Like countless others I received a copy of the DnDNext open playtest documents yesterday. And like so many other eager gamers proceeded to devour my way through them. Now that I have had a day to let them digest I thought I might share my initial thoughts with, well - anyone.
For starters, let's be clear about a few things; I cut my teeth on 2nd edition, and then further grew and explored my way through 3/3.5. When 4th reared it's head I fought to remain impartial and give it a shot only to have to turn my back on it in favor of Pathfinder. So while I may not have been around as long as some I can honestly say I still cherish the time I spent playing the older editions. Now it is some of these older experiences that instantly caused me to appreciate and actually applaud the new mechanics. However it should also be noted that this material isn't a final product, nor is it a comprehensive thing. In fact, it is rather spartan in some regards but for what it is(a playtest) it shines with just how much it actually does contain.
The packet's contents included:
- 5 pre-generated playable characters - An Elf Wizard, Dwarf Fighter, Halfling Rogue, as well as a Dwarf Cleric and a Human Cleric(this showed us 2 very different types of clerics).
- A insightful primer for a DM to bring them up to speed.
- A core system "How To Play" basic primer that proves to be both easy to grasp and skillfully compiled.
- A detailed Bestiary that does a miraculous job of being comprised of no less than a bulk majority of some of the most memorable classic monsters any player has ever encountered. Actually, it is really impressive at the sheer variety and breadth of all that in contains. Especially for an introductory playtest packet.
- And let's not forget the real gem, a classic module crafted by Gygax himself. One that quite literally is the very definition of flexibility and adaption.
Already you can color me impressed. In short everything seems built from the ground up not only with the feel of all the editions but also with subtle touch of customization. Every element lends itself to the player and the DM so that they can dictate who they are and just what they do. Most of the trademark staples are all there like wizards slinging magic missiles and fighters dominating combat. And yet there are new elements that combine the old as well as the new.
For example; now there are 'Themes' and 'Backgrounds' that as their names suggest shape the theme and background of your character. It is these features that may seem vanilla and generic but in their implementation they add to the character of a character. The slayer theme alone adds a distinctive element to the fighter that marks an iconic type of fighter - that of the vicious horde parting kill machine. I could easily see playing a slayer fighter as a melee master or that of a skilled archer. Alternatively, one could even see slayer added to any of the other classes and making for a viable and enjoyable character choice.
It could be argued that some of the mechanical/game atmosphere could be misplaced by the adventure's open ended approach. But I don't think that's the case. Rather, I think the adventure is more of a sandbox provided to take advantage of the rules presented so that the players and DM's themselves have free reign to see just what all they can do. Granted we don't have rules for creating characters to test(yet), but with the material presented I think one could easily experiment. Themes and backgrounds could be swapped around, even a players gear or spells could be changed. This may not seem like a massive impact on gameplay but I think it is a fun option(not to mention something to applaud in the fact that there is enough material to allow such a notion).
In the time to come I am sure there will be more for me to discuss, especially since I have only scratched the surface. So what are your thoughts on DnDNext? And if you haven't already, go ahead and sign up to add your own voice to the growing chorus of fans shaping the game's future.
It is so nice to see rules that really add credence to a DM being able to ask players: "What do you do?" And those same rules support them being able to answer in ways other than default action number 3 on they're sheet.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Alright, Android, Let's Play A Game.
As inevitable as a porn-parody will be made of, well, let's face it - anything, one of the first things most people think of when presented with a new gadget like a tablet is; "What games does it play?" It is as natural as breathing to both geeks and non-geeks. You can't deny it, at some point the odds are your going to want to kill some time with your device or just relax a bit. Now everyone has their own choice apps that suit them, but I'd like to share what I have found so far that stand out as some of the best I have come across, and everyone of them is free.
1. Tower Defense: Lost Earth - First off, I have to thank Rocky Sunico for this little jewel! What starts off as a seemingly simple game proves to provide a wealth of enjoyable play. Every level is a slightly more difficult puzzle as you find yourself pressed to strategically place your automated defenses against waves of alien creatures. Each new map presents you with a different problem to think over as you decide which of your arsenal to deploy and where. And let me assure you there are plenty of maps in the campaign, coupled with some very interesting challenge/special missions as well that all prove to give you pause for though. If that wasn't enough the game allows you to replay any mission with varying degrees of difficulty to try and collect a variety of badges. This has to be one of the best games for an android device, period.
