Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Back to Scifi ...

I got back a bit into Star Trek Online, partly because of Jupiter Broadcasting, and because it is such a great game.    People griped when STO was released with bugs, but I understand why Cryptic did it ... because if they didn't they would of lost the license.   If you have a IP like Star Trek, you hold on to it until your hands bleed, and even then you have teeth!!   But the game has come a long way, and it keeps drawing me back, and everytime I do, things have changed for the better.    The best thing I guess, is that it's now free-to-play.    I have a lifetime sub, so it was sort of meh, but its a great thing if your a star trek fan and have been waiting to get into SOMETHING star trek that doesn't cost a cent.

The BEST thing about this game, besides being star trek, is that it has a 'foundry' ... stories based on what the players themselves have made.   There's a rating system for each player made mission.    If you want to stay away from craptacular episodes... Check out Jupiter Broadcasting's SToked for the best of the best.

Also of not.. Cryptic is making more 'episodic' content starting in February ... Which is always good.   Why?  Because they are memorable, and well done.   You also get some great rewards!   Also, for the next few weeks, Q is out and about because its the games 2 year anniversary.   Huzzah.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

DC vs. Marvel

 http://youtu.be/eR4XaK6F5-s

The debate continues for fandom.   For me though its DC.   Why?    Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman .. well, and all of the nifty animated movies, shows, and trade paper backs.    But I think its because I never grew up on it.   Sure I had the Superman vs. Muhammad Ali book, which is my favorite piece of all (Neal Adams artwork ... seriously amazing) .. but I was a Marvel man until the 2000's.   First comics I had as a kid was Fantastic four, and Captain America, and tons of Spiderman, as I said, early Marvel boy. The few DC comics I owned (besides the aformentioned) were few, but stood apart. Sgt. Rock, a Brave and a Bold with Batman finding .. Hitler?? yup, and Aquaman.  Yea, laugh it up, but that Aquaman comic, and I have no recollection of who did the artwork or who wrote it, was good.  Really.   What brought me to the DC line though was when I started collecting heroclix.   Not only playing this minature table top game with Marvel characters was awesome, but when I opened up a box of DC characters I'm like ..... who is this character?   Who is this villain?   It was like unlocking a treasure trove of secrets, of unearthing a tomb of lost gold.   Ok, maybe that's a little over dramatic.   But the fact is, is that DC had tons of characters that I had no idea who they were, and that was attractive to me.

But now thanks to the plethora of DC animated shows, and animated movies, and my lack of funds and room for Marvel ... well, DC's grown closer to my heart.   They may not be the best out there, but for me, its the most accessable.   And then there's Linda Carter.

The blinds aren't on all the time though, DC has screwed up, most importantly with the lack of communication with WB .. Batman excluded ... seriously a decent hero movie, that's all I ask.   They also push the boundaries a bit too far with its violence, not restricted to just their vertigo titles.   I remember when I was in college and this character called 'Lobo' came on the scene .. back then everything was all about keeping things gritty .. and I collected all of Lobo that I could.   Inter-galactic hitman.   One night I just took it all to a trash bin, and got rid of the whole lot.    Comics are great, but if anything brings you down in your walk with God, trash it.   Always a good motto to live by.


For those of you (and you know who you are) that has claimed that Marvel constantly outsells DC -- which is fine .. really .. I do like Marvel, it is my first comic book love ... but I do have to point to THIS site which has the sales figures for the company's.     Pretty close eh?  And notice that titles like Green Lantern and Justice League are up there, and the Flash .. Not JUST batman ;)   Love ya bro, you know who you are!!   

As much as a newer fan of DC I am, they have tons of stinker titles.   I have 10 really long boxes filled with them downstairs (my pastor's) that I have barely touched.    I'm talking the beginings of the Justice league, and Superman, and all that.   The only ones worth grabbing and reading were ones done by artist/writer John Byrne, or comics starting around the death of Superman.   Strangley or not, THAT is when I can be a DC fan.    Why?  Because they read like Marvel comics.   Go figure.

Now to watch The Tick.
  

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

SWOTOR a Month later..

... and I've come to the conclusion that the game is not done yet.   Not that Star Wars the Old Republic MMO is not good, but there are so many things missing and so many bugs, that another month in the perverbrial oven wouldn't hurt.   What Bioware does in the next 2 months is going to be patching up a storm, while bringing out more missions to appeal to the players which is good, but somehow I think the sense of community will be lost.   Before I go on, let me introduce you to some pics of a bugged bounty hunter mission to illustrate some of my problems.

*Spoiler alert*


1) a video bug, my character will have a green glow on her, even when my healer is not healing her.  Really annoying, and it lasts until you reboot.   Then it may return.   Really annoying when your getting into the 'rpg mood'.


2) a beam of green light, from nowhere followed my character for the entire mission.   You think this is because of lag?   Well, I've still got 3 full bars of connectivity (check it out on left bottom side of minimap)


3) Here I'm fighting a guy, notice the red words above my character 'Cannot see Target'  ... again, I'm not lagging, this is me not able to fire my gun because apparently I cannot see the target .. which is right .. in ..front.. of .. me!

 These things happened throughout the mission.   Now, if it were an ordinary mission, perhaps I'd just be a little perturbed.   But this was a mission that was a MAJOR part of my Bounty Hunter's life.   This was  a mission to make me a full fledged Mandalorian Bounty Hunter.   Class epic quest.

Now this game is amazing, and the storylines are awesome, but one of the reasons that I pick up Bioware games, is to step into the shoes of amazing characters, and things like this take me out of the game.   For me, this is a big thing.  

Also missing is: -- a looking for group channel,  character customatization (dye system), a chance to even write a bio for your character ala. city of heroes, star trek online, lotro, champions etc., a chance to CHOOSE which pvp arena you want to go too; a loot system choice better than need/greed.   Massively.com has a great article on this now.

Oh, btw, weather effects are important for us visual hogs in 2012.  How about we have some.

This game has alot of good stuff, and the conversations, crafting, and the idea of having companions sets it above and beyond most games out there in mmo land.   But I think what hits me is that they (Bioware) compromised the debugging process to get the game out there before Christmas.   I guess EA wanted the game out there this year, but I do think it hurt more than helped. 

I would give Swotor 8.5/10.   It is still an amazing mmo, just not a perfect one.   Not yet.    For the last month I have given this game way more time than any other in the last few years.   I love my bounty hunter, and my companions.. some great storytelling that drew me in.   Will I subscribe to it?  Not sure but I will definately revisit it.


=========>>>> Shelob .. my bounty hunter