the Playstation. I had the Playstation 2. And yes, I bought the $600 something dollar shiny Playstation 3. All my friends had xbox's but I didn't care. I went for the console that had been there with me since the beginning. One of the first consoles I played and loved so much. Sony was the company that started gaming for me and I am so grateful. Sadly not too many would share these feelings with me.
One thing that really pisses me off is the fact that people think this couldn't happen to Xbox. All these xbox users (most my friends) laughing how Playstation is getting thrashed so badly. Wouldn't be the same if their precious xbox was getting hacked. Who is to say xbox has better security? They could have easily been hacked also but the hackers chose the PSN. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that all these xbox users are getting on my nerves. No need to be bragging about your network up, go play it then. Leave Sony alone because they have been around longer then you and have much more experience. Stop thinking your console is so superior. You got the jump on releasing the Xbox 360 first and what did that give you. A console crapping out after 1,2 years. That is great, personally I would like to wait for a decent console that can last like my old Playsation. I had that thing for 3+ years. Blu-Ray player, discs and great games that are still true to my heart.
Playstation all I can say is this, good luck in your travels. You have served the world valiantly and if it is your time to die, so be it. Nothing is forever, but I am glad the experience was there.
Ramble complete, good day!
I really don't understand what everyones big deal is? The Playstation network has been down for what 7, 8 days? I am sick and tired of every news site talking about how so many people are switching to xbox. Alright that is great but obviously they aren't the people loyal to sony. They are the stupid fanboys jumping to the nearest console available to them that isn't having difficulties. Just because there is a security breach is no reason to jump ship and if so you don't care about a company. I mean Sony is going through a tough time and people really don't seem to give a shit. I wanna play my CoD and Mortal Kombat. Suck it up buttercups, quick bitching about a service that is being worked on around the clock. They are working their asses off to get these games back into your grubby hands. What has our soceity become? Go outside for a few days, get some fresh air. Just because you cannot play Black Ops online for a few days is no need to shit yourself.
I truly thought people had more care in a company before. Unfortunately I was terribly wrong. Too many people don't give a damn about Sony and I am getting really pissed about it. If Sony were to shut their services down it is disappointing that few users would be hurt by it. I know for sure I would, I have stuck with Sony since the beginning. I had the Playstation. I had the Playstation 2. And yes, I bought the $600 something dollar shiny Playstation 3. All my friends had xbox's but I didn't care. I went for the console that had been there with me since the beginning. One of the first consoles I played and loved so much. Sony was the company that started gaming for me and I am so grateful. Sadly not too many would share these feelings with me.
One thing that really pisses me off is the fact that people think this couldn't happen to Xbox. All these xbox users (most my friends) laughing how Playstation is getting thrashed so badly. Wouldn't be the same if their precious xbox was getting hacked. Who is to say xbox has better security? They could have easily been hacked also but the hackers chose the PSN. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that all these xbox users are getting on my nerves. No need to be bragging about your network up, go play it then. Leave Sony alone because they have been around longer then you and have much more experience. Stop thinking your console is so superior. You got the jump on releasing the Xbox 360 first and what did that give you. A console crapping out after 1,2 years. That is great, personally I would like to wait for a decent console that can last like my old Playsation. I had that thing for 3+ years. Blu-Ray player, discs and great games that are still true to my heart.
Playstation all I can say is this, good luck in your travels. You have served the world valiantly and if it is your time to die, so be it. Nothing is forever, but I am glad the experience was there.
Ramble complete, good day!
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