tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73740086531719899812024-02-06T20:04:24.289-06:00Time is a Spiral...When "old school" was just "school."Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-40780512418713884492011-10-31T22:23:00.001-06:002011-10-31T22:24:29.555-06:00Games You Should Know About... My Favorite Horror Video GamesIt's the night of Halloween. Let's say, like me, you're alone in your home. Your friends are nowhere to be found and you've got nothing planned. You're too old for trick-or-treating, haunted attractions are only fun with a group of friends, parties are full of loud, obnoxious, drunk people. What do you do? You could kick back and enjoy a horror movie (there's no shortage of them on television this night) or you could take a more active approach and bring the horror to life in your living room. No, I'm not talking about summoning ghosts and demons (I don't terribly recommend that, unless you've got a death wish, Charles Bronson). I'm talking about horror video games. Why watch a bunch of actors get butchered when you can play as a character who narrowly misses a horrific death time after time. With a full harvest of games perfect for Halloween, you may have a tough time picking the perfect one. If that's the case, allow me to show you some of my favorite horror and Halloween themed games. Many of them are available for the XBOX 360 (through download, even), while others may require you to dust off something slightly older. So grab your contoller, turn off the lights, and dive into some digital terror.<br />
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Since this is "Games You Should Know About...," I guess I won't talk about some of the more obvious choices. Everyone should know about the <i>Silent Hill</i> games, so I'm not going to mention them. Though I did enjoy <i>Shattered Memories</i>, for those of you who refuse to play a <i>SH</i> game not made by Team Silent. The same goes for the <i>Left 4 Dead</i> games. Sure, they're great, but most of us have already played them. Besides, you're alone... all alone. Not even your online buddies are here to save you, which kind of puts a damper on a team game like <i>L4D</i>. Let's talk about some games most of you haven't played (at least, in a while).<br />
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First off, let's do an honorable mention. There's a new <i>Pinball FX 2</i> table that came out recently called <i>Paranormal</i>. The story of this pinball table is that a paranormal investigator is... well, investigating all these strange phenomena. Missions include defeating the Jersey Devil, finding the Lock Ness Monster, tracking down UFOs, etc. This may sound like it's inspired by <i>The X Files</i>, but it seems to take more of a cue from the 1974 TV show <i>Kolchak: The Night Stalker</i> (which, in turn, was one of the inspirations for <i>The X Files</i>). It's a fun table, even outside of Halloween, but you should really check it out right now because it's absolutely free for a limited time. That's right, you have until this Wednesday, November 2, to download this table for free. Add in the fact that the <i>Pinball FX 2</i> application is free and you have a very good reason to pick both up (if you haven't, already).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2Q-J2-jPuNOJaSAu88oi5XbYDwZ-HfP6LuW6X6iG8ROv7naU2KN98LfilqlAHf0Kux21pLwfI7Kd-c094TN8X0jb87rTPyiWCFVcSEE_YeTL5FIRSs3tby8V5yE_NxzzfZXHPc2VXJQ/s1600/AlanWake1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2Q-J2-jPuNOJaSAu88oi5XbYDwZ-HfP6LuW6X6iG8ROv7naU2KN98LfilqlAHf0Kux21pLwfI7Kd-c094TN8X0jb87rTPyiWCFVcSEE_YeTL5FIRSs3tby8V5yE_NxzzfZXHPc2VXJQ/s400/AlanWake1.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br />
So let's start with something fairly recent. Remedy Entertainment, the guys who made the first two <i>Max Payne</i> games, teamed up with Microsoft to create a riveting psychological thriller of a game, <i>Alan Wake</i>. You play as the eponymous Wake, a successful writer who has hit a pretty bad slump. Your wife takes you to the quiet town of Bright Falls, nestled in the wilderness of Washington state for some rest and relaxation. Of course, things aren't always what they seem and you find yourself running for your life in the dark woods that surround Bright Falls like an encroaching horde. It's up to you to save your wife, uncover the dark secret of this town, and make it out alive. While it's been a long while since I've played <i>Max Payne</i>, <i>Alan Wake's</i> gameplay feels similar to the PS2 crime thriller. As a third person action game, you will have lots of guns and ammo to take out your enemies, but it's light that is your most important weapon. Without it, the enemy is invincible.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhUPsXN-vfYYTmJFezfmgNCB1T0Qugm5palzVcxvCSDHjHhKifr_l115MjPBR8DCAx04FwOczZxd5cilXYNrxy2og8UVQxQ7vMZV2m8W5PMfq_HneOUi6n-ObIgsDYx0IVbdC2chDDp0/s1600/AlanWake2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhUPsXN-vfYYTmJFezfmgNCB1T0Qugm5palzVcxvCSDHjHhKifr_l115MjPBR8DCAx04FwOczZxd5cilXYNrxy2og8UVQxQ7vMZV2m8W5PMfq_HneOUi6n-ObIgsDYx0IVbdC2chDDp0/s1600/AlanWake2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This will become all too familiar sight, as you will need to</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>constantly dodge enemies to survive. </b></div><br />
The game was inspired by many different sources, including the works of Stephen King, John Carpenter's <i>In the Mouth of Madness</i>, and TV shows like <i>Twin Peaks</i> and <i>Lost</i>. The game is done in an episodic format to make it feel like a TV show (a show like this would probably be on Showtime). There are only six episodes, so it's not very long, but there are two DLC packages that extend that.<br />
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Gameplay is good, the story is riveting, and the music is well done, including some songs by Finnish rock group Poets of the Fall (who also made a song for <i>Max Payne 2</i>). I wouldn't say that the game is scary, but there were some stressful moments while fighting and dodging up to seven enemies at once. It's good if you're looking for more of a thriller with a good story and good characters.<br />
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Speaking of <i>Twin Peaks</i>, our next game was heavily, I mean <b>heavily</b>, inspired by the TV show. At first glance, <i>Deadly Premonition</i>, seems like some kind of joke, with its inferior graphics and control. But quite a few people have realized that there is a lot to enjoy in this game. Imagine if <i>Silent Hill</i>, <i>Shenmue</i>, and <i>Grand Theft Auto</i> had an unholy baby. You play as Francis York Morgan, a quirky FBI agent who feels himself coming close to solving a string of serial murders when he investigates the violent death of Anna Graham in the quiet town of Greenvale, nestled in the wilderness of Washington state (notice a pattern, here?) There's plenty to do in this game, whether it's tracking down the elusive killer, or the cornucopia of side missions scattered all over the town.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfVfLth_ydSNqME6x1I_h7YcTT_HJ9mszdc5miEgOI56D10kvk8WgSiCmKERtd7Hc44fqGJbf1BAq5LKgp4Pls0HzhahDqeqfdti1UhQiXIKP4u8FV-w6Jn-dlbzdMiieyzLeNpasjgU/s1600/DeadlyPremonition1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfVfLth_ydSNqME6x1I_h7YcTT_HJ9mszdc5miEgOI56D10kvk8WgSiCmKERtd7Hc44fqGJbf1BAq5LKgp4Pls0HzhahDqeqfdti1UhQiXIKP4u8FV-w6Jn-dlbzdMiieyzLeNpasjgU/s400/DeadlyPremonition1.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br />
One thing I will mention that ties <i>Alan Wake</i> and this game together with <i>Twin Peaks</i> is the presence of a kooky lady in the town that cradles an unlikely object in their arms who may know more than people think. In <i>Twin Peaks</i>, it was the Log Lady; in <i>Alan Wake</i>, it was the Lamp Lady; and in <i>Deadly Premonition</i>, it was the Pot Lady. Seriously, there's this woman who walks about town with a casserole pot in her hands and she keeps complaining that her pot is getting too cold (despite the fact that she insists on taking it with her everywhere she goes). There's side missions where you pick her up off of the street and drive as fast as you can to her house before her pot gets cold (no foolin', this is an actual side quest). This game is full of strange, quirky humor like this, which is a big reason why it's so much fun. Also, a lot of the characters are so great that you get to feel very familiar with them. You see them on a daily basis, make chit-chat with them, and gain information and insight from them. Eventually, you feel like your part of the town (of course, the town goes to hell toward the end of the game.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToMXzoUwaXSqtTJe4fXDsz5X1WwvtQajT5x4YaQeb5qM5QY7RSYicyH38PS0xtoX-95knC11cKG6pGgCNMF5srKzgzZX90shhN6YmqULxtYzFtBTyK_KAlfOrD3rc2uCcEyT-8hVfA50/s1600/DeadlyPremonition2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToMXzoUwaXSqtTJe4fXDsz5X1WwvtQajT5x4YaQeb5qM5QY7RSYicyH38PS0xtoX-95knC11cKG6pGgCNMF5srKzgzZX90shhN6YmqULxtYzFtBTyK_KAlfOrD3rc2uCcEyT-8hVfA50/s1600/DeadlyPremonition2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Combat in <i>Deadly Premonition</i> may remind</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>some people of <i>Resident Evil 4</i></b>.</div><br />
While <i>Alan Wake</i> wasn't very scary, <i>Deadly Premonition</i> has more of a creepy vibe to it. It's not as disturbing as the Silent Hill games, but I do get an uneasy feeling shooting these bizarre monsters that walk toward you backwards with their upper bodies bent backwards toward you while they try to force their hands down your throat. It's definitely an odd game, but it's one worth playing. This is, without a doubt, the biggest cult classic on the XBOX 360.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sKWBaVP8le2qd7JOv6tbX8pznZLaNzyLR4J6jd1e7pg6-bHoLv0bkyZtb7yuOIhXauMKZWIh_cTYQAqIb1M5_bIjOHySarksy0UzwxdTpi2Y4YJICp1GER0DZGHjCrGG8SOAPzBBYws/s1600/FatalFrame1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sKWBaVP8le2qd7JOv6tbX8pznZLaNzyLR4J6jd1e7pg6-bHoLv0bkyZtb7yuOIhXauMKZWIh_cTYQAqIb1M5_bIjOHySarksy0UzwxdTpi2Y4YJICp1GER0DZGHjCrGG8SOAPzBBYws/s400/FatalFrame1.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br />
Now, if you were to ask me what the scariest game I ever played was, I would only have two words for you: <i>Fatal Frame</i>. While I'm not an easy guy to scare, I have been known to feel the chill of terror while playing a video game. No other game has scared the crap out of me quite like <i>Fatal Frame</i> on the PS2 (or XBOX, if you're so inclined). While three of the games have been released in the US, I'm primarily talking about the first one, for that's the one I played. <br />
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Part of the reason this game is so scary is because you are completely alone in an old, haunted mansion in Japan. In a lot of other survival horror games, you get a break from the terror when you meet up with other innocent people (of course, <i>Silent Hill</i> has you meeting with some pretty fucked up individuals). In the first <i>Fatal Frame</i>, you don't run into other people. It's just you and a house full of tormented ghosts. Your only defense is a mystical camera that drains the spirit energy of the ghosts until they dissipate into oblivion.<br />
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Unfortunately, you have to switch to the camera aim mode, which makes you move extremely slow while trying to keep the ghosts in your viewfinder. This means that you are unable to dodge the ghosts as they lunge at you, howling and tormenting you (especially the blind ghost - you would think that having no eyes would make it hard for her to attack you - you'd be wrong). Let's just say you may never be able to turn off the lights ever again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMga-vdLiERAVoxgJEfoNSLdxHcgwhwGzivcYp3EW3gGFPzqxjAOG0QnDebnyO5IugasqXldHmy0abLHVLpZ0S-W3lq8pNDbpcoDmPWj5UHBRe7r7IWLscyeavGV9ypvi69W-WGcRBT8/s1600/FatalFrame2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMga-vdLiERAVoxgJEfoNSLdxHcgwhwGzivcYp3EW3gGFPzqxjAOG0QnDebnyO5IugasqXldHmy0abLHVLpZ0S-W3lq8pNDbpcoDmPWj5UHBRe7r7IWLscyeavGV9ypvi69W-WGcRBT8/s400/FatalFrame2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Gah! Take the picture, quickly! Do it! NOW!!!</b></div><br />
If you're not interested in scaring yourself so bad, you need adult diapers, with the <i>Fatal Frame</i> games, you may be more inclined in something more old school. No retro game is perfect for Halloween than one from the <i>Castlevania</i> series. Of course there's plenty to choose from, but my favorites would probably be <i>Super Castlevania IV</i> for the SNES, <i>Castlevania Bloodlines</i> for the Genesis, or <i>Symphony of the Night</i> for the PS1 (which is also available for download on XBOX 360). If you have a Nintendo Wii, you can pick up <i>Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth</i>, which is a remade version of the first <i>Castlevania</i> game for the Game Boy. I didn't really have anything else to say about <i>Castlevania</i>, I just like playing those games around Halloween. Just thought I'd mention it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQIhQzTZHCmOD4nqUCznvOPkjFdgFnGzlObQu-MzL5O4Y_3CIiUNh1TxZx34TUWmLq7aC4VQnZsuGnOUN00eGwHs6-J4KCvPXe2TjgQ7vjLWugg1Ie66z8yoUOXUtnyU5nvoncgtsIs/s1600/Ghostbusters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQIhQzTZHCmOD4nqUCznvOPkjFdgFnGzlObQu-MzL5O4Y_3CIiUNh1TxZx34TUWmLq7aC4VQnZsuGnOUN00eGwHs6-J4KCvPXe2TjgQ7vjLWugg1Ie66z8yoUOXUtnyU5nvoncgtsIs/s400/Ghostbusters.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br />
But, seriously, if you're looking for a more humorous game for Halloween, there's only one group you can call: Ghostbusters. <i>Ghostbusters: The Video Game</i> was released two years ago, but it's great fun for all Ghostbusters fans (and, let's be honest, who doesn't want to bust some ghosts?). The game stars the iconic cast of the movies (sans Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis) in a new adventure during the early nineties and was written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. You play as the new rookie of the team and prototype tester of all the new toys as you help the other Ghostbusters defeat Gozer once and for all. Great third person action and a lot of classic Ghostbusters humor make this a game worth playing (don't even bother with <i>Sanctum of Slime</i>, it sucks).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEI-CZ8E5OmjhSQmUEDr5u-0MfeG6-ofSQ5sEd8_d6ClYBotF66SWs0cIiQhUZfgGvFXsv2WE53pDUzvZ5IDoaRvM2RH-MOv-Jz7OqVHAyaUMqrlzW59KDKylA5bxIF0DRu2ZLYCzSV8/s1600/CostumeQuest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEI-CZ8E5OmjhSQmUEDr5u-0MfeG6-ofSQ5sEd8_d6ClYBotF66SWs0cIiQhUZfgGvFXsv2WE53pDUzvZ5IDoaRvM2RH-MOv-Jz7OqVHAyaUMqrlzW59KDKylA5bxIF0DRu2ZLYCzSV8/s400/CostumeQuest.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Finally, for those who miss those good old days where we dressed up in shoddy costumes, walked through neighborhoods for candy, and spent the next week on a non-stop sugar high, there's <i>Costume Quest</i>, an RPG where you play a kid who must try to save your sibling while going through your neighborhood, the mall, a country town, and the underworld trying to save Halloween from a group of goblins and a disgruntled witch. While the game is not very long, it will only take you a handful of hours to beat the game, Double Fine (creators of awesome games like <i>Psychonauts</i> and <i>BrĂ¼tal Legend</i>) made a game that completely captures the spirit of Halloween for children. It's a testament to childhood imagination and a love letter to Halloween that every kid-at-heart should play. And when you're done with the game, you can pick up the DLC which makes the logical jump to the next big holiday after Halloween (no, not Thanksgiving - who would make a video game about Thanksgiving?). By the way, do goblins really celebrate Christmas?<br />
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Okay, so those are my favorite games to play for Halloween. Of course, by the time I finished writing this, Halloween is almost over - go figure. Well, there's nothing that says you have to wait for Halloween to play these games. Don't tell me you don't play horror games on All Saints Day. What the hell is wrong with you?<br />
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Until next time, Happy Halloween for the next 38 minutes.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-13956173631296169452011-10-30T01:05:00.001-06:002011-10-30T01:07:48.571-06:00Dungeons of Time - Horror Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rvoLbLPoiVSPRO-wfsnfmDdZF3FK3rskKjfgnPjrhMN73L0W0qYW5lyzNMCrvnPwr9pca1TSOW77kbPLGMTQALdV1XYwU5PP9uirP296Xpb_bOCh5QOV1CHfChYLtOHWkLkAd41N8hM/s1600/DungeonsOfTime05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rvoLbLPoiVSPRO-wfsnfmDdZF3FK3rskKjfgnPjrhMN73L0W0qYW5lyzNMCrvnPwr9pca1TSOW77kbPLGMTQALdV1XYwU5PP9uirP296Xpb_bOCh5QOV1CHfChYLtOHWkLkAd41N8hM/s1600/DungeonsOfTime05.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Okay, so I've been MIA for a few weeks. I was on a forced hiatus due to two factors: my new job and one vicious fucking cold. Between the two, I didn't have the time or energy to make blog posts. But, since my favorite holiday, Halloween, is fast approaching, I had to have some sort of horror post for the occasion.<br />