2. 3D Bowling - Yeah, I did quite a bit of bowling as a young man and loved every minute of it. Granted I wasn't the greatest of bowlers I did alright, or rather I like to think so. Now this particular app is almost as much fun as real bowling. Using your finger you flick your ball on it's way towards the pins and just like in reality you can affect the spin/curve of the ball. A little twist with your finger and you can hook your ball with the best of them. The pin physics are fairly accurate as well, not perfect mind you but fairly close. A load of fun all in all.
3. Zenonia 3 & 4 - Fantasy Rpg's done the way they ought to be. Both these games are full of engaging storyline and fun characters. Now they both have a tendency to lean towards some cute and whimsical elements but it's understandable considering the genre. The artwork is gorgeous, especially that of Zenonia 4 which is stunning for it's platform. Both games instantly brought back memories of the early Final Fantasy games as well as titles like Chrono Cross.
4. Blood and Glory - Need to channel your inner Spartacus? Does the roar of an arena crowd and spilt blood get your heart beating? This game is a blast, you take on gladiators in tournaments as you rise in an attempt to become champion. You can sweep with your finger to slash and preform combos making the whole experience very rewarding in a way most button masher fighting games aren't. A simple design it doesn't offer much variety instead encouraging you to purchase better gear and fight stronger opponents. One thing to take note of, this is a gorgeous app but also one that is geared towards the player purchasing in-game currency with real money. You can play without spending any real cash but clearly it's geared towards being easier on you if you open your wallet.
5. Lego 4+ - Created by the Lego company this little game is priceless for kids and enthusiastic adults as well. You start off with a handful of lego pieces to choose from to assemble little lego cars and the like. Then you can take them over a rudimentary side scrolling landscape with an onscreen button that lets you go forward. As you drive you can pick up a series of single peg round block pieces similar to coins, and if you get enough you can unlock new pieces. Each new piece provides you another option when making your vehicle such as being able to build a helicopter, truck, or even police car. Some of these even add a second button allowing you to fly, jump(there are lego legs you can use in place of wheels) honk a horn or even activate your siren. After each level you get a simple puzzle of a shadow shape you can drag sets of blocks into to try to make a little lego figure that will then show up in your background, All in all this is a fun little app that kids will enjoy, and can help them with some hand-eye issues. The only thing it needs is additional block pieces and some slightly more complex levels and it could be a top notch full blown game. As it is it's a little limited, great for a kid but with so much potential.
6. Shadow Era - One of the best Magic-like card games I have ever come across. You start off with a basic starter deck and your choice of a hero card to begin playing with. As you play you earn funds to purchase cards to add to your deck that you can play against AI opponents or if you choose other players. This is one game that is cross platform being available to Apple devices, Android and even browsers. However without using lands the game uses the cards in your deck as a resource allowing you to discard any card once every turn to use to pay for your other cards. This makes for a interesting change in thought as you play.
7. Cyberlords: Arcology - Remember the old Shadowrun game for Sega and SNES? Cyberlords is a fun little game very reminiscent of it. Little more to say...
8. RiskIt - This has to be one of the best Risk games for an Android device period, it is on par with WinRisk. As such, I don't think much more needs said about it.
9. Legendary Heroes - Ever hear of League of Legends? Yep, you guessed it, this is as close as you can get on an android device. It's a enjoyable midget version of LoL, but I must confess it does suffer slightly with regards to the platform/implementation.
If your looking for a fun game give one of these a try, and if you have recommendations of your own - I am all ears!
1. Tower Defense: Lost Earth - First off, I have to thank Rocky Sunico for this little jewel! What starts off as a seemingly simple game proves to provide a wealth of enjoyable play. Every level is a slightly more difficult puzzle as you find yourself pressed to strategically place your automated defenses against waves of alien creatures. Each new map presents you with a different problem to think over as you decide which of your arsenal to deploy and where. And let me assure you there are plenty of maps in the campaign, coupled with some very interesting challenge/special missions as well that all prove to give you pause for though. If that wasn't enough the game allows you to replay any mission with varying degrees of difficulty to try and collect a variety of badges. This has to be one of the best games for an android device, period.
