- Best Multi-player
Halo is arguably the best multi-player experience on a console. If it wasn't for Halo and Bungie's dedication to its fans, the market would still be pretty slim. I know there are people out there that insist that Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare series is the best all around but I would beg to differ. The balance of the matchmaking can not be...well..matched and ever Halo game that has come out has been a runaway success and people continue to play each of them faithfully as can be seen with Halo 2 and the remaining 12 on Live. - Epic
Halo has always had a epic story line and with the beta we get to see some of the surfaces of what this game can produce. - Refinement
This is the start of correcting the game. This will allow for a solid matchmaking experience when the final game releases. For those of you who complain about glitches and lag, i'm sorry but you are idiots because this is a BETA, meant for bug finding and refinement of the game. The aggravation now will lead to a solid game in September. - It's Halo
Halo got me hooked on live and now I am a 5 yr member and its doesn't look like I would stop anytime soon. This is Bungie's Last Halo game. well at least for a little while and I would love to see it go out with a HUGE BANG. The beta is going to fun and after work today I will be sitting on my couch, getting beat down like a Noob but loving every minute of it.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Halo: Reach Beta
Starting today (May 3, 2010) Halo: Reach Beta starts up. This makes me excited for several reasons...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Weekly Proverb: 20:11
"It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself . . . If his conduct is pure and right"
- Proverbs 20:11
This proverb rings exceedingly true at this time in my life. All around me people are doing the right things, whether it be in the classroom, church, or out in the "real world". By what we see, these people are doing what is right, and so we think or assume that they, the people are right.
I gave a lesson to my students a week or so ago about motives. I asked them what motivated them, or why did they do the things that they did. Usually, when you ask a student this question, they are in trouble for some nonsense, and the reply inevitably given is . . . "I dunno . . ". This response frustrates me to no end, " . . . how can you not know why you did something? How can you have no idea the reason behind you physically and knowingly doing something you know to be wrong." Then I get the ever popular blank stare while I try to explain that it is not that they don't know why they did it, they just know they did it for the wrong reasons or for there own personal gratification, and they, simply, are not willing to say that out loud.
But on the flip side is what this proverb is talking about. Being a teacher at a Christian school, I get the opportunity to speak to students in a way that most other teachers only dream. I also get to see their spiritual growth as well as their mental. There are always those students who really get into the whole "God thing", they start looking and acting transformed because they feel it is the right thing to do. This is a pretty common thing among new Christians, and I have no problem with this in and of itself. I believe it is a stepping stone, or a spring board into a true relationship with Jesus, it is still new and they are changing the outside in order to change the inside. This, again, is not a bad thing, there are many times that in order to change a behavior we must practice avoiding it to keep from it in our minds and hearts, also, we must sometimes practice doing good things so they will come more naturally (reading the Bible is one great example). The problem comes when those initial spiritual feelings (we call this the fire) fizzle out and we're left with this outer shell that looks spiritual and even acts spiritual but our insides are unchanged or hardened. Some of these students who started out their lives with Jesus so strongly, ended up spending more time appearing to be spiritual then actually being spiritual. This creates a problem, as a leader, because we see them doing the right things and naturally assume that they are doing them for the right reasons.
Who we are, will show in what we do, if I love people I will show them love. If I have a heart for kids, I will spend time with them. To be distinguished, truly distinguished, is not something that others should dictate. Anyone can appear holy and good, it is why they do the holy and good things that make them holy and good. If I were to give $1 million dollars to the poor, only for the good press and to get a nice little tax write off, than I did not really do a good thing. Did it help the poor . . . yes, absolutely. But, for me personally, what I did was not righteous. A person who does good and right because it is the good and right thing to do, should be celebrated.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Life in WoW
I have spent nearly 3 years playing World of Warcraft. It took me, what seemed like forever to get my first toon to lvl 70 (i started in the BC days). It took me so long, partly because, i think, I have ADD. I kept creating new characters and leveling them as well. When I finally decided to hit lvl 70, I focused on my hunter, Ido, who I truly enjoyed playing. I had a real life friend, who got me into the game, who was in one of the top raiding guilds on our server. As soon as I hit lvl 70 he got me a /ginvite and I quickly logged off to play my other lower level characters. I was scared to death of raiding. I was scared to death to try a Heroic version of an instance. I had absolutely no idea what to do or how to do it, but I was certain I was not ready to be raiding. I would ask my friend Kril question after question about stat caps and rotations, about what to do in a raid. He was of the opinion, just do it, but I was not nearly confident enough to jump into a raid with 9 other people just to be yelled at for being a noob. I leveled my Paladin instead of gearing my Hunter, and got him to 70 as well, I made him a tank and spent