Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Happy Birthday, Wife!
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Misc: I had a few news bits to talk about, but nothing can trump the fact that today is my wonderful wife's birthday!
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Happy Birthday, Lady... I hope you enjoyed it.
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Monday, November 17, 2008
Elf Needs Sleep Badly
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I'm running on empty today, so I'm going to take the easy way out for tonight's entry and recommend that you go check out Bill Harris' Blog, Dubious Quality. Here's an excerpt from his latest post (11/17), about the used games market:
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Epic Games president Mike Capps had this to say about the used game market in the U.S.:The secondary market is a huge issue in the United States. Our primary retailer makes the majority of its money off of secondary sales, and so you’re starting to see games taking proactive steps toward that by… if you buy the retail version you get the unlock code.
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Bill's writeup is razor-sharp and spot-on, as always... And if you care about the used games market the way that I care about it, this particular post is well worth the time and energy it will take you to click over there.
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Tell him I said hi.
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Saturday, November 15, 2008
New Game, New Project
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Games: I can't name any names, but I just got a pre-release copy of a game I'm very excited about for evaluation, and I'm pretty tickled at the moment. All my available game time will probably be tied up for the next two weeks (at least), but I couldn't be happier. When stuff like this happens, it makes me glad to be a critic.
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Writing: After wrapping up my last short story, a friend and I got talking about things and before I knew it, we had started a brand-new collaboration project that will end up being a full-length novel. Not a lot of details to share right now, but we got the logistics and details hammered out in the blink of an eye. Writing will begin shortly.
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Between this and the pre-release I just mentioned above, my hands are going to be quite full. Good times.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Two Game-Related Quickies
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Games: Just a couple quick things that I thought people might like to see:
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1> Got this press release from PopCap. I don't usually run press releases, but I thought this one was worthwhile
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SEATTLE, Washington – November 12, 2008 — PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, announced today that it will ship the first 500 boxed, retail copies of Bejeweled Twist™ to the non-profit Games For Soldiers (GFS) organization tomorrow. GFS will deliver the boxed copies of the game to armed services personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan in time for soldiers in the field to enjoy it during the holiday season. The third installment in its ultra-popular Bejeweled® franchise, Bejeweled Twist arrives on retail shelves next Tuesday, November 18 and is available now via Web download at www.popcap.com.
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I don't support the war, but I do support the people who are over there fighting it. Kudos to PopCap for the donation.
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2> And for those people who may be jumping on the 360 bandwagon by way of the $199 Arcade pack (sans HD), Microsoft is offering to send out a 20GB hard drive for only $20.
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Although 20GB isn't optimal, it's a heck of a lot better than the dinky memory card that comes packed in. Honestly, I have about 30 or so Arcade games on my 20GB, and I still have about a quarter of the memory free.
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With the new Xbox Live Experience launching in another week or so, people who want to take part in it will likely need the storage and 20GB for $20 might be more affordable this holiday season than ponying up $100 for the 60GB, or $150 for the 120GB. Interested parties should go HERE for more info.
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The Conqueror Worms - Book Review
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Books: Haven’t done a book review in a while, but that's probably because I haven't read any books. However, I was able to sneak in Brian Keene’s The Conqueror Worms between gigs. It took me about three times longer than it normally takes to read a book, but slow and steady wins the race… or something.
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Anyway, Conqueror Worms starts off with the premise that rain starts falling all across the globe and just doesn't stop. Water levels rise so that most landmasses are submerged, and at the same time, giant worms (among other creatures) rise from the depths of the earth to wreak havoc on what surface is left.
Anyway, Conqueror Worms starts off with the premise that rain starts falling all across the globe and just doesn't stop. Water levels rise so that most landmasses are submerged, and at the same time, giant worms (among other creatures) rise from the depths of the earth to wreak havoc on what surface is left.
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Most of the book is told from the perspective of an old man living at the top of a mountain near a rural community. His best friend from the next house over eventually comes to stay with him, and they are joined by survivors who arrive by helicopter. Events on the mountain happen pretty much like you'd expect, but in the middle of the book Keene takes a little bit of a detour and recounts the story of what the helicopter survivors have left behind.
Most of the book is told from the perspective of an old man living at the top of a mountain near a rural community. His best friend from the next house over eventually comes to stay with him, and they are joined by survivors who arrive by helicopter. Events on the mountain happen pretty much like you'd expect, but in the middle of the book Keene takes a little bit of a detour and recounts the story of what the helicopter survivors have left behind.
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Switching narrators and taking up what must be pretty close to the middle third of the book, spending so much time on what is essentially a side-story flashback feels like a bit of an odd choice to make. This middle section also feels like it could have been a short story unto itself, causing Conqueror Worms to seem more like a combination of separate shorts than one cohesive novel. I don't really object to the many-stories-in-one-world format, but a few more vignettes would have been nice to flesh things out. Failing that, streamlining that middle section and sticking with the main narrator would've helped make everything feel tighter overall.
