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kaliban Blog

BROWN!!i

Never have I been more excited to see a big brown truck that I was this past monday! I was school girl giddy when i heard that backing-up "beep beep beep". My girlfrien accepted the package from the UPS man as I sat bouncing on my butt, on the floor inthe middle of the living room where I hadlayed out all my tools and peviously owned and newly aquiredparts to my new computer. Motherboard, CPU, video cards, fans, check check check check. OH!Anda brand new copy of Windows7 i purchased just 2 days before.In the box that was opened up beforeeven being set on any flat surface; a seagate Barracuda 250GB hard disk drive, A sony 18xDVD 48xCD DVD drive, and an 88 piece multi-purpose screw kit.

I started to open things up immediately, .... (will finish later)

dusting off the mouse and keyboard

So I got a new job a few months ago and met some new people. One of which was selling his '06 spec gaming rig; well most of it. My machine is pretty ancient. put it this way; when i bought it the 20GB hard drive was considered huge. This new set-up I bought which is a motherboard, 2 ram cards, two video cards, 4 fans and a power supply is a Huge jump in performance for me. the motherboard will be the first I have ever owned that supports dual video cards and had a multi core processor. so yeah; I mentioned this is a HUGE jump in performance for me right? I'm so excited to get his machine up and running, today is pay day and i have direct deposit. I transfered some money to my paypal account and am going to hit up tigerdirect.com to knock some items off my wish list. essentials like descent HDD and a monitor.

i currently have two significant hurdles to my completion of the system. A legitimate OS and a high performance internet connection. on my old system, I had windows XP but got screwed when i took it in for a repain a while back and for some reason when i booted up i got a notice sayin my version of windows was counterfit. I wasn't able to address this as i had moved and it wasn't viable to deal with the people (who MAY have been) responsible for screwing that up. So, I may have to purchase a new windows disc. I may either stick with XP or go for 7, not sure yet as my other friend from work says that he has encountered some game related issues with 7 and recommends XP to be safe.

Next issue is an ISP. I'm currently connected (sort of) with a verizon wifi card. this will not work out when my rig is up and running and i'm ready to go game-a-thon my brains out since it only allows 5gigs of data transfer per month. yeah, I'll probab;y max and double that upon logging in. My most obvious remedy to this is to get broadband internet through my cable company. I do not currently have a phone line in the apartment (which they require) but i don't see that as a big problem. I have yet to talk to them about the upgrade as the cable isn't in my name and the person who's it is in seems to be taking thier sweet time about it.

these hurdles aren't impossible walls by any means but they WILL require some patience to overcome and one thing that i lack when i'm excited about getting something rolling, furthermore done; is patience. Not that I'm going to go ape nuts hysterical and start ripping peoples heads off, I'll just be yanking my own hair out in tremendous clumps i nthe meantime.

Also! there is of course, as i have learned throught many years of getting excited about a process such as this, "the one thing" event. This is the name i have given to that one thing that I have either overlooked or simply just never expected that will pop up at some point in the home stretch to suck the momentum out of a grinning dash to the finish and when finally resolved leaves me with a bummed out foot shuffling dirt drag across the line because rather than the glorious replay worthy finish that i've been looping in my mind, I'm now forced to swallow thae embarassing "tripped over myself and hobbles in for a fourth place pole.

But Hey!! for now, I'm still grinning and my shoes are still tied X). Can't WAIT for Star Wars: The Old Republic!!!

Fable III... or VI

... looks VERY promising. Now that can mean very little when talking about a Peter Molyneux project but maybe he cast his spell on me again because I'm psyched for this ride bouncing in the backseat yellin "are we there yet!?"! As usual though, I've got my wish list and am ready to play fantasy game developer so here goes XD;

-more environment interaction.(Exploration and Combat)

Now i know the touch system is being developed and that hopefully will include picking up and using objects etc. That could integrate well with combat and exploration very well. For example, fighting in a bandit camp close to stacked up crates and barrels, hitting the touch (which i hear is context sensitive) button would tip a crate over onto a fallen opponent or maybe if held down a bit would grab the targeted/closest opponent and toss them into the crates. Held even longer would result in a more brutal or aggressive attack like smashing their head into barrel repeatedly or smashing it to daze them then decapitate them as they lay over the barrel.

For jobs, the hero could find work as one of the ever present dock workers lugging cargo from ship to shore, delivering goods to shops, maybe even be a masseuse/masseur hah! (I know LionHead, they'd do it too if they thought of it haha), Messenger, courier or a bouncer at the pub. And speaking of...

