So I started to make a long reply to a buddy's post about Deus Ex: Human Revolution when two things occurred to me. First of all, most of my reply didn't have anything to do with Deus Ex. It was about what I was playing. Secondly, that's what this blog is for these days: to unload my random thoughts on things. So here are some thoughts on my sixth new topic in six posts, what I've learned about retro PC gaming.
Over the weekend there was a big sale over at Good Old Games. You could get an escalating discount on the second generation D&D PC games, with the more you buy the bigger the discount. I ended up laying out $20 to get Baldur's Gate II, Icewind Dale I & II, and The Temple of Elemental Evil. I suspect that I wouldn't have been quite so eager to pick them up had I not played in that Pathfinder game over the weekend. But old school D&D is where my mind was at, so I grabbed the PC games based on the 2nd and 3rd editions of D&D.
What's interesting about these games, and indeed many games from the '90s and early to mid 2000s, is the depth of mod support for them. Temple of Elemental Evil, for example, is well known for the deplorable state it was released in. Most of those bugs have been squashed in the intervening eight years, and the Circle of Eight mod adds a bunch of nice features and fixes to the already patched and repaired Temple. I've got Circle of Eight installed and the game seems to be playing fine for me, which is a long way from the crashes and hassles I'd have had to deal with had I bought and played it in 2003. What's more, with the sale I ended up buying the game for $3 or so, rather than the $50 I'd have paid at release.
The story's similar for the Baldur's Gate games. Not that either Baldur's Gate was buggy and broken the way Temple of Elemental Evil was, mind you. But since both Baldur's Gates were excellent games in their own right, the mods for them have been focused less on repairing bugs than on adding content. This has culminated in the BiG World Project where the two games are merged into one huge game with a ridiculous 400+ hours of content! New quests, new characters, and the ability to walk from the game world of Baldur's Gate to the that of Baldur's Gate II and back is an amazing achievement.
(It's also a bitch and a half to install and, unlike the Circle of Eight mod which was pretty straightforward, I haven't managed a clean install of BiG World yet. But I'll keep trying.)
Another game that was derided for its buggy release and unimpressive features was Microprose's Birth of the Federation, a Star Trek themed 4X game that failed on it's own but now has a number of mods available, including one that add the Dominion to the game and another where you start in the Enterprise era and evolve until you're using ships from Star Trek: Nemesis.
When I look at the games I've played in the last couple of years, I find that the ones I've played the longest and enjoyed the most are all older games with strong mod support. Dominions III 2006, Civilization IV 2005, Sword of the Stars 2006, Birth of the Federation 1999, Master of Orion II 1996. On the other hand, a lot of the games that I've bought new in the same time frame have been disappointing. Starcraft II, Elemental, Civilization V...all of those games left me cold. What's more, I paid $50 a piece for all three, where as I could get all of the older games (excepting Dominions III whose pricing is insane) for $100 or less. Maybe a lot less.
Indeed, it's getting to the point that I'm becoming more and more reluctant to buy new games. Not only are new games far more expensive, but they're more likely to be broken with the "release now, patch later" mentality that infects so many software developers. And even if a game is released in perfect working order, it won't have the kind of mod support that can elevate a decent game into a great one.
There are exceptions, of course. The Mass Effect games have been pure win for me, and I don't regret paying full price for them. World of Warcraft gave me a couple good years of play, much of it with my brother, so that was worth it too. But then again, Mass Effect is a Bioware game, and as they proved with Baldur's Gate, Bioware puts out good games that work. And World of Warcraft is essentially heavily modded. After all, gamers who played WoW in 2004 will find the 2011 version literally unrecognizable.
If someone asks, "Have you played <Hot New Game>, yet?" the answer will almost certainly be "no." I'll probably be playing something five or more years old instead. Although Sword of the Stars II does come out next month, and The Old Republic is out in December...
So maybe not.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Write Everyday Project #5, Farewell to Ozzie
While I had considered doing a piece on United States' first brush with becoming a superpower in the wake of the Civil War, I seem to have been overtaken by events. And, unlike the late, lamented Ozzie Guillen, the Civil War isn't going anywhere.
Alas poor Ozzie, I knew him well. Love him for winning the World Series or hate him for not having a filter between brain and mouth, Ozzie Guillen was never boring. He finally talked his way out of town and is on his way to Miami to be the manager for the Marlins in exchange for a couple of prospects from the Marlins' system.
While I personally love the guy and wish he'd have stuck around, this was probably the best time to cut him loose. How often can you fire your manager and get another team to pay the last year of his contract and give you players for him? The Marlins need a face of the franchise with their new stadium opening up, and Ozzie is both famous and has a history with the Marlins since he was a coach on their '03 World Series winning team.