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Now some people celebrate Halloween by going to parties or taking their kids out trick-or-treating, perhaps watching horror flicks on television, which that's perfectly fine. But what if that's not your cup of witch's brew? Maybe you want to have a few friends over for a special game night. Now, there are plenty of options for tabletop gaming for Halloween. If you like board games, I seriously recommend <a href="http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/prod/houseonthehill"><i>Betrayal at House on the Hill</i></a> and <a href="http://www.twilightcreationsinc.com/en/boardgames/zombies.html"><i>Zombies!!!</i></a> Let's say, though, for the sake of argument, that you have a copy of <i>Savage Worlds</i> just begging for you to utilize for some All Hallow's Eve gaming. You're in luck, for this RPG has plenty of horror supplements that allow you to create the horror experience of your dreams. So let's take a look at the treasury of terror for <i>Savage Worlds</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNcm2vVfGe5P0EFud8nrm09vt9-3UR02Ihj26URAkbK5bydU0BJvnlPX1LJqDBriKeA42959mwxyONsbw81CWITfs4_sUNoWCelglmex7nNsdMJuYMbvkzONTo4UNqfF76dwimBd3kGc/s1600/TheWildHunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNcm2vVfGe5P0EFud8nrm09vt9-3UR02Ihj26URAkbK5bydU0BJvnlPX1LJqDBriKeA42959mwxyONsbw81CWITfs4_sUNoWCelglmex7nNsdMJuYMbvkzONTo4UNqfF76dwimBd3kGc/s1600/TheWildHunt.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Let's say you don't have a lot of time and money to put together a campaign or you have players who've never played Savage Worlds before. Is there a horror filled Savage Worlds adventure that has all the components you need (including pre-generated characters and figure flats) for free? In short, yes. Just download <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=93158&filters=0_0_1600_0_0"><i>The Wild Hunt</i></a>, which was the test drive adventure Pinnacle put out for this year's Free RPG Day. The adventure takes a group of unrelated people thrown into a sleepy town that is under the thrall of a malicious spirit and his legion of zombies. It's completely self contained - all you need is the Savage Worlds rulebook, and is perfect for a quick one shot with little preparation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEraurzrUg1uwETVOSQZBKuHDlglAbpxOzGpI3RKefXA2DFObsH3i2DVVzDW0LGXEEuBiGKOItGyD3V6mQvT0yQ_fxFuZn5sHLX5eOiFbzY25KvamwUIrC2QF8v3CHVByy_T0H4eWTJM/s1600/WarOfDead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEraurzrUg1uwETVOSQZBKuHDlglAbpxOzGpI3RKefXA2DFObsH3i2DVVzDW0LGXEEuBiGKOItGyD3V6mQvT0yQ_fxFuZn5sHLX5eOiFbzY25KvamwUIrC2QF8v3CHVByy_T0H4eWTJM/s1600/WarOfDead.jpg" /></a></div><br />
If your players have already experienced the terror of <i>The Wild Hunt</i> and crave more zombie armageddon, look no further than Daring Entertainment's <a href="http://www.daringentertain.com/"><i>War of the Dead</i></a>, which is a serial adventure of surviving a zombie outbreak. So far, three chapters have been released, covering almost 40 adventures, with a fourth chapter coming soon. <i>War of the Dead</i> is perfect for zombie fans looking for a long campaign.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfF8aiCOThyphenhyphenJiCncbz2HsHa_kLsSKUC7L_8nVsZcyu-MFJR6YqzTT-0D-JSFQCtlh-I6JQKhdW2C3e5WRzSGFHhDiHGQP133PvnEwXSGpA8yG00UUcMGWjeAIVnLFuK8XP0OvnTdycAs/s1600/RealmsOfCthulhu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfF8aiCOThyphenhyphenJiCncbz2HsHa_kLsSKUC7L_8nVsZcyu-MFJR6YqzTT-0D-JSFQCtlh-I6JQKhdW2C3e5WRzSGFHhDiHGQP133PvnEwXSGpA8yG00UUcMGWjeAIVnLFuK8XP0OvnTdycAs/s1600/RealmsOfCthulhu.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Perhaps survival horror is not your bag. Perhaps you wish to subject your players to inevitable terror, death, and madness when they encounter the star born horrors from the works of H. P. Lovecraft. Then you should not hesitate to pick up <i>Realms of Cthulhu</i> from <a href="http://realityblurs.com/wordpress/">Reality Blurs</a>. While the <i>Call of Cthulhu</i> RPG has been terrorizing players for decades, <i>Realms of Cthulhu</i> brings the minions of the Elder Gods to <i>Savage Worlds</i>. Whether you play in the classic era of the 1920s - 1930s or a more modern setting, you'll find plenty of cultists, forbidden texts, and creatures that defy human logic to add to your campaign. If you want to add more of an espionage element to your Lovecraftian horror (or to any modern horror campaign setting) you can also find plenty of use from Reality Blurs' latest (and long developed) setting, <i>Agents of Oblivion</i>. Many have said that you can create many different styles of campaigns, from an occult version of James Bond, to <i>X-Files</i> or <i>Men in Black</i>, which makes this product extremely versatile. Check out both of these titles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfxiruzVvJ3rPWI8dk8AO8TM-2JQ_mfDI6YxPVdB7KQ1Px2Swp8d0vdjK-37qUG2NbodKbUDon3vBQlP-vGrXEFn12iw4ZNTzyZNim-pw7RnoZpHS8il3jKCdIxfNI0d-fiSaX96zwoU/s1600/Rippers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfxiruzVvJ3rPWI8dk8AO8TM-2JQ_mfDI6YxPVdB7KQ1Px2Swp8d0vdjK-37qUG2NbodKbUDon3vBQlP-vGrXEFn12iw4ZNTzyZNim-pw7RnoZpHS8il3jKCdIxfNI0d-fiSaX96zwoU/s1600/Rippers.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Then again, your players may be less interested in monster investigating and more on monster hunting. If they also would like some Victoriana with their horror, then Pinnacle's <i>Rippers</i> is perfect. Imagine if the movie <i>Van Helsing</i> didn't suck, and you have something close to <i>Rippers</i>. Player take the role of Victorian era ladies and gentlemen of various nationalities and social strata who live a double life. By day, the go about their normal business. By night, they hunt the servants of a sinister organization known only as the Cabal. They gained the name Rippers from their use of Rippertech, which infuses the powers of the monsters they hunt into their bodies to give them an even playing field. However, as Nietzsche once said, "he who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcNHouDukx4rZSFErJvsn4NIQpYkTNGiftMlrZNTUmoqc_Q7qW9m8ozpHNB7nfzNz-i7Es3R7nn16DOe9IzIAA_WZHp5FkJXrn4xU3GYW3ZfGsxau4OqnjYMgrWZhpc_2D9Yfmc7wpAI/s1600/HorrorCompanion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcNHouDukx4rZSFErJvsn4NIQpYkTNGiftMlrZNTUmoqc_Q7qW9m8ozpHNB7nfzNz-i7Es3R7nn16DOe9IzIAA_WZHp5FkJXrn4xU3GYW3ZfGsxau4OqnjYMgrWZhpc_2D9Yfmc7wpAI/s1600/HorrorCompanion.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Regardless of which horror campaign you wish to use, any Savage Worlds gamemaster can make use of the brand new <i>Horror Companion</i>, which replaces the <i>Horror Toolkits</i> from the old edition. This handy book allows you to improve your games with new systems, tables, spells and gadgets, horror races for players (including one I've been interested in, the dhampyr), and other tools.<br />
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If you're planning on running a horror adventure for Halloween, or any other time, any of these products are a great idea. If you're interested in picking them up, make your way over to DriveThruRPG.com. You'll find them by clicking <i>Savage Worlds</i> in the Rule System drop down menu or typing them in the search bar. Hope you and your friends have a happy and haunted game session this Halloween.<br />
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If you're not the kind of person who prefers a little solo gaming, don't worry. I'll bring to light some of my favorite horror and Halloween video games tomorrow.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-21787049405191150942011-09-29T16:29:00.002-06:002011-09-29T16:44:21.291-06:00Games You Should Know About... XBOX Live Indie Games 4: Match of TitansOriginally, the subject of this Games You Should Know About... was going to be <i>Ico</i> and <i>Shadow of the Colossus</i>, which came out in an HD collection for the PS3 this week. Both of which are fantastic games, but the only way I wouldn't say what any game critic worth their salt has already said (which is "buy this game, dammit!") is by telling all the haters to go fuck off. All I could really add to the subject is just me griping that those who bitched about these games have an imagination and attention span large enough to fit on the head of a pin (that means you're mentally bankrupt, asswipe). So, in the spirit of repetition, "buy this game, dammit!"<br />
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Fortunately, September has been a pretty good month for XBOX Live Indie games. I've got three new titles available that I think are worth five times the small amount of Microsoft Points they're asking for.<br />
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First off, since Halloween is soon approaching, I thought I'd get a jump start on a game perfect for sating your uncontrollable hunger for 8-bit horror. Now, I know the market is flooded with zombie-apocalypse-survival-horror games, and XBOX Live Indie is no exception, but this is a zombie game with some real substance and staying power. Load your shotgun and prepare to run from <i>Dead Pixels</i> (clever name).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW8jhzJiBnU3LNFfWiZu_x5X_oNQcARB_zYH1RMwVwcJK1DfWLNjgwtjB4bYr9bcJpynush_UVLYyuZX3JXNUBfr7ToQ2EFHQVS_0Tn-eHwVvAE0WJcmMrbvrOrgVUYD5zbSR72NFal8/s1600/DeadPixels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW8jhzJiBnU3LNFfWiZu_x5X_oNQcARB_zYH1RMwVwcJK1DfWLNjgwtjB4bYr9bcJpynush_UVLYyuZX3JXNUBfr7ToQ2EFHQVS_0Tn-eHwVvAE0WJcmMrbvrOrgVUYD5zbSR72NFal8/s400/DeadPixels.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>This official art definitely adds to the game's feel</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>of watching an old grindhouse zombie movie -- Nice!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Created by Scottish indie developer CANTSTRAFERIGHT, <i>Dead Pixels</i> feels like a cross between <i>Left 4 Dead</i> and <i>River City Ransom</i>, though the plethora of inspirations and in-game references span the gamut of zombie movies, video games, etc. You play as a lone survivor (or a pair of survivors in a two-player game) who must plow through a horde of zombies to "get to tha' choppa'" and escape. Just so you know, these zombies are the radioactive brand, created from spilled nuclear waste, not the viral outbreak or the necromantic kind.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The game has you going further and further to the right (though you can go left to get something that you didn't pick up earlier), shooting zombies, looting buildings, and trading with makeshift stores for guns, ammo, and toilet paper (yes, you can sell toilet paper to them). The further you go, the more varieties of zombies you come up against, each kind harder than the last. Though the zombies don't say things like "Barf!" at the bottom of the screen, they do leave behind money to collect. You can also upgrade certain abilities at stores to make you a better zombie slaying machine.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gameplay is extremely fun and harder difficulty settings add more streets for you to run through to get to the goal, which allows you to customize your game length. The best part about Dead Pixels is that the developer has promised add-on content (what he likes to call "free DLC") for every sales milestone the game reaches. After three days in the marketplace, the game already reached its first milestone (4,000 units) and he is working on a new game mode called "The Solution." It also seems that there'll be another add-on after that, since the second milestone (10,000 units) was recently surpassed. If you want to keep track of the add-on developments and sales milestones, check out the official <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DeadPixelsTheGame?sk=wall">Facebook page</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh yeah, did I mention it only costs a buck?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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Up next is <i>Robotriot</i>, an action platform game from <a href="http://retromitedev.blogspot.com/">Retromite</a>. In this game, you play a robot who looks like the love-child of <i>The Black Hole's </i>V.I.N.CENT<i></i> and T-Bob from <i>MASK</i>. Your job is to infiltrate rogue spaceships and disable their power cores so that your boss can have them towed. Yes, the hero of the game is a robo repo man.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOa4xOE5gt52dqtQVaSOHuV2X-acaUlNOMUPqdbSkm37aOkN_GLM_nwYUCmbCl6w2Pg1Aauk94BQT4YbveXLyQkeBTi8OjkcMiehhgIPEZoN5d2eBvDaC99OgzTFwfo9Xd9vLqLqnF-8/s1600/Robotriot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOa4xOE5gt52dqtQVaSOHuV2X-acaUlNOMUPqdbSkm37aOkN_GLM_nwYUCmbCl6w2Pg1Aauk94BQT4YbveXLyQkeBTi8OjkcMiehhgIPEZoN5d2eBvDaC99OgzTFwfo9Xd9vLqLqnF-8/s400/Robotriot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Of course, just like in the real repo business, you have to deal with people trying to stop you from taking their transportation. Though, instead of the hung-over guy in a wife beater and soiled boxers pointing a shotgun at you, you're dealing with security systems rife with robots, gun emplacements, and hazardous obstacles. Fortunately, you have some firepower to keep things even. There's a lot of shooting switches, finding keycards, and using moving platforms to satisfy action platform fans. While this is usually not my kind of game, I found myself enjoying this one. One thing I will say is, for a game that only costs $1, the graphics and music are really good. It looks and sounds like a high end 16-bit game.<br />
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If you like exploring levels with platforms and switches and shooting up enemies, pick up <i>Robotriot</i>. It's also going to be available on Android phones as well as the iPhone and iPad (not that I'm interested in doing anything on my phone other than making calls, but whatever floats your boat).<br />
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Speaking of high quality games, our final game, <i>Wizorb</i>, is a thing of beauty. Imagine a game like Atari's <i>Breakout</i> or Taito's <i>Arkanoid</i>, add magic spell power-ups that are fueled by a magic meter, some RPG elements, and a healthy dose of monsters, and you have <i>Wizorb</i>. While this may be the first work from Tribute, the Montreal based development team that made this game, I could have sworn this game was made by seasoned veterans of the industry. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the <a href="http://www.wizorb.com/">website</a> for the game. There's not much to it, right now, but it looks great.<br />
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The high production doesn't end there, either. The graphics are beautiful, the sprite animation is silky smooth, and the soundtrack is great. <i>Wizorb</i> looks like a highly polished and rare game for the Sega Master System -- maybe even Super Nintendo. Fortunately, it's an unbelievably gorgeous and extremely fun XBOX Live Indie game for only $3. This is a MUST BUY.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKJnC-giQgFbRzcWZ7kyyOb4B2PLjH4Ga9C5HZ4MGfck0Nj5_LoKlhU1nMYiC1vzmYSVJbzsh5jpS7qz-z_2C-yQH7myKQq-jMFdNluRL-f2vJ3BPDd9JJ5QGsZpWQXAWzF0lnwgHd7I/s1600/Wizorb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKJnC-giQgFbRzcWZ7kyyOb4B2PLjH4Ga9C5HZ4MGfck0Nj5_LoKlhU1nMYiC1vzmYSVJbzsh5jpS7qz-z_2C-yQH7myKQq-jMFdNluRL-f2vJ3BPDd9JJ5QGsZpWQXAWzF0lnwgHd7I/s400/Wizorb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Storywise, you play Cyrus, a wizard with the rare and mysterious power of the Wizorb, who must save the kingdom of Gorudo from legions of monsters. While you're saving the kingdom, you'll come across a town that needs your help in rebuilding (by spending gold, of course). Each building you repair gives you items or new options, such as a store, to help you on your quest.<br />
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I've only played the game for about five minutes, but I can already tell this game is a solid winner (I played the demo. Once I get my first paycheck from my new job, I'll drop the funds for this one). With fantastic graphics and sound and awesome gameplay, you have no reason to skip this game. Buy it. Seriously, buy it. Just friggin' buy it.<br />
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One more game to mention, though you won't find it on XBOX. While digging up some info on these games, I came across another game called <i>Ninja Senki</i>. Some of you may have heard of it, since it came out last December. If you haven't, it's an old school action platformer in a similar vein to the <i>Mega Man</i> series. It's only available for PC, but it is free to download. Check out the <a href="http://ninjasenki.com/">website</a> and enjoy.<br />
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Hope that buffet of cheap games holds you over until the next crop. I'll see you guys next week.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-36006411822624851302011-09-24T11:47:00.001-06:002011-09-24T12:42:11.638-06:00Some Dragon Quest-ness and the 75th Birthday of a LegendSo Square Enix is celebrating 25 years of <i>Dragon Quest</i> (like many other classic NES franchises). While the <i>Dragon Quest</i> games have been successful in the U.S. (initially under the name <i>Dragon Warrior</i>), it's the Japanese gamers that made the franchise a phenomenon and kept it alive for so long. Of course, Square Enix rewarded them with the <i>Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection</i> for the Wii, which features the Famicom and Super Famicom emulations of the first three games (known as the Loto Trilogy) along with a bunch of extras. Needless to say, it's not coming out Stateside. C'mon, guys! First, we are denied <i>Xenoblade</i> and <i>The Last Story</i> (even though they were released in Europe) now this? Seriously, Nintendo of America, it's like you don't want people to buy the Wii. What the hell is wrong with you?!<br />
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For those of us who do not live in Japan, all we can do is salivate at these videos. This first one is the Japanese trailer for the collection, featuring all the great extras that are included. So friggin' jealous.<br />
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Next is the anime intro to the game, which was done by the same animation studio who did the intro for <i>Dragon Quest IX</i>, Kamikaze Douga. The intro summarizes the legends of the great hero, Loto, and his descendants that are the focus of these first three games. Enjoy.<br />
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While there's probably no chance in hell we'll get the anniversary collection, we do get some <i>Dragon Quest</i> games coming our way. For those who enjoy the pet monster offshoot of the franchise, <i>Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2</i> came out recently. Of course, Japan also got an expanded version of the game, <i>Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 Professional</i>, which came out last March, but the American release is of the original game. Whatever.<br />
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Then, there's Dragon Quest X, which will be the first time, since <i>Dragon Warrior IV</i>, that a <i>Dragon Quest</i> game came to a Nintendo home console in the U.S. (<i>Dragon Quest V</i> and <i>VI</i> came out for the Super Famicom in Japan). Here's the trailer from this year's Tokyo Game Show.<br />
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Yeah, I can't wait to play it, either. It's supposed to be available for the Wii and WiiU (whether or not it makes a difference which system you play it on is unknown to me).<br />