I always liked the pubs in the Fable series. they had that perfect atmosphere, people talking,laughing, drinking, slurring, snoozing, but I always felt like i was not welcomed or am always about to leave because I couldn't sit down. Hero can sit at the bar, get own table and fit with his/her followers/friends or if there are people you've become friendly with spot you they'll yell for you to come over and join them. drink and sing pub songs could be an inpromptu mini game. A dart game would be fitting! maybe it's done on a bit larger board and daggers and small hatchets are thrown (which could tie in to learning a combat technique, maybe). Some non-fatal combat would be a nice element especially to a pub scene; The option to fight unarmed could possibly be universal and could be a unction of the safety toggle featured in Fable 2. It could have 3 settings; 1:non hostiles are safe, weapons and magic are enabled. 2: safety off weapons and magic enabled, hostiles, non-hostiles and rabbits(:P)targetable and 3: full safety, weapons and magic locked all combat is unarmed. maybe the magic button in mode 3 will be for taunts and bravado and the ranged button will toss rocks, mugs, etc.

Hopefully the hand holding feature will have alternate animations for different people like Mr. Molyneux spoke about the greeting emote. like if a male hero (straight) wants to lead another man he would instead put his hand on or across his shoulder. I just think two adult battle hardened burly men skipping hand in hand to the pub looks weird.

(unfinished)

-Expand Hero Customization (broaden influences)

Liked how certain foods had significant effects on the hero's physique but it turned out that there were only a few variations on the one base hero template for each gender. If other influences were incorporated and worked in tandem with the weight and alignment alterations, players could have a more unique avatar than before.

-running places instead of taking a carriage increases muscle definition and strength to a lesser degree.

-Eating alot of meat would bulk up a physically active character (melee fighter) to look like a UFC fighter.

-A heavy drinker could end up with a beer gut rather than outright overall obese and even a red nose.

-Activities like alot of climbing, vaulting, and food like eggs and fruit would make the Hero taller.

-Favoing a particular spell could affect skin tone in abnormal variations like orange/red glow scarring and blackened finger tips as a result of favoring fire spells. General heavy use of magic will pale the skin and probably darken extremeties like finger nails, eye lids, hair, lips.

(unfinished)

Public Perception of Hero

The Good/Evil sway of alignment was developed a bit more in Fable II, I'd like to see it's influence go further than just scaring innocent villagers and a confirming comment from a bandit.

-If a hero becomes definitively evil then they may be unwelcomed in some places and may have to force their way in. Maybe with a rudimentary law and democratic system, the hero will be grudginly allowed entry to a lawful, peaceful town but will be subject to heavy surveillance by security and avoided by citizens and. Other places where evil as the hero may be, if he/she has significant influence and power eg. owns alot of property or a few businesses the hero may be accepted but still not fully trusted.

On the other hand, the evil hero could actually be accepted by the bandits and they could become non hostiles where guards and soldiers would become the regular hostiles. The evil hero could then frequent bandit camps and outlaw towns being fully accepted as one of their own and can be able to buy weapons clothing and equipment and just do general trading like a good hero would in Bowerstone or Oakvale.

Miscellaneous Stuff

-able to contract Balverine condition, changing to beast at night. May be slightly weaker than usual in human form or some drawback to not make the condition too powerful. (curable)

-More clothing options. some simpler clothes and more ways to wear them to allow for more personal alteration eg. toggling a hood up or down on a robe or hooded cape, rolling sleeves up on a shirt, belts as their own piece. applying pattterns as well as just colours. some permanent alterations like removing sleeves. gloves individually applied to each hand (so hero can wear one or miss matched gloves etc.)

-Weapons have sheathes and some can be adjusted to be worn on different parts of the hero;a short or lon sword can go across back or on left or right hip, pistols can be worn on holsters left or right, or tucked into waist band front back or sides.

(more to come)

Lost Planet 2

This Game is going to be a fun ride. I'm quite excited about it. As of now the estimated release date is winter 2010, hopefully they'll throw in some more cool stuff by then. Not to say the game doesn't seem to be incredibly loaded as is but there's some stuff that would make really cool additions. Maybe even DLC if not on disc. Mainly, earning a personal VS or Battle Suit would be awesome. It could be earned through purchase by trading in collectibles found in the environments or it could be a mutiplayer online item. Players could have access to a garage or some similar area attached to the character customization area/screen where they can store their VS and customize it with weapon loadouts and paint schemes.

Players could then have play access to their VS via air drop in campaign or they start certain missions with it. In adversarial multiplayer they can earn the VS drop by a Moder Warfare Killstreak-esque system or earn a chance to call in the drop by accessing one of the Data Posts.

Without that though LP2 is still so very promising and looks to be bounds ahead of its predecessor which was an incredible game itself. I cannot wait to play this game. :D

I just need a better ISP so i can enjoy XBOX LIVE more than I currently am.

