Modding and modding and modding

Sorry for the lack of updates here, but I've been busy with a few things.

First, I took a couple weeks to drive my family around Florida. We followed the Cardinals around for a bit, as well as took a weekend to hang out in Key West.

Second, I've been playing quite a bit of Elder Scrolls Online, and mostly enjoying it. The few bugs I've hit have been excruciatingly upsetting, but I think they got patched yesterday.

Third, and most importantly, I've been working on a Dragon Age mod, believe it or not. I'm not saying much about it yet, aside from I'm having a blast doing it, and I can't wait to put it in front of a few of you folks.

My assumption is that I will be posting stuff here again, but I'll only maintain the M-Th schedule if I don't have any passion projects in development at the time. Until then, I'll probably be sporadic here.

*HUGGLES*

-Blaine

The Weekend Warrior and Videogame Shows

A lot of my fellow developers in my shop are also avid gamers themselves, and we often will have daily chats about what we've been playing. Aside from the mega-releases, we're rarely playing the same thing at the same time, but have often played the same games, regardless.

In talking to one of my buddies here, who is finally in the process of busting his Mass Effect cherry, it's been interesting to a) keep track of his experience in the game, and what he thinks of it, as well as b) to understand how he games.

Like a lot of us here, he has young children, so his gaming time is usually 4AM-5AM, and then maybe a little at night. He finds that if he plays the same game for more than two hours, he starts to fatigue of that game.

I found this very interesting. I have a very difficult time gaming during the week now, so I might squeeze in an hour each day, if I really try to make it happen, but I'll binge like mad on the weekends. I have a hard time really getting into a game unless I play it for a couple hours or more at a time. It takes a while for me to 'immerse.'

I think this spreads out more once summer hits, since I like to be outside on the weekends, and my wife and I watch fewer shows in the evenings during the summer, so I'll get in some game time instead.

Also, there are some games she likes to watch me play, ie Uncharted. I think I may try that with the Walking Dead show. We'll see.

The Videogame Show
I miss the old X-Play and I miss the 1UP Show. I've written about this before, but I finally found something that comes somewhat close (closer to X-Play, not the excellent 1UP Show.)

GameSpot now has a show every Tuesday called The Lobby.

I watched the première episode this week, and really liked it. It reminded me of a blend of X-Play and GameSpot's E3 coverage. It's usually two editors talking, and then they'll bring in other editors to talk about new releases or other topics. It's good stuff. This past week, they talked about GDC 2014, Thief, and a range of other topics. I like the direction that GameSpot is going with their video content.

That being said, I still miss the 1UP Show, and would love to find something that approximates that format. Does anyone out there have a game-centric show that they absolutely love?

Weekend Gaming ... Almost Here
Tomorrow at noon start both the latest ESO beta, AND, more importantly, the first Cardinals Spring Training game of the preseason. It's gonna be some good times tomorrow.

I'd also like to spend some quality time with Thief and find out if I just suck at the game, or if its controls are as wonky as I think they might be.

I also still have some story content I want to wrap up in SWTOR before I cancel it in August, so I may jump in on that if I get fatigued at all in ESO. We'll see.

And of course, there's always Morrowind, which I'm loving in more now that I've got the MGSO mod in there. One thing I'm going to do in ESO this weekend is see if I can get to Morrowind, and do some comparison. Otherwise, I'll just tromp around Skyrim and Cyrodil, and do some comparisons there. Yeah, I'm a nerd, but I'm a happy nerd.

Oh, and this is interesting. An explanation on ESO's 'M' rating.

So. What are you playing this weekend?

Either way, enjoy yourself, and thanks for reading!

-Blaine

Thief, Video Game Shows, ESO, Failbetter Games, and Other Obviously Connected Topics

I fucking love buffets. It's like a human feeding trough, but with better-tasting preservatives and a total disregard for respect of one's body. But it's all (one hopes) great-tasting, and it's a great chance to actually try something new.