2. 3D Bowling - Yeah, I did quite a bit of bowling as a young man and loved every minute of it. Granted I wasn't the greatest of bowlers I did alright, or rather I like to think so. Now this particular app is almost as much fun as real bowling. Using your finger you flick your ball on it's way towards the pins and just like in reality you can affect the spin/curve of the ball. A little twist with your finger and you can hook your ball with the best of them. The pin physics are fairly accurate as well, not perfect mind you but fairly close. A load of fun all in all.
3. Zenonia 3 & 4 - Fantasy Rpg's done the way they ought to be. Both these games are full of engaging storyline and fun characters. Now they both have a tendency to lean towards some cute and whimsical elements but it's understandable considering the genre. The artwork is gorgeous, especially that of Zenonia 4 which is stunning for it's platform. Both games instantly brought back memories of the early Final Fantasy games as well as titles like Chrono Cross.
4. Blood and Glory - Need to channel your inner Spartacus? Does the roar of an arena crowd and spilt blood get your heart beating? This game is a blast, you take on gladiators in tournaments as you rise in an attempt to become champion. You can sweep with your finger to slash and preform combos making the whole experience very rewarding in a way most button masher fighting games aren't. A simple design it doesn't offer much variety instead encouraging you to purchase better gear and fight stronger opponents. One thing to take note of, this is a gorgeous app but also one that is geared towards the player purchasing in-game currency with real money. You can play without spending any real cash but clearly it's geared towards being easier on you if you open your wallet.
5. Lego 4+ - Created by the Lego company this little game is priceless for kids and enthusiastic adults as well. You start off with a handful of lego pieces to choose from to assemble little lego cars and the like. Then you can take them over a rudimentary side scrolling landscape with an onscreen button that lets you go forward. As you drive you can pick up a series of single peg round block pieces similar to coins, and if you get enough you can unlock new pieces. Each new piece provides you another option when making your vehicle such as being able to build a helicopter, truck, or even police car. Some of these even add a second button allowing you to fly, jump(there are lego legs you can use in place of wheels) honk a horn or even activate your siren. After each level you get a simple puzzle of a shadow shape you can drag sets of blocks into to try to make a little lego figure that will then show up in your background, All in all this is a fun little app that kids will enjoy, and can help them with some hand-eye issues. The only thing it needs is additional block pieces and some slightly more complex levels and it could be a top notch full blown game. As it is it's a little limited, great for a kid but with so much potential.
6. Shadow Era - One of the best Magic-like card games I have ever come across. You start off with a basic starter deck and your choice of a hero card to begin playing with. As you play you earn funds to purchase cards to add to your deck that you can play against AI opponents or if you choose other players. This is one game that is cross platform being available to Apple devices, Android and even browsers. However without using lands the game uses the cards in your deck as a resource allowing you to discard any card once every turn to use to pay for your other cards. This makes for a interesting change in thought as you play.
7. Cyberlords: Arcology - Remember the old Shadowrun game for Sega and SNES? Cyberlords is a fun little game very reminiscent of it. Little more to say...
8. RiskIt - This has to be one of the best Risk games for an Android device period, it is on par with WinRisk. As such, I don't think much more needs said about it.
9. Legendary Heroes - Ever hear of League of Legends? Yep, you guessed it, this is as close as you can get on an android device. It's a enjoyable midget version of LoL, but I must confess it does suffer slightly with regards to the platform/implementation.
If your looking for a fun game give one of these a try, and if you have recommendations of your own - I am all ears!
How To Go From Aquaman To Batman.
Alright, remember me saying that with relative ease you can unlock a multitude of features in your Nook Color? Well, whether you believed me or not - here is just how simple it can be.
First, your gonna need a few things; namely a microSD card that is Class 4 or better and preferably around 8 GB or so. Why do I say a specific class of card or size? Well, the short answer is that a standard Nook Color uses 8 GB of internal flash memory and as for the class of the card - well, let's just leave it at that's the best compatible class of card for read/write speeds. Now, for my own purposes I picked up a SanDisk 16 GB at my local Wal-Mart for just under $20.00, and it has proven to be a great investment. Oh, and for the record, statistically SanDisk has proven to be one of the most reliable brands for this sort of project.
