Anyone have a million I can borrow?

Deep Silver offers a one million dollar copy of Saint’s Row IV

Logan Blosser posted this item on Aug 9, 2013

Deep Silver has announced that there will be a new edition of Saints Row IV coming out, with only one copy: The Super Dangerous Wad Wad edition, for one million dollars. The costly pack includes:

• Saints Row IV : Commander in Chief Edition
• A full sized replica Dubstep Gun
• A full day of spy training
• A trip to space with Virgin Galactic
• One year’s membership of E25 Super Car Club and a Lamborghini Gallardo to make it worthwhile
• Plastic Surgery of the purchaser’s choice
• A shopping spree with a personal shopper to create the ultimate Planet Saints capsule wardrobe
• 7 nights for two at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington
• Hostage rescue experience
• A brand new Toyota Prius and insurance to give something back to the environment
• 7 nights stay in the Top Royal Suite at the Burj-al-arab with flights for two

To order, you have to email makemeasaint@deepsilver.com, and then preorder it here: GAME

[SOURCE]

Wizardry Online–A design review

I thought I would shake things up a little bit.  Since there are a metric butt-ton of review sites out there, I want to start taking a look at the design of the game to see if it’s really worth playing.     As the first of these series of posts, I’m taking a look at Wizardy Online. 

As per the website, “Wizardry Online is the most hardcore fantasy MMO ever created. The difficulty level is insane. The dungeons are brutal. There is no auto-healing. You will earn your levels. Your crimes taint your soul. Your allies could betray you at any moment. And when you die, you die forever. Are you ready for the challenge?”   Sounds, to me like, holy crap!  a MMO that plays like an RPG!

yeah..    about that…

Wizardry Online has got to be the most effed up design I’ve ever seen in an MMO.    Not just the technical problems (granted the game IS only a few days old, as of this writing) but just the game design itself.   I understand that this is pretty much a jRPG that was converted to the West, but seriously, who in their right mind thought this was a good design in the first place?

Would I recommend this game?   Not really, it make be an interesting time waster; but all and all I believe you’d get bored with in a week or so.   I doubt I’ll put much more time into it, myself.  

Let’s list out the some of the design issues:

02/01/13:

1. When you try to login you are met with a ’Connecting’ screen.   This, to me, is not the same as being told I’m in queue to log in.  Just telling the user that you are connecting is frustrating because you don’t know what the program is doing.   On top of that,  there is no other feedback besides the words “connecting”, not even scrolling dots or anything to advise you that something is happening behind the scenes.
2. You can’t change any of the video/audio option until AFTER you have connected to the game!?   Seriously?! 
3. Can’t have lag if you are making an action game with jumps, which Wizardry Online does.   Being killed by Lag is a serious flaw in the design and proves that the code/servers weren’t  ready to launch. 
4. Controls don’t need to be this complicated.  It seems in trying to make a ‘realistic RPG’ the design required non-MMO standard and complicated controls.  Which it doesn’t.    Really, who puts emotes on the combat skill bar? 
5. The ‘Permadeath’ is bit misleading since you can’t really die unless your not paying attention.   When you die, (either from lag or being stupid) you still have 15 minuets to get back to a resurrection statue and be resurrected.   I do not know if  this amount of ‘fix me’ time gets smaller as you level, but nothing so far has shown me that death is really a problem, unless you go AFK for a while to close to a mob spawn point.
6. Extensive server/code maintenance the first three days of being published is telling me that A) The code wasn’t production ready and rushed.  B) Your Quality Assurance team didn’t do their job or you didn’t listen to them.   I feel bad for your team having to go into crunch mode because management didn’t listen.
7. Text takes WAY to long to display.   It looks cool, but it gets old after you have waited 5 seconds for text to display that you could have read in half a second.  Waiting for the ‘flashy’ text render to display the text is frustrating.  I want to PLAY, not spend 10 minutes of my session waiting for the text to display.
8. I must confirm taking a mission, really?   I need to confirm if I want to turn in a mission?  After I’ve already clicked on the NPC to take the mission?    
9. Bottom line, too many clicks to do anything.     Which also tells me that the game was created in departments that didn’t really talk to each other, could also explain the total lack of QA.

