Christmas

Again in the holiday season, I will be doing a Christmas themed post!

I'll start with the new update to Cookie Clicker, here.  There are new upgrades, a new reindeer cookie system, and many new puns. Several upgrades here have one or more bad puns, and I love it. Every upgrades cost is a multiple of 25, unless you reduce it through another upgrade. 25, of course, referencing the 25th of December, Christmas. Every couple of minutes a reindeer will run across the screen. Clicking on this reindeer will give you a minutes worth of cookies, or more with certain upgrades. There are also some graphical changes, with some of the grandmothers dressed as elves, and the cookies falling in the background accompanied by snowflakes.

There is also the Elf Bowling series, several online games which you can have a trial of, before having to purchase the full version. I recommend   "7 and  1/7 - The Last Insult". The predecessors aren't  nearly as nice. In "The Last Insult" Santa's elves go on strike, and you have to bowl them over to get them back to work. In story mode, you compete against the computer, with it trying to beat you. They can use several tricks to make it harder, and you can use ones to make it easier. You can also sabotage them, and they can use bonuses in rebuttal. There is also a single player, where the elves you are bowling at use these dirty tricks. You, of course, can still use upgrades. The trial version of this game can be downloaded here.

Another Christmas game I have played for a long time is Deep Freeze. It's a small arcade type game where you play as Santa Claus, and destroy monsters running around on an ice platform thing. There isn't really a plot, but gameplay is fun, and the freezing of enemies makes for a unique challenge. However, the bosses are very difficult, and can kill you very easily if you do not pay attention.

I also tried Frost Bite. This is another platformer that seems to have been made by the same people who made Deep Freeze. The names are even similar. The gameplay in this one, again, is rather interesting. You have to climb to the top of a mountain to raise a flag. You have a grappling gun, one that shoots very short distances, to assist you in this. One thing that annoyed me was the constant presence of point-giving pickups. They were all over, and It makes it a lot less satisfying to get them.

Achievers - An In-Depth Exploration

This will be backed up by my post on Bartle's game types, which you should look at first. It's here. I'll be applying this type to both online and offline games, and looking at subdividing the large group of "Achiever".

Achievers are characterized by wanting to be the best people in the game. Have the best equipment, the most expensive items, and be the person that always wins. However, there are differing ways of doing this, and differing final objectives.

The first type of Achiever I would like to qualify is the "Completionist." This is the type of person who want to complete everything. Instead of having the best equipment, they want to have all the equipment. Not only do they want to win, but they want to complete all challenges that the game present. They need to get one-hundred percent on each game they play. This is generally much easier in offline games than online ones, and they may spend many hours painstakingly completing everything possible.

Then, I name the "Perfectionist." This is the achiever that picks something to do, and becomes the very best at it. Whenever offered a skill upgrade, they will pick the thing that best amplifies what it is that they chose. This could be very specific, or more broad. For example, they could choose to be an ultimate weapon master, or to be the ultimate user of the +5 Sundering Axe of Life Drain. Online games are often popular with them, as they get to show off their prowess to others.

I also see the "Competitor," which overlaps slightly with the one below. This person wants to play against other people and beat them. They generally prefer an actual challenge, as opposed to a quick win. This differs from some variations of the killer (Those looking for challenging fights) in that this need not be a direct battle. They could race or compete in a puzzle contest. This does have a tendency to swing towards some of the killers habits, though.

Lastly, there is the "Speedrunner." This is close to the previous category, but with a very specific edge. These players want to do everything as fast as possible. Where a normal person might take an hour to do something, they find ways to do it in minutes. They often compete with other speedrunners, and may compare tactics and times. There is a large community of speedrunners online, mostly engaged in friendly, but also very intense, competition.

I feel that Bartle's categories can be rather large sometimes, and have much room for subdivision.  Here there are four I clearly find, but there are probably other archtypes as well. Other groups, such as killers or explorers, may have more or less. Please, feel free to suggest other types you may have encountered in the comments section.

Gifting Games

When purchasing a game for someone, one must consider it in the way they consider all gifts. If it was not directly asked for, (If it was, ignore this entire post.) you can still make a judgement as to what the video gamer in your life would like. This is designed to help you with this daunting task, and give you confidence in your descisions.  I will divide this into several categories based on Bartle's Gaming Types, my post on which can be found here.

An achiever likes large games with many challenges to be finished. MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online Game. The "Game" is often removed.) offer this in spades, and so a subscription to a popular MMO could be a good choice. On the other hand, there are games like Skyrim, which offer hundreds of hidden objects and sidequests, completing them all can take hundreds of hours. These are the games achievers like, and see as a challenge.