So, we have our media, now all we need is something to put on it and a method to do so. Easy enough to take care of, all you need to do is get your hands on a microSD card reader(I was fortunate enough to have one built in to my netbook). As for the former, you will need to obtain a copy of WinImage, if memory serves it was freeware and simple to use. You will also need a generic disk image and the CM7 Rom file. You can choose any Rom file you want from the list but I'd recommend you go with the most recent release candidate(Look for ones with RC), they tend to be more stable versions.
With me so far? We have a microSD card, a reader, WinImage, a compressed disc image file and one compressed CM7 Rom file. For the disc image file, it will initially be about 9 MB or so, but you'll want to decompress it to a folder where it should end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 MB. Once you have that bit done you get to fire up your WinImage and click on options, then "Restore Virtual Hard Disk Image On Physical Drive." Make sure when you do that you select the "All Files" option to ensure you can see everything. For the record, might take a few minutes to burn the image to your card, but we're not talking anything intensive.
Now, once it says it's complete you can copy your CM7 Rom file over. You don't have to uncompress it or anything, just copy it over. Then you just safely eject your card and insert it into your powered off Nook Color. Once you power it on you should notice a difference as Tux the penguin sets in a corner of the screen and command line text scrolls by to notify you of what all is going on as everything is unpacked and made ready for you. When it finishes it will power the Nook Color back down so don't panic.
At this stage, if you want to install any of the Google Apps you can simply by adding the Google Apps Package (Scroll to the bottom of the page and it'll be under CyanogenMod 7) to your card and then placing it right back into your Nook. This time when you boot up you should be greeted with some typical set up stuff like setting up your Wifi etc. Do it. Once you have run through your set up stuff just hit your power button and hold it a few seconds. A menu should pop up with the option to "Reboot & Recovery," click it and this time it should unpack your Google apps and then you can go through your account sync stuff.
The whole process doesn't take long, and leaves your internal install intact. In fact when you boot up you can always choose to load your stock configuration if you want.
So, for review; you take a microSD, plug it into a reader, burn a image to it, copy over a rom file and then place it into your Nook Color and let it power up. About as easy a task as Batman putting on his utility belt, huh?
I must point out though, as awesome as this is I have noticed a few small things I should mention so your prepared. This is not complete nor is it perfect, there are still some issues that might irritate you. They have only been minor inconveniences to me but your mileage may vary.
1. Statusbar crashes; Occasionally the statusbar will crash and vanish. When this happens it doesn't cripple you, you can still navigate and manage just fine but it does remove some of the ease and convenience. Holding the power button will give the option to pull up the menu if you need and a quick press of the 'N' Nook button can always return you to your home screen. However, if the bar does flee from you one quick fix you can try is to tilt/rotate your Nook, sometimes the screen change will reload your prodigal statusbar. If not you can always do a quick reboot.
2. Wireless-less; Another issue is that of your wireless simply turning off. I have noticed myself how it can just flick off at times and often it could be as simple as a power regulation issue. For the most part two simple clicks of your power switch will flash your screen off and back on to find your wifi return within seconds. Typically your device will shut off the wifi when it goes to sleep to conserve power and then reactivate it upon waking.
3. YouTube; Can't load videos you say? Think you made a horrible mistake? Not so, just make sure you have Adobe Flash installed and try to remember to turn of HQ - it's a little red logo on some videos. As long as you have HQ turned off most videos play just fine.
Even with these little issues I still find my Nook Color to be a remarkable and versatile device with far more value than it gets credit for. Give it a try, it is so simple to do as you can see, and maybe you will find you agree.
First, your gonna need a few things; namely a microSD card that is Class 4 or better and preferably around 8 GB or so. Why do I say a specific class of card or size? Well, the short answer is that a standard Nook Color uses 8 GB of internal flash memory and as for the class of the card - well, let's just leave it at that's the best compatible class of card for read/write speeds. Now, for my own purposes I picked up a SanDisk 16 GB at my local Wal-Mart for just under $20.00, and it has proven to be a great investment. Oh, and for the record, statistically SanDisk has proven to be one of the most reliable brands for this sort of project.
So, we have our media, now all we need is something to put on it and a method to do so. Easy enough to take care of, all you need to do is get your hands on a microSD card reader(I was fortunate enough to have one built in to my netbook). As for the former, you will need to obtain a copy of WinImage, if memory serves it was freeware and simple to use. You will also need a generic disk image and the CM7 Rom file. You can choose any Rom file you want from the list but I'd recommend you go with the most recent release candidate(Look for ones with RC), they tend to be more stable versions.
