| Jan. 7th, 2010 @ 03:51 am A long time ago, it was just after lunch... what happened? |
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 Steam and a friend of mine are trying to destroy me. During their recent holiday sale, the now-classic game "Knights of the Old Republic" went on sale for under ten bucks. The basis for the FFN character "Lewis" called me up, knowing I'd been between computers when this game was in its heyday, and suggested I get it. I did, not knowing the path led to the dark side...
Not only is it a time-sucker, it makes me upset about the prequel trilogy all over again. It says something when a game that looks this primitive when compared to current games sucks me in more than a multi-million dollar trio of films could (for more on this, put up your shields vs. inappropriate language, adult humor, and gags about keeping people in basements, and click here). Granted, it's a video game and by definition (at least for me) is more immersive than a movie. However, even the minor characters that should annoy, like a Twi'lek tween, have decent enough backstories that they don't grate on the nerves like a caffeinated Gungan might. It's got a ton of flavor that enriches the Star Wars universe, and I'm not even a third of the way through the game!
It does have some quirks that are kind of unique to its version of Star Wars, partly from being a d20-based video game (which adds to the nostalgia for me) and being a role-playing game (as much as a video game with speech-selection trees can be):
1. Jedi can be a lot more practical about defeating enemies. Yeah, I've got the Force and can wield dual light sabers and all that, but I'm going to chuck a few grenades at that guy in the cape to soften him up, first. Then I'm going to shoot myself full of chemicals to enhance my strength, dexterity, and other attributes, flick on this energy shield, make sure my cybernetic implant is jump-starting my brain, and strap down these goggles that help me skewer anything that movies. And I'm wearing armor, so you can just chuck those brown robes down a garbage chute. I like this kind of Jedi. If they let you use force powers on things like mines, the game would be a laugh riot of creative ways to gain experience points.
2. People aren't allowed to be morons, for the most part. There are some attempts at humor (I'm thinking of "Romeo & Juliet" mission where everyone meets at the end for a little sit-com spit-taking), but they aren't intrusive. About the most odd behavior I've seen is from the head baddie, who ordered the destruction of a planet (which translates to the bombardment of the capitol city) to take out one Jedi, but he's supposed to be an uber-villain so I'll cut him some slack for lacking finesse or a sense of proportion.
3. It's an RPG, so the whole "good vs. evil" thing gets a little wonky. Killing innocents will definitely get you "Dark Side" points, but tearing through someone's house, destroying his droids, and looting every container you find is, it appears, tolerated. At least, after resolving the kidnapping dispute, neither the homeowner or his now-grateful daughter requested I return any of their stuff... which is fine, because I took the occasional hit from his robots' weapons (which I also looted).
#3 hits on something about role-playing games that you always have to feel out be it on a computer or at the table: What bits of the game will feature the technique of the bully? Or, in more common terms, what will the DM or computer game deem a "punishable offense?" Looting in "Fallout 3" is regulated by who owns it, whether or not they're alive, and whether or not they deserve to have their stuff carried away. Human Dungeon Masters will often apply karmic price tags to lifting things, sometimes by sticking you with a crucial Paladin or lawful Cleric NPC who spots your every infraction, or worse, just making you paranoid that the dagger you looted from the guy who tried to kill you at the inn will get you accused of murder if you don't find a way to destroy it down to ashes before the sun comes up.
This is also a game that rewards different skill sets, which a lot more RPGs of every stripe are trying to do these days, almost as a game of "spot the hidden lever." KOTOR will place groups of enemies conveniently near power conduits or gas-emitting vents that can be activated from other rooms (I imagine the guild that made these standard in most places went on to make installing guard rails around long drops into reactors against the law in most parts of the "Star Wars" universe) if you have the right skills. It almost seems that games are punishing brute force, which makes me think we're headed down into "Tomb of Horrors" territory, where if you don't see what the designer had in mind, your might as well start re-rolling your entire party... which is, of course, why you need to bring more snacks to bribe the DM (this is the real-life equivalent of having a "save point," or pretty near to it). :)
Back in the real world, we also have snow. Lots of it, at least for recent history 'round this part of Missouri. Others have much more, so I'm grateful to get away with the scant foot or so we've accumulated. So is the wife, who's enjoying a few more days off from school... though it made me think I could take a few hours off from tending our son and getting stuff finished to play my "Star Wars" game, since I'll have more time tomorrow to work... yeah, that's it...