02/02/13

1. Massive log in lag, people have been reporting being in queue for hours.  I know it’s a new launch.  But there is NO reason for this.   The excuse giving was “we didn’t know it was going to be this popular.”. Seriously?   What that tells me is that no one was watching the net or your forums.  Along with the lack of QA and cohesion of the design, this does NOT give me confidence in the on going management of the game.
2. English translation lacking in some areas.   For example, using ‘depart’ in the channel selection form.  ‘Depart’ doesn’t even make sense in this context.
3. So far I’m seeing VERY Cliché story lines.  Being a role-player (Pen and Paper, RPGs, and MMOs for a number of years) I’ve seen these tired stories and missions many times before.   What’s more problematic is that the stories don’t even follow the theme that was set up from the beginning intro movie and newbie missions.    The game into talks about you coming to the town in order to adventure and claim your stake in fame and glory.    Then the game seems to forget that aspect and sends you on standard ‘go kill 10 of these’ missions.
4. Wizardry Online reminds me MUCH more of the original ‘Bards Tale‘ series more than anything from the Wizardry series.
5. Because of the into I was disappointed to see a Hub based system.  I was hoping for a sandbox setup, since the whole intro is talking about adventuring being the ‘big’ thing.. and then you can’t adventure or explore.  You do what you’re told.
6. Seems that every two steps someone stops you to have a char or start a cut scene.  This is very annoying.
7. Now you can click to fast display text… Sometimes?
8. As with any MMO, Forced grouping sucks.  No matter what your ‘numbers’’ say,   it is not fun running around with people that don’t know how to play.  Even worse when you’re shoved into your first dungeon and pretty much have no hope of moving forward unless you group or grind for more than a few levels.

1st Dungeon: Caligrase sewers

1. Long load time even on an empty channel.
2. Mobs re-spawn way too fast for low levels to make much (to any) progress.  Which means you will spend many hours in ONE area, not getting much XP because you are too weak to move forward and deal with the horribly fast re-spawn rate. Which isn’t much fun.
3. The Town needs weeded..  seriously.
4. Would think the inn and equipment vendors would be closer to where they are needed.  Not a map load screen away.    For a town set up to allow adventures to make their mark, why would the most needed vendors be so far away from the gates?
5. Every time you level you need to click eight times to see what skills you powered up.    TOO many clicks, for no apparent reason.
6. Use F to interact with everything… except people!?    Consistency doesn’t seem to be one of the primary design ideas.
7. Report missions.. Not turn in?   I think this is a translation issue.
8. Camping is almost worthless for mages because it doesn’t really do anything for your mana.   And why do you need to camp when you have a spring to drink from which heals 75% of your health/mana?
9. Two clicks to return to town is annoying.   The ladder is out of the way and not something you are going to press F on accidently.   
10. the whole process to Buy/sell items and equipment is very annoying and not thought through and makes the process a complete test of mental strength.
11. View distance is lacking.  To me, this denotes need for engine update already.  There doesn’t look to be many polys being shown, but everything is bathed in a fog and greyed out like 3 feet away from your character.
12. What’s up with the shadows?  They Flickr, along with a extreme haziness to everything.  This is not creating atmosphere its hard on the eyes
13. Server downtime again.. And bad link to the forums from the launch pad.   (wow..)

02/03/13

1. This patch updated the intro.. Really? So many problems with the game already and you ADD another click to log in!?
2. Login worked.. Load times are MUCH faster.  Like playable faster.   (though now there is yet another click before you click to log on..)
3. No help info on what items means.. WTF is the ‘Hardns‘ of an item?   the HARDNESS?   OK, and you couldn’t make the window a little bigger to say ‘hardness’ and a mouse over?
4. And servers down again…

Guild Wars 2 a review…

I have been playing Guild Wars 2 for about 1 1/2 weeks now, and am having more fun in this game than I have had in all of my years in World of Warcraft.  I cannot explain it, but the game’s mechanics are so different and so refreshing, other games just seem to pale in comparison.