So it makes sense on both sides, but damn, baseball just got a lot less interesting here in Chicago all the same. Here's hoping Guillen meets with success with Florida and the stars align to bring him back to the Sox in a few years.
Godspeed, you crazy bastard!
Alas poor Ozzie, I knew him well. Love him for winning the World Series or hate him for not having a filter between brain and mouth, Ozzie Guillen was never boring. He finally talked his way out of town and is on his way to Miami to be the manager for the Marlins in exchange for a couple of prospects from the Marlins' system.
While I personally love the guy and wish he'd have stuck around, this was probably the best time to cut him loose. How often can you fire your manager and get another team to pay the last year of his contract and give you players for him? The Marlins need a face of the franchise with their new stadium opening up, and Ozzie is both famous and has a history with the Marlins since he was a coach on their '03 World Series winning team.
So it makes sense on both sides, but damn, baseball just got a lot less interesting here in Chicago all the same. Here's hoping Guillen meets with success with Florida and the stars align to bring him back to the Sox in a few years.
Godspeed, you crazy bastard!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Write Everyday Project #4, The Bears Still Suck
Pursuant to the "write whatever's on your mind as long as you do it every damn day" credo for the WEP, some thoughts on the plight of the Chicago Bears in the 2011 NFL season.
The Bears still suck.
The offensive line did better and kept Cutler from being sacked until well into the second quarter. And he was only sacked three times which is a nice improvement over the six times he got creamed against the Saints. But seriously, nine rushing attempts for two yards? TWO? When you get one dimensional like that the defense only needs to protect the pass, and guess what? That makes it a lot harder to get any yards through the air.
This also makes the second game in a row the Bears' defense fell asleep at the wheel. 30 points against New Orleans and 27 against Green Bay isn't going to cut it, especially with a one dimensional offense! There were too many big plays made against the Bears, who are a defense designed to stop big plays! If you can't stop that, what can you stop? Not much, apparently.
Even special teams, normally a Bears strength, suffered. The Bears pulled out one of the best special teams plays ever...only to have it called back by a holding penalty.
Nothing was working for the Bears yesterday, and now they find themselves in third place and two games back only three weeks into the season. Now to be sure, last year things seemed to be going equally poorly early on in the season and the Bears ended up winning the division and making it to the NFC Championship game. So there's still time to right the ship.
But the Packers aren't weighed down by injury this year and the new Detroit Lions are playing better than they have in decades, so it'll be a tougher road to the playoffs for the Bears in 2011. Are they up to it?
Initial signs say no.
The Bears still suck.
The offensive line did better and kept Cutler from being sacked until well into the second quarter. And he was only sacked three times which is a nice improvement over the six times he got creamed against the Saints. But seriously, nine rushing attempts for two yards? TWO? When you get one dimensional like that the defense only needs to protect the pass, and guess what? That makes it a lot harder to get any yards through the air.
This also makes the second game in a row the Bears' defense fell asleep at the wheel. 30 points against New Orleans and 27 against Green Bay isn't going to cut it, especially with a one dimensional offense! There were too many big plays made against the Bears, who are a defense designed to stop big plays! If you can't stop that, what can you stop? Not much, apparently.
Even special teams, normally a Bears strength, suffered. The Bears pulled out one of the best special teams plays ever...only to have it called back by a holding penalty.
Nothing was working for the Bears yesterday, and now they find themselves in third place and two games back only three weeks into the season. Now to be sure, last year things seemed to be going equally poorly early on in the season and the Bears ended up winning the division and making it to the NFC Championship game. So there's still time to right the ship.
But the Packers aren't weighed down by injury this year and the new Detroit Lions are playing better than they have in decades, so it'll be a tougher road to the playoffs for the Bears in 2011. Are they up to it?
Initial signs say no.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Write Everyday Project #3, Pathfinder
So I played what I think is my third ever game of Pathfinder yesterday. It went well, and though I never played all that much 3.5 upon which Pathfinder is based, I'm stating to think I'd like to play in a Pathfinder campaign.
Here's the thing. Fourth Edition D&D is a great tactical game, which emphasizes what you can do in any given battle. It's perfect for one shots or a series of tactical encounters like D&D Lair Assault or, well, Encounters. Pathfinder, drawing its influence from traditional D&D, is a better strategic game, which rewards long term planning and preparation. That makes it better, I think, for long term campaigns.
Of course, I'm running no less than two long term 4E campaigns and have played in three Pathfinder one shots.
I seem to be doing things wrong.
