Elonian Nomad: 3rd Strike

Yep, a benchmark.  Nope, not a demo, a benchmark.  Hoookaaayyy…

It’s not playable, at all, unless you count the ability to play with the settings (resolution, anti-aliasing, detail levels, shader options, etc).

Engaging the benchmark will run you through several pre-”choreographed” fights.  Each new fight seems to use more detail than the previous one.  After all the sequences, it seems you’re scored based on your rig’s performance (I presume, though I haven’t finished the benchmark yet).

It doesn’t matter if your rig can handle the specs “on paper”. The benchmark will show you how the game would most likely play.  You’ve got around 2-3 weeks to tweak your rig and get the experience you want.

「ストリートファイターIV」（PC）ベンチマーク via  Destructoid, RPS

June 16th, 2009 | Tags: has downloads, Street Fighter | Category: video games | Leave a comment

Left 4 Dead sounded appealing when I first heard about the concept.  I was skeptical of its longevity, but Valve’s track record for supporting games with meaningful content long after release (like TF2) convinced me to get the game ASAP.  I loved it instantly, no regrets, even if they did put it on 50% sale several times some months afterward.  They made quite a few patches, added some modes., etc. Things were on track.  I was really looking forward to the next “big update”, you know, like Valve’s big updates to TF2.

It turns out, the next “big update” is a sequel.

Sequels are great, and I have no doubts that when Valve decides to make a sequel, they’ll make it a good one.  It’s just frustrating, however, to buy into a game with the intent on playing it for the next 3 years or so, only to be supplanted in a few months.  Doubly annoying since the improvements in the sequel basically invalidates owning the first game.  I wouldn’t have minded as much if this was an add-on, but it’s a sequel, intended to be mechanically and technically superior. Aesthetics and charm/nostalgia aside, why would anyone bother to support the old one?  The old game is essentially left 4 dead (pun intended).

It’’s no surprise that quite a lot of fans are upset.  Hell, I’m upset!  Even if I discard my attachment to Bill, Louis, Francis, and Zoey I still feel a little… “mislead”.  It’s strange that I’d feel cheated over something Valve has every right to do, but that’s how I feel right now.

I still believe that Valve has the best interests of it’s customers in mind. If a sequel so soon is the only way to provide the best co-op zombie experience, then so be it.  [update]  If Doug Lombardi’s words turn true, then it might just be worth it.  I mean, Valve has made good gameplay decisions so far, haven’t they?

Still… it better be a damned good sequel!

SOURCES:

• Steam News via Gamasutra
• [Gamasutra] E3: Valve Talks Left 4 Dead 2’s Quick Sequel Strategy
• [Neowin] Left 4 Dead gamers angry at Valve for sequel
• [Rock, Paper, Shotgun] Valve On L4D2: “Trust Us A Little Bit”

June 4th, 2009 | Tags: L4D | Category: video games | Leave a comment

Valve just released an update to Team Fortress 2 that, among other bugfixes, allows the item unlocks via Sniper/Spy achievements.  This doesn’t mean that the random item drops were removed (though they did do some back-end tweaking recently), but now you have a more deterministic method of getting your weapon unlocks… for the Sniper and Spy at least.

After playing through the new RPGesque “item drop system” for the better part of the week, I can now say that I generally like it, with three issues making it less than great.  One, is that the total randomness in the timing of of the “drops”, which is a bug and should be fixed (a partial fix was already done).  Second is that you can get duplicate items.  Duplicate items are totally useless right now, but if they introduce trading and multiple versions of the same item in the future, then there might be a future to this.  Lastly, random drops, though encouraging general playing, is annoying since you can’t control what you’ll get, which is what the current update fixes.  I don’t think anything’s wrong with the random drops, it helps casual players like me in appreciating what’s new.  I don’t think anything’s wrong with the Achievement based unlocks either as having a goal with a rspecific reward gives the players control.

I would rather have both options available as having both addresses the needs of both casual and achievement based players.  Granted, this dual item unlock system appears to be enabled only to the Sniper and Spy right now.  Hopefully this is just a test, and that they’ll implement this system with the rest of the classes.

In other news, Steam is also offering both Freedom Force games for under US$7, and ImpulseDriven is putting-up The Corporate Machine for just US$1 for their respective weekend sales!  Given that I managed to get the Huntsman, Ubersaw, and Boxing Gloves last night, this is turning out to be a pretty good weekend. ^^

SOURCE:  Steam News via Kotaku

May 30th, 2009 | Tags: Impulse, Steam, TF2 | Category: video games | Leave a comment

Although I dislike the artificial inflation of prices typical in collectible games, I must admit that some of them, notably MtG, is extremely well made.   So, this game’s concept, collectible cards to be used for RTS style battles, piqued by interest ever I heard about the beta, but somehow I never got around to trying it, beta, demo, or otherwise.