The game is not made up of the typical MMO formula of quest hubs (in which you move through the world by going from quest hub to quest hub, collecting a bunch of quests, completing the quests, turning in the quests, and moving on to the next quest hub).  As you explore the world of Tyria (the setting of Guild Wars 2), you encounter what is known as "heart quests", in which you perform a number of actions for an NPC in the area. As soon as you enter the area, the quest is assigned to you automatically.  Once you complete the quest, you receive the reward in your in-game mail (which can be accessed anywhere in the world).  Heart quest givers are also karma vendors… as you gain karma completing events, you can buy items from each of the karma vendors.  Items available from karma vendors are typically better armor, better weapons, or hard to find crafting materials.

As you explore the world and complete heart quests, Dynamic Events spawn near the heart quests.  Dynamic events are group based events that require the cooperation of multiple people to complete the event.  The more people involved in the event, the harder the event becomes.  There is no need to accept the quest or form a group… you are automatically assigned the related event quest.  If you participate, you receive a reward. 

This brings up one of the nicest facets of Guild Wars 2 – this game encourages cooperation.  There is no such thing as kill stealing.  If you help kill a monster, you get experience and can loot the monster.  Harvesting nodes are instanced, so everyone can gather from the same node.  The game actually encourages people to work together.

Profession skills are all tied to the weapon currently equipped.  Skills are unlocked the more you use a given weapon.  You automatically receive new weapon skills as each one is unlocked.  Swapping weapons equips a new set of skills.  Daggers and swords tend to have close-range skills.  Staffs are typically AOE based skills.  And sceptors are typically range based skills.

Add in skill points (challenges that give you skills points to unlock utility skills that are in addition to your profession based skills), vistas (locations in the world in which you need to figure out how to get to the vista point, which unlocks a beautiful cut scene showing the surrounding area as seen from that vista), scouts (NPCs directing you to interesting activities and quest hearts in the surrounding area), jumping puzzles (attempting to reach an elevated area that contains a chest of goodies), and a really nice community, this game has everything I want and need in an MMO.

I won’t kid you… Guild Wars 2 is a difficult game, and is not something you can face roll through.  You need to dodge – mobs are smart, and will modify their attacks based upon how you react.  Because of this, it tends to attract a more mature and serious gamer community, one that prides itself on helping others and working together towards common goals.

ArenaNet (the developer of Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2) takes pride in their creation.  The are quickly working on resolving in-game bugs and issues, and actually listen to their player base. 

I can honestly seeing myself playing Guild Wars 2 for years to come.

– Wayne Fisher

There will be a new Carmageddon..

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stainlessgames/carmageddon-reincarnation/posts/235088

Kickstarter Project Update 13: YOU DID IT! AWESOMES!! This Project is FUNDED!!!

http://www.kickstarter.com

We MADE IT! Thanks to ALL OF YOU for the support and backing so far! As you’ll see, I don’t have the power of speech or typing completely down at the moment (some would say, most of the time…) as I’m STUNNED at the speed it’s happened this weekend!

================

I’m happy as hell!  this was one of my favorite game series brought down way to soon by management that where scared of loosing a few sales over idiots worried about running over people for style points..

Minecraft 1.8 is out

The title pretty much says it all..    

[official Site]

Change log:

+ Added a brand new biome generation code that simplifies life a lot and makes things much more exciting for the future
+ Added new mob; Endermen
+ Added FOV slider
+ Added brightness slider
+ Added randomly generated ravines
+ Killing a monster makes it drop experience orbs
+ The player can level up by gathering experience orbs
+ Added randomly generated houses
+ Added huge mushrooms
+ Using bonemeal on small mushrooms grows the mushroom into a giant mushroom if there’s room
+ Rewrote the light rendering to use multitexturing instead of direct colors
+ Sky light and block light have different tints, cool colors for sky light, warm for block lights
+ Added critical hits that deal +50% damage, plus an extra point to make crits with weak weapons worth it
+ If the player hits a mob while falling, they always hit a critical hit
+ The game now keeps track of damage sources and types
+ Some damage type ignore armor now; drowning, being on fire (but not being IN a fire), falling out of the world
+ Ice now only spreads next to existing ice or from coast areas
+ Made the explosions prettier
+ Made level height depend on a single variable (the level height still is 128, but it’s more moddable now)
+ Added sprinting
+ Added hunger
+ Food is now stackable
+ Improved the logo
+ Added suspended particles to water
+ Added a server list so you can remember multiple servers
+ The player regenerates slowly while the food bar is high
+ Eating food now takes time
+ Skeletons hold their bows better now
+ Added melons
+ Made melons and pumpkins farmable
+ Animals that get hurt will flee randomly for a short while
+ Pigs have snouts now
+ Made a flashier title screen
+ Looking towards the sun during sunset/sunrise changes fog color
+ Added fence gates
+ Added a player list to multiplayer
+ Added Silverfish
+ Added Cave Spider
+ Added huge underground dungeons (stronghold)
+ Added underground mine shafts
+ Added melon
+ Added sprouts for melons and pumpkins
+ Added vines
+ Added iron bars
* Fixed mushrooms spreading infinitely
* Fixed caves generating with too many dead ends
– Removed Herobrine

Free Witcher 2 Patch Adds Horde Mode, Makes Things Darker, Harder

Free Witcher 2 Patch Adds Horde Mode, Makes Things Darker, HarderThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Version 2.0 will be a free patch that gives PC gamers a new tutorial system, a survival arena mode, a difficulty-increasing dark mode, oodles of patches and all of the previously released download packs.The free patch hits Sept. 29. All new installations of the game will update automatically.The patch\’s Dark setting is meant to be nearly as difficult as Insane difficulty, but allows players to save the game. It also includes a new set of high-stat, dark-themed gear. All told the new difficulty setting includes 18 new equippable items, three new sets of dark armor and three new sets of dark swords.The developers said that the game\’s new Arena Mode will be an excellent place to test out all of this new equipment. In Arena Mode, players face off against a never-ending stream of monsters including werewolves. Each wave ends with players getting to choose from three different prize. Players can also hire henchman to help out between waves or shop for gear and enhancements. Once you die, you can review your stats and share your tally on Facebook.The patch will also include the game\’s 100 previous patches, 20 new enhancements, and these previous DLC: Troll Trouble, Roche Commando Jacket, Ultimate Alchemy Suit, Ultimate Magical Suit, Ultimate Swordsman Suit, Finisher Pack, Mysterious Merchant, Barbers and Coiffeuses and A Sackful of Fluff.

via Free Witcher 2 Patch Adds Horde Mode, Makes Things Darker, Harder.

Sony announces PlanetSide 2

Really?   PlanetSide 2?   Did anyone ever play enough of PlanetSide one to warrant a sequel?    

Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold!

Source: 2K Games PR

Vaporware no more! Gaming’s most legendary hero makes his triumphant return this June

Windsor, UK – May 24, 2011 – 2K Games and Gearbox Software are proud to announce that Duke Nukem Forever®, one of the most anticipated entertainment properties of all time, has “gone gold” and will be available at retailers on June 10, 2011 internationally and on June 14, 2011 in North America. The road to gold was paved over the course of 15 years and its legendary path climaxes on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Gamers who pre-order the title from select outlets will ensure that they are among the first to experience this legendary piece of gaming history when the demo* launches on June 3, 2011 for all platforms, exclusively for Duke Nukem First Access Club Members.

“Duke Nukem Forever is the game that was once thought to be unshippable, and yet here we are, on the precipice of history,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Today marks an amazing day in the annals of gaming lore, the day where the legend of Duke Nukem Forever is finally complete and it takes that final step towards becoming a reality.”

Created over the span of 15 years, Duke Nukem Forever was first developed with the intense passion and commitment from an inspired group of dedicated designers, artists and programmers at 3D Realms under the direction of game industry icon, George Broussard.

“Duke Nukem Forever and its journey to store shelves is legendary,” said George Broussard, creative director at 3D Realms. “It’s an epic tale of four game development studios that banded together and did the unthinkable and shipped the unshippable. When you play this game you will be reminded of that epic journey at every turn and in every small detail of the game. The character, attitude, interactivity, gameplay and political incorrectness combine to make a Duke Nukem game a unique gaming experience. In the timeless words of Duke Nukem it’s finally time to ‘Come Get Some’. Come be a part of gaming history.”

In 2009, after many believed that Duke Nukem Forever would never be completed, a small team of intrepid developers, known as Triptych Studios, resurrected the dream. Through their inspiring and steadfast commitment to the game and their exemplary talent and skill, they finally assembled the pieces to create an incredible, epic and cohesive gameplay experience. Under the production of Gearbox Software, Triptych Studios, Piranha Games and many other contributors joined together in a heroic effort to complete the long awaited game as a polished, full-featured triple-A title.

“Always bet on Duke, I did,” said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software. “I bet on all of the developers who have ever been a part of this legendary project and I bet that none of us want to live in a world without the Duke. I’ve played the final game and it is an incredible experience – a once-in-a-lifetime opus of interactive entertainment that reminds me once again why Duke Nukem is our King. The developers of Duke Nukem Forever at 3D Realms, Triptych, Piranha and finally at Gearbox deserve our thanks and respect for never giving up and have truly shown us that they have balls of steel!”

Strictly for the biggest Duke Nukem fans, the First Access Club grants members exclusive access to the pre-release demo on June 3, 2011 so that they are amongst the first to experience gaming history in the making. There are multiple ways fans can join the exclusive First Access Club, by pre-ordering the game from select retailers or by purchasing the Borderlands Game of the Year Edition on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Windows PC.

True Duke Nukem die-hards will want to get their hands on the Duke Nukem Forever Balls of Steel Edition. This package is spilling over-the-brim with legendary content that is not to be missed by those who want the ultimate experience of this historic arrival. Premium items, such as a Duke Nukem Bust and an art book that chronicles the development of Duke Nukem Forever, flank a package that is overflowing with content. Check out http://www.dukenukemforever.com/preorder/ to see exactly how much stuff could be crammed into one box.

Apologising to no one, Duke Nukem Forever is the high-octane video game equivalent of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. Starring the legendary lady killer and alien slayer, Duke Nukem Forever brings gamers back to a blastastic time when games were filled with head-popping, bone-rattling action, brazenly crude humor, impossibly statuesque women dying for affection, and catchy one-liners meant to make you laugh out loud.

Duke Nukem Forever is rated 18 by BBFC. For more information on the game, including where to pre-order, please visit http://www.dukenukemforever.com.

*Xbox LIVE, PSN or Steam, Duke First Access Club token and Internet connection required to access demo.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Flagship’s Mythos to be Reborn Next Year

Flagship’s Mythos to be Reborn Next Year

via 

Dragon Age – 1st Impressions

While December 25th for most people is Christmas, November 3rd was mine. The biggest RPG this side of Oblivion was FINALLY released and that of course is Dragon Age: Origins.
 
Before I get started, I would like everyone to know that I got this for both PC and X360 and I will discuss the specs for each.
 
Installation – Installed in about 10 to 15 minutes to the 360 took about a 1/2 an hr for both my desktop and my Macbook Pro in boot camp.
 