Switching narrators and taking up what must be pretty close to the middle third of the book, spending so much time on what is essentially a side-story flashback feels like a bit of an odd choice to make. This middle section also feels like it could have been a short story unto itself, causing Conqueror Worms to seem more like a combination of separate shorts than one cohesive novel. I don't really object to the many-stories-in-one-world format, but a few more vignettes would have been nice to flesh things out. Failing that, streamlining that middle section and sticking with the main narrator would've helped make everything feel tighter overall.
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If there's one thing I admire about Keene’s writing, it's that he takes a very common-sense approach to surviving horrific events and really thinks through what the average person would likely do when faced with a very non-average situation. I love that stuff, and Keene does it better than just about anyone. That same horse sense is present on every page of the book, but as much as I admired it, I do have to say that Conqueror Worms as a whole never felt like it was firing on all cylinders.
If there's one thing I admire about Keene’s writing, it's that he takes a very common-sense approach to surviving horrific events and really thinks through what the average person would likely do when faced with a very non-average situation. I love that stuff, and Keene does it better than just about anyone. That same horse sense is present on every page of the book, but as much as I admired it, I do have to say that Conqueror Worms as a whole never felt like it was firing on all cylinders.
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Though mediocre Keene is better than most other authors’ best, I can’t honestly say that this one kept me turning the pages.
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*BTW, that ridiculous cover art is one of the lamest, cheapest and most embarrassing pieces of amateur photoshop hackjobbery I've ever seen, but I don't blame Brian for that... His publishers really should have done better for him. Nightcrawlers? Really? For shame, Dorchester.
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
Trailers & Demos
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Games: I just finished Fallout 3 a few minutes ago, and I've got to say that it's miles ahead of the competition when it comes to picking what's going to be my game of the year. It's a pretty fantastic title, and if you haven't played it yet you should run out and get a copy immediately.
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With that out of the way, the wife and I ran through a few of the demos and clips I had downloaded onto the 360. Here’s a few words.
With that out of the way, the wife and I ran through a few of the demos and clips I had downloaded onto the 360. Here’s a few words.
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BioShock 2 (trailer): Although I liked BioShock, I didn't think it was the end-all like most people did. It was fine and really well put-together, but I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to get a sequel. Really, I'm sort of wondering how there will even be a sequel. I've heard talk that it may be a prequel, but the trailer doesn't give anything away… it's basically a minute or two of a young girl standing on the beach looking out at the ocean holding what I assume is a makeshift Big Daddy doll. The sand rises up behind her to form a skyline like the original BioShock logo and then fades out. Meh.
BioShock 2 (trailer): Although I liked BioShock, I didn't think it was the end-all like most people did. It was fine and really well put-together, but I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to get a sequel. Really, I'm sort of wondering how there will even be a sequel. I've heard talk that it may be a prequel, but the trailer doesn't give anything away… it's basically a minute or two of a young girl standing on the beach looking out at the ocean holding what I assume is a makeshift Big Daddy doll. The sand rises up behind her to form a skyline like the original BioShock logo and then fades out. Meh.
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Bayonetta (trailer): Watching this trailer reminded me of all the talk lately about how Japan isn't the leader in game design any more. This game seems like a textbook example of why. Looking like nothing so much as Devil May Cry with a new female protagonist in place of Dante, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the game launch with *DMC5 under the title. Lots of guns, over-the-top cut scenes (complete with gratuitous font and back crotch shots) and a main character that strips as she pulls off combos… this might have been edgy and interesting a few years ago, but it just feels tired and played out now.
Bayonetta (trailer): Watching this trailer reminded me of all the talk lately about how Japan isn't the leader in game design any more. This game seems like a textbook example of why. Looking like nothing so much as Devil May Cry with a new female protagonist in place of Dante, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the game launch with *DMC5 under the title. Lots of guns, over-the-top cut scenes (complete with gratuitous font and back crotch shots) and a main character that strips as she pulls off combos… this might have been edgy and interesting a few years ago, but it just feels tired and played out now.
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Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (demo): Rare, what the heck is going on with you guys? I was a massive fan of the original B-K games on the N64, but this new vehicle-based direction looks like a massive misstep. Just like Grabbed by the Ghoulies or Kameo, B-K:N&B appears tobe aimed at kids, yet the gameplay is confused, clunky and will likely be too difficult for younger players. At the same time, I imagine it will turn off older players with its cutesy graphics and abandonment of the classic platform formula. Constructing a vehicle and driving it in different areas seems to be the main focus of the game based on this demo and what I've read in interviews, which only leads me to ask: why, exactly? Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie were both phenomenal platformers, even better than Nintendo’s own first-party efforts in some ways. Reviving the franchise for this half baked on-wheels formula looks like a fail to me.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (demo): Rare, what the heck is going on with you guys? I was a massive fan of the original B-K games on the N64, but this new vehicle-based direction looks like a massive misstep. Just like Grabbed by the Ghoulies or Kameo, B-K:N&B appears tobe aimed at kids, yet the gameplay is confused, clunky and will likely be too difficult for younger players. At the same time, I imagine it will turn off older players with its cutesy graphics and abandonment of the classic platform formula. Constructing a vehicle and driving it in different areas seems to be the main focus of the game based on this demo and what I've read in interviews, which only leads me to ask: why, exactly? Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie were both phenomenal platformers, even better than Nintendo’s own first-party efforts in some ways. Reviving the franchise for this half baked on-wheels formula looks like a fail to me.