Now, the game is free, which means it’s revenue will rely on micro-transactions (buying “cards”), almost similar to MtGO (except you really have to buy an online starter to start playing MtGO, unless that’s changed since the last time I played, which is admittedly quite a whiles [sic] ago).  All restricted content from the demo is now accessible, you get 2 “decks”, but you’ll have to reach certain levels in PvE (4) or PvP (10) to trade/auction cards.  Not bad for free content.

After installing, the game will download around 2.7gb worth of content.  After that, then I’ll see for myself how the collectible card concept works in practice for RTS genre.

SOURCE: BattleForge announcement via  Rock, Paper, Shotgun

May 27th, 2009 | Tags: BattleForge, has downloads | Category: video games | Leave a comment

[update 3]

Looks like they put back Achievement based unlocks for the Sniper/Spy!

[update 2]

Erik Johnson from the Official TF2 Blog made a post regarding their intentions on the new system.  The system is intended to be time based, which should give more items for players who play more.  Items are to be made tradable, which explains the duplicates (thought so).  There were “issues that prevented the system from working properly, so that timeframe was not indicative of the system as it’s designed”.

Well, at least the weird drop inconsistency wasn’t intentional.  I do hope that they fix things soon as I’d like to see how this affects those who don’t play TF2 as a full-time job.

[update]

RockPaperShotgun emailed Robin Walker (a “lead-guy” for TF2) and explained that this total randomness is not exactly how they intended it, which I believe.  IMO, high concept might be the same, but there’s probably a bug or two somewhere (a TF2 update was released to fix several bugs as I was typing this update.  Weapon drop related fixes not included).  Details on this be found here, with an official TF2 blog announcement on the way, hopefully soon.

— [original post] —

Valve really put a lot of work into this double-whammy update. The Sniper gets new toys.  The Spy gets new toys, new maps, people who don’t have the game get to play it this weekend for free… And, if for some reason you have Steam and you still don’t have Team Fortress 2, you can get it at 50% off!  Now that’s quite a wallop for a free update.

The thing that steals the show, though, is the new method of earning the special weapons.  Previously, you earn the weapons by attaining several achievements specific to the class in question.  I got my Flare-Gun after around 6 Pyro Achievements, my Natascha after 16 Heavy Achievements.  The drive to get these weapons forced me to really know what each class can do, particularly since the achievements are designed for you to learn to maximize a certain class.  Hell, it even made me like classes I didn’t know I’d enjoy (like the Heavy)  Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a grind.

Now, the items are no longer tied to your achievements.  You can now earn items by… well… doing anything really.  Based on the last few hours of gameplay since the patch was released, people have been getting items with no discernible pattern.  Some would play for hours and get nothing.  Others would play for 3 minutes and get something.  A lucky few keep getting new stuff left and right, while some get the same item 2-3 times in a row.

With all the changes made, there’s bound to be complaints.  Normally it’s a balance thing, as players get used to using and dealing with the new weapons.  Now though, quite a lot of players who spent a lot of time and effort in earning their items feel their efforts were for naught as noobs earn items on the spot.

As frustrating as this is for the players who spent a lot of effort to get those items, I see this as an attempt to make the game more approachable to people who don’t have hours to spare playing games.  I’m willing to give this system a shot.  I have spent quite a lot of effort to earn the weapons I now have, but I also don’t have the time to keep doing that, so this update helps alleviate things somewhat.

Still, the randomness is frustrating.  Nobody seems to know if there is any system at all, most players agree that it’s practically random.  I played for 3 hours straight and got nothing.  Then I got 2-3 items, then nothing again for several hours to come.  Some of the players online get the same thing, and given that you can’t trade it for things you’d rather have, this becomes a test of patience.

It’s not the concept of drops that annoys me.  It’s the lack of control over these that makes it frustrating.  I’d prefer if there was at least some logic to the weapon drops, that it ain’t as fully random as it currently appears to be.  It seems to random, in fact, that it’s like winning a raffle when someone gets a weapon.  There’s an announcement of your prize on the chat log, a weapon you may or may not like, and people congratulate you for being so fortunate in “winning” something.

I’m sure Valve is keeping an eye on the players reactions.  I’m willing to be part of the experiment and will hold-off any final judgments until I get more plays (after all, I am earning some weapons).  In the meantime, I’ll just pray that I get more stuff that I don’t already have.

SOURCE: Team Fortress 2 blog and forums

UPDATE: The TF2 Unlock Teacup-Storm

UPDATE 2: Official TF2 Blog

May 23rd, 2009 | Tags: Steam, TF2 | Category: video games | Leave a comment

This Monday in particular didn’t start-off too well for me, I was pretty down for much of the day.  Good thing I decided to drop by National Bookstore and look around, else I wouldn’t have noticed that this was already out:

I’m not sure how long Akibakada’s (Beerkada #9) been available, I’m just glad it is.

