Sideshow & Syrana

I wasn’t really keeping up on the Star Wars: The Old Republic news, so I pretty much forgot about it. I happened to be listening to Polygamerous on Dec 19th when Syrana was on for the 100th episode and I heard them mention it went live that night. I visited the official site and one thing led to another and I had it purchased and downloading when I went to bed that night. It was installed and ready to go by the time I had a chance to play it the next night. From all of the MMO launches I’ve been through, this one was the smoothest. I had no problems getting in, connecting to a server, creating a character, or even playing until I logged out. Everything was smooth. Even when I started playing WoW in 2006 (about a year after it went live) I had more issues. Not a lot more, but more nonetheless.

I first went with the Smuggler class. I decided on Republic at first since I planned on joining a guild I saw a few Twitter friends talk about, No Sleep Till Kessel. I’ll assume you know (or let you go to the main site and read) about the advanced classes and light and dark options your player gets. For my smuggler, I chose the advanced class of Gunslinger since I totally want to be the guy they show in the opening cinematic.

I started three other characters to sort of try everything, 2 Republic and 2 Empire. 1 female and 1 male each side and one of each class type overall. Each side has their own 4 classes, though they’re named different, they have the same basic play style.  (continue reading…)

I need to apologize to a few people.

Sorry, Battlefield 3.
Sorry, World of Warcraft.
Sorry, Lord of the Rings Online.
Sorry, Batman: Arkham City.
Sorry, Minecraft.
Sorry, Rock Band 3.

Skyrim is here. Please, hold my calls (for at least a month.)

I’m completely agree with Mister Adequate’s review over at The Android’s Closet. When I first wandered up high in the mountains and the snow started blowing hard, I felt the room get colder.

This is what I’m currently doing. I was going to wait until 11/11 and buy Skyrim, but I had a weak moment and picked up Battlefield 3 for the PC last week. Everything you see in this video is actual gameplay. The multiplayer is that insane. It’s not to say I’ve had some issues getting to that point with server disconnects and game crashes, but overall it’s not that bad. They’ve fixed a lot of the issues recently. I had a good run last night.

If you’re also playing on the PC, look me up on Origin/Battlelog. It’s more fun the kill work with people I know.

Hi, remember me? Probably not. I sometimes live here.

Anyways… I did enjoy the Cataclysm expansion. They added a lot of cool features. The new zones and the reconfigured zones were both very well done. I now have more characters at max level than I ever have before (3, up from 2.) But, as with a lot of the “end game” stuff, I get bored quickly. I don’t raid, too much trouble. I play, what most would consider, casually. I pop on for a few hours a week and do mostly solo stuff. I do enjoy PvP on occasion, but one can only do Tol Barad and Firelands dailies enough times. Losing Tol Barad over and over is no fun, either. Earlier this week I cancelled my WoW account (again) like I do when I get a little bored of it. I can almost guarantee I’ll be back, just not using it enough to cover the cost right now.

Though, I jumped into the game last year after it became “Free-to-Play,” I’ve been playing Lord of the Rings Online more now. I stopped since Cataclysm came out, but now I’m back in it. Syrana’s dad is also playing, which gives me someone to play along with. It helps a lot. I don’t feel obligate to play since it’s free at the moment, though I can buy add-ons or other things whenever I wish using their in-game store. I think they did a good job with their transition. The game is deep enough to play completely free, but they give you options to have more, but only if you want. You also can gain points playing the game which can be used to buy items. The option to pay monthly is done well enough that it’s tempting, but you can try a lot of it before you buy.

It’s nice to have that feeling that everything is new and exciting, again. I haven’t had that feeling in WoW in a long time. I do like the comfortable feeling of WoW, knowing where everything is and how it works, but sometimes I like to not know what’s going on. I like to learn. I am currently doing that and really enjoying it.

For anyone else out there playing LotRO, I’m currently playing a Warden on server Firefoot. That character’s name is Luminthia, though I also have a Hobbit named Gertbee.

When you look at the Sims, you’ll notice that bar the expansions packs, very little has changed. But that’s putting to one side one big Sims 3 expansion – The Sims Medieval. Introducing a quest system, the game starts to take on a simulation/RPG feel, and it’s innovation like this that could really drive the Sims forward into a new generation of gaming experiences.

The Sims as it is needs to spice things up, as bar rewards and the odd graphical overhaul, not enough has changed. Some people like that, but the problem with nothing changing is that those who aren’t graphical purists won’t see many reasons to purchase a $60 version over one with a few less features and polygons for $20. Whether you’re a fan of sim games or partypoker, it’s easy to slip into the Sims for days, and with less originality in the sequels over time, you’re going to see a drop in the number of people wanting to fall down that rabbit hole again.

So how do you fix it? Well, modernising it helps, and this has happened with the Sims 3 to some degree. They can now chat online, and social media will be the next extension of that. Better AI would also be good, as seeing more realistic behaviour certainly helps (most people would simply run to the toilet even if asked to do somethig else if their “bladder meter” was empty, rather than urinate all over the floor).

We love the Sims, and really want to see the series continue, but with new features to spice things up, and perhaps a few more points in a Sim’s intelligence field! The Sims on consoles had a great story-mode, too, allowing you to complete goals and move through life and houses achieving things at work, at home, and so on. This “real life” aspect to working hard and achieving something beyond more money is a great future direction, but only time will tell. We wait, and we hope.

People of Ironforge. There is not a rogue over here. Move along. (Click for larger)

With Children’s Week coming up, starting today, I thought I’d use a screenshot from a Children’s Week of the past. This is Sideshow escorting the little Blood Elf girl. I think he’s saying, “If you touch her, I will rip out your spleen with my fist weapon.” Or something like that. Click for larger.

Hi! We’re still here, though mostly I’m still here. Syrana hasn’t really had much time to game, especially with the other blog and everything.

I still game pretty often. I’m still enjoying WoW casually, like usual. I hit 85 with one character, my Dwarf Hunter. I know! Sideshow didn’t hit it first. Blasphemy! I’m working on it. I just play Alliance more because I have more close friends/family that play on that side. I don’t mind playing Horde, but it’s not the same without Syrana so I get bored quicker. Plus, I know no one in that guild anymore.

I haven’t played a ton of Xbox 360 stuff recently and even if I wanted to play anything on my PS3, I couldn’t. (*facepalm*)

I did try the Rift beta, but only for a few days. I was not sucked into the hype like a lot of other people. I mean, it was fun and all, but nothing that would make me go out and buy another game and sign up for another subscription. I’ve done that way too many times already and have been burned on it. (*cough*Warhammer*cough*Age of Conan*cough*Aion) So, I’ve stopped doing that. WoW is fine for me, especially since I play casually and I like familiarity. Plus, playing with a few friends and family is enough for me.

Other than that, I really haven’t bought many games lately, which is good for my wallet. The last games I bought were the GTA Pack on Steam for $7.50. So, I got GTA, GTA 2, GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas. Not a bad deal. The last full/new game I bought was The Sims Medieval, which isn’t bad. It’s basically the Sims, but with less “living” to worry about and a lot more RPG elements. It’s done very well. I also dabble at bit in Minecraft here and there creating weird things and exploring. It’s a good relaxing game, except at night when the Creepers are after me.

Pew. Pew. Pew.

Gertbee about to take some target practice on the latest spammer recruits. Either that or it’s a family with horrible creativity in names.

Remember this thing?

I still don’t know how the Dalaran we know today fit inside of that bubble. Took this screenshot back on December 13, 2006.