Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been totally busy not playing WoW, and stuff. Totally.
Anyways, has anyone watched The Guild? It's a pretty funny web-series written, and starring some fairly cute girl who was already somewhat famous before she started. It pertains mostly to MMORPGs and her experiences, but she's cute anyway. For anyone who is interested go to youtube to find seasons 1-3, and http://www.watchtheguild.com/, for season 4.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Not a WoW Update!
Sorry for the lack of updates, I've totally been busy doing things that don't involve WoW, honestly. (That's a lie)
Anyhow, yesterday I played Starcraft 2 and had to update. Interested, I asked my friends what changed. The changes are everything I had hoped for and more!
First and foremost, they FINALLY nerfed Terran Reapers. Super awesome. First, barracks cannot be built without a supply depot, and second, the upgrade requires a factory. No more lame cheesy ass reaper rushes, yay!
Even as a Protoss player, I'm glad to see Void Rays nerfed, I thought they were too strong. I am also happy to see that Zerg are getting looked at although the upgrade only dealt with the buildings.
Oh well, back to playing Wo..StarCcraft. Yes, that's it.. StarCraft.
Anyhow, yesterday I played Starcraft 2 and had to update. Interested, I asked my friends what changed. The changes are everything I had hoped for and more!
First and foremost, they FINALLY nerfed Terran Reapers. Super awesome. First, barracks cannot be built without a supply depot, and second, the upgrade requires a factory. No more lame cheesy ass reaper rushes, yay!
Even as a Protoss player, I'm glad to see Void Rays nerfed, I thought they were too strong. I am also happy to see that Zerg are getting looked at although the upgrade only dealt with the buildings.
Oh well, back to playing Wo..StarCcraft. Yes, that's it.. StarCraft.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Blizzard's WoW Business Model
I've written a rant about P2P/Cash Shop games but I forgot to write about my distaste for Blizzard's business model for WoW, which was a major reason I was against it (WoW) in the first place. Most MMORPGs allow its players to level from 1-99 (or higher) right from the start, but not Blizzard! Oh no sir!
When World of Warcraft first came out, its max level was 60. Burning Crusade, level 70. Wrath of the Lich King, level 80. So you'd expect the newest max level to be 90 right? Nope, it's 85. Blizzard's bullshit business model is trying to milk its users for all they can, and people idiotically pay for it, happily no less. I just don't understand. I don't know about you, but I rather spend my $180/year on something else. Even if I had an excess of money, I probably would still rather spend it on other things. It's not even that great of a game. I feel that this business model is almost dishonest, and it vexes me.
And they're doing the same with StarCraft 2. SC2 is going to be a trilogy, each expansion giving out a new part of the story. In Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood Wars, all three campaigns were included. Blizzard is turning into Valve, another money hungry company. What happened to companies putting their customers/players first and profit margin second? It's a dark day for gaming indeed.
GG nore. :(
When World of Warcraft first came out, its max level was 60. Burning Crusade, level 70. Wrath of the Lich King, level 80. So you'd expect the newest max level to be 90 right? Nope, it's 85. Blizzard's bullshit business model is trying to milk its users for all they can, and people idiotically pay for it, happily no less. I just don't understand. I don't know about you, but I rather spend my $180/year on something else. Even if I had an excess of money, I probably would still rather spend it on other things. It's not even that great of a game. I feel that this business model is almost dishonest, and it vexes me.
And they're doing the same with StarCraft 2. SC2 is going to be a trilogy, each expansion giving out a new part of the story. In Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood Wars, all three campaigns were included. Blizzard is turning into Valve, another money hungry company. What happened to companies putting their customers/players first and profit margin second? It's a dark day for gaming indeed.
GG nore. :(
Monday, October 11, 2010
How to be a pro gamer!
As a former CAL-M CS 1.6 player, I am always interested in techniques, tips, and strategies to improve. Although I don't play CS competitively anymore I still find it a fascinating read, and I do occasionally scrim and pub. My friend showed me this video and it is the most informative video I have EVER seen! Check it out! You'll be a pro CS-Player guaranteed, the video is CS:CZ, who the hell plays that though? It's like the ugly, red-headed, middle stepchild of Counter-Strike. Yes I'm still playing World of Warcraft (Borecraft as someone said earlier, very clever), and no I still don't like it. I'm a very competitive person so I'm playing it a lot even though I don't like it because I want to kill people/compete in PvP. Who knows, maybe the game will get better at higher levels / not boring / I'll actually enjoy playing it, for now, it still sucks. I'm still looking for suggestions on different games to play too.
