Warcraft (2016)

The arrival of the orcs.

With their world dying (possibly because of a Blizzard fiasco), the orcs step through a magic portal to invade the world of Azeroth, but not if Lothar (Travis Fimmel) has anything to say about it! It is much more than a simple blue versus green story though, and the action sequences and CGI are absolutely top notch. If anything, it's the pacing which throws us all across the vistas of Azeroth which seems a bit rushed,.

How are opposing sides always color coded?

As someone who isn't familiar with Warcraft lore I can't compare it for accuracy/continuity so I can only credit it as a stand alone movie which I enjoyed quite a lot. Definitely recommended for fantasy action fans in the same boat as me (no Warcraft knowledge), I give it three and a half griffons out of five.

Borderlands 2: Boss Killers

[Part of the Wasted Land story]

Having completed our training, we leave Sanctuary STRONGER and absolutely murder an abomination created by Dr. Zed, assassinate a Hyperion DJ and clean up some skag piss as well as the stinky, leaky skags responsible. Even Captain Scarlett pops up again and threatens us with a new wurm who we DESTROY in under two minutes before running off again.

With our INCREASED MURDERICITY we then return to battle Voracidious and Chief Ngwatu, and this time with DL luring the Chief while Jim uses dual rocket launchers on the monster (I gave him mine as it makes sense tactically), and myself throwing 14 fastball grenades at it before going BERSERK in hand to hand - we win in a short but intense battle!

Afterwards we head back to challenge the main big boss BEHIND EVERYTHING... Master Gee! This guy and his baby wurms are still freaking tough, so instead of regular grenades we switch to gravity-pulling ones to keep him off balance. Despite this Jim and DL still go down, but I manage to find some cover and OUTLAST the Master in a long battle of ATTRITION. Once he is dead our job is complete - and the Borderlands are safe again... until we get more DLCs or the next game that is!

Krieg can become pretty invincible too, with the right build!

Insight: Voracidious and Master Gee are two complete opposites in combat. Master Gee is a lengthy survivability test while Voracidious is a fast DPS race. Prepare accordingly!

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Blaugust Bonus: "If you could meet any person you look up to, who would it be?" -Bhagpuss

My dad. It sounds silly since I already had years and years with him. I guess it really just is never enough huh?

About Me: Half Truths

I've made a little game for today, the last day of the Blaugust Reborn "get to know you week". Much like Bhagpuss said, I'm in the boat of trying to be anonymously famous so I've made a list of things about me, but only half of them are true. Can you work it out?

I am proficient in archery.
I got a firearms permit before I got my drivers licence.
I was ranked as Grade A in 10m Junior Air Pistol.
The clarinet and flute are my instruments of choice.
I love swimming, especially at the beach.
Dishes of fish and seafood are my favorite.
Cooking one of my many hobbies.
Outside of pictures and videos, I've never seen snow.
I've done ballroom lessons, but prefer dancing salsa.
I've been a game master on multiple Ultima Online free shards.
I was interested in joining the one way mission to Mars.
Photos of me can be found in an insert of a particular Jazz CD.
Most of my own photographs are of birds.
My grandfather is a National Artist.
One of my nick names translates to Felix the Cat.
My real name is Joseph Skyrim.

Blaugust Prep Week: Listen to Advice

This is very fitting being the last of my Blaugust Prep Week series for this year. There's already a ton of good advice out there, most of which you can find in the Blaugust Discord channel.

I'm going to do just that and follow Wilhelm's advice (which I only saw through Bhagpuss' post) of:

Don’t worry that somebody else has already posted about a topic if you want to write about it.

My previously cancelled Day 2 post is one that echoes Syp. The best way to stay on time is to stay ahead. Have posts ready to go. Sure, there are times when it's a struggle to write but other times the words just seem to flow. Use that extra creativity and prepare future posts. That's what I try to do, and apparently I'm not alone.

MMOs: Rewarding the Ordinary

[Part of my MMO Design Folder]

"What we need in MMOs is content and systems that endorse, encourage and reward the choice to be an ordinary Joe or Jill, someone just doing their best to help their friends, their family, their neighbors, their community in difficult circumstances." -Bhagpuss

In a previous post, Bhagpuss disagreed with my notion of needing more Heroes and less Soldiers. While we still don't see eye to eye on that matter, the quote above got me thinking about how a game would encourage and reward the "ordinary". My initial thoughts were something along the lines of "WTF? I defeated the enemy army solo and got the same reward that farmer who stayed in his field planting crops got? Well that's unfair."