With me so far? We have a microSD card, a reader, WinImage, a compressed disc image file and one compressed CM7 Rom file. For the disc image file, it will initially be about 9 MB or so, but you'll want to decompress it to a folder where it should end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 MB. Once you have that bit done you get to fire up your WinImage and click on options, then "Restore Virtual Hard Disk Image On Physical Drive." Make sure when you do that you select the "All Files" option to ensure you can see everything. For the record, might take a few minutes to burn the image to your card, but we're not talking anything intensive.
Now, once it says it's complete you can copy your CM7 Rom file over. You don't have to uncompress it or anything, just copy it over. Then you just safely eject your card and insert it into your powered off Nook Color. Once you power it on you should notice a difference as Tux the penguin sets in a corner of the screen and command line text scrolls by to notify you of what all is going on as everything is unpacked and made ready for you. When it finishes it will power the Nook Color back down so don't panic.
At this stage, if you want to install any of the Google Apps you can simply by adding the Google Apps Package (Scroll to the bottom of the page and it'll be under CyanogenMod 7) to your card and then placing it right back into your Nook. This time when you boot up you should be greeted with some typical set up stuff like setting up your Wifi etc. Do it. Once you have run through your set up stuff just hit your power button and hold it a few seconds. A menu should pop up with the option to "Reboot & Recovery," click it and this time it should unpack your Google apps and then you can go through your account sync stuff.
The whole process doesn't take long, and leaves your internal install intact. In fact when you boot up you can always choose to load your stock configuration if you want.
So, for review; you take a microSD, plug it into a reader, burn a image to it, copy over a rom file and then place it into your Nook Color and let it power up. About as easy a task as Batman putting on his utility belt, huh?
I must point out though, as awesome as this is I have noticed a few small things I should mention so your prepared. This is not complete nor is it perfect, there are still some issues that might irritate you. They have only been minor inconveniences to me but your mileage may vary.
1. Statusbar crashes; Occasionally the statusbar will crash and vanish. When this happens it doesn't cripple you, you can still navigate and manage just fine but it does remove some of the ease and convenience. Holding the power button will give the option to pull up the menu if you need and a quick press of the 'N' Nook button can always return you to your home screen. However, if the bar does flee from you one quick fix you can try is to tilt/rotate your Nook, sometimes the screen change will reload your prodigal statusbar. If not you can always do a quick reboot.
2. Wireless-less; Another issue is that of your wireless simply turning off. I have noticed myself how it can just flick off at times and often it could be as simple as a power regulation issue. For the most part two simple clicks of your power switch will flash your screen off and back on to find your wifi return within seconds. Typically your device will shut off the wifi when it goes to sleep to conserve power and then reactivate it upon waking.
3. YouTube; Can't load videos you say? Think you made a horrible mistake? Not so, just make sure you have Adobe Flash installed and try to remember to turn of HQ - it's a little red logo on some videos. As long as you have HQ turned off most videos play just fine.
Even with these little issues I still find my Nook Color to be a remarkable and versatile device with far more value than it gets credit for. Give it a try, it is so simple to do as you can see, and maybe you will find you agree.
Friday, May 4, 2012
If You're Going To Be In The Justice League, You Don't Want To Be Aquaman.
Think about it, if your a member of a prestigious group like the Justice League you don't want to be Aquaman - you wanna be Batman. The same holds true for those in the e-reader/tablet community. Wanna know why that is? Look at the differences between Batman and Aquaman; one is overly specialized and handicapped when anywhere but under the sea. In contrast the former is not only unbeholden to limitations but known for his trademark ingenuity and utility(belt).
Now, when I first received my Nook Color, I was already in love with it's functionality. As an e-reader it is excellent, and a more than capable budget tablet. However much like Aquaman it is chained to a single realm, that being Barnes & Noble. While this doesn't constitute any real issue for most, there is an untapped potential waiting within the Nook Color.
Just last night I equipped my Nook Color with a micro SD card loaded with Cyanogenmod 7 and giggled with glee at the utility belt like transformation. Countless features and apps are now at my fingertips, the least of which being full access to the B&N, Amazon, and Android app stores.