a lot of time doing regular instances, always scared to try a new instance that I had no knowledge of. I did not want to waste other peoples time, I wanted to know what to do before being tested with other people present. This was a huge barrier for me, because I really wanted to enjoy end game content but did not feel secure enough to do it. I finally got enough confidence to try tanking a heroic instance with another Real Life friend of mine, who was in the same boat as me. That first Heroic ended in utter fail, which cinched my belief that I was not ready. I decided to go back to my hunter, since, if I failed at DPS, the entire group may not fail just because of me. Being a tank was too much pressure. I studied hunter webpages and studied other geared hunter's armory pages. Compared stats with other successful hunters and still felt underpar. I finally got the hang of tanking after being bored with DPS and one of the DPS'ers in my group, after clearing the lvl 80 Regular Shadow Labyrinth, invited me to his guild, saying the guild needed good tanks. I quickly accepted and brought some of my other friends who had never been raiding either. I immediately got a bit stressed just thinking about being asked to raid and logged out to play another low level character that was in neither guild. Long story short, some of my friends ended up being dragged into a raid or two and they really enjoyed it, they were like me and had spent all their time getting the best gear they could running regular instances and eventually Heroics. The time came . . . the new guild needed a dps to fill their last spot for Kara, my friends who had already been once, suggested me, to my embarassment. I agreed to go if they needed me, but explained, I had no idea what I was doing. My friend stood by me, and told the raid/guild leader that I was a good DPS and she would not regret taking me along, then he quickly whispered me, "you better not let me down". No pressure right! The raid leader finally sent the invite, despite her reservations and my first raid began. On ventrilo, the leader was talking about how much dps their warrior was going to do and how he would need to watch his threat or we would risk him dying and losing his much needed dps. When we got to the first boss, I had already died once, from pulling aggro, so I was pretty nervous. The rest of the night was blur, all I remember is watching the dps meter and seeing me always on top, by a lot. I laughed at my own insecurities. Ironically enough, the raid leader had no dps meter so had no idea how much damage I was dealing. She continued to talk about the warriors dps and the dps of the other raiders, always ignoring me. After this first raid, I would get invited to tag along to Heroic runs and even some raids, but only as an after thought, usually from my friend who insisted that I get to go. But I, and my friends knew that I had been ready for raiding, for a very long time. It was neat and a little embarassing to think back on that time I wasted being scared of raiding, but the truth is, that fear made me a better hunter and dps. I was over prepared for my first raid, my fear of bringing the rest of the raid down pushed me to be the best I could given the gear opportunities that I had. Our "raiding guild" never made it much passed Kara, we did clear ZA right at the end of the BC but we ended up being a stepping stone for raiders to get geared then move to better more advanced guilds.
Now WotLK is out and we are at end game content, 5 of us, from the earlier guild have since created a new guild, disbanded it, transferrred servers, joined another guild, left it and created our very own 10 man Raiding Guild named "What the Frick". I have discovered, in WotLK that most people are not like my friends and I. They don't make sure they are ready for raids, they hit 80 and right away start spamming trade for the hardest raid content, wearing greens and some quest blues. Then there are those that have all the best gear but have no idea how to play their class. These people do not care about the other people they are raiding with, they are simply looking out for themselves. It makes me sad, I've wasted many hours raiding with under experienced tanks, dps, and healers in END GAME CONTENT. It also makes me appreciate all that time I spent trying to understand my class and my gear choices. I've worked hard and it has paid off.
Now WotLK is out and we are at end game content, 5 of us, from the earlier guild have since created a new guild, disbanded it, transferrred servers, joined another guild, left it and created our very own 10 man Raiding Guild named "What the Frick". I have discovered, in WotLK that most people are not like my friends and I. They don't make sure they are ready for raids, they hit 80 and right away start spamming trade for the hardest raid content, wearing greens and some quest blues. Then there are those that have all the best gear but have no idea how to play their class. These people do not care about the other people they are raiding with, they are simply looking out for themselves. It makes me sad, I've wasted many hours raiding with under experienced tanks, dps, and healers in END GAME CONTENT. It also makes me appreciate all that time I spent trying to understand my class and my gear choices. I've worked hard and it has paid off.
Magic The Gathering
I love magic, I got into it college through my brother-in-law. Its a great and advancing game. You can not play magic the same way 10 years ago as you do now. Rules change, cards change and since it is ever changing it keeps people like me engaged. One game of magic does not play the same way over and over agin.
Magics one fault
I don't particularly like meeting new people. Magic was fun in the safety of who I know but since I no longer live close to those who play I have a stack of cards that sits in a closet begging for another chance to beat down on someone else. I call this a fault and even though the fault is mine, I am sure it is shared with others like me. It's fun to harass and be harassed by those you know but to go out of my comfort zone to meet others...well... the game will sit until I return the Florida.
