Video game stuff
First with the Stargate-relevant bit: apparently the closed beta for the Stargate MMO(RPG?), 'Stargate Worlds', launches on October the 15th and there's still time to register if you're into that sort of thing. I'm holding off because I suspect my PC won't manage it, but it appears from screenshots that you can play as/against (I'm not sure, I've never played an MMO so I'm not familiar with the HUD layout) 'Lucian Slum Dweller', 'Lucian Street Thug' and 'Lucian Kasa Addict'. None of the screenshots look remotely like Vancouver.
In other news, I haven't even attempted any more Snarkscape since 'The Flax' (or anything else 'productive', for that matter) because I've been too distracted with the PS3. I'm considering giving the PS3 a name, but can't help wondering if that's a bit too strange even for me (I did, however, once have a dead PS2 called Larry).
Of immensely exciting news to me, even if to no-one else, is that LittleBigPlanet - the game for which I bought my PS3 and for which I'm enormously psyched - doesn't come out til October 22nd in the UK but I'm playing it right now because I got into the online beta. :D First impressions? It's every bit as good as I was expcecting it to be AND MORE. Second impressions? It's got the odd niggling fault here and there and the Create side of things is a bit daunting, but it's still the best thing I've every played. Third impressions? No, seriously, BADASS.
Thirdly, based on my experiences with 'Uncharted: Drake's Fortune', I'd like to present a short list on how to make in-game gunfights a completely unfair experience:
1) The Enemy:Player ratio must be at least 15:1. 50:1 is not unreasonable. More enemies may join the gunfight throughout if having fifteen dudes there at the same time is impractical.
2) Give enemies telescopic vision and perfect aim with a handgun from 500 yards. Also, the ability to throw grenades with perfect accuracy.
3) Give enemies infinite ammo. Give the player almost no ammo so it has to be tightly rationed.
4) Have enemies suddenly appear in places that are logically impossible, e.g. right behind the player even after the player has thoroughly cleared that area.
5) Give enemies plenty of cover. Player cover must be few and far between and/or liable to collapse if it absorbs too many bullets.
6) Give enemies Invisible Face Armour, so that after being shot in the face six times they can still retaliate and shout "you're already dead, asshole!".
...and that's me playing on Easy Mode, because I'm a console shooter newbie. I don't dare investigate what Normal mode is like! In all fairness, they even the odds slightly by providing things like explosive barrels, but the game still feels awfully unbalanced at times and I'd prefer it if there were more runny-jumpy-climby-platformy bits since that's basically what I got it for.
Still, the upside is that I can now say 'open the door!' in Malay/Indonesian (it's 'buka pintu', in case you're wondering).
In other news, I haven't even attempted any more Snarkscape since 'The Flax' (or anything else 'productive', for that matter) because I've been too distracted with the PS3. I'm considering giving the PS3 a name, but can't help wondering if that's a bit too strange even for me (I did, however, once have a dead PS2 called Larry).
Of immensely exciting news to me, even if to no-one else, is that LittleBigPlanet - the game for which I bought my PS3 and for which I'm enormously psyched - doesn't come out til October 22nd in the UK but I'm playing it right now because I got into the online beta. :D First impressions? It's every bit as good as I was expcecting it to be AND MORE. Second impressions? It's got the odd niggling fault here and there and the Create side of things is a bit daunting, but it's still the best thing I've every played. Third impressions? No, seriously, BADASS.
Thirdly, based on my experiences with 'Uncharted: Drake's Fortune', I'd like to present a short list on how to make in-game gunfights a completely unfair experience:
1) The Enemy:Player ratio must be at least 15:1. 50:1 is not unreasonable. More enemies may join the gunfight throughout if having fifteen dudes there at the same time is impractical.
2) Give enemies telescopic vision and perfect aim with a handgun from 500 yards. Also, the ability to throw grenades with perfect accuracy.
3) Give enemies infinite ammo. Give the player almost no ammo so it has to be tightly rationed.
4) Have enemies suddenly appear in places that are logically impossible, e.g. right behind the player even after the player has thoroughly cleared that area.
5) Give enemies plenty of cover. Player cover must be few and far between and/or liable to collapse if it absorbs too many bullets.
6) Give enemies Invisible Face Armour, so that after being shot in the face six times they can still retaliate and shout "you're already dead, asshole!".
...and that's me playing on Easy Mode, because I'm a console shooter newbie. I don't dare investigate what Normal mode is like! In all fairness, they even the odds slightly by providing things like explosive barrels, but the game still feels awfully unbalanced at times and I'd prefer it if there were more runny-jumpy-climby-platformy bits since that's basically what I got it for.
Still, the upside is that I can now say 'open the door!' in Malay/Indonesian (it's 'buka pintu', in case you're wondering).