Today, the secrets of Blizzard's enigmatic splash screen have been revealed, to the joy of countless thousands of Blizzard fans. Diablo 3 is on it's way. I've only just woken up, but the first thing I thought to do was check out what Blizzard were teasing us with the last six days, and I must say I have been startled. Though instead of going ga-ga and delving right into their new site, I've upheld my journalistic honour, and deem to tell you folks about it first.
As I mentioned in my last post, the Diablo games have taken away more hours of my life than World of Warcraft, and I don't regret a single one of those stolen hours. Then Blizzard throws you this. I am very excited about the idea of a Diablo 3, and will probably fall into a gaming coma trying to keep playing it.
I just hope that Blizzard stay true to the history of the series, and don't mess this one up.
Anyway, there is a website with much to explore sitting in the next FireFox tab, so I shall leave you there as I prepare to lose myself in the world of Sanctuary once again.
Sunday 29 June 2008
Friday 27 June 2008
In The Case Of Blizzard And The Evolving Splash Screen
For those of you who follow any of Blizzard Entertainment's main games, chances are you've probably come across the new splash screen adorning all their major websites. This is what it currently looks like at the time of this posting.
Over the last four days, the ice in the image has been slowly melting away, and assuredly on it's last day, it will have completely thawed, and we'll be presented with the announcement of a new Blizzard release.
The last time Blizzard performed an event like this, Starcraft 2 was announced at the World Wide Invitational in 2007. In much the same vein, Blizzard have announced that at this years World Wide Invitational, they will be announcing a new product, though we haven't been given any hints as to what this may be.
Enter the internet detectives. Those self-styled super sleuths who have pulled together all the clues and have worked it all out. A deep analysis into the image reveals small easter-eggs, hints as to what goodies await, and I'll add my own crudely drawn pointers and MSPaint skills to illustrate.
As can be seen, in the middle-left area is a rune which looks quite a lot like the very first rune on Warcraft's most evil villain, Arthas' famous rune-blade, Frostmourne. Down in the center-bottom area, is a symbol which bears a striking resemblance to that used for the Protoss in the Starcraft games. Finally, in the upper-right area of the splash screen, we can see another symbol, which looks pretty much exactly like the Hel rune from the Diablo games.
During day one and two, only the Frostmourne and Hel runes were visible, which had a lot of people debating the possibility of an announcement for Diablo 3. After certain events, and possible clues gleaned from Blizzard's site, it seemed rather plausible, and I'll admit, I would be ecstatic if it were proven to be true, as I'm just one of the many who lost uncounted hours of their life to the Diablo franchise. Though, as day three and four have rolled around, and we see the Protoss symbol appear, it would seem as though hopes of a Diablo sequel are dashed upon the rocks.
As for what I think Blizzard may be working us all up for, well, I can't really say. Diablo 3 does sound enticing, so I won't take that option off the table, though having Blizzard's three major franchises represented in the one image, it's really anyone's guess as to what they have up their sleeve. Personally, I think I'll sit back, wait for the World Wide Invitational to begin, and content myself with whatever it is that Blizzard announce. I'd rather sit and wait, as against getting my hopes up, only to have them mercilessly snuffed out when my hypothesis proves to be wrong.
Blizzard Entertainment, Where You'll Find Info About All Their Major Franchises And The 2008 World Wide Invitational
Over the last four days, the ice in the image has been slowly melting away, and assuredly on it's last day, it will have completely thawed, and we'll be presented with the announcement of a new Blizzard release.
The last time Blizzard performed an event like this, Starcraft 2 was announced at the World Wide Invitational in 2007. In much the same vein, Blizzard have announced that at this years World Wide Invitational, they will be announcing a new product, though we haven't been given any hints as to what this may be.
Enter the internet detectives. Those self-styled super sleuths who have pulled together all the clues and have worked it all out. A deep analysis into the image reveals small easter-eggs, hints as to what goodies await, and I'll add my own crudely drawn pointers and MSPaint skills to illustrate.
As can be seen, in the middle-left area is a rune which looks quite a lot like the very first rune on Warcraft's most evil villain, Arthas' famous rune-blade, Frostmourne. Down in the center-bottom area, is a symbol which bears a striking resemblance to that used for the Protoss in the Starcraft games. Finally, in the upper-right area of the splash screen, we can see another symbol, which looks pretty much exactly like the Hel rune from the Diablo games.