So I'll tend to my delusions and offer this to help bring down everyone else's productivity:
- Pong. A classic game, now available (to those handy with tools and electronics) in a physical form.
- "Can it run Crysis" is still a meme for questioning the power of a computer. I never had much reason to want to play the first-person shooter, but someone is making a MechWarrior modification for it, and it looks very good. The mechs walking underwater is particularly spine-chilling for some reason.
- So which is more important to you? Your significant other or your Orc statue?
- If you have a few minutes and a phone handy, you might get a laugh exploring the Nestle Crunch hotline. I forgave their use of the word "funner" after hearing the selection on "cooties."
- Yes, it's my second UK tabloid post in one day, but they've apparently discovered creatures in the ocean that have escaped from a Mario game.
- Here's a little puzzle-platformer in an interesting art style: Where's 2010?
- John Travolta is starring in a new action film. This is the trailer. It almost seems a parody, like the "McClain" films from "The Simpsons," don'cha think?
- "Simon's Cat" has had a crossover with the popular YouTube kitty, Maru in "Overseas Visitor". Cute.
- How about an Asteroids-style shooter where you add onto your ship with the bits of your defeated enemies (careful where you place the thrusters)? It's Captain Forever, and it's pretty addictive and Vectrex-y. |
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annoyed
Oh, "Heroes," it seems so long ago that I was smitten with your first season. It was pretty well-scripted, it had mystery, a relatively small cast, a cool villain, and a nifty catchphrase. Since then, things have gone hideously wrong. Our cast keeps getting too big to keep up with all of the arcs, which doesn't matter anyway because the arcs either don't make sense or are abandoned without any resolution. The budget for the program is shrinking, and the FX guys don't appear to be able to convert their visuals to the "less is more" school of filmmaking (I'm always reminded of the huge battle between Peter and Sylar which was reduced to flashing lights as seen under a pair of closed doors). We lost the very cool "Future Hiro" and we're left with "perpetual innocent nerd Hiro." Characters keep making all the wrong decisions, and somehow Claire (the Cheerleader needed to Save the World) has become my least favorite part of the series. With the near constant addition and jettisoning of minor characters, the refrain of everyone with powers "being connected" becomes almost a running gag. Also, in this particular episode, they tied up Ray Park for almost all of the time he's on screen. Unless Ray is known for doing things on camera that can be carried out from a seated position, I don't think they were maximizing his potential. I'll be truly amazed if this series gets another season, because I can't see how someone could follow it and be satisfied with the result.
No spoilers, I assure you (at least, not direct ones. I shall remain cryptic) about David Tennant's final episode as the current Doctor. He will apparently be coming back for a paradox episode, though I hope he complements Matt Smith's Doctor rather than reminding me how much I liked Tennant more. Happily, Smith, for the little time he has in this episode, doesn't do poorly at all. However, he gets less than 5 minutes to "recover" from being David Tennant, but he manages to poke fun at himself, make a few of the usual regeneration comments and give a cry that might become his "allons-y!" Not bad for a new guy. If you want to see more of him, there's a (spoilers ahoy) 
The BBC has created a miniseries remake of "Day of the Triffids" (clips and images can be seen 
anxious
Time to shill for a Christmas gift the wife found for me: "Yummy Earth" brand "Organic Hot Chili Pops." I'm one who is wont to toss some "Dave's Insanity Sauce" in the ol' chili pot (or, at least, in my own bowl so nobody else eating with us has to go to the emergency room), and these suckers come nowhere near that level of heat. I'd put them at highest around Taco Bell "fire" sauce, but the burn is variable from lolly to lolly. Anyway, you can find them 
I was hoping to have a Sherlock Holmes review, but snow kept us at home this Christmas day, so it's postponed for the time being. For what it's worth, "Ain't it Cool News" seems to think it's decent enough, and, thankfully, both reviews do mention Holmes using his genius to solve a perplexing mystery. If that's included, then I'll most likely come away satisfied.