I hate forced game social things, I don't want to be social on your damn game network. I want to play my damn game. Stop forcing me to make accounts on your damn websites, just so you can send me damn emails, about damn things I do not give a damn about.
I hate it when you have to download several hundred updates separately for games. Why don't you change your damn update system so that they download every single last update together? It is not bloody helpful if you have a bazillion updates and someone has bought a game two years after release. It's annoying, okay? Update your update systems.
I hate it when games comes with things they could have taken out when they re-released the game, instead of forcing you to download an update to get rid of the damn thing that they could of taken out before selling you the damn game
I hate long boring game openings, definitely when the players game play is restricted for the first thirty minutes. Someone needs to sort out the damn pacing of your damn game if your damn players aren't playing the damn game in the first ten minutes.
.I hate it when they use forced game social things in the game so you actually have to sign up to save your game. Definitely when the social thing is just a social thing and not a way to ensure you haven't stolen the damn game.
Stop adding things that you think will make the game fun or more complicated, and just let us play your god damn game!
And yes, I laugh at those who use PS3, for you will soon share the PC players fate! Bwuhahahahahahaha!
Sunday 27 February 2011
Friday 25 February 2011
Rune Factory 3
Harvest Moon was one of those games I actually got to play as a kid. It's really silly on reflection to like a game about farming. Which is all it is. A game about farming. That's it. Nothing else. You farm. Oh, and in the new ones you can marry someone and have babies.
So I guess it was really logical that they tried to make farming a little more exciting by making Rune Factory. Which is basically Harvest Moon, plus monsters and dungeons. And Rune Factory is great, it has a story somewhere buried within it. But the problem which Harvest Moon and Rune Factory had was well... the other characters were bland, the stories weren't too interesting, there was nothing really driving the plot on but yourself. And it is still farming. Not that I hate that, I love the farming.
But Rune Factory 3.... is possibly the best Harvest Moon type game I have played yet. Now not to say I don't like the other Harvest Moon's. I love them all. Even if the possible husbands or wives are bland, and after a while it gets repetitive and boring. They're all good games, except maybe Rune Factory 2. I never got far in Rune Factory 2, mainly because you couldn't pick up things and put them back on the ground. (like logs and stones. not fruit and veg in your hands.) That never rubbed the right way with me, when no other Harvest Moon game does that.
Two of these games came out in the last year, (perhaps longer, release dates for these games take an age to get to the UK, I had to get an early copy off eBay for Rune Factory 3.) But these two games are really different. Now maybe Rune factory 3 is better because it was developed by Natsume, and the newest Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands, was made by Rising Star games.(I guess Natsume sold it off after Island of Happiness?) But I don't think that matters. Sunshine Islands is good in its old schoolness, plus something a little new and different, but ultimately it's just Island of Happiness again, but with islands instead of new bits of the land being unlocked (plus you can't develop the islands... okay... maybe Island of Happiness is the superior...)While Rune Factory 3 is trying to be a lot more different.
First, it is actually trying more in this game to move the plot a long. There is no running around trying to find it. You have a goal, you reach that goal, you are given a new goal. Plus you now can do missions. Which really is more fun, and also drives on the story. The characters have more than 2 lines per season. so they actually seem like proper characters. And you have a better reason to go around town talking to them all, because you're not getting the same repeated line every single day. If you do the side missions you can actually end up developing the characters. So there is more than a point to doing them than just getting the rewards. The whole game just seems so much better because the amount of detail which seems to have gone into the other characters in the game. Plus the festivals are just so cute. They're more like mini-games than anything. The fishing is more challenging. You don't have to spend so long in the morning farming, so you can actually spend a good deal of time in the dungeons rather than wasting your time everyday watering your field.
I'm always saying to people who are new to these games "If you can make it through the first month, you'll really get the game." because generally it can take that long to really get into it, because you spend so much time trying to make money. While it's the same, you have so much more to do, that the first month is fun. It's genuinely fun. And maybe that is because all the characters in it are fun to talk to, the missions add more to the game. Farming doesn't dominate your time.Of course, I might play through to winter and find that their talk does eventually get repetitive. But so far there is enough variation of things the characters say that you don't notice so much, and it doesn't become grating. I did find it annoying at first that the clock still runs while you're in buildings. But, really, it doesn't matter. It's probably there to balance things out considering how quick you can get farming done. If you play this game and are wondering what I'm talking about because watering your crops takes you half a day. Then I say you should experiment with your watering technique. ;)
So I guess it was really logical that they tried to make farming a little more exciting by making Rune Factory. Which is basically Harvest Moon, plus monsters and dungeons. And Rune Factory is great, it has a story somewhere buried within it. But the problem which Harvest Moon and Rune Factory had was well... the other characters were bland, the stories weren't too interesting, there was nothing really driving the plot on but yourself. And it is still farming. Not that I hate that, I love the farming.