During day one and two, only the Frostmourne and Hel runes were visible, which had a lot of people debating the possibility of an announcement for Diablo 3. After certain events, and possible clues gleaned from Blizzard's site, it seemed rather plausible, and I'll admit, I would be ecstatic if it were proven to be true, as I'm just one of the many who lost uncounted hours of their life to the Diablo franchise. Though, as day three and four have rolled around, and we see the Protoss symbol appear, it would seem as though hopes of a Diablo sequel are dashed upon the rocks.
As for what I think Blizzard may be working us all up for, well, I can't really say. Diablo 3 does sound enticing, so I won't take that option off the table, though having Blizzard's three major franchises represented in the one image, it's really anyone's guess as to what they have up their sleeve. Personally, I think I'll sit back, wait for the World Wide Invitational to begin, and content myself with whatever it is that Blizzard announce. I'd rather sit and wait, as against getting my hopes up, only to have them mercilessly snuffed out when my hypothesis proves to be wrong.
Blizzard Entertainment, Where You'll Find Info About All Their Major Franchises And The 2008 World Wide Invitational
Thursday 26 June 2008
Granado Espada - My Impressions
Yesterday while I was in town, I came across one of the latest computer gaming magazines, and as I had a bit of spare change handy, I decided to pick it up. Generally when I buy a magazine of this type, it's due to the featured content they have on the free CD's attached. This month, it came with the full client for the MMO Granado Espada. I've heard a bit about this game, and I figured now would be a good time to give it a look. Especially since this magazine saved me 4gig worth of downloads.
Granado Espada is a free-to-play MMO, with the option of micro-transactions to attain better and more powerful items for your character. I've always been a bit of a fan of the free-to-play MMO's, but generally after a while, they tend to be a bit of a let down, so finding a good one tends to be a bit of work. Granado Espada may have worked out the right formula to keep the player interested.
The world of Granado Espada is typically 1700's-esque, and is a pleasing departure from the typical fantasy setting found in most MMORPG's. You begin the game on a ship, you and your family being bought to the New World, a brave new frontier where anybody can etch out a new beginning. The game eases you in by providing simple tutorials on moving about, controlling your character, combat essentials and so-forth, and once you've got your footing, you're off.
Granado Espada provides you with five different character classes, the Fighter, the Musketeer, the Wizard, the Elementalist and the Scout. Each class is fairly straight forward in their role (except for the Scout, which as well as being a melee fighter, is also the typical healer as well), and each one can be customised in many different ways using various stances (progression trees) to access stronger and more varied skills.
Your family is simply the characters you are able to create at the beginning of the game. Upon creating your first character, you choose a family name which most NPC's will lovingly refer to you as, and then for each character you assign their given name. Pretty easy. Though it is the concept of the family which makes Granado Espada stand out among most other MMO's. The family is an innovative feature, in that it allows you to control up to three characters at one time. Such a refreshing change, as now you're not forced to spam chat channels looking for extra members for that one difficult quest. Controlling your party of three characters is pretty simple as well. Each of their abilities are hot-keyed to your keyboard (Q-Y, A-H and Z-N), and individual abilities are activated on the go in this way, allowing you ease of use without breaking the pace of battle. With a mixture of available classes, you can have whatever type of party you desire - a balanced adventuring team, a melee-heavy or a ranged nuke party, it's all up to you.
Granado Espada doesn't appear to have a strong storyline - or I just didn't pay enough attention in the beginning - and as such, players are left to forge their own way throughout the New World, acting as a freelancer, helping out the many townsfolk with tasks they need assistance with. Luckily, as with most MMO's, the available quests help guide you along in a linear-ish manner, making sure you're not too far out of your depth and running into high-level zones you're just not ready for.
I will admit I've only played the game for a day or so now, so I haven't seen nearly everything there is to offer, though what I have experienced so far has been rather promising, and I've only had a few small gripes with the game thus far.
So far, the only real problem I've come across in Granado Espada, is that some of the games systems aren't really explained all that well, and can leave you guessing. Another thing, and this could be just me, is a few quests I've undertaken at the recommended have been nearly impossible for me to complete, and frustratingly so. After failing a particular mission one too many times, I've simply walked away to spare myself tearing my hair out, and came back at a higher level to complete. So far I'm putting it down to my lack of experience with that game, though it's hard to not feel a little cheated when a quest is recommended for a certain level, yet gives you such a beat down, even when you're higher level. The saving grace for this is that most of these quests aren't essential to advancing your character, so if they are a little difficult, you can leave them and come back later on.