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Okay, one more video. Today would have marked Jim Henson's 75 birthday. Though he died 21 years ago, his vision and legacy still live on. Here's one of my favorite Muppet moments. Happy birthday, Jim.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="389" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cYejYCfEA9w?rel=0" width="530"></iframe>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-58055466961998865852011-09-14T14:03:00.002-06:002011-09-14T14:05:56.651-06:00Dungeons of Time - Sagave Worlds of MARS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaup9NmMl5rkzEAXCUU2DZdAO_HgoZ-2EYEvr6b8UIe5m35nNtMB2x_GEg_8TlNJ5evtDSdwrz5-BbBKHnJqYLtHLk5kTTcaFQ8BfSBPUX4QSb9rtc1Vk_CR1KOrQVkb7YSb7oPfzyVE/s1600/DungeonsOfTime04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaup9NmMl5rkzEAXCUU2DZdAO_HgoZ-2EYEvr6b8UIe5m35nNtMB2x_GEg_8TlNJ5evtDSdwrz5-BbBKHnJqYLtHLk5kTTcaFQ8BfSBPUX4QSb9rtc1Vk_CR1KOrQVkb7YSb7oPfzyVE/s1600/DungeonsOfTime04.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I think it's time we go back into the dungeons, once again. Today, we're going to take a look at a game from Adamant Entertainment. These guys have been making products for numerous RPG systems: <i>Mutants & Masterminds</i>, <i>d20 Modern</i>, <i>D&D</i> 4th Edition, <i>Pathfinder</i>, and, of course, <i>Savage Worlds</i>. Some of their upcoming projects that might interest you include a mash-up of wild west and wuxia (like in those classic kung fu movies) called <a href="http://intothefarwest.com/"><i>Far West</i></a> and an RPG based on the adventures of the original six-gun, six-string samurai of science, <a href="http://www.adamantentertainment.com/2011/07/18/buckaroo-banzai-is-back/"><i>Buckaroo Banzai</i></a>. Whether or not these games will be available for <i>Savage Worlds</i> is unknown to me. We'll just have to wait and keep our fingers crossed.<br />
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However, today's game in question is actually from a few years ago. Back then, I became enamored with Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series of books, which dealt with a civil war veteran, John Carter, being astrally transported to a fantastical version of the planet Mars and his adventures there, among other things. He became one of my favorite characters, along with Conan, in fantasy/sci-fi literature. With the Barsoom series, Burroughs popularized the Planetary Romance genre (also known as Sword & Planet). His stories inspired writers, filmmakers, and game designers. To prove that, I present to you the first Sword & Planet game for Savage Worlds: <i>MARS</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KH-fCo5LX3LswSgqwNsCjeq-xiomyr-1kX3i2Rc6sTRYa6fuWxnv5mqrBntLxW1PNHVa3RnEZV7aBw0nZTyx_a6ar40KhuMahm2tRyFEM-dXzUUhZJR9itedwnFzaZtLYcTl4SqSoe8/s1600/MARSCover05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KH-fCo5LX3LswSgqwNsCjeq-xiomyr-1kX3i2Rc6sTRYa6fuWxnv5mqrBntLxW1PNHVa3RnEZV7aBw0nZTyx_a6ar40KhuMahm2tRyFEM-dXzUUhZJR9itedwnFzaZtLYcTl4SqSoe8/s400/MARSCover05.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br />
MARS originally started out as a campaign setting for 3rd Edition d20 system. After 4th Edition came out, Adamant decided to move the game over to Savage Worlds. <i>MARS</i> will be very familiar to fans of Barsoom, but there are many differences. For instance, almost every race in MARS only has two arms; no four armed Tharks or White Apes, here. Speaking of White Apes, they are a sentient, warlike race with their own kingdom (think <i>Planet of the Apes</i> meets ancient Rome). The Grey Martians, an octopoid race, battle in giant tripods, just like those found in H. G. Wells' <i>War of the Worlds</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5M-9q0cDYHGXWKU0DXnmcz4F4FQ1kvMX1VZHx336C5nC6tr35C741gk1PhoyJn2alAOviZIGeoRdb6pYlZhIoy-bELRvEGQopRaUBV54GiJ010xoZLVrzHkpMcSyanwR6d8f5RRGCwI/s1600/MARSCover04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5M-9q0cDYHGXWKU0DXnmcz4F4FQ1kvMX1VZHx336C5nC6tr35C741gk1PhoyJn2alAOviZIGeoRdb6pYlZhIoy-bELRvEGQopRaUBV54GiJ010xoZLVrzHkpMcSyanwR6d8f5RRGCwI/s400/MARSCover04.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
What you will find in <i>MARS</i> that is reminiscent of Barsoom is exotic locales filled with ancient ruins and strange beasts, once venerable empires using strength and cunning to survive in a fading world, savage races to wage war with, cool gadgets, such as flying ships and radium guns, and all the action, adventure, and intrigue you'd expect.<br />
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While three of the native races (Red Men, Green Men, and White Apes) can be selected for player characters, many people will probably want to play a human (like John Carter or Ulysses Paxton). Not only is this option available, but there are published adventures that deal with one or more Earthlings mysteriously appearing on the Martian surface, whether they're the player characters or NPCs. The Grey Men, however, are strictly an NPC race, as they're meant to be the strange, subterranean menace to the surface dwellers. Another "race," the Synthe-Men, are homunculi who were charged with the duty of maintaining and protecting the Martian canal system (which makes it difficult to justify one as a player character).<br />
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If this sounds like your idea of adventure, then check out the entire line of MARS products at <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?cPath=4256">DriveThru RPG</a> (this page contains products for both 3rd Edition d20, which are now defunct, and <i>Savage Worlds</i>). While Adamant is busy working on other stuff, at the moment, they did promise more adventures and supplements will be available in the future.<br />
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If, however, you are interested in a more authentic approach to Barsoom for your <i>Savage Worlds</i> game, I recommend <a href="http://www.savagebarsoom.com/">Savage Barsoom</a>. This blog contains lots of helpful information for creating games in Burroughs' version of Mars, including articles on races, creatures, culture, religion, technology, and more. He also has links to companies that sell gaming miniatures for the different races/creatures of Barsoom. Definitely go check it out.<br />
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Until next time, make sure to keep your hands of my dice.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-40744281053883870902011-09-08T10:15:00.003-06:002011-09-08T10:16:09.520-06:00I'm not doing a post this week.Nope.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-57125203053350105392011-08-31T14:39:00.005-06:002011-09-01T23:56:47.968-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr18hS9BJdSul2vJiD2YPX72YE9Musp0gTlBmT5C4407PTrOHElvVi25V8GrSBfBJ1qaxcpuDXJKO-DlNm-C9ZcB49kZ7BP5yJtDaBr5hO_XNwXbrqAXo1xGhcrmDQ_bjOFPxuxQFpyI/s1600/ForgottenWorlds08.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr18hS9BJdSul2vJiD2YPX72YE9Musp0gTlBmT5C4407PTrOHElvVi25V8GrSBfBJ1qaxcpuDXJKO-DlNm-C9ZcB49kZ7BP5yJtDaBr5hO_XNwXbrqAXo1xGhcrmDQ_bjOFPxuxQFpyI/s1600/ForgottenWorlds08.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I may be a bit late on this tidbit, but I recently found a website from Namco Bandai that allows you to play the world's biggest game of <i>Pac-Man</i>. Basically, it's a version of <i>Pac-Man</i> that is swelling with user created levels and continues to grow. You can even create your own personalized levels and add to the collection. I created a level based on another Namco classic celebrating its 30th anniversary (as if you need to guess). Start out with my custom level <a href="http://worldsbiggestpacman.com/play/#109,-109">here</a>, then create and explore this enormous <i>Pac-Man</i> game to your heart's content.<br />
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Fans of <i>Ms. Splosion Man</i> who have <i>Pinball FX2</i>, exclusively for XBOX 360, should check out the new pinball table based on Twisted Pixel's explosive valley girl. Download the trial version for free (<i>Pinball FX2</i> is also free to download, if you don't have it, yet) and play it for yourself.<br />
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Also available, this week, is a collection of one of the most controversial arcade franchises in history. <i>Mortal Kombat</i> has been showering gamers with blood and gore since 1992 (which means it's one year short of its 20th anniversary). Since then, the series has had its ups and downs. Sure, there have been some decent games after the first three, but they couldn't recapture the awesomeness of the original games. They tried adding weapons, multiple fighting styles, crossovers with comic book superheroes (which was a stupid idea), and even offshoot games (which was even worse). Nothing could completely win over gamers quite like the original trilogy.<br />
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When Midway went out of business, <i>Mortal Kombat</i> seemed to die with it, until Warner Bros. picked up the intellectual property and Ed Boon worked on resuscitating the franchise with a more back-to-basics approach that returned, somewhat, to the original style of gameplay, but pushed the envelope on the characteristic gore and brutality that made the series extremely popular back in the day.<br />
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This week, NetherRealm studios (the team that was reborn from the ashes of Midway Games) released a downloadable collection of the first three <i>Mortal Kombat</i> games: <i>Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection</i>. Sure, all three of these games have been available in previous arcade classic collections, but this one adds loads more extras, such as new visual modes (including one that makes it look like you're playing the game on a curved CRT monitor, giving you the feeling of being back in the old arcades. On top of the cosmetic extras, you can play against people online, which seems to be a must for fighting games, these days.<br />
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I played the demo of this collection and it brought back memories, for me. Back in those days, <i>Mortal Kombat</i> introduced a different style of fighting game. Most fighting games used to be clones of <i>Street Fighter II</i>, which dominated arcades the year before. <i>Mortal Kombat</i> was different in many ways. Aside from the obvious, the game used a different control scheme; there were high and low attacks for both kicks and punches, plus a block button. You had to enter a button combination to pull off the famous Fatalities. There were secrets and Easter eggs to uncover during gameplay. It was an entirely new philosophy on how to create a fighting game.<br />
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I remember seeing <i>Mortal Kombat</i> for the first time at the local bowling alley and it blew my mind. I watched my brother and my friends play it (I actually sucked at <i>Mortal Kombat</i>, since I was more accustomed to <i>Street Fighter II</i>). The game had this irresistible combination of digitized sprites of real actors, uncensored violence and brutality, and a story and atmosphere that reminded me of <i>Enter the Dragon</i>.<br />
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Of course, when the game was announced for home systems, my brother and I had to have it. Unfortunately, there was a reason why arcades were still doing pretty well during the early '90s: ports of arcade games remained inferior to the originals. <i>Mortal Kombat</i> was no exception. We got the Super Nintendo version of the game and were extremely disappointed in the result. All of the awesome crap was watered down. They changed the blood to look like sweat (though it looked like the characters were bleeding sand) and the Fatalities were heavily doctored. Nintendo's censorship in their games ruined what could have been a great port. Even though Sega had no problem with the blood and gore, the godawful graphics and sound screwed up the Genesis port. It was best just to stick with the arcade version.<br />
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1993 saw the rise of <i>Mortal Kombat II</i>, which improved upon every aspect of the original. Better graphics and sound, new characters, new moves and Fatalities (including Babalities and Friendships, which made fun of the controversy surrounding the first game). Gone was the storyline of a Shaolin tournament taken over by a shapeshifting mastermind, which was replaced by a fight against an inter-dimensional warlord and his cadre of fighters, sorcerers, and assassins. By this point, the story wasn't so convoluted and ridiculous yet, so I actually enjoyed it. The otherworldly aspects of the setting were kind of cool. Of course, my brother and I got this on the Super Nintendo, but only because they recanted their stance on censorship. This port of <i>MK II</i> left all the blood and violence in, much to the delight of many gamers.<br />
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Then came <i>Mortal Kombat 3</i> and <i>Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3</i> (which became the definitive version), which felt like a step down, in some ways. A lot of things changed in the two years since <i>MK II</i>. The game became extremely dependent on doing combos, which kind of distanced me further from the fighting engine. Even more characters were added to the roster, which tangled the storyline with a bunch of subplots. The graphics were better than the first two, but the stages and new characters felt uninspired. I'll admit, it was still enjoyable to watch, but it wasn't as fun as the first two games.<br />
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After <i>Mortal Kombat 4</i>, a lot of gamers abandoned the series. By this point, the story was too involved with too many characters that it was not worth following. It also didn't help that things were getting stale, gameplay-wise. I've played some of the console sequels, like <i>Armageddon</i>, but it just wasn't the same.<br />
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That's why it's refreshing to have this collection of the first three games available. While I still suck at them, it does remind me of a young gamer who used to ride his bike down the street to play all the new arcade games. The hell with Quan Chi and Shinnok, screw the DC crossover, and Bo' Rai Cho can suck it. Give me the classic <i>MK</i> trilogy any day.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-26902106185708982862011-08-25T14:47:00.013-06:002011-08-27T10:50:40.123-06:00Games You Should Know About... XBOX Live Indie Games 3: Dream WarriorsThis just in: Thursday is the new Wednesday. We now return you to your irregularly scheduled blogram.<br />
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A couple of video game classics are celebrating a birthday, this August. The Super Nintendo turned 20 this week and <i>Metroid</i> turned 25 earlier in the month. You know, so many damn games and systems came out 20-25 years ago. Then again, a lot of games also came out 30 years ago, so I've got my work cut out for me.<br />
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This week, though, we're donning the scuba gear and hazmat suits again. It's time to go back for another spelunking mission into the hellhole of XBOX Live Indie games. I've brought two new games up to the surface, plus I'll be revisiting two games that I've mentioned before. As always, these games have that classic video game feel that I love.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>First up for the new games is something of a port. You see, this company, Aetherbyte Studios, is an independent homebrew company. If you don't know what that means, homebrews are independently made video games for existing video game systems, usually classic ones such as the Atari 2600 or the NES. There's a sizable community around them and there are some that are really good. What's Aetherbyte's system of choice? Believe it or not, it's the Turbografx-16 CD. Their first game, <i>Insanity</i>, was made for this system (it's a CD-Rom game) which brings back the classic gameplay of <i>Berzerk</i> and <i>Frenzy</i> (thus, the similar name). For some reason, Aetherbyte decided to try their hand at developing an XBOX Live Indie game and used <i>Insanity</i> for the project.<br />
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The port, renamed <i>Insanity X</i>, is pretty much the same game. The only thing that's different between the two versions is that <i>Insanity X</i> has slightly better graphics and sound. Options on this game are extremely minimal (you can only change the music between synthesizers or a chiptune-esque soundtrack), but the arcade style action does make it a worthy spiritual successor to <i>Berzerk</i> (which means it's just as hard as the original). You can get this game on your XBOX for only $1 (80 MSP). You should also check out Aetherbyte's <a href="http://www.aetherbyte.com/index.php">website</a>, which has info on their next project: a Turborafx-16 collection of updated re-imaginings to classic arcade games.<br />
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I've actually been sitting on <i>Insanity X</i> for a few months, hoping that I would find other indie games to add to this article. I waited... and waited... and waited, but the games that came out since then were just the same fucking garbage you'd expect. There were some games that seemed interesting, but most were mired in shitty, flash-style graphics and horrible controls. A lot of these even used classic NES or Atari style "box art" to entice old school gamers into trying them. Well, I tried them and they fucking sucked -- disappointing.<br />
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That changed, yesterday, when I found <i>VideoWars</i>, an arcade styled RTS (yes, a real-time strategy game). Most RTS games are usually very involved and complicated. They require, at least, 30 minutes to properly play a level. In <i>VideoWars</i>, one battle will usually take place in less than 5 minutes and gameplay is extremely simple. You pick a faction, each with it's own powers, and a level. You build bases to expand your area on the play field, gaining money and points for claiming certain areas. This money allows you to create turret bunkers to defend your territory, units and missiles to attack the enemy, and upgrades to your bases to give them defensive countermeasures. Upgraded bases can actually fire beams to destroy your enemy's missiles (making it feel a little like <i>Missile Command</i>, which is a nice touch).<br />
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With it's fast, satisfying gameplay, old school graphics and sound, fun two player vs. action, and cheap price tag (again, only 80 MSP!), you can't go wrong with <i>VideoWars</i>. The creator, BaaadDad Games, doesn't have a website, but they do have a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BaaadDad-Games/100876606660092">Facebook</a> page. Check this game out.<br />
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In a previous look at XBOX Live Indie games, I mentioned a little RPG called <i>Cthulhu Saves the World</i> and how it was worth your $3. I also mentioned that it was only available via XBOX Live. A few things have changed, since then. First off, Zeboyd Games gave Cthulhu a shiny update, in the form of <i>Cthulhu Saves the World -- Super Hyper Enhanced Championship Edition Alpha Diamond DX Plus Alpha FES HD -- Premium Enhanced Game of the Year Collector's Edition (without Avatars!)</i>.<br />
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What's different about this <i>Super Hyper Enhanced</i>... etc., etc.? Well, for instance, the gameplay has been rebalanced to make for a smoother RPG; there's a new, ultra hard dungeon in the game; a new difficulty setting (for those who love punishment); character bromides (for all the <i>Lunar</i> fans); new game modes (including <i>Cthulhu's Angels</i> mode, where you play a crack team of foxy ladies to do special missions for your boss, the mysterious Cthulhu); and new options, dialogue, and other tidbits to add to an already fun RPG experience.<br />
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Here's the good news for XBOX 360 owners: if you were smart enough to take my advice and already purchased <i>Cthulhu Saves the World</i>, you get the update for free! Just load up the game and it will ask if you want the update. Say yes, and you've got extra content for free. Don't forget about Zeboyd's previous RPG, <i>Breath of Death VII</i>, which is what <i>Dragon Warrior II</i> would be like if everyone was undead (plus, it's only 80 MSP).<br />
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Now, here's the best news. If you don't own an XBOX 360, you need not worry any longer. Both <i>Cthulhu Saves the World</i> (the <i>Super Hyper Enhanced</i>... the updated version) and <i>Breath of Death VII</i>, are available for the PC on Steam. Better yet, they're <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/sub/8848/">available as a two pack</a> for only $3. That's 25% off their combined price on XBOX Live. There's no better bargain out there for all you PC gamers. Don't forget to check out Zeboyd Games' <a href="http://zeboyd.com/">website</a>. They're making an announcement of their next game at this year's PAX East, so check back there later this week.<br />
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Well, that wraps up another episode of Games You Should Know About... If you own an XBOX 360, be sure to get all of these great games. Even though they're super cheap, each game is still money well spent. And PC owners need to pick up both of Zeboyd Games' RPGS. See you guys next week.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-11829926284071105212011-08-18T15:23:00.004-06:002011-08-24T07:38:10.569-06:00Wizard World ChicagoYes, I know it's Thursday and I was supposed to post yesterday. Better late than never.<br />
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So, a bunch of us went to Wizard World Chicago, which is a comic book convention in one of the biggest cities of the Midwest (or, at least, in its suburbs). We all had fun and have fully recovered from our four day excursion. So, what did we see and do? Do tell, Anacronus, do tell.<br />
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First off, let me say that Wizard World Chicago was both bigger and smaller than the usual convention I attend. What I mean by that is while there was plenty in the way of quality, the quantity was severely restricted. Let me elaborate on that: quality-wise, there were lots of celebrities from the realms of comic books, fantasy art, television, webcomics, even pro wrestling, as well as a lot of dealers selling a plethora of items (for way too much, I might add). However, the convention was only held in four rooms - that's right, four rooms. Granted, one of the rooms was huge, but the other three were much smaller, in comparison. The other thing that was small was actual convention time. I'm used to conventions that open on Friday and close on Sunday - a continuous three day event. This convention closed every night, early, no less. I can understand the dealer room needing to close at a decent hour, but that kind of puts a damper on things when almost everything was happening in the dealer room. Just about everything was happening at the dealer room. We were kind of left entertaining ourselves almost every night. There were a couple of things to do after the dealer room closed, but those usually let out around 9 or 10 p.m., so we, more often than not, just went to bed early.<br />
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Despite this, we did get to meet some cool people. I got autographs from the stars of <i>Buck Rogers in the 25th Century</i> (a show as old as I am). It was great talking to Gil Gerard (he's just as glib and smooth talking as he was in the show - I mean that in a good way), but I totally embarrassed myself in front of Erin Gray (my apologies, Ms. Gray, for being a socially awkward moron).<br />
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On Friday, my wife and I were dressed like Luigi and Princess Daisy. I left my felt mustache at home and the booth or <a href="http://blog.yetipress.com/">Yeti Press</a>' comic book Pecos were giving out these paper mustaches attached to wooden tongue depressors. So I picked up one of those. When a lot of people took our pictures, they thought it was awesome when I "pulled out my mustache." I imagine that booth got a lot of attention, because of that. Also, Felicia Day told my wife that her costume was really cute. Yeah, Felicia Day, no foolin'.<br />
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My wife and I also got to meet Steve Bryant, who is the artist and creator of the comic <i>Athena Voltaire</i>, which the eponymous character is this pulp heroine who has amazing adventures fighting Nazis, vampires, and esoteric societies. She's a heroic woman who doesn't have to resort to the common trope of T&A, which my wife found refreshing. Steve was a really nice guy and even signed both trade paperbacks that my wife bought from him. If you like pulp action with a touch of supernatural, check out the Eisner nominated webcomic <a href="http://apecmx.com/athena/?p=22">here</a> and, if you are aching for more, go buy the graphic novel "Flight of the Falcon" and a TPB of the collected webcomics <a href="http://ape-entertainment.com/comics/creator-owned/creator-owned-a-m/athena-voltaire/">here</a> (just scroll down to see them). Steve's also finishing a third TPB, "Athena Voltaire and the Volcano Goddess," which, hopefully, will be coming out soon.<br />
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My wife and her friends also spent a lot of time (and money) at the <a href="http://www.interrobangstudios.com/">Interrobang Studios</a> booth. She bought some art cards with the characters from the old <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> cartoon. The group also commissioned four drawings from them. Needless to say, I think they made some new friends.<br />
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On top of the celebrity autographs, dealer tables, and artist's alley, the main room had a gaming area. Gaming storefront Troll & Toad was running it and it featured a couple of games, such as the <i>Castle Ravenloft</i> board game for <i>D&D</i>, the <i>Back to the Future</i> card game (I talked about that one, before), and this interesting board game called <i><a href="http://www.chaostle.com/home.aspx">Chaostle</a></i>.<br />
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The other thing worthy of mention was this movie called <i>Unicorn City</i>, which was shown three out of the four days of the convention (it was one of the very few things to do during the convention at night). It's about this guy who creates a sort of fantasy-rpg-LARP-camp-thing in order to get a job with an rpg publisher. It's an extremely funny movie. While a lot of its humor is based on role-playing games, I think anyone would get a lot of laughs out of this movie. It actually won top prize at this year's Gen Con film festival. Check out their <a href="http://www.unicorncity.com/">website</a>, like them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/UnicornCity">Facebook</a>, do whatever it takes to make this move available in your town, then go see it.<br />
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So, that's Wizard World Chicago, in a nutshell. We had fun, but I don't know if we would go back next year. Surprisingly, we're all talking about going back to Anime Iowa next year. That's not exactly set in stone, but we'd have to have a real good reason to go back to Chicago for next year's con.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-78912519782619470012011-08-10T10:53:00.000-06:002011-08-10T10:53:00.173-06:00It's Convention Time!First off, taking a week off when you write weekly features for a blog only makes it harder to get back in the habit. I doubt anyone will read this post (does anyone <i>read</i> any of my posts, anyway?), but I need to write something, or I'll never get back into it.<br />
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So, tomorrow, I leave for Wizard World Chicago, aka Chicago Comic Con, which is the first big convention I've been to in a while. I guess I've been going to conventions for the past 10-12 years, so I'll recollect what memories I have of the conventions I've gone to.<br />
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My first convention was a tiny ass fantasy/sci-fi con in Louisville, KY. I used to work at a comic book and gaming store, so I sometimes got the "privilege" of going to cons with the boss. Let me tell you, you don't get to do very much when you are a dealer except sell shit. Sure, I got to play a bunch of <i>Diablo</i> in the gaming room and I watched <i>Princess Mononoke</i> for the first time (a low quality fansub copy, before the Disney release), but that was it. In hindsight, that convention kinda sucked, but it was my first one and I still remember it. I found out that the convention died the next year - no big loss, really.<br />
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My second convention was more exciting. I got to go to the Mecca of gaming conventions, Gen Con. Right now, Gen Con takes place in Indianapolis (in fact, it happened last weekend), but I went back when Gen Con was at MECCA (Milwaukee Exposition & Convention Center & Arena) in beautiful Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The boss took me and the girl I was dating (we both worked there) up there. During the day, we peddled crap, but we did get a chance to actually partake a little in the convention this time around. I purchased a metric buttload of <i>AniMayhem</i> cards (a card game that I may discuss in the future), got roped into playing the <i>Spellfire</i> card game (which I will never discuss, because it sucks), went to the Safe House (a fun, spy themed restaurant and bar -- if you're ever in Milwaukee, try it), ate at an excellent German restaurant, got to meet some writers and game designers, etc. All in all, I had a good time, there. It's a shame I haven't been back there since (more so that it's not in Milwaukee, anymore). One year, I'll head up to Indianapolis with a few of my rpg buddies and experience Gen Con again.<br />
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After Gen Con, I didn't get to go on many conventions for work. The boss left me at the home store while he went out for convention season. My next convention wouldn't happen until I met my wife and we started dating. As everyone was interested in anime, we decided to try a little convention, Anime Iowa, which wasn't that bad of a drive from St. Louis. We've been going there for years, though a lot of us feel we've outgrown the convention and it's just not as fun for us, anymore.<br />
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We did go to one big anime convention, A-Kon in Dallas. While I did enjoy the bigger production of a larger con (hell, they had arcade games), the two day drive didn't suit me. On top of that, I will never stay in Muskogee, OK again (unless it was that decent hotel that gave us a room for $20 and had the <i>Golden Axe</i> cabinet).<br />
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So, that's about the breadth of my con experience. I know, it's not much. I wish I had the time and money to attend more conventions (I usually have one or the other, not both). As far as Wizard World Chicago is concerned, I'm probably going to end up finding a couple of panels to go to and wishing I had more money in the dealer room (as it stands, I have none). There are some celebs showing up that are of interest to me, but I'll probably just walk by their table, since I can't afford an autograph. Maybe I'll have pictures to show -- we'll see.<br />
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Man, being poor sucks.<br />
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I know this post is a bit whiny, but I'm tired of writing it and you're not going to read it, so what do I care?Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-55339512273146117912011-08-03T10:03:00.001-06:002011-08-03T10:04:47.017-06:00Um, experiencing technical difficulties...So, for the past week, I have been acting under "radio silence" (aka: my internet was shut off until some kind Samaritan friend helped me and the Mrs. out -- thank you). As it stands, I didn't think of anything to write for today. In fact, I haven't been doing anything but playing <i>Fallout 3</i> (I've had it for two years, but never got very far until recently). So, consider this my week off. I'll get back into it next Wednesday. Sorry.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-41939560818879648132011-07-27T13:33:00.006-06:002011-07-27T13:53:12.202-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Galaga Turns 30 (Part 4)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdH22Jvg-_zs3_LjcCDTqMFPwHbKpqhZEhoYKra4ab7I8sgCKH3ocSla5W7UXRBrlwBBrCd82DDbArDMeNsL3w73N68y1zqK_CfNeuoOWSSojlBD2VE-9r8kheaFw9lihQh5tR6cI6Ig/s1600/Galaxian3A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdH22Jvg-_zs3_LjcCDTqMFPwHbKpqhZEhoYKra4ab7I8sgCKH3ocSla5W7UXRBrlwBBrCd82DDbArDMeNsL3w73N68y1zqK_CfNeuoOWSSojlBD2VE-9r8kheaFw9lihQh5tR6cI6Ig/s400/Galaxian3A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
(This post is going to be video heavy, so I hope you guys watch them.) <br />
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Last time, I looked at the sequels to <i>Galaga</i>, which is a sequel to <i>Galaxian</i>. By that logic, it would make sense that <i>Gaplus</i> and <i>Galaga '88</i> are sequels to <i>Galaxian</i>, as well. To some people, they are, but there actually was another arcade game that can be considered a direct sequel: <i>Galaxian 3</i> (which would mean that <i>Galaga</i> would be "<i>Galaxian 2</i>"). Though there really wasn't much of a story to these games to warrant sequels. After all, the only plot we get from <i>Galaxian</i> is "We are the Galaxians. Mission: Destroy aliens." So it's hard to tell how the games flow into each other.<br />
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That changed with <i>Galaxian 3</i> (which has the subtitle <i>Project Dragoon</i>). While you could only fill out a few pages with the plot, the game does tell the story of a United Galaxy Space Force gunship known as the Dragoon. It is called out into space to prevent this race of mechanized aliens from destroying Earth with the planet shattering Cannon Seed. The game used a combination of a traditional arcade board and laserdisc players, similar to some of the laserdisc games of the 1980s. The laserdisc players provided the backgrounds while the arcade boards made the on screen enemies and other effects, such as explosions or your targeting reticle.<br />
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Instead of piloting the Dragoon, players are gunners that aim the ship's turrets at the alien armada that awaits them. The interesting thing about this game is that it was made for large groups. In its initial incarnation, in 1990, <i>Galaxian 3</i> was actually a theme park attraction that had its own building. The first one, the GH-28 model, actually seated up to 28 people! Imagine a 28 player video game that wasn't online. How insane is that? Only two GH-28 models were ever made, but Namco also created a GM-16 model, which housed, you guessed it, 16 players at once. While the GH-28 was used in big conventions, such as Osaka's Expo '90, the GM-16 models were installed in Namco's Wonder Eggs amusement parks. Both models have a similar design: all the "technical stuff" was at the center of a circular room. The consoles where the players sat ringed around it with the players facing outward. The game was projected on the outer wall and divided in half (the screen was broken up by the entrance and exit on opposite ends of the room.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnuZiIDhm6Twn4l6dUh8XN72aAAXajtXM9k-aA3z7Ad6qmVlLQwHjkPupVFt4DJzlDNkGEzdiDs7Crj9VfcILUl1VfniD4iODcz5vrzfAtHeG20jjoaUv4dOhOFvfwwTg151OXgbThaI/s1600/Galaxian3B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnuZiIDhm6Twn4l6dUh8XN72aAAXajtXM9k-aA3z7Ad6qmVlLQwHjkPupVFt4DJzlDNkGEzdiDs7Crj9VfcILUl1VfniD4iODcz5vrzfAtHeG20jjoaUv4dOhOFvfwwTg151OXgbThaI/s400/Galaxian3B.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Here's a diagram of the GH-28 model.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The "pilot" and "co-pilot" are the staff that operate the ride. I say ride because, at least for the GH-28, the central area was actually a platform that had a hydraulic system. This allowed the platform to rock back and forth while the game played, giving the feeling of the Dragoon listing as it took damage. From what I've seen, it doesn't look like the GM-16 had this hydraulic system, so that's one of the few differences. If you look at this promotional video, you'll see the GH-28 in action (as well as other Namco attractions, such as a ride based on the arcade game <i>Tower of Druaga</i>). </div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="431" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E5KJeyhyAMw?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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(By the way, if you want to find these theme park versions of Galaxian 3, don't bother. They were all shut down at the turn of the century.)<br />