Then I thought more about it. More about this term... this label, "ordinary". What separates the "ordinary" from "heroes"? The answer I came up eventually was: nothing. No one is just ordinary. Everyone has the potential to be a hero. They just need the will, the means and the opportunity to do so.

Heroes come in all forms after all.

Translating all that into an MMO, the best solution I could come up with is still the individual skill levels, which increase as you use them and degrade as you neglect them. In this way people can shine in the actions they prefer to take. Maybe I can slay dragons solo with ease but when it comes to building defences for a village I'm as useful as a bucket, while the master builder who would rather not fight dragons at all could build a wall in no time, and the farmer can harvest food and herbs quickly, and the alchemist can make the best potions with those herbs, and so on and so forth.

There's even room for a jack of all trades who can help out each specialist better than those with no knowledge in the specific field, but alone he's simply not as good at dragon slaying as the hunter, or building walls as the master builder, and in turn will find it harder getting the varied rewards for each task. Maybe the builder gets a better hammer while the slayer gets a better weapon. So yes, while I would like a system where you can be anything you want - it should be left up to you where you want to shine the most and that way everyone can be rewarded for how they would like to play.

Darklands: Lothar of Bar

This is part of The Darklands story.

After resting up in the hamlet the team proceeded East into the forest where the robber knight kept his base. Apart from an empty cave and some misguided brigands the journey was pretty smooth. Ravanel and Bhagpuss decided to try the same technique Bishop Syp had used before, walking up to the gate and asking for food and shelter. Proving she was an excellent student, Lothar let them in again and offered a room for them to spend the night.

Two handed swords hurt.

Sneaking out and finding him alone was almost too easy thanks to Lyle's tracking skills, however it turned out that he was a much harder adversary than their first robber knight. Even with five of them, Lothar managed to wound all of them with his sword skills and in one fell stroke slew his most dangerous opponent, Bhagpuss.

Enraged at his mentor's demise Jeromai went berserk and with a combined team effort managed to bring the big man down. As before the yellow bellied thugs fled upon the sight of their dead leader leaving the team free reign on looting the place, and then setting it on fire in Bhagpuss' memory. Feeling the loss, the Schulz of Kolberg agreed to stay on the team awhile longer which was welcome news.

The sombre trip back to his hamlet was only interrupted by a pack of wild boars who were easily slain and turned into a delicious, revitalizing dinner.

Darklands: Providence

This is part of The Darklands story.

Bhagpuss insisted on travelling North East as that's where he felt the town of Goslar was. It was surprisingly difficult to find a map or reliable directions Ravanel realised and now more than ever she missed Syl, her gypsy friend. Fortunately the bishop had taught her well in talking her way out of tolls so entering other towns and random road tax enforcers (other than those employed by the church) were easily convinced to let them by.

There were much fewer bandits while following the road, and those that did show up were easily dispatched of by the soldiers Lyle, Jeromai and Bhagpuss. There was even a wandering merchant caravan they managed to sell some loot to. Eventually they reached the northern sea, and entered a friendly little hamlet called Kolberg.

The Schulz of the town, who acts as their leader, informed them they were headed the wrong way. Pointing out where Goslar was on the map (I seriously only found it then). However since they had already come this far he asked if he could use their help in solving a problem they were having. A problem by the name of Lothar of Bar, the robber knight. In addition he offered to come along to assist the team in putting an end to this evil sinner.

Sounds like a bad guy.

They agreed without hesitation.

Darklands: Rogues of Prenzlau

This is part of The Darklands story.

Walram's men fled upon seeing their leader's corpse, leaving Bishop Syp, Bhagpuss and Ravanel free reign on looting the castle. As they left Bhagpuss decided to set it on fire, since that's what he wanted to do from the beginning. They then travelled to the nearby city of Prenzlau where Bhagpuss said an old friend was staying. This friend was named "Jeromai Wolf", a veteran soldier or 30 years.

It was no surprise to him who set the fire.

Jeromai agreed to join them if they'd first help clear Prenzlau of the local thieves, a task the Bishop was more than happy to accommodate. Not long after dark they came across their first group, and Syp managed to simply persuade them to not be bad with his high speech skills. Unfortunately the second group did not speak Latin, and during the scuffle one managed to backstab Syp with his falchion, killing him instantly.