But Rune Factory 3.... is possibly the best Harvest Moon type game I have played yet. Now not to say I don't like the other Harvest Moon's. I love them all. Even if the possible husbands or wives are bland, and after a while it gets repetitive and boring. They're all good games, except maybe Rune Factory 2. I never got far in Rune Factory 2, mainly because you couldn't pick up things and put them back on the ground. (like logs and stones. not fruit and veg in your hands.) That never rubbed the right way with me, when no other Harvest Moon game does that.
Two of these games came out in the last year, (perhaps longer, release dates for these games take an age to get to the UK, I had to get an early copy off eBay for Rune Factory 3.) But these two games are really different. Now maybe Rune factory 3 is better because it was developed by Natsume, and the newest Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands, was made by Rising Star games.(I guess Natsume sold it off after Island of Happiness?) But I don't think that matters. Sunshine Islands is good in its old schoolness, plus something a little new and different, but ultimately it's just Island of Happiness again, but with islands instead of new bits of the land being unlocked (plus you can't develop the islands... okay... maybe Island of Happiness is the superior...)While Rune Factory 3 is trying to be a lot more different.
First, it is actually trying more in this game to move the plot a long. There is no running around trying to find it. You have a goal, you reach that goal, you are given a new goal. Plus you now can do missions. Which really is more fun, and also drives on the story. The characters have more than 2 lines per season. so they actually seem like proper characters. And you have a better reason to go around town talking to them all, because you're not getting the same repeated line every single day. If you do the side missions you can actually end up developing the characters. So there is more than a point to doing them than just getting the rewards. The whole game just seems so much better because the amount of detail which seems to have gone into the other characters in the game. Plus the festivals are just so cute. They're more like mini-games than anything. The fishing is more challenging. You don't have to spend so long in the morning farming, so you can actually spend a good deal of time in the dungeons rather than wasting your time everyday watering your field.
I'm always saying to people who are new to these games "If you can make it through the first month, you'll really get the game." because generally it can take that long to really get into it, because you spend so much time trying to make money. While it's the same, you have so much more to do, that the first month is fun. It's genuinely fun. And maybe that is because all the characters in it are fun to talk to, the missions add more to the game. Farming doesn't dominate your time.Of course, I might play through to winter and find that their talk does eventually get repetitive. But so far there is enough variation of things the characters say that you don't notice so much, and it doesn't become grating. I did find it annoying at first that the clock still runs while you're in buildings. But, really, it doesn't matter. It's probably there to balance things out considering how quick you can get farming done. If you play this game and are wondering what I'm talking about because watering your crops takes you half a day. Then I say you should experiment with your watering technique. ;)
Monday 21 February 2011
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Ghost Trick is the latest game from the producers of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. It's the only reason why I bought it, I love the Ace Attorney games, if you've never played them you should, the stories in them are simply fantastic, it's amazing game writing. but I must say when I first saw this game in the shop before I knew it was written by them the cover really did turn me off. The title and the cover are just... well bad. I really don't like the emphasis on 'ghost trick' in the game, it's like they're trying to make a tag line, and I really don't think that works in video games. It's just annoying. But yeah, the art style they've gone for with the character profiles are too... kid friendly. Considering this really isn't a kid game. It's a game about murder, you watch people die in it. You can be a little more complex with the art style guys. I suppose I just didn't like the main characters design, and he's on the cover, with his ridiculous pointy hair do. I know there's a thing in the gaming industry where if you're making a brand game which will have possible sequels then you need a distinguishable character. But considering the plot twist at the end, they really didn't need to make him look like a pointy penis head.
But whatever, that's just Japanese design I guess. But as for the actual playing graphics... it's simple cell shaded sort of figures. Which after a while really becomes impressive. I don't know if it's because you just get used to it, but it really does have its charm. It's simplistic, and the complicated set designs just make it work. I know a lot of people will be skeptical of a game because of its graphics, but I say don't be here. Because really, it's just amazing to see those figures move around on the screen and interact with the scenery. The set designs really are amazing to look at. visually I think it's nice, and artistic.