Explorers like games with wide open worlds and diverse gameplay. An MMO fits well here as well, but any large game with many unlockables and side areas to explore should please them. Any game that mentions an open world should please an explorer. Games with hidden rare objects that are difficult to get too, are also attractive to them. If there are many ways of doing things, and many places to go, that is a sure sign of enjoyment.

Socializers want to be able to communicate with others. An MMO subscription may be the best choice here, as these are online communities which allow the socializer to do the things they like best - talking. You may want to check into the community though, to see how easy it is to find other socializers. Popular games are also worth a try, as they could talk with offline friends about them as well.

Killers are some of the easiest to shop for. Often any new FPS (First-Person Shooter. You should know this, but I'm assuming people who read this know nothing.) will please them, especially those like Call of Duty, which incorporate online multiplayer. Combat games in general are also a good idea, and allow them to destroy or kill whatever they wish to.

First Impressions of "The Last Story"

One of my friends, Bearserker, had been enthusing to me about this game for a long time, so I finally asked her to lend it to me. I have not finished the game, so this will not be like my previous reviews. I am approximately one-fifth through the story, going by word count on the wiki page for it

This game is called "The Last Story," and was released in 2012.  I have spent about six hours playing it, and about twenty minutes on the Japanese website (My knowledge of Katakana has helped me. Taking Japanese has now been justified for me.)

I started playing it this last Friday, and so far really enjoy it. There are several reasons for this.

One basic reason is the music. The main theme is excellent. It has a nice sad, floating, feel to it, and is very pleasing to listen to. The other songs are almost as well made.

The characters are also well done. The main character, Zael, became very real to me very fast. This is in great part due to the other characters, who act as old friends to each other. For a minute, I was very confused upon starting the game, and believed there to be a prequel due to all the history between the characters.

The hub is very large, and there are many things to find on the streets of the home city. This is the first game since Persona 4 that I've ran around worrying about some stupid thing, like where to find a banana. I needed that banana. Honestly, I did. I love it when games make me think like that (in Persona, it was studying for finals, just so you know).

The main story is interesting. There is a lot to it, and I won't go into it all. The base idea is that of a group of mercenaries who want to become knights. An ancient enemy is invading, and you ally with the princess and several other characters to try to stop them. There seems to be a budding love story, and there are several small fetch quests, but not enough to anger most people.

Finally, the combat system is amazing. There are stealth elements, as well as some cover abilities. Zael has an ability that allows him to draw the attention of all enemies (Allowing your mages to cast spells undisturbed), and bestows some other small benefits. Outside of combat, you can use your crossbow to shoot banana skins at random people, causing them to fall down.

There are some problems. The voice acting is nice, but some of the emotions seem off. The combat is almost too easy, as each character can faint five times. The graphics also aren't the greatest, but they are above average for a Wii game. However, this does not in any way make this any less of a great game.

In conclusion, I love this game so far. I would honestly like to have my own copy, because the idea of having to give it back makes me kind of sad. This game has re-opened my mind to the Wii, and I feel encouraged to try some more games I never did. Primarily among them, another JRPG, Xenoblade Chronicles. I am glad my friend convinced me to try it.

Persona Q and Dancing All Night

So there are two new Persona games, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labrynth and Persona: Dancing All Night. The trailers are here, and here, respectively. Both are spin-offs of the main series, and appear to be pretty small, and don't have particularly advanced animation. Both are probably Japanese exclusive. The similarities end there.

Persona Q is a crossover game containing characters from Persona 4: Golden (It includes Marie) and Persona 3. A tower reminiscent of Tartarus appears, and they have to deal with it. Two new characters, residents of a parallel world, appear as well. The artsyle is Chibi-like, which personally annoys me, but you will get to see the interactions between Persona 3 and 4 protagonists which could be interesting, which is a major plus for me. All in all, I'm very excited for it. A day one buy. If it was available in America. And for the Vita, not a 3ds exclusive (Like all the games I want to play. Nintendo needs to stop stealing them). And I had money.

Persona Dancing all Night, on the other hand, is a rhythm game for the Vita. It features Rise, Yu Narukami, and Kanami (An idol only mentioned in the original game). It looks very hard, and the songs are from the soundtrack of the game. A day one buy for me, but not for everyone (If I had money, it was available in America, and I could overcome the curious glances I'd get from my friends.). I really only want it for the Persona name, and to justify my owning of the vita. It looks like it might be fun anyway, and I loved Persona 4's soundtrack.

And (Persona) Q the applause. Not funny? Deal with it.

Bartle's Gaming Types

Some of what I'm saying today can be read in a strict academic format here. I will be applying my own spin on these things as well, and diving into them more at different points. I will also remove the references to MUD's (Multi-User Dungeons/Multi-User Dimensions), as no-one plays those anymore. Few people even know what they are. If you do read the above article, associate the term MUD with MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games), the modern equivalent.