This only spurned on the remaining three in slaying those scum along with the next three groups they encountered that night, being joined by a young 20 year old night watchman recruit named "Lyle Grinder" as they wandered the streets. As the day broke they returned to the tavern to mend their wounds in silence. Directionless, Ravanel prayed for a sign as the old bishop had once taught her.

It was then that young Lyle Grinder spoke up, telling the others about a rumor he heard - troubles of a supernatural variety in the mines of Goslar. With renewed purpose the team sold the extra gear they looted from the previous evening and headed out to find this new adventure.

Darklands: Walram of Teck

This is part of The Darklands story.

Given their current track record of assailing strongholds and being severely out-manned and out-equipped by Walram's men most of Bhagpuss's suggestions involving combat were immediately thrown out the window, yet the team agreed that they couldn't just in good conscience leave this evil man alone now that they stumbled across his lair. The bishop then had an idea. It was crazy. It was dangerous. They all agreed to it.

The guards must have been surprised to see the group march up right to the castle gate. More so when Bishop Syp requested food and shelter. Walram was so curious that he accepted, letting the team dine with him that evening and giving them a room to spend the night in. And when they slept, he planned to kill them.

Possibly Walram.

Bhagpuss is not one to be caught unawares though, and after waiting for their guards to leave for patrol the group snuck out of their quarters and followed Gypsy Syl quietly to where she figured Walram's private quarters were. The robber knight was alone but still armed. The bishop suggested he surrender, but Walram had other ideas - charging at the team with his two handed sword in a fit of rage.

He easily knocked out the elderly bishop and sent Ravanel to the floor with a well placed kick, making the world go white with pain. When she regained her vision she only saw two figures left standing. It was Bhagpuss and his blade rammed deep into Walram's chest. After a moment, the robber knight collapsed to the floor dead. Beside him lay Gypsy Syl, a fatal wound to the abdomen being her undoing. Ravanel cried as she closed her friend's eyes for the last time.

Darklands: Divine Intervention

This is part of The Darklands story.

After visiting a second town just as dull as the first, the party continued their journey into the wilderness. While walking through a forest Gypsy Syl signalled everyone to a stop, having detected an ambush up ahead. Bishop Syp took the initiative an in a bellowing voice drove the fear of God into their would be assailants, causing them to flee before they even drew their weapons.

Don't mess with Syp!

Further in the forest the team was then beset by giant spiders as Ravanel tripped on a web! Knowing the danger they were in Syp used his divine powers to pray to Saint Perpetua for aid. His prayers were answered as the team was suddenly transported past the eight legged monstrosities. From their new location Bhagpuss spotted another castle in the distance so they made their way there without any more encounters. As they approached though, they all could feel something was wrong.

This castle was far more foreboding than the tower from before. The armed men patrolling the grounds and the walls wore the mark of mercenaries and thieves. There were no peasants that lived nearby, not anymore. Those that did were probably robbed and killed by the same thugs now residing here. Gypsy Syl recognized the tattered flag lazily billowing in the wind. This was the home of Walram of Teck, the robber knight.

Darklands: A sign from God

This is part of The Darklands story.

The party found themselves standing before a dark tower. When Bishop Syp tried to talk to the peasants that lived in its shadow they were too frightened to speak, but the look of hardship on their faces told him all he needed to know. Against the wishes of the other three in the party he marched right up to the guards and requested an audience with the residing lord. A request that was declined.

While the others wanted to move on, Syp vehemently stood his ground on getting into the tower and meeting this lord who puts hardship on his serfs. Gypsy Syl playfully suggested that they wait for nightfall and then scale the walls if he was so desperate. To everyone's surprise, the old bishop agreed and there was little they could do to talk him out of it.

Alas, climbing a tower wall without any equipment is a challenging task, one beyond the abilities of an elderly bishop. Fortunately he wasn't so high up when he fell, forcing the others back down to carry him to the safety of the nearby woods. The gypsy playfully questioned why the angels didn't catch his fall, and Ravanel suggested that maybe that was God's way of telling them to move on.

Also a sign to NOT try this without a rope.

Syp the Elder had no choice but to agree as Bhagpuss carried him off to the next town, at least until his leg got better.

Darklands: Looking for Work

This is part of The Darklands story.