I'll be posting step by step instructions soon for anyone interested, and just to show precisely how easy it is. In fact this post is being written in blogger's app for android. So stay tuned!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Games We Play
Growing up, as I now look back, I can fondly remember a small stack of board games that sat nestled in the top of a closet. I can also recall with delight where my father kept his decks of playing cards(and poker chips). In fact it was a major triumph when we located my aunt and uncles penny jar and were able to use them in games. Why does any of this matter at all now that I am grown and have children of my own? The answer lies within the question, naturally.
As a child there always was for me, and let's be honest here - for anyone there is a innate magic in cards, dice, even tokens and other little tidbits found in our games. I was captivated by such things, I treasured learning how to play black jack sitting cross legged in the floor with my father just as I do the memory of being primed on how to play Spades for the first time with my family. Even if your immediate family doesn't have a game night where you sat down with your parents and siblings to crack open monopoly or life, I would wager all my risk armies that odds are you can recall playing some kind of game with some of your family and enjoying the experience.
Now, sadly as we get older we sometimes find our time restricted, or that our family has other interests to pursue. But no matter the age anyone can sat down at a table and engage in good clean fun. Playing any game can help us to learn about ourselves, about how to interact, but most importantly they let us connect. Games shape us, and our choices of them are shaped by who we are.
My cousins used to introduce me to amazing games that even now I desperately crave the chance to play again. We spent untold hours playing countless board and card games, I miss those days. Watching TableTop on the Geek and Sundry channel has reminded me of this as well as how I have precious few games in my own closet now to play with my children. I would adore the chance to introduce my family and friends to games like Small World, Settlers of Catan, even classics like Risk and Scrabble(confession - I am ashamed to concede I don't recall ever actually playing scrabble but always wanted to).
I want my children to know the joy to be had as I did, I want to share in that fun with them. Shouldn't we all want to spend time with our loved ones and enjoy it? Why not break out a game and let the fun come to you?
As a child there always was for me, and let's be honest here - for anyone there is a innate magic in cards, dice, even tokens and other little tidbits found in our games. I was captivated by such things, I treasured learning how to play black jack sitting cross legged in the floor with my father just as I do the memory of being primed on how to play Spades for the first time with my family. Even if your immediate family doesn't have a game night where you sat down with your parents and siblings to crack open monopoly or life, I would wager all my risk armies that odds are you can recall playing some kind of game with some of your family and enjoying the experience.
Now, sadly as we get older we sometimes find our time restricted, or that our family has other interests to pursue. But no matter the age anyone can sat down at a table and engage in good clean fun. Playing any game can help us to learn about ourselves, about how to interact, but most importantly they let us connect. Games shape us, and our choices of them are shaped by who we are.
My cousins used to introduce me to amazing games that even now I desperately crave the chance to play again. We spent untold hours playing countless board and card games, I miss those days. Watching TableTop on the Geek and Sundry channel has reminded me of this as well as how I have precious few games in my own closet now to play with my children. I would adore the chance to introduce my family and friends to games like Small World, Settlers of Catan, even classics like Risk and Scrabble(confession - I am ashamed to concede I don't recall ever actually playing scrabble but always wanted to).
I want my children to know the joy to be had as I did, I want to share in that fun with them. Shouldn't we all want to spend time with our loved ones and enjoy it? Why not break out a game and let the fun come to you?
Monday, April 30, 2012
What Did You Do Ray?
This morning I was greeted by a peculiar email, one that even now I must say has me feeling like one of Raymond Stantz's fictitious peers whilst I ask: "What did you do now, Ray?" The email, was simple enough as it was a sort of digital receipt for Blizzard's various character services. The specific service in question was a paid character transfer to another realm complete with a faction change. In short, they had moved a character to a separate server and enabled an option of changing it's race.
Now, I'll admit it is a legitimate service, one many people take advantage of all the time. The crux of my problem was that I never placed the order to move my character, never would have and that I never received any form of request for authorization/permission. I recently logged into my account from a different machine on my home network and my account was temporarily locked and I was prompted to change my password as a security precaution. A minor inconvenience that I believed meant Blizzard was serious about protecting player's accounts. Even when I changed my password I received an official email to confirm the matter.