Before I run a Pathfinder campaign, I think I'd prefer to play in one first. Our Encounters group is thinking of quitting Encounters at the end of the current season in favor of either an ongoing 4E game or Pathfinder one. I'm hoping I can convince them to go to the latter. Ace, the DM of last night's Pathfinder game, said he might be able to run a Pathfinder game for us, but that wouldn't be before December at the earliest.
Complicated.
Well, that is the bane of the adult gamer. Finding time to play gets harder as people have more and more work and family commitments. Somehow, we'll just have to make it work.
Here's the thing. Fourth Edition D&D is a great tactical game, which emphasizes what you can do in any given battle. It's perfect for one shots or a series of tactical encounters like D&D Lair Assault or, well, Encounters. Pathfinder, drawing its influence from traditional D&D, is a better strategic game, which rewards long term planning and preparation. That makes it better, I think, for long term campaigns.
Of course, I'm running no less than two long term 4E campaigns and have played in three Pathfinder one shots.
I seem to be doing things wrong.
Before I run a Pathfinder campaign, I think I'd prefer to play in one first. Our Encounters group is thinking of quitting Encounters at the end of the current season in favor of either an ongoing 4E game or Pathfinder one. I'm hoping I can convince them to go to the latter. Ace, the DM of last night's Pathfinder game, said he might be able to run a Pathfinder game for us, but that wouldn't be before December at the earliest.
Complicated.
Well, that is the bane of the adult gamer. Finding time to play gets harder as people have more and more work and family commitments. Somehow, we'll just have to make it work.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Write Everyday Project #2, Chopped!
Since I know I'm going to be busy pretty much all day tomorrow, I'm going to do my writing for Saturday now. Technically it's pretty much the same day as my first post, but we're past midnight and I think technicalities count.
So, having just caught episodes two and three of the current season of Chopped Champions, it occurred to me why I like the show so much better than the other competitive cooking shows.
It is pure cooking.
You see, most cooking competitions muddle things up with other elements. The Next Food Network Star is more about your camera presence than your food. The Great Food Truck Race is mostly about about location and selling your food. Iron Chef America lets you pre-plan your menu and gives you three sous chefs!
Only Chopped, in all its variations, is really about one chef and his or her skill at making food to the exclusion of all else. In Chopped, you and three opponents get 20 minutes and a basket of unusual ingredients to cook an appetizer. The least successful of the four of you is "chopped" and leaves the show. The remaining three competitors get another basket and 30 minutes to do an entree. Again you're judged, and the surviving two chefs get a third and final basket and another 20 minutes to do a dessert. The winner is judged on his or her overall meal and takes home $10,000.
That's it. The chef able to think on his or her feet and cook the best under difficult conditions wins.
And that simplicity is what I like. It doesn't matter if you're telegenic or if you have business sense, or how good you are at directing subordinates. How good is your food?
What could be fairer than that?
The show is so simple, in fact, that they resort to gimmick seasons, like the current Chopped Champions where winners of the regular show compete against each other in a two round tournament for $50,000. There was even a season where the contestants were all members of the Food Network "family," including some judges from Chopped itself!
So, if you find yourself with an itch to watch chefs duke it out, I recommend Chopped.
So, having just caught episodes two and three of the current season of Chopped Champions, it occurred to me why I like the show so much better than the other competitive cooking shows.
It is pure cooking.
You see, most cooking competitions muddle things up with other elements. The Next Food Network Star is more about your camera presence than your food. The Great Food Truck Race is mostly about about location and selling your food. Iron Chef America lets you pre-plan your menu and gives you three sous chefs!
Only Chopped, in all its variations, is really about one chef and his or her skill at making food to the exclusion of all else. In Chopped, you and three opponents get 20 minutes and a basket of unusual ingredients to cook an appetizer. The least successful of the four of you is "chopped" and leaves the show. The remaining three competitors get another basket and 30 minutes to do an entree. Again you're judged, and the surviving two chefs get a third and final basket and another 20 minutes to do a dessert. The winner is judged on his or her overall meal and takes home $10,000.
That's it. The chef able to think on his or her feet and cook the best under difficult conditions wins.
And that simplicity is what I like. It doesn't matter if you're telegenic or if you have business sense, or how good you are at directing subordinates. How good is your food?
What could be fairer than that?
The show is so simple, in fact, that they resort to gimmick seasons, like the current Chopped Champions where winners of the regular show compete against each other in a two round tournament for $50,000. There was even a season where the contestants were all members of the Food Network "family," including some judges from Chopped itself!
So, if you find yourself with an itch to watch chefs duke it out, I recommend Chopped.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Write Everyday Project #1, Get Some Sleep!