Friday, October 8, 2010
It's WOW Time.. again.
Since the game I've been playing recently has been WoW, all my posts will be about WoW, and I'm sorry. I know a lot of you despise that game, and I don't blame you, in fact, I agree. Like I said earlier however, I don't want to waste my friend's money (he's paying for my first month). Nothing really new, except I still dont' understand peoples' obsession over this game. I guess like someone commented in a previous post, its the best game out there right now and people have to wait until something better. I remember when that Aion game was coming out it was supposed to be the WoW killer, but then I never heard of it again. Same thing with Conan Online, LOTROnline, and now I'm hearing about the StarWars RPG. I wonder how FFXIV will do in a few more months/years because everyone loves the Final Fantasy Franchise.
I know most people don't like WoW, but is it because they tried it and didn't like it, or is it because they are hateful of their own past addiction? Very interesting thought I just had. Anyways, if you don't like WoW, but like the way the RPG plays, check out Runes of Magic. It's F2P with a Cash Shop. It's very similar to WoW in many ways, it's like the poor man's WoW.
That is all. (When will this month be over? *sob*)
I know most people don't like WoW, but is it because they tried it and didn't like it, or is it because they are hateful of their own past addiction? Very interesting thought I just had. Anyways, if you don't like WoW, but like the way the RPG plays, check out Runes of Magic. It's F2P with a Cash Shop. It's very similar to WoW in many ways, it's like the poor man's WoW.
That is all. (When will this month be over? *sob*)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Blizzard and the Cash Cow
MMORPGs / their companies are weird. I have never once seen a scheduled updates/maintenance stick to its original estimated projection. For example, WoW got an updated yesterday which was supposed to be from 5am to 11am, then it was pushed back to 12pm, then 1pm. Even after that, the servers weren't fully functional until about 1:30pm, and AFTER THAT, the server I play on still wasn't up.This isn't unique to just Blizzard either, pretty much EVERY MMORPG that I've played does this. Even games that aren't MMORPGs. Why is that no one can stick to their projection? When I took an accounting class, I was taught to always overestimate expenditures, shouldn't these companies do the same in order to prevent looking incompetent? If they finish earlier, then people will think, "Wow, these guys are on it!" It's kind of the reason why I'm a pessimist. If something good ends up happening it's a pleasant surprise, but if things go badly like I predict, then it's not as much of a shock.
After I got home four hours later, I went to play SC2 with some friends, lo and behold StarCraft 2 was having issues too, its ladder system was down. Super awesome. No ladder? No problem, we'll just play regular games, right? NOPE. People were getting disconnected every few minutes. Double super awesome. Because of that, the friends I play SC2 with got annoyed and left, and my friend wanted to play WoW. LOG IN ERROR.
Blizzard hates its users.
After I got home four hours later, I went to play SC2 with some friends, lo and behold StarCraft 2 was having issues too, its ladder system was down. Super awesome. No ladder? No problem, we'll just play regular games, right? NOPE. People were getting disconnected every few minutes. Double super awesome. Because of that, the friends I play SC2 with got annoyed and left, and my friend wanted to play WoW. LOG IN ERROR.
Blizzard hates its users.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
From deep within the ruins of Azeroth...
I POST AGAIN!
So I've been playing this game for a day or two now and like my response in the previous post, I find this game to be mediocre at best. I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about and why people are so addicted to this game, however the majority of people who have commented on my post seem to be very vocal about their distaste of WoW.
I really don't feel like I'll be addicted to this game because I have much better things to do (and games to play), but I don't want to waste my friend's money so I'll at least try it for a month. But who knows, like one commenter said, it's like heroin. Maybe I just need a longer taste... now if you'll excuse me, I should get back to playing WoW, I'm starting to have ticks. Still not addicted though, I swear!
So I've been playing this game for a day or two now and like my response in the previous post, I find this game to be mediocre at best. I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about and why people are so addicted to this game, however the majority of people who have commented on my post seem to be very vocal about their distaste of WoW.
I really don't feel like I'll be addicted to this game because I have much better things to do (and games to play), but I don't want to waste my friend's money so I'll at least try it for a month. But who knows, like one commenter said, it's like heroin. Maybe I just need a longer taste... now if you'll excuse me, I should get back to playing WoW, I'm starting to have ticks. Still not addicted though, I swear!