Being a renaissance-esque setting, the graphics in Granado Espada complement it rather well, with the type of characters and architecture you'd expect to come across in that period. While they could be a bit more flashy, especially with today's machines, it still works, and does it's styling well. Granado Espada's music is worth mentioning as well, though unlike the graphics, it doesn't typically complement the era. The compliment of music you'll hear, especially while battling, are typically soft techno/trance/dance tracks, and about the same portion of your typical instrumental music thrown in too. Again, I never found this to detract from the experience in any way, as the songs are rather pleasant, even for someone who doesn't like the techno genre like myself.
As mentioned at the beginning, Granado Espada is free-to-play with micro-transactions optional. Again, with most free-to-play MMO's, the option for micro-transactions allows those who are dedicated to the game to acquire more powerful items than are typically available in game, and I also believe with a small payment option, you are able to raise your level cap so as to enter otherwise dangerous or inaccessible areas.
All in all, despite my small frustrations with the game, Granado Espada is well worth a look if you're searching for a casual MMO to fill in your time. Be aware, if you are looking to download the game client, it is roughly 4gig in size, so if you have a download limit or a pay-per-meg internet contract, make sure you've got the allowance to accommodate the download.
The Granado Espada Official Home Page
Download The Granado Espada Client (Large Download Size!)
Granado Espada Screenshot Gallery
Granado Espada is a free-to-play MMO, with the option of micro-transactions to attain better and more powerful items for your character. I've always been a bit of a fan of the free-to-play MMO's, but generally after a while, they tend to be a bit of a let down, so finding a good one tends to be a bit of work. Granado Espada may have worked out the right formula to keep the player interested.
The world of Granado Espada is typically 1700's-esque, and is a pleasing departure from the typical fantasy setting found in most MMORPG's. You begin the game on a ship, you and your family being bought to the New World, a brave new frontier where anybody can etch out a new beginning. The game eases you in by providing simple tutorials on moving about, controlling your character, combat essentials and so-forth, and once you've got your footing, you're off.
Granado Espada provides you with five different character classes, the Fighter, the Musketeer, the Wizard, the Elementalist and the Scout. Each class is fairly straight forward in their role (except for the Scout, which as well as being a melee fighter, is also the typical healer as well), and each one can be customised in many different ways using various stances (progression trees) to access stronger and more varied skills.
Your family is simply the characters you are able to create at the beginning of the game. Upon creating your first character, you choose a family name which most NPC's will lovingly refer to you as, and then for each character you assign their given name. Pretty easy. Though it is the concept of the family which makes Granado Espada stand out among most other MMO's. The family is an innovative feature, in that it allows you to control up to three characters at one time. Such a refreshing change, as now you're not forced to spam chat channels looking for extra members for that one difficult quest. Controlling your party of three characters is pretty simple as well. Each of their abilities are hot-keyed to your keyboard (Q-Y, A-H and Z-N), and individual abilities are activated on the go in this way, allowing you ease of use without breaking the pace of battle. With a mixture of available classes, you can have whatever type of party you desire - a balanced adventuring team, a melee-heavy or a ranged nuke party, it's all up to you.
Granado Espada doesn't appear to have a strong storyline - or I just didn't pay enough attention in the beginning - and as such, players are left to forge their own way throughout the New World, acting as a freelancer, helping out the many townsfolk with tasks they need assistance with. Luckily, as with most MMO's, the available quests help guide you along in a linear-ish manner, making sure you're not too far out of your depth and running into high-level zones you're just not ready for.
I will admit I've only played the game for a day or so now, so I haven't seen nearly everything there is to offer, though what I have experienced so far has been rather promising, and I've only had a few small gripes with the game thus far.
So far, the only real problem I've come across in Granado Espada, is that some of the games systems aren't really explained all that well, and can leave you guessing. Another thing, and this could be just me, is a few quests I've undertaken at the recommended have been nearly impossible for me to complete, and frustratingly so. After failing a particular mission one too many times, I've simply walked away to spare myself tearing my hair out, and came back at a higher level to complete. So far I'm putting it down to my lack of experience with that game, though it's hard to not feel a little cheated when a quest is recommended for a certain level, yet gives you such a beat down, even when you're higher level. The saving grace for this is that most of these quests aren't essential to advancing your character, so if they are a little difficult, you can leave them and come back later on.
Being a renaissance-esque setting, the graphics in Granado Espada complement it rather well, with the type of characters and architecture you'd expect to come across in that period. While they could be a bit more flashy, especially with today's machines, it still works, and does it's styling well. Granado Espada's music is worth mentioning as well, though unlike the graphics, it doesn't typically complement the era. The compliment of music you'll hear, especially while battling, are typically soft techno/trance/dance tracks, and about the same portion of your typical instrumental music thrown in too. Again, I never found this to detract from the experience in any way, as the songs are rather pleasant, even for someone who doesn't like the techno genre like myself.