Pursuant to the idea of making myself write every day, I'm going to try and write at least a paragraph here every single day. This will be random commentary about the world, without limits. It could be about politics or religion or sex. It's somewhat more likely to be about movies, television, video games, or just random crap I read on the internet. The point is less to write a coherent narrative or establish a personal philosophy as it is to simply reinforce the habit of writing every day.
Rather than long posts made once every couple of weeks as I did back on my LiveJournal, I anticipate this will be shorter, more stream of consciousness type affairs. In other words, whatever happens to be on my mind at the time.
Right now, I'm thinking about the link that Neil Gaiman put on his Twitter to Seth Godin's blog which advocates what I'm doing here: writing every day. So I figure I'd give it a try.
What do I have to lose? A few minutes every day, some self-esteem if I can't keep it up. Totally worth the gamble.
So for this introductory post I thought I'd share something I've learned from observational data. If you want to write, get enough sleep!
How much "enough" is varies from person to person, of course. And there are probably outliers who only do their best work hung over and strung out after being awake for thirty six hours or some such nonsense, but in my personal experience, the difference between how much I can get done on six hours of sleep versus eight hours is immense. As I understand it, the guys who wrote Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength say that a person's willpower is affected by the amount of glucose in that person's bloodstream at any given time. I don't have the science to know whether getting more sleep versus less sleep affects glucose, I just know that it's easier to write on more sleep.
So that's Jon's Advice for Writers #1: Get enough sleep!
Rather than long posts made once every couple of weeks as I did back on my LiveJournal, I anticipate this will be shorter, more stream of consciousness type affairs. In other words, whatever happens to be on my mind at the time.
Right now, I'm thinking about the link that Neil Gaiman put on his Twitter to Seth Godin's blog which advocates what I'm doing here: writing every day. So I figure I'd give it a try.
What do I have to lose? A few minutes every day, some self-esteem if I can't keep it up. Totally worth the gamble.
So for this introductory post I thought I'd share something I've learned from observational data. If you want to write, get enough sleep!
How much "enough" is varies from person to person, of course. And there are probably outliers who only do their best work hung over and strung out after being awake for thirty six hours or some such nonsense, but in my personal experience, the difference between how much I can get done on six hours of sleep versus eight hours is immense. As I understand it, the guys who wrote Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength say that a person's willpower is affected by the amount of glucose in that person's bloodstream at any given time. I don't have the science to know whether getting more sleep versus less sleep affects glucose, I just know that it's easier to write on more sleep.
So that's Jon's Advice for Writers #1: Get enough sleep!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Working for Yahoo, Part XIV
Two more weeks without a post. Yikes. Blogging may not be my thing.
Despite my still serious complaints about Yahoo and the economics thereof, I saw a relatively easy assignment and snapped it up. Write 350 words about your favorite novel, they asked, so here it is: My thoughts on American Gods.
In truth that was more about getting back into the habit of writing than any great expectations about its success. A glance at my stats shows that my review of the new Randhurst AMC is still my most popular article, despite the cross-linking I did with the Western Battlefield Summery article.
On the other hand, my stab at "current" content in the form of my First Impressions: Age of Empires Online Beta only scored two measly hits, and no one at all has read my review of Murder for Two.
I mean, I know musical theater ain't exactly front page news unless it's Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, but Murder for Two really was a funny little show. No one? Really?
Very depressing.
In other news, there are job openings at The Escapist and Rock, Paper, Shotgun that I'm trying to fill. I don't have high hopes, since the jobs were posted on the front pages of popular websites and will likely be flooded with entries, but I'm doing my bit regardless.
Wish me (lots and lots of) luck.
Despite my still serious complaints about Yahoo and the economics thereof, I saw a relatively easy assignment and snapped it up. Write 350 words about your favorite novel, they asked, so here it is: My thoughts on American Gods.
In truth that was more about getting back into the habit of writing than any great expectations about its success. A glance at my stats shows that my review of the new Randhurst AMC is still my most popular article, despite the cross-linking I did with the Western Battlefield Summery article.
On the other hand, my stab at "current" content in the form of my First Impressions: Age of Empires Online Beta only scored two measly hits, and no one at all has read my review of Murder for Two.
I mean, I know musical theater ain't exactly front page news unless it's Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, but Murder for Two really was a funny little show. No one? Really?
Very depressing.
In other news, there are job openings at The Escapist and Rock, Paper, Shotgun that I'm trying to fill. I don't have high hopes, since the jobs were posted on the front pages of popular websites and will likely be flooded with entries, but I'm doing my bit regardless.
Wish me (lots and lots of) luck.
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