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After creating these attractions for theme parks, Namco was interested in creating a version of this game for game centers (which is what they call arcades in Japan). Of course, they would have to scale down the number of people who could play to fit the game in smaller buildings. Namco worked on designing the arcade version, but, for some reason, scrapped the project. However, something did come out of that research, but it wasn't <i>Galaxian 3</i>. Compare these two videos: the first one is footage from the arcade version of <i>Galaxian 3</i> (you don't have to watch the whole thing -- just skip to the middle of the video).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PT8LjyNktkY?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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The second video is footage from another Namco arcade game that came out in 1991: <i>Starblade</i>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DhBSEN2xBhI?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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If you notice they look a lot alike, it's because <i>Starblade</i> was the remnants of their project to turn <i>Galaxian 3</i> into a one player arcade game. My guess is that they felt that <i>Galaxian 3</i> needed to be a multiplayer game -- one player wouldn't have the same effect. So they changed the name and released it into arcades. I actually remember playing <i>Starblade</i>. The sit down cockpit with a concave mirror display made it feel like you were surrounded. I also remember the strobe light right above the player's head. Each time you got hit, it would flash. Heaven help you if your ship was about to blow up, because that strobe would go nuts on you. You know those warnings about how certain video games can induce seizures? This was definitely one of those games. Anyway, <i>Starblade</i> gets an honorable mention -- it's not really considered part of the <i>Galaxian</i> series, but it is a distant cousin to <i>Galaxian 3</i>.<br />
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After a few more years, Namco finally revealed the fruits of their labors. In 1994, a six player version of <i>Galaxian 3</i> arrived in arcades, known as the Theater 6 system. While it definitely was diminished from the GH-28 and GM-16 models, it was still a behemoth. The "cockpit" was practically the size of a large bathroom.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoLmL7TqoYTB8CNhWgEjAXypgnViLO8DjpuFJJ2PzQC_9jVj7E0rs62vVneN4oFl_NLnUhvQczzxTsL0wXtijqe5zl8VpbFVWWpdXrj9Om29OPhfkqSbuSHfoEgQU2x6DqiIgWZpmruw/s1600/Galaxian3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoLmL7TqoYTB8CNhWgEjAXypgnViLO8DjpuFJJ2PzQC_9jVj7E0rs62vVneN4oFl_NLnUhvQczzxTsL0wXtijqe5zl8VpbFVWWpdXrj9Om29OPhfkqSbuSHfoEgQU2x6DqiIgWZpmruw/s400/Galaxian3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I could probably set up a sleeping bag </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>and, theoretically, live in there.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Six players sit, side-by-side, in front of a huge projection screen. Other than that, its almost the same thing as the GM-16. Later on, Namco made another game using the Theater 6 system: <i>Attack of the Zolgear</i>, which was the sequel to <i>Galaxian 3</i>. Sadly, I've never seen one of these in person. I have heard that some arcades re-purposed the Theater 6 for other games, but I doubt that I will ever find an original <i>Galaxian 3</i> in the US.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Both <i>Galaxian 3</i> and <i>Starblade</i> made their way to the original Playstation in 1996, but only <i>Starblade</i> (renamed <i>Starblade Alpha</i>, with an enhanced graphics version) made its way to the States. Meanwhile the Playstation version of Galaga 3 (again, not available for US Playstations) only has four player support, but adds a new sequel, <i>The Rising of Gorub</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And so ends my <i>Galaga</i> retrospective -- 30 years of classic gaming and still going strong. If you ever happen to pass by any of these games in an arcade, bowling alley, or neglected corner of a movie theater, drop a quarter and give them some love.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Until next time, keep your scores high and the Earth free from alien bugs.<br />
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(Special thanks to the forums at <a href="http://dragonslairfans.com/">dragonslairfans.com</a>, especially user DarthNuno, who compiled a lot of information involving <i>Galaxian 3</i>. Images and videos on this post are courtesy of him.) </div>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-29261186419245169062011-07-20T14:31:00.003-06:002011-07-20T23:35:30.626-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Galaga Turns 30 (Part 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9G-i3ej6xPnyiExHpHUSxzIu54FbO8Xp9Y2v6O8-cklAazy9rahn7LwLlO298uhi5QFUFTDfIBSwTjSKDdkmHpf2YLX2lxH_8tVQVrHIFkb1o9Ly2O5WzqQ42esbhQ9xXU-HNJdnmbo/s1600/ForgottenWorlds07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9G-i3ej6xPnyiExHpHUSxzIu54FbO8Xp9Y2v6O8-cklAazy9rahn7LwLlO298uhi5QFUFTDfIBSwTjSKDdkmHpf2YLX2lxH_8tVQVrHIFkb1o9Ly2O5WzqQ42esbhQ9xXU-HNJdnmbo/s1600/ForgottenWorlds07.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Given the runaway success of <i>Galaga</i>, Namco wanted to see if they could make lightning strike twice. There have been a few sequels, not to mention remakes and arrange versions, but none of them seemed to capture the gaming public quite like <i>Galaga</i>. This isn't to say that they aren't enjoyable, so don't discount them so easily.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbfSVoI_iBLZvB4rVJqkR5iGOR3ISknLBADROAbrzOWiXa2ThOnAj7-cTc337rbZMNsIkxqAm3vyGlKPSV7-wr3MfCuaoyoAoa0qOPlmRYJQ2cJ1AcTfFPuA07w9QqyvkpJRiOBwUQSw/s1600/GaplusMarquee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbfSVoI_iBLZvB4rVJqkR5iGOR3ISknLBADROAbrzOWiXa2ThOnAj7-cTc337rbZMNsIkxqAm3vyGlKPSV7-wr3MfCuaoyoAoa0qOPlmRYJQ2cJ1AcTfFPuA07w9QqyvkpJRiOBwUQSw/s400/GaplusMarquee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In 1984, Namco updated the formula started with <i>Galaxian</i> further with <i>Gaplus</i>. This time, <i>Gaplus</i> added loads more new features than its predecessors: faster action, power-ups, collecting parts to get a 1-up, secret "easter eggs," and the ability to move your ship up and down (instead of just left and right). One of the power-ups you can get from shooting the "Queen" Gaplus (similar to the "Boss" Galaga) is the capture beam (again, similar to the "Boss" Galaga -- the poor guy). Getting the capture beam allows you to capture dive-bombing Gaplus and use them for extra firepower. You would think that this makes the game too easy, but, in later levels, it's really hard to survive without some Gapluses (Gapli?) backing you up. The "Challenging Stages" have changed, too. Instead of trying to shoot a bunch of enemies that swoops by, you have to juggle them by continuously shooting them. Each time you hit one, the game slowly starts to spell out a word. Complete the word and you get a bonus (all of this should make sense in the video below, even if you don't speak Japanese).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uoJMAWBYN5g?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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Despite coming from a pedigree of great shooters, <i>Gaplus</i> wasn't a big hit. It was renamed <i>Galaga 3</i> because some people thought the game strayed too far from <i>Galaga</i> to be recognized as a sequel. Even so, the video game crash of 1983 sealed this game's fate. While this game is not as well recognized as others in the series, you can still find this game, especially if you have a Nintendo Wii. It can be found on <i>Namco Museum Remix</i> or available for the Virtual Console for $6.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oHHcWVH0q6SY4tjaIiqGHKfzxO4L8a5dpT-Wr-VH64UeU9ImRMX1D9jluEJLVVFt6W-QoxrzWiv0VtnLfBRIuwzgPjnlWqT22lvncV1PaNkRhPWGY58qAs88EACR3QLo_YBjs_g-j10/s1600/GaplusMarquee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oHHcWVH0q6SY4tjaIiqGHKfzxO4L8a5dpT-Wr-VH64UeU9ImRMX1D9jluEJLVVFt6W-QoxrzWiv0VtnLfBRIuwzgPjnlWqT22lvncV1PaNkRhPWGY58qAs88EACR3QLo_YBjs_g-j10/s400/GaplusMarquee2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>That makes no sense. Where's <i>Galaga 2</i>?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b>Three years later, Namco tried again with <i>Galaga '88</i> (yes, that means it was released in 1987). This time, the gameplay didn't<i></i> stray too far from the original <i>Galaga</i> -- gone were all of the features of <i>Gaplus</i>. Instead, they significantly improved the graphics and sound. The only added feature to <i>Galaga '88</i> was the ability to travel to higher dimensions. Higher dimensions have different looking enemies with increasing difficulty, but reaching them nets you bonus points.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDVYfkgKKAFYIkdp0nfQ3ea7RAHNzo_VpX9rwOiDrB5Wouq14CtnOJvxuZO7pE037ITrRO6CKmfK8wXHdTB9WBNfIKmJAHplHWpQZ7Nc6Pn_qoQbhDehpczBr8k7gaqGFGgeMf_0PWpA/s1600/Galaga88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDVYfkgKKAFYIkdp0nfQ3ea7RAHNzo_VpX9rwOiDrB5Wouq14CtnOJvxuZO7pE037ITrRO6CKmfK8wXHdTB9WBNfIKmJAHplHWpQZ7Nc6Pn_qoQbhDehpczBr8k7gaqGFGgeMf_0PWpA/s400/Galaga88.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even though <i>Galaga '88</i> was better received than <i>Gaplus</i>, less units of the arcade game were made, so it wasn't as widespread. There are only two ways to play this game (with the exception of the <i>Galaga 30th Anniversary Collection</i> for the iPhone, which I don't own), on the <i>Namco Museum 50th Anniversary </i>collection for last-gen consoles or on the Wii's Virtual Console.</div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J5S8rivquc0?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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In 1995, there was a compilation arcade cabinet in Japan that included arrangement versions of <i>Galaga</i>, <i>Xevious</i>, and <i>Mappy</i>. <i>Galaga Arrangement</i> is of note here because it's the only <i>Galaga</i> game to support two players simultaneously. Other features, such as faster shooting and new rules for "Boss" Galagas, have been added, too. This version of Galaga is only available in the US through <i>Namco Museum</i> for last-gen consoles. I really don't know very much about this version, so I'll let this video speak for itself.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ob3c_9pCtks?rel=0" width="535"></iframe><br />
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Well, those are the direct sequels to <i>Galaga</i> (not including that mediocre PS1 title, <i>Galaga: Destination Earth</i> -- Namco didn't even make that one). There are a few more games dealing with <i>Galaxian</i>, though, but we'll save that for next time.<br />
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Until then, keep your scores high and the quarters flowing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNn0mhJ5MDzvdMDyRMElJhXBxpElYa6eVt0FhqTbVQhcKP_nRLoXEEiD0IOlxsA8_x7bFwHbgGifaVYFBK12EUD5R8mUyhVvIp_aDI6cRoQb1xd_SMq4TQ-3FeXLW85hU3et2lv33OLkA/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNn0mhJ5MDzvdMDyRMElJhXBxpElYa6eVt0FhqTbVQhcKP_nRLoXEEiD0IOlxsA8_x7bFwHbgGifaVYFBK12EUD5R8mUyhVvIp_aDI6cRoQb1xd_SMq4TQ-3FeXLW85hU3et2lv33OLkA/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" /></a></div>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-68288021311792110732011-07-19T12:55:00.003-06:002011-07-19T13:08:45.025-06:00The Mercury Men - Coming Soon!I know it's not Wednesday. I know this isn't a Galaga anniversary post. You'll get that tomorrow. I just wanted to spread the word about this new web serial I heard about today. I am very much a fan of pulp adventure and anything that has laser blasters, sci-fi flyboys, and strange, malevolent beings from beyond piques my interest.<br />
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So, imagine my excitement when I found out about this show coming out called <i>The Mercury Men</i> on a commercial on the Syfy network. The show is premiering on syfy.com next Monday (July 25). Right now, they have a bunch of extra content on the show's <a href="http://www.syfy.com/mercurymen/">website</a>, including behind the scenes footage, pictures of promo posters, a fake toy line in the vein of the Kenner <i>Star Wars</i> toys, and this trailer to whet your appetite.<br />
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Don't forget to check out the <a href="http://www.syfy.com/mercurymen/">website</a> for more extras and keep your eyes peeled next Monday for the premiere of <i>The Mercury Men</i>.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-11168724548674718112011-07-13T15:36:00.004-06:002011-07-27T11:32:19.306-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Galaga Turns 30 (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L8UYOwbEVfsm9gnoSxnaO7xp6KE1oNoi0RUqRAxVGm3XMXzn7CCmvzU6-GvE9kGTX6Gbs0EvxRAFM1DxF84r0_fNOA2sC1p1SVZk4isEjMf7PHD3G18ZFAR2JQoPMD4MA3J87iWrTP4/s1600/ForgottenWorlds06c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L8UYOwbEVfsm9gnoSxnaO7xp6KE1oNoi0RUqRAxVGm3XMXzn7CCmvzU6-GvE9kGTX6Gbs0EvxRAFM1DxF84r0_fNOA2sC1p1SVZk4isEjMf7PHD3G18ZFAR2JQoPMD4MA3J87iWrTP4/s1600/ForgottenWorlds06c.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, back to Galaga's 30th anniversary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 1978, Taito created what would be considered one of the most influential games in arcade history: <i>Space Invaders</i>. Considered the father of all shoot 'em ups, its popularity has spawned a plethora (I say plethora) of direct imitators. Out of all of them, the most popular has to be Namco's <i>Galaxian</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Created one year later, <i>Galaxian</i> takes the classic formula of <i>Space Invaders</i> and adds its own elements. Where Space Invaders had you fighting rows of aliens as they slowly advanced toward the planet, bombarding you with death rays, Galaxian had your ship and the enemies floating through space. As you played, the aliens would fly toward you, kamikaze style. It was a style cloned by other games, such as <i>Phoenix</i> and <i>Gorf</i> (which had a mission called "Galaxians," as Midway owned the rights to many Namco games in the US (something they would abuse on many occasions).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the sequel, <i>Galaga</i>, Namco perfected the formula they started. <i>Galaxian</i> only added dive bombing enemies to Space Invaders' foundation (even a lot of the sounds from <i>Galaxian</i> are extremely reminiscent of <i>Space Invaders</i>). Even though <i>Galaga</i> overshadowed its predecessor, <i>Galaxian</i> was still very popular and is considered a classic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you've never played <i>Galaxian</i> (which has been ported to just as many console systems as <i>Galaga</i>), check out this video and compare with the gameplay of <i>Galaga</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lNysvgx0vV0?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br />
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And if you enjoyed making your own mini <i>Galaga</i> machine out of paper, here's the papercraft version of <i>Galaxian</i> to add to your papercade. Click, print, cut, fold, paste - you get the idea.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrGSnXPTo6dXu9WEPUhL2IxyCREqDkpzs22gfPmUtIgyaEFeWiQMwzyQdjzoM68F_EIqs9mcNDKKtjy4kXycalUH9983Kd5aN2Hbeq7lxhjqKIlgA-IrircIMLS3YaYsOnw-Dn_9IceA/s1600/Galaxian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrGSnXPTo6dXu9WEPUhL2IxyCREqDkpzs22gfPmUtIgyaEFeWiQMwzyQdjzoM68F_EIqs9mcNDKKtjy4kXycalUH9983Kd5aN2Hbeq7lxhjqKIlgA-IrircIMLS3YaYsOnw-Dn_9IceA/s400/Galaxian.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next time, on Forgotten Worlds, (maybe next week, maybe not), I'll go over the sequels to <i>Galaga</i>. Keep in mind, these are not sequels to <i>Galaxian</i>. I'll get to those another time.<br />
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Keep your scores high and the quarters flowing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hIBcQtF5k9iufdtXMc_omscxuD21dHerUwfzIFtVz2YsE0ZkDSYzhjmQBco5mMCqlLAHrH2FoA9v913G03O5r_RkAqq-4WrtTI_LDjy7l3z7_OubLZnA7gQXUCJHMKS7GqnwKQVf_v4/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hIBcQtF5k9iufdtXMc_omscxuD21dHerUwfzIFtVz2YsE0ZkDSYzhjmQBco5mMCqlLAHrH2FoA9v913G03O5r_RkAqq-4WrtTI_LDjy7l3z7_OubLZnA7gQXUCJHMKS7GqnwKQVf_v4/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" /></a></div>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-32489986664328241082011-07-06T13:38:00.006-06:002011-07-08T12:44:40.977-06:00Games You Should Know About... Earth Defense Force 2017It was only two days ago that people across America were celebrating... well, being American. Granted, the Fourth of July commemorates the nation's independence from Britain after a hard fought war over 200 years ago, but we get along with the British, nowadays. Besides, I don't think George Washington crossed the Delaware in deathly cold weather so we could go swimming, eat bratwurst (man, I could go for a bratwurst), and shoot off tiny, explosive charges into the sky.<br />
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It doesn't matter, though. While I do live in America, I consider myself more a citizen of the world. The US Armed Forces are nice, but they've got nothing on the Earth Defense Force: destroying mutated insects, giant robots, and an armada of alien invaders with all sorts of lasers, masers, and rocket launchers. Those are the kind of fireworks I'm into.<br />
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I say this because <i>Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon</i> came out this week. While I am interested in playing it, I do have my doubts. This is the first title in the series not created by Sandlot, who made the other games in the <i>Chikyuu Boueigun</i> series (which is Japanese for Earth Defense Force) and the PS2 cult classic <i>Robot Alchemic Drive</i>. Instead, <i>Insect Armageddon</i> was made by Vicious Cycle, who also created <i>Robotech: Battlecry</i> (which was good) and <i>Robotech: Invasion</i> (which was not). Despite this, most reviews have been pretty favorable, so far, so I'll give the game a shot. But I'm not talking about <i>Insect Armageddon</i>, today. Nope, the game you guys should know about is its predecessor. We're taking a look at <i>Earth Defense Force 2017</i> for the XBOX 360.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxCS2WAOF48FxCp61haaenmw4PBr_Q24h0jwdHidSd9hmkVCx0LfWqUefZrePE4xh2QWAjuXMdN25BED_2t_xzOhDCaxaxrzPx5HbcCEgNT1wqRmG_7p9EoRKxf-asPQVu8CpTDnlQmI/s1600/EDF2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxCS2WAOF48FxCp61haaenmw4PBr_Q24h0jwdHidSd9hmkVCx0LfWqUefZrePE4xh2QWAjuXMdN25BED_2t_xzOhDCaxaxrzPx5HbcCEgNT1wqRmG_7p9EoRKxf-asPQVu8CpTDnlQmI/s400/EDF2017.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br />