The team decided to start looking for tasks and rumors at the tavern, followed by the town hall of Wismar City, and the castle keep itself. Alas there was no calling for an unknown group of adventurers in the town, in fact some places saw the guards throwing all four of them back onto conveniently placed mud puddles on the street. Bishop Syp decided they should visit the church for guidance and the team stayed to hear mass (a really long 3 hour mass).

When do we get to kill something?

By the time it finished it was night time, and as the group headed back to the tavern to evade the curfew they were set upon by thugs. Though one of the knaves knocked the elderly bishop unconcious, Bhagpuss, Syl and Ravanel made short work of them. Once he awoke Syp took this as a sign of their intended path. They didn't need to "look" for work, they simply needed to teach sinners a lesson.

With new found conviction the party departed Wismar City and began heading in random directions as Bishop Syp took the lead, changing direction whenever he felt "God's calling" much to the chagrin of Gypsy Syl. As far as she was concerned, they were just going in circles.

Darklands: You begin in a Tavern

This is part of The Darklands story.

It was a strange dream of a gargoyle that inspired the 40 year old, retired bishop named "Syp the Elder" to go adventuring. He felt it was a message from heaven itself to help cure the land of its sin. Unwilling to see the many good reasons to enjoy retired life, one of his students named "Ravanel Swift" decided to accompany him to try keep him out of trouble. Being twenty years younger meant she was far more sprightly than the old bishop, but Syp knew they'd need a guide to lead them through the wilderness that the other two had been sheltered from their whole lives.

Fortunately Ravanel knew of just the person to help, "Gypsy Syl" a bard and vagabond of 30 years whose tales Ravanel would often listen to at taverns after her lectures. The worldly Syl was a bit hesitant to join the group at first especially being at odds with the pious bishop but was convinced by the younger girl to stay.

The final member of the group was one recruited by Syp. He knew that apart from a guide they would also need a strong guard to help protect them as they travelled the lands to do God's work. The only one available who was up to such a task was the 35 year old veteran soldier "Bhagpuss Catman". A stern warrior proficient in many forms of weaponry.

With the team assembled, the question that everyone asked simultaneously was... what now?

Syp had a follow up question.

Got Bartled

According to the Bartle test there are four main types of MMO gamers.


Good summary.

I've known about it for awhile but only decided to take the test recently - ironically only because Bhagpuss just posted his less that positive view on it. Still, I enjoy silly things like this - though I do wonder what category gold farmer robots would fall under. Is there a fifth hidden type, "the enemy of man" or something?

Close enough, it even comes with some feel good text.

 

"Explorer Socializers are the glue of the online world. Not only do they like to delve in to find all the cool stuff, but they also enjoy sharing that knowledge with others. Explorer socializers power the wikis, maps, forums and theory craft sites of the gamer world."

While it's probably just as trivial as the "which DBZ character are you!?" test I think it would be interesting to see what everyone else (at least those that comment here) got too, if you're willing to share? :)

Deers in a Forest

One of the stranger "experimental" MMO's (if you can call it that) I've checked recently (thanks to Bhagpuss) is The Eternal Forest and man... there is some trippy stuff going on over there. For starters there is only one "wrapped" map of the forest itself (hence it is endless), and everyone is some sort of deer with a humanish face, Hayao Miyazaki style. There is no chat option, only action abilities like bowing, jumping, nodding, laughing etc. none of which are labelled and are just depicted by painted pictogram options. Some actions only appear at certain parts of the forest, like drink at a lake or pray at some statues. You can also experience the forest solo but it's far more interesting with other deer online.

Nice yet creepy at the same time?
 

My first foray had me appear as a fawn and while experimenting with my bleat noise drew the attention of some big shadowy and masked awesome stag thing. No one is named, instead everyone is identified by unique sigils. I am "Half-moon Tear" or something like that. Sounds cool in portugese though: "Meia Lua Rasgar". Maybe just "Rasgar" for short. Don't quite remember the dark one's sigil, but his coat and mask seemed pretty unique. Very strange communicating through actions only too but it works. I met a few other deer, cast funky spells at each other (most with ridiculous results) and then wandered the forest with my shadow as he showed me the ropes.

Apart from no chatting there is no combat in the forest, no crafting, just interaction and exploration which is... unique? My favourite skill is to "listen" as you can detect the number and direction of other players in the forest (i saw around maybe 10 other sigils), as well as other locations nearby. Anywho after a bit of socializing, exploration, and spell casting (non violent obviously) I decided to log out after my shadow did. It was an interesting first foray into the forest, and strangely - I don't think it will be my last.