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Tomb Raider: Underworld (demo): I’m not much of a graphics whore, but after seeing this game in action I was ready to put on some high heels and smear some lipstick on my face. Underworld looks absolutely phenomenal-- breathtaking, even. Lara’s movement looks quite real and believable, the way she gingerly grabs for purchase on vertical surfaces and swats at branches and greenery in her path. The swirling ocean could have been on a postcard, and the shadows and lighting are remarkable. In terms of gameplay, it seems to deliver the same sort of ruin-hopping, crypt-jumping experience that the last TR game did, but that's quite all right with me… Crystal Dynamics’ rework of the series was easily the best Tomb Raider game, ever. I'm definitely getting in on this one sooner rather than later, unless the wife beats me to it.
Tomb Raider: Underworld (demo): I’m not much of a graphics whore, but after seeing this game in action I was ready to put on some high heels and smear some lipstick on my face. Underworld looks absolutely phenomenal-- breathtaking, even. Lara’s movement looks quite real and believable, the way she gingerly grabs for purchase on vertical surfaces and swats at branches and greenery in her path. The swirling ocean could have been on a postcard, and the shadows and lighting are remarkable. In terms of gameplay, it seems to deliver the same sort of ruin-hopping, crypt-jumping experience that the last TR game did, but that's quite all right with me… Crystal Dynamics’ rework of the series was easily the best Tomb Raider game, ever. I'm definitely getting in on this one sooner rather than later, unless the wife beats me to it.
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Mirror’s Edge (demo): I've stated many times that I don't get what the buzz is about this game, and after playing the demo, I still don't get it. Running, jumping, and punching people are things that games have been doing since games were invented… putting this together with a first-person perspective is supposed to make it fresh and interesting? Not to mention, acrobatic navigation intrinsically belongs to the third-person format. As I was stumbling along trying to navigate the environment, I kept wondering why I wasn't seeing things from a third-person perspective. The art style felt very ascetic and cold, not at all interesting. I started becoming bored with the visuals before I even finished the demo. I'm quite aware that the developers are using color as a way to cue players into different ways of navigating through the areas, but it just looks dull. EA may want it to be, but I'm not feeling a blockbuster here.
Mirror’s Edge (demo): I've stated many times that I don't get what the buzz is about this game, and after playing the demo, I still don't get it. Running, jumping, and punching people are things that games have been doing since games were invented… putting this together with a first-person perspective is supposed to make it fresh and interesting? Not to mention, acrobatic navigation intrinsically belongs to the third-person format. As I was stumbling along trying to navigate the environment, I kept wondering why I wasn't seeing things from a third-person perspective. The art style felt very ascetic and cold, not at all interesting. I started becoming bored with the visuals before I even finished the demo. I'm quite aware that the developers are using color as a way to cue players into different ways of navigating through the areas, but it just looks dull. EA may want it to be, but I'm not feeling a blockbuster here.
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Saturday, November 8, 2008
An Apology...
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Games: ...for the throwaway post last night, but I was just way too tired to do anything more substantial. Sort of the same situation tonight, but I felt a little weak for copping out so I figured I could at least say a few more words on it.
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Anyway, the only thing on my plate right now is (again) Fallout 3.
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At this point, I think I'm somewhere in the 35-hour range and unfortunately, Bethesda put the cap for leveling up at 20. I hit that tonight, and I've still got more than half of the main storyline to go... evidently, players can't earn any more bonuses or perks from any experience gained past this point which makes me a very sad, sad player.
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I mean, I get that part of the reason for this is to prevent players from creating characters who are maxed out in every single stat and possess every skill, but I've got to be honest in saying that it's a little disheartening to know that I'm going to be putting in (what I assume) will be at least another 5 to 10 hours and all the experience earned by clearing the land of raiders and giant radscorpions isn't going to really serve any purpose, even though there are still a few more minor abilities that I'd like to have (and wouldn't mind working towards.)
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In discussing future download add-ons to Fallout 3, Bethesda has stated that there is definitely something in the pipe, and that it may appear as soon as December. That sounds good to me, but when it arrives it would be a pretty great thing if the game accounted for all of the experience that went to waste and gave players some credit in the new mission packs retroactively.
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Fingers crossed!.
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[edit] I actually just noticed that the game displays a numeric representation of "level 21" after you hit 20, even though there are no additional EXP points warded or Perks gained... maybe I'll get my wish after all?
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