Even though this is the first <i>EDF</i> title to reach US shores (unless you count <i>Earth Defense Force</i> for the Super Nintendo -- no relation), it's actually the third game in the <i>Chikyuu Boueigun</i> series. The first two were released for the Playstation 2, but only in Japan and Europe. <i>EDF 2017</i> is also part of publisher D3's Simple series, which are low budget games that were inexpensive for the consumer (Agetec published a few of the Simple titles for the original Playstation in the States). Think of them as the video game equivalent to B-movies.<br />
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In <i>EDF 2017</i>, you play as a member of Storm 1, one of the special units in the EDF Japan Division. One day, a giant mothership appears over Japan just as hordes of giant insects, robots, cyborg dinosaurs, and spaceships attack all over the Earth. It's up to you to destroy the alien menace and save the planet. As you keep playing, you pick up armor upgrades (which increases your hit points) and new weapons (over 300 to collect). There's also five different difficulty levels that give the game a high replay value: Easy, Normal, Hard, Hardest, and Inferno (which, strangely enough, <i>is</i> harder than Hardest). Split screen co-op is also really fun and, probably, the best way to play this game (no online co-op -- just invite a friend over to your place, you lazy bum).<br />
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I won't say this is a highly polished game, though. The enemies, whether they're ants, spiders, robots, or spaceships, only have one tactic: cluster-fuck you until you die. Of course, there really isn't any strategy for you, either. Just keep blasting them and retreat when the cluster-fuck gets to be too much. There are vehicles to use, but they're practically useless; except for the helicopter, which is only available in a few levels. Most of the levels take place in city landscapes, though there are countryside, beach, and the most annoying underground levels that are hard to navigate. The dialogue is extremely cheesy, with teammates shouting, "Come this way, and I'll kill you," "How do you like the taste of my bullets?" and the team chanting a fan favorite, "E-D-F! E-D-F! E-D-F!" While the graphics aren't bad for a 360 game, it does suffer from some heavy slowdown, especially when the aforementioned cluster-fucks happen. Fortunately, most of these idiosyncrasies actually add to the B-movie charm which makes this game so great.<br />
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If you're the kind of gamer that doesn't mind a shallow, cheesy plot and minor technical limitations, so long as you're having fun (personally, this is the only kind of gamer that matters), then you owe it to yourself to get <i>EDF 2017</i>. You may have to do some searching to find this game at local game stores, but you can also download it onto your XBOX 360 for the bargain basement price of $19.99. So what are you waiting for? Celebrate your independence by wresting it from the clutches of evil aliens.<br />
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If you'll excuse me, I need to see if I can find an Earth Defense Force patch for sale online. E-D-F! E-D-F!<br />
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Here's the Japanese trailer for the game, because the American trailer makes the game look like a Michael Bay film, which is lame.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1fo6aLXsmwU?rel=0" width="535"></iframe>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-20006739603883881362011-06-29T13:31:00.003-06:002011-06-30T00:22:04.604-06:00Dungeons of Time - Savage Worlds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZhrlHzTVSuD1Kema94Y4TlIFawEZj3K62s29RnsSPGOJaJOkbGc1ek6Zb3XP2aEoB7e8ZWN-yqJB0919-mHBaGHVswEaUSH1cZGL0FuuM2ROQFbgbCscB18-T4NM8VAHheofaNNMPA8/s1600/DungeonsOfTime02c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZhrlHzTVSuD1Kema94Y4TlIFawEZj3K62s29RnsSPGOJaJOkbGc1ek6Zb3XP2aEoB7e8ZWN-yqJB0919-mHBaGHVswEaUSH1cZGL0FuuM2ROQFbgbCscB18-T4NM8VAHheofaNNMPA8/s1600/DungeonsOfTime02c.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Believe it or not, dear readers, there was a time when I was completely jaded with the hobby of tabletop roleplaying. In 2003, Wizards of the Coast came out with <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> 3.5. Since this made the hundreds of dollars worth of 3rd Edition D&D books I bought obsolete, I got pissed and parted ways with their products (and if 4th Edition is any indication, I'm not coming back anytime soon).<br />
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The other system I played, White Wolf's <i>World of Darkness</i>, was improving their system. But, in 2004, my "rpg mistress" went from being this dark, mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated piece of ass to a mopey, depressing, juvenile bitch. They basically wrote the end of the world for each game in the system and it ended up being a poorly executed doomfest. I promptly ignored their little pity party and kept playing with the old story they wrote before they ruined everything. Then, White Wolf dropped a bomb: they retconned the entire World of Darkness. Some things seemed familiar, others were interesting, but, as a whole, I was severely disappointed.<br />
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I was also tired of the same old crap. I fooled around with other sytems over the years: <i>Rifts</i>, <i>Legend of the Five Rings</i>, etc., but none of them inspired me. All of their dice systems were getting stale and I got sick of having to remember complex rules for dice mechanics or being frustrated by bad rolls ruining a game (especially those game sessions when all of my die rolls sucked). I also felt that systems like d20 didn't give you as much of a heroic feeling (unless you were high level, then, it just got boring).<br />
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At this point, I came to one conclusion about roleplaying games:<br />
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Fuck this shit!<br />
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I was about to hang up my dice bag for good. Roleplaying was one of the few hobbies that I cherished since I was very young and I was about to abandon it. The spark wasn't there, anymore. I loved her, but I wasn't <i>in love</i> with her. It was killing me.<br />
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Fortunately, I think it was toward the end of 2007, I discovered a game that reignited my love for the hobby and reminded me why I got into it in the first place.<br />
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That game is <i>Savage Worlds</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdD27SmqV5LCeP2RqA2MjNuQyuXHd2V8nLID1s9aKXJA1kbYzBVdW-x-nRbWsQ4Y74xlcf5vyP_n9T1pC2ji4ZsoLDIAhjpqH5uGcNUZLs1dxTDVZFe_a4i7INIS-hdvvaOvmCfItGJ0/s1600/SavageWorldsLogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdD27SmqV5LCeP2RqA2MjNuQyuXHd2V8nLID1s9aKXJA1kbYzBVdW-x-nRbWsQ4Y74xlcf5vyP_n9T1pC2ji4ZsoLDIAhjpqH5uGcNUZLs1dxTDVZFe_a4i7INIS-hdvvaOvmCfItGJ0/s400/SavageWorldsLogo.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Savage Worlds is a roleplaying system created by Pinnacle Entertainment Group, the creators of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlands"><i>Deadlands</i></a> game. It is considered a generic universal system which means the core book details all the rules you need to know, allowing you to use it to play a myriad of published campaign settings or your own custom setting. It's a toolkit for creating games for almost any genre: whether it's science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, pulp adventure, super heroes, or any combination of these. The thing about Savage Worlds that really excited me about roleplaying games again lies in their fundamental mantra "Fast! Furious! Fun!"<br />
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First off, gameplay, especially combat, is much more streamlined than in other rpgs. This is because they created a system mechanic that doesn't rely heavily on adding modifiers to rolls. In <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>, all skill rolls, including combat, are determined by rolling a d20 and adding any applicable modifiers. If you beat a target number, you succeed. The problem is that there can be so many different modifiers added to your roll, that you may forget to include them all (I've seen this done many times). Another issue I have with this is that your success hinges on the roll of one die - that's it. Sure, you may get to add to the roll, but if you get a shitty roll, you're screwed. <i>Savage Worlds</i> does things differently. The rating of any skill or attribute (such as Strength or Intelligence) is attached to a certain type of die; the better you are at something, the higher your die type is in that attribute or skill. To elaborate, let's say you have a d4 in a skill. The default number you have to meet or beat on most rolls in <i>Savage Worlds</i> is 4, which means you have a 75% chance of failure on that roll. If your skill is upgraded to a d6, the chances of failure decrease. All you need to know is what kind of die you should roll and, depending on circumstances, maybe one or two modifiers.<br />
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Then again, that's still having your success depend on one die. Fortunately, all player characters, and some powerful npcs, get what is called a "wild die." It's an extra d6 that is used in all attribute and skill rolls. Basically, you roll both your skill or attribute die and the wild die and choose the higher result of the two. This gives those characters who aren't very good at something the ability to get a "lucky shot," which is nice for the guy with low strength who has to jump a chasm to escape the flow of lava right behind him - failure means certain death.<br />
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Another dice mechanic <i>Savage Worlds</i> added is Acing your die rolls, which is generally known as "exploding dice," as it has been featured in other game systems. The mechanic is that if you roll the maximum number on your die (such as an 8 on a d8) you roll the die again and add that result to your previous roll(s). Yes, this means that you can keep rolling and adding until you roll something other than the max number (I've seen this used to mind-blowing effect).<br />
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Let's not forget the bennies, though. Each player stars out game session with a number of bennies (you can use gaming stones, poker chips, or coins to represent them) that you can spend to re-roll any bad die rolls, among other things. The Game Master can also award bennies to players for cool roleplaying or doing something heroically risky. The Game Master also has bennies he can use for his own rolls.<br />
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All of these mechanics lead to gameplay that is a bit more heroic than other games. Due to this system, <i>Savage Worlds</i> is more appropriate for games full of two-fisted action (whether those fists hold two swords, guns, or are bare-fisted is up to you). You <i>could</i> use this system for games with political maneuvering or emotional tribulations that define the characters, but there are systems out there that are much better at those types of games. <i>Savage Worlds</i> is for players who want fast paced action and adventure, as it allows you to take full advantage of it's system without any unnecessary filler.<br />
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Even though <i>Savage Worlds</i> characters are meant to be more heroic than in other games, it doesn't mean that heroism comes easy. While there aren't any hit points, like in most games, each character has three wound levels. If a character is successfully damaged, they can take, at least, one wound (even more, if you roll really well; the game we played during Free RPG Day had the Game Master "ace" really well on a damage roll - the character died a gruesome death with one hit). If you're not careful, and the Game Master gets lucky, the game can be dangerous (fortunately, bennies can also be used to reduce any damage you take during an attack). There's also rules for hazardous environments, vehicles, and massive battles (<i>Savage Worlds</i> was actually developed by Pinnacle from their miniatures war game "The Great Rail Wars," which was based on their original version of <i>Deadlands</i>).<br />
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Needless to say, due to its easy and action packed system, this is my rpg of choice. This isn't to say this game is for everyone. <i>Savage Worlds</i> is definitely a rules light system, so those who like a "crunchier" system may look somewhere else. Then again, I just said that I was sick of those systems, so <i>Savage Worlds</i> is perfect for me. There are plenty of campaign settings from numerous genres available, not to mention you can make your own. To find out more about <i>Savage Worlds</i> and the various campaigns, check out the Pinnacle website <a href="http://www.peginc.com/">here</a>. There is also a new magazine, Savage Insider, that's full of adventures, stories, and ads for the different games. You can download that for free <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=92629&filters=0_0_0_1600">here</a>. Did I forget to mention that the Explorer's Edition of the core rule book is only $9.99? There is also $30 a hardcover Deluxe Edition rulebook, with some extra content, but I would only recommend that for Game Masters only.<br />
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If <i>Savage Worlds</i> sounds like a great game for you and your gaming group, definitely pick it up. I cannot recommend this rpg enough.<br />
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Until next time, keep acing those rolls.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-26114525350082613632011-06-22T13:41:00.002-06:002011-07-13T21:40:03.738-06:00Games You Should Know About... Retro Game ChallengeFirst off, this week marks the official 20th anniversary of <i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i>. I plan on doing a Cart Classics retrospective of the series, but that will take time to get going. Hopefully, you'll see it later this year. Until then, happy birthday, Sonic.<br />
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My other announcement is that one of the best video game shows you probably aren't watching is finally hitting Stateside. <i>Game Center CX</i> is a Japanese TV show where the host, comedian Shinya Arino, is asked to complete challenges in difficult old school games. Much to the amusement of the show's staff and countless Japanese viewers, Arino often struggles in his quest, but usually emerges triumphant. Other segments in the show have Arino visiting arcades in Japan, interviewing game designers (usually for the game he's playing during that episode), or trying out failed consoles and peripherals. For the past couple of years, Fuji TV (the company behind <i>Game Center CX</i> as well as the original <i>Iron Chef</i>) was looking for international distributors to bring the show to other countries. Finally, Gawker Media got the rights to broadcast the show on one of their flagship blog sites, Kotaku. Starting tomorrow, June 23, <a href="http://kotaku.com/5812385/kotaku-presents-retro-game-master-japans-cult-hit-video-game-show">Kotaku</a> will stream translated episodes of the show every Thursday at 8 pm EST (that's 7:00 pm Central, for us Midwesterners).<br />
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Currently, it is unknown whether the show will have English subtitles or be dubbed by a voice-over (I'm gunning for subtitles), but the show's name has been changed to <i>Retro Game Master</i>. They most likely did this to tie in brand recognition with the DS game <i>Retro Game Challenge</i>, which came to the States two years ago. By the way, this is definitely a game you should know about...<br />
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In Japan, the game is called <i>Game Center CX: Arino's Challenge</i> and it features the same challenge and nostalgia of the TV show that it came from. In <i>Retro Game Challenge</i>, you confront a digital version of Arino as he throws you back in time to the days of the Nintendo Famicom and forces you to complete challenges on the many games featured on the title. Along for the ride is a young Arino, who watches you play each game and gives a bit of commentary as you play (nothing really helpful, just saying things like, "Whoa!" or "Do you have homework, or something?")<br />
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While there are many great games on <i>Retro Game Challenge</i>, none of them are actually established Famicom/NES games. All the games are Famicom-esque, which does make you feel like you're playing the old games, but they're new, never-before-seen games. Of course, some of them are very reminiscent of classic games, but with their own spin on the gameplay. For instance, <i>Cosmic Gate</i> is very much a clone of recent trentagenarian <i>Galaga</i> (which I'll write more articles about at a later time), <i>Star Prince</i> feels a lot like the games in the <i>Star Soldier</i> series, and <i>Guadia Quest</i> is very reminiscent of the <i>Dragon Warrior</i> titles. <i>Retro Game Challenge</i> also features games with their own sequels, such as the <i>Haggleman</i> series. The first two <i>Haggleman</i> games are these arcade style action platforming games - kind of like <i>Mario Bros</i>. but with shurikens, power-ups and doors to hide in - while the third <i>Haggleman</i> is a clone of the NES <i>Ninja Gaiden</i> games with a little <i>Shinobi</i> thrown in. There's also a special edition of one of the games; <i>Rally King</i>, a top-down rally racing game, has a "Cup o' Chicken Noodle and Larry T. Bird Edition" that young Arino "wins" in a contest that ran in the faux publication Gamefan Magazine (not to be confused with GameFan Magazine, which ran through the 1990s).<br />
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That's another great thing about <i>Retro Game Challenge</i>: the attention to detail they put into video gaming during those times is fantastic. Not only can you read fake issues of Gamefan, but there's also game manuals, cheat codes, and strategies for each game. Hanging out with young Arino is a nice touch, too. He'll ask you about games you have yet to unlock as if they're coming out soon. It feels just like playing all those old games during my childhood.<br />