Assassin's Creed 3

I wonder if Desmond is going to have a hidden blade when his time finally comes. Is he gonna sport a pistol? For ACIII they're probably going to introduce a hidden boot knife haha. Will the modern assassin armor resemble the Altair's and Ezio's or is Desmond just gonna pull his hood up on his sweater? Are we going to finally be able to access building interiors via windows etc.? changing clothes? I thought ezio was going to be able to change back to his civilian clothesto be honest.

improvements to the noteriety system: have a sway scale that will have the populus start to like or dislike the Assassin. You'll hear crowds cheer when they catch sight of you dashing across the roof tops. If you are very well liked by certain factions they will automatically intervien if the assassin seems overwhelmed. this could also affect unlockable hiding places like a traveling merchant's wagon etc. the opposite as well, displease the masses and they'll alert theguards of your location,

bring back interrogations just incorporate the new mechanics like grabbing the target and holding them over a ledge or out a window.

Have simultaneous assassination jobs while working with another assassin, that could also be a multiplayer mode too.

I'll write the rest when i can pry myself away from Venice long enough X)

Jade!! Patrice!!! read this!! good stufff yeah?!! you know you love it. you can use it just hook me up with a copy of AC3 eh? eeeh? collector edition (wink wink)

clone it? learn from it? influenced or plagiarized?

Saddens me whenever an innovation in gaming influences future games and simple fools jump up and blubber out "clone! clone!" yet if a post innovation game comes out and dares to exclude a key feature the very same ones are the first to call the game backwards and 'not next gen' because it doesn't have cover features or the main character isn't some gloomy emo anti-hero that hates everyone or swears constantly and blood comes out of even inanimate objects. Make your damn minds up what you like and stop raining on everyone else's quality games you bunch a whiny 'bored' gamers. Woe be to all the super mario bros. clone cause they have a JUMP buttom. And btw, God of War did not invent beat em-up action or chain weapons.

StarWars The Old Republic Dev. doc.

just watched the Developer Dispatch: Diverse Worlds Documentary video on www.swtor.com and these are my thoughts;

Man! I'm savoring every second of gameplay animation I lay my eyes on. The art style of the game is just beautiful and brilliant.

At the rate things are going there are only two (2) things that concern me with regard to the greatness of this game when it's complete and they are; The release date. Painful as it is to accept, it is accepted. And the final System Requirements because more than likely they are going to be over my head and budget. None of this will be anything to argue with though. I'm just really excited to see this game come to life and play alongside the masses of eager fans who have waited as I have to play out our own StarWars Jedi or Bountyhunter or Smuggler fantasies and thanks to BioWare, feel like we belong there. tall order? I have faith these guys can fill and will fill it.

No levels, what?

My reaction to the concept of no character levels put forward in the upcoming Secret World MMORPG and to the (negitive) reactions by other gamers to this concept:

Brilliant damnit! Not the only way to go but a very good direction indeed. Removing the leveling and the amount of attention that it requires will by itself make the game a different breed of MMORPG. You know how it's always said that a great story is key to a great game, and usually it's the major pull factor of a new game. In my opinion, as far as MMOs go the main pull has always been Leveling and the story is just the means to do so (if players even care half the time). I mean, what do developers do when the create a new expansion? Increase the level cap, right? Yeah sure they put a new story arc and maybe a new boss or two but i Guarantee if they put all that in with no new level cap how many maxed players are gonna sign up for that new tour?
Just because there is no leveling system doesn't mean there is nothing to work towards guys. Mr. Tørnquist said the game is skill based which could mean you can learn a skill and through combat improve it's power and stats and eventually master it.
I'm really excited about this game. I love the modern setting idea. The MMORPG genre is one of my favorites and i love innovations that make a title stand out. I don't see the no levels thing as an MMO minus something, to me it's a whole new feature and a significant innovation that could well push the genre in a promising new direction.

Old gun, new particle effects

Innovation. A new, novel concept. Innovation is one of those stand out words that gets attention and taxes the claimed innovator with very high expectations from their audience. Rightfully so. the nature of this business; Interactive Entertainment, is such that a claim such as 'Completely Innovative! Brand new! Never been done before!' is unforgivable if it is a hair's breadth shy of one hundred percent truth.

Videogames, compared to say, movies; require more than passive involvement to entertain. Given this level of interactivity, a misrepresentation of a gameplay type element can usually be felt out with an hour or so of exposure. in a movie, the use of a preconstructed framework, say for story develpoement or the actual story itself can go undetected or be forgiven depending on how well the post construction frills manage to distract it's audience.

if a developer calims that their interface is brand new, from scratch and it isn't; It'll take your average gamer not very long to detect familiarity then eventually realize that this is the same interface that was in that platinum selling RPG only it's been re-skinned and flipped on it's X-axis.

it's one thing to be inspired by someone elses work. But calling Innovation when all you have is immitation, that is not flattery, it's plagiarism.

Question: where is the line between Plagiarism and Utilizing an industry standard? Is it when an idea is so freakin amazingly groundbreaking that there is no way from that point on to approach that equation without implementing said phenominal concept or risk having your work deemed incomplete.

-whats that? no chain gun? this FPS stinks!

my thoughts NEVER come out the way i think them, or even in any intelligent form. case in point: All of the above.

DAMN LYSDEXIA!!!!