Graphically speaking, the game looks great on my desktop. I am running a 256Gb Over clocked Nvidia 8600GT so I can run most setting on medium to high with little slowdown.
 
Surprisingly, the Xbox’s graphics are a bit disappointing. Some of the colors are muted and some of the faces look a bit mashed and when doing cut scenes there is quite a bit of jitter and when there are many things going onscreen at once, the frame rate takes a hit. And that’s bad considering how great Mass Effect looked 2 years ago and this is keeping in mind that again, I installed this game on my 360’s hard drive.
 
On the Macbook, (Nvidia 9400M) it runs ok with all the settings down low and actually looks pretty ok despite the settings, but it’s what I expected. I installed it on the laptop because I will be traveling quite a bit during the holidays and I don’t want to drag my 360 everywhere I go! I do plan to boost the onboard RAM and I am hopeful that it will help the game run a bit better.
 
Camera-wise, the PC has the best option in that you can go from a 3rd person POV to an over world tactical view which lets you plan on where to move next and formulate your fight plans.
 
Control wise, while the PC has superior controls (as most PC RPGs do anyway) surprisingly the 360 manages to keep everything organized and easy to find using the control pad but still it’s a shame if you are using a mage you are still limited by key assignments where you can place your most used spells.
 
Now, play wise, (***Warning there will be spoilers!***)

I am using a male elf mage on the 360 and a female Human warrior on the laptop. I put this in detail for the very reason to test what I have read so far in that NPCs will treat you different ways and indeed they do! In some areas people will indeed talk down to the mage because he is an elf as elves are the minority in this game and in the other instance many will be shocked that a woman is also a warrior. Thank you Bioware for putting these issues in this game; I have actually gotten to see at least one character react differently to these 2 characters of mine and expect to see more!
 
One thing I have noted so far is that the mage’s origin story takes a little longer to play as that character has to go through an initiation phase to become who he sets out to be and this is even before he is set to become a Grey Warden and something tells me that within that portion, will play itself out later on in the game! As for the choices you make early on much of the mage’s story concerns himself with another apprentice there and his breaking of the rule while in training to become a mage. This storyline gives you a taste of the 1st major decision that will set the game in motion and when that section finishes you will be in for a bit of a surprise and the payoff is nice indeed for it to be so early!
 
The Warrior origin is a bit more straightforward and shorter and involves a family betrayal which winds up in murder. The decision that you make here determines which companion will come with you as you flee for your life.
 
Eventually you start to learn about the Grey Wardens and why they fight the dark spawn. This is where you start to see the difference in this game vs. Oblivion and how Bioware managed to work in so many tried and true stories (Star Wars and LotR specifically)to make the player feel a sense of desperation that the world is looking to you to save it. Some of the places in Felderen while nice to look at does indeed feel dark and dreary most of the time. People are fighting to stay alive and one step ahead of the darkspawn and there is a general feeling that there is little hope left. No one can be trusted but at the same time almost everyone has a story to tell. So, when it was said that this would be a dark fantasy, they were not kidding!
 
The NPC interaction in your party is most interesting of all with just some of the banter that goes back and forth. So, in essence, it’s as you heard. They kid around, tease and sometimes hate each other due to your decisions. You cannot do everything to please all of them but this will test you to see how you get through this game by trying to keep your groups together. Also the dialogue for this game so far is excellent!
 
I won’t get into the leveling system as I feel that it’s something that you as a player would need to see for yourself and tune to your liking.
 
Combat-wise, there is a lot of it and to be quite honest, this could have used a bit more polish as sometimes, it’s difficult to distinguish what you are targeting and hoping that you don’t hit your friends. Pausing constantly doesn’t always work because it detracts from the flow of fighting.
 
10 Hours in, I am very satisfied with this game and I can’t wait to see the DLC the comes out for both systems particularly the PC version since there is a toolset that will keep this game going for longer than the original 80 or so hrs that it will keep us busy! So, if you haven’t done so, run out and get this game because it’s well worth it!