I will be explaining, and evaluating Bartle's theory in my own words. There is a lot to this, and I will likely create several posts on this subject. At least one in depth for every type mentioned here, and probably more on practical uses or comparisons to other taxonomies. The four types mentioned there are "The Achiever," "The Explorer," "The Socializer," and "The Killer." They are by no means exclusive, and most people display varying amounts of each, with a primary tendency. Remember these were created with online games in mind, but most apply to single player ones as well (Socializer exempt, minus my working theory that I'll explain in another post.)

First, there are the Achievers (Honestly, I find the suit of cards analogy Bartle uses stupid. It's easier to think of them in these terms, so I'll skip past it. If you really want it, read the article, but it's usually easier to just explain in these terms.) Achievers are the people who want to truly succeed in the game, and be the very best (like no-one ever was). This could be expressed through point collecting, leveling up the character, or completing achievements. In games without points, levels, or achievements (Rare, but existant) they probably want to be the best at doing a specific thing. They work mostly the same in offline gameplay.

Next, the Explorers, my brethren (I classify myself as an Explorer primarily, with an even amount of Achiever and Socializer next. I tend the least towards Killer, and am generally benevolent towards all players). Explorers want to know everything about the game. They are the ones who figure out obscure glitches or cheat codes, and know the quickest route from obscure point A to obscure point B. They figure out innovative uses of mundane items, and advanced Explorers may even be seen as gurus by new players, or players looking for specific information. They mostly work the same in offline gameplay. Gurus could become mods on forums, or work with video game websites, or even write a blog to share their knowledge.

Then there are the Socializers. These people play to talk, and enjoy themselves. They see games as a way of expressing individuality. These people will come up and talk to you,  gossip about the game world, or talk about day to day life (Whether you want to listen may or may not matter). They are however, prime targets of the next category, particularly because they annoy them. Socializers, when playing offline games, will probably talk about them online, or to offline friends.

Finally, we have the Killers. They basically do what is described, but more generally "Act on people" This could theoretically be benevolent, but that is quite rare. They generally search to kill other players, particularly Socializers (They never shut their darn yappin'!) and Achievers (Whom they see as an appropriate challenge that they can usually defeat.) Offline, these people would gravitate towards fighting games, and becoming excellent at defeating the computer characters, or their friends.

I recently introduced this idea to my friends "Racewalkchamp," "Myrkyl," and "Depineapple." I had them all take this basic quiz, (Fair warning; it's rather slow) as to see what side they went towards. You can take as well, if you so choose. However, with a base grasp of the ideas here, you should be able to decide where you fall on your own (I declined that to them, making them take it before I explained it. I figured it would help avoid bias in the test.)

Myrkyl was evaluated as an Explorer, with Killer being his second highest score. He has become rather interested in the idea, and went on to read Bartle's article. Depineapple was also an Explorer, with mid ties to Killer and Socializer, and a very low score in Achiever. He also expressed much interest in the idea. He was one of my greatest supporters upon creating this blog, but has never actually been able to read it.  Racewalkchamp, being rebellious, refused to take the test. I see him as an Explorer/Achiever, but I have never really played a game with him. He mostly ignored me and watched YouTube videos.

Reflecting upon this, I find it rather strange, as according to Bartle, Explorers are the rarest type, (Worth noting - there is no data backing this up, so I'm taking him straight on his word.) yet my friends were all Explorers. This set me thinking - Perhaps groups of friends tend towards the same gaming type. I have no information to back this up, however, so I will look more into it.

 Here is a full citation of Bartle's article (Because citations are cool, and for the amount that I used this article, it's truly deserved. Also, legality.).

Richard A. Bartle "Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players who suit MUDs." Web. Accessed 12/10/13. http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm

Retro Respect - Honor Those Before Us

No one seems to respect the old games anymore.

I recently read a post that went similar to this -

"The original Mario and Sonic games are both horribly boring and very primitive. With only one unchanging objective and 2d graphics. They are nothing compared to the games of this Era"

This got me thinking about the lack of respect we have for old games. This same person had been dissing pong earlier, the grandfather of all games. They compared a game to it, and then said both were horrible ( I agree with the one being compared to it, but I love Pong). 2d graphics? Bad? These were some of the most visually stunning games of the time, and of course they're nothing like modern games. It's been over twenty-five years since the first Mario game was released, we've came a long way in many things, including gaming technology.

One must always remember that these games are groundbreaking classics. They showed that games could grab the attention of the public, and were financially feasible. Before game like Mario many people saw games as a mere triviality, as a passing fad. Where would this persons Modern Warfare be, without the creation of Pong? Mario created a franchise that has inspired others, and continues to inspire others. Sonic introduced some interesting speed mechanics that have been it's trademark to this day.