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Since the show and the game were immensely popular in Japan, a sequel was made which added more "classic games" from other systems such as Game Boy and Super Famicom. Unfortunately, <i>Retro Game Challenge</i> didn't sell as well in the States, despite the critical acclaim, so it's highly unlikely that we'll see a translated version of that game. Perhaps if Kotaku's broadcast of <i>Retro Game Master</i> gets enough of an audience (which would be a crime if it doesn't - this show is great!), we may see people start picking up the first game and XSEED Games might reconsider releasing the sequel.<br />
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With that in mind, if you don't own this game, get yourself a copy of it - seriously. Do yourself a favor and enjoy some great nostalgic fun. Don't forget to go on Kotaku each and every Thursday to check out <a href="http://kotaku.com/5812385/kotaku-presents-retro-game-master-japans-cult-hit-video-game-show">Retro Game Master</a>. If you love classic video games, both the game and the show should not be missed.<br />
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Next week, we will venture back into the Dungeons of Time to showcase one of my favorite tabletop rpgs: <i>Savage Worlds</i>.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-17795751736900960732011-06-17T11:59:00.002-06:002011-06-17T12:05:00.147-06:00Free Dungeons!Just when you thought it was safe to go back into your favorite comic book/gaming store, it returns! They thought the madness would end after Free Comic Book Day, but it has only begun. Gather your dice bag and your courage, for only the mightiest wizards and warriors can stand against the monstrosity that is...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rr79e7Pi6HrPLomcmCM_GzvB7oVmyysbDZRhXYEXGBWqaWBjFwl0Cr8cFEiY6bTBxrqa0KjP6lWsopqvViJ4xN8-Gt9l9FZSRfdTNu5weooWDXLhBziaENROS6U2gb2JVv6kk2JsYt4/s1600/FreeRPGDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rr79e7Pi6HrPLomcmCM_GzvB7oVmyysbDZRhXYEXGBWqaWBjFwl0Cr8cFEiY6bTBxrqa0KjP6lWsopqvViJ4xN8-Gt9l9FZSRfdTNu5weooWDXLhBziaENROS6U2gb2JVv6kk2JsYt4/s320/FreeRPGDay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That's right, this Saturday is the fifth annual <a href="http://www.freerpgday.com/">Free RPG Day</a>. Retailers worldwide are offering promotional products (such as free adventures, quick start rules, even dice) from many different RPGs, including <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>, White Wolf's <i>World of Darkness</i>, <i>Pathfinder</i>, <i>Savage Worlds</i>, and much more. Many stores are also having free RPG demos you can join and play in. It's the perfect time to find that new RPG you're looking for or meet with others who play the same games you do. Don't forget to support these stores. If you find a new RPG that you can't wait to play, speak to one of the staff members of your local store and see if they have it, or, at the very least, if they can get it for you.<br />
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Hope to see you there, just don't touch my dice.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-68573991111535232852011-06-15T15:40:00.004-06:002011-07-27T11:32:45.336-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Galaga Turns 30 (Part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNdLPzJdyW846u56mkypsFOav7N0m1wjcTIexIPSyBqRag9m3hsjSVjpvYCQRD3UdGjTUSRydtPVV-FP71xiKbkGZYL95Z8BjzkiZdX8gTELNycS6bAElMVdikn6ywdq40vMBbKPJUMQ/s1600/ForgottenWorlds05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNdLPzJdyW846u56mkypsFOav7N0m1wjcTIexIPSyBqRag9m3hsjSVjpvYCQRD3UdGjTUSRydtPVV-FP71xiKbkGZYL95Z8BjzkiZdX8gTELNycS6bAElMVdikn6ywdq40vMBbKPJUMQ/s640/ForgottenWorlds05.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br />
Thirty years ago, arcade history was made. Namco released one of the most popular video games in the world, <i>Galaga</i>. Now, Namco has had a storied history of some of the greatest arcade games ever made, including <i>Dig Dug</i>, <i>Pole Position</i>, <i>Tekken</i>, <i>Soul Edge/Soul Calibur</i>, and, of course, <i>Pac-Man</i>, but <i>Galaga</i> is special. It's one of those few games from the golden age of arcades that just about everyone has played. Even kids today have played this game. It begs the question of how a simple shooter from 1981 became such a phenomenon.<br />
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The answer is simple: <i>Galaga</i> was friggin' everywhere. <i>Galaga</i> is one of the most prevalent arcade cabinets (whether by itself, or with <i>Ms. Pac-Man</i> in the 20th Anniversary arcade cabinet, which means <i>Ms. Pac-Man</i> is also 30). You could find it at thousands of arcades, movie theaters, laundromats, bars, pizza places, etc. Many major video game systems, from the Atari 7800 to the XBOX 360, have a version of <i>Galaga</i>. It's even been available on most cell phones (I know I had a copy of the game on an old phone of mine). On top of that, there have been a couple re-imaginings of the classic game, such as <i>Galaga: Destination Earth</i> on the original Playstation and <i>Galaga Legions</i> (along with the forthcoming DX version) on the XBOX 360.<br />
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Okay, perhaps the answer is not as simple as that. No game would be an established part of the video gaming consciousness if it sucked. While <i>Galaga</i> was not the first top down shooter, it certainly did revolutionize the genre with action never seen before in an arcade game. Even when other shooters eventually surpassed it in technological advancement, Galaga remained a steadfast favorite of arcade goers. Perhaps it was the waves of oncoming enemies, or the classic arcade strategy needed for scoring the most points. Maybe it's the iconic visuals and sounds. Personally, I just think it has that "x-factor" -- a combination of challenge and fun that is so hard to attain. Not even its predecessor, <i>Galaxian</i>, nor its multiple successors could duplicate the phenomenon that was <i>Galaga</i>.<br />
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But there's much more about this franchise than <i>Galaga</i>, including many other games. Games which I will go over in the upcoming weeks. For now, enjoy this anniversary present: a papercraft of the classic <i>Galaga</i> cabinet, courtesy of WayoftheRodent.com. Just click on the image below, print it out, and start cutting, folding, and gluing.<br />
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Until next time, keep your scores high and don't let your last ship get captured.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbXgDAOWaWij84MUhlLwaBToQPX1Y_3c_CNPSlppHrd1mjE9ODpsq44DrbtQn9LNbRoasUxwWUx6IHn-cF3RgArgOGiJsJUwr7cnnimDHH8RXulAsXFQ4gyRYNe_p3loFyH0KmW7Djmk/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbXgDAOWaWij84MUhlLwaBToQPX1Y_3c_CNPSlppHrd1mjE9ODpsq44DrbtQn9LNbRoasUxwWUx6IHn-cF3RgArgOGiJsJUwr7cnnimDHH8RXulAsXFQ4gyRYNe_p3loFyH0KmW7Djmk/s1600/GalagaAnniversary.jpg" /></a></div>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-25157547671005127132011-06-08T11:25:00.004-06:002011-07-13T21:36:09.362-06:00Classic Gaming Anniversaries(Update: Just found out that the <i>Dragon Quest</i> series of rpgs is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Holy crap, I've got a full plate commemorating all these franchises.) <br />
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This week, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, is dazzling game enthusiasts in Los Angeles. All sorts of new games are being announced and even a few new consoles, such as the Wii U (?), are making a debut. Then again, you know me. I'm all about the classic gaming experience. Fortunately, a couple of legendary franchises are celebrating their anniversaries at E3 this year with a lot of fanfare.<br />
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First off, one of my favorite arcade games turns 30. The classic space shooter <i>Galaga</i> is still devouring quarters from arcade enthusiasts, even after three decades. Namco Bandai is celebrating by releasing the Galaga series on smart phones and iOS, as well as the upcoming <i>Galaga Legions DX</i> on XBOX 360 Live Arcade and a new title on the 3DS that combines a 3D version of Galaga with a game featuring last year's trentagenarian: <i>Pac Man</i>. There was even a World Galaga Championship at New Hampshire's American Classic Arcade Museum this past weekend. It was part of their world famous International Classic Video Game Tournament, but was actually sponsored by Namco Bandai. Hopefully, I can scrounge around the internet and get more details on the championship at a later time.<br />
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This year also sees 20 years with my favorite speedster, <i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i>. While I usually dislike platforming games, the classic <i>Sonic</i> games are still some of my favorite games on the Genesis. Though his games have not been as good as of late, Sega hopes to change that with <i>Sonic Generations</i>. This new game supposedly gives you the opportunity to choose play style between modern Sonic or "old skool" Sonic. Will it deliver? We'll have to wait and see.<br />
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Of course, one of the biggest announcements has been the 25th anniversary of Nintendo's <i>Legend of Zelda </i>franchise. At their press conference, Nintendo let out all the bells and whistles. An orchestra started the conference with a medley of classic music from the legendary franchise. Then, Shigeru Miyamoto himself announced a slew of great things for the franchise. For instance, the Game Boy Color classic <i>Link's Awakening DX</i> is one of the first games available for the 3DS Virtual Console (Aww, yeah!). Of course, there's the remastered release of <i>Ocarina of Time</i> for the 3DS, but now they announced the game's soundtrack for the first people who register their copy of the game on Nintendo's website. On top of that, a new <i>Legend of Zelda: Four Swords</i> adventure will be available on DSiWare (for those who have a DSi or the 3DS) for FREE! To cap it off, they're doing a worldwide tour of symphonic <i>Legend of Zelda</i> and there's going to be a symphonic CD available (most likely as a limited edition add-on for <i>Skyward Sword</i>). There's a lot for Zelda fans to look forward to.<br />
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Later on, I'll go more in depth with each of these classic franchises and the games that helped define a generation of video gamers. For now, I'm really sick and can only muster up enough to write this short blurb.<br />
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There was also another video game series celebrating an anniversary. Nothing too fancy, really. It's this small video game that a couple of people may have played. I think it's called <i>Halo</i>, or something. It turned 10. They're doing a remastered version of the original game for XBOX 360. No big deal.<br />
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I'll see you guys next week.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-1500440215465435432011-06-01T13:50:00.003-06:002011-06-01T14:07:00.782-06:00Dungeons of Time - Heroclix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2yDyIOXv95nBCMmb6Rqm598uqNMZDlG0iq5d5-GqTLA2VNlEfVkibFnIEel82ze9fWsyQo4vUZnBoS_PMWnfNiT3hFzD3hnNfPbki7Bhf6JfmZnBlutBmfPqgOI5X65O9uGWHEREH4w/s1600/DugeonsOfHeroclix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2yDyIOXv95nBCMmb6Rqm598uqNMZDlG0iq5d5-GqTLA2VNlEfVkibFnIEel82ze9fWsyQo4vUZnBoS_PMWnfNiT3hFzD3hnNfPbki7Bhf6JfmZnBlutBmfPqgOI5X65O9uGWHEREH4w/s1600/DugeonsOfHeroclix.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, it's time again for a new segment. I've found, through my experience, that if you're going to write a blog article every week, you better talk about a lot of different things. So far, I've talked about arcade games, home video game systems, board games, free comic books, pro wrestling, and a heaping helping of nostalgia. Well, let me add one more to that list.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you recall from my last <i>Forgotten Worlds</i> article, I have been interested in tabletop role-playing games since I was four. I've played many of the major games that have come out: <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> (in most of its incarnations), <i>Rifts</i>, White Wolf's <i>World of Darkness</i> (the original, not that new crap), <i>Savage Worlds</i>, <i>GURPS</i> (okay, so I only got as far as creating my character, but that's because the group got so sick of making <i>GURPS</i> characters for two straight hours that we gave up on the game), and so on. I've also played my fair share of tabletop miniatures games, including Games Workshop's <i>HeroQuest</i> (classic!) and <i>Mordheim</i> (because it was a hell of a lot cheaper than <i>Warhammer 40K</i>). Since I've been playing these games for most of my life, I figure why not talk about the tabletop games of the past, present and future?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And so, I invite you to strap on your armor, grab your weapons, and get your spells in order. You're about to delve into the deepest caverns of my imagination. But beware, for you never know what dangers may lurk in the <i>Dungeons of Time</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 2000, one company forever revolutionized the game of tabletop warfare. Before that year, Games Workshop's products, such as the aforementioned <i>Warhammer 40K</i>, were the dominant beast in the industry. The downside to this was that the games required a lot of bookkeeping and were prohibitively expensive, sometimes costing thousands of dollars. This led to tabletop wargames being only for the most hardcore, leaving many potential fans behind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was like this until Jordan Weisman, founder of the old gaming company FASA, decided to change how people could purchase and play with miniatures. Under his new company, WizKids, he designed a system that would not only be significantly cheaper than the competition, but would allow gamers to play without needing to keep a detailed record of every unit. First off, he decided to manufacture pre-painted plastic miniatures, instead of the metal miniatures that came unpainted. This led to the emergence of collectable miniatures, which was later implemented by other companies, such as Wizards of the Coast. Similar to collectable card games, miniatures are randomly selected in packs. While you may not get what you want, you sure are paying a lot less for miniatures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other thing Weisman created was the combat dial, which is a rotatable base that shows the stats of each figure. Each time they take damage, you rotate the base by a number of clicks, which changes their stats. These innovations brought the hobby of tabletop wargames to a wider audience. Suddenly, kids and people who don't have high paying engineering jobs could enjoy collecting miniatures for gaming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">WizKids first game, <i>Mage Knight</i>, was a huge success and gained the company millions of dollars. But it wasn't until 2002 that WizKids created their best selling game ever. Combining their brand of miniatures gaming with the dynamic battles found in comic books, <i>Heroclix</i> became extremely popular. Players could create teams of superheroes and villains to battle against other teams. Many comic book companies have had their characters turned into miniatures, including Marvel, DC, Image, Top Cow, Crossgen, and Dark Horse.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2wo-vZ9Os0f6MEINYsHLpH9KU_Fj0b2nTupiaY5X0V27biKOYvokZIVZtD34bScqyESiajFLBkvfY0DX_LVAxgCK4i7GG2ilzn3ZD28IbkVv-wZ911hkAuReS6AqgOx6yomRUJFQky8/s1600/ClixFigures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2wo-vZ9Os0f6MEINYsHLpH9KU_Fj0b2nTupiaY5X0V27biKOYvokZIVZtD34bScqyESiajFLBkvfY0DX_LVAxgCK4i7GG2ilzn3ZD28IbkVv-wZ911hkAuReS6AqgOx6yomRUJFQky8/s400/ClixFigures.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A selection of <i>Heroclix</i> figures, complete with their</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>signature combat dials.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though WizKids has changed hands a few times, even being defunct for an entire year, <i>Heroclix</i> still gives players a selection of figures from different shapes, sizes, and characters. For almost ten years, <i>Heroclix</i> has been putting out new expansions with new heroes and villains and new versions of pre-existing figures. There's even been figures that tower over others...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hCebPPdR-q6kD9qCTFrHlvdqnesp4otfrcEtg3CFCvN1G_RRtYrAvJqzGPkVeA_3rNOOY9eND9dgLHWatK-0-kLhhLdWiB2ERf7_aXRPqVJxSDiz4jaieVkfmi3o2Am-vRxt4b8OxeE/s1600/ClixGalactus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hCebPPdR-q6kD9qCTFrHlvdqnesp4otfrcEtg3CFCvN1G_RRtYrAvJqzGPkVeA_3rNOOY9eND9dgLHWatK-0-kLhhLdWiB2ERf7_aXRPqVJxSDiz4jaieVkfmi3o2Am-vRxt4b8OxeE/s1600/ClixGalactus.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Behold, the mighty Galactus shall decimate your</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Heroclix</i> forces with his cosmic power.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're interested in trying out the game, check out their <a href="http://heroclix.com/">website</a>. If, however, you would rather focus on playing than collecting, or if you don't want to spend as much money (some <i>Heroclix</i> figures can be pricey, especially the special edition colossal figures, like Galactus), there's a new online computer game, <i>Heroclix Online</i>. The game is in the beta phase and it looks like it will be much more cost effective than the physical tabletop game. Keep your eyes out for it soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, if only I could find someone local who plays this game or a tournament in the area.</div>Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-86018078936118388752011-05-25T14:06:00.006-06:002011-05-25T16:19:49.835-06:00Remembering a Legend of the Squared Circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVXwtyPHhfH9kjG9HGEYhX4cm9CXX9YYMTngaYRodTzSEhvr5aWmOvlc7PKODCYtHBUs9vRFKnbcocojuYQueYLGeHGT8QQmu64lfsjaqEsTA0pgiBe3yjTc_5dtUviTtE5vbZEYWWmU/s1600/MachoMan00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVXwtyPHhfH9kjG9HGEYhX4cm9CXX9YYMTngaYRodTzSEhvr5aWmOvlc7PKODCYtHBUs9vRFKnbcocojuYQueYLGeHGT8QQmu64lfsjaqEsTA0pgiBe3yjTc_5dtUviTtE5vbZEYWWmU/s1600/MachoMan00.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Randall Mario Poffo -- November 1952 - May 2011</b></div><br />