As game play goes it is a puzzle game, you manipulate objects to set a series of events to make something happen. Like you go back in time to prevent a death, which you are on a time limit. I have read reviews which says the puzzles at the end of the game are easier, but I don't think so. There is perhaps one puzzle in the submarine which could be classed as easy, simply because it's very quick and easy, but the puzzles before and after are still hard. And halfway through the game your roaming abilities are taken away from you. so the game does become more linear, but I think that just picks up the pace of the game, which is important because the characters are working against the clock. Seeing as it is a story focused game I really don't think it matters whether or not it becomes more linear. There are some really interesting puzzles which takes some really out of the box thinking to solve. I think the hardest puzzle in the game was the prison break one. I was stuck on that one for ages.
And finally story. This was written by the Ace Attorney people, so yeah, its story is fantastic. When I try to explain it to my friends it just sounds stupid. It really does. But it's not really a game you can explain, it's a game you have to play. Because everything makes sense within the game. I don't think there were any plot holes, the game ties up everything neatly together. You don't have to question anything at the end because you find out the answers. It has two very interesting twists, which if you're like me aren't difficult to figure out because of the hints dropped. Not to say you're entirely sure whether your suspicions are true until presented with the answers. Its a great mystery game in the way it really does make you want to find out the next bit of the story. It has good humor, and good writing, and if you let the game pull you in you will play it until you finish it. I must complain a little about the forced 'ghost tricks' tag and the weird running joke it had of people commenting on something or someone being weird and the two ghost characters at the time going 'me too', maybe amusing the first time, not so much the seventh time.
If you're wondering whether it's worth the buy, I would say yes. It's not a game you need a walk through on either, sure some of the puzzles are really hard, but because it is a puzzle game you can work it out by yourself through trial and error. And sometimes the failed results are funny. I remember when I got a combination wrong which earned a dead character a face full of hard hat, it was hilarious to watch. I think there might be some different combination to solve different puzzles too. I know it was hinted at in the prison break out that there was two ways to sneak him out. I'm not sure if other puzzles have that seeing I just solved them my way. but I'm sure cleverer people than me can figure that out. Sure it has the disadvantage of once you know the ending, that's it. But honestly I think I would happily play it again, simply because it was an enjoyable story. That's the great thing about games with a heavily focused story, you do want to play it again, just to experience the story. Plus with a game like this the game play is really easy, and doesn't hinder the story telling because the game play works hand in hand in telling the story. which is great. It really is like an interactive book. Which if you're like me, who loves good stories and good games which are fun to play, then yeah, you'll love this one.
But whatever, that's just Japanese design I guess. But as for the actual playing graphics... it's simple cell shaded sort of figures. Which after a while really becomes impressive. I don't know if it's because you just get used to it, but it really does have its charm. It's simplistic, and the complicated set designs just make it work. I know a lot of people will be skeptical of a game because of its graphics, but I say don't be here. Because really, it's just amazing to see those figures move around on the screen and interact with the scenery. The set designs really are amazing to look at. visually I think it's nice, and artistic.
As game play goes it is a puzzle game, you manipulate objects to set a series of events to make something happen. Like you go back in time to prevent a death, which you are on a time limit. I have read reviews which says the puzzles at the end of the game are easier, but I don't think so. There is perhaps one puzzle in the submarine which could be classed as easy, simply because it's very quick and easy, but the puzzles before and after are still hard. And halfway through the game your roaming abilities are taken away from you. so the game does become more linear, but I think that just picks up the pace of the game, which is important because the characters are working against the clock. Seeing as it is a story focused game I really don't think it matters whether or not it becomes more linear. There are some really interesting puzzles which takes some really out of the box thinking to solve. I think the hardest puzzle in the game was the prison break one. I was stuck on that one for ages.
And finally story. This was written by the Ace Attorney people, so yeah, its story is fantastic. When I try to explain it to my friends it just sounds stupid. It really does. But it's not really a game you can explain, it's a game you have to play. Because everything makes sense within the game. I don't think there were any plot holes, the game ties up everything neatly together. You don't have to question anything at the end because you find out the answers. It has two very interesting twists, which if you're like me aren't difficult to figure out because of the hints dropped. Not to say you're entirely sure whether your suspicions are true until presented with the answers. Its a great mystery game in the way it really does make you want to find out the next bit of the story. It has good humor, and good writing, and if you let the game pull you in you will play it until you finish it. I must complain a little about the forced 'ghost tricks' tag and the weird running joke it had of people commenting on something or someone being weird and the two ghost characters at the time going 'me too', maybe amusing the first time, not so much the seventh time.
