Archive | February, 2009
A quest turn in.
The ghost pulsed with light. Slowly, like an afterimage, it shrunk. It started to form into a shape familiar to Rikoo.
A small head formed, two arms, two legs. Although it was still primarily transparent, he could see long hair falling out of the back of the skull, fingers forming on the hands.
And the face of a little girl began to take shape. It’s eyes grew large, and they stared at the package. Her tiny mouth hung open, it looked as though she was in shock.
Her nimble glowing fingers slowly unwrapped the package. They were shaking, but still were careful as though the package was fragile. Rikoo felt a wave of sadness creeping over him, it seemed to flow from the ghost. He could only watch.
“Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine”. Longest. MMO Title. Ever.
Yes, a great long title. What is it with Asian market MMO’s and their weird titles? Look guys, just grab an American businessman and sit him down in front of your website and let him play the game a bit.
That’s it. No more mistranslations or weird quest text.
Other than that, “Imagine” is a great game that I got into a while back. I noticed the similarities between it and Mabinogi, namely in the combat system. It’s almost a turn-based system, but real time. I remember when Final Fantasy XII came out, tons of fanboys and girls were upset at the games departure from the actual turn based system in favor of a “real time turn based” system. This is how Imagine and Mabinogi feel, sort of. Kind of. A bit.
Mabinogi’s New Patch…more free stuff?
Today is patch day in the world of uhm..Aria (still learning all the “lore”) and last night players were chomping at the bit. Not only are there two new races to play, the Elves and the Giants, and a new land to explore but some exciting news for poor people!
Free services!
Before, you could pay for a “re-birth” when you hit level 20 and re-roll your character as a child. Your skills stayed the same, but your level was reset. Essentially, it is a way to gain AP points (to “buy” new skills with) in that “Wow, I’m new and the AP points are coming at me like rain!” way. Players hit a slower climb at 20, rebirth themselves and gain the AP points faster. That service, normally about 9 bucks or so, is now free, but you will still have to buy a premium card to change appearance.
Free to Play only for a month…can I do it?
Yes, yes I can.
My home game subs are running out soon (LOTRO, Station Access) and I have been messing around a LOT more with Mabinogi and a few other F2P games. Not only is the quality of some of these games up there with a “normal” MMO, but they are free to play to boot!
Now look, I know what you are thinking: “There is no way playing F2P games can equal the satisfaction I get out of “normal” mmo’s.”
For the moment, you are mostly right. But, the quality is increasing so fast that I predict that within 2 or 3 years that F2P will be the norm. The best way to present my argument is to just list off the pros and cons. I love lists, and will always jump at the chance to make one.
Mabinogi: A great game wrapped in *gulp* ANIME.
You know, playing UO again has brought up a lot of questions in my mind about the current systems that games use, and about graphics.
Much of the UO game-play is simple, yet complex. For example, you pick out what skill you want to work on and work on it. Sounds easy enough, but over time you find yourself picking out the oddest skills just to try out something new. It’s fun, and soon you obsess.
A skill based system takes guts to put into your game, I think. Many gamers don’t WANT that many choices, and that’s fine. Many are fine with a limited, cookie cutter class system. I am a fan of it myself.
But sometimes it’s fun to work out that inner chef that’s just dying to get out. It feels good to farm a bit, to get a part-time job gathering eggs, just to turn around an hour later to go off and kill wolves.
All this is possible in a good skill based game. Granted, many of the skills require a lot of time to gain levels in, so if you are into high levels you are in for a long road. In many games that means a lot of grinding quests and mobs. Luckily, a game like Mabinogi provides other distractions that make it seem less like a typical free to play grindfest.
Remembering UO: My first MMO.
Funny thing, nostalgia. It makes you remember even BAD things as good things. Well, sometimes.
In the case of Ultima Online, there is some bad and some good. Either way, when I play it now (I just re-activated my old account after 7 years away!) I find it more charming than anything.
There's my character on his old horse, Poopy 2.
Spouse Aggro #69 “Darkfall Fuddy Duddy!”
Spouse Aggro #69
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:32:00 GMT [download/play]
“Darkfall Fuddy Duddy!”
The Highlights from show 69!
* Leala and Beau get all gripey for like, the second time in their life about Darkfall, a new really old game that might finally see the light of day. (Leala shows her fuddy duddy side.) The game has some VERY interesting gameplay (it looks like) alongside annoying interactions with 17 year olds.
This is a discussion as much about different types of game-play as it is about a game that will probably never be released.
Here is the article from MMORPG.com (actually, it is from ANOTHER site, MMORPG just linked it. pppsshhh! Figures) that we are discussing.
Here are the stats for Beau and Leala’s first PC. It came with a 15 inch monitor, and still works! 
Send emails to spouseaggro at yahoo dot com.
Website found at spouseaggro dot com.
Twitter name: spouseaggro
Skype name: beauturkey
Now GO LOG IN!