As mentioned at the beginning, Granado Espada is free-to-play with micro-transactions optional. Again, with most free-to-play MMO's, the option for micro-transactions allows those who are dedicated to the game to acquire more powerful items than are typically available in game, and I also believe with a small payment option, you are able to raise your level cap so as to enter otherwise dangerous or inaccessible areas.
All in all, despite my small frustrations with the game, Granado Espada is well worth a look if you're searching for a casual MMO to fill in your time. Be aware, if you are looking to download the game client, it is roughly 4gig in size, so if you have a download limit or a pay-per-meg internet contract, make sure you've got the allowance to accommodate the download.
The Granado Espada Official Home Page
Download The Granado Espada Client (Large Download Size!)
Granado Espada Screenshot Gallery
Tuesday 24 June 2008
George Carlin Passes Away
On the 23rd of this month, comedian George Carlin passed away of heart failure, aged 71.
George Carlin is famous for constantly pushing the limits of acceptable behavior in both language and comedy, his most notable was his "Seven Words" routine.
My first exposure to George Carlin was in the movie Dogma, where he played the supporting role of Cardinal Glick, a more trendy member of the clergy who wishes to modernise and revamp the church's image. While I didn't know who he was or the legacy he carried at the time, I truly enjoyed the part he played, and eventually came into watching and listening to his many comedic routines, which were just as - or in most cases better - than the original role I discovered him in.
True to all the reports, Carlin's comedy was always of an anti-establishment bent, always pushing the boundaries we're all comfortable with, using sharp, thought provoking wit to deliver. Nothing was safe from Carlin's biting scrutiny, be it religion, the American way of life, natural disaster - you name it, George would be on it, offering an often-times harsh, yet amusingly satisfying insight into it all.
While it is sad to see his passing, his comedic outlook probably wouldn't want us depressingly mourning. Rather, true to his self-styling, honour the person he was, and hope he has a great routine in mind for when he meets God.
Also: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, tits. That one is for you, George.
Comedian George Carlin Dies At 71 (via MSNBC)
George Carlin is famous for constantly pushing the limits of acceptable behavior in both language and comedy, his most notable was his "Seven Words" routine.
My first exposure to George Carlin was in the movie Dogma, where he played the supporting role of Cardinal Glick, a more trendy member of the clergy who wishes to modernise and revamp the church's image. While I didn't know who he was or the legacy he carried at the time, I truly enjoyed the part he played, and eventually came into watching and listening to his many comedic routines, which were just as - or in most cases better - than the original role I discovered him in.
True to all the reports, Carlin's comedy was always of an anti-establishment bent, always pushing the boundaries we're all comfortable with, using sharp, thought provoking wit to deliver. Nothing was safe from Carlin's biting scrutiny, be it religion, the American way of life, natural disaster - you name it, George would be on it, offering an often-times harsh, yet amusingly satisfying insight into it all.
While it is sad to see his passing, his comedic outlook probably wouldn't want us depressingly mourning. Rather, true to his self-styling, honour the person he was, and hope he has a great routine in mind for when he meets God.
Also: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, tits. That one is for you, George.
Comedian George Carlin Dies At 71 (via MSNBC)
Friday 20 June 2008
Team Fortress 2 Goodies
I wanted to post this as well, but I figured with such a large post about Spore, it didn't really fit, so here's a small post to accommodate.
The Team Fortress 2 Pyro Update is ready to roll, introducing the new Pyro specific achievements, three new weapons, a significant upgrade to the default flame thrower, and two user created maps (one control point, one capture the flag). Follow the link at the bottom to find out more.
As well as the Pyro Update, Meet the Sniper, the next in the "Meet the" videos is also out.
The Pyro Update
Meet The Sniper
The Team Fortress 2 Pyro Update is ready to roll, introducing the new Pyro specific achievements, three new weapons, a significant upgrade to the default flame thrower, and two user created maps (one control point, one capture the flag). Follow the link at the bottom to find out more.
As well as the Pyro Update, Meet the Sniper, the next in the "Meet the" videos is also out.
The Pyro Update
Meet The Sniper
Spore Creature Creator
If you're a gamer, I'm pretty sure you would have heard of Spore. If you haven't, you really need to drag yourself out from under that rock. Seriously. Educate Yourself!
For those who don't know, Spore is...well, it's actually pretty hard to sum up what type of game Spore is. If anything, it's a mix between real time strategy, action and adventure. Essentially, it's a massive sandbox-type game, where the player has ultimate control over every aspect of the game.
You begin as a micro-biotic life form floating about in the primordial soup, and the ultimate aim of the game is to evolve into a glorious space-faring race worthy of a spot on the next episode of Star Trek. Evolution is the key phrase in Spore, and is what drives the game.
After your organism has braved the depths of the primordial soup and manages to clumsily drag itself onto the land, you are then able to modify your character to best suit itself to it's new surroundings. This is where the Spore Creature Creator comes in. Using this tool, you are able to create a virtually unlimited amount of different creatures, hampered only by your imagination.
On the 18th of June, EA / Maxis released a trial version of the Creature Creator, allowing us all to get in on a bit of this creature creating action, to tide us over until the proposed September 2008 release date. Now, I've been following this game since I first heard of it, so I've been pretty anxious to get my grubby little mitts on it, so hearing that a trial of the Creature Creator was coming, I knew I had to get it.
My impressions? This thing is incredible. While the trial for the Creature Creator limits you to roughly a quarter of the options available in the full version, it in no way limits the sheer amount of custom creatures you can create. From a six legged monstrosity to a gentle biped, if you can imagine it, chances are you can create it.
My recommendation on Spore? Well, if you want to see something different, a game where you have ultimate control over pretty much everything you see, then get Spore. After messing around with the Creature Creator - which I highly recommend - you'll understand why.
Now, an interesting thing to note, is that with a credit card, you are able to pay a small fee ($10 US) to upgrade your Creature Creator trial to a full version, allowing you access to all the different parts and options available in the full game.
In a bizarre move, EA have not placed the full Creature Creator in their Australian online store, but it is available for us to purchase through their New Zealand store for $14.99 NZ. [Link] (via Kotaku)
Oh, if you think you're clever making all manner of creatures which look like giant penises with legs and the like, you're not the only one. A cautionary, links likely not worksafe. [Link] and [Link] (both via Kotaku)
Spore Main Site
Download The Spore Creature Creator Trial
The Sporepedia, View Thousands of User Created Creatures
EA's NZ Store, Where You Can Purchase The Full Creature Creator
For those who don't know, Spore is...well, it's actually pretty hard to sum up what type of game Spore is. If anything, it's a mix between real time strategy, action and adventure. Essentially, it's a massive sandbox-type game, where the player has ultimate control over every aspect of the game.
You begin as a micro-biotic life form floating about in the primordial soup, and the ultimate aim of the game is to evolve into a glorious space-faring race worthy of a spot on the next episode of Star Trek. Evolution is the key phrase in Spore, and is what drives the game.
After your organism has braved the depths of the primordial soup and manages to clumsily drag itself onto the land, you are then able to modify your character to best suit itself to it's new surroundings. This is where the Spore Creature Creator comes in. Using this tool, you are able to create a virtually unlimited amount of different creatures, hampered only by your imagination.
On the 18th of June, EA / Maxis released a trial version of the Creature Creator, allowing us all to get in on a bit of this creature creating action, to tide us over until the proposed September 2008 release date. Now, I've been following this game since I first heard of it, so I've been pretty anxious to get my grubby little mitts on it, so hearing that a trial of the Creature Creator was coming, I knew I had to get it.
My impressions? This thing is incredible. While the trial for the Creature Creator limits you to roughly a quarter of the options available in the full version, it in no way limits the sheer amount of custom creatures you can create. From a six legged monstrosity to a gentle biped, if you can imagine it, chances are you can create it.
My recommendation on Spore? Well, if you want to see something different, a game where you have ultimate control over pretty much everything you see, then get Spore. After messing around with the Creature Creator - which I highly recommend - you'll understand why.
Now, an interesting thing to note, is that with a credit card, you are able to pay a small fee ($10 US) to upgrade your Creature Creator trial to a full version, allowing you access to all the different parts and options available in the full game.
In a bizarre move, EA have not placed the full Creature Creator in their Australian online store, but it is available for us to purchase through their New Zealand store for $14.99 NZ. [Link] (via Kotaku)
Oh, if you think you're clever making all manner of creatures which look like giant penises with legs and the like, you're not the only one. A cautionary, links likely not worksafe. [Link] and [Link] (both via Kotaku)
Spore Main Site
Download The Spore Creature Creator Trial
The Sporepedia, View Thousands of User Created Creatures
EA's NZ Store, Where You Can Purchase The Full Creature Creator
I Suck At This Blogging Thing
Well, there, I said it. One month without a single post. Maybe the blogging life just isn't for me?
Maybe I'll dedicate myself to the task one more time. Let us see if I can keep this thing going...
Maybe I'll dedicate myself to the task one more time. Let us see if I can keep this thing going...
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