Bottom line here - Respect these games. You don't have to like them, but don't trash them. They did extremely well, and have each revolutionized the game industry. You can play your modern games, as much as you want, but remember the first was Pong. Remember the contributions of Mario and Sonic. Remember everything had a humble beginning, and the game industry was no different.

Reaction to Persona 5 Teaser

Watch the entire teaser trailer here.
Mild (unmarked) spoilers regarding themes in Persona 3 and 4 abound below. You have been warned.

Please ignore the random blog of numbers at the top, if it occurs. Blogger is being mean to me. Sorry.

This is it guys. The first official release of any details regarding Persona 5.

And it's a bunch of chairs and shackles. With a vague phrase written in bad engrish (You have to wonder if it was intentional. Atlus is a big enough company they should have had it checked.)

There's not a lot to work with here, but I think that's the point. I am going to make some predictions about the game based on this teaser, and the previous games in the series (Mostly 3 and 4, as I have played only those).

Simply, there are five chairs. I believe this means you will have a party of five main characters.

Next, lets go to color scheme. I don't find the black/gray or white important here (Unless the game takes place in Yemen or Trinidad and Tobago), but I think red will likely be the games background color. For Persona 3 it was blue (The portable version also had the Female Main Character's pink), and 4 was yellow or gold. When day's change, the marker will be red (as it's yellow in the below screenshot of Persona 4), and the pause screen will be red. The red color also suggests blood, which brings me to my next main point.

I sense a return to a darker theme, closer to Persona 3's "Remember you will die," than Persona 4's "Life carries on." The words suggest that you are a slave of some sort. Note that (In the video) first, a chair appears, and later, a shackle appears on that chair, and another chair blinks in. This repeats, with each chair gaining a shackle as the next appears. I believe the shackle represents the persona each character gets, and that as one party member appears, or becomes obvious as one, the previous will obtain their persona, chaining them to whatever the fate is.

However, they will fight against this fate for "emancipation," so it is likely not desirable. In this game, the personas may be regarded as a curse, instead of a gift. I feel this would broaden the horizons of the series.

Another possible explanation, albeit a very obvious and unlikely one, is that they are drawing an analogy to school being prison. Many of the people I know I would agree with this comparison. However, Persona as a whole seems to largely subvert this idea by allowing large amounts of freedom in the school life you participate in.

Social links will likely return, as they have become a trademark of the newer games. The social links may even be integrated into the story better, and could be more variable than before. The protagonist will likely be of the Fool arcana, and the Velvet Room should play some part. Philemon will appear indirectly as a butterfly or something, and the villain will be some powerful dark entity that represents death or something foreboding like that.

There is one thing I have no basis for, but that I wish to see. That is the return of characters from other Persona games. Persona 3 and 4 had little of this, but the extensions were a little better (Arena includes many characters of Persona 3, and 3 Portable includes a young Yukiko from Persona 4). 

These are my specific views, and may be discounted by later trailers. I will continue to post on Persona 5 news as more information is released. Keep in mind that this is a Japanese game, and I do not really understand Japanese.

Persona 5 comes to the Playstation 3 Winter 2014 (in Japan).

 

Infectonator: World

After my thanksgiving break, I started playing a variety of games in preparation for my (very, very, basic) game design class. This is one of the ones I particularly liked.

It's here.

The premise is rather... interesting. You are a mad scientist, or whatever, and you infect a specific area with a zombie virus, and try to kill as many people as possible. To advance to the next level you need to kill a specific amount of people.

I rate this game as about "T." There is animated blood (a lot of it) and cartoon violence, and the premise is killing everyone in the world with a zombie virus. There is also some slightly offensive language in the

I found the game both challenging and enjoyable, and the controls are easy to learn. It is very addicting, and you will often try the same challenge many times until you are able to get it, either by becoming more skilled in clicking, or by leveling up your zombie making abilities. The soldiers that kill your zombies have better A.I.s than the zombies, and your zombies will only stay alive for a limited amount of time (beginning at around five seconds).

One thing that's interesting is that, depending on you infect, you may get a different type of zombie. There are some fat people you can infect, that become fat zombies, and can take more damage than normal zombies (they also explode into green pudding when they die). There are also many available upgrades, that go from survival time (of each zombie) to infection chance (of each human killed by a zombie) to speed (the obvious). There are also several additional special zombie types, which you unlock later in the game (I haven't gotten many yet, sorry). You create these individually, and they are much stronger. The only one I have is the Tank, and it takes a ton of damage, and goes around smashing people.

I really like the music in this game. They are just a couple simple BGM's, but feel nice, and appropriate to what is happening at the time. The graphics, on the other hand, are rather old fashioned, but it does not detract from the enjoyment of the game.

I recommend those who are getting tire of the average, run of the mill, zombie first person shooter, try this. It is an addicting puzzler with fun game play, and a different goal.