And while buffets are great for food, it's also my favorite way to approach blogging. I don't have much of an attention span, and collies make great pets.

More Premature Reactions to Thief
I think the implementation of Thief's mechanics and the level design, in regards to these mechanics, are all under-baked. They don't quite mesh together in a totally silky-smooth way. People keep citing Dishonored as the game that this should've been, but I don't think that's right. I think the game works fine, once you reach the level of control refinement that Titanfall hit. In Titanfall, I can traverse the environment with great ease and it all feels smooth and natural. There's something that's not right about the 'oh shit' moments in this game, in which fleeing doesn't feel right. I kept running smack into things that I should've been able to traverse, but I couldn't.

Granted, this could all be from a lack of familiarity with this game, and it could be that I'm just bitching about it being hard, and maybe I'm a 'newb,' and I'm 'doing it wrong,' but it just doesn't feel right.

I'll keep plugging away at it, but I've already deemphasized the game, especially since ...

Mo Beta, Mo ESO
I'm back in the ESO beta this weekend! And Cardinals spring training games start!

AND WE'RE GETTING MORE FUCKING SNOW this weekend?!?! As a side note, fuck this winter in its stupid fucking ass.

In any case, I'm back in ESO this weekend, which is awesome. As I've said before, I'm super-hyped for the game, and I'm curious to see what changes have been made. Yeah, I could look at the changelog, but why do so when I can find a bunch of condescending pricks to do it for me, and then yell at me for daring to ask what's new.

Actually, I will look at the changelog, now that I think about it.

What's cool is that I'll have some buddies in there with me this weekend, so I'll finally get to, once again, combine cyberspace and meatspace. I hate grouping in most games, since most people, when online, slip into their 'Captain Fuckface' persona, but when I got a real buddy or two in there with me, it's a much improved experience. So long as Joel isn't rushing through like he left his car running by the quest giver.

I don't expect any huge changes in the game, mostly bug fixes, since we're probably pretty close to 'gold,' or whatever the MMO equivalent is, but I haven't really needed much in the game besides some bug fixes, anyway.

I do wish I could lose the subtitles in conversations, though. I can't stand subtitles unless the spoken language is one I don't speak.

Failbetter + BioWare = ?!
So, this came completely out of left field for me.

To put this into clearer context, Failbetter makes some amazing interactive fiction, such as Fallen London, which if you haven't played, I urge you to correct this mistake NOW.

In any case, I'm not sure what the project is, but I know David Gaider, he of the Dragon Age, is a big fan of interactive fiction, so one has to wonder if this is a Dragon Age project ... I would love love love love love love that. I'm a big IF fan myself, so this could be fantastic.

Risen 3: This Time It'll Be Good, We Mean It
Piranha Bytes is a studio that has produced a lot of games I should love, but have not. Games from the Gothic and Risen series are specifically to what I am referring.

Much like I used to say about the Bethesda RPGs, on paper, I should love these games, but I don't. At the same time, Piranha Bytes has a fierce and loyal following, so I'll probably give this series another look this summer, before Risen 3 hits this August.

Wasteland 2
By the way, I failed to mention it before, but I did get some time with the game this past weekend, and I enjoyed it, even if I was taken aback by how old school it really is. That's not a bad thing at all, but it really has been a while for me. I'm really excited to play more and not suck ass at the game. Here's a new trailer!



 

 

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Obsidian's new game, South Park: The Stick of Truth, hits next week, and I'm pretty excited. Obsidian is among my favorite developers, even if their games often require some additional *ahem* refinement after release.

 

Even with some decent gaming sneaking out right now during the 'dumping' release window for publishers, I'm still chomping at the bit for the big RPGs later this year. Ya know, The Witcher 3, Dragon Age Inquisition, Pillars of Eternity, etc.

 

I guess ESO will be here before we know it. Methinks that will do most of the tiding over until my big boy games.

 

As always, thanks for reading!

 

-Blaine