The Turkeys
Please, just start your Darkfall bitching now please, and save the feed room for later.
A quick note, since I am in “real life” mode lately and have not been able to do much blogging/podcasting:
Start whining NOW.
Just get it over with, you sad bloggers/podcasters that have a blog filled with nothing but criticism, hate, and over-examination.
We all know that you will HATE it, that there is no way possible that the game will live up to your nerd dreams of perfection. We all know that you just live on those feelings you had when you first logged into your first game, those feelings of discovery and wonder.
Of course, you blame the game for your obsessive collection of anything Darkfall, and you will blame the game for not fitting perfectly into your dreams. Many of you will continue on with your “The developers must listen to me, for MY ideas are the best!” sad path, as though your blog, the one with 132 readers, is somehow going to be THE ONE.
And to those that think you are holding game companies “to task”: no, you are not. All you are doing is bitching about VIDEO GAMES.
Don’t forget how exciting life is.
This is not a post that I will use to exclaim how much I have to think about after someone passes. I am not being forced into the light of truth because, suddenly, reality stepped into my living room and knocked things over.
The truth of the matter is that I have been a relatively morbid fellow since childhood. I have always been aware of the “final step.” I think we all are aware of it, but I have come close to the point of obsessing over it. I have dreams of saving childhood pets, finding them in old dusty rooms. I have thought more about this than is probably healthy. But I consider it training, honestly, training for those moments in life that remind you why you obsess over them in the first place. Those moments are supposed to be scary and downright unbearable, at least that’s what I have always thought. Not since being a teenager have I felt that, though. Anymore I just face those moments head on, push through them, deal with them and just let them happen. There is nothing else you can do.
Yes, a little escape does feel good now and then.
If any of you have had a loved one in the hospital before, in dire shape, you will know what I am talking about.There are no choices, despite what anyone tells you. You will hear 500 different opinions, and in some cases, those opinions change and adapt to new circumstances.
Your only true choice is to wait.
Sorry for the podcast delay…real life sucks…
…and can sometimes hand you a box of shit for breakfast.
Wish us luck, and send some good vibes.
Back real soon with the audio podcast.
Beau
Be sure to watch the Vanguard live parties HERE!
If the stream ever stops for you, hit refresh. If not, let me know in case it drops out. The party starts at 3pm Central time, USA.
Thank you, Vanguard. Now I can MATCH! :)
Vanguard recently stepped up to other MMO’s like LOTRO and EQ2 and put in special “appearance slots.” If you don’t know what that is, that is basically armor that you can wear over your other armor, to have a nicer appearance.
You have a special slot that you place the armor/clothes in, and voila! you match! The sheer amount of choices are unbelievable, and between diplomacy clothes, regular clothes, and some neat looking armor from all levels you can have a very unique look. My online Canadian B.F.F. Fae Rae has a really cool looking set he made to look sort of like an asian-meets Blade Runner type look. Very cool!
You DO have to meet the requirements for the clothing/armor, however. But even at level 15, I was able to go from drab:
I will be streaming the Vanguard Anniversary event!
From the VG Players page:
Winter Solstice Anniversary Event
The Vanguard team wishes to thank you for another wonderful year in Telon. Please be sure to visit the beautiful city of Ahgram where the Gnomes of Kamelott have set up a festival to honor the second year of Vanguard. A Giftomatic 5000 has been placed in the outskirts of Ahgram’s main city on the east side to provide the people of Telon with cake and fireworks to help us in celebrating Vanguard’s second birthday.
Please join members of the Community Team at the following times on Wednesday February 4th and Friday February 6th:
- Halgar – 1PM PST / 4PM EST / 10PM CET
- Xeth – 2PM PST / 5PM EST
- Sartok – 3PM PST / 6PM EST
- Seradon – 4PM PST / 7PM EST
We hope to see you all there and be sure to tell your friends!
You can also keep up with all the action that’s going on at the event with a live stream from our friends at Spouse Aggro (http://www.spouseaggro.com/).
If you are at work or just can’t get to the event, check it out on the stream!
Beau Turkey
The Strats for the Dungeon of Flulalalherahaluflufluharaheraj la la lum co.
Click the link to view the video..moved it down to save loading times on the home page…
How the Immersion Project works in LOTRO and Vanguard.
I have been asked a few times about forming an Immersion guild so that a group of us could play by these, essentially, RP rules. We would have to have actual meetings to stay in contact, meeting at a guild hall or special tavern.
But, I typically don’t join guilds. “The world is my guild.” is my favorite saying. (MMO saying! lol) I mean, I can open my friends list and have the same effect, without all the “Immersion Breaking” chatter going on.
So, here is how I play in some of my favorite games, in case you wanna’ give it a try. It’s not rocket science, and I don’t pretend I invented this play style, but it works for me, very well. I am always tweaking it. Let me know if it works for you.
Here is my set up in Vanguard, as of now:
