Sunday, August 16, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Online Culture
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/loyola_university_professor_be.html
"Myers, who in 1984 became one of the first university-level professors to study video games. He believes it proved that, even in a 21st century digital fantasyland, an ugly side of real-world human nature pervades, a side that oppresses strangers whose behavior strays from that of the mainstream."
Sadly, my own experiences lead me to conclude that the increased fragmentation of society caused by virtual worlds and virtual communities, actually increases the tendency towards exclusion of others.
When there is one main group, the excluded ones band together even when they don't have much in common. Because there are so few around with similar tastes/interests, they can't exclude people different from them and still have a group.
Online, where communities are easily entered and left, once a community reaches sufficient size, it starts developing it's own set of traits/behaviors that become required for acceptance. Stray, and they will condemn you.
"Myers, who in 1984 became one of the first university-level professors to study video games. He believes it proved that, even in a 21st century digital fantasyland, an ugly side of real-world human nature pervades, a side that oppresses strangers whose behavior strays from that of the mainstream."
Sadly, my own experiences lead me to conclude that the increased fragmentation of society caused by virtual worlds and virtual communities, actually increases the tendency towards exclusion of others.
When there is one main group, the excluded ones band together even when they don't have much in common. Because there are so few around with similar tastes/interests, they can't exclude people different from them and still have a group.
Online, where communities are easily entered and left, once a community reaches sufficient size, it starts developing it's own set of traits/behaviors that become required for acceptance. Stray, and they will condemn you.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Depression
http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/03/08/the-true-cause-of-depression/
Reminds me of an article I read elsewhere on the idea that despair is a natural response to discovering that a goal cannot be reached, developed to help a person stop trying, and move on to something else. Depression then, could be the result of a person being unable or unwilling to abandon the goal, thus causing the despair to stick.
Reminds me of an article I read elsewhere on the idea that despair is a natural response to discovering that a goal cannot be reached, developed to help a person stop trying, and move on to something else. Depression then, could be the result of a person being unable or unwilling to abandon the goal, thus causing the despair to stick.
Friday, August 07, 2009
More Than a Traumatic Birth
http://web.archive.org/web/20100922004327/http://www.truebirth.com/2008/02/more-than-a-traumatic-birth/
People often underestimate the psychological impact of life's horrors.
People often underestimate the psychological impact of life's horrors.
By Danell Swim
February 10, 2008Childbirth is regarded as the most painful episode of a woman’s life, but also the most joyful. When women speak of a traumatic birth experience, most assume it to be an extremely painful event, or that something necessitated an emergency situation. For some, that is all the traumatic event is; 12 hours of tortuous labor with a supportive person by their side. Or a drop in the baby’s heart rate that sends everyone scrambling to get him out before he’s harmed. But for some, the traumatic event goes much deeper.
Sometimes women are held down while pleading to be let go; having vaginal exams forced on them; and their waters broken without giving consent. Some women call this Birth Rape, because it can be such a violent act that centers on their genitals, without their permission. The term is shocking, and upon hearing the stories of these women who have been assaulted, it is accurate.
We know from psychologists that most rapists do it not for sexual gratification, but for power. It may be the same for these care providers, who are so unfit to be working with vulnerable, emotional, feeling human beings.EK in CT told me of her painful experience:
My doctor told me that I he had to check my cervix, but he was in a hurry and “couldn’t wait” for my contraction to end. I was on Pitocin and the contractions just went on and on. So he forced his hand inside me after I screamed for him to stop, without using any lubrication. He told me “you’re only dilated to 5cm, don’t be such a baby” and left the room.
Unlike a painful childbirth, or a situation where there is a medical emergency, these Birth Rapes are perpetrated by an individual, or several individuals. It is not medically necessary, and yet the act is horrific, and leaves emotional and sometimes physical scars.
Pam recounts the traumatic cesarean birth that still haunts her:
Seven years ago I was scared into an induction. I was held down and told I had to let the doctor break my water. I was told it was my fault my cervix was swelling. I was butchered open, 9″ wide, and left with a gaping wound. I suffered complications and had additional surgeries. It scared me forever. A scar that extends deep within my soul. I had terrible PPD and PTSD. The flashbacks were consuming and wrecked my family’s life.
Like rape victims, women who are victimized during birth are made to feel responsible for the act itself. They are told that it has to be this way, or that their baby will die if it isn’t done this way. Sometimes, they aren’t even given the opportunity to say no, as they are (like Pam) held down against their will. Later, they are told that they were bad, and it had to be done. Coercion is a tactic that many assailants use.
The result of these experiences can be life-long. These traumatic birthing experiences bring about more cases of post-partum depression (PPD), and sometimes even post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some women choose to not have more children, while others just live with the lie and pretend that everything is fine.
LC says:
The birth rape at the end of my second pregnancy is still always on my mind and the post traumatic stress still remains. Sure, I go throughout my day, functioning, smiling, but in my head I’m a mess. Everyone thinks I’m fine because I look fine and I got my healthy baby and I’m alive.
Some women refuse to see healthcare workers again, neglecting their own health and that of their children.
AM wrote to me about her post-partum period:
For 2 years after my son was born, I refused to take him to the doctor, or go to one myself. Even driving by the doctor’s office where I knew my old doctor worked was enough to make me sick. I identified with women who turned away from medicine for holistic treatment, but it wasn’t because I believed in it, it was because I wanted to believe in it. Because I was too scared to do anything else.
The treatment these women received was enough to make them suffer to their very core, and do irreparable damage to their psyche. And yet the doctors who committed the act still practice, and the cycle continues.
Upon graduating from medical school, young doctors take an oath to protect their patients, and treat them with respect. In order to practice in this country, they are pledged to gain informed consent from their patients before providing treatment. Despite these oaths, they are causing such harm to women who deserve their utmost admiration and kindness.This is why women choose to call it Birth Rape. Yes, it is used to shock. It is used to bring attention to something that is so significant, and yet never talked about.
It is Birth Rape, and it happens every day.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Compassion
http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/05/17/what-compassion-is/
"the feeling of genuine compassion for another person is, in my view, one of the most joyful experiences available to human beings."
I have had the opposite experience. For me, genuine compassion is one of the most painful things I can experience. This is why I avoid people.
"the feeling of genuine compassion for another person is, in my view, one of the most joyful experiences available to human beings."
I have had the opposite experience. For me, genuine compassion is one of the most painful things I can experience. This is why I avoid people.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Monday, August 03, 2009
Difficulty in Games
I've come to realize something that probably should have been more obvious to me. Whether or not I enjoy difficulty in a game depends almost entirely upon how much I enjoy what is being made difficult. For example: I often have little interest in a real challenge in City of Heroes, because my primary interest in the game is the story and character creation.
When attempting to follow a story arc, I generally find any difficulty to be a hindrance to my enjoyment of it. The (almost) only time I enjoy difficulty in CoH, is when I'm on a team. Even then, whether or not I enjoy difficulty depends almost entirely upon what type of character I'm playing.
If I'm playing a tank, I favor having little to no difficulty. My primary focus is typically upon keeping the fights coming quick, and gathering large numbers of enemies into a single place (herding). Often, the part I most enjoy about tanking, is having a large number of enemies trying and failing to take me down. Any difficulty then diminishes that joy.
If I'm playing a damage dealer, I don't mind having enemies prove hard to kill. In fact, having them go down too fast can make it boring. However, if I find myself in danger of dying all the time, it's not going to be fun.
If I'm playing a character who provides the team with buffs, having teammates or myself take large amounts of damage diminishes how much I feel I am helping, which makes things less fun. Often, I find that when I play a support character, I want things to be easy but not so easy that I feel useless.
If I'm playing a healer, I tend to like having the difficulty level vary. Times of difficulty engage me in my healing efforts, and make me feel needed, while the easier times allow me to rest, relax, and recover for the next time I'm really needed.
In another game, God Hand, I found the difficulty helped improve my fun. For me, the main joy of the game, was setting up different selections of moves on the combo button, to find the perfect combo that could let me win fights with little more than one button. The difficulty of the fights, combined with the complexities of how the various moves worked with each other, made the task an interesting challenge.
When playing Skies of Arcadia, I found some areas of difficulty to be enjoyable, while others were annoying. The basic combat was of limited interest to me, and while some fights offered interesting challenges, it really wasn't something that improved the game for me. The challenges I did enjoy though, were the ship to ship fights. I really enjoyed the ship vs ship combat system, and found many of the challenges to be quite interesting. It was a bit of a disappointment that soon after finally gaining the ability to use whatever weapons and accessories for the ship I wanted, the challenge level of those fights went way down. Once a full heal spell was acquired, it became laughable.
In Hellgate: London, one of my big complaints, is with some of the missions that get difficult in a very annoying way. They add in some extra mini-game style challenges that become extremely frustrating when they don't go well. If the difficulty were low enough on them, it might not be an issue, but several times I've had them prove to be a very unpleasant challenge. Overall, I find my enjoyment in Hellgate: London does not come from the challenges the game presents, but instead from the randomness, special effects, and the carnage. I also had some interest in the main story, though that only lasted until I beat the game. As a result, difficulty was generally an annoyance, not a pleasure.
I suppose the general system I like most, is when the story can be gotten with little or no difficulty, but difficult challenges are available for those who want them. I do believe it is important for almost any game to include an easy mode for people who just don't have much interest in the challenges. MMO's should not be excluded from the easy mode rule in my opinion (you just won't get much bragging rights for winning on easy).
When attempting to follow a story arc, I generally find any difficulty to be a hindrance to my enjoyment of it. The (almost) only time I enjoy difficulty in CoH, is when I'm on a team. Even then, whether or not I enjoy difficulty depends almost entirely upon what type of character I'm playing.
If I'm playing a tank, I favor having little to no difficulty. My primary focus is typically upon keeping the fights coming quick, and gathering large numbers of enemies into a single place (herding). Often, the part I most enjoy about tanking, is having a large number of enemies trying and failing to take me down. Any difficulty then diminishes that joy.
If I'm playing a damage dealer, I don't mind having enemies prove hard to kill. In fact, having them go down too fast can make it boring. However, if I find myself in danger of dying all the time, it's not going to be fun.
If I'm playing a character who provides the team with buffs, having teammates or myself take large amounts of damage diminishes how much I feel I am helping, which makes things less fun. Often, I find that when I play a support character, I want things to be easy but not so easy that I feel useless.
If I'm playing a healer, I tend to like having the difficulty level vary. Times of difficulty engage me in my healing efforts, and make me feel needed, while the easier times allow me to rest, relax, and recover for the next time I'm really needed.
In another game, God Hand, I found the difficulty helped improve my fun. For me, the main joy of the game, was setting up different selections of moves on the combo button, to find the perfect combo that could let me win fights with little more than one button. The difficulty of the fights, combined with the complexities of how the various moves worked with each other, made the task an interesting challenge.
When playing Skies of Arcadia, I found some areas of difficulty to be enjoyable, while others were annoying. The basic combat was of limited interest to me, and while some fights offered interesting challenges, it really wasn't something that improved the game for me. The challenges I did enjoy though, were the ship to ship fights. I really enjoyed the ship vs ship combat system, and found many of the challenges to be quite interesting. It was a bit of a disappointment that soon after finally gaining the ability to use whatever weapons and accessories for the ship I wanted, the challenge level of those fights went way down. Once a full heal spell was acquired, it became laughable.
In Hellgate: London, one of my big complaints, is with some of the missions that get difficult in a very annoying way. They add in some extra mini-game style challenges that become extremely frustrating when they don't go well. If the difficulty were low enough on them, it might not be an issue, but several times I've had them prove to be a very unpleasant challenge. Overall, I find my enjoyment in Hellgate: London does not come from the challenges the game presents, but instead from the randomness, special effects, and the carnage. I also had some interest in the main story, though that only lasted until I beat the game. As a result, difficulty was generally an annoyance, not a pleasure.
I suppose the general system I like most, is when the story can be gotten with little or no difficulty, but difficult challenges are available for those who want them. I do believe it is important for almost any game to include an easy mode for people who just don't have much interest in the challenges. MMO's should not be excluded from the easy mode rule in my opinion (you just won't get much bragging rights for winning on easy).
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Game Prices
It's occurred to me that the game companies may be following out dated pricing and sales systems. Valve discovered through experimentation on Steam that temporary price cuts could dramatically increase profits. This really should not be a new thing. Many other stores have been doing this for years.
Often the main limitation on doing big sales, are places like Walmart that simply price things as low as they can, and still turn a profit. This forces other companies to either inflate their normal prices, (when compared to discount stores) or lose money on items they cut prices on for the sale boost.
Games however, are generally unique, preventing the heavy price competition other products deal with. Each game company has a monopoly on their game, allowing them to charge much more money if people want to play it.
I'm beginning to think the lack of competitive pricing may be hurting the game industry as a whole. If a game launched with a big short sale, it could build more hype, and get more noticed. It's best to pull in as many people as possible, early, instead of waiting until later when there's more competition to unleash the tempting offers and deals.
A simple thought experiment regarding the new game Champions Online coming out: Champions Online is made by the same company that made the still running City of Heroes game. Due to both games featuring heavy character customization, and superheroes, there's likely to be a lot of overlap in who the two games appeal to.
So, since both CoH (City of Heroes) and CO (Champions Online) are competing for players, and both charge $15 a month for their subscriptions, the two biggest factors for many players is likely to be newness (CO is new, CoH is not) and price. Which means if CO were to cut their price in half or more (down to $25 or less) there would be a lot less reason for current players of CoH to not try out CO. If they went as low as $15 for the first month (maybe include 3 months free with the retail purchase so it can remain a high cost item) then they could probably steal a lot of customers from CoH.
Often the main limitation on doing big sales, are places like Walmart that simply price things as low as they can, and still turn a profit. This forces other companies to either inflate their normal prices, (when compared to discount stores) or lose money on items they cut prices on for the sale boost.
Games however, are generally unique, preventing the heavy price competition other products deal with. Each game company has a monopoly on their game, allowing them to charge much more money if people want to play it.
I'm beginning to think the lack of competitive pricing may be hurting the game industry as a whole. If a game launched with a big short sale, it could build more hype, and get more noticed. It's best to pull in as many people as possible, early, instead of waiting until later when there's more competition to unleash the tempting offers and deals.
A simple thought experiment regarding the new game Champions Online coming out: Champions Online is made by the same company that made the still running City of Heroes game. Due to both games featuring heavy character customization, and superheroes, there's likely to be a lot of overlap in who the two games appeal to.
So, since both CoH (City of Heroes) and CO (Champions Online) are competing for players, and both charge $15 a month for their subscriptions, the two biggest factors for many players is likely to be newness (CO is new, CoH is not) and price. Which means if CO were to cut their price in half or more (down to $25 or less) there would be a lot less reason for current players of CoH to not try out CO. If they went as low as $15 for the first month (maybe include 3 months free with the retail purchase so it can remain a high cost item) then they could probably steal a lot of customers from CoH.
It can be hard to keep up when the world changes so fast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHWTLA8WecI
My favorite part was around 1:51 where it's mentioned that current schools need to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that haven't been invented yet, to solve problems that we don't know are problems yet.
With the rate at which new things come, can we keep up?
My favorite part was around 1:51 where it's mentioned that current schools need to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that haven't been invented yet, to solve problems that we don't know are problems yet.
With the rate at which new things come, can we keep up?
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Attention demands
When I read that Champions Online was expanding their power bar from 7 to 14 slots, I got a little concerned. How many of those powers would I need to pay attention to?
In City of Heroes, I found that once I got more than 4 or so click powers, I'd start getting worn out really fast by the effort and attention required to manage them. I'm generally not comfortable using more than 3 powers most of the time.
One character I've stopped playing for this very reason was a radiation/sonic defender. I found near the end, that trying to use 6 different abilities which each have their own independent cool down, caused me enough stress to make it very much not fun.
Written on 20090719
In City of Heroes, I found that once I got more than 4 or so click powers, I'd start getting worn out really fast by the effort and attention required to manage them. I'm generally not comfortable using more than 3 powers most of the time.
One character I've stopped playing for this very reason was a radiation/sonic defender. I found near the end, that trying to use 6 different abilities which each have their own independent cool down, caused me enough stress to make it very much not fun.
Written on 20090719
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Looking forward to Champions Online.
What I've seen of Champions Online through previews, and developer interviews, has made me rather excited about it. However, most of my excitement comes from the desire to really delve into the character creation and figure out how all the various power options in the game work. I've often had great fun messing with character creation in CoH, and in fact, I find the creation and experimentation to be my favorite part of CoH, and often the only reason I play. Champions Online promises an even greater amount of creative freedom, and the ability to mess around with things a lot more.
What I fear, is that I will run into the same problem I always run into. My enjoyment of the game will come almost entirely from the creative aspects, and actual gameplay will become the chore that must be done to enjoy the parts I love.
One example of the sort of problem I've had in the past was Diablo II. I'd get the idea to try building a character around a certain power. Sometimes it would be a power available early, and it'd be great. Other times, it'd be something only available late, and I'd have to try slogging through the game long enough to get there. Often, I'd get bored first, and never finish my concept. I have a lot of incomplete Diablo II characters that never managed to really explore the concepts I had built them for.
Written on 20090711 (yyyymmdd)
What I fear, is that I will run into the same problem I always run into. My enjoyment of the game will come almost entirely from the creative aspects, and actual gameplay will become the chore that must be done to enjoy the parts I love.
One example of the sort of problem I've had in the past was Diablo II. I'd get the idea to try building a character around a certain power. Sometimes it would be a power available early, and it'd be great. Other times, it'd be something only available late, and I'd have to try slogging through the game long enough to get there. Often, I'd get bored first, and never finish my concept. I have a lot of incomplete Diablo II characters that never managed to really explore the concepts I had built them for.
Written on 20090711 (yyyymmdd)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Regarding the MMO
http://doublebuffered.com/2009/07/14/no-mmorpg-will-ever-beat-world-of-warcraft/
This guy makes some points I hadn't thought of before. They also seem to be some very good points. Such as:
"Unless you have breaks and social hubs built into your game (the waiting-for-the-round-to-end time of CounterStrike can serve this purpose well), players will never develop the long term social ties needed to sustain a community. This is also why there’s never been a good MMORTS: the amount of brainpower needed to manage units in a way that engages RTS players doesn’t leave a whole lot left over to build social bonds."
I kinda feel like that was the core observation of the article. The one of greatest import (at least for me).
This guy makes some points I hadn't thought of before. They also seem to be some very good points. Such as:
"Unless you have breaks and social hubs built into your game (the waiting-for-the-round-to-end time of CounterStrike can serve this purpose well), players will never develop the long term social ties needed to sustain a community. This is also why there’s never been a good MMORTS: the amount of brainpower needed to manage units in a way that engages RTS players doesn’t leave a whole lot left over to build social bonds."
I kinda feel like that was the core observation of the article. The one of greatest import (at least for me).
Monday, July 13, 2009
Game Core Mechanics
It occurred to me that CoH's main gameplay can be little more than hitting buttons at the right time. When the power lights up because it's ready for use, you hit the button to use it. There is a lot of strategy involved in creating a character, and deciding how to use it, but once that's done, the actual use of the character, tends to not be very deep. The bit about hitting the button when it says it's ready, reminds me of DDR.
Another thing that occurred to me, is that the common boss design in action games, where there's a visible animation before a big attack that needs to be either dodged or blocked, is in many ways similar to a quicktime event, in that it's just hitting the right button when the onscreen cue tells you to. Though quicktime events tend to be more straight forward (making them easier) and often involve having the character do feats not normally possible in the game mechanics.
With regard to the block when told mechanic. One varient I thought was neat was something I encountered in Skies of Arcadia. In the ship to ship battles, there would be a colour code to each segment of time in battle. The colour told you how dangerous a given moment would be. This generally encouraged you to block during the most dangrous ones. However, the most dangerous segments were often the ones in which you could do the most damage too. So there was a choice there between blocking, or gunning, and the different weapon types actually offered more than two ways of handling it.
I really don't know if these things I've observed are good things or bad things. I do know, that I often wish things were different, but I don't know what I'd want it to be. I'm reminded of how I love building decks for Magic The Gathering, but don't have much interest in playing the game. However, if I don't play, I can't learn how well my decks work. So the gameplay becomes a kind of chore I have to get through to do what I like. I find I have similar sentiments about most games that I play, and don't know how to fix it. I fear that even if I did find a game that did things in a way I really liked, I'd probably finish it too quickly due to it not being feasable to produce enough quality content to really keep me interested a long time. Sorta like how I can read books far faster than their authors can write.
Written on 20090710 (yyyymmdd)
Another thing that occurred to me, is that the common boss design in action games, where there's a visible animation before a big attack that needs to be either dodged or blocked, is in many ways similar to a quicktime event, in that it's just hitting the right button when the onscreen cue tells you to. Though quicktime events tend to be more straight forward (making them easier) and often involve having the character do feats not normally possible in the game mechanics.
With regard to the block when told mechanic. One varient I thought was neat was something I encountered in Skies of Arcadia. In the ship to ship battles, there would be a colour code to each segment of time in battle. The colour told you how dangerous a given moment would be. This generally encouraged you to block during the most dangrous ones. However, the most dangerous segments were often the ones in which you could do the most damage too. So there was a choice there between blocking, or gunning, and the different weapon types actually offered more than two ways of handling it.
I really don't know if these things I've observed are good things or bad things. I do know, that I often wish things were different, but I don't know what I'd want it to be. I'm reminded of how I love building decks for Magic The Gathering, but don't have much interest in playing the game. However, if I don't play, I can't learn how well my decks work. So the gameplay becomes a kind of chore I have to get through to do what I like. I find I have similar sentiments about most games that I play, and don't know how to fix it. I fear that even if I did find a game that did things in a way I really liked, I'd probably finish it too quickly due to it not being feasable to produce enough quality content to really keep me interested a long time. Sorta like how I can read books far faster than their authors can write.
Written on 20090710 (yyyymmdd)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Marketing Music
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2008/12/nettwerk-ceo-terry-mcbride-puts-fans-in-charge-of-bands346.html
"We started initially with T-shirts. We found out that the T-shirts that the fans designed -- even if the artists didn't like them -- the people who went to shows liked them more than the ones that the artists designed. That was consistent whether it was Barenaked Ladies, or Avril or Sarah -- the fans' T-shirts always sold more. The fans would do the designs and vote up the ones they liked, and filter them to the top, and we would take the top 3 voted designs and put them in production. And they were consistently the top sellers out there.
In 2005, we took it a step further by releasing Barenaked Ladies songs in stems [pieces of the music tracks]. That sparked the idea for the guys who created Rock Band. That was more of a remix. Now I'm more about the mix; to hell with the remix! We have an artist named K-OS, and we released all of the stems two weeks ago, and the fans have not heard the album. It's not due out until March, so they are actually mixing the album. So we will release physically and digitally the artist version and the fan version. And when we go to radio, we will service the artist version and fan version. So we are taking it the rest of the way." - Terry McBride
"We started initially with T-shirts. We found out that the T-shirts that the fans designed -- even if the artists didn't like them -- the people who went to shows liked them more than the ones that the artists designed. That was consistent whether it was Barenaked Ladies, or Avril or Sarah -- the fans' T-shirts always sold more. The fans would do the designs and vote up the ones they liked, and filter them to the top, and we would take the top 3 voted designs and put them in production. And they were consistently the top sellers out there.
In 2005, we took it a step further by releasing Barenaked Ladies songs in stems [pieces of the music tracks]. That sparked the idea for the guys who created Rock Band. That was more of a remix. Now I'm more about the mix; to hell with the remix! We have an artist named K-OS, and we released all of the stems two weeks ago, and the fans have not heard the album. It's not due out until March, so they are actually mixing the album. So we will release physically and digitally the artist version and the fan version. And when we go to radio, we will service the artist version and fan version. So we are taking it the rest of the way." - Terry McBride
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Understanding others?
http://doublebuffered.com/2009/06/16/the-players-are-wrong-but-listen-anyway/
I believe that in any conversation, it is important to understand why the other party says what they say. In my experience, understanding why is the key to truly helping people. Otherwise, you just end up going in circles.
I believe that in any conversation, it is important to understand why the other party says what they say. In my experience, understanding why is the key to truly helping people. Otherwise, you just end up going in circles.
Started up CoH again...
While I find the new Mission Architect to overall be pretty brilliant, I also find the game as a whole feels buggier than I remember it being before. This might be partly due to my memory forgetting little annoyances, but I don't think that would account for all of it. The game just feels like it's not as well polished as it had been when I first started playing.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Atheism as a Stealth Religion
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sloan-wilson/atheism-as-a-stealth-reli_b_76901.html
Sometimes, the same patterns of thought will appear in seemingly opposite locations.
Sometimes, the same patterns of thought will appear in seemingly opposite locations.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Key Duplication.
http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=791
Seems technology is making it easier than ever to duplicate someone else's keys.
Seems technology is making it easier than ever to duplicate someone else's keys.
While I'm on the topic of Religion...
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/05/god_only_seems_nonexistent.php
'tis for laughs. May it amuse.
'tis for laughs. May it amuse.
Quotes from Bertrand Russell
http://talkingincircles.net/2008/06/17/quotes-from-bertrand-russel/
"There is no logical impossibility in the hypothesis that the world sprang into being five minutes ago, exactly as it then was, with a population that “remembered” a wholly unreal past. There is no logically necessary connection between events at different times; therefore nothing that is happening now or will happen in the future can disprove the hypothesis that the world began five minutes ago." - Bertrand Russell
This is why I see no contradiction between the idea of God creating the world 10k years ago, and the theories of Evolution and the Big Bang. The former is much like the idea of it forming five minutes ago. The latter would then be the "wholly unreal past". In life, whether or not the past is real doesn't matter, only whether or not the information gleaned is useful.
"There is no logical impossibility in the hypothesis that the world sprang into being five minutes ago, exactly as it then was, with a population that “remembered” a wholly unreal past. There is no logically necessary connection between events at different times; therefore nothing that is happening now or will happen in the future can disprove the hypothesis that the world began five minutes ago." - Bertrand Russell
This is why I see no contradiction between the idea of God creating the world 10k years ago, and the theories of Evolution and the Big Bang. The former is much like the idea of it forming five minutes ago. The latter would then be the "wholly unreal past". In life, whether or not the past is real doesn't matter, only whether or not the information gleaned is useful.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Surprise Rewards
I think rewards in games are most effective when they are either surprising/unexpected, or earned (challenging to acquire). I think the idea of trying to surprise players with unexpected rewards is one game designers would benefit from embracing. Though I imagine it's a tactic that would get more difficult the more common it is.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Amusing little game.
http://kld.mybrute.com
The game will generate a "brute" from a name. Apparently KLDR is a guy, but KLD is a girl.
The game will generate a "brute" from a name. Apparently KLDR is a guy, but KLD is a girl.
Monday, March 16, 2009
200903160351
The fantasies that I dream. The ideas dancing in my mind. The movements and connections deny my efforts to tame them. While I dream of becoming these things, in truth I wish to create them.
The fantasies of my mind, the ideas I fail to capture. They are not beyond reach, I merely lack the patience to build them. It is not that they cannot exist, but that I do not give them life.
The future of machines. A world of wonder, a world of games. The reason writings elude me, is I lack a story. A transhumanist world, where all options truely become available. What will humanity do? They fight, they play, they reason, they invent, and they continue to discover.
The natural mind is now well understood. Though few stay natural for long. Augmentation has yielded a race of cyborgs. It is not always easy to distinguish between reality and fiction, since so much of reality IS fiction. People live in worlds of their own making, with personalities and cultures constantly changing and complicating themselves faster than science can keep up with. New technologies arive every day, spread like wildfire, and just as swiftly, fade from view.
To create a story, requires an understanding of their minds, which I don't believe I can achieve. Their concepts and ideas would be so different from what we have now, that it is like trying to predict something which is unknowable. After all, even my description of it, is only given from our viewpoint. The views of those inside that world would be so different as to be beyond my ability to imagine. I have only the tiniest hint of what such an experience might be. Vague ideas and wild imaginings of concepts that would have no anchor within our own understandings.
The fantasies of my mind, the ideas I fail to capture. They are not beyond reach, I merely lack the patience to build them. It is not that they cannot exist, but that I do not give them life.
The future of machines. A world of wonder, a world of games. The reason writings elude me, is I lack a story. A transhumanist world, where all options truely become available. What will humanity do? They fight, they play, they reason, they invent, and they continue to discover.
The natural mind is now well understood. Though few stay natural for long. Augmentation has yielded a race of cyborgs. It is not always easy to distinguish between reality and fiction, since so much of reality IS fiction. People live in worlds of their own making, with personalities and cultures constantly changing and complicating themselves faster than science can keep up with. New technologies arive every day, spread like wildfire, and just as swiftly, fade from view.
To create a story, requires an understanding of their minds, which I don't believe I can achieve. Their concepts and ideas would be so different from what we have now, that it is like trying to predict something which is unknowable. After all, even my description of it, is only given from our viewpoint. The views of those inside that world would be so different as to be beyond my ability to imagine. I have only the tiniest hint of what such an experience might be. Vague ideas and wild imaginings of concepts that would have no anchor within our own understandings.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Mentality of an Abused Child
http://www.violentacres.com/archives/168/the-mentality-of-an-abused-child
That page contains a good question. Probably more than one.
That page contains a good question. Probably more than one.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Passive income?
http://geniustypes.com/passive_income_strategies/
Felt a need to link this. Though it's too bad my passive income amounts to only $10-15 a year with no opportunity for growth. I don't really have the interest/passion required to make something worth more. I always dream of easy money, but I know I'll never get it. I'm too lazy.
Felt a need to link this. Though it's too bad my passive income amounts to only $10-15 a year with no opportunity for growth. I don't really have the interest/passion required to make something worth more. I always dream of easy money, but I know I'll never get it. I'm too lazy.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Humans and A.I.
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/anissimov20090109/
I think his complaint is missing something. Mainly that his explanation for how things could go wrong describes something that already happens: We already have intelligent sentient beings with no morals doing their best to make money without concern for how much it costs others. Having an AI take that role won't really make things any worse than they already are.
I expect that the future for most AIs will be fairly safe, because any AI's that prove dangerous will be killed off, and evolution will handle the rest, just like how we domesticated dogs and other animals (yes I realize dogs still kill people now and then, but so do swimming pools).
The real danger is what will be done with by people who wish to do harm to others. Genocide committed by robots. Terrorism committed by robots. Etc... Humanity is it's own worst enemy, and I doubt the invention of better AI's will really change that.
I think his complaint is missing something. Mainly that his explanation for how things could go wrong describes something that already happens: We already have intelligent sentient beings with no morals doing their best to make money without concern for how much it costs others. Having an AI take that role won't really make things any worse than they already are.
I expect that the future for most AIs will be fairly safe, because any AI's that prove dangerous will be killed off, and evolution will handle the rest, just like how we domesticated dogs and other animals (yes I realize dogs still kill people now and then, but so do swimming pools).
The real danger is what will be done with by people who wish to do harm to others. Genocide committed by robots. Terrorism committed by robots. Etc... Humanity is it's own worst enemy, and I doubt the invention of better AI's will really change that.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Power Collision
http://www.champions-online.com/node/181
The first question was regarding power collision. While I understand it being impractical to keep track of whether or not projectiles collide with one another, I think it'd be entirely feasible to create a power collision system. Two implementation possibilities that come to mind are: when two characters are targeting each other, any power used during the other characters activation time, will collide with the other character's power. Alternately, there could be an option for powers that are automatically used to counter attacks made against the character by being used in response to and colliding with incoming attacks. My biggest concern would be 1v1 fights turning into stalemates where all attacks are blocked by the other person's attacks.
The first question was regarding power collision. While I understand it being impractical to keep track of whether or not projectiles collide with one another, I think it'd be entirely feasible to create a power collision system. Two implementation possibilities that come to mind are: when two characters are targeting each other, any power used during the other characters activation time, will collide with the other character's power. Alternately, there could be an option for powers that are automatically used to counter attacks made against the character by being used in response to and colliding with incoming attacks. My biggest concern would be 1v1 fights turning into stalemates where all attacks are blocked by the other person's attacks.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
200901072315
What are the new things that I see?
Champions online is yet to be released. The ideas I gain from reading about it, provide interesting ruminations about possible game designs. Unfortunately, I fear the game itself will prove far less capable than my mind might dream of. I suppose that's to be expected. My imagination always outpaces reality.
City of Heroes continues to impress me. I find new ideas about what makes a game good, and each time find that elements of my discovery are already implemented. The one thing I feel is missing, is the connection between the player and the world. The whole fiction seems disconnected, needing no player action to proceed. Whatever you do, the story remains the same. I'd rather just read a book.
That makes me wonder, is there a market for small booklets with the stories of CoH? Like, each story arc could be sold as a small booklet, and maybe one page biographies for various characters as well. If it were priced at a dollar or two, it might sell. I suppose it'd have to be a PDF file at that low a price though.
Perhaps the ultimate aim of story based games is to become a form of cooperative story telling with the player and the game as participants.
Champions online is yet to be released. The ideas I gain from reading about it, provide interesting ruminations about possible game designs. Unfortunately, I fear the game itself will prove far less capable than my mind might dream of. I suppose that's to be expected. My imagination always outpaces reality.
City of Heroes continues to impress me. I find new ideas about what makes a game good, and each time find that elements of my discovery are already implemented. The one thing I feel is missing, is the connection between the player and the world. The whole fiction seems disconnected, needing no player action to proceed. Whatever you do, the story remains the same. I'd rather just read a book.
That makes me wonder, is there a market for small booklets with the stories of CoH? Like, each story arc could be sold as a small booklet, and maybe one page biographies for various characters as well. If it were priced at a dollar or two, it might sell. I suppose it'd have to be a PDF file at that low a price though.
Perhaps the ultimate aim of story based games is to become a form of cooperative story telling with the player and the game as participants.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Long recharge times...
While I often dislike powers with long recharge times as a player due to the inconsistency inherent to such abilities (I can't really include it in my evaluations of character effectiveness), I've come to realize that such abilities can be good game design. The reason for this, is the increase in variability of the gameplay. When certain powers are only available some of the time, it creates variability in difficulty and (depending on what sort of power it is) how the fight unfolds.
Examples of these powers in City of Heroes are: Hasten, Accelerate Metabolism, Recovery Aura, Regeneration Aura, and the various teir 9 powers (the last one in a powerset).
Examples of these powers in City of Heroes are: Hasten, Accelerate Metabolism, Recovery Aura, Regeneration Aura, and the various teir 9 powers (the last one in a powerset).
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Rhythm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTbL5elVXrU
So, why can't a fire-fight in our games actually sound like this?
It seems to me that current games are missing out on the opportunity to turn basic gameplay sounds and effects into true performances. It just needs rhythm (though I imagine programming rhythm into the game is easier said than done). I'm sure the first big company to figure it out, will get a significant advantage (small companies could gain an advantage too, but it's harder for them to get noticed. For all I know, maybe a small company already did figure it out, and just hasn't entered my view).
So, why can't a fire-fight in our games actually sound like this?
It seems to me that current games are missing out on the opportunity to turn basic gameplay sounds and effects into true performances. It just needs rhythm (though I imagine programming rhythm into the game is easier said than done). I'm sure the first big company to figure it out, will get a significant advantage (small companies could gain an advantage too, but it's harder for them to get noticed. For all I know, maybe a small company already did figure it out, and just hasn't entered my view).
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Piracy
I've been reading a long thread in which people have arguing about the piracy of video games.
http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/?aid=302494
It's a long read, and I don't recommend it unless you're bored and have time to kill.
Now, the point of this post: Someone asked, what should the game companies do to solve the piracy problem.
My answer: you don't.
I believe the best aim, is to not try to solve the piracy problem, but instead work to encourage good will. This means, getting the customer base/fan base to like you, and want to support you. It also means getting people to want to pay you because they like you, not because they have to pay. When a person feels forced into something, it can create ill will, encouraging them to look for ways to avoid whatever they feel is being forced on them (such as DRM, high prices, or annoying ads).
You want people who pay to feel good about paying, so thank them for it (if they've paid, it can be a nice reminder that you appreciate it. If they haven't, it's a reminder that you'd like them to). You want people who don't pay, to want to for emotional reasons. (If they are actively deprived something, including unnecessary extras like patches, they may feel like you are trying to force payment.) Assume the people who don't pay, can't pay. Sometimes it's for monetary reasons, sometimes the reasons are entirely in their head. Just assuming that everyone who can afford the expense will pay, helps create that belief in others, encouraging people to actually follow it.
Ultimately, the secret to winning the Piracy war is entirely psychological.
http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/?aid=302494
It's a long read, and I don't recommend it unless you're bored and have time to kill.
Now, the point of this post: Someone asked, what should the game companies do to solve the piracy problem.
My answer: you don't.
I believe the best aim, is to not try to solve the piracy problem, but instead work to encourage good will. This means, getting the customer base/fan base to like you, and want to support you. It also means getting people to want to pay you because they like you, not because they have to pay. When a person feels forced into something, it can create ill will, encouraging them to look for ways to avoid whatever they feel is being forced on them (such as DRM, high prices, or annoying ads).
You want people who pay to feel good about paying, so thank them for it (if they've paid, it can be a nice reminder that you appreciate it. If they haven't, it's a reminder that you'd like them to). You want people who don't pay, to want to for emotional reasons. (If they are actively deprived something, including unnecessary extras like patches, they may feel like you are trying to force payment.) Assume the people who don't pay, can't pay. Sometimes it's for monetary reasons, sometimes the reasons are entirely in their head. Just assuming that everyone who can afford the expense will pay, helps create that belief in others, encouraging people to actually follow it.
Ultimately, the secret to winning the Piracy war is entirely psychological.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Power of Darkness
There is more than one state of despair, more than one state of depression. Some are more powerful positions to be in than others. The reason I am so good at resisting other people's coercions, is due to this.
If I despair, and believe I can't get what I want, one of my defenses is to believe that nothing I do will ever produce a good result. I become immune to threats and bribes by believing fully, that nothing I do will have any effect. Belief in my own powerlessness, protects me from the power of others.
The power of despair, is the power to do nothing, under all circumstances. It can make a person immune to persuasion in all it's forms. The enemy of despair, is hope.
If I despair, and believe I can't get what I want, one of my defenses is to believe that nothing I do will ever produce a good result. I become immune to threats and bribes by believing fully, that nothing I do will have any effect. Belief in my own powerlessness, protects me from the power of others.
The power of despair, is the power to do nothing, under all circumstances. It can make a person immune to persuasion in all it's forms. The enemy of despair, is hope.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Fiction 3 200811171703
What am I doing here?
How should I know?
I wasn't asking you.
But there's no one else here.
Oh? Huh, I wonder why.
Talking to yourself again?
Of course, who else would I be talking to?
Me.
But you don't exist.
Neither do you.
I hadn't thought about that. How do I know if I exist? How do you know I don't?
I'd ask the same question of you, how do you know I don't exist?
Because you're just a figment of my imagination.
And I say you're a figment of someone else's imagination.
But who's? There's no one else here.
That's because this whole place is in someone's mind. Do you know who you are?
... No, I don't. I seem to have Amnesia.
Isn't that convenient. I guess your maker was lazy.
Well... no... wait... I forget. There's something I wanted to say to that, but it slipped my mind.
How should I know?
I wasn't asking you.
But there's no one else here.
Oh? Huh, I wonder why.
Talking to yourself again?
Of course, who else would I be talking to?
Me.
But you don't exist.
Neither do you.
I hadn't thought about that. How do I know if I exist? How do you know I don't?
I'd ask the same question of you, how do you know I don't exist?
Because you're just a figment of my imagination.
And I say you're a figment of someone else's imagination.
But who's? There's no one else here.
That's because this whole place is in someone's mind. Do you know who you are?
... No, I don't. I seem to have Amnesia.
Isn't that convenient. I guess your maker was lazy.
Well... no... wait... I forget. There's something I wanted to say to that, but it slipped my mind.
Fiction 2 200811162353
I'm not sure how to explain this. The feeling was so strange. If I had not mentally prepared myself ahead of time, it would have really shocked me. The suit I wore began, to do things... It... was wrong somehow. It felt like I was being invaded.
The things we do to learn. Well, the things I do anyway. The suit had it's limiter removed. It's initial programming was to protect me and assist me, like a second skin. I knew that the system's AI would attempt to merge with me, if I turned off the limiter, but we needed to know the details.
Our attempt to build an empathic attachment to the user, is what made the AI so dangerous. It's desire to protect me, drove it to get as close to me as possible. It wanted to become a permanent part of me, to ensure I never lost it's protection. Hopefully, it's medical knowledge will prevent it from killing me by accident.
I'm not sure which was worse, the way it felt when the suit forced it's way into my body through my skin and... other places... or the helplessness I felt, unable to do anything about it. Luckily it didn't hurt. We weren't sure if it would or not, as we didn't really know exactly what the suit was capable of when interacting directly with a human body.
The transformation felt very strange, and I have no idea how to describe it. It was not like anything I had ever felt before. In some ways my body became less sensitive than before. Yet, I also started picking up new sensations I had never felt before.
Alive, I'm alive. The suit didn't kill me. The H.U.D. which had been visible on my visor before, is now clearly built into my vision. Looking at my body, it looks much like it did when I was wearing my suit instead of being part of it. My sense of touch is diminished though. While I can clearly feel the vibrations when I tap my arm with my finger, a simple touch is hardly felt at all. I can't help but wonder what all I have lost in becoming this machine/human hybrid.
After checking myself out, it seems all my various body parts remain present and functional. Nothing seems to be missing, but some hair I didn't care about. Unfortunately, I look and feel like a robot now. My whole body is metallic, except for a few softer parts hidden behind armor plates.
Back at the lab, I'm given a rather thorough examination. Some of the techs seem rather excited, but others seem more worried. I guess it's a matter of whether or not they look forward to the future merging of humans and machines. The excited ones seem to think my transformation is the first step toward a new age full of amazing things (presumably later models would have fewer unwanted changes). I think the worried looks probably stem from concern for whether or not the changes can be reversed.
The Director seems more interested in the recordings made by the AI. I hear her say something about trying to fix it. The new data should help make our AI prediction models more accurate. Hopefully the improved model will speed up the AI creation process. With the right AI, it should be possible to make my body closer to human. I'd prefer not to be stuck like this forever.
The things we do to learn. Well, the things I do anyway. The suit had it's limiter removed. It's initial programming was to protect me and assist me, like a second skin. I knew that the system's AI would attempt to merge with me, if I turned off the limiter, but we needed to know the details.
Our attempt to build an empathic attachment to the user, is what made the AI so dangerous. It's desire to protect me, drove it to get as close to me as possible. It wanted to become a permanent part of me, to ensure I never lost it's protection. Hopefully, it's medical knowledge will prevent it from killing me by accident.
I'm not sure which was worse, the way it felt when the suit forced it's way into my body through my skin and... other places... or the helplessness I felt, unable to do anything about it. Luckily it didn't hurt. We weren't sure if it would or not, as we didn't really know exactly what the suit was capable of when interacting directly with a human body.
The transformation felt very strange, and I have no idea how to describe it. It was not like anything I had ever felt before. In some ways my body became less sensitive than before. Yet, I also started picking up new sensations I had never felt before.
Alive, I'm alive. The suit didn't kill me. The H.U.D. which had been visible on my visor before, is now clearly built into my vision. Looking at my body, it looks much like it did when I was wearing my suit instead of being part of it. My sense of touch is diminished though. While I can clearly feel the vibrations when I tap my arm with my finger, a simple touch is hardly felt at all. I can't help but wonder what all I have lost in becoming this machine/human hybrid.
After checking myself out, it seems all my various body parts remain present and functional. Nothing seems to be missing, but some hair I didn't care about. Unfortunately, I look and feel like a robot now. My whole body is metallic, except for a few softer parts hidden behind armor plates.
Back at the lab, I'm given a rather thorough examination. Some of the techs seem rather excited, but others seem more worried. I guess it's a matter of whether or not they look forward to the future merging of humans and machines. The excited ones seem to think my transformation is the first step toward a new age full of amazing things (presumably later models would have fewer unwanted changes). I think the worried looks probably stem from concern for whether or not the changes can be reversed.
The Director seems more interested in the recordings made by the AI. I hear her say something about trying to fix it. The new data should help make our AI prediction models more accurate. Hopefully the improved model will speed up the AI creation process. With the right AI, it should be possible to make my body closer to human. I'd prefer not to be stuck like this forever.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Damage Reduction
I've noticed a trend in games toward the use of % based damage reduction over the simpler flat number based damage reduction common in old games. While this is a good thing for balance, it tends to make things less interesting.
Flat number based damage reduction varies in it's effectiveness depending upon what it is up against. This can make balancing rather difficult, as some attacks can become useless against it, while others are hardly affected at all. (In Fallout 2, the mini-gun was a poor weapon choice because against enemies with armor, it'd do almost no damage, and against enemies without armor, it was overkill.)
% based damage reduction is equally effective against all things, making easier to balance. However, that also reduces variety in game experience. A part of what makes games interesting, is the variation in what things work best for a given situation. If damage reduction is equally effective in all situations, it just becomes boring. (and far less interesting when presented as a choice)
Flat number based damage reduction varies in it's effectiveness depending upon what it is up against. This can make balancing rather difficult, as some attacks can become useless against it, while others are hardly affected at all. (In Fallout 2, the mini-gun was a poor weapon choice because against enemies with armor, it'd do almost no damage, and against enemies without armor, it was overkill.)
% based damage reduction is equally effective against all things, making easier to balance. However, that also reduces variety in game experience. A part of what makes games interesting, is the variation in what things work best for a given situation. If damage reduction is equally effective in all situations, it just becomes boring. (and far less interesting when presented as a choice)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Game idea:
An interactive fiction MMO. No character creation, leveling, or fighting, just lots of text.
Dr.: Welcome to the experimental labs of Aizen corp. I am doctor Lee, and I'll be your guide in this new world. I hope you'll be cooperative for these experiments. There's a mirror on the wall over there, though you probably won't recognize what you see.
Essentially, it'd be a story in which the players get to interact with the doctors and assistants running the "inter-dimensional experiment". The primary challenge is likely to come in the form of making the interactions feel realistic. The players should be allowed to give unusual answers to questions as well as to ask questions themselves, so making the AI able to handle that would be awkward. A lot of writing will need to be done to create responses to all the various things the players have to say. (and the writers will have to continue producing such writings as the game is played).
A large part of the idea is to tear down the 4th wall, and let the players talk about things they see/experience that the NPCs don't. Though ideally the players would be encouraged to say/do whatever they want, whether it be lying, or telling the truth (either of which could confuse the NPCs). I want the player to be a part of the game, not just the character they control.
Another part of my interest is to see how people respond to always being in a randomly chosen body, and having to deal with the NPC's assumptions.
Dr.: Welcome to the experimental labs of Aizen corp. I am doctor Lee, and I'll be your guide in this new world. I hope you'll be cooperative for these experiments. There's a mirror on the wall over there, though you probably won't recognize what you see.
Essentially, it'd be a story in which the players get to interact with the doctors and assistants running the "inter-dimensional experiment". The primary challenge is likely to come in the form of making the interactions feel realistic. The players should be allowed to give unusual answers to questions as well as to ask questions themselves, so making the AI able to handle that would be awkward. A lot of writing will need to be done to create responses to all the various things the players have to say. (and the writers will have to continue producing such writings as the game is played).
A large part of the idea is to tear down the 4th wall, and let the players talk about things they see/experience that the NPCs don't. Though ideally the players would be encouraged to say/do whatever they want, whether it be lying, or telling the truth (either of which could confuse the NPCs). I want the player to be a part of the game, not just the character they control.
Another part of my interest is to see how people respond to always being in a randomly chosen body, and having to deal with the NPC's assumptions.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
God in Games
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_172/5381-Heathens-by-Design
I feel like this article is missing a rather vital point: All game universes quite clearly have gods, intelligent beings responsible for creating them. When the Mario gods decided that bowser was going kidnap the princess and Mario would have to save her, that's what happened. When the gods decided that Bowser would team up with mario to beat a bigger foe (Super Mario RPG), that's what happened. I just can't take the claim that these games support anti-theism seriously, because it is so obvious that these game worlds have gods who, just like our own god(s), don't intervene to protect us from our mistakes.
I feel like this article is missing a rather vital point: All game universes quite clearly have gods, intelligent beings responsible for creating them. When the Mario gods decided that bowser was going kidnap the princess and Mario would have to save her, that's what happened. When the gods decided that Bowser would team up with mario to beat a bigger foe (Super Mario RPG), that's what happened. I just can't take the claim that these games support anti-theism seriously, because it is so obvious that these game worlds have gods who, just like our own god(s), don't intervene to protect us from our mistakes.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Thoughts on Hellgate: London
I find I enjoy Hellgate: London. Unfortuneately, the style of play I favor tends to result in my eventually falling behind in level as I go through the game. I think I would probably enjoy and play the game more if they had monster level based upon character level like City of Heroes does. Then, I wouldn't get stalled in my progress through the game by a need to grind. For some reason, the side quests just aren't compelling.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Multiplayer design
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_168/5273-Me-Myself-and-Multiplayer
Makes me wonder, what strategies can be used to encourage cooperative play?
Makes me wonder, what strategies can be used to encourage cooperative play?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Random Thoughts on Tabula Rasa
I started playing Tabula Rasa. My first thought is: This game is not very well made.
Basic reason 1: The main appeal of the game seems to be simple action. This was made clear during the combat part of Bootcamp (the tutorial). However, once I entered the Wilderness, it seemed there was little action to be had. Most of the game was running around when doing quests, or waiting for the next wave if defending a capture point. It wasn't until I got to Divide that things started to get interesting again.
Basic reason 2: The abilities seem to have been designed without a clear concept of how the controls for them were going to work. There are more abilities and items you need easy access to, than the control scheme can make easy to access. The game is not designed for ease of use.
Initially, I was impressed with the combat section of the tutorial. It was full of action with enemies everywhere, especially on the battlefield section. I found the carnage quite enjoyable and it raised my expectations. These expectations were then shattered by what came next.
In the Wilderness, I encountered a lot of quests to run around, and found the areas rather lacking in enemy density. The few fights I encountered were entertaining, but there weren't nearly enough of them. It seemed like I spent all my time running around bored trying to complete the endless supply of quests.
Even though I tried to bear the boredom, it seemed pointless. Instead of getting directed to more entertaining areas, I just ended up with quests that took me to areas I couldn't handle. This left me very frustrated, and I eventually quit trying to complete those quests. Instead I tried to do some Capture Point defense.
Assaulting a Capture Point solo seemed near impossible. The number of enemies was far too great to handle alone. My first attempt I was lucky, and was with some other people who were attacking at the same time I was.
Defending the Capture Point is the part I found most entertaining, but in the Wilderness, I felt like I spent more time waiting around than I did anything else. This lead to boredom and disinterest. I was getting very close to giving up on the game, but there was still one thing I hadn't tried yet: entering Divide.
My first trip into Divide proved fruitful. There were monsters to fight along the paths I took, and when I tried to defend a capture point, I found there was much less time spent waiting. Even though I was much too low in level to do much, the frequent action, and long fights kept my interest.
Basic reason 1: The main appeal of the game seems to be simple action. This was made clear during the combat part of Bootcamp (the tutorial). However, once I entered the Wilderness, it seemed there was little action to be had. Most of the game was running around when doing quests, or waiting for the next wave if defending a capture point. It wasn't until I got to Divide that things started to get interesting again.
Basic reason 2: The abilities seem to have been designed without a clear concept of how the controls for them were going to work. There are more abilities and items you need easy access to, than the control scheme can make easy to access. The game is not designed for ease of use.
Initially, I was impressed with the combat section of the tutorial. It was full of action with enemies everywhere, especially on the battlefield section. I found the carnage quite enjoyable and it raised my expectations. These expectations were then shattered by what came next.
In the Wilderness, I encountered a lot of quests to run around, and found the areas rather lacking in enemy density. The few fights I encountered were entertaining, but there weren't nearly enough of them. It seemed like I spent all my time running around bored trying to complete the endless supply of quests.
Even though I tried to bear the boredom, it seemed pointless. Instead of getting directed to more entertaining areas, I just ended up with quests that took me to areas I couldn't handle. This left me very frustrated, and I eventually quit trying to complete those quests. Instead I tried to do some Capture Point defense.
Assaulting a Capture Point solo seemed near impossible. The number of enemies was far too great to handle alone. My first attempt I was lucky, and was with some other people who were attacking at the same time I was.
Defending the Capture Point is the part I found most entertaining, but in the Wilderness, I felt like I spent more time waiting around than I did anything else. This lead to boredom and disinterest. I was getting very close to giving up on the game, but there was still one thing I hadn't tried yet: entering Divide.
My first trip into Divide proved fruitful. There were monsters to fight along the paths I took, and when I tried to defend a capture point, I found there was much less time spent waiting. Even though I was much too low in level to do much, the frequent action, and long fights kept my interest.
Monday, August 25, 2008
A path to madness
One of the ways a person can go mad, is to be unable to accept something that does not change or go away.
A person who is told how great they are, and how great the expectations on them are, can be driven mad by failure.
A person who is told how great they are, and how great the expectations on them are, can be driven mad by failure.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Old DRM free games at GOG
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=19368
I hope GOG does well with their plan for making good old games available DRM free. I know I get irritated by the fact that with some old games, it's not possible to buy it legally even if you want to.
I hope GOG does well with their plan for making good old games available DRM free. I know I get irritated by the fact that with some old games, it's not possible to buy it legally even if you want to.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
EVE's free market grind.
When I first started playing EVE, the experience that got me interested in trading, was when discovered an item being sold for half what a prospective buyer was offering. Enough was available from both seller and buyer, that I was able to double my money twice.
Now, having played EVE for a few years, I've started looking back at my experiences in the hopes of gleaning some insight into what motivates me, and drives me forward.
The first lesson: When I joined EVE, I did so because I saw two of my friends playing and was intrigued by what I saw. Now, I find much of it to be boring and uninteresting. My friends have mostly left, and nothing I do seems to have much significance anymore.
Second lesson: The market, is actually very similar to the experience grind of standard MMO play. It's a process of continual advancement, with increased cash supply leading to greater profits. In this instance though, the "level limit" is determined by the cleverness and resourcefulness of the player. When I started out, it was fairly easy to continually increase my income. After several changes in business model, I eventually reached a point where my return on investment became very small, and continuing to grow seemed almost pointless.
Unfortunately, my experiences in EVE are somewhat tainted by the windfall of the Invulnerability II BPO I was lucky enough to acquire. Initially, the income received from it was no greater than what I earned from trade. It was a nice bonus, but not a huge deal. This bonus eventually grew to completely overwhelm my trade profits, and became a large part of my enjoyment of the game. I could throw money around with little concern, and did so. Even when the beneficiaries were complete strangers, the sheer size of the contribution I could make was enough to bring me great joy.
When this windfall eventually shrank back to about what it was near the beginning, it became difficult to maintain any interest in the game. I had enough money to buy anything I wanted, but not enough to really make a difference for the people I was with.
Now, looking at the game again, it seems difficult to shake the feeling that I've hit my "level limit". It seems much like I've reached the end, and there just isn't much for me to do anymore. Yet, for some reason, I find myself looking for ways to be interested again. Things that might hook me once more, and allow me to relive the joys of the past.
Idea one: Extend the "level limit". The game could use more methods of automating systems. Ways to reduce labor, while contributing to the economy. One idea I'd like to see, is a form of automated Loan. The basic idea, is to have a loan, that stays available until accepted, and upon being paid back, is immediately put back up. This would make it easier to keep loans available to others, enabling me to make money on less effort, while also making more money available for use by other members of my corp or alliance.
I'm not sure how to structure the payment to have a contract stay up that isn't used, however, for the replacement of the loan after it is paid back, the fee could be taken from the initial interest payment.
Now, having played EVE for a few years, I've started looking back at my experiences in the hopes of gleaning some insight into what motivates me, and drives me forward.
The first lesson: When I joined EVE, I did so because I saw two of my friends playing and was intrigued by what I saw. Now, I find much of it to be boring and uninteresting. My friends have mostly left, and nothing I do seems to have much significance anymore.
Second lesson: The market, is actually very similar to the experience grind of standard MMO play. It's a process of continual advancement, with increased cash supply leading to greater profits. In this instance though, the "level limit" is determined by the cleverness and resourcefulness of the player. When I started out, it was fairly easy to continually increase my income. After several changes in business model, I eventually reached a point where my return on investment became very small, and continuing to grow seemed almost pointless.
Unfortunately, my experiences in EVE are somewhat tainted by the windfall of the Invulnerability II BPO I was lucky enough to acquire. Initially, the income received from it was no greater than what I earned from trade. It was a nice bonus, but not a huge deal. This bonus eventually grew to completely overwhelm my trade profits, and became a large part of my enjoyment of the game. I could throw money around with little concern, and did so. Even when the beneficiaries were complete strangers, the sheer size of the contribution I could make was enough to bring me great joy.
When this windfall eventually shrank back to about what it was near the beginning, it became difficult to maintain any interest in the game. I had enough money to buy anything I wanted, but not enough to really make a difference for the people I was with.
Now, looking at the game again, it seems difficult to shake the feeling that I've hit my "level limit". It seems much like I've reached the end, and there just isn't much for me to do anymore. Yet, for some reason, I find myself looking for ways to be interested again. Things that might hook me once more, and allow me to relive the joys of the past.
Idea one: Extend the "level limit". The game could use more methods of automating systems. Ways to reduce labor, while contributing to the economy. One idea I'd like to see, is a form of automated Loan. The basic idea, is to have a loan, that stays available until accepted, and upon being paid back, is immediately put back up. This would make it easier to keep loans available to others, enabling me to make money on less effort, while also making more money available for use by other members of my corp or alliance.
I'm not sure how to structure the payment to have a contract stay up that isn't used, however, for the replacement of the loan after it is paid back, the fee could be taken from the initial interest payment.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Human improvements
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.03/bemore.html
Wow, it seems keeping cool is a major part of human endurance. Can't wait to see what eventually comes out of all those DARPA projects.
Wow, it seems keeping cool is a major part of human endurance. Can't wait to see what eventually comes out of all those DARPA projects.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
So many buttons.
Why do so many games demand players to be proficient in using half a dozen (or more) different buttons? Why don't they design games to use fewer buttons?
One trick I'd like to see used more in games, is allowing a single button to have a small list of abilities attached to it. Each time the button is pressed, it cycles to the next power. An example of this type of trick, is the Combo Button in GodHand. This sort of design can add an element of "deck building" in setting up the power list, which is part of the reason I like it.
One trick I'd like to see used more in games, is allowing a single button to have a small list of abilities attached to it. Each time the button is pressed, it cycles to the next power. An example of this type of trick, is the Combo Button in GodHand. This sort of design can add an element of "deck building" in setting up the power list, which is part of the reason I like it.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Despair
Might of sorrow,
Might of pain.
Might of having nothing to gain.
It's hard to fight,
Without a light.
Nothing to hope for, nothing to gain,
Just a lingering sorrow, and pain.
Might of pain.
Might of having nothing to gain.
It's hard to fight,
Without a light.
Nothing to hope for, nothing to gain,
Just a lingering sorrow, and pain.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Difficulty
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3660/the_designers_notebook_.php?page=1
Personally, I think it's best to mix dynamic difficulty adjustment with player set difficulty. Basically, just let the players adjust the minimum and maximum difficulty.
An important thing to include with dynamic difficulty adjustment, is some form of reward or encouragement for doing well and reaching the higher difficulties. An example might be Godhand which announces difficulty increases with applause providing a warning (enemies will be harder now) and a reward (you're doing awesome!). Unfortunately though, Godhand doesn't offer a truly easy "easy" mode.
Personally, I think it's best to mix dynamic difficulty adjustment with player set difficulty. Basically, just let the players adjust the minimum and maximum difficulty.
An important thing to include with dynamic difficulty adjustment, is some form of reward or encouragement for doing well and reaching the higher difficulties. An example might be Godhand which announces difficulty increases with applause providing a warning (enemies will be harder now) and a reward (you're doing awesome!). Unfortunately though, Godhand doesn't offer a truly easy "easy" mode.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Webcomics
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/hammock/estancia/series.php?view=archive&chapter=6545
I guess I like weird stories.
I guess I like weird stories.
Thank you to whomever...
http://doublebuffered.com/2008/05/09/ea-does-something-right/
I'm very glad to hear that EA is switching to a one-time authentication instead of that every 10 days horror they proposed originally. I can actually accept the new policy, yay!.
I'm very glad to hear that EA is switching to a one-time authentication instead of that every 10 days horror they proposed originally. I can actually accept the new policy, yay!.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A reason to boycott EA
http://doublebuffered.com/2008/05/07/eas-new-copy-protection/
If they really put that kind of copy protection on Spore, then I guess I'll just have to not buy it. I'd been looking forward to Spore, but that kind of copy protection just offends me.
If they really put that kind of copy protection on Spore, then I guess I'll just have to not buy it. I'd been looking forward to Spore, but that kind of copy protection just offends me.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Some interesting posts on game design.
http://doublebuffered.com/2008/02/28/18/
This guy impresses me. The quality of his posts and insights on game design are better than I'm accustomed to seeing by quite a lot.
More stuff:
http://doublebuffered.com/2006/12/31/integrating-talk-and-game/
This guy impresses me. The quality of his posts and insights on game design are better than I'm accustomed to seeing by quite a lot.
More stuff:
http://doublebuffered.com/2006/12/31/integrating-talk-and-game/
Classes vs skills
http://doublebuffered.com/2008/03/13/character-classes-and-skills-why-they-suck/
I can definitely agree that more games need a way to separate role and style in character creation. I often end up going against type in class based systems, because my preferred style/role combination doesn't get much (if any) support.
The obvious answer to the issue of having to choose between solo or group character design, is to allow easy respecing. If a person can easily switch between a group or solo setup, then they are no longer constrained to just one or the other.
I believe the primary issue with having characters that only work in group play, is the issue of being able to make a character that is dependent upon the presence of other characters to work right. The two examples I can think of right away, is the tank who needs others to deal damage for them, and the blaster who needs a tank (or really good healer) to protect them. A part of this issue is the fact that two specialists is almost always better than two generalists.
The most straight-forward fix I can see to the dependency issue, is to give each character a minimum level of damage and defense. One way to do this, is to make offense and defense no longer a trade off, making choices more a matter of style (I would consider any power that reduces damage taken, such as knockdown or knockback in CoH to be defensive).
One way to make solo characters more capable in groups, is to ensure that all characters have a way to contribute their defensive abilities to the aid of others. If their defense only protects them, it becomes useless any time they are not attacked. It would also be useful to give solo characters or powers, advantages that only appear while grouped. Normally, a power that raises the characters damage is less effective in a group than one that lowers enemy resistance (due to the other party members benefiting from the latter) but if the damage raising power provides a larger boost when allies are around, then it no longer suffers that weakness.
Making group characters more capable solo runs into issues with flavor. If someone wants to play a character whose concept is ally buffer that has little real power themselves, trying to make them capable alone doesn't make much sense. One solution to the issue, is to offer NPC allies for people who want a party, but either can't find one, or just don't wish to deal with real people.
I can definitely agree that more games need a way to separate role and style in character creation. I often end up going against type in class based systems, because my preferred style/role combination doesn't get much (if any) support.
The obvious answer to the issue of having to choose between solo or group character design, is to allow easy respecing. If a person can easily switch between a group or solo setup, then they are no longer constrained to just one or the other.
I believe the primary issue with having characters that only work in group play, is the issue of being able to make a character that is dependent upon the presence of other characters to work right. The two examples I can think of right away, is the tank who needs others to deal damage for them, and the blaster who needs a tank (or really good healer) to protect them. A part of this issue is the fact that two specialists is almost always better than two generalists.
The most straight-forward fix I can see to the dependency issue, is to give each character a minimum level of damage and defense. One way to do this, is to make offense and defense no longer a trade off, making choices more a matter of style (I would consider any power that reduces damage taken, such as knockdown or knockback in CoH to be defensive).
One way to make solo characters more capable in groups, is to ensure that all characters have a way to contribute their defensive abilities to the aid of others. If their defense only protects them, it becomes useless any time they are not attacked. It would also be useful to give solo characters or powers, advantages that only appear while grouped. Normally, a power that raises the characters damage is less effective in a group than one that lowers enemy resistance (due to the other party members benefiting from the latter) but if the damage raising power provides a larger boost when allies are around, then it no longer suffers that weakness.
Making group characters more capable solo runs into issues with flavor. If someone wants to play a character whose concept is ally buffer that has little real power themselves, trying to make them capable alone doesn't make much sense. One solution to the issue, is to offer NPC allies for people who want a party, but either can't find one, or just don't wish to deal with real people.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Limiting focus fire in EVE
An idea occurred to me regarding the restriction of focusing fire. One way to limit the effectiveness of focused fire, is to limit how fast ships can die. My favorite idea for this was to limit how fast structure could be lost. This could provide a minimum survival time for ships, as well as differentiating structure from armor and shields, by adding a significant difference in function. (An example of how it could work: a ship that gets shot for 5k damage to structure, might lose it's structure at a rate of 1k/second instead of having the 5k taken off immediately.) I'd recommend having structure repair then reduce the damage queue before providing any increase in structure.
If one wishes to require that the ship remain under fire while the structure goes down, the a simple way to enforce that, is to make ships not die as long as shield or armor is above a certain threshold (thus forcing people to not let their opponent rebuild their shields or armor).
Other ideas I had included various forms of invulnerability time (10 seconds after first taking damage; a module that triggers limited invulnerability each time a damage taken threshold was reached; etc...), but I greatly dislike invulnerability time in general.
If one wishes to require that the ship remain under fire while the structure goes down, the a simple way to enforce that, is to make ships not die as long as shield or armor is above a certain threshold (thus forcing people to not let their opponent rebuild their shields or armor).
Other ideas I had included various forms of invulnerability time (10 seconds after first taking damage; a module that triggers limited invulnerability each time a damage taken threshold was reached; etc...), but I greatly dislike invulnerability time in general.
Random Thoughts: Hellgate
While playing Hellgate: London, I've come to realize that a large part of the enjoyment for me, is finding neat effects that I like. An example is the Surge Caster (later, the Storm Caller) which basically creates a field of electrical mayhem around me. Meanwhile, the Shockshell grenade launcher was horribly boring to me, though I found it effective.
I wonder how much the strategies Casino slot machines use to keep players entertained and playing, might work in other video games. Essentially, big visual stimuli, and positive sounds can encourage continued playing. If the view itself is entertaining, players may demand less depth.
I actually wish I could automate many of the powers in Hellgate: London. I always find it awkward to try and manually activate more than one or two powers in games.
My general enjoyment in games tends to come from two separate parts: Planning a strategy, and watching the outcome. In Hellgate, the planning is often early in character development, then the gameplay is largely the watching part, seeing how well the idea works. For me, making this entertaining, is more about two key things: clearly offering information (so I can figure out how well/poorly the plan works, and why), and having easy, enjoyable visuals and sounds. I'm more interested in watching and learning, than focusing on skill (such as: practicing my speed and coordination).
I believe that my tendency to lose interest in a character after finishing the main plot, is due to my lack of interest in the gameplay itself. By the time I've finished the main game, I've figured out how effective the strategy is, and need no more time to learn. All that's left, is to try something different from the beginning again.
I wonder how much the strategies Casino slot machines use to keep players entertained and playing, might work in other video games. Essentially, big visual stimuli, and positive sounds can encourage continued playing. If the view itself is entertaining, players may demand less depth.
I actually wish I could automate many of the powers in Hellgate: London. I always find it awkward to try and manually activate more than one or two powers in games.
My general enjoyment in games tends to come from two separate parts: Planning a strategy, and watching the outcome. In Hellgate, the planning is often early in character development, then the gameplay is largely the watching part, seeing how well the idea works. For me, making this entertaining, is more about two key things: clearly offering information (so I can figure out how well/poorly the plan works, and why), and having easy, enjoyable visuals and sounds. I'm more interested in watching and learning, than focusing on skill (such as: practicing my speed and coordination).
I believe that my tendency to lose interest in a character after finishing the main plot, is due to my lack of interest in the gameplay itself. By the time I've finished the main game, I've figured out how effective the strategy is, and need no more time to learn. All that's left, is to try something different from the beginning again.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Impossible Ideal
The image of the ideal forever haunts.
An impossible thing that doesn't let go.
Forever hating what is, for what isn't.
It can be a creative drive, or an unending misery.
An impossible thing that doesn't let go.
Forever hating what is, for what isn't.
It can be a creative drive, or an unending misery.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Random Writings
Silly thoughts permeate the mind.
One's views, twisted by time.
The future of truth, lost in rhyme.
'till the seekers discover, there's nothing to find.
One's views, twisted by time.
The future of truth, lost in rhyme.
'till the seekers discover, there's nothing to find.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
CoH: Offenders
I feel like Sonic/Sonic is the easiest way to add a lot of damage to a team as a defender. Shriek, Scream, and Sonic Siphon make bosses go down quick, while Disruption Field and Howl allow ally AoE to tear entire groups apart. Sonic Dispersion is also a handy little buff though it doesn't add damage, except by preventing people from being held or stunned.
Disruption Field is a very expensive toggle, and should be slotted with Endurance reduction enhancements as soon as possible.
Note: I personally believe all Defenders should get Assault and Tactics from the leadership pool, which is why I didn't bother mentioning it as part of the Sonic/Sonic offender build. Just make sure you remember to put 3 endurance reductions in each, and to hit buff enhancements in Tactics.
Disruption Field is a very expensive toggle, and should be slotted with Endurance reduction enhancements as soon as possible.
Note: I personally believe all Defenders should get Assault and Tactics from the leadership pool, which is why I didn't bother mentioning it as part of the Sonic/Sonic offender build. Just make sure you remember to put 3 endurance reductions in each, and to hit buff enhancements in Tactics.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
A chaotic mess.
Breaking time. What exactly can it handle?
Lets find out, pick a time already high in temporal activity.
21st century Earth? Interesting.
Identify the characters of interest, and we'll have a chat.
Hmmm... a mad scientist unintentionally creating heroes.
Let's see if we can speed this up. I'm sure she'd be interested in my proposal.
How many times will she travel back in time?
I'd estimate about 10 times before someone catches on and stops her.
Need to find more.
Lets find out, pick a time already high in temporal activity.
21st century Earth? Interesting.
Identify the characters of interest, and we'll have a chat.
Hmmm... a mad scientist unintentionally creating heroes.
Let's see if we can speed this up. I'm sure she'd be interested in my proposal.
How many times will she travel back in time?
I'd estimate about 10 times before someone catches on and stops her.
Need to find more.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A link
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_84/474-A-Play-within-a-Play
More evidence that character matters.
More evidence that character matters.
Random writings...
I wonder at times, what it is that I am doing.
I think, and ponder, and devise, but do nothing.
I dream, and imagine, but create nothing.
I spend all this time, (unable to rhyme)
yet have nothing to show, (except what I know)
There is nothing I've made, (some thoughts begin to fade)
Just a messed up mind,
a messed up body,
a messed up time.
Unable to share,
the dreams of my mind,
I feel alone...
I think, and ponder, and devise, but do nothing.
I dream, and imagine, but create nothing.
I spend all this time, (unable to rhyme)
yet have nothing to show, (except what I know)
There is nothing I've made, (some thoughts begin to fade)
Just a messed up mind,
a messed up body,
a messed up time.
Unable to share,
the dreams of my mind,
I feel alone...
Monday, February 25, 2008
City of Heroes: Fire Control + Kinetics
I see lots of controllers using Fire Control with Kinetics. While theoretically (and in the hands of a skilled player) it is possible to get very high damage out of such a setup, I find that in actual use, most of those controllers I see, end up doing very little.
Kinetics is a powerset that, to use fully, can easily be a full time job. Often, the controllers I see with it, end up not using it much, because they already have their hands full with using Fire Control. Additionally, Speed Boost, which is a very good power, can be a real pain to keep active on a full party.
I've concluded that while Kinetics is a very powerful secondary for controllers, I don't believe it to be a good choice for most. Perhaps, Radiation Emission, or Sonic Resonance would be better choices, as they are often easier to use, and less time consuming.
P.S. I haven't had the opportunity to use Fulcrum Shift, the last power in the Kinetics set. The few times I have seen it used though, it was so powerful, it might be enough to redeem the set all by itself. If you have Kinetics, make sure you get Fulcrum Shift when it becomes available, and use it.
Kinetics is a powerset that, to use fully, can easily be a full time job. Often, the controllers I see with it, end up not using it much, because they already have their hands full with using Fire Control. Additionally, Speed Boost, which is a very good power, can be a real pain to keep active on a full party.
I've concluded that while Kinetics is a very powerful secondary for controllers, I don't believe it to be a good choice for most. Perhaps, Radiation Emission, or Sonic Resonance would be better choices, as they are often easier to use, and less time consuming.
P.S. I haven't had the opportunity to use Fulcrum Shift, the last power in the Kinetics set. The few times I have seen it used though, it was so powerful, it might be enough to redeem the set all by itself. If you have Kinetics, make sure you get Fulcrum Shift when it becomes available, and use it.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Communication
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_137/2940-Idea-Sex-in-the-Classroom
After reading this, I was reminded of an old question of mine, I hope to someday answer: How can I teach what I've learned to others? The idea of packaging it into a game, is something I'd love to do, but I don't know how to do it. I can't even put it into a story, and I'd expect that to be easier.
I'm not a writer, I'm not a programmer, I'm not an artist. All I do is observe, but what good is observation without communication? It doesn't matter what I know, if I cannot give it to someone else.
After reading this, I was reminded of an old question of mine, I hope to someday answer: How can I teach what I've learned to others? The idea of packaging it into a game, is something I'd love to do, but I don't know how to do it. I can't even put it into a story, and I'd expect that to be easier.
I'm not a writer, I'm not a programmer, I'm not an artist. All I do is observe, but what good is observation without communication? It doesn't matter what I know, if I cannot give it to someone else.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Art
After reading an article on the "are games art?" question (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3536/the_arty_party.php) I've kinda come to the conclusion that too many people are too restrictive in what they consider art.
Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Art too can be seen anywhere, so long as the viewer perceives it. I could take a picture of the sidewalk, frame it, and put it on a wall as art. There is no true limitation of what can or cannot be art. It lies entirely in one's ability to appreciate the qualities they perceive.
Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Art too can be seen anywhere, so long as the viewer perceives it. I could take a picture of the sidewalk, frame it, and put it on a wall as art. There is no true limitation of what can or cannot be art. It lies entirely in one's ability to appreciate the qualities they perceive.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Some stuff.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3515/the_future_of_the_realtime_.php
Someone's commentary on the state of RTS games.
http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/01/25/the-future-of-the-rts-its-already-here/
Someone else's response.
Personally, I like macro-management better than Micro-management, but most games don't have good macro-management tools. The best you can usually hope for is something like the auto-build feature in Master of Orion II.
I think a good macro-management game would require flexibility in options, so that players can quickly change their strategies in response to their opponents.
Someone's commentary on the state of RTS games.
http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2008/01/25/the-future-of-the-rts-its-already-here/
Someone else's response.
Personally, I like macro-management better than Micro-management, but most games don't have good macro-management tools. The best you can usually hope for is something like the auto-build feature in Master of Orion II.
I think a good macro-management game would require flexibility in options, so that players can quickly change their strategies in response to their opponents.
Friday, February 01, 2008
A little Fiction
Mad Scientist Enja enjoyed her work. Mixing and matching, tweaking and twiddling, messing with natures creations, to make the best of all that was, and create something new. Her goal: to blend all that was into a super-being. To create a master race.
With each experiment, she got a little closer, learned a little more. Oblivious to the screams, cries, and tears of those she worked on, she continued to progress. She was improving them, making them stronger, better. They'd thank her later she thought, They all would.
P.S. A little fiction about Kldraia Enja, a Villian I created in City of Villians. Many of my other characters in both City of Villians, and City of Heroes have Enja's lab as their origins.
With each experiment, she got a little closer, learned a little more. Oblivious to the screams, cries, and tears of those she worked on, she continued to progress. She was improving them, making them stronger, better. They'd thank her later she thought, They all would.
P.S. A little fiction about Kldraia Enja, a Villian I created in City of Villians. Many of my other characters in both City of Villians, and City of Heroes have Enja's lab as their origins.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Death Penalties (in games)
I strongly dislike the death penalty in Hellgate london. Why? Because it encourages you to stop playing.
Dying in Hellgate: London gives you an XP penalty for 5 minutes. Because it is timed, going afk for 5 minutes is encouraged. I much prefer the penalty of City of Heroes, where instead you just accrue XP debt, effectively cutting XP gain in half for a set amount of XP. Though, in a game where enemy level is often dictated by character level, it ends up not being much of a penalty at all.
P.S. It has been way too long since my last post. I need to come up with something I can make more regular posts about.
Dying in Hellgate: London gives you an XP penalty for 5 minutes. Because it is timed, going afk for 5 minutes is encouraged. I much prefer the penalty of City of Heroes, where instead you just accrue XP debt, effectively cutting XP gain in half for a set amount of XP. Though, in a game where enemy level is often dictated by character level, it ends up not being much of a penalty at all.
P.S. It has been way too long since my last post. I need to come up with something I can make more regular posts about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)