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The curtain raises slowly. A hush falls upon the audience. The light dims and the spotlight slowly drifts to the center of the stage. A great man sits with his legs crossed. Opposite him is me... nervously trying to sort my question cards. The banter between two RPG Maker titans begins... Hello I am your host of Inside the Gamer's Studio, Games Lipton.

Credits to Strangeluv for this interview.

INTERVIEW WITH UPRC




The curtain raises slowly.

A hush falls upon the audience.

The light dims and the spotlight slowly drifts to the center of the stage. A great man sits with his legs crossed. Opposite him is me... nervously trying to sort my question cards.

The banter between two RPG Maker titans begins...



Hello I am your host of Inside the Gamer's Studio, Games Lipton.


SL: *adjusts monocle*  Our first guest is UPRC, current Game and Demo moderator and former Site Administrator of GamingW... How about you tell us a little about yourself? We want to know about UPRC the man first. The titan. And also tell us how you got interested in amateur game design.


UPRC: A little bit about myself? Right. First off, I am not a person, I am a genetically enhanced bio-computer. UPRC is my serial number.

(audience chuckles heartily)


Actually, I am a 22 year old Canadian nobody working as a security guard for the worst company in the world (Securitas, don't work for them!) and I have zero direction in life at the moment except patting cats, drinking beer, and sleeping.

As for what got me into game making, I believe it was in 1999 and I was cruising around the net for something to do in my spare time, and somewhere on the ZSNES forums (of all places!) I found a link to Don Miguel's site. I ended up downloading RPG Maker 95 and tinkering with that for a bit until he translated RPG Maker 2000 the following year. Again, spent a few years with that before RPG Advocate translated RPG Maker 2003.


SL: *scratches chin* So you started to make games. *ahem* What would you say is your main inspiration?

UPRC: The Super Nintendo! I always wanted to create RPGs like the ones on there. Final Fantasy 4 and 6, Chrono Trigger, Breath of Fire 1 and 2, 7th Saga.. Those games ate up so many hours of my childhood, and I guess I wanted to emulate them.

(audience: hmmmmm!)

Those games meant so much to me as a kid and I simply wanted to relive that sense of excitement I got from playing new games from that era. By the time I started making games on RPG Maker 95, the PS2 and all that was already on the horizon so 16 bit RPGs were a thing of the past. I just wanted it to go on, even if it was just me, without anyone to show my work to.

(audience: awwww)


How many of us have motivation like that? To keep going when you have no support?


SL: *wipes a tear from my eye* So what kept you going? What kept you making those games? Do you have a driving force?

UPRC: More or less to just relive the golden age of gaming on my computer. Of course, it's not the same because Squaresoft, Enix, and Gang are not pumping out 2D RPGs for me to play. Instead I have to be the one to put them together, to test them, play them.. And it's fun, even to just play your own games. That's obvious though, because you're making what is fun to you.

Your ambition will be to make things other people will like, but that's not a huge concern of mine and I think the games I've worked on demonstrate that.

(audience applauds)


SL: *nods furiously* I am not alone when I say your work makes The Odyssey look like a darkjak post. Name one or two amateur game projects that you consider your favourites or regard as 'best of the bunch' and tell us why.

UPRC: Haha, here we go! A hard question. I don't think I've ever really played anyone else's RPG Maker game for too long. Maybe a few hours, but I've definitely never finished one.. But the ones which held my attention the most were Final Fantasy: Endless Nova and NigSek. Now, why?

Endless Nova was.. Well, really neat. It had a lot of RTP and the default RPG Maker 2000 battle system, but it retained some sort of really authentic Final Fantasy feel and I really have to hand it to the author. He did a bang up job on that game, it had an awesome setting and was really engaging to play.

NigSek was simply the first 100% custom game I ever played. It's probably the best fully custom game still on RPG Maker 2000 in my opinion because it is just so well made. SovanJedi put so much effort into his attention to detail and crafting a believable world that it's really quite stunning when you sit back and think about it. Good for him.



SL: Yes, good for him! What a chap! So we've talked about other projects. How about you tell us about your projects now - the ones you've worked on and currently working on.

UPRC: I've worked on so much! Alright, I'll just go over the more well known games I've worked on then. Here we go!

Lost Chapters.. That was like my flagship series back in the RPG Maker 2000 day. The first Lost Chapters was absolutely horrible. It had no intro, plopped you into a boss fight against a dancer right at the beginning (who joined your party immediately after), and starred a demon named Exdeath. It was voted "Worst RPG Maker Game of All Time" which is an award I'm very proud of.

There was a Lost Chapters 2 which, while still amateur garbage, received a better reception from Don's minions than the first. I've lost this game forever though, as far as I know. That's a real shame, because I'd love to see it again. Lost Chapters 3 (or Distant Lands as I called it) was some random game where a kid got lost in a cave, fought a demon.. Aged a bit. Basically, a total Breath of Fire 2 rip-off. I'll also say that I made all three of these games in the span of one year (2000-2001).

In between then and around 2004, not a lot happened. Started a few games, only one of which is still available. It's called Z-Saga and is an awful RPG Maker 2000 platformer starring Zero from the Mega Man X series. Don't play it, PLEASE.

Blackmoon Prophecy came afterwards.. I started it in 2004 and canned it in.. 2006, I think? I picked it up earlier this year (dropping the game I had been working on, Reminisce) and I've been working on it ever since. It's sort of my "baby" and I'm having fun watching it grow. Also, people seem to really love it too for it's old-school look and feel which I am forever trying to improve and perfect.



(audience wows loudly!)

SL: *stands up and claps ferociously* This makes the Sistine Chapel look like a Majin Sam comic! How about you tell us a little more about Blackmoon Prophecy?

UPRC: Sure thing. Blackmoon Prophecy is a Final Fantasy fangame set in a fictional world called Gaia. It takes place a year after a horrible war involving, what else, crystals when for whatever reason, the Crystals begin exhibiting strange behavior. Vahn and Hans, two dragoons from the Kingdom of Branch, set out to figure out what the hell is going on. That's a really poor summary, but it's a difficult game to explain since I've worked on it off and on for several years now, changing so many aspects of it.



It's sort of a tribute to Final Fantasy 4 and its old-school gameplay. I wanted to make a nostalgic game, and I think I've got it.. From the sound effects in battle to cheesy dialogue and, of course, to the slow ass walking speed!




You're just a regular old history teacher, aren't you?

SL: Excellent! *strokes exotic goatee* What would you consider the most important elements in game making and do you have any advice for the other young designers on this site?

UPRC: Definitely the story. I've played some horrible games which had wonderful gameplay and atmosphere, but the story stunk and I just didn't care what happened. Storylines mean a lot to me, as does character development.. Which sounds a little odd, because my own game does not appear to have a whole lot (due to emulating oldschool FF). Awesome gameplay CAN carry a game with a bad story, but really.. Will you feel good about playing it after you beat it? I wouldn't.

Fantastic storylines are more engaging and are generally more rewarding to the player as you get involved in the world, its people, politics, disputes.. I love a good story.



As for advice.. This is pretty simple. Remember, we're not professionals here. We're just a bunch of geeky game makers sitting around our bedrooms making our little fantasy worlds so don't try to make something you obviously cannot. Know your limits, or you'll lose buckets of motivation.

Make a game that YOU want to play, not what OTHERS tell you to make. Yes, listening to feedback is good, but if your game eventually turns into what others want, and not what you want, then it won't be fun to make any longer. Understand? Good. Remember, it is your game. Not SSJ_Sephiroth15's game. Please yourself first and him later.