If you're wondering whether it's worth the buy, I would say yes. It's not a game you need a walk through on either, sure some of the puzzles are really hard, but because it is a puzzle game you can work it out by yourself through trial and error. And sometimes the failed results are funny. I remember when I got a combination wrong which earned a dead character a face full of hard hat, it was hilarious to watch. I think there might be some different combination to solve different puzzles too. I know it was hinted at in the prison break out that there was two ways to sneak him out. I'm not sure if other puzzles have that seeing I just solved them my way. but I'm sure cleverer people than me can figure that out. Sure it has the disadvantage of once you know the ending, that's it. But honestly I think I would happily play it again, simply because it was an enjoyable story. That's the great thing about games with a heavily focused story, you do want to play it again, just to experience the story. Plus with a game like this the game play is really easy, and doesn't hinder the story telling because the game play works hand in hand in telling the story. which is great. It really is like an interactive book. Which if you're like me, who loves good stories and good games which are fun to play, then yeah, you'll love this one.
Oops...
Wow I write really long ramble posts... I really shouldn't. In fact I know I shouldn't. I need to cut them down. This is why this is called Off on a Tangent. Because that is what I do. Just go on and on about stuff.
I need some direction~ I also notice I'm getting a few more hits more often. I wouldn't mind an audience to write to. So if you're a reader who keeps coming back, for... I don't know, because you like reading my long posts, or just like the writing style. Please leave a comment, just saying what you'd like to read in future. Or what you like about my blog.
I have been thinking about doing a few blog comics. Would people like that? Or more game reviews. I have just finished Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I could review that. Or I could go back to trying to finish Golden Sun? Or some more political commentaries? Not that I'm the best political aware person. I'm just a Hetelia and Scandinavia and the world fan. Like I've said before, I only keep up with politics for the subtext. And I don't think I'm the best in the world at interpreting that.
So yeah, if you like this blog, just tell me what you'd like to read more of, and I'll get on that. Should I do some film things without the review? I don't know what I'd talk about on them... I'm really self conscious about my voice to be honest. ^_^() but I do like dressing up and acting. And if you like this blog, please give us a follow, and tell your friends.
So yeah, remember, I can't improve or give you what you'd like unless you tell me. ;-)
I need some direction~ I also notice I'm getting a few more hits more often. I wouldn't mind an audience to write to. So if you're a reader who keeps coming back, for... I don't know, because you like reading my long posts, or just like the writing style. Please leave a comment, just saying what you'd like to read in future. Or what you like about my blog.
I have been thinking about doing a few blog comics. Would people like that? Or more game reviews. I have just finished Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I could review that. Or I could go back to trying to finish Golden Sun? Or some more political commentaries? Not that I'm the best political aware person. I'm just a Hetelia and Scandinavia and the world fan. Like I've said before, I only keep up with politics for the subtext. And I don't think I'm the best in the world at interpreting that.
So yeah, if you like this blog, just tell me what you'd like to read more of, and I'll get on that. Should I do some film things without the review? I don't know what I'd talk about on them... I'm really self conscious about my voice to be honest. ^_^() but I do like dressing up and acting. And if you like this blog, please give us a follow, and tell your friends.
So yeah, remember, I can't improve or give you what you'd like unless you tell me. ;-)
In theory and in practice
Learning new things is hard. Especially if you are like me, dyslexic. It takes longer to understand things, because it processes differently, or because you simply forget. (Yes dyslexia affects the memory.) As a person a lot of the things I am good at is self taught. I taught myself to draw from pictures off the internet. Pressure from people on forums forced me to improve my spelling and grammar, which I then had to teach myself because by that point I was too old to be taught it in school, and thus why I'm so terrible at it. I then had to style my writing in a certain way to make these people happy. The two things that aren't amazing talents, but they are my talents I worked on by myself, I improved upon by myself. But doing things by yourself only gets you so far, which is perhaps why I chose to do my Creative Writing and English Literature degree. And it is why I chose to do a Professional Writing MA. Because while I am a creative person, getting what is in my head to paper has always been difficult, and perhaps will always be difficult. But I have to do my best to aid the process, because at the end of the day we must help ourselves. What can I say? I have a rather Victorian mentality when it comes to dreams and ambitions associated with work.
So being the overly creative person I am, I of course wanted to up the media a bit like I have mentioned before, with film. I don't know how many people have ever tried to make a film without ever being taught any of the skills associated with it. I really am not technologically savvy. I could probably fix a few technoloigcal issues with a computer. But if my computer properly breaks then I don't have a clue. Like mobile phones and cameras. I can use them, but I don't know how to use them efficiently.
So yeah, started on my little review, and from the start I hit snags. First I didn't know how to get the content off a DVD. but I succeeded in the end and then was faced to editing the parts of the dvd I wanted in movie maker because I didn't want to buy an editing program. Movie maker crashed every time I made an edit. Plus the audio and the visuals had to be edited separately. So getting tired of that I decided to look at other editing programs, only to realize I already had another editing program on my computer. I tend to forget I have adobe until I have to use it. Mainly because I only use the paint program. So I open up premier and it gives me a very fancy editing thing. I'm like, whoooah. I have no clue how to use this! It's a lot more complicated than movie maker let me tell you. But I am determined. So you import the film, and I put it on the line. but the audio doesn't come up. I can only presume this has something to do the initial discs copy write protection. It's annoying if you have no interest in stealing the film. I buy all my films, only because piracy = crappy quality. You pay for what you get folks. and waiting a few months for dvd prices to drop really isn't that bad. But yeah, now have to figure out how to get audio. I knew I had audio in movie maker, so I knew there must be some way to get audio off the thing. So more internet hunting, get a program, get the audio, put audio underneath images. and yessss, it's in sync and it works. And when you accomplish this silly simple thing with no real knowledge on how to do it properly it feels surprisingly good. And then there is going through the film again, to tag up what you want to include.... yeah... yeah... no... urgh... so... so boring... It kind of down trod your entire effort to sit there, trying to feel smug for being clever and trying to pay enough attention to Dan Brown rubbish to tag up all the stupid things you might want to include.
So yeah... where was I going with this? Umm... Learning new things is fun and rewarding. Doing new things after you have learned it not so much... I suppose it'll become more fun when I have to do the actual editing, and then record my own stuff, and try and work it together. That should be fun. Right? I'm sure I will hold a huge grudge to Dan Brown after all this. I think I'll probably struggle some more with the editing software after this. I mean getting the thing into the editing program is like the easy part. Making a half decent product is the tricky part. definitely if you have zero experience. But we'll see right? Learning through doing~
So being the overly creative person I am, I of course wanted to up the media a bit like I have mentioned before, with film. I don't know how many people have ever tried to make a film without ever being taught any of the skills associated with it. I really am not technologically savvy. I could probably fix a few technoloigcal issues with a computer. But if my computer properly breaks then I don't have a clue. Like mobile phones and cameras. I can use them, but I don't know how to use them efficiently.
So yeah, started on my little review, and from the start I hit snags. First I didn't know how to get the content off a DVD. but I succeeded in the end and then was faced to editing the parts of the dvd I wanted in movie maker because I didn't want to buy an editing program. Movie maker crashed every time I made an edit. Plus the audio and the visuals had to be edited separately. So getting tired of that I decided to look at other editing programs, only to realize I already had another editing program on my computer. I tend to forget I have adobe until I have to use it. Mainly because I only use the paint program. So I open up premier and it gives me a very fancy editing thing. I'm like, whoooah. I have no clue how to use this! It's a lot more complicated than movie maker let me tell you. But I am determined. So you import the film, and I put it on the line. but the audio doesn't come up. I can only presume this has something to do the initial discs copy write protection. It's annoying if you have no interest in stealing the film. I buy all my films, only because piracy = crappy quality. You pay for what you get folks. and waiting a few months for dvd prices to drop really isn't that bad. But yeah, now have to figure out how to get audio. I knew I had audio in movie maker, so I knew there must be some way to get audio off the thing. So more internet hunting, get a program, get the audio, put audio underneath images. and yessss, it's in sync and it works. And when you accomplish this silly simple thing with no real knowledge on how to do it properly it feels surprisingly good. And then there is going through the film again, to tag up what you want to include.... yeah... yeah... no... urgh... so... so boring... It kind of down trod your entire effort to sit there, trying to feel smug for being clever and trying to pay enough attention to Dan Brown rubbish to tag up all the stupid things you might want to include.
So yeah... where was I going with this? Umm... Learning new things is fun and rewarding. Doing new things after you have learned it not so much... I suppose it'll become more fun when I have to do the actual editing, and then record my own stuff, and try and work it together. That should be fun. Right? I'm sure I will hold a huge grudge to Dan Brown after all this. I think I'll probably struggle some more with the editing software after this. I mean getting the thing into the editing program is like the easy part. Making a half decent product is the tricky part. definitely if you have zero experience. But we'll see right? Learning through doing~
Monday 14 February 2011
Lonely Hearts Day
Happy Lonely Hearts day to all you single people out there. Remember on this day you are truly liberated in knowing that you are free to go out and have fun. While your dating friends are getting yelled at for not buying adequate presents. And remember, you are not truly alone when with friends.
Sunday 13 February 2011
Bad Games
Do you know what I hate? (Besides everything, hohoho.) Bad Games. No... Actually I can bare with bad games. What I really hate is bad games which could have been good. I've been playing Divinity 2: The Dragon Saga. And you know, it has a lot which makes it a good game. It really does. It has nice graphics, niceish dialogue, lots of cool gear, nice dungeons, so on and so forth. It's a bit hard. and you can turn into a dragon. But what it fails on is clarity.
So I complete first mission to kill ghost in cellar, commander tells me good job, she and the rest are going to kill the dragon. okay I say, what do I do? the game gives me nothing. No quest or direction. Alright I think, I'll go do that tower quest I have seeing you've left me with no main quest. I wonder along and finally run into the plot lying in my path. A dying dragon. she gives me dragon powers and tells me that a great evil is going to befall the world. no real explanation. just shows you evil stuff, and now you have to stop the evil. but first to the tower! So I go to the tower, the monsters around it are too over powerful, I go down a difficulty level and still struggle but I kill them, I get to the tower and it is locked. Okay, I go around to the other entrance. That one is locked too... wonderful. I scower around its base and find a third entrance. That doesn't even have a handle. Now what? I check my inventory for any books about the tower. I have none. there are some platforms which in a good game I could get the character to jump across to and jump over the gates. But this is not a good game where the character can grab ledges and pull itself up. or manage well jumping across platforms. in fact, I am convinced that the platforms are just to tease me, as if saying "You wish this was a platforming game don't you?" It's times like these I wish every RPG had tried to be like Prince of Persia.
So now what? I check the near by dungeon where the skeletons were, nothing. I go back to villager to talk to the priest who gave me the original tower quest. nothing. Nothing in this game tells me how to get into this rotten tower! And if I go to a walk through and find that I do need to use precision platforming with a character who can't grip ledges I will scream.
So yes, I hate games that think non-linear means don't tell the player shit. Urgh, I'll probably end up wandering the game trying to find more mysterious leavers to pull in hope that it'll win me some open doors in the tower. But I bet it wont. Or I'll give up. Being able to turn into a dragon just isn't worth this level of hassle, and I own far better RPG's to waste my time on.
So I complete first mission to kill ghost in cellar, commander tells me good job, she and the rest are going to kill the dragon. okay I say, what do I do? the game gives me nothing. No quest or direction. Alright I think, I'll go do that tower quest I have seeing you've left me with no main quest. I wonder along and finally run into the plot lying in my path. A dying dragon. she gives me dragon powers and tells me that a great evil is going to befall the world. no real explanation. just shows you evil stuff, and now you have to stop the evil. but first to the tower! So I go to the tower, the monsters around it are too over powerful, I go down a difficulty level and still struggle but I kill them, I get to the tower and it is locked. Okay, I go around to the other entrance. That one is locked too... wonderful. I scower around its base and find a third entrance. That doesn't even have a handle. Now what? I check my inventory for any books about the tower. I have none. there are some platforms which in a good game I could get the character to jump across to and jump over the gates. But this is not a good game where the character can grab ledges and pull itself up. or manage well jumping across platforms. in fact, I am convinced that the platforms are just to tease me, as if saying "You wish this was a platforming game don't you?" It's times like these I wish every RPG had tried to be like Prince of Persia.
So now what? I check the near by dungeon where the skeletons were, nothing. I go back to villager to talk to the priest who gave me the original tower quest. nothing. Nothing in this game tells me how to get into this rotten tower! And if I go to a walk through and find that I do need to use precision platforming with a character who can't grip ledges I will scream.
So yes, I hate games that think non-linear means don't tell the player shit. Urgh, I'll probably end up wandering the game trying to find more mysterious leavers to pull in hope that it'll win me some open doors in the tower. But I bet it wont. Or I'll give up. Being able to turn into a dragon just isn't worth this level of hassle, and I own far better RPG's to waste my time on.
Saturday 12 February 2011
Just a post
I should really update this more. But it's hard to come up with things to write about every day. Let alone every week. So I guess I'll ramble on about what's been keeping my interest in the news lately. At the moment it's the government Vs the European Court of Human Rights on prisoners right to vote.
When I first saw this story start in the paper months ago I thought to myself "Prisoners being able to vote? That's not going to ever happen." Anyone who thinks otherwise is just stupid. Well... it's understandable to think they might, after all the ECHR has pushed the government into doing a lot of things. I find it a little bizarre that it's prisoner voting that they put their foot down on. I mean it's just prisoners, they're not going to vote anyway even if you give it to them. Well some might, but the majority wont. A lot of people already don't vote and they're not even behind bars. But tangents aside I found the story interesting, just to see it develop. and shock horror, the government doesn't want prisoners to vote either.
So what does this mean now? Overly excited newspapers like the daily mail and the Exspress seem all excited for the UK to get kicked out of the EU. It made me laugh when the Daily Mail wrote that David Cameron "is also expected to announce within weeks that the Government is setting up an independent commission to draw up plans to rebalance human rights laws by creating a new British Bill of Rights."
Oh bless, they would love that wouldn't they? They really would. To make a British Bill of Rights so that we can give the middle finger to the ECHR and tit off to happy UK land. If true then it's nothing more than a political middle finger. Because I guess politicians are just as immature as 12 year old school boys. I wouldn't be shocked if this turned into a political 'who has the biggest dick' competition, which would of course end up with someone being the metaphorical bitch.
When I first saw this story start in the paper months ago I thought to myself "Prisoners being able to vote? That's not going to ever happen." Anyone who thinks otherwise is just stupid. Well... it's understandable to think they might, after all the ECHR has pushed the government into doing a lot of things. I find it a little bizarre that it's prisoner voting that they put their foot down on. I mean it's just prisoners, they're not going to vote anyway even if you give it to them. Well some might, but the majority wont. A lot of people already don't vote and they're not even behind bars. But tangents aside I found the story interesting, just to see it develop. and shock horror, the government doesn't want prisoners to vote either.
So what does this mean now? Overly excited newspapers like the daily mail and the Exspress seem all excited for the UK to get kicked out of the EU. It made me laugh when the Daily Mail wrote that David Cameron "is also expected to announce within weeks that the Government is setting up an independent commission to draw up plans to rebalance human rights laws by creating a new British Bill of Rights."
Oh bless, they would love that wouldn't they? They really would. To make a British Bill of Rights so that we can give the middle finger to the ECHR and tit off to happy UK land. If true then it's nothing more than a political middle finger. Because I guess politicians are just as immature as 12 year old school boys. I wouldn't be shocked if this turned into a political 'who has the biggest dick' competition, which would of course end up with someone being the metaphorical bitch.
Saturday 5 February 2011
Features
So I've taken the big step, I've sent an idea pitch to a magazine. It's a very scary first big step. If it gets rejected then no biggie. I'll be crushed for a little bit, but I'll move on. And by move on I mean probably not pitch another idea to a magazine for a while.
I'm excited about the prospect of being accepted. It'll be a first, but there has to be a first for everything, and it is a field that I'm sure I can write an interesting article about. If it gets accepted... and if it gets published... and if I get paid... then... wow... that would be amazing.
Really I would. Because, I don't think you can really call yourself a 'professional writer' until someone pays for your writing. Just like I would never consider myself a 'professional comic artist' for over five years because I never earned a penny. and to be able to earn that badge would be awesome...
....Also it would be the first step on the way to fame! Hahahaha... Pfffffffffffffffft!
I'm excited about the prospect of being accepted. It'll be a first, but there has to be a first for everything, and it is a field that I'm sure I can write an interesting article about. If it gets accepted... and if it gets published... and if I get paid... then... wow... that would be amazing.
Really I would. Because, I don't think you can really call yourself a 'professional writer' until someone pays for your writing. Just like I would never consider myself a 'professional comic artist' for over five years because I never earned a penny. and to be able to earn that badge would be awesome...
....Also it would be the first step on the way to fame! Hahahaha... Pfffffffffffffffft!
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