May 18th, 2009 | Tags: Beerkada | Category: comics, pinoy | Leave a comment

We already know that the PC release of Street Fighter IV is early July (July 2 for Japan, July 7 for US).  It’s been around two weeks since the release date announcement was made, and details on the release have slowly been trickling-in.  For a guy who has no console, this is a must-buy.  Unfortunately, this is the PC we’re talking about, so simply “getting the game” isn’t as simple.

Forget the specs for a moment (specs considerations are pretty much standard fare when PC gaming) and assume your rig is up to it (or you can try the benchmark tool and find out).  My dilemma is simply how to obtain the damn game.

Let’s look at the info we have sofar, maybe it’ll help in the decision making.

First the PC version only perks:

• 3 different shader options
• MadCatz Fightsticks for SFIV will be recognized by the PC verison (both XBOX and PS3 versions?)

Things to note:

• It will be available for digital download at “Capcom.com’s e-store, Steam, Impulse, Direct2Drive, Metaboli, Gametap, Nvidia.com, GamersGate and others to be named later”.
• Sven: “Steam will use its own DRM, Impulse will use it’s GOO DRM. Direct2Drive, Metaboli, Gametap, GamersGate, Capcom’s Estore, Nvidia.com will all be using SecuROM’s network authentication.”
• Sven: “The serial codes for Impulse and Steam and retail are completely
  different. If you want auto updates from Impulse or Steam, you need to
  buy from them initially.”
• Games for Windows – LIVE online play will have no cross-platform support (ergo, you can’t fight with the XBOX peeps)

Issues/Remaining questions:

• I’ve heard that Games for Windows – LIVE’s online play will work only if your country is supported.  My country ain’t on the list.  I have to change my GFWL account to be based on a supported country?
• Are both XBOX and PS3 FightSticks supported on the PC?  I’m considering getting a PS3 FightStick since I play against my pal on a PS3, but given that the game uses GFW, I’m not sure of the compatibility (the said it works, but it wasn’t specific).

I hope this helps you in your PC SFIV decision making.

SOURCES:

• [CAPCOM Unity] Street Fighter IV PC: the Specs
• [CAPCOM Unity] The Street Fighter IV PC – The Options [sic]
• Videogamer.com
• Shacknews
• Kotaku
• [Kotaku] Street Fighter IV benchmark tool released, test your might via RPS

May 16th, 2009 | Tags: Steam, Street Fighter | Category: video games | Leave a comment

So you’ve been hearing about this D&D thing for some time now, and particularly how this “4e” thing is supposed to be more newbie/video-gamer friendly.  But you just can’t justify shelling out more than US$100  just to see if something you already find iffy is actually a gem.  Fortunately Wizards of the Coast (WotC) is doing something about the “pay to try” part.

Last week, WotC initiated D&D Test Drive, which basically allows you to give the D&D 4e  a spin for free.  Quick start rules give you a basic idea on how the game is played, as well as pre-generated characters you can use, Keep on the Shadowfell provides the adventure those characters can frolic in, and for those who want to make their own characters, you can use the Character Builder to create level 1-3 characters from scratch.  These are all downloadable for free.  Legally.

This is actually quite a good way of getting people to try 4e out (or D&D, for that matter), and I’m glad they decided to use this type of sampling strategy, particularly after they decided to stop distributing PDFs due to piracy problems.  Or perhaps it was a way to mitigate the goodwill they lost for that move?  Given that digital distribution is the in-thing, they’ll probably find some restoring the purchase of digital content, they’re just probably looking at the options available.

Still, I think this is one of their better D&D promotion efforts, even better than (or to supplement) D&D Tiny Adventures.

It’s free folks, nothing to lose in giving it a Test Drive.  Gaming with Children has links to some other related free stuff help you make the most of it.  Who knows?  Maybe you have pen-and-paper RPGer inside you.

SOURCE: D&D Test Drive via Gaming With Children, ICv2

May 6th, 2009 | Tags: DnD, has downloads | Category: tabletop games | Leave a comment

[UPDATE]

And the magic date for Street Fighter IV’s PC debut in Japan is… July 2, 2009!
In the US, it appears to be July 7, 2009.

No announcements yet for the PC release in other countries.

Kotaku also has some preview info on the PC version.  It’s more “teaser info” to me as it makes the wait even more excruciating!

For a summary of details regarding the PC release (so far), go here.

SOURCES:

• U-CAPCOM via Kotaku
• Capcom Unity

I almost freaked out ’till I read it more closely.

On May 1, CAPCOM will release the release date for Street Fighter IV.

Man, I never knew I’d get so worked-up on an announcement about an announcement.

SOURCE: Kotaku

April 20th, 2009 | Tags: Street Fighter | Category: video games | Leave a comment