SL: I sit in awe, good sir. I sit in awe. Bravo! Bravo!

UPRC: Super!


The audience gives a standing ovation.

The spotlight dims.

The curtain lowers slowly... Stay tuned for our next episode of IN THE GAMER'S STUDIO.



A picture of UPRC himself, trying to give us a great scare!
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OK well this is a semi awkward topic for this forum I think since 99.9% of the topics are either GAMING NEWS or HELP ME ON THIS GAME.

The Phantasy Star series is (for those who don't know) a series widely popular traditional JRPGs made by Sega AM7. Before this Phantasy Star Online crap this series was awesome and captivated people for quite some time.

Phantasy Star's 1&2 are pretty decent, 3 sucks (avoid it at all costs), and 4 is definitely the best in the series. It was 1993 in Japan when #4 came out, but it wouldn't be until 1995 (even tho the title says 1994, it is wrong) when the game gets released on American and European shores.

The great thing is you really don't need to play any of the other games to "get it". They aren't sequels or whatever to each other PER SE, but take place in the same universe.

so why should I play this game?
It's probably the best RPG on the Sega Genesis for one, and two because while it's a jRPG it has a pretty decent story (a bit cliche in places but well done), with an absolutely funky ending section. It uses a neato battle system that would mark it as the first RPG to have a macro system (you set up something for each character to do, and can choose these in battle). The battle system is kinda alright. You have a party of 5, select all your actions, and all the actions are done based on stats. Pretty basic stuff.

It would also be the first RPG to incorporate the idea of combination techniques (as far as I know) a full 2 years before Chrono Trigger. There are 14 of these combination techniques which you use by having 2 characters use Magic & Abilities at the same time. Using a Foi (fire) spell in combination with a Whirlwind will produce a Fire Vortex, etc.

Cutscenes are almost manga style which is kind of cool, and PS4 also marks the first time deep character interaction was added to the series. Space/planetary travel and such play a pretty important role in the game, as well as using vehicles (which you can fight with, and they are very different than fighting with characters).

So what is the story??
(copied from Wikipedia)
Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium, which takes place in the year AW 2284 (1,000 years after the events of Phantasy Star II), is the final part of the series canon. It is the story of Chaz Ashley, a young bounty hunter, who along with his friends and allies, is unwittingly catapulted into the role of savior of the Algo solar system. The computer network which has worked to sustain Algo has gone into disarray, leading to a series of catastrophes throughout the system. An investigation of the problem leads Chaz and his allies into a confrontation with the dark wizard Zio, whose aim seems to be nothing less than total annihilation. Defeating Zio proves to only be the beginning, and amidst great tragedy and struggle, Chaz and the others must eventually fight against an evil from time uncounted to restore peace to Algo once and for all.


The graphics are decent for their time: but aren't nothing special by any means.

Only bringing this up because I suddenly got the urge to play it again, it's a pretty good game that I'd recommend to anybody who likes a good RPG. It's easily emulated now too, so.

Wonderin' if there's any Phantasy Star/Phantasy Star 4 fans here.
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OK so this shit is going into Freeware Fridays later today, but it is so fun I couldn't hold it back much longer.

http://universesandbox.com/

Description:
Smash planets together, introduce rogue stars, and build new worlds from spinning discs of debris. Fire a moon into a planet or destroy everything you've created with a super massive black hole.

You can simulate and interact with:

Our solar system: the 8 planets,160+ moons, and hundereds of asteroids

Nearest 1000 stars to our Sun

Our local group of galaxies

An unlimited number of fictional scenarios

 

Tinker with your creation or sit back and watch the effects of gravity unfold. It's fun, accessible, and easy to use.

Screenshots:


Video:

You can download it from the site.




Basically, this game is fucking amazing. There is just so much fun shit to do, and it all is just really really fucking awesome, which begs me to wonder why no one has made anything like this before, it just took 1 guy and 1 year. Just wow.
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If you're even a remote fan of Blizzard, you've seen the splash screens and the evil penguin, and read all the speculation on what their next game is. With a webpage take over of diablo3.com after some years, a splash screen that has 5 runes in a pentagram, a face that looks like diablo, a handbook handed out before the invitational that has Diablos face on it, and the evil penguin having 3 fingers like Diablo, it looks VERY MUCH like it will be Diablo 3 for sure.

You can follow this hot topic here: http://pc.ign.com/articles/884/884836p1.html
Or here: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6193003.html?tag=topslot;title;1&om_act=convert&om_clk=topslot

You can see the splash pic on www.blizzard.com or something.

weeee

EDIT EDIT EDIT:
live stream: http://www.mmo-champion.com/index.php?topic=9419.0

the splash screen is no longer an image, but a flash.

EDIT EDIT EDIT:
http://eu.blizzard.com/diablo3/

GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE & CINEMATIC HERE
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The sun is at its zenith. A breeze blows a tumbleweed past my lonely ranch. I wipe my forehead with my dirty handkerchief. I step out on my porch and peer in the distance. A speck approaching me amidst all the dust and dry. I sit on my chair and rock as the speck draws closer... I can see a silhouette now. A lone horseman. What was he doing here? I contemplate whether to get my shotgun but I see he is alone. Heh, a bandit? Or just a wanderer passing through? I chew on my straw. I see it is not a man but a boy. A youngling...

Credits go to Strangeluv for this interview

INTERVIEW WITH DYNE


The sun is at its zenith. A breeze blows a tumbleweed past my lonely ranch. I wipe my forehead with my dirty handkerchief. I step out on my porch and peer in the distance. A speck approaching me amidst all the dust and dry. I sit on my chair and rock as the speck draws closer... I can see a silhouette now.



A lone horseman. What was he doing here? I contemplate whether to get my shotgun but I see he is alone. Heh, a bandit? Or just a wanderer passing through? I chew on my straw. I see it is not a man but a boy. A youngling.


SL: *tips cowboy hat* Whatcha doing out here, padnah? What's your name, son?

Dyne: Name's Dyne, stranger.

I wipe my sweaty hands with my rag. Heh, I like this kid already.

SL: Whaddya want, stranger?

Dyne: Some water for mah horse, sir.

SL: Come over yonder, padnah.

Dyne: Thanks, sir.


SL: Tell me about yer travels while your horse drinks, young'n.

Dyne: I'm travellin' alone.  I live in a town that no one has heard of in Colorado, pretty much middle of nowhere. I'm 17 now. Hobbies, let's see, I used to be pretty into soccer but I'm kinda growing tired of it. I love listening to music, pretty much any genre I can handle - like rap and rock the most. Love to party it up, haha... and I guess I'm a pretty easy going guy, I suppose I'm a "casual gamer", I used to be pretty big gaming nerd but I've kind of lost interest.

Then I got into RPG Maker, I think I was just browsing like a ROMs site or something and found a link to it and thought it was the coolest thing ever... This was in like 2004 I think. Actually, maybe earlier cause I had RPG Maker 2000 before 2003.


But the only kinda game I know is blackjack... I guess I ain't been to town in a while, heh.


SL: Ayuh. Games, huh? Is this like blackjack? Tell me what you like in them games.

Dyne: I'd say one of the biggest I consider is consistency, such as in graphical, storyline and dialog terms. I hate seeing games with just random rips thrown around into one thing. I like everything to look pretty consistent. Another important thing is gameplay, of course, to give the game some appeal.

I've played a million RPG Maker games with the normal default battle systems and it's the ones with something added to them that I like the most. So that's another important thing - creativity added to the gameplay.