By now, it's all over the news and internet -- "Macho Man" Randy Savage died from a heart attack while driving with his wife in Florida. According to some reports, he lost consciousness and his Jeep careened through the median, into opposing traffic. Randy's wife, Lynn, took the wheel to avoid hitting a motorcyclist and crashed into a tree. She suffered minor injuries, but Savage was not so fortunate. It was believed that he was already gone before the crash.<br />
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There are plenty of articles and stories about what happened, and me just repeating the facts would just sound like second-hand news. No, I'm not here to report on his death. I'm here to remember his accomplishments and his effect on an impressionable young boy growing up in suburban Missouri.<br />
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I grew up watching pro wrestling at a young age; my dad watched it, my cousin down the street watched it, even my grandmother watched it. There were many larger than life characters who electrified the ring: Hogan, Piper, Snuka, the Ultimate Warrior. But few superstars were as flashy, outspoken, or hard working as Randy Savage. Inside or outside the ring, he left an impression. When his entrance music, the classic "Pomp and Circumstance" played, you knew you were about to see a great performer. Although he has won the World Wrestling Federation's World Championship Belt, he is more commonly considered the greatest Intercontinental Champion in WWF history.<br />
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In a time when wrestlers, such as Hulk Hogan, captured the attention of the fans, Randy Savage still found great success and secured himself as a wrestling legend (Take Wrestlemania III, for instance; while the battle between Hogan and Andre the Giant was extremely hyped, Savage's clash with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is still considered one of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history). The Macho Man also had some great feuds with other wrestling legends, like Ric Flair, the Ultimate Warrior, and, of course, the Hulkster.<br />
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Not only was the Macho Man a consummate performer in the ring, he could cut a promo like few could. With his gravelly voice, outlandish style, and, of course, his machismo, he earned the cheers and jeers of wrestling fans. Whether he played a face or a heel, he made sure you never forgot him. His dynamic personality lit up arenas for many years; so much that he became just as famous as the spokesman for Slim Jim snacks (if you don't know the famous line, by now, I'm not telling you), as well as his roles in TV shows and movies, such as wrestler Bone Saw McGraw in <i>Spider-Man</i>.<br />
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Strangely enough, Randy Poffo's original dream wasn't pro wrestling. He tried to get into Major League Baseball. At one time, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the Gulf Coast Minor League. Unfortunately, this dream was broken and his destiny of a second generation wrestler was revealed (his father, Angelo Poffo, was a pro wrestler and a situp record holder). The rest is pro wrestling history.<br />
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After his 30-year career, he withdrew from pro wrestling, but he kept his macho persona. Recently, he seemed to be making a new life for himself, marrying Barbara Lynn Payne last year. They celebrated their first anniversary only a few weeks ago on May 10, which makes Randy's death all the more tragic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVWkjPl8RV_F_FksereqZhJej_VTtW3cH1OzoEE3eFGVW9jRPI6TDdMZ3ko0BcCwaXCdGRkwPH3i72GufYYbfdvzUNxwLJfchYjJrzCva2S6PvnmjrFNr1qhSK8nps91lzYuoLXjZt8k/s1600/MachoMan01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVWkjPl8RV_F_FksereqZhJej_VTtW3cH1OzoEE3eFGVW9jRPI6TDdMZ3ko0BcCwaXCdGRkwPH3i72GufYYbfdvzUNxwLJfchYjJrzCva2S6PvnmjrFNr1qhSK8nps91lzYuoLXjZt8k/s400/MachoMan01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Randy and his new wife, Lynn, at their wedding in 2010.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Since his death, many great wrestlers have spoken out about the legacy that the Macho Man left in professional wrestling, including Chris Jericho, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Roddy Piper. One of the most touching was a poem from former TNA wrestler Jay Lethal (Savage was one of his idols who he imitated with his "Black Machismo" persona).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This Monday, I watched Monday Night Raw, hoping they would show some sort of tribute for the man who gave so much to help make the WWE the greatest wrestling promotion in the 1980s. While there has been said to be some rancor between Vince McMahon and Randy Savage, the 2009 release of the Macho Madness DVD has shown that the company recognizes the legacy of this amazing performer. And, indeed, the live broadcast of Raw did air a tribute to Randy Savage, which, afterward, the crowd was chanting "one more match" and I did tear up a bit.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I wish the best for Randy's family, his brother, and his wife. The world has lost one of the greatest, most crowd pleasing pro wrestlers in history. Rest in peace, Mr. Poffo. As you used to say, "Space is the place and the sky's the limit."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ibG6MyMcmlA?rel=0" width="425"></iframe><br />
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Video courtesy of WWEFanNation on YouTube.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-22504299053893975012011-05-13T16:44:00.003-06:002011-06-03T10:05:25.312-06:00Forgotten Worlds - Dungeons & Dragons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-luURGVP4cfwP4Npf3IyDBS_cNBu9sDQPj0DrlvPGA8gIXQYWUniPuAvwrsE0xctCZ_PmE9lnzHm3QaxoK9KOYiKeY6R5ualW2_L52unDpzoJLlYj62M5VJq8_sOHF1mtniwQtgmoZfg/s1600/ForgottenWorlds04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-luURGVP4cfwP4Npf3IyDBS_cNBu9sDQPj0DrlvPGA8gIXQYWUniPuAvwrsE0xctCZ_PmE9lnzHm3QaxoK9KOYiKeY6R5ualW2_L52unDpzoJLlYj62M5VJq8_sOHF1mtniwQtgmoZfg/s1600/ForgottenWorlds04.jpg" /></a></div>When I was four, my older brother introduced me to something that would leave a huge impression on me. This was something more impressive than any video game, blockbuster movie, or Saturday morning cartoon because it allowed me to tell my own stories. Being a highly imaginative kid, I was enamored with such a phenomenon. It was something that could have become a household name; spawning books, toys, video games, and a TV show; if not for the fact that "some people" thought it was a tool for Satanism (in my opinion, these people were the tools). That thing was <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i>.<br />
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28 years later, I'm still playing tabletop rpgs. I may have changed sides between companies a couple times, but I still enjoy rolling the dice to see if I'm drunk. Back in the day, there was a certain mystique to <i>Dungeons & Dragons</i> that drew all those socially awkward dreamers, such as myself, to their friends' basements every week to become something much more fantastic. Even though I don't play <i>D&D</i> anymore (I don't like 4th Edition) I still pay tribute to the pioneers of fantasy gaming.<br />
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In 1989, TSR released their second edition of <i>Advanced Dungeons & Dragons</i>, which resurrected the interest in tabletop rpgs. It was only a matter of time until someone orchestrated the awesome marriage between <i>D&D</i> and video games. Capcom did just that -- not once, but twice. When I first saw the majesty that was<i> Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom</i> in the arcades, my jaw hit the floor. While fantasy arcade games with rpg elements were nothing new (just look at <i>King of Dragons</i>, <i>Knights of the Round</i>, and <i>Cadash</i>), this brought it to a brand new level. Never before had someone so perfectly integrated a lot of the classes, rules, and creatures of <i>D&D</i> into a brilliant side-scrolling brawler. Seriously, this game was the closest one could get to "Nerdvana". Three years later, they followed up an awesome game with an even better one: <i>Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara</i>. While I've never seen the sequel in arcades, I did get the chance to play it at an old friend's house with the <i>Dungeons & Dragons Collection</i> import game for the Sega Saturn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqyVN9D62WwJBCrAH1kdyW8tYf5LEwBp2tP1V4PhXeiQXaKVdzQD4jNB3orEoxn2G8dBhjLgFqlIWtohGekQe5OpeyrAw68o1b4IkDnInEx2PndccEiav7tjdq6JRC_Kn9EKCnvJXZwFq/s1600-h/D&DTowerOfDoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqyVN9D62WwJBCrAH1kdyW8tYf5LEwBp2tP1V4PhXeiQXaKVdzQD4jNB3orEoxn2G8dBhjLgFqlIWtohGekQe5OpeyrAw68o1b4IkDnInEx2PndccEiav7tjdq6JRC_Kn9EKCnvJXZwFq/s640/D&DTowerOfDoom.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><br />
Of course, the games weren't <u>exactly</u> like playing <i>D&D</i>. It didn't have a "Roll a d20" button, no saving throws, no THAC0 listings. Actually, I don't think I would play a game that was that painfully adherent to the rules (and those games were made, just for the PC). <i>Tower of Doom</i> captured the feel of playing <i>D&D</i> without all the bookkeeping. The game was what a <i>D&D</i> game should look like: seamless, fast-paced fantasy action.<br />
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Both of these games were full to the brim with classic <i>D&D</i> style. The adventures take place in the classic <i>D&D</i> setting of Mystara, which was, pretty much, your standard fantasy campaign. You and your friends can go around rescuing villages and defeating vile beasts. And what would <i>D&D</i> be without the monsters. Capcom scoured the Monster Manuals to give the players plenty of creatures and enemies to slay. I couldn't believe how psyched I was to fight the Manticore or the Black Dragon for the first time. And the Lich? Holy crap, that was awesome (if you didn't know, liches are my favorite fantasy adversaries).<br />
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There were also multiple paths you could take throughout gameplay. While you still played through the same storyline and ultimately end up at the same destination, your journey was dictated by the choices you made. This allowed players to play different levels over others and added to the replay value. With each choice, you explore different areas, such as a swamp, a mountain pass, or a village under attack. Each specific level had their own unique boss, so there was always something new and exciting to fight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDYQVfxXujEXAoyukM-KT-JWCoKrEyhL46koAGZSxPdiUOY_Rw27moq4Fp9JVxZvmJx_Gxf1V10gAMpMKCq16Nv6uxCO96qCxpo8J_mbiWvNXmK0IwQZjULmpILJwfn3P-zQ_pczLLju0/s1600-h/D&DShadowOverMystara1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDYQVfxXujEXAoyukM-KT-JWCoKrEyhL46koAGZSxPdiUOY_Rw27moq4Fp9JVxZvmJx_Gxf1V10gAMpMKCq16Nv6uxCO96qCxpo8J_mbiWvNXmK0IwQZjULmpILJwfn3P-zQ_pczLLju0/s640/D&DShadowOverMystara1.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br />
Of course, with all these adventures to embark on, treasures to collect, and enemies to slay, the world has to have heroes. Each of the characters in these games run the gamut of the standard <i>D&D</i> classes, but you won't find any multiclassed characters (sorry, all you Fighter/Mage/Thief fans). Only four classes were available in <i>Tower of Doom</i>, but that number expanded to six in <i>Shadow Over Mystara</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGCu7VhF17TH5hkEThShBAi-bRnpwj7NZOqx4laZ7egSt0i6E8sOVXyNB6IBmp3qZJbdTV9SKFgaEynmCe2UE21smV3mrzPw60hzuBgGrKkzjeDt9MEBwgnP073rt1Plhyphenhyphen8rVphyphenhyphenDQGY/s1600/DnD2Fighter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGCu7VhF17TH5hkEThShBAi-bRnpwj7NZOqx4laZ7egSt0i6E8sOVXyNB6IBmp3qZJbdTV9SKFgaEynmCe2UE21smV3mrzPw60hzuBgGrKkzjeDt9MEBwgnP073rt1Plhyphenhyphen8rVphyphenhyphenDQGY/s320/DnD2Fighter.jpg" width="320" /></a>First off, you have the Fighter. Strong, reliable, good with a sword -- your typical hack 'n' slash type. Of course, he can't use magic, but there are magic items that allow him to use spells, should he find them. The Fighter is my usual go-to guy when it comes to fantasy roleplaying, so I typically end up playing him in the game. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_Bv4bOimzSoB28Mlx2VO04PiVSceBmFqiJZtU2uXcgOuT-4lVGZfTZZAq-o4T6z6i83aVuZtF2PEObru3kEYQg63DhpdJaEp1LujjfUVjQzu1oh19S15UNsX8bNuQzVhMOtMZSR7vDg/s1600/DnD2Elf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_Bv4bOimzSoB28Mlx2VO04PiVSceBmFqiJZtU2uXcgOuT-4lVGZfTZZAq-o4T6z6i83aVuZtF2PEObru3kEYQg63DhpdJaEp1LujjfUVjQzu1oh19S15UNsX8bNuQzVhMOtMZSR7vDg/s320/DnD2Elf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>While not as good with a sword as the Fighter, the Elf makes up for it with the use of arcane spells. She is a bit faster than the fighter, but loses some reach with her blade. This Elf is a dead ringer for Deedlit from <i>Record of Lodoss War</i>, who, in turn, was inspired by a roleplaying group that creator Ryo Mizuno played in.</div><span id="goog_841692613"></span><span id="goog_841692614"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cumshUGlChGTm5zoFGZf69iPNwnNKMuza7KpLvZSDFMTBXqx2CobG0QQatRC3dBwpGJg34k83c4SQW0YN69z6VBlBed0VVEOyT9KZApHxF9njzE7UWuqGxH2JHL0v6Ud9DRlP1zcxeM/s1600/DnD2Cleric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cumshUGlChGTm5zoFGZf69iPNwnNKMuza7KpLvZSDFMTBXqx2CobG0QQatRC3dBwpGJg34k83c4SQW0YN69z6VBlBed0VVEOyT9KZApHxF9njzE7UWuqGxH2JHL0v6Ud9DRlP1zcxeM/s320/DnD2Cleric.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On the other side of the coin, the Cleric mixes divine magic with mace swinging combat abilities. His healing spells are invaluable in an arcade game, but he's got a couple of offensive spells in his repertoire, such as the ability to turn undead (into dust, that is).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8stIi4290kJQWjiVt4TX2uU3EzNf1tlvuooG0WtNaXKzJo6ZG16FE9UocOS6ZPB8ypR2SDdZ9eUS1B_QXQBEsNgTTYywTzDUlSxwzQjz7DfJ3Wnd4gAtb-Jz8d5XoI8r_grLPUKq4Xm0/s1600/DnD2Dwarf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8stIi4290kJQWjiVt4TX2uU3EzNf1tlvuooG0WtNaXKzJo6ZG16FE9UocOS6ZPB8ypR2SDdZ9eUS1B_QXQBEsNgTTYywTzDUlSxwzQjz7DfJ3Wnd4gAtb-Jz8d5XoI8r_grLPUKq4Xm0/s320/DnD2Dwarf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rounding out the group from the first game, the Dwarf is another combat focused class. Like everyone else who isn't the Fighter, his weapon's reach isn't very long, but no one can hit faster than he can with his axe. He also has a higher resistance to spells than any other character.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacAgr-sBLr8AqN7bQ-QkT6btJF6_pkw4Er2WlGN8bjWFEeWMXBVBap1x5Zac8UGwzCm4up0fNScZMMNVKwiDujfwKvmaGvFivNdVTlVNeejsuy7ouumQMipE2-i4CJMOLqNDESyl6zgE/s1600/DnD2Mage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacAgr-sBLr8AqN7bQ-QkT6btJF6_pkw4Er2WlGN8bjWFEeWMXBVBap1x5Zac8UGwzCm4up0fNScZMMNVKwiDujfwKvmaGvFivNdVTlVNeejsuy7ouumQMipE2-i4CJMOLqNDESyl6zgE/s320/DnD2Mage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The enigmatic Magic-User is one of the new classes featured in <i>Shadow Over Mystara</i>. He's the weakest character, physically, but his arcane abilities are unmatched.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII3-Fwt1FZPxLS-Dz4EYl_vlVHLAdv_bBOTCZ3E9zA2l8-emBfp0SK8Dg80FBFHILv77Dn7UxVjW-dq4xey-54gRPSz-wqjBpt5nvF45Xi7R4rX1Rw2ImAwr8IWKKeBBLGz9-rte6kDo/s1600/DnD2Thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII3-Fwt1FZPxLS-Dz4EYl_vlVHLAdv_bBOTCZ3E9zA2l8-emBfp0SK8Dg80FBFHILv77Dn7UxVjW-dq4xey-54gRPSz-wqjBpt5nvF45Xi7R4rX1Rw2ImAwr8IWKKeBBLGz9-rte6kDo/s320/DnD2Thief.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The other character from <i>Shadow Over Mystara</i> is the swift and sexy Thief. Though not as strong as the Fighter, she makes up for it with the ability to detect traps, which can save your entire party from some unnecessary damage.<br />
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With their fantastic side-scrolling action, four player cooperative ability, and the quests, characters, and monsters straight from the pages of one of the most famous tabletop rpgs, both of these games are high on my list of all-time favorite arcade games. It's a shame that they have not seen a console release since the days of the Sega Saturn (and that was only in Japan). These games need to be available for current gen systems. The XBOX 360 is perfect for four player arcade action (as evidenced by Konami's <i>X-Men</i>). Someone at Capcom better get to work on that, seriously.<br />
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A lot of the images, including the video below, are from this great <i>D&D</i> arcade shrine, which features a lot of great resources. Check out the link <a href="http://www.fantasyanime.com/valhalla/ddarcade.htm">here</a> and take a look. The guy who made it also has some other great video game shrines you should see. Just click the link for his homepage at the bottom of the shrine.<br />
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Until next time, keep your scores high and the quarters flowing.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374008653171989981.post-84071611492671930902011-05-07T06:56:00.001-06:002011-05-07T07:00:25.382-06:00Free Comic Book Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoyUC2j0OUcBcu6a-7BUWjv6oS1DSJEXmUAurSGe33ew0WRE-AqF5qnFcvF_AgNmbCiDleJ14AGI0DiORGqADPq3_hcyuNh9SVz3AOCcO0-Fpr7-5Xx1ctR4ER14A_2fmK7ysRGEvKA4/s1600/FreeComicBookDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoyUC2j0OUcBcu6a-7BUWjv6oS1DSJEXmUAurSGe33ew0WRE-AqF5qnFcvF_AgNmbCiDleJ14AGI0DiORGqADPq3_hcyuNh9SVz3AOCcO0-Fpr7-5Xx1ctR4ER14A_2fmK7ysRGEvKA4/s640/FreeComicBookDay.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><br />
Today is a special occasion for every geek, dork, nerd, and spaz: Free Comic Book Day. Go to your local participating comic book store and pick up some great free comics. It's a perfect opportunity to find new titles you may like or get interested in something you may have missed. For a full list of free comic books that may be available at your local store and more details, check out <a href="http://www.freecomicbookday.com/">http://www.freecomicbookday.com</a>. Happy reading.Anacronushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15835168025096871205noreply@blogger.com0