T w e n t y S i d e d
Still busy this week. I did manage to play a bit of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, nothing new to say about it, just a good game.
What’s everyone else doing this week?
Wednesday Action Log 11-13-24
Cold Opening: Villagers & Heroes
Let’s do something new. I watched a video months ago of someone trying free MMORPG’s on Steam, and this was one of the few that actually scored highly. It is, to be clear, a mobile game that’s also available on PC. Of course, so is Genshin Impact, and Honkai Star Rail, and other especially Korean MMO’s that generally pass for AAA game titles…and certainly compete with and even outdo them. But I think it will be obvious as soon as you load the character creator that Villagers & Heroes seems to occupy a place closer to those 2010’s games that were designed for mobile use, and THEN got PC versions. You know, when you blow up the graphics to an actual 1920×1080 (or bigger) monitor, the simplified textures and reduced polygons that you can’t see on a phone screen become blatant.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Cold Opening: Villagers & Heroes”
DM of the Rings XCVI: An Errant Arrow
There is nothing more destructive to the story than a DM temper tantrum, which explains why players have such enthusiasm for causing them.
(Also, for the benefit of readers who check out the comic but don’t read the rest of the site: I want to point out that I was interviewed on Fear the Boot. Tune in to hear some behind-the-scenes info on the comic and a bit about myself and my experiences playing D&D.)
– Shamus, Friday May 4, 2007 Continue reading ⟩⟩ “DM of the Rings XCVI: An Errant Arrow”
Wednesday Action Log 11-06-24
This week I’ve been too busy to really play anything between work and Halloween. All I’ve done was finish the Borderlands 3 DLC I was playing last week. The DLC was fine, no complaints, though I have found that I’ve been procrastinating on playing the game itself as time goes on. I originally intended to do everything, but it’s becoming a slog and I might drop the game soon.
So, how’s everyone this week?
SWTOR: The Smuggler WAHOG
I wrote out the prologue of The Old Republic smuggler story a couple of weeks ago. What I left out was the characterization. For all characters, the player is presented with three responses to every dialogue option with few exceptions. There are actually several different characterizations that could be represented in these interactions; they don’t always align to the same three concepts. That’s in addition to choices that can affect your Light Side/Dark Side alignment, *and* the occasional option that can raise the influence level with your companion. Light Side/Dark Side and companion influence choices are *mostly* consistent, but I’m pretty sure every companion has some nonsensical options. And for what it’s worth, former writers and producers of the game have confirmed some of these as mistakes that got missed on play-testing. The remaining dialogue can be used for character-building, if that’s your thing. As a reference, the Imperial Agent can repeatedly choose options that establish her character as (in my case): Pro-Imperial/Bureaucracy, Anti-Sith, opposed to the Empire’s xenophobic policies, in favor of quick, practical assassinations as solutions to problems, independent and dismissive of anyone other than her own subordinates, and supremely confident. And that’s just the subset.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “SWTOR: The Smuggler WAHOG”
DM of the Rings Remastered XCV: You Could Get a Splinter
Whenever you introduce a new creature, you should be very specific in your descriptions so that players know if this is something for them to fight or have sex with.
Shamus, Wednesday May 2, 2007
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “DM of the Rings Remastered XCV: You Could Get a Splinter”
Wednesday Action Log 10-30-24
This week is more Borderlands 3.
Not anything new with the base game. I still think the main story sucks, and the combat feels squishy. But, I started some of the DLCs, and so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
I played through Moxxi’s Heist of the Handsome Jackpot fully expecting the villain to just be some AI version of Handsome Jack, but was happy to find out that the only version of Jack you find is one of his Doppelgangers that’s been trapped and doesn’t want to kill you. The writing is good enough; I didn’t even watch something on my other screen just to make it through.
I also started the Guns, Love, and Tentacles DLC. I’ve only played a little bit, but so far it’s looking good. You even get to see Gaige return which is delightful.
So, what’s everyone else doing?
From The Archives:
The Truth About Piracy
What are publishers doing to fight piracy and why is it all wrong?
Spoiler Warning
A video Let's Play series I collaborated on from 2009 to 2017.
The Disappointment Engine
No Man's Sky is a game seemingly engineered to create a cycle of anticipation and disappointment.
What is Vulkan?
There's a new graphics API in town. What does that mean, and why do we need it?
How to Forum
Dear people of the internet: Please stop doing these horrible idiotic things when you talk to each other.
Gamers Aren’t Toxic
This is a horrible narrative that undermines the hobby through crass stereotypes. The hobby is vast, gamers come from all walks of life, and you shouldn't judge ANY group by its worst members.
The Strange Evolution of OpenGL
Sometimes software is engineered. Sometimes it grows organically. And sometimes it's thrown together seemingly at random over two decades.
Batman: Arkham Origins
A breakdown of how this game faltered when the franchise was given to a different studio.
Joker's Last Laugh
Did you anticipate the big plot twist of Batman: Arkham City? Here's all the ways the game hid that secret from you while also rubbing your nose in it.
Quakecon 2011 Keynote Annotated
An interesting but technically dense talk about gaming technology. I translate it for the non-coders.