Monday, October 4, 2010
I'm a broken man...
It hurts deep into my very core. I feel like I'm a broken man, what is a man that has no will? Nothing but a broken shell. I've succumbed to the dark temptation that lies in the world of Aezeroth. That's right ladies and gentlemen, I installed World of Warcraft. In my desperate attempt to find a new MMORPG to play, my so called "friend" tempted me with promises of glory and riches.. and paying for my first month subscription. So hopefully I can muster-up the willpower to not completely immerse myself in this blasted game and still live a somewhat normal-functioning life. I have lost many a friend to the vile grasp that is called WoW.
I pray I live to see another day... and write another update.
Until then.
I pray I live to see another day... and write another update.
Until then.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Gunbound - Boom-tastic!
Who remembers the game Gunbound? Man I haven't played/heard of anyone playing that game in like 6+ years.
I remember playing that game when there was only two servers, Avatar On and Avatar Off, and the highest rank was wand. I should try playing that game again, boomer was super awesome fun styles. However, Gunbound is a prime example of how Cash Shops ruin games (as stated in one of my previous blog entries). Especially on Avatar-On servers, if you don't have a specific setup, you most likely will lose very quickly. It's also annoying because playing on an Avatar-On server (which I don't by the way), everyone's gear looks the same. Perhaps its changed after this long. I also remember another reason I quit was because there was an upsurge in cheaters. I wonder how that's going.
While writing this, I was talking to my friend who I used to play Gunbound with, and he reminded me of these two items that were available through purchase only. They were like called "bots" or something, and there were two types, but they both gave really imba stats so it made it quite unfair for non-cash players. NOT ONLY THAT, but my friend told me they still worked on the avatar off server. Good Fucking Game.
Some people have way too much money... :(
After talking to my friend, maybe I shouldn't play that game again. GG definitely no re.
I remember playing that game when there was only two servers, Avatar On and Avatar Off, and the highest rank was wand. I should try playing that game again, boomer was super awesome fun styles. However, Gunbound is a prime example of how Cash Shops ruin games (as stated in one of my previous blog entries). Especially on Avatar-On servers, if you don't have a specific setup, you most likely will lose very quickly. It's also annoying because playing on an Avatar-On server (which I don't by the way), everyone's gear looks the same. Perhaps its changed after this long. I also remember another reason I quit was because there was an upsurge in cheaters. I wonder how that's going.
While writing this, I was talking to my friend who I used to play Gunbound with, and he reminded me of these two items that were available through purchase only. They were like called "bots" or something, and there were two types, but they both gave really imba stats so it made it quite unfair for non-cash players. NOT ONLY THAT, but my friend told me they still worked on the avatar off server. Good Fucking Game.
Some people have way too much money... :(
After talking to my friend, maybe I shouldn't play that game again. GG definitely no re.
Counter-Strike 1.6 - A Love Story
Weird. I played a few Counter-Strike scrims today, and I actually did very well. Well, not for the first 2, those were my warm-ups, but I carried my team a few times, it's been almost a year since I did that last. I'm very proud of myself. It's like riding a bike. Good ole Counter-Strike, I still love you. Ashame that the game is being ruined by lots of mods, hackers, source, and a not-so-great community. :(
You'll always be in my heart though.
In other news: I've been addicted to Genki Sudo's musical project "World Order" and all his crazy music videos. If you don't know who Genki Sudo is, he is a former MMA fighter who was known for his unorthodox fighting style. I also like him because his fighting style is very similar to mine, I never take it seriously. He was very amusing to watch, especially his entrances.
The videos I'm hooked on:
You'll always be in my heart though.
In other news: I've been addicted to Genki Sudo's musical project "World Order" and all his crazy music videos. If you don't know who Genki Sudo is, he is a former MMA fighter who was known for his unorthodox fighting style. I also like him because his fighting style is very similar to mine, I never take it seriously. He was very amusing to watch, especially his entrances.
The videos I'm hooked on:
Friday, October 1, 2010
Team Fortress 2 - For Better or Worse? & The Future of Gaming
Alright, so I come home from work, boot up steam, and am forced to update Team Fortress 2. I think okay cool, more new stuff - UNTIL I READ THE DETAILS.
In-Game Store - Players can buy items that were once only available through playing the game.
Item Sets - Item sets which give the player certain bonuses/boosts (Also the sniper's set which blocks headshots?)