SL:  *takes out pipe and lights it* Creativity, eh? Where's a young lad like ya gonna get creativity?

Dyne: All over the place. Other people's games, commercial stuff, movies. When I see something I like in something else, I try to expand on a good idea. The game I'm working on now, Western Story, I consider as "Fable meets Old Western Movies".

Music also gets me thinking about things too and sets me in the mood. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of Coldplay and Radiohead and such. I guess, abstractly I just zone out and work to that kind of thing. It just helps me work more efficiently.


SL: Heh. Radiohead? Dunno what that is but tell me more about them games. I ain't know of none of these games. I'm in'nerrested in them games! Tell me the best 'uns so I can see if I can get 'em one day.

Dyne: I have to admit, when I was younger and first getting into this stuff, the Legion Saga series really sucked me in. Now, I don't know how well they're regarded nowadays, but when you're like 12 or so those games were cool. Just seeing like 3 complete games made my some kid was pretty impressive. I had a lot of admiration for that.

I am also a big fan of Barkley. What a funny game and props to Tales of Game's, haha. It's because it has that kind of originality I'm talking about in gameplay - it could have had just a boring battle system but instead did things differently, sort of like the Mario RPG's.


You're a regular ol' John Wayne!


SL: I guess you like your battles with lots of excitement! Yee-haw! So you're the lone rogue gamer of the Wild West, huh, kid? I wanna know what you've done.

Dyne: I have had so many projects, I'm like Silver4Donuts. Haha. But seriously, it all began with my silly Legend of Zelda fan RPG. I don't know why but that thing attracted a lot of attention at GW. Like, way too much. Maybe it's cause I hyped it up so much. Anyway, eventually I lost interest and moved onto a more serious attempt, some game called "Until the End". I worked on that and turned out a demo that went well, but I eventually realized I was being way too ambitious.

So I think I just bounced around for a while and then, I dunno where it came from, I started making a little game called Western Story. I think I was like, listening to music and I heard something from one of the Wild ARMs games. And I realized that that kind of deserty setting was pretty awesome. So thats what I've, very slowly, been working on. I've released a demo and I think it's my best bet as far as releasing a full thing.


SL: Western Story, huh? Now there's somethin' a rancher like me would be interested in!

Dyne: Well, the game is essentially like what I said earlier, Fable meets like... The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly... or something like that. It's meant to be somewhat open-ended, with lots of other things to do besides "the main plot". In fact, the main plot is really just a way of advancing and discovering new places and towns to do even more within.



The plot iself isn't really that big a deal, you're an adventurer/cowboy named Roy Williams looking to make a name for yourself. You go out and do jobs and such and you build up a renown.



There will be some central antagonists but it's really not too serious. It's light-hearted and really meant just to be fun.






SL: Whoa, padnah! Hold yer horses! Don't get cocky now!

Dyne: I think a lot of game makers at GW, like myself, are overly ambitious. A game with a billion night and day and aging systems is never gonna be finished. Just set out to make something creative and fun, I guess, it doesn't have to be serious. When UPRC was making his game Reminisce, sure, it wasn't ground-breaking, but it was fun and enjoyable and it was nothing overly complex. A Home Far Away is also a great example of just making a game with the intent to entertain.

We just have to remember we're not really pros here, and a bunch of us are probably not going to strive to be pros (I'm not) so don't set so many crazy goals.


SL: *shakes hand* Looks like yer horse's done drinkin', stranger.

Dyne: I better be on my way... it was nice meetin' ya, padnah.


I never saw the young traveller again... but ever'day I think bout that young man's journey and wish 'im well. Maybe one day he will be the fastest gamer in the West. We can only wait and see...



A picture of Dyne... making all the cowgirls swoon.
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http://forum.gamesradar.com/viewtopic.php?t=120121&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

For the lazy:
Quote
Limbo of the Lost, developed by Majestic Studios and published by London based G2 Games, appears to contain locations with striking similarities to places found in Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivionas reported by GamePlasma

Limbo of the Lost:


Oblivion:



















Quote
Bethesda have been contacted:
Danielle Woodyatt, PR Representative for Bethesda wrote:
We aren't going to comment. Screens pretty much speak for themselves. Legal is looking into it.

Quote
This was posted over on GAF, and it turns out that Oblivion wasn't Limbo of the Lost's only 'influence'.
Step forward Thief: Deadly Shadows.

LotL:


Thief, Deadly Shadows:


Quote
Looks like they added a few skulls to throw us off the trail.

But wait!

The skulls are an item from one of the Diablo games:


Quote
"Wall of the Eyeless, Bone Shield"
http://battle.net/diablo2exp/items/normal/ushields.shtml

Quote
Surely the game's trailer would be free of such blatant plagiarism...

Limbo of the Lost trailer (skip to 02:40 if you can't bear watching it all):
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/28891.html

Looks just like this bit from the Spawn movie, but with a colour change (00:24):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KMYx8lG59A

Just before that, at 02:36 in the Limbo of the Lost trailer, you also get a glimpse of the chapter 2 level 6 boss level from PC game Painkiller:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJniAgD5wT0


Limbo of the Lost is actually on shop shelves right now:
http://www.game.co.uk/PC/PointandClick/~r330135/Limbo-of-the-Lost/

I wonder what other games and movies they've stolen from? Laughing


EDIT - more stuff from further on in the thread.

Morrowind's Orcish armour:


LotL:


Quote
The weapons are from Morrowind too apparently.

Quote
Interview with the devs:
Quote:
Gordon: So have any more recent games influenced your current project?

Steve: The project is more influenced by film and literature rather than other games, we want the experience to be as original as possible and as such we have made a calculated effort to keep away from other games in the genre. Limbo of the Lost is an experience first and foremost, secondly wrapped up in a game media and genre.

Gordon: During the long gestation for this game, what sort of changes have you made to bring it up to date.

Steve: All of the game (apart from initial background story and some character designs) had to be re-written, all the characters had to be created in 3D and animated, all the background scenes re-created, all the sounds, coding and music?..basically everything had to be redone or newly created for the PC version. This is not an old game that has been dressed up. This is the original concept, dusted off and re-created.

 :fogetlaugh:

LotL:


Diablo 2:


LotL:


UT2k4:


LotL:


UT2k4:


LotL:


Painkiller:


Quote
Vampire: Bloodlines spotted:
http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=848828&st=20#
http://pc.gamezone.com/gamesell/screens/s29203_4.htm


Pirates of the Caribbean spotted:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11552930&postcount=218


Some of the dialogue from the trailer (the bit with the daemon speaking) has been lifted from Rune:
http://www.inkslinger.org/writing/samples/writing/writingsamplerunescript.html
Quote:
The dead do not welcome the presence of the living, warrior. You remind them of all they have lost.



Press release has been issued by the US publisher:
Quote:
– Tri Synergy, Inc. ( www.trisynergy.com) would like to publish an official comment regarding recent comparisons of level design and artwork between Majestic Studios’ Limbo of the Lost and Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion/Eidos Interactive’s Thief: Deadly Shadows.

Tri Synergy is just as shocked as everyone else is by the recent screenshot comparisons. At no point during our dealings with Majestic Studios up until the point that the comparison was first publicly made by a third party did we have any knowledge of these similarities. Additionally, Tri Synergy will discontinue distribution of Limbo of the Lost in both retail and online outlets.

We have contacted the developer, Majestic, and are anxiously awaiting their response. As soon as we know more on this matter we will issue another statement.