Magic Online
Magic online opened up a lot of opportunities for me. It gave me a place to play without having to really meet anyone new. Although you played against real people it was chat via text making it easier to convince myself that the person on the other side is not interested in being friends just interested in playing the game. It was fun but it was expensive. I played both versions and there was no way I could afford both decks. After I moved I would play off and on until finally it sits in the digital closet. I would love to play again.
Magic Duels of the Planewalkers
This is an XBLA title that actually works. I played Magic: Battlegrounds but was left empty. Battlegrounds tried to take elements of the game and make a fighting game, and it was fun but it wasn't magic. Duels is different, its not pure magic but its about as close as you can get on a console. It's fun and addictive, and its a game that is fun to play against others. Recently it was announced that Duels will be coming out with a new expansion. The expansions are cheap and get you right back to trying to beat the game. Duels lacks in the Deck Editor and the lack of cards, after a while it seems repetitive with the same cards and having to play the same guys over and over to earn new cards makes the game lose its flavor. If only they would update the game with customizable decks, a full deck editor and a constant flow of new cards and gameplay, this could very well be a game that would last the long haul on XBLA. Its a great start to deck based games on a console, it needs more but it's a great way to get back into magic.
Magics one fault
I don't particularly like meeting new people. Magic was fun in the safety of who I know but since I no longer live close to those who play I have a stack of cards that sits in a closet begging for another chance to beat down on someone else. I call this a fault and even though the fault is mine, I am sure it is shared with others like me. It's fun to harass and be harassed by those you know but to go out of my comfort zone to meet others...well... the game will sit until I return the Florida.
Magic Online
Magic online opened up a lot of opportunities for me. It gave me a place to play without having to really meet anyone new. Although you played against real people it was chat via text making it easier to convince myself that the person on the other side is not interested in being friends just interested in playing the game. It was fun but it was expensive. I played both versions and there was no way I could afford both decks. After I moved I would play off and on until finally it sits in the digital closet. I would love to play again.
Magic Duels of the Planewalkers
This is an XBLA title that actually works. I played Magic: Battlegrounds but was left empty. Battlegrounds tried to take elements of the game and make a fighting game, and it was fun but it wasn't magic. Duels is different, its not pure magic but its about as close as you can get on a console. It's fun and addictive, and its a game that is fun to play against others. Recently it was announced that Duels will be coming out with a new expansion. The expansions are cheap and get you right back to trying to beat the game. Duels lacks in the Deck Editor and the lack of cards, after a while it seems repetitive with the same cards and having to play the same guys over and over to earn new cards makes the game lose its flavor. If only they would update the game with customizable decks, a full deck editor and a constant flow of new cards and gameplay, this could very well be a game that would last the long haul on XBLA. Its a great start to deck based games on a console, it needs more but it's a great way to get back into magic.
Monday, April 19, 2010
5 Games of Influence
Sam and I are quite literally two different types of gamers. I got into gaming later in life, so my experience with games is quite different and unique than Sam's which makes us a great team. Here are my 5games:
1. Mario Brothers 3
This game is a classic for anyone who has ever played games. It's simple graphics yet challenging game was a building block for Nintendo. This method worked so well that there has been a game like it ever since most notably Super Mario Brothers Wii. It also was the building block for Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy which take the Mario world into 3 Dimensions. So most any top 5 list should not leave this piece vacant, if it wasn't for Mario I am not sure gaming would be the same. Mario is to games as Mickey Mouse is to Cartoons!!!
2. Halo 2
In my opinion, and in many others Halo has created the best multi player experience ever. It took it's ideas and made Halo 2 the best online multi player experience. It can not be matched. The ranking system, the updates, the new maps, bungie.net, most anyone (except PS Fanboys) can deny its influence on the market. No matter what hard core system be it 360, PS3, or PC, many developers are taking notes from bungie. It continued and deepened the experience with Halo 3 and Halo: ODST which brought on Firefight. The only downfall is that most of my friends have moved on from Halo online making it harder to play these days, but with Reach on the horizon I will be ready for more.
3. Sim City
This is a game I delved deep time of my life as a child. This is the standard to all rts of the world. This sparked many new games including The Sims, another time waister. I remember watching a 30 Rock episode where Tracy Jordan created a game and had Frank play it. A few scenes later you see Frank give the game back to Tracy, Frank is obviously not taken care of himself saying the game was alright. Tracy then tells Frank he has been playing it for 3 months.
This really badly described scene is how I felt. I would play and make small accomplishments and after I was done what felt like 10 mins was close to 6 hours. It was addictive fun and could be played over and over with different results. It also was the start of what we know as RTS today
4. Age of Empires
One of the most famous RTS of all time. This is another game that has sucked my life away. But this game is even more precious to me because of what is spawned... Halo Wars. Probably the best RTS on a console to date. They made it fun and easy to use. You don't lack on this game. The only problem is again the online matches are people you want to know as you play against them. If you lack people who play than you are lacking in this game as well. The same holds true with Age of Empires, part of the fun is the multi player experience, without it you are left with a base game that is fun but doesn't hold the test of time.