How is it then that a secure account, only used on a secure dedicated machine is not only accessed but able to purchase character services like server moves etc. without even a prompt for approval or so much as a flag for logging in from a separate ip(not to mention mac address)? Is this a company who's only interest in security is the illusion thereof and placing the blame on players? Cause all I generally see on the issue is a firm finger of blame citing a player must of compromised their account. Seriously, every possible explanation they cite revolves around a user either being insecure, ignorant, or partaking in questionable practices. At no point have I found anything that speaks to situations like myself and some peers have encountered where secure and careful folks are finding their accounts compromised somehow through no fault of their own.
All I know is that I try to keep my account as secure as I can, and with all I know about such matters I can only see a few ways this sort of thing can happen. Either somehow account names are being found or generated randomly and then their passwords somehow cracked. Or, and this may paint me somewhat paranoid, somehow accounts are being compromised from the other end.
No matter how it happens, security is a big deal, especially when some of these accounts mean years invested in a game and characters. Not to mention the amount of money spent buying software, equipment, game time or even internet bills. What good does it do for a customer to invest in an account and establish safeguards if it is apparently so easy to circumvent, or rather that the company will ignore their own rhetoric and allow anything as long as it is paid for without even establishing where the money is coming from.
I dunno who's credit card was billed in the wee hours this morning for a mysterious $55.00 charge but the only glimmer of hope I can offer is the fact that at least I managed to get the transaction reversed. Even if as the rep suggested it probably was a stolen card. But if company's like Blizzard hope to continue to grow they have got to start not only listening to the people paying them money, but also keep their interests safe and in mind. Otherwise more people's faith will end up faltering like my own.
Now, I'll admit it is a legitimate service, one many people take advantage of all the time. The crux of my problem was that I never placed the order to move my character, never would have and that I never received any form of request for authorization/permission. I recently logged into my account from a different machine on my home network and my account was temporarily locked and I was prompted to change my password as a security precaution. A minor inconvenience that I believed meant Blizzard was serious about protecting player's accounts. Even when I changed my password I received an official email to confirm the matter.
How is it then that a secure account, only used on a secure dedicated machine is not only accessed but able to purchase character services like server moves etc. without even a prompt for approval or so much as a flag for logging in from a separate ip(not to mention mac address)? Is this a company who's only interest in security is the illusion thereof and placing the blame on players? Cause all I generally see on the issue is a firm finger of blame citing a player must of compromised their account. Seriously, every possible explanation they cite revolves around a user either being insecure, ignorant, or partaking in questionable practices. At no point have I found anything that speaks to situations like myself and some peers have encountered where secure and careful folks are finding their accounts compromised somehow through no fault of their own.
All I know is that I try to keep my account as secure as I can, and with all I know about such matters I can only see a few ways this sort of thing can happen. Either somehow account names are being found or generated randomly and then their passwords somehow cracked. Or, and this may paint me somewhat paranoid, somehow accounts are being compromised from the other end.
No matter how it happens, security is a big deal, especially when some of these accounts mean years invested in a game and characters. Not to mention the amount of money spent buying software, equipment, game time or even internet bills. What good does it do for a customer to invest in an account and establish safeguards if it is apparently so easy to circumvent, or rather that the company will ignore their own rhetoric and allow anything as long as it is paid for without even establishing where the money is coming from.
I dunno who's credit card was billed in the wee hours this morning for a mysterious $55.00 charge but the only glimmer of hope I can offer is the fact that at least I managed to get the transaction reversed. Even if as the rep suggested it probably was a stolen card. But if company's like Blizzard hope to continue to grow they have got to start not only listening to the people paying them money, but also keep their interests safe and in mind. Otherwise more people's faith will end up faltering like my own.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Remember How Games Used To Be?
Recently, this little project came to my attention: Shadowrun Returns.
Now, I have long been a fan of Shadowrun in all it's many forms - well perhaps everything but the whole Microsoft 3rd person shooter abomination. I can recall with glee playing the Shadowrun Sega and Snes games as a kid, the introduction plot still grips me. However, by today's standards I am sure many would call the game a relic and well bellow the standards of current video games. Much like other games of it's time, their turn based mechanics and graphics/cgi lacking traits mark them by many younger gamers as without worth or merit.
Growing up, for me, games with depth of story and characters were treasures. I used to spend countless hours playing games solo, exploring their content - games like Diablo, Starcraft, Heroes of Might & Magic to name but a few. I used to relish how a new game could be had for around $10-$20, and once purchased was owned and playable without limit. You could dive into such titles solo or if you chose to with a few friends, playing as little or as much as you wanted to. There was no subscription fees or requirements of being on some server full of strangers. There was just you and the game.