More information about Tri Synergy is available from www.trisynergy.com.

Quote from Wikipedia:
Quote
After the revelation, others looking into the game discovered environments and features that appeared to be taken from other games including:

    * The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
    * Black & White 2
    * Unreal Tournament 2004
    * Unreal Tournament 2003
    * Diablo II
    * Thief: The Dark Project
    * Thief: Deadly Shadows
    * a CryENGINE2 Tech Demo
    * Silent Hill 4: The Room[citation needed]
    * Return to Castle Wolfenstein
    * Sea Dogs[8][9]
    * Painkiller
    * Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
    * The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
    * Hexen
    * World of Warcraft[10][11]

Other scenes appear to be taken from live action films: one from the 1997 film Spawn, Beetlejuice [12], another from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and several more from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.[13][14]

Quote
(Also from Wikipedia)
Similar screens revealed the company's theft of graphics goes back even to the original version for the Amiga.

These guys are completely sickening and I hope no one buys this game. The amount of blatant plagiarism here is completely...well, sickening is all I can say.

I'm speechless. How did these guys think they could get away with this?
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A picture from LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation 3, coming out later this year.


A long time ago (say, the previous 2 generations), both of the following ideas would of been preposterous: microtransactions and UGC (User Generated Content). For the longest time gaming has always been shown as a world the developers create, and the player roams in, and that's all there is. They define the rules, you play their experience.

Now, these ideas have (over time) gone out the window. No more is the game just about what the developer wants. Even if its small steps for a lot of game series', more and more games are letting the user have input. Halo 3 lets you have near infinite customization of matches and has a map editor. Crysis has a complete map maker utility. StarCraft and WarCraft are both RTS that are somewhat well known for their extensive and powerful map editors, both of which have created game modes that are still played today in e-sport competitions (Defense of the Ancients). As well, no more is a game WYSIWYG. Now you can purchase say, a NEW LOGO to create your team in Madden for a few cents, or something to that extent. Microtransactions as well are becoming more and more prominent.

Microtransactions, quite honestly, are nothing but a way for a developer to make extra much needed cash to make bigger/more original projects/not go bankrupt. Sure, they cost a few cents (or maybe a bit more), but a lot of people eat this stuff up (especially fanboys). It adds up, especially when 99% of the time the microtransaction probably took like, 1 minute to make. (OK, maybe not 1 minute...but still.) That isn't to say there isn't well designed/more expensive microtransactions, they just aren't big yet. The new Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles game for Wii has like pretty huge ones!

I don't personally like microtransactions. They are usually things that could of just been added to the game for a couple cent increase in the games cost anyways.

User Generated Content on the other hand, is something I love. The idea that the developer merely sets the stage, not the rules, and the player gets to do whatever, is awesome. And developers know this. UGC games or games that feature UGC are coming out the ass this year and next. It's crazy!

Little Big Planet demonstration.[/center]

UGC has been popular ever since it started going in small steps years back. Players can mod games any way they choose, hell even in some older games the players have basically balanced the game completely. It's pretty much the way of the future, and I think we're going to see a lot of cool stuff with it. I think it's a bit disappointing that there isn't many indie games really going with this, but oh well. :(

LBP is the next step in UGC. Before there was map editors, mods, etc, but these are still UGC set by the rules the developers set. Sure, you can blow like half a year changing those rules completely with a mod (hello Natural Selection) but most of the time a mod is used to change the basics. A model. A texture. What not. LBP is basically, one giant map editor, that you can experience with friends. That's very awesome, but more importantly it's original and innovative.

What's your stance on microtransactions? Way of the future, meh, complete disappointment?
What's your stance on UGC?

Next week I'll be wrapping this short series up with Part IV, a look at things to come.
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I don't really see people talking about the 70s and 80s much around here, so I decided to make this topic. It's no secret this is basically one of my favorite times in music as i was basically raised on this stuff.

I'm just gonna name off some artists/songs/music videos, and we can go from there. 8)

Alice Cooper:

Alice Cooper is notable for besides being 60 and still rocking hard, but also for refining and defining the Shock Rock genre in the mid 60s.

Notable songs include "Welcome to my Nightmare", "Schools out", "No More Mr. Nice Guy", and a lot more. Spanning 25 studio albums, 4 live albums, and 27 singles, Alice Cooper has a pretty huge lineup of music. My favorite album is Trash (came out in 1989), which besides being his biggest hit album since pretty much ~1977, but includes pretty much one of my most favorite songs of all time from Alice Cooper, Poison, which was also his first top ten single at the time since You & Me.

Alice Cooper's "Poison" music video.
The NSFW Version of the above

Billy Idol:

W...who is this handsome devil??

Billy Idol is a Brit hard rock singer, who is fairly popular in the US actually!! He's had a lot of ups and downs, and shit. I'll admit, there's quite a lot of his music I don't like, but what I do like I absolutely adore. He was also a guest star in the Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler too. He's pretty notable for having peroxide hair and being uber sex to women everywhere during his prime.

He has 14 albums and 16 singles so far.

I don't really have a favorite album from him, actually. It's just kinda like, no one album really sticks out to me. However, there are a lot of his singles that I absolutely adore. Namely, "Dancing With Myself", "Rebel Yell", "White Wedding", "Eyes Without a Face", "Cradle of Love".

Rebel Yell, pretty good song imo.

Not only is Dancing with Myself a good song but it has the most ridiculous premise for a music video ever. The song is (metaphorically) about masturbation, and yet the music video has Billy Idol electrocuting himself to destroy zombies.

ok then.

Journey

The 2002 lineup for Journey.

However, I am specifically talking about the Steve Perry (read: only good Journey) Journey. Journey is an American rock band, and well, they just freaking kick asssss. If you don't know who Journey is, then you can like, go away or something. Seriously!! They have CRAZY HAIRSTYLES and Steve Perrys voice is love.

With a lineup consisting of 8 albums during the Steve Perry times, achieving lots of Platinums, these guys rock. I wish I could tell you my favorite album, but they basically all rule. My favorite songs include "Wheel in the Sky" from Infinity, "Anyway you Want It" and "Walks Like a Lady" from Departure, "Don't Stop Believing" from Escape, and "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" from Frontiers.

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) music vid.

LOOK AT THE HAIR, FUCKING EPIC HAIR. (Wheel in the Sky)

There's a couple of other bands I really really like and want to talk about from this era, namely KISS, and such, but I have to get ready to head out so I'm just gonna leave with some epic music vids (they really were crazy during this time)

This is the best music video in the history of music videos. Just the beginning. WHAT IS THAT???I KNOW WHAT THAT IS THAT'S MUSIC!!!!


What bands/songs/albums do you enjoy from the 70s/80s? Even if this stuff is old now-and-days it has a style and just a feeling to it that I really enjoy.
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ok so im going to buy my new uber pc and i'm still deciding between getting a 32 bit one or a 64 bit one

pros/cons of 64-bit

a long time ago i heard they sucked uber dick but goat told me they are like okay or something, and i figure maybe they suck a lot less dick (maybe twice a week?) now so tell me advantages/disadvantage to 64 compared to 32!!!

thanks
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So, I had the chance to sit down with Clucky and ask him a few things about RPGMAKER and get to know him a little better. If you guys don't know who Clucky is, he's a regular poster in G&D but has been inactive for a while. He joined around 2004. But he's returned!

Cred goes to TFT for this interview.