I am not a support of this blasphemy. I think Valve is getting a little too greedy. What happened to the good ole days where you pay for a game once, via purchasing it, then you can play online for free? Now all the good games are subscription.
Some companies try to keep their games free by adding a Cash Shop, but more often than not, the Cash Shop is filled with such imbalanced items, there's no way to proceed in the game without purchasing with real money, or excessive amounts of in-game money.
I remember when games first started following this subscription/cash shop model. I knew it was going to change gaming in the long run, I even wrote about it in an online forum once. I'm just surprised its taking this long to set in though.
I know a lot of companies are trying to jump on the World of Warcraft bandwagon, having subscriptions to play (because we all love money), but like I stated earlier, I miss only having to pay for a game once. What game started subscription play? Ultima Online? Everquest? Ragnarok Online? All I I know is Diablo was free to play online..
In-Game Store - Players can buy items that were once only available through playing the game.
Item Sets - Item sets which give the player certain bonuses/boosts (Also the sniper's set which blocks headshots?)
I am not a support of this blasphemy. I think Valve is getting a little too greedy. What happened to the good ole days where you pay for a game once, via purchasing it, then you can play online for free? Now all the good games are subscription.
Some companies try to keep their games free by adding a Cash Shop, but more often than not, the Cash Shop is filled with such imbalanced items, there's no way to proceed in the game without purchasing with real money, or excessive amounts of in-game money.
I remember when games first started following this subscription/cash shop model. I knew it was going to change gaming in the long run, I even wrote about it in an online forum once. I'm just surprised its taking this long to set in though.
I know a lot of companies are trying to jump on the World of Warcraft bandwagon, having subscriptions to play (because we all love money), but like I stated earlier, I miss only having to pay for a game once. What game started subscription play? Ultima Online? Everquest? Ragnarok Online? All I I know is Diablo was free to play online..
Stainless Steel Mouse Pads
Would anyone be interested in purchasing a stainless steel gaming surface? My friend has a bunch of large and extra large mousepads that he made. They work great with optical mice, even for gaming. In fact, I use one, I'll add a picture later.
As for prices and measurements, I'll have to edit this post at a later time because I don't recall off the top of my head (It's 5:13am right now). If you guys are interested, leave a comment, and maybe I'll give out some contact info so we can set something up. :)
Additonally, I need to find another game (maybe an F2P RPG?) to play. Getting kind of burnt out on melee/ladder SC2, and there aren't very many good customs yet. Maybe I'll get back into playing DOTA, even though I'll probably be the only one playing that. :(
EDIT: The mouse pad I have is 12" by 10", approximately the size of a Steelpad 4D (My previous mousepad), but technically has more surface area since it's rectangular in shape. The larger one is around 14" x 12". The attached picture shows a Logitech MX518 for size comparison. The actual texture of the mousepad feels smooth to the touch, but upon closer inspection almost looks like stucco so that optical mice have lots of unique patterns to track. Because of these unique patterns (as opposed to lots of small bumps) I have never encountered stuttering while using this mousepad even with fast twitch movements like I did with my 4D.
If noise is a concern of yours, I find that this pad is no more noisy than any other hard gaming surface. Hopefully some of you might be interested. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or want to buy one. Maybe we'll be able to start a business!
As for prices and measurements, I'll have to edit this post at a later time because I don't recall off the top of my head (It's 5:13am right now). If you guys are interested, leave a comment, and maybe I'll give out some contact info so we can set something up. :)
Additonally, I need to find another game (maybe an F2P RPG?) to play. Getting kind of burnt out on melee/ladder SC2, and there aren't very many good customs yet. Maybe I'll get back into playing DOTA, even though I'll probably be the only one playing that. :(
EDIT: The mouse pad I have is 12" by 10", approximately the size of a Steelpad 4D (My previous mousepad), but technically has more surface area since it's rectangular in shape. The larger one is around 14" x 12". The attached picture shows a Logitech MX518 for size comparison. The actual texture of the mousepad feels smooth to the touch, but upon closer inspection almost looks like stucco so that optical mice have lots of unique patterns to track. Because of these unique patterns (as opposed to lots of small bumps) I have never encountered stuttering while using this mousepad even with fast twitch movements like I did with my 4D.
If noise is a concern of yours, I find that this pad is no more noisy than any other hard gaming surface. Hopefully some of you might be interested. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or want to buy one. Maybe we'll be able to start a business!
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