Things were simple. In fact, with regard to turn based games, you didn't have massive chaotic melees leaving you confused or frantically panic mashing keys/buttons. You could actually enjoy the story as it unfolded, make decisions about how to fight that fiendish boss, or simply play at your own pace.
It seems like game designers have all forgotten so many of these things that made games great, and instead focused on the more flashy. So many games these days don't even require imagination, instead farming visual landscapes out to their vast servers. Don't get me wrong, I can see the business sense behind their decisions, and some of the newer games are fun to play. But the truth of the matter is that the current standard is to build a game that once initially purchased for $50-$60 or more requires players to play on dedicated servers, paying continual fees. Add to that the often overloading flood of visual stimulus coupled with chaotic action mechanics and you have increasingly expensive games that bear little resemblance to their forerunners.
If I buy a game, then I want to know that I can play that game anytime I want as little or as much as I desire. I also want the option of experiencing it alone or if I choose to with a few others. The idea of only being able to play a game on an online server alongside teeming masses of others is not always appealing to me. Sometimes I just want to play around for a little bit and then leave the game. Nor do I need high end graphics to take my imagination by the hand and show me every detail of a storyline.
Games like WinRisk and Solitaire are still shining examples to me. Not everything has to be a billion dollar MMO to be considered a great game. Maybe it's just me. But I can honestly say I welcome projects like Shadowrun Returns, and pray they inspire more games. The fact the project was fully funded within 28 hours speaks volumes to me.
Perhaps I have an anti-social approach to my gaming, maybe I am just looking at things in my own flawed way, but I miss the way games used to be played. How ever was it things developed to their present state?
Now, I have long been a fan of Shadowrun in all it's many forms - well perhaps everything but the whole Microsoft 3rd person shooter abomination. I can recall with glee playing the Shadowrun Sega and Snes games as a kid, the introduction plot still grips me. However, by today's standards I am sure many would call the game a relic and well bellow the standards of current video games. Much like other games of it's time, their turn based mechanics and graphics/cgi lacking traits mark them by many younger gamers as without worth or merit.
Growing up, for me, games with depth of story and characters were treasures. I used to spend countless hours playing games solo, exploring their content - games like Diablo, Starcraft, Heroes of Might & Magic to name but a few. I used to relish how a new game could be had for around $10-$20, and once purchased was owned and playable without limit. You could dive into such titles solo or if you chose to with a few friends, playing as little or as much as you wanted to. There was no subscription fees or requirements of being on some server full of strangers. There was just you and the game.
Things were simple. In fact, with regard to turn based games, you didn't have massive chaotic melees leaving you confused or frantically panic mashing keys/buttons. You could actually enjoy the story as it unfolded, make decisions about how to fight that fiendish boss, or simply play at your own pace.
It seems like game designers have all forgotten so many of these things that made games great, and instead focused on the more flashy. So many games these days don't even require imagination, instead farming visual landscapes out to their vast servers. Don't get me wrong, I can see the business sense behind their decisions, and some of the newer games are fun to play. But the truth of the matter is that the current standard is to build a game that once initially purchased for $50-$60 or more requires players to play on dedicated servers, paying continual fees. Add to that the often overloading flood of visual stimulus coupled with chaotic action mechanics and you have increasingly expensive games that bear little resemblance to their forerunners.
If I buy a game, then I want to know that I can play that game anytime I want as little or as much as I desire. I also want the option of experiencing it alone or if I choose to with a few others. The idea of only being able to play a game on an online server alongside teeming masses of others is not always appealing to me. Sometimes I just want to play around for a little bit and then leave the game. Nor do I need high end graphics to take my imagination by the hand and show me every detail of a storyline.
Games like WinRisk and Solitaire are still shining examples to me. Not everything has to be a billion dollar MMO to be considered a great game. Maybe it's just me. But I can honestly say I welcome projects like Shadowrun Returns, and pray they inspire more games. The fact the project was fully funded within 28 hours speaks volumes to me.
Perhaps I have an anti-social approach to my gaming, maybe I am just looking at things in my own flawed way, but I miss the way games used to be played. How ever was it things developed to their present state?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)