♥INTERVIEW WITH CLUCKY♥


So, I had the chance to sit down with Clucky and ask him a few things about RPGMAKER and get to know him a little better. If you guys don't know who Clucky is, he's a regular poster in G&D but has been inactive for a while. He joined around 2004. But he's returned!



Clucky The Human Being


TFT: So, Clucky can you tell me a little about yourself, buddy? How did you come about getting into RPGMAKER?

Clucky: Well... I'm 15, live in Arizona, etc. etc. Started using rpgmaker when I was around 11 or something like that, I can't really remember. It was a fun way to make blatant Final Fantasy ripoffs.  I'm a huge music fanatic, and so, of course, I love playing instruments. I know how to play guitar, viola, bass, and drums. I'm probably going to be learning piano soon, too. I plan on starting a band sometime soon.

Clucky And The RM Truth


TFT: Do you like the direction Rpgmaker is going?

Clucky:  I'm not really sure. When I first started using rpgmaker, games like A Blurred Line and The Way and stuff like that were the norm. Now it's just stuff like EPICQUEST 4 and A R E N A and whatnot. Although occasionally an interesting game comes around. I know I'm definitely pleased with stuff like Homeland.

TFT: What would you consider important when making an RPGMaker  game?

Clucky:  The first and most important thing in making an rpgmaker game is to enjoy what you're making. It's kinda ridiculous when you're treating an rm game like it's professional quality or whatever. Sure, you should put time and effort into making it look good and be fun to play, but if you're not enjoying it, then what's the point?

TFT: Do you think people tend to make RpgMaker games for themselves or for internet bragging rights?

Clucky: I think there's a fair number of people making games that they truly enjoy. But I've also seen a large amount of people making games to get popular or liked or whatever. It was a much bigger problem about a year ago than it is now, though.

TFT: Clucky...tell me please, about, your favorite RpgMaker in the RM Family. This is important.

Clucky:  It's basically between 2K and 2K3, depending on the project. I like the simplistic style of graphics in the makers, it reminds me a lot of the SNES. I tried XP a few times but I never really got into it; I've always been a fan of drag-and-drop style interfaces. I wanted to learn Ruby, but I could never find a straightforward source. I haven't even touched VX yet. A straightforward learning source, for Ruby, that is.

Clucky The Game Designer


TFT: So Clucky, let's talk about your Rm projects. What have you worked on or currently working on?

Clucky: Right now my main project is Super RTP Adventure, a light-hearted RTP comedy game. I released a few demos a few years back, but I've decided to go back and redo it with better maps, less immature humor, and stuff like that. I've worked on so many projects, though. It's ridiculous. I'm so bad at sticking to one game; sometimes I'll even click "create a new project" and then I'll never touch it again. I have  9.31GB folder full of games.


Recycled jokes!


TFT: Is it fun working with RTP? There are a lot of RTP haters floating around, brah.

Clucky:  The main reason I work with RTP is because it's colorful and fun. That's what I'd like to say, but the true reason is I'm probably the worst person ever at collecting resources. I basically rely on RTP or Refmap because I'm so bad at picking out things that go well together. I don't settle for pure RTP, though; I also enjoy editing the RTP to certain extents. But yeah, even then I really do enjoy working with RTP.


Collectibles!


TFT: Can we expect SUPER RTP ADVENTURE soon?

Clucky: I'm not really sure. I'm a pretty bad slacker. There might be a demo over summer though, it depends on what happens.

TFT: *Smokes cigar* Right. Well, thanks for taking the time to talk to me buddy.

Clucky: Thanks for interviewing me!

TFT: And that's Clucky, guys. So give him a shout out if you see him on the GW streets. And Look forward to his RTP Game, Super RTP Adventure.


Public indecency!


Clucky The Internet Dad



A picture of Clucky before he was arrested for stealing girls hearts : (


All credit to TFT, of course.
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http://www.crackle.com/c/Jace_Hall/Jace_Hall_Ep_1_DUKE_NUKEM_FOREVER_SNEAK_PEEK_/2298717

New footage starts at the 3:00 mark.

So after the amazing amount of dev time this game has gone through, it looks like this is the real thing.

After the crappy trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWuteFLUPSY) I had my doubts of this being good or even coming out this time, but after this new footage, it looks PRETTY GOOD, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it as long as it is Duke Nukem.

For those who don't know what this game is (ie: none of you) here's some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Nukem_Forever
http://duke.a-13.net/ <-- what has happened since Duke Nukem Forever was first started developement til now.
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It was raining heavily outside this old and isolated motel. My car had stopped working on my way home, and I had no other choice but to seek shelter and wait until the next day. I was sitting in my small and cheap room, when the door burst open. A man in a raincoat rushed in, wet and panting. I quickly grabbed my shotgun and aimed at the man's head -- I was always ready for everything, ever since that encounter with a vampire 3 years ago...

This comes from your lovely IGD mod, RPG:
I N T E R V I E W    W I T H    S T R A N G E L U V


It was raining heavily outside this old and isolated motel. My car had stopped working on my way home, and I had no other choice but to seek shelter and wait until the next day. I was sitting in my small and cheap room, when the door burst open. A man in a raincoat rushed in, wet and panting. I quickly grabbed my shotgun and aimed at the man's head -- I was always ready for everything, ever since that encounter with a vampire 3 years ago...

"Don't shoot... I'm human.", said a harsh and trollish voice

The man took off his raincoat and hat to reveal a small indian-looking young man of early 20s. He pulled a cigarette out of some pocket and lit it using a low level fire magic spell. I could already tell he's one of them game making people, rogue warriors who travel across wasteland in search for rips that flow in harmony.



Mysterious man of mystery...


"Kevin's the name, but you can call me Strangeluv.", the man said, without even looking at me.

"Listen mister... this is my room... you'd better get out."

"What do you plan to do about it? Shoot me? Heh, things can't get worse for me anyway, so you might as well do it."

Suddenly I became intrigued, I wanted to know the man's story. I wanted to know what he meant. That's why I asked him for an interview, and so it all started:


RPG: W-Why did you break into my room? You must be a troll! Tell me, stranger, why are you a troll? Why are you a trouble maker?

Strangeluv: I wouldn't call myself a troll anymore but I was one before. This was because I had gotten sick of the usual antics of the gameotus hypus (scientific name for G&D regular). They pushed me over the edge. I had gotten sick of seeing advertisements flying all over the place and none of them coming to fruition. *coughs ketchup*

RPG: I see... so, who are you anyway? Tell me a bit more about yourself.

Strangeluv: I am a 21 year old college student living in the island republic of Trinidad and Tobago. I'm currently studying Environmental and Natural Resource Management and finishing this year. I have a lot of hobbies, though I haven't really worked in excelling in any of them. These include drawing, writing, swimming and playing the guitar. And well, amateur game development. I'm a bit of a mischief maker in real life but I'm an easy-going guy.

RPG: That's cool, but I still can't trust you. I believe that having a good father figure is essential for the development of all humanoids. Tell me about your father.

Strangeluv: *pauses a bit, trying to remember* My dad is a pretty easy-going person as well. He has a big bushy mustache and laughs really loudly. He enjoys Steven Seagal movies and usually rents DVDs like Ghost Rider and The Covenant and wants me to watch them with him.


My dad forces me to watch bad DVDs... but I forgive him.


RPG: Sounds like a fun guy, does he know that you make games?

Strangeluv: No. All my friends know I make games. But my father doesn't really know much about my business to know I make games. I would tell him if he asked. In fact, where I live, people think it is amazing I make games and think it is really hard work. Girls tell me it's impressive and creative. Guys tell me it's cool and "dread" (Trini slang). My sister thinks it's silly, though; but she also thinks I'm a silly person overall.

