I got the game that shall not be named up and running, and by gum, it’s actually really fun. They nailed the feeling of the world, the environments, the look, everything about making the world feel like (awesome intellectual property). And the crafting, holy smokes, y’all, I’ve tried crafting in every game since 1997, and this is the only one seamlessly integrated into the actual GAME. And I can make level appropriate, cool stuff, right off the bat. Without a craft bot. Or poking out my eyes with superheated coat hangers. Or carpal tunnel. Too bad their entire account creation process is designed to make any normal person not even bother! Instead of thirty free days, I got… eleven. I’m afraid to call CS again, though.

But anyway. The answer to the Three Endings Riddle:

Continue Reading »

Another article for the good people at The Escapist. This one’s on casual gaming.

Now, as I said last time, I’m vastly improved by being edited. But the guy who edits me (who, in a vastly amusing coincidence, got his start by writing for the same website I did at the same time I did – it’s a small, small world, be NICE to people on your way through it) and I disagreed on the ending sentence.

Continue Reading »

Another Second Life story.

I have no words. Unless BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA is a word?

How many professional errors can you find in this sad but true story?

Continue Reading »

Why does anything to do with computer products have to be masterminded by morons? (Because the concept of a community specialist translating Engineerese into sensible patch notes hasn’t reached the hardware industry, and the text is usually written by someone with no more understanding of their subject than… your average English major.) Continue Reading »

New York Times

“The decision, by Judge Ronald Whyte of the District Court for the Northern District of California, said, “At this point, there has been no showing that violent video games as defined in the Act, in the absence of other violent media, cause injury to children.” He continued, “In addition, the evidence does not establish that video games, because of their interactive nature or otherwise, are any more harmful than violent television, movies, Internet sites or other speech-related exposures.”

Of course, the Terminator himself is planning to appeal. Because thousands of people roleplaying elves are so much more dangerous than the millions who watched him rack up the highest, most realistic body counts of the 1980s. Asshole.

Goin’ Nerdcore.

These guys don’t strike me as being up there with the masterful Jonathan Coulton, but they sure are entertaining. And in the article itself, I cracked up at the “cool” guy making fun of the whole thing. That’s the trouble with the trendy, they tend not to see the counterculture for the accessories.

http://www.zenimax.com/zol_pressrelease08.01.07.htm

Oh yeah, baby.

ETA: It’s not called Bethsoft Online because it’s not in Bethesda. The online studio is in Hunt Valley, MD. I didn’t know who Zenimax was, either, until people I knew joined up… but I’ll betcha everyone will know what Zenimax is within the week.