5. Fallout 3
The game that really got me into RPG. Bethesda did a wonderful job with the components of the game that made it easy to play. This game created hours upon hours of great story telling. I invested so much into this game that I lost track of time, I would get home and play, put my son to bed and play, make passiona.... well you get the idea and play. It was fun addictive and I just could not get over the story. There was so much in the game, that I didn't complete it all. I didn't even know there was a dog to be your companion until one of the DCL came out. And that's another thing, the DCL stayed true to the game. Oh how I wish I didn't sell this game recently, I would love to play again.
The missing piece was multi player, it would have been fun to discover this world with someone. It was dark, it was lonely and to talk about its world as I played would have been a great bonus, but it was meant to feel lonely, it was meant to drift into the unknown alone, it would have lost its brilliance with the multi player.
So there you have it, great games for a great person. Each one of these games started me in some way into the world of gaming, and I have seen their styles and methods repeated in other games. This might not be a mind blowing list but it's what I remember, it was what influenced me, for example if WoW were like Fallout 3 I would be addicted, if Gears of War multi player was like Halo I would still own a copy. These games made a difference and keep making a difference for the new generation of games coming out. Here are some that didn't quite make the cut.
What are your thoughts?
1. Mario Brothers 3
This game is a classic for anyone who has ever played games. It's simple graphics yet challenging game was a building block for Nintendo. This method worked so well that there has been a game like it ever since most notably Super Mario Brothers Wii. It also was the building block for Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy which take the Mario world into 3 Dimensions. So most any top 5 list should not leave this piece vacant, if it wasn't for Mario I am not sure gaming would be the same. Mario is to games as Mickey Mouse is to Cartoons!!!
2. Halo 2
In my opinion, and in many others Halo has created the best multi player experience ever. It took it's ideas and made Halo 2 the best online multi player experience. It can not be matched. The ranking system, the updates, the new maps, bungie.net, most anyone (except PS Fanboys) can deny its influence on the market. No matter what hard core system be it 360, PS3, or PC, many developers are taking notes from bungie. It continued and deepened the experience with Halo 3 and Halo: ODST which brought on Firefight. The only downfall is that most of my friends have moved on from Halo online making it harder to play these days, but with Reach on the horizon I will be ready for more.
3. Sim City
This is a game I delved deep time of my life as a child. This is the standard to all rts of the world. This sparked many new games including The Sims, another time waister. I remember watching a 30 Rock episode where Tracy Jordan created a game and had Frank play it. A few scenes later you see Frank give the game back to Tracy, Frank is obviously not taken care of himself saying the game was alright. Tracy then tells Frank he has been playing it for 3 months.
This really badly described scene is how I felt. I would play and make small accomplishments and after I was done what felt like 10 mins was close to 6 hours. It was addictive fun and could be played over and over with different results. It also was the start of what we know as RTS today
4. Age of Empires
One of the most famous RTS of all time. This is another game that has sucked my life away. But this game is even more precious to me because of what is spawned... Halo Wars. Probably the best RTS on a console to date. They made it fun and easy to use. You don't lack on this game. The only problem is again the online matches are people you want to know as you play against them. If you lack people who play than you are lacking in this game as well. The same holds true with Age of Empires, part of the fun is the multi player experience, without it you are left with a base game that is fun but doesn't hold the test of time.
5. Fallout 3
The game that really got me into RPG. Bethesda did a wonderful job with the components of the game that made it easy to play. This game created hours upon hours of great story telling. I invested so much into this game that I lost track of time, I would get home and play, put my son to bed and play, make passiona.... well you get the idea and play. It was fun addictive and I just could not get over the story. There was so much in the game, that I didn't complete it all. I didn't even know there was a dog to be your companion until one of the DCL came out. And that's another thing, the DCL stayed true to the game. Oh how I wish I didn't sell this game recently, I would love to play again.
The missing piece was multi player, it would have been fun to discover this world with someone. It was dark, it was lonely and to talk about its world as I played would have been a great bonus, but it was meant to feel lonely, it was meant to drift into the unknown alone, it would have lost its brilliance with the multi player.
So there you have it, great games for a great person. Each one of these games started me in some way into the world of gaming, and I have seen their styles and methods repeated in other games. This might not be a mind blowing list but it's what I remember, it was what influenced me, for example if WoW were like Fallout 3 I would be addicted, if Gears of War multi player was like Halo I would still own a copy. These games made a difference and keep making a difference for the new generation of games coming out. Here are some that didn't quite make the cut.
What are your thoughts?
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