RPG: Are you?

Strangeluv: I can be, I guess. I don't like being serious all the time. As Jim Morrison said, "I like to regard myself as an intelligent, sensitive human, with the soul of a clown which forces me to blow it at the most important moments." That's me. *dumb smile*

RPG: Is that a book you're carrying? You're into literature, aren't you? A game maker interested in literature... that could be interesting. So, what's your take on the relationship between games and stories?

Strangeluv: Story depends on the type of game you're playing. If you're playing a platformer and much of the game immerses the player in gameplay, you don't really need to have an impressive story. But in my opinion, an RPG NEEDS a good story to keep the player going and not just gameplay. It's what makes the game memorable to people, I think. In an RPG, they're more likely to remember story than gameplay, whereas in a platformer, it's the other way around. However, I think we have to remember games aren't books. Imagine there's a buggy: when you're reading a book, you're more or less in the passenger's seat, just enjoying the view, contemplating what's going on. When we play a game, we want to be in the driver's seat. We want to drive and when we let the story take over the gameplay, it's like you're giving your sister to drive when you really want to drive. So you have to find the balance between story and gameplay if your game has to be story-dependent.


Storytelling is like riding a buggy...


RPG: *yawns* Right... so what's the best way to balance storytelling and interactive gameplay? Can they be combined or are they orthogonal?

Strangeluv: It definitely should be as interactive as you can make it. There are some anomalies that might work also (Hideo). There can even be highly interactive stories with little to no gameplay such as Sunset Over Imdahl. I found that highly enjoyable even though it was just story. On the other hand, we have games like Beloved Rapture, a game that's not fun in the slightest and that preaches on and on about a story nobody cares about. It doesn't even have gameplay to back it up. So if you want to compare stories and there was a spectrum, Imdahl would be one end. Beloved Rapture would be on the other. Sorry, man. Nobody wants to read your text boxes, so, I'd advise against making your game like a book or a movie unless you have a high amount of interactivity to go with it. You'll put players to sleep if you don't.

RPG: That's deep. Well stranger, I think I like you. I don't normally trust people who make games but you seem like a harmless guy. Tell me about the games you make.

*dreamy music starts playing in the background*
Strangeluv: Ever since I was little (like around 7), I always wanted to make a game. Didn't really care what kind of game. This might sound incredibly odd but around that age I used to get like a bunch of copybooks and write out "mock game manuals" for fake games. I didn't really have any good stories, though. They were all recycled stuff. When I first got RPG Maker, I was excited as hell, seeing how easy it was to use and that my goal was a tangible one because of all the available resources. So I decided to make Wyesse. The game still has a weird fanbase but it really is awful. All it had was nice visuals and a story that went in circles.

Christmas 2006, I broke my leg, and I confined myself to my computer. One of my friends gave me Fable to play until my leg healed. nd I didn't even make it past the start. I just liked the atmosphere and I decided to scrap Wyesse and make a new game, A Home Far Away, and make it a very simple story. It's really basically about a little brother and an bigger sister getting lost, stumbling aboard a pirate ship, being dumped off on another continent and have to find their way back home. I worked on it for two weeks straight and released a demo and it was well-received by the community. Instead of a deep, serious atmosphere, I decided to work with something lighter and 'cuter' and I liked the way the whole thing was going. I just wanted my theme to be 'simplicity'. Instead of many towns, there was one. Instead of customizing and customizing with numerous weapons and armour, I confined all the characters to sticking with the same equipment throughout the game. Oh, and well, some mini-games because I think the RPG Maker DBS, for the most part, sucks.

I also released another game, Spike Lee's Joint, which was just mini-game oriented and starred Psyburn as a boy trapped in Spike Lee's movie sets.


Yo ho! A Pirate's Life for Me!


RPG: Wow, you're like a living legend, man. Where do you get inspiration for your games from?

Strangeluv: Wherever I can, I guess. Literature, film, music. I read a lot and I watch a lot of movies. When I'm making a game, I would listen to classical music like Moonlight Sonata or maybe some James Horner soundtrack stuff or Neil Young. But a lot of my inspiration comes from other games posted here as well. I've tried to put aspects of Homeland, Rainbow Nightmare, Rose Chronicles, Wilfred the Hero and Sunset Over Imdahl in my games because I admire the creativity that was put into those games.And some commercial games also, such as Majora's Mask, which I've pretty much based the second half of A Home Far Away around. But sometimes you have to bang your head against a wall to get what you want out of it. Eddie Murphy just called. Told me to tell you to eat a dick. Don't steal too much. Don't be a Ciel.

RPG: Uh... that was random... So I take it you mainly make story-oriented games? Would you consider making a game where story isn't the primary focus?

Strangeluv: Storytelling is definitely what I enjoy more when making a game, but I won't sacrifice gameplay because of that. But I'd say no, I can't see myself making a platformer or any game, which primary element isn't story.


I don't copy, I imitate...


RPG: Well, I'd love to learn more about you, so tell me your favorite....

Book: The Catcher in the Rye, because I feel like I could always relate to it, a tragic character such as Holden. Hating hypocrites but sort of one himself, intellectual but failing classes.

Movie: Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

Song: The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter

Animal: Kangaroo

Videogame: Conker's Bad Fur Day

RPG: That's cool man. I can tell from your skin tone and your weird accent that you are from some fantasy land beyond the end of the world. You said it was Trinidad, right? Tell us more about the exotic place where you live.

Strangeluv: *looks sad and homesick* America's too big for me. I don't like driving for an hour to get to the grocery. In Trinidad, I just have to drive for twenty minutes to get to anywhere I want to go; grocery, mall, friends' houses, cinema, restaurant, pool hall. But there's a lot of kidnapping and murdering, so that's the downside. I don't really hate it here because I've accustomed to the fact that whenever I go out, someone can snatch me, have my pops pay ransom and still chop me up and throw me into the river. *pauses to smoke*

It's weird to say that! But that's how a lot of us live, I think. Hopefully, things will get better later on. Americans don't know how good they have it, though, with their cheap everything. Prices are jacked like double or triple than they should be here. So yeah, enjoy your Wii! I don't even know anyone who has one because it's so rare here. Still... our beaches are nice.


Life is tough... but we manage


RPG: *wipes a tear* You look the leader type. Is it true that you're aiming to be an admin at GW?

Strangeluv: Yeah. I'm taking over soon. I'm what you can call a rising star. The days are numbered....

RPG: What do you like about GW anyway? Why don't you move on to something bigger and better, like RMN?

Strangeluv: I like the community - most of it. I like to make games and I think there a lot of smart guys at GW, so I appreciate the comments here. There are a lot of smart guys here, overall, and I like talking to them. That's what keeps me here, I guess. That, and habit. But I've taken many breaks from GW, some of them spanning months, because it gives me a headache sometimes.

RPG: Do you have any future projects now that you're done with A Home Far Away?

Strangeluv: Yes, I'm working on "The Kids' Guide to Vampire Slaying", an AGS with bloodbath and Frankie. We're planning to release it sometime this summer.

Suddenly, my finger slipped and I pulled the shotgun trigger, sending a bullet right through the stranger's skull. He simply smiled, to my utter astonishment.

RPG: Y-You're alive!

Strangeluv: Heh, of course... you can only die once... *throws cigarette on the ground and puts it off with his army boot* Looks like it stopped raining outside, thanks for having me in, pal. Just remember: Make your games for yourself, not your friends, if it's just a hobby for you. Make it a fun experience for you but if you want to share it with others, listen to what they have to say about your game. You may not agree with what they have to say but it should always be there in the back of your mind. You can't please everyone and that should never be your goal. Just don't put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy yourself. It's a hobby, not labour.

With these touching words, the man who identified himself as Strangeluv left my room. I watched as he walked in the direction of the rising sun, his huge bastard sword hanging majestically across his back. Eventually, he faded away into the horizon, only the memory of the encounter lingered, and the text of this interview.

Strangeluv... I hope we meet again... I'll be looking forward to playing your vampire game.



Strangeluv before the operation


All credit goes to RPG, I'm just posting for him.
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[/center]

So what the F*CK is this game?
Wolf Team is a free online FPS, for the PC, made by Softynx. The idea is that you can transform into a freaking werewolf besides being a human with guns. Whoooah.

Whats the system reqs?
I have no idea, but it runs just fine on my Piece of Shit pc, soooo

HOW DO I GET STARTED??
http://wolfteam.softnyx.net/

Register your free account.

Download it from the download page.

Enjoyyy.

Controls: http://wolfteam.softnyx.net/02_about/02_control.aspx

WHAT GAME MODES DOES THIS GAME HAVE?
*Deathmatch: This is actually Team Deathmatch. 2 teams of up to 10, face off trying to reach a point total, or have the most points by the time limit. Both sides can be human/wolves. If you kill the leading scorer, you get an extra point. If you kill someone 4 times, and they kill you 4 times, you become Rivals, which gives you more Weapon Points (WP) iirc.

*Destruction: Red team gets to plant a bomb. Blue team gets to defuse a bomb. You only get 1 life per round. Either side may become human/wolf at any time.

*Conquest: There are 5 nodes on the map. Take them over and have the most nodes when time ends to win!

*Wolf Conquest: Like above, except one side is human, and the other side is wolf only.

WP???
Each time you kill someone, you get WP, which lets you select from different weapon sets. (btw, go to the shop and buy shit when you start out)

Kill streaks give you tons more WP, double kills give you more WP, a headshot gives you more WP, killing your rival gives you more WP, capturing a node gives you more WP, and killing the king in a DM gives you more WP.

WHO DA FUK PLAYS THIS DUMB GAME ANYWAYS?
So far on GW we have:
*me
*Chef
*Lars
*AznChipmunk
*MaD
*dx

GIMME ALL DAT SCREENS:






Maybe if we're lucky grandmaster Chef will give us tips...
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080602/sc_livescience/keytoallopticalillusionsdiscovered


This is fucking amazing and while still just a theory basically makes a lot of sense.  Even if 1/10th of a second isn't much (damn...Nicholas Cage can see more than we can....fuckin Next....) that's still PRETTY COOL.

what are your guy's thoughts on this?

It's pretty crazy imo.

I wonder if there is some way to possibly manipulate it into longer durations or something, if true.
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So, the trailer for the sequel to Far Cry (read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Cry) has been released.

You can watch it here:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/34524.html?type=


It looks pretty interesting. The world looks pretty vibrant, even more so than Crysis, and thats interesting because generally for the genre the world is always so....dead?

I wonder if the specs will be higher than Crysis tho.

I did find it ironic they have all this fancy word shit and yet a flamethrower still can't light grass on fire. (realistically, it takes like, what, 30 seconds in that video?)

wtf? :/

I just hope the AI isn't as repulsively broken as it was in Far Cry.
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In this article, I am going to talk about the most popular/more known PvP RPG games + talk about all they do their shit differently, show videos, and crap like that. Afterwards, we can all talk about games we PvP'd in, if we liked them or not, if they were fucking retarded, and how much we own (so hard).

A Comparison with "The Big 3"
In reality, there is probably 3 big games known for it's PvP now and days. That isn't to say other games (Shadowbane, FFXI, EQ2, etc.) don't see action, but you rarely see people ACTIVELY talk about them elsewhere.

Game #1: Fury
www.unleashthefury.com

Cost: Free to Play, Buy to Play, and Pay to Play accounts available, with various benefits/restrictions.
PvP focuses on...: Hella fast action, button mashing, being able to discern what the fuck is going on.
PvP Game Modes: Vortex (advanced CTF), Elimination (4v4 Team Death Match, 1v1 Death Match), Bloodbath (deathmatch), Carnage (Players versus Players versus Bots)

I'm not going to post vids of this game, simply because combined with the graphics engine, and any type of low detail video recording, you will not be able to tell what is going on, because you can't tell in-game half the time anyways.

This game used to actually be good, at release, but Auran went bankrupt, and fired everyone but like 3 people, and those 3 people completely changed the game so that they can get more money or something.

The latest patch has actually fixed a ton of shit everyone was complaining about, so if you like FAST AND CRAZY (RANDOM) PvP this is FOR YOU. You need a really awesome computer though.

Game #2: World of Warcraft
www.worldofwarcraft.com

Cost: ~40$ to buy, 15$ every month after the first.
PvP focuses on...: CC's (roots/snares/etc) and burst damage.
PvP Game Modes: Duels (1v1), Arena (2v2,3v3,5v5), Battlegrounds (various XvX, has CTF, capture nodes, kill enemy leader, and such, not really high end PvP tho in WoW.)
Videos: http://www.gomtv.net/videos/119 (Rogue vs Rogue, 1v1, tournament in Korea) NOTE: I am looking for high quality videos of Arena like these, in 2v2/3v3/5v5. If any guys have links to these would be gr8

World of Warcraft is pretty decent PvP when you realize that it's imbalanced to all hell, thanks to gear + items + shit like that. A lot of this is minimal in Arena with some items/abilitys not able to be used, but that doesn't change the fact that the game is very Rock-Paper-Scissors. Yes, you can beat someone you're not supposed to...if you get lucky/they suck real bad.

If you really like MMORPGs, it's a pretty sure fire way to get a damn good PvE, with a fairly ok PvP. But, it's obvious Blizzard didn't make WoW a PvP game first. But if you really enjoy both sides, then WoW is a really good pick, for sure.

Gameplay revolves around using CC's to remove people from the enemy team from the fight the longest, utilizing burst damage to kill someone (thanks to CC's, pressure kind of sucks, it's all about spikes), and minimalizing positional plays, as well.

The game has a lot of classes, that all provide different experiences from each other, but minimal variety inside the class. Most mages are going to be Frost w/ enough Arcane for counterspell and shit, most Druids are resto, and there might be 1 other viable spec but that is it.

Game revolves around doing a long PvE experience to start doing high end PvP as well.

Game #3: Guild Wars
www.guildwars.com
(crappy PvE screen, I'll find a better one later.)
Cost: To buy everything for PvP: 60$ in their online store. And nothing after that.
PvP Focuses on...: Positional plays, skilled teamwork to accomplish goals, skill usage.
PvP Game Modes: Random Arenas (4v4, random teams), Team Arenas (4v4, selected teams), Hero Battles (1v1, each person has 3 AI guys they setup), Alliance Battles (12v12), Hall of Heroes (8v8, many maps), Guild versus Guild (8v8, super advanced games of CTF + kill the enemy leader combined. Guild War's highest PvP level.)
Videos: QQ vs EW(Celestial Tournament, a world tournament for big money, epic game, 27 minutes long, showcases how awsm Guild Wars is, with splits and shit like that, requires XviD, ~368mb to download highly recommended, pretty famous match)

Heroes Ascent video, pretty ok quality. Not exactly the best builds or anything anymore, but you can see how good it can get in HA here. (GvG is more what everyone plays tho at the top level)

Here are things that make Guild Wars different in the PvP scene (read: from MMORPGS) :
*everyone has max gear from the start (not everyone has mods for their weapons, but I added the cost of buying the Item Unlock pack to the cost up above)
*every character has an equal chance versus everyone (holy shit its not R-P-S???)
*every character has some form of self-heal and rez allowing splits (where your team splits up) to happen
*there is little CC's (only snares) letting positional play mean a ton
*8 skill skillbar (enhances strategy)
*two classes per character (not forced into any one role)
*characters can weapon swap during a game to change their elemental armor bonuses, spellcasting bonuses, and such,
*templates let you build a character in mere seconds.
*thanks to an amazing (and unique) healer class which isn't just BIG HEAL WITH LONG CAST TIME/SMALL HEAL SUPER QUICK/UBER HEAL TO SAVE ASS/DEBUFF REMOVER 24/7 and intense physical classes and such, and a lack of CC's, burst damage isn't a focus always. Spikes still happen, but generally at important parts of the game where you get a power play. Pressure works grand, as does burst damage. Gives you options on how to do your shit.
*Common skill types make getting into the game and understanding stuff much easier. You see a Signet, and you know it's a free (no energy cost) skill, with a semi long cast time, and probably a long recharge.

The end result, is that assuming you buy the PvP Kit, all skill unlock packs, and the item unlock pack, from their online store, you will be able to load a maxed out, ready to PvP character, in under 10 minutes.

Personally, I've tried all 3 of these games, and Fury used to be pretty ok on launch. I would of kept playing it, but they fucked it up. I'm hesitant to try it again now. World of Warcraft is ok, but not my favorite because it's still very much PvE first, and the PvP is too much about controlling your opponents, instead of controlling space. Position means very little in WoW, just how much you're preventing the other guy from doing his shit.

Guild Wars is something I've been playing forever and everyone knows I like it, because it let's you actually do stuff. The characters are varied. Sure there are character classes, but even among just Warrior's there are these builds:
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:W/any_Steelfang_Slash_%22Coward!%22_Warrior
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:W/any_Backbreaker
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:W/any_Magehunter%27s_Smash_Warrior
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:W/any_Dragon_Slash_Warrior
http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:W/D_Harrier%27s_Haste_Axe

Each of those play completely different from the other. Sure, there's a basic mentality there (kill stuff) but the way you go about it is a different experience, and the stuff you have to watch for is different. Other MMORPGs don't really have such a depth to their character classes, not nearly one that is that good.

Ultimately, I play Guild Wars because it's way more balanced than everything else out there, and there's no real grind to be good. In fact, even if you don't buy the skill unlock packs and shit, you will earn skills by killing people. It'll just take longer to get all skills unlocked.

What PvP games do you play now, and why? If you don't, why not? What's your favorite PvP game of all time? What was the worst PvP experience you've had? Best PvP ownage? Worst PvP ownage? How much do you OWNNNNN?

I'm also open to people who have vids of high end WoW/Fury PvP in high quality, I tried to find some but all I got was random BG shit in low quality for both.
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After being up for quite a long time, Blizzard Entertainment asked the owner of the domain Diablo3.com (a fansite) for control of the domain, and he gave the domain over to them willingly.

They said they were like protecting their trademarks or something, but it's pretty bs because Diablo3.com has been around for ages, and well known, and Blizz has known about them for ages. With applications asking for people to work with people from the Diablo team, it looks like Diablo 3 is coming dudes. Or something related to it.

Thoughts?
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Made by CollegeHumor, Street Fighter: The Later Years is a 9 part series showing what the characters of Street Fighter (the video game) do later on in their life. It is now over, and all 9 episodes are done.

Enjoy...

Episodes:









Special Effects Videos:

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Welcome to Issue #4 of the Saikyo Dojo, your #1 stop for getting called a scrub for caring too much about canon in a fighting game.

Blazblue Videos
So those guys who made Guilty Gear (that game with that guy who looks like an anime swordsman who has a rival who is another guy who also looks like an anime swordsman. And a guy with a scythe. And a giant fucking robot. You know....that game.) have had vids of their new game released. It looks PRETTY FUCKING COOL guys.


Mitsurugi...I...am...your....father.....
So yeah, there's a vid of Darth Vader + Yoda gameplay in SC4.

Video:

In addition, here's another video showing MORE MOVES from both:

You can discuss these in this thread here (make sure to tell Steel he's a fag for liking Star Wars canon):
http://www.gamingw.net/forums/index.php?topic=3595.80

Personally, I think they both look fun, and they'll both be available on both consoles after a certain time after release. Darth Vader looks more my type of guy tho. Yoda looks really bland.

Lui Kang, Sonia, Jax, Katana, Jade, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Batman....wait what?
Yeah...so....Midway + Mortal Kombat is teaming up with DC Comics in a move that makes little sense as they both kinda suck.

Vid:

You can discuss this atrocity here: http://www.gamingw.net/forums/index.php?topic=5366.0

I'm not gonna say anything because I do not like Mortal Kombat.

And DC Comics kinda sucks.

Street Fighter IV and King of Fighters XII
Well, Street Fighter IV's seemingly come a long way, and it certainly looks a lot better now, with a roster so far consisting of: Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Zangief, Guile, Blanka, E. Honda, Sagat, M. Bison (Dictator), Vega (Claw), Balrog (Boxer), Dhalsim, C. Viper, Abel, and Rufus. 15 Characters! Woo!

King of Fighters XII hasn't had much info at all released, but by george does it look pretty.

Who do you thinks gonna kick more ass? Capcom vs SNK is a very old rivalry when it comes to fighting games, so this'll be interesting, me thinks.


Videos of the Week
Street Fighter IV - Sagat vs El Fuerte (WARNING: LOUD.)
TIGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER

Garou - Mark of the Wolves: Bisse vs Me, Two Buster Wolves collide...or do they...
Bisse and I were fighting and we both did Buster Wolf with Terry Bogard. WATCH WHAT HAPPENS??

Battle Fantasia - Ashley vs Freed
Jesus christ. Ashley's player setups a super hard infinite, and well....Freed isn't too happy. Watch what happens next.

Garou - Mark of the Wolves: Dong vs B. Jenet
Heh...his name is Dong...

Super Turbo: John Choi (Old Sagat) vs Daigo Umehara (Boxer), EVO2k4
This match rules.

Street Fighter 3: Third Strike Combo Video: Perfect Being (Gill)
If this guy wasn't already banned for being on consoles, he'd be banned because of this shit...

Street Fighter Alpha 3: Dan vs Cammy in a tournament
You do not fuck with Dan

Hope you enjoyed reading this....til next time...keep the Saikyo Spirit strong....
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First up is SPLATTERHOUSE. WHOOOAH.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167518

I'll have pics and stuff whenever I get my subscription issue, bet on it.

EDIT:
Meet Rick....2.0
http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3167542&p=4

Second up is Golden Axe:
http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3150629

wtf...where is my...dwarf guy.....


And the one you've all been waiting for...


Earthworm Jim...

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=18353

Virtual Console. New Game. New Cartoon. New Movie.

 :fogetgasp:


I think this is going to be interesting. Splatterhouse COULD be good, Golden Axe don't count on it, and Earthworm Jim....I fucking can't wait.

Add on stuff like Street Fighter IV and shit to the mix, and it looks like we're in for a bit of retro revivals in 08. Thoughts?